Oh hey! It’s only taken me a month to jump back on the blog and share how our race actually went! My bad! It took me a while to figure out how I would approach this one. Since I was super open and honest in my last post about what it was like running and training my 13 year old son, I figured I’d keep it open and honest here too.
I really wasn’t sure what to expect on race day. I didn’t want to have high expectations of what running a half marathon with my son would be like. I didn’t want to dream of bonding while on the course and such! I just wanted him to finish and most importantly, to enjoy the race. I’ve been running races, mostly half marathons for about 5 years now and my family travels with me pretty often, so they know about packet pick up, early morning start times, banana for breakfast, long lines for port-a-potties, etc. But it was still pretty cool to actually be experiencing these routine and normal pre-race activities with my son and seeing his reaction to them for the first time as a runner. EEK! I just called him a runner 🙂
We’d been training together all summer, so running alongside him was nothing new, yet it still felt like a completely new experience anyhow. I couldn’t help but smile when I thought that we were finally doing it. After all those months of training together and the ups and downs, we were finally running Cedar City Half Marathon together. It was pretty cool to think about and really made it a special race for me!
I could not have been happier with our experience. Diego pushed hard and enjoyed most of the race. Unfortunately, his phone battery died at about mile 10, so he was pretty bummed out about that since that meant he’d have to run the last 3 miles without his music. When we realized it happened, I braced for impact. I was pretty sure he’d be super upset since he depends on his music so much for running and honestly so do I! So, I was really proud of him for not overreacting and just going with the flow. He was upset, sure, but he took it in stride and moved forward. I took my headphones off too in solidarity and we finished together with big smiles on our faces!
The actual course was great! It was a nice downhill run. The scenery was pretty, the weather was cool, and the aid stations were plenty. Even when we ran outside the canyon and into the town itself, we ran through trails and sidewalks in parks that were nice and even provided some shade as it started to warm up towards the end of the race for us. The race medals and shirts were also excellent and the post-run snacks were great! We especially liked the ice pops they were handing out! I would highly recommend this race to anyone who is looking for a fast downhill half marathon in the fall!
At 13 years old, you’re just one day away from running your first half marathon. You’ve always been an overachiever. Potty trained before you were 2, skipping the baby babble and going straight to complete sentences. You can’t just solve a rubix’s cube, you can solve it in under 30 seconds. Kendama, guitar, card tricks, algebra, reading, drawing, the list goes on and on. You’ve excelled in all you set your mind to do.
Except running. Because all those other things have come easy to you, but not running. Running has been hard. It’s been slow. It’s been chock full of complaints, struggles, and failures. Running has beaten you down. It has irritated you. Running has made you hurt. It’s frustrated you. Running has made you feel less than. It’s humbled you. And for this I say, thank you, to running. I thank running for teaching you that it’s not always easy to reach your goals. Running requires discipline and endurance and grit. These are all things I hope you’ve learned through running.
You complained about waking up early during summer break to run, but you did it anyways. We argued along the road many mornings, but it never stopped you. During moments of frustration, you still endured. So many times you wanted to give up, to turn around, but you never did. You kept going. May this be a lesson you take with you always.
I hope that running will always stay with you. I hope you find a love for running, as I have. But, if you don’t, that’s ok too. But I do hope you never forget the lessons learned during your training. Because, whether you realize it or not, running has taught you so much about life. It’s taught you to never give up. Wether you go fast or slow, what matters is that you are moving forward. Never forget that. Never forget that although there may be pain and it may be difficult, chasing your dreams is always worth it. Life won’t always be easy, but sticking to your goals and being true to yourself will always be worth it. Never forget that feeling of accomplishment you get after a long or difficult run. Let that stay with you and let that guide you. There is power in perseverance.
Running alongside you all these weeks has not always been easy, but neither has being your mom and I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. I am so proud to be running with you tomorrow and sharing 13.1 miles with you. Crossing that finish line together will be a moment I never forget. I love you beyond words.
PS. I can’t forget to give a shout of of thanks and appreciation to the hubs for all those early mornings of driving him up to meet us at the mountain so he could get his long runs in. And to Valerie for all the rides up the mountain and encouraging him and me along the way. To all our friends and family who’ve also encouraged him, it doesn’t go unnoticed! XO
Earlier this month, on Wednesday, June 6th to be exact, was Global Running Day! What is Global Running Day? The Global Running Day website say’s “Global Running Day is a worldwide celebration of running that encourages everyone to get moving. It doesn’t matter how fast you run or how far you go—what’s important is that you take part, and how you do it is up to you. Run a lap around your block, take your dog for a long walk, or call your friends for a pick-up game in the park. The important thing is that you have fun being active—and you inspire others to join you.”
This is something I can totally get behind and this year I helped organize a fun run event in Las Vegas for the Rock N Roll Marathon series. As most of you know, I am an ambassador/Rock N Blogger for them and I was so excited when they reached out to me about putting together an event in my town. I contacted my favorite local running store, Red Rock Running Company, and they were totally on board to having us host the event in their store. YAY!!
The event was a huge success! We had a nice turnout and after everyone ran the 5K course, they came back to the store for pizza (because runners love pizza!!) and some Rock N Roll swag to make it a true celebration! I was there to answer any questions folks had about any of the Rock N Roll races, and especially the epic Las Vegas, Rock the Strip at Night race! It was nice to chat with the other runners about their past Rock N Roll marathon and half marathon races they’d ran in various cities and share our experiences! Rock n Roll was also having a great sale on all races just for Global Running Day and so of course, I talked about that and was ready to get folks registered right on site!
I gotta say, one thing I truly love about running is the awesome community! They build each other up, give advice, and never make you feel like you aren’t a true runner. If you run, you’re a runner. It’s not about how fast you are, it’s about getting out there and doing it! And hey, if you missed out on the Global Running Day Sale and still want to take the plunge and run a marathon or half marathon, here’s a little motivation for you to get started! Nothing like a little savings, you know, so you can go snag those new running shoes too 😉
I can summarize my trip to Nashville in two words: running + eating! What could be better, right?
If you read my last post, you know that I was nervous about running the Nashville Rock n Roll Half Marathon because the course promised to be hilly and I am not a fan of hills! Plus, my friend was running it too and it was her first half marathon, so I was nervous I wouldn’t be able to support her like I wanted to. Well, to make a long story short, we rocked that run! I felt strong throughout the entire race, which I was nervous about due to the hills. Plus, I paced my friend and we made it right under her goal time! I was so happy I felt good running those hills and it was proof that you have to trust the process. I made it a point to train hills and it paid off!
My flight to Nashville was super early in the morning, but it gave us the opportunity to grab some yummy lunch at Husk when I arrived and still make it in time for packet pickup afterwards! As usual, the process was smooth and easy. There were all the usual, easy to follow signs and awesome volunteers. The actual expo didn’t seem as big or as busy as some other cities, though. I didn’t mind this, as we don’t stay too long at the expo. We got our beer wristbands for our free post-race beer and picked up our parking pass, that I prepaid for online. Since we were driving ourselves in the morning and this was my friend’s first experience, I didn’t want her to feel overwhelmed with having to search for parking and deal with the traffic too! It was a great option and one I think I will use again for sure if I plan to drive and park for a race and not get dropped off.
After checking-in to our hotel and relaxing for a bit, it was time for our carb loading dinner! I traditionally have pizza before a race so I looking for some Yelp suggestions and found Slim + Husky’s . The reviews were amazing and it did not disappoint! They have local, fresh, ingredients and all the pizzas are made to order. They also carry local craft beers, which is also part of my carb loading dinner 😉
Like I mentioned above, the race itself was amazing! It was fun and we enjoyed the music, the scenery, and all the folks who came out to cheer us on! Running through some of the neighborhoods and seeing the residents making a morning out of it reminded me of the vibe from the San Diego Rock n Roll Half Marathon last year. They too were out cheering us on, drinking mimosas, and even handing out drinks and snacks to us runners too!
After the race, we spent our day exploring some of the neighborhoods and of course, eating some delicious food to celebrate our race finish! I highly recommend this race for it’s fun atmosphere, challenging course, and who doesn’t want to enjoy all the Nashville has to offer both before and after the race!
During the first weekend of June I completed my first Rock N Roll Marathon Series Remix Challenge in San Diego! The Remix Challenge medal is earned when you complete two days of running during a Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series event. Any combination of distances qualifies for the Remix Challenge Medal. You need to complete one event on Saturday and one event on Sunday during the same Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series event weekend. I chose to run the 5K distance on Saturday and the half marathon distance on Sunday.
This is my first year as a member of the Rock ‘n’ Blog team and I am loving it so far! As part of the team I received a Global Tour Pass, which allows me to run any of their races worldwide (travel costs not included). My next tour stops will be Seattle, June 18th for the Half Marathon and Las Vegas on November 11-12 for another Remix (5K and Half Marathon).
We left a little later than we wanted to on Friday afternoon from Vegas, so we arrived for packet pickup with just under one hour before the expo closed. The good thing about cutting it so close was that there was no line to get my packets 🙂 I was given a specific wrist tag with my bibs and was explained that I was to wear it on Sunday’s race to pick up my Remix Challenge medal after the race (woohoo!). Afterwards we walked around the Gaslamp Quarter and grabbed some sushi for dinner before checking in to our room and crashing!
This was my first really big 5K event and it was a great experience. The atmosphere was relaxed and everyone was ready to have a good time. Although, I told myself I would take it slow, I couldn’t help but get carried away by all the excitement and I took off a little faster than I wanted to. But after the first mile or so I slowed myself down and started to enjoy the sights of Balboa Park. Jason was right there cheering me on at the finish line and then we made our way to the beer tent. As ya’ll know, I am much more of a wine girl myself, but after a race there’s nothing better than a cold beer. Trust me on that one!
The rest of the day was spent doing a little shopping and catching a movie, which is a rare treat for us to do without the kiddos. We then made our way to Ocean Beach for burgers and beers at Hodad’s and to catch a glimpse of the ocean! Do yourself a favor and check it out next time you’re in the San Diego area. It’s got a great vibe and the burgers are delicious!
The next day, was a little less relaxed, as thousands of half marathon and marathon runners made their way to the starting line. But, it was still a Rock N Roll event and the atmosphere was one of fun, if not a little more focused on the longer distances to be conquered that day. I know I was feeling nervous and excited too! The half marathon course was a blast and although my legs felt a little sluggish the first few miles, I found my groove and had a strong finish! The best part of the race was running through the Normal Heights neighborhood, where the neighbors were out supporting the runners with everything from jolly ranchers to alcohol. Loved the makeshift bars they set up serving beer, mimosas, and even shots of liquor! I chose to pass on the libations, but it was super entertaining to run by and see other brave runners take their shots! Another favorite was when we finally got the the nice downhill area along the park! Running downhill is my favorite, so a downhill finish was a great relief from an otherwise kinda hilly course.
As with all big races, the finish line area was crowded and busy. Jason was looking out for me so we met up soon after. We made our way to the festival area and to the Heavy Medal tent for my Remix Medal! And then of course, it was another race so another beer at the finish! It was also great to see some friends at the festival who had ran the relay race. We chatted a bit with them before we had to get going to check out of our room and make our way back to Vegas!
But, first we had to stop at our favorite Temecula winery, Wiens Family Cellars, for some wine tasting. We brought a few bottles home with us too and way may have also signed up for their wine club (again!)
If you’ve never ran the Remix Challenge, I definitely suggest you try it at least once. Not only do you leave the weekend with 3 awesome medals, it really makes it for a fun-filled running weekend. Plus, you get to doubly enjoy what the Rock N Roll Marathon races are all about: fun, community, bling, music, and just an all-around good time!
Even though it was a weekend with 2 back to back races, the hubs and I still got to spend a much needed weekend away without the kiddos. It was the perfect start to summer break and I think we may have to turn it into a yearly tradition, with or without a race 😉
This past weekend I ran the Badass Dash for the first time at Sam Boyd Stadium. I ran 2 other Badass Dashes a few years ago, both were at Silverton Casino and they were lots, so I was looking forward to checking this race out. I ran with a team of 4 others, 2 girls and 2 boys, plus me! The Badass Dash is a 7K (4.4 mile) obstacle course adventure race.
We had a 9am start time and by then it was pretty warm outside and we were ready to get started. Unfortunately, they don’t stagger wave start times the way Spartan Races or larger marathon events do. So, there were hundreds of people lined up for the 9am start. They couldn’t let all hundreds of us go at the same time since that would cause major congestion on course, so they let us go about 50 at a time every 5 minutes. It worked out great because there was no bottlenecking at obstacles however we waiting in the sun for almost an hour and that was no fun. I would suggest they give us staggering or wave start times, so we don’t have to just wait in line for so long! That would help us prepare a lot better and we wouldn’t have to wait an hour in line!
The Badass Dash is not intended to be a super intense race like the Spartan Races or Tough Mudders. They are geared towards having fun and are a great introduction to obstacle course races. They have over 40 obstacles, from super easy to difficult, throughout the course which is nice! I felt like the walls were challenging but also achievable for most, so that was a big plus! Being in a stadium, I was totally expecting the stairs to be part of the race, and boy did I feel the burn on those! Once we got through the up and down of pretty much the entire stadium stairs + all the ones outside, they set up the last 10 or so obstacles in the middle of the field. I really thought that was pretty neat and totally different for me, since I haven’t ran a Spartan Stadium Sprint yet. Lastly, they cooled us off with a fun car wash/spider web obstacle before crossing the finish!
Once my team was finished, it was then time for the kiddos to race! They were running with their friends which made it super fun for them. Both Diego and Elysse did the 2K (1.2 mile) Kid Dash. Remember those killer stairs I mentioned? This was also part of their race and I am so proud that they pushed through on those! The rest of the kid obstacles were also all in the middle of the stadium. They did most of the same last 10+ obstacles we had during our race as well. All 4 of them finished strong and had a great time, even if they did complain a bit about the heat!
I would totally recommend this race if you’re new to obstacle course racing and even if you are an OCR junkie! It’s challenging and fun 🙂 Go out there and give it a try. You just might surprise yourself 🙂
I am so excited to be a part of the Rock ‘n, Blog Team for 2017! Rock ‘n’ Blog is a community of like-minded folks who love to run and have fun and earn some awesome bling along the way. This is my first year being an ambassador for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon series and I’m really looking forward to running as many races as I can with them! In 2013 I ran my first half marathon, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas and I’ve been hooked on running ever since. So, yea the Rock ‘n’ Roll has a special place in my heart.
They put on a great event! If you’re looking to run your first half marathon, I definitely think it’s a great race for beginners. The energy from the crowds, your fellow runners, and the music really keep you pumped up throughout the race. The series also offers the full marathon distance and depending on the city, they also offer relays, 10Ks, 5Ks, and kid races. There is definitely something for everyone!
Here’s what I have planned for the Rock ‘n’ Roll series this year:
It took me a few days to figure out what I was going to say about this marathon. I’ve had such mixed emotions about my performance, but either way, I set out to complete the L.A. Marathon and I did it! I ran 26.2 miles through some of the most famous streets in the world. That in itself was surreal and amazing and emotional to me. I grew up on the east coast and I never thought I’d live near the west coast. Los Angeles, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, these were all such cool and glamorous places I always said I’d love to visit some day. Moving to Las Vegas 7 years ago, made visiting those places a reality. But, never in a million years did I ever think/wish/dream/ that I would run through those places. So yeah, it was definitely an amazing experience.
Packet pickup was being held at the Convention Center, which was right at the U.S. Olympic Marathon trials finish line. We arrived Saturday morning just in time to watch the last lap!! It was so cool to see these elite athletes and to catch a glimpse of Meb and Desi Linden!! Being short myself, these are 2 of my favorite runners because they aren’t the typically tall, long-legged runners we associate with running 😉 So excited they made the team and will be heading to Rio this summer!
Since my sister and nephew came to support me (huge, massive thank you to them!!!), that meant we could leave the kiddos sleeping with them while Jason drove me to Dodger Stadium at 5am. The race started at 7am, but I don’t think I crossed the start line until 7:20 or so. The energy at the start line was typical. You could feel everyones anxiety, nervousness, and excitement all rolled up together. I know I was definitely feeling it. Once I crossed the start line, I had my first issue after 3 minutes. My playlist ended up on shuffle somehow and Jason had just updated my phone, so I couldn’t figure out how to get it off shuffle. We’d worked for hours to get my playlist just right and we had specific songs that were set to come on at various landmarks, so I was upset this was happening. I pulled off to the side and called Jason in a panic, eventually after about 3-4 minutes I figured it out and started to relax. I was going way faster than I intended too, but with my lost time due to technical difficulties and the wave of runners practically pushing me forward, it was hard to slow down. I did eventually get back to my groove but I was happy to be running about 5 minutes ahead of my goal. I saw Jason again between mile 5-6 and that was a nice surprise. He ran alongside me for a minute or so and then went back to meet up with the rest of the family 🙂
Seeing my family at mile 11 was perfect! I was feeling so good then and we were right in the middle of Hollywood Blvd. It was a great boost for the next 5-6 miles. After that point, I was feeling the heat and getting a bit nauseous. I was losing my mojo fast and not even listening to Weezer’s Beverly Hills song whilst running through Beverly Hills was working for me. I was trying to work through it and get back on track but then I started cramping. My right calf and toes cramped up and I had to pull over and stretch for a bit. After that, it was just a matter of moving forward and not stopping. I knew I was nowhere near finishing at my goal time. From there, it was a very slow 6 miles with lots of walking and stopping to stretch. I was feeling defeated and the tears were starting to flow freely. Around mile 23 I started to dig deep. No more feeling sorry for myself, I had to finish. I picked up the pace as best I could and cried some more. Then I told myself I would not slow down or walk the last 2 miles. Thank goodness they were downhill miles! Finally, I turned the corner and was on Ocean Drive. I could see the finish line. It took me FOREVE to get to the finish line, but I didn’t stop “running” or maybe a better term would be trotting or shuffling! I have never felt more relieved in my life than when I crossed that finish line. More tears. I still had about 2 blocks to walk to find my peeps, but when I did see them well, you know, more tears and there may have even been some sobs. The first thing I said was, “Don’t ever let me do that again”.
Yup, ugly crying was in full effect.
I gotta say the people of LA rock!!! Seriously, I cannot get over how many spectators were out there cheering us on. The streets were always lined up with people, not just volunteers, but folks from the communities we ran through. They cheered, they handed out snacks from orange slices to ice pops to pretzels. I especially enjoyed seeing the “vasaline” poster boards. Yup, there were globs of vasaline all over poster boards so runners could just grab and dab where needed. It was pretty warm, so some people were handing out wet paper towels, others were spraying runners with water, and even better yet there were some water hydrants open to run through! The people of LA hold a special place in my heart. The support was beyond anything I’ve ever seen or had at any race! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
And to Students Run L.A., I send you all a virtual hug and high five! This organization is amazing. I didn’t know anything about them prior to seeing them on Sunday. They all wore matching neon yellow tank tops and were everywhere. You couldn’t miss them. Seeing these 12,000 or so kids from 7th-12th grade out there running and giving it their all was so inspiring. At mile 18, a kid about 14 years old patted me on the back while my calf was cramping and said, you got this! Well, you guessed it, more tears. I googled Students Run L.A. when I got home and here’s part of their mission statement, “to challenge at-risk secondary students to experience the benefits of goal-setting, character development, adult mentoring and improved health by providing them with a truly life-changing experience: The training for and completion of the Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon.” Each year, more than 95% of the students who start the marathon, finish the full 26.2 mile course. In June 2015, 99% of the 740 seniors who completed the LA Marathon with SRLA graduated from high school, and 95% of them planned to go to college. This organization and it’s volunteers are doing some worthwhile work. Congrats and kudos to them!
Once I calmed down and stopped crying, I sat down for a bit. Then we continued our walk to the Santa Monica Pier and grabbed some food at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. After my burger and beer, we walked down the pier so the kids could ride a ride before heading back to our condo in Hollywood. We were all too tired to go out to eat dinner like we had originally planned, so we ordered some chinese food, popped open our celebratory bottle of Perrier Jouet and called it a day!
It’s way too soon for me to say if I’ll ever run another marathon. I may be ok with one and done. But, I gotta say, if there was one marathon for me, it was this one. The L.A. Marathon delivered on it’s promise of a fun, mostly flat and downhill course. The support on the course was unmatched and the people were the best! If you want to run a marathon, run the L.A. Marathon.
I announced last month that I was all signed up for the LA Marathon on February 14, so I thought I’d share a bit of how my training has been going. With just 36 days to go, things are getting serious.
10 Things I’ve Learned from Marathon Training (so far!):
I can wake up at 4am and run endless amounts of miles in the cold and dark morning.
Even if it’s sunny in the winter, I should wear sunblock. I will tan.
Life will revolve around running.
I can chafe in places I didn’t realize were possible.
It’s best to run long miles with a group or a friend.
I need more running clothes.
A good pair of running shoes is hard to find.
I’m always hungry.
Songs I used to like can become annoying after hearing them so many times on my runs.
It’s ok to be proud of my accomplishments during this journey.
So far, my longest run has been 17 miles, just this past Sunday. I was most definitely walking with a bit of a wobble afterwards, but I ended up not being as sore as I thought I would be. Although the idea of 26.2 miles is still pretty daunting, I feel that I will be able to do it. On runs where I am alone, I try to envision what it will be like to run the streets of L.A. and take in the sights. I try to imagine the sound of the crowds cheering us along the way. I look beyond that and picture myself crossing the finish line and seeing my family at the end waiting for me. I can almost see their faces and I just hope they’ll be proud of me then. That one day, they’ll know I’ve done all of this for them. It’s these thoughts, these emotions, these visualizations, that keep me going. There’s no quitting now.
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!!
It's a Messy Life 