And so it begins!

Well, this is my first post on my blog! Full disclosure, I work for a local running store and a lot of my running experiences are tied to that. It definitely puts a weird spin on my relationship with the running community, because not only am I an avid runner, I am also a part of the business side of the activity. I am a grassroots marketer, which essentially means I have the best job ever. I get to talk to runners every day, meet local race directors, try out new and interesting stuff all the time, and I get to see the best new running products super early!

So, I found myself asking, and you may be asking as well, What is the purpose of this blog? I find myself in such a cool position, as both a consumer and seller of running EVERYTHING that I wanted to write about it and share it with the world. I will be talking about the experiences I have had as a runner, how it feels to be a woman runner in what feels like a pretty guy-filled world, what new products I have been able to test out, and what cool and exciting new running events are coming up. Hopefully, that will all be interesting to YOU, my reader! If there is anything you want me to talk about that you think I might have some insight on, shoot me an email or leave it in the comments!

So, what am I up to right now? Currently, I am training for my FIRST FULL marathon! Crazy! It will be Nike Women's Marathon, and it is happening in a couple of weeks. Boy, I am getting scared! I have heard tons of horror stories about the hills, the wind, the cold, etc. etc., but I am so excited! Have you run the Nike Women's before? What's the good? What's the bad? Any advice for first time marathoners? I know I could certainly use any and all advice!

Of course, the most important question is, what kind of shoes am I going to be wearing? They are my old standbys, the shoes I have been running in (through many different models) for the past 4 years. They are... the Asics Gel Cumulus! I have found them to be perfect for my long runs. They aren't too heavy, but they still have enough cushioning to protect me against my old nemesis plantar fasciitis (more on that later). They are a bit stiff, but I find I like that much more than a softer shoe. It gives me enough "go" power to not feel like I am slogging through sand. I'll definitely expand on this review a bit more in the future, but I think this is a long enough post for now.

Goal time for this bad boy? I don't have one! It's my first, so my major goal is finishing! Originally, I had a goal time set for sub-4, but after talking to many runners, they all recommended I take it slow on my first so I have a sweet PR to beat my next time out. I think I will take them up on that advice!

I'm off for now, but be sure to stay tuned for funny stories about running, a girl's insight into running products out there, and how my running challenges are going. Hopefully you will be able to relate and add advice for both me and other runners out there!