The First T-Shirt and Shorts Run of the Season (and a Larabar Giveaway!)

Posted on March 12, 2013 Written by 15 Comments

Yesterday.was.awesome. I was super psyched for a lot of different reasons, the first of which being the milder weather and the sunshine that appeared just in time for my late afternoon run!

logo_capecodI had a very nice 5-miler in shorts and a t-shirt and loved every minute of it. The other great part of my day was finding out (the night before) that I was selected once again as a ZOOMA Cape Cod Ambassador.

I had a FABULOUS time at ZOOMA Cape Cod last year, and I can’t wait to do it again this year! I love the race series and all that it stands for, and I am proud to be an ambassador.

Lastly, I have a Larabar über Bar giveaway. For those of you that are Biggest Loser fans, you know that the über bars were featured on the show a few weeks ago. I love the traditional Larabars and the über bars are just as yummy! The combination of sweet and salty can satisfy just about every craving, with natural, whole food ingredients.

One lucky reader will win a 4-pack of über Bars, just leave me a comment below with the flavor you would most like to try (just click on the link above). I will draw a winner using www.random.org. The giveaway will end on March 19 at 7:30 a.m. Good luck!

Filed Under: Giveaways, Nutrition, Training Tagged: ,

Wholly Guacamole!

Posted on August 29, 2012 Written by 7 Comments

My friends already know that I am kind of obsessed with guacamole, and now you do too! I met Wholly Guacamole earlier this month at BlogHer.

We go through copious amounts of guacamole in this household, especially because I don’t usually eat meat or dairy, so I need some fat in my diet! Avocados are a great source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, in addition to fiber, potassium, and vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and vitamin B6.

People tend to think of guacamole as just a dip to serve with chips.  However, there are many other ways you can use guacamole. One of my favorites is to use it as a spread for sandwiches or veggie burgers. Guacamole makes a great substitute for mayo!

My boys also love their guac! One of the ways they like to eat it is as a side to our open faced burritos and also with the red bean and quinoa chips we like to get from Trader Joe’s (a great healthy snack!).

When I opened up my cooler of guacamole and salsa, I was surprised to find out how many different types of guacamole and and salsa are made by Wholly Guacamole. We were generous and shared with friends: the Red Pepper Mango salsa was a HUGE hit.

Another one of my favorites was the 100 calorie snack packs of guacamole. These packs make a great addition to a child’s (or grownup’s!) lunch box. You could pack a 100 calorie guacamole pack and some pretzels for a great snack combo.

Wholly Guacaole has generously agreed to let me give away 4 prizes! One lucky reader will win the same cooler full of guacamole and salsa that arrived on my doorstep (see picture). Three other readers will receive coupon prize packs. The coupon prize packs will include three FREE product coupons and some fun promotional  goodies! Just enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. :-)

Make sure to check out Wholly Guacamole on Facebook (you can find coupons there) and Twitter!

Wholly Guacamole provided 30 Something Mother Runner with an assortment of their guacamole and salsa products for the purpose of this review.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Giveaways, Nutrition, Reviews Tagged: ,

Ella’s Kitchen– Healthy AND Organic Kid Food on the Go!

Posted on August 17, 2012 Written by 45 Comments

When I went to BlogHer earlier this month, I got to meet some of the wonderful people that work at Ella’s Kitchen. For those of you unfamiliar with the brand, they make all kinds of snacks, including squeezies for babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers.

My kids absolutely love squeezies (that’s what we call them in our house Winking smile), so they were super excited when our sampler arrived from Ella’s Kitchen. I had seen the squeezable fruit/veggie combinations in my local Whole Foods, but I had no idea that Ella’s Kitchen made cookies and snack bars too. Both were a hit with the boys.

I love the idea of the squeezable fruit snacks because they are easy to stash in the diaper bag, and I feel good about the fact that the boys are getting extra fruits and veggies.

One of their favorite flavors is the Sweet potatoes, pumpkin, apples, and blueberries. Even though it says baby food—the boys love it for a quick and easy snack and it has 45% of their daily iron thanks to the pumpkin!

One of the other things I enjoy about Ella’s Kitchen is that their products are organic. As a family, we try to eat organic as much as we can, but I am a stickler for organic fruits and veggies! I also like that all of their pouches and caps are BPA-free. Smile

You can check out the whole line of Ella’s Kitchen products HERE and where to buy them HERE.  One lucky reader will win a box of Ella’s Kitchen products! Check out the Rafflecopter widget below for entry instructions:

Ella’s Kitchen sent me a sampler box of their squeezies and other little treats for the kids to try and are allowing me to give one away to a reader. All opinions and writing are 100% my own (and in this case, my kids’!). 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Family, Nutrition Tagged: ,

Signing Up for My First Trail Race!

Posted on August 7, 2012 Written by 5 Comments

I saw the Lil’ Rhody Runaround 8 Mile Trail Race last year, and I was secretly hoping to run it then. Since I was injured at the time, I decided to take the plunge this year.

I have always wanted to incorporate more trail running into my training, and now I have the perfect excuse to do so! I love the solitude of running on a nature trail in the fall—perfect running temperatures, sunny weather, and crisp autumn air. It would pretty much be my ideal run.

There are some great trails in Rhode Island, and I will be on a mission to run them one weekend at a time. I don’t want to go solo, so who’s in? SmileI am also welcoming suggestions for your favorite local trails.

I am very happy to be back to my modified running schedule this week. I ran 3 miles Monday and 3 miles yesterday. Today will be an off day, which is perfect since I have SO many errands to run. I need to get measured for a bridesmaids dress (for BFF’s wedding) and the boys need to get measured for tuxes for my cousin’s wedding in September. I can’t wait to see what they look like in tuxedoes!

Last night, I cooked another very yummy plant based pizza (it just had a teeny bit of parmesan cheese). I saw the recipe in the latest issue of Vegetarian Times and it looked so nice in the photo—I had to try it!

Butternut Squash Pizza

I used the Whole Foods organic whole wheat pizza dough as the base. I roasted sliced butternut squash, red onion, and rosemary. I put the squash topping on the pizza and baked it. When it was done, I topped it with baby spinach and a little bit of fresh grated parmesan (check out the photo!).

I am normally  not a super fan of butternut squash, but this pizza was so good! We will definitely make it again! The boys also enjoyed it, which was another plus for this recipe. Smile

Filed Under: Nutrition, Racing, Training Tagged: ,

My Post Workout Nutrition and ZOOMA News!

Posted on July 24, 2012 Written by 9 Comments

Last fall I wrote about the importance of recovery snacks. After writing that post, I definitely started paying more attention to how I refuel after tough workouts and long runs. I always try to adhere to the 4:1 carbs to protein ratio, and I love products that are ready-made and make the calculation a lot easier!

A couple of months ago, I started experimenting with GU Recovery Brew after speed workouts and long runs. I like the fact that the Recovery Brew comes either in a canister or in single serve packets (I prefer these for stashing in my running bag).

Within 30 minutes after completing a tough run (ideally within 15 minutes), I refill my water bottle half way and then add the Recovery Brew packet. I shake it up to mix it well and then fill it up the rest of the way with water.

I cannot believe what a difference it has made in my recovery. I definitely don’t feel as sore the next day and I am not as ravenous when I get home from my run, since Recovery Brew packs 240 calories and 8 grams of protein. I also like that the mix contains arginine and glutamine (they help mediate the physiological effects of intense exercise).

GU Recovery Brew comes in three flavors: Strawberry Watermelon, Orange Pineapple and my favorite—Chocolate Smoothie. Since I would love to share the GU Recovery Brew love, I am going to give 4 packets to the first 6 people to leave me a comment on this post (packets will be Chocolate Smoothie).

There is also some exciting ZOOMA news! The ZOOMA race series is announcing a new race location via video on Thursday. Head over HERE and enter your guess for the new location and you could win a very cool SWAG bag! If you haven’t already registered for the ZOOMA Cape Cod Half Marathon and 10K, don’t forget to use the code and link to the right (towards the top) of this post!

I am sponsored by GU Energy Labs. 

Filed Under: Nutrition, Training Tagged: ,

“Eat and Run”– A Review

Posted on July 17, 2012 Written by 4 Comments

This past week I broke down and bought another e-reader. I was really bummed when my Kindle fried after two years and there was nothing they could do for me but offer me another one of the same model for $65. I passed because I would rather spend a little more and get a newer generation e-reader.

This time I went for the color Nook from Barnes and Noble. So far, I am VERY happy with it. The first book I read (I borrowed it from a friend via the LendMe feature!) was Eat & Run by Scott Jurek. I had been dying to read this book as soon as I heard of its imminent release. While not an ultrarunner myself, I am so curious about the allure of the distance and the people who sign up to run ultramarathons!

Eat & Run was a quick read—very engaging. I enjoyed that Scott gave a lot of detail about his personal life—a side that many of us have never seen. He recounts a number of key races in his career and how they have shaped the highs and lows of his running career. He has a very healthy perspective on running and how it fits into life.

I also really like the fact that Jurek includes a tasty vegan recipe at the end of each chapter. I knew that Scott was a vegan, but I didn’t realize that he is a pretty accomplished cook. The book covers a lot of his evolution from meat eater to vegan and the reasons for his transition.

I walked away from the book with a healthy dose of respect for those who run ultras. I am not one of those people who simply label ultra runners as “crazy.” I can understand the lure of pushing your body to the limit and further. While I don’t think I will be running an ultra any time soon, I definitely wouldn’t count one out!

Have you read Eat & Run? If so, what are your impressions of the book?

Filed Under: Motivation, Nutrition, Reviews Tagged: , ,

Time to Pump Some Iron

Posted on July 5, 2012 Written by 5 Comments

I didn’t get to post yesterday, since I spent most of the day up at the hospital with my Grandma. On Monday, my Grandma missed a step and fell and broke her pelvis in two places! Sad smile

My Grandma is such an AMAZING woman, it would take many posts to elaborate on that. She is also a tremendously strong person with an unbelievable pain threshold. She NEVER complains about anything. In fact, she didn’t even cry after the fall. I can’t even comprehend how painful it must have been.

She is doing better now and will probably be in the hospital for another day before she goes to a facility for rehab. I am so grateful she didn’t break her hip, which would have resulted in surgery. She’s in great shape (she probably does more activity than a lot of people half her age!), and I think she will have a great recovery.

Yesterday, I decided to have my iron levels checked on a hunch that they were probably on the low side. Since I don’t eat meat and my mileage is creeping up, I wanted to be proactive on the iron front. As my suspicions confirmed, my iron levels were on the low end of normal and my ferritin was only 9 (ideally it should be above 20).

My doctor has told me to take an iron supplement once a day—I am doing the liquid supplement, since it can be better absorbed. I also decided to add on a B-complex, to make sure I am getting enough B12 (if you don’t eat meat, you can sometimes  be deficient in B12). My coach said that it will take about 5-7 weeks to notice a difference in my performance. My running should feel much better at that time and hopefully my performance will be better too!

It’s race day, and I will be running this evening. I haven’t run since last Friday because of the wedding and my Grandma being in the hospital, so I am hoping that my legs are nice and fresh!

Filed Under: Health, Nutrition, Training Tagged:

My Love Affair with Progression Runs

Posted on June 15, 2012 Written by 1 Comment

Yesterday I had an AWESOME run. That combined with the beautiful sunny afternoon kicked me out of the rut I have been hanging in for the past few days!

I was a little apprehensive heading into this run, since I am now ramping up my mileage slowly to get in fighting shape for my fall half marathon. I did 8 miles total: 2 mile w/u, 5 mile cutdown (8:55, 8:45, 8:35, 8:25, 8:15 – No rest), 1 mile c/d.

I have always known that I would be a better distance runner than a sprinter. It takes me a good couple of miles before I feel like I really hit my stride. This is why, although I balk at 2 mile warm ups, they are a VERY good thing for me.

I felt great going at an easy pace and then I just kept upping the speed, I actually finished the last 0.4 miles at mile 7 at 6:45! Progression runs are also great at breaking up the monotony of a treadmill run. Your run is broken up into more manageable one mile chunks.

Yesterday was also a great day because I got to hang out with friends for our biweekly dinner and play date and the man in brown showed up with my GU Energy Labs delivery. One of the bonuses of being sponsored by GU is getting to order supplies quarterly at a great discount! Thanks GU!

I have been using the GU Recovery Brew in Orange-Pineapple after speed work and long runs with great results. More on that later—with an awesome giveaway!

This weekend I plan on piling on the miles—7 easy on Saturday and 12 on Sunday with w/6 x 60 sec surges @ 7:40 pace w/5 minutes of easy between starting at mile 7. My legs will definitely be tired on Monday! Winking smile

Filed Under: Nutrition, Training Tagged: , ,

It’s TRX Tuesday!

Posted on May 22, 2012 Written by 5 Comments

Time for another butt-kicking TRX workout this  morning! Last week we incorporated some “cardio” into the workout. My calves were still feeling the jumping moves two days later! I am a little apprehensive of what’s on the menu today…

So I mentioned in my last post that the training plan for next month almost made me spit out my coffee when I opened it last week. Apparently my coach thinks I am back in full effect because he had no mercy when putting this plan together. Here are two of the workouts if you don’t believe me: 12 mile long w/6 x 60 sec surges @ 7:40 pace w/5 min easy between starting at mile 7; 2 mile warm up, 4 x 5 mins @ 7:25 to 7:35 pace w/4min easy jog rest between each, 2 mile cool down. Eek!

At least I know, my aerobic capacity is going to be right back up there after next month! On a less anxiety-inducing note, I was so excited to find FRESH strawberries when I hit up my local Whole Foods yesterday. The farmer’s market has started (there is always one from 4-7pm on Monday’s at the University Heights store), and I bought the last pint of organic strawberries. NOTHING beats fresh local strawberries, and the fact that they are organic makes it that much sweeter (pun intended). The boys and I finished off the pint in about two minutes!

Filed Under: Cross Training, Nutrition, Training Tagged: ,

Healthy Snacks On the Go

Posted on May 8, 2012 Written by 3 Comments

I am a person who likes to snack often. I occasionally suffer from “hanger”—I get so hungry that I get angry if I don’t eat ASAP. Consequently, I ALWAYS carry snacks. The snacks also come in handy for my constantly starving sons! My husband likes to joke that if I say I am getting kind of hungry, in about five seconds minutes I will be starving. I guess that’s pretty much the truth. Winking smile

So, one of the first things I did the morning after we got to Vermont last week was to hit the local grocery store. We visited the Shaw’s that was right across the street from our hotel to stock up on some healthy snacking options.

The boys and I hit the produce aisle first, picking up some cut up watermelon (a splurge, but so yummy!), organic apples, organic baby carrots, and some organic bananas. The hummus was on sale, so we snagged some of that too. Baby carrots and hummus make a great pre-dinner appetizer.

We also got some healthy  breakfast options. While it was nice that the hotel offered a complimentary continental breakfast, it left a lot to be desired. The offerings consisted of sausage, egg, and biscuit breakfast sandwiches, make your own waffles, assorted sugary cereals, and breakfast pastries. Oh, and there was a small bowl of bananas on the bar. By getting some healthy breakfast options like cereal with milk or oatmeal, you can get your first day of travel off to a good start.

We filled the cart with a canister of pretzel rods and a jar of unsweetened, unsalted peanut butter. Nothing satisfies a salt craving like a pretzel rod dipped in peanut butter! The Larabars were on sale for a $1- total SCORE! I picked up a bunch of different flavors.

The takeaway here is that it is key to be prepared when you travel. Many times, we make choices we regret later simply because we aren’t prepared with suitable alternatives. With a little preparation and planning, your healthy eating doesn’t have to suffer when you are on the road!

Here are some great healthy snack ideas for on-the-go:

  • Apples (with or without peanut butter)
  • Pretzels
  • String cheese (if you eat dairy)
  • Single serve Greek yogurts (if you eat dairy)
  • Protein bars
  • Cut up fruit (melon, apple slices, etc.)
  • Baby carrots (with or without hummus)

What are you favorite healthy snacks when you’re on the go?

Filed Under: Nutrition, Travel Tagged:
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