Running Warehouse Goodies Arrive!

My order from Running Warehouse arrived today (I ordered them around lunchtime on the 24th!) and I couldn't wait to open everything!

Here is the Nathan pack. I put a lip gloss, my ID and a packet of Kleenex (as a stand in for my cell phone, which is actually much thinner than that) inside the pack to see how they fit.

As you can see, they fit fine!

 

This is the attached ID card - you can put your personal info on one side and emergency info on the other (like "I'm a diabetic", "Latex Allergy", etc) 

It lives in it's own little home when you don't need it.

This is the amphipod pocket.  Kind of hard to see the details but there is a big flap for the clip, then a smaller flap, the one with the logo, that is the 'entrance' to the pocket. 

 

I decided to put in my lip gloss and my conglomeration of keys to see how much space they took up. When I do my runs, I usually take the key off the keychain, so all I carry is the black oval.

Plenty of room! I could probably fit my MP3 player in here too, because the pouch is stretchy!

Here is a pretty good view of the METAL clip that snaps to your pants. 

The long part of the pack goes between your tummy and your pants, then the clip hangs over the edge of your pants, kind of like Kilroy:

Click here to read about Kilroy

You can still access the pocket without having to unclip from your belt and if you need to move it over, you can unclip it (but leave it tucked in), slide it and re-clip it!  Totally worth $10!  Even better, since my MP3 player has thick buttons, I can feel them through the neoprene (and my pants) and skip songs without having to take it out of the pouch. I love that!

Anyway, so I took my goodies home and, even though you shouldn't train before a 5k, I wanted to do a little with my new gear. It's better to train a bit before, than to do a 5k with untested gear!  I put on my compression sleeve (damn that thing is HARD to get on!!!), put my MP3 player in my pouch (ran the earbuds under my shirt and through my collar), then put on the pack belt.  Neither the pouch nor the belt got in my way while I put on my socks and sneakers (the pouch was over my right hip), and I was ready to get on the treadmill.  

I warmed up for a few minutes, then hit 5mph and ran for a few minutes.  Back and forth for about 10 minutes, then turned off the treadmill.  I was not having shin pain this time, I guess due to the sleeve, but my lower calf/upper ankle was burning!  Stretching felt like hell!!!  But in kind of a good way, not an oh shit, I hurt myself way. I left the sleeve on for about an hour afterwards and plopped onto the couch to watch TV with my daughter.  During that time, I would flex and point my left foot (the leg with the sleeve) and there was no residual pain, so I'm considering this a win and I'll wear the sleeve on Saturday! It's now Friday afternoon, and I don't have any pain (besides my lingering PF).

Also during the run, I wore the pack belt both with the pack on my butt and on my tummy and there was NO bouncing either way.  I think it was a bit more comfortable with it in the back and will probably wear it that way unless I need to get into it.

All in all, I'm very happy with my $40 worth of gear and look forward to putting it to use tomorrow!

Speaking of tomorrow, remember last week when I said this?

I feel some trepidation about the upcoming 5k next weekend. I have a sad feeling in my heart that I will be dead last crossing that finish line, and I will probably get the pity claps and yells, but you know what?  I will have done the most important thing - I will have CROSSED THE FINISH LINE OF MY VERY FIRST 5k.  I will not quit, I will not give up, I will give it my all and I will cross that finish line, even if I am the very last person to do so.  There is no pity to be had, for I will have finished, and right now, that is the greatest thing in the world to me.

 I decided to go to the Florida Track Club website and look at the last 6 in-town 5k results.  Of those six, I can beat the last-place finisher's time in FOUR of them!  That is making me feel better about my time.  When you hear about people doing 5ks in a half-hour or less, it can really make you doubt yourself. Going into this thinking I have a 66%  chance of not being last has given me a new wind and I know I'll be able to do this!

And then I'll have cake.