Fit Runner in Flight

 

 

The theme of this Friday 5 is "Things in my gym bag". I have to be honest, I don't  have a gym bag because  with my crazy schedule of flying all the time, I don't go to the gym.  But shhhhh don't tell anybody.  When I  have some longer overnights at work, I do try to go to the fitness center. So for now I will share 5 things that I always carry in my roller board!

Gps- I am so happy that it has finally been nice everywhere I go for work. I have been getting better runs in with this beautiful weather. As long as I have my gps I know the distance I am going, even if it is up and down industrial roads. Sometimes I luck out and find a great running path near our hotel.

 

Ipod- This one I know can go both ways, but for me I need my ipod when I go for a run. When I do run with friends I never wear it, but when I am traveling I am also running solo so my ipod is a must.

 

 

Ipad- As much as I love going outside for my runs sometimes there is inclimate weather and I am not able to. That's where my Ipad comes in handy. I can take it to the gym with me and prop it up on the treadmill, watch a tv episode I have downloaded, and before you know it, my run is finished.  I also have great workout videos downloaded that I can do right in my hotel room.

 

 

The stick- As much as I love my foam roller it is not packing friendly. So I pack the next best thing, The Stick. After my workout I use this and I don't feel as sore the next day at work. I know many people have questioned this and YES, the Stick can go in your carry on luggage!

 

Resistance bands- There are so many great strength moves you can do with these bands. And they are so easy to pack. It's another great workout you can do right in your hotel room. 

There is no excuse you can't get a great workout in while traveling. Do you pack any of these things while traveling? 

 

                         Is anyone Traveling this weekend?  Have a great Friday Friends!

Can You Inspire Other Runners to be Joyful, Healthy, and Confident?

 

 

The other weekend I was asked to volunteer for the Girls on the Run 5k. I didn't know much about this organization but knew I would be available to help out. After volunteering I learned much more about it and may even look into how to become a coach for it.

Their mission states, "We inspire girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running."

For those of you that don't know about the Girls on the Run program it's an non profit organization for young girls to help with self esteem and to boost their confidence.  It gives them a sense of accomplishment knowing they can do anything they put their mind to.

The students meet twice a week after school for 10-12 weeks. This is when you are met with your certified coach. The coaches can have anywhere from 8-20 students in their group. The students range from third to eighth grade. At the end of their program they run a 5k race. The coaches even get to run with their students during the race.

There are also buddies that help out. These people are not certified to coach, but they can still help them reach the finish line. They are paired up with a student to run with them during the race. They can be anyone from a parent to a friend, or someone you may have just met throughout the program. I was talking to one of the ladies that wasn't sure where she was suppose to be in the corral. She said she was suppose to be a buddy, but when she arrived they didn't need her, so she was just going to run the race for herself. I didn't know that anyone could just sign up for the race. Even though their primary focus are young girls, anyone can run it, even boys.

 

 

We arrived at the event very early. I think it may have been even a bit too early because we had a while to wait before the start.  We were there by 7am and the race didn't start til 8:30. We first picked up our volunteer shirts and waited until we received further instructions on where to go. We were told we were going to be corral control. Oh boy! How was this going to work with almost 2,000 girls? Well it actually went very smoothly.  There was a sign for each corral and your bib should have a letter on it and that is what corral you should be in. If they didn't have a letter on their bib, they could go in any corral, or in the last corral which was E. Erin and I were the ones holding the rope at the back of D and the start of E. Well as the time passed we realized there was no one wearing an E on their bib. That must have been the overflow. Our job was easy enough!  Just brought up the last corral which was D. Each corral was set a minute apart and before each one there was a chant "Girls on the Run is so much fun."

After the race began we walked over to where the finishers would come through to hand out waters and fruit. I was hoping to hand out the medals. I had asked one of the volunteers about that and she said I believe their coaches do that after they finish. We watched the first couple people finish and then we headed home. There was a little boy that finished in about 23:00 minutes.  I saw his mom afterwards and asked how old he was and she said 8 1/2. I thought wow that is so great! I also talked to another little girl and asked if this was her first race and she said "no". She was hoping to do better than her previous time of 29:00 minutes. I thought to myself wow these young girls are so ambitious!

 

Do you consider yourself to be inspiring?  Do you think you would enjoying being a coach or volunteering in some way?   ~L

 

Don't forget that there is still time to join the Summer Run Scavenger Hunt, if you haven't already.

Time to get Powered by Wild Planet

As a child I hated seafood. I couldn't even stand the smell of it. Even as a young adult I cringed at the thought of eating it. Over the years though, I have tried more things and have even taken a liking to some shrimp, crab cakes, and crab legs. I know the health benefits of seafood are so great so I will continue to try more seafood within reason. I still can not bring myself to eat sushi, so lets just say I will start trying more seafood that is cooked.

When I was younger, the only seafood-ish thing I would eat would be Tuna. This being tuna Salad or my mom's tuna and noodles casserole. Honestly, I don't even think you can consider this seafood, but it was fish-ish and I ate it. I actually liked it.   When I got married, my mom made me a cookbook of all my favorite meals from home. The Tuna and Noodles casserole was one of them.   So I made it one evening. It was such a simple recipe, what could go wrong?  I made it just like the recipe said, put it in the oven, and with in 10 minutes the smell had made me so sick. I had to go upstairs and lay down. I left my husband in charge of taking the casserole out of the oven when it was done. Because it smelled so bad, I didn't even taste it. It looked fine though.

I haven't made this recipe  for YEARS, until I got this package of tuna from Wild Planet.

So I decided to give it another whirl. This time, it came out excellent and no foul smell.

I met the Wild Planet people at a race expo when they were giving out samples of their tuna. I am one who never takes meat samples from expos ( or grocery stores), but for some reason this nice lady convinced me to, so I took the little Dixie cup of tuna she was handing out.  While I was sampling that, she was having a snack herself. She was eating the tuna right our of the silver pouch. She referred to it as a "tuna poptart".  I thought that was kind of funny.  But why not? This is a terrific product for athletes due to the abundant protein and omega 3 content – far greater than other brands, and without additives.

Guess What, Wild Planet is one of the cool sponsors of the Summer Run Scavenger Hunt and will be sending one participant one of their prize packs.  Free lunch!

Do you ever take food samples at an Expo? What about meat ( or seafood) samples?

 

Giveaway Winner and Creative Pics from the Run Scavenger Hunt

 

Today we are going to announce the winner of our Shape up for Summer Giveaway, but first we'd like to take a moment to thank all the service men and woman who make it possible for us to live in this great country.  Make sure you thank a service person today!

A Peek in our Week

Boy this week just flew by.  Here is a little peek of what we've been up to.

Lacey

Sat- I started my work week.  And I had one of the retired Buffalo Bills player on my flight Bruce Smith. Unfortunately I didn't know it was him until after the flt. Wish I would've known earlier. I could've gotten a pic. Overnighted in Rochester, NY. Got a three mile run in around the riverfront.

Sun- Overnighted in Milwaukee.  I think this was the first time this year I have been here when it wasn't snowing or even cold out.  It was beautiful weather and I did four miles.

 

 

 

Mon- We had a very long overnight in Islip, NY and decided to take the train into New York City.

It only took about an hour to get there. We visited the Highline Park. This is apparently an up and coming place in the Chelsea District. It used to be a place where the train cars came through.  Now it's a walking path that's about a mile and half long with beautiful flowers along the way and a great view of the city. We then went to the Chelsea market for dinner and dessert. Have you seen or heard about the High Line Park?

Tues- Another long work day. I had no desire to go for a run after work, but when I got a text from a friend that wanted to run I couldn't pas it up. After my meal and dessert the day before I needed to get a good one in. We completed 8.5 miles at a great pace. So glad he texted me or I know a run would not have happened that day. 

Wed- Shopped at my local running store, then had to try out all my new products on a 6 mile run. Later that evening I got a haircut that will be perfect for the summer months.

 

 

 

Thurs- Ran 6 miles before meeting my friend to go see the "Rubber Duck"  at the Chrysler Museum of Art in downtown Norfolk

. This duck has been all around the world. Pittsburgh has been the only other place its gone in the U.S. We then had lunch at a local Mexican restaurant.  I couldn't get enough of their delicious guacamole!

Have you heard about this duck?

Fri- Met a girlfriend for an 8 mile run through First Landing State Park. 

Sat- I overnighted in Wilmington,  N.C. And met up with Pam @werundisney for coffee. We had a great chat:) I hope I get to come back here soon!

 

 

 

Meranda

 

 

 

Sunday- I spent some time at the beach. I did a 7.8 mile run with my mom along the ocean front and the boardwalk. This is the first time since January that I didn't feel any pinching in my IT band. Although I am still having hip pain, I do believe healing is on its way.

 

Monday- I spent the day at the resort pool area and met these two former Giants Football players in the hot tub I was in. The funny thing was that I actually knew who they were. I had some friends in high school that were huge Giants Fans ( that's probably the only reason I knew who they were). They were so nice and we talked for a while ( and of course took lots of pictures.  We took a few pictures together too, but I will spare you the pictures of my pasty white face in a hot tub at 9 am).  The one player actually gave me his phone number and asked me to text him the pictures! Can you believe I have a Giants football player's number in my phone?  

 

 

Wednesday- Spent the day shopping with my mom. We bought the cutest outfit for a little girls first birthday party that we were invited too.

 

 

Friday- Saturday- This was the only other day (besides Sunday) that I got some exercise. I took a walk with Baylee and her lab friend around the island park.  Her lab friend then stayed with us over the weekend. Needless to say I had my hands full with a puppy plus the two dogs I already have!

There's still time to join the Summer Run Scavenger Hunt  if you haven't done so yet. Also, our Giveaway ended today. We actually didn't even pull up the Rafflecopter to see who won yet. We will do this later and announce the winner tomorrow on the blog.

What did you do this weekend?

 

5 Races to run in the U.S ( that we don't often hear much about)

 

For this Friday Five we've selected 5 place that we wouldn't mind running. I guess some of these you could consider a "bucket list" race, but each of them are unique in their own way and are races that we don't often here people talking about.

 

1. Hood to Coast- The other week I watched the movie Hood to Coast. It follows 4 teams during a 197 mile relay race taking place through 36 hours. Starting in Portland Oregon at Mt. Hood and traveling down to the Pacific Coast line. Each team has something they have overcome and their reason why they are running. It is such an inspiring movie and a must see for any runner. Just be sure to have the tissues near by. I think this would be the ultimate relay race to run. Of course, like many great races, it goes by a lottery system to get in. Did you ever see this movie or have you heard of this race?

2. Vegas Marathon- I know most of you have probably heard of this one. But I had to mention it. I have never run this, but am signed up for it in November. A few reasons why I think this is a good one. There are several race distances during the weekend-Full Marathon, Half marathon, and half of a Half ( I guess this would be a quarter marathon, but they call it half of a half) So whatever distance you prefer, they have that option. In addition to that, it is a night race. How cool!  The Strip at night! That's right, it takes place running down the strip, so it is closed off for all the runners. When else are you going to have the whole strip to yourself? Well you, and thousands of other runners, but you get the point. In addition to that, it is just a fun city. Last year I went to Vegas a few weeks before the marathon took place. While I was there I received a massage. There were so many great spas to choose from and many were advertising specials for marathon weekend. This is something that I will definitely be doing after my marathon this fall. Ever run Vegas? What did you think?

 

3. CXB 5k & Paddle Board Classic- We all know about triathlons that incorporate biking and swimming with running, but what about paddle boarding? I recently ask my friend what's a race she would like to run, and she mentioned this. I then Googled this being curious and found out that it is right in Virginia Beach. It is the 1st Annual(wouldn't that just be called the inaugural?) Anyways, it's right in Virginia Beach and I actually have off that day. I tried paddle boarding for the first time last summer and thought it went well. Not sure how I would do in an event, but it sure sounds fun. I may have to take a shot at it. Ever hear of a race like this? You can find more information about this event at raceit.com

Source

 

4.Tussey MountainBack- This is a 50 mile relay and ultramarathon, located near State College Pa and held in October. It is a trail run up and back down the mountain. There slogan is "just for the hill of it". I have run the relay two times with people I worked with at the gym when I lived in Pa. It was a lot of fun. I remember thinking back then it would be such an accomplishment to complete the whole race yourself. During the race there are several transition points that had food for the runners. Some of them were only offered to the ultrarunners and I thought well I need to run this so I can get all the things that are being offered to those runners. I hope one day I will be able to run this race. I think I need to start with a 50k first before a 50 miler. Have you ever run an ultra or have any desire to? You can find more information about this race at tusseymountainback.com

 

 

5. San Francisco Women's Nike Marathon- This has been one of the races on my bucket list. As much traveling as I do, this is one of the cities I have never been to. Instead of a finisher's medal you receive a Nike Women's Tiffany necklace. How cool is that? A race where we receive a piece of Tiffany's jewelry, sign me up! Unfortunately this is another great race that is based on a lottery system to get in. I wonder if it's because of the necklace or getting the necklace handed to you by handsome firefighters at the end of the race? Either way, sounds like a great race to complete. Anyone fortunate enough to get in to run this race? There is also a Nike Women's race in DC, which probably would be more convenient for me since it is on the East Coast but I'd still like to go to San Fran!  

 

Don't forget that this is the last weekend to enter our fabulous Giveaway! You did enter, right?

 

Also, our Summer Run Scavenger hunt is still going on ( you can win prizes for this too). Thank you to all who have been playing along. We've seen some really creative pictures come through! If you have no idea what we are talking about, you can still play but make sure you sign up HERE. Also, just a reminder to everyone who is already playing along, make sure that you comment on the Scavenger Hunt Post to let us know you are participating. This post will serve as our official list of participants and in case of a tie, we will use random.org to select winners, so please make sure your name is on the list ( if you want to be eligible for prizes).

 

 

 

             

Don't get caught in a Running Store!

We are going to try something a bit different today. We are linking up with Amanda from Running With Spoons and her Think Out Loud Thursdays!
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On my day off this week I decided to go to my local running store. I'm like a kid in a candy store when it comes to this, so I try not to go very often. But there were a few things I wanted to pick up.

1. Nuun- After receiving this at an Expo recently, I have been really enjoying this. I do believe it has helped me with staying hydrating during and after my runs. I bought the strawberry lemonade flavor since that's what I had tried before and just regular lemonade. I know, not too exciting on my flavors. Have you tried Nuun? If so what flavors do you like?

2. Aasic socks- I have been reading a lot of posts about socks that runners like. I did see a few of the brands there, but thought I'd go with the socks I normally wear, Aasic intensity. I have this thing about not wearing socks below the ankle. I can always feel the back of my heel rubbing against my sneaker, so I always go with the crew cut. But since it's summer, I have been getting quite the tan lines around my ankles and you really see this when I wear sandals. So I was looking for something similar but a lower cut. Luckily I did find the same brand in low cut, which was right above the ankle. Perfect! What kind of socks do you prefer and why?

3.GU chomps- I usually run with just the GU, but I think I've been using this so long that I am getting really sick of it. I really love gummies, so I thought I would try the chomps. I bought two packs of cranberry apple, since it was the flavor on sale. What do you fuel with during your runs?

 4. Motion control sports bra- I was not planning on buying one, since they are always so expensive(especially at running stores) but this one was on sale. Score! I was actually due for a good one. This one even had the built in padding. I have a few cheaper ones that the padding always falls out after I wash them. I guess you get what you pay for. What are some other brands that you like to run in?

 5. Run- After getting home, I was exciting to go for my run. I put on my new sports bra and socks, took a few chomps, and prepared my Nuun, and I was out the door. Why is it that after buying new running products your run seems to go so much better? I completed 6 miles at a decent pace that I haven't run in awhile. I even had one onlooker ask me, "What are you running off, you don't need to run." I just smiled and said thank you. I should have said, I like food way too much, that's why I run...haha. Do you find yourself doing better runs when you buy new products? Does anyone ever say anything to you while you're out on your runs?

 

                                                       Happy Thursday Everyone!  ~L

6 Ways to Prevent Blister

  While I was training for the Princess Half Marathon, I certainly developed my fair share of blisters. They were always in the same spot too, on the outside edge of my big toe and sometimes a little below my big toe where that curvey bone is. But is was funny because I didn't always get them and they weren't consistent with just long runs. They just happened so randomly.

 The first word of advice that any runner is probably given is DON'T WEAR COTTON SOCKS. You all know that by now, right? Well, in case you don't, you can read this short post as to why cotton socks are not a good idea.  This might be the cure all for some people but I have to tell you, even after wearing the non cotton socks, I was still getting blisters.

Here are some things that I have tried.  I did a combination of these things so it's hard to say for sure that you will never get a blister if you use  these items. But hey, they are worth a try.

1.   Injinji toe socks: I have tried these toe socks from Injinji. 

I know it looks as if my one foot is bigger than the other, but it's not.
I guess I just have a hard time standing straight!

These are also breathable, light weight, non cotton socks that are suppose to prevent blisters.  They felt good and I liked them. The problem was that I wasn't getting the blisters between my toes, so I didn't know if the separated  toes did help me there. These socks are very comfortable to run in though.

2.  Vaseline: According to Alexandra Heminsley, author of Running Like a Girl, putting Vaseline on your feet before you put your running socks on can prevent blisters as well.

3. I've tried this Blistop spray by Flexitol.

 

Spray it on your feet several minutes before you put your socks and shoes on. A word to the wise, do it in a well ventilated area. This stuff has a strong smell. ( It's not bad, it's just very strong, kind of like a mix of hairspray and medicine).  This stuff is also very cold, and it made my feet purple for a while ( because of how cold it was). It reminded me of that canned air you use to clean your keyboard off.

4. Blister Shield from 2Toms: 

This is a powder that you simply pour into your sock and shake it around before putting your sock on for a run.  This powder does not stain, it's water proof and it helps eliminate friction.

5. Sports Shield from 2Toms:

 

This is probably the most simple product. It is like a roll on deodorant. Roll it on any part of your body that is prone to blisters or even chafing.  This is perfect for if you know you will get blisters in the same exact part of your foot during a run. Just roll it on that part and you are good. This can also be used on arms and any other body part that is prone to chafing. This has no odor at all!

( Side note:  2 Toms have put together a great prize pack as one of the gifts for the Summer Run Scavenger Hunt)

  6: If you try all these things and you are still getting blisters, take a look at your shoes.  When I went to a local running store and told the associate that I was getting blisters on the sides of my big toes, she immediately knew that it was from slightly over pronating.  I'm pretty sure she hit the nail on the head right there.   This is where a shoe with a wide toe box is helpful. Hello Altras!

So for Princess Half Marathon I ran in my Altras and ended up with zero blisters on the sides of my toes! I was happy, although my toe next to the big toe was feeling a little tender. I noticed that my toe nail was raised. I had maroon nail polish on, so I couldn't quite tell if the nail was black in color. Because the nail was raised, it was pretty loose. I thought for sure that I was going to be losing my first toe nail. I didn't know if I should just pull it off, or wait for it to fall off. I didn't know how all this losing a toe nail stuff worked.  After further examination, I noticed that the reason the toes was raised, was because I was developed a blister underneath my toe nail!   I didn't even know that could happen.  It turns out that my Altras were the width I needed, but I didn't calculate correctly on the size. The result was my toes rubbing up against the front of the shoe.  Funny how this didn't bother me at all while I ran 13.1 miles.
I normally wear a size 6, but Altras run small, so I got a 6.5.   I now know that the shoes I am wearing for long distance running need to be a size larger.  I knew enough to order my next pair in a size 7.

Just in case you do end up developing a blister. I've found this Dr. Oz video to be helpful. http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/first-aid-blisters-pt-1
 I can't believe that one lady is walking with blisters like that.

Of course these tips can be used for anyone, not just runners. In fact, they are all great tips to remember the next time you'll be walking around a Disney Park all day!


DISCLAIMER: If you read my posts from earlier this month you know that I mentioned that I had huge blisters on my heals. I just want to let you know that I did not use any of these products before I set out on my walk that day because I didn't think I would actually get a blister from WALKING. I never had before. I know for a fact those blisters on my heels came from a new pair of shoe inserts that were rubbing up against the back of my foot.

Are you prone to developing blisters? What have you done that works?

Did you watch that video? What did you think?

Of course we still have the GIVEAWAY going on and also the RUNNING SCAVENGER HUNT ( with prizes) started this week. Be sure to check them both out.

* I was sent the 2Toms products to test out for free but all opinions are certainly my own.

Summer Run Scavenger Hunt

 

It's here! Today starts the Summer Run Scavenger Hunt.

(WITH PRIZES)

 

If you've never done a running scavenger hunt, this is how it works. There will be a list of items posted (Check below) and you will have to find these items as you go on your runs or walks. Once you find something on the list, take a picture. 

 

 Then either share it on our facebook page Fairytales and Fitness ( be sure to like the page so you can follow along) or send it to us on Twitter @fairytalesnfit (make sure you follow so you can see all the other cool pics people are finding).

 

You do not have to submit entries on both twitter and facebook. One or the other is fine.  However, if you have a different name on facebook than you do on twitter, please let us know. We will be tallying up at the end.  Please make sure that you do follow us on one or the other of these social media platforms so you will know if you have won a prize at the end.

 

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First thing is first though:If you want to participate and be eligible for prizes, you MUST leave a comment on this blog page letting us know.  In the comment, you might also want to let us know who you are on facebook and twitter if your name is different. That way we'll be sure to see all the pics you submit. 

And now for the list............

1. A WILD animal (Alive)....(deer, rabbit, squirrel, moose, etc.)

2. A Fence

3. A Street sign named after a tree.....(Elm, Pine, Hemlock, etc...)

4. A Flag ( any kind)

5.  A pair of orange running shoes ( or shoes that have orange on them)

6. A purple flower

7. An animal crossing sign ( deer, duck, moose?,,,etc)

8. A discarded food item or container

9. A port o potty

10. A baby stroller

11. A Yellow Labrador or Golden Retriever 

12. A house #12  or mailbox #12

13. Road kill  ( please don't hurt animals for the sake of the picture...haha)

14.  A Red car  ( please don't run in the street for this one)

15. Another runner or walker

16. A Disney lawn ornament

17. An outside clock

18. A tree bearing fruit ( or berries).

19.  Find a word ( on a sign or store front, etc) that you can related to running.

20. A selfie

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I know some of these are pretty easy and depending on where you live/run, some can be more challenging. But don't give up. We have plenty of prizes to give out and just because you don't get all 20 of them doesn't mean that you won't be eligible for a prize.  Its about participation!

Our Sponsors that will be giving out prize packs for the Summer Run Scavenger Hunt include:

Sweatybands, Wild Planet,  Medi-Dyne/2Toms, Hippie Runner, Island boost, Pro Compression, Active Accessories


When you have found all the items on the list, be sure to let us know that you have done so.  You can use the hashtag #SummerRunHunt for all your pictures.

The scavenger hunt will start today ( May 19th) but if you have friends that want to join in, they can sign up at any time ( before it ends of course).   All entries must be submitted by June 1.

Good Luck All!

*Anyone can participate but at the request of our sponsors, prizes will only be sent to US Address.
*Prizes will be sent directly from the sponsors, not us at Fairytales and Fitness.

Okay, Who's going to play along?

Oh, don't forget, we still have the GIVEAWAY going on.

A Peek in our week

Hello everyone!  I hope you all had a great weekend or are still enjoying your weekend. I am actually sitting on the beach as I prepare this post.

Before I get into what we did this past week, I want to remind everyone that the Summer Run Scavenger Hunt starts TOMORROW.  We are so excited for this. We have the list all made up ( will be posted on the blog tomorrow) and we have some companies that are going to be giving away some really cool prizes ( Sweatybands and Pro Compression are just a few)!

And also, you may have noticed that we have been skipping a post one day of the week ( it's usually been Thursdays). Well, there's a reason for this.  We enjoy our readers VERY much, but we don't want to become overwhelming to the point where you become sick of us!  This opens up a day of the week that we can also enjoy some of our other interest as well. With that being said, there will not be a Tasty Tuesday post tomorrow. ( Since I'm at the beach, it just makes it easier to skip that day anyway).

So, where is a look into how we spent our week. I know I for one need to be better at documenting how I spent my time because by the time the week ends, I have forgotten what I have done! Does anyone else ever feel like that?

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Meranda

Sunday- Picnic with family. I got to see my great-grand mother and some other relatives I have not seen in a while.

Monday- Today I did my first real run ( outside) since my 6 weeks of PT. When I started out, I felt some tightness behind my knee and I thought it was going to give me a problem on my run, but it didn't. I did a very slow 3.1 miles because I was still a bit unsure of myself, but it was 3.1 miles none the less.

Wednesday- Took Baylee to the park for a walk with my friend who also has a Labrador. I enjoy talking to this friend while we walk because she is an athletic trainer and always has some good tips for me!

Thursday- I was debating if I could get a run in today before it started to rain. Turns out that I did another 3.1 miles ( still wasn't easy, but I did it). turns out, it never did rain anyway.

Saturday- I participated in my first Bark for Life. ( like a relay for life but for dogs).

Lacey

Sunday- Overnighted in Savannah and ran 5 miles.

Monday- Overnighted in White Planes NY. Did a mile trail run then finished with another mile of hill sprints.

Tuesday- Had a very long work day so decided to take the day off when I got home and went to bed early to catch up on my sleep.

Wednesday- After getting a good night's sleep. I got up and ran 8 miles. I then watched a Sex and the City Marathon all afternoon. After laying around all day I thought it was only right to squeeze in another 3 mile run so I didn't have to feel too guilty about doing nothing all day.

Thursday- Ran 5 miles. Decided not to run in the evening because Friday I was suppose to meet a friend to do a long run.

Fri- Well the long run never happened.  I woke up to torrential down pouring and flooding in some parts of the area in the morning. But some how it cleared up that afternoon and the sun came out. I put my hat on (which I never do) and managed to get 5 miles in. I could've done a little longer, but it started to sprinkle and I didn't want to get caught in a mess. Luckily it didn't. It became so humid out that there weren't even puddles I had to jump around. So weird, when there were cars getting stuck in the rain earlier that morning. 

Saturday- Back to another work week.

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Don't forget to check back here tomorrow for the Scavenger Hunt and make sure to enter the GIVEAWAY if you haven't already.

How were your runs this week?

What's your blogging schedule like? Do you have one or is it just one the mood hits you?

Friday Five:How Runners Can Benefit From Hydro Thermal Therapy

Photo from Refuge Spa

After completing the Big Sur marathon my friend and I thought we would treat ourselves to a well deserved spa day. The spa was Refuge Spa in Carmel. It was so beautiful and very peaceful. That was one of the requirements! They said it was a silent area so there was no talking. And if you are like me you like being friendly and talking to people that you come across. I thought this is going to be a long day of no talking. But it actually wasn't too bad. In addition to the spa they also offered tennis courts, yoga classes, and even a gym. I'm sure they are for an additional cost but I didn't look into any of that.

The day we were there, the therapist had said 80% of the clients were from the marathon!

The spa was broken down to a four step process. Who knew there was actually a process to having a spa day?  It's called the Refuge Thermal Cycle. It's a mixture of heat and cool. It's suppose to be good for runners because it claims to improve physical conditioning.  The sauna and steam open up the body's vascular system and then the cold water enhances muscle recuperation by building down lactic acid.

You are suppose to follow these steps in the proper order to get the most benefit out of it.  Repeat 3-5 times.They claim that skipping steps lessens the experience.


1. Heat up (5-10mins) You go into a sauna or a steam room to sweat out all the toxins in your body. The first time I got in the steam room it was so hot I had trouble even breathing. I couldnt feel comfortable enough to enjoy that. It wasn't until until my third cycle that I realized there was a sauna on the other side of the resort that was much more tolerable than the steam room.


2. Cool down (10-60 seconds) After sweating your butt off in the steam or sauna room you would think this would feel good. WRONG! There are two pools. One is labeled cool and the temperature is in the the 50s. And one is labeled cold and the temperature is in the 30s. I was not brave enough to ever try the cold. The cool was cold enough for me. When I finally managed to get in, I couldn't get myself out of there fast enough. I wanted the full benefit so I forced myself to stay in there for a min. That's the fastest 60 seconds I ever counted to!


3. Relax (10-15 minutes) During this time you are suppose to relax in the recliners outside near the fire pits or indoor zero gravity recliners looking out towards the many hot tubs. Not really sure why you would go inside when you are able to enjoy the beautiful outdoors. I guess this would make sense if it was too hot outside. It was such a perfect day when we went, that I took full advantage of the outside.

Photo from Refuge Spa

                  

4. Explore This is the time to enjoy all the jacuzzi style hot tubs. Like the cooler ones, these were also labeled but with hot and warm.

5. A deep tissued massage. Ok so this isn't step five. Although, I made it in my cycle. This wasn't included in the refuge thermal cycle, but by adding that it wasn't any more than most spa prices for just a massage. It was very much worth the extra money.

The first cycle I followed in the order you are suppose to. It was so hard to get into the cool pool after getting out of the steam room, but I wanted to do it right. Each time the cycles got a bit easier. The one time after I got out of the steam room I plunged right into the cool pool. I jumped right into the hot pool because I was freezing and thought it would help. Well let's just say they put those steps in order for a reason. It was way too much of a shock from being in cool to go right into the hot. I learned my lesson that time and continued with the cycles in the correct order the following times.


When was the last time you had a spa day? Did you learn anything interesting?

Have you entered our Giveaway Yet?

The Great Race Shirt Debate : Part 2

Last Summer we wrote a post title The  Great Race Shirt Debate where we talked about when and where to wear the race shirt.  The post certainly did live up to its name because it did become quite a debate with everyone sharing their opinion ( which we liked, that's why we wrote the post).

Well, I for one have to admit that some of my opinions have changed since writing that post last year.
 I mentioned that after the race weekend, I rarely wore the race shirt again.  Actually, here are my exact words.......
 If we don’t wear the race shirt during the race, we have very little opportunity to wear it again. We don’t go to the store, the bank, or to work in our race shirts. We rarely work out or do training runs in T-shirts either. We prefer tanks.

Ok, I admit it. Since I wrote that post last year, I have gone to the store in my race shirt. I had gone to the post office, the bank, and physical therapy in my race shirts.  And yes, I have even done some training runs in my race shirts ( all tech ones of course). I'm beginning to think that maybe I've accumulated some better race shirts since I wrote the post last year.  I will admit that I have yet to wear the cotton t-shirt I was given from the  Disney Royal Family 5K.  And I didn't wear the  Disney Jingle Jungle 5K to race in either, but I did wear it to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party  while I was there but haven't worn it since.


We don't make a habit of wearing the race shirt on race day, but we have done it before and don't see anything wrong with it. And no, not just beginner runners wear the shirt despite what people may think.
As we mentioned in the previous race shirt post, we truly do believe that if the shirt actually says “finisher” on it, then maybe you should wait till you finish the race to wear it, but keep in mind that if you are picking up your race shirt at packet pick up, you have been given the shirt for “registering” not “finishing”.  The medals are for finishing.

    A reader found our post in a forum last year and had made the comment that Real Runners" have better gear than to need to wear the race shirt and obviously with a name like "Fairytales and Fitness" we are not "real runners" so it is okay for people like us to wear the shirts that are provided.

What do you think of that?     ~M


If you would like to read the original post about the race shirts and read what others had to say about it, you can find it HERE


Which race shirt is your favorite? Which one do you wear the most?

Don't forget to enter the Shape up for Summer GIVEAWAY going on now!

What is Yoga All About?

When I go home to see family, I admit I don't keep up with my regular workout routine. I don't come home as often as I'd like so when I do, I'd rather spend time visiting with family then working out. The other week when I went home, my mom asked me to take a yoga class with her. She had never took one before either but wanted to try something different than her daily boot camp classes.  Now we've both heard many good things about yoga and how it may improve your running by the way you breathe and our posture so we thought we would give it a try.

 

We arrived at the yoga studio with our mats ready to go. There was a lot more people there then what we thought, many their first time as well. The class was Basic Yoga. Now I never tried yoga in the past, because I feel like when I work out I want to be breathing heavy and sweating, not breathing in and relaxing. But I was excited to try something new.

We started with finding our "center" and staying grounded by making sure both our feet were evenly distributed on the mat. The instructor told us that people tend to not distribute their weight evenly when they are doing daily activities such as waiting in line at the grocery store or brushing their teeth. They tend to roll on their outside or inside of their foot and that may cause hip or back problems with time. Your feet are the foundation of everything you do. If you do not have a good foundation, that's when one may become out of alignment. 

We did some basic yoga moves such as child's pose, downward dog, warrior, plank, and cobra. I didn't think they were very hard (maybe because they were basic). However in some moves we would raise a hand or leg and try to keep our balance, which was a bit more challenging. Having never taken a yoga class before I never knew what the block was for. It is to assist you in certain moves if you cannot reach the mat with you hand, you place your hand on the block to keep your balance.

Overall the class went well, but I didn't feel like I worked up a sweat and burned a ton of calories. So never taking a yoga class before, I had an idea in my head how it would be, and I was pretty much spot on. Now I know why I have never have taken one before now. However, I did feel more flexible afterwards and the stretching felt good, because I never do that after my runs (which I know I should). It is a nice change to your daily routine, however I would do this on a rest day, and not replace it with a workout. Me personally, when I workout, I want to get my heart rate up and sweat. I need to keep moving. I am way to antsy to stay in one spot and relax by taking deep breathes. 

Have you ever taken a yoga class? What are your feelings on it? Do you feel like it has helped you with your running?

~L

A Peek in Our Week

Okay, we decided to do a peek in our week a day later. I imagine everyone had beautiful weather yesterday and not too many of you were online reading anyway. We're you?

So here goes:

Lacey
Sunday: I had an overnight in Savannah and enjoyed a pedicure.

Monday: I had an overnight in Columbia, South Carolina. I met up with a friend at a Mexican restaurant for Cinco de Mayo.

Tuesday: Ran 2 miles in the evening when I got home from work, then slept for 12 hours.

Wednesday: I was well rested so I ran 12 miles this day.

Thursday: Ran 4.5 miles and then had recurrent training for work.

Friday: Saw the movie "The Neighbors". It was ok, a good laugh. Went to my favorite Italian restaurant in VA Beach.

Saturday: I volunteered for Girls on the Run.

Meranda

 Many of you know that I have a part time gig as a Disney travel planner. Well, since free dining had come out for Disney this week, I spent most of the week planning vacation for people. I've also been booking people who want to go for Marathon weekend.

Wednesday: Today was my mom's birthday, So I of course took her to the Stay Sweet Cupcakery in town. Oh, I love this place!  It was a lovely day, so we spent the rest of afternoon walking around town and window shopping. This is what I gave my mom for her birthday. What do you think?

I found this painting at the Arts Festival I went to a few weekends ago and I thought it was perfect. It looks just like all of our Labradors.


Friday: I got my workout in this day by helping my husband remove some shrubs from our front yard. They started to turn brown and looked dead about 2 years ago, but we kept trimming them back with the hopes that they would come back to life.  We finally realized they were gonners and pulled the plug ( I mean the roots). They were in the ground for quite a few years, so they had some thick roots on them.

Saturday: We got our boat out of storage and we started to prepare it for summer.  I really want to take Baylee out on the boat this summer but I'm pretty sure the loud sound of the motor might scare her.

Do you live near an airport on the East Coast? Maybe I'll be stopping by in your town this week. -L

Have you ever taken your dog on a boat? How did that work? -M

PS. Don't forget to enter our Shape Up For Summer GIVEAWAY that is going on now.

Gold'sGym Foam Rolling System

 

I am so excited about the product we are giving away because it is literally one of my favorites!

It is the Gold’s Gym 3 in 1 foam roller.

 

 

Those of you who read our blog regularly know about my hip and IT band issues and you probably could guess that I have been using this foam roller like crazy!

Before you go right to the rafflecopter, let me tell you why I love THIS foam roller and why this roller is so much BETTER than some other kinds I’ve had.

 

1.      First of all, it’s a 3 set. You will get ALL three of these rollers. It’s very convenient that they are nesting , they all fit inside one another. This came in handy as I traveled with this foam roller on my last trip to Disney (and my beach trip last month).

 

2.      The High density roller: This is the big blue foam roller. What I love about this is the durability of the roller. Check out the inside from the previous pictures. There is some sort of thick plastic inside the roller to help it keep its shape.   Compare the Gold’s Gym roller ( on left) to an old roller that I had (on right).  Can you see the indentations from the old foam roller? I have been using the Gold’s Gym foam roller consistently since October 2013 and it still looks new. No signs of wear.

 

3.      The low density Roller: This is the smaller, lighter, yellow roller. This has got a rigid exterior and is great for delicate areas like wrists and ankles.

4.      The message stick:  I love this massage stick and it is perfect for traveling. I do have a few different brands of massage sticks ( you may have seen us mention another on the blog last year). Regardless of brand, massage sticks are wonderful and everyone should have one. What I like about this particular stick is that the rolling parts of them are a little bit thicker. And it makes for a smoother roll when I use it on my bare legs. Sometimes the massage sticks that have the smaller rolling parts pinch my skin as they roll on it.  At only 18 inches in length, I’ve packed this in my carry- on luggage and whipped it out on plane rides. I am so glad I had this on the plane ride home from Princess Half Marathon this year.

 

5.      The DVD: I love how this comes with a DVD. I’ve learned so many new ways to use my foam roller.  The instructor on this video likes to use the term “marinate”.  That’s what she calls it when you find that one spot that hurts like a bugger and you just dig it into the foam roller for a while, you are “marinating” it!

 

If you‘ve been running for a while now, you probably already have a foam roller, but maybe yours is worn out, or you’d like to upgrade it. Don’t you think any runner would love this as a gift?

This foam roller set retails for $29.47 at Walmart.com  but it was gifted to me from the generous folks at Icon Fitness.  The folks at Icon Fitness would like to give one of our reads this  foam roller set.

Please enter by using the Rafflecopter.  We understand that not everybody engages in the same form of social media so you can enter in whatever way feels comfortable to you. You don’t have to enter all the ways, but of course if you do, that will give you more chances to win!

After you leave a comment, make sure you check that box off on the Rafflecopter. If you leave a comment without checking it off on the Rafflecopter, it doesn’t count.


 

Tell me about your foam roller sessions. What’s your favorite way to use the foam roller or the massage stick?

 

My Race Wall. Is it too much?

Even though we are gearing up for Summer, it didn't really feel like we had much of a Spring here. In any case, I recently did a little Spring cleaning/organizing around here.

Our friend Pam from We Run Disney recently posted a picture of her newly organized/designed office space featuring her running medals and memorabilia and encouraged her readers to do the same.  I knew I had wanted to post a picture of what I had done with all of mine, but I needed to get a few more pieces in place.

I can't really display my things in my office area, so mine are on the second floor in my dressing room.  Anyone who has ever visited my home knows that this room is my sweet escape.  Here is the finished product.

                        It was kind of hard to take a picture of because of the mirror on the vanity.


                                            On the right is my medal holder from SportsHook.

 

In the Middle are three pictures from the 2014 Princess Half Marathon Weekend at Disney.

On the right is my medal hanger from Gone For a Run. I decided to slip in that photograph from the Disney 5k and it fits perfectly. There is still room to slide another 4x6 photo in on the other side but I kind of like the Magical Miles.

I was going to put on it all my Disney medals/medallions that I have earned over the years, but decided to just keep the 2014 Princess ones on here for now. For this hook I had to double the lanyards on the medals because they would hang down and interfere with the light switch.

Above the hook I have my race certificates framed. The one on the bottom is from the Glass Slipper Challenge and the one on top is from Volunteering at the WDW Marathon last year.  I might put the certificate up from this years Princess Half but I need to find another picture frame. That's why I just put the GSC one up for now.


So do you think this is too much?  I'm really the only one who sees all of this anyway ( or maybe the occasional girl friend or relative who wants to come over and borrow some clothes).

I figured I could throw all this stuff in a box, or I could decorate with it. 

Your turn. Lets keep Pam's motivation going.  Write a post on how you display your medals and race memorabilia.   ( or you can just tell us in the comments or your could do both!)