Gear

One of the reasons I started running was because I was broke as a joke and wanted an athletic endeavor that theoretically wouldn't cost me more than the price of shoes, which I would probably own anyway.

I don't want to imply that this isn't true. It is 100% possible to run with nothing but shoes and whatever athletic clothes you happen to have. But this is America, so you can bet that there is a giant industry built up around selling you stuff for something that you can do for free.

However, stuff is fun sometimes. So I thought I would tell you a little bit about mine.

 

I try to keep it minimal, but as mileage increases, there's more I just "need" to have with me. I still use my Nathan handheld water bottle when it's warm out, but there are a number of water fountains on my current route, so I have taken it out of regular rotation. 

So, here's the run-down, from left to right:

1. Petzel headlamp. I don't usually use it for it's headlamp function, since my route is pretty well-lit, but I often turn it backwards for the strobe function. It can't hurt, for the one street I have to cross, and the occasional rogue cyclist. 

2. iPod shuffle and earbuds. I love the shuffle for running. It definitely holds enough music for even my longest runs right now, it's light, it's no big deal if it gets wet or sweaty since they retail for around $40, and it clips to pretty much anything. 

3. Shot Bloks. Delightful little chew candies that I nosh on every 2 miles on long runs. I love them, and the Grige steals from my supplies as snacks. 

4. Garmin Forerunner 10! This! This was a surprise from the Grige earlier this week. It's a "lower end" GPS watch (which means it's 100% solid awesome, but does not have a heart rate monitor). I've only had it out on 3 runs so far, but it's performed as expected so far and really helped me work for those negative splits. I'll review in more depth later.

5. Spi-belt. This guy is not really all I'd hoped for. I have wide hips and a narrow waist, and I like to run in athletic tights. This does not stay put at ALL and I have to constantly adjust. However, It's really convenient to stash keys, snacks and phone for longer runs, so I use it anyway. I'm hopeful that when the weather warms up, it will work better with shorts. Until then, I'm playing around with wrapping it around my arm, or buckling it over a t-shirt. 

oh, pasty legs. March is just the BEST.

6. Last, but not least, my foam roller. I picked this up when I started experiencing quad pain, and let me  tell you, it's like being handed new legs after a long run. To use it, you traction your weight onto the roller and then roll over your muscle. It works for calves, quads, hamstrings and IT band. I am in LOVE. However, you have to deal with the fact that it costs like $30, which seems like a CRAZY amount for a piece of foamy plastic. However, the Grige informs me that it does actually involve some "technology" and is probably justified in the pricing. I'll take it, but only because my legs feel so much better. 

So that's the roundup, and these are just the gadgets. I'll be back with more essentials one of these days.  

They have my money now....

So there's no backing out. I registered for the Go! St. Louis half marathon last night. If it goes well, I may aim to keep on for a full marathon this summer (I'm thinking Charlevoix, MI on June 22... but that's very hypothetical). I think my big mistakes my last time (besides being too overwhelmed with moving/wedding to stick to training), were that I:

1. Bit off more than I could chew. I came off an excellent 10K and went straight on to slay a dragon. I think I wanted something to take my mind off wedding planning and moving, and I grasped at a barely attainable goal.

2. Did not schedule any training races. I made it up to my 12 mile long run, and I should have thrown in a half marathon after that so that I had something to look forward too.

So this time, I'm going for the half marathon first, and will sign up for the marathon as training progresses and I get a better sense of my summer calendar. But FIRST:

New shoes.

This color is a testament to the fact that I will endure anything for 20% off. They are an extremely comfortable pair of Brooks Pure runners, and I absolutely HATE this color. I asked if they came in a less offensive shade, and the very kind sales guy explained that he could sell me these for 20% off since the new colors were all next years models. Obviously, I bought them.

And now, I will politely try to plug our new local running store, the Missouri Running Company. I've always been committed to buying from a local running store. However, I really wavered this time. Amazon Prime is so convenient, and being in a new city is so hard (at least for me). I've had a good (but not great) relationship with the Adams Morgan Fleet Feet in DC. They always try to put me in some super-stabilizer geriatric shoes that are so heavy they clunk against my ankles when I run. Not so at MRC - the sales man reviewed my stride, complimented me, and recommended a few shoes to try. As I tried them out, he continued to review my stride and gave me tips for making small tweaks to improve. It was a truly fantastic and positive experience and I'm so very glad that I pushed out of my comfort zone and gave this place a try. They definitely have a customer in me for as long as we're in STL. 

So I'm off and running - they were great on my 3.5 mile tempo run this afternoon, even though the post-wind chill temp was in the low teens. I'm raising my glass of orange juice to a great, fresh start.

I could have...

Flown to the east coast myself and delivered my gifts personally for what I just spent on shipping. Sorry friends, you'll be receiving gifts that can be sent with Amazon Prime from here on out. Otherwise, UPS costs will make us ho-ho-homeless.

In other news, the Brentwood Target is sold out of Pandora One gift cards (Hey Pandora! Sell those at more than one retailer next year, OKAY?). They are also sold out of wrapping paper and Christmas themed gift cards (I had to buy Valentines day ones) and people in the toy section will literally ram you with their carts to get the last pink iPod shuffle. To top it all off, as I was leaving (rather disgruntled, as you might imagine) two people literally got out of their cars to fight over my parking spot.

Game, set, match. You win, Target. I am staying safely inside for the duration of the holiday season and praising the lord for Amazon Prime.

God Bless Us, Every One.

On the 16th Day of Christmas...

I realized that my true love might need a little help with ideas about what to get me.

The Grige is still knee deep in grad school, so I'm mostly just hoping that he remembers to get me anything at all at this point. In any case, here's what's on my list this year:

1. New boots: In DC, improper footwear was like my winter calling card. After living in Michigan my whole life, I never really felt like the weather in DC merited more than a pair of ballet flats or rubber flip-flops (you know, when it rained). I was wrong then, and it would be wrong now. I need some winter boots that are both warm and hip, and these two fit the bill.

The Sperry Hikerfish boots

The North Face Snowtropolis series boots

Pro-tip - I chose lace-up boots because my calves are huge. If you're buying for someone else, knowing this can be helpful. North Face makes some beautiful lace-less boots in this same style, but I'm sure they'd never fit around my tree-trunk calves. Laces also make it easier to fit your jeans into your boots, if that's your style.

2. Jewels. I always love to get "fun" jewelry for the holidays. I like pieces that aren't too expensive but really make a statement. Anthropologie has some beautiful necklaces which are uncharacteristically reasonably priced this season. I'd suggest checking them out. Of course, the one I'm in love with is priced right around $250. Tears of an emily :-(

 

3. New Skis. I've been riding a pair of men's Fischer race tune giant slalom skis the last 7 years. They're in excellent condition because I've been tuning them myself before and after each outing, but the fact remains that they are extremely aggressive, rigid, really, really long men's skis. They're fast as heck but not much fun outside of a race course. Since I haven't really raced in at least 5 years, they're not really a great ski for me anymore.  

Here they are!

So picking a new ski is something I should really do for myself, but volkl has a few models I'm quite fond of. Mostly, I need something that's flexible, built for a woman's center of gravity, wide enough to handle powder but mostly focused on shredding somewhere between 160 and 166 cm long.  I'm not going to speculate on what skis I should buy, but it would be nice if someone took me out for a demo day...

So that's my list! What's on yours?

On the 6th Day of Christmas

The Internets gave to me....

This amazing tumblr and a partridge in a pear tree. Thanks, McV.

I don't think that the Grige is going to build me a table this holiday season, but I am attempting to get him some fun gifts. Here's a little round up of some fun things I'm wanting to buy my bearded man.

1. A plaid shirt, to make him look like a lumberjack.

2. This way cool drafting chair in mint green by Humanscale. The architect needs somewhere comfy to rest his buns during those late nights in studio.

3. A beard comb, like this mansome handmade tortoise one from Swissco. His beard has gotten very long, and while I love running my fingers through it's multi-colored luxuriousness, he needs something more professional to deal with it.

4. Clark's Desert Boots. These are the original, and I adore this pebbled suede. Warm tootsies are definitely the key to a happy Grige

5. Cool, new prescription sunglasses from Warby Parker. Their prices can't be beat, and my be-spectacled gentleman will love some extra protection from the sun. Their virtual try-on feature will help me find the perfect pair.

6. A little something to help him relax...

So what's on your list this year?

Walter the Turkey

You can brine if you want to
You can leave your friends behind
Because your friends don't brine and if they don't brine
Well they're no friends of mine.

I say, we can brine where we want to
a place where they will never find
and we can act like we come from a pre-grocery store world
leave the real one far behind
and we can brine...

Happy two days before Thanksgiving! I'm filled with joy and excitement, because I picked up Walter, our fresh, organic, free range turkey earlier today. I strapped him lovingly into the backseat of the car and we sang along to Men Without Hats the whole way home. He's now resting peacefully in his brine, with visions of my roasting pan and all the joy he will bring dancing in his head.

Walter. Obscured by brine and intoxicated by instagram filters.

I freaking love Thanksgiving, but I won't expand on our menu because I have too much cooking to get back to. Suffice it to say that at our house, the November issue of Bon Appetit is met with more squeals than a Justin Beiber concert. My table-scape is set, Walter is brining, anything that can be pre-made has been, and I have a two page schedule taped to my cupboards to make sure everything runs smoothly on Thursday. I can't freaking wait.

As an aside, I want to say a few words about Walter, since he's already met his maker, and will be meeting our tummies in a few days. Walter is from Whole Foods, where, until today, I felt confident that I could buy a reasonably local turkey, pre-ordered for convenience and never frozen. While the convenience and un-frozen requirements were certainly met, I discovered that Walter is from Grand Rapids, Michigan.

I am also from that area of Michigan, and four of the people who will soon be noshing on Walter are coming from there too, increasing Walter's carbon footprint to a size I'm uncomfortable with. I live in Missouri! This is about as farm-y as it gets, and I really can't understand why I couldn't get a turkey from a farm around here. Instead, my family and Walter travelled separately from the same place to get to my table, and that upsets me. If I had known this was the best option, I would have had my family pick him up and drive him down themselves. Or, I would have just gone to the farmers market and braved the crowds to get a local Tom. Ugh. Frustrating.

Anyhow, Walter is a special bird, and I'm glad he's with us. I just with he could have travelled with family instead of in a truck.

Off to add my stinky hippie tears to the brine....

Breaking News! Do You Know What Today Is?

I just received an email from the kn*t informing me that today is "Black Friday in July". I guess it's time to take advantage of the sales and finally invest in that name change kit I've been eyeing. Oh! and I can also buy bikini bags for my bridesmaids! And have them personalized.

For the record, I only signed up on the kn*t because they have a ridiculous amount of content available. When I was looking for advice on etiquette for divorced families at weddings, they had a lot of links for me to click. Many of them were worthless, but at least it was a starting place. They also have fairly good local vendor directories for obscure locations and lots and lots of pictures of dresses and hairstyles, which can be helpful.

However, the constant barrage of "YOU MUST BUY THIS NOW" e-mails that have been flooding my inbox is ridiculous, especially since the stuff offered is total cheap-o crap. And picking a random Friday in July and calling it "black friday" is just too much. As if one crazy psychotic consumer holiday wasn't enough. ugh. gross.

While I'm Whining about What a Waste Grad School Is....

Above the Law is another blog that spends some quality time on the uselessness of higher education. While the blog normally focuses on Law school specifically, an artical by Elie Mystal yesterday draws some stark conclusions from this New York Times article. Elie's thoughts follow:

"Think about that for a second. The system of American education churns out thousands of people with totally useless liberal arts degrees every year. English, Romance Languages, Philosophy — these are all things that provide the backdrop for a fascinating life of the mind, but they hardly pay the bills. In fact, to make any of these degrees pay off, you usually have to find employment teaching these “skills” to others. And that requires you to get additional education.

But nobody in their right mind would pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to get additional education in some of this crap, because they know they’ll never make enough to justify the cost. The university needs to subsidize that education in some way — and so they turn to law schools.

Universities pay for advanced useless degrees by fleecing the kids who decided four years was enough time wasted in the pursuit of knowledge that would not lead to dollars. And thus the law students resign themselves to a life of paying back debts doing something they don’t really like, while the kids who stayed the “I’m going to become an expert in this totally useless field” course end up with cushy professorial jobs teaching “Thinking in the Digital Multiverse” to the next group of university students.

How do you like them apples?

It’s all in the game, I guess."


Elie's point is exactly what I was talking about yesterday - The fact that my generation can not wait to throw our parent's/the government's (and in some very rare cases, our own) money at higher education institutions that are ripping us off.

While reading the NYT article, I noticed that the advertising in the corner had been purchased by none other than Cooley Law School. That's right - the school that shames my beautiful home state by offering a legal education to anyone who wants one, providing they can shell out tuition.  Cooley is like the law school version of diet pills - "just shell out your money and we will..... do nothing!" Maybe it's even worse than that - because the people who consume the Cooley product are not trying to lose weight the "easy" way. They are trying to build careers that will support their families in a state that is already hurting.

And then my head exploded.

If you are interested in more information about the problems with law schools, please check out Above the Law.

So much for higher knowledge,
Double E

The Grige, Grad School and the GRE

One of my favorite things about my Partner is that he really just doesn't care about what other people think of him.  After a weekend of heavy boozing at my cousin's wedding in Michigan, he earned himself a nickname that will likely follow him to the grave. He asked for another glass of "the Grige" and thus was baptized in wine by my family.

So now, the Grige is planning to go to grad school and spends all of his time studying for the GRE (read: ignoring me/ the dishes/ the laundry/ the dead cockroach that I almost stepped on). I am being as supportive as I can, because that's what you do in a healthy relationship. However, the very idea of grad school makes me want to do this:

I think that pursuing a graduate degree is a hugely un-necessary waste of money. The fact that practically everyone who graduated around the same time I did decided to hide in the library rather than face the dismal job market is probably the reason for this. Call me crazy, but staring down the rabbit hole after $100,000 that I didn't have in the first place while I search for jobs in a market that really just wants experience does not sound like a good idea to me. Penelope Trunk  talks more about this problem and other fun career topics in her excellent blog.

Penelope's points that I agree with most involve delaying adulthood, graduate education being pyramid scheme/money pit and the fact that working is not so bad. Most of my friends who went to grad school seem sort of stunted compared to my friends who worked (or worked and went to grad school). It's not that I don't love a good game of beer pong once and a while, but you have an actual table on your back deck? What would your boss say!? Oh wait... you don't have one.

These people are counting on expensive degrees to assist them in a market they know nothing about. If I wrote a book containing the really important skills I learned in my first year in the workforce alone, it would be longer than War and Peace and definitely worth more than I spent on my undergraduate degree. I would also venture to guess that those skills are very important to my future employers as well. I think that my peers who went to grad school instead will have a hard time competing with that knowledge when we are both up for higher paying jobs. Even if I don't get that job because I don't have a masters degree, at least I dodged the debt bomb. I'm not a risk taker, and that kind of investment return rate is just not for me.

So here I am, trying to be supportive as my roommate and Partner plants his feet firmly on the path back to grad school. It can't have been an easy decision for him, what with me spewing vitriol about cost-benefit analyses and irresponsible debt acquisition. And it is definitely not easy for him now that I've added a good deal of yelling about house-hold chores and how I refuse to clean up after him just because he's studying.

Despite all that, he is determined to go back, and I have to admit that his reasons are good. He's an architect, and it will be impossible for him to get licensed without a masters degree. Even though it will be years before he can even think about the pay-out from his hard work, he is talented and driven and I believe in him - in spite of my own good sense. 

I can't imagine having the kind of conviction the Grige has about being an architecht in my own career, and maybe that's my problem. Perhaps someday I will say "AHAH!" and run to my neighborhood university with application fee in hand. That day is not today, and I believe graduate school is a mistake for those of us who are not planning to become doctors (I am looking at you, Ph.D in cultural anthropology). But before I cry "unfair!" as our debt and the dishes in the sink pile up, I am going to take a deep breath and try to believe in the person I love.

Wish me luck,

Double E

Vacationing Above Your Means (Within Your Means) Part II

Last time, I wrote about vacationing "exotically" within your means. After writing it, I started thinking that my favorite vacations are not the most exotic ones. Traveling abroad can be stressful, and I think that the relax factor is very important. We take time away from work to re-charge our batteries, anyone who has been out of the country knows there is nothing more annoying and stressful than a faulty power converter. Now, I want to write about some less high-profile vacation options, and ways to keep a domestic vacation even more reasonably priced.

On the East Coast (and I assume near any large body of water), it's quite trendy to travel to the shore for weekends and holidays when the weather is nice. Some people rent beach houses, some people stay in "spring break" themed hotels on the "strip", and some people RV or car camp. The Grige (my Partner) and I backpack and I think it is the most wonderful and un-stressful break ever. 

We generally go to Assateague National Park (not to be confused with the State Park, which is full of RVs and screaming children where you must book your spot 6 months in advance). Once you arrive, you pay $15 dollars to park, check in with the rangers, grab your backpack and hike anywhere from 2 to 11 miles up the beach to pre-set camp areas with fire pits, picnic tables and even a classy latrine (read eco-friendly port-a-potty). You can stay for a weekend or a week, you fall asleep to the sound of the waves, and there is usually not another person in view as you sip a nightcap and enjoy your fire-fresh supper. 

Granted, this is easier if you are not a total camping novice. You will need bug repellant, and you will need to stick to beverages that do not come in glass containers or require blenders. You will also need some basic camping gear - the most primitive versions of which can be purchased for under $20 at Target. But isn't that a tiny price to pay for peace, tranquility and miles of open seashore? Oh yeah, and wild horses.

I'm of the belief that this camping thing works anywhere, but if spending a night out of doors really isn't your bag, there are still options left for a domestic beach vacation that doesn't break the bank (or involve droves of guidos doing jager bombs in the next hotel room). I am from Michigan and I love Michigan, so it was only a matter of time before I spent a few paragraphs telling you how amazing and awesome Michigan is. So here it is: Michigan rocks. 

Michigan is also cheap. Renting a house within walking distance of the lake on Michigan's west coast is not for the poor, but it's night and day when compared with a beach rental on the eastern shore. There are also hotels and cabins in abundance with all kinds of deals. We all know that Michigan's economy is in the sewer, so you will see a price drop in everything from draught beer to boat rentals once you cross the border. The best part is that there is no drop in quality to match. 

Michigan also offers a ton of variety. You can head to the Upper Peninsula for woodsy solitude on the chilly shores of Lake Superior, or you can hit up any one of hundreds of adorable little beach towns up and down the coast of Lake Michigan. There are great restaurants and tons of entertainment to be found pretty much everywhere. You can swim, you can surf, you can kayak, paddle board, sail, sand-board, bike, hike, or even head to the dunes in your 4-wheel drive vehicle. There is something for everyone. 

So before you drop an entire paycheck to sleep on the floor of an Atlantic Coast beach house with 27 of your "closest friends", check out Grand Haven, Traverse City, Pentwater, Marquette, or Harbor Springs. You may find yourself on the front end of a very affordable trend. 

See you at the Beach,

Double E

Vacationing Above Your Means (Within Your Means)

There are people who believe that those of us who make less than 100k per year should narrow our definition of "vacation" to mean "a week at home watching TV and maybe going to the zoo". While I am a big fan of the "stay at home" vacation, I don't think it's the only option for people in my income range.

I am a passport stamp junkie. The stranger and farther away it is, the more I want to go. Not making much money has never stopped me either, even before I discovered the amazing "goal" feature on mint.com. I was working two jobs for $11 and $9 dollars per hour respectively when I self-funded a trip to Costa Rica to visit a friend who was living there. I managed to swing the entire vacation, including airfare, for under $600.  I also managed a trip to Morocco for under $1000 earlier this year. Neither of these trips involved camping out or staying in a hostel, and both involved a LOT of eating.

If you too love to travel but have budget restrictions, here are some tricks to the trade:

• Join an airline loyalty program. Last year, I was flying back from Thailand (for work) and the guy next to me could not shut up about how great United Airline's loyalty program was. I was annoyed at the time, but after I joined found that he was right - collecting miles has allowed me to leverage a number of trips I wouldn't otherwise have taken. Just don't bring your Guitar.

• If you are planning a trip to Europe, Asia, Africa or the Middle East, get acquainted with budget airlines (Air Asia, EasyJet, Ryan Air etc....) Then plan to fly into the absolute cheapest airport on the continent and use these budget airlines to get to your final destination. This also allows you to go through customs in a large, nicer airport most of the time. A great example of this is when I flew to Madrid (for under $600 round trip) before hopping a 40 Euro flight to Marrakech. A flight directly to Marrakech would have cost us upwards of $1000. 

• Go in the "off" season. In Costa Rica, there is a two week period at the end of July called veranillo. This is essentially a beautiful 2 week break from the rainy season. However, flights during this time hover right around the $200 dollar mark since it is still the "off" season. In addition, waiting until March to visit warmer locales can save you tons of money, since most people go in the winter. House rentals in places like the Virgin Islands and other Caribbean hot spots usually fall to "low season" prices around first or second week in March. 

• Prepare yourself for a shock: all-inclusive resorts are not always the cheapest option for lodging, and they rarely give the most authentic experience. The best lodging options vary from country to country. You should consider renting a house or apartment (depending on your group size), staying in a guest house or even chartering a boat. These options give you the freedom to do some of your own cooking, control your own schedule and take advantage of additional peace and tranquility. 

• Take into account the power of the dollar. While a flight to Asia may consume the better part of your budget, remember how cheap it's going to be once you get there. Your in-country costs will be less than half what they would be in a more developed place. While a flight to Europe may be affordable, funding the rest of your vacation on the all-powerful Euro will not be. 

• Take only memories, leave only footprints. If you focus your vacation activities away from shopping, you will have more fun and spend less money. We all like to get keepsakes from our travels, what do they really end up doing besides weighing down our lives? So take more pictures and give the souks and shops a firm resolve.

   

So please start planning the kind of adventure that will make your co-workers think you just robbed a bank. Plan smart, think outside the box and stamp the crap out of your passport.

Bon Voyage,
Double E

Toot-Toot, Beep-Beep – or How I Manage Transportation

I am a control freak, obviously. I mean, I can't even allow other people to pay for my dinner because I think it throws off our "power dynamics".  I have also never owned a car, and haven't been behind the wheel in over a year. I am very serious about using public transportation (and now, my new bike!). As you might imagine, reconciling these two parts of my moral fiber is no picnic.

Using public transportation in any big city is a smart move financially. Using a bicycle (when weather and time permit) is even smarter. The problem is that you have to relinquish a lot of control in order to do it. Buses and trains are crowded and do not usually run on time. No amount of alertness can save you from that errant car door that opens into the bike lane, or the bike thief who carries enough tools to break through all three of your locks.

An unexpected cloud burst or even a completely expected rainy day can disrupt your routine so badly that you feel as if you will never recover. For me, that frustration just burns in my chest until I feel like I'm going to explode all over the other people at my bus stop. At one point, I lived almost two miles from the nearest metro stop and had to stay home sick during thunderstorms.

So here are some tips to surviving as a control freak without a car, and for getting the most out of your transportation dollars.

• Take. The. Bus. If you live in Washington, D.C. at least. The buses here are clean, not nearly as crowded as the metro during rush hour and infinitely cheaper. They are also far more likely to have working climate control. Traffic can be annoying, but slight alterations in your daily schedule can fix this.

• Change your work schedule. Most work places are getting more and more flexible with what they will allow. Often, the difference between commuting at 8:30 am instead of 9:00 am can save you time, money, and dealing with crowds. The same goes for leaving at 5:00 pm or 6:00 pm instead of right at 5:30 pm.

• Bike! Bikes are great – and most cities have a bikers association with perks like "guaranteed ride home" and tips for the best traffic routes and for avoiding accidents. You will be shocked at how much of the city opens up to you once you have a bike – what once took you one hour and two train changes, suddenly takes you 20 minutes from door to door. The kicker is that it's also great for your health!

• Zipcar. There are lots of great things outside the city and it sucks to have to depend on someone who owns a car to take advantage of them. Zipcar is also great for big grocery store trips, because no one looks good carrying a 20-pack of toilet paper on the handlebars of their bike.

• Get to know your neighbors/meet new people. I met my Partner on the metro at rush hour. If you can cling to a shred of your positive attitude and keep an open mind, who knows who you might meet!



Living anywhere in America without a car is difficult. It challenges our habits and comfort daily. However, using public transportation in combination with biking can save you money, improve your health, and help you wage your own righteous battle on oil dependency. Just try to remind yourself of that the next time you ruin a pair of suede shoes standing in the rain at a bus stop.

I've got no car and it's breakin' my heart, but I've got a driver and that's a start.....

Double E