Your medals and Olympic gold

July 29, 2013 by vfreile

You all have some great bling!

Last week I shared my special medals with you and learned about your favorite awards! Several of you shared some pics and stories with me as well. Thank you! Here’s our community album;

KYLE

My favorite (thus far) is my first. I ran the St. Jude Half Marathon in 2011. It was a goal to complete a half before turning 30 – and beat it by a few days – and a milestone after fighting to lose weight.

Kyle blogs as Running Large

JENN

Here’s me wearing my favorite medal. It’s from the 2013 Florida Striders Memorial Day 5K in Orange Park, FL.

It’s really nothing amazing, medal-wise, but this was my first medal for my first 5K, and so it will always hold a special place in my heart.

Jenn blogs as Runs with Pugs

LISA

This is a picture of my husband and I at the Marine Corps Marathon 2012. This was his first marathon and my third. I love this one because well, 1) it’s just awesome! 2) we ran for an awesome charity – Team Fisher House and 3) I got to run with my husband for 26.2 miles and we never get to run together.

HEATHER G.

All my medals are from rowing. I think Vic and I have a few that we earned together. Similar theme to everyone else – it was my first. Also, the ONLY medal I got in college. Four years of HARD work rowing Division 1 and that medal (and a watch) are all I have to show for it! (Don’t worry; I’ve won a bunch since this one, all in rowing.)

The medal is from the Atlantic 10 conference championships in collegiate women’s rowing. On the back it says:

Rowing
Quad
2nd Place
2000

I’ve only recently started running and have yet to get a medal for it, but I’m working on it.

KARIEN

It is from the Nike We Run Jozi 10K race in 2012 – a race that took us through the township of Alexandra – one of the poorest townships in South Africa. I initially entered this race just to be a part of the experience ( it formed part of a series of races held simultaneously in 34 cities and 17 countries, with a total of 400 000 runners taking part), but I got so much more out of it. It touched my heart.

We ran past shanties and shacks, with the poorest of the poor lining the streets and cheering us on with all they had. Old ladies were dressed in their Sunday best for the occasion; little kids dressed in threads shrieked with delight as runners high-five’d them; and grey-haired old grandpa’s shook their heads at the passing spectacle. This the medal reminds me to count my blessings and celebrate life!

Karien blogs at Running the Race.

SUZAN

My first one, Suzan said of the September 2011 Jailbreak 5K race. I had no idea how good that thing would feel. I had only been running a few months and from that moment on, I was hooked.

Suzan blogs at Welcome to the Nuthouse

HEATHER B.

It was July 11, 2010 it was at Angels Stadium, The Big A in Anaheim it was called the MLB All-Star Game 5k.

I’m a life long Angels fan so getting to run through the stadium was awesome. The atmosphere was fun, I mentioned to a fellow runner that it was my first run, she told her friends and they were all super excited for me. AND my bestie drove up from San Diego to cheer me on.

Heather blogs at Heather in the Middle

MER

I’ll admit, one of the first things I look at when planning to do a race is whether it has a medal. No shame at all, that’s how I roll (not that a lack of medal dissuades me).

One of my favorites is from Philadelphia’s Broad Street 10-miler in 2013. I heard about this race when I was new to running and it was the first ever that I placed on my bucket list. There were many emotions as I ran that day and it easily ranked as one of my favorite races that I’ve done thus far.

Mer blogs at Scoot and you can find her on twitter too!

Look at my shiny new medal! Just kidding. This gold medal from the 2012 summer Olympics in London belongs to Jenn Suhr, who lives just outside Rochester, NY, and last fall came to visit the paper I work for to speak about her Olympic experience and thank us for our coverage. She graciously allowed reporters and editors to hold and pose with her medal. It’s really heavy, by the way.

Oh, and she congratulated me on running Chicago Marathon 2 days prior, telling me how incredible she thought that was. Did I mention Jenn Suhr is pretty darn awesome?

(Side note. I really look short in this pic. I’m not. Jenn is incredibly tall and lean!)

Have you ever run a race just for the medal? Did you ever dream of going to the Olympics, like Jenn? What sport was your dream sport? (me? Swimming!) Tell us in the comments.

Shiny happy medals

July 24, 2013 by vfreile

Some runners wear their medals with pride for days after the big race. Others toss them in a bag- or in the bin- never to be seen again.

I fall somewhere in the middle. I often wear my medal home from an event – a road race, regatta or (throwback) swim meet. But they all wind up in a shoebox or a basket a day or two later.

Meet the basket

Of course I have favorites – often because the bling is beautiful. But typically it’s because I loved the race.

Here are a few of my faves, and my reasons why.

Mardi Gras Half Marathon 2010

I ran the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras half several years ago, which has since been renamed the Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans. I loved everything about this event, it was my second-ever half marathon and I was incredibly well-prepared. The course was beautiful, I ran solo and paced myself well, besting my previous PR by more than 7 minutes.

Love the beads!

Philadelphia Marathon 2010

The 26.2-course through the City of Brotherly Love was my first marathon, so this race will always hold a special place in my heart. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter high-fived me as I crossed the finish line, moments before this bad boy was placed around my neck. Like the course, the medal did not disappoint either. Isn’t it pretty?

First is the best!

ScotiaBank Waterfront Toronto Half Marathon 2011

This race has my standing PR, and my heart. I felt like I flew as I ran along the northern edge of Lake Ontario on that crisp, fall day. Part of the course runs through downtown Toronto (and the CN Tower), much is along the waterfront, hence the name of the race. The year I ran, a 100-year-old man completed the full marathon course, held alongside the half. He was such an inspiration.

Nice medal, eh?

Random 5k 2012

The medal is tiny, but I earned it all by myself. I placed third in my age group at a small 5k race in Rochester, NY and received this medal. It was a surprise that definitely made me smile.

a teeny, tiny prize

My runDisney week of medals – 2013

I affectionately call this batch my runDisney Ultra. I raced 52.4 miles through Disney parks over an eight-day stretch in January. I ran the Goofy Challenge – that’s the half marathon through Walt Disney World on Saturday followed by the full marathon on Sunday. Then I flew to California, where I ran the Tinkerbell half marathon the following weekend. It was an incredible experience, which I tackled in memory of two local firefighters killed in the line of duty several weeks prior. Ironically, my third race was by far my fastest of the trio.

My runDisney Ultra stash

I have another medal that doubles as a bottle opener (so awesome!) and several with broken clasps. Meh. There’s even one I tried to dodge when I had a particularly cruddy race. And this fall, I hear I’ll be getting one made from a real horseshoe.

But I want to hear all about YOUR favorite medals!

Tell me all about your top bling in the comments below. What’s your favorite and why?

What races – and let’s face it, which medals – are on your wish list?

Please send along photo of your fave medal (wearing it or not) to scootadoot AT gmail.com and your reason why, and I will create a follow up post next week! Please also include your name and a link to your blog or twitter handle.

What an (Iron)woman!

July 16, 2013 by vfreile

Over the weekend, I watched a friend and colleague achieve an impressive long-term goal. Those of you who already follow me on twitter know my news: Jessica is a half-IRONWOMAN!

That’s right. Jessica set her sights on her goal and worked steadily toward the prize, which in this case was among one of the coolest, greenest medals I have seen in a long time.

Yes, those are bicycle gears. What an incredible medal!

For folks not familiar with Ironman and half-Ironman races, this was the Musselman. The triathlon includes a 1.2-mile swim in Seneca Lake, a 56-mile bike ride in the northern Finger Lakes and a half-marathon (run) in and around Geneva, New York.

I headed to Geneva Saturday afternoon and quickly met up with Jessica, who had headed to the race site one day earlier. Despite what she may say, she appeared to be pretty calm about her pending race the following morning.

At dinner that night, we learned that a local man, Michael Coyle of Irondequoit, died from injuries he suffered in a crash while racing the mini-Mussel, a sprint triathlon that was part of Musselman weekend. We were shocked. Race organizers announced the news and told everyone they would hold the Sunday race as scheduled.

I won’t give you a detailed rundown of Sunday — Jessica is going to share her thoughts with you all next week! Instead, I’m going to share a few high-lights and photos.

First: Here’s a cool Storify of tweets from race weekend! You might recognize my name — as a few of my tweets are in there.

The day was incredible. We arrived shortly after sunrise and were greeted to this stellar view:

Sunrise in Seneca Lake State Park

I managed to catch Jessica at each of her transitions. The swim to bike and the bike to run, and again at the end. Here’s my fave pic:

Jessica waves and smiles as she bolts from the water

I brought my phone charger and found a plug. As a result, I could tweet like a madwoman. And I did.

Saw and chatted with a few friends from Rochester as they cheered along others and volunteered.

I spent a good chunk of time lying by the lake. Ah. What a day.

What a view (and my legs look huge)

And I managed to snap a shot of the race winner Doug MacLean of Ithaca. He was impressive to watch (and fun to chat with later!). Congrats Doug!

Winner! Doug MacLean From Ithaca, Ny. Finished in 4:20 #musselman @musselmantri @GenevaNYFLX pic.twitter.com/1h32gl55PI

— Victoria Freile (@vfreile) July 14, 2013

I had a lot of down time while Jessica rode her bike so I volunteered in the food tent. One woman donated more than 1,000 HOMEMADE chocolate chip cookies for the athletes.

(Side note- Red Jacket Orchards‘ apple juice is incredible. Tri it. Haha, I’m funny.)

See? My shirt and pin.

I’ve never been thanked by so many people in my life. You are welcome. You are all the inspiration.

Check back to Scoot next week for a recap of Jessica’s race!

Have you ever considered or completed a triathlon? What entices you? What scares you? Tell us in the comments!

Recipe Box: Aunt Martha’s Strawberry Pie

July 7, 2013 by vfreile

I love strawberries. They are my favorite summer treat. Strawberry jam, strawberry scones, strawberries with cream, homemade strawberry ice cream, … the possibilities are endless!

My dear Aunt Martha makes an incredible summer berry pie. Heck, her desserts are amazing. PERIOD.

After I shared homemade pie pics earlier this summer, Aunt Martha encouraged me to also share her simple recipe, which we both regularly tweak. I should note, while it’s lighter than most pies, it’s definitely not considered low-fat. It’s a treat.

To make the graham cracker crust, combine one packet of crushed graham crackers with 3 Tbsp. sugar and 3 Tbsp. of melted butter. Firmly press mixture into 9-inch pie pan and BAKE at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Set aside to allow crust to cool.

Dice 1 quart of strawberries. Cut them small. For real. It takes longer, but it’s worth it.

Boil 1 cup of water, 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, 1 cup of sugar. Mix well. Once it’s clear, add one small box of strawberry jello mix. Let boil a few minutes. Move entire pot to the fridge.

While jello mixture cools in fridge for 10-15 minutes, place diced strawberries in the graham cracker shell.

Pour the jello mixture over the berries and spread it evenly without overflowing the sides of the crust. Move the pie back into the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours. I usually let it chill for 3-4 hours before I dig in.

The pie falls apart on me if I dig in too early. Doesn’t bother me since it all goes down the same. But if that’s something you care about, note that it will likely crumble if you don’t let it properly chill.

Serve with whipped topping. I use light cool whip, but any whipped topping will do.

Dig in and enjoy! Hope you all like this pie as much as we do!

What’s your favorite homemade summer treat?

Chick Chat: Whatcha Reading?

July 5, 2013 by scootadoot

We’ve mentioned before that we chicks love reading. In fact, most of our friendships were formed while chatting about our favorite writers, words, phrases and fictional characters. (And in a plot twist, we started a fitness blog. Crazy, huh?)

We share books with each other all the time, and today, we’re sharing some of our favorites with you.
BEC

What was the last book you read?

I haven’t had much time to read lately, but I did manage to finish Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan. It was good, although I think part of the reason I enjoyed it so much is that it takes place in my local area so I knew a lot of the locations in the book.

Name one book that you wish all of your friends would read.

Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster. Really, anything by Jen Lancaster, but this one is my favorite. The author is frank, and funny, and basically my spirit animal.

Top books on your summer reading list?

Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham and From Notting Hill with Love… Actually by Ali McNamara. Both of these fall into my chick lit wheelhouse, and I think they’ll be fab while lounging by the pool. After an energetic swim, bien sur.

The Nonrunner’s Marathon Guide for Women: Get Off Your Butt and On with Your Training by Dawn Dais. This was recommended to me for the laughs, and considering that I’m supposed to be training for my first half, I’m hoping it will have good tips. I may follow this up with Triathalon for the Every Woman: You Can Be a Triathlete. Yes. You. by Meredith Atwood, Bree Wee and Chrissie Wellington because I really want to do a triathalon within the next few years. Stop laughing.

The Last Summer of You and Me by Ann Brashares. I’ve been reading this for over a year. It pick it up, read some, put it down, forget all about it, find it under a pile of laundry, read some more. I really like it, so I’m not exactly sure why I’m not motivated to keep reading, but I am bound and determined to finish it this summer. Which I said last summer. So there’s that.

CAM

What was the last book you read?

I’m currently reading Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert, the 2nd book in the Dune series. It’s the kind of book you need to sit down for a week and read all the way through, ignoring every other obligation. Which is why I’m still reading it. I just haven’t had one of those weeks yet!

Name one book that you wish all of your friends would read.

The Four Agreements. This book changed my life. I listen to parts of it every day, especially the part about not taking things personally. (I’m a huge fan of audio books.)

Top books on your summer reading list?

The Gunslinger by Stephen King
Watchmen Graphic Novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Siege and Storm by Leigh Barduga

And so many more!!! You can check out my whole freaking list on Goodreads!

Cam’s nightstand, covered in books.

JESS

What was the last book you read?

Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNamara. It’s a young adult novel and, as the title indicates, quite lovely. Mister Jess always says, “do you think it’s weird that you read the same books as 12-year-old girls?”

No. No, I don’t.

Name one book that you wish all of your friends would read.

In theory I would say The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. However, I don’t think I have a friend who hasn’t read it and loved it and cried over it. It is one of my favorite books of all time and worthy of everyone’s time.

Top books on your summer reading list?

I just started NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children, which so far is a pretty fascinating read about child development and how modern strategies for nurturing kids might not be so nurturing after all.

I also have The Book Thief and Me Talk Pretty One Day on my list, but I’ll probably end up reading a number of fluffy YA books!

Jess loves to read in this big, cozy chair.

MER

What was the last book you read?

The last book I read in its entirety was Let The Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger. I started reading Deathless (Catherynne M. Valente) at the recommendation of a friend and the writing was incredibly rich and vivid. But at the time I began reading, I couldn’t totally immerse myself so I plan to pick it up again when I have a few days to throw myself into it. When I read a good book, I become totally engaged, where things like laundry and dishes sort of fall to the wayside. So I need a situation where that’s ideal. (Basically, I need a mom. Or at least for my kids to be at camp.)

Name one book that you wish all of your friends would read.

Just one? Within the past couple of months I read Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, which I thought was pretty brilliant. The characters weren’t characters, they were people; as a reader, I really appreciate when authors are able to give their characters so much dimension that I’m worried about their well being after the book is over and I’m out of their world.

I tend to lean toward reading Young Adult books. Not necessarily because that was the best time in my life; it was not. But I suppose it’s when the feelings run rampant and characters are more likely to do things that they wouldn’t as adults. There’s such a fine line between believability and taking it a step too far so when an author is able to find that very delicate balance on the line, I notice and respect it.

Top books on your summer reading list?

Currently I’m reading The History of Love by Nicole Krauss (thanks to Kyle for that rec!). I’m hoping to return to Deathless. And just today, we had to stop at Barnes and Noble for a potty break for Littleberry. Since we were there, I bought Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan.

No e-reader for Mer! (Just kidding, she has one of those too.)

VIC

What was the last book you read?

Dead Ever After, the final book in the Sookie Stackhouse series, by Charlaine Harris
(I just mailed a pic of this – why? Because I borrowed it from the library a few weeks back and was the FIRST person to borrow/read that copy) that’s never happened to me before… was really excited about it. Book was meh.

Name one book that you wish all of your friends would read.

The Fault in our Stars by John Green (Brooke loaned this to me! Thanks B!)

Top books on your summer reading list?

Inferno by Dan Brown
Revenge Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

I just started reading J.K. Rowling’s latest, The Casual Vacancy. So far so good. I borrowed this one from the library too because I love not having to buy new books to enjoy them!

Vic was the first reader to borrow this book from her local library.

BROOKE

What was the last book you read?

Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan, which made me laugh so hard. I kept taking screen shots of passages to text to my husband until I finally told him he just had to read the entire thing.

Name one book that you wish all of your friends would read.

This is a tough question because I always want my friends to read everything I read. It’s one of the reasons I still buy actual books; so I can loan them. Wonder by R.J. Palacio is a beautiful book that made me want to hug all of the characters by the end. And I’m always bugging people to read the Divergent series because FOUR. The final book will be out this year and the movie is coming and FOUR.

Top books on your summer reading list?

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak and David Sedaris’s new one; Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls. I also picked up the first Harry Potter on audio book so maybe I’ll finally get around to those. (I know. I knowwwwww. We can still be friends, right?)

Some of Brooke’s summer reading.

What’s your favorite book? Tell us what’s on your summer reading list! Or you know, flail over Four with Brooke. (or lecture her about reading Harry Potter)

ENERGYbits review and giveaway

July 2, 2013 by vfreile

I’ve been hearing about ENERGYbits for months, but I really wasn’t sure what to expect.

I knew the bits are 100% Spirulina algae – and a power food with more than 60% protein. In short, it means consumed ENERGYbits quickly turn to glucose after taken…. And as a result give you a steady stream of energy sans chemicals.

I knew they were completely natural – organic, vegan and gluten-free. All of which really appealed to me since so many seemingly healthy products add chemicals or sugar to the mix.

And I knew people raved about them.

Enter the ENERGYbits social media team, who were kind enough to provide me a sample to try and a second sample FOR ONE LUCKY READER! (More on that below.)

My sample tin contained enough bits for two tests.

ENERGYbits in my hot little hand

I decided to test two scenarios – a long run and at the start of a potentially long work day. After all, these would likely be two scenarios I’d be using said bits.

I tested both out last week, and I wasn’t disappointed.

A serving size of ENERGYbits is about 30 tabs. Each bit is a speck smaller than an Advil. They went down pretty easily for me when chased by water. I split them into two handfuls.

On the run
I swallowed a handful of bits at about 30 minutes before my long run last weekend, a hilly 6-miler in Mendon Ponds Park in suburban Rochester, NY. Since this was my first attempt in swallowing bits before exercising, I was a little concerned they might not stay down. (They did, for the record.)

I knew I’d need a little extra oomph as I ran Saturday since I tackled rolling hills with my running pal Traci and a large community running group. For me, it was the first week of my fall marathon training plan, hence the short mileage.

We headed off and I felt great. I was chatty, which as my running pals know, is a sure sign that I am feeling strong.

As we hit the halfway point of our route, I was still feeling fantastic! I was strong, steady and on a mission. I actually passed our group’s pacer twice. He politely reeled me back in with some wit and a smile.

Once finished, I was still feeling good. Yes, of course I felt like I ran 6 miles, but I felt as though I could keep running. Since the skies were about to open up, we drove back home. And the skies opened up moments later.

I had an abundance of energy though, so I ran errands!

On the job
I ate the bits at the start of what ended up being a rather long work day. I’d love to tell you I has super strength and laser-like focus all day, but I’d be fibbing. I DID however, not feel tired or interested in a second cup of coffee. I also didn’t snack all morning. I felt very full, which is not my norm.

Ask my colleagues, I’m a snacker.

So… score two for the bits.

A tin of bits, hanging on my keyboard

I was pleased with my test experiments and am definitely planning to buy more ENERGYbits. The lone drawback is the price. It’s $115 for a bag of 1,000 tabs. That said, that settles out at 33 servings of bits for about $3.50 per serving.

When I do the math it seems way more reasonable.

Plus, discount codes are aplenty. For a 10% discount, type BLOG into coupon box at checkout.

Still too rich for your blood? The company offers a sampling program. Just reach out to them via Twitter and tell them of your interests (and that the Scoot A Doot chicks sent you). Or send a note to Jonathan at jlevitt AT ENERGYbits.com and he’ll share the details.

The giveaway

One lucky reader will receive a sample tin of ENERGYbits. Just click on the Rafflecopter image below to enter.

Click the pic to enter

Scoot a Doot’s ENERGYbits giveaway begins 7/2/13 and ends 7/10/13 at midnight. Winner will need to provide their name, address and email to us so we may pass it along to ENERGYbits.

What do you eat for fuel before a long run? Have you ever tried eating algae? Tell us in the comments!

We are Family

June 27, 2013 by vfreile

My cousin Kristen and I are a decade apart. But as we grow older, we also grow closer.

Our mothers are sisters, and like Kristen and me there’s a large gap between them — 8 years. But as they aged, their bond has strengthened.

Kristen and I have much in common — our hair color, posture, body type and other family traits. Our love of Harry Potter, dark chocolate, hiking and good wine are also not to be forgotten.

But most importantly, we’re family. We share an unconditional love that sees one another through tears and laughter. I often describe Kristen and her brother Keith as my younger siblings rather than my lone first cousins.

Opening Christmas gifts with Kristen in 1989.

Hiking with Kristen in 2003.

With Keith and Kristen at my 2005 wedding. (I look tired.)

Kristen turns 21. Kristen, Keith and me toast with a legal drink (2009)

Hiking in 2011 with Keith’s wife Laura and Kristen

Cousins, 2013

We tease one another and confide in each other. We spar, we hug, we cook and eat (a lot) and we travel together. We share the good and bad, even when we feel alone.

After all, who else understands what it’s like to head to our grandparents’ house for Easter dinner where succotash and sliced ham are divvied with military-style precision? And who else comprehends a family throwdown mid-vacation that ends by baking bread then breaking bread?

And of course there’s the family tradition of stuffing the fridge to the gills, mainly with freshly-picked veggies from the garden.

We do.

Kristen was actually born while I celebrated my 11th birthday with friends at a roller rink. I was thrilled to share the day with her and even more excited to meet her several weeks later.

Last weekend, our family gathered in Bethlehem, PA to celebrate Kristen’s wedding. She married her best friend Erik and we welcomed him to our slice of insanity with open arms. Kristen was a stunning bride – confident, happy, gracious and glowing.

Aunt Martha, my mother Barbara, me and Kristen

We don’t see each other as often as we’d like. But when we do gather, we have a great time.

I feel so blessed to have such incredible, strong and loving women in my family. Sure, we all trip and make mistakes, but we learn from those errors. We evolve, we grow, we become who we are today.

What’s the last family gathering you attended? Are you like me, with a close family that lives far away? How do you cope?

Chick Chat: Who’s who? And why?

June 21, 2013 by Meridith

What’s in a name? And what’s in a name that we get to choose for ourselves? And if asked to pick a pic, any pic at all, to share with Scoot a Doot readers, what would it be?

VICTORIA: My userID, VFreile, is the least inventive of the Scoot a Doot bunch. It’s my first initial and my last name. It’s the same for my twitter handle and instagram account and pretty much anything I use professionally. I kept it simple because of my job. As a newspaper reporter I cover a lot of tragedy, so using something cute or trendy just wasn’t an option.

This pic was taken last year by a colleague in the Hall of Justice. I was reviewing my notes and calling my editor with an update (to be posted online) in between court cases. I can’t specifically remember the two cases involved, just that they were high-interest. But I do recall my colleague snapping this pic after the first court appearance ended, before the second.

REBECCA: Bec2point0 – It’s like me, only better! I have a history of reinventing myself. Pretty regularly, actually. I’m a writer. I hate writing. I’m a runner. I don’t feel like running anymore. I’m not a runner; but I’m a vegan! Where is the cheese?? Lather, rinse, repeat.

I feel like most of my life I’ve been in a constant state of evolution. I don’t really know what I want to be when I grow up, and I think that’s okay. Because no matter what I am, I’m always me.

Here’s me with my fellow Scooters Cam and Mer, and honorary Chick Jenn, wandering the streets of Boston, eating chocolate and just being us.

CAMILLE: Camoozle is the blending of my first and last name sounds. It originally started with my “Who” name. Every good teacher has a Who name, it’s mandated in our credential. I was christened Cammy Zoo Who. Which eventually got shortened to Cammy Zoo, then, out of sheer laziness, got turned into Camoozle.

My Rainbow Sisters were the first to nickname me Cammy Zoo.

MERIDITH: When I was a wee lass, I was an only child. As an only child I had an overactive imagination, which included my imaginary friend: Jenereesa.

Jenereesa was a pretty cool chick. She opened doors for me (aka automatic doors – remember when you had to step on a mat to make that happen?) and was always down to take the blame if we did something wrong. She also could do what I could not because she was magical.

Somewhere along the way, right around the time that I began my healthy living journey, she reappeared as the “person” I wanted to become.

JESSICA: WriteitDownJess – I have a terrible memory and need to write things down in order to remember them. I’m always telling myself, “write it down, Jess!” Beyond that, I’ve always been a bit of a storyteller (in written form only. Please don’t ever ask me to tell a story if it’s not written out), so it seemed like a fitting name for me.

My personal motto:

BROOKE: BeeWhoBabbles – Because my first name is Brooke, I hear some variation of “Oh, babbling Brooke?” from at least half the people I meet. (Clever, no?) When I set up my twitter account, I tried to use “bwhobabbles”, but it was already taken. I didn’t want to use that name plus numbers, so I settled on “beewhobabbles” and now, I like that better. It’s a perkier, cutesy spelling and I can be a chatterbox- so it fits.

My new favorite running shirt (that I haven’t actually run in yet) from Run Pretty Far. It’s super lightweight, soft, and I put it on as soon as it arrived. Love!

What’s the story, morning glory? What’s the word, hummingbird? How’d you settle on your name?

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!

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?

Scootadoot

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Tag Archives: Vic

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Middle of the pack

June StrideBox