Speaking of Shoes: Altra Torrin Giveaway!

Since I went shoe shopping just yesterday, shoes are definitely fresh on my mind.

I'm fairly new to running; I've only been running fairly consistently for about 18 months. This is the first winter I have ran through. I wimped out last winter. It was just too darn cold and slippery. Brrr!

I bought my first pair of shoes on my first visit to a REAL running store last year. The guy watched me run for a few seconds (literally, only a few seconds) and diagnosed me as an "over-pronater". This means my foot tends to roll the wrong way. He suggested I try the Brooks Adrenaline that comes with a stabilizing thingamabobber that will help with over-pronation. I was inclined to follow his advice and promptly purchased my first pair of REAL running shoes.

These shoes have served me well over the last several months. They carried me, injury-free, through my first half marathon and all the training leading up to it. And they've gotten me well on my way to my first full marathon.

But they're getting worn out. I've noticed the bottoms of my feet are really taking a pounding the higher my mileage gets. There just doesn't seem to be the sole support there that there once was. Time for new shoes!

Actually PAST time for new shoes. I've been putting it off because it's just so darn painful to fork over 100 plus dollars for shoes that can only be worn when you exercise. I know it's a good and necessary thing if you want to run comfortably and injury-free. It just hurts!

At the shoe store yesterday, I asked the clerk about Altras. I've heard lots of good things about them from my online running group. They heart Altras! In fact one of them (and her husband) works with the company. I'm such a newb to the whole running scene that I don't know what all the shoe terms even mean. I just know that a lot of people really dig these Altras. Even the clerk that helped me yesterday was wearing some.

He was a big fan, but he still scared me away from making my first Altra purchase yesterday. Something about not "switching horses mid-stream" and "sticking with what has worked for you". Meaning it may not be a good idea to try a new shoe style in the middle of marathon training. Plus they didn't even have my size. (Just call me "Tawanda, Amazon Woman".)

So I walked out of the store with another pair of Brooks Adrenaline. Same size, different color. Green!

BUT I really want to try those Altras! Which I am going to as soon as I have another $100 to spend on shoes. Or when I win THIS giveaway! Free Altra Torrins?! Yes please! Because really, when am I going to have a spare $100 sitting around?

I'm thinking maybe I'll run my September marathon with Altras. Compare and contrast!

Marathon Mom Massacre

Being in desperate need of new shoes and a hydration belt, I ventured to a running store in the valley. Since we are a one-car family, the only times I have a vehicle to go on such trips are when Joe is out of town. This means I have a car, but I also have little ones in tow. On this particular trip I had four year old, Elle, and two year old, Cee.

Previous to the running store, we had stopped at Target to go through the exciting ritual of picking out some new panties for two year old Cee who is bound and determined to NOT wear her diaper. Ugh. But that's another story. Just as a preface to this story, new panties were fresh in my two young girls' minds.

As soon as we walked in to the running store, which is small in square footage, Cee loaded her diaper. Only I didn't catch on to this until I had removed my bag, sweatshirt, and shoes so I could be fitted for new running shoes. It finally dawned on me that that bad smell was MY child.

As I was realizing this, my four year old was animatedly telling anyone who would listen how her little sister was going to be wearing "big girl panties". It was cute, if not a tad embarrassing that she wouldn't stop saying "panties" to complete strangers.

When the shoe guy went to the back to look for my size (which is embarrassingly large as it is), I seized the opportunity to take my two year old out to the car to change her. She was stinkin' up the whole joint and I was starting to worry that now-informed fellow patrons were wondering if it was the aforementioned "big girl panties" that were soiled instead of the diaper she was (most fortuitously) wearing.

Dashing back in the store I resumed my shoe fitting whilst simultaneously trying to help two little girls behave in a store full of bright colored clothes, gel packets, and a working treadmill. While I talked "zero drop" with the clerk, Cee dug through my bag, pulling out various items. I asked her to put it all back, which she did, except for...a clear Ziploc bag crammed full of tampons and pads. Something I didn't notice, but that the young male clerk did.

Cue flaming red cheeks. Because ya' know, I'm sure he's NEVER seen a tampon before. *rolls eyes*

By that point, I was pretty flustered and ready to purchase just about anything the clerk suggested I should. A few minutes later I walked out with a pair of shoes ($110), a hydration belt ($45), two little girls, and a lost ability to look anyone straight in the eye.

By the time I got back home I had realized how idiotic it was to spend $45 on a "belt". 

Now I just have to work up the nerve to walk back in that store. Which just may be worth $45 to me after all.

A Plea for Help

Today I put out a plea on Facebook.

I'm single-momming it this week and would love a chance to run outside. Would anyone be interested in taking my kiddos for an hour?

I didn't expect much, but within an hour I had four offers. One came at the perfect time. My two big kids were off at school, child #3 had just left for preschool, and my chores were done for the morning. The window of time was wide open and perfect. I pushed Cee in the stroller over to my visiting teacher's house and counted that as my warm-up. An hour later I returned, having completed my 6 miles in record time. All before noon. Talk about feeling accomplished.

Running outside was just what I had needed to make it through the rest of the week flying solo. It's such a stress-relief to be out in the air and the sunshine, stretching my legs, getting my heart pumping, and moooooving.

How grateful I am for other moms, neighbors, friends, visiting teachers who are willing to reach out and answer my plea for help. They may very well have saved my children's lives this week.

It's a good day.

Healthy No Bake Cookies Recipe: Energy Bites

I'm a sucker for No Bake Cookies. They just hit the spot. And with all the sugar and butter in them...they stay at the spot.

Dangit.

I've seen a recipe for "healthy" No Bake Cookies floating around in my Facebook running group.

"Healthy No Bake Cookies"?

*snort*

But I'm here to tell you, it's true! You CAN cut the sugar and butter and make No Bake Cookies that are healthy! In fact, you can even call them "Energy Bites" which makes them feel all the healthier.

Now, let's be honest here...They are NOT No Bake Cookies. Nothing is quite like a No Bake Cookie. But these Energy Bites come close enough on those days when you reeeeeally want to stick to your healthy eating, but you also reeeeeeaally just want a cookie or a bit of chocolate.

Even my kids liked them and scarfed them down. Methinks this could be the perfect recipe to turn to when they want a "treat" but I want to be good and avoid temptation.

Energy Bites
(recipe from Gimme Some Oven)

1 cup dry oatmeal 

2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ

1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

1/3 cup honey or maple syrup

1 Tbsp. chia seeds (optional)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for half an hour. Roll into bite sized balls. Store in airtight container and keep refrigerated up to one week (if they last that long).

Makes 20-25 balls depending on what size you make them.

The beauty of this recipe is that it's very versatile. Don't like coconut? (Yuck! Me neither!) Leave it out! Make sure to replace it with a little extra oatmeal or some crushed cereal or whatever you have hanging out in your cupboards. Use dried fruit instead of chocolate chips. Replace the peanut butter with almond butter. Go wild!

Also...They can be made gluten- and dairy-free!

These would make awesome hiking snacks! I'm sure I'll be making a few batches to take with us when the snow melts off the trails.

Again...NOT No Bake Cookies. But pretty darn close.

Mental

Half a dozen times I have sat down at my computer and tried to write out a post about what a failure I have been at eating healthy and losing weight lately. But I couldn't even get past the first sentence.

So...I failed at failing?

*sigh*

What can I say? I have not been as ambitious about my health as I have been before. I'm still training for my marathon in May and getting most of my runs in, but healthy eating...meh. And working out on other days...meh.

As a result I have gained back some weight. Meh.

Can you believe that you can run 10 or more miles every Saturday along with shorter runs through the week and GAIN weight?! Insane, isn't it? There really is no making up for a poor diet.

I know I need to eat clean. I know HOW to eat clean. It's just the DOING it part that I am struggling with. I can't believe this is STILL a struggle. Shouldn't I be a pro at this by now? How am I still rendered powerless by sugar cravings? Ridiculous.

Sugar really is a drug. When I'm "detoxing" my mood could be likened to a smoker who is trying to quit. Cranky, angry, sensitive. It's ugly. And kind of scary that a simple substance can have such power over a person.

My current attitude towards healthy eating fluctuates, sometimes hourly. Sometimes I want to try really hard to lose another 30 pounds. Just another 30 and then I'll be happy. Then I'll be "skinny" and at my goal weight (past it actually) and into the clothes size I hardly dared to dream about.

Sometimes I could care less how much I weigh. I'm comfortable at this weight. I fit in my clothes. I can run miles and miles at a time. My husband loves me at this size. Why try harder?

And then I swing back to the other side of the pendulum. If I just stop eating sweets and carbs...

And then...But I love sweets and carbs and I want to try new recipes and new foods and enjoy meals with my family.

And then...But my brother's wedding could be coming up and I might bump into old friends when I visit Hometown, Idaho.

And then...But it's so hard and I just don't care enough to commit.

Ugh. Sometimes I feel a tad schizophrenic when it comes to body image and health and food.

And I still haven't exactly decided which voice to listen to.

The Terror of Ten Miles

Last Saturday I ran ten miles.

If my training schedule hadn't said "10" I would definitely have quit at 7. Those last three miles were t.o.u.g.h. My legs, especially my calves, and the bottoms of my feet were not happy with me. My entire body just felt tired. It was pretty miserable. Towards Mile 9 I found myself talking out loud to...myself.

You can do it! You can do this! Just move. Keep going forward. You can do this, girl!

And I did do it, but instead of feeling proud of my accomplishment, I felt fear.

If I'm struggling this bad to get through ten miles and hurting this bad for the entire day after, how in the world am I going to make it through 26.2 miles? Heck! How am I going to make it through the 11 that I need to run next Saturday?

It's disheartening to let that fear settle in and eat at your confidence. But my hope is that with a bit of education and some new "toys" I can overcome some of the struggles I had with this run.

It's time to bite the bullet and shell out some cash for new shoes and a hydration belt. I've only ever bought one pair of running shoes from a real running store where they watched me run and advised me to buy a certain type of shoe. (I guess I "over pronate"?) That was just last year and it cost me over a $100 as well as some respect from my husband.

He is so not fond of my favorite hobby. The time and money spent on training, gear, and races drive him nuts. It's going to be hard to convince him it's already time to buy more shoes. And then even more money on a "fancy fanny pack". He's going to be thrilled.

Oh and then it's also time to delve into the world of mid-run nutrition.

Shudder.

It's very overwhelming to me. Shouldn't running be simple? Why do I need to learn biochemistry and sell my first born just to run, or at least run comfortably? I guess I'm kind of a lazy runner. I don't want to put much work into it beyond moving my legs.

Safety is Sexy, People.

When I was a teenager I would rather have died of a brain injury than wear my bike helmet and look like a total dweeb. But Daaaaaad! Helmet hair is sooooo embarrassing.

And then I grew up.

Fashion be damned. I want to run and I want to live while doing it.

Safety is sexy, people.

(And toasty warm!)

Plus, as my friend Myya pointed out, I could always moonlight as a crossing guard. Bonus!

But check this out... Even in my super cool, neon orange, reflective running gear, I still almost got hit. TWICE!

After that experience I feel the need to clarify that if I ever do die while running, let it be known that I died happy, doing something I loved. (Slap that on my headstone, please.)

In totally unrelated news, I also feel the need to clarify that bathrooms really are a much more practical place to apply your makeup rather than, I don't know...A MOVING VEHICLE!

My final thoughts for the day: Please be kind and keep a watchful eye out when driving, especially at night. You never know when you might come across a sexy crossing guard.