Crystal: My Summer Running Essentials

I live in Phoenix and Phoenix gets VERY hot during the summer so I have to change the way I run to stay cool (and safe!) Here are a few of my favorite products that keep me cool and comfortable! *Disclaimer: I literally rolled out of bed Saturday morning and took all of these pictures. Why you may ask? I really don't know why, that's why. Please forgive my my lack of makeup and sleepy eyes!

First: Shoes
This isn't necessarily related to summer running, but I recently bought the Saucony Guide 6 and LOVE them! I visited my local (and most favorite ever) running store, Tortoise & Hare Sports to be videotaped while running to better understand my running form and my shoe needs. It was a little awkward to say the least, but the employees there are amazing and make you feel at home regardless. These are a lighter shoe than my last pair, with a much bigger drop, the toe to heel offset on these is a 0-4-8-12. That being said, these shoes do take some getting used to. It took my muscles a good two weeks to get acclimated to offset, but now that they are I love them! Don't take my word though, make sure to get properly fitted for your running shoes! 

 

Second: Apparel

Running gear can quickly add up, but it doesn't always have to cost an arm and a leg if you know where to shop! 

I have a serious Nike Tempo Short obsession and those bad boys are not cheap at $30-$35 a pop! The beauty of Nike tempo shorts is the colors change every season and quickly go on clearance because of it. You can find them in clearance rounders at places like REI, The Sports Authority and even Nordstrom for $20. Another great place to visit is the Nike Factory store, they have such a huge selection to chose from and they always have some sort of sale going on! But now back to why I love tempo shorts so much, they are seriously the most comfortable short to run in, EVER. I used to run in fitted, cotton bike shorts but they would always ride up while running, suuuper annoying! These have a loose fit, so they do not ride up and they have built in undies too, score! The side panels are ventilated and widen along the bottom so you don't have any awkward pulling as you run. I.LOVE.THEM. Here is my collection: (minus one pair that has mysteriously gone missing)

Next we have the sports bra. Again, being a fan of Nike products, I choose to go with the Nike Pro compression sports bra , nothing too fancy but they are the most comfortable sports bra I have found yet. Like my tempo shorts, I always buy these on clearance for $15 - $20. The most I've splurged one was last week when I discovered this adorably stiped bra on Ebay for $25. I have no regrets, cutest sports bra ever! I recently discovered Target's C9 by Champion knockoff and love them almost as much as the original. Oh yeah, did I mention that they are reversible too?! I bought one on clearance recently for $8. Check it out for yourself!

I look stoned, I promise I'm not.

Now on to tops. This is where I get super cheap! I prefer to run in looser racerback tanks, preferably in moisture wicking fabric, but not always. The only thing I try to avoid is long, cotton ribbed tanks. They just bunch up when running, especially when I'm running in shorts. 

Here is my favorite burnout tank, it was on clearance at Nordstrom Rack for $5, yesss!

This is my go to outfit

This cotton, ribbed tank is too long, thumbs down!

Suki is making a guest appearance! 

Here is my new favorite running tank! This is another C9 by Champion item from Target, in the little girls department..don't judge. The XL fits just fine and it was only $10, half the price of the adult version. Yeah buddy! I also have it in blue :)

Here is another one of my go to tanks. This one was a score from Old Navy for only $5. They still have the same style on clearance for $10. This one is cotton, but is not ribbed and has a looser fit. I actually wore this for my half marathon and was comfortable the entire time!

Third: Accessories

You gotta have accessories! My MOST important summer running accessory is my Nathan Hydration Belt that retails $40 but I found mine on Amazon for $30. I really like this one because it really stays in place when running and has a handy little pouch to put my chapstick and phone in. My only complaint is you really have to screw in the top of the bottle in, otherwise it'll leak. It takes some getting used to, but overall it's great!

Next, Nuun Hydration Tablets. These are a great alternative to Gatorade if you have a sensitive stomach like me. Just pop one tab in your water and you're all set! They have tons of great flavors too!

Next, Glucosamine supplements with MSM. These are just good to take all year round. They help strengthen joints and relieve pain from the constant strain of running (or any physical activity). They have so many different brands out there, Osteo Bi Flex probably being the best out there, but they are the most expensive also. I bought this brand at Target for $11 (vs $21 for Osteo Bi Flex)

3 a day keeps the pain away!

Last but certainly not least, Body Glide for women. This stuff will save your body from horrifically painful chaffing! This is a MUST for summer running! I buy mine through Amazon to save a couple bucks.

Stay cool and safe everyone, summer running is no joke! 

-Crystal

Hannah: Protein Balls

I am halfway into Jamie Eason's 12 week Life Fit Trainer. It has been an amazing experience so far and I'm finally getting my strong muscles back! (I've been without them for about a year.)
One bad habit I have is when I'm training, I tend to under eat. I hate to admit it but lately it's really been hindering my workouts. I am simply not getting enough good protein and I haven't been eating five small meals every three hours each day like I'm supposed to. I've been eating three small meals a day and my energy level is plummeting. I even felt like I was going to pass out or blackout during my leg workouts. No bueno! I haven't made these protein balls in a while because I have been very bad and haven't had a meal prep day in a couple weeks. It can be very difficult for me to eat every three hours when I am working because I'm a surgical assistant for a Periodontist and sometimes I can be in surgery for four hours or so. If I take a couple of these in my lunch box to work I can easily pop one in my mouth and resume my work schedule without any setbacks. These are absolutely mouthwatering and I'm happy to be incorporating them back into my diet because I truly believe they will boost my energy throughout the day, as well as with my workouts.

**I would like to start by stating this recipe is inspired by Jamie Eason's Turkey Balls on bodybuilding.com (my favorite website!) and I simply alter a few ingredients here and there based off of what I have growing in the garden or sitting in the fridge.

This time around I was very fortunate that my mom came across such a great deal on ground chicken. We bought ten pounds which meant I could make five times the amount called in the basic recipe. I'll show you what I did and then post the original recipe at the end because I'm sure most of you won't be as crazy as I was and make ten thousand balls at a time.



Not only was the ground chicken a really great deal, but it is from my
favorite meat provider. Denmark Foods is a couple miles from my house
so they always ship great quality meat to the Fry's down the street.
Also, I'm Danish. So anything with the name "Denmark" is
automatically exceptional.

  The original recipe calls for two pounds of ground turkey or chicken. When I had made this recipe before I had used turkey. For me, I just go for whatever meat is on sale. Obviously this time it was the chicken. I have not yet made this recipe vegetarian friendly but the next time I make these I will definitely do so and share my experience.



I also found some delicious cage free eggs for a
great deal! Win!


I had to use 15 egg whites. Holy crap. I know how truly beneficial egg yolks are and I do not like leaving the yolks out so I used 13 egg whites and 2 whole eggs. I'll eventually try this recipe without separating any eggs whatsoever but I wanted to make sure I didn't mess it up so I will slowly work my way up there and find out what ratios truly work. If you do separate your eggs... PLEASE don't throw away the egg yolks. Those babies are like nectar from the gods. Save them and make a hair mask or a face mask, if anything. I'm giving mine to my mom and she's making a quiche. :) 




I used three cups of chopped up swiss chard and one cup of
chopped up green onions.

 The original recipe also called for celery and onion which I have used in the past but I really didn't want to go back to the store (that's what happens when you don't make shopping lists), so I decided to use up whatever we had at home already. My mom had saved the stems from the swiss chard she grows and it only made sense that they would serve as a great substitute for celery. We also have lovely green onions growing in the backyard so they would do just fine as well. As I was chopping up the veggies I realized it just didn't seem like enough due to the large quantity of meat I was using so I went out into the garden to see what else I could find.




I used one cup of chopped parsley
and one cup of chopped kale.

 
Oh the joys of living at home..... and having a mom who gardens full time.;) I picked up some fresh curly kale and some parsley. Last summer I had kidney stones and discovered I also have a lung disease so I quickly found that parsley is one of the best herbs to promote good organ function (especially those darn kidneys). I try to put fresh parsley in everything I cook, juice, and blend.



Look at how pretty those veggies look!

 I ran back into the kitchen, finished chopping everything up, threw the veggies in and then poured my oats. I buy my oats in bulk at Sprouts. I use old fashioned rolled oats with this recipe. You'll need just one cup. I used five. The oats are what make this recipe so filling!

















Be kind to your soil and don't throw those egg shells away: compost them!

 Separating the eggs can be a tricky business. I am a crazy baker and I've separated many eggs in my time. You want to be safe and separate each egg individually before adding the egg to the rest of the ingredients. It only takes one bad egg to ruin your batch so take your time and do them one by one. Trust me.




Now is the time to preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. One of my biggest pet peeves about recipes is that the very first thing they tell you to do is preheat your oven. I live in Phoenix and it is almost June. No way am I going to heat up my house like a fool. It only takes six minutes (or so) to preheat your oven to this temperature. Do it right before you mix your ingredients. Oh yeah, this is also the time when I spray my muffin pans, that way the oil doesn't sit and collect like a pool on the bottom. Gross.

Mix it all up until your hands are numb from the cold (yeah don't forget-- this meat was thawing in the fridge!) I also added three cloves of minced garlic, one tablespoon of fresh cayenne pepper, one tablespoon of freshly ground mustard seed, and one teaspoon of cinnamon. Cinnamon is my FAVORITE spice to mix with meat. Oh my goodness. Do it. Even though the original recipe doesn't call for it, do it. It smells divine and tastes like a parade in your mouth!



Look at how cool my shirt is.

Bake these tasty suckers for forty minutes.... they will look lovely, golden, and very juicy. Oh yeah, and the cinnamon will be calling your name.

You can't tell, but I'm drooling right now. I sampled one of these balls because I wanted to make sure this blog was even worth posting and OH MY GOSH. Swiss chard all the way. I will definitely use it more often when it is in season again (sorry folks, I don't mean to tease you-- swiss chard is practically done until it starts to cool off).

Like I said before, I love this recipe because you can have fun with it and try different substitutions. When I bake, I am a crazy perfectionist but when I cook, I just use the recipe as more of a guideline. It is really hard to mess these up.

Since I have made 72 of these chicken balls, I'm freezing them and I'll take them out throughout the weeks to let them thaw as needed. I made mine slightly larger than I did last time so I will only eat one, whereas before I ate two smaller sized balls.

Try it for yourself- and I'll let you know when I make a vegetarian version.

Here is the original recipe from bodybuilding.com:

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground turkey (or chicken)
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp dry yellow mustard
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp chipotle pepper spice
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp garlic powder (2 cloves minced)
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• 2 celery stalks (finely chopped)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray muffin pan with canola or olive oil.
3. Mix all your ingredients together in one large bowl.
4. Roll the mixture into balls and place in muffin pan. Muffins should be about the size of a racquetball.
5. Bake for 40 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 muffin

Amount per serving

Calories 182

Total Fat 8g

Total Carb 4.6g

Protein 22.2g

I'd love to hear what veggies you use, and what you think about the recipe as well!

Happy clean eating!

Julie: Sometimes you gotta know when to quit

This spring I settled into a routine on the mornings I was off from work: wake up, eat breakfast, fill my camelback with ice water, and drive to my local suburban mountain five minutes away. The spring weather here in Phoenix is perfect for sunrise hikes.

When the calendar hits May and you're living in Phoenix you're sure of one thing: summer is around the corner and it is going to get hot. Hiking in 90 degrees is uncomfortable, and when our summers get to 115 it's unsafe. I was anxious to get as many days in as I can on my morning hikes. This particular trail is ~3 miles long, and I got to a point where I was doing it twice. (I wasn't kidding around when I said I wanted to get a lot of hiking in.) I set a date for May 31st to be my last morning hike until November 1st.

I've been so focused about the heat I forgot about two important aspects of spring.

1) Bees. My jolly self was rocking out to some Beyonce when I was working on my cardiovascular endurance on my trail, and attempting to run stretches of it. In late April I ran straight into a giant swarm of bees. A single sting on my pinky! Man down! ... I didn't let that deter me. I decided to avoid that particular side trail and start my hike earlier in the morning

Until...

2) This one is particular to Arizona. Two mornings ago I was out on my morning hike, just finishing up my first round when I was passed from behind by a familiar morning hiker. Kanye was yelling at me in my earphones about all my mocha lattes while this guy's mouth was moving. I smiled and thought he was wishing me a good morning. He kept moving his mouth, and I decided to take out my headphones. The first thing I hear: "You seeing any of the rattlesnakes?"

Yes kids, rattlesnake season is now! This is my cue to start my hiking hiatus, as I am not interested in a snakebite. Antivenom, the hospital bill and pain for months? No thank you.

Time to focus on the gym and join the other ladies.

Hannah: My first climbing trip

I have talked about my first outdoor climbing experience and I'd like to share a little bit more about that day. (Any excuse to jump down memory lane and look through old photos! )
Like I've said before, this was a totally new and freaky experience for me. I've never put my life in the hands of a stranger before! (except for that one time when I was six months old and I had to have intussusception or else I was going to die.)



This is the first moment my hands touched real rock. All those times when I used to throw them don't count. This was feeling rock in a totally different way. The rock was so cold and smooth; very different from what I was used to climbing on at the indoor gym.

If you've ever climbed indoors, you'll know that the routes are marked with tape so if you want to do a specific route you can only touch the hand holds and foot holds that have the same tape. Climbing outdoors is nice because you have no restrictions. All of the rock is free to touch which makes it easier to climb the route, but also easier to escape and free your mind.

Granted, the first time I climbed I was far from at ease. All I could focus on is how high I was and how far I'd fall (I'm not even afraid of heights!) It's very weird trusting your feet to hold you up even when you are standing on the tiniest little ledge (see my right foot in the picture above).

That is me at the top.... realizing there is a small cactus under my butt....

On my way down I was so giddy. I realized there was no reason to get so nervous and worked up over everything. When my feet touched the ground the first thing I wanted to do was climb it again, just like riding an awesome roller coaster. Unfortunately it started to rain as soon as I finished my route so I didn't get to climb more that day but I will never forget that first experience. Looking at the route I can't help but notice how easy it looks even though it was such a challenge for me back then. Just looking at these photos is making me ache to get outside and climb again!

Amanda: Meal Preparation

Preparing meals in advance is by far the hardest yet most rewarding thing that I can do when it comes to my health and fitness goals. Having meals prepared, in the fridge, ready to go when I roll out of bed grumpy as hell can change my whole day.

If I wake up half-dead and grab some egg white muffins with feta, spinach and mushrooms I can inhale those as I stumble into my sneakers and take my vitamins. Then I can throw my lunch & snacks into my lunchbox, feed the dogs and get in the car before I know what the hell I'm doing. Really weird to go to the gym in pajamas though...

However, if I have to cook breakfast that morning that means I have to dirty up some dishes and then throw together lunch and snacks (that means more dirty dishes which I need to wash) and less time to get ready for the day. Inevitably I wind up glancing at the clock with just enough time to skip the gym and get to work bitchy and on time. The amount of bitchy that I am has a direct correlation to whether or not I will be forced into grabbing something crappy and over-priced from the cafeteria at work.

Sometimes I'll try to forego packing a lunch completely, if I don't have food prepared I have been known to run out of the house with a couple of apples, and have attempted to sustain myself on black coffee and fructose alone. Not smart, I know!

So here are the basics of how I prepare breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for myself for an entire week. It might not be the best system but hey, it works for me, and I'd love to hear suggestions on what works for you!

Crystal: 4 Miles 4 Mom Race Recap

Over the weekend I ran the 4 Miles 4 Mom race with my boyfriend, Kyle.

At the starting line, I'm off to the left

I was looking forward to this race because a) it was cheap, $25 what what! and b) it wasn't too far from home. The morning of the race was a different story, I was fucking tired and just wanted to sleep in! The race started at 7 am, which on one hand was nice because that meant cooler temps (high for the day was 101 degrees, woof) but on the other hand, waking up that early on a Saturday never gets easy. On top of that, I woke up feeling dehydrated, which is very common for me once the temperature hits about 90+. I shuffled around the house, grouchy and eyes half open. I chugged a glass full of Jack3d and gathered the usual race day essentials: arm band, headphones, Garmin  hydration belt (I made the mistake of not using it for my last race and felt like shit because of it), Lara Bar and then we were on our way! When we get to the race I'm feeling more awake, but I'm still not excited about the race. My last 5k I had a 12:12 pace and was not happy with it. I knew the heat would bring me down, but I was hoping for something in the 10 minute range today. I decided early on that this would not be PR race, I was just going to pace myself and enjoy it. I stayed with Kyle, running in the 11 minute pace range and I felt good. I always make the mistake of running too hard and burning out, I wanted to avoid that today. I had the sweet notion of running with Kyle the entire race but that changed as soon as I shouted to Kyle our current mileage and time (he doesn't run with a watch or running app to track time/distance) to which he responded "SHH!" and even motioned his finger to his lips. That was it. I was annoyed. We came up on a turn and I bolted! Haha. It was pretty ridiculous but in the end I ran a quicker race because of it.  

This man is a BADASS!

About one mile from the finish, I came up behind an older man who I had seen at multiple races before, including my half marathon. Even at the half marathon I had to catch up to him and barely passed him in the end. He 's not able to perform a full stride and even looks as if he's in pain sometimes, but he always keeps his momentum passing people half his age! He has got to be at least 75 years old but this guy has the biggest calves around. This man is my hero and I hope to see him around soon!

At the finish line, stopping my running app, lol

I didn't stop at all (well, unless you count me stopping to drown myself in ice water at one of the drink stations)! My final time was 41:48 for a 10:27 pace! Hooray! I felt amazing afterwards for not letting the heat bring me down to a 12 minute pace again. I think the dorky white hat I bought the night before really helped too.

My favorite running partner :)

Hope everyone is getting in their final races before the heat really kicks in!

-Crystal

Get Active. Get Moving.