Friday Favorites 4/26/13

 I'm super excited to be running the Nike Women's DC Half this weekend! I'm starting to feel sick today (OH NO!) so I'm loading up on vitamin C, echinacea, and getting lots of rest! I'll be rocking a black running skirt, black arm warmers, and mint green sassy tank I made so if you're running it, look out for me! I'm getting into DC tomorrow and worried about all the crowds of lady runners since it seems like everyone is running this. I am hoping to make a little informal Sweat Pink Ambassador meet up for some cupcakes so hopefully I can get around the city quickly.

Getting a Tiffany's necklace at the finish is going to be pretty baller also. 

 Anyways, once again it is Friday so here are some things I'm loving lately!

1. Favorite Nighttime Snack: 

I've have finished off a box of these this week. It's the perfect little non-dairy dessert for only 100 calories per sandwich. It tastes like a regular ice cream sandwich and satisfies my late night sweet tooth!

2. Favorite Workout Song

Red Hot Run 5K Recap

Last night the local running store, Charm City Run in Baltimore, held a Boston Strong run .  We all wore yellow and blue ribbons and went for a great 3.5 miles along the inner harbor to the Baltimore World Trade Center and back to the store. Most people were wearing Boston team shirts or yellow and blue.  It felt great to be part of a such a strong running community.  

By the way, I found Betty Lou's snacks via twitter and sampled one of their cherry gluten free fruit bars the other day. It was amazing and even my boyfriend tried it and said it tasted just like cherry pie! 

If you are looking for a new sweet snack, check them out online or on facebook! Their snacks contain no wheat, refined sugars, genetically modified ingredients, or hydrogenated oils! 

Finally here's a promised recap of a really awesome 5K I ran a week or so ago. I was itching to do another short race post Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, before the Nike Women's DC half (this weekend!).  I saw there was a local 5K benefiting a school just a few minutes away so I registered online.  I woke up, got dressed and realized I forgot my Garmin. Yikes, I really like having my Garmin for 5Ks to help pace myself but looks like I was doing this race without it.  

The Red Hot Run 5K was a local race and was really small with a little over 200 runners in the 5K, not counting the kids 1 mile fun run.  It was a gorgeous, sunny morning and there was lots of families and kids from the school which made for a nice, happy atmosphere.

I started right in the front of the pack with some really fast guys, who later left me in the dust.  The course went through a wooded neighborhood which was all hills up and down pretty much the whole 5K so it was more challenging than I had expected.  Eventually as I turned the corner from the last hill onto the final (flat!) stretch a spectator yelled out that I was the first girl so far! Even though it's a small race it was still really exciting to hear that so I pushed it until the end.  I ended up PRing by a mere 1 second in 21:21! 

Liebster Award

Today I have a fun post to share! Kristina over at "http://kristinamasten.com" nominated me for a Liebster Award! 

The Liebster award is an "award" given to up and coming smaller bloggers or to someone who deserves recognition for their blogging. Apparently, Liebster is a German word meaning dearest. I don't know what the exact rules are, but it's a great way to discover new blogs and recognize blogs that you think are awesome!

Rules for the Liebster Award

• Write 11 random facts about yourself. 
• Answer the 11 questions given by the person who nominated you.
• Create 11 new questions.
• Nominate 11 bloggers and mention them in your post.
• Thank the person that nominated you and tell the people you’ve nominated.

11 Facts about Me:

Questions from Kristina: 

1. What is your favorite relaxing activity?

I love spending a night in cooking a nice meal or baking something and then watching a movie with a class of wine in some comfy clothes. I also really like taking a long hot shower and painting my nails.

2. If you have one, what is your favorite go-to workout when you are stressed?

Running, hands down. Running is like therapy!

3. Favorite brand of coffee?

I love lots of different coffee such as Kona, Starbucks, Zeke's local  but lately I've been addicted to the Dunkin Donuts coconut flavored coffee I picked up at Target! YUM!

4. What are your pet’s names?

I currently don't have any pets but my family has 4 cats named Ginger, Oreo, Audrey, and Lucy. 

5. How long have you been blogging?

I've only been blogging since October and am still getting the hang out it. Hopefully there is somebody out there who likes it!

6. What is your favorite recipe to make at home?

I love baking especially fancy cupcakes and banana nut muffins.  Food-wise, I think I make a pretty great chili in the slow cooker and love that dinner is ready when I get home from work!

Friday Favorites 4/19/13

Hello all, can't believe all the craziness still going on in Boston but hope justice is served soon! Anyways I'm so glad this hectic week is almost over and can't wait to enjoy the weekend. Check out some things I've been loving this week!

1. Adidas Boston Tribute Tee

There are lot of Boston funds and shirts supporting Boston, but I've ordered this one. 100% of the proceeds go to The One Fund Boston. You can purchase it here!

2.  New Workout Jam by Daft Punk

I am loving this new Daft Punk featuring Pharrell song "Get Lucky"  I heard yesterday and am excited to add it to my workout playlist tonight!

3. My New Running Shoes

After hinting to my boyfriend that sneakers make a good gift idea, for our anniversary he gave me the gift of customizing my own pair of Nikes! I chose the Lunarglide  +4 sneakers in my favorite colors, pink and teal! You can pretty much choose the color of everything on the shoe and add a customized phrase to the shoe tongues! I've been running in the minimal Brooks PureProjects so this are a bit more cushioned and will take some getting used to, but they look so fresh! You can play around with designing shoes if you're bored like I do sometimes on the Nike website here!

4. Fashion Item I'm Lusting Over

I love most pieces put out by Kate Spade and especially love this watch. It's a gorgeous mint green and has that heavy man watch style I love.  Just a really expensive gift idea for me if anybody is asking :)

5. Recipe to Try this Weekend

The PurelyTwins always post really awesome, clean recipes.  I've been craving a classic chocolate chip cookie and this gluten-free recipe for two looks perfect. Yes, both cookies will be for me.  

What are some of your favorite workout songs this week?

Spring is here to stay!

Well this week has been an off week so far for me. Boston, trying to plan my summer weekends because apparently half of them are taken, and trying to get into the groove of a spring schedule! I'm currently trying to figure out the right balance this week of work, running, crossfit, and me time!  Due to some personal stuff I didn't make it to the gym last night. Breathing and not letting exercise become a stressor instead of a stress reliever is really important to me. I'm still working on releasing guilt from my life so it's tough. I spent some time with my bf and if we've learned anything from this week, it's to cherish the people we love. I still can't believe how warm the weather has been, but I definitely welcome all the sunshine and extra Vitamin D in my life.  My favorite things to look forward to in the beginning of spring are:

1. Iced coffees

I had one from Dunkin Donuts earliers this week that was delicious! I need to peition that they carry almond milk or figure out some way to transport it with me when the iced coffee craving strikes!

2. Sundresses

Target is so awful because I need to stop myself from buying another sundress when I go there. Who am I kidding, most times I cannot resist!

3. Baseball

Haven't been to my first game yet, but love heading out to the baseball park and enjoying an  ice cold beer!

4. Running in shorts

This was very exciting the first time I did it a few weeks ago. I hate bundling up and dealing with cold wind when running, ugh. Too bad I am vampire pale and rock some really white legs in shorts!

Miles for Boston

I wrote my quick post yesterday about jumbled thoughts on the Boston tragedy. I ran 6.5 miles last night in honor of Boston, and today I'm repping some race gear. Runners are a strong and united community! I'll post tomorrow about the 5K I ran on Sunday which included a first and some new fitness swag I've got. 

(excuse my dirty mirror and big crappy phone!)

Also today if you are trying to take your mind off of everything, check out my guest post on My Food N Fitness Diaries ,which is a super fun blog run by Ashley. My post is all about other ways of relaxing besides running or working out!  

Hug the people you love every day :)

Shock-Boston Tragedy

This is going to be a stream of consciousness post full of run on thoughts. I watched parts of the Boston marathon this morning via the interwebs and was excited watching Shalane and Kara finish (go US women woo!).  

I loved all the running support and love on twitter, etc. from the running community and people's blogs I follow. 

Then later I hear the news, and that explosion video haunts me. I've been on the verge of tears all afternoon. Limbs and blood and horrific images. I wish the news wouldn't show all that. As I just recently registered for my first marathon, Boston has become a lifelong goal of mine.  I am crying thinking of those people crossing the finish line and the usual elation I feel and the people I have cheering for me. Thinking they could be in danger to watch me run makes my heart ache.

 I was excited to get my custom Nikes, which were my anniversary gift, in the mail today. I felt sick even opening them today knowing, from volunteering with the intent to become an occupational therapist, that some people have been hurt and will not be able to run.  If you happen to read this insignificant blog, remember that we are all people. 

Pain and love are what make us all human but if you have ever run anything you are also a runner. Those are  our friends out there that were hurt. Even though I usually feel like an amateur, today I am proud to be a runner and be part of such a strong, supportive community.  Hug the ones you love and your biggest supporters tonight. I'm going to go for a run. I don't know what else to do. Miles for Boston tonight. 

(Saw this image on instagram and don't have the proper credit)

Major Goal Underway

So it's been on my radar for months now but at the Cherry Blossom Race Expo last weekend I officially took the plunge and signed up. Saturday, October 12, 2013 in Baltimore, MD I will be taking on my first full marathon! AHHHHHHHHHHH!

 I ran the half marathon last year, which was a month after my first ever half.  I hadn't really trained much for it and the hills were killer, but I beat my previous time so it clearly wasn't that bad .  I felt unprepared and even forgot my Ipod at the start line, but I rocked a purple and black tutu so I got lots of support from people cheering on the girl in the tutu.  

If you want to see why I'm scared you can see the 2012 elevation map here.  Yikes. 

My goal is just to finish the race and become a marathoner so why should some hills bother me though? I might try to join one of the Charm City Run store's training groups since I've never ran more than a half marathon and doubling my mileage is a daunting task to me. I think I would like having a group of people to run with and to give me all the support I need.  This is a major life goal for me but people need to challenge themselves to push themselves to be their best. 

I didn't think in October 2011 when I ran my first 5k that in 2 years I'd be a semi-speedy runner girl taking on a full marathon. 

Cherry Blossom 10 Miler 2013 Recap

This past Sunday's DC Cherry Blossom 10 Miler turned out to be a fabulous run! It was another one of those races where I felt I should have prepared more and ended up having a nice run anyways!

Saturday I headed over to the expo after getting into the city later in the afternoon. It was in the National Building Museum (I still don't know quite what that means), which is a gorgeous place to visit. Look at those pillars!

Packet pick up was yet again organized,smooth, and not super crowded.  I picked up a few more BondiBands because I love how they keep all the layers of my hair in place and the sweat off my face. I decided to buy a black one that said "Run happy" on it for the race.  It's the Brooks Running motto, which I LOVE, and also is the vibe I wanted for the day.  The other big thing I wanted to do was sign up for the Baltimore Running Festival since I missed the super early bird pricing and they were offering a discount (more on that to registration to come!).

Afterwards my boyfriend and I took advantage of the wonderful spring weather, including looking at some actual cherry blossoms in bloom! We split a snack at Good Stuff Eatery that included rosemary french fries and a toasted marshmallow milkshake with an actual toasted marshmallow and fluff in it. It was worth every calorie! Eventually we met up with my friend whose house we were crashing at.  We caught up over pizza and beer at Mellow Mushroom. I had a delicious vegetable pizza on a gluten free crust and a beer (or two).  I drank some chocolate Zico and water to rehydrate and fell asleep to a movie.

Due to my less than wholesome dinner and the terrible sleep I got, I was really anxious in the morning.  I took a warm-up jog to the metro, which was full of runners, and made it into the red corral with 10 minutes to spare! It was a lot colder than I had expected, so I was glad I wore my black arm sleeves from Saucony, which have become one of my new favorite running items.  

Pre-Cherry Blossom 10 Miler 2013

This Sunday I'll be running the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler in DC!

Cherry Blossom 10 Miler holds a special place in my heart. It was my PRD or longest distance at the time last year. I was so nervous and anxious last year. I had signed up for the 8:30 pace group but the pacer ended up running around 8:00 miles, so I finished in 1:20 and was elated. 

I was on such a great runner's high when I finished even though the cherry blossoms were past bloom and the day was gloomy.  I had the hugest smile on my face when I finished and remember feeling so good and strong.  I hope I feel that feeling again when I finish on Sunday.  Since I've run this race before, hopefully I'll be a little more relaxed about getting to the start line. 

The weather is predicted to be 72 degrees and sunny (according to weather.com as of 5 seconds ago). 72 DEGREES. That's warm. I'm going to wear a new Brooks running skirt so I'll report back-I hope there isn't chaffing! (#runnerproblems) I have brunch reservations at Old Ebbitt Grill after the race so that will be delicious. I'm hoping for some pretty blossoms, fast running, and a big smile on my face the whole time :) 

If you're down in DC for the race, lookout for me!

Cherry Blossom Playlist and the Gluten-Free Bar Review

Hello and Happy Thursday! A fellow SPA, Kim from My Healthy Nest is hosting a Spring Playlist Link-Up on her blog today. I love music, especially when I'm running or working out so I thought this was a great idea.  I'm running the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler in DC this Sunday so I thought I'd share some must have songs on my playlist!

Lately I've been into making my own granola bars and protein bars but love to keep some packaged ones on hand for when I'm on the go or need something that will stay fresh in my purse for when I need a snack. You know I love Questbars and also like Luna bars and KIND bars.  The most important thing I look for in a bar is that it is not loaded with sugar and that I can understand all of it's ingredients. 

I recently was sent some samples to try by Gluten Free Protein Bars (GFB).  In the last year I have figured out that I am gluten sensitive, after an array of GI issues and a diagnosis of IBS, so I am always on the look out for gluten-free products that are tasty! GFB's mission statement is to make the world's best gluten-free protein bar, with a lot of focus on taste! I was even more excited when I came across GFB's website and saw this info:

Looks pretty awesome, right? I tried a sample pack of their four bar flavors: Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Cranberry Almond, and Oatmeal Raisin. 

An Overdue Half #3 Recap-Caesar Rodney Half Marathon

 So I've been slacking on writing this post because I'm so busy lately, but on St. Patrick's Day a couple weeks ago I ran the Caesar Rodney Half Marathon in Wilmington, DE.  It was the 50th Anniversary of the race which is apparently the oldest continuously running half marathon in the country! Impressive for a race I hadn't heard about!

I signed up for this race because the registration was cheap, I was itching to do a long race in the beginning of spring, and people said the race was well-organized with about 1400 runners.  However, people also said the race was HILLY. Now, I ran the Baltimore half marathon last year and plan on running the full this year (AHHHHHH!), and that is one hilly course as well. 

I looked at the elevation (here), and it was comparable to Baltimore so I felt okay about my hill training.  I had to train for the race in the winter, so I'm a baby and did a lot of treadmill runs.  I tried to get a long run in once a week but wasn't following a training plan and sometimes had less than stellar runs.

Due to my spotty training, before the race I was really nervous but just got layered up and found myself running once the cannon sounded (which was really loud!) to start the race. I was running and not expecting a PR or a fast run and decided to just have fun and hopefully not struggle through the 13.1 miles. It was really cold and windy weather, which I hate, but eventually I found myself chugging along at a pretty nice pace.