Real Talk: Manitoba Harvest Hemp Heart Bars
Posted: March 1, 2016 Filed under: Food, Health and Wellness, Uncategorized | Tags: chocolate, Food, health and wellness, healthy-living, hemp heart bars, hemp hearts, review, snacks 2 CommentsHelloooo! Happy Tuesday y’all!
Can we talk about snacks today?! I am stopping in today with a quick review for Manitoba Harvest. They recently came out with a new product, their hemp heart bars, and I was lucky enough to get to sample two of the flavors!
*Full Disclosure-Manitoba Harvest provided me with product for review purposes through my relationship with Fit Approach as a Sweat Pink Ambassador. Per usual, all opinions are my own.*
I was excited to test these out as I am a big fan of hemp seeds as a plant-based protein and am always game for trying new snacks.
There are many days when I get caught up at work and do not have time to sit down and eat a real lunch, so I try to keep relatively healthy and filling snacks around. These definitely fit the bill!
I was sent the apple cinnamon and the chocolate to try. While both were good, the chocolate was definitely the winner in my book. I will be on the lookout for the vanilla so I can try all three!
Side note: I know this probably doesn’t matter to most people, but I really like the packaging for these… it’s nice and simple, just like the ingredients.
Speaking of the ingredients, I can pronounce all of them, which if you know me, is very important! You can also see pretty much everything listed!
A quick run down of the bars from the Manitoba Harvest Website:
“Manitoba Harvest Hemp Heart bars are crafted with the goodness of hemp and other tasty ingredients too. We’ve whipped up three different delicious flavours to choose from: vanilla, chocolate and apple cinnamon. Each 45 gram bar contains 10 grams of plant-based protein and 10 grams of omegas, so whether you grab one for a pre-workout snack or nutrition on the go, these convenient bars are sure to get you through even your busiest day!”
10 grams of protein! I was super thankful to have one of these in my purse the other day… Once again, I hadn’t had time for a real lunch and I needed a quick snack before heading out to meet a friend for a run! It didn’t bother my stomach and kept me satiated through my workout and up until dinner! Winning!
Overall, I would absolutely buy these again. However, I would definitely recommend the chocolate over the apple cinnamon. It’s just…I personally would rather eat an actual apple…but that’s just me…don’t let that rain on your apple cinnamon loving parade!
In other exciting news, Manitoba Harvest is running a wicked cool photo contest! You can find the full details here.
Here are some quick details if you’d like to play along:
- Tag @manitobaharvest #hempheartbar #fuelledbyhemp #sweatpink @fitapproach for a chance to win a box of your favorite flavor of Hemp Heart Bars!
- A winner will be chosen each month!
- Eligibility: open to US and Canada residents.
AND if you’d like to order your own hemp heart bars, Manitoba Harvest is generously offering 15% off your purchase. You can buy them here.
- The discount code hhbarlaunch1015 will get you 15% off! Expires 3/31/2016
A big thank you to Manitoba Harvest and Fit Approach for allowing me to sample out another awesome product!
Lets’ chat: Hemp Hearts-yes or no? Favorite pre-run (or other workout) snack? Chocolate or Apple Cinnamon?
2015 In Review
Posted: January 2, 2016 Filed under: Confessions, Gratitude, Health and Wellness, Holidays, Life, Uncategorized | Tags: confessions, faith, goals, God, New Year, New Year's Resolutions, NYE 1 CommentHey Y’all! Happy New Year! I totally started writing this post last week last year but I put it aside for a few days….
Last year In December 2014, I wrote a post outlining my goals for 2015. There were three (marathon number 2, coaching certification and cleaning up my diet).
Not gonna lie, reading this post now makes me laugh! I have only partly accomplished one thing on the list. Just ONE (half)!
While a normal person would look at this as a major failure, I am giving myself a bit of grace this year. Am I letting myself off the hook too easily? Probably… but I am okay with that.
I was dissatisfied with myself last year in 2014. I was stressed to the max, ready to snap at any moment!
This year… I don’t really feel that way…at least not as much. Am I perfect? Heavens NO! Of course not! But I have made some progress. While I am still striving to make improvements and I still have stress, I’m not obsessing over it and I am enjoying this chapter and what God has planned.
One of the major changes of 2015 was on the work front. I am in a job that I love. Is it easy? No. Absolutely not. But I know this is where I need to be. This is where God wants me, a place where I have to fully rely on Him.
A hard part of my work is that it requires me to work on Sundays. Unfortunately, this means no racing on Sundays….and all of the local(ish) half marathons and marathons take place on Sundays (except one…which I was and will indefinitely be unable to attend due to another work conflict).
As a result, not only did I NOT accomplish marathon number 2, but I also did not do ANY races this year. Not a single one! I realized this the other day… am I little bummed out about this? Yes, but it’s not the end of the world.
Another change that 2015 brought was going back to school. I started taking classes for my minister’s license in August. This means that a typical day (while classes are in session) starts around 7 am and goes until 2 am, when I finally finish my homework. I’m still working on my schedule and how to fit in regular life activities (including exercise and dinner!
While finding my footing with a new job, classes and the many changes that occurred (and are still) with our head pastor’s death, I had many days where I was just trying to hang on… But even in that, I am amazed at the work that God accomplished. I haven’t written about this (on the blog) very much, and I am not entirely certain that I will, but it’s been a very good year. Tough… but good.
Will I ever get that run coaching certification? I think so. I get updates about upcoming courses and I would still like to take the certification course, but my reason for wanting it is a bit different than it was last year. I guess I will let that one roll over to 2016.
2015 was also a year of friendship.
This afternoon, I sat around my kitchen table with five other women for our monthly book club. As we laughed together, I realized how lucky I am to call them friends. When I started the book club, I never knew how much of an impact it would have on me. When I was first approached about working at my church back in February, I sent an email and with the click of the send button, I knew that I had (at least) 12 people praying for me, asking God to give me direction, even though they didn’t know the details.
When our pastor was sick, and eventually passed away, Ben and I knew that we had friends we could grieve with and walk through this chapter with. We’ve been blessed to have support in many areas of our life and are glad to offer our support to the people in our life.
Ben and I have an ongoing group text with our friend’s Ben and Ashley. There are many times throughout the week when these texts will absolutely crack me up… but we can also send out a group “Hey, can we pray about XYZ together in the next few minutes?” It’s comforting, knowing that we have friendships where this is a normal occurrence. God is so good!
image via She Reads Truth.
To be honest, 2015 was a huge blur! There are a few moments that stand out, but honestly, I have no idea how it is already January 2016!
I had no idea what was in store when I wrote this post last January….but I hope that I don’t lose that boldness and that desire to speak life!
I’m looking forward expectantly, wondering what God has planned for us.
Cheers to 2016!
Let’s chat! Favorite moment in 2015? Did you accomplish all of your goals?
What’s Been On My Plate? #HempHearts Review & Giveaway
Posted: November 6, 2015 Filed under: Food, giveaway, health, Health and Wellness, Review | Tags: eating well, Food, giveaway, hemp hearts, review, sweat pink 1 CommentHi Friends!
Happy Weekend! Any big plans? Farmer Ben and I are spending our weekend at our district’s ministry retreat.
Today I want to talk about Hemp Hearts!
Have you had these tasty little seeds before? Farmer Ben and I love them! Confession: We put them in everything. And I mean EVERYTHING!
Hemp Hearts are actually the center of the hemp seed (basically, it’s what remains after the seed is de-shelled). They are also super good for you. In one 30 gram serving, Hemp Hearts contain 10 grams of plant-based protein and 10 grams of Omegas. They also have more protein and omegas and less carbs than the same serving of chia or flax (AND don’t get stuck in your teeth!). Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts are also Non-GMO Project verified. This is something super important to Ben and me.
I love them because they have a nutty flavor that goes with anything. Seriously, Ben and I use them as a topping for yogurt and salads, a stir-in for smoothies or eggs, filling in meatballs (yes, I’m serious) and muffins. Sweet or savory, these will work! Click the link or the picture below for the muffin recipe. I made these a while back and actually just use all hemp seeds now.
One of my favorite ways we’ve used the hemp hearts is in a veggie packed pasta sauce. We started with Farmer Ben’s homemade marinara sauce, added a splash of wine, threw in some vegan sausage, swiss chard, spinach and mushrooms and let those cook down, then right before we served it, we stirred in some hemp hearts for a little added crunch and flavor (then, to certify our hippie status, we topped it with nutritional yeast and served with whole wheat pasta)
Another way that we love to eat hemp hearts is with plain yogurt and some fresh berries. As you probably know, siggi’s is my go to!
So, long story short, we are huge fans. These little seeds are a staple in our house.
AND! Good News, Manitoba Harvest is generously offering one of you lucky readers the chance to win a package of Manitoba Hemp Hearts to try.
To enter pick any or all options below and leave a comment letting me know that you did it! (1 entry for each)
- Follow @ManitobaHarvest on Twitter
- Follow @ManitobaHarvest on Instagram
- Tweet about the giveaway using @ManitobaHarvest #hemphearts @FitApproach #sweatpink
- Follow @NoellesNotebook on Twitter
- Follow @NoellesNotebook on Instagram
- Leave a comment telling me your favorite way to enjoy Hemp Hearts
The Fine Print:
- Open to US and Canada residents
- One prize per person. If you win this giveaway, and have already won another prize from Manitoba Harvest through another blog, please disclose that you have already won so we can choose another winner.
****Giveaway ends Wednesday, November 11.
Ever had Hemp Hearts? What’s your favorite way to eat them?
*Full disclosure: As a Sweat Pink ambassador, I was provided a free sample of Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own. * Thank you Manitoba Harvest!
Real Talk: Grokker Review & *GIVEAWAY*
Posted: October 29, 2015 Filed under: Fitness, Gross But Necessary, Health and Wellness, Review | Tags: fit approach, GBN, giveaway, grokker, Gross But Necessary, health, health and wellness, healthy-living, review, sweat pink Leave a commentHi Friends!
So I know that I am behind on my #GBN (Gross But Necessary) posts, but I am super excited to share this fun website with you!
Have you heard of Grokker? I know it has a funny name, but it is awesome!
Grokker is a total wellness website.
This site is not your typical streaming website. You can find workouts, yoga and cooking videos…I even watched a few videos on food and wine pairings! How cool is that? It’s comforting to know that if I ever really want to impress Farmer Ben, I can bring a professional chef into my kitchen for a quick lesson without having to clean up/shower!
Also… Upstate NY in Late Fall/Winter… It’s COLD! And dark! Now, I love running, but winter running can be tough and, if I don’t make it out during the day, dangerous! Knowing that I can use Grokker as an alternative to an outside run AND as an option for cross-training is huge! On top of that, I don’t even have to leave my house, which means that if I am up crazy late doing homework and the mood strikes, I can totally do a dance workout in my pjs. Winning!
Speaking of dance workouts… one of my favorite videos on Grokker is this one… this is super kind of embarrassing (because I can’t dance to save my life!) but I LOVE to dance, especially anything with a latin flavor… so this mambo dance workout was right up my alley!
In addition to their videos, Grokker allows you to track the videos that you’ve done and the amount of time spent being active. They also allow you to save videos for later, create collections based on your preferences and schedule workouts for a later date and time! In addition to that, you also have the ability to ask questions to a huge team of experts!
Have a I mentioned that I love this site?
Grokker currently has two plans. Basic (the freebie!) and Premium (it’s unlimited videos!). Typically I’d say go for the free plan, but honestly, the Premium plan has a lot of perks (and a lot more videos) and is well worth the $10/ month if you pay for a year.
- 2 Free Grokker Premium Videos/week
- Full Access to Non-Premium videos
- Always free
- UNLIMITED Grokker Premium videos
- Full access to non-premium videos
- Enjoy Group Classes online
- Watch on mobile, tablet, web, and TV
- Ask Grokker Experts questions
- $9.99/month for an annual plan, $14.99/month of a monthly plan
And now…for the fun part! The Giveaway!
Grokker is allowing me to give one of you a 3-month premium membership ($60 value)!
Rules:
*Must be 18 years of age or older
*Enter below through Rafflecopter.
*Giveaway begins today, 10/29/15 and ends 11/6/15.
*I will email the winner randomly chosen through Rafflecopter. The winner will have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be selected.
But wait! In case you don’t win the giveaway, Grokker is giving all Noelle’s Notebook Readers a sweet deal! Enter 99CENTS for 99 cents for first month of premium membership on Grokker! You can’t beat that!
Thanks to Fit Approach and Grokker for this awesome opportunity!
*Full disclosure: As a Sweat Pink ambassador, I was provided a three month premium membership to Grokker in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own. *
Real Talk: Every Body Matters Book Review
Posted: August 25, 2015 Filed under: Beliefs, Book Review, Gross But Necessary, Health and Wellness, Review | Tags: book review, christianity, faith, GBN, giveaway, Gross But Necessary, health and wellness, healthy-living 3 CommentsIf you’ve seen my last few posts, you already know that I’ve been working through this Gary Thomas book. I finished it a couple of weeks ago.
I typically read very fast–I am totally guilty of rushing through a book to finish it and not taking enough time to think critically and reflect on it. I couldn’t do that with this book. It’s not incredibly long, but it is FULL. I have about 2/3 of the pages dog-eared with information/quotes that I want to go back and read.
The basic premise of this book (at least from my point of view) comes from 2 Timothy 2:20-21:
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. 21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
As Christians we are called to be:
- Instruments for special purposes
- Made holy
- Useful to the Master
- Prepared to do any good work.
That’s a lot of responsibility.
As Gary puts it:
“Desiring a silver soul means that we stop treating our bodies like ornaments-with all the misguided motivations often displayed by those who build their bodies out of pride and ambition-and start treating our bodies like instruments, vessels set apart to serve the God who fashioned them. Whether we have strong or weak bodies, healthy or sick, overnourished or undernourished, how do we begin moving from where we are now to more purposefully building bodies that function like instruments?”
Um… treating our bodies as ornaments? Guilty. This means that we must put our vanity aside. That we stop beating ourselves up or worshiping our looks and start treating our bodies as something that God has given us…and use them accordingly!
This is heavy stuff. And that was only the first chapter!
I mentioned before that this really hit home. I’ve been a bit lax about taking care of my physical health the last few months. Not that I’ve taken up binge drinking, smoking and eating bacon cheeseburgers for dinner every night (How fun would that be?)… I just haven’t made a concerted effort to get out and move. And I was starting to feel it.
With my new-ish job, being healthy and physically fit is important. I have to be on the move at any given time…I never really know what I’m going to end up doing during the week (Seriously).
And then there is the other aspect of my job; As much as I don’t like to admit or think about it, people are watching what I do and say. Especially younger people. And their parents. What I do directly impacts my accountability. How is that for scary responsibility/reality? Wow.
There is a chapter called The Three-Hundred Pound Pastor that hit the nail on the head in this regard. Let’s just say that my Gross But Necessary posts came back right around the time I read that chapter.
To quote the book:
“Let’s be honest: There were times when I was discredited because of the way I looked. When I talked to the kids about self-control in other areas, they could look at me and understandably ask why I wasn’t addressing my issues with food…”
The chapter goes on to talk about how the church can actually enable people who struggle with food/physical fitness. Farmer Ben and I have definitely noticed this before-someone always brings cake/cookies to a group function, there are donuts and coffee on Sunday mornings, and so on.
As the books states;
“Please don’t misunderstand. Making delicious meals is a wonderful way to serve and love others. There’s nothing wrong with communal meals and tasty snacks. There is something wrong, however, about enabling someone who is trapped in an unhealthy pattern of living…
…Let’s create room in our churches for conversations rooted in love as we show concern not just for a person’s emotional well-being but for the physical well-being of that person too. Let’s be more concerned about someone walking in right relationship with God than with whether that person thinks we are loving accepting, and tolerant.”
Now, I realize that I may have a slightly different view because of my employment and my personal areas of struggle…but I think this is definitely something that needs to be talked about.
And the author is not saying to go around and criticize someone’s eating choices/physical appearance. Not at all. But he is saying, that maybe we shouldn’t be so accepting, so nice about letting someone continue an unhealthy lifestyle. There’s a balance.
Moving on, the book has many stories of people who were spiritually strengthened as a result of becoming physically stronger and as I mentioned before, there were many inspiring quotes.
There was also some tough reading.
Gary Thomas doesn’t mince words. He’s very honest about what he feels is the role of the church and its members And he doesn’t excuse a total focus on spiritual health:
“All this talk about fitness, facing the pain of getting in shape, actively combating indulgence and laziness, is in many ways an appeal for the church to get tougher. We are soft. We often cave in at the slightest challenge. Men are lost to superficial sins; women are lost to superficial cares, and the work of the kingdom is neglected. If we don’t get tougher, the work will never get done.”
He has a point. Being a Christian isn’t easy. Heck, being human isn’t easy! If we can’t suffer through an hour of strength training, how will we suffer through persecution? A crisis of faith? Or worse?
It’s pretty clear that I loved this book.There is so much more that I could go write about but we’d be here for another week! That being said, it was not an easy read. Did I take everything in this book as an absolute? Of course not. But it gave me a lot to think about.
There were many pages that made me say, “Amen! Yes…Absolutely!,” There were slightly more that gave me pause… that caused me to ask if I am really living up to the standard to which God calls us.
It’s definitely a process.
Because I loved this book so much, I’m going to give one away!*** Update: Giveaway closed!
To enter, simply comment on this post and tell me what gets you motivated to improve your physical health!
(US or Canada Only)***
For additional entries (1 entry for each item):
- Tweet about the giveaway and leave a comment telling me you did so.
- Follow me on twitter and comment telling me that you did. (@noellesnotebook)
- Follow my blog and tell me how you follow (email, WordPress, BlogLovin, etc.).
- Follow me on Instagram and let me know in the comments! (@noellesnotebook)
I’ll pick a winner on Saturday, August 29! Good luck!
*I purchased this book (and the giveaway copy) with my own money. No affiliation, I just really loved this book and want to share with y’all!
Gross But Necessary; And Then I Did Something Stupid
Posted: August 21, 2015 Filed under: Beliefs, Gross But Necessary, Health and Wellness | Tags: beliefs, confessions, GBN, Gross But Necessary, running 2 CommentsHi Friends!
Another week has flown by and it was a good one! I had a “laser maze” evening with the kids at work and Farmer Ben and I celebrated 4 years of marriage. Thanks to all who called, texted, emailed and brought bottles of wine to celebrate!
I will admit, I didn’t get out the door as much as I would have liked, but sometimes spending an evening with your hubs and watching him make you an amazing dinner* (which will be continued this weekend) far outweighs needing to workout.
And then, on mornings like this one, we need to run. We need that time to be alone with God, to cry out to Him and to push ourselves…for Him. This morning’s run blew me away.
Anyway, here we go!
Gross But Necessary-August 16-22:
Sunday-Rest Day? I’m still trying to figure out how to get a workout in… And then I wonder if I should just call it a rest day. I can’t seem to get a handle on Sunday workouts because I’m busy with work. Any thoughts?
(Side note: We were also recovering from a super speedy trip to Mass the day before. No big deal.)
Monday-Afternoon Walk with Farmer Ben. We didn’t have a lot of time, but it was good to get some steps in, even with the heat.
Tuesday-Rest Day. I had every intention of going for a short run…instead I spent the afternoon taking a hardcore nap and reading. You win some, you lose some.
Wednesday-4 mile run, 1.6 mile walk/jog/cool down. It was disgustingly hot and I was completely drenched by the time I finished this run. It took me almost all day to recover.
Now, this is #GBN
On Wednesday evening, my friend Tina and I prepped the Laser Maze (a workout in and of itself).
Sidenote: I think we made it too hard.
And then the “Something Stupid.” After the maze, I was pooped and had a ridiculous amount of stuff that I had to lug in from my car. I decided to carry as much as I possibly could inside, instead of making two trips or pausing to shove a few things into my bag. As I was carrying/juggling everything into the house, I managed to drop a mason jar on my foot. Let’s just say, it hurt and I had a few choice words that do not bear repeating. It still hurts.
Thursday-Date Night with Farmer Ben. *I ended up going into work a bit early to make sure I would be out by 5. And then I had a date night in with Farmer Ben. Dinner, wine, etc. Perfect anniversary date. This was supposed to be our appetizer… but we were full after this.
Friday-4.5 Miles. I mentioned above, this run blew me away. I could tell it would be a struggle and I could not get my head in the game. So I gave it to God. I spent the run praying. I prayed for loved ones, personal struggles and so much more. I was absolutely empty, yet overflowing when I finished. That peace which surpasses all understanding… and it helped so much.
Saturday-5 or 6 miles. I have a route picked out and I’m aiming for 5 miles. If I feel good, I’ll run 6.
Overall: The heat and humidity was rough this week. I have given up feeling badly about not running fast… it’s too stinking hot! I’ve been using my runs to pray, to think and to listen to terrible girly pop. Also, I’m still not a morning person. Yes, I’ve been running in the morning, but it’s only because I force myself to. I’d much rather go for a night run any day of the week.
I’m happy to report that I’m down 3 lbs since I started running again and our food has been relatively healthy (80/20 principle).
Your Turn: How are you sweating this week? Are you better at running in the heat or in cooler weather? (I’m definitely a cold weather runner).
2014 Running Recap
Posted: December 31, 2014 Filed under: Health and Wellness | Tags: 13.1, 5k, half marathon, race recaps, races, racing, running, Upstate NY Leave a commentSince I spilled my guts about my 2014 great racing plans gone awry last week, I figured that I should give you all a proper recap. Looking back, I kind of failed at posting race recaps this year.
Anyway, I did nine races this year…with the schedule I had, I am pretty proud of that! True, I didn’t have any crazy PRs or end up doing a full marathon, but it wasn’t too bad of a year after all.
Races of 2014 Past:
Race 1: Run to Chocolate. This was only a two mile race, but Farmer Ben and I had so much fun!
Time: 18:44
Race 2: Frostbite 5k. The day after Run to Chocolate… It was cold. REALLY cold. But we ran fast, had fun and our friends’ son ran his first 5k that day! Time: 29:01
Race 3: Doc Lopez Run for Hope (5k). I was supposed to do the half but after taking a spill at work and messing my knee up, I decided to drop down to the 5k. It turned out to be a pretty fun race and had amazing post-race food! I took second in my age group.
Time: 28:28
Race 4: Plattsburgh Half Marathon. This was my first (official) half marathon. My friend Kristy ran with me the whole race (even though she is faster than me), and I am so glad she was there! We were decked out in pink tutus and got a lot of encouragement along the way because of this wardrobe choice. My training for this was…okay. I did a few long runs. Regardless, it was great to spend a couple hours hanging out with Kristy, running all over Plattsburgh. The hardest part was running on the neighborhood streets behind the college, I don’t know why but that part of the course really messed with my head. Either way, it was a good race. Time: 2:28:30
Race 5: Families Helping Families 5k. This was really well put together and had an interesting and flat course. I ran the fastest 5k I’ve done in a couple of years and ended up running into an old friend. Another plus? The proceeds went to a local charity.
Time: 27:34
I stopped my watch late...
Race 6: Biggest Loser Half Marathon. Not gonna lie, this sucked. I wasn’t sure I was going to do this race but I ended up signing up at the expo the day before. The race took place shortly after the restaurant opened and I really hadn’t done any running (other than 4 or 5 miles here or there) in at least a month. We worked really late the night before and I woke up knowing that this was going to be tough. Kristy started out with me (we rocked our pink tutus again) but I immediately started feeling some stomach discomfort and told her to go on without me a few miles in. From mile five to six, I seriously considered not finishing but I refused on the grounds that I had paid to race. I ended up walking a lot and finished about 15 minutes slower than the half I had done a month before. As for the race itself, it was a let down in that I expected more people to be out watching/cheering, especially down town. Also, there were so many runners in the 5k but hardly any running the half.
The plus side is that I had a lot of people cheering me along the course and the volunteers were great!
Time: 2:45:49
Race 7: Dirty Girl Mud Run in DC/MD. My friend Liz scored a Groupon deal on this race and I ended up road-tripping with our friend Kayla down to DC. This was my first obstacle run and first time running a women-only race. We had a good time.
It was rainy and cold…and muddy… I think the best part was being able to hang out with Liz and Kayla for the weekend, eating delicious food and drinking too much wine. The only negative aspect was the parking was super disorganized and the wait for the showers/changing area was outrageous. Luckily, we aren’t that modest and ended up changing in the parking lot.
Time: I have no idea!
Race 8: Adirondack Ragnar Relay. Shortly after the mud run, I decided to drop down to the half marathon for Wineglass and Ben and I got an invitation to join our friend’s Ragnar team. Of course we said yes.
I chose the shortest leg but also ended up running a few extra miles for one of our teammates. Ben chose one of the longer legs and hit a distance PR. I was so so so proud of him! Unfortunately, he ended up hurting his knee.
Ragnar also showed me that I was not in that great of shape and confirmed that my decision to do the Half instead of the Full was the right one.
Time: various.
Race 9: Wine Glass Half Marathon. I was excited to run this as it takes place where I grew up…but also pretty nervous…Part of this was my total lack of training in the months of September and most of August, and part was that I put a lot of unnecessary pressure on myself with racing and this was no exception. I was thrilled that Farmer Ben was (unexpectedly) able to join me on the trip down to my sister’s (where we stayed) and we got to spend some time with the family, toodling around my old stomping grounds. We hit up the race expo to pick up my bib and swag bag (champagne for the win!) and then spent the rest of the day with the family.
On Sunday, we woke up at an ungodly hour and my sister and Ben drove me to meet the shuttle to the starting line. There was some confusion with this and I breathed a sigh of relief because if I had shown up any later, I would have been one of the poor people who missed the last shuttle and weren’t able to race. This was the first time I had taken a bus to the starting line, luckily, I met some pretty cool people waiting. As my bus was one of the last ones to arrive the starting area, I had to sprint to the bag check and the porta-potties and barely made it to the start line before the gun went off. There were a lot of people!
Since I had already decided that I wasn’t going to race this, I just had fun, talking to the people around me and enjoying the autumn scenery. The weather was perfect.
I hung out with a couple of the pace groups, but ended up leaving them so I could be alone with my thoughts. I randomly ran right by my sister, Meghan, and Farmer Ben (unbeknownst to me, they would end up buying a new battery for my car because mine died…Thanks!) just before the 8 mile mark. This made me so happy, I can’t even tell you! Running down Market Street, toward the finish line, I passed my dad and was called a Bad Ass by another runner (she found out I had run it the weekend before).
The finish area was super organized and there was delicious soup, pizza, bagels and other goodies. I ended up eating half of the items and sharing the rest with Ben and my dad.
I ended up running the race in 2hrs and 31 minutes… not my fastest time for 13.1, but I was definitely happy with it, considering my training.
To be honest, I got a little emotional, especially watching the first marathon runners cross the finish line (it turns out, I actually ran Cross Country with the winner!)…people of all abilities, running to complete the elusive 26.2 mile race… and I wasn’t even one of them this year! Then Ben told me that he was really proud of me and I almost cried.
I definitely enjoyed this race the most, from the hand-blown glass medal, to the volunteers and the finish on Market Street, it was really well organized and everyone was SO nice. My family being there definitely helped.
Time: 2:31 (I think)
In short, It was not the year I had planned, but it still pretty fantastic!
Your turn: Favorite race? Greatest achievement in 2014?
#elf4health & #holidaysweat Week 4 Recap
Posted: December 22, 2014 Filed under: Food, Health and Wellness, Holidays | Tags: challenges, elf4healtg, Food, health and wellness, holiday sweat Leave a commentHi Friends! Happy Monday! And happy-almost-Christmas!
Yesterday was the last week of the #elf4health challenge and another week of #holidaysweat. Overall, I did pretty well! Let’s take a look!
Big thanks to Elle & Lindsay for organizing the #elf4health challenge again.
#elf4health:
Monday-Read, Write or Meditate: My small group is going through The Purpose Driven Life and with the chapter-a-day approach, this was the perfect book to read today. It’s very timely for Farmer Ben and I and so far I’m enjoying it (even though only reading a small chunk at a time is a challenge in and of itself).
Tuesday-Push-Up Challenge: I really meant to do this, but I failed.
Wednesday-Share your expertise: I didn’t do this but I did share a few recipes last week… let’s call it even!
Thursday-Veggies with breakfast: I had a smoothie with Skoop and spinach, paired with a carrot pear muffin.
Friday-What You Love About You: I didn’t do this, but I did share some life updates and discussed some recent acceptance of life happening. Again, let’s call it even.
Saturday-New Fitness Goal: I shared my 2015 fitness goals in my last post. Check it out here.
Sunday-Make a donation: Hmm… On Saturday, I volunteered to help with our youth Christmas party at church… this included making a RIDICULOUS amount of mac and cheese and hanging out with the some teenagers. Boom. Done!
#holidaysweat:
You know how last week I said I was starting to feel better? Well, I lied. I’m still sick. Therefore it was more walking, some stretching and not much else.
BUT, I’m still on my freggie and H20 a-game, so that’s something!
Let’s chat: How is your December eating/fitness? Favorite kind of Christmas cookie?
What’s Next? Fitness Goals in 2015
Posted: December 20, 2014 Filed under: Gross But Necessary, Health and Wellness, Life | Tags: Elf4Health, fitness, health & wellness, running 2 CommentsHi Friends! It’s Saturday! Can we talk about how amazing it felt to sleep in?!
Today is our church’s youth Christmas party, so this afternoon, I’ll be busy making a ridiculous amount of mac and cheese and hanging out with some teenagers who are way cooler than me.
Moving on, today’s #elf4health challenge is to set (and announce) a new fitness goal…so I figured we would discuss goals again.
The New Year is one of my favorite holidays because of the feelings of expectation and being able to turn over a new leaf. Making a fresh start is always exciting…and sometimes terrifying. I have to say that I have been very blessed in my 27 years with many “new beginnings.” That being said, I very rarely make resolutions any more. Goals, yes. Resolutions, no.
As I mentioned yesterday, 2014 was not the year of fitness. And that’s okay. But, I’m ready for another go at it!
So knowing that I’ve had this challenge coming up and keeping in mind everything that I’ve learned over the last few months, it was tough to settle on a goal (not resolution) for 2015.
This is what I came up with:
1. Marathon # 2. It didn’t work out this year, but I am ready to commit to it in 2015. I’m not sure which race I’m doing, so I’ll keep you posted.
After Marathon 1, 2013 Adirondack Marathon
2. Coaching Certification. This is something I’ve secretly thought about for some time… I’ve been searching for a way to better serve others. Running has opened up so many doors for me and brought me so much joy and I want to share that!
So I will be working to become a certified running coach in 2015! I have the certification narrowed down to two programs… any advice on this is welcome! Stay tuned!
3. Life is too short for cheap chocolate. I try to live by the 80/20 principle… But lately it is more of a 70/30 ratio. So this is my new reminder.
There is a candy drawer in a co-worker’s office and for whatever reason, I have been making way into it a lot more often than I care to admit…and you know the ridiculous part? When I eat the chocolate in this drawer, it’s not all that satisfying!
Please do not misunderstand, I am NOT giving up chocolate, or even depriving myself, but I want to get back to being more intentional with everything I put in my body.
I know there are foods that make me feel terrible. And others that make me feel not so great. So why am I wasting my time eating something that doesn’t do it for me when I could be enjoying something else that satisfies me and doesn’t have a lot of weird junk in it? Exactly.
Your turn: what are your fitness goals for 2015?
Confessions: On Running (Or Not Running)
Posted: December 19, 2014 Filed under: Health and Wellness, Life, Relationships | Tags: balance, confessions, health and wellness, running Leave a commentCan we talk about how 2014 was not anything I imagined it would be? To say the year did not go as planned would be a giant understatement.
Yesterday, we talked about how Farmer Ben and I had a lot of change…and a lot of stress…and then even more change. Some of this was for the good, and some was not. My faith, among other things, was definitely tested this year, but as a result, it is stronger than ever.
A quick recap:
Ben left a secure job and went in as a partner to open a restaurant. And then, we left it. At the time, it was a really tough decision, but it turns out that it was for the best.
Today, let’s talk about fitness in 2014. Or…how there was a lack of it.
On the Fitness Side of Things:
· I was excited to run marathon number 2. But, with restaurant responsibilities (on top of my regular job), I was working too much. As a result, I could not make time for training. I had to prioritize-running or relationships—and sleep.
· I was planning to hit some elusive health and fitness goals this year, including14 races and losing those last 10-15 pounds… Instead, I ended up working a ridiculous amount of hours, being overly stressed and only doing 9 races (which I am still pretty happy with)…and I gained 10 pounds (that literally hurt to type).
· I finally ran a half marathon-in a pink tutu (Thanks to my dear friend Kristy for running with me!).
Plattsburgh Half with Kristy
· I wanted to run faster. This didn’t happen.
· I ran 2 more half marathons this year, both of which I did not train for (I don’t recommend this).
In all honestly, I can’t say that I really trained for any of my races this year, at least not with any sort of consistency. Yes, I was still running but without intention. As a result, I wound up with a pain in my foot that caused me to run even less (it’s mostly healed now).
Instead of hitting these fitness goals, I was barely able to get out and run a couple of days of week… or do anything else outside of work! On top of that, I was constantly feeling guilty for not “doing it all.” Social media did not help my guilt.
But, in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t the end of the world.
I guess my point is this: Even though it kind of feels like 2014 was a major bust, I was able to re-evaluate, find rest, and regroup. Like I said yesterday, Farmer Ben and I tried something and it didn’t work. But we learned from it.
The same thing goes for my running goals; I had to decide if my fitness goals were more important than my relationships. And in the end, they are not.
NOTE: I’m NOT saying that fitness is not important, because it is. However, when it stresses you out and consumes you, then it is a problem
This year, I could NOT find a balance between the two. In all honesty, work took over my life for much of the year. As a result, I had to let some things go. For a time, it was my running goals, and in the end, I let working (more than one job) go.
I really, truly love to run. That hasn’t changed. But this year, it stressed me out more than it helped me…there were days when I was close to tears because I had to choose between going out for a run or spending a few precious moments with my husband (I realize this seems dramatic, but totally true). My insane schedule—that I had created—would not allow for both. If (and when) I missed a run, I would panic…and then, I would over-do it on the next run.
So I stepped away from it…The biggest (and most difficult) choice I made was switching from the full to the half marathon at Wineglass. This sucked… Still, it was the best decision for my sanity well-being. When I took the pressure off, I was able to go out and enjoy the run and it went back to being a stress reliever, instead of a stress inducer.
Yes, I continued running but I wasn’t attempting and failing at training. Yes, I still ran that third half marathon–but I didn’t put any pressure on myself to race it. To my surprise, I actually had a respectable time (for me) and I enjoyed this race the most out of the nine I completed this year…probably because my family was waiting for me on the course and at the finish line. Balance.
In the end, by letting my running goals go (for a short time), I was able to rediscover my love of the run and find peace balance.
Now, it’s time for a new year and new goals!
Let’s chat, what surprises did 2014 hold for you?
Noelle's Notebook 