Happy 200 and a carb-licious giveaway!

This is my 200th post and in addition to reveling in my new-found love of speedwork, I am also reflecting on the state of my running, and hosting a giveaway!

First, let's talk about the running. In an outright rip-off of Middle-of-the-Pack Girl, I've declared this spring my Season of Speed. I've actually been enjoying my speed work. This hasn't always been the case. In fact, I really never did much speed work. Hills, that's about it. And, believe me, I still love my hills and credit them for the bulk of any improvement I've experienced over the course of my running life. But, this speed thing. I started with Yasso 800s a few months ago when I was still training for the marathon. Tough. Very tough, those Yassos. But, you know, you get used to things and I've gotten used to speed work and have started, as I said, to enjoy it. I like running fast over shorter distances. There's just something satisfying about that type of workout. And I believe that the speed work will get me to my goal of a sub-23 minute 5k.

So that's that. Short and fast for me. With some long(ish) runs tossed in here and there, to build my endurance, and some easy runs, too. Just because. Because I like the easy runs. Who doesn't?

As I look beyond my current running situation and start to think about running in general, I have to think about what this blog means to me. Over the course of 200 posts (and about 10 months) I've gotten so much out of writing about running on this blog, reading your comments, and reading other running, fitness and unrelated blogs. See, I've always been a solo runner. Seriously solo. Now, though, I feel like I'm part of a community -- a virtual community, sure, but a community nevertheless -- and I'm grateful for that. This whole experience has allowed me to be more thoughtful about my running and it has helped me learn ways to improve not only my running, but my life in general.

The title of this blog is The Happy Runner, as you know. When I started the blog I thought it sounded good because a) I'm happy when I'm running and b) it was a bit of a play on my name, Felice, which means happy. Am I always a happy runner, though? No, certainly not. Sometimes I'm anything but. Overall, though, I am. I've grown into the title. I've made some subtle shifts in the way I look at the world and my place in it and I've become truly happier (running and not). I've also become a smarter and better runner, both of which have combined to make me a happy runner!

I'm not going to get all Dr. Phil here, so we'll just leave the reflection stuff there and move on to the good stuff.

The Giveaway!

To help celebrate my 200th post, the nice peeps at Rudi's Organics have offered me some of their products to giveaway! There will be two winners: Each winner will receive 5 free products from Rudi's Organics.

This is a carb-licious giveaway that I know you will love! Rudi's Organics baked goods are terrific. (You may remember from an earlier post that I'm a big fan.) I received a box full of their products to try out and review: I'll post my full review on Friday, along with the winners of this giveaway.

So, here's how you can enter. First, pop over to the Rudi's Organics web site and check out their offerings. Then, come back here and leave a comment along with the product you are most interested in trying and you'll get one entry. To receive three entries, mention this giveaway on your blog (tell that you've done so in your comment). You can enter until 11:59pm (est) on Thursday.

The two winners will be picked using random.org and announced on Friday.

So, good luck and happy Monday, everyone!

~ Felice