Category Archives: 100 Days Challenge

This One’s For Grete!! (My NYRR Mini Race Report)

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Let me note from the outset that I’ve had a problem with women-only races up to this point. I signed up for this one because it’s historic. I’ll sign up for it again because it’s a heck f a lot of fun and while I’m not totally on the women-only race bandwagon, I can definitely see the appeal. :D

This was going to be a special race for NYRR anyway as it was the 40th running of it. It was made even more special when it was dedicated to the memory of Grete Waitz. NYRR had worked with various clubs to be cheering stations at the mile markers, and I knew my club, Front Runners New York was going to be at Mile 3, which was majorly important for me (more on that in a sec).

It was my 4th 10K since I started running July 1, 2010. After the Scotland Run, I wanted to make sure I didn’t go out too fast at the start. My C goal for this one was to finish. I’m still acclimating to the humidity (luckily we didn’t really have the heat – race start was 69 degrees…but the humidity was 96%) and didn’t know how it would affect me in a race situation. My B goal was to do all my run intervals on the Harlem Hills, particularly the second one. I’ve gotten into a bad habit of just increasing my walk pace out of a rest interval on them, and I know I need to break it. My A goal was to complete my B goal AND to PR.

Because I do a run/walk system, I don’t have a mile by mile breakdown in terms of pace. But I’ll break it down as much as I can.

Mile 1 ~ For the first time EVER in a corralled NYRR race (I’m not counting the Wall Street Run as it’s not corralled) I can see the starting line AT the start! Woo! We start up Central Park West, and I’m feeling good. I’m going fast (for me), but it doesn’t feel too fast. I miss the first water table because I was on the other side of the road and missed the usual “toilets and fluid station ahead” signs we get in NYRR races, but I have a handheld with me (I carry my inhaleer in the pouch), so I’m ok. When I see the mile marker, it’s just over 12 minutes, so I’m pretty much on par with where I need to be.

Mile 2 ~ We’re in the park now. We’re starting up the
first of the Harlem Hills. I’m still running in my run segments – trying to keep the effort if not the speed the same as it was on flatter terrain. When you’re going this way in the park, this is the easier of the two. I hear a roar of noise from the other side and cheer my FRNY boys (and a few girls who were closed out of this race) giving it their all cheering for everyone. I want to get there and be STRONG! I am over on the correct side when we pass the water table at around 2.5. I was feeling like I was possibly on the verge of overheating at this point, so I grabbed a cup and after making sure no one was behind me, poured it over my head and arms. What do you know? That actualy DOES work to cool you off! I round the curve and see my team up ahead on the side of the road.

Mile 3 ~ My next run segment started jst before I hit my team and their cheering. High fives and yells of encouragement gave me just the burst I needed. And knowing they were down the hill kept my pride from letting me drop to a walk until it was time – which happened to coincide with the top of the hill!! B goal has been met!! I didn’t even pay attention to the clock as I crossed the 5K mat. At this point I’m really not worrying about time. Doing that entire run segment on that hill really to me meant the race would be a success. I knew I could walk to the end if I had to. Another water station around 3.5, another dousing with water – again, it wasn’t terribly hot, it was just humid.

Mile 4 ~ We’re in the flat-to-downhill part of the course now. I did walk a little during a couple of run segments just to not totally come undone after the hill, but never for the entire run segment. Once we hit the downhill just after passing the Met, I let my feet go to try and pick up a little pace I lost dropping to a walk.

Mile 5 ~ Started with my last water dousing, then I told myself “You have this. Let’s go!” And I pushed as much as I could during my run segments. I was getting tired, but I was determined. I’m still figuring out how to really pace myself over a 10K. I did better than at the Scotland Run in April, but I still have a lot to learn about it and how it will work for me. As I rounded the last curve, I could see the start of the finish chute.

Last 800m (I don’t recall seeing a 6 mile marker…just 800, 400, 200) ~ I’m really starting to feel the effort put forth on the Harlem Hills now. But I want to finish strong. I’m trying to stay with my run/walk thing, and I’ve got about 20 seconds left of walking when I hit the 200m marker. Some of my running club teammates (women this time) are there, and they kick my butt into starting to run. I pass another couple at about the 100m area (no sign), and then a bigger group about 50m away from the finish. They’re screaming like crazy, telling me I look strong and urging me in (later the couple at about 100m said that they looked at each other and were like “Was that Beth??” because I looked so strong. So I guess I usually look like I’m dying? LOL.). I crossed the finish feeling really good ~ exhausted but good ~ and managed to raise my hands and smile for the cameras. We’ll see what it looks like later.

I stopped the Garmin and that time was 1:15:09, so I knew if it wasn’t a PR (I start it when I cross the start line) officially it was going to be close. Still, I felt I’d accomplished enough I wasn’t going to be disappointed either way. I got a cup of Gatorade and downed it, (I didn’t feel like having a bagel at the moment…for some reason they always taste funny to me after NYRR races…maybe from the cardboard boxes they’re in? idk) then continued down the finish chute where I was given a carnation and a medal. I grabbed my bag and changed out of my soaked FRNY singlet into the race shirt and went to join my teammates to cheer in our remaining people on the course. We were getting a group pic made when one of the NYRR videographers came running over and had us yell first “Women rock!” and then “This one’s for Grete!” Good times!!! Then I headed over to meet up with some of the women from the NYC Marathon board on Runners World Online and we chatted while waiting for the raffle drawing. They were posting results, so I wandered over to see what my official time was. Finally they got to the numbers where I knew I’d be…

1:14:57!! 12-second PR!!! Average pace of 12:04, whic I know is snail-like to many of you, but it’s good for me, especially considering the humidity! So A goal was met! Hooray!!

Overall I had a blast, and I already can’t wait until next year!!

Oh yes ~ the added bonus of today’s race? I completed my 9+1 so I now have guaranteed entry into the 2012 NYC Marathon! Woo!

Week 2 is Done!

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As the title says, week 2 of my training for the Walt Disney World Wine and Dine Half Marathon is in the barn! It went well!

Monday I did Jillian Michaels’ Banish Fat Boost Metabolism dvd. I do like it, and I burn a lot of calories doing it, but my calves killed me for about three days afterwards. Not a good thing. So I’ll look into other options for XT days for sure!

Tuesday I had a meeting at 6, so I went in and ran along the Hudson in Hudson River Park. It was good, but it was also hot and humid. I managed 4.4 miles at a 2/1 ratio. Average pace = 12:30. Not too bad all things considered.

I also learned (along with everyone else) that they’re having a new medal at Disneyland for the Half! It’s SOOOOO pretty!!!!

See??? Excited!!!!!

Wednesday I was supposed to go to Pilates, but my calves were still not happy with me, and I felt like it would be risking too much to go and do all the leg work there, so I just took a rest day. It’s all about listening to your body after all. :D

Thursday I headed over to Prospect Park. The weather was much better – a lot less humid! I did 4.48 miles at a 2/1 ratio. Pace = 12:17.

Friday is my wild card day. I can do XT of some kind or I can run, depending on what I’m feeling. I felt like running, so I went back to Prospect Park for an intended “easy” run. Did 3.25 miles at 2/1 ratio. Pace – 12:18. So maybe it wasn’t so easy after all. LOL.

Saturday I headed down to Coney Island to run on the boardwalk for my LSR (long, slow run). It was supposed to be 4.5 miles, but I know I haven’t gone time-wise long enough for the 10K prep, and I don’t want to irritate the ITB if I can at all help it. So I planned to go out for almost 1.5 hours (1 hour, 27 minutes), take it slow, and whatever the mileage was, the mileage was. Ratio was 2:30/1. Total distance = 6.57 miles. Pace = 13:13. So I did better at going slow than last week. But I could probably stand to go slower on the LSRs.

Today was a rest day. Love the rest days! That said, I did do Bob Harper’s Yoga Abs. I’m going to *try* to do those 15 minutes every day. We’ll see what the abs think about that. LOL.

Total mileage for the week: 18.7
YTD Miles: 282.81

Minutes of outdoor fun this week for the 100 Day Challenge: 327 (we had field day, and though it was work, it was play!) Well over the 100 minute minimum!

Weight this week’s weigh in: 168.6

And I’ll try to blog each night next week. Promise!

Going slow is HARD!

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Long runs are supposed to be done slow. As in “Go slow. No, slower. No, slower still.” In his instructions for the Disney half and full training plans, Jeff Galloway says that the long run can’t be done too slowly.

Maybe it’s because 3 miles isn’t really a “long run” for me anymore (I decided to stick with roughly that distance and treat it as a cutback week), but it was so hard to go slow! Even cutting my run to 2 minutes and keeping the walk at 1 minute, my average pace over 3.87 miles (I did a loop of Prospect Park, and it’s 3.35 miles, so add in the cool down and that explains the distance) was at a 12:39 pace. Yes, slower than my best pace NYRR has by over a minute, but I strongly suspect not slow enough.

I started off and knew I was going too fast. And a look at the Garmin data confirms it. An average pace of 9:46 for the first run segment. I got it up to as slow as 11:45, but that wasn’t until I was on The Beast. The rest of them were in the 10-11:15 minute range.

I clearly need to learn how to slow down on my long runs. Anyone have any tips? Besides “Go slow. No slower. No, even slower.” which is clearly not working for me. I feel like if I slow down any more on the runs I’ll be walking them too, and doesn’t that defeat the purpose? Aargh!!!

I did listen to the podcast of The Marathon Show‘s podcast from the Disneyland Half last year for insipration! :D

Yesterday was Yoga for the Warrior. I love that dvd!!!! I suspect it will be a frequent visitor to my XT lists.

Mileage for the week: 12.97

Tomorrow begins the 100 Days Challenge!! Sign up!! You know you want to!!

Let the Frankenplan begin!

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Today officially marks the start of my Gallo-Jenn Frankenplan to train for the Disneyland Half Marathon and the Wine and Dine Half Marathon!!

Running will be on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

I will be doing cross-training (XT) of some type on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Sunday will be a scheduled rest day (SRD).

Went to another Pilates class tonight. Wore the HRM and found out how few calories it actually burns. At least the mat class as we did it tonight. I’ll be interested to see on Wednesday how many calories the Barres and Belles class burns.

This one was good – it was actually very relaxing overall. We did a lot of work on the hammies, so I’m sure I’ll feel those tomorrow. Funnily enough, some of them were some of the moves I was to do in PT. And then there was the balance ball.

We did push-ups off the ball and rested in between the sets/types by laying over the ball with our forearms on one side and feet on the other. Leave it to me to manage from that position with all the support in the world to roll off the ball. LOL. I didn’t get hurt, and I scrambled back up before anyone really saw me. But still. LOL. It was kinda funny.

Tomorrow? Running!! Yay!!

Oh yes… John Bingham and Jenny Hadfield have put together a 100 Days challenge for the summer!! Go here for more info and to sign up! This is really one of those everyone wins kind of things! Tons of fun! Come out and play!!

I know, I know…

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It seems as if I gave up this blog for Lent. It wasn’t intentional, I promise!!!

I’ll just do bullet points to bring you up to date…

* The Scotland Run 10K netted me another PR! 1:15:09!! Woot!! Honestly I’m shocked that it was a PR time…I felt like I was dragging for most of it, just couldn’t get my legs to go. Part of it was because I know I started out too fast. And the other part? I have no clue. Mad props to AJ for vocally pushing me into the finish line…at that point I really felt like I was done but she kept yelling “You’re not dying! You’re right there! Run!!!” And it got me those last few yards.

* I’m going to be doing a Spartan Sprint with some running club buddies. Yes, one of those where you crawl under barbed wire and jump fire. I don’t think either of those two things were EVER on my “do before I turn 40″ list (if I’ve even got one of those…), but they are two things that will be done by then. It’ll either be June 4 or 5.

* My current training plan is Coach Jenny’s run/walk a 10K. The goal race here is the NYRR Mini 10K – theoretically I’ll be doing run a mile/walk a minute for that. So far the training’s going pretty well. It’s been interesting this week as my parents’ neighborhood is extremely hilly. So we’ll see what happens with times/paces when I get back to NYC!

* So I know I said before in the post about my “bucket list o’races” that Boston wasn’t really one that was on there. Well… They say never say never – which technically I didn’t say, but… Reading the tweets and things of the race itself and reading about some of my friends’ experiences, I’ve set my goal for it. 2013 for one of the charities (because while I may be “a crazy person” as my sister refers to us runners, I’m not delusional enough to think I’ll EVER BQ time-wise). So I’m saving my pennies to help fund that charity run starting now.

* So it’s probably a good thing that the new runDisney race is – EW! – Tinkerbell themed. Gross, gross, gross. I definitely have issues with it being yet another women’s race – especially when Tinkerbell is a tiny (pun intended) part of a much larger story in Peter Pan which would have made an amazing theme and allowed for so much choice in terms of people who choose to run in costume – the stupid, spoiled brat of a fairy, boys who don’t want to grow up in Peter, a princess-y type figure in Wendy, and even Pirates. But more than that, why do you want to have a whiny, selfish, spoiled brat of a figure as the theme for your race? And if you’re promoting girl power, why especially name it for someone who let’s not forget tried to poison Wendy because she was jealous!?!?!? I know, I know…they have the Princess at WDW and I’ve thought about doing it, but at least with the Princesses, you have a few (Mulan, Tiana…to a slight degree Rapunzel, though that one’s questionable in my mind) who actually have a backbone (and then there’s bookworm Belle, so she’s pretty positive too) – it’s not just little whimps who have to be rescued by a prince. Really most of what I’ve got to say on the subject has already been said on message boards and other blogs. It’s done…the decision was made. And I can take that $120 race fee and put it in my Boston 2013 fund! :) I did find it sadly ironic that this new race was announced on the day that we lost Grete Waitz. Clearly there was no way to predict that, but it was sad that something like a Tinkerbell Race would be announced on the day when one of the great pioneers of the equality of women’s running lost her battle with cancer.

* New running shoes are always fun! Got a pair of Brooks Adrenaline 10s so I can rotate those in with my other shoes while I’m training! Also fun new running skirt! Woot!!

* John Bingham and Coach Jenny have cooked up another 100 Days Challenge…but we don’t know deets yet. Hopefully it won’t drag on as long as the stupid guessing game runDisney did for the stupid new race… :P

*Did I mention how hilly my parents’ neighborhood is? Well, today I decided to try and tackle this hill that I’ve purposely avoided until now. It’s very much reminiscent of the worst part of Harlem Hill, and I was all “No. Just…no.” But I gave it a shot today. And came within 10-15 yards of running it all the way to the top!! Not very fast, but I almost made it! So I’m proud of myself!!

So…that’s about it for now. Tomorrow’s Easter, so I’ll be much better about updating here. Even if I didn’t technically give up updating for Lent. LOL.

I’m a soggy little shamrock!!

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But a happy little shamrock!!!

After taking the rest of the week off after Monday… Oh wait, did I not mention that little thing? On Tuesday I noticed that my left knee seemed a little swollen. It didn’t hurt, but it was definitely on the puffy side. So hello RICE. I also got an appointment for the 10th at a Sports PT practice here in NYC.

Friday night was First Friday Social with Front Runners. After icing the knee, I opted not to wear the compression sleeve/brace I’d been wearing to see what it would do. No swelling when I got home.

And so yesterday I went to Prospect Park to test it out. An hour and a half later I’d run/walked 6.83 miles! And still felt good!! Yahoo!!

Today was the NYRR Coogan’s Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5K in Washington Heights. Weather.com listed 9am (start time) as a 10% chance of rain. Well DARN IT if Washington Heights wasn’t in that 10%. So hi my first race in the rain.

I’d been warned that the course had some monster hills in it. And oy did it!! But I’m proud to say that I did my complete run intervals even on the hills on the first half of the course (I was working a 3.5:1.5 run:walk ratio today). And honestly, I shocked myself when I saw the first mile marker come up. Of course the leaders had already passed me going the other way on the lollipop course, but I was running MY race!

Once we started to circle the Cloisters, I opted to walk a bit on that monster hill to conserve so I had something left to kick at the end. Because, you know, even when you’re going downhill, you still have to have something left in the tank.

I made sure I was running at 190th St. (it was a run interval AND a downhill segment, so woo!!!) because some of my Front Runner boys (I think it was all boys there…I was going too fast to look hard…had to watch for puddles and potholes) were there cheering – including Cesar and his AMAZING “Run faster! Charlie Sheen is winning!” sign!! LOVED THAT!!!!

Walked a little on the flat until I could see the Mile 3 sign not too far off, and then I started my kick. Ran all the way across the finish!!

Official time? 35:37!!!!

SIX MINUTE PR!!!!!! (My other timed 5K was my first. And it was on flat Governor’s Island. Time? 41:36. It was my first, but also I didn’t have an organized run/walk schedule. I just walked when I needed to. So to me, this proves that for me, having that scheduled walk break is for sure the way to go!!)

What even?????

I’ll take it!!!

Now…two good weeks of training, and next Sunday the NYC Half is mine!!

(This was Day 65 of the 100 Day Challenge, which I’m rocking!!)

Yay for a breakthrough run!!

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This week officially marked the start of formal training for the NYC Half (meaning I’m done with the recovery weeks after the WDW Half and jumping back into the training plan)! And it didn’t start great – Monday I felt like death warmed over (yeah…probably shouldn’t have fully run that race on Sunday…) so I skipped my run. Did yoga Tuesday and Wednesday. Then there was all kinds of fun at the doctor’s office on Thursday (he’s a jerk…seriously, who says “Oh, you have stretch marks here.” and follows that up with proving he’s not listening to a word you’re saying with this exchange: “Hmm. Do you wear sunscreen?” “Yes. I burn way too easily not to.” “You really need to, you know. You have almost no pigment in your skin.”) – I’ve about decided that other than GYN stuff (and maybe for that too, but I really have had only good experiences with that department) I’m done with Callen-Lorde. Both doctors I’ve seen have been utter and total assholes. It’s just such a pain to find a new one. Ugh! But I digress… So Thursday was a wash other than wandering around Union Square waiting on another scrip to get filled (yeah, there was Duane Reade fail as well…the woman who dropped her scrip off directly before me (she was at the window when I got there) was able to get her scrip a good 20 minutes before me, which is ABSURD). Yesterday I hit the gym for 12 reps of 3:1 and it went well.

But today???

There are these things called “breakthrough runs”. Where you (duh) break through some kind of barrier – distance, time, etc. I haven’t really had one of those before. I mean, I’ve had some great runs, but never one that I’d call a breakthrough run.

Well…I finally had one today! Legit! I went over to Prospect Park to run:walk for 2 hours (plus a 5 minute warm up and a 5 minute cool down) at a 3:2 interval (24 reps). If I looked at my training plan, it was 7-9 miles, but while training for the NYC Half, I’m looking more at foot time than distance. So two hours, and whatever the mileage turned out to be, so be it.

Well…at the end of 2 hours and 10 minutes, my distance was 10.31 miles!!! But that’s not the breakthrough!

Well, there were two really.

The first was that I ran every second of every one of my run intervals!!! I didn’t drop to a walk in any of them!! Now, granted, my pace was a bit slower than my shorter run paces and for sure my race pace, but still, I ran them!! The second, and in my mind bigger, breakthrough was that those run intervals included time either going from flat to The Beast (that evil hill in Prospect Park) or starting while on The Beast. INCLUDING a run segment during rep 22 and restarting running rep 23 (out of 24) while on the hill!!!! I’m so proud of myself!!!

And as I’m looking to the NYC Half in 5 weeks, that is a HUGE confidence boost, especially since the last miles there are flat to slightly downhill!! And especially as my pace without pushing hard was still a minute and change under the minimum requirement for the NYC Half!!

I am pumped!!! :D

(And this was day 43 of the 100 Day Challenge! I’ve done at least 30 minutes of something every day so far!)

Still working it!!

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I’m in the last week of “recovery” from the Disney Half, and feeling good and strong.

Yesterday I did 8 reps of 4:1 on the treadmill. I had to walk a little in the central intervals, but I made myself run the last one – that whole finish fast and strong thing Koach Kelsey talked about at the women’s team meeting last week. So I feel good about that.

Today I combined Bob’s Butt and Balance workout with his Yoga Abs workout. So my core and lower body are definitely fired up.

Tomorrow is Wild Women’s Wednesday at Front Runners – but we’re supposed to have an ice storm all night tonight…so who knows what Central Park will be like tomorrow. I’ll see. Technically it’s an SRD for me, but I’ve been known to swap the Wednesday SRD and the Thursday run day. We’ll see what the weather is and what I’m feeling. I may just go for dinner…but we’ll see. It’s a really late dinner even with a workout, so without… IDK.

Sunday’s the Gridiron Classic – a 4 miler. I’m hoping to improve on my baseline, but we’ll see what happens. I’m not going to get distraught if I don’t PR as long as I’m close. Once I’m done with the NYC Half, I’m going to work on this whole “race pace” and “training pace” differential thing. Because right now? They’re pretty darn close to each other. Hee?

Anyway…I’ve done 32 days of the 100 Days Challenge so far!!

Oh…have I mentioned that I’ve signed up as a runner in the EiF Revlon Run For Women? It’s April 30. It’s a 5K. I’ve done it before, but as a walker. I’m really excited to do it as a runner!! IF – and please don’t feel obligated to do so – but IF you would like to sponsor me, you can visit my page. Thanks!

Snow = change in plans!

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Today was supposed to be a run day. I was going to try out my new CW-X compression tights. But mother nature apparently had other plans.

We got 19 inches of snow in NYC overnight. On top of everything that was still there from the Christmas blizzard and our other snows. Good times. We did get a snow day out of it since the majority of the city’s public transportation system was shut down. So that was a bonus.

I decided that rather than add the cardio (and up the injury risk) of climbing over the snow to get to the subway and the gym, I’d switch the run day and the XT day. Woo!

Ended up doing Jillian’s Banish Fat Boost Metabolism and pushing it hard. I don’t recall ever feeling like puking during it before, but today I had that feeling twice. Go me! I do make the one alteration of doing butt kicks rather than “cross-countries” because as much as I try I am simply not skilled in the techniques of cross-country skiing (ask the three different trainers at the Y where I used to go who tried to teach me how to use the NordicTrac), and I’d just end up hurting myself. But other than that I pushed every exercise as hard as I could! Go me!

So that was Day 27 of the 100 Days challenge! I’ve done something every day even if I haven’t posted it on here. I promise!

Also new in my routine? I’m doing Coach Jenny’s Killer Caterpillars every morning! 5 of them! It’s fun in my NYC apartment…I manage 2 or 3, then turn during the hang down section – while hanging down – and go the other direction. Hee! I will probably also do them before and after running – which should earn me some funny looks at the gym…I’m thinking people will just be like “Oh, crazy…” in the parks. It is NYC after all! Hee!

Yay yay yay for running!!!

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FINALLY I had a day for running in my reverse taper in my training plan!!!!

Just 6 reps of 3:2 run:walk intervals, true. But RUNNING!!!

I’m really trying to trust my training and follow the reverse taper to not do too much too soon, but it’s tough!!!! Last night I did do an hour of Yoga for the Warrior on what was supposed to be a rest day, but it had been a hellacious day and I needed to get my zen on!

It was a bit cold to do Prospect Park – plus it’s still getting dark kind of early, and I’m not as familiar with their lighting. Also, I wasn’t sure that 6 reps of 3:2 would get me around the park. The little park close to my apartment has a couple of cleared paths, but they don’t really connect, so… To the gym it was.

Now, I’m not one to discourage anyone trying to get in shape, but… Let’s get real. It’s January 20. Shouldn’t those resolutionists be dropping out of the gym about now? Because they don’t seem to be dropping out of mine. I barely found a treadmill. OY!

But I did manage to find one and got my run on. Felt GREAT!!!! YAY!!!!

Also, that fulfilled day 20 of the 100 Days Challenge! :)

And also again? Still LOVING my Brooks Adrenalines!!!! They make my feet so so happy!! And happy feet make me a happy little runner girl!!