Designer Whey Sustained Energy Review + Giveaway

This post is sponsored by Fitfluential.  I was given this product to review.  As always, all opinions are my own. 

Designer Whey Sustained Energy came at the perfect time, at the height of my marathon training and the beginning of school.  Recovery isn't my best but this makes it easy. I've only had the opportunity to make my smoothies a few times because I have been out of time or when I do my longer runs I haven't been home.  When I have had my protein smoothies I have noticed the taste is great.  Not chalky like other flavors.

Yes, I was pretty excited to see this special package come in the mail

This is my favorite recipe:

 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries
 1/2 banana
 water
 1 scoop or chocolate powder
 Once that is al blended I add 6 ice cubes.  Yup, exactly 6 because that gives it the consistency I like.

Here is exactly what Designer Whey Sustained Energy is and what it does.

“Designer Whey® Sustained Energy™ is specifically formulated with our proprietary Endurance Blend™. Designed to give you balanced, stimulant-free, sustained energy through fast absorbing whey protein and slower absorbing soy and casein proteins, giving you a steady supply of essential amino acids while helping you control hunger with fiber.  Packed with 16 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber and 19 Essential Vitamins & Minerals and naturally flavored and sweetened – all for only 100-good-for-you calories!”- From the Website

I also loved that there are 16g of protein.  So many protein powders have 25-30 grams of protein which is just too much for me to handle.  I have such a sensitive stomach.  I have also read that women do not need that much.

 Unfortunately, because I have a thyroid problem and stomach issues I can't eat for an hour and a half after a wake up because I have restrictions with my medication.  I loved that I was able to make this smoothie at 5:00 am right before I left for work and by the time I got to work at 6:30 I was able to enjoy it.  There was no separation of powder and liquid.  I have noticed that with other protein powders my drink would separate and I couldn't drink it.  This picture below shows is about two hours later, no separation!

Designer Whey would like to give 6 R is for Running readers  a chance to win a canister of the flavor of their choice, Chocolate Velvet or Vanilla Bean Sustained energy!

To Enter the Give Away:

Mandatory to enter:

• Leave a comment here and let me know which flavor you would like to try!

I will leave this open for comments until September 2!

Hope everyone has a happy labor day!

Also, do you have any special labor day plans?  I am heading out of town for my Big's Bachelorette weekend!!! Woohoo

Brew Over Ice Review and Giveaway

I was given this package to review.  As always, all opinions are my own.

Let me begin by saying that I do not like coffee.  I actually hate everything about it; the smell, taste, people's breathe, the sounds when the spoon hits the cup when people stir it.  Yup, so I am not really sure why I requested to review the Keurig's Brew Over Ice products when I do not like coffee, oh yea, now I remember.  There are other items besides coffee and the tumbler was pretty darn cute!

 Little did I realize when I was asked to review this my parents have the Keurig Vue which uses special cups.  I may have had a mild panic attack because I was VERY eager to try the burst!  Luckily my dad mentioned opening the package and pouring the contents inside the filter we use.  Yup, it worked like a charm and I was able to enjoy my iced drink!  This was the first time I had ever used a Keurig and it was pretty food proof.  I didn't realize you could take the bottom out to put a larger cup under it so I made the tea hot in a mug then added ice to it.  Yup, deliciousness!

 This bucket most definitely light up then I have every intention of bringing into my classroom and putting markers or colored pencils in!  multi purpose :)

I received  3 Brew Over Ice K-Cup® samples, a Brew Over Ice tumbler, 4 Brew Over Ice coasters, plus a Brew Over Ice light-up ice bucket and tongs and you can too!!  All you need to do is enter via the Rafflecopter below.  

Be sure to participate in the Brew Over Ice Sweepstakes HERE. And, for instant gratification, you can download a $2 off product coupon HERE.  They also have a Facebook and Twitter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NYCM Training Week 8: Take 2

I have to say, this week of training I am not proud of.  I managed to get in one run and to say I am disappointed is an understatement.  Fortunately, some of it was out of my control.  

This week, once again, I am linking up with Meghan and Kat.

I can't believe there are only 70 days until the Marathon.  Where has the time gone?  Are there really only 10 more weeks?  Do I really start tapering in 7 weeks?  I sometimes wonder how on earth I am going to finish 26.2 miles upright!  I know I am more committed this training season than last, but damn, this shit is hard!

Back to the scheduled post of making excuses...

This week, on Tuesday, I ran a whole 4 miles.  :(

But that is better than 0 miles :)

Unfortunately the weather was the reason I wasn't able to get my week day runs in.  As soon as I would get back home from work the skies would let out horrible roars!  Monday it was bad so I moved that run to Tuesday.  I set out to do 8 because I was scared this would happen Wednesday.  I managed 4 and probably should have stopped at two because it was lightning and thundering and I was trying to hard to ignore it yet I know that is not what I should be doing.  I knew it wasn't right over my head at the moment so I just made a loop and stayed close to home.  Wednesday it was rainy and stormy and same with Thursday.  

See, I do have a gym membership but,

1. I hate the treadmill ( I need to get over it)

2.  There are no fans over the treadmills at L.A. Fitness so that sucks

3. 8 miles on the treadmill, ugh!- I can run 8 miles without stopping outside, but 8 miles on a treadmill will take me eternity.  How do you people do it?  Slow the speed, make it faster, what do you focus on?

This weekend was also full of excuses.

I had 17 miles of bridges that I WILL do next weekend!

It was poor planning and overcommitting on my part.  I also may have signed up for a TRI that took place on saturday that I never did..That is for another post.

Friday after work I went to the Backstreet Boys concert and didn't make it to Behns till after 12.  I was not going to run on less that 4 hours of sleep and be miserable, especially since we had the summer of Rum festival we were really looking forward to that evening.  With that being said, would I really be able to wake up Sunday for a long run after the summer of rum?  Realistically, in hind sight, I should have, but didn't plan accordingly.

I am taking this as a rest.recovery week.  This was the first week with the kids, my ankles have been hurting more, I think from being on my feet all day in terrible, no good for your feet shoes, and I was exhausted!  

yea, Backstreets back...Allright!!!

I ran into these pretty ladies at Rum Fest.  Don't mind the hair, no one else did.  It was a little humid apparently.

This week I will try my darm hardest to run as much as possible to get my monthly milage over 100 miles!!!

How do you get your runs in on the treadmill, are there any tricks I need to learn?

Are you training over summer and wondering where your speed has gone?  I miss mine and it's making me sad!!! How do you get it back?

NYCM Training week 6 & 7: Take 2

I can't believe how quickly the last two weeks have gone by.  I really meant to do a recap for week 6 but work started up and there went my time to do anything.  I can't get over how often some people blog?  Please give me hints on how you make the time?  By the time I get home it is time to run, shower, and go to bed!

I am going to make this post short because I am still hopeful the lightning and thunder will stop here and I can get my run in.  If not, at least I will have blogged and todays run will be moved to tomorrow! I am not going to lie, I do think my legs need an extra rest day but will get to that later.

I am linking up with Meghan and Kat this week for their Weekly Workout Roundup!

Week 6

Monday 8/5: 5.24 miles  1.5 in 18 minutes then 3.71 @ 11:19 pace and 

Tuesday: Rest

Wednesday 8/7 3.7 @ 11:41 pace Tempo run (Tempo at 11:57)

Thursday 8/8 planned for 7 but slept in :(

Friday Rest Day 

Saturday 8/10 Christa's Graduation run 14 miles of bridges. 12:17 pace- this was pretty good minus except for the terrible stomach ache and therefore had to walk more than I would have liked

My new Camelbak and my sweaty body

Christa's graduation with Christa, Coach Lyle, me, and Coach Teresa

Week 7:
monday 8/12: 4.06 miles @ 11:34 pace
Tuesday Rest day
Wednesday 8/14 7 @ 12:25 pace.  This run I am not sure how to describe.  Work started monday and I came home and took a 2 hour nap.  This was incredibly hard but I did not stop at all to walk.  The pace would just not GO!
Thursday 8/15 6 mile progression run 11:29 pace- felt good for the most part.  Used the last mile as a cool down and the first mile I just couldn't slow down.  I got the miles in :)
Saturday 8/17 16 miles @ 12:45 pace.  This run went pretty well.  We walked about a mile because who I was running with wanted to walk to I took the brake with them!Some felt great and some felt hard.

I have noticed this whole week my legs were so sore.  I went in Saturday with sore legs which is beneficial come race day but made running 16 pretty annoying.  I also don't have a working ipod.



Those were my last two weeks and tomorrow my students come!  I am really excited to enlighten a whole new bunch of students.  I am hoping to be as productive as possible during the school day so I can leave on time to run.  Waking up at 4:45 doesn't leave much time in the evenings to get everything done.  I am proud that I got all my runs in last week. I am thinking my body is so sore because it is actually following a training schedule!  

Oh, I also made this for my classroom!

This came in the mail for me to review so I am excited to try it out.  I did receive this from fitluential :)

For all you bloggers, how do you stick to a blogging schedule?

What did you do this week that made you proud of yourself?

What songs should I add to my hopefully new ipod ??

'

NYCM Training: Week 5

Another week of Marathon Training has flown by.  This week wasn't as great as I wanted it to be, there were a few ups and downs but I am determined to make my last week before school starts to be great!  July was a great month so I am hoping to replicate that!

This week I am once again linking up with Meghan and Kat!  Yay, two weeks in a row, what has come over me?

Monday: 7/29 

4 easy miles.  11:56 Pace.  The first 1.5 were great.  I wanted to go to the local Fit2Run group run but as I was about to leave it started to lightning and thunder.  I went for a run around the neighborhood when it finished.  My stomach started cramping and was locked out of the gate!  It was grand.

Tuesday: 7/30

Cross training.  I cross trained, yay!  If any of you have followed my training before I am very good at not cross training.  That is another goal this training cylce, to incorporate cross training.  I went to the pool at the gym and swam a mile.  36:16 minutes.

Wednesday: 7/31

7 easy miles. 11:444 pace

Went around the neighborhood again.  Went after the rain and the mosquitos were out in full force! 

Thursday:8/1

This could be forgotten.  My plan called for 5 miles at MGP with a warm up and cool down.  I tried this run three times.  I first woke up at 6 to run.  I got .5 miles and my stomach was cramping so I walked home.  I went back to sleep, looked for houses and then went to the gym. At the gym I warmed up again, put it to GP and my chest hurt.  It hurt to breathe.  I called it quits and drove to Bayshore.  I ran 2 miles under GP and called it quits because I just couldn't go.  I walked back and had a scenic view of of the beautiful houses.  I think my body is rebelling because it hasn't ever actually followed a training plan completely.  This is where I freak out because I have to start work, which  I will need to drive at least an hour each way, and work way too many hours a day.

Friday: 8/2

Rest day! Hallelujah!

The only part I like about Bayshore

Saturday: 8/3

10.65 miles

This was supposed to be my 14 miler down Bayshore down with TEAM.  Unfortunately, I went to bed and woke up with a stomach ache.  The humidity got the best of me, my ankle was killing me and it was not my day.  With all that being said, I was maintaining a pretty good pace for running by myself.  Too bad it ended too quickly!

Sunday: 8/4

Rest day take two!

Sugar Overload at the Rays Game for Rest Day

Summer of Fun..Oh I mean RUM!!!

I cannot believe how quickly my summer is coming to an end.  In just a week, it will be over and what did I do?  It feels like nothing but I completed an amazing first month of marathon training, traveled to Israel, ran around Central Park multiple times, shopped along the streets of New York City, lounged on the beaches of Cape May, New Jersey.  I traveled to Key West, Florida for the first time and stayed at the Pilot House where it was "clothing optional" at the pool (yup, I learned that is NOT my thing), and I have been house hunting like it is my job.  Unfortunately it is not my job and I have to go back to the real world bext week and earn a living.  Not to break anyones bubble, but I do NOT get paid over the summer, incase you all thought teachers just get paid to have summers off.  

There are a few things that I am looking forward to that happens after school starts and that is the Summer of Rum Festival.  I get to celebrate the first week of classes with students with RUM!!  So on Saturday, June 24 at 4:00 I will be enjoying myself in VIP in downtown Tampa.  You too can get all the details here on facebook.  Also, I will be giving away two General Admission tickets at the end of this post.  

Here is how you too can fest!!

General Admission:  $15 in advance or $20 at the door if there are tickets still available.  This is likely to sell out because of the limited amount of tickets. 

 "GA Admission gives you access to the Summer of Rum with all day re-entry privileges.  Enjoy live entertainment on our main-stage, each our unique rum zones, rum shacks, and more while you sip on your rum drinks. 

Once inside, your rum drinks are ALL ONLY $5 (full 12 oz. drinks, not those little tasting sized cups)."

Endless Rum Cup: $55 in advance and $65 at the door.  There are only 500 tickets available.

The Endless Rum Cup is the best way to drink UNLIMITED Rum Drinks at all of our Rum Zones (food/beer/water sold seprately). 

"These tickets also include GA admissions with all-day re-entry access, and 16-oz commemorative Summer of Rum hurricane glasses — your vessels for enjoying endless, refreshing drinks!

Rum Zones include the Cruzan Daiquiri Deck, The Naked Turtle and The Appleton Rum Shacks, and much more"

I am really excited because it is no fun to have to think about having to drive home after this so hotels are having deals so..NO DRINKING AND DRIVING.  The Courtyard Marriott and Hilton Garden in are having specials, you can see them here.  

I was given tickets to the Endless Rum Cup and will be live tweeting that afternoon.  Follow along here.  

Here is how you can win your General Admission tickets!

All you need to do is leave a comment telling me you want to go to the SUMMER OF RUM FESTIVAL.  

For additional entries:

Follow me on Twitter  and tweet about the giveaway!

Join the Summer of Run Facebook Group

Follow me on Facebook

Follow me on Instagram.

Leave a comment for each entry.  

Contest will end on August 9.  Please make sure you leave an email address so you can be contacted.  The tickets will b mailed to you.  

*I will be given 2 Endless Rum Cup Tickets to blog about this event, as always, all opinions are my own*