Practice 10k + a giveaway- ENDED
Practice 10k COMPLETE!
(not pushing the jogging stroller, though. The Pilot walked with Liv since he has a PT test tomorrow and wanted to have fresh legs)
I wasn’t sure if I was actually going to do it, but my killer playlist got me through. Even with the steep Sabino incline and a walk break in the middle (and in the snow.. with 40 lbs of sand on my back.. haha), I managed to hit a post-baby PDR and finished the practice 10k in 58 minutes.
I really wanted my practice 10k to be at Sabino because of the incline. If I can bust an hour on this, then I can definitely do it for the race. I’m fortunate to have a baby who loves the jogging stroller, weather that’s getting much cooler, and many safe, beautiful places to run in Tucson. I feel like I have the Sabino main trail memorized because I’ve ran it so many times, but every time we go, I see something different. I’ll never take the beauty of Sabino Canyon for granted, and with all of the recent summer monsoons, everything is lush and green instead of brown and dried out.
I’ve been running with my new Garmin Forerunner 10, that the company kindly sent me to try out. I instantly noticed how LIGHT and small the new Forerunner is. It’s so much more compact than my 305 that I’d been using, which kind of looks like I can press a button and blast off, or like I have a small video game system attached to my wrist. The new Forerunner just looks like a small sporty watch, with all of the necessary functions for walking and jogging: satellite detection so it can tell you your pace and distance (even cheers you on when you set a new record!), estimate of calories burned, easy to pause and restart.
Here’s a video of the new Forerunner, which gives and idea of how user-friendly and small it is:
the fact that it comes in pink is a bonus, too 😉
I ran with my Forerunner as I have been, and loved the fact that I could quickly glance down and see how I was doing.
I knew I had to make it a little past 3 miles into the canyon, and the miles are clearly marked on large boulders. Every rock I saw in the distance, I would PRAY that it would say mile three and was discouraged quite a few times.
Finally.
I walked for a few minutes and flew back down -why is the way back so much easier?!
For the past couple of weeks, I’ve wondered if I’d be able to run the half marathon, despite my training time constraints. Every run solidifies the fact that I’d be mad at myself if I did it. I’d rather do the 10k and feel good about it, instead of be crawling across the half marathon finish line or picked up by the “slow truck.”
How’s that humble pie taste? Kinda like macaroon dough….
I made a batch to send to a reader as a thank-you gift, and wanted to share some with a lucky giveaway winner, too.
Garmin was so kind to offer a new Forerunner 10 -just released last week- to a lucky Fitnessista reader, and I’ll also send some chocolate macaroons.
**************This giveaway has ended! Thank you so much to everyone for entering, and congratulations to the winner:
Lauren, the Forerunner and macaroons winner:
| Ever since I started running races, my dad has been at every single one, no matter the weather or how it might inconvenience him. But every mile matters to me because my dad has stage 4 cancer, meaning he won’t go into remission. He probably won’t be there to walk me down the aisle. But when I run, whether it’s a tough hill on a training run or when I feel like giving up in a race, I think of him and know that no matter how much pain he’s in, he never complains, so there’s no reason for me to, either. I’m running my third half marathon in a month and every mile will be for him. |
And also congratulations to the second and third place winners, who will receive these awesome Garmin water bottles:
Amy
| Every mile matters to me because…
It means that I am healthy and that I can set an example for both girls and women in my community. A runner does not have to look a certain way, and in fact runners do not all fit that “runner” stereotype. I love racing because I get to continually challenge my own stereotypes about people and LOVE when an older woman passes me by. Also, I run so I can set an example for my students-create a goal and really go after it, learn to persevere. They know me as the running teacher. |
and
Vera
I have to be honest and say that since I have had my children ( Aria, 4 years and Jax, 7 months), I haven’t been into running very much. I always feel like it is too time consuming, and so I usually find myself doing a quick Zuzana workout, or another quick DVD I have at home that I can do in the evening once the kids are in bed. But lately, and especially since the weather is beginning to cool down, I would really love to get back into it. And I would love to show my daughter that being healthy and enjoying the outdoors are very important and enjoyable 
ps – Gina, I LOVE your blog. I am hooked. |
Please send me your shipping info so I can forward it to the Garmin fairy 🙂
Thank you again so much for the awesome entries! Stay tuned for more giveaways in the very near future.
xoxo
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Every mile matters to me because I’ve been sick for over a year. Some days it’s a struggle to just lace up my shoes, but when I have the energy to run, every mile is exhilarating. I love the way running makes me feel, just wish I could do more of it!
Every mile matters to me at the moment because I’m training for my first half marathon. I’ve come down with a case of the allergies in the past couple weeks so I’ve really had to listen to my body and give myself a break when I need to. I’ve had to learn to see how my body responds and really think about if I should run or just take a day off!
Every mile matters to me because I so appreciate what my body can accomplish for me on a daily basis. I feel exceedingly lucky that I am able-bodied, and can do what I love everyday.
Every mile matters to me because every mile I run makes me feel acomplished. Even if I had a bad day running a mile makes me feel good about myself and turns my day around. Running is like therapy to me and that’s why every mile counts.
Every mile, every step matters! A feeling of accomplishment and a satisfactional bliss over comes myself (or anyone) when a mile is done. The journey of a run has a life of its own. A run, a mile is composed of soo many steps, and the very first step is the most significant! When a mile is done, I know I can do more and more and keep on excelling forward. Which makes me a stronger person not only physically but mentally as well. I’ll say its all mentallity!! 😉
Theres so much potential one has which is usually underestimated. A complete mile, is a victory in its own 😉
“Every mile matters” doesn’t pertain to ‘running’ for me, it means that EVERY THING i do each day sets me up for either success or failure – it’s all about attitude! I hope every smile i give someone, every ‘thank you’ and every nice gesture makes someone’s day – and vice versa!
Love this giveaway:)
Every mile matters because even 1 mile is better than nothing at all!
Every mile matters because it is my “me time.” Every minute is as good for my soul as it is for my body 🙂
Every mile matters to me because each one reminds me that I am strong, fit, healthy and exactly where I need to be!
Every miles means I’m no longer the “fat and lazy kid” everyone thought I was in school. (yeah… I’m still affected by those comments 35 years later!)
Have a fabulous day!
Every mile takes me farther from the person I once was and closer to the person I want to be. I started running in the summer of 2010 because the pastor of our church mentioned in a sermon that he was interested in running a marathon. I remember leaning over to my husband and saying, “I should try that, too!” (although I wasn’t kidding myself into believing I could run a full marathon right off the bat. I started training for a half that fall). I had run for exercise in high school on and off, but then college happened and about 3 years after I graduated from IU, I found myself at my heaviest weight. Running literally put me on the fast track to drop lbs. I remember barley making it down our street and back, and today, only 2 years later, I have 4 minis under my belt! But running became so much more than that. Sure, my body is completely different now, but I am completely different too. Every time I lace up my sneakers and pound out another mile, I’m improving my mind, body and soul. Each mile teaches me patience, persistence, and the ability to keep on going, even when I’m tired and want to quit. Running reshaped my body and my spirit. I don’t know what I would do without it!
Every mile matters to me because I get to celebrate my healthy body and the things it can do!
For running, every mile matters because I will forever be in awe of the fact that I’m even able to run more than a mile.
In general, every mile counts in terms of leading to new experiences. I love to travel and “every mile matters” holds true there too!
Every mile matters to me because it’s just one more thing I’m doing to live an active, healthy, and HAPPY life! 🙂
Great giveaway! Every mile matters to me because it shows that I can challenge myself and do so much more than I think I can. Your only limitation is believing you can’t do it. I’m always so excited when I hit a new distance or a quicker time.
I’ve been in the military for the last six years and I love what I do but I ALWAYS dreaded my PT test. I could max out the push ups and sit ups everytime but the run always kept me from getting an excellent. I since have had two beautiful sons about two years apart. After my youngest I started looking at myself and saw that I had let myself go. I had extra weight and was not eating good at all, my energy level was down and I was not feeling good about myself. I started to run, each day was a struggle but I kept at it. I never worried about the miles I was doing, I didn’t care…I was just happy I would 15 mins one day straight and eventually I got up to 30 minutes and I was actually enjoying running. Now that I have got to 30 mins of running straight (and dropping 15 lbs) I want to continue with running and push harder. I want to sign up for a 10k. Something that I never thought I would even want to do. So I need to start tracking my miles and see where I am at. I’m so excited for your contest and would love to have this. Every Mile Counts!!!!
Every mile matters to me cause I was injured for three months and I am thrilled to be back at running!
I am not a natural runner and I work hard to even bust out a few miles. I’m so strong in other areas of fitness, but running has never been my forte. I blame it on “the girls”! 😉 Anyway, because of my constant love/hate relationship with running, every mile is so important! Each mile reminds me that I’m stronger than I think I am and I’m capable of so much more than I give myself credit for. Every mile encourages me to go just a little bit farther, push myself just a little harder. In the end, every mile is a reminder of how far I’ve come and drives me to go even further the next time.
Every mile matters to me because I just started running and every mile I run is a step toward a better, healthier me. I’ve never been a runner, and running a quarter of a mile used to be a feat–now, though I’m still progressing and improving, every mile I run is far more than I could have done even a couple of months ago!!
Every mikes matters to me because it is a mile to having a healthy life. It also shows that my body is capable and able to do these amazing things.
Every mile matters because nothing worthwhile comes easily. To me, living a healthy lifestyle is worthwhile but does not always come easily. There are days when I just want to eat ice cream and potato chips. The more I see progress in how healthy I’m living my life, though, the easier it becomes.
Every mile matters to me because my body is an amzing thing and when I take care of it, it takes care of me. Every mile that I tick off makes my body stronger and healthier – both physically and mentally!
Every mile matters to me because it reminds me I’m alive. It let’s me see the beauty in every inch I cover and the beauty within me. It means I’m no longer the overweight girl in high school who sat on the couch all day. I am active, radiant and happy.
Every mile matters to me because it is something that I have done just for me, and no one can take that away. It is a step forward – to change and to a better self!
Every mile matters because consistency matters. I feel like it’s the small decisions I make all the time (pushing my run just one more mile, running one mile instead of none when I’m pressed for time, ordering the side salad instead of fries, etc) rather than the special occassion decisions that make the biggest difference in my health.
Every mile matters because each step feels more important than the one before. I think running is 80% mental and if you can keep you telling yourself to take 1 more step, you are stronger than you ever thought possible. Positive thinking is really something else!
Every mile matters to me because it’s hard for me to run so giving myself a challenge makes it more fun. I’m not a big fan of running on the road or around a neighborhood though. I prefer wooded trails at parks because they are more of a challenge and not quite as boring.
Every mile matters to me because I feel so fortunate that I CAN run. I think about all of the people in the world who have disabilities or who are in poor health and they can’t. I sometimes have knee pain because I’ve had surgery on both of my knees but when I feel down, I just think of doing it for the unfortunate people who don’t have the chance to just get up and run.
Every mile matters to me because when I was younger, I dreaded fitness and thought I’d never run half a mile without needing to walk. Now, I run five or six 5K races with my family members a year for fun and I feel like I’ve come such a long way!
I run for the sense of accomplishment after the run. The harder and longer the run, the better I feel when I’m done!
Every mile matters to me because I’ve never been good at running, and now when I can bust out even 2 miles of straight running (no walk breaks) it’s a huge accomplishment..every time I improve my distance or pace it makes me feel so proud. Consistency is key, and not giving up! 🙂
Every mile matters because it means that I am still working towards a better, healthier me! Even on the days when I don’t want to run, when I get out there and do it I always feel accomplished afterward.
I agree with you that every mile matters now more than ever, because I am setting an example for my one year old son Griffin. I want him to have healthy parents that show him how to be active and have fun. I ran a practice 5k on Sunday and was shocked that I was able to finish in 24:08. Now if only I can do that in a race!
Each mile is an investment in my health and future. A small sacrifice in the moment for a major payoff for life!
Every mile matters because it’s not about the distance or pacing to me, it’s about getting out and doing something for myself and my health every day. I love the Lululemon mantra “sweat once a day” and live by that. So whether I walk a mile, or run five, the important thing to me is that I’m moving.
BTW – you look fantastic! I think you’re in better shape than you were before getting pregnant!!
I have been through several injuries that have made me run a lot less than I used to (IT band issues, exercise induced asthma, etc.) so every mile that I complete is very sweet for me now! I’m learning about listening to my body and resting when I need it:)
Every mile matters because I’m fortunate to be ABLE to run, live life to the fullest and give my body the respect it deserves. I want to look back on my life and be able to say that I’ve ran a 5k, 10k, a marathon. Every time I run an extra mile, it’s an accomplishment to be proud of.
Every mile matters, especially when each mile seems like the first. I started running in January (to pursue a New Year’s fitness resolution), and now I’m following a Hal Higdon half-marathon training schedule. In fact, yesterday I ran 8 miles in 1:28! At 22 years old, I’m fairly certain I’ve never moved 8 miles at once before: running, walking, crawling, or otherwise (I may have drove 8 miles once 😉 ). I was the kid in gym class that couldn’t even jog a whole mile for a fitness test. Even though I am always anxious prior to running- what if I don’t finish?- I always feel this incredible sense of accomplishment. I may not be training for any particular half-marathon, and I may not be fast, but 40 pounds and 8 miles later, I feel the best I ever have 🙂
Every mile matters because I know I’m getting stronger with each one! Even if I don’t feel like going the distance, I know that every little bit matters, and makes me stronger in the end.
Every mile matters to me because I am definitely not a naturally “gifted runner”. When I first set out on this fitness journey I couldn’t run more than 3 minutes without feeling as though I could die at any moment. When I completed my first 5 mile run I was so proud of myself because I knew how incredibly far I had come in just a matter of months.
Every mile matters to me, because in the last year I’ve lost 50 lbs and want to be healthy for my future husband (less than 2 months!) and our future children. I want to motivate my family to be healthy and strong. I want to live for every moment, instead of worrying about if my heart will last till the next day. Getting healthy was a huge step for me, and just stepping into the gym was the first step to every mile for me.
Every mile matters to me because, as someone who used to suffer from an eating disorder, I used to run for pain, not for pleasure. I stopped running for at least a year, and when I finally tried again, I was afraid I would push myself too hard and be focused solely on calorie burn. What a wonderful feeling it was to just take in the scenery, appreciate the strength of my body, and thank God that I am recovered and able to run.
Every mile matters because some days when just getting out a mile or two can feel difficult, it reminds me of how blessed I am to be in good health and have a body that allows me to run.
Every mile matters to me because I injured myself a while ago and couldn’t run for a long time after that. Now I appreciate running a lot more!
Every mile matters because I’ve gone from being able to run less than a quarter mile to training for a marathon! Practically every week I’m setting a new PDR! Little by little those miles and my endurance are adding up.
Every mile matters because each time I pass one I am thankful. Thankful because at one time I struggled with completing just one mile. After months and months of dedication and persistance, I was finally able to consistently run 3 miles and then it grew from there. I ran my first half marathon in 2010 and enjoyed every minute of it. I am slowly becoming the healthier version of me, one day and mile at a time!
Every mile matters to me because I am running for a friend. She was recently in a bad car accident and is a medical coma. She will most likely lose her legs if she survives all the trauma. I am thankful to be able to run for the both of us. Say a prayer for her.
Hi Gina! Thanks for having such an awesome giveaway 🙂 I am currently training for my first half-marathon, so I have been thinking lately about what accomplishing those 13.1 miles means to me.
Every mile is a dedication to myself and a commitment to my health. Each mile matters because its proof that I am worthy of taking care of and my health should be my number one priority. Every mile is an accomplishment and a personal message for when I doubt myself and what I can accomplish. Every mile is a message to my nieces, my family and my friends to keep pushing on, even when it’s hard.
Thank you for all of the motivation and inspiration you provide on a daily basis. I hope I can sport this watch during my half and munch on some roons 🙂
Every mile matters to me because there are so many out there who can’t run. When I’m lacking motivation I try to remember how lucky I am to be healthy and have a body that allows me to be as active as I please, and that I shouldn’t take that for granted.
Every mile matters to me because, I run to manage my depression. I feel like every step I take is a step towards a better day and a healthier, happier me. Running not only sends endorphin’s through my body, it makes me feel like a strong person who can accomplish anything.