Mud? Bring it on.

The very first time I saw this video I knew I had to do it.

My marathoner friend and I joked about trying it out, I think both of us testing each other to see how serious we were. I showed my husband, and his exact words:

"Have fun with that." 

He warmed up after watching the video again (how intense is that video?) and my marathoner friend said she was game too and that was it. We were in.

We talked to some other friends and coworkers and managed to round up a few more mudders. Here is the crack team:

The Marathoner.
She's been killing it on the roads all winter, running through rain and snow, just to get those kilometers in before her big run this spring. She's all about kick-ass motivation. She will be the one on the course making sure everyone gets over every wall.

The Do-It-Yourselfer.
Much like myself (surprise! this one's my brother) this do-it-yourselfer has put together a gym in his basement. Though his is way more professional and cool looking than mine. I asked him once if he was excited about this, and he confessed, "I can't stop thinking about it."

The Adventurer.
He's taking his family down for a vacation the same weekend, and oh, decided to throw in a climb of White Mountain while he was at it. Our adventurer doesn't mind the occasional marathon or living in the woods for 72 hours. Also...biked with Lance Armstrong.

The Jock.
Plays rec hockey and dodgeball. And dodgeball is tough, man, real tough. He pulls out 10k's on the weekends and still manages to fit in trips to the gym and dabbles in some P90X. He's afraid he's going to be the weak link. I don't think so.

The Lifter.
This is the one that said have fun with that. He a bit of a gym rat, benching 365, but recently joined a running group to trim down some of the bulk and prepare for that portion of the course. He's also just discovered a passion for greek yogurt "for the casein".

And me.
I'm lifting weights 4 or 5 times a week (favorite move: stiff-legged deadlift), running twice a week (working up to 15k), doing pilates semi-regularly (to stretch me out) and I swear I am going to be a rock star at pullups by July (aiming for 10...they are super hard.) I've been running regularly for about five years now, and been at the weights for two. Obstacle courses? Not even once.

It's been a rough week for working out.

Last week was a great week. Got a couple of runs in. Did a couple killer leg workouts. Upped my number of pushups. WOo.

This week, not so much. I had a million reasons (Well, really, only one. Sore knees. They really did hurt.). I even took the elevator at work, which I never do.

I wasn't even using my Brand New Kicks, which every person, man or woman, likes to do when they get them. New sneakers FTW!

Reebok RealFlex. Pretty. 

I bought these little pretties because my outdoor runners were getting really muddy from running on the dirt roads in the spring, and they were tracking dirt all over my gym floor. (Maybe a post later to show off what could quite possibly be the most ghetto gym owned by a middle class girl ever? Wait for it.)

Anyways, no gym this week. In addition to the sore knees, my three year old got sick, and over the course of an evening I was puked on more than once, and shocker! I got the bug as well. And there goes a weekend.

Ok. So. No more excuses. Next week, it is ON.

Baking Soda, Why Do I Love You?

Four simple yet important reasons:

1. I wash my face with you and you don't dry my skin out, or make it tight and flaky.

2. I wash my hair with you and you don't make it frizzy like shampoo does.

3. I brush my teeth with you and you make them whiter.

4. You are cost-effective and powerful.

Current Obsession: Apple Cider Vinegar

I've been using Apple Cider Vinegar for about two months now as a conditioner on my hair. I recently had a nasty bout of acid reflux and did some searching on Crunchy Betty, as I had a vague recollection of seeing her heartburn post. Her experience: two tablespoons in a glass of water and bam! Heartburn gone.

Let me tell you, I've had worse tasting stuff. But not much worse. It's pretty bad. But the acid reflux disappeared immediately. It was magical.

I tried the ACV in a glass of water and found just it lasted too long. I shoot it out of a shotglass instead now, so it's over quicker. Some times it goes down better than others. It's still gross. But it works.

Photo courtesy: Heinz Canada

What else does it do? 

According to the internet, it can clear up pretty much anything: acne, eczema, burns, bruises, BO, headaches, hemorrhoids, insomnia...the list goes on. However. This is the internet. And we know how much we believe the internet. (You can't. Don't do it.)

I can at least attest to the "makes your hair softer!" and the "cures acid reflux!" claims, since its worked for me the past two months.

I'll continue to report back if I find some other helpful uses. 

moar reads!

apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com

earthclinic.com/Remedies/acvinegar.html 

healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar.html 

Here I am.

Never thought I would see myself here. Freely expressing myself on the interwebs. I'm the one who barely passed computer class, never used email and was completely ok with that. I had a healthy fear of technology. Now here I am, living and working in a high tech world.

This is a blog about my recent attempts are living a simple and low-processed lifestyle. Again, something else that I never cared about. I never cared about what shampoo I was using, or what went into my fast food, they were just a part of my life. Now that I'm running a family, and finding that there are chemicals and companies out there that aren't doing me or my family One Bit of Good, I'm trying to make a change. Slow and steady.

I call it The Mom Effect: drive slower, eat more veggies, exercise for fun.

Boring? Yes. Better? Also, yes.