Website Wednesday

I hesitate to recommend this website, not because I think that the product isn't fabulous, or that their free shipping isn't a brilliant idea. I hesitate because it's so popular around these parts that it is rarely seen as a legitimate source for running gear. It is though - especially as they have expanded their running line and have an eye for the most part on the wet coast's weather.

Lululemon

Website Wednesday

So this sort of fits in with Food Friday, but since I plan on actually posting a recipe on Friday, I am offering you this lovely website, the PPK blog aka The Post Punk Kitchen. The PPK is a vegan blog which offers a wide variety of vegan/children/non-vegan/gluten free friendly recipes. I really encourage you to have a look at the recipes:

The Post Punk Kitchen

Website Wednesday

Back on schedule and I have decided to go with a group that inspired me when I was running in Philadelphia rather than a site that may be gift appropriate... Check out this great after-school program that tackles the obesity/sedentary epidemic, drop out and crime rates by something as simple as an organized running/activity program - go figure.

Students Run Philly Style

Website Wednesday

I received my tights from RoadRunner's this week and I have to say I don't know how I went this long without discovering the wonders of the compression tight. So now that I have discovered this, you all must know, they are amazing, absolutely amazing. If you don't believe me, buy the NB Compression tight to dip your toes into the world of compression running gear, and then work up to the over $100 a pair forms... Links below, it is Website Wednesday:

NB Control Tight

CW-X Conditioning Gear

CW-X Website

Cheap Cheap Cheap

And no it's not Easter all this this cheaping - discount shoes though is where it is at - I think. I've ordered my ridiculously cheap running shoes and now we wait. I pay $140 approximately for my NB shoes and I normally buy 2 at a time. Let's do the math folks - that is some cash leaving my hands about every 4-5months. I buy two pairs if you are wondering - one for the gym and one for the road. So, when I saw my NB's at the Running Expo two weekends ago for 100 I just about died, and then I thought, wait a second. I paid a whole lot less for my running gear in Portland a little while ago, maybe things in general are cheaper down there. Sure enough with a little Google ingenuity I figured out my shoes come at $67 approx a piece... so if they are the real McCoy this runner will be having a high outside of the daily grind...

Website Wednesday features one such link...

Back to Our Programing

The insane and ever growing lot of us runners taking over the lovely city in which we reside, have decided to travel to take on this lovely race... check it out:

Royal Victoria Marathon

Surprisingly the training was going really well, until I decided to lick one of my lovely children or something like that - I've got the plague that's going around - oh joys

A Little Motivation

I love motivation, if I could I would plaster my walls in running bibs and cheesy quotes so that every morning like this morning when I've been more than twice awoken to the sound of rain during the night, the front lawn was flooded and it was cold, very cold, eww not summer. I bundled up and hit the treadmill at the gym. My reminder, if this is week two and you're squabbling about rain, what's going to happen in October? You're right self, time to suck it up.

Runner's World - Wallpaper

Website Wednesday

Running blogs - it is blogs like these that make me want to blog more about my running and all that - who knows maybe we'll change the format up a bit here - though the original intention was to be a place to start for anyone who runs whether that be 5kms to a dream of an Ultra Marathon -Ooo it's still on the menu (50km -KneeKnocker)...

Check out:

Road Bunner

Website Wednesday

As noted I purchased two clearance item running skirts as I have to say that shorts for a million and one reasons do not work for me - I have a toosh, I have hips and well I have a smaller waist - so to get everything to fit and not have to buy the small tight shorts that require you to also buy self esteem with them, I have just refused to wear shorts. The thing is it's hotter than sin outside, and it seems that the winter marathons are for the most part in the areas where the weather is like that as well, never mind I know the Oklahoma is going to HOT next year. So swallow my short hate and embrace the running skirt is the plan. While I have a Nike and an Adidas one in my repertoire, check out these (also note they have running music lists and running blogs to check out...):

Running Skirts

More Dating Fun on Website Wednesday

If I didn't manage to scare everyone off from the idea of a running date, or if you haven't tried out the wonderful (slightly sarcastic) world of online dating, check out these options for getting out there:

http://running.about.com/od/grouptraining/ht/runningsingles.htm

Website Wednesday

This week's website has been nominated by J of Disadventure.com (and a running buddy), she's suggested these wonderful resources for all you Apple lovers, from iTunes:

PodRunner - provides specifically chosen songs along a theme, specified by bpm.

Run to 300, a podcast about a novice runner who was bet he couldn't run 300 miles. the winnings: $300.

2 gomers run a half marathon.

And for all you iPhone addicts, apps: Trail Guru for iPod Touch and iPhone, which charts your speed, location and route and allows you to upload to their website to see your running progress. Best part: free!

So there you go folks, no reason not to hit a trail or two - though you might be better off if you head out without the music on a flat the country road with a friend, tell a few gut busting jokes, and get lost accidentally, you might just run a few extra miles in all the fun...

Website Wednesday

In honor of the dessert I'll be making this weekend for Easter, I thought I should direct your attention to this blog.

http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/

Primarily because I prefer to have as many gluten free meals as possible, but it can become hard when most of our complex carbohydrate staple go to's are well not gluten free...

Website Wednesday

As I have mentioned briefly I am running (jogging, walking, crawling) the Half Marathon at the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon at the end of the month. It is a fundraising marathon and while I'm not raising funds, I do believe in supporting the cause. So drop by and check out everything they're doing to pay tribute, involve the survivors and heal the city, even after all this time.

Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/citronsmurf/211440484/

Many W's Wednesday

In honor of more snow in our forecast and the stress that weather can play on our training days, I would like to offer a little insight into my method of stress relief and into my life. Exercise in general for many of us whether we're training or not is a place of stress relief, but sometimes it isn't. For me I turn to yoga which just happens to be beneficial, which leads us to infinite websites that can be used if you cannot make it to a local studio for a variety of reasons ( I would strongly encourage newer practicers to attend a studio for a session, so that you can learn what a corrected/proper posture in the basic poses feels like). I would recommend:

Yoga Journal

YJ offers class locations, poses, a vinyasa for month and so on, they also offer pod casts and etc.

So on to me, I've been changing my eating this week in a grand, poorly executed test of what I can do to make me feel more like me as the miles increase and maybe lose weight and gain back my upper body muscle tone - obviously that isn't just an add more miles, eat less combo - I'm back to two days on the bike and weights/core work - those were my rest days. This grand test was actually kick started by a review of what I use to eat on an average day when I was a vegan, and let me tell you no wonder I felt better and was thinner...

Today(Some is projected/planned):

1 Moothie - It's an organic yogurt smoothie - Serving size 200mL - instead of my 250-400mL protein smoothie I would make for after workout

1 1/2 eggs (2 whites, one yolk) and a slice of Ezekiel bread, 1 Venti Zen Tea and a banana (breakfast)

2 graham crackers

Sandwich - WF Black Forest ham, LF Havarti, Ranch dressing (LF), grated carrots, sprouts, tomato, and raspberries

Soup - Carrot Ginger soup 1/2 cup serving

2 Graham Crackers, 1 mango diced

Panko breaded Sea Bass, Salad, Broccolini and Whole Wheat Couscous

1 Homemade Graham Cracker w/additional ginger(that's plan for tonight's baking) and a tall soy marble hot chocolate ... of course loads of water

Website Wednesday

While I would love to stick to some kind of posting schedule, so you'll know what is coming, that's so well scheduled, like a running schedule - and well I for one think that's too much in the way of scheduling.

Regardless - for those of you looking for a new route, or found an awesome new route or travel everywhere and anywhere and the Westin running map isn't going to cut it for you check out

http://www.run.com/

I know, easy isn't it? You might even find a few of my favorite runs on there. One of my new challenges is the 12 mile loop - 6miles out, 6 miles back with the option of adding a bridge loop in there of approximately 2 miles.

PS. San Francisco here I come...