Kind Healthy Snacks review & giveaway!

Kind snacks was nice enough to send me a sampler of their snacks. Actually, they sent me a HUGE amount of samples to try out and I've been tasting them over the last several weeks. Here's what they sent. Check out all those snacks!!!!

There is a huge variety of snacks that Kind makes. The snacks are Gluten Free, All natural fruit and nut bars. I don't have any issues with gluten but I do have some experience with it since my son was on a Gluten free diet for awhile. In my opinion, it's a difficult diet to maintain and I wish I had known about these when he was on his diet as they are so tasty!

My favorite out of everything here is the Granola:

This tasty little treat is great to grab right out of the bag or mix into your yogurt. All three flavors were excellent especially the Peanut Butter.

All the bars really have a different taste depending on what you are looking for. The nuts were very good but there were also bars with some chocolate in them too. The fruit and nut options were also great. They taste like candy but are healthy! You can't beat that combination! Take a look:

It's really hard to pick my favorite but I'd have to say it's the Dark Chocolate Nuts and Sea Salt. I love the sweet and salty flavor together.

The biggest issue that you need to watch with these is that they still have lots of calories(about 200 per bar) so you still need to watch how you eat them even though they are healthy. They also have about 15 grams of Fat; however, only 3.5 grams of Saturated Fat so, like anything, they need to be eaten in moderation. I would say that they certainly beat eating a candy bar and are a healthy alternative to that.

How would you like to try some for yourself?

Kind has offered to give away a huge 72 pack sample of their newest line of bars called the KIND nuts & spices. These things will go fast in the house especially if you have kids.

Here the rules to the giveaway:

1. Go to their Facebook page, "like" their page, and tell them "Detroit Runner sent me." Come back here and let me know you did it.(1 entry)
2. Go to their Twitter page, "follow" their page, and tweet "Want to win 72 KIND nuts and spices bars? Thanks to @detroitrunner1 and @KINDSnacks you can at detroitrunner.com giveaway"(1 entry)
3. Follow Detroit Runner blog, Facebook page and/or Twitter page(1 entry)

Contest will end Thursday, March 7 at 5pm and a winner will be announced March 8th.

Interested in learning even more?

1) Go to their webpage HERE

2) Go to their Facebook page HERE

3) Go to their Twitter page HERE

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

 

* Note - I received a sample package of Kind snacks in exchange for this review. All opinions on this blog post are my own and I was not paid or required to give a particular opinion on the product.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Wordless Wednesday 2/27/13

Today's wintery, sloshy, snowy, icy, wet run

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

Zim's Product review and giveaway!

4 miles on the schedule today.  An uneventful run which is much different than it looks for tomorrow's run in snow.  Ah, spring cannot get here soon enough.  Given that spring is coming, and you will start to ramp up your mileage, I've got a review and giveaway for a product that might fit some of your needs.

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A few weeks ago Zim's asked if I was interest in reviewing their products and I said yes.  I'm always looks for product to try to help relieve the pain I sometimes get from running.  Here's what I was sent:

A care package of their Max-Freeze products.  The product is applied to muscles and joints for pain relief.  The product, when applied, gives you some cold, hence Freeze, relief for wherever you have pain.  I've had some occasional pain on my hips, knees and also my foot.  It provides almost immediate relief.  I can't say it takes the pain away and the company does not promise to do that but it does make you feel better for temporary relief.

I even noticed after I washed it off, I could still slightly feel the product so it does get into you to help your muscle.  They sent the same product, Max-Freeze, but in three different forms.  One made for the feet with a roller:

for the feet

They also sent one with a roller that kind of looks like a roll on deodorant, but don't use it for that. LOL.

roll on

And finally, I was sent a cream form:

cream form

Now I can't say I've used these products religiously since if you need to use these all the time, you should really go to the doctor to find out what's really wrong, but I've used them enough to know how they feel when used.  The product goes on quite easily.  It has a Menthol smell that is quite strong so, while it does work, I mostly used it after a workout but before my shower to get relief.  This way I would not smell it at work all day.

According to the company, the product is organic Ilex, Aloe and Arnica along with Vitamin E and Tea Tree Oil - basically nature ingredients.  It is greaseless(which I like) and has a vanishing scent(although it takes longer than I like for the scent to disappear).  The active ingredient in it is Menthol (5% or 3.7%), which is why the stronger smell but also why it helps relieve pain too and gives that "cool" feeling.

So if you have some tweaks and twinges as I've had while running, I think it's worth a try to see if it helps you.  They also offer a heat product that is similar as well.

Interested in trying it out for yourself?

The company has offered to do a giveaway for what I received as well.  Here's the rules:

#1 OR #2 are mandatory to win; you can do both for extra entries:
1) "Like" Zim's on Facebook(see below), tell them on their wall, "Detroit Runner Sent me" and come back here and leave a comment.(1 entry)
2) "Follow" Zim's on Twitter(see below), and tweet the following: "Check out the giveaway from @Detroitrunner1 for free @zimsusa products at detroitrunner.com"(1 entry)

Optional:
3)  Follow my blog, like Detroit Runner on Facebook or follow @Detroitrunner1 on Twitter.(1 entry)

See Zim's website, HERE

See Zim's Facebook page, HERE

See Zim's Twitter page, HERE

The contest will end on Wednesday, March 6th at 5pm and a winner will be announced on March 7th.

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

* Note - I received a sample package of Zim's Max-Freeze in exchange for this review.  All opinions on this blog post are my own and I was not paid or required to give a particular opinion on the product.

Monday meal series

4 miles on the schedule today.  I also did weights before my run and Yoga after my run too.  It's tough to fit that all in before work but I did and it's done for the day.

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I decided to start sharing with you some of the recipes that my wife and I make that are typically low in fat and healthy for you.  I've done some of this in the past but have gotten away from it.  Most are low in fat.  Some are also low in cholesterol and sodium.  Most are easy to make but do sometimes take time to make.  I thought I would start this off with one of the recipes that I actually make and really enjoy on a cold day.  I've made this many times and its really simple to make(of course, if I can make it, anyone can). Unfortunately, my kids do not like it much but my wife and I do.

Slow Cooker Turkey Chilli
Ingredients -

• 1 pound of ground turkey(we usually get lean)
• 1 packet of low sodium taco seasoning
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic(we buy it in a jar - much easier)
• 1 can 10 oz. organic kidney beans, drained(the beans do not need to be organic)
• 1 can 10 oz. organic chili beans
• 1 can 10 oz. organic black beans, drained
• 1 can 10 oz. pinto beans with jalapeños (we have a hard time finding beans with jalapeños so we buy the jalapeños separate)
• 1 can 20 oz. canned tomatoes, diced or chopped(we usually buy 28 oz. and use it all)
• 1 can 2.25 oz. tomato sauce or to tomato paste(we usually use paste)
• 1 onion chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup red wine(anything you would drink)(we use cooking wine since we don't drink wine)

Directions -

1. Brown turkey meat, garlic, onion, and taco seasoning in a non-stick skillet.
2. Put beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce or paste, wine, salt and pepper into the slow cooker. If you want it thicker add tomato paste, for a thinner chilli add more tomato sauce. It's your preference.
3. Add turkey mixture into slow cooker.
4. Stir and set to low if you want it to cook all day, 4 hours on high if you want it sooner.

I usually make this before I leave for work or when I get up in the morning and put it on all day.  It makes the home smell great and the favors really mix well over all day.  We also purchase a loaf of wheat french bread to go with it.  If you want, you can add cheese but keep in mind the fat content will go up.

Enjoy!

Nutritional Facts -

• Calories 286 cal
• Fat 5.9 G
• Saturated Fat 1.5 G
• Cholesterol 44.8 MG
• Sodium 966.2 MG
• Carbohydrates 34.1 G
• Total sugars 6.9 G
• Dietary Fiber 10.7 G
• Protein 19.4 G

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

Posted with Blogsy

Reminder - Rock CF coming in one month!

I can't believe it's almost here but, for my first half marathon this season, I'll be running the Rock CF half marathon in Grosse Ile, MI.  I ran this a couple years ago as part of their inaugural race and it was amazingly organized for a first year race.  This year I'm running it as one of their race ambassadors so I'll be sure to take lots of pictures for you to see the course and do a full review after the race.  Of course, I'd love to see you come out there and run this one with me as well!

If you have never been to Grosse Ile, you are in for a real treat!  The course goes around the exterior of the island with some fantastic views on the water.  It's really one of the prettier of courses I've run in my experience and this will be half marathon #12 (#2 was this half marathon)

Not only is this a great race but this is also for a great cause.  For those of you that don't know, the benefit of this race is for Cystic Fibrosis research.  The esteemed race director, who is also a runner, also happens to have Cystic Fibrosis so this cause is very personal to her.  It really shows at the race as she puts all her heart and sole into the race for this great cause.  If you are interested in donating, you can do that HERE.

You've got several options for race day including the half marathon, a half marathon relay(2 runners), and a 5k for runners or walkers.  Everyone gets medals and tech shirts which is awesome!!!  I love my bling!  

2013 half medal - awesome!!!

So here's some details on the race:

The course is a fast and flat course.  Not only does it go around the island but you will also run through part of the airport this year.  Here's a look at the map.  As you can see, much of the race, you will have an awesome view.  It's one of the more unique courses I've run.

Note:  The start is near the middle school and not at the high school.  There is a short path between the two and it does not take long to get there.  You can stay warm before the race in the high school but the middle school will not be open.  I remember waiting for the race to start two years ago and being able to stay warm up until race time.  It worked our great in my opinion.

The red line is the half; the black is the 5k.

Here's what the start line is going to look like:

Start - photo courtesy of Emily Schaller

In regards to parking, you have a couple options.  The first is to arrive early(really early), to get a space at Grosse Ile High School(7800 Grays Road, Grosse Ile, MI).  I think when I went last year, I got there at like 5:30am and there were already people there!  The other option is to park at the Grosse Ile airport.(9600 Groh Rd - follow signs to airport from bridges).  The race will have three shuttle busses running so you won't have to worry about getting to the start.  The first shuttle starts at 5:30am and runs until 7:30am.  Return shuttles start from Grosse Ile High School at 9:00am.  

If you are thinking of staying at a hotel the night before, the race has the following suggestions:

After the race, you'll also have an opportunity to get your picture taken.  Here's the Hanson's Yellow team getting their's last year:

Photo courtesy of Emily Schaller

One thing that really stood out two years ago was the post race food.  They have an incredible spread of food and I can only hope it's half as good as it was then.  I really look forward to all that yummy food they provide, much of it homemade.

So what are you waiting for?  We've only got one month more of training.  If you're not registered, join me for a great half marathon to start out your racing season.  I look forward to seeing you there.  With that, I'll leave you with a couple photos from my race experience from their Inaugural race:

Click to enlarge
Me with a couple bloggers; Emily(race director) & I after the race; myself after the race

Interested in learning more, registering, and keeping up to date with all the details?

Check out their website, HERE.

Check out their Facebook page, HERE.

Check out their Twitter page, HERE.

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

Note:  I'll bee running this race as a race ambassador so I've received a complimentary entry to the race in exchange for this this post and the post race review.  All opinions in this post are my own and I've not be required to give any particular feedback on the race.

Thanks everyone!

10 miles on the schedule today and that's exactly what I did.  Nice run at Stony Creek Metropark up to the nature center and back.

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Just a quick post today.  I want to sincerely thank everyone that follows Detroit Runner.  I've been having fun sharing my thoughts with you on running and appreciate every one of the people that read Detroit Runner whether you comment or not on the blog.

If you are coming to the blog directly, thank you!  I wanted to also remind you there are several other ways to follow Detroit Runner.

1) Facebook page.  I do put other things on here besides my posts so if you want to see the posts but also see the extras, you can follow me on Facebook.

2) Twitter page.  My Twitter tag is @Detroitrunner1.  I have quite a bit of interactive discussion on here and all my blog posts also get posted here daily too.

3) Follow via e-mail.  This is a great way to make sure you see each post.  I almost always post daily about something and you would get an e-mail each day with my new post to review.

4) Add me to your reader.  I use a reader to review blogs myself and it's a great way to review all the blogs that you follow.

The first three options are on the left sidebar of my blog.  Just click and follow and you're good to go!

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

Buff review.....

I recently contacted the people at Buff to inquire about a review of their products.  The people at Buff were kind enough to send me two Buff's.  The first one is a wool Buff and the second one is their original Buff.  Don't know what a Buff is?  The Buff is a seamless tube of fabric that you can wear many different ways.  I say the simplest ideas are the best ones and this is no exception.  Take a look at what I received:

I think the buff is one of those running items that you never knew you needed until you tried it.  For years, I've been running without something like this but, since trying it, I cannot imagine not having these now.  Sure you can wear a balaclava, however, this is much more versatile and you can adjust it if you get too hot.  The original buff is made for use all year long.  It can be used in hot weather to keep the sweat off your eyes or you can easily use this in winter as well.  This is especially true for the wool buff that I received.

Original vs Wool

We have had some extremely cold weather here in Michigan over the last month and these have come in really handy.  Now when I run, it doesn't feel like my face is going to freeze and fall off.  Ha!  Obviously, that's one of the points to this - to keep you enjoying the outside even in frigid temperatures.

Here's all the ways you can wear the buff:

12+ ways!

As you can see, there are tons of ways to wear these.  I had some fun with this and took some pictures of some of the ways to wear it:

The wool buff

The original buff

As you can see, lots of ways to wear it.  What is really amazing is the number of choices you have from to pick the style that fits you.  Frankly, I have to say when I first received the original buff, I thought it was kind of ugly but after using it, it's grown on me and I have found that the design is actually really nice and goes really well with everything I have.  Regardless, the original buff gives you up to 125 choices of fabric to pick from so you can get exactly what you're looking for - wow!  If you can't find something you like, you're not looking hard enough.  The wool buff also comes in 16 options as well.

In regards to comfort, both the original and the wool buff are equally comfortable.  You do not need to worry about any chafing.  The first time I wore it, I ran 12 miles with it.  I would say that the wool buff is made for colder weather and is several inches longer as well.  For my personal preference, I would say the wool buff is great for temperatures from 25 degrees down to whatever you can stand to be outside too.  This makes an incredible difference in your comfort level when the wind and cold are really extreme.  I used it down to about 10 degrees with a wind chill of about minus 5 and was very warm in it - sometimes, even too warm which is surprising.

In regards to the original buff, this is great down to about 25 degrees(+- 5 degrees) and can be used all way way up to the summertime depending on how you wear it.  Obviously, you won't be making a balaclava out of it in the summer.

From now on this will remain in my running arsenal, especially for winter time, and I recommend anyone who runs to have one of these.  Surprisingly, if you needed something warmer and/or to keep out the wind, they also sell other levels of buff made for even worse weather.  I can't imagine needing anything warmer(for running) but I can understand having wind blocking qualities on the buff or if you were using it for skiing or another outdoor sport in the winter.  Or maybe because you decided to run in a Blizzard?  Seriously.

The Buff is an inexpensive option($20 for original; $27 for wool) that I think anyone who needs to keep their face/neck warm in the winter or keep their head cool in the summer should get one.  These are especially good for running but work well for any outdoor activity.  They have options for men, women, kids and even dogs!

My two favorite ways to wear the buff - on a recent trail run

After a 5am weekday run - the cold has been crazy!

Interested in learning more?

Check out their website, HERE

Check out their Facebook page, HERE

Check out their Twitter page, HERE

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

* Note - I received two buffs in exchange for this review.  All opinions on this blog post are my own and I was not paid or required to give a particular opinion on the product.

Winter trail run....

Strength training and Yoga on the schedule today.  I'm so happy I don't have to go outside this morning.  It's freaking cold out!

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So this past Monday, I decided to go out to Stony Creek Metropark and do my run there.  I had the day off for President's Day so I had time to do this during the week.  I'm not sure this would be a very safe run at 5am when it's dark due to the ice so I took advantage of it.

Stony has several trails in the park.  I know I've blogged about them before.  I decided for this day to run the Trolley Trails.  Normally, I'm not a huge fan of running the trails in the winter.  One reason is because they are typically snow covered but the main reason is they are icy.  They were icy today but I wanted to test out a new product that I received for a review.

Here's the start of the trailhead.  As you can see, nothing special here.  You can see it doesn't look like the trails are too bad but these do get snowy and icy as I got into them.

As I started to get into the trails(and they are really not that long), you could see the terrain changing:

An area with more snow than ice

And here's a hillier part of the trail.  Still fairly snow covered.  I can say that even though this was only a three mile run, it sure felt much longer and made for a tougher workout running in snow/ice.

In fact, here's what much of the trail really looked like:

Any ice, hard trail for most of the run

Of course, the prize at the end of the run is this area here where you run through a bank of pine trees.  This is equally pretty in the summer as well.

The hall of pines

Panoramic

A nice, although cold, day to be out exploring the trails and I'm glad I made it over there to run it.  It sure beats my regular 3 miler.

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

Wordless Wednesday 2/20/13

Cool graphic Detroit Marathon made for it's runners!
A bit early to start training for this but I like it.

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

#plankaday update

5 miles on the schedule today.  Due to the rain and wind, I only did 3 miles but will run 5 tomorrow.  Just getting out of bed was an accomplishment today.  As I woke up, I'm listening to the wind howl as the rain continued to pound against the window.  In the end, I was happy to get out for a run even if I cut it short.  What's with this stupid weather?

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So I've been doing #plankaday for about the last six weeks.   Most of my plank's have been in the 1 to 3 minute range.  Here's my PR that I hit a little over a week ago.  I've not tried to go longer yet.

This one almost killed me! Ha!

 And here's what I did for last weeks training:

I challenged myself to do at least a 2 minute plank each day.  This week I went back to a one minute plank but, then again, I also did Yoga and Weights before I did it and a run after as well.

Some have asked whether or not I see a difference.  It's only been six weeks but I can already notice a difference.  No, it's not a huge difference but I can tell that my lower Abs especially are getting stronger.  I'm doing this as part of my overall fitness program but, frankly, I do them to help strengthen my core so that I can run better.

I plan to keep doing these all year so we'll see if there is a difference after that amount of time.  Regardless, it beats not doing them so I'll keep it up.

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!