Power Plank Challenge WINNER!

Hey friends!  First I want to say a special thank you to Holly at Running and Baking Oh My for co-hosting this challenge with me and providing the awesome prize!  And I also want to thank all of YOU who participated!!!  This challenge was so much fun!  Yes....I participated too...although I wasn't eligible to win the prize (insert sad face here).  So I know you want to know the winner but first I'm going to make you read all about MY experience with the challenge.  :-)

I had decided from the start that I wanted to do at least one minute planks.  I knew I probably wouldn't be able to do two minutes or more so one minute or more was my goal.  Also, the challenge was for 8 hours but some of my plank a day tweeps (twitter friends) decided they wanted to do it for 12 hours.  Aren't you glad I didn't make YOU do it for that long???  ;-)  So 12 hours was my other goal!  And me and my tweeps decided to all do the challenge together on Monday.  Luckily, I am a teacher and have the summers off so I didn't have to work.  And we didn't have any plans that day either so I could plank at home!  We did have a T-Ball game that I was going to have to plank during but it got rained out.  So I was pretty lucky to be able to plank in the privacy of my home unlike some of you!  It was a lot of fun though because I got my two boys involved!  They planked with me on some of the planks!  And they took the pictures for me!  I planked all over the house...in the bedrooms, in the living room, in the dining room, in the kitchen, and in the backyard!  Fun stuff!

I also LOVED all the twitter and Instagram encouragement from all of YOU!  Y'all seriously ROCK!

Here's the final pic with all 8 of my times for the official challenge!  Yay!  I made my one minute goal!

And here's the pic of my four other planks for the 12 hour challenge!

Yes the planks got a little harder as the day wore on!  But I could also feel the plank working my core and I LOVED that!  That IS why I'm doing these planks after all...to get my core stronger so that I can be a better runner!

Here are some of my favorite planking pictures throughout the day!

And here are some of my favorite planking pictures from YOU!  (Hope you don't mind that I'm sharing!)

Larisa from Zero to Twenty Six Point Two!

Amanda from Becoming a Healthier Mama!

Amalia from Live, Travel, Eat, and Run!

Beth from Life is a Run!

Wanda (Larisa's Mom)!

Sarah from Mom Running On Empty!

Cristina at Triathlon Mami!

I had so much fun seeing all of your planking pics!!!  And I LOVED the creative ways you put all of your planking times together too!  

I know, I know...you are ready to know the winner!  My boys wanted to help so I let them pick the name out of a hat!  You'll need to watch the video to see the winner!  

And the WINNER is......


@amaelibir!!!!  Amalia from Live, Travel, Eat, and Run!!!  Congratulations Amalia!!!!  Please contact Holly on twitter or by email so she can get started on your tank!

Thanks again to everyone who participated!!!

QOTD: What's the longest time you've ever held a plank?

The Weekly Chase...Challenge, Writing, and Cooking!

It's my favorite time of the week....The Weekly Chase!!!  If you haven't linked up for The Weekly Chase yet then you are missing out!  I am so thankful that Melissa at Live, Love, and Run started this!  I look forward to it every week!

So let's talk about last week's goals!  

• Goal #1: Make up my own workout.
• Goal #2: Make my little guy's birthday extra special.
• Goal #3: Cook at least one meal at home.

Goal #1...success!  I made up my own legs and glutes workout and will be sharing it with you on Friday!!!

Goal #2...success!  Hayden had a great birthday!  Thanks so much to all of you for the happy birthday comments and tweets!  I heard Hayden tell his brother Sawyer that "this is the BEST birthday ever!"  In case you missed it you can read more about what we did on his birthday HERE.  


Goal #3...success!  Despite having THREE T-Ball games last week I DID manage to cook one meal at home!!!  And I know you want to know what it was!  You're not going to be too impressed...but please remember that I am an awful cook so you get what you get lol!  I cooked spaghetti (because it's Hayden's favorite) and made a salad. Yay for me!!!  ;-)

So it was a pretty successful week for me!

Time for this week's goals!

Goal #1: Do the Power Plank Challenge!  And I would LOVE for you to join me!!!  There's a giveaway involved! ;-)  This means I will be planking once an hour for 8 hours!!!  Actually I will be planking once an hour for 12 hours because that's the goal my plankaday tweeps on twitter decided!  But for the challenge you only have to do it for 8 hours!  :-)


Goal #2: Write my Sweat Pink Blog Swap post.  One of my sweat pink sisters started a sweat pink blog swap where we are paired up with another sister and we swap posts for each other's blogs!  Should be lots of fun but I've got to think of a topic and get to writing!

Goal #3: Cook at least one meal at home. Yes I'm doing this one again!  It was so nice having a home cooked meal this past week!  This one will be challenging...we have T-Ball FOUR nights this week!  

So there's my goals for the week!!!  

QOTD: What are YOUR goals for the week?

Birthday Festivities and Long Run Day!

Stats-
9 miles/1:39:10
Average pace- 11:01

Plank a day- 1:39  Planks are tough after running 9 miles!

Woohoo! My Sole2Soul Sisters are rocking these long runs! It was a tough, hilly 9 miles but they did it! 


My run was full of different feelings.  My legs were tired and at mile 5 I was ready to be done but I pushed through and the end of the run was awesome!  But I've noticed the past two long runs that I am getting tired a lot sooner than normal...I'm wondering if it's due to the heat and humidity?  Any ideas?  

I ran this entire run with Gina and Angela (plus a few others that joined us at different points of the run).  They are running the Disney Marathon in January with me...can't wait!

It's hard for you to see but I was soaked with sweat...I could wring water out of the bottom of my skirt!!!  That's how sweaty I was!  SweatPink!!!  :-)

Hayden's birthday was great!  My hubby took off work for the day so we got to hang out all day as a family!  We were going to take the boys swimming but once Hayden opened his presents he wanted to stay home and play with them.

It was his day so we let him choose the activities for the day....so we stayed home and built a Lego Fire Station!

That night Hayden had a T-Ball game.  My hubby's parents came to watch the game and then we all went out to dinner at Cracker Barrel...Hayden's choice!  Funny thing....it was our waitress' birthday too!  She of course brought him ice cream and sang to him...and she wanted a picture with him!

After dinner we went back home and had cake....he wanted me to make him a strawberry cake with strawberry icing!  Fine by me because that's my favorite too!  :-)

I think he had a great day!  I recall hearing him tell his brother, "This is the BEST birthday ever!"  Yay!  My mission was accomplished!  ;-)

In case you missed it, I did my plank in honor of Hayden's birthday on Friday.  I also took a video of me planking...enjoy!  :-)

Don't forget about the Power Plank Challenge and Giveaway!!!  Time's running out!  Only two more days to get it done!  I'm doing the challenge on Monday!  Remember...you MUST tag @roadrunnergirl and @running_baking in the comment section of Instagram in order for us to see your entry.  Also...if your account is private we CANNOT see your picture even if you tag us!  :-)

QOTD:  How is everyone enjoying the Olympics?  What was your favorite part of the opening ceremony?

I Am a Guest Poster...3 Times!

Yesterday's Stats-
3.11 miles/30:44
Average pace- 9:52

Plank a day- 2:07

I was so excited about the Power Plank Challenge and Giveaway yesterday that I totally forgot to tell you about my run yesterday morning!!!  The humidity was in full force! It was one of those days where you walk outside and the air is thick. I barreled through it and got my run in! Run felt pretty good...it was just super hot! I saw several people out running...including my friend Christina and her hubby! :-)  And I saw several people walking!  I LOVE seeing people out being active!  It makes my heart happy!!!  

So I'm pretty excited to have been a guest poster on other blogs 3 times!!!  I wrote two guest posts for my friend Melissa at Live, Love, and Run!  She ran her first half marathon in Chicago last weekend and is still out of town this week celebrating!  She deserves it...she rocked her first half and has already signed up for her second!!!  I love that!!!


My first post for her was about MY first half marathon!  It was fun writing about it and remembering my experience!  I've already told you about this one but in case you missed it you can read it HERE.  


The second post I wrote for her was about staying motivated before and after the race.  I believe you have to stay motivated in order to train for long distances and races.  You can read it HERE.


And my third post went up on Fit Approach!  You know...the organization that I am a Sweat Pink Ambassador for?  They asked me to write about my "aha fitness moment."  So I chose to write about how I became a runner.  You can read it HERE.


I would appreciate all kinds of love on all three of these posts!  You can leave me love here too of course!  ;-)


Don't forget about the Power Plank Challenge and Giveaway!!!  I can't wait to see all of your pictures!!!

Power Plank Challenge and Giveaway!

So you know how I've been planking every day?  Well, I am up for a planking challenge!  Me and my friend Holly at Running and Baking, Oh My are hosting the "Power Plank Challenge" and we want YOU to join us!!!   So what's the challenge???

Plank once an hour for 8 hours!

<a href=" http://www.roadrunnergirl.com " target="blank"> <img src="http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj517/hollyj0077/planks.jpg"/> </a>  

That's it!!!  Your planks do not have to be for a specific time...just plank as long as you can!  


Why do you want to complete this challenge???  For a strong core of course!!!  And...for a chance to win one of these awesome tanks that Holly makes!  

Except your tank will say "I Plank for Power."  How cool is that?  The tank will be personalized so if you win you get to discuss the colors, size, etc. with Holly!  ;-)  And for the guys....Holly has a shirt planned for you...without the ribbon!  :-)


How to enter (this will be done through Instagram...comments on this post will not qualify as entries):

1. Mandatory: Take a picture of all 8 of your plank times.  Be creative...you can write all of them down on a piece of paper, make a collage, etc.  Post the picture to Instagram and tag @roadrunnergirl @running_baking #powerplankchallenge to be entered.
2. Extra: Take a picture of yourself planking.  We would LOVE to see pics of you planking in weird places...like work, etc.  You are doing this every hour for 8 hours so there's no telling where you will have to plank!  :-)   Post the picture to Instagram and tag @roadrunnergirl @running_baking #powerplankchallenge to be entered.

NOTE:  If your Instagram account is private, we won't be able to see your pictures even if you tag us in them.  So you'll have to change your privacy setttings for this challenge!  ;-)

Challenge ends on Tuesday, July 31st at 11PM CST.  The winner of the shirt will be announced on Wednesday, August 1st!

Make sure to tweet about the challenge using the hashtag #powerplankchallenge!


Please follow me on twitter @mindybobe and Holly on twitter @running_baking so we can see all your tweets about the challenge!  :-)


And feel free to grab the Power Plank Challenge button at the beginning of this post to display on your own blog or website! :-)


Happy Planking!!!!