Get poppin' - popchips review and giveaway!

I'm not a junk food junkie. Let's get that straight. In fact, I mostly follow a Paleo diet, which eschews junk food as a primary principle.

However, I'm not against snacks. And my kids? Well, yeah. They are snackers. Full-on snackers.

Snackers, yes. But junk food? I have to say no to that. I try -- really, really hard -- to keep the kids away from junky junk food. 

Of course, I'm not perfect but, as I said, I try. So, when I was invited to try out the new popchips flavors, I was happy to do so! 

popchips are pretty awesome. We tried out the original, bbq, sweet potato, salt & vinegar and the sour cream & onion. My boys loved them all, especially the sour cream & onion and the original. I loved that they are gluten-free; don't contain soy (not even soy lecithin! woo hoo!), MSG, or artificial colors or flavors; and use non-GMO ingredients.  (Check out their nutrition information on their web site.)

Sure, they aren't Paleo but when I want to sneak a non-Paleo treat, I like to sneak one that is gluten-free and soy-free. Thank you, popchips!

Just hanging out, snacking and reading about the Olympics.

Now, you all are lucky because I have a great giveaway for you!

The Giveaway

One reader will win a 3-months supply of popchips. That's three 24-count cases of chips. In other words, lots of snacking!!

Who wants to win?!?!?!

You? Good. Here's how to enter:

Pop over to the popchips website and check out their flavors. Then come back here and leave me a comment letting me know which flavor you'd most like to try. 

Additional entries:

As always, you can gain extra entries. Remember, though, you must complete the required entry first!  (Leave one comment per entry for the additional ones to count.) So, here's what to do:

• Follow me on Pinterest, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)
• Pin the image from this post to share the giveaway on Pinterest (leave a comment)
• Follow me on Twitter, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 
• Tweet about this giveaway  (leave a comment)

• Follow me on Instagram, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)

• Link to this giveaway from your blog (leave a comment) 

 
 

This giveaway will run through Thursday, February 27th at 11:59pm EST and the winner -- chosen at random from all eligible entries -- will be announced on Friday. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or I'll choose another winner.

Good luck!

 

 

 

 

Review disclaimer: I was sent product for review from popchips. I was not otherwise compensated and the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

 

Goddess Garden Organics review and giveaway!

Two things about me: 1) I buy organic stuff -- mostly food but I've been branching out to cosmetics, and 2) I'm a daily sunscreen user. Given these two things, you'd think a product like the Goddess Garden Organics daily lotion (SPF 15) would be a perfect match for me.

You'd be right.

I was invited to sample the daily lotion and opted to try out the Tangerine Lavender scent . . . CONTINUE READING-----------> http://happyrunnergiveaways.blogspot.com/2013/10/goddess-garden-organics-review-and.html

LUV Footwear review and giveaway!

Back in the day, I used to wear some killer heels. I mean killer. I was single, living in New York City, and in love with sassy shoes. So I wore them. High heels -- the higher the better -- all the time.

And that was all fine because I was in my 20s and I ran only sporadically so painful feet weren't really that much of a problem.

Now, though? I'm all about the comfort. I need to save my feet for long runs and speed work, so heels really don't fit in my life. Neither do pinchy, narrow shoes. My poor toe joints simply can't handle being stuffed into too tight shoes.

My toe joints don't feel so sore in my new LUV Footwear funky flats.

Check these cute shoes out:

Totally cute, right? I know.

And, yes, I also know that I have a horrible bunion on my right big toe. You can see it so clearly in the picture. Yikes. Yet another reason I go for comfort these days!

So, the shoes.

LUV Footwear sent me the shoes to review and I give them two thumbs-up. They are cute, as you can see. They are also comfortable, thanks to the wide-enough toe box and stretchy Lycra upper (the bottom is EVA). 

The only slight downside for me is that there isn't much arch support in these shoes. That's pretty common with flats, especially this style (somewhat ballet-flat-ish). So, it isn't a huge complaint. But, I do typically like more arch support than less.

The shoes come in several fun colors and patterns that you can check out on the LUV Footwear web site. If you're wondering, I chose metallic pink -- and I'm happy I did! One note: The shoes do run small, so the advice on the web site to size up if you're between sizes is sound. Take that advice!

They retail for $40.00.

Interested? Well, I have two ways that you can slip your feet into some comfortable LUV shoes!

The discount:

LUV Footwear is generously offering all blog readers 20% off through August 16th. Lucky, lucky! To order your shoes at the discounted price, visit their web site (LUVfootwear.com), choose your shoes and use this code when ordering: HappyRunner


Easy peasy!


The giveaway:

One lucky reader will win a pair of LUV Footwear shoes of their choice.

To enter, pop over to the LUV Footwear Facebook page and sign up for their newsletter. Then come on back and leave me a comment letting me know that you did.

Additional entries:

As always, you can gain extra entries. Remember, though, you must complete the required entry first! And, yes, I'll check. (Leave one comment per entry for the additional ones to count.) So, here's what to do:

• Follow me on Pinterest, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)
• Pin the image from this post to share the giveaway on Pinterest (leave a comment)
• Follow me on Twitter, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)

• Follow me on Instagram, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)

• Link to this giveaway from your blog (leave a comment)

This giveaway will run through Monday, August 5th at 11:59pm EST and the winner -- chosen at random from all eligible entries -- will be announced on Tuesday. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or I'll choose another winner.

Good luck!

Review disclaimer: I was sent product for review from LUV Footwear. I was not otherwise compensated and the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Designer Whey Sustained Energy-- review and GIVEAWAY!

If you are a protein powder fan, or you've just wanted to try it out for yourself and see what the hype is all about, then today is your lucky day.

I have Designer Whey protein powder for you! Well, for six of you. The six luckiest entrants.

So, pop over here to read my review of the new Designer Whey Sustained Energy powder and enter my giveaway!

Reebok Spartan Race giveaway!

One of the bummers of having a bum hip is not being able to run any of these crazy obstacle races. Although, clumsy as I am, that's probably not such a bad thing. They have tempted me, though, with their mud and rope climbs and all the other tough stuff the races ask of their entrants.

Have you been tempted?

Have you run an obstacle race?

Interested in running a Spartan Race this year?

If you are . . . lucky you because I have a GIVEAWAY and a DISCOUNT CODE for my wonderful readers.

But first, let's talk about the race. The Spartan Race, according to their web site:

". . . was designed by seven insane ultra athletes and a Royal Marine. If you have tried trail races, mud runs, tough mudder runs, or a warrior dash, it's time to step up to a brutal Spartan Race obstacle course . . . Why Spartan? Because the Spartans were tough as nails. Why race our obstacle course races? Because we all thrive under pressure, survival of the fittest. Our goal is simple . . . to get you off your couch, throw you in the mud & trails, and feed you one tough endurance event that will be the adrenalin rush of your life."

Well, then. Who's ready to sign up?

The Spartan Races take place all over the US and in England and Canada. There is a list of event locations on the web site. A few of the key events coming up in the next few months are:

• The Midwest Super Spartan in Chicago at the end of July
• The Mid-Atlantic Super Spartan in Virginia at the end of August
• The Wisconsin Spartan Sprint at Miller Park in Milwaukee at the beginning of September
• The Pennsylvania Spartan Sprint at Citizens Bank Park in Philly at the end of September
• The Nebraska Spartan Sprint in Lincoln at the beginning of October

You can read all about the races and the details on the Spartan Race web site.

So now, let's get to the giveaway!

One lucky reader will win a FREE entry for any open heat in ANY Spartan Race (your choice) in the continental US.

To enter: 

Leave me a comment. Let me know how you are tough as nails and/or which Spartan Race you would choose if you win.

Additional entries:

As always, you can gain extra entries. Remember, though, you must complete the required entry first! And, yes, I'll check. (Leave one comment per entry for the additional ones to count.) So, here's what to do:

• Follow me on Pinterest, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)  
• Pin the image from this post to share the giveaway on Pinterest (leave a comment)   
• Follow me on Twitter, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 

• Follow me on Instagram, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 

• Link to this giveaway from your blog  (leave a comment)  

This giveaway will run through Wednesday, June12 at 11:59pm EST and the winner -- chosen at random from all eligible entries -- will be announced on Thursday. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or I'll choose another winner.

But that's not all. I also have a discount code for 15% off any Spartan Race which, like the free entry in the giveaway, will work for ANY open heat in ANY Spartan Race in the continental US. To access the code, just follow this link: http://bit.ly/spartanwarrior

Good luck!

Giveaway disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post and the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Honey, Do You Need a Ride? (review and giveaway)

Honey, Do You Need a Ride? Confessions of a fat runner is a new memoir by Jennifer Graham that will make you chuckle, whether you're a runner or not.

Yes, Jennifer is a runner. A self-proclaimed fat runner (which, if you take a look at her photos, is totally not true, in my opinion). She is also a divorced mom. And one heck of a funny woman.

Her whole package works in this book. She writes in that fast, funny style that makes the book easy to read and hard to put down, simply because you're having so much fun reading. She writes about how "skinny people . . . have no idea what a gift it is to move around with your thighs rubbing together like a couple of superglued hams." And in a chapter titled, "How Nike Made Me a Terrorist" she writes:

"I might be a redneck, not only because I consider Walmart a vacation destination, but because I run with a second-generation iPod strapped to my arm. Also, I own, and sometimes use, a heart-rate monitor even though an eleven-minute miler needs a heart-rate monitor like a single mother of four needs a donkey.

"I am running white trash, a smashed Gatorade cup on the sidelines of life."

But the book is not just about her weight as it relates to running. She also writes about going through her divorce and other ups-and-downs of life and how running has been with her throughout. Graham doesn't run to lose weight -- although she repeatedly talks about how it would be nice if all those miles she's logged would result in weight loss. Instead, she runs for what running gives her: a sense of achievement.

"At its core, Pre said, running gave him a sense of achievement. Here, all these years, I've been thinking I haven't achieved anything because I haven't lost any weight, but there it is. A sense of achievement that didn't come from my children, or my writing, or my oft-admired ability to remember birthdays. A sense of achievement that comes from the simple fact that I run."

I enjoyed this book. True, I enjoy most running books, but this one had the added feature of an interesting story and Graham's light, relate-able writing style. I recommend it!

Would you like to enjoy a copy of the book?

Lucky, lucky. I have a giveaway for you! One reader will win a free copy of the book. To enter, just leave me a comment and let me know you'd like to win!

If you share this giveaway (twitter, pinterest, facebook, etc.), let me know in another comment for an extra entry.

This giveaway will run through Tuesday, May 14th and the winner will be announced on Wednesday.

Good luck!


Thanks for stopping by!

Review disclaimer: I was sent a copy of this book for review but was not otherwise compensated. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

PROBAR winner.

With everything that happened this week, I've been distracted and have just gotten around to picking the PROBAR winner. Thanks to everyone who entered. I used random.org to pick the winner and that is . . .




Jeff Gallup



Congratulations, Jeff! Please email me at felicehalf [at] yahoo [dot] com with your mailing address so you can get your bars!

Have a great weekend, everyone. Thanks for stopping by!

PROBAR review and giveaway!

Bars, bars, bars! Let's give it up for bars!

I'm talking about energy bars, here . . . 

And right now I'm enjoying PROBAR protein and meal replacement bars. A big reason for my enjoyment is this:

Dairy free. Certified organic. Non-GMO Project verified. Made in the good ol' US of A.

All good stuff.

Another big reason is the taste. The PROBAR bars are really tasty. And taste matters, especially when you are on the go and rely on energy bars as much as I do (yes, I always carry bars with me wherever I go -- for me and for the kids).

I was given the opportunity to try out an assortment of PROBAR Core (protein bars) and PROBAR Meal (the whole food meal replacement bars). Both are good but PROBAR Meal is my favorite.

Oatmeal Raisin, Chocolate Coconut, Superberry Slam, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip . . . all good. And you know what? Pretty good ingredients. If I had to pick a favorite, I'd go with oatmeal raisin, which is a bit funny because I'm not much of a raisin girl. And yet, for real, the PROBAR Meal Oatmeal Raisin is delicious. Simply delicious.

OK, so I like the bars. And I like the fact that I get to share them with you.

How? Discount and giveaway, my friends. This just happens to be your lucky day . . . check it out:


The Discount:

I have a discount for you! If you'd like to try out PROBAR (any kind) just pop over to the web site and enter the code BLOGGER at checkout for a whopping 40% discount. No joke.

The Giveaway:

As if the discount wasn't enough, I also have a giveaway. One lucky reader will win a box of either the PROBAR Core or PROBAR Meal -- winner's choice! How fun, right? Right.

To enter, leave me a comment telling which type of bar you'd choose if you win (Core or Meal).

Additional entries:

As always, you can gain extra entries. Remember, though, you must complete the required entry first! And, yes, I'll check. (Leave one comment per entry for the additional ones to count) So, here's what to do:

• Follow me on Pinterest, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)  
• Pin the image from this post to share the giveaway on Pinterest (leave a comment)   
• Follow me on Twitter, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 

• Share this post on Twitter using this tweet:

I just entered to win PROBAR bars from @TheHappyRunner http://tinyurl.com/cm3bzlw #giveaway

• Follow me on Instagram, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 
• Link to this giveaway from your blog  (leave a comment)  
• Follow PROBAR on Facebook (leave a comment)  

This giveaway will run through Monday, April 15 at 11:59pm EST and the winner will be announced on Tuesday.

Good luck!

Review disclaimer: I was sent an assortment of bars for review. I was not otherwise compensated and the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Win a $10 Target gift card + cereal and a game!

I've got another giveaway going on!

Check it out:

I'm giving away a prize pack with 2 boxes of cereal, a $10 Target gift card and a retro Parcheesi game.

To enter this giveaway, pop on over to my other blog and follow the instructions.

Good luck!

Lucky runner giveaway!

Here's how I'm going to celebrate St. Patrick's Day this year:

First, a 4-mile race, the Runnin' of the Green, on Saturday.

Second, a giveaway on this here blog.

Looks like I run, you (get a chance to) win!

So, who wants to win a BIG BOX OF RUNNING GOODIES?!?!?

Check it out:

A pair of Yurbuds (earphones for women)

12 Builder's Bars (chocolate mint)

A Brooks travel toiletries bag

Pair of Clif running socks 

Yurbuds branded headband

Pair of white Lock Laces

And a super-cool bumper sticker :-)

Enter to win!

If you want to win, leave me a comment. That's it. Easy-peasy.

Additional entries:

As always, you can gain extra entries. Remember, though, you must complete the required entry first! And, yes, I'll check. (Leave one comment per entry for the additional ones to count) So, here's what to do:

• Follow this blog, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 
• Follow me on Pinterest, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)  
• Pin the image from this post to share the giveaway on Pinterest (leave a comment)   
• Follow me on Twitter, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 

• Share this post on Twitter using this tweet:

I just entered to win a box of runner goodies from @TheHappyRunner http://tinyurl.com/ca82xy6 #giveaway

• Follow me on Instagram, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 
• Link to this giveaway from your blog  (leave a comment)  

This giveaway will run through Thursday, March 14th at 11:59pm EST and the winner will be announced on Friday.

Good luck!

über® bars giveaway.

I have a quick, fun giveaway for you today! 

Do you watch The Biggest Loser? I do. And last week, trainer Jillian Michaels introduced one of the contestants, Danni, to LARABAR's über® bars. 

The super yummy über® bars. These bars are great. I had the opportunity to try the bars out when they were first released and . . . yum! I love the Cherry Cobbler bar. Love.

Anyway . . . in celebration of the shout-out on The Biggest Loser, LARABAR is offering up a giveaway for my readers. Lucky you!

The giveaway

One reader will win 4 über® bars -- 1 of each flavor:

To enter: Just leave me a comment letting me know you want to win. 

Additional entries:

As always, you can gain extra entries. Remember, though, you must complete the required entry first! And, yes, I'll check. (Leave one comment per entry for the additional ones to count) So, here's what to do:

• Follow this blog, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 
• Follow me on Pinterest, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)  
• Pin the image from this post to share the giveaway on Pinterest (leave a comment)   
• Follow me on Twitter, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 

• Share this post on Twitter using this tweet:

I just entered to win uber bars from @TheHappyRunner and @larabar http://tinyurl.com/bc6444z #giveaway

• Follow me on Instagram, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 
• Link to this giveaway from your blog  (leave a comment)  

This giveaway will run through Thursday, March 7 at 11:59pm EST and the winner will be announced on Friday.

Good luck!

Injinji socks winner!

Thanks to everyone who entered my Injinji socks giveaway. I seriously love these socks and now one of you will get the fun of running in them, too.

Lucky!

And who is this lucky runner? Using random.org I picked one winner and it is . . .


mrsr1n1


Congratulations!! Send me an email (felicehalf at yahoo dot com) with your mailing address so I can get your socks sent off to you!

Thanks again to Injinji for the giveaway.

Have a great day, everyone!

** My policy is that winners have 48 hours to contact me -- if I don't hear by then I'll select a new winner. 

Injinji 2.0 . . . with giveaway!

I've said it before and I'll likely say it again: I love Injinji socks. They rock.

Here are my tootsies in my favorite green Injinjis:

I know, pretty funny looking. But, seriously, they are great socks for keeping feet blister free -- which is why I wear them. After a brutal blister experience at the Boilermaker last summer, I started running a lot in toe socks and they have worked well for me.

Have you used them? They really are awesome. The socks are designed to properly align toes, prevent blisters and wick moisture. From my experience, I can say they do it all. And well.

Check out their video:

INJINJI® Any Shoe Video from Injinji on Vimeo.

Now, Injinji is launching their new Performance 2.0 line and they've relaunched their web site.  And . . . in celebration of all that, they are sponsoring a giveaway right here!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

The giveaway:

Pop over to the Injinji web site. Look around. Come back here and tell me your favorite Injinji product or something interesting that you learned on the site. A winner will be chosen at random and will get a stash of Injinji products!

Additional entries:

As always, you can gain extra entries. Remember, though, you must complete the required entry first! And, yes, I'll check. (Leave one comment per entry for the additional ones to count) So, here's what to do:

• Follow this blog, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 
• Follow me on Pinterest, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)  
• Pin an image from this post to share the giveaway on Pinterest (leave a comment)   
• Follow me on Twitter, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 

• Share this post on Twitter using this tweet:

I just entered to win @injinji socks from @TheHappyRunner http://tinyurl.com/byvz5av #giveaway

• Follow me on Instagram (felicepd), or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 
• Link to this giveaway from your blog  (leave a comment)  

This giveaway will run through Tuesday, January 29 at 11:59pm EST and the winner will be announced on Wednesday.

Good luck!

~ Felice

Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post and the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Shutterfly giveaway!

There are some companies I just really enjoy working with and Shutterfly is one of them. I have used Shutterfly for my photos for the past six years -- from photo books and Christmas cards to birthday invitations and regular old prints. The web site is easy to use, they have a wide variety of products, they ship quickly and they produce good quality items. I've been pleased with them every time I've used them.

So, this year, I'm heading back to order by Christmas cards from Shutterfly yet again. They have a ton of cards to choose from and right now I'm leaning toward these two:

I love the colorful designs on the black-and-white photos. Now I just need to get my kids to cooperate for a photo shoot!

Check out the Special Offers page on Shutterfly for some more good ideas. 

And if you'd like, enter my giveaway!

The Giveaway!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.


Thanks to Shutterfly, one lucky reader will win $50 to spend on the site (does not include shipping and cannot be combined with other promos)! Order up some holiday cards! Or thank you notes. Or whatever you'd like. With $50 to spend, you can kinda go crazy :-)

To enter:

Leave me a comment letting me know you'd like to win. That's it!

Additional entries:

As always, you can gain extra entries. Remember, though, you must complete the required entry first! (Leave one comment per entry for the additional ones to count):

• Follow this blog, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 
• Follow me on Pinterest, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)  
• Pin an image from this post to share the giveaway on Pinterest (leave a comment)   
• Follow me on Twitter, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 

• Share this post on Twitter using this tweet:

Win $50 to spend on Shutterfly from @TheHappyRunner http://tinyurl.com/cyun3uz #giveaway

• Follow me on Instagram (felicepd), or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 
• Link to this giveaway from your blog  (leave a comment)  

This giveaway will run through Tuesday, October 23rd at 11:59pm EST and the winner will be announced on Wednesday.

Good luck!

~ Felice

Disclaimer: This is a compensated post but all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

b-leve! (review and giveaway)

I'm on a roll with the hair care products.

Most recently, I was invited to try shampoo, conditioner and body wash from the new b-leve line, available at Price Chopper. I chose the b-hydrated shampoo and conditioner, and opted for the b-refreshed body wash.

I've tried out all three products several times and I have mixed reviews. I like the shampoo -- the scent is mild and similar to the types of shampoo used at salons. It works well. And I like the body wash. It is light, produces just the right amount of suds and, like the shampoo, the scent is mild. The conditioner, on the other hand, was a miss.

Now, as I've mentioned before, I'm a conditioner addict. My hair does not work well without it. So, I've tried pretty much every conditioner out there. OK, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration but not much. Seriously. I've tried a ton of the stuff.

Some of it works, a lot of it doesn't.

The b-leve conditioner just didn't quite cut it for me. I liked the scent and it felt good when I rubbed it over my hair. However, it left my hair all sorts of tangled every time I used it. To me, that's a miss. It could very well be just a mismatch of my hair's texture and the conditioner that I chose; the conditioner could be fine for someone with different hair. It simply didn't work for me.

Overall, two thumbs up and one down.

The giveaway!

Would you like to try the b-leve line out for yourself? I have three coupons for free shampoo, conditioner and body wash to give away, courtesy of Price Chopper. One lucky reader will win all three.

To enter:

Leave me a comment and let me know that you'd like to win. Please have access to a Price Chopper so you can actually use the coupons (you can search locations HERE).

Additional entries:

As always, you can gain extra entries. Remember, though, you must complete the required entry first! (Leave one comment per entry for the additional ones to count):

• Follow this blog, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 
• Follow me on Pinterest, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)  
• Pin the image from this post to share the giveaway on Pinterest (leave a comment)   
• Follow me on Twitter, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 

• Link to this giveaway from your blog  (leave a comment)  

This giveaway will run through Friday, October 12th at 11:59pm EST and the winner will be announced on Saturday.

Good luck!

~ Felice

Review disclaimer: I was sent coupons for free product to review. I was not otherwise compensated and the opinions expressed are entirely my own.