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When Motivation Fades, Discipline Steps In

April 19, 2018 / Jill McCauslin / 1 Comment

So, you start a new way of eating or you start a new class at the gym, or you start a new walking regime. You go strong for a few weeks and then your enthusiasm wanes. You know that feeling when your motivation fades?

Do you ever say any of these things?

“I just don’t feel like doing it today.”

“I think I’ll just sit on the couch and rest today.”.

“I deserve a cheat day.”

“I’m tired. I’ll do it tomorrow.”

“I’ll get back on my way of eating after the weekend.”

“This one time won’t hurt.”

“I’m just not motivated now.”

I know I have said these things and sometimes I let these thoughts prevent me from doing what I’ve promised myself I’m going to do.

How do we get around this way of thinking?

I think we forget about motivation and instead think of discipline. If you make something a part of your life, you don’t really think about if you feel like it. You do it, even when you’re tired or bored or distracted by a new TV show. It’s why we brush our teeth at night, even when we’re exhausted and just want to go to bed.

When that first burst of enthusiasm comes, you decide, “oh yes, this is what I’m going to do.” and you’re convinced you’ll always want to do this. The trick, I think, at that point, is to work hard to make the new thing a habit. It becomes a part of what you do. So, every Monday, you go to yoga, or every Saturday, you take that boot camp class. Or, every day you get your 10,000 steps minimum. You do this consistently until you no longer question whether you do it, you just do it because that’s what you do. There’s no thinking about it.

I know when I quit attending my Saturday morning class at the gym, it became difficult to return. I finally returned because I realized that if I didn’t resume attending, the odds were good, I’d never go back. I’m working hard now on making Saturday morning my time at the gym again.

The same kind of thinking applies to food. If you decide you’re giving up soft drinks, you have to say “I don’t drink that,” and that has to become part of your way of thinking. If you say, “I can’t have that right now,” it’s easy to fall back into cracking open a can of soda.

I know this is harder than I’m making it sound but I do think it’s important to have a plan for when motivation fades. I think it’s like making a relationship last. You have that first flush of attraction and you can’t get enough of the person and then the novelty wears off. You either move on to the next crush or you start to make the relationship work for the long term.

Anyone have any thoughts on this and what to do about it? We definitely want to make our changes last for the long term.

Unrolled Cabbage Rolls in the Instant Pot

April 16, 2018 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

I figured I’d try some unrolled cabbage rolls because someone was telling me that they are so easy to make. They were right! While my first Instant Pot recipe attempt was yummy, it didn’t turn out the way it was supposed to, because I “adjusted” the recipe so many different ways.

I usually go grocery shopping on Sunday evening and I wanted to clear out some of the refrigerator before I got back from the store. Since the weather was nice and rainy, I figured a warm, hearty serving of Unrolled Cabbage Rolls would be great.

To start, I googled “cabbage, beef, instant pot” and got lots of choices of recipes. Each sounded better than the next. I picked one that sounded good and started sauteing the beef while I cut up the vegetables.

Here’s a few of the ways I modified it:

Onion was missing, I thought there was still a half somewhere in the fridge, but it got used up on Saturday
Substituted a jar of pasta sauce for diced tomatoes
Missed out on the Worcestershire sauce
Added more cabbage than the recipe called since, I had it all chopped up
Skipped the raisins
Only used about half of the brown rice, since the bag was almost empty
Made chicken broth in the VitaMix to use up the left over chicken meat/stock that was cooked on Friday (instead of using beef stock)

I like how you put everything into one place, press a few buttons, add a bit more and put the lid on to cook. That way, when you come home, it’s all ready to serve. The Instant Pot automatically keeps the food warm until you’re ready to eat. This recipe makes lots of leftovers too which is a big win.

Even with all these revisions and modifications, dinner was delicious. Filling and satisfying on a rainy Sunday!

Do you use an Instant Pot? What’s your favorite recipe?

New Inspiration from Taking Stock and Looking Ahead

April 14, 2018 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

I’m feeling new inspiration. Why? With 100 days into 2018 already, spring is here and winter is behind us (hopefully.)

Best of all… the Becoming Elli Facebook Closed Group is active now. Jill and I have had a dream of finding more women like us who are working on becoming (and staying?!) fit and strong. We started this website and our podcast series to provide a place to connect with others who may have some of the same struggles, concerns and goals as we do.

To that end, we are encouraging you to join the Becoming Elli Facebook Closed Group as a way to connect with other like-minded women.

Why I am personally excited about the Closed Group:

I’ve found I have to keep an eye on my weight – it is a still a struggle for me – and other women are going through the same challenges.
Having friends and acquaintances (or even strangers who I have a lot in common with) who are going through the same things gives me the feeling that I’m not alone in my struggles.
I’ve found that I will do exercise when it is fun, I know I won’t get hurt doing it and I have other people who are “in it” with me.
A closed group offers a more open conversation. It’s easier to discuss something on the internet when I know it’s not wide open to the world.
Sometimes just one person telling me “you can do it, I know you can.” gives me the added incentive to do what I’m trying to accomplish.
Hearing about someone else’s challenges and what they are able to overcome really motivates me

Why you may be interested in joining the group:

Motivation/inspiration
Looking at things from another angle makes a difference.
New ideas are helpful and reinforcing your existing ideas helps too.
Taking steps to do the action plan for a dream or a goal you’re working on feels really good.
You can have questions answered – or discussed with pros and cons – find others with the same concerns
Celebrate your “wins” – with weight loss, muscle gained or challenges met

Please use this link to join the group. Jill and I have a few common sense ground rules. We are eager to connect with you. We review and approve each person’s membership in the group so that it will not be a public group.

Maybe you are like me and are taking this change of season time to look at where things stand with your fitness.

I’m thinking about my fitness – the half marathon I committed to running is coming up fast. I’m thinking about my weight – ready to recommit to eating right by planning and keeping track of what I put in my mouth.

Meanwhile during this past week:

I’ve done 2 really strong workouts – the kind that leave you sore the next day in a good way. Not hurt, but my muscles are building.
I was able to get a couple of shorter runs completed.
Jill and I attended a health fair at my gym that inspired us. I found some new ways to maintain better health and we discovered some new podcast topics. While at the health fair, we took advantage of some free screenings. I was excited to see good test results on blood pressure and bone density, but I found I still have a lot of muscle to gain! More about all that in a later post.

If you live anywhere near me in Ohio, you may be excited that the weather has actually become spring. I’m going to wrap up this post so I can get outside and enjoy the weather. I better be fast to beat those April Showers!!

Don’t forget to connect with us with the new Facebook Group. – Chris

P.S. Leave a message in the Becoming Elli group about why you’ve joined. I’m eager to hear from you!

Hop for Hope 5K Recap: First Race of 2018

April 11, 2018 / Jill McCauslin / 4 Comments

The first race I ever ran was the Hop for Hope 5K. When I ran it the first time, we started at Hale Farm in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, ran on a little side road down to a covered bridge and back. It was very scenic and also very hilly. The hills were indeed a challenge.

2014 Hop for Hope 5K Finish Line

I ran the 5K twice on that trail. Then the race changed to a main road in the park and now the course is much flatter. It’s not quite as scenic but I’m guessing people complained about the hills.

2015 Hop for Hope 5K

Then in 2016, I ran the 10K. This year I returned to the 5K because I’ve not been running much due to a problem with my Achilles tendon. (Chris wrote about her issues with her Achilles tendon and her exercises have been very helpful to me.)

The Hop for Hope is a fundraiser put on by a local foundation to help people dealing with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma or Leukemia. The race is always held sometime around Easter and includes Easter egg hunts for the children. Here’s what the race website says:

Hop for Hope is a 5k/10k race and 1 mile walk event that helps the Kimberly Walton Foundation give financial aid to those suffering from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and/or Leukemia.

The first time I ran the 10K, I was delighted to have run that far; it was the first time that long a race. I was a bit disappointed in the race because we all started at the same time and by the time the 10K people got back, the awards ceremony was almost over and there wasn’t much left on the refreshment table.

This year the 10K runners start 10 minutes before the 5K.

2018 Hop for Hope 5K Recap

Despite not having been running much, I managed to run the entire race without problem. I ran it a 11:00 minute mile which is about my normal speed. Sometimes I’ve managed to run closer to a 10 minute mile speed but I was happy with what I did on this one.

It was cold this year; the temperature was about 28 degrees. It snowed a bit over night. (We’ve had a hard April this year.) I wore about four layers of clothes, hat, gloves, and winter running pants with my compression sleeves on my calves. I was certainly not cold when I finished the race but I wasn’t so warm that I had to peel off layers.

Pre-race 2018 Hop for Hope 5K

The race is held on a main road leading out of Akron into the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

2018 Hop for Hope 5K

The race organizers said they had more people sign up for this race than ever before, over 300 runners. Some of those were the 10K folks, and there was also a 1 mile fun walk. This year they started the 10K runners about 5 minutes before the 5K runners, which I think helped make the run a bit more organized.

An Easter egg hunt followed the race so as a result there were a lot of little children about. They weren’t always being watched so they blocked the finish line at times. That’s not a safe thing. On the other hand, it’s fun to see the children and of course it’s fun to have the Easter Bunny there.

This is a fun race put on by some caring people. They award each runner a cute medal and a cotton T shirt. It’s a well organized race with lots of motivational signs and talk.

Suggestions for 2019

Here are a few things that I think could be improved. The road was closed but not at side roads and from apartment complexes. I was almost hit by a car because I didn’t realize that there would be moving traffic and was out in the road a bit. It was alarming to have a car zip right by me when I wasn’t expecting it. I guess it’s not reasonable to actually manage to close the road but maybe a different location on a less busy road would work.

Also, this year they didn’t do age group winners. I probably would have won my age group so maybe that’s why this one bugged me. One of the organizers said they weren’t doing age group rankings because they didn’t have prizes. I think it wouldn’t be hard to prints some round labels that could go on the back of the medal that each runner receives. The label could say 1^st Place, Age Group, or whatever was appropriate. I like more recognition of runners, not less.

2018 Hop for Hope 5K: Race is Run

The finish line was split between the 1 mile run, the 5K, and the 10K. It was not clear to me where I was supposed to go. Fortunately a spectator yelled at me to take the center lane.

None of these are horrible things; just some thoughts about what could be improved for next year.

Overall, it was a fun race with a great crowd, a cute medal and T shirt in a lovely location. And I was delighted to be able to run it without problem.

Diane’s Workout Secrets: An Everyday Woman Shares What She Has Learned

April 10, 2018 / Chris Brown / 3 Comments

Diane is an everyday woman who works a lot of hours at her job, has children and grandchildren, and is active in her church. She finds time to work out in some way six days a week and looks and feels fantastic.

A few years ago Diane Berkley decided to see how strong and fit she could become.

In episode number 7 of the Becoming Elli Podcast, Jill and Chris interview her and she shares her workout secrets with our listeners. In this episode, you will learn:

How she works out
What she did to gain muscle
How she has added running into her routine
How she eats to stay lean and strong
How often she eats

“I see women working out in the gym, struggling to change but things stay the same. So I asked my trainer… What makes the difference?”

Bonus – Stay tuned at the end of the podcast tips for how to get a bit more active!

Please leave a comment below and let us know what you found helpful or interesting about this podcast. Thanks for listening!

Taken on a ride to Cleveland, July 23, 2018 during a lunch break at the marina near the bike trail.

Getting Psyched for Bike Riding this Spring

April 7, 2018 / Chris Brown / 2 Comments

It took me a while to really love-love-love bike riding. There was a lot I had to “get over.”

Of course I had to work on my stamina, endurance, and muscles, but that’s not what I’m referring to! Like everything else with exercising and having fun, when I started bike riding, I had to “get over it.”

The helmet hair. Socks with sandals. Lycra spandex bike pants. Funny form fitting shirts with pockets in the back (most of them meant for guys, not women.) Weird sun tan lines around my eye from wearing sun glasses. Self doubt if I could keep up. Lots of laundry with sweaty bike clothes.

Taken on a ride to Cleveland, July 23, 2018 during a lunch break at the marina near the bike trail.

It was definitely outside my comfort zone. Along with the new “get over it” mind set, I had a lot to learn!

How to get the chain back on my bike if it falls off – without getting my fingers all dirty.
How to change a tube from a flat tire.
The best way to put the bike on a bike rack.
How to stuff my bike inside my car so I don’t have to mess with a bike rack.
How to take a wheel off — and how to get it back on – quickly.
Pump up the tires. ETC. ETC!
There are lots more, but I’m still learning.

Now that it is the second weekend in April, I feel like it’s time for me to be bike riding already. I was disappointed that this morning featured a covering of snow on the ground again. While 40 degrees (scratch that, it’s actually 27 degrees), doesn’t seem terribly cold, if I was riding my bicycle along at 12 miles an hour, believe me, the chill would go right through me!

So, I’ll satisfy myself with just writing about bike riding. I know this cold weather snap won’t last forever and I want to be ready when it’s time to get out there and go.

Here are the things I’m doing to check my bike and equipment to get ready for the season:

1) Tires – I like to pump my tires up to the 90 to 100 PSI range. I ride a street bike that has skinny tires. That pressure level seemed too high to me at first, especially since I was used to car tires at 32 PSI. But I’ve found that low tires means that I go much slower, not to mention that low pressure is more likely to result in a flat tire after a nasty bump or pothole. (Not that I aim for potholes or anything!)

I’ll check the wear on the tires and the number of miles I’ve put on them. I’m going to check that my seat pack has a spare tube and a canister of CO2. And double check that I have the two tools I need, the CO2 attachment and the little plastic tampon-looking tool to get the tire off the rim.

2) Chain – My chain was replaced last season, but I want to oil it up again. At the end of the season I made sure it was lubricated before I put it away, but because it is stored in our unheated garage all winter, I think it’s a good idea to double-check that it’s in good shape.

When the chain starts to go it can effect the teeth on the cranks, which is an expensive thing to replace and not something I want to take on. Too much oil on the chain ends up giving me a bike riding “tattoo” since I tend to put my right foot down and the bike leans right onto my calf when I stop. (Another thing I had to get over.)

3) Derailleur – This involves looking at the cable that moves the gears on my bike, all the way down to where the crank meets the chain. A frayed cable is a bad sign. I remember one ride when I thought I’d have to SAG in after my rear derailleur cable broke, but luckily there was a bike shop supporting the riders and they had me back on the road in about 10 minutes. Amazing when you know what you’re doing for fixing a bike! If I tried to change it, that would have taken all afternoon and I’d end up taking it to the bike shop anyway in frustration!

4) Brakes – Are the brake pads worn? Nothing more important than stopping when you need to and worn brake pads are not something I expect to find.

Typically I don’t use the brakes much. It’s not like driving a car. When I’m riding, I usually slow down and just tap the brakes when I need to stop. But from time to time, there is a need to stop fast and I want to make sure the brakes are there when I need them.

5) Spokes – A loose spoke means trouble – the wheel isn’t going to roll smoothly. To check this, I turn the bike upside and ping each spoke listening for a different sound (too low typically) that signifies a loose spoke.

6) Helmet, mirror and flashy-blinky lights – Safety is critical on a bike. The mirror helps me see other bikes and drivers, but the flashy-blinky lights helps other people see me. I like to use the mirror that attaches to the glasses.

I take a look at the battery in the lights and buy a new set of batteries for the upcoming season.

And the helmet… well, I hope I never really need it! Although it has already saved me a trip to the ER once already. I fell over at a simple stop and clunked my head on a piece of concrete. Nothing happened, but if I hadn’t had my helmet on, I bet I would have needed stitches. I jumped up quickly and the other people I was with didn’t even realize I fell over.

7) Bike pants – Last season I invested in a new pair of bike shorts to replace my favorite pair that became “see through.” I still have two other pairs that are usable. Sometimes I don’t have time to do laundry between a Friday morning spinning session and a Saturday morning bike ride, so choices of bike pants is a good thing. Plus I don’t want to have another situation of “see through” pants and not realize it!!

8) Bike shoes – My go to choice for bike shoe are actually sandals from Nashbar. They have 3 adjustment points so they fit! And the open toes are nice for not getting sweaty feet. I adjust the clips so it’s quick and easy to unclip when I’m stopping. You can tell which foot I put down to stop, because that’s the shoe that gets worn. My only issue with these sandals is the nubs on the bottom. It’s too much for my sensitive feet, so I do the unthinkable – wear socks with my sandals. (I got over that one quickly. Comfort over fashion for me!)

9) Bike water bottles – I like the kind that fit snugly in my water bottle holders. They need to also have a soft opening for drinking that doesn’t hurt my lips/teeth. The top has to open and close quickly. And not leak. Or at least, not leak very much. I hate it when a water bottle splashes on my legs when I hit bumps!

I may need to invest in a couple new water bottles this year as the old ones either have the wrong lids or the lids got lost in the bottom of the Tupperware cabinet.

10) Psych myself UP– This is the reward after doing all the other 9 steps of preparation! Getting psyched for bike riding is the best feeling! I’m going to take a look back at the rides recorded on my Strava account from prior years and remember all the fun times we had. l love dong this because it gets me really psyched up for another season. Maybe I’ll plan a few new routes. It’s so fun to look through the best ones from other years.

I’m going to plan on taking more spinning classes at the gym for the next month or so. This will help me to build up my muscles for the season so I can focus more on all the stuff that happens when I actually go outside. Things like: balancing the bike, looking out for potholes, other bikes, cars and changing gears on the bike.

After all my checklist for getting the bike ready for spring, I’ll take it to a bike shop too and have them look it over too. Not many bike shops enjoy working on my bike. My bike is vintage – it’s a Cannondale 53″ made in from 1988. While the gears still shift on the frame instead of the handlebars, I really love this bike.

Do you have anything that you had to get over in order to really enjoy yourself in an exercise activity? Are you a bike riding enthusiast? What did I leave off of my checklist?

Leave a message below or send me an email – Chris@becomingelli.com. See you out on the bike trails!

Five Ways to Maintain Weight Loss

April 4, 2018 / Jill McCauslin / 1 Comment

There’s lots of talk about people dieting, losing weight, and then gaining the weight back. There was the Biggest Loser study that was released last year that I think made a lot of people feel like why should they bother trying to be a healthy weight. But, I think we can ignore the Biggest Loser because most of us (all of us?) are not losing weight by starving ourselves and working out at a high intensity for 8 hours each day. So, we lose weight more slowly and I think that means we can manage to maintain weight loss.

Also, even if you don’t lose weight, for most of us, it’s a reasonable goal not to gain weight.

So how do we maintain our current weight?

Have a plan. You lost weight by planning what you ate and how you exercised. When you’ve reached that long-awaited goal, you still need a plan. One thing we all know by the time we’re in our 50’s is that the unexpected happens more often than we might like. If you know how you eat and behave while maintaining your weight, it helps when the those unexpected events occur.
Continue to eat in a healthy fashion. Hopefully, you didn’t lose weight by following some restrictive diet that you can’t wait to abandon. People often lose weight and then say “hey, I can go off my diet” and resume their old eating habits. What got you overweight is pretty much guaranteed to get you back to where you were. So you have to continue to pay attention to what you eat.
Exercise Often. It’s difficult to lose weight through exercise but you can use exercise to help you maintain your weight. You want to maintain or increase your muscle to help keep your metabolism working properly. I think you can do what you like but make sure you’re challenging yourself. So, you need to do more than just stroll about your neighborhood, though I confess I like strolling about my neighborhood. You just have to add in something a bit more challenging.
Pay attention to your weight. Chris just posted about her habit of weighing herself every day. You need to understand that your weight will fluctuate but if you start to gain, you need to focus on your goals. I think people do this through using the scale or trying on a particular item of clothing (like those small jeans you bought to celebrate your weight loss!) Give yourself a range and don’t fret if you’re within that range. It’s when the weight begins to creep over it that you need to act.
Find some friends or group to help you maintain your weight. Having a workout partner can make exercising easier to do. Friends with similar goals can make it easier to maintain your eating habits. Ask for help when you need it. We all need help at different times. I find that brainstorming with others on solutions to their challenges often helps me with mine. Don’t forget to look to your family for support. There’s perhaps a husband or significant other who can participate with you. Sometimes an adult child is a great help.

I’m sure there are other good strategies for maintaining weight loss. Share what works for you. That’s part of supporting each other, isn’t it?

Finding Inspiration from My Birthday

March 31, 2018 / Chris Brown / 1 Comment

Yep, there are 61 candles on this cake! Inspiration from my birthday

This is what 61 candles look like on a cake!

Yesterday was my birthday.

Sometimes on birthdays I just feel older, but sometimes I feel really lucky. This year is a lucky year!

While each birthday is really “just another day” in the year, I find that the blessings of another birthday provides me with one of those pivotal times to look ahead and look behind. A way to gather motivation and inspiration to do better, be better and appreciate life more. A little bit like my very own “New Years Day” or that feeling in early September of new beginnings as the school year gets started.

I really like to draw inspiration from my birthday, instead of bemoaning another year older.

My birthday is a time to review goals and count blessings. It’s a time to re-inspire myself and to regain motivation for the things I’m working toward.

I’m grateful for my health and my fitness; for my friends and family. I’m also grateful for my good luck and circumstances.

Because my birthday is near the beginning of spring, the hint of sun and new flowers poking their heads up fills me with anticipation of warmer days and outdoor activities.

For overcoming the days of overcast and cold – when things seem too hard and I feel overwhelmed – I like to draw inspiration from other people.

I like to find inspiration in videos, from the young and the old. I find inspiration from the 90 year old who ice skates, the 70 year old who water skis, the 100 year old who still skis and from the 20 year old who isn’t afraid to share her convictions.

I admire people who take adversity and do the impossible — like the double amputee who did 31 marathons in 31 days. It makes what I am attempting to do seem much more achievable!

After watching some of the inspirational videos here and here, I can’t sit still anymore! I’ll leave you with one more video (that makes me smile and want to dance!) because it is time for me to go out for my “long” run of the week in preparation for the half marathon I’m planning to run on May 20.

Where do you draw inspiration? Do you find your birthday motivating? Leave a comment below or email me!

Taking Care of Yourself, When You are Taking Care of Others

March 27, 2018 / Chris Brown / 3 Comments

In podcast #6 “Taking Care of Yourself, When You are Taking Care of Others”, Jill and Chris discuss ideas and strategies to keep eating healthy foods and squeezing in time for exercise when it is really inconvenient.

Whether you are called out of town to care for a loved one who is ill, or waiting at the hospital while a friend or loved one is undergoing a procedure, you have to take care of yourself first. Sometimes it sounds easier than it really is.

Logically we know that we can’t take care of others, if we don’t take care of ourselves first. It’s like the way they describe the masks on the plane. Taking care of yourself has to come first – or you won’t be able to help your loved ones.

In this podcast we offer suggestions for what food to pack, how to plan and what not to eat as well as several ideas for unusual ways to get exercise that you may not have considered.

Click on the links above if you want to subscribe or download the podcast. If you just want to listen to this one episode, you can just click the play button below to listen from your computer, tablet or smartphone.

Mentioned in this podcast: Scientific 7 minute app.

Stay in touch with us! We love to hear from you. Either leave a comment below or send an email to Chris chris@becomingelli.com or Jill jill@becomingelli.com.
Quick Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Podcast Feed

Perhaps you have been in this situation too and have some suggestions for us. Please leave them in the comments below!

Nathan-SpeedDraw-handheld-insulated-water-bottle-with-case

Insulated Handheld Water Bottle Review

March 24, 2018 / Chris Brown / 3 Comments

Long story short…I love my Nathan insulated handheld water bottle.

**Disclosure: I am testing my participation in an Amazon affiliate program. Some of the links on this page are part of their affiliate program, where a portion of a purchase might help offset the expenses associated with the podcast and website.

As spring has arrived, my mind is already into summer and enjoying hot weather! One of the challenges I have is keeping cool enough during hot runs. That’s why I bought the 18 oz Nathan SpeedDraw Plus insulated running water bottle right before the Akron Marathon last September.

During training, I had struggled trying to find something to run with or hiding water bottles on the trail. This water bottle had four features that sold me:

Insulated means you can fill it and freeze it overnight so you have cold water during the hot day of the race,
Internal flap holds water in until you squeeze it or suck on it. No cap to worry about.
Pouch for keys, phone or snacks.
Adjustable strap to fit around your hand for easy carrying without clenching.

This Nathan SpeedDraw Plus Insulated Flask is an 18 ounce water bottle that is great for providing liquid when you need some while running on a super hot day.

I bought it at the Akron Marathon Expo the day before I ran the half marathon. Temperatures were predicted to hit into the 80’s and the day didn’t disappoint. There were lots of heat warnings. So I broke the rule of “NOTHING new on race day.” And I’m so glad I did!

You can fill it with water the night before and put it in the freezer, because it is insulated. Hint – don’t overfill it. (Like I did!) You need to leave room for it to expand when it freezes. In the morning, you are basically running with an insulated ice cube for the first few miles. Not a problem, because it is insulated, your hand doesn’t get cold. It was so much easier to run with than my regular water bottle and easy enough to switch hands when needed.

When I left the house at the wee hours of the morning, it was frozen solid, but as the race progressed, the block of ice melted and it was awesome to be able to sip ice water! The ice had started to melt and water was drinkable from mile 5 on. I still drank water and Gatorade (or power aid) at each water station, but the ice water gave me a nice extra cool down. I even squeezed a little bit on my head under the hat.

This water bottle would have been perfect for the June 17th 5K that Jill and I ran in 90+ heat up in Cleveland last summer!

Key features of the Nathan SpeedDraw Plus insulated handheld water bottle:

Size – I have large to medium woman’s hands… not small, so I felt that the bottle curves fit my hand pretty well. I think the designers made it more for a man’s hand than a woman’s hand but with the adjustable strap on the outside, I could snug it up. Because of the case, I never felt like I was clutching the bottle and my hand didn’t clench.
Pouch – My iPhone 6S is very tight in the pouch. I didn’t want to put the phone in the pouch just in case the lid to water bottle leaked possibly getting the phone wet. It didn’t leak, but I didn’t want to chance it. I tend to fill up the space available with stuff, but I felt that the zipped size of the pouch is just right. Any bigger and I’d be stuffing too much into it. Since I always run with my EpiPen, I put my phone in my waist pack. This saved the space in my Nathan pouch for the Clif BLOKS energy chews.
Price: The water bottle was listed at $35, but I save a few bucks by getting it at on sale at the Expo. I’m glad I got the insulated, even though it jacks up the price about $10. Amazon has it in many colors – with the Nathan SpeedDraw Plus in my color at $31.99.

I guess the straps are reflective for running at night, but that’s not something I do, so the feature isn’t necessary for me. (Maybe someday, right?) They also make a different version of the Nathan handheld flask that has a place for your phone as well that could be very handy. I have never tried that one. My phone fits inside the little pouch because it is small enough, but I have to unzip the pocket to see the phone, which is a pain.

Do you have a water bottle that you love? Which one and what do you love about it? Leave a message below or send me an email!