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! 

Running the Edge - Book Review and Giveaway!

I have been engrossed in the book "Running the Edge" by Olympian Adam Goucher and Tim Catalano. As someone who is relatively new to distance running, I ran my first marathon last October and have my second coming up in six weeks, this has been the perfect book for me. It has changed the way I look at running and has helped me put in perspective what running has taught me and still can teach me. It is a book that every runner, no matter how new or immersed in the sport you are, can learn something from. This is my go to running book right now and I know that you will love it too. Continue reading to see my review of this great book and to enter my giveaway to receive a signed copy!

I have been fascinated with elite runners lately. Maybe it was the Olympic year that helped to fuel my love of the sport, but whatever it was I can't get enough. When I saw the tag line "discover the secrets to better running and a better life" I knew that I had to read this book. From page one I was hooked. Transformative Experiences is the first part of learning how to "run the edge." Every runner has had a transformative experience at some point or another. A moment in time when they understand what it means to run, to push the limit, to reach for a goal and earn a PR. That is why we run.

But these transformative experiences can only go so far. We must take these experiences and use them to make our running and every aspect of our lives better. We can use running to increase our success in our education, career, family, friendships and passions. Becoming exceptional in running requires discipline, commitment, determination, accountability and authenticity - just to name a few. As a runner you know what it means to push yourself and to strive to be better. This book points out how great our lives could be if we strived to be better in all aspects of our life, not just running. Running teaches us to reach for the edge, to be the best that we can be, in all aspects of our lives.

With candid stories from both the running career of Olympian Adam Goucher and the coaching experiences of Tim Catalano, "Running the Edge" shows how success and failures are what makes running so great. This book puts the power to change and better your running into your own hands. It doesn't make promises it can't keep and walks you through the steps to "Run the Edge!" One thing I learned is that you will need to be active when reading this book, keep a note pad next to you while you read so you can write down lists of your goals, challenges, and successes. Adam and Tim will walk you through the psychology of running and help you key in on what you need to do to reach your edge and push through it.

The term Distance Maven is coined in this book and used to express what runners can become when they truly embrace the challenges in this book. Runners are not normal, they are not average, and they should not want to be. According to the guys, the curse of normal and the chains of average are meant to be broken by distance mavens. Distance mavens may make mistakes, but they are mistakes that lead to greatness and to finding your edge. 

In the final chapters you will discover the importance of closing in on your goals and how important a supportive group of like minded individuals can be to your success. I have experienced this first hand in my most recent marathon training experience. I know I would not have made it this far in my training or ran 7 minute miles without their support and guidance. Adam and Tim know what they are doing and are sharing from their heart and their experiences. If you truly want to improve your running and your life then read this book. I can't even begin to cover how much this book can enhance your running. You won't regret reading it. For a chance to win a signed copy (which I don't even have) just follow the instructions below.

Today just might be your lucky day because I have a signed copy to give away to one of my lucky blog readers! All you have to do is like Run the Edge and Reason to Play on Facebook and post a comment on this blog. I'll randomly select a lucky reader this Sunday! It's that simple. Good luck and happy running!