I was able to take a tour last week before doors opened to the public on the east side of Cleveland. While I have gone to the Earth Fare location on the west side (in Fariview Park, Ohio) a few times before I wasn’t fully aware of the Earth Fare philosophy or some of the unique services they offer guests. I wanted to share what I found helpful or new with you in this post.

The tour was beneficial in explaining some concepts about the company and perks I was not aware of. We started off with looking at the company food philosophy which is helpful to understand what makes Earth Fare different from other grocery stores and helps dictate price. High quality items pack a price.

This is the first east side Earth Fare store to open. For west side residents there is a store in Fairview Park, Ohio which opened last year. Earth Fare is a North Carolina-based healthy foods grocery chain specializing in organic and natural foods. I enjoyed the rainbow of produce. They sell both organic produce and soundly-sourced regular produce for the budget conscious.

I learned that all gluten-free items are given wooden shelves for easy identification. Items that are locally sourced (coming from within a 100-mile radius of the store) are given a green round “local” shelf sticker. If Earth Fare does not carry a specialty product you are seeking just ask and they might be able to order it for you! The Solon store also has a “scoop your own ravioli” stand for quick meals on the go.

The bulk bins selection is pretty much unbeatable! I don’t think there is any dry good missing here! Spices are available in bulk and you can also bring in your own containers. Simply have your container weighed up front before you fill the container. There is bulk honey and bulk peanut butter also on “tap.”

Overall I was impressed with the store. Who wouldn’t be? It was spotless and fully stocked with anything a health nut could desire! My takeaways are Earth Fare is a great option for finding specialty or hard-to-find items. The bulk bins are something I will definitely remember and the health section (not pictured) is very extensive for finding natural and organic body-care products.

THE GIVEAWAY:

• Earth Fare has provided me a $50 gift card to give away to one lucky reader!

HOW TO ENTER:

• Comment and tell me why you want to shop at Earth Fare (1 entry)

• Follow me on Twitter and comment that you did so. (1 entry)

• Tweet: ‘I want to shop @EarthFare with @HFHammers. Win a $50 gift card by entering here: http://rustbeltrunner.com/?p=5068 #giveaway’ (1 entry per tweet, must comment for each tweet you send. One tweet per day maximum.)

**Entries are due by 9 p.m. EST, Friday, May 17, 2013. A winner will be selected via Random.org and announced in a blog post after the deadline. Winners have 48-hours from the announcement time to claim their prize by emailing me. Otherwise another entrant will be selected. The winning entrant must have followed the above listed guidelines, or else their entry will be invalid. Only U.S. readers may enter. All images contained in this post were either taken by myself. I was provided an Earth Fare gift card of equal value in exchange for this blog post and arranging a giveaway.

Official Time: 36:51
Average Pace: 11:51/mile
Overall Placing: 34/46
Age Group Placing (Female 20-29): 2/4

The truth is I am in horrible running shape right now. Lulu completely put me to shame! I am going to share these pictures simply because she stole the show although I think I look awful in them. Everyone was asking me what type of breed dog she was and saying how cute she was. She loved the attention!

We showed up extra early for this race. I had never ran a race with Lulu so I was a little nervous how the whole thing would go and also about how she would behave. She is friendly around people but can become reactive/fearful around other dogs. We are working on her socialization which is why I thought the race would be good for her. I expected other dogs to be there and there were, about half a dozen from my count.

About Half-Way Done

I gathered my bib and race T-shirt and then walked back to the vehicle and tried to get her to drink some more water before the race. We then kind of hung out at the race start but stayed away from the crowds. I gave her a quick potty break before race start and stayed at the back of the pack. The plan was to start slow and not get in anyone’s way. I went into this race knowing it would be a fun run.

Approaching the Finish

I kept Lulu’s leash short and tried to not get in the way of any other runners. There was one water stop about half-way and we stopped and both got some water. It took a while for Lulu to stop drinking which was another reason why we were not racing for time. I wanted to make sure she was comfortable and had enough to drink along the way.

Fortunately there were folks still behind us so we placed better than I had hoped. The finish line was a fun inflatable and there was great crowd support for us even though this was a smaller race being in its first year.

After Receiving Our Age Group Plaque

I ended up waiting around for awards simply because the race organizers were very quick on the draw. I didn’t expect to place at all until I realized there were not many women in my age group standing around. A short while later my name was called. We placed second in my age group! All the credit goes to Lulu. I was dragging behind most of the time so it’s really her award.

Post-Race: Dog Tired

Overall I had a really nice time at this race and would run it again. I love that it was both pet and stroller friendly. It gave the race a family-friendly atmosphere. I will definitely check out this race again. The course was flat and residential. It went through the Puritas/Bellaire neighborhood and proceeds from the race go toward re-development of that westside community.

I dive in. Head first. So when I thought I might really get back to running this year and planned out a bunch of races, I forgot one thing. I wanted to start a garden in 2013. I’m starting from scratch. As in… tearing out 42 bushes… removing eight 30-pound bags of debris and limbs…. removing 60-year-old flower bed edging…. scratch. Clean slate.

So I can now plant to my heart’s content. Well… once the land is prepped better, once I create flower beds, once the hubby constructs a raised bed garden box. You get the picture. A LOT of work. I’m not complaining this time. I’m embracing the work and loving it. But after working in the yard every night or all day on a day off… there is no time for running. This is not routine yard maintenance. This is hardcore.

It’s only a season and it will pass. But being I dive in head first, I don’t usually come out until the job is complete. It will be weeks or likely months until I’m done. And just done the point of saying the yard is now in “maintenance mode.” That means I’m not running or training competitively at all right now. I do have a fun run 5K coming up and I’ll be eager to run that and share my experience with you.

I’m so excited for this season. I’ve been waiting a long time for this season. This is the first time as an adult I’ve lived in a place where I have a yard. I had a vegetable and herb garden when I was in middle school and high school. I worked as a florist during high school and college. I’ve had the same six houseplants for 10 years and they have survived 9 moves during that time. I have a green thumb and I can thank my grandmother and mother for it. So I am in love with this season and opportunity.

It’s one I’ve been waiting to have for 10 years.

Yep. Next week!

Right now Earth Fare is giving away a $30 gift card every day now through May 7 in preparation for the store opening on May 8. You can enter by going to the Earth Fare Tumblr and sharing how an Earth Fare gift card can help make your family/household healthier!

Please note, only folks who will be shopping at the Solon location on the eastside should enter as you will need to be able to pick up your gift card in person between May 8 and May 12. Good luck!

This is the second Cleveland-area Earth Fare store to open. For westsiders there is a store in Fairview Park, Ohio which opened last year. Earth Fare is a North Carolina-based healthy foods grocery chain specializing in organic and natural foods.

Disclsoure: I have partnered with the Earth Fare store in Solon, Ohio to help promote the new store and its grand opening. I will receive a gift card to the store for my efforts.

I wasn’t sure what direction I would go in or what I would think of Ellie.

Here’s a little background. Back in November I was contacted by a company called pv.Body. They had started a workout clothing subscription service in September. I went on to blog about the company in December as well as offer a giveaway for a free outfit from the company. Many of you read that post and entered the giveaway.

In January I received a bulk email from pv.Body announcing a new clothing line would be coming out. I was confused. I had just signed up to be am ambassador for pv.Body. The switch seemed very sudden. By February a new line of clothing launched called Ellie. Ellie continues the monthly subscription idea, where each subscriber will receive one top and one bottom of their choosing each month. Only when Ellie debuted, the name brand clothing originally provided by pv.Body was no longer available. Only Ellie clothing would be sent out.

I spent February until now soaking in the changes and eventually trying out the outfits from Ellie. I wasn’t sure what I would think of the new product. I also asked the Ellie representative I work with many questions along the way about the changes. She has answered all of them for me. pv.Body subscribers were notified of the change to Ellie and holdups with shipments of product and billing are in the process of being fixed via new employees and better systems. I can only take their word for it and comment on my experience.

I share this because I know a lot of talk and speculation over this company has been on the internet over the past few months. I have not heard any complaints or issues from my readers, but in an effort of full disclosure I thought it important to share some background.

That being said… I have tried out the Ellie line and it’s not bad.

My first order contained the Kiss Me Capri – $54.95 retail and After Dark Tank – $49.95 retail. I have received many compliments on the unique style of the tank. I will say both the top and bottom are comfortable and fit much better than my initial order from pv.Body. I have washed the outfit several times and have not seen any quality issues. The top, however, is not very supportive. I would only wear this to yoga.

My second ambassador package just arrived this week and I haven’t had ample time to try it out but the outfit is very cute and the fabric is soft. I ordered from the March “Little Black Collection” which included the Black Widow Tank – $44.95 and the Moon Shadow Short – $34.95. The short has a wide waistband to provide extra comfort.

As my relationship with Ellie continues I will try to update you on any other product lines I try out or if my opinion changes. I think the idea of a workout clothing subscription by mail is still awesome. If you don’t have time to shop or enjoy the mystery of trying a new product this is great.

Ellie does have a size chart which really helped with prior sizing issues. Each month a new collection is released so you will always have variety in your workout gear and I really do like the variety in style of most of the pieces. I think they have made improvement with keeping up with the demand for orders. Most importantly all Ellie items are crafted in the U.S.A.

As part of my partnership with Ellie I will continue to provide a discount to my readers. You can access this discount by clicking here. Normal Ellie subscribers pay $49.95 per month. With my 20% off code you will pay less than $36 per month. You can also try Ellie by clicking on the pink ad on the right sidebar of my blog.

**As part of being an ambassador for Ellie I received outfits free of charge to try out. I am also part of a referral program with the company.

Maybe it’s time to consider a dog friendly road race. I’ve been thinking about doing this with Lulu. We wouldn’t be running for competition, but more for fun. Lhasa Apsos are not really known to be endurance running dogs.

So I got to wondering if there was a way to find dog friendly races in the greater Cleveland area. I wasn’t able to find any cohesive website, so instead I gathered my own list of races. I hope this can be a resource to anyone wanting to race with their pet this year. (For those who do not own pets, all of these races are also open to those who do not own or race with their pet. Pets are required to be leashed at these races. Many of these races support pet adoption causes too.)

Love A Stray Fur Fun 5K

April 28, 2013

Avon Lake, Ohio

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Run Puritas 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run

May 4, 2013

Cleveland, Ohio

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Marlene Watt Memorial Event (5K, 2-Mile & 1-Mile Dog Walks)

June 15, 2013

Ravenna, Ohio

Muddy Paws (10-Mile, 5-Mile & 2-Mile Run Dog Run)

July 6, 2013

Peninsula, Ohio

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Dirty Dog Run, Walk or Wash (5K, 1-Mile Dog Walk & Dog Wash)

July 20, 2013

Avon Lake, Ohio

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Nature Center Hike & Run 
5K & 1-Mile Pet-Friendly Hike

September 21, 2013

Cleveland, Ohio

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Tom Madzy Short Run & Family Dog Walk

September 29, 2013

Berea, Ohio

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Monster Mutt Dash (5K Run & 1-Mile Fun Walk)

October 2013

Berea, Ohio

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Eaton-Euclid 5K Walk/Run and 1.5-Mile Doggie Dash

November 2, 2013

Euclid, Ohio

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Am I missing any? Please let me know and I will add to the list.

For foot powder, this was not the case. I didn’t have any. I had never used any. But I was also keenly aware that certain shoes and certain fabrics over time… begin to lead to stinky shoes. Of course personal hygiene plays a role, but even the cleanest of people will experience some foot smell when going sock-less in shoes over a long period of time. (The scientific explanation is bacteria that thrives in dark, warm, moist places.)

So when I splurged on a pair of Sperry Top-Sider boat shoes, I knew I wanted to avoid any foot stink in the shoes at any cost. I began researching foot powder options after several friends advised that was the way to go. Initially I purchased a bottle of baby powder, which contained relatively the same ingredients in foot powder, but at a fraction of the price. The ingredients?: Talc, Fragrance.

Then I searched for “talc” online and came back with hundreds of results documenting the dangers of using talc. GREAT! Outside of accidentally inhaling it and causing lung damage, some studies indicated talc could cause ovarian cancer by seeping through the pores of the skin. Yikes! Then I realized I shouldn’t be buying foot powder anyway, I should be making it as part of my homesteading goal. I few simple searches online yielded the following recipe:

Homemade All-Natural Foot Powder

Equal parts baking soda and corn starch

A Few Drops of Essential Oil Fragrance (optional)

Directions: Mix together and store in an airtight container.

It’s as simple as that. I toss a tiny bit into the shoes after I wear them to absorb any moisture. It helps to tap the shoe and get the powder to cover the entire shoe and not just sit in one spot. Then I let the shoes sit as is until I wear them again. Then I will gently dump the excess powder from the shoes and put them on. Enough powder is still in the shoes for me feet and to absorb moisture as I wear them.

So far this seems to be working well. The only other advice to keep the stink out? Don’t wear the shoes every day. Give them at least a day in between to really air out and let the powder remove odors.

*Read more about my DIY and homesteading projects here.

I can only relay the thoughts going through my mind.

I thought about the people who have died and were injured.

I thought about the people who crossed the finish line only moments before.

I thought about the people who had dreamed of crossing that finish line that day.

I thought of the hopes and dreams that surround running the Boston Marathon.

I thought of it’s broken legacy.

I thought of the volunteers, spectators and public servants at the scene.

I thought of how many good people there are.

I thought of how trivial other problems in life seem in comparison.

I thought about the American spirit. Resolve. Strength. Unity.

All things will come in time. Meanwhile my thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved.

That’s the best place they can be right now.

source

I don’t have one studio I always frequent. I’m kind of all over the board. This is a bit different from when I was living in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In a smaller city there weren’t as many options, but the price for classes was also less. I am now a vagabond yogi for two reasons:

1) Variety. Sometimes I’m craving a vinyasa flow, other times a restorative class or lately the bikram-style. By being familiar with a number of local studios I can attend whichever class suits my current need. I also am introduced to a number of different instructors, all with different styles. This also keeps yoga interesting to me. I don’t get bored because I’m not always doing the same style of practice or with the same teacher.

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2) Cost. Yoga is expensive! Who wouldn’t want an unlimited monthly subscription? I would as much as anyone but some studios around here charge anywhere from $150 to $200 a month for unlimited classes. That just does not fit into my budget. So usually I purchase class passes instead, attend special workshops, happy hour yoga deals and scour deal websites for local yoga specials. So far it’s been working and my pocketbook is thankful.

Are you loyal to one yoga studio?

The same could apply to folks who spin or cross-fit. Are you studio or box loyal?
 

Sometimes stuff happens in life and you just feel like you got a raw deal. I haven’t had anything major happen, just a culmination of a lot of small things over many months that have frustrated and worn on me. Small things can add up and make you feel like you have one big mess on your hands.

After whining for weeks to friends, family and the hubby I started to reach a point where I realized the whining wasn’t really helping me or them. One of my friends who has been a great listener put it very straight to me recently: “You are not dead or dying or sick. You are not living on the street. You are healthy, happy and loved. Spring is coming and there are a lot of good things in your life.”

She was right. One of my goals for this year is to refresh others and frankly I’ve been doing really poorly at this. I easily become discouraged when I log onto social media and hear everyone talk about how great their lives are. Their spouse is perfect. They are wildy passionate about their jobs. They run marathons and never get injured.

Whatever the case, it’s easy for me to find a reason to become jealous or bitter. It’s also easy to forget that people can put on a facade and act like their life is perfect, when really it’s not. And when they are speaking the truth, I should have an open heart and encourage them. But I haven’t been doing so.

This needs to stop.

I am blessed in many ways, as my friend reminded me. Even though they are not all nearby, I have a circle of loving family and friends. I have a husband who puts up with my drama and still loves me. I have a church family and faith to sustain me.

As I drove home yesterday I thought about how happy I am to be in Ohio right now, how clear the sky was and how beautiful Lake Erie is. I realized it’s a blessing in itself to know that there is no place I would rather be right now. I thought about my plans for a spring garden and the enjoyment I will receive from working the land. I thought about eating healthier and taking care of my body.

I thought about the positives in my life. I decided to consciously put forth an effort to stop breeding negativity, remove things from my life that do not serve me and surround myself with positive influences and people who make me a better person. I thought about how I can do better and will do better.