Road Trip Snacks and REI Finds

I picked up my new running fuel belt from REI. I ordered it online from their clearance website. I'm a bit disappointed at how large it is. I thought it was smaller. :(

I tried it on last night and it fits, I didn't bump my elbows when I moved my arms like I was running. It just felt big and bulky. I might keep it for Trail Running. But I can't see myself really using it for my regular runs. Perhaps it will come in handy for Hood to Coast.

While I was at REI, I also bought some Cliff's "Gu" packs and some Sharkies. I've never tried either but will try them on the Shamrock Run next week if I need a boost of energy.

ROAD TRIP!
I'm going to pack some healthy snacks for tomorrow's road trip. Thankfully a friend is house-sitting/kitty-sitting for us this weekend. One less thing to worry about!

Michael and I are going to Bend tomorrow with our friends who have a timeshare. The weekend will be fun-filled with snowshoeing, hiking, and (much needed) massages! I can't wait. Bend is about a 3 1/2 hour drive from Portland so I want to bring some healthy munchies. So far I have:
1. Granola (apple and cinnamon flavored "lite" granola from Fred Meyer's organic bulk section)
2. Trader Joe's Pretzels
3. Apples (I have an assorted array of apples that I will slice tomorrow before we leave)
4. Cheese (I will cube some Colby Jack for easy snacking)
5. Girl Scout Thin Mints (Okay, I know they aren't healthy but they are coming with us anyways!!)

Hopefully this will prevent us from wanting to stop somewhere convenient for snacks!!

QUESTION: What is your favorite snacking food? Is it healthy?

Snowshoeing!

One of my favorite winter activities is snowshoeing. I'm fairly new to the sport, and haven't attempted to do it on my own yet. I hope to remedy that in a few weeks when I go on vacation with some friends. We plan on renting some snowshoes and poles from REI for the weekend and exploring Mt. Bachelor.

Some people might be intimidated by the concept, but really, after a 5 minute lesson on how to put the shoes on, you'll be fine. I suggest a guided tour at first, unless you have training in outdoor navigation. When everything is white, it's very easy to get turned around.

Besides the fact that snowshoeing is a lot of fun, it's a GREAT workout! If you don't like running, but walking or hiking is your thing, snowshoeing will be a snap. It's essentially just walking on top of snow.

Some of the benefits include:
*You burn 45% more calories snowshoeing than if you were just walking or hiking.
*Hip flexors and quadriceps can get more of a workout than just walking due to the lifting motion of each step. (Which is great news for runners and bikers!)
*It's a low-impact aerobic exercise.
*It's much easier to learn than skiing! :)

Depending on what part of the country you live in, winters can be pretty brutal. If you're a runner and it's snowing (like in Philly where my brother lives!), you can't go for a run outside. Snowshoeing is a great cross-training activity.