I'm a VIP!

Hey guys! I hope you all have had a good week! For me, it's been busy, but pretty good in general. Although, I did come home twice this week to a giant, disgusting mess left by my dog. Gross! But no one wants to hear about that. 

So, just when I think I'm settling down and I am only running some 5ks here and there...this happens.

The Madison Mini Marathon had posted a photo contest last week, June 4th, on National Running Day. Anyone who wanted to enter, was to share a post run selfie. The winner, would get a free upgrade on their registration to VIP status. This gets you the whole race experience, plus a special area pre and post race with special perks like food and coffee before the race and after the race, grilled brats and beer! I figured I may as well share a photo just for fun. I hadn't even signed up for the race, and never thought that I would be chosen. 

This is the photo I shared. But really, who wouldn't pick that cute little boy!?

Well, out of the six photos that were shared, they did choose my photo and I decided to go ahead and sign up for the race! I'm super excited about this race as it's been on my radar for a couple of years. I love Madison and I'm pumped to be running a half in Wisconsin! There's also a kids race and I think I'm going to sign Liam up to run it. I know he'd have a blast running with mommy and Bucky Badger!

It's already 2 weeks into my standard 12 week training plan, but I'm ready to start ramping up my mileage again. This is going to be so much fun!

In other news, today is Friday the 13th and there's a full moon. Crazy, right!? I'm not really superstitious, are you?

Have a great weekend!!

Run For The Nun 5k Review

Happy Monday friends! The weekends always go by way too fast. I started my week off with some yoga. Hopefully, it will carry me through the rest of the day. I think it's going to be a tough day for me. 

Saturday morning, I ran the Run for the Nun 5k. I won a free registration for this race back in February. I'm not one to turn down a free race, so of course I jumped at the chance to participate. The race benefits the St. Vincent DePaul society that feeds the hungry; and is part of the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Country Fair. Oh, and I almost forgot, if you beat the running "Nun", you get a special prize. Of course, the Nun is way faster than I am, but it's all in fun anyway.

My ultimate goal is to run a 5k in under 30 minutes, but I was no where near ready for that this weekend. Plus, the week leading up to this race was a tough one. As I mentioned in my last post, I started Jillian Michaels newest fitness video, One Week Shred. It has you doing 2 workouts per day; strength in the morning, cardio in the evening. In other words, Jillian kicks your butt twice a day. I also included some short runs on Monday and Wednesday. Needless to say, I was tired and sore all week. My new goal for race day was to finish in under 32 minutes. 

I had never run this course before and didn't quite know what to expect. I knew there were some hills, but that was about it. It was definitely warmer than I would have liked it to be, and once we started I heated up pretty quick. The course itself was a pretty one, but there was very little shade. I started to get really hot, and I did something I've never done before in a 5k...I walked through both water stops. I was not prepared for the heat, and I don't feel bad about stopping for water. Like I said, I had been training hard leading up to this race and I just needed some water. All in all, it was a fun race and I'm happy with the effort I put into it. I may have gone out a little too fast, but I did my best and that's all that matters. My official time was 31:45, even with the walking. And no, I didn't beat the nun. I did hit my secondary goal of under 32 minutes though. Woo hoo!

For the next few months, I'm going to work hard to get faster. I don't know when I'll be racing next, but I'll be signing up for the Bluegrass 10k on the Fourth of July for sure. I can't wait. I love that race!

Hope you all have a great week!

Memorial Day Weekend and My Three Year Runniversary

Hey Everyone,

Before I begin, I want to say thank you to all of our Veterans, past, present, and future. Thank you for all that you have done and the sacrifices you have made while protecting our country!

I hope that you all are enjoying your 3 day weekend. I know I am. Why can't every weekend by 3 days?

So, I haven't really been posting very much lately, but Monday marks my Three Year Runniversary and I wanted to get back on track. I started the C25k (Couch to 5k) running program on Memorial Day, 2011 and I've never looked back, but lately I've been feeling down and out. I've still been running regularly, 3 days/week, but my diet/nutrition have been seriously lacking. In the meantime, I've been gaining weight and have begun to become increasingly frustrated and stressed out. So, what have I been doing to combat these feelings? Eating, and more eating. Obviously this is completely counter productive and increases my stress level 10 fold. This is a slippery slope, my friends, and I don't want to slide back down to the bottom. It's even getting to the point where my clothes aren't fitting and I'm feeling stress about leaving the house because I don't feel comfortable in my own skin. There has been lots of crying, feeling defeated, feeling isolated, feeling unworthy and feeling like I just don't fit in. Sometimes, I feel like it's just no use, I'm always just going to be overweight; I'm never going to have the body that I want. I'm not sure what brought about all these feelings, but I need a change; and this weekend marks the beginning of change.

In the past week, I decided that I'm ready to control this and regain my focus. I had quit logging my food, but now I am back to logging every single thing I put in my mouth. I'm ready to train hard 5-6 days per week and not just phone it in. I need a new attitude, and I need a new perspective.

10 Reasons I Love My Ugly Body

I read this article by Andrea at imperfectlife.net at work on Friday and it reduced my to tears. It was like everything she was saying, was exactly how I was feeling. Here is a short excerpt from the article. This is the part that really hit me. Just reading this over right now brings tears to my eyes.

"I try very hard to stay focused on fitness goals as my measure of success rather than my appearance or the number on the scale or the size of my jeans...but sometimes...just sometimes, I forget. A few weeks ago, I did just that...I forgot. I was faced with a "Look Good Naked Challenge" at my gym and I knew that I had no chance in hell of winning. I remembered that summer was just around the corner and realized that I would go a 25th year wearing shorts over my bathing to hide the legs I've hated since I was 11. I tried on a jean skirt that I wanted so bad only to see the misshapen knees that have kept me from wearing anything above them throughout all of my adult years and out of nowhere it hit me like a ton of bricks...I felt frustrated, discouraged and sad. like really, really sad. I even cried a little. I felt like all the hard work that I'd been doing wasn't paying off and it made me want to give up."


I read this and I thought, she'd hit the nail on the head. I've been feeling exactly the same.

BUT, this is not where she ends her blog post. In the second half of this post, she basically says that it doesn't matter what her body looks like, because she is more capable and more physically fit than she has ever been. At the end of the day, she is "Better, Faster, Stronger than ever before". I won't go into all the details here, but it's a great read and I hope you'll take the time to read it.

The same is true for me, and I needed that reminder. I couldn't run across the street 3 years ago. Since I began running, I have run countless 5ks, a Warrior Dash obstacle run, a 10 mile race, 5 half marathons, and a full marathon! Three years ago, I would never have thought any of this possible. The fact that I am able to do these things is way more important than what I look like. It's more important to continue making progress than to worry about what my legs look like when I wear shorts.

Since I was feeling extra motivated today, I downloaded a new fitness video from iTunes since I had a giftcard. I've always liked Jillian Michaels line of DVDs and for me, she is a good motivator. 

So today I started the new One Week Shred. It's one week of two 30 minute workouts/day. Strength workout in the morning and cardio workout in the evening. Both workouts are super tough, but I hope to make it through the full week and continue to get my runs in. So we shall see.

The bottom line is that I am proud of my accomplishments, and I have come too far to give up. Three years ago, I was inactive and unhappy. Now, I'm active and happier than before.

Tomorrow, I will be celebrating my Runniversary, not with cake and sweets, but with a run. "Keep moving forward" is my running mantra, and it's so true when it comes to running and when it comes to life in general. 

I hope you all have a good Memorial Day. 

Keep Moving Forward!

Mother's Day Miles

Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful mothers out there!

I love being a mom, and Liam is my best little buddy.

I mean, how could you not love this face :)

And then there's my mom, who is absolutely the bestest ever! Love you mom! 

Mint Juleps, and a Lily...I would be the odd man out ;)

This pic is from the 2014 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs last Saturday.

Not much going on here today, but I did get some miles in. Some solitude was exactly what I needed.

I intended on getting in 4 miles, but I quit at 3.5. It was warmer and more humid than I'm used to, plus I haven't been getting enough sleep. Oh well, some runs are good; some runs are bad.

I took some pictures this morning, simply so I could stop running for a minute.

It was a nice peaceful run, I just wasn't feeling it today. 

How are you spending your Mother's Day? I ran, and then made a big breakfast of strawberry banana pancakes, eggs, and fresh fruit. No pictures because I was way too rungry to waste any time on anything but eating. Afterwards, I spent the day cleaning. I know that sounds odd, but there's nothing that makes me happier than a clean house.

Hope you're all having a great weekend and Mother's Day! 

Derby Festival miniMarathon Review

Yay! We made it to the weekend!

 It's been such a long week and I've been exhausted. Last weekend was the half marathon and then on Monday I donated blood, so I've been wiped out. I've done a lot of resting this week and not a lot of running, but I think I've earned it. :)

I haven't reviewed the Derby miniMarathon yet, probably cause I've been I'm bed by 8:30 every night this week. Ha! I'm so old. Now that I have some time and I'm feeling awake, I'll fill you in on the details.

This is the second time I've run this race. It was actually my first half marathon in 2012. The Derby Festival has either a half or full marathon option and caps at 18,000 runners. I personally really like big races. That's why I chose Chicago as my first full marathon, so I could run with over 40,000 of my closest friends.

Like usual, I set out all my race gear the night before and loaded up the car so we could just get up and run out the door. The race started at 7:30am in Louisville, KY. I opted to stay at home and not get a hotel simply to save money, but that meant getting up really early since Louisville is just over an hour away and I wanted to be there and parked by 5:30am. I don't like being late, it gives me major anxiety and after my troubles with parking at Run the Bluegrass, I wasn't taking any chances. So, my alarm was set for 3:45am and we pulled out of the driveway at 4:15am. Everything worked out perfectly, and I was able to relax and eat my breakfast when we got there. 

At 7:00, we met our fellow Team Beef members near the starting line. This is my third season running for Team Beef and it's been a great experience.

"The Kentucky Team Beef is a team of athletes focused on living healthy lifestyles by combining physical activity and a nutrient-rich diet full of lean meats, whole grains,fruits, vegetables, and low-fat and non-fat dairy. Made up of athletes from all over Kentucky, they believe in the nutritional benefits of lean beef and its vital role fueling their training."

After the group picture and taking a few early morning selfies, I got into my starting corral, D. 

The corrals were really full, and there was loads of excitement, waiting for the start. The only thing I didn't like, was that there were no speakers near us, so we couldn't hear when the race started or what was going on at the front. 

Earlier in the week, I had been thinking about what my goal for this race would be. Months ago, I had dreamed of a PR of 2:20:00. After, a car accident and missing some training due to illness, I knew that 2:20:00 was not going to happen and neither was matching my current PR of 2:25:25. So my goal for the day was to have fun and enjoy the course. I thought maybe in the back of my mind that I could get under 2:30:00, but I wasn't sure. You just never know what kind of race you're going to have until you actually get into it.

So, the race started and I tried to settle in to a comfortable pace. It took a couple miles before I felt like I had my legs under me, but once I got warmed up, everything felt great! Plus, there was so much to see, so it was easy to distract myself from any discomfort.

The weather was awesome! I couldn't state that enough! I never felt too cold or too hot and as you can see, clear skies for miles!

Mile 8 is my favorite part of this course. It takes you through the infield of Churchill Downs, the site of the Kentucky Derby!

The miles flew by and before I knew it, I was in the homestretch. I kept checking my watch and tried to push the pace for the last 3 miles.  I walked through all the water stops, mostly because they were very congested, but I didn't have to walk at any other point. Finally, I crossed the finish line with a time of 2:29:04 and mile 13 was my fastest mile of the day! I didn't make my original time goal, but I did accomplish a different PR. This is the first half marathon that I have not had to stop to use a porta potty! Woo hoo! And...it's the first race where I ended up with a black toenail, but nobody wants to hear about that.

Crossing the finish line of both, Run the Bluegrass and the Derby Festival mimMarathon, meant that I completed the Kentucky Half Classic. For this accomplishment, I earned a third medal.

Here they are all together.

This spring has been very busy, but lots of fun. I am so blessed for the opportunities that I've had this year. I love running and I can't wait to run more!

I hope you all enjoy this beautiful weekend!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

Yesterday, I ran the Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon, but more on that later. Today I want to celebrate the resurrection of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I hope you all have a wonderful day full of faith and love.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia.

Run the Bluegrass Review Part 2

I suppose I ought to finish my race review. It's only been a week. Ha. So here we go.

Saturday morning came sooner than I would have liked, but since I had my race gear all laid out, I was ready pretty quickly. The weather forecast was questionable so I was struggling with long sleeves vs. short sleeves and shorts vs. capris. I ended up going with short sleeves and a shorts simply because I knew it was going to rain and I didn't want anything to weigh me down.

The race begins and ends at Keeneland Racecourse which is about 15 minutes away from my house. So I left at 7:40, since the Pace Team was planning on meeting for a picture at 8:15 and then head to the start at 8:30. I figured I'd be there in plenty of time, even though only one of the entrance gates was open. Well, I was wrong! I sat in a long line of traffic outside Keeneland from 7:55 to 8:40! The whole time I was so anxious. I hate being late! Plus, I missed the group picture and was late to the starting line.

Once I got set up and met with the other 2:45 pacer, E, I was ready to go. Waiting at the start it was so windy. I immediately began to regret my short sleeve choice, but it was too late to make any changes so I had to go with it. We were in Wave 6, so after the first 5 Waves started, it was finally our turn. I was just thankful to get moving so we could warm up! We planned to alternate carrying our 2:45 sign which worked out really well. Like I said it was really windy and it was tough to hang on to the sign for too long. As we were pacing for a 2:45:00 finish, our average pace was to be 12:35 minutes per mile. The second half of the course is much more challenging than the first, so we planned to run 12:00/mile for the first 5 miles so we could walk up some of the hills through miles 9-11.


We followed our plan just about perfectly and got to the 5 mile mark averaging a 12:00/mile. At mile 6, silly me stopped to use a porta potty, while E continued on. I told her I'd catch up, but I soon realized that was not the best idea. I ended up being 2 minutes or so behind her. This is the part where the course begins its rolling hills. Trying to catch someone while running hills is not the easiest thing in the world, but I had to do it somehow. It took me nearly 2 miles to find her and there was a moment when I just wanted to give up while running up a steep hill. I was afraid that by running hard this early in the race, I'd have nothing left at the end, but I kept going anyway. I ran into a friend and asked if she'd seen my Pacer. I found out that she was close by so I kept moving forward. I had to run hard up the hills and run even harder on the downhills, but I finally caught her. I was so relieved! I found her just in time to get to the toughest part of the course.

Fortunately we'd planned on walking up the toughest hills and we'd banked a few minutes so I was able to really catch my breath. The last few miles felt so easy and it was a nice way to finish the race. We were in no hurry and had an "easy" last couple of miles where we averaged 13:00/mile. We got to the finish line in 2:45:47. Only 47 seconds off! I had been so nervous, but everything went so well. 

I was thankful for having a pacing partner, since it was nice to have someone keep me on track and also have someone to chat with.

Crossing the finish! All smiles!

Close up of the medal! Beautiful! The horse is Zenyatta. Her career record is 20-1. The race t-shirt and medal's ribbon colors are based off of her jockey's silks.

Everything went well except for the fact that mother nature did not cooperate. This was easily the worst conditions I have ever raced in. The first couple miles there was no rain, just wind. It started raining more around miles 4-5 and then continued through the rest of the day. The wind was bitter cold at 12mph and it was raining sideways some of the time. The temperature at the start of the race was 50 degrees, by the time we finished it was 40 degrees with a "feels like" temp of 36!  Lots of people were running in ponchos and trash bags, but since we had special Pace Team shirts, we couldn't have those covered up. We got soaked! By the time we finished, I was freezing! My wrists hurt a lot and my fingers didn't work; they were like claws. I had to use my teeth to open my chocolate milk and banana. The post race party was moved indoors, but it was still freezing. I would have just left, but I felt compelled to stay for the awards and to see if the race director needed anything from the Pace Leaders. I wandered around a little while trying  to get my hands working again. I found the free massage tables and ended up getting one, hoping that this would loosen me up a little bit. Once the awards were over I couldn't wait to get out of there and get into a warm shower and dry clothes. I got to my car, put on dry clothes, and blasted the heater. I sat in the driver's seat and I just broke down and cried; partly because I was so cold for so long and partly because I was so relieved that it was over. All the questioning of my ability, all the doubts I had, "was I ready, had I trained enough?" they were all over. I had done it. I made it to the finish line.


The race was mentally and physically challenging, but the rewards were sweet! Each Pace Team Leader received an authentic bourbon barrel top that was refinished and engraved with the race logo! It's probably the coolest thing I will ever get for running. Even though the conditions were not great and the course is super challenging I would do everything over in a heart beat. In fact, I've already registered for 2015! Mother Nature owes us big time!

My next half marathon (Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon) is in less than two weeks! I'm so excited and I hope I'll be ready. I know I'm not going to PR (2:25:25), but I'm shooting for 2:30:00 or under. I'm feeling a little more confident now that the first race is over, so we shall see how the last two weeks of training goes. 

Happy Sunday friends! Have a great week!