Marathon Training Week 14 Recap

Posted by hellyontherun in 10k, Giveaway, Marathon, Race, Running and tagged with 10K, Marathon Training, Race, Recap, Running, Taper February 16, 2014

Wow. I am TWO weeks away from my FIRST marathon!!! I can’t believe it!!

It’s getting closer and closer and closer!!!

This was a pretty chill week as far as mileage:

Sunday, February 9th: Rest/Recovery day. I was still feeling the 20 miler from the day before for sure!!

Monday, February 10th: Blogilates Abs video, foam rolling, and stretching

Tuesday, February 11th: 10k Tuesday : ) Ran a relaxed 6.2 miles, 8:46/mile

Wednesday, February 12th: This is typically a speed/track day but my husband was out of town and my mother-in-law was able to baby sit while I ran. Relaxed 4 miles, 9:14/mile and a Blogilates abs video

Thursday, February 13th: 30 minutes on the elliptical and some hip and glute exercises. This was a big day because it was the first time I used the gym daycare with my kids. I was such a nervous wreck! You’d think I’d be excited to get some me time but I had no idea how they’d do in a day care setting. Of course they did well and I fretted for nothing but I’m not going to lie, I teared when I dropped them off and walked away…

Friday, February 14th: Rest Day 🙂 My husband came home from his work trip and it was nice to have a couple of Valentine’s Day hours with him

Saturday, February 15th: This would typically be a long run but with my 10k race tomorrow, I took it easy and ran 4 miles, 9:46/mile

And that’s the week in a nutshell! I’m very excited about my race tomorrow. It’s supposed to a gorgeous weather day, in the 80s! (don’t hate me), and the course is really pretty. I’m not sure what my goal is; I’ve been doing quite a few 6.2s in preparation so we’ll see what happens : ) Looking forward to sharing a recap with you!

Don’t forget the runningluv giveaway is still happening!! Click here to enter to win a FREE runningluv towel! Browse their website to see which you’d choose!!

Random Things I Love

Posted by hellyontherun in Not Running Related and tagged with Love, Personal Stuff, Random, Valentine's Day February 14, 2014

Here’s my obligatory Valentine’s Day blog about love : )

Of course we love our family, we love our kids, we love our jobs (well some of us do!), we love running, but today I want to share with you the little things that make me happy–just out of the blue things that bring a smile to my face : )

Random Things I Love:
(in no particular order)

1. I love how all the people who live on my street park their cars on their driveways or in their garage. There are zero cars lined on the street and this really makes me happy.

2. I love that my mom never leaves me voicemails. She’ll simply text me to call her back.

3. I love that Coca-cola puts their caffeine measurement on their cans. When I was pregnant, I wanted to know how much caffeine I was consuming and there it was, easy to find.

4. I love that Arizona doesn’t experience daylight savings time.

5. I love our Tempurpedic bed. It’s seriously the best ever ever.

6. I love the remote start on my car. I can get the A/C going before I get in.

7. I love Craig Sager. His style choices amuse me.

8. I love the refrigerator in my room. Another pregnancy related love–I’d get so thirsty and make my husband go downstairs to get me water he finally just bought a mini fridge and it’s never left our room.

9. I love that Jimmy John’s delivers even if you’re buying just one sandwich.

10. I love that I haven’t conformed to mechanical pencils.

11. I love the timer on my oven. I barely discovered it about a month ago and a lot of food has been saved since then. (I seriously thought the button was just to set the clock time.)

12. I love it when people tell me they can’t believe I run with no music.

13. I love forever stamps. I never have to worry if I have the current stamp price I just stick it on the envelope.

14. I love that Derek Jeter stayed a Yankee his entire career. I’m not a Yankee fan, or really a baseball fan for that matter, but I like loyalty and there’s not a whole lot of that in sports nowadays.

–Of course now I want to know some random things YOU love!! Share them in the comments section below!!

Don’t forget the runningluv giveaway is still happening! Click here to enter to win a FREE runningluv towel of your choice!

A RunningLuv Giveaway!!!

Posted by hellyontherun in Giveaway, Marathon, Running and tagged with Accessories, Celebration, Countdown, Free Stuff, Giveaway, Marathon, Running, RunningLuv February 12, 2014

I’ve hinted at several giveaways this month leading up to my very FIRST marathon March 1st!! 🙂 Well, we’ve got one down with two more to go…

I love their business phrase 🙂

The second giveaway is Valentine’s Day inspired. It’s from an up and coming business called runningluv (they launched in 2013!) and they specialize in fashionable running towels. This product appealed to me because I’m a sweater and I also get really bad cotton mouth when I run I usually end up pulling up my shirt or reaching for my sleeve to wipe–not something I like doing while I’m running.

This towel is designed to wrap around your hand so you don’t have to have a grip on it while you run–so you’re hands free. A major plus as the last thing I want to do while running is hold something. The runningluv towel has different options of wear and when you purchase a product, they send an insert with pictures of how you can use the towel. I love this.

Such a great detail

So you can wear it with the towel hanging, wrapped around your wrist, or in a fancier wrap across your hand (I chose this method). There’s also have a tutorial on their website–Again, another great detail.

I used the towel on one of my 10k Tuesday runs and during my long 20 miler this past Saturday. Both times I was so glad I had it. During my 6.2 run, I mostly needed it to wipe the sweat of my brow. On my long run, yeah…I needed it to get the grossness of cotton mouth out.

How I wore mine.

It was funny because before my run club began that morning’s long run, a buddy had a regular hand towel hanging from her hydration pack. I asked her what it was for and she said for sweat and cotton mouth. I lifted up my hand and showed her the runningluv towel and she said, “I knew someone would think of something like that! I hate messing with my pack trying to get my towel!”

The runningluv towel is super soft and is a bamboo/organic cotton terry blend and the band is a moisture wicking lycra/nylon blend. The band stretches to fit most hand sizes.

There are quite a few colors and designs to choose from too!

So…..One lucky reader will receive a FREE runningluv towel of their choice!!! Check out their website to see which one you’d choose : D

The deets:

First click on this a Rafflecopter giveaway

Then, comment below and tell me which color/design you’d choose.

For extra entries:
1. Like my Facebook page Helly On The Run
2. Like runningluv on Facebook
3. Follow me on Twitter @hellyontherun
4. Tweet about the giveaway
5. Follow me on Instagram @hellyontherun

Giveaway ends on February 19th.

Wanna win already? Use code HELLYONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire purchase at runningluv.com!!

Again, thank you so much for your encouragement and support throughout my training. The road to my first marathon is getting closer and closer and having you along the way has made it the most fun!! 😀

~helly

*I did receive the runningluv towel free of charge but the opinions expressed in this blog are mine and mine alone.