A few months ago, I found out that I was nominated by Stiletto Woman for Start Up Entreprenuer of the Year. Once I found out that I was a finalist, I asked my beau if he could accompany me for a weekend in Atlanta. Naturally, I was honored. Around the same time, I was talking with Jim Whitlow, the owner of Deka Atlanta, and he told me about the Publix half-marathon, which was taking place the same weekend as the awards ceremony. Stoked, I I registered immediately, as did Andrew. 

Fast forward three weeks. We excitedly head to Atlanta, dash to the expo to pick up our race numbers and I bought a new pair of Newtons that I had been wanting for a long time. These shoes kick some serious ass. I decided to buy the "Women's Light Weight Universal Trainer." Here are some of the specs, which I found on their website. 

UPPER:  Highly breathable, fast-drying, open screen mesh; Minimal anatomical support strapping; Metatarsal stretch panels; Variable fit; Slip-proof laces with heel-securing double eyelets; Reflective heel logo

MIDSOLE: Action/Reaction Technology in forefoot; biomechanical metatarsal sensor; High rebound EVA; Dual-density medial posting; ETC anti-friction; anti-bacterial sockliner; accomodates orthodics.

OUTSOLE: High-density rubbert in forefoot; minimal surface contact area; lightweight EVA heel. 

Now, I don't really know what any of that shoe technology means, but I do know that my feet felt amazing the entire race. I experienced zero pain, and even several hours later, my feet and legs are still in a state of bliss. 

I have had several pairs of Newton running shoes, and these are by far the best. It didn't hurt that they are birhgt pink, orange and yellow. This made matching my shoes to my fabulous sports bras very easy. 

This morning, when we were getting dressesd for the race, I asked Andrew if I should wear The Sophie Bra or The Love for All Bra, since they both complement the shoes so well. He voted for The Love for All Bra, and his vote always wins. I combined the bra with The Karen Tank, which is no longer available, and The Adrienne Shorts, which are truly a runner's dream, as they are lightweight, comfortable, and have fishnet pockets for your necessities. And The Love for All Bra was perfect. The multi-floral Supplex combined with the molded cups and Swarovski crystals provided me with both support and flavor. (I couldn't help but notice all of the boring bras today...zzzzzzzzzz......Clearly, I have my work cut out for me!). 

My goal for the race was 1:45 based on my NYC Marathon time of 3:37, but as I was running, I figured I would finish faster because everything felt to right. I ended up finishing in 1:41:33, meaning I surpassed my goal by nearly five minutes, which is eons when it comes to racing. 

Yesterday, at the SWIBA Awards, I thought I had lost because someone else won Start Up Entreprenuer of the Year. Honestly, I was bummed. I am super Type A and I love winning. It's just my nature and I can't fight it! But a few minutes later, I found out that I had also been nominated for two other awards, Website of the Year and Fashion Business of the Year. Talk about pure shock! I was so thrilled about this!  When they called out my name for Fashion Business of the Year, I was in disbelief. I excitedly dashed to the podium and gave my acceptance speech. I can't remember what exactly I said, but I know that it was straight from the heart. 

This was a weekend of pure victory, thereby reinforcing the value of hard work, living passionately, and following your dreams. 

In our apartment, we have a trophy corner. This weekend, we have three more to add. I realize that collecting trophies is meaningless to a lot of people, but for me, they're represenative of my drive and my passion for everything that I do in life. And it is my hope that you infuse passion and purpose into your lives as well. Approach life with a "balls to the wall" attitude because we only get one try! I learned something valuable yesterday at The SWIBA Awards. A woman next to me said, "You can't dim your light to make someone else shine." I couldn't agree more. There's zillions of lights in this world, and I am sure as hell not gonna dim mine!