Author Archives: beewhobabbles

Coming To A City Near You…

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It’s no secret that we Chicks love a themed run. We’ve satisfied our ice cream cravings at Jog ‘N Hog, we’ve run in neon, we’ve begun a race in pristine white and arrived at the finish covered in color. We’ve done the princess thing, the villain thing, the fairy thing, and we’ve got something cooking for the food and wine thing in a few weeks. Themes! Costumes! Photo Opportunities! Gimme, gimme, gimme! Last week though, I received a race advertisement that made me wonder if the whole gimmicky race gimmick had gone too far.

The Tap’N’Run is a 4k race with four beer chugging stations along the course. I love beer and I love running but…really? What’s next? What other wackiness is already out there? (And do we really need to prop up running this much? I think it’s sorta cool on it’s own.)

I love to waste time on my smart phone, so I did the research for you, friends. Here are some other crazy themed races, possibly coming to a city near you:

1. Thanksgiving Dinner 5k- eat a traditional Thanksgiving dish at each kilometer! Cross the finish line and have a slice of pumpkin pie. Each runner gets a pair of Thanksgiving pants with an adjustable waistband.

2. Backwards One Miler- Begin this race at the finish line where you will receive your medal; then race back to the start while walking backwards.

3. Burlesque Run- Race along the Strip in an event that claims it’s the most running you can do with almost none of your clothes on! Remember, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. (No race photography allowed.)

4. #insta5k is the only race that combines a run with a photography competition. Tag your photos along a scenic course!

5. Balls in the Air 5k- You’ll juggle- yes, juggle- along this flat course. Don’t drop the balls!

6. Dash for Mr. Darcy- It’s a truth universally acknowledged that Austenites will do just about anything that involves Darcy. Run this 5k dressed as your favorite character from one of Jane Austen’s novels and cross the finish line to the Wedding March.

7. Reality Run- Vlog your way through this one mile fun run and then post it on our event page. Everyone gets their 5-15 minutes of fame in this race!

8. Pie in the Face Relay- This four mile run is a team event in which each runner gets a pie to the face before they begin. Hope you like banana cream!

Click here for more information on any of these races.

Tell me about your crazy, silly, fun themed races! Real or imaginary.

U Can Finish 5 Miler and 2 Mile

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Last Sunday, I skipped my long run in favor of running the U Can Finish 5 Miler & 2 mile with my friend and honorary Chick, Sara.

The race course is through the University of Central Florida campus and runners can choose to complete the five mile (as my guy did), the two mile or if you’re an overachiever like Sara and me (and you love collecting bling), you can run both races and earn a Distance Dare medal. Plus bragging rights.

I ran this race back in 2011, so I was familiar with the course. Most of it is on the streets through campus, which is nice because the runners can spread out. A small portion of each race is on narrower sidewalks in between buildings- this hits far enough in on the five mile that the crowds have thinned, so it isn’t a big deal. On the two, it’s a slightly annoying because you pretty much end up walking at certain points. Still, as UCF alums (Josh and Sara) and a fan by marriage (me), we were happy to be charging through Knights country.

Sara and I have been running together for about five months now, and at the beginning of September, I told her that I wanted help her run at a 9:30-9:35 pace for the race. This is faster than we usually run together, so we switched up our normal routine and met at the gym once a week to run at race pace. I knew we could do it, and I told her that I would stay with her no matter what (but we were SO reaching our goal. Maybe I’m a little bit bossy. It runs in the Chick family.)

We donned our (matching) gold and black outfits and met about 30 minutes before the race began. I hadn’t slept much the night before (little dude is still waking quite a bit) but having a clear goal energized me. The pumpkin spice coffee didn’t hurt either.

Ready to run!

Ready to run!

This was my first race since having the baby, and it felt so good to be out there again. To get up before sunrise, pin a bib on my shirt, hear all of the garmins beep before the race began, and run with a big group of people. Coincidentally, my last race (at the beginning of my pregnancy) was a 5k on the UCF campus, at which I ran with Sara’s husband.

The first three miles were great- my legs felt good and I talked Sara’s ear off about a variety of topics; including the appropriate age to wear an embroidered t-shirt, our daughters matching Halloween costumes (PNK sorority monsters), and tailgating plans for the upcoming football game.

It was harder to keep pace on the last two miles. Before the race, we agreed that I would keep time, so I set up the virtual pacer on my (purple) Garmin 10. It beeps if you’re ahead or behind pace, so I knew how we were faring. We slowed a bit, then sped up, and I tried to give my friend some words of encouragement and hoped I wasn’t irritating her. She has strong legs and a solid running foundation. She’s a marathoner! She just hadn’t ever trained to run faster. I really wanted to see her achieve this goal because I totally knew she could.

Passing the site of Spirit Splash. During homecoming week, students are invited to jump in this fountain.

Passing the site of Spirit Splash. During homecoming week, students are invited to jump in this fountain.

Passing Alphie on Greek Row. Sara and I are both Diamond Girls.

Passing Alphie on Greek Row. Sara and I are both diamond girls.

In the end, we crossed the finish line with an average pace of 9:31 (me) and 9:32 (Sara). We did it! I am so proud of her and I enjoyed every minute of racing together. She’s helped me stay motivated as I’ve gotten back into running shape- meeting me in the early morning or once our kids were in bed, so I didn’t have to do it on my own (because let’s face it- I’m one tired mama. If I didn’t have someone holding me accountable, I’m not sure I’d be half-marathon ready at this point.) I was happy to be able to give some motivation back to her.

Once we finished the five, we had some downtime before the two miler. I wanted to see Josh finish, so I started to walk back along the course. I spotted him about a quarter of a mile before the finish and jumped in to run alongside him for a tiny stretch- and give him some encouragement too. I’m less peppy cheerleader to him and a little more drill sergeant, but he sped up. Probably to get away from me, but hey, whatever works.

After J finished, we all met up with our families and had a quick snack. Race fuel has become a tricky business for me, because I recently got Invisalign invisible braces. (which are actually pretty visible, if you’re wondering.) The aligners have to be taken out if I want to eat, and then I’m supposed to brush and floss before putting them on again. For this race, I decided to drink some Gatorade between the two races and hoped that was enough for me.

We enjoyed our family time a bit too much and ended up dashing to the two mile start after it had begun. As a result, we ended up with the strollers, the walkers and the kids. It would have been fine (I stick to the outside of the pack anyway) except, as I mentioned before, a portion of this course is narrow. I don’t like running in a tight crowd, and Sara and I hadn’t agreed to run together for the two, so I took off on my own. I finished quickly, collected my medal and walked over to meet our families.

Family stretch!

Family stretch!

Next up was the kids dash, in which my two girls, and Sara’s daughter and son ran. They got t-shirts, ribbons and Rice Krispie treats once they finished. Happy runners, everyone.

"I ran as fast as I could, just like you told me to, Mommy." A, my oldest. Proud kids and proud mama here.

“I ran as fast as I could, just like you told me to, Mommy.” A, my oldest. Proud kids and proud mama here.

I’m glad to be racing again! This is a fun local race and I love that the entire family can participate.

Next up for me is Wine and Dine, and I think I’m going to do the OUC half shortly after that. Seems like I’ve been bitten by the racing bug again.

Speaking of wining and dining, here we are at a party last night. Don't we clean up nice?

Speaking of wining and dining, here we are at a party last night. Don’t we clean up nice?

Have you ever paced anyone for a race? Are you peppy or commanding? Any upcoming races? Talk to me in the comments!

One winner will be tres belle in LuBelle!

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I’ll let you in on a secret…I’m still wearing LuBelle Fit tanks for most of my workouts. (And sometimes my errands too.) Last week, I told you how I’d fallen in love with these super soft, beautiful athletic shirts and wished you, dear readers, “bonne chance” in our giveaway.

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Today, we have a winner…

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Cheers, Lori! The Scoot a Doot chicks are raising their glasses in your honor. We’ll send an email with the important details soon.

Stay tuned for our next giveaway, s’il vous plait!

Guest Post: Life’s A Beach Triathlon

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This past Saturday I conquered my first triathlon! It was called the Life’s A Beach Triathlon and was held at Daytona Beach, Florida. Despite its laid back name, this race was anything but easy in my opinion. I figured it would be a good starter triathlon to see if I even liked the whole swim, bike, run thing. I have been doing the running thing for a few years now and made my marathon debut last January at Disney. After completing my first marathon I realized that distance was not my favorite. Honestly, it was so boring! After mile 18 I just wanted it to be over with. But after doing many types of races I now know what I like and what I don’t like. I like smaller, local races and ones where I am entertained. I love races with obstacles and funny themes. I run to have fun and be in shape and I am not out to prove anything to anyone. This race appealed to me in so many ways and I had been contemplating a triathlon for a while, so it was impossible to pass up.

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When I arrived at the race I went straight away to the transition area so I could set up my bike. I was there early so I was able to snag a spot on the end of one of the racks. In my transition area I had 2 small towels, running shoes and socks, shorts, shirt with bib number already attached, a bottle of water for washing my feet, sunglasses, headband and my helmet. I had practiced my transitions the night before. I set everything up in my living room and practiced the order in which everything would go on. This was extremely helpful and took a lot of anxiety away from race day.

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After everything was set up I headed to the marking tent where they take a sharpie marker and mark your body with your race number. My race number, 198, went on my upper left arm and the front of my left thigh. They also mark your age on your calf. Fantastic! Now everyone knows I am 33.

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With every race there is always a possibility of being injured. Since this race was located at the beach, we were told beforehand about the possible dangers of swimming in the ocean. The first one was sharks. Fun! This is why I signed up for the second wave for my start time. I figured the first wave of people would scare anything away in the ocean. Smart huh? The second was a flesh eating bacteria that was found in a river south of Daytona. I didn’t have any open wounds so I figured I was good there. I was also wearing swim goggles and had no intention of opening my mouth in the water. Yuck! The last danger was being stung by a jelly fish. Every time I think about jelly fish I think of the Friends episode where Monica gets stung and Chandler has to pee on her to make the sting go away. Out of all the threats I figured this one would be the most probable. There were jelly fish washed up on the beach all over the place, so I knew they were out there. So despite all these risks I charged on and was determined to complete my first triathlon.

Swim: This triathlon started off with an “anything goes” swim for 200 yards. People had all kinds of flotation devices out there…noodles, rafts, inflatables and fins for their feet. Personally I wanted to do the race without any aides. I practiced once a week at the pool swimming laps and am very comfortable in the water, so I didn’t feel the need to have any swim aides. I lined up with my wave on the beach and as soon as they sounded the alarm I was off into the water. The first thing I noticed was the temperature of the water was perfect. I was worried it was going to be on the cooler side but it wasn’t. I was about halfway done with my swim when I felt the sting. I was swimming parallel to the beach when a huge wave crashed right into me and I felt the stinging on the right side of my torso, back and arms. I could not believe it! I got stung by a jelly fish!! I knew immediately that’s what it was. I finished my swim strong and made my way to shore. After we got on shore we had to crawl under some nets and then head on to the transition area to get ready for the bike portion. Even though I got stung by the jelly fish I did not feel like I needed any medical attention so I just kept going. (Later on when I told my mom about this, she was not happy with me, but you know how moms are.)

The first transition, also known as T1, went very smoothly. I stood on my orange towel and used the bottle of water to wash all the sand off my feet. This was a tip I got from my friends that were also doing the race. They had done this race before but down in Sarasota, so they were able to give me some great tips. After washing my feet I slipped my socks on, then shorts, then shirt, running shoes and lastly, helmet and sunglasses. I then had to walk my bike down to the beach and as soon as I hit the sand I was off.

Bike: The bike portion of this race was a 5 mile ride IN THE SAND! Because of the sand they insisted we use a mountain bike instead of a road bike. This was another reason this race appealed to me. I already had a mountain bike so my equipment costs were minimal. It was 2.5 miles down the beach and 2.5 miles back. No training in the world could have prepared me for riding my bike in the sand. I tried to ride as close to the water where the sand was more compact and easier to ride on. A few times a wave got me and my shoes and socks where completely water logged. There were tons of jelly fish all over the beach so I made sure I ran over a few to get my revenge for the one that stung me. (Insert devilish laugh.) I just passed the water station and was on my way back when I realized I had my bike in 7th gear (the hardest gear my bike has)! I quickly changed it to 2nd gear and flew the rest of the way back to the transition area. At the end of the bike portion I saw my family cheering me on. They were waving, jumping up and down and screaming my name. It was awesome!

The transition from bike to run, also known as T2, was a little easier. I just had to ditch my bike and helmet in my spot and make my way to the start of the run course.

Run: The run portion of this event was a 2 mile run on the beach with obstacles. To start off we had to weave through some plastic flamingos. About a mile into the run it started raining. I honestly don’t know where the rain came from because it was a bright, sunny day at the beach. The rain felt amazing. It helped wash away the sand and salt water off of me. Next on the course were some tunnels we had to crawl through and last was jumping over lounge chairs. The course was two laps, so once you finished lap one you had to do it all over again.  After doing the two laps the only thing that stood in my way of the finish line were stairs, 2 hurdles and the limbo. That’s right…the limbo. This race certainly did have a sense of humor. I crossed the finished line with a time of 1:16:03 and proudly accepted my medal. Victory!

I DID IT! YAHOO!!! I conquered my first triathlon! I absolutely had a blast doing this race. It was fun and I liked switching between the different types of events. It kept me from getting bored and the time flew by. I think the next step is for me to find a used women’s road bike and work toward a sprint triathlon.

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P.S. If anyone is wondering how to treat a jelly fish sting, put an antibacterial ointment on it three times a day and it should heal in a few days. The only thing you really need to worry about is if the spots get infected. And for those of you who don’t know, here is what it looks like.

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Sara is a wife, mother, triathlete, etiquette expert, and creator of adorable tooth fairy pillows. You can find her at The Classy Crafter.

LuBelle Fit Review and Giveaway

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Shopping, running and reading are three of my favorite things. If I could figure out how to combine all three, I totally would. (Actually, I haven’t tried audio books on a run. Hmmm…) Shopping and running go hand-in-hand though, don’t they? Runners always need new gear. Just nod your head, please. (See, husband? Everyone here agrees with me.)

My athletic attire often becomes my momoflage, as I take the kids to school before (or sometimes after- stand back) my workout. Naturally, I want something pretty, as well as functional.

So, you can imagine how thrilled I was when LuBelle Fit offered to send me one of their t-shirts. LuBelle Fit is an active apparel brand that opened this past July by two mother runners. The shirts range from flowy to slim fit, to performance-wicking bamboo.

I received the Run For Your Life tank just in time for my weekly long run. This organic tank is a blend of 67% Bamboo Lyocell, 29% cotton and 4% spandex jersey. You know those t-shirts they sell at Anthropologie for $80, that you want to live in because they’re soft and super comfortable? This tank is even better than those. The first word that came to mind when I opened the package was “luxurious.” I loved the fun graphic and the beautiful color for fall too.

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How did it perform? It felt great during my long run in humid (and sunny, then rainy, then sunny again) Florida. It’s lightweight and doesn’t get clingy once you start to sweat. The fit is true to size and it washed beautifully too. Full disclosure? I wore it on Sunday and ordered another style on Monday morning. (The Aqua Heart tank- a design that is even more lovely and detailed in person. And in one of my favorite colors!)

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LuBelle Fit is adding new designs and retiring old ones as they go. They’re also going to offer long sleeve tees for fall. I’m a fan! I can’t wait to see what these gals come up with next.

LuBelle Fit was sweet enough to offer a top to a Scoot reader, and it’s the winner’s choice! Just click on the happy little rafflecopter pic below. Giveaway ends at midnight (Eastern time) on 10/16.

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Disclaimer: I received one LuBelle Fit tank to review. All opinions are my own.

The Need For Speed

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I try not to pay attention to my pace. No, really. I try. My primary focus is adding to my mileage, and I know that I’m not setting a PR at Wine and Dine or any other races I’m doing this year. After taking a year off to have a baby, I’m just not there yet. And I’m okay with that. Mostly. It’s not easy to see the numbers on my garmin and know that I can do better. A lot better. For that reason, it’s just better for me if I don’t pay too much attention to it.

Typically, I run with a garmin, but I don’t check my pace until I finish. I log it into Daily Mile and that’s about it. (Okay, I also text my husband if I’ve had a really good run. Gotta celebrate the little things, you know?)

My treadmill running is a completely different story. I have to pay attention to my pace- it’s right there, after all. There’s also the urge to finish my run as quickly as possible, now that I’m running longer distances- who wants to be on the treadmill for over an hour? (I can’t believe that I once ran 12 miles on the ‘mill. There aren’t enough My Drunk Kitchen episodes in the world for me to do that now.)

Lately, I’ve been doing at least one treadmill run a week. Sara and I are both in half-marathon training, but we also have a five miler coming up soon, and for that, we have a time goal. Hooray! Treadmill days are speed days.

Speedy runs require fast beats. I danced for most of my childhood, and later taught aerobics, so my internal metronome still tick, tick, ticks to most sounds. I can’t help but try to match my feet to the beat! I also dig faster tunes on the ‘mill because it motivates me to run faster more naturally, instead of just keeping up with whatever pace I’ve selected.

My current favorite run-faster song (there are times I will listen to it twice during a run) is Church by T-Pain featuring Teddy Verseti. (I’ve said it before, but the Step Up 2 soundtrack is king.)

There are websites that list songs for a specific pace, but what’s the point of having running buddies (and blog readers) if you can’t ask them for advice? I turned to some members of Team Scoot A Doot to find out their speed jam recommendations.

Mer-
B.O.B. – Outkast
Blister in the Sun – Violent Femmes
American Girl – Tom Petty

Brandi-
Let’s Go – Neyo
Applause – Lady Gaga (even though I am not a Gaga fan)
Where The Streets Have No Name – U2


Kyle-
Eye of the Tiger – Survivor. Because it’s hard not to run fast when the music is telling you to be like Rocky.
Stronger – Kelly Clarkson. Self-explanatory.
Applause – Lady Gaga. This one is new and since I still really like it (and it hasn’t been played to death on the radio) I get excited when it comes on and I always go a little faster.


Megan-
Dog Days are Over – Florence and the Machine
Red Hands – Walk off the Earth
Little Talks – Of Monsters and Men
Cruise (Remix) – Florida Georgia Line, featuring Nelly
Some Nights – Fun
The Idea of You (Live) – Dave Matthews Band
SexyBack – Justin Timberlake (featuring Timbaland)
More – Usher
Sexy and I Know It – LMFAO (yeah, what can I say…)
The Truth about Love – P!nk (featuring Nate Ruess)
I Will Wait – Mumford and Sons
I Know You Want Me – Pitbull
Stronger – Kanye West
Let it Rock – Kevin Rudolf

I didn’t ask Vic, because she runs sans music, but I did get to pick her brain about pace plans for upcoming races over breakfast yesterday. She’s in my ‘hood for the Disney Tower of Terror 10 miler, and she skipped a morning at Magic Kingdom to hang with me and my little dude. That’s real friendship, y’all.

Vic and Brooke

I’m ready to hit up iTunes, so please share your speed jams with me! Are you racing this weekend? Good luck!

Recipe Box: Tortellini Soup

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This meal is almost as easy to prepare as a PB&J. It’s definitely simpler than grilled cheese; a meal which I have my husband fix, because I always burn the sandwich. And I always feel a little smug when I make a soup that doesn’t come from a can.

This isn’t the best soup you will ever eat. (That would be my mama’s potato soup.) But it’s a cinch to cook, nutritious, and adaptable. I always have these ingredients on hand, and I end up eating this soup at least once per week. Sometimes I add sausage or chicken that we’ve grilled the night before, sometimes I add beans for extra protein. Sometimes- okay, most of the time, I skip the onion.(It isn’t easy to chop while babywearing, folks.) But it’s definitely better with onion. And crushed red pepper. And shallot pepper from Penzey’s. In my opinion. You can- and should- customize this soup to your liking. And soon it’ll be like we’re eating together once a week. Fun times!

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Tortellini Soup
Serves 3-4 (or 2 plus lunch the next day!)

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp. olive oil
½ cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. dried oregano
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, with juices
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
9 oz. tortellini, any variety (fresh or frozen)
3 cups fresh baby spinach, loosely packed
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions to the pan and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute. Stir in the oregano and diced tomatoes. Add the broth and bring the soup to a boil. Add the tortellini to the pot and cook according to the package directions. One minute before the tortellini is fully cooked, stir in the spinach. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Source: The Well-Fed Newlyweds via Annie’s Eats

Tomorrow, I’ll be volunteering (while wearing yellow, of course) for the local chapter of Queen For A Day, an organization that provides a special pick-me-up for pediatric cancer patients. By now, you all know that the Scoot chicks (and some awesome friends) are running with intention this month; to raise awareness for children’s cancer. Please sport some yellow, join our team and donate if you feel so moved. Thanks.

Don’t Call Us “Mellow Yellow”

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We’re painting the month yellow here at Scoot A Doot, and we’re off to an incredible start. I am so inspired by my chicks and our friends who’ve joined our team. It’s only been three days, and already we’ve run, walked, skipped or jumped over 145 miles! We’ve also raised over $600. IN THREE DAYS. I’m completely bowled over by the support for this cause, and so thankful that I know wonderful people, who know other wonderful people. (And I’m sort of lost with the words over this. Truly.)

When we decided to participate in the Million Mile Run, we weren’t sure what our goal would be. Teams are supposed to run 100 miles, collectively, and right away, we knew that we’d surpass that with ease. Some of us are training for long distance races, one of us is running her way through Napa this month, and one of us walks as her primary mode of transport. We’re a pretty ambitious bunch though, and since our mindset for this event was “Go BIG or go home,” we each set our sights on an individual goal.

BEC:

My goal is 13.1 miles for the month. I’m hoping for more but i wanted a workable goal and I’ve done a half in a month before so that seemed good.

This will be achieved primarily through walking, although i am restarting C25K, so there will be some running.

Because my phone died, and my replacement phone is on backorder, I’ll be using the local high school track as my mileage guide, and logging my time manually in Runkeeper. And once my phone gets here, I’ll be all about my Runkeeper and Couch to 5k training apps.

JESS:

I typically walk about three miles a day, so I know I can hit 90 miles by the end of the month without any problem. My secret goal is 100 miles – still doable but it will definitely require more effort. I’ll be stoked if I hit that!

To achieve it,  I plan to keep doing what I’m doing: by walking around the city as much as possible. Once I’m back to 100% health (summer colds are the worst!) I plan to run on the weekends as well.

I’ll be tracking miles with My Fitbit One, of course!

MER:

My miles for the Million Mile Run will be taking place during gym warm up (I usually average two prior to an hour of strength/cardio) and while my kids are at school. I’m going to try to streak as much as my schedule will allow this month and get at least a mile a day because, really, why not? The weekends will be dedicated to long runs.

I usually use my Garmin or just general knowledge to track my miles (I do my quarter mile stretch prior to the gym sans watch). However I’m getting a Fitbit within the next couple of days so perhaps I’ll use that to track my mileage. I’m excited to play with a new gadget and there’s really no better way to break it in!

VIC:

The Million Mile run happens to fall into my schedule at the same time I ramp up my mileage as I prepare for the NYC Marathon. As I look at my training schedule, I see that my long runs alone total more than 60 miles in September. So – I’ve decided to set my goal for 100 miles. I think my training should bring me pretty close, if not over the century mark. I was already nearly 1/5 of my way to my goal on Sept. 1, as I run an 18-miler in Watertown, NY.

I plan to run 4-5 days each week, with a little cross-training of swimming or spinning thrown in. Now while I do train with a Garmin (forerunner 210, folks!) I typically am lax about downloading said information into a fancy spreadsheet, but I do write my mileage, pace and time on my weekly running log. Now don’t laugh, but it’s all kept in a weekly pocket calendar from Target’s dollar spot. It’s old school, but it works for me.

BROOKE:

As for me, I plan to run 75 miles this month. I’m at the beginning of my training for Wine and Dine, and 75 is slightly over the planned mileage, but I’m going over on most of my runs already anyway. (Sorry, Hal Higdon.)

Cross training will be walking with my family or hanging with Hannah on the elliptical (does that count?), and all miles will be tracked by my trusty Garmin.

I’m sporting my yellow today (good thing I have a lot of it!) and I can’t wait to see how much we run- and raise- to help support children’s cancer research.

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Please donate if you’re moved to do so. Thanks.

Have you ever done a running streak? What are you currently training for? Tell me how much you love your FitBit (my mom has a birthday soon and I’m eyeing it for a gift!) What yellow clothing do you have in your closet?

Fall Running, Florida Style

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College football season begins this week, and for me, that means one thing: shopping. You all know I love to shop for running clothes, dresses, shoes…anything, really. (Even groceries.) My husband, as you can imagine, isn’t so fond of my affinity for spending money on fashion. But I’ll tell you a secret- if it’s in his team’s colors? If it’s to wear to the game? Suddenly, it’s okay. Gold sandals? “Of course, babe.” Black and white peplum top? “I don’t know what that is, but sounds good.” Golden yellow t-shirt? “Go Knights.” (And also, go yellow!)

On Monday, I went to the mall in search of some shorts to wear to this week’s game. I knew it was a long shot because I’ve received the latest J.Crew and Anthro catalogs. My coffee place is serving pumpkin spice lattes. I’m aware that in most parts of the country, it’s Fall. Still, I hoped. Until I spied the tables of corduroy skinnies and cardigans. Lace sweatshirts and jeans. And a lone sale rack with two pairs of shorts- not in my size or my color. Sad face.

I’m not sure why stores do this to Floridians. I’d like to wear lace and polka dot cardis, skinny jeans and boots. But we’re still feeling highs in the 90s. It’s soaking hot, as my daughter would whine (she’s already learning that we Floridians love to complain about our weather).

The soaking heat- emphasis on soaking- was quite apparent yesterday, as I scooted my doot on a mid-morning run. I know that some of you are already enjoying cooler temperatures, and some of those same folks are headed down here for Disney race season. I’d love to help you survive running in Florida. Here are some tips:

1. Accessorize. Hats and sunnies are your friends! I reached out on Instagram for sunglasses recommendations and ended up with these. Cute, a snug fit and my eyes are protected from the sun.

2. Chug-a-lug! Coconut water, Gatorade, nuun, old fashioned H2O: whatever you choose, make sure you drink up, and often. I’ve tried a couple of handheld bottles but the Amphipod is my fave.

3. Wear sunscreen. Find a good one that won’t run into your eyes (and let me know when you do, okay?). Protect your skin, prevent wrinkles and those weird tan lines from your sunglasses.

And speaking of tan lines…

4. Sport a tech t-shirt. It covers more skin than a sports bra or tank, so you won’t end up with a funny tan. I like this one because it’s a sweat-wicking fabric and super breathable.

5. Watch out for Gators. Obviously not at Disney, but if you’re running near a body of water down here, well, look out for them. When I say, “Go Gators”, I mean “Go away.”

Do you live in a warmer climate? What advice would you give for running in hot weather? Do you know where I can find some yellow shorts? And go ahead and shout out to your team here too. Go Knights.

It’s Training Time

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My oldest girl started kindergarten last week. Watching her smooth her dress down before entering the class, and smile shyly at her new teacher reminded me of all my years of back-to-school butterflies. Will I like my teacher? Will I make friends in my class? Of course, it only took one day; she’s already found a new buddy in class, she adores her teacher and she’s excited to tell me about her day every afternoon. 

While she fretted about going to a new school and meeting new people, I experienced some anxiety of my own. Half-marathon training began for me this week, and the thought of adding an extra day of running, and increasing my mileage is daunting, to say the least. It’s a busy time of year- sure, two of my kids are back in school, but with that comes dance class, soccer, homework, making lunches, and car lines. (Times two and across town from each other, natch.) I’m also taking on a new volunteer opportunity and joining a couple of baby playgroups. And have I mentioned that Little Dude doesn’t sleep through the night? (I have. I know. Take a nap for me, okay?)

When I trained for my first half-marathon two years ago, I ran on the treadmill on weekdays, once the girls were in bed. This time around, we no longer have a treadmill (boo) and now I have a laundry list of chores to complete once my littles are asleep (Oh! Laundry. I should add that to the list.) I’d also rather spend my evenings relaxing with a book. Or my husband.

Remember the girl who loved her treadmill? Well, she’s left the building, folks. I’ve moved on (mostly) to pavement and jogging strollers and running with friends. I’ve become a morning runner, and I plan to keep it up through racing season. Running right after I wake up will give me more time with my family and more time to accomplish everything else.

I’m pretty nervous about doing it all. I know there will be times when the dishes don’t get done before I go to bed, or I trade time with my kettlebell for a nap. I know I will probably miss a blog entry or two because I just don’t have time to write. I also know that I can do this. I’m excited to run longer distances. I’m excited to see my friends in November. I’m excited to run hard and do my best. For now, I’m just going to enjoy that flutter of anticipation in my belly because I know it’s leading to something amazing.