Well we’re hitting full stride and coming up on the Half Way Point in the 30 races!  This Saturday I’ll be running the Dart Frog Dash 5K at the Toledo Zoo and will mark it off as race number 15!  May is a packed month of races and I’m hoping to pick up a few during the summer months as well.

Fall is my favorite time of year for running and I have no doubts I’ll load up on the races then.  I’ve already planned on doing back to back half marathons in the beginning of October up in Michigan!  September will have the Smoky Mountains Half marathon…which will be a thrill because Karla will be back in the mix for that race!  It’ll be her first half in some time due to injury issues.  I hate to push the year along but I always get excited about Fall colors and temperatures. 🙂

I’m not sure which race will become the number 30 race as of yet.  I plan my races on a month to month basis due to work schedule and what’s available.  I really want to make it a local run so that we can all have a huge celebration!  It’s all about the party…right?!!

On the injury front…the hamstring seems to be behaving lately and the groin issue that surfaced after the Glass City has settled down a bit as well.  (Crossing Fingers!)  I have to say that finding the HOKA ONE ONE (Clifton Model) shoe has been a huge help!  Not only are these shoes ridiculously light but they seem to take the beating out of the body!  That means that I can do a long run and my hips, back and knees are feeling pretty good afterwards!  Bonus!!  I highly recommend this particular model (Clifton) by the company stated…its full name is HOKA ONE/ONE.  Go out and get yourself a pair and give them a try!  Rated as a Neutral shoe, they seem to have found a market with a guy like me that usually takes a Stability shoe.  I’ve found that the less than 8 oz. weight of the shoe is amazing!  You get the benefits of a super lightweight shoe with the padding of a stability!  I love these shoes so much that I’ve cleared out a big part of my stable of shoes by other manufacturers.  Nike, Brooks and Asics have all been pushed aside for this model.  That’s huge!

The temperatures are coming back up and that means more water is needed for the miles!  Be sure that if you’re going out during hot and or humid days that you properly hydrate the body!  Anything longer than 3 miles for me and I must carry my water bottle along.  I have a hand-held Ultraspire (http://ultraspire.com/) that I bring with.  It has a pocket just the right size to bring GU or Powerbar gels. (also a must on longer runs)  Just be smart and safe when out in the heat.  Things can get ugly quick when the sweat is pouring out of the body.  That being said…it’s time for the gym and a short hop before work!  Have a wonderful day!

I’ll see you on the Road!

Zombie