A lesson in heartbreak.

I think my heart breaks too easily.

Sure, sometimes I have a good reason to be heartbroken.  An unwanted divorce springs immediately to mind, and a few other moments in my life when it would have been inhuman to NOT be heartbroken, but for the most part my life is pretty blessed.  Despite knowing objectively that even in hard times, I have it pretty good, my heart doesn't seem to be on board with "being okay with it all".  Sometimes the smallest inconveniences or the tiniest disappointments will leave me feeling completely broken and hopeless.

I'm not sure if this is because the true heartbreaks have left me fragile and more easily broken.  I'd like to think this is not the case - I want to think, as all of us do when we have struggled through hardships, that I have become not weaker but stronger, and I know that in many ways, this is exactly what really has happened.  So why is it that I still let these little things affect me so much?

My best guess is that, for some reason, maybe I still want the heartbreak.  Perhaps it's an extension of "playing the victim," so to speak.  If I let myself be hurt over whatever the issue is, I can pretend like the disappointment isn't my own fault.  This weekend I experienced some disappointments that at first seemed like the world crashing down around me.  I was devastated, and ready to give up before my weekend was through.  Less than 24 hours later, I was fine.  What I had considered life-alteringly disappointing was really just a minor setback that required me to reframe an idea in my mind.  Once I took a step back and reshaped my expectations (not lowered, just altered), I found myself once again thinking positively about moving forward.

As it turns out, heartbreak is oftentimes only what you make it out to be.  True, I'll never be able to convince myself divorce isn't heartbreaking, but I'm going to try to give myself a break on some of these other things.  If it's not *actually* life changing, I'm going to try not to take it as such.  When there's a way to take stock and rephrase my perspective or my actions instead of feeling like a victim again, that's what I'm going to do.  And when it's time to get hopeful about something that is mostly unknown, I'll remember not to build things up too much in my mind and in my heart, so I can be better prepared to readjust if things are not quite what I'd wanted to see.

Life is what you make of it - this has been a constant lesson over the past couple years.  I keep turning over new pages in this book, and every new chapter is a step closer to the happy, healthy future I want!

How do you combat heartbreak?  Do you sometimes build the proverbial mountain out of a molehill?  What are some of the "life is what you make of it" lessons that you've learned?

Five Things Friday: What I LOVE About Airline Travel

This morning I boarded a plane heading towards yet another exciting opportunity.  It's not quite time to reveal any details, not yet, but I CAN take this time to share my five favorite things about traveling via air!

5. The views.

Landscapes look completely different when you're waaaaay up in the air!  You can trace the flow of rivers, gaze from mountaintop to mountaintop, identify city lights at night from a hundred miles away...   But even if you're stuck sitting above the wing of the plane with minimal ground vision, you still get breathtaking views of the clouds (when they're in season) and a firsthand view of the beauty of sunbeams hitting those puffy white sky-marshmallows.  Yup, sky-marshmallows.

4. Hilarious flight crews.

This is mostly specific to Southwest Airlines, where apparently flight crews are encouraged to show their personality.  It's a great change to the stereotype of flying!  Pilots making jokes about the destination, ticket agents bantering like it's a comedy club...  I even had a flight attendant SING to us as we landed at La Guardia!  The whole plane (except the grumpy old man next to me) clapped and sang along, taking the edge off a long day in the air.  Keep it up Southwest, we love it.  Almost as much as we love your old flight attendant uniforms.

3. Sleeeeeeeeeping the whole way home.

A lot of my travel this year has been for race events, which means my days are 12-20 hours long and packed with dancing, bouncing, yelling, cheering, and just generally being awesome - which is flat out exhausting!  While driving to your destination gives you more control over route, departure times, bathroom breaks, and who sits next to you, being behind the wheel means you have to be both awake and alert.  That doesn't happen sometimes (see above re: 20 hour event days) and with flying, it's not a problem.  Heck, I fell asleep on a red-eye once and was so far gone I didn't wake up until I accidentally rolled onto the floor while the attendants were trying to wake me!  Driving home from the airport can still be tricky but at least I get my nap time in while we're in the air!

2. Visiting different airports around the country.

Even if you're not staying in that city, the local airport almost always carries the character of its home city and gives you a taste of what you're missing!  Some airports are nicer than others, certainly, but each has at least some sense of charm.  Even La Guardia had charm, though I'm not sure I remember what it was, exactly...  But others I remember!  Nashville was cozy but upscale.  Minneapolis/St Paul was posh and pretty.  Houston had lots of places to eat.  Atlanta was more of a mall than an airport.  Every city has a memory, and I'm excited to add more memories with every trip!

1. Stepping off the plane into a NEW PLACE!

And isn't that really the best part of travel in general?  I'm fortunate that I've never had to take an airline trip that was for something sad or negative, so every disembarkation is taking me on a new adventure!  This year I've gone coast to coast and many points in between, and I'm working on ways to constantly keep adding to my list of places I've been.  Even if the destination isn't a flashy vacationer's paradise, there's always something new and interesting at the other end of the flight pattern!

What's your favorite way to travel?  Why do you find it so enjoyable?  Anyone out there HATE travel? Why?

Pardon my dust!

Hi friends!  You may be noticing in the next few days/weeks that things are changing here at Adventures with FitNyx.  I'm working hard to revamp my blog, making it easier for you to navigate my page and find interesting information - I'm also working EXTRA hard to provide better content more regularly!  I'll still be posting my product reviews and other articles, but you may see some new things show up and some old things disappear or change places.  Bear with me while I make some changes, and as always, use those comment forms on the bottom of every post to let me know if you like what you're seeing/reading!  As always, you can reach me via email (fitnyx@gmail.com) at any time with questions, comments, concerns, feedback, or whatever you'd like to say!

Thanks for your understanding!

Product Review: The Drew Co. Bath and Body (Giveaway!)

Over the summer, and indeed throughout the evolution of my fitness lifestyle, I noticed the toll all this sweat, sun, and stress was taking on my skin.  And my hair, but that's a whole 'nuther story...  Anyways, I started keeping an eye out for better products to help me wash away the adverse dermatological issues generated by so much fitness.  In short, I wanted to clean up better!

Then I found Drew Co on Instagram.  It was love at first sight, and I just had to try some of their great-looking stuff.  A quick inquiry into the company uncovered two owners who both loved to run!  Conveniently they had been considering creating a Runner's Kit with a smattering of products to help sweaty folks like me keep up our healthy glow!  After asking a few questions about my specific skincare needs and worries, The Ginger and Lady Drew sent me a whole box of amazing goodies to treat myself right!

Disclaimer: Drew Co sent me my Runner's Kit free of charge in exchange for my review.  I received no additional compensation, and all thoughts and opinions in this post are my own, as always!

 Let's start with my favorite item, aka the Dirty Sailor, aka, the best salt soap on the planet!  I was told the scent was reminiscent of Captain Jack Sparrow, which I thought was a bold and untraceable claim at first, but then I started using my bar and YES, it really DOES smell like Jack Sparrow!  Not gonna lie, there have been times I've reached into the shower, grabbed my bar, and just inhaled for a quick shot of my new favorite scent.  The soap itself is silky smooth, scented (obviously) but not overpoweringly so, and my skin feels incredible every time I use it.  I've historically had an weird aversion to "girly skincare products" so trying Drew Co was a little outside my comfort zone in the first place - but after a months-long affair with a Dirty Sailor, I think it's fair to say I'm hooked!

Though it's not explicitly running-related and from what I have heard in the past more likely comes from my partially Italian heritage, I seem to have a problem with little bumps on the skin of my upper arms.  They itch a bit, and they make my skin, well, bumpy - which is icky.  I mentioned this when I was discussing Runner's Kit options, and Drew Co tucked in one of their grit products, delightfully called No Way To Treat A Lady.  Well Drew Co, I beg to differ - it is the PERFECT way to treat THIS lady, at least!  Grit is a dry scrub to help combat some of the toughest parts of skincare, and it has made quick work of my arm bumpies.  Now the skin is so soft, so smooth, and incredibly touchable, which has been great for showing off the new guns I've been working on in the gym!  Easily my second favorite product in the bunch, and something I'll probably exclusively buy from Drew Co in the future because no other scrub has ever worked on those bumpies!  Pro tip: use the lid to take just a small amount of the grit if you're using it in the shower, otherwise you risk getting the whole tin wet, especially if you're a klutz like me.

Of course I wanted to follow up my freshly scrubbed and deliciously clean skin with a little lotion, and Drew Co's Rose Colored Glasses was waiting for me.  I LOVE the way my skin feels after a few days of this lotion, but the scent is very rosy and very strong.  After a while I switched to only using this every couple days so as not to overpower the fresh clean scent of my Dirty Sailor (that sounds so contradictory but whatevs, he's amazing).  The lotion itself doesn't feel greasy or sticky, and it rubs right in so you can throw it on quick without leaving smudges over everything else you touch!  I think this scent and lotion base would be an amazing face cream if the scent could be toned down a little bit...

Drew Co also provided me with an alternative to tradition lotion: a block of body butter called Serendipity.  Basically a solid lotion, you rub the block directly onto your skin, and the warmth of your body heats it up just enough to leave a thin buttery residue.  This felt divine after a fresh shave or a grit scrub, but unlike the more traditional lotion, the Serendipity stayed greasy on my skin for a while, which made me hesitant to get dressed too soon after using for fear it would stain my clothes.  I used it on days when I had enough down time to give myself that full spa-treatment (and bonus, got to use my bridesmaid gift from my brother's wedding, the cutest  monogrammed blue bathrobe EVER) but couldn't use it as often as I would have liked once my schedule picked up.  Pro tip: use the lid as a "gripper" to hold the bar, otherwise the warmth of your hands will melt it and you'll end up sticky!  (I definitely think this product could use a better package and delivery system; something like a deodorant stick that would let you hold it without touching the actual product so you don't waste too much on your hands... )

Finally, I received a second bar of soap, one of their best sellers: The Ex.  I almost forgot I had this one in the box still, because I'd been so tied up with my Dirty Sailor (who needs the ex when you have the Captain, right?) but I hauled it out one day and plunked it in the shower so it would see some use.  I'm glad I did!  Though the first time I used it, I lathered up a washcloth for application, which left me a little confused.  I had enjoyed how incredibly smooth the soap felt, but I checked its description and realized it's supposed to be an exfoliating soap, which I didn't get at all!  Next time I was in the shower, I paid more attention to the feel of the bar and noticed the grit on the bar itself, which would have made for a much better exfoliant.  I've tried using a couple different types of loofa/shower poof, but the only way I feel the grit doing anything for my skin is if I use the bar directly.  Honestly, I like the smooth washcloth version MUCH better!  Still, it's great in a  pinch for a rough spot if I forgot to snag some of my grit before getting into the shower...

And there you have it!  Five AMAZING products from Drew Co, all of which are available for purchase on their website independently!  Or you can mix and match products to create your OWN runner's kit to meet your needs.  Plus, if you're luck enough to live up in the Pacific Northwest area where Drew Co makes its home, you might see The Ginger and Lady Drew out at a race selling their official Runner's Kits before/after the race OR on the course running alongside you in between!  Oh, and take some time to stop by their website and read the names and descriptions of their products - these gals are HILARIOUS, and most of their descriptions have me laughing my head off when I browse for new products!

Drew Co is also giving away a small prize pack to one lucky reader!  Enter using the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win some Drew Co delights of your own, including a bar of The Ex soap, the new Total Betty body butter, and The Clint lip balm!  Giveaway ends 10/27 at 11:59pm.  Winner must be willing to provide a valid shipping address.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


What types of skincare issues do you face?  Do you have favorite products to combat those issues?  What's your favorite Drew Co product description?

POUND Training - Rockout. Workout.

After waiting months for money, schedules, and the stars to align, I finally had the opportunity to expand my group exercise repertoire this past weekend with a training for POUND!  I'd first heard about POUND way back in May at the Fit Expo (right before the wheels that took me out of Chicago started turning), and in the turmoil since, it's been a top priority on my fitness career checklist, so it was an absolute pleasure to finally check it off yesterday!

Even though it's been around for years, many people still haven't heard of POUND - and I'm not surprised, I'd never heard of it either until I saw the demo in May!  POUND is a full body cardio-strength fusion class inspired by drumming, of all things.  At first it seemed to me a wacky concept, until I picked up a pair of Ripstix and tried it myself.  I was hooked.

Though the basic movements of POUND originally seemed like they might be a little repetitive, my training proved the incredible diversity that can be achieved from the basics.  With something like 100 variations on the building block moves, there's plenty of opportunity to keep a class from getting stale.  Plus, most of the moves really make you work!  Though I'd experienced the class before, the training reminded me just how much of a sweat those little sticks can generate.  And I'm pretty darn sore today, too...

I think POUND is going to be an excellent addition to my class schedule!  I see a few financial hurdles that might slow me down a bit (for example, might have to buy my own Ripstix package if I want to teach at various locations, and like Zumba there's a monthly fee to stay current with the brand), but that's all it would be: a slowdown, not a dead end.  Making it to and through this training was just another step - and another victory - towards the bright future I've been building all summer.  It was a great way to start the fall group ex season, and I can't wait to kick off classes at Elevated Fitness in November.  Classes are so much fun, and diversity keeps things fresh; I'm sure POUND and I will get along very well!

Have you taken a POUND class?  What was your favorite part?  What is your favorite group ex format (to teach or to take)?  What fun classes should I add next?!

In Response to Steve Jones

Earlier this month, an article was published in which legendary endurance runner Steve Jones was asked about the changing face of the endurance racing industry.  He had some interesting things to say - including controversial remarks about what "counts" as a running achievement.  One of the highlights that provides a pretty good summary of his thoughts on the matter is this lovely little quote:

       I don't believe that starting and finishing a marathon makes you a marathoner.

 I read this in the wake of both the Chicago Marathon (in which many of my family, friends, and fellow bloggers competed) and the Towpath Marathon (which I have spent months helping to coordinate).  I read this after seeing dozens of "I am a marathoner" posts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and various blogs.  Many of those posts talked about four hour marathons.  Six hour marathons.  Even a couple three hour marathons.  None of these people were winning marathons, they were simply running them to prove to themselves they could.  The competition wasn't "me versus the other leaders", it was "me versus me" and every single one of them won that race.

Then I read more of Steve's remarks, including some that were cut from the online version of the article.  At one point he even cites four hour marathon times (and 25 minute 5k times) with a final thought of "that's not running in my mind."  So that means almost everyone I know, including myself, isn't really a runner?

No, sir.  Nope.  Nuh-uh.  Wrong.

I might agree that walking a mile isn't the same as running it.  I probably agree that walking a 5k for the medal doesn't make you a runner, and that some people twist the truth of their participation to sound accomplished.  But once you get into distances like a marathon, or even a half marathon, and you're going faster than a mosey, you're a runner.  If you walk parts of a marathon, or even all of it, you're still a marathoner, you covered the same distance as the guy who won.  Steve Jones runs a marathon faster than I can run a half marathon, but that doesn't mean I'm not a runner.  That's like saying a high school soccer player isn't really a soccer player because they're not in the British Premier League.  Like saying the pee-wee baseball championship team kids aren't really ballplayers because they're not on a Major League team.  It is simply not so.

Image Source: Walk Jog Run

Read the article!  It's relevant and well written!

Running is a unique sport.  It is, as far as I can tell, the ONLY sport in which pros and absolute beginners can be on the same field at the same time, in the same competition.  Running is the great equalizer of the sporting world, and that's an incredible thing.  A race against your own time or your own inhibitions is just as powerful as a race against the other guys in the A Corral, and in many cases it is perhaps even MORE meaningful to those people who are plodding along for hours.  No, I'm not a pro runner, but I damn sure am a runner, and every step of my race counts just as much as every step of yours.

It's a shame that someone as prominent in the industry has to disparage the accomplishments of people who have trained and suffered and sacrificed and planned and worked incredibly hard to achieve something special.  Not everyone can be the best, this is true, but that should never mean it isn't worth setting a goal and pushing for a better performance.  Has running become overly commercialized, as Jones suggests in other parts of his interview?  Heck yes, but so has just about every other hobby, activity, pastime, sport, diversion, or any other anything in modern culture.  That doesn't give anyone permission to cheapen the blood, sweat, and tears that go into the thousands of personal races that are run at every major race event.

 

To all the new marathoners in my life, and to all the repeat marathoners as well, CONGRATULATIONS on your amazing accomplishment!  Don't let the haters and the snobs take away one ounce of your pride.  You've earned your accolades, and no one can take that away from you!

Did you run this past weekend?  Tell me about your PRs, your success stories, your triumphs and your disappointments!  Every single story makes you more and more of a runner, no matter what some elite jerk has to say about it!

Recovering!

I ran a marathon this weekend.

Okay so I didn't run it in the physical, one foot in front of the other for 26.2 miles, kind of sense, but I worked very hard over the past few months and especially the past two weeks as part of the team putting on the Towpath Marathon this past weekend.  We had beautiful weather and tons of amazing volunteers to help, but it was still a very stressful and energy consuming event - and apparently recovery from putting on a marathon is in many ways similar to recovery from actually completing the course!

SO long story short, I'm a little behind on some of my posts, both on the blog itself and on social media.  I'm getting back into it soon, I promise.  I've got a fantastic review of The Drew Co's runner's kit, a selection of skin care solutions for athletes, along with a few other interesting items I've been able to play with lately, plus I'll probably post more about the marathon at some point.  And I've got something BIG in the works, hopefully for November, so there's plenty more to come soon!

For now, check out my Foxy Boxes review for your last chance to WIN a Foxy Box of your very own!  Contest ends tonight (10/13) at midnight!  Or you could go straight to their website to order your subscription NOW with 10% off thanks to my promo code FITNYX10...