Signing up for 2013

I'm signed up for two runs next year already!  Does taking advantage of early registration discounts for races that are 6 months to a year away make me a cheapskate or a dedicated runner?  I am looking forward to the Warrior Dash in June '13 as well as my first 10k (as well as it being my first destination race...Omaha doesn't count!) next August!

I'm a weenie when it comes to cold, so I've been taking advantage of our Y membership lately.  This means running on a treadmill, but this time around I'm careful with my speed so I can save my knees.  The first time I tried the Couch to 5k workout, my knees gave out on me and I quit running for 6 months.  Now I know my limits--run slow and easy.  I would rather run a good solid 2 miles in the time I have available to me while the kids are child watch than kill myself to go faster and farther.

I started running back in June, but I had my first "wow, I might be a runner" moment last Monday when I was run run running in place on the treadmill and it felt so good that I almost forgot to pick up my son from swim lessons!  I really wanted so badly to keep going and see how far my legs could take me.

Finally found the time to finish Train Like a Mother by Dimity and Sarah of Another Mother Runner fame.  I loved how personal it was and that they included quotes from other Mother Runners.  And their training plans sound excellent!  Easy to follow and very doable!  I've copied the 5k and 10k ones and stuck them next to my bed so I can remember what I'm training for.

Simple Trends Headband winner

Random.org selected #2... Congrats to Brooke! Send me an email at MOckander {at}yahoo {dot} com with your mailing address and ill send your headband to you!!

Holy SHI*

Yes, that four-letter word has been giving me grief lately. SHIN... Well  lets just make that plural, shall we? My shins have been aching and giving me grief for about two months now. That's about when my weekly mileage was upwards of 15/week. Then, I did 13.5 in two days as part of my Running binge and nothing has been the same since. My weekly mileage has been maybe 3, maybe. I did 2.4 the other day and actually felt great during the run and yesterday was feeling fine. Today, the pain is back. It's hard to sit by, legs twitching for a chance to pound and glide, moments of solitude and, yes, I'll say it, peace. The last two weeks while I've been resting I've actually been more tired, more grouchy, more anxious. My body wants to be free, my mind wants a chance to linger. Yet, these darn SHI*s are halting those longings, making them even more desirable.

I jealously stare at runners while I'm driving to do my errands.

I covet the mileage of my fellow Sole Sisters.

I feel pangs of  envy when I see photos of others enjoying runs, finishing races, smiling and sweaty.

I miss it! I feel crazy for even saying that, it's just running.... Oh, but it is so much more to me now! A trip to the ole Doctor just might be in store. I have avoided it long enough, I think.

How do you deal with running injuries? Give me some hope!

2012 Bare Your Sole Event

To celebrate World Run Day on November 11th, the Sole Sisters will be hosting the first ever Bare Your Sole Run. The Bare Your Sole Run is a 1 mile barefoot optional run to benefit Elliott Elementary School, Lincoln, Ne. Entry fee to this event is a pair of new or gently used shoes.

Elliott Elementary is located in the heart of Lincoln. 91% of students are eligible to receive free or reduced lunch. As a way to help some of the children who are sent to school without shoes to protect their feet, the Sole Sisters are hosting the Bare Your Sole Run. As mothers and runners, we all know that every single person has to start somewhere. We are hoping that as a community we can help more kids get to the starting line and be ready to run! 

Please consider joining us on this day at Trago Park in Lincoln at 3:30 pm by offering your "entry fee" of a pair of new or gently used children shoes. This will be a very family-friendly fun event! Post-race refreshments will be provided. We hope to see you there!

For more info you can visit us on Facebook.

Gratitude

I skipped all forms of working out last week. I had a crazy busy first half of the week and came down with some sort of cough/throat issue at the same time. It is funny how skipping something that you want to do, even when you know it is the right thing to do, can make you feel guilty. However, exhaustion over ruled my feelings of guilt and I napped more last week than I did when my oldest was a newborn.

When Monday rolled around, I felt much better and was no longer having insane coughing fits so I figured I was set to hop back into running. I did 5 s-l-o-w miles on Monday and was sore from my efforts. I stuck to my plan (I am running 3,5,7 miles this week, not in that order though) and did 3 miles at my usual pace (still slow for most though!) on Tuesday. I am super happy to feel back on track!

While it is great to be running after a short break I read something on one of my favorite running blogs that really resonated with me. Janae was reflecting back on this book, Kristin Armstrong’s book ‘Mile Markers’. I love the idea of running while focusing on gratitude. I always think of a friend's young family member with ALS. She was a runner before her symptoms made it impossible to walk much less run. I know most of us have a special someone in our thoughts and prayers to reflect on to remind us to be grateful for the ability and opportunity to run. If you have time, check out Janae's blog and read her thoughts on the topic too. It is a great idea to focus on!

A Review: Simple Trends Headbands

Three Sole Sisters give their bangs and flyaways the ole Heave Ho!


Meghan:
I decided to put my Simple trends headband to the ultimate test.  One week before my big run I cut my hair in a cute little short style with many different layers.  Soon after looking at myself in the mirror I thought "how am I going to put my hair back to run?"  Well, I found my answer.  A simple trends headband.  I LOVE IT!  The first time I wore it was for a half marathon and it stayed put all 13.1 miles.  The second time I wore it was for another half marathon the next day ( yes I am a little crazy!). It stayed put all 13.1 miles the second day, too!  It helped keep the sweat out of my eyes and, best of all, everyone could pick me out while running with my green and blue leopard print headband.  I think it will now be my signature look, thanks Simple Trends!

 Joyce:

I have mommy hair.

Any woman who has had children knows what I'm talking about. It is a full year after my postpartum hair loss and new hair growth started when my youngest was about 4 months old, and I am rocking the "mommy halo," lots of short strands of hair right around my hairline that don't lay properly and are too short to be pulled back in a ponytail. It's not usually something that bothers me about my body post-children, but right now, these short hairs are at a perfect length to tickle my nose and get in my eyes anytime there is a slight breeze. Not fun while trying to run.

So when I got the opportunity to try out a Simple-Trends headband, I was excited! I've tried running wearing those thin elastic headbands you can find at every drugstore, and they just would slip off of my head and distract me from the workout instead of keep my hair out of my face like I wanted. The Simple-Trends headband, on the other hand, actually stayed put! I wore it for the first time for a run in a 5k race, and after making sure it was spread out over my forehead and the top of my hair, it didn't move at all! This picture is me after the race, and I promise, I didn't touch it or readjust it at all! I found the headband comfortable, not too tight, but not so loose it doesn't stay on, and don't I look cute? ;-)

Diane:

Simple Trends sent us several headbands to try. As I reached into the bag to select one, I was impressed by the silky feel and the vibrant colors. I chose a tie-dye rainbow one. (Megan - did they say which patterns they sent? I didn't see a pic of mine on the website but many are sold out.) First I tried it out during my treadmill run at the gym. My kids immediately noticed it when they got in the car: "Cool headband, Mom! I like the colors!" I felt more presentable at the gym and was glad I had a headband to disguise my sweaty and unwashed hair when I stopped by a friend's house post-workout. The next test was my long run of the week, which I usually do outdoors. The headband stayed in place and I was thankful for the extra fabric to pull over my ears as I ran along the highway in a stiff breeze. It kept my bangs from blowing all over, a big pet peeve of mine on windy runs. The headband can be rolled up to be thinner or pulled down to be wider, and it is definitely versatile and fashion-forward enough to be worn anywhere.

These are super soft, super comfy and made by a MOM and a RUNNER! Her customer service is superp and her fabric choices are so cute!

Visit the website here!

Want to win your own headband? There is a hot pink with black scull headband up for grabs- it is HARDCORE just like you are! Contest will end Friday at 9pm and the winner will be chosen by Random.org.

To enter simply leave a separate comment for the following:

1. Visit Simple Trends and tell us your favorite fabric

2. Share this blog post (and please give us the link in your comment!)

3. Follow Sole Sisters on Facebook

4. Follow the Sole Sisters Blog 

Best of luck!!

The Vintage Pearl Necklace Giveaway Winner

And the winner is...
Sandra M. #225

Sandra, please contact me at teacher_jenc at yahoo dot com so I can get your lovely necklace to you!
Congratulations!

And thanks to everyone who entered. This was our largest number of entries yet! Keep sharing and reading the blog. You never know what may come up next!

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 9 

Congrats Jessica Gentert!!! Send me an email at mockander {at} yahoo {dot} com and I'll set you up with your shirt! Congrats Sole Sister! 

Double Half Mary

I have had the dates of October 13 and 14th on my calendar for awhile.  I signed up many months ago to do something I even thought was crazy.  The price was going to increase the next day and every time I saw a post about this race I felt this little pull inside of me that wanted to do it.  I also had a very encouraging sole sister tell me she thought I should do it with her.  I was not sure I was ready for such a task.  My fellow sole sister had run a full marathon and I had not.  I had run two half marathons and was signing up for something that would double that to 4 not to mention they were back to back.  My husband thought I was crazy he was pretty sure I was going to hurt myself.  I still decided to sign up and train for it.  My plan was to run long runs back to back that did not really happen like I planned.  I did follow my 1/2 marathon training plan pretty well and felt like I was prepared to run a good 1/2 marathon----BUT  I had to run two 1/2 marathons!

before day one

 Saturday morning I picked up my sole sister and two of her running friends and we headed to a small town North of us.  I felt really good, I had gotten a good night sleep, I had drank lots of water all week, I was ready.  I ran and felt great, I felt like it was an easy peasy run and I enjoyed it.  I felt like I could have run faster and that is what I wanted.  I keep saying don't push too hard you have to do this tomorrow. I was shocked when I saw my time was 2:18:26 my PR from the Lincoln Half in May was 2:18:04 so for me that was amazing! I went home and tried an ice bath but quickly got out.  Those are so hard for me to do.  I sit in my swimming suit and have the girls dump cups of ice on me, they love it but I could not stand it.  I needed a warm shower.   I even went to a friend's daughter birthday party Saturday night and felt good.  I was a little stiff but went to bed early and woke up ready to do it all again.  OK not really, I was stiff and sore.  Sunday I started running slower to stretch out and then felt really good until mile 11.  In my head I was so excited only 2 more miles but my body was not as excited.  My body was like what are you doing?  You ran 13 miles yesterday wasn't that enough.  My legs felt heavy and I got really stiff.  I still ran, I did not walk.  I am sure I looked like I was running in slow motion but I was running.

running to the finish

I got close enough that I could see the last street before the finish line and I felt really emotional, I took a deep breath and said I am going to do this thing.  I almost burst into tears of joy but I quickly turned that off and told myself to finish first.  I even had a good kick at the end.  Crazy running 26.2 miles and still able to turn in on at the end, I always wonder were that comes from.  Most likely joy at seeing the finish. I was 6 minutes slower on Sunday but I did it!  I ran two half marathons back to back.  I did something that when I signed up for it, I was not sure I could do.  I was pretty sore on Sunday but was feeling better Monday and today, Wednesday, I feel great and like I could go for a run.  I don't think I will though, I think I will rest, I deserve it, I earned it and my body will thank me. This run gave me the courage to maybe, just maybe, attempt the FULL in May in my hometown.  We shall see but for now I am resting and enjoy looking at my cool medal that stands for so much more than what I did on those two days.

WE DID IT!  two half marathons in two days and we are sill smiling and standing upright!

Pumpkin Run

As I have transformed into a runner and "running advocate", what has become exciting for me, is watching my children become excited about running and fitness! They want to run with me and are super stoked when I sign them up for races just for them! One mile seems so huge to them, an enormous goal and challenge to overcome and I am totally inspired by their will and determination to cross the finish line.

My second son asked that I run with him this past weekend for our town's annual Pumpkin Run and what he said to me at the starting line melted me. He looked at me with sweet eyes, grabbed my hand tightly and said "Mom, I"m a little scared, but I"m going to run anyways." Ah, bless you, my child.

My oldest ran his little heart out, but he also stopped when a classmate of his became tired and needed  to walked. He walked with her and even encouraged her across the finish line. My second son ran 3/4 of a mile gripping my hand with all of his might. When his sister spotted us, she dashed under the course flags to join us. I let go and told him to run on his own and that kid sprinted the last 1/4 mile while I jogged/ran with my oldest daughter who was so proud!

It was a fantastic run and such a fun experience for all of us! I'm so proud of them! I made my boys pumpkin medals when we got home and they wore them proudly the rest of the day!

First Graders

K anticipates the starting gun

Crossing the finish line

E and I take off

Moments before little sister runs to us

Look at that form!

Running with H

We did it!

Medals for the finishers

Hey Sister, Sole Sister

Have you heard of Dimity and Sarah from Another Mother Runner? These ladies are the authors of Run Like a Mother and Train Like a Mother. They also blog, run marathons, and do free podcasts through iTunes! You will laugh, be motivated, encouraged and learn that no matter what, you are not alone in this running gig.

In their store they have a Sole Sister Tank Top and they want to give one away- for free!- to a luck blog reader! In addition, you can enter the code SSDiscount in the notes section when you order and the ladies will rebate $7 off your tank top order! This code is good until this Friday! 

Want to win a free tank? Comment below with your favorite item from their store, or your favorite tidbit you learned from one of their books! You can earn additional entries by doing one or more of the following, leaving a separate comment for each:

1. Follow Our Sole Sister blog!
2. Follow Sole Sisers on Facebook
3. Follow Another Mother Runner on Facebook
4. Add yourself to the Mother Runner Tribe
5. Share this blog post and giveaway on Facebook!

These ladies were kind enough to send our friend Carrie a Sole Sister tank after her brain tumor was removed. Thank you so much, for loving on our Sole Sister!

The Vintage Pearl Necklace: A GIVEAWAY!

I was given the opportunity to wear and review a hand stamped necklace from The Vintage Pearl.

I'm pretty picky when it comes to wearing necklaces because they tend to give me a headache depending on how the necklace lays and pulls on the back of my neck. I am happy to announce that I now have four necklaces that I can wear headache-free!  This one is not heavy so it does not pull! I've worn this for several days and many people have commented positively on it! It also comes with a polish pad to help keep it looking new. If you have children like mine who like to look at and and gently touch your necklace, it comes in very handy! I plan to order another necklace from her store as a gift this Christmas.

Now, I have some more good news! The Vintage Pearl has given us a necklace just like this one to give away to one of you! I'm using Rafflecopter for this giveaway. The first entry is mandatory if you'd like to be included in the giveaway.  It starts today, October 15 and closes on October 22 at 12:01 AM EST. One winner will be chosen and announced here on the blog. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You just never know....

I was pretty excited to get outside for my run this morning. The weather was pretty fantastic, cool enough to be comfortable even when running, but NOT windy! The wind can be pretty fearsome out here so any run without fighting it feels like a walk in the park.

For the most part I am a creature of habit. I run the same roads at about the same time and on the same days. Just when it starts to get boring some happy neighbor forgets their dogs outside and I veer off in a different direction and run on the other side of town to avoid becoming a mid morning snack for Fido. Or like today I got to run past a film crew!

Sorry for this picture being blurry, I wanted to capture the line of cars on what is normally a deserted street.

They even brought this huge generator. If you click on this photo you can see the lights and staging better.

The white trailer in this picture had a clothes rack fully loaded down with outfits. I was almost ready to stop and do a little shopping. ;)

In this part of the country, it is not too common to see crews filming in my neighborhood. So, I made sure to take pictures! ;) I am definitely not the best with cameras under good conditions so taking photos with my phone while running (and doing my best not to trip!) was not easy for me. But I hope you get the gist!

Not only did I get to enjoy a fabulous fall morning while completing 4 miles I got to witness a truly unique happening. How was your run today? :)

STRONGER

So on this Saturday and Sunday October 13 and 14th, 2012 I am going to attempt the most physically challenging thing I have ever done.  I am going to run a half marathon on Saturday, 13.1 miles and then wake up and do it all again on Sunday!  Say what?!?!  You read that right.  It is called the Double Half Mary and it is BOLD!  If you know me you know I enjoy running, I have run two half marathons, some 5Ks some 10Ks.  I DO consider running not just something I do but PART of who I am.  I often use the line “ I have turned out to be so much stronger than I ever thought I would be”.  That sounds all great but what exactly do I mean.  So many other amazing women in this group have been so very very honest about why they run and all their struggles and trials.  I thought I would be honest as well.

When I use the line stronger than I ever thought I would be, I am talking about a time in my life when I would not have used Strong as a word to describe myself or anything about me.  I was in a young marriage that was not healthy.  It was both physically and emotionally abusive.  I will not tell you about all details, but I went through ALOT and  it was a hard time for me.  I felt weak emotionally and physically.  I made the decision to start a better life for my beautiful newborn daughter and started my journey as a single mother.  I sacrificed to make ends meet and am proud to say she turned out to be a pretty wonderful, she is an amazing young lady today, OK actually she is perfect.

I have since that time forgiven my Ex- husband, met and married a wonderful man who loves me just they way I am and have two more beautiful daughters, twins now age four.  I have a little three bedroom house with a backyard and I am able to stay home with my children and enjoy every moment with them.

I run because everything I have been through is a part of me, I have lived through it and gotten stronger for going through it.  I would not change one minute of anything I have gone through.  I love the person I have grown to be and every experience made me what I am today.  With every step on every run I feel stronger, I think of where I have been and what I have learned and where I still want to go.  I think of my amazing family and how much I love them.  Most of all I just feel Happy and Grateful.

So this weekend when I line up on the starting line of my crazy races you may be standing right next to me in the race but it is not you I am competing against.  I run for me, I run to be STRONGER. 

Out of the box.

This weekend, a few friends and I went to SheQuest women's retreat at Camp Gargano, just south of the city limits. The event was advertised as a retreat and "rejuvenation" for women of all athletic abilities. It was to conclude with a 5K obstacle run! Even though I am only about seven months in to the healthy eating and lifestyle change process, I figured it sounded like something I could do. You know, since it was for people of all athletic abilities! After all, I  had confidently reached my goal of running a 5K before the end of 2012 (I did a nearly 6-mile run a few weeks back!) and have competed in multiple races this year with decent results. I felt as if I was well prepared, but a little nervous for the obstacle course- mostly because I didn't know what to expect from it.

Well..... let's just say there is not much on my body today, two days later, that doesn't hurt. Really! Even my toes. No joking there, it's from trying to move sideways on a tall vertical wall with only small 2" x 4" boards to stand on. In crappy shoes that don't fit me.  (it would have been a mud course if not for the c-c-c-old temperatures.)

This retreat, in my opinion, was not for any sort of "beginner level" athlete. I have bruises on my body that indicate some sort of vicious attack on my person. My bumps and bruises have bumps and bruises! I have muscle pain in places I didn't know muscles existed! I was afraid to admit this to a friend of mine who is in wonderful shape, having began her journey two years ago (or more?) but she is also sore and bruised today. Phew! It's not just me.

All of that being said, I learned so much about myself and about my determination. I learned that when things get tough, I CAN do it. I will try and try and push and push and yes, sometimes I will give up- but sometimes I will surprise you (and myself!) by grabbing that six-foot wall and just tossing myself over it. Truth be told, I learned how much further I have to go, and in the middle of this challenge I was in tears behind my sunglasses: jaw trembling, fear deep inside of my soul. I started to think through the "why me?" and "what was I thinking?!?" "how did I get this way?!?" and for a few minutes I really gave up on myself and lay in the dirt, literally and metaphorically. I felt unworthy of being in that place, once again "the fat one" but for once in my life not the girl who thinks that she can't. Could I do the workouts? You betcha. And I did. I surprised myself, and it was not because my friends were there, it was because I really wanted it.

Later on in the course, we were asked to grab one or two large jugs and carry them while we walked what seemed like five miles (it was probably only .25 mile or maybe even less!) "How much do these weigh??" I asked. My answer: 30 or 35 pounds each.

Suddenly, it clicked. I was struggling to heave this 30 or 35 pound jug though the course. It was HARD. And how hard is losing weight/getting stronger? Also HARD. I used to lug 32 pounds everywhere I went in life. And now, I am 32 pounds lighter of that weight burden. It was the first time I have had that self-realization of how far I have come. I can not believe how hard it was to carry that weight along, and how much easier it will be when the next 32 pound jug is a thing of my past. So, while I have a long ways to go, I am able to (for the first time) realize that life is a series of small victories that we should celebrate.

My fire is re-ignited after a one-month funk and I am ready to commit to workouts that are as hard as what I experienced on the course this weekend, and in class with the trainer. I am going to borrow my neighbor/trainer's P90X and get to work on my Jillian DVDs on a few days, too. I can do the weight machines just fine, but I learned that my core and balance need a lot of work, as well as my upper body, and I am super determined to master the burpees and planks I struggled with on Saturday.




So here's a little "You can do it!!" for your Monday, because you know what? You can! And I can! We all can! Let's just step out of the box at times and see where our steps will lead. To greater strength! And endurance! I am thankful for the journey, even when this beginner athlete gets her tail kicked.

If you're interested in seeing the course we competed on (and a few of the obstacles I fell off of, haha) here is a neat video I found.

Victory Quest/Camp Gargano obstacle course

Sabre Red Winner

Congrats Randi S
True Random Number Generator
Result: 4
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Please e-mail me at mockander {at} yahoo {dot} come and I will put you in contact with Sabre Red for your free Pepper Spray!! 

Handana Winner!!

Winner, Winner, Handana Winner: Patty T
True Random Number Generator
Result: 7
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Congratulations, Patty!!! You can send your preferred mailing address to me at Melaneyt at hotmail dot com.

I have to admit that I was super excited to see people I don't know entering this giveaway! I love finding new blogs and I hope you all continue to enter Sole Sisters giveaways and leave comments on posts. Thank you!!

Binge Running

Yes, that's what I did this past weekend. I flew out to visit my dear friend Rebecca in Vancourver, WA and we binged. We binged on running.

Our mutual friend, Jessy, drove in from Cali and she binged with us. I think by the end of the weekend, we were all hurting.

Here's a rundown of our weekend:

Fly into Portland LATE Friday night. Stay up chit chatting.

Wake up EARLY Saturday morning and head out for the Portland Color Run. Run a 5k, get colorful, jump, dance, sweat, sing and take a gazillion photos.

Our new friend

Clean

Colorful

The must  have action shot

Lunch, relax outside while Rebecca's boys nap, and decide we should run again.

We drive out to Saint Lucia Falls (seriously, I should live here) and run 2 miles on trails... not pretty inner-city trails, but trip over roots and barely muster up rocky hills, trails. We get lost. We get turned around again. We take silly Yoga photos at the falls post-run.

We made it to the falls

Stay up late chit chatting, drinking wine and eating guacamole!

Up early, again... this time for a long run. We planned for 6 but ran a total of 7.3! I was on cloud nine. A personal PR for distance and I was amazed... amazed!!.. at how well we ran together. Steady, perfectly paced, pushing one another... best run I have ever had.

Under the draw bridge that connects WA and OR

That's right! SEVEN miles!

Post-run scenic lookout over the Columbia River

After showers, we snag lunch in the car and head to Multnomah Falls where we hike 1/2 mile up steady inclines, a crazy small bridge and plenty of switchbacks... so worth it for the gorgeous view.

It was amazing to see how the three of us could come together after 18 months apart and have our paces match up... not just in running, but in life. I  have admired these ladies for their abilities to mother (and mother so well!) and run, to boot. I never, ever  thought I'd be a runner, let alone on several runs with them! I continue to be amazed by their awesomeness, and just wish I could have shared a plate of pancakes with their cute faces. Love ya, my West Coast Sole Sisters!

Now, I think it's time for a running detox... my shins will thank me in a week or so!

Sabre Red: A Review

I often run alone, and as the nights get longer and the mornings are just as dark, I'm often feeling a tad unsure of my surroundings. We live in a good neighborhood, but a neighbor and fellow Mother Runner had a van follow her around on two separate runs AND there is a bus route where the guys from Corrections catch a ride... it can make me nervous!

Several months ago, I bought a Saber Red Pepper Spray Keychain and I am so glad to have it. I feel confident in my ability to use it and love the size, shape and ease of use it provides. Mine is pink, too, because Saber Red donates a portion of proceeds from the pink Pepper Sprays to Breast Cancer Research! Win-win!

I only run without it when I'm doing a large group run where I feel protected by numbers, but otherwise I always have my Sabre Red!

Sabre Red has offered the Sole Sisters different types of products to review!

Here we have Erica reviewing the Spitfire and Meghan with the Runner:
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Sabre Red Pepper Spray was kind enough to let us try out quite a few of their products. Since the Sole Sisters were testing so many different designs, we all got to joking who was going to really try it out, if you know what I mean. Well, after dry heaving over the toilet and still feeling it in my throat and nose, I guess that would be me. Sometimes, I am such a moron.

I was sitting down to write the review when I thought I’d give it a spray one more time. It’s very easy to use, but also has a little resistance to make it safer. I sat in my basement and sprayed just the tiniest bit away from me. It was within seconds I started coughing and could feel it all in my throat & nose. Oops! I’m still trying to clear my throat! I can tell you without question that this stuff works!! That being said, there is a bigger reason then my stupidity that this will never become part of my running routine: MY KIDS.

The night I brought it home I put it up on the counter and went to bed. The next evening I came home and it was out of the plastic wrapping and sitting under my kitchen table . That is terrifying to me. I am a person ridden with anxiety. I thought pepper spray would leave me feeling confident & ready for any attacker. But, my anxiety about my kids getting sprayed trump any feelings of good I get from having the pepper spray. My children are young, 4 and 1, and I can’t think of a single place in my house that I would feel confident storing the pepper spray without worrying about them.

So, although I thank Sabre for allowing me the opportunity to try out their product (quite literally), this is not a running must for me!

---------------------

When I heard about pepper spray for runners I was interested but scared.  My last experience with pepper spray was in high school on my key chain and I sprayed myself in the face and it was horrible.  My husband even saw what I was going to use while running and said " Be careful you would be the type to spray yourself in the face."  I laughed and said thanks hon ( he knows me well).  The good news is I ran with it and did not spray myself in the face.  I love the cute pink color ,it matched my shoes and running shorts, and the fact that it straps to your hand.  I was running as it was starting to get dark and I felt safe because it was in my hand ready to use if needed.  It is easy to use just turn dial and spray.  It was not too easy though as in spray yourself too easy :)  I really liked this product and felt safer having it in my hand.
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Now for some fun news! Sabre Red is giving Away a Pepper Spray product to a lucky reader!! You have several ways of entering, please comment on this blog post for each individual entry and be sure to leave us with a way to contact you!
- Comment below with the Sabre Red Product you would choose
-Share this blog post on facebook and/or twitter
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A winner will be chosen via Random.org on Monday October 8, 2012

Once a week...and proud of it!

I have gotten in this bad habit of running only once a week.  It's not something I'm particularly proud of, as I have still been eating like I'm running 2 or 3 times a week.  Part of the time it has been due to other obligations.  Part of the time it's due to a child who refuses to go to sleep.  And the rest of the time it's because I'm more comfortable sitting on the couch reading a book.

I fully intended to go for a run this weekend.  We went to visit my in-laws and Grandma has this (wonderful!) way of adding 10 lbs to my frame every visit.  My thought was that I would bring my running gear and counteract the extra dessert she lovingly encourages me to spoon into my bowl!  Of course it didn't happen.  I took a nap instead.

Tonight, when we got home and the kids were refusing sleep and I was losing my everloving mind, my fantastic husband stopped working, came up behind me and said gently, "go for a run."

So I did.

And I'm very proud to say that I ran the whole two miles and it felt good.

I was tempted to stop about halfway when I could see my uphill climb coming up in the distance, but then I passed my Sole Sister Meghan's house.  And I remembered her post from last week about owning it.  It didn't matter if I walked for a while, because that was ok.  But what also didn't matter was that I could run slowly and that's ok!  If that's what my body needs to do to keep going, then so be it.  I'm no less of a runner.  I'm shouldn't look down on myself if I need to slow down to keep going.

I finished my 2 miles at an 11:45 min/mi pace.  But I finished it running.

And I couldn't be more proud of myself.

Handana Review and Giveaway!

The only thing I miss about running on a treadmill is having a towel to use to wipe my sweaty face! After all, if you are not sweating then you are not working hard enough, right? ;) I was pretty excited to be able to review Handana's sweatband because it seemed like a product that would make my outdoor runs even sweeter!. After checking out Handana's website, www.myhandana.com/ I was impressed with the color options available. Handana was kind enough to gift the Sole Sisters with a Handana to use for a review and one to giveaway (more on that later!).

It might be hard to tell in these pictures but the material is really soft and lightweight. I was afraid the band might feel too bulky on my hand, but it conforms to your hand and feels really natural. Also, Handana's are sized so that you can avoid the whole one size may or may not fit all dilemma.

I ran with my Handana all last week and had no complaints. I liked that you could use either side of the Handana to wipe away sweat. I didn't have a problem with it becoming saturated at the end of a long run, the material is great at wicking. I washed it after every use, but I wash all my gear after every use. It held up great in the wash and looked brand new.   

Now to the fun part of this post, the GIVEAWAY!! I have one mist on black Handana to giveaway to one lucky Sole Sister reader. Comment on this post to enter. The winner will be chosen randomly by random.org. 

Also, you can earn an additional entry by:

- sharing this giveaway on Facebook (please link to this post)

-for liking Handana on Facebook 

-for follwing our Blog!

 Make sure you comment for each entry!  The giveaway will close October 5th at 9 pm and the winner will be announced on this blog shortly after that. Good luck!!

Also!! October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!
Receive $2.00 OFF when your order any pink Handana the month of October just by adding 'pink' in the coupon section. Get one while supplies last!