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Destination Run – Elon Univeristy!

| cheriarmour

So yesterday, I went to see my friend in the bustling metropolis of Burlington, NC to see him in The Music Man.  Great show.  Great music.  Good-looking cast.  Absolutely bizarre ending.  You know what I mean if you’ve ever seen it.

Music Man

So I decided to do a “destination run” thing to change my long run Sundays up. That always seems to put a little extra pep in your step, and I finished 10 miles a little faster than the last few weeks have allowed me too. I found myself at my old gorgeous alma mater, Elon University, and something about being back in my old place gave me a little extra runner’s magic.

Marathon Hair

First, I had to decide on my hair. You guys know, my hair that keeps growing and getting heavier by the minute, had caused me a little stress during this marathon prep. So I called on my good friend Kerri Walsh to inspire a hair style, and as always, she came through.  My stuff’s too thick for a braid, but I enlisted the help of a highly specialized device created by Scunci to help me maintain the overall look.

Kerri

Thanks, Doll! You’re the greatest!

Elon

This is Elon.  The photo, that I took as I did my first loop through campus, simply doesn’t do the University, or the spirit of the University, any justice.  Elon is literally a botanical garden, and the facilities are to die for.  The blue of the sky?  We always have it.  On orientation weekends, it’s said that Jesus smiles, so birds sing, the swans come out, and the food in the dining halls is actually good.  I remember days where it had just snowed, and the sky looking like that less than a day after.  I almost went to University of Pittsburgh, and after laying eyes on Elon, I decided that that was where I was going to end up.  I don’t think I’d be half the person I was without what I was taught here.

Elon House

I ran past this little house I lived in after my senior year with Emily Main, still to this day one of the sickest roommates ever.  Right behind  this house was the house belonging to my acapella group where I spent most of my junior and senior year Saturday nights.

I also discovered (as you do when you run a place instead of rushing around everywhere in your car) that Elon also houses a forest?!  How in the heck did I miss that one?

Anyhoo, try this if you’re feeling a little bored with your running routine.  If you’re going out of town, like to the beach or to do laundry at your parents’ house (guilty!) map a run in an area you’re pretty sure is safe, but new to you!

Q: Are black toenails just a part of marathon living?

| cheriarmour

I have gotten this question at least once a week from readers and customers combined.

For some unholy reason, folks have been washed into thinking that black toenails, or toenails that fall off are just a part of life when you’re running a marathon.  Or a half.  Or in some freaky cases, every time you do a long run.

So let’s put this thing in reverse.  When is it normal for your toenails to fall off?  The first answer is never.  Second, if you’ve ever slammed your toe in a door, or had it run over by some sort of vehicle before, usually the toenail that takes the biggest impact will turn black and eventually fall off.  It sounds hideous because it actually is.

So why would it make any sense that this should happen when you’re running long distances?

If you’re running in a shoe that’s too small, and a LOT of you are unwittingly doing just that, you may feel fine for a 3, 4, or even 5 mile run.  But do much more than that, and your feet, which will naturally swell as you pound them for miles and miles (increased blood flow to that extremity), will cause the toenail of the longest toe to start hitting the end of that shoe.  It sometimes will start as a toenail just getting a little sore.  And in a longer run situation, say a half-marathon, the toenail, which has repeatedly been slammed into the end of the shoe, will sometimes turn black, and fall off.  I’ve seen it happen to more than one toe, as well.

Bottom line, a lot of you are wearing shoes that are too small, and running around and thinking that it’s normal for your feet to have no breathing room.

The solution?  Next time you’re in for a shoe fitting, or next time you’re in a store with a Brannock device, (one of the foot measurey things), measure your foot.  That is your dress shoe size.  So for driving shoes, heels, wedges, and flats, you may wear that size because you’re not going to run a marathon in a pair of leopard ballet flats.  Then go up a half to a full size for your running shoes.  The way to measure if you’ve done it right?  Strap those running shoes on, and sitting in a chair, firmly tap your heels on the ground.  Then, stand up, bend over, and SHAKE DAT THANG.  Nope, kidding.  Bend over, and feel how much space there is between your longest toe and the end of your shoe.  You should have a thumb to half a thumbs width, and you should be able to easily curl your toes over with no difficulty.  Finally, don’t be dumb and get a shoe that’s like 8 sizes too huge here.  If you’re sloshing all over, the shoe is too large, and you need to reel it in.

So the final answer?  It is not normal for you to be getting sore black toenails after a long run or a race, and if you are, it’s time to reevaluate what the heck you’re wearing on your feet.

 

 

Too fat for your business?

| cheriarmour

I watch Morning Express with Robin Meade on HLN each morning as I get ready for work.  HLN is CNN’s sensational sister network, and I think I got attached to it when I was like 20, and I had to get up super early to drive out to my internship that was an hour away when I was still attending Elon.  At any rate, I still watch each morning and was part intrigued, and mostly horrified at the story I heard last week.

Laura Smith

The half: So the lovely lady pictured above is Laura Smith.  After training since last fall with both a trainer and a nutritionist, and peeling 47 pounds off of her 6’3″ frame, on Sunday, January 20th, Laura embarked on her first half marathon, the Arizona Rock-n-Roll Half Marathon.  She ran for the American Cancer Society, and was covered in ACS ribbons.  “I actually had to stop by the med tent after the first three miles because I had horrible shin splints.  The doctor took one look at me and said, ‘there’s no way you’re gonna finish if you’re hurting this bad three miles in’.  And I was like, I can’t stop.  You could probably see in the pictures I was covered in ribbons.  And each ribbon had the name of a person who’d died or who’d been affected by cancer.  So I shoved some ice packs in my compression tights.  It took me a little longer than I’d hoped,” she chirped in a cheery voice.  And for a first half, you’d have to admit, she didn’t do too shabby!

The massage:  Laura purchased a Groupon and scheduled a massage at the Natural Healing Center, in Aurora, close to where she lives in Denver, knowing she’d be in dire need following the half.  This is where the story just gets absolutely horrifying.  “We were in the room and I thought she [Dr. Wells] was gonna take me back and say, ‘take off your clothes and lay down, I’ll be right back’.  And we were just standing there and staring at the table.  And I thought, ‘Oh my God, am I gonna be too tall for the table?’ And she [Dr. Wells] just goes ‘I’m sorry you’re too fat and I’m afraid you’re going to break the table’.” (At this point in the interview, I was in absolute disbelief).  Laura went on to say that “Dr.” Wells told her not to worry, that she could call Groupon and get her money back.  And Laura was left to scoop her Groupon up, and leave the facility with no massage.

The press:  So how did this get to HLN?  Laura’d tagged her visit with Wells at the Natural Healing Center on Facebook, and said she was excited to go, still high off her success with her completed half marathon.  When she left (without the massage), she’d also written it up on Facebook.  Some friends saw, and next thing she knew, the center had taken it’s Facebook page down.  And that’s when she said the press came calling. “Fox News got ahold of it.  And if they’d [the massage establishment] called, I may not have spoken.  And now, if they were to call today?  It’s the principle of discrimination.”  Kinda cool to see what the power of social media can do, right?  She got my attention, and I’m not the only one.  She’s been featured on CNN, HLN, ABC, Fox News, and Inside Edition.  And the best part?  The owner of the business claims she never called Smith fat.  She claims she called her “large”.  Cue the side eyes.  “I know what she said,” Laura said matter-of-factly.

Laura 2

Why is this sort of discrimination still acceptable? So Penny Wells isn’t really returning phone calls, and has deleted the center’s Facebook page, and largely avoided the firestorm that is inevitably brewing.  However, in the brief statement that she did make in response to Laura’s claims, she (in addition to essentially calling Laura a liar), also stated that she was concerned because a 165-pound man had broken a table earlier.  Um.  What the frig is wrong with your massage tables if they can’t hold normal amounts of weight?

That aside, why did the owner feel that it was in any way acceptable to turn away a customer (whose money was just as green as anyone elses’) by making a rude statement about her weight, especially in this case where she essentially discredited all the wonderful work Smith had just done in losing 47 pounds, running a half marathon through some serious shin pain, and signing up for three more halves.  It makes no sense.  And just because the owner was discriminating on the basis of Laura’s weight, doesn’t make it any less offensive than if she’d told her, “I’m sorry, we don’t serve women here.  But if you call groupon, I’m sure they’ll be willing to give your money back!”

So I’d like to take this opportunity to commend Laura for not being silent about what happened to her.  It was discrimination, plain as day, and it wasn’t acceptable.  When I told her how blown away I was at how much weight she’d already lost, she responded, “Well…47lbs doesn’t seem like much when you’re 6’3″.  I still have a long way to go.”  Well, whether that’s true or not, you keep up the good work, doll!  You’re gorgeous, and you’re doing a great thing by responding so openly and positively to everyone who’s reaching out to you!  Laura will be in Raleigh next October, so she and I will be raising a glass to her awesome progress.      

OMG.

Image | | cheriarmour

OMG.

We are running the Shamrock Marathon in 18 days.

It seemed sort of far away since it’s in March but it’s almost here! Kinda calm, kinda freakin out.

Seriously, this horse meat thing is starting to freak me out. Do I take the plunge and go vegan? (Make me a compelling argument either way)

| cheriarmour

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/31/burger-king-horsemeat-admits-tainted_n_2593538.html

If you’ve been watching the news, I’m sure you’ve heard by now about the gross admission Burger Kings in France made after traces of horse DNA were found in meat across Europe.  Um. What?! How does that happen?  What I’m most bothered about at this point is the fact that experts are stressing that there are “no health risks associated with the consumption of horse meat”.  I don’t give a flying stink if there are no health risks associated with eating horse meat.  That is not what everyone is freaked out about, and I don’t appreciate the experts trying to deflect attention from the real issue.  But this horse meat debacle has certainly raised some questions for me in my own life.

I am a pescatarian, and I’ve been one for about 5 or 6 years.  I lean more toward the vegetarian side of things because fish is just so…fishy.  And it looks like a fish.  Which is beginning to freak me out too.  And I don’t ever see myself going back to chicken, beef, or pork.  I don’t judge other folks for eating it, but beef especially gives me the willies and the way it’s prepared just seems brutal.  My first job out of graduate school, I witnessed firsthand kitchen staff breaking down a cow.  Like it looked alive.  Except it wasn’t.  And that’s how this all sort of started.

So here’s my question as I start to get more and more freaked out by the concept of eating animal flesh.  Do I take the leap and go vegan?  What are the pros/cons of going vegan?  What do vegans eat? 

Cons. The first thing people seem to be concerned about when you tell them you’re veg is protein + nutrients.  As in, “that’s not natural, how do you get enough protein/nutrients?” And that could be a valid concern, if you don’t know how to feed yourself.  It’s very tempting, the first month of any new veg diet to default to eating chips and salsa and french fries with an occasional salad with balsamic.  But that won’t work for me.  If I’m hungry, I’m hangry, and I’m not prepared for the undergraduate belly I had to make a return.  Sorry belly.  We had some good times, but you made bikini shopping hell.  I’m all about the balance now.  I suppose the key is making a better plan so I actually have choices other than fries to eat.  Also, my parents might roll their eyes at me when I go home on breaks.  But they kind of started doing that when I sprouted locs at the end of high school.

Pros. It’s friggin tasty! I started going on dates with my Whole Foods girlfriend, Tessa to this place in Raleigh called the Remedy Diner?  And I’ll be darned it that stuff doesn’t taste better than meaty options.  When done right, veg options are tasty.  Also, it forces you to plan meals a little better.  And provided you’re eating a balanced meal, it’s super healthy and plant-based.  Now there are a ton of animal welfare, compassion, and eco-footprint reasons that are beyond obvious, right, so I don’t want to list them here.  One, because they’re obvious, and two, because that’s the point at which people feel like you’re lecturing them.  Again, I’m not lecturing, you carry on, I’m just trying to make a decision for me, not for you.  So chill.

So there’s a myriad of things to consider if I’m going to do this.  This is certainly not a decision I’m going to be making tomorrow, because I’m focused on the marathon right now, but it’s definitely something that’s in mind, and as I consider making this change, I will be a little more conscious of what I’m eating, and what I can swap out to make my transition a little easier.  Put your compelling arguments either way in the comments, and provided they’re not idiotic (kidding!) I will definitely log that away for consideration.

The story behind my thinking glasses. (The Tifosi Vogel Chronicles)

| cheriarmour

Right by our desks at work is a Tifosi sunglass display.  And I’ve been known to, when I’m having a little trouble focusing on things at work, pluck one particular lens off the display, the Vogel, and continue my work.  The glasses have been known to improve my focus, help my dance moves, and least important of all of these, shield my eyes from the sun when it starts to blind us from reflecting off the cars.  So imagine my shock and horror, when, after the lenses hadn’t sold for a few months, the Tifosi representative came to take them and ship them back to Tifosi.  I nearly cried, until he gave me the glasses as long as I promised to hustle some Tifosi.

So today was the latest in the morning I’ve run in about a month, and look at what sort of weather we’re having!

weatha

Purrfect! Meow, I like it!  Except, about 5 miles in, I had to hang a loop back to my apartment to fetch the thinking glasses because I was squinting so hard in the gorgeous weather.

Vogel

Is that Jennifer Lopez?

Nope. It’s me!  (And I look completely naked from this angle, but I promise I’m not).  So the important stuff.  What is the difference between an expensive pair of running/cycling sunglasses like these ones and a big cool pair from Target?  Something from Target may look super cool, but a lens from the twirly thing in Target is missing some key elements that you need from a running/cycling pair, like this Tifosi one.  First, it’s not going to hug your face.  If you’re going to be active, you need a lens that sort of wraps around, the way a race car driver’s would.  Second, this lens has hydrophillic rubber at the temple and at the nose that prevents the lens from slipping and sliding all over the place.  I’m pretty sure those parts are adjustable too, but I’m not that handy, and I don’t feel like breaking a tool out.  It feels fine to me!  But when you run in a regular lens, they generally won’t have that piece, and they’ll slide down your nose and flop all over your ears.  Third, this lens will block the wind, which is pretty important for you lucky ducks with regular eyes. For those of you with contacts and allergies like me, wind blockage is key to prevent dry contact syndrome in the middle of your run.  And finally, these lenses are vented. In regular people terms, that means that they won’t fog up, which is a biggie, especially when you’re sweating and breathing all heavy.

The best part about all of this?  You can find a pair that doesn’t look dumb.  So save the cute Ray-Bans and the cheap Target glasses for the beach, and hit your runs (or cycles) with one of these sturdy pairs!

As a general rule of thumb, I don’t do things I suck at. (Why Yoga is good for you).

| cheriarmour

Which is why my decision to start practicing yoga is so weird.  Before January, I’d literally only taken like 3 yoga classes, and my only takeaway was that I’d felt extremely bored.  And this is probably because I’d taken with one extremely inexperienced instructor, and a few classes at this really really stinky studio in Raleigh. (The place literally smelled like dirty feet, and to spare the feelings of the instructors there, I won’t  say the name.)  So why I picked up yoga on January 1st, I don’t know.

I chose this place that opened close to my house, Indigo hot yoga, just because it was close.  I went, and I totally sucked.  Like blew.  These super bendy gorgeous men and women were tearing up the mats, and seemed to not be struggling at all.  And the instructor was gorgeous.   And I’m pouring sweat and sucking.  I went back a week later.  Still suck.  Go back again.  Get a nosebleed during class, and send the teacher into an absolute panic.   Yikes.

But I noticed, that I didn’t feel quite as crappy recovering from a few of those long runs.  And I’m feeling a little strong.  My abs are positively yummy.  And the other day in class, I did something I’ve never done before!  Can’t remember the name of it, and I’m told it’s Bird of Paradise, and I did it and held it.  I’m fairly certain I couldn’t do that before!

So when I was planning to write this post, I was going to write this super informative and potentially contrived piece on the bennies of yoga.  And I talked to yoga Kerri, and she’s all, “write about what brings you to the mat.”

So if I’m being honest, I don’t know what brought me to the mat.  But something did.  And something is keeping me coming back.  And it’s similar to the way I came to Zumba.  I sucked in Koh’s first class, and the suck, and the challenge and the joy of seeing improvement kept me coming back.  For years.  But the excitement of going back and physically and emotionally seeing a change within myself is the main reason I go back. So why is yoga good for you?  Google it, there are like a bazillion articles on why yoga is beneficial, and why it’s helpful when you’re running.  But mainly, go to one class.  Figure out if you like it.  (Which you will).  And then find your own reasons to keep coming back.  If it’s to improve flexibility, if it’s to maintain a closer relationship with your God, if it’s to heal your acne (hey, it’s helped mine), just go!

yoga bra
So…::cues horror music:: this is what I look like with no makeup. Enjoy, this is a sight that the yoga folks get to see pretty regularly, but this is me, post-yoga, pretty stoked about my Bird of Paradise!