MIMM #18- Elf4 Health Gratitude List

This weekend was pretty great. I had a quiet night in on Friday. Saturday I slept in and then had a killer workout at Crossfit and picked up a little 2 foot Christmas tree from Whole Foods.  Saturday night involved a fun Christmas party and meeting some new people. Sunday was a snow day where I stayed in my pajamas all day, made juice and pumpkin bread, watched football, had the fireplace going, and relaxed.

Sunday's Elf4Health challenge was to make a list of 20 things you are grateful for. I participated in a challenge in November in which I wrote one little thing I was grateful for each day and found it a nice way to reflect before bed. Reflection on what you are grateful for in your life is important, not just at this time of year. I am grateful for so many things in my life, but here's 20 I could come up with off the top of my head, in no particular order. 

I'm grateful for...

1.My parents-They have always been there for me and are so supportive and loving. I know I am always welcomed home with lots of love and food, and they always make the holidays really special.

2.My siblings- they are both so different but so loving and funny. They have grown up so much in the past few years, and it makes me proud.

3.The boyfriend- He drives me insane most of the time, but I'm grateful for having a genuinely caring, friendly, and silly person in my life. Anyone who accepts a hobby where I'm up for races at 5 AM on weekend mornings is amazing in my book.

post Baltimore Marathon 2013

4. Health-Health is one of those things you aren't really grateful for until it's compromised. Volunteering at a hospital has especially made me feel lucky to have my health which allows me to go about my daily life, run, and do all the things I want to do.

5. Baltimore (aka Smalltimore)- Just last night I was talking with people about how special Baltimore is. I can't imagine living anywhere else right now. It has the perks of a city, but still a small-town feel where I still bump into people I know all the time.

6. Chocolate - Need I say more?

7. A job- In this economy I'm lucky to have a job at all, let alone one with some good people at it and lots of flexibility.

8.Sunny days-There is nothing that makes me happier than being outside with the sun shining on my face. I especially love those first beautiful days of spring when everyone spends time outside to enjoy the weather.

9. Christmas decorations and trees- Christmas is my favorite holiday probably because of all the decorations and trees that are everywhere. I LOVE Christmas lights on houses and buildings and how magical everything looks . I understand how easy having a fake Christmas tree is, but my heart belongs to real trees.

my little two foot tree this year

10. Having access by foot or a short drive to a bunch of awesome restaurants, the arts, and places to explore- I love living in a city with so much going on and so many places to eat!

11.Running-It has given me so much these past few years and has shown me I am stronger than I ever knew.



12.  Music-It can be fun. It can be powerful. It can transport you back to a place or time in your life. It can bring people together, even in the most surprising ways.

13. My ambition- Although I am filled with self-doubt, I am grateful that I take chances and continue to dream big. I think my mentality of refusing to settle and accept things that are making me unhappy is important.

14. Animals- I'm more of a visitor to my family's cats now, but it's true that there is something calming about being with an animal.  Cats and dogs in particular bring me lots of happiness each day because they are so darn cute. Hopefully soon I can get my own little pet!

15. Nut butters- They are delicious and my go-to snack or fuel. I eat it everyday.













16. Old and new friends-This weekend I spent some time with old and new friends and realized how fabulous it is to have people you can be yourself with and who become part of your network or community.  Connecting with people is the best part of life.

17. The internet- It has lots of pros AND cons, but to focus on the positives, I'm grateful that it makes it so easy to stay in touch with family and friends and allows me to connect with people all over the world via blogging and social media.  It's pretty incredible.

18. Giant Pandas-Pandas are my favorite animal and for the past few months, checking in on the National Zoo panda cam online to see the baby panda and mommy makes me smile.

National Zoo <3 

19. Nature- I was going to say just the beach, but feel like I love being in all beautiful parts of nature where I have those feelings of amazement and instant zen.

20. The future- I'm grateful to know that I have a bright future ahead of me. Even though I hold myself to high standards, I can accomplish so much if I set my mind to it.

How was your weekend? What's something you are grateful for?

Five Friday Favorites 12/6/2013

Really busy today and been kind of an underwhelming week workout-wise but I did manage to get in a 5K run this morning before work. I'm starting to feel like I'm getting sick so some extra rest, apple cider vinegar shots (party animal, I know), and some tea are in order tonight! Don't forget about the 'Tis the Season campaign still going on with a chance to win a Kooshoo headband until Sunday-just show tell us how you are treating yourself this holiday season and mention I'm Fit Possible on social media! 

By the way, I finally got my ring out of my Prize Candle which I reviewed as a great holiday gift a few weeks ago. It ended up only being worth $10, but I think it's really pretty!

Here's a look at five things I'm loving this week!

Favorite at-home workout: 

Turkey Day Pyramid Burner by Nut Butter Runner

Turkey Day may be over, but this workout is sure to get your heart rate pumping! I did this yesterday when I was short on time, and it definitely got me sweating fast! 

Favorite holiday recipe to take to parties: 

Mini Santa Hat Cheesecakes from Baked by Rachel

I don't know about you, but with the shortened holiday season I've got a lot of parties and events packed into the next few weekends. These mini Santa cheesecakes are adorable, festive, and sure to be a hit at your holiday party. I will definitely be making these for one of the many parties I'm attending!. 

Favorite recipe to try out this weekend: 

Carrot Cake juice from Fit and Free with Emily

My boyfriend and I are currently borrowing a juicer so we are stocked up with veggies and fruit to start juicing this weekend. This carrot cake juice looks like a super delicious juice to start with!

Favorite song on repeat this week: 

The Wire by HAIM

I was lucky enough to catch some of the set of this awesome band made up of sisters from L.A. at Bonnaroo this summer. This song is so catchy, and I'm a sucker for some good girl rock. They were even on SNL a couple of weeks ago, and you can tell how much fun they were having!

Favorite grocery store find: 

Silk Soymilk in Pumpkin Spice

I bought this around Thanksgiving at the grocery store and sadly used the last few drops yesterday in my coffee. It has a delicious pumpkin flavor and was great on it's own or in coffee or oatmeal in the morning.  Hopefully I can find another carton!

Don't forget my Beats by Dre giveaway ends Tuesday!

What are your favorite finds from this week? Do you have any great juice recipes to recommend me?

Schedules and Shopping on Black Friday

Well since the Philadelphia Half Marathon, I still haven't been on a running schedule, but that's okay. I've just been running when I want to and feel like it. Okay, besides Thanksgiving Day, when I wasn't super jazzed to run but thought sweating out a couple of miles before my family arrived would be a good idea. My sister scoffed at my exercising on a holiday by saying "I didn't know it was Planet Fitness in here". She's Miss Sassypants, I know. 

It was my "solo turkey trot" since there weren't any super close to me. Running makes me happy, and it's nice to be able to workout whenever I want when I don't have work or any obligations. I ran a bunch at home because my parents have a treadmill and I didn't have access to a gym. I can never really get into doing home workouts by myself, being in a gym is more motivating to me.  

This week I have gone to Crossfit twice and taken a rest day so maybe I'll run a little bit today. My new favorite thing is to run on the treadmill while watching an episode of Scandal, which is ridiculous, but entertaining enough to keep me from feeling like a hamster on a wheel. It's easier for me to be flexible around the holidays with lots of events and travelling so I'll probably set more a schedule after New Year's. Trying to stay stress-free and happy this holiday season is the way to go (just like the 'Tis the Season campaign!).

As I had mentioned, Thanksgiving was pretty great. It's always pretty low-key in my family and was full of good food, family, and football which is the way it should be. 

I was one of those crazies out on Black Friday. My family was never really into doing tons of Black Friday shopping, but my siblings and I have braved the crowds the past few years. I ended up going to the local mall around midnight, which was packed. I'm totally against stores being open on Thanksgiving, but there were a few deals I had to take advantage of. Both my siblings work in retail and had to go in Thanksgiving evening, which is no fun. Is it ever going to be okay again for a store to be closed for one freaking day?  Anyhow, I did pick up mostly all of my gifts Thanksgiving weekend, which is a great feeling. Of course, I can't share all my great gift deals because of the tiny chance that someone might pop on here and see their gift, so instead I'll show you some of the great deals on things I bought for myself! 

Black Friday Swag

Too Faced Amazing Eyes Set and Hello Kitty fragrance from Sephora

Sephora always has a bunch of Black Friday exclusive mini sets which go pretty fast. I like mini sizes because I can try an expensive brand or product without paying for a whole tube of it. Also I love Hello Kitty so I couldn't resist picking up this perfume (that actually smells great!) from the sale rack for around $10! 

Aztec print leggings from American Eagle

Now I had written myself off as "too old" for American Eagle a few years ago, but stumbled in on Black Friday for a gift to find that the entire store was 50%! I found these cute leggings for $10 (regular $19.95) in a trendy black and white Aztec print that will go great with an oversized sweater.

  

AEO Performance Crops and Peplum T-Shirt from American Eagle

I was even more surprised to find some super cute workout clothes here! These black and white workout crops look just like Lululemon crops, even down to the brand logo on the back! I can't wait to see how they feel and hold up! I also love the touch of teal on the inside and picked them up for only $19.95 (regular $39.95). Yes, that is a peplum black workout top. Peplum for working out seems weird, but I had pick up this cute top which was already on clearance plus an extra 50% off that price.  The fabric is really breathable and stretchy and the sleeves are made of a mesh material. It's a great top to wear from the gym to the grocery store.  

 red bib necklace  and Hello Kitty fragrance from JCPenney

I love big, colorful jewelry so I picked up this necklace to wear to a holiday party this weekend. I think it's the perfect Christmas red color. I also love wearing scarves in the winter and found this chunky knit scarf. It'll be great with jeans, boots, and a big sweater.  Both of these items were 50% as well!

BlenderBottle SportMixer from Marshalls

I picked up this sleek BlenderBottle  originally $14.95, for only $5! I couldn't pass up a deal like that especially since I'm always have to wash out the same two bottles I have, which is a pain when you don't like doing the dishes.  I love the lime green hook on the lid and the bigger size which is great for holding protein shakes. 

So as you can see, I got some pretty sweet swag from Black Friday. It's nice to only have to pick up a couple more presents and be able to enjoy the holiday season.  

Did you go shopping on Black Friday? What deals did you cash in on?

Breathe Deeply and Find A Gift #2 and Giveaway-Beats by Dre!

 Now  that Thanksgiving is over, we are really in the midst of the holiday season-especially with a shorter than normal shopping season. I took a break from most social media, as I like to do when I visit my family. It was nice to just watch movies, eat, and go shopping with my family. I did do some Black Friday shopping and got most of my holiday shopping done this weekend! Today I have another awesome great holiday gift to share with you today that I saw advertised everywhere!

I'm not going to lie, I am not super into entertainment technology-it's just not something I spend a lot of money on. I have a really old big iPod and also an iPod shuffle I use for running.  I had been using cheapie headphones until I received some Yurbuds for running last Christmas. I love listening to some good jams during my runs or workouts.  Other than that I use a $20 pair of earbuds I bought for listening to music on my phone or computer.  

One of the hottest products of the past few years has been the Beats by Dre headphones.  I was really skeptical of the sound quality of headphones with such a big price tag on them. 

Beats not beets! My boyfriend makes this joke all the time. 

I love listening to music when travelling, in the car, on my way to work, and when I'm cooking at home.  I'm a total music addict,so I was excited to see what all the rage was.  I decided to go with the purple Beats by Dre Studio Over-Ear headphones.  I was really surprised that the headphones arrived from Staples.com 2 days after my order was placed!

The headphones came folded in a stylish carrying case with a little cleansing cloth, two AAA batteries for the headphones, an audio cable and adapter, and a remote & mic cable.  I skimmed through the manual, but it was pretty easy to figure out how to use the headphones and pop in the batteries.  I was pleasantly surprised by the Beats by Dre headphones. 

($249.99 at Staples)

Fit: The headphones felt super comfortable on, not too tight and with super plush ear coverings.  The fact that they fold up and fit the carrying case made it easy to safely throw them in my bag and take them with me. 

Flair: The purple color is so fun and looks great in person.  I loved the stylish look of the headphones and accessories. They weren't super big or bulky looking either. 

Function: I love how the logo on the side is also a mute button so I could take a moment to talk to someone if I was listening to music.  This is great if you are lifting in gym or getting some work done.  The remote & mic cord allows you to take phone calls (when synced with your phone's bluetooth), skip songs, and change the volume right from the cord. The headphones had a really crisp, clear sound which was especially great for listening to my favorite dance jams like Lady Gaga's new album (which has been my go-to album to workout or jam out to!) I wore them in the car ride up to my parents' house for Thanksgiving and the noise cancelling aspect was great for blocking out highway noise and the radio.  

Overall, I was very impressed by Beats by Dre.  The headphones made a huge difference in the sound quality compared to my cheapie headphones and laptop speakers.  I loved the way they look and all the special features of them. This is a perfect gift for any of the music lovers on your list. Staples is so awesome that they are allowing me to giveaway any pair of Beats by Dre headphones up to $100 to on of my readers! This could help you check somebody off your Christmas list or be a great treat for yourself this holiday season!

To win the Beats by Dre headphones (value up to $100 from Staples) giveaway, enter using Rafflecopter below until Tuesday December 10th at 12 AM.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: Staples sent me a complimentary pair of Beats by Dre of my choice to review and  is also allowing me to giveaway a pair of headphones to one of my readers. As always, all opinions are my own. 

'Tis the Season Launch!

I've been relaxing and spending time with family this holiday long weekend, and I'll update you on that later.  

I usually don't post on the weekends, but today is a special day because it is December 1st and officially 25 days until Christmas! The I'm Fit Possible community is launching their 'Tis the Season campaign today that I LOVE because it focuses on staying happy and stress-free during the holidays. Treat yourself! I find I can get anxious around the holidays with shopping, stores being crowded, travelling, and figuring out holiday plans. Not sweating the small stuff and remembering to enjoy the time spent with family and all the fun things going on makes the holidays actually enjoyable and not this busy season that just flies by.   

Here's the basic gist of the campaign: 

‘Tis the season to relax, indulge, enjoy and breathe. There. We said it.

Some might think it’s crazy for a fitness and wellness oriented community to support and encourage an hour of sleeping in, a little whipped cream on lattes and an evening with friends instead of an evening with free weights. Or maybe you think it’s brave, balanced and real. We hope it’s the latter. It happens anyway, so let’s embrace it. We encourage you to approach the holiday season a little differently this year. Let's focus on what we actually need this holiday season. What do we mean by that?

Introducing our ‘tis the season social campaign!

Now we aren't saying to give up all your healthy habits. 

This isn’t a free pass to skip the gym or to morph into a holiday couch tater. Nor is it a cookie eating contest. That’s not what we are saying. In fact, this isn’t a holiday “challenge” at all. At I’m Fit Possible, we are all about personal fitness around the holiday season and 365 glorious days of the year. But, if you are going to skip the gym or make a deliciously sinful nutritional choice around the holidays, make it worth your while. Ditch the rules and restrictions you place on yourself and savor every last morsel, take the time to catch up with an old friend (in person or over the phone), curl up by the fire with a peppermint tea, treat yourself to a trashy, gossipy magazine and glass of wine,clean out your closet and donate the items and enjoy every beautiful, relaxing minute. Most importantly, let go of the guilt and regret that swirls once you ditch the gym or make that poor nutritional choice. It’s done. You've made the choice. Now make the most of it. Celebrate relaxing, indulging, enjoying and breathing this holiday season. You work hard and life is about balance. The holiday season is already way too busy and stressful for most of us without the added stress of our fitness goals as well. Care for yourself instead of wrestling your goals this holiday season.No challenges. Just you. Enjoying life.

Now you can see why I'm on board with this 100%! On Thanksgiving I was already sick of people talking about how much or little they were eating and focusing so much on the food instead of just enjoying the holiday.  The best part is this isn't a traditional challenge with sign-ups and contests to enter everyday.  We have 10 AMAZING sponsors including Bakery on Main, who makes Truebars I love so much! From December 1st through December 31st we will feature a new product and company every few days. 

Just show us how you are indulging, relaxing, and most of all ENJOYING the holiday season via all the usual suspects-twitter, facebook, instagram. Just use the #imfitpossible hashtag and mention I'm Fit Possible!

From December 1^st to 4^th each Facebook post, Tweet and Instagram pic will earn you one chance to win an amazing prize pack from Somersault Snack Co. The more you share the more chances you have to win. That’s it. We told you it was simple! Remember to mention I’m Fit Possible in each and every tweet or post, so we don’t miss it!  We will randomly choose and then announce the winner at the end of the day on December 4^th and then feature a new product, with a new chance to win starting December 5^th.

Here's the I'm Fit Possible community info if you aren't already following. 

Website: www.imfitpossible.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ImFitPossible

Twitter: https://twitter.com/imfitpossible

Instagram: http://instagram.com/imfitpossible

Let me know via facebook or tweet to me @Breatheblog  if you are participating! 

Check out our wonderful and generous sponsors.

Energybits / Somersault Snack Co / Sweet Pure Honey / Wildflowers Tea / Face of Hope / Giddy Yoyo / Bakery on Main / Kooshoo / IslandBoost / Yurbuds Sport Earphones

But wait! There is more. Throughout the month of December we will be sharing how I and all the other  I’m Fit Possible Community members will be relaxing, indulging, enjoying and breathing this holiday season. Additionally we will be sharing tips from Gillian (http://gillianboult.blogspot.ca/), our community yoga gangster.  I'm trying to get back into yoga so I'll definitely be looking forward to her tips!

This starts now. What do you need this holiday season to feel full? We don’t mean full of stuffing but full of love, happiness and contentment. Let’s honor ourselves, enjoy every moment, leave regret and stress behind, ditch the rules and restrictions and focus on what we really need this holiday season. ‘tis the season!

MIMM #17 and Breathe Deeply and FIND A GIFT!

I don't really have much to say about this weekend-which is kind of great. I wasn't as productive as I wanted-I'm going to blame that on the freezing cold weather and my drafty apartment which made it difficult to move from the couch. 

Friday night I celebrated getting my first publication  from a work project (and first author at that!) officially published on the interwebs with drinks and staying up way too late. 

Waking up with a headache and far too little sleep made running in the cold Saturday morning not at the top of my list of things I'd like to be doing, but I couldn't let my peeps down and the run went by quickly! I definitely have my eye on a pair of Under Armour coldgear running tights because I can't survive the winter without some super warm clothes! The rest of the day included lots of coffee, naps,movies and ice cream! 

Sunday was a day of sleeping in and football. I also got a bunch of homework done and even trekked to Whole Foods-it's been a while. 
I managed to escape Whole Foods with a bill of less than $50 which is a miracle. 

I've got a fun weekly feature I'll be doing from now until Christmas on the blog called Breathe Deeply and Find A Gift! Each week I'll share a unique gift you can give someone (or yourself!) this holiday season.  There will also be giveaways  and coupons for these great gifts mixed in, to get you started on that holiday shopping! Today I have a great gift for co-workers, teachers, or friends. 

I'm a big fan of candles, especially around the holidays with all the amazing seasonal scents.  I have most of my big family gifts bought or in the works already (go me!) but am always looking for a versatile gift-one that is great for a friend or to give to the host of a party.  However, I always feel like giving someone a candle from my go-to candle emporiums Yankee Candle or Bath and Body Works is a bit impersonal, especially when I know how many candles I receive and buy around the holidays.  I was excited to discover Prize Candle which makes for a fun gift! Prize Candles are all-natural, scented, soy candles and come with a bonus. Each candle comes with a surprise inside-a ring valued anywhere from $10-$5,000. It's the Cracker Jack of candles-except you are getting a much snazzier ring. I actually don't think Cracker Jack even gives out rings anymore, which is disappointing. 

The candles come in a variety of scents including Pumpkin Spice, Mountain Sage, and Mulled Wine-which I received.  The Mulled Wine scent isn't as strong as I'd like, but the candle is  very long-burning because I haven't even gotten close to my prize yet! Once you can spot a prize in your candle, you let the wax cool and use some tweezers to pull out the prize pouch and unwrap your ring. You can type a code that came with your ring into the appraisal section of the Prize Candle website to find out how much it's worth! 

You can order your Prize Candle here ! I burned the candle for most of the evening last night and still have yet to get my prize out but once I will-I'll be sure to update!

Disclaimer: I was sent a candle from Prize Candles to review in exchange for a review. As always, all opinions are my own!

Also I'm super excited for the Elf 4 Health challenge that started today. Today's challenge is to have a Meatless Monday. For me that means my usual oatmeal for breakfast, a smoothie and protein bar for lunch, and a sushi date night for dinner. Easy peasy. 



How was your weekend? Have you started your holiday shopping yet?

Five Friday Faves-Thanksgiving Edition

Another reminder, that  you have 2 more days to enter my Truebar giveaway with THREE winners here! 

Even though I took off work on Monday, this week still has felt long! As I try to shush all the people and stores and advertisements that scream that it's the holiday season, I have to admit, it is almost here. Sorry, I'm not decorating or listening to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. Retail stores being open at all on Thanksgiving is ridiculous, to give my two cents. I'll try to focus on the positive aspects of the holiday-like all the food. Thanksgiving is awesome because it's a meal of mostly comfort foods that leaves you feeling all warm and satisfied inside. Sadly there aren't any turkey trots super close by my parents place Thanksgiving morning so I don't partake in that tradition. I am fond of the phrase "Huffin' for the Stuffin'" associated with turkey trots though :) Today I share with you my favorite things about Thanksgiving !

                    Five Friday Favorites -Thanksgiving Edition
1. Family
Thanksgiving is awesome because it's one of the holidays that doesn't involve gifts or lots of activities (at least in my family). It's just family hanging out, catching up, and eating lots of great food. Especially in this day and age with everybody so busy, it's nice to put down the cell phones and get together with your whole family for a nice meal. 

Sad, but true?

2. Pumpkin Pie

I'm a huge fan of pumpkin pie. It's unique and super delicious topped with tons of whipped cream. I don't even like the crust-just give me all of the filling. Sadly, my boyfriend is crazy for pecan pie, which is okay (better if it's made made with chocolate in the filling!), so I make that much more often. 

Team pecan pie or pumpkin pie? Pick a side!

3. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thanksgiving morning is a tradition for my family.  I was even super stoked when  Towson University's, my alma mater, band played in the parade in 2009. Yes, I double checked the year to get you the straight facts! It's corny, but I love the enormous balloons, Broadway show song performances, and musical guests on floats.  With Santa and his sleigh closing the parade (who looks pretty legit in my book), it's the official start of holidays and gives me the okay to start listening to Christmas music. 

I love Hello Kitty :)

4. Football

It's great to sit on my parent's couch with family and watch football on their big TV for most of the day. There is always a bunch of great match ups, and my home team usually isn't playing so it's pretty stress-free :)

5.Leftovers
Pretty much the best kind of leftovers, let's be honest. I love eating leftovers in a variety of ways-turkey sandwiches, turkey soup, cranberries and sweet potatoes with eggs, and some pumpkin pie for dessert-again. 

Pumpkin or pecan pie? What is your favorite Thanksgiving tradition?

Philadelphia Half Marathon 2013 Recap

Well, as I hinted, my 5th half marathon went pretty well. It's crazy because I'm signed up for 4 half marathons ALREADY for next year #crazyrunnerlady.  I was super nervous because honestly I have been in a running funk post-marathon. I had two weeks of recovery of not doing a whole lot of anything and only a handful of runs after that, the longest being 7 miles. Even though I'd tell myself "c'mon Lauren, you ran a freaking marathon, you've got this", I was still super nervous. I knew I wasn't going to PR or anything, but for my pride I didn't really want to run my slowest half ever (running my first in 1:48 was a mistake, damn). 

Side note, it was also my 13th race of 2013-mission accomplished! Next up-14 in 2014 :)

I went to the expo Saturday afternoon, down at the convention center at Philly. The whole area of the city was packed because there was about 30,000 people running the marathon/half marathon. I was a little confused when I walked in but soon walked right up to grab my bib and shirt and bag. The shirt is a nice long-sleeve baby blue shirt with the course map on the back. It's going to be great for winter running!  They had  lots of nice merchandise, but I exercised restraint and only came out with a knit beanie, which is my new favorite accessory to cover up bad hair days! There were the usual running stores, snacks, and brands selling merchandise there.Overall, it was a great and organized expo experience.  Afterwards I carbloaded at Campo's in Old City, with a Philly cheesesteak, aka the best way to carbload.  I love Philadelphia so much. 

There was lots of talk about all the extra security and bag checks runners and spectators would have to go through so I was nervous about arriving downtown in the morning. My boyfriend ended up dropping me off at the closed Ben Franklin Parkway exit off of 676 around 6 AM, which dropped me right at the starting line around 6:10 AM. I didn't have a bag because I didn't want to mess with any of that, but it seemed like it would have been easy anyways. The weather was overcast and in the 50s but not as cold as I had thought it would be (thank goodness!). I had gloves and an extra throw-away shirt on over my shirt, arm sleeves, compression sleeves, and capri pants.  Eventually the race started, and I was excited. The half marathoners and marathoners all start together so that was exciting. I wish I would have worn my marathon shirt from Baltimore to fit in because I seemed to be surrounded by speedy people in the Black corral. I got to high-five Mayor Nutter of Philadelphia as I crossed the start line. I told myself to get an easy pace for the first half of the race so I was running around 8:00-8:15 minute miles. It was exciting to be running downtown along streets I knew with TONS of spectators cheering. 

The race course was pretty nice and started and ended at the Ben Franklin Parkway/Art Museum area (yes, the Rocky steps!). I was surprised by how many spectators there were, especially on a chilly day! The course was fairly flat until some little hills at miles 7 and 8 and then a big hill in Fairmount Park around Mile 10  that lead to a nice big downhill! I started to speed up and felt good. Marathon training taught me a lot about racing strategy and discipline so I made sure to switch between water and gatorade at almost every water stop and even took a Gu at mile 6. My legs weren't bothering me too much from being tight and I ended up running a negative split! I was really pushing it in the end and ran one of my speedier half marathons! Pushing my pace as I got to mile 12, I thought there would be no way I could have run the full today, as the half marathoners went to the right towards the finish, and I watched all the full marathoners go to the left to make the trek towards Manayunk.

 As I made it down the last stretch towards the finish line I found my boyfriend cheering for me and yelling that I was going to PR. I laughed because I knew that wasn't true and was wondering what he thought my PR is (he was about 5 minutes off, good job). I ended up with an overall 7:50 pace and my second fastest half marathon time-WOOHOO. 

 I LOVED the Philadelphia post-race runner's area-Baltimore needs to take some notes. I got my medal and some water and gatorade pretty quickly. There was lots of space to walk and stop. Then for the food you could pick up bananas or oranges but were handed a bag with all the other snacks. It was great to not have to wait in a long line and to have a bag to put all my crap in. It seemed the gear check pickup was pretty organized and easy to access too. 

They had post-race massages which I decided to forgo because I had to go to the family reunion area to get my phone from my boyfriend. It was the first race my parents went to-even though they made it right at the end ,but it meant a lot to me. It seems everyone thinks I'm a big runner now after running a full marathon even though I've been racing for like a year and a half. It's nice to have people support you and wake up early to go stand out in the cold to watch you run by. 

My calves were sore afterwards, and  the rest of the day was full of brunching, napping and watching football. Overall I thought the Philadelphia half marathon was a great experience. Maybe I'll come back for the Full one of these years!