Tip Tuesday!: No More Sunscreen in Your Eyes

Do you know what the worst thing is?  Sweating sunscreen into your eyes.  Especially when you're sweating because you're exercising and you have 3 miles left of your run and the only thing you can think about is how THERE IS SUNSCREEN ALL UP IN YOUR EYES AND YOUR WICKING SHIRT ISN'T GOOD AT DRYING YOUR FACE OFF AND DISLODGING THE SUNSCREEN FROM YOUR EYES AND WHY WON'T THIS SUNSCREEN EVER GET OUT OF YOUR EYES.  GAAAAAAAH!!!!

:: Homeboy, I relate. ::

Okay, this tip is for a very specific audience, but I think it's a good one:
It's for those who exercise outdoors and wear a hat while doing so.  And wear sunscreen.  Basically, I'm writing a tip for myself.  But I hope it will resonate with some reader out there and change his or her life the way it changed mine.

Are you ready?

Only apply sunscreen below your eyes!  You can go up to the top of your nose and around your temples, but don't put sunscreen anywhere where it will sweat down into your eyes.

Because you're wearing a hat, that part of your face is covered with the hat and/or perfectly shaded.

It works like a charm.

Ta-da!

My Top 10 Running Songs This Summer

I do most of my personally selected music listening when I'm running.  Although I have a long commute, I tend to listen to the radio during the drive, which means I'm 

(a) very familiar with all the NPR correspondents (MEEEE-chele Norris.  Ha.)

(b) completely up to date on Top 40 (fun game to play next time you hear Maroon 5's "Payphone": notice that every single lyric is a cliche!)

(c) constantly having a love/hate relationship with Ryan's Roses (it's so dumb!  but it's so great!  but it's so dumb.  verdict: it's dumb.)

Whenever I'm getting geared up for an event, I take it as a good excuse to buy music on iTunes.  (Oh, and I'll consider a 5k or an upcoming "long-ish run" with a friend an event.  Any reason to buy new tunes.)

Here are 10 songs that were firing me up while getting ready for (and running) Hood to Coast:

Heartbreaker (feat. John Legend) - MSTRKRFT   

Aaaaaah... this beat is so great for exercising and getting fired up!  Purchase now!

Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass  

 It's just so peppy.  I can hardly stand it!  (Except I totally can stand it, because I love it!)

I Would Do Anything for You - Foster the People  

This whole album is really good.  Fun fact: I went to their concert last fall and was probably the oldest person there.

Song Away - Hockey

In business school, we had a "Mix Tape Club" where you would make mix CDs for a group of people.  (Wow.  After typing that sentence, I realize that really didn't need an explanation.)  Anyway, someone put this song on one of my CDs, and I got totally hooked on this band.

I Can Change - LCD Soundsystem

Thanks, Jen for recommending this on your running music post!

 

Anna Sun - Walk the Moon

This reminds me of The Killer's first album, in a good way.  (I never thought I was a Killers fan, but the one time I went to Coachella for one day, The Killers were the headliners (sort of lame, right?) and that one song with that part "I've got soul but I'm not a soldier"?  Well, I got really into it.  The end.)

Lose Yourself - Eminem

Question: Why didn't I own this until last week?
Answer: I don't even know!!!

Settle Down - No Doubt

Welcome back, you guys!  And with a nice Afro-vibe this time.  Also lovin' on Gwen, especially recently for saying there's no secret/trick to being fit -- you just exercise hard and diet every single day.  Ha.

Superbass - Nicki Minaj

This is my jam.  If you want to watch me rap it, JUST ASK!  I am super happy to oblige!

 

Power - Kanye West

This. Is. The. Sh*t.  Especially when you're tired and need some motivation. 

 

What are jamming on lately?  Always looking for recs!

Hood to Coast

Whew - what a fun weekend!  I was lucky enough to participate in Hood to Coast for the second time in a row this past weekend.  Hood to Coast (aka "The Mother of All Relays") is a 199 mile relay in Oregon from Mt. Hood (Hood) to Seaside (Coast).  Teams of 12, traveling in two vans, complete the course with each runner completing three legs that range from 3-10 miles each.  During breaks (Van 1 has the first 6 runners who can rest during the next 6 runners' legs, and vice versa), you grab something to eat and try to take a nap in the van or outside in a designated sleeping field area.  The whole thing takes about 30 hours (faster if your team is fast).  It's kind of the best.

:: the route ::

Travis has participated for the past 6 years (and did a couple races before when he was a kid with his family... I can't relate to that kind of youthful athleticism, but it sounds awesome).  He's put together a team annually to remember his brother Ryan who passed away in 2007, hence our team name: R. Bowe.  (Team R. Bowe's 2008 race was chronicled in this documentary about Hood to Coast.)

I had never been a runner and had always supported from home, but in 2011, the team was a runner short, and I was able to train and step up to the challenge.  It.  Was.  So.  Fun.  Slash.  Cool.  So I had a total blast doing it again this year.

I was doing the first set of legs (so, legs 1, 13 and 25), which meant I was in the first van and got to kick the whole thing off.  Totally exciting and special.  (Also, these legs are the easiest in the race :))

:: this is where we started.  note the snow. ::

We had a 7:30am start time, so we woke at 4:45am to get to Timberline Lodge an hour early to check in.  Hood to Coast staggers start times based on your team's anticipated pace to try to ease traffic flow throughout the race (with about 1000 teams, there are about 2000 vans making their way across the route) and have teams finish in a semi-concentrated cluster. Starting earlier is nice because you finish earlier, so we were happy with our 7:30am time slot.

Somehow I didn't think to think about the fact that we were starting on a mountain and it might be cold.  It was 35 degrees.  Yikes.

:: this running top has a mesh back so you stay cool.  um, unnecessary. ::

I don't want to brag, but I will: my relay legs were the best.  I started by running almost 6 miles straight down a mountain (ow, quads).  After our van's first set of legs, we had a break in Portland and were able to take naps at a teammate's house.  I am very grateful for that bed.  My next leg was on the waterfront in the middle of Portland, which was very toasty but lovely.  After that, we had our break in a town called Mist, named such because it's, like, always, always super super misty.  Last year I slept outside and woke up wet.  (That was also the first time I'd ever slept outside.  It was fun, even though it was excessively damp.)  This year, I slept in the van and had the most intense 3 hour nap of my life.  My last leg was at about 3:30am, so I can't report on what it looked like, but it was very refreshing!

Since we were in the first van, we finished about 5 hours before our team crossed the finish line, which meant we had time to kill in Seaside, which is a sort of bizarre touristy beach town.  It was surprisingly sunny out for the Oregon coast, so we naturally decided to get breakfast in a very dark dingy bar.

:: bloody mary! ::

And then decided to try on leather vests in the leather discount shop.  Duh.

:: trying on leather vests with friends ::

And then, obviously, purchased them and napped on the beach.

:: i slept very well ::

And, finally, met up with our friends in Van 2 and crossed the finish line together.

:: team R. Bowe ::

Afterwards, we all went back to Portland, where I felt like I was living in an episode of Portlandia, only everyone was really cool and no one was creepy.  Think: cute house, awesome babies, friendly dogs, brew pub, pulled pork nachos, funky friendly dive bar with "Buck Hunter" in the back, funk band playing on the street, teen violinist playing at the brewpub, artisan coffee place run by a French lady, etc.

Can't wait for 2013!  Yay, Team R. Bowe!

Would you do a relay race?  Have you done any fun outdoorsy or athletic events lately?