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:
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!
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?
So, how was your weekend? I hope it was fabulous! Mine started off really great celebrating my sister and brother-in-law’s 23rd wedding anniversary with a Japanese hibachi dinner on Friday night. Isn’t that wonderful, 23 years of marital bliss! Saturday we were up bright and early for the Xterra 5K Trail Run at Lake Las Vegas. I’m not a huge fan of 5Ks but since I’m trying to get 14 races in this year, I’m totally doing a few! I didn’t really train for this race. It was just a week after the Spartan Super and 2 weeks before Tough Mudder, so of course, post-race was all about Spartan Training, then I took 2 days off to recover. I only ran once the week before the race and it was just a fun 2 mile run/walk with my friend & my kiddos. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it wasn’t my best run! I really feel like I’m going to have to redeem myself on my next 5K trail run coming up next month! I placed 4th in my age group with a finish time of 38:25. I wish I would have pushed myself a little more, but it is what it is!
Before the race with our friends, Jessica & Geron. This was their first official race ever! So excited for them 🙂
As far as the race itself, it was good. It wasn’t a huge race and everything went smoothly from on-site packet pickup to the course markers & volunteers. I had been told it wasn’t a true trail run and after doing the run, I can see why. We started off in a parking lot at the resort then ran the first mile through a golf course. The second mile was mostly uphill through the undeveloped area of Lake Las Vegas then back down to finish the last mile and a half through the resort and golf course. I’m assuming the longer distances of 10k and 21K were mostly trails. The post-race area was great. They had the usual post-race goodies of bananas, muffins, bagels, grapes, and orange slices, along with water and gatorade. I also really liked that they printed out our results on-site!
Post-race with my hubby! I love that he’ll be running a few races with me this year!! It makes running that much more fun 🙂
Did you have a race this weekend? I’d love to hear how it went for you!
I did it!! I completed my first Spartan Race and I must say, it went better than expected. I completed the Spartan Super in Las Vegas. I don’t want to do a long recap of each obstacle but I will say that I totally missed the Spear Throw, Traverse Wall (my foot cramped), and Rope Climb (honestly, I didn’t try hard with this one because sadly I made up my mind that I couldn’t do it). I also had some help with the monkey bars, bucket brigade, tire pull and of course, getting over those 8 ft walls! I’m super proud I was able to do the Hercules Hoist, Tire Flip, and well, basically just get through the whole thing. I’m wearing my bruises with pride 😉 I’m also super proud of my little guy. He did the Spartan Jr. He’d been running and “training” for his race too and seeing him so happy complete his 1 mile race and get his medal was just awesome!
Our team before the race!
And we’re off…
I had a great team of guys and I will admit, being the only girl on the team, I was a bit nervous that I’d either slow them down or that they’d leave me behind. I’m glad to say that neither of those things happened. They helped me with obstacles when needed, we encouraged each other, and stayed together as a team. AROO!!!
Huge thanks to our support team who kept up on the spectator course to make sure we had enough water, coconut water, and even snacks!! Special thanks to my hubby for taking pictures throughout the course & my sister who always supports me in all I do! I love you so much xoxox
The final obstacle – Fire Jump! Then free beer 🙂
I got done just in time to go see my son do his Jr. Spartan Race! So excited and proud of him!
I am quite tempted to go for the Trifecta, complete the 3 Spartan Races in one year – Sprint, Super, and Beast! I signed up for the Spartan Sprint in Southern California this September, but logistically speaking I don’t think I”ll be able to make it to one of the Beast events..we’ll see 😉 I’m really excited for the Sprint in Temecula, not only because it’s wine country, but because my hubby will be joining me on this one and the wives of 2 of my teammates will be joining us too! I’m calling it the Couples Spartan Retreat 😉
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!!!
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’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?
During my morning coffee and blog reading earlier this week I came across Jill Conyers 14 in 2014 Challenge. Maybe it was the caffeine rush or the lack of sleep from the night before, but I signed up almost immediately! It seemed like such a great idea and such a fun way to stay motivated. Well, now that the initial caffeine rush has subsided, guess what? I’m still excited about this challenge! Yes, it’s a little scary for me to commit to running 14 races in one year, considering that last year I ran 6 and proclaimed it the Year of the Races! Hello!! But, it’s challenges like this that keep me motivated and moving forward, so I’m up for it! How about you?
Yesterday I started researching and writing down some races that I was interested in doing. There will be some virtual races I’ll be participating in too, but so far I have 10ish tentative races on my list, 3 that I am pretty sure I am doing, and only 1 I’ve actually signed up for! Yikes, I’ve got my work cut out for me, huh? Here’s what’s on my list, so far:
Jan:
Feb 1 – Death Valley 10K (Death Valley, CA)
Mar 1 – Blood, Sweat, and Beers 10K Trail Run (Las Vegas)
April 5 or 6 – Super Spartan (Las Vegas)
April 27 – Tough Mudder (Las Vegas) REGISTERED
May 24 – Trails of Fury 10K Trail Run (Las Vegas)
June:
July:
Aug 29-31 – Disneyland 10K or Half Marathon
Sept 21- Sprint Triathalon (Las Vegas)
Oct:
Nov: Napa Valley 10K (date TBD)
Nov: 22: Valley of Fire 10K
Nov: 27: Hoover Dam Half or 5K
(There’s no way I can or want to do all of these races in 1 month, but they all have potential, so I hope to get one of them done)
Dec:
If you’re interested in reading more about the challenge or if you want to sign up, you can check it out HERE! If you know of any other races around Las Vegas, NV, Southern California, Southern Utah, and maybe even Arizona, please let me know!! I’d also love to hear about your upcoming races and fitness goals for 2014! Happy Running!!
So, six days after the Rock N Roll Half Marathon I was ready to take on the Dirty Dash 5K with my book club girls! We had my hubby design a shirt for us and then had them printed at a local print shop. Isn’t it a cute shirt? Here’s a little recap of the day and a review of the Dirty Dash event itself.
A few days before the race, the weather in Vegas goes bonkers! Lots of wind, rain, and cold temps. We kept hoping it would clear up by Saturday but it just kept getting worse. So, we all made sure to bundle up with layers, hats, and gloves. We put our big girl panties and drove out to Boulder City for some fun in the mud! I made a “girl power” playlist to help pump us up for the race, which was fun, but I think we were all a little freaked out by how cold and rainy it was. The weather didn’t really clear up and we were actually getting some rain mixed with flurries Brrrrrr…..Once it was our time to go and we started running we warmed up a bit and the rain even died down some. We all made the best of it and had a good time together!
Since the weather was so bad, Jason decided to stay home with the kids until it was time for the kid’s Piglet Plunge. I had already paid for Diego’s registration, but thank goodness we were leaving Elysse’s till the last minute and of course, we did not have her participate since the weather was so bad. So, we only have a few iphone photos of us before and after the race.
As for the race itself, it was definitely not my favorite. I know the bad weather didn’t help but, there were lots of things that could have been done better and they had nothing to do with the weather. It was also a shame they had to deflate the slide at the end and we didn’t get to use it. That would’ve been fun. So, let’s here goes:
Pros
Pre-race communication was great. Emails were informative, albeit a little cheesy, and clear directions were given.
We got a nice tshirt, beer koozie, temporay tatoo, and sticker.
There were enough port-a-potties and didn’t have to wait in line.
The part that had mud was great! It was smooth like frosting 🙂
Cons
Packet Pickup was unorganized and the volunteers/workers were pretty rude. I understand they had to change their setup due to the rain, but seriously a smile wouldn’t hurt!
Not a lot of obstacles. We ran for 1 mile with no obstacles, except for a few mud puddles and we aren’t really sure if they were part of the race or just due to the rain! The obstacles were in mile 2 and again the last mile was running without obstacles.
Beer Chug was actually an obstacle! I would’ve preferred a free beer at the end.
The 3 main obstacles were one right after the other. Having them spaced out would’ve spread out the fun!
The course was not clearly marked. Not sure if the rain & wind washed off their markers, but I had a hard time figuring out where to go.
Piglet Plunge was a joke! It was about 3/4 mile and the kids ran through 2 (maybe 3) watery mud pits at the start and end of the run. That’s it! I think they may have been counting on the slide to be an obstacle, but that was deflated due to the weather.
It was so cold and rainy, I think the photographers, organizers, and volunteers were just ready to go and not at all enthusiastic. Motivation and fun were definitely lacking. I’m sure had the weather been better, that it may not have been so bad.
I’m going to start off with a warning: There are lots of pictures in this post! lots!
With that being said, I apologize for being MIA for a few days. Not only was I getting ready for the 13.1 miles, I also had my cousin and her husband (who also ran the half with me) visiting from Texas and we were busy catching up! It was a blast. Now, on to the half marathon…
I survived! YAY!! Truth be told, I trained for over 15 weeks, I was pretty sure I’d finish. What I wasn’t sure of, was how I’d finish. And I must say, overall, I am happy with the results. I finished in 2:34:20. I was aiming for 2:30 but that was ambitious, since I never really trained for speed, just endurance. I’m also really happy that I ran the entire time. No stopping, no walking! Slow jogging? You bet ya’!
So, we checked into The Venetian hotel at noon. Shout out to my sister for the family discount and upgraded room with an awesome view of the strip! We had plenty of time to settle in, have a pre-race snack, change our clothes, and try to relax a bit. Getting a room on the strip was a great idea. Huge thanks to Anya from my fb running group for suggesting it 😉 The kids and my parents had a warm place to hang out and wait till we were done running, we didn’t have to travel far afterwards, and we had a great place to celebrate our accomplishment!!
Here we are, ready to head out the door and get our run on!
My sister and Jason drove us as close as we could get to the pre-race area. They were able to park in a business center and walk with us the rest of the way. Big thanks to the security guard for letting us park there, even though we weren’t supposed to!
Runners were really pouring in now and it was getting real!
Once inside the pre-race area we took photos, rested, listened to the live band, and used the port-a-potty twice. The lines were crazy long! But, I’m glad we went twice, since we didn’t have to stop along the course.
My cousin had custom shirts made for them, since just a few days before the marathon, they celebrated their 20th anniversary!
Here I am at my corral ready to go. There ended up being 36 corrals total, so we were towards the back and although the race officially started at 4:30pm, we didn’t actually get to the start line until 5:15pm or so. Yup, 45 mins. of walking in a huge group of people towards the start line. It was pretty crazy and crowded! Once we got started, it was already dark. If I do another marathon, I will try to have a closer corral number 😉
I was really looking forward to mile 4 because I knew my family and friends would be there cheering us on. It was awesome hearing them cheer and giving us high fives. Next time, I’d like them at miles 9 or 10 because that’s when I started to get tired!! I really could have used the boost then!
Once we passed our family, I felt really pumped! That lasted a few more miles and up until that point, I was right on target for finishing at my goal time of 2 hrs and 30 mins. And then…we got to downtown Vegas. The crowds dwindled, the noise was gone, and the lights were gone. Those were some dark and tough 4 miles. Once we headed back towards the strip and I could see we were getting closer to the end, my mind was ready to push harder, but my legs just couldn’t go any faster. No matter what I did, I couldn’t speed up my pace. I am so thankful for my cousin and her husband for pushing me to keep going and for giving me tips to so I wouldn’t slow down too much.
Crossing that finish line was an amazing feeling. I turned around and asked my cousin, “Did that just happen? Is it done? Can I stop running now?!?” I was pretty chocked up. Crying at the finish line was not something I thought I was going to do, but it’s what happened. I’m blaming it on the adrenaline rush 😉
Celebratory tequila shots with my dad! Because that's what you do when you finish running 13.1 miles!
It's a Messy Life 