What Do You Put On Your Race-Day Face?

August 20, 2013 by beewhobabbles

When I was a four years old, my aunt let me play with her make-up. Shimmery pink blush, purple eye shadow, frosted fuschia on the lips and voila- I was beautiful. My mom wasn’t happy about it, but after that, it became a ritual. Every time I visited my aunt, I headed straight for her vanity. My experimenting continued as I got older; in high school, my friends and I would drive to the best mall in our city and head straight for the make-up counter at Saks. In college, my friends would “schedule” appointments with me for make-up before sorority functions. I still love make-up. I love to wear it. I love to play with it. I have fun trying different products and colors (I wore a bright fuschia lip recently, much to my husband’s dismay. He prefers my “natural” look). I could spend an hour in Sephora and then head across the street to Ulta. (Sorry, husband.)

Fun make-up for a super cool concert we saw a few weeks ago. Alright, it was Kidz Bop. Le sigh.

Earlier this month, I went for a run at 3pm. That morning, I applied some light make-up, and neglected to scrub it off before heading outside to exercise. Well, within five minutes, my tinted moisturizer and mascara were stinging my eyes! Ouch. I sweat a lot when I run, and get pretty flushed, so there’s really no need for make-up. If it didn’t melt off of my face (or into my eyes), one wouldn’t be able to see it post-race anyway. I wondered if my friends wore make-up during their races, especially my girly-gals, so I decided it was time for some chick chat.

BEC:

I don’t think I ever realized that people wore makeup for races until I was getting ready for last year’s Color Me Rad with my friend Heather and she was doing her eyes. And honestly, I was shocked. It had never occurred to me to put makeup on for a race. Even once I knew that this was a thing people do, I didn’t. Most of the time, I’m all ‘I’m a girl! I like pink! I like sparkle! I like pretty!’. But on race day, in addition to being a nervous wreck, I’m all ‘I’m about to go get truly gross and stinky and sweaty. You can keep your eyeshadow, thanks.’ The most you’ll see me rocking on race day is tinted moisturizer. And I promise you, that’s pushing it.

CAM:

I wear waterproof mascara occasionally. But usually I’m just al natural.

JESS:

I rarely go out into the world without makeup. The first 8 weeks of Bug’s life were an exception, mainly because I barely knew my own name! I don’t always view makeup as a necessity, but I love how it makes me feel (yes, and look) and I really try to wear makeup with good-for-me ingredients so I’m not gunking up my skin.

$A small fraction of Jess's make-up stash.$

A small fraction of Jess’s make-up stash.

At any rate, I do almost always wear makeup on race day. I have to be camera-ready, even if I end up sweating the majority of it off! Typically, I wear a lightweight powder foundation with SPF to get my sun protection on, a coat of waterproof mascara, and a little bit of blush or bronzer to keep me from looking too pale. Finally, I swipe on some lip balm and I’m good to go!

MERI:

Nope. None, except for Chapstick. I used to skip it occasionally until my lip started to crack and bleed during the AC April Fool’s Half Marathon. Otherwise, au naturale for this gal. Though I will do my hair sometimes, only to have it immediately frizz up once I start running. Good times, good times.

Fresh-faced Brooke and Meri before the Rothman Institute 8k.

VIC:

If I remember to apply eyeliner before I grab my homebrewed coffee and leave for work, I consider my morning routine a success. I am a eyeliner and chapstick girl. I wear little and figure that my glasses hide most of what I don’t want people to see. (Please don’t tell me if I am wrong here, I really don’t want to know if the glasses are actually high-lighting wrinkles and dark circles.)

I’m sure it’s no surprise to hear I run without any makeup on. And races? Forgetaboutit. I’m lucky if I can get out the door with everything I need. I have a few friends who style their hair and apply makeup before sporting competitions. Hair? Hell yes, I am guilty as I love sporting pigtails.

A few years back, when I rowed in an 8-woman boat at the Head of the Charles regatta in Boston, I came across some other masters’ women wearing makeup. The killer? The group applied next to the portajohns, which no longer housed any toilet paper. (Free tip for HOTC-goers – bring LOTS tissue packs. It will save you.)

But those ladies? They were far more concerned about looking great and putting their faces on pre-race and taking some pictures. Me – I’ll stretch, check my footstretchers and use those tissues for a last-minute toilet stop.

Do you wear make-up for a race? Let us know in the comments!  

Parental Advisory (Explicit Content Requested)

August 7, 2013 by beewhobabbles

When my youngest brother was three, my aunt gave him a mix tape with only one song, repeating over and over. Front AND back. His favorite song; Blue’s Traveler’s Runaround. At the time, I thought it was hilarious and adorable. Now that I’m in the car with my kids for a good portion of the day, I fully understand what fresh hell it must have been for my mother.

Here’s a tip: if you like a song, do not play it for your children. Kids are song ruiners. They take such delight in hearing a song they like (even more so once they learn the words) that you will have to listen to that song again and again, and again and again, until you hate it. At that point, they will ask you to play it, “Just one more tiiiiiime, Mommy!” before they acquiesce and allow you a turn (“But nothing slow, okay?”) And know this- you will only get one selection before they ask for THAT SONG again.

Sigh.

Just a few tunes I used to enjoy before my kids loved them:

Paparazzi by Lady Gaga
Firework by Katy Perry
A-Punk by Vampire Weekend
The entire Wicked soundtrack

I’m in the car quite a bit with my littles, and the older two (mostly) control our radio. This Spring, we listened to the Sophia the First soundtrack for three months straight. Awkward is your husband walking into the kitchen as you belt out, “I’m not ready to be a princess, I don’t have what it takes…” while washing dishes.

Right now, they’re in a Kidz Bop phase. I used to let them listen to actual pop songs, but they started repeating some unsavory lyrics. (Not curse words, but not appropriate for children either, you know what I mean?) For those lucky people who aren’t familiar with Kidz Bop, let me fill you in. The Kidz Bop kids cover popular, Top 40 music, but alter the lyrics so that all songs are kid-friendly. In “California Gurls”, for example, Katy Perry croons, “Sun-kissed skin, so hot, we’ll melt your popsicle…” while the KB kids sing “Sun-kissed beach”, and voila! No worries when they sing that one in the grocery store checkout line.

They each have favorites (Oldest likes “Girlfriend” by Avril Lavigne, while my middle girl prefers “Who Let the Dogs Out”. Yayyyy), and there are so many songs they enjoy that we aren’t falling into a pattern of requesting the same song ad nauseum. Yet. (And only because the Kidz have, like, 25 albums. Note to my Chicks, we should totally form a Momz Bop group.)

My husband and I took them to see Kidz Bop in concert last Sunday. (Yep, they tour. Who knew?) Watching my girls dance and sing their little hearts out was the best part of my weekend, even if I had to endure a KB cover of “Ho Hey”.

Singing like Taylor Swift!

So, you can understand that during my time “off”, which is pretty much my running time, I like to listen to adult music. Give me the big butts, the rump shaking, sex on fire, Slim Shady, and all the words I wouldn’t even type here.

Recently, I got a new iPod shuffle, and asked my girls for some dirrrty tunes for my workouts:

Bec-
Crazy Bitch – Buckcherry
What’s Your Fantasy- Ludacris and Lil Kim
Tear You Apart – She Wants Revenge
Closer – Nine Inch Nails
Work It – Missy Elliott

Jess-
Big Poppa – The Notorious BIG
HAM – Kanye West and Jay-Z

Meri-
We Run This- Missy Elliott

Thanks, Chicks!

Share your favorite PG-13 and rated R running tunes with me. Please? Or tell us what songs our Momz Bop group would cover.

A little ‘chick on chick’ action – Part 1

August 2, 2013 by bec2point0

The chicks here at Scoot A Doot all know each other pretty well. There are a lot of emails, texts, phone calls and Heytells that go back and forth about everything from blog business to what we ate for lunch. (Admittedly, there are a lot about lunch.)

But, we wanted to let you guys get to know us better! And who better to interview us than… well… US!

So, for the next six Fridays, we’ll be posting some Chick-on-Chick interviews. You’ll definitely hear some stuff about health and fitness and what motivates us. But you’ll also get to find out more fun stuff about us! And heck, if there is anything we don’t cover, any burning questions you’re just dying for us to answer, just ask.

We’ll pretty much talk to anyone. About anything. We’re a chatty lot.

So, here is our first installment!

Bec on Meri

Meri representing Bec’s hometown in her City Sports Boston shirt.

Since all this sillyness was my idea, I took on matching up our interviewer to our interviewees. It was completely random, I swear. I have little slips of paper in my work wastepaper basket to prove it. But truth be told, I was pretty excited when I got matched up to interview Meri.

Mer and Bec snuggling in an Irish Pub.

Meri and I have known each other for just over three years, and in that time, she has become one of my dearest friends. She never fails to lift my spirits, and she’s been known to ‘full name’ me on occasions when I really need it. Being that I’m in Massachusetts and Meri is in New Jersey, we don’t get in person visits nearly often enough, but we’ve both hung out with each other’s families and I can’t wait to see her and her’s again next Spring (if not before…universe, be kind).

Bec and Mer (with fellow Scooter Cam and honorary Chick Jenn) on the Boston Chocolate Tour.

Prior to this interview, I would have told you that there wasn’t much I don’t know about Meri. But I would have been wrong! So, without further ado (a.k.a. babbling by me)…

Bec: When was the first moment you really felt like an athlete?

Meri: Well, there’s been many moments when I really DIDN’T feel like an athlete, despite taking part in athletic events. However, with running, I think one of the coolest moments for me was when I did the Run the Bridge 10k and I was able to call my time, to the minute before we ran the race.

It was my first 10k ever and hillier than any run I’d ever done (the Ben Franklin bridge from Camden into Philadelphia is essentially one giant hill, btw – I don’t think I was really cognizant of that fact when I signed up). Vic, Brandi, Sean and Kate were all running too and as we split up at the start line, I said, “Okay, I’ll see you at a 1:10/1:11 – cheer for me!” And sure enough, that’s exactly when I ran across the finish line (and they were all cheering for me).

To know my capabilities and push myself through those hills was a really fantastic experience. That’s definitely as real as it gets.

Bec: If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Meri: Ice cream.

Bec: I didn’t know this. I mean, Meri and I share a love of ice cream, but I think I would have said oatmeal. Meaning I thought Meri would say oatmeal. I would definitely not say oatmeal. I would say ice cream.

Bec: Do you have an ultimate health/fitness goal, be it a specific weight or something you want to be able to do? What is it?

Meri: You know, it’s funny because when I started running in 2011, I was 30 pounds heavier than I am now and I was very number focused. As I’ve lost weight and became more fit, it’s become less and less about the number and more about how I feel.

I’m 10 pounds heavier than I was last summer but I’m okay with that. My goal is to be healthy and fit, but I also have an obsessive personality so finding the balance of all of these things is numero uno important. My self confidence has never been higher and I know that when I put the work in and focus on my goals, good things will happen.

Bec: Tell me about your dream ‘girl’s weekend’.

Meri: Mount Airy Lodge. Where all you have to bring is your love of everything. I still have dreams of the champagne shaped hot tub. And all my best girls, of course.

All kidding aside, I want to do Campowerment! 2014?

Bec: I don’t even know what Campowerment is but I already kind of want to do it!

Bec and Mer and one of our best girls, Jenn, exploring Salem, MA. It’s no Mount Airy lodge, but we had a great weekend!

Bec: What is your biggest challenge in being a healthy mom to two (adorable) boys?

Meri: My boys are adorable, aren’t they? Biggest challenge would be getting everything done. And having time enough at last (aka to read).

And laundry. Always laundry.

Bec: Laundry is my world. *eyeroll*

Bec: Best Boy Band of all time? And favorite member of said Boy Band?

Meri: Of ALL time? The Beatles. Don’t tell me they’re not a boy band – they were THE boy band.

But if we’re talking more recently, the N’SYNC. And JC. I still love him on ABDC. He’s blowin’ me up with his love. Yep.

Bec: I love this answer. So much.

So, that’s Meri in a nutshell. (Let her out! A nutshell is very cramped!) Next week, we’ll have another chick-on-chick interview. You’ll just have to tune in to see who!

And if you have questions for Mer… or me… or any of the chicks… pop them in the comments. We love hearing from you guys!

Everybody Dance Now

July 27, 2013 by writeitdownjess

Do you have that song stuck in your head? GOOD. It will serve you well today.

Why, you ask? Because today is National Dance Day, aka my favorite day ever! Other than my birthday. And Christmas. And Bug and Mister Jess’s birthdays. And my wedding anniversary.

At any rate, it’s definitely on my top ten list of favorite days ever, but it’s actually only been around for a few years. It was launched in 2010 by the Dizzy Feet Foundation‘s co-president Nigel Lythgoe (also the Big Boss of “So You Think You Can Dance”, another obsession of mine). According to DFF’s website, National Dance Day, which falls on the last Saturday in July, is a “grassroots campaign (that) encourages Americans to embrace dance as a fun and positive way to maintain good health and combat obesity.”

Embrace dance? Yeah, I think I can do that.

As excited as I am about a day devoted entirely to my favorite form of exercise, I have been living National Dance Day nearly every day since I was little. My love for music and dance was fostered from an early age, watching my Aunt Teri’s college dance performances with awe, attending ballet class with my cousin Charity. We even put on shows for our family, captive audience that they were. I adored classic movies like Singin’ in the Rain and White Christmas, where the actors seemed to glide on air. If I could have hopped through the TV screen and danced along with Gene Kelly, I would have.

Prima ballerina in training.

Tiny dancers!

Aunt Teri and I in all our 80s glory, posing for a dance wear ad. Nice legs, Aunt T (she’s the hottie on the left)!

There have been, junior high dances (fun), high school dances (super fun) and college dances (a little too much fun). Nightclub dances and wedding dances. “I have the house to myself, solo dance party, heyyyyy” dances and “the music got a hold of me in the middle of Starbucks, this is awkward” dances. I dance at work. I dance at stoplights. I dance when I run. I dance for Bug and hope that he catches the fever. Trust me when I say that if there is music playing, it takes a lot of self control not to dance.

Even a wedding dress can’t stop my sweet moves.

My Dance Face™.

While I generally hate being sweaty, out of breath, and sore, I don’t consider it a good dance session unless I’m all three when the music stops. If my feet are achy and my throat is scratchy at the end of my sesh, I’m a happy girl.

Now, it wouldn’t be National Dance Day without everyone getting involved, so I asked the other Chicks to send me evidence of them getting their dance on. Enjoy these sweet moves!

Brooke and her running pal, Sara, show us what they’ve got:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5SknjLHEKI]

Meri and Pooks sweatin’ to the beat:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCfa1p4BTqU]

Vic shakin’ it:

Vic dancing up a storm with her friend, Audra.

Smooth moves!

Cam using what her mama gave her:

She’s so excited (to be dancing) and she just can’t hide it!

Bec is an expert chair dancer:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGTZBB-l4Io&w=480&h=360]

A sampling of my sweet style:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdz2b-hmHno]

Are you a dancing machine? What’s your go-to move? How do you plan to celebrate National Dance Day? Talk to me in the comments!

Road Tested: Injinji Socks

May 23, 2013 by writeitdownjess

We love trying new things, and we love them even more when they’re free! Hey, we’re easy. So when Outside PR gave us the chance to try Injinji Performance Toesocks, we said “you betcha!”

According to their website, Injinji Performance Toesocks have an anatomical 5 toe sleeve design to properly align your toes, prevent blisters, and promote proper posture and balance, among other benefits. They looked cool and very unique, but did they deliver?

Curious? Read on to see our road-tested results.

Brooke

I tried the Run 2.0 mid-weight crew sock and for me, the best thing about these socks is how incredible they are at wicking away sweat. I’m in Florida, where it’s hot and hotter, and my socks and feet usually feel wet and gross after a run. Not so with these! I’m happy to report that the sock was damp but my foot felt pretty dry, even after an outdoor run.

It took some toe-wiggling, but I quickly adjusted to the shape of these socks. I am prone to toe blisters, so I think they would be awesome for a longer run.

Vic

My toes were confused. They didn’t know what to think. But honestly, they got over it pretty quickly.

I took the socks on a test run (ha!) a few times last week. Each time I thought there would be no way my toes would adjust. But they always did – and in the first mile. Instead of thinking about the socks and how each toe was cushioned by fabric, sort of like a glove, I found my mind wandering.

Ouch, my legs are tight. Damn, it was 35 degrees yesterday and 75 degrees today. What’s THAT all about? The new neighbors are building a hideous trellis. OK mister motorist! Don’t. Hit. Me.

Since I wasn’t thinking about my socks, that means nothing nagging my tootsies. And that’s a compliment. They were comfortable and cushy and my toes felt protected. The trickiest part was putting them on, as you need to guide each toe into its sleeve and my toes are – um – flawed.

Long story short. I like them.

Meri

“Those are some fancy socks.” Pooks was eying up my Injinji socks from the moment they arrived.

“They sure are,” I replied.

He picked the package up and investigated, curiously looking at the toes. “So they’re like gloves for your feet?”

“Very much like that.”

A bit later, I put the socks on, preparing for my run. He silently (which is a rarity) eyed me up in them. “Your baby toe doesn’t fill up the sock.” Way to make the little guy feel inadequate, kid. But it was true; genetically, my toes might not be as long as others. I’ve come to accept that.

Once I put my sneakers on, he looked somewhat disappointed.

“What?”

“Oh, they look like regular socks now. Do they feel like regular socks?”

“Well, no. My toes are separated, which is a bit different. I’m going for a run to try them out.”

Once I ran far away from my child and his probing questions, I have to say that I forgot about the toes being separated and just enjoyed my run (as much as I ever enjoy a run!). The material of the Injinjis was the biggest draw for me, light and breathable. They also washed well.

When I returned from my run, Pooks was waiting by the door. I was gross and sweaty and he watched as I kicked off my shoes, anxious to see the socks once more.

“Can I have fancy socks like that?”

I won’t be at all surprised if the Injinji socks disappear from my sock drawer and wind up in my eight year olds. We might just have to get him a pair, too!

Cam

I found the socks pretty comfortable when I first put them on. I’ve never worn toe shoes or socks before, so it was a little tricky at first. They fit pretty well, there wasn’t any loose fabric bunched around my feet or toes. I really liked the feel of the fabric and the fit through the middle of my foot.

When I put my shoes on, they felt a little bit too snug in the toe box. My toes were being pressed apart more than normal, which is expected given the nature of the sock. During my first run, I started cramping in the balls of my feet. I’m assuming this is due to the adjustment that my feet were making because my toes were now in a different place and different muscles were having to work harder than normal. I couldn’t wear them for very long.

The second time I wore them, I used them for my boxing class. Boxing requires a lot of shuffling around on your toes and jumping rope, and I wear a different, wider and flatter shoe for this class. I didn’t have as much cramping as during my run, and I did like how the socks allowed for easier balance.

I’m thinking these socks might be something I have to train my feet for, but I like the idea of running with a more natural foot. I’m going to continue wearing them for short runs and workouts in the hope that my feet will acclimate.

Jess

I’ve always been a fan of toe socks. In fact, I rocked some pretty stylish rainbow ones in high school (only at home. My parents didn’t judge, bless them). So, I was pretty excited to try these out. Who doesn’t love the idea of sliding each of their toes into little toe sleeping bags?

I received the no-show style, which is my favorite kind of running sock. I want people to see my flashy shoes, not my socks. But I’m forever and ever and ever adjusting them because normally they slide down while I’m exercising and bunch up at the bottom of my heel. The Injinji socks didn’t move. Not an inch. They conformed beautifully to my foot and felt super secure. I was a little worried at first that they might have felt too secure to the point of constriction, but that feeling went away within a minute or so. I just wasn’t used to having a sock that fit nice and snug.

Overall, the socks fit my feet really well, stayed where they were supposed to, and felt lightweight enough that I didn’t really feel them after a while. They were super comfortable and as a cherry on top of the sock sundae, my feet weren’t a sweaty mess when all was said and done. Very impressed with Injinji, even if I can’t say it!

Bec

I expected to hate these socks, honestly. Stuff between my toes is NOT my favorite thing. Plus, I have pudgy pork sausage toes, so I fully anticipated pinky toe strangulation. But, I actually found these pretty comfy! They are super soft and they stretch well. So, while they won’t replace my beloved race day socks, they’ll totally go into my rotation.

Chick Chat: What Moves You?

April 30, 2013 by writeitdownjess

As I’ve mentioned before, I love to jam. If I’m awake, I’m either singing to myself or listening to the professionals on my iPod (they sound better). Sometimes I sing-talk. And by sometimes I mean all the time and mostly at work. My co-workers love me!

When it was my turn to host the chick chat post, of course I wanted to talk about music. Some of us jam to rock. Some of us to hip hop (hoorayyyy, ho, hey, ho). Some of us move to our own internal beat. We like to mix it up.

So, if you’re looking for music to move your tush to when you’re working up a sweat, or if you’re just curious what’s on our iPods, we’re sharing a few of our favorite songs to run to. Read on, friends!

Meri

1. Club Can’t Handle Me – Flo Rida featuring David Guetta

Because it really can’t. I take it TO THE STREETS (with my crew, Jess and Cam).

2. You’re So Damn Hot – Ok Go

Because I am. So damn hot. And it’s nice to be reminded of that while running.

3. Kodachrome – Paul Simon

Mama, don’t take my Kodachrome away! I kick it old school with this one and it always reminds me of my Icelandic friend, Bylgja!

4. Feel This Moment – Pitbull and Christina

I feel like Pitbull needs to be on every running list. Including my top five. (errrr, six)

5. Titanium – David Guetta featuring Sia

Firstly, this song reminds me of Pitch Perfect, which was a fantastic movie. Secondly, I love the build of this song. It makes me feel invincible.

6. Harder Than You Think – Public Enemy

I first heard this song on last year’s UK Paralympics commercial last year. It stirred such a reaction within me, both the advertisement (go PR people!) and the song; it had to be mine.

Vic

I don’t listen to music as I run. It’s just the way I roll. I’d rather take the time to decompress, particularly after a busy or stressful day, which are par for the course in my line of work.

As I run, I replay my day, let my mind wander and focus on each breath. And that is music of a different sort.

Brooke

1. Dog Days Are Over- Florence and the Machine

Well, it’s about running, right? Not really. Or maybe? It says “run” a lot, anyway. It also has a good beat and I love Florence.

2. Be My Thrill- The Weepies

This song makes me want to run FAST. Awesome beat.

3. The Thong Song- Sisqo

Seriously. It’s just fun and funny and if you’re hitting a wall during a race, or getting bored on the treadmill, it will completely distract you.

4. 369- Cupid featuring B.O.B.

Another song for fast running. And really, the entire Step Up 2: The Streets album is the jam.

5. What’s Your Fantasy- Ludicris

Haha, well, this has a great beat for running. It also makes me laugh and I know (and usually sing) all the words.

Bec

1. International Love – Pitbull

This song just has this kind of groove to it that makes me want to run. Or dance. Or dancerun. Don’t judge.

2. Gonna Fly Now – DeEtta Little and Nelson Pigford

If you don’t recognize it by name, this is the Rocky ‘steps’ song. Yes, I’m aware this is sort of corny. But I’m telling you, put this in your running playlist and when it pops up, it will make you smile and make you push a little harder.

3. Ride on Time – Black Box

If it were not for the cinematic genius that is 1992’s The Cutting Edge, I don’t think I would even know this song. But it rocks. “Gotta get up, gotta get up…” Awesome running jam.

4. She Sells Sanctuary – The Cult (What, I liked Moira Kelly movies in the early 90s. Sue me.)

Probably far from most people’s traditional running fare, this has been on every exercise playlist I’ve ever had.

5. Crazy B*#ch – Buckcherry or SuperMassive Black Hole – Muse

Yeah, I added two. But for a reason. You know those moments in a run when it’s really hard and you feel like you want to stop and the whole thing kind of feels like a big, fat failure but you’ve only got a few minutes less and you really want to push through. Either or these songs will get you through the last four and a half minutes of any bad run.

Cam

1. Feed the Animals or All Day – Girl Talk

Hours of continuous music that includes every song I’ve ever loved ever? YES PLEASE! I like that it has a variant of speeds. I can time my rests with the mix and anticipate when I’m going to make a big push for speed. Mostly, this is what I run to always. I only resort to the following when I’m feeling restless.

2. In Ghost Colours – Cut Copy

It’s just so happy! It makes me feel magical and giddy, which is exactly how I want to feel when my legs feel like they’re trying to murder me.

3. Business Casual – Chromeo

This album makes me want to dance. It’s one of the best distractions because all I can think about when I listen is shaking my booty.

4. Greatest Hits – Notorious B.I.G.

I know all the words. It’s also awesome when I can’t help but rap out loud and someone ahead of glances back to see what all the gangsta is about. Yeah, it’s about this bitch right here.

5. Funhouse or The Truth About Love – P!nk

This is my I am Woman, Hear me Roar music. I feel like kicking ass and taking names when I run to P!nk. It sets a great pace, and pushes me to run a little faster than my norm.

Jess

1. Sweet Disposition – The Temper Trap

I love warming up to this when I’m running outside. It feels like the pulse of the city is moving through me.

2. Move Bitch – Ludacris

This is one of the few songs that can get me up the crazy hills of San Francisco. I’m moving, Luda, stop yelling at me!

3. Power – Kanye West

Kanye has some sick beats and this song in particular makes me feel like I could take on an army and come out triumphant. The world is ours, Yeezy.

4. Devil Town – Tony Lucca

Clear eyes, full hearts. This song makes me think of Coach Taylor and Friday nights and, of course, that dreamy Tim Riggins. I don’t know why it motivates me to keep running, but it’s one of my favorites to run to. Could be that sweet-spot mid-tempo beat. Or it could be because I’m so distracted daydreaming about being a part of the Friday Night Lights cast.

5. (You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman – Aretha Franklin

My go-to cool down song. And oh, but I do feel like a Natural Woman when I’m done with a run: sweaty, out of breath, but also strong. No one sings the strong woman’s song better than Aretha.

What say you, peeps? Does music get you going? Or are you more in tune with your own internal soundtrack? Got any great new tunes for us? Come talk to us in the comments!

The Color Kinda-Run

March 22, 2013 by writeitdownjess

Here’s a confession: running is not always fun for me. In fact, a lot (okay, FINE, most) of the time I consider it work. Sure, I love that it makes me feel strong and healthy and accomplished. But it also makes me feel sweaty and wheezy and tired.

So why do I do it? Aside from the whole good-for-you thing, which is admittedly pretty important, I love that so many of my friends run, too. It’s the reason I got into it in the first place, proving that, yes, I’d jump if everyone else did. Sorry, Mom.

And what’s so great about having so many runner friends, you ask? It means that we make plans to run awesome races together. It means traveling to other cities and states to run said awesome races together. But best of all, it means that they travel to MY city to run said awesome races with ME. I hate to fly, so this is understandably my favorite scenario, one that happened last July when Chicks Meri and Cam flew to the City by the Bay to run the happiest race on the planet.

Yes, that’s right. A happy race! And not just any happy race, The Color Run! Doesn’t it just sound so fun? Because it was. So. Fun.

This is the gist: the 5K race douses runners with a splash of colored corn starch at every kilometer, so that by the time you cross the finish line you look like a super-colorful Rorschach. The race is untimed, so there’s no talk of personal records or “hey, I beat you by 0.05 seconds, suck it.” The point of The Color Run is simply to enjoy, get colored up, then party it up after you cross the finish line. This was our mission and we accepted.

Hey, if you tell me to take it easy and enjoy myself, I’m not going to argue with you. Plus, I was 18 weeks pregnant with my little Bug at the time, so I was more than okay being the tortoise for this one.

Meri flew in first and we palled around the city while we waited for Cam to join us.

Welcome to San Francisco in July. Beautiful, isn’t it?

Once Cam was with us, it was basically about preparing for the 5K – outfit planning and packet pick-ups, which included t-shirts, a headband, and a packet of color to use after the race – and eating. Oh yes, there was eating.

Cuteness with a crepe sundae.

Stuffing my pregnant face like a lady.

Getting pumped! Please note our t-shirts. Clear eyes, full hearts, free Tim!

With our bellies full – really, really full – and our race day duds ready to go, we hit the hay. We needed to save our energy for all the happiness and color to come!

July 14^th dawned bright and foggy and we woke early to get the party started. Fun fact: Cam is kick-ass at hair braiding, which means she is the Official Hair Braider™ at any and all races she attends with the Chicks.

Mmhmm, that’s right.

Meri is dreaming about freeing Tim Riggins here.

We made our way to Candlestick Park (go 49ers with your crappy old stadium!) and joined the bazillion other people who were braving the very chilly weather to run/walk/dance their asses to color nirvana.

Literally, there were a bazillion people there.

We were pretty far back from the start line and with the race starting in waves, we had to wait for a while to get going. But they were pumping awesome music through the speakers and the people-watching was pretty excellent, so we busied ourselves with jumping up and down to stave off the cold, pointing out some great costumes, and dodging the rule-breakers who were throwing their packets of color up in the air (hello, that’s for after the race!).

Oh, and we took some pictures, too.

We had the raddest socks there.

We love each other!

Showing off our impressive guns. And cuteness.

And then it was our turn! We began our trek around the stadium, starting off slow and steady with a brisk walk.

Well, there was some pretend-running.

And then? Then it was time for the color. Let me paint this picture (get it? Paint? Because of the color): you’re skipping along with your friends and fellow runners and then all of a sudden right ahead is a cloud of bright color. Truly the coolest thing. And when you see color, what do you do?

Why, you RUN, my friends. You run to the color and roll around in it (seriously) and stand in front of the color-dousers and make them douse you extra-good. And you cover your mouth because hello, it’s a cloud of color, but it gets into your mouth anyway. You don’t care! This is so fun! Wee, color!

You high five people as they run by!

You stop for water, because all that frolicking and high-fiving and color-getting works up a thirst.

Note to future Color Runners: don’t park your car next to a color station.

We got through all of the color stations at a nice clip considering we were walking, and then there it was. The finish line and the beginning of the par-tay! As you can see, people were in no rush to PR.

We were done!

Cel-e-brate good times, come on!

Blue Sunglasses wanted to be a part of our cute crew. Sorry, dude, only room for three.

Livin’ la vida color.

We were also insanely thirsty. There were stations set up after the finish line with juice and coconut water and snacks, all of which had pretty extensive lines. But no water water. We just wanted water water! Hopefully they’ve remedied the water water situation since last July.

There was a Color Festival just past the finish line, which we moseyed over to.

This is where the color packets came into play. Thousands of us gathered round a DJ set up at the front of the crowd, dancing and celebrating and taking pictures of our manginess. And then the DJ told us to open up our packets and we all counted down. 5-4-3-2-1…

The hills were alive with a color ‘splosion (ah ah ah ahhhhh). In the interest of protecting my phone, I didn’t take pictures as it was happening, but this was the aftermath.

Meri got it on her teeth…

Cam got a mustache…

I got it everywhere!

After some more dancing and celebrating, we decided we were both parched and starving (surprised? Didn’t think so), so we packed it up and packed it in and took ourselves over the Golden Gate Bridge to a magical place called In N Out. Sure, it was 10:30 in the morning. Sure, we were completely covered in colored corn starch. But Meri had never had the pleasure of stuffing an In N Out burger into her mouth, so off we went! We definitely got some looks from the other early-risers at In N Out, and I got my hair petted by some high dude who must have thought I was one big acid trip, but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.

Meri especially.

All in all, this was a pretty stellar race experience. And now that The Color Run is a total phenomenon, with similar races like Color Me Rad and Run or Dye, there’s really no excuse not to do it again. Who knows, maybe it’ll be my first post-Bug race. There’s really no better – or more colorful – way to ease myself back into running.

What’s the most fun race experience you’ve had? We want to hear about it in the comments!

Chick Chat: Hey, Sole Sister

March 19, 2013 by beewhobabbles

Shopping for shoes is one of my favorite ways to spend, well, any day. I love all kinds- flats, sandals, heels, higher heels, and boots. Shoes can make you feel taller, they can complete your outfit in the best way, and you know what? You’re always the same size in a pair of shoes. (Unlike jeans. AMIRITE?) Sneakers aren’t my favorite type of shoe, but they’re probably the most important. The wrong running shoe can make your knees hurt, your feet blister and basically, ruin your run.

Today, we’re sharing our sneakers with you. (I argued for talking about high heels too, but I guess you all care more about this running stuff. Okay.)

Vic

I’m still searching for the perfect sneakers, but have recently fallen in love with the Adidas Supernova, which I was able to take on a test run before purchasing. They don’t feel clunky or heavy and don’t wear unevenly, which was so much of what I was looking for.

For years, I swore by Asics. I still like them, but my favorite style was discontinued a few years back and the newer models just don’t feel right to me. I’ve tried and tossed aside a few popular brands, but these Adidas Supernovas look AND feel great!

Cam

I have shoe issues. I have extremely flat feet which means any shoe with arch support feels like I’m running on tennis balls. This might sound awesome but I assure you, it is not. I’m constantly at odds with my shoes. I’ve talked to countless shoe experts, had my feet and gait evaluated twice, have tried inserts and many brands of shoes. And I’ve yet to fall in love.

Right now, I’m running in Saucony and while they’ve been okay on my feet, for the first time ever, I’m having shin splints. Le sigh. I’m going to do what the experts say and let my body adjust but sometimes I wish I had a fairy godmother who would conjure up a running shoe that was the perfect fit. At least they’re cute!

Jess

If I took a picture of every running shoe I have, this post would be ridiculous. Hey, I have to have shoes for every outfit possibility, right? At least, that’s what I tell myself (or Mr. Jess) when I see a new pair of kicks I. Must. Have.

That said, I most often reach for my trusty Nike LunarGlides. They fit like a glove, give great support, keep me light on my feet, and they’ve got some sweet neon accents. They’re functional AND cute, two of my favorite things.

Meri

There is a certain date that I remember distinctly when it comes to my running (and surprisingly, it’s not a race date!). March 15, 2012, the date that I got fitted for my Mizuno Wave Inspire 8s.

Before that, to say I was floundering when it came to shoe choice would be an understatement. It was a year long, expensive struggle trying to figure out what would work best for my feet. I don’t know why I was so hesitant to get fitted, other than a bit of new runner’s shyness on my part.

To quote Pretty Woman, “Big mistake! Big. Huge.”

I don’t know if I got over my shyness or just wanted my feet to finally stop hurting, but I finally visited Haddonfield Running Company and got my first pair of Mizuno running shoes. Fitting was nothing to be nervous about; I spoke with the sales associate regarding my mileage. She looked at my arch, my gait, and my pronation. When I run, I tend to point my toes out slightly, which is known as overpronation. After trying three different shoes, I felt that the Mizunos were the best for me.

I haven’t regretted that decision and neither have my feet!

Bec

Brooke and I have loads in common; hopeful romantics, lovers of feta cheese, SHOES. I love shoes. A lot. I have way too many and I’m always buying more. The cuter, the better. So, I want to be able to post a picture of cute, adorable, PINK running shoes.

Alas, I can’t.

I wear Nike Dual Fusion ST running sneaks. Size 12. Men’s.

SIGH.

Finding running shoes that fit my size 13 Wide Women’s foot is a challenge. I hunted around for HOT PINK running shoes in my size and found that the only options were online. Zappos is great and will ship for free both ways, but I didn’t want to go through shipping a bunch of shoes back and forth. For running sneakers, it’s all about the feel.

So I got over myself and gave in to shopping in the Men’s department. I love my sneakers. They are the perfect combination of lightweight and supportive. They feel so good, I want to wear them everywhere, but I don’t because A) all my other (i.e. prettier) shoes would feel bad and B) I don’t want these to wear out too fast. Still, I love them.

And, as Brooke and I discussed the other day, socks are of equal importance when it comes to running. Turns out we have one more thing in common. We’re both fans of the Balega Hidden Comfort socks. You guys, these socks are so darn comfy. And I just found out, they come in colors!! INCLUDING PINK!

Brooke

I have narrow feet and a high arch, and I’ve been happily wearing Nike Pegasus sneakers for the past three years. They’re lightweight, supportive and they come in some great colors.

I was recently refitted at my local running store, Track Shack, to see if my foot had grown during my pregnancy and picked up these pretty (if a little plain, for my taste) gray kicks.

Every 400 miles or so, I change my shoes. I’m already eyeing the bright green on Nike’s website!

What type of shoes do you wear? Have you been fitted at a specialty store? Do you prefer neutral or bright colors? Let us know in the comments.

Breaking the Fast

March 5, 2013 by bec2point0

It’s the most important meal of the day. Some people eat it on the go; others eat it for dinner. Heck, some people even eat it at Tiffany’s (bucket list!). Whether you are in the ‘can’t start the day without a good one’ camp, or your on the ‘hit the drive through if you have time’ side, breakfast is something all of us at Scoot-A-Doot have been talking about (mostly on Twitter where we are like ‘Hey, I’m eating…AGAIN!’)

We thought we’d share with you what our breakfasts look like. And hopefully, you’ll all be awesome and share with us what your breakfasts look like. We’ll beg for recipes. We have zero shame.

Vic

I’ll be honest, I’m not the best about getting a solid breakfast in my belly before work each day. Most days I pour myself two large travel mugs of coffee (don’t judge me) and run out the door to make it to work on time. I guzzle one cup in the car and the second cup shortly after arriving at my desk. I then eat a banana, or greek yogurt, depending on what I have in my pantry.

On weekends, when I have more time, I tend to make oatmeal (usually with bananas) or cereal. Sometimes I eat scrambled eggs. And lately, I’ve been turned onto protein banana berry smoothies, so they may soon take over my breakfast and afternoon snack spot as well.

Brooke

You guys, I love all the breakfast foods. Omelets (with spinach and feta), french toast, waffles with fruit and whipped cream, pancakes with butter and maple syrup, and always lots and lots of bacon. I love the entire breakfast experience- sipping coffee and reading the paper (or facebook), while savoring these amazing foods that were (hopefully) prepared by someone else. Sadly, those kinds of meals don’t happen often. (And usually, it’s breakfast at dinnertime.)

My daily breakfast is almost always some form of oatmeal. My go-to is plain cooked oats with a sprinkle of cinnamon, some chopped almonds, a handful of fruit and a splash of milk. Meri introduced me to whipped oatmeal, which is so much better than my boring hot cereal, but takes more time than I have right now. More dishes to wash too!

Since the little dude arrived, I’ve been eating instant oatmeal (gasp). My favorite is Three Sisters Dark Chocolate, because it is sweet, filling and it’s ready in two minutes. I eat my cereal while I’m nursing the babe, and shove some fruit in my mouth while I’m driving the girls to school. Not the most enjoyable breakfast, but it works for now. See why I save the pancakes and bacon for dinner?

Cam

Smoothies! I heart fruit smoothies for breakfast. I’m not a morning eater. If fact, I’ve spent the majority of my life skipping breakfast. Unless it’s a pastry. But pastries aren’t “everyday” foods, or so I’ve been told. Instead I go all natural and get my sweets from a fruit smoothie. I have very limited time in the morning and blending up a smoothie takes less time than toasting a bagel or driving through one of those heart attack factories. My recipe for deliciousness goes something like this:

Kefir yogurt drink. Usually vanilla, sometimes strawberry if I’m feeling spunky.
Frozen mixed berries, either fresh that I’ve frozen or bagged.
A frozen banana. I put them in the freezer when they start to go brown. I’m not a fan of ripe bananas.
One scoop of protein powder. This can be tricky. Finding a protein powder that you like can be a chore, but once you find a brand that floats your boat, you should stick with it.
Whole Flax seed, because I like the texture that it contributes. Plus, it’s good for your bowels.

I usually just eyeball the proportions and toss in a blender. If the mixture seems too thick, I add some water to loosen things up. My kids love it and we can drink it in the car. It’s my favorite breakfast on the go!

Meri

Jess and I were talking about BBQ food the other day and I said something to the effect of wanting it, just not at 8:49 in the morning (when we were emailing). Because while BBQ is delicious, it just doesn’t lend itself well to being eaten in the morning. However, breakfast? You can eat that all day long.

And I would.

Smoothies, pancakes, oatmeal, Greek yogurt, omelets, scones, fruit, and BACON. Yes, bacon. I eat it occasionally. And I love it.

Bring on the breakfast, brunch, brinner!

Jess

My idea of cooking is picking up the phone and dialing. I have zero skills in the kitchen, which is why I love breakfast so much. So many super delicious, ready-made options, and healthy ones at that. Look, Ma, I’m eating fruit!

My typical breakfast these days is a couple Nutri-Grain waffles (a little syrup in each square, thank you very much), a banana, and a tall glass of OJ. Get that all prepared – so easy, even a cooking-challenged lady like myself can do it – and then I shovel it all in my mouth before the baby wakes up from his nap. It’s simple, yummy and keeps my stomach full until second breakfast rolls around.

Bec

I am seriously a breakfast fiend. Most days it’s a healthy day smoothie (my absolute favorite is a Peach Pie Smoothie with chia seeds – frozen organic peaches, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt, chia seeds, sprinkle of cinnamon, sprinkle of nutmeg, blend, YUM. I’m with Cam, I don’t measure, just throw in there what you think will make the amount you want). But I love a big Sunday brunch with eggs and bacon and potatoes and EVERYTHING. I just love breakfast.

Love.

In the winter, I’m big on oatmeal or a bowl of cooked grains (barley, quinoa) with almond milk and fruit. Now that the weather is turning warmer (I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER ABOUT THIS), I’ll be doing overnight refrigerator oats. If you haven’t tried these, I can not recommend them highly enough. Easy, make ahead, versatile, healthy and crazy good.

Also, I have recently redeveloped a love of Poached Eggs on toast. It’s so simple, full of protein and fiber, and tasty (even without the Canadian bacon and hollandaise).

Also, bacon. As often as I can get away with.

So, this is what we eat. If you want recipes for anything we mentioned, just let us know. We’re good sharers. And if you’re a good sharer and want to inundate us with recipes and ideas, we’ll be forever grateful.

Now, who wants to make me a cup o’ Joe?

Who are these crazy chicks and why should I read what they’ve got to say?

February 22, 2013 by scootadoot

Hey! ‘Sup? Thanks for visiting our little corner of the internet. Maybe you found us through twitter, Facebook, or you’re related to us (hi Mom!). Any which way, we’re glad that you’re here.

We’re all writers, in one sense of the word or another. Fiction, news, emails, letters (yes, letter writers are among us! They still exist!)… writing is a major form of communication for all of us. Each of the six authors of Scoot a Doot are at different stages in their “healthy and happy lifestyle” – we believe that you’ll relate to at least one of us as you read. Perhaps that person will change as we continue on our journeys; perhaps you will. But we’re all good friends, cheering as we triumph and leaning on one another as we falter. We hope to create that sense of community with YOU, too; you’re as much a part of this as we are!

(Have you located your crazypants? That’s how we roll.)

Look around, check out the About section to meet each of us if you haven’t already. We’ve started posting race recaps that we’ve written over the past years and plan to share more as time goes on. None of us are professional athletes, we’re just doing what we love (and, if we’re being completely honest, sometimes loathe) and the best we can with what we’re given! That’s what Scoot a Doot is all about – moving it, shaking it and never faking it. We’re keeping it real; you’ll be hearing everything – the good, the bad and yes, even the ugly.

Let’s do this! We can and we will!

Scootadoot

fitness, food, friends, fun

Tag Archives: chicks

What Do You Put On Your Race-Day Face?

Parental Advisory (Explicit Content Requested)

A little ‘chick on chick’ action – Part 1

Everybody Dance Now

Road Tested: Injinji Socks

Chick Chat: What Moves You?

The Color Kinda-Run

Chick Chat: Hey, Sole Sister

Breaking the Fast

Who are these crazy chicks and why should I read what they’ve got to say?