It seems like it was literally yesterday that I was updating you with my week 2 results from the 21-Day Fix, and here I sit, a 21-Day Fix graduate! I honestly cannot believe how fast these past 3 weeks have gone! This week was a little different than the first two weeks. First off all, I missed my first workouts (gasp!) It started at the beginning of the week. Saturday was the date of an annual run called the Polar Bear Run which benefits a local YMCA. It's a 5k race, and for fun there's a person dressed up as a polar bear who runs the race, too. If you finish before the polar bear, your race shirt says, "I beat the bear!" and if you don't, it says, "The bear beat me". We not only beat the bear, we both placed in our age groups, Scott came in 2nd in his age group, I came in 3rd in mine! I still got in my Total Body Cardio that day, but I'm just going to count the run as my Pilates. :) 

The rest of the week went great. This week I made the Asian Citrus Vinaigrette from the 21-Day Fix recipes and it was really good! I also started counting quinoa, beans and lentils as a red container this week (instead of only a yellow container), so I had a little more flexibility with my meals each day. 

Here's where the week got interesting... the 3-Day Quick Fix. The 3-Day Quick Fix is an OPTIONAL 3-day bikini prep meal plan that you can do any time (and only once) during the 21-Day Fix, so I decided to do it for the final three days. The 3-Day Quick Fix has you eating six meals for the day, but there is MUCH more structure with the foods you can have during those three days. No blue containers, no orange containers, no purple containers, and only two yellow containers; one for oatmeal as meal #1, and one for sweet potatoes as meal #2. The remainder of the meals are red and green containers (protein and veggies) and a total of four teaspoons of coconut oil for the day. You're also instructed to drink a full gallon of water a day while on the 3-Day Quick Fix. 

The meals for the 3-Day Quick Fix were pretty un-exciting, but knowing that it was only three days, it was totally mentally doable. And surprisingly, it was more food than I had expected! By day three, I actually skipped my final meal because I wasn't hungry. 

My next skipped workout came on the very last day. It was supposed to be my final day of yoga, but it was also the same day as Buffalo's Shamrock Run 8k, and Team Synergy was in full effect! Let me just tell you how insanely proud I am of everyone who came out and completed it. About 15 people total, a mix of coaches and challengers from Team Pure Synergy, all came out to brave the cold and run 4.97 miles through Buffalo's Old First Ward. What's even more amazing is that the majority of those that came out had never run an 8k, never run a 5k, and never even run one mile before, but they took that first step, signed up, and every single one of them completed the race with a HUGE smile on their face. We had such a great time, that we're even talking about signing up for one new run a month now to do as a team! So yes, it was totally worth skipping yoga for. :)

And now for my results! After 21 days I lost a total of 5 lbs, putting my total weight lost since Christmas at 11.6 lbs! Just a disclaimer: your results may differ (obviously!) If you have more weight to lose, you may lose weight faster than someone like me who only had those last stubborn 5 lbs to lose. Those 5 lbs may not sound like much, but I'm pretty impressed with my pics! Not only that, I feel so much stronger and my energy has been sky high. My core is stronger now than I think it ever has been in my entire life, and the best part... I know have a whole new outlook on clean eating. I learned just how easy it really can be. I learned what foods to eat and how much of them to eat (turns out I was way off with my portions before!) And I think the one thing that stands out the most to me is that today is day 22, one day after finishing, and I still ate the same way I would have if I was on the 21-Day Fix plan. It's now a lifestyle change, not a fad diet, which is the most important takeaway that I have from this. How often have you done a "diet" or meal plan, only to eat all the foods that you "couldn't" have the next day? And usually gain all the weight you lost back right away? That's what was so great about this plan. If I wanted chocolate or wine, I could! I never felt deprived and the list of foods for me to choose from was HUGE! There honestly was never a day that I said to myself, "I wish I could have ____". 

My current accountability group is about to start on their third and final week of the 21-Day Fix tomorrow. You can find some of their amazing results from their journey here. My next group starts in just ONE week and will fill up fast! If you're sick of dieting, counting calories or points, stuck at a weight loss plateau, or are just ready for a change, send me a message on facebook or contact me here to learn more and reserve your spot for my next group! 

How many times have you told yourself one, or all, of the sentences above? So many times that you're starting to believe them? Do you know that YOU have 100% CONTROL over ALL of them, and until you realize that you're believing your own EXCUSES? 

I have definitely been guilty of saying many of these things to myself in the past, and now these are things I hear from others DAILY. Have you ever looked at me and said to yourself, "I wish it were easy for me like it is for her?" If you have, then I'm glad you're reading this! I'm going to tell you a little secret.... It most definitely was NOT easy for me at first, and I STILL struggle now! It's easy to look at someone and see them as they are NOW... and totally overlook the JOURNEY they took to get them there! So here's a little glimpse into my journey.  

This weekend I'm running my first 5k of the year, and I happened to stumble upon this pic from my first 5k ever. I wasn't always a runner. In fact, the first time I ever ran I was in my early 20's and I was wearing jeans. No joke. I had just started dating Scott and I wanted to impress him because he was a runner, so one day while working overtime at General Motors I left out the back door on a break to go running. I ran as far as I could, then turned around and walked back. The next day when I went out I knew I had to go at least as far as I did the day before, and I did! Then I started running at home with Scott. At first it was a mile, then two, then we signed up for our first 5k. On the day of my first 5k I smoked two cigarettes and ate an entire bag of Reeses Pieces in the car on the way to the race. If you notice in the picture, I also weighed a lot more then than I do now, sometimes over 15 lbs more (I wouldn't weigh myself when I knew my weight was up, so that number could be closer to 20 lbs). 

Over the years I've continued running, even doing two full marathons. It's been 10 years since I've had a cigarette and 5 years since I've had Reeses Pieces. My weight still fluctuates, and I still have good body image days and bad body image days, but overall I am in such a better, happier, more consistent place than I ever have been. Baby steps got me to where I am today, and I continue to use baby steps to help me grow daily. None of this was done over night. I didn't wake up one morning as a non-smoking vegan marathon runner. It took TIME and PATIENCE! So please, next time you look at someone and say to yourself "I could never do what they're doing" just remember, they once thought that exact same thing about themselves. 

Enjoy your journey! :) 

This one was way too easy. I may just have to post a Volume 2 for everything I couldn't fit in this pic. Why are girls so much easier to shop for than guys? :) Christmas gifts for mom have never been easier! 

1. Road ID Wrist ID Slim $18
The name speaks for itself. The Wrist ID Slim is the slimmest (or smallest) ID in our lineup. This pint-size fella may be diminutive in stature, but he is jam-packed with peace of mind. The Wrist ID Slim is worn by some top athletes, but this great ID is also perfect for kids. With its stylish and comfortable silicone band, you will be tempted to make a lifestyle statement and wear it 24/7. Like all our ID products, The Wrist ID Slim can be laser engraved with your emergency contact information and is available in both Original and Interactive versions. There are ten different colors to choose from. You (and your kids) will love wearing The Wrist ID Slim.

2. Train Like a BEAST Look Like a BEAUTY crush tank $20 
Cute racerback motivational tank with patterned cotton fabric that mimics the beauty of the waves glistening in the sun! Looks awesome paired with a contrast color sports bra. 

3. SPI belt $20-$22
The SPIbelt will expand to hold any smart phone, keys, cash, credit cards, and even a passport. The SPIbelt is ideal for fitness, travel, medical needs, and so much more. The SPIbelt is sleek, secure, and does not bounce. 

4. Pink BOSU Ball $125
BALL, BOUNCE AND SPORT, INC. BOSU TRAINER :: Take your training results to the next level while showing your support for the Susan G. Komen For The Cure breast cancer research foundation. Enhance your balance, increase your core stability and teach your body to move more efficiently with this BOSU trainer that has become a must-have fitness tool for every athlete's workout regimen. Plus, you can give your workouts an extra kick with the two DVDs included: 4 in 1/XPLODE and XPLODE Cross Training Series. 

5. Kettlebell Charm Necklace $30 
28" ball chain + 3" extender chain. Oxidized Silver Plating.

6. Chin Up Max $40
Maximize every minute you spend on the chin-up bar. This tool gives you the right amount of adjustable support to help you strengthen and train muscles as you work toward unassisted moves.

7. Sore Today, Strong Tomorrow water bottle $10
Hold your water and shakes in style with this twist top, wide mouth, blender bottle! Perfect for hydrating yourself with ice cold water or blending your fave protein shakes.

8. Sweaty Bands $13-$20
Available in over 800 styles and featuring a uniquely non-slip hold, there is truly a Sweaty Band to compliment every occasion and activity! Our claim to non-slip fame comes from the combination of our 100% velvet backing, which gently grips your hair to stay in place and absorb excess sweat, and elastic closure, which conforms to fit tightly to any head shape and size. Every Sweaty Band is handmade with love in the US, and ships out of our Cincinnati, OH headquarters after being inspected for perfection.

9. Six Pack Bags $70-$250
Forget the tired lunchboxes of yesteryear, these travel bags will offer support in completing your fitness goals, no matter where your day takes you.

10. Gaiam Print Yoga Mat $22 
Creating your own peaceful and fulfilling sacred space is closer than you think with any of Gaiam's Print Yoga Mats. Perfect for home or studio use, these 3mm thick mats will provide the cushioning your body needs to enhance proper alignment and maintain poses. Your hands and feet will love the stability that the light-tack non-slip texture brings to your practice. These lightweight, latex-free mats are free of six of the most harmful phthalates.

11. TurboFire Home Fitness Program $80-$180
TurboFire is the intense cardio conditioning program from fitness innovator Chalene Johnson. This 90-day weight loss and body slimming program will help you get leaner with exercises that can burn up to 9x's more fat and calories than regular cardio does. To help you get started, TurboFire includes two low-impact workouts, plus the Fire Starter Class, which shows you the right form for each TurboFire move. And, with more than 20 smoking-hot remixes, the music will push you past your limits during all 14 workouts. Available with or without Shakeology. 

12. Allied Medal Displays running medal hanger $40-85 
This larger than normal display is perfect for all the runner girls out there. The displays are laser cut from heavy-gauge stainless steel. Additional sizes available!

13. Nike Free TR 3 Training shoes $100
The Nike Free TR Fit 3 training shoe will provide the encouragement needed to train at your best. The upper has integrated internal zones to optimize breathability while supporting quick lateral and horizontal movements. Attend your daily fitness class or follow your own routine and get complete confidence as the rubber pods grip any surface. Combining the outsole technology with lightweight foam, the Nike Free Fit 3 will help you stay fit. 

14. Yoga Mat Care Kit $18
Freshen up your yoga mat after class with our two-part kit. Our individually wrapped Yoga Mat Wipes, made with essential oils, contain no alcohol or harsh chemicals, so they won’t dry out your skin. They’ll also help preserve the life of your yoga mat. Quick drying cleanser that evaporates completely, leaving no slippery residue. Made of natural biodegradable fibers and man made fibers. After class, our Super Yoga Mat Wash cleans your mat without damaging the fibers and removing stickiness. Made with organic essential oils with proven antiseptic, antibacterial and moisturizing properties. 

15. Lebert Equalizer Bars $115
Simplify your exercise routine, and conquer your fitness goals with the LEBERT EQUALIZER Total Body Strengthener. The Lebert Equalizer is a simple, portable, yet multi-purpose and versatile piece of strength training equipment that works arms, chest, back and core muscles like no other can, using your own body weight as resistance.  Created by personal trainer and Taekwondo Black Belt, Marc Lebert, the Equalizer is now being used by athletes of all levels and ages, in bootcamps, group fitness, sports conditioning classes, martial arts clubs and home gyms everywhere.

Let's admit it, men can be a pain in the ass to shop for. They seem to have EVERYTHING, or want NOTHING, so I put together a list of Scott's favorite things. You can add these to your "Christmas gifts for dad" list! 

1. Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Nutrition in Sports and Life book by Brendan Brazier $10 
The thrive diet is a long-term eating plan designed to help all athletes (professional or not) develop a lean body, sharp mind, and everlasting energy. As one of the few professional athletes on a plant-based diet, Brendan Brazier researched and developed this easy-to-follow program to enhance his performance as an elite endurance competitor.Brazier clearly describes the benefits of nutrient-rich foods in their natural state versus processed foods, and how to choose nutritionally efficient, stress-busting whole foods for maximum energy and health. Featuring a 12-week meal plan, over 100 allergen-free recipes with raw food options—including recipes for energy gels, sport drinks, and recovery foods—and a complementary exercise plan, The Thrive Diet is “an authoritative guide to outstanding performance” (Neal D. Barnard, M.D., Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine).

2. Bad Ass Power Cookies $15/6 pack
Forget everything you knew about cookies! This delicious oatmeal raisin cookie is packed with nutrient dense sea vegetables without compromising the baked at home by grandma, taste. Just one cookie provides key phytochemicals that exceed those found in 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables. In addition, you can get your vegan protein, B-12, antioxidants, iron, calcium and plenty more nutrients while you’re on the go, or just because you love the cookie so much! *Spirulina is really great for muscle repair, so we definitely recommend this for all BadAsses and BadAsses in the making! Small batch, artisan baked. Made in a facility that contains tree nuts.

3. Nike Elite Crew basketball socks $14
Whether you're driving down the court, cutting in for a lay-up or setting up a fast break, you can count on the Nike® Elite crew basketball socks for a no-slip fit that will keep your feet cushioned and dry. This dynamic sock features Midfoot Compression Fit that helps keep socks and cushioning in place and delivers a comfortable, customized fit with every wear thanks to an anatomical left/right fit. 

4. Moosejaw 24 oz. BPA free water bottle with compartment storage $18
This water bottle delivers on essential needs while on the go. The AUTOSEAL Water Bottle with compartment delivers on a unique combination of style and function. Durable. Colorful. Functional. Holds your keys and credit cards. The AUTOSEAL Water Bottle is easy to drink from, easy to carry and has a protective cover at the spout. It's the ultimate in on-the-go hydration with a compartment that holds your essentials while on-the-go. Patented AUTOSEAL technology. Press the AUTOSEAL button to sip; release to automatically seal. No cap to remove, no spout to open - convenient one-handed water bottle operation from sip to seal, perfect for all activities. Patented AUTOSEAL lid is 100% leak-proof and 100% spill-proof. Water bottle features a built-in compartment - just flip open door to store ID, gym card, money, key, and more. Flip up handle with carabiner to clip to gym bags and backpacks.

5. Penguin Sport Wash $13
Penguin's apparel care Sport-Wash restores your performance fabrics, wash after wash. This biodegradable, residue-free detergent restores wicking properties and eliminates odors for performance fabrics, down, synthetic insulation, and more. 20 Wash Loads. High Efficiency (he) compatible.

6. Camelbak Dart $65
Streamlined profile for runners and hikers who want a pack that gives you maximum range of motion—and also extends your range. Built around a 1.5L Antidote™ reservoir, this minimalist pack also features storage for essentials like keys, trail map, phone or wallet—plus an easy-access pocket on the harness for your energy gel or phone. Air-mesh harness with adjustable sternum strap for snug comfort.

7. SPI belt $20-$22 
The SPIbelt will expand to hold any smart phone, keys, cash, credit cards, and even a passport. The SPIbelt is ideal for fitness, travel, medical needs, and so much more. The SPIbelt is sleek, secure, and does not bounce. 

8. Vega Sport Endurance Gel $20/12 pack 
A plant-based, all-natural energy gel, Vega Sport Endurance Gel is formulated to provide instant and sustained energy plus electrolytes and vitamins during workouts. Developed for easy on-the-run digestion and featuring whole food ingredients, Endurance Gel is free from high fructose corn syrup and maltodextrin. Plus, Vega Sport Endurance Gel is the only gel on the market to feature coconut oil, a medium-chain triglyceride metabolized in the liver to provide instant, non-carbohydrate energy. Enjoy one gel pack during exercise to provide instant and sustained energy plus electrolytes and vitamins during workouts.

9. Rumble Roller $70 
Used for self-myofascial release, an intense form of sports massage. Because of its uneven and raised nodules, this premium foam roller works like a deep tissue massage to get even deeper into the muscle tissue than ordinary rollers do.

10. Body Beast home fitness program $90-$220 
Pack on 10 pounds of muscle in 90 days with Body Beast. Created by world-class trainer and former "Mr. Israel," Sagi Kalev, this proven growth-inducing program includes 12 extreme workout DVDs, plus valuable fitness tools to help you get healthy, increase your confidence, lose fat, and give you the physique of a bodybuilding champion. Available with and without supplements. 

11. Road ID shoe ID $20
Lightweight and durable, the popular Shoe ID can be laser engraved with your emergency contact information. You can simply strap this sexy little fella on your running, walking or cycling shoe. Then, enjoy the peace of mind that comes with having ID every time you step out the door. It’s made of durable stainless steel and attaches to your shoe with a small Velcro strap. The strap comes standard with a 3M reflective stripe to enhance your visibility when training in the dark. The Shoe ID is available in three colors and both Original and Interactive versions.

12. Lebert Equalizer Bars $115
Simplify your exercise routine, and conquer your fitness goals with the LEBERT EQUALIZER Total Body Strengthener. The Lebert Equalizer is a simple, portable, yet multi-purpose and versatile piece of strength training equipment that works arms, chest, back and core muscles like no other can, using your own body weight as resistance.  Created by personal trainer and Taekwondo Black Belt, Marc Lebert, the Equalizer is now being used by athletes of all levels and ages, in bootcamps, group fitness, sports conditioning classes, martial arts clubs and home gyms everywhere.

13. Allied Medal Displays running medal hanger $40-85 
This extremely over-sized display is for those who have lots of medals to display. This can accommodate anywhere between 25 and 50 medals depending on ribbon thickness and medal weight. It has a support brace in the center, and ribbons can be slid on and hung from either side. Laser cut from heavy gauge brushed stainless steel. Additional sizes available!

14. Pure Fitness 40 lb Adjustable Weighted Vest $100
Add resistance to your workout with the Pure Fitness 40 lb Adjustable Weight Vest. Designed with 43 body contouring sand filled weights, this vest aids in weight loss, gaining muscle strength, and more. A reflective trim allows you to safely enjoy workouts at night. The fully adjustable closures fit most adults and weights can easily be removed or inserted. 

15. New Balance Minimus 20v3 Cross-Training shoes $100
If your training program requires a lot of versatility, the Minimus 20v3 Cross-trainer is the shoe for you. Perfect for interdisciplinary workouts, the Minimus 20v3 provides a stable platform for weightlifting and resistance training, but that’s not all—the Minimus 20v3 is also flexible enough to use for middle-distance running. An all-purpose shoe for the serious fitness fan.

16. Garmin 410 GPS-Enabled Sports Watch with Heart Rate Monitor $245 
If you’re ready to take your training to the next level, Forerunner 410 can get you there. This advanced sport watch is GPS-enabled and accurately records your time, pace, distance, heart rate, elevation and more.

17. Saucony Sonic ViZi Running Jacket $110 
This Sonic ViZi Jacket is wind and water resistant, and features ViZiPRO color and USB rechargeable built-in lighting on the left front and across the back for enhanced visibility in low-light conditions.

The temperatures are starting to drop and November is only days away. Here are some tips to help you continue running through the winter!

What to wear:
55° F+ shorts and a short-sleeved top
45° - 54° F shorts or tights and a long-sleeve base layer top
33° - 44° F tights and a long-sleeve base layer top, gloves and thermal headband optional
20° - 32° F tights, longs-sleeve base layer, second top layer (vest, etc.) gloves and thermal headband, second bottom layer optional
0° - 19° F tights, second bottom layer (running pants), long-sleeve base layer, jacket, gloves, thermal headband

That will keep you warm, but you also want to make sure you stay visible. With the colder temperatures it also means it's getting darker out earlier. Wearing a reflective vest or running with a light will help keep you safe. Vests can be found in any running store or online and Road ID has some great LED lights to attach to your clothes as well as reflective tape and belts.

Hope this helps you stay warm, safe and active through the winter!

You've been working out and hitting the pavement and making great strides. You're getting great results and have even ran a 5k or two (or more!). So what are you supposed to do will all those race bibs you're collecting? You worked really hard for them and each holds a special memory so you don't want to throw them out... but you also don't want them cluttering up your desk drawer anymore. 

Here's a quick, easy and inexpensive way to make a Bibfolio to store them all!

All you need is a flexible, plastic folder, 2 key rings, scissors, a hole punch, a ruler and some stickers to bling it out. 

First, open the folder and lay it flat. You'll want to cut along the center to remove the middle binder so you have a flat front and back, then cut to remove the inside pockets.

Once you have two flat pieces, you'll want to trace an 8" x 10 " rectangle on each. Cut out each rectangle and slightly round all four corners. These will be the front and back of your bibfolio.

Place one of your race bibs on either the front or back to line it up for the holes, leaving a little space on each side. Punch holes where your race bib holes are. Line up the front and back pieces so the holes match on each side.

Once you have the holes punched in both the front and back, decorate your bibfolio with stickers (I like to decorate the inside and outside), attach the key rings, and add your race bibs! 

Most race bibs are the same size and have their holes in the same place. So far the only ones I have found that are different are Warrior Dash bibs. They are a little wider and the holes are farther apart. I just take a hole punch and add extra holes in the Warrior Dash bibs so they line up and fit with the other ones. 

Tomorrow is Day 1 of Body Beast for Scott & I and I can't wait!!! Body Beast is a new program that just came out this spring and is like no other Beachbody program on the market. It's main goal is to put ON weight in the form of muscle. It is completely geared towards men, but the more people I talk to I am finding more and more women doing it. 

Scott is going to do the Huge Beast schedule and I'm going to do the Lean Beast schedule. From what I can tell so far our schedules should be about the same with the exception of about 1 workout each week. 

Scott's looking forward to putting on some size. He has been running a lot this summer, and while he is still very muscular, he's leaned out a bit more than he'd like. 

I have a few goals...

• put on muscle
• get abs :)
• prove to women that lifting heavy won't make you "bulky"
• do unassisted pullups
• prove that a vegan can put on muscle
• be in the Body Beast infomercials 

We're planning on following the meal plan perfectly... which, as you can imagine, can be tough for two vegans. A majority of the meal plan is made up of meat and eggs, and it discourages the use of soy because of it's effects on estrogen, testosterone and metabolism, so tofu is out. We're also planning on taking the Body Beast supplements... with a few tweaks and replacements to the non-vegan ones (I'll post the supplements in a future blog once I see how they work). So far it looks like it's going to be doable with some prep work and planning ahead, but if we get into it and find we're living off of protein powders then we may rethink things as we go. According to the meal plan, I'm supposed to have 9 proteins a day and Scott is supposed to have 13. Thankfully, each serving of Shakeology counts as 2 proteins and a fruit, so we'll each be having 2 servings of Shakeology a day to count as 4 proteins each.

I can't wait to get this started and share my results with everyone! Beast up!

Here's how it went down... About 8 weeks ago Scott came to me and said, "I'm going to run the Rochester Marathon this year". We really hadn't been running much this summer except for a handful of 5k's, and as super human as, I still thought he was crazy. I knew I was out. I was about to start the Ultimate Reset where I wouldn't be able to workout for 3 weeks. No training and no runs mean no marathon for me, and I was more than happy to go as a spectator.

Fast forward to two weeks ago. It was the annual Toronto Vegetarian Food Festival and we drove up for our 3rd year in a row. This year we were excited to get to see Rich Roll speak. For those of you who don't know, Rich Roll is a vegan ultra marathoner and ultra triathlete. He has overcome amazing obstacles in his life and didn't even get back in the training scene until he was 40 years old. He has a new book out called Finding Ultra and as we watched him speak that night it was hard not to leave motivated. 

So what do I do? I sign up for a 1/2 marathon from my phone in the car on the way home... and it's in 2 weeks. I was going to run the Rochester 1/2 Marathon while Scott did the full. I had done 1/2 marathons before, this was going to be my 5th, but I had trained for all the others. I hadn't ran more than 3 miles since the Buffalo Marathon this past May, and I hadn't run at all in almost a month because of the Ultimate Reset, but I had it all figured out. I was going to get in four good runs, a 3-miler, a 5-miler, a 7-miler and a 10-miler. Perfect! 

Well, I should have known, nothing ever goes as planned. The day of the 1/2 marathon comes and I had done 2 runs, just the 3-miler and the 5-miler. I was already signed up so I figured I'd just go and limp through it and try to enjoy it as much as I could. 

The morning of the Rochester Marathon Scott's GPS watch took it's final breath. Perfect timing. I gave my GPS watch to Scott since he was actually trained and running for a good time, and I was going to run with my iPhone. I had a little over an hour on the drive to Rochester to get my phone ready with a playlist and to make sure I had a running app that would work. 

Scott took off at 7:30am with the other runners doing the full marathon, and I was off and running 15 minutes later with the rest of the 1/2 marathoners. I was one mile into it and feeling pretty good.... and then it hit me... I have my iPhone... I can Instagram! Instagram is my newest little addiction (and if you'd like to follow me I'm @juliehendersonfitness). So it began, while running I snapped a shot of the crowd in front of me and along with a slew of others, I hashtagged #mile1. Two miles later, #mile3. I did this every mile or two until I realized... I seriously only have about 3 miles to go! I was having so much fun running while Instagraming that it totally took my mind off the race! I took a picture of my shadow while running on the towpath of the Erie Canal, of a guy in a gorilla suit with a blue cape cheering on the crowd, even the winner of the full marathon passing me at mile 13. 

While it was one of my slowest 1/2's ever (only faster than my 1st 1/2) it was one of the most fun 1/2's I've ever done and I was surprisingly walking much better than most after. I'm still not sure how I pulled it off and still felt so good, but I can only imagine it's from a combo of (mostly) clean eating and just coming off of the Ultimate Reset. 

As for Scott? In true Scott super human fashion he PR'd (Personal Record) his previous full marathon time by a few minutes and finished strong in under 4 hours!