Tag Archive for review

The Triathlon Rx | June 17, 2010
9 comments

I like to move it move it…

Um, wait. No… I really don’t. (Unless it’s on the dance floor. ;) ) But that’s what I’m doing my friends…

In between packing race bags, packing for ‘outta town, and packing up to-go orders at the restaurant, I’m packing up my life in many little boxes and getting ready to move. If you are fortunate enough to not have been through this process, well, I just hope you like your house. Stay there, and don’t ever leave.

OK… maybe a little dramatic. Despite the chaos that comes with moving, I am pretty dang excited. While I’ll still be in a shared housing situation, it is with only one other lady, and there is so much more space! And a back yard. And a garage. And composting. And best of all… a PORCH!

Not my house.. but one of my favorite in Minneapolis!

One of the things I’ve always looked forward to the most about “growing up” and having my own place one day is decorating. That being said, I was super pumped when CSN Stores contacted me again to review one of their products! They seriously have something of everything – from sweet lights to cookware, and furniture to exercise equipment. You guys might remember.. I reviewed a blender they sent me when my MB bit the bullet, and it’s still running strong!

As a kid… if you came home and found me watching TV, it’d either be House Hunters, or Trauma – Life in the ER. (Tellingly, this was a pretty accurate prediction of my future career choices… medicine -> architecture -> medicine.) Despite my move back to the health-oriented fields, I still have that Martha Stewart gene running strong. That being said, it took me FOREVER and a half to chose something from CSN to review. Finally though I settled on two items that will be awesome in my new house! Look for a review soon to  come!

So, apologies in advance if the next real post from me is not for about a week. I have something scheduled to go up tomorrow about cross training and injury prevention, and I have a READER question to answer with some pretty awesome input from around the blog/tri/running world!

In the mean time, I’m taking a cue from my buddy J.B. and heading out on a CAMPING TRIP with my hombre. I haven’t been camping since the Boundary Waters trips I took as a kid with the fam, so I’m really excited about this! Just a short trip though, and then back to the grind. Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

-E

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The Triathlon Rx | June 13, 2010
20 comments

Manitou Tri 2010 – Race Report // Review

Currently: Sitting at coffee shop. With el chico. In front of fire place. Feet up. Still in desperate need of compression/recovery socks. Other-than-that, SOLID.

Gonna let the photos do the talking here – I’m pretty much all talked-out for today. :) Essentially, I had a less than stellar race today: I couldn’t feel my feet until 15 minutes after the race ended, and I had a T1 that leaves me hoping I won’t be disowned by my family. Or Peace Coffee Racing. Or UMN TRI. So… definitely not my A-game. But I still placed (2nd in my AG), so it’s hard to complain too much. If you want more coverage from this weekend’s action, check these out:

Manitou 2010 Official Results Online

Minnesota Tri News’ Coverage

In terms of a race REVIEW, here’s what’s up: Manitou. Is. Awesome. The course? Awesome. The swag? Awesome. The fans? Awesome. The race organization/management? Awesome. The transition being closed for 1:45 before my wave even entered the water? Not so awesome, but I’ll plan for that next year. Yeah… NEXT YEAR! I’ll be back.

And before I get to the photos, I need to do a several major mad props shoutouts.UMN (University of Minnesota) TRI is really cleaning up this summer. Andrew Turner, David Preston, Cody Stadler, Sam Janicki, Tom Kandiko, Matt Dodds, Matthew Priess, Aaron Barlow, Claire Chandler, Tracy Powell, Megan Brandes, Susanne Gabrielson (reppin’ overseas!), and hey, I’ll throw myself in, Erika Sperl-Imhoff. Look out for these names. We’re comin’ at you.

Another big up to el chico, my boyfriend, who also raced today at Trinona and finished 7th overall (!!) and 3rd in his age group! It makes me nervous to do the same race as you…! ;)

This is an exact copy of my album on facebook. All photo credit goes to my mamacita – I am so happy and thankful you came!! You should be able to click on the image for the full size. Hope you all had a lovely weekend. Ciao!

-E


THE. END.

Until 2011.

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The Triathlon Rx | June 5, 2010
26 comments

New Bri Tri Race Report

For there to actually be a race report, that means that I did indeed race!! And for there to be exclamation points following that statement, that means I “got a smile on”! :D Here we go…

Fell asleep by about 10:30 pm last night, and the alarm went off at 5:00 am this morning. 6.5 hours obviously isn’t isn’t ideal, but it’s pretty good for the night before a race. That, and I was telling myself my 12.5 hours from Wednesday would hold me over a little bit. ;) I had gone over my check list (which I will post soon, along with adding it to the Train On Top files!!) and all I had left to do was load my bike in the car, grab my coffee, and GO!

Taken at 5:42 this morning.

I drove up with Tom and Cody – two guys on my UMN Tri Team. Tom was nice enough to drive (the fact that bikes fit slightly better in his Pathfinder has nothing to do with it…) so I got to his house around 6:00, made a quick transfer of items from my Accord, and we were off! We took a slight detour on the way to the race, following someone with bikes on the back of their car thinking that they obviously know where they’re going. Until they turned into their garage… FAIL! We still got there in plenty of time, and pulled into the Long Lake Park lot just as many other athletes were arriving.

Myself, sandwiched between Pretty and Muscles. Hahahahha!

Re-attached wheels… gathered bags… and suddenly a wave of terror swept over me. “My helmet is in your trunk… right?” says the ingenious redhead who checked her check list three times. “Nottttt that I’m seeing…” says fellow teammate who now must really now I’m an idiot. REALLY!?! Who forgets their helmet?!? Oh wait.. the girl who also forgot her SHOES for the marathon. Awesome. At that moment, I was seriously thinking I was not going to be racing today. People bring spare goggles, they’ll let you borrow an extra watch, they’ll even share their body glide. But NO ONE brings an extra helmet.

Except Randy, the God-sent jolly man behind Vacation Sports who was putting on the race. In fact, he had several spares, for the rest of the numskulls who forgot this critical (and mandatory!!) item. So with that taken care of, I went to go set up in Transition.

After I racked up my bike and was heading off to warm up, I hear “Dr. TriRunner?” No joke guys.. this MADE MY DAY! I know there are at least a few regular readers, but it feels so awesome to know that there are local triathletes (or at least one!!) out there reading along! And it doubly made my day that he is a he, because for whatever reason my first assumption is that most of “you” are female. Not that I have anything against the ladies – nothing at all – but since 80% of my friends are of the male variety, it’s almost comforting to know some hombres are reading too. ;)

This is getting wayy too long, and I haven’t even gotten to the race yet, so I’m going to [try to] keep it to the facts:

Pre-Race Fuel:

Gluten free apple cinnamon granola, and dried apple rings. New combo to me (don’t try anything new on race day…? pshhhh), and it was PERFECT!!! And delicious. Along with Tanzania Peace Coffee, of course!

Race Conditions/Gear:

Cloudy, off and on sprinkles, and somewhere in the mid 60s. Virtually NO wind. AKA ideal. Wore my QRoo wetsuit, Peace Coffee tri kit, and stripped to just my homemade PCR sports bra for the run. Haha – Sarah called me an overachiever? Made this on my “sick day” on the couch. :D Was glad I did, because I would have felt too hot running with the tri top on. This is the first time I’ve used a shoelace as a racebelt, after seeing this amazing lady do it, and let me tell you – LOVED it. I hate the feeling of anything extra around my waist, and you can’t get much more minimal than a shoelace. And of course Gomer and Rilo were in on the action. ;)

I did take home-ec back in the day…

The Swim:

1/2 mile. Despite starting in the front of the pack, there was lots of face kicking and breast stroking going on. >:( Maybe I need to run out farther into the water? Oh wait.. here’s a better idea. Maybe I need to be more consistent with my swimming. Ding ding ding!! We have a winner. Anyways… I could feel myself getting frustrated on the way out. And then I reminded myself – this is essentially a free workout. I had a free race certificate, and I was sick all last week. I didn’t have expectations for this race other than to shake out the race nerves and have fun, and there was no way I was going to let negative thoughts take over. So I decided to take charge and slapped myself back into reality. Today will not be wasted was the mantra of the day. (Haha, yes. I am considering Sports Psychology.) With that mindset I went ahead, and felt like things finally settled down at turn around buoy. And the 1/4 mile swim back to shore honestly felt awesome. I have this “kayak theory” but I’ll post more on that later. Passed some wave 2 and 3 swimmers (I was wave 4)… which gave me some [possibly false] hope that maybe I’m actually a decent swimmer? Orrr maybe the wave 2 and 3 people that I passed, well, swimming just isn’t their strength. ;)

T1:

Note to self… work on taking off wet suit!!

The Bike:

14 miles. Basically, I loved the course. There were a few hills, but they were all rolling. There were two girls on the Tri Kings team that, little did they know, really helped me push myself. We were passing each other back and forth, sometimes on an uphill, sometimes going down. I also took note of some really sick bikes out there, and some really amazing athletes riding them. I talked about training with your friends and using them as inspiration… and believe me, I drew in plenty of inspiration today. Felt good and strong throughout, and I know I’m not fast. I’ve accepted that [for now], and I know where to work.

T2:

Already had my shoe-lace-race-belt on… ripped off the helmet and threw on the hat, threw on my happy-feet shoes, and bounced! Would also like to make note that I was wearing the Sof Sole socks I won, and LOVE LOVE LOVE them. Felt like my feet were on clouds. :D

The Run:

5k. What I was really looking forward to. Despite the steel infused shins of yester-year, I was confident that today was a better day. Not going to hide this one… I passed 53 people on the run. Yes. I counted. It gave me something to think about during the run, but honestly, if I’m going to be a slow swimmer and biker, then damnit I’m going to be proud of my run. I know my mile splits weren’t anywhere near my “just running” 5k times, but I still ran sub 7s, and I still felt strong. And with that, I’m happy.

The Finish:

1:22:?? Says my watch… I’m waiting for official results online. I didn’t want to try and dig my way through the crowd of people that always surround the print-outs, so I just went for a cool down. With this guy!!

No, he didn’t race in basketball shorts. I made him put his sweaty jersey back on for the photo. :)

I didn’t know that another Peace Coffee Racing teammate was going to be here, so I was super pumped when I saw Justin before the start of the race. I went on a cool-down jog with him and some of his buddies, and called it a day!

THE. END.

The greatest thing about these early morning races (well, at least when they’re this short…) is that you’re DONE and home by like 10:30, and you have the whole day ahead of you. My mom called as I was driving back to la casa and asked if I wanted to  go to CostCo, to which I replied, damn straight (I do understand why learning English is so frustrating…), and I was home, unpacked, showered, and at her house within 45 minutes. We stopped for an obligatory coffee on the way, and hit Costco, Trader Joe’s, and the local Co-Op so she could get all the ingredients for a special dinner she’s making tonight. I was just along for the ride!

The view from the shower.

Tonight I have nothing planned other than putting my feet UP, and chillaxin. The weather did eventually turn icky, but I’m giving a HUGE thanks to mother nature for waiting until the race was done. ;) I hope THIS GIRL got her race in before conditions turned soggy too, and I can’t wait to hear her recap!!

I will most definitely be returning to race New Bri again. It was very well put on, just like all the other Vacation Sports races I’ve done. HUGE UPS to todays winners, Jenny Wilcox and Carl Shultz. Like I said, there were a lot of really outstanding finishes today! You can read all about it at Minnesota Tri News’ new website!! I was a little disappointed with my finish, and especially that I didn’t place in the top three in my age group. Thankfully my UMN teammate hit me with a dose of reality and said “you better get used to it!” 20-24 is a lot more competitive, and I have lots of work to do if I want to still have a “title” to defend.

POSTS TO COME:

Tri packing list
A…. Kayak?
Motivation
A review!!

And with that, I’m out for the night. No work, no obligations other than enjoying myself. Sounds great. Have a lovely night, and a great rest of your weekend!!

-E

p.s. I just realized how much link love is goin’ on in this post. Sorry… a little much!!

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The Triathlon Rx | May 24, 2010
18 comments

[Hit by a] BRICK + Sof Sole Review

Wow. Major writers’ block with starting this post. Are you ever sitting there trying to think of some really creative intro – write like 5 different opening sentences out only to erase them all? Mmm, yep. That’s where I’m at. It’s all good though… justifying it because I’ve only had half my mug of coffee, and I’m doing intervals right at the moment (why yes, I do blog and workout at the same time occasionally…). “Working too hard” to think straight. ;)

Lucky for me, there are exactly two things I’m here to talk about today, and I have lots of pictures, so I don’t need as many words. Lucky for you, I also can’t come up with a creative title, so you know exactly what those two things are. 1) BRICK workouts. 2) Sof Sole Review. Ready? Set? Go.

♪ IT DON’T BRICK EVEN NOOOO ♪

Ugh… there I go trying to be all clever. Can’t help it. Sorry! Anywho… while you might think you know what a brick is…

in my vernacular that sort of brick would only be used in two settings. 1) Describing the ugly exterior of my (one month left!!) house, and 2) dropping one on the chick’s foot who came to the gym in a gold sequined 2 times 2 small bikini the other day. I don’t care if we’re outside – it’s a GYM my friend, not a strip club.

But that is clearly not the kind of BRICK I’m talking about… this is Dr.TriRunner after all. I was searching around for some sort of “very official” definition of a BRICK, but wasn’t finding anything of the .org sort. Didn’t your teachers tell you, you can’t source Wikipedia. But then I found a post about BRICK workouts on my girl Frayed Laces blog, and I realized – wait a minute, this girl IS .org. If you’ve never hit up Frayed Laces, and you are of the multi-sport mindset, you are missing out my friend. She’s got a race resume up the wazoo, she lives/trains/eats/sleeps/breathes Hawaii, and she is very legit. Amen.

So here is her rundown on what exactly is BRICK:

Today I had a very successful impromptu brick session. For those of you who aren’t hip to the lingo, a BRICK session is when you do back to back swim/bike or bike/run. It’s important to do bricks if you’re training for a triathlon because when you switch between sports your body uses different muscles, and you need to get used to the feeling. Until today, I had only done two bricks in my life, which made me very unprepared for the jello feeling when you switch from biking to running in a triathlon.

In addition to the swim -> bike, and bike -> run BRICKS, I also fully endorse a run -> swim, or run -> bike workout. No, that’s not the way you’ll hit it in a race, but like FL said, it’s all about  getting accustomed to Jello Syndrome. That being said, yesterday’s workout was of the run -> bike variety, and here is how it went down:

The morning started out questionably. I have new neighbors who are very much in the “Wooooh! It’s cool to play music at FULL BLAST at midnight when this is a party of TWO” mentality. However, I have gotten very comfortable with my ear plugs and Tylenol PM, so it wasn’t really a big issue. I’ve been short on sleep from working more dinner shifts lately though, so a little bit of “sleep debt” was definitely present.

Woke up, had some coffee, and set out to run. Full honesty (and you can probably say it with me by now… “because that’s all what I’m about here at Dr.TriRunner…”), Yesterday’s workout was supposed to be a long run of 15 miles. However, once I started running, I pretty quickly decided that 15 was not going to happen. My. Run. Felt. Like. CRAP. Key word being “felt” because apparently my times were just fine… I was running 7:30s which is pretty average for a run-o-the-mill run these days. But my muscles felt like something along the lines of beef jerky. Or Buffalo Jerky to be exact. Dry. Stiff. Eccch.

So I decided to call the run at two lakes instead of four (good God I love Minneapolis!), and hit the bike instead. I was not going to cheat on my time… but I know I wouldn’t have gotten anything beneficial out of 7 more miles of running.

Count em’! Harriet, Calhoun, Cedar, Isles. In my backyard. Sure you don’t want to move here Susan?

However, mother nature might have had other plans. That, or she was hinting that I needed a shower. Which I did. The sky looked something like this…

Which in Dr.TriRunner mind translates in to “I bet I can make it before it starts raining….” Only that photo may be slightly dramatic because a) I do not live in New York City, and b) it wasn’t a Day After Tomorrow type storm. Just a little water… and like I said, I needed a shower! So off with Rilo I went, and sure enough, at my halfway // turn around point, it started pouring. But rideable pouring I decided. Also nice, because it cleared everyone off of the paths and let me cruise home. :) A very successful BRICK, and my legs were definitely feeling much better/fresher riding than they did running! The “jerky” legs were gone!! I got home, changed out of my clothes in the shower because my whole backside was covered in spit-up sand, and was ready to go to Costco with my madre in less than 15 minutes!

Moral(s) of the story:

  • BRICK workouts do not only need to fall in the order that you would find it in a triathlon.
  • The more you practice the quick transitions, you do eventually get over Jello Syndrome. Or at least you get used to it.
  • Getting undressed in the shoer is 100% acceptable.

Sof Sole Product Review

Another site you should be regularly checking out is Erica’s blog I Run Because I Can. Not only because she has an awesome name, but she also routinely has these sweet giveaways… one of which I recently happened to win! Several days later, I returned home to find a nice little box on my doorstep with Sof Sole inserts and SOCKS!

While it mostly goes unmentioned on the blog, I have a slight sock obsession. And I’m also super particular about them… not all socks are created equally. So how did Sof Sole’s socks hold up?

Happy feet. Very happy feet. There’s a perfect balance of cushiness and foot-hugability. I’m big on my crew cut socks because a) unless it’s -30° and the middle of winter, anything else is too hot, and b) I don’t need any more crazy tan lines than the ones I already have. These stay up on your ankle, have a little extra compression around the arch, and are COMFFY to the max. Final grade? A.

As for the inserts… I was super excited to try them! As you will see below though…

We ran into some mechanical difficulties. There was absolutely no way that these bad boys were going to fit in my baby shoes. No. Way. Extra bummed because I’ve been given a Rx for orthotics howww many times due to my orthopedic issues, but my insurance that’s worth less than a dog turd but costs like it’s covered in gold won’t cover any.thang. Lame.

Not that inserts are a replacement for prescription orthotics, but something is for sure better than nothing. Luckily I have some great lady friends who would fit these inserts just perfectly, so I get to pay it forward and pass them on. :) So, sadly, no review on the inserts. But I can say they look cool!

And that my friends, is that. This “wordless” post has taken me two times too long to write, not to mention I promised I was only going to talk about these two thing! I do have some fun stuff in the mix – the race calendar is slowly building, a job opportunity is [hopefully] a’ knockin, and I’m MOVING to an awesome location with an awesome housemate. Pumped. :D

Take care!

-E

p.s. Adam thinks he has better sunscreen than me… hmph. I’ll know it when I WIN it. And don’t end up like a lobster. Or a greasy 5 year old with lemon juice in my eye. :D

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The Triathlon Rx | May 18, 2010
15 comments

SUN PROTECTION + KINESYS REVIEW

Well I said life was good, but I never said it wasn’t busy!!

A lot has gone down over the last week or so, so I’ll try and give you a brief rundown because we have important stuff to talk about today!

  • School is DONE for the year, and let me sing it to ya one more time… ♪ ALLELUIA ♪
  • Regarding the Pediatric Exercise class that I debating, they decided to also offer it during J-Term – ie the unreasonably long 4+ week break we have in the middle of winter. What’s a girl who strongly dislikes cold and snow but living in Minnesota to do? Snuggle up in lecture and learn about pediatric exercise concepts and applications. A much better solution than summer school.
  • We had 12 straight  days of rainy, below average temperatures here in the Mini-Apple – ie nearly the same number of days where I was without work! ie a slowly declining bank account. I don’t shop, but a girl’s gotta eat!
  • The last three days of GLORIOUS weather, and according to my guy Chris Shaffer, another solid 5 days to come! I think that Sunday storm is a little too out far to bank on…

Ohh gee, look how convenient that was. All this weather talk is a great segue to what I’m really here to talk about today! If you missed the title of the post, that would be…

SUN PROTECTION + KINESYS REVIEW

If you haven’t noticed, I happen to be a fair skinned, red-headed, easily burning chica. I don’t know if I ever get “tan” … or if my freckles just eventually all blend together. No, not Irish (though people love to fight me on that one…), I am definitely on the “higher” end of being at risk for skin cancer. According to the Mayo Clinic, my favorite go-to source for most all things health, risk factors for skin cancer include:

  • Fair skin. Having less pigment (melanin) in your skin provides less protection from damaging UV radiation. If you have blond or red hair, light-colored eyes, and you freckle or sunburn easily, you’re much more likely to develop skin cancer than is a person with darker features.
  • A history of sunburns. Every time you get sunburned, you damage your skin cells and increase your risk of developing skin cancer. After a sunburn, your body works to repair the damage. Having multiple blistering sunburns as a child or teenager increases your risk of developing skin cancer as an adult. Sunburns in adulthood also are a risk factor.
  • Excessive sun exposure. Anyone who spends considerable time in the sun may develop skin cancer, especially if your skin isn’t protected by sunscreen or clothing. Tanning also puts you at risk. A tan is your skin’s injury response to excessive UV radiation.
  • Sunny or high-altitude climates. People who live in sunny, warm climates are exposed to more sunlight than are people who live in colder climates. Living at higher elevations, where the sunlight is strongest, also exposes you to more radiation.
  • Moles. People who have many moles or abnormal moles called dysplastic nevi are at increased risk of skin cancer. These abnormal moles — which look irregular and are generally larger than normal moles — are more likely than others to become cancerous. If you have a history of abnormal moles, watch them regularly for changes.
  • Precancerous skin lesions. Having skin lesions known as actinic keratoses can increase your risk of developing skin cancer. These precancerous skin growths typically appear as rough, scaly patches that range in color from brown to dark pink. They’re most common on the face, lower arms and hands of fair-skinned people whose skin has been sun damaged.
  • A family history of skin cancer. If one of your parents or a sibling has had skin cancer, you may be at increased risk of the disease. Some families are affected by a condition called familial atypical mole-malignant melanoma (FAMMM) syndrome. The hallmarks of FAMMM include a history of melanoma in one or more close relatives and having more than 50 moles — some of which are atypical. Because people with this syndrome have an extremely high risk of developing melanoma, frequent screening for signs of skin cancer is crucial.
  • A personal history of skin cancer. If you developed skin cancer once, you’re at risk of developing it again. Even basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas that have been successfully removed can recur in the same spot, often within two to three years.
  • A weakened immune system. People with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of developing skin cancer. This includes people living with HIV/AIDS or leukemia and those taking immunosuppressant drugs after an organ transplant.
  • Fragile skin. Skin that has been burned, injured or weakened by treatments for other skin conditions is more susceptible to sun damage and skin cancer. Certain psoriasis treatments and eczema creams might increase your risk of skin cancer.
  • Exposure to environmental hazards. Exposure to environmental chemicals, including some herbicides, increases your risk of skin cancer.
  • Age. The risk of developing skin cancer increases with age, primarily because many skin cancers develop slowly. The damage that occurs during childhood or adolescence may not become apparent until middle age. Still, skin cancer isn’t limited to older people. Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are increasing fastest among women younger than 40.

-SOURCE-

My risk factors?

Fair skinned. Red hair. Excessive sun exposure.  Moles. Precancerous skin lesions. A family history of skin cancer. A personal history of skin cancer.

What about you?

You read those last two right… both my mom and I have had skin cancer spots removed. She is almost identical to me in that our risk factors are the same. We also are both (obviously…) runners, spending a many many hours out in the sun. Coincidence? Maybe… maybe not. We are both pretty adamant about using sunscreen, so it makes me wonder if it’s almost inevitable? I don’t know. Fortunately, we both had basal cell carcinoma spots – the most common form of nonmelanoma skin cancer, the least likely to spread, and the easiest to treat. They’re rarely fatal, but they can cause serious damage if they aren’t removed, so it’s a good thing my mom and I regularly are screened.

SCREENINGS! Super important. And luckily, readily available and affordable. Since 1985, the American Academy of Dermatology has partnered with dermatologists across the nation to offer FREE skin cancer screenings. According to their website, they have detected more than 188,000 suspicious lesions, including 21,500 suspected melanomas.

Ready for photos? Sorry for awkward angles… I had to sit on the table in front of a camera to get these. Oh the things I go through for you… :P

That big ol’ shiny canoe shaped mark in the center of my back would be my super attractive reminder that protecting your skin is muy importante. There actually was once a birth mark there, circular in shape, and roughly the size of a quarter dollar (I don’t know if they even still make those…) pepperoni slice. The first screening I had, around the age of 12 or 13, we decided to “keep an eye on it” … I was already having two suspicious spots taken out of my arm, and if we weren’t sure about this one on my back, we weren’t going to take it since it was so big. A year later it was deemed as “hiiiighly suspect” (Ratatoulle? Anyone?) and decided it had to go. So October 14th, 2003, I went under general anesthesia for the first time (let me tell you, that’s a trip…). Went out on my back, woke up on my stomach with a tube down my throat and a crick from hell in my neck, and without my dear mark of birth. But also without any cancer nasties! Erika: 1. Sun cancer: 0.

So that’s the story. Since that time, I have been a better advocate for my own health. As a young punk girl, I used to fight back when my mom asked me to put on sunscreen. It wasn’t “cool” … everyone else got tan and I got greasy white greasy marks on my face during softball practice. Back then, Coppertone was still working on that whole rubbing-in factor.

While there is still that desire to get some “color” on my skin – no one likes to blind the other runners at the lake – I definitely understand how important it is now to protect my skin. I’ve tried SO many different sunscreens in the past. Oh lord.. if you could only see the medicine cabinet! Copportone, Nutragena, Aveeno, you name it, and probably one of every possible SPF in there too. But one early summer day about four years ago, I was at a sample sale held by a neighborhood guy  (who happened to manage a very cool running store). Among all the other goodies there, I stumbled on a table with a bunch of blue bottles. Cool looking bottles. That happened to contain a very cool product…

Kinesys sunscreen

Now here’s my full upfront disclosure – Kinesys did send me several products to try out, but that was most definitely not my first encounter with their products. My little story up there is not a “story” – I truthfully have been using Kinesys for the last 4 years. Why? Well let me tell you…

Kinesys sunscreens come in convenient spray bottles (not aerosols either, mind you…) that allow you to get your SPF’n on hands-free. Well, obviously not hands-free, since you have to spray it. But rubbing in? Not required. Which leads to no greasy hands. Which leads to no excuses when you drop that fly-ball during softball, because your hands were dry as ever, and your hand-eye coordination just plainly sucks. Kidding on that last part…. ;) These are the reasons why Kinesys has (and will continue to have!) my loyalty:

  • more sweat resistant than any other product I’ve tried. sunscreen + sweat + eyes = PAIN!
  • oil free /alcohol free
  • sprays on
  • doesn’t dry out your skin, and conversely…
  • … it’s not heavy, oily or greasy
  • they offer unscented and scented products
  • they offer a sunscreen STICK for face, lips, etc.

Kinesys has a good FAQ page on their website that sucked in my last 20 minutes! I’ve just been browsing through, and I want to share three of the questions that I think are particularly important.

Q: Are products higher than SPF 15 really necessary?

A: Yes. Although a SPF 15 is effective in providing sun protection, some people require greater levels of protection. High SPF products block more UVB and UVA rays which penetrate the skin deeply, and are relatively consistent year round. UVA can contribute to premature aging, wrinkling and pre-cancerous changes. These products also provide protection for longer periods of time (for those who work outside or participate in prolonged outdoor activities.) Many dermatologists recommend regular use of a high SPF sunscreen to prevent sunburn and reduce the amount of sun damage caused by unprotected exposure. Research estimates that regular use of highly protective sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher) for the first 18 years of life could reduce the incidence of certain types of pre-cancerous changes by nearly 80%.

___________________________

Q: Is it possible to get burned on a cloudy day?

A: Yes. Sunlight penetrates clouds. Daylight gets through and so do 70-80 percent of the sun’s damaging rays. In fact, many people get the worst burn of their lives on cloudy days because they have not used sunscreens.

___________________________

Q: What is incidental sun exposure?

A: Most people are concerned about the damage caused by direct solar exposure from sunbathing or intense periods of exposure. However, dermatologists recognize that incidental sun exposure from activities such as jogging, walking, and gardening is cumulative and can cause significant skin damage. This is why dermatologists recommend year round sunscreen protection.

This last one is targeted at all of you my athletes!! Sunscreen is NOT just for when you’re going to “lay out” at the lake, on your beach towel, or by the pool! It seems like such an obvious statement (because it is), but you are being exposed to the suns rays no matter what your activity is. Be it jogging, working out in the garden, out on a ride, etc… you can do damage to your skin whether your intent is to work on your tan or not! So whatever sunscreen you choose to use, I’m challenging all of you guys to get that SPF on there EVERY TIME before you head out the door!

Arighty, time to wrap! As usual, my questions for you readers!

  • What is your favorite kind of sunscreen?
  • Be honest… do you really put it on every time you’re headed out? I know I don’t, but I’m working on it!
  • What are your risk factors? Are you surprised?

Hope everyone has a lovely day! It is a glorious, sunny, hot day here in minneapolis, and I have the day off of work! But it’s jam-packed with OUTDOOR activities, so I promise, I will be sunscreenin it up before I leave, and probably reapplying throughout the day! Hasta luego muchachos!

-E

p.s. I’m trying to clean up the tags/categories at the moment, so please excuse the chaos in the meantime!

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The Triathlon Rx | March 25, 2010
16 comments

Get Lucky 7K Race Report

First things first… a big hey hey to any of you who clicked on over to Dr.TriRunner from MinnesotaTriNews!! I know there are at least a few of you, because someone stopped me yesterday around Lake Calhoun saying “hey… you’re that girl that was on…..” :) I invite you to sit down, make a drink sip some PowerDew, and stay a while! If you see me out around the lakes… down on my aero bars attempting to look fast on the bike… at Whole Foods… wherever – say hi!

And for the Twin Cities tri-kids who are regulars here but haven’t checked out Minnesota Tri News yet… climb out from under that rock and hop on it! Moving on to business…

Get Lucky 7K Race Report

From start to finish…

I’m pretty sure I signed up for the GL7K within the first 20 minutes registration was open. At only $29.80 (for those that are on top of their game…) it was a steal, especially compared to certain other possibly St. Patty’s Day related races. Extra-especially given all the sweet swag… a HOODIE? Medal? Flag? Post-race party + Free drinks? Yep.. the Irish know how to party. And clearly, so does Team Ortho, because yet again they blew away my expectations with another epic race.

Pre-Race…

… went basically as planned. The GL7K offered plenty of pre-race packet pickup hours. As an added benefit for me, it was at the local running store that I grew up with, and my still-favorite: Gear Running Store on 44th and France Ave. Not only did I get to chit-chat with the owners (one of which Paul Horan, who did very well in the 7K himself!), but I got to check out some sweet sales. Further solidifying the fact that 87% 89% of my wardrobe is indeed intended for athletics.

I also picked up a Peace Coffee Racing jersey the day before – this was my first “official” race for PCR, no pressure though ;)

Complete Pre-Race Preparation Instructions: Click here.

All the necessities to start the day off right ;)

Due to said pre-race protocols, race morning ran pretty effortlessly.

  • Packet: check
  • Outfit: check, with a slightly warmer option in the bag, bib pinned on.
  • Fuel: check! I hate bananas, but Banana Nut Cheerios are another story. Topped off with plenty of Peace Coffee and I was good to go.
  • Sleep: check. One of the only people I’d share my bed with – Tylenol PM.
  • Plan: CHECK! See below…

Aright.. if you read the pre-race preparations post, OR if you know me in real life, OR if you’ve been reading Dr.TriRunner for a while at all… you’d know I fall slightly more on the Type-A end of the spectrum. In that post I stated that I will either have 1 or 0 plans, but you better believe a “plan of 0″ – meaning I’m going to race for fun – is still a plan.

“To race, or not to race. That is the question.”

Only it wasn’t, because I knew I wanted to [attempt to] go fast. My last race before the GL7K was the Victory Memorial 10K/5K… in September. And then I found out I fractured my femoral neck… again… right before Twin Cities Marathon, so it was speed work no more. Given the OK to start running again on November 10th (good lord.. how many posts am I going to have titled “CLEARED!!”) but didn’t really hit specific speed work again until… oh… Monday March 15th. Yassos, to be exact, and they felt good. I wanted to see if there were any fast twitch fibers left in there, so racing was indeed the plan.

That also meant I was going to ditch the 15 miler with my group of guys… which they did before the race. You know I love my long runs, but I don’t think I would have been able to race quite the same with 15 already down for the morning.

Pacing?

Yeah, you tell me. I’ve obviously I’ve never run a timed 7K, so I wasn’t so sure. Having an internal sense of pace is something that takes a logn time to develop, and I’d like to think that in the last 7 years of racing (I don’t think an asthmatic 5 year old attempt at the 1 mile counts) I’ve at least started to crack that code.  I ended up taking my 10K pace, 6:40, and my 5K pace, 6:20, and split the difference.

Given that my average pace for the 7K turned out to be 6:31, I’d say that worked pretty well. :D Funny thing is though, aside from the first mile I didn’t really check my splits on Gomer throughout the race. I know what 10K  feels like, and I knew I needed to be running harder than that. No kidding – there was a time around mile 3 when I said (out loud), “C’mon Erika… HTFU.” (And that’s a shoutout to YOU my Boston Buddies!!)

ANYWAYS… there are many more words in this brief recap than I intended. Too much coffee this morning. Dirty details:

  • FINSIH TIME: 28:23
  • AVG. PACE: 6:31
  • OVERALL PLACE (females): 3/1722
  • DIVISION PLACE: 2/133

How did I feel?

Pretty damn good! Only too hot in the last mile.5. Thirsty. Ready to run the slow easy cool down to make Saturday a long run day and take Sunday off. Hip felt solid throughout – success! There were two AMAZING runners who took 1st and 2nd, Amy Lyons and Jenni Wilcox, and I’m honored to even be in their company. And that’s the 100% non-butt-kissing-truth! Mizz Lyons and I are also now in the same age group , something I realized the night before the race (!!), but not for long. Until then, looks like I gotta pick a different race get my fast feet on and step my game up! ;)

Would I sign up for the GL7K again?

Heck. Yes. I ❤ you Team Ortho. As a matter of fact.. I already have several other 2010 Team Ortho races on the calendar!

Photo time!!

This is like a where’s waldo of race photos. Can you find me? :D

Some of the MN Running Wild crew

Tom & I (repping the U of MN Triathlon Team!) // Dave & I (Repping… 3rd place finishers? Hahah!)

Post race warm car felt so good!

That is one sharp & pointy medal! Love the flag. Love the hoodie. Love the medal. LOVED the race!

As always, you’ll be able to find this and all other race reports under the “RUN hard” tab on the top of the page! Catch you soon – I’m off to spin.

-E

p.s. I’m a redhead.. you know I’m sun sensitive. And that goes for my EYES too! Erica’s gonna hook me up… right? ;)

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The Triathlon Rx | February 27, 2010
11 comments

Refreshed -> Wonderful!

‘Ello Loves! (Said in my very best British accent – I’m watching Harry Potter on TV!)

It’s 7:17pm.. I have had a very full day and I am 100% content right now sitting on the couch, legs propped up and the mcMac on my lap, food roasting in the oven, DRINK on the table – it’s a good life. :D Since my Reset, and Reset: take two posts, I have been sticking to my new schedule, LOVING waking up early again, and [IMO] my attitude has been 10x better too. Overall, I’ve just been feeling stellar, and that is definitely lovely feeling! And guess what – I woke up eight minutes before my alarm this morning – LOVE THAT! Obviously it’s only been all of like two days, but I’d like to think that my body is adjusting to it’s “old” self again. ;) To put the cherry on top, I have a meet-up tomorrow with two of my most favorite Minneapolis bloggers, Kate & Mellissa! You’ll just have to wait and see what we get ourselves into.

So back to this DRINK I speak of… what is this cup of magic? Well truthfully, it’s not what I’m drinking right now (although this drank is wonderful too ;) ) No, this would be my post-endurance-ride drink this morning. Let me indulge you a bit…

I will give you three hints…

  1. It ‘s “wonderful”
  2. It made me want to shake my pom-poms
  3. It was energizing, packed with crazy superfood nutrients, and may potentially promote my prostate erectile cardiovascular health (yeah.. the first two benefits are N/A, but I definitely can tell you a thing or two about cardiovascular wellness!)

Guesses? Anyone? Yeah… I’m not that tricky. My sensational shake was spiked with…

POM! The lovely folks over at POM Wonderful sent me a box full of their antioxidant packed powerhouse 100% Pomegranate Juice! It was actually super ironic because just before they they contacted me, I was going through my iPhoto and clearing out old pictures, and came across these which never made it to the blog:

Photos from my first real pomegranate experience… I was about to delete them because I thought, when will they ever get used? But whattya know… POM contacts me, and now I can say the pictures didn’t go to waste! Best ever way to peal a pomegranate = under water. Otherwise you’ll have the seeds flying straight into your face and poking your eye out all over the kitchen. Plus, the membraney part floats to the top, so its easy to remove! Anyways.. back to the POM…

There are some really cool things about POM that I think deserve to be highlighted:

  • It’s 100% authentic, all-natural pomegranate juice, and contains no added sugars, preservatives, colors, or cheap filler juices
  • They grow their own fruits in San Joaquin Valley in CA, and follow their pomegranates from tree to bottle (bottles that they manufacture themselves btw) for quality control
  • “Wonderful” is actually the variety of pomegranates they use… I thought it was just part of the brand!
  • In the last decade, POM Wonderful has provided $32 million to fund scientific research on pomegranates and their health benefits, including effects on heart, prostate, erectile function, and other conditions.

Before POM sent these bottles to me, I had previously tried the 100% Pomegranate Juice, and the Cafe Au Lait and Vanilla POM Coffee drinks. I dug around on their website, and found out that they have iced teas, pills, “shots”, and …. BARS ?!?! Um, why have I not seen these anywhere? Both flavors sound crazy good, and I am determined to get my hands on one of each. They also have a recipe page with their own recipes and community submitted recipes.

Yeah, chances are you’re trying to wipe the drool off of your keyboard right now before it starts sparking. That. Looks. Amazing. But so does my shake… so I’m going to give you my little concoction I came up with, and you can do with it as you please!

Dr. TriRunner’s POM Nilla Protein Shake

(pictured above. serves 1 thirsty lil redheaded athlete)

  • one scoop (28g) of Vanilla protein powder
  • 4 oz 100% Pomegranate Juice
  • 4 oz vanilla soy milk
  • 1/2 tsp guar gum (or your thickener of choice)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • iceeee to your hearts desire

Place all ingredients in blender – I used my new B3 (click for my review!!) and it worked amazingly, although I suppose a VITAMIX would do the job – and blend away. Pour in fancy glass, or live like a classy college kid and eat out of blender to not dirty another dish. Hey.. at least mine has a handle! Enjoy creamy deliciousness with spoon, straw, or slurped straight from the glass.

POM – thank you so much for sharing the love with me! I gave one to my boyfriend for a post-spin sipper, and he was definitely appreciative – payin’ it forward. Now I need to hunt down these darn bars and my life will be complete. ;) Like always, you can find this and all other reviews by clicking the PRODUCT Reviews tab at the top of the page!

Question for you dears: Do you eat pomegranates / drink the juice… and if so… do you have any good recipes to pass on? I definitely have some thoughts floating around of a POM infused fro-yo sauce, but I’ll take all the ideas I can get!!

I hope you all have had a lovely DAY 1 to your weekend, and have a dynamic DAY 2 in store! I’m so excited for my MiniApple bloggy meet up, and definitely the final Olympic HOCKEY GAME! This girl is out – night!

-E

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The Triathlon Rx | February 18, 2010
11 comments

Back to Basics Blender Review

Wow… talk about “far too long” – it’s been a week since we last chatted about some Winter Running necessities. Well, please believe I haven’t just been dinking around these last seven days – they’ve been jam packed with lots of good things:

  • a two-day valentines celebration
  • awesome deals @ the Twin Cities Bike Swap
  • swimming! (makin the goals!)
  • 2.5 hour endurance ride (see above!!)
  • my first “long run” since refracturing my femoral neck (to complete the trifecta)
  • (I understand that that is a complete misuse of the word trifecta. ¿Me importa? No!)
  • meeting new teammates at above bike swap!
  • registering for races
  • rocking medical terminology tests
  • preparing to give speech, only to have class canceled. twice. shoot.
  • trying to put together our new UMN Tri Team website. faiiil.
  • started a new strength program with my new coaches!
  • prepping for Lent 2010

And clearly, given the title of this post…

  • BLENDING!!

Everything above in blue is a post that’s halfway finished and wanting to be posted, but I think first I need to wrap up some unfinished blender business! In my ode/eulogy to my Magic Bullet, I mentioned that CSN Stores was sending me a new Back to Basics Blender (aka the B3… because apparently every D.TR kitchen appliance needs a name) to review! Well you can bet your butt my heart skipped a beat when I walked home to see this sitting atop the stairs:

My heart does a little flutter when I get regular plain ol’ mail, but a package is like a mini Christmas on my doorstep! I promptly brought my box-baby inside and out of the cold. You know I wanted to try it out the second I got the box open, but I realized I better let the motor warm up to at least above freezing before I got to blending. ;)

Given the photo series to come, you will see that I had some slight reservations about the blade size. When I laid him up next to Mr. MB for a size comparison, I wont lie – there were some dubious thoughts that started to set in. But you can’t knock something until you try it, so that night with the help of el chico guapo (that would be the boyfriend btw, not another kitchen appliance) I set to work on a mix I had been excited about for quite some time. The details of the “recipe” still need to be tweaked a bit, but I will tell you that it involves dessert, fruit, and heaven. I promise… I’ll share. :D

Noting the facial expressions below, you might infer that my first experience with B3 was not exactly smooth (pun fully intended) sailing. My ice cubes and pieces of frozen fruit did not want to break down! Then I stepped back for a little eval, and realized where I went wrong: a) I had put my “solids” in last, and b) there was not nearly enough liquids for my solid:liquid ratio. So I unscrewed the top, added more fluids, gave it a stir, and tried again. WINNER! In traditional Dr.TR fashion, I will let the photos do the talking:


(L: that box was tightly packed. Legit took 5 minutes to get out // R: baby blade?)


(L: blade skepticism // R: the B3 vs Mr. MB)


(L: photo has been edited for recipe protection // R: attempt numero uno)


(L: enter uncertainty // R: ice stuck on top)


(L: post-additional-hydration-adjustments // R: a delicious success!)

As you can see, I was definitely pleased by the end result. My initial lack of conviction based on simple blade size was erased once I figured out what I was doing. I realized that the order you build your blenderfull-of-goodness is important – ice and other hard solids should be added last, because when you screw the top back on and flip it upside down, they will have first contact with the mini (but might!) blade. I also realized that @#(*&@#!)R%#&Y*> alone is not going to make this shake of dreams delicious. Trust that I’m working on a recipe, and will have it out asap.

Here are the major PROs I am finding with the B3:

  • Large cup size (TWSS. Sorry… you knew it was coming)
  • Works quickly – shakes are shaken and smoothies are made smooth in less time than with the MB
  • Small footprint on my small counter
  • Not as loud (IMO) as Mr. MB, though you should note that MB was sick and dying. And that is only according to me. (My roommates might beg to differ ;) )

And of course, there can always be faults found:

  • There is no secret skin to peal off that would reveal a VitaMix underneath
  • OK… so it still makes noise. Not acceptable to wake up said roomies with blender concoctions
  • Although the blending cup is larger than that of Mr. MB, I want more space! I know.. want want want! Jeesh.

And that is what I have to tell you kids! Overall I am very pleased with the B3 (Back to Basics Blender), and for the cost (especially after CSN’s sick discount!), I would say it probably exceeds the expectations of a typical blender in the same price range. Trust me, we’ve gone through a few over the years. I definitely think that this will hold me over until I become a professional athlete marry a professional athlete strike gold decide to bite the VM bullet. (And if you too find yourself in that position where you’re really gonna do it… please note that there are some decent discounts with CSN! Check it out!) (Haha extra *astrisk* for you here – I promise that the entirety of this review is coming from yours truly, Dr. TriRunner, and not in any way influenced by CSN Stores or any other outside source. Gotta put the disclaimers out there these days.)

So to tide you over until all of the blue posts above are actually published… I leave you with two more photos of recent tasty triumphs made in the B3.


(L: crazy delicious vanilla spiced protein yum // R: felt like I drank a margarita with breakfast. in the snow.)

Remember that this and all of my previous product reviews can be found on the PRODUCT Reviews tab at the top of the page! If you have any questions or have a product that you would like reviewed, please shoot me an email at drtrirunner@gmail.com

Happy hydrating!
-E

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The Triathlon Rx | February 11, 2010
17 comments

I leave Yak Tracks…

Not because I have abnormally large feet, but because that’s just how I roll. ;) This is my friends, Train On Top:

Winter Running: Part II

This is somewhat an extension of the WINTER RUNNING edition of my Train On Top files. Even if Phil, the groundhog, hadn’t seen his shadow last week, I’m pretty sure all of us up here in Minnesota knew there were six weeks of winter left. My sister and her hubs in D.C., and my dad in Philly, would most likely attest to that. Luckily, I’m prepared for the temps to drop back below zero, or for another foot or two of snow to dump… again. If you’re from the rather arctic regions of the U.S. (or Canada or England ::waves::), chances are you know the drill and your outdoor training didn’t even take a hit. Yeah… I see all you snow pro’s out there smilin’…

But maybe you’re not a “snow pro”… maybe you’re not so keen on the words wind + chill being joined together to form a subzero condition of constant cold… maybe you’d prefer remain vertical during your run, avoiding ice and snow at all costs. The reasons could go on and on, but they don’t have to! In addition to all the layers, lights, and long socks we talked about last time, I want to dive in a little deeper with three items that may make your winter run a little more enjoyable.

1. YakTrax Pros

OK, so I did mention these last time, but no picture, no nothin! I wanted to do an official “Product Review”, so here it is:

Yaktrax Pros are definitey my traction device of choice, and I’ve had the chance to sample several other options. I can attest to what they tell you on their website, the Yaktrax Pros provide not only better traction, but confidence and safety on packed snow and ice. If you look at my picture, you can see that are also easy to put on and take off – they just strap around the bottom of your shoe, and are held on with a velcro strap across the top of your foot. I’ve been asked if they’re “uncomfortable” to run in, or if I feel like they change my gait, and the answer is – nope! The only time I notice that they’re on my feet are when I hit a dry patch of pavement and then I can hear the coils hit the ground. The website says “packed snow and ice” and I took a picture once upon a witnery run (aka last weekend) to show you just exactly what the Trax love:

Minimal snow. Minimal feet.

L: no need for the trax. R: love the trax.

Speaking of coils, if you look closely at my photo you’ll see that I’m missing a few. Well, one piece of advice I would give you for the overall health and wellness of your Yaktrax is: don’t leave snow on them, and then close it up in a plastic bag. General chemistry will tell you that the metal will start to erode if kept wet and enclosed.. and I neglected to realize that two years ago. That’s another point to be made – two years ago!! These Yaktrackers have definitely seen their fair share of winter miles, so it’s no wonder that a couple coils have broken down by now. I think that they’ve held up fantastically given how much impact they take!

I am not going to tell you what to do, but I’m going to buy another pair in the next few weeks. Maybe possibly I’ll find a pair on sale since it’s nearing the “end” of the season (mmmm, right). I can’t say that they are 100% necessary, but they will make outdoor running in the winter 10x more enjoyable!

2. PONYTAIL HAT

Going to apologize in advance… I got a little photobooth happy :D

Unless you’re un hombre with a massive mane, this one’s for the ladies. I LOVE my ponytail hat!! Sadly, I cannot tell you what brand it is, because there is no tag inside, and I got it at a marathon expo! Twin Cities’ expo to be exact. If you happen to be reading this and knows who makes these hats, let me know because I’d love to give full credit!

I don’t need to just push my brand here, but it’s the only one I can give an official review of. Some other companies targeting the ponytail crowd are Nike, TrailHeads, Drylete, Sugoi, and more. There are also ponytail headbands for sale out there, but in my mind, my ponytail can go either above or below a headband.. I’m not so particular that my ponytail absolutely must be situated right where my headband would fall. ANYWAYS, my ponytail hat, whatever brand you may be, is actually quite light weight - almost like swimsuit fabric. Nylon? Mmm, I don’t know my textiles, but I DO know that these hats rock. If I leave my hair down, or even put it in a low ponytail, it’s just a big tangled [sweaty] mess by the time I get home. The ‘mess’ portion of the problem is clearly solved, and for me, so is the ‘sweaty’. Because my hat is pretty lightweight, I can rock the headband and keep my ears toasty, but the top of my head doesn’t get too hot. PLUS, this lets me color coordinate my running outfits but still  keep a neutral black base layer which is super important for winter running fashion. (KIDDDDING!)

I’ve seen these at many a race expo, and they come in lots of different colors. There were also some with fun sayings or “26.2″ or “13.1″ printed on it. Love. It. Again, I can’t say it’s “essential”, but if you have pony tail length hair, it’s definitely a nice item to have!

3. Balaclava

No, I am not going to rob you, nor am I going to steal this big box of Clif bars. I am going to keep my face warm though!

The balaclava, not to be confused with the sticky sweet baklava, is a hat, gator, and face mask all in one. At the same time, it provides the flexibility to be worn as only one or the other. If you find yourself freezing when you step out the door, but sweating two miles in, you can easily tuck the face portion under your chin, or even pull the entire “hood” down if need be. Truthfully, I have three of these, all in different thicknesses and fabrics. The one pictured above, and the one I would argue is my warmest and most versatile, is the Seirus Ultra Clava.

You can’t tell in my picture, but the nose and mouth portion of the face mask are made of a different fabric, and the nose even has a slit to help with ventilation. My only problem with balaclavas (and this is really a biological malfunction on my end, not the face mask’s problem) is that my nose is legitimately like a faucet in the winter. And that’s probably an understatement. Possibly TMI, but I’ll bet you I have to “blow out” every .3 miles… yes, quite the pro at the snot rocket. This happens whether my nose is covered or not, so I would definitely rather have it covered and warm than frostbitten. Luckily though, it’s not like it’s so much extra effort to tug the face mask down, take care of business, and pull it back up.

I would categorize balaclavas under the “most definitely essential” category.

COMING UP…

Well, now that you have three more items to help you train on top and make it through the winter, what could be coming next? I wish I could could tell you I have a huge ultrasound machine that will melt all the snow, especially given Minneapolis’ new wtf are you thinking?! parking rules. All I can say is it’s a damnwell good thing I have my Yaktrax and Balclava, because with these new rules I’m going to be parking in Wisconsin and running home. Maybe I can do another Live Post and videotape the 35.6 miles I will have to traverse from Hudson to Minneapolis…

Returning to bidness. I arrived home to find a pretty brown box wrapped upon my doorstep. Yes Mr. UPS, I do love you. With this box comes a review and a recipe to take you back to your childhood bakery. This one’s for you Allie! I am also starting work with a new company, Model Per4mance, and want to tell you a little bit about them, but they deserve more recognition than just a shoutout! Until next time mis amigos, I wish you strong legs, warm decent weather, and happy training.

-E

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The Triathlon Rx | February 4, 2010
9 comments

An Ode to Mr. MB

If you read my last post, you know that I think the topic of hydration is pretty important for an athlete. If you stuck with my post all the way to the end, you also know that one of my favorite ways to rehydrate is with homemade smoothies and shakes. Because I am a broke college kid not particularly financially endowed at the moment, nor do I have the luck of the gods to win one in a giveaway, I have not yet discovered the wonders of the infamous Vitamix (or it’s closely related cousin, le Blendtec). Well, let me retract that one – I have used a Vitamix on many occasions. We have not one, not  two, but FOUR Vitamix machines at work, and yes, taking on ice for those bad boys are like slicing through butter.

But I have digressed, the VMmaster and TecofBlendGods are not the point of this post. I am coming to you today to tell you the story of my dear Magic Bullet.

You see, there was once a time when I was quite the frequenter of infomercials. They’re basically like a full 30 minute program that gets you EXCITED about this amazing product that you absolutely can’t live without, and with practice, you can even say the words along with the host.

“What can you do in 10 seconds? You can start chopping onions for an omelet, or you can chop onions, whip eggs, chop ham and peppers… for the fastest easiest omelet ever!”

Mmmm, yep. The Magic Bullet, the Ultimate Party Machine, was one of those items. I have probably seen that infomercial at least twenty times! That was how long it took to convince my dear mother that the MB was definitely a necessary part of our lives. And finally, we made the call. Shortly thereafter, a rather large UPS box arrived on our front doorstep (TWO for ONE baby!!) and the rest is history.

If you read my last post, you would also know that my dear MB is in ill condition. It is difficult to watch those you love suffer, and at times, you wish you could just put them out of their misery. Just last night, we were working together to make a Key-Lime-Coconut shake, and I could tell that he was struggling. A task that was once so simple has now become labored, taking nearly twice the time to do the same work. He sounds sad, tired, and ready to rest. And as much as I want to let MB do just that, what about my needs? What about my Nilla Coffee Mint shakes and Key Lime Lovin smoothies?

Fear not my friends – a solution is in sight. It is crazily coincidental, and I am thoroughly thankful, that a representative from CSN Stores contacted me to review a product for them. CSN Stores is a Boston based web store that offers all sorts of products, from bar stools to kitchen ware, they honestly have something to please everyone! I’m happy to report that I’ll be revewing a new blending beverage making beast of sorts, and I am hopeful that it can fulfill all of MB’s duties. You can definitely expect a thorough review from me in the near future!

In the mean time, I will share with you another hydration+homemade recipe to tide you over. One of my faves for sure:

KeyNillaNut Protein Shake Smoothie DeliciousDrank

  • 1 container key lime yogurt
  • 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
  • 1/4 tsp coconut extract
  • 1/4 – 1/2 tsp xantham gum
  • ICE. as much as you can handle prefer ;)
  • 1/2 cup almond breeze, soy milk, moo milk, water. *ETA* omg.. ZICO would be amazing in this!
  • (this tastes like it should be alcoholic and sipped on a beach with a little umbrella in your glass. if you are legally of age, feel free to indulge. please drink responsibly.)

Place all ingredients in blender of choice. Go to town. Pull out the polka dot bikini, your lawn chair, a beach towel, and put Blue Crush on the teletube. And oh btw link back with a picture. (Haha kidding.. but you would DEFINITELY get a prize for doing so. I don’t know what, but I’d think of something!)

Ciao lovelies,
-E

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