"It's Time" - Imagine Dragon

Well, it's not exactly time just yet.......but it's getting close.

16 days kind of "close".

The last 30 days have been incredible.

The training has been intense.
The excitement is killing me.
[super grateful, it's not the other way around]

This is what the training has looked like the last 31 days:

[dailymile]

I did my longest run 31 days ago:

[instagram @runemz ]

Nothing like 8 hours on a treadmill to start your day off right.  The first 6 hours I ran and text a few friends.  My friends are amazing.  Truly.  I received no less than 100 texts while I ran [and two hilarious videos].  Grateful.

Then I watched the first hour of the Today Show. 
The final hour I tried to pick up the pace a little so I would manage to get a final reading that included a "something" .44. 

YES, it is all about the 4's.

My body has felt great throughout this process.  I have never run this many miles in consecutive weeks before.

I know this special delivery from GNC sure helped.  HOLY.  SCORE!!

I love, love, love VEGA.  I swear by this stuff before, during and after my runs.  And the Quest Bars.......ummmmm, yes, please.

The last 24 hour treadmill run I did my highest mileage week was 89 miles.  Most weeks came in around 75-80.

A few things are different this time around:

* More miles
* Vegetarian
* Training on my very own Woodway
* Better fueling
* More foam rolling
* I know what I'm in for

And.  I.  Freaking.  Cannot.  Wait. 

If you would like to donate: [here]

If you would like to buy a shirt: [here]


Thank you so freaking much for all of your support.

"Sail" - AWOLNATION

January has truly sailed by. [dang...so I guess birthday "month" must end]

I am still loving my awesome cookbook:

I have tried four [of course, four] recipes. ;)

But ummmmm, that 4th one . . . .  let's just say . . . . I don't recommend cooking at night when you are tired and want nothing more than to go to bed so you can do your long run in the morning. 

SOOOOOO tired [and lazy] in fact, that you [think] you turned the oven off [but actually just the convection fan] and you wake up at 4:30 to the smell of fried coconut.  Well, more like coconut charcoal.

[this is after they spent two hours outside]

It. was. not. awesome.

The Pita was not impressed.  Smoke filled the house.  Everything stinks.  Clothes.  Pillows.  My dog.  [so gross]

But by mid morning ..... He/We had found the humor in it.

I like to think of my nutritional plan/way of eating as the p90x of eating.

stomach-confusion.

I'm the worst.

One week I'm craving all things meaty.
The next week I'm fueling on all carbs.
Then it's all muscle milk and quest bars.
Followed by "can you eat your weight in Kale" week.

Anyway.....I've been feeling a lot better. Eating a lot "cleaner" even if that means completely changing what I eat from week to week.

In other random news.........

I meant to answer Michelle's question about:

HOW MANY MILES DID I RUN ON MY TREADMILL IN 2012.

I ran:  4,057.44 miles in total

AND

3,021 on my TREADMILL!!  So, who won Michelle? [let me know!]

*****

ALSO, not sure if you remember the review I did on 3-DSoles.com  - I've been using them ever since and loving them.  If your in the market for new CUSTOM insoles - give them a try. 

They are offering a 15% discount when you use the code: confusing2013
[love that "confusing" part] ;)

*****

Now, for the question the Pita would like me to ask my fellow running/workout friends.........

"Just HOW freaking many workout shorts/skirts does one treadmill runner need?"
[you can replace treadmill with "outside", "trail", "track"....etc.]

I've been binge buying as of late.  Those dang Tuesday morning emails from Lululemon.  Killin' me.  This purple beauty is one of my favs.

How many running/workout shorts do you own?

be. honest.

[I'll answer tonight --- after I see what kind of company I am in here. ;) ]

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!!

"I'm Sorry" - Blake Shelton

Yes, I'm sorry, in advance.

This is probably going to be too long.
AND
This is a bit of a RANT.

I've had this post burning in my brain ever since the day after my birthday.

Because.............

That's when the emails started coming.  I deleted a few.  I replied to a few.  Funny how after I sat and wasted my time writing back........ 3 of the 4 emails [magically] came back "undeliverable", "unknown email", " no recipient".  Hmmmmmmmm.

OK.

Let me back up a bit.

As I'm sure 99.99% of you know.

I. love. my. treadmill.

LIKE - I looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove my treadmill. Ever since I set foot on one for my 24 hour treadmill run, I was sold.

I've trained on one EXCLUSIVELY for 2.5 years.  It works for ME.

I often get awesome emails from people asking me:

* what brand of treadmill I run on
* what treadmill I had before I bought my Woodway
* what treadmill I would suggest in a certain price point, etc.

[Let me add I LOVE answering questions, especially treadmill questions, I welcome them.]

To which I do my usual reply......

"I had a NordicTrack Elite XT.  I am NOT a fan of the company but the treadmill never did me wrong."

I also get a lot of people asking:

What does Woodway give you for all the plugs you send their way?

Ummmmmmmmm.  Nada.  Zilch. Zippo.  Zero.

I have NO "paids".  No sponsors.  No kickbacks.

I love their product.  I love the company.  I love the employees I have spoken to. 
I plug them because I believe in their product.

Which is WAY more than I can say for NordicTrack.

Now here's where I get a little feisty.

When people email [not comment but email] me and say:

"I'll take your 36 mile run seriously when you do it outside."
"It's easier on a treadmill"
"You could be a really great runner, if you trained outside"

There were two others that followed the same general subject.

So here are my replies, being that most emails bounced back:

"I did do that little 50 mile Rim 2 Rim 2 Rim run at the Grand Canyon [outside, on a trail] which I trained for on. my. treadmill.

Maybe a "great runner" isn't a 3:18 marathoner - but I'm happy with it.
and
I'll take your outside running a little more seriously when YOU run 36 on a treadmill."

Not sure how the Big Time Running Bloggers do it.
SkinnyRunner
HungryRunnerGirl
ShutUp + Run

I bow down to them.  Seriously.

My skin is way too thin.  Crap like this irritates me to no end.

If you hate the treadmill or "dreadmill".....  Sweet.  Great.  Awesome.

I'm not here trying to sway you to run on a moving rubber belt.
If you like the asphalt  - awesome. 
If you like dirt - sweet.

But seriously, to each their own.

"Ruby Tuesday" - The Rolling Stones

Two Photo Tuesday.

This will literally be the most boring post ever.

However, these two photos [come very close to] summing up one of the best years in my life.

2 0 1 2 .

I know it just LOOKS like a sign and a hand written note but to me there is sooooooooooooo much more going on here.  [4's, My Racing Dawn, FREAKING & faith]. 

And this one...........................
while I am the one being made fun of..........the timing, the place, the skirts, the misspelled words, the fact my Pita was sitting beside me, the love in this photo......brings me to tears just looking at it.

So, once again, I do apologize for anyone reading this.
But I needed this post for me.  To remind me of just how freaking awesome this year has been.

Happy.  FREAKING. New. Year. Friends.

"Today is" - Hot Potato

Today is the one year anniversary of my 24 hour treadmill run.  [That link gets you to part ONE of, I think, 4 that I wrote.]

I'm sure this post will bore 99.94% of you . . . . . so my apologies.

As I've said 87 billion times:

this. day. was. a. top. three. moment.

IN. MY. LIFE.

So, today, I am writing this [in all honesty] mostly for me. [and maybe, one day, when I'm old and crusty Peanut will want to share this with her family....maybe.]

While this run raised a large sum of money for the Sojourner Center.

I am the one who benefited the most from this event.

There was something incredibly humbling about this experience.

Being the girl with the camera in her face, in the spotlight and realizing . . . . all the people AROUND me are the ones who SHOULD be getting the attention.

[kleenex break]

Yesterday, I journaled about this day [in a private journal] in an insane amount of detail. After 550+ blog posts, I've learned some things truly are better unsaid unblogged.

A few of my favorite photos from this very special 24 hours of my life.

I loved that this was held at Channel 12.  Loved Scott Light.  Loved Jay the camera guy.  LOVED.

Love this pre-set up photo.  It says so much.  Dawn [who may I mention, never freaking left my side] keeping tweets/texts going.  My mom, showing love to Peanut and that freaking huge 5 pound gummy bear.

Leg Love X 444.

Me with my brother.
IFLMB.

I love that when he came at 11am he asked, "so when does the next person come to run?"

Me:  ummmm, never.

[so after he finished at work he drove home, got his gear.......and ran with his little sister] [must stop crying].

the literal way to "eat on the run".

How to "run with an IV that your husband is tall enough to hold".
[wasn't really needed but Channel 12 had a list of required things and my Dr. wasn't happy with my fluid loss.]

When the "CRT" thought it'd be funny to hang out with me for a while at 2:30am.

....with the women who made it all happen.

That moment when I realized . . . . . the treadmill only goes to 99.99 miles.

This moment where you ARE that happy.

...nothing like a hug from Dad.

And there's certainly nothing like a best friend.  By the way, ask her about her mad straw skills.

......when you see your husband. 
The best decision I ever made?  HIM.

ILYMTLMP!

Until next time . . . .

[for my family, yes, Dawn, you are family]

I love you.  Thank you for dealing with "emotional me" over the last 24 hours.  To many this was "crazy" or "silly" --- thank you for seeing where my heart was and why this was important to me.  It wasn't about me.  It wasn't even about running.  It was bigger.  Thank you for knowing that.

I am more than thankful.
I am more than lucky.
I am more than blessed.
I am more than grateful.

"Freak Out" - Avril Lavigne

okay . . . "freak out" doesn't even begin to cover it.

signed. sealed. paid. delivered.

I'm yours . . . .

. . . . Mr. Woodway.

Got my last run EVER done on my NordicTrack before Mr. Wood's arrival.

I am ridiculously happy. Like probably too happy.

But this baby. . . . .

. . . . . is going to be put to freaking good GREAT use.

Is it tomorrow morning yet?
[Dawn you freaking rock for putting up with me this morning.]
Let the fun begin!

** you ever been a little too excited about a purchase? please say yes, please say yes.**

Happy Freaking Friday!

"People Helping Other People" - Barney

Yes, so Barney has a song I like, I'm totally okay with admitting that.

*   *   *   *   *   *

Remember that day?


12 days ago?

No?!

Let me refresh your memory . . . This post: [here] .

"help me, help me, help!" she [I] said . . .
Within minutes I had a comment from Michelle. "I'm sending you an email."


She contacted her neighbor Tom [this man is incredible. absolutely. incredible].


who


contacted quite a few friends/co-workers/business partners.


who


contacted a regional manager


who


contacted the regional manager in my area


who


contacted a facility [Athlete's Performance] who had these treadmills


who . . .


will be donating two treadmills for approximately two days.


A M A Z I N G.

I don't have the words to express my gratitude.  People helping people they don't even know. Whom they have never met.

I. Am. Grateful.

And it gets even better . . .


These treadmills are simply the best of the best.

Woodway Treadmills.


Their slogan: "For The LONG Run"

Could. not. be. MORE. perfect.


Michelle, Tom, Ben & Marc.


Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.


I. am. so. ready. for. this.