Sparkly Runner is FIVE! {Giveaway Details Below!}

Yesterday, this blog turned five. As in five years old. As in HALF A DECADE!

What?!?

Way back when I first had the inclination to start a blog, I don't think I ever imagined how positively my life would be impacted by sharing my running adventures with the internet.

When I started writing in 2013, I was a relatively new runner on the verge of a huge life change. I had just moved two hours away from the only home I'd ever known to live with my boyfriend (now husband) and start a new job that was completely out of my comfort zone.

I was 100+ miles from home in a small town that didn't have a lot of folks my age. Besides Matthew and a few co-workers, I really didn't know anyone, let alone anyone in the running community.

So I started writing about running on this blog. Then I started some social media channels to connect with other runners. Pretty soon I was meeting up with strangers from the internet and agreeing to run races with them. I was making friends and meeting people and traveling and experiencing new races... because of this blog.

Suddenly, Matthew and I had an extended family of runners all over the world- all from this corner of the internet.

As I stand on the verge of another series of big life changes- home ownership, graduate school, new job- I can't help but reflect on how much this blog helped me five years ago and how I can't wait to see what the next five years as the "Sparkly Runner" holds.

Thank YOU for reading and running with me these last five years. I've loved every minute of sharing the road with you. Thank you for your support, comments, and community. You ROCK!

To celebrate Sparkly Runner's Fifth Blogiversary, I've teamed up with Altra Running who has generously donated a free pair of Altra Running Shoes to give away to one lucky reader!

That's right, ANY pair of Altra Running Shoes! Huge thank you to Altra for helping me celebrate!

To enter this awesome giveaway, comment on any/all of the following with which pair of Altras you'd want to try:

• Comment on this blog post
• Tweet about the giveaway (make sure you tag me @sparklyrunner and @AltraRunning!)
• Leave an instagram comment on the giveaway post on the @sparklyrunner account
• Comment on the Sparkly Runner facebook page on the giveaway post

One winner will be chosen at random- the more times you enter, the more chances you have to win. You can tweet every day for more entries!

The fine print:
This giveaway starts today and ends at 11:59 PM on Thursday, July 26th. The winner will be notified Friday, July 27th by direct message or email and will have 48 hours to respond with requested information (name, address, shoe style, color, and size). If the winner does not respond within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Winner will be selected at random from the comments/entries on the blog, instagram, facebook, and twitter.


Good luck! And again, thank you for reading!

YogaDev Yoga Wheel: Review & Giveaway

As a typical runner, I tend to focus my fitness on things that will improve my running, namely, running. 😃

But as my physical therapist, orthopedic doc, and family doctor all lecture tell me, I have to incorporate some low-impact activity into my weekly routine. Specifically, yoga has been known to help runners significantly as it helps restore flexibility and strength into muscles that assist in running.

Over the years, I have dabbled in some at-home yoga practice. It's not been something I have done regularly, but it's something that I am making a priority moving forward; mainly because I keep getting injured.

So, it was a pleasant surprise when YogDev reached out to me a few weeks ago and offered to send me a yoga wheel to review on my blog- and sponsor a giveaway so I can give one to my readers! Contest information is at the end of this review.

So, what is a yoga wheel? It is a tool used in yoga, similar to a yoga block, that can assist in different poses, stretches, and strengthening exercises. I had never used one before so it was a little intimating when I pulled it out of the box.

It came with a little cheat sheet of poses that you can do with your yoga wheel. The first night I got my new wheel, in my infinite wisdom, I decide that I'm going to try and do a super-advanced pose and try to balance on top of this hard plastic wheel.

You can guess what happened- I totally bit it. Let me caution you with this- if you're not a professional yogi, don't try "garland" (pictured above) as your first pose with a yoga wheel. 😉

After learning what not to do with a yoga wheel, I checked out YogDev's pose guide online for some instructional videos on how to properly use the wheel as a beginner. I also found this YouTube gem that gave me some cool strengthening moves to check out.

I pulled together a few of the poses, stretches, and exercises to make a routine for myself focusing on my hips and hamstrings. One of the things I loved about using the wheel is that I can modify some of my favorite moves (like a single-leg bridge) using the wheel to balance instead of using a large stability ball. With as much as we travel, this yoga wheel is way more portable than a stability ball and I felt like I got a better workout using the wheel because I had to use more of my muscles to balance.

The smile disappears when the move gets intense! 

I also was able to do a modified single-leg squat coupled with a hamstring stretch (see above) and use the wheel in a controlled rolling motion. It was a pretty effective move and I love how using the wheel allowed me to add some extra stretch and balance to a single-leg squat.

The other benefit I found to using the wheel was being able to access some really restorative stretches and poses. Using this in a modified bridge pose, it was amazing how good it felt to get some release across the top of my back/in between my shoulder blades- that's where I carry all my stress. And the calf stretch pictured below is just what I needed after the longer runs of this marathon training cycle.

If I look uncomfortable, it's because I am. Need. More. Yoga.

Overall, I really enjoyed incorporating the YogDev Yoga Wheel into my fitness routine. I hope to keep using it and maybe one day I'll nail the "garland"- and I'll be sure to upload a picture for proof! This product is definitely well-made, comes in multiple fun colors, and has a great website with lots of information on how to use this appropriately in your yoga practice. All in all, I think it's pretty cool.

Want one of your own? Check out the rafflecopter below for your chance to win! Tweet every day between now and 12/7/16 for more chances. Winners will be notified via email on the morning of 12/7/16 and will have 48 hours to respond to claim the wheel.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclaimer: YogDev provided me with a free yoga wheel to review on this blog. I did not receive compensation in exchange for this review. As always, all opinions are on my own.


Have you ever used a yoga wheel or similar fitness product? What's your favorite piece of fitness equipment?

Sparkly Runner is TWO!

**EDIT: There was a little technical difficulty with the rafflecopter earlier but it's all good now! Thanks for your patience!**

Yup, that's right- this little blog is two years old today!

It all started in the summer of 2013 when I decided to start writing about my experience as a runner. Because of this blog, I've been able to represent awesome companies I believe in (J&A Racing, Enell Sports Bras), I've met some amazing bloggers who've become friends (too many to name!), and writing here helped me cope (so freaking much!) with my injury earlier this fall.

But most important, I've been able to interact with all of YOU. Reading your comments, chatting with you via email, and meeting up with you at races around the country has been one of the coolest experiences of my life. Thank you for sharing this little corner of the internet with me.

Because I love ya'll so much, I'm going to give you a gift!

I've pulled together some of my favorite running must-haves and I'd love to give it to you! Now, if I were a rich woman, I'd make one of these up for each of you. But because I'm not, you can enter to win this a variety of ways via the rafflecopter below.

What are you entering to win??

All this good stuff!

Body Glide- a MUST for summer running
A pair of Balega Socks- fabulous running socks
2 packs of Gu Shot Bloks- perfect for the long run
2 Honey Stinger Waffles- my mandatory pre-race fuel
A GymBoss Interval Timer- a Galloway runner's best friend

Pretty cool if you ask me :-)

Some rules for this giveaway- it will run until 7/29 at midnight. At that time, rafflecopter randomly selects a winner from all the entries. The more points you accumulate, the more entries you can get- make sure to tweet about the giveaway every day to get more chances to win!

I will contact the winner on 7/29 by email and will give a two day window to respond/claim the prize. If I have not heard from the winner by midnight on 7/31, I will draw another name/winner from the rafflecopter list.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway




A year in review...

Just like last year, here's a list of the top five blog posts (based on page views) from July 2014- July 2015:

5. Back to Basics: How To Start Running
4. Costumes for Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend
3. Race Recap & Review: Harrisburg Half Marathon
2. Race Recap & Review: Wine & Dine Half Marathon
1. Accountability Monday: 9/29/2014


And these are some of my favorite posts, in no particular order!

Volunteer Recap & Review: Marine Corps Marathon - This was so fun! Seriously, if you haven't volunteered at a race before, you should absolutely consider it. And I'm still super proud of myself for navigating the scooter on and off the DC Metro :-)

Back to Basics: Race Etiquette - Please read this and pass along to your runner/walker friends :-)

My Losing List - This one was really hard for me to write- it's scary writing down your deepest, darkest, most negative thoughts/feelings and then posting them on the internet! But, it helped me tremendously to be able to make a list of what motivates me and then call on that list when I'm struggling.

Race Recap & Review: Pittsburgh Marathon - My second marathon was simply amazing and I wholeheartedly recommend the Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend to anyone who loves running, high-fiving tons of spectators, and really cool bling.

Promises - This is one of those posts that is straight from the heart and still makes me emotional when I read it.



In summary, it's been an awesome year, YOU are awesome, and blogging is awesome. Thanks for all your love, support, and feedback- cheers to two years!


PS- None of the products/companies above donated to this prize pack. I just bought things I liked and wanted to give them to you :-)