Stef's Weekly Chase #11

Well I said this was going to be a new month and a new start so let's see how I did....  So nervous!! LOL

1. Run 3 times this week. I don't want to put mileage on my goal because I am still in pain so I will do what I can.  Yes!  I ran 3 times.  Monday I did not do too well only a bit more than a mile. Started not to feel well and ended up having a stomach bug that lasted thru Tuesday night.  But I did run 3 times.

2. Organize my Scentsy/Grace Adele office  Epic FAIL!!!!  No excuse just fail... LOL

3. To go with #2, work on another scentsy fundraiser for my sister in Texas.  Again Fail... Sorry Kim!

4. Always always always clean up and declutter!!!  Yes indeed.  Husband decided Friday to have crawfish boil at house on Sunday.  So this weekend I cleaned up bathrooms, bedroom, kitchen, utility room, bar, living room, bagged leaves, cut grass....  Think I exceeded 100%!!  

5. The big challenge for March will be to lose weight. At least 5 but would love 10 pounds.  Thanks to said stomach bug I've lost some and my appetite is just not the same.  So got a couple pounds.

So for this week....

1.  Run at least three times again.  I really want to do some tummy exercises but I just don't think that rib and muscle will allow me yet.

2.  Host a great baby shower on Sunday.

3.  Keep the house clean for Sunday... Maybe try to tackle spare bedroom.

4.  Work on Scentsy Fundraiser

5.  Big challenge for the month!!!  Jump start these stubborn pounds :)

Also I have three runs coming up! Finally!!  So I hope to blog on those each week.

Shannon's Weekly Chase

~Shannon's Weekly Chase #11

Recap! 

1. (Challenge) I've joined in on the Motivation & Moxie March Mania! Facebook group. This will be one of my large goals for the month - to complete each day's challenges.  I completed every day and even did some on Friday instead of resting. 

2. (Challenge) I've also joined the spring Bootie Buster Challenge with Run To The Finish. This will be my second large goal for the month. It's Birthday month in our household so there will be LOTS of cake and sweets so I'm hoping these plans will help me!! Done! Just haven't had time to post on the SBBC spreadsheet! Gotta get that done! 
3. Clean my house!! Since it is birthday month we'll have company (ie grandparents) coming in for visits so I need to deep clean! And then decorate for the Birthdays!!! Partially done! 


4. I'm working on a giveaway for our blog and I need to get that up and running no later than Wednesday. DONE!! If you haven't entered you need too!! 

5. Post about my marathon on the blog...I've been putting it off because I've had mixed emotions. Part one is done! I decided to break it up or people might get bored reading it. 

6. And try to be consistent and post my workouts and run to DailyMile... 
Only posted the first couple of days...gotta work on that. 


So...here are my goals for this week: 

1. (Challenge)Continue with my Motivation & Moxie March Mania! Facebook group. I'm loving adding these quick little workouts to my daily gym classes and runs. 

2. (Challenge) Continue with the spring Bootie Buster Challenge with Run To The Finish and post my workouts on the SBBC spreadsheet. This will be my second large goal for the month. I think I'll add posting to Daily Mile here as well because it looks like this is going to be a challenge. 

3. Finish cleaning my house! Starting this weekend we will have company for the remainder of the month so I have to finish this week! 

4. Post Part 2 of my marathon! I have had it in draft form several times now and it always seems to disappear before I can post... 

5. Post about participating the in the McGuire's 5K this past weekend. You know it's the world's largest 5k!! 

6. Download all of my pictures from my camera, edit, and post them to the baseball account for the high school so I can have a clean memory card for PROM this weekend!! I usually take around 500 pictures a game so editing can be tedious... 

That's it!! It's gonna be a crazy week in my house...Today is son #2's b'day, tomorrow high school game and I have to work concessions during j/v, Wednesday is dentist, doctor, PTA meeting & little league practice, Thursday little league game, Friday high school game and Saturday PROM!! And, I have to squeeze work in there lol. Looking forward to son #2's spring break next week!! 

I hope everyone has a great week and accomplishes all of their goals!! 

~S

Endorphin Warrior Training Bracelet Review and Giveaway

Endorphin Warrior Training Bracelet Review and Giveaway

At the beginning of 2013 I decided that instead of making a bunch of resolutions that would more than likely would get broken I would choose a word that would represent the year and all that I want to accomplish. I read the book My One Word by Mike Ashcraft & Rachel Olsen. The word BELIEVE kept creeping into my thoughts but I have always loved that word and all that it entails. I even have several signs and pieces of jewelry that say Believe and my go to verse is "Do not be Afraid, Just Believe" (Luke 8:50). 

So when Endorphin Warrior offered me an opportunity to review their Warrior Training Bracelet my choice should have been easy but.... I had just run my first marathon and new words jumped out at me along with Believe...Unbreakable and Relentless. These words not only jumped out at me because I had just run a marathon but also because of the things that have happened over the past year (if you personally know me then you'll understand). 

Our lives are defined not by the challenges we encounter,
but by how we respond to those challenges.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

This is the bracelet I chose: Relentless - showing or promising no abatement of strength, persistent, not stopping until you get what you want, not taking "no" for an answer, in short...Hard Headed! (Now, not that I just admitted I am hard headed or anything because I'm not, really...I'm not!) 

Endorphin Warrior Mission

At Endorphin Warrior,we believe in the power of running to improve and transform lives. Our aim is to help you train, perform and live with greater strength of body and mind. We make products with positive and powerful messaging to wear while running, cycling, working out, sweating, racing – or all day long – to help you stay strong-minded and focused…and help you train harder, improve performance, overcome challenges, achieve your goals and live stronger.

Products

All of our products are one-and-only, genuine-original Endorphin Warrior creations…each made exclusively for Endorphin Warrior and with quality in mind.

I love my RELENTLESS bracelet! I wear it as a constant reminder to never give up or be discouraged. 

I am also more than happy to support a company that supports and helps children. 

As a mom to a young son who has recently shown an interest in running and joining me in local 5K's I love this: 

Endorphin Warrior Gives Back to the Community With Month-long Donation Drive for Youth Running Club

Throughout the month of March, the company will donate $1 from each online sale to a youth running club for low-income, elementary school-age children. Also, customers placing an order in March will receive a FREE dog tag/key ring stamped with the empowering keyword of their choice. This is one small way that Endorphin Warrior is fulfilling its mission of encouraging physical activity throughout life.

Endorphin Warrior’s ultimate goal is to encourage both athletes and non-athletes to live healthier and more productive lives through exercise and positive thinking.

Endorphin Warrior is offering one of our readers a Warrior Training Bracelet. 

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below to enter to WIN one for yourself.

Contest ends March 12, 2013. 

The Winner will be announced on the blog!

a Rafflecopter giveaway





Disclaimer: The product was given to me for free and I haven’t been compensated in any other way by the company. The review is straight up based on my opinions on the product and it has not been controlled or affected by the company mentioned in any way.

Rock n Roll Nola Marathon

New Orleans Rock n Roll Marathon!! 
Recap Part 1

The week leading up to the marathon I was a bundle of nerves...chance of rain, would I finish, why am I doing this, all kinds of thoughts running through my head... 

Last year after running the Rock n Roll Half Marathon with my husband (his first half marathon) I decided that this year I would run the full marathon. This is my hubby and I after finishing the half last year. 

My running bestie Debbye, who I ran my first Rock n Roll Half Marathon with, was unable to make the trip last year so she decided she would run the full with me this year as well. 
After months of planning and texting our trainings this day was upon us. 

Shout out to the awesome Katie Futch who made the design for our race day shirts!! If you ever need to order any vinyl she's the bomb diggity!! 

Debbye and I woke up around 5:15 so we could leave her brother's house and arrive downtown around 6:15. We were planning on meeting up with a sorority sister of mine who ran the half with her mom but sometimes plans just don't work out ya know... Silly me forgot that there were two Hilton's and we went to the wrong one. But, lucky for me I did run into Mindy in the hotel lobby! Had to borrow the pic for my blog...thanks Mindy!! 

Once Debbye and I realized we were at the wrong hotel we headed straight for the starting line. We arrived just in time to find a port-a-potty and then our corral. 

Once the race started the corrals moved quickly. Our turn came around 7:20 and we were off.  

Debbye and I had made a pact that we wouldn't go off and leave the other and that we would drag the other across the finish line if we had too. We had not trained together because she now lives in Arkansas and well you know I live in Florida so our running styles are a little different. 

Around mile 2 we saw the pace car and Mo Farrah!! He was on mile 7 while we were on mile 2...Amazing!! Next we saw Kara Goucher and Shalana Flanagan. 

What I love most about this race is all of the bands and this year there were some really good ones!! Before I knew it we were to this guy

Which meant my favorite part of New Orleans was just up ahead!!! I had hoped to go to mass on Saturday at the Cathedral but it wasn't meant to be this time. 

For the first half of the marathon we more or less stayed together. Every so often I would slow way down so that she could catch up to me because like I said earlier we had promised we would finish together. 

Before I knew it Mile 12 and the turn off for the 1/2 marathoners was upon us and just like last year I felt great!   I was ready to tackle the second 1/2 of the marathon. 

Stay tuned for the 2nd part of my recap... 

~Shannon

Stef's Weekly Chase #10

I am giving the weekly chase a fresh new start. The fall I had on February 11 ended up with a fractured rib so I have not done much but run a half marathon.. Lol! So here it is... New beginnings!!!

1. Run 3 times this week. I don't want to put mileage on my goal because I am still in pain so I will do what I can.

2. Organize my Scentsy/Grace Adele office. I would really like to get back into selling and doing parties but have to organize everything first

3. To go with #2, work on another scentsy fundraiser for my sister in Texas.

4. Always always always clean up and declutter!!!

5. The big challenge for March will be to lose weight. At least 5 but would love 10 pounds.

So there it is....new month new start

Shannon's Weekly Chase

~Shannon's Weekly Chase #10

This week I think everyone in my household is back to normal and healthy and it's Number One son's Birthday week and then it's Number Two's (they are five days apart!)!!

Last week was short and sweet since I was so late getting my goals posted: 

1. Rest (which means walking and not running) for a couple of days then back to the gym and running.  DONE...made it back to the gym for Spin on Thursday and my Arms & Abs class on Friday. Jumped on the treadmill for interval work instead of running outside.  

2. Catch up on much needed sleep! Due to staying with a friend whose dog is deathly afraid of storms and the fact that my nerves were already on edge because of the marathon there wasn't a lot of sleep to be had last weekend.  DONE!! I was able to finally get caught up on Wednesday!! 

3. Finish a product review and get that posted. DONE!!  

4. Continue with Operation Beautiful. I have lots of magazines to donate to my gym so I think I'll include a few notes to be found.  Fell short on this...Had the magazines ready but left them at home. I will do that this week though. 

Now, on to this week and I'm ready!! I'm so excited about this month's challenge! 

Make It Happen!

1. (Challenge) I've joined in on the Motivation & Moxie March Mania! Facebook group. This will be one of my large goals for the month - to complete each day's challenges. 

2. (Challenge) I've also joined the spring Bootie Buster Challenge with Run To The Finish. This will be my second large goal for the month. It's Birthday month in our household so there will be LOTS of cake and sweets so I'm hoping these plans will help me!! 

3. Clean my house!! Since it is birthday month we'll have company (ie grandparents) coming in for visits so I need to deep clean! And then decorate for the Birthdays!!! 

4. I'm working on a giveaway for our blog and I need to get that up and running no later than Wednesday. 

5. Post about my marathon on the blog...I've been putting it off because I've had mixed emotions. 


6. And try to be consistent and post my workouts and run to DailyMile... 

I hope everyone has a great week and makes their goals!!! 

QOTD: What are your goals for the week? 

Rock N Roll NOLA from a Half Marathoner eyes

Ok, February 24, 2013 was suppose to be my first full marathon but I made the decision to back down to the half because I was not properly trained.  Also it ended up being a good idea since I suffered and injury a couple weeks before - a fractured rib.
The days leading up to the race were nerve racking.  The weather in New Orleans was showing rain on Sunday.  So the stress of what to wear for the run and what to pack for gear check was really weighing on me.  But leave it to the South to have the weather change every five minutes :)  Finally the good news of no rain until Sunday afternoon came.. Thank goodness.
We got to the expo Saturday at about 11:00 picked up our swag and then headed straight to the stage to see Brandon from Claim Your Journey speak and perform the song Run Louisiana.  I usually don't listen to the speakers at the expo but I really enjoyed listening to Brandon and the other two speakers ( I am sorry but I don't remember who they were).  It was nice to hear experienced marathon runners talk about "the wall" you hit and that everyone has one -even them- and that you will get through.  I found it very encouraging.  After that we went back to the beginning and shopped and made our way through the expo.  Got some free samples of powerbar, biofreeze, sport beans and downy. I bought my first pair of CEP compression socks (no pink in my size) and the shot glass I get at every RnR.

That night the crazy train group met for dinner at Red Fish Grill on Bourbon.  It was definitely good food and good company.  Megan did a great job planning.  Early dinner for an early night.....

Then it was race day!! Woke up bright and early and tried to get the pre-race jitters out.

Bib of lies

Before

At about 7:20am my corral was off and running.  The course was yet again great and flat.  While running down St. Charles Ave between mile 2-3 I was able to see the elite runners coming back on the other side (mile 7 for them).  It was very inspiring to watch them - saw Mo Farah breezing by.  Those athletes are AWESOME!  

The course brought us up and then back down St. Charles, down Decatur past Jackson Square, Cafe Du Monde and the French Market and then we ran all the way up Esplande to City Park.

At mile 12.6 was the turn off to keep going for the full.  By that time that I reached that point there was no question if I was going to try it or stop at the half - my body was screaming STOP!  I was out of AccelGel and had horrible bra chaffing that started at mile 4 along with my side/back that would get tight whenever I stopped.

I finally reached the finish line, grabbed some ice and headed to the group. It was not my best run but was under my worst by a couple minutes -whew!  We enjoyed some beers at the after party, went back to hotel got showered and had lunch and drinks at Pat O's.  We ended up meeting some runners from New York that came down to run their first half marathon.  They were some awesome ladies.  We stayed with them the rest of the night showing them some hot spots on Bourbon Street.  

My New York friends

The Crazy Train Run Group

Overall it was a great race even though I did not do as well as I wanted. I got to hang out with old friends and met new friends.  Runners are definitely different type of people....and I love them.  And last but not least....this is what it was all for:

It is a definite run I will do again.  This time it will be a full marathon!!  The date for 2014 has not been decided yet but I will be there...RockNRoll Nola.  

The only runs for March I have are Foam Fest on March 23 and the Crescent City Classic 10k on March 30th.  I guess that is a good thing to help my rib heal.