Monday Brain Exchange

Jill over at Finishing is Winning posts a new question each week.  Here is the topic for this week:

Question: What are your summer race plans? Are you trying anything new this year? What race are you looking most forward to?


My summer race plans are going to focus on 5K's and Sprint Triathlons.  I've got a 5K this weekend...I like to do a race on Memorial Day Weekend and again on Labor Day Weekend to track my training progress during the summer.  The race this weekend will be supporting a local school.  Last year the race was just a little short so I hope they have that corrected for this year.  Next weekend, I have a Sprint Triathlon which will kickoff my multi-sport endeavors for the year.  For the rest of the summer, I'll try to mix in some local races and a couple within 1-2 hours of home. 

The Firecracker 5K includes fun craft projects for the kids...
as a Super Auntie I love to do crafts with my niece and nephew!

The races that I am looking forward to are the Firecracker 5K over 4th of July weekend and the Run for a Child 5K on Labor Day.  Both of these races are on challenging courses with lots of hills, heat, and humidity but they are a lot of fun.  I'm also looking forward to the Shark Sprint Triathlon because it was my first triathlon last year and I'm hoping to see some improvement now that I understand more about the sport. 

Some good giveaways

Check out this great giveaway from Beth at Shut Up and Run.  It includes a mix pack of items including a $50 Walgreens gift card.

Kelly at Secrets of a Running Mom is giving away a wicking tank from One More Mile which have lots of fun sayings. 

Whoo Hoo Wednesday

Today I got to visit one of my favorite stores...Trader Joe's! I stocked up on some of my favorite treats including the Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels...yummy! I also loaded up on lots of their soups which are low in calories and filling. 

Also, in some fun news today I bought some new road biking shoes.  I tend to suffer from sleepy toes in my current shoes which are soft-soled.  Hopefully, the new shoes will fix that problem.

Finally, the whoo hoo is for the fact that we are only a week and a half away from Memorial Day and Summer!

Monday Brain Exchange

Sorry for skipping the MBE last week. The Monday Brain Exchange is sponsored by Jill at http://onelittletrigirl.wordpress.com/.  Each week she posts a topic for bloggers to discuss and this week's topic is quite timely with the temps rising and summer on it's way!

Question: The heat is on its way (and for some has already made its arrival) and the summer is getting close What are some of your tried and true summer running tips for staying safe and cool in the heat?
Well, the heat is a tough thing to tackle! I keep most of my runs in the evenings even during the heat of the summer.  I figure you can't pick the weather for a race so training during the heat is a necessity.  For me, one of the most important things to remember is to hydrate and that begins long before your run or workout even begins.  I try to drink lots of water throughout the day. 

Another thing that helps make workouts more bearable is packing a small Ziploc bag with water, ice, and a washcloth.  It is amazing how a quick wipe of the sweat off your face can improve your workout.  Also when I am doing track work or repeats where you have a set amount of recovery time, I try to stand in the shade for my recovery time...even 30 sec in the shade can make a difference.

Finally, apparel is very important.  I don't run in anything cotton! I make sure I pick fabrics that are good at wicking the sweat and also lighter in color for really hot days.  I sometimes wear a Bondi band or visor to keep the sweat out of my face and or protect my face from the sun. For bike rides, I usually switch to sleeveless jerseys and lots of sunscreen. 

And the Winner of the $10 Shop Etc. Giftcard Is...

I used the Random Between Function of Excel to generate a random number for the entries into the contest.  The winner is Lyndi who is also known as NWA Foodie (her comment was #10 which matched the number generated in Excel.) If you live in the NWA area, you should check out Lyndi's blog for great restaurant reviews and tips for gourmet ingredients in our local area. 

Congratulations and Thanks to all for entering.  Stay tuned for my review and giveaway of the book Delivering Happiness - A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose in a few weeks.  

Thursday Threads!

Today I received a package from Banana Blossom Press which was a prize that I won from Erica last week.  The package contained one of their signature t-shirts which are super soft and light weight.  The shirt was beautifully packaged with one of their cards on the outside.  Sidenote: I can't wait to order their cards to share with my friends as they get ready for big races this season!

I tried on the shirt and love the mix of gray with a splash of lime green.  I can't wait to try it out on a run and see what reactions the slogan gets...

So, I'm not really lopsided...just goofy while posing!

 Also, this week one of my friends returned from a two-week trip to India with presents for me.  Her husband is a former cricket player who still is involved in the Indian Premier League which is a professional cricket league.  They are supporters of the Rajasthan Royals team and throughout the season, she and I would keep track of how the team was doing.  Her husband promised me a t-shirt and picked out this limited edition Puma shirt for me.  It is kind of neat to look at some of the matches on YouTube just to see how similar it is to a pro sporting event in the US...they even have mascots and cheerleaders (plus there are sometimes Bollywood performances at the games!) She also got me a beautiful silk wrap that is full of my favorite colors and was designed by one of her friends.

Can't wait to show my support for the Royals next year...
or Kochi but only if they are called the Kochi Koconuts!

It's Official - Triathlon season starts June 5th!

I've officially signed up for my first Triathlon of the season... the Sprint distance in the Athena division! Deciding on the division took a lot of thought for me because it just doesn't seem right to not do the regular age group option.  I definitely need to get in some brick workouts over the next few weeks and I would love to get at least one open water swim in just to remember not to panic in the water! When are you kicking off your triathlon season this year?