Only Post w/ Reference to Charlie Sheen

Totally bitchin' & gnarly, dude.

Oh 14 miles, you are a cruel goddess.  But hey, you're not that bad when I have company. ;)

DUH. Winning.

Sunday's 14 miles with Kerrie and Alma was spectacular.  It was overcast, slightly chilly, and the air was crisp.  Sure, there was the occasional sunbreak here and there, but it didn't rain once.  Sa-weet!  Win!  The trail had its fair share of runners, walkers and cyclists, mainly dressed in all-ninja-black...so Kerrie, Alma and I stood out a bit with our clothing color choices: blue, pink and some hot green thrown in for good measure.  Unfortunately we didn't get a pic with Alma at the start, as she only went out 5 miles with us.

This was my longest run since having the Goob, and I must be honest, I was a little nervous!  Last week's 12 miles had me panting and ravenous at the end, and so I was a little worried my stomach would eat me alive if I didn't refuel properly throughout this run.  GAH!  Of course, this is where I need to improve: refueling.  My watermelon GU Chomps held me over for the first 7 miles, but I seriously started fading at mile 11.  Uber fail.  You know my energy level would be much higher if I had drank that Tiger's blood prior to meeting up with Kerrie & Alma....notes for next time.

My life wouldn't be complete without a nekkid semi spotting during my long runs nowadays.  Those filthy buggers are stalking me, I swear.  They are even near my house again.  Thank goodness Kerrie was around as my backup.  Just like I was there for her when our 7-mile-turnaround area was precisely where two big Canadian Geese were resting.  They weren't looking for a fight.  But if they had been...I would've kicked some goose butt.  (Hee hee, goose butt!  I love it!)

Kerrie and I asked ourselves one particularly interesting question:  do other runners take us seriously when we are dressed in our pink/blue/green skirts and running gear?  All the other Sunday AM exercise enthusiasts were donning the standard black and white apparel.  Did they think that we were merely running a mile or two?  We were curious.

If you saw us running, would you have thought we were out for 14 miles?

We only stopped once at the 7 mile mark for a photo-op, some stretching and some refueling.  The other pictures were taken post-run in our noodle-legged delirium.

Kerrie stretches

I collapse/stretch

Overall, Kerrie and I were totally "bi-winners:" for outfit choice and running length!  Ha!

We were banging seven gram rocks and finishing them.  Because that's how we roll...*


*No, not really. That's a Sheen quote reference.  Puh-leeze.

A Little Meditation Break

If you are looking for a little relaxation, stress relief and some spiritual healing, might I suggest taking a look at these crystal singing bowls from Silver Sky Imports.  Not only are they beautifully crafted from nearly 100% pure quartz crystal, they are lovely to look at and make a great conversation piece for your home.  And, the best part is they SING!  You know when you were a kid you would find your Grandmother's crystal glasses, lick your finger and then rub it around the rim to hear that sweet hum?  These bowls make that soothing note and are some well deserved sound therapy for your ears.  Ahhhh.


**Note: This is a sponsored post by Silver Sky Imports.  I received a small fee as compensation for this post.**

My Agility Course

My neighborhood running route is not flat.  Nope, not at all.  There are at least two giant hills that I must conquer on my loop, and I'm proud to say that tonight's run was a fast one!  I used my speedy Newton Lady Isaacs and did a 9:00 min/mile 4 miles.

The run was more of an agility course tonight though, as the city had dropped off all the new garbage/recycle/yard waste containers, and they were all over the place.  I was dodging and weaving like a football player.

Have you ever noticed that on really cold days your sense of smell seems to be heightened?  Like the crisp air just makes everything around you clear?  Even battling a cold I still smelled a ton of things on this run: yummy teriyaki chicken, burnt rubber, watermelon (in winter?), someone's really floral-y perfume, and of course, the kicker: weed.  Yeah, someone was toking up in the neighborhood and it wasn't a secret at all. Ick.

It started raining halfway through the run, and even though I forgot to wear my trusty running cap, I decided to just keep running.  My new music kept me motivated, and my Newtons made me feel even faster.  Man, it was just a great run. :)

Two new things tonight: 
1.  Tried out Clif Shot Turbo Energy Gel in Chocolate Cherry.  Oh goodness.  It was delicious!
2.  Wore my new blue Firefly light from Road ID.  Sorry old "Aetna" blue flashing light...my days sprinting after you down the street are over.  It's been a good run (pun intended).

Aw Shucks...Now I HAVE to Run Today

Because Goober got her workout in while sick...

Edited to add: I have no clue why/how the ad appears in the video.  And, I just used an iMovie template, so I'm not that talented at video editing...yet. ;)

Down With the Sickness?

Sick/sad Goober

What happens when you come down with a cold?  You know, one of those nasty bugs that just seems to linger around your family, friends and coworkers?  You try to avoid it like a sleazy ex-boyfriend but you still end up with a nose that runs faster than you doing sprints.  Well, that's me these past couple days--and I haven't run since Monday.

Oh!  The guilt!  

Marathon training is tough enough, so if you get sick and miss runs, do you just wallow in that guilt like I do?  Or do you tough it up and go on with your training like nothing's up?  My running buddies know that I seem to "run faster" after a glass of wine (I swear by it, but don't do it often at all...come on!  I'm not a boozy!), so how would it be any different all drugged up on Dayquil or Sudafed?  Well, perhaps I would be more carefree in my stepping choices and therefore the chance of face-planting on the sidewalk increases.  Ah yes, that would make for a (painful) great post, wouldn't it.

Just curious.  I hope everyone stays well during this time of year!  Take care of yourselves! :)

3/3

Exactly one year ago today I learned that my life would change forever: 

Travis and I were going to be parents.  

Wow.  

It's hard to believe it's been a year!  But man, it is so worth it having Miss Goober around!

It's crazy that this picture was taken 1 day before I found out I was expecting...

Gel-Bot Product Review & Giveaway

24 oz Gel-Bot

If you've ran with me in the cold, then you may know that my hands sometimes cannot function properly when it's time for me to refuel.  They become these useless claws that fumble to open GU packets, and most likely the energy gel ends up all over my hands...and face.  Not anymore, people.  I was provided a Gel-Bot water bottle by Hydrapak for me to try out and review.  Let's just say, no more GU all over my hands*.

What is a Gel-Bot?

The Gel-Bot delivers two performance essentials, fuel and hydration, in one easy to use sport bottle.  This patent-pending design lets you fuel or hydrate with just one hand.  Perfect for racing or total gel addicts.  All the Gel-Bot components can be taken apart and easily cleaned. (Source here)

To Use:

1. Load the inner chamber with energy gel.
2. Fill the bottle with water/fluid.
3. When the nozzle is pulled open, you get water and water only.
4. With the nozzle pushed down, squeeze to get the gel out of the center valve.

My first concern with this bottle was that it was 24 oz and huge; not something that I could easily carry on my long runs like my Nathan handheld.  This is just a large water bottle.  I decided it IS perfect for my treadmill runs and when pushing Goober in the jogger because I don't have to physically carry it on my body somehow.  For my triathlete friends: this bottle would fit great on your bicycle's carrier!

I loaded this bad boy up with some Vanilla Bean GU and hopped on the treadmill.

It works!  I pulled the nozzle up with my teeth and only water came out, then pushed the nozzle back down and squeezed/sucked...and the GU came out.  And I don't want to sound to wishy-washy, but I almost think that the GU tasted better in my opinion.  Maybe it had something to do with not sucking it out of a foil package?  All I tasted was Vanilla Bean frosting.  Yum.  Plus, it was easy to wash it down with water immediately afterward.  No fumbling with empty wrappers either = score! 

Washing the bottle is a little more time-consuming than just a normal water bottle, but it wasn't difficult at all.  To get the energy gel out of the nozzle and tube, I let the bottle sit in warm soapy water for a little bit.  Then I captured some water in the tube, attached the nozzle and pushed the plunger so the soap water came blasting out the nozzle.  After doing this a few times, the gel was gone and the bottle was as good as new.

Overall, I'm very impressed with the Gel-Bot and its simplicity and functionality.  My only request would be for a smaller version that came with a handheld carrier option...then, it'd be absolutely perfect for long runs.

PROS:

Gel is ready-to-go.  No fumbling, no wrappers, no mess.

Carries a decent amount of water

Bottle doesn't make water taste like plastic

Easy to clean and use

No more empty gel packets in my car's cup holder before runs! (No more gooey mess!)

CONS:

A tiny bit of energy gel is left in the chamber...it's impossible to get the last drop out from the nozzle.

For me, I have a small mouth and the nozzle is just a little larger than I'm used to. 

Hey, you can even mix it up and put MILK in the bottle and CHOCOLATE PUDDING in the gel chamber for after a long run.  Yummeh.

LOOK! A chance to win your own Gel-Bot!

Here's the scoop on how to win:

(Please leave separate comments for each entry)

Mandatory entry:

• First you must be a follower of my site, then please go to the Hydrapak website and tell me what product tickles your fancy. Let me know in one comment. (1 entry)

Additional entries:

• "Like" Hydrapak on Facebook & let them know Run, Zoë, Run! sent you (1 entry)
• Follow Hydrapak on Twitter (@Hydrapak) (1 entry)
• "Like" Run, Zoë, Run! on Facebook (1 entry)
• Tweet this 
• "I want to get my GEL & H2O on w/ a @Hydrapak Gel-Bot from @RunZoeRun's #giveaway http://bit.ly/hstJk3" 
• or Click  
• Link to this giveaway on your blog, Twitter (include @RunZoeRun), or Facebook.  Let me know in a comment (1 entry each)

The giveaway will end at midnight Friday 3/11, with the winner picked via Random.org or Miss Goober if she feels so inclined.  Winner announced on Saturday the 12th.  Hydrapak will ship the Gel-Bot directly to each winner. :)

**Note:  All reviews are based on my own personal experience with the specific product that I was provided with.  I received this product free of charge from Hydrapak/OutsidePR and was not compensated for my review. Product in giveaway provided courtesy of Hydrapak.**

*That's what she said.