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Happy Nuun Year!

Disclosure: I am a 2015 Nuunbassador. This post is not sponsored by Nuun in any way. The giveaway is not sponsored by Nuun. All opinions are my own. Many thanks to Briana of Mat, Miles, Medals for the image above.

December is more than half over, and the new calendar year is almost upon us. (I know, I know–I have to keep saying it to myself over and over, because I barely believe it!) I was fortunate enough to be selected to be a Nuunbassador in 2015, and it’s time to celebrate that adventure coming to a close.

By the way, I decided not to reapply for 2016. That decision had nothing to do with Nuun–which I still drink all the time and am just shy of obsessed with–or my experience (it was great!). So many of my friends were really excited to apply, and really deserved a chance to represent Nuun in 2016. They wanted it SO badly! Since I already had the chance to represent Nuun, and I have my fingers crossed that I’ll be chosen as an ambassador for the Detroit Marathon, I decided to step aside this year. (Hey Nuun, maybe let’s get together again in 2017?) No need to be greedy, and I want to continue to do an excellent job for BibRave in 2016.

So, let’s talk Nuun!

Nuun’s major innovation is to separate hydration from fueling. Most sports hydration drinks are designed to do both, which is why they are filled with sugar–simple sugar can be readily broken down for use as fuel. Unfortunately, many endurance athletes find that consuming too much sugar while hydrating leads to…let’s just call it unpleasant digestive side effects. Nuun decided to separate the hydration (and and accompanying electrolyte replacement) and fueling.

Morning? Night? #Nuun is the best! I want to win @nuunhydration

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Nuun Active is the original, and comes in the widest variety of flavors. Nuun Active contains the optimal blend of electrolytes because you need more than sodium when running (this is why salt packets are not the best electrolyte replacement!). Nuun has sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Here’s the nutrition facts and ingredients for my favorite flavor, tropical.

Some advantages to choosing Nuun Active for hydration:

  • light flavor
  • highly portable tablet format
  • easy to change or mix flavors
  • thin, non-sticky consistency
  • add more/less water to adjust taste and consistency
Nuun fizzes a bit as it mixes itself. Only add a half tab to champagne.) Image courtesy of Mat, Miles, Medals.
Nuun fizzes a bit as it mixes itself. Only add a half tab to champagne.) Image courtesy of Mat, Miles, Medals.

Since Nuun ships as tablets in a recyclable tube, I suspect it also has less of an environmental impact, at least on the consumer side–no water is shipped so you can move more Nuun with less fuel, and using your own bottle means no disposable plastics. Finally, while the tube is recyclable, many people wash and re-purpose the tubes.

Repurposed Nuun tube. Photo courtesy of @cratina. Follow her at http://fabulosi-t.blogspot.com/
Repurposed Nuun tube. Photo courtesy of @cratina. Follow her at http://fabulosi-t.blogspot.com/

They are just the right size to carry Energy Bits, or store change for parking meters. If you travel as much as I do, you might also use the tubes to pack cotton swabs, part of a Lush bubble bath bar, or earrings.

2015 #TeamNuun kit
2015 #TeamNuun kit

Nuun Active is what I used all year for running. (Nuunbassadors do get a product discount, but frankly the expo special is a better price so I rarely used it.) In addition to my regularly scheduled events, this year was also the first virtual run co-sponsored by Nuun (with Motigo and the website now known as FitFam). Only Nuunbassadors and Team Nuun members could participate, and the run included a cute fitted shirt and medal. Athletes representing Nuun also had the opportunity to purchase specialty Nuun apparel twice during the year. Pactimo prints the Nuun team gear, which is quality technical gear. Most of Pactimo’s styles are for cycling, not running. So, for example, there weren’t running tights, or singlets. I opted for a pair of cycle shorts (encouragement to go to FlyWheel more often!) and a cycling jersey. (It’s got pockets on the back, so I know it wasn’t made for running.)

Andrew--find him on twitter @smartwatermelon--uses Nuun Plus in tri training
Andrew–find him on twitter @smartwatermelon–uses Nuun Plus in tri training

Nuun Plus is the newest Nuun invention. It contains electrolytes and sugar (dextrose and sucrose). Basically, it’s a way to add the fuel into your Nuun. You can easily adjust how frequently you fuel by adding Plus to some bottles, but not to others. I haven’t tried it yet, but my friends who have tried it do like it.

Nuun Energy is my favorite product, especially the cherry limeade. Like Nuun Active, it contains an optimal blend of electrolytes. Unlike Nuun Active, it also contains a B vitamin blend and caffeine. I keep a tube of the cherry limeade on my desk at work, so I have a low-calorie, less junky, option when I need an afternoon boost. (My non-Nuun choices are coffee drinks and sodas.)

Nuun All Day is a multi-vitamin disguised as Nuun! My favorite flavor is the blueberry pomegranate. The flavors are a little different, in part because the vitamin/mineral content is different. I’m not a huge fan of all of them, and as a friend of mine observed, it tastes a little “vitaminy.” I like the blueberry pomegranate all by itself, but you can easily mix it with another flavor (say half tab of each) or mix it into a beverage other than water (such as iced tea).

Finally, there’s U Natural. I’ve never tried it. U Natural is intended for use as hydration in less intense physical activities. (This is not the marathon runner blend.)

You can buy Nuun online, but buying it at your local sports or running store helps them to keep the doors open. The best price for Nuun right now is always at a race expo, where the expo special is two tubes for $10 plus a free refillable bottle.

Speaking of those bottles, I’m a bit of a water bottle junky. I came across an impressive photo of a Nuun bottle collection that essentially took up an entire kitchen cabinet. While I don’t have that many Nuun bottles, I do have quite the collection of other bottles too. When I started this year, I had two Nuun bottles: one Rock ‘n’ Roll, and one Active. I seemed to have crummy luck, and missed all the specialty bottles–the Rock ‘n’ Roll Vegas, the Kara Goucher…but really, how many do I need??

The Nuun Vegas bottle, courtesy of @crantina
The Nuun Vegas bottle, courtesy of @crantina

Throughout the course of the year it became clear I was going to end up with MANY more bottles, so I made a rule: I can only keep one in each design. I haven’t used any of the rest of them–that’s where the giveaway comes in!

I’m giving away my extra, brand-new, un-used Nuun bottles! I’ll also put some Nuun samples inside for the lucky winners! Important Note: the samples are not the Nuun-factory-sealed samples. They will be untouched Nuun tablets, poured directly from the Nuun tube into a fresh snack-sized Ziploc bag. (Remember, this isn’t sponsored by Nuun! Cut me some slack, since I’m paying for the product and the shipping; I’d hate to send you a tube and it turns out you hate that flavor.)

Nuun bottles! There will be at least 3 prizes!
Nuun bottles!
There will be at least 3 prizes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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In In the Kitchen

Unleash the MinoTOR

Disclosure: I received complimentary bottles of MinoTOR to review because I am a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro here. Read and write race reviews at BibRave.com! It’s a great way to choose between conflicting races, to help runners find the best races, and the help race directors improve each year. (Per usual, all opinions are my own–you should know by now I don’t need any help with that, I’ve got plenty of ’em!–and I don’t accept unlabeled advertorials.) 

In classical Greek mythology, the minotaur was a half-man, half-bull who lived in a maze. In the modern age, MinoTOR is a new performance beverage living in a maze of supplements (many of which are nutritionally worthless or can’t fulfill any of the claims they make–just check out the FDA’s latest smack-down actions or the New York attorney general’s latest suit to see what I mean). The name MinoTOR actually has nothing to do with the Greek bull-headed mythological monster, per the website:

The word “minoTOR” is a portmanteau.
A combination of two (or more) words or morphemes, and their definitions, into one new word. We took “mino” from Amino Acids and TOR from mTOR (more about that later) and put them together to form minoTOR™. Amino Acids are the building blocks of proteins. mTOR is the abbreviation of Mammalian Target of Rapamyacin. mTOR is a protein synthesis pathway that is vital for recovery and muscular growth.

I don’t like junky supplements, so MinoTOR had to win me over before I decided to test it out. Appealing aspects:

  • all claims backed by science explained on the website (by the way, I did my own reading for this blog post!)
  • no artificial colors, flavors, or unnecessary stuff
  • contains amino acids (key for recovery and muscle building)
  • low calorie, but not filled with sugar alcohols

As with anything I’m going to consume, I went to the website to read about it first.

The Other Ingredients.

Let’s start with the non-nutrional stuff inside. MinoTOR contains filtered water (of course!), cane sugar (real ingredient), citric acid (that’s like Vitamin C), natural flavors (legally defined term that’s not a big deal), acesulfame-potassium, and sucralose. Out of all of those, the only ingredients that are even mildly controversial are sucralose and ace-K, so I’m going to talk about those. Both are on the FDA’s list of accepted food additives, and are in use in the European Union as well. I haven’t found any credible study pointing to any serious health problem from consuming small amounts in moderation–if you find one, let me know.

Sucralose is a sweetener. When you eat it, your body doesn’t break it down very well, so most of it goes undigested, and thus contributes no calories to a product. It also has no effect on blood sugar levels, and does not contribute to tooth decay. Sucralose has been around since 1976 and is sold under the brand name Splenda. While one unpublished rat study claimed to link sucralose to leukemia, that study has been criticized for poor design; I wasn’t able to find other studies replicating that result that were published, peer-reviewed, or critiqued for design, and no studies showing any similar results in humans. Another recent study concluded that sucralose kills off good gut bacteria, but that study has been solidly questioned because it was funded by the sugar industry (which stands to profit handsomely from making anything other than sugar look as bad as possible); further, that study’s results haven’t been replicated in humans either.

Acesulfame-potassium is another no-calorie sweetener. It’s been around since 1967, and is sold under the brands Sunnett and Sweet One. It has a slightly bitter aftertaste, which means it can balance out the sweet flavor but also means it can’t be the sole sweetener used in a product (unless you want a bitter aftertaste). Both the FDA and the European Union (which tends to have stricter controls and regulation when it comes to food) approved it for general use. Again, the only studies I could find were rat studies, used a larger dose of ace-K than you will ever consume (like 3%+ of the rats’ total diet, which, according to Wikipedia, “would be equivalent to a human consuming 1,343 12 oz cans of artificially sweetened soft drinks every day”) and they are at best inconclusive. The studies were observing whether ace-K promotes tumor development; if you’re a male p53 haploinsufficient rat, the answer is “maybe.” At the same dose over 40 weeks, there was a limited effect on neurometabolic function. There was also some hypothesis that rat fetuses ingest ace-K via amniotic fluid or later from breast milk, and that it may influence their preference for sweet flavors. Something to consider if you decide to start drinking 1,343 12 oz. cans of diet soda each day.

Bottom Line: MinoTOR contains a small amount of sucralose and ace-K in order to keep the taste mouth-friendly without inflating the calories. You’d have to consume a ridiculous amount of diet soda (which is higher in both than MinoTOR) to come close to the dose any rat in any study received. (Also, you are not a rat.) I have zero worries about the sucralose and acesulfame-potassium in MinoTOR, and I’m fine with a small amount of artificial sweeteners as the last two ingredients in my beverage. A serving of MinTOR is half a bottle, and 50 calories. That’s a little over 8 ounces. To compare to the calories in other drinks, it is easiest to compare 12 ounces (the standard serving size for beverages). So let’s call it 75-80 calories. A few others for comparison are orange juice at 157-168 calories, and lowfat unflavored milk at 154 calories. A 20 ounce serving of cool blue Gatorade (a bottle) is 130 calories, which is similar to MinoTOR (8ish ounces = 50 calories, x 2 to get to 20 ounces brings it to 100 calories in 16 ounces).

A little aside…the sweetness factor/taste was the big dividing line between the Pros that like the taste and those that did not. 

Angie, another BibRave Pro, didn’t care for the sweet taste. She had a conversation with the MinoTOR crew about it too. You can read her experience on her blog, Marathang. She also took decent pictures (Mine were bad. Hence you don’t see them here.) Katherine agreed with Angie about the sweetness; her review is at Magic of Running.  Heather didn’t find the taste offensively sweet, and described it as more like coconut water. You can read her review at Heather Runs 13.1  Similarly, Erica over at Another Half Please found the taste just fine.

The BibRave Pro team tried out @drinkminotor. Find out what they think!

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The Non-Ingredients.

Worth mentioning, MinTOR does not have artificial colors or flavors. Unlike some very popular drinks marketed as “sports drinks,” it doesn’t come in orange, red, or bright blue. It doesn’t have sugar alcohols, which upset some people’s GI tracts (and interesting fact at least one sugar alcohol, sorbitol, is regularly prescribed as a laxative).

The Main Ingredients.

For purposes of this discussion, I’m going to divide the ingredients into three categories: vitamins and minerals, caffeine, and amino acids.

Vitamins and Minerals. Straight from the label, you’ve probably heard of all of these:

  • Niacin (Vitamin B3)
  • Vitamin B6
  • Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)
  • Vitamin B12
  • Zinc
  • Chromium

With the exception of zinc and chromium, the ingredients in this category come in at 50% of the RDA. (Zinc is a little higher (83%) and chromium is lower (10%).) This is EXCELLENT news, as mega-doses of any vitamin are almost never a good idea and should be closely supervised by a doctor. For example, Niacin is a vitamin you need for overall good health, and there is some evidence that it helps to prevent atherosclerosis; it is used in extremely high doses to treat cholesterol imbalances, but needs close medical supervision because mega-doses can cause liver problems.

As a vegetarian I’m pleased to see B12 included. B12 is primarily consumed by humans in animal meat, but not because meat has B12–B12 is actually made by bacteria! (Animals, like humans, cannot synthesize B12 or make it within the body. They have to eat it.)

Caffeine. Look at any pre-workout supplement on the market, and you’ll see they ALL have stimulants. (“Green tea extract” is partially code for caffeine. Even yerba matte, consumed by Mormons because coffee and tea are forbidden by their religion, is naturally caffeinated.)  Most of them have hundreds of milligrams of caffeine. Pharma Freak’s “Super Freak” brand, for example, has 500 mg of caffeine. For comparison, 100mg of caffeine is about what you’d find in an strong cup of coffee, or one and a half cans of Red Bull. The various flavors of Coca Cola have between 34mg and 45 mg per 12 ounce can.

MinoTOR has 40mg of caffeine. Caffeine is the most widely-used stimulant in the world, and is safe for the general population in ordinary doses. (I’m not a doctor, but a can of Coke isn’t going to kill the average person.) A quick Google search of “caffeine for runners” returned 457,000 results; the top of the page includes articles in Runners World, Competitor, The Guardian, and Active.com so if you want to read more about why caffeine before a workout, Google yourself silly. Or pick up the book, Caffeine for Sports Performance, by sports dietitians Louise Burke and Ben Desbrow and exercise physiologist Lawrence Spriet.

Amino Acids. As you’ve likely forgotten from high school biology, amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. When you eat protein (which is a bunch of amino acids stuck together), your body breaks it down into the component amino acids, and then shuttles those amino acids off to where they are needed in the body. For athletes, amino acids are critical for muscle repair (which leads to muscle growth) as muscles are at least one-third amino acids. That’s why branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) are popular supplements. I highly recommend the BCAA article on Precision Nutrition to learn more.

Amino acids come in two basic types. Essential amino acids are those the human body must obtain through food or drink–you have to eat them. Non-essential amino acids are those that the human body can manufacture within itself. The amino acids in MinoTOR are:

  • Leucine (this is a BCAA)
  • Beta-alanine
  • Isoleucine (this is a BCAA)
  • Valine (this is a BCAA)
  • Taurine
  • Sustamine™ (L-Alanine and L-Glutamine)

If you’ve ever gotten into an argument with someone who tried to make their dog or cat a vegan, you probably know that for dogs and cats, taurine is an essential amino acid–that’s generally the reason why they are obligate carnivores. (Please, don’t try to make your dog or cat vegan.) In humans, taurine is a non-essential amino acid. I confirmed with the company founder, prior to trying MinTOR, that the taurine is from vegetarian sources. So it is vegetarian-friendly.

Amino acids also serve other critical roles in the human body that are of particular interest to athletes. They assist in nitrogen transport, and production and transportation of glucose (aka the carbs your body uses for fuel), for example.

The Experience.

Okay, science is super awesome, but what about the drink? Sure, I’m getting to that.

Taste. MinoTOR has a slightly sweet taste that reminds me a little bit of coconut candy. It isn’t super sugary. It feels like water in your mouth, or maybe water with a little bit of sugar.

Performance. The bottle makes six claims, “Formulated with ingredients designed to:

  1. Increase energy
  2. Buffer lactic acid
  3. Accelerate recovery
  4. Improve oxygen utilization
  5. Promote muscular growth
  6. Boost metabolism”

These are all things that I can only evaluate subjectively. There’s zero science or study design here, because I can’t do a double-blind test with water (MinoTOR has a flavor, and I’d have a hard time fooling myself). I don’t have massive lab equipment to test how my muscles handle lactic acid, or whether my body is more efficiently using oxygen. Finally, since I’m reviewing this product and I know what it is supposed to do, I can’t avoid observational bias.

My Testing… All that aside, I tried MiniTOR before starting two of the 21 Day Fix Extreme workouts with Autumn Calabrese. These are targeted workouts with weights, about 30 minutes each, broken into sets of 2 or 3 exercises; upper body uses drop-sets, while lower body goes from weighted movements to plyometric ones.  I didn’t even pretend to try to do everything the same way, too many variables to control.

Test #1: 21 Day Fix Extreme: Upper Body Fix. For this session, I worked out first thing in the morning on a weekend. After I got up and threw on workout clothes, I drank half a bottle of MinoTOR and then waiting about 30 minutes before I did the workout. While I couldn’t bang out all of the push-ups, even with the modification (which isn’t “girl style on your knees” but “don’t drop as much and stay in full-body plank”) that was because my hands are apparently just not built for push-ups. I managed to do almost everything else in the workout minus the triceps kick-backs (dumb exercise, difficult to hit the target muscles and very easy to have bad form in my messed up shoulder) which I swapped for skull-crushers. At the end of the workout, I felt great. I had a post-workout protein and carb snack before my shower, and went about the rest of my day. The NEXT morning, ow!!! HOLY DOMS BATMAN!!! (DOMS = delayed-onset muscle soreness.) Yes, I killed that workout, but that workout tried to kill me right back. After teaching the morning yoga class, I felt much better. Conclusion: if MinoTOR makes the workout seem easy-ish when clearly I’m kicking butt–wimpy workouts do not cause sore muscles–then I’m for it. I’ll definitely drink it the next time I try this workout.

Test #2: 21 Day Fix Extreme: Lower Body Fix. For this session, I worked out in the evening, after work. (Actually it was after work, driving home, and doing some computer work.) It had been some time since I had lunch, so between driving home and working out, I had a small serving of cheese tortellini and drank the other half of the bottle of MinoTOR. The lower body workout seemed much more difficult than the upper body workout, I suspect because the lower body muscles are bigger, and I know I have weak glutes and hamstrings. This workout was definitely much more challenging, and I had to drop out to catch my breath several times (no, this was not an aerobic workout, thanks). But I finished it, and kept good form for every rep I banged out. Next time, I should try to eat the pre-workout snack earlier, as my stomach definitely let me know it had stuff in it. Conclusion: I’m pretty sure I’m going to be sore tomorrow. Even though I detest getting up early, I think my morning MinoTOR plus workout was better than the evening one…though I suspect this was due to poor timing of the snack.

Overall, I’m glad I had the opportunity to try MinoTOR. I’ll definitely use it for future weighted workouts.

Want to try MinoTOR? Head over to the MinoTOR website and enter code BIBRAVE1. You’ll get 10% off and FREE shipping. You can also follow MinoTOR on social media to ask questions, and learn more.

Twitter: @drinkminotor
Instagram: @drinkminotor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drinkminotor

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The Turkey Trot Report

According to Runner’s World, Thanksgiving day is the most popular day to run in the United States. I’m not surprised, since it is a holiday that tends to center around food, and the start of the holiday season (read: Season of Unlimited Feasting) for many. Personally, I think it’s nice to have an active activity that the whole family can enjoy.

This years shirt is definitely on trend, as current running styles favor neon for visibility
This years shirt is definitely on trend, as current running styles favor neon for visibility

My first turkey trot was in Austin, back in the late 1990s. I didn’t so much “run” as “walk and shuffle” it, but that’s part of the beauty of the turkey trot–most of them are relatively short distances, and welcome participants of all abilities. The largest events have multiple distances from as short as a mile to a 10k or longer.

Did you turkey trot in 2016? Will you in 2017?

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Historically, my family has celebrated both Thanksgiving and Christmas (and usually Dad’s birthday) over Thanksgiving weekend. For me, this meant going back to my home town, leaving all my healthy eating and exercise habits at home, and laughing with my brothers while consuming mass quantities of carbs and diet coke.  Three years ago one of my brothers and his wife happened to have a membership to a tricked-out Lifetime Fitness and took me as a guest. That was the first “turkey trot” of my current running career.

Detroit Turkey Trot 2014 gear
Detroit Turkey Trot 2014 gear

Last year, I decided to convince my family to run the Detroit Turkey Trot. It was an epic failure in that regard, as every single one had an excuse not to run. I decided that even though it meant getting up before the sun and running in weather colder than what I’ve run in since moving to California in 2008, I was going to get in a run. (I may have had delusions of participating in the Runner’s World runstreak. We’ll pretend that didn’t happen.) I drove down to Cobo Hall to register, grab some selfies with The Parade Company giant heads, and hatch a race-day plan.

The Big Heads are made of paper mache; according to The Parade Company, Detroit has the largest collection in the world
The Big Heads are made of paper mache; according to The Parade Company, Detroit has the largest collection in the world

The Detroit Turkey Trot is one of the largest turkey trots in the country. Events include a 10k Turkey Trot, 5k Stuffin’ Strut, the Drumstick Double (run the 10k then the 5k), and the Mashed Potato Mile. The 10k route largely follows the Thanksgiving Day Parade route, lined with spectators (some of whom camp out in RVs all night to save their spots!) and through the gorgeous architectural reminders that Detroit was once one of the greatest cities in North America.

One of my favorite downtown Detroit buildings. Nobody builds like this anymore.
One of my favorite downtown Detroit buildings. Nobody builds like this anymore.

About two miles from the end of the course there is a Christmas cookies and candy canes aid station, and when the weather gets cold enough there are volunteers designated at each water station to throw rock salt and gravel to prevent ice from forming! There are shirts for all participants and medals for the 5k, 10k, and Drumstick Double, as well as what might be the world’s most efficient post-race food stations. (Yes, better than Disney.)

This is the first time we'd seen each other since...like 1996.
This is the first time we’d seen each other since…like 1996.

This year, I convinced Dad to join me. (His fiancee, worried he’d repeated his “I haven’t trained, but I think I’ll go kill this race” stunt from the Detroit International Half Marathon this October, made me promise not to let him get hurt.) My master plan was to have a good time, get a little exercise, and hit some unique portals in Ingress (my latest semi-fitness-related obsession, but more on that later.) So I set my Garmin for 1 minute intervals, with the intent to stroll a minute and jog at an easy pace for a minute.

Sporting my BibRave orange at the Detroit Turkey Trot.
Sporting my BibRave orange at the Detroit Turkey Trot.

The weather was warmer than last year (no ice danger at the aid stations!), and though there were a few sprinkles in the beginning, it turned out to be a gorgeous day for a run. There were a bunch of cute costumes, from turkeys to Santa suits. At the end of the run, we had some snacks and drove home to the Thanksgiving feast in Dad’s new condo. After a shower and a quick nap (being on “west coast time,” I had stayed up WAY too late), I felt great and was ready to celebrate with my family.

Speaking of family, my less-curmudgeonly brother went for a run. He’s about to turn 40, so he’s freaking out about “not getting fat” (and not being 30!). Though he refused my invitation to the Turkey Trot, he ran 6.3 miles–just because he always has to one-up me.

IMG_2846
The 2014 finisher medal! Different colors of ribbons indicate which race you ran

If you’re interested in running a turkey trot in 2017–hey, it’s not to early to think about it!–a quick google search for “turkey trot” and the name of your town or the nearest large-ish town will likely get you a handful of results. BibRave.com, a race review website, has participant-written reviews of many turkey trots.

You probably can't register today for a 2016 turkey trot...but soon!
You probably can’t register today for a 2016 turkey trot…but soon!

Naturally a ton of my friends and fellow run-bloggers also ran this year. Here are just a few of their turkey trot reviews, for your reading pleasure. Running With Ollie chose the Cox Running Club Thanksgiving Day 5k in Fort Worth. My friend Andrew ran trails with Brazen Racing at the Nitro Turkey and Quarry Turkey (check out the bling!). Running on Happy ran the Cleveland Turkey Trot and had a different experience this year compared to last year. My First 5k and More did the Troy (NY) Turkey Trot 10k AND the 5k (check out the holiday presents, oh my!). Marcia’s Healthy Slice pointed out that races like the Mount Prospect Jaycees Turkey Trot are often at bargain prices. Chocolate Runs Judy did a turkey trot in Cohoes (NY)(see? they are everywhere!). Lauren Runs tackled the Suntree Turkey Trot. Weight Off My Shoulders did a race with a cute name, the Gobble Gobble Gobble Four Miler in Somerville (MA). The Tiny Terror ran her second turkey trot in Florence (SC). Finally, not every turkey trot is a shorter distance–Runspirations by Melissa did a full half marathon! (I love the medal for that race–what a great reminder of blessings all year.)

Mashed Potato Mile-rs get the same bling, different ribbon
Mashed Potato Mile-rs get the same bling, different ribbon

Did you run a turkey trot this year? A gobble wobble? How about a stuffin’ strut, mashed potato mile, or other holiday event?

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In Events

Beat the Blerch

It was a dark and foggy morning...
It was a dark and foggy morning…

If you run and have internet access, you’ve probably heard of The Oatmeal and the book, “The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances.” (If you haven’t, hie thee to the website and go read it already!) After the book was released last year Mr. Inman (that’s The Oatmeal, and the author of The Oatmeal) announced a trail race in Washington state. The 2,000 available slots sold out so quickly he added a second day. While there was also a virtual option for the inaugural Beat The Blerch, there is nothing like being there–virtual racing is not virtual reality.

Appropriately decorated starting line!
Appropriately decorated starting line!

For 2015, Beat the Blerch became a series: two days in Carnation, WA plus a race in Sacramento and another one somewhere in New Jersey. While Sacramento is closer to me in terms of travel, it happened to conflict with another event I’d already registered for, so it was off to Carnation for me! My friend Jennifer asked if I’d like to share costs on a hotel and car, and just go for one night. It might seem goofy to fly up on one day and fly back the next, but I’ve done so much travel for running and work this year that I am starting to cherish the nights I get to sleep in my own bed.

It’s just a quick hop from Oakland to Seattle (I #LUV Southwest Airlines!) and we packed in carry-ons only, so we were quickly at our destination. Jennifer introduced me to the game Ingress (another post for another day) as we grabbed a quick meal and then headed off to bed.

 

As promised, there was cake
As promised, there was actual cake on the course.

 

One of the things I love about run travel is hanging out with other runners. When sharing space to prep for a race, I often find I learn sweet new running tips, and this race was no different. Race day morning we laid out our stuff, grabbed some items from the hotel’s breakfast buffet, and headed over to Carnation. We we’re sure about parking and logistics, so we arrived super early. Like I think we were the fifth car parked in our lot. It was a quick maybe five minute walk over to the packet pickup area, where we got bibs, shirts, and other Blerch-based swag in our runner packets (packaged in a Zappos bag with an adorable Blerch right on the front).

 

 

 

Mugs, water bottles, books! Christmas in September!
Mugs, water bottles, books! Christmas in September!

 

Exploding Kittens: Kickstarter Edition
Exploding Kittens: Kickstarter Edition

Naturally we also had to check out the Blerchandise. In addition to water bottles, coffee mugs, Oatmeal graphic novels, stickers, shirts, and socks, runners could also get copies of the newly released Exploding Kittens card game. I already had mine–and the NSFW edition–since I participated in the KickStarter. These were the last of the KickStarter edition decks, so any runners who missed out had one last chance…

 

 

 

 

 

Who knew a pre-race donut could be so relaxing? (Probably my friend Angie, but that's another story)
Who knew a pre-race donut could be so relaxing? (Probably my friend Angie, but that’s another story)

After dropping our stuff in the car and putting on the bibs, it was time to loll around in the Zappos lounge. I was glad we were early enough to enjoy the pre-race festivities! In addition to the soda and junk food buffet, there were warm grilled cheese sandwiches and a DIY marshmallow treat station. After indulging we lounged on some giant airbed sofas with furry cushions while watching junk TV.  I’m not going to lie, I was a little worried about eating half a grilled cheese right before the race. (To save you the suspense: I’m now wondering whether I can hire a grilled cheese truck to follow me to races.)

 

 

 

 

Marshmallow creation station--who knew whipped cream on a marshmallow could be so good?
Marshmallow creation station–who knew whipped cream on a marshmallow could be so good?

Actually I had no desire to eat most of the things inside the Zappos lounge. The lounge staff encouraged us all to languish on the fuzzy sofas and watch just a few more episodes of Real Housewives. (“You don’t really want to RUN, do you? It’s so cozy and relaxing here!”)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buffet pants!
Buffet pants!

Over in the Zappos tent, I also learned something new: “buffet pants” (and bought a pair, of course). Buffet pants are for post-race loungewear….or lazing around the house, or perhaps on the way to a basketball game. (I’ve actually never worn mine outside the house…)

 

 

 

 

The buffet: part two, baked goods
The buffet: part two, baked goods

 

Not the "boob wizards" of the NSFW edition of Exploding Kittens, but pretty good wizards
Not the “boob wizards” of the NSFW edition of Exploding Kittens, but pretty good wizards

Prior to the race I indulged in not just the grilled cheese, but also a donut, and a marshmallow covered in chocolate sauce, and a few other carbolicious snacky items. I decided not to eat the packaged candy, passed on the chips, and left all of the soda in the cooler. Past races have taught me that carbonated beverages before a race–no matter how tasty and appealing they may be–BAD IDEA. (Save the champagne for after the race. Or practice belching. ’nuff said.) Seriously though, the grilled cheese was a great idea. The truck just kept bringing them out, and I’d watch to see if there was a plain cheese (some had bacon in them, of course). I was trying to figure out how I could make my own grilled cheese on race day mornings, but frankly I hate mornings and usually  barely get up in time to press play on the coffee pot. So until I manage to find a grilled cheese truck to follow me around, this is likely my last race with tasty gooey cheesy goodness for breakfast.

 

 

Blerchy advice
Blerchy advice

As promised, the aid stations featured cake. Nuun was a great stand-in for the magical purple fizzy beverage. (Seriously, just go read “The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances.” You might just want to buy the book, too–then you can bring it to the 2016 Beat The Blerch race to have it signed.) There were also multiple photo opps with Blerches, Sasquatch, and sofas. Shenanigans ensued. Some actual running happened as well, but I was busy taking pictures and enjoying myself, definitely not gunning for a PR or an age group award. For the most part, people seemed to be having a good time. The only drawback is that when you put cake in a Dixie cup, it sticks to the sides, and you have to either pull apart the cup or use a finger (questionable when running) to pry it out. The forks were at the finish line.

 

 

 

On-course Blerch!
On-course Blerch!

I posted a few pictures online for my friends, and the ones who are not runners were notably confused. (“I’m not judging,” wrote one, “and I’m willing to be educated, but…why does that giant marshmallow have nipples?”)

 

 

 

 

Did you Beat The Blerch? @TrainWithBain wants to know!

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Every race should have sofas at the aid stations.
Every race should have sofas at the aid stations.
Shade on the course
Shade on the course

The trail run was pretty cool. It’s an area I’ve never run, so all new to me. There was plenty of shade, and the terrain wasn’t particularly crazy or steep. I’ve never fueled with cake, and expect most of the other runners hadn’t either. The hardest part is that the icing sticks to the inside of the dixie cups, so you have to either tear the cup open or use a clean finger to swipe the cake out. Much to my delight, I did not see piles of churdle on the trail, which means people were not over-caking themselves. (This was, by some reports, a problem last year.)

At one point I high-fived The Oatmeal himself. Naturally I had no idea who he was at the time. (“Um, why is that dude running in an inflatable green suit?) Oops. Fortunately he didn’t seem to remember when I had him sign my book after the race, or if he did he didn’t hold it against me. Probably the former, since there was a giant line of people who wanted him to sign things.

 

 

Crossing the finish line
Crossing the finish line

 

Clif Bar & Company, a little business from Emeryville, CA
Clif Bar & Company, a little business from Emeryville, CA

The start and finish area did have a few of the normal race booths, including Clif Bars, Naked juices, etc. (but that’s not really why any of us went to Beat the Blerch). Just in case some real runners showed up an expected to see race-related types of things.

 

 

 

 

 

Blerch love
Blerch love

 

 

Moment of transparency, I can’t seem to get these freaking photos to behave themselves. Argh. If you happen to be reading this and are a WordPress ninja, please let me know! I need some help wrangling photos and layout, and I suspect that is going to require me to change the template (which I don’t have the mad skillz to do personally).

 

 

 

 

While we didn't eat directly from the buckets, there were Nutella sandwiches to be had at the aid stations and finish lines
While we didn’t eat directly from the buckets, there were Nutella sandwiches to be had at the aid stations and finish lines

We did stick around to take some photos with the absurdly large Nutella buckets. One nice perk of this race: free photo downloads. (You can also buy copies for a pretty reasonable price.)

Then it was off to Starbucks for some real coffee. I don’t know about you, but hotel breakfast buffet “coffee” doesn’t really do it for me. While waiting for the taste lattes to appear, we ducked into the restroom for a hobo bath. I am ever so thankful to Shower Pill for making this much easier–and I am sure those who shared the flight home with me were also thankful! (Shower Pill is like a baby wipe, only made for adults and intended to tide you over until you can take a real shower. The wipes are stronger than baby wipes, maybe the thickness of a washcloth, and one wipe is enough to do an entire adult body.) I’m a packing ninja, so it was a quick Shower Pill, face wash and rinse, quick pat down with a towel (you don’t need one with the Shower Pill, but I’d used regular face cleaner to do my face/neck), lotion, deodorant, and fresh clothes all around.

 

The sun came out, and it was a beautiful day to run
The sun came out, and it was a beautiful day to run

Did you run in one of the Beat The Blerch races this year? I’d love to hear what the California and New Jersey events were like!

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Two Times ME!

Disclosure: I received complimentary 2XU MCS Elite Compression Tights to review because I am a BibRave Pro. (Per usual, all opinions are my own–you should know by now I don’t need any help with that, I’ve got plenty of ’em!) Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro here. Read and write race reviews at BibRave.com! It’s a great way to choose between conflicting races, to help runners find the best races, and the help race directors improve each year.

Oooooh! Shiny!
Oooooh! Shiny!

Compression! Before getting my hands on these 2XU MCS Elite Compression Tights, I had a little experience with the 2XU brand.  I had tried the 2XU compression capris (purchased at the expo for the Oakland Running Festival), and knew their products are designed in Australia, and made in Taiwan. At another race, I’d packed in a hurry and left my sleeves at home, so at the race expo (I think) I paid $40 for a pair of size M “Unisex Compression Performance Run Sleeve(s).” Sadly, the combination of the two makes me look a little bit like one of those biscuit packages after you’ve popped the roll and there are bits of dough poofing out on the sides.

The only other compression tights I had tried were CW-X winter-weight Stabilyx tights. I do like them, but I have a very difficult time wriggling into them (there is always much swearing and gnashing of teeth, and usually a broken fingernail or two), in part due to the stiffness of the fabric while trying to wrangle the compression web into the correct places. The 2XU MCS Elite Compression Tights are a completely different garment. If you’ve tried compression before, you should definitely try these. They might just rock your socks off.

WAIT. What about the science? But first, a nod to science and personal experimentation. If you’ve read the published studies on athletes and compression, you’ll notice most of them have really unsexy names like “Mechanical compression during repeated sustained isometric muscle contractions and hyperemic recovery in healthy young males” and deal with compression and circulatory diseases. (There’s a reason why doctors prescribe those awesomely beige compression stockings.) Studies on compression and athletic performance, with equally sexy titles like “Changes in Tissue Oxygen Saturation in Response to Different Calf Compression Sleeves” often reach conclusions that are difficult to apply to running. (That last study? “This study shows that wearing compression sleeves from various brands differently affects tissue oxygen saturation.” Super helpful.) When user-friendly summaries are reported in fitness magazines for popular consumption, it seems like each investigation had a very specific limitation (for example, male professional cyclists on indoor bikes) or comes to a conclusion that contradicts the last one. Or both.

[On a happier note, compression for recovery seems to be a good idea–but as the latest review notes, the fairly uniform data are suspect.  See Marques-Jiminez et al. Are compression garments effective for the recovery of exercise-induced muscle damage? A systematic review with meta-analysis. Physiol Behav. 2015 Oct 29. pii: S0031-9384(15)30156-6. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.10.027. You can read the abstract HERE.)  At least  a few BibRave Pro members, Angie and Heather, prefer compression for recovery.]

My suggestion? Get some compression gear and take it for a test run. I personally love running in compression (but don’t like to wear more than calf sleeves for recovery) so I was SUPER excited to try out the 2XU MCS tights. When I put on compression tights, I feel like I’m wearing a sweet little hug all over my legs. BibRave Pro Sarah totally felt that way about these tights too. When I run, my body feels much more like an action hero, as the compression holds everything in place, close to the bones, and minimizes any jiggling or lateral movement. If you’re a woman, think about the difference between running with a really good sports bra, and running with a ratty old sports bra that doesn’t give you support and control.

What distinguishes these tights from others?

The first is in the name, MCS, which means “muscle containment stamping.” It’s a pattern of rubber-ish stuff (like uncovered elastic) stamped on the inside of the tights. (It is unrelated to the gold design on the outside.) The patterns are specific to the muscles they cover, so the stamp for the quads is different than the stamp for any other part of your legs. The 2XU site describes it like this: “MCS is a revolutionary fabric support system traced over key muscle, tendon and fascia groups to focus greater compression power to wrap precise areas and reduce muscle oscillation and damage.”

Inside view, MCS on the calf (and you can see the waistband drawstring, too)
Inside view, MCS on the calf (and you can see the waistband drawstring, too)

I’m all about reducing that oscillation, thanks. BibRave Pro Kim took a much better picture of the MCS than I did, also showing the tights turned inside out.

The other thing that differs from other compression is that the 2XU MCS Elite tights use two different fabrics. There is a lighter-weight technical fabric on the front, and a heavier weight one on the backside. It isn’t awkward though, and I bet you wouldn’t notice the difference if you picked up a pair and started to try them on, unless you started out looking for that difference.

Exterior view (read: I took a photo of my thigh); you can see thinner anterior fabric, and the shadow of the MCS
Exterior view (read: I took a photo of my thigh); you can see thinner anterior fabric, and the shadow of the MCS

To me, these felt very lightweight. I didn’t struggle to get them on, though I did take care to put the MCS pieces in their correct locations. (It’s not rocket science–once you have it in your hands, it’s obvious what should go where.) They felt good on my body, and other than the mini-muffintop I get from any compression wear (I’m not the only one, BibRave Pro Jenny also noticed that) I’d like to think they looked good, too (BibRave Pro Sarah pointed out that she was turning heads in 2XU, and BibRave Pro Jess felt like a superhero). It’s not just about the looks, and it’s not a “girls like black pants” thing–check out BibRave Pro Tom’s review  or read how BibRave Pro Jeremy credits these tights with a shiny new PR.

Other features:

Graduated compression. Like medical compression garments, the 2XU MCS Elite is graduated compression. In practical terms, that means assistance with venous return (at least theoretically), as the compression helps your circulatory system work against gravity. 2XU states this also increases blood circulation for recovery and reduced muscle stiffness post-exercise.

Fabric that wicks, but doesn’t stink. The fabric wicks sweat away from your body quickly. I’m a sweaty woman when I run, and was happy these never felt wet (or even damp, really!) after a half marathon. The fabric has antibacterial properties, which probably explains why it didn’t stink even after I wore it for a ten-miler and then it had to wait a week to get washed. Care is the same as other tech fabrics (wash cold, no fabric softener or bleach, hang to dry). Bonus, it also has UV sun protection.

Attention to details. The waistband has a drawstring, so if you’re not a natural mini-muffintop like I am, you can cinch the drawstring to get a custom fit. The seams are completely flat. No matter the humidity or other conditions, I’ve never had chafing. There is also a tiny pocket to hide your key when you run.

The Verdict: Invest in 2XU MCS Elite

Yes, these tights are on the pricey side–MSRP is $149.95 (Lululemon, eat your heart out). Think of this an an investment, and if you take care of them, they will last for many, many runs. (Personally, I’d rather have one really great pair of tights that lasts than several crummier ones that fall apart and need to be replaced faster.)

As I write this, these giths are on sale for $119.95. You can save 20% with the code BIBRAVE20. Psst! Pass that code on to Santa (or Hanukkah Harry, if you’re like my friend Liz!), it is good until 12/31/15!

I love a good discount as much as I like bling! This is me sporting the 2XU MCS Elite Compression Tights at Rock 'n' Roll San Jose
I love a good discount as much as I like bling! This is me sporting the 2XU MCS Elite Compression Tights at Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose

But hey, don’t just take my word for it. Just about ALL of the BibRave Pro team members who tried these tights LOVED them. Katherine rocked hers at the Hot Chocolate 15k. Laura killed the North Face Endurance Challenge in hers. Brenda likes them for trail running. Read more reviews from Allison, Haley, and Samantha, or watch a video review by John (I’m not quite cool enough for video yet). A legit criticism for many athletic pants, BibRave Pro Rachel would have preferred a wider waistband, something several others noted too (see Danielle’s Review).

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The Future’s So Bright, I’ve Gotta Wear XX2i

Disclosure: I received a complimentary XX2i France 1 Dual Pack to review because I am a BibRave Pro. (Per usual, all opinions are my own–you should know by now I don’t need any help with that, I’ve got plenty of ’em!) Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro here. Read and write race reviews at BibRave.com! It’s a great way to choose between conflicting races, to help runners find the best races, and the help race directors improve each year.

In the interest of full disclosure, I haven’t actually had the opportunity to run in them. It’s a sad saga involving a very expensive lost contact lens, a lengthy insurance battle, and other epic plot elements. By the time my new lenses were approved it was time for a new prescription, and on the only day I had free to go to the eye doctor, she was sick. (I know, I know–#firstworldproblems.) So while I can’t write about how awesome it is to run wearing these sunglasses, I’ve thoroughly investigated the rest of the aspects. I’ll update this post after I get my &^%*!!?! contact lens situation resolved.

In the meanwhile, if you would rather read a review by runners who actually got to run, here are a few reviews from my fellow BibRave Pro team members: Danielle, Tom, Krissy, and Jeremy.

I’ve never owned fancy sports sunglasses. In fact, until a few years ago when I was gifted a pair of Oakley sunglasses, I really only used giveaway sunglasses I received from various promoters. Basically I was afraid to spend money on sunglasses, because throughout my life I’ve always scratched them, sat on them, lost them, and otherwise destroyed them. The secret, it turns out, is to have both a safe place for them to live (like a hard case) and protective clothing for when they travel and are not on my face (like a microfiber cloth slipcover).

This kit from XX2i had me completely covered. First–and most important to a serial sunglasses killer like me–a zippered hard case to store all components when not in use.

Exterior shot
Exterior shot, everything safely tucked inside the hard turtle shell

By the way, see those letters at the bottom? LIFETIME GUARANTEE, baby!! This is really important to me because when I spend the money to buy quality gear, I need to know the company really stands behind it. So before I even opened the box,  I headed over to the website to see what “lifetime guarantee” means to XX2i.  First, I noted the company’s mission statement: “We support people that make a difference every day. People who are committed to a healthy, athletic lifestyle and being good citizens. People who appreciate quality, innovation and no BS marketing. We are committed to producing the best possible eyewear for outdoor enthusiasts and stand behind each product we produce with integrity and pride to insure your completely satisfied no matter what. All of our products are perfect for running, cycling, golfing, fishing, tennis, sport shooting and just about any outdoor activity.” So far, so good.

Then I clicked on the “warranty” to find out the scoop. It’s much better than I expected! See for yourself: “All XX2i sunglasses come with a no questions asked Lifetime Warranty! No matter if your dog chewed on them (which we hear a lot!) or if you drove over them in your SUV, we’ll replace them for a nominal shipping and handling fee of $19.95!” They do ask that you ship by a method that can be traced, which is pretty reasonable (since packages do sometimes get lost, but there are also scammers who try to take advantage, so I don’t blame them for making that request).

Satisfied it was safe for me to touch the glasses themselves, I opened the box to see what goodies were inside.

Filled with goodies, just like an Easter egg (only less messy)
Filled with goodies, just like an Easter egg (only less messy)

As you can see, the kit contains TWO frames and FIVE sets of lenses. Assuming you and your significant other or best friend don’t like the exact same combo, you can easily share. For this picture I left the lenses as they came (wrapped in plastic and yes, that was a Twin Peaks reference), though the kit actually includes a protective cloth cover for each set of lenses. That’s in addition to the two drawstring-style cloth bags for the sunglasses (frames with lenses inside them).

On the right, you can see the additional accessories: a sports-style strap and additional nose pieces and tips. Since I’ve also lost a few pairs of sunglasses that just had to go swimming instead of canoeing, the former is important to me. The latter could be really useful if you want to match your sunglasses to your running outfits or, for example, plan to be Captain America for the Disney Avengers races.

With all these pretty parts and a lifetime warranty in place, it was time to mess with the component parts. First I decided to try swapping out the tips. It was pretty easy, though you do need to give the original tips a little twist to get them off.

White frames, black (original) and blue (swapped out) tips
White frames, black (original) and blue (swapped out) tips

Next I decided  to try changing out the lenses. I’ve never had this option with sunglasses, and it seems both practical and fun (you could have two different color lenses, just like Dr. Jacoby! why yes, that’s another Twin Peaks reference).   The kit includes five sets of lenses, and the other four will be sad if I don’t try them out right? Also, you can buy additional lenses, including prescription lenses, polarized lenses, and readers. Changing the lenses was a big leap of faith for me, as I think of sunglasses as being delicate and easily broken.

For the too-fashionable-to-wear-one-color set, and to show contrast
For the too-fashionable-to-wear-one-color set, and to show contrast

It turns out you really can manhandle the frames a bit.  The lenses too–sure, I got them all fingerprinty while changing the lenses out, but they cleaned up easily. The only pieces I didn’t test-change were the nose pieces. This is mainly because I’m not great with little tiny screws, and I was afraid that one or more would go the way of my errant contact lens. The nose-pieces are adjustable and stiff to hold shape but pliable to bend, so you can customize the fit.

Speaking of customizing the fit, I was really pleased that these frames fit me. Through much trial and tears while trying on the cute headbands at all of the running expos, I’ve discovered I have a giant melon. (You can read about the ones that finally fit me here: Bani Bands.) These frames worked just fine.

The XX2i France 2 in tortoise
The XX2i France 2 in tortoise–you can see my eyes!

Since I can’t see without my contact lenses, running wasn’t much of an option. (Surely I would have killed both the sunglasses and myself if I had tried!) So instead I did some jumping around to mimic running, though it was more like crazy jumping jacks; the sunglasses stayed put, which is exactly what I need them to do. They also feel very light, and didn’t make any effort to ski jump off the end of my nose. That’s the long and short (mostly long) of my test drive of the XX2i sunglasses dual kit.

If you want to get your own, use code “XX2iRocks” (without the quotation marks) to score 50% off of your order!

 

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Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach 2015

Disclosure: I’m a member of the 2015 Rock ‘n’ Blog Team. In exchange for helping promote the 2015 Rock ‘n’ Roll race series, I received some swag and a discounted Tour Pass. To save $15 on any race in 2015 (other than Vegas), use code TrainWithBain. 

Gratuitous shot of me with a turtle mascot. (Seemed appropriate, since I ran with a group called the Running Turtles.)
Gratuitous shot of me with a turtle mascot. (Seemed appropriate, since I ran with a group called the Running Turtles.)

After running that mile in the sand, I was both thankful it was just a mile, and ready to run on pavement again. (By the way, if you go run the Rock ‘n’ Roll Mile in the Sand, or any sand race, a few tips for you: take a Buff to cover your nose and mouth, be prepared to rinse/wash your sunglasses due to salt water mist accumulation, and buy sand socks.) Saturday night my hostess Meghan introduced me to a crowd I’m affectionately calling “the pod people” because  John Thompson recorded part of Episode 44 of his podcast, Runner of a Certain Age, at dinner. Several of them are part of Team Shenanigans, which I’d describe as fun runners who are all about being encouraging and following good racing etiquette.

To find Runner of a Certain Age, you can go to the facebook page, the podcast blog page for this specific episode (see pictures of me and the crew at dinner, me and John before the race, and the “unofficial Fireball aid station” from Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego), or right to where you can play the podcast itself.

Dinner was great (Sirena EATalian, if you’re looking for good food; sorry but you’ll have to find your own good company). After dinner Meghan and I went over to the end of the Team RWB pre-race dinner (which was BBQ, so definitely not for this vegetarian–and I’m not sure about the wisdom of fueling a half marathon with massive quantities of meat, but hey…). I met some really cool people (re-met a few from the morning’s pre-Mile in the Sand photos) and cooed at a few cute babies. Since Virginia Beach has a big ol’ Navy installation right there, Team RWB is gigantic. If you’ve never heard of Team RWB, you should check them out–it’s all about camaraderie and integrating members of the military, who are often on the move, into community and fun. Anyway.

We got up early on race morning, to avoid traffic and make sure we got to parking and all of the pre-race photo meet-ups. There was more than ample parking at the ampitheatre, and then a free shuttle over to the race staging area. Some people didn’t read their pre-race emails and ended up driving around confused they couldn’t get into the parking lot for the convention center, which was CLEARLY explained in the pre-race emails (that was the VIP parking area). Seriously people, don’t be that runner–read all the pre-race emails. (If it turns out they are just ads or whatever, go ahead and delete them, but at least read them, there might be important information in there.) The free shuttle was easy and dropped us off right at the start.

After dousing myself in sunblock, eating a banana, and checking in my bag, we walked across the parking lot to the memorial near the convention center. Conveniently, this is where everyone plans their photos, so as long as you can move fairly quickly, it’s a simple matter to get into pictures for the Sparkle Skirts lovers, Half Fanatics/Marathon Maniacs, etc.

Rain clouds and wind at the Veteran's Memorial (aka group photo meet-up spot for every running group)
Rain clouds and wind at the Veteran’s Memorial (aka group photo meet-up spot for every running group)

Then we wandered over to the convention center near the VIP entrance for some snaps with the pod people, and I attempted to meet up with the Rock ‘n’ Blog team and local Ambassadors of Rock. Sadly, that was a Facebook fail; only three of us managed to find each other in the designated location. The only people in front of us were either in handcycles, or in race chairs, or pushing race chairs, and two of the three of us we wearing Rock ‘n’ Blog shirts, so it should have been fairly idiot-proof. Nope. Oh well. I blame the clouds.

"Hey, where is everyone?"
“Hey, where is everyone?”
Suddenly there were three of us!
Suddenly there were three of us!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During this, I learned a handy safety tip: if you’re getting photos taken in a shirt you haven’t run in yet, get the pics done early enough that you can change shirts–put the photo shirt in your gear bag and check it.

Speaking of the clouds, it started to rain during the starting actions. Since I was in corral two thousand, I sat down under a tree on the grass and waited for the first dozen plus corrals to go by, while keeping my glasses dry. (I hate running with my eyeglasses, but until I get the new contact lenses, I hate colliding with inanimate objects more and so I wear glasses.) Then when it was my turn, I hopped into my assigned corral and started the run.

It was a dark and stormy morning...
It was a dark and stormy morning…

The rain actually felt quite good, and I think it kept the feeling of humidity down for the first part of the race. It was still more humid than my body likes, so I was trying to be conscious of my running pace as I did my 1 minute intervals. At the halfway point, I was on pace to be able to match my PR, but then the rain had stopped and I felt the full effects of heat and humidity. Since no race is ever worth hurting myself, I decided to back off a bit to make sure I didn’t feel horrible or get sick before the end of the race.

A view of the marina, on the way to the finish line!
A view of the marina, on the way to the finish line!

Since I had never run in Virginia Beach, every piece of the course was brand-spankin’ new to me. I understand some of the locals regularly run parts of the route, and that parts of it are used in other courses, so it might not have had the same effect on everyone. I liked getting to run through both the street-side part of the first block away from the beach, and on the boardwalk-type area next to it.

Now that I play Ingress, I am sure this is a portal.
Now that I play Ingress, I am sure this is a portal.

 

I also enjoyed running through so much lush and green! Since I live in California (and psst, in case you are living under a rock and haven’t heard, we have a mad drought going on here) I don’t see a lot of lush and green of the wet and squishy kind. Part of the course runs through Camp Pendleton, which seriously confused me because in my head, Camp Pendleton is in California. (By the way, THAT fact took my brain a while to assimilate because actual Pendleton–like Pendleton blankets–is in Oregon.) Also I was at that point in the course where the really obvious becomes profound. Example thought: “running negative splits is so simple–you just have to run faster on the second half of the course!” (No kidding. Good thing they don’t let me play with the science after a long run.)

Course support!
Course support!

One road has runners going out down one side, and back up the other (after completing a loop beyond the street). I was surprised and super happy to see No Meat Athlete, Team RWB, and others had set up unofficial aid stations. I had a tasty vegan cupcakelette from No Meat Athlete on the way out, and the squeeze ice from Team RWB I had really helped with the heat on the way back. (To find a No Meat Athlete running group near you, choose the “running groups” option in the menu. Most of the links go to group Facebook pages. To find a Team RWB chapter, choose “get involved” and then “join the team.”)

The rain did not return, though some really nice people cheering and/or brunching outside provided some sprinklers for us to run through.

Not going to lie, I DANCED through every garden hose and law sprinkler possible!
Not going to lie, I DANCED through every garden hose and law sprinkler possible!

Race sponsor Humana provided wet-down sponges and a mist tunnel to try to help keep runners from overheating. The mist tunnel faked out some runners, who saw it and thought it was the finish line (despite being tiny, inflatable, and announcer-less). I hit the finish line, collected a bunch of bling–half marathon medal, remix medal, and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Heavy Medals series “Stairway to Seven.” The finish line was well-stocked with water, Gatorade, chocolate milk, Power Bars, bananas, and chips–the usual Rock ‘n’ Roll past-race fare.

I collected my bling for the half marathon, the remix challenge, and the Stairway to Seven “Heavy Medal.”

This Stairway to Seven is brought to you by Crazy Richard's Peanut Butter Burst
This Stairway to Seven is brought to you by Crazy Richard’s Peanut Butter Burst

There was a Remix medal too, of course (otherwise why run in the sand?). Bling collecting was followed by brunching with my new running buddies. I don’t remember what I ate, but I had two of these really fantastically tasty brunch beverages. Eventually, the drive home, showers, and–to the great puzzlement of the three-year-old living in the house–voluntary napping. But first, one mug shot for posterity (because in the age of the internet, it’s all “selfies or it didn’t happen”):

Proof I went to Virginia Beach and ran with Meghan!
Proof I went to Virginia Beach and ran with Meghan!

Overall, I really enjoyed the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach Remix experience. I swore I’d not do another mile in the sand, but I think now I would if I had the proper gear (Buff to keep sand out of nose/mouth; “sand socks” for running, so my feet didn’t get filled with sand; and pack a spare cloth/towel for wiping the glasses after rinsing them in the drinking fountain). I’d run the half marathon again for certain! The course support from neighbors/residents and local running groups definitely rivals San Diego (minus the unofficial aid stations offering some questionable hydration strategies).

Next in the Rock ‘n’ Roll series (at least for me): Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose! Not quite my home-town race, but within driving distance. The only drawback of running races is the travel costs. I was really lucky to be able to run Virginia Beach, and look forward to returning for one of the locally produced J&A races next year.

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Running with Tunes: Plantronics

Disclosure: I received a free Plantronics BackBeat Fit to review because I am a BibRave Pro. (Per usual, all opinions are my own–you should know by now I don’t need any help with that, I’ve got plenty of ’em!) Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro here. Read and write race reviews at BibRave.com!

Prior to testing the Plantronics BackBeat Fit wireless headphones, I’d never run with Bluetooth headphones. I’m not sure why I thought I wouldn’t like wireless headphones, especially since I’d pretty much stopped running with music due to corded headphone issues. The ear buds that come with the iPhone/iPod are pretty from a design standpoint, but had a tendency to jump out when I run (plus if you sweat on the ones with the volume control thingy on the cord, you can kill them–Awesomeness alert: the BackBeat FIT is 100% waterproof. You can even fully submerge them. Tunes while swimming, anyone??). I’d switched to Yurbuds since they are a huge improvement in terms of both of those issues, but now those are my at-work earbuds. It’s probably my naturally graceful movement, but once I’m geared up to run they were sure to snag on something–hat, watch, Road ID, Handana–and yank a bud out of my ear.

Running without music is a drag sometimes. When I’m running alone and not at a big event, I need more motivation than I can get from just running. Otherwise it is just too easy to sit on the couch. So when the BibRave Pro team had the opportunity to test the Plantronics BackBeat Fit, I decided to give them a spin. Worst case scenario, I’d decide they are not for me and give them away. (No such luck for you, dear reader, as it turns out I love them.)

When the box arrived, I felt like it was just like Christmas! I knew exactly what was inside.

Santa Cruz? We're practically neighbors!
Santa Cruz? We’re practically neighbors!

I forgot to mention that long before Bluetooth, when most of us didn’t have cell phones and Apple hadn’t invented the iPod, back in the days before we were worried that the Y2K bug was going to cause the end of the universe, that’s when I first learned of Plantronics. The context was that I was a student at Coach U., where all of the classes are conducted telephonically via bridge lines. In order to avoid the creaky neck caused by spending hours and hours holding the receiver with your head and shoulder so both hands are free to reference materials and take notes, the Coach U. team recommended all students buy a headset for their phones. (This was a radial notion at the time.) The brand Coach U recommended as the top-of-the-line, best investment was Plantronics.

Now I have a Plantronics headset in my office for conference calls and depositions. From the context I always associated Plantronics with businesses and offices, so hearing a connection to running was quite the surprise to me.

Handwritten note!
Handwritten note!

The Plantronics team included a handwritten note inside. I really love that kind of personal touch–it makes me feel like there are people on the other side of the box and the product, instead of a monolithic corporate entity. (I have no idea whether Plantronics is a huge company or a tiny one. All I know is that I associate the name with quality headsets.)

I’m also a giant nerd, and I’m interested in packaging and presentation. Instead of ripping open the package and extracting the contents, I’ve got to examine all the elements first. Notice the sticky-note on the box not only has the social media information and a QR code, it also has a color photo of the two most important items in the box, the headset and the carrying case. (The box also contains a charging cable and instruction booklet.) The carrying case is reversible neoprene: turned one way, it’s a storage unit for the headphones, cable, and instructions; turned the other, it’s an adjustable armband to carry your phone (keys, cash, etc.) while you run.  Also, the note is color-coordinated with the box and contents in Lime Burst (the headset also comes in Electric Blue). Enough already, let’s open the package.

Here (hear?) they are!
Here (hear?) they are!

The front piece of the box opens like the cover on a book. It reminded me of the Lifesavers “A Sweet Story” packages my parents used to get for us kids at Christmas. Anyway, peek inside!

Pretty, right? The picture doesn’t quite do it justice, the color is much nicer live. Also, you can’t tell, but the piece connecting the two earbuds is flexible like a cable, not stiff like what I suppose are now “old-fashioned” headphones like the kind that came with the Walkman.  Awesomeness note: this makes them super adaptable to different sizes of heads, and you can wear them under or over headgear!

Charging is simple. First pull out the small tab to slide the cover off of the plug receptor. Plug the charging cord into the receptor, and then connect the other end to a USB power source (e.g. computer, wall-wart). Rings around each bud turn red when the power is connected, and blue when charging is complete. Final step, pair the headphones with the iPhone. Boom.

Back of the box
Back of the box

Ready to go! I read the instructions, and you’d think I could have figured this out since there are only really two buttons, but some days I am short a few clues. I put the headphones on and hit the button, but nothing happened. I tried the other button. I tried both buttons. Cut to the chase, you don’t just hit the button, you hold it down for 2 seconds. The headphones then speak to you (“Power On”). If you tap the button, they will tell you how much charge is on them. Awesomeness note: there is an 8 hour battery charge life. That means you can psych up before the race, run a marathon, and still have tunes to enjoy with your post-race beer!  To adjust the volume, you can either use the button on the headset, or you can use the volume controls on your phone. (Bonus: my iPhone shows that the headset is connected and shows the power level.)

One thing I really love about the Plantronics BackBeat Fit is that these are NOT noise-cancelling (“block out”) headphones. Wearing noise-cancelling headphones while running is a major safety hazard, because they are designed to block out all of the ambient noise, anything not coming from the sound source. When you’re running, you need to hear the world around you! Not being able to hear traffic, other runners, and race officials/volunteers is downright dangerous. Awesomeness note: the BackBeat Fit delivers quality sound while still allowing me to safely hear important environmental clues. Or as the website puts it, “Eartip design directs audio into ear but lets you hear a bit of your surroundings.”

I’ve now taken these out on short runs like the Road Runner Sports Adventure Runs, and on long runs like the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach half marathon. So far, I love them! There are a few features I haven’t tried yet.

  • Phone usage. Use the buttons to switch between music and phone calls without fuss.
  • Armband case, because I’m either holding my phone in my hand (Adventure Run uses a map) or it is in one of my skirt pockets, so  my biggest problem is what to do with the headphones when I’m done running. I tried hanging them around my neck, but if I bend over I lose them (which could be perilous in a porta-potty!). After one run I put them around my neck, and secured them with a Buff. Another time I put them into a free pocket.
  • Apps. Plantronics has some apps in the app store. According to the website, “Our apps help you get the most from your headphones by explaining features, updating to the latest firmware, and even locating your lost headphones.”

If you haven’t tried the Plantronics BackBeat Fit and are in the market for wireless headphones or Bluetooth headphones (these are both!), I highly recommend these headphones. I love them so much I’ve committed to a year of membership in Rock My Run, now that I know I have reliable, non-tangle, headphones.

But hey, don’t just take my word for it! Take a look at reviews by some of the other BibRave Pros!

 

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Mile In The Sand 2015

Disclosure: I’m part of the 2015 Rock ‘n’ Blog Team.  Each team member received a 3-pack TourPass (I used mine to upgrade to the TourPass Unlimited) and other perks in exchange for promoting the Rock ‘n’ Roll race series. All opinions are my own (and I’ve got plenty of them!).

Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach bling!

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach event celebrated a 15th birthday this weekend! It was my first time at the event, and I am very thankful to my friend Meghan (and her husband) for letting me crash at their house (thereby saving the entire cost of a hotel), and to Southwest Airlines (for having an awesome loyalty program that let me use my points for the flight to Norfolk). Even with the Tour Pass to eat the race entry fees, flights and hotels are not cheap!

Since there was a nationwide “slow down” on Friday (something about East Coast weather), my flight–like every other flight–was late. There was just enough time to drive to Meghan’s and catch a nap before we were up (before the sun!) to drive over to the Mile in the Sand. As we parked at the convention center, there was a veritable downpour.

Fortunately, it only lasted a minute or two–just enough time to wet down the sand, but not long enough to make mud. (Now that I’ve run the event, I know I should have wished for a bit more rain.) We met up with friends and walked down to the beach. Hooray! My first time in Virginia Beach! At first glance, it actually looks quite a bit like every other beach with significant tourist traffic: boardwalk lined with hotels, with the next street up covered in casual and fast food, and shops selling t-shirts and inflatable beach toys.

It was a novelty to see the sunrise over the ocean (since I now associate sunsets with oceans) as I walked over to pick up my Mile in the Sand bib. The wind was whipping through the kiosk tents so hard that the bibs were clipped together with binder clips, and it almost took two people to wrangle one. After running from 17th to 20th to 19th for various pictures–Meghan knew all but two people running the event–everyone piled onto the sand into a single, giant corral. While there were some mile times posted in a corral-like fashion, that didn’t really dictate where people ended up standing.  I’m betting this is largely due to the fact that running in the sand is an entirely different beast–making it hard for us non-sand-runners to estimate–but more on that in a moment.

The giant corral was released to the race course, a simple out-and-back, in waves. This was a great idea, as there were a ton of people on the beach, and releasing all of us at once would have given Competitor Group’s insurance underwriters all fatal heart attacks. (The potential for tripping hazards was huge.) I’d put myself in the 10 minute corral, thinking it was just a mile and I could bust it out.

Runners on the Sand

Right. So remember how I said running in the sand is an entirely different beast? Yeah… So I’d decided to run barefoot, after assurances from the locals that the beach is raked daily, and knowing in general that I hate having sand in my shoes. Tevas in one hand and the other on my head to steady the hat, I took off from the corral. I was prepared for the softness of the sand, which means you have to pick up your feet a bit more, and when you land the ground is unstable. (It had not occurred to me until I was running that the real trick is to run more on your forefoot/toes than on the midfoot and heel. Because sand.) I was not prepared for the lateral movement every time my feet landed. On the one hand I was thrilled I’d chosen not to wear running shoes–part of the structure of which is to prevent lateral movement–but on the other hand I felt like a tool for not considering movement in every plane while choosing a corral.

Another thing I failed to consider: “over-spray” sand from runners sprinting past me as the breezes came across and directed the sand into my face. This changed my breathing strategy (in through the nose, out through the nose, lips sealed tightly) which slowed me down even more. Wait, make that two other things. Since the great contact lens incident (long story) last year, I’ve been wearing glasses. (I miss running in my Oakleys so, so, so much.) Even with no rain and no perceptible ocean spray hitting me, my glasses accumulated a ton of salt. So much that at the end of the race it looked like I was wearing scratched Plexiglas-ses instead of clear ones. The boardwalk drinking fountains provided a convenient rinse.

While it was fun, definitely a novel experience, I was definitely over it by the time I hit the end of the mile and collected my medal (and water and chips). Then I turned back to the kiosk where I’d picked up my bib in order to pick up my beach towel. That’s right, beach towel–no race shirt here. From there I returned to watch the final finishers, every last one cheered in by the staff, volunteers, and a pretty big crowd. One was a member of the local running group, the Running Turtles, and other turtles ran back to help bring her to the finish and make sure she was okay. Another was Derek, a member of Team RWB who has made it his goal to complete a 5k every month this year.

 

Pretty awesome, right? After we cheered in the finishers, we headed over to the beer garden. Rock ‘n’ Roll’s beer sponsor, Michelob Ultra, always has one beer for each runner after the race. I don’t drink beer, but I was happy to retrieve mine and hand it off to one of the Running Turtles. (Hey, it’s part of my registration fee!) Dusted off my feet, put on my sandals, and we hiked back over to the Convention Center for the Expo, since I still had to pick up my bib for the half.

Per usual, pretty much no line to pick up my bib. As I wandered through the Brooks gear at the Expo, I paused to take a selfie!

Left Shark!

We were hungry after the mile on the sand (mainly because we got up super early and hadn’t eaten breakfast), so we didn’t spend too much time at the Expo. Just enough for me to stalk some shoes, snap pics for a few tweets, and buy another Buff. (I’m in love with Buff.) Then it was off to #EatAllTheFoods.

To be continued…with the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach half marathon! In the meanwhile, see what Kathryn over at Dancing to Running thought of the Mile on the Sand!

 

 

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Rock ‘n’ Roll Portland 2015

Eeek! I wrote this post months ago and thought I had published it…must have been runner’s brain. Disclosure: I’m a member of the 2015 Rock ‘n’ Blog Team. In exchange for helping promote the 2015 Rock ‘n’ Roll race series, I received some swag and a discounted Tour Pass. To save $15 on any race in 2015 (other than Vegas), use code TrainWithBain. To bring the cost of the Las Vegas half or marathon down to $145, use code TrainWithBainLV.

This is my second year doing the Rock ‘n’ Roll Portland course. In 2013 I ran a PR on a course I swear they made by linking up every hill in the immediate downtown-to-SE area. I used to live in Portland, I know it is flatter than that course! This year it was a new course and a very different trip (I usually try to go for a long weekend, but this was strictly overnight). I flew in early Saturday, returning to my favorite airport: live music, local eats, art…and everyone’s favorite airport carpet!

The old PDX carpet
The old PDX carpet
The NEW PDX Carpet!
The NEW PDX Carpet!

At the expo, I spent a good deal of time with the super nice people of Portland Running Company talking about the Garmin Forerunner line. I’ve been trying to decide what to do about tracking my running since the Nike+ app decided to stop synching with the website and Bia closed their doors. Ultimately, I decided I really don’t want a heart rate monitor on my running watch (I already own one, and don’t need another), and they only had the 220 with HRM. After the expo I did track down a 220 without the HRM at another running store nearby (the better to buy it on sale, not pay sales tax, and get it during the rebate period).

Most brilliant display, hands down, goes to Toyota.

Toyota basically made a mini-expo right in the middle
Toyota basically made a mini-expo right in the middle

They made an interactive set-up out of multiple vehicles and assorted iPads and techie stuff. Each car had an activity with it, including one that was a photo booth! (The kid in the picture above this paragraph is looking for accessories.)

No, you don't get to see the selfies.
No, you don’t get to see the selfies.

Each vehicle also had information about the car, geared towards potential buyers. Once you completed all three activities (there was a “tour pass” you got punched at each station) you could return to the tent and collect your prize: a car charger with adapters for various phones. Brilliant, since Toyota is a car company and you’ll keep this gadget in your car and see it daily.

I also finally tried on some Altra shoes. Since I have a shoe problem, I try not to put them on my feet unless I could buy them. Most running shoes that fit my feet are over $100, and I currently have three pair in rotation (well, one is in reserve right now), but since they had “open box” shoes for $59 (and remember, Oregon has no sales tax), and they had many in 10-11 sizes, I decided to try them on. I’ve been eyeing them for awhile, wondering how much different the zero drop base would feel since I’m already running in Brooks Pure Cadence most of the time. Answer? A LOT DIFFERENT. Apparently I got a dopey grin on my face, probably because it felt like I was walking on pillows! I haven’t taken them out for a run yet (um, they look so clean and tidy…) but I will, soon.

Since I neglected to snap a pic of the shoes, here's the event shirt
Since I neglected to snap a pic of the shoes, here’s the event shirt

Also at the expo, the Church of Scientology. Ah, Portland. I guess it was to be expected, given that the currently unaccredited Delphi High School–a breeding ground for future Sea Org members–isn’t far away, that Portland is home to a pretty, renovated, historic building turned into an Ideal Org, and that Multnomah County is home to all sorts of fun suits against Scientology/ No, no thank you, I do not want to take a fake “stress test” with your non-scientific gadget that originally used Campbell’s soup cans and must carry a label stating it is not a medical device in multiple states. Thanks for keeping it weird, though. (P.S. The OTO wants the boat back, okay?)

Seem to have lost the Scientology photo. So here is me with a giant panda!
Seem to have lost the Scientology photo. So here is me with a giant panda!

The remainder of the day (and there wasn’t that much left) was a mini-nap with two cute chihuahuas, dinner, and an evening in Portland with some of my Portland peeps, doing stuff I love and miss doing.  Sunday morning came way too early. Yikes.

I’d planned to run, but then discovered my friend Holly was doing the event too. I see her once a year (or less) so I wasn’t about to run just to run–WAY better to hang out with her and walk.

Why yes, we ARE near corral 17!
Why yes, we ARE near corral 17!

Only it turns out that woman walks fast. So fast that I was actually sorer from walking than I was from the last event I did running! Very glad the weather was cool and I had my compression tights on for support. The course was not the same as the one I did in 2013, but instead spent more time in the neighborhoods.

NE Portland selfie
NE Portland selfie

We almost went by my old building, just missed it by two blocks. Spring in Portland is gorgeous, and I really enjoyed retreading my old stomping grounds. Except for the big hill.

Thought Portland was flat? You've been lied to!
Thought Portland was flat? You’ve been lied to!

We finished in a relatively un-speedy time, crossed some of the old PDX carpeting made into the finish line, and grabbed snacks and beverages. To my absolute delight, the finish line concert was still going strong! As a slower runner, I am frequently crossing the finish line within a song or two of the concert ending, sometimes after it is over. Not this time–I got to sit on the grass, refuel, and rock out!

Portugal, The Man
Portugal, The Man

Near the end of the concert, I met up with fellow BibRave Pro Allison. This was my first event after joining the Pro team, so it was great to get to meet another Pro in real life! Turns out Allison also lives in an area without a lot of Pros, so it was her first meet-up too.

#BibRave Pro team in PDX
#BibRave Pro team in PDX

Just like every trip back to my adopted home, I didn’t want my time in Portland to end. After a shower, and snacks with friends, it was time to hit the airport. Luckily there is now a Cafe Yum! so I grabbed a Yum bowl to accompany my Coffee People mocha, and headed home.

Bling and bib in airport-carpet colors
Bling and bib in airport-carpet colors

Rock ‘n’ Roll “Groupie” Bling unlocked! Stay tuned for Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego, where I run another Remix and pick up the “Roadie” bling.

 

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