Women's Running

Happy, Tired & Inspired

I’m guessing I’m not the only one a wee bit exhausted from the fun festivities, travel and - yes - stress of the holiday season. This time of year is often a mix of light-hearted revelry and overwhelming to-do’s, closing out the commitments of the prior year, balancing time with family and friends and attempting to emerge from it all refreshed and ready to tackle new challenges. We often hit the ground running with heady expectations: eat better, exercise more, be more engaged with those around us, be kinder to ourselves. 

And while I’m all for setting goals - in fact, I’m a firm believer that naming them, writing them down even, is an effective first step to realizing one’s dreams - I’m also encouraging all of you to give yourselves a break. Did you wake up yesterday, a bit groggy from a New Year’s Eve celebration and promptly blow off your planned run? Did you have every intention of hitting the gym first thing this morning, followed by a grocery-shopping extravaganza wherein you would fill your pantry with fresh produce and whole grains? And yet are you still in your pajamas, sipping a second cup of coffee and surfing Facebook to see which of your friends are more motivated than you?

I’m not suggesting that you erase your resolutions. Do everything you’ve imagined and more. Incorporate your goals into your daily life and gradually develop healthy new routines. But don’t beat yourself up if you don’t quite manage a one hundred percent effort on Day One. If you can’t swing that two-hour run, get out the door for 20 minutes. Sometimes baby steps cut the fastest path to change. And every single one of those steps counts toward making this the best year of your life. So try not to be paralyzed by the prospect of lofty expectations. Simply start. The finish line you’ve visualized is far less important than the steps you’ll take along the way.

Happy New Year!

- Holly Bennett 

Note: With this final post, I’m signing off my role as a Women’s Running Magazine blogger to focus on other writing projects. I hope to write a book some day - but for now, I’m taking it one word at a time.

 

A Time To Give

Now that the holiday has come and gone, it’s a natural inclination to clean out your closet to make room for any new gear and goodies you were fortunate to receive. There’s no better time to turn that organizational instinct into a charitable one as well. Donate your unwanted new or lightly used athletic apparel and equipment to any number of needy organizations: Goodwill, the Salvation Army, group homes, women’s shelters or schools. You can be sure that items considered clutter in your home will be put to good use with these groups, so be generous and extend the spirit of Christmas well into the New Year.

- Holly Bennett

 

Gift Guide: Chocolate!

Nearly everyone loves chocolate and the runner on your list is certainly deserving of a delicious delight. Theo Holiday Chocolate Bars are USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified and available in four tantalizing flavors: Milk & Cookies, Gingerbread Spice, Nutcracker Toffee and Peppermint Stick. Pick up a supply of these tasty stocking stuffers at your local REI store if shipping transit times are too tight. 

- Holly Bennett

 

Gift Guide: Hydration Goes Green

EarthLust’s BPA-free stainless steel water bottles provide an eco-savvy and uber-chic method to reduce the environmental impact of disposable plastic. Your gift recipient will love toting one of EarthLusts’s cool and calming designs to yoga, spin class, work or school - anywhere and everywhere she’ll work up a thirst. 

- Holly Bennett

 

Gift Guide: Borelli Scarf

Wrap up the gift of sporty warmth this holiday season with the Borelli Scarf. Made of super soft sweat-wicking, quick-drying, anti-stink-inducing drirelease fabric, Borelli’s signature scarf is an ideal accessory for every gal on the go.

 

 

Wear Borelli before, after or even during winter workouts for cozy warmth and to ward off post-ride or run chills. This multi-use performance piece goes beyond a traditional neck scarf - it’s also easily fashioned into a head scarf, a shoulder shrug, a skirt or even a full body wrap.

- Holly Bennett

 

Gift Guide: Running Skirts

Southern California based Running Skirts provide a fun, flirty, fashionable alternative to traditional running shorts or tights - and everyone that’s tried

them raves about the phenomenal fit. If you’re lucky enough to live (and shop) near Encinitas, by all means pay a visit to the company's flagship store. Otherwise, there’s still time to order online and outfit your favorite runner in a bold and beautiful print - my favorites include the Preppy Argyle and Heartstooth editions.

- Holly Bennett  

 

Destination: Laguna Phuket

As a journalist, I’ve had the good fortune to travel on assignment to a variety of desirable destination events. None, though, has so stoked my fancy as the Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship in Laguna Phuket, Thailand. 

Laguna Phuket is a collection of seven integrated resort properties perched on 1,000 acres of tropical parkland and beachfront, neighboring old-town Phuket. It’s a gem of a place, set upon the shores of a country opulent with natural beauty. I traveled to Thailand to report on the destination and its signature triathlon events (the Laguna Phuket Triathlon, the Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship and the Tri-Fest that spans the week between the two races), as well as to test my own mettle swimming, cycling and running in the tropical humidity and heat. 

While race day itself was a wonderful adventure, some of my most cherished moments from a week in Phuket are of casual, rambling runs through the resort property and the nearby town. My own two feet are my favorite exploratory vehicle when someplace new - nothing beats the up-close viewpoint gained by cruising streets and pathways at a  rhythmic running pace. Phuket offers numerous options for a laced-up venture - whether a winding jungle road replete with overgrown vegetation, the village’s main street brimming with storefronts and food stalls or the resort’s own meandering roads and manicured sidewalks. There’s even a taste of sandy trail cutting through a park inhabited by elephants, should a flair for exotic animal life tug at your heartstrings.

And while the resort’s beachfront itself can at times be too steep and deep with soft sand to make for an ideal running surface, it’s certainly the spot you’ll want to finish your jaunt. Take a refreshing post-run dip in the waters of the Andaman Sea, followed by a fifteen-dollar-per-hour beachside massage, capped off by a delicious fresh coconut or fruit smoothie and you’ll understand why Laguna Phuket ranks #1 in my active travel book.

- Holly Bennett

 

Gift Guide: Sweet Zzzzzzzz’s

 

As any insomniac (including myself!) can tell you, lack of sleep can thwart the best-laid plans for good health and good fitness. A perfect gift for the under-rested runner on your list is the NightWave Sleep Assistant. NIghtWave projects a soft blue light in your bedroom, allowing you to synchronize your breathing with the gently pulsing light and slip into a deeply relaxed state. Think of it as a personal sleep coach in the privacy of your own bedroom. There’s even a travel version to help keep jet lag demons at bay. 

- Holly Bennett

 

Gift Guide: Ho ho ho Moji!

Give the gift of massage that keeps on giving with the Moji 360 Ultimate Bundle. This hand held self massager contains rollers that break up scar tissue and mimic the strokes of a massage therapist. Varying sized spheres allow for customized intensity, providing a perfect massage every time, anytime or place. 

- Holly Bennett 

 

Gift Guide: Soothing Foot Cream

Give the gift of TLC to your runner friends’ feet with Strutz Soothing Foot Cream. The refreshing cream helps soften rough, cracked feet and control odor - issues that every runner would love to combat. The 2 oz. tub makes a perfect stocking stuffer or a tiny holiday treat for every pal in your running group. 

- Holly Bennett