Compression Sleeves

One of my favorite running accessories are compression sleeves.  Not really for the compression. Its great way to keep warm and cool without the bulk.

Keeping Warm:
Often when I start a morning or evening run, its a little chilly. But after 2 miles in, the body heats up, and I can't wait to take off my jacket. But with arm sleeves, I don't need to. I can usually run with them on, or take them off and not have to carry a large bulky jacket around my waist. Sometimes I roll them down to my wrist and use them as to wipe off the sweat on my face.

Keeping Cool:
Another great reason why I love compression sleeves is during races, I like to pour water on myself to keep my body temp down. But the water quickly evaporates off my skin. By pouring water over the sleeves and the sleeves will absorb the water keeping  my body cooler, longer. And because they're made of a dry-fit material, it doesn't get heavy or weigh me down. A few miles later, the water evaporates, then I repeat at the next water stop.

you can find them at most athletic or running stores.
Here are my favorite ones on the nike site.
http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/?l=shop,pdp,ctr-inline/cid-1/pid-323025

Nike Women's Marathon 2011 review

Finally after 3 years of trying win the lottery to get into this race, 2011, this was my year!

I was bummed my friend Connie didn't get picked for the lottery, but each year, a month before the race, Nike gives you a 2nd chance to get in.
So a month before the race, Nike sends me an email saying I can invite 1 friend to run the race with a special promo code. So Connie was able to run the race with me. Yay!

I booked a hotel, the Union Square Plaza Hotel, which was right next to the start line. Actually the bag check area was right out side the hotel.
The hotel is really small, almost like a motel 6. But it was cheap and close.

The start line was pretty much impossible to get to. Nike should reorganize that part next year. At the bag pick up, they stressed to everyone that we needed to wear these wristbands that showed which colored corrals we had to be in, and to "make sure" we followed our color.
Well it was pretty much impossible to find the corrals (if they even existed) and to get to the corrals was impossible with 22k women and men in 1 area.

When the race started, it took about 20 mins to get to the start line, and we were off.
The course was beautiful, and hilly! If you have a free hand and dont mind carrying a camera or phone, there are some great photo opportunities. But I was concerned about shaving off seconds, so I didn't stop.

Also its gets tricky dodging lots of walkers on the hills as well. People love to walk in a line forming the great wall.

At the finish line and receiving our lovely blue Tiffany box, I was so excited to rip open the box and see my "medal"

It was all worth it!

Run Long Beach 2011 Review

The last race of my beach cities series (Huntington Surf City, OC , and Long Beach)

This year it was a little more difficult getting to the race parking, but we found our way. FYI if you're planning on doing this race, set aside extra driving time because the roads get really backed up, and the best way is to take side streets and not the main exit which they tell you to take. GPS really helps too.

The race was good, really flat. They have all the full and half marathoners start at the same time, so it gets pretty crowded with almost 20k people but overall not bad.

I felt bad that not even to the first mile, I saw an older woman collapse. She had her team assisting her, and shortly after, I saw an ambulance coming, so I assume it was for her. I hope shes ok.

At the end of the race, you pick up your Long Beach medal, and then you have to go out the exit area to pick up the Beach Cities medal. There was a long line, almost an hour wait. They should have planned that part better. After waiting for 10-15 mins, a woman from the start of the line walks to us, (near the end) and says, "You dont have to wait, just go up the table and give them your ticket."

I'm really glad she told us that, because waiting an hour would have totally sucked.

Wanna lose weight? Try the Chipotle diet

I call this the "Chipotle diet", it has no connection with the company, just something I made up.

Why Chipotle is awesome
1 - ~600calorie Chicken Bowl.
ingredients:
rice
chicken
pinto beans
onions and peppers
salsa
corn
lettuce
(NO Guacamole)
(NO Cheese)

This bowl is massive, and will fill you up. Also its only about  600 calories. Its a great way to cut calories without feeling hungry.

The Diet: 
Breakfast (200 cals) - Cereal or Oatmeal
Lunch (600 cals) - Chipotle chicken bowl
Dinner (600 cals) - Chipotle chicken bowl
Total = 1400 Cals/day
Or 
Breakfast (200 cals) - Cereal or Oatmeal
Lunch (200 cals) - Cereal or Oatmeal or Salad
Dinner (600 cals) - Chipotle chicken bowl
Total = 1000 Cals/day



*fyi, its really important to get the Chicken Bowl.
NOT the Burrito and definitely NOT the side of chips and salsa. Those will easily bring you way up and over the 1000+ calorie marker. If you want guac, you can splurge on it, its an additional 150 calories.

2 - Tastes Great
The Chicken bowl has a variety of flavors all in 1 place. Most of the time people get "sick" of a dish because the flavors are too repetitive, too salty, or saucy, spicy, etc. There is no variation. Like a plate of  spaghetti. Its the same marina sauce and same noodle from beginning to end.

But with the chicken bowl, you have rice which is a little bland, with the chicken that is salty, the lettuce which is refreshing, salsa that adds a little spicy, and corn that is sweet. Every bite is a different sensation, making it very un-boring.

3 - Price
Its about $6. And its much more healthier and filling than a $5 Subway sandwich. (with Subway, I'm hungry in about 20 mins)

So, Try the Chipotle diet, even just a a day or two a week. It will help dramatically cut down your average weekly caloric intake.

Nutritional facts via Chipotle.com: 


If you normally consume 2000 calories a day - to lose a pound, is about 3000 calories. 


If you do the Chipotle diet twice a week (cutting out 600 calories a day), you cut out 1200 calories a week. 
So in 3 weeks, you will lose 1 pound, without changing your regular routine. 


Happy Eating! 
:)

9/11/2011 - Superfrog Triathlon 70.3 Review

Honestly I've been a little hesitant about writing this review. As much as  I am happy to have completed my first 70.3, I really wasn't ready to mentally re-live parts of this race.

As I crossed the finish line, my boyfriend asked me,
Kevin: "So what did you learn about your first 70.3?"
me: "These people are crazy! and I am one of them."

Swim:
I was completely Unprepared for the swim. Not for the distance, but for the Waves. Fast, large, hard waves rolling in one right after the other, non stop. It was hard to find a lull. Once I got any distance, another wave just Threw me right back. I was really frightened that I wouldn't make it, and you had to do 2 loops. You race in, break through the waves, swim across, back to shore, Run back to the starting area, and do it again.

Tough.. it was a nightmare... (note to self - I'm not doing another ocean tri like that )

Bike:
Not bad. 4 loops (got a little boring, but predictable)
1 way you are against the wind, the way back, the wind is behind you, giving you a nice little push.
I'm not a fast biker, I try, but my average pace is about 15-16.
1st loop,
First length, I was averaging a nice 16-17mph, not bad,
On the way back, I averaged about 20+.
2nd loop, a little slower but still on pace, about 16-18
on the way back, I was able to make up some time still getting 19-20mph
3rd loop,. the head winds started to kick in, and I averaged 14-15
on the way back, about 16-17
4th loop, maybe due to my fatigue and the stronger head winds, I averaged about 14, and at my slowest points with the strongest wind, I was going about 12mph... very slow..
on the way back about 15.

There was its AWESOME volunteer who would always cheer me on. He was on older man, he stood with his yellow volunteer shirt near one of the last inclines on the bridge. He would always yell out my number and say great things. He always made me smile when I passed him.

My 4th loop was hard, but I just told myself, all I had to do was see the old man again. Just make it to see the old man, and I'll be done.. my legs spinned on.. and my only thought was to see the old man again. And when I finally made it to the bridge, he was gone. "Awe" but it was ok, I had reached the end, and I was happy.

Run:
 I brought my massage stick to lossen up my quads and hammy-ies and I trotted off. Running on sand kinda sucks.. and made my nice white shoes very dirty. I was tired. I played a game with myself, I would run for 3 songs, and walk 1 song on my ipod. That went on for a few miles.  Until I was down to run 1 song, walk 1 song. My friend Connie came to meet me at mile 4 and we ran together. She was a bandit, sort of, but it was really nice to have had her there.
We trotted along.. Near mile 8 I couldn't run anymore. I could have pushed myself, but I felt a bad feeling in my chest, it was a new feeling to me, and I know it wasn't good. I didn't want to have a stroke or heart attack, so I walked until mile 12. I decided to save all my energy to run the last mile.
There was a group of us walking or slow jogging near the end. about 10 of us. We would take turns passing eachother.
They slow jogged and walked, I just walked. I didn't try to jog. I'm kinda glad I did because I had enough energy to run the last mile, where I ended up passing them at the end.
(Note to self : slow jogging kinda doesn't get you very far)

It was a relief to cross that finish line and to get my medal.
I took so long that most people had already left. I did 7 hours and 16 mins. My bike was the last one in the Wave 2 transition area.

I wont be doing this race again in the near future, unless I become a stronger swimmer and learn how to body surf.