A blog about running, and thrift shopping! The first Thursday of every month I post my latest thrifting finds. I also post race reviews for the DC and Baltimore area.
Like a lot of runners, I've used body glide on my feet to help prevent hot spots and blisters on my feet. (Both the balm and the cream.) It wasn't perfect (maybe I wasn't putting enough on?) but it still wouldn't prevent painful hotspots that lasted the rest of the day. Then I saw this article from NPR pop up on my Facebook feed (for once a useful article came up on there!) talking about a study done on ultramarathoners looking at the effectiveness of paper tape on preventing blisters. If 98 out of 128 ultramarathoners didn't develop blisters where they taped their feet I decided I had to try it!!
So a couple days later I got a 10 yard roll at Target. I decided for the heck of it I would give it a try for the Sole of the City 10k. (I realize it's a pretty short distance to try it, but this is something that would probably need some trials before perfecting placement.) As I suspected, there were still some minor hotspots despite the tape application. But so far so good! The tape didn't budge at all until I pulled it off post-race.
Then for my last long (12 mile) run before my next half marathon I decided to tape up my feet again. Still some minor hotspots, but no blisters!! And the hotspots were fine within a few hours (the perfect excuse for a post-run nap.) I couldn't believe it. The tape also held on the whole time!! I'm probably going to hold onto my body glide, but as a backup in case I run out of paper tape.
Here's how I taped up my feet...
(And I totally acknowledge the fact that I am probably that one in a million runner who still has feet that don't look terrible. And if you're one of those people who hates feet...I'm sorry.)
I covered the calluses on the side of my big toe and at the joint where my little toe connects to my foot. Then I taped up across underneath my toes, paying particular attention to the padding just underneath the joint. These are all places where I either develop hotspots, calluses or blisters. (Also note: The tape will stick a little more to any calluses than the rest of your skin.)
When you're done, just pull the tape right off and throw it away! So stinking easy.
The North Face Eat My Dust Tank: Originally $55, paid $4.50! I has seen this one last week and lucked out that it was still around and when I tried it on I found out it had POCKETS! They're in the straps (the purple seam going across) and will be perfect for training or races in the summer!
This week it looked like somebody donated their entire running shoe collection (and they were all in my size!!) There were pairs of Hoka One Ones, Altra, and these Merrells. They fit great and should be super comfy, especially since I like walking around barefoot. Merrell All Out Fuse: Originally $110, paid $11!
Managed to luck out yet again! I started out a little nervous that I wouldn't be able to find much, but once I made my second stop I found some more great clothes.
A photo posted by The Thrifty Runner (@thethriftyrunner) on
This year the shirt was an Under Armour Twist Tech Hoodie in cobalt with the race logo printed on the back. It actually ended up being a little heavy for the race itself since it was kind of warm that morning. I ended up wearing this Charm City Run tech t-shirt I found while out thrifting a few weeks ago along with my usual Athleta Be Free Knickers. (I also had a sweatshirt that I tossed to my husband before I made my way to the starting area.) As usual my pre-race breakfast consisted of cherry limeade nuun and a peanut butter dark chocolate chunk luna bar.
I always love when the national anthem is sung at Maryland races. Why so oddly specific? For those of you who have never raced in Maryland, this is the fun part...
A video posted by Charm City Run (@charmcityrun) on
This happens at every single race in Maryland as a shout out to the Orioles. Another cool thing about this race in particular is that it takes place just a mile from where the song was written at Fort McHenry. (The Charm City Run in Baltimore frequently has fun runs that go to Fort McHenry too!)
The race itself was great. The course was a little hilly, but not horrible. The wind began to pick up as the race went on, but the timing was perfect since it felt great as I approached the finishing line. I found the race was a little crowded at first, but after about the first mile or so the crowd thinned out a little bit. (I still take walk breaks so I would hop over to the sidewalk for them which made things a little easier.)
One of the big complaints that I heard from other runners is the cobblestones on the course. Sure, they're pretty to look at...but to run on? Kinda scary. The cement between each stone is pretty well worn down so it can be a little scary and the possibility of tripping and falling is a little too high for my comfort. So my strategy for avoiding them was rather than walking I hopped onto the sidewalk and joined the small crowd of runners who did the same. The stretches with cobblestones really aren't that long (probably less than 100 feet in total) but still long enough to cause some anxiety.
Despite all of that I couldn't believe my finishing time. Last year I finished in 1:11:54 and this year I finished in 1:05:17!!! My pace was a full minute faster than last year too! (When I told one of my trainers this morning he was so proud!)
Here are what my splits looked like:
This just further proves that I start out running way too fast and need to work on consistency. Around mile 3 when we started to have to go uphill I began my walk breaks. (I also had to change my playlist because for some reason my phone kept managing to play the slowest songs!) Then around miles 4 and 5 I couldn't let myself walk that slowly since that's when we were on the piers which I've run at least a dozen times on my own. (And I couldn't bring myself to walk in front of the aquarium. What if one of my coworkers saw me?? I did take it upon myself to wave to the marine mammal trainers on Pier 4 as we ran along Pier 5, although nobody from the aquarium saw me.) I also had to take an obligatory mid-race selfie with Mr Trash Wheel! (It was probably the fastest selfie I've ever taken.)
A photo posted by The Thrifty Runner (@thethriftyrunner) on
The course support is great--quite a few people are along the course cheering on runners and thankfully the ones who were saying "You're almost there!" were actually right. There were also 2 water stops on the course at about the 2 mile and 4 mile marks.
Post-race support is also fantastic. Plenty of water (although they were in those tiny bottles), and the snacks were great! They had the usual bananas and granola bars, but there were also potato chips and three different kinds of wraps (chicken, ham and veggie.) There was also some coors light and a shandy available for runners, but I decided against it and woofed down a chicken wrap, potato chips and my banana.
This year there was a bit of a snafu with the timing mats. For some reason, they didn't catch everyone who finished. Thankfully though CCR usually has at least one backup for timing and mine popped up 48 hours after the race as promised. All I had to do was send the events director, Kelly, an email with my name, bib number and approximate finishing time.
Despite it being a great race (and a great day for it) with a fantastic premium I'm not sure if I would do this race again. I love Charm City Run's races and HIGHLY recommend Sole of the City, but next year I might try another race. This time of year is full of so many different races that I'm a little eager to see what else is out there. But this is definitely one race that every Marylander should do at least once!
Not too many finds this week, but some good ones! (I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing that I'm starting to get more picky when I go thrifting. Maybe a good thing for the sake of my closet and dresser? Note to self: May have to make a Konmari post at some point.)
Patagonia Capilene Baselayer! (I have this with a hood already, but sometimes you really don't need one.) Originally $69, paid $7.
Lucy is definitely one of my favorite brands to find while out thrifting. Their clothing holds up well and super comfy! These are their Everyday Pants originally $79, paid $8.
I'm close to Baltimore, so Under Armour products show up a LOT while out thrifting. I totally lucked out with this one, since it's a recent infrared hoodie! I love their infrared line since the items are fleece with a special coating inside to help retain heat. Since I'm almost always cold, these are great for bumming around the house or running on a chilly morning. Totally splurged on this one since I love the color, it fits great and was still a bargain! Originally $124.99, paid $20.
This week's Thrifty Thursday is a little less exciting, but still some good finds!!
Athleta Batwing and Robin top. (I have another open front cardigan in the same material but a different pattern that I LOVE and wear all the time.) Originally $89, paid $11!
Moving Comfort Foxie Full Zip Jacket. Love the color and it's stylish enough that it probably won't be worn just for running. (Although the lighter colored panels are a little bit reflective!)
Love the back of this jacket too! The ruffles make for a nice, feminine touch. Originally $98, paid $11!
Brooks epiphany long sleeve shirt! Love the color and the pocket in the right hip that will be great for lip balm and/or tissues! With the way the weather's been lately I might get to wear it for my race next weekend before putting my long sleeved running shirts away for the season. Originally $34, paid $7.
Like a lot of runners, I have a Disney race on my bucket list. So when I came across this shirt and it fit like a dream I decided I had to get it! (Although I won't feel right wearing it until I actually register for one. It's a little out of my budget at the moment.) Originally $37, paid $4.50!
Okay. I know this next one's a little strange. But hear me out...
I'm a total biology nerd. While I was getting my second bachelor's degree in biology I took a zoology class where the big semester project was collecting invertebrate specimens, and then mounting and labelling them properly. I still have a monarch butterfly that I caught and mounted in my craft room. (These are labelled incorrectly--it should be the common name, the scientific name, where they were caught and the date.) From some quick research all three are likely from India! The large moth in the middle (a male Atlas moth) is the world's largest moth and only live for a few days since they don't have mouths and are used for their silk. The lime butterfly in the lower left corner is considered to be a pest since it feeds exclusively on citrus plants. The common tiger butterfly in the lower right corner is similar to monarch butterflies in coloration and that they're difficult for predators to eat since they taste bad and can actually play dead! So excited for this $3 find.
What did you find while out thrifting this week? Any good races coming up this weekend??
This year's Cherry Blossom 10 Miler was absolutely crazy for a lot of reasons (some good, others not so much.) It started with meeting Meb on Thursday, and the next day I volunteered for packet pickup and explored the expo. Then on Saturday I packed up multiple outfits and headed to my parents for a very windy (and somewhat stressful) evening before the race Sunday morning.
Volunteering for packet pickup was expectedly chaotic, but a lot of fun! Essentially I handed people their race bibs with the timing chip and directed them to where to get their t-shirts. There were a lot of the same questions--can I just give you my name? (No, because there are probably about 20 Sarah's in just my boxes of bibs.) And surprisingly there were a LOT of people who tried picking up their bib with the previous year's email. (Check the dates on there, people! I understand sometimes technology is wonky and can bring up an older email before a newer one, but still--check the dates!) Generally everybody that came to my table were super nice and happy to be there.
After my shift ended, my Dad (who was helping sell Cherry Blossom merchandise) and I explored the expo. I found a couple of really cute sweaty bands and got to see some of the medals I'll be earning later this year for running the King Crab race series! (Apparently the blanket was also on display, but I totally missed it!) They also had the recently announced Baltimoron medal as a reward if you run both the Baltimore 5k and half marathon in the same day.
All week I had been closely watching the weather, and it kept showing that Sunday would be cold and windy. Then on Friday it was announced that there would be a high wind advisory and a freeze watch in the suburbs. On Saturday afternoon race organizers started announcing what they would do to make sure everybody could safely participate in the race. First they announced that there wouldn't be any signage on the course marking the mileage or showing split times (there are actually 5 different timing mats that you pass over--the start line, 5 miles, 10k, 9 miles and the finish line.) They also cancelled the kid's race and later announced that they would be cutting the number of water stops in half so there would only be three on the whole course. The organizers also decided that this year they would hand you water, food, heatsheets and medals as you cross the finish line and walk back through the chutes where you started.
After they started making the announcements I started getting nervous that they would cut the race short or cancel it altogether. Then once the wind started to pick up around 10pm, it made it even harder to sleep. At one point I woke up for a little while and checked my email and saw an email from race organizers saying that the race is definitely on, but there wouldn't be a sound system and there would only be 2 tents (the med tent and bag check tent) and the portajohns were going to be uneffected. (Yay! Priorities, people!)
The night before the race I decided on wearing a long sleeved shirt, a wool hoodie, a windbreaker vest, fleece lined leggings and a running cap. I also grabbed a couple of heatsheets that my Dad and I could use while we waited for the race to begin.
The morning of the race I was totally dragging the second my first alarm went off and said "Up and atom! It's race day!"
And I'm pretty sure I groaned when my second alarm went off and said "You signed up for this torture!" Proof:
Before we left I grabbed my water bottle with cherry limeade nuun from the fridge and started sipping it in the car and hoped that the caffeine would kick in sooner rather than later. I also had a packet of caffeinated limeade honey stinger chews as an added boost of caffeine.
Soon my Dad and I had arrived at the Smithsonian metro station and we began to brave the cold wrapped up in our heatsheets.
Such a pretty sight...but soooooo cold!
We started out at the portajohns and while we waited I ate my peanut butter and dark chocolate luna bar (yum!) about half an hour before gun time. Then we went to our respective corrals (I was in the green corral, he was in purple) and waited for the race announcements.
Bundled up and ready to go!
I had heard that some women in my running group were in the same corral and I wildly looked around for them and was so shocked that I found them in the huge group of people that I pushed my way through the crowd and met up with them. We then walked together to the starting line and I took off my heatsheet and rather than dropping it, I folded it up and shoved it securely under the strap on my running belt. I ended up running with the women from my running group until we started down the Memorial bridge when I decided it was time to take off and see what could happen on my own.
Around mile 5 an oasis of portajohns with NO LINE popped up and I took advantage of it--I sprinted off the course into a stall and magically, there was even still hand sanitizer!! (My first year running this race I lost a couple minutes due to the line.) I then opened up my packet of chews and popped one in my mouth. Admittedly, I had never tried the flavor before but it was the perfect boost I needed at each mile afterwards.
Then something else magical happened at mile 6 as I started down Hains Point--I saw somebody running with turquoise and purple hair back in a ponytail and a Virginia Tech sweatshirt tied around her waist. I recognized the hair and ran to catch up and looked over and realized I DO know her! It was a friend from high school who still lives in the area and runs a lot of the same races as me and somehow we had never caught up until this race. It made Hains Point go SO much faster to have a friend to run with at a similar pace! But, again I had to take off if I were going to beat my time of 2:01:13 in 2014. That last mile just flew by. I remembered that last hill at the very end before the road levels off and how I walked the whole thing the last time I ran the race. And I was walking it again. So about halfway up the hill I started running again and used what little energy I had left and kept going until I crossed the finish line and stopped my Garmin.
As I walked towards the food and water being passed out (I missed out on the heatsheets, which made me VERY glad I held onto mine) I looked down and saw that I had totally beat my time by a longshot! After getting my medal and taking some obligatory pictures with it in front of the Washington Monument...
A photo posted by The Thrifty Runner (@thethriftyrunner) on
I looked up my official finishing time using the CUCB app and I could hardly believe it: I finished the race in 1:54:39!!! (Nearly 7 minutes faster than my original time in 2014!!!) I then happily ate my banana and cheese while I waited for my Dad's text that he had finished the race. Once we met up we headed back to my parents house for showers and some lunch (since the runger was real!) Then I headed home for a nap with my cats while watching the Barkley Marathon documentary on Netflix since it started the night before the Cherry Blossom. (I highly recommend it--even though I fell asleep during it, it was very interesting!)
Overall, I would totally do this race again in a heartbeat. (And will--the perk of volunteering is getting to bypass the lottery!) It is very well organized, and there's a reason why elite and novice runners alike have added it to their race bucket list! Despite the adverse weather conditions, the organizers worked around it extremely well and still managed to put on a fantastic race.
A photo posted by The Thrifty Runner (@thethriftyrunner) on
My Dad works on Capitol Hill, and on Thursday they had their own mini packet pickup for the Congressional teams. There were a couple tables with some SWEET swag--a towel, a light band for your arm, a strobe light, lip balm, a workout towel and a water bottle.
And Meb was there doing meet n greets a day early! My dad asked him what his expected pace was, and he said 6:00 miles!! (That's about half what ours is going to be...) And I asked him what other races are on his bucket list since he mentioned the Cherry Blossom was on it in an interview. He said he wants to do the Marine Corps Marathon and the Boilermaker 15k.
Naturally being in DC and having a little bit of free time, afterwards I walked around before coming home and then after dinner I met up with my friend, Gracious Warrior Princess for a MRTT Glow Run!
A photo posted by Gracious warrior princess (@anna_louise_kallas) on
Now, onto my thrifting finds for the week!!
Lululemon Power Dance Tank
So pretty and comfortable! Originally $58, paid $8!
Asics Running Vest
I got this in mind for the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler on Sunday. (It's supposed to be cool but windy, so it'll help block some of the wind.) Originally approximately $68, paid $8!
Brooks 2009 Marine Corps Marathon Tank Top
I've run the MCM 10k 3 years in a row now, and one of my slight pet peeves is there is NEVER any merch for the 10k. It even has a small zippered pocket in the lower left of the tank top which can be great for keys, lip balm or tissues. Originally approximately $45, paid $8!
1970s Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom "Gift Tray"
Originally $2.25 (in 1970, approximately $10-14 in 2016), paid $7
2 Quart Teardrop Pyrex Batter Bowl
Super convenient for somebody accident prone like myself because there's a handle to grip while pouring out batter! Similar bowls are about $30-40, paid $5!
