Thursday Training Update

I seriously cannot believe that Chicago is 37 days away! I know that I say something to that effect every week, but to me just seems to be flying by!

Let's get down to the training.

Thursday was a beautiful day for 6 miles, the weather here is starting to cool down a bit in the morning which makes for much better running!



Friday was a rest day, but I met up with some ladies in my development for a trail hike, about 2.5 miles.



Saturday was long run day, and we did 16 miles. holy heck, it was rough at the end, but I did it. Then I rushed home to set up my Corn Hole Fundraiser, where I raised a little over $500!





Sunday was a rest day, but I did manage a 45 minute hike and 40 minutes of yoga.



Monday was a quick 3.1 mile run and another 4 mile walk on the trails with my local girls.



Tuesday, 5 miles with the running club. It was a pretty basic track workout, and another nice cool morning.



Wednesday was more yoga, which is really helping with my running, to prevent me from getting too tight, plus more corn hole.



Not a bad week. Today's run brought me soooooo close to 100 miles, but not quite!

Wordless Wednesday

50k Races and Yoga Teaching Certification

It's official now, y'all. I have registered and there is no going back! Training doesn't start until the winter, so I'll worry about it later!



I've been wanting to get certified to teach yoga for awhile now. It really helped me over the last couple of years with running related injuries and I want to share the love.
After talking with my dear friend Cathi, who is an amazing yoga teacher, I registered for the classes I need and will be taking my journey in just a couple of weeks!
So many exciting changes!

What is your favorite yoga pose?

Friday Training Update

Chicago is less than 45 days away! Tomorrow I have a 16 mile run followed by a Corn hole Tournament Fundraiser!Yikes!

Let's talk about training, so I don't freak out!

Thursday was my 6 year Runaversary. I ran 4 miles of hill repeats. It sucked. I lived. Seriously, though, I freaking hate hill repeats but they are so necessary. I felt pretty badass after I was done.



Friday was a rest day. I did 45 minutes of yoga to stretch out my achey muscles from those hill repeats!



I love Yoga with Adriene!

Saturday was a cut back week. Score! 10 miles of swampy running!





Sunday is a rest day, I did some yoga but that's about it.



Monday I ran 2 miles and did laps at the pool. The tri is coming up and I'm mostly ready!



Tuesday was a 4.1 mile run, it was really humid. I'm pretty much ready for "fall" which I put in quotes because in the South it's still pretty much summer in November!



Wednesday I was super lazy. I walked for about an hour and played Corn hole.



Thursday we did fartleks. Another necessity that I'm not a fan of. I'm not even sure why, except that I'm slow. I guess I should do more of them!



I'm off to shop for tomorrow's fundraiser! These are some of the prizes..... what do you think?

Eclipse Day 2017

How did you spend your Eclipse Day? The eclipse started here in SC at around 1:15 so I wanted to be sure to get all of my exercise done beforehand.



I started with a run. I planned on 3 miles, but I slept in and it was already super hot when I woke up!



I managed 2 very slow miles before I started noticing my form was bad. I decided that walking back was a better choice, so I cut it short at 2 miles and walked about a half mile back.

After a quick breakfast and a little stalling I put on my bathing suit and hit the pool for some laps. My triathlon is in a month and I'm definitely not ready! It's all good, I will finish, it might not be pretty, but I will finish.



Time to prep for the eclipse! We had lunch and made sure the dogs went out a bit before locking them in the house.



It was very cool to watch, the temperature dropped about 10 degrees, and it got a little darker. More like twilight, I guess.



We thought it would get darker, which was kind of a let down, but it was an amazing thing to witness. I'm so glad we lived so close to the path of totality.

Did you watch the eclipse?

I Chose My First 50k Race!

Omg y'all, I have chosen my first 50k race!
After contacting Mainly Marathons and finding out that Connecticut would be at the end of June in 2018, I have chosen Delaware as my first 50k!
It will be on May 8, with a much better chance of having good weather.
I found a training plan online and it's already written into my planner. That's just how I roll!
Ok Ultra Runners.... any books I should read, gear that I need? This will be less than a 2 mile loop, so I will probably not need a hydration backpack, which is nice.
I cannot believe I am doing this! I am dying to register and make it officially official, but registration isn't open yet.

What's the longest distance you've run?

Chicago Marathon Training Update

50 days until the Chicago Marathon, people! I'm still plugging along and following my training plan through my Charity Team. This weekend is a cut back week. These are my favorite weeks y'all. They always seem to come at a time when you are sure you cannot possibly carry on. Of course, that means that next week the mileage goes up, but I'll jump off that bridge when I get to it!

Okay, so last week's workouts....
We were in Jersey for part of the week, which meant that in order to get my steps I was mall walking and airport walking, but I did it. We got back Thursday afternoon and I just crashed.

Friday, 42 minutes of Hard Corps...



Saturday.... 14 mile long run. I did the first part with my training group and then the last 6 with some faster ladies. And by the last 6 I really mean 4. Because I walked two. This is why I tell my group to run your own pace. Trying to keep up only wears you out!



Sunday was a rest day. We went to a cavern and walked a bit, and I led a yoga DVD class in my neighborhood that night.



Monday.... 90 minutes of walking to get my steps for the Step Bet!



Tuesday... 5 miles on the track with my running group, plus 45 minutes of yoga with my neighborhood gals.



Wednesday.... Brick workout! 45 minutes on the bike and 2 miles in the neighborhood. Also did 22 minutes of Hard Corps and played corn hole. Whew!



Overall, a very good week with lots of variety. I am getting the hang of this!

My 6 Year Runaversary!

I cannot believe it's been 6 years since I began my journey as a runner. I started with the Couch to 5K app, and many days I didn't finish the workout as planned and had to repeat it!

That app eventually led to half marathon training, which led to marathon training.



Along the way I have met so many amazing friends and added to my running family.



I am constantly challenging myself, adding a new adventure every year. My next new adventure?



I will be running my first 50k in Connecticut in May. Yikes!



I'm looking forward to many more years of running. After all, if I last long enough I'll finally win an age group award!

How long have you been running?

Chicago Marathon Training with USA Pack Run Cap

I received a BUFF® USA Pack Run Cap as part of being a BibRave Pro (Ambassador) for the purposes of this review. Check out BibRave.com to read and write race reviews.



When you're running 3 or 4 times a week in the South, you're constantly searching for training gear that keeps you comfortable while also serving a purpose. I have a lot of running hats, as most female runners do (accessorize accessorize accessorize!) in all kinds of styles and colors. What makes this one different?



It's super lightweight, weighing in at only 1 ounce. When it's 85 degrees out with 90% humidity, this is super important.

When you're done with your run, you can shove this hat anywhere and it will regain it's shape when you take it out. I have crumpled this hat up and shoved it in a skirt pocket while I had iced tea at Starbucks after my long run.



UPF 50 protection, need I say more? It may be dark when I start my runs on Saturday but the sun is out when I'm done. That last hour can be brutal, and I'm thrilled to know that my hat can offer me extra protection.

The material is super fast wicking and keeps moisture from building up in your cap. Plus, the sweatband on the brim keeps perspiration out of your eyes. There is nothing worse than coming to the end of your run and having sweat pouring into your eyes. It's blinding, y'all.

The logo on the front and the tab in the back are reflective. I'm constantly raving about safety, people, so this is the most important detail for me. Running in the dark can be dangerous if you don't protect yourself. It's so vital to your safety to have reflective clothing. With drivers so distracted these days, you want to be sure that they can see you without having to look too hard!



There is a cute little elastic band in the back that adjusts to insure a perfect fit. I was a bit skeptical about this detail, because it seemed like this little bit of elastic couldn't possibly help hold this hat on my head. It really does the job and it's easy to adjust. I'm okay with being proven wrong.

The cap comes in other patterns and also in black, so there is bound to be one that makes everybody happy. I chose mine because it matches my work shirt, which is always important!

Which cap would you choose?

Join My Step Bet!

Last month I finally took the plunge and joined a Step Bet. I picked a $20 challenge and prepared to step my heart out. When you join, the app uses data from your chosen device to choose your goals. You have 4 active days and 2 stretch days, which are several thousand steps higher. I'm thankful for that one day off, I'm not gonna lie!

So. The bet lasts 6 weeks. Your first week is a trial week, to help you get your groove on. If you miss a second day, no biggie. After that first week, if you miss more than your one rest day, you're out, and your $20 gets divided among the other players. There are currently about 180 less people in the challenge I'm doing, and I'm going to earn close to $10 extra dollars!

I'm having so much fun finding ways to get my steps in, that I decided to start my own Step Bet!

Join by clicking here!

It starts on September 1, and has a $20 bet, which is the lowest they allow. I even started a Facebook group for extra motivation. Join me, and Step Into Fall, Barking Mad style!