Finding your motivation – what drives you?

January 4, 2016 by Meridith

New Year, New You! How many times have we heard that? And how many times do we set out on a new year journey with the best of intentions, only to find that they fall to the wayside, some sooner than other. Because, not for nothing, but LIFE. Life can be overwhelming, exhausting, and throw you a few curve balls when you least expect them.

This post is for everyone. For those who need a little boost as we jump into 2016. Those who need a little ‘atta boy (or ‘atta girl). And those who are looking for motivation in all the right places. That would be right here, just so you know.

A year after the birth of my first son, (who will be 11 years old in February – Oh Em Gee) I found my local tribe and began a healthier lifestyle with a fitness course called Stroller Strides. Before that, I was basically a mess. I wish I were kidding but no, I’m not.

Anyway, it was there that I met many dear friends, including Brandi, Jen, and Megan. What kept ME going in those days was knowing that I had a standing date with them, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Megan, Me, Jen, and Brandi in the front. Matt and Sean in the back. I think this qualifies as business in the front, party in the back?

Haddonfield Adrenaline 5k – 2015- Megan, me, Jen, and Brandi in the front. Matt and Sean in the back. I think this qualifies as business in the front, party in the back?

These women are very strong motivators in my life. They saw me through the very early stages of my running career, meeting me at local parks and telling me that I wasn’t going to die when I swore up and down that I would. (Running brings out the drama in me.)

Jen, Brandi, and Megan have been with me through it all and they continue to be there for me, supporting and lifting me up through every trial and tribulation. Furthermore, they are very strong in knowing their WHY. When you surround yourself with motivated people, you can’t help but set goals and achieve dreams yourself!

Rather than me blather on and on (after all, you get me all the time) I figured I would ask them if they would share what keeps them motivated. Naturally, they were all about it.

brandinameplate

I believe staying motivated is a mindset. If your head is not fully in your decision to change, you will never change. As a personal trainer my career is to motivate people on a daily basis, but sometimes it’s hard to motivate myself to keep going.

brandiraces

One trick I have is to take a quiet moment to myself (even if that means escaping into the bathroom or in my car just to get a couple of minutes alone), take a breath, and ask myself what I am trying to achieve in that moment and how I can do it.

I am also a list maker, so if I can find a quote that moves me, I will write it at the top of my list as a reminder, then start to list all the steps I need to work on completing my goal. It’s all about keeping my Negative Nelly voice quiet and not let her be loud enough for me to hear. When I keep her quiet I know I can do anything I set my mind to.

brandiphilly

jennameplate

Did you ever hear of that quote that says “I don’t have the time, I make the time” in regards to working out? Maybe it’s because I went to Catholic school; maybe it’s because I’m a teacher but I have been told that I would do really well in the military.

My running schedule is a fine oiled machine that screams at me from most-high on the fridge, like a Jillian Michaels trainer. That’s just the way I like it. The calendar is my motivation. I use good old fashion pen and paper. I need to see the big picture, like a month, to see progress or slowing down. It holds me accountable. I see gaps, highs, and lows. I see variety. Everyday is something different, if I want it to be. I have control, I write it down, and cross it off with pride when I have finished.

jenrunstreak

It all started like this. I came face to face with very common issues most young mothers have.

“How do I work out with young children/babies?”

“How do I muster the energy after the baby has been crying all night?”

“How do I make time for myself without feeling guilty?”

I only have so many hours to get what I want completed before 3 o’clock hits and then BAM! Homework, snack, dinner, karate, etc!

I was already in the frame of mind that I don’t need to pay an arm and a leg for a gym. I can run at home on the treadmill in the basement or with the jogger. YouTube videos like XHIT Daily work for strength training days.

My magic numbers started out as 2 days cardio, 2 days lifting. But after training for and completing Philly Half Marathon and then sliding right into the Runner’s World Holiday Run Streak (#rwrunstreak), the schedules are showing me that my body can go harder and farther than expected.

Just as I scheduled my workouts, the day also has baby time, rest time, and clean time. It just works for me. Some days, something gets skipped. With hyper-scheduling comes fluidity. But as the calendar shows me, there is always tomorrow to conquer.

jenkettlebell

megannameplate

What keeps me motivated? I think that I have found that as I get older, what keeps me motivated in most everything in life (exercise, parenting, studying, going to the grocery store, you name it) is pretty much the same things.

meganumbrella

Motivation boils down to whatever is going to make me feel happy or is going to make my inner light shine. If the end result is a sense of overall awesomeness, then I can pretty much push myself to do it, whatever that particular “it” may be. I link myself with positive and inspirational people. Motivation is contagious. I do activities that bring the most joy. If in some way it doesn’t feel good at the end, then it might not have been worth doing.

I tap into the mantra of my yoga studio…what is the BEST that can happen??? Don’t go looking at the worst thing that can happen. Bad stuff can always pop up along the way. But, if I choose to venture down a road (or lace up my running shoes, or put my butt on my yoga mat or tackle a new project)…what is the BEST possible outcome? A focus on the positive leaves me challenged and inspired instead of putting me in a negative frame of mind.

meganyoga

If I’m not feeling motivated in the moment, I think of reasons why I shouldn’t do something. Are they truly valid reasons? Or are they simple EXCUSES or JUSTIFICATIONS for letting myself off the hook?

Valid reasons, I can live with.

Excuses, I cannot.

And through the course of it all, I allow time for breaks and silence and laziness and gratitude and reflection. Those moments and days are not “excuses” or a “lack of motivation.” They are instead rewards for kicking my own ass the rest of the time. Those little breaks are a way to honor my joy and reflection on the hard work that goes into everything I choose to do, and they are a way to recharge my motivation for the next task. Nothing fancy, but I have found that truly living a life I love (even in the hardest of moments) is motivation enough to see me through pretty much anything.

—

I would love to hear what thoughts or mantras keep YOU motivated as you trip along life’s journey. A positive and a forgiving heart seem to really go a long way when I am dealing with myself. I tend to want to go, go, go but sometimes I have to remind myself that I’m only able to do so much in the time that I’m given each day and that it’s okay because I’m still doing incredible things.

Many thanks to Megan, Jen, and Brandi!

Getting pumped for the AC Marathon’s April Fools Half!

December 28, 2015 by Meridith

ac5year1

If you’re anything like me you start your race planning way, way in advance. It stands to reason that when you L-O-V-E a race, you register ASAP for the next year.

As it goes with the AC Marathon’s April Fools Half. Registration for their races opens as soon as the current race is over. 2016 will be my 5th consecutive year running the race and I’ve been running since the inaugural year in 2012. Can’t stop, won’t stop!

One of the things that I love most about this race is that I’m never alone! It’s a small race of usually around 2,000 runners and I’m always surrounded by friends and making them along the way.

2012 – Cam’s first ever half marathon (I was a seasoned pro as it was my second) and Bec ran the 7k.

In 2013 college buddies joined me on the 13.1 trek up and down the boards!

I rocked that Jersey Strong shirt at quite a few races that year!

In 2014 nearly all of the then current Scoot a Doot chicks were present (we carried a picture of west coast Jess so she was represented) and awesome friends too!

Stunners!

This year brought the Rockford Peaches to the AC boardwalk! We not only rocked the 13.1 miles but the costume contest as well. It was Jenn’s first half and we had an awesome time crossing the finish line together.

2015 – Dirt in the skirt!

The past four years have been absolutely incredible! #blessed

acmedals

And TODAY, the AC Marathon Race Series shared the medal for the 2016 race. If you’ve been considering this race, this might just be what you need as incentive. You know, besides me being there! 😉

source – Atlantic City Marathon

The 7k/11k medal! source – Atlantic City Marathon

Are you a legacy runner of any races? What keeps you coming back for more? Personally, this series is tried and true. It’s my birthday race (yes, I’m an April Fools baby) and it’s one that I really look forward to each year.

BRB – I’m streaking!

December 11, 2015 by Meridith

Two winters ago I was dealing with a lot of snow and a bit of ennui. Brooke in Florida suggested we participate in a streak and since I’m game for anything Brooke suggests, I completed my first run streak ever.

Last holiday season was a tough one and I didn’t feel like doing much of anything at all. We all have times like that, right?

But guess who’s back? Back again. (Please sing Eminem with me.) When a friend mentioned the Runner’s World Run Streak in a Facebook post last month I said to myself, “Self, this is something that would keep you accountable and moving throughout the holidays! You should do this.”

Day 1, I hit the streets with Gemma June. Why yes, my dog has a middle name.

My healthy ways have been somewhat lacking for the past month while we remodeled our bathroom. I’m happy to report that I’m back in my gym routine and running daily, thanks to the run streak! Plus, thanks to global warming (that’s weird to say), it’s actually been pretty gorgeous here in New Jersey and I’ve been able to get outside for many of my miles.

Ran through the field at my son’s school while he rode nearby and cheered for me.

That’s not to say that everything is AMAZING and I love every moment. There are definitely days that I don’t want to get out there. Timing has been tough, thanks to scheduling conflicts and I’m sort of one that thrives on routines so throwing a run in midday or at night after eating dinner (blech) isn’t always easy. My favorite time to run is in the morning. But you know what? I’ve gotten it done – at least a mile a day for the past 15 days.

Some days I push hard. Other days I just take it “easy” and when I say easy, I mean as easy as running can be. For me, it’s never easy. And that’s okay. I’ve been happy with my miles thus far and haven’t regretted a single one.

Momentum Jewelry keeps me motivated. And trust me when I say, when I’m glancing at my watch, I’m internalizing those words. I repeat them as a cadence.

When I’m out there with my dog, she’s always pushing my pace and we’re trying not to trip over each other. Okay, okay, I’m trying not to trip over her.

Come on, mom! Let’s go!

If the outside option isn’t available, I’m lucky to have my trusty treadmill. I like having all my senses available when I’m running with my dog so I haven’t been listening to music when running outside. When I get on the treadmill? I rock out!

Dancing, singing, hands in the air like I just don’t care.

15 days down out of 37 – so far, so good! I’m loving this run streak and I’m happy that I’m loving it. So much of this month is dedicated to others, which is always something that pleases my philanthropic heart, but I also love having something that it mine.

My foot doesn’t hurt, my legs feel strong, and hey, it’s supposed to be a high of 63 degrees today so excuse me while I get out there!

Have you ever done a run streak? Are you participating in the #RWRUNSTREAK? How’s it been going for you?

Gonna Fly Now – 2015 Philadelphia Half Marathon

November 25, 2015 by Meridith

The Philly Marathon holds a special place in my heart. This race is THE ONE. The one that inspired me to run.

In 2010, I cheered Victoria during her first full marathon and that was where I was officially bit by the running bug.

In 2011, I ran my first road race, the Rothman 8k, which is part of the weekend’s events with Brooke (and cheered Victoria the next day during the half).

2012 was a year of volunteering – I gave out heat wraps and medals – giving back to the running community that has provided me with so much.

2013 was a year of cheering Kyle at HER first marathon. Are you sensing a theme here?

And finally, in 2014, I ran the half, while Victoria ran the full.

This year I once again registered nice and early for the half. As the date drew closer I asked my dear friend, Chrissy, if she had any interest in joining me. Chrissy is newer to the running game and we had a lot of fun at the Broad Street 10 Miler in May. She and I have been friends since 3 grade and I always have a blast with her. After talking her into it (not difficult, for the record) we were ready to embrace the race!

The most important thing, besides the running, was what we were going to wear. Since we are from the Northeast and since we love coffee, hot chocolate, donuts, bagels, and everything else Dunkin’ Donuts has to offer… we settled on this!

Flat us, practicing holding hands.

We woke up bright and early on race day and made our way to… Dunkin’ Donuts. Because, you know, priorities.

Got the train to Philly and walked the mile or so to the start area. The goal was to meet up with Bonnie pre-race to give high fives, hugs, and pep talks.

But that’s not exactly how it played out.

There were security lines that seemed to go on for blocks, serpentine-ing around streets and buildings.

Since the Boston Marathon tragedy occurred, they’ve added security check points at the Philly Marathon. I sincerely appreciate and completely understand the efforts.

However, this was like nothing I’d seen before. I know recent events had an effect on this but there was a lack of communication, volunteers, and general knowledge for the runners waiting in line. Additionally a lot of people who were cheering were in this line and I think that made the quantity of people more than the checkers could handle swiftly.

We waited on the line for an hour, without seeing much movement. Once the clock struck 7am (the time the race was supposed to start), all of a sudden we moved at a fast pace, streaming through the gates. The first racers were off at 7:13.

That said, that was the only snafu that we encountered that day. Everything can’t be perfect, right? We still made it into the blue corral with plenty of time to spare. Sometimes being in the last corral has its benefits!

We danced our way up to the start line, jamming to songs like the Percolator and Murder She Wrote over the sound system. Kicking it old school!

Soon we crossed the start line and took off to the sounds of the Rocky theme. Obviously! We heard that often throughout the 13.1 miles and I pumped my arms over my head each time.

I think one of the (many) reasons I adore running in Philly because I know where we are at all times. It’s my own personal tour of Philly, via foot! We passed the church my friends recently got married in and then a bit later on, the Moshulu, where their reception was held. In October, Jay and I drove from point A to point B. Not so much on Sunday!

Chrissy and I were doing 1:1 intervals and keeping our eyes peeled for fun things. Like all the Dunkin’ Donuts along the course. I’m pretty sure we saw at least 6!

Instagram friend and fellow blue buddy Rachel found us and we got to see her several times throughout the race, which was awesome.

Running a course you know is also sort of a mixed blessing because you know what to expect… and where the huge hill is. We hit several smaller hills and Chrissy would ask me each time, “Is THIS it?” And my answer every time was, “No. But you’ll know when it is.”

Now?

And she did. Because it felt like it was never ever going to end. Once we finally got passed it, we resumed our 1:1 intervals throughout Fairmount Park.

I listened to an awesome pep talk that someone else was getting from their personal cheer squad. I decided that I too, needed a pep talk, which I voiced. An awesome man on the course did just that. You can always rely on fellow runners to pick you up!

After the rough uphill a bit early, there was a glorious, glorious downhill. Hurrah! At the bottom of the downhill was a cheer group that I was very much looking forward to.

Turn up your speakers and get ready to boogie!

Are they not freaking awesome?

From there, we knew we only had a few miles left. Our goal was to finish under 3 hours and we knew if we stay consistent with our intervals, we would achieve it!

I focused on my breathing and listening for the beep of Chrissy’s watch. We didn’t talk much the last couple of miles, we just wanted to get to this point.

Jokers to the left, clowns to the right?

Once we got passed that sign and saw the front of the Art Museum, it was go time. We started to pick up speed and crossed the finish line, hand in hand!

And then we got medaled. Which was when all the emotions hit.

And there might have been a few happy tears shed between the two of us.

We did it! Furthermore, we did it together and felt really accomplished about the entire experience.

Chrissy has told me a few times that I’m one of the reasons that she started running and I can’t even begin to tell you how special that makes me feel. I know what running does for me and to have her be able to experience that and feel so positive, it’s truly a blessing to be part of her journey.

This medal is the BEST. It rings!

We found Rachel again while waiting for the finish line snacks and goodies and it was great to be able to catch up with her and learn of her 32 minute PR. Freaking awesome! As was the warm chicken broth and rice that they give at the end of the line of goodies. I told the volunteers how excited I was for it and they seemed surprised. No way, man! The salt and the warmth is perfection.

Momentum Jewelry helped me keep my CAN DO attitude!

On the train Chrissy and I took our banana phone picture, as is standard practice here!

We also rang our medals incessantly. I’m sure the other passengers loved us. No shame!

Once the Philadelphia Marathon weekend is complete, I feel like it’s the official start of Thanksgiving and holiday time. So, come at me, sides! My body is ready!

The Scoot a Doot Chicks hope you all have a very happy, healthy, and safe Thanksgiving! We’ll see you back around these parts on Friday.

How Sweet It Is – Hershey Half Marathon

October 21, 2015 by Meridith

Think back to what you were doing in January of this year. Usually I can’t remember what I did yesterday, let alone what was going on in January but I can tell you broad strokes. It was cold here, probably snowing, because it snowed all winter. I wasn’t eating sugar (errrrr, I really need to get back on that for a bit). And I was dreaming of fall racing.

Naturally, when my Florida buddy, Meredith, messaged me asking if I was interested in doing the Hershey half I said, “You betcha!” After checking on logistics of the date, and stalking the website to see when registration opened (May 1st, for the record), we paid our registration fee and processing fee of $81.31.

We love you Mr. Hershey!

We both went about life after that until September rolled around and we realized, “Oh crap! The Hershey Half is next month!” My foot was still on the mend and training was less than stellar but I badly wanted to do this race so I figured that I would be able to keep the 14 minute mile course requirement. Plus MEREDITH! I hadn’t seen her since January when I got a brief glimpse of her running her first marathon in Disney.

Our planning was minimal. Our mindset was to just have fun and see where the course took us (aka, the finish line). With Hershey Kisses on our Sparkle Athletic visors, of course.

Meredith made the kisses! Always doing my part, I supplied the tape.

The expo was small and simple, although a little on the breezy side since it was held in the walkway between the arena and outside. The weather had us worried, with temps only reaching 34 degrees.

This race comes with lots of perks, besides the basics of the shirt and medal. At the expo we were given cinch bags that had the 13.1 magnets, candy, and two tickets for the amusement park! We put those to good use both Saturday and Sunday.

Is she not the cutest?

Meredith is used to Florida weather and I’m used to… well, I’m used to this type of weather but I can’t say I love it. As long as there wasn’t wind, we assumed we would be okay with our layers upon layers. On Sunday morning we bundled up; I brought extra tights so we’d both have warm legs and Meredith hand warmers for us.

The start of the race seemed a little chaotic. There were no corrals and we weren’t exactly sure where we were going or even where the start was in relation to where we were. We followed the hoards and eventually found our way to where we needed to be.

The first mile was crowded as the 5,000 runner took off all together; Meredith and I got separated nearly immediately but I could see her just a little bit ahead of me. I ran the first mile before settling into 1:1 intervals.

Right around mile 2 I caught up to Mer and we decided to stick together for the rest of the race with the 1:1 intervals. After that first mile, the course opened up and never felt crowded.

Mile 3 was in the park.

What you did feel were the hills and they were numerous! Again, I’m in a flat area of New Jersey, so what I consider a hill isn’t really a hill. These were HILLS, all capital letters.

May you run and not be weary.

The crowd support was really nice during this race. It wasn’t Philly marathon sized crowds however, it seemed like the spectators were spaced exactly right. They knew where they were needed. Always on hills (which, remember, were never ending) and always with a kind word. Everyone was in good spirits on the course, too and I had fun chatting with people throughout.

The views were pretty spectacular. Fall in the Northeast, not too shabby.

Just after the hydration stop (which were plenty and well spaced) my foot was a little achy. I think it was right around mile 5; I knew that we just needed to push on and get it done.

The Meridith/Meredith team cannot be stopped!

There was a relay option so at mile 6.55 it was the hand off for that. Usually seeing people with their medals at this point might have been a little disheartening. However, we were thrilled to actually see the medals, as we hadn’t up until this point. They were adorable Hershey Kisses and that put some pep in our step up a hill.

The ladies of Desserts, Etc. were handing out COOKIES on the route, so you can bet we grabbed those.

The next few miles were through the Milton Hershey School campus and oh my gosh, those kids. Those kids. What a boost!

The only sad part was somewhere along this stretch is where I lost my KISS! My taping skills need work. Whomp.

We hit mile 11 which lead us back through town. They were giving out Hershey Kisses which we were pretty happy about and we laughed at these signs.

Up another hill and then a blissful downhill during the Children’s Miracle Network mile. I’m pretty sure that was the only downhill the entire race. (I might exaggerate slightly.) (But only slightly.)

We knew we were in the home stretch at this point. My watch had been reading .25 ahead the entire race but even still, when it alerted me to the fact that I’d run 13 miles and the finish line was nowhere in site, I was a little despondent.

The finish was in the arena and I knew we had to be inside but we kept going and going and going.

FINALLY, we turned, made our way into the arena and ran as fast as our legs would carry us over the finish line!

At the end of the race we were pretty excited to get our Hershey Kisses medals, heat wraps, and recovery bags which were little cooler bags with pretzels, a cookie, granola bar, apple, whey protein bar, and a Hershey bar. Chocolate Town Challenges spares no expense for their racers and it’s appreciated!

Overall, I loved this race. I’ve found my most recent races have renewed my sense of strength and self and for that, I’m so grateful.

What are your bucket list races?

Mighty nuts about Mighty Nut – recipe and giveaway!

October 16, 2015 by Meridith

Let’s take a moment to swoon over fall. The sounds of football games waft through the open windows from the high school and college down the street. The crispy leaves crunch on the ground as my kids play in the yard. Friends chat about PSL and how many Fridays remain until Christmas. And, of course, my running friends know just how special fall racing can be.

Fall cooking (and dare I say, fall in general) is my most favorite. I mean, I love cooking all the time, but there’s something about fall that makes it extra special. Oatmeal! Bread! Crock pot meals! ALL THE THINGS.

Surprisingly, my knowledge of powdered peanut butter is was somewhat limited. As in, I saw it at the store but never paid it too much attention. After all, what’s the point? Just get regular peanut butter and call it a day!

Silly me! Of course there’s a point, which I quickly learned when Fit Approach sent me the Flax & Chia and Original Mighty Nut Powdered Peanut Butter to try and review (and giveaway – more on that soon!).

There’s 85% less fat calories than traditional peanut butter and 1-1.5 grams of fat, depending on what type of Mighty Nut you try. And 5-6 grams of protein!

To kick off the powdered PB party, I decided to go with a tried and true recipe – Whipped Banana Oatmeal to which I added the Flax and Chia… along with sliced bananas, a few chocolate chips, and Craisins.

Muy deliciouso!

Not quite done with my peanut butter party (’cause the peanut butter party don’t stop!), I decided to get a bit more creative and step it up with a favorite of mine, banana bread with a nutty kick of the Original Mighty Nut.

My dear friend Anne shared her banana bread recipe with me a few years ago and it’s a family fave! I figured with a few tweaks, I could add a PB twist. Spoiler alert – I feel like it wasn’t peanut butter-y enough. Therefore I’m sharing the recipe that I’ll be trying the next time around. Pump up the peanut butter, dial back the banana (slightly).

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 very ripe bananas
2 eggs
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup butter at room temperature (I am never good about remembering this part!)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons Mighty Nut Original Powdered Peanut Butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the milk and lemon juice and set on the stove top near the vent to sour.
Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.
Mix together the butter and sugar. Add in the eggs and mix until creamy.
Add in mashed up bananas.
Add in the lemony milk mixture.
Add in the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder mixture.

You can also add chocolate chips, nuts, whatever your heart desires! I added chocolate chips because you can never go wrong with a banana/PB/chocolate combo!

8. Dump the mixture into a greased pan and bake for 1 hour.

9. Try not to eat the whole loaf. Or do. I won’t judge you.

You want to try it, don’t you? Lucky for you, the awesome folks over at Fit Approach and Mighty Nut have given me the chance to host a giveaway! Just click on the picture below and enter via Rafflecopter now through 10.22.15. US residents only.

Click the pic to enter!

One prize per person. If you win this giveaway, and have already won another prize from Mighty Nut through another blog, please disclose that you have already won so we can choose another winner.

Many thanks to FitApproach and Mighty Nut for this awesome opportunity. I’m provided the product and compensation but all opinions shared are honest.

I’m Swagtastic and I’ve Got the Swag to Prove It!

October 14, 2015 by Meridith

I don’t know if you’ve noticed but races these days are all about going paperless. The expos are about getting your shirt, your bib, and that’s about it. Gone are the days of race bags, filled with goodies to try and freebies. And while I’m all for being environmentally friendly, I really LOVE trying things before I buy a case, or at the very least, a box!

So I was pretty stoked when the Swagtastic Race benefitting Medals4Mettle reached out to see if we wanted to check out their virtual race. Yes and please! The race took place this past weekend and I was thrilled when I found the (heavy) box of swag on the doorstep.

My swag partner in running, Gemma.

I decided that the swag would wait until after our 5k. After all, I needed to work for my prizes! On Friday, while the kiddos were in school, Gemma and I took to the streets in our neighborhood and accomplished our 5k. It was a gorgeous day and we actually held a pretty good pace, going off my Fitbit calculations. (You know, when she wasn’t trying to trip me.)

Racer number 22 and her trusty sidekick!

After a busy weekend, I finally got the chance to check out the SWAG and I was NOT disappointed. Stalking the Swagtastic Races website gave me a pretty good indication of what was awaiting in the box but still, there’s something about opening a box of goodies that makes you feel like a kid on your birthday!

To give you an idea of just a FEW things in here that I’m super duper excited for… on with the pictures.

Using these right now – stupid cough! Good Ricola!

A few of these are tried and true, but most are new to me! And a few things I can even share with my running partner (okay, maybe a kernel or two of popcorn).

I have the Hershey Half coming up this weekend and the 5k at “race pace” definitely gave me some recently lacking confidence!

Did you do the Swagtastic Race or any other virtual races recently? I want to hear about it! Link me to a blog post in the comments or just talk at me. 😉

Thank you to Swagtastic Races for the awesome opportunity.

East Coast Beat the Blerch 10k

October 2, 2015 by Meridith

In the past I’ve talked about the differences between North and South Jersey. Besides sports team preferences (don’t tell anyone but I give not one iota about sports), city preferences, and the way you say water, there is also a very vast terrain difference.

Which normally is not a big deal. A non-issue really.

Except if you sign up for a run in North Jersey.

When you’re from South Jersey, you’re used to all smooth sailing with the occasional bump that we call a hill down here. But if you sign up for Beat the Blerch at Lewes Park in Morristown you can expect trails, hills, and rugged terrain.

Which I knew when I registered because my dear friend Sharon hosts the Phillips 5k/10k Trail Run/Walk there each year. I’d seen the pictures.

But um, I sorta forgot.

Until we were driving up a deep winding road to get to the parking and the reluctant runner, Jay, turned to me and asked, “So, what do you think the course will be like?”

Not wanting to lie, I said, “Well, I think we’re in for an adventure.”

It’s like Jersey, only NORTH!

At that point we made our one and only race goal: don’t get hurt.

We want to LIVE.

Solid plan, right? We decided that we would run where we could and just try not to get hurt and/or hurt anyone else. We arrived early (because we are those people, always) and it’s a good thing that we did because there was a bit of a line for the buses to the race site.

This was the first time that Beat the Blerch came to the east coast, based on the popular comic by The Oatmeal (if you haven’t read it, stop reading this and go check it out. Seriously. Go. I’ll wait!) so we expected there to be a few snafus on the inaugural race. And there were, but we rolled with it. Because it’s so much easier and we were going to expend all energy on the course.

The 10k was slotted to start at 9:30 but from what I understand, there was an issue with many people getting there in time for the half marathon (which started at 9am) so they pushed the 10k start time back to 10am. A small wrinkle as a 10k runner, but one that if I were a half marathoner, I would have appreciated.

We used the extra time to hit the line of portapotties. Given the size of the event, they probably should have had twice the amount, at least.

Visiting with the Blerch was a must and he even offered us a seat on the couch. What a great guy!

All races should have free pictures! MAKE IT SO, UNIVERSE.

“Just go. I’ll catch up. Never.”

We somewhat reluctantly made our way to the start (those couches were really comfy) and soon we were off to the sounds of the Lion King and an announcer in a bacon suit. Mmmm, bacon.

Me = optimist
Jay = realist

Very, very quickly we realized it was survival mode. Game on. We ran when we were able to. We walked when it wasn’t possible (for us – I’m sure those who run trails regularly were just fine). I stuck to the right hand side, trying not to fall off any slopes and also making myself as small as possible as to not be in the way of those who were confident to run.

I watched the trail runners for tips, their toes pointed slightly out and their quick light feet, especially on the downhill. The trails I have run are compacted dirt and this one was filled with roots and rocks so the tripping potential was high.

The trail was gorgeous but I can’t really say that I got the full beauty feel of it because I was busy looking at the ground the majority of the time. It was also very narrow at certain points so unless you decided to run through the brush (some did, I did not), it was very single file.

How can you have any pudding if you don’t eat your meat?

While neither Jay or I got hurt, we saw people getting busted up left and right. We saw bloody knees, bloody elbows, sprained wrists, twisted ankles. There were emergency vehicles placed throughout the route and they were being fully utilized.

This was right around mile 3. After I took this pic I ran up the hill because Jay texted me that there was CAKE.

The day was gorgeous but I felt a bit dehydrated throughout. Thankfully it was cool enough and the tree coverage made it less of an issue, but the tiny cups at the water stations weren’t doing it for me. The volunteers were trying their hardest to keep everything filled but I don’t think they were prepared for the amount of people coming through.

You complete me.

We took a selfie at the stop, hitched up our boot straps and prepared for the second half of the trail.

Note: while I have the earbuds in, there was no tunes. I needed all my senses out there.

Here’s where things got a little (more) hairy, because the half marathon and 10k routes converged onto one path. I hugged the right as much as possible while walking and made sure to check behind me if I planned to hit the left to run.

I questioned my sanity multiple times. The miles dragged and while I was fine endurance wise, around mile 5 I was ready for the race to be over.

Soon enough, we came to a clearing and we had about a quarter mile to go. At least that’s what the volunteers told me at the bend. My watch lost signal while we were romping around in the mountains (I might be exaggerating slightly but it felt mountainous).

And the Blerch was there, right near the finish line! He quite obviously missed me.

He tried to sideline me with the offer of a selfie, which I happily accepted. Because when you can take a selfie with the Blerch, even if the finish line is 300 feet away, YOU TAKE IT.

And then I politely said, “Excuse me, I have to go beat you now.”

And then I got my medal and my banana (which tastes really good with Nutella) and the aforementioned Nutella and cake and purple drink.

So the good? The medal, banana, Nutella, cake, and purple drink. And free race pictures! And the Blerch! Also the fact that I didn’t die, fall off a cliff, fall in any which way (and trust me, that was a real possibility for me, the girl who falls often).

The “needs improvement” category is basically just logistics. The Interwebs rumblings are that transportation company that was originally supposed to work the race backed out. There were 6 school buses that were making the rounds for a lot of runners to get to and from the parking lot to the race site.

The line to get to the race was a bit long but bearable.

The line to get from the race site back to the cars was much more tedious.

Additionally, there were just too many people out on the course for the size of the trails. If everyone were going the exact same speed, I don’t think it would have been a problem (or maybe less of a problem?) but it was tough with everyone at different skill levels – it felt very “damned if you do, damned if you don’t”.

But despite all that, I beat the Blerch. And for that I call it a win!

Have you Beat the Blerch? What do you prefer, roads or trails? North or South? East or West?

Swagtastic Virtual Races for Medals4Mettle

September 9, 2015 by Meridith

Man, I love the running community.

As many of you know already, I’m a latecomer to the idea of running (Ah, Adult Onset Running), however in the past few years I’ve been fortunate enough to pick up the addictive habit that I just can’t quit.

I’ve traveled much of the country to participate in a variety of events.

I’ve woken up to run when some people are just coming home from a night out (I think I might have been one of those people, once upon a time).

I’ve worn adorable costumes (that other people have made for me) (because they’re awesome).

I’ve run a 10k and a half the following day. On purpose! With a smile on my face!

I logged miles with Team Scoot a Doot for our #journey2amillion team.

And I’ve followed along as many of my friends have done the same, cheering the entire way. I’ve volunteered at races and handed out medals. I’ve texted my friends during their legs at Ragnar and I’ve woken up far earlier than I’ve had to, to cheer virtually. Because as you and I both know, the community that comes along with running isn’t mutually exclusive to proximity.

Surprisingly, one of the things that I haven’t done is participate in a virtual race. But when Swagtastic Races contacted us and asked if we’d like to jump aboard, I raised my hand with no hesitation. This virtual race benefits Medals4Mettle and that’s a cause that I can get behind!

I first learned about Medals4Mettle when Scoot a Doot was only a few months old and the unthinkable happened at the Boston Marathon. While searching for a way to make a difference and give back, I learned more about the Medals4Mettle program.

Medals4Mettle is a non-profit organization that delivers endurance athlete’s medals to raise people up who are fighting life-threatening illnesses. While the medals are donated, it costs approximately $60 to deliver the medal.

Each registration with Swagtastic Virtual Races assists in offsetting the cost of the Medals4Mettle ribbons that are placed on each of the donated medals. Good stuff, right?

And what do you get in return, besides the satisfaction in knowing that you’ve done good in the world?

SWAG, my friends. S-W-A-G. Check out the race sponsors that have contributed to the boxes:

Ricola
Trading Phrases
Manitoba Harvest
Vous Vitamins
BiPro
Shave Secret
Road ID
Bondi Band
Nordic Naturals
Mariani
EVL Nutrition
alternaVites
Dream Water
Acli-Mate Natural Sports Drink
Wholesome!
Volovitamins
Sqwincher
Celsius
Simple Squares
Cosmos Creations
Evo Hemp
SoyJoy

Additionally, Health Your Way is the online media sponsor and I’m a big fan of their Monday Twitter chats. Plus, there are raffle prizes that will randomly be selected and go out with the swag boxes; much like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get. Thanks for that, Forrest Gump.

Yeah, I’m pretty stoked! Given that my foot has been less of a pain and more reasonable lately, my plan is to run my 5k but the option to walk is also available.

You can register for anything from a 5k to a full marathon. The sky’s the limit, or at least the marathon’s the limit. But if you want to run more, you go ahead. BE FREE!

October 9th to the 12th we’ll all get out there (or stay inside on the treadmill – your choice) and get it done. There’s about 4 and a half weeks until the virtual event, so don’t delay! I’m not really sure what happened to 2015 but it’s on super warped speed and it’s not slowing down. Hopefully our times will reflect the super warped speed effect too – you submit those once you’ve completed your race through the website.

So hey, sign up and let’s get PUMPED together for the Swagtastic Virtual Race benefitting Medals4Mettle. You can save $5 with the code SCOOTADOOT on the $35 registration.

Thank you to Swagtastic Virtual Race for including me in this awesome event. I’ll be following up after my 5k in October and once the swag box arrives.

Talk to me! Have you ever participated in a virtual race? What are some of the draws for you?

City Fit Girls – Fit Retreat PHL Jawn!

August 26, 2015 by Meridith

Oh my goodness.

GOODNESS. I think that’s really the best way to describe the Philadelphia Fit Retreat hosted by City Fit Girls.

It’s no secret that I’ve been sort of meh when it comes to my workouts lately. Dealing with an injury has kept me from running and while I have been going to the gym twice a week, I’ve been in a rut. But the goodness that was Saturday’s Fit Retreat really shook the cobwebs from my workout soul.

Before we go any further, I learned a word this weekend and that word is JAWN. Apparently it’s has been around awhile – at least in Philly. So please, just smile and nod. I don’t get out much. If you are like me and don’t venture out often, jawn is an all encompassing word that can be used for anything. If you take anything away from this blog post, let it be that.

(But I hope you take away more!)

Now that that’s out of the way, let me tell you why this Fit Retreat PHL jawn was the best ever.

First and foremost: THE PEOPLE.

From the co-creators of City Fit Girls (Kiera Smalls and Takia McClendon), to the top-notch instructors (Diva Richards, Mark Donohue, Rachel Rubin, Veronica Dilzer, and Brittany and Gillian from Grace and Glory Yoga), to the 150 attendees… this was a quality group. I felt comfortable, welcomed, and appreciated from start to finish.

My dear friends: Sue, Maureen, and Jen. It's always nice attending an event with friends. By the end of the first session, I felt like I was surrounded by new friends!

These are my people: Sue, Maureen, and Jen. It’s always nice attending an event with friends. By the end of the first session, I felt like I was surrounded by new friends!

We were greeted as soon as we arrived and because of the small amount of attendees, we were always able to find a familiar face.

During the introductory speech we were encouraged to test our limits and also cheer for each other. And I promise you, it was not just lip service. The good vibes were flowing through the Philly Impact Hub; the space was fantastic and, even more importantly, the people were fantastic. The cap of 150 people was perfect for the space and for each session (two-three were going on at any given time).

While chatting with Kiera toward the end of the day she said that City Fit Girls are excited to work with a variety of brands to introduce the women in our network to new and exciting products.

Therefore, they don’t just stick with one way of doing things; they’re presenting new and different workouts constantly. I appreciated the concept and from chatting with other people there, it gave them warm fuzzies too. No ruts to be had! Plus New Balance sponsored this year’s FitRetreat and that, in itself, was pretty amazing.

Awesome is the watchword. (You know, besides jawn.)

The VIP ticket for the event was less than $40! The way I figure it, that is about 10 cents a minute of AWESOMENESS. Worth each and every cent and then some.

After posting about it on my Facebook page and recruiting a couple of awesome friends, Jen and Sue, we were quickly planning our trip to and from the city’s Impact Hub -a really awesome co-working space in Fishtown. Thanks to City Fit Girl’s agreement with Lyft, we were able to get in and out of the city for mere peanuts and not have to worry about parking (and honestly, I do worry about parking – cost of parking, parallel parking, not hitting other cars while parallel parking – I could go on).

The cost included an awesome shirt.

It also included an awesome lunch from Sweetgreen. (And awesome MIMOSAS – YES, PLEASE.)

And an awesome massage (which I skipped but Jen didn’t, so I know it was awesome – she said that it actually released her emotions!).

Did I mention the very awesome workout sessions? I was able to participate in three workouts and a few informational sessions including healthy eating tips with Whole Foods and skin and facial care.

Dear Whole Foods, we love you. Please come to south Jersey!

You know how you sometimes you don’t realize what’s missing in your life until you experience it? That was the case with ALL the sessions at the Fit Retreat. How often can you say that?

Work it out!

The main reason for the day (at least for me) was to hit up some amazing workouts and try things outside of my comfort zone bubble. It’s been awhile since I’ve been to a group fitness class like the ones that were being offered at the Fit Retreat.

Diva Richards at the start of the session.

Diva Richards at the start of her session.

Unfortunately a time turner hasn’t made its way to Philly yet so I had to choose a few sessions that really spoke to me. I went with Killer Kardio with Diva Richards, Mid-Morn Workout Jawn (there’s that word!) with Mark Donohue, and Vinyasa Yoga with Brittany and Gillian.

Jen during the Kettlebell Kundalini session – this was limited to 50 participants because kettlebells were provided and Jen got the last spot! Score!

The sessions were no joke. I thought that they might get progressively easier through the day but nope. They did not. The intensity was strong from start to finish but the words were encouraging and we were reminded to do our best and to think of where we are in our own journey.

There was everything from kickboxing moves to burpees to oh, approximately one billion squats. Mark Donohue played Flower and with every “down” we had to do a squat and hold it until the word “up” was said. I might have been cursing.

We did planks, planks, and more planks, and in between the planks, since we were down there, we did pushups.

The biggest surprise for me was how difficult the yoga session was for me. Because, hello, YOGA. I can handle yoga, right? But my foot was already tired from the rest of the sessions and didn’t want to ground itself.

It made for a wobbly experience and there were a few times I had to chill in Child’s Pose rather than take part in all the poses. It made me angry. Yoga isn’t supposed to make you angry, I know. But it did. I think it’s mainly that I’m so used to reminding myself “I can and I will” and I couldn’t, right then and there.

However, thanks to the gentle reminders from Gillian and Brittany, I was able to focus on what I was able to do within those moments and let the rest go.

I’m sure I’m forgetting something or many things. Oh, like the vegan Watermelon What What drink from Gangster Vegan Organics that was pretty gosh darn awesome.

The entire day was so good for me and my soul. Every event should flowed as well as this one did. The sessions reminded me of my strengths and also gently nudged me to forgive my weaknesses. And it was good. So very good.

Kudos to the City Fit Girls and all the sponsors of the Fit Retreat Philadelphia! You hold another event and I’ll be there, no doubt about it.

Scootadoot

fitness, food, friends, fun

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