Freckled Italian: Running

Weathering the Winter with Reebok

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Reebok.

My biggest complaint about winter in Minnesota isn't necessarily the constant sub-zero temperatures, it's that the ice and snow on most sidewalks has completely hindered my running. I've found a few trails that seem pretty clear and not too slippery, but to be honest I'm just too scared to risk it. Running on a treadmill is not my favorite thing to do, so I've been spending my time jump roping or treadmill walking on an incline, which for some reason is less boring to me. But Reebok recently sent me a pair of Reebok ZQuicks, and they've got me excited about getting back out there.

The shoes are inspired by hi-performance, Z-rated tires--and the outsole delivers control, traction, and speed. They fit like a glove and are super light, with a no-sew upper and internal bootie that hugs your foot and makes you feel incredibly secure in the shoes. They're breathable and sleek while still being supportive. And they're bright and fun enough to remind me that winter won't last forever.

Holiday Gift Idea: Koss Fit Series

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

This post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Koss.

I'm not usually one for holiday gift guides, but I do have a handful of pretty awesome sponsors this month whose products would make wonderful presents for the people on your Christmas list.

First up is Koss, whose Fit Buds and Fit Clips are actually changing my life. I've been using the same old earbuds for years, and they're worn to bits and fall out of my head with every other step I take. Koss' female designers teamed up with Gold Medalist Dara Torres to create the world's first headphones designed specifically for women.

Also, they're just really fun.

Get 'em at Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Walgreens, Kmart, or Sears this season. Happy holidays!

Thank you again for your support as I take on a few more sponsors this month. I only work with brands that I love or use myself, so I hope you find these partnerships of mine beneficial to you in some way.

Once a Runner | The Mizuno Wave Rider 17

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Mizuno.

Mizunos were a thing when I was running cross country in high school. My teammates--some of whom are still my best friends now--and I coveted them, always excited about the newest version of Wave Riders as we prepared for races; matching green uniforms and pink bows tied around our ponytails. They were bright and shiny and made us feel like we could do anything, and that, paired with a fabulous coach and summer two-a-days made us a team of pretty respectable runners.

A stress fracture kept me from running in college, but I have continued along since then on my own. Running has gotten me through every season of my life so far. Several of my high school girlfriends and I still run today, which always makes me smile to think about us in three or four cities across the country every morning, lacing up our sneakers and singing Disney princess songs in our heads. You never know what's going to connect you to the people you love later in life.

I ran our annual Thanksgiving race--another running tradition that's dear to my heart--in these Mizuno Wave Rider 17s the other day, and they were fabulous. The 17 is the lightest Wave Rider ever, and it features a Seigaiha wave pattern outsole to provide optimal flexibility. They're light, bright, ultra-smooth, and fun--just the way I remember them.

On Pushing the Limit

Friday, May 17, 2013

I went on a run yesterday; the kind where it's muggy and hot outside and you think about huge things while you lose your breath and sweat quickly covers your body. I told myself to run twenty minutes, and I started fast, and then thirty minutes passed, and I told myself to run some more.

It was hot and the sky looked like thunder and my legs felt like bricks and I just kept going. I didn't start out with grand thoughts about life, because I started out with basic thoughts about running, but the former evolved from the latter because that tends to be the way it works when you're running.

I started going to CrossFit last summer and I continued for about two months. During that time, I stopped running because most of the time I was too sore to run, and when I wasn't too sore to run I felt too strong to need to run. It was fine, and then I stopped going to CrossFit, but I kind of had already stopped running, so for a while I was just sort of lazy. When I finally started again, I never pushed myself to the caliber that I used to in my cross-country days, and certainly not to failure like I often did in CrossFit.

I got so comfortable that I forgot what the edges of my comfort zone felt like. But I like being in that space. I need it.

Here's to finding that line, and then walking on it.

Music for Your Next Run

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

The other day, someone emailed me and asked what music I like to listen to while I run. So I made a playlist!

You can play it in the widget below or check it out right here. Enjoy!

I like to start with slower music and move to faster beats later, as I get tired. What about you?

Thanks for the question, Lisa!

Adventures in the Box | On CrossFit

Friday, June 22, 2012

There are several things that I never imagined I'd ever say before going Paleo. One of them is "This salad could really use some bacon." Another is "We'll just take one more order of chorizo" when asked if I'd like to order some dessert, and finally,"I'm free after CrossFit," or really anything that involves me doing a pull-up or putting weight on a bar.

I have been a runner for almost a decade. It changed my life, and it is in my bones, and I will always identify as a runner. I was on an amazing team with amazing people and running changed my high school experience for me, and then I went to college and running got me through a lot of that, too. I still run with some of my girlfriends from cross-country, but we mostly do it to catch up and have a chance to talk in the midst of our busy lives. So running has turned from what was a team sport to me into a mostly individual thing--something I do with my iPod or an early morning mist. I love what it has become, but there was something missing from my recent exercise experience.

It was motivation, and I've found it.

The things I love about CrossFit are the same things that I first loved about running. This is also a team, and, like my old one, we're tied together by incredibly specific things. My cross-country team's Pasta Parties have been replaced by CrossFit's endorsement of Paleo. My wonderful friends might not be in the gym every morning with me, but there are plenty of amazing people there to cheer me on when I feel like quitting.

Most importantly, I have never felt stronger; never more aware of the potential that lies within my body. And the compliments I've received in just three weeks about the looks of my arms and shoulders? Well, those help, too.

Every day, CrossFit reminds me of where I came from, and encourages me to get to where I'm going.

Weekend in Photos // 10K + HSC

Monday, April 2, 2012

On Saturday morning, I managed to remind myself of all the reasons I love to run. There is something wonderful about being a runner. It's about constantly re-discovering just how strong you are. You go out there and run a race with 40,000 other people and really feel like part of a community, but when it starts to rain and your legs get tired and it hurts, all that really matters is you and that voice within that says you can still finish the damn thing, blow your goal time away, and make yourself proud. So that's what you do. I hope I never outgrow this thing that has become such a huge part of my life.

After our post-race brunch, showers, and respective nap times at Tina's apartment, Rob and I headed to Farmville to visit some friends at Hampden-Sydney.

I woke up on Sunday morning and got in my car to drive the six miles down Back Hampden-Sydney Road, one of my favorite little drives to do alone in the morning. I always do the same thing: I play the same old Taylor Swift album, I roll the windows down, and I allow myself to be completely overcome with memories from college, like that drive between Longwood and Hampden-Sydney that Rob and I did so often that very first spring we were together. Then I get coffee.

This time, I made a friend. This dog came running up to me out of nowhere when I pulled over to take a picture of the road.

He gave me some kisses and then ran alongside my car for a while after I told him to go home.

I went to bed so tired on Sunday night, but so thankful for the chance to remember how important a few things are to me.

Life is good in the spring, isn't it?

On Running

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

I can't believe there was a time when I used to be fast.

But it did happen.

I'd run six or seven miles a day in high school. The mile was too short for me; I only once broke six minutes. But a two mile or a 5K or a 10K? Those belonged to me. My girl friends and I were indestructible-- we could high jump and throw shot put and then go out for a five mile run up a mountain, singing Disney songs the whole way. And we did, often.

Now Shawna and I barely have time to get together on our favorite trail here in Charlottesville. Emma and I find ourselves running the Thanksgiving "Drumstick Dash" a little slower every year.

I wish I knew what happened. I know it's not about getting older yet, because I'm only twenty-three. But sometimes I find myself exhausted just at the thought of putting on my running shoes and stepping outside the door.

One thing I need to learn is to be kinder to myself. I'm not competing anymore. These days it's not about fast times and medals and college scholarships, it's about the memories and not letting go of something that you love so dearly.

So I still run.

You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement.

Steve Prefontaine

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