Runner's World Half Marathon discount code...

Super grateful to be asked to come back to the gorgeous city of Bethlehem PA for the Runner's World Heritage Half & Festival. The opportunity to run all 4 races this year has me EXCITED!

I was lucky enough to have attended the very first RWHalf 3ish years ago and it was an EPIC trip.

So this year myself and some other really cool bloggers will be social media-ing it up for the next couple months getting you guys all signed up. Here is a code that will save you money on the 2015 registration...

I look forward to seeing all of you guys in October, REGISTER HERE!!!

Training, running, and a really cute running partner...

Getting back to running has been a challenge this summer. I have all these excuses as to why I haven't been running, but really they are exactly that EXCUSES! So I am stopping the excuses and following my awesome friend Marty's run schedule he has wrote for me.

This morning I headed out to meet one of my best friends Kelly for a couple miles. She is such a great runner and really had to go SLOWWWWW for me. I kept apologizing for holding her up, but she was cool with it. We had the cutest running partner this morning, RIKA! She is amazing and at 4 months can out run all of us. #RIKAROCKS!



We started at 5:30 am this morning and it was till a scorcher. Can you tell I'm a hot mess? LOL! I wanted to show you guys Kelly's secret running snack bin in her truck. It's like a hidden compartment in the back of her SUV...



Too funny! I am looking forward to continuing my running schedule, getting back in the gym, and swimming like a fish! I have had a lot of fun relaxing this summer. However it is time to focus and get back in prime shape. Wish me luck...

How do you start back training? Is it hard?

Running Again and a Cheesy Taco Guac-Pico recipe...

Hey guys I am so excited to start my run training today. Its been a long time since I really focused on running and trust me when I say, its not pretty, lol!

I feel so lucky to have lots of friends that are amazing runners. My great friend Marty wrote me a running schedule for the next couple months. I have a couple really big races starting in October and I really want to PR my 5k and half marathon times. Fingers crossed!

So last night I got my training schedule wrote up...



I am super excited to tell you guys about some amazing events that I have coming up, so stay tuned...

I posted a picture yesterday on social media of my Cheese only guac-pico tacos and many of you asked for the recipe so here it is...

Cheese only Guac-Pico Tacos



Shell:
Shredded cheese

Place a layer of cheese in a circle in a pan on med heat. Heat till its bubbling...



Flip with a flat spatula and cook other side...



When the other side is crispy, quickly drape the cheese "patty" over a spatula handle and set it up to harden. (sorry its a little blurry, I had another one cooking, so I just snapped a quick pic...



After a few minutes hanging, the cheese will harden forming a perfect taco shell...



You can at this point use them however you would like. I made fresh Guac-Pico to fill them with. Here is my guac-pico recipe...

Guac-Pico



3 large avocados
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 small red onion, chopped
handful of cilantro, chopped
half lime squeezed or tbsp of lime juice
celery salt

Mix all ingredients in a bowl...



Fill shells with Guac-Pico and enjoy...



You could also use them with lots of other fillings. Eggs and sausage in the morning for a breakfast taco, you could do traditional tacos with meat and vegis. Fish tacos also sound amazing also. I say play around with it, The shell itself is so easy and quick to make, I made all 4 in less then 5 minutes.

If you decide to make them, I would love to see your pictures. Tag me @ 0to26point2

Do you have a non traditional taco shell recipe?

Clean Chocolate Peanut Butter Coconut Cups Recipe

Hey guys, it is that time of the year I start cleaning up my diet. I still try to come up with healthy treats for my kids and husband (and me, shhh). Anyways a while back I posted recipes of my "clean" peanut butter cups and Almond Joy cups. I was craving something sweet yesterday, so I decided to combine the best of both worlds.

























Clean Chocolate Peanut Butter Coconut Cups

The outcome was Ah-mazing! Here's the recipe...

Ingredients:
2 cups dark chocolate chips. I used 85% Ghirardelli chips
2 cups unsweetened coconut
3/4 cup nut butter. I used natural peanut butter.
1 tbsp. honey
Coconut oil
Non stick spray. I used coconut oil spray.
Mini muffin pan. Mine holds 24 cups

Start with the best part THE CHOCOLATE



Melt 3/4 cup chocolate chips with a 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil in microwave. Spray a mini muffin pan with non stick spray. Use a spoon to fill the bottoms of a mini muffin pan with chocolate. Use just enough chocolate to coat the bottom. Place pan in freezer to let chocolate set. Make the middle.



While chocolate is setting. Mix coconut, peanut butter, honey, and 1 tbsp. coconut oil in food processor or high powered blender till mixed. About 6 minutes.



Pull chocolate from freezer. Spoon mix or use hands to fill cups and push it flat. your chocolate should be solid at this point so the mixture and chocolate won't mix. Place back in freezer for a few minutes.



Melt the remainder of the chocolate with 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil. Pull the pan out of the freezer and fill the remainder of the cup to the top with melted chocolate.



Place back in freezer to harden. At least 15 minutes. Remove from freezer. Use a sharp knife and pop the cups out of pan and place on a plate or container. Keep refrigerated, they will melt at room temperature due to the coconut oil.

Enjoy!

Do you have a favorite healthy sweet recipe?

Mizuno Wave Enigma 5 Review...

*Runner's World connected me with Mizuno, who provided me with a pair of Mizuno Enigma 5 shoes to test free of charge. I also received additional compensation in exchange for testing, talking about, and reviewing the shoes. Although this post is sponsored, all opinions are my own. 

Hey guys I hope ya'll had a great weekend. We spent the weekend enjoying family and friends, and it was just what I needed to continue getting out of my "FUNK"!

Anyways, I wanted to tell you guys about a new shoe that my favorite shoe company, Mizuno, has come out with. It is called the Wave Enigma 5...



Let me tell you a little about the Mizuno Wave Enigma 5...

WAVE ENIGMA 5: SOFTEN THE ROAD AHEAD

Max cushioning. That’s what you’ll get with this neutral women’s running shoe from Mizuno. With new midsole cushioning and a new premium sock liner, the Wave Enigma 5 also provides maximum shock attenuation, which helps soften the road ahead for a more efficient run. Now that’s max comfort.

Higher Mileage, Higher Performance

The Wave Enigma 5 is perfect for higher mileage runners. This neutral running shoe is built for runners who are training for longer races, as well as runners who could use a little extra cushion on recovery days.

Key Features

Soft and flexible upper materials are constructed in a comfortable, sock-like fit.

U4ic midsole cushioning and a premium sock liner provide a floating, cloud-like underfoot feel.

A full-length wave offers maximum shock attenuation, so that each stride is unobstructed, harmonious, and efficient.

First let me tell you that these shoes are GORGEOUS! I absolutely loved the colors. But how would they feel?

I have been running in Mizuno Wave Riders for a LONGGG time, so I was curious as to how these would feel compared to those. When I first put them on I did notice that they were a little narrow in the toe box. It felt a little tight, however these are a really sturdy, supportive neutral shoe, so I knew they would more than likely loosen up after wearing them for a while. When I started to run in them, they felt a lot better.

I decided to try them out during the Thursday night Fleet Feet Fun Run. I have only been doing the 1 mile course because I usually have my little one with me. So it was a great way to check out the Enigma 5 for comfort. They were great on the uneven roads of downtown Mobile. They really softens the impact on my feet.



I have a couple big races coming up in September and October that I am just now starting to train for. My mileage hasn't gotten too high yet (about 15 miles a week), but I did take them on a couple 4 and a 6 mile runs and they felt great. They have a ton of support for a neutral shoe.

I would definitely recommend the Mizuno Wave Enigma 5 to anyone looking for a light neutral shoe with tons of support, whether you run 10 miles a week or 50.

You can check them out HERE.




What shoe do you run in?

A couple pool workouts and my homemade energy bars...

I thought I would share some of my really awesome pool workouts that I used to train for Ironman Augusta last year. One of the greatest things about this workout is that you can't use the sides or bottom of the pool to turn or push off. It's a whole different workout when you don't have that to give you a push. I stopped about a foot from each wall and turned in the water and started swimming no push off or flip off. If you are training for a triathlon or just using the pool to stay healthy and in shape, you should try this workout...

 

This is also one of my favorite pool workouts; 60 minutes of 75 yd "Whatevers" with a 20 second rest between each 75. Basically it was a choice on what I did each 75. I really use this workout to practice sighting in lots of different ways.



Anyways I have been having some issues with nutrition during my swim. I have no problems doing fasting cardio on the bike or road, but something about swimming and fasting cardio doesn't mix. I'm not sure if its the lack of oxygen or what, but I have to eat right before I hit the pool or I feel like crap. So I made a batch of my date energy bars that I have been making for the kids and I.


Last but not least, I wanted to show you guys what I had for dinner the other night. My husband and I went to a local restaurant here in town called The Hungry Owl and they have a burger that is topped with jalapeno peanut butter, and OMG it is to die for...

 

If your local you def need to check it out. If not, but chopped up jalapenos and peanut butter on your burger, you won't regret it! I hope you all have a Happy Hump Day!

Do you have a bar recipe? 
If so, I would love to see it.
Strangest hamburger topping, ok go!!!

Vacationing in Orange Beach, oh my...

Hey guys, thanks for all the messages yesterday. Depression is serious problem. You guys rock! I am starting to think that it may affect more than just 2% of the population like it claimed. Who knows! Anyways y'all are awesome, keep being wonderful.

So I wanted to tell you guys about the amazing vacation I took my family on in Orange Beach AL last week. After all we all need down time for our brains to stay healthy, right?

We were lucky to have been able to stay in a beautiful condo at the Phoenix by the Bay, owned by one of my clients...



The 3 bedroom 3 bathroom condo named "The Dolphin" was absolutely gorgeous, Here is a few pictures of the inside...



And for the best part, check out the view from the wrap around balcony...





You cant beat the views of the Perdido Pass. I think we spent more time on the balcony than we did inside. lol.



Now booking "The Dolphin" was super easy. After finding it on the VRBO website (property #682344 "The Dolphin"), I emailed the owners for a quote on staying there for 5 days and 4 nights. They emailed me back almost immediately with a quote and all the info for booking. It was super easy and they were great to work with.

Now if you have never been to one of the Phoenix properties, you are missing out. there is so much to do...

Building Amenities

• Lazy River
• Indoor/Outdoor Pools
• Kiddie pool with slide
• Lighted Tennis Courts
• Hot Tub & Sauna
• Fitness Room
• Barbeque Grills
• Boat Slips
• Putting Green
• Free wireless connection is available for guests in all lobbies and rooms.

If you are not a go sit on the beach person, they had so much that you could do. We played golf...



Played in the lazy river...



and fished off the pier...



The first night we decided to go and check out a new restaurant named Gilbey's that our friends Kelly and David suggested. OMG , it was ah-mazing. I had the salmon and a jalapeno margarita, SO GOOD!



We also took a trip over to beach under the Perdido Pass. It is a short 5 minute drive from the condo. The water was gorgeous...



My mom enjoyed reading and relaxing on the beach.



Donald did some surf fishing.



My mom and I walked a couple miles down the beach.



We stopped at a couple of the rock jetties and I took this picture of my mom. She is 68 and GORGEOUS. Love her.



Funny story: They are shooting a movie in Orange Beach starring Nicholas Cage and they were filming a scene at the Flora-Bama. So this huge WW11-era plane was supposed to be on top of the water for a scene and it started taking in water and ended up beached in waist deep water. CRAZY! So of course we had to go check it out. The movie is called "USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage", so go check it out when it comes out and you'll see this plane. Kind of cool, LOL!



If you are thinking about checking out the Gulf Shores/ Orange Beach/ Perdido area, this condo is perfect for everyone. Check it out on the VRBO website HERE. There is always plenty of stuff to do at the beach...

Have you ever visited the Orange Beach Gulf Coast area?

*I was given a special rate for my stay in exchange for my opinion on my stay at this property.  No other compensation was given.  As always all opinions are my own and no one elses.

Depression and how I am feeling, finally I may have an answer...

As an athlete and health and fitness blogger, I feel like you guys may not want to know the ends and outs of daily life However, every once and a while, things get real over here on 0to26point2. Maybe one of you guys can relate...

I sometimes find myself in this little small black hole. Not a real hole but a fictional hole made up in my mind to keep me from going CRAZY! There is always a light at the end, but I find myself having to crawl out of it...

For pretty much my entire life, I have felt like I could do it all at certain time and other times its all I could do just get out of bed.

I have always had a lot of friends, great family and have been happily married for almost 10 years with 3 great kids. You would think life would be perfect, and for the most part it is. However there are those times that I just can't pinpoint what is bothering me. I start to distance myself from friends and functions for no real reason. I noticed that in these moments I would stop working out, calling it a "break" and my diet would pretty much go to shits! Which I think is the worse part.

I called it "Functional Depression" for a LONG time and until recently just lived with it. I just thought I would eventually crawl myself out of the hole and everything would be fine. But was it really ok? NOPE!

I recently decided to mention it to my doctor when I went in for a physical. She asked me a few questions and I was like YESSSSSS, All of the above, so she told me that it sounded like I was more in the category of Dysthymia. I had never heard of this form of depression, so when I got home I started to research it. Here is what I found...

According to WebMD...

Dysthymia, also called dysthymic disorder, affects 2 percent of the American population in a given year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Like most types of depression, it strikes more women than men. And while dysthymia is usually less severe than major depression, the symptoms — low self-esteem, sadness, fatigue, and more — are very real.

What Causes Dysthymia?

Experts are not sure what causes dysthymia or depression. Genes may play a role, but many affected people will not have a family history of depression, and others with family history will not have depression problems. Abnormal functioning in brain circuits or nerve cell pathways that connect different brain regions regulating mood are also thought to be involved. Major life stressors, chronic illness,medications, and relationship or work problems may also increase the chances of dysthymia in people biologically predisposed to developing depression.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Dysthymia?

The symptoms of dysthymia are the same as those of major depression but fewer in number and not as intense. They include the following:

• Sadness or depressed mood most of the day or almost every day
• Loss of enjoyment in things that were once pleasurable
• Major change in weight (gain or loss of more than 5% of weight within a month) or appetite
• Insomnia or excessive sleep almost every day
• Being physically restless or rundown in a way that is noticeable by others
• Fatigue or loss of energy almost every day
• Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness or excessive guilt almost every day
• Problems with concentration or making decisions almost every day
• Recurring thoughts of death or suicide, suicide plan, or suicide attempt

Getting an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment is a major step in feeling better with chronic depression. Being treated with talk therapy or mile anti depressants are reecommended. In addition, ask your doctor about the benefits of healthy lifestyle habits such as eating a well-balanced diet, getting regular exercise, avoiding alcohol and smoking, and being with close friends and family members for strong social support. These positive habits are also important in improving mood and well-being.


This makes total sense to me and how I pretty much felt my entire life. So I decided that I would make an appt with my doctor again and sit down with her and figure out what I should do. In the meantime, I have started back my cleaner diet and will be heading back into some major training in the next few days.

To all of my friends, thank you for not killing me when I "disappear" sometimes and for those of you that didn't stick around and may be reading this, I hope one day we will be close again.

Now on to bigger and better things in life with hopefully no depression. IRONMAN SOMEWHERE, I'm coming for you!

HAPPY 4th of JULY...

HAPPY 4th of JULY!