Designer Whey Sustained Energy-- review and GIVEAWAY!

If you are a protein powder fan, or you've just wanted to try it out for yourself and see what the hype is all about, then today is your lucky day.

I have Designer Whey protein powder for you! Well, for six of you. The six luckiest entrants.

So, pop over here to read my review of the new Designer Whey Sustained Energy powder and enter my giveaway!

Running. One, two, three.

After seven loooooong weeks off from running, I was allowed to test my hip last Friday. My doctor had told me to avoid any and all hills for the first few weeks back to running so I knew I needed a super flat area to run. I also knew I was nervous and worried about my first post-injury run. I needed to run someplace where I could stop quickly if I needed to.

So, I turned to my trusty treadmill for my first run.

Not ideal, in many ways, but totally perfect in others.

I walked a half mile. Then, I sped up (a bit) and ran for a minute. Felt fine. I walked for a minute and then promised myself I would run a half mile, no more, no matter how good I felt.

And that is what I did. I ran a joyful, pain-free half mile. Then, I walked another half mile. All was good. Until I hopped off the treadmill and, yeah, my hip felt a little sore. I iced it on and off all night and again the next day and, fortunately, I felt pretty good!

On Sunday, I ran again. This time, I walked a half mile, ran for two miles, and then walked a half mile. Super duper!! I felt like I was really running. Yes, it was a slow run. And, yes, it was a short run. But, no, I did not have pain!

Until a little while later, when I felt the hip again. So, back to icing, back to loading up on the vitamin c.

And then, yesterday. I walked for a quarter mile and then ran . . . until I started to feel pain, when I promptly stopped running. And promptly began to curse my apparently-not-yet-fully-healed muscles.

I am now re-resting. No run today, which was planned, and no run again until I no longer feel this pain. Am I bummed? Sure, a little. But, this is just where I am right now. The most important thing I can do is be patient.

Honestly, though, it does rot a little to go from thinking I'm healing and on my way back, to being forced back into rest mode.

Wah, wah . . .

In other news, my computer konked out on me last week, which accounts a bit for my absense from blogging. Soon enough, though, I hope to be back among the computerized.

Running and computing -- I see both in my future. When exactly, I don't know!

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

The weirdness of not running.

Today is Day 41 of No Running. That's one day shy of 6 weeks without a run. Just hanging out, resting and obsessing about my bum hip.

One would think, if one were to think about such things, that a hip would heal after resting for 41 days. One might further think that said hip would feel wonderfully ready to run and that the body attached to that hip would be raring to go. For a run, that is.

One would be wrong.

You see, there is a weirdness to this whole not running thing. Rest, when entered into voluntarily (as an important part of a training program) and/or with the promise of something good at the end (like a baby after not running while pregnant), is manageable and almost always rejuvenating. It doesn't mess with your head the way injury rest does mostly, I imagine, because it is controlled. When you decide to do something -- in this case, rest -- you control it, it doesn't control you.

True. Very true.
Thanks, ilovetorun.org!

Injury rest is a total control freak.

Injury rest doesn't let the runner decide when to get back to running. That decision lies solely with the injured body part. If the injured body part isn't healed in a week, a month, two months . . . well, honey, you can forget about running.

And that lack of control is more or less the crux of the weirdness of not running.

I can't stand it. I can't stand thinking about my hip and whether or not it is healing on schedule. I can't stand feeling like I am missing out. I can't stand worrying that I might not be able to run the marathon in October because, after all, I am still not able to run.

I'm pretty good about shaking those thoughts out of my head and accepting that right now I can't run but I will be back, stronger than ever.

What ifs, however, have been known to creep in to my otherwise tough mind. What if I still have pain next week? What if this swelling that refuses to go away is something bad? What if the doctor was rushed when he saw me, misread the MRI and was wrong in his diagnosis -- and I'm doomed to never run again?

I reason with myself: Then you'll rest for another week. Then you'll find a new treatment and deal with the swelling and it will go away. Then you'll hunt down that crazy triathlete doctor of yours and kick him in the shin.

Yeah, see, more weirdness.

Not running is weird and I can't wait to stop being such a weirdo. With any luck I'll be a little less weird in one week. One week to test run day -- I'm counting down the days!!

Have a great weekend, everyone. I'll be resting (as usual).

Spartan Race winner!

Thanks to everyone who entered my Spartan Race giveaway. I used random.org to pick the winner and it is . . .




Suz and Allan




Congratulations! Just email me (felicehalf [at] yahoo [dot] com) so I can send over your code and you can register for the race of your choice. Enjoy!

Thanks to the folks at Reebok Spartan Race for this giveaway!

Reebok Spartan Race giveaway!

One of the bummers of having a bum hip is not being able to run any of these crazy obstacle races. Although, clumsy as I am, that's probably not such a bad thing. They have tempted me, though, with their mud and rope climbs and all the other tough stuff the races ask of their entrants.

Have you been tempted?

Have you run an obstacle race?

Interested in running a Spartan Race this year?

If you are . . . lucky you because I have a GIVEAWAY and a DISCOUNT CODE for my wonderful readers.

But first, let's talk about the race. The Spartan Race, according to their web site:

". . . was designed by seven insane ultra athletes and a Royal Marine. If you have tried trail races, mud runs, tough mudder runs, or a warrior dash, it's time to step up to a brutal Spartan Race obstacle course . . . Why Spartan? Because the Spartans were tough as nails. Why race our obstacle course races? Because we all thrive under pressure, survival of the fittest. Our goal is simple . . . to get you off your couch, throw you in the mud & trails, and feed you one tough endurance event that will be the adrenalin rush of your life."

Well, then. Who's ready to sign up?

The Spartan Races take place all over the US and in England and Canada. There is a list of event locations on the web site. A few of the key events coming up in the next few months are:

• The Midwest Super Spartan in Chicago at the end of July
• The Mid-Atlantic Super Spartan in Virginia at the end of August
• The Wisconsin Spartan Sprint at Miller Park in Milwaukee at the beginning of September
• The Pennsylvania Spartan Sprint at Citizens Bank Park in Philly at the end of September
• The Nebraska Spartan Sprint in Lincoln at the beginning of October

You can read all about the races and the details on the Spartan Race web site.

So now, let's get to the giveaway!

One lucky reader will win a FREE entry for any open heat in ANY Spartan Race (your choice) in the continental US.

To enter: 

Leave me a comment. Let me know how you are tough as nails and/or which Spartan Race you would choose if you win.

Additional entries:

As always, you can gain extra entries. Remember, though, you must complete the required entry first! And, yes, I'll check. (Leave one comment per entry for the additional ones to count.) So, here's what to do:

• Follow me on Pinterest, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)  
• Pin the image from this post to share the giveaway on Pinterest (leave a comment)   
• Follow me on Twitter, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 

• Follow me on Instagram, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment) 

• Link to this giveaway from your blog  (leave a comment)  

This giveaway will run through Wednesday, June12 at 11:59pm EST and the winner -- chosen at random from all eligible entries -- will be announced on Thursday. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or I'll choose another winner.

But that's not all. I also have a discount code for 15% off any Spartan Race which, like the free entry in the giveaway, will work for ANY open heat in ANY Spartan Race in the continental US. To access the code, just follow this link: http://bit.ly/spartanwarrior

Good luck!

Giveaway disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post and the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Freihofer's Run for Women 5K spectator report.

The Freihofer's Run for Women in Albany is one of my favorite races. It's an all-women race that draws a huge local crowd, as well as some of the best elite runners in the world.

Plus, it was the first race that the women I trained back in 2010 ever ran.

So, I was a bit sad to not be able to run this year. I wanted to. I registered. But my bum hip kept me away from the starting line. It didn't, however, keep me away from the race.

On Saturday, I was a full-on spectator with my friend, Elisa:

We positioned ourselves just before the 3 mile mark so we could cheer for all of our strong running mama friends -- and everyone else who was kicking it to the finish line.

It was great fun. I loved watching my friends run by and seeing the pride in all of the runners' faces was inspiring. It was a hot day -- 79 degrees at the start -- and you could tell the run was tough for a lot of the runners. But they ran on. Awesome.

Here's a pre-race shot of several of us from Strong Running Mamas. Everyone looks so fast. Elisa and I look so, civilian.

Ah, well. Next year I hope to be back at the Freihofer's, speeding down the Madison Ave hill instead of lamely walking it.

Fingers crossed!

Have a great week, everyone!