If Mama’s Happy, Everyone’s Happy

March 27, 2013 by beewhobabbles

It’s Spring Break here in sunny Florida, which means I haven’t exercised in a week. We’ve been to a hockey game, the zoo, an Easter egg hunt, painted pottery and there’s still a lot of excitement ahead (including having a friend sleepover for the first time. Eeeep.) but it probably won’t include a trip to the gym for me until the end of the week.

Each night, I’ve planned to go at 6am the next day-I’ve even laid out my clothes- but then the baby is up at 1 and 3 and 5, and my youngest girl wakes at 6, and it’s time for Spring Break Entertainment. And coffee. Obviously. That’s okay though. I’m not very happy about it, but I’ve accepted it. And the kids and I are having a great time together.

That said, I still have plans to work out with my trainer on Friday morning. We meet for an hour at my community gym, and I bring the little dude with me. (He sleeps in his stroller.) Bringing the girls will be…interesting. There is a playroom with windows, so I’ll be able to see them, but they’ll also be somewhat unsupervised. Which could mean some not-so-friendly sibling playtime, you know? I feel a little anxious about that.

Crunching in my neighborhood gym. The playroom (and sleeping baby) are nearby!

I also feel guilty about bringing them with me. I tell myself I’m being silly. I think nothing of running with them in the BOB for an hour, or stroller walking with friends, and this is basically the same thing, right? And how is this different from me doing an hour of cleaning while they play in their own playroom? But those feelings are still there. So much so that I’m considering just canceling. I guess I feel that it’s their time with me, their break, and we should be having loads of fun the entire time.

One of my Facebook friends posted something last week about mommy guilt and exercise. She said that she’d feel guilty letting her kids watch her live a sedentary lifestyle, rather than watching her make time to stay fit. That taking care of herself makes her feel confident and happy, and then she’s a more positive influence on everyone else in her life. Regular exercise makes her a better mom, so she’s let go of the guilt.

Isn’t that an awesome perspective? Of all the things we mamas feel bad about, should maintaining a healthy lifestyle, even if it cuts into their time with us, be one of them?

Meri and I have talked a lot about setting a healthy example for our kids, and she’s also said that they regularly ask about her running. My friend Sara recently ran her first marathon, and the thought of showing her kids what could be achieved with hard work really motivated her during her training. My own kids love to do yoga with me and one of their favorite games is to pretend to race each other in our driveway.

My girls practicing yoga. In costume, natch.

We’re all definitely influencing our kids- but how much exercising is happening on their time? For me? Not much.

I think I like this new attitude much better. I need running. It makes me feel good. It calms me in a way that nothing else does. It’s also going to help me fit into my old pants again. While I’m not ready to bring the kids to the gym for every workout, or even every week, I’m going to try not to stress about bringing them once in a while. An hour of their time is definitely worth a happier, more focused mom.

Parents, do you bring your kids with you when you work out? How do you make it work? When is your Spring Break? Anything fun planned?

Don’t be dopey about Dopey

March 26, 2013 by vfreile

I’ll admit it. I’m intrigued.

Much of me wants to run the inaugural runDisney Dopey Challenge in 2014, which was announced last week. That’s four races totaling 48.6 miles over four days of the annual Walt Disney World Marathon weekend in January.

The challenge includes a 5k race on Thursday, a new 10K race on Friday, a half-marathon on Saturday and a full marathon on Sunday.

I’d like to run it. But should I?

My concern – training.

Yes, some runners will simply register for Dopey because they adore runDisney events and its accompanying medals. Dopey will reward finishers with six medals. Six. That’s a lot of bling for a long weekend.

But runners will also need to log a lot of miles to gain that prize.

But all runners – novice through experienced distance runners – must do one thing to prepare for such a mission. They must respect the distance. They must prepare properly for the race.

Earlier this year, I ran the Goofy Challenge – a marathon and a half over two days. The experience was just that – a challenge. But I trained for months. I ran slowly. And I walked far more of the course than ever before.

And it was fabulous. 39.3 miles followed by another half-marathon one week later. I wouldn’t trade my experience for the world.

I don’t know if I should say the same about 48.6. I’d like to. But should I?

Former Olympian and distance runner Jeff Galloway, who is also a marathon and endurance training consultant for runDisney, said he is creating a training plan for runners wishing to attempt the new series of races.

“While almost anyone can adapt to this series of runs, it helps to have been running regularly, starting April 1,” he said.

Galloway said his Dopey training plan will alternate between minimal running one week and four running days in a row the subsequent week.

Minimal: This week will include 30 minutes of running on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 30 to 45 minutes on one weekend day.

Four-day prep week: Mileage will start with minimal amounts and build every two or three weeks, to race distances in December. The first three days of these weeks will be mostly walking.

“The Dopey has created an amazing response,” Galloway said. “I’m already looking forward to the weekend.”

Jeff Galloway in January, as he runs the WDW Marathon using his run-walk-run method. I ran into him on the course.

Runners considering Dopey should also consider whether they can finish each race within the challenge within the allotted time frame. Disney races give runners a more generous cushion than most distance events of up to 16-minute miles.

Galloway offered a training tool, his magic mile formula, to help a runner to determine his or her predicted race times, based on a one-mile run. While obviously the tool does not factor in stops to pose with dozens of Disney characters along the course, it gives runners a basic idea of her or her finish time – and a glimpse at whether or not the runner should attempt the challenge.

Upon running the Goofy Challenge in January, Galloway offered some advice: Walk as much as possible, drink lots of water, and slow down.

It’s not about speed, he said. It’s about completing all 39.3 miles.

The same is true for Dopey.

Registration opens April 9 and Dopey’s registration fees starts at $495.

Will you be participating in the new Dopey Challenge? Why or why not?

I hate running… Wait, no, I love running!

March 25, 2013 by Meridith

I’m going to let you in on a terribly kept little secret.

Sometimes, more often than I care to admit, I don’t like running. In fact, I don’t use the H word often but I might have said that I’ve *hated* running once or twice.

I’m sorry, I’m sorry; Please don’t shun me from the runner’s club!

I say it’s terribly kept because I’ve got no qualms telling anyone who asks what I truly think about running. My relationship with running has always been tumultuous. In fact, the “it’s complicated” status would be what I’d use to describe us (you know, if Facebook wanted to know the nitty gritty details of me and running).

Cam, Me and Vic before my first race ever (smiles can be deceiving – I was terrified.)

It’s just that, well, there are some days that I’m quite reluctant to run. Once I’m moving, the reluctantly usually subsides, but the motivation to get going is a challenge. I always wind up doing it because I’m fairly driven, but I understand and sympathize with people who say to me “I don’t know how you do it.” Because, honestly, there are days when I’m not sure myself how I do it.

I just do.

I run on the treadmill more than I run on the road, because that’s what currently fits in my life. And also because I feel like when I run outside, people are judging me. The rational part of me knows otherwise but the scared girl who walked around the track in high school instead of running the mile doesn’t want to look foolish.

For years I said those four words that so many people say: I’m not a runner. I had a million reasons why I wasn’t a runner. My knees. My body type. My genetics. It’s Thursday. I don’t run unless I’m being chased.

But the real reason I wasn’t a runner?

Because it’s HARD. Running is a challenge, physically demanding and it occasionally hurts. I remember asking Vic if it gets easier and I think she told me that it does. Or at least that’s what I want to believe she told me because I’m still waiting for that to happen.

Injuries after my first 5k (which happened to be a mud run).

Maybe one day?

I sign up for races because I know that it will encourage me to train consistently. I have moments of greatness with running. They usually happen while I’m running alone with my ear buds in and I lose myself in the run. Like I said, it doesn’t happen often but I’m constantly searching for those moments of greatness because I know they exist, the almost mythical creature that shows up just when you start thinking that maybe you imagined the entire thing.

I get a great sense of accomplishment that I’m running. It’s mine, and I don’t have to be the fastest or the best. I’m a non-competitive person by natural, at least where athletics is concerned. So when it comes to running, it’s enough for me that I’m actually doing it, after 34 years of not doing it. I don’t beat myself up (too much) if I don’t hit a PR goal or get upset if I’m 62 out of 67 in my age group. I’ll take it because the fact that I’m participating is what matters most of all.

Let’s get back to those moments of greatness. Lately, they’ve been showing up more, little glimmers that remind me why I do this (other than the health benefits). Maybe I’m actually figuring out this running stuff a bit more. Maybe I’m improving as a runner and therefore I’m seeing them more and it’s all related.

Maybe I actually like running. A little bit.

Okay, fine. A lot.

I can and I will.

Do you find yourself falling more and more in love with running every day? Or is your relationship status “it’s complicated” too? Do you run to race or to say you’ve done it?

Couch to Pride

March 23, 2013 by bec2point0

September 2012

Today, I did this.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edlBxl-Jgwk&w=560&h=315]

Pat my fucking head, would you?

Shape Diva Dash was awesome. It was hard. It was torture in some places. It was fun. It was challenging. It was an experience that I’m glad to have had, and I got to have it with Heather, who rocked it.

On this hilly, sweaty, humid run, I had time to think. A lot of time. 1:17:56.94, to be exact. (That’s 25:59 per mile, my worst race pace ever, and I’m proud as fuck of it. And, I didn’t take the bail out on a single obstacle, not even the ones that scared the shit out of me.)

I kept something in my head all day.

“I know that slow and steady isn’t always as much fun but apparently it wins races. Or something.” – Meridith

I may not have finished first, but I finished, and that’s a win in my book. Thanks, Mer.

But, all this thinking, and walking (there was minimal running), helped me to remember some things I’d forgotten, things I desperately needed to remember.

Full post here.

Six Months Later…

It’s funny, I don’t remember feeling accomplished. I don’t remember feeling good about the fact that I finished. All I remember is feeling like that was my lowest, weakest point since I started running. I look back at that post and I know that was my attempt at a brave face.

There are things I didn’t write in that post. I didn’t mention that when I was in the woods (as much of this run was), I remember thinking “If I pass out in here, how the hell are they going to get me out?’ I didn’t mention that near the end, the paramedics pulled me aside and asked if I was okay.

I was not okay. I mean, I wasn’t going to have a heart attack like they seemed to think I might, but I was most definitely not okay.

And I didn’t mention that there was a moment on that course where I truly gave up. I finished the race because I had to get back to the parking lot, because there was no other option, but that race marked the end of my being a runner last year. After that, I wouldn’t run again when I restarted C25K this year. That day was a massive hit straight to my pride.

So, this week, I did something that I swore I wasn’t going to do until I’d completed the Couch to 5K training program.

I signed up for a race. Two races, actually.

One, I’m not nervous about. I signed up to run the Jog ‘n Hog with Team Scootadoot in July. Because the idea of running two miles, chugging some ice cream, and running back sounds… fun? FUN!

But, I also signed up for the Boston Diva Dash again.

Some part of me needs this. I need to recreate that experience as a positive. I need to train and be ready and race and know what THAT feels like. I need run by the paramedics and have them not even give me a passing glance.

I need to get my pride back.

And I can do it. I really can.

But… I’m scared, man. Really scared.

<3 Bec

P.S. If you don’t mention the fact that there is no mention of runs this week because there were no runs this week, I won’t either. Except that I just did. We’ll get back to that next week. Because I have a race to train for.

The Color Kinda-Run

March 22, 2013 by writeitdownjess

Here’s a confession: running is not always fun for me. In fact, a lot (okay, FINE, most) of the time I consider it work. Sure, I love that it makes me feel strong and healthy and accomplished. But it also makes me feel sweaty and wheezy and tired.

So why do I do it? Aside from the whole good-for-you thing, which is admittedly pretty important, I love that so many of my friends run, too. It’s the reason I got into it in the first place, proving that, yes, I’d jump if everyone else did. Sorry, Mom.

And what’s so great about having so many runner friends, you ask? It means that we make plans to run awesome races together. It means traveling to other cities and states to run said awesome races together. But best of all, it means that they travel to MY city to run said awesome races with ME. I hate to fly, so this is understandably my favorite scenario, one that happened last July when Chicks Meri and Cam flew to the City by the Bay to run the happiest race on the planet.

Yes, that’s right. A happy race! And not just any happy race, The Color Run! Doesn’t it just sound so fun? Because it was. So. Fun.

This is the gist: the 5K race douses runners with a splash of colored corn starch at every kilometer, so that by the time you cross the finish line you look like a super-colorful Rorschach. The race is untimed, so there’s no talk of personal records or “hey, I beat you by 0.05 seconds, suck it.” The point of The Color Run is simply to enjoy, get colored up, then party it up after you cross the finish line. This was our mission and we accepted.

Hey, if you tell me to take it easy and enjoy myself, I’m not going to argue with you. Plus, I was 18 weeks pregnant with my little Bug at the time, so I was more than okay being the tortoise for this one.

Meri flew in first and we palled around the city while we waited for Cam to join us.

Welcome to San Francisco in July. Beautiful, isn’t it?

Once Cam was with us, it was basically about preparing for the 5K – outfit planning and packet pick-ups, which included t-shirts, a headband, and a packet of color to use after the race – and eating. Oh yes, there was eating.

Cuteness with a crepe sundae.

Stuffing my pregnant face like a lady.

Getting pumped! Please note our t-shirts. Clear eyes, full hearts, free Tim!

With our bellies full – really, really full – and our race day duds ready to go, we hit the hay. We needed to save our energy for all the happiness and color to come!

July 14^th dawned bright and foggy and we woke early to get the party started. Fun fact: Cam is kick-ass at hair braiding, which means she is the Official Hair Braider™ at any and all races she attends with the Chicks.

Mmhmm, that’s right.

Meri is dreaming about freeing Tim Riggins here.

We made our way to Candlestick Park (go 49ers with your crappy old stadium!) and joined the bazillion other people who were braving the very chilly weather to run/walk/dance their asses to color nirvana.

Literally, there were a bazillion people there.

We were pretty far back from the start line and with the race starting in waves, we had to wait for a while to get going. But they were pumping awesome music through the speakers and the people-watching was pretty excellent, so we busied ourselves with jumping up and down to stave off the cold, pointing out some great costumes, and dodging the rule-breakers who were throwing their packets of color up in the air (hello, that’s for after the race!).

Oh, and we took some pictures, too.

We had the raddest socks there.

We love each other!

Showing off our impressive guns. And cuteness.

And then it was our turn! We began our trek around the stadium, starting off slow and steady with a brisk walk.

Well, there was some pretend-running.

And then? Then it was time for the color. Let me paint this picture (get it? Paint? Because of the color): you’re skipping along with your friends and fellow runners and then all of a sudden right ahead is a cloud of bright color. Truly the coolest thing. And when you see color, what do you do?

Why, you RUN, my friends. You run to the color and roll around in it (seriously) and stand in front of the color-dousers and make them douse you extra-good. And you cover your mouth because hello, it’s a cloud of color, but it gets into your mouth anyway. You don’t care! This is so fun! Wee, color!

You high five people as they run by!

You stop for water, because all that frolicking and high-fiving and color-getting works up a thirst.

Note to future Color Runners: don’t park your car next to a color station.

We got through all of the color stations at a nice clip considering we were walking, and then there it was. The finish line and the beginning of the par-tay! As you can see, people were in no rush to PR.

We were done!

Cel-e-brate good times, come on!

Blue Sunglasses wanted to be a part of our cute crew. Sorry, dude, only room for three.

Livin’ la vida color.

We were also insanely thirsty. There were stations set up after the finish line with juice and coconut water and snacks, all of which had pretty extensive lines. But no water water. We just wanted water water! Hopefully they’ve remedied the water water situation since last July.

There was a Color Festival just past the finish line, which we moseyed over to.

This is where the color packets came into play. Thousands of us gathered round a DJ set up at the front of the crowd, dancing and celebrating and taking pictures of our manginess. And then the DJ told us to open up our packets and we all counted down. 5-4-3-2-1…

The hills were alive with a color ‘splosion (ah ah ah ahhhhh). In the interest of protecting my phone, I didn’t take pictures as it was happening, but this was the aftermath.

Meri got it on her teeth…

Cam got a mustache…

I got it everywhere!

After some more dancing and celebrating, we decided we were both parched and starving (surprised? Didn’t think so), so we packed it up and packed it in and took ourselves over the Golden Gate Bridge to a magical place called In N Out. Sure, it was 10:30 in the morning. Sure, we were completely covered in colored corn starch. But Meri had never had the pleasure of stuffing an In N Out burger into her mouth, so off we went! We definitely got some looks from the other early-risers at In N Out, and I got my hair petted by some high dude who must have thought I was one big acid trip, but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.

Meri especially.

All in all, this was a pretty stellar race experience. And now that The Color Run is a total phenomenon, with similar races like Color Me Rad and Run or Dye, there’s really no excuse not to do it again. Who knows, maybe it’ll be my first post-Bug race. There’s really no better – or more colorful – way to ease myself back into running.

What’s the most fun race experience you’ve had? We want to hear about it in the comments!

So, have you heard of Ragnar?

March 21, 2013 by camoozle

I like to run. I like to run with friends. But when it comes to spending over thirty hours in two vans with eleven other sweaty, smelly, exhausted runners, all while covering almost two hundred miles…I AM AN ADDICT.

The Ragnar Relay Series takes the solitary sport of running and turns it into a team event. Basically it goes down like this: a team of twelve rents two vans and takes turns leapfrogging through a two hundred mile course over two days. Each runner takes on three legs of the race and each leg is about 5-7 miles long. Run. Sleep. Repeat. Crazy, right? YES! What are you waiting for? Being a Ragnar Ambassador, I’ve spoken with lots of people about Ragnar. And I’ve heard lots of excuses.

My Mantra

Excuse #1 – I’m not ready for a Ragnar.

I am not a fast runner. I’m not an athlete. I average a 13 minute mile. I wear a size 14. I am not “ready” for Ragnar. But this April, I will complete my sixth race. I am the slowest runner on my team but I am consistent. I do my best, run my miles, and I contribute like everyone else. If I can do this, anyone can. I never in a million years thought I’d be able to run something like Ragnar. But I did. Five times. And so can you.

Napa 2011

Excuse #2 – I can’t afford it.

Yeah, it’s expensive. Especially if you have to travel. But think of it this way: Ragnar is a great way to see the rest of country. There are Ragnar Relays all over the United States and one in Canada. Ragnar also just started the Trail Series, where you run trails instead of streets and camp instead of drive from one exchange to the next. How much would you spend to go sightseeing in your favorite city? And how much of that city would you actually get to see? I’ve raced in Washington, Las Vegas, Southern California, Napa Valley, and I am just dying to get on an East Coast team. Turn your race into a runcation and see the country like you’ve never seen it before.

The Start Line at Las Vegas 2012. I had no idea Vegas could be so cold!

Taking time to enjoy the scenery in Washington.

On the beach in San Diego 2011

Excuse #3 – I don’t have 11 friends who run.

Really, you only need 5. Each team of 12 is split into two vans. While Van 1 runs, Van 2 is resting and vice versa. If you can fill one van, chances are you can find someone else who can fill the other. You can also find runners on the Ragnar site who are looking to fill those spots. Our team, N.W.A, Ninjas with Attitude has had literally dozens of members. It’s a great way to make new friends from across the globe.

Las Vegas 2012

Northwest Passage 2012

SoCal 2012

Excuse #4 – I like to compete on my own and I need a challenge.

This is probably the best thing about Ragnar. It’s designed for all fitness levels. Do you want twenty miles on 3 hours of sleep? We have a leg for you! Do you want hills at one in the morning? We have a leg for you too! Do you want it all? If you eat marathons for breakfast, you can join or create an Ultra team. Instead of 12 people, you run with 6. That means you can run like 50 miles over two days on very little sleep. How’s that for a challenge?

Ultra Team Risky Business. They ran the whole thing in their UNDERWEAR. That’s hardcore!

While other’s slept, we ran!

So now that I’ve killed your excuses, here’s the one BIG reason why you should run Ragnar. You become part of a community. There are teams that compete for time and there are teams that run dressed in drag. It doesn’t matter. We’re all running the same course and it’s all about personal goals. We’re in this together. When you cross that finish line with your team, it doesn’t matter if you were the fastest or the slowest, if you puked or cried, you finished. You’re a Ragnarian.

We represent!

Double medals, baby!

If you want more information, click the link to www.ragnarrelay.com. There are videos, maps, blogs, stories and all kinds of good fun. Find your Ragnar and I’ll see you on the course. You might not see me, though. Because I’m a ninja.

With A Little Help From My Friends

March 20, 2013 by beewhobabbles

Do you work out best if you have a goal in mind? I know I do! I love exercising, but without a race waiting, it’s very easy for me to skip a run in favor of curling up with a book or sleeping (something I rarely get to do these days. Take a nap for me, okay?).

Last week, I registered for Disney’s Wine and Dine Half-Marathon. This nighttime race was my first half, back in 2011, so it’s fitting that it will (most likely) be my first half post- my cute baby boy’s arrival.

So, my goal is set. Great! But this race isn’t until November, which seems SO FAR AWAY. The little dude, who hasn’t even rolled over yet, will be almost a year old by then. It’s easy for me to crave time at the gym right now; I still have baby weight to lose. I’m also working on building a base for training. But staying on track until I begin a formal training plan feels incredibly daunting. It’s hot in Florida. I need a nap. All of my kids will be home every day this summer. There are piles of books on my nightstand. And did I mention my lack of sleep?

I want to know what gets you into the gym each day. As I’ve mentioned before, I meet a friend a few times a week to work out. That keeps me accountable for fitting it in, and I get to chat with her for an hour. (If you are a mama, you know that’s a luxury.) I have another sweet friend who lets me tag along on her runs when I can, even though she’s in marathon shape and I’m far from it.

My Facebook feed is all fitness (and babies, natch), all the time. Not surprising, considering I follow a pair of CrossFit gym owners, a Zumba instructor, a handful of personal trainers, a bikini competitor, and a bunch of runners, including my Scootadoot chicks. I have some fit friends! (Are you friends with us on Facebook yet?) When I check in each morning, at least one person has already posted about their daily workout, and I think, “If they’re getting their fitness on, then so can I.” I actually decided to run my first half-marathon because I saw someone post on Facebook about their experience.

Another way I connect with runners online is through Daily Mile. I joined the site last January because I wanted to see how many miles I had run by the end of the year. After a while, I discovered that it wasn’t just an easy way to track my training, it also allowed me to see what my friends were doing, and cheer them along, too. (It also tells me how many donuts I’ve worked off, which is sort of the same as saying, “Brooke, you can eat THIS MANY donuts.” *fist pump*)

Isn’t social media great for fitness? I’m excited to start training for my race. Until then, I’ll be logging my miles on the treadmill, on Daily Mile, and talking about it here, with all of you.

Are you training for any races right now? What gets you into the gym each day? Do you use social media to track your progress and chat with others? What’s your favorite kind of donut? Let me know in the comments.

Chick Chat: Hey, Sole Sister

March 19, 2013 by beewhobabbles

Shopping for shoes is one of my favorite ways to spend, well, any day. I love all kinds- flats, sandals, heels, higher heels, and boots. Shoes can make you feel taller, they can complete your outfit in the best way, and you know what? You’re always the same size in a pair of shoes. (Unlike jeans. AMIRITE?) Sneakers aren’t my favorite type of shoe, but they’re probably the most important. The wrong running shoe can make your knees hurt, your feet blister and basically, ruin your run.

Today, we’re sharing our sneakers with you. (I argued for talking about high heels too, but I guess you all care more about this running stuff. Okay.)

Vic

I’m still searching for the perfect sneakers, but have recently fallen in love with the Adidas Supernova, which I was able to take on a test run before purchasing. They don’t feel clunky or heavy and don’t wear unevenly, which was so much of what I was looking for.

For years, I swore by Asics. I still like them, but my favorite style was discontinued a few years back and the newer models just don’t feel right to me. I’ve tried and tossed aside a few popular brands, but these Adidas Supernovas look AND feel great!

Cam

I have shoe issues. I have extremely flat feet which means any shoe with arch support feels like I’m running on tennis balls. This might sound awesome but I assure you, it is not. I’m constantly at odds with my shoes. I’ve talked to countless shoe experts, had my feet and gait evaluated twice, have tried inserts and many brands of shoes. And I’ve yet to fall in love.

Right now, I’m running in Saucony and while they’ve been okay on my feet, for the first time ever, I’m having shin splints. Le sigh. I’m going to do what the experts say and let my body adjust but sometimes I wish I had a fairy godmother who would conjure up a running shoe that was the perfect fit. At least they’re cute!

Jess

If I took a picture of every running shoe I have, this post would be ridiculous. Hey, I have to have shoes for every outfit possibility, right? At least, that’s what I tell myself (or Mr. Jess) when I see a new pair of kicks I. Must. Have.

That said, I most often reach for my trusty Nike LunarGlides. They fit like a glove, give great support, keep me light on my feet, and they’ve got some sweet neon accents. They’re functional AND cute, two of my favorite things.

Meri

There is a certain date that I remember distinctly when it comes to my running (and surprisingly, it’s not a race date!). March 15, 2012, the date that I got fitted for my Mizuno Wave Inspire 8s.

Before that, to say I was floundering when it came to shoe choice would be an understatement. It was a year long, expensive struggle trying to figure out what would work best for my feet. I don’t know why I was so hesitant to get fitted, other than a bit of new runner’s shyness on my part.

To quote Pretty Woman, “Big mistake! Big. Huge.”

I don’t know if I got over my shyness or just wanted my feet to finally stop hurting, but I finally visited Haddonfield Running Company and got my first pair of Mizuno running shoes. Fitting was nothing to be nervous about; I spoke with the sales associate regarding my mileage. She looked at my arch, my gait, and my pronation. When I run, I tend to point my toes out slightly, which is known as overpronation. After trying three different shoes, I felt that the Mizunos were the best for me.

I haven’t regretted that decision and neither have my feet!

Bec

Brooke and I have loads in common; hopeful romantics, lovers of feta cheese, SHOES. I love shoes. A lot. I have way too many and I’m always buying more. The cuter, the better. So, I want to be able to post a picture of cute, adorable, PINK running shoes.

Alas, I can’t.

I wear Nike Dual Fusion ST running sneaks. Size 12. Men’s.

SIGH.

Finding running shoes that fit my size 13 Wide Women’s foot is a challenge. I hunted around for HOT PINK running shoes in my size and found that the only options were online. Zappos is great and will ship for free both ways, but I didn’t want to go through shipping a bunch of shoes back and forth. For running sneakers, it’s all about the feel.

So I got over myself and gave in to shopping in the Men’s department. I love my sneakers. They are the perfect combination of lightweight and supportive. They feel so good, I want to wear them everywhere, but I don’t because A) all my other (i.e. prettier) shoes would feel bad and B) I don’t want these to wear out too fast. Still, I love them.

And, as Brooke and I discussed the other day, socks are of equal importance when it comes to running. Turns out we have one more thing in common. We’re both fans of the Balega Hidden Comfort socks. You guys, these socks are so darn comfy. And I just found out, they come in colors!! INCLUDING PINK!

Brooke

I have narrow feet and a high arch, and I’ve been happily wearing Nike Pegasus sneakers for the past three years. They’re lightweight, supportive and they come in some great colors.

I was recently refitted at my local running store, Track Shack, to see if my foot had grown during my pregnancy and picked up these pretty (if a little plain, for my taste) gray kicks.

Every 400 miles or so, I change my shoes. I’m already eyeing the bright green on Nike’s website!

What type of shoes do you wear? Have you been fitted at a specialty store? Do you prefer neutral or bright colors? Let us know in the comments.

It’s raining, it’s pouring, it’s sleeting, it’s snowing… but we’ve got chocolate!

March 18, 2013 by Meridith

I’m pretty sure that’s not how the old nursery rhyme goes but that’s how our “reward trip” Philadelphia Chocolate Tour and our visit to the City Sports store went after the Haddonfield Adrenaline 5k.

I’d originally heard about chocolate touring when I’d visited Chick Bec back in October. We’d gotten LivingSocial deals for the Boston Chocolate Tour and had a fantastic time checking out the sites, and chocolates, of Boston with Chick Cam and Jenn.

The idea of a chocolate tour is quite simple: visit chocolatiers to sample some of their finest products (and buy more, if you’re so inclined!). Some places even give discounts to tour patrons; there’s no pressure to buy anything but the option is there.

Bec, Cam, Mer and Jenn enjoyed Teuscher’s of Boston! (And a sunny day!)

Naturally, when we saw the LivingSocial deal for the Philadelphia Chocolate Tour, Vic and I envisioned a lovely March day of walking around the city, eating delicious chocolate and having a grand time. Well, at least two out of three of those happened!

Our meeting spot – 12th and Filbert at Reading Terminal Market.

We found our tour guide, Laura, and the rest of our soppy but otherwise happy group. After Vic took a quick picture and Laura called a group that didn’t show up to tell them how they could reschedule, we scooted around the block, which was blessedly under the cover of an overpass.

Once we were shielded from the elements, Laura gave us a little history of the Chocolate Tours company and chocolate in Philadelphia. We learned that Philly is the number one city for cocoa bean imports in the country, in part because the Hershey and Mars factories are located nearby. In addition to the Boston and Philly Chocolate Tours, there is also a Chicago Chocolate Tour (road trip!?!).

The members of our group introduced themselves, sharing their favorite types of chocolate, and then we headed inside Reading Terminal Market to our first two stops.

If you’ve never been to the City of Brotherly Love, you might not be familiar with what Reading Terminal is… which is pure AWESOME. It’s been around since the late 1800’s and is an indoor market with fresh produce, meats, fish, crafts and goods, coffee, and (most importantly for this tour) chocolate opportunities!

Our first stop on the tour was The Famous 4th Street Cookie Company (which, if anyone is wondering, is near 12th street). Vic and I had drooled over these cookies as we’d passed by earlier, so we were very excited that we’d be able to get a sample! We tried their chocolate chip cookies and everyone was quite pleased that they were warm and fresh out of the oven, made especially for our tour group.

And? There were extras so we all got more! Delicious! I can see why they’re “famous” and I’ll definitely be stopping by on my next Philly excursion.

Reading Terminal was quite active, perhaps more so than usual given the rain, but we had no issues following Laura through the crowds to our second stop, the Pennsylvania General Store.

Chocolate Scrapple and Wilbur buds

At this kiosk we were treated to chocolate scrapple and Wilbur buds. If you’re not from the area, you might not be enlightened as to what scrapple is: a mixture of meat scraps and cornmeal that’s formed into a loaf and fried. It’s commonly found in the Northeast region of the U.S. Thankfully, the chocolate scrapple didn’t involved any pork products (although there was a chocolate covered bacon at this store), but did have a delicious mix of marshmallow, popcorn, and nuts. Good stuff! Since my husband is a huge scrapple fan, I wound up getting him a package of the chocolate scrapple there and was pleased to see that they gave the tour group a discount. Score!

Wilbur buds are also a regional treat; the manufacturer is located in Lititz, Lancaster County, Victoria’s hometown. She’s no stranger to the Wilbur buds and suggested letting the chocolate melt a bit in our mouths before biting. The dark chocolate was so heavenly.

We had to travel through the streets of Philly a bit to our next location, which was a bit off the beaten path, in a jewelry and accessory store called Verde. There, tucked into the shop, was Marcie Blaine’s artisanal chocolates.

This spread was aesthetically pleasing, as were the jewelry and purses in the store. We were given a white chocolate Pub Crawl bark sample, which was white chocolate with crushed pretzels, smoked almonds, and cashews. It was okay, but Vic and I were both pretty disappointed because neither of us really like white chocolate and the truffles were fairly pricey, so we didn’t really get a good feel on whether we enjoyed the chocolates at this stop.

The rain was unrelenting at this point and there was no dodging the puddles (or drunk St. Patrick’s day celebrators) on the streets. Thankfully the next stop on our tour was the never-disappointing Teuschers of Switzerland. The small store is tucked into The Shops at The Bellevue on Broad Street and charming in every which way.

Laura gives us an overview of Teuscher and lets us know that we’ll be trying their best selling Champagne Truffle. YUM!

Once inside the store, we were greeted by two associates who gave us a more in depth history of Teuscher and then invited us to try the champagne truffles. I’d actually tasted the champagne truffle at their Boston location so I knew what a treat we were in for! Both Laura and the associates suggested taking a bite of the truffle to fully taste the champagne and chocolate middle.

It was absolutely incredible! Vic couldn’t resist and wound up getting a small gift box.

Our last stop was farther away, right in the heart of Rittenhouse Square. Our tour guide mentioned that on a nicer day, we would wander through Rittenhouse Square Park but on this day, we were just looking to get out of the rain that had turned to hail.

Capogiro Gelato was the final stop on our tour and Vic and I were no strangers, having visited a couple of years back with a friend who lives in the area. We both love gelato but weren’t expecting it on a chocolate tour. We were each given four spoons and ceramic ramekins were passed around the group with four flavors: chocolate, hazelnut chocolate, peanut butter chocolate and double chocolate.

Guinness gelato – everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s day, even gelato!

As we wrapped up, we bid our chocolate tour group a fond farewell. Thankfully City Sports was just a few blocks away. By this time we were a bit tired and cranky but knew that we had a very important task to do before we took the train back into New Jersey – picking out the City Sports Philadelphia shirts for our giveaway winners!

All the pretty colors!

We took our job very seriously, picking the best of the best.

Jayme and Shannon, your shirts will be on their ways soon, complete with a lot of love, a bit of St. Patrick’s day drunk and a small sprinkle of Philly rain. Bec, our Boston representative, will be getting Kate’s City Sports Boston shirt.

Between the Adrenaline 5k, our Philadelphia Chocolate Tour, and City Sports, it was a full and satisfying day!

Have you ever done a food or drink tour in your area? Should we check it out? Let us know in the comments.

Haddonfield Adrenaline 5k 2013

March 18, 2013 by vfreile

I did it again. I lost a friend I was pacing mid-race. But this time, my running partner blessed my zippy feet. Before Saturday’s 5K race through Haddonfield, NJ., Meridith had asked me to pace her. BUT, only on the condition that IF we lost each other, I would race to the finish.

Agreed.

Our happy group for the Haddonfield Running Company’s Adrenaline 5K included two first time 5K-runners, not-so-silent Bob and Jay, Mer’s husband. Friends, Brandi and Megan, and their respective trailblazing husbands, Sean and Matt, rounded out our colorful group.

We arrived at Haddonfield HS about an hour before the 9 a.m. race. We had access to the school to use the bathrooms and keep warm. We sure did, as temps dropped into the mid-30s Saturday morning.

Brandi showed us her dual watches, however, neither one worked properly during the race. Bummer!

Soon enough, we lined up outside the school on Kings Highway and before we knew it we were off. No, really, we had no idea the race began until people around us shuffled forward.

Within the first quarter-mile, we saw two firefighters donning full turnout gear – one man hauled a fire hose and the second carried an American flag. We thanked them for their service and waved as we passed by.

We passed some other interesting characters, including a dog in a green tutu, and another canine – a senior golden retriever named Birdie — running the race.

Sean, in the red shirt and orange cap, paced his wife Brandi in the first mile as Brandi aimed to break her personal 5K record. She waved him on mid-race.

I started the race alongside Meridith and tried to stay just in front her, to force her to chase me through the streets. But it wasn’t Meri’s day. I turned back more than once to see her smiling face nodding. But shortly before the first mile marker, she grimaced and waved me on.

I rounded a bend, onto Washington Avenue, and picked up my pace. But oh, there were obstacles. Mini-Cooper-sized potholes. You really had to watch your step as you ran, for fear you might turn an ankle in one of those potholes.

As the runner pushing a stroller in this photo said, “We come to Haddonfield for the schools, not the quality of the streets.”

I headed down a hill, taking full advantage of gravity, rounded a few bends, passed by a water stop and ran up a small hill near the high-speed rail line. I was passing people left and right (thank you, running partner Ray for pushing me to run hills each Tuesday night!).

Ultimately, I sprinted that last mile. I ran to the finish knowing full well it was not my best or my worst time. I received a medal and stalked the finish line to snap photos of Meridith. She rolled in a few minutes later – grinning.

Like me, it was not her best run nor was it her worst. She joined me at the finish and we waited for her husband to appear. And the flurries started to fly.

Soon enough, we spotted his blue jacket in the distance. He was approaching – fast. We yelled – not that he could hear us. But he sprinted, realizing he could surpass his time goal and flew past several runners.

He finished just under 39 minutes and was soon surrounded by his fan club (seen above and to the right.) Well done, group!

Megan, Meri, Brandi and Vic at the finish. Most 5K races don’t reward finishers with medals, but the Adrenaline 5K has a pretty kick-ass medal…which doubles as a bottle opener. And we put those medals to good use at the Haddonfield Running Company’s Sweet 16 Party back at the store, 121 E. Kings Highway.

There was quite the variety of beer – ranging from Guinness to microbrews to Coors Light. The store put on a pretty stellar post- race food from a local catering company, Apron.

And of course, there were sales. Oh yes. And we shopped. (Really, we needed a few things.) We visited with friends for a pretty great day. Thanks Haddonfield Running Company. We’ll be back.