Chasing Hope by Kathryn Cushman

A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

Chasing Hope

A Touching Story of Two Unlikely Friends.
The Power of Trust.
The Struggle of Pain.
And How, Sometimes, Following God Can Lead You to the Most Unexpected Places.

A talented runner determined to make the Olympics, Sabrina Rice had her dreams shattered by a devastating diagnosis. One forfeited scholarship and several years later, she's forged a new vision for her future that has nothing to do with running, which she's buried deep, intent on forgetting...

Until the day she sees Brandy Philip running across the college campus, easily outpacing security. Sabrina immediately recognizes world class potential, and it's all the more painful that it belongs to a troublemaking teen. When a chance encounter brings the two young women together, Sabrina realizes she's Brandy's best hope to salvage a life about to spiral out of control forever.

I recently had the chance to read Chasing Hope by Kathryn Cushman. I was really drawn into the character of Sabrina Rice...after watching Chariots of Fire with her mom, she had set her dreams on being an Olympic runner and using that as a springboard to do mission work. As we get to know Sabrina, we learn that her dreams were crushed when she was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and that she abandoned the entirety of dream, deciding instead to go into PR and put memories of running and thoughts of missionary work behind her. She left the school that she started and is now living with her grandma while attending a new school and working a job on campus, all while doing her best to maintain perfect grades. She is a busy young woman and very focused on school and the future.

Brandy is the granddaughter of one of her grandma's friends. She brings her to dinner one night, hoping that Sabrina can help her out. Brandy's first impression of Sabrina leaves her not wanting to even give her a chance. Sabrina's Grandma convinces her to at least try to help her out, so she reluctantly does. As Brandy gets to know and trust Sabrina, she starts to see her in a new light. Working with Brandy, allows Sabrina to finally reflect on the impact that the RA has made on her life and to revisit what is important to her and what her true aspirations might be. With time, Sabrina and Brandy not only come to learn more about each other but also themselves and they start to develop a true friendship. Brandy realizes that Sabrina believes in her and uses that motivation to keep going - so as not to disappoint and in the process, achieves her own goals.

Kathryn did a great job of weaving in Sabrina's prior reflections on the Children of Israel from her childhood when her dreams were still intact. As Sabrina begins to reflect on where she is now and how her life has changed and what direction is right for her future, she revisits her earlier writings and perspectives and these help her to reflect on what she once thought was her calling and whether her illness had taken it away or only changed it.

I enjoyed reading through a couple of interviews with the author about the book. Through this, I came to learn that this story was in part based on her own daughter's experience of being diagnosed with a chronic illness at a young age. I also learned that she is not a runner, but did train for and run a 5K as part of her research. I really liked the idea that she was willing to do the research necessary to give the story a real perspective from what it took to train and run. She also reflected on the parallel that she was drawing with the Children of Israel and how just because something is God's calling doesn't mean it will be easy.

This was the first book that I have read by Kathryn Cushman, but after reading Chasing Hope, I would be interested in reading more of her books. She has one called Almost Amish, which with my enjoyment of Amish fiction, sounds like a great next book for me. If you are looking for a story of hope and friendship, I think this is a great book to consider.

Have you read any of her books? What is your favorite?

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

Color Me Rad 5K - winner!

Congratulations to Kristie! Her entry was selected as the winner of the 2 FREE entries to the Color Me Rad 5K in Akron.

Thanks everyone for entering.

Color Me Rad 5K in Akron #Giveaway

You know, when I was a child, I can remember participating in 5K and 10K events with my parents from time to time....of course, those events were Volksmarches, not runs. As a young adult, I did my first 5K with friends in Philadelphia. I had been living in southern New Jersey and my roommate and I joined the gym. I started to include running on the treadmill as one of my regular workout activities, so when a group said that they wanted to run, I decided to give it a go. I am proud to say that I finished, but will admit that I wound up walking a good portion of it.

When I started to run again last year, some 15 years later, I set a goal for myself that I wanted to be able to run the equivalent of a 5K. It took me a long time to get to the point where I could run a continuous 5K, but I did get there. Once I did, I set a new goal, I wanted to be able to run it in under 35 minutes. I set this goal because I decided that I wanted to run a 5K with friends and didn't want to completely lag behind. I knew that 35 minutes wasn't really great, but at least I wouldn't embarrass myself. I was able to achieve my goal and even get a little bit quicker than planned.

At this point, unfortunately, I haven't yet run a 5K, but I think that Color Me Rad might be the perfect opportunity...it even feels like something that my whole family could join in on and kids 7 and under run for free (they don't get a race bib and such, but still). It sounds like so much fun...show up nice and clean and get color bombed as you race. No worries, the dye is "non-toxic, non-rash-inducing, Kroger branded, colored corn-starch." You can learn more about Color Me Rad here. Having seen not only the pictures that they shared, but the pictures from my friends from other similar experiences, it certainly seems like an absolute blast.

Best part...they are coming to Akron...close enough for me to consider making participation a reality. The Color Me Rad 5K in Akron is scheduled for Saturday, August 17th.

And, you can too. Whether in Akron (or another community) you can find an event near your city and register on their site at colormerad.com.

And, as a special bonus, as A Busy Mom of Two reader, you have the chance to win two FREE entries to the Color Me Rad event in Akron! And, since it is for two, have your friends enter and double your chances of running the race together for FREE.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway will remain open through August 6th. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only and you must be able to come to Akron to use your prize. Winners will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winners will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected. Registration with promo code must be completed by August 14th.

No compensation was received for this post. I have the opportunity to receive a complimentary race registration for myself, should I choose to run. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family.

Tune Belt Sport Armband for iPhone Protective Cases (AB84) Review*

* No compensation was received for this post. A complimentary sample was provided for the review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.
I am not sure what it is about us, but my husband and I seem to have an uncanny knack for looking for products several months in advance of their availability. It has happened with kids toys, bike accessories, party ware for a birthday party and more. I haven't yet figured out how to parlay it into something of value, but it is a reality that we deal with.

Such was the case when I got an iPhone last year and was looking for a way to be able to use it during my workout. I like to use the RunKeeper app for my workout, so bringing my phone along (and not holding it in my hand) was a requirement...and the workout clothes that I had did not have a pocket that would hold the phone (several have them for the smaller iPods and/or for a key). There were several options available for pouches/pockets that would hold the phone, but none of them could be used without first removing the phone from the OtterBox Defender case that I had for my phone. I didn't want to mess with having to remove and reapply the case on a daily basis, so I simply went without and continued to look, convinced that what I was looking for was out there somewhere. In the mean time, I simply would tuck my phone under my bra strap when I was out for a walk or run. It worked for me, but was not ideal and I worried about it being next to my skin - especially if it was an extra hard workout and I was sweaty - and worried about it slipping out and falling to the ground.

So, when I found the Tune Belt Sport Armband for iPhone Protective Cases (AB84) that was specifically designed to fit an iPhone in an OtterBox Defender case, I was excited. (Now, out of fairness, it has been around for a while, I just hadn't found it until recently.)

Some details from the site for the AB84 Sport Armband for iPhone Protective Cases:

Comfort:

Lightweight, comfortable neoprene construction
Stable armband securely holds player
Adjustable armband fits 9" – 17" and an Armband Extender is available for larger arm sizes (see SKU EX3)

Convenience:

Full navigational control through clear, protective window cover
Cord flap securely stores and manages earphone cord
Washable

Protection:

Cushioning neoprene protects player
Helps protect against perspiration, bumps, scratches & the elements
Reflective logo

As soon as the armband arrived, I checked it out by taking it for a run the very next morning when I headed to the Y for my Spinning class. The case is made of Neoprene, making it lightweight and stretchy. The inside, although there are seams, doesn't have any spots that felt rough on the arm. The construction appears to be quality, something that I expect will last for a while.

The phone, in its protective case, easily slides into the holder through the opening at the top. The opening is self-closing, so there was no need to worry about the phone falling out, but the material is soft and flexible and would accommodate the cord for earphones. There is even a small Velcro strap (called a cord flap, I learned) on the one side, that you can use to wrap around any excess length on the headphones cord. I like that there is even some extra room behind the phone, where I could tuck a couple of dollars, a license or a credit card - all things that are a challenge to take along in typical exercise clothes.

The clear plastic facing allows you to easily see and operate the touch screen on the iPhone. Even when I am wearing the armband, I am able to unlock the phone, start the run and stop it. Certainly, as with any armband, you have to move your arm or turn the band to allow better visibility of the phone while wearing it - but aside from start, stop or time check, I rarely am looking at my phone while I work out. Having the phone in the armband did not make it anymore difficult to hear the cues I have set in RunKeeper - it tells me my distance and pace every 5 minutes...keeps me going!

With the Velcro for securing the armband on your arm, it is fully adjustable to accommodate a wide range of arm sizes and I found it easy to adjust even while wearing it. While wearing the armband, I was able to remove the phone with relative ease - which is good, if you need to answer a call. Putting the phone back in while wearing it was a little more challenging - consider, I was trying to do this one handed and the opening was more taught because of the armband being securely fitted around my arm. I don't see a problem with this and when the occasion has arisen, I have either just dealt with it and taken the time to put it in or have loosened (but not removed) the armband to replace the phone quicker and then re-secured.

The design was updated last year and will accommodate both the iPhone 4 and 5 in the OtterBox Defender case. Have a different type of phone or music player? Tune Belt offers a wide variety of options, even options for portable CD players and cassette players, which is where they got their start with an idea for the first TuneBelt about 30 years ago.

I hadn't previously worn an armband style holder, so it was a little strange feeling at first, but it quickly became something that I was accustomed to. I have been able to use the holder to allow me to track my runs and my walks and taken it on bike rides too. Not sure that you want an armband style holder? Fortunately, Tune Belt also offers a full series of belt style holders that fit around your waist.

Based on my experience with the sport armband from Tune Belt, I would purchase another Tune Belt product and recommend it to others that are looking options for holding their phone or music device while being active. I like that they have been around for several years, and have taken customer feedback to continuously improve their products. I like that they have a variety of cases, for different brands and styles of phones and music players.

Have you checked out Tune Belt?

No compensation was received for this post. A complimentary sample was provided for the review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Pretty Muddy 5K

I am so excited to share that I get to be a part of the Pretty Muddy blog team.

I have heard of similar events before, but was not familiar with the Pretty Muddy 5K. Pretty Muddy is an All Women Mud Run, that is 5K in length and features several obstacles (more on them here). And when you are all done? - Pretty Epic Finish Line Party (entertainment, music, drinks & celebration galore).

The events are held around the country, so there's a good chance that there is one near you.

It is really short notice, but right now is the best time to register. TODAY only!, you can receive a $20 Discount on registration. This is the cheapest registration that you will find for the events this year.

2013 Pretty Muddy Events

Dallas, TX – June 1

Sacramento, CA – June 29

Chicago, IL – September 7

Columbus, OH- September 14

Richmond, VA – September 28

Atlanta, GA – October 12

Tampa, FL – November 30

Miami, FL – December 7

Interested? Here is a post that steps through how to select an event and use the code code GIRLTIME to get a $20 discount!

I am looking forward to running it. It has been 16 years since I last ran a 5K, but I like having a goal, plus it sounds like a ton of fun. Won't you join in the fun?

Sweaty Bands Fitness Headband Review and Giveaway

My hair used to be longer, when I went for a run or worked out, I would simply pull my hair back in a ponytail. It was easy and once I found the no slip ponytail holders, I didn't have to worry about adjusting my hair fifteen times during my run or work out. Well, a while back, I decided to cut my hair shorter. Now, it's not super short, but too short for a ponytail.

This created a new challenge for me. How do I keep my now shorter hair off of my face? I had some plain, cloth-style stretch head bands. I decided that they should keep the hair off of my face while I work out. Well, they did keep my hair off of my face, but over the course of the run, they would slowly slip towards the back of my head. I'm not sure if my head is shaped funny, but there was no way that was going to stay in place, it found a slope on my head that would allow it to slowly slide back. This was mildly annoying, I felt like I had to adjust it most days one or two times. It was still holding my hair back, but I found myself worrying it would simply fall out and then, what would I do?

I had to find a no slip solution for the headband, like I did for the ponytail. I had some headbands that aren't supposed to slip, but they are plastic ones and I didn't think that would work so well for me when I was running. Plus, standard head bands always feel like they are pinching my head.

So, I decided to try out Sweaty Bands. Sweaty Bands come in all sorts of fun patterns and a great array of colors. The top part is fabric backed by a velour like fabric. The bottom part is elastic, allowing it to fit everyone. I started to wear this daily for my run. It was great, the hair would stay out of my face and I didn't have the sensation that it was going to fall off of my head and didn't feel the need to readjust mid-run like I had with the plain cloth-style stretch head band I had been using.

I tried to take some pictures of myself post-run with both the cloth-style one and the Sweaty Bands Headband. I am here to tell you that taking a self-portrait of the side of your head with an iPhone front facing camera is not easy. The pics were super fuzzy and it was hard to get the angle to show the position of the band post-run. Of course, there isn't anyone else up in my house at that hour. I had my son try one morning, but since he is shorter, it was an even more awkward photo.

Long story short - you will have to believe me when I tell you that it stays put better than others, because I can't show you. I really love that they work as described. I also like it that they are an Ohio based company and their product is made in the USA.

You can purchase Sweaty Bands online through their website, or use their website to find a store near you that carries Sweaty Bands, after all, they are carried in over 1000 stores.

Giveaway!

Courtesy of Sweaty Bands, I have the opportunity to giveaway to one (1) A Busy Mom of Two reader a Sweaty Band Headband - the one pictured above, actually.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway will remain open through December 2nd. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. I received a complimentary Sweaty Bands Headband to facilitate my review and one to give away to a reader. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family.

Running to the next tree...

I would like to be a runner, I don't think that I am there yet. My journey so far has reenforced many things for me and taught me some things about myself. I have learned about how to motivate myself, how to set small iterative goals to get to a larger goal (how do you eat an elephant? one bite at a time.), and that one goal (running) can support another goal (losing weight/becoming fit)/.

When I first started running, I was lucky to be able to do 1/4 of a lap at the track. I would find myself winded and, for lack of a better term, would quit. I would do this successively over the course of my 3 - 4 mile walk, with run. With time, I started to run 1/2 a lap, and then 3/4 of a lap.

As I increased my distance, I started to recognize that it wasn't my body that was stopping me from going further, it was my mind. It wasn't until I ran a full lap, and kept going, that I realized that I really could go much further, if only I pushed myself. Sure, I was winded and wanted to stop after that first full lap, but I also was so proud of myself for running a full lap, that I wanted to see how far I could push myself.

I started to notice that when I set a goal - whether at the track or around the neighborhood, I tended to stop when I reached it, even if I still could have gone further. So, I changed up my approach and started reaching new levels.

I started stating my goals as "at least finish this lap and then see if I can get around the bend." As I approached the bend, I would adjust my goal to "at least around the bend and then see if I can get to the next bend." When I am running in the neighborhood, I use houses, corners, and trees to guide my goals.

Using this approach, I have been able to run as far as 1 mile without breaking to walk and running near mile intervals multiple times over the course of a 3-4 mile journey. And, when on mornings like today, it has been a while since I ran, I use this approach to keep me going. I didn't run a full mile straight, but I kept pushing myself to run further.

Of course, when I take a break and walk, I also set goals - "I can walk to the next tree, but then I need to run". It helps me keep me on track. Eventually, I would like to get to the point where I can run a full 5k and join all of my friends that do the local 5k. I am still a ways from there, but if I continue running to the next tree, I will eventually get there.

Running to the next tree, works for me!

Mamavation Monday

I had an okay week. Unfortunately, I didn't make any progress on the scale. I know why though. I haven't tracked what I have eaten in well over a week. I have still tried to make good decisions, but like yesterday, I filled over 1/2 my plate with salad at a lunch meeting, but then, when I wanted two slices of pizza, I stacked them to make them fit. Good intentions, but not necessarily a good outcome.

It has been cold out. That hasn't stopped me from working out. Unfortunately, it has been dark out. This has had a bigger impact. I am starting my run much later now than I used to. This means that I have less available time in which to run. It also means that I have gotten lazy on the mornings where I can't run and I am lucky to fit in one or two 10 minute DVDs. I am hopeful that Daylight Savings ending will be a good thing for me.

I also haven't been to the track in a while. All that darkness and no one around makes me too nervous. Again, perhaps when we "fall back" this weekend, I will be able to get there. I tried to go to the indoor track last week and the doors were locked. I called the Y, but I haven't heard back. So, I still don't know when I would be able to run there.

I need to come up with a new game plan for Sunday too. Used to be I could get up leisurely and go for a run before church. Now, my husband plays basketball, so I can't head out for a run - unless I get up real early. Once I'm ready for the day, I just don't see myself changing back for a run. Maybe I can do an evening thing or, once my basement is back together, I could do a DVD on Sunday mornings. Losing a day a week of exercise certainly has some impact.

Here's looking forward to a better week!

This post shared at Mamavation Monday.

Mamavation Monday

I am back on track and it feels good!

After two weeks of paying little attention and 10 days of vacation, I am back on track. Granted, I gained some weight over that time frame. In fact, it was just over 3# that I gained, but considering that I was down 3/4# since yesterday suggests to me that most of it was not "real" weight. My goal is to be back down to where I was by next Monday. Seems pretty achievable to me.

I got back on track yesterday with my eating. I started writing down what I was eating again too. It is amazing how much of an impact tracking alone can have on your overall success. I find myself occasionally reaching for that extra helping, snack, etc. and then stopping, thinking do I really want to mark down that I ate that and attempt to quantify it? I am still following the make healthy choices, monitor total calorie approach to eating. It seems to be working for me and the way that my family eats. I am still using my scale to help me gauge portions when I am home and then trying to fill my plate with vegetables and lean protein when I am out. The biggest difference from last week to this week is the lack of soda...I drank more soda last week than I have in the last year (perhaps longer). I can't stand diet soda, so it was all regular, full-calorie drinks. This change alone should make a serious dent in that gain.

Last week, I definitely did a lot of walking, but despite my hopes otherwise, I didn't actually work out. I wore a pedometer one day to see what I did - on that day, I walked over 20000 steps. So, I was active - just not exercise active.

Yesterday morning I just went for a walk. I was a little worried about going from being active in walking around to being active in exercise too abruptly, so I decided not to run. I could definitely feel the workout in my legs at the end of the day. But, this morning, I decided it was time to run again. My friend that I meet at the track had asked about going up today, which gave me the perfect setting for easing back into running...only I didn't ease. I ran 2 1/8 miles of the 3 3/8 miles at the track (I still had the 1.25 of walking up to and back from the track - so walking was still king of the total workout). That, I believe is the furthest that I ran and I did it two laps (just over 5 minutes) at a time. I alternated with a single lap of walking between. It felt GREAT!!!

I am trying to get back in the groove of keeping a daily journal again too of what I did, how I felt, etc. Something that I can go back to for inspiration when needed. I have one day down, not quite a habit yet, but I have hope that I can do it.

#s to Go: 25.4#

This post shared at Mamavation Monday.

Mamavation Monday

Let me start by saying that I am totally impressed with myself. I never would have thought that I would enjoy running like I do. I still use the term running rather loosely, as I still don't run for more than a few minutes at a time, but on days at the track, I am up to running 1.75 miles. I still think that for a total run distance, that is good, even if I don't do it all at once. When I am in the neighborhood, I am running a portion of time, rather than laps, which makes it a little harder to gauge my total run distance, but I'm likely somewhere between 15 and 20 minutes of running. I would guess this to be closer to 1.25 - 1.5 miles.

My challenge now is strength training. As the sun rise creeps later and later, I am finding myself with less time to come home and do a DVD that focuses on strength training (specifically upper body, as I feel I am getting a decent leg workout). I had been doing the P90X strength training DVDs after my walk/run, but now it feels like I have to skip more than I do. I liked the rotation of focus on different muscle areas each of the three days that I did them, but the time just isn't working for me. I need a quick 15 - 20 minute option that focuses on different areas each day. Any thoughts? I see that Tony Horton (I know him from P90X) has a series that sounds like it should be 10 minute workouts, but it seems to have total body, lower body and yoga as the options. Not sure that those would help me focus on my arms, chest, shoulders and back.

Eating is good for the most part. I seem to do better on my own with normal portion sizes and not eating a super-sized portion, even though I'm not doing as good of a job of physically measuring my food. I have been able to allow myself a night out for dinner, or a night in with friends, from time to time and still overall move in the right direction, even if there is a slight set back. I'm trying to refocus on measuring those meals that I can, so that I can keep my eyes "calibrated" on serving sizes to better estimate when I am away from home. I haven't made a regular trip to the store in a couple of weeks, so I don't think I am consuming as much fresh fruits and vegetables (I took a fruit cup today!) because they simply aren't on hand.

I missed last week, but I have lost 2.4# since that post. I figure that is pretty decent, considering that I hosted a birthday party and have eaten out 4 times at a restaurant in that window. I still am trying to maintain a near daily log here.

#s to Go: 23.8

This post shared at Mamavation Monday, where the question this week is sponsored by Go Sport ID and they ask: "What safety precautions do you take with your workouts? Any special equipment when working out outdoors?" I probably don't take enough safety precautions. When doing Cardio DVD workouts, I wear a heart-rate monitor to make sure I am "in the zone". When walking/running outside, I try to find a companion to go to the track with so I'm not alone.


No compensation was received for this post. This post is sponsored by Go Sport ID and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway hosted by Mamavation.