Marathon Motivation #7 - Big Sur Marathon

Bucket list:

I've got to run over this bridge!

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

Marathon Motivation #6 - Grandma's Marathon

Bucket list:

This one's not too far.  I could drive there(12 hours).  I've heard mixed reviews but still want to run it.

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

Marathon motivation #5 - Marine Corp Marathon

Bucket list:

Everyone has to run this one right?  It's the "Peoples" marathon.

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

Hyland Post #8 - Fitting it all in.

Here's a recap of week #7 of 18 weeks of marathon training.

Miles Run:  36.98 miles
Days Run:  5 days
Cross Training:  None this week!
Time Training:  5 hours and 29 minutes

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Fitting it all in.  I'm sure that many of you that are following this, especially if you have not run a marathon before, is how you fit it all in?  Where in the world can you find 5-10 hours per week to train for a marathon when life is so busy.  The key for me?  Get up early.  For me, it's really the only way I know how to fit it all in.  I'm up at 4:45 each morning that I run.  Nobody is up then.  It helps me fit it all in.  I can run up to 10 miles in the morning if I need to(not that I do).

Here's how I roll - in the dark!

Of course, as the miles start to increase, my long runs on the weekend take up one of my mornings.  I've been running on the weekend with my running buddy for over a year now and we typically start at 8am.  Even on the longest run(20 miles), we are usually done in 3 hours so I'm back home by 11:30am at the latest.  It helps that we start that early so we can get it out of the way and get on with whatever else we want/need to do that weekend.

During the week, I've not been one to run after work.  I know that many of you do.  I don't do it because it just gives me an excuse to not run.  I'm too tired by then.  I need it out of the way in the morning.  Of course, I'm in bed pretty early(by 10pm) but it's what I sacrifice to get up that early.  You can't do both.  You will get too tired if you stay up late and get up early AND run!  You'll burn out and you don't want to do that during marathon training - you need your sleep.

So how do you fit it all in?

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

Marathon motivation #4 - St. George Marathon

Bucket list:

The St. George Marathon looks incredible.  Look at those mountains!

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

Marathon Motivation #3 - Boston

Bucket list:

Boston Marathon.  I mean, who does not want to run Boston?

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

Marathon Motivation #2 - NYC marathon

Bucket list:

NYC Marathon

This is my #1 bucket list race.

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

Marathon Motivation #1 - Detroit & winner!

4 miles on the schedule today.....done!.
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And the winner of the Stuffitts giveaway is Katie!!!!  Congratulations Katie.  Please e-mail me your contact information/address/shoe size so I can get this information to the Stuffitts people to get them out to you.  Thank you again Stuffitts for providing this great giveaway!
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For the next week, I'll be taking a minimalist approach to blogging.  I'll post daily but I'm going to just be posting a motivational picture of races that are on my bucket list each day.  Monday's post will still be my usual Hyland update on my marathon but the rest will be pictures.  Please enjoy the next week of photo's for races around the country:  To start things off, I found this great montage of pictures of Detroit.  You have to love your hometown race - the Detroit Marathon.  Here's a great collection of pictures that show off my hometown.

In order is:

1) Detroit Skyline

2) Spirit of Detroit statue

3) Greektown

4) Ambassador Bridge - I ran over this in the Detroit Marathon

5) Oops - don't know this one?

6) The Fox Theatre

7) Comerica Park

I thought I would include a little collage I did myself too:

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

Blogger tech tip for you - you have any for me?

7 miles on the schedule again today....done!

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Here's a quick tech tip that I learned from Jenn over at Jenn's Adventures.  This will help so I can reply easier to your posts directly to your e-mail.  All your comments get sent to my e-mail and then I can reply directly to you from there.  I know I can reply on my site as well but this goes direct back to your e-mail.  Check it out HERE for details on how to set this up on Blogger.  Everyone should do this to make things easier.

Thanks for the great tip, Jenn!

What tip to you have for me?  Anyone know if there is a way to link my blogger posts automatically onto the Detroit Runner Google+ page like I do on Facebook and Twitter?  I don't think there's a way unless I make my full name public under a personal Google+ page?  Stupid if so!

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

ShamRock N Roll Run in less than 5 weeks!!!

4 miles on the schedule today....a little snowy this morning but done!

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You read that title right.  Less than five weeks for my first run of the season -- The Shamrock N Roll Run!

I can't believe it!  This is going to be a great start to the season.  I'm really looking forward to this race.  As you know, I have been blogging about this race(which also happens to co-incide with my virtual race).  For those of you in Michigan, it's a must do run.  Go HERE to sign up now!  I just received the start-finish map for the race and I have also included the maps for the 10k, 5k and 1 mile runs as well for you to see them.  They are also posted on their website too.  One of the things that I use to determine if this is going to be a good race - organization.  I think this is especially important for any inaugural race such as the ShamRock n Roll Run, don't you think?  You only have one chance to make a good first impression.

As you can see from the maps below, the areas for the start and finish have been well thought out.  I mean, how can you be confused after a great map like this?  For those of you that have been to Plymouth Michigan before, you know that the downtown area is not that large of an area so unless the race is very organized from the beginning, it could prove a disaster.  It's very clear from these maps that things have been well thought out and have been put together by experienced people.  Of course, it also helps to know that the people organizing the event have done other races in the past including the Solstice Run 10 mile and the Wicked Halloween run.

Given that, my thoughts are you should make this part of your race schedule.  Not up for the 10k?  They also have a 5k and a 1 mile race too!  I know you will not be disappointed!

Click to see larger

Here's the maps for all the races as well.  Well planned routes and start times too.

Click to see larger

Click to see larger

Click to see it larger!

Have a great day and.....Keep Running!!!!!

Hyland Post #7 - Nutrition and marathon training

Rest day on the schedule today but I ended up doing 7 miles today.  I needed to change things around a little bit as I'll be doing my long run on Friday this week since I have plans on the weekend.

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Here's a recap of week #6 of 18 weeks of marathon training:

Miles Run:  27.24
Days Run:  5 days
Cross Training:  10 miles on the bike and lifting weights on the Bowflex
Time Training:  5 hours and 3 minutes
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Last week was a cutback week.  Not much of a cut back but a little easier on the legs.  I embrace the cutback weeks because they help me re-gain my energy for the upcoming weeks.  My left hip is sore.  It's been sore for the past week.  Fortunately, it's not sore when I'm running but I can feel it afterwords.  I'm going to be watching it closely.  I've never had soreness there before.  I guess that's the beauty of running multiple marathons -- you never know where you're going to be sore next.  Haha!

This week coming up is really when I need to start watching the nutrition and the hydration.  One of the best things about upping the mileage in your training --- you get to eat more!  Ha!  Of course, that does not give you a license to eat anything you want(although I know some of you do).  I treat myself to a donut or two after my 20 miles runs.  I try to add more calories in my diet as I get over the 30 mile mark per week.  This week I've got 36 planned for the week so I get to eat more.

Also, given that now all my long runs are over 12 miles or more, I need to start eating a little before I run.  I'll be doing some longer mid week runs as well(7 miles).  Usually, I seem to be Ok running anything under a half marathon without eating much.  As that distance gets bigger, you need to have something in your stomach to help fuel your runs.  At least I do.  My typical pre-race or pre-training run meal is a granola bar and a half banana.  It's worked for me for all of my past training.  I also eat a banana after every long run as well.  I think I'll try to even increase the amount of food for my longest training runs to see how it goes.  I'm hoping it will give me what I need to finish feeling strong in the marathon.

How do you keep up with your nutrition when training for a marathon?

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

Add your blog to my blog list

Cross training on the schedule today.  Did 10 miles on the bike and lifted weights.

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I decided to add a new page to my blog the other day - Blog List(see the top of my blog).  It's a very simple spreadsheet to allow all of you endurance bloggers to add their blog to the list.  You simply add the name of your blog, the State your in, and the url to your blog and it will get added in the spreadsheet below what you input.  Don't worry if you don't see it immediately since it takes a little time to get back to my blog.

While I know that we can add a feature sort of like this with a widget on blogger, you have to add the blog list and follow each of the blogs to get updates.  I still have that on my blog in the sidebar. What I thought would be nice though is a list that everyone could go to in order to find endurance blogs to add to their list.  Having the url makes it easy since you just click on it.  Thanks Google docs for making this easy.

I also wished that I had something like this when I first started blogging so I could find other blogs to follow.  Initially what I did was visit other blogs and look at their "Blogs I follow" list and then click on them to find more.  It worked but it sure would have been easier to just go to a list where they were all listed.  It's also nice to know the other bloggers that are in your State in case they are going to races you go to in order to meet them.  Usually people talk about this in their blog but you need to search a little sometimes for this information.

So please add your information.  I hope it helps get you more people reading your blog on a daily basis. I added mine to start things off!

Have a great day and.....Keep Running!!!!!

Running in a winter wonderland pictures

9 miles on the schedule today.  Ended up doing 10 miles instead.  Crazy since this is the coldest run I have done probably since I started running almost three years ago.  The wind was blowing like crazy!  18 with 0  wind chill.  I had to pull out the Balaclava today for a ninja run.  You know it's cold when I pull that thing out.  I only saw about 10 people for the first 5 miles then coming back there were more.  All runners(actually saw two bikers too) - we are insane.  I even saw one guy at the beginning of my run wearing shorts - SHORTS in this weather!  I thought I was crazy just for being out there.

I decided to bring my camera to take some shots at Stony Creek.  I don't usually bring it but my running buddy was sick today so I was alone and decided, why not get some nice winter pictures to pass the time.  I started out running and when I got to the first spot to take the picture about 2 miles into the run.....it was too cold!  So I kept running and finally once I warmed up at about mile 5, I was able to get some great pictures.

So, enjoy....it's running in a winter wonderland at Stony Creek(except for the first picture)

Another use for duct tape.
Works great to keep your feet warm when the
wind chill gets that low.  First time I used it this year! 

About mile 5 just after I climbed that hill by the nature center

Coming back down the hill again.

Still coming down the hill; see the ninja!
How do you like the glasses?  I'll have a review soon!

There's actually nature(Ducks!) near the nature center
even in these temps!

Ready to climb!

This is the trail around the lake.  Still pretty snowy.
It was worse in other spots.

A little creek right off the 6 mile loop trail.
You have to stop and smell the roses once in awhile.

River running by the 6 mile loop. 

I thought it looked cool!

I like the floating ice 

Almost back; about mile 9; lake is still not frozen

The thing I love about Stony Creek and Michigan is that you get to see the same area in quite a different perspective each season.

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!!

It's official. I'm going to be a trail runner!

3 miles on the schedule today....done!

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It's official.  I signed up for the 50 mile half marathon for the North Country Trail Run in Northern Michigan.

Source

This will be my first time running a trail race and I can't wait.  It's going to be great!  I'm really looking forward to this one!  Time to hit the trails for training.  Ok, maybe I'm ahead of myself.  I'll hit trails this summer to get ready.  I'll be talking some of your advice and running in bloomer and stony parks locally along with the paint creek trail.  It' says I need to train for hills.  More hills?

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Also another reminder to sign up for the "I just felt like Running" Virtual race.  Go HERE to sign up!  1BandID is giving away one of their ID's.  These are a great item and everyone should have one!

And if you want to run with me, I'll be running the ShamRock n Roll race in Plymouth, Michigan.  I'm doing the 10k.  You can get one of these medals if you join me.  Go HERE to sign up for it!

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

Stuffits Review & Giveaway!!!

3 miles on the schedule today...done!  Unfortunately, winter is back today.  25 degrees on my run but were supposed to get up to 39 today so that's nice.

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Stuffitts - I had not heard of this unique product before but thought they might be something my readers would have an interest in.  Actually a really great story.  These were invented by a guy, Mike Huebner, training for his first triathlon.  He got tired of having wet, stinky shoes and bike cleats so he came up with this idea.  I love how things like these are developed.

It's a very simple product.  Stuffitts are a portable drying solution for your shoes, helmets, gloves or other gear.  I specifically asked for the company to review the shoe's version of the Stuffitts since of course I run.  Here's what I was sent:

As I said, they are a very simple product.  Here's the scenario:  You come back from your daily run.  It was raining pretty hard or the snow was really sloshy so your shoes are soaking wet inside and out.  It happens to me all the time.  For you dreadmill lovers, get outside!  So, anyway, you take the Stuffitts and "stuff" your shoes with them and the next day....boom! you're ready to run again.  I've tried out the pair I received on numerous runs and they worked great.

Now I know many of you are probably thinking, why can't I just use newspaper like I always have?  Personally I have found that while newspaper does get your shoes dry, it takes much longer than the Stuffitts.  The ink also gets in your shoes since they are wet.  The newspaper also does not protect against odor either plus if your shoes are really wet, you need to change out the newspaper a couple times to get your shoes try.  This makes things much easier in my opinion.

Even though I switch out my shoes with other pairs daily, I prefer to get the shoes dry right away to help keep the shoes in good working order.  I hate leaving my shoes around for a couple days drying on their own.

As you can see, it also has a strap that comes with them that allows you to hang the shoes if you want.  Here's what they look like in my shoes.

The interior of these are filled with Eastern Red Cedar fill.  The product is a micro-poly wicking fabric infused with Microban antimicrobial product protection.  In other words, it soaks up the wetness in your shoes and it keeps them smelling good.

Here's a couple more close up pictures of the product.

Nice quality stitching and zipper

You can see the cedar inside

The Stuffitts come in five color choices and they also come in four sizes to fit all shoes sizes.  They retail on their website for $24.95.  You can also purchase replacement cedar inserts for $9.95 as well.

The only issue that I really saw with these is the size.  I wear an 8.5 shoe size and they seemed to be a little short in the shoes.  You can see from the picture above that when they are pushed up to the toe, there is an inch or so left open at the heal.  I would have liked to see them be a little longer to help the wetness near the rear of the shoe.  Perhaps if I would have gotten the large size, that might have fixed the issue.  It seems that they run small.

Would you like to learn more about them?  See their sites below:

Click HERE to see their Website

Click HERE to go to their Facebook page

Click HERE to go to their Twitter page

Interested in getting a pair for yourself?  How would you like to win one?

Stuffitts has agreed to give away a pair to one of my lucky readers(sorry, US residents only).  Here's the rules:

1)  Follow Stuffitts on Facebook or Twitter and tell them "Detroit Runner sent me." and let me know you did that here(1 entry)
2)  Follow Detroit Runner on Facebook or Twitter; see top of sidebar and leave a comment on my Facebook wall or mention me on Twitter(1 entry)
3)  Follow Detroit Runner by e-mail; see sidebar to enter your e-mail and let me know you added it.(1 entry)

Three chances to win.  I'll pick a winner on Wednesday, February 15th!  Good luck!

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!!

* Note:  I received a complementary pair of Stuffitts in exchange for a review.  All opinions in this review are my own and I was not required to give a positive review.