Barefoot Angie Bee

Persnickety monkeys

2012-02-09T20:20:00.001-06:00

When I was pregnant with Archimedes over four years ago and just having moved to Des Moines, I wrote this post to MySpace and found it written out in an old notebook tonight. I grabbed the notebook to tear out a page as a quick bookmark for Tales of EarthSea that I am reading now.

This prose was from a challenge to use particular words together although I don't remember which ones specifically.

A plethora of persnickety monkeys pondered antiestablishmentarianism at a perpendicularly placed buffet table that was elaborately decorated with glistening pomegranate propaganda and accented by cornucopia of melancholy chrysanthemums.

Their roguish banter was exacerbated by raspberry rippel and magnolia tiramisu as well as the appetizers of pumpernickel bread and cheese logs.

Location:Des Moines Iowa

Oh bread how I have missed you.

2012-01-04T17:21:00.001-06:00

I feel like I have some solid energy. I have not felt like this in a long time. It makes me want to run to test out the sustained energy!

For a bit of background, I gave up gluten close to 3 years ago. When I ate gluten I would feel emotionally and mentally unstable like PMS all the time. I would feel "off" and unbalanced. I also gave up dairy and soy. Recently I reintroduced dairy and drink a kefir daily. Many of my stomach issues have disappeared. I think its from a healthy flora having been reintroduced in my gut.

Now 3 years later I tried bread from a local bakery. Its a simple french bread with the basics only to keep the reintroduction clean so I can be as sure as I can that if I feel crazy then I will know its from the flour. Flour, water, yeast, and salt.

Earlier this morning I couldn't stay warm and was crashing pretty hard. My stupid Aunt Flo came to visit and she always kicks my ass. (the upside since there has to be one is that I am not pregnant and she was on time.) Its like the rest of my body just can't take the stress and hormonal upheaval. I think its the reason I am inclined to eat more before my period. My body knows to store up some energy and nutrients to deal with whats to come.

I ate some bread and am now warm and full of energy of which doesn't feel like a spike but long and sustainable. I was pretty nervous about trying bread again. My son Jupiter, who has autism, has done really well on a gluten and casein free diet. It has been the most profound treatment that has worked for him. So I knew how to do a gluten free diet.

It was not my idea and the superhero has been suggesting I try bread again for a while. I was really holding on to the notion that I COULD NOT eat gluten. I think I might be changing my mind. Its lovely how I have these ideas and teeter on the edge of making a change and then Jaymon comes along and gives me that little push I needed. We make a good team :)

Evidently my body has healed. I won't make a full assessment for a few days but so far so good. I long to make my own bread and pizza! I tried years ago to make my own outdoor bread oven but bailed on it half way. Maybe someday I will get one made and I will wear a tank without a bra when I make mine too.

Here is a cool link Traditional Oven.com

Who makes their own bread? Do you avoid gluten? Anyone made their own traditional oven?

Cheers,

AngieBee

Forgive dumbassary and believe in myself

2012-01-03T12:29:00.000-06:00

It struck me as interesting this morning as I was thinking of writing a goals/resolutions ,or lack of post, that when I think of what I want to do in 2012 it's always 'more of' something. This is fabulous! I didn't in fact meet many of my self imposed 2011 goals, but 2011 taught me to be flexible.

I want to do more yoga, more walking, more moving, more running, more beekeeping, more learning, more reading, more gardening, more smiling, more playing ukulele, more working with Jupiter, more consistency in tracking my calories, more blogging. I already do these things. I have cool things I am interested in and want to perfect my skills.

These days when I think of stress management my first thought is no longer how I want to stress less, well I do think that but it's a secondary thought and an affect instead of the action itself. I want to do more activities that will in turn reduce my stress. This is different than my thoughts of "if I wasn't so stressed I could do xyz". Now it's "if I did abc I would be less stressed and therefore able to do xyz." This pleases me. It is an indication of a subconscious thought pattern changing in a positive direction. At one time I would have dismissed it as not enough to appreciate because it seems so insignificant and unquantifiable yet it affects all of my thinking and decision making. Progress is progress no matter how small it may seem. Its about attitude and work.

Believing in oneself and even going so far as, dare I say it, liking oneself, is not a straight shot. Its an art form of self trickery. Fake it til you make it does often work.

In order to believe in myself, I have to stop thinking I am full of shit. In order to do this I first flip that around and leave behind what I am not, and turn it into "I am capable of thinking and taking care of myself, finding happiness, and meeting my needs", and instead look at the things I can do. In order to accept that I am a pretty cool chic, I have to forgive myself for the dumbassary of the past.

The next step after forgiveness is to practice for a while and then see some success and see success for what it is no matter how small it might seem in comparison to others. Maybe save the compairison to others for later would be even better!

I also want to work on seeing self imposed expectations as being changeable because I made them up in the first place and seeing what the underlying happy maker really is.
Example : I am going to run a certain number of miles this year or I will run as many miles that make sense and work to be happy for each and every one. If I run races, cool. If not, meh, maybe next time. I want to run races but its ok if life happens.

I want to work on knowing when to push through.
Example #2: I don't feel like running its too early, its too cold, I have so many other things to do, will instead be, I know I will be glad I ran once I get out there and even if I am still not feeling it, I will be glad I gave it a shot anyways if I do choose to bail on that run. Some running goals later on this year may mean pushing through.

So.....

I will continue to forgive myself for past dumbassary and will learn from my mistakes. Screwing up is part of learning.
I will practice working hard and finding worth in my hard work.
I will believe that I am not full of shit but a capable thinker and I will practice my ability to reason.
I want to do more of the things I am interested in. I will work to get past the initial not wanting to do something and believe that once started I will find the joy and if I am not feeling it once started, accept that its ok to bail and try again later.
I will focus on what to do instead of what not to do.
I can and will continue to have improved health. Mental, emotional, and physical.

In 2011 I battled with my own mortality and anxieties about it. This is an ongoing human struggle. What I have learned (and accepted ,which in itself is important) is that my thinking plays a direct role in my health. Taking full responsibility as well as making a proactive approach to being able to predict the consequences of my actions down the line, since the consequences of many actions don't manifest until much later when its hard to trace back the cause, this is tricky. Kind of like when I eat a whole bunch, I don't see the poundage and tight pants necessarily the very next day but two weeks from now. Foresight is a skill.

So, when I am stressed out today and it continues, I am making myself sick or at least weakening my immune system as well as taxing my system so the things that do work to alleviate stress, like running, are much harder.

I am seeing more and more the physical implications of my stress and anxiety. It takes bravery to look at the problem instead of stuffing it and letting it fester, of which I am most inclined to do. It's a lifelong ongoing process. I learned to recognize where I have been and see that when anxiety is building I can remind myself that I have been here before and this too shall pass. Like during an anxiety attack.
Practice, practice, practice.

As far as the half full look at 2011, I did some pretty cool stuff.

I traveled by train to NYC and became a vivobarefoot natural form running coach.
I ran a 12 hour race right afterwards and managed to squeeze out close to 39 miles.
I made some dear friends.
I worked with and became friends with a local beekeeper and his wife.
I discovered that I wasn't enjoying the new direction working with nuun was taking so I quit to find happier things to do.
I discovered the joys of mobile computing and in particular Apple products both for myself but for Jupiter, my son with autism.
We got rid of the couch and now have LoveSacs. We now tell our kids to jump on the furniture!
We hung monkey rings in the living room.
We switched to space saving standing desks.

I wish the best for you in 2012. I hope that I can through sharing my experiences bring inspiration.

Cheers,

AngieBee

Three hundred mile Aqua Lite review.

2011-12-30T16:46:00.000-06:00

by Jaymon Hotz

I have been running barefoot for two years now. As my mileage has increased so has my need to supplement my barefoot running with some running in minimalist shoes. I used my Vivobarefoot Achilles this summer but as the weather cooled this fall I switched to Aqua Lites. It is a colder weather and water resistant design that is better suited to fall and winter training. I have ran in the rain many times and these shoes have done an excellent job of keeping my feet dry. It was a pleasant relief to splash water on the top of the shoe and never feel the soaking through one anticipates in most running shoes. I am very impressed that such a soft pliable shoe is water resistant. Keeping your feet warm and dry goes a long way to helping keep the rest of you warm.

The Aqua Lite is a very comfortable running shoe. The super light weight, soft and flexible materials, padding around the ankle, wide toe space, and six lace holes make for a shoe that does not have any unpleasant pressure or chafing. When the higher miles make my feet more sensitive to shoe ergonomics. The Aqua Lites stay comfortable even when my other shoes hurt my feet.

The overall durability of this shoes has been excellent. The shoe held together perfectly and shows no indication that it is falling apart under the miles and miles of use. I am showing some wear on the heel of the soles. Angela say that it confirms that I am a heel striker.

When running barefoot the bones in you feet spread laterally with every footfall. It is a pleasurable sensation that is missed when shoes must be worn. The Aqua Lites retain some of that spread with the use of soft materials, a wide toe box and lacing that starts far behind that toe box with a shared loop for the first two laces.

Barefoot running lets you feel the ground. The ground contact sensations give you feedback that improves your running form and awareness. Any shoe will decrease ground feel. The Aqua Lites strike a good cold earth/ground feel compromise with a flat, thin, puncture resistant sole.

For me the colder months in the late fall, winter, and early spring are the best for running. The cooler air, milder sunshine, and decreased need to consume stomach upsetting electrolyte drinks make for longer, faster and more productive runs. The tradeoff is that the colder ground compels me to put on shoes. When the weather or road conditions make shoes necessary the Aqua Lites strike an excellent compromise of warmth and protection verses road feel and freedom of movement.

Altra Eve minimal running shoe review

2011-12-29T11:54:00.001-06:00

Its been really fun to try out the minimal shoes that came out this year from companies who began in order to tap into the minimal shoe niche. The Altra story illustrates people seeing a need and then creating a product to address the need.

When I first took the Altra Eve out of the box I noticed right off that they feel pretty light. They weigh 6 ¼ ounces according to my kitchen scale. That is a size 11 though. The site says 4.5 ounces however I doubt they meant my size.
Besides noticing the weight, when I first get a pair of shoes I love to roll them up in a ball (or try to) and then twist them like wringing out a rag. The Altra Eves are super flexible which means they will let your foot move the way it was meant to without inhibiting your form.

As far as sizing goes, I had to get the next half size up. The site says true to size with the caveat of being true to size if you wear them with the footbed (insole). On the inside of the box it talks about fit and they also mention to allow around 1/2" between your longest toe and the end of the shoe. Interesting to me that I didn't know this until I started testing out shoes and working closely with shoe companies.

For most of my life my shoes have been too small. This is hard to grasp since I have big feet and going up to a half size larger is kind of tough to do mentally but all that aside. I have discovered a new level of comfort which is far more important than being self conscious about having big feet.

The site says that the shoes are gender specific but I just don't think that there is much of a difference in men's and women's feet. I am no expert on that and nothing to back it up so I am not dismissing it entirely, it just seems to me that feet are feet. Mine happen to be long and skinny with a splay that has spread out more over the years. So, that being said, if you are a chic with wide feet, try the men's version.

I often review both the women's and men's versions since I am right on the cusp of women's shoes not being long enough so I go to the men's. The difference I have found is in the width and this is a plus for those wanting to run longer distances and who will be dealing with the accommodations of swelling. Although I did not try both men's and women's in this shoe, it has been my experience that the difference has been pretty much the same in fit.

The lovely sole on the Eve is flat, low to the ground, and of course zero drop.

The ground feel is fantastic and although the 3.4 mm puncture resistant sole doesn't look like they have much traction they did pretty well and feel quite grippy.

Did I mention I really love the sole on these? It is not squishy but dense and allows for your foot to use its own elastic recoil in movement instead of trying to "add to the experience". This shoe makes your foot work. Which is as it should be.

The shoe is shaped well to accommodate many ranges of foot shape. For me they feel a little loose due to the width however the tightening system addresses the adjustment well. They also say on the inside of the box that you might feel this looseness but you will get used to it a your feet are allowed to spread naturally.

I am not a fan of velcro tightening systems as I have found that velcro wears out over time where as laces don't wear out or can be replaced. On the other hand these velcro closures have velcro that runs the length of the straps so there is much room for adjustability for anyone.

I am dubious of the strap that runs across where the forefoot splays. My thinking is that tightening there would change the foots movement by restricting splay. For me however I didn't have to change the adjustment at all straight from the box. I would like to hear from others who have tested either the Adams (mens) or Eves if this was an issue.

One thing I didn't like was how my big toes when my foot flexes (dorsiflection) and my toes point up my big toes rub on the darker gray area of the shoe at the end. I asked a fellow reviewer if they had the same problem and they said it wasn't an issue for them, so just keep it in mind. Although annoying it didn't mess with my form. (I wonder if their shoes were sized too small....)

The upper is made of a very thin stretchy fabric and not great for warmth however they work well with socks and if you wore a pair of wool socks in dry weather they could work for a winter shoe. The upper stretches nicely to accommodate thick wool socks without making them feel too tight.

The flipside to breathabillity is that they are not water resistant but they do dry quickly which is such a plus in the summer when your feet sweat or when you need them to drain out water.

These come with two removable insoles. Overall my experience has been a good one when it has come to removable insoles. I like having the option of a little more padding. For example I like the insoles if I know I will be walking all day and for running I like to take them out. If it is super cold out, I leave the insole in to help combat the cold seeping in from the ground. The Altra Eve insoles didn't change the way my foot moves in the shoe.

The heel seat is comfortable however there are lots of seams. I prefer to wear thin socks with these. Having tried other shoes that have only one seam on the inside, its hard to not be a seam snob when I know it could be better. As I mentioned above about these being wonderful in the breathability it defeats the purpose of being breathable if you have to wear socks with them since there are too many seams.

Although there are many seams they are pretty soft and depending on foot shape will rub differently for each person. I had issues with the seams on both the inside and outside of my feet right at the middle of my foot where the first velcro straps are attached. The padding around the ankle is quite nice and I didn't experience any rubbing around the ankle.

I am not the biggest fan of how these look. They have huge potential and I would prefer it if they had a lacing system instead of the velcro but that is due to fit and not look. I think the problem is in the color. Bright fancy happy colors would rock. Of course a pair of crazy socks helps but I would love to see these in some bright fun colors.

They run $99.00 which for shoes these days is pretty typical. They have a great store locator map here. There are also have a core training and trail running shoe to try on!
Cheers,
AngieBee

Check out my post on reviewing shoes and some criteria to check for when considering a shoe.

Barefoot Shoes vs. Minimal Shoes debate. I say bareshoes.

2011-12-28T12:56:00.000-06:00

Jason Robillard from Barefoot Running University just put up this blog post about his succumbing to the idea of using the term barefoot shoes. It is a heated debate among barefoot runners. As he pointed out, barefoot runners, and at one time I too felt this way, feel like their accomplishments were cheapened when they actually took the time and care to learn how to run barefoot, as in sans shoes, only to have people think they were wearing a pair of those "silly toe shoes".

I am now at a point to be quite comfortable in my own proverbial shoes and am able to not care what others think. I like to run barefoot. I sometimes use shoes. I like shoes but still prefer to run barefoot. The marketing people have pushed barefoot shoes as a name, term, and definition of minimal shoes. Granted its a marketing technique to get people to buy a product but it also sold an idea. An idea that the "people" seem to love. The marketing folks know what they are doing evidently and it really is clever on their part. I for one am glad of it. I want people to learn good running form and if being interested in barefoot shoes will do that then rock on I say. Besides, I don't think that the barefoot running movement would be any more than some weirdos that run barefoot screaming that their way is best (which it is but who wants to listen to the screaming weirdo) instead of an actual movement if the shoe companies didn't see a niche and jump on it with their marketing campaigns.

Yes, the term is an oxymoron but that duality also grabs attention, which makes people think, which piques their interest and makes them ask questions, and that really is the point.

I think that the term bareshoes should replace minimal shoes for a few reasons. At the top of my list is that when you think of barefoot running you think of the time it will take to get used to it. People are struck with a contradiction. They remember being barefoot as a kid and yet as an adult it is not always pleasant having tender feet. Its simultaneously appealing and repelling and as I mentioned before about the oxymoron of the term barefoot shoes grabbing your attention, the duality of the love/hate of barefoot also grabs attention.

Most people will not run barefoot full time but they are barecurious and want to know more about it. The term minimal shoes seems outside of the "barefoot" idea. They are still shoes even though they should not be treated as just shoes. There is not really any time taken to get used to a pair of shoes. If the shoes are labeled as barefoot shoes then people will associate those shoes with the idea that they too should be worked into slowly just like one would with actual barefoot running.

Shoes give a false sense of security and doubly so with minimal shoes. Yes minimal shoes will strengthen your body to move the way it was meant to yada yada yada but when you put them on and they feel so good and your feet don't tell you to take it easy like barefoot running will do, to me that makes them even more worthy of caution than actual barefoot running with its intense feedback mechanism of which shoes dampen.

'Natural running' is a great term to refer to running form, of which can be applied to just about any shoe or lack of that you choose, but it doesn't address the fact that there is still a difference between barefoot and barefoot shoes. I teach good form which is learned through barefoot running however that form can be transferred to running in shoes as well.

To streamline teaching I think having the word 'bare' link them together works well and I think marketing people who study this kind of thing would agree. The point is to educate and which term reaches the widest audience? The term that implies barefoot.

Nobody is trying to take away from the accomplishments of the barefoot runners. It may seem that way to some but really when you are out there running with free feet on the ground and a smile on your face and that connection you feel to the world, its not going to change your experience if someone thinks they did the same thing in a pair of bareshoes. I don't run to get kudos from others. Its nice but not why I do it. It does mean that the person thinking you ran in 'those pocket toe shoes' is missing out but it also opens up dialogue about form which is the underlying key to happy running.

It takes away from the exchange of information if we bicker about the semantics of the terms used. Use what terms you like but I however for a streamline affect as well as being able to reach a wider audience am a Natural Running Coach who reviews bareshoes and prefers to run barefoot for 99% of my time.

I apologize if I don't get back to all the heated comments but I am probably out running and will get back to you soon :)
Cheers,
AngieBee

Patagonia Downtown Loft Parka Review

2011-12-26T18:32:00.000-06:00

As most of you already know, I am not a fan of winter. For years I have been in a cantankerous mood starting after Thanksgiving and ending only when the flowers start to show in the spring. After testing out this coat, it occurred to me that I was cold. This sounds outrageously silly but I had been thinking that being uncomfortable was just part of winter. Epiphany: It doesn't have to be that way. Now when I go out and its stupid cold, I can focus on having fun.

Do I feel like I look like a stereotypical grandmother should? Yes I do. Do I care? No, I don't. A grandmother in her advanced age would have acquired knowledge and wisdom over the years and she would have learned that being comfortable and happy should trump fashion. every. time. I am at a point in my being that I am comfortable in my own skin from the inside out and now its time to address the outside in and this coat keeps me toasty warm which makes me happy. Besides, maybe now is the time that the younger ladies stereotype should be synonymous with comfort.

Pockets also make me happy! Besides the two zippered pockets on the outside for your hands there is an inner pocket on the right hand side that is big enough for a wallet or cell phone.

The Parka has a slim fit design and is quite thin. You would think that it is bulky but in fact it is very light and my knees stay warm. How novel is that! You don't see long coats very often anymore and with tight fitting clothes being en vogue, I have an inkling that most women are cold in the winter in the name of fashion. It is not fashionable to be miserable.

The Downtown Loft Parka has 800 fill-power-premium European goose down to insulate in minus temps. I wonder what makes a power premium goose?? Whatever they do, it works for me. A shawl collar transforms into a hood for head protection and also sports a two way full length zipper that has a snap wind flap.

The fabric is a DWR or Durable Water Resistant material. I have worn it in a drizzle as well as snow and the water slid off like on a gooses back....I stay warm and dry. It comes in three colors, Black, Prussian Blue, and Forge Grey. They are priced at $349.00

Is it really expensive? Yes, but in hindsight, which is one of the stellar perks of being a reviewer, I get to test it out and know what I was missing and then put worth on that price based on need. I don't have to make this huge gamble. So knowing what I know now and being a general hater of most things winter I would recommend that the price is worth being warm and this coat does a stellar job of keeping me warm.

Now granted, there is more to staying warm than just a coat. I also wear some kind of boots or thicker soled shoes(zero drop) with wool socks to keep the cold from attacking my feet. I also wear a hat to keep the cold from launching an assault from the top down. Also always have gloves in the pockets of your super warm coat is a necessity.

If you are looking for a coat to keep you warm in the winter months I recommend the Patagonia Downtown Loft Parka. If you are not sure, check out some of the other Pategonia Down Coats. If they are like the Downtown Loft Parka, I think you will be happy with it!

Cheers and Happy Shopping,
AngiBee

Merry Winter Solstice and My Favorite Side Dish Recipe

2011-12-22T15:12:00.000-06:00

Christmas lights are hung, paper chains to count down to presents were made, and the tree is sparkly. Actually I hung the lights on Diwali this year which conveniently and closely coincides with the end of Daylight Savings. The more happy lights the better. I say go Griswold if it lifts your spirits. Lights really do make things better.

Speaking of lights making people happy, I read on facebook today that Christopher McDougall was running at night and a local waitress saw him and gave him her battery powered string of lights so he could wear them and be more visible to drivers. That just makes me smile! It's a brilliant idea to wear them while out running this time of year!

In December, it's dark, cold, people are stressed out, money is tight, roads are dangerous, tensions are high in general, and we all just want to get through it with a smile if at all possible. We assume that the holidays will somehow right the wrongs that may be going on in our lives and are each year disappointed in something. Inevitably our expectations are too high that things will go smoothly. Instead prepare for the worst and be happy when things are not so bad!! Regardless we go to the family gatherings and try each time because misery loves company. Its better to be together in the cold and dark time of year and what do we do together?? We eat.

Everyone is inclined to eat more in the winter months. So what you eat and how much of it makes a difference. Since its cold out it makes it less likely that you will burn off the calories to balance out the calories that went in. Have fun, enjoy yourself, but remember to eat some nutritious food to balance out the fudge, egg nog, and Aunties christmas cookies. Also, eat smaller portions so you can try it all!

One of my favorite side dishes or salads is delicious, nutritious, and super fast and easy to make. It's one that my mother in law makes and I just didn't get enough of it when we were visiting over Thanksgiving. Yep, if you bring this dish to a gathering, you will probably be considered "one of those people", but somebody has to bring the veggies to balance things out.

Ingredients
2 cans white hominy
2 cans of yellow hominy
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
3 cans of small red kidney beans or a bag of dried kidney beans
3-4 cucumbers
Salt, pepper, and tarragon to taste
1/4 cup or more Olive Oil. I prefer the Extra Virgin with its more intense flavor.
Balsamic vinegar to taste

There is no specific right or wrong way to make the salad. You mix all ingredients together and stir. I like to use the turkey pan to mix it all up into as it's very easy to stir and blend the ingredients together. I find that chopping the peppers finer makes them mix in with each bite. Add salt slowly and taste often as you add. The hominy is a bit salty so it will add to the flavor on its own so don't over do it with the salt. I add the vinegar last. I sprinkle it around and its easy to add more to individual bowls if you want more.

Besides eating we love the sun. It's an integral component to our sense of well being.
So Merry Winter Solstice and Happy Sun Return!
Even though it is the official start to winter and more than likely the cold and snow will hit the proverbial fan before things get better, the upside is that the days are getting longer second by second.

When I feel down about the weather this time of year, I like to go to Wunderground.com to see how much visible daylight there is each day and the length of the day. After you put in the city you want to see the forecast for, scroll down to the Astronomy section. It will show how much longer tomorrow's daylight will be.

So put up some lights, drink some egg nog, eat some nutritional and tasty food, try not to have those same old arguments with the family, start a new tradition, learn about other's traditions, do something for someone else, answer the phone at least once "buddy the elf, what's your favorite color?", watch funny movies with someone you love, give lots of hugs, and be glad that if all else is total shit that the sun will be out for 4 seconds longer tomorrow!

Where would you go?

2011-12-19T18:33:00.001-06:00

I love jeans, sweatshirts or sweaters, boots, hats, and all the cute cool weather clothing. I don't however like being encumbered by layers.

This time of year I daydream of warmer places as the hell that is a typical Iowa January/February inches closer.

Don't let this photo fool you. It was taken this weekend while we took the boys tubing at Sleepy Hollow Sports Park where the snow is made and it was too hot in the coat and layers in the warm sun. We had a blast by the way and the communication opportunities for Jupiter were awesome and little Milo was independent and brave.

This weekends weather was a tease. I just know it. It was a cruel trick, although non the less appreciated. Granted it has been tolerable and dare I say it, a nice winter so far but there have been stupid cold days of daydreaming in blues and greens of places that we could move to that would offer a Mediterranean climate.

yes Iowa is beautiful and the weather can be lovely and in fact is for most of the year. It's those days of single digits that get me. We took the boys on Sunday to the creek to fossil hunt and throw rocks and I felt the complacency creep in and take hold. The belief that maybe this year won't be so bad....maybe it won't....

We have tried many if not all of the autism programs here in Des Moines for Jupiter. That's why we moved here at the advice of our autism consultant we worked with in Kansas who moved to Des Moines. Some of the programs have been life changers and some, meh, but we tried. It seems as though, in my mind, that it is coming close to a time when we could try something new. I've got the travel bug and usually do this time of year. I am not a tough it out in the winter kind of girl. There is no shame in running away from this battle!

If there were lots of green to offset clouds and rain in winter I think I could hang but with damp comes mold. Will that be an issue? Every place will have pros and cons. I would love to take some trips to check out some places. Hey Amtrak, want to sponsor my families trip? I would blog about our adventures!

So far in my Google Earth trips, image and wiki scouring , and forum hopping I am always drawn back to the west coast. I grew up in Northern California so it's in my soul, that smell of the redwoods and salt air. California is expensive though so that makes a difference but Santa Rosa as well as Monterey look awfully good, minus the seismic activity, but oh that coastline is sublime.

What I want are as follows

Wet winter and not too cold. Preferably in the upper 30s and 40s for most of winter
Dry summer
Lots of green
Liberal
Artsy
Near bigger cities but not too close
Not far from the coast
Reasonable cost of living

If you could move your family anywhere, where would you go?

Cheers,

Angie Bee

I am a runner. I've got Soul.

2011-12-15T15:33:00.000-06:00

I am a runner and I use my feet to propel myself through space and time and there is nothing in life quite like it. Regardless if you wear shoes or not we all have the soul of a runner that gets all exited and fired up just thinking about running.

This design came from that feeling.

The homophone whispered to my inner word and grammar geek to make it Goldilocks perfect.

Sometimes an idea pops into my head and I just have to draw it. The images in my mind don't translate as well to paper as I would like but the inspiration is there.

I've got the soul of a runner and the soles to move me and the heart of an artist for sure even if the body doesn't want to cooperate. Glass is more my forte' but that's been put on hold for a while so for now it's all just ideas in my brain box that sometimes, when my hands and mind mesh up, come out on paper.

My art on a regular basis consists of finding photos of animals online and practicing drawing them at the insistence of my youngest boy spawn. It's a tough gig since they are not shy about being critical!

So for the I've got soul design , I asked my super talented, graphic designing, barefoot running, sole sista, Krista, to fix it up for me.

We make quite the team.
That cat reads minds, for you parents out there, say this last bit in the Sid the Sloth lisp about Diego. Seriously I think she has mind reading powers.

What I felt and saw in my head, she made perfectly into a graphic.

I added the graphic to my shop called SoulBee at Spreadshirt. There are men's and women's versions available in various styles and prices.

There is also the Free Your Feet design available as well.

Check out Krista at KMCreative as well as her rad blog Running Naked on Sharp Pointy Stuff

VIVOBAREFOOT Neo Kids

2011-12-14T17:04:00.000-06:00

The most telling detail of this VIVOBAREFOOT Kids Neo Shoe review is that the boys, Milo (5) and Archimedes (3), don't demand to take their shoes off when they wear their Neos. I think they forget they have them on. Barefoot is their preferred state and I have to cajole them to put shoes on when the time comes that they need them. This tells me that they are comfortable in the Neos.

Kids Neos are the mini version of the adult Neos that I reviewed in the spring after I was given the opportunity to try on all of the Spring 2011 shoes in the vivobarefoot NYC Store. The Neos were an awesome fit. So much so that I wore then for the first time for 32 miles and had zero adverse affects from running in brand new shoes. Check out my review of the adult Neos here.

The roll-it-up-into-a-ball-test is amusing visually but it is extremely useful in deciding if the shoe will allow your foot to move as it is meant to. A shoe should take the cues from the foot and not the other way around. The Kids Neo is a flexible shoe that has a 3.5 mm puncture resistant outsole. It's thin enough for being able to feel the ground and yet there is enough protection for tromping through the woods or any other adventure they find themselves having.

They also have a 3 mm removable and washable insole. I have been leaving the insole in the shoe. Although this does reduce the amount of proprioception/biofeedback, it also protects the foot from the cold seeping into the shoe from the ground. Minimal shoes worn in the cold months when you are not moving around vigorously mean you are more prone to cold feet.

Hydrophobic mesh is the material for the upper on the Neos. Although not water proof, they do keep the water out if not submerged.
I chose the Neos with laces as I have found that velcro doesn't hold up to kid use the way a laced shoe can. With laces you can also use a Yankz kind of lace for easy on and off. Wide kid feet are comfortable in the Neos with plenty of room for natural splay. The soft upper allows for movement and the lacing can be customized depending on the foot. This is another reason I chose the laces.

The shoes seem to be winning in the battle between kid play and shoe durability! The boys wear them everywhere and these are their shoes they wear every day unless its snowing. Tree climbing, puddles, mud, toe dragging because it makes a fart noise on the sidewalk, have all been tried and the Neo have done a stellar job holding up.

Running, jumping, climbing, and all other play has been supported by the great traction the Neo's provide. This light weight zero drop shoe is one of my favorites and I love that the boys, who are also runners, get to wear them too. They are starting on the right foot....yeah, I know... with strong feet that are allowed to move they way they should. Its amazing to hold a Neo in one hand and a typical kid shoe in the other and see how incredibly heavy and substantial kid shoes are. The Neos are a fantastic alternative.

Whats the only downside? In my opinion it would be the cost. Otherwise the shoes meet all of the criteria I have for shoes that I myself would wear and the kids like them too from what I can surmise. They Kids Neos run $75. Considering how fast the boys are growing and how fast they grow out of shoes its a tough call to decide on shoes that support good form and especially since they are developing their form now for all kinds of movement, and the cost.

I am happy and confident that Milo's pair will be in good shape to hand down to Archimedes.

Stem Primal Origins Review

2011-12-13T11:31:00.000-06:00

Have you been over to Toe Salad yet? It's a site dedicated to all things minimal footwear. It has reviews, photos, forums, shoe directories, and all done for you shoe geeks out there. I wrote an OeTZI3300 Troop Boot review last winter for Toe Salad and now have a Stem review up. So go geek out on some Stems!

Stem Primal Origins Review

Cheers,
AngieBee

Sony MP3 Player winner!

2011-12-12T16:28:00.000-06:00

Winner winner chicken dinner!

I actually remembered to screen capture the random.org page to show the winner.

Who says 13 is unlucky??

Haley from Climb Run Lift Mom is lucky number 13!

I have seen her blog before but was reminded again what a bad ass this rockin momma is! Go check her out and thanks for entering the giveaway! I have another giveaway coming up for two winners. I have a couple of pairs of Yankz laces to giveaway as well as some EcoLips chapstick.

Cheers,

AngieBee

A Few of My Favorite Things of 2011

2011-12-08T19:20:00.000-06:00

These are a few of my favorite things.....I remember singing that song in vocal class in Junior High.....and really enjoying myself. Oh to rock a short hair do and have an accent, voice, and body like Julie Andrews! I still know most of the words although I absolutely do not sound as good, I can carry a tune. So for the background music while you read this blog list of some of favorite things for this year, click here!

Running Skirts

What is not to love about running skirts? I have yet to find anything to put on the con list. I try to be a critic and be aware of the negatives. The only one that comes to mind is the price. I wish that they were half the price so I could justify more than the ones I have since I love them all.
The lovely sisters Cindy and Christy sent me a pair of rockin' purple arm sleeves and a matching skirt to test out. I already knew I loved Running Skirts but I did find that there is an added pocket now and I have drooled and dreamed about the stellar patterns and colors in the fall/winter collection.

The skirt has a pair of briefs in them. It may seem taboo to mention however it should be noted that one of the best things about running skirts (any running skirt with the sewn in briefs) is the ability to pee quickly. Yep, it is a big deal especially when there is no porta-potty in sight and when you gotta go you gotta go. Just slip the briefs to the side and go. No ass exposure necessary.

The skirts are also uber comfortable. The waistband is soft and stretchy and the skirt has a pocket in the back as well as one at each of the hips. Running skirts move with you. They don't hinder motion in any way and they look great doing it. No more balloon butt shorts that look like they should be on a dude. Its important to feel attractive when running. I even wear mine in the cooler months with a pair of tights.

Arm sleeves are such a clever invention. Running Skirts Sleeves have a fabulous design in that they have a thumb hole. They also have a small pocket on each sleeve for a phone, mp3 player, or maybe some gels and they do keep my arms very warm. I must admit that arm sleeves look kinda silly worn with a tank top. However I do love them with a t-shirt in cooler weather. So freakin easy to moderate body temperature with arm sleeves!

Little Miss Matched

Little Miss Matched sent me two sets of leg warmers and a set of toe socks. Their products come in threes and none of them match exactly but their missmatchedness is perfectly matched! They have girls and women's sizes available.
They add some sass to the wardrobe as well as warmth.

They tighten at the top and surprisingly the fluffy bouncy balls didn't drive me crazy like I thought they would. I don't even notice them when running.

They also look good with a running skirt and work great to barefoot run in!

Little Miss Matched also has some fun colorful men's socks as well as socks for toddlers. All lengths and styles available.

These are the fun toe socks I get to rock! Knee high, fun, and functional.

Honey Stinger

So, there have been a few things to put on. Now to talk about putting in....get your mind outta the gutter! The sex toy reviews will be later on down the road....haha....am I kidding or not?? I digress....

I do have some sweetness to talk about though in the form of Honey Stinger! As you can tell from my name I am rather fond of bees. My middle name is Bee actually. This spring I am planning to get a couple of hives to be the guardian of so I can gorge myself on honey every day! Until then I am eating Honey Stinger gels and chews. I am still a fan of GU mind you but how can one resist honey :)

Strawberry and Ginsting flavors have caffeine from Kola nut extract. I tried the Chocolate, Strawberry, and Ginsting. These gels can be eaten right out of the package or mixed with liquids for flavored drinks. They have 120 calories electrolytes, B vitamins, and 85% honey. So far no GI distress and they work great when I find myself out in the world and about to loose my cool from low blood sugar and stress from kid wrangling. I keep a Honey Stinger gel in my purse for those times of crankiness.

I got to try the Pink Lemonade, Limeade, and Orange Blossom energy chews. The Lime-ade has caffeine from white tea extract. They are nice and soft and easy to chew on the run. I didn't worry too much about inhaling a chew while running as they break down and chew so easily. There is an art to chewing, breathing, and running and these chews make it pretty easy.

These both would fit in those cute little pockets in your arm sleeves and running skirt!

Teva Mush Frio Mary Janes

woo! That's a moutful!

I love flip flops in the summer time. I try to prolong the wear with toe socks and just grinning and bearing cold feet. With these the feeling can go on even longer. They are like flip flops without the flip and flop!

I do believe that bareshoes (the newly coined term for minimal shoes by Barefoot Josh) should be light and flexible and ideally should give you great ground feel. Well the Teva Mush Frio's are pretty squishy so not great ground feel BUT oh so comfy. The insole can be removed pretty easily although they are not made to be taken out.

They mold to my feet and are stretchy and cute. Gotta love some sexy toe cleavage in the summer time!

They weigh in at just shy of 4 ounces and are flexible and allow for natural movement of the foot.

They are great for every day use and after that long barefoot run when the feet are tired and needing some comfort.

They look cute with a RunningSkirt, leg warmers, and arm sleeves while eating some Honey Stinger!

I wonder what 2012's list will look like???......

Cheers,

AngieBee

Celestial Seasonings Winner and some randomness

2011-12-06T18:21:00.001-06:00

My life is now back to blessedly normal. We traveled over Thanksgiving back to Kansas where the superhero and I's families live. The boys travel very well and we had a great time. I adore my mother in law and we stayed with her while in Salina. It was a nice change to go on a road trip but now I have some projects to get busy on. I am teaming up on a project with my dear friend but before I devote too much time to that I need to get the stack of reviews I need to write out there. Seriously a stack. Procrastinators unite!!......tomorrow.....

While in Kansas I pilfered my sister in laws crocheted hat bag and made a new blog page with hats for sale! She refuses to sell them so I will do it for her. The real winner is whomever buy the hats! Seriously one of a kind! I get asked where I get my hats all. the. time. The page RadHats is here. They are made to fit adult heads but as you can see from the photos they fit kiddos too. I will take pictures of me modeling the hats soon so you can see them on an adult noggin.

My oldest son spent a week staying with my dad and his partner. My father brought back my oldest spawn today and came with gifts, bikes for the boys, and plants today! My father is an avid gardener and has the most beautiful house plants. It's lovely to have even more greenery in the house. Between the christmas decor and now new plants its quite cozy in here. I have been also dreaming of spring and keeping bees. I should be making lists of equipment I will need come bee time. Bees are a priority this year. See, randomness. It helps me from wanting to just bitch and moan about the cold. I do have a new Pategonia goose down coat I was sent to review that has been keeping me nice and toasty so, so far winter has been bearable...Jeesh it's not even officially winter yet!

Ok, procrastination and distraction over. The winner of the Celestial Seasonings Wellness giveaway is
Mike from On and off the trail Congrats Mike!! Shoot me an email with your address so I can get it shipped off to you soon.

Thank you everyone that entered and check out the Sony W series Walkman MP3 player giveaway I have going.

To help get into the season....

Cheers friends!

AngieBee

Meet the New Balance Minimus Zero Road Shoe

2011-12-05T15:45:00.002-06:00

This shoe is pure happy butter yellow sunshine on my feet! The men's is like a good pea soup and I mean that in the most positive light of course. I could tell from the beginning that they were huge improvements on the NB Roads that I tried out last. It was not a positive review however I highlighted often that I had great hopes that the Zero's would be proof that the designers listened to what the wear testers and reviewers wanted and made the appropriate changes. NB really scored big with the Minimus Zero. They went in the less is more direction and it is a major improvement!

So the women's 10.5 is just a smidge too small (short) for me so I was sent the men's also to test out. Although sizing is a pain in the ass for me as I am right in the middle, the upside is that I get to try the men's and the women's. So there is a benefit to having Peggy Hill feet :)
I tested out the Merrell Pace and Trail gloves and was able to compare them so I was glad to do the same with the New Balance Minimus Zeros as well.
This helps for the ladies with not so narrow feet to decide if they need to go with the men's or women's. If you get a chance though it's always best to try them on yourself since foot shapes are so incredibly different.

The men's is the green and women's the lovely happy yellow in the above photo. I noticed that, as typically is the case, the men's is a bit wider however not much difference in the fit otherwise. The lacing system allows for custom tightening and was not any difference from the men's to women's. I have long skinny feet and my feet have spread out at the midfoot quite a bit since starting my barefoot journey over two years ago.

First taking them out of the box I notice how lite they are. The women's (size 10.5)comes in at just shy of 5 1/2 ounces and the men's a bit more at 5 3/4 according to my kitchen scale that I weigh all the shoes I review on.
As well as being a Zero drop shoe, the stack height is also lower by several mm. In the Zero's I don't feel like I am on stilts like I did in the previous model. It's funny how even the slightest change in drop or stack height seems like a super pronounced change.

Pointy toes... These shoes look to be made to appeal to people who are used to wearing traditional trainers. Fine with me. I like the way they look. These have a shape like trainers but surprisingly the point in the toe doesn't force the foot into the point. The look is deceptive. The toes are still allowed to splay naturally and the mesh is stretchy to accommodate movement yet still hold its shape. You could say they are wide in the toe box but people have different ideas as to what "wide" is so I think that saying that I was not restricted in my feet splaying and widening out at the point of my weight being put on them sums it up in more detail.

No need for socks as they have a smooth sock liner on the inside of the shoe. Also no removable liner which is nice. This encourages you to wear these without socks which adds to the biofeedback (proprioception). A removable liner may be beneficial with shoes like the vivobarefoot line where the sole is a denser material with next to no squish at all but for the Minimus Zero's there really is no need for a removable liner.

One of the highlights of this shoe is the uber clever tongue design. The mono-tongue is a part of the upper that wraps around for a smooth fit. You can see it well in the above photo. I have not had the tongue area slip around or become uncomfortable. The tongue design reduced the amount of seams there are which means less rubbing on your bare foot.

The sole is made from a Vibram material called R-Lite. The large low lugs provide great traction and look like they can take a great deal of wear. I would think, from the short time I have tried these out, that they would do well on most all surfaces. If you are wanting to do trail running where there are significant hills or a technical terrain then go with shoe made specifically for that kind of terrain but for just about anything else these seem more than capable of giving a secure ride. Vibrams is known for their quality sole materials and is used in many of the big name companies.

How about the ground feel?.....surprisingly it is not bad. I am not as big of a fan of the squishy padding as it tends to give a false sense of security. This means that you might be fooled into thinking that you can zone out and not pay attention to your form because the padding will keep you from injury. Not the case with minimal shoes. The less padding the more your foot will have to work for itself. This is exactly what you want but just like with weight lifting you don't go into the gym and try doing 200 lb dead lifts and expect to be ok afterwards. You would more than likely pull and wrench something that was too weak to keep up with your minds expectations. You build up to it slow and steady.

So, the padding is there but it is much much less that most any shoes out there. The fact that it is so flexible and has adequate room for natural splay, is just as important. There is pretty good ground feel and I can tell temperature differences and still feel and sense rocks, ect. The Biofeedback you are able to tap into is pretty good in these shoes. Any shoe will dampen the amount of biofeedback it's all a matter of degree.

It passes the "roll it up into the ball test". This test is fun visually but does show that the shoe is flexible which means it is going to be capable of moving with the foot instead of being stiff and rigid which would mean your foot would be confined and forced to move unnaturally which will in turn set you up for potential injury down the line.

So, to sum it up.....They make me happy!

You might be wondering what criteria to follow when choosing a minimal shoe. Here is a list of what to look for in a great minimal shoe is compiled here.
Here is a NB link that talks about the uppers and how they were designed. Spring 2012 is just around the corner. Keep these in mind when looking for your spring season shoes!

Edited to add: So in the middle of the night it occured to me that I had not said anything about the heel seat.....of course in the middle of the night I would have that thought! The heel seat is very comfortable. In the previous NB Minimus Road it was very uncomfortable and the seam rubbed the back of my ankle. It was quite stiff....The Zero's have NO ISSUES with this at all. Problem fixed. Well done NB!

I was also asked about breathability. Fantastic breathability! The mesh is great although I would think wearing a pair of wool socks in the deep winter months however if you keep moving your feet stay warm anyways. Being mesh they do let the wind come through. Which is great when you are hot but the feet cool off quickly and you don't want wet sweaty feet getting cold quickly. A pair of woolies do the trick!

Cheers,
AngieBee

Sony W Series Mp3 Player Giveaway!

2011-12-05T12:00:00.008-06:00

Sony W Series Water Resistant MP3 Player GIVEAWAY!

I had not listened to music while running for years until I came across the opportunity to test out the previous version of this MP3 player. Here is my previous review of an earlier version. Now I enjoy mixing up runs with some music!

This MP3 player stays in place and is nice and lite weighing in at 1.2 ounces. I am able to forget I have it on within just a few minutes and just zone out on tunes or a book. It's easy to navigate through songs and my favorite highlights are a 3 minute charge gets you an hour of use. Second is the ease of loading songs. Just drag and drop into the 2GB storage.

Here are the rules for the giveaway:
As always, make sure and leave a separate comment for each thing that you do. Each comment will be counted as an entry into the giveaway and a winner will be chosen using random.org on Saturday the 10th. I want to have plenty of time to get you the MP3 player before Christmas!

Follow this blog. Let me know if you already to!
Follow me on twitter
Follow Sony on Twitter
follow me on facebook
What is your favorite running song?
Tweet, facebook, blog, email, skywrite, ect, ect. Leave a comment for each!

SciFi audiobooks, Doctor Who theme music, Florence and the Machine, Mumford and Sons, Noah and the Whale, Beck........and the list goes on and on! Throw in some old Skool Madonna and David Bowie and I am good to go!

Good Luck to you!
Cheers,

AngieBee

RocketDog boots review

2011-11-30T10:36:00.001-06:00

Rocket Dog

The Alpine Stary Night slipper boot is actually a pair of slippers with a nice rubber sole on them. They also come in black. I love to wear them without socks and I also really like that they are great house shoes. I am absolutely not one to wear pajama pants out and about. Why would you when yoga pants are even better and don't necessarily scream slob....sorry but I hate pajama pants....not offense to those comfort seekers out there but hey that's just what I think. Regardless of my harsh pajama bottom wearer opinion, it is convenient to just walk out the door with my house shoes on and not look like I have slippers on.

What I like the most is that the sole is flat and they are wide. I don't know how much proprioceptive feedback one can get from any kind of boots however the next items on the list of things to look for are protection from the elements and natural movement of the foot. These will keep your feet warm while letting your feet move the way they were meant to. Don't wear them out in inclement or wet weather though.
The Alpine Stary Nights slipper boot goes for $49.

These boots are fashionable and yet they don't have a heel. Being a flat shoe means that your posture will not be thrown out of whack by your footwear.
They have a soft cotton footbed, fleece lining, and a rubber sole. They also come in a pretty shade of brown called Indian Sun.

They are quite flexible although its hard to roll up a boot when the shaft gets in the way but you get the idea.

The Wonders Washed Courderoy are priced at $59.

So, neither of the boots are designed specifically as minimal shoes however they meet enough criteria to be considered minimal. I dig wearing them any time my tootsies get cold and don't have to worry about watching my posture.

Cheers,

AngieBee

Celestial Seasonings wellness giveaway!

2011-11-29T15:53:00.000-06:00

I was sent some teas to try out and an adorable little teapot.
Unfortunately I don't eat soy and the teas have soy lecithin in them.
I am sure that it is a small amount and I have also read that most people who have a soy intolerance can consume soy lecithin with no problems however I am not at a point to try it out soooooooo
Someone else should make good use of these lovely teas and tea pot.
I am a big fan of Celestial Seasonings (Sleepy Time is my all time fave!) I just can't have these particular teas.
This would make a splendid gift!

So here are the rules of the giveaway
As always, leave a separate comment on this post for each thing that you do. Each comment counts as an entry in the giveaway and a winner will be chosen on December 5th using random.org.

Follow this blog and let me know if you already do or are a new friend
tweet, facebook, blog, ect. Leave a separate comment for each that you do. Feel free to do these once an hour.....
What is your tea?
Do you have a tea ritual?

Best of luck to you. Stay warm and be well.

Cheers,

AngieBee

An orgasm a day

2011-11-21T20:11:00.002-06:00

Why is it when we see those lists about ways to reduce stress we don't see orgasm on there?
In my quest to heal myself I have learned many things. First off my illnesses stem directly from my inability to deal with stress effectively. I stuff it instead of letting it go. It festers and changes me from the inside out. In fact if I would have stuffed something else wink wink I would have had the added hormonal help to cope with said stress.

So what do I do for stress relief? Well I can't run every day and I can't run any time I want so although it's a great stress reliever on many levels it's not enough. There needs to be balance and many back up plans.
In no certain order of course.....

- Keep the flora friends happy. I drink kefir and kombucha. An angry painful digestive system is stress inducing. keeping my bacteria friends happy keeps me happy. I also eat a diet that is low in processed foods. yeah this one is always on "those" lists but for good reason. It works.

- I talk to my superhero husband. This one is hard for me. I assume too much and share too little and it has to change. Calmly talking and not just about the things that stress me but because I need to nurture our relationship.

- Swear like a sailor. This blogging thing takes up much of my life in that it fills my mind with so many what ifs. I have stacks of reviews and feel like I am not free to say penis on here whenever I want because I am in some imagined barefoot rat race.....fuck it. it's my blog. I have forgotten what is important to me. An eff bomb keeps the urge to throw things at bay.

-play with the spawn. Taking care of others is a sure fire way to happiness. I am not religious and yet it has nothing to do with religion just humanity. A smile or hug or a book read will make both parties happy. Two for one.

- I do yoga. Nothing formal and I so wish that I could go to a class a couple of times a week (i have never even been to a yoga class other than the y when the lady was teaching out of a book in front of her.....) but for now it's my living room and swinging
on the monkey rings to add to the stretch.

-ORGASM EVERY DAY. shocking? It shouldn't be but I will have to go squeeze one off again after writing this just to deal with the stress of talking about orgasm! Jeesh.
Thank you mother and church for the heaping dose of guilt but I am rising above the guilt one naughty thought at a time and my mind has transcended the smallish thinking to embrace my humanity. Whether with my love or alone every day it is and I am working to embrace this. we joke openly about men rubbing one off but not a peep about the ladies. why is that? It's a complicated societal issue that regardless of the answer as to why, is assinine.

check this video out if you need some added weight to the argument that an orgasm a day keeps the stress away. Oxygenation of the brain and a squirt of oxytocin? Yes please!

Don't worry it's not porn (unless you are a geek of course)but a video titled A Brain Symphony and is MRI imaging of a female brain during orgasm. Every region of the brain is lit up with activity!

You know what to go do now.....
cheers,
AngieBee

Location:Des Moines Iowa

Homeschooling at the State Capital

2011-11-21T18:18:00.001-06:00

No bustling about and busy pages bumping by in the halls at the capital building. It was rather disappointing although i suspect the quiet was due to thanksgiving coming ip. The lack of crowd was nice with the boys and the building itself is fascinating. I have lived here over four years and drive by the capital weekly and this is the first day I went in.

A massive model of the USS Iowa was popular with all of the spawn.

As you can see from Little Archimedes posture that much fidgeting and squirming and "I want to do it myself"s were exclaimed.

It was toasty warm inside and the view was spectacular. It made the overcast cold dreary day seem not so bad.

I could have hung out in the Law Library all day. Not however to read the books as the library is more for architectural and historical beauty these days. The balconies were closed off and there wasn't a soul around. We had the place to ourselves while those researching were probably on their iPad somewhere. We also visited the state library across the street and it was the same relic that this one has become. Only in the last 20 years has the Internet been a driving force and the libraries have struggled to keep up.
The librarian at the state library said that a year ago they closed down the medical library and even threw some books away.
WiFi, interesting looking magazines, comfy furniture, and a lovely atmosphere were inviting all the same and no one for my loud spawn who are still learning self control of their volumes to piss off.

Samson saw a mom and her kids getting out of their minivan and head to the capital and mentioned how they were homeschool kids being drug through the capital too.....pashaw boy. You loved it.

The day was a test of my ability to control my anxiety levels. When did I become so afraid of heights. I have jumped out of numerous airplanes, bungee jumped, and used to be a total adrenaline junky. I suppose it caught up with me. Peaking over the edge of the rotunda railing I had a death grip on the backs of the littlest spawn's hoodies. If only they didn't want to get so close and lean so far over......

My heart survived and my mind was able to keep from envisioning worst nightmare scenarios and a good time was had by all. Now to think about our road trip on Wednesday back to Kansas for Thanksgiving.....oh and to tackle that stack of reviews that need posting.....maybe after a show with the superhero. I do have priorities you know ;)

Cheers,
Angie

Location:Des Moines Iowa

Huge Vibrams Five Finger Sale at Travel Country!

2011-11-17T16:28:00.001-06:00

I just got word that Travel Country.com is having a sale on all models of their Vibrams Five Fingers! This looks to be a limited time sale and the prices are quite good.

More reviews coming up on Five Fingers as my son Jupiter (my almost 10 year old with autism) will be testing out the KSOs and I am testing out the Bikilas.
I have previously reviewed the Performa Janes (for indoor use like yoga, Pilates, and treadmill running) and the KSO Treks (loved them for digging my toes into the mud on XC runs), both of which I really love.

Happy Shopping!
Cheers,
AngieBee

Monkey around for fitness

2011-11-15T15:01:00.000-06:00

Monkey around for fitness and live unconventionally if its what you need to live well and get what you need to make you happy. This is a philosophy that our family has embraced in many ways from how we move to how we live both in our space and our choices.

We are rather unconventional in our living space. We try to maximize floor space and utilize overhead space. We have shelving all across the living room wall that my clever superhero husband has put up for us. I also have a standing desk with the monitor mounted to the wall. Our couch is a LoveSac which is a huge bean bag. It is awesome in that it has a washable cover and no more yelling at the kids to quit jumping on the couch. Jump away my sons, you can't break it!

The boys room is no different in that they have lofts and lots of floor space. Well they have floor space when the floor is not covered in toys! Again my superhero husband saved the day by hanging monkey rings and climbing ropes in their room. We found ourselves going in there often to hang and do flips and pullups and also having to dodge wee fellas and toys as we did so, so it was time to have some rings in the living room for us big kids.

Anytime I have some digestive discomfort I love to hang from the rings. It stretches out my torso and gives an overall sense of relief. If you feel tired the hanging gives a burst of energy by getting the blood flowing and a dynamic stretch all over the upper body. The dynamic movements and the running compliment each other quite well.

So I decided to shop for supplies with the husband and to cheer him on as he installed monkey rings for us in the living room. You see, I get cool points for choosing to be with such a boss human.

check out that wicked stretch!

We have four boy spawn, homeschool all of them, and also both run. Then add in the whole autism thing with Jupiter and there is no time to go to a gym. When its nice out and we take the kids to the park we play too. Its a great workout and much more fun and cheaper than the gym. Now that winter is in the not so distant future we are trying to add convenience and self preservation mechanisms for the impending doom of cold dark days.

Here is the husbands roll through on the rings

He was quite tired after running for two and a half hours but notice how deep he goes in the bottom stretch!

I am rather weak in my shoulders and can't get as deep, and this is what I am working on, however where I excel is getting rolled in a ball at the top and the ab work while holding myself up tight at the top.

If you don't have monkey rings, try working on your handstand! I am finally able to do one without needing to use the wall. I am working on being able to take a few steps with my hands for balance and stability.

There are parks all over. Try some pull ups or brachiate across the monkey bars! Do some plyometrics jumps off of park benches and tables. Climb up the poles. Watch some kids play and see if you can still do that too. Use your imagination. You don't need a gym for everything!

NB Minimus Road review and 2012 Minimus Zero Update!

2011-11-14T13:38:00.001-06:00

New Balance Minimus Road

I went into this review knowing that these shoes were not the ideal minimal shoe however I wanted to have a baseline of comparison for the Spring 2012 Minimus Zero of which I am really hopeful for.

This is not a positive review in that the Minimus Road is a traditional trainer with the name Minimus on the side of the shoe. I imagine, and from what I have heard, this is a common opinion among those that love minimal shoes.

This is fantastic as it spurred them to try again with the Zero!

The NB Minimus roads would fit more in the category of a "transition shoe" and not a "minimal shoe". Where as the Zero looks and sounds to be a true minimal shoe that meet the qualifications I have listed here.

I can see why people would want a transition shoe however it is not necessary for moving in the minimal direction. Time and patience is what you need for that.

My first impression is that I really dislike the colors. The upside of this particular color scheme is that they are not pink or purple! I do want a fun, funky, happy looking shoe and the way they look does matter to me and its not just about the function but the fashion too. (The Zeros look to have some much better color options)

These are quite substantial. Often times minimal shoes look heaftier in photos then they actually are when you get to see them in person but unfortunately these are in fact as substantial as the look.
They weigh in at 8 ounces each. That is getting on the heavy side.

I want my shoes to have a zero drop or at least be as close as possible and an acceptable drop would be 1.5mm or less. The 4mm drop of the Minimus Roads ,and I believe the Trails are the same, is a third less than traditional 12.5 mm heel to toe differentials but that just doesn't cut it.

These would be considered by some to be a Transition Shoe. A transition shoe is one that has a lower although not zero drop as well as moving more in the minimal direction. It's the middle ground shoe. In theory this sounds reasonable yet in practice it means spending more money on another pair of shoes. Great for the shoe company, not so great for the runner.

People are nervous about just kicking off their shoes. They should be nervous. That nervousness will keep them cautious in their excitement to try something new and hopefully keep them from doing too much too soon.
Transition shoes give a false sense of security in that they let you think the cushioning is going to keep you from getting hurt because the cushioning masks the pain you would feel warning you of injury if you were able to feel said pain.

When you transition to a true minimal shoe or to barefoot it takes time for your feet and legs to adapt. It takes time and there is no way around it. If you take off with a new form and try and maintain the same level of running as your old form running in padded conventional trainers you will stress parts of your body that have been weakened over time from shoes that provide cushioning, and motion control. This is asking for injury.

It is not the Minimus shoe in particular that I don't think are a good idea as far as being a transition shoe and I don't think that NB is even marketing them that way however any kind of transition shoe just like any kind of padded shoes will mask your bodies ability to feel what it is doing.

If you already have a short quick stride with a forefoot landing this may work for you. The fact that it does have a lower drop is a positive aspect however not ideal.

These have a comfortable heel seat. It cups the heel but does not rub or restrict. Too much stack height though. It feels a bit like wearing stilts, from a barefooters perspective anyway! (The Minimus Zero is much lower to the ground which will be a great improvement.)

The padding of the "lightweight blown rubber for added bounce" does not maximize the natural elastic recoil of the foot. It actually takes away from the natural action of the foot by defusing the movement. When your foot lands your arch collapses and then springs back up. In a padded shoe this is inhibited throwing off the rest of the bodies movement and making more work for your muscles.

The ground feel is non existent. The theme to being minimal is centered around being able to feel the ground and let your body move and feel the way it is made to and yet have a bit of protection from the terrain and weather. These offer protection but miss the mark on ground feel. Its not just about the heel height but how much material is between your proprioceptive feedback sensors and the ground.

This seam made it very uncomfortable to run without socks as it rubbed the back of my ankles. I think the seam should be on the outside wrapped around the back of the heel and not at the top.
I have not heard of this being a problem for anyone else though and with many shoes it would be something that might go away after the shoes are broken in. I am not very patient with shoes that need to be broken in!
The upside it that I know what I like!!

A shoe should move with your foot. The movement of your foot should not be inhibited or dictated by your shoe.

As you can see from the above photo these are Not very flexible. This should be rolling up into a ball to of which is a great indication of how well the shoe will move with your foot. If a shoe is not flexible it won't allow your foot to move the way it is meant to.

The width as fine for me. I have longer skinnier feet. I do have a nice splay at the toes and Metatarsals that has spread out over the years of barefoot running that require a shoe with a wide toe box and adjust-ability for the rest of the foot. The NB Minimus Roads fit well in the toe box.

The Traction is great for roads. The traction seemed grippy and unobtrusive. I think this pattern would be great for future versions. I have no idea what the denser black section is for on the heel.

Nicely done upper in that it is a thin mesh that breathes well and there is no issue for me with the seam going across the top of the toes when the shoe flexes. The inside of the shoe is the best part with an awesome sock liner. Very soft and no issues at all wearing them without socks!! So if the Zero has the same sock liner and the minimal specs they sound like they will be great.

If you couldn't tell, I am excited to check out the Minimus Zero collection that will be out in Spring 2012 which has minimized my dislike of the current Minimus version. Its been interesting to see where they have been and to see where they are now going.

Unlike the current Minimus Road with a 4mm heel to toe differential the Zero will be a zero drop so no difference in height of the heel and toe.

They will have a reduce weight, reduced stack height, and some fun new color options.

Its great to see a company listen to the testers and reviews and keep moving forward towards supporting the bodies own ability to run instead of inhibiting it.

These are true to size and run $99. The price is pretty middle of the road for trainers from my experience. I would wait however until some of the reviews for the spring 2012 line start coming out as people start wear testing them.

Angry Birds and Everyone Poops

2011-11-12T01:32:00.005-06:00

If you would have told the girl I was 12 years ago that she would be up on a Friday night blogging about mobile device games in the ER and kid poop she would have said it was total bollocks.
I would not have believed that a human being was cut out of my body like some trippy Sci Fi movie nor would I have believed that I would go on to embrace and enjoy birthing three subsequent boy spawn one of whom was birthed and delivered by me in the other room. who knew I would make milk, nourish, and cuddle these people and like taking care of them so much. It's baffling really how things end up.

Little Archimedes sneaks into our bed late at night often to snuggle. Last night he woke me by writhing in pain and could barely squeak out that his tummy hurt between sobs. He wouldnt drink and it didnt seem to get better no matter what we tried. So on went his Elmo slippers and coat and off we went to the children's hospital.

Archimedes is a spitfire. He has a hot little almost four year old temper and has no qualms with dishing out recrimination for whatever injustice he perceives. He has a lisence for being a drama king and is not afraid to show it. The sting of his fire is lessened by his delicious dimples on the backs of his hands and elbows and the incredible faces that boy can make. I have to remember to respect that it's rough being a wee fella figuring out emotions and testing boundaries and not laugh at the wicked funny things he does with his eyebrows when he is angry.

He promptly chewed out The ER nurse upon arrival for "hurting" his ear when she checked his temperature. He also chewed out the doctor for "hurting" his teeth with the tongue depressor when she looked at his throat.

Everybody poops is what I told him as he watched his Superhero father play Angry Birds to distract him through cramps while waiting for the enima to bring relief. I am thankful that my gross-o-meter volume was turned way down after having babies. I am so thankful to have iPads, iPods, games, and Facebook to pass the stressful time. I even had several books loaded in my iPad that I thankfully didn't have time to read.

Snacks hastily thrown in my bag while headed out the door with fears of appendicitis swirled in my head were left uneaten. A quick X-ray, enima, and bowel movement later and we were being led to the exit by a smiling boy padding down the hall all on his own in his slippers and a handful of Clifford the Big Red Dog Stickers declaring that he felt better and was going home now. I felt like we had dodged a bullet, that it was better to have been safe than sorry and I began to rethink how hard to push the potty learning and that he is just not ready yet and that's ok.

I wonder what memories he will have of the cold night when his tummy hurt and he went to the hospital with nervous parents and had a very pretty blond nurse dressed in pink mess with his butt and then he went home with some stickers feeling better. I wonder if he will end up marrying a kinky blond woman and that in fact this will subconciously bring him closer to delivering on the whole grand baby thing......yeah, I never would have guessed that I would be wondering such surreal things as a thirty something mother.

I never considered myself to be maternal as a child much less thinking of grand babies. For example the only dolls I had rode horses and I was far too busy pretending to be Scarlet from GI Joe to think of babies. I wanted to be a zoo keeper not a mother and I said so.

Either I wasn't listening ( this was probably the case!) or no one told me how much taking care of other people would in turn take care of me. how satisfying on a primal level. I was generous and kind as a child but I did not want babies that were not furry. If the universe had not surprised me with my oldest spawn I never would have known the joys of mothering. My boys amaze and freak me the bleep out often which is so much more interesting than what I was doing before having children.

Here's to taking care of other people to find true happiness, Angry Birds, and finding relief with a good poop.

Jambu Nottingham Boot Review

2011-11-10T06:00:00.000-06:00

Jambu Nottingham boot

I am quite frankly afraid of winter. Using that sense of impending doom as motivation to find clothing and shoes to help me be more comfortable this winter has been fun so far.

I was asked by Jambu to try out a pair of shoes from their "barefoot" line and I chose the Nottingham boot.

When I think of a barefoot shoe I think of a flat soled shoe.

These are not flat but fitted however they do hot have a raised heel.

These are shaped like the foot but if you don't have the right shaped foot they might not fit right.

If you have wide feet they might not work for you.
They fit about a half size small for me in length and a comment on Zappos said the same. (see below for Zappos info)

There are smooth and soft on the inside with no seams that rub uncomfortably on my feet and I have been wearing them with and without socks.
There is very thin removable liner.

The lower part of the boot is Nylon the rest is fabric knit from ankle to upper calf. Very warm and comfortable over all.

The Nylon area is water resistant.

They are 13" tall and can be rolled up or down.

These are flexible and move with the foot.

I couldn't roll them all the way up due to the upper shaft of the boot getting in the way however the sole is quite flexible.

You can see from the bottom photo that the sole of dense rubber sits at the arch area. If you are familiar with the Merrell barefoot line then you will know what I mean by having the rubber in the arch area. It's not supportive and I forget its there after a little while of wearing them.

Super easy to pull on and off with tabs at the sides to grab a hold of.

The soles offer great traction for different terrains and are quite attractive as well.

I have worn them on walks through slippery fall leaves and I felt secure.

"A blend of rice husks and natural rubber make these outsoles eco friendly and sustainable."

The knit area kept my ankles and calves quite warm and I really like the style and colors.

They are available for purchase at many online places and Zappos had them listed for $123. They seem well made and would last for more than just one season.

Zappos ships free both ways so purchasing from there allows for trying them on.

Who is taking the 100 up challenge?

2011-11-08T17:27:00.000-06:00

Has everyone seen Christopher McDougall's New York Times article "The Once and Future Runner" as well as the video of a lost running technique called the 100 Up? McDougall has mastered the art of creating quite a buzz and is evident in the comment section of the NY Times article. This talk has led to exploration!!

Justin Owings over at Birthdayshoes.com has posed the 100 up challenge to see what kind of improvement can be made in 30 days to your running. Its about self exploration and sharing with others about your experience by incorporating a century old running drill created by Walter G. George in 1908 which was the topic of Chistopher McDougalls video.

I am dubious about a quick fix however curious to see what people find out about themselves. I don't think that any one drill will make it impossible to "run wrong again" according to McDougall, however the man knows how to get people talking and thinking so lets go with it!

What does it mean to run wrong or run right for that matter????

From the 100 Up challenge site:

What is the 100-Up Running Challenge

It’s simple, really. No matter where you are in your running abilities and no matter what your current training protocol is, the 100-Up Challenge requires you commit to the following:

Establish a benchmark for your current running abilities — write down your last run’s time. Write down how you felt running it. Get it all onto paper in as much detail as you can manage. Did anything ache? How did your stride feel? Any problems you encountered? Commit that run to paper!
Learn about W.G. George’s 100-Up drill and start practicing! — mind that you might not be able to do the preliminary version of the 100-Up perfect the first time, or maybe even the fifteenth time, but attempt the drill as often as you can, so long as each attempt strives for perfect practice (And not just getting it over with). Feel free to continue on running your normal mileage if you like, or take a break and focus on the drill. Do the drill! That’s the whole point of the challenge, and being able to determine if the 100-Up works or not completely depends on following George’s instructions as best you can and practice, practice, practice (perfectly!)!
Run that same distance as in step 1. above 30 days later — now you get to see how you did. How’d it feel? Faster? Slower? Less aches and pains? What happened, if anything?
Now report back on the whole experiment.

What’s the point? Well, the point is to see if the 100-Up actually makes you a better runner or not. And if it doesn’t make you a better runner, well at least you’ll have learned a new exercise and perhaps attained a bit of practice in the art of meditation.

W.G. George 1908-

“…let me impress upon the student the necessity of maintaining perfect form in every practice, be it in the preliminary or the exercise proper. Directly the correct form is lost the exercise should stop. Beginners should start the exercise slowly and on no account strain or over-exert themselves. Hurried or injudicious training, or fast work while the system is unprepared for it, induces breakdown and failure. On the other hand, slow, well considered, steady practice is never injurious, while breakdowns are practically unknown among those who start their training slowly and who gradually increase distance, time or pace as the heart, lungs and the muscular system throughout grow accustomed to the extra strain and revel in it.”

So go check out Justin's 100-Up challenge site and get your name on that participant list! It will be interesting to see both new runners as well as long time runners try this out.

Good luck to you and happy running!

Cheers,
AngieBee

VIVOBAREFOOT Lucy Lite review. Road shoe love.

2011-11-07T17:35:00.001-06:00

VIVOBAREFOOT Lucy Lites

A little background about my experience with VIVOBAREFOOT.

I fist tried the Evo IIs by VIVOBAREFOOT and I thought they were fantastic. I also tried on the Evo originals in the store in NYC but didn't like the fit for my feet. I chose to try the Neo's after my coaching certification course and tested them out by running a 50k in them and fell in love. It seems to be the trend with VIVOBAREFOOT that they just keep getting better with each model I try. I am not paid to endorse the company or to write positive reviews and all shoes have been given to me for free. I was invited by them to take the coaching certification course. I think that there should be many companies making minimal shoes so there is competition to drive the market to keep getting better. So far though I have not found anything to rival VIVOBAREFOOT in design.

The Lucy Lite is the best road running shoe I have come across yet.

I do most of my running, shod or barefoot, on the roads and sidewalks near my home.

I still love the other styles and of course with shoes it is something ultimately you have to decide what fits best on your feet but my experience has been that their shoes meet and exceed my expectations of the criteria I have for what makes a minimal shoe. Here is my post about what makes a great minimal shoe so you can read the list of criteria that I apply when I review shoes.

Ground feel is excellent in these!! They are the original TPU puncture resistant sole. This is not like a squishy EVA sole that is just padding. Padding gives mixed signals to the feet and a false sense of security. The TPU is dense yet flexible and allows you to feel the ground without the confusion of padding.

The sole is made on an extra wide last. These give plenty of room for natural foot splay and yet I don't have any problems with them swimming around on my feet. The sole is 3mm and there is also a removable 3mm press EVA insole. I like running with or without the insole. Both are comfortable. For maximum proprioception, take out the insole!

Proprioception is our body's sense of its own position, balance, and movement. Proprioception provides us with "body awareness". About 70% of our body awareness comes from our feet. So if you can't feel with your feet, your body will be left to guess what shapes it is supposed to make in order to deal with the forces placed on us when running. A thin soled shoe that protects the foot is what will give your body the best chance at maintaining barefoot form and run in a way that is less likely to lead to injury.

Recently I have since started using a locking lace by Yankz. I loathe having to stop and tie my shoes. After barefoot running for so long I am rather smug about a couple things and not ever having to stop to tie shoes in the middle of a run is a big one!

So even without the lace locking of the Yankz the tying of these is great in that it gives the option for tightening up higher on the top of the foot. The lacing system allows for custom tightening which is very important considering these are wide in the toebox.

The heel tab area is soft and lightly padded. The heel seat is also comfortable with no rubbing and nice soft seams.

I also found the sizing to be true. I always go up a half size so that I have plenty of room between my big toe and the end of the shoe. Online shopping is brilliant but the major downfall is not being able to try on the shoes before purchasing. It was a relief to use the size chart and have the shoe fit when they arrived!

If you can roll the shoe up in a ball then it will move with your foot however your foot wants to move.

You should dictate the movement, not the shoe!

Flexible is key. These, as you can see, are very flexible throughout the length of the shoe.

I really like to be able to run without socks. In the winter of course I do wear wool socks but when I want to wear shoes I want to maximize proprioception and one way to do that is to wear shoes without socks.

The Lucy Lites have a sockless liner that is soft and I didn't find that any of the seams rubbed my feet wrong.

The only thing I would improve on with this model of shoe is to give a mesh option for better breath-ability.

These are going to rock in the winter as my feet will stay nice and warm. The upper is made of a hydrophobic mesh that although is not water proof it is water resistant and my feet did stay dry although they get downright hot in these shoes and I am not a sweaty foot kind of person. My husband and boys on the other hand always have sweaty feet but even in these shoes my feet get hot.

The benefits outweigh this negative in my opinion though.

No issues with the crease across the top of the toes when the shoe flexes.

The Lucy Lites weigh in at 6 ounces.

This is half an ounces lighter than the Neos

that are my second favorite VIVOBAREFOOT running shoe.

See they just keep getting better!

The Lucy Lites are also Zero Drop.

This means that there is no differential between the height of the heel and the toe area of the foot.

This is ideal for a minimal shoe.

The VIVOBAREFOOT Lucy Lites are 100% Vegan! In 2003 Terra Plana pioneered the barefoot/minimal shoe movement by introducing VIVOBAREFOOT.

The footwear is produced sustainably using recycled, locally sourced materials, with efficient and eco-friendly production techniques in independently monitored ethical facilities.

The construction is sound and I am thinking they will last many years. I have not seen any wear yet on my pair and I have been testing them out for a couple of months. This is true for the other models I have tried including the kids Neos and casual shoes I have reviewed.

They come in blue, crimson, and black with a price of $115. This is pretty typical for running shoes these days minimal or otherwise and considering how well made they are.

Just like the transition to barefoot running takes patience and time while the body adapts, strengthens, and gets used to the new way of running, the same applies with wearing minimal shoes.
You will want to change your landing to a forefoot landing. Also land under your center of mass with upright posture and work towards upping your cadence to 180.
Again this all takes time and patience. Barefoot and minimal shoes are not a quick fix but a new way of thinking.

Star Wars, Tractor Tires, and Dr. Mark Cucuzella's kid running Video

2011-11-04T21:13:00.001-05:00

Today as we were driving to the park we saw some tractor tires half buried in someone's backyard that brought back fond memories of my childhood. I went to school from 1st through 3rd grade (I skipped Kindergarten and went right to first) in a one room school house that was part of our church in Northern California. Burried half deep in the huge yard were three tractor tires in descending size yards from an awesome tree house.

We would sit atop our Tauntaun tractor tires and debate the critical topics in life like how to save the day from the Empire. It was often a mad dash to the tree house Millennium Falcon with ducking and weaving strides and close misses from laser blasts while swinging stick light sabers and roaring like Wookies.
We were pretty badass!

It used to be common kid knowledge that it's harder to run in shoes. Oh the epic battles I had with my mother on this topic. You would surely be blasted to smithereens by a storm trooper if you wore silly strappy sandals and couldn't run like the wind. Good Lord did the woman really want me dead at first recess all because fashion dictated little girls wore strappy sandals?

As you can probably guess it was pretty laid back at my little school and we were barefoot often in the warm months and I was indeed victorious in the shoe battle with my mother. It helped that I have to struggle to remember my father ever wearing shoes so I think I had an ally.

As an adult I often watch my own spawn play and it brings up fond memories but I am thinking more from a parents perspective and enjoying their childhood. When I run barefoot though, that takes me back. I can remember and feel again as I did running as a wee lass and it never fails to make me smile. All of my senses are heightened and I am free to get lost in running daydreams. The day dreams are now more often inspired by running through space and time with The Doctor but the sensations are the same.

My body remember what it was like to run as a kid. It's like a deep buried treasure of skill that barefoot unearths. Yeah it sounds corney as all get out...haha, see how I did that :) There is wisdom in watching children run. We often think that children have a shallow frame of reference and that wisdom comes with age however bad habits come with age too. Notions and ideas accumulate on our journey to adulthood that are increasingly hard to let go of.

Check out this video of happy fast kids running on the Natural Running Center's site that was posted by Dr. Mark Cucuzella and then maybe go out and run from some space aliens.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Des Moines Iowa

100- Up for "good" barefoot running?

2011-11-02T17:36:00.007-05:00

I saw this posted on facebook today and wanted to know YOUR thoughts on this.

When I coach I do lots with the hamstring firing to the back. You know like when you were a kid and used to run and try to kick your own butt? It's to get in touch with the feeling of firing that hamstring and not bringing the knee way up. while simultaneously getting in touch with where on the foot to land.
When I try the 100 ups I over stride....I think I can incorporate it somewhere as it certainly can be felt in my core. I am challenged to balance and keep an upright posture with my head.

I am dubious that taking this out on the street will make it impossible to run wrong. thats far too big of a generalization but definitely enticing to get people to think and explore.
My healthy dose of skepticism and questioning is hopefully keeping me balanced.
I do believe without a doubt that running form is key. how you get that form....well that's the big fun question!!!
There is no quick fix after years of running in padded cushioned running shoes. It takes practice.
I agree that running smooth and lite is very important.

What do you all think?
Cheers,
Angie Bee

P.S. Thank you Christopher McDougall for the blog fodder.
Here is an article also recently done by McDougall with interesting diagrams.
___________________________________________________________________

I am loving the comments! I am learning so much and my brain is getting a stellar workout!
I like Ben's comment about where to land.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

"Cucuzzella didn’t like it as a teaching method — he loved it. “It makes so much physiological and anatomical sense,” he said. “The key to injury-free running is balance, elasticity, stability in midstance and cadence. You’ve got all four right there.”

GU and Road ID winner!

2011-10-29T15:46:00.000-05:00

Ali MC from Running with Spatulas is the winner of the GU and Road ID giveaway!

Shoot me an email and I will get you set up with Outside PR to claim your prize :)

Lucky number 46

Cheers,

AngieBee

Barefoot Form is the Little Black Dress of Running.

2011-10-27T21:15:00.001-05:00

When I first started blogging I tried very hard to connect with other women runners. It wasn't really about how I was running barefoot but more about how I am a runner trying to increase my happiness and perfect my skill. I focused on being a mom and a runner. I just happen to prefer to run without shoes.
I found many other ladies running and sharing the same issues. Lots of other moms turn to running for stress relief, alone time, or at least time to be just about them, and to loose the baby weight. Of course there is the whole staying fit part but killing two or more birds with one stone is way better!

Chica's got style! She is in a dress and minimal shoes and has sweet running form!
Thank You Kathrine Switzer for paving the way for us and looking good doing it!!

Whats all the rage in the running world?? Barefoot running. Minimal shoe running. Its a collective recognition that ultimately we all love to run and we want to do so well and for many many years. We want personal bests. We want to loose those troublesome poundage. We want to not get hurt regardless of our shoe choice.

Good running form is the little black dress of running. Not everyone owns one but they should. Its an essential. It's simple in theory, elegant in use, and looks good on everyone. It's hard to get used to though. You have to feel comfortable in your own skin before revealing what you've got. That takes time and work both inside and out. I believe the best way to learn solid running form is to train barefoot and it doesn't mean that you have to ditch your shoes for good and become a spectacle. In theory, I don't mind being a spectacle but don't get me wrong I am still rather shy and have to work at it. Its not in everyone's nature to do that. It is still however a great training tool both for your body and soul to do what makes sense and let the rest of the world catch up to you.

Its unfortunate but a reality that often what's "good" for us is not necessarily fashionable. The shoe companies really don't want us all to ditch our shoes and start spending our hard earned money at the spa on pedicures.

Barefoot running is an opportunity, a tool to learn good running form. You learn to run barefoot and then, when you need to, transfer that to running in shoes. More than likely you will really enjoy going naked and do it more often that you thought you actually would, but more importantly you will become a better runner.

For a long time women have been competing with men in the world and running has been no different. In the barefoot and minimal circles its following the same trends of women trying to break into this male dominated movement. It took Kathrine Switzer running the Boston Marathon to get things really going for women runners. Women are now starting to get more and more into a natural form way of running but some obstacles have to be overcome along the way. We know that running form is essential, just like that little black dress, but just like we were told that puffy taffeta and shoulder pads were becoming, we were also misinformed that puffy padded running shoes were the "thing to do" as well. It takes time to cut off the rat tail and move forward!!

You don't have to be or aspire to be an ultra runner to be a barefoot runner. In Born to Run they ran crazy long distances and Jen Shelton is a bit of a crazy party girl. You don't have to be some kind of bad ass and into partying and drinking to dig barefoot/minimal shoe running. All you need is a some curiosity and desire to better yourself. Once you try barefoot running you will discover that its fun and the benefits, if you learn correctly and build a solid foundation, are worth the nervousness of doing something new.

Barefoot and minimal shoe running is the couture little black dress of the running world. It's funky, it's stylish, and it's the new thing and will in time become a staple because it makes sense. For good reason. Just like the world is changing, running is changing too. We are questioning what we thought to be solid truths like padded cushioned running shoes to save you instead of strengthening the amazing bodies we already have. We are also moving away from traditional copies of men's running clothes and adopting fashion in our running clothes. I want to look feminine when I sweat even though I can sweat like a man. I still want to look like a lady. Looking good boosts my confidence and makes it easier to get out there and run barefoot and often being the only one.

If you are really nervous about getting out there barefoot, put your cutest running clothes on. Your favorite lucky t-shirt or whatever you LOVE to run in. Paint your toe nails. If you are missing one or more.....paint over the spot they should be.....been there and done that!

What do you do when you are standing at your door nervous and naked footed? Put a smile on your face, shoulders back, head level, and one foot in front of the other moving forward!! Holding your head level and looking forward is an attitude but posture is your foundation of running! Just like if you had slumped shoulders in your little black dress you wouldn't look as good as if you were leading with your chest with a level head and a smile on your face!!

Barefoot and minimal shoe running composite video

2011-10-22T17:54:00.001-05:00

I played around today with the high speed camera and had my superhero hubby run the camera for me.
This is a composite video of running barefoot and with shoes. I carried a metronome set at 180.
The separate videos are also posted to my Youtube account if you would like to look at them.
The shoes are the VIVOBAREFOOT Lucy Lites.

Barefoot is an opportunity to perfect your running skill.

I haven't run for a while so this is after doing a few posture and rhythm drills to get my groove on. I could pick apart my form of course but overall its not too shabby.

Here is a link to my post on barefoot running coaching with an old photo of my running form.

I like how I am able to maintain the same form both barefoot and in minimal shoes. Lucy Lite review to come in the near future!

Cheers my friends!
Angie Bee

p.s. Tina, my dear, feel free to be honest ;)

Sanuk Sidewalk Surfer shoe review

2011-10-20T17:25:00.000-05:00

Sanuk Sidewalk Surfer

Pronounced Sa-nook.

The name is from the Thai word for fun and the shoes

are as much about funk as they are about function!

I chose to try out the Donna style in fiesta and cream.

They weigh in at 4.5 ounces although it surprised me that they weigh even that.

Sanuk Sidewalk surfers are like flip flops without the flip and flop. They are incredibly comfortable walking shoes. I also wear them in the house and when I am using the desktop computer. I have a standing desk and rarely sit at the computer these days. The Sanuks provide just enough cushion to give my feet a break standing so much.

Sanuk has womens, mens, and kids versions that are all very similar in style.

The kids style has some velcro for easy off and on and gender neutral patterns.

The mens go from size 7 to size 14 and they also have a big and tall version that is size 16 and 17.

The Sidewalk Surfers run in whole sizes. I am typically a size 10.5 but I chose the size 10 and they fit great. The womens go up to size 11 for us Peggy Hill types! I think a size larger would be too big. They do stretch a bit but being a fabric upper they don't have elastic to hold them on so keep that in mind when sizing.

The sidewalk surfers have a molded EVA footbed with an antimicrobial additive. These have just enough squishyness to make a long day of walking very comfortable and yet your foot still works and moves the way it is meant to with a wide toe box and zero drop.

These have become my fall go to shoes since its a bit chilly for sandals now.

I like my casual shoes to be zero drop with a wide toe box and a minimal design. These are the same requirements for running shoe I have as well. Its become more of a lifestyle choice.

I really like the look of the Chill versions. They have faux shearling liner that looks fab for cooler weather.

The other pairs I love are the "I'm Game" in Giraffe print and the Pocket Fleece.

All of the Sidewalk Surfers accept for the Standard Streakers are Vegan and Vegetarian.

The women's Sidewalk Surfers run from $50 and $68 depending on the style. Most of the styles are in the low $50s.

Red Bus, Protesters, Superhero's half marathon

2011-10-19T17:32:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday afternoons I get to spend some one on one time with the youngest spawn. It was a chilly fall day. Coffee at Starbucks by the Library first and then we caught the "red bus", which is the shuttle bus that goes around downtown Des Moines. We rode to the Natural History Museum and looked at the rocks and the mammoth.
We got brochures about the trains in Boone Iowa. I too love trains but to a 3 year old it was quite special. We caught the red bus back to pick up Samson and Milo at the Central Campus at the other end of downtown after their home instruction program's classes. As we waited for the bus we stood with a man that kept saying "come on bus! boooaaahhh. Come on bus...boooaaaahh" He didn't strike me as being unstable in a scary way just odd. I did however find myself saying in my mind "come on bus....booooaaahhh" as we stood in the chilly wind waiting.

After picking up Sam and Milo we all rode the shuttle the long way through downtown again looking at all of the chilly people. The bus was so warm I had to take my coat off. The vent was right under my seat. Glad I had deodorant on!

On the way home from our lovely afternoon we stopped and dropped off pastries and bread to the Occupy Des Moines protesters in the park just up the road from the Capital Building. They have quite a few tents set up and the spawn were very impressed with camping in the park.

While we were out downtown, Jaymon took Jupiter to his therapy in Altoons. Jaymon got in a run of a couple of miles. This was his "get the kinks out" run. He ran the Des Moines half marathon this weekend. It was his first half and he did an excellent job!!! He came in at 1:49 barefoot in a kilt!

I sadly did not run however I volunteered at the finish line and saw him come in with his kilt flying showing a sexy amount of thigh and that handsome look of determination on his sweaty face. I got to put the medal around his neck. It took him a few minutes to realize it was me as he was quite out of breath. It was a stellar finish with negative splits. According to his results he passed over 200 people and now knows that maybe he should start closer to the front next time!

I hope everyone had great races this weekend! Did you race? How did it go?

Cheers,
Angie

Zem 360 Barefoot Runners Series review

2011-10-17T10:00:00.001-05:00

Zem 360

I have been waiting anxiously to try these for a long time now. Zem says these are designed for barefoot runners.

They are feather lite weighing in at 2.5 ounces and I really like the Japanese tabi style and I love the colors.
They are priced at $59.99 which seems reasonable to me for a pair of shoes. I would pay twice that for a good fit though.

Zems are a fabulous concept and I don't like to write only about the unfavorable aspects of a shoe but unfortunately that's all I have here. Again, these are a great concept but these shoes are not shaped like a foot and the flaws interfere with the movement of the foot.

They fit well in the ankle as well as all across the foot. This aspect was done well. No slipping or sliding of the shoe around the ankle area and it was a soft fit and yet it wasn't too tight it just stayed in place.

The fabric is stretchy and moves with the foot across the top as well as the opening at the ankle.

The fabric at the achilles just above the heel seat however rubbed the back of my ankle uncomfortably. There was too much extra fabric at the seam and it was just bunched up instead of a smooth seam on the inside.

The area where the sole and fabric meet on the inside of the foot at the arch rubs my arch even just walking.
The shoe sole is so narrow that when my arch collapses in the gait cycle my foot would spread outside the sole and rub with each step on the area where the sole and upper meet at the arch. When I google search for images of Tabi style boots and shoes I see a wide foot shape instead of the shape the sole of the Zems make so I don't think it has to do with the style only the poor implementation of this style.

My big toe rubbed against the end of the shoe and yet there was much room between the rest of my toes and the end of the shoe that would make them far too big if I were to go up a full size. It wasn't just that my toe rubbed but the fabric that was folded over from the stitching was bunched up at the end of the big toe. This is the same issues that I found with the extra bunched up fabric at the seam at the back of the heel cup.

The sole material seemed grippy as well as nice and flat however even though I have long skinny narrow feet they were still too narrow. The fabric accommodated my foot however where the fabric met the sole was disappointing. You can see in the photo above where this area is.

I think Zem would do well to hire Josh Sutcliffe to do some design work. He so cleverly came up with the slogan "Less Shoe, More You" and being an artist as well as successful barefoot runner I think it would be a wise to hire his expertise.

Cold weather barefoot running

2011-10-15T15:23:00.003-05:00

It's beautiful here today in Des Moines Iowa however the leaves falling like rain in the cool autumn breeze are urging me to consider colder darker days ahead.
Vitamin D and winter lights are in my winter survival tool kit. To maximize the light exposure I want to keep running outside as long as I can and would prefer to do it barefoot.
Here are some tips to keep those piggies warm as the mercury drops.

Drink some hot liquid before heading out however caffeine restricts blood flow to legs and feet so try some hot apple cider.
Head out with hands and feet that are already warm.
Take a handheld bottle filled with hot apple cider with you. It will keep your hands warm as well as keeping your core warm. To make it even better add some salt balance salt to it as well as some cinnamon for added circulatory support.
Keep your core warm. Wear a thin sweat wicking layer as your base and then add layers. Its better to have too much and take some off. Being sweaty and then getting cold is bad news so the sweat wicking material is crucial.
Keep your hands and head warm. Wear a hat and gloves and even try some hand warmers. You place one in your gloves and it keeps your hands warm for hours. You can put them in your shoes too if its cold enough to need minimal shoes.
I so want a knit beard. The universe is cruel to leave out the ladies in the beard growing options. My face gets painfully cold in the winter. So at least wear a scarf of gator for your face.
Stash some salty potato soup in a thermos along your path. It will give you energy and warmth.
KEEP MOVING!! When you stop is when you get cold so keep that hot blood pumping!
If it gets really cold and you need to protect your feet, try wool socks with duct tape around the balls and heel of your foot. It won't last long but you can add more. Jaymon did this for most of last winter.
Huaraches with wool toe socks are a great option and you can get some rad toe socks with fab colors.
If you do choose minimal shoes try water shoes with wool socks. I like the Teva Proton's as well as the Sockwa Amphibians.
I am excited to try the Neo Trails this winter. They are trail shoes with fabulous lugs on them but I think will do very well in snow and on ice.
Try taking Niacin. Our local Des Moines Icon Forey Jacobson runs the Living History Farms XC race in November in a loin cloth. He says he takes niacin right before heading out to run. Niacin is a B-Vitamin.

Niacin containing foods
Vegemite has Niacin. YUM!!
Sweet potatoes contain niacin and 5 hour energy does help although expensive so maybe a B-Complex instead.

What are your tips and tricks for staying warm in the winter?

Cheers,
Angie Bee

GU and Road ID Giveaway!

2011-10-14T12:28:00.000-05:00

I have been working with Outside PR for over a year now and have reviewed many different products that they do PR work for.
Road ID and GU have been my favorites so far. Road ID has become a part of our whole families lives.

My son Jupiter, who has autism, has it in his community living plan to put his Road ID on before he goes out with the girls that come to work with him. His ID states that he has autism and uses an iPod to communicate.
This is fantastic! Any communication help that beautiful boy can get makes me happy.

My oldest son Samson has his Road ID sport on at all times. He likes the way it looks so just keeps it on. He is at the age when he goes out and explores on his own and it eases my mind that he has ID with him.

The wee spawn have Road ID elites and myself and the two younger fellas got to try the newest Road ID the Slim.

For kids a bit older, say maybe 7 or older would do well with the size small Slim Road ID. I found with my youngest spawn that the size small was still a bit too big.

For now we will continue to use the wrist ID Elite until they grow a bit more into the slims.

The Slims run $15.99 each.

The boys and I really love the colors and more bands are only $1 each so reasonably priced to have a collection of colors.

I tried out a slim as well and chose a blue band. The small is just a tad small on me however it does not slide around. It would bug me if it did so it's a good fit. My favorite is still the writes ID Elite.

Sport, Slim, and Elite

All three versions are quite comfortable and I have been happy with them all so its just a matter of picking a favorite.

The Slim can be used on any cause band that you have so mixing it up is super easy. I have some favorite Autism Awareness bands that I put it on.

I am loving caffeine free GU these days. Caffeine is a great tool and one I still use but for the most part I don't need nor want caffeine every time I need to fuel.
Would you like to eat Junior Mints while running? Chocolate Mint GU is what you want! I also love Pineapple Roctane, and Lemon Sublime. As the name suggests it is sublime!!

This giveaway is for a $35 gift card for Road ID and a mix of caffeine free GUs as well as a 10 pack of your choice in GU flavor! I would suggest checking out the Chocolate Raspberry Roctane. Totally rocks!

Here are the rules:
As always, each comment is worth one entry in the giveaway so make sure and leave a separate comment for each thing that you do. Its up to you as to how many you want to do.

What are your views on wearing ID when you are out in the world? Do you have ID for your children?
How do you fuel when active? Do you use caffeine when you work out?
Whats your favorite GU flavor?
Follow this blog and if you already do leave a comment letting me know you do.
Tweet, blog, post a facebook status, email, sky write, ect. Let me know in a seperate comment for each that you do. You can do them multiple times if you wish.

This giveaway will run until Saturday October 22nd and the winner will be chosen randomly. Now go out into cyberworld and spread the love!

Cheers,
Angie Bee

Run Branca Perforated leather huarache sandal review

2011-10-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

My littlest spawn Archimedes and I have Wednesday afternoons to ourselves as everyone else is in school or therapy. This last hump day we went to the Des Moines Art Center and hiked around the surrounding grounds. Little Archimedes being only 3 and a half is often jealous of Milo and his climbing skills. So Medes was stoked to find a tree that he could climb on his own.

My rule for climbing trees is that if you can't get yourself into the tree then you shouldn't be climbing it. They often ask me to lift them up into the tree and this is my solution. So its lovely when a tree is available for little Medes to climb.

I wore a pair of perforated leather Branca Sandals. The Branca line is fabulous! They have sexy grommets on the sides and are super easy to tie. Check out the review I did of the oil tanned leather version.

Branca Sandal Review

The perforated leather sandals are just shy of 4 ounces. The oil tanned leather version is just over 6 ounces. It sounds like such a small difference however it is huge when talking huaraches.

This is what they have to say on the Branca site. I usually don't copy and paste from the companies page but it really does cover it all quite nicely as far as specs go.

"LIMITED EDITION! Only 30-40 will be manufactured! These Brancas are made from high quality perforated leather. The perforations allow for increased breathability, comfort, and grip between the foot and sandal. It is permanently adhered to a 5mm Vibram Newflex rubber sole. Vibram Newflex is the latest Vibram has to offer. It has the highest durability/weight ratio in its class. The rugged tread pattern allows for maximum traction. UV resistant elastic rubber heel straps provide a comfortable feel and a snug fit. These sandals weigh less than 5 oz. It has been said that these Brancas will be used for the next trip to the moon. So we hear..."

Christopher McDougall was spotted wearing a pair of Brancas at the Barefoot Run in NYC. I recognized the sexy gromets on the sides of the sandals when watching a video of him speaking!

There are a huge number of lace colors to choose from. I am not as big of a fan of these particular laces however on the upside they go with everything! Besides I would have chosen the same old boring black or blue and these are rather schmancy!

The laces on both my Branca sandals stay tied and the sandals hold their tension once I get them tied.
The grounds of Greenwood park and the Des Moines Art Center grounds are full of rose gardens, a pond, forest, large art installations, hills to climb up and run down, and very old Oak trees shaded the area.

In Celtic Mythology Oak trees are said to be the tree of doors. They are believed to be gateways between worlds or a place where portals could be erected. In Norse Mythology the Oak was sacred to the Thunder God Thor. mmmmmm Thor! It was a mixed terrain and lovely setting to be hanging out with my wee spawn.

Some debris would get caught between my sandal and my feet but not anything atypical of a sandal when worn on sandy and gravely paths. The sandal is thin enough to feel everything one steps on yet buffer the foot as to not feel the same pain when stepping on sharp objects.

This time of year the squirrels conspire against barefoot runners and leave the ultimate barefooter's nemesis scattered about. Yep, I am talking broken acorns. Oak trees are useful and majestic. They take decades of growth before producing acorns. Oak wood is prized for making barrels for wine and brandy among many other uses. Japanese oak is used in making the professional brand Yamaha Drums. They choose oak wood above others because it gives the drums a brighter and louder tone compared to other woods.

It's yin and yang. You have the lovely setting and yet the gorgeous trees and squirells make it a dangerous path to walk. The Branca sandals stayed on my feet and yet let me feel the ground without getting hurt and look good while doing it. What more could one want.

Thanks Branca for sending the sandals for me to check out. They have replaced my flip flops and have become my go-to shoe this summer and fall.

The blogging of the two youngest spawn

2011-10-07T08:44:00.004-05:00

For homeschool the spawn are blogging. Its computer science at its finest.
Do and learn.

We are dictating for them however I type their dialogue and answers to questions about their day.

They chose the designs for their own blogs.

Click on their photos to go check out their blogs and see what they are learning about

Jaymon, my superhero, suggested we start this and I thought it would be incredibly time consuming however I have found that doing short little posts with the boys is plenty and it is great practice for me as well to be concise.

Sammo updated his blog from the iPad using the Blogpress app. He is a bit more cheeky but alas he is a tween.
One of my goals for the day is to get a blog going for Jupiter as well.

Blogging for Homeschool

2011-10-04T14:48:00.002-05:00

Edited to add:
As part of home school the boys have their own blogs that they update. This was supposed to be a quick blog for Archimedes. I am figuring out how to use the iPad to blog, which was a success obviously, other than the fact that it posted under my blog instead of theirs. Meh, we all learned something today!!

Today we learned about dressing for the weather with paper dolls.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Interview with Lee Saxby "the worlds best barefoot running coach"

2011-10-03T14:52:00.000-05:00

Lee Saxby, my barefoot running coach mentor, did an interview while in NYC for the Barefoot Run, with Will Sanchez for Gotta Run.

Lee gives some background about himself as well as the ideas behind skillful movement. He talks about coaching and why its important. We are 40 strong now! Teaching skillful movement to the people!!!

Lee Saxby is considered the best Barefoot Running Coach in the world. Frustrated by the high rate of injuries by runners, Lee turned to evolutionary medicine to master meaningful cues based on his biomechanics training to help all humans to skillfully move their bodies. Natural Movement is not just for runners!

There is no old in running

2011-09-23T18:17:00.005-05:00

A few years ago researchers at the German Sports University Cologne took a close look at the finishing times of 400,000 marathon and half -marathon runners between teh ages of 20 and 79. They found no relevant differences in the finishing times of people between the ages of 20 and 50. The times for runners between 50 and 69 slowed only by 2.6 to 4.4 percent per decade. "Older athletes are able to maintain a high degree of physiological plasticity late into life, " the researchers wrote.

This New York Times article reminds me to call bullshit on myself on the days when I feel old. I would totally out run in every way my younger self. I plan to run in to my very old age and will only get better at running happy. Besides I won't have the time nor the money to run in races like I want to until I am older and the kids are grown a bit more. I dream of taking the Amtrak around the world running races along the way. Ah, let the daydreaming begin! Maybe I will change the blog to Wrinkle Running.

My almost 40 super sexy hero spouse is all signed up to run his first marathon on October 16th and I will be toeing the barefoot line at the half marathon. My lucky number for this one is 5695. It's the 10th year anniversary for the race and I can say that if its anything like the last two years this year will be fabulous!

I am inspiring myself training for this race. What is better than inspiring oneself! After having all of the heart scares and then having the humility to switch from the full to the half I am confident that I am on the right track. (Pun intended although I am not a fan of track workouts mainly because we don't live by one. That and living in a house of boys the fartlek makes more sense)

The super hero used to very much dislike running until he went barefoot and now he sees running as a tool to longevity and dare I say it, loves to run. This is fantastic for me since I love to run and can proudly say I sometimes get sick of hearing him talk about running....ok maybe not sick of it but you get the idea! He has a 20 miler on tap for tomorrow and I am looking at between 13 and 15 depending on how I feel.

My little spawn Archimedes and I had a perfect day on Wednesday but alas the yin and yang of life has struck again. Damn public places. We both have a fever and headache. The upside is that he is very snuggly and wants to hang out with his ol' momma. As far as illnesses go this is an inconvenient albeit mild one that I hope doesn't leave me feeling too tired to run but I will go with the flow and listen to my body. Speaking of yin and yang 5695 looks like the six and nine make a yin and yang symbol with fives on either side of it. Cool.

In the mean time I am practicing drawing manga. I read a book about bee keeping and am shopping for supplies for hives in the spring and also reading a book on Doctor Who and Philosophy.
"Basically, Run!" ~The Doctor

I am sending happy running vibes to my fellow barefooters in NYC this weekend for the second annual barefoot run!
RUN SMILEY!!
Cheers,
AngieBee

Snorg Tees review and Giveaway!

2011-09-21T21:20:00.000-05:00

My day started with putting on my awesome SnorgTees hoodie. They sent me one to test out and I couldn't be happier with it. The green is a stellar color and gives my skin tone a nice alive look. I am so pale most of the time that blue tends to make me look rather, well, blue so its a nice change to wear the lively Kelly Green.

"I lost an electron". "Are you positive?"

So today was block class for Samson and Milo. That means that I drop them off with the other homeschoolers and they work on projects and learn together once a week. Sammo is playing Little John in the play his group is working on and Milo learned about his brain, heart, lungs, and guts. He had a cute song to go with it!

During this time I get to hang with my littlest spawn Archimedes. He is 3 1/2. He is a different kind of kid when its just him and I. He is mellow and can think straight without the stress and intensity of interacting with older brothers.

Today we went downtown. Downtown Des Moines is a really lovely city. The library is quite fantastic and we park in the underground parking and take the elevator up. I love that this is still such a big deal to Medes. Hell I still love to push the button and ride the elevator.

We walked over to an outdoor market and he bought some honey and honey sticks and made sure to buy some for his best buddy Milo. They fight but love each other just as intensely. After the market we walked back to the library and decided to stop at the coffee shop. We were given flowers by some ladies who were giving them out for Alzheimers awareness. An old hippy guy played Archimedes a song on his guitar and although Medes was shy he spoke animatedly about wanting a guitar of his very own when we were sitting inside the shop.

We took our coffee into the library and played and browsed. I got books on Bee Keeping, Wild activities for kids, Drawing for both fashion and Manga, and best of all a book called Doctor Who and Philosophy. How cool is that! If I would have gotten a t-shirt instead of a hoodie I would have chosen this one! You fellow Whovians will appreciate this!

I seriously have to stop myself from looking at the SnorgTees site because there are just too many favorites. Thank the goddess I no longer have a credit card!!!

Archimedes and I ended the afternoon collecting acorns and again his kind little heart had to get some acorns for Milo :) A fabulous autumn day. Was it in part due to the lucky hoodie......I definitely think so! When you have on clothes that are uber comfy, a good color, and make you smile, its sure to add to the quality of the day.

Want to win a T-Shirt from SnorgTees? They are giving a Tee to one of you lucky readers!

Here are the rules:
As always each comment counts as an entry into the giveaway. Do as many or few as you choose just leave a separate comment for each thing you do.

Follow this blog
like SnorgTees on facebook
Go to the Snorg Tees site and tell me which one you like the best
blog, tweet, facebook, ect and make sure to leave a separate comment for each

The giveaway will run until Wednesday September 28th!

On the way home from our lovely afternoon downtown we rocked out to Weezer when they came on the radio!

Barefoot Running coaching...why?

2011-09-20T14:00:00.002-05:00

When I walked into the VIVOBAREFOOT Training Clinic I thought I would "wow" Lee Saxby. I had been successful so far having ran a barefoot marathon and not in "barefoot shoes" but actually naked foot. All of my previous shod race times were bested barefoot. I had been running for two years barefoot and a couple of thousand injury free miles. So when the first thing we did in class was to capture video of ourselves running I thought I was golden.
What did I humbly discover?

I DID NOT LOOK THE WAY I THOUGHT I LOOKED IN MY MINDS EYE!

Not even close even though it "felt" right. Lee said this was the case with everyone. I realized that I had gotten away with running such distances by being lite both in my weight and steps and also a fair amount of luck. I was not running efficiently and tempting the fates with a stress fracture and definitely had some nerve issues popping up from the way I was landing. All under the pretense that I knew what my body was doing from the inside out.

I saw that I needed to work on all of the things that are touted as barefoot common knowledge. Posture, cadence, and relaxation. This stuff is said over and over and over in the barefoot community and I totally thought I had it down. I discovered that it is still the foundation but not always built level. You need the right tools to build a level foundation.

What not to do! This is my own coaches critique of myself
from a photo taken a year or so ago.

How is it that I can think I am doing something and then see that in fact I am no where close. I went barefoot all the time. I listened to my feet. I focused and changed yet there was a habit that needed to be broken and my mind was playing tricks on me that I did not realize until I saw myself running on video.

I had switched heel striking for forefoot striking but I was still reaching and over-striding and leading with my head instead of my chest. I had a very long lazy trailing leg of which threw all semblance of segmentally aligned posture out the proverbial window.

I was humbled and inspired by seeing myself run. I realized that feeling my way through it was not enough. I needed some perspective. I needed some understanding to enhance and realign my intuitive sense. I needed to be able to look at myself from outside myself and hear the input of someone who has a solid understanding of human biomechanics. This perspective was key for me in "getting" the commonly refereed to barefoot nomenclature* and actually connecting mind and body. I got this much needed perspective when I was open to learning to become a coach and being coached myself by Lee Saxby.

When one does something the same way for years and years it is difficult to change those habits. Its entirely possible to change but its not always straightforward nor easy. You can learn how to run barefoot after years and years of running in padded cushioned shoes. You can learn how to run well in shoes with barefoot form but it has to start with taking off your shoes but its also more than just that. The key is to blend understanding with intuition.

Our minds are complex and different parts of our minds work in different ways. We have our movement mind that rules our movements through subconscious thought and then we have our conscious mind.
When we focus consciously on our running form it subconsciously creates stress. You know what I mean. You try something really hard like landing on your forefoot, relaxing those knees, and keeping good posture and your fists ball up, your tongue sticks out, and your neck tenses up. You may have no idea that you are even doing this because you are so focused on your running form.

Now after learning to be a coach I have a place to start. I have a plan to follow. I have something solid to offer and I have tested it on myself and been coached by the best. The coaching I offer is the same thing as I was coached. I video tape you running however you run on a regular basis. So if you wear shoes or not and the average pace that you normally run at is what I want to see. Each person I have coached has responded with a resounding and curious NO when I ask if they look the way they thought the looked when running!!
The next step is to look at your video frame by frame and assess three things. Posture, rhythm, and relaxation. Next I go through the ideas behind barefoot running of which are based on the different gaits of locomotion we have as humans and how as well as why having good posture, a 180 cadence, and relaxation is key to running.

Next we go through the drills to subconsciously change running form without the stress of trying to consciously make your body move in a certain way. As you focus on doing the drills you will see the new movements gracefully transcend into your running form. The more you practice the better you will get! Then we video again and rinse and repeat as necessary.

All of this is done barefoot. One can't know how to move if one can't feel what you are doing. To start off, being barefoot as often as possible is ideal. Walk the dog barefoot. Get the mail barefoot. Just be barefoot as much as possible throughout your day. Feel what its like on grass, gravel, sand, roads, sidewalk, brick, cobblestone, dirt trails. Teaching your mind to think of barefoot as enjoyable instead of something that should be avoided and feared is an important first step in your barefoot running journey.

Barefoot Coaching by Angie Bee

* I adore the word nomenclature as it reminds me of The Big Lebowski every time. The dude abides.

Urban Food Gathering

2011-09-19T21:08:00.001-05:00

Around the middle of August I started to notice all of the fruit trees in peoples yards. They all had fruit rotting away on the ground and no sign of anyone harvesting. We love the farmers market and would love to buy all of our produce there but it is rather pricey and we are a family of six.

I sent out facebook inquirys to my fellow Iowans asking if they knew of anyone who had fruit trees and did not use the fruit. Surprisingly nothing came of this. We did however keep seeing trees on city property that were full of apples and no one was picking them. Whats the point of fruit trees if the fruit just rots away??

We are all descendants of hunter gatherers. It is both a useful and fun way to add to the quality of life. Urban food gathering is the Ispy of life. It's the ultimate easter egg hunt of fall.

Jaymon planted a lovey garden in the spring however with the heat wave we had here in Iowa there was much less produce than anticipated. So when the trees started to ripen all hope was not lost of urban food gathering.
The first time we went out we gathered 40 pounds of apples that were easy to reach. Then Jaymon, my superhero solemate, came up with this clever DIY fruit picker. A knife on a pole. Brilliant!

These trees are passed by people all day long and yet the trees sat full of fruit.

No, they don't fall into the convenience of a shopping cart. Some of them are gathered on the ground. Some of them have holes and "bad spots". They are not however forced to ripen nor are they sprayed. Those worm holes tell me that they are what the craze of "natural" and "organic" is all about. Free and natural. What could be better! When I lived in Hawaii no one thought twice about urban food gathering at the corner of a busy road.

So what do you do with less than perfect apples and pears? Cut the bad spots out and stick them in the dehydrator! Eat around it and then chuck the yucky parts.

The boys had a blast filling their bags and helping out. I always loved picking fruit when I was a kid and want to have the boys experience picking fruit as well as harvesting in the garden.

From a group of trees in another part of town we picked pears.

How does a family store store so many pounds of fruit? Dried of course!! The house smells lovely with the scent of warm apples and pears and we will be knoshing on them for months to come.

So go out and find some trees and do some urban gathering! Think apple pie. Pear leather. Chili with apples in it. Baked apples....yummy!! And au' natural is the way to go!!

Soup Season is upon us

2011-09-19T06:00:00.001-05:00

I think about mastication a lot. Every day. May times a day. Soup is the perfect food for lazy masticators.

Soup is a shining light in the darkness of winter and makes allergies in the fall seem a bit more tolerable.

Soup makes digestion easier since it's already so close to liquid form that there is very little work involved in breaking down the pieces before it goes down the throat hole. Just a small amount of chewing and then swishing around to get the enzymes in your saliva mixed about while thoroughly enjoying the flavors without any stress. Soup is comfort food. Its happy winter food that warms us in many ways.

Soup is a mix of ingredients that blend and marry to make new flavors. No two soups are the same even if the same recipe is used. They have their own personalities and in my case are a way to gamble in everyday life. My style of soup making ,most often, is throwing things into a pot with some imagination, a little luck, and hoping it turns out edible. Soup is thankfully hard to screw up.

This years first soup of the season is a mixed bean and veggie soup with some leftover chicken thrown in just because.

I used a bag of pinto beans and a bag of small kidney beans. ( I only used half of this mix for soup and used the other half for burritos later) We only use dried beans and not canned beans. I let the beans soak overnight and then boil them for a couple of hours on medium low heat.

"While the soaking is not strictly necessary, it shortens cooking time and results in more evenly textured beans. In addition, discarding one or more batches of soaking water leaches out hard-to-digest complex sugars that can cause flatulence, though those who eat beans regularly rarely have difficulties with flatulence as intestinal microbes adjust."

After the beans are cooked I drain and rinse them and add them to a large pot that will accommodate all of the ingredients. I added some leftover chicken breast and broth as well as Rosemary, dill, parsley, sage, salt, and pepper.

Add water and pour in some extra virgin olive oil. I love olive oil and the stronger the flavor the better!

(As an aside, upon Jaymon's suggestion, I started cooking chicken breast in water with my salt and pepper and then storing it in its own broth and juices. It keeps it nice and moist instead of drying out in the fridge and then you can use the broth for things like soup.)

While the beans were boiling I cut up and started boiling butternut squash. When soft I added them to the soup mix as well as several handfuls of frozen Normandy Blend mixed vegetables. Normandy Blend has broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. The blend we have has both yellow and orange carrots. The soup was hot enough to defrost the veggies but not hot enough to make them mushy.

The Soup was mixed up and put into empty apple sauce jars ,which our our storage jar of choice for soups, and then put in the fridge.

I think soups taste better after they have had time to marry and are always better the next day so I waited over night to try it and had soup for breakfast!

What you will need~

Pinto and small kidney beans

Normandy blend veggies

butternut squash

chicken breast and broth, or what ever you have

(you could substitute veggie broth and cauliflower for the meat)

herbs and spices

salt

extra virgin olive oil

Beet and Cabbage Borscht and Black Bean Pumpkin Chili (winging chili is the best!) of course are on the roster for soup making.

What soups do you like to prepare??

Iowa Barefoot Runners Meetup Sept. 17th

2011-09-18T12:03:00.000-05:00

Barefoot Runners Society

Iowa chapter meetup!!

It was great to see everyone! We got to meet Melissa, John's wife, as well as Nate's buddy Lambo.

Thanks Melissa for taking the group photo.

We met at Mullets and all arrived in shoes. John and Melissa were wearing the Altera Adam and Eves and Nate had some VFF Komodo's.

Once we headed out to run everyone let their feet be free!

It was rather chilly and was around 54-ish degrees. Not too cold but enough to know that fall is here. It was nice to not be beaten down by the sun.

I brought Milo (5) along for the run to Grays Lake. He went out really fast and furious in the beginning and did not want to pace himself with me so I let him run knowing that we would walk part of the way. Indeed he got a nasty side stitch that he worked through and would walk a bit and then want to run some more.

Milo really loved running and talking with everyone. I could tell he liked being a part of something. He ran and talked with Forey for a while.

Milo and Archimedes both have perfect and beautiful form. You can see in the above photo that he is landing right under his center of gravity and his heel is just kissing the ground. His posture is straight up and down and he is so relaxed. Every thing looks to be moving just the way it should be.

It had rained earlier and I am happy to report that neither myself nor any of the spawn suffered from running on wet surfaces. Sometimes it can be a real issue if your form is not spot on. How did everyone else fare on the wet?

We were one big barefoot running family including the pooch! My youngest son Archimedes went the 1.91 mile loop around the lake with Milo and I.

Even my son Jupiter, who has autism, is improving in his running. I am a firm believer that the proprioceptive stimulation of running barefoot has a calming affect that I think he benefits from. Still a theory but I like to see him start to run with better form instead of lumbering around and crashing about as he used to do. Now that his immitation skills are improving he is getting so much better at running. His eagerness to participate was heartening as well.

So today the boys have sore calves from running and we had to explain that it was normal and that the more they practice the less the soreness will persist in future running. They are already talking about next time they run!

Should we do another meetup next month?? Its getting cooler and could share minimal shoe solutions for winter. John will be running the Des Moines Half Marathon and Forey is running the full so maybe a meetup for the races and support. There is the full, half, and 5k.

Also our member Evelia or Barefoot Dama as you would know her from online is running the Quad Cities marathon on the 25th! GO DAMA!!

Go check out our facebook page as well as the BRS link at the top.

Please share with your Iowan and surrounding states friends please!

Iowa Barefoot Runners Society facebook page

Handful Bra winner winner chicken dinner!

2011-09-17T20:04:00.001-05:00

YAY FOR BOOBIES!!!
The winner of the Handful Bra was Vanessa!

She was lucky #18 according to the universe and their compatriots at Random.org.

Congrats Vanessa! You can check out her blog here. She just finished her first 50k today!
Hope you are all having a stellar weekend!!
Cheers,
Angie

Des Moines Barefoot Runners Meetup

2011-09-15T06:00:00.002-05:00

Would you like to hang with a group of really nice people and learn more about barefoot running?? Here is your chance!!

One of my duties of being the Iowa Chapter President of the Barefoot Runners Society is to organize meetups for Iowa barefoot runners. The next scheduled meetup is on Saturday September 17th!

We meet at 10:00 am when the ground is warm but not too warm and people have had a chance to travel if you are coming from around the state.

This months gathering will meet in Des Moines at Mullets bar and grill.
1300 SE 1st Des Moines, IA 50315

We run from Mullets down the lovely paved bike path to Grays Lake and back and then anyone is welcome to stay for a sit down and chat afterwards.

Everyone is welcome!! Friends, family, shod runners, and barefoot runners.
Its really about learning from each other and having good time!!

Remember to bring your regular running shoes to carry with you in case you need to slip them on if you are new to barefoot running.

Check out our Facebook page as well as the Barefoot Runners Society Page where you then can sign up to join the Iowa Chapter.

I look forward to seeing you there!!!

beautiful bee pollen!

2011-09-14T20:16:00.000-05:00

An estimated 26 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies and an etimated 50 million who suffer from all types of allergies. I fall into the seasonal group. I have not always been an allergy sufferer. I started being affected by allergies after having my oldest son. I can count on being stuffed up and sneezing my head off daily from mid August until at least the first solid freeze sometime in the end of September/ early October if I am lucky.

Earlier this year I sought out bee keepers in my area and wanted to apprentice with someone. I met Jerry who lives just up the road from us. He generously took me under his wing and began to teach me about beekeeping. I regret that I did not have enough time to go to his house as much as I would have liked but I learned so much from him.

Today as I was pulling into the driveway I see Jerry and his wife pulling out. He had stopped by to drop off a jar of pollen from his bees for me to help with my allergies. Jerry and I stay in touch through facebook so he knows of my allergy complaints and was so kind to think of me and bring me some of this bee gold!

When you put a small amount of the seemingly harmful irritant (bee pollen from local flower pollens) into your body, your immune system builds defenses or immunities against the foreign substance.
This will make the immune system "ready" to handle any of the substance in larger quantities the next time it is in contact with it. So there is no "hyper-reaction."
It is a similar concept to using a vaccine.
Bee pollen goes quickly into the blood stream in small doses, just enough to kick your immune system into gear.

See that little yellow bunch of stuff on the bee's legs? That is how the bees transport the pollen back to their hive. They have little hairs all over their bodies that snag pollen granules. A honey bee moistens the forelegs with a protruding tongue and brushes the pollen that has collected on head, body, and forward appendages to the hind legs. The pollen is transferred to the pollen comb on the hind legs and then combed, pressed, compacted, and transferred to the corbicula on the outside surface of the tibia of the hind legs. The corbicula is also called the pollen basket.

Aren't they cute with their fuzzy heads and pollen baskets!

After the honey bees collect the pollen from flowers at the end of the day they return to their hive.
Bee pollen is then collected for our consumption when the honey bees crawl through a special screen put on the hive by the bee keeper that knocks off the pollen collected and it drops down into a container so it can be removed. Collecting of pollen is done by the beekeeper in the spring and the fall when the common allergens are present.

I am a fall pollen sufferer and this pollen in the photo below may not help for this year but I am going to start taking it anyways. Ideally one should start taking pollen in small amounts about a month before symptoms typically start. So about June of July for me to get the best results and eating a little bit each day. About a teaspoon-tablespoon daily.

Pollen looks dry but is actually a bit sticky and moist. It tastes savory and sweet with an earthy hint to it. It tastes the way many natural foods stores smell. Check out the differences in color! Beautiful stuff.

I had envisioned many days of this summer spent tending bees with my friend Jerry. Life happened and I didn't get over there nearly as much as I wanted to. Seeing Jerry today and his tempting comments about Goldenrods flowering and attracting many insects just waiting to be photographed, put beekeeping in mind again. I am thinking that beekeeping should be made a priority for spring of 2012.

Enchantment and Jupiter reading

2011-09-12T20:27:00.001-05:00

I used to take benadryl every night to sleep.
Now I read or listen to audio books. Before the ipad and nook I had to wind up the flashlight every ten minutes to read. Wind up flashlights are genius however the loud winding defeated the purpose of relaxing and trying to nod. Now when I sometimes wake at 3 in the morning I grab my ipad that sleeps with me like a teddy bear and read.

Recently I downloaded Enchantment by Orson Scott Card. I first came across Card when my oldest spawn were very small and still rubbery enough to sleep well in the car. The superhero and I were running bundle hauling paper routes so we could work and take the boys with us. I would snuggle up the two spawn in their car seats and off I would go to transverse the Kansas country side drinking coffee and listening to audio books. Eery and unexpected things happen in the middle of the night and it was the perfect setting to indulge in my love of SciFi.

I listened to most of the Ender series and since smile when I come across Cards work when I am browsing the online libraries for books to load to my iPad. I was dubious to start a book about Sleeping Beauty. The story grabbed my attention from the first sentence and I can assure you that this is no ordinary rendition of the old tale.

The main character is a runner. He runs because he loves it. I had no idea of this when I chose the book. I don't recommend reading the wiki page about any books unless you don't mind spoilers. Its not a how to run or even the story of a runner but its the story of Ivan and he is a runner and it makes up who he is. This would be a great story to listen to when you are out running and listening to your iPod.

Jupiter is learning to read and write. This is huge. For those of you that don't already know, Jupiter is my nine year old son who has autism. He is nonverbal and uses an iPod with communication apps to communicate. This year we decided to home school him. He also gets therapy in the mornings and in the afternoons. Our schedule is dictated by his sessions and the benefits of school fell miserably short compared to the negatives. He would learn these horrible coping mechanisms from watching the other kids. These problem behaviors were cutting into his learning drastically. The Homestead is ran by the woman that we moved here to get services from in the first place. Finally it seems like Jupiter is getting what he needs and I am not at all suprised that we are doing so much ourselves. Such is the reality of autism. But we do have some stellar guidance.

So Jaymon is teaching him letter recognition and I am teaching him word recognition and then we will blend the two together. I am also teaching him to type the words on his iPad. He picked up scanning the word left to right on his own and it has been so incredibly encouraging to see him pick all of this up so quickly. His vocal imitation has really taken off lately as well.

All four of the spawn are homeschooled and it works so much better this way and everyone is getting their needs met. Life is good.

Handful Bra Review and GIVEAWAY!

2011-09-09T11:19:00.000-05:00

Handful Bra

The ladies at Handful Bra sent me a bra to test out a while back and I have worn it in many different settings and not just for running although it is my favorite running bra these days. It would be great for dance, yoga, bouldering, hiking, and any other activity you can think of.

The Handful Bra comes in its own wash and carry bag. Easy to wash in cold water with like colors and line dry. They come in Black, Cocoa, Pink, Nude, and White.

It is not your usual uniboob kind of sports bra. It holds the girls in place and still is flattering. Its like their motto says, "Made to flatter not flatten!"

The Handful Bra comes with pads. You have the option to use them or not and they are easy to put in the bra and take out yet they stay in place once you have them put in. I have tried it with and without the pads. They are comfortable and do not make the girls look like they are padded. My superhero dear one loathes the pads though so I leave them out. I am a lucky girl in that he likes me au natural. I was not able to tell a difference in how it fit with or without the pads.

I love the crossing of the straps in the back. Very sexy and it makes for a comfortable fit since the straps do not cut in to my shoulders like other bras I have.
The Handful Bra runs $40 but you get a chance to win one of your very own!

Here are the rules:
For each of the below options you choose to do please leave a separate comment. Each comment is an entry to the giveaway and the winner will be chosen using random.org.

Follow this blog
like Handful on Facebook
comment on their facebook page and let them know I sent you.
Check out their website and let me know what color you would like
tweet, blog, email, facebook ect. Leave a separate comment for each that you do!

Thats it. Easy Peasy!

This giveaway will run until Sept. 16th.

six barefoot miles

2011-09-06T21:45:00.000-05:00

Tonight after cussing the oldest spawn under my breath as he took his sweet time getting home from running around and having his own life, I prepared myself to run with my superhero spouse at the state fairgrounds. Sammo had already come home right at sunset last night and I was itching to run and needed his babysitting skills.
I must say that I only complain about the oldest spawn in jest as he is a reliable and trustworthy babysitter for his brothers.
So as we rolled down the road to the fair grounds Mumford and Sons came on the radio. Excellent song to have stuck in my head before a run!! Thank you radio gods.

Pulling into the main gates of the grounds we see that there is a rally of motorcycles and fancy cars. We parked in another parking lot and then ran up and down the main road looking at the people, bikes, and cars. An older mellow crowd was what we met with and Jaymon said that I was getting lots of attention. They were not making eye contact.... Come to find out my white shirt was pretty see through! I had a sports bra on but that combined with my short purple running skirt and I was kind of flattered. No one mentioned our barefeet though....

Iris from Stet that Run cleverly scored her run a few blog posts back and I thought it was something I wanted to do too since it covered all the important stuff!

Effort: 7
I stayed conservative and stayed mindful of my body I felt like I could run my comfortable sweet spot pace instead of last run when I deliberately slowed way down.
Morale: 8
Just a little bit of anxiety but overall pretty good attitude. I was happy to be where I was doing what I was doing with my superhero.
Enjoyment: 9
Loved it! That bit of anxiety made this a 9 instead of a 10
Outfit: 8
Pretty sweet white and charcoal Sugoi 3/4 sleeve shirt with a royal purple running skirt.
The outfit would have totally rocked had the running skirt been blue. Blue is my color.
Feet (I added this one): 10 No discomfort, blisters of any kind. This is fantastic since I took a whole month off and have only been walking a little bit barefoot.

Jaymon and I laughed at inside jokes and running silly. I swear that man hyperventilates from talking and laughing so much but it is nice to listen and not have to talk much myself. We talked about the impending cool weather. Fall is in the air and it was the first chilly run of the season for us.

I ended up running six barefoot miles which is double what I ran last time. As the light completely faded from the sky we decided to wrap it up and head home to the family. I have missed the feeling of running without pain. Being able to just move my feet and breath and not worry.

Vibrams Five Finger Performa Jane review

2011-09-04T19:05:00.002-05:00

Vibram Five Fingers Performa Jane

Vibram Performa Janes seem virtually weightless! It was amazing to hold them for the first time and realize that they are in fact shoes. They weigh in at 2.5 ounces. You probably wonder what's the catch. The catch is that they are made for indoor use. I am tempted to try running in them outside to see how long they last but for now am only wearing them inside. These make great treadmill shoes and are nice and grippy yet flexible for yoga and any other indoor activity. Speaking of gyms these would be fab for an indoor track this winter. They would be great gym shoes if your gym requires that you wear footwear. These will still give you full range of movement to strengthen your feet.
Vibrams says that they are for "fitness, travel, and after sport."

The uppers are made of kangaroo leather. I have the VFF KSO Treks which are also made of kangaroo leather and have been happy with those as well. The leather is incredibly soft and pliable and actually breath better than I would have thought. The Performa Janes are perforated for even better airflow. They are machine washable and need to be air dried.

The sole is made of seven parts. Five toes, a midfoot, and a heel. These are really about freedom of movement. The footbed is also made of kangaroo leather and is essentially a piece of leather for the footbed with very thin pieces of sole attached to it. If you thought other VFF models were like gloves then you will love these.

Stretchy elastic in the strap across the top of the foot make for comfort and again support ease of movement. The little button is pretty too!
I have always thought the five fingers were comfortable and I like the style. If you have toes that you are not sure will fit in VFF then definitely try them on in a store first. If you fit in one model you will fit in the others. That has been my experience anyways.

There are lots of other Five Fingers styles including the Bakilas and the new Jayas that I think are pretty fun looking! Right now there are closeout specials on the Sprints as well as the Performa classic style.
Cooler weather is coming and if you can't run on a treadmill barefoot I would highly recommend checking these out! Try shopping at Travel Country.com for a wide selection of VFF!

I ran. Barefoot of course.

2011-09-02T20:53:00.000-05:00

I ran three barefoot miles today.
I think I feel pretty good. Some anxiety but otherwise not too shabby.

We ran at the fairgrounds and Jaymon is still out there somewhere running. I was being conservative and stopped at three miles even though mentally I wanted to go farther. Everything feels strong. I did some yoga and played on the monkey rings yesterday so my chest is sore and its making me unsure of what I am feeling but I know and recognize anxiety so I am trusting that my body is strong and able and it will just take time. The important bit is that basically, I ran!
Run Smiley :)
Cheers,
Angie

Branca Barefoot Sandal review

2011-09-01T10:18:00.001-05:00

RunBranca

Huaraches are a style of shoe that have been made popular over the last couple of years by the book Born to Run. They can be worn anywhere and any time. I even hope to try them out this winter with Injinji socks.

Being able to custom size your sandals is a great feature. They come with a huge amount of extra material at the end of the shoe and you then trim them down to fit your particular foot. Wouldn't it be nice if all shoes had such a clever design!

These babies are easy to tie. This is a huge statement in and of itself! Huaraches have replaced my flip flops this summer and I am glad for it. It has been fun to tell people about them. Many women have come up to me telling me they love my shoes and that they like how they tie on. It is a great style both for function and fashion and can be worn for everyday wear as well as running.

It is absolutely possible and encouraged to wear them for trail running although they do not provide the same amount of protection as a conventional closed toe shoe design on a super technical trail. I must say though that the flip side of that for me is that my feet are wonderfully cool in huaraches as opposed to closed toe designs. The Branca leather sandals are curved up to reduce stuff getting between your feet and the sole of the shoe.

For road running in particular these are fantastic! As you can see from the photo below they are flat so ideal for roads. The leather Brancas I have are stoned oil tanned leather and the soles are the original sole design made of 1/8" thick styrene/butadiene rubber mix sole. They now have a Vibrams Newflex Sole option as well that provides more traction.

As you can see from the above two photos that there are two ways to tie the Branca sandals. Around the ankle or on top of the foot are both comfortable tying options depending on my whim of style for that day. Tied at the top of the foot they can be a slip on style.
The laces are wide enough but not too wide. No uncomfortable in between the toe rubbing with these.

So the Brancas have these great grommets on the sides. This is a unique feature. I thought at first that these might rub but I have found that there is nowhere on these sandals that rub me the wrong way. The grommets on the side allow for pulling up the sides for a nice custom fit.

The heel strap on the model I have tried is a black elastic rubber. There is also a leather option. Soft and stretchy rubber heel straps are pretty brilliant! Not too tight and not too loose.
I really like that there is no knot at the bottom.

These weigh in at just a hair over 6 oz. Not a lite shoe but durable. The leather is nice in that it is starting to mold to the shape of my feet which is very comfortable.

Why Branca? This is the link to all the details!

The Branca leather sandals run $74 with free shipping and they also come with a pair of the original sandals of your choice in colors. The price seems pretty standard as far as leather sandals of this style go and I do think that they will last for quite some time.
Check out their webpage for ordering info and the facebook page is great too!

Heart and Sole

2011-08-30T21:18:00.003-05:00

Today I was surprised with a phone call follow up from my cardiologist. I would not have guessed that he would call me himself but call he did and he took the time to answer questions for me as well. He wanted to know what I thought of my visit with the surgeon. Considering that they are colleagues and I didn't want to come across as overly emotional I kept it to the facts instead of that I was freaked out by the surgeon's nonchalant attitude about ripping open my chest and fiddling with my heart. I do not want to have surgery.

As an aside, I had a c-section with my first spawn. While pregnant and then a year after I had him I worked as a waitress at the Country Club that my OBGYN and his partner were members of. I always thought it so fantasticly surreal and down right creepy that I would serve meals to men that had cut me open and felt my guts and then pulled out another human being from the gaping wound....crazyness.

So back to my heart, I let Dr. Chawla know that I did not want to risk surgery considering the conflicting test results and the ability that I have to manage the chest pain through meditation and yoga. I also told him that I have stopped taking all medication except for iron and I feel much much better.

He said to take it slow when I start running again and be aware and cautious of any kind of chest pain while I am running. He didn't see my anomalous artery as an issue to be addressed now but one to just be aware of in case there are future issues of which he didn't think were going to creep up. He said that he didn't think that the chest issues at rest were related to my heart directly and that he thought it was indeed stress. Best of all he said that I should keep doing what I was doing in regards to the yoga, stress reduction, no unnecessary meds, and keep up the meditation. This was just what I wanted to hear!! Good news for me.

Having grown up in a family that revere doctors as royalty I found my conversation comforting on a subconscious level. I felt relieved and reassured by his mellow approach and agreement that I should do what feels right to me. I felt like I could believe what I thought was working because he said it was ok. I have worked hard to think for myself and weigh perspectives instead of blindly trusting the most scary doctor. If I had done that I would be recovering from open heart surgery with a strong likelyhood that it would have been a cover your ass hack job instead of one to address a problem that was shown on the test results. That or I might be dead from complications or a number of very real complications.

It is supposed to be hot the next couple of days so I will wait until the weekend when it cools down again and then I am going to go for a little run. Barefoot of course. I will take it slow and steady. Heart and Sole.

This website is really amazing. It was recommended to me from a couple of my dear readers and for that I thank you :)

sex makes all the difference

2011-08-29T20:32:00.000-05:00

Sex is like a do over button. Its a chance to let all the stress go and reconnect. Its an opportunity to reestablish the bond that holds you together. That annoying thing the other one said earlier just melts away when the rush of Oxytocin takes over your body and you lay together and talk.

These days I have been working constantly to reduce stress. Honesty with a side of humility is the key to this. I have to admit to myself that I am stressed out even if I think I shouldn't be. Next it has to be dealt with. The best way to deal with stress is to talk with someone about it. I talk to my spouse, my husband, my boyfriend, my lover, my muse, my best friend. Yes, one person is all of these for me. That in and of itself can be stressful being someones sounding board so we have sex every day. Yeah it might be too much information for some but I feel like I should share this very important discovery of mine. The discovery that sex and sex often is paramount to my happiness.

Relationships are the hardest thing we will ever do but the benefits, for me anyways, are huge. (hahaha yeah that pun was intended :)
I have been closely watching my chest pain and have found that my chest pain is directly related to the amount of stress I am feeling. Its an indication for me that I have issues to deal with. The silver lining is that I am lucky to have a solid indication that I need to get my shit together and deal with my stress.
The nights that I have been laying in bed wide awake just waiting for the heart attack have been the nights that I have been hostile to Jaymon and not made love to him. I feel the stress and the distance that I put between us as a physical symptom. Any time I feel stress these days I get chest pain and then can mentally turn it down after I deal with the cause of the stress.
Taking care of someone else and working to make them happy and feel good is a sure way to make me happy. This is true in sex as well as just being a caretaker for other human beings.

Besides, who doesn't want to have sex with their favorite person everyday. If not, then maybe one would wonder why that is. It maybe doesn't have to be everyday but why not? I wondered why I didn't like sex and came to the conclusion that I was being short-sided in my attitude and perspective. Now I have decided that its something I need and want even if it seems like a hassle sometimes to make time for it. I make time for some lovin anyways. If I don't my heart will hurt both emotionally and physically. It's all connected.

There are many things I have done to work back to feeling good again and I must say that I have not felt this great in close to a year. I don't need things. I just need time and we have lots of that. Its a barefoot lifestyle. A minimalist lifestyle. No pills, clean diet, spending time with my spawn, meditation, yoga, and sex.
Its a matter of meeting my primal needs as a human being so I can grow and become more that what I am now.

VIVOBAREFOOT Training Clinic site launch!

2011-08-23T17:25:00.001-05:00

The VIVOBAREFOOT Training website has launched! Now you have a dedicated site to learn more about mastering the skill of barefoot running.
On the main page is your link to download Lee Saxby's eBook, Proprioception: Making sense of barefoot running as well as links to find a certified coach in your area.

I was invited by Terra Plana VIVOBAREFOOT to attend the coaching class back in May. I do not sell their shoes, although I like them, and am not paid to choose this coaching system over any other. I like it because it makes sense in that it blends biomechanics with the intuative movement part of the brain to change running form. Through testing it out myself I get how it works and am a better runner for it.

It has been hard work to pass the testing to be certified yet each time I coach I learn more about running and really think that I am making a difference in others running experience. It has been very rewarding.

I have been asked many questions about my experience with VIVOBAREFOOT and my answers have always been positive whether it has been testing their shoes out or the coaching program.

During the coaching program they gave us the tools to analyze running form and the knowledge of how to change it through functional drills and movements all of which are done barefoot. This is a shoe company that gets that running is best learned through barefoot running and when shoes are needed they offer shoes that promote barefoot form as much as a shoe can and work to perfect that quality.

Want to become a coach? There is a list of upcoming dates coming up in the UK!

Go check out the new site and don't forget to follow on facebook and Twitter to keep up to date on the happenings at VIVOBAREFOOT.

VIVOBAREFOOT AW11 Shoot from VIVOBAREFOOT on Vimeo.

diaper head

2011-08-20T06:00:00.001-05:00

His silliness keeps me from going mad. Little Archimedes is still in pull ups.
I don't want to rush him. He won't be in pull ups forever but if he were not so cute I think I would go insane still changing diapers!

I think he could sense my frustration and he decided to make me laugh. His giggling is infectious!

Soft Star Runamocs lite review

2011-08-19T06:00:00.002-05:00

Soft Star RunAmocs Lite

The elves at Soft Star hand make each and every shoe in their workshop in Corvallis Oregon. Its clear that they pay attention to detail and that they will be long lived shoes. I was given the opportunity to try out the Runamoc Lites back in December. Yes I know its taken me forever to write this review.
I feel that my review writing skills and self confidence has grown since then and I am ready to be completely honest about the lovely Runamocs since there are many aspects of them that I adore and others that I do not like and wish that they would change ( which they have actually done in later versions!)

As you can see they are incredibly flexible. They have a zero drop sole that is nice and flat. Its a Vibrams sole of which I have had great experiences with in other shoes. There is a 5mm trail sole option or the 2mm street sole option of which I chose. The trail version has little knobbies for better traction.

They have a fantastic sizing chart and communicate with you as much as needed to get the sizing right for you. Remember they are making your pair of shoes just for you in their workshop! As of today, the pricing is at $87 for the Original Runamoc Lites. To me this seems quite fair if not a little underpriced for a handmade pair of shoes that have formaldehyde free leather and all materials being made her in the USA.

I did see this below quote on the site though to take note of as far as sizing of the Original RunAmocs~

ATTENTION: The RunAmoc Original style tends to fit large/loose. Take your usual shoe size and go down 1/2 to 1 size when ordering - or see our size chart for conversion. The RunAmoc Dash and Moc3 fits the same as your normal shoe size.
I started wearing these when It was quite cold out this past winter. I wasn't sure about choosing the version with the ventilation or the Original Runamocs with the suede to help keep the tootsies warmer. I went with the ventilated style and I found that with wool socks I was warm and dry so I think this is a great option for my feet in the winter.

I am not a big fan of the red. It is fun but just not really my style. I would have prefered a black or brown but really what matters to me is how functional the shoe is and not so much the style. The idea that these were made by hand with much care and love makes up for the color for sure!
The red dye from the shoes did color my baby blue wool socks I was wearing with them. It was clearly stated in the FAQ section of their website but I had forgotten about it in my excitement to give them a shot. It did eventually wash mostly out. As a side note, just wear dark socks with them and no worries!

The Runamocs are very comfortable and have a lovely wide toebox! Just right for a nice full splay of the midfoot.

There is a lace that goes around the ankle and ties in the front. They stay on great and are very comfortable with socks. I am not sure I would would want to wear them without socks but a pair of Injinjis seem just right. I had a bit of discomfort at the ankle bone on the inside of my right ankle that I had to stop and mess with a few times before I got the tension right on that foot but it was not a flaw of the shoe just needed to work through the tension of the lacing.

So these shoes are overall great. They have a wide toe box, zero drop, nice ventilation, they stay on well, and are relatively lite in weight. What else is there you might ask......the company.
They have over 25 years designing shoes for the whole family. The childrens shoes are adorable and promote the natural growth and strengthening of little feet.

"We also believe our environment and community are important. That's why Soft Star has earned the 'We Conserve' stamp of approval. We also fully supported Cassidy's efforts in helping the people of Sudan through Kids for Kids. It's a wonderful cause and we feel honored to have been part of her project. Soft Star also gives to Waldorf and Montessori schools through our back-to-school discounts and promotions. We also donate thousands of dollars worth of Soft Star products to Le Leche League chapters around the country every year."

This is taken from their website and being a homeshool family I very much like that they support Waldorf and Montessori schools and I also have been a long time Le Leche League member and have placed great value and pride in nourishing my boys from my own body so thank you Soft Star for your efforts! Well done!

Not only do SoftStar make great shoes but they are a great company overall. I love when I can get behind the whole company and not just like their shoes. Definitely go check them out. The new Dash version looks pretty sweet!

Here is the link to Running and Rambling blog recap of Tahoe Rim Trail. Donald ran 100 miles in his RunAmocs!

jaded but determined

2011-08-18T12:17:00.000-05:00

Last night we walked across the viaduct with three of the four spawn. They love to go for walks after dark and the state fair is going on just down the road. As we were walking I thought that what if I did die right now. What would that mean. I have made a difference in this world in my own way. I have had four amazing sons that will in turn make their impact. I am happy. This reduces so much stress that I can let go and think clearly with a smile.

I know I am young and healthy but really we all go someday but I don't want to be afraid of death every day. I have been a slave to my fear for so long. Stress spirals and is consuming and when my chest aches every day its hard to keep from going down that path.

None of this is easy but if it were easy it may not have the grand profundity that my moments seem to have often these days. I am thinking of getting a heart rate monitor and at some point running long and slow. Evaluating, thinking, listening to my body and letting it heal. I am not going to start back up to running until the first of September and even then I will evaluate how I feel and go from there. That's part of the whole barefoot outlook. We have the tools and feedback. Our bodies.

I was prepared yesterday to be toyed with by the surgeon. No, not through surgery but through politics. I have had many tests done on my heart. The stress test showed stress on my left side of my heart and only at the low end of normal. My CT scans showed a right artery that is placed a bit abnormally but none of the tests showed that there was compression on this right artery.
The surgeon sees that artery as a problem and wants to do open heart surgery to move the origin of that artery because he thinks its getting compressed although the tests do not show this. He also said that since I am getting older.....yeah, I'm a marathoner and 34.....that my artery was hardening and that is the reason that this has only developed over the last 6 months. He avoided my questions about more testing and what the tests were called.
He did not ask about my running. He is used to older sedentary people with heart issues. I am outside their norm and healthy.

I have experience with surgeons. My experience has been that they are great at surgery and what is broken but just crap at when things are normal or even just a little off. They don't want to wait and see. I get that its a liability thing however liability cannot be blamed for this whole outlook.

I was scared and went to the doctor to find out what's up with my ticker. I had the tests done and took a good hard look at what I was doing in regards to my own health. There are tests and then there is me. I am inside my own body and I need to stop being afraid of it. I was reassured by the tests that my heart has no blockages and it looks healthy. Now I need to work on my stress coping and conscious relaxation.
This is not to say that I am not keeping my mind open to answers thinking that I have found "the one" but I have found some confidence through acceptance. Waiting and relaxing seems my best option right now. Making friends with my fears and breathing is my medicine for now.

Merrell Pure Glove Review

2011-08-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

Women's Merrell Barefoot Pure Glove

Merrell has a large line of minimal shoes and I have tried a few of them. My favorite is the Mary Jane style Pure Glove. It is made from the same last as the other models in the barefoot glove line. So same basic fit with different uppers.

I would prefer that the sole were flat. I think that in comparison with VIVOBAREFOOT's Kali   the Kali has a fantastic sole and the Pure Glove have the better upper. So if the two had babies it would be a perfect sweet little Mary Jane shoe. This is what I think is so great about the Kigo Flits. They just need the velcro closure of the Merrells.....I am getting ahead of myself.

The Pure gloves weighed in at 5 and 3/4 oz on my kitchen scale.   They fit is true to size. I am a solid 10.5 and these fit great in both width and length. They are nice and wide and allow for natural splay of my midfoot and toes.

They are zero drop which is great however there are 4mm midsole EVA cushions which I think is unnecessary although it seems to have broken down pretty quickly.
There is also a 1mm rocker plate at the forefoot that I don't like the feel of either but it is a slight difference and may not be noticeable to others. I can feel the tread and EVA and plate under my toes however less so off road.

The traction of the Pure Glove is pretty great. I can wear these anywhere. Vibrams and Merrell have been working together for years. Vibrams soles are on all of the "barefoot collection". They remind me of my VFF KSO Treks. This is great for off road but walking around the city its a bit annoying however not uncomfortable just left wanting. That's the tradeoff with multi purpose shoes. Its not perfect anywhere but great everywhere. They seem to be made quite well and I predict a long life of these shoes.

Where the Pure Gloves really shine is the upper. They have this fantastic stretchy fabric edge around the ankle. It is soft and yet keeps the shoe from moving around on your foot. The heel tab is also comfortable and does not rub the wrong way. The inside is soft and smooth with zero seam rubbing.
I think that the heel seat is a bit narrow. It fits well on my foot but I do have long skinny feet so it may be an issue for others with wider feet.

I did find that there was a time of breaking in my feet where the strap crosses my foot. It is a velcro closure so it has plenty of tension possibilities it was a matter of finding what was comfortable and getting used to the feel.

One of my issues with the Pace Glove in the Barefoot Collection (running shoe) is that the arch area of the shoe sucks up against my arch and drives me batty. Its not an arch support however it is uncomfortable and nearly impossible for me to forget about. The Pure Glove is made from the same last so they too have this arch area however with the width and adjust-ability of the velcro they are not an issue for me at all. So if you too had issues with the Pace Gloves for this reason I would imagine that you would like the Pure gloves much better in this regard.

They are quite flexible and much less substantial than what they look like in the photos. This has been my experience with all minimal shoes so far though. They always look bigger in the photos.

They are quite attractive shoes and I wear them with everything and will wear them with cute socks in the fall. They have many colors available to choose from so you can have a natural foot movement and fashion at the same time. They are not my favorite minimal Mary Jane but I do like them well enough.

Here are the bullet points from the website

UPPER/LINING
• Lycra fabric and synthetic leather upper
• Hook and loop strap provides a precise and secure fit
• Non-removable microfiber footbed treated with Aegis® antimicrobial solution resists odor

MIDSOLE/OUTSOLE
• 4mm compression molded EVA midsole cushions
• 1mm forefoot shock absorption plate maintains forefoot flexibility and protects the foot by distributing pressure
• 0mm ball to heel drop keeps you connected to your terrain
• Wash as needed in cold water, gentle cycle and air dry
• Vibram® Trail Glove Sole/Rubber Compound TC-1

Women’s Weight: 4.4 ozs/124.8 gm (1/2 pair)

Hugs

2011-08-16T19:29:00.001-05:00

Hug like Michelle Obama.
Hug like you mean it.
Hug with your hips in, face in their neck and wrap your arms all the way around and squeeze.
Make the other person grunt when you squeeze if you have to. It will make them giggle. Just hope they don't fart a bit.
I remember when I was little my mom used to sing the Paul Simon song Loves Me Like a Rock.
When my little spawn ask for a hug I get down on my knees to hug them.

To all of you that have sent me well wishes and sent good vibes my way, thank you! I really appreciate it. I do. I have made many lovely friends through this whole blogging gig and am better for it.
Consider yourself hugged :)

Tomorrow I go to another doctor to ask more questions. I am very happy to report that through yoga and relaxation techniques I am able to reduce and even get rid of the angina. Its tough and wears me out to work so hard at changing my mind but it is helping and I don't feel so lost.

I don't know that this is the end of this heart thing but I am hopeful that I can get it figured out.
Lots of shoe reviews to get caught up on in the mean time.

Oh and Ladies, have your iron checked! Been feeling sluggish lately? It's just a blood test. No big deal but have it checked especially if you run. Check out Iris's post about it.
Cheers,
Angie

Not running for now

2011-08-15T17:05:00.000-05:00

I just deleted a big old boring recap of this year so far instead deciding to curb my crappy attitude and remember that I am working on my stress reduction.   I have not been running much at all and it bums me out.

The chest pain has been going on since late January. I had been treating it like an ulcer however after having a stress test done and finding that there were issues with my heart the onslaught of tests began.   One test revealed that I have a wonky artery that is a bit different than what normal is however they were not sure that this artery's placement was a problem. The tests so far have not shown that there was any restriction of blood flow through my anomaly. My heart looks fabulous from the results. No plaque, no cots, not damage. The only one that was disconcerting was the stress test and it doesn't match up with the others nor give any answers as to why my chest hurts.
Now I am scheduled to talk with a surgeon on Wednesday and was told about another stress test to try when I was speaking with the nurse practitioner on Friday when she was going over my list of test results. I am talking with the surgeon because my cardiologist suggested I get his perspective as well.

Basically they don't know why I am having chest pain. I am famous in the Iowa Heart Center. I am all the buzz. Fitting for this bee.   They all seem to have a theory and can't agree and don't know. So for now I am taking a very small dose of beta blocker and stopped taking just about everything else.

Through some introspection and my dear husband helping me figure this out I discovered that I have become a damn pill popper. This is pretty typical behavior but not what I want to be. Benadryl at night to sleep. An anti-anxiety pill for just in case I feel a panic attack coming on, ect.   How was I ever going to figure out the issue if I had all of these variables. I didn't know that Benadryl is a vasoconstrictor. I didn't know it and was taking two every day. I didn't know because I didn't bother to read up on what I was taking. So I have stopped taking most of what I was taking. Crutches that allowed me to stay the same.

The night before last I lay awake reading an entire book while I struggled with chest pain that radiated through my left arm and into my neck. The more I lay there the more it hurt. If I were to go to the hospital they would inevitably tell me I am fine and give me some pills just in case. Last night I was able to sleep more. I still woke in the middle of the night not able to turn off all the thoughts but I didn't have insomnia like the night before.

   Yesterday I discovered through my brilliant superhero husband's suggestion that I try and consciously relax the pain in my chest. I have practiced conscious relaxation before but its been a while. Its hard to be still. I was feeling so stressed that it was difficult to quiet my mind without wanting to break down but after a while I let it work. I did let it work and have been practicing and doing some yoga since.

I still have a bit of chest pain and it seems to get worse when I eat but I can control it for the most part. I don't know when I will try running again but I have accepted that this year is going to have to be a chill out year.   No New York City barefoot run trip. No Des Moines Marathon and maybe very little more running.

I must say that this limitation has made me really appreciate running.   Its one of our theories that long slow long distance running might help at some point and thats just fine with me.

We are homeschooling all four of the spawn this year and I am really excited about working with Milo and Medes and having more freedom to keep Jupiter in the programs that are working for him. Life is good. I am off to go do some relaxation and breathing and maybe some lite yoga.

Cheers,
AngieBee