Mondetta Performance Gear Review and Giveaway

I'm not a what you might call a fashionable runner.  In fact, I'm usually happy if I don't actively clash.  When MPG offered me the opportunity to try a couple of their items and review them, I jumped at the chance.  I loved the idea of actually looking pulled together when running.  But there was another reason I really wanted to help promote this company: I like their charitable goals.

Here's some information on the charitable part of their company. Mondetta Charity Foundation:

Our founders were all born in the East African countries of Kenya and Uganda and have decided to support an an orphanage in the former and a school in the latter. Most of the children directly benefiting from the MCF's efforts have either lost their parents to AIDS or are themselves living with the disease that has ravaged most of the African continent. One percent of total MPG sales are contributed to the MCF, which is a completely separate entity from the parent company, Mondetta, meaning all operating and administration costs are covered by the company and all donated funds received go directly where they should: to help those in need.

So, not only did they have awesome looking clothes, they are actively charitable.  Sign me up!  I chose the Leap skort ('cause I'm on a mission to find one I like LOL) and the Sweet top.

Both items are cute and well-made.  I bought them to wear together and that doesn't quite work, but that's really my only "complaint".  The skirt is awesome, as I've mentioned before.  It's comfy and cute and feminine.  The undershorts fit like a snug brief and don't move at all while I'm running.  Sometimes the waistband slides up (I'm super short waisted), but as soon as I'm warmed up (read: sweaty), I can readjust it and then it stays where I like it.  Seriously, this skirt may convert me to running skirts.

What the skirt looks like on a

"normal" person as photographed

by a 5 year old LOL.

I haven't worn the shirt as often as the skirt.  It's really adorable with some nice details, but it fits me a bit tighter than I'd like and is a bit too long.  Just a note for when you are choosing from their site - the small in this shirt is truly a small.  I'm still trying to figure out which of my bottoms it looks right with (I know that's a shock - that I actually care LOL).

Want a chance to try out MPG's products?  

MPG has offered my awesome readers an opportunity to win.

The winner gets to choose one item from the Spring 2011 Catalog!

Here's how to enter:

MANDATORY (one comment for each please!):

1. Be or become a follower of MCM Mama
2. "Like" MPG on Facebook

Want some extra entries? (leave me a comment for each please!):
1. Sign up for the MPG newsletter
2. "Like" MCM Mama on Facebook
3.  Follow MPG on twitter
4.  Follow me on twitter

Don't want to wait to win or can't decide what one thing you might want?  MPG has generously provided all my readers with a discount code for 25% off.  Valid for a onetime purchase until May 31st, 2011.  Just enter:  mcmmamalovesmpg
 
Small Print:  Giveaway ends at midnight on Saturday, May 7th.  Winner will be chosen at random and notified on the blog by May 9th  (I will also do my best to email or comment on your blog, but I make no promises.)  Giveaway open to residents of the United States and Canada.

Disclaimer:  Items were provided to me free of charge by Mondetta for review.  Giveaway item also provided at no cost to me.  Opinions are my own.

TTT: beer, balls, and giveaway preview

1. Last night I made a newbie beer drinker mistake.  I ordered a beer that I knew had a higher alcohol content than your average beer.  It was served in a pint glass.  I didn't really think much about it and when everyone had a second round, I ordered another of the same 'cause that's what everyone was doing.  Usually higher alcohol beers are served in smaller glasses, so two beers would be only a little more alcohol than two regular beers.  Two high alcohol beers in pint glasses?  That's more like 4 beers and I'm rocking one heck of a headache right now.  I should have known better.

2.  I have a lot of balls in the air right now.  Normally I do a pretty good job of juggling, but this week I've had a lot of little things go wrong and they've added up to barely making deadlines.  Nothing major - just having to make an extra phone call (that involved 20 minutes of wait time), discovering a cd with info I need was blank, an accidental hangover (see above), etc.  So far, I've managed to pull everything off, but I sort of feel like my house of cards is about to fall.  (How's that for mixing metaphors LOL).  On the bright side, Lowe's just called and my new refrigerator has a dent.  I was about to cry until they told me it's small, near the back (ie. where it won't be seen), and they'll give me 10% off.  I'll take it.

3.  Speaking of missing deadlines, I was supposed to post a review and do a giveaway today and I just didn't get it written up.  It WILL happen tomorrow and you are going to want to check it out.  Go over and check out Mondetta's spring catalog and think about what you'd like.   Details posted tomorrow.  ;o)

Hope your day is a bit more organized and a whole lot less windy than mine!

A tale of two feet

Once upon a time, there were two feet.  

The two feet LOVED shoes.  

Their idea of a good day was one spent in these:

Then, one day 

(or really 9 months worth of days x2),

they were unable to wear those shoes.  

They were too puffy and holding up too much weight 

and spent a lot of time in these:

This broke their spirit.

They lost their love of their old shoes.  

(Oh, and they'd grown, so they no longer fit in those shoes.)  

But that was ok.

They'd found a new love 

and started spending all their time in these:

But then those feet heard a rumor.  

They heard that it was possible to still hang out with their new love, 

but they didn't necessarily need to be confined.  

They could run in these:  

or even like this:

And the two feet were so happy.

They felt so free.  

And they were ready to live happily ever after.

But some days, they still dreamed of these:

The End.

Minimalist Running Week #3 in Review

Perhaps I should have titled this "I haven't hurt myself... yet."  Last week was a mishmash of increasing speed and distance.  For a little variety, I threw in a bit of completely barefoot running on the treadmill.  Yeah, not exactly the definition of smart training.

I ended up doing 19.2 miles in 5 runs and several times probably should have stopped just short of where I was.  I made it to my goal each time, but there were a couple of times where my feet and ankles were fatigued enough that I should have listened.  My goal this week is to pay better attention to what my body is trying to tell me.  I actually contemplated a run in shoes yesterday, but ended up eating cheesecake and sitting on my butt instead.  ;o)

Details, details...

Run #1 - 1 mile barefoot on the 'mill just to test it out.  My soles weren't entirely thrilled.

Run #2 - 5 "fast for me" miles in the heat in Vibrams.  I pushed a little too hard at the start and the heat ended up wearing me out, but my legs and feet felt great with the fast, light turnover.

Run #3 - 4 miles on the treadmill barefoot in a skirt. ;o)  I should have probably stopped at 3.5.  My feet were pretty tender at the end, mostly from the heat and roughness of the treadmill surface.

Run #4 - 3 quick miles in my Merrells.  I wore them without socks and that improved the ground feel a bit, but I still prefer a lightweight sock in them.  It felt good to have a little more cushion and protection after the barefoot run only about 12 hours earlier.

Run #5 - 6.2 miles.  I should have stopped at 5.5 as my feet were seriously fatigued...

Happy Easter and Jelly Bean Virtual Race Report

Happy Easter to all my bloggy buddies!

We all know I can't resist a virtual race, so when Jess opened the Jelly Bean Virtual Race with a 10k option (my favorite race distance), I jumped on it.  What I didn't know when I signed up for the 10k was that I would decide to go all minimalist running.    Not knowing if I could even complete the distance certainly put a new spin on things.

I had one and only one goal when I set out for this run.  I was wearing my Vibram Five Fingers and had never run more than 5 miles in them.  So my goal was to finish 6.2 without hurting myself.  There would be no speed involved, it was going to be all about form.

Short story:  I finished in 1:05:20 (possibly my slowest 10k ever), but it was a strong run for the majority of it.

Long story:  In preparation for the race, I spent all day Friday in high heeled boots.  That was a bit of an adjustment after 3 weeks in minimalist shoes or barefoot!  When I finally put on my VFFs to head out on Saturday, I discovered I had some cranky toes from the day before.  Hmm...  I decided to run at my long run pace and stay near home, just in case.

Overall, things went well.   At the end of mile 5, I was averaging a 10:25 pace and feeling extremely comfortable with it.  It was definitely an "I can go forever" pace from the standpoint of my cardiovascular fitness.  At about 5.5 miles, though, my feet hit their wall.  They didn't hurt, but they were definitely fatigued and I probably should have walked home.  I didn't.  I kept "running", but I slowed way down and had to be very conscious of how my feet were hitting the ground.   Surprisingly, my overall form was still fine (I used to get slumpy at mile 3ish), but my feet were just having a lot of trouble with any step that didn't land exactly right.  I guess jumping from 5 to 6.2 was a bit much.

I was really glad when I was done.  I was tired, but nothing hurt!  We'll call that a success!

Thanks, Jess!

Merrell Barefoot Pace Gloves Review

I love the Merrell Barefoot Pace Gloves.  Love them.  In fact, I have two pairs.

I've done a zipline course in them.

I've hiked in them. I've walked around the neighborhood in them.  I've even run some miles in them. In fact, I've worn one of the two pairs nearly every.single.day since I bought the first pair a little over a month ago.

But, I wouldn't recommend them as minimalist running shoes for someone who has never run barefoot or in minimalist shoes before.

Here's why:

For most people, barefoot running changes the stride and uses muscles differently.  If you start out completely barefoot, the sole of your foot is going to slow you down and tell you when you need to stop.  When you start out with minimalist shoes, you have to actively decide when to stop.  If you aren't careful, it's extremely easy to push your body too fast or too far.

The Merrell Pace Glove is a wonderfully comfortable, extremely flexible shoe that is built on a Vibram Sole.   The 0 mm heel to ball drop and decently wide forefoot allow for an extremely natural feel when walking or running.  The outsole is just slightly thicker than the Vibram Sprints I run in and there is a tiny (1mm) bit of cushion in the front.  This adds up to slightly less "road feel".  Rocks that are uncomfortable in the Vibrams are not as obvious with the Merrells.  I don't know if this will change as the miles add up on the shoes.  For me, this means I can get lazier about my form.  Someone who is already strong with their barefoot running form might not even notice the difference.  This is not to say that they won't make great running shoes, just that you need to be aware of the difference.

Things I love about them:

• They are a trail shoe, so a lot less slippery than Vibrams when the conditions are less then optimal (Neil recently wrote a great race report where he wore them on icy trails.)
• I find them really comfortable with socks in them (and therefore a lot less stinky than the Vibram Five Fingers)
• They are cute (hey, I'm a girl.)
• Because I like them with socks, they are warmer.
• They are comfortable and allow for a decent amount of ground feel with a little bit of cushion.
• The flexibility of the sole allows for great ground feel when hiking or climbing. 

The thing I don't like:

• The shoelaces.  I have issues with them for two reasons: 1) even double knotted, they come untied at least once a run and 2) as a mom who is constantly having to grab shoes as I race out the door, I hate the extra time it takes to get them on.  (Petty reasons, I know.)

Would I buy them again?  Absolutely.  In fact, I'm trying to justify buying the chili pepper color (I already have the lavender and yellow).  And if they came out with a pair in brown or some other earthy tone?  Yeah, I will definitely get a pair of those.  (Shh, don't tell Beer Geek.)

Disclaimer:  I bought both pairs with my own money.  Merrell did not ask me to review them.  Also, I am not an experienced barefoot runner and have only been running in minimalist shoes for a few months.  Nor am I any sort of scientist or particularly well versed in human anatomy.  Take my opinions as just that - opinions.

TTT: refrigerators, Vibrams, and dreams

1.  I've done a ton of research on new refrigerators, only to discover that the best one for the space we have is...  the exact same one we bought 9 years ago.  Sigh.  And the one in the basement is a cheaper (wire shelves, less drawers), 5 year old version of the exact.same.fridge.  This would be fine if I actually like the darn thing, but I've hated it for years and was actually a little excited when it died.  On the bright side, it's also cheap so I can buy one and not feel any guilt in five years when I throw it out donate it when we remodel the kitchen.

2.  I ran five really sweaty, kind of fast for me 5 miles in Vibrams yesterday.  (OK, the first four were fast,  mile 5 sucked).  I discovered that the ball of one of my feet gets roughed up when it's hot.  I think I'm going to have to try glide on my feet when I run in them.  Anyone else who runs in Vibrams find this?

3.  Last night I had wierd dream after wierd dream.  I dreamt about visiting the USSR (yes, I know it's no longer that, but it was in my dream) and not being allowed to leave.  I dreamt about racing barefoot.  I dreamt about feeding Shoo a tuna fish sandwich.  (Yeah, that was wierd.)  I only remember my dreams when I'm really stressed.  I know I'm lucky that there's no big drama in my life, but really the little shit could take a break for a bit.  I'm tired of constantly feeling like one of the many balls I have in the air is going to drop on my head.

I could really use a girls' night out.  Anyone want to head to DC and meet me?

I want to run FAST

I have no interest in qualifying for Boston.
I don't care if I never win a race or even my age group.
I won't be devastated if I never PR again.

But I want to run fast.  And I don't mean "fast for me".  I want to run 6 minute mile fast.

Why?

So I can fit more miles into my day.

I got the news yesterday that my refrigerator can not be repaired.  Did you know that rodents like to chew the drain tubes to get to the water?  Now you do.  Ours was kind enough to chew it in such a way that we can't put in a new tube.  Thanks, Mr. Rodent.

So, this morning, I had the pleasure of refrigerator shopping.  I dropped the boys off at camp and hit up Home Depot, Sears, Best Buy and HHGregg.  While I was out, I also hit up Trader Joe's for some groceries (since I can only fit a few days worth in our beer fridge) and a sporting goods place to get a tent for Cub Scout camping (which I'm sure will be a post on its own...).

I arrived home with 59 minutes to grab my handheld, put on sunblock, and run.  See, if I were fast, I could have knocked out 8-10 miles.  Instead, I had to settle for 5 miles in 50:20 and a quick stop at the house for the bathroom and the car keys.  I then proceeded to pick up Shoo while still literally dripping sweat on the ground.

That's right.

MCM Mama - Bringing classy to a whole new level.

I think I need a new sticker.

Up and Down

Up

The temperature.

My mood.

The contents of my basement.

The pollen count.

Down

The rain.

My mood.

The contents of my refrigerator.

My mileage.

In the last three days, I have moved about a quarter of the contents of my basement upstairs.  I have boxes shoved under beds, under tables, on top of cabinets.  And I still have more to move.  Renovations on the basement should start in about two weeks, so I'll be continuing the moving process for a while yet.  I've also moved almost all the contents of my refrigerator down to the beer fridge.   My upstairs fridge is leaking periodically, I think because of damage done by our rodent friend.  {Insert EWWW! here.}  Hopefully refrigerator repair dude will solve that problem today.

The most annoying part?  My ankle is feeling tweaky from going up and down the stairs so many times,  so no running today.  :o(

Minimalist Running Week #2 in review

Stats: 5 runs - 17.5 miles, longest run was 5 miles (I plan to run this afternoon, so I expect to go over 20 miles for the week. Woot!Edited: 20.5 miles for the week!)

Thus far, the minimalist experience is going really well for me.  Last week and the early part of this week were really hard on my calves.  I rolled them with a light saber, I stretched, I walked funny on the stairs.  It wasn't pain.  Just the soreness and tightness that comes from working a set of muscles really hard.  It's been a long time since a simple 3 mile run could jack up my legs like that!  Finally, on Thursday morning, I woke up for the first time in a week and a half and was able to walk normally.  I've run twice since then and felt good during the runs and after.

As  a funny aside, I tried to wear normal shoes to pick up the kids from school on Friday.  They felt so weird!  I've been barefoot or in minimalist shoes for three weeks now, even when not running, so my feet have forgotten what it feels like to have some lift in the heels.  Good thing summer is approaching as my jeans are all too long now.  ;o)  And a shout out to minimalist shoe manufacturers (Vibrams, Merrell, ?) - I could really use a cute pair of shoes in earth tones to wear this spring.  Just sayin'.

Notes for those of you who want more details on my conversion to minimalist running:

Monday: 3 hilly miles in Vibrams.  My calves were still sore from Sunday's run.  Not sure what was going on, but I developed a bit of a tender spot on one foot, so I took Tuesday off.

Wednesday: 4 rainy miles in Vibrams with clients.  My feet were soaked almost immediately and super cold at the start.  They did warm up and despite the cold and wet did not develop any blisters or hot spots.  I've found that Vibrams can be a bit slippery on wet grass and mud, but they did just fine on paved wet paths.  Also?  Wet Vibrams smell like a nasty combination of wet dog and feet.

Thursday: 2.3 miles in my new (bigger) pair of Merrell Barefoot Pace Gloves.  Love!  These felt great.  It is a bit easier to get lazy on form in them because they have a slightly thicker sole.

Friday:  5 miles with clients in Vibrams.  I seem to have finally reached the point where running in Vibrams feels normal.  No problem whatsoever running for that long.  I'm pretty sure I could have added some distance if I had wanted to.

Saturday: 3 "fast" miles in Merrells.  I was racing a storm and didn't have Garmin, so I'm not sure how fast I was going, but I finish my 3 mile course in under 29 minutes, even with stoplights.  I focused really hard on faster, shorter strides and not slumping and seemed to run faster without feeling like my effort was much more.

Sunday:  An easy 3 in my Vibrams.  I would have gone farther and my feet and legs were up for it, but my tummy was not.  Oh well.  That's the beauty of not being in training mode - no guilt about missed mileage.

So, I'm over a third of the way, distance wise, to my goal of running the Philly half marathon in minimalist shoes!

I didn't burst into flame!!!

I carry all my extra weight in my thighs.  You think I exaggerate, but if I could trim down my thighs, I'd easily wear one size smaller, maybe even two.  Because of that, as much as I'd like to be a skirt girl like G, T, and J, I've been unable to find a skirt with long enough compression shorts.  I always joked that I could heat the world with the friction from my legs and that there wasn't enough glide in existence to prevent that.

Enter my new running skirt.  I was offered the opportunity to review a skirt from Mondetta (review next week).  When I got it, I discovered the shorts underneath fit me like bun huggers.  Uh oh.  I decided to give it a try anyways on a short run in my bigger Merrell Pace Gloves (review of those next week too).  I made sure to use plenty of Glide LOL.

And?  I loved it.  I felt cute while I was running and while there was definitely some thigh rub going on, there was no chafe.  Not sure if it would work for longer runs (greater than 3 miles), but you can bet I'll be experimenting with that.

Hmm, am I going to cross over to the dark side?

TTT: minimalist running, protein, and bathroom humor

1.  Today was the first day since I began running exclusively in Vibrams that I woke up and my calves felt normal.  I ran 4 miles yesterday and my legs don't hurt!  Woot!  I received the bigger size Merrells in the mail this week, so I hope to get some miles in with those soon too.  And just for the record, wet Vibrams smell like a nasty combination of feet and wet dog.  I'll be wearing Merrells today while the Vibrams have a date with Efferdent.

2.  I joined Sparkpeople to try and knock off the couple of pounds I gained in St. Martin.  That has worked for me, but I've noticed that my protein consumption isn't quite where it should be and that the protein I do eat is fairly high in fat.  Anyone got some great suggestions for non-dairy lowfat protein.  I already eat a ton of almonds and a fair amount of eggs and soy.  I eat meat, but usually more as an ingredient than as a main piece of my meal.

3.  Sometimes being the mom of boys is amusing.  Everything is a weapon.  There is no such thing as a whisper.  Bathroom humor is always funny.  Shoo was in the bath the other night repeatedly saying "Banos Amigos.  Bathroom friends.  Friends that live in the bathroom."  Each time he'd say it he'd laugh like it was the best.joke.ever.  Gotta love boys.  ;o)

MWW: Motivators

Outside of the fridge:

Inside of the fridge:

I sent out my stickers last week, so hopefully everyone has received them by now.  I still have a few left, so email me at mom2shoo@gmail.com if you want one.  I'd love more stickers if anyone wants to exchange stickers...

4 easy miles in the Vibrams today in the rain at a super easy pace with a client = just what my tight, sore calves needed.  Since the light saber is working great for rolling my muscles, I think my running store gift certificate will be used on a pair of compression sleeves for my calves.

Mental Health Day

Before kids, I was almost never sick, so every once in a while, I'd take a mental health day.  After Jones was born, once or twice I took him to daycare and took the day off work.  I usually split the day between getting some things done that were difficult to do with a child (or while working full-time) and things that made me happy.

Today, I'm taking a mental health day.  Usually after I drop the kids at school, I have a full schedule of things I plan to accomplish, meetings I need to attend, and runs I need to complete.  Originally, today was supposed to be like that.  Instead, today I've decided I'm just going to relax and do whatever I feel like.  Last week Beer Geek was on travel, I had meetings and runs with clients nearly every day and tons of things to get done after our return from St. Maarten.  By the time Beer Geek got home, I was not a pleasant person to be around.  So, in an attempt to regain my usual positive outlook, I'm only doing what I want to today.

So far, I've wandered around Whole Foods after dropping the boys at school.  Shortly, I plan to take a nice long hot shower.  Then I think I'll head over to return some Lands End stuff and check out some of the spring clothes.  After that, I think a nap may be in order.  And then I'm going to eat lunch, sitting down, with a book before I need to go pick up Shoo from preschool.

What do you do when you need a break from reality?

And just for your amusement:

Last night I desperately needed to roll my calves after my 3 mile run in Vibrams.   Since I still haven't gotten over to my local running store, I used the next best thing - a blue light saber.   Ahh, the beauty of having two boys.  ;o)

Minimalist Week #1 in Review

For the first week ever, I ran in only my Vibram Five Fingers and my Merrell Pace Gloves.  I ran a total of not quite 15 miles in 4 runs, with my longest run being 4.5 miles.  Short story:  so far, so good.

Longer story (for those of you interested in minimalist shoes):

I've been running every other day.  Tomorrow is the first time I'll attempt two days in a row as I aim for 5 runs this week, possibly culminating in a 10K this weekend.

Run 1: 3 miles in the Merrells.  I love these, but I discovered two things on this run.  1.  The size that is comfortable for walking, hiking, etc is too small for running and 2.  the sole definitely provides less ground feel than the Vibrams.  I've ordered another pair in a different color (I'm wearing these nearly every day as my regular shoes, so I can totally justify a bigger pair for running LOL), so I'll do a full review once I've received those.

 Run 2:  3.5 miles in Vibrams.  This run was awesome.   I felt great the whole time.  My form felt perfect, my feet felt great, I stopped at a point when I felt like I could keep going.  The next day my calves were sore and tight.  In fact, when I woke up and stretched out, my calves went into intense cramps.  Luckily, not running that day, doing some walking, and some mild stretching left me feeling fine the next day.

Run 3: 4.5 miles in Vibrams.  Again, the run went great.  I was sore the next day, but not as bad as Tuesday.  I'm defintely getting better at maintaining good form for longer.

Run 4:  3.75 miles in Vibrams.  The first two miles of this run felt awesome.  Then I hit the hills.  I'm still having trouble with form on big hills.  Mile 3 was at least 75% uphill and when I hit the flat my ankle felt a little tweaky.  Slowing down resolved that, but then I hit a patch of wet leaves and wiped out.  The palms of my hands are pretty torn up, but thankfully that seems to be it.   The Vibrams seem to have little traction when wet, but I may have fallen in real shoes too. 

All in all, I'd say it's been a successful transition thus far.  I've had a lot of stuff going on in my life this week, so it was kind of nice to be forced to cut back my mileage a bit.    It's funny how easy it is to fit a 3-4 mile run into my day.  ;o)

TTT: Finances, marathons, and barefoot

1.  Tuesday I met with our accountant and today I'm meeting with our financial advisor.  I'm really loving being a running coach, but I'm absolutely hating the whole self-employed thing.  Trying to figure out our taxes and how much I can put away for retirement is making my head spin.  Thank goodness for professionals that can take care of it for me.

2.  My finger is currently hovering over the registration button for Philly.  I've heard a rumor that a whole lot of super cool chicks are running it.  Yeah, I pick my races based on who is running it.  ;o)  And lest you be confused, I plan to run the half.  I couldn't keep up with the chicas running the full, so I might as well finish before them and cheer them in.   Who else is planning to run?

3.  Barefoot running is going well so far.  I ran 3.5 miles with my clients yesterday while wearing my Five Fingers.  My calves are really tight and sore (not in a bad way), so right now I'm running every other day.  I think I need to invest in the Stick or a foam roller.  Any thoughts on which is better?

Bonus:  See what's going in the mail this afternoon?  Yeah, I'm finally getting my act together and mailing my stickers and Emz' winnings.  (I live two blocks from a post office, yet I can never seem to get there...)

Easy Canvas Prints Review

Beer Geek is an awesome photographer, especially for someone who has never been trained and uses a digital point and shoot (high end point and shoot, but point and shoot, nonetheless.)  We have a series of pictures on our living room wall that he took that are just AMAZING.  We were all excited about a specific picture he took in Alaska last summer that we planned to add to the wall,  except we discovered it was the wrong orientation.

Enter Megan from Easy Canvas Prints and BuildASign.  She contacted me about trying out their new canvas prints.  She'd been so awesome when I got my stickers (heck, she created mine for me LOL), that I was super happy to work with her again.  I was even more excited that I had a picture already in mind.

The process was super easy.  I just uploaded my picture, chose a size and a wrap depth, and voila! I was done.  The finished product arrived right before we were heading to St. Maarten, but I was super excited to get it.  It's gorgeous!!!

Too bad my ability with the camera doesn't match his...

(Disclaimer:  The print was given to me for review.  The opinions are my own.)

Going Barefoot

Or maybe I should title this "Going Minimalist", since I live in an urban area and true barefoot running can be hazardous.

I've been playing with barefoot running for a while now.  Before my achilles issue, I got up to a four mile run, once a week.  All of my other miles were done in neutral running shoes.   I've decided it's time to stop playing and get serious.


Right now, I don't have any races on my calendar longer than a 10k.  It's spring, so the ground is getting warmer.  I have a pair of Vibrams and a pair of Merrell Pace Gloves and, of course, I have the option of bare feet.  In fact, I haven't worn anything but minimalist shoes for more than a week now.  So, I'm going to embrace minimalist running.  My plan for the month of April is to run only in minimalist shoes or barefoot on my treadmill.  My mileage will likely be down overall as I've only made it up to 3 miles so far, but I plan to run at least 5 days a week and will slowly build the distance on a few of those runs.


April should be an interesting month...

Paying to run

We all do it.  It's called a race.  ;o)

Today, however, I'm paying for the privilege of running around my neighborhood.  Due to Beer Geek having a crazy work schedule, some evening meetings, soccer practice, and Shoo's best bud being out of town, I have no time today where I won't have Shoo with me.  If I want to get my run on (and boy, do I need to - the scale was not nice to me today AND I'm in desperate need of an endorphin hit), I have to either hit the treadmill or get a babysitter.

Did I mention that it's supposed to be in the 70s today?  Why, yes, it is. 

So, Shoo's preschool teacher will come over after lunch and give him some quality play time, while mommy goes out and has a date with running and the Merrell Pace Gloves.

And it will be worth every.single.penny.

12 hours

That's what it took, doorstep of our hotel to doorstep of our house.  That's one third the time it took us to actually get to St. Maarten.  Our trip home went, for the most part, smoothly.  Someone must have realized that I didn't run much on vacation, so I had the pleasure of a sprint through the Charlotte airport.  Thankfully, it's a much smaller airport than Philly, so it didn't kill me and we caught our plane.  Win!

Since arriving home, we've had the pleasure of losing internet, having to install a new router, and Beer Geek stepping in cat poop that, well, let's just say involved a lot of scrubbing and my washer is currently running a load on the sanitize setting.  We've also had some fun though.  Last night a bunch of friends came over and we finally tasted our Christmas beers.  15 of them + a four year vertical of Alaskan smoked porter.  I know Jamoosh is kicking himself for not being here.  ;o)

Re-entry has been a bit rough, but things are starting to fall into place for my incredibly busy week.  I need to get back running or my only options for clothing will involve spandex.  ;o)

Hopefully I'll start catching up with you all soon!

Useful things I learned in St. Martin

We spent our entire vacation on the French side in a lovely little hotel (Bleu Emeraude) in Grand Case.  Best.decision.ever.

Some useful things to know if you choose to do the same:

• Paying $1 to pee in a *clean* men's room at the mall in Marigot = best money ever spent.
• Orient Beach is lovely and a great place to spend a day at the beach.  Get there early.  Park at the Club Orient end near Pedros.  Be prepared to see a lot of old willies as apparently the demographic most likely to take advantage of the "clothing optional" end of the beach is 60+ year old men.
• Don't forget your bikini.  "Mom Suits" stick out like a sore thumb. 
• Vibrams make decent beach shoes.  You will get even more weird looks than you do in the U.S.
• Always have a water bottle with you.  It's easy to find a rum drink or beer anywhere.  Water can sometimes cost more.
• The best sign to see anywhere is 1 euro = 1 dollar.  Make sure you came with plenty of cash.  If not, there are ATMs at the Westin in Dawn Beach and in Philipsburg where you can get dollars.
• The Lolos (barbecue huts) have the BEST Caribbean food for a reasonable price.  Our favorite was Talk of the Town in Grand Case.  Chez Coco in Marigot was pretty darn good too.
• When you are ready to blow the bank, however, dinner someplace like Le Tastevin where you get a dinner whose courses include lobster, escargot, scallops, and shrimp + a glass of wine with each course is worth every.single.penny.  Even if it is a LOT of pennies.
• Even if you don't like light lager type beers, a Carib with a lime on a hot day is awesome.
• Don't stop for any of the people standing on the side of the road outside the resorts.  They are just trying to scam you.
• Packing your loosest pair of pants for the flight home is a really good idea.  They may not be so loose by the time you put them on.

We should be on our way home this evening.  Any guesses on whether it will take less than the nearly 36 hours it took us to get from our house to our hotel in Grand Case?  Closest guess wins a prize.  ;o)