tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40307845691085720072024-03-13T12:52:20.210-04:00The Anti-Running RunnerI run not to go fast, but to go far. I love to hate running. There is more passion in a love/hate relationship. If running was a person, I would not recommend him as a boyfriend. But running is you in motion. Running is you moving forward despite the pain. The love I have for it always wins me over. When I cross a finish line, I know I am somehow changed. I believe my life is better because I run.Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-70564140914101883712019-06-05T15:01:00.000-04:002019-06-05T15:01:29.332-04:00The Gift of Running: A Reflection on National Running Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For years, this blog (<a href="https://www.runbriarun.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Anti-Running Runner</a>) has been a place for me to document my love/hate relationship with running.<br />
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As a new mom, I've struggled to keep up with posting regular blogs, but I'm still running. After going through back and heel injuries for almost two years, plus new baby, running now looks a little different for me. I'm no longer training for half marathons. Not yet. I hope to get back there eventually, but my focus has been running between 3-5 miles about 3 times a week (sometimes walking/jogging intervals).<br />
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If you've pushed a jogging stroller, you might relate to the sensation that while pushing that stroller for 3 miles, it feels like I've gone farther. It's also hot hot hot right now. I also don't have as much time for running as I used to now that I have a baby.<br />
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When hubby and I run together, he pushes the jogging stroller. That's also a gift for me to have stroller-free running moments. Here we are near downtown St. Pete enjoying a 5-mile run on one of the last semi-cool days before full-on Florida HOT took over.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>So it's different, but it's still awesome. Because I'm still running.</b></span><br />
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Dealing with injury has made me even more grateful for the gift running is to me. When I first started distance running, it was because someone I love (my cousin, Alyssa) talked me into it. And for years I had to be talked into doing it.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Today I'm feeling so grateful that I GET to run.</b></span><br />
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I'm thankful to God that I have the privilege, even if it's shorter distances for now. Yes, I do miss half marathons. (No...I don't actually miss full marathons at the moment. Maybe someday I will). I know not everyone has the privilege of running, and that, too, makes me focus on my gratitude.<br />
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Because let's be real. Even running 3 miles is hard. Adding the jogging stroller makes it harder. The summer heat is here, and that's another layer of difficulty. I'm going to steal a line from the movie <i>A League of Their Own</i> where Tom Hanks says, "It's supposed to be hard...the hard is what makes it great."<br />
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So even though it's hard, and it's always been hard for me, the struggle is worth it. I'll continue to run because I can, and that's a gift I never want to squander.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>What About You?</b></span></div>
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What does running look like for you right now? Have you gone through difficult seasons? Is running generally easy or hard for you?</div>
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-33081491028419998562018-11-18T13:36:00.000-05:002018-11-18T13:38:02.454-05:00Success! Finishing the St. Pete Run Fest 10K<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Goal: To Finish</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Goal Achieved!</span></h2>
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The Rollin' Oats Trop 10K at St. Pete Run Fest was an incredible race. My dear friend and sister in Christ, Terry, ran with me, and we not only finished under an hour and a half, but we ran the whole time! Not to mention we had a blast running together.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The weather was overcast with high 60's to low 70's and a gentle breeze. We couldn't have prayed for a more perfect day to race.</b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terry and I preparing to start the race</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Terry, Amy, Kim, and Michelle in the corral</td></tr>
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This is the second year of St. Pete Run Fest, and the first year for a 10K to be included. The course started in front of the Dali Museum, and looped around some of the downtown streets before heading up 1st Ave South (slight incline) all the way to Tropicana Field where we got to do a lap inside the stadium.<br />
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Then the course went beyond the Trop, looped back around to Central Avenue, and we followed the slight decline all the way to the waterfront. At the point where we were coming up to Bayshore Drive SE, there was only about 0.2 miles to go.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">Today, I ran my longest distance of the past two years.</b><br />
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After a back injury, a heel injury, and then pregnancy and a new baby, most of my distances were walking or walk/jogging 2-4 miles. It's taken over 10 months to get back to jogging on a regular basis. I wasn't sure whether or not I could run the entire 10K distance, but Terry and I did! And it felt great. She was kind enough to stay with me, and our pace was around 13:30 mins/mile.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Slow and steady = Success!</b></span></h2>
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Just before the finish line, my hubby had baby Luke up on his shoulders, and I got to give my baby a kiss before crossing the finish.<br />
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This was a really special day for me. I got good news from my midwife last week. My condition after pregnancy called diastisis recti (where the abdomen muscles separate) has completely healed. That alone made me much more confident coming into this race.<br />
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I'm excited to continue conditioning my body and keep up my running routine. It's slow going, but this was just the encouragement I needed to know that I'm on track, and I'm going to continue regaining my speed and distances.<br />
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I'm so grateful to St. Pete Running Company, a major sponsor of St. Pete Run Fest, for all the ways they support us employees.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Next year's goal: St. Pete Run Fest Half Marathon</span></span></h2>
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Yep, I'm already thinking ahead and planning to get back to Half Marathon training for next year. It will probably take some time for me to get there, so I don't plan to do any other distances above a 10K or maybe 15K between now and then.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">What About You?</span></h2>
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Did you run at St. Pete Run Fest, or any other races this weekend? Did you reach your goals, or make new ones for next time?</div>
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-84379437334906837862018-10-24T16:51:00.001-04:002018-10-24T16:51:21.932-04:00Moving Forward: Training for St. Pete Run Fest 10K<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Shirt Doesn't Lie</b></span></div>
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In a little less than a month, I'll be running (and also probably walking) my first post-partum race. The hubby and I are signed up for the St. Pete Run Fest 10K on November 18th.<br />
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Notice my shirt in the photo? It's very true. I've never been one of the fast runners (like some of my coworkers at St. Pete Running Company). Especially now, I'm getting back to it slowly but surely. However, I've been dealing with a condition called diastisis recti, and it's been causing me quite a lot of lower back pain.<br />
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<b style="font-size: xx-large;">Race Motivation</b></div>
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It never fails. When I sign up for a race, I take my running more seriously. If I don't have a race coming up, I tend to slack.<br />
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It's similar to having a writing deadline. If I make a reasonable deadline for myself, there's a much greater chance that I'll complete whatever project I'm working on.<br />
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And I have to admit, I've been slacking on the core exercises which are supposed to help ease the back pain from my condition. My chiropractor has been encouraging me to get consistent. With a race coming up, I'm motivated to do the exercises because I want to enjoy this race.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Just Finish...</b></span></div>
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That's my goal. It might be one of my slowest times in a long time, but I'm okay with that. Pre-baby, I had accomplished PR after PR when I would race, and I seemed to have reached a peak. Then I got injured, and then I got pregnant (planned), and walking became the compromise.<br />
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I missed running, but walking is excellent as well. It still gave me a similar feeling of enjoyment. My body was still moving.<br />
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And once the baby was about 4 or 5 months old, I started slowly adding in jogging to my walks. Now I've been able to run about 4 1/2 miles.<br />
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But there is nothing wrong with walking!! And I'm just fine with the fact that I may end up walking through some of the St. Pete Run Fest 10K.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Goals</span></h2>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">My current goal is to run/walk at least 5 miles prior to the race.</span></b><br />
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I don't necessarily need to do the full 6.2 miles prior to the race, especially since I'm not looking for a PR, or even a fast time.</div>
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What About You?</h2>
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Are you a Running/Walking Mom? What goals are you setting for yourself? How do you plan to reach them?</div>
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-81420333431032264202018-09-11T15:58:00.000-04:002018-09-11T16:01:36.323-04:00What 9/11 Means to Me and My Novel, Sprinter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Never Forget</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Image from Pixabay</span></div>
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<tr><td class="mcnTextBlockInner" style="padding-top: 9px; text-size-adjust: 100%;" valign="top"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It's been 17 years since terrorists crashed two planes into the World Trade Center, killing almost 3,000 people including rescuers. One plane crashed into the Pentagon, killing nearly 200. The plane that was bound for another target crashed into a field, the lives of those on the plane numbering 40 people. Most of us remember where we were on 9/11/01. Some lost family, friends, and loved ones.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As a sophomore at Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL, where I would later earn my B.A. in English, I was in poetry class at the time of the attack in New York City. Not until after class did I hear from people in the hallways that the World Trade Center had been struck by planes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From a visit to my alma mater in 2016</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When I left class, I walked to the house on Saragossa Street where I lived with six other female roommates. I found most of them glued to the television. And I couldn't look away, either. For hours we watched the footage from New York City, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>My Sister Lived in D.C.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When I heard about the attack on the Pentagon, I immediately called my sister, Larisa. I couldn't get through at first, but eventually I was able to speak to her and received her reassurances that she was fine. Her commute involved traveling past the Pentagon, and she saw rising smoke on her drive into work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Image from Pixabay</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Remembering Sept. 11th</b></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />In 2006, my dear cousin, Alyssa, and I took a road trip to New York City with a Polish opera singer. But that's another story...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">During that trip, we visited the site of the World Trade Center. The construction had begun on the Freedom Tower.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From my first visit to NYC after 9/11</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My cousin, Alyssa, and me</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Alyssa overlooking the site of the former World Trade Center</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Ten years later in 2016, my husband and I went to New York City to visit my author friend, Rachel Printy, and my cousin, Allie. We went to the National September 11th Memorial Museum and visited the reflecting pools.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Above: the reflecting pools at the National Sept 11th Memorial</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Freedom Tower</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Author and dear friend Rachel Printy and me enjoying a rooftop view</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Family surprise! When hubby and I went to see my cousin, Allie, I was greeted by the rest of the family: Aunt Kelly, Uncle Andy, cousin Ryan (missing cousin Megan). </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none;"><span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; display: inline; float: none; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; display: inline; float: none; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In 2001, I didn't know anyone living in New York City. Now in 2018, I have family and friends there. I still shed tears when I see images and video of the senseless and brutal murders of that awful day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-large;">Putting 9/11 in My Novel: Sprinter</span></b></span></span></span></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2016 Royal Palm Literary Award: First Place Women's Fiction</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Current status: Seeking a literary agent</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />In my novel, <em>Sprinter</em> (currently unpublished), a runner named Riley suffers from PTSD fourteen years after her mother's murder at the 1986 Athens Marathon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The story is set in 2001, and the 9/11 attacks take place in a single chapter in the second half of the novel. The event is by no means the focus of the story, which is set in California. One of the characters is in New York City during the attacks, and Riley cannot reach him and has no idea what may have happened to him.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So when can you read <em>Sprinter</em>?</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />My goal is to have the novel traditionally published, and that's why I'm seeking a literary agent. It's a long process which involves a lot of rejection emails (I'm up to 23 so far).</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In the meantime, read <em>The Running Girls</em> for free!</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Tomorrow only, 9/12/18, get a free Kindle copy of The Running Girls and enjoy a feel-good, inspirational story about two girls trying to complete a 500 mile summer challenge.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45-xsZTPLxXOn2VFi5373IOcNTs34lSs2AsvePioSAIVyW2vtmMQnjq-EpolgA43EwsqJu0Tfk1qZl_uYm6DRAJVgMAtj8gOi0sLKk3rWcAFtHXj-3t-eCkXFKTIh2qxBCJamhAjUV3I/s1600/The+Running+Girls%252C+a+novelette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45-xsZTPLxXOn2VFi5373IOcNTs34lSs2AsvePioSAIVyW2vtmMQnjq-EpolgA43EwsqJu0Tfk1qZl_uYm6DRAJVgMAtj8gOi0sLKk3rWcAFtHXj-3t-eCkXFKTIh2qxBCJamhAjUV3I/s320/The+Running+Girls%252C+a+novelette.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M13U8L7" target="_blank">READ NOW</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">No Kindle? No problem! The Kindle app is free on smartphones and tablets.</span></div>
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-74954595680491466192018-07-22T20:24:00.001-04:002018-07-22T20:25:28.132-04:00Running Recommitments: Consistency<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: left;">As I mentioned in my previous post, </span><a href="https://runbriarun.blogspot.com/2018/05/becoming-running-mom.html" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Becoming a Running Mom</a><span style="text-align: left;">, I had goals of completing 2 miles of consecutive running (without walk breaks) in May, and 3 miles of consecutive running in June.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Goals Accomplished!</span></b></div>
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And while that felt great, life can get in the way with a little one. We had family in town during the week of Independence Day, which was wonderful. Here we are walking at St. Pete Running Company's Four on the Fourth event.<br />
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Our large group (Mom, Dad, sisters, nieces, my running buddy Terry, and of course Baby Luke) walked one mile out and back on the Pinellas Trail during the event.<br />
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And while I'm still walking, I haven't been doing much running lately.<br />
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So when I went for a short jog around a nearby park one evening last week, I felt how much my missed workouts affected my conditioning.<br />
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<b>I walked to and from the park and added only about 1/2 a mile of running. And it was tough!!</b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">HOT HOT Summer</span></b></div>
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In Florida, summer running is kind of like taking a really long, sopping wet towel, wrapping it around your head about five times, and then starting the jog. Good luck breathing through that thing!<br />
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It's tough, and sometimes I've stepped outside thinking...yeah, I don't want to run. This feels horrible.<br />
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<iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="396" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fdenisphillipswfts%2Fposts%2F1897264760333988%3A0&width=500" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="500"></iframe>
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I'm a big fan of local weatherman Denis Philips.</div>
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Sometimes it's the thunderstorms that stop a run before it starts. Other times, I'm busy with writing endeavors. And when the sun comes up (as mentioned in the above Denis Philips post), the heat index climbs to unbearable levels.</div>
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However, not running in the summer has consequences when the fall race season kicks into gear. I've learned that the hard way in the past. I'm currently signed up for a race that I deferred twice. Meaning I actually signed up two years ago, but got injured that year, and then got pregnant the next.</div>
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The race is not until December, but at the rate I'm going, I need to keep moving or I won't be able to make it.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Consistency in Summer</span></b></div>
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Summer is a brutal time to train, and therefore my goals are to maintain my workouts rather than worry about increasing speed or distance. Hubby and I have a 5K route that we do from our house that I'd like to consistenly run/walk about 3 times a week.<br />
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I've also been discussing walk/jog methods such as <a href="http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/run-walk/" target="_blank">Galloway training</a> with my running buddy Terry, and I think that will be key for me in terms of consistency in summer heat. It's not about pushing too hard, it's about "time on the dance floor," as Coach Chris McCaffrey used to say when he worked with me at St. Pete Running Company.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">New Goal</span></h2>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">In short, my goal is to run/walk 3 days a week averaging a 5K at each workout.</span></b><br />
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I'm not going to be stringent about the distance because sometimes I'll probably try for more, and other times I'll try for less.</div>
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What About You?</h2>
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Are you a Running/Walking Mom? What goals are you setting for yourself? How do you plan to reach them?</div>
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-41970073539891817332018-05-18T10:48:00.002-04:002018-05-18T10:48:49.292-04:00Becoming a Running Mom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Running & Motherhood</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIId1oDFRaZvR_rG8EypuDRM8mQ6SNYrrvfr4CwXFS5STO3i0QF9De-184EU1tVVFw06vYCnjkeo6VznsFlZEeeBHukvcYWvhic3A2RQ-M4ghl95rSYk1gSRgyML_6PVs-bv3bT9oRBkw/s1600/IMG_6632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIId1oDFRaZvR_rG8EypuDRM8mQ6SNYrrvfr4CwXFS5STO3i0QF9De-184EU1tVVFw06vYCnjkeo6VznsFlZEeeBHukvcYWvhic3A2RQ-M4ghl95rSYk1gSRgyML_6PVs-bv3bT9oRBkw/s400/IMG_6632.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Mother's Day with Luke</h3>
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<b>Looking at that picture of me smiling with my sweet baby boy, you'd think all this was a breeze!</b></div>
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And here's the truth: Luke is one easy baby. He sleeps well, eats well (on formula--more on that below), he's often happy, not often fussy, he's sociable with people, easy to take places, and I can't imagine my life without him.</div>
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<b>On December 9th, 2017, at 00:00 (aka 12:00 AM), my life changed forever. </b>I should say our lives because obviously the same is true for my hubby, but he prefers to be left out of most social media, so I'm focusing on me for that reason. I thought about writing a detailed post explaining what happened during my labor and delivery. I decided against it, but will probably write the story in a journal in order to help me get over it. And I do mean that. It's been over five months, and I really haven't gotten over everything that went down on December 8th. It's possible that I have some measure of PTSD from it. That must be true for a lot of moms, right? Any labor, whether it goes according to plan or not, is traumatic. And please take my statement not as me trying to make a self-diagnosis, but simply as my way of expressing how I feel now.</div>
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<b>Because things didn't go according to plan.</b> </div>
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I will share the highlights: Water Broke 2 AM. Arrived at birthing center 7 AM. Progressed to 9.5 cm dilation 11:30 AM. Active pushing begins around 12 PM. Transfer to hospital at 7 PM. Epidural administered around 9 PM. Rest until 11 PM. C-Section completed at 0000 (as in one minute after 11:59 PM, making Luke's birthday the 9th rather than the 8th).</div>
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Difficulties: BACK LABOR. BABY NEVER DESCENDING INTO BIRTH CANAL. ACTIVE PUSHING FOR 7 HOURS. Seems I needed to put all that in caps. And I was tempted to repeat BACK LABOR 10 times.</div>
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Godsends: Hubby, Mom, Larisa (sister), Alyssa (cousin). I could write an entire post just about each one of them and how they got me through it.</div>
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At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter that I didn't get what I wanted, which was a water birth free of any medical assistance. Because THANK GOD FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. Without it, the baby and I might not have made it.</div>
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And it's really hard to type that sentence but the reality of advances in medicine is the difference between life and death.</div>
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<b> And God gave me a beautiful little life.</b></div>
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Luke Frederick Burton</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4XwWkNOclbcYDqV_gAg9hbJWpP0wlgzLFpw4qLjM6CL7bhSgKh6ZFBWj-cRZhI3ueIG2nYS9WZZLkNJ-_TS3nGdpUmczpv8EK1R1RSAIfolAvd64DzU4VTTazdVAmZ4yJ3n6xj8xh67c/s1600/IMG_4515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1294" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4XwWkNOclbcYDqV_gAg9hbJWpP0wlgzLFpw4qLjM6CL7bhSgKh6ZFBWj-cRZhI3ueIG2nYS9WZZLkNJ-_TS3nGdpUmczpv8EK1R1RSAIfolAvd64DzU4VTTazdVAmZ4yJ3n6xj8xh67c/s320/IMG_4515.JPG" width="267" /></a></div>
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At Luke's first Christmas, he was two weeks old. I will mention that <b>my plan to breastfeed also did not work out.</b> After a month, I had to stop and we made the decision to switch to formula. This has been a blessing in many ways, and although I would've preferred to keep breastfeeding, I was reminded by so many people that there is absolutely nothing wrong with formula-feeding. No one tried to shame me or make me feel guilty about the decision.</div>
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Bring Your Baby to Work</h2>
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Sunny Runner Baby!</div>
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Hand-me down onesie from Cody & Janna Angell</div>
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<b>The blessings of bringing my baby to work are many! </b>As many readers know, I'm the blogger at St. Pete Running Company. Owners Cody and Janna Angell have so graciously allowed me to come into work with Luke once a week so that I can work on the <a href="https://stpeterunningco.com/blogs/sprc-blog" target="_blank">blog</a>, website, Meetup, etc.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_y5hpf5RjL7SLO8zCX-uy-1VDs3S3CgTG_K_SDc5ZhxypbJwRqT7UfRwbb0ZSF5hyWVHJbHlSxImHFiO8a2Y5G-Rdr0mHHOnohoZmMEGpD4dCo8jCpQsV1PeyWglblsFa9XrUELXdZE/s1600/IMG_4629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_y5hpf5RjL7SLO8zCX-uy-1VDs3S3CgTG_K_SDc5ZhxypbJwRqT7UfRwbb0ZSF5hyWVHJbHlSxImHFiO8a2Y5G-Rdr0mHHOnohoZmMEGpD4dCo8jCpQsV1PeyWglblsFa9XrUELXdZE/s320/IMG_4629.JPG" width="256" /></a></div>
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It's been such a joy to be able to go into the store with Luke. He has become a favorite greeter for the customers. He's often smiling and excited to see people as they come in. For me, I love being able to get out of the house while having him with me. Not to mention I get paid to write! Yes, writing is a greater passion for me than running, if you can believe it.<br />
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Running (but mostly Walking) Mom</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZHHmfcseeAGoFM3PYtFzpfxMjz8fHYyskpizXbnNIpt45K4sZBhyOT5Vl0saK-SC0xGhEHLXvutw-Z-mD8mtLavilTU62X5kiFP9bd6MnaCZ5cagG8IKJg4tT_ZGz3ZbnNRp4P3IgtQ/s1600/IMG_5431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZHHmfcseeAGoFM3PYtFzpfxMjz8fHYyskpizXbnNIpt45K4sZBhyOT5Vl0saK-SC0xGhEHLXvutw-Z-mD8mtLavilTU62X5kiFP9bd6MnaCZ5cagG8IKJg4tT_ZGz3ZbnNRp4P3IgtQ/s320/IMG_5431.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>I started jogging when Luke was about three months old. </b>Until then I walked, pushing him in the stroller, almost every day. There was some mention somewhere about concerns with babies and jogging strollers, so when I talked to the pediatrician, he assured me that it was fine so long as Luke was in his car seat facing backward, just like he would be in the car. The BOB (a hand-me-down from my sister) is such a great jogging stroller and I'm really blessed to have one.</div>
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<b>I started very slowly.</b> Like I would jog for one block, and then walk the rest of my route which is typically 2 to 4 miles. I would repeat the jogging distance a few times before increasing it. I kept my jogging pace between 11 and 12 minutes per mile. The build-up to a full mile jogging took about a month.</div>
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<b>I've jogged a mile!</b></div>
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<b>And I have proof thanks to my Garmin 645 Music</b></div>
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<b>Coming off a C-section was not the only reason that I decided to build up miles very slowly.</b> It's been quite a while since I last posted, but my previous posts were all about the injuries that I'd been dealing with before I got pregnant. I would like to prevent those injuries from returning.</div>
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During pregnancy, I walked rather than ran. <b>At my 6-week post-partum check-up, I found out I have a condition called diastasis recti.</b> In brief, my abdominal muscles are separated and feel like mush. It happens to quite a few women after pregnancy. Now that I'm jogging again, I'm trying to be careful about pushing it too hard too soon while those muscles are in the process of healing. That does require exercises from me, too. Thanks to Youtube, I found specific exercises that are beneficial (some things like sit ups and planks are actually harmful if you have the condition).</div>
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<b>I've built up to 1.5 miles jogging</b>. There's a 5K route that my hubby and I do quite a bit, and what I'll do is jog 1.5 miles, we'll walk about 1/2 a mile, and then I'll jog the last mile home.</div>
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<b>And I'm not in a hurry</b> to push much beyond that.</div>
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I have missed going to <b><a href="https://stpeterunningco.com/pages/group-runs" target="_blank">St. Pete Running Company Group Runs</a> </b>on Monday and Thursday evenings at 6:30 PM, but unfortunately Luke's bedtime is 7:30 PM and we start the process around 7 PM. Thankfully, we have made it to one of the Saturday morning events: a Coffee Run. We'll hopefully be able to make more of those as well.</div>
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Goals</h2>
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<li>Jog 2 consecutive miles by the end of May</li>
<li>Jog 3 consecutive miles by the end of June</li>
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What About You?</h2>
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Are you a Running/Walking Mom? What goals are you setting for yourself? How do you plan to reach them?</div>
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Thanks for checking in on what's been going on with me!<br />
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-91584562621036384492017-05-05T12:00:00.000-04:002017-05-05T12:00:19.218-04:00AND THE WINNER IS...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Winner of the Rafflecopter Giveaway</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;"><b>REBECCA COOPER</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tLIOs8BqxfXNulrynW6eDHp630jJnOKzbCIjWrxTGYH23Old0Cg4Th7zlIYz_VWEJ76DHWo-ETaJXQO3P0hsyTel8DrV6sHLwqp6RlNRzL991ofKSfLG5zI2_G_uHp69mb37-NQb7fJ6/s1600/Rafflecopter+LOGO+win+Amazon+GC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tLIOs8BqxfXNulrynW6eDHp630jJnOKzbCIjWrxTGYH23Old0Cg4Th7zlIYz_VWEJ76DHWo-ETaJXQO3P0hsyTel8DrV6sHLwqp6RlNRzL991ofKSfLG5zI2_G_uHp69mb37-NQb7fJ6/s400/Rafflecopter+LOGO+win+Amazon+GC.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Congratulations, Rebecca! You've won a $50 Amazon Gift Card! I'll be contacting you personally via email to arrange the receipt of your winnings.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Thank You For Participating!</b></span></div>
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Thank you so much to everyone who participated in the Rafflecopter Giveaway. There were over 150 entries! Keep an eye out for future giveaways because I will certainly be doing more.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">You Named a Character</span></b></div>
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<br />There was one entry that was particularly close to my heart: Name a Character. I was thrilled to see so many participants naming a character, and the names were so creative! I will be using every single one of them in future stories.<br /><br />Here are the Character Names:</div>
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Catharia<br />Linnea Larson<br />Amelia<br />Atlas<br />Brighton<br />Gracie<br />JJ<br />Althea<br />Bella<br />Amazon<br />Emmalyn<br />Macy<br />AND MY PERSONAL FAVORITE: Spoonbob (can't wait to find a character who will fit that name!)<br /><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Would you like to receive a credit for naming a character?</span></b><br /></div>
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For those who provided a character name, thank you! They were all fantastic. If you give me permission, I will give you credit for providing the character name. If you'd prefer not to have your name mentioned, that's okay. I will personally email each participant who named a character to confirm your preference.</div>
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-83336746252206975512017-04-07T08:00:00.001-04:002017-05-02T11:03:48.199-04:00Rafflecopter Giveaway: Win an Amazon Gift Card<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Anti-Running Runner Contest</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MTlhY2QyMDFkYWIxMjM2YjRjNGZlZGVhYjBhNWJhOjI=/?" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MTlhY2QyMDFkYWIxMjM2YjRjNGZlZGVhYjBhNWJhOjI=/?" border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb99vhAZNcT971SpuTzX4fMHru7en_Hzpy7QRlEMiLm9iHlsrb-IHYh-yrbi7qbxtwk1p9JOHLVFEscFkX7X19z4shW4RiAFGHuTCYL-55jwaX04ILgNTcv0WLCsyVlFTjFJuDugdQSQQs/s400/Rafflecopter+LOGO+win+Amazon+GC.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'm running a free contest through Rafflecopter that starts today! From April 7th through May 5th, enter for free through the Rafflecopter Link.</div>
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<a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/19acd2012/?" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">ENTER TO WIN A $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD!</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>FAQs</b></span></div>
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<b>Q: How much time do I have to enter the contest?</b></div>
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A: The free contest runs from 12:00 AM EST Friday, April 7th through 12:00 AM Friday, May 5th, 2017. That's about a month. Keep in mind that the closing date is one minute after 11:59 PM on May 4th, so it might help to think of May 4th as the deadline.<br />
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<b>Q: Why is the contest so long? I want to find out if I win sooner.</b></div>
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A: One of the entry options is to review my books. You have three books to choose from, and you can review all three for more entries. The month-long contest gives participants a chance to read my books (they are all novella-length and shorter). There is also a limit to once a day for selecting the book review entry. Anyone wanting to get points for more than one book review will need that many number of days in order to get the points. So don't wait until the last day to do more than one book review.</div>
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<b>Q: How do I enter?</b></div>
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A: Click the link and you'll be directed to the Rafflecopter entry form. Select from the list of options to increase your number of entries.</div>
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<b>Q: Can I share this with my friends?</b></div>
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A: Of course! Feel free to share the link with anyone.</div>
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<b>Q: How will the winner be chosen, and when will they be notified?</b></div>
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A: Rafflecopter has a random winner selection process, so I don't chose the winner. The winner is chosen by the program at random. The more entries, the more chances of winning. The winner will be notified on May 6, 2017, the day after the contest ends.<br />
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<b>Q: Will every entrant be notified who the winner is?</b><br />
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A: The winner will be announced on this blog and on my social media (Facebook, Twitter, and e-newsletter). Only the winner will receive a personal email from me congratulating them and confirming the email address where I will send the $50 Amazon Gift Card.</div>
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<b>Q: How do I complete the POST A BLOG COMMENT entry?</b></div>
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A: Pick one of the blogs on this site or my <a href="http://www.briaburton.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">OTHER BLOG</a>, read through it, and then click "Post a Comment" at the bottom. Once you post your comment, go back to the Rafflecopter entry form and click off that entry.</div>
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<b>Q: It looks like I can just click that I made a comment without actually having to do it. Does that count?</b></div>
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A: Unless I see your comment here on the blog, your entries from POST A BLOG COMMENT will be removed.</div>
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<b>Q: One of the entries says to SUBSCRIBE TO BRIA BURTON~STILL WRITING. How do I subscribe to the e-newsletter?</b></div>
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A: It's easy to sign up for my e-newsletter. Click <a href="http://briaburton.us12.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=34fa59b26e84af3072826fa30&id=b7276aafcc" target="_blank">HERE</a> and fill out the form. You'll receive an email confirmation. Click that and you'll be officially subscribed. Then I will send you a CODE to enter in the Rafflecopter entry form so you can get credit for the entries.</div>
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<b>Q: I read one of Bria Burton's books, but I don't know what to write in the review. Help!</b></div>
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A: Reviews can be simple and straightforward. You can describe what you liked about the book, if it made you laugh, cry, or feel good, etc. If there is a certain audience you think will like the book, you can mention that. For example, if you read The Running Girls, you might tell all the girls who enjoy running that they will....fill in the blank (like the book, love the book, be motivated to run 500 miles, etc.).</div>
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<b><br /></b> <b>Q: I did more than one book review, but the BOOK REVIEW ENTRY is only letting me click once. I should get more entries, right?</b><br />
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A: Right. What you'll do for each book review you complete is to send me (bria.nicole@briaburton.com) the links, and I will give you a code for each entry. You will only be able to do one code a day on the BOOK REVIEW ENTRY, so it's a good idea to make sure you don't wait until the last day to email me your links.</div>
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<b><br /></b> <b>Q: I'd like to do the BOOK REVIEW ENTRY and get all those points! But I'm not familiar with the technical side of posting book reviews. Can you walk me through the process?</b></div>
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A: I'm happy to. Email me at bria.nicole@briaburton.com and I'll walk you through it.</div>
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<b>Q: What's with the CODES?</b><br />
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A: There are several entries where I will send a CODE to you that confirms you have completed the entry, such as the BOOK REVIEW ENTRY and the SUBSCRIBE TO BRIA BURTON~STILL WRITING E-NEWSLETTER. The CODE means you earned the entry and will not have your entries removed. Only those who are cheating (selecting complete entries that they have not completed) will not receive CODES and therefore will have their entries removed when it's time for the winner to be selected. It's easy for me to verify who has completed each entry, so only cheaters won't prosper. Anyone who completes the entry properly will get the points and increase their chance of winning.<br />
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-44701652394429597632017-04-06T14:02:00.000-04:002017-04-08T14:52:02.963-04:00The New Normal: The Injury Series 2.0<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>
When An Injury Becomes a Part of Life</b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Multitasking:</b><br />
<b>how many ways can I work on my injuries at one time?</b></td></tr>
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Neck warmer in place. <i>Check.</i> Yoga ball. <i>Check.</i> Golf ball under foot. <i>Check.</i> Working on my novel. <i>Check.</i><br />
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<b>How are all these things helping me?</b> Writing is my life's passion, so I'm thrilled to be writing at any given moment. The heat on my neck helps ease the discomfort from the disc degeneration in my cervical spine--the root cause of my thoracic back pain. The yoga ball helps me work on my core (which is weak and possibly contributing to both injuries). The golf ball is for my heel pain. Is it a nerve? Is it plantar fasciitis? Is it some other tendon? A cyst? All of the above? It's difficult to say. I'm currently receiving treatment from CORA Physical Therapy. Slowly but surely, it's getting a little better.<br />
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When dealing with multiple injuries, multitasking is not always an option. Sometimes the nature of the injuries force you to slow things down, take them one at a time.<br />
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Honestly, I think that's part of the message I'm meant to receive in the midst of of all this:<br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><i><b>SLOW DOWN</b></i></span></span><br />
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Take a breath. Rest.<br />
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And I have to an extent. But I'm also tired of resting. Sometimes my back pain required that I lay flat with no other distractions. That's really challenging for me. I like multitasking, so laying flat on my back is not productive. Except that's a myth. If I'm healing, that's being productive.<br />
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How Long is This Going to Take?</b></span></div>
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<b>It's been 3 1/2 months since my first ER visit for back pain.</b> I had NO IDEA it would take so long just to feel almost normal again. The picture at the top (me at the computer) actually demonstrates how far I've come. Until a few weeks ago, I couldn't sit in one position for more than an hour or so without discomfort. I discovered the disc degeneration in my neck has no real solution. It's part of getting older, but mine is farther along than normal for my age. Keeping my back muscles strong will help prevent further degeneration from happening too quickly.<br />
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Then there's the heel pain. After much reflection, I recognized that it didn't "suddenly" pop up in September. For about two years now, I've woken up with heel pain first thing in the morning, but then it never bothered me any other time.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>SO I IGNORED IT.</b></i></span><br />
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Which was not wise. Because the back pain was extreme, and the heel pain was mild to moderate, my back took precedence. Now I've been able to focus on the heel pain in PT. At home, I continue my exercises for both the back and the heel.<br />
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It's About the Journey</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://stpeterunningco.com/blogs/sprc-blog/the-4-stretches-runners-should-do-every-day" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5IgVuwyCP5T17u_LyhohE0gLe6DsAC97uWtSbqLLHFobUS_PuIa0Qr_k8YP3EwsdKzAVqaBlcSzmKJC8O2EyAa2qXiyhkGyAD6ViKfPgDwcu1yMsBRLp_akwcqfsmZs90sbgyd6sFZoQ/s320/Bria+stretch.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
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When I pray for healing, I know God is quite capable of making all the pain go away. And I've told Jesus that it would be great if that's God's will. My answer has been quite clear: it's not. <b>This journey through pain has a purpose.</b> And one of the things I'm learning is patience.</div>
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Another lesson I'm learning is the necessity of strengthening, foam rolling, and stretching. I recently wrote a <a href="https://stpeterunningco.com/blogs/sprc-blog/the-4-stretches-runners-should-do-every-day" target="_blank">BLOG</a> for St. Pete Running Company about the stretches I now do daily (among other exercises). Karen Gonzalez, a PT who specializes in Ki-Hara, has done stretching classes at the store. Those moves along with foam rolling and exercises I learned from Premier Physical Therapy, CORA, and Podiatrist Brian Fullem form my new daily routine.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>THESE ROUTINES SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN PLACE ALREADY.</b></i></span></div>
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But I became a bit of a slacker who just ran long miles without taking care of the body that did the running. <b>Stretching/Strengthening is not only key for runners, but for any type of athletes, including walkers.</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Embracing This Place</b></span></div>
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I've had many conversation with my runner friends about where I'm at right now, and I'm not alone. A lot of my friends are dealing with or have recently dealt with injuries.</div>
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<b>One question that sticks with me is this: When did anything less than 13.1 miles become insufficient for me as a runner?</b></div>
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I've been doing half marathon after half marathon, and sometimes marathon after marathon, for years now. Only when my foot cried out for me to take a break (shortly followed by my back), did the half marathon training reduce to 1-2 miles, at most 3 at a time.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>WHICH MEANS I STILL GET TO WALK/RUN, EVEN INJURED!</b></span></i></div>
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That is an incredible gift. My brief period of no running only lasted about a month because of my back. My foot has slowed me down and decreased my distance. But I'm still able to walk and run on a regular basis.</div>
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I'm still healing. I'm still moving. Which is all I really need.</div>
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-60301595067912141052017-01-29T17:11:00.000-05:002017-01-30T10:13:02.475-05:00Stuck in the Mud: The Injury Series 1.0<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">My First Big Sports Injury</span></h2>
<b>Have you ever been injured?</b> Me, too. Back in 6th Grade during gymnastics, one of my attempts at a full twist left me with a broken thumb after a bad landing. And it hurt.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0REnLce-jez6bWaH8w6-k79qtTnBEoGfmCUXWXLF65M0uUr7xbeKV-_gjL9gtK7A50p4P2rbYpFvc0wRtgPU8j2DIln4-3gYqaJ_6yymaOYINYJL8GW5bwY1O0jpeFyPErS4AZNUMoMo/s1600/Gymnastics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0REnLce-jez6bWaH8w6-k79qtTnBEoGfmCUXWXLF65M0uUr7xbeKV-_gjL9gtK7A50p4P2rbYpFvc0wRtgPU8j2DIln4-3gYqaJ_6yymaOYINYJL8GW5bwY1O0jpeFyPErS4AZNUMoMo/s320/Gymnastics.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
(I'm in the third row far right)</div>
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With a cast and a promise of healing within six weeks (and learning to write left-handed in school), I discovered that I was ready to move on to other sports. Gymnastics was fun, but I wanted to do track and volleyball (which meant quitting gym), so the time of reflection helped firm up my decision. It's one I've never regretted.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtErUCy8csDkG2o8RVPIasPF35pnAYA3uA0WUGyVcII1igJxY84ltqZkqzcx5K1B9PxxpHiu4oXne7mXZaYMZ7o5XJxc1zzsWjSK5XtuTEcQ3DrbNm1wKYyVRL-6uKmOFY6FueyiUz9y4/s1600/Track+CHS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtErUCy8csDkG2o8RVPIasPF35pnAYA3uA0WUGyVcII1igJxY84ltqZkqzcx5K1B9PxxpHiu4oXne7mXZaYMZ7o5XJxc1zzsWjSK5XtuTEcQ3DrbNm1wKYyVRL-6uKmOFY6FueyiUz9y4/s320/Track+CHS.jpg" width="255" /></a></div>
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Centralia High School Track Freshman Year</div>
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4X100 Relay (Me, Molly Parker, Sarah Hahn, April Schilt)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmItXLg6fo621yjnvJcv1iJ_YKA7SLgeH-ONHRByjad2F1GcefAYBQFZpb3Jw4YXqwG3-SExPdZB2sKaYFWUdchS8n8dd1CyelWwM6a7gDlvhkidMazz8ORDhtCuPVeU6Zf6fVo7Mti0/s1600/Volleyball+SPHS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmItXLg6fo621yjnvJcv1iJ_YKA7SLgeH-ONHRByjad2F1GcefAYBQFZpb3Jw4YXqwG3-SExPdZB2sKaYFWUdchS8n8dd1CyelWwM6a7gDlvhkidMazz8ORDhtCuPVeU6Zf6fVo7Mti0/s320/Volleyball+SPHS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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St. Pete High School Varsity Volleyball</div>
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Senior Year (me front and center)</div>
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<b>I've had no major injuries since then. </b>Little things here and there, but I've always bounced back pretty quickly. That time I ran into sliding glass door and most likely broke my nose stands out because it was really painful, and led to a lot of headaches afterward, but otherwise I've managed to avoid the need for hospital visits.<br />
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For about 14 years, I've considered myself a distance runner. Not a fast one, but a runner just the same. <b>Four marathons, about a dozen halfs, and tons of 5Ks, 10Ks, and a few 15Ks later, no major injuries to report.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2roIDICmWgBBzS6_sYa3tpko0WYiNErHduwLAI-en5Y6dyjWKfWvQI_yq_oVqwRnMFt78_Bn3-tLsrmtNfiiM8kAO_ICTGnWnig7WI3cWtxerBtlO4NEKwlh4WcS4VPecUuKRupbpB1A/s1600/Bria+Halloween+Halfathon+injured+runner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2roIDICmWgBBzS6_sYa3tpko0WYiNErHduwLAI-en5Y6dyjWKfWvQI_yq_oVqwRnMFt78_Bn3-tLsrmtNfiiM8kAO_ICTGnWnig7WI3cWtxerBtlO4NEKwlh4WcS4VPecUuKRupbpB1A/s320/Bria+Halloween+Halfathon+injured+runner.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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PRETENDING to be injured for the Halloween Halfathon...never again</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Until now...</b></span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyXzDPjmlAakV6_2o4XNIHBYiXIyZqX2p0zXc1a99vB2DFf3ILjzsDMDIZQeFT92-K4GdparXwY6LfKFsUymyk1ydLYUn9nCvGL-vmt1PYbLvGYUZgFImYSOtpesYJQ3pIi2cqOQ3EOU/s1600/2014-07-04+13.51.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyXzDPjmlAakV6_2o4XNIHBYiXIyZqX2p0zXc1a99vB2DFf3ILjzsDMDIZQeFT92-K4GdparXwY6LfKFsUymyk1ydLYUn9nCvGL-vmt1PYbLvGYUZgFImYSOtpesYJQ3pIi2cqOQ3EOU/s320/2014-07-04+13.51.08.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About three months ago, I felt a niggle in my right heel. <b>So I did what a usually do when I notice something feeling just a little bit off while I'm running...I ignored it.</b></div>
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My thinking goes something like this:</div>
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<i>Surely it will go away...eventually...it will stop...any time now...go ahead and leave me alone...okay, it's not funny now...I'm limping a little bit...so I'll just run 10 miles and that will make my heel realize that it's fine and stop being a pain...</i></div>
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Heel pain is a really big pain in the butt, in every sense. My right high hamstring and lower right glute have been suffering and weakening in the midst of all this limping around.</div>
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Enter Podiatrist Brian Fullem, MD. He rules out major problems and I'm left with some possible nerve inflammation. Enter Premier Physical Therapy. They want to know my pain levels. Let's see...like a 5 or 6, I guess. I'm not really sure how to quantify it. One visit down, seven more to go...ready to be healed!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>And then I learn what a 5 or 6 level of pain really means...</i></b></span></div>
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Out of a dead sleep, my back spasms (thoracic spine) and I cannot move to turn left or right or to sit up. Grunting through the <b>LEVEL 9 PAIN</b>, I struggle out of bed wondering what the heck just happened. It's difficult to describe the fear that accompanied that moment. I couldn't take a full, deep breath. I think I now understand why people have panic attacks. <b>It scared me how bad my back hurt.</b></div>
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My usual plan of action was set into motion. A few Ibuprofen*, stretching, rest, and relaxation for the day. Unfortunately I had to call in to work (which I NEVER have to do). But I expected to be back to normal after 24 hours. The next night, however, it was actually worse.</div>
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I woke up in a cold sweat. The shooting pain in my back had returned. I asked my husband to come into the bathroom to help me undress because I couldn't take my damp clothes off. Seated on the toilet, I lifted my arms as he took off my shirt and the pain spiked again. Suddenly, everything went hazy gray. I told my husband, "I can't see."</div>
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">When I went unconscious in my husband's arms, I didn't have to tell him I had reached LEVEL 10 PAIN. He just knew.</span></b></i></div>
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I woke up on the nice, cold tile floor facing the ceiling. And I actually felt better. There was ringing in my ears, but my back didn't hurt too bad anymore. Soon I realized that I couldn't get up, and the pain was returning. My husband was on the phone for an ambulance, but when he realized I had woken up almost immediately, he told them that he would drive me.</div>
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To the ER we went. EKG, X-rays, testing, and a lot of groaning on my part. The doctors decided that I had a muscle spasm possibly due to a pinched nerve. They sent me home on Valium (yeah...) and Ibuprofen. And yes, I had actually passed out from pain (it's called vasovagal).</div>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">My Back and Heel Injuries</span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEn5LAip02W_HfxhDHAwKlVA2-Al_M4EsOH4cl9eNvO4p08HQjIWpYmLI7sVuT9ZE-0jwQ8jAmQ3_RB33Mim_TpuowRBWGAr_so8ovAKoja5TEZvkhphwIR53_e1nVwFpyg1B5lCXXps/s1600/IMG_4251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEn5LAip02W_HfxhDHAwKlVA2-Al_M4EsOH4cl9eNvO4p08HQjIWpYmLI7sVuT9ZE-0jwQ8jAmQ3_RB33Mim_TpuowRBWGAr_so8ovAKoja5TEZvkhphwIR53_e1nVwFpyg1B5lCXXps/s320/IMG_4251.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I've gone from rarely ever dealing with injuries to <b>two debilitating injuries</b> that not only prevent me from running, but that seem to be FIGHTING each other.<br />
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<b>When I first had back pain, the heel pain vanished!</b> It was a miracle! One that I welcomed. However, as time went on, and as my back improved, the heel pain returned. But then my back would revert, the pain would increase in my thoracic spine, and the heel pain would decrease.<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>This back and forth fight for pain dominance has been going on for about a month now.</i></span></b><br />
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I've been stuck in the mud for longer than I expected and I don't like it. Injury sucks. Physical therapy has become like a job now where I'm doing stretching and exercises morning and night just to survive. And I've simply wanted nothing more than to be done with it all.<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Lessons in Patience</span></b></h2>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Psalm 40: <i>"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand."</i></span></div>
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I believe in the power of prayer, and I've spent a lot of time not only praying to Jesus, but yelling at Him, too. Thankfully, He can handle it. And He's been gently teaching me as I whine and complain and sob like a child.<br />
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I also believe that God has allowed this pain in my life for a reason. I'm learning a lot about patience, about the ability to sit (or lay flat as the case may be) without distraction, devices, or even the ability to hold a book to read. Not because that's what I wanted to do, but that's what my injuries required.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Having this much down time has given me a fresh perspective on this fast-pace existence that I speed through without stopping to look around.</b></span></i><br />
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In this phase of learning to be more patient, I'm trying to be more attune to what other people deal with as well. Sharing my pain has led to others sharing their pain. And the pain that other people deal with puts my pain to shame.<br />
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For me, it's ONLY been a month.<br />
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That's not a very long time. But I didn't really have anyone explaining that to me. That, no, I shouldn't try to go back to my full normal activity right away, because that will cause a relapse. One step forward will become ten steps backwards.<br />
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My expectations have been extremely skewed. Only when I've commiserated with other people who also deal with back and/or heel pain have I understand that these things take TIME to heal. For some, several months. For others, years.<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">And for some of us, the damage is irreversible, so it will stay with us for the rest of our lives.</span></i></b><br />
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The MRI results have revealed bulging and protruding discs in my cervical spine (neck), which is referring pain to the thoracic area in my back.<br />
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At this point, I am improving on a very slow but steady incline of progress. Rather than two steps forward, five steps back (which has been the method of my progress until a few days ago), I'm actually taking baby steps forward without any noticeable back-peddling.<br />
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As a part-time employee at St. Pete Running Company, I've been striving to do my best while not overdoing it. At times, I need breaks, and thankfully I have very understanding employers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUzqVewClR8dN8zPQSnAFh2ONS-Dyrf3RWsp9IO_CqGNTijDtKZlWtkPyWkggU5GcMkjvhOEhIWhUeUIOd8oVBCsLOHCZkRMZQ8qokkNNtQsG3NQxpLJBl0-ZffZTxHLrDaSCqm-XTcU/s1600/15995223_765652703586161_5306316610949319011_o+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUzqVewClR8dN8zPQSnAFh2ONS-Dyrf3RWsp9IO_CqGNTijDtKZlWtkPyWkggU5GcMkjvhOEhIWhUeUIOd8oVBCsLOHCZkRMZQ8qokkNNtQsG3NQxpLJBl0-ZffZTxHLrDaSCqm-XTcU/s320/15995223_765652703586161_5306316610949319011_o+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'm up to a 30-minute walk every other day with slow jogging for a few of those 30 minutes. It feels really good to get moving, even if it's nowhere near the half-marathon training plan that I would've been following had I been spared these injuries.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>The truth is I MISS running.</i></span></b><br />
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And I'm hoping that soon, I'll be able to run for all of those 30 minutes again. For now, I'm hedging my expectations and putting everything into perspective as best as I can.<br />
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I'm able to walk, even jog slowly to an extent. That is a gift, and I won't take it for granted. My fight is not over, and I'll let you know how it's going.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*In general, I do not take medication for pain, unless the severity is great. This was one of those instances where the pain was bad enough to make me feel the need to take something.</span></div>
Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-71132878597527397722016-09-19T16:45:00.000-04:002017-04-08T15:08:10.037-04:00The Running Girls: A Novelette<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>
The Running Girls</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>
A New Novelette Now Available</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1619539309"></span><span id="goog_1619539310"></span><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvgMlUYG72RaE9-rcVAWZTCUC-e1pgaX_tCAPpBg0_-W5GEkNdtTI9TQy1GJnqrNC93gkgRwr55opNcx2J3Dmf2OPLWFTB6omMgjfyQIM_AYILIFq5QZAfdz0hogfwuwQIc6k7n6eBGE/s400/The+Running+Girls%252C+a+novelette.jpg" width="266" /></span></div>
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Two girls with nothing in common except the 500-Mile Summer of '89 Challenge</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>BUY NOW</b></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.autography.com/queue/add/b8c37e33defde51cf91e1e03e51657da" target="_blank">Autography Signed eBook Edition</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M13U8L7" target="_blank">Amazon Kindle Edition</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Clara is an average student and below-average athlete. With some inspiration from her cross country coach, Clara decides to take on a summer running challenge: complete 500 miles in three months. The problem? Her parents don't want her jogging all those miles alone, but Clara doesn't want to run with the girl they suggest. Joan is weird, and something seems to be mentally wrong with her. Except none of Clara's other friends run. Will she complete the challenge, or does being stuck with Joan mean she's destined to fail?</span></div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>
Book Signing Hosted by St. Pete Running Company</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkuzVR0XJkowLFMOkGvOstS0PUHp0N6mbMzPgytcmAvji2THsHhH_cmS-akxK_6nxXvBl7xxPclmZSXzCD2dYmVHZxTItqNYJdBa8_cX1BLSPcDjmA1OSrqufouDdrhPXLWAW6JJwmF-mb/s1600/SPRC+book+signing.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkuzVR0XJkowLFMOkGvOstS0PUHp0N6mbMzPgytcmAvji2THsHhH_cmS-akxK_6nxXvBl7xxPclmZSXzCD2dYmVHZxTItqNYJdBa8_cX1BLSPcDjmA1OSrqufouDdrhPXLWAW6JJwmF-mb/s400/SPRC+book+signing.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/300388466991469/" target="_blank">RSVP ON FACEBOOK</a><br />
When: Friday, 9/23/16 from 6-8 PM</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Where: St. Pete Running Company</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
6986 22nd Ave N, St. Pete, FL 33710</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I'll be signing and personalizing copies of <i>The Running Girls</i> through an app called Autography.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Books available in print and ebook:</span></div>
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<i style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Lance & Ringo Tails</i></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Little Angel Helper</i></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Prometheus Saga</i></div>
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<b style="font-size: x-large;">What is a novelette?</b></h3>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A novelette is longer than a short story, shorter than a novella. </span><i style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Running Girls</i><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> is about 12K words.</span></div>
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-23684876605362813212016-09-16T12:00:00.000-04:002017-04-08T15:06:54.365-04:00Writing About Girls Who Run<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>
The Running Girls</b></span></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Novelette Launch Date 9/17/16</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvgMlUYG72RaE9-rcVAWZTCUC-e1pgaX_tCAPpBg0_-W5GEkNdtTI9TQy1GJnqrNC93gkgRwr55opNcx2J3Dmf2OPLWFTB6omMgjfyQIM_AYILIFq5QZAfdz0hogfwuwQIc6k7n6eBGE/s1600/The+Running+Girls%252C+a+novelette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvgMlUYG72RaE9-rcVAWZTCUC-e1pgaX_tCAPpBg0_-W5GEkNdtTI9TQy1GJnqrNC93gkgRwr55opNcx2J3Dmf2OPLWFTB6omMgjfyQIM_AYILIFq5QZAfdz0hogfwuwQIc6k7n6eBGE/s400/The+Running+Girls%252C+a+novelette.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>
What's the story about?</b></span></div>
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Here's the tagline: Two girls with nothing in common except the 500-Mile Summer of '89 Challenge.</div>
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Clara is an average student and below-average athlete. With some inspiration from her cross country coach, Clara decides to take on a summer running challenge: complete 500 miles in three months. The problem? Her parents don't want her jogging all those miles alone, but Clara doesn't want to run with the girl they suggest. Joan is weird, and something seems to be mentally wrong with her. Except none of Clara's other friends run. Will she complete the challenge, or does being stuck with Joan mean she's destined to fail?<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>
Where did this story originate?</b></span></div>
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A couple of weeks ago, my running partner, Terry, and I had just conquered a six-mile run through Clearwater that included the Sand Key bridge. Needless to say, we felt strong and fabulous.</div>
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On the drive home, my phone rang. The bluetooth in the car told me that Janna Angell (owner of St. Pete Running Company--and my boss) was calling. Unable to sift through the backseat for my phone as I drove, I apologized to Terry and proceeded to answer with the bluetooth, informing Janna that she was on speakerphone.</div>
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During the brief chat, Janna invited me to participate in a book signing that she and Cody were hosting at the store for Dr. Brian Fullem and his new book, <i>The Runner's Guide to Healthy Feet and Ankles</i>.</div>
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I was so honored to be asked. But once I hung up the phone, I realized that my only available books had nothing to do with running. My novel, <i>Sprinter</i>, is still under consideration by an agent and is not yet published.</div>
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When I mentioned this to Terry, she suggested that I write a story for this book signing about a runner.</div>
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Brilliant! Why hadn't I thought of that?</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>
Running Legend Alyssa Bowers</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuBHXi6oiGiLml_TkDHvLUQKJtNEL5-mv7AIS_n001v40-xRKYSLl5Dm4CacNNNoO15HkmXzI1RIHlyRn9MkmjtPYO3T3p5N1P_MxvKtGd_erNoMrRjKIdA8Lv3f6zzdD1mRs2EaJU90/s1600/2014-01-19+13.07.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuBHXi6oiGiLml_TkDHvLUQKJtNEL5-mv7AIS_n001v40-xRKYSLl5Dm4CacNNNoO15HkmXzI1RIHlyRn9MkmjtPYO3T3p5N1P_MxvKtGd_erNoMrRjKIdA8Lv3f6zzdD1mRs2EaJU90/s320/2014-01-19+13.07.28.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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I talk about my amazing cousin, Alyssa, quite a lot on this blog. She's the one who ran a crazy Trans-Alpine race about a year ago. Eight days, about a marathon a day in the Alps. And she FINISHED! Unlike a third of the other competitors. That's just one of the reasons she's a legend.<br />
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She's also the person behind my love/hate relationship with running. She got me started back in college when I had no intention of running more than a few miles at a time.</div>
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When I started jotting down ideas for a story about a runner, I immediately thought of Alyssa and her best friend, Jenni. Back in high school, they completed a 500-mile summer running challenge. That gave me the premise for the story.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>
The Florida Heritage Book Festival</b></span></div>
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When: Saturday, 9/17/16 from 7 AM-5 PM</div>
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Where: Flagler College (Ringhaver Student Center)</div>
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50 Sevilla Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084 </div>
<b><br />Giveaway:</b> Come by my table and enter the drawing to win a free copy of Lance & Ringo Tails. Find out instantly if you are the winner.<br />
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<i>The Running Girls</i> will be released as an ebook at this event. I'll be signing and personalizing copies through an app called Autography.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #fafafa;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Book Signing Hosted by St. Pete Running Company</b></span></div>
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When: Friday, 9/23/16 from 5-7 PM</div>
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Where: St. Pete Running Company </div>
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6986 22nd Ave N, St. Pete, FL 33710</div>
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I'll be signing and personalizing copies of The Running Girls through an app called Autography.</div>
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Books available in print and ebook:</div>
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<i>Lance & Ringo Tails</i></div>
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<i>Little Angel Helper</i></div>
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<i>The Prometheus Saga</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>What is a novelette?</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A novelette is longer than a short story, shorter than a novella. </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">The Running Girls</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> is about 12K words.</span></div>
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-85362808979480865482016-06-27T16:17:00.000-04:002016-06-27T21:10:40.161-04:00My First Age Group Award (and before turning 60, too!)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">SPRR Beach Series 5K</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIskQGDbOJzpIwytQFKVFNVS0DAndQkKGUJhF0_XJwiSeChi-BRToWxHqXNybkrSTM2Kh9-RxYzMhnxXn75DSYim6SA6DDpcjJnMyj0kv8fbCMYB8y1vCcFYV8zAWE2g_-baww8A4QZQ/s1600/13466444_662066423944790_1440172347109735910_n.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIskQGDbOJzpIwytQFKVFNVS0DAndQkKGUJhF0_XJwiSeChi-BRToWxHqXNybkrSTM2Kh9-RxYzMhnxXn75DSYim6SA6DDpcjJnMyj0kv8fbCMYB8y1vCcFYV8zAWE2g_-baww8A4QZQ/s320/13466444_662066423944790_1440172347109735910_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">An Award For Me?</span></b></div>
<br />
"What?!"<br />
<br />
That was my reaction when I heard my name announced for the 2nd Place Female Age 30-34. At the first 5K race in the <a href="http://sprr.org/beach-series/" target="_blank">St. Pete Road Runners Beach Series</a> on June 24th, I accepted the award: a most welcome <a href="http://stpeterunningco.com/" target="_blank">St. Pete Running Company</a> Gift Card.<br />
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(Yes, I work there, and YES I cashed that thing in!)<br />
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I was totally shocked, not only because my time was not quite what I'd hoped for, but because the race had been so challenging (read: running ON the beach). The LAST thing I expected was that elusive Age Group award!<br />
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My dear friend, Sydney, took a video of me finishing the race.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy1RKcS1Bj8cWjFI4QRYR1SgoS_czCpd27SKWmFFWjr9gpUREmU0chLRbTA_--HDlZHIMNePw08sVlFZEMbaQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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It's no joke. I really expected to turn at least 50 before the running crowds filtered enough for me to earn any Age Group awards. The closest I've ever gotten is 4th place in my age group at a smaller race where no awards beyond top three overall finishers were given. More and more people are running than ever. Especially women. And I LOVE that and could never begrudge that fact. I just thought it meant I'd be in my 50's or 60's before winning an Age Group award.<br />
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I'm pretty excited to have done it at 34!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Making Use of the Award</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmKuoqY7LZ4coFX6DztbZ7OH3W2CxNEvzNiy9JSUca7LnQdIZtGNkWS6nJdnitJk1gbSccGLXPHMmC60_C8SY5lc7d8kGFGypnQC-e_MFwsmifr4aJZbBa9_yQxkD59m2uj_jhKM9scws/s1600/pink+newton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmKuoqY7LZ4coFX6DztbZ7OH3W2CxNEvzNiy9JSUca7LnQdIZtGNkWS6nJdnitJk1gbSccGLXPHMmC60_C8SY5lc7d8kGFGypnQC-e_MFwsmifr4aJZbBa9_yQxkD59m2uj_jhKM9scws/s400/pink+newton.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I've always wanted to try Yankz! laces. Thank you, SPRC Gift Card! Once installed, you never have to tie them. Any pair of shoes can become slip-ons. With pink laces, will my pink Newtons become TOO pink, you think? I may pick another pair of shoes.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>When's the next SPRR Beach Series 5K?</b></span></div>
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So glad you asked! The next two 5Ks are on July 22nd and August 19th (both races start at 7PM). <a href="http://sprr.org/beach-series/" target="_blank">Register for one or both HERE</a>. The races take place on Pass-A-Grille Beach with the start right in front of the Hurricane Restaurant.</div>
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So are you up for the challenge? A beach race is tougher than a road race. My Race #1 chip time was 30:53, and even though I was hoping to break 30 minutes (which I can usually do on the road), I'm still really pleased because of that AG award.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What About You?</span></b></div>
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Have you ever placed top three in your Age Group at a race? Were you expecting it, or did it come as a pleasant surprise? Is that a goal of yours if you haven't yet earned an Age Group award?<br />
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-586356400049034122016-06-06T12:40:00.000-04:002016-06-06T12:40:09.980-04:00And the Winner is...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Spartan Race Entry Giveaway Winner</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="19acd2011" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/19acd2011/" id="rcwidget_ywh3ise9" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Congratulations, Scott! You've won a free entry to any US Spartan Race.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">A Little Something For You</span></b></div>
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Thank you to all the contest entrants! You've been emailed a code for 10% off any US Spartan Race entry.</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Blog readers, if you're interested in the 10% Spartan Race entry discount, make a comment on this blog post and I'll send you the code.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntCVAwkPbYeNlmms5vXd4y_u5AmBhjGo6K1ExrmGa-hB8ehc9nH7_QmJvV-J4LXUrOgM8uJnVvvds9NOaug20FQ4kCjbJmU7PrlhiKlmfgf5fWNwHw9z1k-EaJQSaZhX7nqj0p6lXQZc/s1600/Discount+Spartan+Race.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntCVAwkPbYeNlmms5vXd4y_u5AmBhjGo6K1ExrmGa-hB8ehc9nH7_QmJvV-J4LXUrOgM8uJnVvvds9NOaug20FQ4kCjbJmU7PrlhiKlmfgf5fWNwHw9z1k-EaJQSaZhX7nqj0p6lXQZc/s320/Discount+Spartan+Race.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Get Ready For <i>Spartan Fit!</i></b></span></div>
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Race Creator Joe DeSena's new book is now available for Pre-Order <a href="http://shop.spartan.com/gear/spartan-books/spartan-fit-book-by-joe-desena-pre-order.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bgDQgbjCtWSMaUmpvTDhCwHgKWKFfqGmsd6cO9eSDHN61TpjYPDbkkjRUnoyaTS19bflzj7NyO6saXcg20Z6UFTkwEueAxbVrogqHIux2T6lH3IAMLGuE3duHcwA5NOKpLycSueRwOw/s1600/fit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bgDQgbjCtWSMaUmpvTDhCwHgKWKFfqGmsd6cO9eSDHN61TpjYPDbkkjRUnoyaTS19bflzj7NyO6saXcg20Z6UFTkwEueAxbVrogqHIux2T6lH3IAMLGuE3duHcwA5NOKpLycSueRwOw/s320/fit.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Who's Ready to Mud Run?</b></span></div>
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Yeah, still not me. But I applaud all of you who take the plunge and push yourself through that dirty, filthy mud. Takes guts.</div>
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Anyone signed up for a mud run? Which one? Have you done it before? If it's your first time, are you nervous or excited?</div>
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-54509762727341970562016-06-01T12:52:00.000-04:002016-06-01T12:53:31.288-04:00Nat'l Running Day: Enter to Win FREE Spartan Race Entry<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Who Wants a FREE Entry into a Mud Run?</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDNSsUdCseQ6hsJmPOlqaPZEY4PkvTm_lfG9QTNGlaqwQ3zaH1G8EAUdP479zWXVle77Gv_FOHcQlGJ7c1txvhBGIQbfB_2TJ9h6ZSKUsP3ZHZHHK7kEG7-NMrLq7kcn7Wh7DQTJ_APU/s1600/SR_Logo_2color_white_on_black_solidtext.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDNSsUdCseQ6hsJmPOlqaPZEY4PkvTm_lfG9QTNGlaqwQ3zaH1G8EAUdP479zWXVle77Gv_FOHcQlGJ7c1txvhBGIQbfB_2TJ9h6ZSKUsP3ZHZHHK7kEG7-NMrLq7kcn7Wh7DQTJ_APU/s400/SR_Logo_2color_white_on_black_solidtext.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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If you've been reading my blog, you won't be surprised to learn that the answer to the above question is...NOT ME!!<br />
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That's why I'm thrilled to be able to extend an offer given to me for a FREE Spartan Race entry to YOU, dear readers.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">New Book by Spartan Race Creator Joe DeSena</span></b></div>
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For the mud run and Spartan Race fans out there, you'll be interested to learn that Spartan Race creator, and author of <i>Spartan Up!</i>, is releasing a new book called <i>Spartan Fit!</i> I have yet to read the book, but if you're a fan of Spartan Races, this is likely a book you'll enjoy. Pre-order <a href="http://bit.ly/spartanfit_preorder" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Happy National Running Day From Me to You</b></span></div>
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Enter the Rafflecopter (below) and you'll have a chance to win a FREE Spartan Race entry! One winner will be emailed a code, which will work one time for any open heat (non-confirmed start time) in any Spartan Race in the continental US.<br />
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You'll note that adding a comment on this blog is mandatory in order to enter the contest, so tell me all about the reasons why you love mud runs in this or any other blog post. If you post under Anonymous, please write your name in the comment so I know who to email if you win!</div>
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="19acd2011" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/19acd2011/" id="rcwidget_2vkhzkfg" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-18522365321310853662016-05-31T10:11:00.000-04:002016-05-31T10:11:04.564-04:00What Do You Carry On Your Run?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Most of the time, I just want to run and not be burdened with anything in my hands or on my person. I'm more of a minimal runner in that sense.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Essentials for a Run</b></span></div>
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So what do I HAVE to have for a run? Technically just my shoes, socks, sports bra, shorts, and a top. But I do love listening to podcasts and audiobooks while I run, so usually I'll have my iPod with me. If my shorts don't have pockets, that requires something to carry the iPod if I don't want it in my sweaty hand the whole time.<br />
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There is one essential element for every runner: Water. Generally, I'll scout out my route ahead of time with planned stops at water fountains. In Florida especially, water stops are crucial, but with my planned routes, I don't have to carry it. Drinking plenty before and after also helps.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Some Options from St. Pete Running Company</span></b></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fstpeterunningcompany32%2Fvideos%2F650223075129125%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border-style: none; border-width: initial; overflow: hidden; text-align: left;" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>To Carry or Not To Carry?</b></span></div>
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Yes, I've tried the Hipster belt, and I really do like it. I don't notice it, truly. I haven't loaded it up with more than my phone at this point, so that will be a true test once I do that. Again, I like the "less is more" philosophy during a run.</div>
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I've tried running with a water bottle belt, and it's not my favorite. Too much bounce. When I wore an armband with my iPod inside, I had this strange burning sensation on my arm. It irritated me enough that I took the armband off and haven't tried one since.<br />
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I have used a smaller belt that fit my phone, but whenever I tried to add anything else (such as keys, gel), the bounce becomes noticeable.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What About You?</span></b></div>
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What do you take with you on your run? How much can you handle carrying? Are you like me and prefer less to more?</div>
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-11389976104676051382016-05-16T11:33:00.000-04:002016-05-16T11:33:15.963-04:00That Time I Fell on a Trail Run<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is There a Right Way to Fall?</b></span></div>
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Raise your hand if you've ever fallen during a run.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrTGdQXhZ1HKSqk7H2ls_VXJeHWAHAT_4J8QpwcxmLAi3sDl1rFRLIicZQ94fLxT4XZxSB_hHtbdJb6zPfcgCcSAiYNHCM_sVpbjAyVglJVwpS2f2m8uNEOMZf_IXvEANioWwQKiSOhM/s1600/hands-220163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrTGdQXhZ1HKSqk7H2ls_VXJeHWAHAT_4J8QpwcxmLAi3sDl1rFRLIicZQ94fLxT4XZxSB_hHtbdJb6zPfcgCcSAiYNHCM_sVpbjAyVglJVwpS2f2m8uNEOMZf_IXvEANioWwQKiSOhM/s320/hands-220163.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Yep, hands everywhere, just like I expected. Doesn't it make you feel better to look around and know you're not alone?</div>
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It's been a while since I've fallen. Can't quite remember the last incident, so it must not have been too bad. Tripping is a regular occurrence for me. Comes with the running territory.</div>
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Last Saturday, St. Pete Running Company hosted a free group run at Weedon Island Preserve. A trail run! My favorite! Of course, coworker Chris warned everybody before we got started that, statistically, at least one of us would fall during the run, so to be extra careful.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Ground Getting Nearer and Nearer</b></span></div>
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Chris was right, and I was the statistic.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8gl8MiJAwqU8KYbrn6QVgeBlCmqQTj4YOSBEM6mIaOEeCjzRhsVLYmuxDUGwhHNqrJ2YJQiPWzLO4jLjU7UmlKtjAx-8abZBprg4uceFbxFICAO2fhhUKc34NKyZoVbaUfhn-isVMhU/s1600/IMG_2859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8gl8MiJAwqU8KYbrn6QVgeBlCmqQTj4YOSBEM6mIaOEeCjzRhsVLYmuxDUGwhHNqrJ2YJQiPWzLO4jLjU7UmlKtjAx-8abZBprg4uceFbxFICAO2fhhUKc34NKyZoVbaUfhn-isVMhU/s400/IMG_2859.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-fall. Note the dirty hands and knees.</td></tr>
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Notice my right wrist in the above photo? That's my emergency medical ID. Don't go on your run without one! No, I don't have any medical issues to document, but I do have my A+ blood type listed on there, along with my info and husband's name and phone number.</div>
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And don't worry, I'm not hurt at all. This is the extent of my injury.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVPAGg1oME0LIcG0mxAR-P7gfUfIREoWuLEL5K8Hhyphenhyphen3E4PsoXSVKbUvqG3HRye18Aa3DV5aSBrrXEgPBnyQUnv461ND1idU5BzF7GZ6sb-AyYbF-lOafCA_y5AYUdpL6lIAUqJYuxduU/s1600/20160516_110442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVPAGg1oME0LIcG0mxAR-P7gfUfIREoWuLEL5K8Hhyphenhyphen3E4PsoXSVKbUvqG3HRye18Aa3DV5aSBrrXEgPBnyQUnv461ND1idU5BzF7GZ6sb-AyYbF-lOafCA_y5AYUdpL6lIAUqJYuxduU/s320/20160516_110442.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Tiny scrape on the arm. That's it. All said and done, I'm fine. Thank you, Lord, for that.</div>
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If there is a right way to fall, I must've done it. But I couldn't actually tell you how, or what to do if you find your face nearing the ground. One of the best aspects of my fall was the very powdery sand we happened to be traversing. It was a soft landing that likely prevented any injuries.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitBOx3ZKUqAC1FOof3NiSW1yc0rJq_iaBc0fSzQMzYMAvtS_hyphenhyphen1RUB326e3Of3LN263r-h9qRj5XG0S0cf2CtWT5ZT9OgGjSjMe4YAv5h2Fg8Xz1HKJahuzLMj2u-Q9nxKsEutj5Quv5Y/s1600/IMG_2862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitBOx3ZKUqAC1FOof3NiSW1yc0rJq_iaBc0fSzQMzYMAvtS_hyphenhyphen1RUB326e3Of3LN263r-h9qRj5XG0S0cf2CtWT5ZT9OgGjSjMe4YAv5h2Fg8Xz1HKJahuzLMj2u-Q9nxKsEutj5Quv5Y/s400/IMG_2862.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The root that tripped me and wouldn't let go!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKdmK1f6WPA3o7i9yI0gkabM8dDiBQMeknzSrxZkESsD3raRVNogLIqEFmwWhNmcgYTESIwpd8lTLDsCs9RqmgXcxbk3S7Kqzelfyxhg3d7BadqW7zXygMtbVvFPNazcInSvi0xoqS_mQ/s1600/IMG_2861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKdmK1f6WPA3o7i9yI0gkabM8dDiBQMeknzSrxZkESsD3raRVNogLIqEFmwWhNmcgYTESIwpd8lTLDsCs9RqmgXcxbk3S7Kqzelfyxhg3d7BadqW7zXygMtbVvFPNazcInSvi0xoqS_mQ/s400/IMG_2861.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sand angel</td></tr>
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Chris happened to be just ahead of me, and a Group Runner named Dave was right behind me. So Dave got to see the slow-motion fall and feel helpless to do anything. He said that I seemed to land properly with my arms taking the fall rather than my wrists. Guess that's how you do it? Still, on cement it wouldn't feel good either way.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Have You Ever Fallen on a Run?</b></span></div>
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Don't be shy. We've all done it, haven't we? You run long enough, you're going to fall. Go ahead and tell us all about it. (Alex, I'm looking at you. I saw that fall at The Claw Run, and I'm not the only witness).<br />
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-32774557104292543282016-05-11T13:39:00.002-04:002016-05-11T13:39:49.172-04:00Mud Diving is Not for Me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Recently, I was offered an entry into a Spartan Race.<br />
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<a href="http://bit.ly/spartanracer" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://spartanracemedia.com/banners_buttons/Helmet-wt.png" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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Wait...you're giving it to me??</div>
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Clearly, this person doesn't know me. Back in 2011, my hubby, my dear cousin Alyssa, and a bunch of hubby's buddies all did the Tough Mudder. I had the opportunity to join them, which I declined vehemently.<br />
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I know the Spartan Race is not the same as the Tough Mudder, but I do know it's the same idea. Defeat obstacles and dive into the mud when there's no good reason to do either.<br />
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Granted, this must be fun for people, because tons and tons of participants do Spartan Races and Tough Mudder every year. And they talk about how much they LOVE it.<br />
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Here are a couple of photos that I took at Tough Mudder in Dade City, 2011. I was happy to be behind the camera and NOT a mud diver.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICOmp7r2_gwQiebeo-XO7jKS5ZRg_Rtlu_bycU1AaQtsyVXLD4l_OqQ61SEgkPLAOOd7_Sr3IWbA1fTvQXZT6_eLYeZR-GCqsS19PEJFtXm4s2M540sBvlM0NCJqmL5dpswGwerTelw4/s1600/392148_260254744029575_1523942551_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICOmp7r2_gwQiebeo-XO7jKS5ZRg_Rtlu_bycU1AaQtsyVXLD4l_OqQ61SEgkPLAOOd7_Sr3IWbA1fTvQXZT6_eLYeZR-GCqsS19PEJFtXm4s2M540sBvlM0NCJqmL5dpswGwerTelw4/s400/392148_260254744029575_1523942551_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Dunking under spinny tire things</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgiFcif1Eb5WLfSJmMpFSxGkRu0OglckmWqRLWPoiMrU_i8MtyzInbuPh4EKX_Wktw89nP5GQFvEPh_qZK8Nab4jrFO64H4DPx-vMKed_dfQIwazuTVBEISlpLGBzcb1inZe7m6v43V-I/s1600/382668_260256560696060_1231770695_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgiFcif1Eb5WLfSJmMpFSxGkRu0OglckmWqRLWPoiMrU_i8MtyzInbuPh4EKX_Wktw89nP5GQFvEPh_qZK8Nab4jrFO64H4DPx-vMKed_dfQIwazuTVBEISlpLGBzcb1inZe7m6v43V-I/s400/382668_260256560696060_1231770695_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Getting electrocuted. Yeah. No thanks.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2PUc-IciwDVuvcoiD8iwv-1FiNLSl-yeP67yJnjfkNZ60ZiRTtJoTDvsJ09spbPDM6iVZvhvIaknsoAL8topIYO_MpFnfBNRU1Rf2o0vBKNKpPeKk0K9OI_-VUNuCED2Lu3U69QTi1I/s1600/PC040981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2PUc-IciwDVuvcoiD8iwv-1FiNLSl-yeP67yJnjfkNZ60ZiRTtJoTDvsJ09spbPDM6iVZvhvIaknsoAL8topIYO_MpFnfBNRU1Rf2o0vBKNKpPeKk0K9OI_-VUNuCED2Lu3U69QTi1I/s400/PC040981.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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A happy post-race crew. Guess what? I was happy, too!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>To Mud or Not To Mud</b></span></div>
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Is it weird that I'd rather do a marathon than do a mud run? The idea of mud...I just don't like it. Dirt is another thing. I don't mind a little dirt, which is why I love The Claw Run at Alafia River State Park. Sadly, we missed doing that race this year. It's out in nature where we traverse God's green earth through trails and up berms and through a waist-deep river (no man-made obstacles. No mud diving).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4L8i6xDq7p9vvxIhlQe9m3HAX1rupWys1oWFLCwI6_c_u5jvSgkeW1lbAoCA9d_15r7BdBmnqZC9cAYqjPAIAasVgKUr8KeS_zlKBulniR7V0jMT9Aw3ZXC7CpwHHIQ4WJ3YNR64zjok/s1600/Claw+Run+Finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4L8i6xDq7p9vvxIhlQe9m3HAX1rupWys1oWFLCwI6_c_u5jvSgkeW1lbAoCA9d_15r7BdBmnqZC9cAYqjPAIAasVgKUr8KeS_zlKBulniR7V0jMT9Aw3ZXC7CpwHHIQ4WJ3YNR64zjok/s400/Claw+Run+Finish.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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The Claw Run 2011</div>
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A little dirt on the ankles, wet shoes, yes, but that's it!</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What About You?</span></b></div>
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Have you ever done a Spartan Race or Tough Mudder? Or do you want to? If you've done one, how did it go? Was it worth all that mud?<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What About that Free Race Entry?</span></b></div>
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I know, I know. I shouldn't act like a snob when someone offers a free race entry. That's not something that happens for me, so I should be really excited. But the mud....</div>
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I'll honestly think about it. Maybe there's a lesser muddy one that's nearby. Or the offer has been revoked because the person who sent it saw this blog and realized they probably shouldn't have offered it to me in the first place.</div>
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-35943391517153263822016-04-27T12:00:00.000-04:002016-04-27T14:27:25.907-04:00Inspired by Friends Rockin' the St. Anthony's Triathlon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">St. Anthony's Tri in St. Pete</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmyV3Kgw6IYSSayZTq3WZkvbIoVLD5-D1r0S7K9b0wx5STjbQdxbETrJD9l4zUQqdj9TrHWg3STU5UrkcgBrlc968vZw9m1KsYZh_JqHVhcFBw6Q7w_MtpJLIegrgllNvd-Zp7jehKDA/s1600/13087699_10208916047920614_1858136511096081445_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmyV3Kgw6IYSSayZTq3WZkvbIoVLD5-D1r0S7K9b0wx5STjbQdxbETrJD9l4zUQqdj9TrHWg3STU5UrkcgBrlc968vZw9m1KsYZh_JqHVhcFBw6Q7w_MtpJLIegrgllNvd-Zp7jehKDA/s320/13087699_10208916047920614_1858136511096081445_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'm not firmly in the "I will never do a tri" camp, but I'm not eager to do one. Mainly, the swim. TERRIFIED of the swim. I've never been a strong swimmer, and I don't swim ever, so my fear of drowning is actually legitimate. Especially in a race like St. A's where the swim is in Tampa Bay.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>What's in a Tri?</b></span></div>
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Several friends and coworkers from St. Pete Running Company competed in the Olympic distance race at the St. Anthony's Triathlon this year. Let's talk about what that means, shall we?</div>
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<i>Olympic Distance:</i></div>
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Swim 1500 meters (about a mile)</div>
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Bike 24.9 miles</div>
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Run 10K (6.2 miles)</div>
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<i>Sprint Distance:</i></div>
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Swim 750 meters (about 1/2 a mile)</div>
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Bike 12.4 miles</div>
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Run 5K (3.1 miles)</div>
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<i>Meek and Mighty:</i></div>
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(for the kids and people like me at St. Anthony's)</div>
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Swim 200 yards (in the pool!)</div>
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Bike 5.4 miles</div>
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Run 1 mile</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Getting Inspired</b></span></div>
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Allow me to repeat: they all did the OLYMPIC distance. A mile swim before all that other stuff. Need I say more?</div>
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Honestly, I've considered doing the Meek and Mighty. The swim is in the pool! The distances are so much shorter. I think I'd make it. The hard part would be when a bunch of 8-12 year olds fly past me on the bike and run. But then again, we're all just there to have fun, right?</div>
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<i>Right?</i></div>
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This year, I got to spectate near the finish and spotted Cody Angell (owner of St. Pete Running Company), Chris McCaffrey, Jimmy Williams, Abrom Douglas, Jenn Olvedy, and Valencia (who did the sprint and placed third in her age group). So proud of all of them!</div>
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Cody Angell</div>
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Chris McCaffrey</div>
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Jimmy Williams</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIXkDdkPTAq1UHL_pc_bu3Wviwf2SOg0XK6yvDzoSx743LXAsP3T9e7GY11rLIT7tTl89feiCHJ1v0p3eiddjrxbyl2k6NVjm9zRv07GTUWHtg-hHNfy3NQRaRqcmD9gVs0XlohUGefgk/s1600/13076691_10153459763572797_2191937546588753563_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIXkDdkPTAq1UHL_pc_bu3Wviwf2SOg0XK6yvDzoSx743LXAsP3T9e7GY11rLIT7tTl89feiCHJ1v0p3eiddjrxbyl2k6NVjm9zRv07GTUWHtg-hHNfy3NQRaRqcmD9gVs0XlohUGefgk/s320/13076691_10153459763572797_2191937546588753563_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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Wendy Ley</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lnNi6erTGp49tthyphenhyphen-kqVT-NsrcOrH5AHCf9IyLicr_Ta_z5VHmrM96qssqlVR7ATrJBNZnJJvcEmT4_OQld72XiVGxmIP-UeeSGxcv2chIp5wx8D0pZTz7BFeAhXJBWSYCgc0WEqNVw/s1600/13002454_10153570039336716_4681108044369076292_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lnNi6erTGp49tthyphenhyphen-kqVT-NsrcOrH5AHCf9IyLicr_Ta_z5VHmrM96qssqlVR7ATrJBNZnJJvcEmT4_OQld72XiVGxmIP-UeeSGxcv2chIp5wx8D0pZTz7BFeAhXJBWSYCgc0WEqNVw/s320/13002454_10153570039336716_4681108044369076292_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Abrom, Cody, Chris, Jimmy Cooper</div>
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Doesn't it look like they're having fun? I didn't get to see Wendy, but this was her first and Jimmy Cooper's first Olympic distance triathlon. They all did amazing, and they're all so inspiring!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>What About You?</b></span></div>
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Have you ever done a triathlon, or would you like to? Which one have you done? Which one do you want to do, and what distance?<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Photos used with permission</span></div>
Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-22449510764782773602016-04-23T20:05:00.000-04:002016-04-23T20:05:37.210-04:00I'm NEVER Going to Boston<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">2016 </b><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Boston Marathon</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI5_GbBdo8VQ_YIMy3pQJr8wnGwPSyurhbzzOH3A1bjsyHb-2pt14gskImDxGyXfeELaILQyv5ml7Ktk9j1V-lxMQfKcoCA22YD6_vligI3anPhHCvT19Y0UfKUnLrJ66lIJx5HsuRSSw/s1600/Baysa+at+Boston.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI5_GbBdo8VQ_YIMy3pQJr8wnGwPSyurhbzzOH3A1bjsyHb-2pt14gskImDxGyXfeELaILQyv5ml7Ktk9j1V-lxMQfKcoCA22YD6_vligI3anPhHCvT19Y0UfKUnLrJ66lIJx5HsuRSSw/s400/Baysa+at+Boston.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Baysa taking the lead (left) for the women while Hayle and Desisa hold tight (right)</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Never Say Never</span></b></div>
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I should clarify. I'm NEVER going to Boston as a marathon participant. For several reasons, but the main one being that I'm way too slow.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMG-TmOqS0zfsWmvdYoMWQ9RCc7SJlmoI27hrInJY5GkZZtKoLMdEb09zeOwaLWIUkSBkKANxJrwtLcG6dV8uAwqV_DaY1wt02XiGkYC2OXLb_KfPGcHIaCuGlmCsahOiiEVwQF4p-mY/s1600/alphabet-word-images-1298865.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMG-TmOqS0zfsWmvdYoMWQ9RCc7SJlmoI27hrInJY5GkZZtKoLMdEb09zeOwaLWIUkSBkKANxJrwtLcG6dV8uAwqV_DaY1wt02XiGkYC2OXLb_KfPGcHIaCuGlmCsahOiiEVwQF4p-mY/s320/alphabet-word-images-1298865.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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I know. I should never say never. But I feel really confident in this particular never statement.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Cheering On Everyone Else</span></b></div>
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St. Pete Running Company hosts a Boston Marathon party every year. I never to miss it because I LOVE watching the race. It's one of those epic, heart pounding thrills to see these athletes battle it out through a world-famous American course. The 2016 Boston race was especially awesome when Baysa came out of NOWHERE and overtook the second and first-placed females to win by a long shot.</div>
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At a race where runners have to qualify with a certain time to participate, Boston becomes something of a golden snitch (except is it really that hard to catch the snitch? For now, let's pretend it is). Runners will make Boston a life goal because of the prestige that accompanies racing the Boston Marathon. My Dad is one of those people, and he could actually achieve his goal soon.</div>
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While I'm a little sad that I'll never race Boston--but not sad enough to amp up my training to the level it would take to get there--I'm very excited that I know a lot of people who do. That gives me an excuse to at least spectate someday. I'm holding out for when my dad qualifies because it'd be amazing to be there as he crosses a life goal finish line.</div>
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See? Even that gives me Godbumps.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>What About You??</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGQRLXAoTk6IP4Wd0KU2suaWjrOygOMvoHBD2DLxUGhE3-sx9P1qolM9n1kF8Z7pMMSM_9833P7NzkwwzZya9Ow5jr_WjHUVmhj2sGVLTuyZGsdllRQfYAHhDLdLoyPu7nLBc_ZWEBKI/s1600/bucket+list.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGQRLXAoTk6IP4Wd0KU2suaWjrOygOMvoHBD2DLxUGhE3-sx9P1qolM9n1kF8Z7pMMSM_9833P7NzkwwzZya9Ow5jr_WjHUVmhj2sGVLTuyZGsdllRQfYAHhDLdLoyPu7nLBc_ZWEBKI/s320/bucket+list.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not my actual bucket list</td></tr>
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It turns out I have a Boston Marathon spectator life goal. Do you have a Boston Marathon life goal? Or have you already raced Boston? Did it live up to your expectation?</div>
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-81765890347781666942016-04-18T15:50:00.000-04:002016-04-18T15:50:56.392-04:00What to Wear For Women Runners<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">A Few of My Favorite Running Things</span></b><br />
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Maybe you don't wear exactly the same brands as I do, but I swear by certain running items.</div>
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fstpeterunningcompany32%2Fvideos%2F632450663573033%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe>
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Hopefully you can come in to the store sometime and get some of the awesome must-haves for runners. Or you've got a running store near you that carries the same or similar brands. If not, message me in the comments because St. Pete Running Company does ship.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What's Been Going On With Me?</span></b></div>
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I know, I know. You're wondering where the heck I've been. Or not. Mostly, you'll see me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/briaburton/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/briaburton.writer" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/briaburton" target="_blank">Twitter</a>. Or you've noticed that I blog much more frequently at <a href="http://briaburton.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Writing For the Love</a> with my latest writing updates. Currently submitting my novel, Sprinter, to agents. Two requests so far!</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Getting Better as a Runner</span></b></div>
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Running has been awesome for me this year. At the Florida Road Race Series where I completed all four Halfathons, I bettered my times at three races in a row.</div>
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My new half marathon PR happened at the Beach Halfathon: 2:08:24.</div>
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I have coworker and coach Chris McCaffrey to thank for all his help and advice. Speedwork actually does help you get faster!</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Loving the Day Job at SPRC</span></b></div>
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Honestly, I LOVE working at St. Pete Running Company. It's been over a year now...about the amount of time since my last blog post here. I'm the <a href="http://stpeterunningco.com/blogs/sprc-blog" target="_blank">blogger for SPRC</a>, so there is a lot of content over there if you'd like to check it out.</div>
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I'm learning so much, and it's an awesome community to be a part of.</div>
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That's all for now. I'll do better about updating the running adventures. I promise. :)</div>
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-56703669572727673572015-01-26T00:48:00.000-05:002016-04-18T17:56:25.877-04:00Adventures In Running: cabin near Mt. Hood, Oregon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The hubby and I took a week-long trip to Oregon in December that included a three-night stay at a cabin on Mt. Hood.<br />
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Cousin Alyssa and I thoroughly enjoyed a jog on the back roads near the cabin. I'll let the pictures tell the story.<br />
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It was awesome. Next up, race report of the Clearwater Half Marathon.</div>
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-66847119274806046072014-11-19T14:01:00.000-05:002014-11-19T14:01:41.654-05:00Halloween Halfathon 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Yes, it's mid-November and I'm just getting around to the Halloween Halfathon. In a nutshell, Team Hea and Bria had a blast!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before: Pumped up and ready to go! I'm Wonder Woman (the lazy version), Hea is a cat</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After: We did awesome! Mike helped us keep a good pace</td></tr>
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We finished faster than I expected: 2:17:52 chip time. That includes a bathroom stop. We averaged 10:37 mins/mile. I'm really happy about that! Because Mike came as support, he helped push Hea and I along perhaps a bit faster than if he hadn't been there. Not too bad, though. Mile 11 was the longest of all (strange how that works), but we still managed a strong finish.<br />
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Hubby brought Lance to cheer, but I had told him to expect us no sooner than 2:25. Thinking he was early, he showed up literally one minute after we finished. But he did capture the above photo of all three of us.<br />
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One of the best things about this race (besides the wonderful organization, fun medals, and route through Ft. Desoto) is all the fun costumes. I thought Hea's costume was cleverly simple. So many people had run-ready costumes that they must've found online. I couldn't find anything for Wonder Woman at Party City. Mine only counted because I had a picture of Wonder Woman on the back of my shirt. Otherwise, I kept it simple with a little crown and glow stick bracelets.<br />
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Thank you, Chris Lauber, director of <a href="http://www.floridaroadraces.com/" target="_blank">Florida Road Races</a>, for putting on yet another excellent event for the St. Pete locals!<br />
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Next race: <a href="http://www.clearwaterdistanceclassic.com/" target="_blank">Clearwater Halfathon</a> with Team Hea and Bria! We're getting ready to do some bridge training.<br />
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-83008868895661555132014-10-13T18:11:00.002-04:002014-10-13T18:11:26.692-04:00Sunrise Run 5K 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hea, Mike, and me ready to run together! Pic by James Sciandra.</td></tr>
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Our first race of the season! It's always an exciting time, even though I'm only signed up for two more races at the moment. One of my favorites, the Women's Half Marathon here in November, was canceled for no given reason. I've heard from a reliable source that a low number of sign-ups was the cause. That seems crazy to me because it's always a huge turnout.<br />
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Anyway, back to the <a href="http://firsttothecross.com/wordpress/?page_id=90" target="_blank">Sunrise Run</a>! This is one of my favorite 5Ks ever. Karen VanderPloeg, a sweet friend and sister in Christ, created this faith-based race several years ago. Because of her health, she was unable to have the run for the last couple of years. I was so happy when she announced that it was coming back. Many friends from the church I used to attend and the one where I attend now were there either volunteering or running. What a blessing to reconnect with these dear friends, some that I hadn't seen in years!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXInCsmY7HtpqE7MJRdfpYZf2aqDEpUTtzSUedKd4KEx4_sEVkL9sdTEEIDNONuIpBibC5TTyOFb66O7HHebySKJDJ9XkSfgUwXIJsd121hvATr5utFnpfFO5dIJeHhKGgzbjsZ0vYaM/s1600/Sunrise+Run+2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXInCsmY7HtpqE7MJRdfpYZf2aqDEpUTtzSUedKd4KEx4_sEVkL9sdTEEIDNONuIpBibC5TTyOFb66O7HHebySKJDJ9XkSfgUwXIJsd121hvATr5utFnpfFO5dIJeHhKGgzbjsZ0vYaM/s1600/Sunrise+Run+2014.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stephanie, Korey, Terry, and me (all members of the Calvary Chapel Running Team). Pic by James Sciandra.</td></tr>
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I understand from Karen that she had major support from the local race director of <a href="http://www.floridaroadraces.com/" target="_blank">Florida Road Races</a>, Chris Lauber. From a participant's perspective, this was a well-organized event with lots of fun things to do for spectators and families. At Vinoy Park, there were giant inflatables for the kids, several booths with food and running-related vendors. After the events (5K, 1 mile walk, and kids run) bands performed onstage and awards were given.<br />
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Just before the 5K, the CCRT prayed together, and the person making announcements prayed. I love that this event is all about pointing to God and his son, Jesus, the one in whom I place my hope, while reaching out to the community, welcoming anyone and everyone to join in.<br />
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Hea, Mike, and I planned to stay together for this one. Sadly, Hea had been sick all week so she wasn't feeling great. But she still showed up ready to go. And because I'm slower than both of them, they were happy to just run at my pace, so it worked out for me! The route follows the waterfront in downtown St. Pete out and back from the Vinoy with one trip around the pier. It was beautiful! A bit humid, but not as hot as it had been all summer.<br />
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I wasn't feeling 100% percent either, even though I had no excuse like Hea did. We originally talked about running this one all out, but I had felt kinda sluggish during the week and was relieved when Hea said she wasn't going to be able to do that either. So we pushed ourselves as far as we felt we needed to and came in at just under 33 minutes. Not too shabby! A little over 10.5 min/mile pace. We were all perfectly content with that.<br />
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With Hea still not feeling great, she and Mike left shortly after the race. I stayed for a while visiting with all those dear friends I mentioned above while enjoying complimentary Panera bagels (hello, somebody). Actually, the first thing I ate was an orange slice. That is my favorite post-race food of all time! Just seeing that basket of freshly sliced oranges made me happy. There's something about the way it takes the saltiness out of my mouth while refreshing me and tasting so good. Love it.<br />
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The next race for Team Hea and Bria is the <a href="http://www.floridahalloweenhalfathon.com/" target="_blank">Halloween Halfathon</a>. We're still trying to figure out if we'll be dressing up, and I think we will at least a little bit. Some people go all out (if you don't believe me, click on the site). Two years ago, Alyssa and I had a lot of fun dressing up for this one (see <a href="http://runbriarun.blogspot.com/2012/11/halloween-halfathon.html" target="_blank">post</a> from 2012).<br />
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In preparation, Hea and I are doing 14 miles this coming Friday night. Because running ridiculously long distances is what Friday night is all about.<br />
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030784569108572007.post-59354942628305150672014-09-11T15:33:00.001-04:002014-09-15T20:41:25.608-04:00Summer Sum Up<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Let me explain.<br />
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No, there is too much. Let me sum up. Humperdink is.... Wait, no, that's another story.<br />
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Today, I'm back after a long time lapse. I've blogged about writing quite a bit over at <a href="http://www.briaburton.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Writing for the Love</a>. But it's been a tough summer for running. I feel like that every summer, but this one felt worse than others. It didn't rain as much as usual, and I have a theory that the heat index was higher because of it. The humidity...killer.<br />
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Although my running suffered from consistency this summer, I still ran fairly regularly. Thanks to the bi-weekly group runs at <a href="http://stpeterunningco.com/" target="_blank">St. Pete Running Company</a>, I was able to join in a few times and ran with friends new and old.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAyiANfWKixv_S6V-4RfDZpFDqhru-0oi0CJL8K-JNmhzCEtyX8laDo1vkbIM0dlANh1rDaA73HCIHzP0NVfrN5Hsw370mzz1yxee3AYiICCtqoD5flzXiVSxW3wMPIpJV0QGPkfBTUF8/s1600/Bria+with+SPRC+blackjack+run.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAyiANfWKixv_S6V-4RfDZpFDqhru-0oi0CJL8K-JNmhzCEtyX8laDo1vkbIM0dlANh1rDaA73HCIHzP0NVfrN5Hsw370mzz1yxee3AYiICCtqoD5flzXiVSxW3wMPIpJV0QGPkfBTUF8/s1600/Bria+with+SPRC+blackjack+run.jpg" height="160" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Blackjack group run. I'm in pink in the center.<br />
We all got two cards on the way out and back.<br />
At the store, we could hit or stay. Winners got a prize.</td></tr>
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They think up such fun things for the group runs. More on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/stpeterunningcompany32" target="_blank">SPRC</a> below.<br />
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On Wednesday mornings, I got up early to meet a friend, Terry of <a href="http://runningwithjesus23.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Running With Jesus</a>. That's always helpful when it comes to having someone waiting for you. Good motivator.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting it done! Photo by Terry</td></tr>
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A few times, I decided to run to places like the post office to drop off mail, or the store with a short grocery list. Practical ways to help me get my run in for the day. This handy-dandy Publix backpack that I got from one of the Gasparilla races (can't remember which one) was perfect for carrying the mail or a light amount of groceries. I didn't want to weigh myself down too much in the heat.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jp9oz_tQSg2NOfW0Sge20neIDymGrVYJ0132FEM37XwuM2pw82Y45_dFNPCbBsSbcQU-BgCGMxJ1PcSu9M3I9o0lGlt1z6loQf2VFQUUS-FlNLsfd-59MEMvFkkAZkUL-egNoAU_eIE/s1600/2014-08-25+10.03.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jp9oz_tQSg2NOfW0Sge20neIDymGrVYJ0132FEM37XwuM2pw82Y45_dFNPCbBsSbcQU-BgCGMxJ1PcSu9M3I9o0lGlt1z6loQf2VFQUUS-FlNLsfd-59MEMvFkkAZkUL-egNoAU_eIE/s1600/2014-08-25+10.03.06.jpg" height="640" width="384" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LOL I didn't even notice all my race medals in the background. I swear!</td></tr>
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Occasionally, I went downtown to run along the waterfront. Even got up at sunrise...once? Maybe twice. I even have proof.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIRLxon7rarHZF-mintgrSpleykdnrcjCET2hP0syyUHPl-73nHYcfA0dCVlBze0mdqBWYEjXK_cqSk-aVGdTG5USsdRHSNHjDPwEL08Hhu3YjhRCiKlfFmVh3lOmY6CmYq2FiTQ8Mza8/s1600/2014-06-30+06.40.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIRLxon7rarHZF-mintgrSpleykdnrcjCET2hP0syyUHPl-73nHYcfA0dCVlBze0mdqBWYEjXK_cqSk-aVGdTG5USsdRHSNHjDPwEL08Hhu3YjhRCiKlfFmVh3lOmY6CmYq2FiTQ8Mza8/s1600/2014-06-30+06.40.42.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise at Tampa Bay</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0g2vG5zAYzSfGUYdLB6vkdojO82IjgeyQvtjjNIcYVEof8bbPOMpWMEdp4WtNyubtMRK2w4NtVg0wuWHwRyJ8rafvS8PNmyVSRm6eY9qNyeo-bdWvZ0GKeeyP3tF_LYv7e_kEPoOAw0I/s1600/2014-06-30+06.38.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0g2vG5zAYzSfGUYdLB6vkdojO82IjgeyQvtjjNIcYVEof8bbPOMpWMEdp4WtNyubtMRK2w4NtVg0wuWHwRyJ8rafvS8PNmyVSRm6eY9qNyeo-bdWvZ0GKeeyP3tF_LYv7e_kEPoOAw0I/s1600/2014-06-30+06.38.12.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love running here</td></tr>
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Then there were the few times I did stair jogs. The positive side: shade while in the stairwells. The negative side: the heat while running across the top of the parking garage. Note to self: run from stairwell to stairwell on ground level in the heat next time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyg0mU8KIdKK0wG8sB4fBPHFaGLQbzqLWLLe6-IydLYmxRbRsfXgCgB2s-dbial9aBrIXyOIRL8yNy4OSJ5W1QBVeEajuoPFXqpwiPBeSRR4fOVFjk-2AyNDgRrBq-ZfKWjVpZ-MOXxs/s1600/2014-06-12+11.55.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyg0mU8KIdKK0wG8sB4fBPHFaGLQbzqLWLLe6-IydLYmxRbRsfXgCgB2s-dbial9aBrIXyOIRL8yNy4OSJ5W1QBVeEajuoPFXqpwiPBeSRR4fOVFjk-2AyNDgRrBq-ZfKWjVpZ-MOXxs/s1600/2014-06-12+11.55.17.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But it's a fun view from up here!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi278kTGchOXrNbXxmLjGKO4hTvHold0kdyZi4etGKJHfYmVQfuwcbnNKV4udQ9YyYp5MKDVj7JmhfZ5nMIvy2TBmZStl5dxT4bYhvuqcY4_IFywZch4UgDOCt-Z2_RON4Op_WyTEf6fsk/s1600/2014-07-28+13.32.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi278kTGchOXrNbXxmLjGKO4hTvHold0kdyZi4etGKJHfYmVQfuwcbnNKV4udQ9YyYp5MKDVj7JmhfZ5nMIvy2TBmZStl5dxT4bYhvuqcY4_IFywZch4UgDOCt-Z2_RON4Op_WyTEf6fsk/s1600/2014-07-28+13.32.36.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Saucony shoes from the St. Pete Running Company</td></tr>
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And of course, I must mention the new shoes from the <a href="http://stpeterunningco.com/" target="_blank">St. Pete Running Company</a>! First of all, I love the color (as if that's the important thing). Second of all, they have not given me blisters. This is a huge plus. My other shoes didn't really either, but as they neared the end of their running life, I noticed my baby toes rubbing more and more which would lead to those pesky blisters I used to get all the time.<br />
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Thanks to the friendly and knowledgeable owners (Cody, Janna, and Chris) at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/stpeterunningcompany32" target="_blank">SPRC</a>, I'm very happy with the Saucony Kinvara 5 shoes. The wider toe base seems to be the solution for me in terms of no rubbing the baby toes.<br />
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Cody took me through their <a href="http://stpeterunningco.com/fit-process/" target="_blank">StrideSmart Fitting Process</a>. I'd never done anything like that before. He had me doing squats to see how my body tended to lean while showing me the proper form. I ran on the treadmill while he filmed with an iPad. Apparently, my video stayed up on their big screen for a few days because I had such good form! That made me smile. Then he had me trying on several different shoes and running outside (very short distance) so I could see how they felt. He assured me that if the shoes I picked didn't work, I could bring them back.<br />
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No need for that! They're working great.<br />
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Every Monday and Thursday at 6:30 PM, they host group runs that begin at the store and head out onto the Pinellas Trail. All levels welcome, including walkers, joggers, mix-it-uppers, etc. The distance is up to each individual. Newcomers get a $10 off coupon for the store. There is usually some kind of fun twist on each group run.<br />
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My favorite this summer was the the Scavenger Hunt. Everyone was encouraged to team up. We ran toward Azalea Park where there were people stationed to tell us what to do. Each completed station earned each person a raffle ticket for a later prize drawing. First station, jumping jacks. Second, burpees (new to me). Third, we had to carry co-owner, Chris, hence the need to buddy up. He's light, luckily. Then skipping. Really, it was a blast. Here was my team:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Jonathan, Kathy, and Alex<br />
(Alex is a high school friend I hadn't seen in years!)</td></tr>
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If you live anywhere near St. Pete, you've gotta come to this amazing store. It's the best. I plan to go to more group runs, especially in the cooler weather. For the first time last week, I joined their once-a-month Tuesday beer run.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwPKcB0i-Vf_od7t9KcZpiDpOvJ5ywAjSPTxa4DkAu3SqJjAZETOvIt7DX0UAVGcNEM8CcZOPWINk6mhDR6bzNEpKuTdzK_A2hFkCwVwvuOHCRrshguxUrYIbrqznaFT5bmkpbiXoYZbs/s1600/2014-09-02+19.18.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwPKcB0i-Vf_od7t9KcZpiDpOvJ5ywAjSPTxa4DkAu3SqJjAZETOvIt7DX0UAVGcNEM8CcZOPWINk6mhDR6bzNEpKuTdzK_A2hFkCwVwvuOHCRrshguxUrYIbrqznaFT5bmkpbiXoYZbs/s1600/2014-09-02+19.18.06.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At 3 Daughters Brewing Company with Wendy after the beer run.</td></tr>
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It's been really fun meeting new people. Wendy race-walked (she's fast) and I ran while chatting, and then we continued the conversation at the bar while she enjoyed a beer and I enjoyed my water. I'm not a huge beer person, but next time I'll probably try the wine. We had so much fun.<br />
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Tomorrow night: an eight-miler with the bestie, Hea, <a href="http://therunningpetsitter.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Running Pet Sitter</a>. Time to start training for that half marathon we signed up for, the <a href="http://www.floridahalloweenhalfathon.com/" target="_blank">Halloween Halfathon</a>. It's gonna be brutal!<br />
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Bria Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03125844590434514719noreply@blogger.com0