I Drank the Kool-Aid

When I first started running Janurary 2013, I wanted to run 12 5Ks in a year and call it quits. I thought anything over 3 miles was crazy and didn't know why people would want to torture themselves in that way.

After 2 5Ks I said, "These things are over in like 30 minutes. I want to run longer."

I ran a few 10Ks in training. "This is halfway to a half marathon. I'm going to do one of those."

So I ran the half marathon. During my second half marathon I reached mile 10 and thought to myself, "This is almost over! But I was having so much fun..."

Today I signed up for the race that makes non-runners think that runners are insane. I signed up for a marathon. The Richmond Marathon, to be exact.

I've drank the crazy runner, torture yourself for hours, run 16-20 miles on Saturdays for fun, push yourself to the max Kool-Aid. I have signed up to join the marathoner cult. 

Half of my brain says, "Girl, you're crazy. That's running a lot for month in training, leading up to a 4 hour run at the end." The other half says, "You can do this! It's only double a half marathon! Nothing can stop you!" We're going to listen to that second half.

The other day I saw a Boston Marathon sign that said "I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 26.2", and have decided that will be my mantra throughout this training process.

Bring it on, Richmond.

Brooks Transcend Test Run and Easter Egg Hunt

My favorite local running store, Riverside Runners, had a Brooks fun run last night! They do them fairly often when different companies come out with different shoes, and for some reason I've never gone to one. I had such a blast last night that I'm going whenever I can now!

I'm that person who is awkwardly early for everything, so I wandered around the store for a while and talked to the employees and people. I'm trying to be more involved in my local running community (as involved as my work schedule will let me be) so it was nice to meet some new people.

When the Brooks tent was set up, I got to trade my shoes in for a test pair of the new Brooks Transcend. Currently I wear Asics GT-2000, which is a stability shoe. I have super narrow feet and high arches, and I need a lot of cushioning to keep my feet happy. Standing around for the hour before the fun run, my feet felt great in the Transcends. They are super cushiony and have guide rails along the sides that are supposed to keep you from turning your ankle. They also added about an inch to my height, so that wasn't too bad either. My first thoughts were that I would actually consider buying them the next time I needed shoes because they felt so good.

Before we set out to run in them, the rules of the Easter egg hunt were explained to us. All the eggs had Brooks prizes inside- reusable shopping bags, shoe bags, t-shirts, and the "luckiest egg" even had a free pair of Transcends! We were each allowed two, and they were hidden a half mile in either direction of the store, but we were free to run as far as we wanted.

I set out, and my first thought about the shoes was how much heavier they felt when running. They felt fine when I was standing and walking, but as soon as I picked up the pace, they seemed to make my feet heavy. They do move very nicely, and I kept up a pretty fast pace for my whole four miles. (Of course, it helped that the part of town we were in was pretty much flat.

At the end of my run, I decided that I still might would buy them for long long runs, but for anything else they were just too supportive. They actually made my arches hurt (not sure what was up with that), but my knees felt amazing and they almost always hurt after a road run. They're still on my list for consideration, but not at the top.

I went running today in my shoes, and when I took them off and put my TOMs back on, my arches felt really sore. I'm kind of hoping I didn't cause something by switching shoes for a night.

My two eggs had the papers for a t-shirt and a shoe bag in them. The shirt is super cool! It has the Transcend logo on it and is made of a wicking cotton so I can actually run in it. They also were handing out stickers, freeze-dried ice cream (to go with the space theme), lanyards, and collapsible water bottles. I made the comment to another guy that we were coming home with more free things than some races give, and we didn't have to pay anything!

Overall, I had a blast at the fun run, and met a few new people. I decided that Brooks shoes are something I will consider next time I need shoes, although maybe something less stable than the Transcends.

I'm already looking forward to the next test run at Riverside!

The End of Semester Sprint

This part of the semester is like the last few miles in a race. I'm tired, there's a lot of stuff ahead of me, and quite frankly I want to stop.

I have projects up to my ears (both in and out of school), I have my job, and I'm getting married in 38 days. Its taking more effort than it should to get out of bed in the morning.

However, I'm not unhappy. There's plenty of fun in there including my upcoming volunteer weekend at the Promise Land 50K (more on that later in a future post).

I just don't want to do anything school related. I feel as if my school projects and open book tests aren't going to amount to anything in the real world.

This pretty much boils down to one thing: with two weeks left in my Junior year, I have Senioritis, and I have it bad.

I'm treating the last two and a half weeks of this semester as I would a race. I just have to grit my teeth and get through it, and I'll be able to enjoy the party at the finish line.

(I wonder if that party will have free food...)

Race Recap: The Color Run Kaleidoscope Tour

As I mentioned in my last post, this weekend I did two races. Okay, well I wouldn't really consider The Color Run a "race" since it's not even timed and the main goal is to have fun.

You may remember that I wrote about my last Color Run in this post. I was hoping for the same exciting event this year, but it didn't top last year.

Kaleidoscope shot 

Don't get me wrong, I had a blast! However, they changed the location from last year, and it was just an overall lackluster event. We have decided that next year we are probably going to end up doing the Flying Pirate half marathon in the Outer Banks instead.

This year was the Kaleidoscope Tour, which I thought was a good marketing move. No one wants to do the exact same event twice, so they tweaked it just enough that people would want to do it again.

We went to packet pickup on Friday night. Last year the whole thing had a party feel to it, but this year it was more of an assembly line. They also didn't give us our color packet, but instead the bibs had a tear-off part at the bottom to get it at the finish line. I think they have had a problem with people using them before the color throw at the end, so that actually was kind of smart of them to change it.

The "swag" had improved from the year before. The packet came in an awesome reusable bag, and had temporary tattoos, a newly designed shirt, a headband, and a wristband. They also had a store set up with all kinds of cool, reasonably priced (as far as race gear goes) merchandise. I purchased a purple tutu, a reversible headband (because I LOVE headbands), and a sticker (which I plan on making a magnet and putting on my car).

The rest of Friday was pretty much a girls night out with my mom. We shopped (and found a pet store and played with the most adorable English Bulldog puppy) and ate and then went back to hang out at our hotel. Side story about the hotel: at the same time we arrived to check in, about 60 obnoxious high school students were doing the same thing. Apparently there was a technical school conference nearby at the same time, and the hotel lady felt sorry for us and gave us a complementary upgrade to a VERY fancy room I'm still not sure why anyone would need a room that large in a hotel, but it was kind of fun.

The bag my shirt came in. Pretty cute!

After a horrible night's sleep (the pillows on the beds were too fat), we woke up and mom and I decided to go for a matching 80s inspired look with the headbands they had given us. For some reason, I thought it would be a good idea to wear shorts and a short sleeve shirt. I figured it worked last year so it would work this year. However, last year it was in June, and this year it was in April. I regretted that decision as soon as I walked outside into the windy 48* weather.

Luckily, the race started at a civic center, so we were able to stand inside until the race started.

The following is a breakdown of various aspects of the event:

Course: Eh. It went through a residential area and had some cool houses but wasn't very scenic. There were some hills. Nothing super special.

Volunteers: They were very into what they were doing! They were all covered in the color they were throwing and threw out generous amounts to the runners.

Color Zones: There was one less than last year, but this year they added purple (my favorite color) so that kind of made up for it.

Finish line: The area to exchange the tab from your bib for your color packet was a disaster. It was a mob of people thinking they were going to run out or something. I got stepped on several times. There were also KIND bars, water, and Panera goodies (with no limit on how many you could eat). That was my favorite.

The best part of The Color Run is the color throw at the end. This year, they did them less frequently, so there were a lot of people participating in each one. Somehow we got in the middle, and the sun was blocked out for a minute or so when the color was thrown. It was pretty awesome and I got covered in color.

Overall, it was a fun event, but next year I may stick closer to home. I'm not sure I want to travel for an event that several charities in my area are trying to host for the upcoming Fall/Spring race season. I think next year I may choose a smaller event, and use the money to try something new.

Check out my colorful hair!

Don't get me wrong, I had a blast! But I'm always ready for a new challenge. Maybe I'll replace the color with mud ;)

Race Recap: Liberty Mountain 5K

This past weekend was a busy one, with two races almost back to back (Liberty Mountain on Thursday night and The Color Run on Saturday morning, that post to come later).

The Liberty Mountain 5K is part of the Liberty Mountain Trail Series and was originally scheduled for February 15. However, it got snowed out and the new date was a Thursday night (which I don't really understand).

I did this race last year and was excited to run the course. However, I looked at the map the day before the race and discovered that they had completely changed the course! It wasn't even starting at the same building this year.

Slightly disappointed, I got to the race early to pick up my "packet". These races are run by Liberty University Student Activities, and they only cost me $10 to do. Because they are so cheap, all you get is a shirt and race bib. The shirts were long sleeve and heavy, and had the original race date printed on them. That would have been fine in February, but Thursday it was 70 out and it just seemed out of place!

I had gone to running class earlier in the day and done 4 miles with them in the 80 degree humidity, and was exhausted. Before the race, I ran into my friend Drew who has recently gotten back into running. I decided to stay with him during the race because I was so tired I was just aiming to finish, the time didn't matter at all.

The race started and I got a good look at the new course. It was very very hilly. Just like the Arctic 5K, it seemed to just keep going up and never come down. There was nothing too exciting about it other than the hills. There were a few bridges we got to run over, which covered some of the swampy parts of the trail (that was nice).

It was a pretty uneventful race, but I had fun nonetheless. I'll do it again next year, but mainly just because it's so cheap.

Finish line selfie in my Shamrock gear

Getting Wedding Ready with P90X

As I write this, all the muscles in my body are crying.

I just finished day 3 of P90X and my body is feeling it.

I don't need to lose weight for my wedding, but I want some more toned arms to show off in my strapless dress. I've heard a lot of good things about P90X and it's results (I won't get through all 90 days before the wedding, but I'll get through enough). I figured it would be a good way to tone everything before I put on the dress and then embark on a 7 day cruise in the Caribbean.

(I also don't want to gain weight either, as my dress has already been altered!)

I thought this workout was going to be something I was going to hate, but I misjudged it. Yes, it is hard. It uses muscles that I don't normally use. The cardio made me drip sweat, even in my cold basement. After the first day I was barely able to lift my arms, and I have a feeling they will feel even worse tomorrow.

DVDs are convenient because they can literally be done at any time. I would never go running in my neighborhood at night, but it's 11 p.m. and I just finished my workout for the day.

P90X is different from other DVDs. Most of the time the instructor doesn't care about if you are able to keep up at home or not. Tony Horton is different. While there may be super ripped people on screen showing you the moves, he encourages you to focus on doing your personal best.

I don't know why, but I feel like this guy on my TV screen actually cares about whether I am able to do one more push up or bench press. It's really motivating and I like it.

I also like that the workout don't require any fancy equipment. As long as you have a yoga mat, a set of weights, and a chair, these workout are doable. 

I may not like them as much at the end of month 1, but I feel like P90X and I are going to be friend. And I'm going to look darn good in my wedding dress in May. 

21 Things I've Learned in 21 Years

Today is my 21st birthday! So in honor of this occasion, here's a list of 21 things I've learned in my years on this Earth.

1.Your passions will change. In high school I was the opposite of an athlete. I was in drama and chorus and I loved them. I swore to do them my whole life. Then I went to college and things weren't the same. Then, life presented me with a new passion. I appreciate and love my time I had with drama and chorus, but my life is in a different place now.

2.Always own a toaster.  Seriously. I didn't realize how often I needed a toaster until I moved out. Luckily there is one on my wedding registry, so worst case scenario I only live 2 more months without one.

3.College isn't everything. Having a degree, or pursing one, does not make you better than anyone else. I came into college thinking I was better than everyone at my high school who was going to community college or taking a year off. The main thing college has taught me is that 18 years old is too young to know what you want to do in life. I changed majors 3 times and if I wasn't graduating in a year, I would probably change it again. College is overrated.

4. If you're unhappy with something, change it. I had a job I was unhappy with. I tried to tell myself that I needed the money more than I needed to quit, but I finally reached a breaking point. I quit my job and found a new one. Your happiness is more important than any amount of money you are making. There's something better out there.

5. Straight A's aren't a definition of who you are. The first time I got a C in college, I cried. Then I realized I didn't care. C's get degrees. Don't let your GPA rule your life.

6.It's okay to break the rules. I'm not saying do this all the time. But skip class every now and then. Stay out late. Color outside the lines. I followed the rules my whole life but recently I've learned to go with the flow, it makes life so much more fun.

7. Hydrate with water, and banish the soda. As soon as I stopped drinking soda, I felt so much better. Now all I drink is water, tea, or juice, and soda actually makes me feel kind of sick! I still enjoy a small one as a treat, but carbonation is no longer my friend. Water is life.

8. Your mom is your best friend. No one else is every going to love you the way your mom does. I didn't understand things my mom did when I was younger, but now I appreciate my mom so much more. She's the bestest.

9.Try new things. For years I thought I hated jalapenos. Truth was, I had never tried them. I tried them and now I love them. You never know what you're going to like.

10. Be honest and tell people how you feel. So much of my high school and early college life would have been less dramatic if I and the people around me had just confronted each other. Don't expect the other person to know what is bothering you. If it causes confrontation, don't be afraid of it. Adults can handle confrontation.

11. Nothing good happens after 2 a.m. Thanks for that, Ted Mosby.

12. You're allowed to have more than one best friend.

13. Naps are wonderful. While sometimes you wake up feeling like you have been hit by a bus, the other times you wake up feeling like its a new day.

14. If you love someone, hold on to them. Make an effort to hang out with them. Talk to them. Don't let them go.

15. Owning your own things, while annoying, is rewarding. Zach and I bought a house in our early twenties, and we are way more proud of it than if we had rented something. Owning stuff is fun.

16. You can learn a lot from Disney movies. They're the greatest things to watch when you're feeling blue.

17. Cereal for dinner is pretty much the greatest thing ever.

18. Long distance relationships are worth it. 2 of my best friends moved away for a year. We kept in touch and I think we actually came out closer in the end. Make the distance work.

19. The internet is good, but the outdoors are better. As comfy as sitting on your couch watching Netflix is all day, the outdoors are way more interesting.

20. Having all day movie marathons sounds more fun than it is. Watching all 8 Harry Potter movies in one day may sound like fun, but in the end it just makes you really tired and it makes your butt hurt.

21. Life is fun. Like, really really fun. It may not seem very fun at times, but it is.