Dare You To...

HEY WORLD!  For those still subscribed, thanks for sticking around! Am I back? Maybe!!  I've been thinking for a while how much I miss having this space to share the things I learn, try, know, and love, and the community that came with the healthy living blogosphere.

What inspired me back today?  I recently have begun running again after a long haitus, and a friend asked about my mini fanny-pack that so perfectly fits my phone and ID.  I told him it was a Spibelt, and for fun went to find the post here where I'd reviewed it, and realized it was still in draft! Never posted! From 2014! What a shame!

Then, another friend just this evening asked how my blog is doing - she wasn't sure if she'd been missing out on new posts.  Wellll I filled her in, but it was clear: The stars aligned, and it was time to post once (or many more times!) again.

So, here I am, to wish you all a happy July 5th :) and share (at last!!) about the small, light, inexpensive gadget that is my must…

Happy National Running Day!  Did you know that today was the day?  Fortunately, here in NYC the rain has stopped but cooled everything down.  Perfect for a run!  Dare you to hit the road with me.


Last year, I celebrated #NationalRunningDay by signing up for my first 10k!  That summer, I rocked my running goals and the 10k race.  However, it's been an uphill battle since then...  After another recent month sans run, I finally hit the road again last week.

First, on Memorial Day, I laced up in the morning before it was too hot. I hadn't been running in over a month--and even that was a lot of stop-and-go--I wanted to really kick back into gear!  I set my Nike+ app for a full 3.11 miles and told myself that I would run the whole thing. And I did!  I kept slow and steady and finished my 5k in about 33 minutes, and since then vowed that I'll get back to covering a 3-mile jog at least once per week for the summer. That's the plan!



Then, this past Saturday, I hit the road aga…

Tracking your mileage is great... except when it's not.

Today, when my evening activity got cancelled and the sun was still strong, I decided to lace up and go for a run. My plan was 20-30 minutes, another nice jog, although this time I wanted to take fewer walking breaks than last week's runs.  I set my Nike running app on my phone to start, and when I heard the music, took off.


After a long day at work, I was tired, not expecting much from my legs.  Instead, I started out strong!  I felt great. My shins were bothering me a bit, but breathing was steady. The gorgeous weather was the perfect pick-me up and my old 10k playlist had me going with the beat.  I actually think I was going quickly, probably closer to a 9-minute mile than last week's 11-minute joggers.  I kept looking forward to the moment the app would tell me my first mile was complete and what the time was.... except it didn't come.

I passed the spot that I know to be about a mile in my regular run, but n…

Runners love to run. Runners are passionate about running, and they are addicted to running. Even shorter-distance runners like me get antsy after too long off the road. And we've all got goals: we want to run better, run faster, and/or run longer.BUT, runners also want to avoid injury.Yes, running causes injuries. The daily pounding is tough on the joints! It's undeniable: Running causes injury. 80% of runners report being injured in the last 12 months, and 55% had to take a time-out (4+ days!) from training due to injury. Even a small-time runner like myself has experienced occasional pain in my knees and ankles while running; it's not fun and definitely has made me stop running from time to time.Does this mean everyone should stop forever?Not necessarily -- it just means that runners need to train smarter! We can continue to build endurance, gain active recovery, and log miles, as long as we can manage impact on our bodies... and Octane Fitness is enabling runners to do…