fueling on the run

I always had a difficult time munching on those gels and goos on the run so I would carry pez and gummy fruit slices for fuel during the marathon and half marathon.  On my long training runs I would test out other foods... starburst (too chewy and tough when it's cold), other candies... not much luck with traveling well or being easy to eat while on the go.
The other day at Wegman's I was checking out the organic food/energy bar section and came across these little beauties.

They are orange blossom fruit snack items and are similar consistency to the gummy fruit slices.  They taste great and travel well.  Best of all they are not red like so many of the other energy fruit gel/chews that are out on the market.  Red food dyes upset my stomach on the long run.  Can't wait to test them out in a race situation at the end of this month at the Flower City half marathon.

Running id

A few years back I won a gift certificate for a company that specializes in running identification tags/bands...  I placed an order with roadid (that's the company) for their shoe id tag.  Basically it is a piece of velcro slips between the laces and latches on with a metal engraved tag with info.  I love that I can easily switch the tag between shoe and I've never even known it was there while running... it doesn't affect the lacing system for me or "flop" around.

can't really notice it (left shoe)

I chose the shoe tag because I didn't want to have to worry about wearing a bracelet or putting something else on.  The shoe tag one is also available with a pouch on it for storing money, keys... but I didn't want that bulk on my shoes (most of my clothes have a small pocket anyways that I could use).

I have my name, town and zip code, Luke's phone number and hubby, momma's phone number and papa bears phone number along with NKA (no known allergies).  Identification and 3 emergency contacts since I don't always run with my phone.  

"You're Crazy..."

I get that a lot when people find out I run the Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge (1/2 marathon Saturday and marathon Sunday).  Well, Disney has upped the challenge and added a new race to their calendar for marathon weekend.  People unofficially referred to running the 5k Friday followed by the Goofy as the Dopey Race.

Disney has made it official and is adding a 10k to the weekend so it will look like this:
5K Thursday
10K Friday
13.1 Saturday
26.2 Sunday
total of 48.6 miles in 4 days... and I will be crazy.  According to my friend Miss D I can just consider it a stepping stone to running an ultra marathon (um, have never considered one and don't think so... but a great positive spin on it).
Who is Dopey with me???

Give Back to Running

All of the races I run need the help and support of many volunteers to make it possible.  My family also participates in the giving back to the running community, despite the fact they don't even run.  A long while back I was running a race called Johnny's Runnin' of the Green.  Somehow my mom started talking to someone important about the water buffalo (this giant water tank on wheels) that she had seen at our big championship cross country and track championships in high school.  One thing lead to another and my mom was put in charge of organizing the water stop for the race.  I believe she's been in charge of this for about 10 years now.

 This year it was extremely cold (ice forming in the glasses cold).  My mom was super prepared for all of the volunteers, as usual.  She had festive items for us to wear (hello XL stuff to wear over jackets).  We were all cracking up at her since she had hand warmers in her hoodie pouch to get started for us and forgot to pull her t-shirt back down.  We told her she looked like the old men with their bellies hanging out except she had a Shrek belly.  She loves to make us all laugh.

Here is the crew she got together for this year with our slush water ready to hand out.  We also had another table set up down the road a little further.  Throughout the race we filled more cups.  Thanks to the Monroe County Water Authority for bringing their water buffalo to the event and helping out all of those crazy runners... they appreciate it (I know).  Thanks to all our family and friends that help out with the event each year.

just over 1 month

so there is just over a month until the Rochester 1/2 marathon.  Training is failing miserably.  It is colder out than I would like and I am lacking the motivation to get out and run.  I have no issue elliptical-ing though.  Must be that I just want some temps above 30 degrees including the windchill.  We had a few nice days and I was getting back into a groove and feeling great so the elliptical is keeping me in decent enough shape.  Perhaps the weather will warm up by the end of the week and I will have the motivation to go out, especially since it is lighter out later in the evening thanks to daylight savings last week.