100 Likes!!! and Ignite Naturals INRefresh Review and Giveaway!!!

First off we hit over 100 likes on facebook! Thank you, thank you, thank you! It means so much you have no idea! This also means time for a giveaway to celebrate!!!

A few weeks ago I was asked to sample Ignite Naturals INRefresh Electrolytes. I was a bit undecided when first asked, I have not been a fan of the taste of these type supplements before so was on the fence. Before agreeing to try it I read up on the company a bit and looked to see what they were all about and what they had to offer in their products. The biggest things that stood out to me as soon as I reached their website were they use REAL FOOD ingredients and they are a 100% plant based product. After reading these two things I was sold but continued to find out a bit more. They have supplements for every aspect of your workout. Before, during and after, supplements to carb load, recovery supplements, energy supplements. You name it they have it and at a decent price in my opinion. Another deciding factor was the interesting flavors they have. Not just your standard grape, cherry, lime they have things like blueberry, dragon fruit lemon lime, and tangerine passion fruit and these are just the flavors for the electrolyte supplement. This company seems to think outside the box so I decided to give it a go!

Once I got my sample in the mail I was dying to try it! I ran seven miles the night it came so it was perfect timing to rehydrate my electrolytes! I first tried the blueberry, kept it simple! They come in pre-measured packets you pour into a water bottle with 8-12 ounces of water. I am going to be honest I was expecting some funny taste like the other I had tried and forced down but was pleasantly surprised when this was delicious! Went down easy didn't leave a weird after taste, in fact thought about trying another flavor but decided to hold back. The next day after my run I tried the tangerine passion fruit and was equally pleased! Still delicious! These also made me feel a lot better after my runs. Sometimes I do longer runs and right before I go to bed I am so thirsty I have to down a few water bottles, this really helped with that feeling. I was very happy. I then tried the passion fruit lemon lime before a workout one day and found I wasn't as thirsty during my run. The passion fruit lemon lime was my least favorite flavor I am not a lemon lime girl however it was still pretty good and still was not forcing myself to drink it!

I am very impressed with this product and this company. I am super excited to try these during the summer. When the warmer weather hits I sometimes don't hydrate enough during the day and cramp up so this will be added to my daily water intake! I am very excited to try their other supplements too, I am sure they will be equally as effective and delicious!

Now for one lucky reader you are going to get to try a sample for yourself!!!!! The contest will end Tuesday 2/25! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure: Although I was given a sample of Ignite Naturals INRefresh Electrolytes all opinions are my own .
  

Who Stole My Motivation!!!!

This week I have found myself in a MAJOR rut...I have no motivation to run or do anything for that matter and I am tired...so tired and I don't know why! I went to the dreaded gym on Tuesday ran 2 miles and two 800 yard sprints and decided I didn't want to be on the treadmill anymore. I had planned on running five miles but just didn't have it in me. I was going to go to the gym yesterday and just thought, no I don't want to. WHAT IS MY PROBLEM! I have been in running ruts before but have managed to get myself out there and run even though my body tells me no, but right now I just don't feel like it..... I need help!

Another thing that is seriously not helping me is all of this SNOW! I love snow so much but this year it is killing me. Don't get me wrong I have absolutely enjoyed the once a week snow days we have been having however it is freezing and I want to be able to run outside again! I will say I did run outside last weekend 5.5 miles with my Mom on Saturday and then 10 miles on Sunday and it was so nice, the miles file by! Can that weather come back now please!

So with all my complaining aside does anyone have any suggestions to up my motivation, and not feel like I want to lay down and take a nap as soon as I get up in the morning! I need help! Comment below if you are feeling this way so I don't feel like a major loser who can't get their act together! 

Sincerely,

Whiny, Complaining, Unmotivated, Tired, Annoying Kara

Now a sweet puppy picture to brighten your day a bit!

Five Things Friday!!

I have not done a five things Friday in a while so I decided today is the day! First off the winner of the knuckles lights is Sophie! Congratulations! You will love them so much! I do not have your last name so could you please email me or message me on facebook and I will get those to you ASAP! Also thank you to everyone who commented! I am overwhelmed by the number of you that entered! Now onto my five things! 

1. I was fortunate enough this week to get a number to the Shipyard Old Port Half Marathon in Portland Maine! I am beyond excited about this race. It was recently voted one of the 50 best half marathons in the U.S by the Daily Burn. The route takes you along Portland with views of Casco Bay, sailboats, lobster boats and anything else you would expect to see in a New England Fishing town! Oh and did I mention the Shipyard Brewing Company beer you get at the finish line (those that are 21 and older) So sign up for this race quickly, it will sell out and your don't want to miss out on the opportunity. It takes place July 13th and is bound to be one of the best races you run all summer!

Disclaimer: Although I was provided with a number all opinions are my own

2. There is less then a month until the Glass Slipper Challenge!!!!!!!! Do I need to say anymore I am beyond excited to head to Disney World with my mom. This will be my first race in Disney World and second runDisney race! I can't wait to add three more awesome medals to my collection!

3. I have been having major knee problems! Which brings me back to number 2! I have a race in less then a month two races to be exact so this knee better get in line, fast! I have been doing some major stretching as well as strength training which seems to help but I just want it to feel better because it is a serious pain (pun intended!)

4.I have signed up for the 14 in 2014 challenge. Click the picture on the side of my page under challenges to find out more! This is 14 races in 2014 they can be a mix of races 5k, 10k, Half Marathons whatever I feel like. I have 11 so far that I am planning on doing so now I need to fill in the rest! If you know of any cool races in the New England area comment below!

5. Lastly and I feel bad writing this but I am sick of the snow. Typically I LOVE the snow however this year it is really getting in the way of my running. It forced me to join a gym and I haven't been able to get my long runs in on the weekends because the sidewalks are packed with snow and I am afraid to run on the street. I am ready for spring and I am ready for daylight savings!

QOTD: What races should I sign up for this year!?!?

Knuckle Lights Review and Giveaway!!!!

So running this time if year is very difficult for me. When I get up in the morning it is dark out and when I come home from work it is also dark out. I have used a headlamp for years but felt it never worked the way I wanted it to. I was recently given a pair of knuckle lights and let me tell you these babies are awesome!!! I have heard about them for a while now and was so excited when I was sent a pair!

First off a little bit about knuckle lights....they were developed in 2010 buy a guy named Dan Hopkins. He was training for a half marathon running at night and running with a headlamp just wasn't cutting it. He then decided to wrap his headlamp around his hands and use them as "knuckle lights". He then developed the official knuckle lights and they took off from there!

They come in three colors blue, silver, black, yellow and pink. They are adjustable so can fit over your small hands large hands or if you are wearing gloves or mittens you can adjust them so they will fit over those as well, and they are super comfortable. The lights go on in three settings fully on, slightly dimmer and then flashing. I like to keep them on full power! The button to change the light setting is in between your pointer finger and thumb so easy to change if you want while your running. They also come with batteries which is a major plus! 

So enough about how they look lets talk about how much I love them! These are amazing and so bright! Extra bonus you don't have to wear them around your head and get a head ache half way through your run. I love that these are so incredibly bright! You can see the road so well in front of you to see if there is a pot hole or something in the way or the biggest thing for me right now...ICE. I think because they are lower to the ground everything is brighter. Also cars can see them better because they bounce around when you swing your arms. The last thing I love about them is that if you hear something in front of you off to the side you can point your knuckles in that direction to see if there is anything there instead of moving your head all over the place. This is a major plus for me because every tree or mailbox I see I am paranoid it is a person who is after me or some kind of wild animal (I was chased by a fox for about a half mile one time so I like to know what is going on around me.)

If you run in the dark you must get these! They are amazing I can not say enough about them! Luckily I was provided with an extra pair to give away to one of you! Here is how to enter to win them.....

1. Comment below with a funny night running story

2. Like me on Facebook!

3. Follow me on Twitter!

Winner will be announced on Wednesday January 22nd!

Disclaimer: Although I was given a pair of knuckle lights, these opinions are my own.

Reflecting back on 2013......

What a year this has been.....For the first time in a while I can say without a doubt that I accomplished what I wanted to this year plus some! Top five best parts of 2013 were drum roll please...........

1. Running my first half marathon........ The goal all along for 2013 was to run one and only one half marathon. I smashed that record and ended up running FIVE! For those who knew me prior to running any of these know that I said I would NEVER run even one half let alone five and become addicted! I am beyond excited that I completed all these and have some on the race calendar for 2014!

2. Creating my Blog....I have wanted to write a blog for a long time but always thought I was going to sound dumb or would have nothing to say or no one would read it. Not to mention sometimes my grammar isn't right (English was not my strong subject in school!) However shortly after deciding to run a half marathon I thought I should document my races that way I can go back and remember things from reading my blog that I may have forgotten. Also to inform other on races I have run that they might be interested in. I got over the fact that maybe no one would read it and now it is more then I thought it would be!

3. Moving in with My Boyfriend....now I know generally my blog is all about running and my dogs and not so much my personal life however this was one of my top five in 2013. For those who know me and Luke know it has been a roller coaster ride since day one many ups and downs (mostly ups) but always a blast. We finally made the decision to move in together at the end of the summer, it was a move in the right direction!

4. Getting to do makeup professionally! If you had started reading my blog in the very beginning I did a lot of makeup reviews until running completely took over! However this year I started doing make up for weddings! With help from my friends I made this happen! This is something that I love to do and wish I could do all the time! It is something I hope to continue to do more of in 2014.

5. Adding to my little dog family! You all know I am crazy about my sweet little Bella. But we recently got another boy Chihuahua Cody.  He is as sweet as can be and is so good for Bella! She is still getting used to him but we are taking it one day at a time. I may be a bit obsessed with my dogs but they are just the cutest things and I can't get enough of them!

I also want to thank all of you for reading my blog, it means more to me then you will ever know!

I hope everyone has a great 2014 and this year brings you everything you want and more!

Chatham Turkey Trot and Energy Bits Winner!

First off I will start wit the Energy bits winner!!!!!! Amy McGrade!! Congratulations! Thank you to everyone that entered, I will be having another giveaway within the next couple of weeks so stay tuned!

Next my review on the Chatham Turkey Trot I ran on Thanksgiving! This is a little late coming but it will be top of mind in your brain for next year!

My mom and I signed up to run the Chatham Turkey Trot. This was the first race of the year for her since last year. She got out of running for a little bit but is back now and getting ready to run the Enchanted 10k with me in February and hopefully she will be up for running the Disneyland half with me this summer, her first half ever! So back on track.....The race started at 8am right in Chatham center. We live about twenty minutes away and left around 7. The race is an not timed so you do not have to pick up a number. The race cost was $15 and that included a race t-shirt and beverages at the end and through out the race. You also had to bring a bag of canned goods. The shirts are really cute at least I think so for kicking around in. I actually wore mine on Thanksgiving ha-ha!

When we arrived there were already many people there and we ended up getting a parking space right near the start/finish line. We brought our bag of canned goods and picked up our shirts and then hung out in our car until the start. It was a pretty cold day and a bit windy the race was right along the water. About 10 minutes before the start we got out of the car and moved right up to the front of the start. Because it was not timed I wanted to get the most accurate time for myself. The race started and I took off, my mom is a bit slower then me and we have found that running together just doesn't work for us. The beginning of the race was right along the water and was very windy but it was beautiful out. I was pretty bundled up and actually got hot during the race. The route is really nice a few hills but small ones and then you would go right down. The view was so pretty that the race just flew by the ocean and beautiful house, I always love when that happens! There were a few water stops along the way that were set up.  All of a sudden the finish line was right in front of me. The finish line however was a bit strange there was just a big orange cone and a man standing there holding his hands up to stop. Once again it was not a times race so that was ok. I waited for my mom to finish and then we headed to go get some breakfast! It ended up being a great run for both of us!

The race was a really good time, it was cold but we both had a lot of fun, and it is a great way to start off Thanksgiving day. You can also feel ok about eating as much as you want because you ran a race! I would highly recommend this race for anyone looking for one to run next year. It is laid back and fun, there were about 1,000 runners but it didn't seem over crowded! Also you can walk the race if you would like and it was dog friendly! A must do for next year plus you get a cute/silly shirt! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and can you believe Christmas is a week away!!!!!! I hope everyone is all done with their shopping and able to relax and enjoy Christmas lights and cookies and parties for the next week!

That's me in the hot pink!

QOTD: Did you run a Turkey Trot where you live?

Energy Bits Review and Giveaway!!!

A few weeks ago I was given a sample of energy bits to test out. I had heard a lot about these and was dying to try them. The idea of algae pills was a little weird but the nutrition and energy that they give you will make you want to try them. 

First a little about energy bits, they are a green pill made of 100% organically grown Spirulina algae and are all natural! You can eat them or chew them and are only 1 calorie per pill. They will fill you up before you exercise but will not make you cramp up but instead they will give you energy.  They are also incredibly good for you!

 

 

Here are some nutritional facts about energy bits, as you can see they are full of things that are great for you. Another fact is they are a Boston based company which I am a big fan of being an Massachusetts girl!

I was given a sample of them which was good for about two runs. I decided to swallow the pills instead of chew them I was not brave enough for that. I took about 30 pills before my seven mile run. The first time I used them I didn't feel much different. I thought to myself why am I not running super fast! My first few miles were much faster and I felt good but then I hit a wall. I think I went out too fast thinking the pills were going to be magical and make me run like am Olympic runner! The second time I used them and just went out at my normal pace, I felt great the whole time and did actually run faster miles and felt like I could go much further then I had originally planned.  One thing I didn't love was that I could taste the pills while I was running which I wasn't a fan second time I tried them I started of running with some gum and that masked the taste. I was a big fan of them after I tried them the second time. 

 

I am going to be giving away a sample of these as well to one lucky readers! 

In order to win you must Like my Facebook page as well as comment below on why you would like to win! I will announce the winner on Friday 12/13!

ENERGYbits are only available at ENERGYbits.com, and Jonathan (their Brand Manager) has shared with me that he'd be happy to connect anyone with a current ambassador to share a discount on a bag of bits - you can email him at jlevitt@energybits.com

Disclaimer:
Although I was given a sample from EnergyBits, these opinions are my own.