My Favorite Post-Workout Smoothie

Happy Wednesday!  The weather in Chicago is finally HOT which means the return of the sweaty selfie:

It also means I am loving a frosty cold post-workout smoothie these days!  A reader left a comment on the Juice Boxes + Crayolas Facebook page the other day asking me to share my favorite smoothie recipe.  After finishing a hot and sweaty brick workout last night (just before a thunderstorm rolled in!), I was definitely ready to enjoy a post-workout smoothie.

All my smoothies are basically variations of the same recipe:

• 1 cup almond milk (I like Silk Light, Original Flavor)
• 1 big handful spinach
• 1 frozen banana
• A handful of whatever frozen fruit I have on hand--Usually this ends up being blueberries, but I am currently LOVING the frozen pineapple tidbits from Trader Joe's, and have been using a mix of pineapple and blueberries in smoothies lately.

Layer the ingredients in blender in that order (now that I know how to correctly blend smoothies...), blend, and enjoy!  

I used to add protein powder into my smoothies, but I decided it wasn't necessary and that I was getting enough protein from the almond milk and other sources in my daily diet.  After a long hard run, though, I will often add a big spoonful of peanut butter which makes the smoothie just that much more amazing.  I mean really, isn't everything better with peanut butter??

That's it!  Easy, delicious, refreshing, and healthy.  A perfect summer beverage!  Well, at least a close second to Leinie's Summer Shandy... ;)

What's your favorite smoothie or go-to summer beverage?

Three Things Thursday

ONE
I think my brain is *starting* to get back into school mode...at least I was up half the night the other day thinking about classroom layouts, it that's any indication...yikes!  I spent Monday at a Common Core math planning day with my new teammate.

It was a successful day!  Our district is still using Everyday Math, but a committee revamped and restructured it completely to fit with the new CC standards.  We spent the day digging through the lessons for the first unit, creating a pacing calendar for the year, and planning out the first week in detail.  Woo!  We were super productive and worked really well together--always a great thing when working with someone new!

I also finally made it into my classroom!  Much to my dismay, when I showed up Tuesday the previous teacher's million boxes and pieces of furniture were still taking up the whole room!  GAH!  Thankfully, one of my WONDERFUL teammates offered to help me, and we singlehandedly moved every single item out into the hall.  Fire hazard much?  Oh well, at least I got the room clear!  I made a huge dent in unpacking and setting up in just a day and a half of work!  My new room is way more spacious than the old one, but was a bit of a puzzle to set up.  Sneak peak:

If only I didn't need to bring in those pesky student desks and could have the room wide open like this... ;)

TWO
I had a BEAUTIFUL 6 mile run last night in one of my favorite forest preserves.  I brought along music for the first time in over a week and was amazed at how much I enjoyed it.  A couple months back I was so sick of the exact same playlist that I was ready to throw my ipod against the wall.  Amazing how taking a break makes it feel fresh and new again!  I am 99% sure I even set a PR for that particular distance!  Can't remember the last time I ran 6 miles so fast.  After my run, I realized I didn't have any cold chocolate milk boxes (I keep them on the shelf and stick one or two in the fridge at a time) or any frozen fruit for a smoothie.  I threw a handful of ice, one regular banana, a scoop of PB, and 3/4 of a chocolate milk box in the blender to see what would happen.

What happened was one of the most DELICIOUS things I have ever consumed.  Healthy?  Maybe not, but definitely some awesome refueling deliciousness.

THREE
I'm jetting off to BOSTON tomorrow!  I *may* have over-packed for my 5 day trip...

Happens to the best of us, right??  I'll see you guys back next week with Management Monday and a Race Recap for the Triple Threat Half Marathon I'll be running Saturday!

Favorite smoothie recipe?

Have you started working in your classroom?  Having school nightmares/sleepless nights yet?? (tell me I'm not the only one...)

Cheribundi Tart Cherry Juice: Review + Giveaway!

I was recently contacted by Cheribundi and asked to try out their tart cherry juice.  I am not a huge juice drinker, but I do love cherries and was intrigued by the "super food" properties of tart cherry juice.  As a CHRONICALLY injured runner, I'm always interested in anything that promises healthy muscles and injury prevention.  According to a pamphlet included in my box o' juice, cherry juice had positive effects on alleviating muscle pain and inflammation in runners.  I don't have any more details than that, but I'm willing to try anything that promises healthy muscles. :)

From the Cheribundi website:
Our tart cherries are harvested at the peak of ripeness to capture as much of the bright cherry color as possible. They taste better and have more powerful phytonutrients than other superfruits. That includes the trendy pomegranate, the acai berry, grapes or blueberries. Rich with nutrients, tart cherries can help you recover from exercise, sleep better, and in general, live life to the fullest because you feel better.

My sample pack included five different kinds of tart cherry juice: Relax, Restore, Rebuild, Light, and Original.  I tried the original tart cherry juice first.  I was super impressed by the ingredients--50 cherries per bottle, 100% juice, and some apple juice added into the cherry juice for sweetness.  I LOVED the taste.  It was tart, but not super sour--similar maybe to the tartness of cranberry juice.  It reminded me of the tart cherry pies my mom makes in summer.  Yum!

 

The other types were also good, although the original was my favorite.  I did like that there was a big variety of juices for different purposes.  The light juice is sweetened with stevia and cuts the apple juice out that's included in the original juice for less sugar.  Here I am enjoying the "Rebuild" juice after the Chicago Spring Half Marathon, which includes 8 grams of added protein to make it a good recovery drink. 

Drinking the "Restore" juice and soaking up it added electrolytes after a particularly sweaty run!

Did I feel a huge change in my muscles and energy level after drinking Cheribundi?  Well no.  But did it taste good?  Yes.  Would I drink it again?  You bet.  I would definitely buy this juice.  To me it's kind of like my thoughts on drinking chocolate milk for recovery--they say it's good for me, and it tastes delicious, so why question it?  If drinking cherry juice helps my muscles and I enjoy drinking it, why not?

The nice folks at Cheribundi offered to give away a sampler pack of tart cherry juice like the one featured pictured to one of my readers!  Here's how to enter:

• Be a follower of my blog through Google Friend Connect, Bloglovin', or any other platform, and leave a comment letting me know that you are! (Mandatory)
• Visit the Cheribundi website and let me know which juice you are most interested in trying (+1 entry)
• Share this giveaway on your blog, facebook, or twitter and leave a comment letting me know that you did (+1 entry each)

That's a total of 5 possible chances to win a whole bunch of delicious juice!  This giveaway will end at midnight on Saturday, June 29th.  I will choose a winner using random.org and post it on this blog on Sunday, June 30th. (Or as quickly as I can get online--I'll be on vacation without consistent internet!)

Disclaimer: I was provided a sampler pack of Cheribundi juice in exchange for writing this review, received no additional compensation.  All opinions expressed are my own--this juice is just plain yummy. :)

CLICK Espresso Protein Drink Review + Giveaway!

Between being trying to consume enough protein in my vegetarian diet to keep my tired muscles happy and trying to stay awake for long days of before-dawn workouts, teaching children, tutoring, and grad school, caffeine and protein are two things I am always trying to get my hands on.  I know the importance of protein in a healthy diet, but it is especially important for runners and athletes to consume protein after an intense workout to help those hard-working muscles recover quickly!  Here's the thing--a lot of the protein powder I've tried just plain SUCKS.  I know many people with stronger stomachs than myself can mix up a protein shake and down it no problem, but the chalky flavor so many powders have and the unpleasant after tastes are NOT my thing.  When I heard about CLICK espresso protein beverages, I was intrigued.   What could be better than a beverage with a hearty dose of both protein AND caffeine   I was super pumped to have the opportunity to check out CLICK and write a review.

From CLICK founder Greg Smith:

The innovative idea of combining espresso coffee and protein into a gourmet tasting healthy energy drink that can be enjoyed hot or cold just CLICKed one day...

The idea behind CLICK Espresso Protein Drink was to create a protein drink with the decadent coffee house taste and energy consumers crave along with the nutritional support they need that can be easily mixed with water, milk or their favorite beverage, all in a single 12-14 oz. serving.

CLICK sent me two different flavors of their protein drink to try: vanilla latte and mocha, plus a "blender bottle" shaker.  The only way I've been able to stomach protein powder in the past was to mix it into a blended fruit smoothie, so I was a little skeptical that CLICK would be different from the other brands I'd tried.  I tried the vanilla latte flavor first--per instructions, I mixed 2 scoops of protein powder with 14oz water.  My impressions were that the shaker did a good job getting the majority of the lumps out of the shake and that it dissolved quickly.  There were still a couple little tiny lumps, but I was impressed at the overall "dissolvedness" (yup, I can make up words), which was way better than many other powders I've tried.

What I was most worried about was the flavor--I CAN'T STAND that chalky taste so many powders have!  After my first sip, though  I was totally hooked.  It tasted like iced coffee!  Amazing!  The texture of the shake is thin like iced coffee too, so it drinks like a regular cold coffee beverage.  The taste was awesome.  I LOVED the vanilla latte flavor--it was the perfect level of sweetness and coffee.  The mocha flavor was great too, but a TOUCH too chocolatey-sweet for my tastes.  I now just mix a little less powder and a little more water for the mocha flavor, and it tastes great.

CLICK'in after a 4:30am run!

I have been loving drinking CLICK after morning workouts.  With the equivalent of 2 shots of espresso, not to mention 15g of protein in a shake, it is the perfect breakfast addition.  I made the mistake of drinking it after a night run a couple of weeks ago, and I couldn't fall asleep after, so I can vouch that it's definitely caffeinated   (There is a decaff option as well if that's your thing...)  I'm pretty pumped to have finally found a protein powder that I can just shake up with water and enjoy.  I still love my fruit smoothies, but it's so easy to scoop some CLICK into the shaker and toss it in my gym bag for a before school workout.  There is also a recipe page on the CLICK website with different ideas for "shaking up" (hehe get it?? ;) regular CLICK.  A few days ago I made the Pumpkin Spice recipe for an afternoon snack that will actually fill me up.  Yum.

CLICK'in after a 9mi long run!

Interested in trying CLICK for yourself?

CLICK has been kind enough to offer a couple of deals for my readers!  First, if you're interested in trying out CLICK without committing and buying a whole canister, CLICK is offering a buy one get one free deal on their sample packets.  Click here to claim your CLICK BOGO offer.  (I wish I'd tried a certain rice protein powder that way so that I'd discovered it's nasty and chalky before buying a 20oz canister that will be sitting on top of my fridge forever...)  

Also, CLICK is giving away a starter pack with a canister of CLICK and a shaker bottle to one reader!  Here's how to enter:  (Leave a separate comment for each entry)

• Be a follower of Juice Boxes and Crayolas and leave me a comment letting me know! (Mandatory)
• Visit the CLICK website and let me know which flavor or recipe you'd most like to try (+1 entry)
• Like CLICK on facebook and leave them a comment saying "Amy from Juice Boxes and Crayolas sent me!" (+1 entry)
• Share this giveaway on your blog, facebook, or twitter (+1 entry each)
• Leave a comment letting me know why you need a little CLICK in your life!!! (+1 entry)

This giveaway will end Saturday, October 27th at midnight.  I will choose a winner using random.org and post it the following day.  Good luck!

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: I was sent a CLICK starter pack in exchange for writing this review.  I was not compensated in any other way, and all opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Back to School Virtual 5K Recap

Have you entered my Bondi Band giveaway yet?  NO???  Well, what are you waiting for?!?


I'm excited to report that this morning I ran Kayla's Back to School Virtual 5K!  Guys, I have been CRAVING a race lately.  While this "race" didn't quite fulfill my race longing, it was a lot of fun!  When I woke up today, I was SO HAPPY to find that our weird heat wave had been replaced with a glorious 60 degree morning.  Is fall finally on its way????   Check out the cute race bib Kayla made for us!  It's been too long since I had one of these babies pinned on my tummy!

Before I headed out the door, I had this yummy Chocolate #9 gel.  Look for a full product review and giveaway sometime next weekend!

 The weather today was gorgeous.  I felt great for the first mile and a half!  My legs felt loose, the breeze was awesome, and I was elated to find that some fall leaves have started showing up on the trails.  To me, there is nothing more satisfying than the sound and smell of crunching leaves under your feet when you're running.  Unfortunately, I started slowing down half-way through my "race."  My legs have certainly loosed up in the past few weeks, but my cardio isn't where it was before I took my little running injury vacation.  Oh well, I'm getting there!  I'll admit that I "cheated" a tiny bit on my time when I paused my garmin while I stopped to sit under a tree for a minute to catch my breath take in the beautiful wild flower scenery...oops!  But it was worth it.

My final time was 34:14--pretty darn slow, although it didn't feel slow when I was running!  Even though I've stayed active in the past month and a half since quitting my distance running/race training, I'm having to remind myself that it's OKAY and NORMAL that I've slowed down a bit.  I will get back where I was, slowly but surely. :) All in all, it was a fun run!  Afterwards my legs were tired!  I spent some time laying with them up a wall like this...

and took a little nap here:

(Confession: I slept on the couch last night...my bed was just TOO FAR AWAY.)  

Then, I started looking for upcoming 5K races to fill my fall calendar with!  I registered for a 5K for the weekend after next and am hoping to beat today's time.  I think I can do it. :)  Wanna know a secret?  My dream fall goal is a sub-30 minute 5K...idk if that's possible for me yet since I'm still recovering, but I'm sure going to try!

What have you been up to this weekend?

Early Bird Run

I had hoped that I had mostly worked through my IT band issues when I had such a successful 15K a few weeks ago, but unfortunately I don't think our face-off is quite over yet.  Darn you IT band.  After skipping my long run Sunday due to some aches and pains that started after lifting weights at physical therapy, I was nervous about getting back into my training this week.  Tuesday night I had a decent 4 mile run with only some nagging IT band tightness (and some random hip flexor soreness in both legs...COME. ON. what now...).  I couldn't get myself outta bed early enough to fit in that run before the unbearable heat set in, so I ended up setting out for my run at 9pm.  In the dark.  Since the forest preserve trails are scary closed after dark (not to mention maybe not the best place for a twenty-something female to be running alone) and since I didn't want to run on the treadmill, I compromised by running around the perimeter of the community college campus.  Aka running through parking lots.  It was...thrilling.

Anyways, after that boring run, I was DETERMINED to get up early today and get my run out of the way while it was still cool enough out.  Let me tell you, I was NOT pleased to hear the alarm go off at the crack of dawn, but I somehow managed to DRAG myself out of bed.

It was so worth it though.  When I started out on the run, I was actually a little CHILLY in my tank top and shorts.  Can you imagine?  I don't REMEMBER the last time I was cold on a run!!!  The air felt great, and it was wonderful to be out on the trails again.  (Trails > Parking Lot any day.)  I also saw another deer SUPER close up and something that was either a crayfish or a scorpion crawling across the path...although I didn't think either of those things lived in Illinois, so really who knows.  Wish I had had my camera on the run!

I kept the run slow because I knew that SOMETHING is still up with my right leg, and sure enough after 2.25 my right hip flexor was nagging...then after 3 miles the IT band/knee pain started to set in.  :-/  The good news is that after I stopped to stretch a couple of times it would calm down enough for me to keep running.  The bad news is that my scheduled 10 mile long run Saturday looks like it might be a bit of a challenge...

I did make it through all 5 miles without feeling like I was going to die the pain increasing to a level that I know means STOP, STOP NOW.  I headed home after that to promptly ice my knee/IT band and hip flexor.

Oh, and drink this DELICIOUS protein-packed smoothie...

In the mix: frozen blueberries, frozen strawberries, banana, vanilla soy milk, splash of fruit juice, 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder.  Let the muscle repair begin...

Injuries suck, but one positive thing about them is that they teach you to really listen closely to your body and LEARN about what is normal for you, what means you've been working hard, and what means STOP.  Injury also helps me appreciate every step, and to focus on the journey itself without getting caught up in things like speed and PRs and stuff.  Today's mantra was simply this:

Short, sweet, to the point.  Just keep moving.  I'm heading to PT again in an hour to keep working on this IT band...I have been LOVING going there the past couple weeks.  The PT and assistant are SO NICE, and it has been great to finally learn some things about strength training.  Obviously it is not a magical cure and will take some time, but I think we're moving in the right direction.  Unfortunately my insurance has only covered 3 more sessions, but my fingers are crossed that they'll approve at least a couple more...

What is the weirdest thing you've ever seen on a run?
Deer aren't weird, but since I live deep in SUBURBIA it is always exciting to see them!!

The Language of Runners Explained

After dabbling in running on and off since the end of high school, it wasn’t until I decided to start training for a half-marathon last summer that I started reading about running online, in books, and in magazines.  I soon realized that I was entering an entirely new world, complete with its own language.  Since not all of my readers are runners and I’ve had a few questions about foam rolling and the silly-looking “leg warmers” I wear for running, I thought I’d do an introduction to “The Running Language.”  While I am no expert and this is by no means an exhaustive list, here are some examples of the new lingo I’ve picked up in the last year…

Foam Rolling

Pounding out miles and miles on the road can take a toll on its muscles.  Enter the magical (at times painful) foam roller aka my best friend.  The foam roller is basically a dense foam cylinder that you lean on with different parts of your body to simulate a deep-tissue massage.  I roll tight muscles over my foam roller until I find a trigger point (“knot”) and hold it there for as long as I can tolerate.  This can be pretty painful if your muscles are as jacked up as my legs get, but it really works wonders both preventatively and to help with already knotty muscles.

Compression Socks/Sleeves

No, these are not leg warmers and this is not my attempt at a fashion statement (although in an effort to feel less foolish about wearing these babies I have convinced myself that they are both cool and stylish…I know, I’m delusional…).  Compression wear is basically super tight gear that helps get the blood flowing to certain parts of the body.  I wear compression socks or calf sleeves on almost every run.  They do WONDERS to help keep my calves cramp and knot-free.  (Note: socks/sleeves don't HAVE to be pink, but where's the fun in that??)

Spi Belt

This little guy is a great accessory for a race.  It’s basically a little stretchy belt with a super stretchy pouch (NOT a fanny pack…).  It looks tiny, but my spi belt (pronounced "spy belt") stretches large enough to hold my blackberry and one or two gu.  It’s pretty little too, so you can hide it under your shirt if you don’t feel like making a fashion statement. :)

Clif Shots/Gu/Power Gel

Since I have a super sensitive stomach, energy gels are my best friend.  These are three popular brands for an electrolyte-filled gel that makes a perfect on-the-run fuel.  Once my runs start to get over an hour, I take a gel every 5 miles.  Also, since I hate running with anything in my stomach (actually, since my STOMACH hates when I run with anything in it), I take a gu about 15-20 minutes before a morning run.  The consistency varies a bit between the different brands, but they are all a gooey gel.  My current favorite is chocolate outrage gu which tastes something like chocolate frosting.

The Stick

Similar to the foam roller, The Stick is awesome at erasing those deep muscle knots and trigger points.  I like that the little wheels on this baby are great at getting to those deep muscles, but I don’t love that you have to apply the pressure and thus inflict the pain on yourself.  I find that I wimp out more with the Stick than I tend to with the foam roller because with the roller you can kind of just lay in one spot and deal with the pain instead of forcing yourself to roll over and over the same painful area.  That being said, it works great if you are up to it!

Race Distances

I didn’t really know what any of the big race distances were before I started running, so here’s a little key…

5K = 3.1 miles

10K = 6.2 miles

15K = 9.3 miles

½ Marathon = 13.1 miles

Marathon = 26.2 miles

After that, there are plenty of other distances that those crazy “ultra marathoners” run, but these are the mainstream ones. :)

What am I missing?  What running “lingo” have you learned since you picked up the sport?

(Note: I think the teaching language is even more extensive than the running language—I am always amazed by the number of acronyms we use in a given conversation!!)

I've freaking got this!

Remember Thursday's infinite run?  Well, I was DETERMINED to recreate it for my long run today!

I decided to do my long run this week on Saturday instead of Sunday because College Roomie is visiting from Atlanta and we are reuniting with Other College Roomie tonight!!!  And I'd prefer not to wimp out early on our reunion tonight because I need to get my pre-long run rest...

Roomies & I sophomore year acting silly in IKEA :)

For my pre-run gel I picked up this chocolate gu at the sports store yesterday afternoon since my stash of Razz Clif Shots has been anything but appetizing these days...

Umm this was AMAZING!  How have I never tried chocolate gu before?  This was seriously chocolate frosting, I swear.  Ding ding ding!  I think I've found my new fuel!

Anyways, in the spirit of recapturing Thursday's magic, I decided to run without music again and on the same fabulous trail.  While I wasn't as speedy as Thursday's 3.1 miler, today's 5 miles were pretty darn fabulous!  And you know what?  I'm really loving this no-music running thing!!  While I do love some good Katy Perry & Eminem on my runs, It was pretty fabulous to be able to hear the birds and animals and things in the forest preserve this morning.  Love.

After 4 miles I took a quick stop at my car to take a few swigs of water spiked with powerade and lose a layer--yay for warm-ish weather finally!

By the last mile I was pretty tired, but I finished fast and strong.  My garmin even showed a 7 minute pace at one point!  Albeit I was running downhill and it was for only a minute or so, but as a 12-minute mile girl, it was pretty thrilling.  Today's mantra that got me through: 

You've.  Freaking.  Got.  This.

And, sure enough, I did!  Finished my 5 miles strong!  :)  You know, I'm wondering if the difference in my last few runs is (besides less-injured muscles!) just plain confidence.  Remember my crazy anxious dreams when I started training for Half-Marathon #1?  Not so confident...But last night I had an awesome anticipatory dream about Half-Marathon #2!  I dreamed that I finished fast and strong--but I DID somehow forget to get my medal at the end...it could be worse. :)  Anyways, I'm just so happy to be running again.  

1 down!

Today wrapped up 1 week of half-marathon training!  My calves are continuing to be annoyingly tight no matter how much stretching and foam rolling I do, and my IT band is definitely not 100%, but all in all I was able to get in my 3 scheduled runs this week without any real problems.  I'm just happy I am running again!!! Plus the weather was absolutely gorgeous this morning.  Could spring FINALLY be here to stay?!?  Gosh I hope so!

This week was an easy start: two 3 mile runs during the week and a 4 mile long run this morning (+ cross training).  Pretty simple, but after my spotty past few months of running, an easy start is exactly what I need!  When I trained for the first half-marathon, I used Hal Higdon's Novice half-marathon training plan.  I liked a lot of things about it, but I decided I wanted to tweak some things for this training cycle...First, I wanted to add in some recovery weeks between the long runs as the mileage builds up.  Also, I wanted to add a little more of a taper.  I altered these two things, plus a 12 mile long run like I did for the last half-marathon (Hal's plan only gets you up to 10 miles).  

This week I remembered that I actually really dislike the taste of energy gel...yuck.  Oh well, it does the job, and at least I didn't get it all over my computer or cut my mouth open today!  Note to self: experiment with some other flavors and brands of gels this summer...

Hope you had a wonderful weekend and got to spend some time outside!!

Cloud Nine (miles that is!)

Ladies and gentlemen, I have an announcement to make...after finally dragging my lazy butt out of bed and away from Secret Life of the American Teenager this morning, I RAN NINE MILES, a new distance record.  woohoo!!!

I was pretty ecstatic during the last few miles of the run as the numbers clicked by on the treadmill and it began to hit me that I really was going to make it the full nine miles.  I kept a slow and steady pace throughout the run before kicking it up in the last two miles when it was clear that I was totally owning this run.  And when I finished the full nine miles, I felt like a champion.  This time last year nine miles was not even a pipe dream for me.  This time six months ago nine miles was exactly that--a dream, a wish, a silly hope.  Today, it's a reality.  And my half-marathon goal is just that much closer to becoming a reality.

And now, it's time to live on this high for the rest of the day while I tackle the lesson plans and grading that I (for some reason) ALWAYS put off until Sunday...but maybe I'll watch just ONE episode of Secret Life first... :)

[BTW I almost forgot--today was an epic energy gel fail day for me.  Not only did I goo up my computer eating one before leaving for the gym, but in my attempt to be super cautious and not get gel all over me at the gym during my run, I made sure the whole opening was in my mouth for that one...and obviously cut the corner of my mouth on the sharp edge.  Cut to me bleeding all over my gym towel, looking like a fool...]