Runners – they’re everywhere!

May 18, 2013 by Meridith

While at Kohl’s this morning, I saw a guy in a Broad Street Run shirt. Naturally, I had to approach him.

I mean, right? This is natural. Everyone does this. And if you don’t, you totally should. (Similar to the runner’s wave. If you don’t know about it, check out Ashley at RatherBeRunnin’s post.)

Approaching other runners while in a non-running setting can be a bit tricky.

Bound: Bounding up to them like a puppy off-leash for the first time is an option, but the potential to scare them off is high. I usually only bound if I know the person and they are already well aware of my brand of crazy.

Direct approach: Less scary than the Bound for the recipient. Simply walk up a person and say “Love the Broad Street Run – it was my first time running this year. Have you run it more than once?”

Sidle: The word sidle is a bit off-putting because I always picture a shady person in a trench coat sliding up next to you and offering some illegal substance.

However, in this case, it’s running and so it takes on a more casual, less Shady McShadester connotation.

Find them in an aisle. Ideally, aim for one that’s not, like, underwear or Imodium. “So, hey, I see you were at Broad Street on May 5^th. Funnily enough, so was I.” (As were 39,998 others. It’s actually not that rare – I’ve seen three people wearing these shirts in the past three days.)

Mutual wearing: The best is when you’re wearing the same shirt at the same time and place. Serendipitous!

There’s that mutual recognition: you both look at the other person’s shirt, look down at your own shirt and then say something witty like “Nice shirt, where’d you get it?”

It’s absolutely glorious.

During an event: Okay, so this is a bit different because obviously at race events, you’re going to see race shirts of races past. However, I got super excited (it doesn’t take much, you’ve probably figured this out by now) during Broad Street when I saw a cheering guy on the median wearing one of these:

I felt like he was there specifically for me. As I got my high five from him I yelled out something like “Yeah, AC April Fools!” Because I’m limited to four or five word sentences while I’m running. But we totally would have been besties were I not in the middle of a race. I’m sure of it.

When I was younger, my mom talked to everyone. At the supermarket (aka the “stupidmarket” as we so brilliantly called it) she chatted it up with the people at the deli counter, in the aisles, on the checkout line – everyone. I was mortified. Do you know that person? “No,” she’d reply more often than not. “I’m just being friendly.”

Pooks is not nearly as timid as I was when I was a kid; when I approach a runner and he’s with me, he’ll chime in with his thoughts. As we walk away, he always asks if I knew the person. And I can say, with great authority, “Well, of course! We ran a race together.”

Am I missing any ways to approach a runner? Have any fun stories to share?

BA5k – Mother’s Day Run with family

May 12, 2013 by Meridith

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFcHk-fAEGw&feature=youtu.be]

Have you ever ran in formation? Because after today’s 8th annual BA5k, I can now say that I have… well, at least for a hot second! I mean, I was next to them so that sort of counts. A little. Pooks, Jay and I were very impressed with the police academy runners.

The BA5k is a local-to-us race to honor the memory of Brian Anderson, a young man who passed at age 21 from an undiagnosed heart arrhythmia on Mother’s Day in 2005. The 5k walk/run started the following year and this year was the 8th annual memorial run.

Last year, Pooks ran a quarter mile race and was looking to “up his distance” (I’m not kidding – that’s the phrasing he used). He was seven at the time and I was thrilled that he was so interested so we chose to participate in this race. It’s always held at the local park that we consider “ours” – it’s where we’ve played since he was born!

2012 Mother’s Day 5k

This year, we were able to talk Jay into joining us. Maybe talking him into joining us is a bit too liberal of a phrase… I signed us up as a family team and told him that we were going to run it together. You might recall he ran his first 5k in March so he felt fairly confident that he’d be good to go for this race.

Yes, my eight year old will be taller than me. Probably sooner rather than later.

We’d signed up as a family team but somehow there was a glitch with their system because they only had me listed under participants. After getting bibs and shirts sorted out, we were once again on the way to the start! The race began at 9am; thankfully that time wasn’t hard and fast this morning because the boys both needed to stop at the porta-potties before we lined up.

At the start line, they didn’t really have clear markers or anyone with a megaphone directing runners or walkers. The runners logically should’ve started first but that’s not really how it went down. There was a lot of bobbing and weaving for the first minute.

But once we got past that, it was smooth sailing and we fell into a nice, comfortable pace. I asked Pooks if he had a plan for this 5k, since he was setting the pace. He told me that he wanted to take it easy the first mile, speed up the second mile, and sprint at the end.

Is that what happened?

I’ll give you one guess…

NOPE!

Right out of the gate, he was hyped up and going too fast. Which I mentioned, but what eight year old wants to hear that? Or thirty-something year old, for that matter? So I tapped into this enthusiasm, knowing eventually he’d simmer down.

Dude and Pooks – holding strong at almost a mile.

Looking at pictures from last year, I found one of Pooks at nearly the exact same spot.

BA5k 2012

If I were to guess, I’d say there were about 1,000 runners and walkers present. The course wound through the park so you were able to see other runners and the walkers throughout the race.

Just past the mile mark, Pooks asked for a short walking break so we slowed to a fast walk and continued with intervals through the rest of the course. He was happy to see the water station at the halfway point and more than happy when we made our way to the finish line.

Of course he was an absolute stinker at the end. “Mom, wait for me so we can cross the line together!” Pulls up next to me, asks if I’m ready to sprint, and as I’m answering him he TAKES OFF.

Last year we finished in 49:59. This year? 39:56. The kiddo bested himself by 10:03!

“Mom, I beat you!” Uh huh. You sure did, kid.

Have you ran with your family before? Did they pull the old “let’s cross the finish line together” and then leave you in the dust?

Race Shirt Superlatives

May 11, 2013 by Meridith

Who doesn’t love a good race shirt?

I wear them to the gym, to Target, basically everywhere I can get away with it. They’ve become a staple of my wardrobe because they’re included with the race registration (hi, I paid for it, I want to wear it!) and because that means less shopping for me (and I’m lazy and don’t like to shop).

For the record, I’ve gone so far as Googling for recaps to see what other people say about the fit and sizing of shirts. Yes, I’m that serious.

Without further ado, here are some of my favorites. And not so favorites. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you why!

Oldie But Goodie

This is the back (because it has the hand print that always inspires “You’ve got a dirty hand print on your shirt” comments) but the front is similar, sans date and place, so you get the idea. My very first race shirt, it’s the oldster of the group. The shirt is a Merrell tech-t and I’m a fan because of the quality and fit. Two very important factors!

Mas o Menos

The good: It’s from my first half marathon. And the word “princess” is on it, which is very fitting for me.

The not so good: Well, it’s white. And I definitely got caught in the rain in it. Spring Break wet t-shirt contest, anyone?

Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny

I wanted so very badly to like this shirt. After all, I dressed up like Katniss from the Hunger Games and ran with some of my favorite people for this race. However, the shirt is small. Not like, a little small… a lot small. I wear it on the treadmill occasionally but never outside of the house.

To be fair, the race coordinators did say that the shirts ran small. So rather than ordering a medium, I went with the large.

No dice. Win some, lose some!

Double Vision

These Brooks tech shirts from the Haddonfield Adrenaline 5k are LOUD and I like them like that.

I wear these when I’m running, especially in the early morning hours. My trainer encourages us to do the “Wawa run” – a run to the nearest Wawa store and back, about a 1.65 loop on a busy road.

I want people to see me (and avoid becoming road kill). With these shirts, there’s no missing me.

Don’t Call It a Tech-T (I’m still earwormed from Bec’s post.)

Runners of the Broad Street Run had the option to upgrade to a tech-t for an additional cost but I personally am a big fan of this cotton t-shirt. They run slightly large but it’s a good quality shirt (Hanes) and I appreciate the fact that the sponsors are kept to the sleeves of the shirt.

This is the baby of my shirts, only a week old. Isn’t it cute?

I don’t usually wear t-shirts to work out in so it won’t be used for that but you ~~might~~ will find me wandering Target or the grocery store in it. In fact, I’m sporting this one today.

Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Friends, meet my favorite long-sleeved race shirt (these are much more rare than the short-sleeved t-shirt, which makes sense). This ranks up there as one of my best races I’ve done so I think that there’s a certain amount of sentimental value that comes along with this shirt.

It has sponsors all over the back but when a run is held as a fundraising event, I have no issues with that.

Miss Congeniality

This shirt wins top honors in my closet! It’s a ladies Brooks tech-t and I love both the fit and the feel. There are no sponsors on this shirt; it has a nice, clean look and it’s from the City of Brotherly Love.

I keep waiting for another race shirt to come along and steal my heart but so far, this one is it for me.

Also, it looks like blue is a popular race shirt color, eh?

When my family asked me what I wanted for Mother’s Day, I told them another race t-shirt. Kidding! But I did request that we run a 5k together (I really and truly did) and they agreed.

I’ll be getting another cotton t-shirt tomorrow, matching with Dude and Pooks (we’ll be so cool). (Don’t worry, we won’t wear it at the 5k.)

Littleberry has to sit this one out because a) he’s four and wouldn’t be down for 3.1 miles and b) he broke his foot about a week ago. But no worries, I’ll get my fair share of him, too!

Happy almost Mother’s Day to all the moms out there. And the Aunts. And the Grandmas. And the “Aunts” who let my children dump all their toys on the floor and play “volcano”.

How are you spending Mother’s Day? What’s your favorite race shirt? Bonus points if you post a picture in the comments (I don’t even know if you can do that!).

If Broad Street were easy… it would be called your mom!

May 6, 2013 by Meridith

In the Cinco de Mayos of years gone by there’s been sombreros, brightly colored flags, margaritas and Mexican beer.

This year? Running! (Followed by margaritas/beer for some. I just wanted food, which probably comes as no surprise.)

Vic as we headed to the subway station.

The Blue Cross Broad Street Run takes place in Philadelphia, PA and is a 10 mile race that has been held on the first Sunday of May since 1980. Unlike many other races, it’s a point to point race and most of the run is downhill (but don’t be fooled like I was, there are a couple of uphill points!).

The sports complexes in Philly are all near the end point of the race (the Navy Yard) and were open for parking. We, along with many other of the 40,000 runners, made our way there bright and early, Sunday morning.

Just a couple of our friends that ran the race! Thanks to Brandi for this group shot of us outside of the Septa station.

Runners were able to ride the SEPTA, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, Broad Street line free of charge the morning of the race. There was someone at the turnstile checking bibs, which was the “ticket” onto the train. She’s got a ticket to ride. Okay, I’ll stop singing now.

It was a bit chilly early on so most of us were wearing throw away gear that would then be donated once we warmed up and discarded them to the side. The guy checking our bibs jokingly said, “I feel like I’m on Runners Gone Wild and you’re all flashing me!”

That’s us: wild and crazy runners! Sidenote: the shirt that I decided to chuck was my swim team shirt. From when I was eleven. Yes, it was time to let that one go.

On our way to the start.

The train dropped runners off directly by the corrals, which was quite convenient. Most of our group headed off to a different corrals so my partner in running, Moe, and I said our goodbyes, good lucks, and good races.

Getting there early, we decided to suss out the porta-potty lines and found it to be long. And winding. We decided to skip it and find ones on the course.

Moe and I situated ourselves in the last corral, which was the BEST corral. Because pink is the best color (besides purple and turquoise).

Broad Street is a notoriously fast course, with the course record being 45 minutes. My goal was to finish around two hours, which I thought was an achievable and likely goal. This was, by far, the largest race I’d ever participated in and I’m not a huge fan of crowds so I was a bit nervous. The nerves proved to be unnecessary as the corral I was in was comfortable and roomy.

With a field of 40,000 runners, the wait time to get to the start was expansive. In that time I stepped on a discarded GU Chomp (ew!), tripped over people’s throw away clothes, and tried to peer over a sea of people to catch a glimpse of the starting line.

I prayed for a good, safe race for myself and my fellow runners. The Philadelphia police presence was reassuring and visible throughout the entire race.

With the events at the Boston Marathon still being so fresh in everyone’s minds, Philadelphia saluted Boston by providing every runner with a heart sticker that said “From Philly to Boston with Love” which all of the runners wore.

The race organizers also encouraged the runners to wear red socks as a loving shout out to our friends to the north, as well. Red socks for the Red Sox. We ordered ours from ProCompression.

Thanks to Chick Vic for this shot!

Crossing the start line, we all chimed in to “Sweet Caroline”. I was a little teary as we started off (and I wasn’t the only one). Races are always a bit of an emotional roller coaster for me but this one, especially so, as it was my first after the Boston Marathon bombings. Never once did I consider not running but I suppose there will now always be a “what if” that niggles at the back of my mind; that was never there before a couple of weeks ago.

The clock read 49 minutes when we finally crossed the start line. This time I actually remembered to press start on my Garmin and we were off!

Via broadstreetrun.com

When we first looked at this map we thought that instead of water stations, maybe they’d have Dunkin’ Donuts stations. Alas, those were cheering zones.

And not soon after we were off, we were stopping at the first row of porta-potties that we saw. There was a short line, only about five people deep and while we had to wait a couple of minutes, it was worth tacking on the time at the start. Every other stop we saw for porta-potties had a line of at least twenty people (every time we saw that, Moe and I would pat ourselves on the backs).

The crowd support along Broad Street was, in a word, incredible. There were no “quiet” areas; no places that lacked the cheering and enthusiasm of people. It was so motivating. A few people that stood out were the children at Temple University Children’s Medical Center, who were wrapped in blankets and had their nurses outside with them, cheering for the runners. All the emotions! I swear, I cried more on this race than any other.

There were also many children along the route, and can I just say that they were very excellent high fivers. Enthusiastic and hands outstretched, I zigzagged from side to side to make sure I could get as many as possible (while being aware of the runners around me).

Caught this pic of Moe in front of City Hall, mile 5 of the race. This was the YAY CITY HALL moment.

So, let me tell you a little bit about Philadelphia City Hall. It’s right smack in the middle of Broad Street! It marked the halfway point and as you circle around, you then wind up on the other side of Broad Street. This area was thick with people cheering. Can I say it again? Incredible!

I ate my GU as I walked through the water station. I decided that if I was going to be walking at any point during the race, I was going to walk with purpose. Chest out (no problem there), shoulders back, head high, smiling. And fast. I ran much of the time but during those walking breaks, I did so with speed and confidence. It felt great!

Along with the children (and their equally amazing adults), cheer squads, churches, bands – there were people with signs! I love me some race signage. I mean, really. These are incredible! There were also official high five stations, worst parade ever signs, and dudes in sombreros giving motivation (with beers in hand). Oh, and a giant IHOP pancake. I love a race where everyone is out to have a good time, especially the spectators.

By mile 8, I was wishing for another GU. Or a banana. Or fresh legs. Something. But at that point, I knew there was only two miles left. As opposed to the usual 5 I’m used to with half marathons. That thought perked me up and spurred me on.

The Navy Yard sign was just ahead and I knew that from there, I had a quarter mile left. I was very grateful that my trainer’s wife, Sarah, let me know that the sign didn’t indicate the end of the race! I did pick up the pace a bit when I saw the sign and from there, steadily increased through the finish line.

Finishing the race with high fives from military made my heart swell and my eyes tear a bit. Again! I received my medal from a volunteer and then Moe and I were able to track down food. After getting food and water (which was blissfully cold!), we found Vic and my husband, who were waiting at our predetermined meeting point.

Vic finished about a half hour earlier and we came in just over two hours, which I was very happy with!

The cost of the Broad Street Run is low and the positive perks make it one of high demand. The most difficult part was exiting the parking lot after the race, which took both patience and perseverance (next year, we’re bringing a picnic along!). 2013 was the first time they did a lottery process for people to take part.

I was thrilled that I was able to run this year, it’s been on my bucket list since I first heard about it. I’m already crossing my fingers that I get to take part in next year’s race.

What’s the largest race you’ve every participated in? What’s number one on your race bucket list?

Edited to add: Here’s a link to Vic’s recap too!

Chick Chat: Firsts

May 2, 2013 by Meridith

Everyone has to start somewhere. When our friend, Shannon, asked us to share some information about first starting out, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity for a Chick Chat!

When did you first start working out – running, walking, whatever?

Cam – I feel like I’ve been working out forever… it started with dance when I was a kid, then swimming and belly dance and yoga when I was a teenager. I started R.I.P.P.E.D. after I had my daughter and worked with a personal trainer for lifting weights and strength training to lose baby weight. The running came when my trainer suggested it for cardio. I was skeptic, but my friend Jana asked me to do this awesome thing called Ragnar and I really didn’t want to be left out. So basically I started running so I could hang out with my friends.

Victoria – I started walking – then – running regularly a few years back as cross training for crew. I first ran a minute, walked a minute. Then increased it to two minutes of each, then three and so on. Soon enough, I ran a mile. Then two. Then three.

Meri – When my elder son was 15 months, I learned of a new franchise called Stroller Strides. Within the first year I had such great success with the program, I went on to become an instructor. During the last seven years, I’ve picked up different classes along the way: Jazzercise and Bikram yoga.

I had a couple of false starts with running, I’d attempted the Couch 2 5k program once or twice. However, I first started actually running two years ago when I got my treadmill. My weight has always fluctuated but with running, I’ve been able to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and that’s important to me.

Jess – I started running in late 2011 because all of my friends were doing it, and they’re pretty cool chicks so I thought “I want to be cool, too!” It’s maybe not the best reason to start up a healthy habit (maybe I should have started because I wanted to be, you know, HEALTHY), but that’s what it took.

My love affair with yoga has been going on for much longer, since 2001 when I took a class my first semester of college. Prior to 2001, I was pretty much a bump on a log. Except when I was dancing, of course!

Bec – About five minutes ago. Okay, no, about 16 months ago, but I’m still very much a newb. All of my adult life, I’ve had an on again/off again relationship with exercise. But if I’m honest, it was mostly off again. I just… didn’t like it. Last winter, I started Zumba and my first C25K attempt right around the same time, partially because I felt like it was time to change my life and my body, and (bigger) partly because, like Jess, all of my friends were doing it. Baaaaah. Hee.

Brooke – I’ve been active my entire life- dancing, running, teaching aerobics, practicing yoga. I’ve gone through phases where I’m less active, or I’m more into one thing than another, but I’ve always exercised. I’m fairly athletic (and competitive, ha), so it comes easy to me. I also enjoy it, which helps!

Vic’s (middle) first rowing regatta.

What newbie mistakes did you make?

Cam – Newbie mistakes would be under-eating and under-hydrating. I never took myself seriously as an “athlete” and kind of blew off any warnings about taking care of basic needs first. I was a horrible eater and didn’t properly fuel my body. As a result, I’d puke after every race. I now have this complex, when I see the finish, I get nauseated. It’s my greatest fear to toss my cookies in front of everyone at the finish line.

Victoria – One of my big newbie mistakes was not investing in decent running shoes right away. The proper support makes all the difference! I also didn’t understand the importance of replacing shoes every few hundred miles. The tread wears – for me, rather unevenly – so when my feet or ankles start feeling a bit sore, new sneakers are always my first line of defense.

Meri – What newbie mistakes didn’t I make? I started with the wrong shoes that created such pain and blisters that I was absolutely miserable. I figured since I was already miserable, I’d attempt barefoot running, on the treadmill, without any training or preparation. I signed up for a mud run as my first 5k. I didn’t cross train at first and had horrible IT band issues. But I feel like this is all a learning process and you just pick things up as you go. There’s many things that I try once and then say, “Well, I won’t do that again.” But so many more that I try and feel elation.

Bec – So many. All of them? Maybe. I ran faster than I was ready to. I ran longer than I was ready to. I did a Zumba class and a two mile run back to back (owwwwww). But the most common mistake I made, one that I’m still making today, is not trusting my body to tell me what it can handle when I’m running. My body is fine, chugging along, and my brain gets right in the way by thinking we’re not ready for this. Guess which one wins? I’m working on not running “in my head” so much, but that is definitely a work-in-progess.

Cam’s first 5k – she’s the one chatting on her phone on the far left.

What do you wish you knew then that you know now?

Cam – I wore the wrong shoes for so long, and lived with horrible joint pain. I wish I would have had my feet evaluated years ago.

Victoria – I initially tended to overdress, and overheat. It’s good to remember you’ll heat up generally 15 degrees while running, so it’s a GOOD thing to feel chilled as you head out the door for a 3-4 mile loop. You’ll warm up five or so minutes in and will be thankful you don’t have to haul extra layers along for the next few miles.

Meri – For so long, I just thought that I couldn’t run. I had such a lack of confidence when it came to running. I wish I’d gotten past that sooner because running is so freeing. To know that I’m capable of running great distances is incredibly rewarding. For me, it’s about doing it and I’m glad that I finally got to a point in my life where I believed and wanted it enough to do it.

Jess – My newbie mistake was giving myself permission not to be amazing at what I was doing from the start. I set really, really high expectations for myself, so it’s easy to get frustrated when I’m starting something new. Learning curves are not for the impatient, but I’ve learned to really force myself to just enjoy the process. I’m not going to be the fastest at the race or the most limber in class, but I can keep learning and growing within my respective practices. That’s what it’s all about!

Bec – That it gets easier. Well, no, it actually gets harder, but you get stronger and it doesn’t feel so hard. Yeah, that.

Brooke – The most important thing, for me, is consistency. You won’t improve if you’re only running once each week. Run easy, run hard, run fast, run slow, run/walk. Just go for a run! At least three times each week, if you can.

Once you finish your run, you have to stretch. Running tightens everything; you’ll feel great the next day if you take some time to loosen up while your muscles are still warm. I usually stretch for at least ten minutes.

Also, find some support! I don’t mean in a bra, or the perfect sneakers (though those are obviously important too). I mean, find a friend to run with you. Find a friend to talk to about running. Most activities are more fun when you have a buddy to do it with you and this sport is no different.

Mer’s first 5k, the Philadelphia Down & Dirty mud run.

We’re all at different points of our fitness paths. When did you start out? What sort of newbie mistakes did you make? What’s something that you wish you could tell your past self?

Jogging, hogging, and blogging: meet Team Scoot a Doot

April 26, 2013 by Meridith

For the 2nd annual Jog ‘n Hog, Team Scoot a Doot is a crazy bunch of characters hailing from all over the Northeast. So far we’ve got 13 people (edited to add – make that 15) who are ready to take on the challenge of running two miles, eating either a pint or quart (!?!) of ice cream, and running another two miles.

Prepare yourself to meeting some of our crazy bunch! And hey, who knows, maybe this will entice you to join us. *Hint, hint, there’s a GIVEAWAY further down in this post.*

We asked our runners to share their Jog ‘n Hog strategies as we prepare for this amazing event (happening on July 21st, clear your social calendars).

Team Scoot a Doot member, Megan and her daughter, Finn.

Megan being adorable with daughter, Finn.

Megan – Be me. Be amazing. And, keep running a 5K a few times a week to make sure I stay in top form so that I don’t completely die mid-race. Sort of guessing the ice cream will refuel me, though, even if I am tired after the first 2 miles. Ice cream is an energy food, right???

Sorry ladies, Matt is taken (by Megan!). Here he reads his very special Runner’s World, which we’ve been told is not about the RUNS.

Matt – Binge. Purge. Rinse. Repeat.

Christina gives a shout out to Boston.

Christina – My entire strategy revolves around not vomiting. I will consider the entire event a success if vomiting is avoided.

Bad ass Jen, ready to conquer the Down and Dirty!

Jen – I have no strategy. Ice cream runs through my veins and sustains me so it’s no big deal for me. Ben and Jerry’s is my regular life’s blood.

Brandi likes long walks on the beach…

Brandi – Run fast two miles. Eat. Then walk one mile… and run to the end. And not throw up.

Only Vic could get run over by a parked car!

The leader of the pack!

Vic – I plan to run like the wind for the first two miles, inhale my vat of ice cream and try not to vomit for the next two miles. That likely means walking the last two miles, for the record.

Typical day for Kate!

Kate – All out for the first 2 miles. Eat and enjoy the ice cream while laughing with friends. Run, walk, crawl or whatever it takes to get to the finish line. Most importantly I plan to have FUN! That’s what it’s all about, right?!

Official baby kisser of Team Scoot a Doot, Jena!

Jena – My strategy is to try and keep the ice cream down during the last two miles.

Not ice cream? Not interested.

Mer – Jog. Hog. Tweet. Pictures. Blog.

And hey, who goes to a race and doesn’t bring along their very own cheerleader? Not Team Scoot a Doot, that’s for sure!

Bec enjoys spending her free time getting to second base with the Bewitched statue.

Bec – My initial goal was not to toss my cookies. Or my ice cream. If that wasn’t possible, my goal was to toss my cookies with grace and style. However, due to some recent dietary changes, any cookies and ice cream I eat (or toss) have to be dairy free. So, my new goal is to come and cheer you guys on. And maybe hold your hair back, if you need that. I’m a giver, what can I say?

It seems like many of the members are a bit concerned about puking. So we asked Boss Hog about any such incidents in the inaugural race.

Fair enough.

You want in on this action, don’t you? Well, friends, let’s get down to brass tacks.

May 1st, prices for the Jog ‘n Hog kick up a couple of bucks. The way we figure it, why pay more when you can pay less? Currently, the Whole Hogger (quart) is $30 and the Half Hogger (pint) is $27. As of May 1st, both fees increase by $5. “In the immortal words of The Doors, The time to hesitate is through.” (Name that movie quote for extra cool points in our book.)

If you join Team Scoot a Doot, you get the added benefit of being on a team. (And hanging out with US!) The teams have room for 20 and we’d love to have you.

Or, you can roll the dice on our Jog ‘n Hog giveaway. The Scoot a Doot Chicks are hosting a raffle for one free registration!

Click the pic to enter!

This giveaway is for one entry to the July 21st, 2013 Jog ‘n Hog, taking place at Shady Brook Farm in Yardley, PA at 8:30am. You are responsible for getting to and from the event. If awarded the winner, we will be sharing your name and email address with the race directors of the Jog ‘n Hog and they’ll be giving you a code so you can Jog ‘n Hog with us.

So, what do you say? Have you ever taken part in a running event that involves food? Will Team Scoot a Doot puke? What would your Jog ‘n Hog strategy be? Let us know down below.

Runners giving back: Medals4Mettle

April 18, 2013 by Meridith

The running community is a strong and rowdy bunch. There’s a certain level of insanity the comes along with runners, people who choose to spend much of their free time running long distances for the love of the sport and achieving the impossible (with a side of bragging rights and medals sometimes thrown in for good measure).

After an event like the one at the Boston Marathon, there’s a certain sense of helplessness that hits us. We are doers, movers and shakers, so to do nothing is not an option.

Since Monday’s tragedy, we’ve participated in reflection runs; we’ve worn the Boston Marathon colors of blue and gold; we’ve donned race shirts from any and all events; we’ve prayed for the victims, first responders, runners and the city of Boston.

And we’re still left asking, What else is there? What more can we do to show support, solidity and love?

Well, friends, might I offer up Medals4Mettle?

met·tle /ˈmetl/ Noun
A person’s ability to cope well with difficulties or to face a demanding situation in a spirited and resilient way.

In May 2005, Dr. Steven Isenberg gave his own Chicago Marathon medal to his patient, Les Taylor, who was battling prostate cancer. Before his death, Taylor told Dr. Isenberg just how much the medal meant to him.

From that seed Medals4Mettle blossomed. I first heard about Medals4Mettle, or M4M, last year when I began running races.

Currently M4M is collecting Boston Marathon medals from any year to give to Monday’s victims and first responders.

For those who haven’t run the Boston Marathon, M4M will gratefully accept all donations of hard-earned half marathon, full marathon or triathlon medals to those battling life-threatening illnesses and severe disabilities.

“Think about when you are out on a course, and you have dozens to hundreds of people you don’t know who are cheering you on, and want to see you succeed and get to the finish line,” said Andrea Herrmann of M4M. “This is our chance to return this encouragement to others, and to celebrate their strength in dealing with their health struggles, cheering them to their personal finish lines.”

Directors and chapter coordinators are all volunteers at M4M. I reached out to my local chapter coordinator, Reed Costello, who said that his responsibilities include local awareness and collecting/passing medals along to the area coordinator who then distributes them to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The children love receiving the medals and the runDisney medals are among the favorites; many wear the donated medals to chemo treatment or hang them from their IV pole.

A selfless way to lift someone’s spirits and give back, Medals4Mettle is a non-profit organization that assists runners and athletes in doing just that.

Have you ever given your race medal to someone else? We’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Race rewind – runDisney’s Castaway Cay 5k

April 14, 2013 by Meridith

Free… for the mere price of a cruise!

Last summer my family and I took a week cruise on the Disney Magic. I’d heard about the Castaway Cay 5k for months prior and on Tuesday, June 26th 2012, I got to experience it firsthand.

Disney owns its very own Bahamian island, Castaway Cay and it’s absolutely beautiful. However, that day, Tropical Storm Debby was brewing and decided to take aim. I, along with the other runners (I’d guess there were about 35 of us), got hit about ten minutes into our run.

The group of us met in one of the bars at 8:30ish and got our bib numbers. You could tell that everyone was sizing each other up until we all realized that we were just doing this for kicks. (Or at least I was… I don’t really know what the other people were doing it for. The plastic medal? The glory?)

The sun was still shining at this point but if you look off in the distance, you can see the clouds rolling in.

My plan for this 5k was to take it nice and easy and take pictures along the route. That lasted for those first ten minutes. We took a tram out to the start of the 5k; Everyone was in good spirits and chatty the entire ride.

Soon after I took this picture, the skies above looked ominous. Dark clouds came barreling toward us and started pelting us with hail. That was about the time I decided to stash my phone in my SPIbelt and press on. The route isn’t all that exciting anyway; past the watch tower, out and back near the airstrip, the watch tower loop AGAIN, and then the finish.

I fried the backlight in my nano. Boo! Wound up finishing in about 35 minutes (that’s with stops along the way). Made friends with the kid running near me, we played cat and mouse the entire run. And at the end I joined a woman that was ahead of me and we finished up together. She was training for that year’s Tower of Terror 10 miler.

I have to admit, I felt pretty bad ass running in HAIL. I mean, yes, I ruined my nano and I was soaked to the bone… but hey, now I can say that I’ve experienced that, right? Who’s drinking from the half full glass? That would be me!

You might not be able to tell from the picture but I was soaked, head to toe!

A few nights later I came back to my stateroom to find a “magical moment” certificate (with my name spelled incorrectly – Womp! My parents had to go the different route with it and I’m “paying” for it ever since).

Have you ever ran in the Bahamas or any other island? In hail or a Tropical Storm? Have you broken an electronic device during a run? (I’m still bummed about that, nearly a year later.)

Ruts and Nuts – What to do when a food rut drives you nuts!

April 11, 2013 by Meridith

I’m the type of person that orders the exact same food at a restaurant. I find something, I stick with it, and if the menu changes before I’m ready to break up with that food, well… let’s just say that there’s some pouting that occurs.

In the same breath, I’m the person that will eat something for six months repeatedly for breakfast (oatmeal!) and one day decide that I need a break. A hiatus can last a month or a year, depending on my mood. And hey, if it were up to me, CHEESE would be considered a daily meal. I’d eat it regularly, or at least until I got bored. (But I don’t think that’s possible.)

I’ll take the cheese buffet, please.

Yes, I’m quite the emotional eater. You can preach to me all that you want that “food to fuel” and rationally, I know that. But I also know that I want what I want, when I want it and that makes meal planning a bit of a challenge.

However, financially, I realize that meal planning is much more – oh, what’s the word? – smart. So rather than leading solely with my gastronomical whims, I try to incorporate those while eating fairly healthy, and following my grocery store’s sales and ads for the week.

Not exactly easy but I’ve gotten a lot better at it than I was a couple of years back. Trust me.

And yet, occasionally, I fall into a food rut. It’s not that I don’t have plenty of recipes, because I do. It’s challenging at the moment because we’ve got Track & Field practice (for Pooks) three times each week. And if we’re not there, we attend a variety of other meetings (PTO, scouts, etc). When we aren’t at one of those places, my husband has to work late.

You get the point. Maybe it’s not so much a “rut” but more just not being in the same place at the same time. But it leads to take-out and late meals. Neither option feels particularly healthy to me.

When I attended the Tinkerbell Half Meetup in January, I was fortunate enough to meet Tara Gidus and bend her ear while running.

Thankfully, she was very open to the idea of keeping in contact (props to runDisney for choosing such an approachable dietician!) When I reached out to her, she offered some great tips to share with you:

Plan ahead! Look at your calendar. If you have meetings after work or your kid’s baseball practice to attend, but don’t want to sacrifice good nutrition and eating at home, we have to make planning a priority. Build your weeknight menu before you go to the grocery store.

Look at your track record. If you know you won’t have more than 10 minutes to get food on the table before you give in to takeout, do what you can to ensure success. Prep veggies on the weekend, incorporate slow cooker meals, make ahead meals like casseroles and chili or veggie soup, and always have quick and easy menu items on hand for last minute prep.

Keep quick meal ideas and ingredients in the house. I always have certain things on hand: spaghetti and marinara sauce, grilled cheese and tomato soup, egg sandwiches or omelettes, rotisserie chicken, minute rice for burrito bowls, frozen vegetables and entrees like Kashi pizzas, Bertolli family dinners, and Amy’s meals. Look at the nutrition facts on packaging to make sure each product is not too high in saturated fat or sodium, but typically these meals will be healthier and less expensive than eating out.

Love these ideas and have already started incorporating them into our active evenings.

Not every evening is going to be a five star dinner but with a bit of preparation and planning, I’m trying my darnedest to make the best of our crazy evenings and enjoy the not-so-crazy ones.

Now if you’ll please excuse me, I’m off to prep tonight’s chicken pot pie!

What do you do for food when the going gets tough (or busy)? Which meal do you find to be the most challenging?

Special thanks to Tara Gidus!

DO AC: 2013 April Fool’s half marathon

April 9, 2013 by Meridith

DOAC

Last year I ran the inaugural Atlantic City April Fool’s half marathon to ring in my 35^th year. This year’s race wasn’t on my birthday (since April 1^st was on a Monday) but when my friends started floating the idea of running, I jumped on board. After all, I almost view this race as “mine” since it’s an homage to my birthday and one that I’ll return to year after year.

Packet pick-up was quick and easy and laid-back. In fact, this entire race is very laid-back with the added bonus of being extremely well-organized, two things that you don’t often see paired together when it comes to racing. There is no expo; the packet pick-up took place in the host resort, which was Revel this year.

Dorothy and Jody warming up by the fire pit at Revel.

Revel is AC’s brand new resort and casino and is absolutely gorgeous, albeit a bit confusing to navigate. Thankfully they have staff everywhere to point you in the right direction so you don’t wander aimlessly for too long.

However, AC is still AC and most people there are in “party” mode, not “sleeping and running a race” mode. Which means the clientele of the resort included a drunk dude wandering the halls at 4am, knocking on doors and shouting for “Blair” on Friday night (hope you found her eventually, man) and the party people who decided to stay in and celebrate someone’s 30^th birthday with shots and singing at the top at their lungs rather than paying $12 for drinks… until 3:30 in the morning.

Next year? I’m sleeping at home and driving the hour. Hold me to this, please. Early wake up is better than no waking up because I never actually slept.

Going into a half marathon on a small amount of sleep isn’t the best way to do things but alas, that’s how it played out. My suggestion to an AC hotel hosting runners for an event would be to put them all in the same area.

We fueled with wheat bagel flats and almond butter/peanut butter, dressed, and joined the other runners (and partiers who apparently never went to sleep the night before) in the front vestibule.

Approximately 2,000 runners participated in the half marathon, with the 7k/11k races being held on Saturday morning. This was a change from the 2012 races, as all races were all held on the same day. Not going to lie, we were a bit bummed about the change but the race directors were very good at compensating the runners who were affected by the change. Jody ran the 7k on Saturday morning, while Moe, Dorothy and myself were ready to take on 13.1 miles.

We headed outside into the chilly morning air around 7:45, with the race beginning at 8am. At the start we were able to find our friends Rob, Brandi, and Sean – all of whom were running as well!

Starting promptly, we were off, down the boards. After a quarter mile, I realized that in the pre-race excitement I’d forgotten to start my Garmin so I’d be flying solo on that level – I was upset for about a hot second but realized that I’d just have to let it go. Sidenote: I got a Garmin and Road ID tan on my arms during this race. Time to break out the sunscreen!

It began to warm as we made our way down the boards and the smell of the ocean air was invigorating. Moe and I fell into a nice comfortable pace, hanging out side by side and occasionally knocking into each other while dancing to our own iPods.

Who has two thumbs and a flying ponytail? Moe!

Around mile 4 my feet started giving me issues with my toes curling a bit, which didn’t feel so fantastic so I walked a couple of seconds. That didn’t help so I started running again. This is also about the time that we saw the winner of the race headed back to the finish. Always impressive!

And then, there are people like this. These dudes ran like this for the entire race and ran the race in two hours. More power to you, horse and horse rider! (Horse dude kept his head on the entire time. Crazy!)

See that little turn there – right before mile 5? That’s when we took the streets. And that’s when I knew I’d be hurting a bit. WHERE IS MY BOARDWALK? Couldn’t we have made it longer? However, I knew Lucy was ahead and I was very much looking forward to seeing the elephant.

“The elephant???” You might ask. Oh yes, the elephant.

What, this isn’t normally what you see when you race? (Check out other random things seen on runs at OliveToRun’s How Bizarre Photos!)

Eventually we hit the 7 mile mark which meant it was time to turn around and hit the reverse button! I swung around the flag (not literally) and off we went, back where we came from. The street seemed to expand and getting back to the boards took way longer than I anticipated. Finally Moe pulled to the side where she could look ahead and see the cones turn – we were nearly back on the boardwalk. Huzzah!

Since I didn’t have my Garmin, I lost mile 9. For all of mile 9, I thought I was in mile 10… Until I saw the flag marker that said 10 and nearly cried because I so desperately wanted it to say 11. Alas, it did not.

This is why we can’t have nice things.

And right around then was when I felt the blister forming and I was just ready to be done. 3.1 miles to go – a 5k! Then I looked up and saw this…

And remembered how blessed I was to be in that moment.

The water stations were phenomenal and it definitely makes up for the lack of crowd support because they are like a cheer station unto themselves. The volunteers are incredible with this race, always with a smile and making you laughing by fighting over whose water or Gatorade you’d take.

There are also a couple of bands and DJs along the route as well, so when I saw those I’d take my yurbuds out to jam with them for a couple of seconds.

The last two miles I was speed walking more than running and a one point Moe turned around to see where I was. I waved her on and told her, “keep moving THAT way” and off she went. I could see her pink hat bopping along ahead and that gave me the motivation I needed to stay strong and keep moving toward the finish line.

I passed where the finish line was the previous year and was sad that it wasn’t actually there again this year because that would mean I’d be done. At that point, there was a little over a mile left. The boardwalk started having more people milling around, which is difficult because at that point instead of bobbing and weaving around other runners, you’re moving around people who don’t have a clue that a race is going on. I just kept moving forward, alternating between a run/walk and pushing as much as possible.

And just like that, I saw the finish line in the distance. I heard cheers of people as I drew closer and I pushed myself to sprint those last few minutes, thanks to some very sweet ladies from Black Girls Run giving me some special cheers.

I asked someone if I could borrow her sign so Dorothy and I could get a picture with it. Don’t believe it though – we’re definitely more like 3/4th crazy.

I crossed the finish line with a smile on my face, having attained a personal record! I’m not a fast runner and I may never BE a fast runner, but I bested myself on Sunday… and that felt damn good (even if my feet didn’t and don’t)!

I’m already looking to sign up for next year’s April Fool’s half.

Is there a race that you return to time and time again? What is it that keeps you coming back?

Scootadoot

fitness, food, friends, fun

Author Archives: Meridith