"The Jam" Thursday - What is blowing up my iPod

Happy Thursday!  One more day and it's the weekend, any one else excited? I'm thrilled! 

Today is "The Jam" Thursday where I share the songs that getting my booty bumping and my legs pumping!

I'd heard this song on the radio when it was on the charts a few years back, but didn't know who the artist was so I never got the album or downloaded the song.  It left the airwaves and I'd kinda forgotten about it.  Then a few months back my sister and I were talking about Robin Thicke being a judge on the TV show "Duets".  I asked her "other than him being hot and can sing obviously, what hits has he had?"  She looked at me like I had two heads.  Then she took me to her computer and played this song for me.  From then on this song has been in my playlist rotation.

The video is kinda funny because when you see Robin in it, he doesn't look at all like the suave, GQ style he's rockin' right now.  Though the song would make you think otherwise.  So without further ado, "The Jam" for this week is:

Robin Thicke - When I Get You Alone

This song always gets my body moving, whether it be on my run, in the car or at home, I can't help but get grooving to this song.  I will sing along and don't care who is looking at me when I'm running and singing at the same time.  What can I say?  I'm in the zone!

It's a great song to run, dance or just listen to in the car.  He's got some pipes and it's a good song. Hope you enjoy!

I did it...and I'm not sorry

Athletes are goal oriented people.  There is always a competition, a record, a rivalry win to go after and train for.  Runners are the same way, though I never thought so before I started running.  I would see people running along the side of the road or through the parks and wonder "why are they running?"  There is no goal, there is no race, they are just running to run.  What are they running for?

Then I got into running and I realized that you will never get better unless you run and run and run and run some more.  Did I mention that you have to run?  Though there is also speed work, fartleks (I still giggle when I see that word, immature I know, hehehe) hill training, also people working on BQing or simply not bonking during a race.  Whatever it is that gets you out the door and encourages you to run, be it for weight loss, exercise or merely enjoyment, there is always a goal in mind.

Since running I've had goals set out for myself.  At first it was to run a 5K.  Check.  Then it was to run another 5K to show that the first one wasn't a fluke.  Check.  Then I wanted to venture into longer distances.  I wanted to run a couple of 8K's.  Check times two.  Then I wanted to run some 10K's to see if I could really run for a long distance. Check, and I'm signed up for another 10K in a couple of weeks.  But I've had this nagging voice in the back of my head saying...what's next?  What's your next goal?  Why are you bugging me? I haven't gotten through my other goals first!

Wouldn't you know, I've had one in mind for months.  It's something I've been stewing over very quietly over the past 8 months since I'd heard about it and I knew...well, I just knew I had to do it.  The question was when?  Notice I never said IF, I said when...that's kinda big for me when I tell you what it is!

So I talked to the hubby about it and he was and is fully supportive of my idea, that he basically told me to do it.  He said, "do this for yourself, you put everyone before you almost all the time, do this for you."  Have I mentioned how much I love this man?  So I let his words marinate for a few days, and I went back and forth and back and forth of wanting to do it and feeling guilty for even contemplating it.  I find it so hard to justify doing something big for just myself, it feels so selfish and I hate having that feeling.  Why can't I put myself first?  Why can't I dream to do something big and not feel guilty for actually doing it? 

Up until the very end I was feeling uneasy and second guessing myself.  This is something I've wanted to do for months and I'm now at the moment of truth and I'm considering not pushing the button?  Not willing to take the leap of faith that this could be a great experience?  One that I've dreamed of and thought about for months and now that it is within my grasp I am willing to let it slip through my fingers?

So I did it.

I clicked the button.

I exhaled.  I hadn't realized that I was holding my breath until that moment.

I sat there breathless for a moment.  Then I smiled, breathed in and let out a little giggle.

I had done it.  I had just set into motion a series of events that will change the face of my daily life for the next 5 months.

I signed up for my very first half marathon.

And not just any half marathon...

 source

Yes, I took the plunge and I am registered...(gasp)...to run a half marathon...(gasp)...in Disney World in February.  I am going to finally be involved in a racing series that I've read nothing but raves about over the months I've been reading blogs and twitter feeds.  I will be running with thousands of other people that love these races and where it is being held.  I will finally have that medal around my neck that I have seen countless people post countless pictures of themselves wearing.  I will be doing something completely and wholly for myself and because I worked hard enough to make a dream of mine come true.

I guess their slogan is true, "Fairytales do come true one mile at a time". 

I've got a goal, now I just need a training plan.  And because apparently my Fairy Godmother carries a stopwatch, I have exactly 148 days until the race, let's get to work!

The game has changed

Have you ever had an "ah-ha" moment?  One where the answer is so blatantly staring you in the face that it essentially thumps you over the head?  No lightbulb, just a good smack upside the head. 

I had one yesterday and it was a doozie!

I was having one of those days, not just a Monday where you are playing catch-up from the weekend, it was a day of hellish proportions.  More work than I could possibly do in the span of a normal work day, pressure and deadlines looming overhead, and more problems than I've had to deal with before.  It was so crazy busy that lunch was spent in front of my computer and consisted of a protein bar, banana and V-8.

I left work feeling stressed, strung out and anxious.  I was in a witchy mood and had a nasty attitude.  I needed to decompress and fast!  Normally I would go home and pour myself a glass of wine and relax, while ranting and raving about my day to friends.

This time it was different, this time the last thing I wanted to do was drink a glass of wine and relax on the couch.  I've been sitting all day and I couldn't even stand sitting in my car during the rush hour traffic to get home.  I needed to move, I needed to break out of this funk...I needed to run.  Now to fill you in on some background, I take lunch time runs especially during the winter when there is daylight and it helps me to decompress from the stress during the day.  I would feel refreshed and much less stressed the rest of the day.  I wanted to take one during my lunch on Monday, but with the pile of work I had, that just wasn't an option.

So when I got home, I could not get my running clothes on fast enough.  I paused for a couple of minutes to give my hubby a hug and kiss, but then I was throwing my running shoes on and walking out the door.  (Sorry I didn't take a picture, I was decked out in purple, black and white, I looked pretty badass actually.)  I couldn't wait to get moving and I got down the street and started running.  The breathing fell into place, the pace was good and I was pushing it, turning all that stress into my running energy.  And I was flying!  I attacked the hills and pushed myself to go farther than I thought I was going to.

I finished the run and felt a million times better.  I left all that bad stuff and stress out on the road and was spent when I got home.  I took a nice hot shower and put on my pro compression socks to help my calves recover from my cathartic run.

This day was a game changer for me.  I have officially crossed a bridge.  Or turned a corner, or whatever you call it.  My body no longer wants to engage in my old habits to decompress, it wants to sort out my stress and stomp it by running it out.  Release any anxiety and lose myself in the footsteps on the road.  I couldn't be happier with this revelation and know that this is a much healthier way to deal with issues and stress in life.  I was more relaxed the rest of the evening and I woke up feeling better and in a good mood (regardless of the lack of sleep I'd gotten last night).  I'm thrilled with this turn of events and really can't wait to spend more time on the road.  This is a happy hour I could definitely get used to! :)

Momentum Monday: Believe in Yourself

Believe in yourself. 

Three simple little words.  Little in size, huge in implication and implementation.

In short, easier said than done.

The world around us, much like the athletic world, is highly competitive.  You need to prove your worth by what you can provide, show, prove.  Proof.  Powerful word, huh?  Proof of your strength.  Proof of your work.  Proof of your accomplishments.  Proof of your worth by actions that have created something that is great and organically your own.

So how do you get to that stature?  How do you get to that point, that pinnacle?  Drive is a large aspect, you have to want it, to go after it, to crave it, to hunger for that chase that will get you to where you need to be.  That fire in your belly (and I'm not talking about heartburn) that reminds you there is something greater out there you are striving for, to accomplish, to be.

But is that all?  Is that it?  I have the want, the crave, the hunger, that fire in my belly to get what I want.  Yet I fail at achieving that pinnacle I so long for.  What else could I be missing?  Then I stumbled up on this and decided to make this today's Momentum Monday, I think we all need this now and again:

Belief.

People who succeed believe in themselves, believe that they can do what they set out to do and that nothing will deter them from getting to that coveted point they strive for.  They don't care what anyone else is doing or if others don't believe that they can do it.  Their own belief in themselves and their goal is enough to sustain them and fuel that fire.

Then why don't we believe in ourselves?  Why don't I believe in myself?  I'm guessing it is easier to listen to all the negative feedback and comments you get and hold them as truths.  We hold onto those truths that we can't be who or what we want to be, like it's an old familiar blanket keeping us warm with disdain.  We need to shed that blanket, we need to stop letting those old beliefs have power, we need to stop getting in our own ways and let ourselves believe that we can do better, we can be better and we can acheive what we want. 

Because I believe.  Because you believe.  Because we believe, in ourselves.

"The Jam" Thursday - What is blowing up my iPod

Wow, it's Thursday already!  Almost done for the week and looking forward to my long run this Saturday. I'm looking to get a consistent 6 miles down during this run, so I need to work on fueling properly before and during.  Woohoo!

However today's focus is my weekly jam!  The hits that get my booty bumping and my legs pumping.  Today's jam is a little different than what I've posted before, but it's a song that I just. can't. get. out. of. my. head!  It's just got a really great beat, it pulls you in and gets your adrenaline going.  The video is a bit trippy, but I just have it on to listen to the song.

So today's "Jam" is:

Spectrum - Zedd

I find this song helps when I'm lagging in my run, the beat change up helps with focusing my energy and getting my legs churning.  I enjoy all types of music and like having different genres on my playlist when I run.  It helps me from tiring of a specific rhythm or tempo.  Though I find it interesting that in some cases, the stuff I listen to when I run isn't always the same as when I'm in my car or at home.  Does that happen to anyone else, or is that just me?

Either way, enjoy!

Momentum Monday: Thank Yourself

We live in a society that thrives on instant gratification.  You need to get a hold of someone?  Call their cell phone.  If they don't answer, you text them.  If they don't text back you can check Facebook or Twitter if they have posted about their whereabouts.  Etc, etc, etc...we can find who and what you want without having to exert too much energy.

This also includes our expectations of fitness.  We start a new routine and expect results almost immediately and feel disappointed when we don't have that instant gratification we have become so used to.  For the most part, people want to put in the least amount of effort and expect the greatest amount of results.  What you put into it, is what you get out of it. 

So why not put in the extra effort and time to be with yourself and take care of yourself?  We live and work each day taking care of other people and their priorities, whether it be at home or work, we hardly work on our own priorities and interests.  Exercise is the one thing that we can do and be selfish about, because the only person that is going to benefit from it is you.  This is the time to do something for yourself and enjoy the time you have with you.  It is quite enlightening what you learn when you have to focus on yourself.  You find your likes and dislikes and become passionate about things that you may have never really cared much about.

This brings me to this week's Momentum Monday.  I like to get my daily runs in during my lunch time, especially during the winter when daylight is scarce before and after work.  It also helps to break up my day and allow me to shake off some stress that I'm inevitably under while at my desk all day.  It helps me clear my head and come back to work with a renewed sense of purpose.  It's amazing what some endorphines in the middle of the day can do to you.  It is also a way for me to have some time to myself and enjoy a sport I've grown so passionate about over this past year.  My fitness level is slowly growing, my weight is slowly going down and I am doing something every day that I will one day in the future be eternally grateful for.

So your Momentum Monday Mantra is:

I know we all have busy schedules, or injuries that we are tending to, or life situations that make our daily lives so cluttered and unruly at times, but that is the time when we need that little time to ourselves.  To do something, anything physical, if only taking a nice long, leisurely walk, to give back to our current and future self.  The fitness level in the future and stress relief in the present will be well worth the effort.  So thank your present and future self, by investing in that time with yourself.

Product Review: Energybits

Some weeks ago I saw a bunch of mentions on my Twitter feed about a company and their product called ENERGYbits.  Intrigued, I read up about them on their website and read reviews from people who'd received samples from them.  Interesting information and pretty compelling results described from fitness bloggers based on a "two dose" sample from the company.

Then a few days later the company tweeted about offering free samples to all those interested, so I contacted them for a sample.  A free sample is always nice, especially when the size of a normal order is approximately 30 "doses" of the product, that's too much for me to commit to with a new product, so the sample was perfect.

I left for vacation and when I came back the sample was waiting for me at home.  I was so excited to receive the package that I ripped it open immediately and this is what I found.

Some really interesting information that explains what the product is and how it is designed to help improve your performance and increase stamina.

Look at those stats.  Some really interesting information.  Why I was so intrigued is that I suffer from anemia and need to take iron supplements.  So I am constantly battling with fatigue.  The natural ingredient and vitamins and minerals piqued my interest as I hoped that this might give me the natural energy boost I needed without the sugar crash that most other prepared energy sources create.

It just so happened that I had a hike at Sunrise in the Mount Rainier National Park that same day, so I figured why not!  Let's take these babies for a spin today on what could potentially be a grueling day of hiking.

This is what was received in the sample tin.

This is the recommended dose of 30 tabs.  Seems like a lot, huh?  Well...down the hatch!  I've got some hiking to do!  (Just don't breathe in when swallowing them, smells like the beach at low tide!)  Oh and another thing, they suggest you swallow or chew them to consume.  I'd read unsavory reviews of the taste when chewed, so I decided to not repeat others actions and just take their advise to swallow instead.  That sounded so dirty...sorry.  Moving along...

So I took them just before we got to the trails and when I was going along the trails I had a freshness in my legs that I'd never felt before.  I was light and my pace was quick, I felt springy in my step.  The tough terrain was nothing I couldn't handle, my legs were chewing through the trail with ease.  I couldn't believe the difference I felt with the ENERGYbits.  I didn't feel like I was on a sugar buzz and all jittery like I do with gel's.  I also didn't hit a wall when the energy wore off.  These bits literally helped to propel me up the mountain terrain during my 10 mile hike!  Talk about impressive!  But I wasn't completely sold yet, I had to see what they would do for me during a run. 

Cue the Iron Girl 10K race this past Sunday!

I'm not one for trying something new on a race day, as a general rule that is just good practice.  However I hadn't had a long run in weeks and this was my soonest one.  So I figured why not?  I didn't have any adverse reactions when I had taken them on my hike, so I felt pretty safe taking them before the race.  During my stretch time before the race is when I took them, so about 15 minutes before race time.  34 tabs, down the hatch...and then the tin was empty.  Sad face, no more sample!

I didn't really notice a huge difference in my energy until something happened that I hadn't experienced in a race before.  I was passing people...with ease.  Wait, what? What did you say?  I know, I was actually picking people off and it felt so good.  My legs felt good, churning and burning through the miles.  I had never felt that good physically during a race, well, ever!  Usually my legs are fatigued easily and I begin to slow down.  My pace was good and I never really felt fatigue until much later in the day.  Now only if my lungs had cooperated with me that day I might have had better mile splits, but that's neither here nor there.  

Regardless, I felt the great effects of the ENERGYbits during the run as I had during my hike.  Strong sustained energy, no jittery buzz, easy let down, no crash at the end.

My verdict: I'm a fan...a HUGE fan.  I liked the energy it gave me and the natural let down when they wore off.  I felt propelled when I moved and the energy boost was noticable.  My predicament?  I have none at my house anymore.  Looks like it's time for me to bite the bullet and move onto the big bag!

UPDATED: ENERGYbits has contacted me and has given me a discount code if you would like to order. Simply enter BLOG when ordering and get a 10% discount!  Thanks ENERGYbits!

Question for you:  Have you tried ENERGYbits? If so, what did you think?  Have you checked out their Facebook page?  Or follow them on Twitter?  They occasionally announce sample giveaways, follow them and you may get lucky with your own sample! 

"The Jam" Thursday - What is blowing up my iPod

Earworms.  No, not a disgusting insect that gets into your ear, but rather a piece of music that sticks in your mind so that you seem to hear it, even when it is not being played. 

You can't escape them, even if you hate the song, it just gets more and more engrained into your memory.  Today's "Jam" has been an earworm for me, but in a very good way.  Every time I hear this song come on the radio or on my iPod I crank the volume up and I just can't help but shake my booty.  I also sing along to this song, I can't help it, it's just a fun song and I belt it out every time.  I'm sure people passing by me are thinking I'm crazy, but that's okay, I'm in the zone!

So today I present to you "The Jam":

Brokenhearted - Karmin

It's so fun and so catchy, I bet that once you hear this song you will be hearing it a lot more.  I hope you enjoy and get some booty shaking of your own going on!

Homeopathic Remedy

I like to try and find natural ways to deal with ailments instead of relying on over the counter or prescription medications.  The reason being is that at first your body reacts to the medication in a favorable way by treating the ailment.  Then your body begins to shed the ailment only when the medication is administered, not to mention your body builds a tolerance and before you know it you need twice the original dose you took before in order to get rid of the ailment.  It's crazy cycle that we are all unwittingly too familiar with.

I bring this up because this weekend I was able to share some knowledge with total strangers on how to naturally get rid of acid reflux, a common and painful ailment people, mostly women it seems, are prone to recently.

When I was at the "expo" (I used the word loosely as it was just a group of tents offering samples/leaflets) for the Iron Girl, the company Honest Tea was there.  They were giving out samples of a few flavors and to my pleasant surprise they had my favorite flavor Pomegranate Blue.

I was standing there talking with the ladies that manned the booth about why I love this juice, I randomly mentioned that I use this juice to combat my occasional acid reflux.  They were both totally baffled and intrigued, and they asked me to explain.  There was even a family standing next to me and the mother looked at me and asked for me to explain as well.  So I told them my recipe.

Pour over ice, 4oz of Pomegranate Blue Honest Tea juice and mix in 1 teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar.  Drink quickly or through a straw.  Repeat twice a day, in the morning after you wake up and before you go to bed, for as many days as your symptoms occur.  I like to drink this before I brush my teeth so I can clean the apple cider vinegar off my teeth.

I used to take Prilosec and Omeprazole and it would take 2 weeks for my acid reflux symptoms to completely disappear.  With this concoction, it takes no more than 5 days for my symptoms to go away and I feel the effects almost immediately with the first dose. 
The secret is the apple cider vinegar, there have been numerous studies about the positive impacts this has on your body and it's function.  So for all of you that like to try non-medication relief to your ailments, try this out and tell me what you think.  This helps for indigestion as well.  I know you are probably thinking that adding vinegar to acid isn't a good thing.  Well if you don't believe me, just google acid reflux + apple cider vinegar, you'll get different measurements for the drink, but the relieving effects are the same and there are tons of people that have experienced the same benefit as I have.

One word of caution: don't breathe in while drinking.  I'll be honest, apple cider vinegar stinks, hence why I brush my teeth AFTER I drink it.  Enjoy!

Iron Girl 10K Race Recap

So the Iron Girl 5K/10K race in Seattle occurred on Sunday September 9th.  This would be my first 10K race (and distance) that I've ran, and I was pretty nervous about it.  However I knew that this was an all-women event and had heard great things about the Iron Girl racing series events, so I felt I was in good hands.

My friend Danielle was running the race with me and we got some great pictures in before/after the race.

 

Standing in line for the porta-potty before the race.

 Getting my stretch on before the race!

 Obligatory porta-potty picture.  HA!

Starting line craziness!  Look at all the people waiting to run!

The race was two laps around Greenlake to complete the 10K distance.  The course was PACKED during the first loop.  All the people running the 5K and the few that were running the 10K.

 Hubby grabbed some great action shots of us running!

 Rocking my pink Brooks running skirt!

The race markings were fine, the course was easy, twice around the lake, not difficult.  The water stations were placed well and stocked up so there was no shortage of the necessity.  Since there were 4 stops, one at every 1.5 miles, I decided not to take a water bottle with me and just trust that it would work out, and it did!

The second time around the lake the course had thinned WAY out.  There was so much space in the coned off area that you didn't have to worry about bumping into people.  During this time I had to keep my mind in the game and focused on keeping a steady even pace.  My legs felt good, REAL good and they could have gone on for more miles.  But my lungs, that was a different story.  I couldn't seem to get into a steady breathing pattern and constantly felt out of breath.  It was SO FRUSTRATING!  For the first time I felt good in a race, I felt strong on the course and I was actually picking people off.  WAHOO!!!  It was an awesome feeling.

This was at the end, just about to round the corner to the finish.  I was spent, not because my muscles were tired, but because my lungs were.  Felt pretty defeated at this moment!

 Grabbed my medal and met up with my friend and the hubby for pictures and water!

Another medal, woohoo!  Was it a hard race?  Only in the sense that I couldn't get my breathing under control and it threw my cadence and stride off so much.  Regardless of that, I felt good physically and did so much better than I thought I would considering I had never run this distance EVER!

A few things about the race:

- I was not impressed with how Iron Girl put on this race.  After all the hype of it being their 7th race here and the fact they have races all over the country, I expected more. I'll tell you why...

- The t-shirts you got for the race were not race specific at all, no date or city was on it.  Just the "Iron Girl Series" was on the generic shirt.  Lame.

- There were only two people working the gear check booth and the line was immense!!

- There were only two speakers along the "corral" area and no one knew what was going on towards the back. People were talking through the National Anthem and the countdown happened without us knowing.  We didn't know until after things happened...and that's because people started moving.

- There were NO porta-potties anywhere else on the race course except for the ones at the expo. So if you had to go while on the course, you had to hope there was no line at the public bathrooms scattered around that area. (which there always were lines for the ONE public bathroom anywhere near the course)

- In the finish chute there was only water and just one person handing it out.  This is the ONLY race I've raced in/been to that there weren't any bananas or other things to fuel up on immediately after the race. Disappointing.

- HUGE lines for the fuel that did come with the registration, the "breakfast box", which had nothing breakfasty or fresh in it.  All the items in the box were shelf stable, sodium laden items.  Just what I want to eat after running 6 miles.  Needless to say, I didn't eat anything in the box.

I'm glad I ran this race.  I got to experience how this series puts on a race and I know now to avoid it.  I wasn't impressed and didn't feel it warranted the price you paid to run it.  At $50-60 for the 10K, I expected more than what we got.  I can run Greenlake for free anytime I want.

It was also a learning experience for me as well.  I tried a new product as my pre-race fuel and let me tell you, Energybits is making me a believer of their product.  I had loads of energy and I never felt a dip or crash.  Completely sustained me, my legs never felt fresher!  

I also ran my first ever 6 miles!  This is a new benchmark for me and I couldn't be happier.  Now it's time for me to build on my endurance at this new distance and add more to it.  I've got longer races planned for the not to distant future and I can't just sit and rest on my laurels now.

Momentum Monday: Can't Stop, Won't Stop

Have you ever run a race where you weren't sure how it would go?  Isn't that every race though?  Yeah, I guess you could say that you should go into races hoping for the best, but anticipating anything.  HA!  Sunday was my first ever 10K race and I was running it with my friend Danielle.

She is the friend that completed the Rock n' Roll 1/2 marathon in June and had gone through running classes to train for it.  Now since then she's continued taking various training classes and ran another race, but in the past I had always been a bit faster than her and in some small way I felt good about that.  Not that I was better than her in anyway, hell she's run a half marathon and I haven't, but I kinda prided myself for being a bit faster. 

So on Sunday she was our time keeper and my pacer, since the last race she ran was a 10K (her first) and she ran about an 11:37 mile.  Now mind you that is a minute a mile above my last race pace, so I knew this would be good to help me edge myself into a  faster pace.  So we were running the race and at about the 2 mile marker she said that we were running a 10:38 mile.  WHOA!  That's a fast pace for me...and I was feeling it.  Not in my legs, remarkably, but in my lungs.  So we kept going and when we got to the second lap around the lake (two laps made a 10K), I couldn't keep up the pace and I fell back.

I felt defeated.

She kept going on her merry way, at the same pace we had been going at.  It took all my will not to cry.  I wanted to be faster, I wanted to be better than her at something in this running world we are a part of.  I felt like my speed was all that I had...and I'd lost it.

Then at that moment I remembered a mantra that I had for a Momentum Monday that I loved and reminded myself to use when I needed to keep fighting on.  That mantra helped me to shake off my disappointment and remember that this race isn't about me against anyone else.  It's about me against me.  Doing MY best and running MY race.  From that point on all I had going on in my head was this mantra, over and over again:

This race and what I endured emotionally has only lit a fire under me.  I want more, I need more.  I want to run longer and improve my time.  I've got another 10K next month and I want to CRUSH my time.  Maybe this was the incentive I needed, that kick in the rear to get into gear.  I don't know, but now I can't stop, and I won't stop.

Getting my Click on!

The week before I left on vacation, I won a giveaway where I received a canister of my flavor of choice of Click protein powder.  See here.  So when I got home from my vacation, I couldn't wait to dive into my stash of yummy stuff from Click!

The next morning I put it together per the instructions.

12oz of water, two scoops of the Mocha flavor powder, combined in the shaker.

Check!  Now what do you do?  That's right, shaking time!

 Like my action shot?  Yup, I'm shaking it good!  Hahahah...

All done being shaken...now what do you do?

That's right!  Open the top and enjoy!  First thoughts?  I can taste the espresso flavor right off the bat and the protein grit you usually get with powders wasn't noticable.  I liked it...I liked it a lot.  I even started playing with flavoring it, hello PB2...meet Mocha Click...match made in HEAVEN!  I even made a smoothie with it this morning by blending it with PB2, ice and banana.  TOTALLY reminded me of my favorite smoothie from Emerald City Smoothies, just with a coffee kick!  I loved how it kept me satisfied for hours in the morning, not needing a mid-morning snack to get me through to lunch!

I think Click and I will be having a lot of beautiful mornings together for a long time to come.  Hands down this is one of my favorite protein powders I've had!  I even tried it with milk instead of water and it's fantastic!  Creamy and smooth, almost feels like drinking a milkshake without the guilt!

"The Jam" Thursday - What is blowing up my iPod

So my taste in music is pretty varied.  I like the pop/Top 40, dance and house, R&B and Soul, Jazz and Rock & Roll.  I'm pretty multifaceted.  I know all the lyrics to Steely Dan's Aja record...and I bet most of you have never heard of Steely Dan!

So with my varied musical tastes, it never surprises me when a throwback hit makes its way onto my iPod list.  I fell in love with this song when it first came out and I still get goosebumps when it comes on.  It makes me energized and I can't help but sing along to it.

So for my throwback jam today, I present:

George Michael - Freedom 90

The chorus just lifts me up.  You can derive so many meanings from this song and it means something different for everyone that listens to it.  Freedom from your thoughts, freedom from expectations, freedom from the pressure.  Freedom takes on many different faces, this song for me, sets me free.  That's why I LOVE it for my run.  Give it a try.  It's so liberating.  It's amazing what music can do!

Great News!

I'm an Ambassador!

Not just for one group of amazing people, but TWO!

I got my first email on Monday from Girls Gone Sporty. They opened up an Ambassadorship on a yearly basis to people who are positive and enthusiastic about living a healthy and "sporty" lifestyle.  Positivity is a contagious thing and I love everything they stand for, so I couldn't wait to get my application in.  The on Monday, I got my acceptance email with all the information about being a Flagship Ambassador for Girls Gone Sporty. (badge to follow)

I'm more than thrilled to be involved with this organization and I know that with the help of all the Ambassadors, this positivity will only grow!

Then on Tuesday I got another fantastic email.

You got it!  I'm also a newly minted Ambassador for Fit Approach.  Watch out now, I'm sweating pink!  This is another organization that is positive and encouraging for athletes of all types, shapes and sizes.  I've seen their presence grow more and more over the past few months and I couldn't WAIT to put in my application to request to be among some fantastic people spreading the #sweatpink word!  Then on Tuesday I got the email saying that I'm a new Ambassador and I literally jumped for joy in my office cubical.  Yup...I was excited...and I'm still excited!

I have been chosen to be a representative for two amazing organizations that, among other things, instills positivity about being active and healthy.  What is not to love about that?

So going forward you will be seeing posts that may pertain to these two organizations or tweets with #sweatpink and #girlsgonesporty.  I'm not just a groupie, I'm now an Ambassador!

Momentum Monday: What's Your Excuse?

It's the end of summer (wait, did I just type that? Where did it go?) and races are in/have been in full swing in the PNW.  Every weekend there is at least one big race going on somewhere in the area.  I'm also seeing race training picking up on the blogs I read from the bloggers all over the country.  People are talking about their race training schedules coming up and how they are going to change/modify their daily diet to fuel properly for the training and races.  But for me, I feel like I'm watching everyone go by and will eventually be lapped.  How come I can't get into the groove like everyone else?

I have a race on Sunday, my very first 10K and I don't feel at all prepared for it.  I haven't run any significant distance in a while.  Now granted, I just spent a week in Disney World walking countless miles around all the parks.  Seriously, how many times can we walk across the park from Space Mountain to Thunder Mountain in one day? 10 times?  Um yeah, that happened.  I also went on a 10 mile hike around Sunrise at Mount Rainier on Saturday.  So it's not that I haven't been active, I just haven't run for any significant amount of distance.  So this has me nervous.

I currently have a 10K race scheduled for the next three months and I'm excited and nervous about this prospect.  I just don't know if I'm ready.  Then again, this is me psyching myself out.  I'm not trying to run a marathon and I've been close to 6 miles in the past, I just haven't gotten that notch on my belt yet.  So not having run that distance before and then going and running that at a race can be a bit daunting.

As I was looking through my momentum quotes, I found this one.  It made me smile so big and realize (see: kick myself in the butt) that all my road blocks in getting motivated and dodging excuses are from within and I need to stop letting them win.  So today's Momentum Mantra is:

I've been getting all the tweets from the Disneyland 1/2 Marathon that happened this weekend and it has helped to get me charged for my race on Sunday.  I can't wait to get out there to run with other amazing women and have a great time!  I'll be running my first 10K at the Athleta Iron Girl in Seattle on 9/09 at Greenlake.  I've heard such amazing things about this racing series and I can't wait to try it out for myself! 

This week I'll be working on my running, but not pushing my mileage because I want to rock my first 10K distance at my first 10K run.  

So how about you?  Are you gonna rock it this week?  If not, then what's your excuse?