Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Well, Christmas is over and New Year's is on the horizon! :) We've been able to enjoy 5 different Christmas celebrations, with one more to come (my extended family, his extended family, my immediate family (two of them due to divorced parents), his immediate family, and our annual Christmas dinner with Bobbie and Gerard tonight).


We definitely had a very blessed Christmas, and I'm sure we will have a blessed New Year as well. I hope all of my blogger friends enjoyed their holiday as much as I did mine!


Look out for some new reviews and giveaways in the New Year!


Rose - I am mailing your Knuckle Lights today. The holidays got to me and I just couldn't get to the post office. Look for them soon!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Knuckle Lights WINNER!

Well, I have completely failed at blogging every day this month, but I have a winner for my Knuckle Lights giveaway.


Using www.random.org, I chose a random number between 2 and 86. I didn't use the number 1 because I commented first as a test. I also added five comments for someone who couldn't comment on my blog for some reason.


So, with that said, www.random.org chose the number...


19!!!


Congraulations to Rose from Hacker Half Marathon! You are the lucky winner of your own set of Knuckle Lights! Email me your mailing info at sheridunlee@bellsouth.net and I will get those out to you as soon as I can!

Friday, December 2, 2011

Already failing...

Ha! I've already failed at blogging everyday in December, and it's only the second day of December. Blahahaha! I promise I'll do better. I didn't get home until 9:00 last night and had a 5:20 run this morning, so sleep was at the top of my list.



Anyhoo...it's not been a good week for running. I've run a total of 7 miles, 7! That's not typically normal for me, but I'll make the excuse of this: I'm running a half next weekend, so I need to be fresh! Right? Right!


My subject today are the new hats I got today! I'm so excited! I got them from the local bike store, Danville Bike and Footwear. You can visit their site HERE. The hats I bought are the Saucony Drylete Skull Cap, with a ponytail hole! I haven't gotten to wear it, but I love skull caps, so I'm excited about it and will let you know how it is! I got the one in the picture below, and a lime green one!

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Beginning December With Knee Pain...and a question!!! HELP!

Well, tomorrow is the start of a new month and my goal is to post on my blog everyday, even if it's just a small thought.


This morning during boot camp, we were doing sideways squat jumps (if that makes any sense to anyone). For some reason, probably because I'm doing them wrong, my knee is always tender after we do these. Well, my plan was to do boot camp this morning and run five miles tonight. But, if I've learned anything while becoming a runner, it's that you have to listen to your body. My knee has been a little more than tender today, almost to the point of needing ice and no walking. It just feels like I 'tweeked' it the wrong way this morning, so I opted not to run tonight. I will get up at 4:00 and try it again in the morning. :)


Why does this knee pain bother me? I am running the Santa Hustle Half Marathon on December 11th in Sevierville, TN. Scared that this could be a problem? YES! If you know me, I always want to beat myself if I'm capable and I don't know how this knee issue will factor into that.


Now for the question: How do you gauge whether a pain is just a pain or an injury? Any suggestions would be helpful...

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Giving Thanks!


Before I get started, don't forget to enter my Knuckle Lights giveaway HERE!




Now that the Thanksgiving season is upon us, I thought I'd take a moment to give thanks for all the wonderful things and people in my life.


1. First and foremost, my God. Without Him, life would be so different. I thank God daily for all the wonderful things in my life.


2. My husband. My Jeremiah is a dream come true and makes each day worth waking up. When I've had a bad day, all I have to do is come home and I'm brought to stomach-aching laughter because I have the funniest husband in the world. He has made my life complete!


3. My wonderful family (mine and my in-laws). I have the best parents and step-parent that anyone could ask for. On that note, I have the MOST AWESOME big sister in the world! (That's us in the picture.) We have so much fun together. We can have a conversation in a room full of people and be the only two people laughing. We also have our own secret language in which we talk when we don't want anyone to know what we're talking about. She also gave me the best niece (Gracie) and nephew (Seth) that I could have every asked for. Not to mention, a pretty cool brother-in-law. I also have a fabulous set of in-laws. They have taken me in like I'm one of their own and I will be forever thankful for that.


4. My friends. I have some great friends, near and far. I have my Cole, who has been with me through the long haul. We can go a month without having a conversation, and just fall into our old friend habits. We've been together since middle school. Love her so much! Then there's Erin. Erin and I became college roommates when we were freshmen in college. At first, I didn't think that (neither did she) we would ever be close friends. But, God has a funny way of working things out. Now she's one of my best friends and married to one of my best buds as well. I was in her wedding and she was in mine. How's that for not thinking we would be good friends? My running buddy, Bobbie (and all of the other running pals out there). We began running together and have fallen into a habit that's hard to break and one that doesn't need to be broken. We've gotten to the point where it hurts to run a race without the other. That's friendship. My school friends (old and new). I just started a job at a new school, so I had to leave my friends behind. But, the good thing is, I still get to see them and spend time with them. We get together once a month to make sure we don't lose touch. And last but not least, all my other friends out there, thank you for being you! (That means you KWOWW! )


5. A warm and wonderful home, with a puppy who loves me. I love my house and everything about it. And I love the wagging tail that meets me at the door! I'm thankful for a warm home where I can build a family with my husband!


6. RUNNING! (Should probably rank higher, but other stuff comes first!) Running is sometimes my sanity. On days when I feel things can't get worse, going for a run makes me realize that it could be so much worse than it is. At least my legs can carry me on a run where I can clear my mind and spend some time with myself or with a good friend.


7. My job and my husband's job. In today's economy, there are so many people who are out of work, and I am so thankful that we aren't those people. We may complain about money sometimes, but we have to remember that at least we have jobs that pay us money. Others aren't so fortunate.


8. My health and the health of others. I'm thankful that I am healthy enough to lead the life I want to to lead. I'm also thankful for the health of my family and loved ones. Also, for the individuals who choose to go into the healthcare profession so that we can stay healthy, even when we are sick.


9. I am also thankful to live in a wonderful community where "everybody knows your name" (insert Cheers! music here). Not quite that small, but small enough to be able to get anywhere within ten minutes and where you can see someone you know while running down Main Street. I love Danville!

10. And last, but definitely not least, I am thankful that I have the life I have. I don't get myself down about things very often, but when I do, I just have to remember that it could be so much worse than it is. I count my blessings daily and always try to remember how great life is!


Have a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Monday, November 21, 2011

Knuckle Lights GIVEAWAY!

Well, I know it been awhile, but I'm back! And...it's time for a GIVEAWAY!

Back in October, myself and 11 other ladies ran in the Bourbon Chase, a 200 mile relay race across the great state of Kentucky. We were divided up into 2 vans, handing the baton after each run. Needless to say, everyone had at least one leg of running that was run in the dead of night. So, I thought this would be the perfect time to try out my new toy, Knuckle Lights.


Knuckle Lights are worn on your knuckle, during night hours, to help you see while running at night. If you're like me, sometimes you can't hit the pavement until after sundown, so Knuckle Lights are perfect. They strap to your hands and weigh only ounces. You would think that while you're running, the light would bounce around, but they don't. They each have 4 LED lights in them and run on AAA batteries. The 4 LED lights produce a wide beam versus a spotlight, so bouncing is to a minimum. I have run with them several times and LOVE THEM! They are very handy for being able to see potholes and changes in the road. Being someone that's fallen before while running, something like Knuckle Lights could save you from falling or worse. The picture below isn't a great pic, but you can see how they fit on my hands and you can see how bright the lights are on the ground so that I could see out in front of me.



You could win your own pair of Knuckle Lights! You may enter the giveaway by receiving one entry for each one of the following criteria:


1. Be a follower of my blog and leave a comment telling me that you are.


2. Post my giveaway on Facebook.


3. Visit the Knuckle Lights website HERE and tell me one fact that you learned about them.


4. Tell me which color of Knuckle Lights you like the best.


5. Like the Knuckle Lights Facebook page HERE and post a comment.


5. Post my giveaway on your blog.


This giveaway will end on Thursday, December 1st at 11:59 p.m. A winner will be chosen using http://www.random.org/ and will be announced on Friday, December 2nd.






Monday, November 14, 2011

Monday Meanings...

Hello all! Just a few thoughts for Monday...


1. I ran the Louisville Sports Commission 1/2 Marathon this past Saturday, WITH STREP THROAT! I mean, who wants to waste that money? I had been on 24 hours of antibiotics, so I felt pretty good until mile 9, then I started to chill, so played it safe and slowed down. Finish time to come in the race recap!


2. I love Sundays! Not only is it a day off of work, but Sunday means FOOTBALL! If the television is on anything other than football on Sundays, then no teams are playing that we see worthy of watching. The best by far? GO STEELERS!


3. When you take six weeks off from boot camp and then go back, it's like you never did it to begin with! My arms are killing me and I've been wearing my compression sleeves all day long!


4. I'm semi-obsessed with GLEE! I have all the CD's to listen to in the car, I am up to date on current episodes, and am currently re-watching the first two seasons. Needless to say, I am the full definition of a GLEEK!

5. Last but not least, I love and cherish my wonderful husband! Even when our world are crazy, he is always there and is always supportive. He is the best husband and the best friend that a girl could ask for!






Sunday, November 6, 2011

Today's Top Ten List...

Top Ten Reasons Why Today's 12 Miler was an EPIC FAIL...


10. It turned into a 10 miler (reason coming).


9. I hadn't had anything to eat except for a cup of coffee...STUPID!


8. I put on WAY too much clothing.


7. I was burning up, but had the chills the entire time.


6. I had to stop several times due to feeling like I was going to be sick.


5. I stopped on Bluegrass Pike to watch two cows fighting with one another. HILARIOUS!


4. The smell of the BBQ Festival on Main Street was a little distracting.


3. I didn't drop any water and didn't wear my belt.


2. I didn't keep the pace I wanted.


And the number one reason why my 12 miler was an EPIC FAIL is...


1. The reason my 12 miler became a 10 miler - I refused to battle the ten vultures in the middle of the road, so I turned around and ran back to my car. I could just see them eating me alive! :)


You know...I'm glad I have positive outlook though. I'm running the LSC Half Marathon next weekend, so since this run was such a letdown, that means next weekend will be GREAT! Chalk it up and move on to the next one!

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Back to Blogging with a Race Update! A BIG ONE!

You know how they say, "the third time is a charm"? Well, I think they may be right. I just completed my 4th mini marathon, the Iron Horse Half Marathon in Midway, Kentucky. Now, it was my fourth half marathon, but it was the 3rd half marathon where my goal was to finish sub 2 hours. And, I DID! Barely, with a 1:59:48, but it's still under 2 hours.



My favorite part of this race? My SHIRT! My birthday was the week before and my 'sole sister', Bobbie, got me the most awesome shirt to wear for the race. If you know my personality, then you completely understand why she just had to buy me this shirt. (If you look closely enough, you can see a little piece of paper pinned to my bib. That's me, always keeping pace times!)


I wasn't sure what to expect from this race mainly because I didn't train the way I would have liked to train, but sometimes what we would like to do isn't always the best way. The course was a rolling course that was out and back both ways. I absolutely loved the fact that I was being cheered on the whole course. There was always someone coming my direction cheering me on. And I loved cheering on the runners coming the opposite direction as well.


This course also solidified why I love the state of Kentucky. The race was in one of the most beautiful counties in Kentucky, Woodford County. Miles and miles of rolling hills with beautiful farms, horses for days, and grass that is the most beautiful shade of blue when the wind blows.


Getting ready to cross the finish line, still looking at my watch...always pacing.




Here we are, post race, with Mark and Jeff, two other Danville runners.


This will definitely be a race that I run again and again. I highly recommend running this race if you are ever in the central Kentucky area around October. By far, the best half marathon I've ever run! :)

Lucy Activewear has a birthday!

Lucy Activewear (http://www.lucy.com/) has a birthday today. They are twelve years old today and everything in their stores and on their website is 25% off, today only!!! Go over to their website and shop around...they have some really cute stuff for all activities!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Help...please!

I posted a question at the end of my last post and didn't receive any comments :). So, I'm posting my question again and would really love any suggestions you can give...



I really want to finish my next mini in under 2 hours. My last one was 2:01:31. I know the pace I need to keep is 9:09 or below. Any suggestions on how to do this, whether it be keeping the same pace the entire race or using negative splits?


All suggestions are welcome!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Update and a question...

Why am I a joke? Well, simply put, I've let my blogging fall by the wayside while I started a new job. But, the job is settling down some, so I will start blogging more.



Just an update: Ran a 15K this past Saturday. I really wanted to be able to finish at a 9:09 pace so that I know I can finish my next mini marathon in under 2 hours, but it didn't happen. At about mile 6 1/2, both of my Achilles started to ache, so I had to slow down tremendously. I REALLY NEED NEW SHOES! I will be purchasing them this week. I finished at a 9:23 pace, which ticks me off because I kept below race pace for the first six miles and then let it fall that much. UGH! The funny thing is that I'm not usually one to let things like this bother me. I usually just chalk it up as a bad run and move on, but not this time. I literally haven't stopped thinking about it since the finish.



Question: I finished my last mini with a 9:14 pace. I really want to finish this one at 9:09 or less, preferably below 9:00. Any suggestions on a pace scale that includes negative splits instead of keeping the same pace the entire race?

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

A Few Race Recaps in One! On the road to becoming a better blogger...





Well, it's been awhile. I've been directing the music for a stage production of Oklahoma!, so it's been hard to keep up with blogging, friends, etc. for the past couple of months. So, I haven't been doing my race updates like I should be, so I'm going to catch you up to speed in one post...how about that?




Let's see...


1. Jennie Carol's Memorial Mother's Day 5K - this race is in memory of a dear friend of mine, Jennie Tarter. We taught together and I taught both of her young boys. After completing her second mini marathon, Jennie had a terrible accident while eating dinner, got choked, and was without oxygen for long enough to lose her life. She was a fabulous person and now we run to honor her. This was my first race after the marathon, so I wasn't sure what to expect. But, I PR'ed!!! 26:03 was my time!





2. Next came the Haggin Memorial Hospital 5K at Shakertown. For this race, it always pours buckets of rain! As expected, it did! I don't even remember what my time was for this race. I'm sure it's on my sidebar, but I don't feel like looking. The great thing about this race? It was my brother-in-law's first race and he did great! That's him in the picture below.




3. Then came the Wellness Center 10K. I can't remember what happened that morning, but I showed up in a bad mood. So, I went out, ran 6.2 miles, and was happy with whatever time I got. I know I came in under 56 minutes which means a 5 minute improvement over last year's time. YAY!




4. After that was the Pregnancy Resource Center 5K, which is held in Millennium Park. I loathe running in the park! But, much to my surprise, I did pretty well. I got a new PR! 25:36!!! Not to mention, I got 1st in my age group, Bobbie got 2nd, and Katrina got 3rd! Talk about rocking an age group!!





5. The next race was the Beef Festival Stampede. I had never run this race before, so I was a little worried about the hills, but it didn't turn out to be as bad as I thought it would be. So, I was pretty pleased and only missed my PR by a few seconds, 25:41. By the way, the picture below is of myself and my running buddy, Bobbie. I have to say, I absolutely LOVE this picture!



6. Then, the Run for the Brass. Millennium Park, once again. My time was 25:59 this time. You can tell by my face in the picture that I'm trying to get to the line in under 26 minutes. Ha!





I have another race to recap, but don't have the pics yet. Now that the play is over, I promise I will back to my normal blogging self! Thanks for following my journey! :)


Monday, June 20, 2011

Monday...

Just a few thoughts for Monday...


1. I got a new job! I officially have my first job as a guidance counselor at a middle school in the school system in which I already teach! :) I am nervous, but so very excited about this new venture in life. GO BULLDOGS!


2. I am competing in my second duathlon on Sunday to benefit the Markey Cancer Center in Lexington, Kentucky. I have been riding my bike a lot lately, so I feel ready for it. The bike is in the shop getting a tune-up as we speak. The only part that worries me, and always does, is the run after the bike. Jello legs!


3. I miss my runniing buddy! Right now, I'm teaching in the morning, getting into a new job, in a play that rehearses several nights a week, among other things. What does this mean? Not much time to run with my girl, Bobbie. I'm having withdrawals!!!


4. I recently invested in a semi-minimal shoe, the Brooks Green Silence. Can we say AWESOME? I absolutely love them! They look and feel fabulous, and they really do make me feel faster!


5. I promise to be a better blogger. Sometimes life gets in the way, but I promise I will be reading and commenting more!

Monday, June 6, 2011

FIRST Marathon Report - Better Late Than Never!



Well, I ran my first marathon on May 1, 2011. I know this post is over a month late, but when you're a teacher, May is a busy month! So, without anymore waiting, here it is.

My running buddy, Bobbie, and I decided we wanted to do the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. We gave ourselves plenty of time to train for it, but of course, things don't always go as planned. On April 3, we ran a half marathon in which we both set a personal record. The very next day, I was hospitalized for a fever of 105 and seizures for which there were no answer. It ended up that I had strep, but was showing no symptoms, which can apparently be pretty dangerous. So, due to the illness, I missed out on two weeks of training and never was able to complete a 22 mile long run.

But, the show must go on. We left on Saturday afternoon in plenty of time to be able to spend some serious time at the expo. But, once again, there was obviously another plan. We got stuck in horrible traffic about 20 miles outside of Cincinnati. What should have taken us 20 minutes, took 2 hours. We were able to spend about an hour at the expo.

Upon waking on marathon day, the rain was falling and we had a walk of about one mile to get to the start line. It wasn't raining hard, just little drizzle. Here is a picture of us walking to the start line.




We found our corral and awaited our turn. We started the race and I felt pretty good. I knew going in that I wasn't going to do as well as I had originally planned, due to the fact that I missed out on some serious training. But, when I felt pretty good the first 9 miles, I thought that maybe I could meet my goal of finishing in under 5 hours.


We were originally told that as long as we trained on Bluegrass Pike in our hometown, that we would be able to handle the hills of Cincinnati. Well, that was a lie! :) No hills that I've ever run will ever compare to the hills that I ran while running in downtown Cincinnati and through Eden Park. Whew!


The worst part of the race for me? At about mile 4, we crossed a bridge from Ohio into Kentucky. As we were crossing the bridge, I felt nauseous. I am not one to feel this way while running, so I was a little concerned given that I hadn't been feeling very well the weeks before the race. I looked around and realized that it wasn't nausea. The bridge was bouncing up and down! Yes, you read that right. The bridge was bouncing up and down from all the runners. A little scary if you ask me.


One of the things that I loved about the race was the fact that our names were printed on our bibs. So, as we are running through the streets of Cincinnati, there are tons of people cheering for you, even though they don't know you. This definitely kept my spirits up when I began to hit that wall at about mile 11.



Crossing the finish line!


I reached the halfway point at 2:20:46, which is faster than the first half marathon I ever ran, so I'm okay with that. I crossed the finish line at 4:55:15! Almost five minutes under my goal of 5 hours. Not only did I finish, but I finished in my goal time. Will I ever run another marathon? SURE! If you asked me that when I crossed the finish line, I had a different answer. I will never run the Flying Pig again, but given a course that has less hills, I might see another marathon in my future!


Monday, May 23, 2011

I Promise...

Geez...it's been awhile! I haven't even done my marathon post yet, but I promise to have it up by the end of the week. You see, I'm a teacher, and the end of the school year is VERY hectic for me. So, blogging has kind of fallen by the wayside until things settle down at school.


I promise...I will have my marathon post by the end of the week!

Monday, April 25, 2011

CEP Compression Socks Winner!

And the winner, as chosen by www.random.org, is...


PAULA


from Running Mom of 5!


Congratulations Paula!


E-mail me at sheridunlee@bellsouth.net and I will get you the details!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

CEP Compression Socks Review and GIVEAWAY!


I can't count on my fingers and toes how many times I've contacted companies about sending me some CEP Compression socks to try out and review. Well, a friend of mine gave me a direct email address to Jamie. Jamie jumped right on board to send me a pair of socks to try out and review. A lot of women runners that I know are obsessed with hot pink. Well, I think I am becoming obsessed with lime green, so I chose the lime green ones.



A little bit about the CEP brand...


CEP (Compete, Endure, Perform) Prevents...


-shin splints, cramps, Achilles issues, fatigue, micro muscle tears, vibration trauma, blisters, and blood clots from travel


The science behind the CEP brand...


-they help to have arteries with a normal blood flow


-they extend your arteries, thus improving blood flow


-they provide increased arterial blood circulation by 30% while resting and 40% during physical activity


My reasons for using the CEP socks? Well, I have wanted a pair for a very long time because long runs have been a part of my routine for some time now. My goal at first was to use them strictly for recovery after my long runs. I had no intention of wearing them during my long runs. For the longest time, I wore those white 'old lady' socks for recovery until I received my socks from CEP.


Well, we all have goals and goals change. I started out using them for recovery only and they helped. They didn't just help! They shortened recovery time after a long run tremendously. Now, I can't them in the washer and dryer fast enough! I bet I wash them three times a week! :) As for how my goals changed, I decided to wear them on the day we ran our 19 mile run. It was chilly outside, but I am hot natured, so I felt it wasn't cold enough for pants. So, I wore capris with my lime green CEP socks! What a fashion statement! But, needless to say, my CEP socks will be worn during all long runs from here on out, unless it's sweltering hot outside. I love them, love them, love them! I love them so much that I made them a part of my half marathon outfit last weekend. They matched perfectly! I even got some press on Facebook HERE for my outfit!


So, whoever is the lucky winner of these socks, I wish I were you!


Ways to enter (leave a separate comment for each):


1. MANDATORY: Become a follower of my blog or let me know if you already are.


2. MANDATORY: Visit the CEP website HERE and tell me one thing you learned about CEP compression.


3. MANDATORY: Like CEP on Facebook HERE


4. MANDATORY: Follow the CEP blog HERE


5. Post this giveaway to your Facebook.


6. Post this giveaway to your blog.


This giveaway will end on Sunday, April 24th @ 11:59 p.m. EST. Good Luck!

P.S. - If you are interested in purchasing a pair of CEP compression socks, go to www.sportscompression.com and use the code BLOG15 to get 15% off your order.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Run the Bluegrass Half Marathon Report and some hospitalization...what a combo!


Well, this past weekend, we ran the Run the Bluegrass 1/2 Marathon in Lexington, Kentucky. We ran this race last year, but it was under different management and the course was backwards. Last year, I can say, this race was an unorganized joke. This year, the race was fabulous. I love it when races are locally organized! It makes them so much more fun and personal. Well, here was my race outfit. The 3 Way Racing people (who timed the race) actually took a picture of my outfit and put it on their Facebook page HERE. They loved my color combo! I didn't even know they took the pic until they posted it on Facebook.


The day was beautiful. There were wind advisories, but not until late afternoon. So, that left us plenty of time to finish the race and not have to deal with the wind. The race started in the Kentucky Horse Park (which is beautiful), then onto Ironworks Pike, Newtown Pike, then through the Fasig-Tipton Horse Farm (also beautiful), and back to the Horse Park. Absolutely beautiful run! With lots and lots of hills! But, I've come to realize, I love hills! Call me crazy, but I like it when the course changes.


In my mind, I wanted to finish in under 2:06:00, but it would be golden if I could finish in under 2:00:00. The wind was blowing a little bit more than expected, so we had that to fight against. Bobbie stayed ahead of me until about mile 3-4 where I met up with her at a water stop and we stayed together for the next 3 or so miles. She stopped to take a potty break, but I kept going. If I had stopped, I think I would have had a big DNF next to my name in the results list.



I came really close to finishing sub 2 hours, but didn't quite make it. I finished in 2:01:31, which is a PR for me, so that rocks! Also, I would later find out that my body was probably fighting a pretty serious illness, even though I wasn't showing symptoms at the time of the race, so to PR was fabulous.


Monday, I woke up achy and feverish. I dealt with it all day and thought if I still felt that way on Tuesday, I would go to the doctor. Well, I fell asleep on the couch that night. Around 1:00, my husband woke me up to get me in the bed. As I walked down the hallway, he went to turn off the light in the kitchen. When he turned around, I apparently was on the ground having a seizure. Not the shaking kind, the eyes fixated kind. He finally got me to come to, and I headed toward the bathroom. I had two more seizures before making it to the bathroom. Needless to say, he rushed me to the ER, where I had another seizure. They admitted me that night.


At times, my fever spiked to almost 104 degrees, which is very abnormal for an adult. I had several tests the next day and my fever remained high. All tests were normal, so my doctor decided it must be something viral. So, they sent me home. When I woke up yesterday, my throat and ears were killing me. I went to my doctor with a fever of 103. She looked in my throat and said "Oh goodness, get a strep test." It came back positive in about 3 minutes. So, the seizures were most likely a side effect of the high fever and my body was probably already fighting the strep when I ran the 1/2. So, I'll take 2:01:31!

Monday, April 4, 2011

iFitness Running Belt WINNER!

There were an amazing 101 entries into this giveaway. The winner was chosen using www.random.org. And the winner is...


#61

Penny from Pink Hat Runner!

Congratulations Penny!

Email me your shipping info at sheridunlee@bellsouth.net and I will have them ship it right out to you!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

iFitness Ultimate Running Belt Review and Giveaway


Recently, I was given the chance to try and review the Ultimate Running Belt from iFitness. I have a belt already (won't tell which) and a hydration belt, so I was curious to see how this belt compared. As you can see from the picture, it has a flat panel behind the pouch and the gel holders. This flat panel helps to keep it stationary while you move. I love this about this belt! My SpiBelt always seems to slip or turn. My hydration belt is only for long runs, and I really don't like the extra weight. So, this one seemed a happy medium!

As you can see from the picture above, it has a pretty good sized pocket. I have had my cell phone, car keys, lip balm, toilet paper :), and a package of Clif shots in the pocket all at once, and it wasn't even full! I could have fit a few more things in there.

I love the gel holders also. On my other belt, I had to store them in the pouch. The pouch would get all nasty on the inside and I would have to fool with the zipper everytime I needed a gel or wanted to put an empty gel back in the pouch. With my hydration belt, I would open an empty bottle and put the gel packets in there. Too much energy! By doing those things, I was wasting energy I could have been using to finish my run.

All in all, I absolutely LOVE this belt! Of all 3 of my belts, this one is my definite favorite! This belt will be the belt that I will be wearing on May 1st when I tackly my first full marathon! :)

Now, onto the giveaway! One lucky reader will have the pleasure of winning a belt just like mine! There are several ways to get entries (leave a separate comment for each):

1. MANDATORY: Become a follower of my blog or let me know if you already are.

2. MANDATORY: Visit the iFitness website HERE and let me know the belt you would choose if you could have any of them.

3. Become a follower of iFitness on Facebook HERE and let them know I sent you.

4. Post this giveaway to your Facebook.

5. Post this giveaway to your blog.

Good Luck! The giveaway will end on Sunday, April 3rd at 11:59 p.m.

Marathon Training Update - Pretty Good Week!

Even though I ended up being about 1.3 miles short on my mileage this week, it was still a pretty good week for running. This week, we had a 5, 8, 5, and 19 for the long run. My week looked like this...

4 miles - 39:11 (9:48 pace)
6.15 miles - 57:44 (9:23 pace)
1.7 miles - 15:15 (8:57 pace)
3.3 miles - on the mill, not sure what my time and pace were
19 miles - 3:09:57 (10:00 pace; flat!)

It was such a busy week that there was not way I was going to get all of my weekly runs in without splitting them up a little, and I still didn't get them all in. But, this is the very first week since the end of December that I have skimped on mileage. Actually, I'm usually over a litte due to boot camp, so it evens itself out, right?

I felt pretty good on all of my during the week runs, and I know Bobbie had some fabulous runs during the week, including two 1st place medals in her age group for some St. Patty's Day races. Way to go Bobbie!
As for the 19 miler, I am very happy about the way it turned out. I hadn't run since Friday morning, so my legs were extra fresh when we set out Sunday morning. We began at the Wellness Center and ran 6 miles through downtown Danville, with a potty stop at Super America. When we returned to the car, we dropped off our jackets, GUed, and took off for the other 13 miles.
We completed the last 13 on Bluegrass Pike, a road famous for it's rolling hills. We are training here because we've heard that there is not better way to prepare us for the hills we will encounter in the Flying Pig!

My goal is to finish the marathon in under 5 hours. I finished 19 miles keeping 10 minute per mile pace, which is well under 5 hours for a full marathon. If I keep a 10 minute pace during the marathon, I can finish in 4 hours and 22 minutes. We'll see!!!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Marathon Training Update...and some advice needed!

Well, another week down, just a few more to go. Our schedule this week looked like this...


5 miles - 48:38
8 miles - 1:18:20
5 miles - 45:00
Shamrock Shuffle 3K - 15:52
17 miles - 2:56:27 (10:23 pace)


All of my runs this week went pretty well, and I'm positive that Bobbie's did as well. We were able to do our 8 mile run together this past week and our 17 miles. We always do our long run together. My first 5 miler was okay, but my mind was preoccupied. I left from school because I had to be back for a meeting, so I was kind of worried about getting back on time.

My second 5 miler was awesome! I kept a 9:00/mile pace the entire run. I started at the Wellness Center, ran 2.5 to the hospital to visit a friend who just had a baby, and ran the other 2.5 back to the Wellness Center.

As for the 17, rough! We had both run on Friday and Saturday, so doing 17 on Sunday was a little much. But, we made it and still stayed under our target time for the marathon.

Now for the advice. Please help!

I am such a busy person. When is it okay to skimp on miles? I haven't skimped yet, but I'm afraid I might have to this week. Skimp on the short runs or the long run?

Monday, March 14, 2011

Brooks Apparel Review...AWESOME!




Don't you love my new outfit? You can't see the entire thing in the pic, I just wanted you to see the outfit in action! I wore it this past weekend during a race, and love it! Tiffany over at Brooks sent me an EZ Run T, a pair of Epiphany shorts, and an Essential Run Long Sleeved 1/2 Zip Pullover.








I can say that I absolutely love everything about my new outfit! The shorts and the shirt are both very breathable. They are both made from moisture wicking material and are very lightweight, which I love. I sweat, A LOT! I have to have material that is breathable. For example, I found a running skirt the other day that was reasonably priced, but I couldn't but it due to the fact that it was 100% cotton. No can do!!


Also, the shirt and shorts match! I'm not one of those runners who tries to match every outfit I wear. So, it was nice to have an outfit already put together for me. The shirt is super cute and the shorts are as well. The short have a brief on the interior that is super light and a hidden pocket on the inside which is perfect for a key or an energy gel.


My favorite part of the outfit? The pullover! The pullover that Tiffany sent me is black with silver, reflective lettering on it. I love the fact that it has reflective pieces on it. I'm not very comfortable with running in the dark by myself unless I have something reflective on. I also love the fact that it has THUMB HOLES! I love thumb holes! My hands tend to get too hot in gloves and I usually end up carrying them, so a shirt with thumb holes is a great compromise between gloves and no gloves. Also, it has a fabulous pocket on the left side where my keyless entry to my car and my cell phone (my husband asks that I carry i,t just in case) fit perfectly. The pullover is also made of a lightweight, wicking material. This is perfect for Kentucky weather right now. It's not cold here, but it's not hot either. For a morning run, you need something light, but breathable!


A huge THANK YOU to Tiffany over at Brooks! I really appreciate you letting me try out and review your apparel! :) Happy Running!

Acoustibuds WINNERS!

Here goes! The first winner of the Acoustibuds and Acoustigrips is...#27

DeAnne from Running Mommy of 3!


And the second winner is...#25


Courtney from I Can Do This!



Congratulations Ladies! You need to choose between black or white. E-mail me your color choice and your mailing address at sheridunlee@bellsouth.net and I will have those mailed to you! If I don't hear form you by Wednesday, March 16th, I will draw for a new winner. Thanks!





Saturday, March 12, 2011

Shamrock Shuffle 3K Race Recap


Well, I have to say, I've never seen so many costumes in my entire life! WOW! People really get fired up for St. Patty's Day, don't they?



Today was my first 3K race ever! So, what does that automatically mean? PR, baby! I do have to say, it was a fun race. And...it's always fun hanging out with the girls! :)


We got to Lexington and the wind was outrageous, but the sun was warm! Everyone did great. Bobbie and I stayed together the entire race and finished 12th and 13th in our age group, which is good considering how many people run this race. Our time was around 15:52, according to our chips. Katrina and Angie stayed together and finished together also, with Melinda just a little ways behind. And of course...Ruby was there snapping pictures! All in all, a good run! Not to mention, Bob Evans afterwards...yum! :)

Monday, March 7, 2011

Another week finished - 16 mile run was FABULOUS!

Well, another week of marathon training finished! This week we had 4, 7, 4, and our long run was 16 miles. Bobbie and I ran our two 4 milers alone, and then ran our 7 miler together. All of my weekly runs went pretty well. Bobbie's went well also, with the exception of some leg pain she's been having. It starts down by her foot and shoots up the front of her leg, kind of like a shin splint.


So, with her leg, I was a little worried about her for our 16 miler on Saturday. Well, we woke up Saturday and the rain was pouring. Run postponed until Sunday! :) It was supposed to be quite a bit colder on Sunday, but we would rather run in the cold than in the rain. Don't get us wrong, we are crazy...we will run in anything. But, if we can help it, we'd rather not run in the rain for 16 miles. So, Sunday it was!


We set out with water belts and 3 GU's a piece. We stopped and had our GU's at 4 miles, 8 miles, and 12 miles. The weather wasn't the best, cold and windy. We'd make a turn and would feel no wind at all, then another turn, and the gusts would be ridiculous and cold. But, we made the best of it and the wind was at our backs for the second half of our run, so that was good.


Bobbie's leg didn't hurt her at all, HALLELUJAH! I didn't like the idea of an injury...don't think I could do this marathon without her! :) We are a team! By my Garmin, I kept a 10:03 pace for the entire 16 miles, which is well below the five hour finish we are hoping for. So, if we keep up the pace we are keeping, we will finish in well under 5 hours. YAY!


No one responded to my question from last week, so I'm going to repost. What do you do mentally to get through the long run?


Thanks for following our journey!


Don't forget my Acoustibuds GIVEAWAY...last day to enter is Sunday! CLICK HERE!

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Stylish Blogger Award - TWICE!



WOW! In the past three weeks, I have been awarded the Stylish Blogger Award not once, but TWICE! Since I never posted about it the first time, I'll give credit to both bloggers who honored me with the award. First, it was given to me by Bobbie at Journey in Running (click here for Bobbie's blog). Then, it was given to me by Kayla at Running Through Life (click here for Kayla's blog). Bobbie and I are running buddies, and Kayla gave me the award because we have the same blog name! :)

So, here's the deal. I have to share 7 things about myself, pass the award on to 5 other bloggers, and let them know that I've awarded them. So, here goes...

1. I am huge, make that HUGE, Pittsburgh Steelers fan! My Terrible Towel does more waving from my couch than half of the towels at the game! I can't honestly say what my favorite part of Steeler football is, but I can say that I think it's fabulous that they are one of the oldest and followed franchises, and they don't have cheerleaders! I love cheerleaders, don't get me wrong (I cheered in high school and college), but for a football team to not have cheerleaders, they shows that winning is the only thing that matters. My favorite people in Steeler football? Troy Polamalu, Mike Wallace, Heath Miller, Mike Tomlin, and Dick LeBeau.




2. I love my school friends! I work at an elementary school here in my hometown, and I have some awesome friends who work alongside me. They each have their own special personalities and quirks about them, and that's why I love them.


3. My husband has a first love, ME! But, he has a second love also. FISHING! He fishes whenever he can. Rain, snow, cold, heat, he loves to fish! I'm so glad that he has something that he loves the way I love running. Although we don't have the same hobby, it's nice that we both have a hobby at all.


4. I play the Appalachian dulcimer. If you don't know what that is, it's a zither (a string instruments that lies across your lap while you play it). Also, it's the official state instrument of the state of Kentucky. I began to play the dulcimer after seeing it at an arts training I attended several years ago. I just recently purchased my first handmade dulcimer from a man named Warren A. May in Berea, Kentucky.


5. I love to act! I am a thespian at a local theatre called West T. Hill Community Theatre. I have been in one musical ("Radio Gals"), two plays ("To Kill a Mockingbird" and "Our Leading Lady"), and have hopes of getting a role in "Oklahoma" this July.
6. I am a closet Justin Bieber fan! Being a music teacher, I know talent when I hear it. Now, with that said, get past the fact that all the teenage girls only like him because they think he's dreamy. Just listen to him...he's uber talented!

7. Last but not least, I have a niece and nephew who absolutely rock my world!



Now...who to choose...

My winners are...

1. Kris from Gotta Run

2. Charlie from Miles to Go

3. Ruby from My First

4. Karen from West T. Hill

5. The Green Girl at Journey of a Running Green Girl

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Acoustibuds Review and Giveaway



About a month ago, I was given the honor to try out Acoustibuds and Acoustigrips. Acoustibuds are earphone adaptors that are supposed to stay in better, sound better, and feel better. My earphones are constantly falling out of my ears, so I'm always looking for something to help them stay in my ears. I have a pair of Yurbuds, and I like them, but the smallest size they have is a 5, and I don't think they fit well enough.


So, to my first part of the review. The best thing about the Acoustibuds is that you get 3 sizes in a box to choose from. I tried the 5 first, since that was the size of my Yurbuds. They fell out of my ears. I then went to the 4, they fell out also. So, I went to the 6. PERFECT! When I tried the first two sizes and they didn't fit, I was a little worried. But, I've been wearing the 6 for about a month now, and I love them! I wore them just yesterday on a 14 mile run, and they stayed in the entire time. I never even had to fool with them. They rock!


Not to mention, the Acoustigrips! They grip to your headphone wires and then to your clothing, so that your wires aren't flapping in the wind! I absolutely adore them! I will never go back! They tackle the problem of wires getting in the way. I always run my wires up my shirt or up my back, and now I don't have to do that anymore.
Now, onto the giveaway! Rhonda at Acoustibuds, is letting me give away two pairs of Acoustibuds and Acoustigrips! FABULOUS!
Ways to enter (leave a separate comment for each):
1. MANDATORY: Like Acoustibuds on Facebook HERE and tell them Sheri from Running Through Life sent you.
2. MANDATORY: Visit the Acoustibud website HERE and tell me one thing you learned.
3. MANDATORY: Become a follower of my blog or let me know if you already are.
4. Post this giveaway to your Facebook.
5. Post this giveaway to you blog.
This giveaway will end on Sunday, March 13 @ 11:59 EST. Good Luck!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Marathon Training Week ??? Update

Is it bad that I don't even know how many weeks into marathon training we are? I think it's week 8 or week 9. (Bobbie, help me remember!)


Anyway, it was supposed to look like this...
Monday - 4 miles
Tuesday - rest
Wednesday - 6 miles
Thursday - rest
Friday - 4 miles
Saturday - 14 miles
I got all my mileage in, but it looked more like this...
Monday - 1.7 miles
Tuesday - 2.3 miles
Wednesday - 2.9 and 6.1 miles
Thursday - rest
Friday - 1 mile
Saturday - rest
Sunday - 14 miles


Not so bad, huh? All of my runs this week went pretty well. With the exception of the 14, I ran everything in under a 10 minute/per mile pace.

As for the 14 miles, Bobbie and I were a little worried about it, being that neither of us have ever run farther than a 1/2 marathon. So, even though it's only a 1 mile difference, sometimes that 1 mile can make or break you. Needless to say, we were a little scared.


But, we were pleasantly surprised. We both wore our hydration belts, both use 3 GU's, and both stopped at 7 miles to drink the water we dropped. I really have to watch myself when drinking water on the run, or else my belly will not be thanking me for it. The water starts to slosh around in my stomach and I start burping! :) So, I have to sip when I take a GU, and I made sure I did that on our 14. And...my belly felt fine! Not to mention that Bobbie didn't have to listen to my water sloshing around inside! :)


When we reached 7, we felt fabulous! I didn't want to say anything though. I didn't want to jinx us! So, I kept my mouth shut. When we started back, we had to stop once so that I could tinkle and once to pick up Bobbie's jacket that she unloaded.


All in all, a great run! Finished in about 2 hours and 24 minutes...kept a 10:16 pace!


I've figured out that in my mind, I can't think 14. I have to divide it up into smaller runs and pretend I'm starting all over again.


Copying off Bobbie and asking a question...


Anyone else have any secrets as how to keep up your endurance during the long run?

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

President's Day 5K Race Report


Well, Bobbie and I love races, so when a friend of her daughters called and told her about a race her KUNA club at her high school was having, she couldn't resist. So, off we went. We drove about 30 miles down the road to a town called Springfield, Kentucky. The race was at Washington County High School.

We arrive and sit in the warm car for quite some time. Well, I think I sat in the car longer than everyone else. All around, there were costumes of all types. Let's see...Abraham Lincoln, the Statue of Liberty, 80's chic, World War I costumes, etc. They were adorable!

Bobbie and I knew we had a 12 mile run that we had to get in that day for our marathon training, so our plan was to take it easy on the 5K. But, we all know how that goes, especially when you're racing! :) Neither one of us took it easy, especially considering the 2nd half of the race was ALL UPHILL! And when I say uphill, I mean hills that lasted for 3/4 of a mile and felt like they were never going to end. But, we both made it. I was the 3rd female through the finish chutes and Bobbie was the 4th. We placed 1st and 2nd in our age groups! Way to go us!
Rolling on toward the finish line!


Bobbie crossing the finish line!


Sometimes we feel like we might, kind of, sort of...be a big deal! :) (Just kidding!) And yes, we do have on the same shirts! We plan on dressing alike quite often.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Heart, Glove, and Sole 5K Race Recap

The Heart, Glove, and Sole 5K Race was held at Coldstream Park in Lexington, Kentucky and was put in place to benefit diabetes, which is a very serious disease, even though some people don't think it's that serious. I have three students at school who are Type I diabetic and can assure you that it's a serious disease.
Onto the race! Well, it was cold, very cold. But, we never let weather stop us! So, we were off. One thing that can kill me in a race is starting too fast. And EVERYONE started too fast. I looked down at my watch and my average was at 6:35 per mile, which is way too fast for me. So, even though there was a man in front of me that I knew I could come through the finish chutes before, I made myself slow down. I knew he had started too fast also, so that meant he would lose his steam before the end of the race.
After slowing down, I kept about an 8:30 pace and caught up with the man around 1.5 miles, passed him, and never saw him again. If that doesn't show me that pacing myself isn't important, I don't know what will. I also caught up with my running buddy, Bobbie. When I got to her, she was walking because she didn't feel very good to her stomach. I know that doesn't feel good, but she still finished with a 26 minute time, so that's awesome! Also, Katrina, Angie, and Melinda all had great finishing times as well. We all started the year off great! I crossed the finish line at 26:36 by my Garmin. Pretty good time for the first race of the year, considering my PR is 26:23.
I finished with a ribbon. I got 3rd in my age group! Great way to start the year! Hopefully, I will set a new PR this year!
Don't forget my Fit Chic Headband giveaway. Today is the last day to enter. CLICK HERE!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Another Training Week - CHECK!


Well, the mileage was supposed to be 4, 5, 4, and 11. I figure as long as we stick to it most of the time and don't cheat on the long runs, we are doing pretty good. I did 2 at boot camp on Monday, 4 on the treadmill, 4 more on the treadmill, and 3.1 in a 5K race on Saturday. As far as I can tell, this is the correct mileage, just not in the right order and not in three runs. Oh well!


All of the shorter runs during the week were very pleasant runs. Still hate the treadmill, but I'm definitely getting faster on the treadmill. Boot camp is hard to stomach at 5:20 in the morning, but the speed work and the stronger core are definitely things I was lacking as a runner. It may be hard to get out of the bed in the mornings, but it is making me a better, more efficient runner.


Now, as for the 11 miler. Bobbie and I knew that after running a 26:36 5K on Saturday, we wouldn't be that swift for our 11 on Sunday. Our goal? To stay under an 11 minute mile for the entire length of the run. Did we meet that goal? YES! That's all that matters, right? I finished my 11 in 1 hour and 56 minutes flat. Not the best time in the world, but perfectly fine with me if I need to add 15 more miles onto that. It didn't help that the wind that morning was brutal. If I had been running on the treadmill, the wind would have been the equivalent of bumping the incline all the way up on the treadmill. Not to mention the hills on our course were ungodly!

But, all in all, a good run. The weather was fabulous, as you can tell in the pic. I didn't post all the pictures Bobbie took. You can see them here: Bobbie's Blog.
Don't forget my Fit Chic Headband Giveaway: ENTER HERE
Have a good rest of the week!


Friday, February 11, 2011

Fit Chic Headbands REVIEW and GIVEAWAY! You will love them!


Awhile back, I came across some headbands on Etsy. They are called Fit Chic Headbands. Their motto is "Look Fit and Fashionable While Working Up a Sweat". Julie started running after her son was diagnosed with autism. She started training for a race to raise money for the autism foundation in Tulsa, OK. As many of you know, insurance won't always pay for autism therapy, so Julie started making headbands to pay for her son's therapy. Her headbands are now in running stores in 3 states! They also have a fabulous website where you can view all they offer. CLICK HERE to visit the website!


Julie sent me six headbands and a pair of arm sleeves to match one of the headbands. I chose 3 headbands to keep and the arm sleeves. The other 3 are up for grabs in this giveaway.


First, let me tell you about them. Well, having short hair that won't make a ponytail, I have to have something to hold back my hair. I've always gone with Bondi Bands or Sweaty Bands, but when I saw how cute these were, I was so excited to try them! And...they are fabulous! They don't slip back off of my head, they don't roll up on the edges when they get sweaty, and they are the perfect thickness to cover my ears on a day when it's not quite cold enough for a hat. Not to mention, they are super CUTE!
And one of them has the arm sleeves to match! I've worn the arm sleeves on chilly runs, not quite chilly enough for a fleece, but chilly enough for long sleeves and the arm sleeves. They are super cute too!


Here is a picture of the headbands that are up for grabs!

Ways to get entries (leave a separate comment for each):


1. MANDATORY: Visit the Fit Chic website and tell me what you like.



2. MANDATORY: Visit the Nat'l Autism Association website HERE and comment with a fact you learned about autism.


3. MANDATORY: Become a follower of this blog or leave a comment if you already are.


4. Post this giveaway to your blog.


5. Post this giveaway to your Facebook.


This giveaway will end on Sunday, February 20, at 11:59 p.m. EST. GOOD LUCK!


Monday, February 7, 2011

Marathon Training Update

Well, another week finished! This week we had a 4, 5, and a 4, with our long run being 10 miles. I ended up doing one 4 miler, two 5 milers, and our long 10 miler. So, I ended up with an extra mile, not to mention the extra workout at boot camp 3 days a week.
I ran one of the 4's on the treadmill (37:33). Bobbie and I ran one of the 5's together (50:04). And I ran the other 5 on Friday at boot camp (48:21). Altogether, good short runs!
We had our long run planned for Saturday morning, but having run Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, we decided to give our legs a rest and go on Sunday instead. Absolutely fabulous idea!
It rained on an off all morning on Saturday, was about 29 degrees, and the wind was absolutely horrific! On Sunday for our 10 miler, it was 40 degrees with the sun shining every step of the way! :) We maintained a pretty steady pace throughout the entire run, stopping twice for water and GU. Our constant pace was 10:06 per mile, finishing at 1:41:00. To us, this is fabulous because our goal is to finish in under five hours. If we averaged an 11 minute mile for the entire marathon, we would finish in 4 hours and 47 minutes. This would definitely meet our goal!! Especially if we maintain 10:06 for 26.2!
So far, so good!!! Thanks for following our marathon journey!