Breaking the Unintentional Run Rut

Saturday I finally laced up my Wave Horizons after an unintentional running rut and it felt really good.

More than a week had gone by since my last run and it was driving me crazy! First it was my sunburned feet. Then a busy schedule plus rainy weather just made it impossible to get out for a run.

We spent one day back in Shenzhen at the Luohu Commercial Center ---> it's the Made in China shopper's paradise. It's hard to tell what is copy, factory seconds or the real deal, and you can't beat the prices.

My pesky shoulder called for two sessions with Dr. Cosman and myofascial release. It's painful, but it's working. 

My look here

My running rut wasn't a total fitness wash though. I did spend quality time with my foam roller and yoga mat.

Everything lined up on Saturday. The air quality was ranked as moderate, so I took my run inside at the fitness center. I had my choice, so I picked a treadmill that had all the options and created my own interval workout at 2:1 with a goal of running a 5K.

I loved how the treadmill automatically switched between my work and recovery speeds. If I have to keep looking at a timer or manually change the speeds it prevents me from enjoying the run. It's hard to get into it. This was the best interval run I've had on a treadmill.

I was back to the apartment in time to watch Breaking2, the quest to break the 2 hour marathon barrier. Besides the obvious excitement over how close Kipchoge was to busting that wall, I loved watching the spirit of the running community play out live. The intimacy of the running family that played a role in this challenge demonstrated such love and support for the runners attempting to make history. Seeing them smile and laugh, and cheer Kipchoge to the finish was so heartwarming.

We went to a housewarming party last night and today I'm enjoying a quiet, lazy Sunday.

How long was your last running rut?

Do you like using the workout options on treadmills?

What do you think of Nike's Breaking2?

I'm linking up with Tricia and Holly for the Weekly Wrap!

Uncommon Goods for Everyone

Shopping for my family and friends in the US while living in Hong Kong can be super easy with online vendors. Today's post is sponsored by Uncommon Goods, an amazing online retailer featuring unique gifts for any occasion  ---> and now ships to Hong Kong, so I can treat myself too (bonus!).

I found Uncommon Goods when I was looking for a housewarming gift for our oldest when she moved into her first apartment. At home in New Hampshire we had a tea light candle holder on our mantel that was made from an apple cider barrel. We knew she would love this smaller one because it would remind her of home.

Just like the Fashion Show I recently attended here in Hong Kong, Uncommon Goods is committed to offering sustainable products and educating the consumer on the impact of their purchase. This tea light centerpiece (like the one we bought) is both handmade (in New Hampshire!) and made using recycled materials. Love that!

We have a big event coming up this year. One of the nieces is getting married. Since we won't be in the US for the big day, we will be looking for the perfect wedding gift. We can certainly go to their wedding registry (gift registry can also be done on Uncommon Goods), but I like being able to get something a little more unique.

I'm not very good at thinking of gifts, so I love that I can browse the website for fun bridal shower gift ideas too. This looked like a fun one ---> I would love to have something like this with mrC for those days/nights when we want to do something, but neither one of us can think of what to do. Problem solved!

Speaking of gift idea challenges...with Father's Day right around the corner, I'm glad I can get ideas for Father's Day on the Uncommon Goods website. I always have a hard time getting something for our fathers because they never need or want anything. We both have story-teller fathers, so this journal caught my eye.

No matter what I'm looking for, I can find a special gift for anyone. Using the search feature, I can type in any word and find an assortment of fun gift ideas, including my fitness friends.

Boston runners will like this hand-drawn map to hang on their wall. It is also available for New York and Chicago.

I love this playful kitchen gift for yoga lovers. Why not dice up watermelon into downward dog or serve cookies shaped in warrior pose?

In addition to being a company that promotes Made in the USA products that are often handmade using recycled materials, another reason to shop Uncommon Goods is because it is a company that gives back. A donation of $1 is made to the non-profit of your choice at each check-out.

Are you looking for an uncommon gift for someone?
Do you like online shopping?

This post was sponsored by Uncommon Goods. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

Wrapping Up April

I expected to start off today...this week...May, with a run but my feet got a little (ok a lot) sunburned during SUP yesterday. I spared myself the pain of putting on my running shoes.

Instead I double-dosed the sunblock and took advantage of the cloudy morning to do an hour of SUP with mrC. Once we had our boards in the water, we paddled out and back three times for today's workout.

Funny story - yesterday mrC fell off his board and lost his sunglasses. He used my goggles to try to find them but no luck. Today, he walked the beach where we had been hanging out yesterday and there they were! The tide washed them up and left them on the beach a little banged up, but good to go after he cleaned them (after I took the photo).

Our post workout snack was another yummy smoothie. I'm absolutely loving our new blender and I'm warning you now that I might be saying that a lot for awhile. Smoothies make me happy ;)

Here's my weekly workout recap (Linking up with Tricia and Holly):

Monday - Bodystep - our instructor is off to Australia for a few weeks, so I will be searching for a calorie burning replacement until she returns.

Tuesday - Ran errands in Central which tallied over 19,000+ steps for the day!

Wednesday - Ugh and a fashion show.

Thursday - Ugh again.

Friday - Run!

Saturday - Pier volunteering for USS Sterett and shoe shopping in Central.

Sunday - SUP with the Discovery Bay Ladies SUP group

The end of the week also marks the end of April, so I'm tallying my monthly miles as well today.

8 runs for 32.76 miles. That's 5.58 more miles than March, but the same number of runs! My knee is getting stronger and I can't wait to see how May goes.


Has a sunburn ever kept you from your workout?
How many miles did you run in April?

5 Lessons from SUP and Pier Volunteering

Today was all about sunshine, the beach and stand up paddle boarding! First I got to meet two more ladies from the Discovery Bay Ladies SUP Group. This was the first time the sun was actually shining during SUP and it was absolutely perfect.

I'm still working on my SUP skills and with the help of my fellow group members, I learned a few things out on the water today.

1. Keep your paddle in the water - this is like having an extra leg down for balance and was a game changer for my confidence.

2. Face the wake head on - the wake is affected by the ferries coming and going, the wind, and the normal sea vessel traffic out in the bay. Turning into the waves makes a huge difference.

3. Bend your knees for stability - The slight bend relaxes my legs making it easier to go with the flow of the water under my board.

4. Straighten arms and paddle with your core - I can paddle so much faster when I use the proper form and my arms stopped getting tired.

5. Reapply sunscreen to your feet - so no one actually told me this (I should've known myself), but I learned the hard way today after my feet and toes got sunburned.

After the SUP group time ended, mrC and I continued paddling together (I'm so glad he has an iSUP board now too). We went out and back a few times with rests on the beach in between. Our friends joined us a little later and we enjoyed the sunshine and good conversation until lunch time.

Today was just as good as yesterday. It was pier volunteer time for another US naval ship that came into Hong Kong for some liberty. This ship was much smaller and able to be pierside which allowed us to see things up close.

Just like the last time, our job was to support the sailors by handing out maps, providing information on leisure activities, shopping, dining and helping to get them on their way in the right direction.

mrC was in town this time and volunteered too.

After our shift, we had lunch at Little Creatures in Kennedy Town. We patronize them because they give us loads of free beer coupons to give to the troops. And, the food is really good. Their pizza sauce reminds me of home.

We also took advantage of being in Central to do a bit of shopping. mrC picked out some tennis rackets and I picked out some new Skechers - mrC's first pair (Equalizer - Coast to Coast), my second (Go Walk Sport Rush Walking).

Do you have any SUP skills I should know about?
Ever been on a naval ship?
Are you a Skechers fan?

Fri-nally, a Run and a Night of Glamour

My big plans to get out early for a run on Wednesday were delayed until today.

The weather has been uncooperative and so has my body. So besides literally raining for days, my period left me feeling like I had been run over (sorry guys, if this is TMI). Usually I can sail through my cycle, but I woke up Wednesday feeling like mud. My head felt like I had a hangover and I had zero energy. I pretty much felt the big blah.

Somehow, I rallied enough energy to attend the American Women's Association's Conscious Couture Fashion Show at The American Club in Tai Tam. All of the models were AWA members and all of the fashion was designed with sustainable manufacturing processes and materials in mind. In addition to being able to "shop the runway," there was also a live auction of one-off pieces donated by the designers.

It was definitely an evening for the ladies loaded with all things glamour and beauty. There were canapés and drinks to welcome us to the club, live performances from Jolie Chan and everyone went home with a goodie bag filled with amazing swag (I LOVE the scarf). I'm so happy that I didn't have to miss it.

This morning the weather was perfect. Just like the morning of my last run, the rainy weather left cooler, dryer air behind. These kind of mornings are perfect for doing the two hills route that goes right by the beach.

I am still running 2:1 minute intervals and feeling good about things. Today the best part of my run was coming up the final hill. Instead of walking for one minute recovery, I kept running and made it nearly to the top of the hill. I walked for maybe 30 seconds and then finished the hill all the way to our apartment. It felt awesome.

I had a couple of my running essentials with me on today's run. Even though mrC ran with me, I also wore my Wearsafe tag. This was more about making it a habit to wear it since it's still a new piece of equipment to me. I love how lightweight it is. I don't even feel that it's clipped to my tank. FYI ---> you can use my discount code RUNNINGESCAPADES for 15% off Wearsafe annual service.

Mizunos have been a running essential for me for a long time now. My legs (which really means my bad knee) are loving my Wave Horizons. I really think switching to a support shoe was what my knee was needing. I'm really glad mrC likes Mizunos, too. Now when we run together we become Team Mizuno.

We cooled down after our run with a breakfast smoothie. I'm still getting the hang of my new blender, so sometimes my smoothies are a little on the small size. It's ok, we had eggs and left over pancakes too.

Ever attended a fashion show or other big fundraising event?
What are your running essentials?