LA (Part 4): Playing Tourist

With my running and blogger meet-up fun over (read about it in Part 1, 2 & 3), I had just one thing left to do on my LA bucketlist: tourist time! :P

After lunch with my friend Dave and a Patriots win (WWOOO!!!), I headed to the Metro to make my way to the Walk of Fame and Chinese Theatre. Dave gave me step by step directions so I wouldn't get lost. Purple line to Red line to Hollywood-Highland.

I emerged on to exactly what I expected LA to look like --- tourists, sun, celebrity impersonators and Starbucks.

Yes, I had to drink Starbucks. There are no Dunkins in LA and I had been up since 5am so caffeine was necessity. Since I never go to Starbucks, I had to text my wife for instructions on how and what to order. ;)

After getting some caffeination, it was time to hit the Walk of Fame.

I have no idea who Taylor Holmes is, but had to take the pic based on the last name. Hmmm this might be him! Thanks IMDB.

It was so surreal to really be in LA. I just wish my wife was there to enjoy it with me. Sightseeing wasn't as much fun without her. Plus I was by myself so making comments to myself wasn't as exciting either.

The Chinese Theatre was cool ... and of course I had to go around and put my feet in celebrity footprints.

Pretty sweet to see up close and personal.

There was even Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.

I wanted to take a pic with Shrek, but alas there was no one around me to help. And I wasn't about to pay a celebrity impersonator to snap one. :P

I wasn't really sure what was around the area to check out (I am a bad tourist)! So I just wandered up and down Hollywood Boulevard checking out the stars, the shops and the people.

I was also soaking up as much sun as possible since I knew it was cold and overcast back in Boston.

As I was walking back towards the Metro, a sign caught my attention on my right side.

There it was in the distance - THE Hollywood sign.

Now I didn't have time go go climb up and take a picture with it so catching it from a distance would have to do this trip.

By this time, it was approaching 3pm and I was getting beat. Thankfully my teammate Ray was able to pick me up a couple Metro stops down and give me a lift back to his place.

At that point, it was nap time. I was getting drained. Plus this whole time I was sick so my body was ready for some RnR. He had a family event to go to so I chilled until I had dinner with my girl May (from ReducedFatGirl.com) at Blue Dog Beer Tavern. It was great to have some one-on-one time to catch up (since this weekend was the first time we got to meet up in real life) and share some beer. Mmmm local craft beer...

After Mae dropped me back at Ray's house, it was time to hit the couch. I was pooped and would be spending the next day traveling back to Boston. A long cross-country adventure.

I flew from Burbank to San Francisco and San Francisco to Boston. I was taking off from Burbank at 1:20pm and arriving in Boston at 1:00am (the next day). Oy! Thankfully we were able to make up some time and I landed at 12:20am-ish.

But the flight from SF to Boston was nearly empty so I moved myself around until I was able to get a complete row to myself. Hello legroom!!

I then paid the $8 to United to get the unlimited TV access. TOTALLY worth it for a 5+ hour flight, right? I watched The Heat, Hangover 3, Monsters University, Diners, DriveIns and Dives and so much more. But my favorite? The first episode of my cousin's show of course - The Pete Holmes Show on TBS (weeknights at Midnight ET).

How cool is it to see someone you know/related to on TV?

***

There is so much more of LA I wish I could've seen - like hello a beach!! - but for the limited time I was there, it was amazing. I was able to see some amazing sights, soak up some sun, enjoy some local craft beer, run some miles and meet some of the most awesome people on the planet.

What more could one ask for in a less than 65 hour trip to the opposite coast? ;)

LA (Part 3): I rocked it & I rolled it!

Did I really run two 10ks the day before the Rock 'n' Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon? Yes yes I did.

I woke up Sunday (October 27) morning with the realization that I was actually in LA to run that amazing Half Marathon. Ha!

I had such an amazing time between the Expo/Blogger Meetup and the Haunted Trails of the Night 10k that I couldn't wait for the Half.

***

I bound off the couch before the 5am wakeup call that morning. I was ready to go. I am always worried that if I hit snooze I will sleep through the race so I make sure to keep that little extra pep in my step in those moments. :)

Thankfully I always lay out flat Dani the night before so getting ready was easy. Ray, my teammate, wasn't running, but offered to drive me to my friend Andrea's place so she and I could drive to the race together.

Yay not having to take the Metro by myself.

It was great to catch up more with Andrea (a fellow Weight Watchers Leader) while driving to the race. We are both early birds and like to get to races with time to spare.

Since we left the place she was staying right on time and she found a "secret" parking garage for the race, we were there with plenty of time to spare. It was perfect really.

She ended up parking under the LA Convention Center (where the expo was) so I actually knew where we were. Yay! We exited the Convention Center and a block later we bumped into the Starting Line (on our right)

... and the post-party stage/party area (on our left)!

Talk about convenient.

Before Andrea and I parted ways, we ran into my Got Chocolate Milk #TeamRefuel running mate Jeremy.

Thanks for the pic Jeremy!

It was soooo nice to finally meet Jeremy after interacting together so much on social media!!

I bid Andrea and Jeremy adieu as I headed to find the Rock 'n' Roll VIP tent. I can't thank Got Chocolate Milk enough for the access to the VIP area before the races. Wicked nice to have special bag check and bathrooms.

Thank you to the Farms of Beverly Hills at LA Live for opening a portion of their website to this VIP area. I even got to take a pre-race selfie! Phew! :P

I was even able to charge my phone so I would be able to take it on the course with me.

Before I knew it it was creeping up on 7:30am (Start time) and I headed out to Corral 3. I was searching along the way for friends running, but didn't notice any of them. The course would be two different loops/out-and-backs so I hoped to run into everyone I knew along the way ... literally!

I made it to Corral 3 with minutes to spare.

I love taking in the atmosphere at races especially the pre-race vibes. You see some people that are totally calm, some that are nervous, some that are making last minute adjustments to their playlists and on this day people fixing their costumes. Yes, since this was October 27 many people we rocking some pretty sweet costumes out on the course.

I was too wrapped up in the people watching to realize it was our Corrals turn to hit the pavement.

Before the race started, I knew I wasn't going to PR so my goal was to have as much fun as possible and enjoy the race. Especially since I had run just under 13 miles the day before.

The first few miles felt effortless which made me think I was probably running at a pace slower than race pace. I was sticking with the 1:45 pace group for awhile and thought if I stuck with them great - if not, I'd be okay.

I promptly lost that group in the late Mile 2/early Mile 3 because I started taking pictures. What was I taking pictures of? The LA Coliseum. The. LA. Freakin'. Coliseum.

I was going to take FULL advantage of this experience.

Go ND! :P

Heelloooo fog!!

And there was no way I was making it out of the Coliseum without taking a pic of the Olympic rings.

Soooo freakin' cooooolll!!!

It was the happiest 10 min/mile pace I've ever had. :P

After leaving the Coliseum, I actually noticed Doctor Dribble out on the course. He dribbles two basketballs while running half marathons and marathons. A-freakin-mazing.

Can you tell I was enjoying the run? We weren't even four miles into the race yet and there was so much excitement.

Once we left the coliseum, folks were coming towards us for their loop around the stadium. I peered through the crowd looking for any familiar faces, but unfortunately didn't see any of my peeps. Darn! But there were a ton of amazing costumes out there so I was still entertained.

There was also a Mini-Marathon race going on alongside the half. Folks were running and walking 3.55 miles. It was great seeing those folks costumes, but I was slightly jealous as we passed the six-mile mark and those peeps were heading to the Finish and we had to keep going. ;)

But, I pulled up my big girl shorts and kept putting one foot in front of the other. My legs were feeling pretty good despite all the running and walking I'd done the day before.

There was a slight incline as we headed through the Financial District, which woke my legs up from the night before. You may remember those hills during the trail run - yikes! But, I channeled my Spinning training and powered up. As we approached the hilly bridge at Mile 9/10, we entered a tunnel first with a DJ and lights.

I took pictures and video in the tunnel of the wheelchair races and elite athletes zooming past us, but they came out a blurry mess. I should've stopped to shoot them rather than snap on the go. Next time.

But it was wicked cool to see those speedy guys zooming past and looking as if they hadn't even broken a sweat. The wheelchair athletes as well are such amazing inspirations. I couldn't stop cheering and yelling for all of them. Just one of the reasons I love out-and-back type courses.

The bridge - and it's subsequent incline - seemed to last from about Mile 9 through mid-part of Mile 10.

Can you see how foggy the whole race was?

There was a water station and band stationed at the top of the bridge and it was just what I needed as my legs were starting to feel the hill workout they had done the night before.

I hit Mile 10 and my legs felt like lead. I tried to remind them (and yes I talk to my body parts) and let them know that the inclines were over. As I enjoyed the downhill off the bridge, the friends I know and love started popping up all over the course. I was able to cheer for all the familiar faces I know and love. I threw up high-fives when possible, big arm waves in other instances and air kisses to anyone that wanted them.

My smile got bigger and bigger as I passed familiar faces. Have I mentioned I love the out-and-back course? ;)

Every time I saw a familiar face I got a little pep in my step.

I knew I had less than a 5k to go and I was ready to give it my all, while still trying to take pictures and tweet. Yes I was attempting to tweet and run at the same time.

We re-entered the bridge from before and I was met with a homeless person pushing a shopping cart. He was pushing the cart and trying to race the other runners. It was an enjoyable site for sure.

Sorry for the blurry pic, but again a result of running and snapping at the same time.

As I approached Mile 12, I thought it was the perfect chance to snap an in-race photo to share on Twitter and Facebook.

So on my phone screen this picture didn't look as frightening as it did on the computer. :P Can you tell how excited I was to be running ... and almost done? ;)

Once we passed that 12-Mile Mark, it was a straight shot to the Finish and I was ready. I love seeing the Finish Line in sight and giving everything you have to reach it as quickly as possible. Even if your mind is moving faster than your legs. ;)

See ya Mile 13, I'm Finish Line bound.

And there it was. Half Marathon #14 was in the books. I got my water, my medal and was off to stock up on my low-fat chocolate milk.

How cool is the Finisher's Medal?

If there's one thing RnR knows how to do, it's medals!!

I was proud to post a 1:53:19 - very respectable for me/the conditions. I never thought I would expect myself - even with stops, pictures, etc - to post a sub 2-hour Half. Oh how times change ... and I love it!

And as always, I pay the $20 to get my medal engraved on-site. I would never want to get all the way home to have someone engrave my medal only to mess up my name or time. If they mess up on-site, they have a box of medals to replace it! :0)

After chatting with social media friend/blog reader Curt from TherapyRunner at the medal engravement, it was time to head back to the VIP area and meet up with my Team Refuel running mates. :)

Gotta love a mimosa post-race, right?

I had a great time chatting with running mates post-race, especially Jeremy and Paul.

After soaking up some final minutes of free food, it was time to head out and meet up with my friend Dave for beer, brunch and Patriots football.

I wish the race had less fog, but I guess I should expect that in Cali, right? The race was well organized, had great cheerleaders and spectators along the course and was a blast overall.

***

Have you ever run Rock 'n' Roll Los Angeles Half?

Haunted Trails Of The Night 10k

Soooo have you ever signed up for a race and didn't realize it was happening? Oh no? Is that not normal?

Well it has happened to be more than once ... and on one Saturday night (October 26) in LA it was no different.

Let me back it on up.

As we may remember when I left us off on Part 1 of my LA trip, I was in California to run the Rock 'n' Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon and meet some amazing social media friends.

Once we left the meetup, we headed back to my teammate's house to change and head to his brother's house. He had told me about the 5k his brother was racing that night. Ohhh hello race. My ears perked up. We chatted that morning that if they had an extra entry that I would be fact be interested in running.

Shocking I know. :P

As we headed to his brother's house to play with some puppies before heading to the run, I figured a free extra entry had limited chance of happening so I wore what I wore to the expo to his brother's house. It would be cool to cheer his bro on. I love spectating races.

While in the car, his brother let us know that it was a 10k. Oh cool cool.

We get to Paramount Ranch, where they apparently film shows/movies. Sure.

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As we walk onto the lot, BOOM! There is Linzie from SeeSharpRun! Whhaa?? He had told me he was running a race that night, but what are the odds he would be at this specific one. Well, turns out he is an ambassador for the race series. Hollah!

Ray (my teammate) asks the race director Keira if she possibly has an extra space for me - the girl that has come all the way from Boston. And generously Keira said Yes.

Wow!

So there it was. After running a 10k training run that morning, it was time for my second 10k of the day. Bring it!

Sweet swag and Finisher's Medal!!!

I was ill prepared clothing wise, but thankfully had my Got Chocolate Milk #TeamReful racing t-shirt on and my regular running shoes. The two-sizes too big Lululemon yoga pants would have to work. :P

This race was also (if you couldn't tell by the name) being held at night and I did not carry a headlamp in my pocketbook. (Note to self: carry headlamp at all times) The rule was you had to have some sort of light with your person so out came my trusty iPhone Flashlight app. Yup, laugh away folks. ;)

Now the group offered me some little flashlights, but thankfully Linzie had the best headlamp ever invented so I decided that he would be stuck with me the whole race. What? We had met a few hours earlier that day so we were ready to become BFFs.

I have done three local trail runs here in Boston that aren't as intense trails as I would experience at this race and they were in the daylight.

Who doesn't love a new challenge right?

Here is how the site described the event:

Runners of all levels and abilities are given the chance to practice and experience trail running in the night. This race will be a fun and very safe event, and all the while everyone will be able to enjoy the spirit and festivities of the Fall season.

Join us for two 3.1 mile loops of runnable non technical single track trails. This course is a fairly easy course with very little hills or climbing. Witness the trails of the night become illuminated by glow sticks, goblins, and loads of fun! Stay after the race for a haunted post race party in the historic old ghost town of Paramount Ranch. This is a Trail Race that should not be missed!

Thankfully Linzie agreed to stick with me during the race so we lined up together and were ready for the two 3.1 mile loops. Keira let us know that there would be volunteers and glowsticks along the course letting us know where to go.

Oh! And since it was a Halloween themed events there would be spooks and ghouls along the course. Umm yay?

The horn sounded, we headed out and I started my Runkeeper. Oh yeah, I forgot the Garmin at the house. (Note to self: ALWAYS carry Garmin in my pocketbook)

Right off the bat I knew this would be challenging. Again wicked thankful that Linzie had his "it looks like noon on a Sunday" headlamp on because my flashlight app wasn't cutting it.

First incline in I knew I was in for a long race. Being sick didn't help with my breathing. Oh boy! I sounded ROUGH, but knew physically I could make it through.

Linzie was on my page. This race wasn't about time, but about conquering the feat AND making it through injury free. We both had that pesky half marathon in the morning. ;)

Let me tell you it is tough running at night (I rarely do it!) and I felt okay slowing down to avoid injury.

I tried to enjoy and soak up the experience as much as possible. It was great to chat with Linzie the whole time about running, the Boston Marathon, blogging, Run Disney, life, etc. We are both doing the Dopey Challenge so it was nice to commiserate on our craziness together.

And I loved that as we approached a steep incline Linzie would say: "Endurance training baby! Endurance training!"

Ummm ... yay! :P But it was exactly what I needed to hear.

I, again, am a newbie trail runner and I thought to myself how are we not done with one loop yet? We finally emerged to the Start to stop for water and start the next loop. My breathing was so labored due to being sick I thought about stopping. Then I caught a glimpse of the medal out of my right eye.

Oohhh no I will NOT NOT get one of those babies. (that enough nots?)

I grabbed a quick sip of water and we were off again.

Now, I thought the second loop would be harder than the first, but it really wasn't. I knew it would be rough, but I was okay with walking.

There were a few inclines where we had to walk up to catch our breathe and I said: "This is ALL counting towards my 1,000 miles run in 2013." Thankfully Linzie agreed. ;)

The terrain was uneven (as one would expect) and there were some turns where I started to slip slightly down the hill due to lose gravel, but with the help of the headlamp we were able to recover.

I wish I could better articulate the elevation we traveled. I unfortunately couldn't snap any pictures since well - it was pitch black out.

As we moved/ran/walked/hustled/chatted through that second loop, a sense of sheer joy came over me. I was going to do it. I was going to accomplish 2 10ks in one day. Damn pride came over my whole body. I would never have thought a few years ago that I would look forward to doing something like that.

We realized we were just 1/2 a mile from the Finish and it was time to kick it up. We wanted to finish strong and finish strong we did.

We came out of the trails and back to the main Barn area...

... and I was given my medal by the cutest little Star Trek character of them all. I wish I had gotten a picture of him. He was probably 5 or 6 and just the cutest thing ever.

I am beyond thankful for Linzie. I wouldn't have completed the race or had half as much fun without him. It is funny to meet someone you have chatted with online in person and you just hit it off. I felt that way with him.

The race was really well run, the course was easy to follow, the volunteers were excellent and the ghosts/ghouls along the course were definitely scary. I can admit I screeched more than once along the way.

And the post-race party/spread was amazing. These trail runners know how to snack ... and I like it. :)

My Runkeeper also did a really great job tracking the race since I was out in the hills.

I officially finished in 1:20:54 - good for 34th overall out of 69.

I can't thank Keira enough for this opportunity. It was truly life-changing.

If you are in the LA area, please please please check out on of Keira's trail races. The group was so welcoming to this clear outsider and I had a great time!!

***

Have you ever taken part in an impromptu race? Are you a trail runner?

LA (Part 1): The Expo and THE Meetup

Did you all know I went to Los Angeles for a weekend, October 25-27? Oh you didn't. Wow! I should've talked about it a little bit more. ;)

Ahhh I crack myself up. Thank goodness I make someone laugh.

Anywho, I digress...

I headed to LA on Friday, October 25 to run the Rock 'n' Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon with Got Chocolate Milk's Team Refuel and meet some of my favorite west coast bloggers/Weight Watchers/social media friends!!

dani-rnrla-meetup

Excitement is an understatement for how I was feeling! :P

Thankfully I had a nice pre-flight beer (as one does) before heading from Boston to Denver and Denver to Burbank.

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Anyone who has to fly through Logan should hit up Boston Beer Works - drink local! :)

2013-10-25 21.01.10

I bought these in Denver airport based solely on the name!

Thankfully my flights were pretty uneventful, which is exactly how I like it. I was staying with a Team Refuel running mate, who actually arrived just as I walked out the airport. Hello timing!

Since I was on East Coast time, I hit the couch early so I could get up early and knock out a little 10k in the morning before the trek to the Expo/meet up! :P

Thankfully my running mate gave me great directions to a nearby bike path so I had a great out-and-back planned. It was gorgeous weather. Everyone I passed was in long-sleeved t-shirts and pants, but since again I was coming from East Coast weather (low 40s) I was in a tank top and capris. :P

2013-10-26 10.59.43

It was tough with my sickness that was still going strong, but I felt good at the end of the run. I tried to keep a nice pace as I had the Half the next day.

Once I finished I was on the look for chocolate milk and after three stores it was a success! :)

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I even spotted some cool cars along the way.

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After breakfast and a shower, it was time to take the Metro to the Expo! Woo! I love picking up a race bib. :) Dork I know.

The RnR Expo was held at the LA Convention Center so about a 25-30 minute train ride. It was totally worth it to not have to rent a car. Hello travel on a budget. :)

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Thanks to Ray for acting as my paparazzi. :P

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Spooky! ;)

The RnR expos tend to be nice and organized, which was also true at RnR LA. It was easy to pick up my number, get my t-shirt and get my swag bag. They switched up the bags this time (made 'em orange), which is nice since I have six of the same one. ;)

I made up to hit up the Got Chocolate Milk booth first and get my chocolate milk mustache on.

2013-10-28 11.25.44

Once this picture was snapped, it was time to check out the rest of the Expo ... which was surprisingly tiny. I thought there would've been more vendors there in such a big city, but it was pretty limited.

As I was on my second loop around the Expo (just in case I missed any sales), I ran into three of my favorite West Coast bloggers: Brian from PavementRunner.com, Linzie from SeeSharpRun and Andrea from RenewedMeHealth.com! YAY!! It was my first time meeting all three so of course we chatted then immediately made this awesome photo happen.

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Amazing, right?

I bid those fine folks adieu, but not for long. I was only heading to Yard House early to make sure we could get a table big enough for everyone that would be attending my #RNRLA meetup. I had no idea how many folks would actually show up, but I hoped it would be everyone I had hoped to see. :) The folks at Yard House were amazing and hooked us up with a great table with plenty of seating in an easy to spot location from the door.

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It was funny how nervous I was feeling to meet some of my favorite social media folks. It was like a first date. I just hoped - and expected - everyone to be as awesome in real life as are online ... and they were!! YAY!!

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Thank you Pavement Runner for this great group shot!

Do you want to know the fantastic folks I got to share tweets, instagram photos, laughs, smiles and beers with? Of course you do!!

We had the phenomenal:

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@PavementRunner and @RunningHutch - running and fitness gurus

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@EpicBeerGirl - a fellow craft beer lover

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@ReNewedMe - fellow WW Leader & Shedder of 170 lbs

mae

@ReducedFatGirl - WW Success Story & Shedder of 135 lbs

Unfortunately I didn't get to grab an individual picture with Gillian (@GillianBCN) or Linzie (@SeeSharpRun), but she is still awesome and he will make a big appearance in Part 2 of the LA trip!! :)

The conversation flowed as if I have known these folks IRL (In Real Life) for ages and it felt natural. It was an amazing opportunity that I am so thankful for. We talked about families, running, Weight Watchers, life, etc.

Now when I read these folks blog posts or tweets, I can actually read them in their own voices. Am I the only person that does that? :P

Thank you Yard House and thanks to all these folks for coming out and taking a couple hours away from their time in the Sun to join me for a beer ... Ummm carbo loading? ;)

After lots of hugs and goodbyes, it was time to snap one more fun pic with Brian.

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Pretty typical! Thanks for this shot Brian! :)

We wished each other luck in the race tomorrow (for those running) and it was time to get back to the Metro and head back to the house to change for the evening activities (which will be in a blog post of its own)...

... but now before passing this landmark. Oh hey Staples Center!

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And Gooooo Celtics! :P

I'll catch you all at the next installment of the LA Adventures ... that impromptu Night Trail 10k with Linzie of SeeSharpRun!

***

Do you love race expos? Have you set up a blogger meet-up before?

Dani Dishes 11-4-13

On this episode of Dani Dishes, I'm giving a little overall life update: health, weight loss perspective, blogging, upcoming Weight Watchers photo shoot/trip to NYC and more!! :)

Dani Dishes 10-28-13

This episode of Dani Dishes takes place in Los Angeles and recaps an amazing weekend of fun, friends, beer, running and sun!!  

Going Going Back Back 2 Cali Cali

I'll give everyone a minute to finish up singing/dancing to the title of this post. Oh you know I busted a move while I wrote it. :)

dance

That is totally me in the middle!

Anywho, what we were talking about?

Yes yes Cali.

So this afternoon I am off to Los Angeles. Woo! This will be my first time to LA.

When I go to LA I will just see celebrities everywhere and become BFF with them, right? Oh is that just on TV? Ah. Gotcha.

I lived in San Francisco for about 10 months in 2007 while I was working for the Giants. I visited San Diego with the team, but haven't been back in Cali since 2011.

I am heading to sunny warmer brighter California (sorry chilly Boston) for the Rock 'n' Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon which is on Sunday, October 27.

I will once again be reppin' my Got Chocolate MilkTeam Refuel orange/black singlet, orange Sparkly Soul headband, "gunmetal" Sparkle Athletic skirt and orange Zensah compression sleeves & sports bra.

run

Still love this pic from Mission Meltdown from RnR Philly

I thought about dressing up in costume since it is so close to Halloween, but am saving all my costume funds for the Dopey Challenge in January. ;)

I am wicked excited to hit up the West Coast and hopefully meet some social media friends/blog readers/fellow runners/Team Refuel running mates/Weight Watchers friends. I am planning on being at the Yard House near the RnR LA Expo (at LA Convention Center) at 1pm on Saturday.

dani-rnrla-meetup (1)

Sooo if you are in the area please try and stop by! I would love to see as many people as possible. :)

I'm not sure how much of LA I will really see since I am not renting a car, but I'm sure running the half marathon will give me a glimpse into it.

Plus I will really just be soaking up the nice weather. :P

***

Many people have asked me how I am able to race/travel so much - frugality my friends.

Thanks to this blog and my Team Refuel sponsorship I have been awarded many complimentary race entries which I am truly truly honored and so thankful for. I would not be able to participate in some of the best local and national races without these honors.

But when it comes to travel and housing that is all me. I don't get any help/sponsorship for those so I use frequent flier miles to fly or I will ask my parents for a flight somewhere in place of a Christmas present. If it is a race in the Northeast, I have been able to get decent train tickets thanks to Amtrak or Bolt Bus. It isn't the quickest way to travel necessarily, but it is cost-effective. :)

For housing, I have been relying on the kindness of friends, family and teammates for a guest bed or a couch. A couch isn't the comfiest thing to sleep on the night before a race, but I will take it.

I try to also pick races that could become a racecation. If we are doing our one big vacation for the year, I will try to hook a race to it. For example, Disney in 2013 and 2014 have been our big splurges. Thankfully the wife goes along with that plan as well. ;)

tori-me

But racing is expensive so if anyone has ideas of ways to get sponsorship or help with travel/lodging please let me know!!

For now, I will start packing for LA and be thankful I have a nice teammate in Ray who is letting me crash on his couch this weekend!

***

Have you been to LA? Running RnR LA? Do you travel for races?

Activelink vs. Fitbit: My Two Cents

Activelink vs. Fitbit

Activelink vs. Fitbit

SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY!

Catch Activelink vs. Fitbit in the ring!!

***

I've had quite a few Weight Watchers members asking me to weigh-in on the epic, world shattering debate to which is better: Activelink vs. Fitbit.

Okay, maybe it isn't a world shattering debate. I mean it hasn't made it to prime time TV yet ... but there is still time. ;)

For those that don't know. I am a Weight Watchers Leader in Boston after shedding 64 lbs with Weight Watchers. Luckily, Boston actually got to be the testing ground for Activelink so I have been using my little personal trainer (as I like to call it "AL") since June 2012.

My wife surprised me this past birthday (aka September 16) with a Fitbit. I hadn't really been asking for one, but I love a good toy. :P

As I started posting pictured displaying both of my little tracking gadgets, folks started asking which I liked better.

We can say I really feel that ALL of my movement is being tracked now. ;) I can tell you that BOTH devices certainly motivate me to get up and move when I really don't want to so thankfully both have the accountability factor, which we are all looking for!

To be 100% honest (not that I am ever anything less than that with all of you), but in the epic debate of Activelink vs. Fitbit I will always choose Activelink as the winner.

Why?

Not for the reason you think: Because I work for the company. Nope. My thoughts on this blog are 100% my own and are never influenced by who I work for. I will always choose the Activelink because it GIVES me the activity points. I don't have to do any work calculating them out. This is great for me since I am constantly on the move and once I got the Activelink realized I was SERIOUSLY underestimating my activity and jipping myself MAJOR activity points. And I am lazy when it comes to calculating APs.

But, let me share what I like and don't like about each device so you can make the decision for yourself.

Activelink

Pictured is my lovely little AL who has made it through mud obstacle races, triathlons, marathons, hikes, swim practices, Zumba classes, vacations ... and even the washing machine.

The Activelink is an accelerometer, which tracks all of your movement - forward, backwards, sideways, etc - to really show that all movement counts as activity. I should share how many APs (Activity Points) I earn for a good dance party in my kitchen. ;)

**You must have a WW eTools or WW online account to use the Activelink.

The Activelink can be worn 24/7 either around the neck, on your bra strap/close to chest, on your belt or in your pocket. You can adjust the position depending on your activity. You would just need to edit that information in the website.

The Activelink is $39.95 plus a $5 a month subscription for access to the Activelink website. I dropped 2 iced coffees a month from Dunkin Donuts and BAM there was $5 a month. ;)

The device itself is a USB port, which means when you plug it into your desktop or laptop, it will bring up the Activelink website where you can see your progress and other stats. BUT, it also connects right to your eTools account so you don't have to enter the APs into your tracker it does it for you.

When you first get the device, you wear it for 8 straight days during the "assessment" phase. Once that phase is over, the Activelink will be able to know your average movement, calculate your base line and create customized goals for you based on your current activity level.

What is a base line you may ask? Well Weight Watchers/Activelink defines it as:

 You need to reach a minimum activity level before you can benefit from activity. This level (the Activity Base Line) is fixed and determined only by your age, gender, weight and height. You won’t earn activity PointsPlus values until you move above and beyond this level, so it is normal that it takes you longer to earn your first activity PointsPlus value each day.

Once you complete the assessment phase, you will begin a 12-week challenge. Your goals gradually increase over time, and you might see yourself getting more active without even thinking about it.

My first 12-week challenge for example was helping me over a 12-week challenge go from hitting 10 Activity Points a day to 14 APs a day. Wow! Seemed like a HUGE feat at first, but since I was taking it over a 3-month period it seemed more doable. And it was! ;)

But during the day I want to check my progress. Don't worry you can on the Activelink.

As you can see there are slits on the device that light up. All you have to do is tap the Activelink on a hard surface and the lights will lite up. Each slit represents 25% to your goal. My current goal or my 100% is 10 APs. You can see here that I am 75% to my goal when this photo was taken. So seeing this would motivate me to get up and try to get it to 100%. Hello my OCD tendencies.

NOW I am currently in training with long runs and rest days so for me personally I try to average at least 10 APs a day over a week. Thankfully the Activelink website records all this information for me.

Once I plug the Activelink into the computer, a screen will show my results from the previous and current day.

But sometimes I like a little more information. You can see to the left of the circle a "My Activity" tab. If I click on that (or the My Activity tab at the top of the screen) I can see the week as a whole.

(Disclaimer: I have been sick so my results aren't as great as they usually are. Don't judge! :P)

If I want to get more specific, I can break a week down to individual days.

And even down to the hour.

You can see the different colors, the higher the spike the more movement and the darker the green the higher intensity. It is a great thing to look at. You can also see at what point in the day you hit your Base Line (noted at the top of the graph).

I also have the feature to name activities. Some activities aren't picked up as well on the Activelink - say weightlifting, swimming or biking - so I will come home from one of those activities and go in, name that activity and see the APs adjust accordingly. A great little thing to know. You can also go in and adjust the position of the device at the same time.

For example, I wear my Activelink on my shoe during Spin. I find it gives a more accurate reading. (Personal choice) So I come home. Highlight the time the class started, enter the duration and adjust position to "in my pocket." And BAM APs adjust accordingly.

Additionally, it stores all your back data so you can go back and see which days you hit the most APs, how many APs you have since you started wearing the Activelink. It is just fun to see "STATS"

So Activelink...

PROS

*It takes the guess-work out of APs and really shows that ALL movement counts.

*It is waterproof

*Has a FAQ section as well as search function when questions arise

*It does show you progress throughout the day if you tap it on a hard surface

*Great data on the website

*Offers challenges to help get you moving in a doable timeframe

*Acts like a personal trainer on days you just want to sit on the couch and veg out

*Lower cost for device

CONS

*Show you individual steps or calories burned

*Have an app for your smart phone since it is a USB port it has to be plugged in an actual computer so you miss that data while out and about

*Has a monthly fee

*Requires a WW eTools or Online membership

***

FITBIT

I personally own the Fitbit One, which is NOT waterproof. The biggest drawback to the device besides it not figuring out APs for me. ;)

As you can see this has a little clip. I wear mine on my bra strap, but you can also wear it on your belt or in your pocket.

Fitbit gives this little snipped about the One:

If you want to turn fitness into a lifestyle, the One™ is for you. For starters, it never rests. During the day, it tracks your steps, distance, calories burned, and stairs climbed. Come nightfall, it measures your sleep quality, helps you learn how to sleep better, and wakes you in the morning. The One™ motivates you to reach your goals by bringing greater fitness into your life – seamlessly, socially, 24 hours a day.

The Fitbit One was $99.95 with a free website and a free smartphone app. The device syncs wirelessly as well.

I do love that with a touch of that tiny button I can see how many steps I've taken, stairs climbed and distance (in miles) traveled.

You can tweak the displays to fit the information YOU want, which I like. You can also look at calories burned if you want. As well as a little flower. The flower goes as you hit your daily goals (which you set for yourself).

Like for me, I am trying to get at least 10k steps per day. Maybe some time down the road I will up that. Only time will tell.

Additionally you can wear it while you sleep and track your sleep patterns. I haven't really delved into this option too much yet, but I definitely plan on it.

The One™ doesn’t nap, even when you do. Slip it into your wrist band at night, and it’ll measure your sleep quality. Once the data syncs, graphs on your dashboard will reveal how long you slept and the number of times you woke up, giving you a sleep quality score. Over time, you can apply what you learn to help you sleep more soundly. The One™ also has a silent wake alarm that gently vibrates to wake you at your desired time, without disturbing your partner.

Besides having a free website you can access on your computer there is also a Fitbit app for your smart phone. Here is some of the data I pulled off my iPhone.

You can customize the dashboard to fit that stats you want to see. Again I love the personalization.

But the thing I love the most about the Fitbit? The competition with friends. Okay the support - and competition - with friends. ;)

You can friend people on the site - other people you know with a Fitbit - and compare your stats. Now I am a competitive person by nature (a shock to all of you I know ;)) so this really motivates me to move. I was kicking some serious booty until I got sick. As you can see I have slipped to ninth place out of my friends. Boy I can't wait to be healthy again. :P

But you can also cheer on your friends when they hit milestones, etc. It is a great community on there. The site also offers "badges" when you hit certain milestones as well.

You can also set reminders on the Fitbit as well. If you want to use it as an alarm clock in the morning you can do that. There are certain Fitbits that will also allow you to set hourly reminders, which could help you remember to get up and move during the day at work/drink water or whatever you need help remembering.

Additionally, you can log your food, water, workouts and weight using the online tools. Obviously since I do Weight Watchers I haven't tracked my food in the app since I am already doing that in my paper tracker. But I like that it tracks water since many folks need help in that area.

You can also sync your Fitbit up to such apps as Runkeeper, MyFitnessPal, Lose It and more.

So Fitbit...

PROS

*Displays step count, distance traveled, other pertinent information right on the device

*Great community on the site

*Promotes fun competition/support with friends

*Device syncs wirelessly

*Offers a smartphone app

*More robust online toolset

*No monthly fee

CONS

*Not waterproof

*Does not calculate APs for you (you would have to enter activities or daily step count into eTools)

*More expensive upfront

***

So there you have it folks!! My two cents on these devices.

Now you can decide: Active? Fitbit? Both? ;)

I just ask that you keep moving!!

In The Reflection...

"Avoid mirrors at all cost" My old mantra.

For years, I tried to avoid catching my profile in a storefront or in a mirror at a friend's house.

I didn't need to see what I already knew.

I was overweight. No no I was obese.

I could FEEL that in my bones. I didn't need a mirror to confirm that for me.

So for awhile I tried to just use a tiny mirror to put on makeup and that was about it.

I didn't even like catching my reflection in the doors of the Subway.

Ugh.

As I embarked on my weight loss journey of 2005/2006, I did so in an unhealthy way - eating disorders. But, as the compliments came in: "Oh keep doing whatever you are doing. You look great." The inner confidence rose and I started looking into the mirror a little more. The outside had changed, but the inside was still the same.

I still looked into the mirror and saw the 230 lb me. Even though I was 180 at the time.

As I got healthier and the weight crept back on - out went the mirrors.

Again I hid in my own self-hatred and self-abuse.

But when I joined Weight Watchers in November 2009, I wanted to lose the weight in a healthy way and really start to feel the changes on the inside as well.

As the weight came off, slow and steady, I again broke out the mirrors and started looking. Again the cycle started, ugh you need to lose weight, too many rolls, you have more to lose, etc.

But, then I started reflecting more. Someone told me once to really inspect what you saw in the mirror. So instead of glancing head to toe on my body, I would just stare back into my own eyes. THAT was the true way to see my soul. To see what was on the inside.

Once I started looking past the physical and into the mental, I started changing my habits. If the old knee jerk reaction kicked in of negativity talking about my body. I immediately changed the focus back to looking in my own eyes and I had to follow it up with a compliment.

For example:

"Oh those thighs are so fat" ... "Those thighs have taken you through x half marathons and y marathons"

"You are so wide" ... "I have excess skin from weight loss and I am working on toning it up"

"You still look like you weigh 235 lbs" ... ???

And that's the one. The comment that creeps back into my head on a regular basis.

When I have a bad food week, when I look at race photos or when I am just feeling down, I can look in the mirror and still see the "before" me. So how does one banish those images?

That is the magic question. Here is what helps me:

1) It begins with an internal conversation (like above) that has to happen.

I remind myself that: I am no longer that person. I have come too far to discredit myself. I am WORTHY of the happiness I feel at my current weight. 

2) I try to figure out what is really wrong. I am clearly manifesting something other issue/emotion/problem into thinking I am back to my before weight.

Maybe I overate the night before. Maybe I am upset that I didn't get a job I applied for. Maybe I am just sad.

(Remember it is okay to just feel emotions)

3) Reach out to a close personal friend/confidant. Someone that has been through the journey with me.

4) When all else fails take out that before picture. I always keep one on my phone or in my WW tracker.

And if all that fails ... reach out to me! I'll set that mind right for you! :)

Occasionally you need to hear it from someone else ... and that is okay!

Why does it take the brain so long to catch up with the physical weight loss?

Who knows?

But we just need to keep snapping it back to the present ... aka Reality!!

***

Do you experience this same problem? How do you bring yourself back to the real image in the mirror?

Dani Dishes 10-21-13

On this episode of Dani Dishes, I'm sick!! Reason I missed the blog last week and how I'm coping. Plus, people finally receive their virtual birthday 5k medals!! :)