Race Recaps: Summer Trail Series 1 & 2

With the first two races of the 2014 Gulf Winds Summer Trail Series completed, I thought it would be appropriate to review  the first half of the series.  Both of these races were held on single track trails (trail maps) at Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park in Tallahassee, Florida.  I love running on my local trails, so this race series was a no-brainer.  Running on trails is about the only way I can continue racing during our hot Florida summers. 
 

Reminder: 
Trails can be as much as 12 degrees cooler than running on the road.  

Race #1 6/21/14 6:00PM- Redbug Mountain Bike Trail 4.5 mi

 

Salomon is one of the trail series sponsors - so another cool thing is that the rep is at every event with demo shoes.  I ran in demo trail shoes for the first race.

 

Hanging out pre-race with some of our running buddies: Patty, Michelle, Charly, Karen, Jamie

 

I had also run the Monticello Watermelon Festival 5k that morning with a lot of the same running friends (Dopey Challenge prep can't start too early). 

 

 

The first race was an evening event.  Don't let the late start time fool you, it was brutally hot and humid.  The race was held on a mountain bike trail that makes an amazing race course.   

 

 

The race started off with the race director asking everyone to line up by expected finish times. I am always impressed by trail racers, they always seem to be far more honest with themselves (and others) about their times. 

 I only passed a couple of people, and only a couple passed me.  There was no constant passing, as that would have almost been impossible on such a narrow course anyway. 

Being a mountain bike trail (bike only, only open to runners for a couple of events a year), it is far more technical than I am accustomed to.  The constant turns, hills, and obstacles always keep you focused.

This race reminded me that I need to make sure to keep up with the Dopey training schedule.  Back to back races can be fun, but you always need to be prepared.
 

Sportkilt makes me faster!

Just a quick note on post race snacks.  We had the usual water, PowerAde, bagels, bananas, chewy granola bars. But our race director really treated us right.

Rice Krispie Treats! Clementines!  Roasted Peanuts!

Perhaps my favorite thing at the finish line waiting for the runners were ice pops.  You know the ones your mother would bring to your sporting events, when you were a kid.  The ones that come in the giant bins at your local super store. 

They were great when you were a kid and they are still great when you're an adult (Hey DisneyBride- why don't we grab a pack for the freezer?).

Absolutely great race- on to race 2!

 

 

 

 

 

Race #2 7/12/14 8:00AM- Swamp Forest Trail-  4.1 mi

Another brutally hot and humid day.  Why can't Race Directors control the weather?  This race was a different single track trail at the same park as the first race. The Swamp Forest Trail is my go-to trail for my weekend runs.  The trail is beautiful, challenging, and shaded.

DisneyBride is my favorite race volunteer and #1 cheerleader

This race starts off with about a half mile of an equestrian trail.  This gives everyone ample time to get spread out before hitting the single track trail.  I am glad that this was a trail I was very familiar with as my glasses kept fogging up.  Every 5 minutes or so, I would have to try and find a dry piece of clothing to clear them off (if you have a product or idea to prevent this, please leave a comment below). 



Was that The Flash?  Nope, it's me!



This race took more out of me than the first.  The humidity was that bad. 

Feeling pretty "Incredible" at the finish line

The series has been great so far and I am looking forward to the last two races.  Want to give a shout out to our awesome race director, Bobby York, who has really been working hard to put on top notch trail events here in Tallahassee.  This is the second year of the trail  series, and in January he served as race director for the Inaugural Swamp Forest Trail Marathon, Half, and 1/4 - that DisneyBride ran.

While I have no award/podium aspirations this year, but it will be neat to see my rankings through the four race series.  I'll write another post at the conclusion.

I'm going to add that I always say: "it's not a trail run until you fall".  And we've seen some pretty bad wipeouts and face-plants so far.  However, I have miraculously managed to stay on my feet for both races.  Now that I have said this, I am doomed to fall during race #3 this Saturday.

Are you doing any trail races this summer?

Do you do any of your training miles 'off-road'?


-DisneyGroom

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Dining while Dopey: runDisney Marathon Weekend Preparations Begin

So yes, it is still many months away, but the January 2015 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend is still very much on our minds.  

1) Dopey Challenge:  if you are one of the Dopeys completing the 4 day, 48.6 miles challenge and you are following one of Jeff Galloway's official training plans, you should now already be into your second week of the plan.

2) ADR (Advanced Dining Reservations) opened up for our travel dates today. If you are staying at a WDW resort during Marathon weekend, don't wait to make your reservations. 

DisneyGroom:

With the first week of training for Dopey 2015 behind me, this is a good time to bring everyone up to speed.  I have been slacking a bit lately, writing down my training plan has finally got me back to running on a regular basis.  I have my plan written down to account for all my fall races, and I plan to get it into an electronic format that I can share here on the blog.

I think it is tempting to underestimate the importance of training runs early in the plan.  But, I am living proof that consistency early in the plan does work.  I'm not fast, my form isn't efficient, and I'm not in great shape.  But I stuck to it the last time around, never got injured, and finished all the Dopey 2014 races within my goal times. So by creating good habits and following through with the shorter runs now, you will go a long way to being consistent when the training runs start to get really long. 

My first Instagram pic! Dopey (and ultra) training of course

The first few weeks in my plan only have me running 3 days a week.  Two timed runs during the week and a long run on the weekend.  I have managed to keep up so far, lets hope I don't have any issues this summer.  Its been pretty hot, so I have concerns about staying cool on my long runs.  I'll be keeping to the trails to try and escape some of the heat. 

My next race is this Saturday.  Race 2 of 4 of the Summer Trail Series here in Tallahassee.  I'll provide a recap of the first few races next week.  And I'll provider some progress updates as I prepare for Dopey 2.0. I even started an instagram account to keep me a bit more accountable. You can follow me here.

DisneyBride:

RunDisney weekends require a bit more strategy when it comes to booking your dining reservations.  You don't want to book an early breakfast because you may not be done with your race in time to get there. Or you might cut it close - but you won't have time to shower or change.   Then you don't want to have late dinners or big heavy dinners if you have to wake up at 2am to go run 13.1 or 26.2 miles.  Even though we always have a car, during race weekends we prefer restaurants accessible by monorail.  Because there are also the road closures that affect your ability to get around from resort to resort.

So Advanced Dining Reservations became available for us today, allowing us to book our meals during January 7th - January 12th, 2015.  If you have a reservation 'on property', at one of the Walt Disney World Resorts, you can make your reservations a bit earlier than the general public.  If you are a frequent visitor to Disney, you will have your favorite places - and want to try to get in before they book up.

The very popular places (Chef Mickey's, Be Our Guest, O'hana, etc) do book up quickly and your favorite restaurants may not be available if you wait too long before reserving.  We were not able to get into Boma for breakfast on the dates we wanted for this trip - so DG and I spent our lunch hour on the phone juggling and rescheduling all the other reservations to accommodate for second choices and availability.   

Big kids at heart - we are all about the character dining.  So we'll be at Chef Mickey's twice, for dinner and breakfast, The Garden Grill, Akershus, and O'hana to see Mickey and Friends, Chip & Dale, the Princesses, and Lilo & Stitch respectively.  We got into Boma for dinner - so I suppose we will have at least one 'grown up' meal during the trip. I use the term 'grown up' loosely - as I am often shocked when forced to remember my age.

So are you preparing for a big out of town race that is still many MONTHS away?  

How far out do you start your training plans and think about planning your meals?

Run Happy!  

DG & DB

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What's on my grill? healthy vegan meals (and a giveaway) {CLOSED}

This Giveaway has closed.  Check our most recent posts for other great giveaways.

Through my affiliation with Fit Approach, we got the opportunity to try out Sunshine Burgers. 

"made with certified organic, verified Non-GMO whole food ingredients, free of gluten, soy, corn, canola, peanuts, tree nuts, dairy or eggs.”

As a lifelong vegetarian, recently transitioning to vegan, I was very pleased to read this.

I want to quickly mention mock meats.  They are very popular food items to those seeking to transition to vegetarian diets.  Many of these are crafted to resemble meat in color, flavor, and texture.  Many 'veggie' burgers out there do this.  Sunshine Burger does not.  There is no attempt to make it something it is not.  You can look right at it and see the bits of veggies.  Mock meats have their place, but if you want to enjoy and appreciate veggies in their own right (and you want the pleasure of grilling up a tasty 'burger'), then this is the one for you.

There are many delicious recipes in  the recipe section of Sunshine Burgers’ website, but we were encouraged to create our own dish with our review.

The case I received contained two boxes: Southwest and Garden Herb. I selected the Garden Herb and then looked to our own backyard garden for inspiration.  There are many other flavors I can't wait to try out.  But right now, this one has become a household favorite.

Garden Fresh 'cheeseburger'

• Sunshine Burger Garden Herb patty (grilled)
• Go Veggie 'vegan cheese' - I used Cheddar / Jalapeno)
• Fresh salsa (from homegrown tomatoes and jalapenos)
• Romaine lettuce
• pickles (of course)
• Spicy Mustard
• Bun of your choice (I used Pretzel Buns)

Served with oven-fries and vegan baked beans.

And banana-maple 'ice cream' for dessert. (Made by blending frozen bananas with a drizzle of maple syrup. That's right, dairy-free and delicious!).

A very tasty and satisfying summer meal.

We're in Florida, and Sunshine Burgers are readily available at Publix and Whole Foods.   You can checkout the Store Locator section on Sunshine Burger’s website to find their products near you.  If you sign up for the Sunshine Burger newsletter, you can even get a coupon on your next purchase.

I'm giving away Sunshine Burgers for you to try at home.  You can enter using the rafflecopter below. 

Terms of the Giveaway

1) No Purchase Necessary.

2) Giveaway begins Thursday July 3, 2014 and ends Wednesday July 9, 2014 at midnight. Winner will be announced on the Facebook page and this blog post.  He or she will be notified Thursday, July 10, 2014.

3) Must be 18 years or older to enter. Must be a U.S. resident. 

4) One (1) winner will be selected. The winner will receive a variety of Sunshine Burgers. The product will be shipped to winner by the sponsor.

5) Sign in through Rafflecopter below to enter. With your first entry, the app will capture your e-mail or facebook name. This is so we can reach you if you win, in accordance with sweepstakes terms. Your contact info will ONLY be used to contact you if you win.

6) There are additional opportunities for multiple entries.

7) The winner will be chosen at random using the rafflecopter app below. Odds of winning are determined by the number of eligible entries received.

8) In the event winner does not respond to contact attempts via e-mail or facebook name provided within a one week period, another winner will be selected at random.

9) Void where prohibited.

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Disclaimer: I received Sunshine Burger product to review without monetary compensation. All opinions are my own. I was given the opportunity to review through the Sweat Pink Ambassador community.

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Review & Giveaway: Running Duds {CLOSED}

This Giveaway has closed.  Check our most recent posts for other great giveaways.

 

 

I'm back! And sharing another cool piece of running gear: Running Duds.

What are Running Duds? 

Glad you asked...  They are comfy and crazy running shorts.  Available in both 'dudes' and ladies cut, these shorts are a colorful alternative to your basic black running shorts.   

The Running Duds crew is made up of a 'diverse mix of running enthusiasts' based out of South-East Queensland, Australia. These guys also just happen to have 'collective skills as experienced designers, manufacturers and web nerds'.  

If you start following their blog or social media, you will quickly discover these are a fun bunch of runners with a quirky sense of humor.  Further, they believe real men wear bright colors!

 

Yes, there are many runners that still wear plain, solid dark colors. When I started out - I think I had one pair of navy blue basketball shorts I wore on all my runs.  But that really doesn't do anything for your visibility.  Bright, light colors on the other hand, get you noticed - in a good way.

Selection

Running Duds features nine different shorts for men and they offer the same prints in a women’s cut. 

  

Guys, I know what you are thinking: these kind of look like boxer shorts or swim trunks.  I thought the same.  But that's because as guys we are used to wearing plain solid color dark shorts.  While DisneyBride's closet is bursting with over two dozen of those colorful, sparkly running skirts, my dresser is a sea of black and grey tech fabric.

So I was intrigued when Running Duds sent me 'The Florence' to try out.

Liner or No Liner? That is the question.

The men's and the ladies shorts are available with either a liner or no liner.  I went with the liner.  It comes up as an option when you order your shorts, so I think it is cool that the kind people of Running Duds give you that choice.

I've always considered myself to be a 'compression shorts under basketball shorts' - kind of guy - but if you've been following this blog, you can see I've ventured beyond my comfort zone this past year. In fact, the more I wear running shorts with a liner, the more I like them.  I may be a convert. 

From their website:

Duds Features     

• Light weight polyester fabric

• Optional fitted liner to hold everything in

• Water repellant finish

• Internal key pocket

• Machine washable (the only thing that should run is you!)

• Australian owned and Australian made

• Hot to trot

Experience with my Duds

I am definitely a fan. 

I wore mine on for a few beach runs as well as several trail runs. The shorts are perfect for the beach. The Florence is a fun flamingo print ideal for a Floridian, or really for anyone wanting to be reminded of tropical surroundings. 

This summer I started preparing for the Destin 50K ultra, which will be run exclusively on the beach in Destin, Florida.  My training runs are followed by a quick dip in the Gulf to cool down.   My Running Duds did a great job of not holding sweat and it quickly dried after my post run swim.   Unfortunately, I forgot to stand on one leg and look off into the distance.

On the trail the shorts performed just as well. The summers here in North Florida can get very humid, so I am always impressed when shorts help wick sweat away. They look just as good in the woods as they do on the beach.

 

The flamingos may not help me fly during my run; but they do make the run a whole lot more fun and comfortable. The more fun and comfortable the run, the longer the run will be, and the better prepared I’ll be for my next race. I look forward to wearing more Running Duds in the future.

I've listed some Pros and Cons.  Admittedly the Con is actually due to my lack of sunscreen, and not the fault of the shorts.  

Pros

• Fun
• Colorful (no fading after multiple washings)
• Extremely Lightweight and soft nylon material
• Great Selection
• Does not retain water/sweat
• Quality construction

Cons

• Unaccustomed to shorter length shorts, I sunburned my pasty-white thighs

Overall, you can see these shorts are a win-win.  And while the company is based overseas, the customer service to this US customer was excellent, and readily available through e-mail. Plus the shipping was surprisingly speedy.  The Australian dollar is pretty comparable to the US dollar, but on their webpage, you can select the appropriate 'Currency' at the top, to see the prices at the current exchange rate.  


And now, you can enter our giveaway and become a 'Dudder' too.

The awesome Running Duds team is allowing us to give away one pair of shorts.  So check out the terms below and enter for your chance to win.

Good Luck!

~DisneyGroom

Terms of the Giveaway

1) No Purchase Necessary.

2) Giveaway begins Wednesday June 18, 2014 and ends Tuesday June 24, 2014 at midnight. Winner will be announced on the Facebook page and this blog post.  He or she will be notified Wednesday June 25, 2014.

3) Must be 18 years or older to enter. Must be a U.S. resident. 

4) One (1) winner will be selected. The winner will receive one pair of Running Duds shorts. Retail Value: $46.63 (based on current Australian dollar to US dollar conversion as of June 18, 2014).

5) Sign in through Rafflecopter below to enter. With your first entry, the app will capture your e-mail or facebook name. This is so we can reach you if you win, in accordance with sweepstakes terms. Your contact info will ONLY be used to contact you if you win.

6) There are additional opportunities for multiple entries.

7) The winner will be chosen at random using the rafflecopter app below. Odds of winning are determined by the number of eligible entries received.

8) In the event winner does not respond to contact attempts via e-mail or facebook name provided within a one week period, another winner will be selected at random.

9) Void where prohibited.

  

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure of Material Connection: No financial compensation was received. We  received product from RunningDuds.com in exchange for this review. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we believe will be good for our readers. All opinions stated on this blog are our own. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Making Hydration a Habit and a CamelBak #DitchDisposable Giveaway! {CLOSED}

This Giveaway has closed.  Check our most recent posts for other great giveaways.

During March through May you might have seen our tweets and facebook updates on the #DitchDisposable campaign.  This was sponsored by Camelbak - a leading supplier of hydration products. 

The first step was taking the Ditch Disposable pledge.  During the official pledge period of March 17th - April 17th, we, along with many others, committed to stop using disposable water bottles, and to start carrying and refilling our Camelbak bottles each and every day.  (While the official period has passed, you can still take the pledge and commit to reusable water bottles.)

There are so many reasons to give up disposable bottles.  These are two screen captures from Camelbak.  The complete infographic can be seen here. 

from: http://greatist.com/health/why-you-should-never-buy-disposable-water-bottles-again

from: http://greatist.com/health/why-you-should-never-buy-disposable-water-bottles-again

This is in addition to the health and environmental impact of bottled water, which are far greater! 

So obviously this is a cause we feel strongly about.  We were very lucky to have been chosen as #DitchDisposable Ambassadors.  DisneyGroom was the Mentor - his job was to encourage me (the Partner) to honor my commitment. 

Camelbak sent us each a kit to get us started.  Here are both of our kits.

We each received the following:
1 Relay Filtration Pitcher
1 Groove Bottle
1 eddy Bottle
1 Chute Bottle
1 tube of Elixir electrolyte beverage tablets


Camelbak really gave us the tools we needed to succeed with this pledge!  Now that the period is over, we would like to share our answers to the campaign's follow-up questions.


DisneyGroom (Mentor)

How did you encourage your partner to Ditch Disposable? 
-  I have always been in the habit of having a reusable bottle with me.  The Ditch Disposable Ambassador Program seemed like a great opportunity to hopefully spark a new habit in my wife and others.

What did you do or what did you tell your partner that was the most influential reason to Ditch Disposable?
- I took time each morning to fill her CamelBak bottles for her.  I also reminded her that she dislikes the water at her office and bringing water from home was the best way to keep hydrated. 

What was the most inspirational or rewarding thing your partner shared with you about the experience? 
-She is actually drinking water!  She is drinking fluids throughout the day.  It is said a habit can be formed in 21 days.  Well, it took a bit longer for her, but the new habit was formed.  She fills up her bottles in the morning, and on weekends, she even reminds me to fill up mine before we head out to the beach or our trail runs.

Our puppy, Magnus, wants a drink!

DisneyBride (Partner): 

What was the greatest benefit you experienced during the challenge?

-I don't think I can pick just one. The most visible benefit was to my wallet.  I calculated that I saved between $15-18 per week.  Multiply that by 52 weeks in a year and you get... a scary number that I don't want to think about.  But now will be money in my pocket!

-A less visible, but perhaps greater benefit was that I reached for water instead of iced tea and other sugary drinks.

What was the toughest challenge to ditching disposable bottles?
-For me, it was when everyone around me is drinking soda.  I felt pretty boring with my water.  Then I remembered Camelbak sent me their "Elixir".  They are sugar-free effervescent electrolyte tablets.  So I get some fizz and color to make my water a little more exciting.

How were you able to successfully kick disposable bottles for 30 day?

-My mentor would have two bottles full and ready for me every morning.  I'd grab my lunch and my two Camelbaks before I headed out the door for work.  When I got to  my office in the morning I placed both bottles on my desk. 

By having water right in front of me all day, I did not have the desire to go buy other drinks.  On weekends, I carried a Camelbak bottle with me at all times. 

What did your mentor do or say that encouraged you the most?

- It was by example.  He carried his Camelbak Chute EVERYWHERE.  He took it to work, the gym, running errands.  If he could do it, then I surely could.

Okay... I admit it. Sometimes I made him carry my bottle too!

Also, as I mentioned above, DG would have two water bottles filled for me every morning to take to work.  To be adequately hydrated throughout my workday, I had to drink one bottle by lunch time, and the second bottle in the afternoon before 5pm.  I couldn't cheat, because DG would see my bottles when I came home in the evening. 

Drinking enough water was something I have struggled with for years.   Everyone knows the recommended minimum is 8 x 8:  eight glasses, each glass being at least eight ounces of water, per day (64 ounces).  But what about when you run or bike, or play tennis?

I used the hydration calculator on the Camelbak website to determine how much water I actually need.  It asks you a few questions and provides you with the amount you need.  So now, I try not to drop below that number when I go workout.



Proper hydration and using reusable bottles are good habits for the two-legged AND four-legged members of this family.  Here is our puppy, Magnus, taking a drink on the trail.  We carry a bottle just for him along with a collapsible bowl.   He drinks an entire 'Chute' (1 Liter) during a two hour hike.


The Giveaway

So you saw earlier that Camelbak sent us several goodies as part of this campaign.   There were a few items that we set aside for the purpose of a future giveaway.  And now, we want to share the #DitchDisposable love and give away some our swag. 

Our fridge at home has an 'in door' water dispenser with a built-in filter.  All our family members and friends have similar fridges at home. So we will never use the Relay pitchers Camelbak sent us.  I have to say - they look REALLY great though!  I remember using other pitchers and you had to wait several minutes for the water to drain through the filter.  This filter works at 'the speed of your faucet'.  So you get your water right away.  We also received two Groove filter bottles.  I opened one and used it before I realized it had a filter on it.  But the other one is still new in the package.

So, we are giving away THREE Camelbak items. Yes, that means THREE winners!


1 Groove Insulated Bottle - has built in filtration. Retail: $25.00 (amethyst)

1 Relay filtration pitcher (blue) Retail: $36.99
1 Relay filtration pitcher (black) Retail: 36.99

Also, Camelbak is hosting a pretty cool contest to win all kinds of great swag.  They have launched a new Ditch Disposable video contest called “Make a Reel Difference." All you budding film makers, you can submit an original video and enter to win. Check it out here: http://bit.ly/1obzApN  


Thanks for checking out the post and good luck with the giveaway!

Run Happy,
DisneyBride


Terms of the Giveaway

1) No Purchase Necessary.

2) Giveaway begins Wednesday June 11, 2014 and ends Tuesday June 17, 2014 at midnight. Winner will be announced on the Facebook page and this blog post.  He or she will be notified Wednesday June 18, 2014.

3) Must be 18 years or older to enter. Must be a U.S. resident. 

4) Three (3) winners will be selected. The winner will receive either a Camelbak Relay pitcher or a Groove water bottle, at our discretion. Retail Value: $25.00 or $36.99

5) Sign in through Rafflecopter below to enter. With your first entry, the app will capture your e-mail or facebook name. This is so we can reach you if you win, in accordance with sweepstakes terms. Your contact info will ONLY be used to contact you if you win.

6) There are additional opportunities for multiple entries.

7) The winner will be chosen at random using the rafflecopter app below. Odds of winning are determined by the number of eligible entries received.

8) In the event winner does not respond to contact attempts via e-mail or facebook name provided within a one week period, another winner will be selected at random.

9) Void where prohibited.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure of Material Connection: No financial compensation was received. We each received products from Camelbak as part of the #DitchDisposable promotion. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we believe will be good for our readers. All opinions stated on this blog are our own. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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