Sometimes You Just GOTTA GO...

Hey all! I'm super excited to share with you a new product that Skirt Sports is offering through a Kick Starter campaign! It's called the Gotta Go skirt and it has a really cool back story...Let me fill you in!

The Backstory:

Skirt Sports brought the very first running skirt to market over 10 years ago. Since day one our mission has been to help every woman of any body type feel confident and pretty while running. But real life often gets in the way of that pretty feeling...and sometimes that coveted PR. 

You know what we are talking about: 

• The not-so-glamorous struggle to get your skirt back up over sweaty thighs and glutes after a mid-run pee stop.

• The nervous glances over your shoulder as you try to be discreet and speedy behind a shrub when there is no porta potty in sight.

• The pads, leaks, or stressful tampon changes while running and racing.

• The embarrassing leaks that 1 in 3 women experience from exercise-induced incontinence, sadly prompting many of them to avoid running altogether.

On April Fool's Day 2015 we sent out an email featuring a Trap Door™ Skirt that allows us women to finally answer nature's call without baring our assets. When THOUSANDS of women responded urging us to make the product for real we realized we had struck a chord.

Skirt Sports has always pushed the envelope on clothing to address the needs of real women. But product innovation is risky for a small company. 

Hitting our Kickstarter goal will enable us to place a production order for the Gotta Go Skirt. 

If you want the Gotta Go Skirt -- if it is the piece of run apparel you have been waiting for -- it's up to you to make it a reality. If we don't hit our Kickstarter goal, we won't be producing this product. The goal is $35,000 and there is already $8,000+ pledged!! As a women's running community we CAN make this happen!!! There are a lot of early backer rewards too! Don't miss out...

Okay, so I'm sure you want to see how this whole "trap door" thing works, right?

Here's some of the actual skirt details:

The Gotta Go Running Skirt builds upon our most popular running skirt -- the Gym Girl. It has all the great features and flair that athletes love from their Skirt Sports running skirts PLUS our innovative new Trap Door construction:

• Trap Door: A flap on the shorties secured with low profile hook & loop means you remain fully covered on the go but have easy access to the Relief Hatch. The Trap Door flap is pad-compatible for secure confidence and easy swaparoos. 
• Relief Hatch: An opening in the shorties under the Trap Door anatomically aligned with your lady bits to enable easy error-free evacution when you squat. 
• Skirt: Mimicing our most popular skirt, the Gym Girl, the Gotta Go is 13.5" in front, 14.5" in back. Flattering lightweight fast drying AeroLight Jersey fabric (87% poly / 13% spandex) in black.
• Under the Skirt: Built-in no-creep chafe-free 5.5" shorties in black semi-compression mesh fabric (90% poly / 10% spandex). This is 0.5" longer than the shorts in the Gym Girl.
• Waistband: Wide mid-rise waistband with continuous drawstring. It won't muffin top, it won't roll down, it won't slip, and it looks good on everyone!
• Pockets Galore: Two side pockets under the skirt on the shorties, both big enough for a smartphone. One back pocket secure enough for car keys. And a super smart Sonic music port on the side to keep you from getting tangled in your headphones.

Who needs this skirt?

Any woman with:

• A race or long run: Whether you use the bushes or the porta potty, the Trap Door™ enables you to avoid "The Struggle" of getting sweaty clothes back over your sweaty body.
• A PR quest: Never feel you missed the target time you trained so hard for because you spent 15 minutes in a porta potty line!
• A period: The Trap Door™ enables quick tampon and/or pad changes without getting undressed, and the back pocket is perfectly sized to hold extra supplies.
• Athletic-induced incontinence: The pad pocket in the Trap Door™ ensures nothing rubs, chafes, or falls out when you are on the move.
• A smartphone, keys, ChapStick®, ID, inhaler, etc: Did we mention all the pockets?

And then there's this:

Because sometimes, you just GOTTA GO!!

So, I'm sure you want to know more, right? Check out all the details for the Kick Starter Campaign here  (affiliate link) - including all the various levels of support and the early backer rewards. I'm confident that Skirt Sports will be producing this product and this is your chance to be the first to enjoy being able to go when and where without worrying about baring your "assets" to the world!

Join the revolution - the campaign ends November 19 at 12:00 AM PDT!

Question: Have you ever had to make a pit stop mid-run? If yes, was it hard to find a place to go without baring it all? 

Run happy, friends!

Vixen Capri Skirt Giveaway Winner!

I feel like a broken record at this point because life continues to derail me from lots of little things...I'm actually really tired of feeling behind the eight ball all the time, but I'm working on it!!

Anyways, I'm here today to announce the lucky winner of my Skirt Sports Vixen Capri Skirt giveaway!! Please join me in congratulating Jennifer D!

Jennifer has been notified via email and has 7 days to claim her prize! There's still a lot of Skirt Sports Ambassador Captain giveaways going so if you didn't win this one, be sure to keep entering those others that are currently running or coming up in the near future. If you like my page on Facebook I will continue posting the contests there!

Lucky girl gets to enjoy one of these hot little numbers!

Or if you want to just pick up some sweet Skirt Sports gear of your own, use discount code SSPQL20 for 20% off at www.skirtsports.com!

#REALwomenmove

I know you guys are already aware of how excited I am to be a part of Skirt Sports by being selected as one of their Ambassador Captains this year, but it is even more exciting to be a part of it right now because they are running a campaign called #REALwomenmove! And let me tell you just how cool this campaign is...

I think that Skirt Sports founder and CEO, Nicole DeBoom says it best:

That right there says so much to me, especially as someone that doesn't always fit the "mold" of what a fitness enthusiast might look like. I get inspired by fit bodies as much as the next person, except I have also had to realize that MY fit body will never look like fitspo fit bodies look like - you know you've seen them - the ones in Nike ads and inspirational memes on Pinterest.

But that's okay!!!!

My body has carried a lot of extra pounds and my body has carried four babies over three pregnancies. My body is that of a 43-year old woman. My body is one that is sitting in a desk chair for the majority of the day. You get it...I'm not ever going to be one of those people in a Nike ad with abs that look like they are cut out of steel...and that's all good. The point here is that no matter what our body looks like - our outer packaging - we can all be FIT and we can all be HEALTHY. We just come in lots of different packages with lots of different options. In the end, we are REAL Women, REAL Bodies, REAL Inspiration. That is Skirt Sports motto, you know.

To me the idea behind #REALwomenmove is that we all approach fitness in our own ways.

When I move sometimes I'm tearing it up by hitting all my training days, and sometimes I'm sleeping in because sleep is the best way I can be healthy.

When I move I chase grandbabies. I lift them, sometimes two at a time, I cuddle them, I tickle them, and I race them up the stairs.

When I move I sometimes do it gently as I'm recovering from a hard workout the day before.

When I move I sometimes take a walk in my heels because that's the only chance I get to finally get off my rear during a workday.

#fearless was my mantra for today's run and it friggin' paid off with a run that was so challenging but so awesome because I nailed the distance and I nailed the pace that @coachhenness had on my plan today. May not be able to run like @kathrineswitzer but I can channel my own #261fearless action! @261fearless @skirtsports #REALwomenmove #skirtsports #ssambassador #sweatpink @fitapproach

A photo posted by Kristen Grimes (@kgrimes526) on Sep 5, 2015 at 7:52am PDT

When I move I sometimes take a leisurely walk with my husband because sharing my day is more important than burning calories.

Because for me, many times being fit is more than physical fitness. Being fit is also about my mental well being. So sometimes it may mean that my focus is on building my inner strength instead of building my muscular or endurance strength.

And to me, that's what REALwomenmove is all about. Fitness is a lot of different things for a lot of different people. We can move in more ways than one and we can look totally different while we're doing it!

So join the movement that is already in full force! You want some inspiration? Just go on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and search #REALwomenmove and #skirtsports. And USE those same hashtags on your own posts! Because Skirt Sports is continuing to give "Get Started Scholarships" for every 5,000 hashtags - the scholarship includes a Skirt Sports top, bra, bottom, hat, socks and free entry to their first 5k! So not only are you empowering other women through your own sweat equity, you are giving a deserving woman or girl the chance to fall in love with moving too!!! So keep the movement going! There's a whole lot of women out there that need to know that #REALwomenmove in lots of different ways, in lots of different bodies, and at lots of different levels.

What does #REALwomenmove mean for you?

My Favorite Season Celebration with a Skirt Sports Giveaway!

It's finally here...today marks the first official day of Fall! Where I live in sunny #SoCal it will feel like summer for several more weeks but it doesn't stop me from celebrating the start of my favorite season of the year!! I will be over here faking it with fall scented candles, football on the telly, autumn colors draped on my mantle, and goodies baking in the oven even if it means cranking down the air because using the oven heats up the entire house. LOL In other words, my fall freak flag is flying high, my friends!! #hellofall #football #fallbakinghasbegun #freakflagflying #favoriteseason

A photo posted by Kristen Grimes (@kgrimes526) on Sep 23, 2015 at 4:02am PDT

Finally - it is officially AUTUMN!! Granted, like it says on my Instagram post from this morning, we still feel like summer - but the PROMISE of Fall weather is lingering in the air just around the corner from here. This season never fails to get me excited! The football, the smells of candles and fireplaces, crisp mornings, sweaters, scarves, baking...oh it's just more than my little heart can contain!!! It's bursting with joy!!

I've been in full fall mode for several weeks already since we basically had fall explode in the house for the baby shower earlier this month, and I'm loving every moment of it. I got my bake on for the shower and having a dirty apron and flour dust in my hair brought me much joy. And one of the things I love the most about Fall is the sharing that this season brings - sharing my baked goods with my co-workers and friends, sharing family memories watching football games, sharing time with friends over warm tea or coffee, sharing updates while out running in crisp cool mornings, sharing gratitude during the Thanksgiving holiday. And now I get to share in a totally new way - I get to share a favorite Skirt Sports item with one lucky winner!!!

It's an item that is perfect for the cooler Autumn mornings as it has all the fun, flirty attitude of the skirt version, but is paired with capris for a little added coverage and/or warmth! Meet the Vixen Capri Skirt!

Check out those ruffles and asymmetrical hemline! And just like the Vixen Skirt, the waistband is a wide, comfortable band with continuous drawcord that works great for any shape. The capri bottoms are attached and feature lightweight wicking material that offers a "barely there" look and feel...and I can totally attest to that! They are seriously so soft and so light. They aren't compression material, so these are perfect for being active, running errands, or lounging around the house. Some of the other details taken from the Skirt Sports website:

• Built-in mesh capri is super light-weight giving you the barely-there look and feel
• Two pockets, one on each thigh of the capri allow you to carry your running essentials
• Features Skirt Sports GoSoft Jersey (skirt) and Sweetest Mesh (capri leggings) with wicking properties
• 100% polyester Under Skirt Liner in capri for extra moisture management
• Comfortable wide waistband with continuous drawcord puts you in control, offering you choices
• Two rows of ruffles circumference the bottom of the skirt with a slight lift on the right side
• Sonic Music Port under skirt waistband for media headset cord
• Skirt length (medium): 11.5 inches on right front, 13.75 inches on left front and back

Something else that you don't see in the picture on the website is this really awesome leg stitching in the same razz color featured in the skirt! Check it out...

Check out that side stitching detail! Such a nice touch!

It just shows the attention to detail and style that Skirt Sports puts into all their designs! The Vixen Capri Skirt is available in the Buzzed/Black print shown above, or in Black and in sizes XS to XXL! I know that I can also add that I love the coverage I get in the Vixen Capri Skirt - the skirt hides all the right stuff in all the right places! LOL I'm definitely going to get a lot of use out of it as the mornings cool down in the coming weeks.

So here's your chance to celebrate Fall with me by entering to win a Vixen Capri Skirt of your own - just use the Rafflecopter widget below. But if you just can't wait to get your own you can use discount code SSPQL for 20% off of any purchase right now! Good luck!!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fine Print: As a Skirt Sports Ambassador Captain I have been provided items free of charge; however, all opinions of the products and company are my own. The full prize value has an approximate retail value of $75.00 US. No purchase is necessary and will not increase your chances of winning. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and have mailing addresses in the US or Canada. The giveaway begins on Wednesday, September 23 and runs until midnight on October 7, 2015. The winner will be announced via a blog announcement on October 8, 2015 and will be contacted via the email provided at the time of entry. The winner will have 7 days to claim their prize; in the event the prize is unclaimed at the end of the 7-day period a new winner will be selected until the prize is claimed. By entering the giveaway you are authorizing the release of your information to Skirt Sports for the purpose of notification. Personal information will not be used or sold by The Pursuit of a Quality Life or Skirt Sports.  By entering this giveaway you release The Pursuit of a Quality Life and Skirt Sports from any liability whatsoever, and waive any and all causes of action, related to any claims, costs, injuries, losses or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the giveaway or delivery, misdelivery or acceptance of any prize. 

Running With It!

Because my bestie totally gets me!! She sent this last Monday and it was exactly what I needed. LOL

Okay, so this week I am back to a regular posting schedule of Monday-Thursday! I'm making that promise to myself right now and am declaring it out loud. I feel like September has gone by in a blur and I kind of knew it would but I didn't do a very good job of preparing myself for the actual reality. And I kind of feel like I've been doing a lot more failing at life than succeeding at life, but I'm working on turning that around because you know what, it's never too late to make a fresh start at anything or everything.

Training These Days...

I totally didn't kill it last week with my training. I think I actually had more "bad" days than good ones when it comes to what Coach Tiffany had on my plan. I have to admit that looking at my results on my training plan, there was a lot of "I didn't really want to work out" going on last week. I'm not sure what that was about, but almost every day last week was some kind of bleh - I don't wanna. I think the lazy brain gets the win last week. :-( Okay, so what did I do?

Monday: Cross-training of my choice so I did a full-body strength training session

Tuesday: 3x1 mile repeats that ended up being 2x1 mile repeats because I had a headache and got up too late to do the full workout.

Wednesday: I skipped what was supposed to be an easy run to run to the grocery store. Total fail on this one, but we were out of toilet paper so it was an absolute necessity. LOL

Thursday: The only running workout of the week that I totally rocked and that was only because I was going into work late and could do it a little later than normal.

Friday: Easy run/walk. One of the things I enjoy most about Friday is that I start work at 8 instead of 7, so it is currently light enough outside that I can head out solo to get my run in. So I did just that, BUT I did have an encounter with some crazy geese that tried to chase me down! They were like a little gang. I laugh, but they were scary!! I ended up with 2.6 miles at a VERY easy pace since there was lots of walking.

Saturday: I was supposed to do 5 miles, but wasn't feeling too great so I decided to push my run to Sunday.

Sunday: I headed out, but I will be honest that it was just all kinds of bad. I couldn't get in a groove and just felt like breathing and running were way harder than they should be. My legs felt like lead and my lungs felt like they were only being used halfway. I don't really know what was going on, but it was a very warm morning (I think we hit about 102 later that day)...at any rate, I just didn't have it in me at all. I did the first mile at a 10:15 pace and then just crashed and burned. Oh - and I got chased by the geese again while they watched another lady go by with absolutely not even a honk at. What's the deal with these crazy geese and their dislike of me anyways?

I didn't kill it this weekend as far as running goes...but I'm not going to let that influence how I start the next week! I'm going to relax and watch some football and finally start reading #bossypants during the commercials. I will prep my food and ensure I'm good to go for a totally kick ass healthy week. Tomorrow is a new day and today is all about rejuvenation. #sunday #restoremysoul #football #REALwomenmove #skirtsports #vixen #ssambassador #mizuno #sweatpink @skirtsports @fitapproach @mizunorunning

A photo posted by Kristen Grimes (@kgrimes526) on Sep 20, 2015 at 8:20am PDT

The rest of my Sunday looked a lot like that picture above! I also did all my laundry, prepped my food for the week, and watched The Age of Adaline before hitting the sack nice and early (cute enough movie BTW...totally predictable, but I expected that). Just call me a wild party animal, why don't ya! *wink* But you know, all joking aside, I woke up this morning ready for my week. I hit the treadmill for 2 miles of mostly running and actually made it to work on time even with shaving my legs!! *GASP* In other words, I was totally adulting the hell out of today! (Side note: Am I the only person that can't wait for tights weather so I can quit shaving my legs more than once a week? Just me?)

Autumn officially starts on Wednesday, September 23rd, and I will be celebrating by hosting a Skirt Sports giveaway! Come back by on Wednesday for all the details!

I've been selected to participate in a campaign for Hemp Hearts with FitApproach as a Sweat Pink Ambassador so I'm super excited to get my hands on those little goodies and try them out - watch for more about that early next month along with an opportunity to win some for yourself!

My first 5k of the fall season is quickly approaching on October 3rd! I'll be talking race strategy next week...

I've been following several people training for NYC and Chicago marathons and am toying with the idea of letting fate decide if it is time for me to run my second marathon by throwing my name into the lotteries for those two races. I figure if I'm going to do another marathon, I want it to be one that is iconic and outside of Boston, they don't get much more iconic than those two. I've been to New York before and have wanted to go back ever since, and would love to see Chicago. What do you guys think???

Well, there are lots of fun, exciting things on the horizon! Share something fun from your weekend with me in the comments!

Free-Wheelin...

I don't know if my three readers noticed that I actually published on my schedule of Monday-Thursday almost every single day in August! The only day I missed was the very last one on August 31st...whomp, whomp. And then I've had a hard time getting on track so far in September. There's lots of reasons that look a lot like excuses if I examine them too closely though, so let's just agree that life hit me like a Mack truck this week and I'm working hard at digging myself out from under the 18-wheeler.

So I'm going to just share some random pictures with you all today (broken links, so I've removed them as of 12/31/18) so you can see what I've been up to lately. I spent some time at Michael's recently as we are in the midst of planning a baby shower for the little dude that is expected to arrive in October. I know I mentioned that my daughter, Melissa, is expecting her first and we now know that it is a boy! His name is Gavin and we are super excited to meet him next month. She's due on October 22 and we will be having the baby shower on the 12th of this month. Expect to see more on that in upcoming posts.

That's how I kicked off my weekend on Friday afternoon! Nothing like a stop at Target and Starbucks to get drinks for all the girls...especially on one of the HOTTEST days of summer. Seriously, last week was absolutely ridiculous. 106ish degrees with some humidity to boot. I think the evenings cooled off to about 78 degrees. It was not fun, but we paid our dues apparently and have been rewarded with very nice lower than average temps this week. High of 92? I'll take it!!

I had an awesome weekend getaway with the hubs! We stayed at The Portofino Hotel & Marina (if you didn't guess from the life preserver around Sir Barks-a-Lot's neck hahaha) and it was so nice!! The hotel was fabulous and we had awesome views of Kings Harbor in Redondo Beach. If you are ever in Redondo and want a really nice hotel on the waterfront, you can't go wrong with The Portofino (totally not paid to say that...I just think it was an awesome hotel!). We were down in the Long Beach area for my cousin-in-law's 40th birthday party, so we decided to make it a beach getaway weekend and I'm so glad we did. Of course, it left me feeling like I didn't get a whole lot done and I started the week feeling like I was already behind. But that's okay...sometimes we just have to pay the price so I'll quit complaining about that one. #firstworldproblems right? hahaha

Got to have an awesome, if not super humid, run along the beach! My training with Coach Tiffany is going really well so far and I felt great! Stopped to take a few pictures and that one of me running is my first try at doing a run selfie...I definitely need more practice at that! LOL

So, Stand Up Paddleboarding - also known as SUP, is something I want to do SOOOOOO badly!! I'm definitely going to be looking at renting a board and doing a couple lessons to see if it is something I will enjoy. I had no problem picturing myself doing a run along the beach and then jumping on a SUP board for a little swim and paddle in the ocean during the hot summer months of training. I would definitely say that learning SUP is a need, not just a want. :-)

I will leave you with some little goodies since this post is so random and all over the place. Skirt Sports is letting their Ambassador Captains giveaway their favorite product over the next several months, so there will be a LOT of various giveaways running where you have an opportunity to win different items. I will be running my own later this month, so be sure to check back on the first day of Autumn to win one of my faves! But in the meantime, I will share with you each Thursday the Ambassador giveaways that have gone live so far! So this week I have two for you:

I don't have a Lioness myself, but I will say that the gals absolutely RAVE about them! Just click the image to visit Kate's page!

Aleksandra is giving away a Jette skirt! Click on image to visit her page!

Alright - that's all I'm going to dump on you for today...I'll be back to a regular posting schedule next week.

Question: Have you done Stand Up Paddle Boarding or is it something you want to try?

TOTR: Over the Shoulder Boulder Holders

Welcome back for another edition of Tuesdays on the Run hosted by Erika, April, and Patty! Today's topic is Running Bras - those lovely things that support the girls.

As any female runner knows, support for the girls is important - whether you've got ample cleavage to tame or just a little bit, knowing that you can run free without worry of bouncing, rubbing, or other uncomfortable things happening makes it so much easier to enjoy the run!

There are pretty much a ton of different types and styles and brands and level of support when it comes to running bras. Believe me, I've been through quite a few myself! When I first started exercising I didn't need much so I was able to pick up a medium support Danskin from Walmart for about $10-12 which fit right into my budget at the time. Honestly, I had begun many a workout program that never stuck, so I really didn't want to drop a huge chunk of change on a wardrobe that may end up sitting unused. So the cheapie bra was perfect for me...THEN. 

But as I began running more and running longer distances, it quickly became apparent that the cheapie Danskin bra, even though I had transitioned to high impact, was not going to cut it. I ended up getting a lot of painful chafing under the girls and that was absolutely NO fun! It didn't take more than a couple times of that happening to realize it was time to make a change and that you get what you pay for. 

My first, what I consider to be a "REAL" bra was a Saucony Bounce Trouncer and it made me question my entire existence and why I had waited so gosh darn long to get a real honest to goodness sports bra made for running! It was like the heavens opened and the angels sang Hallelujah when I wore that bra!! Sure, it wasn't cheap by any means and the price tag proved it. But it was honestly worth every single penny to never have to worry about bounce or chafing. 

Not a great picture, but click the pic and it will take you to the website where you can look at it in better detail. At about $50 it's an investment for sure, but it is definitely great quality!

When I became an ambassador for Skirt Sports I purchased a Kelly bra and just like with the Bounce Trouncer I was amazed at how awesome the support and fit is without any rubbing or movement whatsoever. I would say that my Kelly bra is definitely comparable in quality with the Saucony, but maybe a little step up. So if the Saucony is a 4.5, the Skirt Sports Kelly bra is a 5. (and just look at that awesome Razz color...yes, please!!)

What I love the most about the Kelly bra is the front adjustable straps that are easy to get the perfect fit on thanks to the velcro, but still holds so securely I never worry if it is going to fail me. The other cool thing is how easy it is to convert from regular straps to criss-cross straps. The Bounce Trouncer has convertible straps too, but honestly it is so hard to do, I never change them and just leave the straps in the traditional U shape. The last really awesome thing about the Kelly bra is that you can purchase "bra bling"! Bra Bling is straps that come in cute, funky patterns that you can easily change on your bra to give you an entirely different look...very cool in my opinion and a girl always loves accessories! And these are for your BRA!?!? Um, hello - BRILLIANT!

So there you have my two favorite bras, and I only have two because who needs to keep looking when you've already found perfection?!? The Kelly comes in at a slightly higher price point at $65, but don't forget you can use SSPQL20 for 20% off! 

And since we are talking about boobies, let me just remind you that the Skirt Sports Virtual Boobie Run is right around the corner, but it's not too late to get registered! Just click the picture below and use the same discount code I just gave you right above for 20% off the registration which includes a $70 voucher to get your very own Skirt Sports bra! They have several different styles, but you could always get my favorite, The Kelly!

* Just a reminder, I am a Skirt Sports Ambassador and was provided the bra of my choice free of charge, but all opinions of that bra are my own and I have not been asked to include any Skirt Sports products in this post. I just happen to really, really love my Kelly bra! 

Question: What do you most look for in a sports/running bra? What's your max price point on a really great sports bra?

Hodgepodge, Potpourri, Call it What You Will...

I have such a variety of information I want to share with you guys so I'm just going to kinda do a little brain dump this morning.

Motivation...That Fickle Friend
I wrote a post for the FitApproach team the other day discussing motivation and how she can be such a fickle friend always disappearing when you need her most. But when you couple her with your "girl squad" of Consistency and Accountability that Motivation will want to hang around a lot more often. You can check it out in its entirety by clicking the link or picture above.

SunRype Prize Pack Giveaway
Don't forget that you still have time to enter the SunRype Prize Pack giveaway that is going through this Sunday, August 23rd! Lots of great 100% fruit snacks, a visor and a tote bag are up for grabs...don't miss out on your chance to #tastethesun!

Skirt Sports Virtual Boobie Run
Join Skirt Sports for a Virtual Run that is all about the "girls"! You can run it anytime really, but the actual date is September 12, 2015. You can choose to run 8k (just under 5 miles) or 8 miles - you choose the route, you get your girlfriends together, and you run for a great cause! Plus, with your registration you get a voucher for $70 to purchase a new bra so your girls are supported for every run and activity. And here's the really awesome part - you can use SSPQL20 for 20% off of the registration! Registration is normally $60, but with the discount it is only $48 AND you get the $70 voucher...so really, you are MAKING money by registering for this race!!! (And yes, I use that justification with my husband on a regular basis...LOL). Post your pics to social media using the hashtag #REALwomenmove and #skirtsports and share the love for the ta-ta's! Don't forget that when you use the #REALwomenmove hashtag you are also helping new runners get started through the Skirt Sports Kick Start program so that's like a HUGE bonus to using that hashtag. It's a win-win!!


Are there too many races?
I read the article (click the link to read) recently in the print version of Running Times and found it very interesting. It appears that more and more cities are starting to look at limiting the number of races that they issue permits for because they could potentially have a race every weekend or multiple races on a single weekend especially in areas that are considered "active" such as Denver Colorado. On the one hand I love that there are so many options available and that running is experiencing such a boom! On the other hand, I do understand the frustration of people living in these areas with streets getting shut down, or you have that other trend of races getting cancelled last minute because companies go under or because they didn't meet their registration quota.

Question: What do you think? Are there too many races in your opinion?

Tips for Getting Back on Track to Beat the Dog Days of Summer

So did you know that the period of "dog days of summer" is early July to early September? Did you also know that it goes back to Roman times and refers to the sultry period of time that Sirius was rising in conjunction with the Sun? You see, Sirius is also known as "the Dog Star"...so there you go...Dog Days of Summer! Voila!

But I also happen to know that the dog days of summer are that period of time that it is just so freaking dang hot it is hard to find the motivation to do anything outside of either sitting in a nice cold pool, or finding an air conditioned spot! I also happen to know, and learned it best last year while training for my early September marathon, that it is the period of time that is hardest to train in! Because doing a training run at 5:30 in the morning on a Saturday and it is still 72 degrees before the sun is even up is just ridiculous. Right?? Or waiting until the sun goes down at 8:00 PM and going outside and it is still mid-80's is even more ridiculous!

So what happens a lot during the summer is we R E L A X instead of pushing hard on our training. Mother Nature dictates it. But, guess what? Fall racing season waits for no one...so it is extra critical that as the dog days of summer wane that a plan is in place to get right back on track and start working towards crushing those fall races! So here's my plan for putting the dog days of summer behind me and making this Autumn my best yet!

Don't Totally Slack Over the Summer
Sure, I have had to make tweaks and adjustments to work out over the summer, but because I haven't just sat around doing nothing it is going to be at least a little easier for me to really push during the early Autumn months. I hit the treadmill, I woke up at the butt crack of dawn even on Saturdays, I resisted the urge to eat ice cream for every meal. Over the summer is a fantastic time to work on some cross-training like swimming or cycling too! Granted, you won't be able to push as hard as you may normally push, but if you keeping moving in some fashion more often than not it is going to keep your fitness level up and allow you to jump right back into heavier training as it cools down.

Enlist Help
I have several different ways that I'm enlisting help. 1) I hired Coach Tiffany to be my running coach. 2) I registered for a late October half marathon with some co-workers. 3) I have my reward plan in place and am working hard to earn those bonuses! I know that with a little help I can get back to the level of intensity I was at before summer laziness settled in. Just this weekend a small group of us from work that are doing the half marathon got together to run a portion of the course. I took it easy and walked it since I had been working hard on the time trials/baseline testing for Coach Tiffany all week, but starting Monday I don't get to slack anymore as Coach Tiffany will be providing the plan! But I will honestly say that if I hadn't been meeting my co-workers for that run, I would have sat on the couch instead. Yuuuupppp, having that training run scheduled turned out to be a brilliant thing because I'm so glad I got up and moved!

Refresh Your Wardrobe
I don't know about you, but there is nothing that motivates me to want to work out more than having new workout clothes or running shoes! Just getting a package in the mail makes me want to put the item on and go run or workout RIGHT THEN! Luckily, most athletic companies are releasing new fall styles on clothes and shoes now - including my absolute favorite, Skirt Sports! (Disclaimer: I'm a Skirt Sports ambassador but all opinions are my own and I am not compensated for them.)

Make a Plan and Write It Down
I know this is a pretty basic tip, but you know what? It WORKS. I have always found it to be tried and true that when I take time to create a plan on a weekly basis, my success rate for executing that plan increases exponentially. It's real. It doesn't have to be fancy and you don't have to do anything more than writing a few words of your intentions for each day of the week in order for it to be beneficial to you. When you have a date with yourself, you tend to keep it. I like to spend at least a few minutes on Sunday of each week reviewing my plan in my Believe journal so I have fresh in my mind what I need to do each day and know what it's going to take to make it happen. A little bit of a longer run on Tuesday? I better make sure I get up the first time the alarm goes off and not hit snooze. Barre DVD on Wednesday? I need to make sure the DVD is on my desk and ready to go so I'm not searching for it while I'm half asleep and un-caffeinated. You get the idea...

Just a few of my favorite things! Minnesota Vikings pen, Believe journal, and Starbucks mug!

Keep Your Goals in Sight
Write your goal race on your calendar, put it in your phone, download a countdown app, use some highlighters or stickers or glitter - whatever it takes to keep that goal in front of you! I am using at least a couple of those - I have it on my calendar at home (the one that is posted to the fridge so the entire family knows what's happening and when) and I have a countdown app on my phone, and I have it in my Believe journal. The point is, keeping your goals in sight will remind you why you started, especially when it is hot, you're tired, and you have a bad case of the don't wannas.

So the takeaway is that just because we are in the dog days of summer it doesn't mean you can't start getting back on track NOW so you can totally CRUSH those fall goals! By enlisting help, keeping your goals in sight, making a plan, and keeping active to some degree, you will not only arrive to the start line, you'll arrive feeling confident in the work you put in while everybody else was still lounging in the pool! And if you're looking for the perfect fall wardrobe at Skirt Sports, don't forget to use SSPQL20 for 20% off! (That is also good for race registrations too, such as the Virtual Boobie Run that is taking place the weekend of September 11-13!)

Question: How do you beat the dog days of summer?

Some MadLibs-Style Fun and Inspiration!

First up for today is Sweat Pink's latest MadLibs style fun on behalf of their #1MillionMinutes campaign and Puritan's Pride. This week is all about: How do you fuel?

 

I’m so excited [adj] to fuel my #1MillionMinutes goals with Puritan’s Pride! All summer I plan to run [verb] my way to a healthier, fitter me, and I’ll need help staying hydrated and fueled during all my crazy [adj] adventures!

I will make sure I stay on track and will rely on Oreos [noun] to keep me well fueled before, during and after workouts, and my Southern sweet tea [noun] to keep me hydrated! (hahaha - I'm kidding...I'm really going to rely on protein-packed food for fueling and good ol' fashioned H2O for hydration!) ;-)

 I’m most excited to try fancy mixed fruits (product) and Spicy Hot Trail Mix (product) from Puritan’s Pride because they look absolutely friggin' delicious!! (adj).

One supplement I’ve never tried but am curious about is BCAA Supplements [noun]. I think it might make me extra healthy and faster [adj].

Bring it, #1MillionMinutes! I’m ready to go!

The other part of today's post is this article that I read over at Skirt Sports* this morning. Go take a moment to read it, I'll wait...


The thing that really jumped out at me was how Kara says she showed up at her first run with the Kick Start Program and looked around saying "these are not my people". It stuck with me because I think that pretty much just about every single time I show up at a race and take a look around. I can't help but look at those thin, lithe runners and think...I am NOT like them. I will never be fast, I will never look like a gazelle, I will never have that "runner's physique". But then I usually look around a little bit more and I see everybody else that is at the race and I realize that our outside bodies are not what define us...it's the passion and the commitment to the sport that define us. It's that we show up and that we keep coming back. I don't always FEEL like a runner and I don't always FEEL like I fit in or that they are MY people...but at the end of the day when I complete the run, or even when I don't but I don't quit and I come back and keep trying, is when I realize that this crazy tribe of runners are MY people too! Everybody can be a runner and it doesn't take anything special to do it. Just like Kara you can show up wearing jeans on day 1...the thing that makes you part of the tribe is that you keep showing up. I guess the take-away is that you should never let yourself miss out on something really awesome because you don't feel like you fit the mold. Make your own mold and then break it to make a new one again and again. We are all runners. We are all from the same tribe. We are each other's people! Don't forget it...and with that, don't forget to make those people that may not look like a typical "runner" feel like they are. You just might be the one that keeps them coming back.

I had an awesome staycation last week and we are already well into the beginning of July! I have lots to share with you over the coming days!

*Disclaimer: I am a Skirt Sports Ambassador and receive discounts and product in exchange for my representation of the brand. However, all opinions are my own and this is NOT a sponsored post and is not being written by their request.

Virtual 13er - Race Recap

This past weekend was the actual Skirt Sports 13er race in Louisville, Colorado and although I really, Really, REALLY wish I could have been there for it I could at least participate via a virtual race! I knew going into it that I really wasn't prepared for 13.1 miles even though I had done the Avocado Half just three weeks back and the Idyllwild 10k just last weekend. My training leading up to both of those races was pretty darn pathetic and just because you can run 13.1 miles, doesn't mean that you're body necessarily wants to. But I put on my game face and prepared to tackle the distance all by my lonesome.

I started out with my Mom & Sister for the loop around the neighborhood before stopping to use the facilities (that were really nice BTW - best race facilities ever considering it was my own bathroom at home! LOL) and bidding adieu to Mom & Sis and heading outside of the neighborhood. I had planned a route ahead of time, but this is going to come back into play here in a moment so just hold onto that little nugget for a moment.

Wearing my Skirt Sports Fearless Visor, Go Getter Tank, Kelly Bra, and Switzer Skirt (not shown here)

I decided that since I wasn't all that prepared that I would run 5:00/2:00 intervals and would just do my best to run when I was supposed to. This worked out pretty well for the first 7-8ish miles but I seriously ran out of steam along the way and started feeling every single ache and pain - like a twinge in my "bad" knee, the bad form that was causing my toes to catch the pavement on my right leg, the soreness on the top of my left foot. Every random ache and pain possible...but really I think it was because my brain wasn't in the right place. I knew I wasn't prepared, but I went for it anyways.

So where the pre-planned route comes back into the picture is right about the same time the wheels started falling off of my pretty red wagon...coincidence? I think not.

I had planned a route that included some new to me sections, along with some tried and true areas all within my local area. I got to run my "bridge", the hills by the high school and then an out and back on a new stretch of sidewalk that was previously un-runnable due to high traffic. Then the "plan" was to go down this section I call "the long boring" however I hadn't planned on the fact that I was out there all by myself this time and the long boring is a section that is sparsely populated and runs along the backs of houses and a large dirt field. If I was with someone else I would have felt perfectly comfortable going down that route; however, by myself it just didn't feel right. I felt like I would be isolating myself just a bit too much running that area, especially since it was early still and there were some random people out and about. So I made the decision to stick to the more populated streets, in essence removing a couple mile loop.

So as I came back towards my actual neighborhood, I ran my bridge one more time and then had the option of keeping going on the street or heading back inside the gates and finishing out inside my community. I opted for heading inside the community and that's when I totally fizzled. I had gone 10.5 miles at that point and had little aches and pains everywhere and I'll admit it...I totally gave up. Could I have done another couple miles and finished my 13.1? Yeah, probably. Would it have killed me or caused grievous injury? Probably not. But I didn't have it in me and I knew it. I was out there by myself, I was hungry, I was hot and sweaty, I was tired, and I was DONE. I knew it. So I threw in the towel and ended with 11.1 miles. If I had done that route that I originally planned, I probably would have finished the full 13.1. But the way I look at it is that it was better for me to be self-aware of my surroundings and potential dangers and make it home with 11.1 miles than to be stupid and not make it home at all. Right?

I'm still pretty upset with myself for not just finishing it. And I know that yet again, my downfall was my mental toughness. It gets me every single time. I start to get the hamster brain of doubt, pain, fatigue and I just give up. It kills me. I could have run my neighborhood loops a couple times and gotten it done safely, but the thought of running those streets by myself was extremely undesirable.

So the bad brain won again.

But I'm not completely out...I learned some things that I can use in my next training cycle and I made it home safely with 11 miles under my belt. None of those things say I'm a loser...and since I was running a virtual race, guess what - there's nobody to say I didn't finish it!!! Ha!!

Next year I'm hoping I can actually be in Colorado, but even if I'm on my own again in 2016, I know that I can implement some lessons learned and do a better job of it! So here's to 2016 and 13er redemption!

Idyllwild 10k Race Recap

This past Saturday, June 6, 2015, I participated in the Idyllwild 5k/10k run in Idyllwild, CA. Idyllwild is a small mountain community in the San Bernardino Mountains just above the valley where I live and is a place that me and my family have enjoyed visiting pretty much as long as I can remember. This is the sixth consecutive year that I've participated in this race doing the 10k five of those times, and the 5k once while I was still recovering from my knee disaster and illness. This race is small and challenging, but I absolutely LOVE it and look forward to it every year. Last year's race recap can be found here.

One of the most exciting parts of this year's race was that my daughter, Michelle, was running her very first 5k! She had begun with Couch to 5k and then kind of winged it on her own running a couple times a week. She hadn't necessarily "trained" for the race, but she was excited to participate in one and was ready as she was going to be at that point in time. My sister also had one of her daughters running the 5k race as her first as well! Now, I should point out that my daughter is 21, and her daughter is 8 and had done the kids races previously but had aged out of them this year. My sister also had her other daughter Kaylie participating for the second year in a row, and her husband, Stephen. My running friend, Sally, was also running the 10k and on top of that, my Mom was also doing the 5k and I had a couple of coworkers that would be running the 5k or 10k. In other words, we had a pretty good group up there participating in some fashion this year!!

Me & My Daughter, Michelle at the Subaru Selfie Station before the race!

It was a pretty chilly morning up in the mountains, but standing in the sunshine before the race started made it bearable. Me & Chellie rode up with Sally and met my family there. Check-in was super easy and quick as this is such a small, local race. It was nice to see a Subaru selfie station and tent set up as this race really doesn't have any extra frills at all. So seeing any group there handing out goodies was a nice surprise. Another local company was handing out trail mix samples as well.

The 5k race starts 45 minutes before the 10k as there are multiple runners that compete in both distances, so after warming up in the sun for a bit I was able to send Michelle and my family off on their 5k races!

Off and Running!

I actually really enjoy that the 10k starts after the 5 because it allows me to see the early 5k runners returning and it is always so amazing and inspiring as this race attracts some serious competitors, many from local track teams. And this year did not disappoint as the first runner came in at just under 15 minutes! Keep in mind that this race is at over 5,000 ft elevation and has some hills. There were also some older runners and little itty bitty tykes coming in at around 20 minutes. These people are crazy fast, yo!! My daughter had anticipated that it would take her around 45 minutes, so I was anxiously hoping I would get to see her come in before having to take off for my race start, so imagine my surprise when my coworker ran over and pointed out that my daughter had just passed me while I wasn't paying attention because I wasn't expecting her for several more minutes! She finished in 37 minutes and some change and was super proud of that - as she should be!!! She totally rocked it and did even better than she expected. And her first comment to me once she could breathe again - when can we do another one?!? HUZZAH!!!!

Another pre-race selfie...Sally on the left, me in the middle, Michelle on the right.

It was finally time for me & Sally to get started...I mentioned before that I had co-workers that would also be running the race; Jennifer from the Business Office and Brian from Information Technology. Well, it turns out that Jennifer overslept and never made it, but Brian did fabulous for such a challenging 10k! He and Jennifer are both currently training for their first half marathons. Hers is the Disneyland in September and his is in October in Temecula. So finally all the 10k runners got started and were off in a flash! It's a downhill start and runners always take off super fast in this one. I always seem to get caught up in it and then pay for it about a mile in with tight shins. This year I really restrained myself and just enjoyed falling into an easy pace with Sally. We were definitely towards the back of the pack though.

The first several miles went super smooth and passed quickly. I really feel bad that I hold Sally back because she's a little speedster, but boy do I enjoy running with her!! It sure does make the miles fly. I did get a little tight around Mile 2.5 but not enough to require stretching. Taking some walk breaks was enough to loosen me up. Around mile 3.5 Sally asked if we had gone past 2 miles yet and I couldn't help laughing because we were at mile 3.6!! That's how smooth the early miles went. LOL

We eventually made it to "the hill" that is such a freaking killer in this race. Seriously, it is a hike and I know people run it, but there's no way at my current level that I could. I would surely die!!

Course Elevation Profile

But you know what? This year was much easier than previous years and I think I owe it all to Sally! Having someone beside me talking when I could barely breathe made a world of difference. I could just focus on what she was saying instead of the fact that I wanted to die or quit, or maybe both.

Once we tackled the hill we put it into gear and enjoyed the heck out of the downhill portion! That's one thing I love about this race - you totally EARN that downhill! Another bonus was finding some Ca$hMoneyYeahYeah on the ground!!! $20!!!! That's the second time (in 6 years whomp-whomp) that I've found a Jackson while running!

Blurry, but you get the idea...

We kept up a fairly nice pace until the final hill, walked that little bad boy, and then kicked it into high gear for the finish!! I crossed the line at 1:19 which is better than last year, but not a PR (current 10k PR is 1:16). But I am totally okay with that because, honestly, this race felt pretty darn good. I know I could do even better if I actually put in the training. My coworker finished in about 1:05 which is fabulous!! I will note that the road traffic seemed to be more than usual this year. We started about 15 minutes behind schedule due to an accident at the bottom of the hill that was delaying participants. They do have the two roads where you have to actually cross the street manned by crossing guards that stop traffic, but while you're out on the other roads traffic is wide open and there were lots of cars out there. Several large diesel trucks spewed their nasty exhaust as they went by which was less than enjoyable especially when you're already sucking wind. Minor complaint there - if this race gets any bigger they should consider closing roads entirely IMHO.

Co-worker's friend, Kenny on the left, me in the center sporting my SkirtSports Jaguar Skirt, and Brian on the right.

We double checked the times that were posted and found out that my daughter only had three people in her age group, so she actually came away with a 3rd place AG finish!! We walked over to the award ceremony so she could pick up her "trophy" which is a glass mug etched with the design. Interesting side story here: This race doesn't have medals, but it does have a long sleeve shirt with an artist's drawing of various woodland creatures/trees/etc. The artist is a local and she does an awesome job each year. I don't usually have much cause to wear the shirts since they are long sleeve, but they are so unique and I treasure all of them that I have. My previous ones are all in the quilt my sister is making for me!! This year was a fox on a black shirt. You can kind of see it on several people in the picture above of my daughter off and running at the start of the 5k.

3rd Place Age Group Finish! Not bad for her first race...Next one she wants a beer garden! hahaha

 After touching base with everyone and picking up that awesome mug we stopped in at the little coffee shop, Higher Grounds, and I used my found Jackson to get me, Sally, and Chellie a coffee and Veggie Muffin to split that was absolutely delicious!! Well, Michelle might have thought it was a little too "earthy or fresh"...hahaha. I would probably say it was more of a Frittata in a muffin paper, but I don't even care - it was so yummy they can call it whatever they want! I actually want to find a recipe and make it myself. It had mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, red onion, spinach, cheese, eggs and probably some other stuff that I can't remember. We sat for a few and just enjoyed our accomplishments before heading back down the hill.

All in all, I love this race. It is definitely one of my favorites and I love that it is so challenging, I love that it is a gorgeous location, and I love that it supports a great cause (local PE programs). There isn't a doubt that I will be back again next year!! One area that they could improve upon though is the timing. It's not chip timed and results aren't always accurate. I was listed as 21 years old on the finishing results which made my time 2/2 in that age group. HA! Sally was listed as 53 which is nowhere close to accurate and even though she was right behind me coming into the finish, they have her time listed as two minutes after mine. Don't think that's correct...LOL But really, for me as a non-competitor, it is a non-issue. It is simply something that could be improved, but won't keep me from going back again next year. This is definitely a race I can recommend especially if you're looking for a challenge and enjoy fresh mountain air.

What I Wore:

• Skirt Sports Kelly Bra - no issues whatsoever...seriously the most comfortable sports bra I've ever owned
• Skirt Sports Jaguar Skirt - I LOVE THIS SKIRT!!!!
• Saucony PE Short Sleeve Top - so lightweight and no rubbing whatsoever
• SmartWool PhD Socks - my favorites...no sweating, no blisters...LOVE
• Mizuno Wave Rider 17's