SPIbelt review and giveaway

I was recently given the opportunity to try out a SPIbelt.  After using it for several practices runs and then for my first 5k this past weekend, all I have to say is wow!  Wow really is not an appropriate word to explain how impressed I am with this product.  It actually does what they say it will do! 

When looking for a running belt, runners are looking for a few specific things.  We need a belt that stays put and that does not bounce all over the place when running.  We also need a belt that has enough room for all of our stuff, but no so huge that it feels cumbersome.   The SPIbelt is just the thing. 

In my SPIbelt, I carry my iPhone, a chap stick and my Vera Bradley change purse with a few bucks and my ID.  It all fit very easily.  I could have stuffed in more if I wanted too.  When the package came in the mail, I thought there is no way anything is going to fit into this little pouch…it’s so small.  Then I started stuffing things into the pouch.  It held so much! 

The SPIbelt has an adjustable belt, so it will fit almost anyone.  When I first tried out the belt, I did not where it tight enough and it did bounce a bit.  For my second run, I tightened it up a bit and it worked perfectly.  I did not feel too tight.  I have tried wearing the SPIbelt on the middle of my waist and on the side.  I prefer the side, as it makes it easier to get to my stuff.  I have tried a few other running belts and I find the SPIbelt far better.   As a petite woman with a short torso, I feel like the other belts I have tried were too large for me, like they were made for a larger women or a man.  This belt fit me and did not feel overwhelming at all.  It looked cute on while running too. 

SPIbelts come in a large variety of colors and patterns.  For mine, I chose hot pink of course!  One other huge plus for the SPIbelts is their price.  They start at just under twenty dollars—a price that most people can afford, and much less than most other belts on the market.  My next SPIbelt will be the water bottle holder.  I can’t wait to try it for longer runs, like my Rail Trail 10 miler coming up in August.  I feel good about recommending an SPIbelt to all runners.

The best part of my SPIbelt review is that the nice people at SPIbelts want one of you to try one for free!  That’s right; I am doing a SPIbelt giveaway!  To enter the giveaway, you must be a follower of this blog. Here are the ways to enter the giveaway:

1)      Go to the SPIbelts website; check it out and comment below which SPIbelt you like best.

http://store.spibelt.com/default.asp

2)      Like SPIbelts Facebook page.

3)      Share this page with your Facebook and/or Twitter friends.  (To do this, click to the right where is says “Share this on Facebook” or “Tweet this”.)

Each blog follower can enter the giveaway up to four times (check out the website and comment below, like on FB, share this page on FB and Twitter.)  In your comment below, be sure to tell me how many entries you get.  You can enter until 3 PM Eastern time on Thursday July 7, and then I will choose the winner!  Check for a new blog post that evening to see who the winner is!  SPIbelts will send the winner their favorite SPIbelt!  Good Luck everyone! 

BWC Goody Bag

The Baltimore Women’s Classic was a great run.  I am SO glad I did it.  Not only was the atmosphere of the race spectacular, but the rewards were stellar!   When I signed up for the race I knew I would get a t-shirt and a goody bag, but wow! 

The shirt is New Balance brand and made of technical material.  It is great quality and has a nice cut.  I really like it!  The yellow goody bag is the cloth grocery carrier type.  There were tons of samples stuffed into the bag, like:

 A full size box of Success brown rice

Three packets of True Lime

A two pack of full size Blistex

A pack of Totally Light 2 Go Energy Rush

A pack of Totally Light Tea 2 Go half and half

A packet of Emergen-C

A mini Luna Bar is White Chocolate Macadamia

A Rev Raw 100 Bar

A bottle of Tend Skin

A packet of Blister Shield (I used it on race day are really like it!)

A Goody Mosaic comb

A lanyard

A few magnets

My race bib (number 2088)

Safety pins

Timing chip

Several coupons for local and on-line run related businesses

Flyers for upcoming races

I was amazed by all the stuff in the bag!  A runner friend of mine told me not to expect this good of a goody bag from every race and that the BWC goody bags are always the best.  Thanks everyone at the BWC for arranging all of these great perks for running! 

A dream is a wish your heart makes......

--Amy

****I have been working hard to set up some more GREAT giveaways for you!  Keep an eye on my blog to find out what they are!

My First Race!

I did my first 5k today!  It was the Baltimore Women’s Classic in Baltimore, MD.  What a day!

My day started bright and early at 5:30 am.  The kids, Mike and I all piled into the car and were on the road by 6am.  After a trip through the McDonalds drive thru, we were cruising down 83 into the city.  We parked and were on the race field by 7:30.  The festivities were well underway when we got there.  They had the music pumping and the crowd was already getting pumped.  Lynn Brick, a local fitness celebrity, did a quick warm up with the racers and we were off to line up! 

The start of the race was lined with bright yellow signs that have minutes per mile printed on them, and then walker/stroller.  I joined the crowd at the 13 minutes per mile sign.  In no time, the gun went off and the race started!  The beginning of the race was slow.  It took me about 3 minutes to actually cross the starting line.  Very quickly, I learned that I put myself to far back in the line up. Most of the first mile I spend weaving in and out of walkers, jogging stroller and slower runners.

 Once the crowd thinned out some, I hit my stride.  I tried to run about 3 minutes and then walk about 1.  The course had some slight hills, but was nothing too difficult.  This being my first run, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of spectators all along the course cheer one everyone, not just their loved ones.  I really appreciated that and it kept me going.  The first water station came at about the 1.5 mile mark.  That brought another first run surprise.  The wonderful volunteers handed out water in small plastic cups.  There were plenty of trash can to dispose of the empty cups in, but there were many women who chose to just drop their cup—right there on the course!  I found this very rude, and it really slowed me down.  I could not run though all the trash right on the course. 

The final quarter mile was by far my favorite.  I was getting tried and could feel myself loosing stream. Then we turned our final corner and ran right along Baltimore’s inner harbor.  The water is so beautiful and inspiring in the morning.  I got my second wind and finished strong.  As I was running down the finish line, I glanced at the official clock.  It read just at 44 minutes.  Crossing the finish line was a great feeling!  I actually did it! 

Once I was though the shoot, volunteers on both sides of me started handed me things.  Not knowing what to expect, it was a bit overwhelming.  I was very tired and excited at the same time.  I was first handed an ice cold BWC logo towel.  It felt great to cool down and wipe off some sweat.  Then another volunteer handed me a bottle of water—another very welcome finishers gift!  I was so thirsty!  I was then handed a beautiful pink rose, and then a bottle of Muscle Milk.  Once I was out of the finish line, I stopped, looked around and just enjoyed the moment! 

Now the hard part was over and it was time to reunite with my family.  We got some snacks and took some pictures.  They had a lot of snacks to choose from—like bagels, apples, oranges, and watermelon.  After a whole bottle of water and some water melon, I met up with some new friends.  We then hit the race expo (I got some new Bondi Bands!)  After that, it was time for lunch with the family. 

I was very happy with how I did in my first race. The BWC was a good choice.  The other runners were very supportive, and it was nice to run in a women only race to get the hang of it.  It was a good learning experience of where to start, how to deal with crowds and how to pass other runners. The race goody bag and shirt are awesome!  I will post about that tomorrow!

My official chip time was 41:55. 

A dream is a wish your heart makes......

--Amy

If you have enjoyed what you read, please click to the right to follow me!  Or even better, click at the right to share my blog with your Facebook friends!

****I have been working hard to set up some more GREAT giveaways for you!  Keep an eye on my blog to find out what they are!

What “technology’’ do you use?

A blog follower/new friend recently e-mail me and ask me what running stop watch I use.  I replied to her that I do not use a stop watch, but that I do us Runkeeper on my iPhone.    Since you all were so helpful and gave me some really great suggestions when I asked about a running playlist, I have another question for everyone.  What type of running “technology” do you use? 

I am not much of a technology buff.  I like my laptop and love my iPhone, but I use them to do basic things.  When I first started running, I did things kind of old-school.  I used a regular old pedometer and the stop watch on my iPhone.  Once I got into running more, I looked into running apps on iTunes.  I don’t really like to pay for apps, so I downloaded a few of the free ones.  I downloaded Run Keeper, Nike+ GPS and Endomondo.  I have given all of them a try and I have chosen the one I like best. 

RunKeeper is a really easy app to use.  You just tap the app to open it, tap activity type (running), tap to start playlist to get the music pumping, and then tap to start activity.  It’s so easy!  There is a place to tap to hear how far you went, you total time and you minutes per mile time. The app also periodically chimes in to report your progress.  You can control your play list right in the Runkeeper app, and even take a photo of your surroundings.  Once your run is over, you tap on activity complete to hear the details of your run and see your run mapped out by GPS.  The run is then uploaded to Runkeeper.com, so you can log your progress. 

The other apps, Nike+ GPS and Endomondo, worked well but I like Runkeeper better.  What type of running “technology” do you use?  Do you use a GPS watch, an iPhone app, or something else?  What do you like and dislike about it? 

A dream is a wish your heart makes......

--Amy

If you have enjoyed what you read, please click to the right to follow me!  Or even better, click at the right to share my blog with your Facebook friends!

****I have been working hard to set up some more GREAT giveaways for you!  Keep an eye on my blog to find out what they are!

What’s on your running play list?

I am starting to get really bored with my running playlist.  Here is what I have:

I Gotta Feeling, Black Eyed Peas

Tik Toc, Kesha

Hold it Against Me, Britney Spears

Pretty Girl Rock, Keri Hilson

The Time, Black Eyed Peas

Stronger, Kanye West

Only Girl, Rihanna

Rolling in the Deep, Adele

Blow, Kesha

Firework, Katy Perry

Like a G6, Far East Movement

On the Floor, Jennifer Lopez

What is on your running playlist?  Do you have any recommendations?

As for the Bondi Band Giveaway!!!  The winner is Patty!!!!  She will receive the Minnie Dots headband, which is what she chose as her favorite when she visited the Bondi Band website.  Please e-mail me with your mailing address at amysmith7@comcast.net so I can forward the info to Bondi Bands. Congratulations!!!  Your headband will be shipped to you directly from Bondi Bands. 

A dream is a wish your heart makes......

--Amy

If you have enjoyed what you read, please click to the right to follow me!  Or even better, click at the right to share my blog with your Facebook friends!

****I have been working hard to set up some more GREAT giveaways for you!  Keep an eye on my blog to find out what they are!

Importance of Stretching

My first 5k is coming up in a little over a week, so I have been running a lot and trying to improve my time.  I have been feeling a lot of hip pain during and especially after my runs. It has not been enough to stop me from running, but still enough to be a nag. 

I asked my doctor what she thought was going on and she told me that it is probably due to the extra weight I am carrying.  That running is hard on your body and the extra weight is putting a lot of pressure on my hip joints.  That made a lot of sense to me, so I just figured I would get used to it.  After about a week of still having the hip pain, I asked my daughter’s physical therapist what she thought.  Her answer was that similar to that of my doctor.  That running is hard on the body and to take it easy for a few days.  Once the pain was gone, ease into my running routine again.

With my first race coming up, I really did not want to take it easy!  I did some research online and learned that I have not been warming up properly for my runs.  Some sites I found said that runners should stretch from 5 to 20 before a run and the same after a run.  To warm up, I was walking for a few minutes before my runs, but not really doing any stretching—before or after. 

For my long run this past Sunday, I stretched for about 15 minutes before my run, paying special attention to my hip area.  I felt a lot better during the run and even hit a new personal best.  I made sure to cool down with some more stretching, about 10 minutes, after the run.  I felt great the rest of the day Sunday.  Once my spin class rolled around Monday morning, I only had about five minutes to stretch before class started.  The hip pain was back.  After class, I went home and did my Turbo Fire 15 minute stretching DVD.  It helped so much! The pain was gone again.  I am now a huge believer in stretching—both before and after a run. 

Have you had an experience like this? Do you always stretch before and/or after each run?  Do you have any “secret” ways you deal with running or exercising discomforts?  Have you found something that makes your runs easier? 

A dream is a wish your heart makes......

--Amy

If you have enjoyed what you read, please click to the right to follow me!  Or even better, click at the right to share my blog with your Facebook friends!

Don’t forget to enter the Bondi Band giveaway!  (Read the previous post to see how.)

****I have been working hard to set up some GREAT giveaways for you!  Keep an eye on my blog to find out what they are!

Bondi Band review and Giveaway!

I was so excited when the great people at Bondi Bands wanted to send me one of their headbands to tryout. Knowing that I am training for the Disney Princess Half Marathon, they sent me a Bondi Band with a tiara on it—so cute!  Bondi Bands are no slip, no drip headwear so you can look good and get on with your life.  The price on Bondi Bands is very fair at eight dollars each.

To make sure I could give you an accurate review, I have been using the Bondi Band for about a week now.  I have worn it during a long run, as well as a spin class.  The most important thing I was looking for in the Bondi Band was that is stayed put during my entire workout.  I always wear a headband when I work out to hold back all my long, thick hair.  I HATE when I have to slow down and readjust it.  I am happy to tell you that the Bondi Band did just as I had hoped…no readjusting during a long run or an hour spin class.  This is a huge plus for me. 

Bondi Band headbands are cute!  I have to admit it, I am a girlie girl.  I like to look cute when I work out.  The Bondi Band looked good on me while I worked out and even after.  I often run errands on my way home from the gym.  The Bondi Band kept my hair in place and looking good during and after the workout.  Since it does not look like workout gear, I felt fine wearing my Bondi Band to the bank and the grocery store on the way home from the gym. The Bondi Band headband is made out of Lycra, so it wicks sweat.  Like many of you, I am a sweater when I work out.  The Bondi Band held back the sweat from running down my face!  Over all, I really like my Bondi Band and plan on getting a few more.

The best part of my Bondi Band review is that the nice people at Bondi Bands want one of you to try a Bondi Band free!  That’s right; I am doing a Bondi Band giveaway!  To enter the giveaway, you must be a follower of this blog. Here are the ways to enter the giveaway:

1)      Go to the Bondi Band website; check it out and comment below which Bondi Band headband pattern you like best (mine is the pink leopard!).

http://www.bondiband.com/index.php

2)      Like Bondi Band on Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/?closeTheater=1#!/pages/Bondi-Band/150788588853

3)      Share this page with your Facebook and/or Twitter friends.  (To do this, click to the right where is says “Share this on Facebook” or “Tweet this”.)

Each blog follower can enter the giveaway up to four times (check out the website and comment below, like on FB, share this page on FB and Twitter.)  In your comment below, be sure to tell me how many entries you get.  You can enter until 3 PM Eastern time on Saturday June 18^th, and then I will choose a winner!  Check for a new blog post that evening to see who the winner is!  Bondi Bands will send the winner their favorite headband!  Good Luck everyone! 

What Women Runners Should Eat

A really great article about what women runners should eat

I came across this article and wanted to share it with you.  We have been discussing ways to eat healthy, so it is a very timely topic.  The article suggests women runners to eat whole grains and monounsaturated fats, things many of us are already doing.  There are also some new foods on here we have not discussed, like green tea.  I have heard about its benefits before, but not benefits specific to runners.  I would not have guess dried fruit would be recommend due to its high calorie content, but it does provide a quick carbohydrate boast. 

What do you think of this article?   Do you agree or disagree with any of the recommendation? 

How is your training going?  Do you have any tips to share with the group?

A dream is a wish your heart makes......

--Amy

If you have enjoyed what you read, please click to the right to follow me!  Or even better, click at the right to share my blog with your Facebook friends!

I still have a few extra princess bands! If you want one, follow me and comment below. I will send you one as a thank you!

****I have been working hard to set up some GREAT giveaways for you!  Keep an eye on my blog to find out what they are!

Adding Instead of Taking Away

Let me start out by staying, I love to eat!  This is why diets have never worked for me.  When I started this journey from my coach to the Disney Princess Half Marathon, I wanted to lose some weight in the process.  I researched a few diets, but they all seemed too restrictive to me.  I decided to just try to limit portions and make a few simple swaps.  For example, I swap fattier beef for chicken breast and a baked potato for a side salad.  These swaps were easy, but now I need to do more. 

Instead of cutting out all of the unhealthy things from my daily life, I am trying to add some more healthy things.  This is what I have added:

Avocado

Avocado can add a lot of flavor to a dish.  I have been adding avocado to my sandwiches.  Turkey and avocado on light wheat bread makes a great lunch.  I have also tried avocado in an omelet and in salads.  They have all been great!  Avocados are a very healthy food, with only about 75 calories in each quarter.  They contain monounsaturated fats, which have been proven to help lower cholesterol, lower your chance of getting certain cancers and aid in the absorption of minerals.  Avocados are also full of folate and vitamin E.  Adding avocado to meals is very satisfying because of its rich flavor and fat content.

Almonds

Almonds are my new favorite go to snack!  I eat them almost every day.  They are filling and have a great flavor.  Like avocado, almonds are packed with monounsaturated fats, so they help lower cholesterol, lower your chance of getting certain cancers and aid in the absorption of minerals.  Almonds are also high in fiber, calcium and magnesium.  They are low on the Glycemic Index, so they will help keep your blood sugar at a constant level.  One down fall to almonds it they are high in calories.  I buy them prepackaged in 100 calorie packs to control my portion size.  My favorite snack right now is a 100 calorie pack of almonds and an apple.

Dark Chocolate!

Who doesn’t LOVE dark chocolate?  Dark Chocolate is high in flavonoids, a type of antioxidant.  Antioxidants help your body repair its self from free radicals.  We get free radicals from the sun and pollution in the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat.  Antioxidants bind with the bad stuff and help to remove it from your body.  As with almonds and avocados, dark chocolate also contains monounsaturated fats.  A concern about dark chocolate is that it can be high in calories.  I allow myself to eat two Dove squares each day, at just under 100 calories.  It is a very satisfy dessert, and due to the richness of dark chocolate, two squares is plenty for me.  At the end of the day, chocolate is a great treat. 

Have you tried any of these foods?  What do you think of them?  What healthy foods have you added to your diet? 

A dream is a wish your heart makes......

--Amy

If you have enjoyed what you read, please click to the right to follow me!  Or even better, click at the right to share my blog with your Facebook friends!

I still have a few extra princess bands! If you want one, follow me and comment below. I will send you one as a thank you!

****I have been working hard to set up some GREAT giveaways for you!  Keep an eye on my blog to find out what they are!

It's Official!

I just signed up for my first three timed races!   I really feel like I am ready to do some real races and compete with other runners.  My races will be:

Baltimore Women’s Classic 5k

Sunday, June 26^th 2011

http://www.baltimorewomensclassic.com/index.html           

York Rail Trail 10 Miler

Saturday August 27 2011

http://www.yhrunningseries.com/2011-Rail-Trail-10-Miler-App.pdf 

York White Rose Run 5 Mile Running Event

Saturday October 22 2011

 http://www.yorkwhiteroserun.com/

My goal for these races is to finish and to do my best.  These races will be a starting point to improve my time from.  My hope for the 10-miler is to get a qualifying time fast enough to get an earlier starting corral for the big event—the 2012 Princess Half marathon in February.  I would love company before and after the races!  Is anyone planning on doing any of these races?

What races do you have planned?  What are your race goals?  A specific time or to finish?  I am so excited for my first race!

A dream is a wish your heart makes......

--Amy

If you have enjoyed what you read, please click to the right to follow me!  Or even better, click at the right to share my blog with your Facebook friends!

I still have a few extra princess bands! If you want one, follow me and comment below. I will send you one as a thank you!

Should I hire a trainer?

I have been considering getting a personal trainer and would like some advice.  My reason for getting a trainer would be for weight training, not marathon training.  For marathon training, I am reading Marathoning for Mortals by Bingham and Hadfield (I will review the book when I have completed the program!).  Many of us have heard that weight training is a very important component to losing weight and getting fit…but I feel a little lost as to where to start. 

Weight training videos were my first venture into weight training, but they become very redundant after doing then a few time.  I have also done some web searches to find some good weight training moves, but I am worried that I am not doing then correctly.  This brings me to the question of good form.  Having good form when exercising is very important.  If your form is bad, you risk injury, or not getting the desired results.

I already know who I would choose as my trainer.  Her name is Mary B and she works at my gym, Strictly Fitness in York, PA.  I LOVE her spin classes.  Mary chooses awesome music for class and sequences the exercises perfectly.  She is great at motivating me, while giving support and encouragement at the same time.  Others at my gym rave about Mary as a trainer.  I would love to give it a try, but I have a few questions for my online friends. 

In a perfect world, I would like to meet about once a month and get a program to work on for the month.  We would meet again the next month and tweak the program a bit and continue this until I felt I could do it myself.  How realistic does this sound to you? 

So, I have come here today to ask, what has your experience been with a personal trainer?  Did you find it worthwhile…and worth the price?  How much did it cost and how often were you required to meet with the trainer? 

A dream is a wish your heart makes......

--Amy

If you have enjoyed what you read, please click to the right to follow me!  Or even better, click at the right to share my blog with your Facebook friends!

I still have a few extra princess bands! If you want one, follow me and comment below. I will send you one as a thank you!