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Posts from the ‘Sweat Pink’ Category

Mar 1

Finding the perfect combination at myOatmeal.com

Confession: My pregnancy heartburn is painful and debilitating. Some nights I can’t sleep. Others I toss and turn, even after taking a Pepcid. So I’ve spent a good deal of time since my first trimester looking for foods that would be delicious but wouldn’t agitate my painful acid reflux.

My go-to breakfast during pregnancy has been oatmeal. Lots and lots of oatmeal. I’ve been eating a lot of instant apples and cinnamon oatmeal for the past seven months. I wish I had time to make steel cut oats or something more fancy, but the truth is that I warm up my bowl of oatmeal when I get of my office at school and eat it as I prep for my 9 a.m. class.

MyOatmealSo when I got an email from Sweat Pink a couple weeks ago about myOatmeal.com, a website that lets customers make their own organic healthy oatmeal combination that includes selecting the oats, adding flavors, adding fruits or/and nuts and sweetener, I jumped at a chance to try a different type of oatmeal than I’ve been eating for the past 30 weeks.

I immediately sent an email for a free code to score a bag, hoping I would be one of the lucky ones to respond soon enough.

I’m so glad that I was, particularly because since I hit the third trimester, my heartburn has become exponentially worse than it was. I was given a coupon code to purchase a medium-sized bag from the site, which is 2.25 pounds.

I set out to make my own concoction immediately.

First off, the site order site reminds me of a check list for ordering a salad or sandwich from one of my favorite local delis. Lots of check boxes, lots of choices.

Each choice leads to another set of choices, including a long list of options for added flavors. I was overwhelmed by the options.

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I’m ashamed to admit, then, that I didn’t get as wild and crazy as I would have liked. I was incredibly tempted by the Snickerdoodle and Strawberry Shortcake flavors. Then I saw the Vanilla Frosting. And Cookie Dough.

I chose two flavors: Cinnamon Roll and Apple Pie.

I know, so predictable. But I know what works for me, especially right now, so I figured I’d stay with choices I knew were safe. I opted to add some raisins (another selection screen), but no nuts and a little sweetener for my blend. I also added some dried apples.

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I opened the custom-made package I received immediately and the first thing I noticed was the smell of the oatmeal. None of my store-bought instant oatmeal smelled as delicious as the package from myOatmeal.com. I sniffed it for awhile before I actually made myself a bowl.

Once I did, I knew I’d made the right taste choice.

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I made myself a bowl for dinner one night (because sometimes that happens when you’re a pregnant woman) and sat down for ridiculously nutritious dinner. It was filling and tasty. My only complaint was that it wasn’t as sweet as the boxed oatmeal I’m used to, but I’ve had a need for sweet things for the past couple weeks.

My package has been split up into many bags this week so I could take them to work to eat before class, and I made some “protein balls” for quick snacks to satisfy my cravings between meals (see below).

The oatmeal is satisfying enough to get me through my class and to the noon hour, which is saying a lot right now since I tend to want to eat everything that is put in front of me.

The best part is that the Oatmeal is completely customizable and your blend can be sent to you once, every two weeks, every month, every two months or every three months. The smell alone is worth ordering, but the oatmeal selection is solid too.

Even better is that the oatmeal hasn’t caused me the horrible heartburn that’s been plaguing me for months now.

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You can make your own blend at myOatmeal.com by clicking the “Build Your Blend” button in the navigation bar. Just be warned: There are a ton of flavors to choose from so you may need some time to seriously consider the array of delicious choices.

And it’s healthy.

[yumprint-recipe id=’1′]Disclaimer: I was provided a code from my affiliation as a Sweat Pink Ambassador to review myOatmeal.com, but the opinions are my own.

Sep 14

A colorful 5K in San Jose

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Today my morning run was a lot more colorful than it typically is — and that’s saying a lot because I love wearing neon running clothes.

I ran my first color-type run today in San Jose with the Color Me Rad 5K. After walking around at a local festival for about three hours last night, I was thanking the race gods for a 9:40 a.m. wave start. It meant my husband and I could get on the road from our home, 60 miles away, later than a normal race. It also meant I got to sleep in some.

After an uneventful ride from Tracy to San Jose, the first major obstacle hit us: parking.

I had read reviews, and heeded the advice of the Color Me Rad website, to arrive early, especially since I was unable to attend an early packet pick up.

The problem wasn’t the organizers, though, in this case. Instead, it was the venue’s parking attendants. My husband was concerned I wouldn’t be able to get my packet, so he literally forced me out of the car as quickly as he could before driving off to pay $8 for parking.

But he literally sat in a traffic jam, only about a quarter-mile long, for 40 minutes. Why? Apparently one of the attendants kept having conversations with every driver coming in. Seriously.

My husband texted me that is was “awful” with an expletive in front of it. Yikes.

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Thankfully, inside the Santa Clara County Fairgounds, everything was moving much more smoothly for me. When I got at the venue at around 8:45 a.m., there were very few lines leading up to race-day packet pick up.

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I walked right up, picked up my bib, then got my sunglasses and race T-shirt (see above). The race T-shirt is one of the best ones I’ve received from a race and, hands down, the best from a 5K. It’s a cotton-blend shirt, but it’s also a fitted tee. And it runs true to size. When I took of my color-covered shirt today, I wore it home and then changed back into it after my shower.

After packet pick up, I had a lot of time to kill. Unfortunately I also had a lot of swag and wasn’t too sure my husband was going to make it into the venue before I started. He was still battling parking.

Two or three phone calls later and I was heading back out to where I entered the venue and waiting for him. After I handed over all my swag, I decided to go line up.

I didn’t know what time it was, but when I got over to the start, it was WAY before my expected wave start. No one checked my bib, and I was a single runner, so I figured I’d just start with the next wave.

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That scene is about 10 minutes before the wave I started with. I figured there were still more people coming in the gates, so some people were probably late. I also heard a woman outside the corral area say she was just going to start at the 10 a.m. wave because she wanted the course to be less impacted.

It all worked out.

After some fanfare that included the emcee’s microphone cutting out, we were off.

Except there was a snag nearly immediately.

No one was along the route to direct the massive group of runners out. Instead, everyone just kept following the wave before the others. The problem was, it significantly cut the 5K down. It wasn’t until other runners mentioned the error that people started turning around.

It was then a woman asked me if I was going back. I wasn’t using my Garmin or anything, but I would have missed the first color station if I had kept going. So the woman and I turned around and started running back.

Her name was Darlene. She was from San Jose. And we started running together.

For awhile, we were the ONLY ones along certain parts of the course. Then we were behind all the walkers. Toward the end we made our way up to the runners again. With the detour and the backtracking, we probably logged about four-miles today instead of the 3.1.

The color stations were split between cornstarch color being thrown at some and color being sprayed at others. The color spray didn’t get nearly as much of the runner’s clothes, but covered brighter. The course, in this specific location, kind of zigged-zagged through the fairgrounds. We crossed over ourselves numerous times before coming to the finish line.

And the finish line was confusing for me. As someone who had NEVER done a color-themed run, I threw up the “color bombs” as soon as they handed them to me near the end. Actually Darlene and I each snagged two, so I threw them both up.

Apparently I was supposed to wait until the end. Oops. Rookie mistake.

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I haven’t run a 5K in so long I forget how quickly they go by. As soon as we started, and just when my legs were really starting to come alive, we were heading in toward the finish line.

Darlene and I had kept a conversational pace throughout the run. As someone who came to run without any “crew,” it was nice to stumble upon someone who wanted to run the complete course and was willing to backtrack. I enjoyed the conversation.

Darlene said she is running the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose Half in a couple weeks, so I’m hoping I can catch up with here there too. It will be her first half marathon.

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That’s Darlene and I, post race. Excuse my bed-head. I didn’t exactly get myself all dressed up for the run. And thanks to the LaraBar crew for being kind enough to take our photo post-race.

Despite missteps in parking, course routes and knowing what to do with a color bomb, Color Me Rad was actually a really good time. I enjoyed seeing new runners and families spending time together on the course. The great thing about themed runs is that the events attract a diverse range of runners, but usually newer runners gravitate toward them.

The runs are good ways to get runners hooked. I’m all for more people getting in shape and living healthier lives.

It’s a bonus that the events are also a hell of a lot of fun.

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Too bad I don’t look as “colorful” as I actually was. Hours later I’m still trying to get the color off my skin. I haven’t even washed the running clothes yet. I’m soaking them in some stain remover beforehand. I purchased the white shirt for $5 at a discount store when I was scheduled to do a different color run with friends this summer that I ended up not going to.

I’d definitely recommend this run, particularly with Color Me Rad.

Not only is the swag superior to other 5Ks (shirt, sunglasses, temporary tattoos), free Larabar samples were offered, bottles of water were handed out at the midway point and, overall, the organization was good. Color Me Rad runs are also very reasonably priced, starting in some cases at $35. There are also frequent discounts codes given.

If I was on a timed course, I would have been more upset about the course mishap. But I rolled with the punches today and was glad I did.

Not only did I have a good time, I had a great conversation and run with a complete stranger who just made the experience that much better.

Disclaimer: I was provided a free race entry as a Color Me Rad Ambassador as part of my affiliation with Fit Approach’s Sweat Pink group, but the thoughts, opinions  and newbie mistakes are my own.

Sep 8

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An infusion of hydration: Oral I.V. review

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I’ve made no secret of my horrible stomach issues over the past two months or so. Nearly everything that goes down doesn’t sit right. My abdomen is a constant source of pain. The good news is that we now know what it is. But I’m not really ready to talk about it quite yet.

Things are all good, no worries. But I’m still planning on potentially switching down to the Half Moon Bay 13.1 instead of 26.2. I figure with everything going on, it would probably be for the best. I’m still going back and forth though.

One of my issues as of late has been that all my hydration and and fueling has been way off. My go-to Gatorade has been causing me lots of issues, so I’ve been trying to drink as little of it as possible. If I have to drink it, I water it down. What used to be a one part water, two parts Gatorade mix is now the opposite.

So when the fine ladies at Fit Approach mentioned a new hydration product, I was interested to try out something new, especially if it meant I wouldn’t be running with horrible stomach issues.

Enter Oral I.V.

Oral I.V. comes in a packet of four pack for about $12. It contains NO “sugars, caffeine or stimulants, additives, preservatives or artificial ingredients,” according the documentation on the company website. Plus, there’s no taste.

A list of other features, per the Oral I.V. website:

  • Natural Ingredients
  • No sugars or stimulants
  • Aids existing methods of hydration
  • Lightweight and portable

My biggest interest in Oral I.V. was the fact that is doesn’t replace hydration, rather it AIDES hydration. So many time new products come out that are meant to replace water, or make it more palpable to drink. The bottom line is that we need water to survive. If you’re a runner, especially, you need to watch hydration because if you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.

I drink a lot of water, but even I’ve had times when I’m not hydrated enough.

A couple weeks ago, we had a bit of a hot spell where I live. I was hydrating, but it didn’t seem like enough. It seemed like the perfect time to try out my Oral I.V. samples thanks to being a Sweat Pink Ambassador for Fit Approach.

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As the small, easy-to-open container says you can ingest Oral I.V. in one of two ways. You can either drink it directly from the small bottle, or you can pour it into 16-ounces of water.

I poured mine into my water bottle before a particularly hot yoga session a couple weeks ago. I don’t do Bikram Yoga, but my studio gets fairly hot when it’s about 90-degrees outside. I started drinking, when I was already feeling a bit parched, and within a couple minutes I was no longer yearning for water. I kept drinking anyway, because hydration during exercise is important, and I felt amazing afterward.

In fact, I didn’t feel at all dehydrated for the rest of the evening.

I also tried Oral I.V. out on a long run a couple weeks ago. Because of my ongoing stomach issues, I didn’t put it in at the beginning of the run. I was really worried that something new would cause me gastrointestinal issues.

Instead I waited until I was about six miles into the run. It was starting to get warm. I was sweating more. It was definitely time to get more water.

I decided to try Oral I.V. straight from the small container. I had it tucked away in my running belt. It was small enough that it fit easily with the couple dollars I carry during my run.

I sat down on a seat along my running path and shot it down.

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I’ve noticed people saying that there’s a taste to Oral I.V., but I can’t discern one. In fact, it just tasted like water to me.

I waited a couple minutes and enjoyed the view. Then I picked it up again. I started feeling the impact almost immediately. I was no longer yearning for water as much. By mile eight in my run, I’m usually sipping Gatorade every couple minutes. Not this time.

I finished a 10-mile run without any problems and even felt great afterward. My legs felt like they could go on forever.

I’ll admit, I was a little skeptical of a product that essentially “enhances” hydration. I figured I would just drink more water. Oral I.V. is not a replacement for a fueling product, but when considering the effects of it on hydration, I want to argue that it kind of it. I run better when I am properly hydrated. With Oral I.V. I was properly hydrated, so to me it boosted my performance as well as keeping me hydrated.

The best part is that it didn’t hurt my very sensitive stomach. I didn’t have any issues in my yoga class, after ingesting it in water, or after downing it straight from the bottle.

Does it sound like something you want to try? Right now Oral I.V. is offering a discount of 10-percent off of any purchase on the Oral I.V. website. Just enter the code FITNESS when you purchase.

Disclaimer: I was provided with two packages of Oral I.V. for review thanks to my affiliation as a Sweat Pink Ambassador, but was not monetarily compensated for this review. The views in this blog post are all my own.

 

Aug 7

Joining the #StayFreshTeam: A ShowerPill review

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My race report is still to come from this weekend’s Summer Breeze Half Marathon, but the run was my first race in more than a month and it gave me a chance to finally use and review the ShowerPill.

Dubbed “the athletic body wipe” the ShowerPill is a thick, largish wipe that kills 99.9% of germs on the body after getting in a good, sweaty workout. The cloth, though, also contains Aloe Vera and Vitamin E which makes for a nice, clean feeling without damaging the skin.

I normally carry some type of wipe in my gym bag with me. Usually it’s something I get at Target in the travel section.

I started doing so after reading reviews of the Oakland Half Marathon online and former participants mentioning a lack of toilet paper for slower runners in the portable toilets. I carried them with me, in my waist water bottle pouch, that day. Nowadays I just keep them in my bag until after a race.

I use them to try and freshen up.

My husband hates it when I use the wipes, though, because they smell. It’s not a horribly bad smell. It’s more of a flowery, fragrant smell that just kind of lingers, even when you buy the “baby powder” fresh version.

And the cloths were small. Too small to actually use on more than one arm.

Enter the ShowerPill.

I found out about the product on Twitter and asked if the ShowerPill would be a good option for the days I run and work out when I’m at school. I don’t have access to showers or anything in between meetings and labs, but I have, in the past, gone for quick runs, especially when the fall and winter comes and it gets dark earlier.

The folks at ShowerPill were nice enough to send me some free samples.

I packed them into my gym bag, but didn’t have a chance to use them until this weekend after the Brazen Summer Breeze Half Marathon.

After 2:19:15 running, I needed clean off. I usually do after a race.

Good thing I had a ShowerPill packed away. When I found my way back to the car (which thankfully was parked close since my husband took out the kayak and the marina saved spots specifically for boat launching) and started wiping down.

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My husband took some nice rapid fire shots of me getting clean. And then I learned how to make .gifs via Photoshop. So I had to share this gem. It looks like I’m in pain. I assure you, I’m not. I just have a hard time having anything touch my face, I always have.

I’ll save the images of me cleaning off the rest of me (arms, arm pits, etc.) because that’s just too much information.

And you know what? I felt so much better afterward. I didn’t smell like baby powder. I didn’t have to go through multiple wipes just to get clean. My face wasn’t irritated afterward either.

The ShowerPill was also large enough that I felt like it was really cleaning me off.

Even better, I didn’t have to ride the nearly hour-long ride home smelling bad or having to worry about my sticky sweat getting all over my car seats. This one is especially important since the car I’m driving right now had cloth seats. It’s nice not to have to open the windows and “air it out.”

My husband and I were even able to make a stop, which we don’t normally do because I’m not the best-smelling person after a run, and I was able to sit at a restaurant without feeling self conscious or gross. I was sold, seriously though, when I felt fresh when I got home still and didn’t feel the need to run and get in the shower immediately. (Confession: I did get in the shower after a bit, though, to wash my hair. I didn’t expect the ShowerPill to do that.)

The ShowerPill is also reasonably priced at $9.99 a pack for 1o. That’s $1 each. It’s well worth it.

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You can purchase the ShowerPill at Amazon.com. You can also enter to win a one-year supply of ShowerPills (which, if you’re like me and work out a lot, you know will come in handy) here after liking ShowerPill on Facebook. You can also follow ShowerPill on Twitter.

I’m all about trial and error of products before jumping in. I’ve spent way too much money on things billed for athletes and runners that just don’t work for me. But I’ll be ordering a couple packages of ShowerPill wipes to use after a good run or other workout.

Disclosure: I was sent three ShowerPill wipes from ShowerPill, but was not compensated for this review nor was a review promised to the company. These opinions are solely my own.

Jul 29

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Color Me Rad: The brighter 5K (discount code included!)

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About a month ago, I was set to do my first ever color run when I had a sudden anxiety attack that prevented me from going. I was so bummed. And I knew I definitely wanted to sign for another one sometime soon.

It was kismet then when something exciting happened last week. Thanks to my affiliation with Fit Approach as a Sweat Pink Ambassador, I was given the opportunity to apply to be a Color Me Rad Ambassador.

I found out last Tuesday, en route to the Bay Area for a Matchbox Twenty concert, that I’d been accepted!

On Sept. 14, I’ll be in San Jose running one of the many Color Me Rad runs happening across the country. Nine of the events are in California, including an April 19, 2014 race in Sacramento.

The 5K route at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds winds through five color stations where I’ll be “bombed” with green, orange, yellow, pink and purple before finishing.

Here’s a look at the route:

My favorite part of the website information about the San Jose race is the mention of how to get color out of a runner’s “most sensitive areas.”

I’m excited for two reasons:

  1. The timing of the race will be a nice break in my training for the Half Moon Bay International Marathon on Sept. 29. It means I get to do a “fun run” and take some of the pressure off myself for that weekend. I’m always excited for bright spots like this in my training cycle.
  2. I get to share the love of color with my readers. From today (July 29) until Wednesday (July 31) you can register for ANY Color Me Rad run, regardless of the current price or location and receive 20-percent off. Just out in the code “RADFUN” when you register to receive the discounted price.

ON THE FENCE?

This video from Color Me Rad’s YouTube page is one of the more detailed color-theme run ones I’ve seen. It’s definitely a party waiting for you to partake in:

The prices for the races are on the inexpensive end … and the discount code makes it even more affordable. It’s a good deal for a fun time. Plus it’s family friendly. You can bring the whole family to participate. Or get together with a group of friends and run.

STILL NOT CONVINCED?

The organizers are working to raise money for a good, local cause as well. The San Jose event information includes a link to garner funds for the Pacific Autism Center for Education. You can donate to the cause by clicking the Fundly link from the Color Me Rad website.

NEED MORE INFORMATION?

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You can visit the official Color Me Rad website, Facebook page (like it and join the 1.3 million strong that already have),  Twitter account, YouTube page or Instagram account to learn more about the race and the events hosted in your area. The locations for Color Me Rad runs cover the entire United States and some parts of Canada.

Just don’t deliberate over it for too long. The discount code is only good through Wednesday.

Remember to enter “RADFUN” in the code area for registration to get the discounted rate.

Jul 22

Passing on the #sweatpink love

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My running buddy’s daughter just got a new pair of shoes to get ready to go back to school in the late summer. She’s such a girly girl, always running around in pinks and purples. So I wasn’t surprised when her mom showed me her new shoes.

I just happened to be taking my running buddy a pair of Sweat Pink laces for her running shoes, part of my spreading of the #sweatpink love thanks to Fit Approach.

I didn’t even know the daughter had just purchased a new pair of pink-accented Nikes.

Kismet.

I handed a pair to the little girl. She was THRILLED to have pink shoelaces. She thought they were so much better than the white shoe laces who came with the shoes.

The laces were a little long, obviously since they are made for adult shoes. But she loved them in her new shoes. And she’s now ready to #sweatpink when she starts her new school year in mid August.

Jul 15

I #sweatpink! (Ramblings of a new Sweat Pink Ambassador)

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I received some incredibly exciting news last week that I wanted to share immediately, but I figured pink-shoelaces would do the talking for me.

I’m now a Sweat Pink Ambassador!

For the longest time I followed the Fit Approach website hoping to apply to become one of the company’s brand ambassadors. I was handed a pair of pink shoe about a year ago at a Bay Area event. It’s what led me to the website initially.

Fit Approach has an amazing philosophy.

The company’s “mission statement” is very similar to See Jane Run’s approach to running for all women.

It is:

“We believe that kicking ass is best done in pretty shoes. We’ve learned that real women sweat, and sweat hard. We know that assertiveness, strength, and ambition are the ultimate feminine qualities. We concede that sometimes it takes hours to get ready, but we’re also no strangers to just rolling out of bed and going. We’re convinced that we run faster in pink shoelaces. We believe in pushing ourselves, and we believe in giving ourselves a break, too. We’re all about the rush of endorphins and the thrill of the challenge. We’re all for looking great and feeling even better. We’re committed to finding our best fit, and making it stick.”

That philosophy completely fits me!

So when Fit Approached opened up applications again on the website, I jumped on a chance to apply. I filled out the application during the long holiday weekend.

I found out last week that I had been chosen as a Sweat Pink Ambassador!

I received an email with a TON of information from the company, including how to sign up for a couple accounts to connect with Sweat Pink Ambassadors.

Today, I received the pink shoe laces I get to hand out to fellow runners to continue to spread the #sweatpink love! I also received my tank top.

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I’m kind of in love! I’m going to take the bright orange laces out of my Nikes and add a pair of these pink laces pronto.

The best part is that I’m now connected to an amazing group of awesome women who share similar fitness goals. I’m being exposed to so many new blogs and philosophies.

I’m so excited that I decided to try on my new tank after my five-mile run (and shower) today.

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They say black is slimming, which is good because I feel like I’m carrying a tire around my stomach from a summer of working at home (I’ll be relieved to go back to teaching in exactly one month.)

I’m so fortunate that in the past couple months running has allowed me all these new opportunities and connections. I’m looking forward to spreading the #sweatpink love along with my #seejanerun love at my upcoming racing events!