Blog Archives

Hustle for Heroes 5K - May 20, 2017

5/31/2017

I am always looking for great local races to run. While sometimes I stumble upon them myself via websites or my local running stores, sometimes my friends recommend races they have ran in the past and really enjoyed. Last year my friend Jennifer and her son Brendan ran the Hustle for Heroes 5K and really enjoyed it. When making my race schedule for May, Jennifer mentioned running this one again, so I went ahead and registered.

The Hustle for Heroes 5K honors law enforcement officers who have given their lives in the line of duty and proceeds benefit the Woodstock Public Safety Foundation (WPSF) which go towards charitable programs such as Shop with a Hero, Law Enforcement Explorer Unit, Police/Firefighter Assistance and other programs. (via Hustle for Heroes 5K)

The race was held at First Baptist Church of Woodstock. If you are from the area, you know that this church is MASSIVE. With the size of the property being so large, completing a double loop of a majority of the church grounds made for a 5K. The race started promptly with the SWAT Teams starting at 7:25 followed by the 5K at 7:30.

The course was pretty mild for metro-Atlanta standards. There were a few gradual uphill portions, but nothing too bad. There was also a generous short downhill that was nice to get to run twice. It wasn't the most scenic of courses since it was mainly through parking lots, but it was a good little course for sure.

I think there were 5 or 6 SWAT Teams out on course today which was fun to try to catch up to along the way. If any of the team members fell behind on course, the members that finished kept running back and collecting their team which was AWESOME!

I finished about 40 seconds off of my PR, but for taking it easy in the heat and still dealing with a cranky IT Band, I will absolutely take it!

I think today was the first "summer race" of the season as the temps were rising quickly after the sun came up and the humidity made it so hard to breathe at times. The post race area was really small with mainly some bananas and water. I didn't stick around long after finishing or for awards because I had to get somewhere by 9am so I was in a time crunch.

A huge thank you to Woodstock Public Safety Foundation and the sponsors and volunteers for making this morning possible. It was a great local race, so thank you Jennifer for the recommendation. I will definitely be back in 2018!

0 Comments

Save Cash. Run More Races.

5/29/2017

0 Comments

Looking to fill up your 2017 race calendar? How about saving some cash when registering? Here are a few of my favorite races coming up in 2017 along with some sweet discount codes to help you make your race budget go a little further.

Craft Classic 1/2 Marathon and 5K - Various Dates/Locations

After a successful inaugural year, Road Runner Sports' Craft Classic 1/2 Marathon and 5K series is back in 2017! Whether you choose to run San Diego, Seattle, or Phoenix, the Craft Classic Half Marathon & 5K series promises to provide you with an awesome time on the race course along with an epic post race party including music, games, and of course beer.
FUNNERRUNNERHALF saves you $10 off 1/2 Marathon entry and FUNNERRUNNER5K saves $5 on the 5K

Hotlanta 1/2 Marathon - Atlanta, GA - June 11, 2017

Hotlanta 1/2 Marathon returns to Atlanta for a 4th year in 2017! Yes, it will be warm (and possibly hot), but hopefully a date in the early summer will lead to a little bit cooler temps. Regardless, this race is always on point with great course support and proper hydration stations along the way. Oh, and the bling has been some of the absolute best (and gets better each year), so don't miss out.
FUNNERRUNNER5OFF saves $5 on registration

Rock 'n' Roll Race Series - Various Dates and Locations

I am stoked to be a member of the 2017 Rock 'N' Blog team! I am still trying to solidify my 2017 Rock 'N' Roll Tour, but right now it looks like I am going to be rocking the streets of New Orleans, Chicago, St Louis, Savannah, and Las Vegas! No matter what destination you choose to run, it will definitely ROCK!
RNB15 saves $15 on registration for Marathons & Half Marathons
(Some cities excluded)

ZOOMA Women's Race Series - Various Dates/Location

One of my favorite memories of 2016 was heading to ZOOMA Half Marathon in Amelia Island. While it was a whirlwind of a weekend, it was a great race that really focused on women and empowering women each step of the way. I am honored to be returning as a member of the ZOOMA Ambassador team for their 10th anniversary in 2017. Join the ZOOMA team in Annapolis (6/3/17), Cape Cod (10/7/17) or Amelia Island, FL (10/21/17) to celebrate 10 wonderful years of ZOOMA!
BRANDI2017 saves 10% off registration for any 2017 ZOOMA Event

2017 is bound to be EPIC! I mean, we write our own stories each day, so fill each day and each page of your book with greatness. Dream big. Work hard. Make it happen! Bring it on 2017

0 Comments

Remembering Pappy

5/27/2017

0 Comments

While some readers know me a little more personally than others, I always try to give you all the honest truth an non-filtered look into my life. With that said, I am sharing something a little more personal with each of you today. Today is one of the hardest days of my life to go through each year - it is the 5th anniversary of the passing of my grandfather, Pappy

In 2012, my mom and I had already had plans to go to south Florida over Memorial Day weekend to visit family. About 3 weeks before our trip we learned that Pappy had degenerative heart failure and his time with us was likely limited. Pappy never knew he was "sick" - it was a family decision to just let him live the rest of his time in joy and not worry about what will happen to his wife once he passes.

Mom and I decided to soak up as much time with Pappy as we could on this trip for sure. We took him of his favorite places in the world - the beach. While we couldn't get him out of the car, we parked along the water and rolled down the windows for him to see the water and feel the ocean breeze which he absolutely loved.

The next day, just as mom and I were getting ready to go visit him we got the call. Pappy had passed away just as the nurse was getting him ready for dinner. It was beyond emotional to say the least. Not only did one of the closest people in my life pass away, he passed away just before I was going to spend some more time with him. I went through a lot of emotions. There was a few week period of time that I wasn't me at all. The only things that I would do in my spare time were puzzles and running which both helped me clear my mind on a daily basis.

While Pappy never got to see me run a race, he played a very important part in my running. After every race, I would always call Pappy and tell him about the race, how I did, and of course the weather (he always loved talking about the weather). During our talks, he would frequently tell me that I was "full of crap" and I didn't really run that far (whether it was a 5K or a 1/2 Marathon). He always liked to push my buttons and try to get me to whine ever since the day I was born - that is what grandfathers are for. I always told him that I was going to run a marathon one day and he always egged me on that I wouldn't (jokingly of course).

Shortly after Pappy passed away, I decided that it was time to take on the challenge of a marathon. I was going to conquer my first 26.2 and dedicate my run to him. With that in mind, I knew the best place to run my first marathon would be in Palm Beach where my a lot of my family resides, along with the burial spot of Pappy. When I wanted to quit the marathon so badly in the last few miles, I knew that I could not let Pappy down. I knew that he would not let me quit and that I needed to cross the finish line for him. After finishing, I went out to see him and show off my new bling to him. I knew that he was so proud of me.

Four years later, Pappy still plays a very important part in my life. Every time I lace up my running shoes I think of him and I even carry a little something special that reminds me of him while I run. While he is not here with me, he gives me strength to keep pushing myself more each day and to continue to make him proud.

With Pappy's Terrible Towel at Heinz Field when I ran the Pittsburgh 1/2 Marathon

My shirt that I wear this weekend each year which I am wearing to today's Holly Springs 5K

May 27th is without a doubt one of most emotional days of the year for me. Pappy and I were very close and to say that I miss him each and every day is a absolute understatement. All I can do is go out into the world and make him proud in everything that I do! <3

0 Comments

Celebrating 3 Years of Our #RunStreak

5/26/2017

0 Comments

My run streak (and Momma K's) is now at 3 years!!!!!! Yes, 3 years (1,096 consecutive days) of 1+ mile per day...EVERY SINGLE DAY! What a wild and crazy 3 years it has been to say the least. To celebrate the 3 year anniversary of our run streak, I wanted to share the story of how the streak started and some fun memories along the way.

In May 2014, Momma K and I took on the Runner's World Run Streak challenge. During the challenge you complete at least 1 mile per day from Memorial Day until July 4th. The Run Streak is an awesome way to commit to stay active during the summer months where many people are busy with vacations, days at the pool/beach/lake, etc. Momma K and I were both in training for the Dumbo Double Dare at Disneyland so we figured we would just do a "easy mile" on the days that we would typically rest. Everyone has their own opinions on run streaks, but we were down to try it.

Each day we diligently logged our mile. Whether it was a race, a training run, a quick mile before yoga, or a lap around the neighborhood, we got our mile in. The "end" of the run streak was on July 4th which was the Peachtree Road Race 10K and we talked about how tomorrow we finally get a break. Well, July 5th rolled around and I looked at mom and said "want to go do a mile?" The rest is history

As we kept setting our eyes on short term milestones (50 days, 100 days, etc), the run streak just became a part of life. Yes, there were days that we didn't want to go do our mile, but we did it. Did we want to start back over at day 1 just because we were tired? NO!

When we hit a year it was a big deal for sure. I mean, committing to do something every SINGLE day for a year is a big deal. We even received hoodies from our running group to celebrate the milestone. We didn't stop there and here we two years later.

We have encountered some pretty crazy situations while doing our "mile+ a day." We have gone out in rain, sun, hot, cold, night and day. There was one day that we were doing our mile and a storm started rolling in and we had to haul butt back, but we got our mile in. In winter, we headed out to the park for a long training run and everything was covered in ice and also sported some pretty fancy pre-race throw aways.

Don't forget the holidays! Just because it is Christmas Day does not mean that we didn't get our mile in. Mom, dad, and I all headed out to the park to get a few miles in as a family. No matter the holiday, we were out there doing our thing and continuing our run streak.

What about vacations? Well, the first few days when we are at Disney were easy - we simply did our mile+ at the races. Even though we would be walking 10+ miles a day in the parks, we still did our mile each morning before heading off the the parks. On other vacations/racecations we have even utilized hotel parking lots to make sure our mile was done.

It has definitely been a crazy ride the past 3 years, but I wouldn't change it for anything. Each run completed has its own story and I loved getting out there each day whether with friends/family or solo. How long will the run streak continue? Only time will tell!

Question of the Day: Have you ever taken part in a run streak? How long did you "streak" for?

0 Comments

Adidas Sport Sprung Sunglasses Review

5/25/2017

1 Comment

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary pair of Adidas Sprung sunglasses in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received for this review. All thoughts are strictly my own based on my experience.

Living in the South, you learn really fast that the summer sun can be brutal. The sun plays a HUGE role in our day to day lives and even more so with outdoor sports like running. No matter if it is sunny, cloudy, or raining, I almost always have my sunglasses on. Not only do sunglasses protect my eyes from the sun and ultraviolet light, they help shield my eyes from pollen and wind (which always mess with my contact lenses otherwise).

I am going to go ahead and just admit it - I have relied on "cheap" or freebie sunglasses for a long time now. My thought process was "hey I need something to shield the sun, and these are free or inexpensive". Are they great quality? No. Do they protect my eyes? I told myself they did, even though I know they aren't doing as good of a job as needed.

When I was given the opportunity to try out a pair of Adidas Sport sunglasses, I was pretty pumped to see what I have been missing out on. I received a pair of the Adidas Sprung in black to demo out. The Adidas Sprung is part of the sport essential line and prides itself on combining a "lifestyle look" along with technical features needed in sports. Since I am one that loves wearing my sunglasses anytime I am outdoors, I was excited to have a pair sport sunglasses that not only functions well while running, but also looks good while driving or running errands.

The Adidas Sprung are definitely built for sport! There are a number of features in the design of these sunglasses that are built for durability and function for the long run. From their lens, to the frame, and details such as the nose pads and grips, the Adidas Sprung are built for athletes and casual wear alike.

Adidas Sprung Product Features

Vision Advantage™ Polycarbonate Lens

When it comes down to protecting your eyes from the sun's harmful rays, it really comes down to a quality lense. The lenses of the Adidas Sprung sunglasses are made with Vision Advantage™ Polycarbonate which means they are a durable lens that provides protection to the eye but also scratch resistant.

Double-Snap Nose Pads™

We all have different shaped faces. Some people have wider noses while others have more narrow noses - that is why it is important to have a nose piece that fits every shape and size. The Double-Snap Nose Pads™ on the Adidas Sprung are adaptable to help ensure a comfortable fit and grip for you.

SPX® frame

Made with SPX®, the frames of the Adidas Sprung are flexible, light, and allergy free for a comfortable fit for sports and casual wear alike. When it comes to running (and sports in general), any extra weight is a hinderance. Having sunglasses that are light and comfortable are definitely a "must" for me.

Traction Grip™

Nothing is worse than your sunglasses sliding off of your face because the earpiece doesn't fit, right? Well, the only thing worse is an earpiece that is too tight or pulls at your skin or hair. The Traction Grip™ strip on the temple creates a comfortable and stable non-slip point on the temples.

Review

I took my new Adidas Sprung out for a spin at a recent 5K for a trial run. The first time I put them on, I was extremely impressed with the comfort of them. I am used to glasses typically being ill-fitting and falling off my face or too tight around my temples. They honestly fit perfectly - almost like they were custom made for me.

While running, there were three main things that stood out to me: (1) comfort (2) protection/visibility and (3) performance. The Adidas Sprung were so insanely comfortable to wear on the run. It actually felt like I wasn't wearing anything at all because I didn't even notice them.

Remember how I mentioned that I thought that my 'cheapies' protected my eyes just fine? It is seriously like seeing a whole new world through these lense! I didn't realize how "dark" and glarey my old sunglasses made my vision. Everything looked a lot brighter and crisper through the lenses.

I could not be more pleased with how well the Adidas Sprung performed on the run. They didn't fog (even on a morning with over 90% humidity) and they didn't slide down the bridge of my nose, pull at my hair, or bounce around - they stayed exactly where I put them. From start line to finish line I give the Adidas Sprung a solid two thumbs up!

I even decided that these sunglasses are so comfortable and functional, that I want to wear them all the time and they have become my "everyday" sunglasses as well for driving and running errands.

A HUGE thank you again to the team at Adidas for getting me into what I call "real" sunglasses. While I have known (but didn't want to admit) that I needed a better pair of sunglasses, I just hadn't made the move. I am now hooked and I now understand why a good pair of sunglasses are a must in my running bag. I think I now all set for those sun runs with lots of sunshine coming down on me!

To learn more about the Adidas Sport Eyewear product line or to find a retailer near you, head over to their website at www.adidassporteyewear.com for more information.

Follow Adidas Sport Eyewear on social media as well for looks at new products and other updates.
Adidas Sport Eyewear on Facebook
Adidas Sport Eyewear on Instagram
Adidas Sport Eyewear on Twitter

1 Comment

Gluten Free & Allergen Friendly Expo - Atlanta, GA - May 20-21, 2017

5/24/2017

0 Comments

Disclaimer: As an official blogger for the Atlanta Gluten Free & Allergen Friendly Expo, I received complimentary entry to the expo as well as a welcome breakfast and blogger swag bag. No other compensation was exchanged and all opinions are my own.

Those with special dietary needs know that it can be a challenge to find products and recipes that fit their restrictions, yet still taste great which is why expos such as the Gluten Free & Allergen Friendly expo are so important and informative.

I always love checking out new products and "new to me" products, so events like these always excite me. While dietary restrictions do not impact me directly, having friends with special dietary needs leaves me striving to find new products that I can share with them and knowledge about their needs and what to look for in ingredients of recipes and foods for them.

Dietary restrictions are real, it is up to us to be knowledgeable of their needs and support them in every way possible so they know that they are not alone. Knowledge is so powerful, y'all! Imagine going to a house party with friends and not being able to eat any of the foods because of a dietary restriction. Don't be the friend that doesn't take into consideration the dietary needs of your friends. Instead, make yourself knowledgeable on what their needs are and how you can accommodate their needs. I don't expect to know EVERYTHING there is to know about allergens and GF products, but just knowing what kind of products there are out there will hopefully give me the tools that I need to be a better friend.

The Gluten Free & Allergen Friendly Expo is the largest gluten free & allergen friendly event in the U.S. and boasts a wide variety of products and presenters to meet dietary needs. From product samples, coupons, discounted products, and classes & demonstrations, I could not wait to check out the exhibitors!

Safety was a number one priority - as you could imagine. There were a lot of safety precautions in place and various allergen notices to help attendees know what booths are safe for them. All of the booths were gluten free, however there was also an area of red booths that were also nut free on one side of the expo hall. Each booth also had cards with their products that listed various allergens to help you know what products to avoid for your particular restrictions.

There were a wide variety of exhibitors in attendance today and I was ready to check out their products and of course sample all the tasty goodness! There were also various classes scheduled throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday covering a wide variety of topics like converting recipes and healing inflammation.

The blogger team gathered around 9:15 for a pre-expo meeting with the GF & AF Expo team. The awesome team at BFree were generous to sponsor a blogger breakfast before we started the day. We got to fill up with their tasty bagels and fruit and learn a little more about their products and their upcoming products hitting shelves.

After breakfast and a quick blogger meeting and photo, we were on our way to check out the expo floor. To be honest - there were so many great products out there! There were some that I was already familiar with (but I never turn down a free sample - haha) and others that I had never heard of before. I was really pleased because there wasn't too much overlap in product types and almost every single booth was geared directly to the GF community which is awesome. I have been to some other health/fitness expos recently and the number of irrelevant booths (LuLaRoe/fashion, home improvement, etc) was excessive.

As much as I would love to be able to talk about each and every company that I visited with on Saturday, that is not feasible. (If you want to check out the exhibitors, you can head to the GF & AF website to see the full list) Instead, I wanted to highlight a few of the exhibitors that really stood out to me the most.

NIMA Sensor - www.nimasensor.com

Cooking at home, you have a lot of control and knowledge of what you are putting into your body. What if you head out to eat dinner with friends? What is exactly in the meal you are having while on vacation? Is there cross contamination? Is it really gluten free?

NIMA is a food sensor that you simply put a small sampling of your meal into a vial and the sensor indicates if there is gluten in the sample. Sometimes foods are mis-advertised as gluten free, sometimes there is cross contamination, etc. Having NIMA helps you be more knowledgeable about the foods you are about to consume before eating it. They also have a NIMA app that users can post their results to in order to help others know in advance if there are issues prior to dining there.

Right now the NIMA Senor only reads for gluten, but this summer they are coming out with a peanut sensor as well which is HUGE for those with severe peanut allergies. To learn more about NIMA Sensor, check out their website at www.nimasensor.com

BFree - www.us.bfreefoods.com

One of the hands-down most popular booths of the expo was the BFree booth. They came out in full force with their lines of wheat and gluten free rolls, wraps, breads, bagels, and more! Trust me, these are some great tasting breads! The bagel I had at the blogger breakfast was AMAZING, so know wonder why they were slammed at their booth. They had expo special pricing, so people were definitely taking advantage and stocking up on their favorite BFree products. To find where BFree is sold at near you or to learn more about them, check out their website www.us.bfreefoods.com.

Brazi Bites - www.brazibites.com

You might remember seeing Brazi Bites on Shark Tank. I know one thing is for sure though, your belly won't forget trying them! OMGoodness! These things are AMAZING! To be honest, I am not a huge fan of frozen bread products - they just never seem to taste good to me. Brazi Bites totally changed my mind on that though! I was skeptical but the Cheddar & Parmesan Brazi Bites were basically about life changing to my taste buds as soon as it hit my tongue. You can buy Brazi Bites on their website, but they are sold in a number of retailers nationwide including the Costco near me...I don't know if that is a good thing yet though. HAHA!

I Heart Keenwah - www.iheartkeenwah.com

Is it redundant to say that "I heart 'I Heart Keenwah'"? These little quinoa puffs are pure awesomeness! I was skeptical at first, but man, I am glad I tried these. The cheddar ones honestly tasted even better than those puffs you might have eaten as a kid! I Heart Keenwah was definitely a great find. They have other products in their line such as chocolate puffs, clusters, and cereal, so be sure to check out all they have to off at www.iheartkeenwah.com.

Perfectly Free Frozen Treats - www.perfectlyfree.com

With the summer heat revving up, you might be looking for some tasty frozen treats to cool you down after a day in the sun. Perfectly Free are frozen treats in the form of bites and pints that are free of the top 8 allergens in them, so they are safe to eat for a wide variety of consumers. The bites concept is pretty cool because they are portion controlled and have as little as 25 calories per bite! To check them out, find a retailer near you, and to download a $1 off coupon, head to www.perfectlyfree.com.

It was a great day of fun at the expo for sure! My family and friends all left with smiles on our faces, full bellies of tasty samples galore, bags full of products to try at home, and brains full of new knowledge. I call that a success!

A HUGE thank you again to the team at Gluten Free & Allergen Friendly Expo for having me as a part of their blogger team! I had a wonderful time connecting with other bloggers, trying new products, and learning more about the gluten free community and products. I hope that the expo returns to Atlanta in 2018 because I will most definitely be heading back! Also, a big thank you to all of the exhibitors who showcased their products today and making the expo possible.

There are more GF & AF Expos happening across the country throughout the year, so be sure to had over to their website for more information and tickets.
www.gfafexpo.com

To stay up to date with all the latest happenings at Gluten Free & Allergen Friendly expos around the country, follow them on social media!
GF & AF Expo on Facebook
GF & AF Expo on Twitter
GF & AF Expo on Instagram

0 Comments

LifeTrak ZOOM HRV Product Review

5/23/2017

0 Comments

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary LifeTrak ZOOM HRV and Arm & Ankle Bands in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received for this review. All thoughts are strictly my own based on my experience using the LifeTrak ZOOM HRV.

Since Early March, I have really started to amp up my training. I have big goals for my running this year and I know that I can't just run and reach those goals. There is more to proper training than just simply running so I started including a lot more cross training in my schedule and really sticking with an actual plan rather than just winging it.

There are so many different moving parts to training and living a healthy lifestyle - including nutrition, activity, and general health. While I was doing a great job balancing my nutrition, getting my workouts in, and balancing a healthy lifestyle, I knew that there was more underneath what I was doing that I couldn't see to help improve my fitness while reaching my goals. Which is why I was excited to receive an email from LifeTrak to test out their Zoom HRV band.

"Zoom HRV™ is simply the most comprehensive heart rate training wearable device ever created. It represents a quantum leap in performance capability over similar devices. Most wearables boasting heart rate detection struggle to match the reliability of the most basic chest-belts. Zoom HRV delivers a next-generation suite of biometric heart rate insights that will revolutionize how you train, how you recover, and, most importantly, how you reach new personal bests.

Zoom HRV continuously measures heart rate intensity on land and even under water. Its sensors also detect heart rate variability (HRV) to measure recovery level before and after workouts, and even while you sleep. Physicians and trainers have relied on HRV for decades because it is one of the most important indicators of personal fitness."

(Source: LifeTrak)

That all sounds pretty cool, huh? If you are like me, you are probably thinking "ok, so what makes the Zoom HRV different than other activity trackers? Zoom HRV is a water resistant (up to 50 meter) band that can be worn on your upper arm, lower arm, wrist or ankle. The Zoom HRV measures a wide variety of data including continuous heart rate monitoring, burned calories (based on heart rate intensity), sleep, and can measure various activities such as steps, pool laps, and bike RPMs.

Source: LifeTrak

The team at LifeTrak included the Zoom HRV band as well as the optional arm & ankle bands. The standard Zoom HRV package includes a band for your wrist, but it was super nice to have the option to be able to wear my monitor on my upper arm or ankle if I choose to. To be 100% honest, I definitely prefered the wrist option, but having an option to wear the device differently was a huge plus. A lot of activity trackers limit you to just being able to wear it on your wrist, so having some flexibility was a nice option.

I was obviously excited to dig into the box and check everything out - fortunately I restrained just long enough to snap a few pictures. The contents of the Zoom HRV includes the Zoom pod, a silicone wrist band (fits wrists 5.90"-8.25"), pod docking station with USB charging cable, and instructions.

The instructions to setup the Zoom HRV and app were super easy to follow. Within in minutes, my Zoom HRV and app were set up, synced, and ready to go.

Many activity trackers offer users at most a day's worth of tracking for a single charge (some even only hold a charge for less than 20 hours). The Zoom HRV provides data and tracking on a single charge for five days (as a bonus, it charges pretty quickly too).

Activity trackers are known mainly for tracking just your steps and maybe a few other stats based on your steps (calories, distance, etc). The Zoom HRV counts your steps and distance, however it does SO MUCH MORE and with a lot more sophisticated measurements. First, it monitors ALL physical movements (RPMs on a bike, swimming, etc). In addition, it continuously measures your heart rate to not only show you your heart rate (resting heart rate, high/low heart rate, zones, etc), it takes that data to calculate your calories burned as well as how well your body has recovered since your last workout.

From cross training workouts at the gym, to runs, to just daily life activities, I took my Zoom HRV out for a spin over the past few weeks. I won't lie, the amount of data that the Zoom HRV was able to provide me with was a little overwhelming at first. Once I learned what exactly I was looking for and the data that meant most to me and my workout and training plan, it was pretty eye opening.

V Scan & V Score

Ever since really increasing my cross training and working with my trainer the past few months, I couldn't help but think about the recovery needed between workouts. I am known for being like "no leg day today because I have a half marathon on Saturday" but what about just between workouts and runs in general? I was really intrigued by the concept of the VScan and VScore to take a more in depth look at my body and its recovery. The VScan and VScore are kind of tricky to explain, I will let the folks at LifeTrak explain:

Zoom measures your HRV two ways. If you want to take a real-time HRV measurement double-press the Zoom button and stay still and quiet for 3 minutes. It’s best to do this at the same time in the same place daily for consistent readings. We call this a Vscan.

Zoom measures your HRV two ways. Since your real-time HRV readings (Vscan) can be affected by many physiological factors and external stimuli, Zoom also takes an automatic HRV measurement nightly while you sleep. This is called a Vscore and it provides you with a running HRV average that’s personalized to you. After 10 days, your Vscore will be well established and will serve as your baseline from which to compare your Vscan readings. Once you see your results on the Zoom HRV app, be sure to swipe left to view Zoom guidance and a training recommendation for the day. Note: You must wear your Zoom while sleeping to get an accurate Vscore baseline."

(Source: LifeTrak)

Sleep Monitoring

One of my favorite features of the Zoom HRV is that its sleep monitoring system is auto-detect! Nothing is worse that being just about asleep and wondering if you set your tracker to sleep mode. The technology in the device is able to monitor when you go to sleep and wake up automatically, so it is ready to monitor both your nightly sleep and those spontaneous and well-deserved Sunday afternoon naps. The Zoom HRV also features a vibrating alarm to gentle wake you at the desired time - way better than that obnoxious alarm clock.

Zoom HRV collects your sleep data such as duration, amount of "deep sleep", and times waken to calculate out your sleep quality for the day. This is great information to analyze and be able to change your sleep routine to give your body the rest it needs to recover from your workout and gear up for tomorrow!

Calorie Burn

You can't out exercise a bad diet. Keeping track of your calories consume versus the calories you burn is a big part of a healthy lifestyle. The Zoom HRV calculates your energy used through your heart rate intensity throughout the day. You will be surprised at how many extra calories you can burn throughout the day just by adding some extra movement to your day. Maybe you take a 5 minute walk during your lunch break or take the stairs instead of the elevator at the office. It all adds up at the end of the day, and the Zoom HRV app gives you a graph of your calories burned throughout the day to prove it.

Heart Rate

The HRV in Zoom HRV stands for Heart Rate Variability which is the measurement of time between heart-beats. Basically the greater the time between heart-beats the more physically rested and recovered you are. Zoom HRV is able to detect and analyze the micro-fluctuations in time between heart-beats to assess your state of recovery.

Through the Zoom HRV app, I was able to able to analyze my daily heart rate throughout the day with a heart rate feedback that was tested by LifeTrak to be 99% comparable to chest heart rate belts.

During my workout, the Zoom HRV has a vibra-alert that vibrates when you move between heart rate zones and the lights on the pod show what zone you are in. Even better is the Zoom HRV is water resistant up to 50M so you can monitor your heart rate continuously through sweaty workouts, the pool, or the shower.

As I mentioned earlier, the amount of information that the Zoom HRV provides you can be a lot to digest at first. I recommend taking a look at the types of data that your app will give you and narrow in on those stats at first when using the Zoom HRV.

The price point of the Zoom HRV is pretty awesome if you ask me. Zoom HRV is currently available on Amazon and the LifeTrak website for $139.99. This price is comparable to many of the "main stream" activity trackers out there on the market, but it is so much more. Actually, the data you get from the Zoom HRV is like similar devices that are $300+ that I have seen out in the market.

A huge thank you again to the team at LifeTrak for giving me the opportunity to demo the Zoom HRV. I learned a lot of great information about the way my body is working and working to optimize my workouts more efficiently with the data. Knowledge is definitely power.

0 Comments

Swift Cantrell Classic 5K - May 13, 2017

5/22/2017

1 Comment

The Kennesaw Grand Prix is a family favorite of ours (and our friends as well) and is a series of 5Ks over the year and is a very well received series by the community. The race is located fairly close to home, is a well organized race, and is a pretty good little course for sure. The series starts off with the Swift Cantrell Classic 5K in May followed by five additional 5Ks over the next five months.

We arrived to the race fairly early (as normal). There is pretty ample parking at these races, but we had to pickup our bibs, use the restroom, etc so we just like to be sure we aren't too rushed or stressed. It didn't take long for us to run into our friends Chris, Zack and Shannon before the race. There were a few pretty good races happening around town this weekend and a number of our running friends were in California for Tinker Bell 1/2 Marathon Weekend , so our group of running friends here today wasn't too big

Approximately 900 runners lined up to get ready on a 3.1 mile trek Kennesaw. The race started on schedule and we were on our way!

All 6 races in the Kennesaw Grand Prix are ran on the same course. The course starts at Kennesaw First Baptist Church and heads out towards Swift Cantrell Park. After a mile long loop of the park, you head back towards downtown Kennesaw and finish at the Depot. The course is absolutely one of the most flat courses you will find in metro-Atlanta. Yes, there are some very minimal 'hills' along the way, but by Atlanta standards, it is pretty darn flat.

While nursing an angry IT band as a result of the TearDrop Half Marathon, I was kindly requested by my trainer to not do anything "stupid" today. I turned my pace off of my Garmin and ran at a comfortable pace and not push myself today. When I cross the finish line will be when I know my splits and pace for today.

I ran a solid first mile - actually, it was one of my fastest miles ever. Mile two inside of the park was pretty decent with just a slightly slower pace, but still pretty solid for me. I typically slow down a little bit inside of the park because the course is pretty narrow at this point as it is paved trail in the park so maneuvering around folks can be kind of tricky. The final mile has a bit of a long yet very gradual uphill before the final .2 mile of downhill to the finish line. Going uphill I definitely felt my leg get a little irritated, so I slowed down a bit in that last mile.

One of my favorite things about the Kenensaw Grand Prix series is that the mayor of Kennesaw greets you at the finish line with high fives. How cool is that?!?! When I hit the finish line, I came to find out that I actually just missed my 5K by about 20 seconds. Not too shabby for taking it easy, huh?

After crossing the finish line, I grabbed some water and waited near the finish line to cheer on the runners and wait for my peeps to arrive.

The post race area was held in the Depot area near the finish line. There were a few vendors set up, but to be honest I didn't really stay in here very long. The area was pretty crowded between the t-shirt line, getting samples from Bai, and those waiting for the awards ceremony to start. It's not that the crowds bother me, it is when I feel like no matter where I stand/walk that I am in someone's way that gets me. Since we had some errands to run and we on a time schedule, we didn't stick around too long.

The Kennesaw Grand Prix Series is a great series for sure, and I highly recommend any of their races. They are all super organized and you cannot beat that course. Seriously, you won't find many flatter 5K courses in the Atlanta area. We will definitely be back on June 17th for the Dream Dash 5K and cannot wait to get another try at this course.

To learn more about the Kennesaw Grand Prix series and register for their upcoming races, be sure to check out their website.

1 Comment

Pittsburgh 1/2 Marathon - May 7, 2017

5/19/2017

0 Comments

Disclaimer: As a 2017 #GameOnPGH Blogger, I received complimentary entry to the the Pittsburgh 1/2 Marathon. No monetary compensation was received and all thoughts are my own.

Ever since crossing the finish line of the 2016 Pittsburgh Half Marathon I have been ready to run this race again. It is one of my favorite races of the year for so many reasons and I have been counting down the days until I took to the streets and bridges of the Pittsburgh Half Marathon once again. After a fun-filled Saturday of a 5K and touring and eating my way through Pittsburgh, it was time to gear up for 13.1 miles.

Papa J dropped Momma K and I off at the race start area and headed back to the hotel to rest a bit before heading back to meet us at the finish. A perk of being a member of Steel City Road Runners is that you get to enjoy pre-race and post-race hospitality on Sunday. The pre-race lounge was at the Westin, so we were able to escape the cooler temps and faint drizzle and wait inside for race time. The hospitality lounge offered a light breakfast in addition to indoor restrooms and gear check. Since we knew what the weather was like out there, we decided to hang out inside as long as possible.

The walk from the Westin to the corrals was pretty short in comparison to a lot of other big races (especially if you were in the first corrals). The road was still open to cars, so that made for an interesting time with long port-o-potty lines that were stretched across the road. Fortunately, everyone was civil and patient.

We got to corral C with plenty of time time to spare. They close off the corral entrances leading up to race time, so we got to our corral about 10 minutes before it closed. The port-o-potty line was kind of ridiculous and ended up being really slow moving. It was almost our turn when the National Anthem was playing and out of fear that we would miss our corral's start, we bailed out of line (we had already gone, this was a "just in case" trip).

We hung out waiting and waiting. There was a lot of music going, but there wasn't corrals starting. Eventually the corrals went off, but it was about 15 minutes behind. I am not exactly sure what was up, because we couldn't hear much (other than music) in the back corrals. The first corrals went off and we made our way up to the start line for our turn.

About 7:40 I was off and on my way! I had decided that for the first time in what seems like forever, I was just going to enjoy my run and not worry about pace at all. I deemed this my "victory lap" after half marathon PR'ing a week earlier and running a 5K PR yesterday. For months I have been working on pace and using other races as training runs with my half marathon PR as my focus since early March. Today I was going to give all the high fives I could and selfie and smile my way through Pittsburgh.

Before I knew it I was crossing the first bridge that I would be running today. Call me a dork, but I get totally giddy running across the bridges. What made it even more exciting was that I spotted my Ohana on the bridge! Their cheers are the best...period. Seeing their faces made the morning even better.

Just past mile 3 the number of spectators really started to pick up. While today's race goal was to have fun and just enjoy the race, I must say that my pace picked up quite a bit here. I am definitely one that feeds off of the energy of spectators and volunteers, so I cannot thank the spectators enough for coming out today.

Due to construction on the Warhol Bridge, this year's course was slightly different than in the past. Rather than running back and forth over two bridges, we got to run past all three professional sports venues this year! First up was PNC Park followed by Heinz Field almost back to back.

Up next was bridge #2, the West End Bridge. I knew from past years that there was a slight incline in this bridge along with an uphill section almost immediately after. The Steeline was ready to get us over that bridge though!

What goes up, must come down, right? After you make it through the hill in the West End, you hit an amazing spectator zone along with a nice downhill. Downhill portions are always very welcomed by me.

After taking a right-hand turn onto Carson Street, you keep going straight down Carson for about 3 miles. I love this section because you are along the Monongahela River for a lot of the way.

Compared to Atlanta, the Pittsburgh 1/2 Marathon course is pretty flat, but I was still happy to get to the E-ZPass Mile (the flattest mile on the course). This section of South Side is full of spectators without the presence of hills.

The final bridge crossing was heading over the Birmingham Bridge. Some lovely spectators where handing out Twizzlers just as you started the bridge. Since I cannot turn down a mid-race snack, I gladly accepted the Twizzler and proceeded along my merry way.

As I mentioned earlier, there was some course modifications from last year, so rather than running UP HILL along Boulevard of the Allies most of the final mile, we got a nice flat-ish (and even downhill at times) final stretch. I got to run into my friends Elle and Sarah here which was awesome to see their faces.

To cap off the trifecta of Pittsburgh professional sports facilities, we went past PPG Paints Arena, home of the Penguins!

Just as I did in 2016, I twirled my Terrible Towel in the air the entire last stretch. Seriously, I was acting like the Steelers just won the Super Bowl or something. It is my race and my finish, and it was the perfect ending to a pretty amazing morning.

The finishers' chute goes on for what feels like an eternity, but down the line you find all kinds of tasty goods including water, sports drink, bagels, bananas, chips, and most importantly Smiley Cookies from Eat'n Park!

The claustrophobic inside of me panicked slightly making my way out of the finishers' chute into Point State Park. There were spectators looking for their runners and runners trying to find other runners, so it bottle-necked here a bit. After you made your way through, the park was quite spacious.

Inside the park area there were a few vendors, food trucks, and music so runners and their family and friends could enjoy some time relaxing after the race. There were lots of celebrations and mini-naps alike happening here this morning. All were very much earned.

Papa J waited for Momma K and I in the FedEx & Steel City Road Runner Hospitality Tent. Man, I was beyond excited that I had access to this tent for a few reasons (1) an easy meeting place for family/friends, (2) private porto-potties with no lines (3) FOOD! (sandwiches, bagels, pastries, mac-n-cheese, and icecream).

Before heading back to the hotel, we went down to The Point to snap a few pictures of our newly earned bling. This is seriously one of the best places for post race pictures because of the fountain, bridges, and Heinz Field that can all serve as excellent backdrops for your pictures.

I cannot thank the team at Pittsburgh Marathon, the wonderful volunteers and emergency personnel, and spectators for making today an absolutely wonderful morning.

My 3rd Pittsburgh 1/2 Marathon and Steel Challenge (5K on Saturday and 1/2 Marathon on Sunday) are in the books and it was definitely everything that I wanted it to be and more.

Is it too soon to start planning for 2018?

0 Comments

StrideBox May 2017 Review

5/18/2017

2 Comments

Disclaimer: A HUGE thanks to the team at StrideBox for allowing me to review their subscription box service. While I did receive a box to review, no other compensation was received. As always, I keep it real and all thoughts are strictly my own.

Fitness and health products can be very tricky at times to find out what works best for you. Rather than going and dropping serious cash on products that you quickly find out that you can't stomach or don't work well for you, StrideBox lets you try various products each month before you decide to purchase large quantity packages of new products.

While every product might not be the best fit for you, you can typically find a friend that might want to try it out instead. The best part about StrideBox is that it is just $15/month and you can cancel your subscription any time if you find that you aren't enjoying your box.

Each month when I receive my StrideBox, I am honestly like a kid on Christmas morning. I absolutely cannot wait to rip into my box and see what kind of goodies await me.

One of the cool features of StrideBox is that each box comes with a "Stride Guide" inside. This guide gives you a breakdown of the products as well as information such as when to use the products in your workout/run and the retail price. To be honest, I typically ignore the "Stride Guide" until I am done unload the box so I don't ruin the surprise.

It is time to dig into this month's StrideBox and check out the goods!

Health Warrior - Pumpkin Seed Bar - Cinnamon Spice

One of my favorite things about Fall is taking hostage the seeds from carved pumpkins and toasting them. I absolutely LOVE pumpkin seeds, but never really get them outside of Halloween time. I was super pumped when I spotted this Pumpkin See bar in my StrideBox. Heath Warrior Pumpkin Seed Bars are made with 8 simple ingredients (all of which you can probably find in your kitchen!): Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Wildflower Honey, Milled Quinoa, Black Pepper, Turmeric, Coconut Oil, Sea Salt.

Salt Stick Fast Chews - Lemon Lime

Regardless of the weather, we sweat during our workouts and in turn loose a lot of electrolytes in the process. During the summer I sweat A TON and often end up being covered in dried up salt crusties all over my face (ewww). I have tried to use other means of replenishing my sweat like salt packets, but I just can't to that. I end up choking on it - true story. With a few summer time half marathons coming up, I am pumped to try out the Salt Stick FastChews on my training runs to see if they will help replenish those electrolytes lost in my sweat.

GU Energy Gels - Gingerade

Through races and running store adventures, I have seen a countless number of flavors of GU, but I have never seen Gingerade out there - sounds intriguing.

Unlike a lot of runners, I am not a gel girl by any means. There is something about the texture that gets me and I just can't do it, so I have to resort to alternative means of fuel on my long runs, so this is a sample that I will be passing along to a friend for them to try out.

Vitalyte Electrolyte Replacement - Citrus

The Vitalyte Electrolyte Replacement replenishes lost electrolytes and is also a barrier against oxidative stress. I have my favorite electrolyte replacement hydration, so I am not too inclined to really switch things up. Typically when I find electrolyte mixes in my StrideBox I pass them along to friends who might be interested in the product.

Active Intelligence Relief and Recovery Tape

If you have followed my blog or Instagram for any period of time, you have probably noticed that I always run with my right knee taped. Thanks to playing volleyball for 7 years and running over the past 5 years, my knee has taken quite a beating and often needs a little extra support on it. My Kinesiology tape has been a lifesaver! When I first spotted the AI Tape in my StrideBox, I thought it was just another Kinesiology tape. Nope. This tape is for both relief and recovery as it provides stability and also has topical pain relief ingredients to help cool and soothe muscles. With a cranky IT Band right now, I cannot wait to try this out for post run/workout recovery!

Stride Box Double Layer Cooling Towel

The dog days of summer are quickly hitting Atlanta (and probably where you are too). I am constantly trying to find ways to stay even a little bit cooler on those hot and humid summer days. Heck, even running at night it is still way hot out there. While I probably won't run with this cooling towel, I will have it ready to use as soon as my runs are over with. It will be perfect to have in my car and ready to wet as soon as I get done with a race or training run this summer!

One final thing included my StrideBox was a card with a recipe for No Bake Carrot Cake Bites from FitFoodieMama and a run warmup from Its A Marython. This was definitely a nice little bonus to check out.

As I mentioned earlier, not every sample is going to be something that directly fits your life and likes. However, I really like the concept behind subscription boxes because you can try new things that you might not have known about before. StrideBox does a great job providing various products for pre-run, during, and post-run needs. The products included are definitely geared towards runners and other athletes and are a great fit for you and your fitness goals

Question of the Day: Have you ever tried a subscription box? What kind of products would you like to see in an upcoming StrideBox?

2 Comments

<<Previous

Brandi

Archives