Thursday, December 13, 2018

Guest post - 5 Ways Busy Moms Can Train for Marathons


5 Ways Busy Moms Can Train For Marathons
by Sarah Jacobs




We all know that being a mother entails a lot of responsibilities. It is not just about ‘taking care of the kids,’ but it also includes house chores, doing the groceries, running errands, cooking, and taking/getting the kids to/from school. Most moms also have to work to earn a living. And as if that’s not enough, some moms even join social gatherings and activities like parties, PTA meetings, a fun run or marathon.

The question now is, how do they even do it? Well, moms really have time management skills - and they are very productive than most people in a given day. But when it comes to fun runs and marathons, how can a mom possibly train for it while running daily errands, chores, and other responsibilities? Below are a few training tips for every busy mom:

1.    Come up with a marathon training plan.

The first step in marathon training is to come up with a plan or schedule. This is very important especially for busy moms who have to attend to other responsibilities and errands during the day. First of all, you don’t have to beat yourself up. Who has the luxury to run or train five or six times a week, anyway? You can just do it 3 times a week or every other day.

To not add up to the pressure, you don’t have to set up the actual days for training. You can simply chalk in your Day 1 on a Sunday (or Monday, or whichever day is convenient for you), and start from there. For moms who feel more comfortable to label those days, you may also do so.
Your training plan should allot at least 30 minutes per session. If possible, you have to gradually increase those minutes until your sessions can last up to an hour or so. It is also important to put in time for warm-ups and cool downs. You have to start lightly with a brisk walk, then accelerate into jogs and runs. If you can, you may also consult a professional personal trainer to help you with this.

2.            Schedule trainings during your kid’s sleep/school time.

A crucial consideration when you make a marathon plan is the free time you get each day. You have to factor in the times that your kids are usually asleep, or the time when they are out at school. If there isn’t really much time, you can opt to delegate some of your daily responsibilities to your partner or a baby/house sitter. If you have older kids, you can assign them chores on a certain time of day so you can clear up those times for your marathon training.

3.            Do cross trainings.

Cross trainings are stretching and strengthening exercises that can help build up endurance for your upcoming marathon. Unlike jogs and practice runs, cross training can be done at home, so it is a great alternative workout on days when you can’t go to the park or if the weather is not exactly cooperating with your plans. You can come up with your own mix of cross trainings, watch guide videos, or do a 30-minute elliptical workout.

4.            Help yourself with an app.

Apps can help track your progress and remind you of the days that you need to go on a workout. They also serve as excellent guides and timers. Apps like Couch to 5K and fitness trackers can help you develop a gradually increasing jog/run time and routine. It can even help you track the distance and minutes that you spent for the session.

5.            Don’t forget to take a good rest.

Rest is also an essential part of your training. Burning yourself out or feeling constantly fatigued will not do you good. First of all, it can lower your immune system, and will even cause more body pains and health problems. Second, it will be hard for you to reach your maximum potential when your body feels overworked. Remember that your training sessions have to be gradually increasing (in terms of time and covered distance), and it will be hard to achieve these if you feel strained.

As a busy mom, it is easy to get distracted from a planned marathon training schedule. The rule you should always remember is, don’t be too hard on yourself! Allow your schedule to be flexible as possible. Remember, slow progress is still progress!


Author Bio:




Sarah Jacobs is an experienced writer who loves creating articles that can benefit others. She has worked as a freelance writer in the past making informative articles and fascinating stories. She has extensive knowledge in a variety of fields such as technology, business, finance, marketing, personal development, and more.
Check out her company here: Giftninjas.co

Thursday, September 27, 2018

JORD watch review and giveaway


Imagine my surprise when I was contacted last week by the awesome people at JORD watches asking if I would be interested in collaborating with them on a watch review and giveaway. I know I do reviews and giveaways but my genre is typically running and fitness related. I thought, what the hey, I'll look and see what they are all about and oh my, they have some of the nicest watches. 

My JORD watch arrived very quickly and in a gorgeous wood box. Inside the box contained the watch around a small pillow, extra links and 2 cleaning towels, along with a tube of cleaning oil to ensure that the wood band stays in good condition. The box also has a small drawer at the bottom of it to keep anything extra. 

When I opened that box and saw how gorgeous my JORD watch was, I was so ecstatic. I mean, they look beautiful on their website but pictures just don't do the watches justice. They are so much nicer in person. The face of the watch is a little larger than I am used to but it still looks amazing on my wrist. 





 

I love everything about this watch, it has a gorgeous color for the face and the band and it is very well crafted. The even offer watch bands for your apple Iwatch on their site.  My favorite attribute of this watch is the clasp. While it is very secure, it is super easy to put on and take off yourself. You just press the sides of the clasp to release it, and when you put it on you just snap each side back on. 







Now that I've told you how awesome is is, I'm sure you want to run out and buy it :D I have good news, I am doing a giveawayWinner gets $100 off plus FREE SIZING and FREE SHIPPING! If you don't want to wait, I'm also offering a $25 coupon code that will be good during the entire length of the giveaway, the code is pamdemonium.  If you are looking for a nice watch, you definitely need to check out the different styles JORD offers.



**I was provided this watch for free in exchange for an honest review of their product. ** 

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

River to Sea 6/12 hr Race Review


Yesterday I ran my first ever 6 hr trail race, River To Sea 6/12 hr Race. Over the past few months since I registered, I had a few oh my God, what did I get myself into, and why did I let Monica talk me into this, especially over the past month or so when my training runs got long. But I pushed through and completed all my training runs, so I knew I was as prepared as I could be, at least I thought so.




My friend Dori and I decided we would tackle this experience together and rode down the night before to packet pickup. Super organized packet pickup at a great little restaurant in Flagler Beach called the Beachfront Grille decided for me that this race was going to be good. We decided to eat there, and we both had amazing meals. Dori had a cheeseburger, but I pulled out all the stops and had prime rib..... both were super delicious and the waitress was amazing.


Sleeping was crap, because this was my first long distance trail race, and I was super nervous. We got up super early and headed out to Gamble Rogers Park. I have to say this is one of the most organized races I have ever competed in. Super easy parking and easy to find starting line. We started about on time, and I continued with the intervals I was training with.... 30/30s. Everything was going on point and according to plan... though I didn't have much more of a goal than to finish without dying, until about mile 6 when I tripped over a stump and jarred my back. From there on I could do 2 laps of intervals and 2 laps of walks before I took a ten minute break and that was how I completed my race.

 





I had really hoped to get over 20 miles in, but in the end 16 was all I could manage. I was a tad disappointed but the race experience was so much more than the run itself. This trail run was SO MUCH FUN! Great people, great food, and just a great experience overall. Dawn Lisenby is an amazing race director and she has the best volunteers. I have never seen a race director interact so much with the participants. I considered her a friend by my first rest break. I truly recommend doing any races put on by East Coast Trail Racing. This easily became my favorite race even though it was the most difficult race I have ever run, and I cannot wait to run Jack's 30K Trail Race next month. If this looks fun, register here and run it with me :D
Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention the amazing photographer that they had there, Island Girl Images. She put all our pictures online for free, and actually got some pretty good ones of me. If you want to check our her pictures from River to Sea, check them out here .







A few takeaways from the race -

1. Even if you have a goal, don't be disappointed if you don't meet it. Just enjoy the experience.
2. Trail races are awesome, everyone becomes a friend.
3. Great race directors make a race!
4. Nothing feels better than a pair of flip flops after a race.

Monday, July 23, 2018

2Toms SportShield for Her Review and Giveaway



I don't think there is a woman runner that hasn't suffered from the unbearable chafing that happens after a hot, sweaty run. For me, luckily it only happens after runs that are 6 miles are more, but since my favorite race distance (so far) is a half marathon, chafing happens at least once a week or more. 





Good news, I finally found something that prevents (and soothes) chafing, 2Toms sport shield for Her! Before every long run, I roll it all over my inner, upper thighs (no thigh gap here), under my boobs, and under my jogging bra band on my back. I'm quite sure, I will learn other areas that will need protection as I delve into the realm of ultra-running.
Unfortunately, this may take some trial and error, leaving me with some chafed areas that I didn't know I could chafe. Also, unfortunately there are some days that my scatterbrained self forgets to "prepare" myself for these long runs...... more good news, putting the sport shield on after these runs, soothes the sore, burning areas. 




So here are the great attributes that make 2Toms sport shield for her the best that I have tried - 


100% Guaranteed! SportShield for Her! won’t melt and lasts all day!

Formulated exclusively for women, SportShield for Her! is more than just a pink package. This moisture-rich protection contains aloe & shea butter to moisturize and soothe along with natural anti-microbial ingredients to help protect sensitive skin. It’s fragrance-free and dye free and contains no animal products.
SportShield for Her!:
  • Won’t melt
  • Rolls on quickly & easily
  • Sweatproof
  • Waterproof
  • Non-staining
  • Non-toxic
  • Delivers All-Day protection against rubbing & friction
But it’s easily removed from the skin with soap and water (leaving absolutely no residue), and is ideal for use on the inside of thighs, under sports bras,  or anywhere else that might chafe.

I borrowed this from their page, but I couldn't have said it any better. 

So here's some great news for you awesome readers. I am giving away a bottle of 2Toms Sport shield for Her to two of you. 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you aren't one of the lucky winners, I still have a great deal for you. If you use the code APG20 with your purchase you will save 20%, and you can purchase it here

**I am a Medi-Dyne Ambassador and was provided a bottle of 2Toms sport shield for Her! for my review. All thoughts on this product are my own**

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Trail running

For as long as I have been running, I've always enjoyed running trails. They are definitely a lot harder than running on the road, but the sights you see are just so amazing. Trails are very tranquil, allowing me to really relax while I'm running. I'm sure I've mentioned that running is my sanity, it's my way to figure things out in my head and then just lose myself for a little while. Well trails add to that, there are very few distractions so it really allows myself to get lost in my head and just run. Here are just a few images from a trail that I run quite often.... how could you not want to run through that?






Well that love of trail running has opened my eyes to a new category of races that I really didn't know a lot about and honestly didn't think that I would ever be able be capable of running.... ultra running. I have quite a few friends that have been delving into this sport, and are starting to talk me into doing them., so much so, that I have signed up for my first a 6 hr trail race in August and a 30K trail race in October. While I know that these distances really don't qualify me as an ultra runner, they are a stepping stone and I'm looking into 50ks for next year.

Who else loves ultra running? Any advice for a newbie like me?

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Who am I?

Sometimes I really wonder who I am or who am I supposed to be... I've spent 20+ years being a wife and a mother, but I think in that process the real me got lost or forgotten and whenever she tries to come out something happens to try and push her back in. Don't get me wrong I love my family, but I often feel overwhelmed and taken advantage of. Every time I think life is going my way the other shoe falls and again there goes my happy go lucky lifestyle. Those who know me know I really try to stay upbeat and keep my personal life out of everything I do, but what do you do when that just becomes to much to bear. I'm sure that many out there feel exactly like I do, but I'm sure they also feel as alone as I do at this very moment. Thankfully I had some very awesome online and in real life friends tonight that talked me down off the ledge I had put myself on, and I know that God put them there when I needed them. So tonight, this post is for all that are feeling like I did. Know that you are not alone, I'm here for you!!!

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Amazing Race for Charity 2018 Recap


One race that I try to do every year, and have succeeded so far is the Amazing Race for Charity. It's a local race put on by a very dedicated group of volunteers to benefit some of our local area charities and schools. It ranges from about 5 - 6 miles within the city of Eustis and encompasses around 20 really fun challenges. The challenge levels are achievable by any fitness or skill level and there is no time limit on the race so it can be walked or ran. It is always one of the most well organized events I have ever run. This year proved no different. It you don't believe me check out the other testimonials on their page.
Race Map
Starting Line

 

This year's race distance totaled approximately 7.5 miles with about a mile of it on a school bus ride. There were 21 challenges that included brain, fitness and sport skills, but some were just for fun. I honestly couldn't tell you which was my favorite or which challenge I liked the least, they were all great. Every year they just keep on getting better.










Station 1



This wasn't my best run because I wasn't feeling that great having battled an ear infection all week, but I still had a ton of fun. The past four years I have run this race with a friend, but this year I was lucky enough to run it with my youngest son. He didn't break a sweat running at my pace, LOL. During the 21 challenges we were able to get some photos, either taken by friends or by the race crew.  The great thing about these race photos is that they are free. After the race, you are emailed a link to all the photos and you can download as many as you'd like. Check out all the pictures that were taken that day. 

Prom Challenge

During the challenge at the fire department, one of us had to get wet while the other one performed math balancing our check book. Luckily, I was the one doing the math because that water was freezing!!! 




















This was the last challenge where we had to carry a ball around cones and across a beam together without using our hands. Definitely have to work together during this race :) 












Finish Line









And of course the end of the race lived up to all the other challenges, spraying us with foam as we crossed. 
Finish Line

Finish Line
This year, along with the awesome shirt and amazing time, the great organizers made a pretty cool finisher's medal. It's probably one of the most unique medals I have ever received at a race. 


I really recommend that my local running and non-running friends consider doing this event next year. I promise you won't be disappointed and if you register before April 30th you can get in for a really discounted rate.