Will Run For Ice Cream

You're humming the song aren't you? :)  The truth is right now, it is all about the base - mileage that is. I think I've finally found a training plan. YEAH!!! It's not the Run Less Run Faster plan, mainly because I don't have the base yet to start any of the programs. I'm still not 100% well, and I need to focus on building base (because it's all about that base, bout that base).. Ok.. I'll stop :) So I'm going to use

(affiliate link) Yes! Real feel 18 degrees. My first hilly run since injury. I'm still feeling some discomfort, and I'm smart enough to know I'm not 100% healed. But ....

Can you believe I've never ran a Turkey Trot? I know. The girl who has run multiple races over a weekend has never run a turkey trot! But it's never worked with our family plans. With us living in PA, and our family living in the South. Well, it's just 'us'. And I always feel a little guilty leaving my family at home to go run on Thanksgiving. And, I can't get them to join me for a 'family' outing to run one as a family. So while the rest of the running community is out trotting away, I was home in the kitchen today. But that's ok. No sadness here as I hope to get out tomorrow for a run. ( Fingers crossed I can work it out with Hubby's schedule so that I won't have to run on the treadmill ). And I was able to get out yesterday for a couple of miles. This was me yesterday before the snow hit. In years past, Hubby and I have gone out to eat on Thanksgiving day. This day, well it's usually a sad day for me since we are away from...

I thought about posting this on Wordless Wednesday, then I realized I am not really one to be 'wordless' since I was born with the Gift of Gab ;) But this picture pretty much sums up my week so far. Yeah, this was one of our pumpkins. I came out to the car this morning and found it like this, all caved in... the first words that popped into my head were defeated and deflated. Man, was that a perfect analogy for these last few days, and well this last year of running.  Lil Man has been a smaller cuter version of me with being strong willed, defiant, and determined to control all things possible. :) He did not fall far from the tree. But it's been trying to say the least. And this pumpkin summed up exactly how I felt.  Funny, how something like this can make me stop and think. But it did. Look at it? I mean it just looks so sad and dejected. Well that's definitely not how I want to be.. with running or with life!  With that in mind... I was determined......

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. Have you heard of Hemp Hearts? They are raw shelled hemp seeds. I've got to come clean here, and say that I had never heard of them. But I was given the opportunity through #SweatPink to sample a bag from Manitoba Harvest. And at first I really expected them to well.. taste bad. I mean they weren't that much to look at.

Being injured is not fun. Also knowing how far to push, how little to push, how much rest, how little rest, how much a lot of things and you risk re-injury. You do too little and you lose a lot of fitness, and you might actually hinder recovery if the area needs to be worked. So the reality is probably the best thing to do when injured is to see a doctor or go to physical therapy. Once again I am not a medical professional and this is just my personal opinion. However when you factor in schedules, lack of childcare, and money for said Dr. visits, most of the time I don't usually make it to the doctor's office or PT. So with this injury so far I have taken it upon myself to just try to listen to my body. However I realize had I gone the medical route.....

I have been compensated in the form of a gift card/money/coupon and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. All opinions expressed are mine and honest in nature. As most of you know I have no rhythm, and two left feet, remember Zumba? ( I Zigged When They Zagged ) But I've always admired the grace of those who could dance whether it's ballroom dancing, salsa, hip-hop - you name it. So I was curious to see if someone like me could learn ballroom dancing from a video.

If you've been following me then you know that tried to sugar detox and I crashed and burned badly on the fourth day. And since then I've tried modified versions, but not really wholeheartedly. Recently, I was approached by a mail order food plan to test their food and review it. I had never heard of them before, and after a little research I thought that I might give them a try. Their food seemed healthier than most traditional frozen dinners. And they had very strict guidelines that I had to follow. If I didn't, I would be kicked out of the program, and I would have to reimburse them for the food. This was enough of a 'yikes' factor for me that might force me to stay within the program. I would really like to see results with decreased sugar consumption and overall healthy eating. However, after thinking about it for a couple of days, I honestly didn't want to eat something different than my family. I would be preparing the meals that were sent to me. But...

Well, my long run this weekend turned into more of a long walk :) But that's ok, because the truth is I'm still injured so the fact that I can get out there and get 4 miles is pretty good at the moment. I had hoped to get 5, but I felt sluggish and started walking, then I decided since I was 'feeling it a little' that I'd cut it short at 4. It was 28 and a few snow flurries, and my hamstring wasn't a huge fan of the cold. And you know what? I didn't feel disappointed or defeated in any way that I cut my run short. This my friends is a huge   milestone for me. I'm sure you've picked up on the fact, that I'm not one who really enjoys running alone. See, when I lived in Mississippi, I would meet my best friend Jill at an ungodly hour, and we would run and talk for an hour. Every night, I would look forward to our super early morning runs. It was a friendship that was formed over running, and to this day it still stands - oh how I miss her and ...

  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 don't believe in quick fixes. I don't believe in gimmicks, pills, potions and magical shakes. I know others swear by certain products, but in my own opinion I think it takes dedication, eating healthy, and exercise (whatever form that you choose that works best for you). So when I heard about the Bellyminator I was a little skeptical, cause I just wasn't so sure. But I was curious enough to try it. So it did at least have the curiosity factor for me. The Bellyminator is a really simple device. It's touts to be "The only all-day ab trainer in the world" It's basically a strap that you wear around your waist with a little buckle that 'snaps' when you release your abs. It seemed simple, a little too simple.

Finding the right plan or trainer is vital for success. In my unprofessional opinion, there is no one-size-fits-all. Everyone is different. Everyone has different needs. What may work for one might not work for you. What I have found to be the most important thing is listen to your body, listen to your heart, and follow your gut. If a book, a free plan off the Internet, or a trainer is telling you that you must do this exact thing to reach your goal, and your body is telling you otherwise, my suggestion is to listen to your body, and reevaluate. Missing several key runs would probably result in a different goal. But missing a few runs here or modifying something there, in my opinion doesn't necessarily constitute redefining what your goal of the race should be. So don't let a trainer or an y plan dictate what you think your goal may be. If you are working with a trainer, I would suggest talking to them to let them know your concerns. Open communication is super important....

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 praise packing cubes enough. The uses are endless. And the Dot&Dot Small Packing cube is amazing. The size is perfect for so many things. Being a runner, I use the Dot&Dot Small packing cube for my running gadgets (watches, ID, fuel, fuel belt {small one minus the bottles}, anti-chafe, lights, headband, compression sleeves  etc. I think you get the picture.). That way I can have all of my running gear together inside my bag when I'm traveling. If I'm going to an out-of-town race, this is perfect to be able to have all of my running gear, even my race outfit if it's warm weather, all in one place inside my bag. The packing cube isn't super large, so if you have several layers of clothes, it might not all fit. But it is perfect at least for all of my running gadgets /fuel to make sure that I have...

After getting my Thigh Compression Sleeve ( Feeling The Squeeze - Compression Sleeves ),  I ordered me a pair of   Zensah High Compression Shorts  since some of my pain is also in the buttock area. Well, I love them. They seem to really make a difference. The only problem is that I'm need more than one pair!  So this weekend, I put them to the test and took to the streets. I'd been running on the treadmill, then I ventured out for a 1.5 to 2 mile run. And this weekend I went out for a little over 3.   Today I went out for a 4 mile run - my longest with this injury. And I added in a few inclines. 

I have never been one to feel confident doing things on my own. In fact, usually if there was a race that I wanted to run, I would ask around to see if anyone else was doing it before I registered. ( S ad, I know. ) But I'm just being honest, because that is one positive about me. I might be lacking in other areas, but I can make up for it in honesty... and humor (ha). If you've been reading along, or know me in real life, you know that this last year has not been the best in terms of running.  No fears, I'm not going to re-hash any of it. I'm ready to move on.

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 took a road trip with some of my running buddies this September ( 3 Races in One Weekend ), and during this road trip we didn't get a chance to shower right after the race. Instead, we drove to a nearby gym and showered there. My running buddy had a travel towel. And she brought an extra for me to use. I had never heard of a travel towel before. So when I had the opportunity to review the Shandali Ultrasport Travel and Sports towel , I was super excited to test it out.

Could it be? Was this just a fluke or was it for real? Is it possible that I am overcoming my fear of running solo in the dark? Today, I got up before anyone else could wake up. I snuck downstairs, got on the treadmill to get 1 mile before the crying began. (Lil Man - not me). He got his flu shot on Monday. He didn't sleep well last night. He was upset that his 'green light' on his clock wasn't on. He didn't want me to run. He did want me to run. Basic, 3 year old meltdown. It just happened to be at 5:40am.

Bear with me, I know this blog is mainly about fitness, nutrition, and occasionally about being a stay-at-home mom, but I got the chance to review what I think is a pretty cool product and I wanted to share it with you. I'm not one to usually wear perfume. I have allergies, and I'm super sensitive to smells. So usually I just bypass perfume. But when I heard about Pinrose , I was intrigued. Being someone who is constantly in motion, and I know that many of you are the same way, I found this product to be very useful.  I'm talking about Pinrose, and their fragrances are in petal packs. They are perfect on-the-go packs. And on their website they have a  synesthesia   test where you basically look at a series of images and they conclude from that test what they think would be your best fragrances. I found the test very interesting. However, you were supposed to go with your gut and not think too long. On one of the images I actually changed my mind and changed...

Yesterday was my first run in 11 days.... 11 days .... and it felt... well... great to be moving ... still tender.. not totally well....stopped and stretched a few times... still can't pinpoint the exact sore spot... but finished a 3 mile treadmill run. And I can walk today for the most part without pain. I bought a compression thigh sleeve from Zensah  and it helped. After I ran, I left it on for recovery. In fact, as I type this I'm wearing it now . I am a firm believer in compression. When I tore my calf earlier this year, I wore compression sleeves/socks a lot, and it really did help.  I won't run without my calf sleeves. For me, they make a huge difference, and I'm a firm believer in compression since they have worked so well for me. I'm pleased with the thigh sleeve. It did take a little adjusting for me to get it just right. I'm short and the sleeve rested right on the chub rub portion of my thigh, but I was able to get it adjusted. It did sta...