Only 4 more days to get 10% your order at my Etsy shop! Runner's Race Bib Books make great gifts! Enter the code "HOLIDAY2011" at checkout.www.LauraElaineDesigns.Etsy.com

Coupon Code for Race Bib Book

Looking for a great gift for your favorite runner or triathlete? Here's a little motivation - 10% off your order at my Etsy shop! Simply enter the code "HOLIDAY2011" on checkout and receive 10% off your entire order. But hurry, this code is only good for a week - expires Tuesday, November 22. Happy Shopping and keep on running!


Click HERE to visit my Etsy shop, Laura Elaine Designs.

My First Marathon Scrapbook

I really like the way this one came out - I made it in fall colors for all those upcoming (or recently finished!) 26.2 milers.  You can see the full listing and description at my Etsy site, Laura Elaine Designs, HERE.  Have a great day and keep on running!!

Check out this giveaway...

If you are interested in winning some GREAT running-related items, check out this giveaway: http://redonkrunner.blogspot.com/2011/10/runners-giveaway-raffle-all-for-st-jude.html
hosted by Ashley at Redonkrunner.  She will be running her third marathon on December 3 and is raising money for St. Jude.  Head on over and show her some support!  Go Ashley!

PS - There may be one of my Runner's Race Bib Books up for grabs :)

TRIATHLON Race Bib Books!

The latest creation from Laura Elaine Designs....TRIATHLON Race Bib Books! Based on a suggestion from an interested/perspective customer, I have added a new section of books for sale in my Etsy shop!
You can check out the full listing for this book HERE, or see a sample of the pages in the following pictures:
Also new are these triathlon die-cuts, which are the perfect embellishment for making your own scrapbook, cards, or frames! Click HERE to see the die-cut listing in my Etsy shop.

My favorite Runner's Race Bib Books

I've never NOT wanted to sell any of my Runner's Race Bib Books, but these two may be the exception!  I absoluetely LOVE the way these two books came out and wouldn't mind keeping them for myself :)  Fun, girly designs.  And PURPLE....my fav!!  Each book will hold up to 10 race bibs, with room on each page to record you time, pace, place, or any other details from your race!

Click on HERE to see the full listing of the RUN LIKE A GIRL Runner's Race Bib Book.

 A page from the RUN LIKE A GIRL book:

 Another page from the RUN LIKE A GIRL book, with sample race bibs shown:

And HERE is the listing for the RUN Runner's Race Bib Book.

Blank page from the RUN book:

 Another page from the RUN book, with sample bibs shown:

 So pretty!  One more page from the RUN book:

Visit my Etsy shop, Laura Elaine Designs, for more Runner's Race Bib Books and Premade Scrapbook Pages.  www.LauraElaineDesigns.Etsy.com

Have a GREAT weekend!!!

Since my running days are over for the remainder of this pregnancy (only 3 more months!!!), I have been scouring craigslist to find a double Bob jogging stroller to use once the new baby is here.  I found one last week for $275 (they are about $600 new) in awesome condition and only 3 years old!  SCORE!!!!  So excited!  It's the orange one which I am even more excited about.  Only 12 more weeks to go....... :)

 I've been on a tear with scrapbooking, trying to get the shop stocked back up.  I had slacked off a little this summer to spend time outside instead of in the basement scrapbook room, but now I'm back on track, motivated, and getting books done!  Here is the latest one that I just listed.  You can see the full listing HERE in my Etsy shop, Laura Elaine Designs.

Newest Running Scrapbook Items for sale in my Etsy shop!

 NYC Marathon Premade Scrapbook pages - all you have to do is add your photos and your bib!  Click HERE to see the full listing for the NYC Marathon pages.

Newest Runner's Race Bib Book to hold all of your race bibs - 5K RUNNER!  Click HERE to see the full listing and photos of the inside pages.

And lastly, premade pages for your Chicago Marathon bib and photos!  See the full listing HERE.

I will be working hard over the next few weeks to stock up my Etsy shop full of Running-related scrapbook items, including more Runner's Race Bib Books, Themed Race Scrapbooks (Disney, Marine Corps Marathon, My 1st Marathon, etc), and 12" x 12" Premade Scrapbook Pages.  Any ideas or requests for custom items are welcome and encouraged!

Thanks,

Laura Elaine

Running vs Walking - A pregnant runner's dilemma

When I was pregnant with my first, I followed all the "rules" that I was reading online and in books; I stopped drinking diet coke, eliminated deli meats, limited my tuna sandwiches, and kept my heart rate below 140.

Wait, what? Keep my heart rate down and still be able to run? How was I supposed to do that? It's not like I was out of shape to begin with - I had ran the Philly Half Marathon about a month before I learned I was pregnant. I tried to run, but to no avail. After less that 5 minutes I was over 140. So I tried the elliptical, but that was no use either. So I resorted to what any other normal person would do - I sat on the couch and ate ice cream (almost) every day.

I gained 40-something pounds and had Munchie in September of 2008. I slowly resumed running over the winter of 2009 and ran my first post-partum 5k that spring, followed by my first half marathon in August of 2009. I was happy that I was able to get back into running, racing, and had lost almost all of the baby weight.

In the spring of 2010, I began my blog and started following some other running blogs. I came across 2 women who were running during their pregnancies. Really? How cool was that! I started to do some research and realized that the 140 heart rate "rule" was a little outdated, especially for someone who was used to running and in good physical condition. I vowed that if/when I ever got pregnant again, I would continue to run.

Over the winter of 2011, while training for the Lake George Half Marathon in April, we got pregnant again! I continued running, and finished the 13.1 at 6 weeks pregnant. I continued running and doing some smaller races - a few 5ks and a 5-miler. I was feeling good and so excited to keep up my fitness level. But as my pregnancy progressed, so did my back pain.

As a physical therapist, I was having my co-workers treat my back in between patients or at lunch. Eventually I realized that I needed my own appointments and started to get treated regularly. Unfortunately, I made a realization - my back was worse after I ran.

It was suggested to me to "just walk" instead of run. Walk? But that's not running. Previously, if I came back from a long run and wasn't able to run all of it, I felt like it wasn't a successful run. So I guess you could say I equated walking as failure? In my head, it was kinda hard to translate walking into a productive way to exercise at that time.

Well, now it's been a few months. And the heat waves are over. And there is nice, cool weather in the mornings. And I have an itch to RUN. But I know it's not in the cards, at least not for another 3 months (plus a few weeks for post-partum recovery!). I have conceded to walking and am ok with it for now. At least it's exercise and I am feeling good about it!

I'm BACK!

After a few month hiatus from blogging, and a small break from scrapbooking, I am officially back! The last few months have been a fun and exciting time for our family - I am expecting in December :)

I was running through the first few months of the pregnancy but am officially done for now. I developed some SI joint problems and it just isn't worth pushing through the pain and discomfort. I was pretty upset at first but have come to terms with it now. Taking walks with Munchie, who can now pedal a trike faster than I thought was ever possible, have become an awesome new way to exercise for now.

I just finished 5 new Runner's Race Bib Books and they are all for sale on my Etsy shop, LauraElaineDesigns.Etsy.com (for some reason blogger won't let me hyperlink right now).

Marathon Mama

RUNNER GIRL

RUN LIKE A GIRL

RUN

RACE BIB BOOK

Three Things Thursday!

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've posted! Things have been crazy around here!

1) I got a PR in my 5k from May 1 - it was a 5k run to benefit Autism and I finished in 28:32! I was shocked - almost a minute faster than my previous PR! Woop woop!

2) I have officially sold over 100 scrapbooks on my Etsy site (check it out HERE), the majority being Runner's Race Bib Books which are made to hold race bib numbers. I have been very busy trying to keep up with the demand, which seems to have grown since racing season is in full effect.

3) I now know what it's like to live in Seattle and London. Today was our 5th day in a row of not seeing the sun and we still may not see it until Sunday. It has done a number on my already lazy-motivation. Once again, if I have not dished out the money for a longer race, I just have a hard time getting out there. Once I get out for my run, I am back in love with running, but just getting going has been tough lately.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! We're doing a small 5k right here in our town to benefit a local dyslexia school. Hopefully the rain holds off for a little bit at least!

Laura Elaine

Rock 'n' Roll Providence coupon code

Anyone interested in running the Rock 'n' Roll Providence Half Marathon? I have a $10 coupon code if you register by 5/25/11. Use the code ROCKON and receive $10 off your entry. Wish I could do this one, it's the inaugural 13.1 RNR for Providence and it's only about an hour from our house. Oh well, maybe next year! But I wanted to pass on the code so others could use it. Enjoy :)

Race Report: Lake George Half Marathon

Hubby, my sister, and I headed up to Lake George, NY on Friday evening, picked up our race packets, and headed out to dinner. It was the first Lake George Half, so we figured it was going to be a fairly small race. The race numbers were assigned alphabetically. Our last name begins with "W" and we were numbers 345 and 346. Not even 350 people total had registered! Crazy.



After dinner we went back to the hotel and I obsessed over the weather and what to wear. The forecast was for rain and 39 degrees. All week it had been saying rain, but initally it was going to be 60 degrees. We layed out our clothes, set the alarms and went to bed. The best thing about staying up there the night before was that we got up at 7 and walked out of our hotel at 7:50 over to the start. It was raining/freezing rain out and 34 degrees. FREEZING! At least it was uplifting to see that we weren't the only idiots out there!




Since it was a small race, there wasn't any timing chips or any clocks along the course. I had my watch and we kept track of our splits with that. The first mile looped through the parkinglot of Million Dollar Beach at the southern tip of Lake George. This really would have been a pretty course, if it hadn't been for the rain! We then headed up the west side of the lake, just past Diamond Point. It was an out-and-back course with the turn around at about mile 7.

Around mile 4.5, my right hand was just freezing. I looked down and it was purple. I had started out with gloves on, but had taken them off around mile 1.5 when I had warmed up a little. By this time, we were completely soaked so I decided to try the gloves back on again - they were just the litle thin knit ones, so I didn't think they were going to do anything, but they made all the difference.



We knew that this was going to be a tough course - the elevation changed the ENTIRE time - we were running either up or down for the majority of the race. Because of this, we knew that we wouldn't be breaking any PRs, so the three of us decided to stay together the whole race, just stopping around mile 8 so my sister could get the "kink" out of her knee and stretch out her hip/ITB. We carried our hand-held water bottles, filling up just at one of the water stops, but there seemed to be pleanty of water stops available for those who needed them.

All in all, it was a good race. Very well-run for being the inaugural one. Once it becomes more popular and more people are running, it would probably be a good idea to close down the roads - we ran on the shoulder with cones to our left. Most drivers were considerate enough to slow down, but others seemed to have cared less and just sped right past us. I guess that would be my only complaint about the race.

We finished in 2:31 and some change. The post-race food was under a tent and the pizza and garlic knots were AMAZING! We grabbed some food, headed back up to the hotel to shower and warm up, and then left to go home.
The "after picture", AKA the "drowned rats" picture



And of course, by the time we got into the car, the rain had slowed to a slight drizzle, and by the time we arrived back to my parents house an hour later, it was no longer raining. :) Oh well


What I learned:
- Don't obsess about the weather. No amount of worrying will change it, and once you're out there, it's really not that bad
- When you run slow enough, the uphills really don't seem that bad
- There are some big-ass houses up on that Lake!
- Steve's theory on the meaning of a "drowned rat"
- Even though cold+wet = miserable, we still were able to laugh and joke and have fun
- Thighs and bellies turn BRIGHT RED after running in the cold/rain for 2 1/2 hours and stay that way for a couple of hours. I'm talking like worst sunburn ever. Crazy
- I am thankful that it wasn't my first half. I really relied on crowd support through my first few halfs, but now it's kind of peaceful to not have the huge crowds
- Pace makes all the difference. We headed out slow since we knew about all of the hills, and we all finished saying that we felt great!
- I need to sign up for another one....these are getting more and more fun!

Boston Marathon Runners - Hopkinton is ready for you!

We drove through Hopkinton and over the Marathon START line on our way back from our friend's baby's Christening yesterday.

Looking up at the START - the Jeep is right on the START line. The runners would be running toward us on Monday!

Another view of the START line - again, the runners would be running toward us

"WELCOME RUNNERS" sign on the Hopkinton Common (sorry for the poor photo quality, I was talking pictures while we were driving!)

"IT ALL STARTS HERE" Hopkinton sign. Photo is taken from the road, with the START line just to the left. The gazebo in the background is right on the Common.

Spectator Crossing sign on the Common

One of the pained "flying feet" (again a drive-by photo, sorry it's blurry!)

The START line is behind us a few hundred yards. The athlete's village is actually a little walk away from the starting line at Hopkinton High School

Even though we're not able to go in to watch the race this year, it is still very exciting to see all of the prep work. Hubby ran in 2008 and 2009 so it brings back some awesome memories! Good luck to all the runners that will be toeing the line tomorrow morning in Hopkinton!!