May Giveaway!!

With May being the National Health and Fitness month, I am holding a GIVEAWAY for all new clients who sign up for an online training package between now and May 10th to be entered to WIN some fitness goodies from me!! The winning client will be announced on The Sassy Fit Runner Facebook page on Monday, May 12th. Email me for packages and other add-ons lvogt420@gmail.com You don't want to miss this!!

Georgia Spartan Sprint! Memories and Advice!

    Hey everyone! I know I just shared some exciting news about the tanks and tees. Finishing up some things and I will be able to share more soon! I dropped the ball sharing with you guys my lastest fitness goal I accomplished last weekend. As some of you may know, one of my new year resolutions was to complete a spartan race. Well we can now check that off the list!! My son, who is now a proud six year old, got in on the fun too. There was a Spartan Jr. event of a choice between a 1/2 to 1 mile, and of course my son wanted to do the mile....3 times!! He was so excited and was such a good sport helping the other kids each time he did the course they gave him a medal for each mile. Proud momma right here! I have to give a HUGE thanks to my amazing mom who helped take care of my son while we completed our course.

    The adult race was 4.5 miles on hill and sometimes mountain like terrain, with 15 obstacles to challenge your body and mind even more. It was exciting and challenging...I even threw up! Sorry T.M.I. But it was because I am afraid of heights. After I climbed the side of a mountain that was draped with large nets, my body couldn't help but react at the top. But don't worry my hubs who was with me the entire way, pushed me to just keep running to the next obstacle. There was one other obstacle that challenged your wits if you are afraid of heights. As I climbed up the structure they had built, I thought okay I can do this...until I saw the small beams that connected it to the other side. It was safe but they mad an illusion you could fall through, as you look below. My hubs practically ran across with no effort. A fellow spartan saw my fear, grabbed my hand and said lets do this together. The community and since of brother/sisterhood is amazing. Everyone helping one another to reach the end and get the medal. A few of the obstacles consisted of climbing over walls, crawling through mud, or trying to pull/push a heavy object. And if you couldn't complete it... all hail the BURPEES at 30 a pop. Was unable to complete 3 of the 15 obstacles making me do a grand total of 90 burpees! On the first mile I lost the sole to my right shoe in the mud hills. This is where you slide into a mud pit filled with obiviously mud and ICE with a side of water! You then must use the ropes to climb up another mud hill to slide back into another muddy pit. There was 3 or 4 of these on this course. In the end we had a blast! Not the best time out there, but I have memories of team work with my husband, son and spartan family that will last a lifetime!

5 Things you MUST know before you do a Spartan Race:

1.  Clothing/Towels- Wear tight-fitted clothing what has some form of water resistance: this is so important. People lost articles of clothing because they were weighed down and just fell off. Make sure to bring comfortable clothing to change in after. They provide water hoses to rinse off.  You need to have multiple towels too. One to help get the mud off and then another clean one for after you are..."clean" or less muddy.

2. Wear comfortable yet disposable shoes- DO NOT wear brand new shoes that will get ruined and or just hurt your feet because they are not broken in yet. They have a wonderful charity that will super clean your muddy shoes and give to those less fortunate.

3. Water Stations- Don't think you are too "cool" to stop and get a sip of water at the stations provided. They are there for a reason. Especially now that we are approaching warmer seasons this is more important than ever.

4. Train!- I will say it AGAIN... TRAIN for the event. Sign up for the emails for daily workout routines you can do anywhere. Nothing worse than not being ready for something that challenging even for the most equipped spartan.

5. HAVE FUN!- Don't take the fun out of it if you can't complete an obstacle. Do those burpees and keep having fun to the end.  

My Everyday Must Have Vitamins and Supplements!

Happy Wednesday everyone!! I hope you are all having a wonderful week thus far. I know I promised to post my current kettle bell workout routine, but I'm waiting for my hubs to have some time to take pictures of me doing them to share with you guys. I promise to post it this week. In the mean time I wanted to share my must have supplements I am taking that are working for me. note: This is what works for me and what makes me feel good at the end of the day. This may not be for you and that's okay. 

1. Spark- Instead of coffee or any other type of caffined beverage, I love my Spark by Advocare. I don't feel gittery, but it gives me the same engery that I was addicted to when I was obessed with drinking Monsters. My heart is thanking me.

2. Biotin- I haven't had the best hair and nails in the world since I had my son, so I love this supplement because it helps strengthen my nails and hair. One cool thing it  also promotes fat and protein metabolism.

3. B-12- I have Chronic Anemia and keep low B-12 levels. There was a time I had to take shots once a week, prescribed by the doctor until we got it under control. So with that being said I take a B-12 vitamin to help keep my level at a normal state. B-12 is something that is found in most diet and pre-workout supplements. It helps promote weight loss and helps the nervous system work better. You can find them at any drug or super store. I don't have a certain brand I stick with, I generally pick on that is on sale at the time.

4. Iron- As I stated before due to my anemia, I also take an iron supplement to keep from needing shots at the doctors office. Please check with your doctor before getting on an iron supplement regiment.

( I take the numbered supplements above first thing in the morning with my Spark or my lemon water.)

5. O2 Gold- This is another Advocare product I am absolutely in love with. It enhances the body's use of oxygen as well as supporting muscle building and recovery. I take this an hour before a run or any cardio workout. I can tell the difference when I forget to take it.

6. Catalyst- This is has been one of my favorite game changers for me. I take this 15-20 mins before any workout. It supports muscle tone and enhances strength and energy.

7. Post- Workout Recovery- After an good workout, I drink a post workout  protein shake. You can find many different kinds at GNC or even Walmart. What has honestly worked best for me is Advocare's Proformance Elite Post- Workout Recovery.  By drinking a shake after your workout you are feeding your muscles the nutrition they need and will decrease soreness.

If you have any questions about the vitamins or supplements listed please email me or comment below. I am a distributor of Advocare because I just fell in love with the products unlike the ones I have used and tried before that I didn't like or rather my body didn't work well with. Remember to check with your doctor before getting on any supplements. I am not posting this in hopes to promotes sells but rather share what I love and works for me in my life. If you are interested in these or any other Advocare products, and don't have distributor near you I am more than happy to assist you. Here's my personal link if you want to look at any of the products not found in stores: http://advocare.com/130854966

There's another half of this week left! So if you haven't gotten active this week you still can! Don't wait till next Monday! Start being active and feeling better today! As always Enjoy Today and Happy Running!

NEW BIKE!

I will make this post short and sweet!!

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

This past weekend I picked up my new baby...bike baby that is. A close friend of mine who got me into cycling last summer, found a gently used road bike for sale and it was a deal I couldn't pass up. Not only did it come with pedals AND cleats, they threw in an extra set of tires too. Did I get lucky or what? Since this is my first "big girl" bike, I had to take it out ASAP to get comfortable on it. Today was the perfect day! Sunny skies with a high of 67 degrees! (Don't worry on a day like this I made sure to get a small run in too ;) Today wasn't about getting a good time for the books, but it was about spending with my family. My son loved getting to ride along with me, and my mom joined in on the fun too. All in all it was an amazing and active day!

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

If you have found a love for cycling, please comment below and let me know what you ride and why you love it! Don't forget to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and the Sassy Fit Runner's Facebook page!
fb.com/sassyfitrunner
twitter: @sassyfitrunner
instagram: @sassyfitrunner

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Enjoy today and Happy Running (or Cycling)!!

(my happy yellow top is from Swirlgear.com)

5 Ways to Stay Active While Iced In

Hey everyone!
The cabin fever had already set in, so I wanted to share with you a few ways to stay active and keep your sanity if you get iced in this winter.

1. Treadmill-  Of course this only applies if you still have power, but it is a great way to get your run on without becoming one of the characters in the movie Frozen.

2. Plank it Out- This is an awesome way to not only work your core but it works all major muscle groups from your legs and back to your upper body. The front position can build up strength in your shoulders, traps and biceps; allowing for more possible push ups, press ups, etc. Side planks can strengthen obliques and thighs, as well as your buns hun. Start with 15 seconds and build your time from there!

3. Squats- with or without weights it doesn't matter, sink down for as long as you can while squeezing your inner thighs. Add pulses or or just do steady reps,  this will lift the butt and sculpt the thighs.

4. Dance- Throw on some music and get that heart rate up if running isn't your thing. Keep your abs contacted and you will be working your core as well. Pick 5 up beat songs and then pick 2 more with a slower tempo for a good cool down!

5. Partner up- Last but not least get someone to join in on the fun. Do some leg throw downs or some high five push ups. Everything is better together!

Be safe in this cold weather but enjoy today and when you can, happy running!

SNOWBALL 8K SHUFFLE Virtual Race

I want to give a huge thanks to Run with Jess for creating this race! It was simple to join in on the fun. All I had to do was enter my run time within the time frame she provided. Just by doing that I was entered to possibly win a heart rate monitor watch. Not too shabby since there was no sign up fee. That's right...FREE to be apart of the fun!! Since I did my race today it was an awesome way for me to start the first day in February off right! She also created a cute race bib for us to print off. I had to print in black and white because we ran out of color ink :( But the bib was very cute either way. I ended up running in the evening at my normal place. My hubs drove me to the park and cheered me on! It was amazing! I was in my element on familiar grounds. I finished the 4.97 miles in 49:57 making my average pace10:03min/mi. I am very happy I did this fun and creative race. I am looking forward to many more and of course my race bling! I was lucky enough before she ran out to purchase my metal to show off saying I did it!

If you don't already follow her blog check her out: www.runwithjess.com or follow her on Facebook: facebook.com/RUNwJESS You can also help her Run to Napa by clicking this link and voting for her: http://woobox.com/h3xho2/vote/for/1848794


Don't forget to follow me and remember to Enjoy Today and Happy Running!
Facebook.com/sassyfitrunner
Twitter.com/sassyfitrunner
Instagram.com/sassyfitrunner

It's a Cauliflower Stir-Fry Kind of Night

I intended my next post to be about my meal prepping, but decided I may as well save it for later in the week. So on the menu tonight was baked chicken seasoned with Mrs. Dash onion and herb, steamed brocoli, and of course: Cauliflower Stir-fry!! Even my five year old son liked it...if this doesn't scream out try me at dinner time I dont know what will. Its relatively easy to make and of course you can add what every else you may want to it, like peas or diced carrots. I just wanted to show you the most simplistic way to create it.

All you need is:

~ a food processor or a blender; I just used my blender.

~ head of cauliflower

~ light soy sauce

~ 2 eggs

~ Mrs. Dash onion and herb

How I made it:

~ Rinse and cut the florets off into pieces (I used about half of the whole head of cauliflower)

~ Place a few pieces at a time into the blender to make the process easier. By using the blender it gives it a more "rice" like consistency.

~ Once you have done this, spray a little bit of olive oil in your pan ( I use the PAM olive oil brand) and pour all of the cauilflower in on high.

~ This is now where you will stir in 3 tbp of the light soy sauce and sprinkle in a little bit of the Mrs. Dash ( optional).

~ Push the cauliflower rice to the surrounding edges and crack the 2 eggs into the pan. Once they start to cook you can scramble them up while mixing it in with the cauliflower. 

~ I stir this off and on for about 15 mins.

~ Measure out your correct portions on your plate and you are finished!

Let me know in the comments below if you enjoyed making this as much as I did. I hope everyone had a wonderful Monday!

Enjoy Today and Happy Running!!

Hot Chocolate 15K

This morning my alarm went off at 6 a.m. I got dressed, kissed my sleeping husband and son, and headed out to pick up one of my best friends, Alli. When I arrived she informed me the race info online stated we should get there at 6:30; this was at 6:45. So naturally I go into panic mode. And of course my ding-bat self forgot to fill up my car the night before, so we had to make a stop before we could officially hit the road. Thank goodness there was zero traffic and as luck would have it we were able to get in a parking lot across the street from our corral line up. This is with 45 minutes to spare, might I add.

The whole experince was both challenging and thrilling. Once I past the 10K mark I was overwhelmed with excitement. For those who dont know, this was my first race where I lengthened my distance. Every fellow racer we came in contact with was very nice and encouraging. All the volunteers where great; they were enthusiastic which kept us smiling through the miles. When I crossed the finish line, while a little fatgued I was proud. I was proud of myself for having the courage to do more. Now I can cross it off my New Year Resolution's list!

I don't think this run would have been the same with out my Alli girl! Running not only brings happiness to the soul, but it also deepens friendships. We came closer as we encouraged each other and laughed about the craziest things along the way. So thankful for her.

Here are some pictures from this morning's race. I hope everyone has had an amazing weekend and remember to Enjoy Today!

Rest Days!

If you have a true passion and love for running as I and many others do, then you find yourself wanting to run everyday and when you aren't running you are thinking about it. This is one and the same for loving a great workout at the gym...It's a addition I'm okay with. Having said this, it is so important to have a rest day!
Even though I ran Monday through Wednesday, I had planned to go out this morning with a friend. She called this a.m. stating she was sick and going to see her doctor. As much as feel bad for her being under the weather, I was happy to have a rest day. I spent an hour just walking and then went home and did some deep stretching on my mat. My muscles are thanking me already.
So don't forget to have a good rest day and drink lots of water!

Enjoy today and happy running! 

My Current Running Playlist

I typically run with friends and we chat or just enjoy each other's company in peaceful silence. On the days I do run solo, I like having something to occupy my mind and also keep me motivated through each mile. There is no set sequence, I mainly put mine on shuffle, however if I need to slow my heart rate I will switch to a slower song or if I'm on my last mile, I will crank up a high energy song to push me to the end. 

1.Sail- AWOLNATION

2. Roar- Katy Perry

3. Burn- Ellie Goulding

4. Wake Me Up- Avicii

5. Timber feat. Ke$ha- Pitbull

6. TKO- Justin Timberlake

7. Started From the Bottom- Drake

8. We Can't Stop- Miley Cyrus

9.Brave-Sara Bareilles

10. Infamous- Abandon All Ships

11. Sex on Fire- Kings of Leon

12. Light Em Up- Fall Out Boy

13. Let Her Go- Passenger

14. Phresh Out the Runway- Rihanna

15. Let the Rain Fall Down- Hilary Duff

16. Unconditionally- Katy Perry

~Enjoy today and Happy Running!

TGIF!!

Happy Friday everyone! ! Today was my first day back running from a knee injury and there was no way a little rain was going to keep me from it. Got to love my running partner who never ceases to amaze me. She's always ready to get out there and get it done. She keeps me motivated and smiling the whole way. Everyone needs that one person you can count on in rain or shine to run by your side. Thanks Amanda!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Wednesday Morning Inspiration

Good Morning and happy Wednesday! I know it's the middle of the week and often times we need a boost to push us through. I remind myself each morning is precious and something to not take for granted. It's never too late to wake up and lace up. Or just start a new chapter in your life today! My husband made a couragous choice to go back to school and get his degree. When he came home after his first day of classes, the excitment on his face was infectious and all I wanted to do was listen to his dreams as he makes them a reality. So make this day anew.

Happy running!

2014 New Year's Resolutions

                

Now that we have entered a new year it is time to start setting new goals for myself. 2013 was filled with many changes that paved the way for self discovery as I found a new passion in my life for better health and fitness. I began with taking on the Insanity challenge which was then followed with my first 5k. I instantly fell in love with running and became addicted to the happiness it brings when I complete a run. Now I am onto new challenges and self improvements. With that being said here are my resolutions for 2014:

1. Start a blog. I have always enjoyed journaling and writing so I wanted a place to share my thoughts and passions with the others.  I hope this blog is something I can be proud of and a place for others to get tips as I continue to learn or just be entertained.

2. Run a 10k & 15k. I am able to run a 10k comfortably but I'm still working up the last few miles to complete a 15k. I need to find a 10k to register for but I am currently registered for the Hot Chocolate 15k January 26th.

3. Improve my 5k time. It's very important to never settle with a certain time just because I am training for longer distances. Improvement in my time will help me in all future races. My goal is to shave off at least 1-2 minutes off my avg pace by the end of the year.

4. Half Marathon. Goals 2 and 3 are in preparation to finish 13.1 miles with a decent time by spring. 

5. Complete a Spartan Race. This is more as a family goal. My 5 year old son loves running and being outdoors so what better way to have some fun as a family. My husband and I will race the sprint in March and later in the day our son will run in the kids race. My personal goal is to complete more obstacles on the course than having to do burpees for not be able to. Either way we will enjoy getting muddy and earning those finishing metals together.

6. Obtain my Personal Training Certification. Last year I finally figured out what I wanted to do in life as a career. For 5 years I worked in advertising for a couple of agencies but always felt stressed and unhappy at the end of the day. After some friends sought me out to help them with their fitness goals and diet plans, I quickly realized it was something I would be happy to do for a living. Helping others feel better about themselves and creating a path for them to follow while guiding them along the way would bring me joy. I am currently studying and completing my course work. In 8 weeks I will take my test to get certified.

7. Complete a Triathlon (Sprint distance). Did I mention I started riding bikes as well? One of my close and dear friends has a passion for cycling and begged me to go for one ride with her while she trained for an upcoming goal she had set for herself. Yep...I enjoyed that too. So, my hubs and I bought some inexpensive bikes just to make sure we were up for even training for something like this. We started training this past August and our event date is our One year Anniversary weekend in April. With the help of my stepdad we began the swimming portion of the training. (I guess it doesn't hurt he used to swim for UGA.) So in short I don't care if my time is embarassing, I only want to complete this with my husband by my side.

8. Become a Spartan Trifecta member. By the end of the year I would like to have completed the sprint, super and beast Spartan races. In doing so I will be a Trifecta member!

9. Become more flexible and advance in my Yoga moves. I enjoy this time to myself or with a few close friends in a class setting. I want to improve on my breathing and positions.

10. Volunteer for a charity. I want my time to also be about helping others towards a common goal to better the lives of others. I also want my child to grow up understanding there is joy in doing good not for selfish reasons but to see others in a better state. I found a cool website createthegood.org I plan to find a charity our family can asist with our time.

11. Gain new friendships/ Strengthen Old ones. I believe we are all put on this earth to learn from one another and to better ourselves in understanding how we should interact with each other. I have many wonderful friends but I love meeting new people and hearing their story. I want to aslo take the close friendships that I do have and remember to listen more and talk less; to make sure I am a positive person in their life not someone who drags them down.

12. Worry less. No need to expand on this we all know what it means to worry. I need remember to give everything in my day to day life up to God and know I as long as I follow the path He sets for me, He will give the tools and strength I need to get where I am meant to be.

13. Enjoy this Life I was given. Last but not least on my baker's dozen resolution list, I want to just enjoy each moment in the moment with my huband, my son, family and friends. Making it count and making memories we can charish. Be a better wife, better mother, better friend. This life is precious and was graciously given, I want to live a life I can be proud of and more importantly a life lived in Christ.