When we launched the second "How do you Celebrate Success Contest" there were several people who wrote in entries. 5 Judges selected our winner, Amy Smith, based on the essay that she submitted. Amy is currently in the middle of training for the Wine and Dine Half Marathon which we will do together in November. This year, I promised that I would share the essays of the other entrants. Each one of them touched my [...]
Dear Desperately Seeking Slender, ~ I've noticed reading your blog that you often had a lot of down time between your running events. How do you stay motivated to get back into the swing of things so quickly? Dear Slender Seeker, You’re right; I've had a lot of down time between my running adventures. I started running sometime around July of 2011 when I lost my Father due to a stroke nearly smack dab in the [...]
Guest Blog by "How do YOU Celebrate Success" Contest WinnerAmy SmithAs I enter week 7 of RunDisney Wine and Dine Half Marathon training, [ See #WineDinec210kPrep ] I can’t believe I’m almost halfway through the first phase of training! The weeks are flying by, and the training is going very well. With Pandora’s guidance, I have figured out a style of running that I truly enjoy. Everyone is different when it comes to running. Pace, [...]
April started just over a week ago and now #TeamSlenderseekers is in the middle of week 4 of our 13 week couch-to-10k training schedule. This time things have been a little different for me and I have to say it’s taken me a little bit to get caught up with the crazy deposits this has put in my emotional bank account. Some of you may remember this, some of you might not, but around this [...]
Guest Blog by "How do YOU Celebrate Success" Contest WinnerAmy Smith Well, week one of training is in the books, and there are only 12 weeks left before I'll run a 10k. When I last wrote, I was still scared about the 10k, but no longer. Week one was amazing! I found out that I can actually run my miles faster by doing intervals of :60 running/:60 walking than just running start to finish. When [...]
This coming Monday the 18th starts our couch 2 10k virtual training event for the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon. We're calling it #WineDineC210kPrep Day one consists of 3 training options a walk, an It's All Heart work out or Cross Training. Cross training means that you are training in a different mode of cardiovascular exercise. This could be anything from an elliptical or a recumbent bike to a class at your gym that [...]
Guest Blog by Amy SmithPhoto Courtesy of Solid Rock Photos So it's Sunday evening, and I'm thinking back to last Sunday when my life was still normal. As I watched Ellen take selfies on the Oscars, I had no idea everything was about to change. At 11:38 am on Monday, my phone rang, and Pandora flipped my life upside down in the best possible way. Hi! I'm Amy Smith, winner of the second "How do [...]
Today is the day! Are you ready for the big news? We have an official winner of the Second "How Do you Celebrate Success" Contest. Before I tell you who she is, let me share her story with you... I found out I was different in kindergarten when a boy asked if I was pregnant. That was the first time I was made aware of my weight at school, but not the last. In 7th [...]
Due to the recent buzz about the How do YOU Celebrate Success Contest, where my sponsors and I are giving away a Half Marathon Adventure valued at over $1,400.00 to one very lucky Desperately Seeking Slender reader, this question has come up. When we start talking about which exercise programs are better, I think first and foremost it is important to note that the only exercise program that will work for you long-term is the [...]
So let’s define running. I am a runner. For me that means when I am running, I am moving far faster than I normally do when I am walking. On average I walk a 15 minute mile. When I “run” I can usually get somewhere between a 12-13 minute mile. I run slow, I won’t ever qualify for the Boston Half Marathon and I will probably never try, because running to me isn't about being [...]
