As per the Final Mile Events web site, the course would be pancake flat with a mixed terrain of gravel roads, hard packed dirt, grassy sections, and some hard packed sand. Oh yeah, there would also be several irrigation ditch crossings to contend with. Sounds like fun, right?

It was nice to trade Boston stories with several of the local runners before the race. Standing around near the start area I felt well-rested, and very relaxed. The Full Bloom 50K set off promptly at 7:00am, and for once in my life, I was glad I didn’t have 31.1 miles ahead of me! Not today anyway. My race would start 30 minutes after the 50K, so mean time I jogged back to the car to change into my race singlet and gulp down some Nuun to ensure fluid levels were topped off.

In no time at all we were called to line up for the start. I realized I hadn’t warmed up at all (rookie mistake – what was I thinking?!), so made a quick decision to take the first couple of miles pretty easy. I settled in to 4th place in the first mile, with one unknown and two local Hampton Roads Runners setting the early pace. The cool air felt great despite some humidity with the early morning fog. Almost perfect conditions. The course featured many twists and turns, but signposts were abundant, making it almost impossible to get lost.

Within a couple of miles I’d moved in to 2nd spot, but after a brief encounter with a giant black dog named Scooby, I dropped back a bit and found myself in 4th once again. The dog turned out to be quite harmless, but the way he charged at my leg from a standing start shook me up just a little bit.

I soon settled in to a good rhythm again and took the lead just before a water stop at around mile three. I felt strong and really enjoyed the variety of the mixed terrain. Aside from another encounter with a couple more strays, it was a relatively comfortable race to the finish, holding off the second place guy by about a minute. My lack of endurance definitely reared its head in the latter miles, but I’m confident that will return as normal training is resumed.

The event was fun, well organized and as mentioned earlier, also featured a 50K race which started 30 minutes before the half. Maybe I’ll do that next year?

Naturally I’m really pleased with the race win, but more happy with how the hip and glute fared on the uneven terrain. It’s been ten weeks since I pulled out injured in a 30k race back in February, so finally I feel like I’m making some positive progress.

Thanks to Final Mile Events for an excellent inaugural race. Post-race food was great, and the hand-painted awards are a real collectors item. I love when Race Directors think outside the box and make things unique.

PS – Shoe of the day: Inov-8 Roclite 285, with Compression Shorts by Tommie Copper.

A quick visit to their web site to read more about the shorts left me intrigued and wanting to try a pair. After suffering with a dodgy hip/glute for over two months, I guess it was the “designed to help relieve pain and inflammation” that intrigued me most.

From the web site:

Tommie Copper compression shorts are ergonomically designed to relieve pain and enhance comfort in the lower torso and upper thighs. Tommie Copper’s Therapeutic Copper Compression provides unmatched comfort and wearability while providing the ultimate in therapeutic pain relief.

• Highly wickable fabric keeps skin dry
• Stimulates blood flow, decreases inflammation and increases mobility
• Gentle effective compression allows for 24 hour use, even while asleep
• Silicone under the bands help sleeve stay in place
• Comfortably and discreetly wear under pant or dress
• Machine washable. Do not use bleach, fabric softeners or dryer sheets as it masks the copper
• Sold individually
• Featuring Therapeutic Copper Compression

With the Boston Marathon just a few days away, I figured I’d left it too late to get a pair before race day, but after a frantic direct-message-exchange with the Tommie Copper folks, they assured me they’d do what they could and to expect a call from one of their customer service reps.

Long story short, on arrival the next day at my hotel in Boston, there was a neat little “Good luck, Steve” package waiting at the reservations desk. How cool is that for customer service?!

I tested out the shorts on a 15 minute Saturday morning shakeout. I’d hoped that they wouldn’t feel restrictive around the waist like other compression shorts I own, and wasn’t disappointed. The Tommie Copper waistband was soft and fitted perfectly, with no “rolling-over-itself” as is common on similar products. The actual shorts themselves fitted well, with a comfortable snug compression fit that allowed for excellent freedom of movement. Finally, the silicone at the bottom of the bands was a nice touch that kept the legs from riding up during the run. So far, so good.

The big test would come on Monday during the 2012 Boston Marathon. Thanks to picking up an injury back in February my build up to Boston was very poor, with just one run of 10 miles in the 9 weeks leading up to the race. Although I wouldn’t be “racing” Boston this year (I’d offered to pace Ally for a potential PR attempt – a plan we decided to postpone because of the crazy weather conditions), the thought of running 26.2 miles on a tough course like Boston was just a little bit daunting.

Fast forward to race morning. It was already mid-70s when our wave started. The temperature allegedly got up to 89F at one point of the race, so as you’ve probably heard, it was a little warm out there. My chafing concerns came to nothing, and for the most part, the shorts (and me) stayed cool and dry. Wickability (is that a word?) was excellent! The hip held up pretty well, and it was more the shorter stride/slower pace that messed with my muscles, than the old glute pain flaring up. Mission accomplished I’d say.

I’ve since worn the shorts on a couple of short recovery runs, and more recently in the Full Bloom 13.1 trail half marathon this past weekend. Once again, the shorts performed well and my hip/glute held together under the pressures of racing. In fact, I’d go as far as to say the Tommie Copper compression was a definite contributor in my ability to hold off the opposition for a sweet race victory.

Compression in sports apparel is quite a hot topic lately, and for this post I’m not going to delve in to all the pros and cons. I’m also not qualified to testify the claims of “increased oxygen flow to the blood”, or “stimulates conductivity to muscle tissue”, but I will say that the shorts feel great, don’t impede range of motion and definitely provide support and compression where needed. Great product. Great customer service. Great company. Thanks, Tommie Copper!

Useful links:
Product details – Men’s Compression Shorts
“Follow” Tommie Copper on Twitter – http://twitter.com/tommiecopper
“Like” the Tommie Copper Facebook page – http://www.facebook.com/tommiecopper

Clean Bottle was designed by David Mayer, Ironman triathlete and Stanford graduate from Silicon Valley, California. Mayer constantly struggled to clean out the typical muck & mold from the bottom of his water bottle, but “One day while I was on a bike ride the idea hit me – if I could unscrew the bottom as well as the top, then the bottle would be much easier to keep clean.” Genius!

• Clean Bottle unscrews at BOTH ends for easy cleaning
• Top & bottom cap contains a silicone washer to ensure a leak-proof seal
• Cap nozzle removes for easy cleaning
• Clean Bottle is 100% non toxic, BPA free
• Clean Bottle is dishwasher safe and guaranteed for life

In 2010, keen to spread the word about his great invention, Mayer debuted “Bottle Boy”, donning a giant water bottle costume to chase riders in the Tour de France. In just two short weeks, Clean Bottle quickly gained traction in the cycling community and sold over $70,000 in bottles. Gotta love how “Bottle Boy” gets in on the Tour de France action!

The company recently made its debut in the running market with the launch of “The Runner” — the only hand held water bottle carrier that is designed to fit an iPhone along with other small essentials. As far as I know, “The Runner” is the only bottle holder that lets you use a iPod/smartphone on the run. The holder also features straps on the handle for quick access to energy gels and a back pocket that stores keys, cash and credit cards. Once again – simple, yet so, so effective.

I’ve been using the Clean Bottle for a couple of weeks now, and must say I’m impressed with the product. Without the holder, the bottle slips effortlessly into the water bottle cage on both my mountain and road bikes. Cleaning is a breeze – simply unscrew the top and bottom caps for easy access to the main cylinder of the bottle. Either wash by hand or, if you’re feeling lazy, throw the three pieces on the top rack of a dishwasher.

I’ve also tried out the “The Runner” on a couple of warm-weather/short-distance runs. Typically I don’t carry my iPhone when I’m out running, but for the sake of a thorough product test I slotted the phone into the zip compartment, plugged in my favorite ear buds and headed out the door. To be honest, the phone-fit in the case *could* be a little snugger, but overall it worked out well and I *was* able to enjoy some quality tunes as I jogged along.

In addition to the crazy Tour de France marketing idea, Clean Bottle recently aired on the popular ABC show “Shark Tank”. The segment can be found here: http://abc.go.com/watch/shark-tank/SH559076/VD55164942/week-1 Pretty cool stuff which bodes well for the future of the Clean Bottle company.

Both “Clean Bottle” and “The Runner” can be purchased online at cleanbottle.com. If you live in the Hampton Roads area, word on the street is that my favorite running store, Running Etc., will soon be stocking the innovative products too.

Note: please contact either of the Running Etc. stores to check availability and before making a special trip, and be sure to mention where you first read about the Clean Bottle.

Social media links:

“Like” the Clean Bottle Facebook page – http://www.facebook.com/cleanbottle
“Follow” Clean Bottle on Twitter – http://twitter.com/cleanbottle

[Disclosure: "The Runner" media sample was provided free of charge by the manufacturer.]

What’s up for grabs? Well, RunningShoes.com are giving away a complete New Balance outfit to cover your spring training needs. The outfit includes a tech running shirt, running shorts/skirt and New Balance running shoes of your choice.

Head over to their web site for full contest details, where you’ll also find the training tips from the Week 1 & Week 2 contest winners. Good luck!

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. One winner will be announced on each Wednesday in April 2012. The contest ends on April 25 with the announcement of the final winner.

Happy shopping!

PS – not much to report on the training/racing front I’m afraid. It’s been almost 6 weeks since I pulled up lame at the Tidewater Striders Distance Series 30K, but thankfully I’m finally back to running some short/easy miles. Cross training on the bike has gone well, so I’ll probably sign up for a local June sprint triathlon to take advantage of the recent saddle time.

Focused at the start line

Mile 1 was the usual scramble for position to establish some personal space. I don’t tend to go out too fast and was perfectly happy to settle in to about 10th place as we made our way past the Team Hoyt racers. My form felt good and I knew my shoe selection for the day was a good one – I always seem to race well in the Inov8 Road X-Lite 155s. At the 1 mile flag I was surprised at the 5:42 split as it felt so comfortable and relaxed. I maintained pace and focused on reeling in a few of the runners up ahead.

As promised, Ally was there taking pics at the 1.5 mile mark, which gave me a bit of a boost as I chased down a couple of the fast-starters. It was also cool to glance back at the turnaround point on Dam Neck Road and see the gap I’d opened up on some of the runners behind. I thought for a split second that I may have started out too quick, but decided it was too late to back off, so kept on pushing. Running through the Amphitheater was cool as always, and by mile 3 I’d caught and passed the only two Masters runners ahead of me. Once again, I was pleased to look down at the Garmin to see I was averaging around 5:45 per mile. My legs felt good, breathing was relaxed and everything was just feeling spot on.

Mid way through the 2nd mile

The middle miles were all about maintaining pace. The extra crowds and familiar faces at the mid-point Relay Exchange were a bit of a boost, and as I made my way to mile marker five I decided to set my sights on the runner about 70 strides ahead. He’d beaten me soundly at the Hair of the Dog 5K on January 1st, but looked to be fading and was the perfect incentive for me to keep things ticking along. Stride by stride I gained on him, until just before mile 7 (where Ally was patiently waiting with camera) I managed the catch-and-pass to move into 5th place overall. I told him “Good job!” and blurted out that we still had time to catch the runner [Drew Midland] in front. Deep down I kind of knew this was impossible, but wanted to show I was still up for a battle anyway.

Mile 7 – focused on the guy ahead

Despite being passed by the fast-finishing Jason Myers on Salem Road, I was pleased how well I maintained pace on the run in to the finish. The wind was a bit nasty from mile 7.5 to 8, but the thought of a PR kept me going as I looped around the Sportsplex car park. Form and focus stayed good and I crossed the line in 49:48 – beating my best 14K time by about 20 seconds for 6th place overall and a 1st Male Masters finish.

As usual, J&A Racing put on a fantastic event which is excellent value for money. At packet pickup, all entrants received a quality, full-zipped jacket featuring the event logo. On completing the race runners were awarded the cool Virginia is for Lovers medal (featuring a handy bottle opener AND removable heart charm) and large VIFL-logod stemless wine glass. In addition, all female finishers received a flower. Nice touch! Post-race festivities were excellent too with plenty of beer and tacos from Moe’s Southwest Grill. Yeah, you know I like my Moe’s…

Event “swag” including my 1st Place Masters Award

Next up is the Tidewater Striders Distance Series 30K on Saturday, where I plan to run more of a relaxed, tempo kind of race. The legs are feeling a bit tired this week, so I’ll be looking for a solid effort without getting too beat up. See you on the trails!

The folks at Hammer Nutrition recently announced a couple of new Endurolytes Fizz varieties – Grape (which is definitely on my must-try list), and Unflavored – to add to the currently available subtle and palate-pleasing flavors: Peach, Lemon-Lime, Grapefruit, Grape, and Mango.

Product details:
Superior full-spectrum electrolyte support
Effective cramp prevention
Convenient, rapidly dissolving effervescent tablets
Deliciously refreshing flavors
Economically priced
No refined sugars or artificial sweeteners
Free of undesirable manufacturing lubricants
Gluten-free and vegan friendly

Fizz Mixing Instructions
Add one or more Endurolytes Fizz tablets to your water or fuel bottle(s), allow tablets to dissolve completely, and consume as needed to maintain proper hydration and electrolyte levels.

Endurolytes Fizz are available in 13-capsule tubes ($6.50), or the more economical 100-count option for $39.95. [Prices correct 2/7/12 and subject to change.]

Full product/usage details can be viewed on the Hammer Nutrition web site.

Hammer also have a FREE 25-year Anniversary Visor offer going on at the moment – simply mention ad code EN78 when you place an order of $50 or more before April 30th, 2012. The Anniversary Visor is a $14.95 value, but please note limited supplies are available.

Once again, Hammer Nutrition products successfully fueled me during last weekend’s ICY-8 Adventure Trail Race. Sustained Energy was my breakfast of choice, with Perpetuem, Hammer Gel and Endurolytes providing a steady stream of fuel throughout the challenging eight hour event. If you have any questions about their products, just leave a comment below or feel free to shoot me an email at steve dot speirs at gmail dot com. You can also use my affiliate code 29178 to receive 15% off your first order.

Happy miles!

The event took place at Lake Anna State Park in Spotsylvania, Virginia on a 90%-trail looped course. The race was unique in that you could either choose to run a short loop (4.7 miles with about 350ft of elevation gain/loss), or the longer 8 mile loop with about 640ft elevation gain/loss. The first loop had to be run clockwise, but after that you were free to choose any direction and either of the two distance loops. Timing was straightforward – on returning to the aid/timing station you simply announced your bib number and whether you ran “short” or “long”.

Bib/packet pickup was quick and easy, and once my gear was laid out for the makeshift aid station, it was good to chat briefly with fellow dailymiler’s Andy O, Janet C and Neil R. Ally S (wife and crew for the day) wished me well, and before I knew it, we were off….

The Start!

I ran the opening mile with The Flying Frenchman, Olivier Leblond (winner of last September’s 12-HR ATR), but at the point where we would decide a short or long loop, he chose long and I chose short. I ended up running the next loop and a half with another cool guy, Alexander Hall, who remembered me from both the 12-HR and 24-HR ATR last year. The miles ticked along effortlessly as we chatted about all kinds of stuff. Great company!

End of the first 4.7 mile loop with Alexander Hall

Ally did her typical great work at the aid station. Everything I needed was laid out, so it was literally announce my bib# and length of loop, grab what I needed in terms of fluids/nutrition, and go. My pace was good and the trails, despite the mud, were very runnable. Annoyingly, my left glute started acting up at around the 20 mile mark (I think), so on the next visit to the aid station I asked Ally to grab the foam roller from the car “just in case”. In my mind I planned to stop after the next loop to roll out some of the tightness, but it turned out that the glute pain went away and I had no more issues. Weird.

Just over 50K done. Still smiling!

I think I started to feel fatigued around the 4 and a half hour mark, and despite keeping a consistent pace going, was starting to feel a little “lazy” and just a little bit lonely. As luck would have it, however, on returning to the aid station after 3 long loops and 2 short loops (33.4 miles), Andy was just about to head out on another of his loops. We set off walking together and kind of just decided to take things easy and run-a-bit/walk-a-bit. We chose to log a relaxed long loop which proved to be a welcome pick-me-up and a very refreshing change from belting out one mile after another. The eight miles with Andy were easily the highlight of the day, and a reminder of what these ultra events are all about – camaraderie, friendship and just having fun.

Synchronized trail walking. Heading out for a long loop with Andy O.

On the loop with Andy I’d kind of worked out in my head (although the maths were pretty tricky to be honest!), that I needed just a couple of short loops to secure my pre-race “goal” of achieving 50 miles. Plenty of time was left on the clock, so I made sure to grab all I needed from the aid station before setting off for my penultimate loop. After the relaxed miles with Andy I was somewhat surprised to find my legs were raring to go again, and had no problem cruising the trails at 8:20 pace. I figured I’d get this 4.7 mile loop done well before the cut off (2:45pm) before we weren’t allowed to head out for another loop, leaving me loads of time to cruise one final short loop for a respectable 50.8 miles.

Of course, some times things don’t go to plan. Somehow I managed to miss the 90 degree turn which would take me back to the aid station/finish area, and kept on running counter-clockwise instead. By the time I realized my mistake it was quicker/shorter to keep going, making sure not to miss the turn again of course. I ended up running an extra 3.5 miles[ish] which I wouldn’t get credit for – my mistake and I’m perfectly fine with it, although it did cost me a potential 2nd place finish. With the rain starting to sprinkle, I must say it was nice to hit the short section of paved path back to the finish line where I announced my bib# and “short” for the final time.

The Finish! Did I really get lost?

My official distance for the ICY-8 hours was 46.1 miles (4 long and 3 short loops), but thanks to the missed turn my Garmin displayed 49.3 miles. It’s not every day you get to run 50 miles, so after a quick chat with Ally, I headed back out onto the course to run an extra 0.7 and round things up to the big FIVE-OH.

After peeling off the cold, damp race gear it felt so good to put on some warm, dry clothes. The HopSlam IPA (courtesy of Andy) tasted like nectar too. We hung around for a little while after the race – chatting with fellow runners and sharing stories about our day. The ultra scene is something special – no-one really cares how many miles you ran, how fast you were, what place you ended up. Everyone was out there tackling the sloppy trail conditions and working through their own challenges, but the amazing thing is everyone was smiling and having a great time. Love it!

So, official distance 46.1 miles for a 4th place finish. Congrats to Olivier Leblond for crushing the 8 hours with a massive 54.1 miles (new course record I do believe), and to everyone else for challenging themselves to the max. Special thanks to Ally for her total support and great crew job, and to Andy and Janet for the post-race chatter. Fun times.

Finally, if you ever get chance to run one of the Athletic Equation Trail Events, I can guarantee you’ll have an amazing experience. Thanks Alex for putting on a 1st class event!

Check out their website here: http://www.seewhatiam.com

If you’re the lucky winner, you can choose either of the two shirts featured below, or any other shirt on their website if you prefer. I will take entries until 2/4/12 at midnight, then let random.org pick my winner.

Complete a task, leave a comment, earn an entry. Easy as that!
Do them all and get 6 entries today!

1. Visit the i Am Brand website and comment below which shirt is your favorite.
2. Like i Am on Facebook.
3. Follow i Am on Twitter.
4. Like Run Bulldog Run on Facebook.
5. Connect with Run Bulldog Run on Google+.
6. Bonus entry available until 1/30/12 – vote for me in the Zensah “Fan Photo of the Month” contest here.

Note: Retweets on Twitter and Shares on Facebook are always appreciated, but not required for the contest.

Please leave a comment below to let me know which tasks you’ve completed. You can do just one, or all six – it’s completely up to you. Naturally, the more tasks you do, the more chances you have of winning. Good luck!

If you’re not into the social media scene you can still get your hands on one of the i Am Brand shirts for a great price. Use coupon code BULLDOG in your shopping cart to receive 20% off. i Am Brand offer FREE Shipping and Returns on all orders too!

The product I received from Sports Compression was a Classic Design Running Compression Sock – color white/orange, size III, which is suitable for calf sizes 12.5″ through 15″. Before I get into the review, here’s a little background info on the company behind the socks, and some techie info about the product too:

CEP Compression Company – Information & History
Company information: CEP Compression is made by Medi-USA, a world-leading manufacturer of medical compression products. The birth of compression in the medical field is now being translated into every CEP product. By providing the athlete with improved circulation, muscle response and regeneration of lactic acid in the blood stream you can peak performance of any athlete. Whatever your sport may be you can take advantage of CEP Compression.

The CEP socks are the first compression sock I’ve ever owned. As stated above, I’m used to wearing compression calf sleeves from various companies – Zensah, Tommy Copper, Skins and Saucony, for example – all of which are very easy to slide on/slide off. The compression socks were much more of a challenge until I watched the video below. For me, the natural thing to do was roll up the sock before putting it on – this caused compression over compression and made it almost impossible to get my foot into the sock opening. Hopefully, the video will help you find the right technique so you don’t struggle too much.

Once the sock was on, it felt VERY comfortable, although the size III is just a little bit long on my lower leg. Not sure if there’s a solution to this, as CEP recommend NOT to fold the excess material down as it will create a tourniquet effect below the knee…. The socks are labelled “left” and “right” for a great blister-free fit, and there’s enough padding on the foot sole to prevent hot spots. The remainder of the sock “grips” the achilles, calf and shin for a really snug fit.

I’ve completed several training runs (no races at this point in time) of various distances in the socks with good results. However, whether compression technology actually increases performance on these training runs is up for debate. A quick search online throws up a whole host of articles – some massively in favor, and some very much against the current compression trend.

Personally, I’d like to think that compression sleeves/socks help improve circulation and regeneration of lactic acid, and keep fatigue at bay when the going gets tough. I’m also a big fan of compression after a tough workout/race, and can’t think of a reason not to slide on a pair of socks/sleeves to aid recovery.

The CEP Running Socks launder well at 40°C, and although low-temperature tumble drying is allowed, I prefer to let mine dry naturally. The socks also come with a 30-Day Money Back Guarantee if you’re not entirely satisfied with the product.

As part of my agreement to carry out a blog review, Sports Compression are pleased to offer a 15% OFF coupon code for use at their web site. Just head over to www.sportscompression.com and use coupon code BLOG15 on check out. Not only will you receive 15% off your order, shipping will be FREE too. Enjoy!

Like Sports Compression on Facebook.
Follow Sports Compression on Twitter.