Getting My Mojo Back

I haven't been running much this summer (summers are always the slowest for me) and needless to say, haven't been doing speed work. I have a half marathon in September with a 2:45 time limit so I need to step up my game!

I could easily run a 10K but I need to get my legs used to running 2+ hours again. And I don't have much time to do it. First up, is to run more regularly and go back to doing at least 1 run a week doing intervals and 1 weekly long run.

Today I tested out a new pre-workout and set a goal to run 5 miles in 45 minutes. Because, well, I only had about 50 minutes and wanted to hit 5 miles. Keep in mind that I typically run 10-minute miles.

Not only did I crush my goal, but I felt great afterwards!

Energize for the win! This will definitely help me get back to a routine of running in the morning and I couldn't be more stoked!

You can get a tub of Energize here or message me for a sample. It will help you crush your workout!

Fueled by Waffles

I haven't been running as much as I'd like. I always seem to slow down during the summer months and pick back up in fall. Well I signed up for a half marathon in September AND there's a time limit. So now I have motivation to make time to run.

We spent all day Saturday at the beach with friends, but I got up early Sunday and headed out for 6 miles. I needed something to get me going and I had 1 Honey Stinger honey waffle left. Time to buy some more!

These are awesome. For long runs and races, I like to have half before the run and half during. They taste great and give me the kick I need. Plus they curb any hunger pains you may be having. Have you ever felt your stomach grumble while you're trying to finish a run? Yeah. Not fun!

After my run I enjoyed a delicious chocolate Shakeology. Honey waffle before, chocolate shake after. Yum!

My goal is to run no less than 3 times  per week with one of those runs being a long run, one for speed work, and one easy run. I'd like to get in a 4th run, but being that I've only been averaging 1 run a week, I think 3 is a great place to start.

Anyone else have any fall races in their lineup? How do you fuel for long runs?

Honey Stinger Hive 2015

Last month I was on the Honey Stinger website looking at their yummy products and came across their ambassador application. A lot of the people I follow on Instagram are ambassadors for various companies and I've been wanting to get involved. It seems like a very cool thing to do and a great way to get discounts on products you love. So I filled out the application.

This prompted me to search for and submit applications to other companies as well. I didn't think I'd get picked for any because let's face it...I'm not the best at blogging regularly! I'm really trying to change that this year and now I have extra motivation to stay on top of it.

I got picked to be a part of the Honey Stinger Hive for 2015!!

I'm a sponsored athlete! How crazy is that?? It's very cool and I'm honored to be working with such a great company. I love the products I've tried and I'm looking forward to trying more. I'll be sharing more about their products and I'm even planning to do a giveaway sometime soon. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, check out their website and tell me what you like or what you most want to try.

I'm excited for what 2015 is bringing!

21 Day Fix and Treadmill Running

Now that I finally posted my 50K race recap, I'm going to do my best to post more regularly the things that are going on day-to-day.

I'm currently doing the 21 Day Fix and let me tell you guys...I love it!! It consists of 7 different 30-minute workouts and portion controlled eating. I measure my food in these awesome little containers for every meal:

I'm going to post either photos or a video of what a meal looks like. These containers look small. Believe me, I freaked out a little when I first saw them! But it holds quite a bit of food and the whole point is to teach you what a proper portion looks like. I used to eat 2-3 servings of pasta and cereal at a time, easy! And I didn't think anything of it. This was before I started counting calories. But even when you're eating clean, you can be eating too much. What I love about this system is there aren't any calories to be counted. No logging in to an app to record every single thing that goes into my mouth. No more worrying if I'm eating enough or eating too much. I get 2 purples a day, which is fruit, and it's up to me how I use them. Very easy!

This morning I did Pilates Fix and then made my regular breakfast: a chocolate shake! It's so good and I find myself craving it later in the day too. I've been eating more veggies than I normally would on the Fix, which is great. Thanks to our new Ninja (Christmas gift from my dad!), I've been putting spinach in my shake every morning and I don't get any chunks. Just smooth and creamy goodness!

Here's my go-to recipe:

1 scoop vegan chocolate Shakeology
12 ounces water
Splash of unsweetened almond milk
1 Tablespoon all natural peanut butter
Half a banana
1 Teaspoon flax seeds
Sprinkle of cinnamon
Handful Spinach
10 ice cubes

Blend and enjoy!

In addition to the 21 Day Fix I'm also running. A lot. And apparently I've become a wimp to the cold and all of my runs have been on the treadmill at our apartment's gym. Thankfully it's open 24 hours! This past Saturday I ran 11 miles. No easy task on a TM but I got it done and felt great!

Yesterday morning I did sprints and ended up going the furthest I've ever gone in 1 hour.

I've gotten up to 101 miles for January so far. My goal is to hit at least 110 and I'm really aiming for 120. Then at least 75 every month to get me to my goal of 1,007 miles this year!

And yes, I really like that rainbow frame for my pictures! :P

I also discovered these nuggets of deliciousness.

I actually discovered Honey Stinger waffles awhile ago and have been using them on long runs. It helped me on my 20-miler and during my 50K. Sometimes I would even have half of one before a workout if I felt I needed the extra boost.

Then I discovered they make these smaller ones marketed for kids. They're the exact same, only smaller! The perfect size for mid-run fuel. Or to take care of that mid-afternoon sweet tooth. ;) I also like their chews for fuel during runs. I just bought one of their protein bars and I can't wait to give it a try. It's very hard to find bars, chews, etc. that don't have a lot of crap added to them. Honey Stinger is a great brand to try!

I'll post more meal ideas for the 21 Day Fix and show you what a full meal looks like. If there's anything you'd like to see or if you have any questions, please let me know!