A Year Ago I Thought I'd Be A Spin Instructor By Now

A year ago today, I received my Spin Instructor certification and was on cloud 9.

It was one of the scariest "out of my comfort zone" challenges I had taken on at the time. It was amazing to be in a room with folks of all ages, sizes and backgrounds - there for the same reason. Plus, I can vividly picture how scared I was driving up to Manchester, NH for the orientation and knowing I overcame it is something I can't put a price tag on.

I physically took the day-long orientation on March 9th and the online test on March 10th.

If you want to know more about the day-long orientation, feel free to check my post out here.

I was anxious to get in front of a class and share what I learned. I reached out to Spin Instructor friends in the area to find out how they got their gigs. They clued me in on the audition process at most gyms/studios, knowing studio owners, being in the right place at the right time, etc.

I took my time reaching out to local gyms asking about availability and it kept being "No. No. No". I took it tough.

But at the same time, I was training for my 3rd marathon - the Boston Marathon - and took a step back from looking to focus on training.

I tried to network, but it wasn't going anywhere.

Now I sit here a year to the day ... and I am no closer to being a Spin Instructor.

Am I a failure for not becoming a part-time Instructor? Not at all.

Do I feel like I wasted the $333 it cost to attend the Spinning certification? Absolutely.

Would I have passed up the experience to become an Instructor? Definitely not.

I think that day has made me a stronger rider and more helpful to my Spinning friends and classmates.

I may not be in front of the room, but I still try to motivate my friends and classmates as best I can.

So am I truly okay with not closing the door on the dream?

Sort of.

I regret not doing more. I should've walked into studios, talked to owners, petitioned Craigslist to find classes to substitute Instruct in and just been more proactive.

But, maybe that was my subconscious taking the reigns of the situation.

I realized over the last year that I wanted to stay in the saddle as a student.

I cannot live in a world of shoulda, coulda, wouldas! I need to learn from the experience and move on.

So what is the next dream I will chase? I'm not sure ... but at least I keep trying!

Tedy's Team Group Run - 10 Miles

The FINAL "Riverside Run" took place today and I had a special guest ...

my friend Christina! She is running with the John Hancock team and couldn't make their long run on Sunday so she joined us. It was great. I was able to catch up with her to see how she faired at the Black Cat 20-miler last weekend! :)

We had a heat wave in Boston this morning with temps in the high 30s! Hollah! I really didn't know how to dress. I stood staring at my vast collection of running garb this morning debating what to wear and what not to wear. I opted for a headband rather than hat, Team Chocolate Milk jacket, short sleeve shirt underneath - which meant no Under Armour, capris and my Superman socks.

Now I know I said I would wear calf sleeves for all my runs after the 20-miler last week, but I felt with 10 I would be safe in my Superman socks. I needed the extra pep in my step of wearing them today. They make me so happy. Plus later on you will see why the choice paid off. ;)

We all stretched at Joint Ventures in Kenmore Square and at 8am we headed to the T (train). It was nice to catch up with Nancy, Cristina and Christina. I missed the first two last week - we run together every week.

It was bittersweet to get to the Riverside stop on the train. It would be our final training run here, which means the marathon is nearing!! :P

I made my final venture to the dingy, but life-saving bathroom at the train stop ... and we were off!

It was awesome to be back with the crew and to have that crazy orb in the sky that many call - the Sun. It made it feel like it was 50 degrees out. I welcomed the warmth.

I really tried to take in the scenery of the run. The first mile or so is through a neighborhood before we are plopped out on to the marathon course.

Mile 1: 9:32 Mile 2: 9:04

Every week the guys from the Newton Firehouse were out offering up water and snacks to the runners. Today I finally remembered to snap a pic. It was a great sight seeing them out clapping for us and manning their own aid station. Plus, this spot was at the start at Heartbreak Hill so it was a great little boost to the spirit.

Like my drive-by/creeper pics as I ran? :P

Mile 3: 9:08 Mile 4: 8:52

I felt good on the rolling hills today. I kept thinking how the extra time on the bike trainer is really paying off. It is making my legs stronger without beating the body up like running does. I had to scale the running back this week because of those pesky blisters from the 20-miler so the bike trainer was my savior.

I love seeing this sign plus the amazing water stop guru Margaret every week. After bidding farewell to our lovely volunteers, it was time to catch up with Nanci and Christina to see how he run was going. This was Christina's first experience with the rolling hills of Heartbreak so it was great to hear her thoughts.

Now as I continued on, I heard "Hey Dani" to my right. It was a blog reader Jamie. How did she recognize me?? By these awesome socks! :)

Thanks Jamie for saying hi and good luck with your marathon training with Girls On The Run! Right after we parted ways I finally had my first gorilla sighting of the training season.

I love seeing Bill the Gorilla from the Heartbreak Hill Running Company. I always stop for a pic with him when on the course. A fun long-run tradition! :)

I saw Nanci and Cristina again after I stopped for my picture so we chatted before the final hump of Heartbreak. I was ready to "make it my B&^%ch" as usual so I tried to power over it.

Mile 5: 9:36 Mile 6: 9:05

And just like that the rolling hills were done. Another meeting with Heartbreak Hill was in the books. Still no matter how many times I train on it - it is way different on Race Day! The crowds and the 16-miles prior to it all play into the experience.

I did a check-in with myself and was feeling strong. My toes were slightly sore which can be expected with the blisters, etc. But with the hills over I was ready to release the legs for the final four miles. I wanted to see what I had left in the tank.

And you know what I had? Some sweet negative splits!! Don't they look pretty?

Mile 7: 8:47 Mile 8: 8:39 Mile 9: 8:26 Mile 10: 8:15

I opted to run music free. I was having fun chatting with teammates when they were near me and waving/saying hi to a ton of friends and blog readers along the course. I really love seeing familiar faces out training. Plus I had fun remembering which charities they were putting those miles in for and thinking about the thousands of dollars going to good causes one mile at a time today!!

Technically today's run is 10.2 miles long so I stop at 10 and take the last 0.2 as a nice cool down walk. Stretch out the legs, etc. Once back at Joint Ventures, I made sure to use the foam rollers and stretch everything out.

After saying bye to everyone it was time to head home, shower, snuggle the pups, throw on my Zensah compression socks and work on my recap (hello recap!).

But now I am heading to see some of my favorite folks in Maine. So until next week's 18-miler folks...

***

Week 13 Workouts:

Sunday, March 2: 30-minute bike trainer session

Monday, March 3: 1.1-mile run and Spin Class (56 minutes)

Tuesday, March 4: 30-minute bike trainer session

Wednesday, March 5: REST DAY

Thursday, March 6: REST DAY

Friday, March 7: 45-minute bike trainer session

Saturday, March 8: 10 mile group run

***

Looking To Donate

Are you interested in helping to fight Stroke? Please feel free to click on the link HERE to share a donation. Wondering how much? How about $10 in honor of the 10 miles I ran today with Tedy’s Team?

Gone For A Run Makes Drinking Beer And Wine A Little More Runtastic + Giveaway!

Annddddd the winner IS:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

***

On most Friday nights, you can find me sitting in bed, catching up on blogging and asleep by 8pm. Does this sound familiar? Are you getting flashes of your own Friday or Saturday nights.

If you don't want to admit it, that's fine. I won't out you. :P But I understand. For most of my Saturday mornings are taken up by long runs or races around the country.

Again, sound familiar?

<<insert silent nod with fit bump>>

On those Friday nights, I like to relax the nerves of the long run or race with a little extra carbo-loading ... aka BEER!

My Friday night before the Black Cat 20-Miler :)

That's right. I rarely go the night before a long run or race without a beer or glass of wine ... or two! It depends if it is a race-cation or not.  ;)

One Friday night as I was wasting some time on the interwebs, I stumbled upon a section of Gone For A Run's website that I hadn't seen before.

Drinkware!

I KNOW! I had no idea either. I buy all of my bib holders from Gone For A Run, but I haven't spent serious time exploring their website.

So after perusing the site and connecting with Gone For A Run on social media, I was given the opportunity to test out some of their amazing drinkware.

Then came the hard part ... choosing which glasses to try. Ahh I wanted ALL of them. But I finally decided one one of each.

Beer Glass

Wine Glass

I should've filled the wine glass all the way to the top for the pic, but it is against my religion to pour wine back in a bottle. ;) It says 5k, 10k, Half and Full.

If you want to check out more of the beer glasses/steins and wine glasses, head on over here. The possibilities seem endless.

These glasses have really perked up my pre or post race adult beverage. I have drank wine the night before my last half marathon (1:44:30) and my last marathon (3:58:49) PRs. So I think I will stick with it. ;)

Now you may be wondering, Dani how can I get my own amazing glassware.

Well, here's how to enter YOUR chance to win a $20 gift card to Gone For A Run so you can pick your own:

The giveaway will run from Monday March 3 (7am ET) through Monday March 10 (7am ET)!

The winner will be selected and announced on Monday!

Black Cat 20-Miler - 3/1/14

A balmy 7 degrees as we headed to Salem, Mass on race morning - March 1. Can you see there is a pattern here with the temperatures I've been reporting? Yeah it's cold. And yeah I'm over it.

And please remind me why I decide to run a spring marathon, which means training through a New England winter. ;)

Oh right ... to Fight Stroke one step and one dollar at a time!

So I end my complaining (about the weather) now.

The ride to Salem takes just over 30 minutes so my wife, my dad and I climbed into the car around 7am to head to the race site. I had to get there nice and early to pick up my bib, t-shirt & water bottle.

We thankfully lucked out and found a spot at a meter on the street just around the corner from the Start, which gave us a spot to hide (aka warm up).

The Black Cat 10 & 20 miler is put on by B&S Event Management and they had a TON of volunteers on hand race morning to help registration and pick-up go smoothly.

Can you tell I was going for Boston Marathon colors ? Blue & Gold

After hiding in the car for about 15 minutes and powering up with my ENERGYBits, we headed over to see the lovely folks from Blue Trailer.

I've shared about the Blue Trailer portable lockers before so I was excited to finally test them out. The 20-Miler was their big debut.

Small Lockers

Molly, CEO/Founder, graciously gave me a large locker to store my gear. I had so much extra room in there that I wish I had brought more stuff to store.

My Large Locker = Lucky #6

Once I had my key securely in my pocket, it was time to stretch and get lose for the Start. Blue Trailer was set up right next to the Start so I didn't even have to move.

I was in contact with friends I knew at the run and finally made a connection with the lovely Elizabeth (aka @EJComeau) from Twitter. We have been chatting online for a couple years, but kept missing each other at races and social engagements.

Until this race!

MAGIC!

With an out and back course totaling 10 miles, I knew I would see Elizabeth and my other friends out on the course multiple time. This made me one happy camper.

I knew the race would be more a mental tan physical exercise for me. I have put in those miles before, but on this day I would be solo (meaning no assigned running buddies) and zero Disney character stops! :P

I bid adieu to my dad and wife and started making last-minute adjustments to my gear and outfit. While chatting with my Tedy's Team running mate Lisa, the Start horn went off.

Saayy wwhhaa??

Well, it was Go time.

I knew within the first mile that I was going out too fast too soon.

Mile 1: 8:28

THAT would not fly for a 20-mile run ... and I knew it.

I tried to have a mental conversation with myself and slow it on down. Reel it on it if you will. I KNEW there would be hills coming up and I should be using the first 10 miles to learn what was going on. I mean I would be doing it twice.

Mile 2: 8:44

Mile 2 included the first of two BIG inclines. I cursed it the first time and knew I'd be curing it again 10 miles later.

Mile 3: 9:17

Oh you might be thinking, "Wow Dani, you got it together and slowed it down at Mile 3." NOPE!

Port-o-potty stop.

Exactly.

Since I am lazy with updating my music, I was rocking the same playlist from the Dopey Challenge, which was fine by me. It combines today's hits, musicals (Wicked) and Disney tunes. It was nice to hear those songs again and think about where I was when I heard them last while in Disney.

I was trying to distract myself from worrying too much about pace and time.

I also thought if I worked on taking in the scenery and keeping an eye out for the elite athletes at the front, my pace would slow down on its own.

Ummm not so much!

Mile 4: 8:41 Mile 5: 8:48 Mile 6: 8:50

During Mile 6, we headed back down the large hill to head back towards the Start area ... and another hill. Yeah I was too focused on slowing myself down when we first started that I didn't notice the decline. Because you know what goes down must go up (that's what she said) and vice versa.

Mile 7: 8:59

The route took you past the Start Line to do a 2.5 loop that would connect you to the transition area/Finish Line (more on that in a moment).

This loop kicked off with a nice flat stretch before opening up for more rolling hills, including this BAD boy during Mile 9 (and 19).

I kept my focus on catching the guy in the left corner.

Mile 8: 8:30 Mile 9: 9:12 (hello hill)

Once we hit the top of the hill, we had a great water view before running through a neighborhood for a few blocks before hitting the Mile 10 transition/Finish area.

Mile 10: 8:56

Let me explain. The race was a 10 mile and a 20 mile race. Soooo you ran through the inflatable arch with 10-mile racers going to the left and the 20-milers to the right so we could head out for another loop.

Mental mind game my friends. I saw the 10-mile runners getting their medals, water and banana ... I wanted to be them. But, I knew my training called for 20 so out I went.

Now, it was during this time that I noticed some major pain in my toes. I had doubled up on socks and I think it was a poooooor choice. I had a pair of peds and a pair of knee socks. I think that pairing took up too much room in my sneakers causing my toes to squish on top of each other, which resulted in unfortunate rubbing.

There was nothing I could do about it at that point. There weren't any medical tents on the course. I didn't have any bandaids on me. So I just told myself, the faster you run the sooner you can take your shoes off and figure out what was going on.

The pain was taking over my mental game so I focused on my list of which mile was dedicated to which person = my virtual running buddies! :0)

Mile 11: 9:05 Mike 12: 9:06

That damn hill again. I just channeled my Heartbreak Hill mojo and yelled out loud: "You will be my B^*%ch!" (Sorry I don't have the cleanest mouth especially while running)

Mile 13: 8:49 Mile 14: 9:06

We hit a turnaround point before the Mile 14 mark and the volunteers were handing out a special snack for the runners. I was overjoyed as I knew I'd be missing my swedish fish at the Tedy's Team water stops.

Twizzlers!!!!!!!!

It may have taken me the rest of the mile to tweet and post this picture without losing the Twizzler to the ground. Priorities over time/pace. ;)

The Twizzler gave me the boost I needed in the moment. Plus, I was ready to head back towards my cheering squad. :)

As I headed back down the "big hill" that annoyed me around Mile 2, I saw Elizabeth heading up and took it upon myself to grab a creepy stalker-type photo. Made sense, right?

Just after passing Elizabeth, I knew I needed to take a picture of the beautiful nature around me.

Living in the moment, enjoying the blessings of life ... and distracting myself from the pain in my feet!

Mile 15: 9:18

Morale was getting low and I took to social media to try to find a pick-me-up. Plus I was texting my dad and wife that I needed help. The weather was warming up (to a sweltering 20+ degrees). I couldn't handle holding my gloves or hat any longer.

So after updating my Facebook status at Mile 16 (priorities), I called my dad to see if he could meet me before the final loop to take my stuff. They were in the center window shopping so it was a no go. In the moment, it was the last thing I wanted to hear.

Mile 16: 9:03

I was ready to be done. My spirits lifted as I saw we were heading towards the Start area and the start of the final loop.

Mile 17: 8:48

At Mile 17 I tweeted, "17 miles and not one Disney character stop." Yes, I crack myself up. And as I turned to see the Start area, there was my wife. She hustled down to grab my armband, hat and gloves. My savior! ;)

I was ready to push through the final 3 miles - less than a 5k. I could do that.

Mile 18: 8:48 Mike 19: 8:56 (that damn hill again)

I just kept repeating the faster I moved, the faster I'd be done! I was ready for the post-race water, chocolate milk, beer and Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee - in that order.

And before I knew it - there was the final few blocks to the Finish!!!

Mile 20: 8:24

My initial goal for the day was 9 min/mile pace, which would've been a 3 hour finish. My official time was 2:57:59 (8:54 min/mile pace). The miles weren't as consistent as I would've liked, but without the toe pain I think it would've been a different story.

Now, my wife and dad were right at the Finish. Right where I needed them. But there was one problem. I couldn't take a full breath to save my life. :( I was having a really hard time breathing and taking control of my airwaves. It felt like my throat was burning and closing at the same time. I experienced the same thing after the Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon in November 2012, but not really since then.

I tried to walk it off. Nope.

I tried to stop and bend over. Nope.

I hobbled inside to see if the warmer air would help. Nope.

I guzzled water. Nope.

I couldn't find any medical personnel so I just tried whatever I could.

After a good 5-10 minutes, I started to gain control over my breathing again. I was an asthmatic as a child through high school. I also know there is sports-induced asthma.

Once my breathing was back to normal, I chugged some more water and was ready for my post-race beer! :)

First, I had to take my obligatory post-race photo with my bling.

Then we grabbed my stuff from Molly and the Blue Trailer crew. It was great to hear how successful their debut went. It is a great company so I can't wait to watch it take off. Look for them at races around New England.

After feeding the parking meter, it was time for a beer at Salem Beer Works. We walked in to a crowd of runners - people after my own heart. I saw a few familiar faces, which is always a cool experience. Yes these are friends I have met thanks to running and the interwebs.

Mmmm Blue Trailer shades ... bling ... beer!!

***

Overall, it was a successful race with sweet bling. I love an out-and-back course. Unfortunately, the roads weren't closed to the race so it was a battle verse cars - especially during the second loop. The cops did the best they could, but they weren't at every cross road or intersection. I almost got run over - seriously run over - by three people, including an old lady that apparently needed to get her 24-pack of paper towels home ASAP. They were scary instances, but it is part of the game with races that don't have the means to have the streets closed.

Would I run it again? Sure, the hills were amazing practice for Boston.

A special thanks to B&S Even Management and especially Ashley Stevens for inviting me to run the Black Cat 20-Miler!

Monday Musings: Black Cat 20-Miler, Blue Trailer & Ordinary Runner Holder Giveaway

Annddddd the winner IS:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congrats Laurel!

***

Do you need some motivation on this Monday????

BAM! The exact words I need to read/see regularly or just have tattooed on my body to remind me why I started my running/weightloss journey. I hope it gives you a little strength for whatever you have to do, conquer or face this week.

***

I needed these four words as I prepare to take on the Black Cat 20-Miler on Saturday.

On one hand, I am nervous to tackle my first 20-mile training run since March 2013. On the other, I remind myself that I completed the amazing Dopey Challenge in January (4 races, 4 days, 48.6 miles) so a 20-mile training run shouldn't be so nerve-wracking.

Additionally, I did run 17.4 miles last Saturday (February 15) with Tedy's Team and it was a pain-free experience.

No matter the rationalization that goes on in my head ... I still get a little anxious before such a big run. Especially when I will be taking on the challenge alone. No this isn't a road race for one :P but I mean I won't be surrounded by the members of Tedy's Team. In Disney, I was also distracted from the miles by the characters, parks and the general excitement of the Dopey Challenge.

But, on Saturday, I will battle the mental demons that haunt me during a solo long run. This WILL be a good test of my mental strength and how important my music playlist selection will be. ;)

How will I prepare in the days leading up to the 20-miler though? Strategically. I do NOT want to head into Saturday on tired legs, which means this week will be a combination of running, biking, swimming and yoga.

Since this is the first of two 20-mile training runs, I will use it as a test of my strategy. Everything is a learning experience and can only improve my training plans.

*Potential* Game Plan:

Sunday: 1.5 hour bike trainer session and 6 mile walk with my wife Monday: Run and Spin Tuesday: Swim and Run Wednesday: Yoga Thursday: Rest Friday: Bike

That is what I have for now so we will see how it goes, while I start a new job this week. Either way I think I will be rested, yet prepared for Saturday's 20-Miler. The biggest hurdle will be NOT getting swept up in the "race" atmosphere of the race. Thankfully many of my recent races have been used as training runs so I am getting better at blocking out the runners around me.

AND getting over the mental part of doing a 10-mile loop twice. There will be runners finishing while I head out on a second loop. Sometimes seeing the Finish Line during a race can take me out of my plan, but I won't let that happen Saturday!

***

Do you worry about keeping your belongings at bag check? How about in your car while you try to race? Or you bribe a friend, parent or relative to be your "pack mule" and hold everything you own?

I've answered "yes" to all three.

So I am looking forward to testing out the new locker system put on by Blue Trailer at the Black Cat race on Saturday.

Molly, the founder of Blue Trailer, provided me with some helpful information about locker rentals:

- $5 for a small locker (6"x6"x9), $10 for a large locker (12"x12"x12")

- Rent online in advance or in person with cash or credit

- The staff will give you a key to your locker, which you can access it anytime until the end of the event. When you're done, just lock up and drop your key in the key drop

- If you don't have a pocket, the staff will have elastics or safety pins for your keys. If you'd prefer, Blue Trailer can keep the key for you while you run.

- The trailer will be monitored at all times to make sure your stuff is kept safe!

If you will be running the Black Cat 10 or 20-miler on Saturday and want to try out the Blue Trailer lockers (you know I will be), please sign up online (here) and use code WEIGHTOFF to receive 20% off your order!! Go run ... Do it ... I'll wait!

<<groovin' to elevator muzak>>

All set?

Sweet.

I look forward to seeing you there!

***

Now, I need a place to show off the bling I will earn after Saturday's Black Cat 20-miler. You KNOW I can't leave my medals hidden in a drawer or piling up in a shoebox.

Interestingly enough, Ordinary Runner stepped in to fill my void. Becki, owner of Ordinary Runner, produces and sells race medal holders ($20-27) and bib holders ($20-23) on Etsy.com.

She offered to produce this masterpiece for me (value $25). Isn't it pretty? I was able to choose the phrase (from a certain list she provided), the background color, as well as the finish of the knobs. I loved being able to personalize the wood rack. (haha rack)

The wooden holder was easy to mount on the wall - just needed the two nails included. Simple enough even I could handle it... but I let the wife feel needed and had her hang it. ;)

How awesome does it look? While waiting for my Black Cat medal, I decided to show off my Boston Athletic Association bling in the meantime. I can't handle leaving a medal holder empty.

Becki gave me the tip to fold the tops of the ribbons to help them better sit on the knobs. It was a helpful tip, which kept the medals from falling off during transport from couch to wall. :)

Now comes the fun part. Becki has graciously offered to give one lucky reader their very own medal holder!! Woo!!

So here’s how to enter:

The giveaway will run from Monday February 24 (8am ET) through Friday February 28 (5pm ET)!

The winner will be selected and announced on Friday!

Three Things Thursday

Here's a little running edition of Three Things Thursday!

***

First up ... Oofos Sandals

I was wicked excited when Oofos contacted me to test out their sandals (value $39.95). One because I love to try new things and two...

...I love my flip flops post race! But I find they lack in the support my feet need after hitting the pavement for a race. The Oofos sandals offer the support my feet - especially the arch - need thanks to their OOfoam.

Technical advantages of OOfoam™ over traditional cushioning materials:

• Significantly more comfort, cushioning and natural articulation
• 37% more impact absorption
• Longer lasting support and cushioning
• Arch support for most foot-types
• Durable wear
• Machine washable

I took these out for a Spin after my 17.4 miler and 10 miler. My feet really felt like they were walking on clouds (and I don't use that term loosely).

I really like the fact that I could put my Zensah compression socks on after the run and then easily slip my feet into these sandals. Double the recovery help and double the comfort. It really was a great combination.

Oofos offers three different types of shoes: the original (regular flip flops with the toe divider) in NINE different colors, the slide (which I tried) in two different colors and the OOClog (which you can figure out is a clog) in two different colors (clog is $49.95). So the variety is there depending on your dress, style or comfort level.

Many readers saw my posts on Instagram and Facebook already and asked my true thoughts on these sandals. And the verdict is in...

I would buy them to rock post-long run!

I can't wait to try them out in the summer months especially when I usually hit the beach for the day after a morning run.

Thanks OOfos for letting me try these sweet sandals.

***

Numero Dos: KIND Snacks

There’s healthy. There’s tasty. Then there’s healthy and tasty. At KIND, we believe you deserve both—we call it our brAND philosophy. That’s why you’ll find all of our snacks are pretty much the nirvana of healthful tastiness. What began with just 8 bar varieties in 2004 has grown to over 22 bars and 6 Healthy Grains snackable clusters, and a multitude of new recipes being perfected and refined to our standards in the KIND kitchen.

Well KIND snacks pretty much sold me with that introduction to their company.

KIND snacks has been around since 2004, but didn’t enter my radar until last summer. Yes I know I am behind the times. What else is new? 

I kept seeing their product at local races. Now, I am ALL about the free products at a race so I would pick one up and not really think anything about it I did a giveaway with KIND last August. They sent me a whole goodie bag of flavors so I was really able to try them in all different fueling capacities.

So I am often asked what do I do when I am traveling for a race, I can't necessarily make my usual egg whites, wheat toast and peanut butter concoction I do when I am at home.

Enter KIND Snack bars.

Personally I need to eat an hour before a race then nothing else (besides ENERGYBits) until I am done. A thing with my body. Soooo when traveling, I throw one of these bars (5-6 PPV on Weight Watchers) into my bag and I enjoy usually one that has chocolate or peanut butter in it (it's like a treat at 5am) one hour before the Start while I am stretching, etc.

I appreciate what KIND stands for as a company and I like that I can read all of the ingredients in their product. Now, I know some people need more before a race and everyone is different, but for me - this packs the punch I need.

I've also found if I cut them up in advance and put them in a little baggy, it is the perfect fuel while on the bike. Easy to eat, enjoyable and gives me the extra push I need. The trick is cutting it up ahead of time. I am still new to the bike so I haven't mastered tearing open the container and biking at the same time ... yet!

***

And last, but certainly not least... Fitsnap App!

 

I think folks have noticed on my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram fitness posts a new look. They are jazzed up and that is thanks to the Fitsnap App.

FitSnap is an iPhone app that creates inspirational pictures from your workouts & activities. Add your workout information on top of your photos to create beautiful images to share with your friends on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter.

It's as simple as that!

They have a great drop down menu full of different activities you can use:

You an fill in your duration of the activity, how far you went (if you know) and then you can add a little snippet about how it went (this might be my favorite part).

They even have a whole list of specific yoga poses on the app.

Once you input the information, you then choose the layout of the overlay by swiping left and right. After that is picked, you can choose a filter to dress up or dress down your picture. Then it is saving to your phone and you are off!

The basic Fitsnap app is free, but you can make "in-app purchases" to give you additional Fitsnap themes for 99 cents each. The additional themes are: Half Marathon and Marathon. I'm excited to try those two out in the coming months! :)

So if you are looking to jazz up those post-run selfies or you just need another iPhone app, I highly recommend Fitsnap.

Oh and tell 'em IrishEyes1982 sent ya. ;)

Tedy’s Team Group Run – 10 Miles

And on February 22nd the weather gods shined down on Boston and said: "Thou shall enjoy a special Saturday with highs of 50 degrees." And the Boston Marathon runners REJOICED!

That's right folks. After battling snow, rain, sleet and  negative degree temps, we got some nice weather for a change.

And I freaked. What the heck am I supposed to wear?

***

I leaped out of bed as my alarm shrilled at 6:30am as I still hadn't planned on what to wear. I knew it would be a high of 50, but that didn't mean it would be 50 when our run began at 8am! :P

I settled on a fitting Today's Miles shirt. I mean if the training plan AND the shirt said I was supposed to run 10 then I would. Right? Plus, it was a nice lightweight long-sleeved wicking t-shirt so I thought it would be perfect time to test it out.

Egg Whites, Wheat Toast, Peanut Butter

I put together a quick, but satisfying breakfast before my ride got to my house. All for only 5 Weight Watchers Points to boot. Of course, I took my ENERGYBits as well. I needed the extra boost and it is the best vitamin I can find.

(Interested in purchasing ENERGYBits, use code WEIGHTOFFMYSHOULDERS for 25% off your order)

After a catch-up session in the car with my Tedy's Team running mates, we were at Joint Ventures in Kenmore Square stretching. On the "Riverside runs," which was taking place today, we take the train to the Riverside stop on the Green Line and run the 10 miles back to Kenmore Square. It is a long train ride or rather feels long while you are on there. But the run gives you yet another attempt at Heartbreak Hill.

Thank goodness the Riverside train station has a bathroom. We know I have the bladder of a child so it comes in wicked handy. After a pit stop, Cristina, Nanci and I got this party started.

We got into our rhythm of running and chatting. You really get to know your teammates thanks to Facebook and countless hours pounding pavement together.

I was definitely recognizing that the first mile of this training run is always a warm-up. Reason being - besides the obvious - is the time between the stretching at Joint Venture and the actual time we start running. You can get a little cold while taking the train to the start of the run so the first mile is a time to wake the legs back up.

Oh and did I mention we kick that first mile off on a hill. Yay! :P

Mile 1: 9:39

But once that first mile is behind you, you are back in your groove. We complete about three miles before we show up at the beginning of Heartbreak Hill, which for those that don't remember is a series of rolling hills through Newton. The hills themselves aren't that bad it is the position they come in the Boston Marathon that takes the toll on your legs.

We have been greeted the past few weeks at the beginning of Heartbreak by the Newton Firefighters offering water and snacks outside their firehouse. I will be sure to snap a pic next time I see them. Such an amazing outpouring of support!

Mile 2: 9:03 Mile 3: 9:09 Mile 4: 9:07

The sun was certainly shining today, which made the course seem warmer than it actually was. We know on the 10-miler that we have two water stops to check out.

Can you tell I get a little excited when I spot Margaret at the water stop?

Today was especially meaningful because I got to give her the Stop Stroke Shuffle 5k medal she earned last week. :)

We took in the scene as a film crew drove past following a runner training for - I assume - Boston Marathon. After a little Gatorade and water, it was time to get back to the hills. I set out with Cristina (who is a Boston Qualifier) to pick her brain on how to attack the next week's worth of workouts as I prepare for March 1st's 20-miler. I love hearing the training methods of other folks - especially speedier runners - for possible ideas.

Mile 5: 9:45 Mile 6: 9:04

I always take an extra breathe as we look up at the final hill of Heartbreak. It is the most daunting. I uttered my normal: "I'm ready to make you my b^&*ch" statement and set to work. Something was different today, my legs felt strong and I barreled up the hill. Okay barreling might be an exaggeration, but I definitely made it up the hill faster than usual. Oh and I felt stronger. During the trek up, I was thinking how much stronger my legs felt and thinking all that biking I am now doing might just be paying off. :P

Few things can top the feeling you have getting to the top of the final hill of Heartbreak. You really know that the final 4-ish miles will be a true breeze.

Mile 7: 8:26 Mile 8: 8:27 Mile 9: 8:49

And by looking at my splits you can tell they are pretty darn flat. My legs felt nice and fresh today. I was talking to Cristina and Nanci today about my experience with the Runner's World Running Streak (#RWRunStreak) I participated in at the end of 2013. A Run Streak means you run at least 1 mile a day for x amount of days (set by you are the host depending). I loved doing it, but think it took a toll on my body. Not sure I am built for running every single day.

Now that I am back to running, biking, yoga and swimming, I feel more balanced and I think my legs are really benefitting.

At Mile 9.26, I spotted the familiar water stop hosted by the amazing folks at Blue Trailer (which I will talk more about on Monday). They always have great snacks and signs.

Can you tell we ALL appreciated the weather?

Today their crew was triple the norm so it was like hitting the scream tunnel at Wellesley on Marathon Monday. There was high-fiving, cheering and of course kissing ... oh wait, scratch the last part. That is a Wellesley only thing! After chatting with Molly (owner of Blue Trailer) briefly, I finished up the final 1/4 of a mile.

Mile 10: 8:28

I was probably 0.2 miles from Joint Ventures, but decided to take that last stretch as a nice cooldown walk. I was okay skipping the last 0.2 miles today since I walked with someone instead.

Back-to-back 9 min/mile pace long runs

Overall, the run felt amazing. At the beginning I was dreading it, I think I always feel that way after the extra train ride. However, once we got out on the course, the tune changed.

Plus, I was rocking my unicorn socks. Yes those are rainbows coming out of their bums.

I honestly forget what I am wearing while running so I was wondering why I was getting so many quizzical looks today ... the socks! :)

We foam rolled, stretched and called it a day. I had to get home to refuel anyway: water, low-fat chocolate milk and Dunkin' Donuts Iced Coffee. In that order!

Next week I will miss the Tedy's Team 16-18 mile group run since I will be running the Black Cat 20-miler in Salem. Will anyone else be there?

***

Week 11 Workouts:

Sunday, February 16: 30-minute bike trainer session

Monday, February 17: Spin Class (47 minutes)

Tuesday, February 18: 5-mile run and 45-minute bike trainer session

Wednesday, February 19: Hill Repeats (2.6 miles), 30-minute Stairmaster and 62-minute Yoga

Thursday, February 20: REST DAY

Friday, February 21: 60-minute bike trainer session

Saturday, February 22: 10 mile group run

***

Looking To Donate

Are you interested in helping to fight Stroke? Please feel free to click on the link HERE to share a donation. Wondering how much? How about $10 in honor of the 10 miles I ran today with Tedy’s Team?

Win A Chance To Run The Inaugural Craicfest 5k With Me!

Annddddd the winner IS:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congrats Shimmy!!

If you didn't win, but still want to party with me at Craicfest 5k - use code WOMS to receive $8 off your registration!! Sign up HERE.

***

Beer. Dancing. Music. Friends. Celebrations.

What could those words possibly be describing? Besides my normal Tuesday night.

(Note: We all know that is a big fat lie! But thanks for laughing along!)

I'm actually talking about two of my favorite events: a Cambridge 5k race AND St. Patrick's Day!

Team Slumbrew at Cambridge 5k's Yulefest 5k 2013

And for the first time ever Cambridge 5k and St. Patrick's Day are teaming up for...

Craicfest 5k on March 16, 2014 at 9:30am! :)

WAHOO!!!!

It IS t-minus five weeks until we don our favorite green apparel.

For those that don't know, Cambridge 5k is a running series here in the Boston area that organizes "unique handcrafted running events that are super-fun!" And I can attest to that. I completed all five in 2013 (four with Team Slumbrew).

The now six-part series is a combination or road and trail races geared for all running levels. Every race is a good time capped off with a giant dance party, while enjoying local craft beers.

Somerville's Own Slumbrew

The Cambridge 5k series is the brain child of one of my favorite race directors, Eddie. He really cares about the participants, the local community, as well as the overall race experience. He is open to thoughts from runners and we all appreciate him for that.

So now that we all know how much I love the Cambridge 5k series and Eddie, it's time to talk about the newest race ... and get to the giveaway!!

The newest addition to the series will be the Craicfest 5k on March 16, 2014 at 9:30am.

The details:

Join us on St. Patrick's Day weekend for a unique 5k road & trail race through DCR Northpoint Park, followed by an amazing party hosted by CambridgeSide Galleria!

Get in the spirit and wear your GREEN! Or even better, run the race in your best Irish-themed outfit and you could win some serious prizes in our costume contest!

Registration includes a great C5K race shirt + free food & beverages at the post-race party featuring an awesome mix of Irish alternative & hip hop hits!

Who can pass up a 5k race, dance off AND post-race party with local craft brews? I KNOW I will be there.

I'll make sure you have a BLAST!

So can do you want to join me ... for free!

***

So here’s how to enter to win your free entry into the inaugural Craicfest 5k:

The giveaway will run from Sunday February 9 (8am ET) through Sunday February 16 (8am ET)!

The winner will be selected and announced on Sunday!

Ready to Sparkle? Enter my Sparkly Soul Headband Giveaway

Annddddd the winners ARE:

a Rafflecopter giveaway CONGRATS!!!!

Thank you to everyone that participated and big thanks to Sparkly Soul!!

***

How do I keep sparkling on days when I don't feel blah?

How do I had a little sparkle to my ho-hum work clothes?

Can I dress up a grueling workout with sparkle?

When in the middle of a tough race how do I let people know I'm still sparkling?

With my Sparkly Soul headbands of course... :)

Perfectly in place during the Walt Disney World Marathon

Adding a little flair at a Tedy's Team charity event

Staying put during a tough training session

According to their website, Sparkly Soul headbands are:

no headache and no slip....yes, REALLY no headache and no slip. Our patent pending design makes certain that your headbands stay in place - no matter how intense your sports or fitness activity.

• Sparkle all around - 360° of sparkle

• Entire band is elastic

• One size fits all adults. Also, fits kids ages 5 and up.

And I can confirm that they do not slip! :) I have worn them through windy road races, marathons, triathlons, long days of work and while sleeping ... never budged once.

Plus, I feel dressed up at work when I add a Sparkly Soul headband to the mix.

I wear Sparkly Soul so often people recognize me by them. ;)

Just a small portion of my collection

I love the color options. The headbands come in both wide and thin versions. You can totally mix and match and make all sorts of amazing combinations!

A thick headband - the only thing that can tame my mane

2 thin headbands 

So now that I have you all ready to sparkle, it is time to share the good news...

Sparkly Soul is announcing the newest color: the special edition Sky Blue headband. It is the first ever special edition headband, which is here to celebrate both Valentine's Day and founder Dari's upcoming wedding.

Photo Courtesy Competitor Magazine

The headband is sky blue with a matching velvet backing.

I was lucky enough to pick one up at the Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Half Marathon Expo this past weekend.

Pamela of Sparkly Soul rockin' 3 wide headbands at RnR New Orleans Expo

But now it's your turn. That's right. These headbands don't hit the web until Friday, but I am giving away 6 headbands - 3 wide and 3 thin - to 6 lucky readers.

***

So here's how to enter to win 1 of 6 Sparkly Soul headbands:

The giveaway will run from Monday February 10 (8am ET) through Friday February 14 (10am ET)!

The winner will be selected and announced on Friday!

Tedy's Team Group Run - 10 Miles

20 degrees with Real Feel 9 degrees. Checking out the weather last night I wasn't allll too excited to be running in the freezing temps. BUT after missing the group run last week since I was in New Orleans, I was happy to be running humidity-free. ;)

My Tedy's Team running partner Meg usually gives me a ride to the run, but she was sick this morning. Her husband, Joshua, who usually runs with us as well still came to give me a ride. I felt so bad. It wasn't necessary, but he had to get Meg coffee anyway. :P

I got dropped off about 7:40am which gave me plenty of time to stretch before we left to take the train at 8am. It was great to see all the familiar faces after missing the 16-miler the week before.

It was a rainbow sock kind of day & yes I still have my RnR Timer thing on :)

Today was what we call a “Riverside” run which means we took the T from Kenmore Square to the Riverside stop and then we run the 10 miles back to Boston., including Heartbreak Hill.

While on the train there was a little incident with a stranger who seemed to be pretty homophobic. You can read about it here.

We arrived at Riverside, hit up the much-appreciated bathroom and hit the course. I was going to try and take it easy today since I knew the sidewalks could be covered in black ice with the recent snow/rain.

It was great to be back with the group. Plus catching up on two weeks of life really helps to pass the time. I did come prepared today with headphones in case I ended up by myself again.

I was relishing in the weather. It was cold, but it was really the wind that was painful. There wasn't humidity though so I was happy.

Mile 1: 9:07 Mile 2: 8:50 Mile 3: 8:46

I felt like I was working harder than my pace was showing. I wasn't sure why, but made sure to continuously check in with my body since Heartbreak Hill was coming.

Mile 4: 8:51

Around 4ish we hit the water stop, which meant I got to see the always smiling Margaret. She is one kickass lady, who is out every week manning a water stop and encouraging all of the runners. She is part of Team Casey, which is a big big part of Tedy's Team.

Oh and she was rocking the Boston Marathon colors in Gatorade.

After a quick regroup, we headed back on to the course to Finish our date with Heartbreak Hill. Again for anyone that doesn't know, Heartbreak Hill isn't one hill it is a series of rolling hills.

Mile 5: 9:17 Mile 6: 9:05

I turned to Sara and Cristina as we approached the final hill of Heartbreak and said: "Okay ladies let's make this our b&#ch!"

And that is exactly what we did. :)

Once we dominated Heartbreak, the run was all "down hill" from there. I usually say it is down hill from here once you hit the half way mark of a run, but not when we do the Riverside run.

Mile 7: 8:42 Mile 8: 8:47

We had our second and final water stop at Mile 7.9. It is great being able to run water belt free and having the opportunity to chat with our Coach mid-run.

I think I got a little extra pep in my step as I knew we had just two miles left. My legs started really waking up and were ready for a little speed to finish it out. Plus, I popped in my headphones and started rocking out to some sweet Disney tunes.

Mile 9: 8:27

At Mile 9.5 I saw the amazing folks of Blue Trailer were out at their usual post. I hadn't seen them in a couple weeks since I was out of town. It is always fun seeing familiar faces. I met Molly (owner) and her crew at one of the first Boston Marathon long runs.

She has a nice water stop, snacks and a fun sign.

Since they were out of tequila, I opted for a munchkin. :)

It was just the little extra I needed to finish out the run.

Mile 10: 8:31 Final 0.25: 2:00

The weather warmed up as we ran, which made the time out there more enjoyable. As a whole the run felt great. It did make me realize I need to get back to hill repeats and cross training. I have gotten lazy since the Dopey Challenge and this lit the fire under my booty to buckle back down.

Now it is time to plan out the rest of the week's activities and prepare for next week's 16-18 miler!

***

Week 9 Workouts:

Sunday, February 2: Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Half Marathon

Monday, February 3: Walking Around New Orleans/Being A Tourist :)

Tuesday, February 4: REST DAY

Wednesday, February 5: REST DAY

Thursday, February 6: REST DAY

Friday, February 7: 5k run

Saturday, February 8: 10 mile group run

***

Looking To Donate

Are you interested in helping to fight Stroke? Please feel free to click on the link HERE to share a donation. Wondering how much? How about $10 in honor of the 10 miles I ran Saturday with Tedy's Team?