princess half marathon weekend: preparation, part 2

Ahhh! Can you believe Princess Half Marathon Weekend is THIS weekend?! As you prepare for your trip, I thought it might be helpful to provide a check list for items to pack for your run-cation. The weather for the 5k is looking like it might be a bit chilly (at least while standing around waiting to begin... and depending on how you are, the 10k and half might also be cold for you), so think about packing some layers, throw away clothes, or wearing a jacket that you can put in your gEAR check bag. I'm doing the 5k and the Glass Slipper Challenge, so I need to pack enough clothes and gear for 3 races.

Race Gear
• shorts, capris, and or leggings (whatever your preference for the weather) - I myself will be packing 1 pair of leggings, 2 capris and 2 shorts (in case of weather changes)
• tech shirts - both long sleeve and short sleeve for layering purposes
• sports bra x3
• Feetures socks x3
• winter running hat & gloves (I have a Brooks hat and Saucony gloves I like)
• arm warmers
• sunglasses
• 2 pairs of running shoes
• KT Tape Pro
• road ID bracelet
• Garmin + charger
• Fitbit + charger
• Sparkly Soul headbands
• Sparkle Athletic skirts
• Oiselle rundies x3
• bandaids
• BodyGlide
• bobbypins
• extra hair ties
• visor
• extra contacts
• RunGoo
• Zensah Compression Sleeves
• Nuun + water bottle (for hydrating throughout the day)
• Fuel Belt
• inhaler
• Yurbuds

• kleenex

• chapstick

• Tylenol

• ENERGYbits

• RECOVERYbits

• Deodorant

• Bib Number belt or Race Dots

• Handheld hydration or a hydration pack (runDisney provides plenty of water and Powerade at the races, but some runners like to carry their own – maybe they prefer different hydration drink like Nuun or MESTRENGTH, or just want to be able to drink whenever they want)

• external battery charger – I don't know about you, but my phone dies very quickly these days, so definitely need a charger for at least the half marathon

• Throw away gear, mylar blanket, garbage bag – whatever you want to bring to keep you warm before the race (I'll probably just wear a jacket and tie it around my waist once I warm up)

• Hand sanitizer

• Fuel – I use Clif Shot Bloks, so I'll bring 2 packs (one for the 10k and another for the half... most people don't need them for the 10k, but I can't eat breakfast, so in combination with ENERGYbits and the shot bloks, it helps me stay energized)

Anything you need that I don't have on my list? I'm in the camp of wanting to bring everything so I am prepared for whatever comes my way. Others are more minimalist – which are you?

week in review: november 24–30

Dopey Challenge Training: Week 22

Monday, November 24: rest day

Tuesday, November 25: unscheduled rest day

Wednesday, November 26: 40 minute walk

Thursday, November 27: 4.07 miles (RFK 4 mile Turkey Trot)

Friday, November 28: 3.17 miles 

Saturday, November 29: 10.01 miles (Grant Park Turkey Trot & Ugly Sweater Run)

Sunday, November 30: 23 miles

Weekly mileage: 40.25

Total mileage for Dopey Challenge Training: 354.83 miles

Whooooeeee. That was a tough weekend. Tuesday should have been a 30 minute run, but my arches were in a lot of pain, so I took it easy in preparation for my first Dopey Simulation (four consecutive days of running, though the mileage wasn't quite what the actual races are) over the weekend. 

Wednesday I walked from work to the train station to try and catch an earlier train than usual so I could make it for packet pickup for the Turkey Trot on Thursday. Unfortunately, I had on winter boots that aren't great for quick walking, and ended up with blisters on my big toes that came back to haunt me the rest of the week/end. Boo. We hit up our local watering hole for a Black Wednesday drink, then went to bed early. I remember the days where I would be out all night with my friends, and now I'm more concerned with getting home early so I'll be well rested for my race in the morning haha.

Thursday's Turkey Trot 4 mile run was hilly and a little chilly, but really not too bad. After the race my mom and I grabbed some hot beverages and donuts at DD, then I had to rush home and shower so I could go out with the husband for our monthly wine tasting and a light lunch. I felt horrible going on Thanksgiving, but they were open and it was the only day we could squeeze it in when it wouldn't be miserable—we had contemplated Wednesday night, but figured it would be way too crowded (we overheard a server saying how it was a madhouse, so I think we made the right call). It was lovely. After that we headed to my in-laws for dinner, which was delicious. His family is filled with characters, so it's always so fun to get together with them all... we pretty much just laugh the whole time. I filled up on turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, Irish soda bread, dinner rolls, and corn. Then I had some pumpkin pie. Yum. We got home around 8:30 or so, took care of some house business and hit bed pretty early. 

Friday I was up at 4am and could not fall back asleep. I woke up and tossed some laundry in the washer, watched a little tv, and then started to feel sick. That happens to me when I'm exhausted. I headed back up to bed and was able to sleep another 2 hours, which was great. The rest of the day was productive cleaning the house with a treadmill run at the gym squeezed in. I was planning on doing 4 miles, but was having some foot pain and ended at about 3. I figured it was alright since I did the 4 miles before, and still had 10 miles Saturday and 23 on Sunday. For dinner we headed up to our favorite food truck at our favorite local brewery, and had an early night to bed... again.

Saturday was another early morning as my mom and I headed in to the city. We had the Grant Park Turkey Trot 5k at 9am and then the Ugly Sweater Run at Soldier Field at 11am. Since I had to do 10 miles that day and got there a bit early, we did 1.83 miles before the first race, then the first race at 3.14, then another mile, the other 5k, and then I after finishing that race I ran around the parking lot to finish another .93 miles. After that I enjoyed an Angry Orchard that was included in the race registration. After the races, I had lunch with my mom and we stopped at a local running store for some socks (I also got a Brooks winter running hat with the ponytail hole and a baclava). Then I showered, took a nap, and took the rest of the day easy.

My left knee was hurting me after the races Saturday, so I did a full knee support KT Tape application, and on Sunday I had no problems with it.

Sunday was tough. This was my first time going 23 miles—until yesterday, my farthest had been 20, and then was extremely tough for me as my shins were giving me a lot of problems. These 23 miles were still crazy hard, but they were better than the time I did 20, and after 3 other days of running, I was quite happy with that. These 23 miles were done all by my lonesome – no one to chat with or give me words of encouragement. Having finished them by myself, I feel confident that I can complete the marathon. I don't know if it rained the night before or if it was the snow/ice that melted, but a lot of the trail was very very messy. I had mud all over my shoes and back of my pants. I didn't mind that it was messy, but there were times that my feet would sink in or turn an odd way that I didn't feel stable on my feet.

Probably hard to tell how muddy it is from that picture in the middle,
but think the pants show it well enough.

As for fueling, I had 20 ENERGYbits and a PowerBar Performance Energy Blend about 15 minutes before starting. I hydrated with some water and about 30 oz of Nuun Fruit Punch. Every 2 miles I had a Clif Shot Blok – I finished off a pack of Orange and then had Mountain Berry. At mile 10 I had a Picky Bar Cookie Doughpness (my favorite!). I felt this fueling strategy helped keep me going. When I finished, I immediately had a chocolate milk with extra protein and a Justin's Nut Butter (Thanks to the fine folks at Justin's and BibRave for providing this BibRavePro an abundance of samples!). This was my first time trying Justin's and let me say, I was quite pleased with it! It tasted delicious and hit the spot after those tough miles.

As far as the weather and my attire... it was too hot for the first 1/3 and then too cold for the 2/3 at the end. I had on a Patagonia lightweight long sleeve top as a base layer, then a tech t-shirt and my Brooks jacket (I love the zipper pockets!), and then I had on Zensah compression sleeves, Oiselle Portman Pants (the only legging to not bother me when running), Features socks, and Brooks trail running shoes. It was sunny and 48 with a feels like 43 when I started, not much wine, and then at about mile 10 it was 34 with a feels like of 25, no sun, and 12 MPH winds. I was cold and sort of miserable for those last 13 miles, but I powered through any way.

I was a bit tired and sore when I got home, but nothing too strange. However, right before bed, I had such a horrible pain in my right ankle that I could barely walk. I didn't notice any swelling or bruising, and couldn't think of any incidents that would make it hurt that bad. Unfortunately  it was still hurting this morning when I got up. I taped it with KT Tape, which has been helpful, but it still gives me shooting pains now and again when I'm walking (or should I say limping). This is a bit disconcerting, but I'm hoping with some RICE and a bit of stretching, it'll feel better pronto. Luckily this week is just some maintenance runs for the week and a fun run 5k on Saturday. Please keep your fingers crossed for me!

SIDE NOTE:

With the holiday season now upon us, the frantic search for the perfect gift has begun! Why not "Give BITS as Gifts!"? One size fits all, and many runners and athletes already have BITS on their Holiday Wish List!

BITS come in attractive organza bags so they don’t even need to be wrapped! Everyone loves them -- and what’s not to love?! They’re vegan, Paleo, plant-based, healthy and provide clean energy!

Remember to use code 'HeatherRuns' for a 25% discount on your cart :)

How was your week/end? Did training go well?

P.S. Make sure to review your race(s) on BibRave.com, and join us for #BibChat tomorrow night at 8pm CT.

clif bar minis and shot bloks / luna protein bar review

All of the goodies!

Disclaimer: I received Clif and LUNA products to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!*

Fueling before, during, and after your runs can be tricky. You want to make sure you get the right kinds of fuel that will help you power your runs along with help with the recovery process afterwards. It can take a lot of trial and error before finding a product or products that work for you. Some people have sensitive stomachs, others have picky tastes (me!). I have trouble with the texture of GUs and other shot-like options. I've found some things that work great for me, but I'm also always willing to try new things – maybe they'll be even better than what I use now. What works for some won't work for others. That's why you have to test different options and see how your body reacts.

I've been using Clif Shot Bloks for maybe a year now and have been a big fan. I find them easy to use while running, and have no stomach issues with them. They give me the energy to finish those longer runs (carbs, protein, sodium, and even a little potassium). 

I've also received a variety of their bars through countless race swag bags and have enjoyed them. I haven't had much chance to try LUNA bars. When I heard that Clif and LUNA were sending ALL of the BibRave Pros a shipment of their products, I was extremely pleased.

What was in my shipment? An 18-count box of Shot Bloks Orange with Caffeine, 18-count box of mini Clif Bars – 9 Chocolate Chip and 9 White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, and 12-count box of Chocolate Coconut Almond LUNA Protein bars.

I was SO grateful for all of the products we received, the amount sent was extremely generous. However, I am a picky eater and not a fan of coconut... so I reached out to all of the other Pros to see if anyone had a different flavor and was willing to swap. Luckily for me, Jenn (The Cupcake Runner) wasn't a fan of the Lemon Vanilla, so we each shipped our boxes to each other – thanks again, Jenn!

Featured: LUNA Protein Bars, Clif Bar Minis, and Clif Shot Bloks.

SHOT BLOKS
On my long runs (which for me is 6+ miles), I eat one Shot Blok every 2 miles. They have been coming in handy during my ongoing Dopey Challenge training. I've brought them along on my 15, 17, and 20 mile runs. I liked the orange flavor, though got a bit of a mediciny like after taste. I really liked the extra boost of caffeine, as it helped give me the push needed to finish those longer miles (each one being my longest run until that next one).

The Bloks don't bother my stomach at all, and I find them easy to chew. Their packaging is much easier to deal with than other chews I've tried – they have a nice perforation that you pull down on the top rather than needing to peel apart, so it's easy to get the chews out. If you have trouble with this, you can also put the chews in a snack size ziplock bag for easy access. I have no problems fitting these in my Flipbelt or my Orange Mud hydration pack.

They are a great fuel option, and I usually use them in conjunction with ENERGYbits – no tummy problems, and the combo keeps my hunger at bay when I'm out there for 2+ hours. If you're curious, I drink Nuun on my runs. Again, no stomach issues for me.

I will continue to use the Shot Bloks, but I'll admit that orange won't be my first pick – I generally go for the berry flavors (love the mountain berry, black cherry, cran-razz, strawberry, and tropical punch). It's just my preference. I let my husband try one, and he enjoyed the flavor. I hear the margarita is phenomenal, so I'll have to give those a try sometime soon. Angie and I swapped a few packages when we met up at the Chicago Marathon, so I was able to try the Mountain Berry. Great taste! Thanks for sharing, Angie!

Flavor notes from the Clif Bar website:
• An orange pick-me-up with a 25mg boost of caffeine
• 95% organic
• 25mg caffeine
• Simple-to-handle
• Easy-to-chew

Flavor options: black cherry with caffeine (50mg), citrus, cran-razz, margarita (cramp buster = 3X sodium = 150mg), mountain berry, orange with caffeine (25mg), strawberry, and tropical punch with caffeine (25mg)

Nutrition Facts.

CLIF BAR MINIS
I liked both of the bars that I received. The chocolate chip and white chocolate macadamia nut were great to have as on-the-go snacks. I often put one in my purse before I left the house to have something when I got hungry. It definitely came in handy when I did a brewery tour that had no food involved. After a few beers, I had a Clif Bar and it satiated my hunger for another few hours. Their the perfect size at 100–110 calories per bar. I actually just ordered a pack of some seasonal holiday flavors (iced gingerbread and spiced pumpkin pie - yum!) from Amazon, though they are the full sized ones. Can't wait for them to arrive :)

A perfect snack to hold off the hunger while waiting to eat lunch.
Yes, I enjoy pre-lunch snacks.

Brewery Tour snack.

Flavor options for the full bars (there's a LOT and I want to taste all of them except the ones with coconut, obviously haha): apricot, banana nut bread, black cherry almond, blueberry crisp, carrot cake, chocolate almond fudge, chocolate brownie, chocolate chip, chocolate chip peanut crunch, coconut chocolate chip, cool mint chocolate, crunchy peanut butter, iced gingerbread, maple nut, oatmeal raisin walnut, peanut toffee buzz, pecan pie, sierra trail mix, spiced pumpkin pie, white chocolate macadamia nut.

Flavor options for the minis: chocolate chip, crunchy peanut butter, chocolate brownie, white chocolate macadamia nut. Those all sound yummy.

Chocolate Chip Mini Nutrition Facts.

Chocolate Chip flavor notes from the Clif Bar website:
• A cookie-lover's dream come true
• Made with organic rolled oats
• 23 Vitamins and minerals

The full ones are also a good source of protein and fiber.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Nutrition Facts.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut flavor notes from the Clif Bar website:
• Exploding with roasted macadamia nuts and the taste of scrumptious white chocolate

• Made with organic rolled oats

• 23 Vitamins and minerals

LUNA PROTEIN BARS

As stated above, I traded with Jenn for the Lemon Vanilla. While some people don't like this flavor, I think it's delicious! It reminds me of the Lemonade Girl Scout cookies. I had a sample of this flavor at the Chicago Women's Half Marathon Packet Pickup and thought it tasted great. Since it's packed with protein, I like to eat them after workouts. I add it to my gym bag and eat it on my way out. Works like a charm. I've also had the Chocolate Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough – both delightful. Other flavor options include Mint Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Coconut Almond (which I swapped), and Chocolate Cherry Almond.

Some information about the LUNA Protein Lemon Vanilla Bars:

• Zesty lemon with a creamy finish, their first non-chocolate protein bar.

• Sweet satisfaction in a high protein bar created just for women. LUNA Protein lets us indulge while it helps us stick to our best intentions, with nutritious ingredients and the power of protein to keep us feeling full.

• Gluten free

• 12g of Protein, 3g of Fiber

• High in Calcium and Folic Acid

• Good source of Iron and Vitamin D

LUNA Protein Lemon Vanilla Nutrition Facts.

So, if you're looking to try out some new fuel options for before, during, or after your runs (or to have some delicious snacks) – I'd give any/all of these a try :) 

Feel free to ask me any questions in the comments below.

Have you ever tried any of these products? Do you use them to fuel your runs? What's your go-to?

Connect with Clif:

http://www.clifbar.com/

https://www.facebook.com/clifbar

http://www.clifbar.com/

http://instagram.com/clifbarcompany

Connect with LUNA:

http://www.lunabar.com/

https://www.facebook.com/luna

https://twitter.com/lunabar

http://instagram.com/lunabar

What did the other Pros have to say? Check it out:

Jane | Jeremy | Angie | Jenn | Amy | Matt

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and honest, as always :)

week in review: october 27–november 2

Dopey Challenge Training: Week 18

Monday, October 27: rest day

Tuesday, October 28: 2.96 miles (treadmill; 2 incline; 60/60 run/walk intervals)

Wednesday, October 29: rest day

Thursday, October 30: 3.17 miles (treadmill; 1.5 incline; 60/60 intervals, then 120/60)

Friday, October 21: 30 minute walk

Saturday, November 1: 8.5 miles (treadmill; 1.5 incline; 30/120 intervals)

Sunday, November 2: 20.05 miles

Weekly mileage:  34.68 miles

Total mileage for Dopey Challenge Training: 298.38 miles

This week in training went well. I ended up with only one day of cross training, but had four days of running. I ran after work, so hit up the gym on Tuesday and Thursday. My right knee hurt a little bit on Tuesday, but has been fine since then. 

Wednesday I went to my cousin's house for our annual pumpkin carving and pizza night. That was a lot of fun catching up, since it's been a while. Friday after work traffic was horrible, so I walked to the train station rather than the bus, since I figured it would be quicker to walk anyway. It was in the low 40s and had winds of up to 38 MPH. Whoa. The wind was literally pushing me around, it was crazy. There were also some snow flurries that day, I felt bad for the kids having to trick-or-treat in that weather. 

Friday evening my husband and I went met some friends at a brewery which was hosting a Halloween Party – it was a lot of fun. They had a costume contest and some special tappings and Halloween cocktails; deliciousness. Then came a tough weekend.

Great snack to hold me over until lunch.

Treadmill workout done!

On Saturday I did a lot of house cleaning, laundry, and went to the gym, which was fairly empty and I loved, to do an 8.5 mile easy/slow run. Luckily, I had a treadmill with a working TV, so I was able to watch Spiderman and an episode of "Friends". Even though I listened to music, it was nice to have something to watch to help keep me entertained. Since I had 20 miles the next day, and the 17 miles was a bit rough because I took the 7 miles a bit too fast two weeks prior, I took those 8.5 miles as slow as I could stand. At one point I was just thinking that I just wanted to be done, but I tried to stay on the slow end (and I'm slow anyway, so you can imagine just how slow I had to go haha). I did 2 minutes of walking and 30 seconds of running on a 1.5 incline. I brought some Nuun to drink and had two Clif Shot Bloks. Afterwards, I ate a Lemon Vanilla LUNA protein bar. Yum.

Gym essentials.

Luckily, I had no plans for Saturday, so the rest of the day was lounging on the couch, making dinner, resting/recovering, and gathering my gear for Sunday's run. I went to bed fairly early, so happy to know that the time change would be happening while I slept. Loved. Waking up at 7 wasn't so bad when my body felt like it was 8. However, I wasn't too thrilled to see the temperature outside was 'feels like' 25. Woof.

I ended up not getting to the trail until about 9, since I dragged my feet a bit leaving the house hoping the weather would warm up a bit. Then, when I got there, I had to drive around a bit to find a parking space – it was much more crowded than I was expecting, which turned out to be because there was a group of 20+ hikers that all drove separately taking up most of the spaces. 

Fueling my very long run.

I wore my Patagonia long sleeve light-weight top, a dry-tech short sleeve, Saucony jacket (I love the jacket because there are zip pockets so I can store a bunch of stuff like Kleenex and such), Athleta capris, Zensah compressions sleeves, Features socks, my Brooks trail shoes, Orangemud Double Barrel HydraQuiver with Nuun, and my Flipbelt filled with my ENERGYbits, Clif Shot Bloks Orange flavor with caffeine, and a Picky Bar. 

I started with 30 seconds running and two minutes walking. I took two shot books every two miles, and took 15 ENERGYbits before starting, along with another 10 at mile 9. The first 5 miles went great. I was feeling good and thinking optimistically. Unfortunately, around mile 5.5 I started having horrible shin pains on my left leg. Sometimes it hurt when I walked, other times when I ran. I couldn't quite figure out why it was hurting, and couldn't stop the pain. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to finish the miles. I managed to walk/run the same intervals till I got back to the start. 

20 miles complete!

Lucky for me, my husband agreed to meet me for the final 10 miles. When I got back to the start, I swapped out my empty bottle of Nuun for the extra one I put in my car in a cooler. After the swap, my husband and I started the final half of the run. Unfortunately, I had to do a lot more walking – my shin was not having it when I tried to run. My arches started to really hurt towards the end as well, but I managed to finish, albeit with a very slow time. Sometimes the pain would subside, and sometimes it was constant, while other times it was more of a sharp quick pain. I haven't had pain so bad in quite a long time, and if my husband wasn't there with me helping to keep me motivated and keeping my mind off of it all with some chatter and jokes, I probably would have quit before I hit 20. I am very thankful for that. I made sure to take it slow, so I didn't injure myself more; I'm smart enough to listen to my body and not push too hard.

When I got home, I drank some chocolate milk with extra protein and tossed my legs up the wall. After a shower, I put my Dr. Cool Wrap around my shin to help alleviate the pain and possible swelling. Family came over for dinner, and during that time my right calf started hurting. Oh boy. The joys of marathon training. I went to bed around 9:30... I was exhausted! Luckily, when I woke up, my right leg felt better, and my shin, though still in pain, was better than last night. I'm hoping another day of elevation, ice, compression, and no running helps it heal. I've never had shin splints, so not sure if that's what it was. Anyone ever deal with shin splints or the pain I described? Any tips?

Anyway, I'm really happy that I finished all the miles that were in my training plan for the week. Though it was really tough, I'm proud that I completed it all :) Training with the Flipbelt (thanks BibRave) this week has gone well and you can expect a review later this week.
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As a side note, ENERGYbits is running a promotion right now called BITS for BIBS. Do this soon – the offer is only for a few weeks: 

To celebrate your success and commitment to a lifestyle of running and working hard to achieve your fitness goals, the ENERGYbits team would like to congratulate you with some fun swag and a chance to brag!

All you need to do is:

1. Email Emily Pettengill epettengill at energybits.com a photo of one or more of your 2014 race bibs and your twitter handle.

2. In the subject line of the email put “BITS for BIBS”.

3. Immediately (or within 48 hours of emailing Emily), place your next order on www.energybits.com. Remember to use code HeatherRuns for a 25% discount!!

4. The ENERGYbits team will include a SWAG Bag (value $50.00) when they receive your order.

5. They will post your bib photo on a promotion card and Tweet it!

Don’t delay! This promotion will only run for a few weeks!
[Please Note: they can only send one SWAG Bag per person. Thanks!]

Look What’s in Your BITS for BIBS SWAG Bag!

_________________________________________________________________

How was your week/end? Did training go well? Hope you all had a great Halloween! Welcome to November. 

P.S. Make sure to review your race(s) on BibRave.com, and join us for #BibChat tomorrow night at 8pm CT.

friday five: favorite fuel for running

Happy Friday, my friends! Per usual, I am linking up with the lovely ladies of DC: Courtney at Eat Pray Run DC, Cynthia at You Signed up for What?, and Mar at Mar on the Run, as I do every Friday. This week's theme is "Favorite Fuel for Running (or working out)".

1. ENERGYbits. Seriously, these tiny green/blue tablets are like magic. I have a nervous stomach and can't eat before races, so these have come in handy. They give me the energy I need to finish strong, and help keep the hunger pains away. I take my ENERGYbits about 15 minutes prior to my run, and depending on the length also during. I became an ambassador about a month ago, so if you are looking to buy a bag, use code 'HeatherRuns' for a 25% discount on energybits.com. You can use it on any of their products – ENERGYbits, SKINNYbits, VITALITYbits, and RECOVERYbits. You can read my initial review here (written well before I became an ambassador), or my ambassador post here.

ENERGYbits to the rescue.

2. Clif Shot Bloks. I love these guys. I take a Shot Blok about every two miles (for longer runs, which to me is 6+ miles). This helps give me the calories my body needs to finish the longer runs. I had a lovely surprise recently as well: I'm a BibRave Pro and Clif was extremely generous in sending us some products to try, and I got a bunch of Shot Bloks in the orange flavor, which I've never tried before (I usually go with Tropical Punch, Black Cherry, and CranRazz). Yay!

3. Picky Bars. Booyah! I am a member of the Picky Club, and love love love these bars. They offer an array of flavors (my favorites are All-In Almond and Cookie Douhpness) and they pack a good amount of protein and carbohydrates – perfect for athletes. I like to eat one about 30–45 minutes before a run, or if I'm hiking, I'll take them with to eat during. I also love them for just a general snack—my snack drawer at work is always stocked with them :) You may have noticed that both Picky Bars and ENERGYbits got me through the longs days of standing/running around at Riot Fest last month.

Couldn't get a good photo, but you get the idea.

4. Pizza and Beer. Yes, I said it. The days where I've had pizza and a beer (craft, of course) before a long run, the long runs have gone surprisingly well. Maybe it's the carbs, or perhaps it's just comfort food that takes away my nerves, who knows—I'm not going to question it if it works ;)—but I've taken to loving it for dinner the nights before a run. It's not always pizza, one time it was loaded cheese fries and a delicious grilled cheese sandwich. The next day, 9.5 miles done without a problem. And let's be honest, these are foods and drinks I love, so it makes me so happy that I can eat them the night before a run and be ok haha. Here's the secret, though: It's about portion control and not over doing it. When I'm full, I stop eating (usually bringing half a sandwich home for the next day) and I have two beers tops. Then, once I'm home, I'll drink some Nuun before bed.

5. If I'm able to eat before running, I sometimes go with a bagel with peanut butter or an english muffin with butter (just a little). This will usually be consumed about an hour or two before the run. Obviously, if it's a morning race, I choose sleep over waking up early enough to try and eat something (mostly because I know I won't be able to eat regardless).

What are some of your favorite fuels for when you are running/working out?

Thanks to Courtney, Cynthia, and Mar for hosting! Make sure to check out their "Friday Five" posts (direct links above in first paragraph) and link up if you are joining in on the fun (and if you aren't – how come?!). Don't forget to read/comment on some of the other link ups :) 

Also, if you're interested, here are my posts from the week:

Week in Review

Weekly Chase

Hoist Review

Have a great weekend, everyone! Hope it's wonderful :)