Sweet ass barefoot run, Road ID, Nathan handheld and GU

My time management was terrible since I was gone all day but I went out for a run anyways.  Thank you Jaymon for watching the kids. I know they have been stressful today but it was a wonderful gift of time that you gave me!

  I ran 10 miles in 1 hour 45 minutes and it was my hill route.  Its up and down the whole way and it was great!  This is my best time so far on this route after having gone barefoot.  Its been a work in progress to get my form right.
I love the hills. I feel like my form is spot on going up. Downhill, not so much.  Today though, was so sweet!  I let go and let the hills draw me down instead of holding back. What a blast that is!  Going up hill is easy if you imagine that you are running through snow. Your feet go up and down  with a bit of a high step and you lean forward at the ankle for momentum  using gravity as your friend yet keep your core strong and back straight.

My  core is so  much stronger now and I am only in the 2nd week of P90X. My hip flexors are getting stronger as well. I could feel the ease of lifting my feet off the ground and placing them down again at a faster speed which is crucial in barefoot running.  Cadence is key.
Often times in barefoot running,  imagery helps with form. I love how going downhill I hunker down and just move the feet really fast. Quick steps with hardly any time on the ground at all.
The yoga from last night made me sore enough that today I was able to get in touch with my muscles very easily. I could feel my glutes and hamstrings and my obliques even. My soles are tender but no blisters. The sand from winter kind of irritates but it was fun to cuss out loud and then be done with it.

I wore my Road ID.  I love the color and now that I cut it down to fit snugly I didn't even notice it was there.

 I have the Wrist ID Elite. Its a nice soft rubber. The last time it slid up and down on my wrist and it was distracting  however today I would glance down and see it and think "oh, sweet color!".  
 I have these awful visions of some texting driver taking me out and it does give me a measure of comfort to know that I would be identified quickly with my ID on. Sam, my oldest son, has a dog tag style Fixx ID Road ID as well and he wears it all the time.

  I wore my super cute Old Navy running skort and it is so comfortable. I always feel sexy in a running skirt. Its kind of risqué that my business is right there but I am safely covered up even though I am in a skirt.  The sun and breeze on my legs felt fantastic.  Its my new favorite piece of clothing to wear all the time! I am definitely going back for the pink one. Wish they had blue since thats my color but ah well.

   I carried my Nathan handheld water bottle with some nuun in it for the first time.  I have the quickdraw elite and it is pretty sweet.  I had my phone and a GU stashed in it. The only thing I don't like about my Old  Navy skort is that it doesn't have any pockets but the handheld bottle made up for it. I thought it would be annoying yet after I got warmed up and zoned out I forgot I was even holding it. I don't even have to hold it. The hand strap keeps it on.  Its soft and does not chafe. I did notice that my hand got pretty sweaty. Other than that it rocked.

  I do wish that I could find an energy solution that was more natural but I must say that GU is pretty wonderful stuff and it is gluten free!  I ate a Chocolate Outrage and it was heaven!  I thought how cool it was that I was eating a chocolate treat at the  2/3 mark of my run.  It gave me the pep I needed to finish strong.

  It seems strange to go from thinking I need certain things in order to run. I ditched it all and even the shoes which was the best thing I could have chosen to do. I reconnected with what running is and why I do it.
Without the shoes and my newfound "less is more" outlook I was able to train better, longer and even PR twice last season after ditching the shoes.
  Now I am trying things in moderation and evaluating whether or not I "need" it.
So far the things I have tried have made my running better over all.  My legs feel pretty good right now in my recovery socks and it has been a blast to try new things and write about it here!  Give some of it away too!

Here's to kick ass runs,  discovering new things and even better, the said better things, enhance the quality of life.