Fierce Workout: Choose the Right Clothes

New Marika outfit

In an old Saturday Night Live skit, a character played by Billy Crystal says "it's better to look good than to feel good."

I say, why choose?

In training for my first marathon, I have definitely increased muscle tone, though weight loss ha so far eluded me. But I also pay close attention to what I am wearing. If I don't feel comfortable, I don't have a good run.

I had the opportunity to try some new pieces from Marika, including a cool top with huge air holes to make hot summer us bearable. And capris, which I like for biking since they offer a little more coverage than shorts, but don't make me hot.

The wicking fabric helps get rid of sweat and keeps me from smelling like a sewage plant.

Note: Marika provided me with these pieces but I was not compensated for this post. Opinions expressed are my own.

Bermuda Rails to Trails

On Earth Day, creative reuse is on my mind. I love the High Line, in New York City which turned an abandoned rail trail into an elevated park.

And last weekend, I ran on the Bermuda Railway Trail, a walking, running and occasional biking path in Bermuda.

Bermuda’s short-lived railway cut through the heart of the island, and from the trail, you can see parts of Bermuda that are off the tourist track. I peeked into gardens and backyards and saw a lot of chickens and crazy wild nasturtiums. The leaves of some of those nasturtiums were bigger than my hand.

The Railway Trail is a work in progress; on parts, you have to watch out for cars, and if you are biking, you might have to carry your bicycle over trestles or up stairs. For a few miles around Hamilton, Bermuda’s main town, the railway abruptly ends.

But I was staying at the Fairmont Southampton, which has a railway entrance on its property.

Be sure to bring water; there are no facilities on the trail. 

On my 50 minute run, I encountered true solitude (except for the chickens). Most the section I ran was inaccessible to cars, and on the section that allowed cars, only one passed me. I saw no people.

Note: I was a guest of the Bermuda Department of Tourism.

Vegetarian in Vermont: family friendly dining

The Common Ground Café, in Brattleboro, Vermont, was a Mecca for vegetarians. On any trip to Vermont, whether for skiing or biking, we detoured slightly off I-91 for interesting soups and sandwiches. Sadly, The Common Ground closed, but vegetarians can still eat well in the Green State.

For breakfast, The Hatchery, in Ludlow, has a vegan tofu scramble with avocado and salsa, that fuels you for the day’s activities. The Hatchery is only open for breakfast and lunch; lunch vegetarian choices include a grilled vegetable sandwich with spinach, mushrooms and feta, a tofu wrap with cilantro pesto and the ‘asparagui,’ with grilled asparagus, cheddar cheese, arugula and roasted peppers. On our recent family ski trip to Okemo, we had planned to have dinner one night at Harry’s Café, about 5 miles down the road from the resort. Unfortunately, we didn’t make reservations in advance and couldn’t get a table until 8:30. So this vegetarian-friendly restaurant, with a Thai night on Thursdays (and a few Thai items on the regular menu) will have to wait for another trip. Fortunately, Ludlow, a quintessential New England ski town, has other vegetarian and family friendly choices. The Cool Moose Café bills itself as a steakhouse, but t has great veggie burgers. The Bleu Moose & shrooms burger (also available in beef or chicken) has bleu cheese and mushrooms, and the tasty jacked up Philly burger includes jack cheese and cooked peppers and onions. Both are “2 napkin’ meals. There are several fish entrees, a roasted Portobello entrée and a hearty salad with local goat cheese, good greens and cranberries. Kid meals include a smaller burger, pizza and salad. Cool Moose also has a large selection of local craft beers. Coleman Brook Tavern, in the Jackson Gore Inn, is a farm to table restaurant with a few vegetarian choices. The pappardelle was loaded with fennel, roasted peppers and white beans in a wild mushroom broth. There is a filling roasted beet salad with Vermont chevre and pumpkin seeds, a Portobello strudel that works as a light appetizer and a delicious baked cheese stuffed with maple pumpkin butter and ginger-butternut squash. There’s an extensive and quite pricey wine list, great martinis and lots of single malt scotch to sip. Best of all, when you stay at the Inn, you can simply take the elevator to your room.

Fitness Challenge: Day 81

It is easy to stay fit on a beach vacation. Just walking on the sand is more difficult than a regular walk, and if you run on the beach, you work even harder.

If, like me, you don't swim, you can run in the waves, rent a kayak or bike. Or all of the above.

We biked a lot around Martha's Vineyard, to justify the bike schlep. We have to put a bike rack on our rental car, and pay extra for bikes on the ferry, all to enjoy the flat, paved Martha's Vineyard bike paths.

It was worth it.

The wide paths can easily accommodate 3 across, so if you are riding with your family, you can stay together - and let someone going the other way pass.

Drivers on the island were almost universally respectful. Only one driver, on a cell phone, pulled out without looking to cross the path. But there was plenty of room and we felt very safe.

Family Travel Planning with Goby

I pride myself on always being in the know, but it can be hard when you are traveling to figure out what to do if it is suddenly raining, or your kids have a craving for Vietnamese food.

But if you have an iPhone or iPad, Goby can be your family vacation savior. This app, which you can also use as a search engine on your laptop, gives you hundreds of activities, food choices, and places to stay throughout the US.

A Test Drive
For years, we have spent a grim 3 or 4 days in Cincinnati, OH, visiting my husband’s family.

Ok, grim may be a bit extreme. Cincinnati has a great museum center, the King’s Island amusement park and a museum on the underground railroad. But it doesn’t have many vegetarian restaurants, or so I thought.

We put Goby to the test and it spit out so many choices, we may have to make 2 family vacations to Cincinnati this summer.

A Comparison
Since I figure I know my hometown best of all, I all looked into the biking recommendations for Brooklyn. Local bike shops were listed, which can be particularly useful when you are on the road and get a flat. And bike paths in & near the city gave me choices for a ride.

I can’t wait to see how Goby does on my next vacation.