Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Exploring San Antonio

by Meghann on May 13, 2009

Just when I think I am starting to look my age and become a real adult, the lady at the airport check-in counter asks me what my ages is and becomes all wide eyed when I say 24. Apparently I look like an unaccompanied minor about to take flight? LOL I told her the irony of it all was that I was actually flying for business. Oh well, I guess I will take passing for a 16 year old while I still can. ;)

The plane ride was luckily uneventful. I enjoyed a hot tea when the drink cart came by.

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And around 10:00am I had half of this Cacao Walnut Brownie compliments of The Raw Bakery.

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This was very rich and almost fudgy just like a real brownie. I enjoyed it eating it and an hour later had the second half.

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The flight flew by thanks to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which I watched for the duration. Sadly, the movie was a little longer then the movie so I have yet to see the end. But from what I did see it was great and I can’t wait to finish it when I’m done with this post. :)

When we made it into San Antonio lunch was what was on everyone’s mind. We immediately got our hotel rooms and headed to the riverwalk for a bite to eat.

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I’m not sure what I was expecting for the riverwalk, but anything I had in my head completely disappeared when we took our first steps onto the tiny sidewalk that runs along the river. It truly is a breath taking area and the tree lined path provided a welcomed amount of shade on the very hot day.

We all were in a Mexican mood so we stopped a The Original Mexican Restaurant & Bar.

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I love how this place called itself the Original.

Of course we had to sit right by the river.

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It was fun to watched the boats full of school children drive by.

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I was not sure what I was in the mood for, for lunch and was sad to see the limited Vegetarian Options.DSCN0019.JPG

After a quick survey I decided on the Tacos de Calabacita: two rollled tacos filled with calabacita, topped with ranchero sauce, served with guacamole, lettuce & pico de gallo.

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The tacos were nice and light filled with yummy squash, corn and peppers. I ate almost the whole plate, leaving behind the majority of the guacamole.

This meals really had no protein so it did not feel me up. Instead of picking at chips I downed two large cups of unsweet tea which left me feeling very full, bloated and in desperate need of a potty.

After lunch we walked off our food and I got my first peak at The Alamo.

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Everyone warned me it would be small, but it seriously was a tiny building. Too be honest I wasn’t really sure what the Alamo was before hand, but now fee well educated.

I loved the abundance of cactus in the garden.

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I really felt like I was in Texas at this point.

After some sight seeing we returned to our rooms and I was starving. I dug into the last of of my Trader Joe Peanut Butter Pretzels.

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I’m so sad these are now all gone. There’s a Trader Joes in San Antonio right? I am willing to make a trip just to stalk up on more of these!

After a quick nap and e-mail catching up, my co-workers and I were ready for some more exploring.

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I also was excited to wear my cowboy boots. Cute, right?

We hopped on a river guide boat to learn more about the city.

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My co-worker, Ed, and I ready to learn.

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We saw a lot of cool buildings, too bad I am too tired to remember all the information.

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But they’re pretty, right?

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After the boat tour we were all ready for a drink and some food. My supervisor had an italian restaurant in mind so we headed to it.

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I have to be honest when I say I am not the biggest an of Italian restaurants unless I am planning to carb load before a race. Pasta is just not something I like to eat and I felt the whole menu was covered in heavy sauces. I made do with what I could, but I am not proud of my choices at all.

I started with a glass of Chianti wine.

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I was pleasantly surprised instead of the typical garlic bread, they had garlic pitas. It was good, but drenched in oil.

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The table ordered Spinach Salad, Escargot and Tomato/Basil to share.

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I had a little bit of everything and then went back more for tomatoes and artichokes from the salad. In all honesty I should have just stopped here and have been happy.

For my meal I ordered the Gnocchi in Pesto with Shrimp.

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It was ok, but I felt very greasy and icky eating it. I ate about 75% of this dish and that’s just because it was sitting in front of me. I don’t know what it was, but that restaurant just did not sit right with me at all.

Despite the food, I did enjoy the night out with my co-workers. It was great conversation and I loved getting to know everyone all over again.

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After dinner a co-worker and I headed to the CVS to stock up on water and I was really craving some chocolate so I purchased this ridiculously overpriced bar of Dark Chocolate.

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I ate half and felt my craving was satisfied.

I also felt like I could just go on and on taking pictures on the riverwalk.

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Can you say pisturesque or what?!?!

Sorry this post is mostly pictures, I am tired and not feeling creative at all. I think the so-so dinner has really got me down…. here’s hoping for better tomorrow! However, I did discover today that running outside just is not going to be an option for me here, so as much as I hate to admit it, it looks like the hotel gym for me all week. Boo Hoo. My alarm is set and I have an early date with the treadmill.

Good night everyone!!

{ 60 comments }

Step in to My Closet – Sports Bras

by Meghann on May 13, 2009

Some of the most common questions and comments I receive on this blog refer to my work out attire and any recommendations I have for great gear that is going to be supportive and fashionable without breaking the bank.

Over the last year and a half I have learned ALOT about work clothes and what works and what truly doesn’t. In the beginning I was all about the cheap and convenient. I wore $5.00 sports bras and ran in nothing, but cotton. Fortunately, now I know better.

I know that cotton is not my friend, in fact it’s actually my enemy. I know that dry wick material is the key to and that in this heat less is always more. I learned to not be ashamed for running in just a sports bra and I learned the difference a supportive sports bra could make. I learned sweat pants were meant to lounge around, not to run miles and miles in.

Now I invite all of you to take a step in to my closet and let me show you what I wear that keeps me running for miles on end. I have developed this series to dig deep and hopefully answer any questions you might have on some of my personal favorite work out finds.

Today we are going to actually take a slight detour from my closet and instead to the dresser where my top middle drawer houses my collection of Sports Bras.

I present to you my emptied Sports Bras drawer.

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Now, I know this may look like alot, but trust me it’s not what it seems.

I have what I like to call two parts to my sports bra collection, there are the ones I truly love and will last through ultra long runs and then there are the ‘low impact’ sports bras that are just like wearing a tight tank top on a run.

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Back when I first started running, I did not know what true support was for a Sports Bra, all I know was that I needed one to run. I headed to Wal-Mart and bought the Hanes Her Way 3 pack for $5.88. These bras have no support, are stretched out and cotton.

However, I am a pack rat so these stay safely in my drawer and I will wear them when I do yoga, go for a light run or lounging around the apartment. I would NOT recommend purchasing these, if you plan on doing any distance running at all. Save the ‘low impact’ variety for the light days or don’t even worry about purchasing any.

My second category are those ranked as ‘high impact.’ Basically these bras rock and will keep the ta tas bounce free for 10, 15, 20+ miles at a time.

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I have taken a liking to trying new sports bra and whenever I find a great deal on a new one I can’t turn back, which is how my collection has grown (please note not all of the sports bra I own are in this picture).

Here is a quick break down of some of my favorite sports bras, a mini review and where I purchased them!

Gracie Gear

For a full review of the Gracie Gear Bras you can read my review here.

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Honestly, from the moisture free fabric to the indie liner with elastic band for extra support to the great, convenient little pocket, this sports bra is a winner. I wore the teal one during the Gasparilla Half Marathon where I PRed and felt fresh and supported the entire time. Gracie was gracious enough to send me the first one to sample and review, but I loved it so much I bought another one!

You can purchase Gracie Gear products on her website or any of the retail locations listed on the front page.

Moving Comfort: Alexis Printed Bra

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This sports bra is A-MA-ZING! I wore this sports bra on my 20 mile run this Saturday and did no have one complaint. It stayed put, held the girls up and it’s great design allowed me to feel cute and comfortable in the just the sports bra. Which in 90 degrees weather is a real plus for me!

This bra also had a built in support system that worked double duty to keep the girls from moving.

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The extra underwire really made a difference in the 20 miles and I am seriously considering wearing this one for my marathon in San Diego.

This bra was a sample sent from the kind people at Moving Comfort and after testing this one out and playing with the site I know I will be back to purchase is more.

This sportswear site is ideal for any athletic women out there. Their sports bra don’t just run by S/M/L, they have different levels of sports bras meant for different size of women and different type of support. You can shop for sports bra by category of size, type and impact level.

They even have a helpful Bra Finder tool that will help narrow down the type of sports bra you are looking for. It’s a great tool if you’re not sure what you want for your support, you can put it your exact measurements and it will tell you just what you need.

The prices are not bad either and I love their slogan A Fit Woman is a Powerful Woman!® Amen to that!

Enell Sports Bra

Now many of you may not know this, but back in my heavier days I was quite busty. I basically spilled out of a 36D and low cut shirts were not a good option for me.

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I was always looking for the right support in all the wrong directions.

When I lost weight, the breast were the first thing to go. I swear those first 5 pounds came out of my bra. Of course now my breast still have the majority of the skin with out all the meat to fill it out (sorry to be so graphic here!) I can now wear a 34B, but still find I need the same support from my well endowed days.

The great thing about the Enell Sports Bra is that it is specifically deigned for well endowed women. It takes the boobs and locks them up tight!

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The patented design and construction – a balance of compression and encapsulation – makes it outperform the rest in the field.  Comprised of 90% Nylon 10% LYCRA® Spandex, the ENELL Sports Bra is a must have for well-endowed women who need superior support and comfort while working out. 

I tried this baby out and I have to say it really got the job done! It was a little tight to wear, but I was told that’s how it suppose to fit! My breast did not bounce at all and I felt I could go for miles and miles in this thing.

If you are a lady who needs that extra, extra support I highly recommend the Enell, please check out their website for more details on how to locate a retailer!

Old Navy

Old Navy has a great activewear line! It is all reasonably priced, especially when you find it on sale. I found this little baby on the Old Navy sales rack for $7.00 a few weeks ago. It’s made of 90% polyester, 10% spandex, is fully lined and has nice little mesh inserts for breathability.

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I would wear this sports bra for anything up to 13 miles, but any more I would need some added support. Still, this bra is great for my quick morning runs aiding just the right amount of support I need to complete them.

Target

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Target is another great store with a fairly reasonably priced line of sports bras, but you have to be careful here. They have their nice line of Champion bars like this one that are actually built for support in running and they have their sheer spandex ones that are cheap but I would be hardpressed to go for a vigorous walking.

Aspire (Sports Authority)

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Sports Authority sale racks are wear I can find some great deals on Sports Bras. They usually have a great selection of various brands with all levels of support. The Apire one above I recieved this past Christmas and I have returned to Sports Authority a couple times already for very similar bras. I love it and it gets the job done.

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Sorry that was so long, but I hope you really enjoyed the information you got out of this post. I know I couldn’t possibly name all the wonderful Sports Bras out there or where to get some great deals, but I hope you enjoyed this sneak peak into the sports bras that get me through my runs.

Please feel free to comment with your Sports Bras and where you purchased them. I am always looking for something new to try or a new place to shop! :)

Please let me know what you thought of this post! If you like it I will continue on with my Sports Tops, Bottoms and Socks. Or I may even just talk about my regular ole clothes in the closet…lol

{ 65 comments }

A Faster Morning Run

May 13, 2009

With an 8:50am flight this morning I had to allow myself enough time to arrive at the ariport 40 minutes ahead of time, the 30 minute drive to the airport, time to shower and to eat breakfast. When it came down to it I had enough time for a short run if I got up more »

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