Summer summer summer!

Summer is here! I went for my first early-morning run this morning because it was forecasted to be 85 degrees out today ("early-morning" is relative here, because I actually left the house at like 830 I think...but I haven't been on a morning run in ages!) My first summer as a runner (summer '08) I was always out the door running before 7am, regardless of whatever else I had going on. I wish I could get back to being that morning-persony, but it's hard with my schedule as it is now. I dream of a summer world in which I'm always going for early runs and am showered and ready to take on the day by about 9:30. That would be pretty awesome. If only I could make myself do it and still be well-rested.

Anyway, the run, while tough, was pretty nice. Sunny, everything in bloom, dew on the grass, quiet. Somehow, though, even though I was back home by 9:30, I still got some sun (!). I'm not sunburned, per se, but I'm definitely more freckled and a little lightly red.

The path that I like to run on has been partially closed for several months now as they work on the sewers near the river (I can run north but not south). I am really really hoping that rumors are true and it will reopen next week. I like my north route but I'm really getting tired of it, and also I want to be able to run/bike south to the gym and pool. Maybe one of these days I'll take my camera along for some photos of my running route.

Summer Products I like:

I have this ongoing sunscreen dilemma. I check most products I buy at Cosmetics Database because I'm paranoid about toxicity of chemicals. The core reason for my vegan diet is my desire for healthful clean living. And let me tell you, it is HARD to find an easy-to-apply sunscreen that isn't rated between a 7 and 9 for toxicity, which is pretty high. I like the banana boat sport spray on (non-aerosol) because it takes literally like 10 seconds to spray my shoulders, back, and arms and it doesn't seem to sweat off or feel greasy. It's pretty full of toxic stuff, though. Last summer I started using Alba's "Sun" sport kind for my face and neck. But I know myself and if I have to spend 15 minutes applying rub-on sunscreen before any run, I'm probably just going to skip it, and the resulting sunburn may be worse than chemical exposure... not sure. This Alba kind is pretty rockin' aside from the fact that I prefer spray-on.

Another thing that really starts to matter to me in summertime is a good deodorant. I realize that while I'm running I shouldn't care that much about how I smell, but I'm pretty sure I'm possibly the sweatiest girl ever and I can't stand to smell bad regardless of the activity I'm engaged in (I know, I know... really vain of me). While I've been eating vegan for about 5 years, there are still a couple of products that I haven't veganized yet because I haven't found a satisfactory vegan alternative, and one of them is anti-perspirant. Any natural deodorant I've tried just hasn't cut it... I still smell sweaty, or worse yet, sweaty AND like a patchouli hippie, and then I feel gross. But I've always had a lingering paranoia about the possible link between aluminum in anti-perspirant and breast cancer, and the Secret deodorant I normally use doesn't really cut it for a run either; it seems to get all cakey and then melt off (literally, it's the weirdest thing ever).

After reading some reviews online I got some of this Crystal Body Deodorant to try. I used it very cautiously at first, just at times I knew I wasn't going out and wouldn't be around people. But then I wore it on a run, and miraculously enough it completely prevented odor! Now that I have new faith in it, I've even worn it to work (where I'm constantly paranoid about sweating through shirts while lecturing in front of 45 people). The only thing I don't like about it is that it's completely unscented, and well... I like scents. But they also have a roll-on kind that is scented, so I got some of that to try too, and it is also awesome.

So if you're looking for a completely nontoxic, inexpensive, and also vegan deodorant that actually WORKS, even on serious hot-weather runs, you have to check this stuff out. If it can stand up to long runs with me, it's gotta be quality.