Stridebox Review – February 2015

I got my first Stridebox in February, which is a subscription box designed especially for runners.  It can include all sorts of goodies and equipment, and I was looking forward to seeing what was inside!  The cost is $15 a month.

I think the “biggest” item in this box was a pair of touchscreen gloves.  I will say that these weren’t super useful to me.  My husband had just gotten me really nice touchscreen gloves for Christmas that are wonderful.  I wore these a couple of times, including for a 10k race.  They are fine, your typical cheap glove material, but the touchscreen aspect didn’t work that well.  Kind of a dud for me.

Also included was a Picky Bar, which is an energy bar.  I got the flavor Cookie Doughphness.  I was a bit surprised at the texture – I expected it to be like a clif bar but it was way more chewy.  However, it tasted really good!  And I can be very picky (no pun intended!) with this sort of thing.

Glass Slipper Challenge training – 2 weeks to go!!

Wow, we’re only two weeks away.  Even though four runs were on the agenda for this week, I only got in two.  You’ll see why in a moment, but I felt it was smarter to rest up and recover rather than push myself too hard this close before the race.  I’m really nervous now about the Half Marathon, and I’m just praying I’ll make it through!

On Monday I did one of my typical treadmill runs.  Nothing really out of the ordinary here.

Wednesday it was about 40 degrees out so I went outside to do a long run.  Another half marathon distance in, and a great time – but I started really feeling the pain by about mile 8.  I feel it in my hips and I’m pretty sure it’s bursitis, which there’s no easy way to fix.  It gets to be torture toward the end, so I’m going to do my best to get to yoga in these next two weeks and just stretch out that area as much as possible.  If anyone else has any tips for lessening hip pain while running please let me know.  The pain is only really while I’m running – once I’m done it’s just the typical soreness I would expect after a long run.

Glass Slipper Challenge training – 3 weeks to go!

I can’t believe that in 3 weeks I’ll be running the Glass Slipper Challenge!  I’m hoping to get in one more long run before that but the weather doesn’t seem to be cooperating.

Honestly, in terms of running this was a pretty boring week.  It was treadmill all week, about the same pace throughout.  But at least I managed to get some running in!

  

Glass Slipper Challenge Training – 4 weeks to go!

We are only one month away from the Glass Slipper Challenge!  I’m excited and pumped, though my (failed) run Friday didn’t exactly get me motivated.  What does have my motivated is my new FitBit Surge – if you didn’t see the review I wrote this week, go check it out!

I kind of “reversed” the week this time around to get my long run in at the beginning of the week when it was a little warmer.  I did this run the day after last week’s last run, so I still got the “Glass Slipper Challenge” effect of running 4 miles one day and 13 the next.  Even though the schedule said 12.5 I wasn’t going to stop there where I was so close to doing the whole distance!  I toughed it out, but I have to say that after mile 10 I really started feeling it.  I slowed down a lot, and had a ton of pain in my hips.  The things that usually bother me, like my ankles or my knees, didn’t.  I guess it’s just going to take more practice at going over the 10 mile distance.

The mid-week runs were the typical 36 minutes.  Tuesday I was actually fortunate enough to get outside again, as it was about 40 degrees – I’ve found that anything under 40 is usually really bad for me, so if I see that 4 in the temperature I jump on the chance!

Thursday was colder so it was in on the treadmill.

This past Friday I tried to do the scheduled 4 mile run outside.  It was about 36 degrees.  Unfortunately, a combination of things had me stopping early.  My lungs were hurting, I guess from the cold.  And I ate a lot of fruit and veggies before I ran –  I think I need something a little more substantial and to throw some carbs in there.  It’s really discouraging when just a week ago I did 13.1 miles, and then I couldn’t even get past 1.5.

This week the word is that we’re going to be getting a pretty terrible snowstorm, so there’s no chance of me running outside – or even being able to get to the gym to do a treadmill run.  My fingers are crossed that things will get better as the week goes on.

FitBit Surge Review

 

While not directly Disney related, I know I have a lot of runners that read this blog and I recently got the FitBit Surge, so I wanted to share some of my thoughts on it.  I’ve never had a running watch before, though I’ve been wearing a FitBit for over a year.

Here’s my history with FitBit:  I got the Force for Christmas last year and was completely in love with it.  Then, as you might have heard, it got recalled for giving people a rash.  A few weeks after they announced the recall I got the rash, so I sadly sent it back and got the Flex instead.  That was okay, but nowhere near as good as the Force.  Then I had been thinking about buying a running watch in addition to my Flex when they announced the Surge.  I figured it would be perfect to replace my Flex and get a running watch!

Appearance/Fit

• I want something I can wear every single day.  The nice thing about the Force/Flex was that they were really unobtrusive – they were small and sleek and cool looking.  The Surge is understandably bigger, but I’m slowly getting used to wearing it every day.
• The band itself is very comfortable.  Mind you, I am used to wearing something on my wrist every day.  I got the small size, and I go in between notches depending on if I’m sweating and how swollen my wrist is!
• The screen display itself is really nice.  It’s touch screen, and you can easily swipe to get the different stats.  Numbers are big, easy to read, and clear.
• It comes in three different colors: black, blue, and orange.

Displayed Stats

• Clock: Shows what time it is, which is nice because unlike the Flex it can double as a watch.  You can choose if you want the time displayed in 12 hour mode or 24 hour (military) mode.
• Step count: Shows how many steps you’ve taken, and a bar displaying how much of your daily goal you’ve achieved.
• Heart rate:  One of the new things to FitBit is the heart rate monitor.  This setting will show you what your current BPM is.
• Miles:  Displays how many miles you’ve gone that day.
• Calories:  calories burned.
• Flights:  How many flights of stairs you’ve climbed that day (sometimes if you go uphill it will count it, even if it’s not stairs, like if you’re running).

Glass Slipper Challenge – 5 weeks to go

Cold, cold, go away, come again some other day!  In case you hadn’t guessed, I was stuck on the treadmill this week.  Three treadmill runs.  On a related running note, if you didn’t see it I just did a review of Clif products and all that they have to offer to runners (Clif energy bars, energy shot bloks, energy gels, and protein powder).  Clif bars are the best thing for me before a run, and their shot bloks are my fuel of choice while running!  So if you’re trying to figure out which fuels work for you, I highly recommend you try them.

This was one of the “in between” weeks that didn’t have a long run, which I’ve been pretty consistent on.  No real surprises here, a pretty typical week – no complaints from me!

On Thursday’s four mile run I intended to take it easy, since I had plans to do my long, 13.1 mile run the next day.  However, I didn’t take it as easy as I thought I would!  I just got in the groove, I guess.  But I do think it will be good practice for the Glass Slipper Challenge!

Glass Slipper Challenge Training – 6 weeks to go

It was a pretty big week for my run training.  I only got in 3 of the 4 runs, but I managed the long run, which is the furthest distance I’ve ever gone!  And now that we’re 6 weeks away my costume is really starting to come together.  I made my shirt for the half the other day!

I did my long run at the beginning of the week rather than the end, on Sunday.  That’s because it was an amazing 55 degrees last Sunday!  Crazy considering by Tuesday we were looking at 10 degrees.  So I did my 11 miles, and it wasn’t too bad!  I was definitely feeling it by the end, and it’s hard to imagine doing 2 more, but I’m sure by the time the half rolls around I’ll be able to.

Wednesday I did one of my short runs on the treadmill.  A good treadmill pace and no complaints, other than I wish it wasn’t so darn cold here so I could run outside!

Thursday I was back at the gym on the treadmill, with a run pretty much identical to Wednesday’s.  At least I’m being consistent!

 

Glass Slipper Challenge Training – 7 weeks to go

The countdown on my phone says that I’ll be in Disney World in 47 days, which is a little scary!  It’s really starting to feel real that not only will I be running my first half marathon, but I’ll also be doing a 10k the day before.  Granted, I plan to do plenty of character stops during the 10k and not push myself too hard, but it’s still going to be crazy.  I also have to get to work on my costumes.  I’m almost set for my 10k costume (I’m doing Snow White), but I still have some work to do on my Anna costume for the half!  I did get a very cute cape for Christmas that I’m planning to wear though 🙂

This was an “in between” week, meaning that I didn’t have a long run on the weekend, just a 4 mile run.  Still, I feel like I’m constantly fighting with the weather so every week is a challenge.  This coming week looks like it’s going to be pretty rough.