Nuun Watermelon Review & Giveaway!

Good morning everyone! I ordered myself some Nuun to try out since they were having a sale where you could get a cute water bottle for free with your order last week. I love everything watermelon-flavored, so I figured that would be a safe bet. My order came quickly and the four tubes were packed safely in a small box.

Each little tube contains 12 tablets and each tablet makes one 16oz drink. You can also break the tablets in half to make the taste less intense. Nuun contains no sugar or carbs, but is filled with electrolytes to keep you totally hydrated for whatever task you're up to. I don't think I need to tell you how important proper hydration is.

The tablets get all crazy and fizzy when you drop them in water and I'm not going to lie, it's fun to watch them dissolve! It only takes a minute or so to dissolve completely.

And then you're left with a pretty (and tasty) glass of electrolyte-packed water! The watermelon flavor is light and fresh; it definitely does not taste like gross fake watermelon.

So now the fun part for you guys! I have two tubes of watermelon Nuun to giveaway to two lucky readers. Enter in the Rafflecopter widget below for your chance to win. I'll be announcing the winners on July 3rd!

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I did what??

Yesterday I had a really hard time forcing myself to go for a run. At first, I was just planning on running for a while on the treadmill since Joe had to work and I didn't feel like running alone. It was pretty gray and dull outside, but the sun started to come out as I was eating breakfast. I changed into my running clothes and put my Garmin out on the porch to get the GPS running, intending on just doing a short 1.5 miles out and then back on our road.

But that didn't happen. When I got to 1.5 miles, I figured I'd go to 1.75 and then turn around. When I got to 1.75, I figured I might as well round it up to 2 miles. Well, 2 miles out brought me to our local firehouse and the road for the 10k loop that Joe and I created for ourselves. I felt great at that point, so I figured "why the hell not?" I could always just walk home if I needed to. 

I felt amazing. The entire time I just felt awesome. So when I came to the split where I could either head home or lengthen my run, I chose to lengthen my run even further (I think I was at 5.5 miles at that point). 

I reached 7 miles and briefly flirted with the idea that I could do 9 or 10. I decided to see how mile 8 went and my legs started feeling a little sore and heavy so I called it quits. I ended up logging 8 miles in just under one and a half hours and I am damn proud of that! That's a distance record for me and I'm so thrilled about it. I got home, showered, and went to watch my little sister graduate from high school! So proud! :)

Our half marathon isn't until October 20th, but I've been considering signing up for a local one on September 29th. I think that's still plenty of time for us to get comfortable with the half distance and plus it's so close to where we live that it would almost feel like a waste not to run it. I just hope my long runs continue to feel as awesome as this last one!

Last Week's Recap (6/2-6/8)

Perhaps the most exciting part of the month so far is the early birthday present that I got from Joe: a purple Garmin Forerunner 10! When we first started doing races and running consistently, I did a lot of research into GPS watches and finally decided to put the Forerunner 10 on my wish list for my birthday. Although my birthday isn't until July 1st, Joe was super awesome and ordered me the watch early so I could use it for our races in June!

We had a race over the weekend at a local state park and while it was small (there were 16 runners), it was really fun and the entry fee was only $10! Plus, we got to see this guy...

Joe ended up finishing first out of everyone and I was the 3rd female adult to finish. They did two age groups, child and adult (18+). Even though there were only 16 people, I still maintain my stance that a medal is a medal and this is the third that I've been able to add to my small collection. :)

Lastly, the custom Walt Disney World maps that I ordered for our honeymoon came in and I had some fun photographing my ring with them. I can't wait to start planning this trip!

Do you have a Garmin watch? Do you love it? I think it's so awesome to just be able to glance at my wrist to check my time/distance/pace rather than getting my phone out and checking the Map My Run app!

Hawley Spring Run 5k Recap

May was a pretty dull month as far as running events for me, but I think I have at least 3 on the calendar for June (including this one that I'm recapping today). Today I have my recap from the Hawley Spring Run that I participated in this past Sunday. The race was very well organized with multiple water stops and an excellently marked course. The only thing that would have made the day better was if the race started in the morning instead of 2pm; it was almost 85º by the time we started running! 

The course was a mix of pavement, packed dirt, and grass (and I found out that apparently grass is a bit of a challenge to run on). It was an out and back course along the main road through Hawley and back along the railroad tracks that run through town. The back portion ran along a beautiful green field with flowers and a little path through the woods.

Even though it was hot as hell and it was a struggle to keep myself from walking the whole thing, I ended up finishing 2nd in my age group (20-29) with an official time of 30:58. Definitely not my best, but not awful considering how hot it was. Joe got first in his age group and finished 11th overall! He rocks. After we got our medals, we headed over to my grandparent's property for some rest and relaxation (and a cook out). #swamplife

And I finished off the day with a microwave s'more. Definitely not as good as it's campfire counterpart, but it'll do in a pinch. ;)