Thursday, April 13, 2017

That Time I Was On The Cover Of A Picky Bar

Running, running, Mom life, writing, running, oh hey Jerold (two ships sailing by in the night), Mom duty, running, eating, strength training, core work, hydrating, sleeping, Momming, writing and more running.

Repeat and do it all over again.

And then one day last month, I found out the coolest thing. Say what. Excuse me? You want to put my picture on the cover of a nutrition bar that I eat ALL the time. Please say that again, I don't think I heard you correctly.





I am pumped to tell you all the details of this awesome experience that I am beyond honored to be a part of!

Late last fall, I got a message from THE Lauren Fleshman (you know, bad ass, legendary, amazing runner. Yeah, preciscely.) who told me that they were very interested in using my picture for the cover of one of their bars. Would I give permission for them to use the image?
Um, that was a total no brainer.

This means so much more to me than just being on the cover of a bar. I love what Picky Bars stand for (whole, real food with zero crap. I can give it to my kids with a peace of mind and it's great fuel for marathon training!), and the fact that all three of the founders (Lauren Fleshman, Jesse Thomas, Steph Rothstein) are ridiculously talented athletes that put so much heart and soul into their sport. To be among the other athletes that they have chosen to be on other flavors of their bars, is a feeling that I can't seem to express enough with words. #elated

When we visited three US National Parks last year, I was in complete awe of the beauty and wonder of each location. We started at Bryce National Park, went on to Yellowstone and ended at Zion National Park. We had heard so many wonderful comments about The Narrows - a legendary spot in Zion and couldn't wait to see it for ourselves. Jerold and I were really happy with the progression of the trip and the kids were having a blast. It's been so interesting reflecting on this past decade of being a Mom (I still can't believe Josh is 10). My heart is always raw and I find myself deep in thought about my kids - are they happy? Are we giving them enough life experiences? Are we raising humble, respectful kids who love God, nature and the beauty of the world?

Can we move to Montana?



A river runs through it.



Majastic Ousel Falls in Big Sky


By the time we arrived in Zion, we all were filled with such joy - sun soaked, taking in the breathtaking nature of the Western United States, full of adventures in camping, hiking, biking, fishing (they caught rainbow trout in Big Sky!) and so much more.

When we finally arrived at The Narrows, the kids were blissfully happy to play in the water and as I looked up at the perfect blue sky, I knew this was a moment to capture. I quickly asked Jerold to snap the moment and he nailed it.




"Life is an adventure, go live it!"


At that time, I had no idea what "#lifepoints" was or that is was a popular hashtag created by Picky Bars. Early last fall, I stumbled upon Jesse Thomas's Instagram account and was captivated by the raw, beautiful photos he posted about life as a professional triathlete in gorgeous worldwide locales. I started using the hashtag in my photos that meant something unique and special to me, never knowing what would soon come.

I am so honored that Picky Bars chose me to be on the cover their Need For Seed bar and it will be something that I will forever treasure.
To celebrate, they sent me a huge box of the bars...


Picky Bars for days!

A very sweet note!



They also sent an incredible plaque with a replica of the bar (I'll share that pic soon!), so that I could have the keepsake to remember long after the bars were gone. Thanks so much Picky Bars, you guys are awesome!

As I prepare to run the Boston Marathon on Monday, I cannot wait to rip open the wrapper and sink my teeth into one of these delicious bars as part of my pre race meal.

What is your favorite Picky Bar flavor?


xo,
Natalie

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