Charity Miles - Run/Walk/Bike and Save the World

If you have a smart phone Download this free app - Charity Miles. 

Its awesome.

For every mile you walk or run, it will donate $0.25, and $0.10 for every mile you bike. And that's just for doing your Normal workout!
This app doesn't interfere with your other training apps, you can use MapMyRun or Nike+ or other apps at the same time.

Workout and Save the World!!

Flexr Sports Bike Hydration Kit

I'm pretty clumsy and uncoordinated. To even to reach down and grab my water bottle while riding is a challenge, and I end up not drinking as much as I need.

So I was really happy to find a convenient and affordable way to get water!

The Flexr Sports Bike Hydration Kit $35 

The Flexr bottle is pretty much just a bottle with a very long straw. 

With the Flexr Bottle, all you needed was your normal water bottle cage.  

Also, the bottle comes with liners, so you can put in your mixed protein/carbohydrate liquids in your bottle, and don't have to worry about getting mold or a funky smell.

Just toss out the old liner each time. The liners are pretty cheap, and I only use it when I have mixed drinks in there. I don't worry about it when I use water.

Step 1: Measure out how much tubing you need

Step 2: Strap the tube on 

• Now the kit comes with Zip ties, but this prevents you from removing the straw to clean it. So I use Velcro Straps. You can find Velcro straps pretty cheap at any stationary store, or my favorite - Amazon!

Step 3 - Cut and put the mouth piece back on. 

• Make sure you position the mouth piece correctly. You have to bite down to get the water to come out, so if its the wrong side up, it'll never open. 

And now you have Hands Free Water on your bike :-D

Other alternatives to hands free water....

• An Aero Bottle  but you needed aero bares for it to work, which I didn't have.
•  Or a Speedfil (almost $100)  which also needed to be installed on your bike (more $) and is pretty much the same idea with a very long straw.

Compression Sock Review: Zensah vrs Zoot vrs 2XU

Thanks to technology, I can't imagine being without compression socks now. I use them on my higher mileage or hilly runs where I need the extra ankle and calf support and during races. They really help so my legs are not tired after the run. Also  they are great to wear on planes, snowboarding, or at home for recovery. I even wore them during my vacation to New York where I knew I would have lots of walking and standing to do.

I really love these things and I've had the opportunity to try 3 different brands,

1 - 2XU
2 - Zoot
3 - Zensah

Zensah Compression Sock

 These are usually more affordable than other compression brands. I think I got these for around $35 or less.
However the material is thicker, so its good for winter or cold runs, but in the summer it can get a little too warm. Also the material isn't as "tight" as other brands. Over all pretty decent for its price. I like wearing these socks on planes and for snowboarding.

Race Results - I ran a 13.1 race in these, and afterwards my calves weren't tired. Over all very pleased.

Zoot

 I found these on sale at Amazon for less than $35, (pretty good deal). The material is much thinner than Zensah and very tight.

Race Results -  I ran a 13.1 race in these and my legs felt better than when I ran with Zensah, but they were still tired but a little sore, but again better than running without them.




2XU ( currently $30-35 on amazon. Retails $50)

 My Favorite compression socks so far. I got these as a gift. The material is similar to Zoot, very thin and very tight. I'm not sure if these perform so well for me because I'm wearing them 1 size smaller. I should be a S on their chart, but these socks are XS.

Race Results - I ran my fastest 13.1 race in these and afterwards my calves felt Fantastic. Every other part of my leg from the knee up was really sore and tired Except for my calves. My calves felt normal as if I hadn't just run 13.1 miles. I think these socks are magical.


Compression gear can get really pricey if you pay at retail. So if you have a coupon or keep an eye out for deals. Right now the 2XU are a pretty good deal at Amazon.. I just picked up my 2nd pair. :)

Depo Provera Review

This post is really for the ladies, so guys if you're interested and don't get quesy feel free to read on for some additional information.

Nothing gets in the way of training or racing more than our "lovely" visit from Aunt Flo every 26-28 days. Seriously F-U Aunt Flo, take your present and shove it up your arse..

I don't know how 'she' did it, but for 3-4 consecutive races events, the race day was my first and heaviest flow day, with bloating and cramps galore! I looked at the calendar and it would have started on EVERY SINGLE race day event without wavering, and worse on my Triathlons too!

I was so fed up. I went to my OB asking what can I do to get rid of Aunt Flo, and she recommended the Depo Provera Shot. A few years ago I read up on it, and read all the scary stories and reviews and was pretty freaked out by it. But  my OB assured me that it was safe, so I tried it out. How bad could 3 months be?

BEST DECISION OF 2010!!  So insanly happy that I decided to go with Depo. No more periods. No more heavy flows on race day, no more cramps, all the  $ saved on tampons and pads. At most, I would get a very light period close to when I'm due for my next shot (so around every 3 months) really never need more than a liner to handle it.


You get a shot once every 3 months on your hip. I've had it for almost 12 months, and no side effects, reactions, or anything.
The doctor warned about

1 - increase in water weight, which I dont really notice, at most it would be 5-10 lbs.
2- acne - I can deal with a pimple on race day, I CAN NOT deal with changing tampons at mile 6, 9 &18, etc.
3 - possible bone density loss - So I take calcium pills, to compensate/ combat that.

Ladies if you're fed up with dealing with stupid menstrual cycles, Give Depo a shot :)

Cardio Trainer App for Android

Even though I really like the Nike+ system (not the iphone app, but the receiver and shoe sensor),  you can't really use it for non-running activities, like biking or hiking.

This is one of my favorite trainer/working out apps. Its free on Android phones, there is also a paid version too, but the free one does a lot already, and I'm all about free apps.

Cardio Trainer is really great for running, biking, hiking, anything. I think the photos will explain more than I can with words. Really easy to use, and my favorite features are that it will pause on its own when it senses you not moving, so if you stop longer than a second (or any time you set it) it will pause, and resume once you start again.Great for stoplights when your running and biking. Also it gives a good breakdown of your stats, speed, elevation, etc.

Here are a few photos

 History - Here I have Weights, Yoga, Treadmill, and road running.

 GPS map

 Stats

    Graph of your speed.. I can't figure out how to rotate pictures.. so turn your head to the right :)

Apple iTouch 4generation Review

During the Summer, my friend sent me an email link to a Bank of the West promotion. If you open a new account, and did 1 of the following (did 20 debt transactions, a certain # of direct deposits, or a certain # of Bill Pay transaction) anyway, I did the Debit transactions since that was easier than figuring out how to switch my direct deposit over or having to deal with transferring a larger sum of $. Anyway, they promised that the itouch would arrive Just in time for Xmas..

Skeptical, during 5-6 month period, I held up my end of the bargain and waited, and sure enough on Dec 24th, I received my New 4th Generation iTouch. I was pretty amazed that they gave us the new one, that has the camera function.

Cool features:
1 (and practically the BEST) - Nike + receiver already Built in!!! so you don't need to buy one, which usually cost $60 for the kit. Now you just need the sensor which is around $20.

2 - The camera. Now on my runs, when I see some awesome scenery, I can snap a photo.

3 - Wifi - I can upload my run to nike+ easily, my photos to facebook easily, and take screenshots of my Nike+ runs.

Sock Review

I need socks with a lot of cushion, but also not too thick because my feet swell when I run, then my shoes get too tight, then my feet get numb. (I wasn't kidding when I have high maintenance feet).

I would usually wear thick cotton socks for the cushion and sweat absorbing factor, forcing me to  lace my shoes really loose to allow my feet to expand. This wasn't always such a great method because my shoe would fly off at times. 

Thorlo Socks Experia Review

These socks cost a pretty penny, almost $12.50-15, but are really nice. I would like a few more pairs as stocking stuffers.

Pros - these socks have alot of padding in the forefoot and heel and they didn't give me blisters. yay! They were good at absorbing sweat and keeping the feet dry on my 10+ mile runs. I've washed them over 10 times and still pretty cushiony and soft.

It doesn't give much arch support, if you're looking for that tight feeling around your arch.










Nike Performance Cushioned

These offer a  pretty decent lightweight cushioning, although I've only used them for short distances around 5 miles or sprints.  They're thinner, but with some padding on the heel and forefoot.

I don't use them for long runs because they don't absorb sweat as much as the Thorlo which can lead to blisters. But a very good light weight low mileage running sock.












Nike Running Cushioned - Compression Arch Support

A pretty good 5-10 mile run sock. Pretty decent on absorbing and wicking away sweat. I really like the firm arch support this one gives. Now the "arch Support" wont replace needing shoes, but it gives that "Compression" feel when you wear them.

However the bad thing with Nike socks is they dont last very long.. after a few washes the fabric is must stiffer and not as soft as it originally was, and some of the seams are starting to fray.

Now the compression of the sock isn't comparable to an Actual Compression sock, but it is better than a regular sock. But if you're interested in "compression" this isn't the sock for you. Pay the extra and get a real compression sock.

Women's Elite Running Cushioned - Softens the impact


A pretty good alternative to the Thorlo. I wear them on 1-10+ mile runs. A good universal sock for low and high mile runs. The cushion isn't as thick as the Thorlo, but its still a good light weight sock with a good amount of cushion. Been through a 10+ washes and still pretty soft, and hasn't gone paper thin yet.. We'll see how long they will last..

Xterra vrs Orca Wetsuit Review

Before I purchased my first wetsuit I asked a lot of people, and read a bunch of articles, and pretty much unanimously everyone recommended, "Sleeveless"

So my first wetsuit was an Xterra Vortex 3 Sleeveless suit for <$99. However, when I arrived at my first meeting with the OC Tri Meetup group for my first Ocean Swimming session, I noticed that everyone in the group had Full Sleeve wetsuits. After my first few swims, it was so COLD. My hands and arms would be so numb from the 55-60 degree water, so I went to buy for a Full Sleeve suit. Then everyone I talked to, started recommending, "Full sleeve suit" oh, the irony.. I ended up with the Orca S3. A very good beginner wet suit because it is reasonably priced around $160 ish (on sale usually) and it has good reviews. Also, its easier to put on than the Xterra suit because parts of the suit are neoprene (see the black parts in the photos) and the zebra striped areas on the Orca suit are thinner than the rest of the suit to allow better movement of the arms.



So my advice if you're new and looking for full sleeve vs sleeveless.

1 - Temperature - What is the Temperature of the water you will be swimming in?
If its less than 70 degrees, I say go with Full Sleeves. If its warmer water - go with sleeveless.

2 - Brands - The beginner suits for Xterra and Orca are around the same price, so its up to comfort for you.
Xterra Vortex 3 (sleeveless) is all 1 soild material (that rubbery stuff). Where Orca (Full and sleeveless) has a parts (near the ankle and under the shoulder blades and arms with a more flexible neoprene (kinda like a denser surfer wetsuit material) because of that, it makes the suit easier to put on and more flexible when you're swimming.

Overall, I felt the entire neoprene of the Orca suit is more flexible than the Xterra suit.

3 - Performance - Full sleeves will help you swim better because more suit = more buoyancy.
Most people have told me that the full sleeves prohibit the full movement of their arm when they swim, but I really didn't have any problems with it.

Zensah Compression Calf Sleeves

My NEW favorite Accessory!
Zensah Compression Calf Sleeves.

Forefoot running has taken a toll on my calves, Achilles, and ankles.











In the home:
I put these on and immediately felt relief on my sore calves. Its not a miracle worker if you're in a lot of pain, but there is a significant difference from having them on and off..

The only drawback, is once you take them off, you feel back to normal again.. So.. not sure if its speeding up the recovery process or if its just pausing the pain..
We'll see.

On the Road:

Wearing these during training definitely made a difference.
It felt a lot more comfortable and less strain on my achilles, calves and lower legs.

I opted for the calf sleeves instead of the whole calf+sock cus
(1) I'm cheap like that, I didnt' want to buy 7 pairs of compression socks at $45/each, where 1 calf sleeve can be paired with any sock
(2) I like to experiment with socks cus my feet are high maintenance {aka everything makes them hurt}


I did some research and this brand got pretty high reviews and is a Very decent price at $35-40/pair, where Zoot is $55 for 1 leg!! can you believe that?

*Update* the price has now gone up a bit.. its around $40 a pair, or $20 for 1 leg