Hannah: My Climbing Essentials

I just loved Crystal's post on her summer running essentials a few posts back and have been wanting to make a post of my own regarding my essentials for rock climbing and bouldering.

First, and foremost, the shoes.
I have spent over two years searing for the perfect shoe for me. I have a very awkward foot to fit in a climbing shoe. My feet are long but my toe box is wide. In case you haven't worn climbing shoes before, I must warn you: it can be quite uncomfortable. I remember when I first started climbing, my friend told me, "If you can wiggle your toes, the shoes are too big." Climbing shoes actually force your toes to curl down instead of lay flat which sounds (and feels) awful, but trust me, when you're gripping on the rock for dear life and have the tiniest of tiny foot jibs to step on, you'll be thankful for your super-compressed shoes. I am thrilled at the fact that my boyfriend got me a pair of my dream shoes a couple days ago. I haven't even broken them in but I'm in love. They are a little uncomfortable right now, and actually I know I can go at least 1/2 a size small but I just want to get used to the change. These shoes are the most aggressive shoes I've climbed in so I'm easing my way into it. I bring to you La Sportiva's Miura VS for women



 Before my Miuras I had one pair of shoe that consistently stuck with me. They are my 5.10 Rogue's. They are an excellent beginner shoe and I won't be getting rid of my pair for any reason. They are a little too big for me though so I have to wear socks with them but I tell you- these shoes have been everywhere with me. I climbed my first outdoor routes in these shoes, lead my first routes, and sent my first 5.12 in my Rogues. They are a great shoe.


You can tell my Rogues are super old because they are dirty and disgusting.

Next, the second most important, chalk!
There are two things you need in order to climb. Shoes and chalk. That's all you need to boulder, at least. My chalk bag was my very first purchase- before I even got shoes. I sweat like a pig when I'm climbing and there is no way you are getting up that rock with slippery hands.

This is my favorite chalk. I buy it at REI. It's very
soft and sticky. I do prefer the pre-ground
chalk.... I hate doing it myself.



I love my little chalk bag. It is made by Mammut and
has a side pocket with a zipper so I can keep nail clippers
in there! It also has a spot to hold my boulder brush.



And you can't be a sport climber without a harness...

I have only ever used Mammut Ophira harnesses but there is a good reason: I have never had a bad experience with that harness. A harness is something you can't skimp on. Don't ever get a used harness because you don't know its history. Anytime I take a really really big fall on my harness, I get a new one (but always the same one because it's so cute and it matches my chalk bag!) I never want to run the risk of my harness failing on me, or any of my gear for that matter.



Harnesses are SSOOOOO flattering...

These next items are purely for outdoor sport climbing:
Rope <3<3<3
I use Maxim's New-England rope (dynamic of course) 9.9mm Bi-color Milky Way oh my gosh I love my rope. It's probably one of my favorite things ever.
I have only taken one big fall on it so far but that baby is in excellent shape. I have even named him Grond, after the battering ram at Pelennor Fields. Because both are indestructible!


Have I mentioned that I LOVE my rope?

  Quick Draws
I don't do trad climbing for two reasons. 1. I don't know how, and 2. I don't know where to find trad routes. I stick to my sport routes because I feel safest on them. To each his own. My quick draws are wire gates and I like my set I bought made by Black Diamond. They are very very light and I treat them well. I designate one draw to always be against the metal bolt, and one draw to always be clipped to my rope. I almost rhymed there.



It's a small set but I rarely do routes longer than five bolts and if I do, I am always with climbers who have a set of their own so we give and take where it's needed. My blue gear tape tells me which draws are mine so nobody can sneak them from me.... I'm watching you....

My top rope anchors and personal anchors are basically made the same way. I bought my slings and caribeaners from REI. My top rope anchors have screw gate caribeaners for the bolts and then I have one screw gate and one wire gate (non-locking) for the rope. My personal anchors have the same sling (different color) and screw gate caribeaners for the bolts but I don't clip them into my harness, I loop them and tie them in manually.



These are my personals. They keep me alive.



These are my anchors. As you can see the top of them
are made the same way as my personals. What is different
about them are the two caribeaners on the bottom. That's what I feed the rope through to set up top rope on outdoor routes. I love the convenience of having one non locking caribeaner that way if you're really struggling with the finish, you don't have to fumble with anything.





This is a closeup of the bottom of my anchors. The screw gate caribeaner is made by Black Diamond and the wire gate caribeaner on the right is made by Mad Rock.

Rope bag/day pack:
You gotta have something to pack all of your gear in for easy transportation. I love my Beal day pack. It has lots of pockets, gear loops, a tarp for my rope, and plenty of space for my camelback bladder, food, essentials for my dog, you name it. I got mine in lime green.

Miscellaneous toys:

(From left to right) 1. Gri-gri for easy belaying. 2. My Black Diamond ATC for lead belay and my ideal tool for rappelling. 3. Boars hair brush to keep my holds from getting too greasy. Boars hair is just.... better. ;) 4. I keep my figure eight purely as a backup if I'm cleaning a route and I'm getting ready to rappel but for some reason I drop my ATC, I need a backup so I don't die. :) 5. Climbing tape to keep my finger tendons from getting injured and protecting my pads from getting flappers.



Ok so that's essentially what my collection has come down to. I also have a crash pad for when I go bouldering but I don't feel like getting my camera out again. It's your run of the mill inexpensive crash pad. I got it as a prize two years ago. My local climbing gym was having a bouldering competition around Halloween and due to the holiday, there was a costume contest. I did not compete in the bouldering comp but I did compete in the costume contest.... and I won first prize which was a crash pad! Woo!!



I definitely deserved first prize.... hahaha

Well now I just want to go outside and climb....... sorry not sorry for the super long post!!

Hannah: Running Playlist

I'm a wanabe runner. I only run when I have registered for a race because then I'm financially obligated to run. I love running, don't get me wrong, but I'm sure real die hard runners would not like me.
Like many runners, I can easily determine how good my run is going to be based off of what music I have on my playlist. I don't think I would have gotten through mile 10 of my half marathon if it wasn't for my exceptional song selections. These are my top five songs for running at this moment.


Drenched in sweat. Gotta love running mid morning in Phoenix during the summer. 102 degrees feels like 130 when you're running!

The Format- The First Single (Cause A Scene): When I started my first 13.1, this was the very first song to come on when I pressed shuffle. It just so happened to be the best song I could have ever imagined starting a race to. The beat is a little slow but steady which was exactly what I needed. The way the song picks up just really keeps my mood light. Heck the song puts me in such a good mood anyway. Very refreshing. I do believe I must start every race to this song for the rest of my life.
Lou Bega- Mambo No. 5: This song was on my iPod as an inside joke from high school but since I purchased it, I can't remove it from my iTunes. I put my pod on shuffle and as I was running a couple years back, this song popped on. I laughed to myself and reached to skip it but then I noticed I was running to the beat. And it's a good beat. It sets an excellent pace! Anytime I feel like I'm hitting a slump in my run, that's my song I go to. It has saved me many many times.
Electric Light Orchestra- Mr. Blue Sky: The lyrics say it all, "Sun is shinin' in the sky, There ain't a cloud in sight..... Runnin' down the avenue..... A celebration, mister blue sky's up there waitin', And today is the day we've waited for..." It really is a great race day song. Good beat too! And who doesn't love ELO, come on now!
Fun.- One Foot: Put one foot in front of the otherrr.... I hated this song until I started running.
Coolio- Gangsta's Paradise: Gotta love a good beat. This is also on my top five songs to karaoke.

While they are great songs, I'm training for a marathon now and I need lots lots more! What songs do you love to run/workout to?


Hannah: No Bake Carob Fudge

On my way home from work this afternoon, I started having a toothache. A sweet toothache. It took every bit of self control to keep my steering wheel from turning into every gas station and grocery store I passed by. I wish I could say I was one of those people who just didn't care for sweets. But I'd be lying if I said so. I have the worst sweet tooth. I love it all: cakes, cookies, brownies, cupcakes, toffee, caramels, hard candies, chewy candies, sweet, sour, chocolate, candy bars, fudge.... oh my gosh. I used to weigh 200 pounds. Surprised? haha I feel like a terrible health motivator right now.
Anyway, I came home and the first thing I said to my mom was, "I need something sweet." Thank goodness I just became lactose intolerant again because she mentioned ice cream in the freezer and I about devoured it before I remembered. In fact, recently becoming lactose intolerant has been all but a blessing until now. Maybe this will keep me from my guilty indulgences.
My mom told me about a really quick and easy sweet treat that she makes from time to time that is also made up of healthy ingredients. I figured I'd try it and oh my gosh. I'm so glad I documented the process because I can't wait to share it. It satisfied my sweet tooth and took me 10 minutes (which included clean up and taking photos). It is lactose free, gluten free, and guilt free.
You can get fancy with the ingredients if you'd like. My mom just made some after me and she added extra things but I wanted something that had as little ingredients as possible, and took as little time as possible.

You will need:

1 cup of peanut butter

1 cup of honey

1 cup of carob powder

and... oh wait, yeah that's all you need.

Trust me, there is nothing fancy about this recipe. Throw it in a mixer and combine all three ingredients. I used the paddle attachment for my standing mixer.

If it looks like this, you're doing it right. I don't know how long I mixed it for... I just waited until it looked completely homogeneous.
Once you're done with this step it's ready for consumption!
I decided to take this concoction one step further and I rolled them into little balls to monitor my eating otherwise I'd eat this all in one sitting. That's not very guilt-free, my friends. I rolled them in tiny balls, about one inch in diameter, and rolled them in coconut. You could also roll them in chia seeds, flax seeds, or anything else healthy and creative.
Just two of these little balls satisfied my craving oh so much, and I have a lot to keep in the fridge just in case another emergency craving hits...... I should probably keep some at work....








This is definitely a good recipe to keep on hand. I might even bring it to some gatherings, but they do get a little soft and the balls lose their shape if you leave them out of the fridge too long so be aware. The nice thing about this combination is even though you are adding a ton of peanut butter and honey, it doesn't get sticky on your hands because the carob powder coats everything.
Yum Yum! Enjoy!

Amanda: A Breakfast Recipe

So, the past couple of weeks have... well... kind of sucked. I've been indulging way too much, and with the stress of having two pets go through surgery and working 13 hours a day as a volunteer during my only days off.. I've really been slacking off at the gym. The one thing I haven't given up on is preparing my meals! Realistically I just don't have the money to NOT do it. However, I'm done making excuses at this point, and need to get my ass back in gear and in the gym! There's no excuse for slackery, but it is good to know that even when I'm not on my A game I can fall back on good nutrition.

Here's something I have heated up and eaten in the car on the way to work or to the gym, several times in the last month. It's super easy and versatile, you could use just about anything in here.

Muffin-tin Mini-quiches! or something. Just throw eggs and shit in a muffin tin dude, no judgement here.

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.