Hi friends! I was up early this morning to enjoy the beautiful, crisp weather. It felt perfect for a run date — or, since I’m 28 weeks pregnant, a walking date. The air was cool and invigorating, and getting outside felt like the best way to start the day.
With temperatures dropping this time of year, many of you who have spent the summer slogging through heat and humidity will find your training becomes more enjoyable and your paces improve. Cooler air makes a huge difference for fall racing and for consistent training.
It’s wild to think that this time last year I was training for the Marine Corps Marathon. I even wore one of my MCM shirts this morning for fun — especially since our walk started right at the MCM finish line by the Iwo Jima memorial in Rosslyn. Long sleeves in August felt a little surreal, but in the best way.
My friend Sokphal, who is training for MCM, joined me for a relaxed outing. We started with a couple of short jogs, but my body quickly reminded me that walking felt better today — so we enjoyed an easy, steady walk instead. It was a lovely way to soak up the morning and appreciate how nice the weather was for moving outside.
This year I’m partnering again with the Watermelon Board, which supports the Marine Corps Marathon and 10K. Initially they planned to give Matt and me bibs to run the 10K together as part of the partnership. Since I’ll be 36 weeks pregnant on race day, walking or racing the 10K wasn’t a wise plan, so Matt and I decided to pass those bibs along to readers instead. Even more exciting, I also have two full marathon bibs to give away.
The Watermelon Board will also have a tent at the finish line handing out free watermelon, which is such a welcome treat after running — refreshing and hydrating. Big thanks to them for making these bibs available to readers.
So, to recap:
- I am giving away four bibs: two Marine Corps 10K bibs and two full Marine Corps Marathon bibs to four lucky readers.
- Travel and lodging are not included. Winners must be able to travel to Washington, DC for race day on October 22. This giveaway is open to anyone willing to make their own travel arrangements, so you do not need to live in the U.S. to enter.
- Winners will be chosen at random. I will select and notify the four winners by email on Tuesday, September 5.
To enter: Visit the Watermelon Board’s recipe page, then come back here and leave a comment telling me 1) which race you want a bib for (10K or full marathon), and 2) which recipe from their site you’d most like to try.
Before I go, here are a couple of training resources I’ve shared that you might find helpful this fall:
- How to fuel a long run
- What to eat before and after a long run
Enjoy the cooler weather, take advantage of the pleasant runs and walks, and good luck to everyone entering the giveaway. Happy training!