Marathon Training Peak = More Sleep!

Marathon training is kicking my butt right now. Yes, I said it. I'm starting to remember when I got to this point last year. The tiredness and the life suddenly devoted to running - and running LONG miles. Yesterday I ran 7 miles - 3.5 of which were straight up a hill. Today I had a speed workout on the track and tomorrow I have a 6 mile run. Today I got home and I fell asleep, on the floor. I didn't even have the energy to make it to my bed and it's a nice bed! I have to say, it was some of the best sleep ever. Much needed! I'm excited for the marathon and it is now less than five weeks away, but these are always the longest weeks for me. 

My track workout this morning

Today I didn't feel like going to the track, but I did it anyway. I went early in the morning before it got too hot and I got it done! It wasn't the speediest I could have gone, but I was running on tired legs. In my marathon I will be running on tired legs, so it was good training and helped me learn how to pick up the pace even when I am feeling exhaustion creeping in. I shared my run with Nike Running on Twitter and they were able to give me a pick-me-up. The showed me that focusing on my training will get me to my PR goal. A big shout-out to them for giving me an extra push right when I need it.

Personalized poster from Nike Running

This evening I did some yoga and it felt amazing. If there is one thing that I have been slacking on recently it would have to be my yoga practice. I am starting to feel the tightness creeping in, so it was high time I took to the mat. After 45 minutes of yoga with Leah Kim on the Nike Training Club app, I feel much better. I don't recommend skipping yoga or stretching, trust me, you'll pay a price! 

Marathon training is hard right now, but I am going to push through stronger. I'd love to know if you have any tips for pushing through the tough weeks of training. Let me know in the comments below!

~Happy Training!

Motivation from Tiara Folkes!

I had the privilege of meeting Tiara when we trained and ran the Nike Women's Marathon together last year with Nike Women. Tiara was training in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and I was training in Roseville, CA. Tiara is an incredibly inspiring person. As we got to know each other more I realized we have a lot in common. We were both collegiate athletes and love a challenge, both love the same Nike gear and love to run. If only we were in the same country! 

Tiara is fast. She started out running four years ago and is constantly improving. She is already a sub-4 hour marathoner! One of her goals is to qualify for the Boston Marathon and I know she will do it! I wanted to share Tiara's awesome running story here with you so you can be inspired and motivated to follow your dreams as well. Nothing is out of reach.

How did you get into running?

In 2009 I was extremely overweight. After I stopped swimming first year university I started gaining a ton of weight and I began to yo-yo with my body weight, this started a huge horrible cycle of eating disorders. In 2009 I was my heaviest and I hated that feeling!! Instead of feeling sorry for myself and falling back into the cycle of eating disorders I bought a pair of running shoes and an ipod nano with the Nike running capabilities. Back in 2010 I ran my first 10km race and I always said I would run no further then 10km's in May 2012 Nike Women contact me about running the Nike Women's Marathon and gave me the option between the half and the full and I have always had the frame of mind that if I am going to jump I should jump head first. In October 2012 I finished my first ever Marathon.  

How do you train? Are you a part of a running group? Do you prefer running with a group or alone? 

Currently I am running with Team in Training, we raise money for Leukemia, Lymphoma and Melanoma. I am usually a solo runner but I love starting off with a group of ladies and finishing with them. We encourage each other on the way offering a high five here and a pat on the back there. Running with a group has helped me be more compassionate as we all run at different levels and some even walk but it shows me that each and every person has their own strength and their own quiet determination. 

What is your favorite memory from running? 

My favorite memory is crossing the finish line at Nike Women's. It was my very first marathon and the very first time I pushed my body that far, I learned that no matter what I had the strength and determination to push myself through anything. As long as I put my mind to it I could face any challenge put in front of me.  

Nike Women's Marathon 2012

What race(s) is your favorite? Why? 

Nike Women's will always be my favorite race! It is my first marathon and I met amazing friends along the way. 

What advice do you have for new runners? 

Never give up! Everyone has bad runs and everyone has good runs, but on bad run days don't give up! Keep pushing forward. It was on my bad run days that I found myself, I found out how resilient I am and how far 

How do you use your blog/social media to influence your running?

I love talking about running, I love tweeting about running and my life is running. I love engaging my social media followers about running. It makes my day and also gives me motivation when I am lacking it. 

How do you fit running in with your daily schedule, work, etc…? 

I always run on my lunch hour! Lunch hour runs break up my day and make me feel like I can tackle my afternoon no matter what is thrown at me. I love early morning runs, hitting the pavement before anyone else is out there, when it is just me and the open road. 

Do you have any favorite running gear our readers should know about (shoes, tights, etc)?

I wear only Nike, my all time favorite shoes are the Nike Lunarglides, they make me feel like I am running on a cloud and I love the style of them. Just because I am running doesn't mean I don't like to look good. Nike has an amazing line of fitness apparel that is fashionable and yet practical. 

Elizabeth, Me and Tiara at NWM 2012

Tiara is one of the most inspiring and motivated people I know. If you need some extra motivation be sure to follow her on her blog, Ignite-Perspire-Inspire,  Twitter and Instagram accounts: @TiaraBeth. She is currently training for the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco on October 20, 2013. We'll both be there, so if you see us, say hi!    

My Day to Find Greatness

My Best Nike Fuel Day!

This past weekend I was able to participate in Nike's "Find Greatness" day and am proud to say that I was able to make this day my most active day yet. I pushed myself by running 15 miles on a very hilly course, doing NTC workouts, boxing drills and generally anything I could think of to stay active. I did not allow myself to stop during the entire day. When Nike gives me a challenge I accept wholeheartedly! All my activity paid off when I achieved my 12,000 NikeFuel goal and earned the "find greatness" badge. I'm going to display that with pride! 

Running along the water and running the Swoosh!

My day started out with a 15 mile run that went through town and then hit a picturesque trail with a few ponds and waterfalls. They were a gorgeous sight to my eyes and I enjoyed running past the cool water. Once I found a turtle along this path. I always enjoy seeing wildlife out on my runs, it makes me feel like I am in nature instead of the middle of a big city. I also attempted to run the "swoosh." Needless to say from the above picture, my running/spelling skills need some work. With two more months of Marathon training I will have many more opportunities to master my art.

 The personalized badge I received from Nike Running after I synced my 15 miler!

I have been working on my running form lately and found this great video from the Born to Run coach Eric Orton. He explains proper running mechanics and ways to make your running an experience that is fluid and injury free. I am going to put some of these drills into practice on my next run. Some of his rules are basic but so important. For me, the focus he puts on striking toe to heel is huge, I'm a total heel striker and am ready to give this a try and see how it feels.

Video: Running with Eric

And just because I really want this and totally don't need it, don't you think this is a great tennis/running outfit? I want it! I'm a sucker for grey tennis skirts and long sleeved running tops. Oh well, maybe some day. Until then, goodnight!

Find Your Greatness - Nike Style!

Nike just launched a great new campaign called "Find Your greatness." It is basically a campaign that is promoting the ability of each person to strive for their own personal best. Greatness is not reserved for the select few, it is accessible to everyone. The movie is incredible and will make you want to reach for your goals and train harder every day. It shows how anyone can become great with hard work, perseverance and belief.

This year I feel like Nike Women has given me the opportunity to find my greatness. They have given me opportunities that I never thought possible and pushed me beyond my limits. I am running faster and longer distances than I thought possible and I still have a lot to improve on. With an individualized training plan from Nike Trainer Marie Purvis and motivation from the ladies at Nike Women, each day is a new adventure. I don't want to waste a minute of my opportunity and will continue to train to be better every day.

My Sisters In Nike have created their own greatness as well and have reached for new goals. They are amazing and supportive. Athletes come from everywhere, in every sport and in every shape. My Sisters In Nike have taught me that no matter how I am feeling, with their support I can get through any workout. Together we will finish the Nike Women's Marathon stronger than we were six months ago. I hope that we will be able to run many races together in the future and my dream is to be able to run the Hood to Coast race together in Portland with my Sisters In Nike and with Nike Women! One step at a time, but a girl can dream right? Check out our new Facebook page at Facebook.com/SistersInNike for more updates!

Today I found out that I was the third place finisher in the Nike Heel Kicks Challenge! All of my training is paying off. I loved seeing my Twitter handle @superwomankw on the leader board. Thanks Nike Training and Nike Women!

Here is my video doing Heel Kicks for my third place finish! What a fun time. I just got this Nike Women's Running dress and I LOVE it! So lightweight and you don't have to worry about it riding up while you run. Perfect when paired with a pair of dry-fit capris. 

Happy training everyone. How do you Find Your Greatness? I'd love to know, share it in a comment below or tweet @nikewomen, @niketraining and me @superwomankw! Now go out there and show the world what you are made of!

Make It Count

Day one of Nike Women's Marathon training went incredibly well. I woke up at 6am as planned, grabbed a quick bite to eat and headed out for my 4 mile training run. The route I ran was along the road and through a park. This run was one of the shorter ones I will have in the next few months and by the time I had ran the two miles to the park I had to run back home to get ready for work at 7:30. 

I was able to keep up a decent pace of 8:22 per mile. I hope to get that down to 7:30 or 8 minute miles for the Marathon. Luckily I have a few months to train for that. With many Nike Training Club (NTC) workouts in the future, sprints, hill sprints, and speed work I know I can accomplish what I set out to do. 

I am doing all this training so that I can run along the coast of San Francisco next to thousands of other runners sharing my passion. With majestic and breathtaking views like this one I can't imagine a better place to run my second marathon and record my PR. 

I am training to make myself a better person, stronger athlete and fearless competitor. I am training with women like me who have a passion for Nike, fitness and NTC. I am training with Nike Women and get to experience this race in an amazing capacity as a Nike Women's Training Ambassador. Marie Purvis, aka @nikegetfit, is supporting me and training me along the way. I get to see my name posted on the wall at Nike Town San Francisco and be a part of something bigger than myself. I get to #makeitcount in more ways than one. Through the journey, the race and after I cross that finish line, everything I do will be focused on this moment. I plan to #maketherules in a big way over the next few months and beyond. This marathon journey is just the beginning. 

Weekend Warrior?

Enjoying a beautiful day at the wedding!

This last weekend I spent cooped up in a car on a weekend wedding road trip. This trip really cut into my fitness and Nike Women's Marathon training time. I probably needed to take a break and just rest my muscles, but I sure didn't want to.

Sitting in the back seat of a Ford Focus for eight to nine hours is not my idea of fun. Plus, we drove in the evening and early mornings so my sleep schedule took a hit too. Needless to say, I didn't progress very far in my workouts this weekend. Apart from my Friday morning track workout, I was pretty much stuck sitting all weekend.

Don't think I didn't enjoy the wedding, it was gorgeous and definitely worth the sacrifices, it just didn't coincide with my training. I just want to answer the questions I have been asking myself. What does this mean for all my hard training? Am I back at square run, starting all over again?

I know that I should have found a way to workout, but I honestly didn't have any opportunities. So in answer to my first question, I think all my hard training was simply put on pause. I didn't take a week, a month or even a year off. I only took off Saturday and Sunday. I can survive this and maybe even turn it into my advantage. I haven't stumbled off my path, I just took a short detour. Life happens and we just have to be prepared mentally and physically to handle the challenges that this brings.

So am I starting all over again? No, I don't think that is possible. I definitely have some catching up to do. Veggies were top priority on my list of supper food tonight, and sleep will be coming soon. With a big day of running planned tomorrow, I will be hopping back into my regular schedule in no time. I am just thankful that this wedding was the week before Nike Women's Marathon training began. Nothing will be getting in my way for that training plan.

I'm ready to #maketherules and #makeeverymovecount in the coming months.