I was “nominated” by Forks to Feet to do this Running Blogger Survey thingy, and I’m thinking why not?! This is how it works: “You answer the questions presented to you, then create your own questions, tag some of your favorite bloggers, and ask them to keep it going.”. These are the questions that Brandon over at Forks to Feet provided me with, and here are my answers:
1. How has blogging impacted your life (meeting people, learning new things, etc.)?
When I first started this blog I didn’t have any thoughts about the future at all. I was mostly starting it to have a place to write about my new love – running. You know how your partner, if not a runner, can get tired of listening to you going on and on and ON about running.. Yeah, that. That was my main reason to start this blog. As time went by though, I realized that this blog meant a lot to me. Connecting with other runners through my blog and twitter have been wonderful – very inspiring and motivating in both good times and in bad. I’m grateful for my followers – thanks to you I’ve had many good times, been uplifted when down, and motivated when not feeling it at all. So, thank you friends! I can only hope I can give you at least some of it back, because you are all worth it.
2. What was the most memorable comment you ever received on a blog post?
There has been so many supportive, inspiring and motivating comments left on my blog, which I love…..
…..Read the rest on the “real” evelinruns.com – I moved and I’d love for you to come with me. Update your bloglovin etc. Let’s have fun over there instead?!
I’ve moved my blog to a brand new domain and host. This means the address is new, not that different, but still new. I hope that you will all follow me over to evelinruns.com. Follow me on Bloglovin? I’d be very happy if you’d like to keep following me by updating your bookmarks, Feedly or whatever reader you’re using!
The site might go through some changes for a while as I’m trying to figure out how I want it to look. Please stick with me and feel free to give me suggestions and feedback. See you around dear friends!
Life has been busy lately and I’m late on the bullet here, but I finally got the time to sit down and let you know who won the Picky Bars Giveaway That ended July 22nd. Thank you to all of you who visited and entered the giveaway! It’s been fun to see how many of you have tried Picky Bars or are curious about then and also really interesting to read about what kind of bars you like. Thank you all!
Once again I used Random.org to pick a winning number. This time it was:
Winning entry: 634!
And that was Amy who tweeted about the giveaway:
Congratulations Amy! Send me an email (evelinruns[at]gmail[dot]com) with your shipping information and Picky Bars will send your goodies out to you.
Amanda, MissZippy, recently (ok, maybe not THAT recently, I’m a bit late on this one) wrote about her favorite run and invited us all to follow along on her run and encouraged us to join in and show our favorite run. Lately, due to our problem with water at the house I’ve been running a different route a lot. This route starts from a beach park and is pretty straight, not too hilly and.. Pretty freaking hot. But I love it! Let me take you along on my favorite run at the moment:
Drive to the park.
Ahalanui Park
View from the park.
Start surface: grass
Running surface
Wild orchids to admire along the way.
Halfway point, let’s turn around and go back towards the park (with a little detour..)
View at the halfway point. (I might have jumped into that grass to the right one or two times)
Heading back. Leaving Tsunami Evacuation Area, only to enter it a few miles down the road again.
Random view.
And she’s running..
Sometimes you’re lucky? Also, somewhere close to this you can sometimes by accident see a man having an outdoor shower on his semi-private property.
Depending on how high the tide is, sometimes I pass by this marvelous spot. Great place to snorkel, but I’m obviously not doing that during my runs..
.75mi left to the park.
Done! Back at the park and a shower/dip in the warm pond is awaiting!
Drive home post run, shower, swim and another shower! (Oh yeah, I had a swimsuit + towel on, promise!)
That ended up being a lot of photos from my favorite run as of now. This route could be everything from 3mi-9-10mi without problems and it’s my favorite because: 1. There’s more space for me on the road. Driver might still be freaking crazy around here, but at least I don’t have to jump into the jungle because of them. 2. There are hardly any dogs around, which I prefer as stray(?) dogs sometimes bothers me. A lot! 3. It’s peaceful and flat. The bad: 1. Roadkills. 2. It get’s HOT as there’s not much shade to be had. 3. Roadkills. Yep, this is where I’ve ran with eyes shut, puked and tried to break the world record in not breathing because of rotting pigs and dogs.
Interested in running here with me? Come on over, I’d love your company!
Q: What is your current favorite run? Do you want to link up with us and share it, either with photos or text (or both)?
And while you’re here visiting, don’t forget to check out my Picky Bars Giveaway. There’s still time to enter for your chance to win Picky Bars + Picky Swag!
The stars (yes, they are all actually stars) behind Picky Bars are Stephanie Rothstein, Lauren Fleshman and Jesse Thomas. It all started with Lauren wanting to find the perfect bar to fuel her husband Jesse. They were looking for a good and smart balanced gluten and dairy free bar. There were many to choose from on the market, but none of the existing ones hit the spot for the two athletes. So Lauren who knew exactly what she wanted set out to create her own bar for her husband in training.
“I wanted a 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio, slow releasing carbs for level blood sugar, minimal soy content, and healthy fats making up 25% of the calories. Oh yeah, and it needed to taste amazing. No big deal, right?” – Lauren Fleshman
It just so happened that Lauren and Stephanie, Laurens training buddy, were both injured and had time to kill (and knowing how being injured felt for me, I kind of get a feeling it was a good way to stay sane – a project to keep them occupied!) so they spent countless hours experimenting until they had a perfect balanced AND perfectly tasty bar in front of them. This was the start Picky Bars, and since then they’ve released three other bars and they are also just now in the end of July releasing a fifth flavor!
PickyBars and Evelin
The day I got the sample pack of Picky Bars I immediately wanted to go for a run, so that I could justify having one of the bars. Yes, that’s how excited I was about getting to try these bars out! You probably already know that I like snacks that are as clean and natural as possible, and Picky Bars definitely hit the spot for me!
I received a sample pack to try out. This included one of each of the flavors:
Smooth Caffeinator – Hazelnut Mocha Madness
All-In Almond – Agave Sweetened Awesomesauce
The Need for Seed – Sunflower Butter Sensation
Lauren’s Mega Nuts – Peanut Butter Booyah
I loved every single bite I took from these bars (and wish I would’ve been able to make them last longer). I used them as fuel before a run, as a recovery snack post-run and as a snack while being out hiking and.. Yes I admit, one of them might have just served as an awesome treat, just like that, with a cup of iced coffee. The bars all filled me up just enough, to that point where you get some energy without the “food coma” part. I have to admit I always get pretty nervous when trying something new before a run or a hike, but just as great as the bars tasted as great did I feel being fueled by them out running and hiking!
PickyBars served as a totally awesome snack while out hiking on the lava!
Even though I’m a serious coffee drinker I usually stay away from caffeinated bars, gels etc. before heading out for my runs. No matter how used to caffein my body is I just can’t get away from the fact that my belly tend to get sensitive while running. BUT, the Smooth Caffeinator was actually the bar I tried before heading out for a run and I had no problems at all! In fact, I went for my longest run post-injury being fueled by that Picky Bars! (I’ve smashed that distance by now though!). My favorite.. Do I have to pick one, really? I don’t think so – they all are great! But I guess I’d go for the Smooth Caffeinator. Or All-In Almond (if you are following me on Twitter you might have noticed my obsession with almonds – I eat them daily AND always use almond oil instead of body lotion)..
Let’s have a look at the ingredients in one of the bars? Let’s do the Smooth Caffeinator, just because.. I like coffee?
I don’t just like the taste and how well the bars treated me, I also like the visual concept and the playful wording Picky Bars use – love the look of the packaging, the names etc. I agree, it IS freaking science dude! And wait, there’s more! There’s a Picky Club, where you can sign up to get a Picky t-shirt, the chance to try new flavors, a discount etc and best of all: you get sent 18 delicious bars monthly! All that for $37/month! Oh and there is a new bar coming out soon, one that would LOVE to get my hands on ASAP! Runners High – Blueberry Vanilla Hemp Hustlin’, how wonderful doesn’t that one sound?! Gotta love the runners high, and I’m pretty sure as a runner you are really hustlin’!
As excited I was to try out the Picky Bars as excited (or even more) am I to give you, my friends, the chance to try them too. Picky Bars are giving one of you the chance to win a sample pack of bars PLUS Picky SWAG! How great is that?! Yup, pretty darn great if you ask me!
Head on over to Rafflecopter now and enter for your chance to win, I promise you it’s worth it!
The giveaway is open July 14th 12am(HST) to July 22nd 12am(HST). I will randomly pick a winner and let you know who the lucky one is in a blogpost.
Disclaimer: I was given a sample pack of Picky Bars for free to try and review on my blog, I was not compensated in any other way. All opinions in this blogpost are mine and mine alone and they have not been controlled or influenced by Picky Bars or anyone else.
Yep, I’m still running. Big surprise?! Of course I’m still running. I’ve been slowly increasing my mileage and it feels so good! I’ve had some niggles going on in my hips (they feel tight and weak, but I’m working on it adding more strength and flexibility into the schedule) and that light PF I was experiencing earlier this spring is flaring up every once in a while. It’s been I use KTTape when I can actually get clean enough (see coming info regarding our water situation) to get it to stick to my body. Great news though = since I transitioned into and started running full time in my SKORA’s it’s been getting a LOT better. Yay, once again, for my dear shoes!
Lots of love
My mood has been so good lately! I might be a bit smelly, but my heart have been full of love and appreciation for life, friends, running etc. As if that wasn’t enough I’m honored to be featured on two great blogs lately. Brandon gave me some love on his great website Forks to Feet and Nicole, one of the Cookies on the Run, honored me by having me featured as Runner of the Week on their blog. I’m so honored and proud to be seen on these blogs! Check them out, read their awesome blogs and give them some love?!
Husband at work = 100% focus on myself
So my husband started working again July 1st. This was a big change in many way. We’ve been having so much time together as none of us were working December through June! I suddenly spend a lot of time alone at the house/in the area we live. But that’s not the only change.. I’ve lost a few pounds (the ones I put on while having a hard spring emotionally and not being able to run as much as I wanted) and I’ve been getting back to getting some PROPER strength training in. This body is going towards less fluff and more strength = happy and more confident Evelin. Great things! I’ve also changed up my eating since he’s not around. I eat smaller meals, more often. This is something I grew up with and I kind of lost it while moving over here with my husband. He is not used to that, he’s more of an “I eat one or two BIG meals a day and the rest of the time I’ll snack” kind of guy. Needless to say that’s been messing with my diet, but now when I’m getting back to my normal I right away see improvement, not only visual but also in the way I feel – which is more important!
Who knew lack of water would be such a big deal?!
We’re still having problems with the water situation in the house. Living off the water grid is not always easy and can cause some problems. Especially if you’re a runner! After over three weeks with NO showers at home, only cold showers in a beach park every other day, we’re back to being able to shower almost daily. At home! The showers last for about 2-3 minutes but hey, that’s way better than no shower at all!
Birthday is coming up!
I’m turning 31 in less than a month! This year, the first in my 30’s, have been flying by! I don’t even know how time can pass so quickly?! But it’s been a great year! Now I’m thinking: How will I celebrate this year? Well, I’m not going to even try to drink alcohol. Last year for my 30th birthday husband bought champagne – I didn’t have a single sip of it! I just don’t like alcohol nowadays. So instead I’m going to set aside some money to feed my running addiction. My wish list is growing and there are definitely things lots of things I really “need” – like more SKORA shoes, Oiselle apparel and some new merino gear. Oh and a handheld water bottle, some more Hüma Gel and… Yeah, the list goes on and on and… You know the deal!
Q How is your week? Any fun plans for the weekend? Maybe a race coming up?
First of all, thank you so much for visiting my blog to read the Injinji review and enter the giveaway. I am amazed by and very happy about the interest you showed for these socks! Many of you all ready knows Injinji and love them just as I do and some of you are curious about the whole toe sock thing – I’d say you should be! If you get a chance to try Injinji out in the future – don’t hesitate!
Then visited Rafflecopter to see who was the lucky number 669:
Brandon won by leaving a comment.
And then, to make it easier in case there are more than one Brandon who entered the giveaway I found the comment:
So, there you go! Here’s our winner of the Injinji socks and Samples of GU Energy: Brandon! Congrats! Send me your shipping address and shoe size to email address: evelinruns [at] gmail [dot] com and I will get your information forwarded ASAP so that you get to put your toes in these awesome sock and match them with your Five finger shoes!
To the rest of you, thank you once again for visiting and I hope to see you again! If your interest for Injinji’s is sparked and you want to get yourself a pair or two, visit their website. They are also on Twitter, Facebook (where they have competitions/giveaway at times) and Instagram. Check them out!
Injinji is an African term describing when a “drumming circle reaches a climax, the peak in the performance, when all of the participants are at one with the rhythm, when everyone hits a stride and there is unison among all”. This is what Injinji believes in and feel their community of athletes is all about.
Injinji makes performance toe socks (for just about any activity) which will keep your toes/feet happy! Injinji was created by athletes for athletes with the “manifestoe”: “Forever committed to innovation that allows your feet to live and perform at their peak. We are a better way.”. Injinji offer a variety of socks for different activities and preferences. There are Run series, the Trail, Sport and Yoga socks as well as liners and even Compression socks! There are Light, Original, and Midweight socks to choose from depending on what kind of socks you prefer. They also come in different cuts (from No-Show to Knee highs) and colors, which makes it all even better. I’d say there’s definitely something for everybody (as long as you’re into the toe sock thing)!
From Injinji’s website:
“The advantages of toesocks are so plentiful once you experience them, you may not want to wear any other sock again. The 5 toe sleeve design and superior fiber construction provides:
– Proper Toe Alignment (makes for healthier happy feet)
– Superior Moisture Management (drier and less smelly feet)
– Better posture, better balance (you get full use of your toes!)
– Blister and hotspot prevention (relieve some of that foot pain)
– Tactile Feel (enabling natural feel and movement in ANY shoe)”
Injinji and I
I first read about Injinji during fall 2012 and even though I was curious about them it took me a while before I actually tried them. As I transitioned into my SKORA shoes and got accustomed to actually feel the ground more and running natural and relaxed I wanted to try the Injinji’s. Why not let the toes loose and actually be free to do the thing they are supposed to do? Splay and be a part of the forward motion while running. Another thing I was curious to find out was if the added fabric between my toes would be making my feet warmer/more sweaty or actually prevent that warm/sticky in-between-toes feeling I’ve noticed while running and post running? Yes, basically I was just very curious to see if my feet would agree with the above stated advantages in using toe socks.
I received two pair of Injinji socks from their Run Performance 2.0 collection – the Lightweight and Original Weight No-Show. Being new to the toe sock business it was interesting putting the socks on. It kind of tickled and I couldn’t help but feeling a bit awkward at first but as I’ve gotten used to putting these socks it’s really not a problem. Sure it takes a few moments longer putting these socks on than a “normal” pair of socks, but once they are on they feel amazing! Really, like a hug for every single one of my toes.
So what about actually running with the socks on? The first few runs I did with Injinji’s I could feel the added fabric between my toes, but it didn’t bother me – it was just there if you know what I mean? What I right away came to love was how great they feel for my feet. I can tell that my toes is actually spreading in my shoes and because of this my feet feel more “relaxed” than with other socks. I feel like I’m actually running with my feet, not just on my feet! :)
Running in Hawaii can cause pretty warm and sweaty feet and when I’ve been using “normal” socks I’ve noticed the sweat business a lot more than with these toe socks. I used to have some problems with getting blisters due too the sweat and the moist toes rubbing against each other – well, that’s not happening anymore! I agree with all of the above mentioned advantages from Injinji – these socks are really great for my feet!
Injinji climbed straight up to the top 5 of my favorite running gear list and I have a feeling they will stay there. I’m already looking into getting more of the Lightweight Run 2.0 socks as they are my favorites to run in!
Now onto the giveaway part of this blogpost. There are TWO pairs of Injinji’s and samples of GU Energy products in the basket and one of you will be the lucky winner of it all! All you have to do to enter the giveaway is click the Rafflecopter link below and follow the instructions. Do one or all of the entry options – it’s all up to you!
This giveaway will run from 7/2/13 at 12am (Hawaii) to 7/9/13 at 12am (Hawaii). I will choose a random winner and let you all know who it is in a blogpost here on Evelinruns July 9th.
Disclaimer: I was given two pair of Injinji socks for free to test and review on my blog, I was not compensated in any other way. All opinions in this blogpost are mine and mine alone and they have not been controlled or influenced by Injinji or anyone else.
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