Epicurious Runner

vBarre Giveaway!

Remember when I gave away 8 UXF classes? Well, the time has come to give away 8 vBarre classes at New York Sports Club!

These classes are once a week for 8 weeks.

vBarre

Description: Vbarre transcends the typical ballet barre exercise class by blending ballet, Pilates and resistance training into a calorie-burning workout. The result is a lean and sculpted body in minimal time. Choreographed movements using a ballet barre, light weights and a glide board are set to motivating music.

I’m excited to try this class, I’ve never taken any kind of bar class whatsoever, so it’s going to be a completely new experience for me. I start my classes Monday, July 9th at 7:15pm at the NYSC on East 36th Street in Manhattan.

These classes are available at most (but not all) NYSC around the city. If you win, you will get your choice of location and time. The next round of classes start the week of July 9th, so be ready!

Leave me a comment telling me you want to win!

I will randomly pick a winner Thursday, July 28th at 9pm.

Good luck!

*You don’t have to be a member of New York Sports Club to win!

FRNY Pride 5 Miler Race Recap

Saturday was the Gay Pride Race in Central Park in honor of Gay Pride Week here in NYC. I’ve never done this race before, but it always looked fun and I’ve only run one 5 mile race back in December.

I woke up at 6:15, got dressed, ate, and was out the door at 7:30. I got off the first stop in Manhattan and ran 2.5 miles to the start. My legs were feeling heavy and tired and I wasn’t really looking forward to the hilly race because of this. I met up with Adriana at baggage and she was excited for the race, while I was somewhat dreading it. Slug city.

We headed to our respective corrals and while I waited for the start, I realized I was already sweating. Oh great.

We battled Harlem Hill first thing, which was actually kind of nice since we could just get it out of the way in the beginning. After the first mile, I was surprised that I wasn’t feeling like death. I took it one mile at a time and was cruising right along. I wasn’t sure what my time was since the miles melded into my miles run beforehand. I was seeing mostly low 9′s though, which I was very happy with considering how sluggish I felt on the way there.

I finished strong and with a smile on my face, especially after seeing these popsicles.

They were MUCH needed after the sweaty, sticky race conditions. I ate my popsicle, met back up with Adriana and discussed the race a bit. I loved the course! It was nice to run something different than the typical NYRR 4-6 mile race course. The hills were there, but they were nice and spread out in the beginning and the end. I listened to Iron Maiden the whole time and Run to the Hills came on appropriately towards the end on Cat Hill.

Overall the race flew by and I didn’t mind running another 2.5 miles to complete a total of 10 miles for the day.

Official Time: 46:17

Average Pace: 9:16

10 Mile Time: 1:34:11

Average Pace: 9:25

In other news:

Laura is the winner of the Shower Pill giveaway! Congratulations Laura, please send me your address so I can get you your box of Shower Pill wipes asap.

Running, Eating, & A Giveaway!

I’ve had a great weekend!

First up, I ran 6 miles late Saturday morning and it was fantastic! I was only planning on running 3 or 4, but decided to keep going since I was feeling wonderful. I finished 6 miles in 56 minutes.

Derek and I had a fun little date on Saturday where we ventured all the way over to Astor Bake Shop to try their incredible veggie burger. It was our first time there and it totally lived up to our expectations. The veggie burger was nothing short of incredible and the place was very cute and quiet, I definitely recommend checking it out if you are in the area.

Derek got the veggie burger and I got the soft boiled egg and salmon sandwich and this Sea Salt Lemonade.

And of course, we finished off with some delicious apple pie that was made with shredded apple slices. AMAZING.

From there, we headed over to the old beer garden in Astoria, drank a few beers and headed back to our apartment before setting off to hang out with our friend who was in from England. I didn’t get to bed until 1:30am and slept in until 10:30, which felt amazing. I haven’t been sleeping very well lately, so it was nice to have a solid 9 hours of sleep.

I then ventured out for a run with Kristin that was supposed to be 8 miles and ended up turning into a 9.25 mile run! Yep, it was another great run where I felt super strong and I definitely could’ve kept running. My pre-marathon training is starting to be where it’s supposed to be and I am happy to have run 19 miles this week. It seems low and it is, but for only running 3 times this week, it’s pretty good.

I received a box of Shower Pill wipes probably a month or two ago and I have been going through them quickly! They are pretty awesome and I admit, I definitely don’t shower after working out as much as I should. I know, I know, but I kind of hate taking 2 showers in one day, especially if I’m not going out anywhere after.

Anyway, these wipes area life saver and they are very convenient when you workout after work and don’t feel like (or can’t) shower before going out somewhere else. They are nice and thick and big enough to cover your whole body. They don’t leave you sticky and I WOULD NOT compare them to baby wipes because of this fact.

I know it’s not much time, but until June 22nd, you can receive 10% off on a box from Amazon by entering the code “RAGNARCH” at the checkout.

If you don’t feel like buying a box, you’re in luck because they are offering up a free box to giveaway to one of you lucky readers!

If you would like to win a box of Shower Pill wipes, all you have to do is follow them on Twitter or like them on Facebook and let me know in the comments what you did.

Good luck, I hope you win so you don’t smell bad!

A Sweaty Memorial Day Weekend

I hope everyone had a nice Memorial Day weekend! I was definitely one of the lucky ones to have today off as well. I got a lot done over the weekend, including lots of organizing and cleaning. The husband and I spent ALL day Saturday de-cluttering, hanging up shelves, and emptying out a few boxes. Our place isn’t exactly clean and clutter free, but we made some killer progress that’s for sure. I went out for a run Saturday morning as well and let’s just say they were not a pretty 6 miles. It was brutally hot out there and my legs felt like lead the instant I started running. I guess I forgot how hard it is to run in hot weather.

6 miles: 59:24

We slept in on Sunday and since the temperature wasn’t any better running wise, I decided to do my planned 8 miles on the treadmill later in the day. I got to the gym around 4 and was determined to have a better and faster run than the day before. Well, it started off okay, but it got harder and harder the further I ran. I never felt good. The run took A LOT out of me and I had to stop at 7 miles, there was no way I could go any further. I was dripping sweat and absolutely spent. I stretched and walked home while continuing to drink water.

7 miles: 65:41

I may have gone faster, but after this run, I never felt the same. I don’t know if I pushed too hard or if I was dehydrated, but I felt like shit for the rest of the night. I was drinking Nuun, water, and gatorade all night and by the time I went to bed I had a pounding headache that was still lingering a bit when I woke up. Thankfully today was okay, but man, I felt terrible last night and I hope that never happens again.

I was planning on running 3-4 miles today, but after a good 10 hours of sleep and realizing it was already 80 degrees out, I decided to just rest. I headed over to my friends barbecue and ate lots of delicious food and a had a few cocktails. It was a good day, but I am exhausted after this weekend.

As for my amazingly successful giveaway (#sarcasm), I did pick a winner!

Congratulations to Kristin!

I’ve already contacted her and we will both be starting our classes next week

Well, if the workout class wasn’t your cup of tea, I will be hosting a Nuun related giveaway later this week, so come back soon.

And back to the grind tomorrow….

Marathon Excitement + A NYSC Giveaway!

I know some of you (mainly non-runners) may find this hard to believe, but I am so freaking excited for marathon training to begin! I’m not sure if it’s the hype around the NYC Marathon, or just the fact that I finally feel like I’ve gotten my running groove back and I can’t wait to crush my first marathon time, but the excitement is there and I am so ready to commit.

Since, I know it’s going to be tough to fit in strength training or cross training in general once training begins, I am trying to fit in a bunch right now. I’m working on finding a good routine to stick to for the next couple months, in hopes of building up a good base of mileage and strength.

When NYSC offered me to try out 2 of their new classes, I jumped at the chance! Starting on June 4th, I will be taking the UXF class twice a week for 4 weeks.

UXF (Ultimate Fitness Experience

Description:  Burn calories. Build strength. Big results fast. What happens when you combine personal training with team motivation? You get in the best shape of your life with the UXF ultimate fitness experience. This eight session, cross-training workout blends strength training and cardio conditioning to improve your flexibility, agility, strength and endurance. Equipment such as TRX, kettlebells, ropes and bars are mixed with plyometric exercises to create a balanced circuit where you progress at your own pace. UXF is your one-stop shop for a total-body workout. Nonmembers welcome.

Locations available: every New York Sports Clubs location offer classes (check out the website for class days and times).

Sounds intense, right? I’m glad that it’s twice a week, it’s easier to get into something the more often you go. After this class is over, I am lucky enough to also be able to try out their new vBarre class once a week for 8 weeks.

vBarre

Description: Vbarre transcends the typical ballet barre exercise class by blending ballet, Pilates and resistance training into a calorie-burning workout. The result is a lean and sculpted body in minimal time. Choreographed movements using a ballet barre, light weights and a glide board are set to motivating music.

I’ve never taken any kind of barre class, so I’m not sure what to expect, but I am definitely excited.

I am taking the UXF class in Astoria and the vBarre class on 36th street in Manhattan. Both classes retail at about $350! I would never be able to afford these otherwise, so I am super grateful and pumped to have the opportunity to try them out.

And guess what? You do too!!!

Yep, today I am giving away 1 session of UXF classes! That’s a total of 8 classes in 4 weeks, starting on June 4th. The classes are available at all NYSC locations. Check here to see if there is one near you.

To enter, just leave a comment telling me why you want to cross train more.

I will randomly select a winner Saturday morning, May 26th at noon. Good luck!

*This giveaway is just for the UXF class. I will also be giving away a session of vBarre classes in a couple weeks, so stay tuned