Summer of Fun..Oh I mean RUM!!!

I cannot believe how quickly my summer is coming to an end.  In just a week, it will be over and what did I do?  It feels like nothing but I completed an amazing first month of marathon training, traveled to Israel, ran around Central Park multiple times, shopped along the streets of New York City, lounged on the beaches of Cape May, New Jersey.  I traveled to Key West, Florida for the first time and stayed at the Pilot House where it was "clothing optional" at the pool (yup, I learned that is NOT my thing), and I have been house hunting like it is my job.  Unfortunately it is not my job and I have to go back to the real world bext week and earn a living.  Not to break anyones bubble, but I do NOT get paid over the summer, incase you all thought teachers just get paid to have summers off.  

There are a few things that I am looking forward to that happens after school starts and that is the Summer of Rum Festival.  I get to celebrate the first week of classes with students with RUM!!  So on Saturday, June 24 at 4:00 I will be enjoying myself in VIP in downtown Tampa.  You too can get all the details here on facebook.  Also, I will be giving away two General Admission tickets at the end of this post.  

Here is how you too can fest!!

General Admission:  $15 in advance or $20 at the door if there are tickets still available.  This is likely to sell out because of the limited amount of tickets. 

 "GA Admission gives you access to the Summer of Rum with all day re-entry privileges.  Enjoy live entertainment on our main-stage, each our unique rum zones, rum shacks, and more while you sip on your rum drinks. 

Once inside, your rum drinks are ALL ONLY $5 (full 12 oz. drinks, not those little tasting sized cups)."

Endless Rum Cup: $55 in advance and $65 at the door.  There are only 500 tickets available.

The Endless Rum Cup is the best way to drink UNLIMITED Rum Drinks at all of our Rum Zones (food/beer/water sold seprately). 

"These tickets also include GA admissions with all-day re-entry access, and 16-oz commemorative Summer of Rum hurricane glasses — your vessels for enjoying endless, refreshing drinks!

Rum Zones include the Cruzan Daiquiri Deck, The Naked Turtle and The Appleton Rum Shacks, and much more"

I am really excited because it is no fun to have to think about having to drive home after this so hotels are having deals so..NO DRINKING AND DRIVING.  The Courtyard Marriott and Hilton Garden in are having specials, you can see them here.  

I was given tickets to the Endless Rum Cup and will be live tweeting that afternoon.  Follow along here.  

Here is how you can win your General Admission tickets!

All you need to do is leave a comment telling me you want to go to the SUMMER OF RUM FESTIVAL.  

For additional entries:

Follow me on Twitter  and tweet about the giveaway!

Join the Summer of Run Facebook Group

Follow me on Facebook

Follow me on Instagram.

Leave a comment for each entry.  

Contest will end on August 9.  Please make sure you leave an email address so you can be contacted.  The tickets will b mailed to you.  

*I will be given 2 Endless Rum Cup Tickets to blog about this event, as always, all opinions are my own*

NYCM 2013 Training: Week 4

How is it 2 days before August and I am already a month into marathon training?  Where has the time gone?

We have less than 99 days until November 3 when I toe the start line with thousands of my closest running friends!

This week I am linking up with Meghan and Kat.  I am really excited to link up again because I missed these weekly recaps.  Unless I am training for something, I have nothing to recap :(

Week 4 in Review

Sunday 7/21- 1 mile swim as a recovery from Saturdays 11 miles

Monday 7/22 Easy 4 miler

Tuesday 7/23 Unplanned rest day due to time restraints

Wednesday 7/24 7 ugly miles.  If you saw on Daily mile, this was not my day.  I mentally checked out before it started because I wasn't able to meet the people I anticipated to run with.  I almost went home but pounded it out anyway.  There was much more walking than I planned but they got done.  

Thursday 7/25 20 minutes tempo run.  This was pretty rock star :)

6 miles on the bike with mom

Friday 7/26 Rest day 

Saturday 7/28 13 miles which 8 were bridges at Ringling Bridge

I took this from my instagram.  My first ice bath of the season!!

Sunday 7/29 1 mile on treadmill, 20 minutes on a bike. 1 hour of yoga

Dad foam rolling

This makes for a pretty sure Genna :)

I hope everyone has a great week!  I have almost hit 100 miles for the month.  I haven't seen those numbers since December !! 

25th Anniversary Cruise

Team In Training's 25th Anniversary Cruise around Tampa Bay

was a great time!  I am honored to help celebrate the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team In Training's 25th year!

I have participated in a number of events for Team in Training.  I have fundraised and mentored and maybe one day, I can coach and help other first time or veteran runners as much as my coaches have helped me.  My first run with TEAM Was Disney's Wine and Dine Half Marathon, next up was Rock n Roll Savannah Full, I mentored Disney Princess, and finally, Disney Goofy!  With Team I have met some really great friends of which I am so thankful for their support, love, and generosity.

On Tuesday we set sail from the Bay Spirit II which is located directly behind the Florida Aquarium and right next to the Victory ship.  We took off promptly at 8:40ish because Christa had to get in some hill and speed training running to the boat. We were greeted with friendly faces and runners and triathletes in "normal" clothing.  Light appetizers were served and there was a cash bar. I was so hungry I darted right to whatever they were serving and stuffed my mouth, not unusual of course.  After we left post, we wandered around the boat and took pictures.  It was my first boat trip out on the bay by Channelside and it was really beautiful.  With my house hunting search, I of course would love to know how much those houses would go for off the water at Davis Island.  

Christa getting in her training before the boat leaves

We were summoned downstairs to hear presentations by Irene and hear Patrick Duffy speak with his daughter Elli.  Elli was diagnosed with AML when she was 19 months old.  You heard the emotion in his voice when he spoke.  I do not think there was s dry eye in the room when he was done.  Patrick also ran Goofy with us this year but for some reason, I did not know his reason for running.  

Team in Training participants have raised over $1.3 billion for life saving cancer research

More than $875 has been invested in blood cancer research

Coach Teresa, Christa, and me!

There is more than just running.  There are cycling, triathlon, hiking, and obstacle racing events.  

This is a program that changed my life and was honored to be able to be a part of such a great event.  If you have any questions, please ask! or head over to their site

I

f you would like to donate, please visit my sister's site who is running her first half marathon!  I am so excited for her to take this journey!

24 days in training

*Warning* This post may be a little disjointed and don't mind the random pictures everywhere, my computer stinks!!

24 days later and I finally sitting down to write a post about my next marathon.  If you follow me on facebook, twitter, instagram, or daily mile, or even my blog, then you already know I am training for the 2013 New York City Marathon.  My emotions for this race are everywhere.  I am excited, nervous, and ready for it to be over (sad to say).  There was so much hype last year about this race and with it being cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy I feel as if I am in a rut.  I was already up there, I picked up my packet, went shopping, and in an instant, it was cancelled.  It is hard for me to be overly excited because what if that happens again.  The weather and other events may be out of my control but the training, that is not, and that is my main reason for writing this post.

Getting my pedicure right before training starts before my toes fall off with some leisurely reading

I "officially" started training July 1 giving me about 16 weeks to train.  I didn't come in with much of a base that I anticipated due to tendinitis in my ankles.  The lack of running is also why you all haven't seen many posts from me in a while.  The tendinitis came about right after my amazing PR at the Sarasota First Watch Half Marathon.  If you know my track record with training and following a schedule, I may not be the best of it.  I am determined to rock NY! Surprisingly, I have only missed 2 runs and they were due to a really sunburned butt and I knew putting on a running skirt was not going to be fun.  I couldn't even sleep on my back.  With that being said, except for today and one other run, I hit every run!  

I am very lucky to have off for the first month of training.  It is allowing me to set a routine.  Once school begins, I will be out of the house by 5:15 which doesn't allow for a run in the morning, but I will make it home to run in the evening.  I have recruited my boss to run a half marathon so I can't wait to have a running partner on that side of town along with many other runners I know up there.  I will be calling them in for reinforcements! Training this year has been done alone for the most part, I miss my running buddies but I live so far from most of them.  I was finally able to meet up with my BRF Christa and she pushed me!  We did unexpected hill training which is always fun and torture.  This heat is truly something else.  I am thinking about getting some type of water pack back such a a camelbak or the nathan hydration packs.  Any thoughts?  I do not like carrying stuff n my hands and the fuel belts give me a stomach ache.

The best post race treat! A popsicle after 9 miles.  5 of which were the Run for Pride with NYRR

My goals for this training cycle and race is to have fun and get back into running shape.  I miss when 10 min miles were easy, now I struggle with 11 min miles for 3 mile miles.  Have fun come race day and not want to kill myself.  If I have to set a time goal, it is 4:59:59.  Truthfully, I am not sure it is going to happen at New York due to the bridges and my lack of base before training.  I hope to update my blog weekly on my runs.  Once school starts again, who knows what will happen.

I hope everyone is having a great summer!

What are you goals this summer?  How do you power through the heat?

Christa and I after 11 sweaty miles