The Green Sole Project!

I am finally ready to share a project I've been working on and hope you will be as excited about it as I am! What do you do with your running shoes when you can no longer wear them for running? Throw them away, take them to Goodwill or another retail donation site? What if they could go directly into the hands of someone that needs them in your own community? There are some organizations out there that will collect them and send them overseas. It is great that they are doing this, but there is people in our own backyards that could use them. The women's shelter, homeless shelter, Boys and Girls clubs, and even within your local school system. That is what the Green Sole Project is all about. If you are interested in donating shoes or helping with this project, please head over to our blog or Facebook page for more information!

Natural Bug Spray Recipe

GI'm a bug magnet, and unfortunately my 4 year old also inherited that trait. When I head out for a run in the warmer months, I have to use some sort of bug spray or I'll have gnats swarming my face and come home with mosquito bites covering any exposed skin. Since we try to our best to go the natural route when possible, and since essential oils are my go to, I made a spray bottle of natural bug spray for my family. It's got many uses and actually smells great! 

I spray myself and the kids before going outside.

I spray the kids Step 2 playhouse and climbing toys to prevent spiders or other bugs from making themselves at home.

Spray the exterior doors of our home to prevent bugs from entering. 

Spray my outdoor chairs and table to keep bugs at bay when we are hanging out outside.

I've been using this spray for a couple of weeks and it seems to do the trick, so I wanted to share my recipe!

Do you use a similar recipe? Let me know what you use and how you use it! 

Directions:

I used a large glass spray bottle that I found on amazon.

30 drops DoTerra TerraSheild

10 drops of each of following:

Peppermint

Cedarwood

Lavender

Lemongrass

1/2 cup organic  witch hazel

1/2 cup distilled water

Shake well before spraying.

Link to bottle I used:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MU7R52M?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

*I do not currently sell essential oils, and only purchase for personal use..

NoxGear Visibility Vest coupon code!

Check this out, y'all!!! NoxGear has these super awesome night time visibility vests for you nocturnal or early morning runners! They are offering a 20% off coupon just for my fans! See how lucky you are to follow me!? Through September 30th, use code RUNNERMOM on their website https://www.noxgear.com/, for the Tracer360 or Tracer360+ visibility vest. Let me know what you think about it! I can't wait to get mine and hit the road early!!!

Homemade Sports Drink- Nothing artificial!! Paleo, Real Food Friendly

I think summer has hit with a vengeance all around the country. The highs in NC have been upper 90's to 100 for the last week, with no end in sight. Proper hydration is critical right now, whether you are working out, or just out in the heat all day. Even when you are out by the pool with the kids, you should make sure that you are all drinking plenty of water. But, when you are really sweating it out, you need to replenish the electrolytes, carbs, and salt your body is using up. Sports drinks are full of refined sugars and artificial ingredients, so my family avoids them. Making your own is so easy, fuels your body, and tastes great, too! Coconut water is a natural source of electrolytes and has more potassium than a banana, so it's perfect for runners! Pair it with your favorite fruit for some added sweetness and carbs, and it's perfect. If you're one of those runners that needs some extra sodium, a pinch of sea salt will do the trick.

This year, when I ran the Disney Princess Half Marathon and the Kings Mountian Marathon, I carried my Camelback hydration pack with my own homemade recipe and it fueled me perfectly for both races! It is definitely my go to fuel!

Three simple ingredients is all you need.

11 ounces of plain Coconut water

1/2 cup of your favorite fruit*

1 small pinch of salt (optional)

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend 2 to 3 minutes, until thoroughly blended.

How easy is that!?

*I like to use frozen fruit, so the drink stays cold longer in the heat. 

Some of my favorites are:

Pineapple

Mango

Strawberry

Watermelon

Combine flavored and see what you like! 

Additional tips and tricks:

Get the kids involved to teach them healthy habits, and let them come up with their own flavor concoctions!

Stick with fruits that are easy in the stomach, especially if you are going to run with it. 

If you're in a hurry, keep a few baby purée pouches of your favorite fruit on hand. Put it all in a bottle and shake it up with the coconut water to mix it.

If you have some fruit at home that you need to use, put it in the blender until it's puréed. Then put into ice cube trays and into the freezer. Once it's frozen, store it in a ziplock freezer bag until you need it. One to two fruit cubes will be perfect for 11 ounces of coconut water, depending on your tastes.

I'd love hear some of your real food sports drink ideas! Leave me a comment and let me know what works for you! 

King's Mountain Marathon "Review"

A friend of mine has his own running blog. While training for my Marathon, he asked me to do a guest post on his blog about my first marathon experience. I was honored that he asked me to do it, and also excited to be able to put that entire experience into words. I will always be able to read and remember it. You can check out my "Lessons of a Mountain Marathon Mom" post here:
http://runningwithoutinjuries.blogspot.com/2015/06/lessons-of-mountain-marathon-mom.html

While researching a race, and finding this marathon, I only came across one blog review. I read some short reviews on a marathon finder website that almost scared me off. When I read the blog review, I knew without a doubt that this race would be my first marathon.

So, for anyone else looking for more information about this race, I've put together some of my thoughts.

1) If hills scare you, don't do it. These are not just hills. This is a MOUNTAIN. It's not just one little hill here and there. It is a MOUNTAIN with one really, really, really big hill, lots of medium hills, and a billion little hills. (The tree line on the medal is the elevation chart. Yes, mile 19 was really bad.)
       With that being said, I will remind you that I am not an experienced marathoner. I am not fast, but I'm not really slow. I'm average. I'm not a muscular, toned athlete. I am a work from home my with 2 very small children, and the post baby belly to show for it.  I have only done 2 half marathons. But, I did this. I did not die, I'm still here to write about it. I can't tell you what a normal marathon would look like for me, but I did this race in 5 hrs and 42 minutes. I would like to think I could do a "not as hilly" race in 4.5 hours. It was not easy, but I did it. If I can do this, I promise you that anyone can.

2) There was no time limit for this race. To quote their website, "You could crank out 26.2mi in cartwheels if you wanted to!"

3) This is a small race. If you need a large crowd to keep you going, this is not the race for you. If you don't like getting lost in the shuffle of runners, or competing for your "space" you will LOVE it.

4) The scenery is beautiful! When you are running through the woods, there's a decent amount of shade to keep you cool. You might even come up on some deer, or other wildlife. The hills that are making you stronger, (or making you use some nasty language), are providing a great landscape. 

5) It's an open course. This means there is some traffic, but very minimal. This also means that your friends and family can meet you anywhere on the course, drive along beside you, run with you, or make their own aid stations. This was one of my favorite parts. Having my hubby and friends there to greet me along the way, and run with me when I needed it was THE BEST! 

6) The race organizers do a great job with this race. They are friendly, helpful, and brutally honest about what you are about to take on. No sugar coating it!

7) I can't really put into words what a great, small town, friendly, beautiful race this is. 

I don't know that I will be there next year, but this is a race that I will never ever forget. I'm so glad that I made it my first one.

Want more information about it this race? Check out their website! http://www.kingsmountainmarathon.com/
If you are not ready to tackle the full, they have a half marathon, too. I was told it is uphill both ways. :)

Sparkle Mail!

I am so excited about this skirt. I haven't even ran in it, and I'm excited about this skirt. This little beauty is a game changer. No more running belt, no more hydration belt or hand held for shorter runs. The cuteness of it is just a bonus. Welcome to SparkleSkirts, friends! No ride shorts, with two HUGE side pockets. The picture shown has a 16 oz water bottle in the pocket. My IPhone 6, in a case, also fits great.  The waist has a decent size zipper pocket, that my phone fits in, as well. 

They have tons of great patterns, too! One for everyday of the week? Yes, please! The one I bought is Swing Style in the pattern Wild One. They make a Slim fit skirt, and they also make a Hiker that is 2 inches longer. I think that will be my next purchase. I can totally see myself wearing one of these out and about! http://www.sparkleskirts.com

Note: I was not paid or given anything in exchange for this review. I'm a paying customer. :) 

Inspiring my Boys

I really, really love to run. I'm home all day with the kids, and I work a full time job from home. Running is my release, my sanity saver, and by taking that time every day, I can continue to be a good mom. My 4 year old loves to run, too. He's been my miniature running partner since he was 2.5. I want to encourage it, but sometimes I feel selfish when I leave him behind. I told myself that this summer, when I'm not training for anything, I would let him join in.
We just moved a month ago, and we have this huge, flat, beautiful yard. I decided to take advantage of it, and map out the distance so I could use it like a track for speed work. My hubby had the boys in the back yard, so I was able to watch them as I ran by. My first lap around the yard, and S had other plans. He was determined to run with me! So, I let him join in. He's actually pretty quick. We did a mile in about 11 minutes! My littlest one, who is 2.5 also joined in for a lap around. I didn't get much speed work done, but taking the time to inspire these boys is all my heart needs. I've got at least one little running partner in the making. Happy mom, Happy kids, Happy heart.