Sunday, June 30, 2013

Weekly Recap- June 24- 30

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This week has been a week of just maintenance runs...doing several 1 milers to keep up with the Runners World Streak Challenge and then the rest for Dumbo training.  On Tuesday, during my 3 miler, I did try to run the 24 mins that I run straight before starting my intervals at a 9:40 pace.  On July 4th, I have a 5k race (yay for a race!!) and I have 2 goals.  I'm not sure if I'll hit both, one, or none.  But goal A is to run the whole 5k without stopping and goal B is to run the 5k in under 30 minutes.  I hit the 24 minutes under the goal pace but I just hope that I can keep that up for another 6 minutes.  Here's hoping that race adrenaline (and ENERGYbits) will help out!

 Monday- 1 mile in 8:57
Tuesday-- 3 miles in 29:03 (Mile 1: 9:40, Mile 2: 9:30, Mile 3: 9:54, average pace: 9:41)
Wednesday-- 1 mile in 9.09
Thursday-- 4.01 miles in 40.06 (Mile 1: 9:51, Mile 2: 9:53, Mile 3: 10:00, Mile 4: 10:10, average pace: 10:01)
Friday-- 1 mile in 8:57
Saturday-- 1 mile in 8:59
Sunday-- 5 miles in 52:32 (Mile 1: 10:51, Mile 2: 10:41, Mile 3: 10:24, Mile 4: 10:41, Mile 5: 9:52, average pace: 10:30)

Total miles this week: 16.01
Total miles in 2013: 261.43
Total miles: 689.92

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Giveaway Winner- June Kona Kase

Congratulations to

Jonette

for winning a June Kona Kase!!!

 Jonette, email me at onceuponarun (at) Hotmail (dot) com by Saturday at 10pm and I'll get the box out to you!

Monday, June 24, 2013

Weekly Recap- June 17-23, 2013

Continuing strong with the Runners World Run Streak!  This week, I became an ENERGYbits ambassador!  I'm so excited!  I'll have a post up about it soon.  On Wednesday, I got some new shoes, Saucony Guide 6.  They're pretty!  I also ran with some runDisney fans at the Art of Animation on Saturday.  There were several ladies and we all ran different amounts of miles.  My friend and I got in 8 miles for our Dumbo training.  It was at a slower pace than I go by myself and we had a blast stopping for pictures, so it was an easy 8 miles!

Monday-- 3 miles in 30:28 (Mile 1: 10:16, Mile 2:10:06, Mile 3: 10:02, average pace: 10:09)
Tuesday-- 1 mile in 8:56
Wednesday-- 1 mile in 8:41
Thursday-- 4.01 miles in 39:54 (Mile 1: 10:10, Mile 2: 9:55, Mile 3: 10:18, Mile 4: 9:27, average pace: 9:58)
Friday--1 mile in 8:49
Saturday-- 8 miles in 1:39:57 (Mile 1: 13:00, Mile 2: 12:49, Mile 3: 11:57, Mile 4: 12:16, Mile 5: 13:13, Mile 6: 12:16, Mile 7: 12:14, Mile 8: 12:12, Average Pace: 12:30)
Sunday-- 1.01 mile in 9:09

Total miles this week: 19.02
Total miles in 2013: 245.42
Total miles: 673.91

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Recipe- Tony's Tilapia

I got this recipe from Eat at Home.


Tony's Tilapia

Ingredients:
~ 4 Tilapia filets, thawed
~ Creole or Cajun seasoning to taste (I used the brand Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning like she did)
~1/2 stick butter, melted

Directions:
  1. Place the fillets on a foil covered baking sheet.
  2. Pour the melted butter over them and sprinkle with the seasoning. Tony’s seasoning has a nice kick to it, so you might want to go lightly (or heavier if you like it hot).
  3. Bake at 400 degrees for about 17 minutes or until you can flake the fillets with a fork


This recipe was as easy as you can get!  I paired it with a four cheese pasta side and it was good to go.  The hubby really liked it too because I could easily make his really spicy and make mine milder!

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

June Kona Kase and Giveaway!

I was so excited to get my June Kona Kase!


And it's a good one!


It includes:
~Mamma Chia (Squeeze Snack)
~Dr. Will Bar
~ 18 Rabbits bar
~Clif Shot
~Onebar
~Osmo Nutrition (Drink Mix)
~Kind Bar
~Halfpops (partially popped pocorn)

And I have another one to give away to you!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Review- ENERGYbits

When I first heard ENERGYbits, I was intrigued.  Little bits of algae that help keep your energy up in a healthy way?  Hmm.  Seemed too good to be true.

Luckily I was offered a sample of ENERGYbits.  They came in this adorable tin.


And apparently I forgot to take a picture of the actual bits, so I borrowed this from the website.


According to ENERGYbits, "ENERGYbits is a new Boston based sports nutrition company. Our “bits” are rapidly becoming the fuel of choice for athletes and people looking to lead active lifestyles. ENERGYbits have the highest concentration of protein in the world and deliver a steady stream of energy, all naturally and all without sugar, caffeine, chemicals or stomach distress. Even better, ENERGYbits are the only protein in the world that also contain natural antioxidants and Omega 3 which reduce muscle inflammation, iron which prevents fatigue, chlorophyll which builds the immune system and electrolytes which replenish mineral imbalances, all for just one calorie per tab. No other protein offers all this.

ENERGYbits are all natural too, because they are a food, not a supplement. They have just one ingredient - 100% organically grown spirulina algae. Algae has been used by Olympic athletes for over 50 years, but is still virtually unknown in the USA and Canada. We are the first company to bring algae to national attention as a high protein, high performance snack food for athletes and active consumers. "



Hmm...I was a little skeptical but decided to try it out.  The first time I tried was when I was running Expedition Everest.  And it was a good thing too!  I am a run/walker.  But the person I was running with runs without walk breaks. I had been wanting to try to run a whole 5k without stopping and thought this would be a perfect time since I had the bits.  About 20 minutes before the race, in the corral, I took about 20 bits with some water.

***WARNING: While you can chew the bits, I've been they advised they can turn your teeth green for a little bit.  So it's best to swallow them like pills.  They also have a little bit of a fishy smell, but it didn't bother me.***

Result--I ran the whole 5k!!!  I was sooo excited!

with Leann and Ashley (The Pavement Princess)

The next day I was thinking, was it really the bits or was it because I was feeling pressured?  (I told you I was skeptical.)  So the next weekend before my 5 mile run, I decided to take some again.  This time I took 24.  I took two bits at a time with some water.  But early on in the run, I knew it wasn't working.  My stomach just felt sloshy from all the pills and water in my stomach (24 pills and 12 gulps...I usually run with nothing in my stomach).

So then I really wasn't sure about the bits.  I decided to try one last time with the rest on my next 5 miler.  I think there were close to 25ish.  I decided to take 3 at a time to see if that helped.  And it did!  I felt wonderful for the whole run and it felt easy!  It had to be because of the bits.

And on my 5 milers since the bits are gone, I've definitely felt much more tired and the run is harder.  So I'm a believer--big time!  I will definitely be ordering some ENERGYbits.  The only downfall is the price--$115 for a bag of 1000 bits is pretty steep.



  Luckily there are some ENERGYbits ambassadors out there with promo codes and they have a sampling program!

So even though I was pretty skeptical at first, I'm sold!

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Weekly Recap- June 10-16, 2013

The #RWRunStreak challenge is still going strong!  As of today, I'm halfway through!  On Tuesday, my hubby and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary.  Time flies by!  Next Saturday I have an 8 miler.  I haven't run that long since the Princess Half in February!


Monday-  1 mile in 8:46
Tuesday-- 3 miles in 30:08 (Mile 1: 10:11, Mile 2: 10:06, Mile 3: 9:52, average pace: 10:03)
Wednesday-- 1 mile in 9:06
Thursday-- 4 miles in 40:53 (Mile 1: 10:07, Mile 2: 9:49, Mile 3: 10:34, Mile 4: 10:23, average pace: 10:13)
Friday-- 1 mile in 8:51
Saturday-- 5 miles in 53:08 (Mile 1: 10:48, Mile 2: 10:50, Mile 3: 10:40, Mile 4: 10:45, Mile 5: 10:04, average pace: 10:37)
Sunday-- 1 mile in 9:02

Total miles this week: 16
Total miles in 2013: 226.4
Total miles: 654.89

Friday, June 14, 2013

Recipe- Cake Batter Pudding Cookies

I got this recipe from Chef in Training.


Cake Batter Pudding Cookies

Ingredients:
~1 1/2 sticks (or 3/4 cup) butter
 ~3/4 cup brown sugar
~1/4 cup sugar
~1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix, dry
~3/4 cup yellow cake mix, dry
~2 eggs
~1 tsp vanilla
~1 tsp baking soda
~2-1/4 cups flour”
~1/2 tsp salt
~sprinkles

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 F.
2) Stir together flour, salt and baking soda and set aside.
3) In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars together.
4) Add in pudding package and cake mix and beat until well blended.
5) Add eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth.
6) Add flour mixture slowly until well incorporated.
7) Mix in sprinkles.
8) Roll into 1″ balls and place on greased baking sheet.
9) Bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes.

 
I apologize that I didn't get a better picture.  I was taking them to a softball tournament as a treat and as soon as they cooled, we were out the door.
 
These cookies were so yummy!  I was a little hesitant about the sprinkles because I am not a sprinkles girl, but it turned out more like funfetti, which I love!  The cookies were moist and oh-so-good.  I'll be making these again!

Thursday, June 13, 2013

2 Years of Wedded Bliss

Tuesday, June 11, was our two year wedding anniversary.  And our wedding was the thing that got me started in running in the first place.  But I can't believe how quickly 2 years have flown by!  Our wedding day was magical and I wish I could re-create it again and again!

 
 





Kory came home with a bouquet of beautiful roses for me. What a way to start off the night !



For our two year anniversary, Kory chose to stay in one of the Royal Rooms at Port Orleans- Riverside since he knew I had been wanting to stay there.  And being local, we don't really need a hotel room too often.

I had never been to Port Orleans, except to eat in the restaurant so I'd never looked around.  The property is GORGEOUS!  I can see why people like to stay there and why couples get engagement/anniversary pictures taken there.  I'll be keeping it in mind for the future.

Our building was Oak Manor.


So, so pretty.  Our room was a river view so this is what we saw out of our window.



 
The Royal Room was cute!

The bed had a headboard that you could press a button and fireworks would go off on.  I was like a little kid and kept hitting the button over and over again.







 
 









There was a welcome letter from Tiana and a Cinderella's Carriage coat hook (that I sooo wanted to steal!)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 



There was a magic carpet from Aladdin on the carpet along with Genie's lamps for faucets.
 

 
 














There was Snow White's mirrors.  One was an actual mirror, one was a hologram picture.
 
 
 


Then there were pictures of the princesses.
 
 
 
I got dressed for dinner, then we headed to Epcot.  We saw the cutest baby ducks outside the restaurant.


We checked in to Le Cellier and then stepped outside to take a picture.


Then they called our name.  Yay for a short wait!

The menu..



The yummy bread basket...I love the pretzel bread!


For the appetizer, I got a cheese plate (of course!  I am trying to eat every cheese plate on property!) and Kory got the Cheddar Cheese Soup (I had to steal some!)











For the entrée, we both got the Mushroom Filet Mignon.  It came with mushroom risotto and this yummy sauce! So good.  We also got the Poutine, but unfortunately, we didn't like this.  Oh well.











For dessert we got the Crème Brulee.  I think it was maple flavored, but we didn't even get a menu, just asked for it so I'm not positive.  And I was so excited to dig into it, that I forgot to take a picture.  Oops! 

Then we drove back home to feed Bella and play with her before we headed back to the for the night.  (She's litter box trained and we left extra food and water for her so she was fine).

The next day we got up and headed to the pool.  On the way, we saw a skink, which I've never seen before.  So course I had to take a picture!

 
 
The only spots at the pool were in the shade, but it felt nice.  We spent a good amount of time in the water too.  Such a nice relaxing way to spend the day!
 


Here's to many more anniversaries to come!!

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Weekly Recap- June 3-9, 2013

This was the second week of the Runners World Run Streak Challenge. My legs are still tired, but getting used to it.  Yesterday's long run felt better than my shorter runs during the week.  Summer break started (yay!) and I signed up for the Glass Slipper Challenge!  I'm so excited for it!


Monday-- 1 mile in 8:34
Tuesday-- 3 miles in 29:43 (Mile 1: 10:09, Mile 2: 9:57, Mile 3: 9:34, average pace: 9:54)
Wednesday-- 1 mile in 8:39
Thursday-- 4 miles in 40:49 (Mile 1: 10:03, Mile 2: 9:44, Mile 3: 11:03, Mile 4: 10:00, average pace 10:13)
Friday-- 1 mile in 8:27
Saturday-- 6.5 miles in 1:08:37 (Mile 1: 10:42, Mile 2: 10:55, Mile 3: 10:31, Mile 4: 10:41, Mile 5: 10:08, Mile 6: 10:39, then for .5: 10:02, average pace 10:33)
Sunday-- 1 mile in 8:31

Total miles this week: 17.5
Total miles in 2013: 210.04
Total miles: 638.89

Thursday, June 6, 2013

May Kona Kase

I just realized that I completely forgot to post the picture of my May Kona Kase.  After I won the box for April, I signed up for the subscription.  Or I thought I did.  Apparently, I didn't go all the way to the end of the order.  Oops!  When I figured it out, it was after the May boxes went out.  I contacted Kona Kase and talk about fabulous customer service!!!!  I love this box!


It's like Christmas opening the box to see what you get!


Included this time--
Popcorners Sea Salt (already tried these--taste like rice cakes)
Luna Bar in Blueberry Bliss
Oh Yeah! bar in Almond Fudge Brownie
And lots of GU goodies.  I'm already a fan of GU and have already tried all of these at some point in my running except for the Smoothie so excited to try that.  There's 2 GU gels (Vanilla Bean & Blueberry Pomegranate), 2 GU chomps (Lemon & Stawberry), GU Brew in Lemon Lime and GU Brew Recovery in Chocolate Smoothie.

I should be getting the June Box soon.  Can't wait!

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Giveaway Winner- Spartan Race Entry!


Congratulations to

DisneyBride

for winning an entry into any Spartan race in the continental US!

DisneyBride, email me at onceuponarun (at) Hotmail (dot) com by Thursday at 10pm and I'll get the winning info out to you!

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Weekly Recap- May 27-June 2, 2013

This week started the #RWRunStreak (Runner's World Run Streak).  It started on Memorial Day and goes for 39 days until July 4th.  I started a day late so I'll go til July 5th.  I've had some ups and downs.  I've run a mile faster than I ever thought possible (never thought I'd run sub 8).  But then I also injured my side.  The killer side cramp that day has stuck around and that same spot still hurts, even when I'm just watching tv.  And my legs are so tired.  I can really feel it and it showed on my 5 miler today.  But I'm going to do it!

Also, there's one more day left to enter my contest to win an entry into any Spartan Race!

Tuesday-- 1 mile in 8:11
Wednesday-- 3 miles in 30:10 ( Mile1: 9:46, Mile 2: 9:52, Mile 3: 10:32, average pace 10:03)
Thursday--1 mile in 7:54
Friday-- 4 miles in 41:09 ( Mile 1: 10:03, Mile 2: 10:06, Mile 3: 11:10, Mile 4: 9:51, average pace: 10:17)
Saturday-- 1 mile in 9:20
Sunday-- 5.01 miles in 54:01 (Mile 1: 10:58, Mile 2: 11:04, Mile 3: 10:59, Mile 4: 10:33, Mile 5: 10:24, average pace: 10:47)

Total miles this week: 15.01
Total miles in 2013: 192.54
Total miles: 621.39