Confessions of an Amateur Athlete

My #RunEatTweetAZ friends and I invite you to join us for a social meet up & lunch for a Arizona Rock n Roll Marathon/Half Marathon celebration! 

I have a confession: I'm obsessed with Almond Butter.  My pantry is stacked with jars, packets, and cases of the stuff.  So how does Justin's brand stack up to the rest?  I put it to the test! 

I finally feel like the training for my first 50K is finally coming together! Check out where my training adventures took me this weekend! 

Whether you're looking for a gift for that runner in your life, searching for something new to add to YOUR wishlist, or just eager to score some gifts for yourself...I'm breaking down the Runner's Holiday Wishlist and offering YOU a chance at some sweet prizes! 

From the expo to the flat course, the swag to the chocolate... why the Hot Chocolate 15K& 5K is truly the sweetest race in the desert! 

Oatmeal is my go-to fuel before a long run or race.  So I was extremely excited to try out MyOatmeal , a build-you-own oatmeal site!  Here's my review AND a chance for you to win some of your own! Courtesy: MyOatmeal FB 

When things get tight, and HAIRY,  read why I choose Addaday over the other rollers.

Gearing up for the Hot Chocolate 15K this weekend!  And my run group, #RunEatTweetAZ is hosting a social meetup at the post-race party! 

What a weekend to be thankful for! A Turkey Trot 10k on the trails, a new pup, and my Ultra-Marathon Training begins! 

I just clicked "Register" for my first ULTRA marathon! AAAHH!!! 

Running the Strip At Night!  Was it a party, a race, or both? Did I manage to meet my goal of a selfie with a stranger at every mile? I break it all down in my RnRLV Race Review!

FlipBelt is gaining popularity as the runner's go-to accessory storage belt.  But how does it hold up under 13.1 miles?  I put it to the Rock n Roll Half-Marathon test! 

Lots of fun planned for this weekend!  I'll be running the Rock n Roll Las Vegas Half-Marathon, and planning on meeting tons of running buds along the way!

So I'm looking for a new running buddy.  They should be fast.  They need to love running.   And they should be furry.....and about 30lbs.

I'm always looking for new fuel to try that is easy on my tummy.  Enter Island Boost , a LIQUID instead of a gel, made FOR runners with sensitive stomachs, BY a runner with a sensitive stomach!

I love Nuun.  And wanted to share that love with my friends...  AND with you!  

I love wearing compression shorts and I know many wear tights in colder climates.  The problem? It's difficult to keep your privates... well.. Private! Many choose to wear shorts over them.  Others throw caution to the wind and stay comfortable.  When I turned to Facebook for answers, I discovered just how heated the debate really was! 

This past weekend I was part of the Javelina Jundred Social Media Team .  One of our duties was to keep track of and live-tweet updates from the course and mainly on the top male and female runners in the lead. Catlow Shipek, winner of JJ100

Run Denver Race Series http://www.bkbltd.com/RUNDENVER.htm BIBRAVERUNDENVER - $5 off ALL 5Ks BIBRAVERUNHALF - $10 off That Dam 13.1

No doubt you've seen these everywhere. From the grocery store to your local run shop. But how do they stand up to everything else on the market?  These are my Cliff Bar Confessions! 

I'm so excited for tomorrow! I'll be helping behind the scenes, live-tweeting from the Javelina Jundred 100 Ultra! My group, # RunEatTweetAZ , is part of the social media team for Aravaipa Running.

There are a LOT of compression brands out there. When it comes to compression sleeves and socks,  there's only one that I've found that suits my needs and holds up to my standards.  And that's ZENSAH .  

Thanks to my running group #RunEatTweetAZ , I was able to give Huppybar a try! My favorite thing about the Huppybar is it's made with love right here in Arizona!  I love supporting local businesses and especially those up and coming products that gear towards us runners. 

I'll go ahead and say it.  Out of all the Rock n Roll races I've done, the Denver course  has been my favorite!

First off, I have to take a few seconds to really thank Hoist for not only sending me a few items to try out.... but a whole CASE!  AND a draw-string bag like the ones you get at expos! THANK YOU SO MUCH Hoist, You guys rock!

As many of you may already know, I threw in the towel on my big Montreal Half-Marathon.  Injury has sidelined me for months and I just didn't think it was a smart move to do it.  However, I DID still go on the trip with several friends who were running.  This probably made my first DNS (Did Not Start) even tougher.

Here's a confession for you: I'm obsessed with peanut butter and nut butters.   All kinds really! Most recently I've been fixed on Almond Butter and PocketFuel's nut butter blends for both before and DURING my runs.  Now enter  NuttZo's Organic Seven Nut & Seed Butter!   

So I've came to one of the hardest decisions I've made thus far as a runner.  I won't be running my race next weekend. I'm  throwing in the towel... or Race Bib if you will.

So even though I haven't had a chance to run lately (dang Plantar Fasciitis!) I at least have been doing more hiking and walking.  I was contacted by Cardiostrong to test out their Vanquish energy gels and put them to the test!

I'd like to introduce you to a fellow Arizona runner, blogger, and all around inspiration!  Meet Daniel, aka, Blessed Runner.  He's a pro at balancing running and being a dad.  Both alone are full-time jobs!  He and I partnered in our #RunEatTweetAZ blog swap (you can read my post and more from Daniel over on  http://blessedrunners.com ) Now let's go on a Training Journey with Blessed Runner !

I'm gathering some of my favorite gear and giving you a chance to win the entire package!  We're talking one big giveaway, one winner! I standby all of this gear and have even reviewed most of them.  I enjoy all of these products so much I wanted my readers/followers to have a chance to do the same.  Let's break down the gear and what you could win! PocketFuel REVIEW HERE This stuff is the bomb.  The nut butter blends are great for runs/hikes/rides and anything where your kicking @$$ and taking names!  And the cold brew energy shots--basically just a shot of coffee...are pretty much crack in a pouch and the best thing ever invented.  Plus, they're 100% natural, vegan, dairy and gluten free!

Confession: I can't run or workout without my music.  It helps me to get in the groove and push through when the going gets tough.  My biggest issue has been finding headphones that stay in, or what do with with all the excess cord.  So the most logical move: wireless headphones!

As you may know, I've been battling some pretty painful Plantar Fasciitis.  It hit me 5 days before I left for my marathon. (Back story HERE )  I managed to get through my race, but thought I'd have recovered by now.  Well, long story short, I haven't. And the physical injury isn't the only thing I'm battling. The first week or two after the race wasn't too bad. But as the days whisked by, I began to get upset. An injured runner is like a dancer who can't dance.  I NEED to run.  Maybe it really IS an addiction. Maybe not.  But whatever the reason, all I know is I've spiraled through several emotional waves lately: ANGER    I would see runners out in groups or on solo runs, shooting passed me as I walked my dog.  And all I could think about is how badly I wanted to join them.  I wanted to scream back at them "I'm not running because I'm injured! Don't look at me!"   They're just throwing their athleticism in my face! 

Meet Sarah from Run Ginger Run ! She's a fellow BibRave Pro, inspiring runner, and all around great gal!  But don't take MY word for it.  Here what she had to say in our little Q&A on today's FEATURE FRIDAY! Q: Tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to start running.  A:  I ran track and cross country in high school but then had the typical drop off that a lot of people experience when they go to college or get married. Then one day at work someone sent out an email and wanted to get a group of people together to do a local 5k. I signed up, didn't train, and barely survived the 5k! Thank goodness! Then I really got into long distance running when someone invited me to join their relay team and I actually trained for it and haven't looked back since! Moral of the story, invite someone to run a race with you, it could change their life! Q: Are you training for anything right now? A: Yes! I'm training for a few races righ

Rock and Roll-San Jose October 4-5, 2014 Use Code: BIBRAVE SJ Half-Marathon Discount: $20 Use Code: BIBRAVESJ10K 10K Discount: $5 **Codes end 9/28** Rock and Roll-LA October 26, 2014 Use Code: BIBRAVELA Half-Marathon Discount: $15 Use Code: BIBRAVELA5K 5K Discount: $5 **Codes end 10/19** Rock and Roll-Arizona January, 18, 2015 Use Code: BIBRAVEAZ Half/Full Discount: $15 Use Code: BIBRAVEAZ10k 10k Discount: $5 **Codes end 1/11** Ventura Marathon September 7, 2014 Use Code: Bibchat10 for $10 off Rock and Roll Philadelphia September 20-21, 2014 Use Code: BIBRAVEPHILLY Half-Marathon Discount: $20 Use Code: BIBRAVEPHI5K 5K Discount: $5 Honolulu Marathon December 14, 2014 Use Code: BibRave15 for %15 off