Race Prep Helpers

The most nervous part of a race for me is the night before any race.  When I was only doing running races, it was easy to get my gear together.  I never forgot my shoes or my race number.  Then I ventured into the world of triathlons...that added a whole new aspect to the pre-race night jitters!  There's so much stuff to remember!  

For anyone that's venturing out to do their first triathlon, I highly recommend you use a racing checklist.  You can find great ones at any of these sites:

http://triathlon.racechecklist.com/

http://www.onetri.com/newsdesk_info.php?newsdesk_id=1

http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/triathlon-checklist.html

Here are some other tips that can help you ensure a smooth morning on your big race day:

1) Fill up your water bottles the night before with whatever electrolyte replacement drink you want to take on the bike with you.  

2) If the bike portion of the ride is long, use a small piece of electrical tape to attach an energy gel pack to your bike.  If you just tape the top of it to the bike, you can easily tear off the top and eat the gel while on the go!

3) Put your bike, bike shoes, helmet, wetsuit (if you're wearing one), and post-race snacks in the car the night before.  Helmets and shoes are commonly forgotten items!

Sleeping the night before is always tough for me.  I toss and turn and worry about waking up late. 

Does anyone have some tips for how to get a good night's rest before the race???

Best Friend + Care Package = One Happy Runner

I'm hosting a baby shower for my friend, Lynsey, in May, and she wanted to get me a little gift just to say thank you. She veered away from the traditional hostess gift of a candle or bottle of wine, and instead, went out and gathered some awesome products that she thought I might like. Here's a peek at the care package:

I'm in love with all things Honey Stinger and Nuun, but Lynsey got me a Honey Stinger gel and a new flavor of their organic energy chews that I've never tried, plus a new flavor of Nuun! I've never tried the Hammer Heed products, but I just got a new bike trainer (there will be a post about that) and I'm itching to sign up for a triathlon, so those will definitely come in handy on future bike rides. What runner doesn't love great socks? I've got a pair of Balega's, but the other pair, Thorlo's Experia, are new to me and I can't wait to wear them. And best of all, she sent me a new Brooks running hat...and isn't it PRETTY?!

I seriously have the best friends a running gal could ask for! Thanks Lynsey...you're so thoughtful! Love you!

My Little Addiction

Hi, my name is Jennifer, and I'm addicted to running gear. Specifically, running shorts:

First off, let me say that this picture doesn't even include the three pairs that were in the washing machine at the time I took it. Secondly, I will note that I was given MOST of these by my dear friend, Lynsey, who kindly offered them to me before heading to her local Goodwill! (I should actually thank Lynsey for about 1/2 of my complete wardrobe!) 

I definitely fall victim to the sale rack at Dick's and the sale tabs of various athletic apparel websites. And I happen to firmly believe that new running gear will in fact make me run faster and longer! If I had a job, I'd probably have 14 pairs of shoes to go along with my ridiculous shorts collection! Alas, I have to settle for the 2 pairs I alternate (both Saucony). If I had a bigger laundry basket, I could go 2 full weeks without washing a thing!

I also used to hoard racing t-shirts. But as of last weekend, I decided to pare down a bit. I cut out the front of each race t-shirt and placed the squares in a plastic bag in hopes of one day making a quilt out of them. We'll see if that ever happens:) 

Do you have a somewhat ridiculous collection of running gear too? Please comment so I don't feel too bad about my own!

It's A Love Affair...

I've spent about 1/3 of my married life (which really isn't that long since we got hitched in 2008) begging for massages. Foot, back, shoulder, hand...you name it, I want it. Unfortunately, I married a man who loves to receive massages and is quite frugal when it comes to handing them out. (Don't get me wrong, I'm by no means starving for attention from him, it's just that I'd like to get a daily massage and he's more the once a week type.)

Enter my new love:

Source

I picked up this little beauty about halfway through my husband's last deployment. A little something to tide me over while he was gone. Well, he got home 2 1/2 months ago, and I haven't stopped spending time with my new love. When he falls asleep, I pull it out from under my side of the bed and take care of my hamstrings and calves. And if it's a good night, I may even hit up my hip flexors.

Seriously, the benefits of owning a foam roller are numerous. Here's a great link from Runner's World complete with videos on how to properly utilize your foam roller. So what are you waiting for...go get one! 

Safety on the Road

As the daylight becomes less and less, runners must become more and more safety conscious! Those early mornings (and even early afternoons) when light is minimal, proper equipment is a must. Here are a few things we think you should have:

1. If it's really dark: Petzl Tikkina 2 headlamp (read about the specs here). If you're running in a particularly dark area with winding roads and poor visibility, consider getting a flashing red light for your backside.

2. Reflective strips (either on your jacket, or on a separate vest). This vest can be purchased for under $7 at Walmart. And this jacket by illumiNITE, is awesome:

 How cool is this? Looks normal by day, and crazy-rave-ready by night!

3. And of course, always wear your RoadID! If anything should happen, you want the proper people to be contacted immediately. 

What suggestions do you have for running in the dark?

Someone's joining the skirt revolution...

And it's me! Courtesy of my dear sister, Jessica, I am now the proud owner of a running skirt!

I'm not positive, but I think this baby will make me faster:) This awesome skirt is one of the designs by the famous Running Skirts, created by twin sisters attempting to add a little flare to our lame running apparel! 

These women are absolutely stunning and I can't wait to try out this skirt that has been featured in so many running magazines. They also included a pair of free gloves in the package and the skirt came in a great mesh bag that will be perfect for keeping my daughters socks together in the laundry!

So here's a HUGE thank you to my own dear twin and to this set of twins who are changing the look of women's running!

Wowzer Wednesday - When Injury Strikes... (And the winner)

I seriously think I shouted WOWZER...or some other choice term, when I started the second 200m sprint of my crossfit workout yesterday. But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Stroller Warriors gathered at a local community center for our Pre-Thanksgiving Day workout. We ran for 50 minutes (out-and-back). I ran with a few friends and we made it 5.75 miles. I felt a little tight during the run and told myself, "You better stretch when we finish." HAHA! Try telling that to my 1-year old who wanted to cruise the playground. So stretching took a backseat to playtime and we hit the jungle gym and swings for about 30 minutes. Then we drove home and I transferred my sleeping girl to her crib for the rest of her nap time. I decided that it would be good to go ahead and knock out my crossfit workout for the day. (My husband is coming home in just over a month after being gone since May 12th and I'm trying to look HOT!)

The workout should have been quite simple: 50-40-30-20-10 box jumps and sit ups with a 200m run starting each round. During the first run, I felt a small twinge in my left lower calf. I kept running and then continued to the box to complete 50 jumps without a break. I moved to the blanket on my garage floor and knocked out 50 sit ups. Then I started the second 200m run. I didn't even make it out of the driveway. My calf seized up and I could hardly stand, let alone walk.

That was around 12:30 and it's currently 9:25 and I still wince when walking and cry a little when I have to navigate the stairs. As soon as it happened, I grabbed an ice pack from the freezer...

I think this would have been more help if I had opened it up and drowned my sorrows.  Then I tried stretching and self-massage while Reagan finished her nap. Once she was up, it was increasingly more painful as I added 25 pounds to my load. We headed out to Walmart later in the afternoon where I picked up these items:

Great piece of gear! Not only did it help my calf, I got a back rub too!

Seriously, is there a runner out there that doesn't have a tube of this magic cream in their arsenal?

Overall, I think it's just a serious cramp or small strain and it's going to take a rest day or two to fully recover. And, as illustrated by my very artistic note on my Buddha board, with time, it will fade away and become just something that once was...

And finally, the reason you're all even checking this post, the winner of our nunn giveaway is SeRunIty!!  Congratulations!  Please email Jessica at ryutwin2@gmail.com to coordinate details for shipping your prize! Thanks everyone for participating. 

Surprise: An Early Christmas Gift

Yes, I know it's mid-November, but since Jessica is deploying to Afghanistan sometime in December, she sent me an early Christmas gift. She had always been a generous person. Whenever she finds something great, she typically buys two and sends me one! It's great to be the same size as someone else:)

This year, she outdid herself! We are always talking about getting the latest gear for running because in the back of our minds, we think that someone out there has created a product that will make us faster, make us run longer. And though in reality, we both realize these products don't exist, there are some things on the market that can improve our overall performance (or just make us look cooler).

Here's the loot:

Test packets of Ultima drink mix which provides electrolyte replacement with no sugar. Brooks bag for race day supplies. A tube of nuun drink tablets which we're giving away but I've never tried. Honey Stinger wafers and chews. Running Skirts arm warmers in an awesome paisley pattern! Full-fingered biking gloves. 2XU compression socks.

Seriously, BEST SISTER EVER! And I'm definitely going to be faster now!

Can't wait to try these. Jessica says they should be relabeled as "Crack Waffles" because they are that good!

I recently purchased what I thought was a pair of compression socks from Under Armour. When I put them on fairly easily, I thought it was a bit strange. Then I tried these 2XU socks and WOW...what a difference. I immediately noticed a huge difference in the level of compression. So here's a tip: save yourself the $20 on the great deal for Under Armour socks, and splurge for the real deal.

Runner's Wish List

After looking at Beth's Chasing my Joy blog, we thought it would be fun to come up with our own "Runner's Wish List"!  Here are some of the things we have our eye on:

Women's Puma TP Seamless Jacket - It has THUMB HOLES!!!  We love this feature!

RSS Dry-As-A-Bone No-Show Socks - While socks may seem boring to some, we love new socks!  Seems like all the good ones we have get eaten by the "Dryer Monster"!

Women's Performance Shorts - Ok, to be honest, we aren't sure if these shorts are great for running, but if they give you HER waistline, we WANT them!

Saucony ProGrid Guide 5 - with all the hype on every other blog (read one here from SUAR) about the 8mm heel-to-toe offset, I'm dying to try these.  In fact, I've entered about 10 contests to win a pair...alas, no joy yet.  But I'm not giving up hope yet.  I'm loyal to Saucony and someday, I'll quit being such a cheapskate and actually but the "latest thing!"

When Jessica wears a beanie, she looks a bit strange...probably because she's hiding about 2 feet of hair wrapped in a bun under there:)  Here's a new concept - Athleta's new Base Miles Beanie features a cut out for your ponytail!  Genius.  I'm ordering one immediately, maybe even two so she can have one.  

Ok, so it's not a beanie in this shot, but you get the idea...second head, right?!

Much more stylish:)

From this point forward, we will refer to this as our "happier, healthier" wishlist.  When we were younger, we dubbed the bath products aisle with a similar name.  You know, things that you definitely don't need, but if you had would "probably" make you a more grounded, content human being?!  (And surely the things on this list would aid our quests for the next PR.)

What's on your "happier, healthier" wishlist?