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!

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?

Terrain Racing 5K | Our First Family Mud Run

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!

Race 14 of 2014 | Changing of the Year 5K

I am such a procrastinator! I seriously waited until the last day of 2014 to complete my 14th race. Not only that, I didn’t even register for the race until the day before. Honestly, I’m not usually this bad at procrastinating. With the Spartan Sprint being postponed in Temecula in September, it throw off my schedule. My last race should have been Trails of Glory. So, I was stuck trying to figure out how and when to add a race to an already very busy end of the year schedule. I was going to settle for doing a virtual 5K, but I honestly don’t love “virtuals” so I held off. Finally, it was down to the wire and I had to find something. Like I said, Dec. 30th I finally signed up for the Changing of the Year 5K put on by Jus Running. It’s held at the historic Floyd Lamb Park in Las Vegas. It’s a nice park with lakes and pathways, so it made for a pretty location for sure.

I am not a cold weather runner. I live in Vegas and we have pretty mild winters, plus if it’s cold I run inside or change up my workout! I’m a bit of a chicken when it comes to the cold. So, I was pretty nervous about the weather for the race, since all week the forecast was for snow! Brrrrrrrr!! I ended up purchasing a pair of fleece lined leggings and a beanie to cover my ears. The rest of the stuff I already had and layered!

On race day, we did have some flurries in the morning by my house, but the temps rose to upper 30s and the wind calmed down by the time the race started at 4pm too! My family came with me to the race, they too were bundled up. I did feel kinda bad for them because I knew that once I got running, I’d warm up, but they were just going to be waiting for me at the finish line. They didn’t even complain about the cold. I love them so much for always supporting me. My children and husband are just too good to me! I also met a few runners before the race from my facebook running group, so that was super nice! It’s always great to actually meet people you interact with only on social media.

Here I am with Emily, from Our Knight Life blog and my little Elysse!

I am not a huge fan of 5Ks because it usually takes me about 2 miles to warm up and find my running groove. I’ve only ever done a few fun 5Ks with friends like the Color Run, Bubble Run, and some trail 5Ks. My time for the trail races was not so good and of course, we weren’t running for time on the fun ones! So, when the race started I wasn’t going for any PR, I just wanted to give it my best, push myself to take off faster than my usual pace, and see what happened. I forgot to take a whiz of my inhaler before the race started, so 3 minutes in or so, I pulled off to the side to take my puffs and move on. A little after mile 1, I saw the first person heading back to the finish and that’s when I realized how much I don’t like out & back courses. I can see all the faster runners coming back and it’s a little disheartening. It killed my spirit during the Wild Land Fire Awareness Trail 5K and I was starting to get that same feeling during this race, but I didn’t let it creep in. This was my race, not anyone else’s and I shook it off. I made it to the turn around and started to lose steam. The gap was getting wider between me and the small group I was behind. I’d also been having some calf pain all week and it was acting up. I slowed down a bit and even took a 10 second walking break before I took off running again. I knew I was close to the finish line and I really wanted to push myself to run faster. I saw my son at the sidelines and he started running alongside me. That was the best thing ever! And when I looked up a the timer and saw it was at 29 minutes, well that was just gravy! I ended with an official time of 00:29:24 with a pace of 09:28. I was 6th in my age group, 14th female, and 28th overall. Woohoo!! Not only did I finally get a sub 30, but my family was there with me cheering me on and supporting me. It’s such a great feeling to have your kiddos say they’re proud of you! I was so happy with how I ended my year of 14 races in 2014!

Wild Land Fire Awareness 5K Trail Run | Race 8 of 14

This race was organized by a local racing company here in Las Vegas, Desert Sky Adventures and hosted by Bureau of Land Management out in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. They offered both a 5K and a Half Marathon distance through some awesome trails! I absolutely love Red Rock Canyon. It’s a quick drive from my house and we love to go there for hikes with the kiddos and I’ve recently enjoyed running some of the trails, so running a race there was really a treat! It was put together nicely and it had that small race atmosphere I like.

For a FREE race, I cannot complain one bit. They sent out 2 emails before the race with all the race details on parking, water aid stations, etc. so communication was clear. I didn’t make it to Packet Pickup the day before but my friend who picked up our packets had no issues. We got a free tech tshirt, race bib, and some Smokey the Bear goodies in a drawstring bag 🙂 The morning of the race, everything went along smoothly. They were taking donations for families of firefighters who lost their lives while fighting wildland fires and had some pretty buff firefighters doing pushups when they received donations 😉 After the race, they had a table with bananas, oranges, muffins, water and gatorade. We also got a nice dog tag style metal at the finish. Yup, definitely a great local race!

Another great thing about this race was the sense of community. There were lots of runner friends from the running groups I’m a part of and it felt nice to have that camaraderie among the other runners. I’m not much of a social butterfly and well, I can be a bit awkward in social situations, so it’s nice to have a group of friendly like-minded people who don’t make me feel like an outsider! Thanks so much for that 🙂

I didn’t get much sleep the night before, I was on my feet all day photographing a wedding, I had a headache, and just felt BLAH!! Needless to say, it wasn’t my best race. I felt sluggish and tired. My legs felt like lead and I just couldn’t focus or find my groove. I was just happy I finished strong. When I signed up, I was sure I’d PR from my last 5K trail run, the Xterra Trail Race. I didn’t. I should’ve. I was disappointed. I ran with my husband and he did amazing! He PRed by over 7 minutes! He’d been working hard and it really paid off! I was so happy for him, but I just couldn’t shake the horrible feeling of failure I had. Then of course, I felt guilty for being selfish and not being more excited for him. But, I am so lucky to have such a wonderful man as my husband because he never gloated about his success and did everything he could to make me feel better. And I did eventually feel better. He gave me the space I needed to make peace with it and even made me a yummy post-race breakfast! Thanks babe! I love you!! Oh and I’m sure the TOMS shoe warehouse shopping & happy hour with girlfriends helped too 🙂

Race for the Cure 5K | Race 7 of 14 in 2014

Woohoo!! I am halfway through my goal of 14 races in 2014! I originally wasn’t planning on doing the Race for the Cure again this year, but when my sister called asking if I’d be interested in joining her work team and that they were paying for the registration fee I couldn’t pass up a free race! Being a big race with such a worthy cause, you know it was packed! The volunteers directing traffic and such did a great job and it wasn’t too difficult to get around. There were lots vendors passing out lots of free swag and samples and it really had the feel of a festival rather than a race.

The race itself went great! There were plenty of water stations throughout the course and it wasn’t too crowded once we moved past the starting line a bit. I ran the race with my sister in memory of our aunt and her mother-in-law who have passed away due to breast cancer and for our other aunts who have battled and survived breast cancer as well.

To learn more about the Komen Foundation and to find a Race for the Cure in your area, click HERE!

Xterra 5K Trail Run | Race 5 of 14 for 2014

So, how was your weekend? I hope it was fabulous! Mine started off really great celebrating my sister and brother-in-law’s 23rd wedding anniversary with a Japanese hibachi dinner on Friday night. Isn’t that wonderful, 23 years of marital bliss! Saturday we were up bright and early for the Xterra 5K Trail Run at Lake Las Vegas. I’m not a huge fan of 5Ks but since I’m trying to get 14 races in this year, I’m totally doing a few! I didn’t really train for this race. It was just a week after the Spartan Super and 2 weeks before Tough Mudder, so of course, post-race was all about Spartan Training, then I took 2 days off to recover. I only ran once the week before the race and it was just a fun 2 mile run/walk with my friend & my kiddos. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it wasn’t my best run! I really feel like I’m going to have to redeem myself on my next 5K trail run coming up next month! I placed 4th in my age group with a finish time of 38:25. I wish I would have pushed myself a little more, but it is what it is!

Before the race with our friends, Jessica & Geron. This was their first official race ever! So excited for them :) — Before the race with our friends, Jessica & Geron. This was their first official race ever! So excited for them 🙂

As far as the race itself, it was good. It wasn’t a huge race and everything went smoothly from on-site packet pickup to the course markers & volunteers. I had been told it wasn’t a true trail run and after doing the run, I can see why. We started off in a parking lot at the resort then ran the first mile through a golf course. The second mile was mostly uphill through the undeveloped area of Lake Las Vegas then back down to finish the last mile and a half through the resort and golf course. I’m assuming the longer distances of 10k and 21K were mostly trails. The post-race area was great. They had the usual post-race goodies of bananas, muffins, bagels, grapes, and orange slices, along with water and gatorade. I also really liked that they printed out our results on-site!

Post-race with my hubby! I love that he'll be running a few races with me this year!! It makes running that much more fun :) — Post-race with my hubby! I love that he’ll be running a few races with me this year!! It makes running that much more fun 🙂

Did you have a race this weekend? I’d love to hear how it went for you!

Las Vegas Rock N Roll Kick Off 5K Run | Race 3 of 14 for 2014

Last night I went out and ran a great little 5K to kick off opening registration for the Las Vegas Rock N Roll Marathon hosted at one of my favorite running stores, Red Rock Running Company at The District. It was a nice time and although I was a little nervous being there alone, I did meet a friend from the running group I’m in on facebook, Moms Run this Town. She also introduced me to some other fabulous running ladies! It’s always great meeting new fun folks! I must take a moment and just give props to the running community. I am fairly new to running (heck, I’m fairly new to exercise in general!) but I gotta give it to runners, they are one friendly group of people! Always welcoming and encouraging – even if we just met 15 minutes ago. I love that and I think that is one of the reasons I enjoy signing up for races and going on group runs. The camaraderie is great. Growing up, I never played sports or participated in many group activities so I never really got to know what that felt like. Clearly, this explains a lot about my social awkwardness/anxiety issues! YIKES, this post is turning into a psychology lesson!

Ok back to running…this was a fairly small event but it was well put together. I was impressed that they even had an aid station midway with water and GU Energy Gel! I grabbed one to try later 😉 We also got a nice tshirt and they raffled off lots of prizes at the end. I won a Rock N Roll Marathon water bottle – WOOT WOOT! The grand prize was a free entry to the marathon. That would have been super!

Although I won’t be participating in the Rock N Roll marathon this year, it holds a special place in my heart as being my first ever half marathon. So many fun memories made that night and the months leading up to it! You can read all about the experience and check out some fun photos HERE!

What fun races have you been running this year? What do you love about the running community? Don’t be shy 🙂

Bubble Run Las Vegas | Race #2 of 14 for 2014

Last Saturday I ran the Bubble Run with a few friends and my 5 year old daughter! It was her first 5K and she just loved it. I knew people would be dressed in costumes, especially tutus and I explained this to her and asked if she’d like a fun outfit for the run. Her reply was this, “No way! I’m not wearing a tutu! I’m in it to win it!” Clearly, she has a bit of a competitive streak!!

We picked up our packet on Friday and since kids under 6 run free she didn’t get a tshirt or bib. Of course, they sold kid packets for $20 and I had to get her one. I’m so glad I did. The bib really made her feel legit and the goggles they provided worked great to keep the bubbles out of her eyes. Friday night, she could not fall asleep from the excitement, but had no problem getting up early for her ‘race’. She was ready for the fun to start.

It was so cute seeing her reaction at the starting line when the bubbles/foam started coming down! The race had a total of 4 different color bubble stations: pink, green, blue, and yellow. We did a bit of running and walking, but I think for a little 5 year old, Elysse did great and never complained about being tired. Every time she saw a bubble station she would start running and we ran all the way to the finish line. I was very proud of my little runner! After the run, they had a little area with a DJ and they were giving away prizes and of course, lots more bubbles! It was hard to get our little party animal out of the bubble pit!

Obviously, this wasn’t a timed race or anything too serious for me (believe me, I have enough of those coming up!) This race was just a fun time and a good way to encourage a healthy lifestyle for my kiddos. I want them to grow up feeling strong and healthy and having some positive experiences and fun memories being active! My 9 yr old didn’t want to do this one, but he’s all signed up for Saturday’s Jr. Spartan!

What are some fun things you and your family do to stay active and healthy? I’d love some more ideas, so feel free to share them in the comments below 🙂

2013 The Year of the Races

If you asked me last year where I thought I’d be at the end of 2013, this would definitely not be it!! I never dreamed I’d be sharing my personal ups and downs on this blog. I never imagined I’d sign up, nonetheless finish a half marathon. Yup, 2013 has been a life changer. I went from never participating in any sort of running/obstacle races to running 6 races in one year. It’s been an amazing journey and I couldn’t have done it without the support from family and friends, especially those who came out and ran alongside me! I used to dread working out and therefore rarely (read: NEVER) did it. I only ate “healthy” if I was on a “diet” and let’s be honest, fad diets aren’t healthy. They don’t last. Only a change in your lifestyle and your attitude is what makes the changes happen. The magic is in the commitment, not a pill.

I found that change in me by signing up for all these races/events. Signing up for these events has kept me on track with my exercise routine and eating habits. It’s given me a goal to reach and has made all the difference in my attitude towards working out and eating healthy. I can’t wait to see what 2014 will bring! So far we’re signed up for our second Tough Mudder in April and signing up for Blood, Sweat, and Beers 10K trail run in March. I really want to run a Ragnar Relay race and as soon as I learn to ride a bike (Yes, you read that right, I don’t know how to ride a bike!!) I want to do a sprint triathalon.

The Color Run 5K really introduced me to event racing. I had no idea what to expect, from the packet pickup to to the run itself, it was a great first experience!

After Color Run, I did Tough Mudder! I’d trained hard and really got into fitness during this time. I’ve said it time and time again, Tough Mudder changed my life!

The obstacle course race bug hit me hard and in May, I was ready for more! This time, it was a family affair and my sister, Norma, joined me for the Badass Dash 7K. The kiddos also participated in their first kid OCR and loved it!

Later in May, my sister and I, along with our friend, Veronica, did the Race for the Cure 5K with the LVAC team. This is a very important cause for us and our family and we were excited to have a part in raising awareness!

As most of you know, summers in Vegas are HOT! So, summer was spent vacationing and having fun with the kids with our Summer Bucket List. Towards the end of summer, I began training for the Rock N Roll Half Marathon!

I recently blogged about my first half marathon experience, if you missed it, you can check it out HERE! If you want the short version: It was by far one of the hardest and most amazing experiences I’ve had in my life!

Six days after the half marathon, I joined some of my book club girls for the Dirty Dash 5K and my son did the 1 miles Piglet Plunge! What a way to end a super fun year of races! You can read my review of that race, HERE.

I’d love to hear about your favorite races of 2013 and what you’re planning for 2014! Do you have any suggestions on races I should be looking into? Don’t be shy…