What's Your Dream?

Tis the season for football. So much so that when Mom and Kaurine were in town we had to make a special trip into Bellevue just to go to the team store so they could get Seahawks t-shirts. Intentions are high everyday come into work about who's winning there fantasy football championships and who is losing. And now we're getting in the final game to see who are in the playoffs very exciting! Who is your favorite team? Who are you rooting for? I am personally Seahawks fan it's my second favorite team the Vikings, who are winning today by the way. The countdown to the Super Bowl is truly on its way! I only wish that running got as much publicity as football! Then I think everyone would strive to be a runner and then everyone would be in such great shape wouldn't know what do with ourselves as a country! Instead we kick back, relax and have a beer while we watch our football. At least is an awesome sport! Oh the power of advertising and marketing is a wonderful thing.

Christmas has come to pass and as we clean up our wrapping paper and tinsel we are sooner in the fact that Christmas is now over. Our families have so gone home and it's time to move on to the next big adventure!  I did receive a couple awesome gifts this year and one of them was a PR board for Anthony and I. I love it and I also have a medal hanger that goes just below it. I cannot wait to use it! I was able to create a little bit of a Christmas miracle myself, I magically gained 12 pounds in 7 days! I went back on to Nutrisystem this morning and will be starting Advocare in January. I am hoping to get rid of all of my holiday weight gain by January 7. That is my first mini goal.   This is The basic outline for the Advocare 24 day challenge, there are two phases the Cleanse phase in the Max phase. And during the challenge you were given a daily food guide as well for clean eating during the challenge you were also encouraged to work out several times a week. So it's mostly j

Are you ready? Christmas is upon us! If you have been reading then you know I have been doing the Merry Marathoner's Christmas and tonight will be the last night. And then Christmas is here!  I have been preparing all month long for Christmas, my apartment is deck to the nines, there are tons of Christmas presents under the tree, I have baked and given out Christmas cookies, I have been doing my do diligence  and listening to Christmas music as much as I possibly can and I have been cleaning my apartment nonstop and preparation for my family's arrival. Does any of this sounds familiar to you? You know it's the season when… Sounds about right, correct?  I do have to admit in all the hustle bustle I have slacked off in the running department, I haven't gone out for nearly as many runs as I would like. And then after Sunday's race I was actually kind of sore which made me sad. Because that means I'm falling out of shape. But that is something to look forward to aft

How many of you go out for a run and don't take any form of ID with you? What happens to you if there's an accident? Will the emergency crew be able to ID you somehow or be able to know if you have any sort of allergies to any medications? These are some of the things that road ID had in mind when they created their athletic identification cards. They very similar to dog tags in that they are metal, small and say who you are. We could also put your address, emergency contacts, you're known allergies, and even your blood type on it just in case of emergencies. And that way you're not always bog down by dragging your ID everywhere you go. (Photo provided by RoadID.com)  I personally have been using a Road ID for a couple of years now and I think it's great. I have a small clip that just goes right on my shoe and I don't have to worry about even taking it off when I'm done. It's pretty much always on my shoes. (Photo provided by RoadID.com)

Today was the day of the 12Ks of Christmas 12K and 5K run in Kirkland. This race has been going on for several years now and this year they decided to change the course to accommodate the growing numbers of participants over the last several years. The location for the start and end of the race was Heritage Park, this turned out to be a much better location than in previous years because there is a lot more space to sprawl out and nobody was over crowded.  I started off my day by waking up at the crack of dawn and heading down to Kirkland to volunteer at registration and packet pick up.  I've done this for Promotion Events before at Green Lake Gobble last month. Thankfully this time it was not raining and we were not forced to stay under tents the whole time. We were short probably two or three volunteers and we had a line backed up about 20 yards! But it ended up working out alright. I was able to hand out the packets this time and it worked out much smoother then before. I w

Well we are nearing the end of the Merry Marathoner's Christmas! With Christmas in must four more days it is hard to believe. I am very excited for Christmas to finally be here. It feels like it is taking forever to get here this year.  On day 12 Anthony received a pair or running gloves. They are a nice thin pair, just enough to keep the wind off his hands when he is running but not so thick that his hands will turn into a sweaty mess during the run either. They also have the conductive material on the index finger and thumb enables you to conveniently change the song or monitor your pace on your touchscreen device without removing your gloves. For Day 13 Anthony received another running shirt, exactly the same as his other one that he received a couple of days ago just in green this time. Working on building up his running wardrobe one piece at a time. Soon he will have everything that a runner could need!  Keep checking in to see what else Anthony will receive during

Tricia and I partied hardy last Friday evening in Capital Hill, Seattle. She invited me out for a Seattle Food Tour , something that I had never done before and I thought it sounded like fun (after I figured out what she was talking about.) So I arrived at Bar Cotto, the start of the tour, and I thought we were going to two places and Tricia informs me that we were going to five! WoW!  So after I get the confusion out of the way we are greeted by our tour host Coral.  Bar Cotto  is owned by Ethan Cole and is a small Parma-style salumeria and cocktail bar with pizza, Italian vegetables, bruschetta and a daily selection of both local and international cured meats. We had the pleasure of enjoying  Bar  "torta fritta" (fried dough breads) with Prosciutto Cotto, Mortadella and Salami paired with a Lambrusco sparkling red wine, the bubbles in the wine help you salivate more which in turn helps wash down strong or salty foods. The second stop on our tour was  Le Zinc

Let's take it back to the basics, running gear 101. It may seem silly but everyone has to start somewhere and when you're just starting out something for the very first time you don't have things you need such as running shirts or even running pants. So that's what the Christmas gifts were for a days 10 and 11.  On day 10 Anthony received a running shirt and on day 11 he received a pair of running leggings. Both are things that he didn't have before and the leggings will really help out during the winter months. You don't have to have special gear when it comes to running but it does help keep you cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, it helps keep you dryer and it keeps the chances of chafing down. When it comes to long distance running it can be worth it to invest in running specific clothing, if anything to keep the chafing down. And for me to keep it helps to keep me cooler because I sweat like a pig, and I am not afraid to admit that either! 

If you're anything like me you're always checking the news updates on the latest and greatest technologies for runners and triathlons alike. There are many different types of sport watches out there ranging from $30-$700 but I have my eye on one fitness band called the Microsoft band which is currently unavailable otherwise I would buy one because I'm very excited about it and the other is the Garmin 920 XT which is basically on my dream list because by the time you get the watch and the heart rate monitor and any other accessories you're looking at about $700 for the whole thing. But in the meantime I know almost all of us have cell phones and cell phones actually have gotten really good about their GPS apps for running that you can download for free. I prefer map my run and I hear really good things about run keeper as well. And of course if you're using your phone to run then you're gonna need a place to put it! And that brings me to the Merry Marathoner'

Have you ever been out running in the cold but A hat was just too much and makes you get overheated? Or have tried to traditional earmuffs and then they end up just falling off your head from the bouncing of the running? Well boys and girls alike can rejoice because there's such thing as a technical fabric which has moisture wicking technology made into headbands! So the best I have found us far I've been by Saucony. I have a pink one that also has a ponytail hole and I gifted Anthony a black universal one last night. He tried it on right away and was pleasantly surprised that it covered his ears without compromise!  His and hers, mine is much wider than the black one. They have several different styles for anyone who needs one.  I have never over heated in this headband and it has never been too cold either. The breath ability is fantastic on these little guys. I highly recommend them! Merry Christmas and Keep on Running!

Getting down to some great gifts! Day 6 was a hand held water bottle that can be used for runs that are over 4 miles, I find that any longer than that and I need to find ways to get that extra hydration in. I have a small 8 ounce water bottle that I sometimes carry with me when I know water will be hard to find. This one that I gave to Anthony is a bit bigger at 22 ounces. I figured it would be easier for him to carry because he has bigger hands than I do. It also has a small pouch for Gu or keys. Over all a very handy devise, get it? Handy? Day 7 was a bit on the “luxury” side. An active half-zip pullover from Old Navy. It has contrasting chest-to-chin zipper and trim along a mock turtleneck and ends of the sleeves. The long sleeves feature a thumb loops for added comfort or just to keep your hands warm when you don’t want to wear gloves! It is a great addition to any active wardrobe. I personally love the thumb holes in my long sleeve active gear. I don’t like to wear gloves th

Anthony and I put Merry Marathon's Christmas on hold yesterday and attended his company annual holiday party instead. Which, for us, is the event of the year. Anthony dressed in a very nice suit and bow tie and I wore a black evening dress, my favorite compliment of the evening was "You two look like you are from a James Bond movie!" That really made me feel good! Nintendo sure knows how to throw a part! They have tons of food catered by Tom Douglas, he himself was even serving at the party, live music and of course, open bars, yes, several of them!  This year Anthony and I spent most of the evening playing in the mock casino, which neither of us had planned on doing. Anthony placed his bet in roulette and lost but I only played a small bet. I wanted to bet a bit more so I told Anthony to mingle and when he came back that we would go dance. Well when he came back I still had "$400" so we placed the bet on "24" the day of our first date and wo

Not long ago seeing people other than construction workers, or someone similar, wearing some form of a reflective vest was almost unheard of. But these days people have taken that idea and changed them into a great too for our door enthusiasts who like to spend time outside in the dark hours of the day.  I am personally a huge fan of these vests, I just recently purchased my own but these vests have saved many lives of walkers and runners in the neighborhood that I work. People are always speeding around the neighborhood and it can be incredibly hard to see these people even if they are using some kind of light, usually that isn't what I see when I am driving, it's the reflective gear that they are wearing that gives me the heads up that they are walking in the middle of the road. (No, I don't know why they walking/running in the middle of the road when it is pitch black out.) My coworkers are always saying that the only reason why they didn't run someone over is becaus

What is the most useful thing for long hours spent in the sun beside sunblock? Or when you're out and about you want to keep the rain off your face? Why a hat of course! There are many different types of hats out there but the one that's not really cool but tends to be the most practical for running in my experience are visors. Why? Because they keep the sun out of your eyes, the sweat from getting into your eyes, the rain out of your face and it keeps your head nice and cool because it's not an enclosed top. I was actually running a couple years before I discovered the magic of a visor and I'm sad that took me so long to figure it out. It is such a wonderful tour of the rain and sun I highly recommend it to any runner who doesn't want to give up a run because it's too sunny or because it's too rainy. Work is just a great tool to keep the sweat from pouring into your eyes Junior long hot runs. I say after my experience it is a must-have in your running wardr

Yesterday was day 4 of Merry Marathoner's Christmas and it was a plethora of Gu products. Fueling properly for long distance running or any thing of extreme endurance is very important. There are fueling products from protein bars and energy drinks to Gu shots and jellybeans. I can't say whether any product is better than another it's a very personal choice of what you use. For me I have a very picky stomach so I choose what doesn't upset my stomach and I get products that tend to not ruin my run. For me it took several different tries to find a project that work best and I think that goes for most people usually don't find a product that's best for you on your first try a lot of trial and error. But that's what training runs are for and believe it or not trying out new fuel products is very much so part of training. When race day comes you need to be properly energized and you don't want to be trying new things on race day. So my advice is to go

I would like to introduce Bonnie Davis a 45 year old Rock Star from Livonia, MI. She started running when other high impact workouts just weren’t enough and she wanted to see what else she could do. She started running in 2013 with the help of her sister who works for New Balance and was able to get her the hook up on running gear, how wonderful! This is her running journey. What inspires you to run? “I am inspired to run because it seemed like such an impossible feat for me. I used to lie in freshmen gym class, saying I had asthma to get out of our pre class run warm up. I have always hated it, but longed to do it. I have had dreams that I'm running and running, but it's like flying. I also am inspired by older runners I see at races who look fantastic. I want to be like that someday.” Where do you prefer to run? Trails, treadmill, road, etc.? “I definitely prefer to run outdoors. My neighborhood is pretty flat and boring but it's laid out for easy routing a

This gift is a little bit more visual and you may have seen others using them and wondered "What on earth?" They are called compression sleeves or compression socks. I gave the gift of compression sleeves.  There are many benefits of compression sleeves for instance if you cramp up a lot while you are running they can help reduce the frequency or if your healing time takes a few days and you want to shorten that, they can help with that as well.  Pro compression states that "benefits such as improved blood flow, stability and comfort are universally understood." These are little bit hard to put on but can show great improvement of the reduction of swelling for instance. "True graduated compression promote circulation by squeezing fluids away from your feet and ankles toward your knees and core. This design reduces swelling and inflammation and provide critical support to muscles and tendons."  Even though I bought these for the use of running the

Yesterday was officially day two of Anthony's Merry Marathoner's Christmas. What he received most people don't really think of, but it can be a vital tool for long-distance running if your a man or even a woman.  It's body glide or an anti-Chase balm that you can place in areas such as nipples or wear a brawl my rub you wrong when you're running. It keeps the sores away and makes for a happy runner. It can be used and also to places even on your ankle where your new shoe might be rubbing you wrong. If you get a run with a cotton T-shirt on you know that's just bad news Bears and this is the perfect product to help with that. It's just a new and improved version of the old classic Vaseline which still works great but can get messy really fast. The new bar form of body glide makes it much easier to apply and travel friendly.  Very Merry Christmas and keep on running!

Well it's here! It's here I have finished our first week of our full marathon training for the mountains to beach marathon in Ventura California in May. Where using the My Asics customizable training plan to create our own training plan. You can create a plan online or on your phone. But I really like about is how flexible it is. I think it will be a great tool for us in the long run.  Last night before I run I decided to start Anthony's Merry Marathon Christmas early because of the gift I gave him. We now have his and her knuckle lights! It turns out they work pretty well, I was a little hesitant because you have to kind of are holding it your hand while you're running but it turns out they are way way better than using a headlamp which just falls off. I'm really looking forward to all of the other Christmas gifts for Anthony and it may be a little bit because I get to "use" them too LOL.  I hope you are having a very Merry Christmas season and are still

This weekend I ran in Seattle half marathon and it was 26° at the start which is the coldest temperatures I have ever run in but I went prepared. I wore my running leggings like normal with an extra pair of sweatpants on top which were meant to be donated at one of the water stops if I warmed up enough. And then I wore to longsleeve running shirts and then a sweater that was also meant to be donated if I became warm enough during the run, which I ended up donating at mile two.  I also wore my light weight running gloves and a light weight headband just to keep my ears covered and ended up being perfect not too much not too little.  Last night I went out for a run with Anthony and it was 30°. I just wore my running capris, two long sleeve running shirts, gloves and my headband. I was a little chilled but I quickly realize that was because the sun wasn't out versus on Sunday the sun was shining bright. But overall for running it was just right. Anthony because he's still a

It's finally here! My favorite time of the year! I was even a good girl this year and waited until after Thanksgiving to start setting up my Christmas decorations. This year was a very special year because I was able to set up my Christmas tree with my boyfriend Anthony. This is the first time we've been able to set up Christmas tree together, cheesy I know but it was a first for us. In order to set up my Christmas tree this year I had to do some fancy rearranging in order to create a space for it. But I was bound and determined to make it work, so I moved my desk and computer over to Anthony's just create a spot for Christmas tree in my dining room. It's also allowed enough space for my Christmas guest to sleep. So it's a win-win rearranging decision. I have a few more Christmas decorations to put up but this year I'm not decorating nearly as much as I did last year. Simply because I don't want to spend as much money this year, I don't want to spe

Yesterday I ran in the Amica Seattle half marathon in downtown Seattle. At the start it was 26° and I had severe reservations about running because I never ran in such cold weather before but It didn't hold me back and I ran the race anyway.  Before the race I met up with the Seattle Green Lake Running Group in the Seattle Center Armoury for a group photo.  You can barely see me but I am there! Far  right peeking over a head lol  At the packet pick up on Saturday I met the 2 hour and 30 minute pacer. I joked and said I would be following him at the race and he said "No, you'll be running with me!". I laughed and brush it off but come race time I met up with him on the race line, and you know what? We ran the whole race together! We started off as a large group but it didn't take long for people to thin out. And by the end it was the two Pacers and my new friend Arjun crossed that finish line together. This race is one of the harder races