Middle of the pack

June 20, 2013 by vfreile

Apparently, I’m pretty consistent.

I never would’ve predicted it, but at my last two 5k races I placed fourth in my age group, with an 8:26 pace. Both events were small, local fundraisers in Rochester, NY.

Teenage me would scoff at this pace. But adult me is pretty damn proud.

For years, I couldn’t drop under 27 minutes for a 5K race. I hovered just above, as the elusive 26 taunted me. I’m not a sprinter, but tend to hold my own as a distance runner, swimmer or rower.

So to find myself flirting with the edges of the winner’s circle is a bit exciting, and unexpected, especially for a self-proclaimed middle-of-the-pack runner like me.

My goal at the start of the summer was to beat my best previous 5K PR, 26:56, set last June at an evening 5k race that took us through random and unmarked athletic fields for the last mile. It was hot. And I know from experience that I don’t run my best in heat or humidity.

My best-ever 5K time is in the low 24s. But its been years – 18 years since that day. If my PR was a person, it could vote this fall.

My first summer race was on May 25 and produced perfect running weather. Temps were in the 40s when we set off and my legs felts great. With just 80 people running the course that morning, I finished with a sprint up a hill and smile on my face knowing I did my best.

I finished 26:10, fourth place in my age group. I was freezing, but thrilled. I reached my goal straight out of the gate.

On Sunday, I ran the 5K to Cure ALS, which started and ended at Frontier Field, home to Rochester’s minor league baseball team, The Rochester Red Wings.

Zipping by at mile 2

I wrote a detailed race recap on my work blog – But my race highlights included running my first mile under 8 minutes and rounding the bases on the baseball field before crossing the finish line, right behind home plate.

That’s me in the bright green skirt, about to round the last turn into the finish at Sunday’s 5k. (I passed the dude in the blue shirt, by the way!)

Of 650 runners, I again finished fourth in my age group, with a time of 26:11. This was extra special since the race was one day after I ran a 6-mile loop through suburban Rochester with the local women’s group, Rochester Moms in Motion.

I actually learned my place I went to check my time on the race website Monday morning. I had hoped to get my chip time, but one wasn’t listed. Instead I got a better surprise!

I’ve got one more 5K race planned for the summer before I move into marathon training mode. So who wants to guess how I’ll fare at my next 5k race on July 4? Will it be a hat trick?

Who else plans to run a race on July 4? Have your ever surprised yourself by running faster than expected at a race? Tell me in the comments!

The Sox Box Rox!

June 19, 2013 by scootadoot

One of the things we Scoot a Doot chicks have in common (besides a love of Tim Riggins. Oh, and running too. Ahem…), is a fondness for words. We like to talk, we like to write and we really, really like to read. Then we love to talk and write about what we’ve read. We consume words. So, it’s not surprising that we jumped at the opportunity to test a pair of socks from The Sox Box.

The Sox Box socks are brightly colored knee socks that feature clever phrases on each pair. These cool socks aren’t just for Crossfit anymore! There are several sayings that are perfect for us runners.

Not only are these socks made in the USA, but the company also gives back with every purchase. From their website:

“We honor those service men and women who sacrifice their lives in the name of freedom and justice. Their pledge and honor for their fellow service members and country is unparalleled and for that we must both rock and salute them! Our pledge is the lifetime donation of 20% of all Sox Box profits to the Independence Fund, a non-profit group that directly supports the wounded ill and injured service members. Silliness abounds at the Sox Box but we remain serious in our commitment to our brothers and sisters who gave the most for their country without question.”

Look good. Do good. But how do they feel? Chicks Brooke and Jess each tried a pair of socks. Here’s what they had to say:

Brooke:

I picked the “Run Faster” version to remind myself that faster mile times are ahead as long as I keep moving.

I couldn’t wait to wear these socks! I actually put them on as soon as they arrived in my mailbox, even though I was just lounging around with the kids. They have a nice cushion on the bottom and feel snug but not too tight around the calf. They’re definitely made for chicks (and dudes) with muscle! I wore them for a weight lifting session with my trainer and they felt great.

Luuuuuunge. Feeling tough. Looking tough!

These socks washed beautifully (no fading) and then I wore them for an outdoor run on a humid morning in Florida.

My girl wanted blue socks to match mommy! You can see them under her (also matching) fancy slippers. This is her FAVE color so if my socks go missing, I know who to question first.

My girl wanted blue socks to match mommy! You can see them under her fancy slippers.

Again, I was impressed. I thought that they’d be too hot, but they’re very breathable. And just plain fun! I’ve already ordered another pair.

Jess:

I was super excited to try out these socks for two reasons:

1. They have such fun sayings on them. Who doesn’t want to run with “hot mess” emblazoned on their calves?

Okay, some of you might not. I loved it! You bet your sweet booty I’m a hot mess (but in a cute way).

2. Sox Box donates 20% of their profits to The Independence Fund, a non-profit group that supports wounded servicemen and women. I LOVE a company that knows how to give back, and it makes me feel good to get AND give.

Now for the lowdown: I did a brisk walk in these (someday I will run again) and these socks stayed put. I mean, they didn’t move an inch. Awesome! I also felt super supported in the calf area, like everything was held in where it needed to be.

The fabric mix is perfect here – Sox Box are breathable with just enough stretch. I never felt hot in them and when I took them off my skin wasn’t clammy at all.

All in all, I really loved these socks. They’re cute, they work, and they support a great cause. A true triple threat!

See more Sox Box knee socks on their website and in action on their Facebook page. Tell ’em you heard about them from the Scoot a Doot chicks.

Thanks to the generosity of The Sox Box, we have socks to give away to a lucky reader! Simply click the box below to enter.

Click the pic to enter!

Which pair of The Sox Box socks would you pick to rock during a run, Crossfit, or just lounging about the house?

The winner will be required to share their full name and address so The Sox Box can send you a sweet pair of socks! Giveaway begins 6/19/2013 and completes 6/25/2013.

Disclaimer: We received two complimentary pairs of socks from The Sox Box for review. All words and opinions are our own.

Mud-Covered Sheriffs? Don’t mind if I do!

June 13, 2013 by camoozle

Here it is, the real reason I like to run: Eye Candy! As the only single chick here, I’ll be the one to admit it, I’m an oogler. There’s no shame in my game, I’m just not intrinsically motivated! Sometimes I need a little push to get me going. And sometimes that push comes in the form of hotties in uniform. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department held the 9th annual 5k Mud Run at their training center in Devore, CA on May 18. The race benefits many charities in the Inland Empire and you bet your cute little dooter I was there to partake in the shenanigans.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get any pictures of my own as I didn’t have a picture taking device that would withstand the harsh conditions of the race. So I kindly borrowed all these pictures from the race site or local news coverage. There’s also this YouTube video I found! See the race through the eyes of a badass (who’s not me).

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3PUHs10U_c&w=560&h=315]

If you’re at all familiar with Southern California weather, we have this thing called “June Gloom”. Basically, it’s cold and overcast in the morning but it burns off by the end of the day. Even after living here all my life, I can’t dress properly during these days. It’s annoying, especially when it comes to racing as I tend to run hot. Race day started out pretty chilly. This race has been held early in previous years but due to weather, they moved it to later in the morning to allow for warmer conditions. I think this worked out perfectly. By the second half of the race, the mud pits were a cool relief to the heat.

And the mud pits, they were a plenty! I ran with my Ragnar buddies, Mike and Evalia. Mike had participated in this race in years past and while he warned me it was a challenge, I scoffed at his warning. Bah! I’ve done mud runs before! I can handle anything! I am strong woman, hear me roar! I grew up in the heart of San Bernardino County. I’m familiar with the weather and the terrain and the elevation. And it was only $30 bucks. Obviously race price indicates toughness, right? I can laugh at my ignorance now, but this Mud Run, ladies and gents, was a beast!

Chaos right from the start.

I should have taken a hint at the start line. Competitive runners were lined up in the front. Teams lined up behind them. And then there were us, the fun runners. Bulldozers and tractors crushed cars. Dump trucks poured loose, fresh mud onto the course and a helicopter swooped down to start the race. Colored smoke filled the air and for a minute, the course really did look like what I imagine a war zone would be. And then there was the explosion. Yep, an EXPLOSION started the race. Take that, starting pistols.

They lets us go in waves so when us fun runners got to the loose mud, there were little paths already carved out for us. The first mile of the race was heavy on the running and light on the mud pits. Oh, and then there was this hill.

Hill from Hell – It’s only just begun.

Mile 2 started to get pretty rough. There was a stretch of constant shallow mud pits, each preceded by mounds of dirt. The mud was loose and thick. Many times, I’d hit a soft spot and I’d sink. This was where Mike lost his shoes. HE LOST HIS SHOES and had to run the rest of the race barefoot.

The second monumental hill had ropes to help us scale. And a downpour of rushing mud under our feet. They had a hose at the top spraying down the dirt and what was left was a slide of muck puddling around our shoes. I’ve had bad experiences with scaling hills in previous mud runs and I’m not going to lie, I was a little bit freaking out. All I could think of was puking or falling and causing the line of people behind me to tumble down the hill. But I made it, slow and steadily climbing out of harms way.

There were harder pools with mud so thick, we had to crawl across vertically so as to distribute body weight evenly across the pit. Otherwise, you’d sink right down like quicksand, and it was energy zapping to try to get out of that. There were super long pits that stretched dozens of yards and I found myself swimming those instead of trying to wade through them. A few pits had tractors and cranes manned by evil volunteers who crashed the front arm into the pools of mud, splashing everyone in the pit. I was carefully navigating the terrain at this point, the obstacles backed up against each other made running damn near impossible. At one point, there was gunfire going off over our heads, a helicopter swooping over the course, and people hosing us down as we ran by. It was utter chaos and I was loving every minute of it!

I thought maybe the obstacles would ease up a bit in the last mile, like they couldn’t possibly go all the way until the end. That would be crazy, right? Nope. Still to come…another huge hill, a field of tires, a tunnel, and a pool filled with pipes we had to climb over and crawl under. When I crossed the finish, I was bruised, cut up, and weighed down by mud in my bra, shorts, and shoes. I rinsed off in the community shower and it was only then that I realized I hadn’t brought any extra clothes or even a towel. Face palm!

Nothing like a community shower.

This was one of the most challenging races I’ve done this year. It was a constant struggle from the start to finish and epitomized a Mud Run in every way possible. It was local and all for the low price of $30 bucks! I’ll definitely be adding this to my repertoire of repeater races. It might be time to invest in a water and mud proof camera!

How to Exercise When Your Kids Are With You

June 12, 2013 by beewhobabbles

Summer, summer, summertime. Time to sit back and unwind.

Or get up at 6am every day because, “Hey mama, it’s light outside! Can I have breakfast now? What are we doing today?” We’re two weeks into summer vacation here, and so far it’s going well, even with the early mornings. We’re hanging out with friends, working on our sight words, reading new books, swimming, and I’m even getting to the gym. With the kids! Some workouts are better than others, but you know I’m all about making it work, no matter what. Even twenty minutes is better than sitting on the couch. Or by the pool, if you’re the Fresh Prince.

Parents, I’m going to tell you my tricks for working out with your kids in tow. Usually, I’m at the gym, but these work for a jogging stroller too. (It’s just crazy hot unless I go at 6am. Maybe that’s why my youngest girl wakes me up…)

Taking my little alarm clock on an early morning run.

1. Bring a bag of toys. Now, my gym has a playroom that works great for my 3 and 5 year olds. However, if I’m on the treadmill, I can’t see the room or hear them, because of the gym layout. I’m not too comfortable with that, so when I run, they sit next to me. That’s where the bag of toys comes in handy. We have a bag packed at all times for doctor’s waiting rooms, restaurants, church, etc., and it has saved me many times!

I rotate the contents, but it’s usually coloring pages and crayons, stickers, a card game (my girls LOVE the Eeboo Go Fish cards) and magnetic paper dolls. I usually bring the ipad too, just in case they get tired of coloring (that always happens when I have ten minutes left to go, you know?)

Little dude gets his own toy bag, and I give him one toy at a time. He’s only 6 months old, so he needs a new toy every five minutes to stay happy. Ten if I give him the package of wipes, which he LOVES. (The simplest, non-toys are always the most entertaining, aren’t they?) I bring a lot of toys for him and just keep trading while he sits in his stroller. If all else fails and I’m almost finished, we play peek-a-boo. I think of it as an extra cardio blast.

Sometimes they even sit next to me when I do the elliptical. We’re all very attached.

2. Bring snacks. This may seem obvious, but I’m telling you anyway, because I always need more snacks than I bring. Snacks are super important.

3. Make it a playdate! I like to invite a friend and their kid(s) to meet us at the gym because it’s a win-win for everyone. I’m more likely to go in the first place, because I’m meeting someone there (and hello, adult conversation), and my kids are happy because they get to play with someone else. And hopefully, that kid’s toys too.

4. Let your kids be a part of things. When I lift weights at home, I ask the kids to count my reps. When I stretch, they stretch with me. They love yoga, so we do that together. It helps to keep them entertained, and they see that being active is important.

Post-run stretch with my girl.

5. Be flexible and realistic. I know my kids won’t want to stay more than 30-40 minutes, so I don’t push it. With the baby, sometimes he’s done after twenty. I don’t get mad; I just try to do something during naptime or make it up another day.

Starting him early (or mama has one set left).

Parents, do you ever bring your kids to the gym? What’s your favorite quiet, stay-busy toy?

Everyone, what’s your favorite way to relax and unwind during the summer? Mine is definitely reading a book by the pool or at the beach. Bliss.

June StrideBox

June 11, 2013 by vfreile

It arrived Saturday afternoon. By the evening, I’d put two items to use.

Now that’s what I called a StrideBox!

I ripped the massage ball out of the package and immediately started using it on my foot. Ahhh! It was a little slice of heaven.

This is the Foot Rubz in action. Never heard of it before. But it’s my new bestie. It’s a massage ball to rub on your feet, hands or any other sore muscle. Loving it! (PS – I need to vacuum.)

And yes, it’s June and I live in the tundra where I must still wear jeans and a sweatshirt.

Next, I tossed the PowerICE pop into my freezer. I pulled it out of the freezer the following morning after a short (and sticky) 3 mile run.

Refreshing, delicious and only 30 calories per electrolyte ice pop. Yes, I’ll be back for more of those. Bonus: For folks with dietary restrictions, these pops are also gluten-free and kosher.

As some of you may remember, I subscribed to StrideBox last month on the recommendation of a friend and it was love at first sight.

The June box marked my second monthly subscription box, and it was as fantastic as the first.

What else is in this month’s box? Let’s take a closer look:

Lock Laces – these elastic shoe laces have a special locking mechanism to keep your shoes snug. And if you are like me, they will keep you from having to repeatedly bend over mid-run to retie your shoes. A few of my running pals swear by these, so I’m excited to try them out.

Blue Steel Sports anti chafe cream – this non-greasy, not sticky cream provides an anti friction layer for athletes. It also has a touch of tea tree oil.

Skratch Labs – this lemon/lime all-natural sports drink mix gives runners another option of liquid fuel to it use before, during or after exercise.

Pocket Fuel – almond butter and bananas are my typical pre-race fuel. I love both, but what I eat before a half or full varies depending on whether I flew to the race location or drove in my car. This sample combines my two faves! It’s also a single serving size that will easily fit in my TSA toiletry bag when I fly. The almond butter is 100% natural.

ElectroDelytes – electrolytes, simple carbs and no caffeine are what goes into this energy bar. It’s suggested to be eaten before or during a workout for sustained energy. I ate this Monday morning after crew practice. Very lemony – it tasted a bit like pie to me, and I love pie!

As I said last month, I’m a big fan of samples and trying new things. According to StrideBox, the idea is to help runners try new products without having to commit to large purchases or the legwork of finding those products.

Each box also comes with an online shopping and price guide, to help you find the (and purchase) the products you’ve tested.

By the way, I haven’t stopped using that massage ball. It’s the tops!

What would you like to see in a future subscription box? What samples have you tried that have won you over?

Guest Post: Jessica’s first TRI is in the books

June 7, 2013 by scootadoot

We run because we love it.

You’re lucky if you never reach that day where that Wednesday tempo run on your training schedule starts sounding about as fun as scrubbing mold out of that water bottle you forgot to rinse, but it happened to me last summer.

Three marathons in, running stopped being fun, but quitting wasn’t an option. I was starting the process toward my fourth 26.2, and my heart wasn’t in it.

So as my job was bringing me to Rochester, New York, I changed things up, and Sunday evening I typed the words into my blog: I am a TRIATHLETE. (Related: I am a duathlete and I am a marathoner).

If all goes as planned, on July 14, I will be a half-iron lady.

I’m thrilled not only by my results but by the fact that I felt SO prepared, thanks to a great group of friends who advised me

The deets: Overall time – 1:47:21; 820 yard swim – 24:00; T1 – 3:12; 13.6 mile bike – 50:00; T2 – 2:00; 3.1 mile run- 27:40. I finished 168 of 260 overall, and 12 of 20 in my age group.

(Note: This is the cleaned up and shortened version of this blog. Click here for the exhausted, rambling, Keuka Lake Riesling-induced version.)

(Another note: Thinking about a tri? Read all the way toward the bottom, where I offer some tips.)

PREPARING

When I started this madness I thought I could get away with a one piece and a hybrid. By the time I got done loading my road bike, my wetsuit, clips and the other goodies into my car, my trunk looked like this. Remind me never to call running expensive and equipment intensive again.

I stayed in the dorms at Keuka College. Saturday night I sat on the same dock I’d be spotting the next morning from the distance. Could I actually do this? I was out of bed before 6 the next morning, set up my transition using tips from the wonderful coach Mary Eggers. I made my first rookie mistake, I left to stretch, forgot transition closed an hour before my wave, and had to ask the transition crew to hand me my swim stuff, giving them the “it’s my first time” smile.

SWIM

At Mary’s clinic the previous day, she told us horror stories of open water competition that left me wondering if I should have done less lap-swimming and more aqua kickboxing.

With the joke, “ok ladies, if you end up passing a slower guy, remember this is a non-contact sport,” the last wave of Olympic athletes were off, and they let the mere sprinters into the lake to warm up. As others took the dive, I put my big toe in, and it took all my willpower to not be That-Person-Who-Jumps-Back-With-Her-Tail-Between-Her-Legs.

62 degrees is a lot warmer on dry land.

So I inched in, first to my ankles, then my knees, then my waist, then I finally took the plunge and almost came up in shock. You get used to it, the people around me said. I might as well had “first-timer” written on my forehead. I stayed in until they cleared the water. I caught up with two other first-timers, and for a half hour we waited.

That was the worst part.

I only learned to swim in August, taking a few lessons at the Y then progressing on my own. This was my second time in open water – the first time, as I was coming to shore, I came up for air and ended up face to face with a dead fish. I may have screamed a little. Ok… more than a little.

The silver caps, younger females in the sprint race, were finally up. 30 seconds. 10 seconds. Horn.

I didn’t get kicked in the face. No one swam over me. Mary’s spitting-in-the-goggles-to-get-rid-of-fog strategy worked beautifully.

But I was swimming like a drunk on New Year’s Eve, all over the place. Nice blue line at the bottom of the pool, I’ll never take you for granted again.

Four buoys helped split the swim up on the way out, but getting back we were just citing an arc that was deceptively far away. Somehow, I made it. No broken nose. No bruises. No dead fish. I stripped off my cap and goggles, ran up the stairs, and into transition.

BIKE

The beautiful Flower awaited.

Flower is my lovely Cannondale Synapse, a gift from Uncle Sam who was quite kind to me at tax time. She’s named after her first race, the Flower City duathlon.

The wetsuit came off, the bike shorts, tank and clips went on, and inhaling a Honey Stinger I ran my bike out. I’m still getting used to the new clips, so I avoided embarrassment by the mount sign. Narrowly.

It was an easy 14-mile course with a few hills. And that’s where I learned the beauty of all the indoor cycling I did this winter – I crushed it on those hills, passing people left and right.

Less than an hour later I was back in transition. I re-racked Flower, and put on the Asics, knee straps and compression sleeves.

Money can buy speed on the bike. I didn’t have the advantage the people with fancy tri bikes had, but at least I was off the hybrid.

But running? It’s all you.

It’s only a half hour of your life.

RUN

I’m assuming this is a family-friendly blog, so I’ll keep what I was saying as I took those first few steps of the run to myself.

It was not pretty.

My legs didn’t know what to think at the sudden change of movement, so they just went numb. I sucked down a mint chocolate GU, saw my legs beneath me and trusted they knew what to do, since I couldn’t feel them.

The pain eased up after the first half mile, but as much as I told my body to slow down, I couldn’t control my speed. It was a weird autopilot kind of thing.

I had used my phone app for the bike, but as I came through transition, my hands were sweaty and shaking so I left it behind and ran without GPS. We were running along a back road by the lake, and even though everything hurt, I just wanted to be done.

I thought about my old friends in Ohio, I thought about my new friends in Rochester, I thought about my pups Lizzie and Brandy. At the moment it seemed like an eternity, but in retrospect, the last 27 minutes went quickly.

Mary was announcing. Shaky and dizzy, I crossed the finish line with that weird exhausted kind of grin. “Everything hurts but I feel great.”

I did it.

I got some ice cream. And a delicious bottle of Yates Cellars semi-sweet Riesling, which would be gone later that evening.

THINKING ABOUT A TRIATHLON?

From one newbie to another, here are a few things I was glad I did:

1) Swimming lessons: I signed up for basic lessons at the Y, but lucked out, with two triathletes guiding me, I learned things like spotting and working with your arms to save the legs.

2) Equipment: You don’t need top of the line, but without my road bike and wetsuit I would have been at a serious disadvantage. Shop in the winter for a wetsuit, I got mine at half off.

3) Seek out all the advice you can. Don’t be afraid to ask silly questions.

4) Practice, practice, practice! Nothing can prepare you from that horrible feeling going from bike to run. But you can learn how to deal with it!

5) Get in open water. Even though I only swam in a lake once, this one time practicing helped me out so much on race day.

6) Learn the transition rules! All my stuff had to fit into a space about one foot by three feet. Plan it out ahead of time! What will you need when?

WHAT’S NEXT

So what went right? I was prepared, had quick transition times, was ready for the hills and finished strong.

Where can I do better? More open water practice, if I can quit the zigzagging I can shave some serious minutes off the swim time. I should also practice mounting and unmounting on the bike with the new clips. Oh, and I should learn flip turns in the pool, no more being spoiled by that wall every 25 yards.

June 16, I’ll be doing double the distance at the Quakerman triathlon at Orchard Park. Then one month later I’ll be at the Musselman half iron in Geneva. I’ll finish the season with the Highlander Cycle Tour (Corkscrew Century) in September and the Wine Glass Full Marathon in October.

“But Jessica, I thought you were sick of marathons?”

Perhaps I needed a break, because tomorrow is my nine-mile training run, and I can’t wait for it!

Bring it!!

Follow my blog for more random musings as the big race day approaches. Hugs to the lovely Scootadoot ladies for letting me guest post, and happy miles!

Jessica Alaimo is a journalist and a three-time marathoner living in Rochester, New York. She completed her first triathlon June 2, and is training for her first half Ironman July 14. Outside of training she teaches indoor cycling, enjoys gluten-free cooking and competing for a spot on the couch with her two retired racing greyhounds, Lizzie and Brandy.

Like her shiny brand new Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/jessicatris703 and follow her on Twitter, https://twitter.com/jessicatris703

What About ME?

June 6, 2013 by bec2point0

Like all of the Scoot a Doot chicks, I’ve got a ridiculously busy schedule. NOT like all of the Scoot a Doot chicks, I’m a ridiculous slacker. If we were Smurfs, I’d be Lazy Smurf. Or at very least, Whiny Smurf.

But, you guys, I’m SO busy.

As I sat typing out our family Summer Calendar today, there were a lot of notes about doctor’s appointments (those darn physicals just come around every year, huh) and daycare arrangements and kid’s soccer practices and family vacation plans and so on and so on.

But there wasn’t any me time. A lot of US time, and a super lot of THEM time (the younglings – and as my fellow moms know, their time and my time are completely locked together), but no ME time.

I like me time. I miss me time.

I realize what has happened. My ME time, formerly filled with mani/pedis or movies or laying like a vegetable on my couch, is now spent doing things like trying to fit in a run or trying to make it to the gym or trying to get to the Zumba class I haven’t been to in months.

Did you catch that word I just used? Trying.

When it was mani/pedis, I made gosh darn sure those happened. It’s not like it’s hard to find the motivation to drive over to the nail salon and sit in a chair reading People and having someone massage your tootsies.

My runs? Or even my walks? They aren’t happening with any regularity at this point.

And that doesn’t make sense. Because I want to get in better shape and I’m really focused on weight loss and I know that a run or a Zumba class would certainly help those efforts and I would definitely feel better afterwards but IT DOESN’T FEEL LIKE ME TIME.

It feels like work. It should. It is work. But I think, subconsciously, I’ve been struggling a little with taking the little free time I have and using it to go get sweaty and gross instead of polished and girly.

And it’s got to stop. Because while it’s all well and good to have pretty toes, I think it’s more important at this point in my life to be able to reach my toes.

I need to make activity a priority. And I want to, I really, really do. I just… sometimes, I miss being a bum, you know? And lately, when I’ve got one hour left of a hectic day, I’m much more apt to return to bum mode and watch So You Think You Can Dance instead of, oh, I don’t know, actually dancing.

Help? HELP!

For those of you that share my ridiculously small amount of time for ourselves, how do you reconcile it in your brain to spend it on those things that make us better as opposed to those things that only make us look better or feel better temporarily? How do you make yourself pull on your sneakers and just hit it at the end of a long day? In short, how the heck do I get out of my own way?

Bec is busy. Really busy. And whiny. Really whiny. Any tips for a super busy mom trying to fit in working out and having some girly girl time? Because she’s got a half marathon that is getting closer by the day and we’d like her not to die on the Atlantic City boardwalk!

Happy Running Day!

June 5, 2013 by beewhobabbles

Last Saturday night, I laced up my sneakers to go meet my friend, Sara, for a run. As I kissed the girls goodnight, my oldest daughter said, “You’ve been running all the time lately, Mama. Why are you always running?” I was already five minutes late, as I am always running five minutes late these days, so I gave her the short answer: “Because Mama is running a race in the fall, so she has to get ready for it.”

That’s a small part of it. The part that keeps me motivated to hit the treadmill at 7:30pm after a long day and a sleepless night, certainly. Side note- when people hear me say that little dude is a good baby, they automatically assume this means he is sleeping through the night. He is not.

Races are great at keeping you accountable. You have to respect the distance, as Chick Vic says, and that means logging those miles each week. But beyond that, why do I run?

I started running regularly because I like dessert and I like wine. Seriously. I’d run off and on since high school, and somewhat regularly after the birth of my first daughter (because the only time she would nap was in the jogging stroller), but once I stopped nursing my second and started gaining weight, I had to do something. I knew I enjoyed running, and you don’t have to join a gym, or buy any equipment*, or have any experience with it. You just lace up your sneakers and go. (*Note to my husband- I really need all that stuff from lululemon though.)

In Sonoma with my husband. We ran every day of that trip because I was training. (We also had dessert at every meal!)

Once I decided to tackle a half-marathon, running became something more for me. I loved watching my pace improve. I craved the solitude on a long run. I liked challenging myself to be better, faster, to run longer. It’s awesome to see what your body and mind are capable of when you train for a race. And crossing the finish line at my first half-marathon was exhilarating. It took less than 24 hours for me to sign up for a second.

Mile 13 of my current PR race.

Taking a break to have a baby was hard. I was riding high after my first under-two-hours half, and thinking that it would be the perfect time to train for a marathon, if I wanted to run that distance (something I’m still not sure I want to do). But, my husband and I had planned to try to expand our family at that time, and I knew that there would be other races (and hopefully more PRs).

It wasn’t easy watching others race while my belly grew and my fitness shrunk. Even now, it’s difficult to see my pace and mileage. I’m improving, but I’m nowhere close to where I was. (I know, I know, I had a baby. He brings me so much joy, every day. All of my kids do. I just have a lot of feelings.)

Super dad and husband takes the kids for a walk so I can scoot to the gym.

Still, I run. I’m lucky to have wonderful friends who also run. And a husband who will watch the kids so I can go to the gym. I can’t wait until we can put little dude in the baby jogger and all run together.

I have goals to reach. Sara and I talked last week about our training plans for this fall and while I don’t think I’ll be setting any personal records this year, there’s always next year. And the year after that. The great thing about running, is there’s always another race to run. And hopefully some cool people to run with you.

Racing with Sara in March 2012.

Today is National Running Day! Why do you run? If you aren’t a runner, today is a great day to start!

runDisney’s Glass Slipper Challenge

June 4, 2013 by vfreile

We haven’t yet registered to race, but our hotel is booked and our flights are set.

And most importantly, costume planning is well underway.

Yessiree, Heather, Brooke and I will be decked out in full Princess gear for runDisney’s Princess Half Marathon weekend in February 2014.

As we approached registration opening day on June 11, runDisney last week finally announced Princess weekend race prices:

Race fees start at $270 for Glass Slipper runners, $160 for half-marathoners, $95 for the 10k and $60 for the 5k. Prices rise every few months until each race sells out.

But let’s be realistic. If those races follow suit to runDisney’s new Dopey Challenge and Dumbo Double Dare, some events may sell out in the first few days. Heck, Marathon weekend’s Minnie Mouse 10K sold out in hours!

Honestly, I hadn’t planned to head to Florida next February. I had already decided the Dopey Challenge was too rich for my blood, that I couldn’t swing a trip to either Disney park next winter after a coast-to-coast running journey in January.

My tune changed when I heard rumblings of the new Glass Slipper Challenge and pink coast-to-coast medal. Another bi-coastal running journey wasn’t likely, but I was suddenly thrilled I hadn’t signed up for Dopey. But I knew I could swing another journey south to visit and run with good friends.

And just what is the Glass Slipper Challenge? It’s a 10K race and a half marathon over the course to 2 days. That’s 19.3 miles of princess bliss!

Brooke, our resident shoe fan, said she knew right away she wanted to take part.

“I want to run the glass slipper challenge because the medal must be a shoe, right? And I’d never pass that up.” — Brooke

Brooke, Meri and Vic with Cinderella and Prince Charming at the 2012 Princess half

Heather was also thrilled to learn about the Glass Slipper Challenge, since she missed out on registering for the Dumbo earlier this year. Heather said her one and only Princess half experience (in 2012) was rough, as she nursed an injury through 13.1 miles.

Her goal? To better her previous race time and push her self past her comfort zone.

Heather and her beau as Snow White and her Prince after Princess 2012

As for me, I am beyond thrilled to be tackling a shorter distance running challenge, mid winter, with two fantastic friends.

Brooke

I think the Glass Slipper challenge is awesome because it’s an opportunity to do one of the crazy back-to-back Disney races without a massive amount of miles. I think it’s cool that so many runners want to challenge themselves with that type of mileage over a single weekend, but I have no desire to run a Goofy or a Dopey. Not for all the bling and bragging rights in the world!

Heather

I absolutely love that runDisney is adding a 10k option and “challenge” to their race weekends. My favorite distance is the 10k so I’m thrilled for that and honestly the option to sign up for the challenge and earn a little extra bling always makes me happy. My only real concern is in the quest for the extra bling, especially in the inaugural years I wonder if some people that are not conditioned for the added miles may jump in too fast. I love the idea of Dopey but no way am I ready to tackle a full alone, so 48.6 miles would be foolish to try.

And we three princesses are well into costume-planning mode. We all plan to dress as Rapunzel for the 10K. Plans for our second costumes are still in the works, and will likely stay under wraps until the big weekend. But we do plan to don some Team Sparkle skirts!

We plan to run with Grete while in EPCOT too!

Chick Brooke has never run in costume before. Heather is an expert costume designer — she’s been everyone from Snow White to Tinkerbell!

And yes, we realize runDisney races aren’t cheap.

Heather downsized her Dumbo plans to a 10k and skipped other runs she was eying in order to make her Glass Slipper trip happen.

I passed on Dopey and will skip other outings to make the trek.

But as Heather noted, there’s just something magical about running Disney.

“I was running down Main Street USA towards the castle, the sun was coming up behind it and I honestly stopped for a minute, took a mental picture and said to myself ‘this is what it’s all about.’ That moment brought tears to my eyes.” — Heather.

Will you be running the Glass Slipper Challenge? What do you think of the new runDisney lineup? What do you sacrifice to take race-cations? Tell us in the comments below!

Post publication note: Here are more registration and Princess weekend details from my friend Heather. She’s a different Heather than pictured above, but her love of Disney and fitness are just as strong!

Are you a Kindrunner?

June 3, 2013 by vfreile

Last week we broke the news – the Scootadoot chicks have become Kindrunner brand ambassadors!

What is Kindrunner, you ask? A brand-new New Jersey-based online business where all can purchase running shoes (at below-retail prices, according company officials), and running accessories such as watches, energy gels, recovery products and more.

But as we mentioned in our previous post, customers may donate old shoes, shipping them for FREE to the fine folks at Kindrunner. AND you get reward coupons for your used shoes. Sweet!

Here’s how it works:

Customers head to the Kindrunner website to shop. After purchasing footwear, your items will be shipped to you. You can then reuse the Kindrunner shipping box by placing one or more pairs of your retired running shoes inside. Seal the box, slap on the prepaid label and send it off.

The label will be scanned when the box is returned to Kindrunner headquarters. Each return label earns the customer $10 in Kindness Cash Rewards. Those points can then be used to purchase any item on the Kindrunner site.

(Please note: You only get $10 worth of cash rewards per pair of shoe ordered from Kindrunner. If you order one pair and return several old pairs, you get $10 in cash rewards. But, for example. if you order five new pairs from Kindrunner at once and return five retired pairs, you would get $50 in cash rewards for future purchases.)

Unsure what to buy? Kindrunner offers expert product review videos on each item sold on the site. To view reviews go to Kindrunner’s YouTube site.

Not happy with your purchase? Send it back. A customer has 365 days to return any product, as long as it’s in its original packaging and condition. If you are injured and unable to wear your new shoes or your doctor suggests you try a different pair, no problem. Return them, no questions asked.

And if that’s not enough, the company’s offered “Free Socks for Life” to their first 500 customers. Each time one of the first 500 customers returns and purchases a new pair of shoes, the order will ship with a free pair of socks of the runner’s choice.

I bought a pair of new shoes via Kindrunner on Saturday, launch day. I’ve been looking for a new brand and after listening to some expert videos on the site, decided to give Mizunos a whirl.

And, I already have a pile of discarded shoes ready to send back.

Discarded shoes are then shipped to donation charity partners, including Soles 4 Souls, and the MORE Foundation Group, to assist people in need. That’s right, your retired sneakers get a second life outside your closet or a landfill.

The Scootadoot chicks are Kindrunner brand ambassadors. Opinions are our own.

What’s on your running wish list? Do you shop online or in a store?

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