11 Fitness Items I CANNOT Live Without!

I saw this on Hungry Runner Girl's blog and I wanted to share the top 11 things that I cannot live without! I couldn't narrow it down to 10 so I have 11! When I prepare for a long training run or travel for a race, these are the things that would send me into a mad panic if I forgot to bring them along with me!

Here is my list of fitness items that I am incredibly thankful for and have learned to love!

1) Garmin Forerunner 620-This is my favorite Garmin by far and the top item that I just cannot live without! It provides so much running data and I just love it! I love the Live Track option and the fact that the data automatically uploads to Garmin Connect.

2) GU Energy Gel-My favorite flavors are Jet Blackberry and Salted Caramel. The energy kick that this gel gives me during a race or a long run is amazing. The Salted Caramel flavor tastes just like candy so it's like a treat while I am out on my runs. You have to try it if you have not already! They just released a new flavor, Salted Watermelon, that I am dying to try!

3) Foam Roller-This thing has saved my life! If you don't have one, please go and buy one and start using it! After being injured so many times, I became religious about using my foam roller. I use it after all of my runs and it has made a huge difference! I can now run 20 miles and have no soreness the next day. I like the extra firm one because it really hurts so good!

4) The Stick-This is the best for sore legs. I even have the travel sized version that fits inside my bag. I never leave home without it and I even take it to work with and secretly use it at my desk. It is also the best thing to have on hand for relays when you are cramped inside of a van overnight.

5) 20 oz. Amphipod Hand-Held Water Bottle- I have been trying to kick the hydration belt lately because it is just so much easier to just carry my hand-held. I can't be without my water so I have yet to master running a race using the course supplied hydration. I can go pretty far on this bottle without having to refill it and the outside pocket works perfect for holding my Chapstick.

6) Fitletic Ultimate II Running Belt (with Bib Holder and Fuel Slots)- I love that the front pocket is just the perfect size for my phone and the belt has slots to hold my GU's. The bib holder is great since I don't have to worry about forgetting safety pins on race day.

7) Body Glide-I learned a valuable lesson after my first marathon. I had some serious chaffing issues and I could feel my skin burning in the end of that race. Lesson learned and I never had that problem again since using Body Glide.

8) Nike Tempo Shorts-These are the most comfortable shorts that I have ever worn. I have tried other brands but my heart belongs to my tempo shorts which would explain why I have over 25 pairs of them!

9) Compression Socks- I wear both Pro Compression and CEP. I love them both. I wear them for all of my runs and they help me recover faster and improve my circulation. I have terrible tans lines from them but it's totally worth it to me!

10) KT Tape Pro- This tape has saved me when I have aches and pains and when I have been injured. I love this stuff! I only wear the Stealth Beige color though so I don't have to worry about matching it up with all of my clothes. I like the Pro version because it sticks better and is waterproof.

11) Nike Sun Visor-I cannot wear sunglasses when I run because I feel like I can't see. Weird..I know. I never run without my visor because it keeps the sun out of my eyes and the sweat off of my face.

What are your favorite fitness items that you cannot live without?  

Please share in the comments below.

Ragnar Las Vegas: 11/8/13-11/9/13

This past weekend I ran Ragnar Las Vegas with some pretty amazing people. Our team was sponsored by Nuun and Pro Compression and I owe them a huge thank you for everything! THANK YOU!!!

 

Our team consisted of 11 women and 1 dude in a sparkly skirt!

Me, Hyla, Zoe, Vanessa, Nicole, Caroline, Kelsey, Jenny, Sara, Matt, Brianne and Brennan

I was in Van #1: Me, Caroline, Zoe, Kelsey, Vanessa and Nicole. I could not have asked for a better group of girls to spend 24 plus hours in a van with! I loved all of the them!

Our teammates in Van #2:  Sara, Brianne, Jenny, Matt, Brennan and Hyla. I stole this picture from Hyla's blog.

I wish we could have spent more time with Van #2 but both vans are kind of on opposite schedules during a relay. While one van is running their hearts out, the other van is pretty much recovering, eating and sleeping.  We were able to meet up with a few of them the night before the relay started so I am glad that I was able to meet and get to know a few of them.

Caroline and I caught a plane to Las Vegas on Thursday night and we spent the night in this pyramid with Kelsey and Vanessa! I think I drove Caroline nuts with my snoring but she was just too nice to tell me. I think Kelsey may have won the snoring contest though!

Source

The Luxor sky beam was visible from every place we drove that van on the relay course. It was pretty amazing!

Our fearless leader, Zoe, picked us up from our hotel at 9:30 am on Friday morning. The van was packed with lots of snacks, water, and Nuun of course. Thank you Zoe! We headed to the Start to pick up our bibs, attend the safety training, and decorated our van while we waited for our start time.

The 187 mile relay starts at Mt. Charleston, Nevada at an 8600 elevation level and ends in Henderson, Nevada at Lake Las Vegas. There was snow on the ground when we arrived at the Start but for some reason I wasn't even cold. As you can see, I am the only one in the picture without a jacket.

Our team started at 12:30pm and we thought we were going to be the last ones to finish since we started so late and the course and the exchanges seemed kind of empty when we were present.

Our team was just a very fun and energetic group to be around! They were so positive and encouraging to our team mates and to the other runners out there on the course. They really gave me a burst of energy and the motivation to get out there and run my best! 

I was Runner 3 and a ran a total of 11.47 miles. Here is a little break down on each of my legs: 

Leg 3: My first leg was my favorite and it started about 2:15 pm on Friday afternoon. It was all downhill on SR-195. It was so super quiet that it felt weird but it was peaceful. Our van drove by cheering me on and I knew they were coming when ever I heard that cowbell! I felt so free running on that open road. I was the only runner out there on the road until Mile 4 when I chicked a dude but gave him a high five and encouraged him to stay with it! It was my only leg without traffic signals and it was pretty amazing. It was so amazing that I may have ran my fastest 5.5 miles ever.

Leg 3 Stats: Distance: 5.5 Miles, Avg. Pace 7:18 and Kills=2

Leg 15: My second leg was my night run and it started about 10:20 pm on Friday night. I always get nervous on my night run because I am so afraid of getting lost. I hit one really long traffic signal on this leg. The Ragnar staff made me wait for the signal so I was not able to run through it even though there were no cars coming (BOO!). I did not stop my Garmin at the signals so my average pace includes the stops. All of the turns were clearly marked so I was happy that I did not get lost.

Leg 15 Stats: Distance: 2.13 Miles, Avg. Pace 8:34 and Kills:3

Leg 27: My last leg started at 7:40 am on Saturday morning in 48 degree temps. It was perfect weather and I was ready to be done since I had not slept very much. My quads were a little sore so I was planning on taking my last leg easy if my quads were not going to allow me to run pain free. This leg was supposed to be an even 4 miles but ended up being a little short due to a slight change to the course. I caught so many long traffic signals but the good thing is that my quads were not hurting while I was running and I was able to finish strong. My average pace was around 7:30-7:40 while I was in motion.

Leg 27 Stats: Distance: 3.84 Miles, Avg. Pace 8:42 and Kills=5

It felt great to be finished but I just didn't want it to be over. I was still on a runner's high from all of the positive vibes from the ladies in Van #1 so we agreed that we would do it again sometime in the near future.

Once Van #1 was finished, we drove straight to the Finish Line to wait for Van#2 to finish things up. 

We walked around the finish area and ate some pizza and visited Megan at the Nuun booth. Zoe and I picked up our extra medals for running Ragnar Las Vegas and one other Ragnar race in 2013. I ran Ragnar So Cal in April, 2013 so this was an added bonus for me!

Results: Team Nuun/Pro Compression did great! We finished 60th out of 339 team in the Mixed Open Division.

I have one more thing to share with you before I end this post:NUUN and PRO COMPRESSION have so generously offered some great discounts for you:
 
NUUN

Code: ragnarvegas
Good for: 20% order
Expires: 12/31/13 

PRO COMPRESSION

Code: nuunpc
Good for: 40% off + free shipping
Expires: 12/31/13

Ragnar Las Vegas: Meet the Ladies of Van#1

When Caroline first asked me to run Ragnar Las Vegas I was really excited! It is really not that difficult to get me excited when it comes to anything that has to do with running! I was a little nervous about joining the team since all of the Runners in Van#1, except for me, are 2012 Hood to Coast Runners and Nuun Ambassadors. I am a avid Watermelon and Fruit Punch Nuun drinker and a fan of Pro Compression so I was not concerned about running on a team that was sponsored by products that I do not truly love. I was more concerned about how I would fit in with the team and how they would accept me.

I am pretty easy going and I am not high maintenance at all so I figured that I would just be myself and let everything else just fall into place. I am so glad that I accepted Caroline's invitation because Ragnar Las Vegas turned out to be one of the most incredible experiences ever. All of the girls were so sweet and I never felt out of place for one single minute. There was a lot of HTC 2012 flash backs going on in the van but I really understood it all after seeing what a great group of ladies I was surrounded by.

The positive vibe and team spirit in Van#1 was incredible! All of the cow belling, cheering on other runners, and supporting our own runners while they were out running their legs was just unbelievable. Each one of the girls brought something special to this team that just made it all come together. Caroline already did a great job of describing the team in this post but I would also like to add my two cents and share a little about her too.

Nicole (Runner 1): This lady just had a baby four months ago and looks like a super model! I know that it was tough for her to be away from her son to come and run this relay with us. She killed her first leg of 7 hilly and hard miles with an average pace of 7:50! It must be the watermelon Nuun! Nicole is such a positive person and never stopped encouraging all of us when the fatigue was starting to set in due to lack of sleep. She was my go to person when I wanted to complain about my quads being on fire. She never wanted to inconvenience anyone and was always willing to help in any way that she could. I kept bumping into her the entire time so I think she wanted to punch me in my face a few times! 

Kelsey (Runner 2): This lady is special. She was the youngest runner on the team and there were lots of moments when we would talk about movies or songs on the radio and Kelsey could not relate to them because they were before her time. I think we were all in disbelief that she had never seen the movie "Dirty Dancing." I love Kelsey's determination and positive attitude about running. The smile on her face while she is running is absolutely priceless. When my runs got tough I thought about her big smile that came to greet me since I was Runner 3 and she handed off to me. I swear I am going to take a trip to Tennessee just to visit her so she can show me around her hometown.

Caroline (Runner 4): This lady is a true friend. I knew from the first time that I met her that she was someone special. It is no secret that her stomach does not always agree with running but she gets out there and does it anyway! I truly admire her determination to keep running in spite of the not so pretty things that she has to deal with. She is coming back from an injury and ran her legs with 110% effort. Caroline is also a very devoted mother to her two sons. She called her boys to see them off to school and to say goodnight every day and always asked me if I had done the same. She even checked in with the tooth fairy to make sure that he was doing his job properly! Caroline was our photographer and she has some serious dance moves. Maybe she will share one of her dancing videos that I so willingly took of her!

Zoe (Runner 5): She was our fearless leader and van driver. The girl can seriously drive a van and knows how to get from one exchange to another without a problem. She took such good care of all of us and never once complained of being tired. She ran her legs like a boss and was always smiling and keeping the team motivated. She ran a ton of miles and I know she had to be exhausted. Instead of complaining, she was out making friends and supporting other runners while dominating her legs. 

Vanessa (Runner 6): I have been a long time reader of Vanessa's blog so I pretty much know everything about her that she has shared. She is one of the most genuine and kindest people that you will ever meet. She is such a selfless person and always puts everyone else's best interest before her own. Vanessa was the one to remember to bring water bottles to the exchange when our runners were coming in. She was the one offering to get coffee or snacks for us so that we would not have to walk to get it ourselves. She was the one offering to fill up all of our water bottles in the van. She was so confident even though 2 of her 3 legs had some issues. Her first leg ended up being longer than expected due to a road closure and her second leg was the toughest of all the legs. She earned some major respect from Van#1 for running 10 serious uphill miles..alone... in the middle of the pitch black of the night... with no van support. The girl is speedy and is a running beast but oh so humble all at the same time. 

I miss all of these ladies already! I have so much more to say so I will do a second post to share more about my contribution to the team.

10/13/13: The Long Beach Marathon (Take Two)

Where should I start? I am finally over the "what if's" had this race gone better than it did. I know I ran a strong race and that I am capable of more than I sometimes want to give myself credit for. This marathon included the strongest 21 miles that I have ever ran in a marathon. Everything seemed to be aligning including the weather. It was cooler than I thought it would be so I think that may be a reason why I felt so great those first 21 miles of the race!

 

I only slept four hours because I was so nervous. Marathons will always make me nervous no matter how many I run make but this time I was super nervous. I laid out all of my race stuff the night before so I would be ready to go when my alarm went off at 4:15am. I had such a low bib number so lots of runners kept asking me if I was an elite runner! Too funny....if only they knew how non-elite I really am!!

My friend who lost her husband came with us to the race to support me. I was excited that I was able to get her out of the house and we had a good time. We laughed like the old times before her husband took his life so it was nice to see her smile again. We had dinner together and she was so grateful that I invited her to come along since her house really depresses her at times with all of memories it holds of her late husband. She has kind of lost her running mojo lately so I was excited when she signed up for a half marathon at the Expo. Progress is a big thing for her right now! I decided to dedicate my fourth marathon to her husband because he was always so supportive and encouraged me to reach for my dreams.

The Race:
The race was delayed by almost a half hour due to safety clearance or something like that but safety first, right? I was a little bummed because I was hoping to finish without having to spend too much time in the sun. That did not happen but it was still cool enough to run a decent race.

I started right with the four hour pacer and spotted Nicole and her brother Joe, who was running his first marathon, and wished them good luck. I kept thinking that if the weather stays cool I just might be able to run this course in under 4 hours. I was off and running and I don't think I ever ran with the 4 hour group or saw them on the course again. I can usually tell by the first three miles of a marathon how my race is going to turn out. I was feeling great the first three miles and just kind of went with it but reminded myself to be smart.

Mile 1: 8:32

Mile 2:8:22

Mile 3:8:20

I did not want my Garmin to distract me from my race by staring at it the entire time because that makes me feel very nervous! I continued to run by how I felt, occasionally glancing at my watch to make sure that I was not going too fast. 

Mile 4: 8:27

Mile 5: 8:27 (GU)

Mile 6: 8:22

Mile 7: 8:26

Mile 8: 8:21

Before I knew it I was closing in on the 3:45 pacer but I just kept a safe distance. I was not feeling confident enough to run a 3:45 on this particular course. It was at this point in the race that I was thinking that I would continue at this pace and hang on until it started to get tough. Things continued to go well and by the way I did end up wearing my hydration belt like I said I wouldn't. I didn't use my handheld water bottle because I forgot the little clips to my iFitness belt that holds my bib on and I needed it to carry my phone and GU's. I was just too nervous to rely on the water on the course even though there was plenty of it.

Mile 9: 8:26

Mile 10: 8:26 (GU)

Mile 11: 8:25

Mile 12: 8:31

Mile 13: 8:26

I was still feeling pretty good at the half way point and it was at this point that I decided that maybe I could meet my most optimistic goal of all which was to PR! I also knew that the most difficult miles of the course were coming up soon and I was going to see my pace drop significantly.

Mile 14: 8:26

Mile 15: 8:33 (Gu)

Mile 16: 8:26

Miles 17-20 are the toughest miles of the course for me. The course takes you into Cal State Long Beach and it is nothing but hills in there! It was pretty tough so I slowed it down on the uphill and tried to gain some time back when the course flattened out. I did much better this year and I didn't die or hit the wall!

Mile 17: 8:27

Mile 18: 8:56

Mile 19:8:25

Mile 20:8:50(GU)

Around Mile 19ish my race took a different turn. I ran through some water on the course with what felt like sand and I almost slipped and over extended my right leg and felt a pain in the back of my leg. Little by little the pain became worse to the point where I had to slow down considerably. I stopped and stretched it out around Mile 22 per the instructions of Monica who happened to run past me as I was hobbling along in pain. By Mile 23 I could not run for long at all without it hurting or tightening up so it was a run/walk effort from Mile 23-25 but I did not give up! 

Mile 21: 8:42

Mile 22: 9:26

Mile 23: 10:04 (GU)

Mile 24: 10:26

Mile 25: 10:17

It was at this point that I knew that my race was headed in another direction. I wasn't sure what was the best thing to do. I thought about quitting or just walking to the Finish but I just could not let myself do it. I completely fell apart at this point because I was not sure what was going on with my leg and what might happen if I kept on going. At Mile 25, I saw my friend Meg who I have known for a while through the blog world! She came up to me and we started talking and she ran with me for about a mile. I felt better just seeing a familiar face and I was able to brave through it and make it to the Finish. THANK YOU MEG! YOU SAVED ME!

Mile 26: 9:31

.48=8:48 (I guess I did not do very well running the tangents either!)

Goals:

My goals for this race were to beat my 2011 course time of 4:05:35 (CHECK.). I actually beat my course time by 13 minutes and 20 seconds! My second and more optimistic goal was to finish the race in under 4 hours (CHECK.) This was not a PR for me but this is just one of those courses that will probably never get me a PR or a BQ! It just doesn't love me!

I finished Marathon #4 in 3:52:15 and finally earned my Beach Cities Challenge medal! Sarah was handing out the BCC medals and it was nice to see her out there volunteering. I can remember when I thought that I would never be able to run a sub-four marathon so I have convinced myself that 3:52 is a decent time for me considering that it did do lots of walking! I told Long Beach that I would be back to get revenge and my sub-four finish and I know I ran a much stronger race than I did two years ago. No excuses for a bad race so I will just suck this one up and pay attention to where I am running in the future and accept the fact that not every race is going to be a perfect one and realize that CACA HAPPENS!

This makes race #12 of my quest to run 13 races in 2013 and my second best marathon time. I have been taking it easy because I was hurting everywhere and I am also hoping that my hamstring pain is just a temporary thing that rest will take care of. I am not ready to use the dreaded "I" word yet! I am hoping to get a run in at the end of the week if I am able. Until then, I will be doing lots of icing and this....

  

 Next up...Ragnar Las Vegas, sponsored by Nuun and Pro Compression, with my friend Caroline and 10 other ladies that I cannot wait to meet!

Marathon Training: Week One

My first week of marathon training is done. I am pleased with my first week and hope that things continue to stay on the positive side. Sometimes I think that I jinx myself when I sign up for a marathon so I am keeping my fingers crossed and trying to do all of the right things.

I had three quality runs this week that I was pleased with. I have been doing more stretching, icing and foam rolling/sticking in hopes of avoiding any injuries. My shins start to act up on my longer runs so I have to be careful. I am also trying to do some strength training and cross training even it is something as simple as walking the dogs.

Run #1: 6.25 Miles @8:26

Run #2: 8.50 Miles @8:51

Run #3: 15.35 Miles @8:30 (This was a great run and I felt strong the entire time even though I added a few uphill miles in there.)

TOTAL MILES: 30

I am not registered for any races in March which is allowing me to stay focused on my training and for Ragnar So Cal next month. I love racing and I am kind of bummed that I don't have a St. Patty's day race especially after I bought these PRO Compression Socks and this Team Sparkle skirt. 

I am thinking about saving them and possibly wearing them for my next marathon because I am going to need all the luck that I can get!! 

Tell me about your week? Any plans to run a marathon this year?

National Peanut Butter Lover's Day

Happy National Peanut Butter Lover's Day! My favorite way to enjoy peanut butter is with apples and pretzels so those are my work snacks for today. I also love toast with peanut butter before I go for a run. I happened to bring the whole jar of peanut butter to work with me today so that it doesn't get lonely at home. I promise not to eat the whole jar!

Here are some facts about peanut butter that I found:

Did you know that the average child will eat 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before he or she graduates high school? Peanut butter has been popular since the early 1900s, but no one knows who invented it. Today, it is an $800 million industry dominated by household names such as Jif, Skippy, and Peter Pan.

Peanut butter is an excellent source of protein and healthy fats, and can help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. For the healthiest choice, look for brands that have no oil or sugar added. Celebrate National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day with a delicious peanut butter snack in honor of the occasion!

In honor of National Peanut Butter Lover's Day, I went shopping at 5:30am this morning  and bought these compression socks! I could not resist! Now I am feeling the pressure to sign up for a St. Patrick's Day race thanks to PRO Compression twisting my arm and forcing me to buy these! Darn it!

What is your favorite way to enjoy peanut butter?

Are you doing a St. Patty's Day race this year?  

Life Has Been A Little Overwhelming Lately!

Life has been a little overwhelming lately to say the least. Family matters have kind of put lots of things on the back burner and I have been feeling really tired lately. My grandpa's health has taken a turn for the worst this past week and we have been dealing with one problem after another since Thursday night. He has Parkinson's disease and his mobility is gone and he pretty much has to spend all of his time in bed and he hates it! My grandma is 85 years old and has been trying to provide care to him but now that he is unable to walk or move very much, she can no longer do it. Please say a prayer for my grandpa as I am not sure how much longer he will be here with us. 

Running seemed to be getting back on track this week but with all of the sleepless nights and  helping out my grandpa, I was out of energy by the end of the week and did not get my long run done on Sunday as I thought I would. I ended up hitting the gym at the end of the day and could only get 6.5 miles out. I ended my week with 20.5 miles but family comes first and will always be my priority even though I love running. I was really close to hitting a 100 mile month but a combo of the rain and low energy levels were a bad mix! I can't really complain though because I was pain free this past week!

My tree is still sitting bare in the corner of my living room. My son keeps asking when we are going to decorate the tree but I have to remind him that taking care of grandpa has been tiring and I am out of energy. I am going to try to get the tree decorated this week since my living room is full of boxes of Christmas ornaments and all of the other decorations.

In other news, I had to buy these super cute Marathon Holiday socks from Pro Compression. I could not resist their cuteness and now I really want to run a holiday race but have yet to sign up for one.....

Are you all ready for Christmas? The tree is decorated and the shopping is done?

I plan to get all of that done this weekend if I can!