Tampa Lucky Run 5K Race Recap

March 20, 2018 by

On Saturday morning, I ran the Inaugural Tampa Lucky Run 5K.

Reasons I ran this race:

1.) Close to my house

2.) Holiday race

3.) Discount through Orange Theory and we had a “team” running

4.) I had been dying for a 5K PR and thought I was ready.

I really didn’t do much “research” on the race, but realized it may be a bit disorganized when the only thing we were told about packet pickup was that it was Friday at New Balance at the Outlet mall (race was also at the outlet mall). I emailed AND posted on Facebook asking if we could get our bibs Saturday morning…crickets. Finally the afternoon before the race I got an answer. Yes we could.

Saturday morning we had very unusual weather for Tampa, as in it was 46 when we got to the outlet mall! I wasn’t mad about it though, I much prefer running in the cold so I knew it made my chances better for a PR. We parked the car, and walked over to where everyone was gathered. I looked for a table to get my bib…and was told they hadn’t arrived yet. Apparently New Balance was supposed to bring them and they hadn’t shown up yet and were not answering their phones. #Fail. This is also when I learned this was an inaugural race. Dang it. I usually avoid those like the plague because of, well…this. I did feel bad for the race director though he was really trying to make the best out of the situation and was apologizing to everyone.

I took this waiting time to find the bathroom. One huge plus of the race was we had access to the “regular” (nice and clean) outlet mall bathrooms, yay!

So then the bibs came but they had no safety pins. I told Bobby I probably had some old ones in the car from past races and he went back to look. I guess this is the one time I can be happy my car is filthy and never gets cleaned out? So in the meantime they were duct taping bibs on to people. Duct tape. Bless it. About the time Bobby came back with four pins (he also told me I may get tetanus because they were very rusty and gross) pins arrived so no duct tape bib for me.

Then the race shirts arrived and it was a hot mess trying to get in line to get those. I had pre-registered so was waiting for my small and they couldn’t find any. About that time everyone was lining up and the race was about to start! I told Bobby to get my shirt and I ran over to the start line. I was frantically trying to untangle my headphones (shocker) and get my GPS to get satellite and it did just before the race started, so no time to warm up or stretch, but oh well.

Oh, one more thing. I had said that I didn’t really research the race (totally my fault) and as I was cursing my headphones in their huge wad of hatred and knots, I heard them say we were making two laps around the parking lot. Say what? This is what happens when Heather assumes. I assumed the race would run out on the road then maybe wind through the outdoor corridors where the shops are. Nope. We were literally running 3.1 miles in the mall parking lot. Two laps.

Not only was it two laps, but I would come to learn it was two laps full of very sharp cutting left turns up and down rows in the parking lot. My right knew is bad so I literally had to stop running and turn because I can’t twist my knee like that when running quickly so it messed up my cadence terribly. Again, totally my bad for not checking it out, but really? A parking lot?

Ok I can do this. I really wanted that PR. So I started out on the first lap with a goal of keeping my pace under 8:30. I stayed between 8:00 and 8:20 for the first mile and a half/lap. I however got a little discouraged going around doing the same thing AGAIN. When I got to about mile 2.5 I started to really struggle and I looked up and saw Bobby!

He didn’t have my child with him which was super confusing but I literally didn’t have the energy to ask him where she was so I just kept running. #MomofTheYear

I was however a little confused when I saw that my watch said 2.53 and I kind of calculated in my head where we were on the course, which was not that far from the finish. I thought oh well…math has never been my strong suit, so I pressed on, and turned the final corner and could see the finish line.

So my eyes are bad, but I knew I saw a 23 on the clock and knew something wasn’t right. I KNEW I had not run paces in the 7:00’s the whole time. It all (slowly) started to click that the course was short. NNNOOOO! I crossed at 23:47, and after recovering for a second saw that the course was about two tenths short. Sad times!

However, I did some quick calculations based on my average pace and what distance I needed to make it a 5K, and I still got a killer PR of 25:30! (Previous PR was 27:13)

Bobby and Emma Kate even missed me finishing because he had started a timer when I started running so he would know when to circle back to the finish to watch me, and he also knew I couldn’t run a 23:45. He was just starting to walk up when I crossed, hence why I have no finish line photos.

Oh, I also found out that Emma Kate was playing on the (within sight) mall playground when Bobby came out back to film me. Apparently she didn’t want to watch me run by so he just left her there (seriously he was like 100 feet away. I really don’t need hate emails about child neglect k thanks.) He even said “I thought you would ask where she was when you passed” and I told him I had no energy to even speak ha!

So while I love holiday races on cool mornings close to my house with good bathrooms that I get at a discount, I do NOT like running laps zig zagging around mall parking lots with duct taped bibs and late starts and no communication. Oy. They did try hard and I hope they now can do better next year. The money went to a good cause so I hope they don’t give up. Oh, and while I was running Bobby DID manage to snag me a shirt in the right size. So all was not lost. Heh. I am now the happy owner of a shiny new PR, and a funny experience to share with you all.

Filed Under: blogging, fitness, Guest Post, holidays, Race Recaps, running Tagged: , , , , , ,

You Don’t Look Like A Runner

January 14, 2016 by

Today’s guest post comes from Brittany. Thanks so much for sharing your story!

You don’t look like a runner.

How many times have you heard that? For me it is always the first thing people say. Thanks… I guess. The next thing they say is “Did you win”. Why yes! Yes, I out ran ten thousand other runners. It is these silly statements or questions that gets you thinking about how you got started running. How did you get started running? Is it a story you like to tell? Let me tell you how I got started.
It all started with a friend. A friend that has been my friend since high school. She emailed me one day and said the normal thing you talk about in emails..”Do you want to run a 5k with me?” My first response I am sure was something like “Umm no thanks”. Fast forward to googling The Color Run – IT. LOOKED. AMAZING. I mean you wear white, run 3.1 miles and get color thrown on you. What is there not to get excited about? So of course I said yes, after her having to talk me into it.

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Here is the part were “training” comes in. Let’s use that word loosely because we might have got together a handful of times to “train”. I mean we ran around the track a couple of times and I said to her “This isn’t hard”. I did not want to over train for a little ‘ol 5k. How hard could it be? Let me tell you, I ate my words. It was hard. Harder than I ever thought.
Let me just mention that the course started on a hill. My hometown is what we call “fast and flat”. I was not ready for that hill. I ran up that hill and walked the rest of the way. No shame in walking, but it was not what I had in mind. I finally finished that race, along with my Mom, after all my friends had crossed the finish line way before me. My confidence was hurt. That did not keep me down though. I had cheerleaders at the finish line cheering me on. Crossing that finish line, hearing people cheer other people on, that is why I run. I love it. It has helped me gain all kinds of confidence that I never thought I could have before!
2013 was my first 5k. I ended 2015 with a handful of 5ks, two 10ks and my first half marathon.

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I started 2016 with a 5k, hoping I can finish with 4 half marathons. I am just like everyone else, still learning as I run. Here’s to a new year, many more miles and maybe a shiny new PR.
Happy Running!

Filed Under: blogging, Guest Post, running Tagged: ,

4 Things That Running Has Taught Me

October 29, 2015 by

This is a guest post from Lesley of Greater Fitness. She is the blogger behind my runDisney tutu creations. Be sure to check out her blog!

I am not a natural runner. I started running as a way to lose weight. Sure, shiny medals and new shoes are fun, but my running focus was all about dropping pounds in the beginning of my running journey. As the pounds came off, I started to truly enjoy running, and I began to see so many other benefits from it, besides the weight loss that I was experiencing. Now, I no longer run to lose weight. I run because I can’t quit it. I’ve learned so much through my running experience that I think other runners can relate to as well. If you are new to running, just starting or if you are a seasoned runner I think we can all learn a thing or two from running. Here are just a few of the important things that running has taught me over the past 3 years (in no particular order):

1. To Appreciate the Importance of Solitude

I am a talker. I don’t spend a lot of my time alone. I enjoy the company of my family and friends, and I like to meet new people. Before I started running, my “alone time” consisted of me cleaning, reading a book, or watching a show on television. When I started running it was really weird for me to not talk for 30 minutes or more. “This is boring.” I would say to myself. Gradually, I started to see why so many runners liked the alone time they had. Runs became a way for me to “shakeout” my head and come back home refreshed. I enjoy going on a run with other people from time to time, but now my favorite runs are solo. I look forward to that time so I can literally only focus on putting one foot in front of the other when my mind is focusing on a million other things the rest of the day.

2. Who My True Friends Are

This is one of the most important things that running has taught me. I am so thankful that I am surrounded by a supportive group of friends. I’ve run in several races with many of my friends, and the experiences have been eye-opening. I ran a few races in which “friends” were highly competitive with me, and it was hurtful. However, I’ve been lucky to have experiences that are the exact opposite. The friends that I race with now are in a competition with themselves, just as I am. I’ve learned to appreciate my friendships so much more through running. Running has allowed me to see different sides of my friends that I never witnessed before. I’ve seen friends crush their finish time goals, overcome injuries, cry at a finish line, struggle with a training plan, etc. Likewise, a group of my friends waited for me to walk across a finish line with an injury many minutes after they finished, they text me to see how my training is going, and they motivate me to be a better runner because they have faith in me. We’ve accomplished many goals together, and we applaud each other’s individual efforts.

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3. A New Attitude is Just a Run Away

When I’m in a bad mood I tend to immediately crave a run. Sure, I’ll stuff my face with gelato if I’m sad about something, but 9 times out of 10 I will lace up my shoes and just walk away from whatever stress has caused my attitude to head south. Running has truly become a much cheaper form of therapy for me. Most of my best running times have been when I started a run while I was angry or upset. I get tunnel vision when I’m pounding the pavement, and I’m not controlling my emotions the way I should. Somehow, running magically adjusts my mood, and I’m much more able to cope with whatever has contributed to my bad mood.

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4. To Not Be Afraid

I was a big ball of nerves the first time I ran a race. But, as I completed each new race my confidence soared. I have learned that I can truly accomplish the goals that I have set for myself if I work for them. Each race has pushed me to do better at the next, to strive for new PRs and train harder. I’m not afraid to be the last in the pack, I’m not afraid I’ll fail. Running taught me my strengths and weaknesses as an athlete. More than anything, running is always teaching me to be a better person. To not be afraid of the skin I’m in and to be satisfied with my accomplishments.

If you are a runner I am sure that running has taught you things that have truly changed your life. If you are not a runner then maybe this list will motivate you to give it a try!

QOTD: What has running taught you about life?

Filed Under: blogging, Guest Post, motivation, running Tagged: , ,

Awesome Total-Body AMRAP

October 28, 2015 by

Awesome total-body AMRAP workout (& thoughts on high intensity exercise) - #fitfluential #fitness #AMRAP #workout

Hi fitness lovers! My name is Sarah Jane, ACSM certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor and blogger at The Fit Cookie. I teach different group fitness formats (I even taught Zumba for 5 years!), and one of the group fitness classes I teach is an AMRAP class. I created this workout for one of those classes tried it out on my guinea pigs students. It’s a tough one, but fun!

This workout is a high-intensity weights and cardio workout performed AMRAP-style (As Many Reps As Possible). Everyone spends the same amount of time working out but the number of rounds you complete is up to you. If you are slower, you might get through 3 rounds, if you’re fast, maybe 5 or 6 rounds. Push your pace but take time to sip water and maintain good form for every exercise. If your form suffers, reduce your weights or slow down.

Awesome total-body AMRAP workout (& thoughts on high intensity exercise) - #fitfluential #fitness #AMRAP #workout

For this workout you will need a set of dumbbells (I like starting heavy then dropping the weight as I get tired), a jump rope, and enough space to do reverse lunges and burpees.

Beginners do 10 minutes and work up from there. My class did this for 25 minutes – I was in the middle of my 5th set when the timer went off. 25 minutes seems short, but you need to make sure you are doing an adequate warm-up before the workout (preferably with some dynamic stretching) and a good cool down at the end. With those added in, you are looking at 40 minutes from warm-up to cool-down – definitely doable!

Try doing this workout one or 2 times a week for a little variety in your fitness routine. This one is high intensity, so I wouldn’t do more than 3 or 4 of these workouts a week. 25 minutes of this is plenty! Intensity and duration are related: the more intense your workouts, the shorter they need to be, and vise versa.

Awesome total-body AMRAP workout (& thoughts on high intensity exercise) - #fitfluential #fitness #AMRAP #workout

On a related side note, I have been reading about the 80/20 rule for workouts and fitness. Men’s Journal had a great article about this and I’m also reading about this in my RunFit study manuals. Here’s the idea: 80% of your workouts should be moderate paced, and 20% should be higher intensity (HIIT, AMRAP, sprint intervals, etc.). So if you’re working out 5 days a week, 1 of those days would be high intensity and the other 4 should be moderate/low intensity.

This concept seems to go against everything we are hearing these days! It’s all about push-push-push till you puke, but I can personally say that I have had burnout going 110% all the time! Not even elite athletes perform at their max for every training workout. It’s just not feasible for long-term performance.

What does that mean for you? Plan your workouts ahead of time and include this one as a high-intensity workout in your week, but don’t do this one every day and don’t feel like you have to keep up with other people at the gym to meet your goals. In fact, going 110% every day can make you a slower runner too, and hamper your fitness progress. Your workouts should be at varying intensities through the week, so high-intensity workouts are just a piece of the bigger fitness picture.

Awesome total-body AMRAP workout (& thoughts on high intensity exercise) - #fitfluential #fitness #AMRAP #workout

 

QOTD: What is your favorite type of workout?

Filed Under: blogging, Guest Post Tagged: ,

You ARE Enough

October 26, 2015 by

I first met Tasha when I visited Under Armour headquarters a couple of years ago, and we were ambassadors together and roommates. She has become a wonderful and inspirational friend who is very dear to me, and I am honored to have her guest post today. She has an amazing story of overcoming shame, guilt, and anorexia that she is sharing here today. I hope you will read it, it’s worth it!

Shame, as defined by vocabulary.com, is “a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt.” In my life, it defined an entire period of my life, a darkness, a private hell that I lived in and out of for far too long. With my daughter just turning twelve last week, memories of how my life came crashing idem, all over my weight, shortly after her birth came flooding back. I decided, now, more than ever as she enters a very delicate period in her own development, to really acknowledge how I got there, how I can deal with any remnants of what was and make to decision about walking in freedom about my body and my weight and being a worthy example for her to follow.

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Six months before I became pregnant with my daughter, I had just successfully lost a little over forty pounds. I had been dating a man for a little over a year and had gotten “comfortable” and had ended up getting very close to two hundred pounds again, something I promised myself I would not do. I had gotten a membership at the local YMCA, cleaned up my diet and was really really proud about being under 160 pounds, a weight I had not seen since my first year of college. Within a month of reaching a healthy weight, my boyfriend proposed and we were married three months later. I became pregnant three months after that. All of the quick changes (not just getting married but losing my job, going through a custody battle over my oldest child and moving to a different city) made gaining fifteen pounds SUPER easy. I felt “happy” but out of control. So many people were inspired by the changes I had made and I was now feeling as if I was letting them down. That guilt on top of the guilt of being put on a diet by my doctor for gaining too much weight (as a pregnant woman) on top of no longer having a job on top of feeling bad for being “vain” about my body when I was supposed to be taking care of myself to bring another life into the world. The weight of it all was super heavy on my shoulders.

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When I gave birth, I became obsessed with losing the weight. I wouldn’t go visit family and friends because I was ashamed of what I had become, or in my mind, become “again.” On top of severe post partum depression (which I’m sure was affected by the way I felt about myself), I exercised excessively. I battled my second round of anorexia. I rarely slept. I almost killed myself. I felt trapped, again, all because of a number on a scale. It’s amazing how trying to be what we think is acceptable to others will destroy us.

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I have battled the same thing since entering the fitness profession some eleven years ago. Shame is what led me to a binge eating disorder. I was a yoga teacher. How does a yoga teacher explain to her students that her emotions are our of control and she is ashamed of her body when she is telling them to breathe and love themselves? I shoved brownies down my throat before class in the corner of the parking lot where no one could see, cried for ten minutes and then went to play the role. That’s what shame does to us. We play roles to feel “accepted” and hide from who we really are. When I came to terms with who I really was and that it was o.k. that I was super small or that I didn’t dress a certain way or that I wasn’t a runner and that who I was indeed was ENOUGH, my battle with shame became less and less and less and while I still struggled (honestly, struggle) with body image from time to time, I no longer hide from people or the issue. When I feel that way, I get to the root of the issue and not just accept it as before. I have not only had to change my thinking but there are times I had to change environments, friends, who I was following on social media, where I was shopping and what I watching on television. If it made me second guess myself, it had to go.

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Shame is hard. Suffering is hard. Silence is hard. It secretly kills. If you are in a shame cycle,may I encourage you with these words: you ARE enough. Shame attacks us when we feel inadequate. You are more than capable and more than worthy. When we believe in our own worth and power, shame dissolves. When shame dissolves, we can see who we really are and go from there. There is nothing wrong with self improvement. We just can’t become undone trying to undo who we truly are. Be encouraged. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Thank you Tasha for sharing such a personal story! If you are not already, please be sure to follow this amazing lady on her social channels, here are a few: Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. 

QOTD: Can you relate to Tasha at a time in your life? How did you overcome these feelings?

Filed Under: blogging, fitness, Guest Post Tagged: , , , ,

Easy Honey Broth Chicken and Roasted Potatoes

July 8, 2015 by

Please enjoy this yummy recipe/guest post by my friend Lesley!

Before I get started on the recipe I want to say a huge hello to all of Heather’s readers, and a big thank you to Heather for the opportunity to share a guest post with y’all!

Heather and I have been “blogger friends” for a couple of years. We finally got to meet at runDisney’s 2013 Tower of Terror 10 Miler.

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I blog about weight loss and running (among other things) at greaterfitness.wordpress.com Stop by the blog or say hello to me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! My username is @greaterfitness

An old friend of mine actually shared this recipe with me a few years ago. I cook it pretty frequently because it is now a favorite of mine, and it is super easy and not too bad for you. Because of its simplicity, this recipe is definitely one you can get your kids involved with. The leftovers are great as well! I suggest using any leftover chicken to toss in a salad or thinly slice the chicken and put it on a sandwich. The best part about this recipe is that it only requires two ingredients that you probably always have in your kitchen:

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Yep, that’s all you need! You’ll need 1 cup of honey and 2 cups of chicken broth.

In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of the broth and ½ cup of honey. In an oven-safe dish, combine the remaining ½ cup of honey and 1 cup of broth. Stir both.

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Set the saucepan aside. This will later become a sauce. Place chicken breasts or tenders in the oven-safe dish with the honey and broth mixture. This will cook in a 375 degree oven for about 35 minutes. You’ll know it is done when the chicken has a tender, white center. Once the chicken is done cooking, let it cool. While it is cooling, put the saucepan containing the remaining honey and broth mixture on medium heat. Cook until it just begins to boil and then back the heat down to simmer. Once you are ready to serve the chicken, spoon the sauce over the chicken. This keeps the chicken very moist and gives additional flavor.

I actually prepared the side of roasted potatoes before the chicken. They will cook at the same temperature, but will need an additional 15 minutes. I will usually get them ready and in the oven then start to prepare the chicken. Once the chicken is ready to go in the oven the potatoes have already been cooking for the extra time they require. This way both foods are done at the exact same time. You can use any type of potato that you like.

Simply clean the potatoes, cut into small bite-size pieces (I leave the skin on for extra flavor) and spread onto a baking/roasting pan. Liberally coat them with olive oil and a generous sprinkle of salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Put them in the oven and you are all set!

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Usually I serve the chicken and potatoes with a salad. Unfortunately, we didn’t have any lettuce when I made this recipe last week so I steamed some green beans as a substitute.

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This meal is so yummy yet so simple to make. I hope that you give it a try and like it just as much as my family does!

QOTD: What is your favorite way to cook chicken?

Filed Under: food, Guest Post, recipes Tagged: , , ,

If I Can Be a Runner, ANYONE Can

July 7, 2015 by

Hello from Destin, Florida! We are having a great time relaxing and unplugging a bit. Please enjoy this guest post from Michelle and read about her journey from the couch to the runDisney Princess half marathon!

In the middle drawer on my chest of drawers, where I keep my jewelry, is a palm-sized silver medal with a purple ribbon. It says 2015 Disney Princess Half Marathon, and when I look at it, I smile. I smile because I’m proud of myself, and because I still can’t quite believe I actually did it. I smile when I think about how far I’ve come and all the changes I made to earn that medal.

Princess Half Medal pic (2)

Between August 2013 and February 2014, I lost almost 30 pounds. Before that, I was about 60 pounds overweight with high blood pressure. I also suffered from arthritis in my hands, hips, knees and feet. When stress built up, as it often did being a middle school teacher, and 42 year old mother of two young children, I would find myself facing a day or two of fatigue so extreme that taking a shower was too big a task for me, and every joint in my body ached. In my life, though, with my children, taking it easy isn’t really an option. My husband’s job involves long hours and working on Saturdays. He often isn’t home much before bedtime. My kids are great kids, but they have needs to be met. And they deserve a mom that plays with them and pays attention to them. I began to resent those times of fatigue and pain. I resented my body that seemed to be rebelling against me. I resented the fact that stress made me want to do things like eat bags of Double Stuffed Oreos. A stress eater under stress. It wasn’t a pretty cycle. Feel bad, eat, feel worse about myself, eat some more. I knew something had to change. I just didn’t have a clue how to start it.

One day in March 2014, while surfing the time suck that is Pinterest, I discovered an interesting looking pin.

There was a picture of a lady in a cute running outfit in front of Cinderella’s Castle. “Disney Princess Half Marathon”, it said. I remember thinking, “How far IS a half-marathon?” A quick Google search got me to the answer…..Thirteen point one miles. I clicked on the pin, and read what others had to say about this race.

“Run through EPCOT and the Magic Kingdom……dress as your favorite princess…….run through Cinderella’s Castle…….pictures with characters…..and at the end, you get a big, pretty medal.”

On that day, sitting in my recliner, I KNEW I had to do this. I knew nothing about running. My personal philosophy on running had always been that if you ever saw me running, you might want to run also, because something big and hairy was probably chasing me. Not only was I not currently running, but I wasn’t engaging in ANY form of exercise. Prior to having two children, I used to enjoy the gym: doing the elliptical machine, weight machines and for a while, I regularly attended Body Pump classes. But in the last five years, nothing. Still, I was unfazed. I kept picturing Cinderella’s Castle and that shiny medal.

My wonderful husband’s reaction to what I had decided to do was pretty much what I expected. His brow furrowed, and he kind of stared into space while he chose his words carefully. “You know that’s for people who run, right?”

“Yes, dear. I know it’s for people who run.”

Again with the furrowed brow and the carefully chosen words. “You know you DON’T run, right?”

I looked him dead in the eyes and said, “I’m going to start.”

And start I did. I did an internet search for running plans for non-runners, and found a plan that suggested alternating walking for four minutes and then running for one minute, for a total of a 30 minute workout. The plan suggested increasing the running and decreasing the walking by one minute until you were running for five minutes. Reading over this plan, it seemed very doable. So, on the first of April, I began. I knew I probably looked really slow, but I really didn’t care. I just knew I had to change what I had been doing and do something different. I ran two days, then took a rest day. After three to four running days of doing the same interval, I would increase the run and decrease the walk. In June 2014, I ran my first 5k. It was hot, and I didn’t run nearly as much of it as I would have liked, but I finished with a pretty respectable time of 44 minutes.

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Training for the Princess Half began in earnest in late October. My sister-in-law jumped on board with me and we trained together for it. I’m so glad she did, because as we increased our mileage on weekends, I learned that long runs by yourself just plan stink. Throughout the fall and into the winter, we ran. Our training schedule had us running two to four miles on Tuesdays and Thursdays with longer runs on Saturdays. Days got shorter, and the air got colder. Before I knew it, I had to buy a new pair of running shoes, and we were running upwards of seven miles on Saturdays. Considering that I had only been running for a short time, racking up those kinds of miles was mind-blowing to me.

All of our training and hard work paid off, though. We completed the 2015 Disney Princess Half Marathon in three hours, thirty minutes and some change. Considering the fact we stopped for a half a dozen character pictures, and I had to walk a bit between miles 7 and 10, I was really pleased with the time. Crossing the finish line and getting my medal gave me such a feeling of accomplishment.

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I’ve stuck with it, too. Since the Princess Half, I’ve done a couple of 5K’s, a 10K and another Half. I’ve already planned the events I’m going to do for the rest of 2015, and making plans for 2016. I’m studying designs to make my own medal hanger. I’m sure at some point my body won’t be able to do this anymore. But that day isn’t here yet.

Deciding to run the Princess Half, going through the training and then completing the Half is one of the few times that I’ve ever set a goal for myself and actually followed through and attained it. It taught me that truly, my body is capable of WAY more than I would have thought. I’ve told plenty of people my story of how I got into running. I’m hoping that someone who hears my story will be inspired to do something like this for themselves as well. If I can do it, I know that anyone who wants to can do it as well.

QOTD: What was the thing that made you start running, and realize that you could do it?

Filed Under: fitness, Guest Post, runDisney, running Tagged: , , ,

Saucony Triumph Review

November 19, 2014 by

Disclosure: I was provided product from Saucony through Fitfluential for this review, however all opinions are my own.

Hey everyone.  This is Heather’s husband, Bobby, and you are in for a real treat today, because I am guest posting!  …Okay, well it may not be that exciting, but here we go.  I’m going to be talking about running shoes, and to be more specific, the Saucony Triumph ISO.

saucony triumph ISO

Saucony was kind enough to send me a pair of shoes in exchange for my review.  I was very willing to take them up on the offer since I have been running in Saucony shoes for a couple of years now.  My wonderful wife got me my first pair after I told her I wanted to run in more minimal shoes but the brand I had made my feet hurt.  She got me the Virratas and I loved them.  I’ve put a good few hundred miles on the Virratas and she recently got me a second pair from the same line.

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Saucony Virrata’s

Now that I’ve put some backstory in, you will understand that I am comparing the Triumphs to many miles in a similar shoe.  First, I’ll distinguish the two lines by saying that the Triumphs are not a minimal shoe; they have a good bit more stability than the Virrata and are considered a neutral shoe.  I had my first run in them about a week ago and the run felt good.  I don’t know about you, but just knowing that I’m wearing new high-end running shoes makes me feel faster, which makes me say WHOA!

My favorite part about the Triumphs is also my favorite thing about the Virratas, and that is the mesh on top rather than a hard and constricting plastic.  I have big feet and I’m not exactly light, so my feet take a pounding.  Anything I can do to make them feel less restricted is a good thing.  If you look closely you can see that the laces go into a part of the shoes that is not attached to the mesh directly, which contributes to the feeling of not being confined.  After writing this paragraph my wife pointed out that one of the main features of the shoe is the “ISOFIT” which is responsible for the comfort I was just discussing, while still making the shoe feel flexible and not bulky.

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Saucony focuses on one other aspect of the shoe, and that is the cushion of the platform (POWERGRID cushioning).  Thinking back on the workouts that I have done so far I would agree that they have delivered.  Like I said earlier, I felt good on the run and it was more than the new shoe high.

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Lastly, let’s not forget that they look awesome.  As I looked around the gym I saw a lot of grey and black shoes and even the gym was dully colored.  These shoes stand out! Not to mention, so does the shoe BOX!

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I appreciate the chance to try out the new shoes and I know I’m going to wear down the Triumphs to nubs like I did my Virratas. Be sure to follow #WHOAface on Twitter to get other blogger’s opinions on the shoe. Also you can follow Saucony on Twitter and Instagram @Saucony.

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My WHOA face

[Tweet “Review of the new @saucony Triumph #running shoe #WHOAface”]

QOTD: Do these shoes make you say WHOA! Do you like the colors? What do you look for in a running shoe?

Filed Under: fitness, Guest Post, running, running gear Tagged: , , , , , ,

Losing the Baby Weight: A Guest Post

October 10, 2014 by

Hi everyone!  I’m Denise and I blog at Healthy Disney Family. While Heather is spending time with sweet little Emma Kate, I’m here to talk about tips for losing weight after having a baby.

One of the biggest challenges for many new moms is losing the weight they’ve gained during pregnancy. It was a huge challenge for me. After being on restricted activity and bed rest throughout my pregnancy for severe pre-eclampsia and other complications, I gained 70 pounds. When my little boy Chase was born healthy, I was filled with joy and happiness to be his mom! At the same time though, I was deeply sad because I had gained so much weight and didn’t recognize myself anymore in the mirror.  I was 5’5.5 and weighed 245 pounds after I delivered. I’d never been that heavy in my life and the weight seemed determined to stay there. I wanted to be a healthy and active mom who could play with my son and not get winded just getting up off the couch. I had to make a real lifestyle change and work harder than I ever had in my life to lose weight. If you’d like to lose weight, I’m sharing my experience in hopes that it will help you too.

Here are some tips that helped me lose the baby weight, plus an extra 40 pounds!

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1. Join a Mom and Baby fitness class – I joined Stroller Strides when Chase was an infant and it really got me on the right track. When I started, it was Winter and the classes were held indoors. We met at a local mall and walked around with our jogging strollers, stopping at different areas to workout on the floor or with our resistance bands. It was fun way to both exercise and meet other moms and their babies. The friendships you make through Mom and Baby fitness classes are wonderful and long lasting. We still hang out with moms and kids we met there!

2. Eating healthier, whole foods – As a pregnant mom, sometimes when we’re “eating for two” the portions are larger than we ate before pregnancy or we rely on take out, processed or prepared foods instead of cooking. When I talked to my doctor about how slow my weight loss was going, he recommended 80/20 eating to me. He said 80% of what I ate should be recognizable to my great, great grandparents if they saw it. The remaining 20% could be flexible. So veggies and whole grains – yes. Twinkies and fast food – no. I thought it would be really hard to stick with but surprisingly your tastes change pretty quickly. I really started craving the healthy food!

3. Portion control – Even with eating healthier foods, portions matter. If you eat too much or too many calories, you’ll maintain or worse – gain more weight. I had a hard time cutting back my portion size when I was working out twice a day and even though my body was looking leaner, I still saw the same big numbers on the scale. It was only when I got serious about cutting my portions down that the rest of the weight came off.

4. Food journaling – Writing down everything you eat or drink really helps to open your eyes to what and how much you’re eating. I’ve maintained a healthy weight for a few years now but sometimes my scale will bump up 5-10 pounds while I’m training hard, or most recently after our road trip to Disneyland in August. I always go back to journaling to help me get back on track. My favorite food journaling apps are My Net Diary and My Fitness Pal.

5. Sign up for a race – This is my favorite tip of all for anyone who runs or wants to run. I still had 60 pounds to lose when we took our son to Disneyland on Labor Day in 2011. I saw so many people walking around the park wearing their runDisney Disneyland Half Marathon medals and finisher’s shirts. I didn’t even know they had races at Disneyland but as a lifelong Disney fan, I thought it sounded incredible! A Half Marathon seemed huge and scary to me at the time, but how cool would it be to run at Disney?!

I decided right then that my goal was run a Half Marathon at Disneyland. I made a deal with myself that I would hit my goal weight of 135 pounds, 40 pounds less than my pre-pregnancy weight of 175 before the race. That was the push I needed to bring all of the things I’d learned about weight loss together. I ate 80/20 with lots of fresh fruits and veggies, journaled everything, and followed Jeff Galloway’s run/walk training plan for the runDisney Tinker Bell Half Marathon. I met my weight goal of 135 in December of 2012. I ran the Tinker Bell Half at Disneyland the following January feeling healthy and strong, better than I ever had. My family got involved too! My husband ran the 5K and our son did the Kids Race. It was amazing to have my family there, participating in the runDisney races, and supporting my lifestyle change. Following the Tinker Bell Half, I went on to run 4 more Half Marathons and 2 Full Marathons. I’m now training for the 2015 runDisney Dopey Challenge and the 2015 runDisney Glass Slipper Challenge at Walt Disney World.

Thanks Heather for letting me share my story and weight loss tips on your wonderful blog!

QOTD: What is your best tip for losing weight after having a baby?

Filed Under: fitness, Guest Post, pregnancy, running Tagged: , , , ,

Exercise While Traveling

January 14, 2014 by

Hi, my name is Elizabeth Gentry and my engineering job requires around 30% of air travel to different facilities of my company. I love this part of my job with being able to see different cities in the United States. However, when I am traveling for work or anywhere, it is really easy for me to just not exercise, which means sometimes I need an extra edge.

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Traveling can be so exhausting and sleep sometimes sounds so much better than the gym. But if I want to run Disney half marathons, they do not get accomplished without training for them, so I am going to talk about some tips that I have picked up along the way throughout my work travels.

First, I always try to find a hotel that has a gym and make sure the hours of the gym are when I am going to exercise. Usually these are on the hotel’s website, but sometimes I call as well. Second, I try to always exercise in the mornings before I start the day. I exercise in the mornings when I am home and I find that if I can stick to as much of my daily routine as possible that it helps so much! I just find that even a little bit of a normal routine while away from home makes a big difference. Third, I try to walk or run around the city that I am at when I have some free time. It is a fun way to explore a new city! Fourth, I always try to get in some exercise at the airport while I am waiting for my flight. It is so easy to just sit down at the gate, but there are so many places to walk to at the airport. I try to just go walking around and look at the different shops or just listen to music on my iPhone while walking around. I find that I am getting in exercise and it makes my waiting time for my flight go by so much faster!

These are just a few tips that I have picked up while traveling, but I am still new to this whole travel for work thing. What about you all? Leave some of your favorite tips on exercising while traveling for work or for whatever reason; maybe you traveled for the holidays, just recently. I would love to read them!

QOTD: What are your best tips for traveling and exercising?

Filed Under: blogging, fitness, Guest Post, running Tagged: , , ,