Numbah One Day of Christmas

I love this!! It gets me in the Christmas spirit! I miss Kauai!!



Mele Kalikimaka! Keep running!

Tis the Season and a Winner

Tis the season to feel stressed and anxious! I haven't bought one Christmas present! NOT ONE! Sigh...there is still time! Nothing like procrastination to get into the holiday spirit, right? I am hoping to get most of it done on Saturday.

I will be running on the paved trail again tomorrow. So excited. 8 miles. That doesn't sound like very much, but since the Mesquite marathon my knee has been giving me grief...so I'll take what I can get. Like my 4 year says, "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit." Those are really good words to live by. She is wise beyond her years.

So...for the information you have been waiting for...The winner, according to Random.org is #4:

JANICE at Run Far and Strong you are the winner!

Email me your address and I will get you hooked up.  Congratulations!! (:

And now... for yesterday's songs...

Dancing With Myself~Billy Idol ---My friend Robin (FB) & Terri from Our Big Fat Greek Marathon
Cruel Summer~Bananarama---Julie from Adventure is Out There

Today's 80's trivia song:

"The five years we have had have been such good times..."

I loved the 80's! Keep running!

Three Things Thursday~The 80s Version

1. I know, but I'm on an 80s kick right now! The winner from yesterday's song trivia is Flatout Jim! Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles. I loved reading the story!

 Remember these?

What about these? I had the pink pair...yikes!

3. Today's music clip is:

"So let's sink another drink, cause it'll give me time to think..."

Ah...I'll give you two today.

"The city is crowded, my friends are away, and I'm on my own..."

Thanks for playing! My Sporty Girl Jewelry giveaway ends tomorrow! Keep running!

Like, Oh My Gosh!

The 80s were like totally awesome. Like, oh my gosh do you totally remember like talking like we were all from the valley? It was rad. It. Like. Totally. Ruled. I have been listening to my 80s playlist on my ipod the past few days, it has been Dy-No-Mite! (:

I ran a new route the other morning and it was good. Every morning on my way to work I drive by this paved path and think, "I need to run down there." I finally did it! And dude, it was like totally awesome!

As I ran and listened to my bodacious 80s music, floods of memories and experiences came to my mind. Ha! Isn't it funny how music does that?! It like totally takes you back in time. With each new song my step seemed to get lighter and I found I was playing the "name that tune" game with myself. My hubby and I have played this game a lot over the years, playing a short bit of a song while the other person says the title of the song and who sang it. Like, oh my gosh, I like totally love this game!

I sometimes miss the 80s. But then, I remember this:

No, that isn't me, but I remember that style.. Like, gag me with a spoon!

So, like my point to this post is this... I wanted to play the Name that 80's tune with you, my tubular bloggy friends! Every day until Christmas I will post a line from like a totally random 80's song and you get to like guess the name of the song and the person/group that sings the song. So, like, here we go.

"Lying awake intent at tuning in on you..."


The first person to comment and get it right will be announced tomorrow and will get ALL the bragging rights. Good luck and party on dude.


Don't forget to enter my Sporty Girl Jewelry giveaway.. It ends Friday.

Keep running!

Sporty Girl Jewelry Review and Giveaway

I have never really been a girly girl, but I do like jewelry! Ann at Sporty Girl Jewelry was so generous and sent me a necklace of my choice. I had such a hard time deciding which one to get. All of her designs are so beautiful. I love the simplicity of them. Her slogan is "Where Your Passion Meets Fashion." I love it! 

I talked to Ann on Wednesday and I had the necklace on Friday. It came nicely wrapped, it felt like Christmas came early this year!

This is the one I chose. And I absolutely love it.

I also have my eye on this cute charm bracelet.. hint hint Santa (:

You get to choose the style of chain: bead chain, box chain, black rubber or brown leather. You can even choose the length of the chain. Each piece is crafted just for you! 

Ann started her jewelry business 7 years ago with her Hip Mom Jewelry. Wow! is all I can say. As I perused through the Hip Mom Jewelry site, there was an adoption tab. If you have read my blog for any period of time you know adoption has TWO very special places in my heart! I got teary just looking at all the beautiful designs. "Faith Hope Love," "I Searched the Whole World For You." And my favorite, "Simply Blessed." 

Ann is a wife, mom of 3, a business owner and athlete. She started Sporty Girl Jewelry this fall because she wanted to make styles that were sport inspired. I think she has succeeded in taking fitness related jewelry to a higher level of style while encouraging and empowering women. She loves fashion and believes that "just because we are athletes we don't have to be relegated to boring shorts and t-shirts."

Not only was Ann kind enough to send me a beautiful piece, she is also offering a $45 gift voucher for one of my lucky readers to pick out a piece of their own.

Here's how to enter:

Mandatory:

1. Become a follower of my blog (or tell me if you already are)

2. Become a follower of Sporty Girl Jewelry on Facebook.

For additional entries:

1. Visit Sporty Girl Jewelry and tell me which piece you would like if you won.

2. Visit Sporty Girl Jewelry's blog and become a follower.

3. Tweet/Facebook/blog about this giveaway.

This giveaway will end on Friday December 10, 2010

Good luck! Keep running!

**The opinions in this post are my own. Sporty Girl Jewelry is providing the giveaway item. They also gave me a piece of jewelry. I did not pay anything for this.

The winner will be chosen at Random.org

Reflecting

I have been reflecting a lot about my year in running. I wasn't able to run as much as I would have liked, but it has been a great year! I've been reading other blogs and how they are reaching their mileage goals for 2010. My mileage goals went out the window several months ago...I guess I could sit back and feel sorry for myself, but you know, I don't. I am grateful for what I have accomplished. I have been able to do far more than I or the doc thought possible. That is a good thing! I have also been looking through past posts that I have written over the last couple of years and during that time I have learned so much about myself and running and what works for me.

I want to share a story I posted back in 2008 that was told by Thomas S. Monson.  I hope you like it as  much as I do.

"In everyone's conscience lies that spirit, that determination to measure up to the stature of true potential. But the way is rugged, and the course is challenging. So discovered John Helander from Goteborg, Sweden. John is handicapped, in that it is difficult for him to coordinate his motions.

At a youth conference, John took part in a running race. He had no chance to win. Rather, his was the opportunity to be humiliated.

What a race it was! Struggling, surging, pressing, the runners bolted far beyond John. There was wonderment among the spectators. Who was this runner who lagged so far behind? The participants on their second lap of this two-lap race passed John while he was but halfway through the first lap. Tension mounted as the runners pressed toward the tape. Who would win? Who would place second? Then came the final burst of speed; the tape was broken. The crowd cheered; the winner was proclaimed.

The race was over~or was it? Who is this contestant who continues to run when the race is ended? He crosses the finish line on but his first lap. Doesn't the foolish lad know he has lost? Ever onward he struggles, the only participant now on the track. Every eye is on this valiant runner. He makes the final turn and moves toward the finish line, the audience, as one, rises to its feet. Stumbling, falling, exhausted but victorious, John Helander breaks the newly tightened tape. The cheering echoes for miles."

We all face challenges in our running, or in life, for that matter, whether it be an injury or the blahs, we all face these obstacles at some point. We just have to keep our eyes on our goal and hang in there and remember that we do not run alone. The vast audience of family and friends will cheer our courage and will applaud our determination as we rise from the pitfalls and obstacles in our course.

Keep running!

Three Things Thursday

1. I will be hosting another giveaway! I am really excited about this one! Okay, I will give you a hint...Sporty Girl Jewelry! Be sure to check back in the next few days!

2. I got my haircut the other day. I went in for a trim. I walked out with a 10 inch pony tail in my hand. Yep, I donated my locks to Locks of Love. What a great program they have! Did you know that 80% of the donations they receive are from kids wanting to help other kids? It makes me happy that I can help too!

3. I found THE COOLEST thing, well, actually it was my husband that found it. Salonpas Pain Relief Patches. I am nearly 40 and I didn't know such things even existed. Salonpas sent me some free samples to try. And try them I did!! After the Mesquite marathon my knee was hurting..bad. So bad  I couldn't lift my leg without feeling pain. I slapped on these suckers and within 15 minutes I was pain free!! Oh my goodness! How have I lived without these?! I have become resistant to ibuprofen so these little babies are a godsend! The active ingredients in them are methyl salicylate and menthol. The beauty of them is that the medicine is going right to the site of the pain~ you don't have to digest pills to get relief. Salonpas is the first and only FDA approved OTC pain relieving patch. I gave a couple of patches to a work colleague yesterday to try. He came back awhile later and said, "Where can I get me some of those patches?" He said he had been a little skeptical when he put it on, but it worked great for him as well! For a list of all Salonpas' great products and where to buy them go here. I am sold! I will never be without them!

Keep running!

Barbie Girl

My ipod had a mind of its own this morning...it was jumping randomly through my playlists. So, I "ran" with it. It was kind of fun not knowing what the next song was going to be... This was one that came on.. (:



Keep running!

Would I Change Anything?

Someone asked me the other day, "If you knew years ago, when you first started running, about the knee issues you have now, would you do anything differently?" My immediate response was "Absolutely NOT!" No way! I would do it all over again! All the running experiences that I have had over the past 16 years have made me the runner I am today. I think it was Oscar Wilde that said, "You never get any fun out of things you have not done." That is so true!

I have been thinking about that question a lot and to be honest, there is something I would change. I would have run more marathons, more often! When I was a new runner I thought I needed to wait at least 6 months in between marathons. So not the case! The first time I ran back to back races (2 weeks apart) I PR'd on that 2nd race. At that point I was hooked! Train once for several races...that is my motto... It is also good time management. It works for me. And YES, I am careful! I take rest days, in fact, at my peak I would only run 4 days a week. I do listen to my body, probably to a fault! 

Running is my thing. It is what I do. But running has become quite a luxury for me lately. I can't don't run in between races to give my knee some recovery time. I do strength train and get on the elliptical machine daily. Like I have said before, it is my new best friend! It is keeping my fitness up. I  have been doing my "long runs" on the elliptical~ 2-3 hours at a resistance of 10. It is a far cry from running. So when I do get to run, it is magical! It is fantastic! It is heaven!

Since July, when I was diagnosed with degenerative joint disease (DJD), I have been so lucky to be able to run 4 marathons and 1 half marathon. And hopefully, will be running two more marathons this year. I have had to be extremely careful with my training. I don't want to make things worse, but I also can't sit back and let my knee get me down! You have to stretch the limits in order to find where they actually are. And that is exactly what I am doing. I know I will eventually have to take some time off to have surgery, but right now I am going to do anything and everything my body will allow me to do. And that makes me happy!

Keep running!

And The Winner Is...

Lisa from Chasin' Bunnies
Congratulations! Shoot me an email with your address and I will get your info to SIGVARIS. Runnergirl371 [at] gmail [dot] com


Keep running!

Testing..

I added a new app to my phone, wanted to see if it works..

Don't forget, my giveaway ends tomorrow. You can still enter here.


Happy Sunday! Keep running!

SIGVARIS Athletic Sock Review And Giveaway...My First One!!!

I have been wanting to get some recovery socks for awhile now. With me not running as much in between races due to my knee issues, I have been feeling a real need for them lately. Recovery is taking me a little longer these days. As I have been reading about the great results other runners have had with compression socks, it has made me want them even more. So when SIGVARIS contacted me with a free pair of their Athletic Recovery Socks to try, I jumped at the chance!

You know that feeling your legs get after a long, hard run? A little bit Jello, a little bit sore, a little bit twitchy... Well, after the half marathon on Saturday I didn't have any of that. The reason..Recovery Socks! The idea behind recovery socks is that by lightly compressing your lower legs, they improve circulation and prevent blood pooling and swelling in the legs, thus reducing that after race feeling and speeding up recovery time.

When I got home from the race, my quads and calves were already starting to feel a little tight. I have to admit I was a bit skeptical. Knee-high socks are going to help my recovery? But WOW! When I put them on they felt fantastic! Like a warm, cozy blanket...I didn't want to take them off. In fact, I wore them all day. They made my day (and the moving house) more enjoyable. But the most important question is: "How did my legs feel the next day?" The answer..They felt great. My calves haven't been sore.

There doesn't seem to be a set 'prescription' about when and how long to wear the socks. I know a lot of people wear them during runs and races, with great results. I wasn't sure I wanted to try that for the first time on a race day. But I will definitely try it in the future. As I said, I wore the socks for most of the day after my run. Some people say they wear them for an hour, some say for a few hours, some say they live in them. If you have any experience with compression socks, how long do you usually wear them? Do you race in them? And if you have never tried them, you need to.

So here's the deal with SIGVARIS: They are the global leader in medical compression therapy. And they are giving one of you a unique opportunity to win a free pair of their sports compression socks!

SIGVARIS Athletic Recovery Socks' slogan is "Because not all compression socks are created equal," and their reasoning is that most compression socks don't feature true graduated compression. Looking at the sock, the fact that these truly are graduated is obvious; you can clearly see that it's very narrow around the ankle, and GRADUALLY widens as it goes up the calf. Theoretically, this is conducive to good blood flow and faster recovery. You can read more SIGVARIS features here.

The SIGVARIS Active Therapy Socks provide:

~Increased circulation

~Improved blood flow through the veins

~Increased oxygen to the muscle tissue

~less lactic acid build up in the legs during exercise

~reduced exercise-induced muscle soreness in the legs 

There are two socks in the SIGVARIS Active Therapy Line. The Athletic Recovery Sock and the Performance Sock. These two socks are designed to work together to peak your performance and enhance your recovery time.

The Athletic Recovery Sock:
~Promotes lactic acid flush-out and relieves delayed onset leg muscle soreness
~Features a patented Drirelease and embedded Fresh-guard that eliminates odors
~Features true graduated compression

The Performance Sock Features
~Achilles Tendon Protectors, reduces vibration on vulnerable ligaments
~Footbed cushioned Zone and To Protectors keep feet blister free
~Latex-free High Tech Fibers provide odor and thermal control
~Extra-wide Comfort Top Band keeps sock comfortably in place
~Features true graduated compression

Here's how to enter (comment for each):

1. Become a fan of SIGVARIS Active Therapy on Facebook and/or follow on Twitter (1 entry)
2. Write about this giveaway on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc. (1 entry)
3. Follow this blog or let me know if you already do (1 entry)
4. Leave a comment stating your shoe size, the measurement of your ankle circumference, if you prefer black or white and which social networking site you joined. By doing this, you are agreeing to the terms of the contest. (1 entry)
The winner must agree to write a review about the socks on the SIGVARIS website. (Writing a review on the site will automatically enter you to win socks for all of 2011)
This giveaway will end on November 15th.

**SIGVARIS is providing the giveaway item. They also gave me a pair. I did not pay anything for this.
The winner will be chosen at random by Random.org. Check back on November 16th to see if you won! If I don't hear back from the winner within 2 days after posting that they have won, I'll random.org another name.

Good luck! Keep running!

The Art of Chaos

Some  people thrive on chaos in their lives and others (like me) feel like we can't breath. I feel like I am being pulled in a hundred different directions. There really is an art to balancing everything. If you have the balancing act figured out, please pass on your secrets. (:

 I recently went back to work full time after being a stay at home mom for nearly ten years. Yes, I do have a sense of guilt for leaving my kids, but it is a necessity right now. I'm not complaining, it has just been a bit of an adjustment for my little family. I am grateful to have a job that I enjoy. I am grateful to work with people I like and get along with. I think that is rare.

I feel like I have no control in my life right now. We moved to a new house this weekend and it has been a little crazy. I have not been eating very well, darn you, Halloween! It is my downfall every year. And with everything else that is going on... I read someone's post the other day and she said she did not give in to one piece of candy. I was so impressed...and jealous that I didn't have that kind of will power this year. Oh well, it is a new day.  It is amazing how when one area in your life is a bit nuts, all the other areas seem to fall in suit to the craziness. Maybe, it is just me.

I ran the Snow Canyon half marathon on Saturday...PR for me! Woo hoo! My knee hurt a little on the down hill, but it was a great training run for me. The weather was great. Southern Utah is beautiful in the fall! It was awesome running through Snow Canyon..so pretty! 

Have a great week everyone. Keep running!

Patch-'em Up Injection

I made a trip to SLC this past week to see Dr. Toronto. My knee has been popping with every step. It actually started before the NWM. The popping doesn't hurt it is just annoying and unnatural. I called him to ask about it and he said I should probably get more cortisone. At the appointment, I fully expected to be scolded for running two marathons so close together, but to my surprise he was excited, in fact, he was impressed that I was able to pull it off. He said it was a good sign and that my knee is doing better than expected, since these things can "go fast." We talked about my plans for future races and training. I think we have a great plan! I really do have the BEST doctor! I got another cortisone shot. Wow! What a difference! I haven't had to take ibuprofen for four days..IN A ROW!! (:

I can't believe it is November already! This month I have the Snow Canyon half marathon (on Saturday) and the Mesquite marathon on the 20th. And if all goes well, Las Vegas in December.

Keep running!

I Run To Be ~ NWM Race Report

I have been excited about this race since April. I love San Francisco. I love chocolate. I love firemen, in fact, I found my new boyfriend. We hit it off like a house on fire... grin.

I love spending time in the city. Of course we had to go to Fisherman's Warf and Pier 39.

We flew in to SF on Saturday, the day before the race. I think that is when everyone else came into the city as well. The expo was so crowded...the line for the packet pick up was crazy long.. It was worse than the lines at Disneyland in the middle of summer, only it was cold. Oi Vey! But they were efficient and the line moved quickly, we were only in line for about 20 minutes. With packet in hand we left to explore the city. 

Each street seemed to have a bigger hill than the last. I was getting a little worried about how I was going to handle the hills with my knee, it had been aching a little all week...I did just run the STG marathon two weeks ago. I was running this race against doctor's orders. (8 weeks in between races is what was recommended). But since this trip was already paid for and the bling came in a little blue box, I had to do it! 

By the time we got back to the hotel, I had myself all worked up. And not in a good way. I was feeling apprehensive and nervous. I was having self doubt. I don't like feeling that way, so I pushed it away. I took my GABA and went to sleep, and slept surprisingly well. 

The alarm went off at 5 am. I went through my routine. Ate a yogurt, a banana, took my vitamins (multi, B12, vitamin C, which aids in the absorption of the B12, fish oil, and glucosamine chondroitin. AND I remembered my immodium! (: I  got to Union Square about 6:25. I was still feeling a bit uneasy.

I turned on my Garmin and it couldn't find the satellite, but I started the timer anyway as I crossed the start line. (I ran 1.75 miles before it found the signal). As I started running, all the uneasy feelings went away. I had this! It felt like clockwork. Nothing mattered any more, because I was doing what I love. I was running and it felt so good! The course was great. The hills were not as bad as I had anticipated! We started at Union Square and made our way to The Embarcadero..we basically ran the whole coastline of SF. I absolutely loved running through Golden Gate Park. The Eucalyptus trees smelled so good in the rain. We ran around Lake Merced and ended on the The Great Highway.

I was really emotional during the last half of the race. I don't know if it was because of all the estrogen around me, but I kept getting teary. And then when I finally saw the finish line I started weeping. I tried to stop and I was doing a pretty good job until I crossed the finish line and then all the emotion came out! The first thing I noticed were the beautiful firemen..then I notice the red carpet...then the beautiful firemen...very nice. I accepted my little blue Tiffany's box from a handsome man in a tuxedo and made my way through the finish area. I was trying to hold back my tears. I was freezing, and they were out of mylar blankets! One of the volunteers said, "If you had come in an hour ago, there would have been a blanket for you. Why did you come in so late?" I wanted to kick him in the balls! But I restrained myself..I went to the medical tent and the kind man looked at my teary face and asked, "Do you need a blanket?" He unfolded it and wrapped it around me and tied it, all while I just cried. I have never been so emotional at the end of a race before. Estrogen? I think yes! I didn't even stop to get a finisher's picture...ah well, they all turn out ugly anyway, right? (:

And later, when I opened this...

 I cried again...

Keep running!

Thank you Little Caesars!!

Coming Clean

I've been keeping a secret. Back in June, I went to see a doctor for my knee. Some of you may remember that this doctor was a complete idiot and told me I was "too old to be running and you should take up cycling..." Hmm that didn't go over very well...any way, long story short, he diagnosed me with ITBS. I still took a DNS for the Utah Valley marathon, even though he told me I could probably run it, "but I would pay for it." 8 weeks later I ran the Missoula marathon with relatively no pain, but after that race I was really sore. I was supposed to run the Deseret News marathon that month as well, but with the pain in my knee, I wasn't sure how it was going to happen. Since I was going to be in SLC anyway, I made an appointment with my REAL sports medicine doctor...Dr. Toronto...let me just say, I love Dr. Toronto! 

Of course I told him what the other guy said, and the diagnosis he gave me. This was our conversation:

Dr T: He said it was ITBS?

Me: Yep

Dr. T: Did he take X-rays?

Me: Yep

Dr. T: Do you have them with you?

Me: No (I have since acquired them, and they look very similar to the ones Dr. Toronto took).

Dr T: And he said it was ITBS??

Me: Yep

Dr. T: Hmmm, he said it was ITBS..? Wow, that is surprising, let me show you why. (as he put my x-rays up to the light)

Those are my knees. Can you see the difference? I sat on the exam table while Dr. Toronto explained that my right meniscus is shrinking and it is half of what it should be. I have degenerative joint disease. He sat down next to me and looked me in the eyes and said, "I am really sorry, if I could change it I would." That is why I love Dr. Toronto. He gets it. He is an athlete. He runs marathons. He has treated every one of my sports injuries over the past 15 years and each time he says something like, "give it a rest for a few days, then on Wednesday run 3-4 miles and call me and let me know how it goes." Then he gives his advice for the next run... etc. He is very pro-active. But the best news was that he said I don't have to stop running! My 40 by 40 goal will have to be tweaked, it is going to take me a little longer, but I can still run! He gave me a cortisone shot, which wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be, and it helped a lot. 

Over the past few months he has been treating me over the phone. I have been on prednisone a couple of times, but things seem to be going well. I am learning how to adjust my running/training/racing  schedule. The elliptical machine has become my best friend. I will eventually have to have surgery, but for now we will take care of it like this. I am really grateful that Dr. Toronto was the one to give me the bad news. It really could have been ugly for me getting this news from that first doc. My knee has slowed my goals down a little bit, but I am definitely not giving up! So that is my secret.

Keep running!

Oh, and go check out Beth's $100 giveaway for fitness at Shut Up And Run!

Three Things Thursday

1. Did you know October is national pizza month? I am a little partial to Little Caesars...(: So go celebrate national pizza month and eat some pizza...don't forget the crazy bread! 

2. We have been singing the song "Goodbye Earl" by the Dixie Chicks at our house for days! My girlie loves it, knows all the words, and sings it A LOT! She even sings it with that country "twang."

3. I will be running the Nike Women's marathon on Sunday. I always love visiting San Francisco!

Want to know why I am especially excited for this race? The "bling" of course!

These guys hand them out!

And add a little chocolate into that mix...what could be better?

Keep running!

St George Marathon 2010 Race Report

I know I have said it many times.. I LOOOOOVE the St. George Marathon! I love the course! I love running in the desert! I love how the sun hits Snow Canyon in the morning! I love running by the volcanoes! I love running 26.2 miles! Saturday was a great day for me!

Half way up to the start I realized I forgot my Immodium! At that point my only thoughts were of Beth over at Shut Up And Run. No need to say more..(:  After the initial panic was gone, I relaxed and enjoyed the rest of the bus ride. And as it turned out I only had to stop off at the loo once (mile 16).

As I got off the bus, I knew it was going to be a hot day. I didn't even need my gloves! Someone said it was a record high for the STG marathon. In the six times I have run this race, I don't remember it ever being as warm as it was on Saturday.

I felt great from my first step. Everything seemed to just gel and there were no problems with my knee, in fact, there was no pain in my knee the entire race! Yay! I had to shed my long sleeves a half mile into the run. At every aid station I took two cups of water, one to drink and one to dump on my head. And towards the end I was dumping 3 cups on my head. I know that is what kept me going. I saw more full shuttles and medical help this year than in years past. Lots of people were affected by the heat.

Can I just say, if you are going to wear pea green, you shouldn't wear it from head to toe. Especially if you are a man. (You know who you are!) But more importantly, if you are going to wear pea green and fart repeatedly for six steps please have the common courtesy to keep it muffled... Now let me explain. As I was running up the Veyo hill I saw this guy who reminded me of the Jolly Green Giant. He was wearing green shoes, green compression socks, green shorts,  green head band and green wrist bands. As I got closer, over my music, I could hear him farting with every step. I  know we all do it, but I think most of us try to do it with a little discretion. We've all been running along and realized we just got a mouthful of fart, but when you get the audible with it... I quickly 'changed lanes' and passed his green arse.

The race was pretty uneventful for me other than "The Green Machine." The miles seemed to fly by and I just enjoyed the day. The last 3 miles seemed harder than usual. I appreciated so much the energy and encouragement the spectators gave. I made the final turn to the finish line and I was really feeling the heat. The National Guard was there along that last stretch. I was comforted knowing that if I needed help, they were there.  As always, the St George marathon was awesome! If you haven't run it, make sure you put it on your to do list!

22 down...18 to go!  Keep running!

Three Things Thursday

1. I don't get Twitter! Although I have an account, (runnergrlstacey) I have never "tweeted." I just don't get it. If someone could explain it to me...

2. I am afraid of spiders! I hate them! I feel like I have to wash my hands after I see one...  I had to kill one this morning...Ewww!

3. I am getting really excited for the St George marathon on Saturday! I just drove past the finish line area...They are setting everything up as I type this! I am giddy!

Have a great weekend and good luck to all of you who will be racing!
Keep running!

My Shameless Plug...

...for free stuff! (:

Thank you CafePress for this SIGG water bottle with my Runner Girl logo! 

CafePress offers millions of personalized hoodies, and 2011 monthly calendars for any brand, topic or interest. If you haven't already, go check them out! They have tons of designs to choose from or you can make your own!

Keep running!

St.George Marathon

Hmm.. Eight years ago I ran my first marathon..the St. George Marathon. 

Looking back there are several things that stand out in my memory. I remember that nervous excitement the week leading up to the race. I didn't sleep very well that week in anticipation, I remember I did a lot of deep cleaning. I remember the anxiousness I felt riding the bus to the start line early in the morning, not knowing exactly what to expect in the next few hours. I remember being ecstatic just making it to the starting line. I remember all the energy at the start listening and talking with other runners as we tried to stay warm by the fire. And then it was time..the gun went off and I was running a marathon! My first marathon! I had dreamed about that goal for years and it was finally coming to fruition. At mile 7-ish, the metropolis of Veyo, was the first of several times that I got teary. The spectators were cheering and I couldn't believe I was there. It was a bit surreal for me, I guess. 

Then at about mile 18-ish, I got teary again..I had to keep reminding myself to breath..it isn't easy to run and cry at the same time. Once I got into town, it was really hard to hold back the tears. I was almost there. And when I saw the finish line and my family, that is when the tears really started. I had done it! Crossing that finish line was the most empowering feeling I had ever experienced. I had run a marathon! 26.2 miles! I KNEW at that moment I could do anything!

Next Saturday I will be running the St. George marathon again. (Marathon #22) I am so excited! Although I don't get nervous anymore, I do still get teary when I cross the finish line.. There just isn't anything quite like it.

Keep running!

Inspiring..

I know this video has been going around, but I finally watched it today... loved it. And yes, I totally cried! So I wanted to share.

Keep Running!

America's Nutrition

I am a supplement girl. I use creatine and I like drinking a protein shake after my workouts. I take a multi vitamin and fish oil every day. So when Zach over at  America's Nutrition contacted me a few weeks ago to promote their website I was very excited.

America's Nutrition is a great site for nutritional supplements. They have a wide range of products from  supplements to weight loss pills to protein powders. They also have bath and beauty products. They are located in Northwest Indiana, near Chicago.

Zach sent me some samples of protein powder: Dymatize Elite Whey Protein, and Musceltein Ultra-7 Protein. Some GABA (which I use the two nights before a race, helps me sleep). And some Glucosamine Chondroitin with MSM, which is helping my knee tremendously. Everything came quickly, and  I would definitely recommend America's Nutrition!

They also have a great new blog: The Fit Wits and you can check it out here. Thanks so much Zach!

2010 Patriots Run

I remember September 11, 2001 like it was yesterday. I woke up, turned on the news and just cried as I witnessed those tragic events. Even now when I see the footage from that day, I get teary.

This past weekend on Sept 11th, I was able to participate in the Patriots Run marathon in Olathe, Kansas. It was an amazing event that I am so glad I was able to be a part of. Before the start, which was at noon, someone announced that as the troops in Afghanistan were running their Patriots's Run, they were shot at. Wow! I can't even imagine! We are blessed with so many freedoms in this country.

There were many soldiers there to support and participate in this event, which was held at the Great Mall. The course was a 1 mile loop that went through the parking lot. It was awesome to be able to run with the soldiers, many in their fatigues and a 60 lb pack on their backs...made me teary every time I would see them.

I wasn't sure how I would like the loop, but it was actually fun because we were able to see and encourage each other all along the way. And this was the one and only time I will ever run next to Sam Felsenfeld in a race..(: By the way, he ran the marathon in 3:42 and then continued on with the ultra, running over 54 miles in 9:11 and won the ultra!

Kim and Doug, who were my hosts, were just awesome. Thanks again for letting me stay and hang with you guys. This was Kim's 31st marathon and Doug's 87th! You are both my marathoning heroes! 

I loved seeing the flags along the course..

This "Flag of Honor" has all the names of the victims of 9-11 printed on it..

It was raised for the entire race.

Kim and I before the race..

I met so many nice people at the Patriots Run this past weekend.. I like Kansas. 

I can't imagine a better way to spend 9-11-10 than running in a marathon honoring those who serve and protect our country! I am proud to be an American!

**Thank you Little Caesars for making this race possible!**

SCAPE Review

I have to be honest, I don't do sunscreen. I don't like the way it smells or the way it feels on my skin. I am also a sweater, and I don't like sunscreen in my eyes. So when the people from SCAPE contacted me to try their sunscreen, I was a bit skeptical...

I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the bottle and smelled it. It doesn't have that 'sunscreen' smell. The lotion itself is not greasy, and rubs in nicely. It is noncomedogenic, so your skin can breathe. I love that. The face stick wasn't too thick or greasy either. All of their products can be applied to wet or sweaty skin, which is fantastic. I have used it on several long runs and have been very happy with the results!

Thanks SCAPE for letting me try your product and making me a believer!

*There were no animals or small children hurt in my testing of this product.

Missoula Marathon Race Report

Wow...am I behind. It has been nearly two weeks since the Missoula marathon and I am just now getting to the race report.

I had a fabulous weekend in Missoula. My hosts, Barbara, Jason, Gabe and Elsie were just awesome! They made everything so nice and relaxing and I felt pampered. Thanks again you guys for a great weekend! Can't wait for next year!

The expo was held outside at Caras Park in downtown Missoula. It was small, but sufficient and they gave us a technical shirt and a reusable Missoula Marathon bag. I love when you get more than just a plastic grocery bag...I also liked that they had several water coolers set up around the expo. The Farmer's market was going on at the same time and there was a lot of excitement and tons of people all around. Missoula knows how to host a race!

The busses were organized and we didn't have to wait very long to get to the start line in Frenchtown. On the bus I sat by Talitha. This was her first marathon and she did awesome! You can check out her blog here. It was fun to talk to her and feel of her excitement. Sam Felsenfeld was also there, he paced the 3:50 group. If you haven't heard about his "Operation Jack" check out his website here.

Once we got off the bus, I headed to the port a potties and waited..the lines were long and there could have been a few more..But I got to the start line with about 8 minutes to spare. The gun went off and we were on our way. What a beautiful course! We ran along the Clark Fork River and they aren't kidding when they call Montana "Big Sky Country." It was a flat course as well, which for me, was perfect since I am still having issue with my knee.. no, not my ITB any more.. something else is going on..I will talk about that another time. There was one hill at mile 13.5 and I had to walk up and down, I was feeling some weird twinges. But other than that, there were no major issues.

I loved this race..EVERYONE was friendly. I made several new "friends.."

and the Missoulians..is that how you say it? were fantastic. Many of them had their sprinklers on the road so we could run through them, which was a godsend because it was hot. There were a lot of spectators at different points along the course. It was great to have people cheering... just for me..(: Thanks again you guys!

I really enjoyed everything about this marathon. It was their 4th year doing it. The Run Wild Missoula running group has about 1000 members..no wonder it was well organized and the little things were well thought out! Post race food was great. You know it is good when they have cold watermelon at the finish line! They had yummy pasta salad, watermelon/pineapple/strawberry frozen fruit popsicles, bread, and other things. And Barbara had a burrito supreme waiting for me!

I  finished with a smile on my face and I will definitely run this race again!

Thank you to Little Caesars for making it possible! You guys are awesome!

I will be running the Deseret News Marathon on Saturday. It is Pioneer Day in Utah. It's gonna be a hot one!

Keep Running!

Success

Thank you for all the nice comments! I love being part of the running/blogging community and having all your encouragement and support. I realized after I did my last post how whiney I sounded. I didn't mean to be Debby Downer, I was just venting. And no, I am not giving into the negativity! Running makes me feel good, strong and healthy! Why would I stop? My knees looked great..the X-rays showed no signs of arthritis, which apparently, according to the doc, is common in runners.

My 5 mile run this morning was a success. There were a few weird twinges in my IT band on the side of my knee, so I walked a few times and I walked down the major hill on my route. I also tried to keep my stride a bit shorter than normal. We will see how it feels later today..but so far, so good! :)

My most favorite thing after a hot and sweaty run is ice cold watermelon! There just isn't anything much better!

Keep running!