Daily Archives: September 23, 2011

5 Thing Friday

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TGIF!

Ok so I had a 1-day week.

Regardless I’m just as excited for the weekend as I would be had I not spent the first 3 days of this week on a tropical beach.

Some favorite things this week?

1. Fall TV!

My favorite shows are finally coming back!

Glee, Modern Family, and Greys Anatomy (yes I will watch this, yes I realize I’m in the minority here) have begun and Gossip Girl starts on Monday (thank goodness).

I’ve also discovered 2 brand new shows that are hysterically funny and I cannot get enough of them. I sincerely hope they make it at least 1 full season because I want more of the stuff they’re dishing out.

Up All Night - 

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Will and Christina are brand new parents. Christina is a TV producer for “Ava”. Maya is Ava (Oprah mixed with Ellen mixed with Tyra). They are neurotic and hilarious and I want to move in next door to them.

How do you not love these 3 together? They are hilarious, the show is hilarious, and I laughed outloud at least 17 times in the 23 minutes that it was on. A must watch. NBC.

New Girl

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Zooey gets dumped and has to find a new apartment. These 3 guys put out an ad on Craigslist. She moves in. Hilarity ensues.

2. Jewel Tones

Even though SF is just experiencing our brief period of summer, the rest of the country is gearing up for fall and winter.

Since I subscribe to no less than 11 magazines, the same bright colors seem to be popping up in all of them. Since I’m also a full-fledged shop-a-holic, I absolutely need the cobalt (Cynthia Vincent is a genius) and green dresses below. And an extra $600.

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3. Newman’s Own Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce

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I’m a little obsessed with all things Paul Newman. Before our trip, I was making spaghetti and meatballs and needed some pasta sauce so I ran to Safeway and immediately was drawn to the Newman’s Own sauces because they’re all natural. I’m not one for really chunky sauces (I hate tomatoes but I’m alright with tomato sauce… sans chunks).

Once the sauce mixed with the pasta I knew I would never go back to anything else. (Mom’s homemade sauce aside). It was the perfect combination of flavors and tasted ridiculously good.

4. Hunter Rain Boots

It rains fairly often in SF. And every winter I buy the cheap rainboots because I think they’re just as effective. And they end up ripping, or I end up slipping and falling (x3). Or worse I don’t look outside while I’m getting ready in half-asleep and walk out the door in tights and high heels in the pouring rain.

Not this year.

My mom was given a pair of the Leopard Hunter Liners for free last year (which she so graciously then gifted to me), and I’ve decided this is the year I pull the trigger on the black Hunter boots.

If they’re good enough for Lizzie McGuire, Sarah Marshall and Summer Roberts, they’re good enough for me.

5. Vacations

Are you surprised?  Boyfriend and I are already talking about our big trip for next summer. Caribbean? Europe? European beaches?

Doing absolutely nothing on the beach for 12 days becomes pretty infectious.

Waking up to that every day isn’t too shabby either.

What are some of your favorite things this week?

Running Must Haves

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Since starting this whole “I’m going to make running a priority in my life for 18 weeks so that I can run 26.2 miles in one sitting and pay $150 to do it“, there are certain things that I physically can’t run without.

While it may sound dramatic, its entirely true. I will not be able to move one foot in front of the other without these little pieces of magic.

I swear.

Nike Tempo Shorts

I’ve always been a running capri kinda girl. I didn’t like running in shorts, it was uncomfortable, they rode up, and I just wasn’t a fan.

Enter Nike Tempos.

I’ve had a few pairs for a while and wore them to cross-train but never felt entirely comfortable in them. Running 5 days a week for 6 weeks apparently changes your feelings on these types of things because now they are all I want to run in. They are sooo light and comfortable.

They come in about a million and one colors too… and are typically between $15-$30. (When are these suckers not on sale? I love them even more.)

We may or may not have driven by a Sports Authority (boyfriend and I’s favorite athletic store ever) and I may or may not have picked up an additional 2 pairs for $20 each. Including these beauties.

Garmin Forerunner 205

Before I got the Garmin I was running like Lindsay Lohan lives her life – a little lost.

Post-Garmin living, I know my pace, I know my exact mileage and my runs are forever changed. My dad bought it for me as his contribution (THANK YOU DAD!) to my marathon training, and I’ve used it on every, single run since Day 1 of my Training Plan. I love it!

This little gadget is pricey ($120ish)… but so, so worth it.

Chocolate Milk

The best recovery fuel for runners. Luckily, I enjoyed this beverage long before I started running, and now that I know it’s the perfect combo of carbs, proteins and fats (not to mention the most delicious drink on the entire planet) I drink it after every run (and at most meals, let’s be real here.)

Let’s talk convenience. Starbucks even sells these individually.

Running Hats

I absolutely hate when my hair flies in my face when I’m running, or when my headband slips off my head.

I swear by Nike Dri Fit Featherlight hat – it’s moisture wicking, it’s suuuuper light, and it fits perfectly.

I’ve read things about HeadSweats, so those may be next on the list to try… but I’m just skeptical of ever finding a hat that fits as well as these do.

Tunebelt

Last year, as I was training for a 1/2 Marathon, boyfriend bought me a Tunebelt. This thing is amazing. Fits my iPhone and has a pocket in the back for your ID, Credit Card, a key, etc. It’s neoprene so it doesn’t feel hot and it fits snugly around your waist.

I like to run with my phone in the event that I fall, hurt myself, get lost, get overly hungry, etc. I also like to listen to Pandora on my long runs because listening to the same playlists over and over make the long runs extremely boring.

(In case you’re curious: NSYNC, Backstreet Boys and Glee have fantastic Pandora stations for long runs. I swear.)

Nike Free Runs

I am obsessed with Nike Free Runs. I have never before been able to train for, run half marathons, and now train for a marathon in shoes with zero pain of any kind. Zero.

And I have flat feet. AKA the kind of feet that you’re supposed to have pain with just about everything.

They weigh next to nothing, support your feet just enough, and mimic barefoot running in the sense that they make your feet stronger which in turn makes you speedier. But they do take some getting used to.

I’m on my 2nd pair, and I’m already planning on a 3rd pair for the actual marathon.

Even better? On Nike.com you can NikeID the Frees… and customize them to your color preferences.

My current Frees. They do not get dirty. Ever.

What are some of your running (or fitness) must-haves?