H20 Audio Giveaway–Waterproof Ipod Case & Headphones

Remember last week when I drooled over my new waterproof iPod case and headphones?

You’re in luck. Makers of this genius device, H20 Audio, have offered up one of these items for a giveaway. Winner will get the Interval 4G Waterproof Headphone System for iPod Shuffle (4th Gen), waterproof headphones and a set of 5 earplugs (sizes XS-XL) so you can obtain the right fit.

“The Interval is the only waterproof iPod case designed just for swimmers! If you’re an iTunes user, there’s no better way to bring your own personal soundtrack into the pool. The waterproof case for the iPod shuffle 4th generation has integrated Surge 2G headphones and easily attaches to almost any swim goggle. Finally swimmers can have the same advantage of training with music that dry land athletes have enjoyed for years. Train harder, swim longer and have more fun doing it with the Interval 4G.”

 

You too can now swim on your carpet all while listening to your favorite tunes.

Better yet, you can do laps in the pool and not slit your wrists. Perhaps your swim workout experience, while already uplifting and wonderful, could be enhanced by a bit of music or your favorite podcast.

Maybe you LOVE swimming and don’t need such devices that “water down” the spiritual experience you have in the water. Okay, fine, then don’t enter.

Let me remind you, this thing goes for $99, but could be yours for the price of free!! Also let me remind you that it does not come with the iPod Shuffle. You’ll have to do favors for Apple for that one. Needs to be a 4th generation to fit in the case correctly.

To enter the giveaway simply:

• Tell me why you want/need this thing + 1 entry
• Become a follower of this blog + 1 entry
• Go to the H20 Audio website and tell me what you like +1 entry
• Write about this giveaway on your blog, FB, Twitter, etc + 1 entry
• Visit H20 Audio on Facebook and “like” them. Let them know I sent ya! + 1 entry
• Email a picture of you doing your favorite swim move to shutuprun@gmail.com + 3 entries

Giveaway will end on Friday, May 6. A winner will be chosen at random.org.

Good luck!

SUAR

Fine print: H20 Audio provided the giveaway item in exchange for the giveaway on this blog.

H20 Audio Waterproof Headphone System & iPod Case Review

I have something to add to my list of confessions. Yes, I lick knives and sometimes jog with scissors. But, my biggest confession for today is that I don’t really like to swim. Which is humorous, because I am doing a Half Ironman in August and it requires a bit of swimming. Just 1.2 miles or so.

For all of the time I spend in the chlorinated and hairy waters of my local pool, one would think we are having a love affair. Not the case.

Sometimes swimming feels like a chore what with having to diligently shave certain areas that I would typically ignore. Then there is the whole locker room thing involving chit-chatting with the pussy posse while we’re all naked (weird). Don’t even get me started on the black raccoon rings the goggles leave around my eyes causing me to look more old-haggish than I usually do.

But, the real reason I don’t love swimming is the endless back and forth from one end of the pool to the other. I break it up with intervals and boards and pull things between my legs. But, I still find it a bit mundane at times.

H20 Audio took pity on me on sent me a gadget to help those hundreds of laps fly by just a bit more quickly. The item?

An Interval Waterproof Headphone System and Case for my 4th Generation iPod Shuffle.

“The Interval is the only waterproof iPod case designed just for swimmers! If you’re an iTunes user, there’s no better way to bring your own personal soundtrack into the pool. The waterproof case for the iPod shuffle 4th generation has integrated Surge 2G headphones and easily attaches to almost any swim goggle. Finally swimmers can have the same advantage of training with music that dry land athletes have enjoyed for years. Train harder, swim longer and have more fun doing it with the Interval 4G.”

Pretty slick, right?

This thing intimidated me a bit.   First, I was worried my iPod would be ruined. Second, the sheer thought of figuring out how to swim with this thing was kind of a mental block. I got over it.

Prior to using the device, you test it to make sure the seal is adequate and that no water gets into the chamber. After doing this, I was confident my iPod would be okay.

Yesterday, I went to try out this baby. I loaded my iPod into the case (all pictures taken at home after the fact):

I fastened to case onto my goggle strap like so (very easy to do; don’t mind my uneven goggle straps):

I put in the headphones:

I swam for about an hour (on the carpet of course. This is a great place to train):

The conclusion? This thing rocks. Seriously. It changed the whole swim experience for me. I just got into a zone and tuned out. The laps flew by. I loved it. I never noticed or thought about the case strapped to my head. It is very lightweight and stays in place. The controls were simple to work.

I did struggle with the headphones a bit. There is a learning curve involved here. You are supposed to put them in before getting your ears wet and secure a seal. If they are placed correctly, no water should get into the ear canal at all. I was sent multiple-sized earplugs so that they would fit properly in my ear.

Yesterday’s fit was not quite right, and although the phones stayed in my ears just fine, the sound quality could have been better. I am convinced this was user error and not the fault of device because other users have had good sound quality. Once I am able to find the correct fit, I will update the review.

All I know is it beats this one-eyed contraption I was using for water running:

Bottom Line: If you like working out to music and do a lot of swimming, this might be a good investment. It is available for all iPod versions and there are armbands as well. The cost for this one is $99 and comes with the case, headphones and five sizes of earplugs (iPod sold separately).

Off to “carpet swim” because who needs a pool,

SUAR

Fine Print: The Interval Waterproof Headphone System and Case was sent to me free of charge from H20 Audio in exchange for my unbiased review.

When You Fall, Get Up.

My taste in music is vast. Yes, vast. Not varied or big or luscious. Vast. Doesn’t that make me sound like an intellectual? Well, I’m not, and never will be, but I use words like “vast” and “insurmountable” to fake it. 

AC/DC to Florida to the Ramones to Matt and Kim. Anything with a beat that I can run to.

Lately I’ve been loving this song (video below). It smacks of strength, moving forward, hope, inspiration. All things I need to hold onto right now. And always.

You're a good soldier
Choosing your battles
Pick yourself up
And dust yourself off
And back in the saddle
But you've got it all
Believe it
When you fall get up
Oh oh...
And if you fall get up
Oh oh...

It’s one of the themes from this summer’s World Cup. I think you’ll like it too.

Please, my friends. I need your help.

Not to belabor the point, but water running is killing me. Not physically, but mentally. Getting in that pool everyday and pretend running for upwards of 45 minutes sucks the big one. Yes, that one.

Please. Give me your most  favorite song on your iPod. Your best running song.

Every last one of you. I need new ideas. More than ever.

Or, if you have a favorite podcast, give that to me too.

I’ve got to get through this transition time and period of recovery. Hopefully only 38 more days until running and I begin our love affair once again.Only this time I’m not putting out so early.

Trying to stay up,

SUAR

Stole Your Penis

Don’t say I never give you good news.

If you are a lost soul and are just now tuning into my blog, I was diagnosed with a hip stress fracture a month ago. Read it and weep HERE.

Saw the doc today. Praise the Lord I am down to one crutch. I can still push small children and pets out of the way, but I can also hold a cup of coffee or a shot of grain alcohol.  My blood work was normal.

My good hip shows the start of osteopenia (stage before osteoporosis, not something to do with stealing your penis – get it? I steal yo penia. Say it fast). Not sure how much the stealing penis thing  could have contributed to the fracture, but it’s a possibility.

Biking can start in about a week when I ditch the crutch. MRI by the end of the year, which will hopefully clear me for running!!!!

I admit it when I’m wrong. I was wrong about water running when I said it was “easy.” That shit is hard if you do it the right way (that’s what she said). Using my new training plan, I’ve been getting in the deep end and doing intervals for about 30 minutes. I can actually feel myself sweating in the water.

It gets really interesting when the 9am old lady water aerobic class starts. They wiggle their way into the deep end, sighing about how cold it is and about how water isn’t what it used to be. I love these women. They talk of grandchildren and early bird specials and call me sweetie. This is my new pussy posse.

Today I went early, so no geriatric  support group. Just me bobbing around the deep end like a freak. I rigged my iPod like this so I didn’t fall asleep in the pool or slit my wrists from boredom. I felt very clever and I didn’t electrocute anyone:

I lost an eye in the water. Now I am like my dog:

Making progress,

SUAR

“Commit to Fit” and iPod Giveaway!

One of the perks of working from home (aside from being able to fart unabashedly and have a front row seat to my dog licking himself at all moments), is that I can plop down in front of the TV while eating my lunch. It’s the only time I turn the TV on during the day, so it feels like an indulgent few moments. Usually I’ve got Oprah or The Hills or something really classy waiting for me on the DVR, but today there was nothing. And when I say nothing, I mean nada. So, I resorted to *gulp* live TV with its commercials and nastiness (although I do really like that one dude on the Old Spice commercials, yum). I came across some supposed fitness channel singing the praises of the newest diet trend (not going to name it. Don’t want to give it any publicity). It was like rubber necking at a car accident. I couldn’t turn it off.

Here’s the deal. You sprinkle this magical voodoo powder on your food and then you lose weight. Eat anything you want! Deep friend Twinkies? Swell! Just sprinkle away! A whole Thanksgiving turkey for one? No problem, sprinkle, sprinkle. Whatever is in the powder talks to your brain and tells it that the stomach is full and then you stop eating. And then you lose tons of weight and your life is *perfection*. Right? Wrong.

Like all fad diets, it’s a tactic that doesn't work, at least not over the long run. It’s a band aid that holds in the blood for five seconds then sends a major hemorrhage down your leg, worse than if you’d just left it alone.

A short cut to losing weight or gaining fitness would be nice, but common sense and experience tell us the only way to effectively do this is by eating right and exercising. By finding balance. By treating our bodies with respect and care. It’s a lifestyle change, not some fad you do for a few weeks.

Most of you who read this blog are runners and are in pretty decent shape. Even so, at any given time many of us have goals involving weight loss, our next race, joining a gym, building endurance, speed and/or strength, starting yoga,  eating better, or a combination of a few of the above. We’re a pretty driven bunch. That said, what's your next move? How are you going to Commit to Be Fit (or continue to be fit)?

Remember Jared, the Subway Guy? The one who lost about 250 lbs by doing this?:

Coffee for breakfast. For lunch, a six-inch turkey sub with a small bag of Baked Lay's chips and a Diet Coke. For dinner, a foot-long veggie sub and a Diet Coke. On the sandwiches, no cheese, no mayonnaise, but plenty of lettuce, green peppers, banana peppers and pickles, and a dab of mustard. No snacks, and no cheating. Exercise was not part of the plan, but after a few months Jared noticed he had more energy, and started walking to class. Toward the end of his diet he was walking about a mile and a half daily.

It might not have been the most conventional diet, but it worked for him.

Guess what Jared’s doing next? After months of training, he’ll be running the NYC Marathon in November. Like I was 21 months ago, he’s a marathon virgin. Given Jared’s commitment to the run, Subway is launching a Commit to Fit program.

What does Commit to Fit mean to you? What's your next fitness goal? I’ll be doing a series of giveaways encouraging readers and myself to commit to new fitness goals, be them marathons, triathlons, Zumba classes, yoga challenges or hiring a fitness coach. I’ll also be interviewing Jared regarding the NYC Marathon, so stay tuned! I just wish I was running it too!

The Giveaway

As a kick off to this program, want to win the newest version (4th generation)  iPod Shuffle (in green/2 GB) and a $10 iTunes gift card? 

 

Here’s how to enter (comment for each):

1. Tell me five of your favorite tunes that keep you going while running or working out + 1 entry
2. Write about this giveaway on your blog, FB, Twitter, etc. +1 entry
3. Follow this blog or let me know if you do already + 1 entry
4. Enter Subway’s FB sweepstakes HERE and let me know + 1 entry

This giveaway will be short, so get hopping. It will end on 10/9 to make way for the next one...think lululemon baby!

The fine print:

• Per FTC guidelines: Subway provided the iPod and iTunes gift card for this giveaway. They also gave me a second set of the same items for my personal use. I did not pay anything for them.
• Contest only open to US residents. Sorry! 
• The winner will be chosen at random by Random.org
• Check back October 9 to see if you won!
• If I don’t hear back from the winner within 2 days after posting that they’ve won, I’ll Random.org another name

Good luck!

I Need Your Help

Long run yesterday: 16 miles  
Time: 2:25
Average pace: 8:58
Liquid consumed (water/HEED): 45 oz
Nutrition: 1 Strawberry Cliff Shot at mile 6
Temperature at 7:00 a.m. start: 66*
Temperature at finish: 80*
Bathrooms stops: 2 along the dirt road in the weeds
Elevation gain/loss: 735 ft/735 ft.

When Ken and I set out (he ran the first half with me), I could already tell it was going to be a muggy scorching kind of run. This route is gorgeous with lots of back country roads and mountain views, but there is little shade and a plethora of hills (you like that fancy word?).

Highlights:

Mile 1: I stopped to stretch and crap. Oh no. Already? I swear I went before I left home. Ken stood guard, rolling his eyes thinking, “How could I have married this?”

Mile 4: I left another gift alongside the road.

Mile 8: Kissed Ken goodbye (no tongue). Headed back. Put in iPod to take my mind off of the heat and effort

Mile 10: iPod dies. It’s just me and my breathing.

Mile 14: Run out of water/HEED

Mile 15: Super energetic, talkative and shirtless runner probably on mile 2 of his run comes up from behind. “Hot enough for you? How you doing? Blah, blah, blah.”

How the hell do you think I’m doing? I’m on mile freaking 15 of this 16 mile jaunt, I’m dehydrated, my legs are screaming, and oh, hey, we just passed the crap I took this morning!”

Me at the end of it all, not feeling so swell. Yes I have my running tank rolled up because this is the new fashion statement. You should try it:

And now I need your help.

I broke my exciting news last week – that I would be running part of the TransRockies Run with Dean Karnazes, Ultramarathon Man extraordinaire, as my partner. Stage One. 20.4 miles. 2,721 feet of elevation gain. 2,398 feet of elevation loss. I can hear my knees groaning already. But NO I am not complaining. Chance of a lifetime over here.

Check points are every 7 miles, so I guess there will be about three water/food stops on the trail over the course of the 20 miles.

I’m wondering about hydration between check points. Usually I run with 40 oz of hydration in my Nathan fuel belt.

I talked to Outside PR and they sent me this nifty Go Lite Slipstream hydration pack:

I have never used one of these. Apparently it needs a bladder to go inside of it. I couldn’t get in for a bladderectomy on short notice (all the ORs were full), so I’m going to have to buy one.

Like anything out there, there are 20 million options. All I know is I want 2 liters (70 oz). Any of you run with hydration packs? I know you all run with bladders and colons.

Any advice on which bladder to order?

Also, if you were me, what hydration system would you use for the race?

Option One: fuel belt, refuel at check point

Option Two: hydration pack, refill as needed

I know from reading his books that Dean prefers the pack. But, I am my own woman, so I cannot be influenced. Except by you all. So give me your input!

PS: My $100 CSN giveaway ends tomorrow. What are you waiting for? A personal invitation?

Fine Print: Go-Lite and Outside PR sent me this hydration pack free of charge.

Yurbud Giveaway Winners!

Running tip: Even if you are completely addicted to your music during runs, try to run every once in awhile without it. This puts you in touch with your breath, your body and the world around you. In fact, some races do not allow iPods for safety reasons, so don't get too dependant on it!

Random.org has done its work, and here are the winners for the Yurbuds!

1. #36: Allie @ that girl's a running fool
2. #44: Trailmomma
3. #174: Jenna Z @ corgi pants
4. #227: Jill @ running2sanity
5. #233: Annika @ a swede abroad
6. #240: Heather @ heathersrunningramblings
7. #267: Dana @ getting my words out
8. #302: Missy @ southern girl running
9. #353: Katye @ runninaround
10. #372: The Neilsen's @ nellyandwoody

Please email me (see upper right corner of blog) as soon as possible and I will give you the details no how to claim your prize. If I don't hear back in five days, I'll select another winner, so don't delay!

Drinking: Kirkland coffee roasted by Starbucks

Pre-Marathon Advice, Please!

Today's run: 10.47 miles/1:32 mins/8.51 avg pace/904 cals


Clair N. posted some great pre-marathon questions as a comment on my blog today. Having only run one marathon, I can give my two cents, but would love some feedback from you all more experienced marathoners:

Question #1: What to eat in the week/days leading up to a marathon?

I took advice from the Ultramarathon Man ("50 Marathons in 50 Days") on this one. I do think it helped me during my run. Usually I am a GI mess when I run longer than ten miles, but during my marathon I had none of that and had only one pit stop (just to pee). Also my energy was good for the entire race. This is what I followed:

Question#2: What to wear.

Running through the Colorado winter I learned a lot about layering. I also learned that it is much better to start out cool/cold and warm up than to overdress. Starting temp for my marathon in Phoenix in January was 40*. I brought throw away clothes that I discarded on the sidelines once the run started. My rule of thumb is that if it's going to be an average of 50* or higher, go with the shorts and minimal layers that you can toss.

Question #3: To iPod or not to iPod.

I was dead set on not using my iPod during the marathon. Felt like I might want to be social and I'd want to take in the sights and sounds of the experience (hah, hilarious I know). When I told Ken this the night before, he looked at me like I'd lost my mind. He kindly reminded me I would be running for at least four hours, and that I might like the option of music. I took my shuffle with me tucked in the teeny front pocket of my running shorts (I'm kind of anti fuel belt if I can get away with it). It was the best decision ever. I found the last thing I wanted to do was to be social or to take in the sights and sounds after about mile seven. That's when the headphones went on. I swear, repaying Green Day, AC/DC, etc saved my ass and kept my energy up.

Any advice for Clair on these issues (or any others)? She is running the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach on Sunday.