veehive

I was chilling out after a quick run around Greenlake this afternoon and thinking about how much I love these new shoes.  For the past fifteen months I’ve been battling plantar fasciitis only to have knee pain crop up this past February.   It was so bad {I even skipped two races} that I finally gave in and went to see the sports doctor to make sure the cartilage wasn’t being worn away and there weren’t any bone spurs.   He told me there was ‘normal’ deterioration for someone ‘my age.’  All he left out was the ‘ma’am.’  I was also told, once again, that my speed training was too intense, that I should work more on my foot strike and to keep working on core strength.  We talked a lot about barefoot running and shoes since it was time for a new pair anyway.  Before the plantar fasciitis I’d been running for a year and a half in a brand that felt good on my feet.  Turned out they were murder for my ankles and heels.  When I traced back all my leg pain it became clear the shoes were part of the problem.  The backs had too much stability even though they were a non-stability shoe.  Before these particular shoes I never had achilles pain nor had my calf muscles cramped – ever. So after trying out several options I went back to Nike and was all set to just get another pair of the same style this time.  Headed down to NikeTown. Once there, out of curiosity I tried a pair of their Free Run 2  shoes – Nike’s barely there running shoes engineered to mimic barefoot running while providing protection and minimal cushion.  They were surprisingly comfortable and since I was so interested to try them out in the real world a pair left the store with me.

That day I tried them out, anticipating to only run a mile to get a feel for the shoe.  Let me tell you…after two minutes I had an epiphany…my foot strike was completely different!  I was no longer coming down on my heel but instead was striking the ground with my mid foot to toe area – the difference was immediately noticeable both in feel and sound; my running was much quieter.  Oh my gosh!  I wasn’t even trying. The shoe is constructed to allow the foot to move naturally without constriction.  The nearly nonexistent arch support is further back in the shoe. The sole is not as bulky as others and has deep grooves for maximum flexibility. Because of the sole, I’m sure it will be necessary to replace them more frequently but I’m so enamored I don’t care.  That initial one mile turned into three because my feet felt so good. and I was filled with hope that the feeling would last.  So I’ve been running in these shoes for a little over two weeks now. Results? No heel, ankle, achilles, calf pain and NO MORE KNEE PAIN.  Not ‘less knee pain’ – completely gone! If you think I’m just high on the shoe and it’s all psychosomatic, nothing else about my training routine has changed {yes, still doing my speed work – don’t tell the youngin’…aka the knee doc}.   It is pretty unbelievable.  I will never be a barefoot runner but now I have a new appreciation for all the hype.  These Free Runs are great.  I started running in high school and was a Nike gal then; nearly 25 years later I’m a Nike gal again.  Thanks, Phil Knight.  Now can you just have your engineers whip up a shoe that will make me faster?

I use to be a bad hoarder…of cleaning products, makeup and condiments.  I’m happy to report that condiments are my only remaining downfall, but can you ever have too many condiments?  That’s like saying “the sauce has too much cream.”  I think my problem with cleaners was that I was always looking for something to make the job easier and faster. Aren’t we all?  Constant disappointment resulted in a plethora of products. One day I opened the cabinet under the sink only to have lots of cans and bottles of this and that fall out. There were so many things that had been purchased and then stashed away because they didn’t do the job that they were double stacked and completely filling up the cabinet.  What a mess.  Emptied everything into the sink and into the recycling bid they went. Except for the products I’d found worked well.  Amazingly, the chock-full cabinet went down to a handful of cleaners and tons of free space!  And now, these things listed below are what I stick with.  We have a variety of surfaces in the house: granite, wood, glass – lots and lots of glass, and slate.  Here are the products I love because they are good cleaners and many of them have a nice, subtle scent.  What are your go-to-cleaning products?

Mrs. Meyer’s All Purpose Cleaner
I use this bio-degradeable concentrate cleaner for most everything, the granite shower, sinks, toilets, bathroom granite floors, slate floor.  My favorite scent is lavender but really, all their scents are good.  Since I use this product the most, I like that I can get it many places – grocery store, Target, Bartell Drugs.

Rock Doctor Granite Cleaner
This is the only thing I use on our counters.  We keep the counters well sealed so I find this product not only cleans well but provides enough of a matte polish without having to buy a separate product.  And it is the only thing I’ve found that does not leave a greasy or opaque film!

Murphy Oil Soap
There is a reason that Murphy Oil Soap has been around for over 100 years…it’s a great gentle floor cleaner.  I primarily use the old fashion concentrate soap and in an old fashioned way – bucket and rag.  For quick cleanups I also have the Squirt and Mop on hand.  And when I do use a mop, it’s the Libman Wonder Mop with microfiber gripstrips.  

Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner
These are now the only ‘wipes’ under the sink.  This stainless steel cleaner also comes in spray form but I like the wipes.  For everyday cleaning I can do all the kitchen appliances with one wipe.  Deeper cleans require two. They work really well and I’ve found I don’t have to use a separate cloth for polishing.  They also cut through the grease on the range hood…extra bonus.

Bar Keepers Friend
My dad introduced me to this product.  I love that it cleans all my stainless steel/metal sinks, faucets and shower heads removing any hard water spots and rust {that sits on the clear coat of the sinks} without being abrasive.  Mixed with a little water to make a paste, it also works well in cleaning grout and cement.  I’ve found the powder from of BKF is best of the different types offered. 

Weiman Gas Range Cleaner
This product is pretty new and recently just picked it up.  I’d been using 409 but cleaning the range top required a lot of elbow grease and multiple applications of cleaner.  This Weiman product is great.  Love it.  Using this with their red range top scrubbers make the job easier.  I still use a toothpick to clean the crevices on the side and vacuum the range. But these two products together clean well, cutting through the burnt grease.  To clean the igniters and burners I use a simple paste of baking soda and water with a toothbrush. 

During my first year of running awhile back, I saw a lot of women running in skirts.  I was intrigued because they looked comfortable but the ones I saw on the race course were not cute.  Not even a little.  So the day before every race I’d peruse all the skirt vendors at the expo.  No wonder the ones I saw ladies running in were not cute – the ones at the expos were horrific.  When I’d see these skorts on women the next day they always made me chuckle.  They were really crazy!   At least for me.  I am just not a pink leopard or tie-dyed gal.  In fact I pretty much stick to neutral colors, and by neutral I mean black.  {This may have something to do with my late 80s – early 90s embrace of color – you know know the neons, of which hot pink was my favorite. Hot pink pants, skirts, dresses…lipstick. Let’s call it over saturation.}  Last year, I finally found a running skirt I loved from…Lululemon.  I obviously have a problem with Lululemon.  If there was a Lulu shopaholics group I’m sure I could easily fill the president’s role.  The first skirt was ruched on the sides and, of course, black.  Sadly, it just was taken offline.  But if you ever see it brought back…do not hesitate to buy it. I totally rocks.  The new skirt bought a few weeks ago is the Run: Speed Skirt.  It comes in two lengths – regular and tall.  The ruched skirt I bought in a tall because I wanted the longer length – this time, because of the style, I got the regular.  With its pleated back, it’s pretty fashion-forward.  A little like a tennis skirt met a cheerleading skirt met a run skirt.  More practical features?  Made of Lululemon’s lightweight, wicking ‘swift’ fabric with a built-in wicking short liner with elastic leg bands, smooth waistband featuring a continuous drawcord and lots of pockets to hold your key, gel, music: one zippered pocket in the mid back and two pockets in the front.  As with other items that have elastic at the leg hem, if you are wearing this skirt for a long run, Body Glide on you legs will be your friend.  This is a super cute running skirt…I mean skort.  Trust me, no one will knock it on the race course.