I've got a fever, and the only cure is more marathons

You know after the Boston Marathon, a day in which every runner at work is in fact sneaking away to watch the Boston Marathon streaming online, that it is almost fall marathon season. Okay so it's at least fall marathon lottery and registration season.  

Everyone and their mother is registering for marathons, maybe catching the fever and running their first or running multiple races. 

Of course as always, I'm super inspired and motivated to train again after watching the Boston Marathon and seeing all the heart and reading all the stories that come out of it. 

I want another, faster BQ (Boston Marathon qualifying time) since I am less than a minute under my qualifying time and need to be faster to apply and be accepted to run nowadays.  I'm still shy about talking about it, but it's something I want that I can't deny. 

I talked about why a BQ is an A goal but obviously it's not everything here last year before I ran the Chicago Marathon.  Since I wanted to run a flat-ish marathon course, my options were limited. Because of my school schedule I also didn't want to run a marathon that was going to be a big trip and farther away.  

The Philadelphia Marathon has been on my list of races to run for a while.  I've shied away from it the past couple of years because I really would rather run a race earlier in the Fall since I have more time to train in the summer and less in the Fall, especially now that grad school is crazy.  I ran the Philadelphia Half Marathon a couple years ago and have obviously raced there a bunch.  

Once I PRed a half marathon in Philadelphia a couple weeks ago (recap to follow!), my choice to run it was solidified. I love Philly, and it loves me.  I signed up on the day registration open, sadly missing their really discounted marathon entries, but still getting early bird registration. 

So yep, Philadelphia Marathon 2016, and I'm all ready to go! 

Not so fast. Did you forget that I'm a crazy runner lady? 

Maybe I'm an old fart, but this skit never gets old!

I've been getting emails for weeks from the Chicago Marathon about entering the lottery or applying for guaranteed entry (which I qualify for again, as I did last year).  Then I saw a bunch of friends were entering the lottery. Then I thought long and hard about getting vengenace on that Chicago Marathon course which mostly because of the heat last year, kicked my butt. 

Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Miler 2016 Race Recap

Disclosure: I was a social media ambassador for the CUCB 10 Mile Run and received complimentary entry with an upgrade into the race. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

It's been so crazy with school, work, and travelling that I'm happy to finally get back into a little bit of a blog routine! It has been two years since I've run the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run and running it again only reminded me how much I love this race.  Despite high winds and cold temperatures this year, I had a fabulous time.  Thank you so much to CUCB for letting me be a part of the race as one of the social media ambassadors! 

Pre-race: I actually stopped by the expo Friday afternoon to beat the rush and grab my bib despite coming back to the expo on Saturday.  The expo was in the beautiful National Building Museum again and everything ran smoothly.  

I was hanging out at the ZOOMA Race Series booth for a while but first I stopped by to see Meb speak. The line that was forming on the right was really short so I hopped in to meet him afterwards. As everyone says, he comes off as such a nice guy. I wish they had the mic a little louder because it was hard to hear! 

I also can't freaking believe I met MEB! He's an American hero! He is also the nicest guy and after he signed an autograph, and I started gushing about how I watched the whole Olympic trials and explained to my boyfriend everything that was going on like a nerd, he gave me a spontaneous hug. MADE MY DAY. 

The next day I was lucky enough to have a hotel room in DC so I popped back over to expo to pick something up and decided to hop into the line to meet Joan Benoit Samuelson, the first ever women's Olympic marathon champion and all-around badass femalre runner, because the line was short.  Here's us just having a totally normal conversation. No I'm not gushing and nervously talking about getting a BQ in Chicago. (I'm the nerdiest.)  

That night I got to attend the VIP Elite dinner and finally got to meet all of the other social media runners and ambassadors I haven't met yet.  The joke of dinner was how all the elites were sneaking out to go to bed and get a good night's sleep. Instead I stayed the whole time and then went out for a drink with my friend in DC because #priorities. 

That day we had gotten an email that because of predicted high winds of 25+ mph and maybe up to 50 mph, that the race was not having any signage on the course as a safety precaution. The weather was supposed to also be in the 30s which is just lovely. Isn't it supposed to be spring? I dressed warmer than I probably could have but wasn't really having any of this cold weather.  I also did what you really shouldn't do for a race and wore my brand new New Balance kicks. Rebel. 

Race: Besides the wind and cold temperatures, the race start was a beautiful morning.  The start was a little hectic with no signage but the volunteers did a great job. I will say that the big open area around the Washington Monument was the windiest part!

I did a little jog to the start line and pretty much stood around like this until getting in my corral: 

I came into the race with really no time goals and was just going to try to run around 7:45 pace.  Miles 1-4 I was feeling pretty good. The first mile was a little crowded but things started to break up, and we weren't running much against the wind.  I took it easy and allowed my legs to start to warm up.  

This Girl Runs on Dunkin

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Dunkin' Donuts in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand and I have been compensated for my participation. As always, all thoughts & opinions are my own.

As someone who is on-the-go and a full-time graduate student, coffee is a must! I usually have it in the morning or in between classes. Or if it was a day like yesterday I have it in the morning, in the afternoon, and before dinner.

I’m a fan of coffee for the taste mostly, not just the caffeine.  Because there is a Dunkin’ Donuts right near Charm City Run in Baltimore and my favorite spin studio, Rev Cycle Studio, Dunkin’ Donuts is a great weekend post-run or class treat.

I’ve teamed up with Dunkin’ Donuts to share this special offer starting April 14 and continuing through April 21 where anyone who joins the DD Perks using the special code “STARS” can earn an automatic 125 points towards a free any-size beverage, and an additional 125 points with each of their next two purchases at Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants. 

As DD Perks members receive a free beverage upon enrollment and each time they accrue 200 points, with this special offer new DD Perks members are well on their way to enjoying a total of three free Dunkin’ drinks.

I’m all for free coffee so of course I’m already a DD PerksProgram member! Full disclosure, I signed up because you receive a coupon for a free, any-size beverage when you enroll and on your birthday! As a member you earn 5 points for every dollar spent on qualifying purchases at Dunkin’ Donuts when paying using an enrolled Dunkin’ Donuts Card either physically or via the Dunkin’ Mobile App.

Luckily, this is just in time for when I'm really getting back into iced coffee. I was just talking to some classmates yesterday about how I LOVE Dunkin' Donuts' blueberry iced coffee. 

So now you know! Share the Dunkin’ love and get your free coffee today!

Do you drink coffee? What's your favorite morning beverage? 

Relay Foods MD Review: Healthy Groceries for Busy People

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Relay Foods. I received a complimentary $50 gift card  from Relay Foods MD in return for my review. As always all thoughts & opinions are my own. 

The past couple of months have been ridiculously busy and kind of a mess as far as planning ahead goes, especially when it comes to packing lunches and making dinners! That means lots of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for breakfast or lunch (like at least one a day, most days) and throwing together whatever I can in 10 minutes for dinners.



I was really excited when Relay Foods MD reached out me to work together. 
Basically, Relay Foods is an online grocery store-they are allowing you to shop at your convenience from their stock of over 200 local farmers and vendors.  Most of their foods are organic, local, or all-natural and allow you to just fill up a virtual shopping cart online and either pick-up your groceries for free at their set pick-up spots around the city or have them delivered right to your door for a small fee.  There were plenty of spots in Baltimore City and county that I could've chose from, but I didn't have to go far and picked a spot right in my neighborhood!  

I love it because I don't have time to be driving to a bunch of different stores and seeking out all the fresh, healthy ingredients I want. I also love that there are local vendors that I haven't been aware of whom I can learn about and whose products I can order! 

I had ordered once from them a few years ago and just never happened to again.  They were one of the first places online nationally to stock Gundalow Juice so of course I was a fan! They have redone their website and it's so much cleaner-looking and more user friendly! On the website you can shop by item type, what's on sale, what's in season, featured products, organic products, or even specific meals. 

I also love that you can keep lists and add favorite items so ordering something again or at another time is made easy.  All of the prices are clearly labeled so you'll know how much you are spending. As a bonus, you can change your order by adding an item you might have forgotten up until midnight the night before your delivery!

You can get $20 off your first order with my Relay Foods link!

CUCB Goals & No-Bake Protein Confetti Mug Cake

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary sample pack of Naked Nutrition protein for review. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This weekend I'll be running the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Miler in DC, and I'm pretty excited! The last time I ran the race was in 2013 (read my race recap here) so it'll be great to be back.  

Goal wise, I really just want to have fun (Goal A) and run sub-1:20 (Goal B).

 I ran it in 1:13 and change in 2013, but don't know how I'll be feeling this weekend. The cherry blossoms have already hit peak bloom so I have a chance of seeing some flowers. Also it's supposed to be cold & windy with sub-40 degrees at the start which is not my favorite. School plus work plus other obligations has really messed with my schedule so there have been a lot of missed runs and workouts in the past month. I'm ready to get back on track in April, especially with all these races, but don't think I'm in any sort of PR shape! 

I'm also really excited to be running as a social media ambassador for the race and hopefully getting to see Joan Benoit Samuelson and Meb Keflezighi. Yes, I will be run-nerding it out hardcore.  I read Meb is running a cool 6:00/mile pace if you want to try to keep up! Check out this list of Five Things To Know Before Heading to the CUCB for some pre-race weekend tips. 

 I know there's lots of people running so definitely say hi if you see me! 

A couple months ago, Naked Nutrition reached out to me and offered me some samples of their protein powders to try out.  

While "clean-eating" is a trendy term being thrown around all over the place in the food industry, I was excited to try their protein powders because they offered so many different types including whey, casein, brown rice, pea, and goat whey protein powders. 

They have vegan options and all of their protein powders are soy & gluten-free, GMO and hormone-free, and free of any artificial sweeteners, colors, or flavors. My favorite part of all is that all of their protein powders include one ingredient-protein! In a sea of protein powders that contain ingredients I can't pronounce, this is awesome.  

Here's the nutritional information from the Whey protein sample packet

I used a bit of all the different types of protein in shakes and couldn't tell much of a texture or taste difference, so I think it just depends on what type of protein you prefer 

Naked Nutrition had a bunch of delicious looking protein recipes on their website so I decided to try one out to see how their protein tastes in other  things besides shakes. I adapted this basic vanilla no-bake cake in a bowl from Naked Nutrition and decided to make it in a mug and use sprinkles to make it a confetti cake.  You can always adapt it to what you have on hand or what kind of cake you're craving! 

I also used the Naked brown rice protein powder in this recipe. I love that this version is vegan (gluten, dairy, and soy-free too) as well as packs 25 g of protein and 4.9 grams of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) per serving, making it great for a post-workout snack. It also tasted really well in the microwaved mug cake with no weird flavors. 

Asheville Half Marathon at The Biltmore 2016 {Race Recap}

In March each year, the Asheville Marathon & Half Marathon is held on the historic Biltmore Estate grounds. Biltmore is America's largest home and is a private estate owned by the Vanderbilt family. It's over a 7 hour drive from the Baltimore area down to Asheville, NC so we decided to fly and make it into a little trip for my spring break.  This was definitely the prettiest race I've ever run!    

The race is at capped at 1,400 runners in the half on Saturday and another 1,400 runners in the marathon on Sunday, as well as the option to run a back-to-back race challenge over the weekend.  The Expo was pretty small and a little unorganized but convenient to get to. I picked up my bib on Friday and then spent the rest of the day relaxing in Asheville.  

Pre-Race: My boyfriend's sister was running this race as her first half marathon so we got to the race extra early. We bought tickets to take the shuttle from a local hotel onto the race grounds to be safe and avoid any traffic or parking issues getting on the estate grounds.  

It was actually pretty nice because we hung out in the Biltmore Village on the grounds so I got to use a real bathroom and had a place to sit before heading to the start line. It was a little chillier than I expected before the sun came up, but I knew that temperatures would be close to 70 degrees as the high for the day. 

 I was rocking a Lululemon Run Swiftly tank, Lululemon speed shorts, Pro Compression shamrock socks, Bondiband headband, November Project buff, and the Mizuno Wave Catalyst running shoes.    

As the sun came up over the grounds, it was already scenic and beautiful! 

I was really excited to #sharethespark with my boyfriend's sister and give her a little Momentum Jewelry motivation for her first half marathon! 

I got to meet some fellow Team Nuun ladies and snap a quick photo with them before the race, which was so much fun! I had a banana and peanut butter along with some Nuun as I was getting dressed and then ate a Munk Pack squeeze before heading to the start line. Since the race was limited to only 1400 participants, there were no corrals and lining up was very quick & stress-free.  

Miles & Pace Running Apparel {Review}

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Miles & Paces. I received Miles & Pace product for review. As always all thoughts & opinions are my own. 

Miles & Pace is a super cool and laid back active lifestyle brand that pairs running motivation with awesome graphic tees and trucker hats.  I found the company via social media and ended up winning one of their trucker hats in an Instagram giveaway.  I was really excited to get the chance to review a few items from Miles & Pace after reaching out to them. I love running and athlesiure apparel that is cute and graphic and goes perfectly with my almost daily uniform of yoga pants and leggings. 

I also love the fact that the company is run by an awesome woman from California and that her and her husband are both runners.  They hadn't really found the kind of cool and comfortable running-inspired gear they were looking for at race expos so decided to make their own!

Miles & Pace is all about not only creating cool laid back running gear, but also spreading inspiration and motivation in the running community that anyone can run. The little phrase on the trucker hats says "I run because I can", which is a beautiful reminder that all runners can relate to. My running motto and mantra is "stronger than you know", and during tough runs I always remind myself how lucky I am that I am able to physically run.  Miles & Pace has a message and brand philosophy that I can totally get behind!

I rocked their St. Patrick's Day green trucker hat at the Asheville Half Marathon this past weekend. It was perfect for keeping me a little shady after the race when there wasn't a cloud in the sky and the sun was shining. Plus trucker hats instantly make you look cool. 

In addition to fun trucker hats that Miles & Pace sells they also have these awesome shirts and tanks in men's and women's styles. I picked out the Sunday "RUNDAY" scoopneck black tee. They have the tops in all different colors so you can choose your favorite! I will say in the ladies style of shirts it runs a little small & fitted so I would size up one size larger than your normal size. 

C'mon, I definitely needed a shirt that proclaimed I was the "original bling chaser, USA".  From my experience, it is also the perfect shirt to wear post-run at Sunday brunch. It also lets everyone know that you are a runner and are therefore awesome as well as shouldn't be judged for devouring a stack of pancakes because you ran today. Just saying. 

Miles & Pace also just came out with this awesome craft beer-themed shirt which I am definitely ordering ASAP because it combines two of my favorite things-running & craft beer.  I run for beer all the time! 

Go check out their hats and shirts and be sure to give Miles & Pace a follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

What is your favorite running motto?

Munk Pack oatmeal fruit squeezes {Review & Discount Code}

Disclosure: I received a complementary brand ambassador package of products from Munk Pack for review. This post contains an affiliate discount code. As always, all opinions are my own. 

As a lady on-the-go and chronic snacker, I love sharing my new favorite finds with my readers. I discovered Munk Pack oatmeal fruit squeezes as one of the showcased new products at Expo East 2015.  I loved the outdoorsy booth and as an oatmeal fanatic, was intrigued by the idea of oatmeal in a pouch as a snack. I later learned it's also great for hiking and running!  After learning more about the brand philosophy, I'm super happy to be working with Munk Pack to fuel all of my adventures! 

The scoop: 

Munk Pack oatmeal fruit squeezes are vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free and made with whole grains. They also are made of BPA-free packaging. Munk Pack oatmeal fruit squeezes contain 3-4 grams of fiber each and omega 3s. The only sugar in the oatmeal fruit squeezes comes from the fruit. The pouches have a twist-off cap and then you just eat right out of the pouch. Each oatmeal fruit squeeze ranges from 90-110 calories which makes it a great small snack.The four different flavors of Munk Pack are: Apple Quinoa Cinnamon, Blueberry Acai Flax, Raspberry Coconut, and Peach Chia Vanilla.    

Get MOTOvated with the Moto 360 Sport

Fitness trackers and wearables are all the rage and are only getting more advanced and integrative as we move into 2016. Through my partnership with Fitfluential I was given the chance to try the new watch on the block from Motorola, the Moto 360 Sport. My boyfriend was super jealous because he had been reading about it for a while so I was excited to try it out. 

Now this isn't just a GPS watch, it's a watch for an entire active lifestyle. It has what I need for my everyday life including fitness, run-tracking, music, social media, weather updates, and calls or texts. Now all I need is for it to make me dinner and do my homework for me.

Sleek, easy-to use

The Moto 360 Sport works with both IOS and Android platforms, but integrates more of the functionality through Google if you have an Android Device. It connects via Wifi and Bluetooth to your device, and you can download Android Wear™ like I did so everything from my Android phone automatically synced up to the watch. When I first unboxed it, I immediately noticed how sleek the design was. I loved how it looked like a regular watch with the not too larger round LCD screen and silicone band. The watch comes in 3 colors-Black, White, and Flame Orange.

The standard screen is the sport watch face which shows daily steps, number of calories burned, a stopwatch, and how close you are towards a daily goal of 30 minutes of elevated heart activity. However you can change the watch face or download a bunch of other really pretty faces for your watch which completely makes it look more stylish and less like a fitness device.

The Moto 360 Sport features Anylight hybrid display which means it looks like an LCD screen indoors but if I'm outside and it's sunny it will use the natural sunlight to illuminate the screen so it isn't all washed out.

Run free

Of course you want to know just like I did how the Moto 360 Sport works as a running watch. It's really easy to just swipe over and open the Moto Running app on the watch. You just choose if you are indoors or outdoors and then can hit quick start or choose a workout goal based on time, distance, or calorie burn and GO! It synced to the GPS easily and allowed me to easily swipe or tap to see my heart rate, and lap details or pause/end the run. The main screen had exactly what I wanted to see displayed during my run-clock time, activity time, miles, and pace. You can also download music onto the watch to listen with Bluetooth headphones or even sync up the app Spotify like I did.

Good Luck Box Review {CUCB Edition}

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary Good Luck Box as a Credit Union Cherry Blossom Race Ambassador. No other compensation was received. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Subscription boxes and gift boxes having become increasingly popular in the last few years. There is a box of goodies you can buy for every interest it seems. I was intrigued by the idea of Good Luck Box when I heard I'd be receiving one as a Credit Union Cherry Blossom (CUCB) Race Ambassador because it seemed unique. It's a box you can order online that comes with surprise handpicked running essentials for before, during, or after a race. It can be a gift for you, a friend, a family member, or teammate and is delivered the week before the specified race. 

You can even tell the team a little bit about the person as well as selecting the gender of the box recipient to further tailor the items. 

Obviously because it was a box of surprises, I was excited when it arrived on my doorstep a couple weeks ago. Once I opened it I was even happier. The box was adorably wrapped with teal shoelaces and contained a little note card with some cherry blossom petals. I definitely "awwed" out loud when I saw how cute it was. 

I loved the message of good luck as well as the small touches such as the "lucky penny", safety pins, and printed words "Good Luck" on the shoelaces. 

30 Minute Treadmill Pyramid Workout

One of the biggest challenges in my life right now is making time for everything and attempting to keep a good work-life balance. With a really busy semester of school plus work,errands, life, and some blogging I always feel like there is never enough hours in the day. With a busy schedule, that means there is a lot of quick workouts that I need to sneak in. Luckily I have a treadmill in my apartment so if it's a reasonable hour (sorry to my neighbors for the treadmill noise!) I can hop on the treadmill to squeeze in a few miles. I honestly find anything more than 5 miles unbearable recently so my go-to treadmill workout is a 30 minute interval run. 

Today I'm sharing my go-to treadmill workout. The speed changes incrementally in a pyramid fashion so it keeps me from getting bored and is a great workout that only takes 30 minutes.  The pyramid takes 15 minutes and when repeated once it makes a nice 30 minute workout. You could always repeat the pyramid more times to increase the length of your workout too. 

This post was linked up with Wild Workout Wednesdays, Inspired to be Fit, and Tuesdays on the Run.   

Do you run on the treadmill often? What's your favorite workout when you're short on time? 

Thinking Out Loud: Lattes and Love

Whew, with a snow day Monday and a completely packed week with school and some other things, it has been a long week. It's not even over yet! I'm gearing up for a couple of really crazy stressful weeks before spring break fun. So all I've got today is some random thoughts from the week in a thinking out loud post.  

1. Valentine's Day was really low-key for my boyfriend and I this year. He did a good job with my gift though-flowers, macarons (there was a 2nd box that were eaten quickly before a photo, oops) and some Lush bath bombs.  I definitely see a long, warm bath in my near future. 

2. We stayed in and he cooked a nice steak dinner. Besides the beautiful flowers he made a whole chocolate cake recipe he made once ago years ago that is the best and called That Chocolate Cake. It's completely full fat, full sugar, and deliciously chocolatey. He said we'd give some it away, but we never got the chance to and literally have both eaten 3/4 of the cake this week. Oops. 

Also because I love supporting local businesses, the flowers below are from a small Baltimore florist called Steetcut Flower Co. They are a couple who runs the business out of their basement and held a little Valentine's weekend pop-up at Doobys.  Definitely check them out if you're in the area and need some flowers or floral arrangements. My bouquet is still looking great days later! 

5 Friday Favorites featuring Mizuno Running & Snacking

Disclosure: I was sent a pair of Mizuno Running Wave Catalyst shoes as a part of a sponsored campaign through the Fitfluential Network. I was also given a complimentary code for 3 meals through Galley Foods. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Workouts have been not too great this week because of being so busy plus trying to avoid running outside in the below freezing windy temperatures we've been having this week. Apparently it's going to be in the single digits this weekend. Um, is it spring yet? I plan on knocking out a workout and then getting nice and cozy and warm and watching the Olympic Marathon Trials from LA on Saturday, rooting for my #TeamNuun lady Kara Goucher, Shalane, and Meb of course as well as some other awesome runners.  I have a lot of exciting things planned for the spring, but need to survive a lot of work this semester and this crazy winter weather. Here are some of my favorite things from the past week:  

5 Friday Favorites

1. Favorite Package: Mizuno Running Wave Catalyst

Thanks to a campaign with Fitfluential I was sent the new Mizuno Wave Catalyst shoes. Besides loving the neon color, I was really excited to try a lightweight shoe from Mizuno since I've only tried their more supportive shoes. I'm a fan of more lightweight shoes and so far like it. The bottom is still a little stiffer than I normal like, but I appreciate the light weight feel and the thinner upper on the shoes.  I skipped a bitter cold run last night, but still took these babies to yoga class!

2. Favorite Dinner: Lamb Bolognese Fettuccine from Galley Foods

New Running Gear I'm Loving Lately

I've been really overwhelmed with life a bit lately and had no idea what to blog about. So of course, I decided to talk about one of my favorite things-shopping! More specifically, some of the awesome running/fitness gear I've picked up in the last few months.  

1. Under Armour Haul
I was SO ridiculously lucky enough to win a huge Under Armour gift card giveaway right after Christmas which  was a fabulous holiday surprise. I stocked up on some fun new pieces for spring as well as some cold weather basics, most of it on sale (#winning). This winter break I cleaned out some of my old running & workout clothes so it was nice to get a few new pieces. 

The tights were full-price and a splurge, but I love the pattern and am all about flashy leggings. I love Under Armour's Coldgear turtlenecks for winter running so I grabbed one in black because it matches everything. I grabbed a girls XL in that Star Wars shirt which is perfect to bring to the RunDisney Star Wars half marathon in April (btw, UA needs to step up the women's Star Wars gear).  My friend recommended the Eclipse printed sports bra (#7) which is really comfortable and supportive. I'm trying to get rid of old sports bras and replace them with a few quality ones so this was perfect. 

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2. The Original Worm

Rolling out is better with wine. And new running shoes (Mizuno Wave Catalyst)! 

I first came across the Original Worm on Facebook and then read some blogger reviews about it. I liked the idea that it was a massaging muscle therapy ball/ foam roller in one.  For Christmas I asked for and received the small 6.3 version in pink. You can order it online, but apparently my mom later saw it in Kohls too.