A Christmas Giveaway From RKR.com & Drink Chia!

So you may have read (and watched) my post from a few weeks ago on Drink Chia superfood drinks. I have kept in contact with the company since then & they were nice enough to partner up with me to do a fun little giveaway for all of my readers :)

If you don't know what these drinks are, or why they're so great for runners - make sure you read the review I did on them a few weeks ago. Drinking Chia seeds might sound a little scary, but these is really an awesome product that ANYONE who is health and fitness-conscious should give a try.

Anyways, as always I am going to keep my rules for entry very, very simple. All you have to do is comment below with your name & email address and you will be entered to win a 6 pack of Drink Chia drinks (including 2 Strawberry Citrus, 2 B Meyer Lemon, 1 Mango Tangerine, & 1 Honeysuckle Pear. If you liked our Facebook page, please let me know in the comment and I will give you an additional entry. If you haven't - go do so and increase your chances of winning :)

I will draw a winner on December 26th & notify the lucky recipient by email. Good luck to everyone and Merry Christmas from myself & Drink Chia!

Keep Running,

Kelli 

Want To Get Dirty?

I personally think now is the absolute perfect time to sign up for an intense obstacle-style run. While you may look at the date and think "I don't even know what I'm doing next week let alone six months from now", you're going about this the wrong way.

If you've never done a mud run before, it's important to understand that they are not a walk in the park. Even the most seasoned runners can hit a snag during these things, & you have to go about your training in a bit of a different way. It's not just about running with these. You have to have great upper body strength, your endurance has to be on point, & you might even have to swim across a lake in your clothes/shoes/socks and then run a mile through an unbeaten path in the woods.

It's not your community's 4th of July 5k.

Crawling to the finish with my boyfriend at the Fugitive Mud Run in September 2012

My Uncle Jim & myself after finishing the Warrior Dash in August 2012

If you're thinking there's no way you could handle one of these, let me assure you that with the right amount of determination and dedication - ANYONE can handle one. Think of it this way: everyone has the potential to be an athlete, but only some people choose to take matters into their own hands. If you sign up for one of these now (yes, the one that is six months away), you will have MORE than enough time to run, lift, and crunch your way into shape.

If you're looking for a mud run in your area, here are a few that are worth considering. Keep in mind that some mud runs (take tough mudder for example) are not exactly for beginners. If you're just getting started with this running thing & you think these look like fun, I'd recommend the following (in order of difficulty). But even the "easiest" one on my list isn't necessarily "easy". No mud run is easy!:

• Fugitive Mud Run ($65 until June 27th) http://www.fugitivemudrun.com/
• Run For Your Lives Zombie Run (Prices range between $67 & $97 depending on the location you choose) http://www.runforyourlives.com/
• Warrior Dash ($50 until December 31st) http://www.warriordash.com/index.php

Training for these runs is also a really nice way to kind of "break up" a normal runner's weekly routine. While you'll still get your normal training runs in there, I like to pair my "short run" days (a 5k) with about an hour of strength work afterwards. Your muscles are nice and warm after you run, so this is a great time to hit the circuit and switch things up a little bit. If you're doing warrior dash, I would also recommend throwing in some swimming into your training since a lot of the obstacles do involve swimming and water. It was definitely one of the more difficult elements of the race last year, and it's something I plan on crushing this time around. Also focus on upper body strength. Pull ups are your friend. When you're in the middle of a 6 ft. lake fully clothed attempting to pull yourself over a wide, slippery, spinning log - you'll thank me.

Some of the more difficult obstacles I've been faced with during these things is climbing a 10 foot wall and then dropping 3/4ths of the way down on the other side (knees = ouch), climbing onto floating blocks in the middle of a lake you can't touch the bottom of, getting out of the water on a 4 ft. muddy slope with no traction, climbing a rope up a wall and then scaling monkey bars on the other side to get back down to land, anything involving a balance beam (so nerve racking!), and crawling through narrow tubes that are buried half in the ground. The fugitive run was also home to the fastest and scariest slip and slide I've ever been on in my life. I swear I hit 30mph head first!

And seriously, you will feel so accomplished after you get a medal hung around your neck after one of these things that you'll never want to take it off. Working towards accomplishing something like this is something that not many people can say they've done. Put your mind to it, set a goal, and get there. The results are more than worth it.

Keep running,

Kelli

Make A Runner Happy This Christmas

When you take up a hobby or a sport, you immediately become easier to buy for. I've always considered myself relatively easy to shop for, but this year I was geared up with plenty of wish list items in the running department.

Whether you're a runner looking for ideas to give to other people or you've come here on a secretive mission to hunt out things that your runner friend/spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend/family member won't immediately want to return, I've got your back.

And unlike most "what to buy a runner for Christmas" lists, not everything on this list will require you to take out a loan. While some are on the pricey side, I've also included options for you people who are looking to buy for someone maybe you haven't known all that long or just recently started dating or something. What I'm trying to say is there's a wide selection here for ya.

The Nike Fuel Band ($150 Nike.com)

This was #1 on my Christmas list. This awesome little digital bracelet is worn and tracks all of your daily activity. You'll score points every day and obviously the more (and more intense) you do, the more you score. It truly turns life into a sport. You can pair it with an app that will allow you to track your progress, see when you've broken a record, and connect with other competitors. For someone who lives for crushing their goals on the Nike+ GPS running app, this is totally up my alley.

Under Armour (Items shown are $50 & $40 respectively at underarmour.com)

If you're not a runner and you don't know the first thing about what runners wear, let me assure you that no runner ever is going to be unhappy with receiving Under Armour. While many assume that UA includes some boring black turtleneck-type-things, they actually have a HUGE line of awesome items that includes everything from cold weather gear (pictured above) to shorts to shoes to hats. Cold weather gear is a great Christmas present because it's both warm and breathable which allows us to run comfortably outside during the winter. 

Bic Bands (Band Pictured is $12.00 on bicbands.com)

This is a great small gift or stocking stuffer that your recipient will really appreciate. Obviously this one won't work as well for dudes, but these no-slip headbands are fantastic for female runners. They're available in literally hundreds of different colors and styles, and you can take advantage of some festive holiday designs for Christmas!

Running Jewelry (Necklace Pictured is $65 from InspiredEndurance.com)

I'm a big fan of running jewelry and inspirational jewelry, and you can find a really nice selection of both on InspiredEndurance.com & sites like Etsy. While the necklace pictured above is $65, you can find other great items like charms, charm bracelets, rings, and more for as little as $15. 

Race Photos (Will Vary Depending On Event)

If you want to really put a personal touch on your gift that your recipient will really appreciate, you could order the professional photos that were taken of them from a recent race. While not all events will have these, most big races and mud runs will have the photos posted online for months after an event has finished. While some will let you search by last name, others will require you to click through the archives to find your friend, spouse, significant other, or family member. However, once you do locate a good shot - why not pay for the print and then frame it for your recipient? This is a thoughtful and unique gift that is sure to put a smile on your recipient's face. To get started, you can Google the event's name to find the website which will generally link you to the page where the photos can be viewed.

Armpocket Sport Armband (Sport i-20 $30 on Armpocket.com)

Available in 8 colors, Armpocket arm bands are the Lexus of the arm band industry. Not only are they super, super comfortable (I tried one of these on at the expo in Disney), they have room for your keys, phone, ID, and more. They're water resistant (which is great for people who like to run in the rain or snow) and the window on the front is touch screen friendly which allows you to easily access your phone and music. They're available for the iPhone 5, too - which makes a great Christmas present for someone who just upgraded. Being able to store your stuff in here instead of shoving your car key into your sports bra during a race is incredibly convenient. Not that I would know what that's like or anything...............

Arm Warmers ($19 from OneMoreMileRunning.com)

I've got a great review coming up in the next week or so on these for you guys (so stay tuned!), but I can assure you that they're another cold weather gift that your running recipient will love. Not only will onemoremilerunning.com let you customize these with fun phrases like "Running is a Mental Sport & We Are All Insane and "Will Run For Beer", but $18 is a great price, as well. Basically how these work is that they are just sleeves that you wear with a short sleeved shirt. As you warm up during your run, you can fold them down to be more comfortable. These are great to wear all year round since even Springtime morning runs can be chilly.

DIY Bib & Medal Display (Make It Yourself for >$10)

If you're the crafty type, you can make your recipient a customized medal and bib display for a very, very low cost. For instructions on how to put it together - see my blog post from last month here. 

While these are just a handful of the things your running friend/family member will enjoy receiving, it's never a bad idea to browse around a little. If you're into name brands, Nike, Under Armour, Adidas, and Reebok all have special running sections on their website that will take you to all of their running gear and apparel. If all else fails, gift cards to stores like Foot Locker & Dick's Sporting Goods can always be put to good use. 

In the meantime, if you ARE a runner and you'd like to sign up for Saucony's Marathon of Giving which features awesome giveaways for 26 days - click here to sign up. Only takes a second and there are some great prizes included.

Hope you're all doing your best to prepare for the Holidays & most of all - enjoying every second of it!

Keep Running,

Kelli

Get Over It

I guess you could say that this post fits into my "I Don't Run" category. When I tell someone who is complaining about wanting to be in better shape that they need to start running, I'm usually met with some type of excuse. Whether it's a physical thing, an "I'm too busy" thing, or something along the lines of "running is boring" - there's always something that seems to stand in the way for people.

It's really easy not to be a runner.

But the truth is, running is something that everyone can do. You don't have to be the fastest person on earth and you don't ever have to place in your age group. When you run, even if it's 4mph, you're still lapping every single person on the couch. A runner is a runner, nothing else matters.

So I'd like to break down a few common excuses and explain why they really aren't excuses at all.

I'm talking to you

1. "My Ribs Hurt When I Run" While the side stitch thing does thoroughly suck, this is something that you have to remember goes away with time. As your body gets more in shape from running, your abdomen will adjust to the constant bouncing around. This was something I personally dealt with, and I can assure you that I really can't remember the last time I got one. And if one does pop up? Focusing on taking long, deep breaths should make it go away. 

2. "I'm Too Busy To Run" When this line comes up, the problem is that people are looking at their "run" the wrong way. When you decide to become a runner, you can't look at running as a pain in the ass. It might feel a little bit like that at first - but it should actually be something you're willing to make time for. You might be busy, but instead of spending an hour on the couch after your hard day - use your run as a way to destress. You don't need a 4 hour window of free time every day to be a runner. To me, there's no better way to shake off a bad mood or a heavy workload than to put on a fresh playlist, pop in my earbuds, and literally just forget the world. Sure it's easier to sit on the couch wrapped in a blanket watching Boy Meets World reruns eating Reese cups all night whining about how stressed you are on Twitter, but I can guarantee you'll feel as hell of a lot better after you put in a mile or two. And the best part, it was only an hour out of your day. 60 minutes TOPS. You have that to spare.

3. "The Treadmill Bores Me, I'll Start In The Spring" Let's be honest, friends: that's not going to happen. Putting off something, especially fitness related, generally does not pay off. If you feel like you want to start running and it's the winter - go buy yourself some Under Armour and get your ass outside. As long as the sidewalks aren't covered in ice, there's no reason why you can't run outside when it's chilly. In fact, running in the cold weather is often when I feel the best. It's invigorating and you'll just feel totally alive out there. Gear up, get out there, and don't make excuses. Once the Spring comes, you'll really appreciate being able to run outside in a tank top and shorts. Just be sure that you're stretching and taking the proper precautions beforehand. If you're a newbie, a good place for cold weather running advice is Active.com.

4. "I Don't Know Where To Start" I'll give you a hint: first, you put on a pair of shoes. Then, you go outside. It's not rocket science, folks! I think the problem here is that a lot of people feel silly when they first start running because they're not as in shape as they'd like to be or it was never their "thing" before. Here's the cold hard truth: everyone has to start somewhere. If you're dedicated to becoming a stronger, better person - it shouldn't matter what anyone else thinks. Being able to start basically from scratch and see results weeks later is quite possibly the most amazing feeling on earth. Don't let your friends teasing you about your new found interest in fitness get under your skin. When you're crossing the finish line at a 5k a few months from now crushing your personal records, post it on Facebook and tag them in it. It doesn't matter where you started, it matters where you've gotten. Start slow and run for a half hour a day until you feel more comfortable. That's the great thing about running: there are no rules. You'll be amazed at what this sport can do for you both physically and mentally when you give it the time it deserves.

5. "Do I Look Like A Runner To You?" No, but you could.

Keep Running,

Kelli

Drink Chia Now Review

Well I have another product review hot off the presses for all you runners out there & I took the video approach to this one. This review is for Drink Chia products (www.drinkchianow.com) & they're quirky little drinks that feature Chia seeds.

If you think it sounds weird, check out my first time trying them below:

Out of all of the flavors, I have to say that my favorite is the Honeysuckle Pear that I tried above. All of them are good, but since I don't really like lemon the B Meyer Lemon flavor was probably my least favorite. One thing I do really look for in drinks that I drink before/during/after my run is that they're not overwhelming flavor-wise and none of these are. I mention in the video that they have a fruity aftertaste, but it's not like a sickeningly sweet type of thing. It's subtle.

I honestly did notice a difference in terms of my hydration needs after drinking one of these before a morning run (just did a short 3 miler). If you have trouble staying hydrated during your run, I would absolutely recommend checking this brand out & maybe ordering the $2.95 sampler pack. You're not going to turn into a camel that never needs to drink another sip during a run again, but they may help you deal with issues in that department more efficiently. I don't like to carry water when I go on outdoor runs, so having the ability to retain the water I drink BEFOREHAND is really a big help. 

In terms of endurance, I didn't notice a crazy boost or anything like you'd get from an energy drink (drink chia drinks have no caffeine), but I did feel like I kind of amped up a bit faster than I normally do on a training run. Could have been a coincidence, but I'm reporting on it either way. Try it for yourself and you can be the judge.

The moral of the story here? Don't fear the seeds & remember to SHAKE IT, BABY! Thanks again to Drink Chia for this awesome opportunity. Cool new stuff for runners is always fun & I'm happy to share the stuff I like with my audience :) Thanks for watching and reading, friends.

Keep running,

Kelli