Category: Run!

Flipping for Luvo

Disclaimer: I received Flipped Bowls from Luvo 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!

Food! My second favorite subject after running!

Except, real talk- I can’t cook.  And I am lazy, I eat out way more than I should because by the time I get home from work I just don’t want to do anything else.  As for lunches? I usually only get 45 minutes and sometimes that doesn’t happen uninterrupted.  I like my lunch to be something that is easily prepped, easily cleaned and I can eat quickly.  Anything that fits my issues doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy.   I’m the first to admit I need help.

When I read about the new Flipped Bowls– where 1/3 of the protein comes from plants- that Luvo was rolling out, I was intrigued.    Pasta, chicken meatballs and good mix of veggies?  I could get behind that.  Plus, the convenience factor was so up my alley.

So I went online on a Monday, placed my order and by Friday, a big white box showed up at work.    Everything was nice and frozen, in fact the dry ice was so cold I almost burned my hands.  😛  Which would not be the first time I’ve burned myself with ice so maybe it’s just me.

So what did I get?

  • Chicken Meatballs in Creamy Pesto Sauce
  • Chicken Meatballs in Stroganoff Sauce
  • Chicken Meatballs in Garlic Wine Sauce
  • Chicken Meatballs in Tomato Basil Sauce

Beef Stroganoff (my mother’s recipe) is actually my favorite meal ever so I really high hopes for that meal but it also had really standards to measure up to.😛

I loaded them all into the work freezer and planned for some healthy lunches the following weeks. So what did I think?

Like I said, the Chicken Meatballs in Stroganoff Sauce was my prime choice- in fact I ordered more of that one with high hopes and just paid extra.   I followed the directions on the back and less than 5 minutes later, I had a steaming bowl of pasta and veggies in front of me.    I liked the taste of the sauce, the chicken meatballs had a good kick to them and I was eating kale!  The only downsides were that I realized I needed to add about 15 seconds to the cook time for the noodles and Luvo adds legit mushrooms to their Stroganoff.   *My mother does not- I hate mushrooms!  So I was eating around those.  😛

Next up was the Chicken Meatballs in Tomato Basil Sauce.  Holy, yumminess.  And my 5 year old palate didn’t have to avoid any ingredients.  I adjusted the microwave time and the whole wheat penne pasta noodles were perfect.  Plus I was still eating veggies!

The Chicken Meatballs in Garlic Wine Sauce is pretty good too but like I had to avoid the mushrooms in the Stroganoff, I have to avoid the white beans.  I did mention I have the taste buds of a 5 year old right?  As for the Chicken Meatballs in Creamy Pesto Sauce?? Well, those juvenile taste buds are too scared to try it.  I’ve eaten everything else-only have 1 left of the Tomato Basil, which makes me sad- but I can’t bring myself to push that far out of my comfort zone yet.   Why am I writing this review before eating it?  Well… I am hoping for some good old online encouragement to make me branch out.  So…help?!

Overall, I am definitely ordering more.  The Chicken Meatballs in Tomato Basil Sauce ended up being my favorite which made me glad that I had ordered more of those as well.  I loved that I could pop one in the microwave, go the restroom and get a few things done while my lunch was preparing itself.    Plus, I was getting protein and more veggies than usual.

Now, there were a few downsides–  Mushrooms.  Sorry, I hate mushrooms so to me that’s a downside, but I’ll keep eating around them.    Lastly, I never received an email notification that my order had shipped so I had no idea when it was coming.   As I was having these meals shipped to work, that could have been problematic as there is no one there to receive packages on Saturdays or Sundays.   I was surprised when they showed up on that Friday- glad but surprised.  Right now the Flipped Bowls are only available to order online but I am hoping that they will soon be in stores too.  That said, shipping is very reasonable.

Have I made you want to order yet?Use code BIBRAVE to get 1 free when you buy 7.**This works for everything on their site!

Week 20- More of the Same

Upcoming Races-

  • Rock n Roll San Diego 13.1

Last week did not go like I planned. Have I ever said that a week has gone according to plan? But this went south real fast in my first run of the week which was a drastic contrast to the awesome run I ended week 19 with. Maybe that should have been a sign? Who knows.

I did make it to my gastro last week to finally see about the left side pain that’s been nagging me since January.   He’s scheduling a CT and politely recommended a few dietary changes, haha.   Is it sad that I’ve just become used to the side thing??   Actually I prefer the side pain over the migraines. 😛

Monday- Rest As awesome as Sunday’s run was, I was cognizant to the fact that I was running faster than I should have been and I am only 2 weeks past a marathon. I figured running would probably be stupid so I just did a few of my PT exercises and squats/ lunges. Plus I had a headache again.

Tuesday- 1.5 miles I headed to the lake path hoping to try for some speed work. It might not have been the best idea but I was feeling like some 400’s. Things started to go wrong in the first 100 yards. I always walk the first 1/2 mile of my runs but I was keeping pace with someone on the path and it was awkward. Instead of running ahead, I like power walked to get ahead and then stay ahead and something in both my hips just felt wrong. I figured I would walk it out.  No dice.  It just kept getting worse… I tried to run and whimpered out loud. I felt like my legs weren’t connected to my pelvis correctly. What the hell? I thought about pushing through but this was straight up pain so I turned around and hobbled to my stretching bars then my car.😒

Wednesday- Holy migraine hell. Are you kidding me?? This is getting old, not only did my head hurt, now my jaw hurt. Oh and my hips still hurt.

Thursday-2.5 miles Shouldn’t have done that. My head still hurt but the hip pain had faded slightly and I really wanted to run. I kept moving forward in hopes that I just needed time to warm up but it just hurt. I finally grew a brain, turned around and hobbled back to my car.

Friday-Nothing Work and a little bit of stretching and rolling. I stopped sitting in my recliner- I think it’s making things worse. Oh and I still had a damn migraine.

Saturday- Rest I slept in knowing that the smart thing would be to take the weekend off, both for my head and my hips. I ran some errands then took a nap in the afternoon. On the ground. Funnily enough- that helped my head more than I could have guessed. (Better not have jinxed that)

Sunday- Rest More of the same. Sleeping in, stretching, rolling, and all tv watching is happening from the ground, usually with a foam roller not far.

4 miles for the week, if they even count. I knew May wasn’t going to be great mileage after Big Sur but I didn’t think I was going to fall apart. Grrrr.

How was your week?

Rambling On 33- Favorites Style

I love Friday, well the idea of Friday’s.

Let’s ramble in a positive way this week.  I have no idea who started Friday Favorites or Loving Lately, if you know, let me know and I’ll give ’em a shout out but at this point I think they’re both pretty widespread.

So- favorites-

Shinedown– I’ve mentioned before that they are one of my favorite bands. I’ve had their newest album on repeat for weeks. Even is some of the songs make me second guess ever taking a running selfie again.😛 Anyhow, I also follow them on Instagram and the other day they posted this-

Say what?!? Make this happen now!

Wildflowers– they’re almost all gone but they were pretty while they lasted. It was worth getting stuck behind super slow drivers on the scenic route home when they suddenly realize the road is more than they bargained for. I swear they are in both of the scenery pics above but you can only stop for seconds on that road.

Sleeping in– With running up in the air this weekend, I won’t have to feel guilty about really wanting some extra sleep, right?

Pizza🍕 – No shock here, right? However, I may have to go predominant low carb again in the near future so I have a feeling that pizza will be calling my name this weekend.

What are you loving right now?

Week 19- Disconnect

Upcoming Races-

  • Rock n Roll San Diego 13.1

I wish I could say my migraine was all gone when I woke on Monday but no such luck.   It did ease up as the week progressed but I swear migraine brain made me feel stupid.   And tired.  Maybe it’s all because of allergies?  My car is covered in a lovely yellow powder these days.

Monday- Nothing- The migraine was still lingering so after making it through work, I just headed home to rest, well after a stop at In n Out for dinner.  😛  Oh, wait I did attempt my PT exercises.

Tuesday- 3 miles I had tried sleep, ice packs, dark rooms, food (so much food), now it was time to try running out the headache.     I almost quit less than 1/4 mile in.  I felt like the top of my head was going to pop off and I was just walking.  Perhaps a hat, headphones and 90* temps was a bit much all at once.  I ran super slow and took breaks if I felt I needed a moment to chill on the path.  By the end of the 3 miles I did feel a little better.

Wednesday- Rest My head felt better but I wasn’t going to push it and do too much too soon.   Instead I took my parents to dinner and almost got run over in a parking lot cross walk.  Nice.

Thursday- 3.15 miles  My legs and head were not talking to each other.   My legs apparently wanted to move but the rest of my body not so much.   I kept telling myself to slow down but it wasn’t really working.  Which was weird because I also finally understood the meaning of tight hips on this run.   It sucks! I stopped my watch with a 1/4 mile to go and worked on squats, walking lunges, side steps and karaokes the rest of the way before stretching out.

Friday- Rest  Oh good lord, a few squats and lunges on Thursday and I think I hurt worse the next day than I did after Big Sur.  🤣

Saturday- Mother’s Day Shopping– I spent the day shopping with my mother for Mother’s Day.  No running but I definitely got my step count in!

Sunday- 7.16 miles The plan was for 6-10 miles as my first long run since the marathon 2 weeks ago.  Except I slept so poorly and woke with a headache.  I lay in bed from 6:30 to 9:30 trying to either force myself to get up to run or go back to sleep- neither worked.  My brother took us to lunch and I was hoping food would help and I could squeeze in my run before dinner.   Except after lunch and a short nap, I really did not want to run at all.  I was feeling very Slacker like.   But I forced myself to change and headed across to town to attempt a run.

I told myself a short run was better than nothing- 3 miles and I could go home.   I started out and just kept going forward.  At the turn around point for a 3 mile run, I kept going, I wasn’t happy but kept going.  At mile 2.5 I had to stop and lose my top layer, I was way overdressed for the temp but I kept going.  Not only was I still running but once again my legs were writing checks that the rest of me wasn’t keen on paying.  However, I mostly let them do their thing and took walk breaks when my lungs pointed out my foolishness.   Which they did more than once…more like each mile.  However, I was somehow turning out my fastest 7 miler in over 2 years and I have no idea where it came from and I was actually feeling pretty good.   In an effort to be at least slightly smart I called the run at 7 miles.  Less than the original plane but more than I had been feeling!

13.34 miles for the week.   If I didn’t have a half in 3 weeks, I would say hell yeah to that mileage post Big Sur.  But I do, so I am slightly nervous.  Oh and I did more squats and lunges Friday through Sunday- can I keep it up?

How was your week?

Rambling On 32

Everybody party, it’s Friday.

Dude, this week has been so odd.  Maybe it was the migraine that stuck around until Wednesday but I was just not on this planet half the time this week.  Heck part of me is trying to figure out how it is even Friday but I don’t want to complain.

Maybe I can blame the odd weather? The weather app has been wrong for work town every day all week.

Parts of me are super ready to run post marathon and other parts are super not. Those parts are fighting each other.😛 Hey, body, pick one and stick with it, ok?

I have a Yeti obsession and they have new colors. Someone tell me I don’t need a $30 tumbler. No matter how pretty it is.😂

I had this problem after my first marathon too… instead eating ALL the food, I’m like on a mini shopping spree. There are a few packages arriving soon. Send help.

Is it Saturday yet?

What are you doing this weekend?