168: Experienced Traveler's Tips and Running Gear Recs

Melissa Jones has been to all fifty states, forty countries and counting. She's a designer, photographer, and runner. Melissa is here to share some of her travelling tips, which include how to blend in (and not look like a tourist!), how to stay safe (particularly for women), and what must-see areas to visit in Oregon, Colorado, Utah, Australia, and Cambodia. As women, we discuss a couple of our encounters and what we've learned from them—most importantly that you have to listen to your gut—oh, and that you should check travel warnings. We discuss some of Melissa's favorite places to run, as well as how to take the perfect picture.

Our Runner of the Week is Jody Geibl, who is part of the Badgerland Striders and the 50 States Marathon Club. Jody shares how to dress in sub-zero-degree-Fahrenheit temperatures (she's from Wisconsin, so she has some cred!), one of the nicest things that the Des Moines Marathon does for its runners, and what races to check out in Milwaukee. We also gush about our "crush" on Dan Jansen, the Olympic speed skater who broke a world record in the 1994 Olympic 1000-meter race. Side note: Dan's best distance was the 500-meter race. There's nothing like the saying, "You don't know until you toe the line!"

Serena Marie, RD, is here to explain why hemp seeds are such a better choice versus eating chia or flax seeds. Hemp seeds provide omega-3 fatty acids from ALA (alpha-Linolenic acid), similar to chia and flax seeds, meaning it is not a very "useable" form in the human body (bioavailability is around 5%). The advantage of choosing hemp over chia or flax is that it provides two and a half times more protein per serving than chia with 10 grams of protein per three tablespoons.

2017 is the year of the Flourishing Experiment! If you'd like to join a group to help you with your habits and resolutions, or create a Flourishing experiment yourself, reach out to Kari at Kari@TheRunningLifestyle.com for more information.

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Today's episode is sponsored by HealthIQ. Did you know that as a runner, you could qualify for lower life insurance? HealthIQ is a revolutionary company that is dedicated to helping the health-conscious population receive better insurance rates. To find out more, and to try some really fun quizzes (like the Health IQ Test for Vegetables That Fight the Winter Blues with Greens) run over HERE.

Also, today's episode is sponsored by Trinity Medical. Trinity's mission is to help patients "nurture their bodies, minds, and spirits to help them achieve wellness." You can check out their Youtube channel to learn more about the Trinity Way to holistic health.

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