#running4maggie...

Hey Girls Hey! 

First off, I wanted to thank all of you that commented on my plead for blog post topics last night on Instagram - follow me @darci_spear!  I've got them all down and I'm working out how to mesh some, etc.  I'm excited!  Yay!  See I always think that people don't care or want to know about the "personal" stuff in my life so I don't normally post too much about it, but I'm figuring out that this isn't necessarily the case! I love talking about myself so this is exciting to me!  I also am very excited to do a Q&A Vlog soon!  So if you have ANY question for me, and I mean ANYTHING, email me, or leave a comment!  :-)

Now, today I want to share with you an awesome opportunity to support a great cause and get your Fitness On...

My Girl, Sami from Simply Sami is organizing a FREE virtual 5k in honor of her late sister, Maggie!  Below is Sami's post with all the informations!  I'm signed up, who else is #running4maggie ?

Happy Thursday loves!! It is time to get all the details about the Running for Maggie Virtual 5k! Don't worry...if you emailed me, I am going to email you everything you will need by the end of the day Friday (tomorrow)!! If you want to participate, you can email me at sciaccio3@gmail.com!

To participate you must (please) email me and get on the list! 

HERE ARE THE DETAILS!!

THIS IS A FREE VIRTUAL 5K FOR ANYONE TO PARTICIPATE IN!!!

Below is the Running for Maggie Race Bib. Print it out (right click on the picture and go to Print) and wear it during your 5k (3.1 miles) or just print it out to use for a picture after! You can print it off in any size you want; a 5x7 would probably work best. Write whatever you would like in the open space, maybe your name or whoever you want to dedicate your run too. I will also be emailing this out to everyone who emails me that they would like to participate!!!

Snap a picture of you with your race bib and post it to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram (or all of them) using #running4maggie and I will post all the pictures to my blog and the Running for Maggie Facebook page so everyone can see everyone who participated!!

Do your 5k anytime during the week of August 5th to August 11th, and remember you can run and/or walk it! No times, no crowds, just a 5k to honor a beautiful life!

Bloggers – I know that you will be so excited about this….for participating you can win a FREE BLOG DESIGN by Hubby Jack! You must participate in the 5k & linkup and I will have Rafflecopter randomly pick someone!

(there is a Running for Maggie button at the top right of my blog if you want to grab it and put it on your blog for the rest of July!!)

Non Bloggers – For participating you can win a FREE Running for Maggie T-shirt or Tank! You must share your photo's using social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram) and the hashtag #running4maggie to win!!!!!!

PS - IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING A RUNNING FOR MAGGIE T-SHIRT, EMAIL ME AND LET ME KNOW! I HAVE TO TALK TO MY SHIRT GUY WHO IS ON VACATION....LUCKY! I am thinking they will be around $20 with most (shipping and amount of shirt included in that) of that money going to the Foundation!

I invite you all to like the Running for Maggie Facebook Page. You can tag your pictures on Facebook or post them on the R4M wall! I cannot wait to hear about everyone’s 5k! Don’t forget to use #running4maggie and that you can now use hashtags on Facebook!

If you are not a blogger and want to share your experience on my blog, let me know! I can feature you on link up day! :)

Please remember if you have any questions at all, email me at sciaccio3@gmail.com and thank you to everyone for participating!

For those of you who do not know, I started Running for Maggie as a way to raise money for the Maggie Bertram Foundation for the Fine Arts. Running has helped me not only become more active, but has helped me cope. Maggie died in March of 2012 in a tragic car accident. Her smile, vibrant personality, ability to make you laugh at anything, how she loved, the bear hugs and how she cared are missed by more than just her family. She was a talented dancer, artist and musician. Running is more to me than just losing a few pounds, it is my way to remember Maggie and keep her memory alive.

If you would be interested in donating to the Maggie Bertram Foundation for the Fine Arts, please contact me at sciaccio3@gmail.com and I will get you all the details. Remember every little bit counts! Also - check to see if your company has a gift matching program! My goal is to raise $1000!!!!

 

Streak On, Streakers...

Update: Runners World Summer Challenge, the RW Run Streak!

 

 

Holy Cow!  The #STREAKERS are more than half way done with the RW Run Streak Challenge!  Today marks Day 24 out of 39!  Holla!  The group is still hanging tough and I couldn't be more excited!  Through yesterday, Day 23, we have ran a total of 348.27 miles!  Amazing!

 

I unfortunately am having some trouble with shin splints!  It all started when I decided to go to a random Step Class at lunch last Monday (on the 10th), it was shin hell - rocking horses out the wazoo and jumping jacks that aimed to kill!  Since then my shins have been SCREAMING!  I decided to take it easy this week and just do my 1 mile per day requirement for the challenge and I've been icing and stretching like crazy!  The left one is feeling better/good, the right one...not so much!  I'm hopeful though that taking it easy this week will let me get back at it next week!

 

This past Saturday I ran the first of three runs in the JoMo Summer Night Run Series, The Starry Night 5k!  It was so fun, I got to meet up with a couple old friends, Julie (Instagram @julieamitchell) and Amanda!  I hadn't seen Amanda since Mardi Gras in STL back in February so I was excited to see her and catch up a bit - she is still just as nice and sweet as ever, she kicked that 5k's ASS and PR'd!  I also met Ashlee for the first time and I just love her!  She is so cute and so happy!  This was Ashlee and her Husband's first official 5k, can I tell you just how cute it is to see a couple be so supportive of each other and run together!?  It's almost sickeningly cute...  My old college friend, Brandy also ran - I love her and I hate her!  She is new to running, but it just seems to come easy to her and she has kicked my ass in the last two 5k's we've done together!  I'm totally jealous...it's not a good look!

 

 

 

 

 

I also PR'd and finished in 33:43, which was like 27 seconds off my previous PR!  Holla!  The run was on a trail, which meant part gravel, part chat crap, part pavement.  On top of that add a shit ton of rain and you had yourself a messy situation, but it was a totally fun run!  Everyone had on glow stick bracelets and necklaces, which was almost a little trippy to me!  Eek! 

 

The next run in the series is on July 13th at 8:30pm in JoMo - A Midsummer Night!  I know Julie, Ashlee, Ashlee's Husband and I are running for sure!  Brandy has her 10 year HS reunion so she will miss it!  I hope Amanda decides to come down again though...hint, hint!  Who else is in the area?  Join us won't you?!

 

xoxo

I Run...

 

TGIF! 

 

To say I got a little off track with running after my surgery is a bit of an understatement!  When I first started back I could barely pull my shit together to get a solid 2 miles in without wanting to walk and/or die...mostly die! But thanks to some wonderful, motivating women I'm determined to get back to the pavement (although I prefer the rubber of the treadmill - yup, I'm crazy! Tell me something I don't know!).  I had a run on my Run Calendar back in April and bailed out like the little huge brat that I am! I knew I was no ready and the girls I was running with are beasts!  I sucked it up this past weekend though and participated in my first run since my 10k the end of January!  It was an fugly, fugly run - oddly it was my fastest 5k time by like 10 seconds but I felt less than proud of myself!  After that I knew it was time to get focused, so what'd I do?  I pulled out the ole Hal Higdon Training Programs!  This week was Week 1 of his 10k Novice Training Program and I stuck to the schedule really well - that I am proud of!

 

My non-runner friends always ask me why I want to run, especially since I wasn't a runner when I was younger...I thought about it and there are tons of reasons, but probably my number one reason...

It's time for me! Time to not worry about bills, the kids, work, dinner (not that I cook), weekend plans, the dog, what I'm going to do when our daycare provider moves out of town, The Husband's travel schedule, etc. etc. etc.

 

 

Wondering what's on my Run Calendar?  I figured you did, here's what is officially lined up:

 

June 15th - Starry Night 5k

 

June 29th - Glow Run 5k

 

July 13th - A Midsummer Night's 10k

 

August 10th - Blue Moon 10k

 

September 7th - The Big Red Shoe 15k

 

September 21st - Tough Mudder (10-12 Mile Obstacle Course)

 

October 5th - Foam Fest 5k

 

October 26th - Rugged Maniac 5k

 

November 24th - Route 66 Half

 

I'm really depending on the 10k's and the 15k to prepare me for the half!  Eeks!

 

In other news, these compression socks and calf sleeves seem to be the shit!  Anyone have them?  What do you have?  If you have both what do you prefer? 

 Pro Compression has the Marathon Socks (left) 40% off right if you have been looking to try them out or if you already love them!  The code is ACTIVE40.

I think I'd like the calf sleeves over the socks because I currently wear the Thorlos Experia Padded socks and I can't imagine switching to anything else at this point.  I wish the calf sleeves were on sale too, dammit!

 

If you are from the area Starlit Running Company (look them up on FB) is out of Joplin and they have a pretty good race schedule through the end of the year! For me, it's nice to be able to get up and run and then be home and not have to drive 2 hours or go to the city the night before for a run!  So I have 3 of these runs on my calendar so far, but I'm sure I'll throw a couple more on as they get closer!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! It's going to be a great weekend, except Mother Nature is being her usually self and rain is in my forecast ALL.WEEKEND.LONG!! :-(

xoxo

Weekend Rewind...

Via Tons of Pictures...and Few Words!

 

My Friday Night was better than yours: RufflesWithLove Tank Shopping, Puppy Cuddles with Oscar, Goodie Bags for Jack's Birthday Party and a Chick Flick! #safehaven

I was up at 4:50am to head to Joplin for the the Memorial 5K Run at 6:30am!  It was a great run, my best 5K time but my ugliest run to date!  Oh and my first "Finisher" medal!

I ran with my good friend, Brandy!  This was her 2nd 5K and I have to admit, she kicked my ass!  Couldn't be more proud of her, but next time I will either beat her or be with her!
Another friend, Amanda, ran her first half and finished 3rd in her Division!  She amazes me, finished in 1:51!

Up next was Jack's Birthday Party!  His birthday isn't until the 28th but Memorial Day Weekend always jacks up his birthday parties!  He was so excited!

Bean loved the foam block pit!

 



Balance Beam & Presents!



Ready for Date Night with great friends!

He still hates taking pictures...

Ghostbusters!  Love me some, Amanda!

The Husband was checkin' out the goods...I was not impressed...

Look Y'all!  I baked!  Who knew it was so easy!?  #justaddwater

The kids playing at Mimi and Papa's yesterday...Bean was jealous she wasn't in the pool too...

But she got her turn!

I live in Tornado Alley...last night was a scary one!  Winds up to 80mph, multiple tornadoes in the area and plenty reports of damage!  Eek!  Round 2 is scheduled to start up this afternoon!  We were lucky with no damage at the house today, I'm crossing my fingers to say the same tomorrow!

xoxo