SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP!!!!

EVERY damn morning.   Why is it that I have to have that mental battle at 5AM every morning of my long run.  I try to go to bed early, I start trying to sleep at 9:30, have the alarm set but as soon as it goes off, I roll over and say "Do I really want to do this?"  I drag my butt out of bed, slap in the contacts, brush my teeth, grab some oatmeal, load up all the gear that I need to run in the dark and then in the sun and head out the front door trying desperately not to wake my kids.
This morning I had an epic battle in my head. I've been battling my stomach for the past week, stressing over a bridal shower, bachelorette party, my daughters birthday party and then her first day of school and it has finally caught up with me. I have a cold, the snot dripping down your throat, runny nose, sore throat in the AM kind of cold.  That just screams, "GO BACK TO BED!!!" While running I looked at my calender, mentally adjusted my half program, told myself I would be okay if I only ran 7 this AM and ran the 9 next week. I had this battle from mile 1 to mile 6 and then I just said suck it up and go. It was cold, my ears and fingers were cold (I HATE having cold hands, I always am in gloves), I had to constantly spit because of the snot and I couldn't eat any of my normal fuel because of the issues with my stomach.  I had a myriad of excuses why I should stop, why I should decrease the mileage, why I should move it to another day but I was out there and I finally told that voice in my head to "SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP!!" I was up, I went to bed early the night before, I did everything I needed to do to prep for the run, I did not want to have to do it again on Saturday.  I trudged through those 9 miles, ran it at a respectable 9:00/mile pace (respectable to me) and called it a day!!
Anyone else have some running demons they battle with?  How often do you let them win?  How in the world do people run early EVERY day????

BAD DAY!!!

Sorry for being MIA for the past few days.  I had to get through a bridal shower, bachelorette party, 5th birthday for my daughter and today is her FIRST day of Kindergarten.  As I write this, I am tearing up again. SHE was totally ready for this, I was not!! She wanted to ride the bus to school this AM but I wouldn't let her, I wanted to be there to watch her walk into school, I wanted to walk her back to her class, I wanted to grab her and put her back in the van and rewind back to when she was 3 and went to preschool two days a week for a few hours then I got her back for lunch. MY BABY IS GONE!!!! 
Okay, I have got to move on and get over it.  I still have my TWO babies at home with me and they don't start preschool until next Tuesday so I will be a mess then too.  

Training has been going.  I am such a nerd about my plans, I feel like I am failing if I miss a run or don't run the specific distance that day but I've been having such stomach issues that I am lucky to still be running.  My diet has been cheese sandwiches and grilled chicken which hasn't always been staying down (TMI).  I moved my Friday run to Saturday and then skipped my Sunday run.  I did get my Monday and Tuesday runs in and today, thankfully is a day of rest.  I have a 9 miler planned tomorrow and hope I have enough fuel in me to get through it. My 3's and 4's have been tough enough and I know I won't be able to use any gels tomorrow so it's going to be a challenge. I am calling Hammer Nutrition today to chat up one of their people as a blogger recommended them for tummy challenged endurance athletes!! Hope they have all the answers I need. 

Training Schedule:
Thursday: 9 miles
Friday: 3 miles
Saturday: rest
Sunday: 4 miles
Monday: 4 miles
Tuesday: 5 miles fartlek

We'll see how I do, praying my stomach was just unhappy about my daughter starting school and it will get better as I calm down and let go of some of the control that I feel I have to have.  
Anyone else with an angry belly?  Anything work for fueling?  

Kona Kase Review and ZuZa Giveaway!

The wonderful folks over at Kona Kase sent me their July box to review and as always,  it didn't disappoint. I didn't get a chance to take a picture of it before the family broke into it so I got this one from their facebook page.

The first item stolen from my box was the Perky Jerky. My husband LOVED this stuff.  Perky Jerky is all natural jerky.  It's made with 7 ingredient marinade, is low fat, low carb and high protein without preservatives, nitrates or MSG.

He got too the Enjoy Life Seed pack too.  He is a big fan of seeds (old baseball player) and ate them as a snack on a busy work day!  The are salty, sweet and crunchy.  The pack features sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and dried fruit. They are Gluten free and free of the top 8 allergens, non-GMO and vegan!

I got to try the Garuka Bars and and Babara Llewellyn Granola.  Both of these were great.  The Garuka Bars are named after a mountain gorilla in Rwanda that is in need of protection.  The proceeds from these goodies goes to gorilla conservation.  The Granola was even better.  I LOVE granola so this was definitely for me.  Rolled oats, sliced almonds, sesame and pumpkin seeds, honey sweetened and spiced.  It was as good as I thought it would be. Orders can. be placed via email at info@barbarallewellyn.com

Pro Bar  chews were used on my long run last week.  Bolt organic chews are loaded electrolytes, B vitamins, antioxidants, and complex carbs to get me through my run.  I love chews for shorter runs!

My husband tried the Caveman Cookies.  He thought they were a great snack. They are cookies made of simple ingredients, honey, nuts and berries, are all natural, grain free, dairy free, preservative free and naturally sweetened.

There are two other products that I haven't gotten to yet.  The first is the Health Warrior Chia Bars. Each bar has only 100 calories, 5g of sugar and is a great snack to boost workout performance.  The other product is the Body Glove Surge Gel. I haven't had to run any LONG distances that would require a Gel yet but am getting close.  The gel delivers rapid and sustained natural energy and contains 150mg of caffeine. 

As always the Kona Kase has delivered.  I LOVE their service and have received many of their boxes.  My family loves seeing that orange box show up in the mailbox and they have the best customer service!! Check them out at Kona Kase on the web or on Facebook.  They are offering $5 off  using the "GIFTSUMMER" code at checkout!

I also have my ZuZa giveaway going on until 8/12.  Hope everyone has entered and good luck!!

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ZuZa review and Giveaway!!!

Well I survived the weekend. I wouldn't say I made the best food or beverage decisions but I rarely do this type of thing so I am not that worried. My friend, the bride, had a wonderful time with all of us girls and it will be a weekend we will all remember the rest of our lives. 

Now onto to good stuff.  I recently was given the opportunity to review ZuZa  compression socks from Lunatikathletiks.com and here's my thoughts.
I typically only wear my compression socks during runs over 6 miles. Anything else, I really haven't found the need for.  This past week, start of my half training, I had a 7 miler for my long.  I woke up at my normal 5AM time, damn summer heat, slipped on my pretty awesome socks and out the door I went.  Okay, I fueled first and then I left.  It rained on me the first 4 miles which really didn't bother me but after it stopped, it felt like I was running in a sauna   The steam coming off the road and the heat beginning to build made it HOT!!  They kept my calves happy, no cramps so these are definitely keepers.  I love compression socks and swear by them for my longs.  I am going to try to start wearing them for recovery too after my runs get above 10 miles so I'm sure I'll have more to say about them in the future. 
Onto the other stuff. 

 Lunatik Athletiks is an athletic apparel company created with the extreme athlete in mind. The dictionary definition itself identifies a "lunatik" as being "wildly or giddily foolish, insane, and is characterized by eccentricity", all of which have also been used to describe particular athletes. Endurance and extreme athletes are often referred to as being crazy, insane or a "lunatik" for enduring the dedication, focus, training, sacrifice, and pain associated with their particular athletic endeavours . Lunatik Athletiks hopes to support these athletes reach their athletik goals and lifelong dreams by providing the highest quality athletic apparel.

Lunatik Athletiks thrives on the passion, focus, and determination of the athletik ethusiast. We are inspired by the athletic culture, the "buzz", the sensational fulfillment associated with athletic and sporting event participation. It is our hope that we can encourage more individuals to participate in any type of sport or activity by providing our athletes with an avenue to express their thrill-seeking, sport crazed identities through our high quality performance gear with extreme funky, functional personailty.

FDA and GMP graded facilities with recognizable quality assurance certificates and seals. The importance and functionality of compression socks have only just been recently discovered in the athletic and sporting world. Compression socks have been used for many years in the medical field to assist and speed recovery.st been recently discovered in the athletic and sporting world. Compression socks have been used for many years in the medical field to assist and speed recovery.

You can check them out at Lunatik Athletiks, on Facebook or on Twitter.  
Now the REALLY fun stuff.  Lunatik Athletiks is providing me with a giveaway!!  Enter below.

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August goals and a Bachelorette Party!!

This is the month, the month that I will foam roll three times a week and complete a challenge!! I am starting this month off on a positive note as I pack up the car in preparation for a girls weekend/bridal shower/bachelorette party.  I am not looking forward to all the bad choices I will be making this weekend but it's only a weekend.
Here's my goals for this month:
1. Run 85+ miles (I started my half plan on the 30th of July)
2. Complete the August Core Focus Challenge with Sneakers and Fingerpaints
3. Foam Roll 3 x week
4. Complete Plank challenge (doing one, 1 minute plank for the day #)

I think they are realistic goals and I know I can meet each and everyone if I  keep my head in the game.

Half Training Week 1
Monday- 4.5 miles
Tuesday- 4.5 miles
Thursday- 7 miles
Friday- 3 miles
Sunday 4- miles

I've been trying to start back to my PT exercises for my glutes as I am always fearful my IT band will start screaming at me when I increase my mileage.  I am doing it right this training, increasing at the correct % and not overdoing it.  I will start speed training once the kids are back in school (August 20th). I've never done speed work but I have a feeling it will help!!

Race Schedule for August:
August 31st- Charlottesville Women's 4 Miler

That's it from my world.  Off to the wilds of Maryland and bachelorette parties.  I'm getting a little too old for this kind of thing!!!
FORGOT to tell you--- Tuesday I am reviewing ZuZu's from my long run this week and will have a GIVEAWAY!!!

July is almost gone!!

So July is almost gone.  For my running purposes, July is gone.  Today is my rest day before my long (I do mine on Thursday AM as I work weekends) so I thought I would look at my goals and see how I did!  I just got back from vacation and now that I look at them, I was doing a fantastic job until right before we left.

Here's July's goals/challenges:
1. Complete HIIT Challenge (Big HIIT)
2. Complete Ab Challenge (Busy Body Ab Challenge)
3. Run 75 miles (get 20 mile/week base set for training)
4. Foam roll 3 x week

I know I sound like I am making a ton of excuses but before we left for vacation I got food poisoning from some under cooked crabs and that put me out of commission for a few days too.  I did keep up the running on vacation, for more of quality alone time, than anything.
1. The HIIT Challenge lasted for about a week.  I started to feel a tinge of knee pain early on in the month so I went back to my PT prescribed exercises instead of the HIIT.
2. The Ab challenge was awesome.  I did the first three weeks without stopping and felt like I was getting stronger.  I have signed up for another Core Challenge the the challenge loop with Sneakers and Fingerpaints. I'm going to check it out as it goes as the workouts and schedule are not posted.  I love core work but sometimes find these challenges don't CHALLENGE me enough!
3.  I ran 75 miles this month. I did it, I got my base above 20 miles and have started my half program. I finished Day 2 yesterday and am doing my first long run on Thursday (7 miles) which I am totally looking forward to.  If I have plan in front of me I'm pretty anal on following it, almost obsessive.
4. Foam rolling...... the easiest damn goal on their and the one I failed at miserably.  I have it out, sitting there looking at me but I don't use it!!  Will add this one to August.

I did an impromptu 100 Push-Ups challenge this month too.  I did it too until the dreaded food poisoning and vacation.  I can do 100 push-ups but the extra work on my arms (added equal tricep dips) helped me.

Well tonight I will ponder my August goals.  I have no races this month but I do have a Bridal shower, bachelorette party, wedding, sending my babies off to school for the first time and tons of other stressful events BUT don't we all!!
UPDATE on my mom:  She is doing awesome.  Her shoes helped with the knee pain.  She ran 4 miles non-stop last night in 52 minutes. She bought a Garmin while we were on vacation last week and has gotten bit by the running bug!!  She is signing up for the 5K in Myrtle when I am doing the half.  I think this may hurt my chances at a PR but I wouldn't miss running my mom's first race with her for all the PR's in the world.  She's a ROCKSTAR!!!

Pro Compression Review and Giveaway!!!

Compression socks..... do they work???  I'm a therapist and we have been using them with our population for years for improving blood flow and assisting with fluid management. It only makes sense that the running world would jump into this area, and have they ever!!  I've seen a ton of different socks out there, every color you could imagine, all promising to assist with either running or recovery.  I was interested in the running aspect of the socks, not the recovery....yet! So here's the science behind the socks and then I'll get into why I loved them!!

Pro Compression

PRO Compression socks are designed specifically to deliver both maximum comfort and speedy recovery times. The science is complex, but benefits such as improved blood flow, stability and comfort are universally understood.  The moment you put these socks on your feet and incorporate them into your game, you will feel and understand the difference.

PRO Compression socks are noticeably tight and require more effort to put on than standard socks in your drawer. But it’s that extra effort and much-needed compression that make all the difference. Be patient and your feet will thank you.

Design

PRO Compression socks are the result of years of innovation. We started off with a unique design, used by endurance athletes for years, and added golf-specific enhancements for maximum comfort and performance. This sock was designed to keep you ahead of the competition. A better footwear choice is simply not available.

Materials

Our world-class design is complimented with specialized materials. Without them, it would be impossible to create revolutionary performance footwear. Cotton and wool  simply aren’t going to cut it in a world where the best athletes rely on the highest-quality gear. PRO Compression uses a proprietary blend of nylon and poly materials, optimized for performance, benefiting both amateur and professional athletes.

Manufacturing

All socks are designed and manufactured in the USA, giving PRO Compression complete control over the quality of every sock we sell, from design through manufacturing and distribution.
Our goal is to deliver a world-class sock that will enable you to play better than ever and recover more quickly than previously possible.

We’re confident you’ll feel these improvements immediately.

Here's a picture of the beauties that I got.  I've been crushing on the purple socks for a while and guess what color they sent me to review......PURPLE!!!!  I wore them out on my long run yesterday morning. I do my longs around 5am in the summer as the heat and humidity can take you from a 7 mile run to a 2 mile run quickly!!  Let me say this about my long runs, I run a 2.2 mile loop around my neighborhood, I hydrate every 2 miles and Gu at laps 1 and 2 (half packet each lap) and then just hydrate for the last 3-4 miles.  I hydrated well the day/night before and was ready for the run.  The temps at the start were 76 with a heat index of 82 at 90% humidity.  I started out good, but by mile 4 I knew I was dehydrating quick.  Now in the past, my calves are the ones to go first.... this did not happen. My quads went.  That being said, I think a lot of that has to do with the marathon socks.  I'm going to wear them the rest of the summer on my longs and will get back.  My mileage is going to be picking up significantly because half training kicks in in 2 weeks!!!

Long story short..... I love them.  They saved my calves on my long run and I'm going to keep wearing them. Check them out at Pro Compression or on Facebook or on twitter at @procompression.  They have socks, sleeves, and full marathon socks to choose from and I love their current Sock of the Month.  

The folks over at Pro Compression were kind enough to offer me a pair to giveaway to introduce to my readers.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy rafflecopter!!!  If you can't wait enter JULY at checkout for 40% off your socks plus free shipping!!

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