Life is a Collection of Moments

Life is a collection of moments. We live for the moments when everything is going our way. When we feel happiness, elation, success and accomplishment. We choose to remember the good times in photos, Facebook posts, Instagram updates, and Tweets. My Klout profile alerts me when I have a "moment" on one of my social sites that brings a lot of interactions. 

This year so far is a collection of quite a few moments. I have had my share of highs and lows, successes and failures. My favorite moments have to do with trips I have taken and the people I have met along the way. Visiting New York, participating in the Nike Women's Half Marathon in DC, meeting the espnW staff, running Hood to Coast with Nuun Hydration and interacting with fans on my blog are all moments that I treasure. 

This month brings about three very important moments. First - my husband and I are closing on our first house, which means I get an office and a workout room! Second - I am heading to the espnW Women+Sports Summit to learn about what I love and interact with other amazing women. Third - I am running my third marathon in San Francisco at the 10th Anniversary of the Nike Women's Marathon. October is going to be one amazing month.

I'm learning to appreciate the moments that happen, rather than things. Moments are truly what matters and they are what you make of them. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't try to find a way to enjoy life and make a moment that matters. Right now my day to day moments seem to revolve around running. I really feel alive and in control of my life when I run. It's not always about the speed or the distance for me. It's often just about enjoying the run and getting away from the computer and back to nature. Running is the reason I blog, has lifted me up when I am low and has given me more confidence in achieving my dreams. Running and the digital world have collided recently and given me a chance to interact with other runners on a global level. I truly believe that running can cross oceans, ages, time, and unite people together. I have never met a runner that doesn't cheer me on or provide encouragement. No matter how fast or how slow, runners know it's about something bigger than winning a race. Running gives us moments to celebrate. 

The next few weeks I'll be traveling, learning, and challenging myself. I hope you'll join me for the ride and share the moment.

 ~Karen

Motivation from Endorphin Warrior and a Giveaway!

My marathon is only three weeks away and right now I need more motivation than ever as I am hitting burnout in training. Luckily, I have reached my taper weeks and race weekend is in sight! The hills of San Francisco are calling my name and I am excited to conquer them. These final weeks I have been looking to different places for motivation. My training buddies have been a huge help along with run club, the Mission I'm Possible crew and Hood to Coast teammates. Since I have had to do my last few long runs alone, I have looked to my Endorphin Warrior bracelet for some extra motivation. Endorphin Warrior was kind enough to give all the Nuun Hydration runners a bracelet of their choice. I chose one with the phrase RELENTLESS. 

Pre Hood to Coast race cheer. Look at those Endorphin Warrior bracelets!

Endorphin Warrior makes "products with positive and powerful messaging to wear while running, cycling, working out, sweating, racing - or all day long - to help you train harder and live stronger." I really have been enjoying mine, especially during my long runs. Sometimes, when I'm trying to motivate myself to head out on a run, I look down at my wrist and see the words relentless and they give me that extra push to get out the door and run! 

Choose to be Relentless

Endorphin warrior bracelets come in all different colors and with different phrases to motivate you to get to that finish line. Conquer, Unbreakable, Persevere, Believe - whichever phrase you prefer, there is a phrase to motivate and inspire you to keep pushing towards your dreams. I have partnered with Endorphin Warrior to give one lucky reader a Warrior Training Bracelet of their choice! For your chance to win simply enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below! I know you'll love this bracelet!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nuun Hood to Coast Report!

It's been two weeks since I had the opportunity to run Hood to Coast with Nuun Hydration. The day after I flew home from Oregon, I immediately flew to New York to meet the wonderful crew behind espnW and to attend the US Open in Flushing Meadows. I got back on Monday and have been playing catch up ever since. I have tried to sit down and write this post many times, but I just haven't known where to start. So much happened during Hood to Coast. I met so many amazing ladies and inspiring runners, I feel privileged and a little in awe of the opportunity I was given. Nuun itself proved to be an even more amazing company than I already knew. The owners and employees were so down to earth, motivating and tuned into us as athletes. Yes, they really do care and it showed in everything they did for us and they do every day. I'm forever in their debt for making this dream of mine come true and I will continuing sharing my "Nuun Love" wherever I go! I hope you're ready for a long recap about my adventure!

#TeamLemonade Van Mates and Our Fearless Driver!

I flew to Seattle the Wednesday before the race to meet with my Nuun teammates and do some bonding before the race. I arrived in Seattle Wednesday morning. I met a few ladies at the airport and then we all split up to tour the city. I was able to meet up with my sister for lunch and then headed back to Nuun headquarters and then off to the bowling ally!

I'm a runner and so was everyone else in the group, so as you can imagine, we did not post the highest bowling scores. But it was a great team bonding activity, made better by the fact that we could laugh at ourselves. After bowling and food we teamed up with our roomies for the next two nights and tried to get some sleep before Friday's race!

Thursday Morning Shake Out Run

Thursday was a very fun filled day. We all went out for a short shake out run around the lake and then toured the Oiselle headquarters. A huge thanks to Oiselle for providing us with our cute team jacket, long-sleeve tee and team shirt! I had never worn Oiselle clothing before, but I have to say I am a believer now! After a quick return to the hotel to shower and get cleaned up, it was off to Ride-A-Duck! 

View from the Seattle Duck Ride

I was in Seattle a few times when I was in grade school, but I haven't been since and was excited to get the chance to tour the city. The Duck Ride was actually pretty fun and I felt like I learned some new things about the city. If you are ever in Seattle and want to see a lot of the city with fun drivers and a sea cruise, then check out the Ducks!

After the duck drive we headed over to Nuun Headquarters for supper, received our goody bags and decorated our vans for the next two days of travel and running! There were so many fun things from Nuun and our sponsors I had to bring an extra bag back from the my parents house to get it all back on the plane. A big thank you to Naawk, Swiftwick, Tiger Tail, Oiselle, Amphipod, Endorphin Warrior,  Team Sparkle and of course, Nuun!

Hood to Coast Swag Bag!

After we all opened our Swag bags and shared in the excitement of our new gear it was off to van decorating! I'm not an amazing artist, but luckily a few of the ladies on our team were! I did help with some dots and lemons. The van turned out really well and was full of our team spirit. Go Team Lemonade! 

Van decorating in process!

Friday morning the Van #1 girls left before 7am and then those of us from Van #2 had a big breakfast before hitting the road at 11am. We had a team cheer and then packed up the vans and started the drive south to Oregon! The energy in the vans was electric as we all were excited to start the race! We still had a while to wait before starting our legs of the race around 5pm.

Team Cheer!

At the first major van exchange we started to really sense the fun and excitement of this event! The exchange was held in a Safeway parking lot and it was full of decorated vans, cheering teams and excited onlookers. I have to say it was the most exciting of all the major exchanges. Since it was still early in the race everyone still had energy and the anticipation of the next 28 hours of running was still high! I spotted Marie Purvis and her team "Purv Army" and had to say hi and get a picture! She's my fitness inspiration!

Marie Purvis and I and the "Purv Army!"

Exchange #1 was a great place for group photos so the Nuun teams took a few with those who were there and not out crushing their runs on the course. Van #1's had just completed their first six legs and Van #2's were just beginning! 

Nuunies at the first exchange!

My first run was as the sun was setting and made for a beautiful course. I couldn't have asked for a better first leg. There were a few rolling hills, but all in all it was a pretty easy leg. I ran through neighborhoods and families were out cheering me on as I ran by so that definitely helped me push my pace! Too bad they weren't out cheering on my second leg at 5am! That leg was more of a struggle. It's amazing how much the support of a bystander cheering me on can push me.

Running into the sunset!

The final stretch of leg one went up a slight hill and then had a downhill straight into the handoff area. As you can tell from the smile on my face in the photo below, I had a lot of fun on this run. Look at those trees in the background. Gorgeous!

Handing off after leg #1

I don't have any photos from run two because it was an early morning run and there were no great places to take photos. This leg was tough, straight uphill for the first few miles, then a slight downhill and then uphill again on a very slushy gravel road! The dust from the vans driving by was hard to breathe as well. I definitely struggled on this run, but I kept thinking of my teammates and pushed through to the finish!

From here we finished up the following four runs and headed to the last big van exchange. At this exchange everyone could sense that we were nearing the end. I spotted the Nike "Run Free" van and got to finally meet Jessie Zapo who is the Captain of Black Roses NYC and has done a lot to elevate running! I was excited to meet her and wished her luck on the race!

Jessie Zapo and I in front of the Run Free Van!

My third and final leg was probably my toughest because I was fatigued from my earlier two runs, lack of sleep and the heat outside. I had a lot of fun on the run, but the worst part was coming into the exchange, I had to try to sprint uphill! I felt like I was sprinting, but I'm sure I was probably just shuffling up the hill. Seeing my teammates cheering me on gave me an extra boost and knowing that we were so close to the finish and glory was worth it!

Handing off to Zoe!

Once I was back at the van I got to check off my final run and mark my kills! Kills are how many people you pass while you are running and I finally had a lot to check off! Excitement for the finish was building and I was excited to cheer on our final four runners to the finish! Relay's are such fun experiences! I love running, but running with a team and for a team is so much better! 

Checking off my final run!

We came into the finish in the evening and our team came in 9th in the Women's Open Division with a time of 28:45:31. We were 351st of 1002 teams and I could not have been prouder of my teammates and the work they all put in on their runs. The finish on the beach was gorgeous and so inviting! I couldn't wait to see the ocean and feel the sand in my toes!

Finish Line!

There was a bit of a jam at the finish line with so many teams going through, but it was so fun! Our team was happy to be done and still decked out in our Team Lemonade gear and trucker hats! The first van had arrived hours earlier and had already showered and eaten but had to wait for us to finish before they could go through the finish chute to receive their medals. 

Team Lemonade at the finish!

Finally we received our medal! Recognition and proof that we had all gone through this amazing experience together. Hood to Coast is a relay race that I will never forget. It was special to me because we ran through places I grew up visiting as a child, I made new friends and am so inspired by everyone I met. This medal is going to go on display as a reminder of my experience and as a motivation to me to push my limits everyday. I can't thank each person who impacted me at this experience individually, but I hope you all know how much you impacted me and my running journey. A huge thanks to Nuun for making this possible.

Finisher's Medal

I've run two marathons, multiple half marathons and other races, but none of them measure up to the experience I had at Hood to Coast. I learned about the power of a team and that we are all capable of more than we think we are. No matter where we are in our running journey, there is always room to improve and things we can do to maximize our potential. I hope to do Hood to Coast again soon, but no matter what happens, it will always be an experience I cherish. I will look to the women I met for inspiration online and hopefully we will meet up again soon for a reNUUNion. 

Love the Nuun Teams!

A big thanks to each and every one of you that made this experience great and I hope we meet again soon! Hood to Coast will always be a part of me.

Don't You Want to Run Ireland with Me? #RUNIRISHLUCK

I have been traveling the last few weeks so this post is coming much later than I would like. I have so many updates to share about running Hood to Coast with Nuun Hydration, NYC with espnW and the US Open and more, but this post is time sensitive! I was chosen as a finalist in the Nike Running Free Run competition. I created the run of my dreams in Phase 1 of the contest and now I need your help in Phase 2! All you have to do is log your runs with Nike+ from August 20 - September 13 and share them on Twitter with the hashtag #runirishluck and your miles count as a vote for my run! At the end of the contest, Nike Running will pick one run as the winner and the creator of the dream run and the top contributors get to go on an all expenses paid adventure! Excited yet? This would absolutely be my dream! For more information simply click on this link. 

What my run looks like so far.

I created my dream run through Ireland and am in awe of what an opportunity this would be. Any runs that you can contribute, friends that you can recruit and tweets and posts that you share would be a great help! As you can see, there are 74 contributors at the time of this post who have already logged 381 runs! Thank you so much if you have contributed and if you haven't, what are you waiting for? Your miles not only help me reach my dream run, but they could also get you to Ireland as well! Nike is creating the opportunity of a lifetime and I do not want to miss out! If you don't believe me when I say what an awesome opportunity this would be just search #montaukproject on Twitter and Instagram and you'll see what great adventures that Nike Running plans for consumers. 

Short Clip from My Free Run!

Running through other countries and on other continents throughout the world would be a dream for me. Please help by logging your miles towards my run! After all, if you are already running or training for a race you might as well make those miles count! 

The Nike+ App is free and you can easily log your runs from there and tag them to Twitter directly from your phone. If you don't have the app be sure to download it today and start running! I wish you the best of luck in your training and running journeys and hope we get to #RUNIRISHLUCK together soon! If you have any questions for me just ask!

Happy Training!

~Karen

Race Training and Getting Out of a Rut!

My race season officially begins the weekend of August 23-24, when I will tackle Hood to Coast with my wonderful Nuun Hydration teammates on Team Lemonade! To say that I'm excited would be an understatement. I even tried to start packing today, until I realized I'm going to need all my running clothes before I leave. Have you ever been this excited about a race? I have to say that the Nike Women's Marathon last year was pretty close. I may have been even more excited because of all the buildup from Nike Women for that women's only event.

Time to add to my race bib collection!

Hood to Coast is an event that I have always wanted to take part in. In fact, this last year I applied in the lottery. I wrote a check, sent in my registration and was rejected. I was so disappointed! I grew up in Oregon and I know how special this event is. Even through I couldn't see it at the time, I was turned down for a reason and that reason was that now I have a chance to run the race with amazing women bloggers, have fun, network and party all weekend long! Thank you team Nuun! Can't wait to run with you this month!

My Hood to Coast training has really just been part of my current marathon training plan for the Nike Women's Marathon in October. I feel pretty strong, but it is getting very hard to get out and go for my long runs! Since I moved, I have not found a place I like to run at yet. I loved my old town and now I feel a little bit lost on my runs. It's getting tough and I don't know what I will do on my first 20 miler! If you have any tips for spicing up a run in a new area I would love to hear them!

I also have a Spartan Race coming up the week after my marathon, so I am trying to incorporate a lot of strength training in with my marathon training. I'm hoping they work together and make me strong in each race. Have you ever trained for two different events at the same time? How did you feel you juggled both forms of training?

One of the recent quotes that I have been trying to incorporate into my training strategy is "Train insane or remain the same." I feel like sometimes when I train by myself I don't push myself as hard as I can and I have really been suffering from this lately! I recently did a fitness assessment and took a few bootcamp classes to mix up my routine. I am definitely not where I want to be (I want to be back to my fit college basketball days) but I am still doing very well. The classes kicked my butt and the trainer made me do advanced moves, so I guess I'm not that bad off, I just have been feeling a little out of my rhythm since the move. Adjusting to a new place and gym takes time and I am probably just being impatient! I am hoping you can all keep me accountable! I am going to focus on giving 100% in all my workouts and getting back on track in August.

Thanks for all your support and I wish you all the best in your training! Have any tips for me? Leave them in the comments below!

~Karen

Nuun Review and Giveaway

I'm taking a break from my motivational Monday series to allow a few of my inspirational runners time to answer all my questions and to offer you an amazing giveaway! Today marks the 39 day countdown to running Hood to Coast with Nuun Hydration and a team of bloggers that love running! I think it's the perfect time to share with you why I love Nuun products and why I am so excited to run with them and join the Nuun team for HTC 2013.

Nuun products are great for replacing lost electrolytes without the sugar of Gatorade. The bottle is small enough to carry in your purse or keep in your car so you can always be prepared. All it takes is a bottle of water and one tablet to make the perfect sports drink. My favorite type of Nuun is their active hydration line. I am training for Hood to Coast, my third Marathon in October at the Nike Women's Marathon and my first Spartan Beast race. With all these tough workouts, I need to make sure I'm eating right and getting proper hydration. That's where Nuun comes in. Here is what I love about the Nuun Active Hydration line: 

• Packed with electrolytes, light flavor, no sugars or carbs, and portable, Nuun Active Hydration is the perfect sports drink.
• The electrolytes found in Nuun will help alleviate cramps, help muscles function, communicate and burn energy efficiently.
• Nuun Active Hydration comes in 14 flavors: Banana, Orange, Lemon Lime, Strawberry Lemonade, Fruit Punch, Kona Cola, Lemon Tea, Tri-Berry, Grape, Tropical, Citrus Fruit, Cherry Limeade, Watermelon, and Lemonade.

My favorite flavor of Nuun is Tri-Berry. I really can't say that I have ever found a flavor I don't like. When I need a little extra kick I grad the Cherry Limeade because it has some added caffeine. Nuun hydration tabs can also be found in an all day version that is a great substitute for soda. 

I love Nuun because it helps power my workouts. With the heat in California, summer training can get harsh and Nuun helps me avoid dangerous dehydration is these tough conditions and it tastes great! If you haven't tried it, then today is your lucky day. You could win a 4-pack of Nuun to try! 

In honor of my upcoming Hood to Coast race, Nuun and I have partnered to offer you a chance to win a 4-pack of Nuun hydration! All you have to do is enter in the rafflecopter giveaway below. If you don't win, or are like me and just can't get enough Nuun, then use the code: hydrateHTC at checkout on their website and receive 15% off your order! That's simple enough, right? Good luck!

~Happy Hydrating!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'm Feeling Lucky and Blessed

I have absolutely nothing to complain about this week. If you read my post yesterday then you know I have had a lot of good things happening in my life lately and especially in my fitness and running journey. Today was the day that Nike announced their lottery winners for the Nike Women's Marathon Random Draw. I was lucky enough to be one of the ladies chosen to run the race. Even more exciting is the fact that all of the ladies who I wanted to reunite with, meet and run with got in as well! There will be a Nike Women's Marathon Ambassador Reunion, even though it is missing a few key members (Nerissa and Renisha), but they will be there in spirit! Training begins next week, so after I settle down and wipe this perma-smile off my face I'll have to nail down my schedule. 

Nike has a very fun app this year so you can access your training plans directly from your phone. I am excited to try that out. Did any of my blog readers register for NWM? If so, did you get into the race? Hope to see you there!

I also found out that I won the giveaway for a Spartan Race entry from Sara at Words To Run By. The race in Sacramento is the week after the Nike Women's Marathon so I will be training hard the next 17 weeks! Add onto that my training for Hood to Coast and this girl has a very busy summer and fall. I wish the weather were cooler outside. One hundred plus degree days are NOT OK!

Luckily for me I will be well outfitted and geared up thanks to Athleta Roseville, the sponsor's of Hood to Coast, Nike and Mizuno. I just recently got a new RoadID bracelet too. If you haven't heard of RoadID they make inexpensive ID bracelets and products to protect you on the road. I hope I never need it, but in case something happens to me out on a run, the bracelet lets medical staff know who I am and who to contact. I think it's a must have for any runner out there. Check out their website and pick out one that's right for you. 

My Road ID Bracelet 

That's all from me right now, I'm ready to take on the weekend! What races do you all have on the agenda? How do you train in the heat and stay focused during long periods of training? 

W Is For Winners!

Happy Thursday everyone! I hope your week is going as well as mine! I have been having a great week in my running and fitness life and thought I would share a few of the fun things that happened to me this week. One of the first things is that I received my prize from winning the Day 1 photo challenge in the espnW 98 Days to Shine Instagram and Twitter contest. I received a really fun t-shirt and can't wait to proudly wear it around town! Yes, W is for winners! My shirt arrived Monday morning. I went out for a morning run and when I returned it was waiting for me at the door! Thanks espnW, I can't wait to keep entering your contest!

This week was a little cooler in Northern California. In fact, I was scheduled to have a track workout on Monday evening and when I showed up no one else was there. I checked Facebook and saw that the run had been cancelled due to inclement weather. As an Oregonian, 60's and overcast is NOT inclement weather! There needs to by lightening striking close by for me to give up on a run. Needless to say I did a three mile sprint workout anyway. It was nice to run by myself too, just me, the track and the great outdoors. I did 400's and 200's and followed them with a yoga session. In case you were wondering, this is the perfect way to start off a week!

The later half of the week I have been busy with work and getting ready for the Sacramento Capitals World TeamTennis season lately. If you are in the Sacramento area you don't want to miss out on the chance to see these world class tennis players in action! See photo below from the team last year. Yes, that is me with Sam Querrey, the number one American tennis player in the world right now! Go Capitals! For updates be sure to follow their Facebook and Twitter accounts. If you do you just might be interacting with yours truly and have the chance to win amazing box seats to the matches in July!

I am also getting so excited for the upcoming Hood to Coast Relay with Nuun Hydration! There are so many exciting things happening and great sponsors we are working with. I can't wait to try their new products and share my journey with you. The official countdown has begun and now there are only 57 days until the race! Stay tuned here because there are going to be lots of fun giveaways coming up for you guys as well! 

Happy Training!

Turn Your Dreams into Reality

For dreams to come true you must write them down and never stop reaching towards them. You must constantly strive to find new ways to work harder and learn more. I started to implement this principle after reading Nike Global Yoga Ambassador Leah Kim's book, From Office Hell to Yoga Heaven, on how she became a yoga instructor sought worldwide and represents one of the biggest names in the athletic world, Nike.

Her book made me realize that I hadn't been writing down my dreams and I had only been thinking about them, keeping them hidden from the world. With the advance of social media, blogs, and youtube, you can write down almost anything and share it with the world. These resources have helped me seek out new opportunities and write down my goals and aspirations, effectively causing me to work hard to achieve success.

Today is another chance for me to share what has become of the goals I have written down and how I am working towards goals that are still to come true and setting new ones.

Completed Goals:

• Top 10 in the 2010 Nike Field Reporter Competition (so close to this dream!)
• Black Belt in Taekwondo
• 2012 Nike Women's Marathon Ambassador for Nike Women
• 2013 Athleta Sponsored Athlete
• Run Club Leader 
• Run Hood to Coast with Team Nuun Hydration (will complete in August)
• Nuun Ambassador, Fitfluential Ambassador, Sweat Pink Ambassador
• Work in social media
• Connect with Nike employees - met amazing Nike representatives at NWM 12 and via Twitter I was able to speak with a Nike Digital Recruiter. 
• Run a sub 2-hour half marathon (1:53!)

Current Goals:

• Become part of a Crew for Nike and represent them at Nike Women's Marathon SF 2013
• I am inspired by the NWM Runway Crew, SF Runway Crew and SheRunsLA Crew
• Work for Nike in event planning, social media, or Nike Women
• Participate in a Nike Running photoshoot
• Run a 3:45 Marathon (Follow-up goal, qualify for Boston Marathon!)
• Complete a race in Europe and Australia
• Run for a cause - I want to run for Crohn's disease, which is an illness my sister fights everyday

As you can see, the majority of my goals are athletic related. I am a very fitness oriented person and running allows me to express myself everyday. If I could turn this love of running and motivating others into a career, or even an insanely fun hobby, I would do it in a heartbeat.

These are the goals I am working towards this year. I'll keep you updated on my progress and if you have any ideas to help me reach them I welcome your advice, assistance and mentorship!

~Karen

Dare I Say It...Race Budget Time is Here

Next Sunday, April 28, 2013, I will run the Nike Women's 1/2 Marathon in Washington, DC. I am extremely excited and can't wait to spend my birthday exploring our beautiful Capital city. The Tiffany's Finisher Necklace, friends, and Nike swag are pretty exciting too! This will be my first destination race, as I will be traveling across the country for it. I can't wait to run. It has also brought up the need for me to implement racing budgets. Yes, I cringed when I typed that word. 

Budgets are my least favorite thing when it comes to planning my race calendar and training. But, one that must be addressed. I do a relative few number of races per year, mainly due to money and partly to make myself adequately able to train for the ones that I REALLY want to do, aka: Nike Women Races, the Hood to Coast Relay and a few races with my close friends. I've never had a specific racing/training budget, but this year it has come to my attention that I should really start planning out my year ahead of time and budgeting a certain amount.

I also have started wanting to do more destination races, which are not any cheaper! Yes, Sydney Australia Marathon and Nike She Runs race down under, I will run you someday! China Wall Marathon, hopefully. London Marathon, absolutely! I have learned so much about cities and the streets by running, I can't imagine a better way to explore a new place. Of course, coming home with a great finisher's medal is awesome too. I think you can see my predicament: travel + race fees + training gear = Budget! 

Since I can't see myself being sponsored to travel the world to race quite yet, (though Nike - if you are listening, I'd love to run for you or work as an event organizer, I would be great at it), my only solution is to start a race fund and that starts with a monthly budget devoted to racing! 

Since I have no idea where to start, I need some help from you, my faithful racing friends. How much do you budget to racing monthly and how do you choose what races you will do each year? Do you have vacations planned around races? 

Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated! And if you know of anyone who wants to sponsor me to travel the world.... that would be great too.

~Karen

I Made the Team!

I Made the Blogger Team!

Today was the day I have been waiting for since I submitted my application to Nuun Hydration to run Hood to Coast on their team. I woke up multiple times during the night and even had a few nightmares about NOT making the team. I was a nervous wreck, seriously! I have wanted to do this race so badly for awhile. I am from Oregon and was at the finish in Seaside about five years ago. There were so many happy, accomplished runners there and I wanted to experience that myself. 

I applied this last year but did not make it into the lottery. As luck would have it, Nuun hydration was putting together two teams of female bloggers and I applied to be on their team. I really want to run this race because:

• I am from Oregon and this race is in my home state!
• I put on my Athleta Sponsored Athlete goals that I would run Hood to Coast with them and then didn't make the lottery - I was devastated.
• I want to take on this challenge with other female bloggers
• I want my first relay to be Hood to Coast
• I love that the race is sponsored by Nike

This morning I checked my email and the Nuun Blog repeatedly to see if I made the team. Finally, around 10am the names were posted! I anxiously scrolled down the list and there it was, my name! I had made the team! You can check out their announcement post here. I quickly sent texts to everyone who had supported me and helped me make my video. It was a great morning and I am on cloud nine! I am so excited to meet all the other women who made the team and have a blast together this August! 

Congratulations to all the women who will be running Hood to Coast. I look forward to seeing you all there! Follow my journey here and on Twitter. 

~Karen 

Volunteering and a Tasty Snack!

In leu of going crazy while waiting to hear back from Nuun Hydration on whether my video has won an entry to run with their team in Hood to Coast, I am putting my thoughts towards my next big race, which just happens to be the Nike Women's Half Marathon DC! It is only18 days away and I am getting more excited as the race gets closer and closer. This is going to be one amazing experience and I am ready to live it up, meet amazing ladies and crush my race goals!

Today I got my confirmation for volunteering for packet pick-up on Friday morning in DC and then I will be volunteering to help with the Somersault Snack Co. booth handing out samples of their amazing sunflower treats! Cinnamon Crunch is my favorite! I first found out about their company at my very first marathon, the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco in 2011. I have since stocked up on their tasty snacks every time I go to Whole Foods. Seriously great energy before and after a workout. It's a power packed, superhero food! Yum! It's always the first thing I eat out of my race goodie bag. 

I love running and I am very excited to give back by volunteering to help these amazing race sponsors. I am also excited to meet Brandy on Friday evening and experience Washington, DC together. I am even more exited to run the race on my birthday with great friends! What races are you looking forward to running? Have you volunteered to help at any events like this? What is your favorite part of volunteering?

Nuun Hood to Coast

The moment has arrived! I just submitted my 2013 Hood to Coast video entry to run with Team Nuun! I could not be more excited and more nervous. I have wanted to do this race for years. I grew up in Oregon and this race has a lot of meaning for me. I entered the lottery this last year but was not chosen. Unfortunately, they can only take about 50% of the teams that enter. When I saw that Nuun Hydration was doing a contest and giving twenty female bloggers the chance to run on their team, I knew I had to enter. This would be a dream come true!

I worked with some of my amazing co-workers and friends to create this video showing Nuun why I would be a great pick for their team. Check it out, let me know what you think and then head over to Nuun's Twitter and Facebook accounts and let them know I'd be a great fit for their team! One of my other friends, Elizabeth is applying to go too. I hope we both get to run the 32nd Annual Hood to Coast race and can dominate the course this year and make new running friends throughout this two day relay.

Nuun Hood to Coast Relay Team Application

Running Brings Me Home

Run Clubs, Crews, Sisters, Brothers, Friends - whatever you call it, running creates groups of people that become bonded by the act of lacing up their shoes and hitting the streets. Running is the easiest sport to pick up because all you have to do is step out the door and pick up your feet. Run! Racing and training as a Nike Women's Marathon Training Ambassador last year made me aware of the community running creates. It crosses borders, languages, religions, the past and present. Running is an equalizer and is something that has bonded me with my Sisters In Nike who I first officially met at the Nike Women's Marathon in 2012 and who I plan on meeting up with again in 2013. Running brings me ultimate joy and that is something I like to share with others. In just a few short weeks I will again meet up with crews from around the country and world at the Nike Women's Half Marathon in Washington DC. This race is going to bring thousands of women together for one cause. Nike employees, ambassadors, celebrities and elite athletes will be there to cheer us on and run side by side. One of these celebrities is singer, Ellie Goulding. 

Ellie Goulding's Custom Nike #Flyknit

Ellie Goulding is a singer and a runner. She has partnered with Nike this year to share her running story and to show how running keeps her fit. Running is how she clears her head and thinks. She will be running DC and inspiring us women to greatness. Elite trainers will be there and Olympic Gold Medalist gymnast Shawn Johnson will be tackling her first 13.1. This race has endless possibilities for excitement and achievement. I can't wait to run it and get caught up in the moments surrounding the race.

After the Nike Women's Half Marathon I hope to make the Nuun Hydration team to run Hood to Coast. This race is such an amazing event. A relay covering 197 miles of Oregon terrain that bonds teams together and creates community. I filmed my video application last weekend and will have it finished up this week to submit for the chance to run with twelve other amazing women and conquer this course. I've been in a conversation the last few weeks on Twitter with hashtag #nuunHTC. This conversation has led me to meet many other inspiring women hoping for the chance to run this race. It's amazing how athletic and driven these women all are and I wish them all the best of luck. I hope we get the chance to team up and race this coming August.

I have been exploring other running routes recently since I moved and found these convenient markings on the sidewalks of Ukiah. There are five walking routes through Ukiah and the sidewalks are marked so you don't get lost, genius! What we need next are marked running routes. I could go for a few of those. For example, a route for your long run day, and easy five miler. These would be simple enough to mark right? I know, I know, there's an app for that. Ukiah hasn't gotten there yet. My GPS still dumps me off in the middle of the woods when I'm headed to the grocery store. Oh well, my internal navigation will get better soon.

What crews do you run with? How has running changed your life? Let me know!

~Karen 

Hood to Coast On My Mind

This is what awaited finishers of the Hood to Coast relay at the finish in Seaside in 2011. This is one of the reasons I want to take part in this race. At what other event can you bond with your team over a 24 hour race and each be running towards a common goal? Where else can you start in the snow and end on the beach? 

I was born on the Oregon Coast in a little town called Coos Bay. It just happens to be the very same town that the legendary track athlete, Steve Prefontaine grew up. Steve was one of the first athletes to be sponsored by Nike and he is a legend because of his incredible running skills on the track and his refusal to give up in any race. His life was tragically cut short, but his memory lives on. 

In short, I was born in a running town, a town with a fighting spirit, a town on the Oregon coast, not far from Seaside. My family moved to Salem, OR when I was young, just an hour and a half south of Mt. Hood. The Hood to Coast relay is a race that has personal meaning for me because of it's location and it's ties to four of my favorite things: Oregon, Running, Nuun and Nike. Over the next few weeks I will be making my video to earn a chance to run Hood to Coast with Nuun Hydration. Wish me luck! 

Running, Nuun and Tennis, Nothing Better!

The year is almost a quarter of the way over and I have been having a blast so far. If you have been following my blog, you have been able to see some of the exciting things I have been up to and been able to follow my goals and aspirations. I thought I would give you a recap today of some of the things this year has brought to me already and some of my new endeavors. 

Athleta Roseville Store - Come Join Me For Run Club!

So far this year I have been pursuing my passions and it has come to fruition. I have been loving my stint as the Athleta sponsored athlete and leading run club for their store has brought me many new friends and taught me a lot about life and running. There is something about running that is just different and breeds amazing people, people who seem to see life a little bit differently. If you're ever in the Roseville, CA area stop in for run club, I'd love to meet you! 

Meeting Sam Querrey! 

Also, I have been able to become a Sweat Pink Ambassador, Nuun Hydration Ambassador and as of today am starting my second season working with the Sacramento Capitals World Team Tennis managing their social media. I love tennis, if you can't tell from my goofy grin in this picture with my hubby and Sam Querrey (ranked #20 in the world right now I might add) after a match last year. I also really enjoy social media and have a lot of great ideas I am looking forward to working on this season. The team I am working with this year seems so supportive and I am excited to see how great we can make this season. 

Serena Williams Behing the Scenes for Nike Training Club

I also have remained in contact with some of the amazing women from the Nike Women team in Beaverton, OR and have had the privilege of helping promote their new Serena Williams workout for the Nike Training Club app for iPhone and Android. If you haven't tried these workouts yet, you need to check them out. I have been trying to network and learn more every day about the sports industry and Nike and have met some amazing people this year via Twitter, if you would like to follow some great Nike people check out @nikedigitaljobs, @heidiburgett, @leahkimyoga, @mariepurvis, @britthayley, @robinnyc, @nikerunning, @nikefuel, and @nikewomen. There are many more, but start here and you'll learn a lot! I had the privilege of speaking with a Nike recruiter and some employees on the inside regarding their path and journey to Nike and it has given me an idea of what I need to do to make myself more marketable.

I get to run and volunteer for the race. I am excited about that!

Also this year, I get to go to Washington D.C. to run the Nike Women's Half Marathon. I was heartbroken when I didn't get in, especially since the race is on my birthday, but when more spots opened up, I was the first to sign up. I cannot wait to visit this city and run with 15,000 other women! No better way to celebrate my birthday than to crush a race! I have a 1:53 PR from my half marathon this past weekend, so I am hoping to beat that and set the bar a little higher for my training. I am also volunteering to help with packet pick-up on Friday morning. I am excited to be able to help and give back to a race that I am so excited about. This weekend will be amazing. 

Nuun Hydration Tabs - I'm Hoping to Run Hood to Coast With You! 

So that is my year so far. Pretty good for only being two and a half months in. So what about my upcoming goals? As of this moment I am hoping to get to run Hood to Coast this coming August. As you may know, I entered the lottery last year and was not chosen. Two days ago, Nuun Hydration, the amazing sports hydration tab company I love, announced a contest they have to give twenty women spots to run with them on the 30+ hour relay event. The catch, create a video showing why you are a fan of Nuun, why you want to the run the race and how much fun you would be to ride in a van for 30+ hours with. I pretty much fit into all these categories, so for the next few weeks I will be working on showing Nuun just how great of an addition to their team I will be. If you want to join me check out the Nuun Hydration Blog and enter your own video. Hopefully we can run together! I'll post a link to mine when it is finished and let Nuun know how much you would love me to be on their team. I would love to have all of your support! 

The next few weeks I will be focused on training, work and showing Nuun just how great of an ambassador for their brand I can be. Please, let me know if you have any suggestions for my video or just want to offer me your support or a shout out in the comments! I would love to hear from you all! Remember to follow your dreams and never give up. I have passionately pursued my dreams and goals no matter how many times I have been told no and good things keep happening. The world truly can be yours, just remember to work hard and always put your best foot forward. 

Happy Training! 

~Karen

Hope for Hood to Coast & My Trainer Certification

Today I got my official "decline" letter from Hood to Coast, the "Mother of all Relay's" starting at Mount Hood Oregon and ending on the coast at Seaside. I wanted to do this relay so badly! Maybe in 2014 I will get to go. I did see that if you were able to raise $20,000 for the American Cancer Society you get automatic entry into the 2013 and 2014 races. I have been trying to figure out how to do this all day long. I don't have too much experience on the fund raising front and that is a daunting task. I may just have to keep trying for the lottery and hope for the best! I refuse to give up hope and if anyone knows of a team that is looking for another runner, I'd love to join! If you know how to fundraise hit me up with your ideas as well!

In other news, I am CPR certified yet again after my class tonight. That means all that is left standing in my way of becoming a personal trainer is deciding on the course I want to take and studying hard. I think I am going to go with NASM certification and keep looking around for a school where I can get a second degree in exercise physiology. I am also looking at becoming a certified running coach with the Road Runners Club of America. Fitness is my passion and I can't keep putting off my dreams with excuses. I want to be a trainer and that is where I am going to put my energy this next year. Living my dreams and my passion and turning them into a career will be a rewarding experience and I can't wait to  begin the journey. 

Coaching basketball this year has really opened my eyes to the joy of teaching others and watching them grow and learn new things. I love challenging myself and seeing progress, but seeing others challenge themselves, grow and succeed through my coaching is one of the most rewarding experiences I have had. I can't wait to see how the girls progress this season.

What are some of your goals, both fitness related and professionally? What is holding you back from achieving them?