When I wanted to slow down, I thought of those amazing women listed on my back and I knew that after the fight that they have been through that pushing up this hill is NOTHING! I knew that I could not do anything but my best. Yes, the course was a little tough (rolling hills through out). Yes, it was hot and humid. Neither of which begin to compare to what these warriors go through during their fight. I ended up with my 2nd fastest 5K (only 12 seconds off of my PR). I can only hope that I made everyone on my shirt proud.
For the past 6 years, it has been a family tradition for my parents and to run the Susan G Komen 5K over Mother's Day weekend. My dad's mother and sister both had breast cancer so we have adopted this tradition to celebrate them for Mother's Day. We have had different friends and family members join us as well over the past few years. Last year, I made Momma K and I matching shirts to wear that listed the people that we run in celebration of and in memory of. Unfortunately, we had to add another name to our shirts. Words cannot describe how much I hate cancer and the pain that it causes way too many people in this world. Yes cancer, I hate you! To say that this is an emotional race is a total understatement. Everyone there is running for a reason: they lost a family member or friend to breast cancer, they are celebrating their friend/family kicking cancer's butt, or they are celebrating their own domination of this horrible disease. I personally run this race in two different mindsets. Before the race, I take a moment and reflect back on those that we have lost and their lasting impressions they made on so many people. I take that strength with me to the start line. As I run, I celebrate my friends beating breast cancer as I push to run the best race possible for each of them (as well as those that I have lost). As you run, you see different names on everyone's shirts of those that they are celebrating and running in memory of. It is definitely emotional and makes me realize how lucky I am for my health. As I run, I celebrate my friends beating breast cancer as I push to run the best race possible for each of them (as well as those that I have lost). As you run, you see different names on everyone's shirts of those that they are celebrating and running in memory of. It is definitely emotional and makes me realize how lucky I am for my health. When I wanted to slow down, I thought of those amazing women listed on my back and I knew that after the fight that they have been through that pushing up this hill is NOTHING! I knew that I could not do anything but my best. Yes, the course was a little tough (rolling hills through out). Yes, it was hot and humid. Neither of which begin to compare to what these warriors go through during their fight. I ended up with my 2nd fastest 5K (only 12 seconds off of my PR). I can only hope that I made everyone on my shirt proud. The post race area was great with a lot of big sponsors such as Dunkin' Donuts, Wells Fargo, Perdue Chicken, and Sparkling Ice water. There is also a special post race area for survivors to go have a little pampering with extra treats. After a great race, we decided to hit up the local Sprinkles Cupcakes for a treat. Now, I don't suggest the mentality of "I ran, so I can eat whatever I want" but Momma K and I decided to get cupcakes for Mother's Day weekend :) While I hate cancer and its impact on those around me, I love running this race in support of all of the survivors and in memory of those we have lost. I would much rather there not have to be races supporting cancer research, I am proud to show my support. This is honestly a great race with a lot of emotions for sure.
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A few weeks ago, I received one of the best emails that I could have asked for. I was invited to join the Sparkly Soul Ambassador team! I am very honored to have been asked to join the Ambassador team - actually, I still cannot believe it! The group is such an inspiring group of women from different walks of life who have a passion for an active lifestyle. Whether it is running, yoga, CrossFit, or anything in between, we are pushing our limits all while adding a little "sparkle" to it. If you follow me on social media, you know that I am rockin' a Sparkly Soul headband about 16 hours a day - work, gym, errands, running, etc. The only time it is off of me is to shower and sleep! If you haven't heard about Sparkly Soul Headbands, be sure to read my "Favorite Things" piece on them from March. I do have something special for my readers as well. Sparkly Soul has provided me with a special discount code to share with you. Go to www.SparklySoul.com and use promo code FUNNERRUNNER to save 15% off of all single headbands (does not apply to giftcards or packs). Offer is good from 5/11/15 until 5/18/15. Be sure to follow my sparkly adventures as well as Sparkly Soul on social media! Sparkly Soul posts special promotions on their pages and often hosts some really fun contests, so be sure to follow them as well.
If you have been following me on Funner Runner or though social media for a while, you are probably familiar with my mom - Momma K. In celebration of Mother's Day weekend, I decided to celebrate Momma K with her own blog post. Here are a few things about Momma K. Momma K had two 'dream jobs' when she was little. She wanted to either be a clown (because she liked to make people laugh) or a mom. I must say, I am glad that she went the route of motherhood. Her delivery of me was not the easiest. Due to blood pressure issues in labor, the medications given to her caused me to stop breathing. I was born a gray lifeless lump and they had to put me on oxygen which made my lungs collapse. As a result, I spent the first 5 days of my life in the NICU fighting for my life. Needless to say, after I was born she told my grandmother to 'go buy Brandi a shirt that says I will be an only child.' She always tells me about the pain of not knowing whether her baby would live or die. Here I am - her one and only. Her fitness journey began in 2012 after seeing a picture of us after a 1/2 Marathon that I ran. This was her "ah-ha" moment. She started eating better by eliminating a lot of the poor food choices she was making and portion control. She also decided that she would 'try' to do a 5K a month with me which she was suddenly sucked into and runs 35+ races a year now. Momma K has now lost (and most importantly kept off) 70+ lbs and has done some pretty awesome things. Momma K has now completed three 1/2 marathons and will be running #4 in September. Her first 1/2 marathon was the 2104 Princess Half Marathon which she also ran the 10K the day before. While she loves running runDisney 1/2 marathons, her favorite distance is the 5K, but I think 10K is starting to grow on her. Momma K will be celebrating a milestone birthday this fall - she will be 60! While many people would be upset about turning 60, she is beyond excited! Not only will this put her in a new age group for races, she will get to celebrate it at Disneyland which is celebrating its 60th anniversary as well. I hope all of the mothers out there have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. Make sure to hug your mom today, call her and tell her that you love her, or have a few sweet memories of her if she is no longer with you. Momma K will not get to see her mom today, but she will see her in 2 weeks. Here is Grandma's first blog picture (she would smack me if she knew that she was on the internet) - I love you Grandma! I have some fun surprises in store for Momma K and will be sure to share the fun with all of you as well. I love you mom! Question of the Day: How are you celebrating Mother's Day this weekend? Do you have any family traditions?
Last month, I took part in my first Adventure Run and I absolutely loved it! Adventure Runs are hosted by Road Runner Sports stores and are a scavenger hunt style fun run. The first part of the event is getting to meet with vendors and try new products and even learn about up coming races. A map is then revealed on a board (or sent to your email if you pre-registered) and you are sent on your way. Your goal is to get to as many checkpoints and get back to the store in an hour. Each checkpoint gives you raffle tickets to be used in the drawings once the run is over. There are some pretty awesome prizes to be won and the best part is that Adventure Runs are FREE! Each Adventure Run has a theme that the location will announce a few days before the event. My last Adventure Run was Spring themed (hence the bunny ears). This week it was Luau themed, aloha y'all! The pre-run vendors included a pretty good variety: future races, massage therapists, chiropractors, as well as running products including New Balance, compression sleeves, and Honey Stingers. We had a secret checkpoint of best Adventure Run photos so the epic picture taking began early. Road Runner Sports was kind enough to have a volunteer, Thomas, serve as our 'tour guide' if you wanted to run with him. Since this was mine and Becky's first time running at this Road Runner Sports, we decided to go with him. He was absolutely great! He made sure that everyone was running at a comfortable pace and that no runner got left behind. We really enjoyed running with him for sure! Our checkpoints this week included a few area restaurants, a bank, a spa, Barre3 and Orange Theory Fitness. We didn't have many tasks to complete this week (which is one of my favorite parts) - just a 30 second blank at Barre3 and squats at Orange Theory Fitness. We completed a little more than 4 miles during the run and had a BLAST for sure. It was pretty hot and humid, so it was awesome to have such great company along for the run. Once we returned back to Road Runner Sports, it was time to get our tickets ready for the raffles! I also found out that I won the selfie checkpoint so I got a few more tickets, too! Most of our group won something which is always fun. I won a gift certificate to a local spa...WIN! My friend Jeremy scored a karate party for 16 people - this could be interesting!
It was a great night of fun and friends for sure! Thank you Road Runner Sports Marietta for a great time! Adventure Runs are super fun and I highly recommend you checking out your local Road Runner Sports for their Adventure Run schedule. Today is the day that I had been waiting several months for - the Pittsburgh 1/2 Marathon! I could not believe that the day was here! When I woke up, a sense of panic hit me - my sinuses were all kinds of jacked up. My face hurt, stuffy head, ear pain...no good. Have no fear, I was NOT letting this ruin my day. My time goal for the day was no more and I was focusing solely on my initial goal - HAVING FUN! Due to the roads in the area closing for the race, I decided that the sooner I got dropped off, the better. Mom and Dad dropped me off at the Westin around 5am where I met up with my friend, Coach Jeff. While it made for an early morning, it was good to get there early enough that I wasn't stressed about getting there in time and trying to get near the race. I was able to sit back, relax, eat my breakfast, and enjoy meeting up with friends and making new ones. After hanging out for a bit, it was about time to head to the corrals. We had runners running the relay, 1/2 marathon, and full marathon so our relay runners had to leave us before we got to the corral. Most of us running the 1/2 and full were in corral D so we were able to head to the corral and start together. Nothing gets you ready for a race like being surrounded by friends. With several thousand runners taking off within 4 corrals spaced a few minutes apart, it was expected that the first mile or so would be a little crowded. While it was congested, it was not as bad as some races that I have ran. By the time you got through the first mile or so, things really started to spread out. For months, all I have talked about is that I wanted to "run over a yellow bridge." I don't know why I was so fixated on wanting to run on the yellow bridges for some reason. Well, bridges I ran...and ran...and ran....and ran.....and RAN! 13.1 miles and 5 bridges of glory! I think I just enjoyed the beautiful views from the bridges which made my heart so happy running. Bridges 1 & 2 Bridge 3 Bridges 4 & 5 Around mile 9 or so my sinus crud started to really get to me. I was feeling really light-headed at this point, but I didn't let it bring me down. I simply listened to my body and slowed down some but kept pushing through and smiling. Shortly after this point, I found my friend Sarah on course. She was running her 2nd marathon and was going strong. It was awesome to be able to give her a smile and some encouraging words. Mile 10 had some absolutely amazing course support! This stretch of the course is heavily populated with different cheer squads. My favorite had to be all of the animal groups with pups out there. Trust me, there is something about a cute puppy at mile 10 of a half marathon that is just awesome. The most challenging part of the 1/2 marathon course was just after the full marathon splits off at mile 11. You have a fairly long and steady incline before you peak then get a downhill finish. Luckily, once again we had some awesome course support at this point. Around mile 12 I came across a few children handing out dandelion flowers to the runners. They were absolutely adorable and were having a blast cheering for the runners. One thing that you may not know about me is that if something is given to me on course (not food or drink), it will always finish the race with me - period! If someone has the heart to stand along the road and hand out tokens of luck or appreciation to me, I will make sure that it gets to the finish line with me. I have finished races with some pretty odd things, but it just something that I do and love to do! The final 1/2 mile or so takes you downhill to the finish line. Other than the roar of the finish line, seeing downhill the finish is runner bliss. I finished strong and I finished happy! I am now a Runner of Steel! After 3.1 miles on Saturday and 13.1 miles on Sunday, I have completed the Steel Challenge. I absolutely loved this race! Despite not feeling so great, the smiles seriously never left my face. The course was awesome (a few challenging inclines), great crowd support along the way, and just overall AMAZING! I would put this race at my top 5 races for sure. It wouldn't be the perfect ending to a great race weekend without a few finisher pictures. My Pittsburgh 1/2 Marathon weekend was everything that I dreamed of (and more) even with the sinus crud. I highly recommend adding the Pittsburgh Marathon weekend to your race schedule whether you want to run the 5K, relay, 1/2 marathon or full. I may or may not already be thinking of Pittsburgh 2016 - I think you can figure that out though. Thank you again to the wonderful city of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Marathon, and my awesome friends for making this weekend so amazing. It was a weekend full of memories and I cannot thank you enough for the opportunity to become a Runner of Steel! Question of the Day: I carry 'gifts' given to me on course to the finish line. What are your running 'quirks'?
To say that I was pumped to run Pittsburgh was a total understatement. While you can take the girl out of the 'Burgh, you can't take the 'Burgh out of the girl. Let's face it, as a girl who proudly bleeds black and gold, having a start line in front of PNC Park is quite amazing and finishing near Point State Park where you can see Heinz Field?!?! EPIC! My parents and I all ran the 5K. Never in their lives did they think that they would run in Pittsburgh, so this is very special for them. We got to the race fairly early, so Momma K and I went wondering around town and took some fun pictures along the way. My friend Steffany at Run Steff Run hosted a meet-up/Tweet-up before the race. Since I came in from out of town for the weekend, this was a great opportunity for me to meet some bloggers and friends I have made on social media over the past few years. It was also great to help everyone shake any pre-race jitters. With a lot of us taking part in the Steel Challenge and running either the relay, 1/2 marathon, or full marathon the following day, a number of us had conservative race goals. There was a different type of pre-race hype hitting me today. This wasn't just any race - I was about to run PITTSBURGH! I have waited for this weekend for several months and the first race of the weekend was about to take off! The first part of the course was a little congested which is expected at races of this size (about 2500 runners). Once you got to the mile 1 marker, things really spread out a bit. The 2nd mile you do a small loop inside of West Park before heading back towards the Andy Warhol Bridge and finishing near Point State Park. The Pittsburgh 5K course was absolutely fantastic. It was everything that I hoped it would be and even a little more. By far, my favorite part was running over the bridge, so I am glad that this was at the very end of the race. After I finished, I waited for mom, dad, and a few friends to finish. A shout-out to my dad who ran his fastest 5K in quite some time at this race! Once we were finished we headed towards the finish festival area and Point State Park for some pictures. No matter if you are looking for a 5K or if you are going for the Steel Challenge, I highly recommend this Pittsburgh 5K. It was super organized, a great course, and a great time for sure!
In order to make the most out of my long weekend in Pittsburgh, I made the decision to fly out from Atlanta to Pittsburgh on a 7:20 am flight. This flight would get me there a little bit before the expo opens and allows me to enjoy the afternoon in Pittsburgh. As I was boarding the plane, I noticed someone who looked very familiar. It was a very early morning and I could be seeing things, but indeed I did know this person. My running bud Nathan from Florida was sitting next to me on the flight. Having Nathan next to me on the flight really made time go by fast. My first stop of the trip was of course the expo! A few of my local friends had given me a heads up that the expo can be a little hectic first thing in the morning due to a lot of locals heading over during lunch hours. I decided to go ahead and head that way anyways as I had other plans later in the day. We were some of the first few to line up for the 11:00 expo opening. The line was no where near a runDisney expo line by any means (around 100 were lined up at the opening). It was really cool to be there for the ribbon cutting of the expo which kicked off race weekend. It was beyond awesome to have full range of the expo practically. My first stop was the Dick's Sport Goods merchandise area to pick up a race shirt. The official race shirts for the relay, 1/2 marathon, and marathon were long sleeves, so I knew I wanted to pick up something short-sleeved that I could wear this summer in Atlanta. As most expo-goers headed towards bib pick-up I was I able to score this pretty great picture. The expo had a great variety of different vendors including runner merchandise, race registration opportunities and free product samples. No matter what you were looking for, you were likely to find it at the Pittsburgh Marathon expo. There were some awesome shoe deals, however I could not partake in those deals because I was limited on space in my suitcase to head back home. It was a little different to be at a race expo an not register for future races. Since I was at a race that I have to fly to, committing to traveling in the area for another race is a little hard to do on a whim. There were a few races though that sparked my interest for late 2015 and 2016. The Pittsburgh Marathon weekend offers a special challenge for completing the 5K on Saturday along with a race on Sunday (relay, 1/2 marathon, or full marathon) - the Steel Challenge. With both bibs in hand, I am now all ready for the Steel Challenge! The expo for the Pittsburgh Marathon weekend was great. Everything went very smoothly with one exception - the drawstring bag pick up was on the opposite side of the expo than the bibs & shirts. This created a little bit of issue as people were wandering through the expo carrying their bibs and shirts without a bag which lead to people dropping items. Other than this small detail, everything else was absolutely fabulous. As we were getting ready to leave the expo, I got to meet up with some of my local friends - Chelsea, Jeff, Lauren, and Sarah. It is crazy how even though I have only met some of these people briefly in person (if at all), but we are so connected with each other's journeys on social media. Each of us have a different story, journey, and reason to run which inspires me to keep pushing forward each day. Expo - CHECK!
Up next - 5K on Saturday! GAME ON! ***DISCLAIMER: All information provide above was provide to me by the Jeff Galloway Blogger Program to share with my readers. Thoughts are not my own (other than if noted), rather they are the advice and thoughts of Jeff Galloway. Most of us have been here - that point in your running when you just can't seem to get faster. No matter what you have tried, your pace remains consistent. It is a frustrating place for sure. For me, I struggled a number of months after my full marathon to get back to where I was prior to marathon training. No matter what distance I was running, I seemed to be constantly running at my marathon pace. Thanks to Jeff Galloway, here are a few tips on how to train to run faster. FIVE WAYS TO GET FASTER by Olympian Jeff Galloway Longer Long Runs
Increasing the length of the longest long run has produced the greatest amount of improvement that I've seen among my coaching clients. Several surveys have shown more than 13 minutes of time improvement when runners increase their longest long run from 20 miles to 26 miles before a marathon. Comparable time improvements are experienced in 10K runners and half marathoners when they increase their long runs above race distance as noted in my YEAR ROUND PLAN book that covers all the distances. Long runs must be at least 2 min/mi slower than current ability, with liberal walk breaks. The slower the pace, the quicker the recovery. I suggest doing the long runs every 2-3 weeks. Speed Repetitions—increasing the number My runners have improved by an average of over 6 minutes in a marathon (3+ minutes in a half marathon) by increasing the number of speed repetitions to 14 x 1 mile for the marathon, and 14 x 800 meter for the half marathon. I recommend that each of these be run 30 sec/mi faster than goal pace. The recovery interval is a 5 min walk between miles and a 3 minute walk between 800's. These workouts prepare one to maintain or pick up pace at the end of the goal race, instead of slowing down. See GALLOWAY TRAINING PROGRAMS & HALF MARATHON books for details (www.RunInjuryFree.com). Improve Running Form Most runners I've monitored have improved several minutes in a marathon by fine-tuning their running form. As the mechanics become smoother and within one's limits, there is a significant reduction in aches, pains and injuries. The two best ways to improve form are water running and cadence drills. • Water running uses the same basic motion as when running on land, using a flotation device so that the feet don't touch the bottom of the pool. When done for at least 15 minutes, once a week, the legs find a more efficient path through the water—eliminating extraneous motion. • The cadence drill is done for 30 seconds, counting the number of times the foot touches the ground. This drill is detailed in most of my books. I've found the key to improving speed on the mechanical side is quicker turnover. Race in Shorter Events Dropping down a standard distance or two can improve your mechanics for running faster and your ability to handle a higher level of oxygen debt. On non-long-run weekends, during a half marathon program, try some 5K or 10K races. When training for a marathon, race at the 10K or half marathon distance. At first, the faster pace of the shorter distance may seem awkward. But after several short races, you will adapt—especially if you do some speed training for the shorter/faster event. These performance improvements can translate into faster times in the longer distances. My book 5K/10K details the training and the racing strategies for these events. Hill Training The only way I've found to build strength for running is to run hill repeats. On a moderate grade hill, start at a jog and pick up the turnover rate of the feet and legs as you go up the hill, shortening your stride. Walk down the hill for recovery. Don't sprint, and follow the other hill training guidelines in my books and at www.RunInjuryFree.com. The strength from hill training will allow you to perform better in speed sessions which will help you improve in your goal race. You'll also run faster on hilly courses, during your races. ***DISCLAIMER: I was provided complimentary samples of products from Influenster to review. All items are strictly my own.*** As part of the #WipeForWater challenge by Neutrogena, I pledged to use nothing but the new Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Makeup Remover Cleansing Towlettes to clean my face for 3 days. For each #WipeForWater pledge received, Neutrogena contributed $1 to The Nature Conservancy to support water conservation (up to $50,000). Per the Neutrogena #WipeForWater website, up to 5 gallons of water get wasted when you wash your face. Just think about it, when you stand at the sink washing your face at night, think of the water running while you apply your cleanser and rinse (a lot of us are guilty of this). Also think about the amount of water running while you wash your face in the shower - it all adds up for sure. Sooooo....CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! For 3 days I used my Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes anytime that I would typically wash my face. Whether it was before going to bed at night, after the gym, etc, if I was going to wash my face I reached for my towelettes instead of turning on the faucet. Here is how it went.... Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 The Good: The Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes were super easy to use. When I get home from a long day at work or the gym, it is always nice to save some time in my evening routine. Rather than the few minutes to wash my face in the sink, it was only about 20-30 seconds to use the towelettes instead. ' I really enjoyed the light fresh scent of the towelettes - it wasn't an over-bearing smell at all. They removed all of my makeup (foundation and eyeliner is all I wear) very easily. Eye makeup can be particularly tricky to remove sometimes, and the towelettes removed my eyeliner with ease and without "rubbing" it. I felt fresh after using them and they did not leave a residue behind on my face. Facial wipes that I have used previously either had a overbearing scent to them or they made my face feel sticky and not clean after using. The Neutrogena towlettes truly felt natural. The Not-So-Good: My only "complaint" about the Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes was that when I would take them out of the package, I continuously had two come out together. In turn, I had to cram the other towelette back into the packaging. Overall Thoughts: I look forward to keeping Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes on my sink counter for nightly use to remove my makeup after a long day. While some cleansers struggle to remove eye makeup, the towelettes took it off with ease. Thank you again to the team at Influenster for allowing me to try this out - I might just have a new favorite product in my nightly routine. Question of the Day: Have you ever tried makeup remover towelettes? If so, what did you think of them? What brand have you tried?
I say "y'all", drink "Coke" and even have a southern twang. I also "red up", talk fast, and bleed black & gold. While I may live in the south now, my roots come from Pittsburgh, PA. I was born in downtown Pittsburgh and while I only lived there a brief time, both sides of my family go back to Pittsburgh for several generations. My life started as a newborn with a collapsed lung spending 5 days in the NICU at Magee Women's Hospital. The newborn that was born not breathing and who fought for her life the first few days of her life will now become a Runner of Steel! You can take the girl out of the 'burgh, however some things just stay with you. While my time living in Pittsburgh was limited, here is a look into the early years of Brandi and some more recent PGH ties. This weekend, I am heading back to Pittsburgh for the first time in about 20 years! I will be running the Steel Challenge at the Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend by running the 5K on Saturday and 1/2 Marathon on Sunday. Come Sunday afternoon, I will be a 'Runner of Steel.' It is always good going back to your roots and seeing the things that you have heard about for years from your family. I am excited to run the city at which I was born and where my family ties come from. I will get the opportunity to meet up with a number of running friends that I haven't seen in a while and also meet some new ones. The fun starts at 11am on Friday when I arrive at the expo! I can't wait to share my Pittsburgh weekend with everyone. Make sure to follow my adventures this weekend on social media: Twitter: @FunnerRunner13 Instagram: FunnerRunner Excited cannot even describe how I am feeling right now to say the least. It is now time for me to board the plane....WHEELS UP for PGH! Question of the Day: Have you ever gone back to your home town for a race?
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BrandiI love to run and most importantly I love to have FUN while I run....I am the "Funner Runner" Feedspot's Top 100 Running Blogs
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