Run Revolution’s First Two Weeks

Two weeks from yesterday, I run the Boston marathon. Speaking of two weeks…

Run Revolution had its two week birthday last Wednesday.

Run Revolution (runrevolution.com) has been alive for two weeks now. In those two weeks, these are the visitors this newborn had:

• .76% bounce rate (percentage of people who left the site from the home page. The lower the percentage, the better. That is .76%. Less than 1%. That’s really, really good.)
• 96 unique cities
• 10 unique countries: USA, Canada, Costa Rica, Afghanistan, Australia, China, Kenya (!!!), Japan, United Kingdom, and Netherlands

How did people find runrevolution.com?

I really don’t have anything to compare this traffic to since I have never had a website, and comparing it to this blog is not a comparison at all, but I am very proud of the action this newbie has seen in its first 2 weeks. It’s going to just keep growing, too!

Since the launch, I have regained a lot of creativity lost while focusing on the organization and editing of the entire site.

I will be posting new content every single day (except for an occasional weekend day), so check back daily (writing this is totally going to hold me accountable). Yes, this is keeping me busy, but what’s life if you’re not busy doing the things you love?

Please rememember to not only check out runrevolution.com, but to also visit Run Revolution on Facebook and “like” its page. Run Revolution’s facebook page is a fun place to: stay up to date on upcoming races, view funny running pictures, share your own race pictures, be notified of new posts on runrevolution.com, among other things.

Spread the Run Revolution love! Tell your friends, tell your family, tell your neighbors. Run Revolution is not only about running. It’s about yoga, it’s inspirational, it’s amusing (hopefully), it’s educational, and most of all, it’s fun!

 

Conception, Development, and Delivery of Run Revolution

After nearly three months of working on the private Run Revolution, it is finally up and “running” and ready for the world to see. I feel like I just delivered a baby.

In December, the idea for Run Revolution came to be. It started as, “You should start a running specific blog.” I said, “That’s a really good idea.” I then searched online to see what kinds of running blogs/sites were already started, and I quickly became overwhelmed, and discouraged. I could not compete with the big-timers. I am not an expert runner. I am not an expert writer. I am mediocre at both. The idea for a running blog did not vanish, however (obviously). I am passionate about both.

I’ve written about this before, and it still works for me: running is when I think, and think, and think, and think. So many new ideas are formed when I run. So, one day, in late December, “it” came to me. After deciding to name the site, “Run Revolution,” the story…the message…how Run Revolution was going to be different, came to fruition.

(A little back story).

Leading up to the idea of Run Revolution, I had been working on a book. For over a year, I had been writing a memoir…of one particular year of my life. A life-changing year. A year where good things finally started happening. This book had become a sort of therapy, and a way for me to really weed through this epic year. It was the “last chapter” of getting through an extremely difficult time in my life. But then, the writing all but stopped. I had documented the entire year, but that’s really all it was: documentation. I was struggling to find something to make this book come alive, and I could not find it!

(Back to before the back story)

So, on this run, I decided I would incorporate my book idea into Run Revolution. I would tell “My Story” of how I dug myself out of a bad place in life, by turning to yoga and running, and how I have been on an amazing journey to find what I’ve always wanted to find: happiness. I would use the concept of this (boring) book I was writing to help Run Revolution come to life! I would talk about the inspiration I found in hopes of inspiring others…and that is what the goal of my book was, too.

It all felt right. The name, my story, I was excited. I started creating content. I had so many ideas, and just couldn’t stop writing! I didn’t have enough time to write. I wrote pages, posts, and training schedules. I came up with what I was going to write, when I ran. It was a perfect combination.

Next came the minute details.

1. Logo design. Sounds simple enough. It was not. We employed a fantastic graphic designer, Joy Sarnowski, who gave so many good choices it was hard to choose! But, after over a month, and help from family and friends, I finally decided on:

What do you think of when you see the logo?

2. Pictures. I needed pictures. Although I was a runner, and had run a few races, I really didn’t have any good running pictures of myself, so I hired Rick Parchen, an amazing photographer, to help take some great running shots. We couldn’t have asked for a better day! It was a beautiful sunny day in Seattle with some incredible clouds. 🙂

3. Network. After I chose the logo, I decided it was time to share a bit with the world. I created a Facebook page and twitter account. I had never “tweeted” and was about to learn fast about the world of twitter. I starting setting Facebook page “like” goals, and surpassed each and every one of them: 100 likes, 150, 200 before launching. (I launched at 225 likes, and am currently at 228). It is exciting to see people I have no connection to, liking the page and interacting! Go like Run Revolution! 🙂

3. Not easy. There were hiccups…many hiccups. I created Run Revolution, and all its content (over 30 posts, nearly 40 pages, and lots and lots of pictures) on wordpress.com, which is free, easy to use, and great, but didn’t give a lot of options for widgets, and extras. I would need to host the site elsewhere. The transfer wasn’t as easy as anticipated. The majority of the content transferred over, but we had to start fresh with the theme and pictures, etc. It was time consuming.

4. Edit. Time to edit, edit, edit. I am a perfectionist, BUT I realized, with the help of some very smart people in my life: it would never be perfect, AND the launching was not a final project. I wanted to launch it before I left for Boston, and with enough time to spare so people could follow the last part of my training. It’s not like I was publishing a book. I would still have access to fix whatever needed to be fixed, and the launch was really only the beginning. So…

5. Launch! We picked a day to launch, Wednesday, March 14, a month and two days before Boston, after work and a 7 mile run. I was nervous, excited, anxious…so many emotions. As soon as I announced the birth of Run Revolution, I felt a strange feeling in my stomach. I watched the analytics of the site, actually stared…mouth wide open, I am sure. I watched people read, “My Story.” I felt naked. Vulnerable. A little scared. I had totally put myself out there for the world to judge. Was I prepared for the feedback? Not only had I put “My Story” out there, but I had spent every single spare moment of my life for the past three months working on Run Revolution (if you remember, I am also training for the Boston Marathon, AND I work close to 50 hours/week…my spare time is negligible. Sleep has definitely suffered) and I was scared my hard work wouldn’t be received as well as I hoped.

Here I am, less than 24 hours after the launch, and I have only heard positive feedback. The uneasy feeling is gone. I am excited to watch Run Revolution grow. Since day one of this decision, I have had fun. I am doing what I love: writing, running, yoga, and everything in between.

It’s launched. It’s live. It’s running. It’s alive! Now, I can get back to doing what I love…writing new content for Run Revolution. Ahhhh….It’s only the beginning. Now it’s time to raise Run Revolution and watch it grow into something amazing. 🙂

**When I say, “we,” I am talking about me and my amazing partner-in-everything, Shawn. I couldn’t have done any of this without him, and I am forever grateful to him.**

 

Run Revolution

So, I guess I have been pretty secretive about my new endeavor. Some even thought this new “thing” might be a baby in my belly. Nope. Although, I do consider it “my baby.” It has definitely consumed me, in a positive way, and I am excited to share it with everyone!

“It” is a new blog. It is running specific, and it is named, “Run Revolution.” It is about running, and it is about what has worked for me, and continues to work for me, from training to self care to races to gear. I have a story to tell, I love to write, and I love everything about running. So, I thought, why not share all of this useful information with the world! My baby was born. 🙂

It is OH so close to launching…just a few more organizational tweaks are needed. I was waiting to select a logo before I shared any details with the public, and I just recently did that. Boy, that wasn’t easy. There were so many great choices, it was difficult to narrow it down to one. I am grateful to have friends and family with good eyes for logo selection. I really couldn’t have done it alone!

So, now that I have a logo, I decided to publicize Run Revolution’s Facebook and Twitter accounts in anticipation of a nearing launch. It’s a great way to get to know me, a bit about Run Revolution, and be the first to know when runrevolution.com goes live!

Please find Run Revolution on Facebook, and “like” the page, please! And follow Run Revolution on twitter @runrevolution.

Be a part of Run Revolution! It’s informative, inspirational, interactive, and fun! Whether you’re a runner, a wanna be runner, or a newbie runner, Run Revolution will change the world you run in!

 

Lululemon, I Love You

In honor of “Love” Day, I would like to talk about something that I love very much. Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Especially to MY Valentine.

Ah, Lululemon. If you haven’t experienced the amazingness that IS Lululemon, you are missing out, in my opinion.

Lululemon may seem intimidating to most: it is expensive. But, after purchasing/receiving/and unfortunately, losing a piece (sorry, sister), I am here to tell you it is well worth the cost.

Pre-Lululemon:

I would purchase my running/yoga attire as cheap as possible. I sweat every day, so I need a large drawer full of workout attire. Keeping that drawer filled can get pricey: running tights, running capris, running skirts, sports bras, running socks, running shirts, yoga shorts, etc.

I had heard of Lululemon, and I had seen their clothes, and yes, I liked them, but I also saw how expensive they were, and that kept me away.

Until…I received, as a birthday gift, my first Lululemon. My very own Lululemon hoodie. Instant love. Seriously. The quality of that hoodie was unparalleled. I wore it nearly every day, and washed it, and dried it quite regularly. Never did the color fade, or did the stitching give out. It was a great piece of clothing.(I use past tense because I lost this hoodie…somewhere).

And then, the following birthday, I received a couple more pieces of Lululemon. They were great, but the wrong sizes. And so, I ventured into the Lululemon store for the first time. I had purposefully avoided going into the store for fear of wanting everything. That fear became a reality. Racks upon racks of beautiful clothes: running skirts, running capris, running shirts, sports bras, headbands, socks. All in exquisitely bright colors. I had to touch them. The fabrics were as soft as a baby’s bottom. Pure heaven. And then I looked at the price tags, and my heart sank. Ugh. I just couldn’t afford those prices.

I exchanged my birthday gifts, and got out of the store…fast, leaving a pool of drool on the store’s floor.

In the following months, I realized something, however. Lululemon is pricey, yes, but totally worth it, and actually more economical in the long run.

My “cheap” running and yoga gear is great, yes, but wears out pretty fast: the bras stretch out, the skirts get holes in them, the capris pill, the shirts shrink. I need to replace them quite often.

Lululemon, however, is made from the highest quality fabrics, is pre-shrunk, does not stretch or fade, and feels like heaven against your skin. Lululemon’s clothing is made to last 5 years. If each Lululemon piece of clothing I own lasts me five years, it is a MUCH better deal than having to replace EVERY piece of workout attire I own every year.

I am 100% sold on Lululemon. Yes, it is expensive enough that I can’t go in and buy several pieces at once. But, I can stagger my purchases, and look forward to keeping them with me for the next five years. And the reusable Lululemon bags they give you with your purchase? That’s an entirely different post. 🙂

**DO NOT LOSE YOUR LULULEMON!!!**

 

Dear Blog Letter

Dear missjulieg.wordpress.com,

I know you’re feeling neglected. It’s not because I don’t care. I think about you every day, in fact. But, the rumors are true: there’s someone else. It’s new and it’s exciting, and I am passionate about it. It has pretty much consumed me, much like you consumed me when I first created you. I think about it all day long, and spend as much time as I can with it. We are growing together, and it is bringing out the best in me. It completes me. I haven’t introduced it to anyone yet, but we are getting to know each other better and better every day. It’s almost time for it to meet my friends and family.

Please don’t be hurt. You didn’t do anything wrong. This new thing is not a replacement, per se. I will still pay attention to you, but I just don’t have as much time to give you right now. I am sorry to say, but you’re a little…boring. I know, I know, I made you, but lately we’ve been all over the place with no real direction. You have been so good to me and been there for me when I needed you the most, but my life is different now, and I need a change.

It’s not you, it’s me.

See you around,

Julie

**Yes, it’s true. Something exciting is just around the corner. It’s getting closer…**

**Don’t worry, I am not permanently dumping missjulieg.wordpress.com. I just needed to let you guys know I (temporarily, hopefully) won’t be posting as often in here.**

 

Back on the wagon…temporarily.

I got this email today. It’s been two years since I started practicing Bikram Yoga. I have come a LONG way in two years. 🙂

Dear Julie,
It’s your anniversary with Bikram Yoga Seattle! As our client you are very important to us and we greatly value your business. We truly hope that you have enjoyed your experiences at Bikram Yoga Seattle and will continue to in the future.

As always, if you have any suggestions, comments, or requests about future services, then please let us know.

Hope to see you soon!

The Bikram Yoga Seattle Team

They will see me soon. Tonight! It’s been over a week since I have been, and my body is (literally) aching to go. I got back late yesterday from a long weekend in Whistler skiing some of the best snow I have skied in a LONG time. It was amazing, but my body is tired and sore.

I start week 9 of Boston training this week, and I truly consider myself in the heart of training. Starting today, I am back on the wagon until after the race, April 16. 14 mile run this Sunday. Yup. Hard core training has begun. 🙂

 

Lungs, I apologize

Seattle is having some COLD weather. Last night it got in the 20s. BRRRRRR. This means I have been running in the cold, which I normally like. I run warm (meaning, I am usually warmer than the average person), so I prefer to run in cooler weather. (why I love Bikram yoga so much then, is beyond me). The last couple of days, however, my lungs have not been too thrilled with the chillier temperatures.

Tuesday night was sprints. I went from a really warm house, to a warm car, directly to the track. It was 39 degrees. I started my first lap, sprinting, immediately. Less than one lap in, and my chest started to feel extremely tight. Before I had finished the second lap (4 laps in a mile), I was on the verge of having trouble breathing. Nearing panic or hyperventilation, or quite possibly death, (okay, that’s me just over dramatizing), instead of stopping to rest (I physically just don’t know how to do this…I swear), I reminded myself, “You practice yoga. Use your yoga breathing.” So, I changed my breathing, which almost instantaneously helped. My breaths got deeper, and I actually felt like I was getting some air in my lungs. I started to calm down, and then I finished the first mile: 6:59. I did a full lap to cool down…er, warm up my lungs. I figured my lungs were in shock. Each subsequent mile felt a bit better.

What did I learn? And what can I teach you? If the air outside is much cooler than your lungs are used to, give them some time to acclimate. Starting a run without warming up is shock enough, but jumping right into a sprint? Cruel. Oh, lungs, I am so, so sorry. 😦 Next time, I will walk one full lap of the track, breathing deeply, giving the frigid air time to mix with my warm lungs. Lesson learned, and hopefully lesson taught to you. 🙂

Happy running!

 

Running on my mind

I’ve got running on my mind. It’s always on my mind. I am currently eating, sleeping, and breathing running. All I want to do is talk about running. Running is my passion. It makes me happy. It makes me feel good. Except sprints…I have to run sprints tonight. Sprints don’t make me feel good. But it’s part of my training, so tonight, I will run mile sprints. Three of them.

What’s your passion?

 

Creativity Hill

Tuesday night I ran hills. Again, not my favorite. My legs were extremely sore. Yoga Friday, for the first time in nearly three weeks. 11 mile run Saturday. Couch potato to the max Sunday, which allowed my legs to tighten up just perfectly. And an intense yoga class Monday made for a set of immensely sore legs Tuesday. They ached a LOT. And then, I had those damn hills to run.  But, it was warm, it wasn’t raining, and my interval runs are shorter than any regular run, which meant it would be over quickly. I could take it easy…as much as one can take it easy when running a 1/4 mile hill, back and forth, four times.

I decided to run the hill I used to run. I don’t venture to that old neighborhood very often, but that hill is great. Not only is it a good training hill, but it has a tendency to spark some intense creativity inside me. Last time I ran that hill, I came up with an excellent idea for a project (that has yet to be completed, but is a really good work in progress, nonetheless). I have maintained that creative streak since, although it ebbs and flows, and I was hoping to fill up the tank with another hill run. It didn’t fail me.

Running that hill Tuesday night was a success. Not only did it loosen up my tight legs, but I also came up with some new ideas. I couldn’t stop thinking! When I am feeling creative, I don’t mind thought overload, and I felt euphoric after my run, much like the way I felt last time I ran that same hill.

In three weeks, I run hills again, but this time I will be excited! I will head back to Creativity Hill and become an expert at running hills, but more importantly, fill up my creative tank, which is what really makes me happy. 🙂

 

Happy 2012

Happy 2012, everyone! This year has begun perfectly, and I am excited to see what unfolds this year.

I finished off the year with an amazing 11 mile run down at the beach. It was perfect running weather (in my opinion): mid 40’s and partly cloudy with no wind. I was supposed to run 10 miles on Sunday, but since that was New Year’s day, and I knew I would be celebrating the night before, I ran my long run on Saturday. The decision to run 11 miles was a last minute thought. 2011 was good to me. Very, very good to me. I thought running 11 miles would be a good tribute to a memorable 2011. It was an amazing run to finish off an even more amazing year. It was goal crushing, strength building, and growth stimulating.

Just a recap of the amazingness that was 2011.

Traveled to Mexico for the first time.

Kicked a couple of nasty habits

Learned how to take care of, and truly love, myself

Found my happy place. 🙂

My running “career” REALLY took off:

• Placed 2nd in the St. Patty’s Day dash
• PR’d 1/2 marathon
• Ran my first marathon
• Qualified for Boston in that first marathon
• PR’d 5K

Met, and fell in love with, my “ethnic” boyfriend, S. 🙂

Lead my first climb

Continued to progress in yoga

Traveled to Costa Rica for the first time

Wrote…a LOT

Started a lot of projects (2012 is my year to finish them)

2012 is starting off busy! But busy good. I am going to apologize, in advance, to my friends and family. The next few months are going to be crazy busy: (more than) full time job, Boston training, and an exciting project I am working on. I (hopefully) will come up for air after Boston. 🙂

Exciting things are on the horizon. Stay tuned for more!