To Run Alone or Not?

I am sitting here, trying to remember if I have ever run with anyone other than The Captain….

When I first began running, in the late ‘80s, I ran with our English Spring Spaniel, Penny.  Eventually, after several years,  The Captain started joining me occasionally on Saturday mornings.

When I first began running I borrowed a book produced by The Running Room for their new runners from a girlfriend of mine in who lived in a different city.  She mailed it to me and I do recall making a running date with her for several weeks down the line when we knew we would be getting together.  But by the time we saw each other again, she had given up running.

Eventually we got a different pooch, another Springer Spaniel, Scout, who ran with me faithfully, too.

I honestly don’t have any friends that run.  They bike. They play tennis.  They golf. They sail. They walk.   But pretty much everyone I know thinks I am crazy because I still run.  I do work with a woman who runs, but she is much faster than me and doesn't live anywhere near me. 

From time to time I think about joining a running group.  On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings I see a large mixed group running past our apartment.  They seem to be in groups of 2s and 3s and they chatter away and look like they are having fun… and I think perhaps I might like to try it too... but then I realize I am not ready to commit to showing up at a particular time every week, and would flake if it was raining or too windy.  And I am always afraid of being too slow and not fitting in anyway.  I think joining with a friend would be better… but if I had a running friend, I wouldn’t need the group!

When I committed to training for a half marathon a couple of years ago, The Captain decided he would do it too and he started running with me quite regularly.  Since then, I bet I can count the number of solo runs I have done on two hands.  Even though I dictate the distance and the route, he is normally agreeable to lacing up his running shoes and going along… or if he has something else to do, I will make a compromise on the schedule and find a time he can go along  with me.

But not today.

We originally thought we would spend the morning on the golf course today… but The Captain has had a cold brewing over the past few days and this morning woke up with quite a cough.  I think he is better off resting than walking the golf course, so I decided I would head out for a short run before breakfast… alone.  Kind of exciting, actually.  Lame, I know.

But after all of the sad events I have been reading about lately concerning runners and walkers being injured, or attacked, I made sure to take some time with my preparation.

I  put my cell phone into the hidden pocket of my new Fit Plus Sound Solutions running capris, and I did tell The Captain what my intended route was and when to expect me home… and off I went. It was quite a different, and very enjoyable run, because I was alone.

I ran on the bark trail around the perimeter of the park and really enjoyed it.  When I run with The Captain we run on the sidewalk across the street from the park because he doesn’t like the bark.  And, because there was no one to talk to, I listened to the screeching of the peacocks wandering in the park, and the honking of the Canada Geese flying overhead, and the heron chicks calling to their mamas from their nests high in the oak trees.  I ran faster when I felt like it, and slower when I didn’t.

When I arrived home, I went through my normal routine of water and stretching, and then we made breakfast and some plans for the rest of the day before I showered.

Now, don’t get me wrong… I love running with The Captain.  I love that he is willing to go just about whenever I want and wherever I want.  But every once in a while,I do think it is good to go alone.

When you run alone you can work on your pace or tempo. You can take walk breaks when you want. You can sing out loud! You can change the route or go longer, or cut the run short.  You can stop and take pictures or pet dogs you meet along the way.  You can be totally alone with your thoughts.

I would love to know what you think about running solo, or with one other person, or with a group.

Do you take any safety precautions when you run solo, such as:

• taking your cell phone along
• telling someone where you are going
• altering or planning a particular route
• taking water or food along
• wearing your Road ID

d’vida Pre-Made Smoothies Review and Giveaway

When I was given the opportunity to try out these d’vida pre-made smoothie mixes I jumped at it.  I am always eager to sample new protein powders or meal replacements, particularly when they sound so appealing.  These shakes are designed to be a healthy, on-the-go nutritious snack alternative or meal replacement!

The d'vida sachets begin with a proprietary, low Glycemic Index smoothie base, and contain all-natural ingredients with only the freshest fruits and vegetables. All products are non-GMO, gluten free and act as an excellent source of fibre.

They are available in four flavors:

• vidapump  - Banana and Peanut Butter
• vidaboost - Pineapple and Coconut
• vidaslim - Strawberry and Banana
• vidagreen  - Cucumber, Kale, Green Apple and Spinach

The blending directions (for 16 to 20 ounce smoothies) say to add the packet contents to 6 ounces of cold water and 8 ounces of crushed ice in a blender, and then to blend up to 30 seconds.

Honestly, I was kinda disappointed by that because I don’t have ready access to crushed ice (nope I don’t have one of those fancy refrigerators anymore).  But I do have a shaker cup and lots of cold water, so I decided to forge ahead and give them a try.

Two of these mixes, the vidaslim and the vidagreen. are available in lower protein formulations and that is what I received to sample.  Rather than 15g of protein, they have only 3g.

I chose the Pineapple and Coconut vidaboost to sample first.  The Captain and I had eaten a very light breakfast before heading out for a 5 km run so we were both ready for a snack while we stretched afterward. I like to make us a high protein snack to help with our recovery, especially when lunch will be delayed,  and decided this was the perfect opportunity to test one of the higher protein d’vida mixes.  We had some fresh pineapple in the fridge and I thought it would go nicely with the Pineapple and Coconut smoothie.

I  dumped the d’vida pre-made smoothie mix into my shaker and added 16 ounces of cold water. And I shook it wildly and vigorously for a couple of minutes and then poured the drink into 2 glasses and garnished them with a bit of pineapple, for grins.

It was truly delicious!  So good, in fact, that I was almost sorry I had agreed to share it!  The coconut flavor is wonderful and the smoothie is thick with bits of coconut meat.  If you like Pina Coladas, this high protein shake mix is for you.  Truly!  The added vitamins are just a bonus.   I almost wanted to go find some white rum to pour into it.

The second one we tried was the Strawberry and Banana vidaslim.   Again, it was after a morning run.  We had both only eaten a small banana prior to heading out, and I wanted just a little something to tide us over before we showered and changed because we were going out for a big Chinese lunch.   

Again, I added 16 ounces of icy cold water to the sachet contents in my shaker cup…

and blended it well for a couple of minutes.  It was a great little refresher… bits of strawberry really added to the flavor!  Lovely.  No disappointment here for sure.

Then, just this very morning we sampled the remaining two flavors.  We were watching the men’s French Open tennis finals on TV and I didn’t want to take the time away from the exciting coverage to make breakfast so I made up a smoothie for each of us… the Peanut Butter and Banana vidapump for The Captain, and the Cucumber, Kale, Green Apple and Spinach vidagreen for me.

If you are a peanut butter fan, this smoothie will be a dream come true.  REALS! Wonderful peanut butter flavor…  neither of us could really detect any banana at all.  Thick and creamy and decadent.  Now this I would consider a meal replacement for sure.  Very rich. Very filling. VERY satisfying.

And the vidagreen tastes just that… green.  And I really liked it, too.  Very refreshing.  And the cucumber is quite nice.  It tastes as cool as it sounds.  You won't be surprised that I couldn't get The Captain to taste it.

All in all, I really like these pre-made mixes, and can only imagine that blending them up with crushed ice would result in a frothy, thicker, frappe sort of consistency that really would enhance the delicious flavors and make them seem even more special. 

And would I purchase them?  Yes, absolutely… I think they would be good to keep in a desk drawer at the office, or to toss in a gym bag, or a day pack, or a suitcase and take along for a quick snack or pick-me-up.  You could make one up easily wherever you can get cold water… and now they are available outside the D’Vida Health Bars in New York City and available for purchase online through Amazon. 

Check out this link if you are interested

They are currently on sale in boxes of 7 packets for $29.99 (which a savings of $5.00) for any of the high protein flavors, and $26.99 (which is a savings of $8.00) for the 2 lower protein flavors.

But if you don’t want to wait… I have great news!

One winner, who must be a U.S. resident, will win one packet of each of the 4 flavors I have reviewed here.  And they will be shipped directly by the sponsor.

I am going to keep the requirements for this giveaway very simple…. Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

One mandatory entry…just tell me the following  in a single comment:

Which flavor appeals to you the most?

And optional entries:

Tweet about the giveaway.  You may do this every day if you like.

I will be randomly selecting one winner from the qualified entries and attempting to contact the winner by email.  If I cannot easily find an email address, I will select another winner.   Don’t miss out on the win by making yourself hard to find!

The giveaway will end at midnight PDT on the evening of Sunday, June 15th, 2014.


This giveaway has now ended and the winner has been notified. Thanks for your entries.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Have you ever used a pre-made smoothie mix?
Are you a tv sports fan?  What do you like to watch?

Friday Catch-up and Some Faves and Raves

While I am doing my best to get outside every day this week to exercise, it has been somewhat of a challenge.  I have at least walked outside every day, visiting the Government House gardens, a local kite festival, gone on some Starbuck’s outings, and I have done some running, too… but didn’t get in a tennis game or a swim as I had hoped.  Sometimes life just gets in the way!  especially work!

But I had a good week overall. 

On Tuesday morning we walked to a nearby Starbuck's... I was determined to enjoy my birthday reward before it expired.  I put my card in my pocket, and off we went.  I walked up to the barista, handed him my card and told him I thought I had a birthday reward to claim.  He just looked at me, blankly. I looked down at the card in my hand and realized it was a local food market's loyalty card, not my Starbucks' card at all!   Thankfully The Captain was there to buy me a skinny latte and ease my embarrassment somewhat.

But this morning we did walk downtown to do some errands and I claimed that birthday reward, and picked up a lovely and gooey peanut butter cookie for The Captain too.  We sat in the morning sunshine and watched the world walk by. I love doing that and have decided that this particular location is actually quite good early in the day.  Most of them here are really not very good. They are either too shady or quite shabby.

My own hairdresser is back to work part time after having had a baby in December.  Yes, in Canada, new Moms can take a full year’s maternity leave if they like, but thankfully she was ready to come back to work and I was more than ready to visit her. I had my hair cut in February by someone else and although I kind of liked it, I knew immediately that I wouldn't go back to that stylist again.   Now, I have an edgy short new haircut which I still haven’t taken pictures of, but I am thrilled with it.

I have been really loving these d’vida smoothie mixes. Watch for a review and giveaway at the beginning of next week.

I am still running (and carrying my cell phone) in these Fit Plus Wear Sound Solutions running capris.  Check out my review and see if they might be for you, too.

I scored some lovely new pieces of NON-fitness clothing this week.  The Captain and I went shopping on Tuesday afternoon.  I don’t normally have enough patience to look through racks and racks and try things on, but I found a cute jacket, a long skirt and a long dress, that can all dress up to go to work or down for casual outings.  And when I went to pay for them, they were all on sale for less than the marked prices.  Gotta love that.    So I went to work on Thursday with a new hair style and a new outfit and I felt great.

I have to admit I have been struggling a bit with getting back on the Clean Eats wagon after my birthday week.  I seem to be into the almond butter and nuts too much so today I put the almond butter in the back of the fridge, and the almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and raisins in a container in the back of the cupboard.  I need to regain some control here!    The Captain grocery shopped yesterday while I was at work so the fridge is full of freggies and now there is no excuse not to make better choices.  And I am working on portion control too.  Today my lunch salad was a good size, but honestly not as big as it usually is, and I was satisfied and happy.

Mixed greens, slivered cabbage and onions, cucumbers, mushrooms, dressed with sundried tomatoes and olive oil, topped with white albacore tuna and guacamole.  Mmmmm.

I am thoroughly enjoying the French Open Tennis Tournament this year.  Now that Eugenie Bouchard is out (our lovely young Canadian phenom) I don't care who wins the ladies' final but I will be up early on Sunday watching Rafa and cheering him on to a victory (I hope) in the men's.    I love our new HDPVR.

And I am thoroughly looking forward to the 2nd episode of Crossbones tonight.   Are you watching?  It is even bloodier than Vikings, I think, and the storyline is very intriguing.

I read some great blog posts this week and here are the links in case you missed any of them:

• How to Prevent Muscle Loss When Losing Weight at Spark People

• 5 Steps to a Successful Pantry Raid at Fitknitchick

• Ultimate Baby Boomer Workouts: 7 Key Training Principles at Fun and Fit

• Why It’s Harder For Women to Lose Fat at Thrive Personal Fitness

• 5 Fitness Truths That Will Change the Way You Think About Exercise at The Active Times

• Basics of pranayama and why it's important to your #yoga practice  at Love Life Surf

Do you have trouble eating well again after you have had some indulgences?

Do you have a favorite TV show?

Fit Plus Wear Sound Solutions Capris Review

Don’t we all love to try out new workout gear?  That is especially true for me when the garment has something unique or special to offer… And these Fit Plus Wear Sound Solutions running capris fit that description very nicely.   So I was eager to give them a look and was happy to receive a pair to try out and review.

So just what is unique about the Fit Plus Wear Sound Solutions Capris ?  Well, They have a flat pocket on the right hip that is just the right size to hold a cell phone.  No need to wear a belt or an arm band to carry your phone anymore.

I have been reading more and more blog posts and newspaper articles over the past several months about runners encountering dangerous situations.  Sometimes they are attacked, or grabbed,  or even kidnapped and murdered..  They may be hit by cars, or fall and twist an ankle.   They might have a seizure… or perhaps they come upon someone else who is injured and needs help.

I would imagine that there are very few of us these days who do not own a cell phone, but I wonder how many of us run with it on a regular basis?

I am guilty of not taking my phone along when I run.  I normally run with my husband and so I have incorrectly surmised that I don’t need to have the cell phone with me.  I don’t care to wear a belt or water pack and I don’t have an arm band with a pocket, so I don’t really have anyplace to carry my phone.

Now, I no longer have that excuse.

The pocket on the right hip of these Fit Plus Wear Sound Solutions Capris is large enough to hold any cell phone.  And it is a nice flat, inner pocket, with a flap that closes over on the inside as well. Very convenient, and surprisingly comfortable.  I was kind of sceptical at first… but it’s true!  It is large enough to hold some money, or cards, and even a key, along with your phone.  Which makes them a great pair of running pants to take along when you travel, as well… hotel room key, money, phone, and off you go.

The pocket inside and the flap that covers it.

My Blackberry is quite a bit smaller than any Android phone so you can see how room this pocket is.

The Fit Plus Wear Sound Solutions Capris are made of a lovely, nicely weighted, soft fabric with flat non-chafe seams.  I was pleasantly surprised at how comfy they are and how well they moved with me. I did not rush to get them off  before stretching like I do with many of the capris that I normally wear to run. These capris are my new favorite workout pants and  I may just run in them all Summer instead of switching to shorts. 

If you are interested in the Fit Plus Wear Sound Solutions Capris, check the out at www.fitpluswear.com and enjoy a 20% price reduction with the discount code 2HE90CGR5Y4U – a great deal!

I was given these capris to try and review, and the opinions and enthusiasm expressed are honest unsolicited.

Do you carry your cell phone when you run?

Rolling Out June

What an exciting May I had this year… it is always a fun time for me 'cause May is my birthday month, but the focus on the new was an added bonus.

We tried some new restaurants, some new running routes, some new foods, along with some new combinations and recipes, and some new food products.  I also tried some new fitness gear,  started following some new blogs and found out about some new health issues.  [sigh]… never a dull moment around here!

It took some serious thought to come up with a theme for the month of June… I intend to keep adding new experiences to the mix, but it is time to move on.  I had thought about going with a clean eating theme because June is Nations Fruits and Vegetables month in Canada… or getting back to basics on my food plan because I did gain a couple of pounds in May and I need to get on that.  But, I have decided to stay away from the EAT aspect of this blog, in favor of the FITNESS aspect… and have decided to TAKE IT OUTSIDE during the month of June.

We are supposed to have an especially warm Summer season here in the Pacific Northwest… like the ones we enjoyed the first couple of years we cruised here in our sloop.  We really thought it never rained here because the first 2 Summers we were here, it only rained on the Sundays of long weekends in July and August.  Hah!  Little did we know... but  if the weatherman is promising hot and dry... bring it on!

The darkest tan I have ever had was in the Summer of 2002 – our first cruising season.  Oh yeah, and the blondest hair too. Haha!

I love to be outdoors in the warm and sunny weather.  It never gets too hot here with the moist breezes coming up off the water, and most days are perfect for outdoor activities.  June is often our nicest month, and the days certainly have the most hours of sunshine… so TAKE IT OUTSIDE is what I plan to do.

I started the month off right with a 3.35 km run before breakfast this morning…  in a new pair of Mizuno Wave Creation 14s that I won in a giveaway last Fall and have been saving for just the right day!  They are awesome… fit like a glove and I have to say I ran a bit faster than normal today. The shoes?  Perhaps… but definitely the enthusiasm.  And don’t they look snazzy with these Swiftwick socks?

I would like to have gone further but my right knee has been a bit cranky since playing singles tennis for an hour earlier in the week and I didn’t want to push the issue.  And I knew that The Captain wanted to head back up to Government House today, to enjoy some of the gardens that were coming into bloom.

Which we did, after lunch. We walked almost 2-1/2 hours… up to the grounds, around the gardens, and then home.

Peonies that open as peach and then turn white. Lovely but no fragrance.

And now I am going to enjoy loafing for the rest of the day.  Dinner is almost made, in the crock pot.  And there might be a glass of red wine waiting for me, too.

What have you got on the agenda for June?

Do you like to take your workouts outdoors when you can, too?