Favorite Things AND a couple of giveaways!

2011 was a good year. Here is a list of some of the things that got me through the last year in running.  I originally planned to post this as a Christmas list, but my December hiatus postponed this post.
Some of my favorite things are the same as last year, but I have a few new ones as well.

1. Nuun.—I am a new Nuun convert (a “Nuunie”). I had tried it in the past, but didn’t become loyal until this year. They have lots of yummy flavors, so I will never get bored. I am so spoiled now that I don’t even use water. My kids are hooked as well. They drink it during hockey and soccer practices. It seems to really keep me hydrated—no more calf cramps. Keep reading for giveaway below!

2. iFitness Double Neoprene Pouch—I have already written about this one, but it remains my favorite accessory. I use it for nearly every run. I honestly don’t know what I would do without this accessory. It fits my phone (an HTC Incredible 2, which is not a small phone), camera, cash, lip balm…whatever.  Keep reading for giveaway below!

3. Knee Socks. Fellow Hood to Coast Nuun Plattuuner Tonia (from Racing with Babes) got me hooked on knee socks.  They make a fashion statement AND when they are compression socks, they help my muscles feel better after a run.  In fact, I have enjoyed running in compression socks so much that I ran St. George in my hot pink Recovery Socks. I also have compression socks from Zensah and Bauer (they came free with my husband’s hockey gear).

4. Arbonne Lip Saver lip balm. This little lip balm is awesome. It has SPF 30 and stays on for a long time. It smells nice, but isn't overpowering. It is smoother than chapstick and other lip balms, but stays on longer than most smooth or creamy lip stuff.  You can buy it HERE.

5. Sugoi Versa jacket—I received this for Christmas last year and I love it. The sleeves come off to leave a vest.  The bolero style sleeves stash neatly in the back pocket. I t is great to wear on a chilly morning, especially one that is a little breezy.

6. Arm Warmers—I love my arm warmers. I have four pair and enjoy all of them. They are different brands. The weather around here can get pretty crazy. We have had runs where it is 40 degrees when we start and 70 when we end.  This is when arm warmers really come in handy. When it warms up, I just pull them off and tie them around my iFitness belt.

7. Garmin—This little gadget continues to be a staple in my running. Pacing and split management was key in my success in St. George. I still need to find ways to use it to its fullest potential. I rarely use the heart rate monitor and haven’t learned how to use the virtual partner.

8. Rockmyrun.com—My new source for running music can’t be beat. Have you discovered this site yet? Do yourself a favor while it is still in Beta. Their running mixes are FREE right now!  And they are awesome. They have worked with runners to find some great mixes with the perfect beats per minute.

9. Jamba Juice—I still love my Jamba. I love the smoothies, I love the oatmeal, I love just about everything. I am trying to add more greens to my diet and have recently started having a wheat grass shot every time I go in.  My kids beg me for the frozen yogurt.  Did you know they had frozen yogurt?  disclosure: http://cmp.ly/2/lHtGGa

OK…now the part you were looking for!  The GIVEAWAY!  I am giving away FOUR of my favorite things!  I am giving away one iFitness Double Neoprene Pouch, one tube of Nuun (and a bpa-free plastic bottle to drink it from), a $5 Jamba Juice gift card, and a tube of Arbonne Lip Saver!!!!! I will have a total of four winners--one for each prize.

You must be a follower to win, but other than that, all the entries are optional. You get an entry for leaving a comment saying which prize you want to win, if you have a preference. It is optional, but if you don’t leave a comment, I won't know what you want, so you get what you get. ;-)  If you tweet, please use @momtomarathon so I know you tweeted.  Also, if you like a Facebook page (mine, iFitness or Nuun), can you stop by and leave a comment so I know?  Thanks!

 Please make sure you enter using the Rafflecopter entry form below.  I will use Rafflecopter to pick a winner on January 23.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations to entry #23 Kerrie for winning my giveaway!  She nabbed this particular entry by “liking” iFitness on Facebook.  Kerrie will receive an iFitness Hydration Belt. Kerrie, I will send you an e-mail based on the address you entered, but if you see this first, please send me your shipping information and size/color preference to mom2marathon (at) gmail (dot) com.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I wanted to let everyone know that Kerrie was the second name drawn. The first person that came up, unfortunately did not leave a blog comment with a favorite item from the iFitness website.  This was required in order to be eligible to win.  I will be having other giveaways in the near future so keep playing!!

Happy Running….

Review and Giveaway!—iFitness Hydration Belt

My iFitness Neoprene Double Pouch belt is one of my favorite things. In fact, it made it on my "favorite things” list last year. I also have purchased it for two of my friends and told a friend’s husband to purchase one for a third. I wear it on nearly every run and wear it whenever I don’t want to carry a purse (which is most of the time these days).

When I found out that they were coming out with a hydration belt, I was thrilled. I  have recently started disliking my belt,* but for long runs, it is a necessity. I have been using my handheld a lot this summer, but I really want to carry both water and Nuun on my long runs. I was eager to try a better belt.  Enter the iFitness Hydration Belt (16 oz size).

The iFitness Hydration Belt features:

• Water resistant pouch, stretchy and sturdy, made of neoprene will keep your cell phone or iPod (any size) dry. 
• Two 8oz  bottles (BPA free)
• 2 elastic slots will hold your gels on your belt, for easy access.
• A special inner pocket will keep your ID/credit cards or room key securely.
• Comes with two reflector strips in the front and one in the back, for night time safety.
• Also featured are two toggles to hold your race number, under the pouch.

In addition to getting the belt, I purchased two add-ons. These are holders and bottles that slide onto any iFitness belt. Currently, iFitness only offers a two-bottle option and I need more liquid than that on a very long run.  The add-ons are a great option!  I can run with two, three or four bottles.  In fact, I have put a single add-on onto my double neoprene belt for a short run in the heat. 

Here is a picture of my double pouch with an add-on.

I received both items quickly.  In the past, other belts I have ordered have arrived in a timely fashion as well. There is no set up and while I did rinse them, the bottles did not appear to need to be washed before use.

I have now worn this belt on two long runs (20 miles and 22 miles) as well as during two legs of Hood to Coast
.
Here are my thoughts.


Pros:

• The belt fits just like my pouch belt, nice and snug. If I have it adjusted correctly, it doesn’t bounce at all. I prefer it to sit down on my hips where I just forget about it.
• The bottles fit tightly into the pouches. In the past, I have had bottles fall out of the belt.  A couple times, this happened in a race! Once, during a half marathon, one of my bottles was knocked out by my arm during my sprint to the finish.  I just left it. I have actually used rubber bands to secure the bottles during a key race—pretty junk-show. The iFitness belt also has some elastic loops to secure the bottles, ensuring that they never pop out.  They are easy enough to get out to drink, however.
• The pouch is nice and roomy without being too bulky. It is big enough for my phone, cash, a packet of flushable wipes and a Gu. Saturday, during my twenty-two miler, I also stashed a Honey Stinger Waffle in the pouch.
• There are two elastic loops that fit a Gu packet.
• The pouch seemed to keep everything dry. On my long run Saturday, it rained pretty hard. My phone stayed dry and protected.
• They have reflective stripes for safety. I don’t always run in the dark, but it was pitch black Saturday when we started. I also used it during my night leg of Hood to Coast.

Cons:

• I like having ten ounce bottles. The eight ounce bottles aren’t quite big enough and I think I might have to refill during the marathon. When I ran marathons with the other belt, 40 ounces lasted me 26.2 miles. I am not sure if 32 ounces will last.  We’ll see.
• While I didn’t notice it during my long run, the belt gave me a little bruise on the front of my hip. It was a little tender Saturday night, but don’t even notice it today. To be fair, this happens with any hydration belt I have tried.
• The bottles are a little too far apart to fit exactly between my hips. If I wear it straight on, the bottles lay directly on my hip bones. Ouch. I have to turn it a little catty-wompus (is that even a word?) so it lays flat. One of the bottles sits directly in front of my hip bone and the other one sits right behind my other hip bone. This puts the rear bottles in a strange place.  It is ok because I drink from the front bottles, switching them with the rear bottles as I empty them.

Pricing**:
The iFitness Hydration Belt is priced competitively with the other belts out there. It retails for $39.95 for the 16 ounce belt. The 12 ounce belt (using two six ounce bottles) sells for $36.95. There are belts out there with ten ounce bottles that sell for the same price as iFitness.

Where the iFitness is not as competitive is when you jump to four bottles.  The two bottle add-on is $19.95. That makes a four bottle set-up a $60 investment. There are cheaper options out there. The thing each person has to decide is—is comfort and convenience worth the extra $$.  For me, I think it is. The add-ons offer me a lot of options, so they are worth it.

Final Word:
Overall, I really like this belt. I don’t think I will ever LOVE a hydration belt.  However, when I want plenty of options for my hydration and fuel, this is a good option for me. I will most likely be wearing this for St. George. I originally was planning on running with my handheld bottle, but I like the idea of having both water and Nuun with me (I prefer to wash down my Gu’s with water over Nuun) as well as the ability to carry 32 ounces instead of the 20 ounces that my handheld holds.

The Best News:
I have the opportunity to give away a hydration belt to a lucky reader! Please find all the ways to enter below.  In order to be eligible to win, you must be a follower and must go to iFitness and check out their products, leaving a comment about your favorite. There are a bunch of other ways to earn entries. See below for how to enter. The giveaway will end on Sunday, September 18 at 9 p.m. PDT.



Happy Running…

*I have used the Roadrunner/Nathan four-bottle hydration belt. The one I have is three years old and might be a bit different than what they sell today. It has a velcro closure and after losing some weight, it doesn’t fit well. It bounces and I have to jerry-rig it with rubber bands to fit me at all. It ends up looking pretty gaudy.

**I was given the iFitness Hydration Belt (16 oz.) free to try, but purchased the add-ons myself. My opinions are all my own.

Hood to Coast Race Report Part 2—the highs and lows of the first legs

For the events leading up to the race check out Part 1. This recap ended up being really long. I hope the others are more concise (although I doubt it). The details are for me, but I hope you enjoy them.

Tricia started off the Nuun Platuun on a crazy downhill leg. That first leg was enough to scare me out of running in the first position. She lost 2000 feet of elevation in 5.64 miles—rated “very hard.”  Honestly, other than the knee-jarring, toenail-smashing downhill grade, her legs were some of the most scenic of the entire 200 miles.

And she rocked it.  Her form looked great and she had a big smile on her face.  You can read about her experience here.

While we were waiting for her at the first transition, we spread the Nuun love with single serve samples and some temporary tattoos.

And then Tricia was there handing off to Alyssa!

Alyssa ran another “severe downhill” leg.  Hers lost 1500 feet in elevation over 5.67 miles. There is a lot of talk about Leg 1’s brutal downhill, but Leg 2 is no walk in the park. Of course, she rocked it. You can read her HTC account HERE.

After Alyssa, it was Caitlin’s turn.  Caitlin is a Nuun staffer with a ton of energy. Did I mention that every Nuun employee was AMAZING? She kept telling us she wasn’t a runner, but then kept killing her legs (not the ones attached to her body). She was our “secret weapon!”  In addition to rocking her runs, Caitlin helped out our driver, Alex, with timing and navigating.  She is awesome.

And look how CUTE she is!

Up next was Kerrie. You can read her perspective HERE. By this time, the heat was beginning to be noticeable. We were hot just waiting around for our runners. I was getting nervous about running in it. But I still had a long time to wait.

Kerrie is with Jocelyn from Van 1 of AfterNuun Delight.  We actually saw these ladies more than we saw our own team in Van 2.

It was now officially HOT. We stopped along the route a couple of times to give Kerrie more water and pour some on her head. 

Up next was Margot.  She was the speedy one of our van. She ran without a Garmin, without a watch, without water.  She just ran. When you watch her run you see focus and speed. You can read about her experience HERE. We stopped a couple of times to give her water as well.

I was starting to get nervous. I had been waiting ALL day and my time was finally coming. I was practically giddy (and scared at the same time).

When we got to the exchange, we realized the logistics were tricky.  Thus far, there has been ample parking at each exchange.  Here, we had to park along the highway and the exchange was where a country road met up with the highway. I knew that Margot would be coming soon, so I hopped out of the van while everyone else got situated.  I jogged toward the transition area. 

I immediately saw Margot coming up the hill.  “Nine-Eight-One,” the volunteer called. Crap!  No time to mentally prepare.  Oops…my shoes are not double tied.  I bent down, tied my shoes and heard my name.  I turned around to see my Dad!!! OMG…that was AWESOME to see.  I gave him a quick hug and turned around to see Margot running into the chute.  And then…I was off!

I definitely had an adrenaline spike. That minute was definitely an emotional high—finally running Hood to Coast, my dad there to cheer me on. I was SO happy. I took off like a bat out of hell. At one point I looked at my Garmin and saw a 6 as the first number.  Ummm…that is a bit too fast, I think. The first two miles were 7:31 and 7:43.  That probably wasn’t the smartest way to start a 6.75 mile run in 85-90 degree heat. And after those first two miles, when my excitement wore off a little, I started to feel the heat. Oh…the unrelenting heat.

It was getting toward 90 degrees.  I was ready for my team to dump water on my head. I knew that I would go through everything I was carrying to drink as well (I had two 8 ounce bottles of Nuun on my iFitness Hydration Belt). I saw one of the teams we had met at a previous exchange.  They offered me water. “No,” I foolishly said, “my team will be right up ahead.”  Then I saw the AfterNuun Delight team.  They high-fived me as I ran by. I didn’t ask them for water because I assumed my team would be just around the next bend. Never assume.

It was somewhere in those later miles, when I realized that my team wasn’t going to be there. The negative talk in my head became loud and difficult to ignore. I started feeling sorry for myself. I started doubting myself. I was hurt. Logically, I knew they had a very good reason for not stopping. I found out later that they read that vans weren’t allowed to stop.  But at the time, I didn’t know that. I had studied that first leg and never saw that in the description.* I started to spiral into a very low place. I was so disappointed that after months of anticipation for HTC, my first leg wasn’t “magical.” Would the weekend be a let down? I was dizzy and felt like I was going to throw up. I was unsteady on my feet and I actually thought that I made a mistake by not running with my phone—how long before they came back to get me if I couldn’t finish?  I wanted to walk, but  I didn’t want to be the weak link of the team who walked during her first leg. I knew that my team would have been more than understanding, but I couldn’t face that in my negative state. But more than that, I wanted it to end.  I kept pushing.

When Lauren, from AfterNuun Delight, passed me and asked me how I was, I said something (probably in a not-so-friendly tone) to the effect that I wanted to throw up. I wish, in retrospect, that I would have been more positive and chatty.  I wish she would have passed me in the first two miles. I wish I could have seen the bright side that I WAS RUNNING HOOD TO COAST.  Instead, I was a ball of negativity.**

To add insult to injury, somehow when I turned on my Garmin, there was a half mile on it from some other random run and I failed to reset it or realize it. As my Garmin mileage approached the 6.75 length of the leg, I saw no exchange.  That last half mile was pure torture.  Where was the exchange??  Am I lost?? Why have I run over 7 miles already?? Why is it so freaking HOT in Oregon??***

When I finally saw the exchange, I was filled with pure relief. The best thing I saw all afternoon was Jess, looking so fresh and pretty in her blue sports bra and camo running skirt. I handed her the snap bracelet (I have no idea how I got it to her) and she said something nice and was off.

Kerrie was there with cold water for me to drink as well as to dump on my head.  I can honestly say that I have never been so out of it after a run. I know I gave it everything I had.

Those moments after my run are a bit fuzzy.  I remember being unsteady on my feet and nauseous. I specifically remember Harmony (one of my teammates in Van 2) being there telling me to lean on her as I walked away from the exchange. She was so sweet and helpful. I mean, really…it is a very good person to put her arm around a sweaty runner she barely knows.

My dad was there (darn…we never posed for a proper picture)  The above picture is of our team captain Kim with my dad and I  when I was starting to feel a bit more human. My dad was so supportive. He reassured me that I did great. It really helped to have him there.  He left so I could get to my van and head off to dinner. My negativity was starting to evaporate (I think the chocolate milk helped with that as well).

Looking back, I see that I ran a very strong leg. I ran relatively close to my predicted time in higher than predicted temperatures. I did my job as a teammate and I am proud of myself. I learned a lot about negative self-talk and how negative situations are really only temporary and that negativity doesn’t help anything (more on that in Part 3). I think when faced with a difficult run in the future, I will be able to be more effective at talking myself out of that negative place.  The more time has passed the more I believe that the Hood to Coast experience wouldn’t have been quite as memorable without the ups and the downs, especially since there were more ups than downs.

Don’t worry…it gets better.  I promise.

Leg 6—6.75 miles rated “HARD”—   time-56:39 (about a minute slower than my prediction) pace-8:22

Stay tuned for Part 3—Night Warriors****

*I re-read the leg description when I was putting my thoughts together, I saw that it said, “no stopping on left side of highway to water runners (don’t stop at Porter’s Nursery).”  After 12 hours in a van, who can blame anyone for missing that one word-left.

**Upon reflection with a clear head, I think my negativity was compounded by lack of sleep (I had been up since 5 a.m. after very little sleep after a week of very little sleep), lack of nutrition (I had not eaten anything other than a Luna Bar since a Starbucks breakfast sandwich around 6:30 a.m.) and the heat.

***Having grown up in Oregon, I know that it can get hot in August.  I also know that it usually stays in the low 80’s.

****Blog post title stolen from Jess.  It had such a good ring to it, I had to use it.  Sorry, Jess. Hopefully my Night Warrior post will be as good as yours.

Over-scheduled??

I don’t know, but I’m excited for everything on the horizon. It feels good to be already registered for five events in the upcoming months. I have never been pre-registered for so many things. I usually procrastinate, making my entry fees more expensive.  This time, I took advantage of early-bird specials, coupon codes etc.

In just over two weeks I am running Hood to Coast with a GREAT team of women.  I am so excited, I can hardly stand it. Preparations are in full force.  Get ready for some fun blog posts afterwards and there are sure to be LOTS of pictures.  Go Nuun Platuun!

Shortly after that, I head off to St. George, Utah.  I have heard nothing but wonderful things about this marathon. I have seen it listed several times as a favorite race among runners who have run a lot of them. Runners run this race over and over again. It is fast and beautiful and I can’t wait.

In November, I am running the Santa Barbara Half Marathon. There are at least five of us going and we’re making it a girls’ weekend. The race is on Saturday, so we’ll stay Saturday night and really enjoy ourselves. My friend Jen is running her first half.  She recently lost 40 pounds, so the half marathon is a great way to celebrate her new body!

In January I am running the inaugural Tinkerbell Half Marathon.  This is a women’s race (although I know at least one man who is running it—woo hoo, Matthew!) I am going to don my fairy wings and have a wonderful time.  My friend, Janet, is coming down and staying with me and it should be a fun weekend.

Finally, I am registered for the inaugural Hollywood Half Marathon in April.  It is a week before my 45th birthday, so I want to live it up in Hollywood.  They advertise limos taking runners from finish line to the expo/celebration as well as a red carpet.

So with all that, my running budget is maxed out! However…that does not preclude me from running a race that is FREE (and only minutes from my house). That leads me to the point of this post. iFitness (one of my favorite products*) is giving away a free entry to the Disneyland Half Marathon next month.  I need your help to win it.  I get entries for every five people who “like” them on Facebook or “follow” them on Twitter.  I need your help and here’s how:

Go to the iFitness Facebook Page and like them.  Tell them that Lisa Roehm-Gensel sent you.

Follow @iFitnessRunning on Twitter and tweet “@momtomarathon sent me to @iFitnessRunning #runDisney #Free entry”

Thank you so much for your help!

Happy Running…

*I will be reviewing one or more of their products in the next several weeks. There may even be something in it for you.  hint, hint.. 

Favorite Things

I know that Christmas is only days away, but I thought I would post about some of my favorite things that might be nice last minute gifts for a runner in your life.  Or yourself.  I also have included some things on my list that I would love to get.

1. Garmin- or other GPS watch.  I have the simple Forerunner 205 and couldn’t live without it.  If I had my way, I’d trade it in for one with the heart rate monitor.  I don’t train with my heart rate often, but I think about doing it now and then.  If it were just a matter of strapping that monitor to my chest, I would do it more often.

2. iFitness Double Pouch running belt--  I am actually planning on devoting an entire post to this.  It is my single favorite running item.  I use it almost every day.  I use it even when I am not running.  It is the perfect belt to carry my phone, my keys and a little cash.  On days when I can’t find it, I’m lost.  I like having the comfort of having my phone with me when I run and this little belt allows me to do that. 

3. Fleece vest--  I love my fleece vest.  It is the perfect addition to my cool weather running wardrobe.  I bought it for a mountain biking trip, but I have worn it dozens of times running.  It has a zip pocket in the back and is cut for cycling, so the back is lower.  Mine is made by Sheila Moon, but it doesn’t seem like they still make it. 

4. Compression Socks—I use the Recovery Socks after my runs.  I often wear them sleeping overnight.  Do they prevent injury?  I don’t know.  But I know I seem to feel better after wearing them.

5. Gloves—My hands get really cold when I run in less than 50 degree weather.  Luckily, it doesn’t usually get super cold around here, so my Target knit gloves work perfectly.  Whenever they go on sale I buy some, so I have several pair of $.50 gloves.  If I need to chuck them if my hands get too warm, I’m not out much money.  These are great stocking stuffers!
 
6.  Arm Warmers—I love my arm warmers.  I have two pair.  One I LOVE and the other one not as much.   My favorite pair is a cycling pair by Louis Garneau.   They are nice and soft on the inside and moisture wicking on the outside.  They are perfect here in Southern California where it starts out cold and warms up as the run progresses.  These stay up on my arms and never need adjusting or tugging.  They have a band at the top that keep them up without squeezing.  I don’t even think about them.  I have run entire marathons in them.  My second pair is by Zensah.  I had high hopes for these, having read great reviews.  They are soft and comfy and a cute pink.  The only problem with them is that they don’t stay up really well.  I have only worn them a few times (if my black ones are in the laundry) and I felt like I had to tug at the top.  The compression is nice throughout, but during the run the top seems to sag a bit.

7. A hat—  Hats are underrated items of apparel. They keep me warm, dry and keeps the sun out of my eyes.  Now that my hair is getting longer, I need a hole to put my pony tail.  The hat we got from the Santa Barbara Marathon doesn’t have a pony hole.  What’s up with that?  I have tried running in knit hats, but I find I like a nice brim on my hat.



My wish list:
1. Unlimited race entries—I love, love, love running races.  There is something so exciting about the race environment.  Unfortunately, races are expensive.  My favorite Christmas present would be a premium membership to Active.com (if that actually existed) where I could register for any race for little or no money.  I have so many races on my list to do and they aren’t cheap!  While we’re at it, I would love to be able to travel to races as well.

2. Unlimited shoes—Ah, to be sponsored by Brooks.  Now, that would be something.  They say that shoes last 500 miles.  I find that by 300 miles, I start experiencing aches and pains in my lower legs.  My shin splints and IT Band Syndrome both start bothering me when my shoes reach the upper 200’s mileage-wise.  This gets to be very expensive.

3. A wind-proof, water-resistant jacket with zip-off sleeves--  This would be so convenient around here.  Often when it is cold, it warms up by the end of my run.  When it is raining, it often doesn’t rain the entire run.  A convertible jacket is just what I need. This one looks nice.

4. Vibram Five Fingers—I am curious about the barefoot running thing.  Even though I wear stability shoes and feel all sorts of issues when they get too old, I always wonder how much my form might improve by going “back to nature.”  I wouldn’t mind trying out some Vibrams, but I don’t want to invest the money, in case I don’t like it.  I would do just a little at a time, probably out on the trails.

5. Compression pants—I have two pair of running pants, but they were both relatively inexpensive.  They are nice and warm, but require some annoying tugging.  I think that pants with some compression features would be much more comfortable and help in my recovery etc.

6. iPod Shuffle—I don’t use music as much as I used to.  I wear my iPod Nano strapped to my arm.  It gets a little cumbersome.  The shuffle (or even better, the new Nano) is small enough to clip on a collar.  I have a perfectly good iPod, so a new one is a silly thing to want.  But since this is my wish list, I can list whatever I want, right?  While I’m at it, I think I want the Oakley MP3 glasses, where it is all built into my sunglasses.

7. A headlamp—We often start our runs when it is dark.  I sometimes wear a flashing light or a Tinkerbell pin belonging to my kids.  That helps people see me.  I wouldn’t mind a lamp so I can see better.  I would like one that is super lightweight.  One that clips to my hat would be perfect.

8. A Treadmill—as much as I hate running on a treadmill, there are times when it really comes in handy.  The weather this week has been horrible.  I don’t mind a little rain, but it has been raining HARD for several days.  I definitely would have used a treadmill this week.


I am sure there are more things I love in my own running bags and drawers.  I am even more sure there are additional things on my wish list that I forgot to mention.  Luckily, I really have everything I need.  I have my running friends and I live in a place where the weather is [almost always] perfect for running.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and that the new year treats you well.

Happy Running…