I have 10 days of vacation to use before June 30 or else I lose them. That means I need to take quite a few Fridays off before then. So this morning I took the time for myself for this:

I received some new trail shoes: Montrail FluidFlex ST (disclosure: freebie shoes for the purpose of blog review/social media) and while I had run on an easy trail in them before Boston, I was excited to get out on new terrain. They were really comfortable and I was glad I had the traction on these trails full of loose rocks and uneven slopes. They have a 4mm drop, are lightweight and they retail for $95… I’m looking forward to putting in more miles on the trails now that I’m not marathon training for a while. *

And just because today I am taking vacation, that doesn’t mean I’m free from checking my work email or talking to my boss. I seem to recall once upon a time I could actually take a day off… but the past few months that vibe has changed A LOT in my job.

And in true Friday fashion… here are a bunch of things that have graced my inbox this week that have caught my eye.

Aquasana Filter Water Bottle (Kickstarter)

This Aquasana water bottle is made of glass and has a super-high-tech filter. I don’t think I’d carry it running, but it seems like a good traveling bottle – one to take with you past security into the airport and fill up out of the drinking fountains. Or to keep in the car and then fill up at parks for the kiddo… park drinking fountains always seem a little iffy to me!

Hidrate Water Bottle

Did you know there could be so much innovation in water bottles? This Hidrate bottle communicates with an app to make sure you’re drinking the right amount throughout the day. And it’s kind of like a work of art!

JournalMENU Winner

Congratulations to Amy who won the training journal giveaway. For those of you who are interested in getting your own JournalMENU journal, you can get 15% off by visiting this page by May 20! They have journals for a wide range of things available, so check it out! (No, I don’t get commission from this… it’s just a nice thing they have offered!)

Red’s Burrito Bowls

I received some coupons to get free Red’s Burrito Bowls and I was excited to try them. I found them at a local Fresh and Easy store, where unfortunately they don’t take manufacturer coupons. (I could get into a whole other rant about this!) So I just bought them anyway… and I really like them. Super easy when I need a fast lunch and they’re non-GMO, have a good amount of protein in them and are one of the better tasting microwave meals I’ve tried! BTW – Red is not the owner, Red is the owner’s dog. I’m pretty sure Jade the Boxer would approve.

Standing Workers Just Want to Sit Down

I thought this was interesting… we hear a lot about how bad sitting is (I share a lot of those stories. I want to stand at my desk more!) but I frequently hear from friends who do a lot on their feet when I share those how they would love to sit down more during work. I received a pitch from Futuro who is doing a giveaway for a vacation, gift card, compression gear, about how workers that stand a lot end up so fatigued they often don’t do other exercise. This isn’t the athletic compression gear I would normally lean toward, but I hadn’t thought that if I do actually stand more at my desk that I might need compression gear for that! Sounds like standing while working and sitting while working are just like anything else… best in moderation!

*Did you catch that? My “for a while” statement? I really want to run another marathon and I’m already plotting out where the next one should be. I just don’t want to train for one through the summer months in Las Vegas!