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This post is sponsored by Under Armour through Fitfluential. All opinions expressed are my own.

While I battle concerns about a possible stress fracture in my hip, I am happy to be diverting my attention elsewhere. Namely, I have joined an amazing challenge for the female athlete with Under Armour called What’s Beautiful.

About the Challenge:

According to the website, “Together we’re redefining the female athlete by setting epic goals and pushing past where we’ve ever been and where we thought we could go. Join us.” To join, you sign up and make an account, set a personal goal, and then through your page post photos/videos whenever you achieve one of the challenges UA posts.

This is a forum to showcase your journey to reach your goal. You can also support others’ goals as well as you go along, join teams to help you achieve your goal (and meet challenges there), or even change your goals as you meet them!

There’s also a nice video describing the challenge and how to sign up here.

The Competition:

Not only is What’s Beautiful a way to track and achieve your personal goal, whatever it may be, but its also a competition. And we all know what usually comes with competitions.. PRIZES!

Every week until June 21, UA will give away swag bags full of gear to women who are doing a top notch job and “getting it.” They also feature profiles on the top performers section and, after 8 weeks, they will announce 10 finalists to be entered into the prize.

The Prize:

THREE winners will be flown to Costa Rica (my dream vacation!) for a 4 day yoga and surf retreat.

“Three winners will be flown to Costa Rica to attend a four-day yoga and surf retreat. In addition to the lessons led by world-class instructors, winners will be treated to transformative massages, spa treatments and healthy, locally-sourced meals prepared by personal chefs. All while staying in plush accommodations looking out at the ocean. A retreat worthy of the women who earn it.”-UA

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Ultimately though this challenge is about setting a goal, working towards it, and hopefully achieving it. It is about being a female athlete. It is about owning and being proud of that. It is about becoming a better you and obtaining those things you set out to get. As I’ve seen through all the challengers I am following, this means so many things to many different people. Each of the challenges I’ve seen have been incredibly unique and inspiring in their own way, so this is a great place to be original and just be you.

My goal:

So what is MY goal? Well, at first my goal was to run a full marathon healthy and happy. This was a great goal and still is one of mine. But through all the injuries and frustrations I realized that was too superficial. There are other things I need to do as a female athlete to get myself stronger physically and mentally.

As you can see, my goal is: “I will push my body only to what it can handle and be happy even if I have to make some sacrifices. I will focus on being HEALTHY and active in whatever way I can.“ Yes, this may mean taking time off from running if I have a stress fracture. Yes, this may mean trying other types of fitness. And yes, this may mean I have to limit my running to smaller distances for the time being. But it is something I need to do. All these injuries are telling me something and how I respond will determine so much for me.

So, that is my new updated What’s Beautiful goal. It may not be what I wanted, but its what I need. If nothing else, what I love about this challenge is that is makes you think: what do I want vs what do I need? Think about it.

So, please JOIN ME in setting a goal and supporting one another in achieving them! You can follow my profile here as I complete challenges for my goal. We can interact through the message boards, commenting on posts, and constantly motivate one another!! I know I need it I also had started a team that I will continue with even though it reflect my old goal. The team is Team Fall Marathoners and aims to support those on their way to 26.2 this fall!

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Also, I wanted to announce the Zee Bee Threads Giveaway winner. It is..

Carrie Capps Hughes

CONGRATS! Email me at runlikeagrlmegan [at] gmail [dot] com within 48 hours!

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I am so excited about this challenge! Tell me about your goals.
What’s beautiful to you?

]]> http://runlikeagrl.com/2013/05/under-armour-whats-beautiful-challenge/feed/ 2 http://runlikeagrl.com/2013/05/my-new-exercise-routine-reebok-spartan-race/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=my-new-exercise-routine-reebok-spartan-race http://runlikeagrl.com/2013/05/my-new-exercise-routine-reebok-spartan-race/#comments Fri, 17 May 2013 02:03:00 +0000 runlikeagrl http://runlikeagrl.com/?p=2857 Continue reading →]]> Sooo I took a brief test jog today, just down one block to see what would happen with my hip. It didn’t go too well. So my next steps are: 1) see a doctor and figure out whats going on, 2) keep strength training, and 3) figure out cardio I can do without hurting myself while my hip heals. Oh and I’ve also been sick all week so I havent’ done any exercise since Monday (not a great week for me, eh? I may be cursed).

Okay I’ll cut the pity party and think positively because being a Debbie Downer doesn’t help anyone! While I’m waiting on numbers 1 and 3, I’ll return to number 2 as soon as I’m better. One main reason is that I am in the process of prepping for the Reebok Spartan Race I’m going to be running with Karl in June, courtesy of Fitfluential and Reebok.

My plan for the race if I can’t run is to walk briskly between obstacles and just focus on doing them as safely as possible for this hip. I am going to be smart about this one though and do as much as my body can handle, although I’m pretty determined to rock most of the obstacles.

The Reebok Spartan Race is a huge obstacle race with courses all over the country and even internationally, and they range in how many miles they are (up to 13 miles.. whattt?!). I’m signed up for the 4 mile race, which is much more reasonable, with tons of crazy obstacles mixed.

Obstacles from the Spartan Times Square race in the fall

So I’m really really hoping most of the obstacles at this race involve upper body strength/core because thats all I’ve been doing lately. Oh and I sort of really want to roll through mud and water and I’m sure they’ll have tons of that I’m just praying for no fire because I may punk out with that.

Most of my training for this, as I said has involved upper body. I’ve been lifting a bunch lately in my cool Reebok gear (which just makes me feel stronger) with various machines, but especially the Olympic bar. I love using the bar because I’m sure some guys don’t think I can curl it and I love proving them wrong.

Lifting the bar. Heck yes.

And then Karl goes and lifts all this..

I also am loving the way lifting makes my body look and feel, even if I do still have work to do. If you do it right, you can also get your heart rate up a little bit while you are toning up your body. One thing is for sure, once my hip heals I am keeping lifting a huge part of my routine. I just love feeling strong and powerful!

Love working out the back. Ignore the hyperextended elbow on my left arm.. I’m working on that

What I’m wearing in my photos from Reebok/Fitfluential:

PWR Wide Strap Long Bra Top: This racerback top is long and I think flatters most body shapes (slim-fit). Plus its moisture-wicking and super comfortable.

PWR Fitted Capri: I am OBSESSED with these (check my instagram, you’ll see). They are a great length and super comfortable moisture wicking capris you can wear anywhere. Love.

Sublite Duo Run: I’ve mentioned these before but they are so comfy and lightweight. I love them for walking and lifting in (haven’t run in them for obvious hip issue reasons). These are winners.

Reebok!

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Don’t forget to enter my ZeeBee Threads Giveaway!

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Have you/would you ever do an obstacle race?
What is your favorite upper body strength exercise?
-Bicep curls and any back exercise

While I’m sick in bed today, I am distracting myself by bringing you a review of an awesome product and bringing you images from a time I was not sick.

I was recently contacted by a company called ZeeBee Threads and asked to review one of their items. I always like to learn a little bit about the company and what their mission is. ZeeBee Threads  aims to provide clothes for active women and moms that is casual, comfortable, simple but also stylish. One look at their website confirms this, all their clothing is not only adorable but perfect for on the go individuals like me.

They have three main collections:

Active
Vintage
Eco-Friendly

However, all the clothing is for active women no matter the style. I especially love the Eco-Friendly line which uses recycled materials while maintaining the quality we all want in our clothing. Oh, and did I mention their clothes are very affordable? Prices range but they have tanks for around $20, tees for around $25 and long-sleeve shirts for around $28. Perfect for those of us who are on a budget but still want to rock cute styles.

I looked through the site and had a hard time picking the item I wanted to try out–so many were catching my eye! I eventually was swayed by the Eco Line and chose the Show a Little Shoulder Eco-Friendly Pullover in purple (I am currently obsessed with purple as you know

I have been obsessed with this ZeeBee Threads pullover and wear it all the time in various ways. There are so many options to wear this shirt, and I have tried:

With a tank top underneath for a double layer look
With just a bra underneath
Pulling the arms up to my elbow
Leaving the arms long to the wrist
With tights for working out for an active sporty look
With jeans and a necklace for going out at night

There are so many options for this top and it is very versatile, which is what I love about it. Plus the purple color is beautiful. Also the material is super comfortable and light, but not too light that you get cold on a chillier spring day. It is also a great cut so it doesn’t cling to your body but doesn’t make you look frumpy either.. I don’t know how they did it!

Hanging out with my mom and sister this weekend for mothers day. I planted flowers in this top so apparently its good for gardening!

So now for the giveaway.. want to win this top?! Enter via the Rafflecopter form below for your chance to win this top too!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway will end on Monday May 20th at 11:59PM EST. The winner will be announced shortly afterwards. Good luck!

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I haven’t run this week, since I’m still recovering from whatever the heck I did to my hip flexor. But I have something to share with you that’s long overdue to take my mind off my injury.

I was contacted by a company called Huma recently, which has created an energy gel that is 100% all natural and based on blended chia seeds. They also promised that the gels wouldn’t cause any stomach issues like most other gels I’ve tried, so of course I had to check it out for myself. I haven’t had much luck in the running fuel department and most gels/chomps like Gu just make me nauseous during long runs. Enter Huma!

 About the company:

I really wanted to share some background of the company since one of the founders is a former Army Lieutenant. Since my brother is in the Army currently this hit home, and I am always happy when I can support soldiers. The idea for Huma came from Lieutenant McCollum, who was serving in Iraq and learned about a Mexican Indian tribe that used chia seeds to fuel themselves on ultramarathons. The company is Nashville-based and run by two MBA students who really care a great deal about providing a great product.

Huma Gels

About the product:

Huma is:

• Tasty! Its made of 100% real fruit, with no artificial flavors
• Easy to digest and good for sensitive stomachs
• Easy to eat without drinking a ton of water
• 100% all natural: based on a chia seed blend

I can personally vouch for each of the above and am always thrilled to share with you natural products. I generally try to eat clean and avoid artificial anything. Huma definitely fits the bill in this department. There are currently only two flavors: Strawberry and Apples & Cinnamon. While I wasn’t too sure of the Apples and Cinnamon at first, I did like it. But I absolutely loved the Strawberry the most. It was delicious and so super easy to eat while running. I didn’t even have to stop to get it down!

Check out the nutrition facts here for more of the details.

 What did I think?:

I tested these out on two of my long runs before the Nike DC Half. I usually take gels at around the 6 mile mark depending on how long I’m running and how long I’m feeling that day. I did the same with these, taking them at just about the time before I generally start to feel a little tired. In the past when I’ve taken gels during a run I have to stop running, scarf it down, drink water, and walk for a little bit before running again. And then soon after my stomach starts acting up. Not fun.

But with Huma I had none of that. I was able to take a gel while running without any problems, although I did slow down a bit because I’m not very coordinated to do two things at once. The chia seeds in this make all the difference! But for the first time I didn’t feel like I needed water after taking the gel (but I did anyway just because its habit, and also because water helps my breathing). But the one thing I wondered was whether or not my stomach would start hurting.

Miles passed after I took the gels, I waited for the discomfort but it never came on either of my runs. This is one of the biggest selling factors for me and I’m pretty sure Huma will be fueling me when I run the NYC Marathon this fall. I needed something like this to get me through 26.2 miles with a happy stomach! Plus it gave me the energy I needed to complete the run.

Interested in checking out Huma gel? Click here to try a sample pack. Trust me, you won’t regret it especially everyone like me with sensitive stomachs. This product is great for runners but also cyclists who want some quick energy!

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Also, HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to all the mommies out there. I spent the day celebrating with my own amazing, wonderful mom. The ladies of the house spent the day planting flowers in the backyard: our long-standing Mother’s Day tradition. Momma Run Like a Grl is the best and there is absolutely no mother better than her. I love you mom!

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Also, I wanted to announce the Vega Prize Pack Winner! It is…

Jonathan Levitt

Please contact me within 48 hours at runlikeagrlmegan [at] gmail [dot] com. CONGRATS!
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What do you use to fuel your runs?
What did you do for mothers day?

Love the cobblestone strrets in BK.

We took the long way through DUMBO and around to the Brooklyn Bridge Park where we eventually decided on getting pizza at Juliana’s on Old Fulton Street. But not before a brief modeling session, which Karl is used to by now. I love documenting ever single thing (hey, I’m a blogger . Anddd this is my attempt at being trendy while posing on a wall…

Brick walls ARE Brooklyn.

Hello most delicious pizza ever!

Most people don’t realize this is the original Grimaldi’s pizza location (with the original coal oven) and that this one is actually owned/run by the actual Grimaldi family. If you want to meet them, Patsy and his wife are usually there working and are super friendly. Patsy even made a point to chat with us for a bit while we were there and gave us espresso on the house! LOVE them, plus their pizza rocks like none other.

Espresso from Patsy Grimaldi!

After pizza we headed for my very first ice cream of the season from the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory. I always get double chocolate chunk in a cup.. its my signature and its delicious. While we ate we sat and watched the boats go under the bridges in the East River, at sunset. You couldn’t ask for much more than that!

Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory. This is what summer is for!

This lovely evening helped a bunch to distract me from my most recent injury. Yes, you read that right. Let me back up a bit.

What happened is this: I ran 8 miles on Saturday. I felt great at the time. But unfortunately ever since that run I’ve had pretty bad pain in my left hip flexor. It has been improving slowly over the past few days but hurts a ton in the morning, after getting up from sitting for a while, and once in a while during walking (was hurting all the time during walking). I seriously have no luck.. I’m always injured!

At this point, I am unsure if I’ll be able to run the upcoming Brooklyn Half like I planned, which is really bumming me out. I had my heart set on it, and I absolutely hate missing races. Crossing my fingers this will clear up but honestly I don’t have a great feeling about it. What do you guys think? Ever had anything like this before?

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Don’t forget to enter my giveaway for an awesome Vega Prize Pack! You can win THREE boxes of Vega One Bars by entering here.

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Do you have any injuries? Tips for hip flexor problems?
Have you ever missed a big race because of injury?

Now its official and I’m committed. I am registered for and, barring any unforeseen circumstances, will be running the 2013 NYC Marathon! I am both incredibly nervous and incredibly excited. Stay tuned during the summer to see how my training goes. Marathoners – any tips are welcome

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As you probably have heard before from me, I am a huge fan of the free Vega Thrive Forward Sport Edition program. I love all the information for eating clean while fueling and recovering from physical activities. This weekend I  was skimming through the program and came across a list of foods with anti-inflammatory properties (yes, Advil users like me, we can eat food instead to get a similar effect).

After my 8 mile run this weekend I have been having some hip flexor pain, so I really wanted to know what I could eat to reduce inflammation in a natural way. Here is a sample of some of the foods Thrive Forward suggests:

• Bok choy, Cauliflower, Celery
• Kale, Spinach
• Berries, Pineapple, Tart Cherries
• Cayenne, Garlic, Tumeric, Ginger

And that’s just a small sample, there’s so many more. Who knew?! I decided to have some bok choy with my dinner tonight and throw some tumeric in with the rice. Crossing my fingers these foods will help me!

One of the other things I came across this weekend was a bunch of natural electrolyte drink recipes. Now, I love my Nuun and Vega electrolyte hydrator, but its nice to make a drink of your own once in a while. Plus, the Thrive Forward recipes are super summery. This one is on my list to make next weekend (once I go buy a watermelon)…

I can’t wait to try this before my next run, which will be determined by how my hip flexor is feeling. I also have so many more recipes from Thrive Forward Sport to try! If you want to, you can go sign up and check out more of them.

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While we are on the topic of Vega, I have a fun giveaway for you all! A little while back I wrote a review of Vega One Bars–the fun, delicious new nutrition-packed bars.

Yum!

Each bar has 250 calories, 10g of fat, 15g of protein, 6g of fiber, and tons of healthy vitamins, Omega-3s, probiotics (1 billion), and lots of minerals. Plus, they are delicious and very filling. I am a HUGE fan of the unique texture and yummy flavor. Vega One Bars come in three flavors:

Double Chocolate
Chocolate Almond
Chocolate Cherry

Now, one of you has the chance to win a Vega Prize Pack! The winner will get a box of EACH of the three flavors.. that’s three boxes of Vega One Bars!

Win a box of each of these three bars!

Click on the Rafflecopter link below to enter.

***Vega One Bar Prize Pack Giveaway***

The giveaway will end Friday, May 10th and 11:59pm EST so be sure to enter ASAP!

Disclosure: I was sent Vega one bars to try and review. All opinions, as always, are my own.

At the finishline of the Brooklyn Half last year in 2012 (I ran the last .25 miles, in terrible pain).

So I’m out to get the Brooklyn Half. I am familiar with the terrain (hey, I’m a Brooklynite after all), have run it before, and I have been relatively healthy lately with no signs of ITBS. I not only want to beat my previous time, but also  my current half PR (2:03). On top of it, I’m aiming for sub-2. I won’t really be disappointed if I don’t reach that goal but it would nice. So that’s what I’ll be attempting. Fingers crossed!

I haven’t ran two half marathons this close together before, so I am currently deciding what to do for in between training. The tentative plan is to run once again this week for a longer run (6-7 miles). Then I will be back to my normal schedule next week with short runs and try for a long run of about 10-11 miles. The weekend following that is the race. I’m not sure if this is wrong or right to do, but its what I have in mind. Any tips?

This years race has got me super excited, too. Packet pickup is right near my house (finally I don’t have to trek to the UES) in DUMBO and looks like it will be a great time. Plus the race start is also a quick two subway stops (if that) from my house. I just love this race.. I get to sleep later on race day! I also think NYRR has lots of fun things in store for this race and I can’t wait to see how it turns out. You can always count on NYRR to put on a great, organized event!

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And now for the Bestowed Box Giveaway winner..

Theresa Janke

Congrats!! Please contact me at runlikeagrlmegan [at] gmail [dot] com within 48 hours so we can get your a Bestowed Box. But there is also a surprise for everyone… Use the code 5OFFBSTOWED01 to get $5 off any Bestowed box! I really suggest you check it out and give it a try.

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What races are you running soon?
Are you running Brooklyn?
Have you ever run two long races within a short period of time? How did you handle it?

Saturday morning I got up and hopped on a bus with my sister and Katherine and set off for DC. I was so excited for this race because my last two half marathons were plagued with injury, but for the most part I had no major concerns. Finally I could run healthy.

We arrived in DC with perfect sunny weather and headed to the expo in Georgetown, a little town that I absolutely fell in love with and want to go back someday to explore more! Packet pickup was near the Georgetown waterfront which was great, but the line was insane when we got there. Hundreds of women were standing waiting to get into a small tent. The crowd control definitely needed some work, but I’m giving them some credit since its the inaugural DC race.

The line, although this photo does it no justice.

Anyway, eventually we got our packets and headed to the expo. Same overcrowding issue there too. We didn’t stay very long inside because there were so so many people but scored some luna bars and cute Nike bracelets for using Nike apps. They also had an area where you could get your makeup done and get a bra fitting, too but again the lines were too long. I did like the atmosphere at the expo though, it was exciting with good music!

Bracelet bling!

Giant sign outside the Nike Expo, a nice touch!

Official Nike race gear was being sold at Nike Georgetown up the street from the expo, so that was the next stop. When we got there, we saw that every runners name was on the wall outside! So cute!

My name on the wall

After all the excitement of the expo, we relaxed at our hotel, got a quick dinner at an Italian place in DC, laid out our clothes/gear and headed to sleep early(ish). The beds were so comfortable I didn’t know if I would even get up for the race! The three of us had a great time laughing and exploring a little bit that day, but I couldn’t wait for the morning.

Race Day:

I did get up for the race Race morning was pretty painless since our hotel was relatively close to the start line, so we got dressed (I sported blue/yellow for Boston), walked over quickly and stretched out (with extra focus on stretching the IT Band and plantar fascia). The excitement in the air was amazing! Music was blasting, women in neon clothing were smiling and laughing, and they were giving out Nuun everywhere you looked.

The race start line.

In general, people seemed to be relatively near their assigned corrals but the system wasn’t enforced too strictly so we all sort of bunched up in the corrals right before they blew the horn. After a moment of silence for Boston and a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem, we were off! At the start of the race the road we ran towards the Capital building was super wide, which reduced the usual bottlenecking pretty well (although there was some that couldn’t be avoided).

Going over the bridge!

The course itself was great: super flat with great scenery. It ended up being sort of a series of out-and-backs, but didn’t feel monotonous at all. In fact, I absolutely loved the course route. We got to run near or past the Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument, Capital building, Lincoln Memorial, Kennedy Center, and Arlington Cemetery! Like I said, the scenery was amazing.

Washington Monument during the race.

The on-course support was great too. I loved that there were a ton of Nuun and water stations and Clif bloks, although I wish they gave out the bloks later on since I ended up carrying mine for a bit. The bands and live music all throughout the course were super fun and kept everyone smiling. I actually think the bands and music were my favorite part of the whole race!

I ran the first 6.5 miles or so with Katherine (my sister had already sped off in front beforehand), and we had a great time chatting, enjoying the course, and taking photos while running. Eventually though separated and I finished off the end of the race alone. I ended up picking up my pace around the half way mark since my legs were feeling strong. I guess having pretty much no hills to run up really makes a difference!

Katherine snapped a photo of me running!

Somewhere around mile 11-12, as we came out of the tunnel and headed towards the Capital, I realized I was capable of beating my previous PR at the NYC Half (2:06). I didn’t plan on a PR, but decided to go for it since I was so close. At this point it was the awesome and huge crowds that got me through! I thought “I can’t stop and walk when all these people are watching, that would be embarrassing” so I kept pushing even though it was getting harder.

The homestretch away from the Capital seemed like forever by that point, but the closer I got the more I realized I was definitely going to PR. And I did!

Final finish time: 2:03.21. A new Half PR!

Katherine, my sister and I at the finish!

Katherine and my sister did great too. My sister even ran a sub-2 that day, and it was her very first half marathon ever! I am so so proud of her for such an amazing accomplishment. And Katherine ran an awesome race too despite injuries that plagued race day and her training. I have amazing friends

After the race we picked up our beautiful Tiffany’s necklaces (which I still can’t take off) from men in tuxedo, got some food, and picked up our finisher dri-fit tees. The finisher expo line was, again, insanely long so we skipped out on that. But we had a great time at the race finish celebrating and talking about the race.

Tiffany’s necklace. Why, yes thank you

Katherine and I at the race finish

Afterwards we walked back to our hotel and still had time to put on our lovely robes and use the whirlpool and steam room before check out. I love early morning races! My muscles for the most part feel great now so I credit the post-race pampering to my recovery since I totally forgot to eat any protein until a few hours later.

Robes, coffee, and spa was a must.

Overall, this race was a fantastic experience. There were some issues throughout with crowd control which I hope Nike addresses in later races, but the course was fantastic which is the most important part. I would definitely recommend this race and am so happy to celebrate my new half PR!

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Also, don’t forget to enter my giveaway for a Bestowed box! Ends tonight.

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Did you run the Nike Half? How did you do? What did you think?
What did you do this weekend? Run any races?

Also, there are some new friends who will be in DC that I may have the chance to meet! Its going to be an amazing trip, I’m sure, and I’m so excited to run this race. Crossing my fingers for no injuries.

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Recently I was contacted by a company called Bestowed, which is a monthly subscription service that sends you 5+ nutrition and lifestyle products. I know there are a lot of subscription boxes out there (and many I love already.. aka Bulu Box), so what makes this one different? Well, all of the products are hand-picked by celebrity nutrition expert and author Heather Bauer. She is a guru in the food and health industry!

Love from the Bestowed box delivery!

One of the other features I love is that Bestowed sends you a piece of paper that describes all the contents of the box in detail, so you really know what you are eating/using. They also have links on their website so you can go and buy full-size versions if you like them! Super easy.

Detailed information about the products

As a person who tries to eat healthy as often as possible, I was in love with the contents of this box. All super healthy ingredients! What came in my box:

• Easy Quinoa (quinoa/lentil soup)
• Hemp Hearts
• Happy Family fruit and veggie twist
• Artisana Coconut Butter
• Oloves olives
• Nature’s Bakery Fig Bar
• $25 iTrain gift card

Yummy goodies!

My favorite food was the fig bar. I LOVE figs and this one was delicious. But each of the items gets thumbs up in my book. What I love most about Bestowed is that all the products are hand-picked, healthy, and delicious. What more could you want?

The lovely people at Bestowed have given me the opportunity to offer a GIVEAWAY for a free month’s subscription to Bestowed. They will send you the most recent box they have! Click the link below to enter.

Bestowed Box Giveaway Rafflecopter Entry Form

But there’s more.. Use the code 5OFFBSTOWED01 to get $5 off any Bestowed box! The giveaway ends April 30th at 11:59pm EST so be sure to enter ASAP for your chance.

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Disclaimer: Bestowed sent me a box to review, free of charge. All opinions are, as always, my own.

I am trying to get all my subscribers transferred over from my old page, but just in case, you can always go to the sidebar and re-follow my blog so you get my posts by email. OR you can follow through bloglovin‘. Thanks, loves!

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Now for all the updates. So what exactly have I been doing in the past two weeks? Well, here’s the short version:

1. I cried, wore my race shirt, and ran for Boston. The events in Boston upset me more than I can put into words and I have been struggling to recover, despite not even being there. But I had friends there. Other runners were there. And when you attack one of us, you attack us all. I will be running in blue and yellow this weekend in the memory of those affected, and hope many others runners do the same.

Race shirt to work for Boston.

2. I started my new job! This is the third week of my new job, and first one as a licensed occupational therapist. I am absolutely loving it so far and am happy to be treating patients again after time off to take my exam.

3. I went hiking at Bear Mountain in upstate NY. Karl and I took a day trip to Bear Mountain and went on a really challenging trail to test out our Merrell hiking shoes.

Bear Mountain hiking

First, the shoes are AMAZING (mine have Vibram soles). Second, it was an amazing workout I was seriously sweating even though it was a chilly day. Plus, its fun and I didn’t fall once. Score!

Making our way up..

My artistic photo of Karl through the trees.

4. I will be teaming up with Reebok to run the Spartan Race on June 2nd in Tuxedo, NY with a group of awesome Fitfluential Ambassadors. I am so lucky to be able to do this and recently got a bunch of awesome gear from Reebok. I’ll be sharing them with you, but this weekend I tried out the Reebok Sublite Duo shoes and loved them! I only did some walking in them, but they have a roomy toe-box and good support. Oh and the color is an obvious love of mine..

Reebok kicks. Sublite Duo’s.

The Sublite Duo is made of a lightweight, dual-density foam technology which allows it to be super light but also supportive. As someone who gets occasional plantar faciitis and ITBS, I need some arch support in my shoes and these feel great in terms of that. I also like that the midsole has a softer density directly under the call of the foot. They also don’t need any breaking in which = love.

5. I signed up for the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge 3.5 mile race in June with my new company. I have always wanted to run this race so I signed up as soon as I found out I could. Can’t wait to run with my new coworkers!

6. I went to Smorgasborg in DUMBO, Brooklyn and enjoyed lots of delicious schnitzel and large donuts from Dough.

Sitting in the park after chowing down on deliciousness

7. I’ve been running a lot, and feeling pretty good while doing it. Most recently I ran my last long run before the half at 10 miles across the bridges and the West Side. I’ll admit I have some lingering pain below my knee but I’m still hoping it goes away with more strength training. Its not awful though, so crossing my fingers it just disappears and I never have to worry about it again. Hey, it could happen!

The view from my recent run.

8. I ate free Pinkberry every Wednesday this month. Pinkberry had a promotion this month for their new Greek frozen yogurt and has been giving away free cups every Wednesday in April between 11am-2pm. So needless to say I got on line early to get my froyo on.

9. I got lots of goodies from the amazing people at Vega and got to try out some amazing products from their Sport Edition. I especially love the cookie dough protein bar.. its de-licious and full of protein for post-run. If you haven’t check out the free Thrive Forward Sport Edition program (especially all you health-conscious runners out there) for lots of tips and recipes!

Vega goodies!

10. I’ll be running a half marathon on Sunday. Anyone else running the Nike DC Half?!

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Whew, that was a lot of info to update you all on. Now tell me what you’ve been up to, I missed you all!

PS. stay tuned for quite a few giveaways. They got backed up because of the transfer but soon to come!