Product Review – Built Bar (spoiler – they’re delicious)

March 10, 2020

“Disclaimer: I received three boxes of Built Bar 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!”

Though I’m well aware that eating on the run isn’t good for me, I often find myself doing so, thanks to work, training, and various volunteer gigs. And, well, life. So I was excited to try out Built Bar protein bars. I liked the fact that they’re lower calorie (so good for breakfast or a snack, not really a meal replacement) and they allegedly weren’t chalky like a lot of protein bars.

Guys. These things taste like delicious candy bars. They are gooey and full of flavor, and thanks to the protein, they’re also filling without being total calorie bombs.

Thanks to Built Bar, I got to try a bunch of different flavors, then went back and bought myself some of the new limited edition flavors as well. I’m not sure what my favorite is, but I really like the coconut almond and the orange chocolate cream.

The texture isn’t for everyone. These bars have a chocolate coating around a sort of gooey, sticky filling. If you aren’t a fan of the texture (some people said it stuck to their teeth), if you refrigerate or freeze them (or leave them in the car when it’s 30 degrees out and you’re at the pool), they firm up a bit. Personally, I like them both room temperature and cold.

Built Bars have become my new breakfast on the run and occasional mid-day snack, especially when I’m craving something sweet. There is always a ton of candy in my office and that can be hard to avoid. Not that I avoid it all the time – but I try to have the candy in moderation. Now, I can sub in a Built Bar (or have a small piece of candy with my Built Bar, let’s be honest) and not be hungry an hour later.

If you want to try Built Bars, you can use code BUILTNOW for 20% off, but hurry, that code ends soon! I know I stocked up, so if you’re local, you can come raid my pantry too. I’m sure I’ll be buying more again soon.

Virtual Race Report – 465 Virtual Challenge

March 7, 2020

While I’m not usually a big fan of virtual races, when the opportunity to run the 465 Challenge came up with BibRave, I said yes. I needed something to help me kick off the new year right, and I liked the idea of taking on a new challenge.

The 465 Challenge is a brand new virtual race, running you in a loop around Highway 465, which circles Indianapolis for a total of 53 miles. The goal was to complete 53 miles between January 1 and February 29 in whatever way possible. I decided that I was only going to count run miles, but you could count run, bike, swim, walk, whatever you wanted. That’s the fun of a virtual race.

You also had the option to do the 465 miles in the first 24 hours, getting your name on the 24 hour club list, or you could aim for multiple loops, putting you in the Looper Club. While I used to be in shape to run 50+ mile months, I’m just not there right now. So I was just looking to run a total of 53 miles. (Should be easy, right? Not during cold and flu season!)

One thing I LOVED about this race was the race emails. Every week, they sent a motivational email that included where you would be on the loop if you were doing your 53 miles at an even clip (.88 miles a day). Of course, they were sure to remind you multiple times that you should not, no do not, never ever go run on 465. That always made me laugh, and yet you know there was probably that one person…

For example, here is a bit from week 3:

Piping along the west side of Indianapolis amps you up for the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing!”! The West side of Indianapolis houses the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home to the Indianapolis 500, NASCAR Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard, INDYCAR: GMR Grand Prix, and the MOTOAMERICA: Superbikes at the Brickyard! Just the thought of those high speed engines has us picking up our pace!

I really enjoyed learning about the area as I “ran” around the loop. There was also a Facebook group for this challenge, which was equally fun. There were a lot of people taking on this challenge as a way to kick off the new year, and for some, kicking off a new healthy routine. It was great to get to cheer on new runners and walkers.

The race swag is pretty sweet. It arrived just as I was finishing my 53rd mile, and it’s super cute. The medal is adorable, and the car slides around the course, which I love. They billed the t-shirt as super soft, and it definitely is. It’s one of the nicer race shirts I’ve received in a while. It also came with a bumper sticker, and while my car remains sticker free right now, I do have a fun collection of stickers on my bulletin board at work, and this one will fit right in.

While I don’t do a lot of virtual races, this one made me see why some people love them, especially the ones with an attached community. It was a lot of fun to get to talk with other runners, especially newer runners. It was good to challenge myself and make myself get back on the treadmill, no matter how much I didn’t want to. And it was fun to start the year on a positive note. So I think this one might just stay on my list for next year. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

January & February Recap

March 1, 2020

This has been a crazy, crazy set of months. I’ve had my mileage for January sitting in a post draft all February and never got around to writing it. So let’s take a look at my year so far.

These past two months have been crazy. January had two trips, and in February, my boss was in training so I had to do my job and her job (note – that is an impossible task and I felt like I was clinging onto the edge of a cliff the entire month). I also managed to catch multiple colds. But I’m working to get back into training. I’m registered for a few olympic distance races this summer, and I want to be able to complete them!

My first race is at the beginning of May and I’m already a bit nervous. I’ve not actually completed a triathlon since 2018. My first race in 2019 ended in a crash, and my second and last race in 2019 ended up being turned into a bike-run. So getting back in the water, completing a swim, and then getting onto the bike is going to be scary. I’m also really far behind where I should be on my swim skills.

My personal photographer picks great locations and takes amazing pics. I guess I’ll keep him around.

January Mileage
Swim – 1.2 miles
Bike – 56 miles
Run – 36 miles

February Mileage
Swim – 1.6 miles
Bike – 34 miles
Run – 32 miles

As you can see, February wasn’t a great month for me, workout wise. I did show up to the pool twice, and that’s better than nothing. I’ve been struggling to get myself out of bed and to the pool, but I’m recommitting for March. I will show up.

I’ve also got to make sure to get in all my running – I’ve got a ten mile race coming up at the beginning of April. I definitely want to run strong there, so I’ve got to step up my game.

2020 Mileage
Swim – 2.8 miles
Bike – 90 miles
Run – 68 miles

I also need to be better about keeping up with this blog. It’s a great resource for me to look back on, and tracking my training publicly has really been good for me. So now I’m setting the goal. I know that I need to keep up with my training, but I need to get back to blogging. Ideally at least one post a week, but at this point, I’ll be happy with two posts a month!

Plus I’ve got a few things non-fitness related to post about!