My job keeps me busy and on-the-go.  When I’m hungry (and typically in a rush) I want something quick, easy, and healthy.  I’ve tried the frozen lunch thing, and some of them work for me, but I’m always in the market for something new (and improved).   

Enter: Barilla Microwaveable Meals

I was especially excited to try these individual meals because I love pasta, they’re single-serve, and ready in 60 seconds.  Even better?  Each meal is 320 calories or less (note: I’m not much of a calorie-counter, that’s why I run, but I try to eat as healthy and balanced as possible).   

Barilla Microwaveable Meals did not disappoint.  They’re seriously easy, but taste great.  Made from the same 100% natural ingredients as Barilla dry pasta and jarred sauces, these meals deliver the same great taste people love in a single-serve offering.  Barilla Microwaveable meals are perfect for someone on-the-go, like me.

Available in 5 flavors, my favorites were Mezze Penne with Tomato & Basil Sauce and Whole Grain Fusilli with Vegetable Marinara.  Other flavors include: Mezze Penne with Traditional Marinara Sauce, Mezze Penne with Spicy Marinara Sauce, and Whole Grain Mezze Penne with Tomato & Basil sauce.

Each meal is $3.29, competitive with other single-serve meals, and is available in the microwaveable meal aisles at major supermarkets across the US.  Packaged in a revolutionary container, the meals maintain their taste, texture and freshness for 12 months (stored at room temperature).  One of my favorite features is that the pasta and sauce are stored in separate containers, allowing the consumer to customize their meal (I’m particular about my pasta-to-sauce ratio). Final Thoughts: If you like pasta, if you like easy, and/or you like fresh & healthy, you’ll love Barilla Microwaveable Meals.  Each meal was fresh and tasted as good, if not better, had I made the meal myself (e.g., boil Barilla pasta and heat up Barilla sauce).  They didn’t last long in the Jones household – even BJ was a fan (and that’s saying a lot)!

Want to try Barilla Microwaveable Meals?  Get $1 off your purchase {here}

disclaimer: FitFluential LLC compenstated me for this Campaign.  All opinions are my own.

I should preface this recap with the following:

• I’ve been on my bike 4 times this year
• I’ve been to the pool 5 times this year
• I’ve completed 0 brick workouts this year
• I’ve logged hundreds, thousands, of (running) miles this year

Savageman Triathlon is my favorite triathlon of the year (and my only one in 2012). I always look forward to this weekend of racing, friends, and post-race hot tub & wine. This race is low-key, so there’s not a ton of pressure, but it’s so well organized that it feels like a large-scale event. I’ve said it before, but it’s worth saying again: Kyle Yost & team put on a great race!

Pre-race: It was a little chilly in the morning, but I knew it was going to be a perfect day for racing – the high was 66 degrees and sunny. I know not all races have the luxury of starting “late”, but I love that Savageman starts at 9:30am, with transition closing at 9:15am. (That means I get to sleep until 7am on race morning!) I don’t feel rushed, there are no frantic wake-ups at 2am, 3am, 4am, and finally 4:15am, and I hardly feel nervous.

Swim: The swim started with me ripping my wetsuit at the seam (by my knee); not an ideal way to start a race but I just went with it. I had no expectations for the swim but was hoping that I could finish right around the 30-minute mark. The water felt great (70.4 degrees) and I love that I can see the bottom of the lake – it’s totally mental, but seeing the bottom makes me feel faster. I felt strong at the turnaround and my sighting was spot-on for the last 0.5 miles. Time: 30:18

T1: 2:27 (1st out of transition)

Bike: Again, very little expectations for the bike – I’ve been on my bike 4 times in 2012, averaging 18-20 miles/ride. The temperature was up by the time I finished my swim and I decided to forego arm warmers, overall a good choice with the exception of 2 downhill’s at the beginning of the ride. I felt really good considering I haven’t trained much. Time: 1:24:06

T2: 2:05 (took my time here, and made a quick stop to the porta-potty)Run: My sweet spot and (probably) the only reason I do triathlons. I felt really strong on the run; I promised myself and BJ that I wouldn’t leave anything out on the (run) course. The run is one of my favorites in triathlon courses – it’s the perfect combination of hilly, flat, challenging, and really rewarding. I’m really happy with my run performance. Time: 49:22 (7:57 pace & #1 in my AG)

Overall Time: 2:48:15
Overall Place: 115/383
Female Place: 21/127
Age Group Place: 3/15 (I finally got 3rd place!!)Final Thoughts: After 4 years of 4th place, I finally nabbed an age group award! I hardly trained for the swim & bike so I’d love to see what I could do if I actually trained for all three events…maybe next year. Overall, I had a great race weekend – we all PR’ed from last year and really enjoyed our time in Deep Creek. I’ll be back again next year!

A HUGE thank you to all of the wonderful volunteers – you make a huge difference, and this race wouldn’t go as smoothly without you. Thank you for your time!

It’s no surprise that I love local races – everything about them – they’re close to home, easy to get to on race day, and part of my community.  That’s why I’m excited about the Alexandria Family Fun Day & 5k – a new local race organized and directed by two of my running friends.  This race is directed by runners – which means they know what YOU want on race day (logistics? check. plenty of bathrooms? check.  parking? check.  water, on course & post-race? check.) 

If you’re looking for a fun, low-key 5k, you better sign up for this one!  

Details:

• Sunday, September 30, 2012
• Timed 5k – 8 am; 5k fun walk & kids mile – 8:45 am
• The race starts at beautiful Cameron Run Park – 4001 Eisenhower Ave., Alexandria, Va
• Packet pick-up Saturday (September 29) at Pacers – 1301 King Street, Alexandria, VA

What makes this race different:

• 100% of race proceeds go to charities including global water projects, Girls on the Run, and services for at-risk youth & families in the area
• It’s being planned by runners!
• The course is seriously beautiful – run through Ben Brenman park on paved trails
• Flushing toilets at the start & finish, and along the course
• On-site parking
• A post-race meal of {free} pancakes will be provided by the Alexandria South Rotary Club
• Did I mention flushing toilets?

More Info:
https://www.facebook.com/AlexandriaFamilyFunDayAnd5k#!/AlexandriaFamilyFunDayAnd5k

Register Now:
https://www.smartruns.com/Family-Fun-Day-and-5K/

Name: Jen Morgan @ Caution: Redhead Running

Location: Milford, MI – Suburb of Detroit (Kensington Metropark):  http://www.metroparks.com/metroparks/parks/index_all.aspx?ID=6&r=0

Distance: The main trail around the lake is 8.5 miles – with lots of trails that branch off (for added distance)

Why I love this run:  What’s not to love? It’s a maintained, paved trail system that winds around beautiful Kent lake. There are bathrooms/drinking fountains to use every few miles thanks to the various different entrances, and the local running groups train there on the weekends so there’s never a shortage of runners around. I run this place solo regularly and have never felt unsafe. When I need extra mileage I add on by running over to Island Lake recreation park or any of the many other trails that branch off from the main one. It’s mostly flat with a few rolling hills and a couple of challenging inclines; the perfect mix. The view is unmatched and I regularly find myself so caught up in them that the run flies by. $5 gets you in but $25 gets you a year long pass.

GPS route:http://www.dailymile.com/people/CautionRdhdRng/entries/15551591

An important (and huge) part of my job is fitting customers in the right shoe.  Often times this is done with the help of a gait analysis tool – but watching a person walk barefoot and studying the arch type/movement is an easy mechanism that doesn’t require extra equipment.  Regardless of the approach, the result is always the same: I want to fit a customer in a shoe that is best for them.

different shoes for different runs

Every person pronates to an extent – but it’s what happens when you’re fully weight-bearing (within your foot/arch) that helps determine what shoe is best for you.  While arch type is not fool-proof for fitting, it’s important to know if you have a high, mid, or low arch.     

High arch: very rigid; not much movement in the foot/arch when fully weight-bearing or during the gait cycle
Mid to low arch: more flexible; lots of movement in the foot/arch when fully weight-bearing or during the gait cycle. 

From there, it’s helpful to have someone watch you walk (or run) without shoes and socks.  This enables us to see what’s happening during your gait cycle; are you neutral, or do you over-pronate or supinate?     

Neutral: In running, neutral pronation occurs when the foot experiences a normal, healthy amount of pronationYou need a shoes with a lot of cushion, in the neutral category; examples include: Brooks Ghost, Brooks Glycerin, and Brooks Pure Flow 

Supination: In running, supination (also referred to as underpronation) is the insufficient inward roll of the foot after landingYou need a shoes with a lot of cushion, in the neutral category; examples include: Brooks Ghost and Brooks Glycerin

Over-pronation: In running, over-pronation is the inward roll of the foot You need a shoe with support; in the stability category; examples include Brooks Adrenaline, Brooks Trance, and Brooks Pure Cadence

Once you determine, what type of foot you have and what type of shoe you need, it’s important to try on a variety of brands.  Just because a shoe was voted “best update” or “best fit & feel” by a prestigious running magazine, does not mean it’s the right shoe for you. 

More than anything, owning the right shoe can help prevent injuries and keep you healthy (for many more miles to come)!

Final Tips:

• Try a variety of brands – Brooks, Asics, Mizuno, and Saucony make really great running shoes
• Don’t buy a shoe based on color – it usually doesn’t end well.  If you end up with a shoe that’s the right fit and beautiful, even better!
• Size up – you want one thumbnail between your big toe and the end of the shoe.  This will allow your feet to swell (totally normal) and you won’t get black toenails as you increase your mileage
• Check out your local running store – most running stores preform gait analysis for free.  Leave it up to the experts; staff will recommend the best shoe based on what they see

Local running stores that perform gait analysis:
Pacers
Potomac River Running
Charm City Run
Fleet Feet
The Running Company

Have you had your gait analyzed? 

If you have questions, feel free to email me at willrunformargaritas@gmail.com

For all things running and margaritas, follow {will run for margaritas} at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/willrunformargaritas
Twitter: https://twitter.com/run4margaritas
Pintrest: http://pinterest.com/run4margaritas/

photos: source

I met John through Capital Area Runners – and he quickly became one of my favorite people & runners.  He has such a wonderful energy: upbeat, friendly, positive – and he’s always running to help others.  After a bit of a hiatus from speed work, I returned to the track last week – John ran just fast enough to push me really hard, without destroying me – and he did it just because.  That’s the kind of person he is, always helping others achieve their goals, their dreams. 

This year, John became the youngest person to run 50 marathons in 50 states in less than 4 hours.  Each marathon is a different story, a different experience, of the people he’s inspired along the way (scroll all the way to the bottom to read about his favorite memory).  He’s also a Marathon Maniac (duh!) and hoping to run marathon #100 by March 2013.  John is such an inspiration to the running community, I hope you enjoy getting to know him better.        

Name: John Lui

Age: 24

Location: Washington, DC

Years Running: About 6 years.

Favorite race distance: I only run marathons.

PR: Marathon – 3:12

How did you get into running? I strictly wanted to lose weight. A few things have changed, and now I’m addicted to running marathons.

How many marathons have you run? 75. I hope to run my 100^th next March in DC.

Do you cross train or lift weights: Absolutely. I lift weights about 5-6 times a week. I also Crossfit.

How do you find/make time to train: There is always time. In my honest opintion, it’s all about priorities and time management.

Favorite place to run: All the way up Massachusetts Avenue NW, and all the way to the DC/MD border… and back down.

Favorite/most memorable race: I love the DC marathons simply because all of my family and friends can come out to spectate and cheer.

Favorite pre-race meal: Indian, Mexican, Chinese. I have experimented with it all.

Favorite post-race food: Something light. I am trying to watch my figure.

Favorite quote: “I just felt like running.” – Forrest Gump

Best running advice: Don’t forget to cross-train. It’ll help protect your joints.

Running accomplishment I’m most proud of: I am currently the youngest to run a marathon in under four hours in every state.

What races are you currently training for? I am not training for any particular race, but I am scheduled to run more than 20 marathons this fall.

You just completed 50 marathons, in 50 states.  Tell us about the journey, and what made you take on this {massive marathon} journey? The journey took about 19 months. It began in Philadelphia, PA in November 2010 and ended in Valentine, NE in June 2012. I went on this adventure because… I just felt like running. Also, you only live once (YOLO).

You’re the youngest person to complete 50 marathons, in 50 states, in under 4 hours.  How does this make you feel?  What does this mean to you? It feels great. I took down notes after every marathon, and now I can share a mini-story about every single race. Some of my favorite ones include running and working with complete strangers to accomplish their personal goals.

What are your next plans?  Any more marathons in your future? After my 100^th next March, I will transition into triathlons, and more specifically, the Ironman.

You made new friends at almost every race, what’s your favorite story/person you met? Her name is Rebecca, and we met in Providence, RI. From her blog: At around the half, out of nowhere a running angel appeared quietly next to me and flew with me all the way to the finish line. There were no words exchanged while we were running but I could tell he knew I was trying to hold on and he made it clear that he was willing to help me out. Because of him, I had the will to keep up my pace for the last 10K when my body was telling me it wanted to stop. We crossed the finish line together and I immediately hugged and thanked him.

Name: Jessica Karazsia @ Zero to Fifty

Location: Catawba Cliffs – Catawba Island, Ohio

Distance: 4.4 miles

Why I love this run: My mom lives in a small town in Ohio called Catawba Island on Lake Erie. Catawba is located just between Toledo and Cleveland. We are boaters and have been going up there for 25+ years. We all used to camp out on the boat every weekend during the summer and as we (the kids) got older, the boat got bigger. But, there came a point in time where there really wasn’t a boat big enough for 3 teenage girls. My parents downsized the boat and bought a condo. Then, when it came time to retire and move out of Cleveland, they decided to build a beautiful home there.

I have so many wonderful memories of the summers we spent on the island. Catawba is truly one of Ohio’s best kept secrets. I still cherish the time I get to spend there on vacation and over holidays. It’s a very sleepy place in the Winter, but is beautiful all the same.

I lived in Cleveland for 9 years after college, so I had the luxury of being able to spend my weekends and do many of my marathon training runs on Catawba. There is one particular stretch of my run that is my absolute favorite place. I usually leave it until the end of my run to help distract me from my discomfort. The rolling hills, beautiful rocky cliffs, private coves and beaches are simply spectacular.

Route: http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/11509893

Name: Jess H @ Pace of Me

Location: Virginia Beach, VA – First Landing State Park & Ocean Front

Why I love this run: Virginia Beach is one of my very favorite places to run and First Landing State Park has so much to do with that. The trails are not very technical – packed sand and pine needles with very few tree roots to navigate.  No stream crossings or anything like that, either. This particular route does not even have wooden bridges (other routes in the park do, and they are beautiful, but this route is fairly simple as it’s pretty much just a straight out and back).  The park has over 20 miles of trails total so there is MUCH to explore there and I highly recommend it – it is great for even the most novice trail runner – but if you are looking for an easy 7 miles to cover, this run is the perfect run for you.  You will see lots of nature depending on the time of year.  In the summer I am amazed by all the butterflies (but wear your bug spray in case there are mosquitoes or deer flies).  Oftentimes I will do this run combine it with another one of my favorite runs – 9 miles mostly along the ocean – to get a long run of 16 miles in.  Whether you want to run just the 7 miles in the park or tack on more, I recommend parking your car at the 64th Street entrance to the park, right off of Atlantic Avenue. 

7 Mile Trail Run
For this run, you will just start on the Cape Henry Trail (right by the parking lot).  There is a water fountain and a port-o-potty right there too so you can start your run with plenty of hydration and an empty bladder!  Run straight out on the trail, 3.5 miles.  At the end of the trail to your right is the Visitor’s Center.  This is a great place to refill your water and use a nicer bathroom if you need it.  Just run back the way you came and you have run a total of 7 miles on a beautiful trail under the prettiest canopy of trees.

9 Mile Boardwalk Run
For a solid 9 mile run, I love to cut across Atlantic Avenue and get on Ocean Front Avenue at 63rd Street.  You just run across Atlantic and then onto 63rd Street and make a right onto Ocean Front Avenue.  You will run along the ocean with beautiful old homes and beach cottages on your right and left, staying on Ocean Front until you get to the Cavalier Hotel at 42nd Street.  From there just take a right on 42nd (it is the only way to turn) and then a left on Atlantic, staying on the ocean side of the street.  This will turn into Pacific when you follow the road to the left and then you are on “the strip” and the start of the boardwalk will be on your left (it will take you a little more than 1.5 miles to get here from the park).  Take a left and get on the boardwalk turning right.  It is a concrete boardwalk and there is no shade, but you will see runners and beachgoers galore on your route.  There are plenty of water fountains and port-o-potties (which are remarkably clean!) all up and down the boardwalk.  There are also nice public restrooms at 24th and 31st Streets and they are open year-round.  The boardwalk is 3 miles long each way, so if you run all the way to the end of it and turn around and follow your route back to the park, you have logged 9 miles. 

16 Mile Run
When I am traveling in VA Beach and I need to get a longer run in, I love to combine these two runs together for a great 16 miler.   In the summer I do the beach route first because there is no shade and I want to be in the cooler, tree lined park for the later stages of my run when the sun is stronger.