A Case of the Runs

I thought I was being eccentric by wearing a skort to race, but check out (well, I take that term back... just look at) these alternative running bottoms. ------ Link: http://www.runningkilts.com/

I recently received a sub-batch of these (using cranberries and omitting coconut) from a friend, and I thought I'd share because they supposedly have 10 grams of protein per 2 cookies (they aren't big, so that's pretty darn good). These are soft, a tad dense, but not too sweet. Very good post-run snack. ------ From the Food Network Show: Good Eats Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes Yield: 4 1/2 dozen Ingredients: 9 1/2 ounces whole-wheat pastry flour, approximately 2 cups* 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 8 ounces sugar, approximately 1 cup 6 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature, approximately 3/4 cup 1 egg 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups lentil puree, recipe follows 3 1/2 ounces rolled oats, approximately 1 cup 4 ounces dried fruit, approximately 1 cup 2 1/4 ounces unsweetened dried shredded coconut, approximately 1 cup *Cook's Note: If desired, a quarter of the whole-wheat...

Sadly, I can get through a jar of this in a week and a half. Peanut butter has such a bad reputation. People complain that it's fatty and addictive. Yes, peanut butter has 16 grams of fat per 2 tablespoon serving, but it's monosaturated, aka "good" fat. Also in that same serving, you get 7-8 grams of muscle-building vegetarian protein and good satiety. I wouldn't recommend eating this too close to a run, but it's a great post-run snack when combined with whole grain breads, fruit, or vegetables. Maybe even out of the jar.

Geez, the words "fanny pack" don't sound cool at all, and believe me, wearing one is certainly not cool, either. However, I had to give myself a bigger butt than usual wearing this because a few weeks ago, someone took my water bottle while I was doing a long run. I had hidden it behind a tree, and when I came back for it around mile 6 (of 10), it was gone. Defeated, I had to cut my run short. I picked this up at Sport Chalet. I am a fan of JanSport because I used to envy all the kids who had JanSport backpacks that seemed to last forever and ever without breaking (plus they looked cool), while my ghetto, un-cute, boyish, hand-me-down Chinatown backpacks would develop holes that would have to be sewn up over and over again. On that note, don't get me started on "Adidos" items... Anyway, now that I am older, there was some glee associated with the purchase of a JanSport item. I was finally able to give this a spin this morning on an 11-mile run, and I th...

This was a strange (ongoing) sequence of events... When I crossed the finish line at the Nike Run Hit Remix on Saturday, I stopped the clock on my Nike+ iPod thing. I briefly noticed a small red symbol in the upper left-hand corner of the screen, but I thought that it was just an indicator that I was on a 5-mile course. A few days later, I was checking to see what the kit had recorded my race time to be, which was when I saw a "Sensor: Low Battery" message. I Google-d a bit and discovered that this message appears when about 2 weeks of battery life remain in the sensor (the red oval piece). NOOOOOOOO , I thought. The battery is not replaceable, meaning I'd have to fork another $30 for a new kit. But wait... it's Apple... don't they have good customer service and a one-year warranty on all their products? I had to fax in documentation of my purchase in order to change my warranty period, but all went well, and I'm receiving a replacement in the mail soon. Upon...

I am briefly posting this link as an attempt to get people to sponsor me for the half-marathon I'm doing next month. I figure it's better to try than not. Every little effort counts. I chose the Lance Armstrong Foundation because a close friend of mine lost a parent to cancer a few months ago. This charity helps those affected by cancer to life the best life possible through education and attitude alignment. ------ Link: http://www.active.com/donate/laf07/nobel4lit

EVENT : Nike R un Hit Rem ix DATE : Saturday, September 15, 2007 LOCATION : Los Angeles, CA RACE BEGAN : 9:00 am FINISH TIME : 45:55 (gun); 44:58 (unofficial Nike+ time) NOTE: The "Start" mat failed to work, so the "gun" time above is my time assuming I was at the front of the line. Of course, there was a gap between the gun and when I actually crossed the start line, thus beginning my timing. Luckily, I used my Nike+ kit pretty adeptly during the event, so I actually have a more accurate (though still not the best) time to report. HALF-SPLIT: 23:30, meaning second 2.5 miles done in 22.25 Oh well, I shouldn't be obsessing about such small things anyway. ------ I have attended two of these Nike runs before, though only as a spectator. The former 10k distance of the race seemed daunting before I took up running as a hobby. So I would join my other non-running sisters for breakfast once the race started and finished before the race's end. No more of that. The o...

Swoosh!! I first knew of the existence of this visor while picking up a race packet at Sport Chalet. However, they did not have a black one, and knowing how I like to wear green, the blue and pink ones abound were not going to cut it. Upon trying it on, I noted how light it was compared to generic visors I've worn previously. Also, the moisture-wicking Dri-Fit material seemed alluring. I called many places and drove around looking for this, until I finally came upon one at A Snail's Pace. I happily swooped one up for $18, which sounds steep for a hat, but hey, it's Nike. I wore this on an outdoor run today. I was supposed to do 8 miles, but I stopped after 5.5 because I didn't want to be in the heat anymore. My hair did not poof up like a souffle like usual, and it was indeed light. Plus, I felt really cool with the swoosh on my forehead. I washed this in warm water like the care instructions said, and it seems fine to use for another day. All in all, totally worth ever...

I bought a pair of these Nike shorts over the weekend at a Sport Chalet while I was there picking up a race packet. This is about the most high tech and expensive pair of shorts I had ever bought. I have always just thrown on any old pair of shorts but I thought I would test these out and see if they are any better. I actually got this because I was looking for a pair of shorts with the hidden key pocket to hold your key(s)s while you ran. Up to now, I had been tying my car/house key to my shoelaces. Not the most comfortable feeling as I was always worried that I would lose the key during my run. I must say that these shorts look very cool. I got a black/dark grayish pair in an XS. I think Nike clothes run a bit bigger because I normally wear a small. It fits nice, not too loose and not too tight. I have copied and pasted some specs on these shorts below. Wore these for the first time today doing the Nike Run Hit Remix in LA and I really liked it. It kept my skin dry, didn't ride ...

I found this in this morning's local newspaper (San Gabriel Valley Tribune). ------ Marathon helps bond troops, Afghans By Alison Hewitt Staff Writer SAN DIMAS - When Army 1st Lt. Amanda Wilson crossed the finish line Tuesday to win a marathon in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, it was both an echo of and a long way from her cross-country racing days at South Hills High School. The San Dimas resident organized the Sept. 11 memorial races on her Army base to honor fallen comrades, but also to build morale among her fellow soldiers and neighboring Afghans. Ninety people joined the race run inside the base perimeter to keep safe from enemy attacks. Twelve of the competitors were Afghans, including four interpreters, Wilson said. "When I had my interpreter running side by side with me, it made me realize how far we have come," she wrote in an e-mail interview from Jalalabad at the end of the race. The Afghans who ran congratulated the U.S. soldiers, she added. "For the first time...

And now for something new. I recently asked Julie if I could review some products on her site and she agreed. So this is the first of the guest reviews. ******************************************************************************** I got a sample of this powder in the Nike Run Remix race packet that I picked up over the weekend. It is the berry flavor one. It also comes in lime/lemon flavor. I read somewhere that Walmart is selling a box of 10 packets for $2.96. I have not personally seen them there myself for this price but I wasn't looking for them. I have heard that this item may be difficult to locate, so if you come upon this somewhere for a good price, please feel free to share. I like the idea of this product because they are portable. Propel fitness water is really refreshing, but I think it is only good for replenishments after short runs. I tested this out on a 5-miler yesterday and it was quite refreshing after my run. You just open the packet and pour into a 16.9 oz b...

Jamba Juice, a place that causes pure addictions through their nutritional smoothies, has renamed their Berry Protein Pizzazz to the Nike Protein Berry Workout. Available in both whey and soy (my choice) varieties, you can drink this after a workout for muscle recovery! They come in at about 280, 420, and 530 calories for the small, medium, and large sizes, respectively. I got to try a sample (or many samples, depending on who you ask) of this while picking up my race packet the other day. It has a predominant banana flavor as well as a good shot of strawberry. Since this is my favorite smoothie combination (Matcha Green Tea Mist/Blast is a very close second), I'm glad it now has the Nike name associated with it! (The picture below is not of the said smoothie, but you get the point.) Straight for their site : Power this smoothie down before or after your workout to help build muscles and promote cell growth. An Original sized smoothie is packed with 19 grams of protein, as well as ...

If your thighs are burning, and you haven't been running, you must be doing a squat (come on, laugh at my attempt at a joke). As part of my regimen, I attend a circuit-type class called FitMoves once a week in which we often have to do many (many) squats. Upon telling this to my friend, she asked, "But don't squats make your legs big?" "I don't know," I said, keeping a mental note to ask the people who are telling me to do them whether that is true. I still did them anyway, thinking that my thighs are so huge that they really can't get any bigger unless I suddenly ate a truckful of muffins or started on a steroid cocktail. But before I had a chance to ask such an embarrassing question, I stumbled upon this really cool site. It is called Stumptuous and is basically a guide for women to weight train. Among its many useful pages is one regarding myths about squats and how to do them properly. The take-home message I got from the squat page was this: I s...

Each month, I seem to develop a new pain related to running that keeps me from doing as well as I hope. Sometimes it's a busted toe, shin splint, sore quad, or weak ankles. This time, it's a pair of sore hip-flexors. Why is this bad? My subjective experience is that a sore hip-flexor (I call it the area where your leg connects to the rest of your body) forces a short stride. No good. Time to stretch. Pictured here are variations of a lunging stretch that is said to loosen up in that area. However, be careful not to overdo the stretch, as I'm sure this can cause injury. I will be doing this myself over this week in preparation for my next race (which you will hear about early next week). P.S. Might I add the rule about stretching: after cool-down only, not as a warm-up. Links: http://www.exrx.net/Stretches/HipFlexors/KneelingHipFlexor.html http://www.pccoach.com/newsletters/May05/stretching.htm

(I WISH this was under the "Gear" category, but alas, I do not own one of these...) So just when I thought I was set with my gear, a new iPod came out yesterday. I don't think it's very attractive, but look at how much more fancy the Nike+ thing works on it. However, $199 for 8 GB sounds VERY sweet ($149 for the 4 GB, which is what I paid for my refurbished 2nd Generation Nano). Wi-Fi capability is nice, also, though I don't think it will automatically sync your run data onto the Nike website. Now if it did.... No, I'm not going to jump on this bandwagon... yet. I would much rather upgrade the Nike+ itself to keep track of things such as intervals and heart rate. Link: http://www.apple.com/ipod/nike/run.html

This morning at around 6:45 AM, I ran my thousandth (estimated) mile since I decided to take on distance running about 1.5 years ago. I'm sure this milestone (heh, no pun intended) would have come sooner, but laziness... and life... happens. Does anybody else have that Vanessa Carlton song ("A Thousand Miles") or Moby's "Thousand" stuck in their head? Okay, enough of this strangeness. It's 9 AM, and I am obviously up too early.