Race Day Quandaries {A Three Things Thursday Post}

T-minus two days. Actually less than that. It's more like 41 hours.

Forty-one hours till the big race.

And though I have some things figured out, I am facing a few dilemmas.

1. For the race, I'm wearing an orange tank, Oiselle Flyte shorts and a pair of ProCompression socks. I just wish I could decide which socks to wear. I had planned, a long time ago, to wear the splash in royal blue ... but that was before I picked out my shirt. Ridiculous. Yes, I know. I could still wear he splash or go with an orange pair. Hi! Race photogs! Look. At. Me. I could also go with a pair of Nuun dotted sock and just be all repped out.

Note: I could just wear some low trainers and not worry about coordinating, too.

2. A concern with a bit more substance: Hydration. I've been training with my Nathan Sports Intensity vest and have loved it. As I'm going for time, though, the extra weight could affect me. Walking through water stops could be just as detrimental, though. Other options include a small handheld or wearing my speed belt with two bottles. The bonus with the belt (and vest) is I could have my phone with me. With the handleld, I could toss it in my in-law's yard around mile 11 if I'm tired of it.

3. "I'm going to be your annoying little shadow," Mark told me one night this week in the kitchen. While I had anticipated I'd get annoyed with him during his 13.1-mile pacing effort, I didn't think he'd be my shadow. I thought he'd be next to me, matching me stride for stride. He thinks it will be more motivation for him to be behind me. And he could be right, depending on that whole annoying thing.

Note: I do love my husband. Sometimes, I even like him. However, I know myself and I know I can get grumpy at the end of the race. Being that I love Mark, I know it will be easy to blame him, call him annoying and take it out on him.

It's my day, and it is about me - he's made it clear - so I'm wondering whether to be specific about how he runs with me.

Help! I'd love any insight.

A Runner's Guide to Summer Essentials

"You should probably start wearing sunscreen."

My work husband, full of the snark as one would expect, did have a point - even if he was sort of wrong and I sort of didn't care. For a redhead, my skin has become an almost unbelievable shade of tan. I have lines from my Oiselle strappy bra and others from a mesh tank I got at JC Penney. There's an odd ombre look from shorts and then shorter shorts. My face has almost reached its threshold for tan, my nose almost permanently a pinkish red.

As if my sweat-drenched clothes weren't enough of a reminder, my glow is proof that summer has arrived. And though it's easy to remember to take care in winter - gloves, tights, hat - I find it equally easy to forget to take precautions in the summer. It's warm! I only need 5 seconds to get dressed! Let's go!

We all know that there's more to fair-weather runner that that. We should put some thought into getting ready for a workout - whether it's an easy 3-miler or a long run with some goal pace miles thrown in.

Here are my summer running essentials:

NAAWK sunscreen. Red hair, pale skin requires good sun protection, and my favorite is NAAWK. I fell in love with this brand when I ran Hood to Coast last year, and it got me through many brutal miles along the Oregon countryside. Its ingredient list is recognizable and natural, the smell is pleasant, it's not greasy and it doesn't burn your eyes when you sweat like a beast. It comes in SPF 30 and 50, in lotion and continuous spray - all of which I've used. The price is right, too, at $9.99 for 6 ounces.

A good hat. While sunscreen is a necessity to protect from harmful rays, I still like to wear a hat. It keeps the sun out of my eyes. And, as a girl with short hair that can't be pulled up, it keeps my mane tamed and out of my face. I'm particularly fond of my Saucony cap (similar here) that I got free with gift during an event at my local running store. It's comfortable, has a nice brim and doesn't fall off my head, thanks to an adjustable bungee cord.

NUUN Energy. On the best of summer runs, my face might feel a bit grainy. On the worst, I look like a salt rock on the bottom of the Dead Sea. There's no denying it - I'm a salty runner. It's why I rely on NUUN to power me through longer workouts and help me recover from all of them. I typically drink a glass before and after every summer run to keep my electrolyte balanced, and I will bring it with me on longs run for extra help. (I either wear a hydration pack or split my fuel belt bottles with water and Nuun.) I am particularly fond of the Energy line, if even for the placebo effect. It has caffeine for an extra kick and B vitamins can help athletes perform at higher levels (source). Oh, and it tastes good.

Hydration source. You have to have a way to drink that Nuun, right? I have tried out many a handheld and hydration system, and my favorites come from Nathan Sports.  For single-digit runs, I like the QuickShot Plus. It's easy to hold and with an 10-ounce bottle, the weight of the liquid doesn't throw off my stride. Ten ounces not enough? The bottle can be filled at a park fountain with ease. For longer runs and now triathlon training, I favor the Intensity Vest. The bladder holds 2 liters of liquid, which is more than enough to carry you through the miles on the hottest of days. I like it, too, because it doesn't rub my birthin' hips the way a belt does.

PRO Compression low trainers. Sweat + friction = Gnarly blisters. As such, wearing the wrong sock can wreak havoc on the feet. It's paramount to find a pair that is designed for running, made with a wicking material and doesn't slide around. It's a bonus if my second toe doesn't poke through. And it doesn't with PRO Compression low trainers. While many might think of the company for its over-the-knee marathon sock, the low trainers are just as awesome. They hold tight to the feet, don't slip and come in fun colors. They also come up just a tad higher than some other running socks, keeping the back of the shoe from rubbing. And, at $25 for two pairs, it's not a bad price. Use code FUN to save 40 percent and get free shipping on the lavender version. That's $7.50 a pair, folks!

What are your summer running essentials?

Disclosure: I am an ambassador for Nuun and PRO Compression but I was not required nor even asked to write this post. All opinions are my own and no compensation was received.

Hydration woes: Training tales

I have a drinking problem.

Sunday, as I drove home from a play date at my friend's house, a play date preceded by a long run, I realized that I had not one, not two, not three ... but FIVE water bottles in my car, three of which that belonged some kind of hydration system. (The other two are Nuun Energy bottles because this momma needs all the energy I can get.)

• Nathan Sports QuickShot Plus
• Nathan Sports VaporShot
• Amphipod Profile-Lite 16 Waist Pack

It might seem that at first glance that I just have a shopping problem or suffer from indecision but that's not the case. Just as I've struggled with the weather this winter, I've struggled with my hydration. I don't want to drink when it's cold. I don't. I've also had problems with hydration systems that once worked no longer doing so.

Example: The Amphipod waist pack. I had switched to that pack, which I received as part of my Nuun HTC swag, after experiencing crazy chafing from my Nathan Sports speed belt during the Veterans Marathon. I had a few successful runs with the pack only to be nearly cut in half a few weeks later. I just couldn't get it situated without bouncing - whether it's a big booty, big belly, big hips or user error - and suffered the consequences.

I hauled out the Nathan Sports VaporShot for the next long run. It's 20 ounces (or 22?), and I knew it would be enough for that day's 12 miles.  But as it's bigger, it's heavier, and I wussed, out, deciding that I didn't want the extra weight to carry. As luck would have it, we ran a 3-mile loop and returned to the cars to pick up another runner, so I grabbed a drink and had nothing for the remaining nine miles.

Not good. I know it is not good.

This weekend, I spent some hard earned cash on the QuickShot handheld while visiting the running store for its 10th anniversary. It's only 8 ounces but I figured 8 ounces was better than zero ounces. I filled it with water and set off for my long long run of this training cycle - 14 miles, which ended up being 14.6 (and, yes, the 0.6 matters).

I was showing it off to my run buddy Joe, who was obviously impressed by the turquoise and coral color scheme, and we got on the topic of fueling and hydration. Not only have we (read: me) struggled with a mode of delivery for hydration but a schedule. In the summer, it's easy to work on a plan for hydrating during training because you are thirsty. Sip every mile. Two sips with every Gu. When it gets super sucky, sip every half-mile.

Winter is a bit trickier - thirst levels, bottles freezing, trying to avoid wet hands. So I'm three weeks out of my half with no plan and probably underhydrated.

I blame Miles on the last one. After all, he's the one with the Nuun bottle and the chocolate milk. Silly kid.

Tell me: How do you hydrate? Tips for drinking through winter?

Don't forget ... today is the last day to enter my Pro Compression giveaway HERE.

Three Things Thursday: Get into gear

I have sunshine. I have raindrops on roses. But, dangit, I could use some puppies and rainbows. There's just something about this day, this week, that makes me yearn for a little boost.

And a fast-forward button.

And a mute button.

And a humidity control button.

But, alas, despite my whining, there are good things abound.

1. Just as the mercury inched up this week, a big ole box from Nathan Performance Gear arrived. Presents for me!

As part of my ambassadorship, I had the opportunity to select five items - count them, FIVE - to use and abuse. I solicited advice on Facebook and went with some of your favorites - a handheld, hydration belt, hydration pack, reflective vest and booster belt. My previous handheld, also a Nathan, is smelly and the elastic is not so elastic anymore and I've been antsy pantsy to try a belt. Needless to say, I'm pretty amped to put all of it to work..

2. While we are on the topic of hydration, nuun loves you almost as much as I do and wants you to be full of electrolytes this summer. You can use the code "hydrateHTC" to receive 15 percent off any order now through September.

Right now, they have a pretty sweet deal, too - a free watermelon bottle with a 4-pack purchase. I'm holding out for a lemonade bottle. Gotta stick with my team.

3. I am taking a step forward in my project, "Make Shit Happen 2013." It's not anything earth shattering but I am reluctant to share just yet. Call me superstitious, if you will. I'm realizing, though, that as I take on more things that I need to take on more sports bras. Well, buy them. If I was just running four days a week, I'd be good to go but I'm up to eight or nine workout sessions a week - all of which require a fresh bra - and I'll need three decent ones for Hood to Coast.

Yeah, that's about it on that one.

How's your day going? Feel free to share humorous insights but I will reject all offers of puppies because my OCD dog will not stop licking the floor. And it's annoying.

Celebrate, err, good times: A giveaway

There's no great way to celebrate 32 - you know, if someone were to turn 32 years old.

A person could run 32 miles but that requires planning, training and time - lots of time. There's the option to run 32 kilometers but even that's more than 19 miles and requires endurance training and time. Throw a decimal in there and 3.2 miles is manageable but - meh - 3.2 miles. It'd be much more fun if you were 31 and wanted to PR a 5K.

Then there's the list-type celebration - 32 things to be grateful for, which by No. 31, would be that a toenail might make it to Wisconsin; or 32 things to accomplish this year but the person, not naming names, is usually just happy to have her teeth brushed before she leaves the house.

It can leave a person in quite the conundrum as she sips nuun and wonders whether birthdays are best for the 22K set. Or she could choose to celebrate with others by celebrating others.

And so it is with that in mind that I present you with the 3-2 birthday giveaway. There are three prizes for two people (six items total). This giveaway is provided by me, and the items are either unused "leftovers" from product reviews, things I've purchased or things I acquired at a phenomenally low rate with rebates. It is to celebrate you, the reader, for coming here and reading the words I spew.

So without further adieu, prize one:

A pair of Lock Laces, Nathan Sports TransWarmer Gloves (size medium) and SPIbelt. The items are each black, so it's like the Ninja of giveaways.

Prize two:

Vera Bradley tumbler, one tube of lemonade nuun and a $15 iTunes gift card.

I'm doing this is as a Rafflecopter, which makes it super easy, and I'm going to try to make this as effortless as possible. You know to celebrate you.

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Note: Open to U.S. residents only (as I'm paying for shipping). Giveaway will end at midnight Wednesday, April 24, and winners will be contacted via email. If you are picked first, your email will give you first dibs on the prize that you want.

Three Things Thursday: Making $hit happen

I've declared that 2013 was the year that I was going to make shit happen.

I've been pretty vague as to what the shit I want to make happen will look like in an effort to protect myself. I mean, seriously, everyone is on the interwebs (except my grandma), and I don't want to suffer some of the consequences to putting it all out there.

However, I can share some things. Three things, which are all a part of making shit happen this year.

1. This evening, I taught a circuit class at a freight and shipping company through a workplace wellness program that is managed by a local gym. I had initially contacted the gym about teaching a circuit/bootcamp class at its new location, which is near my 'hood, but the manager thought of me when the gym was looking to fill the Thursday night class.

Yes, you could say I was excited.

He said I had free reign to do what I wanted, and I opted to stick with what I know - strength training. There were three circuits and each circuit had three sets. To make it even more fun, the sets in each circuit got progressively harder. Think: Begin with deadlift, end with single leg deadlift. The class went well but they requested more fun. I'm afraid "fun" might be tough for me so I'd love to know what makes group fitness fun for you.

2. I have been mentioning it here and there and thinking about it even more but taking on this new class has cemented my decision. I am going to pursue my personal training certification. I want to make sure that I'm ready and qualified for any opportunities that come my way and being a CPT is key.

I've chatted with a handful of people and done my research, and I have decided that I am going to go through the American Council on Exercise. The owner of the gym through which I am doing the circuit class and a gal I took BODYPUMP instructor training with both recommended ACE, as it's a well-rounded program, has a number of other certifications and, most importantly, is recognized by the NCCA. I also liked that Les Mills certifications can be counted toward required continuing education credits and the ACE certification is among those listed as acceptable for employment by the YMCA.

3. I feel like the details are a little sketchy on this one but it seems that I am going to be an ambassador for Nathan Sports in 2013. I am a fan of the company's Facebook page, and I was entering its daily holiday giveaways. The final giveaway was the chance to be an ambassador, and entrants had to give their mantra for 2013.

Mine? Be epic. Despite my frustrations, it is still my goal, and I'm using my mantra to keep me motivated during this time in my training.

I've filled out a survey for Nathan and I've been told I can expect some goodies but what it actually means, I'm still unsure. Regardless, I'm pretty pumped to work with the company. My first handheld was a Nathan Sports, and I still have the "sleeve." (The actual bottle was lost when I ran the HUFF 50K relay in 2011.) It carried me through several half marathons and my Columbus Marathon training cycle. I busted it out last weekend for my 10-miler and was, well, intrigued to discover a Swedish fish from the fall in the zip pocket.

I didn't eat it. I promise.