Tiny Thunder Running

via This is seriously the biggest lesson of my marathon training thus far. It is funny how, the longer the distances get, the better I feel at the end of them. Well, for the most part. Saturday, I ran my second 20 miler. I am not sure if I felt better at the end because I ran a few miles slower than I typically do, but man I really felt like I could have kept going after my watch beeped. This is a pretty new feeling and one I don't think I have had once since I passed the 15 mile mark. I was running with someone new (yes, again) whose typical marathon speed averages to 11:30/12 minute miles. I was a little wary because I have been averaging 10:30 on my long runs. It actually all worked out. I tugged my partner along for the first few miles at a faster pace, and then we gradually slowed down. I think I kept with her until mile 14.5 or so then I took off on my own, speeding back up a bit. I took a quick break when I got back to my car at mile 17 to grab more fluids and use...

About a month ago, I posted a review for the Manitoba Harvest Hemp PRO70 Protein powder. I was given the opportunity thought my ambassadorship with the lovely ladies of SweatPink!!If you missed it, go  read  all about it. It is pretty good stuff, I have to say. The wonderful folks over at  Manitoba Harvest  agreed to allow me to host a giveaway, but I got the details a little to late to make it a part of my original post. So here I am with a fun Friday giveaway instead :) What can you get? a Rafflecopter giveaway

After quite a great long run on Sunday, I am pretty inspired. It make me realize I CAN do this. I CAN run this marathon. What is really great is that my 20 miles was the hardest parts of the marathon I will run in a few weeks. The other 6 miles at the end are primarily down hill and pretty flat (seriously!) so I can totally kill the last 6. here here here here or the hills.. you have to climb them to get to the top. I have learned this week that I can accomplish this HUGE overwhelming goal... one step at a time.. one hill at a time.. one mile at a time.  Look out for a giveaway tomorrow.. I hope you are having a great week!!

Until Saturday morning, I was planning on running my long run on my own. Everyone I know was either at a local race, a marathon, or was running long on Saturday. I was bummed and a little worried I would totally fail on my own. I had headed to my hometown, about 20 minutes away, to see family for my sister's youngest boy's birthday party. We were at the hair salon so all the boys could get get fresh haircuts and my phone went off. It was a facebook comment from a lady I have run with once before, checking to see if I was still planning to run Sunday. I quickly replied that I was and it was settled. We would meet at 7am in the Wildwood park lot where we did the last time. We had a general idea of how/where we wanted to run, but when it came to getting back to the park at the exact mileage we kind of made it up a little as we went. We ran down along the river and it was just insanely beautiful. At the beginning of the run it was a pretty frigid 37 degrees. What happened to fa...

I never really have the time or remember to do a week rewind type post but I do today, so I am going to :) My training plan has me run Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Most weeks I haven't done this, but still ran most of my mileage just in 2 days. With the daylight getting SO short, this isn't an option. Weekday runs will soon be down to very little anyway and hopefully won't bother me quite as much. So how did this week go? Tuesday was AWESOME. The weather was incredible and I felt like a dog when the gate is left open. via I tried out a route I mapped out last week and never ended up using due to a headache and total energy drain. It turned out to be a pretty nice route with few stops because of traffic. I had some awesome splits and even though I felt like I slowed down a few times, I never did.  Look at those glorious splits!! ooooh they are so negative!! Wednesday went downhill a little. Another day, another 5 miles, another route. Not nearly a...

With just over 5 weeks left until my marathon I am feeling all kinds of ways. Freaked out, emotional, proud for how far I have progressed, and ready to go. Yep, pretty much a mod-podge. I really can't believe that this HUGE thing.. this HUGE goal.. that I have been training for since June/July is really almost here. It is crazy scary yet awesome at the same time. The next few weeks inspiration will definitely focus more on the marathon.. I need it to get me to November 9th!! here  How true?! I think sometimes our struggles make the strength so much more sweet here here here here I definitely have to remember the last one. It is hard not to beat yourself up after a painfully slow or full of effort run. But we have to brush ourselves off and continue on the path to our goals.  Happy Thursday friends. :)