Hello there blog universe!

 I am a bit behind with the blog this week due to not feeling well earlier this week. I can’t decide if it was a super bowl hang over or a stomach bug (I am going with the second). Also, I honestly feel like this week has been one of the longest weeks EVER.

 This officially marks Week 5 of Training for the Delaware Marathon and the Hot Chocolate Philly 15K (see discount code page if you want to join me!). Originally this week was supposed to be a decently high mileage week, but my coach decided since I wasn’t feel great we would make this a cut back week. My old self would have hated this idea as I am a mile junkie at heart, but my theme for this year is to TRAIN SMART.  See my training highlights below:

 Monday - Just keep the run streak going even when sick. Pushed through 1.0 miles 

Tuesday – 4.0 Easy Miles to ease back into it

Wednesday – 10 mile Wednesday is back in Session! This run felt absolutely amazing. It was my first run outside in a while due to snow and ice and the fresh air felt amazing. It was even better though because I ended up running a majority of this run at marathon pace without even intending to.

Thursday – 4.0 Easy Recovery Miles

Friday – 12M Progression Run

·         This one was fun. I am really trying to embrace incorporating speed into my long runs. The only downfall of this run is that it had to take place indoors due to icy roads. Here is how the Progression Run was broken down:

o   Segment 1- 3 Miles @ 9:45-10:00 pace

o   Segment 2 – 4 Miles @ 8:55-9:15 pace

o   Segment 3 – 5 Miles @ 8:29-8:35 pace 

Saturday – 6.0 Easy Recovery Miles

Sunday – Rest Day! (1.0 Mile to keep the streak alive) ps. Don’t forget to tell your loved one Happy Valentine’s Day and enjoy all the Valentine’s Day treats!

 

Topic of the Week Winter Running Tips:

I'm sure we can all agree that this winter has been filled with a lot of snow and ice! Honestly I'm kinda over it, but it looks like it is going to be a long winter! See my tips below for surviving a winter run and staying vertical if you know what I mean!

• Wear trail shoes or @yaktraxtraction
• Wear all the reflective gear cars aren’t expecting to see runners out in the snow
• If the road or sidewalk looks wet it’s more than likely black ice AVOID it or tread carefully
• Be prepared to do a lot of climbing in and out of the snow when you get to corners or ends of the street
• Wear all the layers
• ️Sipping hot fluids pre - run can help keep you warm during your runs. It can be tea or even try nuun in hot water!

In other Exciting News:

·        Rise.Up.Running went LIVE this week! I am so excited to be partnering with Blaire Harter to kick off our Running Coach platform! If you are looking for a running coach please reach out to:

o   @rise.up.running on Instagram  or

o   E-mail us at: riseupruncoaching@gmail.com

What I’m loving this week!

·         WhitePaw RunMitts!

o   I have been wear testing this mittens for BibRave and boy are they a game changer for those runners who like to brave the winter! They have three types of mittens available. I am currently testing out the Wind and Water Resistant RunMitts. I took these mittens out for several runs now and they have kept my hands warm even in single digit temperatures! They also allow you to fold down the top portion of the mitten if your hands get warm. I highly recommend these mitts for anyone looking for gloves to keep you warm during your winter runs because runners don't take winters off!

§  Use Code: BIBRAVE5 for $5 off your order!

• https://runmitts.com/ 
•      ** Disclaimer  I have received WhitePaw RunMitts to review as being a BibRave Pro! Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!
• 
  
  
  

·         SmartShake Bothal Tumbler and flasks:

o   I have several of these bottles and they are absolutely amazing! They are vacuum sealed, stainless steel, and keep your beverages hot for 12 hours and cold beverages cold for 24 hours!

§  This weekend only you can buy 2 for the price of 1!

•      https://smartshake.com/pages/bohtal 

·         Vital Protein Bars and protein!

o   These bars are absolutely bar far the best protein bar I have ever tasted! The salty chocolate peanut is to die for! It honestly reminds me of a Reese! Also, all of their proteins are NSF certified!

•       https://www.vitalproteins.com/products/vital-performance-protein-bar 

Monday Morning Check In - Delaware Marathon Training Week 3 Recap

Happy Monday and a snowy one at that if you live in the Northeast! I don’t know about you guys but I am absolutely over this cold! This past week almost every run was in single digits with winds over 10mph+ (i.e. not the best running conditions). Hello frozen braids and windburn! Alright I am done complaining let’s get right into this past week’s training recap!

Snow Monday Morning!

Week 3 of Delaware Marathon Training: First I can’t believe that I am already 3 weeks into this training cycle! It feels like the miles and time are flying! Last week my coach introduced some speed back into my training because I honestly haven’t done a speed workout since I started training for the JFK 50 Miler. So imagine my nerves when I saw strides and hill sprint when I am pretty sure my legs haven’t moved that quickly since September 2020! Here’s a quick rundown of my training this past week: 

• Monday: 6 miles with a mix of strides and 6x30 seconds of hill sprints (5-8% incline) at 97% effort. + Strength Training LEGS 
• I found myself pleasantly surprised with how good it felt to dust the cobwebs off of my legs and to get moving again at a faster pace! I was able to hit paces ranging from 6:30 -7:15 and considering I haven’t done much speed work or hills I’ll take it! 
• Tuesday: 4 easy recovery miles 
• Wednesday: Mid-Week medium long run = 8 miles + Core Work 
• Wednesday’s are my favorite days of the week because I get to run with my Run Tribe. These girls seriously keep me going during the midweek slump. 
• Thursday: 5 miles in Zone 2 + CORE and Arms 
• Crushed this run and ran the entire run in the low 8:00s! 
• Friday: 5 easy recovery miles 
• Saturday: LONG RUN --> 12 miles with last 2 miles @ Marathon Pace (8:30) 
•  Alright who else hates long run with speed work thrown in?! I mentally get so freaked out by these types of runs. My coach knows I hate them but we both know if I want to get faster I need workouts like this. SO BRING THEM ON! I absolutely crushed this run and I am so pumped about it. The last 2 miles felt great as I hit that 8:30 pace. This would put me at around a 3:40ish marathon so we still have a lot of work to put in if I expect to be anywhere close to a 3:30 – 3:20 by Delaware. 
• Sunday: REST DAY EMBRACE THE REST DAY! 
• Allowing myself to rest more is one of my goals for 2021 as I tend to be a serious mile junkie. However, I know I need to give my legs a break if I want to hit my goals. Who knew resting could be so hard to do?! 
• Total Miles: 41.4 Miles and Day 30 of my Run Streak! 
• I’m not going to lie the low mileage definitely has me nervous but I knew when I started this training cycle something had to change. The high mileage, almost no strength training, with very little rest wasn’t working for me anymore. I am excited to see how these small changes workout in the long run. 

There you have it folks! That’s what my Week 3 of Delaware Marathon training looked like!

 Products/Things I’m Loving this week: 

• MyStryde On Demand: This online platform is catered to runners! It includes On Demand Running, Strength, and recovery classes. I absolutely love the variety! I have been using the On Demand library for all of my strength building. 
• MYSTRYDE On-Demand – Fitness Your Way
• Rabbit Waffle Collection: This collection is fire! It is made with a sweet mixture of lofted knits with a waffley pattern next to your skin to keep you dry and cozy! I ran in the beanie and the snap to it long sleeve and it was incredible! It kept me dry and both pieces were so comfy. I would recommend sizing up if you intend to use them more for lounging!
•  rabbitWAFFLE (runinrabbit.com)

Run in Rabbit Waffle Line

• Alter Ego Running: Need a new winter beanie? Look no further than Alter Ego Running’s “Snowbird” Performance Beanie! Feel free to use code STOK20 for 20% off your purchase
• The "Snowbird” Performance Beanie - Leather Logo – Alter Ego Running
• Brunch Running Rest Day Joggers: The joggers to meet all your rest day needs! They are fleeced line do I need to say more?! 
•  Camo #RESTDAY Joggers – bRUNchRunning

Rest Day Joggers

• Nathan Sports SpeedDraw Plus Insulated Flask: Anyone else forget to hydrate during winter? Just because it’s cold doesn’t mean we don’t need to hydrate while on our runs. You need to check out this insulated flask! 
• 90's Pink SpeedDraw Plus Insulated Flask | Nathan Sports
• The Run Show USA! This past week I signed on as an ambassador for The Run Show USA! I highly suggest checking this out and saving the date! The Run Show USA brings together inspirational speakers, the latest kit, cutting-edge technology, expert coaches, the best races and a host of tasty nutrition products all under one roof. I AM STOKED about this one! 
•  Home (runshowusa.com) 

 Until next time enjoy the mile you’re in!

 -xo Kristin

New Year, Same Me BIGGER goals!

One of my goals for 2021 was to create a blog and even though I'm 26+ days late better late than never! 

So let's get to it! 

This blog will focus on my training journey, running gear and accessory review, race recaps, and all things running! I'm excited to have you follow along! 

My Running Story: My name is Kristin and I am an avid endurance runner. Perhaps I should back up though since running and I weren't always in a love affair. Prior to falling in love with running I considered myself to be a well rounded athlete. In high school I played volleyball, basketball and, soccer.  I also was an avid softball player and swimmer. I went to college on a soccer scholarship but after playing four years of collegiate soccer and it was time to graduate I found myself asking "now what"? 

In my senior year of college I had a health scare that ended with an autoimmune disease diagnosis, which isn't exactly what a 22 year old is prepared to hear or take on. I found myself a bit lost and looking for some way to take back control of my life. INSERT RUNNING. Two things led me to running: 1.) My dad convincing me to sign up for my first 5K post MS diagnosis 2.) My cousin convincing me to sign up for the Philadelphia Broad Street 10 Mile Run (if you've ever run this race before you know how quickly it can spark your love for running).  Long Story Short I completed the Broad Street 10 Miler with very little training, but post-race I caught the running bug. My next race quickly followed which was the Philadelphia Rock N Roll Half Marathon and that quickly escalated to the need to complete the full Philadelphia Marathon. 

So that bring us to current day, 15 Marathons (2BQs), 1 50 Miler, 2x50K, 50+ half marathons later! I think it's safe to say I'm addicted to endurance running which is ironic since I would find myself in tears back in the day when any coach told me we had to run at a practice. 

Post JFK 50 Miler

Running Certifications:

RRCA Level 1 Certified Coach

• Co-Founder of Rise.Up.Running  
• Reach out at riseupruncoaching@gmail.com or @Rise.Up.Running on IG for coaching inquiries 

USATF Team Affiliation:

• UNFRGVN Fitness Marathon Team

Current Race Schedule:

Let's me be honest with all of the deferrals and the amount of money I lost last year in race registrations due to COVID I've been extremely hesitant to sign up for many races, but here is what is on tap for 2021 so far:

• April 3rd, 2021 - Philadelphia Hot Chocolate 15K 
• Run with me! Philadelphia, PA - Allstate Hot Chocolate 15k/5k - Philadelphia
• Thank you @BibRave for this race entry and if want to register to join me make sure to  use code BRHC20 to get a free hat! 

• April 25th, 2021 - Delaware Marathon Running Festival (26.2)
• Run with me! Delaware Running Festival | A Corrigan Sports Event (delawaremarathon.org)
• @BibRave Code for 10% off: DEMARABR

• May 29th, 2021 - Cayuga Trails 50 Mile
• Run With Me! Cayuga Trails - May 29, 2021 (ultrasignup.com)

Brand Ambassadors Affiliations and Discounts:

• Rabbit - RadRabbit
• Nuun Hydration
• Alter Ego Running - STOK20 
• Vital Performance and Proteins Athlete
• Mind Over Matter -MMKristinKS 
• BibRave Pro 
• Koala Clip - KSTOKES10
• SANS Meal Bar - KSTOKES
• bRUNch Running
• GoodFor - KSTOKES15
• Garmin - #LeagueofGarmin

Well I think that about sums it up for my running overview! New Blog Entries will be updated each week! Also feel free to follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k_stokes829