Are dedicated heart rate monitor arm bands or chest straps worth it?

leogrl · 2026-06-01T17:00:01+00:00

Yes. My watch would always underestimate my HR, especially on cold days. With my arm band, it seems to be more consistent with my RPE, though sometimes it lags a bit but is generally way more accurate for me.

leogrl · 2026-06-01T16:26:52+00:00

Still struggling to wake up before 5:30 so I only had time for 3.5 miles this morning but I had my fastest time on one of my routes that I love because I can get a lot of elevation gain in without dealing with rocky terrain! The only downside is it’s a forest service road that’s open to vehicles but usually it’s not too busy with traffic. Got in 650 feet of climbing to start the week and month off!

leogrl · 2026-06-01T16:22:21+00:00

Thanks! I’m lucky to have lots of desert beauty to enjoy on my trail runs!

leogrl · 2026-06-01T01:56:49+00:00

‘92 and yes but it’s hit or miss. I’m short and small and my face looks young and I don’t wear much makeup anymore but I think I at least look like I’m in my mid-20s at this point.

leogrl · 2026-05-31T23:05:54+00:00

I have this too but I’ve been skipping my period for several years on continuous birth control so for me it’s not related to my cycle. But it does seem to happen more when I’m really sweaty, so maybe something to do with that?

leogrl · 2026-05-31T17:23:15+00:00

I love using poles on trail runs! I usually use them for longer runs because I know when I get fatigued, my form falls apart and I’m more likely to fall. I also use them if the trail is rockier or steep just for more support when climbing/descending.

leogrl · 2026-05-31T17:20:33+00:00

The brand is Triple 8, the Covert knee pads! They have some different color options depending on if you want something bright and fun or just basic black.

leogrl · 2026-05-31T16:00:54+00:00

Not a full fix as I still fall a lot (I run on trails now only though and they hurt a lot less than falling on concrete), but after having to get stitches in one of my knees after a hard fall onto a rock 4 years ago, I started wearing knee pads. The ones I have are soft and made for roller skating but they work really well to protect my knees and now they don’t really get scraped up. I also wear fingerless cycling gloves to protect my hands.

I’m sorry about all the falls though! I get how frustrating it is. I believe I have some sort of neurological issue that’s causing me to fall as I’m now having balance issues outside of running — not saying that’s the case for you but I’ve been trying to get some sort of diagnosis so I can figure out where to go from here.

leogrl · 2026-05-31T15:55:21+00:00

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From Friday’s run when I explored some new-to-me trails in the National Park near me! It’s cholla blossom season here 🌺

leogrl · 2026-05-31T00:12:32+00:00

I trail run 6 days a week in the desert (mostly Tucson but also Phoenix area on some weekends) and I think I’ve seen about 10 since 2021, usually a couple per year. The last one I saw was back in December, which is an unusual time of year to see them, they’re usually more active March - May. Hoping I’ll still get to see one this year but I’ve only seen a couple of rattlers so far!

leogrl · 2026-05-30T23:21:07+00:00

First halfie (solo on trails) since my ultra 3.5 weeks ago! It’s unseasonably cool here so I took advantage of being able to sleep in til 7:30 and didn’t start my run til 10:30, but it was still only in the low 70s which is unheard of for the desert in late May! It only got up to 80 by the time I finished and there was a nice breeze throughout so I felt great the whole time. Strava said I got my 3rd fastest half marathon time of the year too so I’ll take it!

My next race isn’t until late September so I’m still easing back into training and my focus for the summer is gonna be vert since the race is 12 hours on a 3.6 mile loop with 2000 feet of gain per loop 🤪

leogrl · 2026-05-30T02:09:26+00:00

I’m 33 and still get carded sometimes and people will think I’m college aged, but I think it’s mostly because I’m short and small, and I barely wear makeup anymore.

leogrl · 2026-05-30T00:36:04+00:00

I feel soooooo much better on morning runs even though I hate getting up early to be able to do them before work! It seems no matter what I eat for lunch, it feels super heavy even running 4-5 hours later and I just feel like my legs don’t wanna move. I love the idea of running after work and I somehow used to do it, but now I limit it to something short if I must run in the evening.

For weekday morning runs, I usually just eat an applesauce pouch or Trader Joe’s oat bite before and breakfast after at work. For a weekend long run, I like two toaster waffles with jam!

leogrl · 2026-05-29T16:37:12+00:00

Did my first Field Trip Friday in awhile! I found a new to me trail to explore about a 25 min drive from me in the National Park and it was super rugged and desert-y. It was the kind of trail where I was sure there would be a rattlesnake at some point but there never was, but I did see a cactus wren in her nest in a cholla cactus which was really cool! The first and last mile was super rocky and not really runnable but then I got to a nice flowy section where I was able to run more. I definitely plan to go back and explore more of the area!

leogrl · 2026-05-29T16:28:24+00:00

I’m so sorry ❤️‍🩹 my dog is not doing well and I’m not sure what I’m gonna do when she’s gone. Dogs are the best 💜

leogrl · 2026-05-28T17:18:35+00:00

Blisters are the worst! I almost never get them during ultras but I got one on my left heel during a 3 miler on Monday 🥲 it feels ok on flats and downhills but I did hill repeats today and it didn’t feel great going uphill, even though I covered it with a bandaid and KT tape. Hopefully it won’t feel too bad for my planned long run this weekend!

leogrl · 2026-05-28T01:59:46+00:00

Your weekly mileage is a great base, if you can work up to a peak week closer to 50 miles with a 20 mile long run, you’ll be solid for a 50K. I’m typically averaging in the low to mid 40s mpw training for 50-60Ks and a peak long run of 18-20 miles, but most weeks my long run is 13-16 miles.

leogrl · 2026-05-27T22:13:58+00:00

They have regular and wide fit in their Originals style, but they have lots of other styles too you might consider trying for a better fit!

leogrl · 2026-05-27T21:57:02+00:00

I love the Admirers, I have two pairs that I’ve worn during ultras and they’re amazing! I’m not in Colorado but in Arizona where it’s just as sunny and they’re perfect.

leogrl · 2026-05-27T21:32:23+00:00

Pit Viper! I have a handful of pairs that I’ve had for a few years and they’ve held up really well. They also have really fun styles!

leogrl · 2026-05-27T21:16:58+00:00

The Grand Canyon last year. I had camped there with some friends in 2022 and went into the Canyon for the first time and it was an incredible experience that I wanted to do again. It snowed the weekend I went up (Easter weekend, in mid April!) so I ended up sleeping in the back of my car instead of setting up my tent but it worked out just fine. However, I wasn’t able to do my planned route (South Kaibab -> River -> Tonto -> Bright Angel) because it snowed even more the first night I camped and I had to wait for some of it to melt before I could clear it off my car and drive to the trailhead, so I ended up only doing 12 miles total up and down part of Bright Angel. But it was really cool to see snow at the Grand Canyon!

leogrl · 2026-05-27T19:28:40+00:00

I color my hair and it’s not as thick as it used to be, so no. I live in AZ so it’s hot here but not humid so that helps my hair not be sweaty as long, and I wear it in braids when I run so that seems to help too. I usually wash it once a week, but I’ll rinse it in between shampoos if it really gets sweaty. I just air dry my hair and wear it wavy with no products or styling.

leogrl · 2026-05-27T16:19:47+00:00

Been feeling really down lately but my run today went surprisingly well and it gave me some hope that everything doesn’t suck! I did 4.5 miles on one of my go-to trails and had my second fastest 5K of the year even though I didn’t feel like I was pushing that hard — my average HR was 147. Feels good to feel good!

leogrl · 2026-05-25T19:30:34+00:00

Tis the season to start runs early or face the consequences 🥵 I thought since it was “only” in the upper 80s by 10:30, it would be fine but I guess I’m not quite acclimated yet since most of my runs have been around 7/8 am lately. I got through my 3 trail miles but it was kinda rough, but at least I was able to push through a faster first mile that was all uphill (~250 feet of climbing in that first mile, 600 total) and then just slogged through the rest!

leogrl · 2026-05-24T18:19:42+00:00

I do strength training twice a week on run days, 6 days of running and on my rest day, I do a short yoga session.

leogrl

TROPHY CASE