- It is very exciting to announce that I will be a member of the Brooks ID Team for 2012. I have been running in Brooks since 2008 and believe they are the best running shoes and best running company in the business. I currently rotate between the Launch and Pure Flows as my trainers and use the T7 Racer Flats for racing. I am very thankful and humbled to be part of the Brooks ID Team!
- Early last year I attempted to wear another running companies shoes and this poor decision resulted in achilles tendinitis that plagued me for much of 2011. I rarely mentioned it on the blog due to sponsorship obligations but these obligations are now over so I can write more about it. After the injury I went back to wearing Brooks for the rest of the year and I truly believed switching back to Brooks saved my season and potentially saved me from a serious injury. I will never make a rash decision like this again. I learned the hard way how important high quality running shoes with proven technology are to a high mileage endurance athlete.
- So lesson of the day: Run in Brooks!
- Marathon training is going well. I know a lot of you come here to see what kind of ridiculousness I put my body through so here are a couple training numbers:
- Miles Ran Last Week - 72mi.
- Miles Ran Last 28 Days - 249mi.
- These are both all-time highs for me (for now).
- Miles Ran so far in December - 189mi (with 10 days still to go).
- Here is the cool thing about all the running: I feel wonderful (knock on wood)! I have been taking extra care of my legs by foam rolling twice a day and icing the achilles after long runs but overall my legs still feel fresh. With less then 10 weeks to go until the Woodlands Marathon I am hopeful the fatigue monster can stay away until taper!
- I cannot wait to begin Ironman Mont-Tremblant training. Missing the bike and pool big-time but I committed to being strictly a runner and will follow through with that commitment.
- On Monday Kevin (Ironman by Thirty) and me decided to do P90X again. We have both been through the rigors of P90X in the past so we thought we knew what we were in for. Wrong. It hurt. Bad. Woke up on Tuesday morning and my upper body felt like it had been hit by a truck. Today the soreness was even worse but I was happy to see a text from Kevin that said, "...I think my arms/shoulders hurt more today then yesterday ...". Ditto buddy!
- On New Years Day Annie and I are running in the Texas Half Marathon. It is a small race (650ppl) on the Greenbelt trails about 4 miles from our house. I train on these trails all the time and am really looking forward to doing the race. Last year the finisher's medal was like 3.5lbs! If I do not drink too much on NYE then I am going to try and hammer as hard as possible. If I DO drink too much then I am still going to hammer but will probably ended up passed out in a bush along Lake Houston! Just hope it is cold enough to keep the gators away.
- Right now if all stays the same Pittsburgh will be playing at Denver for Wild Card weekend. This is the dilemma of all dilemmas for me. I love the Steelers. My house is decorated in Black and Gold. But they will be going against The Tebow! I am so conflicted.
- Joe Biden is the biggest idiot to ever hold the title of Vice President of the United States. He makes us all long for the days of Dan Quayle.
- Bye, Bye Kim Jong Il. Feel like we hardly knew you. You should have won Best Actor for this moving performance: (NSFW)
Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!
Thanks for Reading,
Jeff
I don't think I've ever complimented you on that longhorn before. I LOVE it :)
ReplyDeleteYou are a miles-machine, man. Cool about the Brooks deal :) And I think you should just not get hammered so you can hammer :)
Congrats on making the team!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading your political commentary in 2012!
Congrats on Brooks. I had a similar experience this year after switching to a Tri-specific shoe for training and racing. Ended up with a few dislocated bones after a HM. Switched to the Brooks Ghost, have gone through a few pairs, and have had zero problems since. I am opting for the T7 racers next year, glad you "endorse" them.
ReplyDeleteHave fun with Tony and Dreya, who soars through the air with the greatest of ease (apparently)...
Alex - I am exploding with political commentary right now. So much so I do not even know where to start? Thinking of moving to the wilderness of
ReplyDeleteMontana and becoming a farmer or something.
Mark, Dude - love the T7's. Use them for distances from 13.1 and under. Use the Launch for anything longer but am slowly transitioning to the more minimalist Flows. They are so comfortable - like slippers.
ReplyDeleteGreat deal on the Brooks team, Jeff! I have never run in them before, but everyone I know who has raves about them.
ReplyDeleteYou should start a separate blog (or sub-blog) just for your political views. You'd have at least as many readers of your tri blog on that. Well...at least I'd read it.
Merry Christmas!
Congrats on Brooks ID. Their pure project looks appealing, if they could only add a gortex weather proof shoe to the pure collection.
ReplyDeleteWish you the best with muscle and P90x / running. I think it is possible to put on lean muscle and get lots of cardio. Look forward to hearing about your experience.
SP - I have a pair of the Ghost GTX 4 Brooks that I got when Wear Testing for them a couple of years ago. They are GorTex and very weather proof. However, the drop is much more then the 4mm Pure Project shoes. They feel a lot like the Glycerin which has a little too much cushion/weight for my tastes. They do stay dry though!
ReplyDeleteConflicted?? You may have to turn in your Steelers card if you keep talking like that. Maybe even the man card :-). I mean cmon man, you'll have to replace all your snuggies with blue or orange ones, just doesn't make sense :-).
ReplyDeleteCongrats on Brooks, that's great! Keep up the training, those are some great stats.
ReplyDeleteThose "other" shoes wouldn't happen to have been hideously colored shoes starting with an "a" would they???
ReplyDeleteOh shit. Now I can't back out of P90X. Thanks for that... haha
You have conflict? I can't believe that I have to remind you that your loyalty resides with Tebow.
Welcome back to the team....now.... in your contract you cant not wear other shoe brands, so go ahead and toss the moon boots. I'll wait
ReplyDeleteI want to do P90X, I have to wait till the new year
The steelers will win easily
Your running is of the chain dude! I'd certainly be rimping around after onry 50 miles/wk. I think you are going to kirr that marathon and I'm not just saying that to be arr nicey nice, I'm saying that b/c your training is SPOT. ON. Good ruck with the remainder of your training! Can you terr I roved the video?
ReplyDeleteI'm a Saucony girl myself.
ReplyDeleteGood stuff with the Brooks ID. No doubt you'll push their gear to its limits. Never tried any Brooks stuff ... maybe I should.
ReplyDeleteI'm all in on the Tebow train. With all the bad and negative in sports these days this guy is nothing but positive. Folks may not agree with his beliefs, but hopefully they can see what a good and genuine person he is. Pretty rare these days, and VERY rare in professional sports. Doesn't hurt that he was a nice pickup on my Fantasy team this year.
There should be no hard decision between the Steelers and the Donkeys.
ReplyDeleteGO STEELERS!
Dang. 72 miles. How do you even have time to watch Survivor?
ReplyDeleteBWAHAHAHA. "Team America. F&#@ YEAH!!"
ReplyDeleteAgain, for the billionth upon billionth time, I can't get over your run #'s. Fricking phenomenal!!!
Have a GREAT Xmas Jeff!
Wow...your run volume is CRAZY! You are going to do awesome in your marathon!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on making the Brooks team! I LOVE my Brooks ST racers...they rock!
Fill me in on the Brooks shoes you are running in. Neutral? I think my foot issue stemmed from running in the flats too often and not enough in my heavier shoes which are Adidas AdiZero's. Since I too love Brooks I would like to get into a shoe comparable to the AdiZero and race in the T7s like you.
ReplyDeleteBring a stick with you to the race. If you fall down and the gators approach you put the stick in their mouth vertically and they can't bite you. Saw it on Woody Woodpecker and it worked. You can thank me later.
My first quality pair of running shoes were brooks. They were great!
ReplyDeleteP90X...been there and done that. Man, it was tough, but I saw incredible results. Good for you guys. Keep up the good work.
Those are some crazy running numbers. Way to go! Woodlands is going to be sweet. That BQ is right around the corner.
Have a Merry Christmas!
Jeff, Happy holidays my man. Thanks for all the great post(s) over the years. Enjoy running in the Brooks, not those other shoes.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on making the team Jeff!
ReplyDeleteSo excited for your Brooks deal. I know how much that means to you! :)
ReplyDeleteI think you should try to run the half on New Year's day drunk. I mean, why not? :)
You've been putting in some amazing miles. Sounds like you are doing it right. Can't wait to see what 2012 holds for you!
Hope you and Annie have a great holiday!
Hi Jeff. Just came across your blog today. I'm from Kingwood. Grew up there. Looking forward to following your blog.
ReplyDeleteSHIT
ReplyDeletenow im going to have to buy Brooks trainers and racers
a training partner of mine is this crazy awesome dude who does monster bike rides and runs in VFF and does trail runs and 50milers and swore he would never wear shoes again. Then two weeks ago he told me to go buy Brooks PureGrit trail shoe. tried it on in the shop it felt AWESOME - was wondering if their trainer or racer would feel the same ... but escaped out of the shop before dropping cash multiple new pair of shoes
now Im screwed
Merry Christmas to you and Annie!
D
Congrats on your Brook sponsorship pickup! My daughter used to work for Brook. She was not athletic at all until she got a job there. Within a year of working there she ran a marathon (in her Brooks of course).
ReplyDeleteKim Jong Il... glad he checked out. Now we gotta keep an eye out for his son.
Biden.. I here ya, man!!!
Congratulations on making the Brooks ID team. You are always making some kind of team.
ReplyDeleteYou rock homeslice.
Good luck this season. Look forward to following your progress.
Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteSWEET on the ID team!!! :) So psyched we are "teamies" ;)
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!!!!
Cute post. I love your sense of humor. I have to agree with you on the Brooks. I've been running in Adrenalines since I started and they've never failed me.
ReplyDeleteThose numbers are ridiculous! Nicely done! So glad to hear that you're on the recovery. Please send me some of that leg strength so that I can survive this weekend! Congrats on making the Brooks ID team!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on Team Brooks! I started wearing the Adrenaline three years ago, and haven't looked back.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!