Stridebox!

I recently saw a post on Facebook asking about Stridebox, and since my April box just recently arrived, I figured I'd give it a share on here! Without further ado... I give you April Stridebox:

First Look:

 Stridebox puts the "Stride Guide" right on top! This month they used customer photos for the front side, those are my sneakers up there at the top in the middle!

Second Look:

They always seal the paper with festive stickers. I love this Spring has SpRUNg pun.

Edibles:

 Movit Gummies in Citrus and Berry. I haven't tried these just yet, but I'm a big fan of gummies. They will definitely go to good use while I'm training for my upcoming half! (Outrun 38 Half Marathon, if you're local, you should definitely consider attending!)

Zing Nutrition Bar

 Stridebox does a fantastic job of introducing me to new brands of natural fuel. This one is a a double nut brownie flavor and I can't wait to give it a go. Pretty much anything chocolate is a-ok with me!

Vega Sport Gel in orange zest

I usually prefer the non fruit flavors when it comes to gels (chocolate mint, coffee, peanut butter) but I'm willing to try new things!

Hydration:
Ultima Replenisher in Orange

A runner can never have too many electrolyte mixes on hand! I'm always looking for one to love, as generally, sports drinks don't REALLY do it for me... I just don't really like the taste of them. But when I'm depleted after a long run, they make me feel so much better. Even if I don't love the taste. So maybe this one will be delicious!

Stuff:
Squeaky Cheeks Powder

 Those of us who don't have thigh-gap appreciate these sorts of things... Anti chafe powder is a useful item! I love the brand name on this too...

Arctic Ease Instant Cold Wrap

 I've actually used this before. Several years ago I took a digger during the 5K that takes place the day before the Boston Marathon. While at the expo afterward, I stumbled (kind of literally) upon this company's booth and they wrapped my swollen knee up for me. I'm excited to have a new one of these for the next time I trip over my own feet!

Spenco Gel Heel Cushions

 I was actually excited to see these in here, but not for running oddly enough. I literally just ordered a pair of heel lifts for my new riding boots. They are a little tall, so the heel lifts will help them fit better until they break-in. I think once the boots are more broken in, these will be great to use. I'm not sure if I'd like them for running, I've never had heel discomfort. But I may try them and see. Why not?

Sticker:

Stridebox always includes a cute sticker in the box too. I like the message on this one! Support your local races!

Another great box! I like that Stridebox offers different types of fuels to try. Since I've mostly been running short, I haven't used a lot of gels but I like a good bar before heading out the door. Even for a short run. I also like that when I get back to running long, thanks to Stridebox, I don't have to plan a trip to the running store just to get gels. I have some ready to go! If you're interested in trying Stridebox, click here to learn more!

Happy Birthday Stridebox!

You've all seen Stridebox on the blog from time to time. It's one of my favorite subscription boxes! I joined right from the start of this company because at the time I was really getting into running and didn't have much knowledge on what kinds of products were available to runners. This sub seemed like a great way to try new things! And it definitely has been. I love that it comes not only with nutrition/fuel/hydration, but also with new products that aren't edibles. My favorites have been anything that lights up... Shocking I know!
Last year, for Stridebox's first birthday, they sent all of us early subscribers a special birthday box. Such a nice surprise, and really makes you feel appreciated as a customer! In the card they mention that all early subscribers get a birthday box, whether or not they're still a subscriber. How thoughtful and generous is that?!
Well Stridebox just turned two, and once again, they've spoiled us early birds with a birthday box! And holy cow, is it a good one!

Birthday Card

First look! Love the gold paper

 Ok on to the goods!
Nutrition/Hydration:

 This is a frosted brownie flavor... Um, yes please! I haven't tried it yet, but I can't wait to shove it in my piehole give it a taste.

 You can never go wrong with Nuun tabs. They're easy to travel with, lightweight, and delicious!

 I can't wait to play around with this Rundana! I love the gray plaid print I received! This can be worn in a ton of ways: as a mouth cover for cold runs, a head band, ear warmer, neck warmer... the options are endless! It will look great with that Puma jacket I bought last year too!

 I thought I had gotten the actual Stridelights in the photo, but it appears all I got was the card they were attached to... Sorry about that! We actually got them I think last month in a box, but I'm excited to have two pair! They slide through your laces and light up with movement. Perfect for winter runs when it's always dark out. ALWAYS.

 THIS! This is the most exciting thing I think I've ever gotten from Stridebox... Maybe even more exciting than the light up slap wrap. (That thing really is amazing though.) What is it you ask? It's a Milestone Pod. You can learn more by clicking the link over there <-- In a nutshell, it keeps track of your shoe mileage so you know when to replace them. That's at the simplest level. The more exciting part is that if you sync it to your phone, it can track pace, distance, cadence, and you can even program your emergency info to it! It's always on, so you just put your shoes on and go. It has a USB plug, so you can easily download the data to your computer. I'm excited to set this up!

 Stridebox sends these little running logs from time to time. I'm pretty lazy about such things, but for more serious runners, I think they're super handy.

Stridebox always sends a cute sticker or two in the boxes, and no exception for the birthday box! I love the little window one, I think I may stick that in the truck window.

How great is it to get a present for someone else's birthday?! I think it's pretty fantastic! If you're interested in subscribing, the cost is $15.00 per month. Head over to Stridebox and sign up! As far as I know they do not offer referral discounts, so I do not gain anything if you subscribe.

Sunday RUNday!

Well... it's been about 3 weeks (possibly longer) since I last laced up the Newtons. My runs had been HORRIBLE. Like, really bad. So, so bad. And that does not lead one to want to go back for more. But the scale and my pants keep trying to tell me otherwise.  So finally I listened to my pants and went out for an evening run.
You may or may not remember that I love giving myself rules for my runs. Some days it's speed rules, some days it's distance. Today's rules were simple: run three miles with no walking. I didn't care how long it took, but that's what I needed to get done. Just in case I might be tempted to try and run faster than I'm currently capable of, I left my Garmin home. I even left my headphones home.
You know what? It was soooo nice to hear the peepers and the birds. And it was even better to have no idea just how slow I was actually running. I used my Charity Miles App to keep track of distance but it doesn't track time. PERFECT! And I was even more happy to have left the headphones behind because there was a guy playing the banjo on the beach. Seriously. (My town is awesome.)
My first mile felt surprisingly nice. The weather was perfect, mid 70's and no humidity. Most of that first mile is nice and flat. When I got to the little hill that I had been walking in my recent runs, I told myself to slow down and keep going. Up and over I went, slow as molasses and feeling pretty good! The whole run felt decent, and when I started to struggle I just slowed down my pace, but kept running. Before I knew it, I was back home. Finally!  A decent run! Hopefully the first of many. I think for awhile at least, I'm going to leave the Garmin at home, and just get the distances done as slow as I need to.
Do you have any tricks to help get back into running? Have you taken a hiatus ever? WHY IS RUNNING SO HARD?!

You're not gonna believe this...

But I've actually gone running TWICE this week! I know. I swear I'm not lying. To prove it, I will show you some photos and tell you allllll about my runs. (So if you're not into that, no need to keep reading. No hard feelings.)

Monday evening I was all, it's kind of hot... maybe I should wait until the morning. But then I saw the morning wasn't going to be much cooler. So after this:

I headed out for a 3 mile run. I don't know about you, but I'm always making up rules. Today's rule was "No walking." I wanted to make sure I ran the hills and the entire three miles without pausing. But I was ok with it being slow. Fair is fair. I'm happy to report I followed the rules, and survived the three non-stop miles. (How sad is it that I ran a half marathon in March, and now in June am so happy to finish 3... sigh.) As I figured, it was slow. But slow miles are better than no miles. One goal at a time folks!

I was happy to have my rest day Tuesday. I took both boys out for grass, ran some errands, packed for the horse show, and played with the pugs (and also our guest Morkie Juno).

As per the norm, I hit the snooze button about 800 times this morning. But finally I made myself get up and out the door. The first mile I was thinking, maybe I'll just run 2 today since I'm so late. And then decided no, I need to do 3 miles. I did allow two very short up hill walks though, as it was already quite warm, and VERY humid. I know asthma isn't a reason not to run, but humid days do have a big impact on breathing. Could I have pushed through? Probably. But since I'm just starting back, I prefer the safe, slow, and steady approach. I paused my watch during the walks though, so I was sure to get 3 miles of running in.

I run a lot faster when I don't time the uphills! Haha, yeah yeah, I'm a cheater. I saw some more ducks out there, and the lake was gorgeous this morning:

Having pretty things to look at really helps the run go by. It's nice to get back out there! Honestly, as much as I don't want to admit it, I feel so much more energetic during the day after a morning workout.

Have you been getting some runs in? What's your favorite morning workout?

Not one but TWO weekend runs!

Friday evening was pretty gorgeous, though chilly. And I was D-R-A-G-G-I-N-G! I planned to get a 3 mile run in after work and was actually somewhat excited after my speedy 4 miler on Wednesday. But alas, by the time the equine were fed, I was trying to find excuses not to go. I had eaten way too much at lunch and was still feeling full. I was tired. It was windy and cold. Blah blah blah. So I said to myself, "Fatty, you ate all that lunch, don't you think you should run it off? And when have you ever regretted getting a run in?" Am I not the most annoying human EVER when I'm trying to be lazy? Sheesh. But I had made some good points, so off I went.... I started off a bit slower than Wednesday, but for whatever reason, I REALLY wanted to be faster. So I kicked it up the last mile and managed to average a few seconds faster. Good work self!

Saturday was pony day. You can read more about that here. But Sunday I planned to run the Leprechaun 5 Miler with some of my running buddies/book club members. (Our groups tend to overlap.) I'm 100% for running races in ridiculous attire, and the Leprechaun 5 Miler is the perfect venue for such silliness.Thankfully, my friends are into it too!

It was CHILLY Sunday morning, and it was a little tough to get moving! I stayed with my friends for the first mile, but they are just getting back into running after the miserable winter, so I asked if it was ok if I went ahead. They didn't mind at all, so off I went. But I have to tell you, this race was a tough one for me! I really was thinking I'd lay down 5 miles at the pace I've been running all week, but for whatever reason I was struggling! Thinking I was averaging about ten minute miles, I was determined to push through the last mile. I just wanted to make it under 50 minutes... And I DID!

I wasn't as fast as during the week, but given the cold and the slow start (we were alllll the way in the back at the start!) I was pretty happy with the time. Besides, my last race was the half marathon where I averaged 11 minute miles, so clearly it's an improvement! The best part about finishing a little quicker, I got to cheer my friends on at the finish AND get photos!

Ashley

Vanessa

Chelsea wasn't in the pre race photo, she took a little detour and was a little late!

And here's everyone, plus one of Vanessa's co-wokers, after the race!

This race is a lot of fun! They have great sponsors which spoil us runners with homemade clam chowder and green bagels at the post race party (all for free)!! I didn't take photos along the way, but we run right along the Long Island Sound with gorgeous views. The hills are minimal, and the miles pass fairly quickly. My only complaint is the water stop locations. The first one isn't until close to mile 2 and the next one is before the 3rd mile. So you have a long waterless stretch at the beginning and end. Other than that though, it's a great time. I missed it last year to run the NYC Half Marathon, but was happy to return this year!

Did you run any races this weekend?

Outside > Inside

After my miserable run at the gym on Monday, I was determined to take things outside Wednesday evening. I was having the most difficult time deciding how far to run and what route to take. Sunday I will be running the Leprechaun 5 Miler, which is certainly an attainable distance given my recent 10 miler with Katie. Yet I hadn't actually run more than 3 since I realized my April half wasn't happening. Finally I decided to run 4 miles. AND I decided to take my advice from the other day and step back a little to regain my confidence. Meaning I wanted to limit the hills and not press too hard for pace. AKA, go out and enjoy the run!

Well... low and behold, I had a GREAT run! There were moments of "whoa, this is hard" of course, but I told myself just slow down a little, catch your breath. I looked a few times at my distance as I had decided to do a few different out and backs. (I wasn't sure entirely of when it was getting dark, so didn't want to ever be too far from home.) I never looked at my pace however.

Speaking of distance... Does anyone else lose the ability to do math while running? By the time I was on my last out and back, I could not for the life of me figure out how far out I had to run. I finally guessed, and luckily it worked out. Running and math do not mix my friends!

When my run was over, I let myself look at the pace:

Do you see what I see?? That's my fastest run since... September I think. Nice work! Granted it was a relatively flat route, blah blah blah. But I'll take it! I was super excited to plug my watch in and see what the splits looked like. Oddly enough, my first mile was the fastest. Even more odd, that was the hilliest mile!

It's really encouraging to have a great run. Finally! Have any of you had a nice run lately? Battling the "I hate running" thoughts?

Truthful Tuesday

Folks... there's been another photo.

Clearly I've fallen off the weight loss bandwagon. Look at that BOOTY! Yes, caps lock BOOTY. Ugh. Thank goodness for photos to show me the truth. So for today, Truthful Tuesday is about my poor motivation.

Dieting is SO HARD. I mean on principal it's really simple. Eat carefully portioned healthy food and exercise a lot. But my body is rebelling! The eat healthy thing I am fairly good at. (Allowing for a cheat day here and there of course, it's the only way to have success!) But the exercise thing is killing me. Here's the thing about running, and I think almost any runner will agree (if they don't, they're probably lying): it never gets easier! No matter how fit you are, how carefully you plan/eat, you may go out for a run and it might be the hardest most miserable run EVER. Talk about discouraging. I've been having a series of these types of runs. My shins hurt, my ankles and feet hurt, and my brain won't stop whining. WHINE WHINE WHINE. Ugh. Shut it brain! I know I need new sneakers, but I don't really think that's entirely the issue. Mostly it's the brain. Stupid brain.

I think as an athlete, sometimes you have to step back. I know it's true with horses, if your or your horse's confidence has been shaken, you need to step back and get comfortable again. Then build back up. Running is much the same. I often feel so defeated if I have to stop and walk during a run. Or if my time is really slow. But you have to listen to your body, and sometimes even your stupid brain. For whatever reason, you need to step back and rebuild.

So to summarize my truths for this week:
I'm still chubby
I've been having slow sad runs
I'm feeling very whiny

How about you readers? Have anything you need to get off your chest? Exercise or dieting getting you down? What are some things you do to improve your mental outlook?

Stridebox!

The March Stridebox arrived much more promptly than February's. Phew! It actually came a day earlier than I expected as the tracking hadn't updated. Yay for surprises!

Info Card

First look

 I love that Stridebox has been incorporating holidays into their boxes. Cute touch!

The "stuff" this month is called lace locker. It's a strip of velcro that you put around your laces so they stay tied. Nifty idea! I haven't tried them yet, but I probably will on my next pair of shoes (I'm pretty overdo for new ones).

Did you know Gu made a drink mix? I'm excited to try this one!

Slather is a an anti chafing cream. Definitely something I should try and remember to use next time I run long!

I can't wait to eat this! I think I will eat it before my next after work run. Peanut Butter Crunch protein brownie?! Yes please. Keep 'em coming.

I had this Honey Stinger bar before my run on Saturday. It was tasty enough, but probably not my favorite bar.

My plan was to drink this Fluid recovery drink after my run, but then I forgot. So I'll have to let you know how it is. But it's chocolate, so I imagine it's delicious!

I was so happy to see Gu in this box! I'm getting low. I don't use them unless I'm running more than 7 miles, so I'm probably ok for a bit without them. I haven't tried this flavor yet, so maybe that will motivate me to run long! (Probably not though.)

I haven't tried this brand of electrolyte drink mix yet, maybe if it ever gets warm I'll have a chance!

I have not yet found a use for all of the cute stickers I get from Stridebox. But I love them.

So that's it for this month! Stridebox is $15.00 a  month, including shipping. I always feel like I more than get my money's worth. And the founder is probably the most personable, friendly person I've ever emailed with! If you're interested in trying out Stridebox, click here and sign up!

Disclaimer: I paid for my subscription to this box, and all opinions are my own. As far as I'm aware Stridebox does not have a referral program so if you decide to try it out, I do not get compensated in any way.