Farewell February & Belated Blogiversary Contest

I don't know about you but there is something about the month of February that I really don't like.  I think the winter blahs officially kick in come February.  You've passed the hustle and bustle of the Holidays and in January you're generally pretty excited because you have all these awesome New Years goals.  Then February comes around and the excitement of your goals has worn off, and the weather is cold and grey. Yup the February Funk is a real thing.   G and I normally go away somewhere hot in February for that specific reason.  But this year we opted to do a training camp that my coach was heading up and that wasn't happening until late March so we have suffered through it this month  Although, in all fairness, G just came back from DUBAI for work and I stayed here. I suppose I could have gone with him but he would be working all day and then socializing with work people AFTER his work day ended so I'd be left to my own devices.  Not so much fun (not to mention the 13 hour flight - kill me now).  Needless to say, I'm happy that we're at the end of February.  Less than one month until we leave for Clermont!  I can't wait to see the sun and bask in the heat!!  WOOHOO!

Anyway, I just realized yesterday that I somehow managed to miss my 5 year Blogiversary on February 20th!  WTH??  I should probably have it marked in my calendar so I don't forget next year, ha ha.  Yes, I've been rambling on about running and triathlon for the last 5 years.  Not hard to do when it's something you're passionate about!

So in honor of hitting the 5 year mark, I thought I'd do a little giveaway.   The awesome folks at Momentum Jewelry have given me a 40% off discount code and YOU have the chance to win it!  They have so many awesome designs to choose from AND they currently have two special motivate wraps that are available for $10 each as part of their #ShareTheSpark campaign.

Entry is as simple 1, 2, 3 - just go to the Rafflecopter widget below and start clicking!

Contest is open to residents of Canada and the U.S.  Contest starts tomorrow and closes next Monday March 8th at midnight!  Winner will be chosen by a random draw and announced on Wednesday March 9th!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Where Did the Time Go? Happy Blogiversary!

In the FOUR (yes, four) years I've been writing this blog, this is the FIRST time I've actually "celebrated" my Blogiversary!  I don't have any crazy giveaway or anything planned, just a short little retrospective of my 4 years on the Interwebz.  

I started this blog to chronicle my journey to running a sub 1:40 half marathon just after turning 40.  I was coming out of a pretty dark period in my life and was just starting to get back into running in a big way.  It was originally called the 1:40 at 40.  I hit that goal (smashed it actually) and contemplated stopping the blog.  But people seemed to like it and I enjoy writing so, I figured the next logical step would be a rename.  That was how Blisters and Black Toenails came to be.

With the name change came a lot more traffic.  Obviously the title strikes a chord with most runners, ha ha.  Over the years I've written countless race recaps, gear reviews, some pieces on training and specific workouts as well as a few more introspective and dare I say, "artistic" pieces.  It's something I've come to really enjoy and it never feels like work, which is a good thing!  

The best part of all of this Blog business are the relationships I've built and the people I've met because of it.  If I hadn't opted to put myself out there, I can pretty much guarantee I wouldn't have met half the people I interact with now.  The internet has made this great big world of ours a much smaller place, easily connecting people with similar interests with the click of a mouse.  As much as people slag technology and the internet, I can honestly say that it's added a whole new dimension to my life.  If it wasn't for the internet, I know I wouldn't be coaching half the people I'm coaching.

Looking back over the last four years of my life,  I'm really proud of what I've accomplished.  When I started this blog, I never imagined that I'd be capable of doing some of the things that I've done (a marathon P.R at Boston that STILL has me gobsmacked).  I think writing this blog has definitely helped to keep me focused and motivated and as long as I continue to swim, bike & run, I will continue to write about it.

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to read my ramblings.  Here's hoping that one day our paths may cross in real life.  In the meantime, I'm going to go get myself a cupcake to celebrate!