Heads Up… Spartan Up!! (A Book Preview)

A few weeks ago I was contacted by Spartan Race Media to see if I would like to read a synopsis of Joe De Sena’s new book coming out, “Spartan Up!”  I’ve never run an obstacle course race before.. Let alone a Spartan Race, BUT, um… read?! I LOVE reading!! Of course I said yes!! I received a 20 page synopsis of what to expect in “Spartan Up!” which is being released in 1 month on May 13th!

 

Ok, first things first… If you don’t know who Joe De Sena is, shame on you!! Just kidding… kind of ;) Joe is the founder and driving force behind Spartan Race! More about him from their website:

“An entrepreneur from 8 years old Joe has had a passion for life that moves the ball forward against all odds. Born in Queens NY to a yoga teaching, meditation practicing mother and an Italian father that was an uber-entrepreneur the author learned simple techniques for forging ahead no matter the odds.”

As I started reading the synopsis of “Spartan Up!”, I was immediately drawn in by his style of writing and the stories he told!  One thing Joe said in the synopsis that really stood out to me was “To reach full potential, you need to UNLEARN every important thing modern society has taught you” and that “success is a byproduct of delayed gratification” After reading that, I instantly knew that this was going to be a book that EVERYONE could benefit from, not only those who call themselves Spartans!  How true is it though?  Cheat days… product of wanting instant gratification!  Injuries… also a product of instant gratification (training to much/too hard, too fast because we want to see immediate results).

“Spartan Up!” will test your comfort zone and make you think about things differently!! From their website:

Spartan Up! is more than an insider’s view of the world of obstacle racing

It’s a manual for the Spartan way of life, including:

• Finding the will to succeed: The first half of a race you run with your legs; the second half you run with your mind. Turn your pain into an outboard motor to drive you forward.
• Tossing your cookies: The Cookie Test can teach you how to overcome the need for immediate gratification and help you prosper in the long term.

• Getting Spartan fit: Survival of the Fittest means training outside the gym for strength, endurance and flexibility for your entire body—and don’t forget those burpees!
• Moving mountains: Whether metaphorical mountains or the ones on which Spartans race, what you think of as your limitations can actually be a mere starting point for transformation.

Here’s a little audio snippet of the book to hold you over til you receive your copy! ;)

And an amazing video you HAVE to watch!! If you don’t want to preorder your very own copy after watching this there’s something wrong with you! ;)

Spartan Up – DNA Promo from SpartanRace on Vimeo.

Now the people over at Spartan Race Media have a special offer for you!!  If you preorder the book before May 13th, you can get 20% off if you use the coupon code: SPARTANUP

Otherwise, You can get 15% off of a 2014 Spartan event if you preorder now!! Just click the preorder image below!

* I was promised a first edition of the book when it releases May 13th in exchange for this preview. As always all opinions are my own and I was not paid for a positive review!  100% honesty is my policy and I only share things I think you guys would like as well!! :)

** If you are a company looking for a blogger to host a review/giveaway or to sponsor, please email me at runners.luck@hotmail.com

Monday Funday and a Winner

OK… I know I sound like a broken record… but I seriously have NO TIME!!! < That just made me think of the Dish commercial! haha! Please tell me you know what I’m talking about?! Click the picture below if you don’t and it’ll take you to youtube to watch it!

Anyways, I have a few fun things to share with you all! (besides the Dish Hopper commercial!) I’m gonna tell you using the cliff notes version ;) Maybe next week you’ll get some actual blog posts from me that are more than just bullet points and cliff notes!  I have a week break from my aide job and will only be working 15 hours at my other job! :) yippee!!! :)

Fun Thing #1:

I got some new clothes! :)  I had so many coupons and a gift card and only paid about 1/3 of the full price! That’s a deal if you ask me! :)

Fun Thing #2:

I joined another yoga challenge on Instagram! It’s called the #fallinlovewithyoga challenge. I enjoy the challenge since I am not running right now! Today is Day 1 and the theme is “beautiful”… Dancer Pose makes me feel beautiful even after a sweaty workout! :) I’m still trying to figure this whole yoga thing out as I’m relatively new to it… so if you’ve been doing yoga please tell me how to improve my form!! Especially speak up if you know the proper hand placement on my foot! ;)  I guess I could just google it, but asking you is so much more fun! ;)

Fun Thing #3:

Yeah… this is happening! lol… (maybe) I’ve been told that it will still be fun even if I just walk it…What do you think? It’s going to be really hard for me to go to a race and be with all those runners and NOT run!  That’s why it’s a maybe… I won a free entry back in May so I’m already registered… I’ll keep you posted on my final decision!  But it looks fun!  Wish I had someone to go with!  Anyone in Columbus this weekend? ;)

And now the reason I know you are all here anyways… the winner of the Reebok Spartan Race Entry giveaway

Congrats Greg!! Please send me an email and I will get you your free entry code!! :)

Remember, even if you didn’t win, you can still get a race registration discount code! Just click here!

Just a Reminder…

AND…

 

ALSO…

AND ALSO…

I promise I have stuff to tell you… I just don’t have time right now!! :)
Have a great week!

Reebok Spartan Race Giveaway & Coupon Code

 

You may remember a similar post I did earlier this summer! ;)  Well that giveaway went so well that Reebok Spartan Race wants to host another giveaway here on Runner’s Luck! How exciting right?! So if you didn't win the first race entry here’s a second chance!!

If you don't know what Reebok Spartan Race is, where have you been?! It’s only all over the internet, on blogs, and now IT’S EVEN ON TV! Well… going to be!! THIS Saturday!

Reebok Spartan Race has recently partnered up with NBC to bring obstacle racing to TV! The Spartan Race World Championships in Vermont this weekend will be televised on NBC Sports – for more information, check out this article.

If you don’t want to wait around for this giveaway to end you can go register now!  I have a coupon code just for you!

Click the picture below to get a promo code for %15 off your race registration:

To enter the giveaway, use the rafflecopter form below and make sure you click the green check mark after you finished the entry!

Good luck and…

AROO!!! 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* Giveaway Rules:    ~ Giveaway will run from 9/19/13 through 9/27/13
                               ~ A winner will be chosen through Rafflecopter 9/28/13 and will be notified via email by 9/30/13
                               ~ The winner must respond 72 hours after they are notified or winnings will be forfeited 
                               ~ Must be 18 years of age or older to enter
                               ~ The giveaway and promo coupon codes are only good for a 2013-14 race within the continental US
                               ~ The free race entry was provided by Reebok Spartan Race; I was not paid for this post

Bestowed Box Review & Giveaway

Before I tell you all about Bestowed… the Reebok Spartan Race Entry winner is….

Congratulations!  I will be emailing you shortly with your prize! :)

_____________________________________________________

Now… on to Bestowed!! It seems like every time you head to the grocery store, there’s a new healthy food on the shelf that you’ve never heard of before!  Well, Bestowed gives you the opportunity to discover healthy food you’ll love! That’s why when they contacted me to do a review I immediately replied! :)

Bestowed is the creation of nationally recognized nutritionist and author Heather Bauer and is the answer to all those that have ever stood in the health food section of their local grocery store and said to themselves..."which one of these is really the best??"

Each month, Heather and her team of health and diet experts carefully curate 5 product samples that have caught their attention. Items like nutrition bars, snacks, breakfast cereals, and supplements are just a few of the categories considered. (Source)

When I received my Bestowed Box I was so excited to see what samples where in it… such mystery and anticipation I couldn’t contain myself!!  By the way, every box comes with a paper that explains each sample and has tips on how to use it.

My box came with:

• Teechia Super Seed Cereal
• Good Eating Salads book
• Sun Cups Dark Chocolate Sunflower Butter Cups
• Navitas Coconut Water Powder
• Way Better Snacks Sweet Chili Tortilla chips
• Larabar Uber
• Everyday Califorinia EVOO

A couple of my favorite samples from this box were the Way Better Snacks Sweet Chili Chips, the Teechia Super Seed Cereal, and the Good Eating Salads book!  I have a couple of the salad recipes dog-eared already because let’s face it… my salads tend to be the same thing over and over again! 

The best part about Bestowed is that it contains different samples each month and you can join and subscribe to Bestowed HERE for $19/month or $209/year!  I think that’s a great deal and I LOVE the concept of Bestowed! 

The BESTEST part is that Bestowed is giving my readers $5 off if you use the following discount promo code:  5OFFBESTOWED01

And the ABSOLUTE bestest is that they are offering one of my readers the chance to win a 1-month subscription to Bestowed (1 box).  Right now they can only ship in the US so to enter you need to be a US resident.  To enter, just fill out the rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

* Giveaway Rules:    ~ Giveaway will run from 5/29/13 through 6/8/13
                               ~ A winner will be chosen through Rafflecopter and will be notified via email by 6/10/13
                               ~ The winner must respond 72 hours after they are notified or winnings will be forfeited 
                               ~ Must be 18 years of age or older to enter or meet requirements of your state
                               ~ Must be a resident within the US
                               ~ I was given a free Bestowed Box for my review; I was not paid and all opinions are my own

Weekly Roundup: May 20 – 26

Monday: BBC Day #1; Basketball with hubby (45min)
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: BBC Day #2; 30 Day Fast Start – Upper Body (3)
Thursday: Rest
Friday: BBC Day #3;  30 Day Fast Start – Upper & Lower (3)
Saturday: .5mi in 5:51; BBC Day #4; 30 Day Fast Start – Upper & Lower (3); .5mi in 5:50; Foam Roll/Stretch/Stick
Sunday: Rest

Total for Week = 1 mile 
Total for Month =  1 mile 
Total for Year =  70.57 miles

*** @=outside run (refers to pace) in=treadmill run (refers to minutes)

January 11.57 miles                                                       2011 329.45 miles
February 16.55 miles                                                      2012 178.67 miles
March 15.52 miles
April  25.93 miles
May  1 mile

Last Week's Roundup (I haven’t done one since April)

 

Reminders

- You have 2 hours left to enter my giveaway for a free entry into a Reebok Spartan Obstacle Race:

- The Race Recap Roundup #linkup is reset and ready for all your new race recaps! :)

  

Blog Posts From The Week

What Do You Run For?
Reebok Spartan Race Entry Giveaway
Throwback Thursday - High School Senior Edition
#Anywhere5k and #Runchat Team up...

Registered Races

Unfortunately I have no plans to race at all this year… we shall see towards the second half, but I am just trying to get back into shape and figure out my knee pain!

Reebok Spartan Race Entry Giveaway

Reebok Spartan Race:  Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Youtube

 

How many of you have run a mud run or obstacle course run and LOVED it?! I have not, but you better believe me it is on my bucket list!!  If you really want to find out if you have what it takes, the Reebok Spartan Race is for you!!! They don’t mess around!!  The Reebok Spartan Race was awarded the Best Obstacle Race by Outside Magazine in 2012.

 

So what exactly is the Reebok Spartan Race?  Glad you asked! ;) Directly from the website:

Simply, Spartan Race is the world’s leading obstacle race series. It’s an event of pure primitive craziness that you’ll never forget!
Spartan Race has:

• Races all over the globe!
• Different distances for different levels and styles of racing.
• A unique culture and community of athletes striving together to overcome any and everything

Spartan Race is on a mission to get you active, healthy, excited about change, and return to our ancient roots where running through woods, getting dirty, and facing adversity was part of everyday life. Our events are all about challenging today’s perception of normal. (source)

As stated above, they have different levels and styles of racing:

    
     The Spartan Sprint challenges a Spartan’s Agility
     with a muddy 3+ MILES / 15+ OBSTACLES race

 

    
     The Super Spartan tests a Spartan’s Endurance
     with an 8+ MILES / 20+ OBSTACLES battlefield

 

    
     The Spartan Beast is the ultimate Spartan’s race
     distance with 12+ MILES / 25+ OBSTACLES

 

    
     The Death Race is the ultimate challenge… so much so
     they needed a different webpage for this +48 hour adventure

Where can you run a Reebok Spartan Race? (click here to find a race near you!)

 

 

Why should you run a Reebok Spartan Race? (click here to find out)

 

What will you get for running the Reebok Spartan Race?

• Spartan Race T-Shirt
• Spartan Race Finisher Medal 
• Top 3 Male/Female finishers receive free entry into the next level of Spartan Race
• Bragging Rights!
• Click here to see more!
  

 

Think you have what it takes to be a Spartan?!  To enter the giveaway for a free Reebok Spartan Race entry to any race in the continental US
that is not already sold out, simply use the Rafflecopter form!  If you are
just so excited to run the Reebok Spartan Race now and want to go ahead and sign up for a race, you can click the picture below or this link here to get a personal promo coupon code for 15% off your race entry!

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway * Giveaway Rules:  ~ Giveaway will run from 5/21/13 through 5/29/13
                               ~ A winner will be chosen through Rafflecopter 5/30/13 and will be notified via email by 5/31/13
                               ~ The winner must respond 72 hours after they are notified or winnings will be forfeited
                               ~ Must be 14 years of age or older to enter
                               ~ The giveaway and promo coupon codes are only good for a race within the continental US
                               ~ The free race entry was provided by Reebok Spartan Race; I was not paid for this post