May I have another Stridebox?

As you could probably tell, May has been a very busy month around here! It seems like quite a while ago that I came home to the May StrideBox gloriously waiting on my doorstep.

When I opened the box, I immediately broke into a happy dance.

Good thing no one was around to see that…

The reason for the ridiculous happy dance? This month’s StrideBox was PACKED with awesome! Just take a look at everything they stuffed into this little box:

As I started pulling out the items, I noticed there was a pretty large box on the bottom. It’s a Klitch footwear clip! This is a really cool device that holds onto your shoes and clips onto your bag. That means no more wet, dirty, or sweaty shoes stinking up your bag or taking up all the space. If you didn’t get a May StrideBox but you want a Klitch, they are offering 20% with the code SPRING.

Considering they retail for $14.99, this StrideBox paid for itself with this item alone! Pretty awesome if you ask me. (And you did, didn’t you?)

Multiple endurance fuel samples were included in this month’s box in several forms.

1. Jelly Belly Sport Beans in assorted flavor – Carbs, electrolytes, vitamins and natural sugar give these beans their performance power. I’ve tried these before and they just seem like candy to me. I can’t say I noticed much of a difference, but I’ll give them another go.
2. Honey Stinger Energy Chews in Cherry Cola (new flavor) – Organic, gluten free, non-GMO ingredients, caffeine, and soft consistency make these appealing. The flavor is really tasty and they do seem to give a burst of energy. Since I can’t chew and run at the same time, I’d probably use these as a pre-run fuel (or snack….).
3. VFuel Endurance Gel in Peach Cobbler – I’ve heard some buzz about Vi Fuel’s tasty natural flavors and easily digestible ingredients, so I am excited to try this out. They use dextrose instead of fructose, which is more expensive but easier on the tummy. Check out their website for tons of information.
4. Bonk Breaker Bonk Bites energy bar in Peanut Butter and Jelly – Bonk Breaker is the official energy bar of the Ironman Triathlon Series that are packed with “high energy and high protein.” They also claim to bake them fresh daily – how awesome!

Next up is Betty Lou’s Just Great Stuff Bar. These are vegan, gluten-free, and packed with antioxidants. The flavor I got was Cacao + Acai. It’s all fruit, nuts, rice protein, and cacao nibs.

I ate it as a side to my banana bread english muffin the other day. It definitely looks a little strange and the nut bits give it an odd texture, but it tasted pretty good. I’d be willing to try the other flavors – Superberry Acai, Fruit and Veggie, and Chocolate Dream Greens.

One of the items I’m really excited to try is the Perfect Fit protein powder by Tone It Up. From their website:

“Perfect Fit Protein by Tone It Up™ provides clean, organic nutrition – and helps to burn fat, shape a lean physique and aid in muscle recovery. Each delicious serving contains 15 grams of protein and is Organic, Gluten-Free, Raw, Vegan, Non-GMO, Kosher, Non-Fat, Low in Sodium, and Free of Sugar, Dairy, Lactose, Cholesterol, Soy, Corn, Wheat and Allergens.”

Sounds great! They also have many recipes on their site with creative ways to enjoy the benefits of Perfect Fit beyond adding it to boring old water. I’m thinking strawberry shortcake protein pancakes might be the way for me to go…

As I mentioned in my previous review of StrideBox, we share the same mantra! They added this little sticker in the box and I love it. If only I could figure out where to put it! Any ideas?

You know that ickiness that happens to water bottles after a while? Well, Bottle Bright from Clean Ethics is a chlorine-free and non-toxic tablet of wonderfulness that will clean those bad boys right up. Just fill your hard-to-clean vessel with water, drop a tab in, wait 15 minutes, and rinse. Think that’s cool? Well, for every purchase made they donate the same amount of Bottle Bright to people in need of clean water containers. Now that’s ethical.

And now the last item: Pro-Tec Athletics Blister Bands. The LiquiCell technology creates a blister to cushion areas where rubbing occurs so your body doesn’t have to! It’s kind of like adding a little pocket of skin to your skin. Fortunately, I don’t usually get blisters from running (thanks to good socks and shoes) but I could see myself trying these out in a pair of flats that tend to rub me the wrong way.

Whew – that was a lot of stuff! According to the Stride Guide, the retail value of the contents in May’s box was just under $28! Since the monthly subscription is only $15, that’s nearly a 50% savings! Even if you don’t fall in love with every item in the box, it’s worth the money to try out new products that would cost a lot more to buy individually.

One last cool thing about the new StrideBox packaging is that it is made from 100% recycled materials. They included an announcement detailing the change and encouraging subscribers to reuse or recycle the packaging. Well, StrideBox, I am happy to report I was already reusing my first box as a home for my growing pile of running gear!
Who else got the May StrideBox? If you haven’t subscribed yet and are considering it, I say go for it! 

Visiting the Boston Marathon Memorial

Before the Boston Marathon on April 15, Mark and I had already made plans to travel home from the Cape by way of Boston to meet up with one of my college friends for brunch and a walk to Copley Square. Needless to say, that walk took on a new meaning after the bombings occurred.

We paused to look at the collection and pay our respects to those lost and injured during the bombings by adding our names to the messages of support. The makeshift memorial is full of Boston memorabilia, running shoes, hats, stuffed animals, candles, rosaries, flags, written messages, artwork and the like.  There are also individuals with therapy dogs and cats (yes, therapy cats) talking to visitors and offering comfort.

When the streets reopened, the collection was moved from the barricaded area to the park and it is clear that care was taken by the city of Boston to organize and arrange the items.

Markers for those who lost their lives

Running shoes, medals, and bibs

Angel shoes

Boston Strong artwork

As we walked around, I wondered what would happen to the memorial after a period of time. As is the case with makeshift memorials, I knew it could not remain indefinitely. I found this article about the process already taking place to archive fragile items. It is likely that some form of permanent memorial will be created.

It was moving to see the display of remembrance and outpouring of support in person. I’m glad we had the opportunity to visit and I’m hoping that one day I’ll be able to join in the crowds on Marathon Monday and watch one of the most inspiring races in the country.

On a final note, I am looking forward to sporting my Boston Strong gear that came in the mail last week! The Boilermaker shirt says “Run for Boston” on the back when it’s wet (or sweaty) and the headband is from Bic Bands. 100% of all proceeds from each item goes right to the One Fund!

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I also want to take a moment to say that my heart is with all those affected by the devastating tornado in Oklahoma.

 

One year married and the happiest place on earth

We returned home last night from our anniversary trip to Cape Cod, but I’m still 100% there in my mind. It truly was a wonderful trip and the perfect way to celebrate the first year of our journey together as a married couple.

Speaking of, I can’t believe how fast time went by! It seemed like only a moment ago we were saying our vows in front of family and friends and now here we are a full year later, even more in love than ever. Is it cool if we still call ourselves newlyweds?

May 18, 2012

A long weekend in Cape Cod was our first trip together as a couple way back in 2008, so it was a natural choice to spend a few days there to celebrate our first wedding anniversary there.

Provincetown Then & Now

Even though we packed a lot into 4 days, the whole trip felt easy and relaxing. We spent the days exploring towns and beaches, biking to lighthouses, getting massages, shopping, wining and dining, and simply just being together. Absolute perfection.

Road trip!

Disney claims to be “the happiest place on earth,” but I have to disagree. Theme rides and cartoon characters are totally unnecessary to me. I’m more of a sun on my shoulders, wind in my hair, sand between my toes kind of girl. Cape Cod is a place where I feel connected to myself, my husband, and nature – pure bliss. It’s truly my happy place. (The Adirondacks are a close second.)

How can you not be happy here?

Speaking of nature, we spent some time walking around the MassAudobon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. We got to see some beautiful birds and these itty bitty crabs crawling around the marsh. They would start crawling out of their tiny holes in the mud and then if you moved, they all sped back into their hiding places. We spent a lot of time watching these little guys.

One of the other things we did on our first day was to go for a nice bike ride on the Cape Cod Rail Trail. It’s a 22 mile stretch that runs from Dennis to Wellfleet. Since we were staying in Wellfleet, it was easy just to hop on at the end and go. It’s a beautiful path that’s marked at every tenth of a mile, so you always know how far you’ve gone!

We rode to the Nauset Light House and beach before heading back. The ride was about 11 miles total. We were sooo ready for some pizza after that!

Another fun thing we did was a wine tasting at Truro Vineyards. It’s a small but well-known vineyard with very delicious wines. A couple varietals even come in lighthouse shaped bottles!

I fell in love with Corn Hill Beach in Truro…

…it was so beautiful that we decided to return at sunset. As the sun went down we unlocked the love letter and wine box from our wedding ceremony. Our officiant used the love letters to create our vows to each other, which were a surprise to us until the moment we recited them to each other on our wedding day.

My favorite part of the trip

Mark reading my letter to him

Of course, I made sure I took the opportunity to get a nice run in to the Wellfleet marina. Technically it was a naked run, but I had my phone on to make sure I didn’t get lost, so I know that I ended up going for just under 5 miles. I want to run here all the time. 

We spent the day of our anniversary in Provincetown. We walked and walked and walked and did a little shopping and eating. I wish I was logging our miles because I’m sure we walked at least 8 miles. We were so ready for our fancy dinner at the Red Inn!

The food was incredible and we had a view of the water where a bunch of horseshoe crabs were hanging out near shore. Once we got back to the Wellfleet house we popped open some champagne and toasted to a successful first year of marriage.

Our little getaway was so wonderful and refreshing, I really could go on about it all day. Mark took tons of pictures and I think I will be staring at them for a while and daydreaming about my happy place!

It has been quite a year and I am looking forward to what adventures the future will bring.