Am I Good Enough? It's RUNFESSION time!

Welcome back for another addition of

Runfession Friday.  

What's in my brain this month?  Grab a snack and have a read. 

First off, it's hard to believe that it's the end of March.  Life really does go by us in a blink of an eye.  This is my favorite time of the month to blog because it's a time where I can let all my thoughts out on paper. 

Let's start, shall we?  

I RUNFESS,  I'm a little miffed at Punxsutawney Phil.  Yes, he did show us that we were in for 6 more weeks of winter.  So, it's no surprise that Minnesota is still cold.  But, the wind can go away anytime now!  I loathe wind,  and it seems that this year the wind is extra "ass-ey."   It's like Mother Nature is laughing at us.  30 mph winds just aren't enough - she's got to go and throw in 40-50 mph gusts just to see if we can stay upright while running.   And, maybe throw in a few roof shingles and down spouts while she's at it too!

I'm ready for cute spring outfits and pedicures!  Why oh WHY did that damn groundhog have to see his shadow?  If I have to do another long run in the wind and the cold I may just crack!

When I found this meme,  I about peed my pants.  Sorry for the vulgarity guys, but it really is funny.

I also must RUNFESS,  that I have a new addiction to Poshmark.  I love to find good deals.  A few weeks ago, while I was searching the internet for stores that sold my Brooks Glycerin shoes, I stumbled across this site.  Essentially, it's a huge online garage sale.  Ordinary people like me sell their clothes online.  I happened to search my shoes on the site and found two pair!  

I was able to get both pair of Glycerin 12's, NEW,  for $80 total!  These shoes usually retail for $150! It was an absolute steal!  They are perfect.

This bargain then led me to evaluate my own closet.  What did I have that was still in great condition that I wasn't wearing anymore?  I found a Ralph Lauren sweater, new with tags!  I had never worn it and knew that I never would.  Guess what?  It sold.  I made a great profit.  It was free for me to ship and now I'm hooked.  

No,  I am absolutely NOT compensated for plugging Poshmark.  It's worked out great for me - maybe it will for you too!  I just LOVE a good deal.  So, here's one for you!  If you sign up for Poshmark, use code UQEXZ and get $5 added to your account.  The account is FREE.  If you find something you like you can use that $5 to buy it! 

I also RUNFESS,  and this isn't all that new,  I often wonder.... am I good enough?

I'm nervous I won't hit my goal of running a 4 hour marathon.  3:59:59,  if I'm being technical!  

Not because I haven't put in the training,  but because it's really damn hard.  Last weeks long run of 15 miles put it a bit into perspective for me.  I had a nice pace throughout of 9:19/mile.  9:09 is my goal.  But, the daunting task of running just a bit faster for 11 more miles really freaks me out!   Can I do it?   Maybe I'm not ready for that task?

The truth is, the Grandma's Marathon course ate me up last year.   I walked the second 13.1 more than I ran.  It was 87 degrees by mile 20.  I was out 7 weeks in the middle of my training due to injury.  I was undertrained.   My mental game was weak.   I finished.  Barely.

I keep going back to what so many runners tell me.  Running your long runs slower will make you faster!  It's just so insanely hard to run slower.  I should be running 1-2 minutes slower than my marathon pace.  So, consequently, my long runs need to be 10:09-11:09 for pace.  Marcia says, you need to be able to run 9's all day!

She's in my brain constantly..... Hi Marcia!

But, seriously,  I do understand the concept,  but I've yet to do it.  I will try for my next long run.  My plan calls for 16-18 miles.  12 of which should be marathon pace, with the rest easy.   If you're also looking for advice on how to run slower to be faster,  check out Rachel's latest post!  It's great!

Thanks for reading!  I'm linking up with Marcia for her Runfession Friday!

Lean, Mean, Running Machine! My Review of Beach Body Performance Supplements

Disclaimer:  I received Beach Body Performance to enjoy and review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave to review, find and write race reviews.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've heard about the Beach Body Programs.  Beautiful men and women delivering you the best work-outs all in the comfort of your own home, right on your TV!  Beach Body is all the rave, and from what I hear it's been very successful for thousands of people!  

Beach Body also has a performance line.  It's NSF certified and is bursting with good-for-you ingredients!  

If you're like me, you're skeptical of all things supplements.   But, and this is a big BUT, I'm hear to tell you.....

My mind is BLOWN!   The Beach Body Performance Stack that I received was out of this world!  

In my shipment of Beach Body Performance, was Energize (pre-workout), Hydrate (during workout), Recover (Post-workout), and Recharge (nighttime).  I was immediately impressed with the product because I was given a complete guide to each product, a personalized note and...... this one is a big one - FULL-SIZE product!  In my opinion,  if you want someone to give you an honest review - give them enough product to do so.  Beach Body did NOT disappoint. 

Rather than listing all of the benefits and ingredient lists for each product individually, I will give you the direct link to these products so you can read if you'd like to learn more.  Besides, I want to give you my testimonial on the product and not just ingredients.  

One aspect of the website I found very helpful was that you could customize your supplements based on your goals.

My goal was to tone.

Once you put in your goal, it will customize the products specifically for you.  And, if you want to buy the whole system, you get a sizeable discount.  It's just fine if you only want a few items as well - they can be purchased separately.

On another note:  if you know a beach body coach, hit them up for the order, they'll thank you later.   

If you'd like to learn more details about the specifics of these supplements, please check out this direct link here.

I went into this product testing with a completely open mind, a serious diet coke addiction, and some willingness to work hard to gain some muscle tone!  I am happy to say,  due to the energize supplement I was able to completely kick my soda habit!  It's now been nearly one month without soda!  Just scoop, stir and GO!

I used the natural caffeine that is present in the Energize to give me the initial boost I needed to get started on my way to a soda-free lifestyle.   I was also impressed with the tasty citrus flavor!  Slowly, I used less and less each day.  I had no sugar crash or crazy caffeine withdrawal headache either!  My body thanks me!  Now, when I need the energize boost,  I can scoop and go.    Because my dependence on daily caffeine is gone,  I really feel the extra boost when I drink it!

Hydrate is designed to give us the extra electrolytes that we lose so rapidly during exercise.  But, I'd be lying if I didn't drink it during the day too!  It's a great flavor boost to ordinary water.

My absolute favorite supplement of this group was the chocolate Recover protein drink.  It is designed to give you the much needed proteins immediately after you exercise!  You drink it within 30 minutes of an intense workout to help facilitate muscle recovery and repair.  It is also proven to help reduce DOMS!

This drink tasted like chocolate milk on steroids.  It is so good.  It's not chalky and very easy to use - just add water and shake.  It's also easy to mix.   Plus, it delivers 20 grams of protein.   I incorporate it into my breakfast routine for a low-calorie, protein-packed punch to start my day!   This is a must try product!

The only downside of these supplements for me was the cost.  If you order the entire system as shown above, it sets you back about $199.  For cheap little old me, that's expensive.  But, you do get what you pay for and I have never had a better tasting protein supplement.   I have had these products for 30 days now and I have about half of the canisters left.

I have a friend who is a Beach Body Coach, and she has been raving about coaching for some time now.  I am tempted to become a coach just for the product discount.   I just don't think I can live without this supplement.  I just love it!

For me,  these products were an absolute success!   I have lost nearly 3 pounds,  completely gotten over my diet soda addiction and I've found a great morning protein routine I just love!

Do YOU use supplements?  What do you think about your system?  Have you ever tried Beach Body?

Grandma's Marathon - Week 7

Week 7 of Grandma's Marathon Training is complete!

This week was uneventful with running and I like it like that!

 Next week will ramp up my mileage with a 16-18 mile long run on Saturday.  EEK!  

I have to admit, I'm a bit intimidated. 

STATS: 

21.3 miles

Milly

Duluth

Grandma's Course

Lake Superior  - Scenic Highway - Grandma's Marathon Course

This week,  I'm doing a little different weekly wrap.  Rather than listing out my days workouts,  I'll highlight the good points!  

Monday was fairly uneventful as I started out the week with 3/4 mile hill repeats.  I got in 4 repeats before heading to work and finished with 5.8 miles at 9:14/mile.  Tuesday, I got a nice easy 5.5 mile run in at a comfortable pace - 9:26/mile.  Nothing crazy - just good training. 

My kids started spring break on Friday, and we were headed to Duluth for a mini-vacation; compliments of my sister!  She's the greatest.  With the family outing planned, my long run happened Thursday on Milly.  Thankfully,  I only had 10 miles on plan this week,  so I put on Netflix and went to town.   I ended up with 10 miles at 9:06/mile.  I was just getting done when they invaded the mill, so I made them take a picture with me!  They are such goofballs!

  

After we took the picture,  they proceeded to let their monster truck cars roll off the belt of the treadmill into a bucket.   Of course this gave me anxiety for a number of reasons,  but mostly because I love my Milly and need her in good working order.  #runnerproblems

No kick-boxing this week.  I'm hoping to pick that up again this next week.   I am also mentally preparing for my first "really" long run of my training cycle this upcoming Saturday!  

Friday, we headed to Duluth.  The home of the famous Grandma's Marathon where I'll be completing my 2nd marathon in June.  Duluth is a great city with lots of things to do,  so we first headed to Two Harbors, the home of the starting line of the race! 

Because I plan like that,  I made my husband drive the course from finish to start.  Along they way, I reminisced about all the moments in last years race.  The photo at the top of this post was taken on Friday from my car on the route.  I'm not exactly sure which mile this was, I'm guessing between 14-16.   The weather Friday was perfect for running  - no wind, no sun and 40 degrees!  YES PLEASE!

This photo was snapped by my husband at mile 19.  Apparently,  I was still smiling - but that may have been a lie!  I knew that he was there!  HA! 

It's so nice to get away as a family.   The boys were in heaven on Lake Superior throwing rocks and searching all around!  We had lots of laughs and I'm grateful that my sister gifted us two nights in a hotel!  

I love when I can capture any pictures with my boys!  Usually, I have to bribe them because they just won't sit still long enough for me to snap a picture! 

I'm linking up with Holly and Tricia once again for the weekly wrap!  

Tell me!  How do you like to spend time with your family? What's your favorite getaway? 

Walking On Clouds - Review of OOFOS Original Sport Sandal

Disclaimer:  I received OOFOS Ooriginal Sandals to enjoy and review as part of being a BibRave Pro.  Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave to review, find and write race reviews.

Think back to your last finish line.  Your hot, sweaty, tired.  Your body is exhausted.  You want to sit down, stretch and relax - maybe with a beer in hand at your finish line.  

More often then not, the first thing we do as runners is remove our socks and our shoes after a long hard run.  Until now, my drop bag at races has always been stuffed with any old pair of sandals or flip flops with no regard to if they are actually good for my feet.  

At home, after a long run,  I immediately would pull off my shoes and walk barefoot.  However, I know now, that is not the best way to care for my very tired and sometimes over-worked feet. Our feet are what takes us the distance.  Everyday, we put one foot in front of the other to get us to our finish line. 

 It's about time we give our feet the love they deserve.  

They deserve to feel the Oo! 

 

I'm a sporty girl and these sandals have become a staple in my everyday life.  I wear them whenever I can - even to kick-boxing.  Just slip on comfort and GO!

Currently, in MN it's cold and clearly not sandal weather just yet.  But, that hasn't stopped me from wearing them around my house every chance I get, especially after long runs.   Rather than walking barefoot my feet now feel as though they are walking on clouds!  

Let's talk a little bit about the science of OOFOS! 

OOFOS Recovery Sandals are better than their competitors because:

• Absorb MORE shock than traditional foams
• Patented footbed cradles arches
• Relives pressure on ankles, knees and lower back
• Durable foam holds it's form indefinitely
• So light that they float
• Machine Washable

What I love most about my OOFOS sandals is the way they make my feet feel AFTER I take them off. My feet truly feel as though they have been walking on clouds.  They feel relaxed - even pampered!   I have a spring in my step.  I can conquer the world!

OOFOS are very comfortable and come in a variety of styles and colors.  If thongs aren't for you - don't fret!  They have slides and clogs as well! 

These sandals are true to size to my normal footwear.  I wear a 9 shoe and a 9.5 running shoe.  I ordered size 9 and they fit fantastic!  

I've currently completed 6 weeks of training for my next marathon so these sandals have really come in handy.  Oftentimes, when the kids are snug in their beds, I'll start an epsom salt soak.  I will sit back and relax and afterwards I'll slip on my OOFOS.   I'm learning how to better care for the feet that so desperately need the comfort and relaxation!  

You've probably noticed that these particular sandals have the breast cancer symbol on the side.  I chose these sandals because these are a part of the Project Pink line from OOFOS.  For every pair of shoes from this line sold,  $10 is donated to cancer research.  I really think that this is fantastic - and besides,  pink is FUN! 

OOFOS mission is to make yOO feel better, one step at a time.  When one of their own, Duncan Finigan, was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer, the OOFOS team knew that they had to help the cause!  The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute was the cause they were to support!  If you'd like to see more you can follow the link here.

I have really enjoyed these sandals and they have quickly become part of my daily shoe wardrobe. But let's be honest, my shoe collection is really just running shoes and flats.   These fit in very nicely! 

My only con was that after wearing them a while, but feet seemed to be a bit sweaty, and on our hard wood floors, I started to squeak a bit while walking.  I know that sounds ridiculous, but the noise got to be aggravating.  I will say that once the weather gets nicer,  I will be wearing them outside and alas - no wood floors. 

I would absolutely give these recovery shoes a try!  They will for sure be joining me at many finish lines to come! 

Grandma's Marathon Training - Week 6

This week I needed to modify the schedule just a bit.  

But, week 6 of Grandma's Marathon Training 

seemed to go off without a hitch.  

I seriously cannot believe that the race is only 3 months away!  In my world, three months will go at rocket speed!  Here are the STATS for the week! 

32 miles

Snowy Feet

Stomach Flu

Star Wars &
The WILD

MONDAY

We got several inches of snow overnight on Sunday, but the temperature was mild.  Typically, with fresh snow on the ground, I would have just had a date with Millie.  But, with the terrible training week I had last week, I felt it necessary to get my feet to the pavement.  Or, in this case, snow! 

The snow fell most of the night, so the plows had not been out yet.   Almost all of my run was on fresh snow.  Actually,  it was almost better running on the snow than on the plowed main street which was a bit slippery.  

My legs really enjoyed this nice easy pace because I was still recovering from the squats from hell from Thursday of last week!   5 miles at 10:39/mile.  

TUESDAY

Monday in the afternoon was gloriously sunny here, which was great because all of the roads were completely snow-free for my hill sprints!   We have a great 600 meter loop that has a small incline.   It's actually 611 meters and when you're training and using time guidelines - that's a BIG DEAL! Lol! 

Anyhoo, my goal for these runs is to have my splits between 2:51 and 3:07 for 600 meters.  I did five intervals with a short 0.2 mile shag.  I did just that.  My fastest interval was 3:01 and my slowest was 3:06.  I do think I could have pushed even harder, except that I literally couldn't feel my legs or my face.  

It was so damn cold it's hard to really explain it.  6 degree with wind chills at -6 below zero.  Come ON Minnesota!  I'm not asking for 80 degrees, but even 40 degrees will feel amazing!!  

I had 2 pair of compression pants on and my legs STILL felt like giant ice blocks.  I use a neck gator and pull it up occasionally over my face, but once it gets icy, it's pretty much useless.   I get very clostrauphoic with it over my nose anyway.  

I'm not going to lie,  I couldn't WAIT to take the post-run selfie!!!  I knew that I had ice crystals forming all over my face and hair.   I could feel them on my eyelashes when I blinked and the tiny hair on my face was becoming prickly.  

WEDNESDAY

Rest day!  WAHOO

THURSDAY

I had a 7 mile easy run on plan followed by kick-boxing before work.  Trust me, I had already emailed my coach to ask her for different exercises than jump squats.  HA!  

Unfortunately,  neither workout happened.  Hank, my 5 year old woke up at 12:30 am with the stomach bug and the next several hours were for helping him.  It's crazy the hyper-awareness that happens to parents when their baby is sick.  Poor little dude.  We were up most of the night, so I knew that my 4:45 alarm was getting turned off!  

I'm happy to say he's bouncing off the walls again and as it stands right now, no one else got sick!  I KNOW I shouldn't even say those words out loud because I'll probably put a huge hoax on the house and one of us will get sick.  But, for now, we are crossing fingers and all healthy! 

FRIDAY

I have the pleasure and privilege to have Hank at home with me on Fridays!  This has typically been my day off from running, but due to Thursday,  I jumped on the treadmill for 6 easy miles at 9:10/mile.   He was an angel while I was running, so I promised him an epic Star Wars battle afterwards!  

I lost an arm AND a leg in the process. Oh - and he used the force too!  I was toast before we ever started!  

I'm ready with my light-saber! 

SATURDAY

15 miles.  The longest run since Grandma's Marathon last June!  Can the wind in Minnesota PLEASE... pretty pretty please GO AWAY!

This run really felt pretty good.  It's amazing how our brain factors in to our running long distances.  The closer and closer I was getting to the finish, the slower I became.  My lungs felt great the entire run, but I could feel my legs starting to fatigue.  

Many days on my run, I pass through the park in my town.   There is a fantastic waterfall that runs from the creek.  Unfortunately, most of my runs are in the dark, so I can't ever capture it's beauty.  Even after all the mud and snow and leafless trees, this place is still serene.   It's protected by large rock walls and for just a moment,  I enjoyed the sound of the rushing water.  

We have so much beauty around us, we just have to take a moment to appreciate all that we have.

Saturday evening was spent with my husband on a date night to the Minnesota Wild game.  

It's so much fun to watch hockey live!  Even though they lost, we had a great night and came back to a quiet house - no children!  I slept 10 hours!  Absolutely amazing!  

All in all, the week was a tad crazy, but I got so much accomplished with my running.  Have a great week everyone!  Don't forget to link up with Holly and Tricia for their Weekly Wrap!  There are a great bunch of bloggers! 

Grandma's Marathon Training - Week 5

Week 5 of Grandma's Marathon Training was eventful!

I certainly had a whirlwind week. 

But, my training was less than stellar. 

STATS:

14.5 miles ( BOO )

Killer Kick-boxing

DOMS

No-go Long Run

MONDAY

This day was pretty crummy.  I did get out for some miles, thank goodness, but the odds were stacked against me.  Thankfully, it was fairly warm; in the 50's.  I was mildly sore from my long run two days before and I knew hill repeats were on the plan.  

I wanted so badly to stay in bed, but I also knew that the run would help me to warm up my sore muscles.  Unfortunately, I just couldn't get going.  My pace was much slower than I'm used to and the hill repeats were draining all of my energy.  My body just wasn't having it!   I only did 2 repeats and called it a day.  

Running isn't always a picnic.  Sometimes it's pretty hard to keep focus.  I'm proud I got 4 miles in, even though they felt sluggish.  

That same day,  someone on Instagram commented that my outfit was "on-point!"  I'll take that and call it a win!  If you've read Wendy's last post, you'll know how important it is to be a trendy runner!  Lol!  Just kidding,  but I DO love matching and I DO have a problem with purchasing running clothes!   I want all.the.clothes.  My closet is 80% workout apparel.  Whoops! 

On that note:   If you run in Brooks you know how darn expensive they are!  $150 a pair for the Glycerins?  WHAT?!  It seems that ALL running shoes are expensive.   I recently came across Poshmark.  I got two new pair of Glycerin 12's that someone didn't like all for only $80 total!  I just got them in the mail yesterday and they are perfect.  Can you say major score??  I was pretty dang happy! 

TUESDAY

The wind was literally 47 mph gusting.   I absolutely wasn't having ANY of that, so I stuck to the treadmill for some easy miles.  Besides, after Monday's performance, I was a bit fearful of pushing too hard.  I loved the easy miles on the treadmill!  5 miles at 9:30 pace - what a great way to start out my Tuesday! 

WEDNESDAY

Rest day.   There's something wonderful about rest day! 

THURSDAY

This has been my tempo day and kick-boxing day.  I know that it may not be the smartest decision to do two workouts in one day.  However, with my particular schedule with work and kids this is about the only time that works.  I really feel like this training cycle it's important for me to get some cross-training in.  

I started out my morning at 5am with a fantastic tempo run on the treadmill.  I run hard, but I still have ample recovery time between my speed miles.  I'm really loving theses speed workouts.  

5.5 miles total.  3 x 1 mile @ 7:50's.  I usually rest about 4-5 minutes in between with a slow recovery jog to get my heart rate back into the upper 150's.  I love my Garmin for that reason.  I know it's not perfect, but I also go by my effort and feel that once I've done the recovery,  I can tackle that faster mile very well. 

Up until now, I've been able to do kick-boxing on Thursday and I haven't been incredibly sore.  Sure, my arms definitely know that I'm working them hard,  but I'm getting stronger every day and I love the class.  

However, this time,  Erik taught the class.  He's my trainers Muay Thai coach and he's intense to say the least.  He may have gotten a twinkle in his eye when he tried to kill us during that hour!  Our one minute active recovery times were absolutely brutal.  I've never done so many push ups and I seriously lost count at 100 jump squats.  

I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman.  Big mistake!  Big. Huge!  

I'd be lying if I didn't think at least once or twice during the class that I would be wrecked for my long run and that I should back off.  But, how do you back off from a hungry bear?   Erik was out for blood.  I was his victim.  I love him for it.  I hate him for it!  Gosh - I was silly. 

At the end of the session, I coined the term Holy-Shit-Tears.  Yes, they are real tears.  I went to the corner of the studio where my water was, took a few big breaths, and then a few drinks of water.  The tears welled in my eyes.  I had utter disbelief at what I had just put my body through.  I had relief that the class was over.  Holy-Shit-I-Was-Done!  

Needless to say, it's Saturday now and I didn't get my long run in because I can't move.  Two days later and I'm still so sore.   I just plop myself on the toilet and roll myself into bed.  It's crazy.  I'm going to have to watch it because this marathon is super important to me.  

As I've said before,  marathons won't run themselves.  The long runs are the runs that really count!   BOO!  

Next week is a new week and I'm smarter now. 

On Friday, I did another Fashion Friday post.  I have to capture all the times I actually wear real clothes.  One of the things I asked my Stitch Fix Stylist was to send me casual and comfy.  I absolutely love these jeans from Liverpool and the cardigan is so soft I hardly know it's on!  I paired it with a tank top I recently got from Maurices and I was ready to go!  So fun!  

If you want to learn more about it,  check out the link and sign up!  It's been great, and I can't wait to get my next box!  For a small $20 styling fee you have the clothes delivered right to your door and you can choose what you like!  I kept all of my last box! 

I'm not exactly sure what to think of this week?  It had great parts and some lousy parts.  But I guess that's the beauty of marathon training.   I showed up for my workouts this week and gave it all I had  -- even if a couple days I couldn't walk.  Lol! 

I'm linking with Holly and Tricia for their Weekly Wrap!  Come join us! 

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Grandma's Marathon Training - Week 4

It's very hard to believe I've already wrapped up 4 weeks of training for

Grandma's Marathon!

To get in the spirit of the marathon race day, 

here is a throwback to somewhere between mile 14-16 of Grandma's.   It was pretty

obvious I was still feeling pretty good! 

Here's a look at the recap this week! 

32 miles

Sloth-like-behavior

Kick-ass  Kick-boxing

Momentum Jewelry

BeachBody & Oofos 

MONDAY

Monday, we did 1/4 mile sprints.  I ended at 6.4 miles with 9 quarter mile repeats!  The shag was a bit short at .14 miles, so my heart rate didn't decrease as much as I would have liked.  For this reason, I'm going to slow down my shags and add more time to try to get out of the anaerobic zone during the shag period.  Even though I was pretty happy with my splits, which ranged from 1:59-2:05, I'd like to see my sprints be in the neighborhood of about 1:45-1:55.  I think a longer cool down may be just the ticket!   

All in all, I really did feel like a million bucks after this run so it started my Monday out great! 

TUESDAY 

I run with three other women on Tuesday's and it's hard to all be on the same page with our goals.  Wowza!  This run quickly became close to my 10K race pace and I ended 6 miles at 8:29 mile.  It was definitely not something I was planning after a hard day of sprints, but it all worked out and I knew that my Wednesday rest day was coming! 

WEDNESDAY

Actually, Wednesday's have quickly become one of my favorite days of the week!  I wonder why?  NO 4:45 ALARM!!!  WOOO HOOO!!  This day is devoted to an extra hour of sleep.  In addition, it's always fun on Tuesday nights because I stay up a bit later with my husband to catch up on some TV.  

I also found out on Wednesday that I'd be joining the Momentum Jewelry Ambassador Team for 2017.  I have several pieces of their motivational jewelry.  The one I'm wearing in this picture was a gift from Wendy and I really love it!  I wear it the most because it has so much meaning!  She gave it to me about 6 weeks before Grandma's Marathon last year!  Big smooches to you Wendy! 

THURSDAY

Oh, Thursday!  You know the feeling.  The alarm rings.  Your bed is warm.  You're supposed to work out, and then.... you just don't!   Thursday was my sloth morning.  I was feeling insanely guilty because I told myself I would try very hard to not skip a workout during my marathon training.  But... just like that....I did.  The bed just felt so good!

I did redeem myself a bit when I attended my morning kick-boxing class before work.  It's fairly comical because I shower completely, do my hair and then I go to class.  Sounds backwards doesn't it?  If I didn't do it this way, I'd never make it to class.  So, after class, I wash my face in the gym bathroom and put on some makeup.  I change my clothes and head to work - sweaty mess and all.  Nobody seems bothered by it and I get a fantastic workout!  I'm still sore in my shoulders from Thursday! 

Thursday after work,  I also got shipped a few pretty awesome products to test out through Bibrave.  Currently, I'm testing the Beach Body Performance Series Supplements and Oofos Recovery Sandals. 

I have been very pleasantly surprised by the Beach Body supplements!  They taste fantastic and are easy to mix up.  I will be writing a review shortly,  but I have to say I may become a beach body coach 'just' for these products.  

PLUS!  This is a huge bonus for me.  It's been 3 entire days without soda!  The energize product has natural caffeine, so I've been drinking it to help me curb the cravings of my favorite carbonated beverage.   Slowly, I'm using less and less energize to hopefully completely eliminate the need for caffeine.   

Here's to hoping I can kick the habit! 

FRIDAY

This is supposed to be another rest day, but I was feeling so crazy guilty about not getting my run in on Thursday, I hit Millie for a run.  For this workout,  I focused on 3 x 1 mile sprints.  I had one mile of slow warm-up at 10:00/mile followed by one mile splits at 7:50's.  All with 0.4 miles of recovery at a slow/easy pace in between.  I really enjoyed this workout!  I felt that I could maintain these faster 5K-like paces because I had 4-5 minutes recovery in between.  I will be doing this workout again! 

Because I'm going to be testing out the amazing Oofos recovery sandals,  I needed a pedicure STAT!  Also, my feet were pretty tired.  I treated myself to a spa pedicure in my house and wore the recovery sandals after.  They are super comfy and my feet feel light when I take them off! 

SATURDAY

If Minnesota could bring some nice long run weather that would be FANTASTIC!  Unfortunately, this run was very cold and windy.  However,  I accomplished my goal of 14 miles and I sure was happy when it was done.  My pace stayed fairly steady and I ended my run with 14 miles @ 9:06 per mile so I can't complain.  Although, Marcia tells me to run even easier so that I can do 9's all day long.  She's right - I'm going to focus on slowing my pace down even more because I struggled the last two miles to finish.   

Even though it was cold, the sun was shining - so there's that!  

We also had a pretty crazy scare on the run on Saturday as well.  At about 5:30,  we passed a vehicle with a man slumped over in it.  We quickly ran by because the area of our town we were running in has been known to have a bunch of drug traffic.  Sure enough, at the end of the run, he was still there slumped in his vehicle!  My friends immediately called the police. 

Long story short, they impounded his car and he was arrested for DWI and possession of a controlled substance.  Yikes!  My friends said they were tagging the run, "Save a Life, Go to Jail."   

Running always bring adventure doesn't it?!?!

All total this week, I ran 32 miles.  It's my most weekly mileage since LAST February!  I also closed the month of February out with 110 running miles.  I'm pretty happy about that!  

As always, I'm linking up with Holly and Tricia for their Weekly Wrap!  I look forward to hearing about your week too!