If you're in the Vancouver, Portland or Seattle areas and need a last minute birthday or host/hostess gift, or even if you want a nice gift for yourself, check out these SUPER COOL handcrafted mason jar mugs and steins from Steel Leaf Designs.

$40.00 for a 22oz stein
add $15 custom leather handles

I've kind of been crushing hard on these mugs since I first saw them at the 2014 Vancouver Winter Brewfest. There are two size options, wide mouth pint jar, and wide mouth "22 oz" jar (pint and half). There are multiple handle options: industrial chain (in natural, red, pink, purple and textured black), locking carabiner, regular carabiner, metal, or leather/metal combo (with optional customization). The mugs come packaged as a complete set with canning jar, detachable handle, lid and ring.

Like any Pinterest-addict, I love repurposed Mason jars. While I have done metal welding in college, that's a bigger project than I currently want to undertake ;) I love that these Stil handled mugs help support local artists (and it saves me the trouble of making them myself!!!) They're nicely crafted, sturdy, and functional. Canning jars are made to last, and these handles compliment them nicely. They've got a certain rustic and home-made charm, with a modern element to them. The handles are quite secure on the jars, but it's not too difficult to remove them when it's time to wash them. 

I've used mine for smoothies, beer, water, hot tea, and cocktails! It's an awesome multi-purpose mug. When I'm on the go, I like to throw on one of these Ball Wide Mouth Sip and Straw Lid sets. I love the 22oz size (really 24 oz)--that's a full bomber of beer in one mug! I also like to make a BIG green smoothie for breakfast, and this jar is a good size for it. I love using it for drinking water because it fits easily in my hand, and I seem to drink more water when it's in a clear cup because I can see how much water I've already had (as opposed to my opaque Starbucks cup with straw). 

It is a little on the spendy side at $40, but it's a fairly unique product and other similar products are in a comparable price range. 

I love my Steel Leaf Designs mug <3 Be sure to check them out!

In case you didn't know, in addition to writing Lipgloss+Spandex, I'm also on the writing team for Run Oregon. It's an absolutely fantastic blog and resource for all things running in the Portland metro/PNW region. And I'm super excited to let y'all know that Run Oregon has partnered up with local apparel company Forestry to release the first batch of Run Oregon blog apparel. 

$15.00

These shirts are hot off the press! And as with all products from Forestry, for every item you purchase, a tree is planed in your name/ Whether you love Run Oregon blog, or just love running in Oregon, these awesome shirts are a must have :) Be sure to check out their other awesome apparel items and longboards--especially this SWEET Ladies Athletic Zip Up Hoodie ($56.00). OMG I'm a sucker for the leather "Forestry" patch, and the thumbholes. <3

Photos by Forestry

My blogging platform, Weebly, totally ate my original post and I just got around to rewriting it! My race recap of the 2nd Annual National Veterans Day Run 5k in Portland (not to be confused with the Veterans Day 5k Run/Walk organized by the Hood to Coast Race Series).

I signed up for this race using a Living Social or Groupon coupon. A few friends talked me into it--the price was good, the cause was good, and there was a medal ;) But OMG it was SO COLD the day of the race!!! Packet (bib/commemorative pin/optional tshirt) pickup was the day of the race, and we arrived early to make sure we got parking (it's pretty limited up at Mt. Tabor). The line was fast and the volunteers were nice, but I was freezing standing around, even with all of my layers. I actually decided to run in my winter parka because I was so cold. While I did eventually warm up a mile or so into the race, I kept on all my layers the entire race. The course was hilly and challenging, especially after running another hilly 5k the day prior (Mustache Dache 5k). One part of the course was icy and slippery, and at times it was a little confusing. And since the race didn't start til 4:11, it was getting dark towards the end of the race. I definitely froze my behind off waiting for my friends to finish, and waiting for results. While I snacked on the post-race granola bars and had a bottle of water, the race org announced that they would mail age division awards home.

Results were pretty slow to be posted online, and my inquiries about when they would be available didn't get a response. Once they were up several days later, I saw that Iinitially I was listed as being 3rd in my age division, but at some point, I moved down to 4th. :(

While it was a decent event, I'd like to see the race directors improve upon some of the details.

I feel like I missed out on everything this weekend! Things have been kind of hectic and I was hoping to recharge and have some fun: I WANTED TO run, go to a party, be productive, and catch up on sleep. What actually happened was: I was sick, not sleeping well, and working from home. BOOO. 

I'm not ready for it to be Monday :( 

Date and time: Saturday, January 31, 2015 @ 10:00 am

Events and price: 5k $35.00
Chip timing is an additional $3.00
Long sleeve shirt is an additional $18.00

Location: McMenamins Edgefield - Blackberry Hall; 2126 S.W. Halsey St.; Troutdale, OR 97060

Number of runners: capped at 1500

Beneficiary: Portland Police Bureau Sunshine Division

Swag: There's so much swag!

• FREE custom Columbia Sportswear winter beanie or ear warmer (your choice of style & color)
• Hot coffee
  
• Homemade soups and fresh baked bread from McMenamins
  
• 1 free beer for wearing a costume
  
• Prizes for costume contest winners (funniest, best weather-theme, best group and most elaborate)

Course: 1.55mi loop (run twice) that has several hills is on a narrow, packed gravel trail with scenic views of the Columbia River.

I heard of the Worst Day of the Year Run a few years ago and was both intrigued and hesitant about running an event with that name. Did I really want to chance running a race that was likely to have bad weather? But how cool would it sound saying that I had run it? hahahaha (I'm totally buying an event shirt--bragging rights).

While the weather probably won't be perfect, the event sounds fantastic, and friends who have run it in the past have a lot of positive comments. In particular, I really like that there will be clearly defined wave starts (sub 8; 8-10min pace; 10+min pace; walkers), that we get a beanie/ear warmer instead of a shirt (although I appreciate that they do have the option of buying an event shirt for only $18!), that being in costume gets you a free alcoholic drink, there will be warm food, AND the after-party will be inside and heated! And I loooove Edgefield--it seems like a great spot for a post-race party! Lastly, it's awesome that the race beneficiary is the Portland Police Bureau Sunshine Division, which has provided food and clothing relief to Portland residents in need since 1923. 

Hope to see you there!

Photos by Good Sport Promotions

Train with Energy starts THIS SUNDAY, January 11th! This first kickoff session will be FREE, so if you want to check it out, be sure to stop by :) Plan on showing up around 8:00 am at Torque Coffee in Downtown Vancouver, and the run will start around 8:30-8:45 am. You can stop by to chat with Ron and the Train with Energy trainees, and/or enjoy the group run!

About Coach Ronald Homer

• Ron email
• RRCA Certified Run Coach
• 30+ years of running
• Logged nearly 100,000 miles including marathons & ultra-marathons
• 2 time Boston Qualifier
  
  

There are people who are amazing athletes, but are not very good at coaching; and there are people who are great at coaching, but not the most skilled athlete. But Coach Ron excels at both running and coaching. He's very knowledgeable, helpful and an amazing runner.

What does the Train with Energy plan include? Coach Ron will evaluate your current running routine and goals via a survey, and create a customized training plan for you--plans typically include weekly long runs for the Train with Energy group on Sundays, and track workouts with other local runners on Tuesdays. The Train with Energy package also includes a training tech t-shirt, as well as discounts on up to five Energy Events races.

It does feel like a lot of money. And to be honest, I didn't think I needed a coach when I was training for the 2014 Vancouver USA Marathon--after all, I had done three other marathons without a coach. But after working with Ron to better understand the program, I was hooked. I felt more confident about my training, I PR'd by almost 30 minutes, and I recovered much faster than I had after my other marathons! The quality of the coaching is definitely worth the price.

Just the training itself, it comes out to $23/month for the full marathon training program, and $30/month for the half marathon training program. That's just a few lattes a month! It's not that expensive considering you'll someone who will help you prepare for a marathon or a half marathon, and will hold you accountable for your training--and that's not even looking at the other perks (shirt, discounts, etc)!

Register here for Train with Energy! If you register, please mention that I referred you! It helps build my street cred ;)

Current VUM full marathon price $85.00; Current VUM half marathon price $65.00
Full marathon training = 6 months; Half marathon training = 3 months. 

Date and time: Sunday, January 4, 2015 @ 10:00am

Events and price: 
5k or 10k $42-45
1k Cub Run $15-20
Polar Bear Slide (free)

Location: Battle Ground Village; Battle Ground, WA

Beneficiary: Clark County Fire & Rescue Fire Cadet Program Booster Club

Number of runners: 500

Swag: Tech t-shirts (see below!) and goodie bags. New for 2015--all 5k and 10k finishers will receive a medal! Post-race pancake breakfast, beer by Northwest Public House & Brewery (Oakshire IPA and Bud Light). TONS of FREE photos on their Facebook page after the event.

Course: The 5k and 10k courses are both fairly flat and fast.course maps with elevation charts are available here.

I was so excited to continue working with Get Bold Events and to be invited to be a Bold Babe at the 2015 Resolution Run! The night before Ingri helped me plan my outfit, modified my tutu (by adding a ginormous sparkly bow!!) and made me an adorable headband to wear for my run. I knew some of the Bold Babes, but not all of them. They were all very welcoming as this was my first event as a Bold Babe :) We arrived at the event at 8:00 am to help with registration and packet pickup. Despite the cold and rainy weather, lots of people showed up the morning of the race to register! Registration swag included a goodie bag, and a nice heather blue tech t-shirt.

Shortly before the race was scheduled to start, I left my nice warm snow jacket with the Bold Babes and headed to the starting line with my friend Krista, who I had promised I would run with (she said I didn't have to, but I thought it would be nice to have some company since I wasn't shooting for a PR). The 10k course is a flat out and back through Battle Ground. The streets are not closed to traffic, but there is enough room on the shoulder and sidewalk for the volume of runners to safely run the course. There were also lots of fantastic volunteers on the course, including several Clark County Fire Cadets, who also helped set up and tear down before and after the event. 

A mile from the finish, Krista mentioned that the last mile was usually the hardest for her. Although I wanted to be encouraging, I was a little too tired to carry on a conversation and wanted to try to pick up the pace a little. Krista didn't seem to notice or mind, so I kept at it. As we neared the finish line, I made a goal of trying to catch the person in front of me, and hoped to motivate Krista to finish strong! I was so proud of her when she said that she had PR'd by 5 1/2 minutes!!!

After we crossed the finish line, we received our medals, hung around, met up with other friends, listened to the DJ, and watched the crazies who braved the Polar Bear Slide, including Race Director Elba and my friend Kevin! I had considered it, but chickened out. But they did have towels for those who did the slide, and the hot tub was reserved for Polar Bear Sliders only, who also received a special prize (such as a cute mug). 

When I was getting my jacket, Brighid, who won a race entry on the blog, came to say hi! She had pushed her little kiddo in a stroller for the 10k, and she did great. It was really nice of her to say hi--FYI I love meeting my readers! :) Once I was bundled back up, I grabbed some nice warm pancakes with maple syrup and then headed into the beer garden! In addition to pancakes, they had gummy bears, peanut butter and bread, Gatorade, water and root beer. Kind Bars was there handing out bars as well. We hung out for awhile, as there were several friends who received overall and age group medals (congrats!!!). A bunch of Chuggers headed to Northwood afterwards for lunch. Battle Ground Village is a great venue because it is so convenient to go straight from the finish line to an actual restaurant (you don't even have to move your car)!

Overall, it was a well-organized race with a big emphasis on HAVING FUN--and an even bigger emphasis on helping the local community. I love that the 2015 Resolution Run raised over $1000 for the Clark County Fire Cadet program! 

Date and time: Saturday January 3, 2015 @ 8:30am

Events and price: 
1 Mile  $14
5k  $22
1 Mile & 5k  $25
Kidathon  FREE ($10 for a kids medal)

Location: Cook Park; Tigard, OR

Beneficiary: N/A

Swag: Every finisher received a nice, hefty Uberthons medal. There was hot cocoa and bananas post-race. Pins for age division winners; necklaces for those running their first 5k with Uberthons (even if they've run any other race prior--your first Uberthons 5k is special!)

Course: The 5k contains both dirt and paved trails. It's nice--pretty, well-marked, and not hilly. 

Number of runners: 400

Past recaps: 2014 New Yearathon

I'm so excited to have earned my first medal of 2015 :) Although I'm bummed that my fitness level has plummeted over the past few months, there was a lot to enjoy at the second annual New Yearathon. I LOVE Uberthons events, and race organizers Darwin and Alan are two of the nicest guys ever. Uberthons events are very welcoming to all abilities--it's low key enough for new runners, and well organized enough for more experienced runners. 

The day of the race, I was tired and having an off morning (Ardara called me a cranky panda), but there's nothing like a good race with good people to turn that frown upside down :) Five other Run Oregon bloggers were running at the event, and sooooo many of my running friends! It was great. The event was capped at 400 runners and walkers, which was just right for the venue. There was plenty of nearby parking, there were two heat lamps under the park shelter, and plenty of bathrooms.

The one milers were split into two tiers: the sub 7:00 runners started first, and the over 7:00 runners after all of the one milers in the first group finished. It was really fun to watch Run Oregon super speedsters Brian, Joe and Tung finish! The one mile course was a mix of paved course and dirt/barkdust trail. It's a fun course but it's a little challenging--don't expect an easy 1mi PR! 

After the one miler, I gave a quick speech about Eating Right and Exercising right--I was super nervous about talking in front of the group, but fortunately it went alright! I also got to announce the two raffle prize winners, who each received a voucher for new shoes at Road Runner Sports (up to  $120). I feel like I had barely caught my breath and then it was time to run the 5k! Because there are a lot of newer runners and walkers at Uberthons events, if you're a faster runner or looking to PR, you'll want to start near the front and be prepared to weave! And the 5k course also had a mix of paved trail and a bit of dirt trail, as well one short steep climb. It was very, very well marked with plenty of volunteers on the course. After running the 1mi pretty hard, the 5k felt a lot more difficult for me than usual! (Oh yeah, and being super out of shape....) I was very relieved to cross the finish line, hear my name announced, and receive my ginormous medal ;) 

I loved that official times were available immediately after the race on two kiosks. Usually age group awards are announced fairly quickly, but this time the awards were somewhat delayed. Although I was a little bummed not earning an age division pin for either race, I was super happy for all of my friends who did!

As always, this was a fantastic event, and I'm so excited for all of the Uberthons events coming up for 2015!

Date and time: Thursday, January 1, 2015 @ 10:00am

Events and price: 3mi and 6mi (self-timed); $2 (free with CCRC membership)

Location: Klineline; Vancouver, WA

Number of runners:

Beneficiary: 150

Swag: N/A

Course: Flat out and back on paved trail

I wasn't hungover, but I did treat myself to a post-race Bloody Mary (it was epic--so many tasty garnishes)! The Clark County Running Club is a local running group that has inexpensive, events that are mostly self-timed (the results are collected and posted online). The majority of events are free for members and only $2 for non-members--and membership is SUPER inexpensive ($10/year for individuals and $20/year for families). And gives me opportunities to add more EVENTS to my race calendar for 2015 ;)

The Hangover Run was a flat out and back on a trail. I'm super slow right now but it was a good opportunity to hang out with other runners and get in some miles! I only did 3 miles, since I was testing out my new Hoka's, and was planning on running another 3mi with the Vancouver Run Grub Chug group (aka Vancouver RGC aka the "Chuggers"). I ran with my friend Adara and took it easy. It was chilly, but there were blue skies that morning! I was definitely glad to spend the first day of 2015 with running friends :)

• Sunday, January 18, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
  
• State of Washington School for The Deaf; 611 Grand Blvd, Vancouver, Washington 98661
  
  

The Fitness Apparel & Gear Swap will be a fun community event designed to raise money for the participating non-profit of your choice (State of Washington School for the Deaf, Momcology or Race to Remember). 

To participate you must bring a minimum of 3 items and a $10 entry fee (which is donated to your choice of the participating nonprofit organizations). 

Clean out your closets! Bring your new or gently used and freshly-washed fitness apparel and/or gear-accessories. Please no items that are stained, ripped or stinky! A minimum of 3 items are required to participate, but bring as many as you'd like to share - take as many as you can use!

Ideas of what to bring:

• Apparel
* Running shorts, skirts, tights or capris
* Technical or moisture-wicking long or short sleeve shirts
* Quarter zips, vests or jackets
* Yoga apparel and accessories (blocks, straps, mats, etc)
* Triathalon apparel
* Biking shorts, tights or jerseys 
* Gloves, hats, arm warmers, headbands, etc - cold weather running gear

• Running shoes – new or GENTLY worn (10 miles on them? Great! 100 miles on them? Probably past their giveaway point). Please make sure they are as clean as possible. (NO STINKY SHOES!)

• Gear 
* Hydration belts, hand-helds, bottles
* Reflective gear (vests, lights, etc)
* Running strollers 
* Bikes, bike racks, locks, accessories

• Electronics – GPS watches, shoe pods, iPods, mp3 players, headphones, etc

• Books, cookbooks, magazines, fitness DVDs, games (Wii, Xbox, etc)

• Miscellaneous – brand new shoelaces, unopened nutrition samples (did you buy a case of GU gels only to find that your tummy can no longer tolerate them? Did your StrideBox have samples you won't use? They may be someone else’s favorite flavor! Bring them along!), Unopened toiletry items (chafing cream, etc)

• If you have items too large to bring (ie, treadmill) but looking to give a new home, please feel free to print out a picture with description and a way to contact you and we will have a place you can post it


Tentative Schedule:
1:00-2:00pm - Doors open at 1. Swappers will pay $10 entry fee and be given a raffle ticket. The swap area will have tables labeled with gender & sizes, along with tables labeled for books/magazines, hydration, electronics, etc. Place your items onto the appropriate tables (volunteers will be available to assist).

2:00-2:45pm - SWAP magic happens! Everyone will line up around the outside of the room. When we announce “SWAP” you can hurry (no pushing or shoving, please!) to the table you suspect will have the most of what you’re interested in. Remember – this is a FRIENDLY swap. Feel free to wear sports bras or tight apparel so you can try things on over them. We will have a couple of full-length mirrors available. Take as many items as you will use but please be respectful of others and share. If you have five great things and grab something at the same time as someone with nothing does, consider letting go and sharing the finds. 

2:45pm - RAFFLES! Each non-profit organization will be holding a raffle, using the tickets collected from donations. 

3:00pm - Clean up and head home to put away all of your new goodies!