Cardiff Kook 5K Run

I was so excited to sign up for the Cardiff Kook Run...I hadn't done it in prior years, but from the looks of all the photos with people dressed up, I thought this would be such a fun 5K. (there's some good history on this statue!)

With the race falling on Super Bowl Sunday, we thought it'd be fun to dress up like football players - but then we also had the idea of one of us dressing up like an actual football - Chels did a great job making her shirt! Her friend joined us as well, so I was planning on being a referee, but couldn't find anything to wear (without spending a lot on an actual ref shirt!).

People get crazzzzy with their costumes though, and there is a prize for the winner...which this year was a group of people that dressed up like the COASTER! It was crazy!! Check out this Post by CardiffKookRun.com.

I found my SWEET glasses, fake tattoos, football whistles (which were annoyingly fun!) and green striped socks at Party City, the 'eye black' sickers from Sports Authority and the shirt randomly at Ross - it came together perfectly!

The run itself was beautiful - along Hwy 101... and though it was pretty cold when we first got there, it was the perfect running weather! Since the length of the 1/2 way mark for the 5K run didn't get down to the actual Cardiff Kook himself, we decided to drive down to see him & take a few pics...then off to a yum breakfast! This will definitely be a yearly run for me! Can't wait to think up another outfit to wear!

DIY Race Bib/Medal Display

I am in love with my recent DIY craft....which I happily stumbled upon the idea randomly on Pinterest. I wasn't even looking for this craft, but when I saw it...I knew immediately I just had to recreate one for both myself, and my friend Nic for her birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY friend!!!).

Here are 3 ideas I used to help get my wheels turning: 

• Pavement Runner
• Simply Healthy Mama
• My Three Peas

So my search began for a large frame, wide enough to fit the bibs and to hang the medals. I kept striking out store after store....when finally, buried in a back clearance aisle at Michael's, I found these 2 grey frames that were PERFECT!

For the letters, I used my Cricut Mini to cut "R U N" from grey scrapbook paper, to coordinate with the frame color:

I was going to spray paint the back, but decided on scrapbook paper inside the frame instead....though you can kind of see the line where I had to join the 2 pieces together, but I still think it came out great!

To hang the race bibs, I used 2 metal/magnetic-back hanging clips...and for the medals, I used 1 silver hook - all are directly on the glass with little adhesive squares, that hold up to 5lbs each....so I think they are pretty secure.

Can't wait to add more to this growing collection!!

Mine

Nic's

Run or DYE!

Another 'fun' run under our belts...as Nic & I (along with her friend Stacy & her sis Julie) participated in the "Run or Dye" 5K today:

Since Christmas is just around the corner, we decided to wear little Santa hats, cute red/white striped socks and red tanks to get in the spirit... soooo many others had the same ideas! We had tried to find white leggings (to wear under black shorts)...so that the color would show better - but had terrible luck finding any!

The guys at the start line, did a GREAT job hyping up the crowd...there was awesome music and such amazing energy from everyone around us. Every once & awhile people would throw up the dye packs and we'd get splash here & there.

The run itself wasn't anything spectacular, as it was just around the parking lot of Qualcomm Stadium... so ti was rather drab - I think the best parts were seeing everyone in fun costumes and the anticipation of being BLASTED by color at each 'station'.

I have to be honest...I thought for sure we'd be more 'colorful' at the end....but each time you go through a color station, you get bombarded with color...but then as you continue running, the powder just gradually falls off. I have heard that you should run baby oil or something on your exposed skin, so that the color sticks better.... so if I ever do another 'color' type run again, I'll have to put that to the test!

Happy Running!!!

Beyond Thankful {Happy Thanksgiving!}

I. Love. Thanksgiving.

Sureeee the FOOD is spectacular...all my fav things on one table (or more in our case, with different families to visit, sometimes on different days too!). But I just love how one whole day is dedicated to remember how THANKFUL we should be for soooo many things. Just take a look at our annual "Thankful Board":

This year Kapri could contribute to the board, by writing what she's thankful for all by herself! Note the few scribbles along the bottom: "Thanksgiving, Friends, Cookies, Trees, Mom & Dad" - adorable.

We started the day off super early....and not to get up & put a turkey in the oven....but instead, Nic, Amanda, Trav & I (oh and Nic's two kids, one of whom was pushed in the jogger by Trav, bless his heart and strong legs!!) all decided to do the Oceanside Turkey Trot 5K - that was a first for us! We were all so excited to run and burn some calories before we went to our separate places to fill our bellies.

It was SUCH a beautiful morning...and to top it off, we ended the last leg of our run on the boardwalk, right along the beach - seriously perfect.

I was SO proud of Nic & Amanda - for both running (or at least slow jogging at times) the ENTIRE 3 miles. I had taken up running again here & there, finally being able to run 2-3 miles without rest/walking (thanks to all my strength training and HIIT classes!!!)...but neither of them had really prepped in terms of running prior. But they powered through and we all finished together. SUCCESS!!

Way to go ladies!!!

After the race, I headed home to get ready for dinner at my aunts....which I sadly only took TWO flipping pictures...um whattttt?! Who am I??

Oh and this ahhhdorable one of K waiting ever so patiently on my bed, waiting for me to get ready....while reading a book to her babies! Melt. 

Then the next day we had another Thanksgiving Dinner with James' mom, her hubby, Steve & Amanda - I made sure to get a least more than two pics this time!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!! Gobble Gobble!

Workin on Workin out

Soooo, I've been on a mega workout KICK since the beginning of October...and I'm loving it!

It started when I found a Groupon in June for this place up the street from my work called: "Fitness and Motion" - I took a chance & started the first week of July. I completed the time outlined in the deal, about 4 weeks, and felt amazing.... so I continued through all of August by myself with at-home vids (love me some Jillian) and occasional running here & there. I did pretty well...losing about 5-6lbs over that 2 month period.

Then my trip to visit my sis in AR came & when I got back...I kinda fell off the fitness wagon...and knew I needed to get back into a routine.

I gained a couple lbs through September, but mostly felt so lazy - my energy had declined since I wasn't doing much physical activity. Then at the end of the month I saw a posting by the owner of F&M, Danny, asking for 20 people to sign up for a weight-loss challenge:  "Lose 20lbs in SIX weeks!!"

I thought, "YESSS, now there's the motivation I need to get back on track!!".....and so I signed up.

And I got HOOKED - full on addiction to my daily workouts.

I absolutely LOVE the group HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) classes they offer, which I do on M/W/F, and 2 cardio classes: Legs/Glutes (Tues) and Abs (Thurs).  The group of people that attend each day is so amazing...such great energy and a level of accountability too. It's so nice to have a motivating place with a core group & be able to share your struggles, achievements, and sore body parts!!

And the best part:
30 MINUTES!!

Yep, that's it....30 minutes a day + lunch break = perfection!

And I lost weight, yay! With a combo of exercising, eating healthy & logging my food through MyFitnessPal (and keeping my calories between 1200-1400/day, depending on level of that day's activity). In all, over the 6 weeks....I didn't lose 20, as I honestly think my body type just won't allow that....but I DID lose a total of 11lbs, and dropped my body fat percentage from 27.9 to 24.1  (and in July, my body fat % was as high as 29.1!!! crazy).

Since that 6-wk challenge, which ended mid-November (I'm sooo behind & writing this in January, but post-dating to Nov!), I've just been focused on maintaining...gaining more muscle - but allowing myself things I really enjoy in life (like wine & dark chocolate nibbles!), but all in moderation. I found that for me, TOO much restriction on myself over the long term would just be mentally exhausting - and frankly, I'd be unhappy & kiiiinda bitchy. No one (especially my husband & daughter) wants that.

EVERYTHING IN MODERATION... you only have one life in this physical state, so best to enjoy it while it lasts right??

But seriously - it feels so good to just be active on a daily basis. Sometimes I have to force myself to actually take a 'rest' day...and then feel super anxious to get back into it again. Especially since I'm now in my 30's, it's not as easy as in my teens/20's/pre-pregnancy...when I could eat whatever & rarely workout...and look okay.

I feel great...have more confidence and just being strong & having endurance is SUCH a wonderful feeling... I have found that I can now run a full 3 miles in 30 minutes, without stopping to walk!! When I spent 4 months training for the 1/2 marathon last year, I could NEVER run for that long without stopping....it was maybe 10 minutes max, then I'd HAVE to walk. So the overall muscle and stronger core definitely make a huge difference in my ability to KEEP GOING.

I also like to think I'm setting a good example for Kapri too... I want her to grow up watching me, and one day when she starts to 'exercise', she'll actually enjoy it. Because I never did - until now.

Huge THANKS to Danny, Aurélie & Rochelle - the awesome coaches/trainers at Fitness & Motion... it's been so incredible working on my lifestyle transformation with all of you and I owe you many many thanks for all you've done!! Your help and awesome daily workouts have gotten me so far, couldn't have done it without you all!

Check out my "Motivation" and "Healthy" Pinterest Boards!

Run to Fight Children's Cancer {Ronan Foundation}

If you follow or have seen/heard of the "Rock Star Ronan" blog - you've likely cried a time or two...and been affected immensely by this woman's story. I first heard of her after hearing Taylor Swift perform the song "Ronan" on Stand Up2Cancer that aired on TV back in Sept. 2012.

I sobbed. Kinda uncontrollably.If you haven't heard it...please do now...be warned, grab a BOX of tissues first:



After it ended, I immediately looked up who 'Ronan' was and I cried more reading post after post of this mom's blog. It's incredibly heartbreaking....yet, inspiring to see her gradually working through the daily ins & outs of something that NO ONE should have to go through.

My dear friend Nic also reads the Ronan blog...and when we both saw that there was a 5K coming to San Diego called "Run to Fight Children's Cancer" - we knew immediately that we had to do it....like it was our small way of showing support. Support for all the kids fighting cancer, those who have beat it, those who have lost their battle, and support for all their family & friends affected by this terrible word: C-A-N-C-E-R

I haven't run a race of any kind since the Rock 'n Roll 1/2 Marathon back in June 2012 {read ALL about that HERE} - so I was definitely a bit anxious for this one...though it was only 3 miles, compared to 13!!, I knew we could do it...

We showed up bright & early, dressed in our purple & gold...ready to RUN. There were lots of families there, including kids that were either fighting cancer or were in remission -- and those kids were given little capes to wear that said: "Cancer Fighting Super Hero":

  Post by Run to Fight Children's Cancer.  Seriously great idea!

It was a beautiful course, around the bay through Point Loma...and at the end I made us SPRINT...then we finished, huffing & puffing... tears came to our eyes. If they have this race here again, we'll definitely be there!

I'm a Half Marathon Survivor!!!

OMG...we did it!!! Half Marathon.......CHECK!! Crossing it OFF the bucket list.

We actually completed a full 13.1 miles in the San Diego Rock n Roll Half Marathon... still cannot believe it.

And lookie what I have to show for it!! teehee:

it makes me smile :-)

So like I said before - we arrived bright 'n early...slight mishap with one of Amanda's water bottles mysteriously falling OUT of her hydration belt...must've happened while transferring from the coaster to the buses - no beuno! But seriously so many people run without belts at all! So, it could've been worse. We got off the bus and somehow found our running group just in time for a quick photo...then headed to the porta potties to stand in line for a solid 35 minutes!

After that we found our corral and got prepped along the sidelines. We had a packet of GU gel, stretched, adjusted our armbands/headphones, got our apps ready, and texted the boys that we were only moments from the start lines...ahhh, such excitement & adrenaline pumping at that moment. When our corral was next up (there was a minute in between each)...the music had us jumping up & down, singing, then finally counting down....

10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...BAM!

That's what 30K+ runners looks like...amazing huh?!

Miles 1-3 were a blur....I got a bit emotional just realizing the fact that we were ACTUALLY doing this...finally. And then....I had to pee. HOW?! I just went!! ugh... so we stopped and all had the fastest potty break EVER while in Balboa Park! Just after that, we headed down the on-ramp to the 163 freeway. Let me tell you - it is WEIRD to run on the freeway, no cars in site - super erie...just us, and the sound of shoes pounding pavement, steady breathing, spectator cheering at some points, and a few bands playing tunes along the way. I just had to take a quick video:



After we exited the freeway, we hit mile 8 and started our long trek along Friars Road - which was just in time to see the boys along the side of the road cheering us on - taking pics/video...and I even stole a kiss from the hubs ;-)



Mile 9 & 10 blurred together...then Chelsea was hit with a ton of knee pain. Pain that intensified and put her in complete agony for the last 3 miles - no fun. But we stayed by her side, walking when she needed and keeping her motivated to go on. Through the tears I told her that "we started this together 4 months ago, and we're finishing together today...I will DRAG you across the finish line if I have to!!" Luckily, with the finish line literally around a corner, I heard my name calling out from my left...I looked over to find the boys all there again, cheering us on along with hundreds of other spectators - that smile never left my face.

As soon as we crossed that finish line (which felt amazingly great!), we got Chelsea over to the Medic stand and quickly got her knees saran-wrapped in hugs bags of ice. After that - we got the gratification of hanging some heavy medals around our necks... go US!! {there are a good handful of pics taken by "MarathonFoto" crews along the course/finish...but they're pretty expensive - I'll update this post if/when I get any!}

Then as we walked along to find the boys...we were greeted with tons of food, drinks, energy bars, bagels... you name it - our hands were packed....thank goodness, because I was STARVING by mile 7 - oye.

"BRAVE the RUN"

We also got gorgeous leis by our men... such a treat - not only to have them cheer us on, but to see how proud they were of us...I couldn't stop thanking them for coming! After that we started our mile trek back to the trolley station - our legs, knees & feet were aching and incredibly sore - but it was worth it... to me at least! haha

After we got back to the car, we changed into sandals...ahhhhmazing...and freshened up on our way to brunch. We went to a place called Offshore, where unexpectedly...was the mile-18 area for the full-marathoners!! With great atmosphere and with even better company, we ate a yummy breakfast & clinked champagne glasses, in celebration of our huge accomplishment together.

Here are our stats:

Left screen shot = official RnR split times/pace
Right screen shot = my recorded run time on MapMyRun iPhone app

Now the big question is... Would I ever do it again?? I'm not going to rule it out....it really is addicting.

And for those who know the PAIN of childbirth... that shiz is crazy tough...yet women typically give birth more than once. Why do you think that is? Well, the 'pain' of what you went through (ie: both birth &/or running a 1/2 marathon) - is worth it in the end. The reward after, and how proud you feel...makes us seemingly forget how hard the actual task was...and we do it all over again.

;-)

And we're OFF!

Crazy town in San Diego right now...where the Rock 'n Roll race is in full affect. My sisters & I are in corral #36 and I'm feeling amped!!

We woke up at 3 a.m. and arrived at the starting area around 5:20 a.m. The race officially started at 6:15 a.m., so I'm hoping we'll be 'released' around 7 a.m. - lots. of. WAITING! haha

I'm excited to see James (we decided to leave K with Grammy because of all this chaos)... hopefully we'll be able to see each other around mile 8ish...maybe he'll even jump in with me for a sec! We got our playlists ready, we're stretched, we're hydrated...we're feelin good!

For a quick overview of our race course, check out this vid: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2052156592417

Wish us luck!!!

the starting line up ahead!

Thoughts before race day

This was a goal for my sisters & I to complete...we trained hard...and I'm so amazed of the time, energy, dedication {and money, obvs} that we all put in.

Without them by my side to lean on for support both mentally and physically, I'm honestly not quite sure if I'd be ready for this race. This journey was tough. It was long. It was a test of our abilities... our strength... our willingness.

And thank goodness for some wonderful help and advise from our running coach Blake... And for the awesome acupuncture sessions from Michael!! And of course a huge THANK YOU to all the friends and family that helped watch Kapri when needed, during my endless hours of training. Lastly, the unwavering, constant support and love from the hubby... Love you babe!!!

PROUD - is the one word that comes to mind when I think about the last 4 months. It's been a road full of blood, sweat & tears - no joke. Love you girls, so glad it's you that I'll be crossing that finish line with!!! xoxo

Today we went to the Race Expo to pick up our bibs, and now we're all staying the night together at Amanda's - so we can get our gear ready & wake up at 3am...ew.

We did it!!! Now let's get this show on the road...literally!

The REAL costs of running

So you think running is FREE do you??

Well, think again...especially if you are a beginner, training for a long race like me.

With just 4 short days left in our very 1st Half Marathon training journey, I thought it'd be a good idea to jot down all the costs that are associated, with OUR particular case {this will vary per person of course!}:

• Rock & Roll Race Fee: $115
• Running Group Membership: $150
• Running Gear: $296
• Shoes (Brooks): $100 (post here...that was with a 20% discount too...whewww)
• Custom-Molded Shoe Inserts: $69
• Compression Sleeves (Skins A400) - recommended by my acupuncturist = $57
• Hydration Belt: $37 (Nathan's brand)
• Sony earbuds with volume/track change remote: $30
• iPhone Armband: $3
• Clothing: $175 (let's face it, you'll need a few pairs of everything...unless you want to run in stinky clothes OR do laundry every day!!)
• I personally bought:
• 4 pairs of pants ($70 at Marshalls)
• 3 sports bras (in addition to the handful I already had - $10 - cheap I know...Walmart!)
• 6 pairs of socks (with the thick little tab above the heal to prevent slipping down into shoe - ($10 - TJ Maxx/Walmart)
• 9 shirts/tanks ($45 - TJ Maxx/Walmart...yes Walmart - I'm cheap when it comes to shirts that I buy only to SWEAT in!)
• New shirt/sports bra for race day = $40 (we each got bright-colored, matching shirts...pics to come of course!)
• iPhone Apps: $3
• I bought the Nike+ app ($2) and an Interval Timer app ($1)
• MapMyRun is a great free app as well! I actually think I prefer it over the Nike one...
• Find a good free/cheap music app as well (like Pandora) or create a fab playlist - at least 2.5 - 3 hrs long (I use MOG):

my 'fitness' app folder

• Meds: $16
• Arnicare Gel/Tablets = $10
• Ibuprofin = $6
• Massages: $126
• $41 - online deal with $13 tip - it was the worst massage I'd ever gotten!
• $20 - tip only, from free one from a health expo at work
• $45 - referral deal/tip, from Amanda
• $20 - tip only, for after-race massage Chels bought me as a Mother's Day gift
• Doctor Visits: $90
• Co-Pay for General doc (to get PT referral) = $25
• PT co-pays (1 total - cancelled other appts because I loved acupuncture so much!) = $25
• Acupuncture co-pays (4 total) = $40
• Miscell: $35
• Foam Roller = $20
• Transportation = $10 (for race day coaster train ride down to starting area)
• Race Day "Runner Tracker" (for up to 5 people to get runner updates during race) = $5
• Endurance Drinks/Energy Chews/Gels: $56
• 3 Containers of Gatorade "Glacier Freeze" powder (8 packets = $4/ea)
• Sampling of different GU Chomps & Gels = $12
• Box of Peach GU Chomps (2x caffine - my fav!) = $23
• Box of Chocolate GU Gel (best flavor out of Straw/Banana or the PB, in my opinion) = $9

our favs!

So, in total, during this 4 month process - I personally, spent about $962...whoa!

I'm extremely shocked to see that number actually... Of course I didn't spend all this at once either, no way do I have that amount of extra money just laying around. I also don't have credit cards... so all these purchases were spread out over the entire 4 months little by little (and a bit of help here & there). Again - this was just MY scenario... it could definitely be less....or definitely higher if you have finer taste in running gear than I do ;-)