Workout Recap - Week 5

Sunday, January 29th – 8 mile run with the hubby, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Monday, January 30th – Strength Training (abs, back, legs and arms), 5 mile progression run, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Tuesday, January 31st –  5 mile run, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Wednesday, February 1st – 90 minutes on the stationary bike, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Thursday, February 2nd – 5 mile run, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Friday, February 3rd –  20 mile run, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Saturday, February 4th – Rest Day, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Another week of 43 miles - I'll take it! I feel as though my pace for Friday's long run doesn't adequately describe the run... It was tough... It was long... There were breaks to stretch... But it is done! Now less than three weeks till my first full of the year! #ItsGoingDownAtPHX

How were your workouts this past week?

Friday Favorites

WHOOO HOOOO! We survived another week and the weekend is {almost} here! As a way to celebrate, let's take a look at some of my current faves (because that is a gift that keeps on giving, right?! ;)).

#WeRunSocial Ornament

Can we just take a moment to appreciate this AMAZING #WeRunSocial ornament that @MRScrashmattb made?! If you remember, #WeRunSocial had an ornament exchange back in December and it was super fun. Well, Jill decided to share her AWESOME ornament that she made for her secret santa with a few more folks and I was one of the lucky recipients! HECK TO THE YES! Our Christmas decorations are already put away for the year (if I had it my way I'd probably keep them up from October to February ;)), so I have it hanging with my race medals - but I know it is going to look FAN-FREAKIN'-TASTIC on our Christmas tree!

QALO Ring Boxes

You already know I LOVE me some QALO rings (in fact I think I have nine colors and haven't worn anything but QALO wedding bands since I first tried them out a little over a year ago), but this cute DIY project was on their IG account and I knew I HAD to pass it along. Not only is it a sweet box, but you could get your significant other one of the rings and BOOM you have your Valentine's Day gift DONE!

Give the perfect gift this Valentine's Day to the one who lights up your life with this DIY matchbox! 🔥#QALOring

A video posted by QALO (@qalo) on Feb 1, 2017 at 5:17pm PST

Rock N Blog Ambassador Program

If you guys remember, I was part of the Rock N Blog crew for 2016. It was a ton of fun (I was able to run the Rock 'N' Roll San Diego, Seattle, Los Angeles, Las Vegas {5K and Half} and Carlsbad races) and they are currently accepting registrations for the 2017 year. If you're interested, head over and learn more about the program HERE. Applications are open through February 22nd, but you know what happens when you wait... you forget... so go NOW!

What are you loving lately?

#MyLAMoment

Hopefully by now you're well aware I'm a Conqur Endurance Group ambassador. And if you didn't, then SURPRISE!

Conqur Endurance Group is the rad team that puts on events such as the Santa Monica Classic, the Pasadena Half Marathon, the LA Big 5K, and the Los Angeles Marathon just to name a few!

I have been honored to work with them for the past year or so (which means, if you didn't know I was an ambassador either you're new to these parts, I've done a bad job at spreading the word, or maybe you suffer from Fibro Fog like me ;)). Anywho, I wanted to share something they kicked off earlier this week surrounding the Los Angeles Marathon - #MyLAMoment.

The marathon represents more than just 26.2 miles, it symbolizes the adversity we face in our lives and our ability to overcome the greatest odds. And they want to hear YOUR stories. You can submit them on the website HERE.

And just in case you are a little nervous sharing your story, take heart because I shared some of MY stories... In fact, I was lucky enough to be featured on a couple of the videos on the website. (Let's just say that video is NOT my forte, so when I made the cut I was super surprised and excited!)

My First Marathon Moment:

My Better Together Moment:

My Finish Line Moment:

My Life Changing Moment:

My LA Moment:

What is, or what will be, your LA Moment?

REVIEW: nuun vitamins

A couple weeks ago I received a very exciting email from my contact at nuun. No, it was not about being an ambassador (although, if your Instagram feed is anything like mine it seemed as though everyone and their mama was announcing they were on the nuun ambassador team for 2017). It was about a new product that they were releasing.

nuun vitamins

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Designed by athletes, for athletes, nuun vitamins is the perfect daily hydration product. Made from clean, plant based ingredients, vitamins is also gluten-free, vegan, soy/dairy free, and safe for clean sport, as well as low in sugar, portable, and convenient, just like the nuun you know and love.

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This couldn't have come at a better time.

As I'm sure you've seen on social media (if you don't live here), SoCal has been encountering its fair share of storms (and for an area that has been plagued by drought this is STRANGE). When the weather turns cooler, and especially when it's not sunny out, one of the first thing that tends to go by the wayside is my hydration game.

Um... Last week we were having torrential downpours that brought with them
HAIL... In Southern California... WHAT THE CRAP?! 

Even when you're not exercising, nuun vitamins provides what your body needs -- the 11 vitamins and minerals most of us don’t get enough of, plus the optimal balance of electrolytes for everyday activity. Each drink (one tablet with 16 ounces of water) has only 10 calories and delivers vitamin A, B folate, B6, C, E, and D for health and wellness, and sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride for optimal hydration.

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I was sent four tubes of nuun vitamins to try - Grapefruit Orange, Ginger Lemonade (with caffeine), Strawberry Melon, and Blackberry Citrus (with caffeine). They also offer Blueberry Pomegranate and Tangerine Lime.

The four flavors I tried were a little more sour (tart) than I was expecting. I have to admit, when I drink something other than water I want to really taste the flavor. With that said, I normally end up doubling up on the nuun tablets, but with the nuun vitamins the flavor was very evident. I was surprised because I was expecting the Strawberry Melon to be my favorite, but Blackberry Citrus ended up being my top pick, with the Grapefruit Orange in second (which was also a surprise since OJ and grapefruit are normally two things I steer clear from). The hubby's fave was Ginger Lemonade.

I wanted to mention the caffeine (which is derived from green tea extract). Although I wouldn't say I got a major jolt of energy as I would from say a coffee or a pop, I could definitely tell that there was a higher level of sustained energy (for example, I wouldn't be able to drink it close to bedtime because I could feel the effects but it didn't leave my heartbeat quickening). I also really appreciated that I didn't feel a "crash" afterwards.

An afternoon pick-me-up

Like I mentioned, January around here was a little rough due to the weather (which I know is very minor compared to the majority of the country), but nuun vitamins helped to keep me hydrated (and maybe even a little healthier especially with those nasty bugs going around this time of year) even when hydrating wasn't very high on my priority list.

How do you remember to stay hydrated during the winter months?

January Books

POP QUIZ: Do you remember my Goals for 2017? Well, one of them was to read at least 17 books for the year. I thought it might be fun to do a quick recap (per month) of the books I read, in case any of you are interested.

January Books

• Running Beyond Empty by Ben Kruser - I found this to be a very quick read. It was an entertaining novel about a mother and daughter who used running and the help of those around them to get through life's difficulties. It was a fun story and one that kept me wanting to read on. I would give this one a 7 out of 10.

Started this one on the flight back from Michigan (but finished it in January, so
I'm claiming it for this month ;))

• To Understand Each Other by Paul Tournier - The hubby and I received this is a gift. Although it is short, it took me a little longer to read it because I found myself having an internal argument often about the points it was making. There were a few good nuggets about marriage but it was a little to "old school" thinking for me ('men work, women stay home in the kitchen' sort of thing). I would give this one a 4 out of 10.

• You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero - I was really looking forward to this one but it came off more of a "if you believe it, it will happen" sort of vibe which is not a mentality that I subscribe to. I was pretty disappointed, but maybe it is because I had such high expectations of finishing the book and letting my inner badass run free. I would give this one a 5 out of 10. 

• What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami - There was nothing crazy insightful about this one, but it was a quick read about the author's life during a year of training for the NYC Marathon. It is always interesting to me to see how others fit training into their life, especially when they are working full time jobs. This one definitely kept my attention the entire time. I would give this one a 7 out of 10.

• The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin - I was super excited that our library had this one (it was actually the first one I checked out). There were quite a few gems that I will put into practice daily, specifically from the "energy", "marriage" and "family/relationship" chapters. This book actually spurred me on to do a HUGE decluttering of our place over the past week and a half. It is crazy the weight that we didn't know existed that has been lifted off our shoulders (both the hubby and I agree that it feels so much better). For a Type-A, list maker, this book was right up my alley! I would give this one a 8 out of 10.

• Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - This was a fun story! Originally I thought it might be too scary for me (#RealTalk: I have to change the channel or look away if there is a scary preview on the TV), but am happy to report it wasn't. Sometimes books that are aimed at kids/ teens I like the best because they aren't bogged down with big words or philosophical debates or a ton of sex. The story was quite the page turner and I was stoked when the next book in the series was available from the library. I would give this one a 8 out of 10.

• When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi - Wow. When I decided I wanted to start getting books from the library I asked some friends for suggestions. Someone recommended I add this to my list. I didn't know what it was about when I first added it! The book is by a neurosurgeon who is diagnosed with lung cancer and becomes a patient himself, having to tackle death on his own teams. Unfortunately he passed away before he completely finished the book, but they kept it as-is and I think it is even more powerful that way. I particularly appreciated the few pages at the end that his wife wrote. I would give this one a 7 out of 10.

• Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - This was the second book in the series (out of three). Just like the first, it kept me wanting to read more and follow the children on their adventure. Can I just say how much I LOVE the photos throughout the book? I didn't mention it in the brief synopsis of the first book, but the same holds true for that one as well. The pictures are original, vintage shots and I love how they played into the author's creativity and found their way into the story. I would give this one a 8 out of 10.

• The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen - This is a story about a teen who lost her leg in an accident, thought she lost the ability to run but found so much more along her journey. Although it's a fictional story, I love how the writer was inspired by runners she had encountered in her life when putting the book together. Also, I was stoked to read about exercisetherighttoread.org, a program that the author and her husband started to promote reading and fitness in schools across the country. I would give this one a 9 out of 10. 

• Wild by Cheryl Strayed - Cheryl had a lot going on in her personal life (the death of her mother, the divorce from her husband, a drug habit that seemed to be taking hold of her life, etc) so she decided to hike the Pacific Coast Trail (PCT) in hopes of finding herself along the way. I was a little worried that the book would romanticize the hiking and trip, but I was glad to see that she kept it real - talking about the toenails she lost (6), the days of dehydration and solitude, the act of having to dig a hole to poop in, etc. This book is now a movie and I have heard a lot of great things about it, but haven't seen it (although, now maybe I should). I would give this one a 7 out of 10.

I guess you can see why I get through more books than the hubby...
He is sleeping on the job ;)

• The Confidence Code by Katty Kay & Claire Shipman - I've mentioned it a few times, but I definitely lack confidence and have less than stellar self esteem. I was really excited about this book, hoping that I would walk away with some secret equation on how to build myself up. Unfortunately, it was a little more scientific (discussing the research that is being done on genes, etc) and less of a perfect equation than I was hoping for. I felt a little relief while reading the book in that it seems the issue is often more of a female problem than just a Carlee problem, but it still doesn't change the facts. The main points that I walked away with were that taking action and failing are necessary to build confidence. I would give this one a 5 out of 10.

Yup, pretty crazy... It's only the first month and I've already gotten through eleven books! If I keep this rate up, I could be over 100 for the year (shoot, maybe my goal should have been 117 in 2017 - HA)! I have been LOVING the library (especially when I realized that for the most part I will read a book once and then never really look at it again). If you have one nearby, you should definitely utilize it! PS If you have any suggestions on books, I'd love to hear them!

What was the last book you read?

lulu love

I know there are many lulu addicts out there, many of which I am friends with (don't worry, I won't call you out by name ;)), but I have to confess, I have never been one of them.

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Although the quality of the gear that lululemon sells is AMAZEBALLS, the cost has always stopped me from making the splurge. I am very frugal so end up spending $10 on clearanced shorts from TJ Maxx rather than dropping $60+ on a pair from lulu. With that said, if I ever won the lottery, I would totally upgrade my running gear to all lulu all the time!

Anywho, I wanted to share how my love for lululemon that has VERY LITTLE to do with the clothes.

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Yup, you read that correctly, I want to tell you why I love a company that I have never bought products from and it has nothing to do with the products themselves, but hopefully by the end of the post this will make sense.

It all started last year after the SeaWheeze Half Marathon (in case you are unaware, this is a race sponsored by lulu up in British Columbia). I was sharing my recap about the race on social media and mentioned that it was my 30th half marathon. Well, lulu saw that and said that they wanted to send me something as a way to celebrate/ commemorate the achievement. I thought it was a sweet gesture and figured may I would get a sticker from the race or something. They asked me for my shipping address and once I sent it over I sort of forgot about it.

A few days later I received an email from a local spa. You see, lulu had contacted a spa up the road and purchased a gift certificate for me as a way to celebrate and relax after running my 30th half marathon. Um... HOW FREAKING AWESOME IS THAT?! Not only is it a gift that took thought, but it is also helping to support a local business!

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The next reason for the love was not something that I experienced first hand but definitely saw it unfolding on social media and wanted to applaud lulu for the way it was handled. What I'm talking about now is when registration for the 2017 SeaWheeze opened. You see, this is a very sought after race (it literally sells out within MINUTES). Shortly after registration opened I saw friends mentioning how they were unable to get their payment to process and were missing out on being able to register for the race. Apparently there was a hiccup in the registration process and some folks who should have been able to get in were unable to register before the race sold out.

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Obviously there were a lot of bummed runners out there, but lulu made it right. They contacted the runners who received the errors and let them register EVEN AFTER IT SOLD OUT! I think everyone would have expected that they might give them the ability to register for the 2018 race or maybe would try and soften the blow with a discount on product, but they decided to right the wrong (and did it in a very fast manner). Well done, lulu, well done! [PS If you want to read about Pavement Runner's experience with this, check out his post HERE.]

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And lastly, let's talk about the recent lululemon + strava challenge. I am on a group text with some major lulu lovers. They mentioned that lulu was teaming up with Strava to create a challenge where you could run either 40km or 80km (remember, lulu is a Canadian company, hence the metric system) and possibly receive rewards. No one knew if the rewards would simply be the Strava badges or something else, but I decided to sign up anyway.

This challenge just happened to coincide with a peak time in my marathon training so I was able to tackle the 80km (which equates to 50 miles) within the two weeks without a problem (as you can see from my finishing info above I ended up with 140km). Once the challenge concluded, the participants were told that they were getting FREE GEAR! Yup, if you hit the 40km mark you would be able to pick up a tee (Metal Vent Tech Short Sleeve for the guys and Swiftly Tech Short Sleeve for the girls) and if you hit the 80km mark you would be able to pick up a pair of shorts (Surge Shorts for the guys and Speed Shorts for the girls).

Can you believe that this new outfit is my first lulu gear I own?! HECK TO THE YES! I will be completely honest, even with all of this love, I don't know that I will be quick to switch all of my running gear over to lulu, but when I've got the extra cash, you better believe I will treat myself and show lululemon the love that they have already been showing me!

I wore the shorts for a 5 mile progression run and the tee on my last long run.

Do you love a brand for more than the products or services that they provide?

Workout Recap - Week 4

Sunday, January 22nd – Inaugural Pasadena Half Marathon, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Monday, January 23rd – 90 minutes on the stationary bike

Tuesday, January 24th –  5 mile run, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Wednesday, January 25th – Strength Training (abs, back, legs and arms), 5 mile progressive run, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Thursday, January 26th – 8 mile run, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Friday, January 27th –  12 mile run, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Saturday, January 28th – Rest Day, Stretched & Foam Rolled

43.1 miles of running plus a strength training session and some bike trainer?! AWESOMESAUCE! Even with a shorter long run I am stoked that I was able to get in as much distance as I was. Less than a month to go till my next full marathon (and then 3 weeks after that till the next). LET'S DO THIS THANG!

How were your workouts this past week?