Sunday Night Slalom

I'm not the biggest fan of Sunday night runs around the neighborhood for one reason: garbage.  Everyone puts out their cans the night before pick-up, which is Monday here, and the garbage just plain stinks.  Not only do I have to hold my breath a lot, but I have to zig zag around these cans in order to stay on the sidewalk.  It's hard work!  Thankfully it's winter and the garbage smell isn't too bad, but MAN, in the summer...oh brother.  It's awful.  I can't even do an outdoor evening run in the summer months.

Tonight's run wasn't all that bad though, despite the presence of trash.  The frogs were out in full force, singing away.  It's been months since I've heard them!  I was very happy to hear that familiar chatter. :)  And, I took my Nike Lunaracers out for a spin.  It's been awhile since they've kissed pavement, and they were eager to go fast.

Today I saw Gus's rich/popular/sleek big brother at the Seattle Boat Show.  He was just chilling on top of a yacht like it was no big deal.  What a show off!  I'm glad Gus didn't come with me because there might have been some heated exchange of words about how Big Bro missed Christmas and doesn't call Mom as much as Gus does...you get the picture. Siblings...

Anyway, the Boat Show is a tradition I have with my Dad every year.  It's only the two of us, and it's our "bonding day."  This is probably the fourth or fifth time that we've done this, and it's just something fun that we look forward to. :)

That was my adventure for the day.  After the 4.2 miles I ran this evening, January's total is 120.46 miles!  WOW.  This is the most I've run in a month, I believe. Woohoo!

**Sunday Shout-Outs**
Amanda: Way to rock 7 miles on a treadmill!  HOLLA!
Morgan & B.O.B.: Awesome job on the 22.5 miler on Saturday!
Casey:  She's going back to work tomorrow after her 3 month leave...go give her some love (& see how adorable Violet is!) 
Molly: Happy Birthday!!
Penny:  A HUGE congrats to your new Half Fanatic status.  #302!  (I'm envious!)
Lauren:  Congrats on your 5K PR, girlie!  
Rachael:  I think your bald eagle, Carl, and my bald eagle, Sam, should be best friends.  Let's have them meet for salmon sushi, say, next week?  I'll have his people call your people. :)

Gus Saves the Day

Again, trusty 'ol Gus was eager for the 11 miler this morning with Mel and Kerrie...totally located a satellite like a pro. :)  He also was the only Garmin that was turned back on after some brief water stop pauses.  Heh heh.  Everyone wanted his stats!  Actually, not everyone, but a couple people forgot to hit the "resume" button.  Super Gus!

This Saturday long run was very similar to the run two weeks ago when I first became a Ninja Running Bandit on the trail with Mel and her training group.  This means that Kerrie and I were running a little late and I had to speed/sprint my way past all the other training peeps and try to catch up to Amazon Tall Mom Mel.  EEK!  A couple times I looked at Gus and saw numbers that started in 7.  Like 7:45 and 7:52.  Oh goodness, how far ahead was she?  Let's just say that after 2.5 miles I had to yell "MEL!" when I seriously could not go the last 100 feet to catch up.  I was dying.  Luckily she heard me and slowed down, but after saying our "hellos" she said something that made me see stars: "We're going a different route today:  It's got more hills."

Excuse me?  Did you mention the H word in that sentence?

Oh crap.

After briefly stopping before the monster hill to stretch my knee, I felt a million times better--stars were gone.  That's when a fellow marathon runner-in-training named Janna started to run with us.  She's hilarious!  We ran "three abreast" (as Tall Mom stated) for the remainder of the run (approx. 6 miles).  Mel and I had planned on 11 miles, so Janna was game and went with us.  At the turnaround for the other runners we ran into a super speedy Kerrie at mile 5, who snapped a pic by sprinting ahead and telling us to slow down. :)

 

Janna, me, Mel

Besides race pics, this is the first time I've had my picture taken on a training run.  Ah yes, felt like a rockstar. The rest of the miles flew by with fun conversation and laughter.  It was a successful 11 miles!

 

Ta DA!

Unfortunately, there was no Sam the Eagle sightings today. *sigh*  Apparently that date he had a few weeks ago must've been major because he's been spending all the time with her.  Geez, bros before ho's, Sam.

Thank you Mel and Kerrie!  The Ninja Running Bandit strikes again! Mwa ha ha ha!

Knee Pain Explained & Other Musings

As I mentioned briefly in my last post, I believe I may know the culprit of my behind-the-knee pain...bad posture at work!  Let me explain a little.  I sit at a computer all day, and one of my preferred ways to sit is with my left leg on the chair, under my right leg.  This creates a strain in the knee, especially after long periods of time.  Coupled with a little slouching (which, by the way, I'm completely exaggerating in the following photo. Maybe.), this is a knee no-no:

See how this can put unnecessary strain on that knee???  Ah HA!  Possible culprit identified!  So, I have decided to make a conscious effort to avoid this sitting position even though it's comfy.  *sigh*

This is the proper way to sit:

 

Ding ding ding!  Winnah!

Even though this will not be an easy task, we shall see if this relieves that pesky pain.  If it does, or helps even the slightest bit, then I will avoid a doctor visit because I'm a freakin' genius.  Or, um, something like that... :)

Let's move on, shall we?  To today's AWESOMENESS...

• I sported my brand new Punk Rock Racing hat (courtesy of PunkRockRunner) on my 4 miler tonight.  Love it!  It's lightweight and soft, perfect for keeping my swishy ponytail off my face. 

Sorry, it's backwards.

• Gus was totally loving the fact I was running outside today and only took two seconds to locate a satellite.  I thought it was a fluke so I turned him off and then back on, but nope...two seconds again.  Alright!  Someone's been missing me.
• Tried my Champion High Impact sports bra and holy crap, my girls did not budge.  It's a wee bit on the tight side, but I guess that's where the "High Impact" stuff comes into play.  Full review soon...
• Guess what was waiting for me in my mailbox from Tall Mom Mel???  A SEMI!  Oh noooooooo!  Well, at least this one holds candy and I can fling it across a room if I need to. ;)  Thank you, Mel!

Happy Thursday everyone!

Day-o-Rest...Again

I did not run today.  I drank Rolling Rock beer and ate cheap (but insanely yummy) Dick's Drive-In hamburgers.  Why?  It would be my Mum's 56th birthday, and every year my family just gets together and does what we do best: laugh and hang out.  I'll take this rest day, for sure. :)

Yup, that's my momma back in the '80s

OH!  I had a complete "Ah HA!" moment last night regarding the pain behind my left knee when I'm running...I'm testing out the theory and I'll post about it tomorrow.  It could be the culprit!

Lastly, I am thoroughly enjoying everyone's funny "bag" stories!  A lot to do with random, abandoned food.  Ha ha!  Love it.  And welcome to all my new blog peeps--I'm so happy to meet you!

G'Night!

All About the BAG Giveaway

Confession: I'm a bag junkie. 

My husband calls me the "bag lady" because I've got a purse/tote/sack/satchel for everything, and they can be found everywhere in our house. But I know that I'm not alone (you know who you are!), and so in honor of this obsession, I'm hosting a giveaway for not one, but TWO of the following:

The Michael Kors Gorgeous Weekender Bag!  Hurray!

Two lucky peeps get to stash their workout clothes, knick knacks, daily essentials, or diapers (for the babies of course, unless, well, someone else needs them...hee hee) in this awesome bag!  Guys: You can win too...Valentine's Day is coming up and this bag has plenty of room for chocolates, er, um, I mean Chocolate GU and healthy foods.  Unless of course, you want to sport it yourself.  I'm not judging. ;)  Rock on!

Here's how to enter:
(1 comment = 1 entry each) 

"Required" entry: 
Become a follower of this blog & let me know (1 entry)

Additional entries:

• Link to this giveaway on your blog, Twitter (include @RunZoeRun), and/or Facebook.  Let me know in a comment (1 entry each, 3 possible)

• Tell me a funny story that involves a bag/handbag/gym bag, etc (1 entry)

That's a total of 5 possible entries...sweeeeet.

The giveaway will end next Tuesday 2/2, winners announced on Wednesday the 3rd.  And, to be fair, you can only win one of these totes...gotta share the love. :)

And I Ran

Yesterday morning I woke up with a mean sore throat, and defeated, I texted Tall Mom Mel and told her I wouldn't make it to the 10 miler. Grrrr.  I didn't like that feeling of bowing out.  But the extra rest did help and by noon I was feeling up for a run.  A LONG run.  My mileage has been weird all week, so to make up for it I decided to run the entire Soos Creek trail, then back again.

Instead of the usual running top I would sport, I decided it would be the perfect time to try out my new Champion Double Dry long sleeved top.  It's the color of lemons and as soft as cashmere--incredible!  I will post a full review soon...but it didn't disappoint!   

I grabbed my Nathan Fuelbelt, iPhone, sunglasses, 3 Clif Shot Bloks, my ID/debit card, and a Vanilla Orange GU Roctane and hopped in my car.  My plan was to try the Roctane on my way there.  Oh boy.  Not a good flavor experience.  I think I'll stick to the flavors that could pass as frosting or pudding because all I could think about while sucking on that GU packet was that I was eating orange snot.  Snot with a twist of vanilla--not the creamsicle I was hoping for.  Yuck.  But, in its defense, I feel that it gave me a great boost.  
It turned out to be a really beautiful day for running.  There were quite a few people on the trail: a lot of walkers, some runners, some hardcore backpacking hikers...wait, what?  Yeah...there was this large group of people that had these backpacking packs on--not DAY packs or school backpacks, but serious camping backpacks with sleeping bags and tents.  Um, ok.  I didn't think there was a campsite around.  I could be wrong?  But they were really nice and let me pass them twice.  Hmmm, that was interesting. 

During the run, I'm thinking of what Mel was saying about how the trail reminded her of the swamp in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.  Creepy!  So, I was constantly checking the sides of the trail for scary dead people!  Well, not really, but you get the idea.

Towards the end of the run, my ankles were acting up a little, so I stopped to stretch them out a couple times and they were fine (weird).  The New Balance 1225s are strange to me still, and I'm feeling like I'm stomping, especially downhill.  I'm still giving them a try...

Day 3 of New Shoes

Gosh, I'm such a girl.  These past dozen or so posts seem to talk about shoes shoes and more shoes.  What can I say?  I love shoes.  Especially running shoes that fit well and make me feel like a million bucks.  However, still trying to decide if these New Balance 1225s are working out...

On the one hand, my ankles have not been achy/sore after running.  WIN!

On the other hand, my knees feel more creaky and my big toe gets this weird pain.  FAIL.

GAH!  It's only been three days of running in them, so I'll give them another two or so.

Reading everyone's responses to the Tell Me About Yourself post still makes me laugh.  For some reason, a lot of you thought I said would you EAT eagle poo for a thousand dollars...but I said roll around in it.  Geez people!  I would give you a heck of a lot more than a grand to eat Sam the Bald Eagle's poo.  Good grief.  :P  Hilarious.

Not much else to report today besides a 4 mile treadmill run.  Woohoo.  I miss running outside.  Tomorrow perhaps?  OH!  But I did receive some gear from Champion and can't wait to test it out!  
Also, a giveaway to check out:
Tall Mom Mel is giving away a tutu from my.little.pink.dots!

Homemade Hills & Blog Love

You know, of the treadmill variety?  Yeah, I did those today.  Holy crap!  Ran 2 minutes of 3% then ran 2 minutes of 7% inclines on the treadmill--for 40 minutes.  I think I might have sweat the equivalent of my body weight.  It was like a race!  But in the end, it's extremely rewarding and I felt very powerful after conquering those indoor hills.  Boo ya!

Speaking of rewarding, I received a little blog love from my dear running buddy, Kerrie, when she passed me the following blog award:

To accept this award, I must reveal 7 facts about myself and then pass it along to 7 bloggers.  It's like an award baton!  Alrighty then:

1. I was the only person in the world with my name.  Then I got married and my last name changed.  Now, it's not so unique.  Bummer...
2. I have five amazing siblings that I would do anything for.  I love them to pieces.
3. I love sci-fi books and movies, but I'm seriously not a fan of aliens (the ones that are green, with almond-shaped eyes and oval heads...hate them...they ruin things for me). 
4. There are two extra bones in my right foot, and one in my left.
5. My most embarrassing moment involved: senior year in HS, a rubber duck squirt toy, the entire swim team watching, me demonstrating a dive, my butt being squirted with said toy duck, me belly flopping hardcore.  Caused: Extreme blushing, shame, hiding underwater in the deep end, and plans for redemption (or revenge?).  
6. I read magazines backwards, starting at the back and working my way to the front. 
7. My "stripper" name (the name of your first pet + your mom's maiden name) is Rainbow Fish.  No joke. And my first pet was a fish. *sigh*

Passing the virtual Beautiful Blogger baton:

Lara at Saturday Morning Zen 

Sarah at Brunette on the Run 

Joanna at Fitness & Spice 

Jeri at JerBear Shares 

Penny (& Velcro) at Planet Ynnep Running 

Rachael at The Beginning Runner's Blog 

Melissa at Melissa's Adventures in Living Life 

...So, what's your "stripper" name? :)

Shoe Evolution

Weekend Recap Part Two

Wow.

Kayano 15s Before

Kayano 15s After

I don't know about you, but my shoes were kicked!  Poor little Asics lasted since August, keeping my feet protected through my first Half and many many races.  Alas, it's time to move on and find a better match.  Do you know what I've been missing lately??  Traction!  See how the treads on the right are completely missing?  No wonder I felt like I was ice skating while running in the NW rain!  Ah HA!  I totally run on my toes, striking on the outside of my foot.  This is where my old Kayano 14s were really worn down.  So, this is a test.  I had to bid a very fond, tearful (ok, not quite) farewell to Asics to try out some...

New Balance 1225s!!

Hello pretty ladies!

We shall see how these babies like the NW terrain. ;)  I'm going to run these to the ground!

This time the quest for a new shoe was a little different.  I had a Dog help me.  A Shoe Dog!  The local Road Runner Sports store has the whole treadmill & computer setup for foot/gait analysis and I was persuaded (actually demanded) by Liz to go get analyzed.  It was pretty interesting actually.  After showing off my "lovely" bare feet (with only three toes polished on each foot...an awesome trick for peep-toe heels), I walked over a little pad on the floor to have each foot scanned.  The result was intriguing, especially since the Road Runner guy said my arches were high.  Really?  I thought I was in the middle range.  Hmmm.  Also, my walking gait was also more centered than I thought.

Then I hopped on a treadmill in my jeans and bare feet for the video portion of the analysis.  I knew that this would be WAY different than just walking. I was right.  My ankles cave inwards, aka "over" pronation...ouch!  Watching the video in slow motion just made me cringe! 

Run run run...

Ouch!

But, guess what shoes were suggested?  Gel Kayanos!  But, since mine have been wearing out a lot, fairly quickly, I decided to try a new brand just in case.  Thus, the New Balances were selected.  Of course I had to admire the Kayanos (old 15s and new 16s) side-by-side...pink is so pretty!  Yeah yeah, I know it's not supposed to be how it looks, but the fit. 

But the pink is still pretty...

A Late Weekend Recap: Part 1

Saturday AM:
Ran with Tall Mom Mel on the trail, but this time I had to be super sneaky and blend in with her Fleet Feet training group. I was a ninja bandit!  I originally wore a short sleeve tee under my vest, but then I saw all the other runners with their earmuffs and long sleeved jackets...and I thought I'd "blend in" more with my black Nike track jacket. However, the change of clothes made me miss the start of the running pack. Crap! I had to catch up with TALL Mom, not short-legged Mom, but Amazon woman Mel. And of course she's a speedy one, so here I am passing all of the slower runners and dodging fallen tree branches to catch up to Mel somewhere in the crowd. I'm sure the other runners were like "slow down! this isn't a RACE, you moron!" or "dammit, she's making me look bad!" Hee hee. I'd like to think that people were admiring my leaping gazelle-like skills to catch up to Mel, but in truth, I was running HARD that first 1.5 - 2 miles! Um, nearly BQ pace and I was all out of breath when I FINALLY caught up to her. She had found a buddy in a speedy red jacket and matching hat named Jennifer (what a cool woman, too!). All three of us managed to chat for a couple miles until Jennifer realized that she was way ahead of her goal pace for the day. So, off fresh-legged Mel (she had missed running a few days and she was itching to go fast) and not-so-fresh-legged me ran until the 5 mile turnaround.

We believe we heard Sam the Bald Eagle , but no sightings of our large friend.  We pretended like he was getting ready for a hot date with a "chick" he knows from the neighborhood.  Yeah, they had reservations at "La Rivière" for some salmon sushi.  Not sure if Sam used the Rogaine like we suggested, because dude, that bird is losing some up top. ;)

The rest of the 10 miler was nice, but exhausting.  I was straight up beat after the run and my ankles were bugging me.  Hmmm...perhaps it's because of my worn Asics Kayanos?  Mel stayed with her training group and stretched/chatted while I made my way to my car.  Oh brother, nearly passed out because I was a little lightheaded.  Thank goodness for the H2O waiting for me.

So that was pretty much my Saturday!  Just a long run with a great running buddy.

Sunday is NEXT...

Blame it on the Pop!

Current song/music video obsession for treadmill runs--Blame it on the Pop by DJ Earworm. It's a wicked awesome mash of all the hits from 2009. Total ear candy. Check it:

 I think I've watched this video at least 100x in the past two weeks. Obsessed much?  It makes me want to move.

Anyway, this week is still weird.  Looking forward to the weekend and another longer(ish) run.  I'm totally digging everyone's race recaps from this past weekend!  So many awesome race results!  Way to go peeps!

The Michael Kors giveaway is still under construction.  I'm having trouble figuring out how to ship it!  Ha ha!  Yeah, thought I'd add a little teaser in there somewhere.

G'night!

To the Point

Bullet point post. Word.

• This week has been pretty draining, and it's not even over yet!  My knee has been bothering me, and perhaps it's because of my Asics getting worn down. :(  Hmmm.  I have to work on that!   
  
• Oooo!  Go check out my buddy Sarah over at Brunette on the Run.  She's new to blogging, but not to running.  Her first half marathon was the same as mine--the Seattle Half Marathon back in November!  Go say HI and tell her Zoë sent you. ;) 
• Giveaways:
  Teamarcia at Running Off at the Mouth's i Declare! Giveaway - ends 1/22
  Dorothy at Mile Posts January Music Contest
  Katye's Big Giveaway/Raffle to Benefit Ulman Cancer Fund
  
  
  
• I perhaps/might/definitely/for sure have a giveaway of my own soon.  **Hint** Does anyone like Michael Kors?
  

For Charlie...

Found out a guy I've known for over two years passed away on Christmas Day from a freak accident. I had no idea why I hadn't seen him in over two weeks. It SUCKS.

So, I took out my anger/frustration (of losing someone before his time) on a 4 miler. I ran 4.27 miles in 36 minutes. Of course, during this run, a stupid little black & white dog had to run across the two lane street to bark at me and try and bite my legs. I freakin' yelled at that dog and he retreated. I was in NO MOOD to be messed with. So much was going through my mind. It sucked.

These past two days have been weird, and this was just the icing on the cake. My coworker and I are pretty bummed. :(

Charlie, you rocked. You'll be missed for sure, dude.

Tell Me About Yourself

I am completely amazed that I have 84 people that admit to reading my blog!  So, since I ramble a lot and talk about my adventures, I want to hear from you guys.  :)

Do you have a fun nickname?   
Do you have a blog?    
And, just for giggles--what would you do for $1000?  (eat bugs, wrestle with pandas, jump into a pile of bald eagle poo, etc...)

Ready? GO!

 And in true "random" fashion, I leave you with a picture of my cat, Murphy.  This is where I found him when I got home from work last July, when it was a record 102 degrees.  Indoor temp was 88 degrees, and Murphy was a cat puddle.  He didn't even move to greet me. Poor thing. ;)

Mush is a Funny Word

My mind is mush today.  I've been battling a weird headache, and I think it's because I drove A LOT this afternoon.  Instead of a run, I helped out my big sister with some stuff for eBay.  I got to wear some funky/weird/crazy outfits!  It was pretty interesting.  My sister is really amazing at putting outfits together and styling...I think she would be an awesome personal stylist. ;)

So anyway, I took a rest day.  Well, my right foot didn't get any rest. 

Yesterday, however, was a different story.  It included a faster 10 miler with Mel in the AM...

This time around we were going for a little speed--say, sub 9:00 pace.  Oh brother!  We both felt sluggish during the first couple of miles, but slowly got our groove. The weather was completely cooperating with us and decided to be overcast, but not shed a drop of rain.  There was the usual array of animals, including the same bald eagle from two weeks ago (I think we should give him a name).  See him up in that tree?  Mel spotted him in the beginning, and he was in the exact same spot on the way back.  We both wondered if it was good luck to be pooped on by a bald eagle.  I'm sure it is.  I mean, who can say "Yeah man, today I got crapped on by a bald eagle."  Probably not too many people.  However, from that height, I'm sure his poo could have given us a concussion.  It's most likely the size of a golf ball, and with that kind of velocity....well, you get the picture.  So, even though we came out of this run bald eagle poo free, it still would've been funny. ;)

There were definitely more 50-something overweight fishermen on bikes on the trail that day.  Apparently Mel and I didn't get the memo to give us a heads up on the resolution/my-wife-is-making-me-ride-this-stupid-bike crowd.  Some were friendly, some were grumpy, some were wheezing from the increased exertion, but all of them looked a little "out of place" (but in an endearing sort of way).  Very interesting...

So, the end of the run was the fastest, surprisingly (8:23 pace!).  We ran a total of 10 miles (10.03 per Gus, the overachiever) in 1:27:34, with an average pace of 8:43.  Woot!  It was difficult but very rewarding!  Thanks Mel!

 Oooo!  How about naming the eagle "Sam" just like the Muppet character?





**Sunday Shout-Outs** 
Katye: Finished her first half marathon...at Disney World
Liz: Ran her longest run to date: 8 miles! 
Ron:  Finished a small 10 mile race in Cali, and has rad hair. 
Lindsay: Gave up a free race entry to Penny just because.  Props!  But, she's feeling homesick, so go give her some love when you get the chance...
Penny:  Ran the inaugural 13.1 LA race today, and also gave up an entry to a trail race to Aron!  Running bloggers are the sweetest. :)
Amanda:  She's going to start running again this week!  Go leave her some comment love when you can.  Goooo Amanda!
Sarah:  This crazy/awesome chick ran TWO half marathons this weekend.  Congrats!

AND a HUGE "WOO HOO!" to all of the Disney runners & Goofies!!  Great job!

  

I AM an Athlete

I don't win races, but I always cross the finish line. I'm not fast, but I try my best to become faster. I don't have sports endorsements or earn a paycheck, but that doesn't stop me from running. My pace does not define me.

I am an athlete. I am a runner.

Just because "professional" does not precede "athlete" in describing me doesn't make my running any less valuable. I am an everyday athlete; leading a normal life, but with big goals and dreams. :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let’s talk nostalgia for a moment...
I’ve been a fan of Champion apparel since Middle School gym class. You know the cotton basketball shorts I’m talking about? Mine were navy blue with an elastic/drawstring waist. I ran track and completed races in my trusty navy Champion shorts. I wore those shorts until they were not so elastic anymore. And, my first real sports bra was from Champion’s line as well. Yeah, they had me covered. ;) I’ve kind of grown up around their products and the brand made me feel, well, like a Champion…

This makes me pretty excited about this particular athletic brand. Did you know that they make really affordable apparel for Target called C9 by Champion? If you haven’t checked out this line, then you must. I sported their cold weather compression shirt for the Seattle Half Marathon last November, and one of my favorite sports bras comes from their line that’s only $16.99. For a girly girl like me, having a lot of running clothing options is very important. It’s not just about the look, but the performance, and Champion has the right idea.

You see, Champion Athleticwear is a company that works towards meeting the needs of runners just like me. Not only do they provide comfortable, affordable and durable athletic apparel, they listen to the feedback of the people that use their products most—the everyday athlete. One of the ways the company utilizes consumer feedback is through a program called the Champion Innovation Lab.

The Champion Innovation Lab underscores the brand’s heritage in competitive sports while bringing to life its "How You Play" mantra through the experiences of real, everyday athletes. This year, the 2010 Innovation Lab works with nearly half of the "Perfect 17," those who have participated in the Disney Marathon Weekend since its inception 17 years ago, as well as runners, race-walkers and wheelchair athletes from all skill levels, to test Champion Athleticwear.

Currently underway in Florida, Champion is one of the official sponsors of the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. Who’s running this awesome race series? I know I will be looking into the Goofy's Race & a Half Challenge for the future, because who wouldn’t want to run nearly 40 miles in a weekend? But hey, you get three prestigious medals and at least a full month of bragging rights. ;)

See the Champion Innovation Lab athletes take on the Walt Disney World Half Marathon on Saturday, January 9th and the full marathon on Sunday, January 10th which will take runners through all four Walt Disney World® Theme Parks starting at Epcot®, continuing on to the Magic Kingdom® Park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ and then back to Epcot® for an exhilarating finish.

For more information, please visit http://www.championusa.com/ and http://www.disneysports.com/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’m just getting revved up here, as there might be a chance for a wicked cool giveaway sponsored by Champion! Yay!  Stay tuned...

Win!

The '80s called.  They want their running outfit back...

but I'm keeping it!  

5.6 miles with the new Lunaracers and they worked out pretty darn well.  I just felt like going fast the entire time, and my pace ended up being 8:12!  Towards the end of the run, the sides of my feet were feeling a little raw/blistery, but overall, the shoes seemed to hold up.  Extremely lightweight.  I think I've found my new racing shoes! 

Sassy Shoes!

Well, hello there, little Nikes!

Check out my sweet new running slippers shoes, in all of their grey and neon yellow glory.  Luckily the local Nike Town had my size in stock and accepted my exchange with ease.  These babies were in my hands within minutes of stepping foot in the store, and I felt like a giddy little girl after I found the right size.  *sigh*

I tested them out last night on the treadmill, and so far so good!  Yes, I am sans socks, simply because the shoes spoke to me and said they were soft enough (and I believed them!).  And wow, they felt like nothing at all.  I only went the first two miles with them on, and it really felt like I was running on my toes and on air.  Very cool.  The last two miles were with my trusty Asics Kayano 15s...poor things felt like bricks after the Lunaracers. :(  But they are my fave shoes and I'm a loyal Asics fan.  It was really weird because I was thinking/focusing on my stride a lot last night, and I do run mostly on my toes (and consequently, that's the fastest part to wear out on any of my shoes)...only a little on my heels.  Trust me, I tried doing some strides striking with my heel first, but I felt/looked like a goob. I think I may have to video tape it for a good laugh. :)

On a side note, my Lunaracers remind me of Coach Fish.  He's quite the minimalist when it comes to running shoes (and has a gazillion different pairs he rotates), and sometimes he doesn't wear socks.  Plus, he seems to gravitate towards bright colors.  Another Coach connection. :)  Hurray!

*Random Fact about me: The first place that drips sweat on a run is my inner elbows. Weird huh?

My song of choice for the WMMC is "Til I Collapse" by Eminem.  HAHA!  How appropriate!  Makes me want to kick some major butt.  Still going strong with this challenge.  I'm loving this!

Not Much of a Read Today

On my last post I mentioned weight training, but I realized I didn't quite clarify what I do.  Well, that's not very helpful...and this post won't be either. :P  But I will explain very soon.

In the meantime, Whittle My Middle is still going on.  I haven't given up yet!  WIN!
WMMC Day 4:
Front plank: 90 secs
Side plank: 45 secs each side
Torso twists: 4 x 15 reps
Plank ups: 12 reps
Boat pose: 2 x 20 reps
Bicycle: 2 x 25 reps
Side plank w/ twists: 10 reps each side

Run: 4 miles, 33 minutes, 3% incline on treadmill
Weights: 15 minutes

And lastly, guess what came in the mail for me today????  My last Christmas present from Trav...
Nike Lunaracers!!  Oh goodness!  They're wicked awesome and light as a slipper!  But, unfortunately they're a size 6.5 and I'm a 7 in running shoes.  Bummer!  I have to wait again for an exchange.  I really wanted to just try them out even with scrunched toes...but I thought it wouldn't be the best idea. Stupid brain telling my feet what not to do. GAH!

They're grey with neon yellow soles.  Sweeeet. 

By the way, thank you for all of the kind words of encouragement on my Strength & Muscles post.  Honestly, I was not trying to phish for comments or flattery at all.  I'm not much of a "show my stomach" kind of gal anymore (that was so 2001, ha ha!).  This is strictly for core strength and so far I can feel it working! Apparently a certain co-worker of mine checks out my blog and I didn't know it & gave me some friendly crap for my measurements.  :)  What's up C??  How about some 25 cent coffee tomorrow AM?  Hee hee.

Strength & Muscles

Here's the scoop: I'm wicked sore from lifting weights this weekend, and of course, running 10 hilly miles with Mel.  You know what got me?  Squats with 65 lbs.  Wow.  I don't even like the word "squat."  Seriously though, I know that it's really important to have your muscles be strong as a runner...especially those legs and core.  Since I don't have set resolutions, I am just aiming on lifting whenever Trav and Jeff do.  Um, just look at these crazies:

My husband, Travis, and our friend/lifting buddy, Jeff...that's 80 lbs on a dumbbell!

These guys know what they're doing and they are incredibly dedicated.  I've dubbed Trav my "Lifting Coach," so he's been telling me what I should work on for the day.  Today was a Rest Day because both of us feel like we were flattened by a giant rolling pin (or nekkid semi, perhaps??).  Holy soreness!  However, I am continuing with the Whittle My Middle challenge by Oh She Glows.  So far I'm on Day 3, and it's a fantastic burn!

Now, please don't judge/laugh/scoff when I put this into writing.  At my starting point I needed to record my measurements and I want to keep track of them here, along with my before pictures.  I'm just looking to increase some core strength.  I believe that I am at  an ideal weight for my body and plan on staying here.

Before:

"Smallest" part of waist: 26.5 inches

"Widest" part of waist (couple inches below belly button): 35 inches

Hips: 36 inches

Tomorrow, I run. :)

Runner Profile: Meet Lauren

2009 was a big year for Lauren. Not only did she run her first 5K race back in April '09, she also married the love of her life last February! She's come a long way with running and has big plans for this year, including the RnR Half in Nashville. Her strength and confidence and general HAPPINESS about being a runner is very inspiring. She's one tough cookie! Be sure to check out her running adventures on her blog, Team Giles.

1. What is your favorite stretch?
I’m pretty simple for stretching; a solid runner’s lunge is a really great start to a run

2. Do you have any pre-race rituals?
For morning runs I have to have a good breakfast and hot tea 30 minutes prior to a run. A half a bagel with peanut butter and green tea has always worked well on my stomach. After I gear up, I stretch and then start walking for a bit to get my legs moving

3. What motivates you to run?
Many things actually. Seeing other people running, reading blogs about runners, and knowing that I am ABLE to run. I used to be the "fat girl" and always made excuses of why I couldn't do this and that... and now I choose not to use excuses. I tell myself I'm healthy, happy and very able to run and once I set my mind to that, I'm beyond motivated

4. When did you start running?
April 2009. Signed up for a 5k walk/run with my husband and his family and was so completely hooked after that, that I haven't stopped

5. Running shoe of choice?
Nike's. {but I'm thinking of trying a different brand.. shh don't tell Nike

6. Best advice received:
Slow down. Don't over do it, and get your breathing into a rhythm and my favorite: Run for you, not to impress the person next to you.

7. What do you think about when running?
My mind is one big book of lists. I'm a list maker. So when I'm running I can sort through everything.

8. What is something you cannot run without?
WATER. I drink water like a camel anyway, so going without it for a run I just panic. H2O comes with me :)

9. What race distance is your favorite?
5 miles. I'm still smiling and bouncing around at 5 miles. Anything past that, (so far) I'm like "when is this over!?"

10. Most outrageous running story you've heard or experienced?
Nothing too outrageous yet... but I don't run with an ipod when I'm outside {at the gym yes}, so when you're passing people I tend to listen in on their conversations, you learn some pretty hilarious stuff within those few moments of passing each other... like the other day, this lady was telling her friend "Oh my dad got snipped, snipped right after my sister was born, they weren't taking any more chances!" Oh the things you hear out there. Haha!

Check out Lauren's journey on Team Giles

Better Late Than Never!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Where in the world have I been, you wonder?  Well, cleaning/entertaining/running (a little)/working...blah blah blah.  No excuse though, especially since my last couple of posts were last year and made me look like a scorned trucker (I'll explain).  But I'm back and ready to start 2010 with more adventures...

Considering my first run of the new year was way less than exciting and ended with slightly less mileage than anticipated AND more walking (ugh).  The back of my left knee started acting up after this hill I tackled--with surprising ease, I might add.  Perhaps this is why I got "injured."  The hill jinxed me because I conquered it and even stuck my tongue out at it.  Yes, I think it cursed me.  Swell.  So what did I do?  I lifted weights with Travis and Jeff, which was a good idea at the time, but now I'm hurt and sore.  Can't win them all, I guess...

So enough of the woe-is-me attitude.  Let's recap the last few days:

• I had a fantastic New Year celebration at my house with some great friends, and the clean up was a breeze (score!).
• I decided to try Oh She Glows' Whittle My Middle challenge yesterday.  Holy smokes!  It's a doozy but hurts SO GOOD.  Definitely check it out, as it's a great core strengthening workout for runners. Going to complete Day #2 after this post. 
• Today was a long run with Tall Mom Mel again.  No, I swear I'm not stalking her and chasing her down the trail...we meet up on purpose. Mel, come ba-ack! Ha ha!  On the docket was 10 miles, which I was a wee bit nervous about because of the whole knee situation, but I seriously didn't want to disappoint my running buddy with some sub-par mileage.  Plus, I was determined to finish, even if it meant crawling through the last gravel part of the trail.  And, voila!, we did 10 miles!  I opted for walking up the bad parts of the last hill, aka "Hell Hill".  However Mel ran the entire thing!  That's her in the pic below, the tall speck:

This hill is in the last 1/2 mile of the run, and it sucks.  But it's a great feeling running up that hill. :)  Our total time, despite some walking, was 1:36:02.  Yay!  That brings my current year mileage to 13.5!  A half!

So, I promised to explain the whole reason I hate don't like nekkid semis.  As a kid, I spent a lot of time on the East Coast in an area where there were lots of arterial/two-way roads with no sidewalk.  The traffic wasn't bad at all, and so my little sisters and I would ride our bikes on the shoulder on a daily basis.  One particular time there was a lot of construction going on in the area and consequently a whole fleet of big, black, semi trucks carried dirt and supplies everywhere.  These trucks were MEAN looking and wicked LOUD, especially to a little girl on a purple bike that is mere inches away from the truck as it passes by.  Holy crap.  It scarred me for life.  And I think nekkid semis just conjure up those memories.  That's my story, yo. Go ahead and judge. :P

Just a couple things before I sign off on my first post of 2010:

I love my bloggy friends and am super grateful for each and every one of you.  Sometimes I wonder how you all even stand my ramblings. :)  You all rock!  Thank you so much!

If you have a Dailymile account, please add me as a friend!  I'm totally digging this site for tracking mileage.

Please check out miss Robin's first giveaway on Running Circles Around the Turtles.  She's rad. :)

**Sunday Shout-Outs**
Kerrie, Mel & Amanda:  Can't wait to run the Mercer Island Half with you!
Katye:  Happy 21st birthday, girlie!
Noah:  Thank you for making my day with your comment about how my blog makes you laugh.  Yay!
Rachael:  Thank you for the cute purple gloves and the NERDS.  They actually saved me today on my run.  The gloves, not the NERDS.  Those actually broke my tooth.  Gee, thanks for the broken tooth and warm hands!  Hee hee!  (Just playin')  ;)
Mary:  Got the Misto in the mail and it's wicked awesome!  Thanks!
Billy:  It's not a purse, it's called a satchel.  Indiana Jones wears one.