So sadly, it has crossed my mind that I might be attacked on a run. I already gave you the option of stun guns and pepper spray on this post, but I found this and couldn’t resist adding this to my list of 26.2 things to give to a runner.

It’s a Spalding Electronic Whistle. Single tone electronic whistle that has a loud, consistent sound every time, even if user is short of breath or injured. Personal Safety & Signaling Device and includes 2 sets of AAA Batteries. It’s also hand operated instead of mouth blown is sanitary, even for multi users. Get yours for $15.95 here.

Be safe out there!

xoxo

Last night’s Biggest Loser Finale was AMAZING! How great did Amy and Phil look?! Heba and Ed looked amazing too, but I could not get over Amy and Phil. They were little rails. For those of you who didn’t watch yet, I won’t ruin it, but Michelle looked great and she was my favorite all season! Her pink dress was too cute, and her attitude about everything was amazing. Vicki looked like Vicki, mean and scheming. I was never a big fan of her and her devious ways. Ed looked great and it seems like him and Heba will keep up on the exercise and hard work too. I was kind of shocked that such a huge number of votes that wanted Ed to go up against the girls. Oh well, congrats to the winner and everyone on the show for looking so amazing at the finale.

Tonight I’m back at it at Amp’d Abs which I’m really excited about. If you are thinking about taking a class, I would totally recommend them at a local gym or a 24 hour fitness if you are willing to look like an idiot in front of other people. At first taking the class was kind of awkward, but once you get past the fact that everyone else is looking just as dumb as you are, it’s fun and I feel like it has definitely strengthened and toned and has taught me new moves to do outside of the gym as well. After the class I’ll be on the good old 20 treadmill-20 bike-15 elliptical-5 stair stepper program. I feel really good after I work out that hard at the gym.

Today’s gift of the day is all about blisters. Those little nagging things you get when you run to far and think, oh it’s just a little pain, or it will go away, then you take off your shoe and a huge bump of, okay, okay that’s enough! Here’s what will help you get through the long runs or even if you are just starting out with running. I used to live by 2nd skin and mole skin back in the high school racing days.

For all types of blisters, we have the Spenco Blister Kit sold on American RX that can be found here for $6.20! It features Spenco 2nd Skin (which I’m super partial too) and foam pads to soothe, cool and protect against rubbing, hot spots, and blisters. It includes 6 moist pads @ 1″ square each in a resealable bag, along with 1 adhesive sheet (3″x5″), 6 adhesive strips (3″x1.5″) and 11 foam pressure pads.

Mountain gear also has a before and after Blister Kit for $18.95 that can be found on their site here. This kit claims to prevent blisters from forming or eliminating the discomfort of them. This kit includes a Blister Medic first aid kit from Adventure Medical Kits and two Body glide sticks. The first aid kit includes 2 strip adhesive bandages, 2 knuckle adhesive bandages, 3 antiseptic towelettes, 2 Moleskins, Spenco 2nd Skin, Molefoam, Non-woven adhesive knit, scissors and 2 double antibiotic ointments. There are also 2 0.45 ounce Body glide sticks to help prevent chafing and blisters.

Backcountry.com has some options as well that includes the Adventure Medical Blister Kit for $7.99. The option includes GlacierGel, Moleskin, antiseptic towelettes, and alcohol wipes to give you complete first aid for a hiker’s feet. Including 15 dressing and 15 wipes.

Lastly, I found the blister kit mecca on Zombie Runner. They have a foot care section that would battle Dr. Scholls laboratory.

First off they have the Pocket Foot Care Kit. It’s designed for blister repair on the run. It’s small enough to fit in your pocket. Includes blister patches and other essential items, plus instructions for use. Find it here for $7.95.
It includes: Benzoin ampules (2) Alcohol preps (6) Antibiotic ointment (2) Spenco Blister Pads (2) Blist-O-Ban Blister Pad (1) Sterile lancets (2) 3″ x 5″ baggies (2) BlisterShield Powder, packet (1) Engo Performance Patch (2) Trail Tissues (1) Instructions.

Secondly you can find the Small Foot Care Kit here for $ 19.95. It includes all this : Benzoin ampules (4) Alcohol preps (8) Antibiotic ointment (4) 2″ Elastikon tape (1) 1″ Micropore tape (1) Spenco 2nd Skin (2) Folding scissors (1) Powder 2″ x 3″ baggies (2) 3″ x 5″ baggies (4) Instructions. Seriously talk about a ton of stuff!

You can also check out these great products they have on their site.

Big Foot Care Kit for $31.95
Blister Shield Powder Single Use Packet for $1.15
Blister Shield 8 oz for $8.95
Sport Shield Liquid Roll On for $8.95

Their site was a wonderful location for many foot care items so make sure you check them out if you are in the market for foot repair!

xoxo

This weekend was a BLAST! :) So glad my two cousins and I were able to get away and just relax. There was only one night of mayhem but tons of good food and tons of old people at our resort. We went and played trivia night one night, and won two bottles of champagne and I was the grand prize winner of a bag of popcorn. Exceptional prizes I know. Over the weekend I also finished two books including Chasing Harry Winston and Ultra-Marathon Man by Dean Karnazes. Both are really good and it was nice to read two totally different books. I’ll be posting a review of both once the holidays are over.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get in as much running as I wanted to, but I did a bum busting workout yesterday and then again this morning that included a 3 mile, 6.5 incline run that I thought I would never finish. I also did some weight-lifting today and yesterday that made me sore today. Tomorrow I’m finally getting the chance to go back to Amp’d Abs and I’m stoked! I can’t wait to get back into the swing of things and start training more hardcore for my half in February.

Here’s one picture of my cousin and I, posing by a big pig in front of the BBQ place “Babe’s” in Rancho Mirage. We didn’t even eat there, but the picture on the pig was hard to pass up. I’ll be posting a few more pictures when I get them from my cousins camera.

So in the wide world of running I’ve come to realize that running more than five miles without a little energy booster is a drag, and that is why the gift of the day is dedicated strictly to these lovely little energy boosters. I’ve got a wide variety of reviews and where to get Gu’s, shot blox, everything you can think of!

MMMM it’s 10:00 am and now I’m hungry for sugar!

Gu has the “GU is simple. Simple is fast.” slogan and they are quick, but I’m not one to rave about their consistency. Sometimes, on a nasty flavor, I’ve been one to gag. Anyways, GU Energy Gel provides just what you need for premium exercise fuel and none of the extras that slow you down. GU takes you where you want to go, fast. GU’s carbohydrate blend delivers high-quality, easily-digested and long-lasting energy for athletes in every sport and at all levels. If I’m running more than 45 minutes I down one of these bad boys.

Outdoor Pros has the 6 pack GU Tri-Berry for $6.08

Jenson USA has many flavors for $.99 for a single shot

Lucky Vitamin has the 24 packs of single shots for $21.98

Clif Bar & Company has introduced my personal favorite, the CLIF SHOT Blox. They are the latest nutrition option for endurance athletes. Bloks come in chewable, 33 calorie cubes, making it easy to customize and track caloric and electrolyte intake during long outings and races. You can easily buy them right off their website too. They have tons of good flavors and I love the black cherry and strawberry, but Pina Colada is yucky. They have a 12 pack of blox and there are 6 blox in each pack. They are sold for $23.88 Check them out HERE!

I am the hugest fan of Jelly Bean Sport Beans too. They are tasty, small, easy to handle and did I mention, like CANDY? They are $4.99 for 5 here, and you can look at all the flavors, prices and packets here. At REI, they are a steal for only a $1.00 a pouch. Go here to see the REI selection.

Power Bar also has it’s own offerings called the Power Bar Gels. I don’t like these ones as much, but I have grown to love the Power Bar Gel Blasts. They are like the shot blox, in their small shape. The cola one is decent-tasting bite-sized energy chew. I have yet to try the lemon flavored one. They are $1.99 a bag and can be found HERE!

Here’s some more links just in case you were interested in other kinds:

Powerbar Gel from REI -$1.25 single shot

Hammer Gel from REI – $1.25 single shot

So gel up and get out there. These seriously have helped me get through my long runs, and even I didn’t understand the purpose of them to begin with once I started using them, I realized they are so helpful! Enjoy the power of energy!

xoxo

Tomorrow I’ll have pictures from the weekend. Get excited, but I’m excited about this! Granted besides the hatphones, and maybe you snowbirds knew about this but I just came across it. SHOE DRYERS?! WHAT!!!! I am in shock that something like this existed. Read on!

What is the PEET Dryer?
The PEET Dryer is a clever device designed to effectively remove wetness, sweat and odor from footwear and gear, without deteriorating materials and without using an undue amount of energy. PEET Dryers are safe for use on footwear and gear made from most any materials: leather, canvas, rubber, vinyl, cloth, plastic and all modern fabrics. The drying process eliminates odor-causing bacteria and arrests the development of mold and mildew that can deteriorate materials, extending your investment in your valuable footwear and gear. The result is what we call “PEET Dry”

The PEET Dryer and all PEET products do what we say they will do — and then some. PEET effectively delivers on its promise to eliminate wetness, perspiration and odor. In fact, the “and then some” is what true value is really all about to us… Products that Work — Guaranteed!

PEET is known for its commitment to the best product warranty in the business. You only offer this kind of assurance if your product can live up to it.

Get your own shoe dryer for $39.95 here!

Dry Guy has a similar product but his link to purchase doesn’t work. It has all the same features and you can see it here and possibly try to get more information.

Hope this keeps your feet dry and warm snowbirds!

xoxo

So I didn’t understand the whole, “chafe” while you run thing up until I started to put in longer distances and now I know how horrible it is! I am a big fan of Body Glide and that is why it’s also on my 26.2 Christmas list!

They have many different types of Body Glide, and I always opt for the Original Anti-Chafe Balm. It works really well against friction and moisture and feels dry to the touch. They also have an Anti-Chafe with SPF 25 which is great in summertime for a long run.

They have a newer liquefied powder. It claims to be the same as body glide sticks because it is a cream base that keeps friction at bay.

I also like the Warm FX Anti-Pain Balm because it stays in one place and is applied easily in the “stick” form as well. It’s like a type of bengay.

You can find where to buy here, or here are some options:

Running Expo has the Anti-Chafing Stick for $4.95 (.45 oz) and $7.95 (1.3oz) they also have the Anti-Pain Stick here for the same prices as above.

Stop the chafe and keep on running!

xoxo