Kristin McLendon

Kristin McLendon: February 2014

Friday, February 21, 2014

Yvonne is Running This Year!

Happy Friday Friends!  Excited to share another #RunThisYear Runner's Profile with you today!!  Don't you just love this community?!  

Today I have the privilege of introducing you to Yvonne!  Praying you each are encouraged as we share her story today!!!


Hi Yvonne!  I believe one of the best ways to be encouraged is to hear one another's "stories".  So let's start out by hearing YOUR Story!  Tell us your "Running Story!!"
Growing up, I was a tall-uncoordinated girl.  I was never, NEVER, picked to be a part of a team.  I tried out for everything – volleyball, basketball {hello .. I did say tall}, softball and cheerleading (not even sure what I was thinking there-remember “tall-uncoordinated”) and wasn’t selected for a single one.  The only thing I could join was band {tallest trombone player in the marching line-up}, ha, because I couldn’t be turned down!  In my head – I am not an athlete!
I sit here now, a “twenty-year wife”, mother of two crazy teens and a 4-legged pup.   I am a vegetarian, part-time vegan foodie, and a dedicated running road and trail {race} fan.  Some may even say now an athlete.  Somewhere in my later 3rd decade, I decided to really run full force and haven’t stopped, only sped up!
Are y'all encouraged yet?!  I am! :)  

Is this your first year participating in #RunThisYear?  What is your goal for this year?
This is the first year for RTY for me.  I watched from afar last year and was mad I didn’t join in.  So this year I was ready with my goals:  an Ultra and 2400k or 1200 miles for 2014. 

 Having a schedule and a race to prepare for helps me stay on track.  This year (running wise) so far will be my biggest race accomplishment.  The goal is to cross the finish line feeling strong and happy...then there may be a second Ultra shortly after!!

Tell us about your favorite race to run and if you follow a training plan to meet that goal!
I did my first "race" almost 11 years ago and it was a full marathon -- it wasn't graceful, fast or love at first run either (up until this last California International Marathon 2013, I disliked full marathons).  Yes,  I learned the hard way TRAIN PROPERLY and you succeed. It was after my first not so fun marathon when I fell in love with the half marathon distance, my first one in 2007.  Since then, I have ran approximately 17 half marathons, as well as 4 full marathons, three 200-mile relay races (Ragnar Relay) and several road and trail distances in between.  None of my races have been "easy" but I have found that if I stick to a schedule and stay consistent I finish successfully (as mentioned above this too was learned several races into my journey) -- and I am always ready to sign up for my next!

Right now, I am now just a few weeks out from my first Ultra 50k (on March 8th!).  I started running the trails about 3 years ago and  I love it! I am currently following a plan from Tiffany (Running Hutch) and one from a local running store.  I've also recently added strength training into the mix.  I really do think it's added to my successful long training runs that have varied from anywhere from 13-24 miles, with my longest trail run to date coming up tomorrow...26 miles!!!!


To close us out, do you have any tips to encourage us with?
One of my biggest tips or lessons that I've learned is to stay consistent with a training schedule.  It is okay that some days are good run days and some not so good.  It is the act of continuing to move forward that makes success. For me I feel so lucky and blessed with my running friends who motivate, inspire and cheer me on every mile along the way! Seriously some days you don't feel like running, but once I get out there it is like therapy, and it turns every day into a better day! 

 I also finally feel that I have learned how to properly fuel my body for endurance training.  In several races and during training in the past, I found myself crashing towards the end or immediately after.  This too is something that I finally took seriously and stuck to.  It has made a huge difference in the way I feel during and after long runs. 


Thanks Yvonne for encouraging us today!  
Yvonne has her eyes set on her BIG RUN--Ultra50k just around the corner and her longest trail run TOMORROW!  Let's jump in and encourage her today!!!

Blog:  ynowanathlete.com
FaceBook: Y Now an Athlete
Instagram: @ynowanathlete
Twitter: @ynowanathlete

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posted by Kristin @ February 21, 2014 1 Comments

Monday, February 17, 2014

Tara Jane Is Running This Year!

One of the really fun things I get to do as a #RunThisYear Ambassador is introduce you to fun people within the community!  I am excited today to introduce you today to Tara Jane! 
Tara is new to the Run This Year community this year--but signed up this year eager to do it!  With her church and work commitments, she knew she probably wouldn't be able to do the full 2014km--so she got creative (which is why I'm so excited for you all to get to know her--and be encouraged by her!!).   Her goal for the year is to run 201.4km twice.  Once she has achieved this, she will then try to do it a third time!

One of the things I am most eager to learn from other runners is what a typical week looks like for them.  We all have different things on our plate--so I am fascinated the most by this from other runners!  For Tara, she let us know that in a typical week she runs about 10k, 5km on a Saturday and 5km on a Sunday.  She occasionally throws in a weekday lunch run.  (Who else out there runs on their lunch breaks?!).

 Tara is a social runner--so as long as she has a friend or two to run with, she's out there!  If she finds that she is alone for her run she will usually head to the gym for a class.  This is still a great way to get a work out in--but she does confess it is not helping towards clocking those km's! 


I asked Tara to share a little bit about her running story.  She shared it so well, I thought I'd share it here with her own words....


"Until a year ago I thought running shoes were reserved for Dads in jeans and gym fanatics, two groups of people I never wanted to be anything like.


My running story starts January 2013, in a sweaty tent. I had been married for ten months and working full time for twelve. My life had shifted from single, on-the-go university student, on my feet all day serving coffees, to days on end of sitting and dinner every evening. After a year of living like that, I felt overweight. I felt slow and sluggish all the time. I didn’t like it. And so during my summer camping trip, I made the decision to sign up for the Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation (12WBT) - a fitness and food program I had heard about.


I met Rachel’s Runners through the 12WBT community. They ran on Saturdays and anyone could join. I was just getting used to the idea of exercise, and I love socialising, so I thought “Sure, I’ll give it a go!” I started by doing a Learn to Run program, and within 10 weeks I had run my first 5k fun run!


Since then, I’ve run in a few fun runs organized by the group, three 5km runs and a 10km run, and I’m working my way slowly up to a half marathon. I love the Rachel’s Runners fun runs the most because I get to run with the girls who push me to work harder, run faster and get better every week.


If my weekend is normal, I join Rachel’s Runners and participate in Learn to Run training with the new runners, plus half marathon training, and then a distance run of anything between 5km to 15km. Aside from this, I have no regimented training plan.


Running for me is not about strict training and achieving goals. I’ve still got goals, and I still train, and these are great things. Running for me is about exercising in community. It’s about sharing life with each other, and running while we’re at it!"
To close us out, I asked Tara if she had any tips she'd like to share with us!  Here are her awesome words of wisdom:

  • Get a running buddy - if you’re social like me, a running buddy will make you lace up and get out there.
  • Find a local running group - Facebook is super helpful for finding these.
  • Start slow, but work on improving
  • As the girls at Rachel’s Runners say: Don’t stop!


 I am excited about us connecting with one another and encouraging each other on as we #RunThisYear!!!  Let's start by connecting with Tara!

 Instagram:  @eatinghappy_
Twitter:   @thisistarajane
Blog:  hellotheretarajane.wordpress.com
Tumblr:  hellotheretarajane.tumblr.com

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posted by Kristin @ February 17, 2014 1 Comments

Saturday, February 15, 2014

January Check-In, #RunLove & Happy Valentines Day

Hi friends!  Are we already hallway through February?  Back to back to back conferences or retreats and hello two snow storms in GEORGIA--that is how we got to mid February!  I had big plans to hop on here and tell you all of my big goals for 2014---I even started a post at one point---and well you see how far that got!  I did just want to hop on here tonight to check in for my #RUNTHISYEAR community!  How is everyone?  How did January go?  How is February going?


Here is my honest check-in.  I am no where near my 2014 miles in 2014 goal BUT I ran ZERO miles in December due to sickness.  The fact that I jumped back into running in January and logged 31 miles makes my heart very happy.  So--I am going to take it for a win and keep on keepin on....following January's #RunThisYear theme #rundetermined !!!  I felt very determined in January!  How about you?!


February's theme for #RunThisYear is #RunLove.  I love this theme.  Thinking through all the reasons why we love to run.  Just a few to throw out there off the top of my head---it is a mental release for me.  It is where I can encounter Jesus.  It is where I can pray, think, clear my head.  It is where I can take a deep breath of fresh air.  It is where I can worship.  I have found that my body craves a run.  It's a stress reliever.  This may sound weird, but it is for "me."  I have 30 minutes (minimum) by myself. :)  I love the challenge.  I love having the goal.  I love completing one goal and then immediately going after another one.  You cross one finish line and you are ready for the next one!  I have now entered into the realm of pushing my body a little bit harder to be a little bit better--to go a little bit harder...and totally fascinated by other runners who push the limits.  The best part I have found of being a runner?  The community that you become a part of when you become a runner!

So tell me!  What do you love about running?  What gets you to go out there when it is so, so cold outside?  What makes you run ridiculous miles over and over again on a treadmill?  Tell me and share it using the hashtag:



Speaking of LOVE...Happy Valentines Day my friends!  I hope you each had a great day!  Ours was filled with beautiful family time and the things that are okay to bend the "rules" for a day (donuts, take out, picnics, cuddles, & movies on the living room floor!).  






posted by Kristin @ February 15, 2014 1 Comments