Tag: brooks running

Ventura Half Marathon | Race Recap

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 

Preparing for the LA Marathon

For the past 12 weeks, I’ve been training for my first marathon, the L.A. Marathon and it’s finally (almost) time to go out there and see what I’m made of.  I’ve been a bit of a mess this week.  I’m really excited and anxious to get out there and get it done.  But, at the same time I’m nervous and of course, I’m questioning my training.  I skipped a few runs and didn’t make it to the long run of 21 miles that I wanted reach.  At this point, though, all I can do is trust that I can finish strong because not finishing is not an option.  

Aside from getting myself mentally prepared to tackle 26.2 miles, there’s actually a lot of “stuff” needed for race day.  Here’s a quick list of what it’s going to take for me to get out there on Sunday.

And now it’s time for me to get a little bit mushy.  I am seriously awed by all the amazing people in my life.  From encouraging messages to waking up at 4am to run with me, I am so grateful to everyone who’s been with me through these crazy training weeks.  My hubby and kiddos who never doubt that I can do this.  My sister who is coming to L.A. to cheer me on, I may or may not have guilted her into it 😉 I just couldn’t do this on my own, that’s for sure. Thank you so much!  I’ll be thinking of ya’ll big time while running through the streets of LA on Sunday! XO 

Wild Land Fire Awareness Trail Half Marathon | Red Rock Canyon

I ran the Wild Land Fire Awareness Trail 5K last year and although it was not a great race for me, I kinda left wanting to do the half marathon.  So, when registration opened up for this year’s race, I signed up right away!  I have done 5K, 10K, and 12K trail races before but this would be my first trail half marathon.  I was both nervous and scared.  My training was pretty sporadic and I didn’t really stick to my running schedule like I should have.  Also, I really wanted to do more specific hill training, but yea, that didn’t happen either.  I did get some good runs in and had quite a few long trail runs beforehand, so I knew I would finish, just wasn’t too sure of my time.  I ended up giving myself the goal of 3 hours.  

Of course, I hardly slept the night before the race.  This happens to me all the time and I wish I had better sleeping techniques I could use.  Any suggestions?  Fortunately, I didn’t feel terribly tired in the morning and we were able to get everyone ready and gather our stuff (that we’d set up the day before) and head out the door with little drama.

Just like last year, everything seemed to go smoothly at the start line.  I chatted with a few running friends, took photos with my family, and then it was time to go!  The first half of the course was pretty brutal.  The inclines were no joke and there were some pretty technical parts with huge rocks we had to get up.  I walked up most of the inclines and was wishing I hadn’t skipped that hill training!  About halfway through the race, my family found me right before an aid station.  It was so nice to see the kiddos running towards me and having Jason help me refill my hydration pack with ice and water.  It definitely gave me a nice boost, plus I knew I was getting close to some downhill trails after seeing them 🙂 The rest of the race went well.  I picked up speed on the downhill and walked a bit more of the uphill.  I started to feel my calf cramping and I was happy I had put some mustard packets in my pack.  I took them and it helped to not get a full-on cramp.  I’m not sure why I started cramping, but I’m thinking it was a few factors.  Primarily all the uphill climbing, but I also didn’t wear my compression socks and I always wear them for long runs, especially half marathons.  Plus, it was really hot out there that morning!

Again, it was so awesome seeing my kiddos cheering me on as I approached the finish line.  My son came up and ran alongside me for a bit, which really helped me push the pain aside and finish strong!  I didn’t meet my goal of 3 hours, but I was still happy with my time of 3 hours 12 minutes.  Just gives me something to aim towards for the next one 😉 

This was my last race until the fall.  I’m kinda sad not to have something coming up soon, but I’ll use these summer months to continue training and focusing on my goals.  How about you?  Any races scheduled for the summer? What’s your next event?  

 

Happy National Running Day 2015 | 10 Ways Running Changed My Life

In the past 3 years, I’ve learned to love such foods as cauliflower “rice”, brussels sprouts, beets, and almond milk.  I eat greek yogurt like it’s going out of style! I’ve learned how to do burpees, Bulgarian split squats, and deadlifts.  I am the proud owner of a pull-up bar, foam roller, and yoga mat.  

I’ve also found a love of running that I never thought possible.  Running is a great cardiovascular exercise and great calorie burner.  But for me running has become more than that.  Running pushes me to try harder and reach new goals.  Running keeps me motivated and signing up for races is a sure way for me to keep at it!  Running has an amazing community of people.  Running can help me clear my mind on crazy days and will just about always put me in a good mood.  So, today in honor of National Running Day, I thought I’d share a few fun ways running has changed my life:

1.  I spend more money on running shoes than heels.  

2.  I’m always hungry.      

3.  I wake up earlier on the weekends to go on long runs than I do during the week.

4.   I plan vacations around races.

5.  I’m kinda obsessed with compression socks. 

6.  I don’t take selfies, I take feetsies.

7.  I have more running shorts than jeans.

8.  I don’t just drink, I hydrate 😉 

9.  Food is now called fuel.

10.  The only watch I own is a Garmin.

BONUS: I get some pretty rad tan lines! 

How about you?  Do you love running?  Running isn’t for everyone and as with all things, it’s best to do what you love , but don’t be afraid of running.  Don’t give up on running because you’ve told yourself you’ve never been good at it or because you can’t run fast, or because you tried it once and it was hard.  Yes, running is hard, we aren’t all fast, and we are definitely not all good at it all the time.  But, the key is consistency and just giving it a try.  Get out there today and celebrate running.  Celebrate the fact that you can run.  Run for those who can’t today.  You may end up loving it.  

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!
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!  

Virtual 10K and Spartan Trifecta Training Update

Just 17 more days until we head to Temecula, CA and I take on the Spartan Beast & Spartan Sprint!  I’m still really nervous about, not only getting my butt kicked during the 12+ mile Beast course, but doing it again during the Sprint.  I keep reminding myself that my hubby will running along with me during the Sprint and he’ll be a huge help for me over walls and such! Plus, after 12+ miles, the 5K Sprint shouldn’t be so bad right? 

Either way, I have amped up my training and have been really focusing on endurance & upper body strength training.  This past weekend, I put my training to the test.  I ran the Moms Run This Town Summer Safari virtual 10K with some other amazing ladies Saturday morning.  We started at 6am, knowing that it was going to be a pretty hot day.  We met at a local park with a nice paved running trail.  The run was great and totally non competitive.  We ran together at a nice pace, chatting it up!  I forgot how much I enjoy running with a group.  I’m so used to running alone that it was definitely a nice change and I really need to remember do it more often.  This was also race 11 of 14 for 2014!

After the 10K, I went over to an LVAC gym nearby for a nice stretch, shower, and snack before meeting up with 2 other amazing ladies from my facebook running group and we headed up to Mount Charleston for Camp Rhino‘s Elevation/Spartan training at 11am.  This was an awesome 2 hour workout that really pushed me.  It was tough and brutal at times, but so rewarding!  Getting to the top of that ski slope after carrying up a sandbag and then pulling a tire up the slope felt unbelievable.  Literally ever muscle in my body was being used.  My legs and arms were burning and sweat was just dripping off of me.  Once at the top of the slope, we could take the ski lift down or walk/run back down the very steep slope.  Let’s just say, I conquered my fear of heights this day and got on that chair.  I was scared and nervous, but the view and rest were totally worth it!  

Once I got home, I had my Skoop recovery protein shake (review on that coming up tomorrow!). I stretched and took a nice warm epsom salts bath.  Surprisingly, I didn’t feel too tired or sore.  I figured it was the adrenaline still running through me, but when I woke up on Sunday morning, I really wasn’t as sore as I thought I would be and I made it to Sunday morning’s 90 minute Camp Rhino boot camp!  I’m glad I survived this weekend!  I figured it would be a good test on where I was physically and endurance wise.  I think I did pretty good and even doubled up on boot camp classes on Monday!  Putting my body through these tests is definitely helping build up my strength, but also my confidence.  Whatever happens during my crazy Spartan weekend, I’ll know that I trained hard and gave it my best.  

A Couple that Runs Together, Stays Together

I am so proud of Jason for running his first half marathon (Bryce Canyon Half Marathon) with me earlier this month.  He trained hard and it totally paid off.  He finished strong and more importantly we finished together.  It was pretty amazing.  

Our 18 year wedding anniversary is coming up and it got me thinking about how we do so many things together and enjoy lots of the same things too and I think this makes for a happy marriage, it really does! 

When I started this “fitness journey” Jason was so supportive and understood that in order for it to work it had to be a lifestyle change.  He knew that eating healthy and exercising wasn’t just about me, but about the whole family.  He not only stood by me, he joined me.  We’ve been having so much fun running races and participating in obstacle course races together.  Not only is it better for our health, it’s been better for our marriage and our family life.  Having a spouse support you in following your dreams and cheering you on is so important!

Running is such a metaphor for marriage.  It’s about staying beside each other even if you know you can go faster, it’s knowing when to take the lead or slow down a bit.  Jason’s helped me up dozens of walls and obstacles, he’s literally carried me on his back, he’s encouraged me to not give up.  Jason has been to every race of mine either, cheering me on or running besides me.  No matter what life throws our way, I know we’ll be able to deal with it.  Together.  Our marriage is one big fun crazy adventure and I love it more and more each year.  

What are some things you and your spouse do together to keep your marriage strong?  

Last Week of Half Marathon Training

Just 4 more days until my second half marathon and the hub’s first!  I’m super excited about it and so proud of all his hard work with training.  Having both of us training for a half marathon at the same time had it’s challenges with scheduling and kiddos, but we’ve made it work and I can’t wait to get out there together.  I don’t think we’ve ran together this whole time we’ve been training, crazy huh?!? 

I’ll definitely be taking it easy these next 4 days.  I did my last long run yesterday and my knees are bothering me.  I’ve been out of my glucosamine for about 2 weeks or so and I know my knees are missing it!  It’s also unusually humid for Vegas and I don’t think that’s helping either.  So, I’ll be resting, icing, and using some KT Tape on my knees until Saturday 😉

Not only am I looking forward to running the half marathon, I’m looking forward to getting away with my family for a few days and exploring Bryce Canyon together.  It’ll be a much needed getaway for us.  This summer has been crazy busy so far with year-round school, swimming lessons, basketball, and gymnastics, on top of working and training for the half marathon! Yup, much needed time away from Vegas and the daily grind!  

Oh I almost forgot, I got a new Nathan hydration vest!  I’m loving it so far.  I never really loved my belt and had been considering a vest for awhile now. I ended up choosing the Nathan’s Intensity Hydration Vest for women and I just love how I have access to everything I’ll need at arms reach.  I plan to write a full review after the half marathon so stay tuned 😉