Do Girl Scout Cookie calories count for runners in training?

 Runners burn a bunch of calories, especially during pre-race training season. Let’s be honest. That’s one of the reasons most of us started the whole running pursuit. Then we discovered endorphins and the thrill of chasing the next personal record (PR).

 

Enter the Girl Scouts with their tantalizing roster of cookies. Here they come!

 It’s that time of year again.

 Here's a cookie-by-cookie calorie run-down. Look at the calorie counts for these popular Girl Scout Cookie varieties. Instead of listing “serving size,” I’m showing the “per cookie” calories. The serving sizes are up to you! (Amounts are approximations, based on package information.)

 

Let’s assume the average runner (or jogger or fitness walker) burns something in the neighborhood of 100 calories per mile (with the amount varying by body build, weight, fitness level, and plenty of other variables). You can easily do the math to determine how many miles you’ll need to do to burn off those cookie calories.

 It’s definitely doable, if we don’t go overboard with cookie-binging. If we do, we’ll just have to train longer.

 Hey, it’s for a good cause anyway.  Crunch! Crunch!

 

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Image/s: Girl Scout -Pixabay, public domain. Cookie listing adapted by this user, including fair use product promo photos

 

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Digging the Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System

 

This week, I dropped about $70 on the Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System. This handy pair of snow cleats (for lack of a better term) slips over running shoes or (many kinds of) hiking boots, employing a heavy duty rubber (think: bungee strap-like) elastomer band. Underneath is a rugged pattern of stainless steel chains and spikes.

I’d expected the set to cost half that (or less). But I suppose the purchase will more than pay for itself, if my new Kahtoola MICROspikes prevent me from falling and fracturing any part of my body. (Full disclosure: I had an REI gift card. So that was nice.)

 

I’m all for breaking the ice, when it comes to social interactions. But breaking it with my own body parts on the road, path, or trail is another thing altogether.

Midwinter running is tough, but the scenery is worth it.

Initially, I wasn’t convinced of the need for a winter traction system. But after tromping through the deeper, crunchier snow on the edges of several trails (then heading home with soaked socks and freezing feet), I decided to explore the idea more thoroughly.

This pursuit was also prodded somewhat by a running partner who was purchasing the same product to wear over her On-Running CloudVenture trail sneakers.

So glad. Hey, Hans Brinker I’m not! I’m more interested in trail running than speed skating – especially on the trails.

So I strapped my Kahtoola MICROspikes on over my Brooks Cascadia trail running shoes (Yes, I’m a fan of those, having had multiple pairs.).

First time out, I was amazed at the difference in traction and time. Instead of trudging along slippery spots, we were able to maintain a more consistent pace with steady footing, even in the shiniest, iciest stretches of the trail. Even on steep hills, both up and down.

 

Yes, cheaper winter traction systems exist.

For example, you can pick up a pair of the popular Yaktrax for about half the price, but we’ve heard mixed reviews on those. Yaktrax weigh about 4.4 ounces, compared to Kahtoola MICROspikes’ 11 ounces. Underneath, Yaktrax have stretchy rubber and little steel coils that tend to clog with snow. That can actually make them slippery, which really isn’t the purpose of wearing a traction system at all. 

 We’ve also heard countless stories of Yaktrax breaking after several wearings.

The Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System is available in a full range of sizes, from small to extra large, accommodating everything from a women’s 6 (or a kids’ 4) to a men’s 14. And they come in black or red.

Plus, Kahtoola MICROspikes come with a handy little tote sack, so it’s easy to keep track of them in my running pack (or in the car). That means I have them ready to go when I head for a winter run on any local trail system.

 

Word of warning: It’s always prudent to remove any type of snow traction system from your footwear before walking on concrete, wood planks, bricks, or other non-wintry surfaces that are too firm to allow gripping. That can damage the spikes and may make footing unsure. (And, of course, don't try driving or biking with them on. Who would, right? You'd be surprised, maybe.)

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·        Running product review: SmartWool Women's Margarita socks

 

 

Image/s: Product promo photo – fair use / Personal photos – all rights reserved

 

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Sports nutrition: What runner foods do you hate?

Certain foods tend to be must-eats for runners. We get that. Sports nutrition lists vary, but the top-recommended picks for active runners (from sprinters to marathoners) usually include bananas, berries, eggs, legumes, nuts, peanut butter, whole grains, yogurt, and more. Most of those are pretty palatable for most of us, but we probably all have at least one that we cannot stand.

What runner foods do you hate?

I hate bananas. I really do. I don’t like them whole. I gag at the thought of banana pudding or banana cream pie. I cringe at banana pancakes or waffles. I refuse to put bananas in fruit smoothies.

I’ll choke down a half banana after a race, when a cheery volunteer hands it to me. I know my body probably needs it by then, especially after a longer race on a hotter day. But that banana is not exactly a treat for me.

The whole banana-eating experience reminds me of sitting at the family dinner table as a child, long after everyone else has been excused, simply because I haven’t eaten my now-cold-and-soggy vegetables (most of which I’ll actually choose and prepare and enjoy nowadays). But I digress.

Sure, bananas are packed with potassium and other good things for active athletes’ bodies. But there’s about a 30-minute window when bananas are at their prime. First they are too green and solid and hard to enjoy. By the time they are ripe and ready to eat, they are practically turning brown and mushy and altogether too sweet.

Bananas are a necessary evil for running, as far as I am concerned. I’m just not a fan.

OK, I don’t mind banana bread. But it’s not exactly a personal favorite. And it’s practically dessert, so it doesn’t count as standard runner fuel – at least not during training or racing season (which is pretty much all the time).

Honestly, I end up making banana bread every time I purchase more than two bananas at a time. The others are bound to turn brown before I gather the gumption to eat them. And I often give away the whole loaf, or at least half of it.

What runner foods do you hate?

Images:

Adapted from Creative Commons Licensing image.

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Race management: 10 tips for choosing race tees

Sweet swag attracts runners.

That’s sort of a given. Sure, runners pound the pavement to become fit and reach personal exercise goals. We enter races, hoping to motivate ourselves to run faster, record personal best times, and perhaps even earn medals and age-group or overall awards.

At the same time, many of us enjoy collecting commemorative event tee shirts and other race-related promotional items. We tend to wear race tees, hoodies, jackets, caps, visors, headbands, and other swag in subsequent races and all over town, as these tees sort of become badges of honor for repeat racers.

NOTE: Written by this author, this copyrighted material originally appeared on another publisher’s site. That site no longer exists. This author holds all rights to this content. No republication is allowed without permission.

Are race tees a bonus or a booby prize?

Running race tees can be delightful or drab. These logo-sporting garments may be wonderful or altogether unwearable. Seasoned racers know the drill.

How many times have we anted up big bucks to enter fun runs, charity races, full marathons, or triathlons – only to donate the hard-earned tee shirts soon afterwards, simply because we could not (or would not) wear them?

Race management: 10 tips for choosing race tees

  

What are the features of the best (and worst) race tee shirts?

Here’s a basic checklist of commemorative race apparel features, so event planners and participants may evaluate choices.

1. Fabric

The best race tees usually are constructed in today’s high-tech athletic textiles. These lightweight and breathable fabrics are comfortable to wear, layer well, and actually wick moisture away from the skin. Traditional jerseys and knits are fine for casual wear, but they are not nearly as popular for actual runs and workouts as tech gear.

2. Fit

Well-tailored running tees are a blessing. Poorly constructed ones are a drag. How many avid runners eagerly pick up race packets, only to find the event top is not true to size? For example, a popular national night light run was recently flooded with return requests, when its adult-sized tee shirts turned out to be too small for young kids.

3. Color

Color selection is key, when it comes to race tees. This spring, a Midwest charity run presented participants with pastel-colored tops that proved to be see-through and looked more like underwear or pajamas than actual garments. Plenty of entrants complained about the choice.

A popular winter race series recently sported white tech tees, which were almost altogether see-through. Those tops are fine for layering, but that’s not practical in several seasons.

4. Style

Race organizers choose to offer tanks/singlets, short-sleeve tees, long-sleeve tops, half-zips, or even warm-up jackets to participants. Design is critical, as some runners may appreciate more coverage than others. A midriff or singlet, for example, may not be universally popular. A more traditional tee top might be.

5. Gender/age designs

Increasingly, running events offer a wide selection of tee shirt sizes for men, women, and kids. These may even be constructed in different styles to suit these divisions. Women’s styles tend to be more contoured (and perhaps fit tighter), so many women opt for men’s tops when offered the choice.

6. Fashionability

A dowdy race top is unlikely to win rave reviews. Savvy race organizers track current styles and patterns from top athletic apparel makers for ideas.

7. Logo/emblem

Race tops invariably feature their event logos, often accompanied by those of the event sponsors. Frequently, the race date and location are included as well.

Race logo design can add interest and appeal, or it can fall flat. A few weeks ago, a 5K fun run to raise awareness of sexual violence against women featured a rather suggestive woman’s silhouette in its event logo. More than a few participants and spectators suggested the graphic may have been too graphic for the cause.

8. Race-specific options

Plenty of running events include kids runs, 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons, or other multiple distance options. Race planners then must consider whether they will offer different tee shirt designs for each event or one for all. At a major city marathon/half marathon event, some 26.2-ers complained that the 13.1-ers received the exact same shirts. Others didn’t seem to mind this at all.

9. Seasonal applicability

Although veteran runners often do not wear same-day event tees, saving them instead for later, a fair amount do don them immediately. For this reason, these garments should be seasonally relevant. A lightweight tank might not work for a Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, when a race jacket or half-zip fleece might be just the ticket.

10. Price/value

Race tees may be tagged as event swag (or give-aways), but runners tend to expect fair value for their paid entries. Racers appreciate quality garments.  Experienced runners are clued in, fully aware that large race organizers and charity run planners generally are able to enjoy significant discounts for their bulk orders. Cheaply made, poorly constructed, flimsy tees may send participants running to other events in the future.

Will race tees make it into the closet or the clothing donation bag?

A month ago, close to 1,000 runners paid $30 apiece for a local running event. The race tees were made of cheap nylon fabric in faint sea foam blue and light pink with crooked side seams. The logo printing on the nearly transparent fabric was flawed and positioned unevenly on the front of each shirt. The product labels could be clearly read through the back of each tee. The trim on the v-neck openings in the front of the shirts would not lay flat. Even the most fit women runners sported some bra bulge in the back in these scanty tees.

Although runners said they were pleased to donate to the worthy cause this event represented, many expressed their disappointment to find they would probably never wear the tees. Onlookers have to wonder how this race tee choices may affect the popularity of next year’s race.

Overall, if race tees are worth doing, they are worth doing well. If runners are proud of their race-wear, they are more likely those items wear it again and again. And that spells greater visibility for the events they have chosen.

Images:

Public domain photo

Feel free to follow on Twitter. Please visit my Amazon author page as well. And I am happy to share my RUNDERDOG ambassador code for 10% off on Bondi Band Athletic Headbands, Accessories, and Fashions. (Simply enter the code at online checkout.).