Earth Fare Earthlete

Good news! I've been selected to be an Earthlete - an Earth Fare Athlete Ambassador.

For those of you reading this blog that don't live around here, Earth Fare is my grocery store of choice. It's like a super-healthy boutique take on Whole Foods. To be blunt, I all but live there. Their produce makes me cry, it's so pretty. I'm on a first name basis with 90% of the store employees. I eat lunch there at least twice a week. I know on which days at what times they set out their free sample foods. You get the idea. 

Part of being an Earthlete is a 15% discount - stoked! (Actually Blair is probably more excited about that then I am.) Plus I get to represent the store at a few events I compete in throughout the year --they're sending me free gear which probably translates to "Wear our t-shirt when you run" but I don't mind. Love that store, love the people there, love their food philosophy. 

I just received the official e-mail this morning so there will be more details to follow. Presumably something outlining the red carpet roll-out when they present me with my crown and scepter. 

Cheers,

Dena

New (Free) Shoes!

What's better than new running shoes? FREE new running shoes!

I recently participated in the Wake Forest Runner's Study and my reward was a $100 gift certificate to New Balance shoes in Winston-Salem. I'd been needing trail shoes for months so it was the perfect match. Almost.

I'm a Brooks running shoe girl. Always have been. I feel like I'm cheating on my brand, sneaking the New Balance into the house. Plus, they're much more minimalist then I'm used to. They feel like the thin paper baggies you slip over your shoes at a new home showing versus an actual shoe. I'm going to need to do some short trail runs and build up my endurance for wearing these. 

But free is free. These were on clearance so I had $15 left over and I bought some gaudy rainbow colored socks to wear with them 'cause that's how I roll. Plus, I don't want to get lost on the trail. You see some runner out there in turquoise shoes and purple socks, sobbing about how her paper baggie shoes failed her, yeah. That's me. Throw me a Gu and point me in the right direction.

Cheers,

Dena

The First Annual Barefoot Josh Elevational Invitational Halfish Marathon

Today at 9 a.m., with great fanfare (we said, "Ready? Let's go."), four of us set out on The First Annual Barefoot Josh Elevational Invitational Halfish Marathon.

This thing kicked my butt. The only saving grace is that going in, I knew it would. The route is only a couple of miles from our house and Josh and I had run it years ago when training for The Blue Ridge Relay and Blair ran it when he was training for the Grandfather Mountain Marathon. It's a nasty 2.7 mile stretch that Josh--in his evilness--decided we should all run five times, out and back. 

The course. Check out the elevation profile. I walked that big mother of a hill you see in the beginning of the course. And walked several short hill stretches on the way back. Plus, I only made it 4 laps. I could have struggled through five but Josh was practically ready to lap me at that point and everyone else had already quit running, so I was happy enough to call it quits with close to 9 miles under my belt. 

It's too bad a lot of people had to cancel last minute because it was a beautiful run and the weather was perfect. Plus, Blair and I put out a post-run spread of bagels, almond butter, chocoloate-chip cookies, rice-krispie treats, and Costa Rican egg-nog (oh my God... YUM) and coffee. 

I've got a couple of 15-mile trail races coming up in January. After today's run, I expect they'll seem like cake. 

Cheers,

Dena