#SargentoUltraThin

A few months ago, I joined Influenster in hopes of scoring some cool stuff to test and review. I waited patiently to be included in a VoxBox program, taking surveys and writing reviews. I was finally selected as a semi-finalist and sent a survey about cheese. I guess I answered the way they wanted me too, because I was selected to take part in the Sargento Ultra Thin Vox Box!

It arrived on my doorstep in this box:

Being an advertising major, I love the branding on the box!

The email they had sent me said I would be getting a voucher for cheese (since obviously they couldn't mail it) along with some "other goodies". In it was a super awesome lunchbox, a voucher, and a coupon for a later pack of cheese:

Again, I like the consistent branding theme here!

Influenster has badges, and in order to earn points towards the badges, they give you a few tasks such as taking a picture of the item in the store and posting it on their Facebook wall, tweeting about it, or posting picture on Instagram. During all of these posts, I was asked to use the hashtag #SargentoUltraThin and submit my posts.

I cashed in my voucher for a package of sharp cheddar and snapped my picture when I got to the car. 

I actually started snacking on a slice on the drive home since I was super hungry. They're very yummy and they only have 45 calories a slice! Most of mine were eaten by themselves (I really like sharp cheddar cheese) but I did manage to be somewhat creative once and made some super delicious grilled cheese sandwiches:

I used two slices of cheese on each since they were so thin (and I was eating these after a run so I was starving!) It melted really well and was super yummy!

I would definitely buy these slices and recommend them to anyone who reads this to go try it for themselves. They're lighter than most cheeses and offer a cheese taste on sandwiches and the like without being too heavy. Sargento Ultra Thin slices, you get a thumbs up from me!

P.S. The lunchbox is also great and I use it all the time! It's really well insulated and keeps my food nice and cold!

Throwback Thursday: The Virginia Ten Miler

(Part of my Throwback Thursday series to cover the races I ran before I blogged)

I remember when I was in about third grade (my pre-runner days) I used to see our local news cover The Virginia Ten Miler. I told my mom that those people were crazy. I hated doing the mile test in school, much less ten miles back to back. Oh, third grade self, if only you could see yourself now. You've become one of the crazies.

September 2013 was the 40th anniversary of The Virginia Ten Miler, and I couldn't have picked a better year to run it. There was so much hype about it leading up to race day, that I knew that even if I hated the race, the atmosphere would be good.

Oh, yeah. Before I get too far let me just show you the elevation profile:

It's basically a bunch of hills one after the other. But, that's what you get in Lynchburg.

Going into the race, I was petrified. I had never run a race that long, but I knew that if I could do a hilly 10 miler then my relatively flat half marathon in November would be a piece of cake. I just had to get through it.

Packet pickup was super fun, mainly because the Brooks Run Happy Island was there giving away prizes. I won a free t-shirt (that I now wear all the time). I really hope they come back this year.

The shirts were nice and fit with the anniversary theme, and the bibs were customized for what I think was the first time!

Race morning came all too early, but the perk of running a race in your hometown is that it only takes 15 minutes to get to the start. I lined up with my pace group (which I severely overestimated. I could have moved up 2 groups) and waited for the start. I found my friend Drew who was running the 4 miler and decided to stick with him until he finished.

The race itself was probably my favorite race of last year. It wasn't my fastest, or my best performance, but it made me fall more in love with my town. All 5 miles of the (out and back) course were lined with strangers cheering for me. They made the hills bearable. They gave us water. They held encouraging signs.

I got to run through areas I had been through tons of times, but there's something about running on a road that you normally drive on that's special.

I actually finished faster than I thought (2:22) but my goal is to beat that this year.

And of course, there's the favorite part of every race: the bling!

Here's a review breakdown:
Course: This course is HILLY! I personally love hills because they are impossible to avoid around here, but if you don't like them, stay away.

Atmosphere: It's basically one big party. There are live bands, cheering fans, an announcer that says your name as you cross the finish (even though he pronounced mine wrong). The whole thing is very encouraging and supportive.

Medal: Big, gorgeous, sparkly, and commemorative of the anniversary. Love it and can't wait for more.

Packet pickup: Smooth, organized, and unproblematic.

Post-race food and entertainment: Excellent! Lots of options to choose from for food, and the awards ceremony is enough entertainment for the whole day! (There is a live band after but I left before it was over)

I'm looking forward to doing the race again this year. I should probably go ahead and sign up soon before the price increases. One of my long term running goals is actually to do the race for the next 10 years to get every medal from the 40th to 50th anniversary.

Virtual Race Recap: Revenge of the 5th 5K

Last night I ran my first virtual race of the season. If you aren't sure what a virtual race is, the people over at Jost Running give a pretty good explanation.

Last year, I took part in the inaugural Nerd Herd Running trilogy that included the May the Fourth be With You 5K, Happy Birthday Harry Potter 10K, and the Banned Books Week Half Marathon. All the medals joined up to make their logo:

All of their profits went to cancer research and I love nerdy things, so I knew I would have to do the series again this year! Little did I know, things would get even better. This year's runs are the Revenge of the Fifth 5K, Lord of the Bling 10K, and The Rebellion Begins Half Marathon. They all make a super awesome shield and have been dubbed "The Hero's Quest".

Oh, and they all will make a 9 inch shield when put together (the top part is for completing the whole series)! 

Yesterday was the Revenge of the Fifth (since Sunday was May the 4th be With You) and I absolutely did not feel like running. It was my last day of class and I got up earlier than normal for my final, and then I had to do a bunch of final assignments for some other classes. I then came home and was hit in the face by my allergies. The pollen count has been really bad here lately, and I've been feeling it.

Oh, and it's getting worse.

I was tired and sniffly and all I wanted to do was nap (which I did). But I was dead set on running this on the 5th, and so I printed out my bib for some motivation. I then did a Google search for "running with allergies" and found out that in the Spring it is actually better to run later in the day since trees pollinate in the morning. I figured I would give it a try and head out. 

I actually ran really well. I wasn't planning on running fast at all, I just wanted to listen to my body. I was coughing a bit thanks to the allergies, and my nose was running, but I finished in 33:45, which is amazing for me. A year ago for the May the 4th race, I ran my fastest 5K ever to that point at 34:43. I was barely trying last night and beat that! Its crazy how much faster and stronger I have gotten!

There's a costume contest on Nerd Herd's Facebook page, so I figured I would participate. Zach got me this awesome R2D2 tank top, and I bought the ears at Disney World a few years ago. Add a tutu, and it's the perfect girly Star Wars running costume! (Okay, I didn't wear the ears while I ran. There's no way they would have stayed on!)

Official race photo. Thanks to Zach for being a willing photographer!

Last night's run was a great one, and knowing that I almost skipped out made me feel even better after finishing! Thanks, Nerd Herd for such a fun series, looking forward to the next one already!

I'll be getting this bad boy in about a month. His eyes glow in the dark!

10 Reasons Your Cashier Probably Hates You

I have been a cashier at 2 different places for 4 years now. Every day, customers do things (whether consciously or unconsciously) that just grind the gears of my coworkers and myself. Here are the top ten things that will make your cashier hate you.

1. You're on your cell phone.
I have gotten to the point where I actually thank people for setting down their phone when they check out. Please don't tell me to be quiet, I didn't choose to answer that phone call for you. The least you can do is give me 45 seconds of your attention to see your total and pay. That's all I'm asking.

2. You place all your money on the counter, instead of in the cashier's hand.
You can hand us the money, I promise we aren't going to give you germs. Also, please don't act frustrated when it takes me twice as long as it could have to pick up all the change. You could have just handed it to me.

3. You pay a $7.36 total in all change.
Take that change to a CoinStar and get some cash. No one wants to watch you count all of that out in nickels and dimes and then have to recount it, only to find that you are 10 cents short. Then you're just going to have to recount it and hold up the line even more.

4. Loyalty cards.
No, that's the wrong way. No, we can't look it up. I can't help that it's on your other key ring. I can give you another one if you would like. Please have these ready and facing the right way for us to scan.

5. You yell at us for something that's not our fault.
I can't help that you entered the wrong PIN. I can't help that you ordered wrong. I also can't help that you don't know how to pump gas. Please don't shoot the messenger.

6. You act like you know more about the store than the cashier.
Whether they have been working for 5 days or 5 years, the cashier still knows more about where they work than you do. We have to sit through days of training before they let us out on our own and believe it or not, they teach us some things in there. Don't try to tell me that the store down the street lets you do something differently, or that the other cashiers let you do it that way, because I know they don't.

7. You ask why we are working on a holiday.
There are a lot of answers to this question. Sometimes we are mandated to work, but we get to work a short shift. Sometimes we need money. Sometimes (like Memorial and Labor Day) we just don't have any other plans. If people didn't come in on holidays, we wouldn't be open. So really we should be asking you why you feel the need to be out shopping rather than home with your family.

8. You cut in line.
Not only does this make other customers angry, it puts me in a hard place. Do I ignore you cutting and wait on the next customer? Do I ignore the customer who has patiently waited to help you and your rude self? Just wait your turn.

9. You act like we don't exist.
I can't count the number of times I have this conversation a day: 

"Hi! How are you?"
*grumble*
"Anything else?"
*silence*
"Okay, your total is $11.32."
*counts out money*
"Okay, thanks, have a great day!"
*Grabs bag and leaves* 

I hate being ignored by customers. We are required to be friendly, but most of us are friendly naturally. Please treat all cashiers the way you would want to be treated if you were a cashier.

10. You hand us questionable money.
Money from bras, soggy money, money that has just been sneezed/coughed on, money from underwear wastebands, money that has blood on it... I've seen it all. It's just gross. Don't give them to people.

Freezing Cold, Not Enough Sleep, Sunburn, and One of the Best Days Ever: Promise Land 50K

Friday night and Saturday I volunteered at the Promise Land 50K. Promise Land is part of the Lynchburg Ultra Series and is organized by my running professor and mentor David Horton (who set the speed record on the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail. He's one of my most favorite people ever). For his class, we were required to help with a race, and I couldn't think of a better race than one of his.

We got the same shirt as the runners!

I have never volunteered a race of this size before, and being behind the scenes gave me a greater appreciation for what makes a race run smoothly. Because the race starts at 5:30am, most runners camp out at the start line. We started checking in runners and handing out bibs Friday night to the people who were camping out. Runners in large groups are a very confused people. They don't follow directions well, but we got everything in the end.

Watching ultrarunners carb load at dinner is very entertaining. They were allowed all the pizza they wanted (and we got free pizza for volunteering) but I'm pretty sure that some of the guys ate at least a whole pizza if not two. The dessert table was piled with anything and everything  you could want to eat, and most of it was gone by the end of the night.

After some pre-race briefing and prize drawings, most people headed to bed. The volunteers had to be ready at 4am to start checking people in at the start. At about that time the temperature decided to plummet and the wind started to blow in 20 mph gusts. I froze in my sleeping bag wearing sweatpants and a hoodie but actually managed to fall asleep at some point. 

Unfortunately my alarm rang all too soon and we struggled to make our way out of the sleeping bags to go check in starting runners. Again, runners are a confused group of people and we had to yell out individual names at one point to see if they were even starting. Roughly 350 people lined up in the dark, we sang the national anthem (with the assistance of a trumpet), and then they were off.

I then got the pleasure of navigating the Peaks of Otter in the dark to find my aid station. I don't know the rest of the course, but I think I got placed at the one with the best view one the sun had risen:

Sadly, this was the only picture I took during the whole experience

However, at 6:30 in the morning at that kind of elevation it was cold. Even with a hoodie and a windbreaker on, I was freezing! Thankfully Dr. Horton is one of the best people ever and gave me another shirt and jacket to put on over mine. It certainly made a difference!

We were mile 11ish the first time through, so the first runner was expected a little after 7. We quickly put the tables up, made sandwiches, sliced fruit, filled cups, sliced up some potatoes with salt, and did everything to make sure the runners would be able to get what they needed and keep going.

Sure enough, the first runner came through right on schedule. It was a while before the rest of them came through, but we kept them hydrated and well fed. They were just getting to the toughest part of the course, but they looked great. I knew about 20 of the runners from the class I took this semester so it was fun to cheer them on as they came through all excited. I knew they were going to look a lot worse the next time they came through.

Here's the elevation profile. Let that sink in a minute.

Unfortunately, we were a cutoff station, and had to stop people who reached mile 11 after 9:05. Once they descended onto "The Dark Side" the chances of them coming back up and finishing on time were very slim. I've never seen people so heartbroken as those that we had to cut off. Everyone was a good sport, but I could tell they were disappointed.

In the time that passed between the waves of runners, we chatted. Two of the guys I was working with had run several ultras. I was pretty much sold on running Promise Land just from my experience the night before, but they had me deciding without a doubt to run it and the Holiday Lake 50K next year. We honestly had the best crew at my station and part of me wants to run it next year, but the other part would be fine vounteering again because it was so much fun!

Soon, the runners were coming back through and they looked a lot more tired than the last time we had seen them. We were about mile 26/27 this time, they had just finished a nice long hike back up the mountain, and it was getting pretty warm. Several of my classmates informed me that they had thrown up on the Dark Side, and I offered them ginger ale from our station. The runners ate and drank a lot more their second time through, and we actually had to convince them to keep going. Only 2 really didn't want to leave, they wanted to stop and quit. They chose the wrong station to want to stop at, because my fellow workers were having none of it, they pretty much made them get up and keep going.

Around 2 the final runner passed through and we got to head back to the camp to take part in the finish line celebration. During the 30 minute drive I noticed that my face felt really hot. I flipped down my mirror and saw that I had a horrible sunburn! It was so cold on the mountain that it had never occurred to me to wear sunscreen. I always get one bad burn a year, so if it was only my face this time, I'm okay with that.

At the finish line, Dr. Horton asked me what I thought about the race. My reply was, "I'm running it and Holiday Lake next year."

His reply, "Nah, you're not tough enough." He only kids to make me work harder, and I am definitely running both next spring. The experience that I had this past weekend volunteering was one of the best days of my running career, and I wasn't even running. I can't imagine what it is going to be like next year actually running it.

So even though I froze to death, got less sleep than probably ever in my life, and came home with a sunburn, I had the best time. I can't wait till next year.