Garmin and Other Ramblings

First of all, let's get this Garmin mess out of the way. I've made up my mind; I'm going to bite the bullet and get the Garmin! I keep wishing I had one (especially planning this race) and I'm tiring of hemming and hawing. Except, actually, this one last time because I want to be sure I'm getting the right one. I've looked and compared online and I think I want the Forerunner 305 and that seems to be what most of y'all have too. My only concern is how big it is! I'm nowhere near a store that carries them, so I'll have to order online. Convince me one last time: if you have a Garmin, let me know what model you have, how much you love it, and that it's worth the money.

So I was going to list my runs and workouts since the last time that I reported them, but then I flipped back a few posts to see when that was. Yep, it's been 11 days. I have no idea how much I ran on each of those 11 days. I just wrote a post on how I can't remember anything.

So you'll just have to take my word for it that I got in a mile or two or three each day for the past 11 days.....except for Friday...in which circumstances did not allow. I'll make up for it with a two-fer one day later this week, but it's not going to be today.

Spring Break has come and is very nearly gone. I didn't accomplish everything I wanted to, but I did see friends and family, get a lot of work done for my race, and get a few things done around the house.

In completely random running news, when I was at my parents' house for a few days this week, I discovered a new toy that my mom won for a door prize at a race. I got extremely excited for a second because I thought it was a fuel belt and I was already scheming how to label it mine. Although it had pouches like a fuel belt, it actually was something much fancier: a running light belt! It actually has an adjustable beam, adjustable brightness bulb attached to battery pack so you can illuminate the road in front of you. It's advertised for "low light running and walking" but obviously that would be too practical and I decided to test it out in the pitch dark running up the side of the road.

I had trouble getting the belt adjusted in the beginning; it wouldn't sit still on my hips and I tried it around my natural waist, but that wasn't comfortable. I eventually did get it situtated on my hips and it stayed in place. The light was really bright...I could easily see where I was going and I'm sure any passing cars could see me a mile away. (Luckily, I didn't encounter any cars on this quick run...only a few startled cows.) I'm sure I actually looked kind of spooky...this bouncing light moving up the side of the road.

It was a fun excursion, but I wouldn't want to go more than a mile or two using that as my only light. I kind of felt like a horse with blinders because all I could see was what was lit right in front of me.

If you are a night runner though, I think this makes a lot more sense than wearing a light on your head. (I saw several different headlamps at the running store I stopped by this week...I didn't know there was such a demand!) The brand was GoMotion which I haven't heard of, but I haven't done much research in this area before.

Anyway, that's that and it's time to get ready to go back to school tomorrow!