Dropping Fbombs left and right – A Fbomb product review

Disclaimer: I received a 16 pack variety count of Fbomb macadamia nut butters as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!

When Bibrave gave the Bibrave Pros a chance to test the FBomb macadamia nut butters, I was intrigued. I am a huge fan of peanut butter and more recently when I went on the whole 30 diet – which I only completed 21 days of – I tried almond butter and was pleasantly surprised at how addicted I was to it.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been snacking on these Fbomb nut butters in various forms and have found that they are fairly versatile for snacking and can actually help me curb my snack cravings a bit. 🙂 If you haven’t heard of Fbomb, here are a few tidbits about Love You Foods LLC, the company that makes them.

The company is founded by Kara and Ross, two strong supporters of the low-carb/high-fat diet (think Keto, Paleo, whole 30, etc). While it was easy for them to find healthy proteins and vegetables while traveling, the same could not be said for fats. Thus, Fbombs, a quality source of healthy fats, were born.

The Fbomb macadamia nut variety 16 count pack comes with 4 different flavors – salted chocolate macadamia, macadamia with coconut, macadamia pecan with sea salt, and macadamia with sea salt. The butter comes in a easy to rip packaging where you can just throw it into a lunch bag, knead the packaging to mix, rip the top off, and eat as is. Thank goodness for that. They’ve saved me in a few instances where I haven’t been able to cook the night before and pack a healthy lunch for the next day.

I’ve tried all the flavors and my favorite is the macadamia with coconut. I’ve tried all of them as is and they’re all yummy, but I have a slight bias towards the one with coconut. 🙂  The consistency is runnier than peanut butter so it’s easier to eat as is without having to dilute it with anything, although I’d still have water on hand if possible.

You might ask, “Where else could I use these nut butters?” Well, I can tell you that I tried them in both overnight oats and granola and both snacks go great with the nut butter. For overnight oats, I used this recipe and substituted the peanut butter with the macadamia nut butter and it was delicious. I did the same for the granola recipe.

Honestly, if you’re looking for a healthy source of fats, I’d recommend trying these out. They are keto friendly, paleo friendly, no sugar added, gluten free, non-GMO, vegetarian friendly, vegan friendly, dairy free, and peanut free. Honestly, if you have a dietary restriction, you can still probably eat these. I wish I had found these earlier. Maybe I would have lasted the entire month of my whole 30 challenge. LOL.

To find out more about what other Bibrave Pros had to say, click below.

Meridith – Ash – Deborah – Lissa – Erica – Ken – Scott – Barb – Juan – Ryan

 

 

5 Years and 25 Half Marathons Later – My RnR San Diego Race Report

I received an entry into the Rock N Roll San Diego Half Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews! All opinions are my own.

Yes, that’s right. You read that header correctly. In 5 years almost to the day, I have completed 25 half marathons plus some other races and it all started with Rock N Roll San Diego.

It gave me such a good experience the first time around that I kept choosing to run it again and again and two days ago, I completed it for the 4th time.

Looking back on it, I really believe the reason I continued to race half marathons was because of this race.

Rock N Roll San Diego just knows how to put on a good time and after having a ton of pre-race anxiety, this was just what I needed.

Let’s summarize shall we? 🙂

Pre-race: I stayed with friends that lived close to a trolley station and at 4:30 am, we were out the door to get to SDCCU stadium. We then took a 15 min trolley ride to the Little Italy trolley stop and briskly walked about a mile to the start giving us a nice warm up. We arrived, gear checked, my friends did their porta potty thing, and chit chatted for about 30 min until the start of the race at 6:15 am.

Race:

The start – The race started on time, but due to there being so many corrals, it took quite a bit of time to release everyone. I was in corral 8 and I started at 6:30 am. This year, they had a new design to release runners more slowly. They had gates that funneled everyone through narrower paths so only a 10 runners or so could be released and get a running start to the official start line. This made the first 0.25 miles easier to run through because there weren’t as many runners to maneuver around. I appreciated them, but I think others were annoyed.

The course – Starting out, I was a bit nervous. My plantar fasciitis still wasn’t terribly better and although I was running through it, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to complete the race. Fast forward two miles and everything started to move more quickly. My plantar wasn’t acting up as much and when we entered Hillcrest, I could see all the drag queens in colorful wigs and boobs screaming up and down for us. LOL. It’s one of my favorite parts of the race. Then up and down we go for a mile or two before we hit the blue mile, where runners are encouraged to wear blue to remember our fallen military heroes. I had run through this section the past three times I ran it and this was probably the first time I truly looked at the photos and honestly, it tugged at my heartstrings seeing all those young men and women who were killed in action.

Shortly after, the unofficial alcohol stations starting popping up and every year, I swear more and more start popping up. I counted maybe 4 or 5 houses that brought their A game (and by A game, I of course mean Alcohol). Some neighbors were providing shots of whiskey, some donuts and whiskey, some were handing out beer, and some were making some unidentified drink. 🙂 I did not partake as I did not want to throw up, but seeing them definitely brought a smile to my face. I even saw a Doctor Who themed alcoholic station!

The latter half of the race was kind of a blur, but I do remember how I felt at different parts of the course in previous years.

At mile 1.5 where I started out too fast one year and had forgotten about the rolling hills.

At mile 7 where I had started walking and crying because it had gotten so warm.

Around mile 11 where I had seen a friend and she ran with me the rest of the way encouraging me to continue.

At mile 12.5 where I had run with a friend for her first half marathon and she was so in the zone, I told her to keep going without me.

And of course at the finish line, where I had finished 3 times prior.

It’s hard for me to put into words how I felt during the race, but maybe the word that best describes it is JOY.

I started this race with the sole intention of trying to finish. I had no time goal and no expectation to run fast. And then I went out, enjoyed the course, even played some Pokemon Go, and ran my 6th fastest half marathon (Official time: 1:58:50). If that’s not a win, I don’t know what is. 

So tell me, has there ever been a time where you blew your own expectations out of the water? I’d love to hear about it. 🙂 

 

Ready or not, here I come

I received an entry into the Rock N Roll San Diego Half Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews! All opinions are my own.

Yes, that’s right. It’s that time again. Time for me to run the Rock N Roll San Diego Half, the first half I’ve ever run, for the 4th time. LOL. You would think that I would be bored of it by now, but honestly I’m not. It’s a wonderfully run race and a LOT of locals run it. I even have friends who have moved away are coming back to run it too. 🙂

I’m super excited to meet up with everyone at the expos on Saturday and at the race itself so if you see me, please don’t be shy. Come and say hi. 🙂

That being said, I’m also a bit worried that I’ll I won’t finish the half. My plantar was feeling a bit better a few weeks ago where the pain was minimal. I obviously took that as a sign to start running 20+ miles a week and bam, the pain came back annoyingly. It’s really my fault though. The moment I had a few good runs, I felt like I was a puppy who was just released from its cage. I wanted to run free and wild and uhh, my body had other plans.

I was hoping I’d be in better shape by this point, but truth is, I’m not. I have good runs and I have bad runs and unfortunately, this year happens to consist of more bad than good ones. I have high hopes that it won’t always be like this as it’s only been two months, but honestly, two months where I can’t just go out and run every day is getting to me.

It hasn’t been all bad though. I’ve resumed playing Pokemon Go when I do run to distract me from the fact that I can’t run far. I run a bit, stop to catch a pokemon, and continue on. It puts less stress on my legs by breaking the mileage apart and although my endurance has suffered a bit, I’m at least able to find joy in playing an offshoot of a game I really loved as a child. 🙂 Also, because of Pokemon Go, I’ve been able to take it easy and just enjoy the sights. I even stopped mid run to eat some ice cream. I then resumed my run. LOL.

So I guess what I’m trying to say is that being injured as taught me to enjoy my runs in a different way so maybe this race will also be new experience. 🙂

Wish me luck!

 

Summer Racing at the Craft Classic SD Half

Disclaimer: I received an entry into the SD Craft Classic as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews! All opinions are my own.

I think I’m a glutton for punishment. I’m still not fully recovered from Plantar Fasciitis and decided that it would be a smart idea to sign up for another half marathon in July. There are no regrets though. LOL. It’s going to be a fun one. I’m sure of it.

If you live somewhere where it gets super warm during the summer and racing is just out of the question, come to San Diego where you can race a half (or 5k is halves aren’t your thing) and get free beer after the race.

This year, it’s being run by the San Diego Running Company, which is responsible for putting on really interesting events. I participated in their PB Beachfest last year, which is a 5k along the beach. I destroyed my ankles there, but it was an interesting experience nonetheless. In December, they also have a Santa Run, where registration includes a Santa costume and you just run around in Santa suits. LOL Doesn’t that sound like fun?

I’m super excited to see what they do with the Craft Classic this year. Like the theme implies, it is centered around beer.

With your registration, you get a commemorative pint glass, a race shirt/tank that says “On a Beer Run”, free race photos, a beer related medal, and of course a complimentary Green Flash beer.

What things am I looking forward to? 

1. Free race photos, obviously. I love races that provide this. Registration for races is not cheap so free race photos are greatly appreciated. You know I’ll be getting my photos snapped everywhere chance I get.
2. All of the beer – I don’t drink beer, but I LOVE the fact that the first male and female winner of the half marathon wins their weight in beer. THAT’S RIGHT. You read that here. They win their WEIGHT in beer. Isn’t that insane? I wouldn’t even know what to do with that. Maybe pour it into a pool to chill out in.
3. The MEDAL – I love unique medals and this one since it’s beer centered, is a bottle opener. 🙂 I don’t drink, but I can definitely use this for my soda pop. 🙂
4. The Course – This is not an extremely flat course, but I love it nonetheless. There’s nothing like a challenging hill mid course to get you to really appreciate that finish line. I had to walk up the BIG hill last time I ran it so I’ll be excited to see if I can redeem myself. Also, I finished with a 2:00:01 last time soooo it’s time for redemption.
5. The PEOPLE – I really miss running with others. Since being injured and moving away from my main run group, it’s been hard to try and run with others and also keep pace while injured.

If you’re interested in running this race, use code “BIBRAVE10” for $10 off the half and if halves aren’t your thing, use code “BIBRAVE5” for $5 off the 5k. 

So have you ever run a Craft Classic Race OR have you ever done a beer mile? I never have and it amazes me that humans are able to chug 4 beers within a mile. Let me know. 🙂 

Another Chance To Race in the Rain – Only 4 more days until Surf City

Disclaimer: I received an entry into the Surf City Half Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews! All opinions are my own.

Race weekend is this weekend and wouldn’t you know it, it’s expected to rain again. LOL. Unfortunately, this isn’t a one day rain type of situation. It’s actually expected to rain multiple days so that’s a bit of a bummer, but at least I won’t overheat during the race. Gotta look at the bright side people. 🙂

I have no real race goals going into this half since I’m experiencing a bit of plantar fascitis, but since it’s supposed to be raining, maybe my goal should be to not experience hypothermia. LOL. I think that’s a good goal right? To not freeze to death? It took hours to regain feeling in my fingers after the Irvine Half and I don’t really want to repeat that again. 🙂

A goal.  To finish the race without losing feeling in my hands. Hah! Maybe I should invest in some hand warmers too while I’m making this goal. 🙂 My B goal will be that if I do get hypothermia, I will still try to finish the race. Hehe.  Priorities. 🙂

Despite the rain, I’m still looking forward to seeing a bunch of friends from Southern California. I always have a blast meeting up with people and seeing what everyone is up to. If you’re also running the race, let me know. I’ll actually be volunteering at the Honey Stinger Booth on Saturday so if you’re around, drop by.

Oh if you know of any furloughed government employees who also run, let them know that the Surf City race is giving away a limited amount of entries. You can read more about it here. 🙂

So nothing too exciting planned for this race. I do hope my plantar goes away. I’ve been stretching every chance I get hoping it’ll ease the pain. It’s more bearable now so fingers crossed it’ll get resolved soon. 🙂

Question for you: What plans do you have this weekend? Any races coming up? More importantly, have you experience plantar fascitis and are there any really good exercises and stretches to get rid of it? I’m all ears! 

 

Adding the Carlsbad 5000 to the Race Calender

Disclaimer: I received an entry into the Carlsbad 5000 as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews! All opinions are my own.

After the Honolulu marathon, I only really had one race planned for 2019 and that was the Irvine Half. Now that I’m 3 weeks into January, I have 4 more races and I couldn’t be more stoked. I’ll announce each of them within the next two weeks or so and spoiler alert – one of them is a marathon in June. *Gasps* I know. I went from a one a done marathoner to a let’s see if my body can handle 2 marathons in a year. 😛

Anyway, today, let’s talk about the Carlsbad 5000. For those of you who have followed me for a few years, you’ll know that Carlsbad 5000 was the first race I ever promoted for BibRave. This race is near and dear to my heart because it holds current 5k PR. I don’t know what it is about this race, but I always feel super excited when racing it. Maybe it’s the high energy of the people racing or maybe it’s the fact that I only have to run 3.1 miles. LOL. I do love running along the coast and despite the turns, I do think this is a very PRable race.

My lovely friend who came out to cheer

It took a little bit of persuading (two complimentary beers at the end of the 5k), but I did get a few of my colleagues to join and some of them have never even raced a 5k before. Hooray! 🙂 They’re running the “Party People’s” division, which is new this year, where runners are encouraged to run, walk, and dance their way through the 5k. 🙂

A Few Changes to Note

This year, the Carlsbad 5000, is actually under new ownership. IronMan, who owned the Rock N Roll race, recently sold it to a San Diego -based group called Groundwork Endurance LLC. The most exciting part of this is that a part owner of the race is San Diego’s very own MEB KEFLEZIGHI! Yup, the San Diego Boston marathon winner! Woot woot! There will be a meet and greet and fingers crossed, I hope I’ll get a photo with him or have him sign something of mine.  🙂

With new ownership comes new perks. 🙂 This year, there will be FREE RACE PHOTOS! Yes, that is right. FREE. RACE. PHOTOS. I was incredibly sad when my Honolulu photos came at $34 a download so I was super stoked to find out that Carlsbad 5000 will now give you free race photos. If you didn’t know, the camera loves me. HAH! 😛

At last year’s Carlsbad 5000.

You also get the option of not receiving a race shirt and having the proceeds of the shirt being donated to a charity. I love this option as I’m not one to usually keep my race shirts. I have a few key ones, but most of them, I donate.

For more information on the 5k, visit their site here. It’s currently $35 for their 5k and if you want to sign up for the all day 20k, it’s currently $85. I’ve also written about this race numerous times so to avoid being redundant, you can read about them >> (1, 2, and 3).

Question for you: Have you run a 5k? What’s your favorite one and why? 

 

 

 

 

 

Preparing for my first half of 2019 – Irvine Half Marathon

Disclaimer: I received an entry into the Irvine Half Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews! All opinions are my own.

Happy New Year everyone! I hope everyone had a lovely holiday season and is now having a great start to 2019.

I haven’t been in the mood to write lately, but I thought I’d give you all a little recap of what I’ve been up to lately.

From the title of the post and probably from my many social media posts, you all know that I’ve been preparing for my first half of the year. Eek! I’m pretty nervous about it as I am for all races because I’m just a huge worry wart, but this time, it’s because I didn’t really have a good post-marathon recovery.

The plan after the Honolulu marathon was to rest maybe a week and a half and then resume running for this half. Well, a week of rest for my legs went by and then BAM, BAM, I got an ear infection that hurt like hell. I don’t know how many of you have had ear infections, but OWWWWW. I had never had one before and after this, I never want to have one ever again. I was in so much pain for the first few days and unfortunately, a side effect of the infection was that my hearing got impaired.

It’s been 3 weeks and even though the infection cleared up within a week, my hearing is still impaired most likely due to some fluid build up behind my ear drum. Bleh. I will be seeing an ENT this morning so hopefully, I’ll have good news. Fingers crossed!

In the meantime, life does go on and I’m gearing up for my first race of 2019! LOL. Yes, that’s right. Despite being sick, I managed to somehow still run a bit and this Saturday, I’ll be running my 23rd half marathon at the Irvine half.

Running into 2019 like BAM

How do I feel about it?

Honestly, I’m pretty nervous. I’ve been able to run a few 8 mile long runs the last few weekends, but it hasn’t been all that easy. The aftermath of my ear infection has caused my airway to become narrowed and so I have issues breathing when I run. I’m optimistic that I can finish the race as I had a similar breathing issue a few years ago due to severe allergies and ended up PRing a half. LOL. That being said, I don’t think I’ll be PRing this upcoming half. 🙂

What’s the plan then?

It’s the same plan I usually have for most races. Enjoy the race and try to not die. 🙂 Haha. I kid I kid. 🙂 But seriously, I will be taking it easy and if I need to rest, I will rest. I’m not going to collapse on the road. That is the goal. 🙂

Who knows though? Maybe, I’ll PR or maybe place in my age group? Probably not place, but a girl can dream, right? More on that later. 🙂

So that’s it for now. Not a super long post as training or my lack of training has been pretty uneventful. I did get an Instant Pot over the holidays so I’ve been trying out different recipes. If I find a really good one, maybe I’ll end up sharing it on here. 🙂 Until next time!

Question for you: Have you ever run sick? And/or have an instant pot? Any recipes you really like and would recommend trying out?

 

 

Marathon Recovery – TRE Edition

Disclaimer: I received items from CEP Compression, Incrediwear, Nuun Hydration, Addaday Massage, and Arcanum Edge from The Running Event as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews! No further compensation was given and as always, all opinions are my own. 

Oh the irony of this blog post.

A few weeks ago, I received some recovery based items from TRE Influencer Day. I was super excited to try them all out because I was running a marathon the following weekend and knew my body would be in desperate need of recovery. So post-marathon, I rested and took some time off from running. Then, I got sick. LOL. Isn’t that how it goes? You put your body under an immense amount of stress and once that stress has been lifted, your body breaks down? LOL I always got sick post-finals in school so of course I’d get sick post-marathon.

Despite getting sick, I was able to try out a few new recovery items right before getting sick and I am happy to report back on the following items.

1. CEP – Compression socks for Recovery and Trail Merino Socks
2. IncrediWear – Performance Capri, Sport Thin No Show Socks, Active Low Cut Socks, and Sport Thin Quarter Socks
3. Nuun Hydration – ALL OF THE FLAVORS
4. Addaday Massage – Type C roller and Runner’s Tea
5. Arcanum Edge – Sarco Freeze, The Quill, and Sarco Breeze

Feel free to skip to the items you want to read about. 🙂

CEP Compression

History: CEP Compression is probably one of the most well known brands of compression socks. The company is actually owned by Medi, a global leader in medical compression manufacturing so you know that CEP Compression is not fooling around.

Technology: In the body, we have arteries and veins that transport blood towards and away from the heart. Veins transport de-oxygenated blood back to heart while fighting gravity and arteries use the heart to deliver oxygenated blood to every cell of your body. CEP is able to improve the blood flow back towards the heart by utilizing graduated compression technology. Their socks start with a 24 mm Hg in the ankle and gradually loosens to a consistent 18 mm Hg in the calf. The socks, due to the decrease in pressure, is essentially pushing the blood back towards your heart to get re-oxygenated.

My experience: I was given the Compression Socks for Recovery and Trail Merino Socks to test out. When I first received them, I was a bit hesistant about trying them out. I haven’t had the best luck with compression socks as they’re a bit constricting when I run in them, but after some assurance from the CEP representative that not all compression socks were created equal, I decided to give them a shot.

The Compression Socks for Recovery are meant for post-work out activity so after running the Honolulu marathon, I put these babies on. Walking around in them felt really nice and my calves didn’t feel as sore as I thought they would post-marathon. Hooray. I also tested them out on 4-5 hour flights and found them to be much more comfortable than other compression socks I’ve worn on flights.

Medical grade compression socks, like these, are shown to decrease the risk of deep vein thrombosis while traveling. Apparently, 4.5% of travelers on long-distance flights, suffer from thrombosis due to a slower resting blood flow and by wearing these, it will decrease your risk for them. I found that my feet felt a bit restricted over the course of the flight, but it wasn’t significant enough to offset the refreshed feeling of my calves after I got off the flight.

As for the Trail Merino Socks, they are super soft and comfy to wear while walking around or running around. I ran in these socks for 4-6 miles and they felt great. J  Highly recommend.

IncrediWear

History: IncrediWear started out the founder Jackson Corley went through a near fatal cycling accident. The accident threatened to paralyze for life so he looked to alternatives that would heal his body. As a result, IncrediWear was born.

Technology: These products are not based on compression technology, but rather use fabrics containing semiconductor elements. When these elements are stimulated by body heat, they release negative ions and the negative ions activate molecular vibrations, which increases blood flow and speed. The increase in circulation will bring more oxygen to the target area, which helps improve the healing process and accelerate recovery.

My experience: Their Performance Capris are some of the softest pants I own. I swear. Something about it made me not want to take them off. LOL. Post-marathon, I threw these on and wore them like no other for the next few days. I wore them during the workday as well as during runs and they move really well. It was difficult to determine whether these improved my performance or my recovery time as I only wrecked myself once prior to wearing these so it is possible that over time, I will see more of an improvement in my performance. The capris will most definitely be kept in my rotation.

I was also given three pairs of socks and the material of the sock is like no other. It’s very smooth. I know. I sound like a broken record, but it’s true. They’re light and my several runs with them have worked out really well.

Nuun Hydration

Product Lines: Electrolytes, Immunity, Vitamins, and Performance

My experience: I’ve tested Nuun out on different occasions and you can read my blog on the Nuun Immunity line here. I was given all of the flavors this time around and boy, some of those flavors are addicting. Also, did you know that you can drink HOT NUUN? A fellow BibRave Pro mentioned that she dissolves some of the flavors into hot water and drink it like hot tea. It is a complete game changer if you haven’t done it before and I honestly believe some of the flavors are better when hot. The immunity line is actually much more tasty to me with hot water, but my newest favorite is hands down hot ginger lemonade (caffeine included) from their vitamin line. It taste like a refreshing cup of hot lemonade tea and I swear, it’s delicious and great to wake you up in the morning. Their mango orange from their electrolyte is also a really yummy one. J

Addaday Massage

History: Addaday Massage started out as a blog with the purpose of writing about tips and tricks on how to add a day to your life. Cool, right?

Product Lines: Foam rollers, electronic massagers, and runner’s tea

My experience: Prior to receiving the Type C foam roller, I had used the Addaday Type D+ roller and another foam roller from a different brand. Between the three, I like the Type C foam roller the best. Addaday has different patented rollers that target different muscle groups and the Type C foam roller has a medium muscle roller that helps flush out lactic acid and muscle fatigue. There is also a little red pin point muscle roller for shin splints, Achilles, and other heard to reach areas. With this roller, I felt my muscles getting a really good knead and it felt like it was hitting the right spots. You know the phrase, “it hurts so good?” Yeah, that’s how it felt using this. LOL.

Arcanum Edge

History: Arcanum Edge was founded by people who suffered from different types of pain and were looking for a more natural way to treat it.

Technology: Arcanum Edge uses activated hemp in their prodcuts. When hemp is heated at high temperatures, its able to enter circulation into the body more effectively and have an active effect. It would take way too long to explain here and I don’t want to bore you, so if you’d like to learn more, click here.

Product line: Sarco Breeze, Sarco Freeze, the Quill, and Arcana-lyte (Hemp based electrolyte)

My experience: I was pretty impressed with their activated hemp product line. Sarco Breeze is a sports massage oil that is designed to facilitate muscle recovery, soothe aches, and also hydrate your skin. Sarco Freeze is for a topical cooling hemp extract. If you’ve ever heard of Tiger balm or icy hot, this is essentially the same thing (cooling effect wise), but with the added benefit of relieving soreness and increasing healing. Last week, I had this ACHING ear infection and I tried to biohack myself and use Sarco Freeze on my jaw line that was in intense pain and it really did alleviate the pain so that it was more bearable. The Quill is essentially a pen that you can turn a dial on and with each turn, you get a 2 mg dose of activated hemp. This particular product is meant to be taken like a vitamin, daily, to see the effects. I found that it improved my sleep over the course of a few days, which was great since I desperately needed it.

Whew. That was a lot of information. Please feel free to ask me any questions you have regarding any of these products and stay tuned for my apparel/shoes review coming up in the next few days.

Question for you: What are some of your favorite recovery products? 

Performance Hemp CBD Product Review

Disclaimer: I received Hemp CBD from Ikor Labs to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews! All opinions are my own. 

Cannabidiol (aka CBD) has been the hot new rage the past year or so. Seriously. I’ve seen it being sold in a lot of places.

CBD, if you were unaware, is the non-psychoactive component of cannabis. It does not make you stoned/high and CBD derived from the Hemp plant is 100% legal in the United States. I was even able to take it onto my flight to Vegas with no issues at all. CBD oil has been shown to alleviate pain, have anti-seizure properties, and reduce anxiety.

For active people, hemp extract has been shown to be an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant. It also is again supposed to reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality.

Below is my review of the product.

For the past month, I have been taking 10 pumps a day for 10 days, then going off of it for 3 days, and then repeating the cycle. Per day, I was taking 10 mg of CBD. I would take 5 mg after waking up and another 5 mg before going to bed.

Personally, I didn’t observe a huge performance or recovery difference when I was using it. I did feel that my body was able to manage the mileage a bit better, but when I started increasing my mileage, my body still felt extremely fatigued. I blame my marathon training and not sleeping enough. LOL. My anxiety levels were about the same regardless of when I was on it or off it, but it did improve my sleep quality. I will note though that I had the most intense dreams while on it.

Brought it with me on a plane

I really wish the CBD had a better effect on me, but everyone’s body is different and I guess mine doesn’t get as many of the positive effects that others have had with it. Some of the BibRave Pros that have also tested it swear that it’s alleviated their chronic pain so I’m sure that it works for some people.

If you know that you benefit from CBD, I would most definitely recommend this product. I have actually tried other CBD products in the past and my body just doesn’t reap the benefits like others have. 😦 They also have a money back guarantee if you find that the product doesn’t work for you so really, there’s not much to lose. 🙂

Use code BIBRAVE20 for 20% off 300 mg of Hemp Extract. Discount expires 12/31/2018. 

Also, if you’re interested in what the other BibRave Pros had to say, their reviews are below. Reviews will be added as more Pros post.

Ben   Corey   Nicole   Logan   Bill   Kim   Brenda   Bridget   Erica   Shannon   Henry   Ryan   Jen   Lindsey   Maria   Melissa   Jessica   Chris   Whitney

Question for you: What have you tried that has increased your recovery time or bettered your running performance? 

A Great Way to Start 2019 – The Irvine Half Marathon

Every Sunday for the past few months, I wake up to posts of racing photos and every time, I experience major FOMO. LOL. Luckily, I’ve had two races recently so the FOMO has kind of settled down a bit, but if you were to ask how I was doing a few weeks prior, oh man would that have been a different story. LOL.

But what am I going to do after the Honolulu marathon? Well, I’m glad you asked. I am and will most DEFINITELY rest for at least a week. Then, it’s back up and running I go. Why you ask?

Because I have finally decided on my first half of 2019 and drumroll please….

It’s going to be the Irvine Half Marathon!

Disclaimer: I received an entry into the Irvine Half Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews! All opinions are my own.

Here are the details:

Date: Saturday, January 12th, 2019

Time: 8 AM

Location: Irvine, CA

Distances: Half marathon and 5k

Price (until Nov 22nd): Half marathon – $85, 5k – $40

Discount code: BRSCVIP for 10% off

This half used to be called the SoCal Half Marathon and 5k, but after 27 years, it got rebranded to give the city of Irvine a bit more credit for the race. 🙂 The race has a beautiful course that goes through community parks, along the San Diego Creek, and will make you feel like you never want to leave. 🙂

Near the start at Mike Ward Community Park

With registration, you’ll get free admission to the Kona Brewing Finish Line Festival, get a free beer from Kona Brewing, FREE PHOTOS (AGAIN, I LOVE FREE PHOTOS LOL), a technical tee, free pace groups, and obviously a medal when you cross that finish line. 🙂

I’m pretty excited to kick off the new year with a half marathon. I always love starting new years with races. It gives me a sense of accomplishment that I’m caring for my health. 🙂 If you’re looking for a nice, fairly inexpensive half to kick start the new year, I’d recommend this one. Also, it’s in Southern California so you’ll know the weather will be nice and moderate. 🙂

Question for you: Have you signed up for any 2019 races yet? If so, which ones? I’m still looking to plan out the rest of 2019 and need a lot of ideas.