Dear Ol' Man Winter: GO AWAY!

Yesterday afternoon, I ran 6.25 miles outside in shorts and a t-shirt. It was somewhere around 60 degrees and it was amazing!

And this is what it was like tonight when I got home from work:

Seriously? Snow again? Don't get me wrong, I love the snow for a very big reason: snow skiing! But if I'm not skiing, I don't really want it here. A couple snow storms during winter is fine, but I've had enough of it this winter! And I think it's even worse because we've had some really amazing and beautiful days. I feel like Spring is teasing me with nice days here and there where I can run outside. And then it is taken away! But, there's nothing I can do about it, so I'll just make the best of it.

A couple days ago, it was a little colder, but I was still able to run outside. I had some new gear that I wanted to try out, so the colder weather was perfect. Here I am after my run:

Yes, I realize that nothing about my outfit matches (even my husband pointed that out to me)! The bright orange Vizipro jacket, the black and yellow Livestrong shorts, the black and blue Amp Pro2 tights and even though you can't see it, I do have a bright pink Sweaty Band on. But, it wasn't about matching. It was about trying out my new jacket and my new tights. The company I work for is owned by the same company that owns Saucony. The fitness center at my office is appropriately named the Saucony Center. And at Saucony, they run! And they have great shoes and great gear!

I wanted to try some of their compression tights, so I chose these HERE. It was only a 4 mile run, but my legs did feel great and the fit is really great as well. And then I got this jacket HERE that I have been eyeing for quite some time! It is really lightweight and it is water resistant, so it would be great if it is raining. It does come with a USB_LED light, but I didn't take it with me this run. The ViZiPRO line is so visible and is just an extra safety measure for running outside. I do run on the sidewalk when I can, but sometimes I can't avoid running in the street, so the better cars can see me, the safer I am! And the reflective strips work great, as you can see in the picture!

So even though my outfit didn't match, I ran at a faster pace than normal. So "Yay" for the new gear! And I can't wait for the weather to get nice so that I can hit the pavement again!

Texting...believe me, it can wait until you get out of the car!

I got an email yesterday with the below video attached. We all know that we shouldn't text and drive, but I'm sure we've all done it at some point. And we all need to be reminded that we shouldn't do it. That the text can wait. That our lives, our passenger's lives, and the lives of the other people on the road with us are way more important than a text message! Please take 10 minutes out of your busy day to be reminded how important it is to NOT text and drive! And then make sure all of your friends and family see this too!

Video - AT&T - The Last Text Documentary

Road ID: Safety First

I hope everyone had a very Merry (and safe) Christmas! While driving to my hometown amidst all the holiday traffic, I was hoping and praying that everyone would be safe during their holiday travels. And that made me think about doing a post about safety while running. I usually don't think too much about it because I do take the necessary measures:

- I run on the sidewalk whenever possible.
- If I have to run on the street, I run toward traffic like you're supposed to.
- If it is dark outside, I don't wear my ipod so that I can hear everything going on around me.

But the one thing I didn't do was carry any identification with me. Living in a small town similar to the one I grew up in, I feel very safe and comfortable. But, you can never be too careful. And my husband always asks many questions about my safety while running, and it just got me thinking. About the same time, I had gotten an email from Road ID. I had heard of Road ID many times with all the races I've done, but never checked out their website. After getting that email, I checked out their website and decided that I should get myself a Road ID for when I run outside. That way I wouldn't have to worry about losing my driver's license on a run.

After much looking around on their website, I chose the Shoe ID. I attached a picture of my shoes and you can see it attached to my left shoe. {As a side note, these Saucony's have the most miles on them and I am due for a new pair. Might use some Christmas money for some new running shoes!} My husband thought I should get the Wrist ID instead, because people might not check my shoe if I was hurt. But I also knew that the Wrist ID would be something I could easily forget to put on. With the Shoe ID, it is always attached to my shoes. I have a few pairs of running shoes, but they are attached to the ones I use for outside running, so it will always be with me! And it is reflective and you can never be too reflective while running!

If you don't run with any identification, or you'd rather not run with your driver's license, click here to check out Road ID's website. I am not getting anything for writing this post. This is just my own opinion on a product that I purchased. And it does make me feel safer while running! There are enough lines on the plate to put a multitude of info that someone might need. My Road ID has 5 lines of info for me. And there is room for a 6th line, so I used it to put a saying on it. I had "I RUN BECAUSE I CAN" put on the 6th line. That was just to remind myself every day that there are many people who can't physically get out and run and I am super lucky that I can!

Enjoy the rest of your holiday season and have a Happy New Year and be safe!