Fifth Third River Bank Run in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Today I ran my first 5K of the year! It was a great experience (aside from waking up before 6 AM on a Saturday). I love the atmosphere surrounding races. I feel like I'm at home, and I'm always brought back to my days as a high school runner at cross country and track meets. This event was the largest I've ever run in, and is in fact the largest 25K road race in the nation. There were over 5,000 runners in the 5K and over 6,000 in the 25K.

I finished 4th in my age group, which was much better than I expected. I do think the better runners in my age group went for the 25K though, so my goal is to run the 25K next year. I think that's a good goal, and I'm looking forward to preparing for it.



Image from: http://interactives.woodtv.com/photomojo/gallery/7343/1/53rd-river-bank-run-2013/53rd-river-bank-run/

Recharge and Detour Protein Bars Review

Are you in need of a quick pick-me-up during the afternoon or a low calorie, high-protein snack to fuel you after a workout? I have a couple options for you!

I was recently sent two different types of protein bars for review. The first was a Recharge sample pack, which is actually on sale right now for only $5 AND free shipping.

Raspberry + Apple: 9.5 of 10. The bar was firm, chewy, and a bit sticky. I loved how sweet and fruity it was. It also didn't taste like whey protein despite that being an ingredient. It was satisfying for a little bar! 

Chocolate + Caramel: 10 of 10! This was my favorite flavor! This bar was so delicious with a sweet chocolate coating and a gooey caramel inside that reminded me of a milky way (though it's been a very long time since I've had one!). I couldn't believe there was only 1g of sugar and whey protein in it since it didn't taste at all like a protein bar. I enjoyed recharging with this!

Caramel + Peanuts: 8 of 10. This bar had a nice chocolate coating and a sweet, gooey caramel inside with a little peanut pieces. I could taste the whey protein with this bar though, so it wasn't as reminiscent of a candy bar like the other flavors.

Detour Bars are another whey protein bar option for you. I was sent a complimentary sample of their new lower sugar neapolitan flavor pictured below.

Lower Sugar Neapolitan Detour Bar: 9 of 10. This bar has a lovely chocolate coating and a sweet combination of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. You can taste the whey protein in this bar, but I couldn't tell that it was low sugar. This bar definitely provides a nice amount of protein and can be a great post-workout snack or breakfast on the run.

What types of protein bars do you enjoy? There are so many options out there! I tend to enjoy a variety depending on how much protein I'm looking for, what flavors I enjoy, and so forth.

Inbru Giveaway Winner!

Thanks to all who entered my Inbru Giveaway! The lucky winner is # 3 - Karen!

Stay tuned for more reviews and giveaways! I have some neat products to share with you all.

Hope you're enjoying summer! This squirrel sure is - picnic lunch and all!