Motivation Monday- I've Got a Package!

Where do you turn when you are in need of MOTIVATION? I have been turning to the blogging world since the beginning. When I first began running in June I only followed one blog. It was Tall Mom's. There would come the time when I would be out on a run, feeling like I wanted to quit, and I would start saying to myself "Would Tall Mom quit right now?" and "You are never going to beat Tall Mom if you train like this." (Yeah, she is local enough we could face each other and I am competitive so that is a good way to motivate myself, but she has nothing to worry about!) It was great. I felt like I had a running buddy, although no one else was around. But it isn't just the make believe running partners that makes this blogging world so cool. 

Bloggers are just the nicest, sweetest, rockinest people around! Well we are. Everyone is quick to offer advice, encouragement, condolences, congratulations, and a well placed virtual butt slap. We may never meet these people yet we talk of them in casual conversations like they are close friends. And when we have goodies that may help in training or just making life more fun, we like to share them with our virtual buddies! Hello Giveaways!

 It was while congratulating a fellow blogger Diana from Diana Tries a Tri (whom I often tease and use my greatest powers of sarcasm on) on her recent giveaway win that I learned just how awesome some of you are. Just by mentioning that I really wanted to win that particular giveaway for its bike patch kits, the lovely Diana sent asked me for my address so she could send me one. I told her she was too perfect because Coach had just gotten a flat on the bike trailer! Then a few days later this arrived in the mail. A whole goody package. Thank you so much Diana!

She sent us two patch kits, some nuun she had received, and some pens (I believe from her work). Plus...

Stickers for us to play with...

and a um Soda opener, since we don't drink (which she even remembered!).

I mean how sweet is that!  How can people like this not MOTIVATE you? She doesn't really know me, yet she was willing to spend $2.00 on shipping to make me happy! People like that just rock. This world forces us to open up and share our strengths and weakness, our triumphs and failures, our fat and skinny pictures (don't worry they are coming), but it brings us friends like this. Folks that push us from miles away, to be better, train harder, and school them at the next virtual challenge! Let this MOTIVATE you to stay friendly and remember when you feel like you're running alone, there are really lots of us pushing you. Just see how many of us you can beat!

And because I love all of you, and really what is more MOTIVATING than having a cute new something to run in, don't forget today is the last day to enter the Bondi Band Giveaway HERE!

Also MOTIVATING are Coach's and Peyton's race recaps below if you haven't read them!