New Running Buys/Random Running Rambles

So I just ordered a GO Belt from Amazon and I'm pretty excited about it!  I would post a picture, but the picture is being funny, so here's the link if you want to see it.  What's really cool about it is that I received $20 worth of promotion codes for being part of the Gatorade online review board, so I only paid $2.24 for it to be shipped! :]  Good deal, no?

What has your experience been with running belts?  I really needed something for my phone and gels/chews, although I must say I've been getting pretty creative with creating carrying systems as of late!  But I'm kind of hesitant to have something around my waist, despite ALL the reviews saying it doesn't bounce at all, and you don't feel it, etc.  I'm probably going to end up looking like the biggest loser [not the one from the tv show, ha] but whatever.  Sometimes I feel like the "better" I get at running {I say better very loosely}, the more crap I have to carry around.  What's up with that?  I should be downsizing as I get better, not accumulating!  Oy vey.

In other news, my parents gave me some money for my birthday{in addition to a pretty cute Lilly Pulitzer shirt and PSYCH season 4 on dvd.  They're awesome}, and I'm thinking I'm gonna put it towards getting a runningskirts.com skirt.  Now to decide which one to get!  The princess ones are super cute AND 50% off right now, buut maybe I want a legit one?  You know, the one with the two running girls in the corner?  Ugh, I don't know.  I'm the worst decision maker ever.  But I'd like to decide soon, seeing as I'd like to have it for the half-marathon, which, by the way, is in

19 days.

Holy Moses.  Am I ready?  That would be a no.  Will I be ready?  I will certainly try!  I ran 9 miles this past weekend and while I was tired, I felt like I was able to stay pretty consistent with my pace, but said pace was slightly slower than my hoped-for race pace, and I felt like I was really pushing myself at the end.  Blast.  And I still have to add four point one more miles. 

Anyway, who's ready for some fall-running?  I must suffer from short-term memory loss after training for that first marathon in the winter and being *miserable, but after this nasty summer, I can't wait for some crisp fall running.   I also can't wait for some winter running, when I get to cross finish lines in the snow. 

Yep, definitely short-term memory loss.

{ps. don't forget to check out Katye's feature today and tell her how awesome she is!}

Featured Runner: Katye from Long Legs on the Loose

For our featured runner this week, we have Katye from Long Legs on the Loose.  I'm sure many of you already read her blog, but if not, now is a good time to start!  She's an awesome girl who started running just for charity and wears some seriously awesome outfits, as well as having some seriously long legs!  Enjoy her interview...you'll just love her!

Meet Katye.

{pictured above at her first marathon}

1.  What inspired you to start running in the first place?

Cancer. I was never a runner. I played soccer and did cheerleading but my movement of choice was always dance. Loved the way it let me express myself and clear my mind. But as of late, I was getting injured over and over and the doctor basically told me I was destroying my feet and ankles and if I wanted to stop breaking my toes and feet and spraining my ankles, I needed to not dance so much. Ugh! But I knew it was true and I knew I needed something to fill the hole. But I didn't know what that was until I got a purple pamphlet in the mail. And thew it away. And for some reason I picked it back up and checked it out. It was for Team in Training and before I knew it I had signed me and my dad (who was pub hopping in Ireland and had no idea at the time) up to run the Disney Half Marathon in January 2010 with a goal of raising $7,000. The rest is history =)

2.  What is your most memorable running moment?

Okay this one is so very hard. Its a very hard toss up between my first marathon and my first half. It might be a tie. The Disney Half was the first race over 5k I had ever run and at the time, I had only been running for 6 months. The stamina and endurance I acquired over those 6 months AMAZED me. How could I have made it from barely being able to make it thru 2 miles to finishing a half marathon? I was over the moon. The marathon was a bit different. Because of an IT injury, I really hadn't been able to train the way I wanted to. As a matter of fact, my longest run before my marathon was 14 miles. Yep that's it. Although I did run/walk a 16 miler. But needless to say I was nervous. But I did it and felt amazing! I loved every second of it. Never hit the wall. And as soon as I finished I was so overwhelmed. I burst into tears. The emotions I went through during that 4 hours and 19 minutes was amazing and I learned so much in those 26.2 miles.

3.  What piece of running gear will you never run without?

Running skirt. And not just a running skirt...a www.runningskirts.com running skirt! Most comfortable thing I have ever run in and now I can't stand running in shorts. I also LOVE my compression socks, hand held, Ipod, and my dearest Gracie (my garmin).

Me and T of Racing With Babes before the MAC Half in May

4.  Any upcoming races?

Yes! I have a the Philly Half Sept. 19th and the following weekend I am headed to Washington to run the You Go Girl Half with a bunch of WONDERFUL bloggers! In November I am coaching my TNTers on course at the Nike Women's Marathon. But I'm most excited to conquer the Goofy Challenge in January and BOSTON in April!

5.  What is your *dream* race or distance?

Dublin Marathon! I still have family in Ireland that I have never met so I would love to make a vacation of it.

6.  Have you ever run for charity? If so, what charity?

I am the DEFINITION of Charity runner =) So far I have raised $26,000 for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through Team In Training this year and am about to jump in to raising hopefully another $5,000 for Athletes Serving Athletes (http://www.athletesservingathletes.org) before Boston. ASA is a charity started by one of my dad's friends that matches disabled athletes with able bodied athletes to run and tri together. Its a WONDERFUL organization and I am so excited to serve them!

7.  What advice would you give for someone who is thinking about taking up running

Only do it if you enjoy it. Don't force yourself to run to loose weight. You will miss so much! Take it one step at a time, literally! Take your time, find a training program, weather your goal is to run a mile or 100 miles, a safe plan is a must! And just enjoy it. Pace and times are great but sometimes you just have to run to feel alive.

8.  What advice would you give to a first-time marathoner?

Stick. To. Schedule. Do not up those miles too fast! I learned the hard way. And keep your head up. There are some really hard times in training and running the marathon. But I PROMISE you it is so worth it! The feeling you will have at the end it unlike any other. Just always remember you are capable of so much more than you initially realize. Just let your body do its thing =) But also remember, the marathon is as, if not more, mental than it is physical!

9.  What's one thing you don't like about running?

The fact that my stomach doesn't love it nearly as much as the rest of me does. Enough information.

10.  What is your favorite form of cross-training, if any?

Right now I am doing P90X and it is kicking my butt! I STRONGLY believe you need strength and core training to be a better runner. So much of running has nothing to do with your legs. I also really like the Cybex Arc Trainer. Similar motion to running with less impact...but still super hard!

11.  Tell me about your very first race.

It was a local 5K that is held at my college. I signed up on a whim. It was actually a great first race. Small enough not to be too intimidating but big enough to give a the feel for the race atmosphere. Also, it ran around our campus and alot of the pretty surrounding neighborhoods so I was familiar with the area. It was hilly and difficult but I ran the entire thing and I was really proud of myself!

Blogger Meet Up after my 1:47 Half PR in Chicago!

12.  How do you get yourself out the door on the days that you hate running?

Tall Mom Mel once gave me the best advice ever. "You will ALWAYS regret the run you skip, but you will NEVER regret a run". But most powerfully, I make myself remember how many people would give anything to be in my spot. There are so many sick and disabled people out there suffering and going through so much who would do anything to be able to go out there and run. God has blessed me with a body that can run. Who knows how long that will last? Things can change in an instant. So I run because I can!

13.  What running shoes do you swear by?

Bad question for me. I work in a running store and have 16 pairs of running shoes! AHH!!! But for the most part I rotate between my Mizuno Riders, my Newton Gravities, and my Brooks Launch. Love them all!

Have you had any running injuries that sidelined you for a period of time? If so, what did you do to recover?

Yep. I never had pain running but while in marathon training I was about 5 miles into a run when this pain shot up through my knee up through my hip. It stopped me in my tracks and I could barely put any weight on it. Bending it and stretching it ached so bad. And I was 2 miles away from my car. I limped my way back and cried for the first time running. I soon found out it was ITBS. With alot of icing, stretching, foam rolling (best thing ever!), and ughhhh resting I got myself back on track but it was so hard. I felt hopeless and thought I would never make it to my marathon. But I did what I was supposed to and thank goodness I have been pain free ever since!

14.  What are five of your favorite songs from your running playlist?

iYiYi-Cody Simpson (total tween crap but I LOVED it. The beat it awesome!)

Pirate Song- Flogging Molly (my speed song!)

Anything Ke$sha and Lady GaGa

There, There Katie- I swear this song was written for me. Its more of a "I really need the inspiration right now" song!

If I had You- Adam Lambert (I can't stand him! But its catchy)

I Like it-Enrique baby!

I have a ton of LOVE it songs too hard to pick so I put 6 =)

With Kara and Adam Goucher! Kara is one of my all time role models with running and life! I have met her twice and gotten to bibs signed by her, San Diego and Chicago! She is such a sweetheart!

15.  If there was one running accomplishment that you wish you could achieve with no possibility of failing, what would it be?

To keep enjoying running and remember why I started. I don't want it to become a chore and if it does, I'm down. I have an ultimate goal of raising $50K for charity through running and I'm well on my way!

Thanks, Katye!  You made for one great feature this week, and you have some awesome stories!

Mmkay, anyone want to be featured next?

You know the drill.

Leave a comment.

Nominate some running bloggers who you think are awesome.

You and all those you nominate will be eligible.

As always, next runner will be chosen randomly.

Happy Running!

PS.  Loved your answer's from Friday's post! 
There was some awesome running going on! 
Any highlights/horror stories to share?

weekend!

Let's hear from you all today...
what's on the weekend agenda for running/fitness?
Long runs?
Races?
Cross-training?
Rest??

Do share!

9 miler for me tomorrow!
Day off + my birthday on Sunday!

Happy Running!

Featured Runner: Tiina from One Crazy Penguin

Whew! What a week!  Sorry that this blog has kind of taken the backburner as of late, but with Christy having moved to Manhattan and getting ready to start school and I having been away all last week, it's been a little difficult to get some good running in, much less write about it here!

Anyway, hopefully we'll have some more posts for you later on in the week, but for now, we have Tiina from One Crazy Penguin as our featured runner this week!  {Sorry this wasn't posted last week...see above for our excuse, LOL.}  Tiina is one awesome girl and you'll just love her and her blog.  I love her story of how she just decided to randomly run a marathon without hardly running before...sounds familiar, haha. 

Meet Tiina.

1.  What inspired you to start running in the first place?

I played Varsity Basketball for Washington University and originally began running in order to get in better shape for season. I wasn’t expecting to keep running once season started, but I found that I really fell in love with the uninterrupted quiet time that running allowed me. Eventually I graduated and basketball has slowly faded from my life, but running is here to stay.

2.  What is your most memorable running moment?

There are so many good ones to pick from, but I have to go with the Lewis and Clark in 2008. Hurricane Ike decided to hit the morning of race day. My friend who was running with me and I had to *literally* swim from our car to the start line because some of the parking lots had flooded. In the end, they cut the race short by 3 miles because the course was under about 6 feet of water. Definitely not my easiest race, but absolutely my most memorable. It was like something out a movie with the torrential downpours, cold temperature, massive winds, and flooding. Finishing that race in those conditions is one of my proudest moments. Crossing the finish line at my one and only marathon didn't suck either though :p

3. What piece of running gear will you never run without?

Hands down my Garmin (named Huey!). I’m a numbers person. I get giddy every time I come home and get to pour over my numbers. I can’t help myself!

4. Any upcoming races?

I’m running the Lewis and Clark Half Marathon in October in St. Louis, the Hot Chocolate 15K in November in Chicago, and the Disney Princess Half Marathon in February in Orlando. Don’t laugh, but my friend and I are already planning our outfits for the Princess Half! Woohoo pink tutus!

5. What is your *dream* race or distance?

The Goofy Challenge. It’s the Disney Half Marathon on Saturday followed by the Full Marathon on Sunday. I think it would be a fun challenge....or at least a challenge. Plus, the medal is too cool!

6. What advice would you give for someone who is thinking about taking up running?

Find a running buddy or running group. Running solo for so long was a mistake that I made. I only recently discovered the social aspect of running and it has made me fall in love with the sport all over again. Miles tend to fly by a little bit faster with friends. It’s also a good way to meet new people and make new friends. Plus, it’s a lot harder to skip out on a run when someone is waiting for you!

7. What advice would you give to a first-time marathoner?

Up until race day the marathon is only about one thing: training. If you put the miles in during training, your body and mind will be ready. On race day it switches though. On race day it’s all about heart. If you hold back at all, the marathon will beat you. But, if you commit heart and soul to running on race day, you will rock that marathon and cross the finish line with a smile on your face.

8. What's one thing you don't like about running?

Is it bad that I can’t think of anything for this question?

9. What is your favorite form of cross-training, if any?

Everyone is shocked when I don’t say basketball since I played for so long, but my favorite is actually soccer. I started playing in an indoor league about eight months ago and our games are always a highlight of my week. As much as I love running, it’s enjoyable to be able to use running in a big picture way….like beating someone to the ball and scoring the winning goal! :)

10. Tell me about your very first race.

About six months after I picked up running, a good friend of mine invited me to join her for the St. Louis Half Marathon. Basketball season had just ended and I was in great shape so I figured, “Why not?” I had no idea of what to expect, had no race plan (didn’t know I needed one…), had barely trained, and winged the entire thing. I was aiming to finish sub 3 hours, but with a couple of miles to go I had the 2:10 pacer in my sights. I couldn’t quite stay with her so I ended with a time of 2:12:11. It’s still my PR. I’m aiming to beat it sometime soon though and go sub 2:10. The second I crossed the finish line I knew I was hooked on racing.

11. How do you get yourself out the door on the days that you hate running?

It normally doesn’t take much. Most of the time it just takes reminding myself that it would be a shame to break away from my training schedule after sticking to it for so long. Guilt works wonders. If I have to, I bribe myself….perhaps a new pair of shorts or a nap or a scoop of ice cream. When that doesn’t work I call a friend to meet me to work out. It’s pretty easy to say no to myself, but I won’t back out if someone is waiting for me.

12. What running shoes do you swear by?

Saucony Triumph 7. They fit like a glove, are light weight, and have just the right amount of cushioning. It’s like a hug for your feet. I tried to stray away once and it ended badly. I’ve learned my lesson and won’t be switching anytime in the near future. Though, I’ve recently been bit by the barefoot running bug and bought a pair of Vibrams. Although a bit strange at first, I really enjoy running in these shoes and now I use them on most of my shorter runs.

13. If there was one running accomplishment that you wish you could achieve with no possibility of failing, what would it be?

My dream is to qualify for and run Boston. If I ever complete that I think I could happily hang up my distance running shoes and stick to half marathons or less for the rest of my life. It seems like a pretty lofty goal though so…..*Fingers crossed

Thanks, Tiina!  We loved featuring you! :]

Alright, now is the time where you tell us who should be featured next!  Leave some blog links for some awesome running bloggers that would make for a great feature, and you and all those you nominate will be eligible.  We'll announce the next runner sometime on Thursday or Friday.

Happy Running!

Training Plans

Hey guys! Christy here! Congrats again to Allie for winning our awesome giveaway! And thanks to all of you for entering!

The response that Chloe and I have gotten from starting this blog is both overwhelming and exciting! So thank you all for following along and I hope that this blog will create a great community for all of the bloggers who run/runners who blog to be part of!

So, if you read my About Me section, you know that I'm currently training for the Philadelphia Marathon on November 21! On any given day, my attitude toward the marathon fluctuates from Why am I doing this? to I'm going to absolutely ROCK this race! I think the biggest part of training for a marathon is knowing that you're ready for it which means logging in all of the miles and training runs, speed work and endurance work that will make you feel like running 26.2 miles is a feat you can absolutely accomplish.

But how does a newbie runner choose a training plan? I spend months reading through Pfitzer, Hal Higdon, Runners' World, blogs, etc. trying to find a training plan that would work for me. What I finally realized was that a training plan has to be what you're comfortable with, so I'm creating my own training plan. I'm modeling it on the plan I used for my first Half back in May (Fitness Magazine's) and I've taken different components from plans I've found in Runners' World and on blogs to formulate a plan that I think is going to work best for me! This may not be the most advisable method of training for some people, but for me, it's working out really well and I'm excited to continue logging the miles that are going to bring me to conquering 26.2!

My question to all of you is: How do you feel about training plans? Do you use one? Or do you just wing it? Do you like being told to run a certain amount of miles each day? Or do you just run based on what you did before?

Oh and next week's Featured Runner is Tina from One Crazy Penguin! Thanks everyone for your nominations! Tina, be sure to e-mail us at ChloeandChristy[@]gmail[.]com and we'll get you a list of questions and feature you next week!

And the award goes to...

Well, after 165 PLUS entries (plus=some people failed to follow the "separate comments" rule coughcough), we finally are able to announce the winner!  [Chloë here: major props to Christy for sifting through your endless entries to make the final entries list, especially with those who failed to comment separately...that was a ton of work.  She's awesome and you better thank her!] Thanks again so much to all who entered.  You guys either 1) think that we and our new blog are awesome or 2) just really want free stuff.  Let's all hope it's the first.

Before announcing the winner though,

let's look over one more time what the prizes are:

First, Christy's new favorite running item,
a Nathan Handheld Quick Draw Plus.

And second, Chloë's new favorite running item,

a Bondi Band of your choosing.

Getting excited? We are too! So to not drag this out any longer than necessary, we are happy to announce that the winner of the Quickdraw Plus and the headband is:

Allie from That Girl is a Running Fool

Congratulations, Allie!  Be sure to email Chloë at chlooeee[at]gmail[dot]com and let her know which Bondi Band you'd like, as well an address where we can send you your winnings!

Thanks again to all who entered! 

Be on the lookout for a brand new post from Christy tomorrow!

Featured Runner: Melissa from Life by Melissa

Wow, do you guys love free stuff or WHAT?  146 153 entries for the giveaway and we don't even announce the winner for two more days till tomorrow!  (this post is a little late...oops)  Thank you though, so much, for the awesome feedback you've all given.  It's definitely a great encouragement to know we didn't make a huge mistake!  Can't wait to pick a winner on Thursday!

Anyway, today is an exciting day for we have our very first featured runner on confessions on conquering 26.2!  For the first official move of featured runners, we have Melissa from Life by Melissa.  This lady's got a super cute blog, some super cute kids, and is super cute herself!  You'll love her, her answers, and her blog.  Enjoy!

Meet Melissa.

1.  What inspired you to start running in the first place? My friend Jennifer who did Weight Watchers while I was doing Weight Watchers had started doing the Couch to 5K program and encouraged me to start. I started running in August of last year and now in this year's August heat I'm thinking that I was an idiot.

2.  What is your most memorable running moment? My most memorable moment by far was finishing my first 5K.

3.  What piece of running gear will you never run without? my Brooks Adrenaline shoes! And although I can't say "never", I HATE running without my ipod!

4.  Any upcoming races? Race for the Cure 5K on September 18, Tyler Half (my first!) on October 10, and another half on November 8th.

5.  What is your *dream* race or distance? I think it might be 13.1!

6.  Have you ever run for charity? If so, what charity? No, but I am seriously thinking about doing the Rock N Roll Half in New Orleans in 2011 for the American Cancer Society.

7.  What advice would you give for someone who is thinking about taking up running? DO IT!! Don't be scared! You can go from less than 0.1 miles at a time to a 5K in 8 weeks. It is totally possible! Also, when you decide to start, find a race about 10 weeks out (5K) and go ahead and sign up and then tell people you are going to run it. Then, when you feel like quitting, you will think twice about it.

8.  What's one thing you don't like about running? The unscheduled potty breaks.

9.  What is your favorite form of cross-training, if any? walking with co-workers and just catching up with their lives

10.  Tell me about your very first race. My first race was a 5K in my hometown when I finished the Couch to 5K program last October. I had walked the same distance the year before and we were the last one to finish. In my defense, I had my two kids with me (stroller and bike). My goal was an average pace of 10:00 or less and I was just under that. The most memorable thing was the first mile which I finished in 8:30...WAY too fast! :)

11.  How do you get yourself out the door on the days that you hate running? guilt myself into it. lol. Actually, that's where having a date with a running buddy helps. You feel like you can't back out.

12.  What running shoes do you swear by? Brooks Adrenaline

13.  Have you had any running injuries that sidelined you for a period of time? If so, what did you do to recover? Just a few knee issues that lasted around a week.

14.  What are five of your favorite songs from your running playlist? ***Disclaimer*** I'm a dork! Womanizer by Britney, Runaway Train by Soul Asylum, Watching Airplanes by Gary Allan (I can still hear my little boy singing this a few years ago!), Billie Jean by Michael Jackson, and Another One Bites the Dust by Queen.

15.  If there was one running accomplishment that you wish you could achieve with no possibility of failing, what would it be? A marathon of course! However, with a full time job, an elected office, charity work, two kids, and a husband that I occasionally cook for, that time needed isn't really possible right now.

Thanks, Melissa!  You made for a great feature, and it was an honor to have you as the first featured runner of the new blog!

Alright, who's next?

You (well, most of you) know the drill.  Nominate some fellow running bloggers {as long as they've never been featured} who you think would make for a great featured runner, and you and all those you nominate will be eligible.  We'll announce the next runner on Friday.  Or maybe Thursday.  Cuz' after all, Thursday is when we announce the giveaway winner.  Are you excited?!  I know I am.

Blog Launch Giveaway!

Welcome to Confessions on Conquering 26.2! This blog will be a hands on, no holding back chronicle of Chloës journey to Marathon #2 and Christy's to Marathon #1! In honor of launching our blog, we're excited to host a giveaway featuring our newly discovered must-have items to have on a run!

Chloë's- My new favorite running item is definitely my Bondi Band!  What I love about them is not only how much hair they keep off your forehead, but how fun they are!  I'm a sucker for slogans, so you can imagine my trouble in deciding on getting only one!(...not including the one I bought for my husband!)  This is the one I have now...

(in purple!)

...which has resulted in some pretty funny comments!  My favorite one was "He's not a fair running coach!  He ran on water!" Haha...but other than being a great conversation starter, it really does keep the sweat out of your eyes, your hair out of your face and makes one a happy runner all around!  I can't wait to buy me some more!

Christy's - My new running must-have is the Nathan Handheld Quickdraw Plus! I just bought it and can't run without it! I didn't want to run with a hydration belt for my shorter runs, and I heard great reviews about this! After testing it out at the store, I had to buy it and now, I'm hooked! The idea of carrying a water bottle in your hand, was a little weird to me, but I love how it straps around your hand so you can still stretch your hand and it won't fall! And the shape of the bottle kind of molds to your hand so it's not awkward to carry at all! I also love the pocket for storing my Energy Blasts, keys, cash or anything else you need!

To win the Nathan Handheld Quickdraw Plus and any Bondi Band of your choosing from Chloë and Christy,

all you have to do is:

1) Become a follower of Confessions on Conquering 26.2 [mandatory]

2) Leave a comment telling us what your new favorite running item is!

3) Check out the Bondi Band website and tell us which one you would get if you won!

4) Check out Nathansports.com and tell us what Nathan Sports item you would want to start toting!

5) Spread the news!  Post on your blog, Twitter, and what-have-you and get the word out!

{Seperate comment for each, please!}

That's all! Winners will be drawn randomly and announced on 8/12!

Good luck!