Marathon Season Independence Weight Loss Challenge Finale!!

I really commend all of you for joining the Marathon Season Independence Weight Loss Challenge. I heard so many wonderful things on people’s blogs how this challenge set in motion their drive to lose weight. There is nothing like a little competition to get you in the zone. You guys did all the hard work, skipping on things you would have eaten any other time. I just provided a place to keep the motivation going. In truth, this MSIWLC took up some of my free time but it was rewarding to receive your emails just to see how your hard work would pay off on the scale. Your losses made me truly happy!

Please show your support to our sponsors by using their products and recommending them to the running community. They stepped up in a huge way for our little challenge. I will not begin to tell you the companies gave our MSIWLC the cold shoulder. Also, don't forget RunJunk.com is extending their 5% discount for readers of this blog through the end of the year. If you did not get a chance to check out The Runners Lounge while doing the challenge, head over there and connect with local and nationwide runners. Look for me at the lounge under, fivekviv.

I lost a total of 12lbs on the challenge. I did not work as hard as I should have even though the results are fantastic. A lot of the loss I feel was just from amping back up the workouts and finally being recovered form my over training/exhaustion. The body finally stopped fat hoarding and the pounds just dropped back to where I was before my illness. Now, comes the difficult part maintain what I lost and continue my way down the scale.

Interesting weight loss tool or article of the week: Maintain Your Weight Loss

your rank in the challenge/Name
X = percentage of weight loss this past week
X = final cumulative percentage loss for challenge

If your name is highlighted and your total percentage loss is in bold you have won a prize. I am in the process of creating the prize list distribution. I will post it as soon as possible.I will be contacting you via e-mail with what I will need to get your prize to you.

1--pat
-0.94%
-6.25%
2--amy
-0.90%
-5.90%
3--viv (opting out)
-1.54%
-5.88%
4--nicole c.
-0.60%
-5.21%
5--sandy
0.00%
-4.27%
6---java
-1.21%
-4.12%
7--kristen
-1.33%
-4.03%
8--anna
0.33%
-4.00%
9--mary
-0.67%
-3.87%
10--christy
-1.13%
-3.81%
11--shanna
-0.88%
-3.02%
12--liz
-0.35%
-2.93%
13--turi
-2.56%
-2.56%
14--nicole a.
-0.73%
-2.56%
15--slb
0.36%
-2.38%
16--angie
-1.68%
-2.09%
17--shane
-0.50%
-1.97%
18--leana
-0.62%
-1.71%
19--nat
0.53%
-1.57%
20--danielle
0.15%
-1.35%
21--al
-0.35%
-1.22%
22--d
0.00%
-0.71%
23--stacy
-0.68%
-0.68%
24--jenny
0.00%
-0.58%
25--steph
1.06%
-0.52%
26--margo
-0.95%
0.00%
27--xenia
-0.31%
1.06%



Again, thanks to all of you for joining the challenge!

THANK YOU to the generous sponsors

The wonderful Meridith from Brooks Running comes through again and will be sponsoring a complete outfit of one of the winners choice. That's right a top and a mathcy matchy bottom! Brooks® Sports, Inc. is a leading running company that designs and markets a line of high-performance men's and women's running shoes, apparel and accessories in more than 40 countries. Run Happy!

Robert, has been very generous again by sponsoring some wonderful products (see below) from his store. If you have never visited RunJunk.com head over there. They have everything us runners/triathletes need. I have purchased from them before, and he always throws in some great samples of other products. Robert, has also been so supportive by giving a 5% discount to all participants through the end of the year by using this promo link in addition to a free hat or visor on purchases over $100.

One male or female MIO strapless heart rate watch and calorie counter for those who want long-term results. Our stylish, easy to use, ECG accurate strapless heart rate monitor - our Classic model. Classic Select is ideal for individuals who have lifestyle goals - those who are looking for a weight management tool that will give them personalized feedback. With MIO Classic Select you take control and decide what you want to do - lose weight, gain weight, or simply maintain your shape. You then enter your personal information - age, gender, weight and resting heart rate and MIO will do the rest. You can get your own MIO right now from RunJunk.com at a discounted price. The AquaJoe Portable Hydration System is designed to hold your powdered drink mixes without mess. No more plastic bags! It is portable, reusable and compatible with all beverage powders. The AquaJoe carries any powdered drink mix and allows you to mix on the go in any sports bottle, water bottle or hydration pack. It includes 2 dispensers and a belt clip (belts sold separately). Dishwasher safe and environmentally friendly. You can get your own AquaJoe Portable Hydration System right now at a dicounted price at RunJunk.com

This small 8 spindle model has a compact 17” length. The Stick Runner's Massage Tool is a revolutionary device used to segmentally compress and stretch muscle. It is highly effective in the treatment of muscle pain and trigger points. You can get your own travel Stick from RunJunk.com at a discounted price.

Ms. Betsy Delcour from Fuel Belt has sponsored two Fuel Belts up for the challenge. To you runners & triathletes you know Fuel Belt is synonymous with hydration belt. Indispensable, a key piece of gear that every athlete must have. Our revolutionary Endurance 4-bottle belt pioneered a market that simply didn't exist until the Fuel Belt was introduced in 1998. The Fuel Belt collection stands head and shoulders above anything we've ever designed before and has become a must-have piece of gear for endurance athletes of all shapes and sizes. Try one on and you'll know exactly what we're talking about.

Mr. Cramm over at LadiesOnlySports.com has generously donated a wonderful Enell sports bra in the size and color choice of the winner. If you come to my blog often you know this is the lock down of sports bras. When it is time to replenish my Enell I trun to LadiesOnlySports.com for not only their super rock bottom price but even faster reasonable shipping. At LadiesOnlySports.com they carry many different brands of sports bras and attire for women for different sports. Mr. Cramm will also provide a 5% discount on their already low prices for the duration of the challenge. The promotion code is Fit2Run.

The sweet Ms. Kim Overton, at Overton Fitness will be sponsoring a SPIbelt which is a sleek, expandable, secure and does not bounce. It can hold an iPod™, BlackBerry™, cell, keys, up to five GU™ packs, and other small personal items. The SPIbelt does not bounce, ride or shift while running or doing other activities. Racers SPIbelt doubles as a race number belt. Just add the hooks to your order on the checkout page.

Mr. Yates has been awesome and is donating some of the cool SWIGZ bottles. The sport tops and chambers are color coded, and the cap attachment ensures proper alignment. Each SWIGZ bottle is made up of two 12oz chambers giving you a massive 24oz of workout fluids.Each chamber carries any liquid payload you wish. Water and isotonic, your own secret two-step carbo-burst, just water in both chambers, or any other combination. It's your workout, we'll carry what you want.

Brianna Grant, author of the bilingual book "We Are Girls Who Love to Run/Somos Chicas y A Nosotras Nos Encanta Correr", has so kindly offered one autographed copy of her book. "We Are Girls Who Love to Run/ Somos Chicas y A Nosotras Nos Encanta Correr", encourages finding joy in life through exercise, and impresses the value of self-confidence rather than allowing oneself to become obsessed with unrealistic Hollywood ideals of beauty.