Nuun Giveaway Winner!

The winner of my giveaway is -


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Congrats Katie!  Please email me at jnclark1112 (at) gmail (dot) com within the next 48 hours.  Please include your mailing address and chosen flavor of Nuun.

Thanks for everyone that participated!  I hope to be able to host more giveaways in the future.

Until next time,

Jen

July Foodie Pen Pal Reveal Day!

At the beginning of the month I told you that I signed up to participate in a Foodie Pen Pal program that Lindsey over at The Lean Green Bean hosts.

My pen pal was Marcy at Plating it Up.  She makes some yummy looking dishes!!  She contacted me fairly quickly and asked about my likes and dislikes, and I was so pleased with the end result.

I was backing out of the driveway Friday to head to my parents cabin when I glanced over at the porch and saw a package sitting there.  I jumped out of the car and saw that it was from Marcy!  I stuck it in the car and took it to the cabin with me and couldn't wait to open it when I got there.

Ooooo...wonder what's inside??

The first goodies I unwrapped were garlic and basil oil.  I LOVE both flavors and have never cooked with the oil before, so I'm really looking forward to using them!

 Next I opened the green tissue paper.  Inside there was a wheel of brie triangles and some cacao beans!

I puffy heart brie

 Finally, at the bottom of the box was a food I have been wanting to try out -

Yay!!

 I mentioned to Marcy that I've never had it but have wanted to try it, so she got me a box.  She said she cooks with it a lot, so I'm really looking forward to it.  (I hope I like it!)

Marcy, thanks so much for everything!!  And...I know this probably wasn't on purpose, but I loved the box she packed everything in -

LOL!!

Are you interested in participating in the Foodie Pen Pal program?  You don't have to be a blogger!  Head over to The Lean Green Bean and sign up before August 5th.

Until next time,

Jen

A Liebster Award? For me?

Two of my fellow blogger friends, Mary, over at A Walk in the Woods, and Laura at Spicing Up My Life chose me to receive this award.  Thanks ladies!!

So what is it exactly?  Well...

The Liebster award is given to upcoming bloggers who have less than 200 followers.  The meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome.

Rules for receiving this award:

1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves.

2. Then answer the questions the tagger sent for them, plus create 11 questions for the people they've tagged to answer.

3. Choose 11 people and link them in your post.

4. Notify the people you have tagged.

5. No tag backs.

So...11 things about me.  Here it goes!

1.  I was the first female at my high school to play on the baseball team.  We didn't have fast pitch softball and that was the equivalent.  Thanks Title IX!
2.  I have never broken a bone
3.  I have two younger brothers, both of whom are taller than me
4.  I enjoy cooking and baking
5.  I'm afraid of the ocean, yet I want to learn how to surf
6.  I have a flip flop obsession
7.  I'm not a huge fan of ice cream
8.  My guilty pleasure is reality TV
9.  I still have a lot of travel I want to do before having a child
10.  


Mary also had 11 questions for me to answer -

1. What inspired your blog name?
I used to be in decent shape - I played sports since I was 5 all through high school.  When I went to college I didn't play as much, but always participated in intramural sports and used the weight room that we had.  Once I graduated, I just stopped.  Now I'm trying to get back to that place (or as close to it as possible) as I was

2. What do you like most about blogging?
I like that it holds me accountable.  I also enjoy sharing my highs and lows of my journey and knowing that I have supporting readers, most of who are doing something similar as me and can relate

3. What was your dream job when you were a child?
I ALWAYS wanted to be a marine biologist and work with dolphins and sea life

4. Where is the furthest place you've ever travelled?
After using Google maps to calculate it (and having them tell me to kayak across the Pacific) the furthest place I've traveled is to Hawai'i.  I've been twice and will be making my 3rd trip next year.

5. What is the strangest or most exotic food you've ever tried?  And did you like it?
Hmm...my husband is always getting me to try new things, but I'm not sure.  Probably a conch fritter in Key West.  Not very exotic or strange, but it's all I've got.

6. What is your favourite film?
I have quite a few, and some may get some laughs :)  Jaws, Top Gun, Ferris Bueller's Day Off...there's more but I'll leave you with those

7. Who is your favourite TV show character?
I'm not sure that I have one...I do love the Sex and the City women for their fashion

8. Do you have a crazy, far-fetched ambition and what is it? 
If the money was good, I would be a camp counselor....I absolutely loved doing it in college

9. If your friends could describe you with one word, what would it be?
loyal

10. If money were no object, where would you live and why?
I would have multiple houses :)  Gotta have one at the beach, one in the mountains, and one in the city.

11. What is your favourite book of all time?
One of my favorite ones is "PS I Love You".  Yes, it's fictional, but it's so awesome to see the love he had for his wife, even after he passed away

 And now my chosen recipients -


Carrie Ann - What Have I Got To Lose
Tess - Because I Want To
Kimmie - Barking Mad About Running
Danielle - Long May You Run
Hollie - Not Skinny...Healthy
Liz - Feet Dominating Pavement
Mary - There's Something About Mary
Amy - Longing for the Sea and Yet Afraid
Mallory - Battles on the Homefront
Bethi - Disney Mommi
Tabitha - Tab.A.Dilly

And my questions for them -

1. What inspired your blog name?
2. What made you decide to start blogging?
3. What has been your favorite race so far?
4. What is your favorite Olympic sport(s) to watch?
5. If you could eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
6. What is your dream vacation?
7. Name one thing you can't go without during the day.
8. What is your best childhood memory?
9. Do you have a favorite quote?
10. What keeps you motivated?
11. What's your favorite guilty pleasure?

Karen at ...Losing it..., Brigid at Babbling Bridge, and Kristina at My Altered Perception all nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger Award.  Thank you ladies! :)

Does This Make My Butt Look Big?

As a female runner, I feel that we have to be extra careful when we run to protect ourselves.  There are so many horror stories of women who have been abducted on trails, sidewalks, and even their own neighborhoods while out for their daily run.

I love Pinterest, and a friend of mine pinned some compression shorts with built in holsters in the back.  How awesome!  I sent them to my husband, who immediately purchased them for me.

Yes, I have my GWL (Georgia weapons license) and when I run along the trails I get a little paranoid.  These shorts will allow me to comfortably carry my handgun while I run.  I haven't taken them out for a test run yet - I hope to do that on my 4 mile run Sunday morning.  But they feel good, the gun isn't in the way at all, and it's easy to draw in the event I would need it.  I have taken gun safety courses and visit the range often to make sure I am comfortable and confident when handling my gun.  I hope I never have to use my handgun, but if I'm ever in a situation that I need to, I would be thankful that I have it. 

I wanted to thank my fellow bloggers that nominated me for a Sunshine Blogger Award and a Liebster Award.  Posts are coming to include those.

I hope everyone has a wonerful weekend!

Until next time,

Jen

Runner's Shopping Spree + A Giveaway!

Last weekend J and I headed up to the outlet mall to find him some new dress shoes...his have seen better days, and with all the travel and training he does, he needs to look sharp.  Well...we had no luck for him, but lots for me!

Nowadays all I want to buy for myself are new running clothes and accessories, so when he asked if I wanted to go into Adidas and Under Armour, I made a beeline for the door.

In Adidas I found a green racerback tank (I didn't take a picture of it but wore it for the Summer Steamer 10K).  Under Armour was my jackpot though.  As I searched the racks J found a shirt for me for $10, and then I found that some racerback tanks were on sale for $8!

New shirts!

The pinks look like a bright pink but they're really a lighter, neon pink, and the blue is more of an aqua color.  I think I'll be scoping the outlet for more sales because these were great finds.  I love a good sale.  I've been pretty frugal with all my running gear with the exception of the shoes....I would rather pay more for a great, comfortable pair of running shoes.

So...this may be TMI, but the point of the blog is to share with you guys, right?  Well...Sunday morning after I got home from the race and went to shower, I found that my underwear had chaffed my rear, and it was not a pleasant feeling.  I mentioned to Sharon the next day that I wished someone made moisture wicking underwear so that this wouldn't happen.  Wouldn't you know it that Under Armour does!  We decided to go back up to the outlet to see if they had any, and they did!  I was lucky enough to find 3 pairs on sale for $8 each.

I haven't had a chance to run in them yet, but I'm looking forward to it (is that weird?)

A couple of weeks ago I also placed my first order for a 4 pack of Nuun and couldn't wait to try out the flavors.  I chose to get the New Flavor 4 pack, but they have a TON of flavors to choose from!

L-R:  Strawberry Lemonade, Tropical, Grape, Fruit Punch

I used the Fruit Punch during my 10K and Sharon tried out the grape (she's slightly obsessed with the color purple and any purple flavors).  We both really enjoyed the subtle flavor and satisfaction that it gave us during the race.  I'm looking forward to trying out the rest of them soon!

Finally, Friday at the grocery store J asked me to pick up some Zone bars for his paintball tournament (more on that this week).   After I grabbed a box, a box of Lemon Zest Luna Bars caught my eye.  I've never had them before and didn't want to commit to a box of the same flavor, so I scanned the shelves to see if they had individual bars for sale.  Further down I found that they did!  I was like a kid in a candy store, grabbing at the flavors that I thought suited my tastes.

Yum...can't wait to try them!

How would you like to win a 4 pack of Nuun hydration for yourself?  I am happy to say that I've chosen to host my very first giveaway!  Here's how you can win -

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also, Tess over at Because I Want To is giving away an iPod shuffle!  You should check her blog out.

I hope everyone has had a great weekend!

Until next time,

Jen  

**I was not contacted by Nuun to participate in a giveaway.  I simply love the product and want to share it with a lucky reader**

Summer Steamer 10K recap

Sorry for the delay!  Technology was not on my side.  I had planned to blog about this last night, but for whatever reason my Netbook will not turn on, even after being on the charger all day.  Better late than never right?

I slept through my first alarm and flipped out when I saw it was 5:12 a.m...I was picking Sharon up at 5:30!  Talk about waking up fast!  I jumped out of bed, got ready, kissed J and jetted off to Sharon's house.  We arrived at the race about 45 minutes before it started, which gave us enough time to get our numbers and shirts, take our Gu, and stretch.  I was a little anxious as this was my first 10K, so when they called us into the starting chute I was a little anxious.  As the starting gun went off, Sharon and I told each other good luck and off we went.

Let's do this!

 The course was fairly flat with a few inclines but nothing too major.  Most of the 10K participants were seasoned runners and were way ahead of me, but I always try to remember not to worry about them and run my own race.  At around mile 2 I started to get nauseous, so I had to really slow down my pace.  I don't like to eat anything before a race because it usually makes me feel worse.  After a few minutes the nausea went away and I continued my run/walk.

Source

I wish I could take pictures during my races with my phone, but since I use it for both music and my GPS, it's better to stay on my arm.  The course was mainly around industrial parks and car dealerships, so while not the most scenic route, it was decent.  When we got onto a few main roads, I ran as close to the other lane as I could so that when cars drove by I would get a little burst of wind :)  It was a hot and humid morning with very little shade on the course.

Finally, the end was in sight.  I tried to push it as much as I could with what little steam I had left.

And it was official...I had finished my very first 10K race!  I ran over to the water tent to grab a couple of cups, then went back to the finish line to wait for Sharon.  I decided to run up to my car and put down my water bottle and change shoes, and as I finished I saw her coming down the home stretch.  I ran up to snap a couple of pictures of her then back down to the finish line.  I grabbed her some water so she wouldn't have to search for it.  I took her back up to my car so she could put her things down and then we had a post-race snack -

Pizza!!!

My dear friend, Dr. Bo, also ran this race, except he ran BOTH the 5K AND the 10K.  He is a rockstar!!  They were doing awards inside a gym that was in the plaza where the race was held, and I wanted to congratulate him and tell him good-bye.  He asked how I did and when I told him it was my first 10K, he reached into his bag and pulled out this -

His award for finishing first in his age group for the 10K!  When I told him I couldn't take his award, he told me he has a set of them at home and that I needed something to commemorate my first 10K race.  It's now sitting on our desk at home and makes me smile when I see it.

So now I'm halfway to my half marathon.  What's next?  I have started training for a 15K that happens in 2 months!

What races are you training for?

Until next time,

Jen

I'm Going to Disney World!

That's right...registration opened yesterday for the 2013 Disney Princess Half Marathon! 

Source - runDisney Facebook page

 I registered as soon as I saw that it was open.  Had a little anxiety as this is a big deal with it being my first half marathon, but I know it will all be worth it in the end.

For my bib, I chose Aurora from Sleeping Beauty and plan to dress up as her - a brunette version of her anyway (not sure I can run 13.1 miles in a wig nor am I dying my hair blonde!). 

I'm already looking into booking our hotel as I want to get as much done as soon as possible so I don't have to worry about my hotel of choice - Port Orleans - French Quarter - filling up.  J will be coming to cheer me on and we hope to catch an Atlanta Braves spring training game while we're down.

I have two amazing friends who are running with me, and I can't wait!

Let the countdown begin!


Until next time,

Jen

An Hour Makes A Difference

I hope everyone has had a fantastic week!

We started the holiday off with a Braves game.  We usually have a nice little tailgate set up, but since it was just the two of us we grabbed Subway instead.  It's a good thing we did because about 10 minutes after we got to the stadium, the bottom dropped out of the sky and it POURED rain for about 45 minutes.  We ended up tailgating in the car.

FINALLY it stopped raining and we headed inside to our seats.  We love to sit in the outfield just a few rows up from the fence.  A couple of years ago Jason Heyward threw a ball up to us - still need to try and get him to autograph it :)

Great seats!

The game started an hour late because of the weather, so we ended up staying only until the 6th inning.  It was a big night for the Braves - Chipper was named to the All-Star team, he had his first 5 hit game since 2002, and they beat the Cubbies 10-3.

Wednesday I got up and met Sharon to run our virtual 5K for the Wounded Warrior Project.  I was having a great run until the Nike+ app screwed up with the GPS.  This is why I need a GPS watch ;)  After we ran we went to this awesome little diner called BBs Bagels and grabbed a quick breakfast.  They are THE BEST bagels ever!

Yum....

When I got home J and I went to the pool for a couple of hours to get some sun.  It was his first trip to the pool and my second, and since we aren't doing any house projects this summer we plan to use it quite a bit!  We went home and grilled out for the 4th - baby back ribs, steak, homemade mac and cheese, and oven "fried" pickles.  So tasty!

Saturday we went out on Lake Lanier with some friends for the day.  We parked the boat and chatted, had drinks, dipped in the lake, and some even tried wakeboarding.  I'll give it a shot next time we got out.

Yesterday is where the title of my blog comes into play.  I set my alarm for 6:30 to get up and go run, but I hit snooze for an hour and ended up not getting started until closer to 8.  It was so incredibly hot!  The sun was up above the trees and beating down on me on parts of the trail that it normally wouldn't, and I ended up doing a lot more walking than I would have liked.  I did a 5.5 mile run, and it's my last long run before my 10K on Sunday.  Eek!  I hope I do better in the race than I did yesterday.  The weather is supposed to be cooler and I will welcome it with open arms for the race.  I have two 30 minute runs scheduled for this week, and with working my flex hours until 6:30, hopefully the air will cool down a bit.

And done!

Last Thursday I got my Foodie Pen Pal!  I can't wait to start putting her package together :)

Congratulations to everyone that ran the Peachtree Road Race on the 4th of July!  I hope everyone has a great week.  Stay hydrated!!

Until next time,

Jen

Beating the Heat

I hope everyone had a great weekend!  We stayed in the air conditioning about 95 % of the time.  Temperatures in Atlanta were over 100 degrees and it was just too hot to be outside.

Friday on my way home from work!

 We had dinner with some friends Friday night and then pretty much stayed cooped up for the rest of the weekend, with the exception of a couple of trips to the store.  I HAD to get in a 5 mile run this weekend in order to get ready for my 10K in 2 weeks, so as much as I hate the mornings, I vowed to get up early Sunday to get it done.


The alarm clock went off at 6 a.m. and J almost had to literally push me out of bed.  Once I was up, I was good to go.  It was still a little warm, but nothing compared to what it would be later in the day -

There weren't too many cars at the trailhead when I got there so the trail was nice and quiet.  I stretched myself out and started my run.  I think I found the perfect run/walk interval ratio for myself.  I did well with a 2:00/1:00 interval.  I've tried running as far as I can right out of the gate, but I find that once I'm out of steam it's really hard to recover and get my momentum back, so I'll be sticking with this method for now.  Once I hit the halfway point, I paused my run and took a few pictures of my surroundings.  The clouds were probably my favorite picture

Beautiful morning for a run

Halfway point - time to turn around!

I feel like we're getting to the distance where Sharon and I will need to park one car at the start of our run and another at the end.  The closest park that the Big Creek Greenway runs through isn't too far from the point I turned around.  On my way back to the car, I passed many more runners and cyclists, and by the time I got there the parking lot was almost full.  My run was decent - 5 miles in 58 minutes.  Then it was home to shower, wake up J, and head to breakfast.


I've seen quite a few of the bloggers I follow participate in a Foodie Pen Pal program that Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean hosts.  It sounds like a pretty neat program, but intimidating at the same time!  Some of the items that people have sent look amazing and I worry that I will disappoint the person I'm matched up with.  We get our monthly pen pal on Thursday so hopefully this will be a success and I will continue to participate.


Sharon and I signed up for a virtual 5K for this week that benefits the Wounded Warrior project.  We're planning to meet up tomorrow morning to get it done.  We considered doing it over the weekend but since we need to get one more long run in before our 10K on the 15th, we opted that midweek would make more sense.


I want to say congratulations to my blogger friend Bethi over at Disney Mommi, on welcoming her new princess, Claudia, into the world yesterday!


Tonight J and I are headed to Turner Field to watch the Braves play the Chicago Cubs, and then maybe a pool day for the 4th along with some tasty (and healthy!) eats for dinner.


Good luck to everyone running the Peachtree Road Race tomorrow morning!  I hope to join you next year :)


Got fun plans for the 4th?


Until next time,

Jen