runner Archives - Words To Run By

Treat Your Feet with The Runner’s Choice

June 1, 2015 by Sara- Words to Run By Blog

Ever since my DVT nearly three years ago, I have dealt with regular fatigue and even pain in my lower legs and feet. Sitting for extended periods of time bothers my feet and standing for extended periods of time also bothers them. Getting back to running has been difficult for me, to say the least. I can walk for three to four miles without much of a problem, but then I experience pain and swelling particularly at the bottom of my feet. As part of my ongoing recovery, I wear compression stockings everyday to help with the pain and swelling as well as to hopefully prevent or eliminate the risk of post-thrombotic syndrome, a painful and lifelong condition as a result of blood clots in the leg(s).

I have a desk at work that can raises and lowers to be a standing or sitting desk, which has really helped keep me moving, at least up and down, throughout the day. And while I am not running right now, I do spend a significant amount of time on my feet everyday and am often in pain by the time my day is done. Sitting down doesn’t necessarily help each night, sometimes it makes it worse. I have to be careful if I use any medications, even pain relieves like Advil or IBUprofen are not safe for people taking blood thinners, which I am. So, I am really limited on what I can do to provide relief.

That’s why I was excited to try The Runner’s Choice, compliments of Trusted Health Products, for the discomfort of sore feet. The Runner’s Choice is scientifically formulated with 100% natural botanical oils of almond, eucalyptus, eucalyptol, wintergreen, peppermint and spearmint and it is designed for people that run three miles or more at a time or for those that are on their feet all day.

It is an oil based product that you apply directly to your feet, heels and right above your ankles. I didn’t rub the product in, per the instructions, but smoothed it out to make sure it completely covered my whole foot. It smells really good – like mint and menthol. It would be great to smell if I was fighting congestion! I let it soak in and propped my [not so pretty] feet up to relax.

What I like about this product is that it is all natural and it did help my feet to feel relaxed. It felt like a mini-spa treatment without having to a) go the spa or b) pay for the spa. I think I would also really enjoy putting this on my feet after a walk or run, especially to freshen them up and provide soothing relief. I also like that it is made in the USA by Trusted Health Products. The Runner’s Choice retails for about $19.97 a bottle and you only need a small amount to cover your whole foot so I think that is a reasonable price.

Do you want to try The Runner’s Choice? Enter to win one of three bottles available to my readers! The giveaway would be for the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to Trusted Health Products for providing me with this review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way nor was I asked to write a positive review.

Good luck!

Until the next mile marker,

Spartan Race Giveaway

May 25, 2015 by Sara- Words to Run By Blog

I hope you all are enjoying your long Memorial Day weekend celebrating the things that are important – family, friends and the ultimate sacrifices some have given.

Today, I am giving away a free race entry to any open heat (non-confirmed start time) in any Reebok Spartan Race in the continental US!

I know there are many Spartans out there (or soon-to-be-Spartans) who I hope will enter. All you have to do is enter here –

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I would love to run a Spartan Race someday, but I don’t think I will be able to this year. Are you training for a race or are you thinking about training for a race?

Now through May 27 use the code MEMORIAL to save up to $40 off any race!

Thanks to Reebok Spartan Race for providing this giveaway for my readers. Connect with Spartan Race on Facebook and Twitter.

AROO! And Happy Memorial Day,

Running through a Blood Clot

October 27, 2014 by Sara- Words to Run By Blog

My struggle in recovering from a blood clot has not been easy and since almost losing my life two years ago due to one in my lung, getting back to running has been a long and difficult struggle. I have not run more than a handful of times since then, and I often find myself feeling guilty for not getting back to training or not trying to run “like I should.” In recent weeks, I have struggled with feeling like I “should be” running and that has been burdensome to my recovery further. While I do consider myself physically recovered now – just out of shape – I still deal with the mental and emotional challenges of facing a devastating and lifelong illness on a regular basis. While I have built a network to help others struggling through the same challenges I have faced, in terms of fitness and running, I feel very isolated. It is not very often I run across someone in the fitness sphere who understands what I have been through.

That all changed when I was contacted by fellow survivor – and first-time marathoner-in-training – Sam DeBrule. He asked to share his story with me and my readers, and I agreed. His story has made an impact on me in ways far beyond what I can articulate right now. Meet Sam.

In his own words, this is his story….

Running through a Blood Clot by Sam DeBrule

I was diagnosed with two blood clots before I turned 18 years old. This first, in my right calf, happened when I was 15 and still causes me discomfort to this day.

My father was diagnosed with two blood clots and a pulmonary embolism [Editors Note: A pulmonary embolism or PE is a blood clot in the lung, commonly life threatening] before his 40th birthday. My mom was diagnosed with a blood clot just a few weeks ago. No doctor or specialist has ever been able to determine what causes them in us. It used to drive me crazy that we never tested positive for any of the common (or uncommon) clotting factors.

But, I don’t care what the cause is anymore to be completely honest. I’ve decided after eight years to stop being a victim. I’m learning now how to start running through a blood clot towards my recovery.

Here are the two main things I’ve experienced in my journey so far. I hope they can help you if you are recovering, or know someone who is recovering, from a blood blot.

A renewed perspective

I began training for a marathon a few days ago, and I hate running. So why am I doing it?

Because I know that I can. I survived a disease that kills one American every five minutes. If that doesn’t put things into perspective for you, I don’t know what will! Surviving a blood clot is no small task; you’ve done something incredible.

There is no need to view that experience of your life as wholly negative one. Instead, use it as an internal motivator that drives you to accomplish great things.

If you’re anything like me, being diagnosed with a blood clot made you painfully aware that you are, in fact, mortal. You don’t have 1,000 years to accomplish every single thing you’ve ever wanted. So why not make the most of today and every other day from this point forward? Prove to yourself that you are capable of doing even greater things than surviving a deadly disease.

For me, it will be running a marathon, for you, it could be something completely different.

The mental recovery is most difficult

The physical pain of a blood clot is no fun. At all.

But, even worse than the physical pain, is recovering mentally from a traumatic experience. When I was 15 years old, I was devastated to hear the news I could never play football again. Everything about my identity up to that point in my life was tied to the sport. I let it gnaw at me for years, but I am finally realizing it was a blessing in disguise.

Will you let a blood clot defeat you? Will you let it make you more risk-averse and afraid to do the things you love? Don’t.

I’ve worn a medical necklace for the last eight years that alerts people that I’m taking Coumadin [Editor’s Note: Coumadin a blood thinner, carrying inherent bleeding risks if injured]. Don’t tell my doctor (or my mom), but I took it off the other day. It will never go back on. I realized that it was simply a constant reminder that I was “sick.”

I’m not recommending that you do the same, but be aware of the things in your life that feed you negative reminders of the blood you or a family member have.

If they aren’t doing anything positive for you, get rid of them.

Good luck on your journey, and I hope you wish me luck on mine!

Thank you, Sam, for sharing your story with Words to Run By. Catch up with Sam at his blog, Compression Hub, where he seeks to help others combat a sedentary lifestyle and the dangers that come with it, including blood clots, through talking about healthy living and running. Also, connect with him on Twitter @CompressionHub or @SamDeBrule

Leave a Comment Filed Under: Blood Clots (DVT and PE), Running

Writer for Hire: Why I Need a Blog School Scholarship

August 5, 2013 by Sara- Words to Run By Blog

I feel like the last two years of my life have been mostly a nightmare. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had some good times, but for the most part, I wish to declare a do-over and wake up in a different reality. I wish I could open my eyes one morning and find out that Mom isn’t really gone – just returning from her four mile run at the park and sending me an excited text to tell me how it went. That the pain in my calf and then side wasn’t a blood clot that broke lose, traveled though my heart and lodged in my lung almost costing me my life – just plantar fasciitis and out of shape lungs. That the job I had tried for two years to land wasn’t the one I also lost less than three months after being discharged from the hospital due to my inability to handle what had happened to me and an intense career – just a trial run in what would be the real thing down the line after I was on my way to recovery. Now here I am, almost a year after losing my job, trying to find my path not only in a career, but in life – a writer for hire, which is why I need a Blog Genie Blog School Scholarship.

I’ve been blogging since 2009 when I first started running. I remember my first post (click if you dare) vividly. It was a welcome-to-my-life post and I fervently refreshed the page every five seconds waiting for someone to read it. No one did. For a long time. I read blog after blog after blog that impressed me with its style, design, content and comments. I would comment when I read something I liked, that inspired me or made me think. And then one day, one of those bloggers commented on my post and I felt like a million dollars. Slowly, my blog began to grow and I gained a small but loyal group of followers. These people, who are still with me today, are the ones that helped shape my blog into what you see now.

I’ve earned ambassadorships like that of FitFluential where I learned on a near daily basis (and continue to learn) how to be a better blogger and influential fitness leader – even when I feel anything less than that. I’ve earned several blogging awards, which have all helped my blog to grow over the years. I have received numerous products and books to review as well as developed some amazing relationships with brands, race directors, and fellow runners and bloggers. I remember when I used to think none of these things would happen on my blog.

I’ve gone through a transfer to Word Press and two design changes, all thanks to Rita at Blog Genie who brought my blog out of the bland, flat, cookie-cutter look that so many blogs have in the beginning. She helped capture the essence of Words to Run By and built a beautiful site where I could continue to talk about running, writing and remembering, part of my re-brand with my most recent design change. I began to focus on writing good content – without a full-time job to consume my time, I could write freely and compose posts with greater attention to detail and composition.

My most treasured accomplishments are those I have made in writing, including guest posting on other sites and a (albeit small) paid writing opportunity involving blood clot awareness. I felt like my content suddenly mattered, which inspired me to begin a second blog totally devoted to blood clot awareness – Blood Clot Recovery Network.

I’ve put countless hours, sleepless nights, significant amounts of money (self-hosted is not free after all) and even tears (okay, a lot of tears sometimes) into making Words to Run By what it is today.

And yet, I know it can still be better, which is why I am applying to Blog Genie’s Blog School’s Scholarship Giveaway. Blog School is an intensive six month program designed by Rita to make your blog the best it can be – and it starts soon! This is the part where I am completely transparent with you – and even now, that’s not always easy – I want this scholarship because no, I do not have a job yet and let’s face it, life is expensive. Blog School is a luxury I can’t afford right now, but would love to participate in the program to build even better content, improve SEO marketing, gain readers, page views and comments and maybe even make money writing on my blog or through my blog.

Even more important than needing the scholarship due to financial hardships, though, is what I believe Blog School can do for my blog. I want to make my writing – and I write primarily on my blog – my business. I believe I can do it, I want to do it, but I also know I need the tools to be successful in building an even better blog. And, I also know I just don’t have them on my own, which is why blog school is of vital importance in helping me reach my blogging goals. What I do have is the time, the commitment, the devotion and the passion to get the most out of what Blog School has to offer. I’m not afraid to work hard and at this point, there’s nowhere to go but up right?! I’ve had a lot of setbacks – and I believe Blog School can be the launching pad into what will be the next – and hopefully greatest – chapter in my life.

Until the next mile marker,