My New Job

On Tuesday, I mentioned that I've had a lot of extra free time this week to get in some additional workouts since I've had this entire week off of work. Nope, it's not my Spring Break, but I did resign from my previous job last week and don't start my new job until Monday.

I couldn't be MORE excited about this new job opportunity, because it is just that...a great opportunity...and I am so interested in this industry! I will be working for a new company (that started in the Fall) called BioTrust Nutrition. 

BioTrust is an industry-leading nutritional supplement company. The product line includes nutrition shakes, nutrition bars, various vitamins, minerals and herbs along with healthy food products. You can watch a short video here on how some of their products work.  

The reason this company and their product line caught my eye is due to the fact that they use all natural ingredients - no antibiotics, artificial sweeteners, colors, or preservatives (which I'm a huge believer in). And on the plus side, I can continue to work from home! And yes, they'll be giving me samples to try out myself, which you know I'll wind up blogging about and sharing my experiences with y'all. 

I will be starting off as a customer service representative and health and fitness coach. I'll be answering basic questions and helping place customer orders, but I will also have the opportunity to educate consumers about how scientifically-backed nutrients, quality foods and a healthy lifestyle can help them prevent and overcome many health conditions including obesity, high blood pressure, type II diabetes, heart disease and more. Even though I'm starting off "at the bottom," there is tremendous growth potential and opportunity within the company. This is another reason why this job attracted me so much and why I love working with newer businesses. 

I'm so passionate about this industry and line of work, I can't wait to get started. My dad always said "If you enjoy what you do, you'll never work a day in your life!" So true! 

I'm off to run my 5 miles for the day! 

3/7/2013: Miles run - 177.5 of 1000. Miles remaining - 822.5 of 1000 

Bikram Yoga

Back in January, I posted about the benefits of doing yoga for runners. Today, I decided to try out Bikram Yoga for the first time. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I'm always down to try something healthy and new. 

For those of you who don't know what Bikram Yoga is, it's a type of yoga that lasts for 90 minutes and consists of a set of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises. It is practiced in a room heated to 105 degrees with a humidity level of 40% (picture doing yoga in a sauna). You would think living in Texas I'd be used to that kind of intense heat. However, that wasn't quite the case. I have never sweat so much in my life.

I found a Bikram Yoga studio close to my house and decided to pay the $20 and give it a go. I read quite a few reviews online beforehand and everyone I talked to on Facebook and Twitter said they loved it. But I was still nervous going into the class because I wasn't sure if I'd be able to complete the session without getting dizzy or passing out from the heat and humidity. I can also be a little shy when I'm new to a class and feel like everyone else knows what they're doing except for me (anyone else feel this way?). I took everyone's advice and made sure to drink plenty of water before and after class (2 bottles of water before, a gatorade during, and an iced green tea from Starbucks after). 

Source

I ended up going to the noon class because I figured it'd be the least crowded and intimidating. Even though I don't have another session to compare it to, I think I was right. There were only about 12 people in my class and they were all middle-aged women (I was by far the youngest one in there...so if they can do it, so can I). When I first walked into the room, I was immediately engulfed in thick, hot air. It was difficult for me to breathe just sitting there waiting for class to start, but I knew I needed to give myself a few minutes to adjust before freaking out. 

Before class started, I was already dripping with sweat. The first 45 minutes consisted of upright or standing poses and stretches, which were by far harder than the last 45 minutes, which were seated poses and stretches. Luckily, I never felt like I was going to pass out or felt the need to lie down (which they tell you beforehand is perfectly normal and fine to do at any point during the 90 minutes). 

I was also surprised by the mood and tone of the instructor. If you're looking for a relaxed, peaceful setting, Bikram is not be for you. There was no calming, tranquil music and the instructor was more of a drill sergeant type. She didn't even do the poses with us. She stood at the front of the class watching us and gave us scripted instructions on how to accomplish the poses and stretches. That part was surprising for me, because I'm used to a more personal, friendly instructor (like my Aunt Tamie when she teaches Body Pump). But after reading more reviews, I suppose that's common across all teachers in Bikram and just the way it's structured. Very intense, though. 

After the 90 minutes passed, my hair looked as if I had just washed it (lovely image, right?) and my tank top had gone from light grey to dark grey, drenched with sweat. I LOVED it. If I know I'm going into something that will be hot and miserable, and expect to sweat, I don't mind it one bit. And that's the whole point of Bikram. I felt so refreshed and rejuvenated afterwards. Just thinking of all of the toxins I released is an awesome feeling....and that's how I felt BEFORE I even showered! After a nice cold shower, my feelings intensified. 

I was curious if I would lose any water weight during this experience. I weighed myself this morning and after the class, but seeing as how I had drank almost a gallon of liquid throughout the allotted time, the scale didn't budge. Oh well! It was still a killer workout and great for my back. I feel like my posture is better already. 

I would love to be able to do Bikram more often, but at $20 a pop (or $150 for an unlimited month), I'm not quite sure I can afford it. 

Have any of you done Bikram before and if so, what was your experience like? 

3/6/2013: Miles run - 172.5 of 1000. Miles remaining - 827.5 of 1000 

Bulu Box

Zumba and Yoga completed before noon? Don't mind if I do. I start a new job next Monday (which I'll blog about later this week), so I have this week off and plenty of time for classes at the gym. Yippee!

I was in a pretty crummy mood yesterday since I had to spend my morning and part of my afternoon at the court house for Jury Duty. But during the long waiting periods, I had plenty of time to check my email. Quickly, my day turned around! 

I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from Bulu Box asking if I'd like to become a brand ambassador for their program! If you're familiar with Birchbox or Ipsy (companies that ship you beauty related sample products), Bulu Box works the same way, but with a health twist. You can sign up for monthly subscriptions and they'll ship (for free!) vitamin and supplement samples straight to your doorstep. Bulu Box describes their company as "the first vitamin, supplement and general health subscription sample box designed to help you feel your best." 

Every month, you will receive a box filled with 4-5 premium samples from top brands. There is a mix of products for both women and men, including vitamins, weight loss, sports nutrition, protein, diet, energy, detox, digestion, sexual health, herbs, natural remedies, endurance and more. No shipping or hidden fees. And depending on your plan, you can cancel anytime. 

You can also choose your subscription type that works best with your budget and goals.

www.BuluBox.com

If you use the code BULUGAN879 at checkout, you can get the first month FREE (a savings of $10)! 

www.BuluBox.com

Check it out! I can't wait until my first box arrives in the mail in the next week or so. And you know I'm gonna blog about it. 

3/5/2013: Miles run - 168.5 of 1000. Miles remaining - 831.5 of 1000 

DC Half Marathon

Who doesn't love Jury Duty on Monday morning? That's where I've been and am about to go back this afternoon. Lovely...

...But now for the exciting news I mentioned on Friday's post...

I signed up for the Washington DC Rock 'N Roll Half Marathon on March 16th....yes, March 16th! As in, 12 days from now! I have been wanting to do a half marathon since college and I finally bit the bullet and registered. 

Why Washington DC you ask? Well, I'm leaving next Wednesday to visit Jon in Pittsburgh for a few weeks and I had asked him to take me to DC or New York for my birthday (which is March 27th, hint hint people). Since Pittsburgh is only a few hours drive away and he has a friend in DC that we can stay with, we opted to go there for the weekend. Well, lucky me! There just so happened to be a half marathon at that time. AND St. Patty's that Sunday! "Should be a good time" is an understatement. 

I have never been to DC before and I am beyond excited! The run starts right in front of The Capitol building and loops through downtown, along the Potomac River, and ends at RFK Stadium. You can view the course map here. I'm hoping I'll be more focused on sightseeing than the length of the run itself. 

Seeing as how I registered less than 3 weeks before the race, I needed to start preparing...quick! I was a little worried because the longest run I've ever completed was 7 miles. I needed to make sure I could do more than that and went out to test my stamina this past Saturday.

My mom and I went over to a local trail about 5 minutes from my house. She walked some of it while I was determined to set out for a 10+ mile...just to make sure I could do that much. I was very surprised by my efforts and ran all but 1 minute of it for a "blowing the nose" break. My knees were crying out for some much needed ice packs after that. I'm planning on going again next weekend to make sure it wasn't a fluke and that I can indeed run 10 or more miles without stopping (they say the last 3 miles of the half marathon are fueled by competitiveness and adrenaline...so I'll believe what they say and not attempt to run a full 13.1 miles for the heck of it). 

If I can get my time's closer to a consistent 9:00 min/mile, I'll be able to finish the marathon in under 2 hours! That's my goal. 

I also went out to REI and purchased some gear I may need for this race. I'm imaging DC to be a tad chilly mid-March...especially at 7:30am...so I found some great items to help. 

A belt to hold my tissues for my dreadful cold-weather runny nose!

And also to hold my energy chews (see below)

Thorlo Pad socks - the best running socks out there (in my opinion). They're warm enough for DC and have padding to prevent blisters. 

Energy chews. I have yet to try any kind of chews out there, so this week I'll be testing each one out during my training runs. Stay tuned for the verdict on which one I'll pick for the race. I'm also open to opinions if anyone has feedback on which brands they prefer.

Found this bad boy marked down from $95 original price to $23 sale price! No brainer. 

I also bought some shirts, shorts, capris, sports bra, and headbands at JcPenny's...not for the race, just because I can't pass up cute running gear on sale. 

This is my first half marathon ever so I'm open to any words of wisdom and advice from y'all out there!

Back to serve my country at Jury Duty...if only I viewed it that way haha :) 

3/4/2013: Miles run - 166.5 of 1000. Miles remaining - 833.5 of 1000 

Month 2 Recap

Today marks the end of my 2nd month in working towards my goal of reaching 1000 miles by the end of this year! And I'm still on track! 

See recap below:

I completed 76 miles this month compared to 80 in January, which is still on pace considering there are fewer days in February. I also started incorporating two-a-day runs into my routine, which helped me keep up the mileage throughout the shorter month. 

Last month, my average min/mile came out to a little over a 10:30 min/mile, so I've cut back on that as well. I incorporated some interval runs this month, so my overall time looks a little slower than it should be, but I'm still happy with it and there is still room to improve. In January, my goal was to get it under a 10 min/mile (which I accomplished), so for March, I'm shooting for a 9:45 min/mile overall. 

In January my longest distance run was 6 miles. In February I went for 7. This weekend I'm going to attempt to tackle a 10 mile run. Why, you ask? Stay tuned Monday for some exciting news!!

I hope everyone has a great weekend! 

3/1/2013: Miles run - 156 of 1000. Miles remaining - 844 of 1000 

Mid-Week Massage

Last night, I went and got myself a nice little one-hour massage at Massage Envy. Since I have frequent back pain and posture issues, I am a member of their monthly club and make a visit to see Megan (my masseuse) regularly. She does such a good job...I almost fell asleep twice last night!

Massages are great for my back, but they are also very beneficial for my running. Massages are the perfect solution for stiffness and pain after an intense workout. They increase overall blood circulation in the body, which delivers more oxygen to the muscles. More oxygen allows for longer endurance periods, minimal recovery time and reduced residual pain (which all runners are looking for!). Massages can also improve range of motion, creating more body flexibility. Increased flexibility allows you to perform exercise movements more effectively and with greater ease, which will help prevent injuries to muscles, joints and tendons. 

I strongly encourage everyone to get massages (if not monthly, as often as you can). It doesn't matter if you exercise 1 or 7 days a week, it WILL be awesome and helpful*. 

On another note, I was feeling a tad bored with my normal running route, so I decided to hop on the treadmill for an intense 45-min interval run. I haven't ran on the treadmill in over a month, so it was a great change up for me. 

Here's the workout I completed:

This interval run came out to about 3.75 miles. I usually don't pay attention to the calorie counters on machines, but this one said I burned 638 cals, which it certainly felt like I did...so I'll take it!

Isn't my mom's treadmill so much nicer than 'Ol Reliable??

Check back tomorrow for the month of February recap! 

02/28/2013: Miles run - 156 of 1000. Miles remaining - 844 of 1000 

*This is my opinion only. Please consult with a healthcare professional to make sure massages are right for you.

Running With Your Dog

After my 3 mile run today, I took Cobalt out for a quick walk. For those of you who don't know, Cobalt is my 4 1/2 year old Great Dane. I got him from a breeder when he was 4 months old, and 170 lbs later, he's still the biggest baby I know.

The picture on the left is Cobalt on the day I got him.

The picture on the right is Cobalt on his 4th birthday (the old man looks thrilled). 

I wish more than anything I could take Cobalt on my runs with me. But there's a few reasons why I can't: 

1. He tore his meniscus in his back leg when he was about a year and half. He had to have surgery and we were pretty scared we might lose him. Everything turned out alright, but he still has a bit of a limp and the doctor said any intense or long distance running is the worst thing for his leg. We ended up putting him on Glucosamine and Chondroitin, which you can read about in my post here in regards to joint pain in runners. 

2. He sleeps 20 hours a day. I'm dead serious when I say he weighs 170lbs. That is a lot of weight for a dog to carry around (he's by no means fat or overweight, just a very large breed dog). He's in really good shape for his age and stature, but he gets tired even after a one mile walk.

3. When Cobalt does run (which is usually off leash in our yard), you do NOT want to get in the way. Picture a horse galloping. It's basically a full on sprint, usually right at you. The past few times I've attempted running a bit with him, he ends up going full speed ahead! 

"Watch out, I'm coming thru!"

I took some videos today of our walk, so y'all could get an idea of how this usually goes:

This is how our walks start off - I'm usually dragging him because he'd rather be sleeping...

But once we turn around and head home, he's all for a light jog back...

...All because he wants a drink from the water hose...what other dogs do this? 

He refuses to drink out of a normal dog bowl...

Then he crashes and sleeps like this...

Or like this...

Or this...yes, he's smiling

I love Cobalt more than any dog I've ever had and would never want to replace him. However, the day will come when he won't be around, and being the animal lover I am, I will get another dog. I'm really going to have to consider what breed will work best for me and my active lifestyle. Great Danes are amazing pets and the best dogs I've been around. But if I want to be able to run with my dog, I'll need to research other breeds out there. 

Benefits of running with a dog:

1. Great motivators! If this doesn't get you out of bed, I don't know what will? 

"Mom, can we pleeeeassseee go for a walk?!"

2. Keeps your dog physically fit. As if staying fit yourself wasn't important enough, knowing that it's your responsibility to keep your pet in shape and improve their quality of life is another great reason to take them running with you when possible.

3. Stops a destructive dog. Dogs have a ton of energy. If they don't have a good release, they could turn into a devil dog and ruin your things.

4. Bonding time! I don't know of a dog that hates to go for walks with their owners. Dogs LOVE to run! They'll appreciate you, show you love, and be thankful for the time spent together. Plus, it'll help you reclaim a love of running yourself because you can see how much joy they get out of it. Just like bonding with other human runners, the same thing can happen with your furry companion.

5. Make new friends. Many people walk their dogs daily, and if you live in a populated area, it's an easy way to meet new people. Most of the time your dog will do the "ice-breaking" for you. 

What are some of the best breeds out there for running partners?

One of my favorite bloggers, Julie at PBFingers.com, has a Vizsla named Sadie. She seems like a great running breed, as Julie posts about running 6+ miles with her. 

02/27/2013: Miles run - 152.25 of 1000. Miles remaining - 847.75 of 1000