So, you know how I thought it was totally awesome that I completed three 75 lb snatches on Saturday? Ha, the joke’s on me. My shoulders are more sore than I can tell you. It’s quite embarrassing actually. Like, so sore that they hurt to touch. Lol.

So, even though I desperately wanted to do today’s workout, I thought it best that I skip it and give my shoulders an extra day to heal.

Which ended up working out because J asked me to go for a run with him instead! Poor guy is nursing an injury (hence, why he didn’t sign up for the Crossfit Games), so we haven’t worked out together in a week. It was nice!

Mizuno vs. Brooks – Mizuno wins every time!!

The weather was 54 degrees and drizzling and mad windy. But I didn’t mind the wind, it was nice to just run together – we’ve had a busy past few days so it was a great time to catch up and, as backwards as it sounds since we were running, slow down.

(wearing my BAMR band from Katie – I love this thing! plus, it’s crazy cute!)

I definitely have my ups and downs with running (I’d say I’m currently in a down phase), but it’s days like these when I remember why I ever started running in the first place. It was so refreshing! Maybe my up swing is starting – perfect timing since the Cleveland 10k is on the horizon!

What’s your #1 workout true love? I’d definitely say running, but Crossfit is giving it a run for it’s money!!

p.s. The Cleveland Marathon is offering a St. Patty’s Day 2-day registration discount March 16th and 17th. $10 off the full marathon (use code SHAMROCKFULL2013) and $5 off the half (SHAMROCKHALF2013) and 10k (SHAMROCK10K2013)! Register here.

I have another fun race entry giveaway for you guys!

And I’m super excited about this one because I’ll be running the race, too!

It’s the Cedar Point Santa Hustle:

Thousands participate in the Santa Hustle runs across the nation each year. For the first time in Ohio’s Lake Erie Shores and Islands region you can join the festivities (the race is on December 16th). The best part is that this unconventional race features candy, cookies, and holiday music along the course. And, to amp up the holiday hijinks, each participant receives a free Santa hat, beard, and long-sleeved dri-fit shirt.

If that wasn’t enough, the after party is at Cedar Point’s Castaway Bay — complete with festive music, a buffet of food, and plenty to drink! Ahhhhhhhhh!!! SIGN.ME.UP.

And, thanks to the awesome race organizers, you can enter to win a chance to witness for yourself the inaugural half marathon OR 5k run/walk and join the hundreds of running Santa’s!

Running doesn’t always have to be serious. So let’s get silly, enjoy the holiday spirit, and run in Santa outfits!

Let’s make this easy. You have 3 options to enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me which race you want to run (the 5k or half marathon) and if you’ll wear the Santa shirt (I will!).
2. Follow @santahustle on Twitter and leave a comment letting me know.
3. Tweet “I want win an entry to outrun Santa at Cedar Point’s @santahustle from @heatha262! Enter to win here: http://tinyurl.com/b9p38h4″ (you can tweet once a day until next Monday, November 27th – just leave me a comment for every tweet)

Good luck and hope to see you there!!!!!

I was lucky enough to have been given a free race entry to blog about the Cedar Point Santa Hustle. But I couldn’t accept without giving you guys the option, too, when I read how awesome and fun this race is going to be!

I’m still trying to process everything that happened this weekend. I can’t seem to put it into words.

But…………

We wore bright ass pink together:

We looked a little homeless together:

(but we were warm!)

We ran happy together:

We ran miserable together:

(I swear I’m running and not walking in that picture)

AND we finished together:

I can’t even tell you how proud I am of my sister. I know she doubted herself (due to a stupid injury, the longest run she did prior to the marathon was 15 miles!), but I never doubted her. Not once.

Not when she hit the wall at mile 20 and looked like she wanted to die. Not when we saw our “Race Crew” at mile 23 and she mouthed to them “I’m going to die. I’m going to die!”. Never. I knew she’d do it.

And she did. We did together.

Now maybe she’ll come run Cleveland with me since I ran Chicago with her??

Thanks to everyone for the amazing support last weekend – my phone was blowing up with texts, tweets, Facebook wishes, etc – it was AWESOME. Best weekend ever.

This past Saturday I did the Warrior Dash.

And it was awesome.

So much fun in one place!

I was lucky enough to be able to attend this kick ass event courtesy of Fitfluential and Reebok so I quickly picked up my race packet so I could hit up the Reebok tent/Crossfit box.

I can’t tell you enough how nice the Reebok reps were (what up, Dan and Alena!!).

So friendly, welcoming, and personable! I heart nice people.

It’s really the little things that make my day and when they offered to hold my bag while I raced, my body let out this huge sigh of relief. I don’t know why, but bag check is something that always freaks me out. I do it as little as possible (probably only once or twice ever?). They were also total ballers and gifted me with a new pair of tennis shoes (separate post coming)!

Anyways, I wanted to be surprised as to what I’d be doing during the race so I didn’t really look into it too much beforehand. And I was so glad!

It was 3 miles of trail running, obstacle climbing, swimming (!), mud pit crawling, and fire jumping. Basically, 3 miles of awesomeness.

Of course, the last obstacle is the mud pit. You have to crawl under barbed wire through a mud pit. There’s no getting around it. You’re going to get dirty. It’s inevitable (I swear I still have dirt under my nails!).

I’m not much of a mud person so this was definitely the most challenging obstacle for me (give me climbing and fire jumping any day!). But I just sucked it up, took a deep breath, and dove in. You only live once, right?

The best thing about this race is that it really is for anyone. I placed 116/1307 in my age group, and I think that totally shows what a ride range of people there were: competitive racers, runners, walkers, people in costume, etc!!

Here are some tips if you’re going to do a Warrior Dash:

• Wear old tennis shoes that you don’t mind donating at the end of the race
• Bring flip flops for after
• Wear capris, or shorts that cover your knees – you will be crawling
• Bring lots and lots of towels for the ride home – I had one to sit on, one on my back, and a small towel for across my body where the seatbelt was!
• Bring extra water to wash your hands
• Bring a good attitude – it’s all about having FUN!!!

And then feel like a badass when you’re done.

Have you ever done a Warrior Dash, or something similar? Would you do it again?? Me? Hellzzzzzz yes!!

I was able to attend the Warrior Dash free courtesy of Fitfluential and Reebok, however all thoughts and opinions are all mine. I can’t thank them enough for the opportunity!

And it’s for a great cause.

I’m doing it again.

I’m the running coach for the American Liver Foundation’s Liver Life Challenge!

What is the Liver Life Challenge?
It is an endurance training team that helps participants achieve their own fitness goals, while raising funds for the American Liver Foundation.

What race is the Cleveland Team training for?
2013 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend!!! Team members can choose to participate in the half or full marathon, or the Goofy Challenge (completing both the half AND full marathons). Runners and walkers are both welcome at the race and our team is inclusive of participants at all experience levels.
Race weekend is January 11-13, 2013
Team runs kick off on Saturday, September 22nd, but sign up now to start fundraising!

What does the program include?
Personalized Coaching (that’s me!) – I’ll help you create a training program suitable to your own personal needs, whether you’re an experienced runner or have never walked a mile!
Team Trainings – Every Saturday morning at 7:30am starting on September 22nd
Team Meetings – Everything from proper attire and nutrition to fundraising tips
Logistics – Once you’ve committed to arching the fundraising goal of $3,400, the organization provides your airfare, accommodations, race registration, team gear, and most meals during race weekend
Make a Difference – Feel the exhilaration of crossing the finish line knowing you’ve helped the American Liver Foundation in the fight against liver disease

There is nothing more rewarding than helping others attain their goals. I am looking forward to meeting new people, making new friends, and watching teammates exceed their expectations!

For more information, you can contact me directly at mile26andmore@yahoo.com.

Or you can contact the organization’s Campaign Manager:

• Katrina Marshall
• kmarshall@liverfoundation.org
• 646-737-9426
• www.liverfoundation.org/disneymarathon

Katrina is a friend of mine and fantastic at what she does. She’ll help you reach that fundraising goal and I’ll help you reach the finish line.

We’re all in this together…………and running Disney, one of THE BEST races around!!!

Or should I say another tattoo?

I’ve been wanting this tattoo for 2 years now, and it only seemed fitting with the Cleveland Marathon this coming Sunday, that I finally do it. The Cleveland Marathon holds a special place in my heart and I always think of it as my “first” even though it wasn’t.

So J and I headed down to Voodoo Monkey in Ohio City on Monday afternoon.

It’s been so long since I’ve gotten a tattoo (7 years?) that I couldn’t even remember what to expect! Luckily it wasn’t bad at all.

And I LOVE the finished product:

A closer look:

Took me 2 years to design this puppy. And I’m in love with the way it turned out!

I just wish this much thought would have gone into all my tattoos.

Do you have any tattoos? I have 4! One on my front hip (gotten in college – OUCH), one on my back hip, one on the top of my foot and now this one.

I’m a religious The Biggest Loser watcher. And the newest season is all about No Excuses. But I feel like all some of the participants do is make excuses, whine, and/or complain. Ugh, I was so annoyed last night. It’s such an amazing opportunity these people are getting – why would they ever waste it?? Obviously they know what they’re in for when they apply to be on the show. Do they really expect it to be easy?

So, anyways, today when I was on the treadmill whining to myself that my legs felt sluggish and tired I thought about all the excuses that had annoyed me while I was watching the show last night. And my mood immediately changed. I may or may not have even yelled out loud at myself during the last mile saying “Come on!”. I had somehow changed from a whiner to a bad ass just by thinking about how I didn’t want to be one of those people who make excuses. And proceeded to finish my 4 mile run with an average pace of 9:02 per mile.

That’s 3 runs in 3 days at a 9:13 pace or less. Do I dare say I’m making a come back?? Nahhhh…..not yet. I don’t want to jinx it. Not yet.

And the only reason I ran yesterday is because I saw this on the box of the Vega Sport protein products I have right now:

I saw this right after I had skipped my pool workout. Talk about timing. Even though I had missed my time frame to be able to swim, I had no excuse not to run (one of the curses benefits of having a treadmill now). So I did it. And it was awesome. I was on a serious runners high after that run, too – I was grinning ear to ear for the rest of the night like a giant tool. I always feel so amazing after a workout, it’s a wonder to me why I ever skip one.

Anyways, when I mentioned to J that I wasn’t going to the pool he had a really great idea. He said I should give myself “x” amount of “Free Passes” when it comes to my workouts. I immediately fell in love with the idea. It’s a great compromise that will hold me to my workouts but also give me a little leeway when I’m just not feeling it.

So now I’m trying to decide how many “free passes” I should get. One a month? Two a month? No more than 2. And if I don’t swim like I’m supposed to, but I run instead, is that considered using one of the “passes”?

What would you do?

• One pass or two?
• Do you think swapping a workout should count as using one of the free passes?

Today’s run probably looked normal to an outside observer, but a lot happened in those 40 minutes.

Mile 1:

I know this mile is 75% uphill, but try and keep the pace at a steady 9:30, Heather. You’re trying to get faster, remember. In order to do this I had to dodge some high schoolers getting out of school, and I swear they were judging me in my skin tight spandex pants. But maybe they were just thinking to themselves “where would she put her chain in those pants”? (they all had jean chains, or whatever those things are called – what’s the point of those anyways?) In any case, I definitely pushed myself a little harder than I would have if the kids weren’t around. You know, because it should matter what high schoolers think, right? Ughhhh…..Heather……

Mile 2:

Whew, back on flat ground. Even out your breath and pick up the pace a little. This is when my stomach started to cramp up some. Not enough to make me slow down but enough that it was really annoying and I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Mile 3:

Oh.My.GAWD. What is happening with my stomach??? Right at the beginning of mile 3 I hit a stop light and keeled over in pain. After about 10 to 20 seconds it subsided but I knew it wasn’t gone for good. I also knew I needed to head home immediately before anything bad happened (for those of you who don’t know what I mean, I needed a bathroom STAT). When the light turned green I started running again and Busta Rhymes “C’mon – Catch ‘Em By Surprise” came on my iPod. This song can put anyone in a good mood – I swear! So I tuned out the pain and just ran. Highlight of my run.

Mile 4:

Get home, get home, get home!!!!!!!
That is all.

Next .35 miles:

I walked for a bit to ease the uncomfortableness and then broke into an all out sprint once my street was in sight. Got home just in the knick of time. Lovely, right?

Not really my favorite way to spend 4 miles, but I got the job done I guess. Because my times turned out pretty damn good:

I’m trying to get back to a “normal” pace of around a 9:00 or 9:10 minute mile. I think I may actually be doing it?! My stomach is still a little queasy, but I’ll deal. Is it crazy that I’d rather have the stomach issue and run fast(er) miles than run slower with no stomach issues? If so, then just call me Crazy!

What’s the ONE song that turns your mood around no matter what?

WOW, thanks for all the super awesome, kick-ass, ego-strokin comments you left on my last post (I plan on responding to every one this weekend!). You sure know how to make a girl feel good!

And for those of you who didn’t hear yet…………I ran a little race called the ING NYC Marathon this past Sunday.

I may even be saving marathon pictures just so I have one to put in every post from now on. Hehe. (I have no shame)

Anyways, Hal Higdon deems the week after a marathon “zero week“. I must say that this man knows what he’s talking about.

Monday I felt like someone had beaten my quads with a baseball bat. They were SO SORE. And I’m not quite sure if walking all around Soho, Central Park, and Times Square helped or hurt their recovery.

(stretching my hips in the Subway while waiting for our train)

Tuesday my quads still hurt. Going down stairs was still killer (better, but not good). I’m so appreciative now of the railings in the stairway leading up to our bedroom and down to the basement (though, I have to admit that I put a load of laundry in Tuesday night when we got home and didn’t touch it until today!). I told J he needs to install an escalator like the NYC subways had.

Wednesday my quads were a LITTLE sore, but I could finally walk down stairs without looking like my mom who just had her knee replaced (sorry, Mom, but you know what I mean!).

Yesterday I felt good. Even back to normal maybe? But then I taught Group Power and my left IT band hollered at me. Just enough to remind me to slow the hell down. No need to push it.

Today I was going to run a few miles but decided not to make my IT band any more angry than it already is. I think it was a good decision.

Tomorrow I have a deep tissue massage scheduled. I’m actually glad I scheduled it for tomorrow instead of earlier in the week. It’s already going to be painful – no need in adding fuel to the fire by going while my legs were still mad sore.

Sunday I have plans to RUN. No more than 5 miles, but I’m going to get back out there and see how I feel. Hopefully I feel better than this:

It was unusual having the week “off”. I am completely grateful, though, because I was exhausted this week. My under-eye, bag covering, concealer has never gotten so much use!

I want to be smart about my recovery. My goal is to be back to 100% by the end of the year. I may or may not have another race to start training for come January.

Do you follow the “zero week” rule after a big race? Or do you like to just get right back out there? I made the mistake of running too soon after the Cleveland marathon and that’s how this nagging IT Band injury started…….

Thanks for all the encouragement on my last couple runs. I didn’t post about them to get compliments, but I’m not going to tell you to stop. That wouldn’t be very smart of me, now would it?

When I first started running (seriously) about five years ago I really only had one other friend who ran (hi Jen!). The rest of my friends had no interest so it was something I pretty much did on my own. I never felt any pressure to run a certain pace or a certain amount of races. I just ran because I enjoyed the challenge. I liked pushing myself.

Dying after my first half marathon in 2005!

I was very relaxed and never really put any pressure on myself. I didn’t know about fueling for long runs or pacing. It was just running. Plain and simple.

After the 2006 Cleveland Half Marathon.

And I was honestly got kind of bored. Bored of running by myself, bored of the same distance, and bored of the same races. I had no idea there was a Cleveland “running community”. It never even dawned on me to try and reach out to other runners in the city.

2009 Presque Isle Half Marathon

An then I decided to see if I could run a marathon. And write a blog.

Turns out that I love both. I love the training, I love the runners high I get, and I love the friends I have made from blogging.

It was pretty quiet my first year of blogging (2010), I was still pretty shy about the blog and didn’t tell many people about it. I was starting to meet some awesome Clevelanders, though, but none of them were runners.

Until this year. This year (in my opinion) the running community has taken off like wildfire. I love that I now know people at races, and that we actually make plans to meet up before and/or after the race.

But what I don’t like is the competition. The pressure that I put on myself thinking that my race time will affect my credibility as a runner. The feelings of insecurity that I get because I know I’m not “fast” compared to so many other runners I know now. I never have been. I never will be. I’d rather run 26.2 steady miles than kill myself running a speedy 5k.

And this is all self-inflicted. Do people really care how fast I run? Do they actually log onto the race website and look up my name? I sure hope not. These aren’t things that I do, so why would others? I’m really not that important, and I’m not even sure why I care if they do.

I guess all this is coming from my self doubt regarding NYC. I’ve been scared people will see my time and judge. But I’ve decided to let this go. I’m going to be proud to run (or walk if I have to!) NYC and no matter the outcome I’m going to OWN IT. I’m going to share my time, my struggles, my accomplishments, and be proud of each and every one.

I’m going to get back to that place I was when I first started running and do just that. Run.