Hello and welcome to August's edition of Runners Tell All. Runners Tell All is a monthly linkup hosted by Sunshine to the Square Inch and The Lady Okie that occurs on the 21st of every month. Our goal is to build a community where we can encourage and inspire each other on our running journeys.
Each month we offer two co-host options. This allows for us to connect with you, advertise your blog and it also helps fund the monthly giveaways. If you are interested in sponsoring the RTA please e-mail me and I will get you all the needed information. August's prompt is all about how you train or who you train with. Next month's theme is your race bucket list!
My Training Plan! I'll be the first to admit I'm a social runner. In fact I work out better in whatever activity I'm doing if I have friends there that I connect with. The support and encouragement I have gotten from other people has helped me run my first 1k to finishing my first marathon. If I'm really honest I'll tell you that this year I have logged the least miles and I know it's because I miss my running friends from back home. It's just not as fun to torture myself for 15 miles all alone.
My most favorite person to train with is hands down my work spouse Kirsten. We met at the Hyatt and instantly became the best of friends. One big aspect of our friendship is the running! If you don't think you can do a big race, aka the marathon, just become friends with Kirsten and she will talk you right into it!
Kirsten and I have ran Race for the Cure together, Chicago Rock'n'Roll 1/2 marathon, Jingle Bell Run, Prairie Fire 1/2 marathon, The River Run, Miami 1/2 marathon and the best and hilliest race of all was the Seattle Rock'n'Roll full marathon. I'm sure I'm forgetting some races in that list too. Kirsten actually ran the OKC Memorial marathon and then 6 weeks later ran the Seattle full with me. #beastmode On top of all our races we have done a lot of training together. Kirsten is faster than me but somehow we still managed to train together. She also understands my running anger because after I run 10+ miles I'm hangry! We'd often end our runs at a food stop whether that was Mexican food or a big brunch after a 20 mile run. 
Our funniest and most weird training run of all time so happened to be that we were running in a fancy neighborhood in Wichita when all of a sudden a rather large man popped out from the bushes wearing nothing but ..... a cheetah thong. Yep! You read that right. At first Kirsten thought she was hallucinating. I told her I thought I was hallucinating but we weren't you guys. Mr. Sicko came out from those bushes. Of course we ran away and called 911. They asked if I wanted a follow up call and my answer was a definite no!
Here we are finishing the Seattle Rock'n'Roll marathon.
The day after our marathon we thought it would be fun to put ourselves into a kayak for a few hours. I don't recommend that. I thought my hips were going to fall right off and my bones did not thank me.
Giveaway
Today we are giving away a super cute Under Armour tank and a headband. I really wanted to keep this for myself but I'm not ;). The tank top is made specifically for heat gear, is super comfortable and stretchy. The tank is a size L. The headband is super snug which is great for workouts!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Alison - The Sand in my Snowboots
Sponsors
A big welcome and thanks to Alison and Tamara for hosting Runners Tell All this month. Be sure to stop by their blog and say hi!
Tamara - Lehman Laughter
What does your training plan look like?
Di you like to run with people or alone?
You and Kristen seem to have so much fun together! What's the next adventure for you two? A shared love of running can be a great beginning to friendship. Some of my closest friends--including my husband--are people I met through running.
ReplyDeleteKirsten sounds like an awesome training partner! You guys are lucky to have each other. Wanna come kick my butt next summer as I prep for my first full? I could use it!
ReplyDeleteI gained a really good friend through my running group. It's so crazy how a run alone feels like straight up self affliction, but with a friend it's FUN!
ReplyDeleteI love how yall all dress up together! My friend and I really want to do one of those glow runs and do the whole tutu route, how was it running in those?
ReplyDeleteBahaha! Cheetah thong! That's hilarious and scary. Oh gosh. I would love to have a running partner like that!
ReplyDeleteYou have run so many races!! They look like so much fun - it really must be better training with friends. And I have no words for cheetah thong guy. That's terrifying.
ReplyDeleteI'm usually a solo runner when it comes to training but I love having friends with me on race day, so I'm constantly recruiting! It doesn't always work with higher mileages but I usually get a pretty good turnout with a 5k and a promise of chips/salsa afterwards!
ReplyDeleteLOL Definitely gotta have the perfect running buddy to get you through! My running buddy and I always have the best conversation and adventures whenever we go out! We often wonder why there aren't cameras following us around for our own reality show. Nobody entertains us more than ourselves! LOL
ReplyDeleteI never thought I could ever get through any distance without a running buddy or someone to go with me, but being on mat leave, I've been having to work outside my comfort zone and I think the change in pace and scenery (having only my own thoughts to entertain me on a run) keeps running interesting for me and makes it even more fun when I DO get to go out with a running buddy!
That's so fun that you have been able to run so many races with your friends. Sadly none of my friends like to run. Nice outfits by the way, it's definitely more fun to dress up for a race!
ReplyDeleteThanks! We had a lot of fun dressing up. I'm pretty sure it was single digits if not below zero that run and even though I ran a 5k I never got warm. It was frigid!
ReplyDeleteThat is sad that none of your friends like to run. =( Is there a running club in your area? I know some people that participate in those and really enjoy them. I love dressing up for races! It's fun.
ReplyDeleteha ha! I love the camera and reality TV show comment! Runs are super fun and funny! I'm glad to hear that you have managed to keep running without your friends. I do agree that running solo provides time to think. Even on some of my shorter runs I try and think about different things, or pray and count my blessings.
ReplyDeleteI agree that having friends on race day is super super important! I never thought about recruiting people with food but that is a good idea. I can always count on my husband and my Mom being at my races, which is super fun!
ReplyDeleteFor my full marathon I almost felt guilty having people there. However, once again, my Mom and brother were there. My MOm isn't a morning person so her getting up at 4 / 5 am to cheer us on was a big deal. Too bad all of us Runners Tell All friends don't live close and we could all cheer each other on.
I guess I have ran a lot of races. I didn't really think about it until I started listing them out. I used to be a running addict. Training is fun with friends so I hope your post finds you a good running buddy! Cheetah thong guy ... we had no words either but we do laugh about that a lot!
ReplyDeleteWell, maybe when I move back from Burma if we are in the area we can run together! The Cheetah thong guy was hilarious and scary. This is probably terrible but I knew if he started chasing us he wouldn't catch us. There was just no way.
ReplyDeleteYou should dress up! The tutu's were fun to run in. However, if you are running for speed or to PR I wouldnt' run in a homemade tutu. Some of the pieces go right between the legs. However, if it is just for fun I say go for it! We had a tutu making party and a bunch of us girls all made tutus.
ReplyDeleteIf you are looking for a fun skirt to run in that won't slow you down I'd check out sparkleathletic.com! They have great skirts and they are super light weight. They also have a traveling running skirt. I've participated in that and it is super super fun!
I agree! 15 miles with a friend is so much fun! I'm glad you found a good friend through your running group. That's really neat.
ReplyDeleteShe is an awesome training partner. If you are in the area I'm sure she would encourage you to run more.
ReplyDeleteWe do have a lot of fun together. We don't know what our next adventure is because I'm moving to Asia. I do agree that running brings a lot of people close. Some of my friends and I still stay connected and I know it is because of the mutual running love.
ReplyDeleteYou are so lucky. I wish more of my friends like running, I run with my family a lot, but more race buddies are always needed! There's just something about running with people that you know that really helps in any kind of race. Laura xx
ReplyDeletehow fun that you two have done so much running together! :)
ReplyDeleteI felt so guilty about having people at my marathon because my finish time was scheduled to be around 6 hours (I'm not the speediest); so I just told them where I expected to be at certain mileage markers and to meet me there when they got up and made it that way! It worked out well enough for me and they were at the finish line. I'm hoping next time my time will be much shorter and so will my guilt. :)
ReplyDeleteAlso recruiting with margaritas works WONDERS.
Having a running buddy is such a great motivator!
ReplyDeleteYou are so lucky to have a running bestie! I can't talk any off friends into running so my dad is my training and racing BFF haha. We don't train together a lot but we do run most of the same races (he finishes before me though). He is the reason I started running in the first place but I did manage to convince him and train him for his first full!
ReplyDeleteWell, maybe you could talk your friends into running with you =). I am really blessed to have a lot of friends that run. It's been a really neat part of friendship to share with others.
ReplyDeleteI know! We have had a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteI agree! It motivates me 10x more!
ReplyDeleteYou run with your Dad! That is just super awesome and the fact that you talked him into is even more awesome. Even though you don't have girl running buddies time spent with your Dad isn't something you can ever replace so I say you are pretty lucky! My Dad was a track runner in high school and college but he hasn't ran much since then. He is still pretty fast so maybe one of these days I'll talk him into running with me.
ReplyDeleteThose are awesome!
ReplyDeleteI am a huge social runner. I have three different sets of friends that I run with, plus I always have my hubby as a running partner on weekends and when we're on vacation!
ReplyDeleteI love that you are a social runner! I read your post and absolutely loved it. I think your story is a great tribute to marriage!
ReplyDeleteLove your fun running attire!!! I LOVE Christmas :)
ReplyDeleteHey! When did you drop the "blogspot" from your domain name?! I like it!
ReplyDeleteI definitely would have wanted a follow up call on the cheetah thong man, that is just too weird. I would have wanted an explanation. Ha!
Having a reliable running partner would be fun, but I think I would call my running partner crazy if she suggested going kayaking the day after running a marathon. I can barely move the day after a race. :)
Thanks! It's fun to dress up and me and my friends do it often when we run together.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I dropped the blogspot a couple of weeks ago. I had no idea what a crazy experience that would be. Transferring a domain name was something I had no clue about but I figured it out.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the cheetah man was real special. Maybe I should of gotten a follow up call but I opted out for some reason.
Oh and the kayaking was a group decision. ha! Our marathon was in Seattle and we knew we had limited time to kayak and do everything we wanted so we just decided to endure the pain!
I have always thought it would be fun to run with friends, but mine are all to speedy for me :( They do usually wait for me at the finish line though so sort of counts! Looks like you have had some really fun times at various races! Love the jingle bell run outfits!
ReplyDeleteI say run with them! My friend Kirsten is about 1 minute faster than me but just knowing we are both running simultaneously is a huge help. Also, for some shorter runs I'd try and run her pace. It made me faster.
ReplyDeleteHave you checked into local running clubs in your area? Usually those clubs have a huge variety of paces and you might be able to find someone near your pace.