blistering heat, torrential downpour & pelting hail

June 2, 2011 by · 7 Comments

Nothing was going to stop me from running on National Running Day – not even blistering heat, torrential downpour and pelting hail.

BJ and I encountered all three (plus some lightning & thunder)


Fortunately, we got 4.5 miles into our run when the rain & hail started. But, 0.5 miles was enough to get completely and utterly soaked.

It was totally worth it. I ran with my favorite hubs, on National Running Day, doing one of my favorite things {running}

Today is my Friday, I’m off to Missouri for the weekend (random, I know). BJ and I are going to visit family and celebrate my grandma’s life {she passed away recently} While sad, it was expected, and I’m looking forward to seeing my family and honoring her life.

 Don’t forget to enter my sport science giveaway {HERE} – seriously, you don’t want to miss out on this one {trust me}

 happy weekend & happy running

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National Running Day & My Favorite Things {Giveaway}

June 1, 2011 by · 96 Comments

Today is National Running Day. So, in honor of one of my favorite things {running}, I’m giving away one of my favorite running related things {sport science}. But, I’ll get to that in a minute.

{About} National Running Day, held annually on the first Wednesday in June, is a day when runners everywhere declare their passion for running. Wherever we are and whomever we’re with, we run—fast or slow, alone or with others, all over town or just around the block. It is a coast-to-coast celebration of a sport and activity that’s simple, inexpensive, and fun. It’s the perfect way for longtime runners to reaffirm their love of running and for beginners to kick off a lifetime and life-changing commitment.

I mean, can you think of anything better than National Running Day – a day devoted just to runners? Personally, I love it {and I’m on cloud 9}. I plan to celebrate National Running Day with BJ – one of my all-time favorite running partners – and an after-work run. (Wish us luck, things are getting toasty in DC).

What are you doing to celebrate National Running Day? Find more information about NRD and local events {HERE}

Now, on to My Favorite Things {Giveaway}

4 years ago I met BJ, my now husband, at a fun-run at a local running store. Running has always been “our thing” – similar to a couple sharing “their song” – our song was running. So, when we got engaged and planned our engagement photo shoot, I knew I needed to incorporate running into the mix. Enter {sport science} and the extremely genius infographics shirt: Virginia is for Runners (a clever take on the state of VA slogan: Virginia is for Lovers – thankfully, BJ and I are lovers, too).


I bought the shirt thinking that I would only wear it once: to take engagement pictures. 2 years later, I’m hooked on sport science.

{About} sport science is a (semi)-local brand with roots in both VA and SC. The owner and founder is a VA resident (and a stellar human-being) – but employees and manufacturing are in SC. The science behind the sport science just makes sense. sport science™ products are engineered to keep you dry and regulate your core body temperature, which keeps you cooler when it’s hot and warmer when it’s cold. The dri-release® fabric rapidly wicks perspiration to keep you dry and comfortable.

I can vouch from experience – the shirts are very comfortable but also totally stylish. I wear my shirts running – but I also wear them with jeans to run errands around the neighborhood. The best part is that I don’t get hot and uncomfortable when I’m wearing the product – my shirts have gone with me to New Zealand, Sun Valley (in the summer & winter), USVI and around DC – no matter what the temperature is, I’m always okay. I can’t say that about many products.

A few of my favorite things – and ones I own (besides Virginia is for Runners):

Giveaway Time!! Sport Science is giving away 2 shirts to 2 lucky readers.
To Enter (please leave separate comments for each entry):


  • Follow my blog, I RUN LIKE A GIRL – or let me know that you are already a follower
  • Like I RUN LIKE A GIRL on Facebook {here} – worth 2 points
  • Like Sport Science on Facebook {here} – what shirt would you get if you won?
  • In honor of National Running Day, leave a comment letting me know your favorite distance to race and why.
  • Bonus Entry: link this contest on your social platform(s) of choice. Leave a separate comment letting me know you did and include the link – worth 2 points each

“My Favorite Things” giveaway will be open until noon EST, Friday, June 10th, at which time I will close the post for comments, choose 2 winners via Random.org and announce the winners with a (new) blog post.

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You don’t have to be a Lawyer to run – all you need is a big HEART!

May 31, 2011 by · 3 Comments

Calling all NoVA/DC/MD runners:

Are you looking for a local 10k that raises money for a great cause (I’m talking about your heart, that thing that allows you to live and run…)?

Sign up to run the Lawyers Have Heart 10k on June 11, 2011 in Georgetown.  Registration is limited to 6,500 runners and you do not have to be a lawyer to run.  It’s a flat out-and-back course and the cost is $40 (sign-up HERE).

Since it’s creation in 1991, Lawyers Have Heart has raised more $7.5 million to benefit the American Heart Association, whose mission is building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. By participating in the Washington area’s largest 10K event, you will not only help to strengthen your own heart through exercise, you will also help raise funds vital to the education programs and research of the AHA.

If you are a local runner and plan on running – let me know.  I’d love to meet up with other blogners (blogger/runner combined, celebrity style) 

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PHENOM Coconut Water & Recovery Drink {Review}

May 27, 2011 by · 9 Comments

When I was contacted by GNC to review PHENOM Coconut Water & Recovery Drink, I couldn’t say “yes” fast enough. I’m a life-long coconut lover and totally jumped on the bandwagon when coconut water became “the latest craze”. I can neither confirm nor deny, but I may have become obsessed with drinking coconut water while marathon training. I love the taste (read: delicious) and I know the coconut water is rehydrating my {defeated} body.

Dubbed “nature’s sport drink”, coconut water is fat-free, cholesterol-free, low-calorie, super-hydrating, and naturally rich in electrolytes – no wonder celebrities and athlete’s have replaced their Gatorade and Acai for coconut water.

{Benefits of Drinking Coconut Water}: PHENOM Coconut Water is the only coconut water fortified with GNC vitamins and minerals. This 100% natural coconut water, supercharged with GNC vitamins and electrolytes, is an excellent source of hydration with zero fat, added sugar, or cholesterol.

I decided to try the following flavors: Pure, Orange Guava Passion, and Acai Peach. I wanted to compare Pure (“regular-flavored” coconut water) to others on the market, most specifically Vita Coco and O.N.E. And as for the other two flavors? Well, they just sounded good.

{Pure} Can’t go wrong with Pure – it was very good and tasted as predicted. I wasn’t expecting fireworks, considering that Pure is supposed to taste like a “sticking a straw into a coconut and drinking” – and I’ve already tried and enjoy Vita and O.N.E. – but I liked knowing that there were premium multivitamins to support overall health/well being and extra electrolytes for the rapid replenishment.

{Orange Guava Passion} The house favorite. OGP was delicious! Even BJ liked this flavor and he is a self-proclaimed coconut water “hater”. OGP wasn’t too over-powering and had the perfect balance of coconut water infused with OGP.

{Acai Peach} House divided on Acai Peach – BJ really liked it, I didn’t like it at all. The flavors didn’t mesh and it tasted all wrong. I gave the rest to BJ….

Overall, I think PHENOM is a great product and I plan to purchase Pure and Orange Guava Passion in the future. I drank Pure after my triathlon (on May 23) and felt great shortly after – but most importantly, I felt great the next day!

PHENOM Coconut Water can be purchased at your local GNC or online.

{I RUN LIKE A GIRL} Tested & Approved
Hubs Tested & Approved
Coconut Water: Drink It!

Author’s Note: PHENOM Coconut Water was sent to me, free of charge, to test out. I was not paid for this review and the opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Reviews & Go-To's, Uncategorized ·

TriTown USA

May 26, 2011 by · 7 Comments

Think your’e Type A? Welcome to the club.

If you are a triathlete, especially in the Washington D.C. area, this article is for you: “Triathlons in Washington: Why Tri?” It’s an interesting look at the sport of triathlon, most specifically in D.C.

“The Mid-Atlantic has the highest concentration of triathletes in the country. With two triathlons a year—and enough type-A personalities to fill them up—DC might be the epicenter.”

D.C. – dubbed TriTown USA by aficionados – has been named the fittest city in America by Forbesmagazine for the past three years. So, it comes as no surprise, that a city full of Type-A’s and fittest-people thrive in the sport of triathlon.

I’m a ‘part-time’ triathlete, meaning that I love the sport of running first and don’t take triathlons too seriously, but tend to agree with a lot of points in the article. While I’m not even close to being a local Maggie Shapiro-esque hero, I like the challenge of triathlon and use my competitive (read: type-A) personality to fuel me.

Are you a triathlete? Are you Type-A? What do you think about this article?

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The Columbia Triathlon

May 24, 2011 by · 9 Comments

With the tiny exception of posting this race on the “Race Calendar – 2011” side-bar, I didn’t tell many people that I was doing The Columbia Triathlon.

Tri-mobile

For starters, I wasn’t sure how I would feel after my marathon. Would I be able to do an Olympic distance triathlon 3 weeks after my marathon?

Secondly, I wasn’t prepared. I took 1 week off after my marathon – which gave me 2 weeks to train for the race. In preparation, I swam twice and rode my bike 3 times (since September 2010). I had a strong running base but I didn’t do any double or brick (bike/run) workouts. In a word, I was nervous.

BJ told me to treat the race as just another training day. My friend, Betsy, reminded me that I finished EagleMan 70.3 with less training than mentioned above (granted, I ended up in the hospital but I still finished). I knew I could do it, I just wasn’t sure how fast I could finish.

Race Day: I woke up to beautiful weather, finally. I completed the race in 2009 and 2010 – and it poured both years. In 2009, it also hailed as I was getting into the water for swim start. It’s hard enough to wake-up at 4:45am for a race – I don’t want to wake up to rain. 2011 weather – thank you very much!


Swim: Wow, I felt like I was in the middle of a major girl-fight. I have never been in so much physical pain from a swim. It was a large group – 150 women in 2 age groups (25-29 & 30-34). About 1 minute into the swim, I was punched in the face – obviously not on purpose – but the blow was so hard that it knocked my goggles completely off my face. I had to stop, tread water, and try to get them back on. The pain continued the entire swim – I was hit more times than I can count, swam on top of people, had people swim on top of me, and was punched once more at the end. This time the pain was so intense that I started crying. No joke, I have bruises on my eyes from the swim. I know that the hitting and swimming on top of people is normal at the start of a swim, but it usually “breaks-up” a few minutes into the race. Not this time – it was a full on girl fight for 31 minutes.

Okay, for only 2 swims and each lasting no longer than 25 minutes and a treading water/goggle adjustment penalty, this wasn’t a terrible swim.
Time: 31:34

Bike: I can’t bike or race this course without my chain falling off my bike. I can’t make this sh*t up – my chain drops every time I bike Columbia. The 1st year it happened, I had NO idea what to do or how to put a chain back on. Thankfully, I was more prepared this year. But preparation aside, it’s still annoying to lose a few minutes getting off the bike and trying to fix it. Double dagger: when it happens while you are going up a hill.

Other than the chain drop, I felt really good. I was able to re-pass everyone that had passed me while I was fixing said chain, but wasn’t able to catch (back) up to the pack I was riding with prior to the chain drop. It was a beautiful day for biking and I was excited to be on the bike and experience little to no pain.
Time: 1:26:56 (includes 3 minute chain dilemma)

Run: Ahh, my sweet spot and the only thing I was actually prepared for. I felt good considering I had not practiced a bike-to-run run (aka brick workout). It wasn’t my best run ever but it also wasn’t my worst. The last mile is really flat (a nice change from the rest of the course, which is extremely hilly) and I was able to sprint it in. The run is where I make-up for my lack of speed on the swim and bike – so, no matter what my time, I love passing people on the run.
Time: 51:21 (8:16 pace)

2011 Columbia Triathlon finisher!

Statistics:
Time: 2:54:09
Swim: 31:34
T1: 2:48
Bike: 1:25:56
T2: 1:33
Run: 51:21
Age Group Place: 9/56
Female Place: 122/539
Overall Place: 655/1633

The Columbia Triathlon is a great, local race. The volunteers are amazing and really put a lot into making it a great race. There are some heavy hitters (in the tri world) that race Columbia – and it’s so cool to see them on the course. It was a beautiful day for a “training day” and I’m happy with the results. Oh, and I should mention that my 2011 time (with very little preparation) was 14 minutes faster than my 2009 time – a testament to marathon training (thank you marathon). Overall, it was a great day – and I got to spend time with BJ and my friends – I can’t think of anything better {with the exception of the beer we had a brunch}.

BJ and Me: Pre-race


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Planetgear.com Winner

May 24, 2011 by · 2 Comments

I apologize for the delay in announcing the Planetgear.com winner. I know I was supposed to announce the winner yesterday but…

I had a crazy day:

  • Woke-up at 5am (after a 4am wake-up the day before for a tri). I am watching a friend’s daughter (Julie) for the week – and had to be at their house bright and early due to taxi cab arrival
  • Attended a memorial service for a dear friends father (1 hour from my house)
  • Sat in traffic for 4.5 hours getting home from said memorial service. It took me 3 hours to go 3 miles. I’m not kidding (I could not make that sh*t up)
  • Had a mini heart attack during said traffic, because I was supposed to be home for Julie at 4pm. Called a neighbor who agreed to watch Julie while I was stuck in traffic.
  • Got to Julie’s house at 5:45pm
  • Ate sushi, had a {generous} glass of wine, watched Harry Potter
  • Went to sleep at 8pm

So, I hope you can forgive me!

A HUGE thanks to Planetgear.com for hosting a giveaway and to all of my new followers. Don’t forget about the Roxy/Quicksilver sale. It starts today and I can’t wait to start shopping.

And….the $25 Planetgear.com credit goes to: Stacy @ Impossible is Nothing. Please email me at willrunformargaritas@gmail.com to claim your prize. Happy shopping!

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Bike to Work Day

May 20, 2011 by · 15 Comments

Today is National Bike to Work Day. I love “national days” that encourage Americans to do something healthy – and not only for themselves but for the environment, too!

I’m an anomaly in the D.C. area: I can walk and ride my bike to work every day. I know, I know – I’m very lucky. (Please don’t hate me)

Bike to Work Day: Beach Cruiser Edition
(and yes, this is the bike I ride to work) 

If you are in DC, Virginia, or Maryland, the Washington Area Bicyclists Association is going all out. There are 49 regional pit stops and 27 commuter convoys. Find more information here.

Did you bike to work today? Did you meet up with a convoy or take a pit stop? How was it?

{Don’t forget about my PlanetGear.com giveaway HERE}

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Walk (or run) by Faith

May 19, 2011 by · 4 Comments

Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we can not see.  

One of my all-time favorite songs is “Walk by Faith” by Jeremy Camp. I get chills every time I hear it.

Well I will walk by faith
Even when I can not see
Well because this broken road
Prepares Your will for me

Seriously powerful words. Trusting God’s will is not always easy. And sometimes I feel like I’m walking (or running) blindly…

Earlier this week I read a story on the Brooks blog about Simon Wheatcroft, a runner in the UK. Simon is blind – as in, he can’t see anything. Yet, he runs blindly, trusting that he knows the way and will be okay. I’m not sure if Simon is a Christian or “runs by faith”, but either way, there is something watching over him.

Simon’s story is really inspiring. It also got me thinking:

  • Sometimes I need to be “blind” and trust that God has the perfect plan (and will) for me
  • I need to be {more} thankful for the wonderful things I have and can do. It’s really easy to complain (about my job, the weather, my training) but sometimes I just need to stop and praise God for the many blessings I’ve been given. Like, my sight. And my legs. I can go for a run and I can see all of the beauty this life has to offer.

Simon – thanks for being a true inspiration. You can read his incredible story HERE

{Don’t forget to enter my PlanetGear.com giveaway HERE} 

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Giveaway: PlanetGear.com

May 17, 2011 by · 57 Comments

Okay, does anyone get daily emails from HauteLook, Rue La La or Shop it to Me?  If yes, I’m sure you can relate: I anxiously wait for 11am EST so I can overload my brain with things I want, but don’t need (BCBG dresses, Tory Burch shoes, Michael Kors watches)  For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, let me explain: these websites host private, limited-time sale events with today’s top designer brands for women, men, kids, home, and beauty.Membership is free and everyone is welcome.

Well, I’m happy to announce, I just added another one to the email list: PlanetGear.com.  The world’s best outdoor gear, apparel, and travel destinations at exclusive pricing.

Finally, a site with discounted gear for athletes! It’s awesome. Just last week Planetgear.com featured Rossignol, K-Swiss and Kelty.  Up next week: Roxy & Quicksilver. I’m a Florida girl so I’m especially excited about this sale!

A few random things I really like about PlanetGear.com
1) 1% for the Planet member: 1% of PlanetGear.com sales goes to environmental groups
2) Give and get: Give a $10 credit to friends you refer and get a $10.00 credit when they place their first order.

Click here to sign-up and become a member of PlanetGear.com (it’s free).

Giveaway Time! PlanetGear.com is giving away a $25.00 credit toward any item purchased at PlanetGear.com Since items are already heavily discounted, $25 goes a long way.

To enter:

  • Follow “I RUN LIKE A GIRL”
  • Leave a comment with your email address
  • Bonus Entry(s)
    • Like PlanetGear.com on Facebook
    • Use the link above to become a member of PlanetGear.com
    • Link this contest on your blog, Facebook or Twitter (or any other social media platform). Leave a separate comment letting me know you did.

The PlanetGear.com giveaway will run until 10am EST on Monday, May 23rd, at which point I will close the post for comments and choose 1 winner via Random.org. I will announce and contact the winner shortly after 10am.

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