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 Donate your old running shoes

5/20/2014

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I found some funny first world problems:
“I just got the iPhone 5s and they just announced the release of the 6 next month! 
The one day I try to sleep in, my maid wakes me up. 
I hate my job, but I make too much money to justify finding a new one. 
I accidentally clicked the “thumbs down” button in Pandora instead of “thumbs up” so I skipped one of my favorite songs. “(See more at: http://first-world-problems.com/page/3/#sthash.8Al26RiJ.dpuf)

And here I’ve added a few runner specific ones:

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“I should have brought my flats to this tempo, these (shoes) are too heavy.
I ran out of the vanilla Gu, that I like, so I have to eat this one (sad face).
I couldn’t find my garmin this morning, so I had to run with my iphone. 
My garmin died in the middle of my long run so I didn’t get my splits.”


Joking aside, we are very fortunate to be able to have these types of problems....and shoes we need for different types of workouts. I, for one, usually have about 3 in rotation to give my shoes a break, allow the foam to rise between workouts/runs. It's recommended that we change our shoes every couple months anyway to prevent injuries. (Further reading: How to Pick the Right Running Shoe)

Having so many shoes,  I seem to have a graveyard of shoes in random places of my apartment, lining my balcony, even at my parent's house. I often scatter them  like Gretal (in Hansel and Gretal) with the bread crumbs, so I always have a pair if a run were to arise...or just to find my way home. (Afterall, home is where the heart is, and mine is in my soles).  to have a graveyard of shoes in random places of my apartment, lining my balcony, even at my parent's house.

Here is an opportunity to clear out all those old shoes!

Your shoes helped you log hundreds of miles and were a very special part of your life for a couple months. Now they can be recycled. In turn, Running with Sole will give us (Belen Youth Mission) NEW SHOES. Help us share that feeling you get when you hold NEW Running shoes in your hand with a child in Altamira Dominican Republic this summer! Donate your old running or athletic shoes to this project and help us bring some smiles to kids.

Collecting Locations:

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500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184 
M-F 7:30am-3:30pm
305.223.8600 
Classroom S117and Main Office
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11650 N Kendall Drive, Miami, FL 33176Hours: M-F 10-7 | S 9-6 | Su 12-4
305.595.RUNS (7867)
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5050 Biscayne Blvd
Miami, 33137

M-F 10a-7p, SA 10a-6p, SU 12-5p
(305) 751-9440

Drive ends June 6th

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Support Venti's Journey to Badwater

3/19/2014

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While writing a post on The 3 P's to Staying on Track, I started think about a new running friend, Alyson Venti. Long before I knew who she was, I saw her on a run, while I was biking. I had looped around Key Biscayne a couple times and kept seeing her at different points. I thought, “There is no way this girl is still running”. I was in shock. A couple months later on a run with Hector early in the morning we crossed paths again. There I found out that she was an ultramarathoner. And a couple days ago, I found out that she too was a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Fiji doing Environmental work.

She has been invited to participate in BADWATER ULTRAMARATHON, a 135 mile race where only 100 of the world’s toughest athletes are invited to participate, and finishing is a feat in itself.
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Vivi Restrepo and Alyson Venti at IRun Company after a Workout Monday's Group Run.

SUPPORT VENTI'S JOURNEY TO BADWATER

Knowing the type of person it takes to accept an invitation to the Peace Corps and seeing her ultramarathoning resume, I have no doubt that  she is ready to take on this next challenge. When we do things we are passionate about... they are hard, they take work, they take time, and they take sacrifice...but they are worth it. This isn't going to be easy, but it's going to be an experience of a lifetime!


This is an invitation to compete in BADWATER comes with an expensive price tag. Lets help her make it to the starting line, as she takes care of training and logging all the miles she needs to prepare herself to get through those 135 grueling miles. 

Her Stats: 
Keys 100 in 2012, 16:07 (1st Female & Course Record)
Keys 50 in 2013, 6:51 (1st Female & Course Record)
Ghost Train 100 in 2013, 18:59 (1st Female & Course Record)
Long Haul 100 in 2014, 17:14 (1st Overall & Female Course Record)
To support Alyson Venti’s Journey to Badwater Ultramarathon, donations are being accepted at iRun Company, online at Crowdraiser: Venti's Journey to Badwater, and at local events. 
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Local Event TONIGHT:

What: UltraMarathoning Workshop
When: 6:45pm
Where:  IRun Company (5050Biscayne Blvd). 

Read More...

On Alyson Venti:
Miami Herald: Next Huge Challenge awaits UM Grad Student Venti. 

On Badwater UltraMarathon:
www.badwater.com 
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Racing Tips

1/30/2014

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T-3 days! I thought I'd Repost this article that I wrote for Examiner.com: Racing Tips.
Here are some racing tips to keep in mind when approaching a big race. Take these for what they are, suggestions.
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Photo Credits: Miami Marathon
Pace yourself. The excitement of being surrounded by other anxious runners corralled at the start line, like horses on a race track, gets to everyone. The key is to stay calm. Get out ahead of the craziness but not too far where you expend your energy for no reason.

Be efficient. Remember to keep your form; head straight, jaw relaxed, shoulders down, arms swinging back and forth by your hips without crossing in front of your torso, good even stride, and quiet landing. [Easier said than done.]

Replenish during the race. Depending on the distance of the race, you might want to consider eating a snack. However, race day is not the day to start experimenting. Eat things that you have already tested during your training and have found that work well for you.


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Look forward. Not just for your form, look forward toward your target or goal. Give yourself little goals to reach during the race. This will not only keep you motivated, but will help the race go by faster. Before you know it, you'll be sprinting toward the finish.

Pass with authority. Once you decide you want to pass someone, make the pass and don't look back or second guess yourself. The slower you pass someone, the higher the chances are that he are she will try to stay with you. Every person you pass COUNTS.


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Finish strong. The reason you paced yourself at the beginning was so that you could progressively get stronger and faster throughout the race. Toward the finish, you want to "empty the gas tank", as most coaches like to say. There is no more need to store energy. As you become a stronger racer, you will be able to pick up the pace further and further away from the finish.

See you at the starting line!
To read more, check out other articles and publications HERE.
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Necessary alignments...

12/19/2013

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Ever finished a run with a hand and arm cramp? 
Yea that just happened!! 6 miles felt like 12, not because I was pushing an almost 40-pound wiggling toddler but because my stroller wasn't aligned! It kept pulling left. I'm exhausted, sore, and downright wornout!

Can u imagine the toll it must take on our bodies to be dis-aligned? If we have our leg pulling one way while our hip pulling the other direction?  Or worse, if we are pushing our bodies in one direction and our other life choices are pulling our body in another direction?!?! (I know it sucks...I've been there!)

I need to take a stroller to get re-aligned ASAP! There are times when we need to make some LIFE TUNE UPS too; Tweak a couple things here and there so that WE TOO can start running in a straight line.

Since September I have dropped my time 1 min and 19 seconds in the 5k, PRed in the 10k, by 2 minutes, and 2 weekends ago I swam/bike/ran my way into the OVERALL slots of  a Triathlon placing 3rd with the fastest 5k time in the run (for male and female competitors). Keep reading--THERE IS A POINT, and it's not for you to hate me. The reason I am telling you all this is because in the last couple months I've changed a couple things, made a couple adjustments that I wanted to share with you. You can read and become informed, read and disregard, or read and perhaps try some yourself and see what results you get.

Change 1- MY SOCIAL LIFE- I've tamed the social life down a notch (just one, don't worry- I am still a good time). Burning the candle at both ends isn't sustainable. And though possible to go out on a Friday with one group of friends and still mange to get by on a long run on Saturday morning with another group of friends...It's much more enjoyable to pick one of the two and do it well. I've been opting for the "enjoy the Saturday morning long-run" and notice that it's a lot EASIER with a full night's rest.
 
Change 2- MY EATING HABITS- Using Herbalife shakes for breakfast and cutting down on bread (which I love), I've managed to shed 17 pounds in the last 3 months. Notice that it wasn't like the ads in Facebook that say, 20 lbs in 20 days or the miracle pill for 3 sizes in 1 week... blah blah blah. It has been 3 months. meaning about 5.5 lbs a month. Just to give you some food for thought. Try running around with a gallon of milk everyday you go for a run/workout. A gallon of milk weighs a little over 8 lbs! CRAZY HUH! It's WEIGHT that you have to carry around with you...FOR A LOT OF MILES. Make your runs easier for yourself by making the dietary adjustments that you can! Your body and your running will love you for it.
 
Change 3- My HARD WORKOUTS- I have become more disciplined about workouts. At least once a week I've been doing harder/longer workouts at race goal time pace--not to mention trying to keep up with the boys that show up. It's really made a HUGE DIFFERENCE. Though recovery days, easy days, and steady long runs are a very necessary part of the equation, HARD RUNS where you are training your body to run at the pace that you want it to run at are ALSO a necessary evil!  I remember my High school cross country coach would always say: "LONG SLOW RUNS equals LONG SLOW RUNNERS". Give yourself a chance to impress yourself; try incorporating these faster workouts into your routine! (Check below for some info on workouts around the city.)

"Sometimes we are putting in the work, just not in the right way. All we end up doing then in wearing ourselves out! " 
These alignments are just the beginning. There is still a lot of work to be done and adjustments to be made! Just like we take our bikes in to get tuned up every couple months or before races, our lives and our running need the same TLC. Give yourself a gift this holiday season and take the time to make some alignments- personal, professional, emotional, and physical! 
-Happy Holidays
For a great physical alignment: Check out 
Dr. Flores 
Chiropractor, runner, and friend
4150 Nw 7th St Ste 200
Miami, FL 33126
Neighborhood: West Flagler
(305) 240-0929
floreschirogroup.com

Track Workout Options

Mondays
FDC/ Solerunners Marathon and Half Marathon Track Workouts at Tropical Park at 6:45pm
Call Store for more details:
(305) 595-7867
IRun Speed Workouts at IRun Store at 6:45pm
Tuesdays
Wolfpack Tempo Run at Tri-Beach at  6am
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Picture by Bryan Huberty
Thursdays
Wolfpack Track Workouts at Miami Country Day School at 6am
IRun Marathon Training Speed Workouts at AWP at 7pm
Call Store for more details: (305) 751-9440
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DON'Ts to Run By

11/6/2013

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Don’t overcompensate:
We all know that when we overcompensate, we inevitable get hurt. To prevent overcompensating, we need to work on our weaknesses instead of ignoring them. Over time, our weak points will
lead to worse and worse injuries if left unaddressed.
Definition of overcompensate (vti)
 Dictionary
 1. Try too hard to overcome: to try too hard to make up for a disadvantage or
shortcoming and fall into a fault of another kind    2. Reward too much: to pay somebody too much in recompense or compensation for
something done.
We overcompensate for our weaknesses by dedicating more time or energy to the things that we are better at because facing the weak aspects of ourselves may be too overwhelming or too difficult. Ignoring or pushing aside these aspects of ourselves that are sub-par will only lead to deeper and more permanent injuries that will be harder to recover from in the future. 

“Don’t look down...I’ve picked up all the pennies.”
That’s what my High School coach would always say when we were running. It has always been recommended by coaches throughout my running career that it is extremely important to look forward towards the ground a couple feet ahead. Benefits include better posture, easier decision making, and keeps you focused --with you eye on the prize.
Failed attempts at projects and investments, along with the painful love strike-outs, among other mishaps cause us to look down, when in those times is when we should maintain our focus fixed on the goals and horizon ahead to lead us out of those dark moments. The obstacles, difficulties and strains of life’s wear and tear on us make giving up a tempting option. At times we get bogged down with our very present current situation, but looking up and slightly forward could be just the perspective shift that we were yearning. 

Don’t overdo it: 
Hard part about this is making the distinction between overdoing it and pushing your limits. That’s where having  a plan to guide you is always beneficial. Signs of overdoing it may be constant fatigue that drains all your energy stores. You may experience signs from feeling easily irritable or  unable to stay focused/centered, to more drastic situations like injuries or even illness. As runners we will constantly struggle with the questions: Am I doing too much? or Am I doing enough? The answer lies in listening to our hears and bodies. Unfortunately, when testing for TOO MUCH vs ENOUGH, it's a grade that we can only give ourselves when we are able to strip away the mess that surrounds our lives and get to our core. 
Whether its food, training, loving, spending, nagging,..OVERDOing  things is never a good game plan. As the saying goes, “Everything in moderation”, is the best plan of action, though most times easier said than done. Especially as runners, we are known to have “go-overboard” kind of personalities. No one is perfect, and maybe its a weakness that you too, like myself, need to work on.

Don't Give Up:

NO MATTER WHAT! I would always hear from my coach: If someone is going to beat  you, make sure that they die trying! If you have a rough run you know you need to train harder. If you struggle in a triathlon, you know you need to increase your training.  If you do bad on a test you know that you need to study more. If you get a low evaluation at work, you need to prepare more. If
you get in a fight, you need to make-up. BUT you never just quit...never just give up, surrender, or lose hope for a good outcome.
Definition of give up (v)
 Dictionary 
  1. surrender: to surrender or admit defeat
  2. hand over somebody or something: to hand over or part with somebody or
    something
  3. lose hope for somebody or something: to stop hoping for a good outcome with
    regard to somebody or something
Society has gotten so used to seeing it’s members do so (just give up), that it’s had to embrace the culture. We are surrounded by people that make excuses for not living out their dreams, people that have settled to do what they should instead of what they were meant to BE, and millions who are too comfortable with the status quo to challenge it.
Every run we take we are working on breaking through these DON’Ts. We are practicing habits that will not only make us stronger runners but stronger people. We are working on our weaknesses- whether it’s endurance, speed, leg cadence, our kick, or our listen skills, ability to forgive, willingness to allow ourselves to be loved, or having the courage to trust. Every time we look up we are reminded that it may be too late to change where we are stepping at the current second but we are just in time to make better decisions as to  what ground our next footplant will strike. Steering clear of these DON'Ts may lead to more fulfilling running experiences and who knows, may also lead to happier, more peace-filled lives.
 
                                                                                                                                                                        -Happy Growing =)
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Keep in Rhythm

11/5/2013

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Who remembers that game: Keep in Rhythm, jolly jolly rhythm...Ready OH, Lets Go….Starting with ZERROOOOO…??If you don’t, you had no childhood! I’m kidding, but for real, how did you not ever play that game during recess with a group of friends?

Anyway. The point of the game was to keep in rhythm as you said different numbers and each person was assigned to represent a different number.  At the beginning it was easy because the numbers were in order. But as the game advanced, the numbers started getting OUT of order and when people would mess up, they would get kicked out/eliminated from the game. Besides the ORDER changing, the game
would start picking up it’s tempo as well which added to the intensity.

Game Rules/Guides:

 -    Find runner with a stride that isn’t too drastically different that your own at a pace slightly faster than yours.
 -   Tuck in directly behind or diagonally beside the person you are trying to keep in rhythm with
-    Get into rhythm
 -   Focus on staying in that rhythm...AND NOTHING ELSE

Workout:

IRUN's Monday Workout
1 Mile warm-up
Sub 7 minute pace runners
(8 miles)
Sub 7 to 8 minute pace runners (6 miles)
9 to 12 minute per mile runners
(5 miles)
1 Mile cool-down
The last couple weeks I’ve been playing my own version of running Keep in Rhythm. Whether it’s been on a long run or a workout, I’ve been focusing on the stride for stride approach.

Last night’s workout was a true test of the game’s power. The game, up until this point, had been holding a steady tempo (pace/rhythm), but last night’s run took the tempo up a notch, and I’m happy to say, the other players weren’t able to shake me off, or eliminate me.  The workout was a 1 mile warmup, then 6 (1 mile loops) continuous with a segment of each lap at a much stronger pace. I locked into different people throughout the workout to keep me in the game. My only goal was to find what strides were most comfortable to keep in rhythm with.
 "Running is a mental sport...we're all insane."
-Seen on a runner's T-shirt
At the beginning of the workout,  I started questioning if I was going too hard or too fast for what I should be doing. I remembered its all about perspective. There used to be a time a couple years ago where runs and workouts like these were part of the everyday- literally. When I started thinking that this needed to feel normal, that this pace should feel okay, I  was able to shift to my “keep-in-rhythm-game” mode; my breathing calmed, my mind settled, and my legs started doing what they knew they could.

 After the 6th lap, I wanted to keep going and I felt like I could but I knew there was enough in the gas tank, but I finished what I had set out to do. It took me the mile cool-down to realize that I had just matched my 10k PR, in a controlled, level-headed, fun (game-like) manner.

If you try the keep-in-rhythm Game, let me know how it works out for you! But remember, one of the keys to the game is to keep in rhythm with the right person and trusting that your body is capable of more that we give it credit for.
If you want something in your life you’ve never had, you’ll have to do something, you’ve never done.    ~JD Houston

- Happy 'keeping-in-rhythm'

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Workout Recap

10/22/2013

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Last night, at 6:55pm, after a long day at work, with blisters adorning my achilles and consequently sending currents of pain up my leg, I taped up my feet, put my compression socks on, and strapped on a smile that would later turn into a game face.
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IRun Monday Night Workout:

I mile warm-up
1400 meters at a hard/solid pace
 12 X 300s
 2 mile tempo pace run
Suggested formula: Leg frequency + stride length = OPTIMAL LEG STRIDE 
                                                                                                                                    --Cobi Morales
As we started the mile warm-up, my legs felt heavy and I wasn't expecting too much out of my body for the workout, besides going through the motions,  which I knew would be good for me- quicker turnover, faster cadence-style running.

When we got into the bread and butter--the 300s, I thought: "Shoot, this may be a little harder than I was expecting." But then I looked around and saw all the other people who were doing the workout and realized that it really is ALL MENTAL. Our perspective of the situation at hand. I shifted to focusing on what was my original intent...working on my stride length, which is what I had come to do. I felt like I was chopping my steps, since my stride is usually much longer. It felt awkward, almost robotic....but I was going faster. The repeats just seemed to pass me by. By the time I asked how many sets we had left, we were 2 away from being done and I felt stronger than ever.

When the 300s were over, the workout wasn't. We still had a 2 mile tempo run left. I saw two guys take off and without letting my doubts creep in, I followed. Jokingly I said under my breath to a couple other girls who were taking off on the tempo: Anything they can do, we can do---or we'll die trying. I guess a part of you has to believe that in order to attempt to try and run with them. They do have more muscle strength, they do have more speed....but us girls...we can be fierce when we want to be.

Turns out  I didn't die. I felt great. I even started to have thoughts about how fast I could race if I actually continued to train like this. In races, I guess we hold back because we feel like we are going to DIE...but workouts are a little different. That fear of dyeing is somewhat suppressed by the fact that the outcome of the workout doesn't matter as much since it's "just a practice". 


 I thought of Aristotle's' quote:  "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." And therein lies the problem--maintaining that level of intensity, pushing yourself in workouts till you feel like throwing up,  finding the inspiration to stick with it, not let up,  and not being scared of being EXHAUSTED---those are the habits that are hard to develop! 

What do you repeatedly do?

Last night's workout left a sweet taste in my mouth...that left me wanting to ask a question that I haven't asked in a while...
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- Happy training
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Look up...You aren't swimming alone out there.

10/17/2013

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Yesterday was a day filled with mixed emotions and lots of thought provoking, tear jerking, questioning and reflecting. By five o'clock I knew the only way to relieve some of the heaviness weighing on my heart would be to take my emotions out for a nice long open water swim.

When I first got out there I completely forgot about everything that had transpired throughout the day. I could only focus on getting my breathing and kicking into a good rhythm. Taken back by the beautiful sunset I was getting to witness at water level, I knew that this was exactly what I needed.

Throughout the swim I would often find myself either going towards shore or heading out towards the sunset. I would try and swim in a straight line but I would often have to look up and correct my direction. On the way out I didn't really have a good focal point (which made things a little harder) but on the way back I was using a the biggest building in the Brickell area to guide me which made things much easier (though I still did swerve).

By the time I was making my way to the starting point, the sun was spectacularly setting with a bright red hue that almost made it seem as if Miami was burning. Only problem was that I was quickly starting to notice the water getting darker. The group of swimmers had spread out a lot and so there were points where I felt all alone.  That's when I stopped to tread water for a second and look around for the other swim caps. They were all still out there. From water level I couldn't really see them but as I lifted my head a little more, the kaleidoscope of colored swim caps appeared and disappeared before me.

I came to the conclusion (at about the 3rd booey from the finish) that it's okay to swerve, lose sight of your focal point momentarily, even panic when you feel all alone in an ocean that is quickly getting darker....as long as  in those moments we  try lifting our head a little more to notice that we are actually surround by many others---just like us, going in the same direction, with their eyes on the same goals. We are not alone on this journey. And sometimes, all it takes for us to regain perspective is a little pause, a couple seconds of treading water, for us to be able to continue confidently in the direction we were headed. 
#justkeepswimming #lookup #lookaround #harddays #theraputictraining #itsofficial
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#tbt Marathon Reflection

10/17/2013

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Since today is throw-back Thursday (#tbt), I thought I'd repost a reflection that I wrote back in 2012. A little background before you read the post. At that time, I was a couple days away from running the LA MARATHON, my first (and only to date) marathon-EVER. I had also just gotten into a head-on collision with another biker that sent me to the hospital, the FIRST EVENING that my son was spending the weekend with his dad proceeding our very recent separation. That was a loaded sentence...Did you get all that?
Enjoy...

Here's the Re-Post:

So this morning, a friend (Brittany) sent me an email that really made my day! She sent me a PDF of a presentation she saw...where the subject was RESILIENCE. She told me: "Each of us has our own story, our own setbacks and our own triumphs...and its all apart of our journey through the "human condition. Its amazing to see how resilient humans are and can be."
So I looked up the definition of RESILIENCE and this is what I found: Getting stuff done when s *** (aka poop) happens!
(keep in mind I have a 2 year old YAK BACK that records and repeats everything I say, so I must
now START SPELLING things...lol)

What a great word! Seriously!
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Resilience truly is the ability to recover or adjust to misfortune or change (I don't know about the easily part)....and I hope that it means the capability of a strained body to recover--to bounce back--after being subjected to all kinds of stress-- like ASPHFAULT, ANOTHER BODY, and NO SLEEP!! 
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This slide was so beautiful I just had to share it all! Resilience is what enables us not only to survive but to thrive despite our changing environment. That's the thing about CHANGE...it's the only CONSTANT IN OUR LIVES. Nothing ever remains the same....I guess that's why my blog's description says:
IN ONE MINUTE, MY WORLD CHANGED! NOW I BEGIN TELLING MY STORY OF HOW I CHANGED WITH IT. 
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There are a lot of things that I thought I would never be able to do, but just as this marathon keeps proving to me, THE HUMAN CONDITION is INCREDIBLE....I'm amazed at what I have been able to achieve and continue to do besides the emotional and physical setbacks. I don't want to be a person that is constantly blaming those circumstances that surround me...for my inability to live a fulfilling life! It's always our choice! It's our choice to thank those around us who give us the opportunity to stop everything and start over from scratch. It's our choice to look at the things that are making us suffer or causing internal conflict when we look in the mirror and CHANGE that about OURSELVES. We are the only ones that should be amazed at who see see staring back at us in the mirror every morning (wink wink).
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As the reality of this marathon creeps closer and the pain from my bike accident 14 days ago still hasn't
allowed me to run more than 8 miles...I realize that success and failure are subjective. Sunday morning's race will be run to push my limits--obviously the physical ones, but my limits of courage as well. I'll be
needing a MONUMENTAL amount of courage for this next chapter as one story ends and another one beautifully begins. I will need courage to not back out, and NOT GIVE UP on myself, on my goals, on my dreams, and on the future that I see! I need courage to continue to love my life and be thankful for all the amzing people in it who challenge me everyday to BE BETTER. 
"Each of us has our own story, our own setbacks and our own triumphs...
and its all apart of our journey..."   
                                                                   
 -Brittany Love Brome
I hope that you all get to experience a "MARATHON" challenge that will force you to PUSH YOUR LIMITS....a challenge that will humble you and at the same time help give you a LIVING reminder of what RESILIENCE truly means!
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With that said....HERE's
to an amazing MARATHON--rain or shine!
- Happy Marathoning!
Originally posted: Expecting the Unexpected March 16, 2012
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Good Luck Marathoners!

10/10/2013

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The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is the pinnacle of achievement for elite athletes and everyday runners alike. On Sunday, October 13, 2013, runners from all 50 states and more than 100 countries will set out to accomplish a personal dream by reaching the finish line in Grant Park.
With the craziness of the last couple days, I haven't had a chance to work on a good luck packet that I wanted to put together for some friends running the Chicago Marathon this Sunday and the Southernmost Half/Full Marathons this Saturday in Key West.

There are millions of people that have been preparing for these races.  A couple of which are from my neck of the woods and have been able to witness THEM IN TRAINING: weekday mornings swarming Alice C. Wainwright Park (AWP) left and right (literally), and weekends rushing the streets and sidewalks of Miami like if some secret adventure race was going on. 

 Some of the runners competing I've just recently had the pleasure of meeting while a few others have been inspiring, pushing, and racing for years (coming up on 14 years Danny!).

From the bottom of my heart I wish you a STRONG, cramp free, lactic acid build up free, bowl-movement free, blister free, chafe free SPECTACULAR RACE! Since most of the people I know who are running are either heading to the airport right about now, are already on a plane to O'Hare (CHI), or are packing up to leave to Key West bright and early, I wanted to give you a little something to entertain your travels.
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Dear Marathoner friend ____________________<----Insert your name there,

Whether it's your first or your twenty first marathon, the experience will be unforgettable, not only for the miles and miles or markers you will pass, but for the memories that you have built and the person you have become on this journey to this race.

It is going to be hard....but you will not die. In fact, if you trust your training and the crazy guys that are training you, you will be happily surprised at what you will accomplish.  When in doubt...always repeat out loud...I will finish ;)

TAKE in the WHOLE ADVENTURE! From the traveling to the dinners, from the warm-up to the post race freebies! Enjoy it all! For this small fracture of space in time, you will be living in a RUNNER dream world

TAKE IN THE CROWD! Be encouraged by the voices of people, ones you know and others you've never met, cheering for you as if you were a superstar! According to Wikipedia (not the best source-I know) "Superstar is a term used to refer to a celebrity who has great popular appeal and is widely known, prominent or successful in some field." GUESS WHAT? To many people back here in Miami, you are just that!  Let their celebrations of your accomplishment along the course serve as fuel to get you through the tough parts of the race.

TAKE IN THE GLORY! The pain, you'll feel, the cramps, you'll deal with, and the millions of voices in your head making you question why you are out there will be ALL BE GONE minutes after you cross that finish line...well maybe not the pain in your legs (details details), but the glory of your finish will last forever. Knowing that what you've accomplished is no small feat by any means--NOT just  in completing the race but following through with/committing to the training---that is what sets you apart from everyone else!

The hard part is done...
Now you get to race and CELEBRATE!
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Chicago Marathon
Grant Park, Chicago

Wave 1 Start 7:30 a.m.
Wave 2 Start 8 a.m.

27th Mile Post-Race Party 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Southernmost Half/Full Marathon: Key West
Rum Barrel, 528 Front St.


Race Day: 6:30am (Full) 6:45am (Half)
Breakfast for fans @ Rum Barrel 6-9am

Finish line party: Saturday, October 12: 10am-1pm
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From Miami...GOOD LUCK MARATHONERS!!!
-Happy Racing
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    Teacher, Author, Mother, and Runner. As I try to balance it all, I sometimes ask myself why I run. The Ironic things is that the runs themselves hold all the answers.

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