I can’t wait to recap the Tough Mudder, but I want to wait until I have the photos. You can check out my friend, Mallory’s, recap here, though. Her pictures are fantastic!

A few weeks ago Designer Whey sent me a little goodie basket to try out.

I didn’t waste any time digging into the Peanut Butter Crunch Protein Bar – and it was seriously delicious. The chocolate caramel crunch was just ok, but the peanut butter was the jam! But what I really wanted to do was try a recipe with the protein powder(s). J and I are always looking for something quick to grab before heading to Crossfit and, after 2 miserable failures (seriously, the cookies I made ended up as dog treats!), I finally hit the jackpot.

Homemade protein granola bars!

I based the recipe off this one from the Designer Whey website, but I substituted ground flax for the wheat germ and only used half the oil and honey the recipe called for. I also added raisins for some extra chewiness, which was a great idea. I made them this afternoon and they’re already half gone!

C also loves the Lemonade Protein 2 Go packs. He drinks them before and during his soccer games/practices, and even when we’re just hanging out!

Thumbs up, Designer Whey!

Do you use protein powder? What brand is your favorite?

Due to being a Fitfluential ambassador, I was provided this sample pack from Designer Whey free of charge in exchange for my review.  As always, all opinions are my own.

Thanks to my amazing relationship with Fitfluential, I was offered the change to review the new Saucony Kinvara4′s.

To be honest, the last time I wore the Saucony brand was back when I ran the Pittsburgh and Cleveland marathons in 2010. So I wasn’t even sure how I would like them. I was even a little scared to try them – I was worried I wouldn’t like them!

But, from the packaging:

to the colors:

(they seriously glow.in.the.dark)

to walking and running:

and crossfitting:

………these have become my go-to shoes. They’re so light and fit my feet like a glove – so so so comfy! The heel insert was upgraded with this new model, which adds to the cushioning, which I LOVE. But my favorite part is that the material near the back of the heel doesn’t come up as high. That’s always one of my biggest complaints with running shoes. I love it!

Get excited because the Kinvara 4 release date is May 1st, 2013!

Do you wear Saucony? Which model is your favorite??

Saucony sent me the Kinvara4′s as part of my affiliation with Fitfluential. As always, all opinions are my own.

You guys are awesome. Thank you so much for the comments on yesterday’s post! I never meant it to sound like I didn’t like or believe in myself, it was just a random thought I had one day driving home from work. Our weaknesses give us something to work on every.damn.day. I hope to never stop trying to just be better.

So you know all those monthly box subscriptions that have been all the rage lately? I’ve tried Birchbox (which I still get!), Bulu Box (which I quickly unsubscribed from), and Stride Box (meh, more for runners training for a specific race).

I think they all have potential to be something awesome, so when I was offered a chance to try Kona Kase through Fitfluential I answered a quick YES!

And I am so so so pleased I did. I love the variety they provided – chocolate, shot bloks, energy bars, oh my!

This is the “health” box I’ve been waiting for. And I’m not just saying that. There’s something for everyone (runners, lifters, crossfitters, jazzercisers, cyclists, chocolate eaters, you name it)!

Here’s some information:

Fuel Your Active Lifestyle With A Monthly Box!

$15 per month

Cancel Anytime
Multi-Month Discounts
Free Shipping on all Kases

Do you belong to any monthly box subscriptions? Which one’s your favorite? Do you love Kona Kase as much as I do???

I was provided with one month of Kona Kase goodies for review through Fitfluential. However, all opinions are my own, as always!

When I was given the opportunity to review the new Saucony Virrata’s by Fitfluential, I jumped at the chance (duh, they’re running shoes!). Plus, I ran the Pittsburgh and Cleveland marathons in Saucony’s, so the brand has been good to me.

But I really wanted to try them because they’re a zero drop shoe, meaning there’s no lift under the heel. Typical of minimalist shoes, and not shoes that I’ve ever run in.

And they’re SO DAMN PRETTY!

I wore them to work the day after I got them (casual Friday!) and kind of fell in love with the fit and how light they are. It didn’t hurt that I got a ton of compliments on them either.

In theory, they’re supposed to help you land mid foot instead of on your heel (i.e. proper running form). But what really intrigued me is that even though there’s a zero drop, they still have foam cushioning underneath the foot, which is comparable to traditional running shoes. I never thought I’d be able to wear minimalist shoes, but these are the perfect shoe to give it a shot!

So far I’ve only run in them twice, and only for 3 miles each time. And to be honest, they were so light that it felt like I was flying on the treadmill! My calves were a little sore the day after the first run (probably because I was running mid foot!) but they’ve been fine ever since. They’re definitely great for my shorter runs, and I still want to try them on a speed work day. The weight (or lack there of) has to be awesome for speed work!

I’m grateful for the opportunity to try these shoes. I love expanding my knowledge and experience with everything, but especially running!

Do you wear different shoes for speed work vs. longer run days??

I was sent these shoes for review purposes by Saucony through my affiliation with Fitfluential. All opinions, as always, are my own.

When I tried my first pair of Mizuno running shoes this past December, I very quickly fell in love.

They’re so soft and cushiony and like heaven on my feet.

So when Mizuno contacted me to ask if I wanted to try the new Wave Rider 16′s there was no way I was going to say no. I definitely wanted to give them a try!

BUT when I got my shoes they ended up being a half size too big.

I quickly emailed my contact and asked if we could do an exchange, but instead of making me send them back they suggested I gift them to a friend and they’d send me a new size for myself. Holy generous!

So now a good friend of mine and I have the newest, coolest, hottest shoes in town:

In addition to being the most comfortable shoes I’ve worn in awhile, this company has stolen my heart with their customer service, too. They have a loyal customer for LIFE!!

This also means I’ve definitely found the shoes I’ll be wearing for the Cleveland 10k. Now all I have to do is find an outfit to match my shoes (just don’t tell J).

Has a company ever won you over and/or turned you off just from their customer service??

I was generously gifted these shoes by Mizuno.  They did not ask me to blog about them.  All thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own.

And the winner is………

………..Jess! Yay!

Congrats, Friend! Email your contact information to mile26andmore@yahoo.com before 5:00 on Tuesday.

I’ll get your information to my contact at Marathon so you get your swag asap. Enjoy!

I’ll be back with an update as to what I’ve been up to tomorrow. Life has just been too busy, productive, fun, and interesting to slow down enough to blog. And I have our Group Power launch at the gym tomorrow so once that is over I’ll have more time to relax.

What’s going on in your life? Anything good?

There aren’t many energy/protein bars that I like enough to spend my money on. But I have a pretty serious love affair with Marathon Bar products.

Their crunchy dark chocolate energy bar is my absolute favorite and is becoming one of my go-to long run fuels. I just add a little crunchy peanut butter and I’m good to go (plus, they’re quick and easy to grab when you’re running late in the morning – at least from what I’ve heard, I don’t know from experience, of course ).

And recently I received some baller gear from Marathon, along with a HUGE supply of energy and protein bars!

Besides an awesome product, the company also spreads a great message. And right now they’re promoting the MARATHON Bar Pledge. It’s a sweepstake they’re running on Facebook, awarding prizes such as training gear, Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series race entries (seriously cool!), and MARATHON Bar products. To enter, all you have to do is visit the MARATHON Bar Pledge tab at Facebook.com/marathonbar and submit a Pledge telling them how you ROCK ON for your health! Each week you take the Pledge, you’ll be entered for a chance to win, with a new winner each week through the end of the sweepstakes on 8/13/2012.

So easy (took me less than a minute!), so inspiring, and so totally awesome. I love a company that supports healthy living and encourages people to move. It’s what I try to teach C every day!

But you can also win some goodies right here!

Two way to win:

1. Leave me a comment. Tell me your favorite pre-workout fuel!
2. Tweet: “I want to win the awesome @marathonbars giveaway from @heatha262. You should, too! http://tinyurl.com/7d8dyz2″ And leave me a comment letting me know you did.

You have until Sunday at 6:00pm to enter. Good luck!

Please note that Marathon provided me with these goodies free of charge, but all opinions are 100% my own (like always).

I was recently sent a pack of workout fuel (pre, post, and during) from Vega Sport, the sports nutrition company formulated by Brendan Brazier (who is totally badass, btw).

I still remember getting the email asking if I’d be interested in trying the product – we were in New York City and it was the day after the NYC Marathon. The timing couldn’t have been any more perfect since my fueling had been a disaster during the marathon. And knowing that I had a comeback marathon in mind (yes, I totally knew this as soon as I crossed the finish line in NYC), I didn’t waste any time responding that I’d be happy to try it!

Well, before I even had a chance to try any of the products, J had dug in and grabbed the Chocolate Coconut Protein Bar.

He ate it on his way home from the gym one night and called me saying “I couldn’t wait to get home to tell you this, but this chocolate coconut bar is SOOOO GOOD. Seriously, it’s the best protein bar I have ever had. The texture is amazing! I love it! Wooooo!” Ok, maybe he didn’t wooooo, but I like to remember it that way. Hehe.

He is still raving about this protein bar a month later. I’m not kidding. It’s getting kind of annoying. Maybe I should get him a pack of these for Valentines Day. Protein bars and beer. Perfect gift.

Anyways, I went a different route and tried the pre-workout fuel. If you don’t know, I have a pretty awesome work schedule. I work 7am to 2pm, except for the months of February, March, and April when I work full-time (today I worked 7 to 6). I love getting off work at 2:00 – it gives me time to get my workout in before dinner and family time. But it’s also the time my body crashes and I don’t have much energy.

And, no joke, the Vega Sport Pre-Workout Energizer is amazing. I mix it with water and that’s it. Easy peasy.

It honestly gives me the energy boost I need for my afternoon run. It’s my most favorite product in the whole box!

To be fair, though, I haven’t tried any of the during, or “sustain”, products yet. But training is starting to amp up and now is the perfect time to try something new. I’ll definitely let you know how they are!

And, lucky for you, the people at Vega Sport offered to send one of YOU a tub of the Pre-Workout Energizer (no fair, I want to win)!! There are 2 ways to enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me your pre-workout fuel of choice.
2. Tweet “I want to win the super awesome @VegaSport giveaway from @heatha262. You should, too!” and link to this post (leave me a comment telling me you tweeted). You can tweet once day until 5pm on Sunday, February 12th (make sure you leave a comment for each tweet!).

GOOD LUCK!

And don’t forget the Run for Sherry this Saturday in the Rocky River Metroparks at 9am! We’re planning a coffee/bagels date at Einstein’s for after. So leave a little time to hang out after!

Disclaimer: I was sent these products free of charge from Vega Sports. But opinions are 100% my own (and J’s).

Hey kids. How was the weekend? I spent my Saturday and Sunday getting the rest of my Christmas shopping done. I really thought I was prepared this year, but it turns out I’m not as organized as I thought. Which means, I’m actually a mess like usual this time of year. But, after today, I’m proud to say that I’m pretty much DONE shopping except for a few odds and ends. Which is a great thing for my bank account.

And since I spent most of my time this weekend in stores, stores, and more stores, I don’t have many pictures or stories to tell. Which is great for you guys because I figure it’s the perfect time for the giveaway I’ve been sitting on!

It’s not a secret that I’ve put on some (or lots of) unwanted pounds this year. I mean, there are pictures of me all over this site, so it’s not something I can really hide.

So when the rep for Wasa Crispbreads contacted me to ask if I wanted to sample some of their products there was no way I was going to say no.

Because when I first committed to losing weight 4 years ago, I ate these ALL THE TIME. No lie. They were my standard afternoon snack at work – 2 crackers with a laughing cow cheese.

I’ve been enjoying them for a snack again and lately I haven’t been coming home and going at the fridge like a bear attacking a campsite. Of course, this also has to do with the fact that I’m making an effort to eat better and cut out some much needed calories, but they’re definitely a healthy snack alternative that I like.

The company has been kind enough to offer one of YOU a package of your own!

Just leave me a comment on this post telling me if you’ve tried Wasa Crispbreads before and I’ll pick a winner this Tuesday. You have until 5:00pm Tuesday to enter.

Hope everyone had a great weekend, and GOOD LUCK!!

The winner of the Earth Fare $50 gift card is…………..

…………Stephanie!!!!!

Congrats, girl! Email your address (mile26andmore@yahoo.com) before the end of the weekend so I can send the free cash money to Earth Fare your way!

I don’t normally do giveaways on my blog but I actually have 2 others coming up soon. So there are more chances. Stay tuned!

Thanks to everyone for entering, and thanks to Earth Fare for this great giveaway!