When in doubt, go shopping

There are things I wish I could do.

I wish I could run in the morning and have time to properly style hair. I wish I could wear high heels without wanting to throw them across the room after 30 minutes. And I wish I could trust adults to, well, act like adults.

Been in the office all of 42 minutes and it's already a suckfest. Maybe some webshopping, new @NikeRunning shoes might turn this day around.
— Kimberly Truesdell (@healthy_strides) July 16, 2012

My tweet says it all. Or all that I can really say.

I don't really do well with bad work days or stress in general, and it's my first instinct to think about food. I just dealt with this horrible situation so I think I earned Peanut M&Ms. I'm having a terrible day; I think Mark should bring me an iced coffee. I want to physically maim someone - I wonder if German chocolate funnel cake would take the edge off.

By the way, there is such a thing as German chocolate funnel cake and it is less than a mile from my office right now. And it's $2 Tuesday. But I resist ... and digress.

While food can be comforting, shopping can be just as therapeutic. I often used to wander the mall in Sandusky, Ohio, on my bad days. I didn't necessarily buy anything but there was comfort in feeling the clothes between my fingers and the accent lights never failed to shift the mood. Heading out to the mall at 11 a.m. on a workday when I should have been working is bad practice so I did what any cubicle dweller would do:

I web browsed. Quite literally.

I looked at gear and shoes and though I had the urge to max out my credit card, I emptied my shopping cart before heading onto a new "store." Here are some of the things I found and am loving.

Nike printed Tempo shorts
Nike Dri-FIT Glam-It Indy tank
Nike Pro Core Subliminated Workout Bra
Nike Free 3.0 Women's Running Shoes

lululemon run for your money tank - I think I tried this on in Boulder but I let Mark dissuade me from getting it.

Columbus Marathon in training shirt. I think it might help guilt me into some runs when I think dropping down to the half seems like a good idea.

I love pretty much anything at Banana Republic but this outfit spoke to me. I love the crop pants and need a pair in black to go with this shirt I got at Kohl's over the weekend. I also like the other pieces and the overall versatility of them.

Shampure from Aveda. This is my go-to shampoo and though a bit pricey, it goes a long way and is worth the splurge. I'm out right now and have been forced to use trial-size bottles I've picked up at hotels. We have a new Aveda Experience store set to open this summer, and I'm trying to hold out in the event they have some kick ass deals. And samples. I like samples.

What are you loving?

Be brave, be Boulder

I'd like to think I've been a lot of places but the truth is that I haven't. I've just been very lucky to pick very great cities when I do get to venture outside of Indiana.

However, even in my limited travels, I feel confident saying that Boulder is by far one of the most active cities in the country. Everywhere we went, there were people on the move. Cyclists clad in team jerseys pedaled up gargantuan hills, and incredible runners navigated the trails at swift paces with coaches trailing behind. (I'm pretty sure I saw an actual Kenyan running during my 11-miler with Jess.)

And while that run definitely took a toll on me, I couldn't help but be filled with a sense of Boulderness and the urge to stay active my entire trip.

On Sunday, after waking up early, Mark and I commandeered a BOB and went for a family run on the nearby Davidson Mesa Trail.

The trails were amazing - a fine gravel - that wound through a field with the mountains in the background. 

We took our time over the course of the three miles, catching our breath when necessary and grabbing every photo we could. It just felt like a run to remember, and I didn't want to squander it by obsessing about pace or mileage.

It was by far my slowest run in MONTHS but I couldn't help but smile. I was in (my) paradise.

After our run, I took a shower and got ready for my second workout of the day.

When planning our trip to Boulder to visit my sister-in-law and her new baby, I made it my mission to make sure Mom got her own time. 

I didn't know what she would want it to be - eating breakfast with two hands, a home-cooked meal or pedicures - but I was glad she agreed to get her downward dog on at one of the places I had only heard about - lululemon!

The free community class at the Boulder storefront was taught by the folks behind a new studio in Boulder, Radiance Power Yoga. It was a Baptiste style class and although I don't really know what that means, I do know I did plenty of chatarungas and poses that awakened this runner's tight hips.

The class was the first one I've taken since I was about 20 weeks pregnant, and I was very much reminded of the challenge and benefits that yoga provides. It can be pricey but I'm hoping that I can try to squeeze in a session here and there as my BODYPUMP instructor training winds down and marathon training ramps up. 

While we were flipping our dog, the dads pushed around the strollers and drank Starbucks.

Miles enjoyed his taste of the Strawberries & Creme but I think he enjoyed the idea of being a yogi even more :)