Checking things off the bucket list; in bulk

I've always been pretty adventurous, spontaneous, and the kind of person that wants to live life to the fullest.  Over the last few years, I've taken on an even bigger appreciation for this outlook.  I don't want to look back on my life and wish I had done something I chose not to.

How to balance work, running, health, and a social life

It seems like our lives keep getting more and more full and we are being stretched thin and in about a hundred directions at once.  Whether it's kids, being a caregiver for an aging family member, a career that demands long hours and lots of travel, or a multitude of other things, there's never a shortage of something to take up your time (that you just don't have).  So, how do you balance it all without offending people, dropping the ball at work, or driving yourself to sheer exhaustion?

Being a Princess and Fundraising for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Georgia

During the weekend of February 20th I will be among the thousands participating Disney's Princess Half Marathon Weekend.  I am completing the Glass Slipper Challenge; a 10k on Saturday followed by a half-marathon on Sunday.  I'm excited for these races because the Princess Half is one of my favorite races to run, but I'm also excited because I will be doing something I've never done before with these races; fundraising for a great cause.

I am raising funds for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Georgia and have set a personal goal of $1000.

Virginia Wine Country Half Recap and a Healthy Pineapple Dessert Recipe!

Yesterday was the Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon, and, if you saw my post from a few days ago, you know I did not train for this race and knew I wasn't fully prepared going into it.  So, it's not surprising that it was a slow race, but that's okay because I still finished and felt great at the end.  (I didn't even have any knee pain after all of the hills!)

I can't stay away

So, I had decided to take a break from doing races and just focus on my health and do fun/easy runs without the need for a rigorous training schedule.  That lasted for about a month, then I realized I'm simply not that kind of person.  By focusing on my health, that's really all I did, continually focus on my health and get frustrated that I can't fix everything.  I kept being reminded that it is something that isn't within my control and since I didn't have a training schedule or goal to distract me, it actually had a negative impact on my well-being.  Once I realized that, I quickly located some races and registered for them.  I instantly felt better after hitting the register button; I now had something to distract me from the aspects of my health that I can't control (and work of course) and a goal to focus on achieving.

So, as of right now, here's what my schedule looks like:

Pure LYFT Clean Caffeine Review

As a SweatPink Ambassador I was given the opportunity to review a new product called Pure LYFT.  I was really excited to have this opportunity, especially since I am just returning from a trip to Europe and even more exhausted than usual.  And, with all of my digestive issues, coffee and soda are not options for me. I usually drink soy chai, but even that causes some pretty intense pain and discomfort.

I'm usually tired enough from my health issues and work, but add in all the marathon training and cross-training and I can barely function about halfway through my day.  The package says you can mix it into any beverage, so I chose to mix it into my water aroung 2 in the afternoon when I hit my wall at work. There was a slight fruity taste, but it was barely noticeable and I definitely got the nice little pick me up that I needed to finish the day.

Here's a little information from their website:

LYFT^® Energy Stir Sticks are an innovative “clean caffeine”™ energy product infused with all natural caffeine and vitamins that provide a sophisticated energy experience.

• Zero Calories
• Clean Taste
• Can be used with a variety of different beverages from water to freshly pressed juices to coconut water and cocktails
• Vibrant Alertness
• No artificial flavors, sweeteners or preservatives
• Caffeine equivalent to one tall coffee

If you're looking for an all natural alternative to drinking coffee or soda but still getting that caffeine boost, I definitely recommend checking out Pure LYFT.  For more information on #cleancaffeine, take a look at their website www.PureLyft.com or their Facebook here.  Check them out!

So, you're saying I'm not invincible?

This morning's schedule was supposed to look like this; wake up at 4:15am, take a quick shower to loosen up my muscles, put on all my race gear, and be out the door by 5am to head to the metro.  By 7am I would be making my way into corral number 19 of 33 with thousands of other runners, ready to complete my fourth marathon in a year.  My day didn't go quite as planned...

Accept the Challenge - A recap of my February Instagram yoga challenge

After experiencing so many amazing milestones in my running, I decided it was time to diversify my fitness and branch out into other areas that I don't yet have confidence in.  The first stop on this new journey was yoga.  I've always enjoyed and experienced the benefits of yoga when I actually dedicated time to it, but while training for marathons it wasn't my top priority.  Granted I did a lot of stretching and used yoga poses to help my running, but I didn't ever challenge myself to try new positions and I certainly didn't openly post pictures of myself trying them so other people could see my blatant yoga flaws.  February changed all of that.

In like a lion...

I think it's safe to say that March really does come in like a lion.  We started March off with another snowstorm.  Thankfully, it wasn't as much snow as the last one, but, I was just starting to be able to see the sidewalks and could almost taste an outside run...now I have to wait again for everything to thaw out.  I'm holding my breath and hoping the "out like a lamb" part comes true also.  At least I have some great tea filled with wisdom to keep me warm and cozy. This is my Muscle Recovery Yogi Tea; it smells so amazing, you HAVE to try it.  Plus, who doesn't like tea that has a fun inspirational saying on each teabag?

Surf's up! (I wish...) A review of the SURFSET® Fitness class

It's February.  It's cold.  It's snowing (again).  And, I really miss the beach and hot summer days. About a year ago I ran across the SURFSET® Fitness class which simulates surfing indoors to provide a great workout.

We've got winners!

Happy Wednesday everyone!  I don't know about you, but I couldn't be happier it is Wednesday; it's been a long week already and I can't wait to get to Friday, AND it's finally time to select winners for the free mud run entries.  Alright, let's get down to business, we have four lucky ladies that have won entries into the Pretty Muddy 5k obstacle race; they are...

Marathon on a whim and more race discounts?!?!

My first marathon was on March 17, 2013.  Since then, I ran two more marathons (one of them being part of the 48.6 mile Dopey Challenge). After completing my last marathon as part of the Dopey Challenge I've been kind of taking it "easy" and just running (mostly speed workouts) and focusing on strength training, yoga, and mixing more cycling into my routine.  It's been going great, but every day I have this nagging in the back of my mind telling me that I need to do a fourth marathon before March 17th.

Sunday Breakfast Experimenting

Sunday is usually our lazy day.  We still go to the gym at some point for an hour or two, but we take our time getting up in the morning, watch some tv, and usually make a big breakfast.

This morning, I finally tried making Gluten Free Protein Pancakes. I've been wanting to make them for months and never got around to it but this snowy weekend seemed like the perfect time to try them out, and, I actually had everything I needed to make them in the house already.

Free Pretty Muddy Race Entries!

Happy Friday AND Happy Valentine's Day! :)

Back at the beginning of the week I posted about a great mud race called Pretty Muddy (http://prettymuddywomensrun.com/).  Just a quick reminder, it's an awesome women's only untimed 5k with obstacles that has a partnership with Susan G. Komen to help find a cure for Breast Cancer.

I have a total of four race entries (two standard race entries - up to a $69.50 value; and two family edition entries - up to a $45.00 value) to give away to four lucky ladies!  For more information on what a family edition entry is, please visit http://prettymuddywomensrun.com/.

Muddy Monday

Ever since I started running races, I've always wanted to participate in one of the many awesome Mud Runs that are out there; in particular, one has stood out to me; the Pretty Muddy race series.  You might be wondering, "what is it that makes this one stand out from the others"?

Dopey Challenge Recap

It happened. It finally happened.  And now, I can't believe it's already over.  I have a great sense of accomplishment for having run a 5k, 10k, Half Marathon, and Marathon in four consecutive days.  Adding in everything I've been going through with health and nutrition in the past three years and not only can I not believe it's over, I really can't believe I made it through it all.

It's Arrived!

Well, the time is finally here.  Time to run 48.6 miles in four days.  I left the cold wet/rainy/snowy/icy place I like to call the DC Metro on Saturday night around 11:30pm on my long drive to Florida.  

Starting the new year with a bang...

Now that we are in a fresh new year, I'm going to start with a fresh new blog and hopefully keep up with it this time.  We are only three days in to 2014 and I'm already embarking a new challenge.  Tomorrow, I will head to Florida where I will be doing the Dopey Challenge at Disney World.