Oldest is 11, Menards, Des Moines Drummers

My oldest spawn turned 11 years old today!   We don't always do a party or cake on the kids birthday but close.  He had a party on Friday with some friends and today ended up being really fun.
We dropped him off at Culture Inc. to meet with The Des Moines Drummers

He was so excited and when I walked him I instantly realized that this was a very cool group of people from all walks of life.  Jaymon and I took the other three spawn shopping before coming back to hang out.

Menards is fun EVERY TIME WE GO!

The patio section is always a hit.

Somebody left the keys in that little cubby on the dash of this fun toy.  I had to take them away from Milo!  He was ready to turn it on and go and Archimedes was ready to ride shotgun.

We decided to go grocery shopping after picking up Sammo from drumming so it ended up being a fun late night for the Bishop/Hotz clan.  We all went in to Culture Inc to pick up Sam and the boys were mesmerized!  Jupiter went up to a lady playing Trombone and was very curious. I told her that he has autism and didn't talk.  She was so kind and patient with him and showed him her instrument and got him to play a bit!!  Milo decided he had to try too.   Mind you, while the boys were playing with Anne the rest of the group were drumming and dancing.  Seriously my face hurts from smiling so much. Jaymon really enjoyed it too and believe it or not, even with all those people playing it never seemed too loud.

So Anne got Milo and Medes to try her trombone and Milo sat and played for over 20 minutes.  He was having so much fun.   Jupiter kept sneaking around blowing out candles and Sam wandered around playing his Djimbe.  We met up with my barefoot running buddy Forey and watched him dance the night away.

Awesome night and we will be going back to hang out with the Des Moines Drummers!

 Paul Simons Loves Me Like a Rock was playing in Menards. Even though I am estranged from my mother I do have some fond memories.  The woman could find and sing a song for every occaision.  She used to sing Loves Me Like a Rock all the time to us when we were kids.  Now that I have son's I sometimes sing it to them and try to always get down on my knees to hug them.

 Awesome 11th birthday for the oldest spawn.

This was playing in Menards too!  

Barefoot running talk wore me out

  Yesterday I gave a talk about Barefoot Running at the Healthy Living Expo here in Des Moines.  It was a fun day of connecting with new and old friends alike.  I had a smallish crowd of 15-18 people so easier to just talk with them.   I also had a both for nuun at the event that the hubby maned for me while I was busy being a social butterfly.
  Speaking in front of a group is exhausting.  I am very very glad its over with.  I do believe that the first time is always the scariest and that next time won't be so nerve wracking.  I now have the stupid thing running through my head and thoughts of what I should have/ could have done differently.  I am trusting that I sounded less of a rube than I thought I sounded.

  Friday was my littlest spawn Archimedes Supercell's 3rd Birthday!  Today is my oldest spawn Samson's 11th Birthday.  We have plans to work out together at 3 and then check out the Des Moines Drum Circle at Culture Inc at 6:00.
I am eager to burn off some steam and perk up a bit.
I have a review to write for Cafe Press, doccs to scan and send, a review of Golite, Sportkilt and Terra Plana's Evo II's as well as an email for sponsorship to write. Oh and two packages to ship.  I look forward to my week getting back to normal.....maybe this week I will run :)  We need to come up with a workout area computer solution.  We are experiencing a shortage of computers in the house.

For your viewing pleasure...scaring ducks gets a laugh every time!

He looks just like his father in this photo!  We had a nice 4 mile run Friday.  I wore my Evo IIs for the first time and he wore socks reinforced with duct tape.  I asked him to trim his beard for the expo.  You know, just clean it up a bit but under no circumstances shave it off.....he is now bald and cold.

Eco Lips Giveaway Winner!

Penny you were lucky #4!  

Thanks to random.org you won a tube of Chocolate mint lip balm and a balm holder courtesy of EcoLips Organic Lip balm

Thank you all for entering!

Be Well,

Angie

Merrell Barefoot Pace Glove Reveiw

   I am a barefoot runner at heart and have worked long and hard to program my mind and body to run efficiently with a gentle and smooth midfoot landing and strong upright form.  When trying out shoes I will critique them based on whether or not they aid or impede my barefoot running form.
Quite simply, the Merrell Women's Pace Glove  is like a Vibrams One Finger. They have an excellent balance between protection and ground feel.  I have gathered a nice tool box of minimal shoes so I have a basis of comparison.
I also was fortunate enough to try both the Pace and the Merrell Men's Trail Glove .
 This will be a review of the womens Pace gloves however I must add in some points about the Trail to have a balanced review.

  Merrell has a long standing relationship with Vibrams as many of their shoes use a Vibrams sole.   I was sent a pair of Vibrams KSO Treks last summer and I was able to compare the VFF and Barefoot Gloves.  When I spoke with the people at Merrell in October they seemed pleased with their relationship with Vibrams.  Many of their shoes use a Vibrams sole.  Vibrams has a niche in the shoe market that Merrell would not be trying to usurp but build upon.  I personally love the l Tim Burton inspired look although many people find it very disagreeable to their aesthetics.  The Merrell Barefoot line is a nice alternative for those looking for a minimal shoe without the crazy gecko style.

 The sole of the Pace Glove is the same as my VFF KSO Treks although a bit thicker to provide added protection.  They have lugs on the the sole where the toes would be and make the One Finger reference even more fitting.

  When I first was offered the shoes I was dubious about how minimal they were.  They look like a much more substantial shoe in photographs. When I received them I was surprised and very pleased that they were so light and the sole so thin.

  The first thing I did when taking them out of the box was to roll them into a ball and test how flexible and thin the sole really was.  I also weighed them on my kitchen scale.  The size 10 womens Pace Gloves weigh in at 6.1 ounces.  The Pace Gloves are light, attractive, and have zero heel toe drop.  They have great traction and seem very durable. These  are excellent characteristics for a  minimal shoe.

  Both the Trail Glove and the Pace Glove have a protection area on the medial side of the sole that I find very hard not to think about.  It does not support the arch however it is thicker than the same area on other minimal shoes like the VFF and Evo's.  You can see it in the above photo above where you can see the sole of the shoe.  Its like and extension of the sole.  I do think it provides added protection however I think it is not necessary for most conditions.
  During the Living History Farms Race I was racing along through the woods and stepped on a 3-4 inch cut off sapling hidden in some leaves.  I was a bit bruised however the KSO Treks protected my foot with just the leather material.    I think that replacing this area on the Gloves with thinner material would be a benefit in later versions.  For the sake of brevity, that area of the shoe throws off my groove for the first couple miles until I forget that it is there.  From another perspective, these shoes are the trail shoe in the Merrell barefoot lineup and meant to offer protection off road.

The pace glove has a stretchy area on the back of the ankle at the heel tab.  It has led to much discussion on the forums and facebook.  I personally did not notice any discomfort nor did I notice any distraction from the different style of the heel tab.

  I found both the Pace and Trail  to be comfortable with or without socks.  The Trail Gloves rubbed on my right arch the first time without socks and then not a problem after that initial run.  Due to the Pace gloves being a bit narrow I have not run over 12 miles at a time in them.

  They are more comfortable after they have had some miles put on them although this is the case with most shoes after you break them in like a good pair of jeans!  The Pace and Trail gloves both have two areas of EVA padding that makes them feel mildly cushioned.  This was a strange feeling to have such a light shoe feel padded.   The padding does seem to break down over time and reduce the cushioned feeling.   It did not pose a problem with my running form and I did not experience any discomfort like I would with a conventional trainer.  These shoes are pleasingly minimal overall.

   I do however think the heel cup is much smaller in the womens Pace than the mens Trail Glove.  I have narrow feet and even after considerable widening of my forefoot from running barefoot, I still have relatively narrow feet.  I felt like the Pace Gloves were a hair too narrow overall.    After a long run I expect my feet to swell and the shoes become uncomfortably tight and there is not enough give in the lacing system of the womens to accommodated this.
In comparison, the Trail Glove is wide enough to accommodate adequate splay yet the lacing allows for control over the tightness that keeps the shoe from sliding around on my feet as I run as well as room to accommodate swelling.

  For shorter runs the Pace gloves do have enough room for me to wear wool socks.   This does reduce the ground feel a little but not enough to sacrifice warmth when in the snow!   I was very pleased at how warm my feet stayed despite being in very cold environments.  The above photo was taken on a sunny 12 degree day here in Des Moines.  The route I ran was my "hilly route" and I felt confident in my footing on the slick terrain.  The upper of the shoe is mesh and has excellent breath-ability in the warmer months and yet kept my feet warm enough in the colder months as well.

Merrell has a reputation for making shoes that last for years and years and I think that the Barefoot Collection  will be no different in this regard. I wouldn't be surprised if they become more comfortable as the miles add up.   I think that you will be happy with either the Pace or the Trail depending on the width of your foot.  If you have the opportunity to try them on before purchase I would recommend that.
They are available in select stores now however they will be available at the first of February.

I have been quite happy to work with Merrell and look forward to trying the the other styles in the womens line.  I plan to wear the Merrell shoes to supplement my efforts at Mind the Ducks in May.

Ordering the Womens Pace glove through Amazon helps support this blog!! 

Order the Mens Trail Glove by following this link!

Merrell Mens Trail Glove

Will power vs willingness

  In a matter of 10 minutes I came across two different articles that mentioned stoicism.  What are the odds as I sit here thinking that my goals for the year are off and my attitude is off as well.  Alright Universe, you have my attention.  The friendly reminders in the form of friends writing about running meditation piqued my interest and now you have my full attention.

 Jaymon and I sit and drink coffee in the mornings and spend time on the computer intermittently cooking and interacting with the kids.  He came across this article.   I found it perfectly fit my morning of profundity since I was simultaneously reading this blog post.

  My goals are a way of structuring and monitoring my self improvement and growth and I have become stagnant in the idea of destination.  Take for instance wanting to run 50 miles at Mind the Ducks. Up until today  I was consumed with the number of miles collected. Today my "maybe mindset" says how about focusing on the fact that I am going to ride a train half way across the country, by myself, stopping and exploring new cities, meeting old and new friends along the way, and running with them.  With that perspective the number of miles pales in comparison.  I will be running for longer hours than I ever have before.  I love to run so thats not a thing to attain but an experience I look forward to and will share it with others that are also passionate about running.  Hence the willingness instead of will. 

Here is a blurb from the Will power vs Willingness article.

The will tends to think it has all the answers and it doesn't relish asking for directions. Willingness, on the other hand, is full of open-minded inquiries, like: How might I go about getting started on this project? What would happen if I tried this? What would be most helpful now?

Where the will never says die, willingness is continually reborn -- and it gets smarter and stronger each time around.

  This idea of willingness is what I was going for when I made a goal to be aware of my polar thinking and be open to "maybe" instead of my usual "no" which seems safer. The understanding however had not been solidified and clear as it is now and now I can consciously be aware of it instead of just having a notion.

  Over the years I have learned that "No" or "failure" is not as scary as success or the possibility of failure.  A known failure is known and therefore not frightening. I want to change this about myself but the force of my will is only going to perpetuate this old habit.  

"The problem with the will is that it's one hard-driving taskmaster -- but it tends to cement itself to a static idea of success and, thus, to constant reminders of the potential for failure."  

This quote struck home with me and made me think that I needed to refine my goals for this year and focus on my attitude about what I want to accomplish.  One of my goals to do things that frighten me is more about saying yes instead of no and standing up to that fear of the unknown with an open heart and mind and saying "maybe" or "what if".  

  I want to get in touch again with how lovely it is to run for the sake of doing it.  The mileage goals motivate me to get out the door however once my body is moving the goals take the backseat and being present takes over which leads to happiness and contentment and a sense of satisfaction when the run comes to an end even if I didn't meet my goals for said run.  Most often however the feeling of being exactly where I want to be at this place in time leads to being better than I thought possible.  

  A goal to focus on being present and mindful for part of every run will bring me greater satisfaction than running X amount of miles.  One of the beauties of barefoot running is that I am more likely to be encouraged into the present moment though all of the sensory feedback I receive from my feet touching the ground.   

I am thinking that 1500 miles is too much to shoot for happily.  That number will still be sought after but 1200 seems like enough to do more than I did last year without taking away from other parts of my life that are equally important and besides I can't predict the future and anything can happen.   Last year it was anemia that came out of seemingly nowhere.  Now I am struggling with a bacterial infection in my stomach that is possibly leading to an ulcer and they very well may be connected.  That is undoubtedly  a reason to practice being mindful.  I am obviously and knowingly not managing my stress.  It became blatantly evident when I felt pain in my stomach when we found out that my father in law has colon cancer and was operated on the next day.  He seems to be recovering and its still to early to know the prognosis but for me it was a wake up call that I need to actively be aware of my stress and make an effort to practice mindful breathing.  The best time for me to meditate is through movement like yoga and running. If I don't practice being mindful I may find myself not being able to run at all if I don't manage my stress.

  I was on the right track with my goals this year but with a willingness attitude I am now able to refine my goals instead of bailing on them altogether.  This is an improvement in and of itself so Yay me!

Heres to being willing to grow and understand. Heres to happiness and contentment along the way.

Little tab of competition

I have worked with Outside PR several times. It has been a very nice experience each time. They have been generous in letting my try out GU products and I was met with a surprise package in the mail two days ago.

  As you may know I work for and love nuun active hydration.  I am a brand ambassador, Iowa Team Lead, and sponsored athlete.  That said I am a contractor.  The beauty of contract work is that I have freedom to come and go as I please and be honest regardless of my ties to a company.  I stay with nuun because I  believe in the idea as well as the product.  I do however love to try all kinds of products and write about them here.  I want to see whats out there that could help me on my journey and then share that info in hopes that it will help you along your path.

 Now on to the package....GU has come out with the new GU Brew Tabs.  From the letter that was sent with the tube there are only 26 tubes out there and I got one of the golden tickets.  Ah competition!  It breeds innovation and creativity.  It lights a proverbial fire under a the arse of stagnation.  I commend GUs efforts.
The tabs have 320 mg of sodium and 55 mg of potassium.  The sweetener is Stevia and the tabs yield only 10 calories each so you are free to hydrate and fuel based on situation and individual needs.  

They will be initially available in Orange, Lemon Lime, and Peach Tea flavors and will be released to specialty run, bike , and outdoor specialty retailers in March 2011 and retail for $6.50 per 12 tab tube.
I get to try the Lemon Lime!

  I like that it is sweetened with Stevia Leaf. For the price I would still choose nuun over GU considering nuun includes calcium and magnesium to make a balanced blend of electrolytes  where as GU only has sodium and potassium.   Most people are dehydrated and don't know it.  There are many factors involved when considering dehydration including climate controlled environments, dry winter air, illness, exertion, foods we eat as well as exercise.  I like that I have many options to choose from to stay hydrated.

Both nuun and GU's  tablet and tube design are brilliant.  The tubes are convenient and easy to take on the go.
The GU hinged tube beats out nuuns unhinged lid.  The nuun tablet has the advantage of being scored for easy splitting to put in a smaller mouthed bottle.

I would use the GU brew tablets when I have them.  In the mean time they have made a fantastic effort to move in this direction and I hope that their second generation will include calcium and magnesium.   I do love GU gels and Chomps and this will be a nice addition to the GU lineup!

Play!! and updated goals

I am too wrapped up most days in my own self imposed deadlines and expectations of a checked off item on a made up to do list.  This is crazy considering I do contract work here and there and mostly have all the time in the world to do whatever strikes my fancy.

  Some things are mandatory like doing homework with Jupiter.  We have homework from his Homestead program and the homework is to play with him.  Why do I find this so hard?  Its play...
The goal of this play is to keep his attention on a shared activity for the longest amount of time possible.  Usually this is about 5-8 minutes.  We try and get him to communicate using his voice or voice output device (his "talker").  I am proud to say that after reading the below mentioned article I played with him.  It was 5 minutes and 8 seconds of playing a fishing game.  It was fun and I was engrossed in this simple game!

The hubby posted this link today from the Huffington Post. I highly recommended you read it!  It is not about running or barefoot running although I find both of those to be fun.  The article talks about adults having lost touch with playing and why playing makes us better people.
  With barefoot running I am lucky that it is fun whether I want it to be or not. Many times I still find myself focused  on a destination instead of the journey and yet the feedback from my feet always pulls me back to the present moment and why I believe that I have yet to have a crappy barefoot run.  Don't get me wrong there have been times when I gave myself nasty blisters from doing too much too soon or I didn't prepare well but I , so far, have always been able to look back on my most recent run and say matter of factly that it was fun.  Not everything in life is like barefoot running though.  I have to actively stop being so dang adultish often.

  I can feel this intuitively about myself, this idea that I have lost touch with my inner kid.  Part of the problem is winter and how confined to indoor activities we are and we are on a stricter schedule with Jupiters time in therapy.   I do know that I need and appreciate my limitations and if I am not happy its because of choices that I am making.  
Today I colored a Valentine with my almost 5 year old spawn, Milo.  My teddy bear holding a heart was the best on the window and I am not too proud to admit it.  Yes the rest were probably colored by folks much younger and less experienced in Crayon technique but I do know how to add depth and shade with a crayon and my bear was cute.  The best part was where it says "To: Milo, Love: Mama".

  I mentioned goals.  One of my goals was to connect with my 11 year old spawn.  I think that I know how to do that.  We need to have  shared activity.  So I am going to learn how to play Ukulele.  He taught himself how to play and has been trying to teach me for a while and I always have something else to do.  If this post is disjointed its because I am typing like a mad woman as he is waiting for me to finish so we can start!  
He has a brand new hand drum set with a set of Congas and Bongos so the Uke is freed up for now for me to practice on.  We love Jack Johnson, Bob Marley, Ziggy Marley, and so many more so music will bring us together.  Thats the plan anyways.

My running goals are too restrictive.  I am pretty far behind on my goal to hit 1500 miles this year. I know its only the first 3 weeks of the year but I don't feel like it and am having some health issues that I need to figure out. I might make it to 1500 and might not.  My bottom line goal is to get to 1200 for the year.  I will not force myself to run just to hit that goal.  I will force myself out that door when I know that a run will do me good even if I don't feel like it but I don't want to feel like I have to do something.  I don't want to risk it not being fun anymore.

Happy running, happy music making, happy playing to you!!

Ecolips review and giveaway!!

  I contacted EcoLips in my search for a lip balm that I could use all the time and not worry about what exactly I was putting on my lips.  I wear lip balm at night before bed, and especially when I run, and this time of year especially when the air is so dry.
  I was initially intrigued by the Dagoba chocolate flavored balm .   So as you might already know I can't just eat any chocolate bar anymore due to a casein intolerance.  I do remember how lovely Dagoba chocolate is though.  These days I make my own chocolate but oh how I miss just grabbing a bar at the store and digging in!

  Jen from Eco Lips sent me a generous amount of balms to try out and review here.  It doesn't take long to fall in love with a company like Eco Lips.  Even before I opened and tested out all of the flavors that Jen sent,  I had been reading their website and was happy to learn that Eco Lips is hand crafted in Cedar Rapids Iowa!  How fun that they are my neighbors (I am in Des Moines).  They are organic and believe in their product and it shows as soon as you see the packaging and put some on your lips.

I have mentioned a few of the reasons to love Eco Lips as a company but first let me show you some of the reasons to love the product itself.

Ecolips has Co-Branded lip care in both Dagoba chocolate and Honest Kids organic lip balm.

 Jen at Ecolips sent me each of the Dagoba flavors and each of the Honest Kids flavors as well.  The chocolate mint reminds me of chocolate mint ice cream and is truly a treat!   My favorite flavor in the Honest Kids is the Goodness Grapeness although honestly its a tough choice to pick a favorite when they are all so tasty.  I have to say that I am not a fan of the RoseBerry Dagoba balm but fell in love with the Lavender Chocolate balm.

The boys really loved all of the Honest Kids flavors and were excited to try them all in a row!  So far Tropical Tango Punch is the current fave.

Jen also sent Ecolips Gold  on a carabiner balm holder.

How cool is that!  It keeps your balm available for anytime or anywhere you need some balm.  I was skeptical that my balm would not stay put on the holder but it did and is still attached to my messenger bag that I use everyday.

What balms to choose to put on your Eco Clip Carabiner.... There are tinted balms that use minerals to give a pretty shimmering glow. Or how about flavored SPF formulas.   Pure and Simple lip care that is 100% edible so if your 3 year old is anything like mine it won't be a huge deal if he eats it!

Ecolips is one of those companies that make it so easy to want to support them.  Check out their Cause Balms.

The Cause Balm Program was designed to help non-profit organizations
gain awareness and funding for a brighter future!

For every lip balm sold through the Cause Balm Program,
the corresponding organization will receive a $1 donation from Eco Lips.

Help us Change the World, one set of lips at a time.

They even have a Girls On the Run balm which I know many of my bloggie buddies support!

Not only do they use organic ingredients and make a petroleum free product check out their Solar Power Project!
Ecolips also offers private label lip balms so you can partner with a great company and have a unique way to promote your business or club.

Here is more about how Eco Lips got started!  I love stories where it begins in someones kitchen and grows from there.

About Us - The Eco Lips Story

In the early 1990s, Andrea Danielson began brewing small batches of natural lip balm in her kitchen for her friends and family.  She took great care in handcrafting the balm and packaging it in small amber glass jars to preserve the freshness of the pure ingredients.  Andrea didn’t realize that by giving a sample of her natural lip creation to Steve Shriver, her life would be changed forever.

Having larger than average lips, Steve was continually searching for a better lip balm.  When Steve met Andrea in 1995, he immediately fell in love with the lip balm, and moments later he also fell in love with Andrea.  They were married in 1997 and Steve, a lifetime entrepreneur, quickly spent Andrea’s life savings on ingredients and packaging for the couple’s first product, Hemp Lip Buzz.

By 2003, Steve and Andrea had built a specialized private label natural body care company focusing on making high quality products for many other successful brands.  Their company rapidly became a leading natural body care manufacturer in the Natural Products industry........more here.

Now that you are thoroughly intrigued with Eco Lips here is your chance to win a Dagoba Chocolate Mint lip balm on a Eco Clip Carabiner just like the photos above.

Here are the rules for the giveaway and as always, do as many or few as you would like.  Make sure and leave a separate comment for each thing you do as each will be counted as an entry.

• follow this blog and let me know you do
• Go over to Eco Lips and check out their site
• Like Ecolips facebook page!
• Write on their wall and tell them I sent you and maybe what you like about their lip stuff!
• post a link to your blog, facebook, tweet ect.

This giveaway will run until Saturday the 22nd and I will announce the winner that weekend.

Toesalad, IBRD, Public speaking,and Miss Barefoot Bee

IBRD is May 1st and (tentatively on the location)  there will be a gathering and run at Grays Lake here in Des Moines.  It will be a meetup for barefoot and minimal shoe runners and everyone is encouraged to come and go for a run, walk, jaunt, stroll, ect.  Come and kick off your shoes and have some fun at beautiful Grays Lake!  Its always easier to do something new with a bunch of nice laid back people.  If you have wanted to try barefoot running and need some motivation and encouragement, here is your chance!!

There will be updates here as well as the Barefoot Runners Society Iowa Chapter facebook page.

I will be manning the nuun both at the Healthy Living Expo coming up on Jan 29th.  At 12:30 ish I will be doing a talk on barefoot running and my experience with it so far.

Speaking engagement, holy guacamole I am nervous but I think it will be uber fun too!  There will be another Expo called the Natrural Living Expo that will be held in April on the 2nd and 3rd and I will be speaking at that as well if you miss the first one.

Have you checked out Toe Salad yet??  

Toesalad is a directory, forum, and community for all things minimalist footwear. Fellow minimalist runner Damien Tougas of the Adventure in Progress blog has just put up an interesting new site/social network for shoe fanatics. Called Toe Salad (named by his daughter), the site features reviews and information centered around every manner of minimalist running shoe.

     This is Miss Barefoot Bee.

Karly at Bitter Sweetz made me this little sweet bee!

Karly has many other characters like Yoga Donut, Cake Beast, Groovy Hippy Donut, Angel and Devil Cupcake... and many more.  You will see more of Miss Barefoot Bee.  I totally dig her running skirt and sports bra and she has the cutest little stinger and feet! 

Fun things happening this year already.  Definitely opportunities for me to give back and challenge myself and do some things that are scary as hell which can be fun despite the fear!

Running Chics winner!

The winner of the Running Chics outfit giveaway is lucky # 95 out of 234 entries.
Pam at Thirty Schmirty you will get a Thermal and pair of Running pants!!
 Email me at barefootangiebee at gmail dot com with your info and I will pass it on to the Running Chic gals!

Freeze Your Thorns off Virtual 5k recap

This will win for the most boring virtual race report yet....do I get a prize for that??
So in classic Angie fashion, I waited until Sunday night to run.   I ran a total of 14 miles on the treadmill in my basement full of self frustration for not running all week.  The anything but boring Adam at I am boring hosted the virtual race.

While I watched Samantha get banged at a gay wedding weekend and Carrie cheat on Big I ran and ran and ran. (Sex and the City 2 for those that don't know about the antics of four friends in New York.)   After that I switched to Angels and Demons and watched the first half.  The book is better although I have always loved Tom Hanks.

   I tried out some compression shorts and wore some ToeSox with nubbies for a review and I timed my 5k at 27 and some change.  My treadmill sporadically keeps distance but it does keep speed so I timed it with my watch.

My run went well and since I was going long I didn't push the 5k but tried to keep it a little faster than a slow crawl!  My heart was happy though as dreams of running skirt and sports bras being soaked in sweat on a hot summer evening when the barbecue smells return.

Until then its training for 50 miles in May and treadmill runs in the basement dreaming of Summer.

Vibrams Five Finger KSO Treks review

  I was so fortunate to have been sent the Vibrams Five Finger KSO Treks early last summer to try out.  I find it very hard to wear shoes when its so warm out so only wore them a few times often telling myself I needed to get them on to test them but the warm days won out.  I did however wear them at the Living History Farms Race in November and they were PERFECT!  Its high time I get a formal review finished since I am wearing my arsenal of minimal shoes more often this very cold Iowa winter!    When I first got them out of the box I rolled them up in a nice little ball to test their flexibility and weighed them.  My size 42's are just under 6 ounces each.

summer right after receiving them and going on my first run in them.  

  I was nervous about them not having enough traction for the muddy and slippery conditions of an XC race.  I surprisingly zipped past people on the course as they struggled to gain footing up the steep creek wall inclines.   I would dig in to the muddy and slippery creek bed walls with my gloved fingers and VFF toes and felt even more primal than what one would expect from running like a barbarian through the woods. The ground feel was just enough to maintain good form and the protection was excellent.  I stepped on a 3 inch sappling stump hiding in the leaves  that would have seriously injured my arch had I not had protection.  Even with the Treks I had a bit of a bruise.

I love the look of the Vibrams Five Fingers.  The colors and styles both suite the sassy side of my personality.  I would love to try a pair of the Sprints.  They look like a Tim Burton designed Mary Jane shoe!  I have been of the opinion that the separated toes lead to cold toes in the winter.  Its like the comparison to gloves and mittens.  Mittens are warmer although with mittens you loose the use of individual fingers.  Thats the tradeoff with the VFF as well.    The secret to wearing the VFF in the winter is to keep moving and keep the blood flowing!

Staying warm before the LHF XC race.

At the race I took the downhills cautiously as the trail, when there even was a trail,  was leaf covered, wet, and slippery.  I was pleased that I was able to have steady footing and had no trouble scrambling through the rock strewn creeks.  The Treks dried faster than I thought they would considering they are Kangaroo leather.  I wore wool injini socks with them and felt that they aided in my ablility to keep my toes warm.

  For the 2009  LHFR I wore Teva Proton 4 water shoes and slipped and slid around.   I thought that the traction was adequate on those however had not had something to compare them to.  Now that I have tried the Treks  I know without a doubt that my over  8 minute PR at the 2010 race was due to my shoe choice.

Very wet and muddy at the finish.

  The race was over 7 miles with 9 water crossing and took me 1:13 to finish.  My toes were quite frozen at the finish and I was glad to be eating and sipping hot apple cider at the finish line.   I thought I would state matter-of-factuality that I would choose a different shoe for cold weather however when there is water involved I don't think any shoe would keep your feet warm through nine water crossings.  They did a great job for what I needed them to do although having the toes all together would be warmer. Its a matter of degree.

All of my layers did not keep the cold out when I stopped running.  As long as I kept moving I felt great including my cold toes.

  I wore the Treks during the summer at times on the road when I was running high mile weeks and my soles were tender from running twice a day.   They are a little clumsy on the roads and I don't have the same ground feel however they are an excellent minimal shoe considering my opinion is one of a purist in the warm seasons and prefer going barefoot.  I could still maintain a midfoot landing even though the ground feel was reduced.

 On longer runs (wearing them without socks) of over 8 miles, I would get hot spots on the inside of my right arch and would have blistered had I kept going.  I like the feel of wearing them sans socks however the rubbing was a problem.  It may be something to just get uses to.  I have had the same experience with another minimal shoe in the same spot.

  I love to wear the VFF KSO Treks as my work shoes.  I work for nuun active hydration and am the Iowa Team Lead.  My current work uniform is black pants, black nuun shirt, and my black Treks.  They are very comfortable however after a long day of work my toes feel achy from being separated but my feet do not feel achy in general after being on them all day.  They have gotten stronger in fact from the zero heel toe drop.

    I love how they are a conversation starter.  I have had many enjoyable conversations about barefoot and minimal shoe running due to the interest they generate when I wear them.  They are very nice looking with the leather upper and the toes are just enough to be a conversation starter however not distracting as a work shoe.

  I prefer a shoe that has a lacing system for the added benefit of variable tightening.  The velcro closure of the KSO Treks are nice as they do stay in place where as lace ups come untied at times.  The design of the Treks is that they stay on your feet due to the shape and the closure that wraps around the ankle and straps down is for added adjustable fit.  I ordered the mens size 42 since my feet were about half an inch too big for the womens version.  There is no difference that I know of in the mens and womens.  I would imagine that they are wider however the velcro closure allows for a more custom fit.
I found them easy to get on after the first couple of times trying.  If I put my toes in and get them adjusted and then slip my heel into the shoe it is much easier than slipping my whole foot into the shoes and then trying to get my toes adjusted.  My toes fit nicely into the toe pockets and there is no discomfort having my toes in the pockets.

I have not experienced the dreaded VFF stink after many miles of wear. I am not prone to stinky feet.  I think its a matter of difference in my own personal flora since these shoes have been worn enough to warrant a bad oder and they still don't.   I also thought that they were not as hot as I thought they would be in the warmer weather considering the leather upper.  Again I am not prone to sweaty feet so that is a consideration.

I plan to wear them again at the Living History Farms Race in November 2011 and they are my standard work shoe.  They are great on trails that are not slippery and muddy although they preformed better than I had imagined they would.  The lugs on the toes gave enough traction to feel confident going at a moderate pace downhill  but not confident enough to run as fast on rough terrain as I felt like I could go.   I held back worried about my toes being exposed and separated  although the thickness of the sole was just right for protection and ground  feel.  Uphill they preformed beautifully allowing me to really dig into the ground.   For hiking and trail running I think they did great especially when the terrain was steep going up in mud and dry going downhill. That seems to be the trade off.  All in all they are a fantastic minimal shoe allowing for one to maintain a mid foot landing and are light and flexible with a great style.

You can check out a huge variety of Vibrams Five Fingers at Travel Country including the KSO Treks!

planning big inside a bubble

  I have been working on cleaning up the blog and organizing.  I have made new contacts and established new relationships this week.   I have been very productive and found a working relationship with the hubby this week that allowed us to be productive together instead of me competing  and being silly.  It has been a "good" week although unbalanced.

  I have not been running and am suffering for it.  I looked on the Mind the Ducks website and my name is on the registered participants list!  This thrills and terrifying me all at the same time.  I will get to meet some online friends that I have been really wanting to meet in person for over a year now.  The running does not scare me one bit but the meeting new people. Oi.  Its not a specific anxiety and I know everyone feels it but its easy to plan big inside a bubble.  Stepping out of that bubble....it will be a blast and I need to hang onto that.

  I don't know how many miles I will run but I am going to train like I am running 50.  Maybe I can get a marathon in as a training run.  That would be a fun way to get some distance in.  What lies to I tell myself?  What perspective shift will get me on that treadmill in the basement?  Maybe its the snow on the ground.  Maybe its a vitamin deficiency and maybe right now its the stupid candy I ate.
 I knew no candy would be hard but I finally caved and now I am infracted. This is what we call the negative consequence of eating an offending food.   When I or Jupiter get infracted we get very agitated and depressed.  Everything is loud and abrasive and I am just down right unhappy.   I now have a newfound motivation to stay away from candy and as many processed foods as possible.  It just doesn't seem to work out for me.
At first I felt weak and wanted to sink into a funk of failure.  Now I just feel motivated by the understanding that the candy that I saw as a treat and something special is now just something that is not worth it to eat.   It seems as if a long carried baggage filled with childhood food dysfunction can be set down and left behind.

   So, I have movies to watch while I run and maybe I will get a running orgasm!  As Christian pointed out in the comments, thats quality blog fodder!

  Its strange I know, but I really wish tomorrow where Monday.  I have things to do and they are not errands that can be run on the weekend.  I have a sneaky suspicion I will need a passport this year.  Nothing is planned but there are wide open opportunities that may point in that direction.  After my name change I need to get a new SS card before getting my passport.  Samson is getting a checking account and I have phone calls to make. I slept in today so I feel caught up and ready to get things done.  Its lovely to feel motivated instead of in a procrastination rut!

I am off to the basement to get in ......any kind of miles will do.

Be happy and well my friends.

Salute to the Sun

  This New Year I set a goal to practice yoga twice a week.  Even if its a few Sun Salutations or 2 hours worth as long as I am present and practicing it counts.
  I also set a goal to do 108 Sun Salutations on the equinox and solstices.  That is a lot of poses!
The lovely hubs filmed me doing some Sun Salutations at the Altoona Public library on January 3rd so I can look back over time and see myself from a different perspective and gauge my progress.

Surya Namaskara

The physical base of the practice links together twelve asanas in a dynamically performed series. These asanas are ordered so that they alternately stretch the spine backwards and forwards. When performed in the usual way, each asana is moved into with alternate inhalation and exhalation (except for the sixth asana where the breath is held in external suspension). A full round of Surya namaskara is considered to be two sets of the twelve poses with a change in the second set to moving the opposite leg first through the series.


I have always gone with this style of Sun Salutations.  I have seen others do a different sequence but this one feels balanced to me.  I do a upward facing dog instead of a locust post after Chaturanga which seems to be the biggest difference in styles.


I have read that they should be done in the morning first thing to greet the day.  What a lovely way to get the blood flowing in the morning.  I think I will try that tomorrow!


Do you do yoga?

Welcome 2011 with a Running Chics Giveaway!

  To celebrate the new year I get to give away an outfit to one of you from Running Chics apparel!

I posted a review of my knit thermal and pants here.

  I am wearing my thermal now as I type this and wore my pants to run in today on my 12 miler. The pants layer easily  and I wear a pair of tights underneath them when its particularly cold. Both the thermal and pants wash well and look brand new after much use and washing.  I would love to have multiple thermals in different colors and more pants so I can rotate and always have one on when one is in the wash!

I chose the teal and white thermal but it was a hard choice between that and the light blue one, or the pink, or maybe the Chocolate.....

 Another thing I really like about Running Chics is that there are many chics to choose from such as, Cheer, Swim, Cycling, Tennis, and many more so there is a chic for every chic!

Now you have a chance to win a sweet running outfit!  Since this is a giveaway for both pants and a thermal it will be very link heavy and many options to choose from to enter.

Here are the rules and do make sure to leave a separate comment for each thing that you do as each will count as an entry.  The first two are mandatory after that its feel free to do as many as you want to up your chances of winning!  (fellas, you can enter too!)

• Be a follower of this blog
• Like Running chics on Facebook
• go to their website and shop around and let me know what you like the best.
• which chic are you?? (if you are trying to win for someone else, what chic do you think they are?
• post a link to your facebook page
• tweet 
• link up to your blog
• Go say hello on their facebook page and tell them that I sent ya over!

This giveaway will run until Monday January 11th and I will announce the winner on the 12th!

Mind the Ducks and This Mother Can Run!

Mind the Ducks 12 hour race registration is open!!   I am sending in my application tomorrow!  Mind The Ducks is a Timed race on approximately half mile paved asphalt footpath surrounding Trout Lake in beautiful Seneca Park. Participants will have 12 hours to walk or run as many loops as they can. 

  My trip up to Rochester will be epic with a long train ride and a nice layover in Chicago before arriving in Rochester NY!  Any ideas on how to spend 5 hours in Chicago???  I am also looking for sponsors to help me get to NY.  

  In other news, the latest issue of This Mother Can Run is up and running!  I was a contributing writer for the Nov/Dec issue and am pleased to have been part of such a cool magazine!  Sign up to receive the latest issue and don't forget to put "AB", for Angie Bee, in the Gift Code box.  I could win a This Mother Can Run t-shirt!

Here is a little more about This Mother Can Run.

"This Mother Can Run is a magazine written for women who love to run.  It doesn't matter if you are a world class runner or someone who has just started to run and enjoy the experience.  I hope this magazine inspires you, informs you, and makes you realize that you are a part of a special group - running moms.  Enjoy."
  -- Nanette Simmons

Run Happy!!