Dorothy Beal

I have this thing with running...

Dorothy Beal

Brooks Glycerin 18 Review

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Sponsored by Zappos

Let’s talk about Brooks!! One of my very first jobs in the running industry was selling running shoes. The store I worked at is where I first fell in love with running and started to consider myself not just a girl who ran but a runner! 

One of my go-to shoes during that time was the Brooks Glycerin. Shortly after I graduated from college there was an opening for a local field marketing representative for Brooks. After applying for the job twice, I eventually got the job (a lesson in not giving up!!) and I have loved the brand ever since. It’s been 15 or so years since I worked for Brooks but I’ve continued to keep their shoes in my running shoe rotation, specifically the Glycerin. 

I ordered the Brooks Glycerin 18 from Zappos on Friday afternoon and by Saturday morning they had already shipped! Patience is a virtue I joke, that I was not born with, so I’m a huge fan of how easy it is to order from Zappos and how quickly whatever I order arrives!

I’m a Zappos VIP (FREE to join) which is why I often purchase shoes from them. One of the perks of being a VIP is that when you return an item you don’t have to wait for it to make its way back to Zappos before they credit your payment method back. This makes for no-stress, easy returns!

The Brooks Glycerin 18 is a solid neutral shoe with a 10mm offset. I’m a neutral runner who rolls a bit to the outside (supinate) so I always run in neutral shoes. Brooks states on their website that in this version of the Glycerin there is a “reconfigured midsole allows more DNA LOFT cushioning underfoot for extreme plushness.” I completely agree with their description of how the shoe feels. It literally feels like I’m running on clouds while also not feeling so soft that it feels unstable. 

I mention this all the time but I’m going to repeat it again – one of the main ways that I’ve managed to stay injury free for the past 20 years has been rotating my running shoes. You can rotate your running shoes one of three ways, between different shoes from the same brand or different shoes from different brands, or a combination of different shoes from the same brand plus different shoes from other brands. 

One of the main complaints I hear about this practice is that not everyone can afford to have a zillion pairs of running shoes, which I definitely can appreciate. If you can budget the money in advance, rotating between two pairs of shoes can actually extend the life of each pair of running shoes by giving the shoes a “break” between runs. 

Running shoes typically last between 300 – 500 miles. You will hear about runners who can get higher mileage on a pair or those who start to feel niggles at 250. In my experience as someone who has been running races for 20 years you absolutely get more mileage out of any one running shoe if you aren’t wearing that shoe every single day. Buying two pairs at once can often help you save money in the long run if your shoes last longer. 

It’s also always good to keep in mind that running shoes should be primarily kept for just running, not only is this a great mental practice to get in to so that when you put on your running shoes your body knows it’s time to run, but also because a mile walking around the grocery store is the same as running a mile. If you want to cut down on cost, wear other shoes when walking around and save your running shoes for running. 

Brooks has always been a brand that I’ve felt feels great straight out of the box. There is zero break in time for me, so instead of running a couple of shorter runs in them to get used to them, I can jump right in to whatever mileage I have planned for that day!

I’m wearing the Greenlight 7” Short Tight in these photos and LOVE them! I’m always on the hunt for good black running shorts and while these are longer than what I typically wear I am a big fan of these shorts. The side pocket is perfect for holding gels and the pocket is even big enough that it holds my phone while running! I have last years version of these in capris and have loved the mesh paneling on the side.

Zappos has 11 colorways of the Glycerin 18. The colorway I have is the Black/Blackened Pearl/Latte color way. I’ve been a fan of black running shoes since Des Linden wore all black Brooks running shoes when she won the Boston Marathon!

Silver Linings + InsideTracker Coupon Code

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Throughout this pandemic I’ve been trying to find the silver linings and focus on them so I don’t fall down a rabbit hole of negative thoughts. Most days the silver linings are easy to find.

Some of the silver linings however make me feel conflicted…

I know running less has been really good for me. I’m enjoying doing other things and like that I don’t have to run 20 mile long runs on the weekends!! BUT and it’s a huge BUT I miss running all the miles, I miss feeling destroyed after really long runs, I miss feeling like I can’t take another step but going on for miles, I miss the feeling of falling asleep sitting up while watching tv because I have exhausted myself completely, I miss “knowing” inside that I ran more miles that day than most people will drive, I miss the taper and feeling like a caged lion, I miss feeling hella fit.

On a “inner health” level I know that not only is this a good break for me mentally but my body needed a break. 6 marathons in one year, no matter how you slice it, is tough on your body. In order to get in shape enough to run 6 marathons and not break, you put your body through the ringer. I also had 2 surgeries last year on top of the 6 marathons + ran 4 marathons the year before. My body needed a break even just for one training cycle, which is the main reason I didn’t want to run a virtual 26.2 when Abbott World Marathon Majors Tokyo and London Marathons were canceled. I want to be marathon fit in 2021 and that’s not going to happen if I don’t just take advantage of this somewhat forced rest.

I had an InsideTracker test done in August and for the first time in the past 5 years (I’ve been using their service since 2015), my muscle health is optimized and almost every other value (with the exception of D) is in the optimized zone. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. I went back for an Ultimate Test this week and literally can’t wait (nerd status) for my results to come in.

I’m pumped that my body is thriving right now despite feeling like I’m under immense stress BUT and again it’s a HUGE BUT, I know this means I should reconsider some of my marathon running ways. SIGH.

I’m not going to say I’m not going to run 6 marathons in one year again because if I’ve learned anything about myself it’s that what I want is ever changing. BUT I will attempt to think hard beyond just the immediate want of running all the miles and all the marathons. I’m blaming being an Aries on my impulsiveness!

If you want to try InsideTracker for yourself (they are a partner) you can use code: mileposts OR I have a really great giveaway (Ultimate Test + a $100 gift card to Whole Foods) going on right now on my instagram page from now till midnight on 9/24.

Saucony Ride 13 Review

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Sponsored by Zappos

As a long time fan of Saucony, I was excited to try out the new Saucony Ride 13 from Zappos. Years ago, the Saucony Ride was one of my go-to shoes, so I was excited to add them back into my (now cancelled) marathon training rotation!

I’m a neutral runner who rolls a bit to the outside (supinate) so I always run in neutral shoes. 

I was able to get these shoes quick and easy thanks to Zappos. I LOVE ordering from Zappos, truly. I can’t tell you how many pairs of jeans I’ve ordered from them over the years. Much less stressful trying them on in the comfort of my own home vs going to a store and getting frustrated. Their shipping is lightning fast and returns are really easy. Their return policy gives you 365 days to return an item! This isn’t my first time ordering running shoes from them and it certainly won’t be the last. 

The Saucony Ride 13 is a solid neutral running shoe with a 8mm offset. It’s light enough to do speed work in, but also sturdy enough to handle double digit mileage. I’m sensitive to heavy shoes and this shoe doesn’t feel heavy in my opinion. It’s been raining a lot here lately and even on a longer run in the pouring rain my feet never felt heavy. 

If you have been following me for any amount of time, you know that I’m a huge proponent of rotating shoes for injury prevention. You can rotate shoes a couple of different ways – different shoes from the same brand or comparable shoes from different brands. 

Even if you currently have a shoe you love, I firmly believe one should always be open to trying something new because you may just find something you love better or equally as much. 

One of the things I’ve always loved about the Saucony Ride is that they are comfortable straight out of the box and the Ride 13 was no different. 

According to Saucony the changes to this update are:

New PWRRUN cushioning protects from impact with a soft, yet responsive feel underfoot.

TRIFLEX outsole optimizes flexibility

FORMFIT surrounds the foot in 3D comfort, enhanced by 3D-Print overlays.

Engineered mesh provides structure or stretch where needed and enhances breathability.

The previous version of the Ride 13 was the Ride ISO 2.

Zappos carries all four of the colorways the shoe currently comes in!

The color combination I ordered is called Coral/Alloy. 

The Ride 13 also comes in a grey color, purple and a bright yellow. When I ran my first marathon in 2003, there weren’t many color choices available in each running shoes. You were told not to pick on color and just buy the shoe that worked for you, which is of course sound advice, but now that running companies are making shoes in more color options you can have both – a shoe that works for you + a cool color you like!

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Dorothy Beal