10 Things You Need to Know Before Marrying a Runner-Girl

I am getting married in a little over 2 months (EEK!). Of course all relationships require a little adjusting, but I think being in a relationship with a runner requires a little extra adjustment. Runners are a special breed! Here are 10 things that anyone considering marrying a runner should know!

1. She will get very sweaty and very smelly. Don't comment on this (and no nose wrinkles either!). Give her a big hug when she finishes a race anyway. 

2. Her feet probably won't be pretty. They will be bloody, blistered, bruised, and callused. You are obligated to rub them anyway. 

3. She will have an insane number of shoes and continue to get more. Not only will she have the heels, wedges, flats, etc that every woman has, but she will also need trainers, trail shoes, racing flats, etc. Just plan to give her most of the shoe storage in the closet and don't look at her credit card bill. 

4. She will eat a lot. A LOT. Don't comment when she eats twice as much as you do. Just have a snack waiting for her when she gets home and be prepared to go get her ice cream at night when she is too tired to get off the couch.

5. She will be a little crazy on days when she doesn't get a run in. Just try to humor her.

6. She will probably spend a fair amount of time in compression socks. I know they aren't the sexiest thing ever, but they work. Even if she is that crazy girl in the airport wearing shorts, compression socks, and sandals you should still walk next to her and hold her hand.

7. She will probably wear some sort of fanny pack. Again, not the sexiest thing. But when you are out running for several hours, you need a way to haul your water, fuel, and phone.

8. She will sign up for a race and then whine and complain about having to get up too early to run, or having to run in the rain or extreme heat, or that she is too tired, etc. Don't point out that she did this to herself. 

9. She will try to plan your vacations around races. But hey, they have races in all kinds of fun places. Plus, after you spend a day supporting her at a race, she will have to do whatever you want the next day.

10. She will do strange stretches and other recovery tricks no matter where you are. It may be a little distracting if she is foam rolling like a fool while you are watching TV, or a little embarrassing if she is down-dogging in an airport, but it could be worse. 

Is your significant other a runner? Which of your running habits do they think is the weirdest?

Memorial Day on Mt. Desert Island

After my fun Craft Beer Race Saturday, I was ready for more fun. Sunday morning Breezy and I headed out on a mini girls road trip to Mt. Desert Island. Maine is such a big state, filled with so many beautiful things to see, and sometimes I don't take advantage. Mt. Desert is home to Acadia National Park and the cute town of Bar Harbor.

We filled 2 days to the brim with nature, locally made beer/wine, yummy food, and fun! And we found a hotel that cost $36 so it was cheap too!

1. The view from the top of Cadillac Mountain
2. Along Otter Cliffs in Acadia
3. Pulled pork and blueberry beer at Atlantic Brewing Company
4. Bass Harbor Head Light
5. Thunder Hole in Acadia
6. Strawberry rhubarb margaritas at Side Street Cafe

How was your long weekend?

That time I ran the Craft Brew Race and almost got a St. Bernard

R came home from work at 7 am this morning and woke me up to let me know that the Animal Refuge League had a St. Bernard up for adoption. We weren't really thinking of getting a new dog soon, but I LOVE big, fluffy, drooly dogs and it is really rare that they are available at the shelter. So after my metabolic conditioning class, we headed to the ARL.

Penny

We were first in line to meet Penny. She was the sweetest more gentle dog, but we ultimately decided she just wasn't right for us. She has a lot of health problems, the meet and greet with our current dog didn't go that well, and she made my allergies crazy. It was hard to walk away but there was already a line of people waiting to see her next, so I know she will go to a good home!

I dropped R off to finally get some sleep and headed off to my next adventure- the Portland Maine Craft Brew Race. This is a new series that combines a 5k with a beer fest.

I convinced my best friend Breezy to do it with me. She isn't a runner, but I won her over with the promise of unlimited free beer after the race. The course was selected for its proximity to the expo where the beer fest was held, and certainly not for the scenery. It was on the busiest, ugliest roads in Portland. The roads weren't closed, but they did put out cones to widen the shoulder and the traffic didn't bother me. There were some small rolling hills, but nothing major.

I didn't have any particular goals for the race. Between dog induced allergies, already having done a hard boot camp class, and the strange middle of the day start time (I don't usually eat before 5 k's), my only goal was to beat my time from the run portion of last weekend's tri. I ran without my watch, but at mile 1 saw the woman next to me check her watch, so I asked what our pace was. 7:18. Well, okay then, game on. From then on, I pushed a little harder, but never went totally flat out. I was thrilled to see 22 something on the clock as I turned onto the track where we finished. I ended up finishing in 22:45 which is a 7:19 pace!! The medal is pretty neat- it has a built in bottle opener!

Then it was on to the important things- beer! There were tons of Maine craft brewers there and we could get as many tastes as we wanted. This was nice because there was no pressure. If I didn't like something, I just dumped it and moved on. There were a lot of names I recognized, but also lots of new ones. It was so cool to see how many different types of awesome beer are being made right here in Maine. Pretzel Thins also had a free sample booth with a genius idea- pretzel necklaces! They knew we'd have our hands full of beer- so we could string our pretzels onto a necklace for hands free eating.

So no St. Bernard, but I did run a smoking fast (for me) 5k, and taste a lot of yummy beer. Happy Saturday!

Help Me Runner Friends

Okay runner friends, I need some recommendations. I need to change up a couple of my running accessories.

Sadly after many years (6? 8?) my beloved Garmin 405 is starting to die. The battery only lasts about 2 hours, so during marathon training it couldn't make it through all the way through my long runs. Plus getting it in exactly the right position on the charger so it actually charges takes about 10 minutes and I get so frustrated.

So, I need a new watch!

I've seen the Garmin 210 with a heart rate monitor for less than $150. I have always wanted a heart rate monitor and this watch looks like it has most everything I need. All I really use is basic pace/distance, laps, and intervals.

Any feedback on this watch? Or any other watches that you love?

The second thing is sunscreen. Now that I'm about to turn 30, I'm starting to notice all these lines and wrinkles starting on my face. It's probably time to get with it and start wearing sunscreen when I run. I am pretty diligent about wearing it during the rest of my life, but I haven't been able to commit to wearing it running because it always gets in my eyes!

10 minutes in and this is stinging my eyes

Who has a good sunscreen that you can put on immediately before running?

Any other running things you are totally loving lately?

Pure LYFT {Product Review}

Do you eat or drink anything before your morning workouts? 

For early morning workouts, I've found that I can't eat or I feel sick but I definitely notice that I feel better and perform better if I've had some coffee. However, I also like to maximize my sleep time and stay in bed until the last minute. I don't want to wake up 15 minutes earlier to make coffee and drink a mug before heading out. Plus, if I make the coffee before I run the leftovers taste all burned and gross by the time I drink my post-run coffee. (Yep I am one of those people when it comes to my coffee). 

So I was intrigued when I had a chance to try Pure LYFT, which are all natural caffeine sticks. I tend to stay clear of energy drinks or other caffeine products because they tend to contain a lot of sugar and scary chemicals. But, Pure LYFT looked pretty clean: the caffeine comes from natural green coffee bean extract, it has vitamins A and B, no artificial flavors, sweeteners or preservatives, and no calories. 

These do not slow me down at all in the morning. All you have to do is peel off the sticker on the stick and plop it in your water. Give it a little stir and you're good to go. 

It basically has no taste and dissolves quickly so it just tastes like plain water. I've been using them before my early morning gym sessions. I drink half the bottle on the way to the gym and the rest during the first half of my workout. Saturday is my long day at the gym: a 45 minute metabolic conditioning class, 20 minutes of upper-body strength, and then a 30 minute run. If I don't have anything to eat or drink, I usually start to fade by my strength session. But, with Pure Lyft I powered right through!

I still love my coffee, and will continue to rely on it as my primary source of caffeine, but I will definitely continue to use Pure Lyft for my early morning workouts.

Disclaimer: I was provided with a free sample of Pure Lyft, but as always, all opinions are my own. I will never pretend to like something just because I got it for free!

Tri for thr Y 2014 Race Recap

Sunday was my third year competing in the Tri for the Y and the lesson I learned is not to get too overconfident and not pay attention to race prep! Friday and Saturday were busy days, so right before bed Saturday night I finally, and quickly, tossed all my race gear in a bag and put my bike on my car. Sunday morning I woke up and saw sun, figured the weather man had been wrong again, and didn't bring any of my colder weather gear.

I got to the race about an hour and half before the start and quickly realized that I had forgotten my race belt. I debated between swimming in my race number and swimming in just my sports bra and trying to put on my tank (with attached race number) after the swim.I ended up just holding it during the run. Gah! I hate forgetting things!

Whomp whomp. No race belt.

I also realized that it was quickly clouding up and the temperate was dropping. I was freezing and was going to be even more freezing when I hopped on my bike freezing wet.

Those bits of blue sky quickly disappeared.

The start of this race is always a little anti-climactic: because this is a pool swim, the start is in waves. They mix up the order every year and unfortunately this year, my wave was second from last. So, I sat around for an hour and 20 before I even got to start! Once I was in the pool though, I felt the best I've ever felt during a swim. I didn't go out too fast and felt strong the whole time. I realized at one point that I was actually having fun during a swim! Look up in the sky for flying pigs.... I also had my best time, finishing in 6:34.

Wave 1 getting ready

I was the first one out of the water in my wave and headed out to the transition. It was a little disheartening to see people finishing the race when I still had 2 legs to go. We were notified on race morning that the bike course had changed due to a sewer main break. The new route was 2 loops for about 12 miles. The first 2 miles on the bike were not fun. It was on route 1 (so there was traffic), there was a strong headwind, and it was mostly a gradual uphill. Plus, I was all alone out there. Once we turned off route 1, we went up a shortish, steep hill and then had a really nice 2 mile section that was either downhill or flat. With the wind at my back I was flying. The final  2ish miles had more rolling hills and some wind. Initially I was a little bummed they shortened the bike, since that is typically my favorite part. But in the end, I didn't mind since I just wasn't feeling the bike Sunday.

After a quick T2 (love my pull chord laces on my Asics Tri Noosas!), I headed out for the run. The run is an out and back, with one tangent where they send us straight up a big hill and then right back down. Last year, we tackled the hill on the way out so it was around mile 1. This year they saved it for the end- so mean! I didn't have my Garmin, and I was mostly alone, so I was running blind. I felt okay, but not fantastic, so I just tried to keep my feet moving. Last year, I was in a pack coming into the finish so I really pushed it. This year I was alone and they were already doing awards as I came into the finish so no one was even cheering so I just let myself coast in. I finished in 25 something minutes. Also, I'm not sure what the deal with the medals was. Some people seemed to get them, but I didn't!

Finished and happy, but lacking a medal. 

This wasn't my best experience at this race, but I still enjoyed it. It is always an interesting mix of competitors. There aren't that many triathlons in Maine, so the hard core athletes show up at all of them. I saw a lot of Ironman tattoos and fancy, tricked out bikes. But, there are also a lot of first time triathaletes and everyone is so supportive. In the first swim wave, there was a woman who was really struggling. After her first lap, she stopped and you could see her gasping and that her whole body was shaking. The Y aquatics director gave her a pep talking and as she started swimming again everyone in the room started cheering and clapping for her. Nearly every person I passed, or who passed me, said something encouraging.

Since I turn 30 this year, this was my first race in the 30 year old age group. Since this age group is so competitive, I didn't expect to place. My finish time was good for 6th in my age group and 21st woman overall, which is pretty darn solid.

Out there for the whole world to see!!

The post race food this year was also really good. No stale bagels and bananas here. They had a full on lunch!

chicken and watermelon and salad and cookies.... oh my!

Do you race this weekend? How did it go? What do you do when you forget something for a race?

Living Aparigraha

image source

Isn't it funny how we seem to come across new things in life just as we need them? 

As part of my yoga teacher training I've been studying the 5 yamas, which are basically the ethical rules within yoga. One of the yamas is Aparigraha, which encourages us to only take what is necessary and not hoard.

Makes sense, but like all things it is so much harder in practice than in theory. 

Although the fiance moved in a year ago, his house is just selling now. So, we are just now having to deal with getting the rest of his stuff out of his house and making room for it in my (which is now our) house. 

He tends to really cling to things because he has attached to them emotionally. I was trying to reason with him and convince him to get rid of things and was getting frustrated when he didn't want to let go of things. 

And then I realized that I was doing the same thing! The reason there wasn't room for his stuff in my house is because I have too much of my own stuff!!

image source

I talked about this just last week when I was trying to clean out my running clothes. I start to think about all the experiences I've had with these things and they become special. But what I've realized, and what I have to keep reminding myself, is that the things aren't special. The memories are special and the memories are not attached to the things. 

It will continue to be an on-going negotiation for us. I'm sure we will both feel like we are giving up things we'd rather keep and still wish the other person would get rid of more. But in the long run, the fact that we are building a life together is so much more important than any physical thing. 

Do you have a hard time getting rid of things? What is the thing you are embarrassed to still keep? Have you ever regretted giving something up?

Fuel Your Better: Vega Sport Recovery

I know it is important to take in some post exercise nutrition within 30 minutes of completing a workout in order to help your body recover. In fact I recently read an article (which naturally I now can't find for the life of me) that this 30 minute window is even more important in women. 


However, this is real life and that pretty much never happens for me. I have to drive home from the gym or the trail, stretch, check my phone, shower, get dressed, make coffee, check in with R, let the dog out, etc. Next thing you know it's been an hour or more and I still haven't had a thing to eat or drink. 


So, when Vega Sport offered to let me try their Vega Sport Recovery Accelerator, I jumped at the chance. 

I like that the Recovery Accelerator is all natural and plant-based. Plus it is designed to address all six key elements of post-workout recovery: muscle glycogen replenishment, muscle tissue repair and protein synthesis, hormonal support, soft-tissue repair, immune system support, inflammation reduction and rehydration. 

Seriously, this stuff couldn't be easier to take. Open packet, dump in water, shake, and drink. Even I can handle that. The hardest part is remembering to stick an envelope in my gym bag in the morning!

When I first saw the color (bright yellow) I was slightly worried about how it was going to taste. But, it has a slightly fruity, but not too strong, taste. I have no problem chugging it right down after my work-out. I also want to try mixing it into a smoothie.

As for results? Does it help me recover faster? Well, this one is hard to tell of course because it is so subjective. I don't have a team of scientists measuring microscopic changes in my body. I took my first envelope on Friday after a brutal hour long session with the trainer followed by a 30 minute tempo run. I was a sweaty exhausted mess. 

Saturday I felt great at my metabolic conditioning class and then ran my fastest 400 m repeats in a long time at the track. Monday I had just a little too much fun celebrating Cinco De Mayo ($5 margaritas are a dangerous, dangerous, thing), yet Tuesday morning I managed to hammer out a super speedy 6 miler. 

So I can certainly say that it isn't hurting me and is likely helping. Mostly, it is a super easy way for me to actually make sure I get something into my body within 30 minutes of finishing my workout.

How soon after your workout do you eat or drink? What do you usually have? Do you notice a difference your recovery when you eat within 30 minutes after your workout?

The Saga of the First Ride

I've been putting off riding my road bike outside this spring because it has been so cold, dreary, and windy. But my first tri of the year is next weekend, so there is no avoiding any longer.

I should have gone out earlier this week when it was sunny and beautiful. Instead I chose to wait until today when it is cold and windy and I already did an hour of personal training that smoked my legs.

When I got my bike out yesterday and got it ready to ride, I noticed that the battery on my Cat Eye (the little computer thing that measures pace and distance) was dead. I got a new battery and then wasted an hour trying to get the unit to recognize the sensor. No luck.


I got back from training, chugged some coffee, ate some Kashi, and bundled up to go. The Cat Eye still wasn't working, so I brought my Garmin. About 2 miles into the ride, I hit a bump and the whole Cat Eye went flying off my bike. I saw it bounce on the road and then disappear into the grass. Apparently I hadn't re-attached it correctly. I stopped my bike, went back, and wasted 10 minutes trying to find it in the grass. Eventually I did find it, re-attached it, and then started riding again. Bingo- it started working! Next time it doesn't work, I guess I just have to throw it onto the ground as hard as I can.

I thought I was golden from then on, but around the half-way point my shifting started getting funky. About a mile later it stopped shifting all together. Awesome. It was stuck in the hardest gear. I was 10 miles away from home, riding into wind, and riding mostly uphill. My already tired legs got one heck of a workout getting myself home.

Once I finally made it home, I brought the bike into the shop. They didn't think they could get to it immediately so I headed home. Just as I got home they called to say it was actually an easy fix and the bike was ready. I turned around headed back to Portland only to get to the shop and realize I didn't have my wallet. Back over the bridge I went again, got my wallet, and then headed back to the shop.

Putting my bike in the car the wind blew the door shut on my fingers.

Is this a sign that this is going to be a bad year for cycling?

Out with the Old?

A few times at the gym lately I've said "boy someone stinks," only to realize later that that someone was me. 

I've also started running and wondered if I forgot to put on a sports bra because I felt like I was bouncing all over the place. Yet, when I checked, I did have one on. 

Both are signs that it is time to clean out my workout clothes and throw some away. 

I try to baby them- I was them with sports wash and never put them in the dryer. But still, after heavy use for a few years they get saggy and smelly. 

I have so many, I really didn't think it would be that hard. This is my bin of tanks...

And my shelf of tees and long sleeve tees......

And yet, out of all those I wanted to keep them all! They remind me of specific races or workouts or people. 

Finally though, I told myself I didn't want to be the smelly one with a saggy chest, and managed to cull some out for the trash pile (Goodwill wouldn't want these, they are so gross). Plus, I motivated myself with the promise of getting some new stuff!

Bye Bye Stinky Clothes!

How long do your workout clothes usually last? How do you tell when it is time for them to go? Do you have a hard time getting rid of things?

Super Saturday

Yesterday was a day filled with fun from start to finish. 

I started my day, like I start most Saturdays, at metabolic conditioning class at the gym. We had a sub and she absolutely kicked my butt. But, she did it with such energy and awesome music that I was smiling the whole time. I left class with my legs shaking with fatigue, so I wasn't sure how the track workout I had planned was going to go. I did 4 x 400 and 4 x 200 and I was shocked to keep looking down and seeing a 6:xx min/mile pace on my 400's. For this slow girl, that is flying!

Once, I had the healthy part of my day done, it was time for fun. First up, Street Eats and Beats.

This is a new festival that combines local beer, local food trucks, and local music. It was a gorgeous sunny day, so it was so nice to be outside by the water listening to music and drinking beer. We made the rounds to all the trucks before we decided, and ultimately couldn't pass up the tater tot truck. Tater tots are one of those things that I never crave, but always love when I have them. 

I had my tots topped with pulled pork, BBQ sauce, and coleslaw. Healthy? Not so much. Delish? Absolutely.

After a couple hours, we headed to our next stop. El Rayo, an awesome Mexican restaurant, was having their annual Cinco de Mayo fest. We donned our sombreros and sat outside on the patio, listening to the live music and watching people attempt to stay on the mechanical bull. 

After a hat change, we headed to Brian Boru for their Kentucky Derby Party. (Seriously, why do I own so many silly hats??) 

As always, they went all out decorating the bar like Churchill Downs. We admired the other fabulous Derby hats, got up to speed on the horses, and enjoyed a few drinks. I decided to root for Vicar’s in Trouble, because he was riden by a female Jockey, Rosie Napravnik. 

In the end, we decided to ditch Brian Boru before the derby and head to Elsmere for dinner. Apparently, the tots earlier hadn't satisfied our BBQ requirements for the day. We enjoyed a BBQ feast, watched the derby (Rosie didn't win :(), and debated which of the new BBQ restaurants in Portland in the best.

By 9 I was in bed, sunburned, full, and exhausted. 

How was your Saturday? Did you watch the Derby? Who did you root for?

Three Things (I'm Loving and Not) Thursday

Yikes, how is it Thursday already? This week went so fast! For Three Things Thursday today, I'm going to share 3 things I'm loving lately, and 2 things that I am not loving.

Things I'm Loving

1. Trader Joe's Spinach and Kale Greek Yogurt Dip. I discovered this a month ago and I've been going through a tub a week. It is so good and just 30 calories! I like to warm it up so it tastes like hot spinach artichoke dip and have it on a rice cake.

2. My yoga streak. I've made it to a yoga class 4 days in a row. Even better I only had to pay for 1! Lululemon did a free class last night, and my favorite studio, The Breathing Room, is offering free classes taught by the recent graduates of the their teacher training program. 

3. My running shoes. I've been wearing these Asics Gel Cumulus 17's for 4 months and they are one of my favorite shoes ever. I love the color and the feel. They are starting to wear down, but I just don't want to give them up!

Things I am Not Loving

1. These blueberry, wheat, yogurt muffins from a recipe in Real Simple that I made. It was probably baker error, but they came out like bland, hard, dense hockey pucks. I made a double batch so I'm stuck with a lot of not so tasty muffins!

2. My hair. I used a Groupon to get highlights and a cut last Thursday. My hair is naturally blonde, but after a long winter where it didn't see the sun, it needed some lightening up. Unfortunately, she went a little too light and I look like Barbie. Plus, the cut looked great when she blew it out straight, but doesn't look so good when it is curly. I am way too lazy to straighten my hair everyday, so I'm stuck putting it up. 

3. The weather. It's May and it is still in the 40's and gray and rainy. I haven't run a single time yet this spring in shorts. Bring on the sunshine!

What are you loving or not loving right now??