Energy Bit Review

#poweredbybits ... I'm sure you've seen the hashtag on Twitter. Maybe even used the hashtag yourself. Or you've never heard it before. But today I am proud to say that I am #poweredbybits.

Energybits are a natural form of energy and a great alternative to gels and energy supplements for fueling before, during and after exercise. They are made from 100% spirulina algae and include tons of other nutrients. For more information check out their website (Energybits) or connect online by following on Twitter and Facebook.

I learned a lot about myself and nutrition while training for my previous two half marathons and I made a list of areas to improve on after the twins were born. I really struggled with choosing the right nutrition to increase my performance to avoid stomach issues and just feeling BLEH throughout and after a run. Since I had some  lots of extra time while on hospital bed rest with the twins, I started to do some research about natural methods of fueling while running. I had always hated the taste of gels and I wanted to try to incorporate less sugar and more natural options while running. I wanted to find a fuel that I could use throughout running that decreased my worry about stomach issues. Throughout my search I kept noticing the hashtag #poweredbybits used by a lot of my running friends so I figured it was worth checking out.

I'm so glad that I did! I instantly loved that bits are all natural and organically grown. I also love that they can be used as a snack and are real food. Instead of using supplements I am using natural food to help increase my performance. I can even take them around that mid-afternoon lull when I am losing steam quick after being up with all 3 kids at 5 A.M.. They are convenient and don't take up much space if you want to pack them as a snack when you are on the go. The only downside, I am still not used to the "green" smell so I do pinch my nose when I take them.... I always pinch my nose when I take cough syrup so I guess it's all relative?

In addition to being so convenient, I have noticed an increase in my mental focus when running/training, as well as my actual physical performance. I have been using bits prior to all of my training runs for the past three weeks and I have noticed that I don't hit the "wall" as frequently. I am not a very experienced runner so much of my training isn't only working on my fitness, it's reminding myself that it's ok to push myself and conversely, it's ok to struggle. I find that I am more confident when running because I don't feel as hungry and fatigued during my runs. I don't feel like I'm dreading the end of the run because I feel strong enough to finish and push a little harder when I am more tired. And I know the bits are helping me increase my fitness level because I'm already back to my pre-baby run/walk/run interval only 4 weeks into my training. I can't wait to see how much faster I can get before my half in February!

I think the biggest determining factor in choosing to use Energybits while running was their awesome customer service. If I send a question via Twitter, I am amazed at the quick and informative response that I receive. Additionally, I received a hand-written response on my invoice when I got my first package. I definitely love the attention to their customers!

I could really go on and on about how great Energybits have been for my own training and I encourage you to try them! I am now looking forward to incorporating them mid run and after running. More updates to follow...


Looking for some suggestions...

Have you used Energybits before, during or after running? Did you find a drastic change in your performance? How many and how often do you use the bits while running longer runs? 

It's Official!

I still have to write up my training journal from this week, but I figured I'd do a quick post on my big news.

Running a marathon has always been something that I thought was unachievable. So much so, that running a half marathon was on my bucket list. 13.1 seemed (and is) and incredible challenge for me. Now that I have grown as a runner, I'm ready to challenge myself in a new way. For the past year I've been watching all my run friends accomplish new PRs and new races, many of them the marathon. Feeling inspired I am throwing my hat in the ring... Next October I will run my first marathon!

Am I crazy or brave????

Disney Glass Slipper Challenge Week 2

 I know I'm a day or two off since I started week 3 today, but as part of my training I need to be better at reflecting on my training. So here it goes... 

WEEK TWO SUMMARY: 

Tuesday: 45 minute run/walk/run workout

     Today's workout was definitely challenging. I was struggling with the 2:1 run/walk ratio at 15 minutes. Knowing that I wanted to increase my stamina, I continued to push myself through. I'm glad I did because I felt so much better at the end of the workout. However, the next day I woke up with the start of a cold, so I think I found the source of my fatigue the night before! 

Thursday: 30 minute run/walk/run workout

     I had planned to do a 45 minute run/walk/run workout, but I wasn't feeling 100 percent yet. I was able to maintain the 2:1 run/walk ration for the entire workout, but at the end I felt some calf tightness. I've never had calf pain while running so I made sure I stretched a little more carefully on that side and threw on my compression sleeves. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't overdoing my workout so early in my training. 

Saturday: Long run 4 miles

      Since my daughter has swim class on Saturdays, I need to get my long runs in super early in the morning. I run by myself so I didn't think it was safe to go running at 5:00 by myself. This left me with a 4 mile treadmill run. I know that most people think 4 miles on the treadmill is nothing, but I struggle with longer than 3 miles on the treadmill. I get so bored! Luckily, I was able to catch up on my guilty pleasure shows and the time didn't seem that bad. I was able to maintain 1:1 ratio the entire run and was able to keep my pace between 12:30 - 13:00 min miles, my goal long run pace. 

Nutrition:

      I am continuing to work on finding the right pre and post run fuel. My runs aren't long enough for working on nutrition during running. I know in the next few weeks though I will need to start experimenting on long runs to see what works best for me. This week I did find that I can't eat my breakfast after a half hour before my workout. I definitely did not feel well at the end of the run and I know it isn't because I exerted myself too hard, considering I was doing an easy pace on purpose. In the future I'm definitely going to have to wake up earlier to make sure that I have a little time to digest and find the perfect pre-run meal, definitely something I'll need for my early wake-up at Disney. 

Next week (technically this week) I am hoping to increase my running intervals and maintain that for thirty minutes. From then on I will continue to increase my workout duration and intervals, hopefully arriving at a 4:1 or 5:1 ratio. I'm also looking at working in cross training and strength training on non-run days. However, I'm trying to slowly build into my routine as I know I am coming from no exercise since February of last year and minimal exercise since the twins were born.  Although I'm looking to reach a certain time goal, I am also trying to be realistic with my fitness level and avoiding injury. 

Disney Glass Slipper Challenge Week 1

Last spring Disney announced the Dumbo Double Dare Challenge at Disneyland. It was the first of what would become new additions to the runDisney lineup. Basically the Dumbo Double Dare is the 10K on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday. This race was scheduled for the end of summer 2013, so I knew that it would not be an option for me with the twins expected to be born mid to late summer. I was bummed until shortly after the Glass Slipper Challenge was announced for the Princess Half weekend in February. The Glass Slipper Challenge is the Princess version of the Dumbo Double Dare. Even though I was unsure if I would be able to commit to the race, I knew I had to sign up. Given the popularity of the new Disney races, I did not want to miss out on the inaugural experience, especially the chance to earn 3 medals.

Fast forward to this past week and the first week of my training. I chose to train and run the challenge using Jeff Galloway's walk/run/walk method. I used this same method for my first and second half and was able to accomplish both feeling strong and uninjured. This means that I have two days throughout the week of running where I build up my stamina and determine my appropriate walk/run ratio. The weekend long run is run significantly slower to build my endurance.

Since I was unable to exercise throughout my last pregnancy, I have had a lot of time to think about my goals and to research fueling, nutrition and training. Before beginning my training I had the number 2:15 in my head for my goal. Knowing that I would have to work my butt off, I was reluctant to say the goal out loud and to realistically find it achievable. Yet, the more I looked at what I wanted to achieve, I knew I wanted to push myself. I had done a lot of research about proper nutrition and training techniques to improve performance. I didn't want to sell myself short, so I decided to jump all in. What good is a goal if it doesn't force you out of your comfort zone and make you examine yourself? Right?? As part of reaching my goal, I am using this blog to summarize my workouts and to review my progress as a method of staying on top of reaching my goals.

WEEK ONE SUMMARY: 

Tuesday: 30 minute run/walk/run workout
     Finding time to train is hard, so most of my weekday workouts will most likely be at night on the treadmill. I chose to workout after all 3 kids were asleep and to use a 2:1 run/walk ratio. It was a little disappointing for me to use such a "slow" pace from what I was doing prior to becoming pregnant, but I kept reminding myself that I needed to build up my endurance and ability again. As tough as it was to get back in the routine, I am glad that I chose the pace I did. I felt tired afterwards, but I didn't feel as if I pushed myself too much.
   Today I also kept track of my food using a food journal. In the past, I have had issues with proper nutrition. I often over-fuel and end up with GI issues or I feel sluggish. To reach my goal, I know that I need to be more aware of what I am eating and when I am eating it. One major benefit to my pre-workout routine was the use of Energybits. I'm not sure how many of you have tried them, but I have seen so much buzz about them on Twitter, that I knew they were worth a try. They definitely gave me the extra boost that I needed while running. I am going to continue incorporating them into my weekly training and after another week of training, I hope to do a full review on the blog. Stay tuned!

Thursday: 30 minute run/walk/run workout
      Today I did another night workout on the treadmill. I stuck to the 2:1 run/walk ratio, but I found it to be easier and I think it had a lot to do with choosing the right time frame and pre-run fuel. Instead of eating dinner around 5:30ish with my daughter, I had a turkey sandwich as an after school snack at 4:00. By just moving my dinner back an hour and a half, I felt like I still had energy from the meal, but didn't have the sluggish feeling of just eating. This allowed me to use my Energybits as my only fuel prior to running. I definitely felt a difference in my mental focus and my endurance throughout the workout.
     I also experimented with post-workout nutrition this week. I found that I liked baby carrots with hummus, glass of Nuun, and a glass of skim milk post-workout. Instead of waking up famished the next morning as I usually do with a night workout, I felt hungry but not like I hadn't eaten in days.
Major win!

Saturday: "Long run" 3 miles
      When I hear long run, I always think of longer distances, but knowing that I needed to establish a base of consistent miles, 3 miles was enough for me. Prior to my run, I looked up the training paces and race paces to help me achieve my goal of 2:15. By determining the ideal training pace for long running, I was able to focus on my pace throughout my 3 mile run instead of pushing myself too hard and losing the benefit of the "long run." In past training, I didn't use this strategy appropriately and I definitely felt it when I was in the middle of my training schedules. I had overworked myself. My goals for long runs throughout this training is to keep a close eye on pre and post run nutrition and appropriate pacing. These are two areas that I struggled with when training for my past two half marathons.
      The weather was perfect for a run on Saturday. It was mid 50's and was a clear day. I was so excited to be running outside and actually enjoyed a long run. Watching my pace and forcing myself to examine how fast and slow I ran really made me aware of my abilities as a runner. I am definitely looking forward to longer runs to analyze.

All in all, this was a relatively good training week for me. I am looking forward to adding some more time to my weekday workouts and extra mileage in the upcoming weeks. Until next time.... (hopefully for week 2, as I still continue to blame the twins on my lack of blogging skills....)

One Month Update

The twins are one month today! I cannot believe that it has already been a month. I didn't do the best of keeping on top of documenting my daughter's milestones so I am trying to do better this time. I promise all of my posts won't be about the twins and my daughter! Once I can get back to exercising, I hope to start blogging about running and using the blog to keep me on track with training, as well as share some daily insight to my life. 

The Twins One Month: 

Eating
   Unfortunately I was unable to keep breastfeeding the twins for a variety of reasons. Since I was able to nurse my daughter until she was 10 months and had an enjoyable experience, it was a challenge for me to accept that I was unable to do it for the twins. However, it has proven to be the best choice for our family and I am seeing the babies grow and thrive so it has eased my mind. On the downside we go through a lot of bottles!

Our nightly bottles ready to go. 

Our sink the morning after. 

 As of now we are trying to keep the twins on the same eating schedule, but they aren't always cooperative. Olivia is hungry after 2 - 2 1/2 hours and Jackson goes about 2 1/2 - 3 hours. My husband and I were trying to keep them on the same schedule and waking or stretching the other baby to keep them together. After many stressful feedings, I realized today that this philosophy wasn't working for us. I understand the concept or making everything easier and I'm sure when they are older it will be worth it to have them eat together. At this point, I need to make sure I'm meeting the needs of each baby individually. From the beginning I wanted to make sure that I treated them as individuals and not just "the twins." I realized by forcing them to conform to my schedule I wasn't recognizing each child's needs. After deciding this today, I found today to be less stressful and more enjoyable. I wasn't anxious about feeding times because I was taking cues from them. 

Sleeping
  Our sleep varies each night, but on average we get 2 1/2 - 3 hour stretches in between feedings. Compared to my daughter who nursed every 2 hours for the first 3 months, I am already getting at least an hour more in between each feeding. During the day, Olivia is more awake. She tends to take a few longer "naps," but sleeps pretty consistently throughout the night. Jackson needs a few more reminders about day and night. He's getting there though! With my daughter she never napped on her own and was more often held. The fortunate part of having twins is that we don't always have enough hands to hold them all. We have been relying on our swings and our infant napper. Both have been pretty successful. If neither of those are working, we resort to the car! I am looking forward to longer stretches at night, but I am just thankful that we are getting some sleep. 

Milestones
    There haven't been any huge milestones this month. Basically everything the twins do is a huge milestone. I am looking forward to watching them start to smile and become more alert in the next few months. This month we did get our first pictures taken of the twins and their big sister together. I guess this counts as a milestone since my daughter didn't have pictures taken formally until 6 months! I know I'm biased, but they make a cute family  huh? 

Big Sister
     Big sister is starting to get comfortable with her siblings. At first she liked the twins from afar and only liked to talk about them. She's beginning to play with them and is actually asking to hold them. Though holding the two of them is a little scary to her as you can see above! She has her moments of jealously, but we are trying to do our best to give her special time and to include her in as much of her siblings day as we can. I know as they get older and begin to interact more, she may become less cautious around them. 

Mommy 
     I think I could write an entire separate blog entry to just skim how I'm feeling. It's been quite an adjustment and I am trying to take it day-by-day as some are more overwhelming as others. I can't wait until my 6 week appointment and I am cleared to exercise. I can definitely tell when I need a good run or workout and it's killing me that I can't! I feel ready to workout, but I know I need to wait until my doctor's ok. With all the complications I had during pregnancy, I'm not taking any chances! Even though I don't have my usual way to relieve my stress and anxiety, I am very thankful to have the support my husband, family and friends. We are so fortunate to have had so many visitors this past month and extra hands helping out. I would never have survived the first month if we hadn't have had so much support.

 Since the majority of this post is all my thoughts, I thought I'd share with you some lessons that hubs has learned form having twins. It's humorous, honest, and a great representation of the first month.

LESSONS I'VE LEARNED FROM HAVING TWINS:
1. You can never have enough dish soap
2. They spit up more on my clothes than they do their own

3. I have a new found appreciation for families with multiples. If you are a parent of multiples I want to tell you how amazing you are.
4. I have completely forgotten what day of the week it is.
5. I have to buy diapers almost every time I leave the house.
6. Apparently, I do not have enough hands to hold and feed both children, yet.
7. Taking a shower and brushing my teeth can be completed in under 2 minutes.
8. Naps for parents apparently were never part of the "twin" deal.
9. I can't remember the last time I sat down and ate a meal uninterrupted.
10. I wouldn't change any of it for the world.

Becoming a Family of Five

As I finally have the energy and time to sit down and write the blog that I've been trying to write for almost 3 weeks, it's hitting me that we have been a family of 5 for almost 3 weeks! I can't believe how quickly time has flown. I guess when you have 3 kids two years and under, life most pretty fast.

But... I guess I should back up. Our family was blessed to grow by 2 more on July 22, 2013. Although my husband and I knew we were expecting twins, we didn't realize how much our lives would change at the end of June when I went into the hospital with pre-term labor. Fortunately the doctors in Boston were able to postpone my delivery for a little less than 5 weeks and I stayed on hospital bed rest until 37 weeks, full term for twins. I'll share my pregnancy and labor story in another blog for those who are interested. I relied on a lot on other twin mothers' blogs throughout my pregnancy so I hope that my story may give others hope and comfort throughout their own pregnancy.

On Monday, July 22nd my husband and I were excited and nervous that we were finally going to meet the twins. At 6:32 PM Jackson Nicholas was born and at 6:44 PM along came Olivia Marie. Both twins were healthy and good sized babies for twins. Jackson was 7 pounds 2 ounces and Olivia was 6 pounds 4 ounces.  I am definitely thankful for the extra weeks of delayed delivery!

Olivia Marie (Left) and Jackson Nicholas (Right)

From the start our neighbors, family and friends jumped in and helped out in any way possible. I can't even begin to describe how much we appreciated the dinners, extra hands and thoughtful gifts and time spent with our daughter Isabella. We would have had a much more challenging transition home without everyone's continued support. However, this week we've started to settle in our family with less help from others. We figured it was time to start getting our feet wet and figuring how to manage on our own.

We knew it'd be crazy, but it seems like a storm is on the horizon in our house. Between our independent two year old and the frequent needs of the twins, it feels like nothing is accomplished but diaper changing, feeding them and bath time. By the time we get the twins settled, our daughter wants something. Or as soon as we get our daughter settled, the twins are ready to be held or eat! I'm pretty sure that parents of twins should be able to adapt like wild animals and sprout a few extra hands... just kidding.. sort of. We were prepared as best we could be for the whirlwind that became our house, but it's still an eye-opener when you think of how frequently they eat and the amount of diapers that 3 kids go through! Sleep is really nonexistent, but we knew to expect that. Unfortunately you can't bank hours before the babies come.

Don't get me wrong. The past few weeks have been non-stop, exhausting and stressful. However, they also have been the best few weeks of my life. Welcoming Jackson and Olivia into our family has felt like the perfect fit. All 3 of us are filled with love for our new family and are enjoying getting to know the little personalities. It has also made us cherish our time with Isabella more and stop to take any free chance we have to make our time with her special. It's also strengthened my husband and I as a team. We continue to grow as parents and work together to do the best we can for all of our children. Three weeks have almost passed. I can't wait to see how many changes for the better our family continues to go through!

               

A Letter to Non-Pregnant Friends

I know is supposed to be a running-related blog and that I haven't blogged in a LONG time, but I'm hoping that I can move my blog to a little bit more of an insight to my life, not just running. Plus, today I hit a breaking point and just needed to vent for a short period of time... I promise I will be positive.

After a handful of comments, both good and awkward, that were made this past week regarding my pregnancy, I decided to write a letter to my non-pregnant friends and family to share a little insight into what it is like to be on the receiving end of those comments. So here goes... 

To my dearest non-pregnant friends and family,

  I know that we, myself and fellow pregnant women, can be overly annoying at times and downright one-sided in our thoughts and actions from the moment we find out that we are expecting. I also know that our upcoming deliveries, how we are feeling and our fears are common conversation topics, even if people don't want to hear them. I've been the person to scroll down my Facebook and Twitter feed to  to see daily belly pictures on social media and frequent updates about baby kicks, nursery decorating bargains and lack of sleep and roll my eyes at yet more baby sharing. Ok, I'll admit. I'm guilty of it too. It's an exciting time and it's easy to get caught up in everything.

 But...I'll make a deal with you. I'll try to contain my baby-related topics to a minimum, if you can promise to remember that my being pregnant does not allow you to ignore social rules and say whatever is on your mind. It has seemed to me through my first pregnancy and now my second that some non-pregnant people feel it's acceptable to say whatever they'd like when talking to someone about their pregnancy. It is never OK to ask someone if they planned to have a baby, used fertility drugs, or to ask any other very personal questions about how the pregnancy occurred. On that note, it is never acceptable to ask about what negative side effects I'm experiencing (Trust me... pregnancy isn't always rays on sunshine and it's not really information I'd like to share.), or to give hours of questioning my parenting skill. It is also not an open invitation to touch my stomach and to comment on how "large" I am getting.

Pregnancy is a scary and wonderful journey. As I enter my "halfway" point of my pregnancy, I have taken some time to look back on my journey so far and realize that I am blessed to be able to say that I am expecting twins. However, I'll admit, some days it's hard to remember that between the early morning sickness, the constant back pain and stretching that your body feels and the ever growing weight on the scale. It's on those days that pregnant women feel most vulnerable and those days when we need support. We don't need the comments about our growing bodies or unwanted questioning. We see our changes daily and we are already trying to process and find the best in our journeys without the added stress. Yes, it is a blessing to be pregnant, but it is a lot to take in each day. All of these changes signal large life changes ahead and it's downright scary.

Please remember next time we talk with you, that although we are excited, we are scared too. We are feeling blessed and overwhelmed at the same time. Our constant changing emotions can be challenging to handle. Remember that a comment or question you make has the ability to make us feel down on ourselves or can make us feel supported and reaffirm our blessings. Remember in the end, it's all about the miracle of welcoming a little one (or ones...) into a loving and caring world.

With much respect and love,
Your pregnant friend or family member