Runner Spotlights #89

I assure you we are having a blast in California! I can't wait to tell you all about it when we return home! :-)

Now it's time for another runner spotlight...my favorite time of the week! I love reading other runners' stories about their running journey! If you are interested in being spotlighted on my blog please email me at mindy@roadrunnergirl.com! I'd love to spotlight you! You don't have to have a blog to be spotlighted...you just have to be a runner! ;-) And I'm running low on spotlights so now's your time to shine!!!

Today I'm spotlighting Leslie from Running on Borrowed Time! Running really changed her life like it does so many of us. Keep reading to learn more about her running journey!

Name: Leslie Hesselbein

State: Arkansas

When and why did you start running? 

I talk about this in one of my blog posts: http://senoracorrida.wordpress.com/2014/02/24/women-can-run/

“I’d just turned 37 (December) years old. I had been gaining weight at an alarming rate since turning 35…  I was tired, feeling old, and wanted to change.  I didn’t want the “best” part of my life to be over already… and I was mourning the loss of a sweet young friend’s leg to her battle against cancer… so I decided to run. I signed up for a 5K to be held in February, 2012… even though I could not run a single mile. The road I live on dead ends on a cul-de-sac. The whole thing is half a mile. So I’d walk uphill to the cul-de-sac and run downhill to the stop sign… turn around and repeat. Slowly, I was able to run part of the way back up to the cul-de-sac. On the hill back up, (which these days doesn’t even count as a “hill”) I’d say my sweet young friend’s name over and over as I put one foot in front of another. It was HARD! …but not as hard, on any level, as what she was dealing with every day in her brand new life as an amputee.  Many times I’d cry as I thought of her and the pain she was facing. I praised God for each step, no matter how tough.”

Then I just kept running….

What is your favorite race and race distance?

My favorite race is the Soaring Wings Half Marathon in Conway, Arkansas. http://www.swhalf.com/ The half-marathon is my FAVORITE distance right now…very challenging, but totally possible.

What is your race day routine?

Wake up and get dressed (usually have it all laid out). I generally eat a piece of toast with peanut butter, or a piece of cheese toast, and half a banana. I’m really sick of bananas, so I have to make myself do this. Then I try to get to the race at least 30 minutes before it starts, so I’m not stressing out and have time for the restroom (usually more than once).

What is your most favorite piece of running gear?

Well, I recently bought a Garmin Forerunner, so it’s my current favorite… but I rely on my Body Glide.

Do you follow any diet or take any specific supplements that complement your running?

No. Sometimes I take potassium because I suffer from calf cramps, but not regularly.

What do you wish you’d known when you first started running?

I wish I’d known that it’s an amazing, incredible blessing, even when it’s HARD (or especially when it’s hard)! I wish I’d known that I was CAPABLE of being one of those “crazy” women running in all weather and places and even on vacations. I should have started SOONER!

What is your fondest running memory?

I HAVE SO MANY….

-When I ran the Doc Rock and Run Half in Jonesboro, Arkansas…I had fun with my sole sisters that I traveled with, but I ended up running alone with NO MUSIC- and I had the best time with my Lord on that run. I told a guy he was my pacer at a water station, and he loved it. I later passed him, with some encouragement. He found me after the race and gave me a hug. It was great and I’ll never forget it. http://docrockandrun.racesonline.com/

-First Women Can Run 5K as a coach… so incredibly inspiring!

-Gorgeous Pre-Run for 3B26… fantastically beautiful day with friends, longest run to date at that time...

-Climbing Mt. Nebo this past summer during the 13+ miler and the PERFECT song comes on to remind me of how gloriously awesome my God is, and how much He loves me…just in time.

-Crossing the finish line of a FULL MARATHON!!!!

-COUNTLESS TRAINING RUNS WITH FANTASTIC PEOPLE! RUNNERS ARE INCREDIBLE!!!

What is one thing that most people do not know about you?

I really like to be alone… I enjoy time outside with just God, all by myself…

I work, run, and play with others all the time- and I ADORE it. Everyone knows I love people… but I also just love to be alone.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

We are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” We have bodies that can do amazing things. Our frames, our casings, all of it… so fragile and yet so AWESOMELY TOUGH…

I pray you never waste a moment regretting the body you have, but USE IT!  I praise God for making us unique and incredible… precious. I pray that you would all recognize how precious you are. There’s only one you, ever… 

You can connect with Leslie on her blog!

Blog: http://senoracorrida.wordpress.com/

Thanks so much for sharing with us Leslie!!!

QOTD: What did you do this weekend?

Fitness Friday...June 6th Edition!

Can you believe it's already June? It seems like the month of May just flew by! We are having an absolute blast so far in San Francisco! It has been so awesome to be with my best friend Stephanie! I have missed her so much! I wish I could freeze time because our time here seems to be going by way too fast!

It's time for Fitness Friday! I'm excited to tell you all about my runs this week! Yes I am still streaking! What's pretty cool is that my runs in the beginning of the week were in Alabama and my runs the last part of the week were in California! When will I be able to say that again in my lifetime?

• Friday- #plankaday 1:00, 1 mile run

• Saturday- 6 mile run in 1:04:11 average pace 10:41

• Sunday- 2.25 mile run in 20:46 average pace 9:14

• Monday- #plankaday 1:05, 3.11 mile run in 29:13 average pace 9:24

• Tuesday- 1 mile run, flight to California!!!

• Wednesday- 1 mile run in Cali with my friend's dog Molly!!! 

• Thursday- 3.11 mile run in 31:01 average pace 9:58

Weight loss this week: 1.1 lbs.
Weight loss total: 17.9 lbs.

It was a great week of running! I was able to run before my flight to California on Tuesday. I've also kept up the run streak here in California! It's beautiful here in California! The temperatures when I've been running have been in the high 50's to low 60's! But then it gets pretty hot! I haven't been planking though. I need to get back on that!

I'm super happy with the weight loss this week too! My goal while in Cali is to at least maintain my weight and not gain. But I feel like I've been doing pretty good so far. I've stayed under my calories since I've been here. I won't get to weight next week (don't want to be inconsistent and weigh on a different scale) but I'll weigh when I return home.

I probably won't run a long run while I'm here in Cali. I hope to run at least a 3 miler on the weekends.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

QOTD: What was your best run or workout this week?

6 Mile Group Run!

I was excited about my long run this past weekend because I was running with my Sole2Soul Sisters! I haven't run in a big group in a while and I was looking forward to it! The only downside...a 5AM wake up call since we were running at 5:30.

When my alarm went off my body didn't seem to know what to do lol! It's already gotten used to those lazy summer mornings! But I dragged myself out of bed anyway. I was ready to run!

When we got to our meetup spot one of the ladies noticed that we all had on runningskirt.com skirts (use code roadrunnerskirt for 15% off)!!! We decided we MUST take a picture! Look how awesome we all look!!!

After the picture we decided it was time to start running! I was excited about the route because it had been a long time since I had run this one! One of my favorite things about where I live is that one day I could be running by the bay and the next day I could be running in the country! This run was a country route! Yes I saw several fields of hay, fields with cows, and fields with horses!

You can see in the picture that it was a little foggy. It was also super humid. It had been raining here for 3 days and there was rain in the forecast on this day too. I was just hoping the rain would hold off until after our run.

I felt really great the entire run! There wasn't a moment during the run that I felt like I needed to slow down or take a break. The only thing that was bothering me was the humidity and all the sweat that was dripping on every inch of my body.

Before I knew it...the run was done! 6 miles flew by!

Don't you just love my new Garmin? I sure do!!!

And right when I stopped running....it started raining! It held off just in time for us to get our miles in!

I was thankful to get this run in...and run with a group! I have no idea if I will get in a long run while I'm in San Francisco the next few weeks. So this one had to count! ;-)

QOTD: Do you run long runs while on vacation?

National Running Day 2014!

Today is National Running Day!!! It's one of my favorite days of the year as a runner! I hope you get out there and RUN today! I will definitely be running today in California!

What is National Running Day? It is a day for runners all around the globe to celebrate their passion for running! You can be a long time runner or one that is just starting out. You can decide TODAY that you want to be a runner...and get out there and run for the first time!

As always nationalrunningday.org has several resources for you to help you celebrate today! You can download your own running bib HERE.

You can pledge your miles HERE through Charity Miles. You can find a group run to participate in through meetup.com. Or you can run all on your own!

National Running Day is all about celebrating the run and declaring the reason why you run! You can download a blank running day logo HERE and declare why you run!

Another option is to sign up for a free virtual race through Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series! You can sign up HERE to participate! They also have hosted runs in major cities so be sure to check and see if one is near you! 

There is also a one day of savings on all Competitor Group, Inc. Series on June 4, 2014

o $20 off domestic Rock ‘n’ Roll full, half, relay & bike

o $5 off 5k, 10k, Mini

o €5 off Int’l RNR

o $5 off Carlsbad 5000

o $20 off Women’s Running Series

o $20 off TriRock (excluding Nations)

Several other companies will be offering discounts on National Running Day so be sure to keep an eye out for them on Social Media! 

Happy Running!

QOTD: Why do you run? Complete the sentence "I Run..."

The Day Has Come!

The day has come! Me and my boys are leaving today to head to San Francisco, California to visit my best friend Stephanie and her family! We are so excited! I'm not sure if any of us slept much last night because we just can't wait to get there!

source

I ask for prayers for safe travel for us. This will be my boys' first time flying and I haven't flown in 14 years! Things (especially the security aspect) have changed quite a bit since the last time I flew! Please pray we get there safely and that everything goes smoothly. Please pray for our safety while we are there. Please pray for our safety on the trip home. Thanks so much!

I've scheduled quite a few posts for the blog while I'm gone. I will have my laptop with me so I can be reached. And I will try to update you with a few picture posts while I'm there too! So please keep stopping by! :-)

Next time we talk...we will be in Cali!!! :-)

QOTD: Do you like to fly? Or do you prefer to drive to your destination?

The Weekly Chase #74!

Happy Monday! I'm super excited because we leave for San Francisco this week!!! We are going to have a blast! Just gotta get through the long day of traveling to get there! Hopefully all goes smooth and my boys behave on the plane lol!

Now it's time for another Weekly Chase! I'm ready to tell you all about my goals for this week! I hope you will link up your own goals with me too! And feel free to use the badge below in your post too! You can grab the badge HERE! :-)

Here are my goals from last week!

• Goal #1: Run every day! Yes!!! The streaking has begun and I'm having a blast!
• Goal #2: Roll and stretch daily. Yes! Now that I'm running every day this is a must! It has become part of my routine after running.
• Goal #3: Log and stay under all my calories this week. Yes! I am still working hard at this and making healthy food choices. 
• Goal #4: Cook most of our meals at home this week. Yes! Not working has really made it easier to plan meals. We ate at home every night this week!
• Goal #5: Take the boys swimming at least once this week. No. :-( It has rained every day since Wednesday so this hasn't happened. 

Here are my goals for this week!

Goal #1: Run every day! I plan to keep the streak alive even when we are in California! I may only get to run 1 mile each day but I will still be streaking!

Goal #2: Roll and stretch daily. Gotta continue this each day now that I'm running every day.

Goal #3: Log and stay under all my calories this week. I'm going to try my hardest to make healthy food choices while I'm on vacation. I know I will want to try some of the yummy restaurants so my goal is to make the best choices that I can. Stephanie has already promised me she would help me with this! :-)

Goal #4: Pack! I need to finish packing all of our things for our trip. Have I ever mentioned that I hate packing??? 

So that's the plan for me this week! I hope your goal chasing this week goes well too!

QOTD: What are your goals this week?

Runner Spotlights #88

How has your weekend been? We've had a great one but I've been busy getting things ready for our trip! So excited!

Now it's time for another runner spotlight...my favorite time of the week! I love reading other runners' stories about their running journey! If you are interested in being spotlighted on my blog please email me at mindy@roadrunnergirl.com! I'd love to spotlight you! You don't have to have a blog to be spotlighted...you just have to be a runner! ;-) And I'm running low on spotlights so now's your time to shine!!!

Today I'm spotlighting Joanna from Run Fast Eat Lots! Some of you may know her as Jojo! I've been reading her blog for a little while now and she is such an inspiration! Not only does she run but she is also an avid biker! She is leaving today to ride across America, from Baltimore to Portland, with the 4K for Cancer! That's 4400+ miles! Wow! For now...continue reading to learn more about her running journey!

Name: Joanna

State: Maryland

When and why did you start running?

I am one of those runners who strongly disliked running until I started loving it. I have been active all my life though I preferred other sports that I thought were more exciting. In college, I didn't play any sports and lead a pretty inactive and unhealthy lifestyle. I knew that I needed to get more exercise, but the thought of running wasn't very appealing. I would get into a "health kick" and run a few times a week, but the habit just didn't stick. It wasn't until the summer of 2012 after my junior year that I really started to fall in love with running. One day, a friend and I decided to sign up for the Rock n' Roll half marathon together. It took some guts, but signing up with my friend gave me the courage to say, "what the hell, let's do it!" Once I commit to something, I give it my all. I went from barely being able to run 3 miles to doing long runs of up to 12 miles in the fall. I had a great time running the half marathon with my friend, and even before I crossed the finish line, I knew that I would be a runner for life!

What is your favorite race and race distance?

My favorite race is the Turkey Chase 10K on Thanksgiving in my hometown. I’ve been running it for the past two years, and I want to make the effort to do it every year because that would mean coming home to spend Thanksgiving with the family.

My favorite race distance is the marathon. There’s something awe-inspiring about the distance that is so intimidating to me. It’s a race of endurance that is both physical and mental. Doing races that challenge me the most makes me face my fears and reveals what I’m truly made of. Those last few miles truly test me, and let me see how deeply I can dig within me.

What is your race day routine?

I like to wake up at least 1 hour before I have to leave the house to give me plenty of time to get ready. First thing I do is make coffee and breakfast. I always eat a full breakfast that’s rich in carbs, with some protein from peanut butter or eggs, such as bagels, oatmeal, or French toast. When I get to the race site, I usually head straight to the portapotties. I take some photos, check my gear if I need to, do a brief warm up with a light jog and strides, and then wait in the corrals until race start.

What is your most favorite piece of running gear?

I used to be a non-believer of GPS watches, but once I got my Garmin 310XT, I am converted! As I train for speed, I find that having a watch and getting real-time feedback is invaluable to my training. I don’t want to say that I’m addicted, but I rarely run without my watch anymore. Fine, I’m a data junkie.

Do you follow any diet or take any specific supplements that complement your running?

I do not follow a diet and believe in eating intuitively. I stick with mostly whole foods, but I also don’t shy away from less than healthy foods when I want it! In general, my food philosophy is to eat mostly plant-based, whole foods, avoid the artificial crap, and indulge every once in a while. I actually wrote a whole post about my food philosophy: http://runfasteatlots.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-way-i-eat-it-my-food-philosophy.html 

What do you wish you’d known when you first started running?

I wish I had known that running ain’t cheap! It may seem simple, to throw on a shirt, shorts, and running shoes to start running, but wait, there’s more! Add on the costs of a running watch, race registration fees, hydration belt, more running shoes, $50 compression socks, shoe inserts, cute running clothes you can’t resist to buy, etc. Not to mention all the money I spend on food to fuel my running!

So. Worth. It.

What is your fondest running memory?

It’s easy to say my fondest memory was running my first race, or finishing my first marathon. However, I have to say that my fondest running memory was even before I started running! In my junior year of college, my brother came to visit me in St. Louis and to run the Go St. Louis Half Marathon. This was the second race that I spectated, and I had a really great time watching all the runners and seeing my brother cross the finish line. This memory stands out because it was the catalyst that got me to start running. Seeing people of all different shapes and athletic abilities made me believe that running a half marathon was possible for me. About two months, later, I got the guts to sign up for my first half marathon.

What is one thing that most people do not know about you?

I used to be a volleyball player in high school. I started playing junior varsity in 9^th grade, and played varsity from 10^th to 12^th grade, as well as a club team for two years. I’m only 5’6”, which is far from tall for a volleyball player, but I played front row! I was terrible at defense, and actually quite a decent hitter, so I played all three front-row positions. Unfortunately, I haven’t played volleyball since high school. I really love the sport, though there are only so many sports that I can do at one time!

Here are all the different ways you can connect with Jojo!

Blog: http://runfasteatlots.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RunFastEatLots

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Run-Fast-Eat-Lots/482671275179284

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jojomojow/

Thanks for sharing with us Jojo!!!

QOTD: What did you do this weekend?