New Fun Finds: Mission Skincare

Let's talk items I no longer want to live without. I read a few reviews on SkinnyRunner's blog a while back about Mission Athlete Care. She raved about a few of their products and I have to say I was intrigued but never enough to pay shipping and/or full price to try them out. Luckily for me, I found a special online that got me a little variety pack for a cheap price! My pack included sunscreen and foot sticks and other stuff, but I was most interested in this:

5 Hour Anti-Chafe Cream! I feel like I have the hugest inner thighs. All those ladies at the park that manage to run in Nike tempo shorts amaze me that they don't have a problem with chaffing. They suck. One of the reasons I love Lulu so much is that their turbo shorts and skirts are the perfect length for runners with big thighs like me. I've tried to make due with vaseline and body glide, but neither last very long before they need to be reapplied. This stuff is awesome. It's not greasy and it really does work for 5 hours (or atleast 4 1/2 during my marathon!). I've tried it around the bra area quite a few times for long runs and I'm amazed by it. So this past weekend I tried it out on the thighs in my shortest skirt.

This skirt was such a bad investment, but it was so cute I just had to have it. I NEVER run in it because I chafe so bad. Guess what? I ran six glorious, no chaffing miles in it thanks to the cream. This skirt has a new life in my lineup!

Also something that I've needed on longer runs and even more now that I'm biking - lip balm. Blistex is my favorite go to, but I haven't had much luck of it staying put while working out. This 15spf balm also came in my package and I love it. It makes my lips so smooth and it's still there after a 2 hour bike ride into the wind.

I have to say I'm very impressed and wish I would have tried these items when I first read about them.  It's too bad Mission didn't pick me to review them - I think I made a pretty good sales pitch.

Alright, off to get in another run - Happy Running!

The Joy of New Shoes

This past Saturday I slept in a little (oops, sorry ATP) and tackled my 6 mile long run on my own. It was a beautiful day with cooler temps and the promise of a little sun. A great day for a running skirt and new shoes.

I bought these shoes probably this time last year while they were on clearance, but haven't needed to break them in yet. I ended up buying another new pair last fall that I broke in before these. Either way, my marathon shoes are out, so these needed to be added to the lineup. Dang Houston has been wet and rainy for the last month (thank goodness we are finally getting rain, but did we need to get it all at once?!), but I just couldn't bear the thought of getting them muddy their first time out. So the day was perfect.

Aren't they pretty? Just like my last pair of Adrenaline's though, they are tough to break in. I took walk breaks every mile to return the feeling to my toes. A few more miles in them and they will be fine - I think they are just stubborn like their owners.  I'm still running in their sister pair and will cry when I have to retire them. The next model of shoe didn't take so long to break in (which were my marathon shoes), but I didn't like them quite as much as these. Us runners are wierd with our shoes sometimes!

I could really use more Saturdays like this! Great runs and beautiful days to hang outside on the patio (with messy hair and new BIC bands!). It's starting to feel like spring around these parts!

Marathon Ignored

Not sure if you noticed, but I decided to not post a full recap of the Houston Marathon. I know that I did a great job by finishing, but it just wasn't the race I'd hoped it would be. I debated for a few weeks after to stay in training and tackle another one while I was prepared for it, but I chose not to. I'm definately not done with the marathon distance yet, just need a little break before I tackle it again.

I did manage to finish with a smile on my face though. Marathon #2 complete.

Return to Normalcy

Sorry I've been MIA for so long. You can tell I'm not a blogger that takes herself or her blog seriously since I'm alway apologizing for something. Lately I feel like I've done nothing but apologize: to my Hubby for working late hours, to my friends for never having time to hang out with them,to my parents for never calling, to myself for choosing sleep over working out. It all ends here. Work may still be crazy busy, but I'm tired of apologizing. It's about time I figured out how to juggle it all. No, I won't fill my calender for every second of every day, but I will find a way to make time for all those people and things that I've been missing.

I have to admit, I started this a little last week. How you ask? By getting a little R&R away from everything in beautiful Puerto Rico.

It was only 4 days, but they were definately much needed. I soaked up as much sun as I could (Houston has been very cloudy and rainy lately) and just tried not to think about work. I know, I know, this is a running blog and not a vacation blog, but I did represent with a little Lululemon while we went ziplining.

Leave it to a Lulu addict to think that it's the perfect ziplining attire. (Don't worry, they put a helmet on me before we started.) By the way, zipling is amazing!

Now, I need a race to start training for. Oh wait, it's exactly 4 weeks until the Texas Independence Relay! Time to start getting in a few doubles!

The Preview

I came, I ran (kind of), I survived...

Plans for the New Year

It's hard to sit here on the last day of the year and not think about my goals for next year. The most obvious one is the one I've spent the last 6 months preparing for: The Chevron Houston Marathon!

The signs are up all over town and I get a little giddy every time I see one. It makes me want to drive by as many Chevron gas stations on my way to work just so I can see them! I think I might be going a little marathon crazy at this point!

After the marathon, I plan on sidelining the super long training runs and focus more on running doubles to prepare for the next Texas Independence Relay!

I captained a team last year and we had such a great time that we've already registered for this year's race. We're all gearing up for another 48 hours of travelling across southeast Texas crammed in a van with 11 other sweaty runners.

But in addition to running doubles, I'm also going to be spending a lot more time on the saddle. My new Cannondale is finally going to be put to the real test in April during the MS150.



It's a 2 day bike ride from Houston to Austin. The Hubby and I have joined up with the St Arnold's bike team (the local brewery in town) and we're excited to drink all the free beer we can manage and have a support team along the way.

Other than those 3 events, my schedule is pretty much empty. As much as I really want to fill up the calender with races and events, I think I'm just going to fly by the seat of my pants and take the year as it comes. I'm excited for 2012 and all the fun it's going to bring!

Happy New Year!

Tis the Season

It's been a pretty busy season. Between Christmas parties, busy work schedule and even a promotion (!!!), it's been hard to get in my training. I completed my longest training run of the schedule almost two weeks ago and it's been hard to keep the motivation up since then, especially since it requires good time management.

I found myself off work a little earlier today with nothing else to do, so why not get in a run!

Before: Playing with the new camera I got for Christmas! 

The doggies want to say Merry Christmas!

I hit up Memorial park since it was such a dark night for some Veronicas. Not sure why it's called Veronicas, but it's one hell of a workout! I warmed up with a mile then stretching then got to work. 5 sets of 3 minute sprints at VO2 max followed by 3 minute jogs then a cool down back to the car. I finished with 6 miles and felt great. I really pushed it during each sprint, but managed to make the last one the fastest.

After: showing off my 6 miles and testing out the self timer.

Marathon is in 3 weeks! Can't wait!