Showing posts with label zoomarun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label zoomarun. Show all posts

Friday, April 24, 2015

#RUNOOTD: Dubai Desert Road Run

Tomorrow morning I will be running my first international race!

It is freaking hot in Dubai. Including the mornings. One day it was already 88 degrees before 8AM.

Fortunately, women can wear regular running clothes in public during a run, so picking out my race day outfit didn't feel any different than any other time.


This will be the first time that I get to wear my ZOOMA Cape Cod Ambassador singlet during a race. It's a Scantron made by Oiselle.


I'll also be wearing one of my favorite running skirts (also by Oiselle), the Bum Wrap. It's super comfortable.


Finally, my three MUST-HAVEs include:

My Mizuno Wave Rider 18s, one of my favorite running shoes.


My Nike GPS watch. Because honestly, I love seeing the route mapped out after a run.


My Simple Hydration water bottle.


I have to admit, it feels really good to not have to layer up like I did at my last race in New Hampshire.

Do you plan your race day outfit in advance?



Sunday, September 7, 2014

Training Truths: ZOOMA week 8 - Increase Intensity

ZOOMA training week 8 was supposed to be about upping the intensity of my training with more miles and longer training runs. Instead I increased my sensibility and took care of the tight calf that turned into a full-fledged shin splint with some days off from running, lots of icing, compression gear, and self-massage.

I also learned some other great tips for dealing with shin splints from my runner friends:
  • pick up newspaper using your toes
  • air-write the alphabet with your toes
  • rub ice cubes in circles on your shin
  • drink more water

Monday - REST + barre3 No Props: Legs + Core

Tuesday - REST + #FFWallSit challenge day 1

Wednesday - REST + barre3 Studio Strength: Legs + Glutes ---> lots of shaking going on! #FFWallSit challenge day 2

Thursday - REST + #FFWallSit challenge day 3

Friday - REST + #FFWallSit challenge day 4

Saturday - Changed up my long run to not un-do the healing of my shin splint from the week of rest. Instead of a 12 miler, I ran 7 and then rode my bike the remaining 5. It was warm and humid, but I took it very easy and felt ok. Felt a little tightness in the evening, so I know I still have healing to do. #FFWallSit challenge day 5

Sunday#FFWallSit challenge day 6

ZOOMA Cape Cod is only 3 weeks away and even though next week is Peak Week in my training program, I'm going to keep things easy and let my shin splint finish healing.

I'm also starting some fun fitness projects at school with the students and faculty this week. I'm looking forward to sharing more soon!




Friday, April 25, 2014

Cleared to Run

I did not go to work today, even though I probably could've put in a half day. Instead, after getting my stitches out and being given the thumbs up to exercise (including run), I immediately headed home to lace up my Mizunos. My last run was an 8 miler with mrC over ten days ago, so when I saw this April Virtual 5K hosted by Sara, I knew it was the right distance for my first post op run.

STAY STRONG Foot Notes™ shoe charms from Momentum - 15% off code GGS158

I was nervous about the run. Even though I got the all clear from my doctor, I'm still sporting butterfly bandages that are supposed to be on for another week. For some reason, I kept imagining that my incision would bust open. It did not.

Neither did my run. It wasn't horrible, but I couldn't find my groove. My breathing was excessively labored and I started to get a side stitch just after the turn-around. I wanted it to be easier. I wanted to feel like I was just floating along. My mind told me it was a perfect day for running, 50 degrees and partly sunny, but my body was struggling to bounce back from the time off.

Tomorrow I will be heading to Newport with mrC for the Newport 10 Miler. I am so excited that I do not have to sit this one out like I thought I would.

with mrC after our 2013 finish!

Based on my run today, it won't be a stellar race (I plan to take it nice and easy), but it will be AWESOME to meet up with some of my favorite blends and fellow ZOOMA Cape Cod Ambassadors who are also running again.

2013 pre-race meet-up with Nancy, Jill, and Michelle

Still thinking of registering for a ZOOMA event? Use my discount code for 10% off CCAMB2

What are YOUR running plans this weekend?


Thursday, July 11, 2013

It's Time to Start Training

I have been blissfully thinking that I had a bunch of unencumbered time before training for my next half marathon would begin. Then it became clear that the ZOOMA Cape Cod Half Marathon is actually just 12 weeks away. So with this weekend's long run, I will end my training vacation, and start increasing the long run mileage.



ZOOMA Training Care Package
It's not too late to join me for the half marathon or the 10K and if you register before July 14, you will receive a Training Care Package in the mail. Here's what's included:
  • Samples of Muscle Milk & Cytomax
  • 3-month pass to YogaVibes.com
  • Samples of Bogy Glide & Performer Pain Reliever
  • GU
  • Training plan & playlists from National Blogger Panel


When you register, you automatically receive the ZOOMA Swag Bag along with an unforgettable weekend of a pre-race Mocktail Hour, After-Party Expo, and a Recovery Yoga Session. You will also receive a special room rate at the Sea Crest Beach Hotel, the official race hotel, if you choose to stay there. You can also get 10% off your registration by using my Ambassador code CCAMB3.


I ran this race last year and had such a great time that I knew it was one I would do again and again. You can read my recap here. So as the ZOOMA Half Marathon Challenge Athlete, Lara, says "It's time to put down the martini!"



And just to keep things interesting for those of you returning to Cape Cod for your second go at the 10K or half marathon, ZOOMA has issued a Personal Best Challenge: run a new distance best or PR your event and you will receive a special gift at the After Party Expo! All you have to do is indicate your eligibility when you register.

So will I be seeing you in September?



Friday, May 31, 2013

A Race Not to Miss: ZOOMA Cape Cod

On Saturday I worked for a couple of hours in the ZOOMA Women's Race Series booth at the Run to Remember Half Marathon expo in Boston.


Part of my role as a Cape Cod Ambassador is to promote the race, so hanging out with other Ambassadors, like super fun Andrea from I Run For Donuts, and talking to people at a race expo was easy peasy!

Hanging with Andrea

It was so much fun talking to (mostly) women about how much fun the ZOOMA races are and why they should sign up for the 10K or half marathon. 

Michelle and Andrea

Here are some of the highlights:

1. THE SETTING: Spend the weekend hanging out and running around the Sea Crest Beach Hotel on the Cape. 
2. THE BLING: What woman doesn't love a gorgeous race medal that you can wear around your neck all the time? 
3. THE AFTER PARTY: Massages, music, wine, and hundreds of your best new girlfriends just hanging out and celebrating together.
4. THE COURSE: Both the 10K and half marathon courses offer stunning water views and start/finish just steps from the resort doors.

I ran the inaugural half marathon last year (you can read my recap here) and now I'm looking forward to returning to do it all again. If you are thinking about joining me, enter my ambassador code CCAMB3 when you register to save 10% off the 10K or the half marathon registration price. 

What race do you consider a NOT TO MISS?

_____________________________________________________________________

Congratulations to the 1BandID giveaway winners
 Jill F & Sheena
Check your email for details!

Not a winner? Don't worry, you can still save 15% on every band you order by using my code
runesc15
Just enter the code during the checkout process!



Friday, November 9, 2012

Fitness Friday: Why I Run

It's early morning and somewhere a runner is lacing up her shoes, attaching her reflective vest and head lamps, and stepping out into the darkness. Elsewhere a runner is looking very determined as he makes his way up the steep hill that even causes a car's engine to groan. A snow storm arrives just as another runner in her thermal tights is pulling on her winter cap and gloves before hitting the snow covered trail. 

A lot of people see these runners and wonder, why? Why do you want to get up so early when you can be sleeping in? Why do you want to run up the nasty hill that causes you pain? Why do you want to go out in the middle of a winter storm and freeze?

The truth is, I run because of the way it makes me feel. I want to be healthy and fit. I like running with my family and friends. I've had amazing experiences, met great people, and run races in some incredibly beautiful places. Yet, it is something bigger that keeps me lacing up my shoes and logging the miles.


I run because it makes me happy. When I look at my running pictures, I can see it in my face. A perma-grin is usually plastered there. When the topic of running comes up in conversation, I can hear the excitement and energy in my voice. Even during a tough run, when it's not reflected in my face,  little bubbles of bliss are lingering just under the surface. Really, they are.

We all have reasons for running. Here's a video taken by Dimity of Another Mother Runner of ZOOMA runners talking about why they run:


ZOOMA wants to outfit you in an awesome running shirt from Another Mother RunnerCheck out their awesome giveaway hereThe shirts are super cute, flattering, and very comfortable. I have one and I LOVE it:







Why do YOU run?


Today is the last day to enter my Big Banjees Wrist Wallet GIVEAWAY

Monday, September 24, 2012

#TrainingTruths: Recovery to 13.1

The past week was a whirlwind of amazing events: a quick Reach The Beach recovery run, a film premier and run with the legendary first-ever women's Olympic marathon champion, and the ZOOMA Cape Cod Half Marathon. I'm looking forward to a quiet week of running just for fun!



#TrainingTruth: Recovery runs should be slow and easy.

Amazingly, my legs were feeling pretty good on this run. I didn't have any soreness after Reach the Beach, but I did feel the effects of lack of sleep. This run felt awesome and it wasn't that hard to slow down!



#TrainingTruth: "We are all runners" - Joan Benoit Samuelson. 

I love that Joan reminds us of this. So often, we judge ourselves by making comparisons to others. Joan lets us know that we don't have to run marathons or win Olympic medals to be runners. If we run, we are runners.


#TrainingTruth: Something magical happens at a race run by women.

Women are competitive, but in a non-threatening supportive way that men don't always show on race day. I saw first hand a level of positive energy that is contagious and extraordinary and every woman should make a point to run a women's race. 



#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!


The winners of the Mizuno Mezamashii Giveaway have been selected! Check the original post to see if it was you! If it was, your email has been forwarded to Mizuno and someone will be contacting you soon! Congratulations! 




Friday, September 21, 2012

Fitness Friday: Reach the Beach Recap

Reach the Beach weekend finally arrived and thanks to my running partner I was invited to be a member of Team One Track Minded this year. This was definitely one of the craziest running adventures I have done yet.

Thursday: We drove to Lincoln, NH after work to stay with the team in a teammates' condo and get organized for the Friday start. Team members who arrived earlier in the day prepared a dinner feast of chicken and pasta for all of us to enjoy. Somehow we managed to find places for 12 people to sleep in a 3BR condo!


Friday: The whole team went to the start line at Cannon Mountain to send off Shana, runner #1 from Van #1, at 7:30am. It was nice to be there for the opening festivities and know that we would reach the beach early enough to enjoy the post race fun. 


After some shopping for some RTB merchandise, we went back to the condo to decorate Van #2, eat breakfast, clean up, load up, and head out to the first Vehicle Transition Area where our legs would begin.


On the way we stopped to grab some lunch at White Mountain Bagel Co. 


We arrived at Attitash Ski Area in Bartlett with plenty of time to spare and meet up with team members in Van #1. This was my first chance to see the transition areas in action. Despite the fact that there are hundreds of vans and runners, the process is pretty smooth and simple. Runners enter the transition chute and hand off the relay bracelet to the runners waiting while non-running team members stand off to the side and cheer. 


My first leg started around 1pm when runner #6, Joe, came into the chute and handed me the relay bracelet all curled up (so cute). It was seriously HOT and I guess I was excited because I went out on this 7.31 leg fast and ended up struggling the last couple of miles. I was lucky enough to be able to cool off at Echo Lake in North Conway afterward. It was gorgeous and felt amazing.



My running partner cooled off after her run in the piles of snow left by the zambonies at the HAM Ice Arena in Conway.



After all our runners completed their first leg (and Van #1 finally arrived, ugh), we had dinner at Kenneth Brett School (one of many fundraisers held at the transition areas along the relay) in Tamworth and then headed to the home of one teammate's in-laws' in Laconia to get some rest before our night legs began. Luckily her in-laws lived about 15 minutes from the start of the next legs.



Saturday: After about 3.5 hours of sleep, we were up and ready for the next leg of night running. I started us off with my 4.5 mile leg at 1am from the NH Technical College in Laconia. Before this run, I had only run once at night and never in the middle of the night, but I was surprisingly calm. It was incredibly muggy and humid, and I was thankful that I changed into shorts from capris at the last minute. This time I stayed with a couple of other runners for about two miles and used my playlist from Rock My Run to pace myself after passing them. This run went much better than the first. The only scary moment was when one of my flashing lights came off, but the girl running behind me spotted it upside down in the grass.


Somehow we survived all six legs without losing anyone despite going to the wrong transition area, driving right past one runner, and having two runners with stomach issues during their runs. As horrible as all this sounds, running at night was not bad at all! We drove straight to the next vehicle transition area at Sanborn Regional High School so that everyone could get some more rest before starting the last leg. I fell asleep in the van on the way there and took another nap in the back seat while others headed outside to sleep. Thankfully I put on my Zensah compression socks right after my run.



Rain had passed through earlier in the morning, but by our start time the skies had turned sunny and blue. I started off the final legs for Van #2 around noon with a short 2.4 miles to Kingston. It was warm and I went out faster than I planned, but was able to pull it off this time without burning out because it was short.



The final legs went by so quickly. Before I knew it we had left our last runner and were driving to the finish line at Hampton Beach! Oh yea, anticlimactic moment...Van #2 didn't get to run across the finish line with the team because we were stuck in traffic. So the scorecard will have to suffice. 




Team One Track Minded. Twelve runners. 9 veterans. 3 "Virgins". Official finish time: 32:20:38.


RTB was an incredible experience. My teammates in Van #2 were so supportive, hilariously funny, and running-junkies like myself. I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to run with these amazing people. 


So today I am off to my next running adventure: the ZOOMA Cape Cod Half Marathon. I am really looking forward to all the amazing events and hanging out on the beach. I'll be back with a recap soon, but you can follow the #ZOOMA fun on Twitter.



Have you entered my Mizuno Giveaway? Today is the last day to enter. I'll post the winners on Monday. Good luck!


Have you ever done a relay? What did you think?
I'm ready to do it again ;)






Friday, August 24, 2012

Fitness Friday: Playing Tag

Jen from Running With The Girls tagged me with a Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Thanks Jen!


Here are the guidelines that go along with this award:
- display the award logo somewhere on your blog
- link back to the blog who nominated you
- state 7 things about yourself
- nominate 15 (or less) other bloggers for the award and provide links to their blogs
- notify those bloggers that they have been nominated and of the award's requirements 

Here are 7 things I am looking forward to:

1. Newport, RI - This weekend we are heading back to Rhode Island. Saturday we'll be getting in a long run along the Newport Half Marathon course before hanging out at the beach. Saturday evening we will be enjoying the tunes of Survivor at the Naval Station Salute to Summer Concert & Fireworks Show. Finally on Sunday we'll be getting in a day of sailing.



2. Reach the Beach - In a few weeks I will be running my very first relay race as part of Team One Track Minded. I was invited to the team by my running partner Daisy who has run both NH and MA RTB Relays. I'm both nervous and excited for this running adventure, but know that I am in good hands. I read some really great relay tips from Sarah at Once Upon a Lime. Now all I need is to get my hands on a reflective night vest and head lamp! 



3. ZOOMA Women's Half Marathon -  The weekend after RTB, I'll be traveling to Cape Cod for another weekend of running fun! It all starts on Friday night with a Mocktail Hour sponsored by HINT at the Reds Poolside bar where special guest The Fitnessista and all the CC ZOOMA Ambassadors will be hanging out! Want to join us? All Cape Cod runners are invited, just RSVP here. Not signed up for the race yet? Register here and don't forget to use my discount code CCAMB8!



4. Fall - I'm really looking forward to the cooler running temps. I love summer, but I am a cold weather runner. In NH we are already getting some glimpses of the cool fall weather in the mornings and some little teasers of the fall colors to come. And, all that summer training means faster running in the fall.



5. Giveaway - Coming soon I will be sharing an awesome giveaway with you featuring some of my favorite running gear. If you follow my blog, you might be able to guess what might be on my list, but stay tuned! Be sure to check back for more details.


6. Soccer Season - I grew up a soccer junkie and now I'm lucky enough to be the step parent of one. My step daughter is starting her second year of high school varsity soccer and I am really looking forward to watching her play. Did you know soccer players typically run 5-8 miles during the course of one game?



7. Running with my Husband - I love that my husband is my #1 fan. He drives me to races (sometimes super early), takes pictures, hangs out while I talk to friends, and cheers for me. What I love most of all though, is running WITH him. He has a crazy work schedule, but I'm really looking forward to adding many more miles to our running shoes together.





What are you looking forward to?


Tag. You're it:

Janine @ The Purple Giraffe
Samantha @ Running and Cupcakes
Dani @ Weight Off My Shoulders
Abby @ Back at Square Zero
Krysten @ The Misadventures of a Darwinian Fail
Angela @ Happy Fit Mama
Michelle @ Running with Attitude



Monday, August 13, 2012

TrainingTruths: Workouts & Olympic Soccer Party


I used to be a soccer junkie...live, breathe, dream everything soccer. It was my first addiction. After two knee surgeries in three years, I stopped playing competitively and eventually found my second passion: running. I'm currently training for my 5th half marathon. Last week my training started winding down, but Olympic soccer started heating up.


WORKOUTS:

#TrainingTruth: I used to think running a 10K was hard.

The first time I ran a 10K race in 2006, I was so impressed that I could run 6.2 miles! Now, when I look at my training schedule and see 6 miles, I know that I can do it. I'm not intimidated by that distance anymore because of the time I have spent pushing myself to go longer and do better. It is an awesome feeling to look back at how far I've come as a runner.


#TrainingTruth: I like running (and wearing unplanned-matching outfits) with my family.

Even though we spend much of the time on our runs lost in our own thoughts, there are often moments where we engage in conversation. I love talking about running and fitness, but chatting about what's going on in our lives is even more rewarding. It is also pretty cool to watch your step daughter achieve her personal distance record or bust out a freakishly fast sprint to the end!


#TrainingTruth: Pacing my running partners is challenging, but rewarding.

Usually my BRF is the one doing the leading on our runs, but she has been on vacation so I have been thrust into the pacer position. It is hard to keep the pace a little slower and to remember to take walk breaks for my husband and step daughter whose training is not as consistent as mine. Being there to see their happy faces when they find their groove or reach running milestones is amazing though.

 

FOOD:

#TrainingTruth: Sometimes I eat appetizers in place of a real meal.

Thursday afternoon we had an Olympic Soccer Party while watching the US Women's Team play for the gold medal. Preparations for the party included making crab dip and cupcakes (which we decorated with our choices of who would score the first goal). Earlier after going for a run I had a salad. It wasn't breakfast and it wasn't lunch. Later, during the party, I pretty much made the crab dip and wheat thins my lunch.





#TrainingTruths is not just about me. We all like to see what everyone else is doing and use that information to asses 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!



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