TWIW

Here is my short and sweet summary of this week in training (TWIW). This past week marks the end of week 6 of my half marathon training.

Sunday- Rest

Monday-Rest

Tuesday-3 miles

Wednesday-Rest

Thursday-6 miles

Friday-Rest

Saturday-6 miles in the rain! 

I learned yesterday that six miles in the rain in VA is different than six miles in the rain in FL. The rain makes it cold here, I was totally shocked by that. I needed a warm shower after my run. FL had made want a cold shower after a run, even if it had been raining.

This week, actually yesterday, I also signed up to run the Nike Women's Half Marathon in DC in April with Team in Training. I'm stoked. Want to help me reach my goal? You can here. I can't wait to run that race and work with Team In Training. I've heard its an amazing experience.

How was your week? I hope this week is a great one for you!

God Bless.

Nike Women's Half in DC

For the longest time I have wanted to run the Nike Women's Half in San Francisco. But I don't live in CA anymore so that's not the easiest race to run. But I just found out that there is going to be one in DC this April. This will be the very first time the race is held in DC and I've signed up to run it with Team In Training. DC is just three hours from our home in VA so I'm stoked to find out about this race. 

Please help me reach my goal for Team In Training. You can donate to my page here: http://pages.teamintraining.org/va/nikewhlf13/amiller7905

I've never run a race before where I had to fund-raise  Have you? I have participated in the Alzheimer's walk and I raised money for it, but this will be the first time I have a goal to reach. I have heard Team In Training is an awesome experience. I hope it is for me.

God Bless.

RoadID Affiliate

Have you noticed the new RoadID banner on the top of my page? Or the one in the sidebar? Or the one at the bottom? If you haven't how did you miss it?! It's there because I'm excited to announce that I am now a RoadID affiliate. Through the links on my blog you can go directly to RoadID's website and create your very own RoadID.

Why should you get a RoadID? Because it can save your life! Using the information you add to your RoadID valuable time can be saved if something were to happen to you while you are out walking, cycling, running or any other time. 

My personal RoadID is the Wrist ID Sport in purple. It has my full name on the first line.The town that I am living in on the second line. The third line has contact information for my husband. The fourth line is how to contact my mother. On the fifth line it says NKDA (no known drug allergies) and O Negative  blood type. And the on the sixth and final line you can find Isaiah 40:31 which is my fave Bible verse.

Wearing my RoadID makes me feel more comfortable. It's easily accessible so that if something were to happen to me while I am out on a run emergency services would know who to contact. I also make a point to tell all of my runner partners that I am wearing it so they will know who to contact if they are with me and something happens. 

I also, just today, received my Reflective Ankle straps so that I am more visible on the road. Just a quick strap of velcro around my ankles and I have an extra layer of visibility. RoadId offers a variety of equipment that can add to your safety on the road. Do you yourself a favor and go and check it out. I promise, your life is worth it.

God Bless.

TWIW (This Week In Workouts)

So let's talk about this past week. Last Sunday was a rest day for me, as it always is. Monday morning I ran 3.5 miles with my lovely husband. My husband who dreads running so it greatly pleases me when he runs with me. I enjoy it so much. Tuesday I ran 6 miles in just barely under an hour. This was the first solo six miler I have ever completed. I am used to running my girls in FL but since we moved I still have to get my training in and the run went better than I thought it would. Wednesday was a rest day. Thursday was my long run of the week since I would be racing a 5k on Saturday. My long run was seven miles. In that seven miles I really learned how small my new town is. I had to do loops and laps to complete seven. I need to start asking around about were is and isn't safe to run in the morning. Friday was an intentional rest day just because I would be racing the next morning. Saturday, my big day for the week, I competed the in Greensville-Emporia Peanut Festival 5k/10k. I won't brag too much since I already did that here. But I will say that I PRed and came home with a trophy. I would say it was a good week. How was yours?

God Bless.

Virginia Peanut Festival 5k/10k

How awesome is it that I have lived in VA a whole 15 days and I can say that I have already run two races?! I ran The Color Run last weekend and today The Virginia Peanut Festival 5k. Today's small town race was sponsored by the YMCA, where it also started and finished. 

Race shirt.

For it being a small town race I was pleasantly surprised by the nice shirt at packet pick up last night. Good color and even tech fabric.

My "Flat Mama" aka my race attire.

This was the first race that I was able to sport my Sweat Pink Ambassador Race Pink Shirt. I also wore my Moving Comfort Vixen Sports Bra, Phat Girlz Sweaty Band, Soleus GPS 2.0, Oiselle Distance Shorts, Fox River Socks, RoadId, my Brooks Ravenna 3 shoes and of course my Fit Approach Sweat Pink laces.

Proudly holding my award :)

Last week I came very close to beating my lifetime PR. A PR that I set way back my senior year of high school at my very last cross country meet. So I was on a mission to beat it today. And I can proudly say that I did. My old PR was 26:28 and today I crossed the line with an official time of 25:25. AND not only did a break my PR but I was the second place overall female runner in the 5k. The first place female runner was only 20 seconds ahead of me but I just couldn't catch her. She got a slightly larger trophy and a gift certificate for RoadID. And I'm quite happy that she got the RoadID gift certificate because she doesn't have one and I do. Plus she was really nice and we talked about running together next week.

I had an awesome race weekend. Now it's off to enjoy the Peanut Festival festivities. How was your weekend? Did you Sweat Pink? Do you have a RoadId? If not, you really should look into getting on. I feel much safer knowing that someone could reach my husband if something happened to me.

God Bless.

The Color Run Richmond

Ever since I heard somewhere about The Color Run I have been dying to do one. I even included it on my running bucket list. When we found out we were moving to Virginia I started looking at my race opportunities. First and foremost was a half marathon since that is my goal race for the year. Well I found that and registered. I will be running The American Family Fitness Half Marathon in Richmond VA. (In less than 50 days!) Then I looked up The Color Run and much to my delight I found one and it was a mere 6 days after my birthday. So I politely asked my husband (who dreads running) if he would run it with my to celebrate my birthday. It was such an amazing experience.

In case you have never heard the The Color Run, click on the link above, it's the Happiest 5k on the planet. All runners must wear a white shirt and at every kilometer mark they throw colored powder on you. Don't worry it won't hurt you, it's just colored cornstarch. I even got some in my eye and I can say that it was just like the normal, "I have a bug in my eye" annoying feeling. Then after the run they have a color party where you open your color packet and toss it around so you get colored by everyone around you.

Yes, I bought these super cool socks at packet pickup!

Here we are clean and white pre-race.

This is the first race I have ever toed the line. Meaning, I stood on the start line and was one of the first women to cross it. We got there super early because we wanted to be in the first wave of people. There were 8000 other runners. And when we were leaving the race and after party the last group was just barely starting.

My time, my post-mother hood PR. Only behind my lifetime PR by 18 seconds. The Color Run is not a timed event so I made sure to time it myself.

Post race colorfulness! :)

My racing shoes with my Fit Approach Sweat Pink laces. 

I can officially say that The Color Run was one of the coolest races I have ever done. I didn't get as colorful as I thought because it was really windy but they make sure you get lots of color at the after party. It was such a fun environment and very runner and walker friendly. And I got to check another race off my Running Bucket List.

What is the coolest race you have run? What races are you looking forward to?

God Bless.

M.I.A.

If there is anyone out there who actually follows my blog, sorry I have been M.I.A. We are getting settled in our new home and we FINALLY got the internet back yesterday. Apparently, being in a small town means Comcast is allowed to make you wait a week for hook up. So sorry. Look out for up an coming post (maybe tomorrow when I have a little more time) about The Color Run my husband and I did last weekend.

God Bless.