Las Vegas Spartan Super | Race Recap

Spartan Races are some of my favorite races ever! I’ve done more Spartan Races than any other race, with a total of 9 races – 2 Beasts, 4 Supers, and 3 Sprints! I love the Spartan Races because although they are challenging and tough, there is a great spirit of camaraderie and fun too! And you can’t beat that feeling of accomplishment when you conquer obstacles you trained so hard for. Plus: free beer at the finish!

I hadn’t planned on running the Las Vegas Spartan Super this year because I’m a wimp. The race was scheduled to be at the same location as last year and the course was super sandy and I remember how much I did not enjoy trying to run 4 miles or so in sand. But, when a friend of a friend found out she couldn’t run it just 2 weeks before race day, I jumped on the opportunity to have her race deferred to me! I couldn’t resist. The 8 + miles wouldn’t be a problem because I’ve been training for the Zion Half Marathon coming up April 1st. The obstacles and sand however, were a whole other story! Although I knew I couldn’t get myself in top shape in just 2 weeks and I knew my upper body strength was nowhere it had been, I didn’t think it would be so hard. But, yikes did I struggle! It was especially sad to struggle on obstacles that I don’t normally struggle with. I had a lot of help from my teammates and fellow racer on course. Like I said, all that help and support from fellow Spartans is what makes me love this race series! My teammates and I finished strong and for 3 of the 5 of us, it was their first Spartan Race ever. Seeing my friend conquer obstacles she didn’t think she could was so awesome and really made that race special for me!

This race was such a wake up call for me. Like I said, I finished the race and I had a ton of fun running it but deep down I know I can perform better. So, what do you do when you don’t run your best race? You literally wash off the mud and sign up for another one! In my case, you sign up for the Spartan Beast + Sprint coming up in October in Big Bear Lake, CA and aim to get that Trifecta one more time. Let the training begin! AROO!

Have you ever ran a Spartan Race or OCR? What’s your favorite race series?

Pinot’s Palette | Parent’s Night Out

This past Saturday the hubs and I went out for a fun painting date night with some friends at Pinot’s Palette at Boca Park in Summerlin. I received 4 complimentary classes to check out Pinot’s Palette in exchange for writing about my experience but, all opinions are my own. Pinot’s Palette is a franchise paint and sip studio with locations all over the country. There are 2 locations in Las Vegas, with a 3rd location opening at Town Square on April 7, 2017 (more on that later). All 3 Las Vegas locations are owned by local husband and wife team Reed and Judy Alewel. I love being able to support local businesses here in Las Vegas!

Jason is a much better painter than I am, so I was a bit nervous that our “fun” date night would end up in frustration on my part. But, thankfully, it was nothing but fun! The studio at Boca Park is pretty spacious. As soon as we walked in we were shown to our table, which was already set up for us with everything we’d need. Since it was our first time there, we were given a quick run down as to where everything was, the aprons, bathrooms, purse cubbies, and most importantly the bar 😉

One thing I really liked about Pinot’s Palatte is that we were allowed to bring in our snacks, so we took some cheese, fruit, and crackers to enjoy while painting and sipping wine. We purchased a bottle of wine at the bar to share and then it was time to get started!

Our instructor had great energy and kept the atmosphere relaxed and casual. He gave us clear, step-by-step instructions throughout the 2 hours we were painting. He pointed out which brushes to use, how much paint to use when blending, and tips on how to get the look we were going for. There was also an assistant walking around the room answering questions and giving us more paints if needed, etc. She was awesome and came by to help us with our paintings when we kinda messed up what we were doing (oopsy!) They were both super supportive and encouraging as they came around and looked at our pictures. The painting instructor even took the time to help out my friend when she thought she’d really messed up her painting. He explained and demonstrated how to fix it and then let her do the rest. I also liked that there was music playing while we painted, which kept the atmosphere lively.

Half way through the class we had a 10 minute intermission to let the paint dry before moving on to the next section. It was a good time to take a break and stretch! The instructor took the time to share some news about upcoming classes, their facebook contest, and to give info on booking a party there too. I think this would be a great idea for a bridal or baby shower! They also host kid parties, which I would love to do for the kiddos! How fun would that be? And the best part is there’s no clean up for parents afterwards!

Like I said, it took about 2 hours or so to complete our paintings. The whole class then took their works of art to the stage for a group photo. They also took photos while we painted to post on their facebook page! We had such a great time during the class. We laughed, chatted, and got to take home our finished masterpieces. It was definitely a nice change from netflix and wine on the couch 🙂

To celebrate the opening of their 3rd location at Town Square, Pinot’s Palette is hosting a Grand Opening celebration on Friday, April 7 and Saturday, April 8. The upscale wine and painting experience is partnering with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for a weekend of giving back to the community while patrons fulfill the Pinot’s Palette motto of “Paint. Drink. Have Fun.” Supporters can sign up for either of the two-hour 7 p.m. classes on Friday or Saturday for $39, with 100 percent of the painting proceeds to be donated to St. Jude. Guests interested in signing up for Friday’s class can register online atwww.pinotspalette.com/townsquare/event/147378 and Saturday’s class registration is available at www.pinotspalette.com/townsquare/event/153747.

I would definitely recommend checking out their classes and what better way to have a fun night out and do good than by going to their Grand Opening Celebration. Have you ever gone to a paint and sip studio? What are your thoughts on the experience?

Rock N Blog Team 2017

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:

Who’s ready to join me? How about a discount code to help convince you? Use code RNB15 to get $15 off your half or full marathon registration!

Our Trip to Peru: Sacred Valley, Cusco, and Lima Days 5-7

Waking up the next morning after getting to cross off one of your major bucket list items sure does feel good. However, waking up after walking for miles up and down uneven stone steps made by the Incas hundreds of years ago sure does hurt too! Jason and I were so ridiculously sore the next day we were pretty much waddling instead of walking. Not only were we sore, we were so sun burnt! Our bodies were tired and weary but we still had one more thing to see before we left the Sacred Valley and that was the Archaeological Park in Ollantaytambo, the town we were staying in.

I will be completely honest here and say that we didn’t spend as much time here as we originally anticipated. We were seriously beat so we cut it short and found ourselves a colectivo and got our ride back to Cusco. We got dropped off at a plaza not too far from our hotel, but we were so tired, we got ourselves lost – seriously going up and down the same street the hotel was on! We needed naps. After we settled into our room and rested a bit, we had to go back out for our last night in Cusco and grab a few souvenirs for family and say goodbye to this amazing city.

Next morning we were refreshed and ready to fly out to Lima and spend the day exploring Peru’s capital city. Avianca Airlines, however, thought we might enjoy spending most of our day at the airport instead! Our domestic flight was delayed and we didn’t leave Cusco for about 4 hours later. Nobody was happy about the situation, but I was just glad we didn’t have to catch our flight home that day.

Once we finally made it to Lima, we got an Uber and made our way to our hotel in the Mira Flores district. At this point, it was mid afternoon and we didn’t have much time for sight seeing. We ended up checking in to our hotel and simply grabbing some appetizers and drinks at a restaurant in the nearby Larcomar Shopping Center. The shopping center was right on a cliff overlooking the water and had tons of American stores, like Gap, Victorias Secret, and restaurants like Chilis. It felt like we were at an outdoor mall in Miami! We walked around there a bit after we ate and then walked some more around town. We ate at a Chinese restaurant, which is popular in Peru and called Chifa, fusing both Peruvian and Chinese ingredients and traditions.

We arranged an Uber to take us to the airport the next morning and off we were to make our way back home. At this point, we were pretty exhausted from all the traveling and ready to sleep in our beds and enjoy the first world comforts we take for granted, such as clean water and toilet paper!

Thanks for sticking around and ready all about our adventures in Peru! In the coming months I plan on sharing a few useful tips on planning your own Peruvian trip, like the best time to see Machu Picchu, transportation, and must-haves. Let me know if there’s something specific you’d like me to share and I’ll be sure to do so!

The best greeting from our little one when we got home!

Our Trip to Peru: Machu Picchu Day 4

After 3 flights and a bus trip, the day we’d been waiting for was finally here. But…not quite. We still had a train ride across the valley and then a bus trip up the mountain before we got to see Machu Picchu. We had purchased the first train out of Ollantaytambo so it was another early day for us. Our hotel was a little less than a mile from the train station, so we just walked there. It was a nice & quick downhill walk 🙂

The train ride was perfect. We booked the Vista Dome on PeruRail and it offered some really great views along the way. They also provided drinks (coffee, tea, water, juice) and a snack ( it was a sweet quinoa pastry). It all helped pass the time nicely. As soon as we got to Aguas Calientes, or I believe now they are calling it Machu Picchu Pueblo, it was time to get our bus ticket. There was a long line for the busses already when we got there and it was not moving quickly. We assumed this was the line for the tickets but then we realized that was a different line. OOPSY! So, I just stayed in that line while Jason went to the ticket booth to get the actual tickets. Our little mistake saved us about 30 minutes, though 😉

I was nervous that I would get motion sickness on the bus, but we got lucky and were the first ones on the bus so we picked seats right in front and I got the window seat too. The ride is about half an hour or so and it is straight up and up these narrow switchback roads. I only looked down once and it was enough to make my stomach drop, so I just looked straight ahead and hoped this wasn’t our driver’s first day! Finally we make it up to the entrance and there’s not much to see but more tourists. I knew there were no restrooms once passed the gate to Mach Picchu so I made sure to go! Another tip, make sure you take your passport, not only will you need it to get in to the citadel along with your tickets, there’s also a stand where you can stamp your passport with a souvenir MP stamp 🙂 BONUS!! Last minute, I decided to purchased a small book with a map highlighting the sights and giving tid bits about the various sections to Machu Picchu. It was just the right amount of information for us without being overwhelming.

As soon as we handed the guard our tickets I started to get super excited. Once we passed the turnstile and walked through the walkway it was like a curtain had been lifted and we found ourselves in another time, albeit there were a lot of other people who were transported along with us it but did not take away from that initial feeling of awe. Of course, I am not one for big crowds and I’m not gonna lie, it was starting to have a Disneyland-crowded feeling quickly.

But, I had a plan for this too. I’d read most of the tourists were there early and would probably be leaving around lunchtime and I was counting on this to enjoy the grounds a little bit more peacefully. So, my plan was to go on a small hike to the Inca Bridge as soon as we got there to allow for the majority of the tour groups to be on their way. It worked out perfectly. We took our time getting to the bridge and enjoyed the views. I got a little nervous as we got closer and I could see how close to the edge of the mountain we really were and how high up we were. I really held on tight to the cable along the narrowest part to get close to the bridge! EEK!

My plan worked out perfectly and once we made our way back to the main part of Machu Picchu it was noticeably less crowded and we began our own tour. I think we spent over 4 hours walking around the Incan citadel and can honestly say we saw just about everything! While planning our trip, I could not convince Jason to take the 3 day Inca trail to Machu Picch, so we decided we would walk back down the mountain back to Machu Picchu Pueblo. I had downloaded a map of the trail beforehand and we were able to see parts of the trail on our bus ride up so we were confident we’d be ok. The hike down was amazing, but really really hard, especially after already walking around for hours all day. It was literally stairs and stairs going straight down and when we were finally off the mountain, we still had another mile to get to town! By the time we got to the town, we were exhausted, starving, and dirty!

We found a restaurant with good reviews on Trip Advisor (love this site) and went in for dinner. I was so happy I packed a big comfy sweater in my bag, along with a rain jacket I never needed. I also changed my shirt and freshened up as best I could. Just having that change of shirt felt amazing! After a lovely meal, we walked around the town checking out the souvenir shops. The whole town is built for tourists, so it’s full of restaurants, bars, and souvenir shops. It’s not very authentic, but it helped pass the time. We booked the last train back to Ollantaytambo and still had awhile before departure, but we just couldn’t keep walking around so, we went to the train station and sat there waiting and talking until it was time to board. It felt so good to sit! Our train back was the Expedition, which is was pretty no-frills and I was so glad we paid the extra money for the Vista Dome on our way there. However, we rested and even fell asleep on the ride before we made it back. We were so ready to take showers, and sleep when we got there but those quaint narrow cobblestone streets felt creepy in the cold empty darkness. I don’t know where Jason and I found the energy but we trekked up that hill and to our hotel! That hot shower felt so good after our crazy busy day. We packed so much into this day but it was so worth it and I would do it all over again! Ok…maybe I would arrange a car to pick us up from the train station at night instead of walking 😉

Be sure to come back next week where we’ll share our last day in the Sacred Valley and our adventure getting back to Lima and if you missed the other recaps, here are the links: Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3 !

Our Trip to Peru: Sacred Valley Day 3

By day 3 of our trip we were feeling great! We did find ourselves way more winded than usual after a few flights of steps due to the higher elevation, but other than that we didn’t suffer from altitude sickness. We got up early to check out of our room in Cusco and make our way to the Sacred Valley. We knew we wanted to find a colectivo to take us all the way to our hotel in the Sacred Valley’s small town of Ollantaytambo. A colectivo is basically a hired van that fits about 10-12 passengers (it won’t leave until it’s full) and makes a few stops along it’s route. The cost for a colectivo is significantly less than a private car. The only problem was that everything I read was super vague about where to find them, although they all suggested and recommended them. During dinner the night before we asked where to go to catch a colectivo and were given two cross streets that were about a 10 minute walk from our hotel.

So, Saturday morning we took off in that direction. Not really knowing what we’d find, I was hoping for a sort of bus staging area or even a bus station. Boy was I wrong! First off, the walk took way longer than 10 minutes with our big backpacks and steep streets. Then, when found the cross-streets there was no actual sign or building, just a bunch of vans and cars parked alongside the road, so we assumed we were in the right area. Either the drivers or their assistants were walking up and down the sidewalks asking you to come with them, where were you going, practically taking our backpacks off our backs to get us on their vehicle and not the next guys. It was very overwhelming for me and I speak fluent Spanish. I can’t image how it must feel if you don’t speak the language. So, just be prepared to be bombarded by drivers! We found a van that wasn’t full yet, ensured the negotiated rate, and sat inside. We got 2 seats that were together and by a window, YAY! It didn’t take long to fill the van and off we went. Most were locals from Cusco traveling to the Sacred Valley, but there were a few other tourists like us.

Once we made it to the town, we dropped off our luggage, found a place to eat in the small plaza, then it was off to find another van to drive us to the sights. Again, we didn’t know exactly how we’d find a driver, as we weren’t part of any actual “tour group”. But, drivers could figure out we were looking for a car, so they mostly came to us to try to negotiate a rate. This is how we found our driver for the day. He was looking for 2-4 other passengers to fill his van. We negotiated our rate (always negotiate beforehand) and off we went for our adventure through the Sacred Valley. We shared the van with 2 other guys and along our stops picked up another person. Keep in mind that doing it this way, saves you money but it is not a tour and the driver is not a tour guide! He takes you to your stop, parks, and we settle on a time to come back to meet up at the van and go to the next stop. Totally no frills and this is how we like. We aren’t big on waking with big groups of strangers and following someone around. We prefer to do our research beforehand and have the freedom to go explore the sights ourselves. If you want a tour guide, you can definitely make arrangements in Cusco or in the towns of the Sacred Valley.

Our first stop was the ruins of Moray just outside the village of Maras. This place was so impressive! There are several terraced circular depressions, the largest is about 98 ft deep. Although the exact purpose of the site is unknown, like most Incan ruins, it’s believed to have been a sort of agricultural test lab. Due to the circular shape and depth of the terraces, they could study who different temperatures, wind, and sun direction, affected the crops and they were even able to create various types of potatoes!

Our second stop was the Salineras de Maras, salt mines located along the slopes of Qaqawiñay mountain. There are nearly 3,000 salt pans, shallow pools that are filled by a hypersaline underground spring. It is believed these salt mines have been around since before Incan times and are still active and hand-harvested by local families to this day. We even saw some men tending to their plot. This was my favorite from all the sites we saw in the Sacred Valley and of course, we brought some salts with us! I loved that we could walk on the edge and get up close to the pans, careful not to disturb them of course 🙂

The next stop was at a local artisan shop where we learned how the alpaca wool was cleaned, dyed, and turned into beautiful blankets and scarves using ancient techniques. I’m sure the ones we purchased were not made this way, of course! But they were still beautiful and made great souvenirs to bring back home.

Our final stop was to Chinchero, a small town with more ancient ruins, terraces, and a adobe church built by the Spaniards in the 1600s. As you can imagine, by this point we were exhausted from our long day of traveling and sight-seeing! The views from the hillside were beautiful, but we were pretty much done! After grabbing some snacks from a vendor, we made our way to find a bus to take us back to Ollantaytambo. And so began another adventure in public transportation! The sun was about to set, we were cranky, hungry, and tired at this point and just wanted to get back to town to rest. We managed to figure out which bus to get on, but it only was taking us as far as Urubamba, from there we had to figure out what to do. By the time we arrived at the bus station it was dark and we weren’t sure what to do. I asked and was pointed to the side of the station I needed to be in to catch a bus to Ollantaytambo. We ended up in a small van cramped with too many people. We were the only tourists in the van but we didn’t care. The ride took a lot longer due to the many stops along the way but we finally made it and couldn’t have been happier for the fresh air!

Once we were back in Ollantaytambo we found a small restaurant for dinner and enjoyed a nice! After we picked up some waters and snacks for Machu Picchu the next day, then took some much needed showers back in our room and got to bed! I was so excited to finally be heading to Machu Picchu the next day. Stay tuned….

In case you missed it, here are Day 1 + Day 2 recaps!

Our Trip to Peru: Cusco Day 2

Our second day in Cusco was jam packed. The day was unseasonably warm and sunny! We actually had amazing weather the entire week we were there, no rain at all! Considering we went during rainy season, we really made out great!

After breakfast, which was provided by the hotel, we went out to purchase our Beleto Turistico. It’s basically like a CityPass here in the states. You pay one fee and it includes admission for a lot of the archeological sites and attractions in and around Cusco and the Sacred Valley. Once we got our ticket we started our walk to Sacsayhuama citadel. It was not a very long walk, maybe about a mile from the city center, but it was a very steep walk uphill and there were lots of stairs. Thank goodness for coca leaves, which helped with the altitude sickness!

Once there we were greeted by the impressive Incan construction and massive walls! It was also here we stalked some poor llamas for selfies and I even got to hold a baby llama – cuteness overload!!! *Be sure to tip the women with the llamas for the photo 🙂

After a couple of hours at Sacsayhuama we took a taxi to Tambomachay, another archeological Inca site. This one was not as impressive as the fortress of Sacsayhuama but it had interesting water ducts and waterfalls. More of the impressive Incan architecture. We were pretty hot, hungry, and tired at this point so we took a local bus (quite the adventure!) back into Cusco. Unfortunately, we got off too early and ended up walking a lot more than we expected and maybe got a little bit lost but we found our way back to our hotel thanks to the awesome app CityMaps2Go. This app was super helpful during our entire trip. You can download the maps ahead of time, so it’ll work even without an internet connection. WIN!!

After lunch we went back to our hotel room to rest up and freshen up for the evening. We walked around and did some shopping, visited the Coricancha museum and then got kicked off the grass. But, not before we took our selfie 🙂

After that and a stop at Starbucks, we grabbed a bite to eat and then made our way to the Museo Del Pisco Bar. We tried a variety of piscos, which to my surpise are made from grapes like wine, but taste more like tequila! There was a live band playing everything from Bob Marley to local Peruvian songs. It was such a perfect way to end our night! I didn’t want to leave, but we had to get up early the next day to make our way to the Sacred Valley. We’re getting closer to the main part of our trip: Machu Picchu!

In case you missed it, here’s Day 1 of our adventure!

Our Trip to Peru: Cusco Day 1

Back in November of 2016, Jason and I took an epic trip to Peru as part of our 20th wedding anniversary celebration (our anniversary is Aug 28th). The trip was pretty impromptu for me, as I like to plan way ahead and we only had about 4 months to plan once we decided to go for it! Visiting Machu Picchu had been on my bucket list for a few years now, so when Jason suggested we take a trip there instead of remodeling the bathroom, he did not have to ask me twice! Planning a trip to South America definitely had it’s challenges and there were plenty of things we just had to figure out once we got there. But with doing tons of research, some major planning, and with tips from a friend who had recently gone, we were able to plan a great trip!

I’ve been wanting to blog about this trip for a long time now, but I’ve had a hard time figuring out how to get started. There is SOOO much I want to share, from all the planning that was involved, tips for altitude sickness, to how and what we packed! Ultimately though I’ve decided to begin by breaking it down into 5 parts, each highlighting the main areas we visited in Peru: Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Machu Piccho, and Lima. This way the posts won’t be too long and boring. Plus, I plan to share more details as mentioned above in a later series with tips and tricks for traveling to Peru, but for now, here is part 1 of our Peru adventure: Cusco Day 1!

It’s important to note that there are no direct International flights into Cusco. We flew out on a Wednesday from Las Vegas to Lima, with a layover in Dallas and then took a domestic flight into Cusco. I knew I didn’t want to spend too much time in Lima, so I planned our flight out of Lima just a few hours from our arrival. We had plenty of time to grab our luggage, take a bathroom break, purchase some water and snacks, then head on over to the departure gate. We took the short 1 hour flight and arrived in Cusco early morning (local time) on Thursday. Knowing that we would be tired from a full day of traveling and that we would have to work on acclimating to the higher elevation, we took it easy this first day. The original plan was to purchase our train tickets from PeruRail for Machu Picchu at the airport when we arrived in Cusco, but their computers were down so, we had to go to their office at the main plaza in Cusco. We took a taxi from the airport and dropped off our luggage at our hotel, since it was too early to check in when we arrived. Since I already had our entrance tickets for Mach Picchu for that Sunday,I was anxious to ensure I had our train tickets securely purchased for the date and times we needed. Can see why I was anxious?!?

Here's the hubs at the entrance to our hotel when we arrived at Cusco. I loved the courtyard and we had the cutest room! — Here’s the hubs at the entrance to our hotel when we arrived at Cusco. I loved the courtyard and we had the cutest room!

On our way from the airport to our hotel, we noticed a lot of traffic. Although traffic is common in Cusco, this was more than usual and our driver explained that streets were being closed off for a sort of parade. Turns out, the primary schools of the entire town were out and students were dressed in traditional Peruvian dance costumes and were lining up on the streets waiting for their turn to perform in the main plaza, Plaza de Armas, for their graduation. The party-like atmosphere was a great welcome to Cusco and we just loved the bright colors and music! I was still pretty anxious though, so I couldn’t enjoy it too much until we finally made it to the office and we purchased the tickets. We’d spotted a Starbucks in the plaza (the only one in the city) that promised WiFi so clearly that was our next stop! We got some much needed coffees and enjoyed the scenery from the second story window. At this point, with our train seats secure on the date and times we wanted, I felt like the vacation was finally beginning.

Not a bad view from Starbucks, huh?

We ate lunch at a highly recommended sandwich shop called Pankracio and then made it back to our hotel to freshen up, take a nap, and get ready for dinner. We walked around and checked out some artisan shops and took in the sights before making our way to the dinner restaurant. Again, we based our dinner choice off of a recommendation, Marcelo Batata, and again it did not disappoint. Jason chose to be adventurous and ate alpaca steak (YOLO) I stuck to foods I knew, like empanadas and salad. The food and service were delicious and I had my first pisco sour of many more to come!

After dinner, we went to our room to rest up! We had a busy day and although we prepared as best we could for the altitude sickness, we both got slight headaches and felt super tired! We knew rest is what we needed because I had lots planned for the days ahead. Our next day in Cusco will consist of getting up close and personal with llamas, checking out Sacsayhuama (pronounced Sexy Woman), getting slightly lost, and drinking more pisco sours. Don’t miss it!

Have you been to Peru or any other country in South America? What’s your favorite memory from there?

Bristlecone Events Groundhog Day 5K Community Run

Earlier this month the kiddos and I woke up early, drove to the other side of town and ran Bristlecone Events Groundhog Day 5K Community Run! I’m part of a running group on Facebook and one of the members was offering free registrations for this upcoming event and of course, I was all for it! Free Race, count me in!

Bristelcone Events is a new racing company in Las Vegas and they’ll be putting some new and fun events this year. The cool thing about their community race series, is that they are only $15 and although they don’t have tshrits and medals at the finish, they’re still fun, community oriented, and organized. They also provide a water station and treats at the end 🙂

This was Diego’s first 5K and he did so great. He took off at the starting line and Elysse and I never caught up! The race was 3 loops with 1 aid station. Jason was waiting at the aid station and cheered us on at each lap. Since Diego was running ahead, I stayed with Elysse and ran alongside her. She started off super excited but about halfway through our first lap, she started to get tired. I’ll admit she got a little whiny and started complaining. It was hard to keep positive with her complaining, but I tried to motivate her as we ran and walked.

Diego finished strong about 5 or so minutes before us and he was so pumped! I think he may have experienced his first runner’s high!!! He went on and on about how much he loved it and how good he was feeling. I was a proud momma 🙂

We’re already looking into doing another family 5K run together and hopefully Jason will join us next time 😉

Have you ever ran a 5K together as a family? What’s been your favorite race?

4 Tips for Getting Kids Active

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 🙂