Running Tips

After my half marathon a few weekends back, you all were so gracious with your comments. I thought maybe doing a post on running tips I find helpful to maybe motivate some of you to either continue with your running (if you do), get back into running after a hiatus or start running if you never have. 

Just to give you a bit of background information on my running, I never competed in cross country or track, I have always run for myself. It was a form of exercise I picked up senior year of high school and something I would do before school with my dad, we would go on runs together. 

Up to date, I have done one full marathon, two half marathons and a few 5K in between. 

For full disclosure, I don't pretend to be an expert at running, my tips I am providing here are tools that have helped me along the way.

1. Find a time you are most likely to run on a daily basis and make it your "me" time. Guard that time, be selfish with that time you have planned to run. 

For me, this means the mornings. I started out doing morning runs and have just continued that way.

2. Get good running shoes. 

Pounding the pavement means pounding your knees and hips and you need shoes that will help cushion the pounding a pavement. Additionally, if you are wearing wrong shoes it can increase the potential for an injury so get good shoes, get fitted properly for running shoes.

3. Think about how great you will feel after you run if you aren't motivated to go out.

There are days that I feel like sleeping an extra hour, however, I know how much better I feel after I run and that motivates me to get up out of bed. 

4. Listen to music on your run if it helps. 

Some days, I don't want to run but I get myself out of bed and listening to music while I run encourages me along. Instead of thinking I don't really want to be running right now, I am listening to my music and the miles seem to roll by.

5. Drink water and stretch.

If you want running to be easier the next time you go out there, be sure to stretch. Give those muscles a good stretch after they worked out and hydrate, replenish your body with that vital fluid, water.

6. Think one day at a time. If you are struggling to create a consistent running routine, think of one day at a time. Say to yourself, today I will get up and run. Don't think about tomorrow, just say today I will run. Then tomorrow do the same thing.

7. Give yourself a rest and listen to your body. If you are really really tired and a run wouldn't as beneficial then give yourself one day off and don't beat yourself up about it, just go running tomorrow.

Source: someecards.com via Renee on Pinterest

Oh by the way, yesterday was National Running Day. I hope what these tips that I help use to motivate myself to go running will help you. If you have any questions, certainly please email me!! Happy Running.

Half Marathon Recap

Happy Monday! How was everyone's weekend? What did you all do? 

Yesterday was the half marathon and oh yah a wedding in the afternoon, how's that for a Sunday.

My running partner, Sarah, and I trained for about 8 weeks although we began running together at the beginning of the year. It has been great to have a running partner, to have someone for that accountability and on those mornings when you would prefer to sleep in a bit longer, you can't because your running partner is counting on you to run!

Oh I have to mention when we went to the expo to pick up our race packets, they have a bunch of business booths there and there was a booth for a funeral home. Now let's play the game of one of these things is not like the other. A funeral home place at a running expo? It is real encouraging to start planning your funeral the day before you are planning on running a race, NOT!

We ran the Pasadena Marathon as it is known but there is also the half, a 10K, a 5K, a bike tour and a kid's run.
We actually saw a lot of cool places in Pasadena on our run, we ran by the Tournament of Roses house (you know the New Years Day rose parade), we ran up to the Rose Bowl, across the Colorado Street Bridge, down Colorado Street (if you know the song, Little Ol' Lady from Pasadena).

The race was good, it started at 6:30am, which meant an early wake-up call at 4:30am so there was enough time for some breakfast, drive over to the course and warm-up before the race began.

To date this is my second half marathon and as well as a full marathon before. 

Here are a few before photos of us!

Overall, the race was good, Sean was there to help pace us and I finished officially at 1:47:18, which meant an average of 8:11 pace, I placed 8th in my division and my friend Sarah 11th in our division. 

Can't wait for the next one!
Tune in tomorrow for another re-cap of the Bachelorette episode 2!

oh yah and I saw this decal on a window on a car we parked right next too prior to the race. I thought it was appropriate :-)

Running Motivation

The winner of the Sexy Modest Boutique was Shanna of Because Shanna Said So, congrats girl!It is Friday, which means that I am t minus 2 days until my half marathon. All week long, I have been posting some running inspiration on my running partner's facebook wall. Why? To get us pumped, to get us excited and to acknowledge the work we have been putting into it thanks to my awesome husband who wrote up our training program! I thought I would just share some of the inspiration I found via Pinterest.

I have talked a little bit about running and how I run at least 5 days a week, even when I was doing the training. I love running but I am not running 7 days a week type of I love running.Yes I do get up every morning and run, at 6am sharp I am out the door for anywhere between a 4 to 7 mile run. So why do I run? I run because I started waking up earl with my dad senior year of high school to get some exercise. I run because it helps relieve the stress from my job and mainly I run because it is for me, it is my me time and I hate sacrificing it for anything. I run because I enjoy the stillness and quiet of the morning before the world gets up, before the hustle and bustle start and when it is the right time of the year, I run to watch the sun rise.That is why I run.
Ok this is soo not totally running related but which pair of shoes do you think goes better with this dress?I realized I needed to clarifysince both are wedges, so I go with the sandal wedge or closed toe wedge?

Source: mhenning.polyvore.com via Meg on Pinterest

 

Guest Post -- Erin of Designer Me

Hey ladies! Today you have the lovely Erin from Designer Me. I have been following Erin's blog long before I started my own blog and always looked forward to her posts. Today you are blessed with something she is passionate about, running! Exercise is a must, sorry to me it is a non-negotiable. I haven't talked about this a ton yet but running is something I do 5 or 6 days a week. Plus the added pressure of running when your husband is a asst coach for cross country and track at a university aids in my desire to run. Anyways chit chat from me, here is Erin's post! Thank you so much Erin for putting this together and helping me out!

When Meg posted a request for guest bloggers while she is on her fabulous cruise vacation, I was thrilled to help out!  I am so happy to have stumbled upon her blog.  From recipes to fashion to running, it is always a wonderful read!

I grew up as a swimmer, dancer, and Girl Scout.  Running never even entered my vocabulary until college, when I dabbled in it by running a couple of miles every so often around campus.  It wasn't until a few years later that I really laced up my shoes and got going with it.  Truly, the story on how I got started was that I one day up and decided that I was going to run a half-marathon...in 6 weeks.  I need motivation to run and this was perfect.  My husband went along with my plan and we started with 3 miles, increasing mileage by about a mile a week.  Pretty ambitious, but I wanted to run at least half the total distance before the race.  

The race went well, overall, but after mile 9 or 10, it got hard.  Regardless, I was addicted, already planning for my next race.  Since then, I have done another 4 half marathons with an additional one on the calendar.  I've battled an ankle injury (a posterior tibial tendon tear), finally gotten proper nutrition down, and found a hobby that I love.

Running gear is infinite and I certainly have learned my preferences along the way (socks, shorts, visor, water bottle, hydration, and so on), but one of the most important things is a good pair of shoes.  From my research and experience, I have fallen in love with Mizuno shoes.  After training for and running 2 half-marathons in who-knows-what kind of shoes, I finally caved and got real-deal running shoes.  What a difference it made!  The comfort, support, and even the propel forward motion it provided was like a whole new world.  I have moderate to severe over pronation, so I have gone through a couple different models of the Mizuno Wave Nirvana and will very soon transition to the Mizuno Waze Alchemy.

I am also a serious advocate of women running in a good, supportive sports bra.  It pains me to see someone running in the wrong level of support for them.  For the longest time, I would buy what was on sale.  When I was finally introduced to the CW-X line of sports bras, I was wary of the price, but asked for it for my birthday one year.  Best decision ever.  The Xtra Support Bra is just what the product title says - a great level of support that women need.  This thing straps you in and lets you jog and run without much movement in the area and I am thankful for it.

How many of you out there are runners or triathletes?  What products are you passionate about?