31 Days of Skirt Sports

During the month of July, the Skirt Sports Ambassadors all get together and share our love of the Skirt in a 31 day challenge.



It's a lot of fun and sometimes you have to get pretty creative. Here are just a few of my faves.....























What's your favorite Skirt Sports gear?

Marine Corps Marathon Training with AfterShokz Trekz Air

I received beautiful Canyon Red Aftershokz Trekz Air wireless bone conduction head phones as part of being a BibRave Pro (ambassador). Check out BibRave.com to read and write race reviews!

Marathon training is a lot of things. Time consuming
Exhilarating
Exhausting
Fun
Boring
Beautiful
Exhausting
Did I mention exhausting?

Sometimes the little things can make it so much better. I've been using my shiny new Trekz Air wireless head phones for a few weeks now and I'm loving the freedom that comes with them!



When they arrived I was so excited to try them out that I immediately charged them up!



I had already done my run that day but I really wanted to play with my new toy! I decided to take them out for a walk.



I was using my music but also playing Dinosaurs Alive because really I'm just 5. With my other headphones, the app would have cut off the music, allowing you to play one or the other, but with my Trekz Air, I could hear both.... as well as the cars that drive through my neighborhood and the dogs barking.



I can also wear them with a hat, super comfortably! That's a huge bonus in the summer sun.



Also, and only you super crazy blogger and selfie peeps will truly appreciate this, when you are mid run and want to take a pic, you don't have to disconnect your headphones. You can actually listen to your tunes while you obsessively take 10 pics so you can pick just the right one...

Next up was the race test. I wore them to run the Scream Half Marathon and even with the crazy trail conditions they stayed secure and I could hear the cars when the were approaching on the trail.




I also made a silly video of me dancing around to show that they don't bounce around, and it's on Twitter here




Once you decide that you just have to have your own, you can use the code BRBUNDLE here to get $55 off. It's a pretty awesome bundle!

So let's talk about the deets...

Bone Conduction technology delivers music through your cheekbones so your ears remain open to hear ambient sounds. How crazy cool is that?
It is 20% lighter than its counterpart
The wraparound design has a flexible fit and it is so comfortable you could wear it all day and not even notice it!
Bluetooth connected, it was easy breezy, too!
6 hours of continuous music and calls on one charge!
Hassle free 2 year warranty!
Available in green, slate grey, and midnight blue as well.
Box includes a charging cord and earplugs for those times you are exercising indoors and want to block out all sound

So what color are you going to order?

Thursday Training Update

I've reached a point in my MCM training where I'm pretty sure that single digit long runs are no longer a thing. Yikes!

Last week's workouts were pretty basic, I'm afraid.

Monday I went for a 1.4 mile walk while searching for dinosaurs. Tried Spin for the first time and did not die. That was a bonus. Also 23 minutes of yoga. Whew!



Tuesday was track workout day, I did 3 miles, one we walked, and 10 minutes of yoga.



Wednesday I did 30 minutes of yoga and that's about it. I love Wednesdays!



Thursday I overslept and it was too hot to run so I walked 3.5 miles instead and 36 minutes of yoga.



Friday I walked 3.2 miles and did 25 minutes of yoga.



Saturday was the Scream half marathon. I blogged about it on Monday. I also did a little yoga, mostly hip stretches.



Sunday was a yoga day, I pretty much sat on the couch all day and whined, I'm not gonna lie. My body hurt for days after that race!



What was your favorite workout last week?

Wordless Wednesday

Working Out with Karma Rings

I received a set of Karma Rings as part of being a Bibrave Pro (Ambassador). Check out BibRave.com to read and write race reviews!



If you do any kind of weight workouts, whether it's with a barbell, kettlebell, or hand weights, you know it is damaging to your rings!



Frequent use can bend your rings, scratch them, and you can even cut up your hands. I had bought some cheap rubber rings from Amazon but they were too thick and bulky, and I was in the market for something more delicate looking.



The Karma Rings come in 2 different color combos for women. I chose the Cinnamon set because I like earth tones. You can also choose Pearl White which has a white base and pale colored inserts.



I wore it to my first ever Spin Class, which was a smart choice considering how tightly I was gripping those handlebars!



I also wear them running and let me tell you why. If you live anywhere that gets hot and humid, you already understand! Your fingers become little sausages and your rings can get very tight. The Karma Rings are way easier to remove after a day like that and you don't get that tightness in your fingers!

I use the middle section that stores the base ring to hold my wedding rings, so I never have to worry about forgetting where I put them when I come back! The convenient and oh so pretty case also fits easily into my gym bag!



So let's get down to the fun little details.

Karma Rings are hypoallergenic and nonporous, so they don't absorb germs, smells, or chemicals you might encounter while wearing them. They are super durable but they feel so light and smooth!
Karma also sells Solo rings if you prefer solids and they make rings for Men as well, in singles and duos.

Check them all out at the store and use the code BIBRAVE33 for 33% off! Such an amazing deal and shipping is crazy affordable!

What color would you get first?

Scream Half Marathon

Yesterday I ran the Scream Half Marathon, which starts in Jonas Ridge NC and ends in Mortimer NC. The hubs wanted to avoid a hotel stay so I dragged my butt up at 3:30 and the hubs drove us to the parking area at the Brown Mountain Beach Resort.



Note to self: stay here next year.

We boarded a bus that would take us to the start. It was about a 30 minute ride and I napped the whole way. At the start, we picked up our bibs and a chip which attached to our sneaker.



I met up with my fellow Speed Demons and we took a group photo before heading to the start line.



I also met a fellow Skirt Sports Ambassador!



We had to walk across the street to get started, and this is also when the rain started. It was a light refreshing drizzle that lasted the first few miles.



The race had a 3 hour time limit. I have not run a 3 hour half all year, so I was more than a little concerned, downhill race or not. The first 2.3 miles were road miles, and during the first mile...



I rescued this guy, and also realized that I was last.



Oopsie.
I don't really mind being last and there was no obnoxious car breathing down my neck or pesky ambulance making me feel like I'm knocking on death's door. Bonus!

Mile one was a 14 minute mile. As far as MCM training goes, that's awesome. As far as Scream goes, oops. The limit is a 13'45. Ugh. The first mile was mostly uphill so I decided to cut myself some slack.
Mile two, though.... 13'10. So much better.



Mile 2.3 brought us to to the "trail" portion. Parts of it were just a gravel road, while other parts had crazy rocks to avoid, little wash outs to step over etc. Nothing too technical, but not a nice, even road either.

Mile 3.... 12'49. That's right, folks. Less than 13. A fluke maybe? Too fast on the downhills? I asked myself all of these questions, but I honestly felt great. My intervals were anywhere from a 2 to 5 minute run, one minute walk, depending on the decline.
Oh, and by mile 4 there were 4 people behind me.
Mile 4.... 12'28.



The next couple of miles had some inclines and this helped me to pass 2 more people.

Mile 5... 12'58 and mile 6.... 13 even.
Serious incline now and mile 7 was 14'15 and I was feeling it a little. The doubts started creeping back in, I'm not gonna lie, but that view...



Starting to go downhill again and mile 8 was 13'10 and mile 9 was 13'29. Some more inclines but I was in a groove...



Mile 10 was 13'35 and the tree cover was a gift and a curse. Because mile 11 said 11'46 and that didn't feel right, and mile 12 was 15'34 and that wasn't right either. I think they were both around 13ish.



At this bridge I passed 2 more with about a mile to go. I was chasing them for miles and it felt amazing. I believe at this point I has passed 7 but I'm not sure. I was counting, but a bunch of late starters were passing me and it threw me off. Mile 13 was 15'24 because I was so over it and I knew my time was going to be under 3 anyway.





2:57:12 according to my watch. I started it a little before the start line so I was always off by a tenth of a mile. I stopped at 13.1 and walked it in a little so my official time is probably over 3. I don't care even a little bit. My average pace was 13'32 and I'm in heaven.



One more bus ride back to the parking area, and our shirt and food.



I was so impressed that there was food left when I got there and we got to sit at tables and eat it. Yum!

At first I thought this would be one and done but I'm already thinking about next year! I want to get one of those yurts though. They have a hot tub.

Today I'm super sore and my thighs and hips are super tight. I did some yoga focusing on my legs and I feel a little better. I might do it again tonight! Stairs are not my friend.

Have you ever done a downhill race?