Skirt Sports

2017 Gift Guide for Runners

December 1, 2017 by Michelle 27 Comments

This week’s Friday Five theme is “Gift Giving” so it seemed like the perfect time to share my annual gift guide for runners!

Sharing some gift ideas for the runners in your life! #runchat #runnersgifts Share on X

Skirt Sports – Well let’s dive in with one of my favorite apparel companies, Skirt Sports. I love the philosophy of this company and it doesn’t hurt that they make great clothing in such fun patterns. I have to admit I’ve become a little obsessed 🙂 Use code FALL20WIN for 20% off (expires 12/31/17).

a very small sample of my collection

Stride Box – I’ve mentioned my love of StrideBox many times here. StrideBox offers a great combination of food/fuel options, running gear, and body care. And, at just $15 per month, Stridebox subscriptions make a great gift that can be enjoyed for many months to come! Code RunAttitude10 will save 10% off 3- and 6- month subscriptions (expires 12/24/17).

Knuckle Lights – These were on my personal wish list last year and lucky for me Santa was listening! I love the on-hand design and that these lights are rechargeable. They’re lightweight and slide easily over gloves in winter months. Perfect for running or walking the dog!

Use code RUNNINGWITHATTITUDE and save 10% (expires 1/31/18).

Trigger Wheel – The RPI Trigger Wheel (affiliate link!) has been a lifesaver for me since I picked one up at last year’s R’n’R Vegas expo. It is perfect for those small muscles that you can’t quite get to easily with a foam roller.

SPIbelt – SPIbelt has been with me since my earliest days of running. I love that it’s lightweight, doesn’t bounce, and holds my phone and other essentials.

And with toggles for clipping on your bib, it’s a must-have when racing! (The Hydration Belt in this pic sees a lot of use during the summer months).

Use code michelle2017 to save 15% (expires 12/31/17)

Momentum Wraps – This is one on my wish list! I have a couple and just love the motivating messages they offer. They make a great stocking stuffer!

Yeah ok.. so that was 6 items instead of 5 😉

I’m linking up with Rachel and Lacey & Meranda for the Friday Five link-up!

What’s on your wish list this year?

Filed Under: #StrideBox, Friday Five, Gifts for runners, holiday cheer, Skirt Sports, SPIbelt

Wicked Half Race Report

September 22, 2017 by Michelle 34 Comments

Last Saturday, I ran in the Wicked Half Marathon. If you’ve been around here for the past couple of weeks then you know that my plan was to run this race as a “long run with benefits” (aka the LRB). With only one longish run of 9 miles just the week before and a seriously unreliable ankle, let’s be honest, I really had no business jumping into a half marathon! But, I can be stubborn and I was looking forward to the Skirt Sports Ambassador meet-up. So I figured treating this as a long run with the benefits of course support and a medal was the way to go!

The bat in the medal actually spins!

My goals for this run were simple – stick to my 4:1 run/walk intervals, ignore pace and run by feel, and finish upright and smiling. “Finishing is winning” would be my mantra.

With my hotel just a short 20-minute ride to the start, I was able to sleep until a little after 5 before needing to get up and head out. The minute I stepped out of the hotel the humidity smacked me in the face and I knew this was going to be a tough morning – humidity is my kryptonite for sure, it just sucks the life out of me. So I knew the struggle bus would be coming for me…it was just a question of how long I could outrun it 🙂

Parking was easy-peasy – I was literally steps from the start line so I had lots of time to tape up, finish fueling, and chat with a couple of other runners.

Pre-run and ready

Soon it was time to line up, listen to the national anthem and we were off. I’ve never done run/walk intervals in a race and was initially concerned about how it would work. But early on it was clear I had nothing to worry about and I fell in with a fair number of runners all doing some form of intervals. I ran the first few miles with a woman from Tennessee who was also following a 4:1 plan. We chatted easily and it helped take my mind off the soul-sucking humidity.

Somewhere in the 7th mile I started to slow and said goodbye to Ms. Tennessee. My ankle started to complain and I wondered if it was going to cooperate with still a half a race to go. I dubbed Mile 9 the “dark mile” – I was hurting, my walk breaks were getting longer, and the negative chatter in my head was getting louder. Once past the mile 9 marker, I was able to shake off the funk – yes my legs were less than happy, yes I was more than ready to be done, but I kept focused on the fact that I would soon hit 10 miles and I haven’t seen double-digits in a while. Finishing is winning!

I’m not going to lie, the final few miles were a trudge – the struggle bus not only caught up with me but was threatening to run me over! Somewhere in the 12th mile, I met up with a woman named Jen. She said she’d been pacing off of me – running when I ran and walking when I walked. We chugged along towards the finish, and as we made the last turn towards the finish I spotted my “Skirt Sisters” – as each ambassador had finished they stuck around to cheer on the rest of the group. Such an awesome sight! Jen and I crossed the line and congratulated each other, I collected my medal and then joined the rest of the ambassadors. As our last Sister approached the finish, some of us went out to run her in. The Wicked Race organizers actually posted a video of our group finish on their Facebook page along with this group photo:

Finishing is winning!

Filed Under: race report, Skirt Sports, Wicked Half Marathon

Runfessions – July Style

July 28, 2017 by Michelle 25 Comments

It’s the last Friday of the month…so you know that means it’s time to join Marcia for runfessions! So let’s get to it, shall we?

Runfession #1 – OK let’s just get this first one out of the way….I runfess that I’m turning into a weather whiner. This summer’s humidity is kicking my arse. I know I’m not alone in this…but I am just so over it!

Runfession #2 – My next race, the Wicked Half, is now just 7 weeks away so I runfess I probably need to start doing “long runs” of more than just 6 miles.

Runfession #3 – I runfess that I may have picked a goal race in November in part to avoid heaving training in this heat.

Runfession #4 – I admit that I haven’t done a great job lately of paying attention to my eating (or the summer cocktails). Well, good grief people I got on the scale the other day and hmmm let’s just say my “lack of attention” was really showing! I runfess that I’m not surprised – I can feel I’m carrying a little extra weight on my runs – time to clean up the snacking.

Runfession #5 – I runfess that I have been stalking the Skirt Sports website as the new patterns are rolling out for the fall. I picked up these Gym Girl Ultras the other day, and may or may not have a few more items sitting in my cart waiting for check out (luckily I have a birthday coming up soon!).

Use code FWC20 for 20% off your Skirt Sports order!

This week's #FridayFive is all about the #runfessions! Join us and share yours! #runchat Share on X

There…running sole cleansed and I feel better! So tell me, what do you runfess?

I’m also linking up with Rachel from Running on Happy and Lacey & Meranda from Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five link-up!

Filed Under: Runfessions, Skirt Sports, Summer running

Global Running Day 2017

June 6, 2017 by Michelle 9 Comments

Global Running Day is Wednesday!

So on the first Wednesday of June, the annual call goes out to celebrate running!

The driving rain we’ve been dealing with here for the past couple of days is supposed to finally break tomorrow so I’ll be starting my celebration with a run, of course. Then it might be time for a little retail therapy in the form of both gear and races 🙂

SPIbelt – SPIbelt has been with me since my earliest days of running! Use code michelle2017 to save 15%!

StrideBox – I have shared my love for StrideBox many times here! Use code RunningDay17 for 50% off of the first box for a new regular monthly subscription to StrideBox! (Offers good only on 6/7)

SkirtSports – And I’m always happy to share a little SkirtSport love 😉 Use code SPRINGCPT20 to get 20% off.

So many races – Active has teamed up with a bunch of races to offer registration discounts. And, everyone who registers for a participating event on 6/7 will automatically be entered to win a swag bag valued at $500, featuring products from Garmin, New Balance, Gatorade, and Road ID just to name a few. Click here for details.

How will you be celebrating?

Linking up with Erika, Marcia, and Patty for this week’s Tuesday on the Run – the topic this week is Global Running Day, naturally!

Filed Under: #REALwomenmove, #StrideBox, Global Running Day, race shopping, Skirt Sports, SPIbelt, Tuesdays on the Run

February Runfessions

February 24, 2017 by Michelle 12 Comments

February is flying by and it’s already the last Friday of the month, which means it’s time to come clean with some Runfessions! Be sure to check out what our host Marcia and others are confessing!

I’m trying my best to follow the chiro’s orders of no running this week, which has been extremely hard given Mother Nature’s sudden spring preview. I runfess that I have twice laced up my running shoes, but I held off. Whether I make it through this weekend is a tough call…

And speaking of the spring preview, I runfess that I’d be perfectly happy for this little weather trend to continue. While it has been a mild winter by New England standards, I have just had zero desire to deal with the cold this year. And now that we’ve had a taste of spring, I just can’t go back!

Trainer Stacy, who I’ve been working with for a while is taking a new job, and her new gym isn’t even remotely close. Without her to ~~kick my butt~~…push me, I gymfess that I’m worried my gym time intensity will slack off.

Clearly my lack of running is not stopping me from buying new running gear. I runfess that I may have done a little shopping with Skirt Sports…I may need an intervention!

(By the way if you want to join me in my madness, use code 1SSCAPT20 to save 20 by 3/31 and save 20%)

So c’mon share…what do you runfess?

Filed Under: Runfessions, Skirt Sports

February Coffee Date

February 4, 2017 by Michelle 27 Comments

Wowza what a week it’s been! I’m so happy to see the weekend and have a chance to exhale. It’s a good time to sit back and catch up over coffee, so I’m joining Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date!

If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you that, everyone in my house has been having fun with our newest gadget Amazon’s Echo – aka, Alexa (affiliate link). My brother-in-law gave us one for Christmas, but we only just got it set up a couple of weeks ago. It tells really corny jokes and sings ditties, which of course cracks my boys up.

If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you that I’m so excited to have been selected as a Skirt Sports Ambassador Captain for 2017! I am a big running skirt fan and think Skirt Sports are just the best. And, of course I’d share with you a code 1SSCAPT20 so you could do a little shopping and save 20%!

If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you that Super Bowl fever is in full effect here! My beloved Patriots are going for #5 and I cannot wait for the game!

If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you that I’ve been a little obsessed with my new planner. And, as part of my effort to get more organized I’ve started reading Getting Things Done by David Allen (affiliate link). I’m just a couple of chapters in, but I find myself nodding in agreement a lot. I’ll be trying to implement some of his techniques this week so I’ll let you know how it goes.