Let the Running Begin | Half Marathon Training

Back in September I entered a facebook contest to win a free race on Pace Per Mile‘s page. All you had to do was leave a comment on which race you’d like to win and one random person would be chosen. The only stipulation was that it had to be a race in 2014 or 2015 that was not sold out or was not a lottery. On a whim, because whoever really wins these things right, I wrote I’d love to win an entry for Walt Disney World’s Wine & Dine Half Marathon in November 2015. Jason and I had been talking about taking the kids to WDW in Florida in either 2015 or 2016, so Florida was on the brain.

Later that week, I got a message from Pace Per Mile, saying I’d won! WooHoo!! Once the initial excitement wore off, it was time to start planning our trip to Florida. This free race did not come with plane tickets for a family of 4 to fly cross country! Nor did it come with hotel stay, car rental, or park admission. We did have over a year to plan for it and well, now we are getting close – it’s just 4 months away!

We’re all super excited to be going to Florida. Not only will I be running the Wine and Dine Half Marathon, we also signed up the kids to run the 1 mile kid’s race earlier that day. Plus, Jason purchased a ticket to join me for the Finish Line Party! We’re really looking forward to some yummy food from Epcot’s Food & Wine festival and some of the attractions will also be open for the after party. I just hope I have the energy for it all. I’m pretty sure I’ll have the appetite for the food & wine, though 😉

Before I run the Wine & Dine Half in Walt Disney World, I’ll be running the Disneyland Half Marathon in September! While reading about RunDisney, I came across an article that talked about all the fun challenges they offered during their race weekends. The Coast to Coast challenge quickly caught my attention. Basically, you get the Coast to Coast medal when you run 2 Disney half marathons, one in Disneyland and one in Walt Disney World, in one calendar year. I knew that it was now or never, so I quickly figured out a way to get an entry for the Disneyland Half thanks to a friend!

Now guess what? In May, I ended up winning another half marathon registration via Enjoying the Course‘s blog giveaway. So now I’ll be running the Laughlin/Bullhead Half Marathon here in Nevada this December. Talk about a winning streak!

So, like the title of this post says, “Let the running begin!” I’ll be starting my half marathon training this week using one of the trusty Hal Higdon Training Programs. I’ve only used the Novice I and II programs, but I’m tempted to try out the Intermediate Training Program this time around. I ‘ll be running 3 half marathons in 4 months, with a Tough Mudder in between in October, so I’ll really be focusing on running! Who knows, maybe all this running will make me want to finally sign up for a marathon, maybe….

What races do you have planned for the fall? Have you ever ran a Disney race? I’d love some tips if you have them!

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?

Spartan Race | #WhyIRace

Spartan Race started a new campaign recently asking folks to share their story. Everyone has a story as to why they race. Below is my reason. I race for many reasons. I race to keep myself motivated in my fitness journey. I race to be a good role model for my kiddos. I race to push myself beyond my comfort zone. I race for those who can’t. I race to prove that I can. I race because it’s fun. But, mostly to be stronger than I was before.

I’ve never been athletic. Running was not something I did for fun. Running wasn’t something I did. Period. Finding this new passion in running and obstacle course racing has been an amazing addition to my life! It’s woken up a spark in me to be stronger, healthier, and better than I was before.

What’s your story? Why do you race? Share your story HERE!

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!

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?

Being Grateful for Friends and Family

We head off to Bryce Canyon tomorrow and, like I mentioned in my previous post, I’m really excited and hoping my knee doesn’t give me too much trouble on Saturday! All my races, thus far, have been local and I’m looking forward to a bit of a change in scenery and for cooler weather. Just really hoping it doesn’t rain on us 😉

This past Sunday, I had my last long run of 12 miles and I’ll admit it was a challenge. The sun was starting to burn layers off my skin & my knees were aching, but I finished. I didn’t give up, although I did consider it! Towards the end of the run, I reflected on all the support I’ve had throughout this journey and began to think of how lucky I am to have people who really care about me in my life. Especially, my family! Yes, I started crying on my run! Please tell me this has happened to you before or I’ll be super embarrassed…Yes, you have too?!? Ok, on with my post!

I am beyond grateful and appreciative to my husband for making my favorite post-run breakfast countless times. In case you’re wondering, it’s sweet potato & bacon hash with eggs over medium and avocado! I’m grateful that he’s joining me on this adventure and running races with me! He’s never once complained about me going to the gym or when I go out for a run and he stays with the kiddos! He’s always encouraging me and never doubts I can achieve my crazy goals, even when I do! I love that about him.

I am grateful for my kiddos for embracing this active and healthy lifestyle. They love talking about my races and going on runs with me. I love that they are involved and get excited about running their own races. I’ve never felt guilty about running or going to the gym because I know they appreciate it and it’s showing them that exercise is important and beneficial in our lives and that it can be fun!

I am grateful for my friends who have stuck with me in this crazy adventure! My friends who’ve come to watch me run or even better that have come out and ran some races with me! Thanks for trudging through the mud, running through bubbles, and jumping off planks with me! Woohoo!! My friends who have gladly watched my kiddos so Jason and I could run some trails or get some training at Camp Rhino! To my friends who listen to me talk about Paleo and upcoming races: Thanks for pretending not to be too bored with me 😉

I am grateful for my parents who also support me without end. Without their support (read: they watch my kids most of the time) I wouldn’t be able to do so much of what I do. They’re on a 3 month trip now and we are totally missing them!!

Lastly, I am grateful for sister. My #1 supporter, my BFF! We’ve ran 5Ks together. We’ve ran an obstacle course race together. She was there to watch me run my first 5K and she’s been there for most of my other races too. She’s the best race photographer and cheerleader!

When I signed up for this half marathon at Bryce Canyon, she said she was coming along too without being asked. She just knew she’d be there for me and I couldn’t be more grateful to her for that. I mean, who does that? Who says they’re going to take a 4 hr road trip to wake up at 6am to watch you run by for like 15 seconds? Only the best sister in the world, that’s who!

So really, I just want to say “Thanks” to all of you. I couldn’t be here following these crazy dreams of mine without you. You all mean the world to me! xo

I’ll be off the blog scene for a few days, but I’ll be back on Tuesday to tell you all about the Bryce Canyon Half! In the meantime, follow the fun on instagram @jessieemeric!

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 😉

My Half Marathon Bucket List

This past July I came up with my fitness bucket list. Basically, it’s got everything from running a half marathon to doing a pull up! I’ve made some progress and you can see my 6 month update HERE. I’m starting to enjoy running more and more and with my 14 in 2014 race challenge, I think I’m hooked! I keep seeing and hearing of all these fun races I’d love to do so I figured I should keep a list and what better place to keep it than on my blog 🙂

So, here are the top 5 half marathons (in no particular order) that I hope to do in the coming years:

Napa to Sonoma Half – Running and wine, need I say more?!?
Disney Princess Half Marathon – Disney puts on quite a few races throughout the year and they are all very popular. I chose the Princess Half because it’s in Florida and I’m dying to take the kids back to Walt Disney World and because the race is all within the WDW property, as opposed to Disneyland, where parts are ran through the city of Anaheim.
Nike Women’s Half Marathon – They have a race in Washington DC and San Francisco, but I think I’d prefer San Francisco, just because it’s on the west coast and thereby more feasible for me to travel there. Plus, you get an awesome Tiffany & Co. necklace at the finish!
Surf City Half Marathon – I love Southern California and I think it’d be great to run along 13.1 miles of the Pacific Coast Highway!
The Kaua’i Half Marathon – It’s been voted one of the top races to travel for! Maybe you won’t even notice the distance or humidity among the beautiful scenery 😉

BONUS RACES:

Ragnar Relay – This is just one of those races that sounds like it could be a lot of fun to do with a group of friends and would really push you!
Paris to Versailles 16K – I just love Paris and being able to run here would be a dream!!

I’d love to hear what races are on your bucket list! Or what amazing races you’ve ran so far!

Let the Training Begin | Bryce Canyon Half Marathon

This is the week. Week 1 of 12 weeks of half marathon training. There will be lots and lots of running in my future. I’m excited to try Hal Higdon’s Intermediate Half Marathon Training Schedule. I used his Novice Schedule for the Rock N Roll Half Marathon (my first half) and I think it went well. The training was totally do-able and hey, I finished the race, right? I decided on the intermediate schedule because I really want to work on my speed. I’d like to be a faster runner. I don’t have grandiose ideas of finishing in 1:30 or anything! My first half marathon this past November was with a time of 2:34. I wanted to finish in 2:30, but I was totally fine with my time. This year, I’d like to reach that 2:30 time or even beat it! I feel confident that I can do this mostly because the Bryce Canyon Half Marathon is mostly a downhill race 😉

What’s extra special about the Bryce Canyon Half Marathon & it’s training is that I’ll be running it alongside the hubs! Although he’s done some 10Ks, 5Ks, and of Tough Mudder with me, this will be his first half marathon! I couldn’t be more excited for him and for our upcoming 12 weeks of training. Logistically speaking, we won’t be training “together” but we’ll be able to push each other and hold ourselves accountable. Plus, there’s always that little bit of love & competitiveness that really pushes us to be the best we can and give it our al!

What’s your favorite half marathon training program? Have you ever ran a race with your spouse? Did you love it or hate it?

My Thoughts Before Spartan Super Las Vegas…

What did I get myself into!!! I’m really excited to be running the Spartan Super tomorrow in Las Vegas, especially more so since I won the entry via the awesome Confessions of a City Eater blog! With the excitement however, comes major knots in my stomach and feelings of doubt and nervousness. I’ve been training hard, but of course, I could always train harder. There are some obstacles that down right scare me and I really hope my team doesn’t leave me in the dust! Today is not the day for self doubt, however. Today is the day to get pumped up and ready to give it my all tomorrow. I’m putting my big girl panties on, along with my mega cool funky leggings my sister found for me at Khols. OH YEAH! You won’t miss me on the course with those cool things! I’m geared and ready to have a good time. Tonight, I’m gonna carb up with a nice big plate of pasta (not Paleo, it’s ok, I’m not 100% all the time). I’ll also be taking my own advice from my post, 7 Tips for Conquering Your Next Obstacle Course Race, and packing all the essentials! Here’s a bit of what I’ve got to look forward to tomorrow! AROO!!!