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!

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.

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.

The kids are watching… and that’s a good thing!

March 11, 2013 by Meridith

“Momma, there are people running outside! Look at them run so fast!”

My kids genuinely get excited when they see people running on our street. They press their little faces up against the window and they watch. They watch the older gentleman on his daily jog, shuffling along. We live close to a high school and college, so they closely watch as the teams make their rounds. They watch the couple that runs together on the weekends, the woman always a couple of paces ahead of the man. They watch the young girl and her dog.

They watch.

My kids are your cheerleaders, as well as mine. You might not hear them from inside my house (actually, it’s quite possible you do; they’re loud and I’m sure their noise transcends time and space) but they’re there, cheering and watching. Everyone is fast to them. And everyone is doing a terrific job in their eyes.

These kids of mine know that sometimes it’s hard work getting out the door to run. They see it in their own home every day and they always ask us, “Did you run today? What did you do at the gym?” The older one truly wants an answer, while the little one just wants you to pick him up, despite the sweatiness.

They’re inspired without knowing the word to put with the emotion. They’re motivated to run. To run fast. To feel free. Because when other people are running, their natural inclination is to want to run too.

On our Saturday run at the park. For the record, we both wear Road IDs, even when we are running together.

Pace, stride and time mean nothing to them. Eye of the Tiger is their favorite song (and I’m Sexy and I Know It -much to my dismay- because hearing an eight and three year old singing that is wrong) and they both can belt it while running with no issues. They run around the house, around the yard, around any open space. Because obviously, open spaces are made for running.

Before I started running, we would point out planes or diggers on car rides. Now? It’s always runners.

Do you play the game in the car of thinking how far things are in relation to your house and how long it would take you to run there? (Or am I the only one? I don’t think I am!) My elder son actually asked me how long I thought it would take to run to the grocery store the other day… and then lamented it probably wasn’t a good idea because “how could we run home with all the groceries?”

I absolutely adore it. I love that he’s thinking this way and wondering these things, just as I am. Running has made me feel a part of a community, a fraternity of like-minded individuals, my kids are legacies and they want to be a part of it just as much. If there’s anything I know, it’s that my husband and I are doing right by them by committing ourselves to being healthy and active.

The truth is there are days that I probably wouldn’t choose to run… except that I know they’re watching and they’re cheering for me. So I do.

2012 Mother’s Day 5k

Keep on running, friends. And know that my children are cheering for you and think that you are number one, whether you’re running in our neighborhood or across the country, just because you’re out there and you’re moving. And I do, too.

Deciding to be Goofy

March 6, 2013 by vfreile

Last summer, I thought it would be a brilliant idea to run a marathon and a half over two days. (yes, you may laugh now)

I’ve run marathons and other road races before. I figured if when I started hurting, I could always slow down or walk. It was a RunDisney race after all, and not my first, and I know how well Disney entertains a crowd. I also figured Disney magic would certainly distract me from any potential pain. So I signed up to run the Goofy Challenge at the annual Walt Disney World Marathon in January 2013.

A few months later, my best friend Meridith and I discussed running a half. On the other side of the country. One week after the 39.3 mile Goofy Challenge. I knew I was nutty, but quickly agreed and registered for the race.

Heck, what’s another 13.1 at that point, right?

Fast forward to late December.

I’d been training. I finished more races, including another marathon. I cross-trained with a week of hiking with family in Maine, some sporadic yoga and heaving logs and branches in my yard, courtesy of a 100-foot-tall tree downed by Superstorm Sandy.

Several weeks before the run, I covered a horrific tragedy. I am a newspaper reporter in Rochester, New York. On Christmas Eve, four volunteer firefighters were shot – two fatally – as they responded to battle a house fire in Webster NY. The men were shot by a convicted felon who set his house on fire and laid in wait until first responders arrived. Then he opened fire.

I still can’t wrap my head around what happened that day and in its wake. I also keep tripping upon emails from one of the victims, who I knew professionally because he was also a lieutenant and information officer with a local police department.

So I decided I would run in memory of the slain firefighters Lt. Michael Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka.

Haddonfield Adrenaline 5k 2012 race recap

March 6, 2013 by Meridith

March 2013 brings many things including “springing ahead”, leprechauns, and egg hunts. However, the one that I’m looking forward to most is the kick-off to race season, and more specifically the 2013 Haddonfield Adrenaline 5k. If you’re from the NJ/PA area, you’ve probably heard of or participated in this race. It’s a favorite in the area; it’s USATF certified, has chipped timing and substantial cash prizes (not that I’m anywhere close to getting a cash prize, but I’ll admit that the awesome medal does have a certain draw!). This year’s race marks the 16th year of the race’s existence and the 8th that it’s been sponsored by the Haddonfield Running Company.

I’ll be there, as will Chick Vic, and in his running debut, my husband, along with more than 1,050 other runners. This was one of my first of twelve races last year (ever, really) so I figured I’d share a bit about the 2012 event to get pumped up for THIS year’s race.

What? You don’t see me? That’s because I was nowhere near those people. They were going for cash. I was going for not puking and the medal!

March 17, 2012 was a perfect day for a race. Low 60s, nice relaxed atmosphere. My friend (and coach) Brandi, her husband Sean (with their daughter in the running stroller) and I started out near the back of the pack and steadily gained speed for the first mile. According to my Garmin, we did that in ten minutes.

Which was super fast for me and comfortable for them. So after that mile, I waved them ahead and fell into a far more comfortable pace. The best part of this race was the nice downhill in the second mile, it breathed life into my legs (even though that was my slowest mile at 11:11). Of course, as the saying goes… what goes down must come up. Or wait, is the saying the other way around? In any event, just before we hit the third mile, there was a HILL.

Now, I don’t know about you all but I’m not what one would call… a fan of hills. In fact, at that point in my running career, I usually walked them. I started walking this one but I could see the clock at the top of the hill so I said, “Aw, f- it!” and ran up the hill.

The last part of the race was on the main street in the town, which is very Gilmore Girl’s Stars Hollow-esque. I’m always a fan of the last half a mile of a race because there’s just something very motivating about the fact that I can see the finish line. The knowledge that there are people cheering me on near the end and also that I’m nearly DONE is a strong draw. And since I always want to finish strong, I throw myself into it. It’s just a good feeling!

There I am, in the home stretch, smiling and waving in my Running Skirt!

My final time was 33:01, which was and IS my 5k race personal record (PR). I actually don’t run that many 5ks and the ones I’ve done since haven’t been the most ideal conditions. I’m hoping that the March 16 race will offer me a chance to set a new PR. The fastest woman last year finished in a bit over 17 minutes, which is impressive since I basically took twice as long. The male winner finished in 14:51. That’s pretty speedy!

While I don’t have any delusions of finishing in that amount of time, I do have a plan on being able to PR.

What is that plan? Well, quite simply, I’m going to chase Vic through the streets of Haddonfield. She’s faster than me but she’s graciously offered to stay ahead of me so that I can use her as a carrot to my rabbit. I tend to “store my energy” in a 5k, since I’m used to longer races. And really? I don’t need to do that with 3.1 miles. So with her help, I’m hoping to go full out and use up all the gas in my tank (without going out too fast either – something that I fear). While ten minute miles were a bit fast for me last year, I believe I can conquer them now.

So I’ll put my fast playlist on while Vic leads me on a footrace through town. Maybe I’ll pretend she has chocolate! MAYBE I’LL GIVE HER CHOCOLATE TO HOLD AS SHE RUNS! I would say ice cream but that doesn’t make much sense.

Picked up the race packets for Saturday! And new kicks, which I’ll share soon. ;)

Last year, my oldest son Pooks participated in the kid’s race. He’s sitting the 2013 race out since Jay and I are both running. However, he’s joined the Track and Field team in our town so he’ll be having plenty of time to run.

1/4-mile race for the kids – such determination! By the way, he got nervous when he saw some of the fast runners puking in the chute at the end of the 5k… he thought he was going to puke too. Thankfully, there was no puking at the kid’s race. At least, not that we saw.

A proud finisher!

As of yesterday afternoon there were less than 250 spots available so if you’re considering the Adrenaline 5k, now’s the time to sign up. And hey, if you see us there, come say hi!

We’ll be in reporting back in few weeks with our recap of the 2013 Haddonfield Adrenaline 5k, our Philadelphia Chocolate Tours trip and, of course, City Sports for our giveaway winners! And, who knows, maybe I can talk Jay into sharing his first race experience!

Do you go into races with a strategy? Does it involve chocolate, chasing, or promises of money?

Breaking the Fast

March 5, 2013 by bec2point0

It’s the most important meal of the day. Some people eat it on the go; others eat it for dinner. Heck, some people even eat it at Tiffany’s (bucket list!). Whether you are in the ‘can’t start the day without a good one’ camp, or your on the ‘hit the drive through if you have time’ side, breakfast is something all of us at Scoot-A-Doot have been talking about (mostly on Twitter where we are like ‘Hey, I’m eating…AGAIN!’)

We thought we’d share with you what our breakfasts look like. And hopefully, you’ll all be awesome and share with us what your breakfasts look like. We’ll beg for recipes. We have zero shame.

Vic

I’ll be honest, I’m not the best about getting a solid breakfast in my belly before work each day. Most days I pour myself two large travel mugs of coffee (don’t judge me) and run out the door to make it to work on time. I guzzle one cup in the car and the second cup shortly after arriving at my desk. I then eat a banana, or greek yogurt, depending on what I have in my pantry.

On weekends, when I have more time, I tend to make oatmeal (usually with bananas) or cereal. Sometimes I eat scrambled eggs. And lately, I’ve been turned onto protein banana berry smoothies, so they may soon take over my breakfast and afternoon snack spot as well.

Brooke

You guys, I love all the breakfast foods. Omelets (with spinach and feta), french toast, waffles with fruit and whipped cream, pancakes with butter and maple syrup, and always lots and lots of bacon. I love the entire breakfast experience- sipping coffee and reading the paper (or facebook), while savoring these amazing foods that were (hopefully) prepared by someone else. Sadly, those kinds of meals don’t happen often. (And usually, it’s breakfast at dinnertime.)

My daily breakfast is almost always some form of oatmeal. My go-to is plain cooked oats with a sprinkle of cinnamon, some chopped almonds, a handful of fruit and a splash of milk. Meri introduced me to whipped oatmeal, which is so much better than my boring hot cereal, but takes more time than I have right now. More dishes to wash too!

Since the little dude arrived, I’ve been eating instant oatmeal (gasp). My favorite is Three Sisters Dark Chocolate, because it is sweet, filling and it’s ready in two minutes. I eat my cereal while I’m nursing the babe, and shove some fruit in my mouth while I’m driving the girls to school. Not the most enjoyable breakfast, but it works for now. See why I save the pancakes and bacon for dinner?

Cam

Smoothies! I heart fruit smoothies for breakfast. I’m not a morning eater. If fact, I’ve spent the majority of my life skipping breakfast. Unless it’s a pastry. But pastries aren’t “everyday” foods, or so I’ve been told. Instead I go all natural and get my sweets from a fruit smoothie. I have very limited time in the morning and blending up a smoothie takes less time than toasting a bagel or driving through one of those heart attack factories. My recipe for deliciousness goes something like this:

Kefir yogurt drink. Usually vanilla, sometimes strawberry if I’m feeling spunky.
Frozen mixed berries, either fresh that I’ve frozen or bagged.
A frozen banana. I put them in the freezer when they start to go brown. I’m not a fan of ripe bananas.
One scoop of protein powder. This can be tricky. Finding a protein powder that you like can be a chore, but once you find a brand that floats your boat, you should stick with it.
Whole Flax seed, because I like the texture that it contributes. Plus, it’s good for your bowels.

I usually just eyeball the proportions and toss in a blender. If the mixture seems too thick, I add some water to loosen things up. My kids love it and we can drink it in the car. It’s my favorite breakfast on the go!

Meri

Jess and I were talking about BBQ food the other day and I said something to the effect of wanting it, just not at 8:49 in the morning (when we were emailing). Because while BBQ is delicious, it just doesn’t lend itself well to being eaten in the morning. However, breakfast? You can eat that all day long.

And I would.

Smoothies, pancakes, oatmeal, Greek yogurt, omelets, scones, fruit, and BACON. Yes, bacon. I eat it occasionally. And I love it.

Bring on the breakfast, brunch, brinner!

Jess

My idea of cooking is picking up the phone and dialing. I have zero skills in the kitchen, which is why I love breakfast so much. So many super delicious, ready-made options, and healthy ones at that. Look, Ma, I’m eating fruit!

My typical breakfast these days is a couple Nutri-Grain waffles (a little syrup in each square, thank you very much), a banana, and a tall glass of OJ. Get that all prepared – so easy, even a cooking-challenged lady like myself can do it – and then I shovel it all in my mouth before the baby wakes up from his nap. It’s simple, yummy and keeps my stomach full until second breakfast rolls around.

Bec

I am seriously a breakfast fiend. Most days it’s a healthy day smoothie (my absolute favorite is a Peach Pie Smoothie with chia seeds – frozen organic peaches, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt, chia seeds, sprinkle of cinnamon, sprinkle of nutmeg, blend, YUM. I’m with Cam, I don’t measure, just throw in there what you think will make the amount you want). But I love a big Sunday brunch with eggs and bacon and potatoes and EVERYTHING. I just love breakfast.

Love.

In the winter, I’m big on oatmeal or a bowl of cooked grains (barley, quinoa) with almond milk and fruit. Now that the weather is turning warmer (I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER ABOUT THIS), I’ll be doing overnight refrigerator oats. If you haven’t tried these, I can not recommend them highly enough. Easy, make ahead, versatile, healthy and crazy good.

Also, I have recently redeveloped a love of Poached Eggs on toast. It’s so simple, full of protein and fiber, and tasty (even without the Canadian bacon and hollandaise).

Also, bacon. As often as I can get away with.

So, this is what we eat. If you want recipes for anything we mentioned, just let us know. We’re good sharers. And if you’re a good sharer and want to inundate us with recipes and ideas, we’ll be forever grateful.

Now, who wants to make me a cup o’ Joe?

2012 Atlantic City April Fool’s 1/2 Marathon (and 7k!)

February 26, 2013 by Meridith

Being born on April Fool’s day has a few disadvantages. There’s always the same tired jokes. And there was that time in high school when my friends decided to each bring me Mylar balloons so that by the end of the day, I had about 20 balloons with which I was knocking people down in the hallways.

But then I met my husband in college; one of the first conversations we ever had was about birthdays. And that’s because we share the same one! Being born on April Fool’s day was looking up.

Another cool fact about being born on April Fool’s day is that there are actually RACES that revolve around the fact that it’s April Fool’s day. Let’s all get crazy and run on April Fool’s day!

Last year, I ran the inaugural Atlantic City Marathon series half marathon on my 35th birthday with fellow Scoot a Doot chick, Cam. I was obviously the seasoned half marathon runner with preciously ONE half marathon under my belt. Chick Bec was signed up to do the 7k and there was an 11k on the same day as well. This recap was written after the race on my personal blog but I’ve freshened it up to share on Scoot a Doot.

We arrived in Atlantic City the afternoon prior to the race. My house is less than a hour away from AC but we decided to relieve some stress and get a room at one of the hotels associated with the race. There was no expo for this race but the packet pick-up was quick and easy.

Cam and Bec showing off their numbers!

We raced over to the Tropicana (where we were staying) from Bally’s (host hotel) to check in and get ready for our carb loading dinner… only to find out at the front desk that the “only room they had with two beds was a smoking room.” That wasn’t going to fly and after sorting that out, we wound up in a large two bedroom suite, which was greatly appreciated.

Shuffling the rooms took a lot longer than anticipated but once we got situated, we went to Carmine’s for our carb loading!

(This is when we were able to breathe again at a normal rate.) (I think the bread basket in front of us helped immensely.)

We had a delicious dinner and then made our way back up to the suite where Bec took a bath in this amazingly huge tub and Cam and I decorated our One More Mile race shirts for the next day. Already we could tell that we wouldn’t be sleeping much because our neighbors were pretty rowdy. We had WOO GIRLS on one side and the Bruce Springsteen fan club on the other. I wish I were joking but alas… we were serenaded at 4:40 in the morning with a very repetitive rendition of Born in the USA. At that point there was really nothing to do but laugh.

Despite the non-sleeping, we were up at 5:20 to get ready for the race. Cam did a kick-ass Katniss braid in my hair and they both sang Happy Birthday to me, with bits of Born in the USA thrown in for good measure. It was very lovely.

We drove to Bally’s (since we wouldn’t have time to check out after the race) and wandered around a bit before the race. Met an interesting, still-drunk-from-the-previous-night guy who dubbed us “running nerds” – which was pretty awesome.

Saw a great sunrise over the water and just tried to calm nerves.

Look at these nerds!

I told Cam that I would stick with her and go at her pace throughout the entire race, take pictures, and just have a good time with it. The race coordinators said they’d gotten a lot of calls about not being able to get to the site by 8am so they were pushing back the start to 8:15. Honestly, it might have annoyed some but it really didn’t phase us one bit. More time to dance and be silly.

There were close to 2,000 people running the 7k, 11k, and half marathon with about half of those doing 13.1 miles. There were no corrals or placements to start, just the start line and the open boardwalk ahead of us.

The race was on the boardwalk for about 3.5 miles, then turned onto the streets of nearby cities. It was an out and back and honestly, running on the boards was much more forgiving than running on the asphalt. Being that we don’t get to run on the boards regularly, it wasn’t something we went into the race knowing but something we looked forward to once we got back on the boardwalk.

Throughout the race I would run ahead of Cam and then turn back to take pictures of her coming up, like a rock star! She had her very own paparazzi.

When we discussed the night before what Cam was hoping to achieve from this half, her goal was simple – TO FINISH. She didn’t have a specific time goal in mind and she just wanted to run and run HAPPY. And I could fully support this mindset!

So of course, we stopped for pictures along the way.

The first five miles were happy and feeling good. The asphalt was sort of a bummer on the legs but not on the spirit. There were bands and radio stations throughout the entire course and lots of great scenery to look at.

There were eight hydration stations along the route – four in total that we hit there and back. The turn around was a bit past mile 7 and around that time I called my husband just to check in and see how his birthday was treating HIM. Yeah, I was THAT GIRL on the cell phone while running. I think I get a pass because it was my birthday. Right? Maybe?

SO VERY GORGEOUS, right?

Around mile 10, Cam started telling me that she was ready to be finished. And I told her that was fine, she’d be done in about… forty minutes or so. She really loved me then.

And then? Around mile 12 we found DEATH.

And that made Cam EXTREMELY happy.

At about 12.75, I bid Cam adieu and sprinted the rest of the way so that I could get a picture of her crossing the finish line and earning her first 13.1 medal!

Bec took this one of me coming through the end.

AND HERE COMES CAM!!!

My girls were both VERY HAPPY! (Cam swore she needed to get in the Atlantic Ocean. Bec and I, both east coasters, opted out.)

Bec texted me when she finished her 7k and then I kept her posted throughout the rest of the half and let her know when we’d be coming through. She got to rest and people watch while we finished up.

Our MEDALS!

All in all, a great race. It felt really good the entire time and it was so much fun. If I do another race in AC, I’ll probably opt to stay at my house and just drive there super early in the morning because I didn’t sleep a wink the night before. But really, since I wasn’t pushing myself or going for a specific time, that didn’t hinder us a whole lot.

It was the perfect way to spend my 35th birthday!

Updated to add: I’ll be running this race again on April 7th, 2013! There are still spots available so if you’re interested, make sure you check out AC Marathon series and sign up because the price goes up in a couple of days. And, of course, I’m going to have to eat my words because I will be spending the night down in AC again. The host hotel this year is Revel, which was just built in 2012. Looking forward to continuing my April Fool’s half marathon streak and sharing my experiences with you.

Who are these crazy chicks and why should I read what they’ve got to say?

February 22, 2013 by scootadoot

Hey! ‘Sup? Thanks for visiting our little corner of the internet. Maybe you found us through twitter, Facebook, or you’re related to us (hi Mom!). Any which way, we’re glad that you’re here.

We’re all writers, in one sense of the word or another. Fiction, news, emails, letters (yes, letter writers are among us! They still exist!)… writing is a major form of communication for all of us. Each of the six authors of Scoot a Doot are at different stages in their “healthy and happy lifestyle” – we believe that you’ll relate to at least one of us as you read. Perhaps that person will change as we continue on our journeys; perhaps you will. But we’re all good friends, cheering as we triumph and leaning on one another as we falter. We hope to create that sense of community with YOU, too; you’re as much a part of this as we are!

(Have you located your crazypants? That’s how we roll.)

Look around, check out the About section to meet each of us if you haven’t already. We’ve started posting race recaps that we’ve written over the past years and plan to share more as time goes on. None of us are professional athletes, we’re just doing what we love (and, if we’re being completely honest, sometimes loathe) and the best we can with what we’re given! That’s what Scoot a Doot is all about – moving it, shaking it and never faking it. We’re keeping it real; you’ll be hearing everything – the good, the bad and yes, even the ugly.

Let’s do this! We can and we will!

Everybody’s talking all this stuff about me… A look back at the 2011 Rothman 8k – Philadelphia Marathon weekend

February 21, 2013 by Meridith

Right now, there’s a lot of talk in the running community centered around the Philadelphia Marathon. Just yesterday it was announced that the race, which is traditionally held the weekend before Thanksgiving, will be held earlier than normal, November 15th-17th.

This race, in particular, holds a very special place in my heart because it’s the one the gently lured me into running with its siren song. Anyone who has been to a big race probably knows what I’m talking about… the song that makes you think, 26.2 doesn’t seem THAT far, maybe I should just start running RIGHT now.

I watched Victoria run her first marathon in Philadelphia in 2010. A year later, I signed up for the Rothman 8k, while she ran the half. Last year I worked as a volunteer the entire day. I’d planned to run the half this year but now I’m waffling because the runDisney Wine and Dine is only a week prior. If I eventually work my way up to a marathon, I’d like the Philadelphia Marathon to be my first.

I’d like to share my old race recap from my very first road because it seems relevant at the moment and this race has always treated me, and the racing community as a whole, very well.

This was the first time that Chicks Vic and Brooke met, which is always fun, because I love when worlds collide. Vic arrived on Thursday night and Brooke flew in on Friday morning. Both of them were immediately friends (I wasn’t too worried about that) and super adorable. We hit the Philadelphia Marathon expo on Friday and picked up our t-shirts, bags, bibs and sparkly headbands for our Princess race in February. All of which were absolutely essential.

Started getting (more) nervous on Friday night. This was my first ever road race and I’d only started running earlier in the year. My plan, which I had told the girls, was to finish in an hour. Brooke’s plan, which she told Vic, was for us to finish in under an hour. Ha!

Took the train in early Saturday morning and lined up. Since Vic wasn’t running, she held all of our stuff and hung out with us until she needed to scoot to the “spectator” side. We were toward the back of the pack when we started (no corrals, which was cool for a race of this size) and just sort of took it nice and easy.

The first three miles felt great and I was pretty happy throughout. Saw Victoria around mile one, which was great and then we headed out to boat house row. Brooke was chatting away and I was chiming in when I felt comfortable talking but mostly listened to her awesome stories.

Brooke had her Garmin and I wasn’t keep track of our time, which was a good thing. The clocks along the route marked miles but it was about a minute faster than our actual time (which I didn’t realize because I’m silly and new to racing) so we were actually going faster than I thought. Brooke took this selfie of us running and it makes me laugh every time I see it!

The turn around point was at mile three and there was a water station there. Took a cup, drank nearly none of it and reminded myself that I was over half done.

But mile four was rough. Brooke continued to entertain me, as did the juggling runner who was near us.

I think the reason I didn’t like mile four too much was because the road was sloped, the right side of my body was higher than my left. So it felt uneven and… off. I’m picky about my streets.

There was a stupid hill right near the end (hi, who put that there?) and I’m pretty sure that’s when I told Brooke that I felt like I was going to throw up. She was concerned until I got over that, and the hill, and we booked it to the finish line. I was pretty happy to see 58:35 and even happier still that it was OVER!

Overall, it was a great race. I was so fortunate to run my first race with a great friend who was supportive of me AND to have a cheering friend on the sidelines! This was the third time I’d ever run five miles in my life so the fact that it went so well, I couldn’t have been more pleased.

The Rothman 8k is a great race for beginners, like myself, or people who want to be involved in Philadelphia Marathon weekend but aren’t looking to run a half or full marathon.

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