Prioritizing Recovery with Nuun Rest!

Disclaimer:  Nuun Hydration sent me a tube of Lemon Chamomile Nuun Rest and a tube of Blackberry Vanilla Nuun Rest in exchange for this review as part of the BibRave Pro Ambassador program of BibRave.com.  Search and submit your own race reviews at BibRave.com.

Last week, my one goal was to prioritize recovery.  The week prior, I had a killer workout - nine one-mile repeats and in the days that followed, I had my usual recovery workouts which were to be done at a pace where my heart rate didn't go above 135.

The trouble was, my heart rate jumped into the 150s even at 9:00+/mile pace, even three days after the mile repeats workout.  After a failed long run attempt where my legs felt concrete-filled, I was rewarded with an extra day off.  Typically I have one rest day (i.e., no running) per week, but in the last couple weeks, my plan was stingy on rest days.  That long run made 17 days of running in a row, so I had earned the bonus rest day.

Last week, my total weekly mileage was lower due to having not one but two planned rest days and I still got two quality workouts done.  I had a speed workout of 12 800s mid-week which felt hard but I managed to hit the intended paces.

At night, I have been incorporating Nuun Rest into my wind down routine.  Nuun Rest is made by Nuun Hydration and is currently available in two flavors: Lemon chamomile and Blackberry Vanilla.  I prefer the lemon chamomile but both are light tasting.  

Unlike the Nuun electrolyte tabs, the Nuun Rest tab is to be dissolved in about 4 oz of water.  This is good because any more liquid before bed and I would have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. 

Ingredients in Nuun Rest include magnesium, tart cherry and potassium which help promote relaxation responses in addition to reducing exercise-induced inflammation and overall muscle relaxation.  I was definitely sleepy within minutes of drinking it.

Overall, I liked the product as a consistent reminder to prioritize recovery, particularly with less than a month to go before the Chicago Marathon, my goal fall race!

My recovery week culminated in a beast of a workout - running for 2 hours and 40 minutes broken down by 90 minutes easy running, 40 minutes running in 7:00-7:30 pace land and finishing strong with 30 minutes of 6:30-6:50.  My legs felt great after the first six miles (#oldladywarmup) and I nailed the workout!

If you want to try some Nuun Rest, head to their website and use code HYDRATEBIBPRO for 20% off your order!

Let me know your favorite recovery tips!  I have 71 miles on the plan for this upcoming week and I'm going to need all the help I can get!

A Sunscreen for A High Mileage Month!

Disclaimer:  Sawyer sent me a bottle of Stay Put SPF30 Sunscreen Lotion in exchange for this review as part of the BibRave Pro Ambassador program of BibRave.com.  Search and submit your own race reviews at BibRave.com.

August was a big month of running as I continue to train for the Chicago Marathon. I ran 272.77 miles, which is a lifetime high for me!  I have some pretty strong runner tan lines from a summer of high mileage and something that I am not very great about is wearing sunscreen for running.

I have tried the spray-on sunscreens for ease of use but just do not like how sticky they make me feel.  I have used traditional lotion sunscreens and find that many leave me with streaks of white that run off as the sweat comes.

I had a renewed dedication to sunscreen when someone told me to get a strange spot on my ear checked out.  I hadn't given the area much thought but made an appointment with the dermatologist.  Thankfully, the spot is benign and nothing to worry about but how many times had I used sunscreen on my ears? Probably never.

The opportunity to try Sawyer Stay Put SPF30 sunscreen came at a perfect time!

I really like the consistency of the Sawyer sunscreen.  It feels and applies like regular body lotion, which is a product I use daily.  The lotion itself is white but disappears into skin without that strange white residue that many sunscreens I have tried leave.

The Sawyer Sunscreen also dries quickly.  I usually apply it within 5-10 minutes of leaving my house to run and I don't feel sticky or greasy.

I have had some tough, long workouts this month and the sweat has been running off me.  The Sawyer Sunscreen has lasted through a lot, including my personal best half marathon in Madison a few weeks ago!

I have been impressed with the product and have continually used it all month.  I have thrown it in our bag for lake activities too. My kids and I went fishing with my dad last Friday and we were wearing Sawyer:

Another important factor for me are breakouts.  Sawyer hasn't led to an increase in breakouts which is always a nice thing :)

You can get Sawyer Stay Put Sunscreen Lotion on Amazon.

More information about the Stay Put Sunscreen Lotion can be found on the Sawyer website.