Race 1 of 14: Blood, Sweat, and Beers 10K Trail Run

I’ve been a little MIA from my blog and life in general! I have been consumed by WPPI, the Wedding & Portrait Photography Conference & Expo since Sunday! It’s been a whirl wind of non-stop activity for me and although the conference ends on Thursday, life will still be hectic for awhile. As a wedding photographer in Vegas, March-April, is our super busy wedding season. On top of that, I’ve got a ton of races coming up these next 2 months. I see a lot of coffee in my future. Don’t worry, though, I won’t be neglecting my blog just because life is gonna get a little messy (See what I did there?) I plan on blogging the whole messy journey 😉

Ok, so back to my blog post! I am so excited I finally ran my first race of 2014, Blood, Sweat, and Beers 10K. It was really nice to run with my husband too. It was his first official race, if you don’t count Tough Mudder, and I think he’s hooked too!

This race was organized by Desert Dash and they put on a great event! From packet pickup to the morning of the event, it was well organized and offered a sense of community. Everyone from the race directors to the volunteers were so friendly and informative. I noticed they also seem to focus on other local and small businesses, which as a small business owner myself, I think is awesome! Since this was my first trail run, I was a little nervous about what to expect at the event. But, once we got there, we noticed a real laid back, friendly environment and felt like we fit right in. They had a good variety of food and drinks before and after the event too. One of their sponsors is Island Boost, which I love! YAY!! Oh and of course there was beer and root beer from a local brewery, Joseph James Brewing Company.

They offer 5K, 10K. half marathon, 30K, and full marathon distances. Being our first trail run, the 10K was a perfect distance for us! We’d done some trail running to train for it, so we were prepared for it and we had a great time. The trail course was pretty brutal and challenging (that’s a good thing!). We ran 6.2 miles with a 750 ft of vertical climb. Those switchbacks are no joke! The markings along the course were clearly color coded and easy to follow.

I really enjoyed the experience and would totally recommend it to anyone who wants a challenging, but fun race! Just because this is a smaller local race, they do not skimp out on the goodies. You get a nice re-usable drawstring bag with some swag, along with a nice tech tee. The medal is super sweet too. Plus, if it’s your first race, you get to ring a bell and you get some additional bling! And who doesn’t love race bling!?!?

I was definitely sweaty, I drank my beer, but luckily, I have no blood to show at the end of the race :) — I was definitely sweaty, I drank my beer, but luckily, I have no blood to show at the end of the race 🙂

Running, Cheaper than Therapy | Is it?

I’m so excited to have started this blog earlier this year. It’s definitely helped keep me accountable and motivated in my journey to getting healthy & fit and I hope it’s helped some of you out there to stay motived in your own journeys too.

Getting into running races has been much more than just throwing on a pair of sneakers & running! Honestly, I’m not so sure the saying “Running is cheaper than therapy” is very accurate. I’ve had to make some financial adjustments to account for the race registrations, my never ending need for sports bras and running shorts, protein shakes, and running fuels! Then there’s the hydration belts, compression socks, headbands, and KT Tape! Yup, this running thing has not been cheap. But, I love this newfound hobby/obsession and I’m willing to make some changes for it.

I register for races because they keep me motivated and give me something to focus on. I run and workout because it makes me feel strong. It makes me feel happy. It’s something I do for myself and believe me, when you are a mom, wife, and business owner, doing things for yourself can often take the back burner. Who’s with me?

So, although running my not be cheap, it’s definitely better for me. I have more energy and it makes me feel good about myself. I am happier when I exercise and a happy mom makes for a happier family. I’m making a commitment to become a better person both inside and out and that is totally worth it for me. How about you? What’s your therapy?

5 Steps to a Good Run

“I am not a runner.” I told myself that all the time, mostly as an excuse to not run. I did a couple 5Ks and wasn’t really into it. I love obstacle course racing, mostly because you get to take breaks from running and jump over walls and trek through mud. And then, I signed up for my first half marathon. Yup. Me. The girl who doesn’t like to run. Go figure, huh?

Well, I’m in my 14th week of half marathon training and my long runs are up to 9 miles. The Rock N Roll Half Marathon is happening November 17th and I’m a little nervous, but super excited. So, do I have a newfound love for running? Yes and No. I love the feeling after a run. I love how I can see myself getting faster and it amazes me that I can actually run farther distances than I ever imagined! I don’t love the treadmill. I’ve learned that the first 3 miles are the hardest (maybe that’s why 5Ks aren’t for me). It takes me a while to warm up! I like how running clears my head. I may start thinking about my “to do” list, but soon my thoughts are simply about getting it done. I become my own cheerleader. I still sometimes dread the idea of going out there and running, however I’ve found a few things that help my runs go a lot better than ever before. I’m clearly no authority on running, but these are a few things that have helped me, as a novice, enjoy running. So, if you’re like me and were never a big fan of running, check out these 5 Steps to a Good Run and let me know if they help you! With the right attitude, everyone can an enjoy a good run, even if running isn’t your favorite 😉

5 Steps to a Good Run

1. A great playlist! I could not get through my runs without my running music. For me, this isn’t even the genre of music I listen to on a regular basis, but the fast beats help keep me going at a steady pace and the lyrics are entertaining and/or motivating. I start my playlist with a few warm up songs, then a few favorites towards the middle to keep me going, and finally I save the real pump-me-up songs towards the end to keep me from stopping! I’m really loving Titanium by David Guetta featuring Sia, Stronger by Kanye West, and Light Em Up by Fall Out Boy right now!

2. Water! You have no idea how many times I’d go for a run without water! I just didn’t like having to hold a bottle of water while I ran. It felt cumbersome, but then I’d be wishing I had some water when my throat was so dry and I started panting. Then, I learned about hydration belts, camel backs, and water packs. Running with water just got easier! And, I’ve got a place to hold my phone & asthma rescue inhaler too! There are lots of brands and styles out there, so try one out and find what works best for you. PS. you can find these at TJMaxx and Marshalls too for a fraction of the cost at a sports store 😉

This is what I currently use for all my runs!

But, I've got my eye on this one, maybe for shorter runs. — But, I’ve got my eye on this one, maybe for shorter runs.

3. Start Slow! Like I mentioned earlier, it takes a while for your body to warm up, so don’t feel like you have to start out at a super fast pace. Take a few moments before your run to figure out where you’ll start to increase your pace. For me, they are visual markers along my run, but it could easily be after 10 mins I’ll speed it up a bit or after 1 mile and so forth. The important thing, is to give your body the time it needs to warm up, otherwise you’ll get tired fast and will feel like quitting, believe me, I learned this the hard way!

4. Don’t Wear Cotton! Cotton tshirts were all I used to wear to the gym and for running. I was already wearing shorts or workout leggings, the last thing I wanted was to wear anything form fitting & show off the the muffin top! But, alas the t-shirts would get weighed down with sweat super fast. Yeah, pretty gross! I’d spend a lot of time adjusting my t-shirt so it wouldn’t stick to me. Yes, it was unflattering and uncomfortable. Sweaty t-shirts can also cause chafing under your armpits. Again, another thing I learned the hard way! This also goes for cotton yoga pants & undies! Grab yourself a few of those tech moisture-wicking shirts and thank me later 😉

Ps. I’ve found some that aren’t super form fitting either!

5. Track Your Runs! This is helpful for a few reasons. First, you’ll have an accurate detailed account of your run, such as distance, pace, and even average calories burned. Second, you’ll see how much better you’re getting! Tracking your progress is so important when running and working out in general. It really helps keep you motivated and proud of how far you’ve come. I just use the free RunKeeper app, but there are a ton of options out there!

BONUS TIPS: Don’t forget to do a quick warm up stretch before your run and a longer stretch afterwards. Check our Runner’s World for a ton of different stretching exercises for runners to find what works for you!

So, do you have any tips you’d like to share that help you with your running? Sharing is care 😉