Ironically, when I finally got health insurance as a grownup, I was both like, “Wow, awesome, this appointment will be covered!” And then also like, “Wow, what’s up? Why is it so hard to get an appointment?”

If you want the convenience of a drop-in clinic without the hassle and delay of scheduling an appointment with your doctor (assuming, of course, that your medical issue is fairly routine), check out MinuteClinic. They sponsored the Mom 2.0 Fun Run and ironically, I actually could have used them the morning of the run since I was suffering from some kind of GI distress. ANYWAY, I’ve been curious about MinuteClinic since I’ve seen them sprouting up at local CVS stores (oh, how I love prowling the cosmetics aisle…) and recently dropped in to check out how it works.

I originally was planning on visiting MinuteClinic about a skin rash I had developed but by the time I went in, things had cleared up (turns out, I was allergic to my new facial lotion). However, here was my major takeaway: I stopped by at ~2:30pm (you don’t need to book an appointment) and there was NO LINE and you could check yourself in via an easy touch screen system. AWESOME.

MinuteClinic locations are staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants. They treat common family illnesses and injuries, administer vaccinations, conduct physicals and wellness screenings, and offer monitoring for chronic conditions. You can check out more about their services here. They accept most insurance plans and also take out of pocket payment.

It’s basically an awesomely convenient way to get basic medical needs met. Weirdly, I’m looking forward to visiting them for real. Hopefully, not for a running related injury!

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Katie (right; rocking her finisher shirt!) with running buddy Alison (left)

We love that you’ve joined us for all three of our virtual gatherings (Fall Fun Run, Winter Dash, Spring Fling); how has social media helped inspire your running journey?

Without social media, I wouldn’t be a runner. It’s as simple as that! My sister got me started three years ago, and since she lives in Arizona and I’m in Massachusetts we relied on social media to encourage each other. The virtual community and online social networks I’m part of keep me honest, keep me on track, keep me accountable, and give me unwavering support.

You recently completed your first half marathon on April 28 – go you! Do you have any top tips for runners thinking about taking the plunge to try a half marathon?

The Nike Women Half Marathon in Washington DC was a fantastic experience for a first half. It’s definitely more of an Experience Race (with 15,000+ runners!) than a pure Road Race, and that atmosphere of fun, camaraderie, and energy was definitely what I needed as a first-timer. I could focus on just enjoying the experience and finishing, and not worry about time. So my tips:

• Find a race that really interests you – whether it’s a large Experience like Nike or a small road race where you can push yourself for time. You have to want to be there.
• Do the long training runs. I worked up to a 12.3 mile run a couple weeks before the half, and the last two miles during the race were still very challenging for me. Do-able, but quite challenging.
• Just pick one and register! There’s nothing like a looming race date to provide great motivation.

We here at EBR like food. What are your favorite pre and post race snacks/meals?

I was experimenting with different pre-run foods during the training runs for this half. I can’t eat peanut or nut butters, unfortunately, so that was one typical suggestion that wouldn’t work. I tried half of a whole wheat bagel, which definitely disagreed with me on the long runs. In the end, I found that a banana and Luna bar with water pre-run was the best for me.

Post-run, I would really only need lots of water (sometimes with a splash of fresh lemon juice) immediately. After a couple hours, then I needed something rich in good protein.

I’ve also found that if I’m doing a run longer than about 90 minutes (I’m slow, so the half took me about 2:40), I need to fuel with something. What my body tolerates best during a run are gummie snacks. My favorite is the mixed berry flavor of Life Saver Gummies.

Tell us about your favorite running gear.

My Brooks Dyno 7 shoes (they’re actually wide enough for my feet!). My Garmin Forerunner 405. My Flip Belt (I need to order a second one!). Running capris from Old Navy. And for winter running in New England, fleece lined pants and tops from Brooks and inexpensive, lightweight fleece gloves and hats from Old Navy.

Are you inspired by any running bloggers? If so, who?

In addition to Eat.Blog.Run? I love the community at Another Mother Runner. And I find great tips at the Brooks Running Blog. Otherwise, my inspiration comes from my fellow runners, especially other running moms who are just struggling to find time, that I connect with online and in real life – like my sister Dani, my friends Katharina and Alison. One of the amazing things about the Nike Half was looking around at the hundreds, even thousands, of other runners who were running at my pace and we were all so supportive and proud of each other for doing our 12:00 minute/miles together. That was truly inspirational.

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Katie lives about 30 minutes outside Boston with her husband, three kids (11, 8, and 4), and two cats. She works part-time as a Director with media relations firm Savoir Media. She blogs occasionally at Katie’s Korner and likes to overshare on Twitter (@bunnums).

You are a busy mom who also runs a business. How do you find time to run?

I wake up, drink a liter of water and run out the door. Most days it is still a little dark when I set out and it seems like I wake up when I am half a mile away! Honestly, since my youngest turned 4, I have slowly started getting my mornings back! That means that I can actually go on a run in the morning while my husband gets ready for work without worrying about having to take care of a little monster that randomly woke up

When and why did you start running?

I started running in Jan 2013. I had started to consistently have my mornings to myself and felt that I need to do something meaningful and fun with them!
Moreover my doctor said I am letting stress take over my life …so I figured I really need to focus on my long term health. Running seemed like a great idea and I figured that in a place like California (the weather here is unreal in an awesome way!) , running is indeed fun and satisfying.

Are you inspired by any running bloggers? If so, who?

My biggest inspiration is Allison McDonald – author of No Time For Flash Cards. Allie is a friend and advisor to my company, MeMeTales. The past few years, I have been watching her run multiple times a week(with a baby in a stroller too!) . In December she registered for the Dallas Rock and Roll Half and encouraged me to do it as well.

What’s your favorite pre or post race snack or meal?

Since I run first thing in the morning, I usually don’t eat anything right before I run. Before my Rock and Roll Half Marathon, I ate a banana.
I drink some carrot juice a few minutes after I get back from my run. Post run I always long for some fresh veggies – cucumber dipped in hummus …yumm!

What song (or songs) get you totally pumped when you’re on the pavement?

I am rather boring or perhaps lazy. I turn on Pandora to latest radio hits and just go. I guess my favorite is Kelly Clarkson’s What Doesn’t Kill You. I sense my pace pick up when I hear that song.

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Maya is the founder of MeMeTales – a parent resource to help raise smarter kids. She loves tech, her 2 girls and is deeply in love with the man she married 10 years ago. Running is her latest happy obsession and she is working to make a habit of it.

I will give you a full race report next week plus a feature story on running hair! Yep, I took a bunch of photos along the race course of bloggers’ different ways to keep their sweaty locks off their faces. In the meantime I present you a teaser: the three of us hugging it up in a bobby pin, headband, and rubberband.

See also how to pack for exercise when traveling.

All the more reason to embrace exercise while traveling!

However, if you’re like me, and like to pack really, really light, you may choose to ditch your workout gear to save space. This certainly was the case when I went to Dallas last month for BlissDom. Note that I felt totally lame when my roomie and EBR co-pilot Heather busted out her running gear and asked me to go for a run and I was like, Er, I’m sorry, I packed a lot of extra statement jewelry instead.

Doh.

Anyway, no excuses! Tomorrow I ship out for Mom 2.0 and Marie, Heather, and I are joyfully reuniting for Run 2.0 with MinuteClinic. So today, I wanted to share my minimalist packing strategy for the trip. So I’ll have plenty of room in my carry-on to accommodate my running gear and my statement jewelry.

Obviously, it’s a bonus that we’re running in southern California. The early AM temperature will make running without a jacket and long sleeved gear possible. I’m also planning on running a 5K, so I don’t need to bring a hydration system. So, I’m stripping down to the bare essentials. These include:

• New Balance running shoes
• Running socks
• Albion fit tank (I love this tank for smoothing out my, er, jiggly bits)
• City Sports Boston Strong t-shirt (hell yeah, we’re still running in Boston)
• Black running shorts
• Team Sparkle skirt (my race skirt of choice)
• Tiny headband
• Stopwatch (when traveling, save yourself the time of mapping routes…just run for distance half the time you want to run outbound, then turn around and head back)

And the good news? You can make all of this TINY. Simply:

• Roll the skirt and shorts into a tiny roll and stuff it in one shoe.
• Stuff socks, stopwatch, and headband in the other shoe. There will be a little extra room if you want to stuff a SpiBelt or something like that in there.
• Lay tank and tee flat and fold them together (this is key for saving space). Package them on top of the shoes.

And there you have it! You can be completely outfitted for a spring/summer run in the general space footprint of your shoes!

1. Rain - Yes, April showers do bring May flowers, but it can get a little slippery out there running on the road. Although, I live in Seattle and if we don’t run in the rain, we would never go outdoors. So as much as I’m used to it, it can still be a bit of a hazard. You really need to watch out for slippery moss, leaves, or anything freezing that turns to ice.

2. Flowers - They are very very pretty, but man do they pack a powerful hay-fever punch. I have really bad seasonal allergies and I am usually sneezing up a storm as I run during the whole month of April, yowzer! Anyone else suffer from this? I’ve found a great allergy medication and it helps a ton, but there are days I’m really hit!

3. Blossoms – Along with the beautiful flowers out there, those blossoms from the trees can be quite a road hazard, especially if they are wet. They can get pretty slippery. The other day I was having to slow down and walk carefully through blossomed sidewalks!

4. Snails and Slugs - The spring rain and warm air are bringing out these cute little critters. I was dodging them all over the sidewalks. Bugs, slugs, worms, you name it, they are out on the road looking for wet warm road to “run” on too. Try your best not to squash anything buggish.

What keeps you on the lookout during the spring months as you run?

We love that you’ve joined us for all three of our virtual gatherings (Fall Fun Run, Winter Dash, Spring Fling); how has social media helped inspire your running journey?

Well, I LOVE the virtual gatherings that you all put on! Keep ‘em coming! I loving the running community, everyone is just so nice.

Social media has definitely helped inspire me as a runner, whether it’s by gaining new Facebook friends through my running group (more on that later), following runners of all paces and abilities on Twitter, or getting encouraging comments from people that I’m friends with on the MyFitnessPal app.

One thing I never imagined would happen was using social media as an accountability tool. When I started training for my first half marathon last fall, I would post my Nike + workouts on Facebook and on long runs, I would use their “cheer me on” tool. I was amazed how many people responded to those posts! People started cheering me on, commenting on my improvements and paying attention. Because it mattered to me, it mattered to them. That just goes to show you how amazing my friends and family are! It really helped motivate me to get off my butt and out the door every day for a run.

You’re gearing up for a half marathon on May 5 – go you! Do you have any top tips for runners thinking about taking the plunge to try a half marathon?

I think my best advice would be to just do it already. If you are on the fence, signing up for a race is the best motivation you can have to get out there and get running. I’ve been a runner off and on for most of my life, but every time I start to fall off the running wagon I find a race, sign up and it totally motivates me! After college, I started focusing on my career and finding my own way through this crazy world and running was no longer a priority to me. Once I got engaged, my husband and I joined a local workout club that is put on by the track and field coaches at our city university in order to lose weight for the wedding. And I was hooked again. I signed up for a 5k about a year after our wedding, then a 10k six weeks later, then a 15k about a month after that and decided the next logical step was a half marathon! So, I just signed up. After my first half last October, I was addicted. It is hands down my favorite distance.

I think it also really helps to have a buddy or a running group that are training for the same race as support. Last fall, I trained all by myself. We had recently moved out into a very rural area outside of Wichita, I didn’t know anyone that ran in the area and I didn’t really have anyone in my life that I knew that was training for the same race that was at my pace. Firefly Yoga Studio is a studio in Wichita that has a running group (that is FREE to join, how awesome is that?!?) and I always wanted to join in, but the studio was fairly far from my house. This past December, they opened a west side studio that is much closer to my house so I’ve started running with their running group two days a week and have started incorporating yoga into my training. It has made a WORLD of difference! The group has improved the pace of my easy runs over a minute a mile and I’ve joined a huge support group. Two girls I know are also training for this upcoming half and run a Facebook page and blog called Build Lean Eat Clean and it’s so inspiring to read their posts and know that they are going through the same thing!

You’re also planning a super hero themed 5K in July – AMAZING! What inspired this project?

YES! I am SO EXCITED about this project! I am the current Wichita City Center Director for the Wichita Branch of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and this 5k is a fundraiser put on by the Wichita Branch of IIDA for Rainbows United, Inc. in Wichita. Along with the Kansas City City Center of IIDA we form the IIDA MidAmerica Chapter and cover the majority of Kansas and some of Missouri. IIDA KC is now planning their 3rd 5k and we thought it was time to get in on the action here in Wichita!

Rainbows United is an organization here in town that has a wonderful mission of “enhancing the lives of children with special needs and their families by bringing together community resources and providing customized services.” The organization is very well known throughout the city and we felt like they would be a great beneficiary of our first ever 5k!

We here at EBR like food. What are your favorite pre and post race snacks/meals?

I eat the same thing every time I have a race. The routine keeps me calm and I can just focus on making it through the race without worrying about upsetting my stomach. I always eat a banana and a piece of toast with some sort of nut butter on it. Almond and sunflower butters are my current faves! And a water bottle full of cold water. I also chew gum every time I run. I know that bothers a lot of people, but it find that it helps me breathe and keeps my mouth from drying out as bad. If it’s a race over 10 miles, I eat Honey Stinger Chews for my fuel. They are really good and taste just like candy! And I cannot stand Gu, it just gets stuck in my throat and I feel like I’m running with a bowl of pudding in my mouth. Gross.

After a race is when I tend to indulge! I love love love breakfast food and we have a really good local diner here in town that is pretty much my go-to after a race. I get a big ol’ plate of eggs over easy, hash browns, pancakes, toast, bacon and chocolate milk! I mean, when you burn over a thousand calories in a race, you gotta make up for it somehow, right!?!

Tell us about your favorite running gear.

I’m a gadget lover, so I love running with my iPhone and I use the Nike+ Running app to track all of my runs. I have a FlipBelt that I like to wear during races and longer runs. It’s awesome to carry my phone, cash, car keys, etc. And that works amazingly with my second favorite piece of gear, my bluetooth headphones! Running without those dang earphone cords has changed. My. Life. Seriously, those things are so annoying! My husband bought me this set for my birthday last year and they have been amazing!

Are you inspired by any running bloggers? If so, who?

I love bloggers, but runners really are the best bloggers, aren’t they?  Some of my favorites are:

• Ali on the Run: Ali is hilarious and so incredibly inspiring!
• Go Fork Youselves: I actually found Krissy through your EBR Rock Star series! She’s a hoot and I love following her Twitter, she has some of the best running tweets I’ve ever read.
• SkinnyRunner: Again, I think she’s hilarious. (Are we seeing a trend here?)
• NYCRunningMama: I loved hearing Michelle’s running story and her posts are always super informational and helpful. She’s always a great read!
• Build Lean Eat Clean: I know I’ve already mentioned these girls, but they are such an inspiration and I love that actually know them IRL and get to see them at races and around town!

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Catie lives with her husband, two dogs, cat, and 24 chickens in the middle of nowhere, about 30 minutes outside of Wichita, KS. She’s a commercial interior designer for an architecture firm in Wichita. Catie blogs over at C to the C (www.ctothec.blogspot.com) when she has free time and is just starting to evolve into a running blog. 

It will be my 5th time running with the Run 2.0 at Mom 2.0. This year, it will be organized by MinuteClinic, an EBR sponsor, and we’re happy to be helping out with the fun run festivities!

If you’re going to be at the conference, make sure you sign up for the run to let us know you’ll be there. It’s time to lace up your runners!

Here are the details: 

• Get your blood pumping and Twitter feed going before conference festivities begin with our interactive #MCFunRun! Feeling it from the welcome party last night? Try the 1-mile fun photo run course. Or, want to kick it up a notch? Try the 5k distance!
• Meet us Friday morning, May 3rd, by 7 a.m. at the Gazebo on-property at the Ritz-Carleton. And don’t forget to bring your mobile phones…there will be photo opps!
• All participants will receive a “Blog Hard, Play Hard” tech tee (super cute!), and we’ll be providing snacks & refreshments post-run.
• Prizes of $100 CVS gift cards will be given to the overall 5k winner, and a randomly selected participant from the fun run (the more you tweet, the more chances you have to WIN!).

Are you going to be there? Let us know and shout it out. Be sure to tweet with the hashtag #MCFunRun & #Mom2Summit. Follow along, we’ll be sharing some fun pics on twitter and instagram.

Get ready to run for fun in the sun!

My good friend Karen Merzenich blogs at offthemeathook.com, lifestyles of the carnivorous and fabulous, and while she certainly enjoys eating, she might smack me upside the head if she knew I was sharing her tips on a RUNNING website. It’s just not her thing. Instead, she has devised a clever way to keep fit without having to lace up her running shoes (or even get out of her jammies). All of her cross-training ideas work while her son is napping or nearby. Here’s what she told me:

My solution? The surprise-laden exercise bingo jar! First, I spent a little time googling good exercises to target both post-pregnancy belly and my other bete noire, that flappy underarm flab (or “chicken nuggets” as my Pilates teacher colorfully calls them.) I picked 12 exercises and wrote them down on little slips of paper. I put the target number of sets and reps on each slip as well. Then I put the little papers in a jar in my kitchen. Every day I have to pull out five slips and do whatever they say. This makes it fun because I never know what I’m going to get, and it only takes about 15 minutes to get through all five exercises. Plus, I don’t have to do the most hated exercises every day –side plank, I’m looking at you– or get bored by doing the same routine over and over.

Read the rest over at rookiemoms.com, including sample exercises for your own magic jar!