I remember my first half marathon 2 years ago when I said, “I’ll never run a full marathon!” My cousin, who is a marathon runner, laughed at me and just said to me, “Never say never.” Well, here I am today announcing I have signed up for the L.A. Marathon on February 14, 2016. Who am I? I may have lost my mind!
The truth is, I have been itching to run a marathon and I’ve even said my goal was to run one before I turned 40. Now, it looks like I’ll be running it before my 39th birthday. I seriously started talking and looking into running a marathon for 2016 a few months ago. Jason (the hubs) told me to think about it right after I ran my latest half marathon, the Laughlin/Bullhead Half Marathon, earlier this month. Right after I finished that half marathon and I was enjoying the post-race festivities drinking my free beer, we talked about how I felt and what it would mean to run, basically the entire race again. Maybe it was the beer or the adrenalin from having just ran but I said that with a little more training, I think I could do it. Say what? Did I just convince myself and my husband that I could do this?!?
Now it was time to find a race. I was pretty sure I wanted an easy course. As if running 26.2 miles anywhere would be easy, right? I enjoy downhill, so the Mountains2Beach Marathon in May looked like a winner. However, after doing a bit more research, I found out that it’s an official Boston Marathon Qualifier. This meant that most of the runners were seriously fast runners. It also didn’t seem to have the fun party atmosphere I think I need to get me through 26.2 miles. On to the next race! I was interested in the St. George Marathon because it was close to home and it’s also a downhill race. However, the idea of it being a lottery and that I may not get chosen, didn’t appeal to me. Not for my first marathon. Then began the google searches for “best marathons for beginners” and “the most fun marathons”. This is how I came upon the L.A. Marathon. It seemed to have what I was looking for in terms of fun and crowd support. Although, there are some hills throughout the course, the last few miles are downhill and end at the beach. Plus, I’ll be running through all the famous landmarks including, Hollywood Blvd and Rodeo Drive! How cool is that?
I wasn’t too sure I had enough time to train, since it was just about 2 months away. But, I had just ran a half marathon so I felt like I was half way there. I took a look at Hal Higdon’s novice marathon training plan and wouldn’t you know it, if I started training that week, I’d be right on point. It was meant to be ❤ I signed up last week and have officially began my marathon training.
So, who’s done the L.A. Marathon before? Love it or hate it? Best thing about the race? Worst part of the course? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Any experienced marathon runners out there with any tips or suggestions on training? Anything!! Yea, I’m nervous and excited all at the same time! Here’s to starting 2016 with a bang! XO
Just looking at this gives me butterflies in my stomach!!
Woohoo!! I’m so happy to say, I finished my last race of the year strong! Per usual, I was nervous before this race. Again, I didn’t get all my training runs in and I was not feeling too confident about how I’d do. However, I was determined to have a great race, since Disney’s Wine & Dine was such a disappointment with it being cut short and all.
I won the race entry from an instagram giveaway from Clarinda over at Enjoying the Course. This was the inaugural race, so it was a small race in Laughlin, NV. I believe there were a little over 500 runners, including the 5K. I felt the race was well organized and managed. Packet pick-up was quick and easy. The tech shirt that was included in the race swag, was really nice and fit well. I love it when they have both ladies and mens sizes for shirts!
Jason and I left the kiddos with my parents to spend the night (Thanks Mom & Dad!) and we took off Friday afternoon to Laughlin. It’s about 1.5 hr away, not too bad of a drive, just a little boring. This was our first visit to Laughlin. It’s a small town right on the Colorado River and Arizona border. There are a few hotel and casinos along the river and an outlet mall along the main street, which is all we saw. I’m sure there are some nice hiking trails too and of course, in the summer there are lots of water activities on the river.
Our view from the hotel
Once we got to Laughlin, we went straight to race registration at the Colorado Belle Hotel & Casino. The Edgewater Hotel and the Colorado Belle Hotel were both race sponsors so they offered runners a really great (read: Cheap!) hotel rate for either of the two properties. I made the reservation for the Edgewater Hotel. At check-in, we were given a cute welcome gift from the race directors. I thought it was a very nice and personalized gesture 😉 After dinner, it was an early bedtime for us, as we had to be up early for my 7am race start.
The race was across the street from the hotel, so we just walked to the start line. I met up with 2 other runners I knew from a facebook running group and we took a quick photo before heading to the start line. It was a chilly morning, but I chose to run without a jacket, as I figured it would warm up as I started running. I’m glad I didn’t take the jacked, the weather temps were perfect. It was a bit windy for most of the race, but nothing too crazy. Once the race started, I was prepared for the big hill they warned us about at packet pickup. They weren’t joking, it was a steady uphill climb for the first 2 miles or so. But, what comes up must come down and that downhill felt great. I made up for the slow pace and took off. I was really enjoying the run and the view of the dam and mountains when we were directed left for the trail portion of the race. I enjoy trail running, so it was a nice change of pace. I’m assuming it was added to get the full 13.1. The trail section, was an out and back. I don’t particularly like, out and backs, but I knew it was not going to be for the entire race, so it wasn’t too bad. The trail was soft sand/gravel, so going uphill on that felt like forever! Once we were out of the desert trail, it was back to road running and another steady and steep uphill to cross the dam into Arizona. I took a quick break to stop and take a photo of the view at this point 😉
Thanks Emily for the photo! I sure was happy to be running down this trail!
When we got to our turn-around, I spotted Jason! We hadn’t planned a meeting spot along the course, so it was a very welcomed surprise! He ran along side me for a bit, then took off to meet me at the finish line. It was a quick run down the dam until it evened out at the river. It was nice running on the paved trail that went along the river. The views were a nice distraction from my aching feet. Once I crossed a bridge, it was a nice downhill run to the main street, where the end was so close! I hadn’t really been paying too much attention to my pace, but when I saw the clock at the finish, I gave it my all to barely come in under 2:30. My official time was 2:28. I was so happy with my time! I’m no speed lightning, but that course was pretty brutal and I was sure I was going to end up with a time of 2:45 or so. It had more ups and downs than I was expecting, but it kept it interesting and the downhill runs were my favorite.
I saw Jason soon after crossing the finish line and I even met Clarinda, whom I’d won the race from! YAY for meeting new runner friends 🙂 We got a free beer and a nice post-race snack tray, with a bagel, banana, orange slices, and granola bar. All and all, I really enjoyed this race. It had a little bit for everyone. Some trails, some challenging uphills, followed by fun downhills, pretty scenery, and a great atmosphere for a small grass-roots race. The race directors did a great job and I’m sure this will turn into an even more awesome race in the years to come!
Showing off my swag!!
So, how is your year coming to an end? Any fun races? Are you making plans for next year already? I know I am!
I’ve been thinking a lot about this post and how to approach it. I’ll just come out and say it, “I didn’t enjoy the Wine & Dine Half Marathon.” But, there were a lot of factors that went into it, so read on and you’ll see why it just wasn’t the race for me.
Just like the Disneyland Half, packet pickup was easy and very well organized. It was the same setup, grab your bib first then go to the expo to pick up your shirt. I really like the shirt. It’s a long sleeve dry wicking shirt. The expo was fine and my daughter and I picked up some matching running skirts 😉
I loved that the kids got to run their 1 mile races on Saturday morning. It was hot and muggy, but my kiddos gave it their all and I am so proud of them!
Now, on to the half marathon. I will admit that my head was not in it from the start. I stretched myself too thin and was running super late to dinner and then to get on the bus at Epcot. This was definitely not the way I wanted to start the race. I was so stressed out & exhausted by the time I got to Epcot to catch one of the busses transporting runners to ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, where the race was starting! I took the time on the bus to try to relax and get my mind back in the race and try to sum up some excitement from the other runners. Honestly, the late start time really made it rough for me.
The bus arrived to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at about 9pm. Once off the bus, I went straight to the porta-potty line. I noticed there were no runners in their corrals yet, but didn’t think much of it. I figured we’d all make our way soon. After about 10 minutes in line, it was my turn! YAY! As I came out though, I noticed the huge crowd of runners walking in the opposite direction from the corrals. Now, I was super confused! I asked what was going on and was told we were being evacuated indoors due to lightning in the area. Seriously!?! I gotta give it to us runners, there was no pushing or shoving. Everyone walked orderly towards either the HP Field House or Champion Stadium. I ended up at Champion Stadium, found a place to sit, and listened to runners predictions. Some said we wouldn’t run until at least midnight, others were certain the race would be canceled, while others felt we’d run at some point but the course would be shortened. This clearly did not help me get out of my running funk. I began to feel really down and was sure I’d start crying if they canceled the race. I worked so hard to get us to Florida so I could run this race and get my coast to coast medal!
Well, to make a long story short, the race directors gave us the all clear to run a modified course and by 11pm, we were back outside and to our corrals. They cut 6 miles from the race and what should have been a half marathon became a 10K. There were lots of disappointed runners, but Disney did what they had to do. Obviously, not everyone would be happy with any decision. By cutting the course, we were still able to run and get our medals, including my Coast to Coast medal, and still have enough time for the after-party at Epcot.
Although I was disappointed I didn’t get to run my full 13.1 miles, I think it was for the best. Not just for our safety, but my heart wasn’t into it at all by this point. I just wanted the run to be over and done with. It makes me sad to admit this, since I was so excited about this race a few months ago. I tried to run fast, but the heat and humidity made it difficult. I didn’t stop greet characters or take photos on the course. It was dark and hot, and did I mention, I wanted it to be done.
I didn’t particularly love the course and I don’t think the added 6 miles of Animal Kingdom and Osceola Parkway would have changed my mind. Due to the regular late start time of 10pm, the race didn’t have much in terms of spectators or entertainment. There were some bands on the course and everyone loved running through the Osborn Lights, but that was basically it. We ran through a lot of the back lots of Hollywood Studios and not much through Epcot, where we finished. I enjoyed running on the Disney Boardwalk, but would have enjoyed it much more during the day!
The changing area and line for the beer/wine that was included were orderly and organized. The volunteers rocked! The after-party was ok once we made our way to the World Showcase. It was crowded and there were long lines for some of the kiosks, but nothing that wasn’t expected. I enjoyed being able to have some alone time with the hubby at the Food & Wine festival and we even got to ride a few of the rides before the party was over. I can’t believe we made it till 4am, but I guess only running 7 miles instead of 13.1, gave me the energy to stay up all night!
This is what happens when you give someone your camera, blurry photo! LOL
Will I do another Disney race? Probably not. I most definitely will not do the Wine & Dine Half Marathon again. I’m not the biggest Disney fan (don’t hate!). I’m happy I got to experience 2 runDisney races and I really did love the Disneyland Half. I’m grateful I was able to travel for this race and that my kiddos were able to experience all four Walt Disney World theme parks. I’ll be blogging about our days visiting the theme parks throughout the next few days, so come back and check it out 😉
Have you ever ran a Disney race? Love it or hate it? Did you run the Wine & Dine this year? I’d love to hear what you thought! Leave a comment below. XO
Here I am, a little over a week after Tough Mudder and the scars are healing, bruises are starting to fade, and my face has already peeled from being sunburned. I guess you could say, recovery is going great 🙂
Tough Mudder was my first OCR (obstacle course race) in 2013 and it will always have a special place in my muddy heart! There was no Team Tough Cookies this year and neither Jason nor my sister could come to cheer me on because they both had to work that day. I jokingly told Jason, you know you’ve done too many races when no one comes to cheer you on 😦 But, it seriously turned out to be a great race and I had a blast! I teamed up with Britt, who I met at boot camp. This was her first Tough Mudder and she was really excited about it and had trained hard for it. Come Saturday morning, we were ready to take on the course and just have a good time. When we got to the race, we met up with my pal, Eve, and she ended up running the course with us too! Our other friend, Kelly, was there supporting another team but she cheered us on too and took photos for us along the course, which was a really nice surprise.
Here we are ready to get started!
Tough Mudder promised there would be mud in Las Vegas and they did not disappoint. There was tons of mud! It was that creamy, soft mud that looks like pudding or frosting! At least, that’s what it LOOKS like, but don’t be fooled because once you’re all up in it, it does NOT smell or taste like chocolate frosting at all! Take my word for it 😉
It took us about 3 hours to complete the 10 miles and 20 obstacles. We were in the 3rd group to go out so the course wasn’t crowded and we didn’t have any real bottlenecking at the obstacles which was great! My teammates and I were determined to try every obstacle and we all gave it our best. I failed at only 2 obstacles, the Funky Monkey and King of Swingers. Honestly, those are 2 I didn’t really try. I knew I wouldn’t make it far on the monkey bars, I mean, someone had to give me a boost up just to reach the first bar! I felt bad for not trying and seriously was ready to do my 30 penalty burpees, then remembered this was Tough Mudder not Spartan Race, so I moved on. For King of the Swingers, I actually did climb up to the platform but I just couldn’t get over my fear of heights this time. There was no one there to push me over the edge, so once Britt jumped I just climbed back down in shame 😦 Maybe next year….
Most of the obstacles had been redesigned and were a lot harder than previous years. It took me 3 or 4 tries to run up Everest 2.0 with its higher, curved edge, but I was not going to give up! It felt so awesome when I ran up and finally made it on my last try! I think having to slide into Arctic Enema 2.0 made it easier to just get it done and over with but it felt colder to me than the previous years. Maybe they had recently added more ice? I don’t know, but it took me a long time to get my toes to move again…YIKES!
So, as a Legionnaire, meaning I’ve done another Tough Mudder before, I didn’t have to do Electroshock Therapy again. But, like I said, this was Britt’s first Tough Mudder and I didn’t want her to have to go through that alone. So, I sucked it up and we went through it together. It was just as awful as I remembered from 2 years ago. The pain is real. I’d say it is maybe similar to being shocked with an electric socket or like when you rub your feet on carpet then have to touch a metal door knob, but times 1000! The shock goes through your entire body and just knocks you down and paralyzes you for a few seconds. It doesn’t last long, but just seeing those wires hanging in front of you and knowing what’s coming really did paralyze me out of fear!
But, the feeling of accomplishment after you conquer those obstacles is indescribable and it makes you forget the pain or at least makes the pain worth it in the end! Tough Mudder is all about team work. Their obstacles are designed to be tackled together and I’m so grateful to my teammates, Britt & Eve, for their help getting though some of those obstacles. Thanks for the boosts up those Berlin Walls, the pushes over that crazy mystery obstacle with it’s revolving cubes, and thanks for all the encouragement throughout the course! I’m so proud to have you ladies as teammates and friends. Ya’ll rock! XO
Have you ran a Tough Mudder before or another obstacle course race? Love it? Hate it? Tell me all about it in the comments below! I love to hear other people’s stories! XO
Well, I knew September was going to be a busy month, at least the first part of it, and boy has it kicked my butt! I have tons to share, from recent trip highlights to tips & ideas for you! I can’t wait to get back to it. I thought I’d start with the Disneyland Half Marathon recap today.
I gotta say, I went into this half marathon with mixed emotions. When I first signed up months ago, I was super excited about it, especially since it would allow me to get the Coast to Coast Medal in November after Disney World’s Wine & Dine Half Marathon. However, my training had been pretty sporadic. Although I did get most of my long runs in, I missed a lot of my weekday runs as the race got closer. Plus, I never felt strong during most of my long runs and they were all pretty slow.
I joined a facebook group for Disneyland Half Marathon participants and the folks on there were super helpful and encouraging. If I ever had a question, it was answered quickly. The group was awesome and I highly recommend joining a facebook group for your next race, especially if it’s a big one like the Disney races are. They helped me a lot with what to expect for the expo and packet pickup. I tend to get a bit anxious of the unknown and all their tips and info were super helpful. Thanks, peeps!
Friday morning, Jason and I took the 4 hr drive to Anaheim from Vegas. The kiddos didn’t come along, so the drive was quick without any stops. I’d read people were in very long lines for packet pickup but, maybe because we arrived on the last day of the expo I had no line. I walked right up to get my bib and then up to the expo floor to get my bag and shirt with no wait either.
My shirt said, “Race you to the Castle” it’s from Raw Threads . I bought it at the expo and loved how soft it is! Running skirt & shoes are Brooks .
We had to wake up crazy early, 3:30am to be exact, so we were in bed before 9pm! Getting to the parking structure that morning and to the festival area was all very easy and streamlined. After a quick photo and a potty break, it was time to say good bye to Jason and get to my corral. I wanted to be in the corral early and I’m so glad I did. I was in corral C and I was right in the front and wasn’t shoved or crowded. The announcers did their thing, yea, it was kinda cheezy, but I really liked the fireworks to start the race! At 5:30am, the first group took off and, before I knew it they opened up our corral and we walked up to the starting line for us to go. The wait time between corrals seemed to go quickly. I heard there were some issues with some of the corrals further back, but Corral C had no issues and we took off around 5:50 or even a little earlier.
During the race I never felt like we bottlenecked and it never really got so crowded that I couldn’t keep my pace. Again, I think there was some bottlenecking towards the corrals further back, but I was good the entire time. I stopped to take a photo of the ferris wheel as I entered California Adventure because it just looked so pretty and also at the entrance to Disneyland. That’s right when I saw Jason, between California Adventure and Disneyland. We hadn’t really planned on him cheering me on at any point during the race, so that was a nice surprise. It was really cool running through the theme parks. I really loved seeing CarsLand and can’t wait to take the kiddos there now! Of course, running through the castle was awesome! We also ran through a bit of the back lot or behind the scenes of the park and there were always cast members, custodians, and other Disney employees lined up cheering us on.
Once we left Disneyland property, I honestly didn’t think there would be much to see or that it would exciting. Well, I was so wrong! In my opinion, some of the best parts of the race were through the city of Anaheim. There were high school bands, cheerleaders, and dance groups about every couple of miles it seemed. There were tons of water stations with friendly volunteers too! My favorites were the almost 500 cars that lined up both sides of the streets as we ran up to Angel’s Stadium. There were all kinds of car clubs from antique cars to muscle cars and everything in between. There were VW Bugs, low riders, Mustangs, Camaros, just every kind of car. The car owners were also there cheering us on! It was so entertaining! I loved how it distracted me from the miles I was running and kept me motivated. The car show finally ended as we came up to Angel’s Stadium. I was feeling so great from seeing all the cars and the energy from the crowd, that when I saw the 2:30 pacer just a little bit ahead of me, I pushed a little harder and ran right past them! At this point we were entering the stadium and I could hear all the cheering as we ran through the tunnel to enter the field. I came out to see half the stadium filled with tons of kids and their parents. I think every girl scout and boy scout troop from Orange County were there! It was so awesome giving all the kiddos high fives as I ran past them. Their energy was contagious and it kept me going all the way to about mile 11! As always, that last mile was tough, but just knowing that I was going to sub 2:30 kept me going at a steady pace. I finished in 2:27:04 and felt great.
I got my medal and called Jason right away to come meet me. He was waiting for me at the family reunion area, so we saw each other right away! We didn’t stay too long because I was hungry and ready to freshen up and stretch. It was getting hot and I was super sweaty and gross after running 13.1! I had some of the snacks that came in our goodie box in the car and we grabbed a coffee at Starbucks. Went over to our friend’s place to shower and freshen up before brunch. You better believe I celebrated with a mimosa and some bloody mary’s! I also had the most delicious corned beef eggs benedict ever!!! Soon after brunch it was time to go back home to the kiddos 🙂 Big thanks to our friends, Linda & Sean, for letting us crash at their house for the night & for being so hospitable! XO
I couldn’t believe how well the race went! It was really so much better than I had anticipated it would be. I had prepped myself to expect massive crowds, delays, bottlenecking, and a boring course through Anaheim. This was all far from the truth! Yes, there were close to 18,000 runners but I never felt overcrowded and I absolutely loved the course! I really enjoyed the crowd support and I’m still in awe of how many residents of Anaheim were out there supporting us runners along the way! I really appreciated it so much and I know it was the reason I was able to push along and feel so good throughout the entire race. Now, I’m really excited about my next Disney race, the WDW Wine and Dine in November!!
Have you ever ran a runDisney race? Which one? Did you love it or hate it? Let me know in the comments below, especially if you’ve ran the Wine & Dine Half 😉
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!
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.
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!
Here I go again! Last week I registered for my 3rd half marathon and 1st trail half marathon, the Wild Land Fire Awareness Trail Half Marathon. I love that 100% proceeds go to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. I really enjoy trail running, but have not ran more than a 12K trail race before, so I’m a little nervous about this one. I’ll be training hard for this half marathon and the Spartan Super simultaneously, since the Spartan race is April 18th. What’s made me even more nervous is my friend who runs ultra trail races said it was a tough one! Yikes!! What did I get myself into?!? Well, there is no turning back now. It’s time to train. The race is on May 30th, so I have just about 12 weeks to prepare to run 13.1 miles of trails through beautiful Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area.
I ran the Wild Land Fire Awareness 5K trail race last year and it wasn’t my best run. But I love running around Red Rock and I ran some of the half marathon trails last year they seemed way more fun than the 5K course, so I’m looking forward to running the entire course this year.
I plan on sharing updates on my training, as well as tips for keeping motivated while training for a half marathon, and some of my must-have training essentials.
Are you training for an upcoming race? Are you nervous? Excited? I’d love to hear about it!
You guys, having a hubby with a broken ankle, on crutches, and not able to do a whole lot is tough business (you can read about his accident: HERE) Being honest here, I’m exhausted. I’m taking care of all sorts of things these days. I’m kind of an introvert, so going out to run errands and get groceries has become his thing. I know, I’m a lucky girl to have him take care of all that for us. Anyhow, it’s been challenging these couple of weeks tackling it all alone. I’m not complaining, just keeping it real. It does make me realize how good I’ve had it with a hubby who helps so much, but boy do I miss it now! So, what’s the point here? The point is, I have a million things to do and my workouts and training runs were starting to suffer. I was not working out regularly and I kept my runs short. But the other day I had a good 3 mile run and felt amazing. I was able to tackle the rest of my day with more energy and I just felt in better spirits. I’m sure my family noticed too. Cranky mom was gone! Hello, fun mom! After that run, I have made it a priority to go back to my regular workout schedule and improvise when I have to, but really make an effort to not miss it. While things have been sort of crazy in my life, here are a few things that have kept me motivated through it all:
1. Plan ahead. It really helps to plan your day. I’ve been using Jenny Collier‘s free printable planner. You can check it out HERE! I specifically use the Daily To-Do list and weekly meal planner. I try to get up a little earlier and with my coffee in hand, I work on my to-do list. I put it all down, from dropping off the kids at school to doing laundry. And of course, I put my workout time in there too.
2. Be flexible. Once you have your day planned out just right, things sometimes don’t go as planned. I’ve learned that remaining flexible to what life throws your way is key. So, you slept through your 5am alarm and weren’t able to get your early run in, can you make/find time to do it later? Your appointment is running late and your going to miss your Body Pump class. Can you adjust your day and make it to a later class? Hey if all else fails, you can do a quick workout at home and get your sweat on anyhow! Maybe include the kids too! You’ll feel so much better knowing that you still got that workout in even if you could have easily called it an “unscheduled rest day”.
3. Be realistic. As much as I’d want to, I know I can’t do it all. By the end of the day, some things just aren’t going to get done and I’d much rather it be folding laundry than my workout! Seriously though, sometimes a good run is way more beneficial to everyone in the family than whether the book shelf got dusted. Just sayin’ 😉
4. Don’t forget your goals. Think about why you started working out. Was it to lose weight? Get healthy? Are you training for a marathon or your first Spartan Race? Whatever the goal is, keep it in mind. Don’t give up on your goals just because life gets hard.
Do you have any tips to share on keeping motivated when life gets complicated? I’d love to hear them!
It's a Messy Life 