A Taste of Try the World

February 18, 2015 by kpjenn

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Valerie of Valerie & Valise tweeted her vlog about her latest Try the World box.

She’s a travel guru and on any given weekend is traipsing about the globe visit fabulous places, taking beautiful pictures and eating amazing food. Needless to say, she inspires wanderlust in me on the regular.

Anyways… she tweeted about this Try the World thing. Not being one to turn down a good subscription box, I decided I needed to check out this nonsense. Generally, I’m of the opinion that if Valerie endorses something, I’m probably going to like it. This has been true since I was about 13. Things haven’t changed much.

The gist behind Try the World? Discovering the world through food. Every two months, you get a box of gourmet food from a different country. Simple and delicious. It’s a little pricey ($39 a box for the subscription that auto-renews every two months), but you can cancel any time and for what you’re getting (and where it’s coming from) I can handle that cost every two months.

I decided I needed to try this magic out, because if I can’t travel places, then at least I can eat the food.

When my first box arrived, I greeted it with glee!

Happiness is a box of treats from a foreign land

This is the Paris Box, and let me tell you, France is a wonderful place to start. Inside the box was a beautiful array of things that almost looked to pretty to eat. I didn’t let that stop me though, because I’m all about those snacks.

There are seven items in the Paris box – six pictured here, and a mystery treat (that I ate and forgot to get a picture of. Sorry I’m not sorry). Some things look or sound familiar (dark chocolate in any language is fine by me) and some I recognized with a little help from my high school French classes. Thank goodness the box comes with a card that describes each item!

What was in my box? Well, let’s take a look! The following descriptions are from the card… there’s no way I could describe food like this. My take on the food is in italics after.

La Mere Poulard, sables – The famous restaurant and bakery namesd after its founder, La Mere Poulard, remains to this day a benchmark in French gastronomy for its variety, originality and light touch. With only five ingredients including salted butter from Brittany, these delightful cookies are loved by locals and visitors alike! These cookies were the bomb dot com. They are simple and don’t need any adornment – not too sweet but so, so yummy!

Maison d’Armorine, salted butter caramels – This delectable recipe was born in the summer of 1946 when the French celebrated the return to leisure at the beach in Brittany. Maison d’Armorine makes these salted butter caramels using Breton butter and Brittany’s famous fleur de sel. For any French gourmand, each bite of these chewy caramels evokes childhood memories of seaside holidays. It’s caramel. You can’t go wrong. I’ve only had one, but it was TASTY.

Domaine des Vignes, whole grain mustard – The origin of mustard production in France dates back to the Roman Empire, who exported the mustard seeds to Gaul, centures BC. Vineyard Domaine des Vignes uses vinegar produced from its grapes as a base for the mustard. Enjoy this mustard with charcuterie, with roasted meat, or as a dip. I tried this in a marinade with some roasted chicken last week. Serious flavor. Definitely excited to find more things to use this with!

Charles Antona, Corsican jam – Charles Antona is a Corsican brand whose secret lies in its ingredients. Each fruit is ordained with the scent of herbs from bushes that cover the island, and staying true to his grandmother’s recipes, Antona combines Mediterranean herbs and local fruit in his line of preserves. Mine was cherry. I tried a little on one of the sables cookies… I didn’t regret it.

Celement Faugier, chestnut spread – This unique recipe was created by master confectioner Clement Faugier in 1885 and combines chestnuts picked in the Ardeche region with a delightful hint of vanilla. This delicious puree can be used alone as a dessert, enjoyed with cookies, used as a sweet topping for yogurt, or spread on toast, a croissant or fresh brioche. I totally put this on one of the cookies as well, and I’m newly obsessed with it. I want a croissant right now, because I’d slather this nonsense all over it. Chestnut spread. Who knew?

Flagrants Desirs, dark chocolate bar with raspberry – With this 72% cocoa chocolate, Flagrants Desirs continues the tradition of the greatest European master chocolatiers. They achieve this rich cocoa taste by using only real cocoa butter, unlike industrial chocolate producers that ofter use other vegetable fats. This fine selection of cocoa beans mixed with a delicate balance of fruity aroma is a perfect midpoint between milk and dark chocolate. I don’t even need to say anything else about this. Because that pretty much summed it up. Rich, dark, chocolaty deliciousness. More please.

The mystery treat? Two gummy candies – one pear-flavored, the other apricot. Both were very fruity, but in the natural way, not the fake candy fruit flavor way. The pear one tasted just like I was biting into a pear. Swearsies. Super yum. And not too sweet! I usually don’t enjoy candy that much because I don’t eat a lot of sugar and even a little can sometimes be too much. These were very good, and just enough sweetness to do the job.

I don’t get another box for another couple of months, but I’m excited to see what’s next! Try the World is a great way to travel the world on a budget – the world comes to you!

If you’re interested in Try the World, use my referral link: http://fbuy.me/bVMjQ and get $15 off your subscription!

You say Yoga, I Say Pranayama

February 17, 2015 by Jennifer

If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, my profile pic might clue you in to the fact that I am a big fan of yoga. You might also see me posting my photos for the @prAna #taketheleap 30 day yoga challenge, or talking about some of the yoga events I attend.

I planned this shot for weeks and weeks.

#wewearyellow @ the Yoga on the Rocks event at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Summer 2014

My little sister got me hooked on yoga in 2011 when she dragged me to a class at her favorite studio. My stubbornness went something like:

“Why should I pay $16.00 to go to a class when I have YouTube and Gaiam DVDs?”

“Videos don’t give you the same level of instruction, they can’t correct you,” she explained.

“Great. Because you know how much I love people telling me what to do.”

“It’s a class, Jennifer, of course they will tell you what to do. Just shut up and come with me.”

She won the battle with that logic and I went to my first 90 minute hot vinyasa flow class. Turns out, my little sis is one smart, sassy cookie. Thanks to her, yoga is a huge part of my life. In fact, I now have a long term goal of becoming a yoga instructor. I am quite far from achieving that goal, so please take note that I am not a yoga instructor. That being said, I couldn’t help but notice the teachers repeating the same corrections to everyone. And holy wow, once enacted they made yoga so much less hurty for me. With all of the yoga challenges going on and people trying yoga for the first time, this is good info to share. So here goes!

Breathe – Primarily, yoga is about breath. Basically, pay attention to your breath and try to regulate it throughout your entire yoga sequence. Breathe at a pace that is comfortable for you. Try to make your inhalation take as long as your exhalation. I use counting to help me slow the breath. I slowly count to six as I inhale, I hold for three, and I count to six as I exhale.

Tuck Your Tail when you are doing a standing pose. This engages your core and firms up your trunk to make back bends easier and extend reach. Check it out with mountain pose:

WRONG. OUCH.

In this photo, my butt is sticking out like a duck’s and I am not fully extending my arms. Reaching higher won’t solve the problem, and if I bend backward more to extend my arms, my lower back hurts.

Tucked Tail = AHHHHHH. I AM A GODDESS.

In the second frame, I have tilted my pelvis forward, or “tucked my tail” to root my core. Doing this allows me to fully extend my arms and bend backward with no pain or pinching. You can see how much further my arms are extended, and my glutes are engaged. My chest is open and so is my heart. In yoga speak that is a very good thing!

Keep your back straight. This is hard because we can’t see the curve in our back. Again, think about making sure your core is engaged. Yoga is very much about core strength. When you’re hunched over, it’s hard to engage the abdomen.

No, no and more no.

With my back is curved, my bottom foot is not at a 90 degree angle and by curving my back to bring my head to my knee, I’m sacrificing a lot of the hamstring stretch I should be getting in this pose. Bending from the waist is more effective.

Not as impressive “looking”, but waaaay more effective.

With my back as strait as possible, I lower as far as I can by drawing my chest to the floor. My back foot is at a 90 degree angle to my leg, and my arms are not as far forward. In this posture I feel the stretch from my foot all the way up to my sciatic. This is a GREAT pose for runners!

Keep your hips level with each other. This is one your instructor will guide you on depending on the pose, but to give you an idea, consider pigeon pose. In this photo, my hips are really tilted to the left and although it feels comfortable, it is not making the most out of this challenging and amazingly awesome pose (also FABULOUS for runners).

I look like I’m missing my red SOLO cup.

Whereas here, my hips are level to each other, my left leg is straight, and you can actually see my other foot! With this correct posture, I am getting the full benefit of this hip opening pose.

Roll your shoulders back to get them to play nice with you. Many poses have you clasping your hands behind your back or twisting with an extended reach. Roll to get into position first, and don’t forget to tuck the tail if you’re standing!

Take a Class. Or Five. For real. Once you have a basic foundation and understanding of yoga and your body’s limits, the videos and poses you see outside of class will make much more sense and hurt much, much less.

Variations are GOOD. – There is no such this as go big or go home in yoga. Use blocks to alter poses until you can fully extend. If it hurts, don’t push. If you can’t get into pigeon pose it’s okay. Do the best you can and keep practicing. That’s why it’s called a yoga practice. Crow pose and inversions are not for beginners. Trust me. You can get hurt doing yoga. Just ask my little broken toe.

Hint: When falling out of headstand, tuck and roll, do not flop.

Yoga is about your personal journey with your body and spirit. Yes, yoga is a fitness activity, but it began as a spiritual practice. Many fitness activities are focused on competition, spiritual activities are based on self reflection and discovery. In that way, Yoga is a private practice done in a group setting. There should be no judgement of you, by you, or anyone else. Only acceptance of your body, its gifts, and its limitations. Take it slow and forget about the destination. Live in the present and enjoy your journey in everything you do. Namaste!

Are you doing a challenge this month? Have you tried yoga or are you worried you’ll break your little toe? Let me assuage your fears in the comments!

Wear Luck Blogaversary Giveaway!

February 16, 2015 by Meridith

A few weeks ago, while watching Good Morning America on the treadmill, they featured the shirts of Wear Luck.

Immediately I was drawn to these because of the huge “I WILL” printed on the front of the shirt. The saying “I can and I will” has been my mantra since I started on my fitness journey four years ago; naturally these shirts called to me!

I wound up getting this one…

And while I was at it, I wound up getting this one for a lucky reader!

I will move more – eat less – be happier.

What do I love about these shirts? Um, everything! The fabric is very soft and it’s feels lovely. I don’t wear long sleeves often because I’m always warm. Unless I’m freezing. I don’t know, there’s no happy medium. Anywho…

These shirts are perfect because they are t-shirt material in a long sleeve shirt. Not see through, which is also a great plus!

The prize shirt is a large because I figure that if you’re smaller, it can run a little big or, if you’re built like me (aka: boobs), it will fit nicely. Plus an inspirational message is always appreciated! I’ve gotten many compliments on my shirt so I know that it speaks to others, as well as to ME.

So what do you have to do? Just click on the image below and enter via Rafflecopter. Cool? Cool.

Click here to enter!

This post is not sponsored by Wear Luck. Shirt is valued at $36 and has already been purchased in a size large. Winner must supply mailing address directly to Scoot a Doot blog in order to receive the shirt. May the odds be ever in your favor!

Check out the #winalltheprizes linkup at Running with SD Mom and Erica Finds.

Warning: This post has nothing to do with scooting my doot.

February 13, 2015 by camoozle

So both Meri and Kyle posted this pic today on facebook.

I’m off work today (four day weekend, thank you Mr. Presidents) and I have no children this weekend. I saw this and I thought, man, I need a Galentine’s day, but a lot of my gals live in places that are far from me. I thought, hey, I’ll digitally stalk them instead. That was way too much work and not nearly as satisfying. If I were with them, we’d be talking about stupid things that we absolutely love (and hate) or things that we love to hate or things that we love that make fun of the things we hate. Aside from a super duper skype sesh, that’s not going to happen. Instead I’m going to share the things that I am absolutely loving right now.

(Family and friends not included. This is a completely self-indulgent post)

1. I am absolutely loving Southern California right now.

Guys, this is the view from my backyard.

We here in SoCal don’t believe in seasons. We only get one. At least it’s one of the good ones. I’m wearing shorts today.

2. I am absolutely loving ModCloth.com right now, and probably forever and ever.

Mainly because of this picture:

But also because of these shoes.

There’s a part of me that actually tried to rationalize buying these. “You could wear them with everything,” I said in my head. “Skinny jeans, shorts, skirts…”

“Yes, Cam, you could. But you wouldn’t,” I argued with myself. Ugh, I hate it when I’m so logical. Someone out there buy these! And then send me pics of you wearing them so I can live vicariously through you.

3. I am absolutely loving kickboxing right now.

My kids practice karate. They hate it. At first. Once we get there, they love it. So in order to increase their motivation to practice, I too have signed up at their dojo. They absolutely LOVE this. I’ve been taking a fitness kickboxing class with this badass lady who, despite being tiny and probably in her sixties, could totally take me down. I love punching things. I love kicking things. It’s my new favorite stress release.

4. I am absolutely loving Harry Potter. Again.

My boyfriend and my very own brother recently informed me that they had never seen the Harry Potter movies OR read the books. I was astounded. How did this happen? How did my brother, who grew up in the same house as me, NEVER see these movies? And my poor boyfriend! How did he live through his middle adulthood without the wisdom of Dumbledore? Well, this needed to be rectified. A rewatch was immediately enacted.

5. (And, according to facebook, this one stirs up a bit of emotion) I am absolutely loving this review of the movie that shall not be named.

http://www.mamamia.com.au/rogue/fifty-shades-of-grey-review-rosie-waterland/

I’m just going to leave this here.

A blogaversary #TeamSparkle giveaway!

February 11, 2015 by vfreile

We’re two! We’re two!

Of course that means I went on a shopping spree. You know I love Sparkle Athletic skirts and visors and I – ahem – picked up some fun goodies to share with you all, our lovely readers.

We’ve mentioned more than once how much we dig Sparkle Athletics products, in part because they are a women-owned, women-run company based on the left coast. They are great people. And we love to support great people.

Up for grabs are the Headsweats brand Rainbow Checkerboard visor and Silver Wing shwings.

Click on the below photo to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway:

Giveaway begins Feb. 11 and ends at midnight on Feb. 15. Contest only open to U.S. residents. We will notify winner via email and on our Facebook page.

Please note that Vic purchased these prizes on her own. This post is not sponsored by Sparkle Athletic in any way. We just love their products and all the company represents. Prize package is worth $35.

Scoot a Doot’s blogaversary!

February 9, 2015 by Meridith

Once upon a time, back in February of 2013, there was a lady in New Jersey (that would be me, for those who don’t follow my every move) who was probably going through a bit of the winter doldrums and seemingly needed a project. She emailed five of her friends from all over the country about starting a fitness blog…

and thus, Scoot a Doot was born!

Through our first year of blogging, we learned a lot. We ran (wrote about that), we got injuries (and we wrote about those), we cooked and ate (naturally blogging all the way with recipes); we shared personal stories and stories that touched our hearts.

Our second year has brought a few “changing of the guards” as we’ve welcomed Kyle and Jenn into the fold, as well as changed our server to allow us more control over the site and analytics. While our blog sometimes seems like a defiant toddler, we like to focus on the warm cuddly moments!

Giveaways will be coming throughout the month of February, so keep your eyes peeled for those. But in the meanwhile… It’s always interesting to look at the site stats and see what posts really pull readers in! Since switching servers it’s hard to get a true sense of numbers but here are a couple of reader faves.

Vic’s assessment of The Color Run vs. Color Vibe is a heavy hitter! Click to check out the winner.

Nut butter, mmmmm! Bec’s Buff Butter review ranks high in interest for our readers. Not hard to see why.

Mer (that’s me) started the year off with a 21 no junk food challenge. It kicked the year off right!

Of course, we also have our own personal favorites. What to hear them? Sure you do!

You’ll see a couple of repeats as we didn’t chat with each other on our picks, which was on purpose. Picking them from the heart was the goal!

Asking me to pick my favorite post is like asking me to pick my favorite child. Who came up with this idea?

Oh. Me. Right.

The posts that really resonate with me are ones where we do things together. I’m all for the Chick Chats which are the group posts where we all weigh in on a topic. But my very favorites were the Day in the Life series where we shared our daily routines.

Why?

Simply put, I’m nosy.

If Jess is freaking out about World Cup Soccer, even if I don’t watch or know anything about soccer, I want to know!

Bec’s doing laundry? Well, I probably already know about it because that makes up a great deal of our emails to each other. But I want to know what she’s eating for lunch. And dinner. Because that’s also what we talk about a lot (and ice cream).

If Vic is hitting the Wegman’s (color me jealous) and going for a run after work, I like to keep track so we can discuss later.

I start many days texting with Brooke because she and I are on the same coast and keep the same hours. I felt like I was right there along side of her during this post (and I wish I were because that would be rad).

Cam’s (thug) life always makes me smile – this girl is hardcore, with her parenting and with her two-a-day workouts!

You see, these are some of my favorite people in the world so basically anything that I get to read about and get a glimpse in their daily lives, I am all for! I vote that Kyle and Jenn do their Day in the Life posts soon.

My pick is The Lies They Tell Us by Jenn.

I identify with every line of this post. I struggle with my body image, weight, appearance, ALL of it, on a daily basis and I know a lot of it has to do with what the media tells women they need to look like. I see it for what a crock it is and I still feed into it. I loved the positive spin Jenn put on her post at the end – that we need to embrace ourselves just as we are, because that’s 100% enough.

The Lies They Tell Us – I absolutely loved this post. I’ve written more than a few posts where I talk about body image and perception, but I fear those come off as ‘fat girl whining’ sometimes. This post reminds people that body image and mainstream media’s depiction of what ‘fit women look like, is something that a lot of us struggle with, regardless of our weight. Awesome job, Jenn!

On the Boardwalk, Out in the Sun – This post is my happy place. This brings me right back to the AC Half weekend last year, which was epic in so many ways. Actually getting to meet Anne, Brooke, and Vic, getting to cuddle with Meri and Cam and Heather, a little quality time with Mer’s boys and PUPPY. Hanging out with Jess, figuratively if not literally, in a Starbucks. It was awesome. These girls are my people, and the reason I am part of Scoot.

Philadelphia Marathon’s biggest fan – I love this post for a lot of reasons, and not because it has to do with me. Not only does it capture one of the best days of my life – EVER – it demonstrates what kind of amazing people we have here at Scoot.

Meridith is a world champion cheerleader, teammate and friend. This post – all about her cheering me (and a bajillion other runners) at the 2013 Philly Marathon – is just one example of the contagiously enthusiastic and supportive human being that she is.

I will always remember that race because it was my first marathon, but I never would have done it (or had nearly as much fun) if Mer hadn’t been there to take care of me.

(She still does take care of me. And the rest of us. And we take care of her. And each other. Because teammates.)

Every post on Scoot a Doot is fabulous (I *might* be biased), but two in particular have really stuck with me.

Mer’s You Know Who Rocks? I Do, That’s Who and Cam’s Oh, Just Another Blog Post About Mental Illness helped me move past some stuff I was dealing with in my head and helped me forgive myself for the past. They helped me remember that everyone has struggles, no matter how much they appear to “have it together”. Everyone has insecurities. Sometimes, we feel like a failure. Sometimes, we need help. We are all human, and like Buddha says, all suffering.

In each of their posts, Mer and Cam reminded me that each of us possesses the inner strength to overcome adversity and achieve any goal we want. We only have to dig deep, and face our obstacles head on with honesty, grace, and humor.

Oh, Just Another Blog Post About Mental Illness – This post by Cam stuck with me in part because our Cam was so raw and honest about mental illness and it’s ripple effect. It wasn’t just another reaction post, but was one that stop and made me think. Yes, it stemmed from a tragedy. Yes, tragedy touches us all in one way or another. But it reminds me how important acceptance, understanding and inclusion are.

Goodbye Sweet Girl – It’s not a happy one, but our 13-year-old cat’s death was one of the defining moments of our year. This took a month for me put into words and I look back on it often. It’s hard to let go.

My very favorite post this year was the one where we announced the addition of our two lovely new chicks. But that’s not one of the posts I’m picking. Yes, I’m a cheater.

One of my favorites this year was Bec’s Demotivation post. It’s so good to know I’m not the only one who over-analyzes the literary aspects of things like memes and motivational posters. Also, I love cranky Bec. She makes me giggle.

My other, more recent favorite, was Jenn’s The Lies They Tell Us because she discusses something I’ve always had an issue with. And yes, Jenn, it’s the seamstress in you, because I feel the same way about clothing sizes. Since high school, I’ve been altering my clothes. I had a true hour glass figure pre-babies (now it’s more like a beaker). Finding jeans that fit my hips and didn’t gap at the waist was like finding the Holy Grail. Quite similar to finding a magazine that didn’t exploit all my teenage insecurities. Now, I just don’t read the damn things. Instead, I read blog about how they suck!

Thanks so much for another great year; we’ve had so much fun connecting with you all! Giveaways are coming all through the month of February, so be on the lookout.

Tell us about some of your favorite blog posts around the internet. We are always looking for new and fun things to read!

Vic’s outdoor work life

February 6, 2015 by vfreile

Every now and then I see myself on TV while running on a treadmill at the gym.

I always laugh, then look around to make sure no one made the connection.

No, I’m not a TV personality or part of a show. I’m that reporter in the background on the breaking news live shot. I’m scribbling in my notepad, snapping pics on my iPhone, or nodding my head as I hear the the subject saying exactly what I want to hear.

Since 2006, I covered breaking news, courts and crime at the Democrat and Chronicle. My job was tough. I was the reporter who contacted people at some of the lowest, most tragic points in their lives.

Fatal plane crash, toddler drowning, fiery blaze that killed a whole family, firefighter shot to death. I’ll never say “I’ve seen it all.” I know I haven’t. Something worse always seems to come along.

My daily work life changed in December, I got a new assignment at the paper.

I now cover active recreation as the outdoor/adventure reporter at the Democrat and Chronicle. People are actually excited to talk to me about their passions and hobbies. AND I’m having an amazing time exploring everything my community has to offer.

I’ve been ice fishing, I rode a fat bike and this weekend, I’m jumping into a 35-degree lake in upstate New York with a GoPro camera.

Yeah, I’m not sure what I was thinking when I pitched that one.

I’m realizing just how much there is to do in the Rochester region. Snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, boating, fishing and oh yes, I plan to try my hand at target shooting. I feel like I’m taking a page out of Jess’s book to tell y’all that I’m super excited!

So let me share a few fun stories with you:

I went ice fishing on Braddock Bay near Lake Ontario. Wearing three layers of pants and four tops, including my ski gear, I attached some yax trax to my boots and walked onto the frozen lake looking for chatty folks with fabulous stories. I sure found them! I jigged a fishing line, sat in a fishing hut and had a blast in my first ice fishing experience.

Here’s that story: Get hooked on ice fishing

I ran a half marathon in the middle of January, in subzero wind chills. I knew what I was getting into with this one and still it was hard. This race wasn’t one for speed or time. It was all mental. Alllll mental. And I’ll be the first to admit, this one nearly beat me.

Here’s that story: Winter Warrior half marathon lives up to name

Last weekend, I learned all about fat bikes – those are oversized bikes that allow cyclist to ride on snow and other unstable terrain. I hopped on one in a town park and zipped around a parking lot covered in snow and ice that would’ve toppled me on any other cycle. Fabulous. I also just bought a new road bike for when the snow melts, if you want to know more on the bike I just got click the link above.

And I made a VIDEO: Fat biking gains traction

I’ll add the story link here once it’s posted online. It runs in print Sunday.

And I promise to let you know how that Polar Plunge goes. And a hearty thank you to everyone who donated in my honor. The event raises funds for Special Olympics programs in the Rochester region. And thanks to you all, I surpassed my $300 goal!

In short, I’m having a blast. But I need more ideas! What would you like to see me cover? No idea is too small (but I do need to keep focused in Western NY.) Please share your suggestions here!

If you wish to follow my coverage and fun on social media, here are my accounts on Twitter, Instagram and FB.

My Husband: The Reluctant Runner

February 4, 2015 by Meridith

I have to let you all in on a little conspiracy.

I really like tricking my husband into working out and making him think it was his idea. Or, at the very least, making him think that he enjoys it.

Shhhhhh!

“Wasn’t that fun? Didn’t you love it?”
“No.”

Dude and I are both pretty chill people so as far as marriage goes, I’d say that generally speaking, ours is one of quiet happiness. Okay, maybe quiet is not the right word… we do have two boys and a dog!

Spicing things up by forcing your reluctant running partner to do races with you definitely gives you something to chat about! I mean, who wouldn’t want to hang out with me for an extended amount of time, exerting all energy?

There have been various 5ks over the past few years. Last summer I signed us up for our local 4 miler on the 4th of July. And while he didn’t love it, he didn’t hate it either. (There were a lot of hills.)

So I have to think, what’s the next logical step for this guy? Some might say a 10k. Well, yes, many might say a 10k.

But… BUT!

There’s the Broad Street 10 Mile Run in the amazing city of Philadelphia. And friends, this has all the components of a great race for Dude.

via broadstreetrun.com

1. It’s in Philly and the course on Broad Street is entertaining throughout. Philadelphia is truly an enthusiastic city. Whatever it does, it does it loudly!

2. It has a TON of crowd support. Seriously one of the best races in terms of crowds that I’ve run thus far. Feeding off the crowd’s energy can carry you a long way!

3. THE SIGNS. This goes along with number 2. Giggling while running is good for your stride.

4. There’s even a medal at the end! And bananas! And pretzels. Who doesn’t love pretzels? Even our son, who eats maybe five things, loves pretzels.

5. Tailgating with friends after the race. (This is a big one that I’m selling hard. Dude loves his beer.)

I’ve been working hard on talking him into this race. I know that he can do the distance. And this is our trainer’s favorite race of the year; Dude would definitely win some brownie points with him being there.

From now until February 13th, the lottery is going on for the race. A few of my favorite girls are hoping that we are chosen during the lottery and since the time to hesitate is through, I’ve decided that Dude is going to be in our lottery group. Our conversation this morning went a little something like this.

Me: “Have a great day! Oh, by the way, I’m going to register you for the Broad Street lottery. If you don’t want to run it, I’m sure we could transfer the bib to someone at the gym.”

Dude: “I don’t think it make sense to go into it with the intention of doing a transfer.”

Me: “Well, obviously not. My intention is for you to RUN it. Yours should be too.”

Dude: “Oh. Yeah, I guess it’s only $43.”

Me: “Come on, what’s the worst that can happen? It can’t hurt.”

Dude: “Yes. Yes it can.”

I can tell that he is really, truly excited about this and really, a little nudge in the right direction is usually all he needs to get the wheels turning. May the odds be ever in our favor!

Have you entered a race lottery before? What race have you run that has great crowd support? Ever do a 10 mile race? Do you know anyone who doesn’t like pretzels?

Calling All FitBit-ers – Let’s Feed America!

February 3, 2015 by Jennifer

Do you like helping people? Did you know that being hungry sucks? Do you own a FitBit?

If you answered yes to these life questions like I did, then LEMME TELL YOU A STORY.

Last Thursday, I found out about the FitBit/Feed America challenge to make the calories I burn between today and March 3rd count toward 1.5 million meals for hungry Americans. HELLO, SIGN ME UP!

It’s ridiculously simple. All you need is a FitBit and a few minutes of time. Here’s the scoop:

1. Read more about the project on the FitBit Blog and on Feeding America’s Website.

2. Sign up here.

3. Track your calories on your dashboard.

4. Watch the video because it’s kinda hilarious.

I hope you’ll join Mer, Vic, and I in this virtual race to punch hunger in the face! MyFitBit Profile Link

Road Tested: RunSafe App

February 2, 2015 by Jennifer

Okay, not to be too macabre (this is tough for me, trust), and I don’t want to freak you out, but do you guys like horror movies? Because I don’t. At all. I have nightmares about ending up in a pit and being told to rub the lotion in or get the hose again. When left to my imagination, I conjure up all sorts of horrifying scenarios about what could happen to me as I go about my daily business. Exactly none of them have a happy ending. Why watch a horror movie when your brain makes you worry that you’ll be staring in one any moment? (HAPPY MONDAY, by the way. I promise this post is about to get a lot more cheerful.)

This is my brain on my imagination.

All that being said, my fear of possible doom hasn’t kept me from running alone outdoors, but it has kept me from fully enjoying those runs. Can you relate?

I thought so.

Maybe you can relate to this, too. Sometimes you feel vulnerable when you run, especially if you’re running with your child. Or you find that you’re often running alone, or in the dark, or in secluded areas around careless morotists. Maybe you’ve been injured and you needed to alert a loved one and get help quickly. Perhaps you’ve noticed something suspicious, or there’s wildlife on the trail, and you’d like to alert others. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were an app for that?

Well guess what?!

Enter Runsafe! I’m seriously SO EXCITED to tell you guys about this app because it has set me free of my obsessive fears. Not only does RunSafe track my runs with the same great features many popular fitness apps use, but it also has unique safety features that I love. Features like a panic button. Yes, a panic button, which alerts your numero uno contact when you press it to get help stat!

RunSafe tracks several activities with GPS, and calculates distance, altitude, time, speed/pace, and calories. It displays real time stats, creates splits and intensity graphs, and maps your routes. You can rate, annotate, and share your workouts on social media. It does all the things you want and expect a fitness app to do.

Those features are fantastic, but that’s not even the best part. I really love this app because it gives me a sense of security when I’m working on my fitness goals. I can focus a little more on my breathing or my pace, and spend a little less effort looking over my shoulder. The little extra peace of mind this app gives me and my family is priceless.

With the free version, the Runsafe app does all of the above and sends text and email alerts to your contacts, creates an Alert Profile for you which displays vital info like a photo of you, your height, weight, age, gender, and, if/when you hit the panic button, your last known location. When you hit the panic button, it’s game on! The app sends an alert to all of your contacts, initiates a loud siren and strobe light to attract attention, activates the microphone to record several minutes of sound that your contacts can access, and activates your Alert Profile so that contacts can mobilize a response.

The premium features let you notify a designated contact if you’re not back when you should be. Your contacts can also see your workout in real time, and you can set automatic alerts.

NO JOKE. I really love this. It’s like an Amber alert for active people!

Many of the features of the app are free for users, which really punches home the message that the RunSafe folks are all about the safety and not so much about the profit. They were nice enough to set up an account for us to try their premium service for three months free. After that, you can continue with the premium features for $4.99 a month, or drop back to the free features (which are pretty amazing by themselves). Click the logo to check out the giveaway and run safer, everyone! #safetyissexy

Click here to sign up!

Have you wished for this type of app to exist? Have you ever felt in danger on a run? Do you own pepper spray, mace or are you in possession of kick-ass martial arts skillz? LET’S GET REAL, YO.

Scootadoot

fitness, food, friends, fun