Tag Archives: healthy-living

Apr16

Chia Test Drive

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After a fabulous vacation in Mexico, I am recharged, revitalized and re-energized.  I was able to run several times while on vacation.  It was a treat to only pack my slim Vibrams and not a pair of bulky running shoes, but the terrain was not as Vibram friendly as I hoped.  I really had only 2 choices, the sandy beach or cobblestone road.

A quick side note about running on the beach: Sara and I typically stay on the boardwalk and avoid running on the sandy beach at all costs.  Our main reason is the paranoia of twisting an ankle or knee.  And, it’s so much more difficult! Now with my Vibrams I can add getting sand in my barefoot shoe as a second reason to avoid sand on a run.  (I can remember only once that we ran on the beach and that was after the crazy snow storm in December of 2010.  The beach was frozen and the boardwalk was ice covered!)

Therefore, in Mexico, I selected the cobblestone road.  By the end of my 45 minutes I was feeling the pounding on the balls of my feet more so than normal.  From a running aspect, my feet were glad to be home from vacation.  Plus, it was also great to catch up with Sara over a 12 mile run yesterday and 4 miles this morning.

Let’s get back to my Chia seeds that I used once before going on vacation.  I have two bags of Chia seeds that I am going to incorporate into my diet.  Each night, I soak one tablespoon of seeds in a pint of water.  I have found if I dilute the mixture with additional water, it goes down a lot smoother.  I also added one NUUN tablet to my secret potion.  In the morning I slurp down half the energy juice before the run and the other half after.  The NUUN definitely helped with flavor (pink lemonade).

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What results should I expect?  Reading articles on the Internet there are claims for weight loss, leveled blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and higher energy levels.  I am two days into my Chia Test Drive and honestly don’t notice any difference.  Give me a couple of weeks and perhaps I will have more to share.

Apr10

Not the Pits

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It’s Spring break and we’ve done a trial separation for the week. Julia’s in Mexico and I’m in NY state. We’re still managing to get some runs in. Meanwhile we’d like share a couple more of our favorite pitstops.

This first one is at a golf course about 2 miles from our houses. Water is available year-round. We used to be a little anxious about getting in trouble for ‘borrowing’ golf course water. One very cold day last winter, we stopped for some, but after filling our cups the water kept flowing, the button frozen in position. We quickly resumed our run, and when we got on the road we noticed we were being followed by a worker in a golf cart. We knew we were busted, so we picked up the pace. He clearly could have caught us in a golf cart, but instead it appeared he’d toy with us for a while. After trailing us for a couple minutes, he turned off onto a course path, and we realized he had no interest in us. We felt badly about the water, but never worried about stopping again! They must have bigger concerns than runners who grab a couple sips of water.

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The same course has this lovely building which we have named “The Bathtub”. The water fountain is removed and bathroom doors locked in winter, but in summer the doors are open, restrooms are stocked with amenities, and there is usually a cooler full of ice next to the water fountain.

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We make a point to stop here during long runs in July and August when Virginia heat is unbearable. If you wonder whether that heat is coming, just look to the water fountain. There’s no question that it will soon be here.

Apr6

Good to Gu

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Julia has a Chia seed update, but along those lines I thought I’d mention sustenance. I, personally, am a grazer and eat frequently throughout the day. The same is true during runs. So for me, Gu has become my go-to run staple. We generally run every weekday at 5:30 except Wednesday (sleep in until 6!). For those early runs I wake up with a Jet Blackberry 2x caffeine Gu and I’m out the door and fine for 4 to 6 miles. We run longer (8-12) one weekend day, a little later, so I can have a cup of coffee, a banana (with peanut butter is best), and take 1 or 2 Gus for the road. So that’s my regimen. However, Julia’s Chia seed experience might make me rethink things a little. Here she is:

I typically wake up 45 minutes before our scheduled run time and eat 1/2 of a PR Bar with my cup of coffee while I am walking my dog.  (I am a fan of the Chocolate Peanut and the Apple Pie flavors.)  I eat the other half of the bar post run and prior to breakfast.  I save Gu for our long run on the weekend.  I am a fan of the “Tri-Berry” Gu flavor.  10 miles or less and one Gu will suffice.  When we start to run further than 10 miles I pack 2 Gu.

Today I tried something different.  I drank this:

Last night I mixed 1 Tbsp Chia seeds with 9 Tbsp water.  I put my magical concoction into the fridge for the night.  This morning the Chia seeds had the consistency of gel with little lumps.  If I drank frog eggs I would image they have the same consistency.  I was able to drink about 2/3 of the glass.  I still used Gu on the run around mile 6.5.

So, how did I feel on our 10.2 mile run today?  AMAZING!  I didn’t have my normal ravenous hunger appear around mile 8.  In fact at mile 3 I remarked to Sara, “I feel surprisingly full and wouldn’t be interested in eating a cheese pizza if it was right in front of me!”  I too, run to eat, and it was nice not to be distracted by hunger at the end of the run.  Afterward, I downed the rest of the seed elixir, the remaining 1/2 of my PR Bar, and some NUUN.  My hunger stayed in check until around 11:45, just in time for lunch!

Here is my question – how could I take the seed/water mixture on my run?  I typically don’t need a fuel belt because of our wonderful pit stops.  Thanks!

Apr3

Cheers to Pit Stops!

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All runners know the importance of the pit stop. When I go to my in-laws in NH in the summer, I have to create my own with water bottles set out ahead of time. But here in VB we are so lucky to have a multitude already established.

We agree that this humble looking shack is one of the best. It’s open year-round and fully loaded with amenities, including well-stocked facilities and water – with ice! It’s on a golf course with very friendly staff. In other words, they haven’t barred us from the bathroom yet. It’s also quite picturesque, especially now with blooming wisteria adorning the building:

What’s your favorite hometown pit stop? We did have to bring our own gu but we can handle that- cheers!
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Mar23

A good day to be “sick”?

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There are a lot of lawn mowers running in our neighborhood this morning. We don’t live in the kind of ‘hood where people hire landscapers to do their yard work, so I’m just wondering….It’s a beautiful Friday and it seems like a lot of people are “sick” today. However, maybe some really are home huddling under blankets, racked with fever. I wouldn’t wish that on anybody. Especially if you didn’t have a t-shirt quilt to snuggle under. But if you were sick, “sick”, or just wished you were “sick” today, go ahead and give us a Like! Have a great weekend!

Mar22

Record Heat Means Record Sweat

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I ran today for the first time since the 1/2 marathon last Sunday, and it was great to be out again. However, I had to run later than usual (it was actually daylight) and the temps today are record highs. It was in the high 60s by the time I was done, heat my body was not prepared to encounter. Needless to say, I was sweatier than I’ve been since October. Am I the only one who loves to run but hates to sweat?

If you tend to sweat, you may have some misgivings about getting a quilt made with shirts you’ve, well, spent some time in over the years. My sister-in-law had some concerns about that when thinking about having one made for her husband.  Apparently he has worked out in some favorite shirts for years, and they’re showing it. Well that is no obstacle when making a quilt – we just cut that part out.  In fact, we can use any part of the t-shirt or not, so stains can be worked around.  It’s those well-loved and used shirts that make the best quilts, so we can take care of them…no sweat!