Our Weekend // Beach Ed.

We’re at the beach! Our annual vacation kicked off Saturday with a 6.5 hour drive to Cape May, NJ. It shouldn’t take nearly that long -- but wow did we run into some horrendous traffic. This was our first long car trip where Ada didn’t have some complete meltdown, and I think our van might have something to do with it. All that space sure came in handy when we were packing, too.

Here’s what’s going on:

We feel so fortunate to be on vacation. We don’t do it often, so when we do get away -- it feels absolutely amazing. And this is silly, but I look forward to visiting the ocean each year because my allergies completely disappear! In fact, my sinuses clear up and I usually feel amazing. Less stress, too. Might have something to do with my 5-mile beach run this morning.

Sigh. If I only had $1,000,000 to move here.

OK. Here’s something I just have to share with you. I hate being in the sun. So, spending days on the beach can be hard because I’m basically sunburn-phobic. I looked around on Amazon before our trip and found this absolutely amazing umbrella called the ezShade Umbrella.

Check it out:


The shade area is SO BIG and GLORIOUS. The umbrella also blocks out 99 percent of UVA + UVB rays. And if you don’t want or need a whole new umbrella, they also just sell the sunshield. You attach it to the umbrella with velcro and anchor the bottom with sand. Then as the sun moves throughout the day, you just remove and move with it. It also gives major privacy (like -- I wish I had it when I was nursing!). Seriously cannot say enough good things.

You might also spy our Allen Bike Trailer/Jogger in the background. This is the first time we’ve brought it to the beach, and we’re so excited to try it out and bike around. Right now we’re just using the stroller function, but it’s nice to have the double duty. It’s also great at hauling some of our beach gear.

I’ll hop on soon to share a fun vacation recipe with you. For now, check out some of the articles I’ve written for other sites. I share these only to give you some fun reading material -- I don’t get paid per click or anything like that.

15 Awesomely Fun Toys You Can DIY
10 Cool Companies That Pay You To Refer Friends
7 Things You Need To Know Before Buying Your First House
8 Ways To Eliminate Ants Without An Exterminator
10 Cool Ice Cream Cakes For Your Next Celebration
A Week Of Camping Is Only $160 At These National Parks
More of my articles on Wise Bread . . .
11 Natural Ways To Induce Labor
Does Evening Primrose Oil Safely Induce Labor?
5 Signs You Should Take A Pregnancy Test

Happy Monday!

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A Cool Day

Yesterday's temperatures didn't rise much above 70 degrees and the weather featured thick cloud cover, a steady wind + occasional spitting rain. I thought it was absolutely perfect -- and it's the kind of day I secretly wish for whenever I'm at the shore. I'm not one to lounge on the beach all day -- I'd rather be out exploring, which is harder to do when it's hot, humid, and super sunny.

After a cool 6-mile run followed by a peanut butter pancake breakfast, I did some research and found Higbee Beach near West Cape May. It's a bit off the beaten path, but well worth the trip. The preservation area includes a few miles of sandy trails that wind through dense vegetation and a semi-secluded beach where dogs are welcome + gigantic ferry boats pass by every once in a while.

A toddler's heaven.

It's sometimes always more fun to go beyond the usual attractions while on vacation. After Ada's nap yesterday, we got some local flavor by heading to the Cape May Brewing Company in North Cape May. Again, a bit of a drive . . . but when we got there, it was packed with people.

Good beer -- and on the way we saw a couple wineries in the area, too!


We'll definitely be back to Higbee and the brewery before the vacation is over. And I'd love to book a trip on the ferry and head over to nearby Delaware. Possibly even to Dogfish Head for a brew. Fares are a bit steep, though, and we're hitting the half-way point on our trip, so time will be limited and I'm sure we won't be able to hit everything we want to see. One day at a time.

Onto Friday! Hope you all have a great weekend. I'll be celebrating my 30th birthday on Sunday and I hear another stormy day is in the forecast!

Like what you just read? Browse more of our posts + recipes on Pinterest. You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

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Running + Vacation

We're on vacation, which I wrote a bit about (from a family perspective) today on Writing Chapter Three. Since this blog is more exercise + food focused, you'll be getting that highlights reel over here. And what's more of an issue on vacation than fitting in exercise?

As much as the beach is a runner's wonderland, when you're juggling two running schedules + a toddler, things can get tricky. Here's some ways we're both sticking it out and enjoying a good sweat session each day.

// 1: Stephen runs in the AM, I run in the PM. It may sound like I'm getting the short end of the stick, but I'm an afternoon runner anyway. Since I'm still working mornings while on vacation, it's better to split stuff up this way. Plus, the shady streets of Cape May + ocean breeze get things comfortable again after the mid-day heat by 5:30 or so -- squeeze it in before dinner.

// 2: We brought our jogging stroller. And we both plan to use it for more than strolling. Since we aren't down here with family (yet), we realize it might be best some days to get in a run together. The BOB (we have the Revolution SE) took most of the storage space in our tiny Kia, but packing light to make room was well worth it.

// 3: We're being active otherwise. I may not totally meet my 30 mile goal this week, but with all the additional walking to the beach and town we're doing, I'm moving my body more each day.

// 4: I'm skipping long runs. Stephen isn't, but whenever I'm on vacation, I'm just not in the mood to run double digits. Plus, dehydration is an issue since it's so much warmer/sunnier than we're used to. Instead, I opt to run more days of the week at up the mileage a few of those days versus loading it on one day. Instead of a week that's got a 4, 3, 4, 6, 12 . . . I do something like 4, 5, 4, 6, 8, 2.

// 5: I push through. Sure, there's a lot of other stuff I'd rather be doing (like eating mounds of pizza or lounging at the beach), but there's time for all of that. Taking a half hour to hour out of the day to exercise is important. And it's a great way to explore the new scenery.

// 6: I pay attention to hydration. I didn't write about it, but I had some type of sun poisoning or dehydration issue at the shore last summer. It may have had to do with running + breastfeeding + being at the beach all day, but this year, I'm paying better attention. Drinking water with chia seeds. Avoiding peak heat/sun times. Etc.

How do you keep up with running (or other exercise) while on vacation?

Other running-related stuff I've written recently for WalkJogRun:

Simple No-Bake Energy Bars
To Get Faster, Run Slower
Running in the Heat: A Northern Girl's Tricks
Keeping Baby Occupied On the Run

Like what you just read? Browse more of our posts + recipes on Pinterest. You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

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Beach Running Tips

I look forward to beach running all year long. The nearest beach to where we live is at least three or four hours. So, it's a real treat to train at the ocean. The minute I smell the salty air, I slip off my sandals and don't wear shoes -- unless they're required -- until we head home. Not even for running.

Likely, if you're running at the beach, you're on vacation. You're sleeping in a different bed. Eating different foods. So, don't expect your runs to be the same as they usually are.

A few tips to help . . .

#:1 Run in the AM. The sun is not your friend. Neither are crowds. And you don't want to be that person slogging through all the mid-afternoon sunbathers. Also, if you're at the beach, it's probably warm. Stay cool. Run early.


#2: Go barefoot. It isn't essential, but for the full beach running experience, you'll want to bare your toes. I see plenty of people wearing shoes on the beach . . . and if your feet aren't used to minimal support, you may want to ease into it with a walk/run approach.


#3: Pay attention to the tides. The day we arrived, the tide was high. I tried my best to jog, but the sand was soft and people were in the way. (I didn't take my own advice. It was in the hot afternoon sun.) If you run at low tide, you have maximum real estate. The sand will be nice and compact.

To track the tide, just visit these Tide Tables.


#4: Don't worry about pace. Chances are, the wind will be wicked by the ocean. Either at your back or in your face. On this morning's run, I headed out -- the wind blowing hard against me -- at 8:50 pace for the first couple miles. On the way back, I was at 8:00 and then 7:30. Yup. Average for five miles was 8:28, which is around my usual, even pace.

(And when I'm on vacation, I usually take things easy anyway. I only wore a watch today to mark distance for future jogs.)


#5: Stay hydrated. There isn't any shade on the shore. The sun is hot. It's sort of a water, water, everywhere-and-not-a-drop-to-drink scenario. So, figure out where water fountains are (in our case, on the boardwalk) or bring your own.

Last year, above, I brought my hydration backpack. Worked out great!


#6: Find a landmark. Scope out something -- a particular hotel sign, for example -- at the beginning of your run so you know when you're back. And this tip is also helpful when figuring out distances. As I mentioned above, I used Stephen's watch today to map out miles. I took note of landmarks at each so I can go watch-free for the rest of our stay.


#7: Wear Deodorant. (This tip is from Stephen.) Not in your underarms -- well, there, too. But apply it to your bikini zone -- especially if you plan to run where the sand meet the surf -- to avoid the salt/sand chafing.


#8: Watch the weather. In the morning it isn't quite as much of an issue, but beach areas tend to attract isolated thunderstorms. Just random bad weather spells. If you're on the beach, you're vulnerable and have little options for taking cover if lightning strikes.


#9: Wear clothes you don't mind getting wet/salty. Obviously. But I like to swim for a while when I'm done running. And why not! The ocean's right there, calling to me. So, you may not want to wear your nicest gear.


#10: Have fun. We get fewer than 10 days of beach training in each year. If I'm having a bad day or don't feel like fitting in a workout, I at very least get out and walk. Vacations aren't necessarily the time to go nuts with your running routine, so being active is the key.

Soak in as much sun and fun while you still can.


For a few vacation photos, check out Writing Chapter Three!

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Vacation: Wildwood Crest, NJ

It's taken me a while to weed through and edit our vacation pictures. But, I've finished enough . . . and I'm just dying to post them for friends, family, and all you awesome readers. So, as I mentioned the other day, we were in Wildwood Crest, NJ, with my in-laws (Stephen's family) last week. It's an annual event that we all look forward to . . . and now that it has passed, we're already wishing away the days till July 2011.

Last week was also my birthday week, and I turned 27!


Still can't believe that one. And -- yes. My cake was in honor of shark week.


The weather was absolutely amazing. I mean, it rained maybe twice (though we did have a tornado warning and power outage for several hours on Sunday) . . . but otherwise, the temps were in the 80s and the skies were only minimally cloudy. Of course, this made for perfect running weather. I didn't even wear shoes once the entire trip.



Yup -- I ran barefoot on the beach or in my Vibrams (right after the above photo was shot, I took off my shoes because I couldn't stand them!). My feet are as strong as Arnold Schwarzenegger when he was at his prime. More on that in another post!



We also stayed busy with biking, walking, and kayaking. In fact, that's one of my favorite parts of being on vacation -- cross-training. While kayaking, Stephen and I found ourselves in the middle of a pod of dolphins. There must have been at least thirty of them in all. And one day I squeezed in an awesome 13 mile ride and 4 mile run.


And here's a tip I read in a magazine: Even if you don't eat well on vacation, if you keep your activity level up, you should maintain your relative fitness/weight. So, that was good news to me. Because for my birthday, we took to the boardwalk and put all those "best" pizza places to the test.


Only one spot could win. We were thorough in our evaluation -- including points about crust, sauce, cheese, and general portability on a scorecard. In the end, Sam's Pizza Palace won. And we want to take this pizza trek again next year because we simply couldn't try them all in one night.


I need not say much about the beaches. They were awesome. Sandy. Breezy. Full of great boogie-boarding waves. And all that water sure came in handy on the first couple days, when my beach runs were at noon in the near 100-degree temps.

Thanks, ocean.



Now, we've had some new additions to the family in the last couple years. The two cuties were loads of fun. I think these photos speak for themselves.



The rest of the family enjoyed a relaxing time. We all kind of did our own thing in the mornings (most of us headed out on runs, bike rides, walks, fishing expeditions, kayaking adventures, and some just slept in). In the afternoons, we went to the beach. It was that simple. In the evenings, we got together for dinners and desserts (so many great ice cream places!).



Even my dad came down for a night -- I think he enjoyed himself immensely. And please excuse my "angry glasses," as Stephen calls them. I rolled out of bed to clean the shore house . . . and, well, didn't exactly primp myself :)


Yeah. We could really get used to the whole not working, living by the ocean, eating out every night, running when we want to thing. Definitely zero stress. But, I guess until next year, we'll have to live through these little snapshot memories.





Tell us! Where have you vacationed (or where are you planning to vacation) this summer? We also camped in Maine earlier in July -- check out those photos now, if you like. And if you haven't yet entered our SHUTTERBUG giveaway, be sure to check that out for a chance to win a cute trivet.

One last thing: We have received an overwhelming response . . . tons of beautiful and motivational stories . . . to next week's celebration of healthy living. If you'd like to participate, it isn't too late! Just email us (at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.) and tell us what inspired YOU to live healthfully. No story is too short or silly, etc. We'd love to include you in next week's (and perhaps longer) posts.

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!!

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