Chilly Challenge Winner!

First, Let me say that EVERYONE who participated in the challenge is a WINNER! 

In 31 days, 288 people logged a combined 20,643.59 miles! That is incredible!

BUT, this was a competition and there has to be a winner...

So, officially, with a total of 10,529.39 miles

415.19 more miles

the winner is...

Congratulations to all of the Chilly Challenge participants. You all rock!

We will be announcing individual prize winners soon!

(3) Pairs of ProCompression Socks

(5) BIC Bands of varying colors/styles

(3) BIA Technical Shirts

(2) Custom MyRaceRagz Technical Shirts
(1) Aspaeris Pivot Shorts

(4) packs of (2) Sweaty Bands

(5) pair Mizuno Breath Thermo gloves

(3) ShowerPill Athletic Wipes packs

(1) Whole Foods $25 gift card

(5) Gold Bond Friction Defense & socks

(1) Simple Hydration Water Bottle

(1) RockMyRun Three month gold subscription

(3) Sprigs assorted prize packs
(3) hats from Sauce Headwear

Thank you to all of our awesome sponsors!

I hope everyone had fun, found motivation, and was inspired to challenge yourself even more!

Let me know! 
Did the Chilly Challenge help you toward an accomplishment?

Three Things: Fun & New

Today I have some fun and new things on my mind.

It's almost time to announce the winner of the Chilly Challenge. All miles must be logged by midnight EST tonight to count for Team Escapades. Check back tomorrow to see which team won!

My friends at ZOOMA have launched a Personal Best Program. The program challenges runners or walkers to complete a distance best or set a personal record. If they achieve their goal, athletes will receive a special “PR” medal at the finish line party, offering the opportunity for extra bragging rights.

There's a brand new race happening in one of my favorite places. The Newport Ten Miler has a fantastic course lined up that takes runners down scenic Ocean Drive, past beautiful mansions, and through the gates of Fort Adams. Best registration price ends today! 

What fun things are you thinking about?

Fitness Friday: #ChillyChallenge Update

I am so happy with the results of the first two weeks of the Chilly Challenge.

We have over 300 participants!

We have logged more than 8000 miles in just over two weeks!

Proof from Meagan Katherine Nancy Michelle

I've seen tons of motivation, encouragement, and inspiration on Twitter and Facebook!

We have awesome sponsor support from some of our favorite product lines.

from Janine

When Janine and I began talking about putting together a January challenge, I never imagined so many people would be interested in participating. It is so exciting to see so many people being motivated and having fun. To those of you who have taken the time to send me an email or comment online, Twitter, and Facebook: thank you for being fit, for being inspiring, and for your support.

Review: Rock My Run

I live in a very rural area in New England. Now even though it was deemed one of the best small towns in New Hampshire, I would never run on the roads and use earbuds to listen to music. Instead I save my music for indoor workouts or blast the volume from an armband.

I first heard about RockMyRun after running the Rock 'n Roll Providence Half Marathon. It was one of the goodies I found in the swag bag. I used my free download credits right away and fell in love with the mixes. Here are a few of my favorites:

I love that you can choose music by the beats per minute. I really started using the RockMyRun mixes consistently when I was training for Reach the Beach and the ZOOMA Cape Cod Half Marathon. I knew I would be running solo and needed a way to maintain my pace. Lately I have been using the mixes more during interval treadmill runs or walking workouts to keep me entertained. 

Do you have a favorite playlist?

RockMyRun is one of the prize sponsors for the Chilly Challenge. If you haven't already, show them some love on Twitter and Facebook and tell them I sent you!

I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I just really like RockMyRun and they were generous enough to donate prizes to the Chilly Challenge that I am hosting on this blog.

TrainingTruths: Fun Challenges

Last week my training coincided with the kick off of a couple of fun monthly challenges. Challenges are fun because you can find motivation, sometimes win prizes, but most importantly improve your overall fitness.

#TrainingTruth - If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you

This month I am hosting the Chilly Challenge with Janine from The Purple Giraffe and I want my team to win the prizes. I logged my first miles for Team Escapades with a 10K race on Tuesday. 

Shrinking Jeans has me motivated again with Fab Abs January. This 30 day challenge is meant to supplement your current fitness routine (like running) and build your strength by progressing each day. I did a couple last year with positive benefits to my running and overall fitness, so when I saw this one I had to do it. 

With temperatures at a feels like 8 degrees, I took my Thursday run indoors where I could wear my favorite Oiselle shorts. After logging another 10K on the treadmill, I cooled off in front of the fan - which just feels weird when it's so cold outside.

Temperatures warmed up to 29 degrees on Saturday, so it was time to head back outside. I layered up in my favorite Nike thermal top with built in mittens and mixed up some Cytomax to put in my Simple bottle. For the first three miles around the frozen lake I felt like I was overdressed, but the higher elevation and winds kept me cooler on the second half.

Last month I mentioned that I was learning how to use my Polar HRM. Mid-morning Sunday, I drank half a serving of FRS and then fired up the treadmill for a 30 minute walking workout determined to get in one day of cross training for the week. I listened to Grrl Power Vol. 2 from RockMyRun and watched the end of Legally Blond while treading out 1.77 miles.  

How was your first week of 2013?

Want to know more about how to join Team Escapades in the Chilly Challenge? Check out all the details here or skip right to the sign-up part and be sure to choose #TeamEscapades! Already a member? Don't forget to follow #ChillyChallenge on Twitter and join the Facebook group.

TrainingTruths: It's All Fun

Happy New Year's Eve everyone! I hope you are looking forward to starting 2013 as much as I am. It's not too late to join Team Escapades in the Chilly Challenge. Check out all the details here or skip right to the sign-up part and be sure to choose #TeamEscapades! Then go invite all your friends: more people = more miles! We have members ready to log miles in Missouri, Minnesota, Ohio, Georgia and Virginia!

Last week was all about holidays, winter weather, and fun. As the year winds to a close, I am happy to say that running IS still fun. I've had some ups and downs with different injuries, but fortunately I have been able to keep running through each of them.  

#TrainingTruth: Run often and run long, but never outrun your joy of running!

Monday: Since it was Christmas Eve, I decided to wear my Santa hat when I met up with Daisy for our morning run. It was a beautiful day and I thoroughly enjoyed every single beep of the horn, thumbs up, and wave that I received from passing drivers.

Thursday: With a Nor'easter dumping a bunch of snow causing a postponement of the girls' run and the hubs asking me to stay inside, I took my running to the treadmill and logged 6.2 miles. I'm starting 2013 with a New Year's Day 10K (just like last year), so I thought, why not? Afterwards, I kind of liked the juxtaposition of me in a sweaty tank while the outside world was swallowed in cold and snow.

Saturday: I had a fun run with the girls through the cold, snowy streets of downtown Manchester. We warmed up afterwards by the fire with some coffee, fresh fruit smoothies, and a lot of girl talk. Perfect Saturday morning!

What kind of fun workouts did you have last week?

#TrainingTruths is not just about me. We all like to see what everyone else is doing and use that information to assess ourselves. It's not judgement. It's a way to share and learn and make changes when necessary.

To participate all you have to do is share your #TrainingTruths:

1. Tag a Twitter post with the hashtag #TrainingTruths
2. Comment on the Running Escapades Facebook page 
3. Leave a link to your own blog post in the comments

I look forward to reading your #TrainingTruths!

Chilly Challenge: Prizes Preview

Today I'm giving you a sneak peak at some of the prizes that are up for grabs from our amazing sponsors for the winning team of the Chilly Challenge. 

Sweaty Bands - 4 winners will each receive 2 headbands

Simple Hydration - 1 winner of a water bottle

Mizuno Breath Thermo Gloves - 5 winners will receive 1 pair 

Gold Bond Friction Defense - 5 winners each receive tube & socks

Whole Foods - 1 winner of a $25 gift card

ShowerPill - 3 winners each receive 4 packs

Pro Compression - 3 winners will receive one pair of socks

Aspaeris - 1 winner of a pair compression shorts

Bia Sport - 3 winners get technical shirts

My Race Rags - 2 winners receive custom race shirts

Bic Bands - 5 winners receive one headband 

RockMyRun - 1 winner will receive a free 3 month gold subscription

Are you excited yet? If you haven't already joined the challenge...what are you waiting for? 

Sign up here and don't forget to choose #TeamEscapades!

Chilly Challenge tees are available for purchase. Check out the men's and women's options here.

Tell me, what prize would you most like to win?

Santa Claus Shuffle

The Santa Claus Shuffle is a 3 mile fun run in Manchester that debuted last year with thousands of people coming downtown to run Elm Street wearing a Santa suit. This year was no different. Participants received a free suit with their registration. Those who opted not to wear the suits were encouraged to dress in a holiday costume or wear red. 

I was looking forward to running this event again because the girls were planning a meet up. It got even better when we started coordinating our outfits. Katherine ordered Peppermint Swirl Sweaty Bands and I picked up some matching holiday socks to go with our red shirts and black pants. 

As with most of the downtown weekend events, we parked in the comfortable garage right near Stanton Plaza and then made our way to bib pick up by cutting through the Radisson Hotel lobby. Thanks to modern technology, I easily found all of the girls before the start of the race. After watching the kids run their 50 yard dashes, we made our way into the start corrals. There were so many people lining up for this event that we completely ignored the designated pace signs and just found an open spot and tried to keep warm.

Once we were actually moving, my body temperature stayed comfortable in my new Nike Pro Thermal Training Shirt and I think I made the right call by wearing my Aspaeris compression shorts under my Nike capris. My toes, even with my Zensah compression socks under my cute holiday knee highs from Target, were painfully cold in my Mizuno Wave Rider 15s, but warmed up before the halfway point. On the other hand, my ears stayed nice and toasty the whole time since I was wearing my Sprigs Earbags. It didn't hurt to be surrounded by thousands of runners in Santa suits either!

Saturday's weather was perfectly suited for the Queen City event with temperatures in the low 30s and light snow covering the streets. A winter weather advisory did not interfere with the line up of events: Kid's Elf Runs, the Shuffle, post-race pizza and beer, and the Manchester Holiday Parade. The cold weather also didn't keep the spectators from lining the streets again this year with their cheers and bells.

The Millennium Running Company produced another fun event that certainly captured the spirit of the holidays and had me humming Here Comes Santa Claus on the way home. 

How do you combine exercise with your holiday?

Combine exercise with the NEW YEAR by joining the first ever Chilly Challenge and logging as many miles as you can for a chance to win some fabulous prizes. Check out all the details here or skip right to the sign-up part and be sure to choose #TeamEscapades! Then be sure to invite all your friends - more people = more miles!

Chilly Challenge 2013

Are you already struggling to keep up with your exercise routine due to the cold weather? Would you like a fun way to stay motivated through the cold month of January? Whether you run, walk, or elliptical, Janine at The Purple Giraffe and I have the answer to keep you moving through your winter blues.

What is it? The Chilly Challenge is a friendly team competition to see how many miles you can log in a month. The team that completes the most miles during the month of January wins the competition. All members of the winning team will be automatically entered to win prizes from some of our favorite companies!

So, what do you do?

1. Pick a Team: It’s a competition. Are you Team Running Escapades or Team Purple Giraffe? (You can read our bios at the end of this post) To pick your team, visit the Chilly Challenge spreadsheet and sign up. Then get ready to log as many miles as you can! 
2. Run: On January 1, start logging those miles: run, walk, or elliptical. 
3. Report: After you get nice and sweaty, log your miles on the Chilly Challenge spreadsheet. If you are on Facebook, join the Chilly Challenge 2013 group to find motivation. If you use Twitter, encourage your teammates by using hashtag #ChillyChallenge #TeamEscapades or #TeamGiraffe 
4. Tell Your Friends: The more peeps you get to join your team, the better chance you have of winning! Recruit, recruit, recruit! Tweet it, Facebook it, blog it, stand on the corner holding a sign! Be sure to tell your friends which team to join, ehem ;)

What do you get for all this hard work?

1. Moving: What can be better than that? Oh, maybe the waves of happy endorphins cruising through your body.
2. Motivation: When it's cold and dark, it's hard to stay on track. That's where we come in. Your team will help keep you going because they really, really want to win!
3. Your Best Happy Self: At then end of the competition, you will be fitter, stronger, and healthier. How can that not make you happy? And you might score a shiny new PR too!
4. SWAG: Everyone loves prizes and the team with the most miles is eligible to win. We are lucky enough to be sponsored by some of our favorite companies, which means you have the chance to win some great gear just for doing what you always do! Winners will be chosen randomly from the winning team.

Prizes: Here is a list of what our fabulous sponsors have donated to help motivate you through the month of January. BIG thank yous to our awesome sponsors:

(3) Pairs of ProCompression Socks

(5) BIC Bands of varying colors/styles

(3) BIA Technical Shirts

(2) Custom MyRaceRagz Technical Shirts
(1) Aspaeris Pivot Shorts

(4) packs of (2) Sweaty Bands

(5) pair Mizuno Breath Thermo gloves

(3) ShowerPill Athletic Wipes packs

(1) Whole Foods $25 gift card

(5) Gold Bond Friction Defense & socks

(1) Simple Hydration Water Bottle

(1) RockMyRun Three month gold subscription

(3) Sprigs assorted prize packs
(3) hats from Sauce Headwear

So, are you wondering which team you should join?

Meet the Captains:

Team Running Escapades - (aka Amy)

Favorite distance: half marathon

Favorite pre-race meal: pepperoni calzone

Favorite running shoe: Mizunos

Mantra: Keep running! 

What I do when I'm not running: High school teacher

Why you should be on my team: I might not be the fastest or the youngest captain ;) but I have lots of enthusiasm and passion. I promise to keep you motivated and entertained!

Team Purple Giraffe - (aka Janine)

Favorite distance: 5 miler at the moment - training for my first half marathon!

Favorite pre-race meal: bacon pizza

Favorite running shoe: Saucony for the win!

Mantra: Workin' off my ass & toppin' off my glass - everything in moderation...including moderation! 

What I do when I'm not running: For my day job, I'm a Process Expert at a health care company...and I blog at TPG, of course!

Why you should be on my team: I may never win any land speed records while running, but I sure do have fun - running in costumes, running for beer, being a complete goofball- why WOULDN'T you want to be on my team?!

Will you be joining us for #ChillyChallenge 2013?