Will Run For Ice Cream

I knew that I didn't have a lot of time to make a decision. This week I had already missed one run, today was another missed run, and I had to make up my mind if I was going to continue marathon training or take a different path. I was pretty sure of my decision this morning, and although my husband was disappointed that I may not run the marathon, he also supports me in my decision. By lunchtime today I had totally made up my mind that I was not going to run a full marathon in October.  However my backup plan was to run the Hershey half marathon the following weekend. Yesterday when I logged on there were spots available. Today, it was sold out. Cue the depressing dramatic sad music . I was pretty much crushed because I had decided that I was not going to run the full, but now I didn't have a back up race. I have done a lot of training this summer, and although even if I don't run a race it won't go to waste, I would still like to use this training to run

Go big or go home-it's kind of been my motto with this marathon training. And I have to say, I think I'm going home. This definitely is not a post  that I ever intended to write. But I think I am going to bow out on the marathon for October 12. I'll pause a moment to let you collect your thoughts :( Why you ask? Well I'm just not sure that I want to do it. I believe enough in myself to know that I could finish the marathon. I even feel that I could possibly have a decent PR. But I also know that that means putting in a lot more hours, a lot of work, and I'm just not sure that I want to do it. See, I don't want to do another marathon just to complete another marathon. I want to do a marathon, and finally have a finishers time that I can be proud of. Because with the first two that really didn't happen. But I'm six weeks away and I'm tired. I'm physically tired-emotionally tired-and this really just isn't fun anymore. I know

I'm not gonna lie - this is a struggle. This marathon training is tough - not just physically but mentally. Anyone else out there training feel this way? Or am I just a weenie? For real, I keep telling myself to just suck it up. It's just 7 more weeks. But my body (and mind) feel tired at this point. But I also know this is the crunch time, where I have to dig deep (while listening to my body). See, that's the hard part. You have to listen to your body, but at the same time push through to reach new levels. This week I didn't hit all of my scheduled runs ( cue sad music) . I had to cut my Monday run short. I was just super sore. Thursday's tempo run was also cut short. I was just too tired with dead legs. Today was my long run and after being awake several times in the night with Lil Man and then Hubby's snoring, at around 3:30am, I turned off the 6am alarm and messaged my running buddy to tell her that I just wasn't going to make it. I felt bad for bail

And the runs are getting longer - can you believe the marathon is less than 8 weeks ago - just typing that makes me super nervous! But this weekend's plan was for 6 miles at a 9 minute mile. And then Sunday was supposed to be 15 miles at an 11-11:15 pace. Saturday's Run : Yep - NAILED IT! I had a friend who met me so that she could push me to keep me on pace. She did an awesome job. And then my biggest fan was waiting on me (as usual) when I got home. He's always waiting on me at the door when I get home. I do believe he is my biggest fan.  And during Saturday's run, I asked my friend if she wanted to run with me on Sunday (for either the entire 15 miles or at least part). I did not look forward to running 15 miles solo. And I knew that keeping the pace would also be a challenge. She said she would run the entire 15 with me.  It was 15 miles in the rain. We got in lots of hill work also. And, we came in under pace.  Total mileage this week.

Full Disclosure: I received products free of charge for the purpose of providing a review. My opinions are completely my own based on my experience. When I first heard about the Handana , I was curious. But when I heard the story behind it, then I knew I had to try it. Have you ever heard for SJS ( Stevens Johnson Syndrome )?  I had no idea that this condition even existed. And when I read Katie Niemeyer's story  I was inspired and in awe of her journey. You can watch a short video here  Katie Niemeyer's Story  (it's well worth the time to watch. For some reason I wasn't able to embed the video into the post. Now that you know a little background info about the Handana, let's get to the actual product. I'm guilty of using the inside of my shirt to wipe my face and nose while running. So I was curious how the Handana would work. It's designed to wear on your hand to use to wipe away sweat or let's face it post nasal drip.So I took the Handana out

 No one said that it would be easy, or that it would always be enjoyable, and always fun. But when you've made a commitment - it's a commitment - and you see it through (and no I'm not talking about marriage, although I could easily make a correlation between the two ). I'm referring to my marathon training. See, last Sunday I had a 14 mile run on the schedule. Mentally I felt blah. Physically I felt 'ok' but not stellar. And when it came down to it, my mental blah won in the end and I bailed at 6 miles on my 14 mile run. If I thought I felt bad mentally before, I really felt bad mentally after bailing on the run. My trainer, being the trainer that she is, simply said, can you get in a 2 hour or so run on Monday? Gulp, I suppose so. And that's just what I did. It required me getting up before the sun woke up so that I could get in a 2 hour run before Hubby went to work. I am TERRIFIED of running solo in the dark. But I had bailed on my Long Run

Full Disclosure: I received products free of charge for the purpose of providing a review. My opinions are completely my own based on my experience. I can't tell you enough how cute these socks are. And I love that their slogan is "You don't have to be a match to be a pair". My Soxy Fee t are bright, vibrant, and super comfy. The toe and heel areas are slightly cushioned. I didn't feel that it was 'too much' to make my shoes too tight, but it was enough to feel comfy. My Soxy Feet are high quality athletic socks that are designed to keep your feet dry. They are 53% CoolMax Ecomade fibers, (made from recycled water bottles) 46% Nylon and 1% Lycra. I felt that they stayed in place and didn't slip or slide on my feet. I loved the writing on top of the socks. I never wear shoes at home. So it was fun to look down at my feet and see "Bloom" and "Soar". Something about seeing those words encouraged me. And there are severa

I didn't really know what to expect when I heard about the Walkadoo . I admit that I thought the name was catchy. But I couldn't help but wonder if it was just another 'tracking' device. But I was curious to check it out. The Walkadoo is not just a pedometer. Instead, it uses an algorithm to push daily goals based on your daily walking patterns. The theory is that it sets realistic goals for each individual. And the Smart Step Pebble Device is a durable waterproof device that can hold up to 21 days of activity. The data syncs wirelessly through the USB SyncPoint. The pebble doesn't need to be charged and comes with an extra battery that lasts up to a year. So, what did I think? I got my device and popped in the USB SyncPoint (no problems there). But when I went to download the software, I hit a little snafu. My anti-virus software flagged it as malware. I sent a quick email to customer support. I didn't expect to hear from them for a couple of d

In the past, I have always driven into the Linglestown area to run. But with running 6 days a week, I just didn't want to spend 40 minutes (round trip) in driving. Honestly, I need the sleep at this point. So I've been discovering places to run around where I live. Thanks to some local peeps here in Dauphin, I'm exploring the area. Everywhere I run, there are pretty much hills, but I'm finding it's very pretty. And I'm enjoying running and exploring where I live. Views on Today's 13 Miler  Today's run was supposed to be 13 miles at a 11-12:30 pace. Well, that didn't happen. In fact, around mile 8, I almost called it quits and walked the mile back home. But instead, I forced myself to walk the other direction. Yes, the last 5 miles were more walk than run. I wound up with a 14:00 pace which is no where near what my training plan called for. But, it's done. It was 13 very soggy miles.  I had steady rain for the first hour, and then showers

Yep, I hit record mileage for July! I ran 143 miles. This is definitely a personal record for me. And I have to say that I'm proud of myself.  10 more weeks until the Marathon. Gulp  Please Vote! I need your vote to help me in my ranking. Please click the banner to give me a 'vote'. Thank you in advance.