customer service – The Celiathlete

February 18, 2019

10 Weeks To Go

As some of you know, I have been training, very specifically, very diligently, and quite intensely for my Spring marathon! I chose one out of the area, but close enough to drive. Honestly, this is one of the most vigorous training plans I have been through when working toward the marathon distance. As I may have mentioned (it’s been so long since I’ve blogged, I can’t remember), I hired a new coach. He was my physical therapist back in 2017 when my hip flexor paralyzed itself, and he got me quickly back on the road. After not reaching any running goals last year, I really needed to reassess my training, and after talking to him, hired him on to train me. And my life has never been the same.

Seriously.

I have had some of the highest mileage weeks I have had in 6 years. I’m not saying that to brag, because I am aware that one extra mile could be the tipping point to injury. But, as I said, Daniel used to be my physical therapist and he knows my weaknesses better than I do. He also knows that in order to speed me up and work on endurance, it means a mix of easy/slow runs and hard speed sessions. We all know how I feel about speed work, but he hasn’t made me cuss him out or cry yet…so his method is working.

I will say, I’m exhausted by the end of the week and look forward to my rest day to prepare for the long runs (yep…runs) of the weekend. Sometimes they are easy runs, sometimes one of them involves some speed. But there is always a reason for where and why he wants me to do runs a certain way. And I’m working hard to hit suggested paces, without going over the edge to injury. It can be a fine line, especially when you’ve dealt with injuries over the years. Last year, I made it out without a single one, and I hope to continue that trend this year.

All that being said, I am getting a slight down week this week as I am headed to Disney World (you know this if you follow me on Instagram) for the Disney Princess Race Weekend. I am participating in the 5K (running it with my roommate at her pace), the 10K (which is what Daniel wants me to race), and the half marathon (training run). I’m super stoked. My last trip to Disney was in January 2018, and it was a hot mess express of a dumpster fire.

So…packing has commenced and I finally got around to trying on my costumes yet. Does my coach realize that I dress up in costumes? Probably not. LOL! But its Disney…if you don’t do SOMETHING Disney related (doesn’t have to be full-on costume), you have no soul.

So…my 5K costume had to change. My roommate is running as Captain America, so I thought I’d go as Iron Man (Tony Stark FOREVER!).

Sadly, the outfit I ordered to do this costume, didn’t match. And the company I ordered the top from hasn’t done much to get me the new top in time for this race. So…I thought about trying to put together a Captain Marvel costume (not enough time), or do something else Avengers…but I just couldn’t cobble together what I needed in the short span of time remaining. So that means, I stick to super hero, but cross the streams into the DC universe and run as…Wonder Woman (DUH!)!

Not what I wanted…but it will work. It will do. And besides, I am Wonder Woman, so might as well stick to my nickname.

For the 10K…I was having a hard time settling on a costume. Believe it or not, I was originally going for Honey Lemon from Big Hero 6.

That being said, it’s really hard to find running clothes that are that golden yellow and not a fluorescent yellow. I went to Jo-Ann Fabrics to maybe get fabric for my friend Melissa to sew a costume for me, but there wasn’t anything there that would work. I was sad, but not giving up on this costume. It WILL happen, because she’s perfect for me to run as. So, I had to make a choice between two costumes that I have run in before…Officer Judy Hopps (Zootopia) or Vanellope von Schweets (Wreck it Ralph). I put it up for a vote on both Facebook and Instagram and the winner…

Pretty excited to bust out this costume again. Hoping that I get the “ears” just right like last time.

The one race that I knew for certain which character I was dressing up as was the half marathon. My nieces, Kaytlynn and Baileigh, chose for me to run as one of the most classic princesses from the Disney films.

My mom made my top for this costume, as the one I wore when I ran Dopey in 2014, was shredded. I mean, the sleeves are made out of ribbons. My mom did a PHENOMENAL job and I can’t wait to share the actual costume with you guys! I tried it on today as we started packing for the trip and I really just want my mom to make all my running costumes from now on. She did my Vanellope top I wore in Dopey 2018, and it was perfection. This one…also perfection. Excited to reprise my role as Snow White for 13.1 magical miles.

I’m going to be trying some new stuff out in the upcoming weeks, but I needed to get through Disney before I make fresh purchases. I’m thinking of switching to the hydration vest versus the belt I’ve worn since 2012. My friend Christine let me borrow hers and I loved it. So…that will be a big purchase, but one I can’t wait to try. Also…my new fuel. It’s pricey, but it seems to work! I’m using old fuel I still had kicking around for now. It’s fine, because I like it as well. As long as it doesn’t make me sick or hurt my stomach, or as long as I don’t have to chew it…I’m happy to use it.

So, seven challenging weeks of training down. Ten more to go. And now, here come the weeks where I also throw in some races (either as training runs, or to race) and I’m pretty stoked to get that going. Stay tuned, as I hope to keep you informed of more of my training highlights and shortcomings (because I’m human and I’m not going to nail everything). But that will have to wait until I get back from Disney.

October 15, 2018

Hey…DISCOUNT! (Noxgear addition)

As most of you who read this know…I’m an Ambassador for Noxgear.

You know…the cool, light-weight, light-up vest that you see me wearing in all my social media run pics (because running in the dark is the only time I have to run).

If not…you’re obviously not following me on social media and that should be remedied. I’ll post those links at the end of this. But the entire purpose to this post today is to say…

TOMORROW ONLY…

OCTOBER 16, 2018

There is a special Ambassador Sale going on at the Noxgear Web site. So if you’ve been on the fence about investing in the Tracer 360 vest or the Lighthound (for those of you with four-legged running partners who also need to be seen), or if you want to order some extras or get one as a gift…this is the best deal yet!

If you’re reading this…you’re in luck. You’ve found an ambassador! YAY!! *high fives*

To get that discount on Tuesday ONLY head over to Noxgear and use code: CELIAC

It’s the best deal around!! Happy Shopping!! Tell your friends!

#noxgearamb #noxgear #lightitup

And…if you’re not following me on other forms of social media…you can hit me up here:

Instagram: theceliathlete
Twitter: TheCeliathlete
Twitter: CapnKeeks

October 13, 2018

Trials & Tribulations & Travels

Guys…

I have a lot to cover. A lot.

But I can’t here. Not yet. Because…things haven’t been said on other platforms by other people that I can’t go into here…but once it’s out there…I’ve got blogs to write and things to fill all of you in on.

I’ve been on the road a lot recently. And I leveled up somewhere in there with a birthday too.

I’m very behind on this blog…and I realize this. I’m seriously going to make more of a push to be active and write about more than just my races. Because I’m not just passionate about running…but also food and travel and…just having fun. With friends.

Here’s a little run-down of things coming down the pike…

I went to Hawaii. Again.

I went to Disneyland. Again.

I went to Chicago. Again.

I got shadowbanned by Instagram. That’s a first. No again necessary. That being said…no one is seeing my posts right now and since I’ve built my account up since 2011…having it currently be unavailable to people who are not my friends is beyond frustrating. My visibility is nill and IG has done nothing to fix it…because I’m not one of their precious influencers. MEH. And how did this happen? I got hacked. On a Sunday morning. While headed to a run.

No joke.

SO mad.

So…if you aren’t following me on Instagram…come and give me a follow and check out my posts (like them, please!) and my Instagram Stories (I’m hilarious. Sometimes. HA!)

You can find me here:

My Instagram Page!

Thanks, lovelies. I also hope to start going back to some product (food and running related…YAAAAAAAAAAAAAS!)…and I’m going to get serious about recipes and also progress with…just where I am…both in fitness and in life. Because…sometimes life is hard and things just get out of control. And it’s good to have a support team.

Thanks for sticking with me.

Blogs are coming. Daily. I am going to make this a priority again.

February 11, 2018

Restaurant Review: Pho Ba Luu – Louisville, KY

Restaurant: Pho Ba Luu – Louisville, Kentucky

Brace yourselves, friends…

I’m finally getting back to restaurant reviews. I have been so busy as of late that I’ve been skipping these important reviews both locally and when I travel. And that is stopping…as of now.

I made a promise to be better about updating my blog, and, by God, I’m going to stick to it.

So…I have the pleasure of being friends with some amazing people who just happen to be foodies! And…they seem to be as excited about trying different places around town as I am. And that…means LOTS of fun trying out new places with good people who aren’t afraid to be honest and outgoing.

Being a foodie is fun.

While I have my favorite places here in Louisville, some great new places have moved in and opened up. And one of those places is Pho Ba Luu, in Butchertown. Pho Ba Luu, as my can probably guess, serves Saigon Street Food. Think the obvious pho…in addition to rice bowls, banh mi sandwiches, as well as rice bowls.

As I tend to do when I am going to new restaurants, I contacted them to find out if I, being a Celiac and vegetarian, could eat anything there. Jessica Mach e-mailed me back and let me know exactly what was safe for me. All the pho bowls, by the way, are gluten free. Just don’t get the hoisin sauce. The spring rolls are also safe…and they offer gluten-free soy sauce as well. The staff was INCREDIBLY knowledgeable too after we visited and placed our order. So…bit shout-out for those, who like me, have food allergies and intolerances and need a little extra care at restaurants.

So…four foodies drove into Butchertown specifically for some Vietnamese food. And, let me tell you, there were some high standards to be met. Paul is actually part Vietnamese and his wife, Melissa and he actually have had street food in Vietnam. They actually ordered first. Paul got the Chicken Pho ($10) and Chicken Spring Rolls ($5) for his dinner. Melissa ordered the Chicken Pho ($10…because it doesn’t change…LOL!) and the Shrimp Spring Rolls ($5). They each also ordered the Iced Vietnamese Coffee ($5), which I want to try next time because it looked AMAZING! It’s happening.

Cathy (that’s the roomie, in case you are new to the blog or have forgotten during my hiatus on reviews) decided to go all meaty and gluten-y since she doesn’t get that at home. She ordered the Beef Pho ($11) with the Seafood & Pork Crispy Rolls ($6). I may get asked…maybe not…but in case…the Seafood & Pork Crispy Rolls were crispy rolls stuffed with shrimp, pork, crabmeat, onion and vegetables and is served with a fish sauce. So that’s for all of you non-vegetarian/vegan gluten eaters out there! She’s got your back!

As for me…I ordered the Vegetarian Pho ($10) with the Vegetarian Spring Rolls ($5). The spring rolls are normally served with a Plum Sauce, but as I noted gluten-free at the order, they brought me gluten free soy sauce instead.

Let me say this…the four of us are already discussing going back next Friday to celebrate Tet (the Vietnamese New Year) this coming week. Not. Even. Joking.

Because when it comes to good food…I don’t make those kinds of jokes.

So…here’s the run-down from what I was devouring last night. I’ll start with the spring rolls. The Vegetarian Spring Rolls are basic fried tofu with sauteed vegetables and glass noodles wrapped in rice paper. They looked fantastic. They tasted phenomenal. The gluten-free soy sauce was the perfect touch. I love spring rolls as it is…these were some of the best I have had. And that’s no exaggeration. They are simple…but they bring the flavor and the textures just all worked.

But, of course , the star of the Vietnamese Food scene last night…was the Pho!! First of all…the bowls are pretty big and we all had another meal’s worth left over after dining last night. No joke. Hey…it meant we had lunch today. So…be aware that there is a LOT of volume in these bowls. The Vegetarian Pho has sauteed tofu and vegetables in a vegetable broth. You get a little baggie of all the add-in goodies…like bean sprouts, jalapenos, and the like. I poured them all in. I added a good helping of Sriracha. And once I was done with my Spring Rolls…in went the remaining gluten-free soy sauce.

FLAVOR!! That’s all I can say. The broth had amazing flavor as it was. The tofu and vegeatlbes…they brought extra goodness to the party. The carrots still had some crisp to them. The tofu was savory and soft and just…done to perfection. The add-ins brought a little more spice…a little more texture…a little more yumminess to an already yummy situation. I was in love and I managed to not splash myself with anything as I ate the noodles with chopsticks and slurped up that broth with the spoon.

This gluten-free vegetarian loved every bit of the meal last night. And I think my partners in street food would agree. Cathy loved the Beef Pho and her Crispy Spring Rolls. While she does like spring rolls, she LOVED the crispy rolls. I think she will never NOT get those. The beef finished up cooking in the hot broth when it was delivered to the table and after she sorted out the jalapenos to both Paul and I from her bag of goodies…she was all in. And loving in!

Pho Ba Luu Chicken Pho and Shrimp Spring Rolls

And my Chicken Pho eaters…they were quite content with their bowls too. They seriously raved about the flavor and I believe they even said it came very close to the street food they had in Vietnam. So…there it is. OH…and Melissa highly recommends the Iced Vietnamese Coffee. She got two of them last night if that tells you anything!! The Chicken Spring Rolls & Shrimp Spring Rolls disappeared as quickly as my Vegetarian ones.

Any way you slice it…we loved everything we ate here.

Pho sho!

Yeah…I went there. I can’t help myself sometimes!!

So…anytime I get to eat a big bowl of pho without having any reaction to it because everyone who works there made sure my food was safe and perfect…gets many return visits from me. I can’t wait to go back.

And…for the record…they have a Gluten Free Apple Pie ($6)…that we were all too full to try…but we may have to get it next time and split it among us. Because…dessert is very important to me.

Special shout-out again to Jessica Mach for answering my e-mails when I inquired and helping me navigate the menu without any trouble at all.

If you are in the Louisville area or are coming to Louisville, Kentucky, and love or want to try Vietnamese food…I can’t speak highly enough of Pho Ba Luu. People with food allergies…welcome…and taken care of. I call that winning!

See you next week!

sailormooneats

January 25, 2018

UPDATE – Product Review: Nox Gear Tracer 360 Visibility Vest

Product: Nox Gear Tracer 360 Visibility Vest

Price: $69.99+/-

Remember last week when I blogged about my faulty Nox Gear Tracer 360 Visibility Vest? If not…you can backtrack to my blog about it here. At the end of the blog, I mentioned that I had contacted the company and was waiting to hear back from them regarding their product and the way mine fell apart after only 6 wears. Let me tell you how this all played out…

FIRST OF ALL…let me tell you how very impressed I am with the customer service I received from Nox Gear. Honestly. The vest fell apart on me on a Saturday morning. I contacted them and wrote my blog up Saturday evening. On Sunday evening, Daren from Customer Service wrote me back and apologized for the vest falling apart on me, inquired as to if it snagged on something, and asked if he could see photos. BEFORE I even sent a reply, his message also said that they would be sending me a replacement vest immediately and he was already working on getting that set up.

I got the message Monday morning and replied, sending photos of where the vest fell apart, and thanking him for his quick response and for sending a replacement. He replied back within MINUTES of me sending the response with the photos. He explained that it looked like a failure in the stitching, and apologized again, stating that the replacement should work out perfectly for me.

Then…I was sent the confirmation that my replacement had been shipped. That quickly. BOOM. Done.

Two days later, the replacement vest arrives. I open up the box and inspect the vest and it looks great. I am pretty excited because I have a short run planned for the following morning, and this came just in the nick of time. I had been using my old one still, simply safety pinning it together where the vest came apart. OH…that was another thing…

Daren told me to keep my old vest to use as a backup. Yep. No sending it back. No need to return it. Simply restitch where it came apart, or have someone I know who can sew fix it for me. Done. He even said that I could keep it to use as a backup. I mean…how many companies do that?

Am I impressed? YEP!! I wore my new vest out this morning and it worked great. I felt visible and safe and still love how light weight it is.

But this story does NOT end there…

This morning, I also received an e-mail from one of the creators of Nox Gear, Tom Walters, to also apologize for the belt stitch coming undone after only 6 wears. He emphasized how unacceptable that was and how it angered him to know of the fault in their product. He emphasized that Nox Gear stands behind quality of their products and hopes that they can prove it to me!

Me after my morning run in my replacement Nox Gear Tracer 360 Visibility Vest

Point proven. This has been the BEST customer service interaction I have ever had. They definitely stand behind their NO WORRIES GUARANTEE and were quick to respond to me and the problem I had with the vest and take action to correct the issue. Not only that, one of the creators also reached out to apologize and make sure that I felt that I was taken care of and was happy with the service I received. Not very many companies do that anymore and I am beyond impressed with the steps Nox Gear has taken to make sure my satisfaction with their product was at the forefront as they worked on getting the problem resolved.

Thank you Daren, Tom, and Nox Gear, for proving to me that your company is one that I don’t regret investing in. I’m excited to wear my new vest out on my morning runs. You not only help keep me safe, you made sure that I was happy with your product in the end.

And right now…I’m over the moon! Thanks…for lighting my way.