Today was a good day. It was Cleveland Marathon day!

It all started on Friday at the VIP Reception (for sponsors and bloggers). I got to hang out with some of my favorite Cleveland runners, and feel special (hollerrrrrr, VIP treatment!).

And then this morning started out nice and early. J and I had a plan: drive to West 25th and then bike the rest of the way. We did this for two reasons:

1. We didn’t have to deal with parking situation.
2. We could sleep in longer since we didn’t have to deal with the parking situation!

We timed it perfectly because we got there just as the half and full marathons were starting. I love watching the start – and for some reason today I was real emotional – I couldn’t stop getting teary eyed watching everyone run!

After J finally wiped my tears and pulled me away from the start, we found our friend, Jen, and lined up to start the 10k.

3-2-1, GO!

The plan was for J and I to run this race together, but I should have known better. We never run good together. Never. And I know this (which is why we do Crossfit together now instead!). So once we started to get on each other’s nerves we finally just decided to run our own races (after about three and a half miles). Which is what we should have done from the beginning. Oh well, lesson finally learned.

(post-race)

It was a great morning to run, and I LOVED the new 10k course! Please, please, please keep this course, Cleveland!

And to everyone else who ran today, CONGRATULATIONS!! Whether you met your goal or not, no matter which race you ran, you are all ROCK STARS in my book. *hugs*

Do you like to run with your spouse/significant other?

As an official blogger for the Cleveland Marathon, I received a free entry to the race and VIP reception/brunch tickets. All thoughts are my own, as I support the Cleveland Marathon 100% and always, always will!

This is it. It’s Cleveland Marathon week! 

You’ve probably read all about and prepared for fueling, water stops, what to wear, how much to carb-load, etc.

But have you thought about what you want your EXPERIENCE to be like?

We all have different goals. Some want to PR, some want to “just finish”, and some are out to pace others. But, no matter what, PLEASE don’t forget to HAVE FUN!

This could quite possibly be a day you remember forever.

So remember to:

• smile for the photographers
• high five the kids cheering you on
• thank the volunteers
• give your friends and family a hug/kiss/thumbs up when you see them

And respect the marathon. Respect the distance. Don’t try to beat it, because it WILL beat you if you let it. Follow your plan, roll with what mother nature offers on Sunday, and take it all in. Again, it could quite possibly be a day you remember forever (can you tell how much I cherish my Cleveland Marathon memories?? ).

To everyone running on Sunday – go get it, and make some kick ass memories!

Are you racing this weekend???

My poor family husband has had to trek to 5 different states so far for me to run marathons. To say we’ve learned a few things along the way is an understatement.

J is the ultimate spectator now – he still can’t find his way around Cleveland, but give him a marathon course and he’ll figure out the best spectator spots and how to get to them in no time!

So I thought it might be fun to share some of what we’ve learned!

If you have a group of people coming to support you, give them headbands:

I can’t stress this enough. They cost $1.00 at Pat Catans and it’s so easy to spot them in the crowd!

If the weather calls for rain, like real rain, not just a sprinkle, give your “sherpas” an extra pair of socks and shoes “just in case”. It DOWNPOURED at mile 2 when I ran the Pittsburgh marathon in 2010 and my shoes felt like they were 10 pounds each for the rest of the race. It was seriously miserable.

And when my sis told me she saw someone jump out and change his shoes that his family had for him, I remember thinking to myself “how brilliant!”.

Ask to be dropped off at the starting line. There are too many people for your family to really see you:

So have them drop you off and head to their first spectating spot. Hopefully they’ll get a prime spot this way!

You are probably going to be COLD when you’re done running. Unless it’s 80 degrees, you are going to be shivering from the sweat and your body trying to figure out what the hell you just did to it. Ha.

So ask someone to carry a sweatshirt or coat for you so you don’t have to steal your mom’s like I did after Cleveland in 2010.

Thanks, Mom!

If possible, recruit one (or 2 or 3) of them to run a few miles with you. You may not be in the mood to talk, but sometimes it’s just nice to have the company after you’ve been running by yourself for 2 hours.

Miserable around mile 24 of the Columbus marathon last year. Not sure I would have finished without J!

And if you like a specific sports drink, fill an extra and have a plan for when you’re going to make the “switch”.

You can’t tell, but we were headed over to make the switch here during Chicago in 2012. Easy peasy!

And then be sure to thank them a million times over afterwards. It’s not easy being a spectator – they’ve spent all day chasing you around the city!!

Maybe even buy them a drink. Or two.

They deserve it!

Do you use “sherpas” during a race? What’s your best sherpa tip??

Let’s be honest. You never know what the weather is going to be like on Cleveland Marathon day.

I got lucky in 2010 and had the PERFECT WEATHER. It was 55-60 degrees and sunny and just crazy perfect.

But in 2011 it was windy and rainy and cold, and in 2012 it was 80 degrees+. This place loves to keep up on our toes.

You always have to be prepared if you’re a Cleveland runner.

Cold weather tips:

1. Dress in layers: The key is to stay warm at the start. You can remove layers as you warm up.
2. Wear gloves: You can get throw away gloves for less than $3.00 at Target!
3. Wear a hat: Keep your head covered to retain as much heat as possible.
4. NO COTTON SOCKS

Warm/Hot weather tips:

1. Dress lightly: Wear light-colored, breathable fabrics. Moisture wicking is a MUST.
2. Use sunscreen: Be sure to apply all over as your clothes will most likely move while you’re running.
3. Wear sunglasses: This could help prevent a headache from the constant squinting.
4. Wear a headband or visor, especially if you’re a heavy sweater: I never run without a headband to help soak up the sweat!
5. NO COTTON SOCKS

If you ever have any questions on what to wear, check out Runner’s World’s What to Wear tool. You can input the temperature and weather conditions and it will tell you what to wear. I use the site all the time!

What’s your best tip for cold weather running? Hot weather running?

p.s. You can still enter to win tickets to this year’s Silver Spoon Awards Party. Don’t forget you can tweet once a day until this Friday!

Track runs have always been my favorite.

I love the burst of speed, recovery, burst of speed, recovery – hard to breathe, catch your breath, hard to breathe – you get the picture. Plus, when you do your cool down it feels super easy after all the sprinting!

Anyways, when my friend, Abby (from Liver Life Challenge!), asked if I wanted to go for a run I was all for it. I mean, the Cleveland 10k is less than 3 weeks away!

But then when she asked if I wanted to meet at the high school track I was excited! Until she mentioned running the bleachers. Then I wasn’t as excited. Hehe.

I felt strong tonight. And I enjoyed running again! Running and I reunited tonight…………..and it never felt so good.

Do prefer track workouts or long runs??

p.s. The Cleveland Half and Full Marathons are nearing capacity! Register now to avoid sold out events!

I don’t think I’ve mentioned it, but this Saturday J and I (and 15 of our friends) are doing the Ohio Tough Mudder.

(source)

I’m not really sure what I was thinking when I decided this was a good idea (well, I probably WASN’T thinking!). But the fee has been paid, the waiver has been signed, and the team shirt has been purchased so I’m not going to bail now.

I think it will be challenging, but I’m also hoping it’s fun and a bonding experience with everyone involved!

In any case, no matter how the race turns out, I plan on having fun camping for the weekend with friends, bonding over s’mores and a campfire, and consuming numerous pudding shots to numb the soreness from the race.

There’s even a pancake throw-down happening Sunday morning that I happen to be a part of. I have a pretty good feeling I’ve got this in the bag (ummmm, my pancakes are amazing!), but the other party involved seems pretty confident, too, so it could be a good fight!

Have a great weekend, guys!

Anyone else racing this weekend?

Ever done a Tough Mudder before?? Please pass along any tips and/or tricks – this is my first!

When I got the email about a 5k so close to home, I was pumped. I love Lakewood, but the Lakewood race course is getting a little old. I was excited for something new!

(source)

But then I saw that the race was on a Saturday. And Saturday mornings are reserved for soccer games. So I asked the organizers of the race if they’d be willing to give away a free race entry…………..and they said YES!

The Bellaire-Puritas Development Corporation in West Park (a non-profit) is throwing the 5k as a fundraiser to support the community development in their slice of the city. They have been around for over 20 years and focus on community development, not only as brick and mortar projects, but as youth development as well. I love it!

The Run Puritas 5k is on Saturday, May 4th. It is a family friendly, leashed pet friendly race, and a lovely way to see a corner of West Park that’s tucked away behind West 143rd.

Here’s a link to the tentative route, and you can join and share the event with your friends on Facebook, too.

You can register for the race HERE, or try to win a FREE ENTRY right here on the blog! All you have to do is:

1. Leave a comment telling me what your favorite local race is (mandatory)

Extra entries:

1. Follow @BellairPuritas on twitter (and leave a comment saying so!)
2. Tweet “I want to race the Run Puritas 5k! Win a free race entry from @heatha262 and @bellairepuritas here: http://tinyurl.com/c3hml4x” (and then leave a comment saying you tweeted)

You can tweet once a day until Sunday, April 28th (leave a comment for each tweet).

Good luck!

Thanks to my amazing relationship with Fitfluential, I was offered the change to review the new Saucony Kinvara4′s.

To be honest, the last time I wore the Saucony brand was back when I ran the Pittsburgh and Cleveland marathons in 2010. So I wasn’t even sure how I would like them. I was even a little scared to try them – I was worried I wouldn’t like them!

But, from the packaging:

to the colors:

(they seriously glow.in.the.dark)

to walking and running:

and crossfitting:

………these have become my go-to shoes. They’re so light and fit my feet like a glove – so so so comfy! The heel insert was upgraded with this new model, which adds to the cushioning, which I LOVE. But my favorite part is that the material near the back of the heel doesn’t come up as high. That’s always one of my biggest complaints with running shoes. I love it!

Get excited because the Kinvara 4 release date is May 1st, 2013!

Do you wear Saucony? Which model is your favorite??

Saucony sent me the Kinvara4′s as part of my affiliation with Fitfluential. As always, all opinions are my own.

I’m always so amazed at how the running community comes together in times of need.

It really is a community to be proud of.

J and I were sure to join the many runners who wore race shirts today in support of the Boston Marathon. I’m really hoping these events don’t damper future marathons — whoever did this doesn’t deserve the attention.

And I’m extremely proud of the Cleveland Marathon. From their Facebook page:

They make me super proud to be associated with their organization.

So, if you’re thinking of a way to honor Boston, consider running the Cleveland Marathon, Half-Marathon, or 10k on May 19th – run it for those who can’t. Run it for someone other than yourself. I promise you, that will feel ten times better than running it for yourself.

#runforBoston

#BostonStrong

Are you running Cleveland? Which race? I’m running the 10k!

I’ve been thinking about my running a lot lately. Probably because people are so surprised when I tell them I’m not training for anything right now or, really, even running a lot at all. They are even a little shocked, which I found weird, until I started thinking more about it.

I’ve run 7 marathons over the last 2+ years. I blog about running. I talk about running. I wear running clothes more often than not. So I guess those reactions make total sense. I’m known as the “runner”.

But after Disney I was burned out. I had hit my max. I stopped loving it like I used to.

And that’s OK. I am totally fine with it.

But even though I’m fine with it, I still get the itch to sign up for a race when I see others doing it. Almost like I’m “missing out” or something. It’s so silly. I should be making decisions based on what’s right for ME, not what others are doing.

Which makes me 100% confident that I made the right decision with running the Cleveland 10k this year. I’ve run the marathon, I’ve run the half (3 times), and I’ve even run the 10k. I was so tempted to sign up for the half marathon this year – heck, I even considered the full! – but instead of jumping into it without thinking (like I’m known for doing!), I actually thought about it ahead of time. And instead of being excited about training I kind of dreaded it. I knew right then and there that I shouldn’t be running more than the 10k.

(after last year’s 10k!)

Who the hell am I?? I used to LOVE the 2+ hour runs once a week and spending week after week upping my mileage. It was such a rush! Now I dread any run over 45 minutes. Give me short and sweet. That’s where it’s at. At least for me. Right now.

And now, when I do run (about one to two times a week), I’m starting to fall in love with the sport all over again. I get that runners high that started me running in the first place! I’ve sure missed that feeling.

I’m pretty sure my marathon career isn’t over, it’s just “on hold” at the moment. A decision that I’ve made for me.

Have you ever had trouble making a decision for you, not based on what others were doing?