The Longest Day Raffle Winners!

Good morning blog lovelies!  It's that magical day when we announce the names of those who have won prizes in our second annual Longest Day raffle.  We're excited to say that through all of our fundraising, we raised over $5,000 this year for the Alzheimer's Association!  We also ran a ton of miles and had a freaking blast doing it, but that's a story for another day.

This year, we decided to something a little different with the prizes.  If you're on this list, you have the opportunity to choose your own prize! 

Without further ado, congratulations to :

• Suzanne Westenhofer
• Kim Ilax Staff
• Amy Zembroski
• Matt Ebel
• Cara Morrison
• Kathy Maas
• Alicia Burrill
• Brian Kaufman
• Cara Morrison
• Amy Zynda
• Suzanne Westenhofer
• Amy Zynda
• Bobbi Welch
• Alicia Burrill
• Kim Neher
• Linda Schaack
• Alyssa Niers
• Julia Hubbard
• Lisa Flaherty
• Matt Ebel
• Amy German
• Sarah Jordan
• Nikki Piepenburg
• Gigi Becker

If you are one of the winners, please email your top 3-5 prize choices to twinlane@live.com. If your prize choice is still available when your turn is reached, you will win that prize. If not, we will either contact you to choose again, or try our best to send you something you'll love!

Please also send us your shirt/pants size as well as we have a ton of awesome gear from Running Funky and Running Divas, as well as samples from GU for some of the winners as well!

The PRIZES!

 

One Handful Bra - your choice size/color (two winners!)

 

One pair Aspaeris shorts - you choice size/color

 

Six pairs of socks from Fitsok - size M (W 7-9 or M 6-8)

 

One Allied Medal Display - your choice

 

One black visor and black T-shirt from Road ID!  (choose M or XL)

 

Set of Gone for a Run bib coasters!

 

One headband and belt from One More Mile

 

One entry into Color Me Rad (5 winners)!

 

One hat or visor from Headsweats - (2 winners!)

 

Two pair of socks from Injinji (choose either small or medium) (two winners!)

 

Purple ProCompression socks!

 

One entry into the runDisney Tower of Terror 10 miler!

 

One hat from Trailheads (3 winners!)

 

One bracelet from Inspired Endurance!

 

One free entry into Spartan race!

 

 

 

Thank you to all of our entrants, and also to all of the generous companies that donated products to our raffle.  If there was a prize you were really excited to see, please stop by their facebook page and thank them for helping us out!

 

 

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On a personal note, this blog will be going dark for awhile.  Maybe someday I'll write about The Longest Day 2013, and I'll try to post the video when I'm done with it because it really was an amazing day that should be shared.  But for now it's time for me to take a giant step back from the blog world, thank you all for all of the love and support over the last couple of years, and bid you all a very fond farewell. 

 

 

xoxo, Kim

 



Raffle to Remember

For the second year in a row, Rachel and I will be dedicating 16 hours of continuous activity on the longest day of the year -  June 21st - to raise awareness and money for the fight against Alzhiemer's disease.

We will be running on a local high school track, switching off - one hour on, one hour off, from 5am til 9pm.  Last year was so incredible - we can't wait to see what this year brings.

   

 

We need YOUR help!

Please consider making a donation to the Alzheimer's Association by visiting our fundraising page. Every little bit helps, and you'll be rewarded for your generosity with a chance to win some AWESOME prizes. 

Here's how it works:

 

For every $5 you you donate, you'll get one entry into the raffle. 

Additionally, for every $25 you donate, you'll get three bonus entries.

And here are some additional ways to earn entries once you've donated:

Spread the word on your blog = +1 entry

Share on Twitter = +1 entry

Share on Facebook = +1 entry

(We also offered everyone who donated prior to this post one bonus entry)

So! Here are some examples:

  You donate $20, and link this post on your facebook, you get

 5 entries! (4 + 1)

You donate $30, and tweet about the raffle, you get 12 entries!  (6 + 5 + 1)

The raffle will be open til Sunday, June 23rd, and we'll announce the winners on Tuesday, June 27th.


And one more thing! Please let us know if there is someone that you love that fought or is fighting this terrible disease, and we'd be honored to carry their name around the track with us on June 21st. 


So, to recap:



1. DONATE!  The "donate to team" link is a tiny little thing under the scrolling purple box. 

2. Share on your blog, Twitter, and Facebook.

3. Leave me a comment to let me know what you did so I can tally your entries.

4. Leave me a comment to let me know if you'd like to honor someone specifically,
and we'll make it happen.


*Any questions? Sent me an email at twinlane@live.com, or leave me a comment!*

Here's a still-growing list of our donated items (check back often for new prizes!):

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Marathon Weekend. Crap.

So, looks like I have to run a marathon this weekend.

Sort of crept up on me.  It's not like I didn't know about it - Rachel and I signed up a few months ago with the intent of using it as a training run for The Longest Day.

But then I sort of forgot to train for it.  My longest run has been 14 miles.  I haven't been getting in good weekly mileage for at least a month, and while I just PR'd a half, my longer distance runs have been completely non-existent.

How my half marathon went:

Nailed it.

How this marathon will go:

Equal parts stupidity, poor execution, and being covered in bodily fluids.  Should be great.

So there's that. 

Be sure to tune in Monday to see how this thing goes.

Give me something to think about during the race that will make me forget about how much running a marathon untrained sucks.... annnnd... go!

Wisconsin Half Marathon Recap

Top of the morning to you lovelies.

So, last Saturday a bunch of us runners had big plans to run the Wisconsin Half Marathon, billed as "The Cheesiest Marathon".  We ran it last year, and had a freaking blast.

This year, I didn't feel super well trained going in.  In fact, I had such small expectations that I didn't even right the requisite pre-race blog post can I/can't I/goals A-Z post.  The horror.

On the 2.5 hour drive to Kenosha on the day before the race, I was feeling anxious.  Super anxious to be away from home, to not be working, to do this great thing I had so looked forward to for months.  Nine runner buds were all meeting and staying in a hotel together, and I couldn't get out of my own damn head enough to appreciate the days ahead.

Eventually, with the help of a Sea Dog and a walk in a driving rainstorm along a glorious and violently crashing Lake Michigan, I finally felt ready to enjoy the weekend. 

After an early night, we woke up on Saturday morning to picturesque running conditions.  Fifty degrees, barely a breeze, and a glorious lakefront course.  Splendid.

As we lined up at the start, I knew I could PR (1:55:30, an 8:48 pace), but I was hoping to just squeak by with miles in the 8:30s or 8:40s.

Mile 1-3 - 8:27, 8:10, 8:05
Rough, rough, rough.  I wasn't looking at my Garmin, so I didn't know my pace was a bit ahead of where I wanted to be, but these miles felt slllloooowww.  I felt like it was a damn eternity between mile markers, and I even convinced myself I had missed the mile two marker.... until I saw it five minutes later.  Ugh.

Miles 4-6 7:58, 7:46,7:57
I ate a little something something (Black Cherry Shotblok, just one) at 3.5 because I was dying for something to make this shitty race feel easier.  I popped in my headphones, jammed out to a little Rage Against the Machine, and miraculously, my pace increased and my effort level decreased.  A lot.  All praise be to sugar and rap metal. 

I glanced at my Garmin just once I think during these miles, saw a 7:20 real-time pace, and decided that was the end of my Garmin looking, because that shit was terrifying.  That's my 5k, verge-of-hurling, gaspy pace.  But it felt OK.  I was going to run by feel, and that was that.

I remember running up a little incline, feeling strong, feeling awesome, when I made the decision to follow Plan Fuck-The-Garmin, and I thought, "This is going to make an interesting blog post." I wasn't sure if I would blow up in a mile or PR like a madman, but sometimes bad decisions make good stories.... which also happens to be my personal motto.  When I'm drunk.

Miles 7-13 7:47, 7:46, 7:43, 7:53, 7:44, 7:46, 7:55
I won't even make this suspenseful guys.  My pace was ridiculously fast for me, and it was strong and steady.  It was a great, great race.

I finished with a 1:44:09.  And that feels crazy.

                               
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Wisconsin Half Marathon

F25-29

 

*** 1:44:09***

7:57 pace

 

Overall: 245/2272

Div: 9/217

Sex: 52/1402

          
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Post-race, we enjoyed brats, and beer, cheering in my super awesome runner buds, and general silliness at a brewery and then a craft beer bar. 

Sub 2s all around.



Sarah, Lish, Kathy, Rachel, me, Matt, Joan, Amy



Our love is majestic.  And a little creepy.



So proud of my mom... half marathon #3!!!



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Something that I did completely differently for this race was fueling.  Normally, I'll take three shot bloks over a five or so minute period at about 4 miles, 8 miles, and maaayyybe 10.5-11 if I'm dying. 

On Saturday, I took one ShotBlok (1/3 serving) at 3.5ish... and then I kept eating.  I pretty much popped one in my mouth each and every time I felt a big laggy.  I went through six, so I'm guessing I took one every 10-15 minutes, and it was awesome

Have you ever screwed around with your fueling strategy?  How'd that work out for you?

Oshkosh Half Marathon Recap

Good morning, and happy Friday!

On Sunday, I ran the Oshkosh Half Marathon.  It's a great race that I try to run every year... beautiful course, great small-town feel, and horrific weather.  Seriously, the weather has been so bad in past years that it's become a bit of a legend among local runners.  Hail, sleet, rain, wind, blizzards... it's basically like the universe chooses this day every year to punish us for living in Wisconsin.

The weather this year was a total surprise.  It was, dare I say.... pleasant.  It was in the forties, a little breezy, and overcast.  Perfection.

Rachel and I were originally planning to run it as a relay as part of a little bet we had with a couple of our runner friends.  Fueled by intense competitiveness, a little gender pride, and our love of beer, we put a bar tab on the line against our two runner dudes.

However, our need for mileage for marathon training overshadowed even our desire to get drunk for free, so we bowed out of the relay and planned to run the 13.1 together, in all of our hand-holding glory.

We feel pretty.. oh so pretty...

 

Rachel was gunning for a sub-2.. it's been awhile since she's gotten one, and she was ready.

 

We lined up at the start, sang the anthem, and took off.  The first two miles were difficult because we were forced to start in the front of the field, and were passed by literally hundreds of runners as we struggled to find our pace.

 

As a lot of you know, a 2:00 hour pace is 9:09, and I wanted to keep us in the 8:50s or lower nines to bank a little time in the event of a rough last few miles. 

 

 

Mile 1-3 - 9:10, 9:16, 9:31

 

When we glanced down at our Garmins after the first mile, we took it as a sign that this shit was going to happen.  Sub 2 baby.

 

But over the next two miles, we struggled to find a good pace, and I could tell Rachel was pushing a bit for so early in the race.

 

Mile 4 - 8:43

 

The fourth mile had us running on a beautiful trail, and we picked it up considerably.  Rachel always, always runs faster on a trail. I think she's secretly a fugitive and wants to escape in the woods.  I hadn't started doubting a sub-2 finish, but this mile helped bolster my confidence that it was doable for us. 

 

Miles 5-10 - 9:12, 9:02, 8:56, 8:54, 9:06, 9:06

 

We were finally falling into our groove in these miles.  The pace was faster, and I was doing the delicate dance in my head of talking enough to keep Rachel distracted and on pace, and not so much that she would reach over and punch me in the face.  By this point, our average was about 9:06/mile, so I knew we were going to be close. 

 

Mile 11 - 10:23

 

Oh Mile 11, you dirty, dirty whore. 

 

We were running in a residential area, with a pretty good headwind, when I heard from behind me:

 

"Kim."

 

Fuck.  Rachel had a look of pure pain on her face and was walking with her fingers digging into her side.  Crap crap crap.  We flirted with a little walk/run during this mile, but her sideache was so bad she could only keep running for a hundred yards or so at a time.  Every time she had to stop and walk, I could see the disappointment and frustration written all over her face. 

 

It's tough to watch someone work hard and suffer for 90 minutes only to have it all slip away. 

 

The 2:00 pace group passed us.  Crap.

 

Shortly before mile 12, Rachel started running, slowly.  I jogged with her, trying to peek at my Garmin out of the corner of my eye and working out the pace we would need for a sub 2.  It was close to Rachel's 5k PR pace, and it wasn't looking good.

 

 

Mile 12:  9:00

 

We started running faster, and faster.  There was no talking, only running, and we both knew we were still trying for sub-2, but to say something would have jinxed it (or landed me a black eye.)

 

Mile 13:  8:24

 

Where is this speed coming from???  I actually choked up a little, and I knew that if we ran down the finishing chute and saw a 1:59 on that clock, that I was going to cry. 

 

It's hard to put yourself out there, especially with someone running with you, and this mile told me that Rachel wanted this.  I so, so badly wanted to help get her to the finish under two.

 

The .1

 

We rounded the corner off the bridge and down into the finishing area.  I looked up and saw it.  1:59. 

 

1:59!!!  But I couldn't see the seconds!  Was it 1:59:01, or 1:59:59? 

 

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.. here is us when the finish line came into view:

 

 

 

 



Run bitch, run!!!

Rachel sprinted her ass off at a 6:44(!) pace, and we triumphantly crossed in 1:59:36.

Sweet, sweet victory.

We hugged, I got teary (shocker), and then we went to celebrate and drank more beers than is ever acceptable at 9 o'clock in the morning, starting in the bathroom of the warming area of the race.

Recovery Drink of Champions #fuckchocolatemilk

I am SO PROUD of you Rachie!!! 

Tommie Copper Winner!



 

The gods at Random.org have handed down their decree for the winner of the Tommie Copper Long Sleeve T. 

 

 

 

 And the winner is....

 

 

Lish!

 

Thanks to everyone that entered, and to Tommie Copper for sponsoring the giveaway!

If you're super bummed that you didn't win, here's another chance!  We'll be giving away a $50 gift card to Tommie Copper as part of our hugely awesome raffle benefiting the Alzheimer's Association.  Just $5 gets you an entry... go check it out!

Tommie Copper Compression Shirt Review & GIVEAWAY!

Get ready for some sweet free stuff guys.

Tommie Copper sent me their Long Sleeve Compression Shirt to review, and I love it.

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From their website:

 

Tommie Copper's women's long sleeve compression shirt uses compression to provide support for the muscles and joints in the neck, shoulders, torso and back.

• Comfortable enough to be worn all day under your work clothes.
• Wear while working out in cooler climates
• Wickable fabric keeps skin dry
• Helps provide support for shoulder and back strains and sprains
• Gentle, effective compression allows for 24 hour use, even while asleep
• Machine washable. Do not use fabric softeners.
• Long sleeves provide full upper-body compression
• Provides warmth

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Right out of the package, the first thing I noticed was how soft it is, and the beautiful teal color.  It's pretty sweet.

I tried it on, and let me tell you, this sucker is TIGHT.  The material actually seemed like it was suctioned to my skin, but oddly, it was very comfortable.  Like wearing nothing at all.  This picture would not be a lot more disturbing if that was the case:


Thank god for clothes.

Listen, I had twins. My belly is less washboard and more like the playground rhyme: "Roses are red, leaves are green, you've got the shape of a washing machine..."

1950s bitches be trippin.

So anyway, the point is that I have two issues with compression shirts:  I don't like things tight on my stomach, and most of the shirts seem too short.

This shirt was tight, but not unflattering on my stomach, and it is a great length. 

Covers part of the ol' caboose.

I took it out for a long run, paired with a light jacket and compression tights, and it was perfect for the 30 degree weather. 

The only downside was that it did ride up a bit at the beginning of the run, but I tucked it into my waistband and it didn't ride up over the next 13 miles. 

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Do you want to win one?  Of course you do.

To enter, simply leave a comment letting me know why you want to try this shirt, and you'll be entered to win one in the size of your choice!

Giveaway closes at midnight on the 23rd and I'll announce the winners on Wednesday, April 24th.