January Report Card

Happy final day of January! This month really flew by! I can't believe we are already a full month into 2017.

Today's topic for Tuesdays on the Run is Give your running month a letter grade. Using that as inspiration, I decided to do a monthly report card to check in on my 2017 Goals.

Week in Review - 1/29

In case you missed my big announcement on Tuesday, I started training for an ultramarathon (55k) this week. It is a little intimidating and scary, but mostly exciting! I'll really be pushing myself, but also really listening to my body.

I mentioned I created my own training plan and wasn't really following anything tried & true. The race is in the beginning of April, so I have about 11 weeks to train (well, 10 more to go now). I'm focusing not just on running, but also on strength and stretching and rest.

I'm starting out with only 3 days of running (Wed, Sat, Sun), two rest days (Mon, Fri), and 2-3 days of strength workouts (Tue, Wed, Fri). I'm sure I'll be adjusting as I go.

Friday Five 2.0 - StrideBox Review

At the end of December, Sarah reached out to me to see if I'd like to try out a StrideBox. Of course, I said yes, because I'm a sucker for anything free. :-)

I absolutely LOVED this box!

I know there are a lot of subscription boxes out there to choose from, but I think that StrideBox really goes above and beyond.

Friday Five 2.0 is a freebie topic this week, so I'm linking up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness to share 5 Things I Love About StrideBox.

One

Packaging. Isn't the design on this box cute?

The box came lined with yellow tissue paper, which I tore when opening the package, so no pic. It's a really small thing, but it made the box seem a little more special.

But what I loved most about the box was it's size, and that it fit in my mailbox. We have issues with packages at our apartment complex. The office often loses packages and never alerts residents that a package arrived. If you don't know something is coming, you can get a bit screwed. Packages coming through the USPS often have better luck - except that some vandals broke into the parcel lockers for larger packages in December and stole all the packages. Booo! All that to say, I was excited that this gem fit right in our regular mailbox.

Two

All the products. Of course. 

There was a nice variety of fuel to try plus one really cool accessory. I haven't actually tried everything yet, but here are a few of the items I have tried.

Power Bar - Protein Snack Bar - PB & Caramel

OMG! This was so delicious! I devoured it. I would definitely buy more of these.
I enjoyed this after a 5 mile run.

Pacific Health - Accel Gel - Key Lime

I tried this during a 10 mile trail run. I tend to like gels and this was no exception.
The key lime flavor was exactly what you'd expect - a perfect mix of sweet and tart.
Bonus that it was pretty easy to open as well.

Foods Alive - Power Snackers - Lemon Chia Crunch

I tried these after a 10 mile trail run. I liked the crunch and the slight lemon flavor, but
there was another flavor as well that I didn't care for much. 

StrideBox Essentials Water Resistant Silicone LED Armband

I've worn this on several early morning runs! I usually chose the blinky setting.
It mostly stayed in place and I usually forgot I had it on.

I'm looking forward to trying out the rest of the items.

Three

The Stride Guide.

This isn't unique to Stridebox. I'm guessing all subscription boxes come with a guide, but it's still something that I love. I love how it lays out everything in the box and let's you know when to use (before, during, or after a workout) and where to go for more info on the product. The pricing is nice as well.

Four

The back of the Stride Guide.

On the back of their guide is a collage of photos from social media that used #TagYourTrail. I love how they showcase real photos from real people. I found it very inspiring. And made me want to get out and hit my trails!

Five

Make It/Do It Card.

This card was probably my favoritist thing in the StrideBox! One side had a fun recipe to try and the other had a workout. I love that they work with bloggers to provide these cards. More fun stuff from real runners. More inspiration. More to try. More to feel accomplished about.

A StrideBox subscription is only $15 per month and there is no minimum commitment. You can cancel at any time. It's a great way to discover new items and to find some inspiration, too.

Have you tried StrideBox?

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What's Your Limit?

Limits.

We all have them, but as runners, we sure do like to push them, don't we? It's what makes us stronger, right?

Please tell me I'm right. :-) Otherwise, what you're about to read isn't just crazy, but crazy stupid.

I have a hard time defining my limits. I tend to have a pretty laissez-faire approach to running and fitness. But that's all about to change. At least for the next couple months.

I mentioned on Sunday that today I'd share with you what was next for me.

{deep breath}

Here goes...

Week in Review - 1/22

You know how they say, all's well that ends well? I had a fabulous Sunday (so far) and it blurs out all the rest of the week. I can't even remember if it was an overall good or bad week, that's how overshadowing today's trail run was.

More on that below....

Friday Five 2.0 - Winter Activities Anyone Will Love

TGIF, my friends! Who is ready for the weekend? I know I am. This week has been crazy at work. Let's just say I was ready for a drink at 8:05 yesterday morning. 😂

But enough about that!

Instead, let's link up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness for Friday Five 2.0. This week's topic is Winter Activities.

Charity Miles: How To Guide

I'm linking up today with Marcia, Patty, and Erika for Tuesday's on the Run. This week's topic is Favorite Winter Gear. Winter's aren't really bad here in Vegas, so my winter gear isn't much more than long-sleeved shirts and running pants.

Instead, since I've received quite a few comments lately about Charity Miles (what it is, how it works, etc.), I thought I'd share a quick tutorial to show just how easy using Charity Miles is.

I've been using Charity Miles (off and on) for quite a few years now - at least back to 2012. The app has changed a bit since then, but the same basic idea behind it hasn't.

Every Mile Matters!

It's the perfect way for anyone to give back simply by going for a run, walk, or bike ride. There are a LOT of charities to choose from and the app really is so simple to use! You can earn up to 25¢ for a run or walk and up to 10¢ for a bike ride. All you do is use the app and then Charity Miles makes the actual donation to the various charities.

Seriously simply, but read on for a Step-by-Step guide to walk you through it all.

Week in Review - 1/15

Happy Sunday!

Looking back, this week seemed to fly by, but during the week, I was SO tired and SO unmotivated. I still managed to do all my workouts, though. Plus, I threw in a few yoga practices on my rest days. I need to do more yoga; it always feels so good!

Friday Five 2.0 - Dream Waterfall Destinations

I've been so unmotivated to blog this week! I don't if it's the dreary weather or what, but every night I get home and just want to VEG. There were a couple posts I had intended to write, but well, that lack of motivation won.

Let's try to get back on track by linking up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness for Friday Five 2.0.

The theme this week is:

Dream Vacations or Winter Destinations

There are so many places I'd love to visit, but here are 5 waterfall destinations I'd love to cross off my list!

Week in Review - 1/8

How was the first week of 2017?

I'm going to shift my Week in Review posts to be Mon-Sun, instead of Sun-Sat. It just makes more sense to me, since Monday is more like the fresh start to the week. :-)

Ultimate Coffee Date - January 2017

Happy January and thanks for stopping by for the first Ultimate Coffee Date of 2017!

We are a full week into the new year. Hope it's going well for you.

I was going to resurrect videos for the Ultimate Coffee Date in 2017, but YouTube is not cooperating and I'm tired of waiting for my video to upload before I can do a little editing!

Perhaps I'll try the video thing again next month.

Friday Five 2.0 - Happy New Year

It's my first time linking up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness for Friday Five 2.0.

The theme this week is (no surprise)...

Happy New Year! Tell us your goals, resolutions, or other things you’re looking forward to in the new year!

Since I already shared my goals for 2017, I thought I'd share a few posts that I've recently read that may or may not help you achieve your goals this year!

#RWRunStreak Recap

I'm linking up today with Marcia, Patty, & Erika for Tuesdays on the Run. This week's topic is Running Resolutions and Goals. Since I shared my 2017 goals yesterday, I thought I'd do a little recap of the winter #RWRunStreak that ended on January 1st.

Let's just begin by saying that I am not a streaker. I 💛 my rest days! But I'm also kind of a sucker for a good challenge, so I do enjoy the Runner's World Run Streaks and try to do them when I can. I think this was the first year that I did both the summer and winter streaks. Pretty exciting. 😉

Happy 2017!

As much as I love December and reflecting back on the previous year, I ❤ New Years even more!
I feel like it's a clean slate, so full of promise.
A chance to look ahead and decide on what you want to accomplish.

I'm really excited about the goals I've set for 2017.

Week in Review 1/1

Happy New Year!

It was a pretty quiet week between the holidays for me. It was nice to have a short week at work with Monday off for Christmas and a half day on Friday for New Years.

Unfortunately, I caught the cold that had been floating around the office on Thursday. Boooo! Hoping it doesn't last too long.