5 Things on My Fall Bucket List

This post is sponsored by prAna in partnership with FitApproach. 
All opinions and images are my own.

Happy first day of Fall!

Growing up, spring was always my favorite season. It brought new life after the harsh Minnesota winter. It was a sign that summer was just around the corner. You could feel the excitement as the days grew longer and the end of the school year drew nearer.

Now that I am living in Las Vegas, I still love spring, but fall is quickly becoming one of my favorite seasons. I love the summer heat, but I also love the crisp, cool fall mornings. The flavors of pumpkin and apple are in abundance. The return of sweaters and long pants. It's all so comforting, like a hug from an old friend.

It's no secret that I've been looking forward to fall for several weeks now, so it's about time I came up with a short list of things I want to be sure to do now that fall is here.

My Fall Bucket List

Jeff and I are heading out for a long road trip in the beginning of October. We're heading up to the PNW to visit his family and to pick up a tote we left with his brother when we moved here 5 years ago. I'm pretty excited for the road trip and to cross the first two items off my list. :-)

Golden Gate State Park

We've been to San Francisco before and even walked halfway across the Golden Gate bridge, but it was Christmastime and cold and dark. We're planning this stop in the early morning. Perhaps we'll be able to catch the sunrise.

Cathedral Gorge State Park

I've been wanting to visit this NV state park for a few years now. It's less than 2 hours from Vegas, but we've never made the time. It's a short detour along our route back from Washington, so it seems perfect to include it as a stop on this road trip.

Bellagio Conservatory

One of the things I love most in Las Vegas is the Bellagio Conservatory. They change the display with the seasons, and it's always fun to see the new theme. This summer it was a tour of Italy and the fall theme is Proud as a Peacock. I'm excited to see all the beautiful flowers.

@EnjoytheCourse is ready for fall! What's on your fall bucket list? #prAnaFallStyle17 #sweatpink

Las Vegas Balloon Festival

A few years ago, I stopped at this festival before heading out for an 18-mile run. It was fascinating to watch the balloons take off. They have an evening Glow Show which sounds fascinating. There are lots of other activities as well, and I hope to spend a bit more time at the festival rather than just a few minutes before a long run.

Gilcrease Orchard

A Vegas gem that I've not yet experienced! They have a variety of fruits and veggies to pick yourself, but I'm most excited to try their apple cider. It's their signature item and perfect for a fall day, right? The pumpkin patch opens Sept 30, and I've read that apple picking starts sometime in Oct. I'm excited to get up early one Saturday morning to check it out.

In addition to these bigger items, I also plan on taking more walks with Sallie and maybe even Jeff. We also really want to get back on our bikes because it's been months since we've gone for a bike ride.

And, of course, there will be plenty of Starbucks fall treats.

Be sure to follow me on Instagram or Twitter so I can share my adventures with you!

Many thanks to prAna for the amazing Harlene Top and the comfy London Jean from their new fall collection. These will be perfect for my road trip and many of my other fall activities.

No matter what's on your list for the fall, you'll find something to love at prana.com.
Use code FACD15 to save 15% off your order now through Nov 22.


What are you looking forward to this fall?
Any local events that are unique to where you live?

I'm linking up today with Running on Happy & Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five 2.0. This week's theme is Fall Activities.

Week in Review - 8/20

After last week's post, this one is gonna seem pretty tame. It took me most of the week to fully recover from all the birthday fun. I was pretty tired all week, so my workouts were, let's just say, lackluster. 😊

Portion Control Made Easy

Disclaimer: I received a Precision Digital kitchen scale complimentary from EatSmart Products in exchange for my honest review.

If you read my Week in Review post this past Sunday, you'll know that I recently broke a pretty big weight barrier. So exciting!!

Yes, after six weeks of dedicated hard work during the Bikini Series, I'm starting to see some real progress. I can't give all the credit to working out every day, though.

No, my success is also partly due to watching what I eat and trying to make healthier choices.

I gave up fast food.
I committed to drink at least 72 oz of water a day.
I tracked all my food {most days}.

These small changes helped a lot, but I needed a little more.
Enter EatSmart Scales.

CyberMonday Cocogo Sale ALERT

Happy almost Thanksgiving!

Yes, I am going to gloss over the fact that this is my first post in nearly 3 months. That story will be saved for another post. :)

And with Thanksgiving, of course, comes Black Friday. Remember when Black Friday actually started on FRIDAY?!

I think I've only ever gone shopping on Black Friday a couple times in my life. Crazy, I know! Usually, I've had to work or some other nonsense.

CyberMonday is much more my thing, anyway. Shopping from the comfort of my own computer. Now, that's the way to do it!

And speaking of CyberMonday, Cocogo is having a great sale on Monday ONLY.

20% off sitewide

And you can combine that discount with any bundles AND use promo code ENJOYINGTHECOURSE for an additional 10% off. You can't beat that!!

Click to Tweet: CyberMonday Sale Alert: 20% off COCOGO. http://ctt.ec/dg03y+ #cybermonday #drinkcocogo #cocogo #holidaycheer #tistheseason #holidays

I've got some mouthwatering holiday drink recipes using Cocogo coming your way as well, so GO NOW (on Monday)! Stock on up on Cocogo and STAY TUNED! :)

And, of course, have a deliciously HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Koss FitSeries - The Perfect Gift for Active Women

This post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Koss.

Less than 10 days until Christmas. Is your shopping done? No?

Are you still looking for that perfect gift for yourself the active woman in your life? I recently had the opportunity to try out the new Koss FitSeries headphones as a FitFluential ambassador. They come in two styles - FitBuds and FitClips.

Personally, I preferred the FitClips. They fit easily around my ear, and I barely noticed them during my 5-mile run. I meant to try them out during my marathon, but ended up not listening to any music with headphones.

Unfortunately, I had some difficulty with the FitBuds. The left one always seemed to pop-out. Could have been user error.

I'm not really much of a headphone aficionado. I usually just use whatever comes with my phone. :-) That said, I really thought the sound quality was good. I didn't have to turn the volume up nearly as high as with my other ear buds. Score!

Both styles of headphones come with 3 different sizes of cushioning, so you can customize the fit to your ear.

See the difference in sizes of the two headphones without the cushioning? I think is this partially why I liked the FitClips better. So much smaller. :)

They're designed by women, specifically for women.
The FitBuds are 33% smaller than other Koss earbuds.

They're sweat resistant and come in a variety of colors.

But the best part is that they are totally affordable! Normally $29.99, they're on sale at several retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, Walgreens, Kmart and Sears for $19.99. Or less!!

Sounds like a pretty great deal to me!

You can also check out Koss at the following:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/koss
Twitter: @KossHeadphones
Instagram: @Koss
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/KossHeadphones
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Diet-to-Go Pin it to Win it!

Halloween is just around the corner. Seriously, where did October go?!?

Have you entered Diet-to-Go's Pin it to Win it contest? No? Well, you have until Halloween night to pin away for a chance to win a week of free meals or a $50 Amazon gift card.

Free food? Free money? Yes, please!!

Speaking of a week of free meals, as a Diet-to-Go ambassador, sometimes I get to try out a week of meals just so I can tell you all about it!

I'm not lying when I say they are delicious!! If you struggle with eating balanced meals or, like me, deciding what to make, then Diet-to-Go is a great solution! Nothing can be easier than opening the fridge to find a meal already prepped and ready to go.

Your meals come shipped FedEx right to your door. They are shipped using dry ice (be careful opening the carton), so they will probably arrive still frozen no matter where in the US you live. Just pop them in the fridge and you're good to go.

The meals are all inclusive, which means all condiments and extras are included in the shipment. Yay!! No extra trips to the grocery store! Your meals will also arrive with a detailed menu plan, so you know which extras go with which meals. I really love the ease of it all.

In addition to the ease, there is also a lot of variety. There will rarely be a duplicate meal throughout the week. I've always chosen the vegetarian meal plan, but since I don't like portobello mushrooms, I just indicated that with my order, and voila! No meals with mushrooms. Sweet!!

There are also Traditional meal plans or Low Carb meal plans to choose from, if that is your preference.

If you want to give this meal delivery service a try, they are currently offering a promotion of 15% off your first week. Simply use coupon code FIRSTORDER* when you checkout.

Hope you all have a Healthy Halloween! Now, head on over to Pinterest and Pin it to Win it!
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*First time customers only. Cannot be combined. First week only.

Disclaimer: I was provided a week of free meals from Diet-to-Go in exchange for my honest review.

Factors of 36 Sponsors #2

Are you getting as excited as I am about this virtual race??

I have three more prizes for you all, and I'm super excited about them. While I haven't personally tried them myself, they are definitely products I've been wanting to try for awhile, and I'm pumped to be able to include them in the list of prizes.

Since I haven't personally tried these products, I reached out to some of my fellow FitFluential ambassadors, and I'll share with you their thoughts on these products.

Handana

Have you heard of this? It's a sweat band that you wear on your hand! I love the concept, because it leaves your hands free, and gives you something to wick the sweat from your forehead before it drips to your eyes.

Lea from Running with Ollie loved this product so much that she even wrote a limerick about it. :) Seriously, though, she's not a towel-carrying or bandana-wearing girl, so she prefers the hands-free convenience of the Handana.

Sarah-Jane from Fit Betty tried this out during a variety of workouts and found it convenient, portable, and sturdy! Perfect!!

Elle from Eat, Run, Sail also liked the versatility it provided during a variety of workouts, but especially she liked not having to carry tissues out on a run. Plus the Handana fit nicely over her gloves during colder weather.

Picture courtesy of Elle at Eat, Run, Sail

Prize: $5 gift certificate

Website: http://www.myhandana.com/
Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest

One More Mile

If you like fun, clever slogans on your running apparel, look no further than One More Mile Running. They are sure to help keep you motivated. Seriously. I don't know where they came up with some of these. Of course you can always order without the sayings. But where's the fun in that?

Coco from Running with Perseverance ran into One More Mile at a race expo and loved some of the clever sayings.

My favorite? “Does this shirt make my butt look fast?” bwahahahah

Prize: One race belt (your choice of slogan)

Website: https://www.onemoremilerunning.com
Social Media: Facebook, Twitter

Tommie Copper

Ok. I'll admit it. I've never actually tried any compression gear, but I've already heard such fabulous things about Tommie Copper! One day, I'll give it a try. One day.

Tommie Copper is kind of unique in their compression gear because their yarn is infused with copper (hence the name).

According to Julie from ROJ Running, Tommie Copper is more in the recovery market than in the wear-while-running market.

Sarah from Mom Running on Empty is a firm believer after being pleasantly surprised by how good her swollen foot and ankle felt while running in a Tommie Copper ankle sleeve.

Carrie from Maine Mom on the Run loves Tommie Copper, too! She's a compression addict and has tried TC knee, calf, and ankle sleeves, as well as compression shorts. Her legs love them. :)

Elle from Eat, Run, Sail has so many great things to say about TC! Once she had a really long moving day, and TC helped her get comfortable enough to fall asleep despite some leg cramping. She's written a ton of other reviews, too. Just do a search on her site, if you want to find more.

Pic courtesy of Maine Mom on the Run

Prize: One pair of sleeves

Website: http://www.tommiecopper.com/
Social Media: Facebook, G+, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube


There you have it - SEVEN FANTASTIC prizes up for grabs!! Please take a moment to drop by and give them a visit!

If you missed the first four prizes, pop on over to yesterday's post.

Don't forget to register! Just fill out this form. Registration ends tomorrow!!

Already registered? You can earn bonus entries for sharing the race! Be sure and use #Factorsof36race and/or tag me, so I know you shared. :)

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Factors of 36 Sponsors #1

First of all a HUGE thank you to everyone who has entered my race so far!! If you haven't signed up yet, here's a little more incentive!

I mentioned all of our wonderful sponsors in my post with all the details about the virtual race, but I wanted to tell you a little more about these great prizes! I'm going to split this into two posts, so be sure and come back tomorrow to learn more about the rest of the prizes you could win.

Bondi Band

I've been wanting to try one of these FOREVER, so I was super excited when they offered to send me one headband to try and one to give away. Here is what they sent.


It was hard to choose which to keep, but, if you follow me on Instagram, you probably already know that I opted for the "Quick Like a Bunny" one since it's something I say all. the. time. Usually when Sallie is moving too slowly. :-D

I tried it out on my last run, and LOVED IT! Definitely lived up to all the hype. It was a bit warm heading out, but I was very grateful for no stinging, burning sweat dripping into my eyes. Bonus that it will be perfect for the Vegas winters when it's cold enough to want to cover your ears, but not so cold you need a full hat. Whoo hoo!!

Prize: One headband (pictured above)

Website: http://www.bondiband.com/
Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest 

Good Beans

I won a sampling of these from Danielle over at It's a Harleyyy Life and fell. in. love.



These chickpea snacks were so delicious!! Alone, of course.
But I also loved the cracked pepper and sea salt tossed on my salad.
Or the sweet cinnamon sprinkled over ice cream. Yes, I know I'm bad.

Prize: One sample pack, as shown above

Website: http://www.thegoodbean.com/
Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube

Handful Bra

Love, love these bras! They are super comfy and give the girls just a bit more lift - cuz sometimes I need to feel a little sexy to get my butt out the door. :-) Plus, I love that I can wear this to work without looking like a boy. Hehehe.

I know, I know. I should have shared a pic from the front, but I couldn't find one at the moment. Plus aren't the criss-crossed straps pretty?

Prize: One sports bra of your choice

Website: http://www.handful.com/
Social Media: Facebook, Twitter

KonaKase

Have you tried a KonaKase? You can read my review here, but it's a great little box filled with motivation and fun surprises that gets delivered right to your door! It's a great way to try products that maybe you're not familiar with.

Here's what came in the August box.


Prize: A September box

Website: https://www.konakase.com/
Social Media: Facebook, Twitter

That's it for today! Be sure and come back tomorrow to hear all about the rest of the sponsors. In the meantime, feel free to visit these sponsors and give them some love! Be sure and tell them I sent you - Enjoying the Course on Facebook and EnjoytheCourse on Twitter!

You still haven't registered? Just fill out this form.
Already registered? Don't forget about bonus points for sharing the race! Be sure and use #Factorsof36race and/or tag me, so I know you shared. :)

What would you most like to win?
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The Light. The Bright. The Fabulous. #WaveSayonara

The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Mizuno.

I was beyond thrilled to be selected to review a pair of the brand new Wave Sayonaras. My current running shoes are on their last legs. First of all, they are trail shoes. Not exactly the best for this urban runner. Second, I got a small hole in the right shoe during RagnarZion back in April and it keeps growing. :(

Needless to say, I was practically jumping up and down when I got the text saying they were delivered. Of course, I was at work, so I had to keep it together.

When I finally picked up my package, it felt empty. Yeah, that's how light these babies are.

And bright pink.

Definitely my lightest and brightest shoes EVER!

Mizuno boasts them as their lightest everyday training shoe.

Seriously, at only 7.1oz (8.1 for mens) these shoes felt like I was running in nothing.

Whenever I go running shoe shopping, I like to have the experts recommend options for me to try. I'm not usually brand specific, so I tend to try a large variety. Without fail, they usually recommend a motion control shoe, but I tend to gravitate more to the stability/support section of shoes. I always feel like the motion control shoes are too clunky for me. And uncomfortable.

Since the heavier motion control shoes were often what was recommended to me, though I don't think I've ever actually purchased a pair, I was a bit nervous about how the Wave Sayonara would feel on a run. Would they be comfortable? Supportive enough?

I was pleasantly surprised at how fabulous they felt! In fact, my first mile in them scored me a FIFTEEN SECOND PR!

7:44. Woot woot!!

And that was in 80+ degree weather with crampy ickiness. I can only imagine how fast I'll be when the temps cool down again. In a few months.

The euphoric foam midsole ensures the proper cushioning without added weight and bulk so runners experience a light, smooth, comfortable, and responsive 'ride.'

Mizuno definitely hit the jackpot with these shoes!

Jeff commented last night that they feel so light, like they're made of paper. Hard to believe they don't just fall apart with every step, he said.

Well, I can assure you after several runs in these, they are sturdy - despite their lightness.


Here's a quick video from before my run this morning with a couple more thoughts on these fabulous shoes!



THANK YOU, #WaveSayonara, for helping me squeak in with a sub-10:00 pace for my 4-miler this morning - despite the 92° heat!!

If you're looking for a light, bright, fabulous shoe for your next mezamashii run, look no further! These go on sale on 7/5/2013 and retail at $119.99. Find them at mizunorunning.com or your favorite retailer.

What do you think of the Wave Sayonaras?
Tell me about your last brillant run.
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Other ways to follow Enjoying the Course:
Twitter → @EnjoytheCourse
Facebook → EnjoyingtheCourse
Instagram → enjoyingthecourse
Pinterest → clarindad

FRS - Review + Giveaway

The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of FRS.

Does the afternoon ever come around, and you feel yourself drained of energy? FRS to the rescue! I'm not usually a huge fan of energy drinks. They just seem so unnatural, so I was very excited to give FRS a try.

Originally developed as an effective way for chemotherapy patients to have more energy (love this!), it is now used by athletes, nutritionists and anyone wanting the energy for a healthy, active lifestyle.

Don't we all? :-)

FRS is chock full of antioxidants, vitamins, and green tea extracts. One of its main ingredients is quercetin, which can be found in the skins of blueberries, apples, and grapes. Three of my favorite fruits. :) Quercetin has been found to provide sustained energy, increased endurance, and immune system support in multiple clinical trials.

By avoiding lots of caffeine and sugar, FRS helps kick start your body's own energy-producing mechanisms. I'm all for that.

You can find out lots of other great info on their website, but I know what you really want to know... HOW DOES IT TASTE?!

FRS offers a variety of products. I was sent a sample of ready-to-drink beverages, chews, and powdered drink mixes.

I LOVED the powdered drink mix.

I tried the Orange flavor, and it was SO GOOD! Reminded me of Tang®. Drink of Astronauts! Made me feel all powerful and stuff. Bonus that it mixed really well, too. Oh, and it only adds 10 cal to your 8-oz bottle of water. Yum.

Speaking of YUM, the chews were excellent, too.

I tried the Pomegranate Blueberry. Very flavorful and great texture. Think Starburst®. But with lots of healthy vitamins. Whoo hoo!!

Lastly, the ready-to-drink beverages. Honestly, the first couple flavors I tried weren't my cup o' tea. The flavor was ok, but I didn't care for the aftertaste. AND THEN I TRIED the Apricot-Nectarine.

LOVED IT! So tasty. :)

Next time you're feeling that afternoon slump it happens. even to us active, healthy folks. why not give FRS a try? It's available at GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Kroeger, Whole Foods, Rite Aid, Meijer, Walgreens, Harris Teeter, and, of course, FRS.com.

Click here for a downloadable coupon. Whoo hoo!!

FRS has also been so generous as to offer YOU a chance to try out FRS for free. :) Can't beat that, right?

Just enter below for your chance at an FRS trial pack.

a Rafflecopter giveaway Tweet

Other ways to follow Enjoying the Course:
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Facebook → EnjoyingtheCourse
Instagram → enjoyingthecourse
Pinterest → clarindad

Shine Fitness

A few weeks ago, Wicked Creative PR contacted one my local blogging friends with an opportunity to try out Shine Alternative Fitness. I was beyond excited to check it out!

With classes from Aerial Arts and Antigravity Yoga to Pole Fitness and Xtreme Boxing (plus lots more), it was hard to choose just one class.

I finally decided on Antigravity Yoga.

Description from their website:
Combines traditional yoga poses, aerial arts, calisthenics, pilates and dance while promoting agility, flexibility and muscular strength. Using a silk hammock as a soft trapeze for resistance and support, participants are suspended in the air for a full-body workout without the stress of holding and balancing challenging yoga poses.

Both nervous and excited, I entered the studio ready to fly.

Turns out a lot of other people had the same idea as me. :) With 10-12 students, the class was near to capacity - and nearly all of us were trying Antigravity Yoga for the very first time.

Suwasit, our instructor, was awesome! He started the class with a brief introduction to Antigravity Yoga - who invented it, where it was used, etc. Of course, I don't remember any of that. Only that the hammocks can sustain 1,000 lbs of weight. Phew!

Due to the large number of newbies, the class moved really slowly because Suwasit had to stop by most everyone to offer assistance and spotting. I, for one, had to hold inversions a bit longer than comfortable at times because I was too scared I would hurt myself getting out of the pose. O.o

Since there was so much spotting and the class was real slow, I feel like it was kind of a teaser class. It would have been nice to have fewer students an additional instructor to help with the spotting. Of course, that would be difficult to plan for.

I'd love to go back again and experience a real class. It ended up not being nearly as intense as I'd imagined - which I'm not complaining about at all today. :-)

This workout definitely works your core and ass - two things I'm always working on, of course. Plus, it's super fun to push yourself in ways that are unlike any other fitness class.

Vampire pose

I stayed a few minutes after class to get the pictures you see in this post. Suwasit was very kind to help me get into the poses again, take some pictures, and then help me get back out. He really was great and helped all us newbies feel comfortable.

Everyone I met at Shine was super friendly. I talked with Sunni for a few minutes after class. She was working the front desk, but she's also one of the dance instructors there and has been at Shine from the beginning. She seems to love working there. She apologized for it being so busy when I came in that I had to wait a few minutes. No apologies necessary! I think it's a great sign for Shine, which has only been open for about a year and a half.

With such variety of class offerings, there is certainly something for anyone looking to spicy up their workouts. You can register online for classes or just drop-in. They also have packages you can buy, but the most fun is that they offer private events. I told my boss we should have a team building event there! She just laughed, of course.

If you live in Vegas or are just here for the weekend, I'd definitely recommend Shine if you want to workout in a completely unique way.

Thanks again to Wicked Creative and Shine Fitness for the opportunity to try Antigravity Yoga for free.

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Working It Recap:: May 17-23

Seriously?? Another week has gone by??

I'm honestly not sure where this week went, but CHECK OUT MY CHART!!!

There are only FOUR frowny faces. Pretty nigh on to a perfect week, exercise-wise. ;-) Whoop whoop.

Date	Cardio	Sexy for Summer	Strength Training	Commute
Fri 5/17	Cardio at home (jumping jacks, high knees, butt kickers, etc)	95 squats 65 sec plank	Upper Body Blast	YAY!!
Sat 5/18		100 squats 70 sec plank		WEEKEND
Sun 5/19	9 mile run	100 squats 50 lunges (25 per side) (2) 60 sec planks	REST	WEEKEND
Mon 5/20	Morning Flow Yoga	120 squats 75 sec plank	Yoga for Runners #1	YAY!!
Tue 5/21	50 jumping jacks	125 squats 80 sec plank	Triceps Tuesday	YAY!!
Wed 5/22	1 mile run (8:08 Whoo hoo)	135 squats 85 sec plank	Attempted a pull-up
Thu 5/23	REST	REST	REST

And a few other things on my mind....

1. I'm having fun spending some time over at the What's Beautiful website. There are so many awesomely inspiring, beautiful women out there, and I'm so honored to be a sponsored participant through Fitfluential. If you haven't signed up yet, what are you waiting for? Go here, set a goal, join a team or two, and let's redefine Beauty together. Maybe you'll even win a trip to Costa Rica for yoga and surfing lessons. Wouldn't that be fun?!

2. National Running Day is in less than two weeks. Will you be running? I created an event on my Facebook page. You should totally sign up! It's purely for fun. There aren't any prizes or anything, but hopefully lots of support and inspiration.

3. I ran my fastest mile yesterday (that I can remember at least). Here's what it looked like when I was finished.



I also tried a pull-up. Check out the video on my What's Beautiful profile.

How were your workouts this past week?
What are your plans for the long weekend? I'm picking up my very first Bountiful Basket Saturday morning and going to the Las Vegas 51s baseball game Friday night, but I've got no other plans. Probably a run or two and hopefully lots of time at the pool.
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