Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Last night I received a brochure from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the main beneficiary from the Nike Women's Marathon, asking runners to raise some money.  OF COURSE I will!  I know everyone is getting bombarded with people asking to donate money, but if you have a few bucks to spare, please make a donation!!

Mallory's Leukemia and Lymphoma Fundraising Page

Last night I had an awesome run at marathon pace (I am still trying to figure out what that is for me!) with an average of 10:36 per mile.  I was dripping when I finished!  It felt great though!

TODAY is the last day to enter my RoadID giveaway!!  You must enter today before 8:00 PM eastern time HERE!!!

You get to pick which one you want!

Well the day is finally here!!  It is my last day at my part-time job!!  As of 7:00 PM this evening, I will have weekends free and will only be working 40 hours per week.  HEAVEN!  What should I do in all of my spare time??

Mallory

P.S.  I'm bummed that Vicci didn't win on The Voice!

One more day...

until my part-time job is over!!!!!  Then I will have an extra 8 hours per week to run!  YAY!  I look forward to doing my long runs on Saturday mornings!  I am so excited!

I had a great run last night in my Nike Free +2.  No blisters, no rubbing, no pain.  They were great.  My knees feel really good during and after my runs in these shoes.  I'm hooked!!

Totally not running related but I can't wait for The Voice finale tonight!  I hope that Vicci Martinez wins!

There is still a few days to enter my RoadID Giveaway!  Make sure to enter before tomorrow evening, Thursday, June 30 by 8 pm eastern time!

What is your guilty pleasure tv show?  Mine is any show like The Voice, Idol and Biggest Loser!  Love them!!

Mallory

Weekend in Maine

I spent a glorious weekend in Maine with my bff Shena.  The weather was great, most of the time, although I did sleep in shorts, pants, a t-shirt and hoodie, plus two blankets.  But other than that it was great!  Played lots of cards, drank Malibu & Coke and Malibu & Sprite (which tastes JUST like Ocean Water from Sonic!), and got some sun.  It was wonderful.  I took my running shoes but didn't use them once.  It felt good.

View from the deck <3

Another shot

Chuck, Steve & Barb kayaking as I'm leaving on the ferry

The boys were using Hanson for target practice :(

First thing Monday morning.  Heaven.

So now that I've sufficiently BUMMED you all out, I wanted to REMIND you of my giveaway!  Don't forget to enter to win a RoadID!!!!!  Several  other EXCITING things will be coming on my blog in the next couple of weeks!  Happy running!

__________
Go check out Amanda's Handful Giveaway over at Runninghood!!!
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How was YOUR weekend?

Mallory

GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, you people really listened!  I am up to 75 followers already so here ya go...

This is a product that I TOTALLY believe in and don't do ANY run without it (including when I'm at the gym!).

The totally awesome people over at RoadID have been kind enough to donate a FREE RoadID to one of my AWESOME readers!!  I have the Wrist ID Sport in purple.  I LOVE it!  It gives me (and Jess!) peace of mind when I am out running.  Luckily, I have never needed to use it, but I feel better knowing that emergency responders would know who I am and how to contact my family in the event of an emergency.

So I bet you wanna know how to win!!  It's EASY!

Mandatory:

- Follow my blog!

Extra entries.  Please leave a separate comment for EACH:

- "Like" RoadID on Facebook and tell them that "Mallory at Sit for your job.  Run for your life." sent you!
- "Follow" RoadID on Twitter
- Leave me a comment telling me what you're training for this summer and where YOU will wear your RoadID!
- Repost this giveaway on your blog and let me know you did!! 

The random drawing will end on Thursday, June 30 at 8 PM eastern time.  I will announce the winner on Friday, July 1.

Good luck!!

Mallory

4 more followers then a GIVEAWAY!

Hello fellow bloggers!  Just a quick post to say that once I get 4 more followers (totaling 75), I will be doing my first GIVEAWAY!  It's a product that I totally believe in and am so excited to give one away!!!  So tell your friends!!!  Get that number up to 75!!

Marathon training is going well.  I will be busy this weekend so I plan to do my long run tomorrow after work!  I've been doing pretty good at being flexible about when I do my runs, so hopefully it works out! 

How's training going?  Any fun plans for the weekend?  I am going up to Maine to see my bff Shena and we are going to stay out on an island in a cottage!  So many great memories in that place and I can't wait to go back!!

Mallory

Hills.

I think I like them.

Wait, what?

Yes, I think I like hills.  I did my first "hill" session of marathon training this evening.  Granted, I did the workout on a treadmill but I loved every second of it.  I was in the mood to run so that's why I decided to do my hill run tonight.  I had the treadmill up to 6.0 incline and was feeling good!  I actually ran at 6.0 on the 6.0 incline so I felt AMAZING.  I was drenched at the end.  It. Felt. Awesome.

I've been looking at the past "finisher's medals" AKA Tiffany necklaces online this evening and I am getting so excited!  Less than 17 weeks and I will be a marathon finisher.  I also decided that I will be saving my pennies so I can buy every piece of gear I can imagine with "Nike Women's Marathon" written on it!

Yes please!

We purchased our tickets last night and are flying direct from Boston to San Francisco on Jet Blue!  Bags fly free! 

Tomorrow after work I will be running outside doing an easy 5 on the bike path!  I look forward to it.  I had a wonderful weekend with my mom and I can't wait to see her again next month.  I will be 28 next time I see her!  Hopefully with some killer definition in my stomach and legs! 

Mental note:  Do more cross-training and core exercises!

What was YOUR workout today?

Mallory

Week One - DONE!

I completed the first week of my marathon training without a hitch (okay, other than bleeding through my shoe!).  My mom flew in this morning and I actually got up at my regular time and ran outside before going to get her from the airport so I wouldn't have to do my long run tomorrow while she's here.  I took some more pictures on my run this morning.  There's a small bike path that splits off from the regular one that I have never explored until this morning.  It was beautiful!

I thought this was so cool!

When I came across this little old building I decided to stop and take a picture because it was just so beautiful!

Little path to the water

I was so excited when I came across another branch of the bike path off the small path I was already on.  I could tell there was water at the end and I couldn't wait to see it!

This was an amazing view at 8:00 am.  It was so quiet and peaceful.  There were two men fishing off the end of the dock.  It was very cool.

So this week I totaled 21 miles with a 3 mile speed workout, 5 mile easy run, 5 mile "marathon pace" run and an 8 mile long run.  I felt pretty good all week.  I was a little tired and my legs felt heavy this morning but I think part of it was from running in the morning which I avoid like the plague! 

Mom arrived around noon then we took her to Faneuil Hall and walked around for a bit and had lunch.  Now we are sitting at home taking it easy.  Tonight Jess is going to make salmon and broccoli for dinner and we will enjoy some wine!

What are you doing this weekend???  Hanging with mom!!  Hopefully the beach at some point if it's nice enough!

What are you training for???  Obviously I am training for the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco on October 16.  I am so excited!

Mallory

Curt Schilling would be proud

I guess my blister wasn't competely healed!!!  I also believe that I did not put on enough Body Glide.  I still love these shoes though.  My knees, feet and legs feel great when I'm running in them.  More Body Glide in the future.

I did my "marathon pace" run last night on the Fairhaven bike path.  It's got some beautiful views:

I haven't run outside since my half marathon on May 1.  I forgot how much I loved it.  Because I am typically short on time, I just head to the treadmill because it's "easier."  I am so glad that I ran outside.  It was actually much easier than my 5 miles last night and I did it faster as well!  Other than the pain in my right foot I felt like I could run forever and ever. 
I have an in-service training at my work today where we will review restraint training and other policies.  It's almost like a vacation day for me because all I have to do is sit there -- and throw people around on a mat!

I have completed 3 of my 4 runs for my first week of marathon training!  The fourth will be Friday morning before I pick my mom up at the airport! 

Where is your favorite place to run?  Mine is the East Bay bike path that I use to run on in Rhode Island.  As my long runs get longer, I will head there because it's approximately 16 miles long where the one I ran on tonight is only 4.  Out and back, out and back... no thanks!

Marathon pace?

How do I know what mine is?  In Higdon's plan, I am supposed to do marathon pace runs most weeks.  Well, I've never done a marathon before so I don't know what my marathon pace is!  I did my projected goal time (it was just a guess) and it put me at 11:06 for my marathon pace.  Well, that's my "easy run" pace so now I'm confused.  I'm trying not to have a "time goal" per say for my marathon but I do want a guideline to go by.  What do you think?

Day 2 of marathon training went well yesterday.  I have day 3 this evening.  It feels good to be getting back on track.  I always do better with a plan.  It holds true for every aspect of my life!

I signed up for twitter yesterday to try to win a pair of these:

Nike Tempo + compression

Has anyone tried them yet?  Unfortunately I didn't win but I am intrigued to hear what people think of them.  I am planning to get some new shorts soon so maybe I'll pick up a pair!  I love the regular Nike Tempo shorts so I bet these will be pretty sweet as well!

5 miles at "marathon pace" for me tonight.  So I need your help quickly!!!

Today is sort of like my Friday at work because I have in-service tomorrow where I will have a refresher course on restraint training and then Friday I'm off because my mom will be here!!!

Mallory

Day 1 of Marathon Training - Done!

Yesterday I completed my first run of my marathon training and I felt GREAT!  I felt hopeful and motivated!  On my treadmill runs I have been kicking it up to 8.0 (I know that's like regular running for a lot of you but that's practically sprinting for me!) for the last 0.10 miles.  It feels great!  I plan to do that outside as well.  I want to practice that finishing kick!

The thing I am most nervous about for the marathon is not the DISTANCE but rather the HILLS.  I am not great with hills.  I actually avoid them as much as I can but I know that is no longer an option.  I just now had an extremely sobering experience... there is this hill by my second job that is always mildly terrifying, even in a car.  As soon as I was accepted into San Fran I thought, "perfect training hill."  Well today I was finally able to, thanks to Google Earth, find out the elevation of this hill.  It goes up 216 feet in 0.35 miles.  The biggest hill I have to conquer in San Fran goes up 295 feet in 1 mile.  I'm going to try not to freak.  :)  That is where I plan to do the majority of my hill training though.  If I run up the hill, then down to the next corner and back down the hill it's 1 mile, which will get me in good with the down hills as well.  But yikes!!  At least I am planning this in advance!  I also did a little bit of Google Earth in San Francisco and this is something I cannot wait to see in person:

It will be absolutely breathtaking!!  It looks like it will be off to my right around mile 6. 

Thanks for everyone's tips on snack foods.  I definitely want to start bringing some extra stuff with me as well as stuff to leave in my desk if possible!  I need a bigger lunch bag!

No running tonight, going to see my nephew!!!  Running tomorrow and also possibly going to yoga!  We'll see :)

What exercise class is your favorite??

Mallory

Marathon Training Begins!!

Tomorrow I start my first day of marathon training!!!  I am following Hal Higdon's Intermediate 1 training plan:

I plan to tweak it just a little.  Rather than running 5 times per week, I will only be running 4, therefore cutting out all of the "Tuesday" runs.  All of the "Thursday" runs will alternate between Hill runs and Tempo runs.  As it's in San Francisco I really have to do some solid hill training. 

This week will be very exciting for me!  I won't be doing my second job at all this week (only 2 more Thursdays and 1 more Saturday until it's OVER!) because I have an in-service on Thursday that will carry until I am supposed to be at my second job AND my mom is coming Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Me, Mom and MacKenzie

I can't wait to see her.  I've lived in New England for 6 years now and she has only been here once during summer, all the rest of the time she has visited in February.  I am hoping that we will have excellent beach weather!  I get to see her again at the end of July as well! 

We still haven't purchased airline tickets for the Nike Women's Marathon yet, but I keep looking.  I've been dreaming of this race lately.  I've been looking at pictures of the race online, as well as past finisher's necklaces.  I can't wait!

I think I am going to grow my hair out specifically for this race.  I am tired of my hair falling out of my ponytail!  Random, I know. 
We have been eating healthier lately and I look forward to continuing that trend throughout my marathon training.  I'm not strictly cutting anything out but I do plan to make sure that I am not drinking soda on a regular basis (addiction to caffeine is long gone!) and I don't want to drink alcohol too much (not gonna cut it out!).  I want to make sure that I'm eating before I'm hungry and stopping before I'm full.  I do best if I snack consistently throughout the day on healthy things!  Any ideas for packable work snacks??

How has your weekend been?  Mine's been great so far!  Hanging out with Jess, sleeping (I've been sick), buying a bookshelf...

Isn't it great!?  I love Ikea.  The bag next to it is a baby shower gift for our friend that we are going to tomorrow.  I can't wait for that too!  She has no idea!

And again, marathon training begins!

Mallory

P.S.  To those of you that asked what the difference is between Body Glide and Body Glide for Her is that Body Glide for Her (according to the website) is "for sensitive areas where skin rubs skin, where bras cause chafing, where clothing irritates and chafes the underside of arms, where thighs are irritated by apparel, and for feet where rubbing causes hot spots, chafing or blisters."  :) 

My new best friend....

I took everyone's advice and slathered Body Glide on my feet before putting my Free's on last night.  The result... NO NEW BLISTERS/RED FEET.  It was great.  There is one spot that I missed so I will take the blame on that but the rest was great.  It worked really well.  I was so happy because I really like the way the shoes feel and fit.

I wore one of my new running shirts last night...

I bought it with the gift card my mom gave me when I was accepted into the Nike Women's Marathon.  Isn't it awesome!!  I was going to run outside last night but it was extremely windy so I opted for the treadmill.  I am going to do my long run outside on Saturday and wear my other new top.  I can't wait!!


I finished reading Kara's book last night.  I loved it!!  I felt like it was very informative, an easy read and fun!  I feel like she talked a lot about motivation, which is something I struggle with at times, and she had some really good tips about developing mantras and being your own number one fan.  I plan to go back to re-read the marathon chapter because I am beginning my training soon for the marathon.  That reminds me... I want to revise my training plan a bit!!

What are you doing this weekend?  Tonight we are going over to my friend's house and there will be about 10-14 of us there, which will be great.  Tomorrow morning I have to work then tomorrow afternoon I'm running outside.  Sunday I would like to go hiking if it's nice out!  I can't wait!

Did you read Kara's book?  What'd you think?

Mallory

I'm alive.

Hello fellow bloggers.  Remember me?  I used to blog a lot and be good about commenting on your blogs too.  But this thing happened, it's called life -- you may have heard of it, and it has been INSANE lately.  Both of my jobs have been crazy, with half of my caseload being discharged within 6 weeks of each other at my full-time job, and wrapping up transferring clients to other therapists at my part-time job.  I cannot wait until June 30 when I no longer have my second job.  It will be such a breath of fresh air and I will have so much more time!

I have been really sucky about running lately, but I promise you that will change.  I have been reading Kara's book and am getting super motivated!  Between now and Sunday evening, I plan to catch up on your blogs, leave comments and soak up the motivation from you all.  I can't wait!

During my layoff, I a giveaway at the AWESOME Amanda's blog.  I won this:

I cannot wait to get this in the mail.  As I have written about many times, I want to find good recipes for healthy food.  I am a picky eater at times but I'd totally eat everything on the cover of the book so I think it will be really helpful.  Thank you, Amanda!!!!  (SIDENOTE:  If you visit Amanda's blog and LOVE it as much as I do, please vote for her blog here.  She is in the "running" with a bunch of other runner moms!)

I am currently working on building my base and increasing my fitness.  I need to get back in the swing of things.  Once my second job is over, I will be able to be active in the local running group.  I look forward to having more time and meeting some cool runners in my area!!

I hope you all are well and I can't wait to catch up on YOU!

How was your Memorial Day Weekend?  Mine was good!!  I went up to Maine for a night to hang out with my BFF and then I spent a great day with Jess, enjoying lunch on the water, shopping and laying at! 

Mallory