September was a Busy One!

September was a busy month for races but not for running in general. I ran the Disneyland Half Marathon and earned a PR!  I also did a family fun run, the Color Me Rad 5K and then I ran the Girls on the Go 10K. I am still dealing with the pain in my right shin and even though my x-rays came back clean, I am still determined to get to the root cause of this pain. I know myself and I know that it is not right. My doctor seems to think that it is just shin splints but I am not convinced of that so I am not ready to let this go yet. My mileage for September was horrible due to my shin issue so I am a little disappointed. I am considering an MRI at this point since the pain always subsides but returns the day after a run of any distance.

The Long Beach Half Marathon is coming up this Sunday and I am not sure if I am going to run it or not. I really need to get this shin issue under control and maybe take some time off.  I really want to run it to stay on track for my Beach Cities Challenge medal but at this point not irritating my shin any further is more important to me. I am feeling really bummed, I can't lie, since all of the big marathons are coming up and everyone seems to be tapering and preparing to run them. 

Other than running, I made the decision to refinance my house last week. I can save over $300.00 a month and there are no fees associated with the loan. I bought the house two years ago as a short sale and pretty much every room had to be redone/upgraded. The house was kind of a mess inside when I bought it but I loved the floor plan. Just to give you an idea of what it looked like then and what it looks like now, this is a before and after of my son's bathroom:

The loan company ordered a full appraisal before they can decide whether or not I have enough equity to proceed with the refinancing process.  The appraisal company called me on Friday evening and told me that they were coming on Sunday at 9:30 a.m.  What?  I spent much of my Saturday cleaning and moving things around to make the house more presentable.  I did things like clear the counters and hid put things away that would make the house look neater. I felt like I was doing an "Open House." Most of the things we put away belong to my dogs like their beds, food bowls, and toys. I should know by Thursday if I have enough equity to proceed so I am keeping my fingers crossed. Worst case, I lose the appraisal fee but I will know the true value of my home.

 How was your September? Do you have any big races coming up? 

Chill Cooling Towel Giveaway Winner!

The lucky winner of my Chill Cooling Towel 5-Pack Giveaway is......

The lucky winner is Gabby!

Gabby, please email me at BostonBoundBrunette@gmail.com with your address so that we can get your towels out to you! CONGRATULATIONS!!

Love Thy Neighbor As Thy Self

My son has decided that he is going to play the trumpet.  He is in the fifth grade and now has Band as one of his classes. He is very excited because he likes anything that makes noise! We made the decision to rent his instrument since it has yet to be proven if he will stick with the trumpet or decide that he wants to play something else. He has the choice to play three other instruments but has his heart set on the trumpet. I hope he enjoys it and sticks with it!

Our dogs are not quite as excited about the trumpet as my son is and I am sure that my neighbors are going to love us even more than they already do! I love my neighbors to the right of me but the neighbors on the left are not so friendly to say the least. Although they have two dogs, they can't stand to hear dogs bark.  I can hear the woman screaming "shut up" at her dogs at least 10 times a day.  I try to keep mine quiet because I am sure that she will be annoyed and that it is her wireless network that is named "KEEP YOUR DOGS QUIET."

When I first moved into my house a couple of years ago, I tried to be friendly and say hi to these wonderful neighbors several times with no luck. I mean these people would literally turn their heads and ignore me. They have two children and they were friendly at first but that stopped really quickly for some reason. I think I even met up with the man of the house at the mailbox one time and he wouldn't even look at me!  I swear I haven't done anything that would make them act this way.

I kind of figured they were a little different because they planted these trees/bushes all the way round their yard to avoid anyone from looking into their yard.  This is my view of their backyard from my bedroom window on the second story of my house. At first I was thinking that since they have a pool they wanted some privacy but I think it goes beyond that! These bushes are now growing into my yard and I am not sure if I can just cut them or if I have to ask them first. With my luck, I would end up killing their bushes if I cut them and then they would have a cardiac!

After speaking to my "nice" neighbors on the right, they quickly confirmed my suspicions about my neighbors to the left. They mentioned that they are not the most friendliest people and had once been confronted by them about their dog barking. My nice neighbors quickly pointed out to them that their black cat (that poops loves to poop in everybody's backyard) is the reason why all of the dogs in the neighborhood bark. They denied owning the black cat and never returned. I am certain that the black cat belongs to them since their kids address the cat by name and it lays on their front porch.

So tell me do you have nice neighbors? Would you just go ahead and cut the bushes or would you knock on their door and talk to them about it?

9/22/12: Girls on the Go 10K

I am thankful to have participated in my second 10K today! My right shin is still not 100% but I rested it all week and it does feel a lot better. I was hesitant to run this race since it was inside of Frank G. Bonelli Park in San Dimas which is very hilly for me. I have ran here before on a good day and it works me out! I made the decision to run this 10K at 6am this morning when I woke up because I was not feeling any pain.

My friend Shawna was also registered for the race and is just coming back from a foot injury so we were both on the fence about running it. Shawna suggested that we run it together and see what happens. Shawna's sister, her mom and a friend ran the 5K which started 15 minutes after the 10K. 

Bib pick up was only offered the day of the event which was nice. I live about 20 minutes from the event but it was nice not having to make the trip twice.

The parking was $10 which was not a plus but worked out since I was able to park close to  the finish. This was very convenient for me to get back to my car and ice my shin after I finished. I am learning that not every race has to be a PR or anything spectacular. It is always a great feeling when you have a great race but today it felt good just to run. This was an inaugural race and was not a very big event. It was aimed towards women so there was lots and lots of pink runners out on the course!!! Shawna and I joined in on the fun and wore our pink too!!

The 10K started at 8am and the course had lots of small hills so it was not easy. It did not help that I haven't ran in over a week. The uphill climb came right in the beginning of the course so it was challenging for us from the start. The last half was more downhill so it kind of made up for the first half.

Around mile 2.5 there was a small stream that you have to cross over to get to a dirt path so I took my time stepping on rocks to avoid stepping into the water.  This seemed a little dangerous to me but most of the runners were just running through it since the water level was very low. I did not want to run in wet shoes so I took my time!

At Mile 4 we took a short walking break and then finished it off. My official time was 56:39 (9:06 pace) and I was happy with that. I finished 24th out of 211 10K participants and 5th in my age group. 

Definitely not a PR but I did not monitor my pace at all today. I did wear my Garmin but time was not my focus today. My focus was to finish and not earn a DNF due to shin pain.

The event was very small and pretty well organized for being an inaugural race. The medals were not handed out at the finish and you had to go to another location to pick them up which I though was kind of strange. The medal is cute and very "Girlicous" as they call it!

Love my Chill Towel after a race!

Do you want to stay cool during and after a race/workout? Then enter my Giveaway! You can find it here!

Chill Cooling Towels: Product Review and Giveaway!

Other than my runDisney bling-bling medal and my two biggest fans, the most amazing thing was waiting for me at the Disneyland Half Marathon finish line, a Chill Cooling Towel! I had never heard about these towels but I glad I found them! I was hot and sweaty after my race and really needed something to cool me down and a Chill Cooling Towel worked it's magic. The towels were not refrigerated and were just being handed out from boxes at the Finish Line. When I opened my Chill Cooling Towel, I was amazed at how a towel that came out of a package could be so cool and refreshing. Chill Cooling Towels have me sold and now I have decided that every race needs to provide these to their participants. My race day bag now includes a Chill Cooling Towel just in case they are not provided!

What I like most about these towels is that they provide immediate relief from the heat! I like to wrap mine around my neck and I immediately feel refreshed! I was more amazed at how cold the towel remained without me having to do anything to make it happen. The towels are packaged in resealable bags and can be used multiple times which is also a plus.  Once I have gotten all of the use that I can get out of a Chill Towel, I wash it and re-use it as a dry gym towel so these towels serve multiple purposes for me!

If you have never heard of Chill Cooling Towels or have never had the chance to try one, they are all-natural, fully recyclable, 100% terry cloth towels that are hygienically sealed and contain antiseptic properties. They provide instant cooling and drop 25-30 degrees F below your normal body temperature to provide instant relief from the effects of heat. There is no soaking, rinsing or wringing out required.  Just open the bag and they are ready to use!

After a long run or a race, one of the first things that I used to reach for was a cold towel and now I reach for a Chill Cooling Towel. These towels come in three convenient sizes: Small (12 x 12), Medium (12 x 20) and Large (12 X 27). I prefer the large size since I like to wrap mine around my neck. These towels can be used for any type of sport other than running, like cycling, tennis or golfing.  They can also be used after or a during a workout at the gym and you can even use them when you are out on a hot day walking around at an amusement park or even the beach.

I was so impressed with this product that I contacted Robert over at Chill Towels and asked if he would be willing to partner with me to give one of my readers the opportunity to try this amazing product! Chill Towels has agreed to send one of my lucky readers a Five Pack of Large Chill Cooling Towels to try out.  I promise, you are going to love them!

To Enter this Giveaway to win a Five Pack of Chill Cooling Towels, all you have to do is:

+1: Follow my blog Boston Bound Brunette via Google Friend Connect and leave me a comment telling me that you are a follower!

+1: Like Chill Towels page on Facebook and leave them a comment telling them that Boston Bound Brunette sent you!

+1: Follow Chill Towels on Twitter and leave me a comment telling me that you did!

For Bonus Entries you can do these things too:

+1: Follow me on Twitter: Tweet about this Giveaway and leave me a comment telling me you did.

+1: Follow me on Instagram (bostonboundbrunette) then leave me a comment telling me you did.

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way to share my opinions with you.

This giveaway ends at midnight (local time) on September 26, 2012 and is open to anyone who enters! The entries will be numbered based on the order that they are received and the winner will be selected via random.org. The winner will be announced on September 27, 2012 and the winner must respond to me via email within 3 days of the announcement or an alternate winner will be selected.

GOOD LUCK!!

Three Things Thursday

1. I received the results back from my x-rays and I am relieved to say that I do not have a stress fracture. I am still puzzled as to what is causing this small area of pain so if it is still hanging around next week, then I will ask to be referred to an orthopedic specialist. I am will be doing nothing from now until Saturday with the hopes of running jogging the 10K.  If I am feeling any pain at all, I will sit it out. I will be sad but I will refrain from doing further damage in hopes of running the Long Beach Half Marathon!

 

Source

2. This weekend we are planning to visit the the LA County Fair. I have not been there in a few years and I get in free on Saturday with my college ID so I guess it's worth going. I am not a fan of all the fried food they have but I enjoy looking at it because it is so bizarre! Deep fried Dodger Dogs, Kool Aid, Oreos, frog legs or cereal do not seem very appetizing to me but people seem to love it for some reason.

3. I purchased our races photos from the Color Me Rad 5K and I love them.  They were the cheapest photos ever and I think all races should sell their photos for $1.99! Don't you?

Have you ever tried any of the crazy fried food at the fair?  
I have not and don't think I would. I might end up liking it!

What is the weirdest kind of food that you have ever seen or eaten? 
 It would have to be this deep fried food! I think they even have deep fried butter!
Do you buy your race photos? 
I don't think I ever have because they are so pricey but if I really loved them I think I would.  They always catch me at the worst moments so I haven't fallen in love with my race pics yet!

Playing It Safe and A Cool Giveaway Coming Soon!

So this happened.....

After being injured once you learn not to mess around and let things go. The pain that I am having is a very small area (about an inch) on the side of my shin and my doctor thinks that it is inflammation of the surrounding tissue and not the bone itself. I wanted to be on the safe side so he agreed than an x-ray would rule out a stress fracture and then we would go from there. I won't have the results for 24-48 hours so now it is time to patiently wait it out and hope for the best. In the meantime I am just doing other forms of cardio but no running.

I have a 10K on the books for Saturday so hopefully I will know something by then and that will decide whether or not doing the 10K is safe. I would much rather save myself for the Long Beach Half Marathon which is less than three weeks away so if I have to sit the 10K out. I don't want to but I know it might be the smartest thing for me to do.

I thought this was pretty funny and I wanted to share it with all of you. I was telling my son that I was going to have an x-ray to see if anything was wrong with my shin and he asked what was wrong? I told him that I wanted to make sure that I didn't have a stress fracture and he replied, "Mommy, did I cause you to have the stress fracture from stressing you out sometimes?"  Kids say the funniest things, don't they?

I have another COOL Giveaway coming up that you are really going to like! I will give you a hint...it's another one of my favorite running items!!

What are some of your favorite or must have running items?

We Have a Winner!!

The lucky winner of my giveaway "A Few of My Favorites"  is.....

Michelle ...who blogs over at 26.2 before I Turn 40! 

Michelle is going to need these things as this awesome lady is going to rock her very first 26.2 in Chicago, before she turns 40 of course, in less than 20 days! GOOD LUCK MICHELLE! YOU GOT THIS!

Michelle, please email me at BostonBoundBrunette@gmail.com with your address so that I can send your goodies out to you! 

Weekly Recap and Last Chance to Enter My Giveaway

I haven't been doing much running lately. I ran 5 miles on Tuesday and then did the Color Me Rad 5K with my family on Saturday which was mostly speed walking with minimal jogging. My shins are all better but there is a small area on my right shin that is kind of tender to the touch. It didn't help that last night my Pom was screaming under the bed and I jumped out of bed to see what was wrong and hit the hell out of my shin on the side panel of the bed! I think I really did some damage when I hit it! NOT GOOD because now it kinda hurts when I walk on it!  I hope it's not another injury but it is bruised this morning from the hit. I guess I will wait and see how it feels in a couple of days. I am not sure what happened to my dog but thank God she appears to be alright.

Thank you to everyone for the advice on Marathon Training plans. I think I might try the Run Less Run Faster plan which was recommended by many of you since it includes three quality runs per week and cross training which fits my schedule. I will have to commit to the cross training but I know that it is just as important to prevent injury so this seems to be a plan worth trying for me. I am also going to try some fast finishes during my long runs that Terzah, who blogs over at BQby40, recommended. I think this will be helpful when I attempt to tackle those last 6.2 miles of the marathon next February. I may have to make some minor changes to the plan to make sure I can stick with it but I am excited to try something new this time around.

If you haven't had a chance, this is your last chance to enter my GIVEAWAY! It ends tonight at midnight (local time) and I will announce the lucky winner tomorrow. If you haven't entered, go do it now so you can win some of my favorite running things! 

You can find it here.

Color Me Rad 5K: A Family Fun Run: 9/15/12

I love doing a fun running event each year and this one was definitely fun! We ran it as a family which made it really fun. The event is not timed and most of the participants come out to just have a good time. The participants are given a t-shirt, sunglasses, a color bomb, a RAD tattoo, a ticket to an event at the venue and a bib for the entry fee. 

The event took place at the Fontana Speedway and looped around the race track so the course was flat and easy for most. They also allowed strollers and children of all ages participated so it was a real family oriented event.

The weather was very warm at the 8:00am start. It was close to 80 degrees and they only had a couple of water stops on the course. I carried my handheld water bottle for my son because I knew he would be thirsty. Good thing I did because they were out of water at the first water stop and were just offering cups of ice. Most people were out on the course for an extended amount of time enjoying the color stations and taking lots of pictures so they were a little disappointed when there was no water!

Throughout the course, there are several color stations where different colors are thrown/sprayed on you. By the time you reach the finish, you have several colors on your face, clothes, shoes, hair, etc. It's a very messy event to say the very least!

My son enjoyed the color stations and wanted to be done in between. They also sold these color bombs which people were throwing at one another throughout the course. We bought my son five color bombs so he was having a great time color bombing me, those he passed and himself as well.

The color consists of corn starch and is fairly easy to get off. I had to scrub myself a little bit to get it off but I thought it was going to be worse. I rinsed all of our clothes out before putting them in the washer and they came out pretty clean. This race is a messy one so if you plan on doing a color run bring a change of clothes, bags for your colored clothes and shoes, towels to put on your car seats, and a towel to clean your face! We came prepared so it wasn't as messy as it could have been.

COLOR ME RAD 5K Finishers! We were very COLOR WASTED!!

Marathon Training Plans

I guess I am committed to running a marathon on Super Bowl Sunday! The thought of it really scares me for some reason! I need to stay injury free for this one because I am running it in honor of my Dad and I don't want to have to sit it out. I have been trying to be a smart runner since my injury but have been battling sore shins lately. I have never had this problem occur as often as it has been so I am not sure what is going on. My shoes are good and no major changes in my running so I am kind of puzzled. Maybe I am just getting old?? In any case, I have been kind of taking it easy since I have the Long Beach Half Marathon coming up in a few weeks and I don't want to risk it. If I have to take it easy for this half I am completely fine with it. I will settle for my mini PR for the year and be happy that I was even able to accomplish that.

I am shooting for a 16 week training plan but have not decided on a plan to follow. I am unable to run more than 3-4 days a week due to my commitments at home and at work so I need to find a plan that fits my schedule. I would really like to fit in some lunch runs but I don't want to be all sweaty at work so that does not work for me or else that would make things a lot easier. My goal for the Surf City Marathon in February is 3:59:59 (9:09 pace). Seems simple enough but my slow death begins at Mile 20 and continues on to Mile 26.2 so I have to conquer these final 6.2 miles of hell this time around.

If I can stay injury free and everything goes as planned, I will begin my marathon training the week of October 14th.

Oh! If you haven't entered my GIVEAWAY to win a few of my favorite running things you can find it HERE!

Any suggestions on marathon training plans? Which marathon training plans have you used that have worked for you? Any tips for tackling those last 6.2 miles?

I usually write up my own training plans and end up changing them to meet the other demands in my life.

My Very First Giveaway: A Few of My Favorites!

In celebration of my One Year Blogiversary, which happened back in June (oops), one lucky reader will receive all of the following. All of these items that I am giving away are some of my favorites that I want to share with you. 

1) 3 GU gels: I cannot live without this stuff on my long runs and during races! These are a few of my favorite flavors!

2) nuun:  This is one of my favorite forms of hydration! Fruit Punch is my favorite flavor and I hope you like it too!

3) Body Glide: After my first marathon I knew that Body Glide was a must and it works wonders for me! No more chafing for me!

4) Nathan Handheld Hydration Bottle: I always carry my own hydration no matter the distance since this summer has been crazy hot! I love this Nathan handheld hydration bottle because there is no top to open. All you have to do is squeeze it!

5) $15 Starbucks Card: I always reward myself with my favorite Starbucks drink after a good run and I want you to do the same! My favorite drink is a Soy Caramel Brule' Latte that only comes out during the holidays.  I can hardly wait!!

 DON'T YOU LOVE THE BONUS STICKER THAT I AM THROWING IN??

To Enter this Giveaway all you have to do is:

+1: Follow my blog Boston Bound Brunette via Google Friend Connect and leave me a comment telling me that you are a follower!

For Bonus Entries you can do these things too:

+1: Blog about this Giveaway and send me the link in a comment.

+1: Follow me on Twitter: Tweet about this Giveaway and then send me the link of your tweet in a comment.

+1: Follow me on Instagram (bostonboundbrunette) then leave me a comment telling me you follow me on Instagram.

The giveaway ends at midnight (local time) on September 17, 2012 and is open to anyone who wants to join! The entries will be numbered based on the order that they are received and the winner will be selected via random.org. The winner will be announced on September 18, 2012 and the winner must respond via email within 3 days of the announcement or an alternate winner will be selected. 

GOOD LUCK!!

I Had A Great Day!

My birthday celebration started at work on Thursday.  My staff bought me the most amazing fruit tart and gift cards to indulge at my favorite places!  They know me so well!

My birthday was all about eating. I went to lunch with my other half at my favorite Thai restaurant after going to the gym. I didn't run but spent an hour on the elliptical because my shin still isn't 100%.

And then there was dinner. We had some amazing BBQ at Lucille's. Gotta love those biscuits with apple butter and strawberry lemonade! My favorites..not to mention the cherry tootsie pops!!

After singing Happy Birthday (I hate that part because it's embarrassing) we opened presents. They gave me way too much stuff but I love it! 

My favorite gift of all was the birthday card that my son made for me.  He knows how much I want to run the Boston Marathon and he thinks that I run so fast! He is such a sweet little boy and is one of my biggest fans.

The remainder of the evening was spent walking off the dinner around the outdoor mall. My son had some fun of his own and ended up doing this kind of stuff!

Thank you for all of the birthday wishes.  I had a great day!

Happy Birthday to Me!

I stopped getting really super excited about birthdays once I turned 30. I think the whole getting old thing really started to sink in back then. The best part of my birthday is the time that I get to spend with my family.  We usually out to dinner, laugh a lot and eat cupcakes.  My birthday would not be complete without cupcakes and I already started last night! 

I always take the day off of work on my birthday. It's a ritual. I cannot remember the last time that I actually worked on my birthday. My staff always takes me out for my birthday ahead of time and we always have a good laugh and go back to work in a food coma. I work in the Finance Department but manage a smaller division of 6 people (4 full time and 2 part time). I am also good friends with another division manager who took me under his wing and helped me out a tremendously when I first started working in local government so we always invite Hershal to come along with us. Hershal is in his 60's and the man still runs! I hope I am still active like him when I am in my 60's.

Shawna and Hershal

We usually take a road trip to Vegas for my birthday but not this year because the puppies are still living with us and Sugar just had surgery so finding a pet sitter for 5 dogs is probably not going to happen. I am okay with it though because I love these dogs to pieces. 

I received a ton of free birthday offers so my weekend will include some of these things:

1) $10 gift card from Kohls

2) $10 gift card from Macy's

3) $10 gift card from Victoria's Secret

4) Free Birthday Burger from Red Robin

5) Buy One Get One Free meal from Soup Plantation

6) Buy One Get One Free meal from Mimi's Cafe

7) Free meal from Hooters

8) Free lunch buffet from Shakey's pizza

9) Free sandwich from Which Wich (I have never tried this place before and have been wanting to check it out.)

10) Free meal from El Torito

11) Free dessert or starter from Lazy Dog

12) $30 credit towards any meal from Benihana (THIS IS THE BEST OFFER!)

13) BJ's Brewhouse also gives you a free pizookie on your birthday and there is no coupon needed. You know I will be stopping by for my pizza cookie with ice cream on top!

14) Free birthday sundae from Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour

15) Free Drink from Starbucks

16) Free scoop of ice cream from Baskin Robbins

17) $10 Free game play from Dave and Busters

18) Free item from Sonic

So based on this crazy list, it is safe to assume that the month of September will include lots of eating, or should I say overeating! Having said that, I need to step it up and burn more calories this month! August was not such a great month for me in terms of mileage but I am ready to step it up and start working towards my new half marathon goal of 1:45!

Do you sign up for free birthday offers? What is the best offer you have ever received? 
The best deal I have received is the $30 dinner from Benihana!