Brave the elements with Nike swag

Back in October Nike Running challenged us to #RunTheElements. They have since released their amazing and colourful new collection to help you brave whatever may come your way - wind, cold, rain, snow and heat. NO excuses to stay indoors and hide!  Visit NIKE.com to view product details.
*Canadians to view the online shop on Nike.com change the region at bottom of screen to United States.

We came, we ran, we conquered...

Race day finally arrived.  I woke up at 4am, did a few leg swings and hip rotation warm ups, updated my blog and waited for room service that never came!  Yikes...10 min to go before I head to the lobby and meet the rest of the girls and I've eaten nothing.  Luckily, the race kit that was provided had a peanut butter and chocolate energy bar - phew.  Better than nothing!

When we exit the hotel we're greeted with cheering and loud music.  The energy was just overwhelming and I loved every bit of it.  Definitely gives you that extra boost you need to overcome any nerves. 

Last Nike+Fuel shoot before we take off!
Karen, Renisha, Elizabeth, Tiara and myself

Huge sea of runners

 Lunerglide+4 buddies

And we're off..

Once we started, we made our way through an amazingly scenic course.  The first 2 miles I ran accompanied by my new friend Renisha.  We ran through financial district past the Transamerica Pyramid, all along the waterfront of the Embarcadero where we lost each other :( I waited for her, even jumped up and down to see if I could find her, but sadly I never did.  So off I went alone -  just me and 27,000 women pounding the streets of San Fran.  

I continued past Fisherman's Wharf, Fort Mason, along the Marina Green, past the Palace of Fine Arts and Crissy Field, then headed up a long huge hill at mile 6 into the Presidio, exposing views of the breathtaking Golden Gate bridge under thick fog.  The excellent training schedule Marie Purvis provided definitely made me more than prepared for these hills. I rocked them!!!  The scenery and the energy from other runners also helped to distract from the inclines as well.  

This is where the tight crowd started to break from the walkers to runners.

Made it to the top of the 1st hill!

                                               

The fog was like soup - the Golden Gate bridge is somewhere underneath it... 

At mile 10 I hit the Great Highway, which was a nice downhill mile, until the course cuts into Golden Gate Park at mile 11 for one last gradual, but difficult uphill mile not because of fatigue or pain, but because my left contact lens starts to blur - sand or dirt flew into my eye and I can't see clearly!  GAH! So I step to the side, blink rapidly and finally whatever was there is now gone.

Finally, we reached mile 12 and we looped back out of the park to head to the finish line on the Great Highway along the beach.  There were numerous supporters along that last mile helping to cheer the runners on.

As soon as I saw the finish line, I don't know what got over me, but I just bolted and gave whatever energy I had left. Even the commentator saw and said "Wow - check out the burst of energy on that one, she wants that Tiffany's necklace bad"  I did and I wanted to find Justin ASAP as I knew the longer it took, the harder it would be as more racers came in.  I found him in 10 min and he greeted me with a big warm hug :)

The course overall is breathtaking and the cheer stations a huge bonus - from a Gospel choir, break dancers and cheerleaders and random strangers giving me high fives as I zipped past them.

                                     

I finished 2hrs17min  not to bad considering the search for Renisha and photo taking I was doing along the way :)

                                               

so worth 13.1 miles - so pretty

Fuel check as I crossed the finish line 

After getting the "OK" that there would be no more photoshoots or interviews as the wi-fi service was bad at the finish area and we couldn't find the other Nike girls, I was sent back to the hotel and told to relax & have a free day to myself.

I did just that, freshened up and headed to the nearest diner to refuel with a much needed chocolate malt shake :) YUM!

refuel w/chocolate malt shake :P

                                                                                         

We spent the rest of the day walking around the city, eating, and relaxing.  

Justin and I took a tour bus to Muir Woods and Sausalito.

Very narrow winding road to Muir Woods on a tour bus - this was scary!

The tallest coastal redwood at Muir Woods is about 258 feet, approximately the height of a six-foot person stacked head to toe 45 times. Further north, these trees can reach heights up to 379 feet!!!

                                      

Then it was off to Sausalito - house boats everywhere and a gorgeous view of the city.

Walked along the Fisherman's Wharf and took in the sights and sounds.

made from bread!

Sunset view of Alcatraz from the piers 

Sea Lions taking naps on Pier 39

catching the sun-rays before it sets 

Our last meal in San Francisco at John's Grill - one of the city oldest and most famous establishments.  Food was top notch :)

Crab cocktail

Lobster ravioli  

Prawns and mushrooms

Ended the evening with a stroll along the hilly streets on San Fran. - way to  earn that Nike Fuel :)

  

My #1 fan from home - Tenchi :)

                                       
This will go down in the books as one of the most memorable experiences of my 20's - Will I do this again? Maybe...I will definitely keep running in my exercise regime ;)   

A HUGE thank you to Lydia Lauer ( North America Digital lead at Nike) and the people at Nike Women and Nike+ Fuel team for giving me this opportunity.  
Róbin Arzon of Team Epiphany & a member of NYCBridgeRunners ,  who with great patience made us look bad-ass and fierce for most of our shoots in San Francisco.
Jerome Love photographer 

Thank you for all the cheers and support!!! I heard each and every one of them as I ran - you guys ROCK!!

Lunarglide+4 mini review

Nike Women sent me a pair of Nike LunarGlide+ 4. This is the latest running shoe from Nike which uses the Nike Flywire technology to provide a custom fit and its signature Lunarlon Dynamic Support system for stability and cushioning. The Nike LunarGlide+ 4 won the Best Update in Runner’s World Fall 2012 Shoe guide.

Basically each time my foot strikes the ground it feels like they are getting tiny hugs. It's a soft ride (imagine jogging on a path of march-mellows -minus the goo) the softness results in a bouncy run which feels like having a spring beneath the shoes and perfect for the beginner and elite runners. I’m still breaking them in, I've only had two runs with them, (both indoor and outdoor = 8mi) but I’m in love.  The toe box is also just right. Not too tight. Not too roomy as well.  Best of all, it's lightweight (at 8.2 oz) and help make my runs much easier and enjoyable.

happens to match my nail color

13 weeks to 13.1mi - 13 tips I've learned along the way

There are 13 weeks left until the NWM2012 - time is flying by so fast o_O


I've picked up a lot of tips/advice and learned from my own mistakes during my training, so I thought I'd share 13.1 of my favs.  These are can also be applied to other forms of sport/workouts.


BEAT THE HEAT

• hydrate! hydrate! hydrate!
On training days, make sure you’re taking in extra fluids before, during and after to keep from getting thirsty and dehydrated
• listen to your body
  When training/running gets sweaty and tough, take a walk break (try some run/walk intervals) or hit a Savasana. Know when to push through a mentally tough part of your run and know when to pack it in.
• sunscreen!!!Wear sunscreen – ‘nuff said

SMOOTHIES FOR 13 MILES

• Crunchy Coffee Fix - soooo yummy

• Mango-Coconut Water Smoothie  

  2 cups ripe mango chunks (from 1 to 2 mangoes) 

  2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 

  2 cups unsweetened coconut water 
  Pinch of cayenne powder (key) ;)
  
  Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth. 

RUN MANTRAS

• run with your heart not with your legs 
• you’ve done harder things than this before…
• You’ve made it this far, only (insert distance left) left!
• Dig for that extra inch. Take the best you can do, and do better.

GEAR & GADGETS

• Nike Cheyenne Vapor Backpack
  This is a great bag, just what I need for my long runs, hiking and navigating the city. Big enough bag to carry all your necesities.

• Nike LunarFly+ 3  comfortable and nice fit 

• Nike+GPS app Nike has put together a very polished app that allows you to get accurate readouts for speed, distance, GPS mapping and listen to music. Voice alerts during your run give you the vital stats such as time, distance and pace, and post-run entreaties for you to go faster, longer, and further really do work. There's also a social aspect, where you and your friends can have friendly competitions, trash-talk each other into a fitter,and better lifestyle.  Post run you can sync you run onto Nike+ and see beautiful graphs of your run splits and see how you compare with fellow runners in the NIke community.  

• Nike Filament Capris  stays in place, does not bunch, and are very breathable. Back pocket is perfect for a house key!

Lastly, JUST DO IT! as Nike encourages us to do...get up and get moving!  Whether it's for a charitable cause, competition or just for yourself, your body will thank you.  You will reap the rewards by becoming healthier, stronger and confident because you achieved a goal.  

Reaching a new goal and a mini review on the Nike+FuelBand

I still can’t believe I will be running the Nike Women's marathon in October.  I’m nervous, but so excited! I've never ran more than 5K, so running 13.1 miles is going to be quite an accomplishment for me!
Like most beginner runners, I started out running only a mile or two at a time and it was tough! I got side stitches, took walking breaks, and experienced plenty of frustration. Running long distances is not easy! But I've been keeping with the schedule Nike Women have customized for me and pushing myself to run farther each time I go out for a run.  Today I ran my farthest at 8 miles!  It was tough towards the end with the heat already hitting 31 at 8am, but I kept repeating my favorite running mantra in my head to motivate me. “Success isn’t how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started.” It always helps get me through the hard parts.

Most of the time, running is more mental than physical for me. 

Another motivating factor, this Thursday NikeWomen sent me a second care package full of training gear and the cherry on the top if you will a Nike+FuelBand - The idea behind the fuelband is simple, to measure, track and compare your athletic and normal activity over days, weeks and months. Keeps track of four metrics: time, calories, steps and NikeFuel, which Nike describes as “the ultimate measure of your athletic activity.” Not only that, but it doubles as a futuristic-looking watch, all at the click of just one button.  It's definitely a neat gadget to help get you off the couch and become more active.  Unfortunately it's not available in Canada until fall, so most of you reading will have to wait to grab on of these.

Today I set my goal at 5000 and as you can see, I'm almost at my target well before midnight when it resets.

Here's what I ran in this morning (1 of 3 outfits that were sent)

STAY COOL ON THE RUN

As the weather got warmer I started taking my running outdoors, but soon after a run I would get massive headaches due to heat exhaustion. Strong sun and heat can make outdoor runs more challenging, and a big concern is the risk of heat exhaustion. I've discovered a new trick to stay cool while running on a hot day -  hydrating my head. Sounds silly right?

Before heading outside, I soak my hair, squeeze out some of the excess water, but leave it pretty wet, and then wrap my hair into a bun. For those of you w/ supershort hair, soak your head and a bandana, and wrap the wet cloth around your head. As you run, the cool breeze on your wet head will not only feel refreshing, but it will also help prevent overheating.  Always carry a water bottle and periodically pour some water on top of your head to rewet your hair and of course to prevent dehydration.

Another key tip to staying cool is proper gear.  Avoid wearing cotton when running because it holds your sweat and doesn't dry quickly, which can lead to chafing.  Synthetic fabrics ie) Dri-Fit wick moisture away from your skin so cooling evaporation can occur.  Trust me, you'll appreciate the comfort -- especially during long runs outdoors.
Nike Women were more than generous enough to send me some running gear for my marathon training.  
Here are my reviews:

Nike Tempo Track Shorts - These running shorts are so comfortable that they actually made me want to run longer. I'm not kidding. The fabric is ultra-lightweight and stretchy, so these shorts are so easy to move in. They also feature mesh on the sides, making them extremely breathable. And they come in many different fun and vibrant colours.

Nike Miler Running Shirt - This super lightweight T-shirt from is semi-fitted so it gives a good fit without being too tight or clingy. If you love the feel of cashmere , but hate being wet, this is the shirt for you.  Like the shorts, it also features mesh side panels, which is great for summer running. The Dri-FIT quickly moves sweat away from your skin, helping you stay dry. 

HAPPY RUNNING AND STAY COOL!