Last year, my then 12 year old son said he’d like to run a half marathon. I thought he was just being funny or talking in the distant future, but no. He was serious and insisted on it. We researched some races and talked some more about it. I gave him the good and the bad, but honestly, mostly the bad because I wanted to paint a truthful picture and the truth is that training for a half marathon is not easy. He acknowledged that it was going to be hard work, but that he really wanted to challenge himself and run his first half marathon at the age of 13. So, we did it. We signed up for the Cedar City Half Marathon on September 8, 2018. I explained that he would be training for a half marathon all through summer break and even into his first weeks of back to school but he was not deterred.
While he was still in school, we started with 2 mile once a week runs. Then, last month, we started the actual 14-week training plan and he’s been training pretty consistently for the past 6 weeks. We have 8 more weeks to go and I couldn’t be prouder of this kid! But please, don’t get me wrong. He is no super kid. He is after all, a 13 year old boy and oh have we had our arguments. It’s been hard being mom and coach. I feel like because it’s been me giving him running advice, it’s been hard for him to accept it and we butt heads a lot. He’s cranky at 6am and when I remind him that he signed up for this on his own, I get attitude. I then have to remember he is still just a 13 year old kid and take a deep breath.
It’s been hard, but it’s also been rewarding. I’ve been learning to be patient and let things go. I’m learning to go at his pace and enjoy our time together regardless of our pace and whether I think he could do better or go faster. I remind myself that I just ran my first half marathon 5 years ago at the age of 36! This kid is 13 and about to run his first half marathon. I am so proud of him already! I’m not too mushy or sentimental, but I did cry after my 1st half marathon and after my 1st full marathon. I’m pretty sure I will cry for the 3rd time again after I cross the finish line with my son in September. But until then, there will most definitely be more cranky early mornings and arguments, and I’ll just have to be ok with that.
What races are you training for this summer? Any tips on running with a teen? EEK!!
The start of a new year is always a good time for change. It’s a time to set goals and make plans on how to achieve them. Don’t let the haters bring you down before you even get started. We all have to start somewhere and for a lot of us, January 1 just feels like an ideal time for a fresh new start.
I feel that in 2017 I was not just treading water, but actually taking some steps in reverse. Life has it’s ups and downs but if we don’t get a hold of ourselves, we can continue on a downward spiral that is even harder to get out of. I know I’ve been inconsistent with just about everything in my life lately and it’s time to make a conscious effort to be consistent with my actions. From what I eat, drink, how I work, use of my time, etc. It’s time to stick to the plan. So, I’m here today to share my goals and plans and hopes for this new year.
Fitness + Health Goals
Consistent Meal Planning/Prep – Working from home, I always felt that meal prep was something I didn’t need to do. I could always take a break from my work and make my meals. But the truth is, I don’t always feel like taking the time to cook just for myself so I end up winging it and it’s not always balanced or the healthiest options. I have been pretty good about meal planning for dinners, so I want to keep that up and add meal plans for breakfast and lunch too. I also plan to use Sundays as a day to prep some meals or have semi-prepared options that I can easily and quickly turn into a complete meal. For example, making a batch of paleo egg muffins, having boiled eggs on hand, and making enough dinner for lunch leftovers the next day.
Run 3 days/week + Gym 2 days/week – Getting consistent and back to a routine with my workouts is a must. Although I always have a monthly plan on my calendar for my workouts, I do not always follow through. I am determined to make this a priority in my life again!
Weight Loss – Without having consistent workouts and meals planned, I have let the weight creep back up. This is the year to get back on track and not let all the hard work I’ve done go to waste.
Post Monthly Goals – When I first started my weight loss journey, I shared a lot. Maybe even over shared! But, it helped me stay consistent and accountable to myself. Somewhere along the line I started thinking that maybe I was sharing too much, that people didn’t want to see/read about what I was doing and I stopped sharing and eventually that led me to taking it easy. I started relaxing too much and without that accountability on social media and my blog, I started to overindulge too much and workout less and less. That stops now! Hope you’re ready for a maybe a little over sharing but just know, I’m doing it for myself! Not to brag or make anyone feel bad, but rather to put myself on blast in the hopes that it will keep me accountable and maybe give someone else ideas on how to do it for themselves too 😉
Blog a min. of 2 times a week – You’ll be seeing a lot more of me this year! I really enjoy blogging so I want to make sure I’m on here a few times a week sharing my thoughts, ideas, frustrations, travels, race recaps, family life, and everything/anything else of this messy life!
I’m also working on my race schedule for 2018, so be sure to check those out HERE! If you have any suggestions for races I should put on my radar, please let me know in the comments. Or, if you’ll be running one of the races I’m doing this year, let me know so we can meet up! I’m debating if I want to run a marathon for 2018. What do you think?
These are the main goals and objectives to get back on track and feeling better about myself. I don’t want to feel sluggish and tired all the time like I used to, so it’s time for consistency! Do you have a word for 2018?
I am so excited to be a part of the Rock ‘n, Blog Team for 2017! Rock ‘n’ Blog is a community of like-minded folks who love to run and have fun and earn some awesome bling along the way. This is my first year being an ambassador for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon series and I’m really looking forward to running as many races as I can with them! In 2013 I ran my first half marathon, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas and I’ve been hooked on running ever since. So, yea the Rock ‘n’ Roll has a special place in my heart.
They put on a great event! If you’re looking to run your first half marathon, I definitely think it’s a great race for beginners. The energy from the crowds, your fellow runners, and the music really keep you pumped up throughout the race. The series also offers the full marathon distance and depending on the city, they also offer relays, 10Ks, 5Ks, and kid races. There is definitely something for everyone!
Here’s what I have planned for the Rock ‘n’ Roll series this year:
All kids are different and have their own unique personalities with very specific likes and dislikes. Some will gravitate towards athletics or have a natural ability for a sport, others prefer to read a good book, or can have a natural ability for math or science. Whatever your child’s natural ability or focus is, as parents, of course we want to encourage our kids to follow their dreams.
As parents, we also want the best for our kids and we want them to be healthy. We all know that too much time in front of a screen creates a sedentary lifestyle and we don’t want that for them or for us! So what can we do to encourage our kids to be more active, without making them hate us for it?
When I started running half marathons and obstacle course races, my kids became curious. Why was I coming home drenched in sweat while they were barely waking up? Why did we suddenly have a big tractor tire in our backyard? What was a PR? Why did I need something called GU (gross!)? So, I showed them. They come to most of my races and are my biggest cheer group! They come to boot camps and sometimes they join in on some of it. I got them involved in my new found passion for running and my excitement became contagious. Soon, they were joining me on short runs around the block. They were setting goals for themselves to beat, their own Personal Records. We made up little boot camp style workouts for them in the backyard and eventually we signed them up for some of their own races and then they had to “train”! Then came race day and they were stocked to receive their own medals and see all their hard work pay off.
Tips for Getting Kids Active
Lead by example. Show excitement about going for a run or working out. If you complain about having to workout, there’s no way they’re going to want to join you. As the saying goes, you don’t have to workout, you get to workout! Keep a positive mindset for your own activities because those little ones are always watching us 🙂
Get them involved. Ask them to join you for a run, if running is your thing. Get yoga DVDs that are kid-friendly and do them together. Go to the park and play basketball together. Plan hikes as a family. Whatever gets them excited about being active!
Reward them. Set goals together and when they reach them, give them a reward. It doesn’t have to be anything outrageous, just something that will keep them motivated to keep going.
No pressure! Don’t make it a chore for them. It should never be about punishment, but rather something they look forward to regularly. Keep it fun, change it up a bit, and go with the flow.
It’s not always easy for us. One kiddo likes it better than the other. They still fight and tease each other sometimes during our family runs. They can be competitive, even with the almost 4 year age gap. But, as parents we just keep encouraging them. I keep inviting them on runs with me and sometimes they don’t want to and I don’t make them. Other times they ask to join me on their own. It’s not perfection but they are more active than they used to be and now they are really understanding the importance of taking care of their bodies.
Do you have any tips on how you got your kids excited about exercise? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear them 🙂
Back in October, my family and I ran our first mud run together. We ran the Terrain Racing 5K here in Las Vegas and it was epic. Both kiddos have done the Kid Spartan races, kids Dirty Dash races, and have participated in a runDisney kid 1 mile race and fun 5Ks like the Bubble Run. So they are definitely not strangers to running, obstacles, and getting dirty! But, this was the first 5K mud run and it was the first time we’d all participated together, as a team.
They were so excited to be a part of the race and run alongside us and other adults. This was a pretty tough race and they did so well. They climbed walls and cargo nets that I thought were pretty high and scary. They trudged through muddy water, flipped tires, carried sand bags, and went up and down some pretty steep hills. They did it all with so much determination and courage. They never gave up. They tried all the obstacles and hardly needed any assistance from us. Jason and I were so proud of them. I think the best part was having so many other runners come up alongside them and cheer them on, especially Elysse, who was so tiny compared to everyone else out there! I could see how good and empowered it made them feel.
I’ll admit, I was a little nervous that there might be whining or bickering out there but we all kept it cool and got along great! The kiddos didn’t fight and actually encouraged each other to keep going. We seriously had the best time! I can’t wait to run another race together as a family. I would most definitely recommend running a race or participating in an event as a family. I just wish we would have done it sooner.
It’s great to get the kids involved in staying active and setting some healthy fitness goals. Come back Thursday for tips on how to get the kiddos excited about exercising and running races!
You guys I PRed!!! Woohooo!! I am so excited to give you all the details from the Ventura Marathon & Half Marathon event earlier this month. I got to participate in this awesome race thanks to RacePlace. As an ambassador for RacePlace, I was offered this race entry at no cost, but this review and recap are my own thoughts and opinions.
The marathon and half marathon took place on Sunday, September 11 but they had fun events on Saturday too. There were also various bike race distances, an adventure race, 5K, kids races, and K9 Shuffle! Packet pickup and expo were held outside right next to the pier and there was a live band and some food trucks too. It was definitely a beach party atmosphere!
We left Vegas Friday morning. Totally let the kids skip school for this trip! Every year we take a 3 day weekend getaway to the beach right before school starts and this year we just didn’t make it. So, this became a fun little race-cation! More on that part of our trip in another post 😉
We kept to our plan and got to the beach right around 11am or so after our huge brunch at Cajun Kitchen Cafe right on Main St. in downtown Ventura. First stop was packet pickup. Like I mentioned, the expo was held outside right next to the pier. It was super easy and quick to get my bib and swag bag. I loved the goodies we got! Just look at all the stuff I got! I really like that hat and the bag is great too. Roomy and useful. I gotta say I was getting tired of the drawstring bags mot races are giving. Plus, race photos were free!
The expo itself wasn’t super big but that was fine with me. I don’t particularly enjoy those big expos where it’s inside and stuffy and there’s a ton of people all around you! Anyhow, once we were done looking around and getting the kids some ice cream we spent a relaxing day on the beach. Dinner was my usual carb-loading pizza with some protein and lots of veggies 😉
Race morning was smooth and easy. Jason was just dropping me off, so parking was not an issue for us, although it seems there was plenty of parking options. The folks that were directing traffic were friendly and showed us where he could park to drop me off. I had forgotten my Garmin in the room, so we had turn around and grab that for sure! I got to the race, which started right in front o f the pier, with just enough time to get my headphones on and line up near the 2:30 pacer before we took off. Everything seemed organized and relaxed.
I went into this race with zero expectations and just happy there were no hills and it was a flat course. My training had not been as regular as it should have been. I did get my long runs in each week, but only running 2-4 miles once or twice during the week. So you can imagine my surprise when I ended up passing the 2:30 pacer and felt great around mile 5. I was so sad when around mile 6 I had to stop and pee in the port a potty. I considered not stopping, but of course, that just made me have to go more! LOL I sped up a little bit to try to catch up to the pacer again but I reached the turn around point (it was an out and back race) and still didn’t see them. I slowed down a bit and maintained a steady pace until about mile 10. At this point in a half marathon I always feel anxious and ready for it to be over. I found a really nice groove and kicked it up a notch. Once I spotted the 2:30 pacers I took off. I was a woman on on a mission! I came up to them and they told me I was doing a good job. I replied back with a thanks and told them I had been trying to catch up with them the whole race! It was great to hear them cheer me on as I kept going and passed them. I knew I was going faster than usual, but I was still feeling great. I didn’t want to look down at my garmin and see my pace out of fear of slowing down once I saw it! Crazy, I know. I just ran for myself and only when I crossed the finish line and stopped my watch did I see I had a new record! I finished in 2:24:26 beating my previous record of 2:25:27. I don’t know how it happened, but I’m so happy it did! Maybe I can finish my next half in 2:20 😉
Thanks agin to Raceplace for the race entry and to the race directors and volunteers who made this my best half marathon to date! And of course, thanks to my ever supportive family for coming along and cheering me on! They’re the best! XO
On May 21, 2016 I ran the Trails of Fury 10K. My daughter also ran the kids 2K race that day. Trails of Fury is a trail race organized by Desert Dash and they always pull off a great race. I’d volunteered a few times on other Desert Dash races, so I had race credits for this race, bonus!
We had to wake up even earlier than usual for a race, since we had to take a bus to get to the race location. The BLM (Bureau of Land Management) didn’t want a lot of cars out on the trail parking lot, as to not to disturb the environment. The weather was unseasonably cold for end of May and pretty windy. They provided plenty of snacks and hot cocoa and coffee to help keep us warm, as well as space heaters. We had to wait for the half marathon and 5K runners to go before the 10K got started. Thank goodness there were seats for Elysse and hot cocoa and space heaters to help keep her warm and whining was down to a minimum 😉
I hadn’t really trained much for this race. After the L.A. Marathon, my running has really been sporadic. I decided to sign up for this race to help me get my running mojo back. During the entire run I felt sluggish and slow. I took way too many walking breaks and the gradual uphill really got me! The downhill, as usual, was fun and I was grateful that the downhill was at the middle and then again at the end. I started the race wearing my jacket but after the first mile I got hot and took it off. Since the 10K consisted of 2 loops, I passed the start line and saw my husband and daughter. I handed them my jacket and just kept on going. After the 1st loop, I really was trying to give it my all, but sadly, my all was not much to give. My lack of running and especially my lack of trail running, was evident. I was glad to be done after the race, but I actually did enjoy the run. It made me remember how much I did enjoy trail running and I really hope to get back to it.
Now, about 30-45 minutes after my race it was time for the 2K kids race. Elysse was ready to run and was super excited to get started. Desert Dash just recently introduced the kids races to their lineup, so there were only a total of 3 kids for this race. I sure hope they keep it for future races and that more kids show up for them. Running is such a great sport and it can really help teach kids the importance of training, endurance, and rewards for hard work. Elysse started the race strong and she finished strong. She led the whole time and came in first place. That really made her feel so proud of herself and in turn, we were also so proud of her. She gave it her all and it paid off! I can’t wait for her to run another race again and that she can find a true love for running!
It took me a few days to figure out what I was going to say about this marathon. I’ve had such mixed emotions about my performance, but either way, I set out to complete the L.A. Marathon and I did it! I ran 26.2 miles through some of the most famous streets in the world. That in itself was surreal and amazing and emotional to me. I grew up on the east coast and I never thought I’d live near the west coast. Los Angeles, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, these were all such cool and glamorous places I always said I’d love to visit some day. Moving to Las Vegas 7 years ago, made visiting those places a reality. But, never in a million years did I ever think/wish/dream/ that I would run through those places. So yeah, it was definitely an amazing experience.
Packet pickup was being held at the Convention Center, which was right at the U.S. Olympic Marathon trials finish line. We arrived Saturday morning just in time to watch the last lap!! It was so cool to see these elite athletes and to catch a glimpse of Meb and Desi Linden!! Being short myself, these are 2 of my favorite runners because they aren’t the typically tall, long-legged runners we associate with running 😉 So excited they made the team and will be heading to Rio this summer!
Since my sister and nephew came to support me (huge, massive thank you to them!!!), that meant we could leave the kiddos sleeping with them while Jason drove me to Dodger Stadium at 5am. The race started at 7am, but I don’t think I crossed the start line until 7:20 or so. The energy at the start line was typical. You could feel everyones anxiety, nervousness, and excitement all rolled up together. I know I was definitely feeling it. Once I crossed the start line, I had my first issue after 3 minutes. My playlist ended up on shuffle somehow and Jason had just updated my phone, so I couldn’t figure out how to get it off shuffle. We’d worked for hours to get my playlist just right and we had specific songs that were set to come on at various landmarks, so I was upset this was happening. I pulled off to the side and called Jason in a panic, eventually after about 3-4 minutes I figured it out and started to relax. I was going way faster than I intended too, but with my lost time due to technical difficulties and the wave of runners practically pushing me forward, it was hard to slow down. I did eventually get back to my groove but I was happy to be running about 5 minutes ahead of my goal. I saw Jason again between mile 5-6 and that was a nice surprise. He ran alongside me for a minute or so and then went back to meet up with the rest of the family 🙂
Seeing my family at mile 11 was perfect! I was feeling so good then and we were right in the middle of Hollywood Blvd. It was a great boost for the next 5-6 miles. After that point, I was feeling the heat and getting a bit nauseous. I was losing my mojo fast and not even listening to Weezer’s Beverly Hills song whilst running through Beverly Hills was working for me. I was trying to work through it and get back on track but then I started cramping. My right calf and toes cramped up and I had to pull over and stretch for a bit. After that, it was just a matter of moving forward and not stopping. I knew I was nowhere near finishing at my goal time. From there, it was a very slow 6 miles with lots of walking and stopping to stretch. I was feeling defeated and the tears were starting to flow freely. Around mile 23 I started to dig deep. No more feeling sorry for myself, I had to finish. I picked up the pace as best I could and cried some more. Then I told myself I would not slow down or walk the last 2 miles. Thank goodness they were downhill miles! Finally, I turned the corner and was on Ocean Drive. I could see the finish line. It took me FOREVE to get to the finish line, but I didn’t stop “running” or maybe a better term would be trotting or shuffling! I have never felt more relieved in my life than when I crossed that finish line. More tears. I still had about 2 blocks to walk to find my peeps, but when I did see them well, you know, more tears and there may have even been some sobs. The first thing I said was, “Don’t ever let me do that again”.
Yup, ugly crying was in full effect.
I gotta say the people of LA rock!!! Seriously, I cannot get over how many spectators were out there cheering us on. The streets were always lined up with people, not just volunteers, but folks from the communities we ran through. They cheered, they handed out snacks from orange slices to ice pops to pretzels. I especially enjoyed seeing the “vasaline” poster boards. Yup, there were globs of vasaline all over poster boards so runners could just grab and dab where needed. It was pretty warm, so some people were handing out wet paper towels, others were spraying runners with water, and even better yet there were some water hydrants open to run through! The people of LA hold a special place in my heart. The support was beyond anything I’ve ever seen or had at any race! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
And to Students Run L.A., I send you all a virtual hug and high five! This organization is amazing. I didn’t know anything about them prior to seeing them on Sunday. They all wore matching neon yellow tank tops and were everywhere. You couldn’t miss them. Seeing these 12,000 or so kids from 7th-12th grade out there running and giving it their all was so inspiring. At mile 18, a kid about 14 years old patted me on the back while my calf was cramping and said, you got this! Well, you guessed it, more tears. I googled Students Run L.A. when I got home and here’s part of their mission statement, “to challenge at-risk secondary students to experience the benefits of goal-setting, character development, adult mentoring and improved health by providing them with a truly life-changing experience: The training for and completion of the Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon.” Each year, more than 95% of the students who start the marathon, finish the full 26.2 mile course. In June 2015, 99% of the 740 seniors who completed the LA Marathon with SRLA graduated from high school, and 95% of them planned to go to college. This organization and it’s volunteers are doing some worthwhile work. Congrats and kudos to them!
Once I calmed down and stopped crying, I sat down for a bit. Then we continued our walk to the Santa Monica Pier and grabbed some food at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. After my burger and beer, we walked down the pier so the kids could ride a ride before heading back to our condo in Hollywood. We were all too tired to go out to eat dinner like we had originally planned, so we ordered some chinese food, popped open our celebratory bottle of Perrier Jouet and called it a day!
It’s way too soon for me to say if I’ll ever run another marathon. I may be ok with one and done. But, I gotta say, if there was one marathon for me, it was this one. The L.A. Marathon delivered on it’s promise of a fun, mostly flat and downhill course. The support on the course was unmatched and the people were the best! If you want to run a marathon, run the L.A. Marathon.
While we still have a few days left in January, I thought I’d finally share my goals and plans for this new year. On January 1st a good friend of mine held a Vision Board Party. We talked about what worked and what didn’t for 2015. We discussed our goals and dreams for 2016 and then put together our vision boards to go along with these goals. Mine is hanging in my office, so I can see it everyday and not lose focus of what I intend on working on for this year.
As I mentioned in my Year in Review post, 2015 was full of ups and downs and we went through a lot. A lot of my plans and goals for last year ended up being put on hold and on the back burner. Well, here we are in 2016 and I am ready to RECLAIM those goals and take on some new ones. I intend on taking on 2016 with lots more determination and hard work than ever before.
A big running goal to start the year has been to run the LA Marathon. Training for this race has really been kicking my butt and it’s taken up a lot of my time. It has definitely been a challenge. I actually have my last long run of 21 miles on Monday and then I taper for the race, which is on Feb. 14. I’m super nervous and excited about meeting this goal! 26.2 miles here I come.
I’ve got lots of business goals and plans that I am working on and have started to put in place. I’ll be working on rebranding my photography business, which means new marketing materials, updated portfolio, etc. Fun Times for sure to reclaim my business and get back on track! I need to make money to pay for all my races 😉
A personal goal I have for myself is to focus more on my style. I work from home, I workout, and that’s most of my week. I never have anything to wear when it’s time to go out for a nice dinner or anywhere else that’s not they gym, really! Shopping is a chore for me. I really do not enjoy it at all. So, my goal for 2016 is to figure out a way to enjoy shopping for clothes and shoes that are not fitness related. I have no problem spending $100+ on running shoes. $12 for a pair of Injingi socks, no problem! My favorite running bra is about $60. Now ask me to spend more than $30 on a top and I hesitate! This is gonna be a tough one, but i think it’s important for me to find some balance in this aspect of my life and to reclaim my fashion sense!
Lastly, now that both of my kiddos are in full-day school (YAY!!!!) I have a lot more time to focus. This has been a blessing and a challenge. Time management has never been my strongest attribute, so I fully intend on working on that this year. Since I mostly work from home, I’m putting together a schedule for myself so I can have ample time to reclaim all the pieces that make up my days: motherhood, housekeeping, workflow, and fitness.
How about you? What are your goals for 2016? Is there anything you’re looking forward to?
Here we are just 6 days into January and lots of people are complaining on social media with “funny” memes about how packed the gym is in January. Yes, they are most definitely correct. The gym will be busier than usual at the beginning of the new year. We’re all making goals and resolutions and just about everyone has some sort of goal to do with their physique. Wether its to lose weight, gain muscle, or tone up, the goal usually leads them to the gym.
But, rather than hating on the new folks, let’s remember what it was like to walk into a gym for the first time. For me, it was terrifying. Walking into that first Body Pump class, I felt everyone was staring at me. I didn’t know what I was doing. I felt frumpy and alone. I didn’t dare make eye contact for fear of being sneered at. I’d like to think that most of these fears were all in my head, but I’ll never know.
What I do know, is that it doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t want to be the reason why someone doesn’t reach their fitness goals. Remember, you were once a newbie too. So, rather than complain, why not be welcoming. Why not be the reason someone does reach their fitness goals. Just a little welcoming smile or a few seconds to lend a helping hand could make the difference. That gesture could be what makes someone, who like me was terrified walking in, feel a little bit better about their decision.
If you’re new to a gym, don’t feel bad about it. Own it. Sure, you may not know how to use all the machines, but neither did they when they first started going. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad for showing up. Better yet, prove them wrong. Show up again and again and again. Before you know it, you’ll no longer be the newbie and you’ll be the one offering a lending hand or friendly smile.
For those of us who have been going all year let’s try this: See someone who’s looking at a machine with doubt, give them a quick tutorial. The girl next to you at Body Pump looks scared, give her a reassuring smile. Not only will you be helping them, you’ll also feel so much better about yourself 🙂
It's a Messy Life 