Get in the Holiday Spirit with the Jingle Bell 5K Run/Walk for Arthritis at Legacy Village

This time of the year can be tough. The days are shorter and we don't get to run or walk outside as much as we want. To help keep the winter blues away, I like to stay active by doing fun races around the holiday. This year I plan on participating in the Jingle Bell 5K Run/Walk for Arthritis at Legacy Village. The race takes place on Sunday, 12/13 at Legacy Village. It's a 9am start too so you can even sleep in. Since it's at Legacy you can get some of that holiday shopping done afterwards!

The race is ideal for competitive runners as well as those who would rather walk. For those who prefer chip timing advance registration is $35 or $30 for the untimed 5K. There is also a 1 mile family fun run/walk option, which is great for getting the family members involved. Registration for that event is $30. 

Arthritis is a disease that affects many people. The Great Lakes Regional Arthritis Foundation has this event to help raise funds for research and treatment So, throw on a costume or your best red and green race attire and come out and celebrate the holiday with a fun run for a great cause! To register visit www.JBR.org/Cleveland. 

I will be giving away two race entries to some lucky winners! To enter simply comment and tell me why you would like to run or walk in the Jingle Bell 5K. Winners will be announce early next week! 

Images from previous Jingle Bell 5K walk/run

News for 2016 Racing Season - I'm Joining Snakebite Racing

It's the holiday week and I have some exciting news to share! I will be racing as part of Snakebite Racing's Multisport Team for 2016! I am excited to join my husband and many friends on the team next season.

The Snakebite Team consists of a diverse group of athletes from multisport (triathlon and duathlon) and cycling (road, cyclocross and mountain biking) disciplines. From placing in local races to AG nationals and worlds, Ironman Kona, Boston Marathon, State Cycling Championships and even Beer Miles, this is a team that is not afraid of hard work!

But what I love about the team is that the people are all friendly, passionate about their sports, humble and fun to be around. I also like that this is a local Cleveland based team so I already see these folks on a regular basis whether it's a training day, race or a Cleveland Tri Club social event. I am looking forward to rocking the Snakebite Racing kit next season.

If you are interested in sponsoring Snakebite Racing for the 2016 racing season I believe we still have some spots open for monetary and product sponsors. Send me a message and I can connect you with the right folks to speak with.

Happy Racing!

2016 Cleveland Marathon News & Quick Race Report

It was an interesting week for me. Some ups and downs. So let's start with the good news shall we?

I am officially back as a Cleveland Marathon ambassador again for 2016! This is great news as I love this race and the friends that I made last year that were also ambassadors. The race, which takes place on 5/15/16 is a month after the Boston Marathon so I figured why not run the full again. New this year for the adventurous folks there is a new Challenge Series where you can run multiple races such as the 8K and full marathon or 8K and half marathon, etc. I thought about doing this but with running Boston and prepping for a half ironman race in June I decided to stick with the solo 26.2. Watch my blog and social media posts throughout the season for updates on the race, meet ups and a chance to win a free race entry to the distance of your choice!

Hard earned AG Turkey Trophy

Now the not so good news. Since Beach 2 Battleship I have struggled to get my running mojo back due to "dead leg" syndrome. Finally this week I had a couple of decent paced runs and my husband and I signed up to run a local race called the Twinsburg Turkey Trot 5 miler. It's a fun little race that combines some road and trail running into one tough little race. The last time I ran it in 2013 I had a good day and won the female race in 36 and change. This time was not as fortuitous for me.

My respiratory allergies had flared up last week and I struggled with my breathing. I knew this going into the race Saturday but decided to take my albuterol inhaler and chance it anyways. Things started out pretty well for the first couple of miles then around the 2-2.5 mile mark I had a tough time getting in oxygen and had to stop and walk to get my breathe back. This happened a few times during the race so I quickly went from 2nd place down and ended up finishing in 6th with a time of 39:31 (7:54 pace). So, it's not the day I wanted to have but I am glad I hung in there and finished the race and managed to place 2nd in my AG. Steve ended up having a great race and took 3rd male with his time of 33 mins. I was happy that at least one of us had a great day!

I'm hoping my allergies clear up and my Turkey Day 5K race goes a little smoother! I am now at the point where seeing an allergist has become necessary because it's interfering with my training, racing and general enjoyment of life at times. Not cool, right?! So, I will be doing a cleanse following Thanksgiving and then experimenting with a vegan diet to see if that helps. I will also be seeing an allergist and may even try some accupuncture at the suggestion of a friend. Stay tuned for more on the healing journey in future blog posts!