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.

2015 The Year for Finding Balance

I’ve been on this “fitness journey” for almost 3 years now. Like all these stories go, I was tired of being overweight and sluggish. I’m not saying my life was terrible and depressing, far from it! I was enjoying life, with maybe a little too much indulgence 😉 One day it just clicked. I needed to do something about my weight. So, in February of 2012, I joined a gym. One of the scariest things I’ve ever done is walk into a Body Pump class alone. But, as embarrassed and unprepared as I was, I kept going. I also started running and the weight started to come off. Slowly. Since Feb. 2012 and into the first part of 2013, it was all about the weight loss. It took 15 months or so, but I lost 30 + lbs. and I was feeling great! I was sure I would meet my goal to lose 50 lbs by the end of 2013. Well, it didn’t happen. I ran my 1st Tough Mudder in April of 2013 and I became hooked on obstacle course racing and running. I ran 6 races in 2013 and I couldn’t get enough! I blogged about 2013 being the year of the races. Never in a million years would I have said that crawling through mud and barbed wire, climbing over 6 ft walls, and running 13.1 miles would be my idea of fun. My friends didn’t recognize me. I was a changed person. Changed for the better. I was training hard and eating good, maybe too good! Hence, I didn’t lose the weight. I gained some, actually. My trainer says it’s muscle, I’m pretending I believe her 😉

Well, here came 2014 and I stumbled on a challenge to run 14 races in 2014. I was so on that. I’m running my 14th race today, but more on that later. All of this year I’ve been focused even more on running and training and getting stronger. I ran another half marathon, I did 2 Spartan races, 1 Tough Mudder, some trail races, and fun 5Ks. It’s been a very active year, but again, my weight has not changed. I’ll admit, it’s even gone up. I’m not happy about that. Sure, I feel stronger, but a part of me still knows that I’ve been totally slacking lately when it comes to making good food choices. I’ve let myself become overindulgent again, allowing way more “cheat meals” than necessary. I’ve tried to fool myself into believing that I’m “maintaining” but the truth is, I feel myself going down a path I don’t want to go down again. So, after thinking a lot about my fitness goals for 2015, I’ve decided to call this “The Year of Balance”. I want to focus on eating healthy again. I want this extra weight to come down. I no longer have a magic number that I want to reach on my scale (we broke up) or a must-have pant size. No, I am no longer going to allow myself to be hung up on a number. I know what I want my body to look like and that’s the goal I’m setting. Of course, I’m still going to be running in races and obstacle courses, they keep me focused and give me something to work towards. Plus, it’s fun 🙂 I just won’t be using my races and training as free passes anymore. No more, “It’s OK to eat this or that, I’m running 6 miles tomorrow.” Or “I’m carbing up!” OR “Good thing I work out” as I stuff the doritos in my mouth! Yeah, it’s time to be accountable for my eating habits and my results. It’s time to for balance.

Of course, I’ll be sharing lots more on goals and reaching this balance in the next few posts and throughout the year in my monthly goals blog posts. I will also be sharing my racing schedule for 2015 soon. Now, I’d love to hear about your goals for 2015 and how you intend on reaching them!

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5 Tips for Running in the Morning | Motivational Monday

I am not a morning person. I’ve ignored my 6am alarm more times than I care to admit. I’m not a night owl either. I can rock 10am like it’s nobody’s business, though! I have a flexible schedule and can get away with mid-day workouts at the gym and when the weather is just right, I can go for a mid-morning or early afternoon run. Unfortunately, even with a flexible schedule, sometimes it’s just best to get your workout done and over with first thing in the morning, then you can focus on the rest of your day without interruption for a mid-day sweat fest. An early morning run also guarantees it gets done. I’ve had plenty of days when I had every intention of working out or going for a run mid-morning, but then life happens and my workout doesn’t.

Take today for example, I ignored the 6am alarm clock. I told myself I’d go run at the indoor track at the gym this afternoon, but then my 9 year old woke up sick and didn’t go to school. Now, I’m left trying to figure out when I’ll get to run today and it most likely won’t be the 5 miles I was planning. How I wish I’d just sucked it up and gone for my run this morning. I know I would have felt great afterwards. And that’s just it, while I’m fighting with myself to get out of bed, I need to remember how good it feels when it’s done! I’m determined to make early morning runs part of my routine, especially since I’m considering running the Hoover Dam Half Marathon in December! So, I’ve come up with a plan to help me and those of you who also struggle getting out of bed in the mornings to prepare for early morning runs.

Set out your clothes & gear the night before. We’ve all heard this before, but I think it really does help. Not only does it save you time in the morning, but by going through the motions of setting it all up beforehand you are making a commitment to yourself that you will get up!
Go to bed early. Here’s another given. If you want to wake up early, you have to go to bed earlier than usual. Plan an earlier bed time and make it happen.
Visualization. Visualizing yourself running your route is a good way to keep motivated. It especially helps to visualize the end of the run and how you feel when it’s done.
Make Plans. Whether you make plans to run with a friend or a running group, having that accountability will always get me out of bed!
Suck it up buttercup! No whining, no complaining, just get up and go for it. Because, when it’s done, you’ll feel amazing!

Do you have any tips or tricks for getting your morning runs done? Feel free to share them in the comments below! Thanks 🙂

I am Enough | Dealing with Self Doubt

Some days I walk into the gym and feeling like a total badass. I feel amazing, like I’m in my happy place. I walk in feeling Comfortable and confident that I belong there. I’m working hard and this place, this gym, is helping me reach my goals. And then. And then, there are days where I walk in feeling like its the first day of freshman year in high school and I can’t find homeroom and I don’t know how to open my locker. I look around me and see only young girls with flat abs, hair & makeup done, and of course wearing a matching Lululemon outfit! I look down at my shorts and top that do not match, I can feel my hair already starting to frizz, and well, let’s just say there are no abs of steel here! I’d love to say that I shake off those feelings and go on with my workout and kill it, but I’d be lying. The truth is, those feelings of anxiety, self doubt, and pity linger on during my workout and beyond. I begin to question everything I’m doing. Am I working out enough? Should I change my diet? Why am I not seeing results fast enough? Should I lift more? Should I add more cardio? And on and on and on. If it’s really bad, I’ll even compare my progress with others. I know this is ridiculous, but when you’re feeling down, it’s hard to think logically.

What makes me snap out of it? How do I get back to feeling like myself again? It’s tough, that’s for sure. It’s hard to just say “enough!” and move on, but that’s what it takes. I just have to say, “Enough of this nonsense, I am enough” and believe it. The believing, that’s the hard part. Believe I’m good enough, believing I’m working hard enough, believing in the process. Yes, it’s tough, but I’m tougher. And so are you! The next time you start feeling down on yourself or worrying that you aren’t doing enough, just remember where you started. I think back at the habits I had before and compare it to the habits I have now. Sure, I have my days where I don’t feel like a rock star, days I’d rather lay in bed and not workout, days I wish I could eat the whole pan of brownies, but they’re only days. They aren’t my life. Moments of weakness don’t define who I am. They don’t make me turn back to who I was before. A moment of weakness are just that, a moment, a very brief period of time. We all have our “moments”, but it’s important to keep them brief because we can’t let a bad moment change the progress we’re making.

So, the next time I walk into the gym and see the 20-somthing girl with booty shorts and crop top walking confidently around the gym, I take a deep breathe (yea, I’m sucking it in) and think of how my body has given me 2 healthy beautiful children. I think about how my body has carried me through 30-something years of life. I think of how my body can take so much more than I thought it could. I think about everything I’ve accomplished so far and I feel proud of who I am. And then, I hold my head up high and I exhale. I am enough.

Have you ever felt this way? How do you deal with feelings of self doubt?

Chasing Dreams I Didn’t Know I Had…..

I heard/read this saying somewhere a few weeks ago and it’s really stayed with me. I don’t even remember where I heard it or in what context, but it resonates with me in so many ways. “Chasing dreams I didn’t even know I had” is right about where I am right now. Yesterday I posted a “Transformation Tuesday” photo on Instagram as part of the monthly #grinderglamchallenge (a fun fitness based photo challenge) I participate in. You can read more about it on Leti’s blog HERE, she founded the challenge a year ago and it’s grown into an awesome community! I’m so happy for her and I don’t even know her personally. But whenever we do meet in person, I’m gonna give her a big hug 🙂

So, back to the photo. The response I got was so amazing. So many people liked it and commented about how proud they were & how happy they were for me. It was awesome and made me feel good. Thanks everyone for the support & encouragement! Here’s the photo:

Looking back at who I was then and who I am now, it’s hard to recognize the old me. I don’t even mean physically. Yes, losing 30 +/- lbs. hasn’t been easy. It was hard work with lots of ups and downs. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into! I just needed to lose weight. That was all I knew. But, in the process of trying to lose the weight and get healthy I found a passion I didn’t know I had. I signed up for races and had a blast doing them, especially obstacle course racing. Ummm…excuse me but I had no idea what obstacle course races were 2 years ago, nonetheless think that I would ever sign up for one willingly and enjoy it!! I’m giving myself challenges and goals to reach that I didn’t even know I wanted. I’m running, climbing over 8 ft. walls, crawling under barbed wire, jumping into ice cold water, and loving every minute of it.

I’m currently reading Spartan Up by Joe De Sena, the founder of Spartan Race and so much of what the book says about pushing yourself beyond what you thought you could do is so true. You will find courage you didn’t know you had, strength you thought wasn’t there because we are capable of so much more than we think. Overcoming obstacles in a race is so much like overcoming them in real life. You reach a wall, you find a way to go over it. You forget your fear of heights and you go for it. You may need some help, but you make it over the wall. You don’t let the wall beat you. These are all great metaphors for life too.

Right now, I’m dreaming of a stronger me. A me that will run a half marathon faster than the last one. A me that will conquer the Spartan Beast & Spartan Sprint in one weekend and live to tell about it. Am I scared? You better believe it. But I want that trifecta medal more than I am afraid of those obstacles. It’s that fear that drives me to be better. I can’t quit, so I need to train harder than ever before! Yeah, I’ll be tired, bruised, sore, and who knows what else, but I’ll come out more alive than ever before! Honestly, I am happy with how far I’ve come and I’m ready to push myself even harder to reach those dreams I didn’t know I had! Chasing these goal, these dreams, keeps me focused. It makes me a better person both inside and out and I like that.

So, what dreams are you chasing? I’d love to hear about them!

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 🙂

Virtual Coffee Date

My son is home sick from school again today and I gotta tell you, I’m getting a little bit of cabin fever. So, I started to think about how nice it is to meet with a friend over coffee and just chit chat and since I can’t really do that today, how about you humor me and pretend we’re on a coffee date together! Here goes…

If we were on a coffee date, we’d be meeting at one of the few independent coffee shops in town. Nothing against Starbucks, but it’s nice to support local businesses! I’d probably order the biggest caramel macchiato or chia latte they offered. I’d be super thrilled if they offered almond or coconut milk!! How about you, what would you order on our coffee date?

We’d sit on some cool oversized chairs, I’d put my feet up and get comfy. We’d have a cute little table in front of us, but I probably won’t put my coffee down the whole time! I’d ask how things were going with you? Then of course, I’d tell you about how germs aren’t leaving my house and it seems we’ve all been sick way too often this winter and ask if you had any remedies?

If we were on a coffee date, I’d tell you about my 14 races in 2014 goal and ask if you thought I was crazy for doing the Super Spartan and Tough Mudder in the same month? Then, I’d ask if you’d like to join me on one of my races? Running or doing an obstacle course race with a friend is a lot more fun!

If we were on a real coffee date, I’d probably vent a little bit about how my kiddos, ages 8 and 5, are fighting like crazy and I don’t know what else to do about it. I’m kinda scared to think what life will be like when they are teenagers! Yikes….hey, I’d probably ask if you had any tips for this too?

If we were on a coffee date, I’d listen to you vent about whatever was on your mind and offer whatever advice I could. I’d tell you to follow your dreams and passions. I’d tell you that you are awesome and amazing! We’d laugh about our problems and make plans for the future. I’d thank you for meeting me for coffee and how we must do it again soon! We’d leave our coffee date feeling refreshed and hopeful and fully caffeinated!

ps. If we were on a coffee date, I’d probably invite you to join me at the gym or for a run 😉