Weekend Playlist

Happy Friday! Seeing how it's the start to the weekend I thought I'd share some of my music with you! Below I've provided two playlists to suit two different moods. The first one, "Time to Unwind," is for a sleepy morning when you're taking your time to get up, or having a night in to yourself. (I highly suggest a scented candle too accompany you during this time). The second one, "Road Trip," is a little more upbeat and is the perfect driving music. I'll be using this play list during our travels to races this weekend. Enjoy! 

Also, I hope this works in your web browsers. It's my first time trying out a playlist embedded into a blog. If you know of any other ideas to make this work better in the future, please let me know! :)

TIME TO UNWIND

ROAD TRIP

Low maintenance At-home gel Manicure

Let me start off by saying that I'm not really great at doing my nails, but I don't have much time to make it to the nail salon when they're open. Because of this, I usually end up painting my nails late at night which means they never dry enough to not smudge before bed. However, I have great news! I discovered Sally Hansen SensatioNAIL! The "Gel Starter Kit" comes with everything you need for your own at-home gel manicure. The only thing different here is that I purchased the color "Miss Behave" and used that instead of the "Raspberry Wine" color that came with the kit. I also want to note that these hold up SO well during cyclocross and my daily life. No chipping! Heck yes! 

I purchased my kit from Amazon (link here) because it was cheaper than Target or Walmart, but shop around to make sure there hasn't been any price changes. The kit says you get 10 manicures from this kit and if that's so, I'll end up averaging $3.32 for each manicure. Um, yes please! That's way less expensive than going to the salon. 

Step 1: Prepare your nails. File, buff, remove cuticles, etc

Step 2: Use the lint-free wipes and clean your nails with the "Gel Cleanser"

Step 3: Apply a layer of the "Gel Primer" to nails

Step 4: Apply a layer of the "Gel Base & Top Coat"

Step 5: Cure your base coat using the LED lamp for 15 seconds. The lamp will blink with 15 seconds is up. I usually have to do my thumb by itself because it doesn't fit in the lamp with my other four fingers

Step 6: Now it's time to apply your "Color Gel Polish" 

Step 7: Cure your "Color Gel Polish" 
Step 8: Paint a second coat  of the "Color Gel Polish" and then cure for another 30 seconds. 
Step 9: Apply a layer of the "Gel Base & Top Coat" and cure for 15 seconds.

Step 10: Your nails will be a bit sticky at this point, so don't touch them yet. Use the "Gel Cleanser" and the lint-free wipe across all of your painted nails. This part seemed odd to me, but trust me, you're nails won't budge. They are totally hardened at this point!
Step 11: Unless you can do every step to all 10 nails at the same time, it's time to repeat all of the steps on your other hand. 

Now you're done! Perfectly dry and chip-free nails! You may proceed with your day without risking a mess up! 

Tip for removing the polish. If you've ever had a gel manicure before you know how hard it is to remove the polish. Pure acetone alone will NOT work so I have three suggestions for removal. Method 1: Soak your nails in a bowl of pure acetone and buff the polish off with a file and manicure stick. The longer you can soak, the easier it will be to remove the polish. Method 2: Rip up a few paper towels and apply an acetone-soaked piece to each nail. Wrap each nail/soaked paper towel combo with foil. Let soak for a while or have a friend use a blow dryer on low to apply heat and speed up the process. Proceed to buff the polish off with a file. Method 3: Stop by your local cheap and quick nail salon and pay the $5 or so and have them remove the polish for you.

If you've used this kit or are planning on trying it out, let me know! 

 

What's in My Cycling Bag?

What's in my cycling bag depends on the weather, am I racing or training, am I traveling or staying local, cyclocross or road, etc. So here is my bag for a CX training ride. I can't get enough of Specialized which is why they make up 99% of my key items. I believe all of these items can be found on their site, except the pink jacket that turns into a vest (coming soon though, I believe). But let's take a moment to admire the gorgeous replica Boels/Dolmans kit. It's my favorite, and I always feel so pretty when I wear it. Their are only five items that aren't Specialized : my donut neck buff, headphones (I promise I'm being safe if I even wear them at all), Larga socks, monogrammed polka dot velcro changing towel (this never leaves my bag except to wash), and Oakley sunglasses.

Here is a closer look at some of the smaller items. Starting from the top left and going down : Baby wipes, Skratch hydration, heart rate monitor, donut buff, headache medicine, dry shampoo (to freshen up my sweaty hair after a ride), Rip Van Wafels (so yummy), deodorant, tube/air, Oakley sunglasses, Garmin 510, Clif Bar, Revision Intellishade with SPF (key item!), chapstick, Stix front/rear lights, socks, chamois cream, multi tool, tire levers, and glasses cleaner! A few needed items that aren't pictured are my bike (obviously), sports bra, tire pump, recovery drink, and my much needed first aid kit, hah! I hope I'm not forgetting anything, story of my life! :)

Read my official post on the Specialized Blog on Tuesday morning, here! 

What are some of your key items that you pack for a ride? Anything that is an absolute must that most people don't use?

Fueling Your Body Before a Workout

A morning workout or race day calls for fueling my body with more than my normal bagel and cc. When I first started racing, I'd eat whatever I wanted for breakfast and would pay for it during the race. I'd cramp and feel awful, so I learned my lesson and figured out what worked best for me. This includes a healthy serving of espresso and a big bowl of oatmeal. 

Quick Oatmeal with fruit, makes one serving.

1/2 cup quick 1-minute oats
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 tablespoon agave (more or less depending on your taste)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (again, more or less according to your taste)
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1/2 kiwi
1 cup berries

Combine oats and milk and heat either in the microwave or on your stovetop for 1 minute. Stir in agave, cinnamon and chia seeds. Top with fruit! Super easy. 

I'm not a fancy cook and I'm definitely no barista. For my espresso, I just use whatever my local grocery store has, sorry to all of you coffee snobs out there who are cringing at me. Insert your favorite bean here. :)

And that's it! A quick bowl of oatmeal and as much caffeine as I can handle. What breakfast combo works for your workout?

p.s. I have to share with you what my shirt is about. It's from This Team Saves Lives, a women's cycling team that provides life-staving therapeutic food to aid children suffering from malnutrition. For every bar you purchase from This Bar Saves Lives, their sponsor, they send a packet of life-saving food to a child in need, This year, for each top 10 placement achieved by a rider on the This Team Saves Lives team, they donate enough food aid to help save one child's life. Seriously, this is amazing and is my favorite CX team of 2015. I'm in no way associated with their team, I just think they are rad so I had to share. You can buy this "Supporter" crew that I'm wearing here. 

25 Days of Blogmas!

I'm so excited that I will be doing 25 Days of Blogmas for the first time this year. Each day you'll be able to check back and see a new post on the blog. Topics will range from cycling, general fitness, food, beauty, and more! 

CycleOps Trainer to Ride Inside

Hey guys! Is it getting cold where you live yet? It's not cold in Atlanta just yet, but it's been raining nearly every day - so much, that there is a meme going around saying Atlanta has changed its name to Seattle. Help - I need sun! I'm not looking forward to winter, I never ever ever ever am. In the winter months I turn into a wuss about riding outside. I'm originally from Florida, so I run for the heated blanket when it gets cold and I would rather hibernate until it's Spring again. Sadly, life doesn't work that way and neither do my workouts. Although there are PLENTY of days that I bundle up, suck it up and ride outside, there are also nights that I come home from work late and would rather not torture myself with the cold, so I choose to ride inside. Side note : I wonder how many of you are fainting right now because you'd rather die than ride a trainer. Well, good for you guys - you're a bunch of little badasses. For the rest of you (who are also badass, but like the warmth), I'm here to tell you about my experience with a trainer. I'm the weirdo who actually loves riding the trainer. In fact, I've considered teaching spin class because I think it's so fun (maybe one day)! 

SO, I've owned my own CycleOps Fluid trainer for about two years and prior to that, I would borrow my boyfriends trainer. I use it to warm up for races or get in my workouts when it's too cold for my bones, raining or I just feel like it. Recently I've upgraded to the CycleOps PowerSync and it's made a huge difference. This version plugs into the wall, reads the software on my iPad (you can also use a PC) and automatically syncs the workouts with the trainer so that it controls the resistance on my bike. In a nut shell, if the workout is simulating a climb, it will get harder for me to pedal. I've also had a go with their virtual training program that allows you to enter your specific information and get extremely detailed with your data. Because I don't understand much about data, I can't explain it all to you, but trust me - there is a lot. So if you're into geeking out over watts and TSS - I'm looking at you. The virtual training allows you to join challenges, race online, choose what routes you want to do or create your own workout. I definitely recommend it.

Usually I accompany my trainer workouts with a movie or an upbeat playlist of music. So if you've been thinking that these winter months mean you won't be riding, you should really consider a trainer. There are several different versions in different price ranges so you can start with what suites you best. If you can't go for the PowerSync, I recommend the Fluid where you'll be able to shift your bike when it's time to "climb" and adjust the difficulty yourself.

If you guys still have more questions, I'll steer you into the direction of the professionals on their site, where they explain the specifics much better than I can.

Do you already have a trainer and you're interested in trying their Virtual Training? You can sign up for two weeks free and see what you think for yourself! 

Have you ever tried riding a trainer? Do you like it?

Bike: Specialized Amira
Bibs: FYXO
Socks: The Wonderful Socks

Makeup Video : Fail!

So I attempted to make my very first makeup video and totally failed! I used my little Fuji x100t and it kept auto changing the white balance and it was super blown out but I didn't realize until I was all finished. Awful. I want to try again so any advice on what to use is much appreciated! I have a Nikon D800 that I could use, but I would rather have something with the screen facing me (selfie mode - is that what you would call it? hah) so I can see what I'm doing and I definitely need some better lighting. If you make videos, feel free to help a sista out with your knowledge! 

Anyways, here is what I used even though you can't even tell in this photo *sad face for no video*:
FACE:
Moisturizer - Dermalogica Oil Control Lotion - trying this out so I'm not sure how I like it yet
Primer - Laura Geller Spackle Primer - love this! 
Foundation - NYX Invincible Foundation - pretty decent, always on the hunt for different foundations to try
Concealer - Lorac Porefection Concealer - so far, love it! Got it on sale at Ulta and I've been using it for about a month.
Powder - Pur 4-in-1 Mineral Makeup - Love it, it almost has a slight sheen to it. 
Contour - Mac Powder Blush in Blunt - using it for years, love it
Blush - So Susan Universal Blush - very pretty with a nice highlight already in it

EYES:
Manly Cosmetic Neutral Eyeshadow - I need to try something new, but these are SO pigmented
Pur Eye Polish in Suede for the outside of the eye - it's a new product that takes a little getting used to. It applies wet, but once it dries it's very pretty. P.S. it dries very quick.
Pur Eye Polish in Silk for the inside of the eye
Maybelline Ultra Eyeliner - a drugstore product I've used since high school. 
Benefit Roller Lash Mascara - trying this out, but much prefer Smashbox Full Exposure in Waterproof

EYEBROWS:
Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Soft Brown - the best, hands down

LIPS:
PUR Lip Lure in Mystic - I love this! It's very hydrating to my lips. 

SUNGLASSES are Oakley Hold On - love, love, love these. 
 

The Women's S-WORKS XC : Pre-Mud

These are my brand new, never worn, straight out of the box S-Works XC MTB shoes that I will be wearing for Cyclocross. As we all know, these are about to be covered in mud, grass, dirt and everything in between so I had to snag a photo of these beauties before I put them through hell.