I Won!

Today I woke up to find a congratulatory note on my Facebook page. Wondering what it was for, I was pleasantly surprised that it was from the Anywhere5k race I ran in! I did not expect to win this at all. There are so many people that are faster than me, but not yesterday! (Perhaps they didn't register, but no matter, I finally won a race!) I was the fastest female and now will forever wear the title of Anywhere5k champion! What a way to end the year. This win also showed me the importance of working on my speed and how becoming faster may eventually lead to more race wins. I know I will never be an Olympic Champion, but I do hope that I can remain competitive in the coming years.

Nike has been running their #makeitcount campaign on Twitter the past week and I got a cool shout-out from them today. I have big goals for 2013 regarding racing, one of which is conquering the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco and the other is competing in my first triathlon. This photo was a great way to start of the year, and my training right. I have a powerful team of supporters behind me and friends that surround me and I know that anything is possible.

This is my final post for 2012, but it is definitely not my last! In fact, I hope to make many updates, changes and improvements to the blog over the next few months. If you have any suggestions or things you like feel free to let me know in the comments. Stay tuned!

I wish you a very Happy New Year and happy training!

2012 - A Year for the Record Books

2012 was an amazing year! If I had been asked in December 2011 what I expected 2012 to look like, it would not have been nearly this exciting. As a fitness enthusiast, I could not have asked for a better year. I can't believe what an amazing journey it has been and I am so excited to see what 2013 holds. Here's a look back at what made my 2012 spectacular!

I ran my first Bay to Breakers 12k race in San Francisco! I love running in San Francisco and this race is a beautiful short run throughout the city. A must run event on any serious runners race calendar!

I got to run with ultra endurance athlete Jason Lester on his journey across the country with the Nike Journey for a Better World Campaign. This was such an inspiring run and I can't believe I got to meet him and run with him. Dream come true!

I had the chance to work this summer for the Sacramento Capitals World Team Tennis tournament as their marketing coordinator and I had the privilege of meeting some top ranked players, like Sam Querrey and Mardy Fish. As a tennis player and enthusiast, this was such a neat opportunity and I really enjoyed working with this team on their digital marketing, definitely something I want to pursue in the future (hint - Nike - I'm ready to be part of your social media team!)

The Nike Women team featured me in one of their campaigns for my achievements with the Nike Training Club App! The workouts on this app totally changed my body for the better and I am stronger and more toned because of these drills. Thank you Nike for recognizing my hard work!

In October I got my Black Belt in Taekwondo the week before I ran my 2nd marathon. I have been working on this achievement for so long and I made it to the big day! I was so honored to have put in the work and achieved this ranking, I can't wait to continue my journey in martial arts in the future. 

In October I ran my 2nd Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco and got to meet my favorite trainer, Marie Purvis! She is the developer of the Nike Training Club workouts and I was in awe of her, seriously, such an amazing trainer! She created my customized training plan for the Nike Women's Marathon and I PR'd!

Nike Women selected a group of five ladies to train and dote upon with Nike gear for the Nike Women's Marathon and I was one of the chosen ones, along with Renisha, Elizabeth, Tiara and Nerissa. As Nike Women's Marathon 2012 Training Ambassadors we were given elite training gear, a personalized training plan, a photo shoot in San Francisco and an all expenses paid weekend at the race. Nike made my year with this one. I will never forget this experience and hope that it is not the last time that I get to work with them. This is a picture of the group of us before the race!

Crossing the finish line at the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco! Such a proud moment. Thank you for making this possible Nike!

I found out about a month ago that I was accepted as a FitFluential Ambassador and while I haven't done much yet with them, I know there will be incredible opportunities to participate in campaigns with them and improve my blog and fitness knowledge in 2013. Thank you for believing in me FitFluential!

I got to visit the Nike World Headquarters campus in Beaverton, OR and participate in a live NTC workout. This was a dream come true, I flew to Beaverton, slept for 4 hours and then got up at 5:30 in the morning for this workout with Nike Elite Trainers. I was impressed with the workout and the facility. I have made myself a promise that I will work here someday soon, currently it's on my 5 year plan. Get ready Nike, here I come!

A group of my friends from work and I did The Color Run in Sacramento. This was such a fun race, not necessarily for time, but just a really fun event for the whole family to enjoy. I would recommend this to everyone! Find one in your city this year, you won't regret it!

I ended 2012 with a trip to Sun River, OR for a snowboarding trip at Mt. Bachelor and it was a blast. So fun to try out different sports. While in Oregon I went for a run in the snow, snowboarded and got in an evening of iceskating. 

2012 was a year of many adventures, running events and training. Thank you to those who believed in me and those who are supporting me now and in the future. Thank you Nike, Nike Running, Nike Women, Nike Fuel, Marie Purvis, Leah Kim, Tiara, Elizabeth, Renisha, Nerissa and FitFluential for making this a year to remember.

Watch out 2013, I'm stepping out of my comfort zone and going for big goals!

Merry Christmas to All!

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all had an amazing day and that all your Christmas wishes came true. I had a great day with my husband and my parents just relaxing at Sun River Resort in Oregon. It was definitely a great idea to rent a cabin and spend time appreciating family. The snow today was gorgeous and I got to go out for a bit of a walk/run and took some great pictures with my family. It's definitely nice to be able to just get away from the everyday life events sometimes and appreciate the small things.

My dad and I went ice skating this evening, and while I don't think the US National Hockey team will be knocking on my door anytime soon, I still had a great time. With only one fall to speak of, I would say that today was a success. I was even getting into a bit of a rhythm near the end of our hour and a half of skating. I was definitely a bit too bundled, skating is a great workout and I was roasting, too many layers! I was a bit worried that I would not reach my Nike Fuel goal today because of all the lounging that we were doing, but ice skating really burned those Christmas calories!

Even when I don't get a workout in at the gym, I still find ways to stay active and keep my body guessing. Aaron and I even tried to get into the gym at the resort but we were turned away because we were not homeowners here. Oh, well, that will come soon enough...I hope! We decided we would make our own workout and instead shoveled snow off the balcony...tough work! I don't think anyone has shoveled the snow all season long, they must have known that some crazy fitness fanatics would be by just in time to clear the deck of three feet of snow!

I couldn't be more thankful for great friends and family this holiday season. How was your Christmas? Did you find any creative ways to stay active and enjoy time with your family? 

Christmas Eve In Oregon

Christmas eve is upon us and I am finally back at our cabin relaxing in the comforts of home. We have a fire going, a classic Christmas movie on the TV and just finished a great Christmas eve dinner. Today was an amazing day for the slopes. My family and I headed up to Mt Bachelor this morning to escape the Christmas hustle and bustle of the shops and ski and snowboard on the powder. It was a great day for boarding and the weather was fantastic. I must say that it was one of my favorite Christmas eve's ever. 

I got to sport my brand new White Ice Nike+ Fuelband from the @nikefuel team. Thank you so much for making my Christmas on the slopes amazing. I was so happy to be able to test out this Fuelband today on the slopes. Turns out that snowboarding burns a lot of NikeFuel. With the powder getting heavier throughout the day my legs were definitely getting an amazing workout. I have to thank Marie Purvis for her amazing #NTC workouts and Nike Running for pushing me every day to work harder and become faster. My goal next year is to get to an average of 7:30 minute miles. I can do that for about one mile now, but in order to maintain it I will need to train hard. Luckily I know that Nike Running, Nike Women, Marie Purvis and my Sisters In Nike will be by my side encouraging me along the way. 

I love being back in Oregon and one of my favorite things is the Marionberry milkshakes in Sisters, Oregon at the Sno Cap Drive-In. I used to get these on weekends when I worked at a summer camp nearby. I've been trying to work on going vegan, but for this trip I made an exception and it was worth it, YUM! How are your holidays going? 

Merry Fitmas!

Vacation could not have come soon enough. I am so glad to have arrived in Oregon on Thursday night. After a brief delay at the airport, we arrived in Oregon ready for fun. And the fun started from day one. On Friday I went for an early afternoon jog, all dressed in my hyperwarm Nike gear, and it was great. I stayed warm and dry in the cold, wind and damp weather. Following that jog I went out for some much needed holiday shopping. 

I had barely stopped at one store when I headed to the mall. After stopping at a stop light in my dad's borrowed truck, the vehicle just turned off. It would not start back up. After searching for the flashers for quite some time I decided to just start pushing. I pushed the truck down the street and then tried to get it to turn into the mall parking lot. After pushing and pushing with no success, some guys came to help. Thank you! We got the truck out of the way of the holiday shopping madness and towed it home. Still not sure what happened, but it may be a bad fuel pump. After some comfort food at Taco Time and a smoothie at Orange Julius I was ready for an evening at home.

Saturday I began the day with a killer 45 minute NTC workout by Jeanette Jenkins. It was the best way to start off my day. In the afternoon we had a pre-Christmas dinner with my grandparents and they went out for some shopping at the outlet mall. The Woodburn Oregon outlets have the BEST Nike outlet store and I found the coolest Nike boots, I wanted everything, but my hubby kept me in check. I might have to stop back by on my way to the airport next Thursday, just to say goodbye!

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and our family just arrived in Sun River, Oregon for a fun Christmas adventure! I have been looking forward to this trip for months and it is finally here. It also just happens to be the same place where Nike founders often come to relax and plan their future endeavors! Many famous Nike moments were probably created here. Tomorrow we will be off to Mt. Bachelor to shred some hills on our snowboards. I finally get to try out my new boots, I got them two years ago and haven't been boarding since. It's time to break them in and tomorrow looks like it will be a great day.

I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings! I'm loving this white Christmas!

Sometimes it only takes a moment...

Sometimes I need to take a moment to pause and just think about how far I have come in my life. It's very hard sometimes to put in perspective where I was a year ago in comparison to where I am now. The team at Digital Royalty came up with a great concept for taking a moment in your busy day to just breathe and reflect. It's called, "Ready, Set, Pause." This week they even launched their very own Twitter handle @readysetpause to help implement this concept into our everyday lives. The idea behind it is that you take a moment in your busy day to just stop everything you're doing and give your body and mind a chance to pause and relax. It doesn't have to be long, it can be thirty seconds or 10 minutes, it just needs to be enough to let you feel rejuvenated. 

My implementation of the Ready, Set, Pause concept.

I have been trying to implement this concept into my life this week. I have so many changes and so much going on at all times, sometimes I get too caught up in what needs to be done that I don't take time for myself. Yesterday was one of those days, I don't think I stopped moving until after 11 in the evening. Today, all my rushing caught up with me. I finally had to realize it was time for a ready, set, pause moment. It made a world of difference, just consciously taking the time to clear my mind and focus on me helped to calm me down and put the days activities into perspective. 

As this year ends I can reflect on all that I have done and see that I was anything but complacent this year. From becoming a Nike Women's Marathon Ambassador, coaching high school girls varsity basketball, named a FitFluential ambassador, working a full time job, blogging and writing, my year has been full of new and exciting opportunities. I can only imagine that 2013 will be even better. 

With plans to get more involved with FitFluential, continue to work with Nike, blogging, studying to become a personal trainer, participating in my first triathlon, and hopefully opening my own studio, my time is going to be limited. Luckily, I have learned the importance of taking a moment for just me. 

Ready, Set, Pause

Happy Holidays!

FitFluential, Running, Snow...December is Full of Surprises

Today has been an interesting week, lots of exciting things are happening in my life, some good and some I'm still not sure about. This week I filled out my official FitFluential ambassador documents and I just can't wait for all the exciting opportunities this may bring, not to mention, the community I will get to interact with and learn from. I will be learning about what my responsibilities are within the next few weeks and am looking forward to 2013.

My first running group on Sunday went great and I enjoyed sharing my love of running with others. It was a fun group to run with and the five members were all different levels, from beginner to experienced racer. It was great to share running with others who want to learn and grow in the sport. Already, a few of the runners are planning on bringing their friends to this Sunday's group. I'm so excited to see this group grow!

Christmas is just around the corner and I am excited for our snowboarding trip! I haven't been in two years and I can't wait to go again. I'm sure I'll have to work myself back up to my former level, not that it was that high to begin with, but I can hardly wait to take on the challenge. It will be nice to get some different workouts in and snowboarding is a killer full body workout!

I'll definitely be taking my Nike Training Club workouts with me on the go with my iPhone and will get great workouts in while I'm away. It'll be a great opportunity to up those minutes and work my way to the 20,000 minute mark, as far as minutes trained goes. If you haven't tried the Nike Traning Club app yet, you need to! It is one of the best fitness apps out there and I highly recommend it for all your training needs. With preplanned workouts and step by step instructions, this app is the perfect fitness trainer.

How are you spending the holidays?

Digital Royalty University Course Review

Social media is everywhere and navigating it can be tough. This is where Digital Royalty University can be extremely useful. The world of social media is vast and #renegade Amy Jo Martin has focused the last few years of her career on helping businesses and individuals navigate this quickly growing online community through her company - Digital Royalty.

A few years ago social media did not even exist. Suddenly, a business without a Facebook or Twitter account is no longer considered to be as competitive. Social media is a network where people can share their opinions and join in a conversation, whether that be good or bad depends on how you navigate the online world.

Amy Jo Martin created her online university courses to educate businesses, leaders, bloggers or just individuals who want to know more about how to navigate social media, what guidelines to follow and how to best use social media to their advantage. I had the privilege of taking the first two classes "8 Royal Rules - Part 1" and "8 Royal Rules - Part 2."

As an aspiring social media marketer, these classes were especially useful to me. I had read Amy Jo's book Renegades Write the Rules in October, see previous post When Renegades and Nike Collide, and it greatly expanded my knowledge of the Twitter world and how it can be used. These classes really expand on the book and allow you to see and hear examples of how these rules work. It's visual learning at it's best.

The classes are interactive and fun. They are online so you can take them whenever you want, or wherever you want, pajamas anyone? Also, you can interact with Amy Jo and the entire #renegade team whenever you have a question during the course, you just have to tag your question #RoyalQ.

These classes invite participation with social media. Got a question? Tweet it. Don't be afraid to try different avenues of communication and find what works. Use social media the way it was meant to be, as a form of communication. The classes also provide forums and quizzes to test your knowledge and help you hone your social media skills.

Right now you can try the first class, "8 Royal Rules - Part 1" for free! That's a pretty sweet deal! With nine classes ranging from the basics to emerging platforms, and more courses being continually added, you can glean information from those that are at the top of their business, they wrote the rules. The way I see it, you have everything to gain by taking this class.

I can't wait to take all of the classes offered by Digital Royalty. I'll keep you posted on my thoughts and hope to connect on Twitter. Hit me up @superwomankw!

Please Santa, I've Been Really Good This Year!

Please Santa?! I've been really good this year! All of these items can easily fit on the sleigh, and if not - a gift card will always do!

It's time for another wish list! So here goes...my top gifts for this Christmas season! They all seem to have the same theme with Nike Running products at the top of the list!

Nike Element Shield Max Running Jacket $250

What can I say? Strategically placed stretchy panels, waterproof finish, wind blocker, waterproof zipper, mesh inserts and an adjustable hood with removable face gaiter. And the best part - long sleeves and thumb holes!

Nike Lunarglide 4+ Shield Running Shoe $120

I love my Lunarglide 4's! I can't get enough of them, but they just didn't stand up to the elements this past Sunday for the California International Marathon. My problem, I didn't have the Shield version! This shoe has a weatherized mesh on the upper to keep rain out and your feet dry and running strong! It also has a reflective upper and a glove like fit. I truly do feel like I am running on clouds when I have this shoe on. 

Nike Slouchy Sphere Women's Training Hoodie $100

I am always cold! This shirt is the perfect combination of heat and style. With cozy insulating fabric and a slouchy neck that can be pushed up or down, it's perfect for keeping the elements at bay. With a longer length and thumbholes to keep the sleeves from riding up, this shirt has it all! 

Nike Women's Pro Hyperwarm Shield Tights $60

The panels on the front create a wind and water barrier, keeping you dry and comfortable during your runs. Also, the fabric is warm and sweat wicking so you can focus on your run and not on your pants. The double waisted band is comfortable and stays put too. Yes, I need these!

Run The Edge iPhone Case $12.95

My phone needs to be protected during all my fitness activities, and what better way to do that than to have a phone that is a constant reminder of what I want to do? Run, run, run! Thank you to Tim Catalano and Adam Goucher, authors of the amazing running book, Run the Edge, for selling this great stocking stuffer (hint, hint!).

Stay tuned for more of my wish list's leading up to Christmas and share with me your top gifts! 

Nike Life

Nike Women is on Pinterest! I am so excited about this! Just another way for me to drool over all their amazing workout gear, fit models and share with my friends and followers. Immersing myself in their pins was far too easy and I could spend hours looking through their photos and repinning everything!

Pinterest is such a great place for Nike Women to be because all of their ads and looks are just incredible. Every pin seems to tell a story and I can just imagine myself becoming what they show in their pictures: strong, fit, fierce and hooked on Nike! Be sure to check them out.

Immersing myself in the world of Nike comes naturally to me. Even now that I am away from my Oregon roots and farther from my dream job at Nike headquarters in Beaverton, OR, social media still keeps me feeling like I am interacting with them on a personal level. I am learning every day about the company, it's culture and way of business.

One of the Nike PR girls I follow on Twitter is Heidi Burgett, and she is amazing at promoting the brand. She travels the world inspiring and promoting Nike. Today, she shared a story via Twitter about an extraordinary Nike employee. You can read the full story here. Basically, Joe has worked at Nike for over 30 years and IS THE NIKE BRAND. He works hard every day. From his beginnings in the warehouse, to his current position setting up meetings and events in the Tiger Woods Center, Joe lives the brand and is the heart of Nike.

Commitment, loyalty and passion shared by employees and through employees is what makes this brand great. I can only hope that one day I get the chance to prove to Nike my dedicated spirit and live my dreams while sharing my passion. Until that day, I will continue to share my passion with you and keep you updated on all things fitness and all things NIKE!

Puddle Running!

December has arrived and I have one month left to reach my goals for this end of the year and set new ones for 2013. Today was my last planned race until 2013. It was the California International Marathon Relay event. I ran the 7.6 mile second leg of the race and it was one of the most challenging races I have run because of the weather. It was a TORRENTIAL downpour this morning with winds gusting at 29 miles and above. I was soaked before I even started the race. I wore proper gear, wind and water resistant pants, my Nike rain coat and water resistant gloves, but my feet were soaked!

I think my shoes weighed an extra 10 pounds each by the end of the race. I should have invested in LunarGlide 4 Shield's before the race. By the time I realized the weather would be so wet, I could't find the shoe I wanted in town and there was no way to ship it to myself quick enough. Once I was off and running I barely noticed the rain. It was actually almost nice because it kept my body cool as I ran. It was in the high 50 degrees so I was warm enough.

I bounded through puddles all morning long and felt a bit like a child; leaping carelessly through water 2-4 inches deep and dodging other, much deeper puddles. I kept a steady nine minute mile pace and was happy with my time considering the weather. It was a great experience and now I truly feel like a #wind and #rain warrior.

 Well Earned Finisher's Medal!

A warm shower, hot Chai tea and being snuggled under a blanket while writing this are just some of the perks of my post race relaxation. I might head out for a little shopping later this afternoon, when the weather clears up.

In other news, I am leading the Athleta run club every Sunday at 9am. If you're in the Roseville area, come out and join me! I can hardly wait to lead my first running club and consistently help others share the joy of running. It truly is a blessing to be able to work with an amazing group of women runners.

This last week I finally caved and entered the lottery for the Nike Women's Marathon in Washington DC! I have no idea how much this is going to cost, where to stay, who to go with, or how I can afford it, but I just WON'T miss this race! It on my birthday, APRIL 28, so I really don't see how I can NOT go? I will get in, I will have a blast, and I will PR. Those are my goals for 2013.

How are you staying active in December? Have you ever had a race that was ruled by the elements? How did you handle it?