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A Running Update + IRONMAN Jacket Giveaway

I’m really struggling to find time to do anything with my new work schedule – that includes blogging, exercise and social activities. I’m not complaining though – I’m so much happier than I was at my last job. When you’re miserable for so long you forget what it feels like to NOT be miserable, and you think being miserable is just how it is.

So now that I’m finally not miserable, it’s really refreshing. photostrip But I am working 60 hours a week. I wake up at 5ish just to get to work at 7ish so that I could leave by 7ish and not have to stay later.  Also, I work on weekends. This leaves little time to work out before work — and then there’s the fact that I have never in my life had such a hard time getting out of bed in the morning, I’m so tired — and no time after work because I just want to go home and crash. This week I have  late weeknight events three nights, which is stressing me out majorly. Again, not complaining, just explaining it all.

I need to figure out a better balance because I have a marathon to start training for in May! And not just any marathon, but ideally my sub-4 marathon. Coach Abby says I NEED to get my leg strengthening exercises in three times a week, not to mention the actual running. As for my beloved Refine, right now I would only be able to go on weekends but I am not ready for that neck-wise. I want to have a few more pain-free runs completed before I feel ready to add in any other types of exercise. I feel a mix of upset (Refine is my happy place) and smart (listening to my PT when he told me to use running as a gauge for other workouts). And, I am LOVING running! Every run I do, I feel grateful and happy. I can’t wait to be running more miles and more often. And training for a marathon! I booked my flight to Seattle for Bellingham Bay Marathon! And I might have something else in the works that I’ll talk about soon that will motivate me even more to run and help me meet running people at my company. When my brain isn’t on work, these days it’s on running.  Running FTW.

I do have to say, I am not used to feeling so soft and being so out of shape. I haven’t been this way since I started working out “for real” on January 2, 2010. I’m self conscious all the time and I miss the old me.

Does anyone seasoned in working long hours have tips?
(I should note – I already wake up at 5 just to get to work and I don’t have a lunch break and I am scared to run outside before 5am… so it gets a little trickier…)

Abrupt subject change: Yesterday I had an amazing day. I slept until 10am for the first time since COLLEGE. Even Larry didn’t cry to wake us up, he slept in, too!  I guess this is what early mornings and long days of sitting for hours straight will do to you.

After breakfast at our favorite Jersey City spot Sam A.M., Andy and I spent some time at Project: Earth, a street fair in our neighborhood to benefit  local Earth Day initiatives. I got some really great stuff there and I’m excited about all of it, including vintage shoes and a vintage bag and some gifts for a certain baby with a very large bun.

Then we signed the lease on our new apartment, an amazing apartment that overlooks the dog park section of a really nice park. We don’t move until July 1 but we are obsessed with all things new apartment right now. We even bought this at Project: Earth, which happens to perfectly match our black, red and beige rug AND is the same exact pattern and colors as our shower curtain.

Does this thing have a name?

Does this thing have a name?

Then I had my first pain-free 5 mile run, my longest run since the Richmond Marathon and one of my few totally pain-free runs. Things are definitely looking up. And then we ate dinner at our favorite Jersey City dinner spot, Razza. One thing I love about living here (and there’s a lot) is that just by going to these two restaurants often, being passionate about them and engaging with them on social media, they know us now. And they talk to us, and that makes us feel special and want to go back even more and tell more people. And there’s just such a community feel here, it is so nice. A perfect day.

This morning I did another 5 miles and felt good, so I’m happy with my decision to run in the Newport 10,000 next weekend. It’s a 10K race I was too injured to run last year, but I’ve been really wanting to do it. Before my neck injury, this was going to be my PR attempt but I’m not ready for that. Instead, I will run at a leisurely pace, take in a new route and get cheered on by my boys as I run directly in front of my apartment building.

Once my running started going well I had the opportunity to finally try the  IRONMAN’s Women’s Convertible Versa Jacket. They sent me this jacket awhile ago to try out, review and giveaway. I chose the passion fruit color, which looks even better in person than in the photo. Made by Sugoi, this jacket is warm enough to wear all winter long for you cold weather running people (every year I try to become one of you, maybe next year I will be thanks to this jacket). I really liked it and although I don’t look forward to next winter’s cold weather, I am really glad to have this jacket and hope to use it often! ironman jacket

It didn’t look too bulky, and the bottom of the arms and bottom of the jacket are adjustable so I was able to make it snug around my wrists and waist so no cold air could get in. It protected perfectly against the wind and the best part of the jacket — which I did not get to try yet — is that if you get too warm, it converts INTO A VEST with MAGNETIC SLEEVES.

Here are the official jacket deets:

Available in passion fruit or black, the IRONMAN Women’s Convertible Versa Jacket is 100% polyester argon fabric jacket and features a high air permeability rating and water resistance, both of which help to keep you warm and dry. With its easily removable/attachable magnet-attached sleeves and reflective visibility, this jacket can also be converted into a vest, making it perfect for any workout – indoors or out! Combining durability with function and style, this jacket is simply a training essential. (Feel free to see what I’m talking about in this video here or read more below.)

The IRONMAN Women’s Convertible Versa Jacket jacket retails at $135.95, so I’m really excited to give away such a functional, good-looking, all around awesome jacket!

GIVEAWAY INFO

You can get up to two entries to be in the running to win:

(1) Leave a comment below telling me what you look for in a running jacket OR if you have a favorite local food spot OR your advice for fitting in workouts with a very challenging work schedule (

2) Tweet about the giveaway, leave a comment here letting me know you did. Suggested tweet: I entered to win an @IronmanTri Women’s Convertible Versa Jacket from @thedorigray: http://dorishinyblog.com/2014/04/a-running-update-ironman-jacket-giveaway

Good luck!

Oh! Unrelated, I’m using Instagram more these days but can’t for the life of me figure out how to add the icon to the top of this blog. It’s not one of the options in my template. Anyway, you can follow me there.

All entries must be received by Sunday, May 4 at 12:00 am EDT. The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.

DSB Giveaway: New Balance Team Garmin-Sharp 890v3 Running Shoe

For my triumphant return to outdoor Refine Method, I wore a new pair of shoes: the limited edition New Balance Team Garmin-Sharp Argyle 890v3 Performance Running Shoe. The shoes looked great and I received a number of compliments during the short time I had them on.

It’s a bonus that they performed very well too.

Outdoor Refine Method

New Balance Team Garmin-Sharp 890v Argyle Performance Running Shoe

And by bonus I mean the entire reason I tried them out. I needed to see how the shoes performed and I decided that I’d start with short, fast distances first. As a lightweight shoe, the 890v3s are very different than the thicker shoes I usually wear to run.

At the same time, I’ve been wanting to dabble in lightweight running shoes for shorter, faster distances and had no idea how to decide which to go with. When New Balance offered me the chance to try out their limited edition New Balance Team Garmin-Sharp 890v3 performance running shoe, of course I said yes. And then they asked if I wanted to give away a pair to a reader — so, we all win. Well, two of us win, and one of the two is me. Mazel tov in advance to the one of you who wins.

As an injury-prone runner who loves lightweight sneakers for cross-training but needs cushioning for longer runs, I wanted to be careful. Outdoor Refine includes about four sprints up a hill, at just over 100 meters, in addition to all the other exercises we do. This seemed perfect for trying out a lightweight shoe with more flexibility than a standard running shoe.

The shoes, despite my initial concerns that they were too big (more on that below) were incredibly comfortable. I felt light on my feet and more importantly, I felt FAST during those sprints. Despite running up a steep hill, I felt like I was running on air as I zipped past people.

I also felt completely comfortable during walking lunges, jumping jacks, deadlifts, moving ladder jump squats, fast feet in and out of the ladder and all the other Refine-y moves that are much better performed with a flexible shoe.

Edited to add: these are more supportive than the New Balance Minimus.

New Balance Team Garmin-Sharp 890v3

Pretties

I haven’t gone on a run in them yet, but I plan to later this week when I have 30-35 min with 4x100m strides on my plan. I’d love to see how I feel during a short run with a few bursts of speed.

If all goes well, I will incorporate them into more of my Richmond Marathon training runs!

About the shoes

Why are they called Team Garmin-Sharp?
New Balance has once again been named the official off-bike shoe of Team Garmin-Sharp, the American professional cycling team.

The argyle design is very pretty. Why argyle?
To commemorate the third year of partnership, New Balance has introduced the Limited Edition Team Garmin-Sharp 890v3 running shoe, featuring the bright blue hues and argyle patterns reminiscent of the team’s cycling uniform, which earned them the nickname “Argyle Armada.”

Any other interesting tie-ins to the cycling team?
The shoe also includes a custom insert, or sock liner featuring the riders.

New Balance Team Garmin-Sharp 890v3

Cool. Unless you put your own orthotics in. Then, less cool.

What size should you get?

As for sizing… this is something I struggle with because every brand runs differently on me, and I size up for running which usually means my running shoes don’t work for regular wear.

New Balance shoes seem to run a little large on me and I was torn between two sizes. I ended up asking for the larger size, figuring my orthotics (should I choose to have extra support with these) would fit into the larger size better.

Check out the New Balance Team Garmin-Sharp 890v3 performance running shoes – if you like what you see, you can enter to win your own pair thanks to New Balance! You can get up to two entries.

New Balance Team Garmin-Sharp 890v3 Giveaway

(1) For one entry, leave a comment telling me if you run in lightweight shoes. I’d also love to know if you run lightweight for all your runs or just some.

(2) For one entry, Tweet the following:

I entered to win @newbalance Team Garmin-Sharp 890v3 argyle running shoes from @dysterious. http://dorishinyblog.com/?p=10301

Then come back here and leave a comment letting me know you did so.

(3) If you have a contact at Twitter that can help me get my (extremely inactive/no tweets/no followers) name as my handle, you automatically win. Kidding. But let me know.

*I must receive all entries by Tuesday, August 6 at 12am and the odds of winning are determined by the number of entries received. Prize value is $109.99. No purchase necessary to enter.

They’re great shoes. Good luck!

**I received my New Balance 890v3 performance running shoes at no cost for review. All opinions are entirely my own.

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