You guessed it!

After carefully tallying all of the votes and taking into consideration all sides, we have a clear winner...
It was a landslide win for pumpkin #1

Who carved this work of genius you ask?....

Yes, I guess you could say my pumpkin trumped pumpkin #2

On the running front I have been DYING to do another race! I loved all of your suggestions from a couple of posts ago. I looked into some relays and this one seems pretty freakin cool...
 
Its not until August, but that would give me plenty of time to get a team together. Anyone wanna join?!
I also would LOVE to do the Vegas Half Marathon, like ALOT of you are doing. My roommate is actually going to be in Vegas that weekend, so I might just try to make it happen, we will see. 
And now I leave you with the most important question of all....
What in the world should I be for Halloween?!!!

What's Next?!

Well, it hasn't even been a week and I am already itching to start running again!


I took a good solid 3 days off and just rested and relaxed. Yesterday I was about to chew my arm off because I wanted to go for a run so bad! SO today I threw on my running clothes and grabbed my playlist from the marathon and did an easy 3 mile run on the treadmill...and ALOT of stretching.

After that I came home and sat on the computer for hours trying to plot my next running move! Another marathon? A half marathon? Maybe a few smaller races over the next few weekends? Ahhh, the possibilities are endless!

And the boy thought that he would get to stop hearing all the running banter every night after I ran the marathon ;) It didn't burn me out at all, only encouraged me to do more! And hey, if I put up with him looking like this when he takes me out to dinner...

Then he can put up with my "running-obsessive-ness".
AND he isn't the only one that can dress up with balloon accessories either!

Anyone have any suggestions for future races?! Tell me about your races coming up!

Crossing My Fingers

Crossing my fingers....that I don't have an injury. But after that 15 mile run yesterday, this is how I spent last night AND this morning:

It wasn't hurting AT ALL during my run, but then when I stopped to walk the rest of the way home my ankle hurt BAD! I iced it all last night, wrapped it, and put some icy hot on it before bed. Oh yeah, and popped a few ibuprofen (just to cover all my bases).
It felt fine this morning, so I went for my scheduled 4 mile run. It started hurting again while I was running and then even worse when I stopped. When I got home I iced it all morning and its feeling better now.
Im hoping that I maybe just pulled a muscle there or something and that its nothing serious! Tomorrow is a rest day, so I think with a little more TLC it should be good to go!
CROSS YOUR FINGERS FOR ME!!!

Anyone ever experienced this before? I have had knee pain, shin splints, etc. But never anything with my ankle!

Giving Yourself a Pat on the Back

Have you ever caught yourself saying "oh, I JUST ran 4 miles today" to a nonrunner and gotten a reaction like "JUST 4 miles?! I couldn't even walk one!"
Or how about beating yourself up because you ran at an 8 minute pace instead of 7:45?
OR how about becoming so used to running longer distances that you no longer take pride in running 7 or 8 or 9 miles?
I was thinking about that today when I was running, and thought you know what? No one should down play their accomplishments like that. There are people out there that never will walk a mile, or run 7, or run a mile at an 8 minute pace.
Sure, running is something that anyone can get good at with practice and dedication, but a lot of people just aren't that dedicated to running. It takes a special kind of person to be a runner, or biker, or walker, or whatever your sport is.
I came to the conclusion that everyone should be PROUD of what they accomplish. Stop being hubble, and admit it...YOU KICK ASS! You are doing something that most people will never do.
So next time you catch yourself saying "oh no big deal I just did a small 3 mile run" or "10 miles is nothing compared to the 26.2 Im training for", stop yourself and say I ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING GREAT TODAY, SOMETHING I AM PROUD OF!
So follow the lead of these peeps, and pat yourself on the back for something that you accomplished today!

Image from Sax Angle

Image from Experiance life fully

Speaking of something to be proud of...I officially achieved a PERSONAL DISTANCE record on my long run today with a total of 15 MILES!
I followed what I have learned so far through training and fueled myself well before the run, brought along water and GU for during the run, and stretched and recovered after the run. I also started out at a slow comfortable pace for the first half and then kicked it up into gear for the last half. And it felt great!!!
I ended up running the 15 miles in an average pace of 8:36 with a time of 2:08. Here are the splits:

Mile 1: 8:41
Mile 2:  8:33
Mile 3: 8:30
Mile 4: 8:41
Mile 5: 8:10
Mile 6: 8:40
Mile 7: 8:45
Mile 8: 8:15
Mile 9: 8:00
Mile 10: 8:05
Mile 11: 8:12
Mile 12: 8:01
Mile 13: 8:05
Mile 14: 8:30
Mile 15: 8:42

Now its time to ice up and shower...I have the whole day off so I'm thinking SHOPPING! :)
So now I want to hear from you...WHAT ARE YOU PATTING YOURSELF ON THE BACK FOR TODAY? Go on, brag a little!

Running Through the Funk

Have you ever set out for a long run and about 2 or 3 miles in you think "there is NO WAY I'm going to get through this"? or how about just waking up to the alarm at 7AM to start your run and thinking "I'm too tired to run, I think I'm going to sleep for another hour instead"?
That is the way that most of my long runs for my training have been so far. Either its the altitude change or just something purely mental. Today I set out for my long determined to change the way that I have felt about them so far.
I researched some tips online and figured out that I may be starting out too fast and burning myself out before I could finish the run. I was being really hard on myself and pushing myself too much, because my comfortable pace is a bit slower here than it was at sea level. Because of this I was pushing myself too hard and beating myself up for not being able to run at the same speed. But today was different.
Like I said, I was determined to have a good run today. Afterall, I run because I love it and it makes me feel good. I needed to get back to the roots of why I started running in the first place.
I started out this morning at 8AM ready for a 10 mile run. I kept track of my pace and decided to keep it at a moderate pace for the first half of the run so that I didn't burn myself out too quickly. And it worked! I kept at a slow and steady pace of about 9 minute miles for the first 5 mile stretch of the run. By the time it was time to turn around and come back for the last stretch, I felt great!! I decided for the last few miles I would just let myself go at whatever pace I felt comfortable with, and at one point I looked down at my watch and was running a 6:58 pace! What the heck?! I guess starting out slow really does work!
I even felt good enough to go one more extra mile and  was able to finish with a strong sprint for the last quarter mile. Todays run really gave that confidence boost that I needed. It felt great to get that long run in this week and not feel like I had just gotten hit by a bus! That being said, I was reading an article in Runner's magazine today that talked about mental tricks to use to get you through those mental blocks when running, and some of them really helped me. Here are some highlights:

1. While your running pick a spot in the distance and pick up your pace until you get there - I did this ALOT during this run and it really helped. The last quarter mile that I sprinted, I focused on an underpass the whole time and it really got me through it.
2. Pick a new route - this really helped me a lot today too. I found a new way to go on the trail that I had been running on that was a lot nicer and shaded. Plus taking in the new scenery really made me want to go further to see what was next!
3. Focus on positive things, not negative - this is something that I really struggle with. I will look down at my watch and think "what? 10 minute pace? you slow poke!" and then I will push myself too hard and burn out. Today I focused on comfortably running and not looking at my watch so much and I finished the run feeling proud, not down on myself.

Another tip that I thought worked great was timing my music with my pace. I usually listen to really upbeat music, and that makes me run faster. A lot of times I have trouble starting out slow because I just run. Today, I tried starting out with slower music and then getting up to faster beat music. This really helped me start slow and taper up to a faster pace, which ultimately helped me finish my run strong and with negative splits.
What do you do to get through the "running funk?"
Do you believe that running is more mental than it is physical?

My Legs Hate Me

Wearing these for a 9 hour work day...

Then doing this for 12 miles...

Then wearing these for an 8 hour work day....

Shoes from ninewest

Then coming straight home and doing this...

Image from Brix Articles

Equals this...

Image from satisfying the muse

My legs are cursing the day I decided to take a job that requires me to be on my feet in heels all day AND start marathon training all at the same time.
They need some love. I tried to get the boyfriend to give me a leg massage last night, but that wasn't happening. That being said, I need some tips on foam rollers and compression socks. Im in the market, so give me your suggestions, likes, dislikes, etc. It would be MUCH appreciated :)
For now I think an ice bath and some stretching will have to do. I have another 9 hour work day to get through today! I'm thinking smaller heels this time.

How do you prevent soreness from running?
What is everyone doing this weekend?

Tip and Tricks

So last night my roommate (nonrunner) sent me a text on her way home from work that said a little something like this:
"I want to go for a run when I get home!"
Music to my ears! I just love introducing people to the wonderful world of running and helping them get more into it. Although, sometimes I'm not so good at it. The last time she asked to go on a run with me I told her we were going 2 miles and I think we ended up somewhere around 4.5. That was about a year ago and she has not asked to go for a run with me since.
This time I was not going to push it, I was going to make sure that she stayed at a comfie pace and didn't try to do too much the first time. She is active and does go to the gym a lot, just doesn't run, so I figured she could probably handle 2 miles. I told her that we would run down a path that I knew of that was pretty flat, for 1 mile and then turn around.
 source
This picture is probably exactly what I looked like (on the left). I keep giving her thumbs up, smiling, and telling her "YOU CAN DO IT!" I'm sure she probably wanted to punch me in my cheesy grinned face! haha.
The run started out great and she was shocked when I told her that she had almost ran the whole first mile without stopping! She said that she felt good, so we went another .5 miles before turning around (making our estimated total 3 miles instead of 2). After the first mile we ran an average of about .5 miles before stopping for a walk break, but those were never longer than a few minutes and then we would pick it back up. We ended up with some pretty good stats for a beginning runner. Maybe I have a marathon training partner now?!....or maybe we should just stick with building up slowly. haha

Total Miles: 3.31
Total Time: 42:35
Total Calories Burned: 253
Average Pace: 12:52
Mile One: 11:14
Mile Two: 13:05
Mile Three: 12:15

I happy to say that I think she enjoyed it a lot more than last time! When we got home she was asking me questions and I was giving her advice on things that have helped me run better. This gave me the idea for the blog, so I decided that I would put some of my little tips and tricks that I have picked up over the years with all of you!
*Disclaimer*: These are things that work for ME. Everyone is different and everyone will have different running styles and techniques. These are just a few things that I have picked up that have really helped my running. So, with that said....herrrreee weee goooo.....
Em's Two-cents Worth of Tips and Tricks for Beginning Runners:

• Always run in clothes that you feel comfortable in and that you like to wear. Having cute AND comfy workout gear always motivates me to put it on, and once its on...well, you HAVE to workout! haha.
• Set small goals and take baby steps. Starting with an over ambitious goal when you first start to run can burn you out and make you hate running. Start small and build your milage over time when YOU feel you can.
• If you set a goal of 2 miles and still feel good after you have ran that far, add half a mile or even a whole mile. Pushing yourself just a little more is what builds up your endurance.
• However, don't push yourself TOO hard, this can lead to burn out or injury. Know your body, what it can do, and what it's limits are.
• It always helps me to set smaller goals within your run. Such as "run until the end of this song" or "run until you get to that lamp post" more often than not, once that song is over, or once you reach that lamp post your fine to keep on a truckin'
• DRINK PLENTY OF WATER (DUH!)
• Pay attention to your breathing. I find it best to breath through my nose and out my mouth. If you are finding it impossible to control your breathing, it is time to take a walk break and get it back under control.
• Pay attention to your stride. Longer strides make you run faster without putting the pounding pressure on your legs that smaller strides do.
• TRIM YOUR TOENAILS! (learned that the hard way)
• Stretching before a run (before the muscles are warmed up) can lead to pulling a muscle. It is best to warm-up before you stretch, or stretch after the run.
• Don't overlook the importance of stretching! Stretching can help you become a better runner in so many ways. It helps with flexibility, keeps muscles lose, and prevents injury.

So now that I have put my two cents worth in, what are your favorite tips or tricks for running?