ElectroDash 5K

I know I'm a day late and a dollar short on everything but I have to share the fun we had at the ElectroDash 5K!  I'm all about finding experiences for my kids that incorporate fun and exercise.  Sometimes it's the only way I can get Noah to get active (he's an indoors kind of kid, like his daddy).  When the opportunity presented itself to participate in ElectroDash, I knew it was the race for us!

The Hubs, the kids, my brother, his girlfriend, and my surrogate brother all met up at the fairgrounds for this race.  We've done a race at the fairgrounds before so we sorta knew what to expect, course wise.  The kids loved being able to wear as many glow sticks as humanly possible.We headed towards the starting line and then we were off.  The Hubs planned on walking the whole thing.  I was hoping the kids would want to run a little bit but nope, that wasn't happening.  Emmy was more focused on picking up glow sticks that people dropped.  That made for a VERY LONG 3 miles.  I didn't think a 5K could take so long!  But she had fun so that's what matters.  My brother and surrogate brother took off running after about a mile and my brother's girlfriend hung back with me and the kids.  She's usually my race partner in crime so I was glad she could do this race with me, even if it was just walking with the kids.

Here's a few pics of the fun we had:

I'm ready!!!

Our obligatory pre-race picture

This is just half of Emmy's glow sticks

Getting ready to start!

This was a pretty cool area.  Planets hanging up in the trees

That's Emmy holding up the planet

Emmy, asleep in the car on the way home, with her collection

Overall, I'm really happy with this experience.  I've never done a glow race before and turns out, they're really cool!  To see a million glowing lights running through a course was a sight to be seen.  Plus my kids had a blast!  I don't care how much I might not like something. If they like it, that's all that matters!  I will say that there wasn't as much black lights as I expected there to be.  There were a few stations that were cool but between them, it was very dark and the ground was very uneven.  It was a little unsafe in my opinion.  That would be my biggest complaint about the whole event.  Other than that, I totally recommend this event! I'm definitely looking forward to next year!!!!

Disclaimer: I received free entries for this event in exchange for my honest review, thanks to the Tampa Bay Bloggers.  All opinions are 100% my own
  

The Color Run 2014

When The Color Run came to my area last year I totally missed out on an amazing race. I saw so many pictures and posts about the great time everyone had and knew I had to be a part of it when it came around again.  Well ladies and gents....the time has come!  The Color Run is coming to a town near you! Lucky for me, The Color Run is coming to my own backyard, Clearwater FL on January 26th!!!

This year they kick off the 2014 Kaleidoscope Tour by making The Color Run bigger and better.  After visiting over 50 cities last year and having more than 600,000 Color Runners, they've decided to go big or go home! They plan to have over 170 events with over a million Color Runners!

Travis Snyder, founder of The Color Run, stated "We call The Color Run the 'happiest 5K on the planet' because our events bring together friends and family in a unique, healthy, and fun environment. Our only rules are that people wear white and prepare to be covered in color at the finish!"  Who wouldn't want to take part in that?!?

I'm excited to share that they've made it a little more exciting to sign up!  Not only is there awesome new participant gear and crazy race attractions, you can also save $5 when you use the code COLOR5OFF when you register!!!  Registration is simple.  All you have to do is go to The Color Run website, find your city of choice (come run Clearwater with me!!!) and sign up!

Disclaimer: I was provided entries into The Color Run race at a location of my choice in exchange for this post.  All opinions are 100% my own! I can't wait to look like that girl above!!!!

The Hubs's Father's Day Gift

The Hubs has asked for one thing for the past 6 years for Father's Day or his birthday....a day to himself.  A day where I would take the kids and go do something from sunrise to sunset.  And I know this isn't because he doesn't want us around. Every so often, we just want to relish in the silence. Not be caught up in the craziness that is our house on most days.  And I never give it to him. Until this year.

This Father's Day, he'll get his wish, for half the day.  I'm taking the kids to The Great Father's Day Race. I had a blast at the Great Mother's Day race last month so I was more than excited when I was given the opportunity to participate in the Father's Day part of the series!  I decided to take the kids with me this time around.  I'll be struggling for 3.1 miles pushing the jogging stroller.  I don't know if I'll be able to run the entire time with them but I'm looking forward to spending the morning with my kids knowing that their Daddy is having a few peaceful hours. 

The official course map

The Great Father's Day Race will take place at Al Lopez Park in Tampa on Sunday, June 16th at 9am. Packet pick up will begin at 8am and includes a Dri Fit shirt (I hope it's like the shirt from GMDR...I love that one!!!!)  There will  be chip timing and awards for top finishers (I will not be one of those top finishers) There will be plenty of snacks and water and fun on race day!!! I know I won't be the only one with a stroller so pack the kids up and head out for a morning of fun, fitness, family, and fathers!!!!  I also know it will be a great event because the race directors are awesome!  They really want to make this a successful race series and I'm glad that I can be a part of helping this happen!

Come on out and let's celebrate Fatherhood!!!!

Sign up here and run with us!!!

I was provided a race entry in return for promoting this event.  All opinions are my own.  I truly love the message behind this race series and I'm glad to be a part of it!!

Great Mother's Day Race

I am so excited to say that I spent my Mother's Day doing something good for myself.  I was fortunate enough to participate in the Great Mother's Day Race in Tampa.  Never in a million years did I think I would be spending my special day running 3.1 miles but I'm glad I did!!!

On Saturday, I took Noah with me to Fit2Run in International Mall to pick up my tshirt and race packet.  I have to say, the shirts were pretty awesome!  They are so soft!  They feel like a really worn in cotton tee with an active element to them.  I don't know...I can't say enough about the feel.  (I'm all about a comfy feel).  I may have worn it the rest of the day!!!  Noah loves going to packet pick ups with me so it was nice to spend some quality time with just him.  I got there right when they started so I didn't have any wait at all!  It was nice to breeze right in and get what I need.

Of course I sprung it on the Hubs that I needed a new shirt to run in.  For some reason I have to buy a new shirt or something when I have a race.  It's weird.  I think it's because all my pictures have the same 2 shirts in them.  So off to Old Navy I went and came home with a new tank and an amazing sports bra (this is a huge accomplishment since I am a little too blessed in that department.  Finding a decent bra is hard and I found this one and it was on clearance!!!!).  I was totally ready for the race!

The race was held at Al Lopez Park in Tampa.  I have seen the park before but had never been there before so I had no idea what was in store for me.  I ended up getting there insanely early (the Hubs overestimated how long it would take to get there) but it allowed me to get some stretching in.  After a while I met up with Jen, one of my Tampa Bay Moms Blog contributor friends, and got to meet her adorable family. I love that they run as a family.  One day that will be us.  Hear that Hubs???  Her hubby is a trooper and pushes the jogger the entire race.  We headed towards the starting line and got ready.  I hung back a little ways for a couple reasons:
1. I'm not a good run and talk girl.  I have to concentrate on actually breathing.  Plus I listen to music to drown out the sound of my heavy breathing
2. I'm slow and I knew they would be a heck of a lot faster
3. I was rocking this race solo.  Most of the time my brother's girlfriend does the races with me.  We start off together then she leaves me in her dust.  This time it was just me.

The course was really nice.  It was pretty flat and pretty shady.  The first mile was a great one for me.  I recorded my fastest mile to date as well as my fastest 1K to date.  Granted, this is still really slow but I was proud of myself.  And I did it without trying.  But then, BAM.  Mile 2.  For some reason the second mile is always the hardest for me.  I'm not sure why.  But it got to me.  Then I had an epiphany.  This race was about me.  As much as I wanted it to be about PRing, it was more about doing something for me.  With all the stress of Em's health and surgery and severe lack of sleep, this race allowed me to have a few minutes to just clear my mind, which was the best Mother's Day gift I could have received.  All of the stress I've been under just melted away.  I decided in that moment that I was going to just do what felt right.  If I wanted to walk, then I was going to walk.  If I wanted to run, I was going to run.  And I wasn't going to beat myself up over it.  And you know what?  It was the most liberating feeling.  Sure my time was about 3 minutes slower than any 5K I've ever ran.  But those extra 3 minutes were what I needed to clear my head. It was a wonderful feeling.  Oh and I can't forget how awesome it was that Jen and her crew were cheering me on as I crossed the finish line.  Her boys were cheering for me and it was absolutely adorable!  I can't thank them enough for that!!!

I can't speak enough about this event.  The race directors are awesome.  Claire walked by me before the race and introduced herself and welcomed me.  That's pretty awesome in my book!  I loved how family friendly it was.  So many people were pushing strollers so their little ones could be part of the race.  It was a great location with a great course.  And more importantly, it was a celebration.  There was an amazing sense of love and family every where you turned. I can't wait to spend many Mother's Days to come at this event!

Disclaimer: I received an comp'd entry into the Great Mother's Day Race in exchange for promoting the event.  I am not being paid to participate.  All opinions are my own.  
    

Weekly Workouts

I'm linking up with Meghan and Kat for this week's Weekly Workout.  And it's not going to be pretty....I'm just warning you now.....

The past few weeks have been quite busy for us.  There's a lot going on with Em (I'll get to that tomorrow) and I've been busy with work and the kids school so, unfortunately, my working out has taken the back seat.  I know, I know....excuses, excuses.  But let me tell you, I haven't slept a full night of sleep in about 5 weeks and its finally hitting me.  I can't wait for this month to be over and life can go back to normal.

I will honestly say that I did not work out at all this past week.  I walk a lot at work so I guess I was a little active but no where close to where I want to be.  One day I'm going to wear a pedometer to see how many steps I log in a day.  That would be interesting to see.

But I did work out a little the week before so I guess I'll share all that instead.....

The week before was more of Family Fitness time.  Noah really wanted to run with me and I know his little 6yr old legs can't do 3 miles yet.  So we went out a few nights and did a mile or so.

Monday 4/22: we went out as a family for a walk/run.  Em did not want to walk so she was in the stroller and I pushed.  Noah and the Hubs came along too.  We would walk a little, run a little.  Overall we did 1.16 miles.  We have a great neighborhood that I figured out a 1 mile loop to run.  Noah did better than I figured he would and I even got to see the Hubs run!!!

He really can run!!!!

Tuesday 4/23: Noah wanted to go out running again and the Hubs really didn't. So I loaded Emmy up in the stroller again and the 3 of us headed out.  We did more running than walking, which I was really proud of Noah for.  Until we got to about 0.8 miles.  That's when he started telling me he needed to stop running and catch his breath.  At this point he was full on wheezing, throat tugging, couldn't catch his breath.  I almost had to call the Hubs to come pick us up so we could get home faster.  But Noah wanted to keep walking.  We ended  up doing 1/17 miles.  When we got home, I took a listen to him (I've had my stethoscope in my purse for weeks now) and he was wheezing like crazy!!!  A few puffs of Albuterol and some resting on the couch calmed him down. We've been playing around with this idea that he has some form of Asthma but we've never really been convinced of it.  Well I am now a believer that he has exercise induced asthma for real.  I have never seen him work so hard to breathe in my life.  It was horrible to watch because I knew that I was to blame.  I was making him run.  The mom guilt was happening big time!

Wednesday 4/24: This is the day our week went upside down.  I worked, then rushed to Countryside to take Em to a specialist, then raced back to All Children's in St Pete to get Xrays done.  Let the whirlwind begin. No working out for me.

First day in the OCC waiting for Xrays

Thursday 4/25: Went to work again only to make the in laws bring Emmy down to All Children's again for blood work. No working out for me.

Round 2 in the OCC waiting for blood draw

Friday 4/26: Work Work Work.  No sleep and no working out.

Saturday 4/27: Picked up an extra shift on the inpatient unit.  Probably walked about 3-4 miles in those 8 hours.  Still not sleeping so that walking will have to do

Sunday 4/28: The Hubs's family came over for a birthday lunch.  April/May are very busy months in the birthday world for them.  I was exhausted and it was my only day off before starting another 5 day work week (11 shifts in 13 days is tough). All I wanted to do is sleep but I ended up grocery shopping instead.

I got a few minutes to just breathe

And we all know that I did absolutely nothing this past week.  I hate that I've let the extreme exhaustion catch up to me but I'm pretty much running on empty.  I was able to get a decent amount of sleep Friday night and a little bit last night so I'm in a better place.  I plan on pounding the pavement today and getting in as many miles as I can before Friday.  Em has surgery that day and I know I'll be a little consumed afterwards.

How do you stay motivated?  Is it better to keep pushing yourself to be active or take a breather every once and a while?  I'm afraid if I take a breather for too long, I won't get back into it......

Iron Girl to the Core

I am so behind in updating my exciting race experience!  Life has completely gotten in the way of things.  So here goes.......

I was provided the opportunity to participate in this year's Clearwater Iron Girl race through the Tampa Bay Bloggers.  I did the Iron Girl 5K two years ago and had a blast so I was definitely looking forward to participating again this year.  I convinced my brother's girlfriend to run it with me too (knowing she'd leave me in the dust).  I had grand plans of really training for this race and blowing my RnR time out of the water. Well, let's face it, I'm a loser.  I might have ran once prior to the race.  And if I did, it obviously wasn't memorable or worth it.  So I went in to this event knowing that I was going to be HORRIBLE (which I was).

I opted to wait until Saturday to pick up my packet so I could scope out the expo.  Noah's been showing interest in running and races so I figured I'd bring him along.  We parked, walked to the expo, and figured out a game plan.  I went to get my bib first then Noah was distracted by giveaways.  I had to convince him I needed to pick up my shirt and bag first before we did anything else.  Once I got those 2 things, we headed off to have some fun.  First stop was the Athleta booth for awesome hair ties and poster making.  Noah wanted to make a poster for us, even if he wasn't going to be able to use it for the race.

Then we wandered around, picking up anything free he could get his hands on.  He might have picked up a racing bug!  His favorite booth, by far, was the Polar booth.  The boy snagged everything!  He even made me pour our bottle of water into his new Polar water bottle.  He asked if he could take a watch too but I quickly prevented that small case of theft from happening.

Shortly after, we headed back home.  Em was all shades of jealous since he got so much stuff.  I went to bed somewhat early knowing I had an early wake up call the next day.

My alarm went off and I started to get ready.  I was debuting a new running skirt and I was a little anxious about it (I'm blessed with thighs that touch and rub together.  I usually don't run in shorts because of it but I wanted a cute skirt.  I apologize to anyone who had to see my legs running around out there because I'm sure it wasn't a pretty sight.  Plus I was reminded around mile 2 why I wear capris to run...my legs were hurting so bad!!!!  I won't be wearing a skirt in a LONG time. Let's just put it that way).  But I was stoked to be rocking my Asics.  They're so bright!!!  I must have gotten a million compliments on them and my feet felt amazing!  My brother's gf picked me up and we headed down to find parking.  It was a little bit of a hassle but we managed to find a nice spot in a garage a few blocks from Coachman Park.  We parked, grabbed our gear, and headed down to the Park. Somehow I missed all the TBB girls (I'll meet you soon!) but the atmosphere was awesome!  That's the one great thing about women's only events.  There is so much excitement, inspiration, and strength present.  We watched the half marathoners take off.  Let me just say that the Fab 50 group was out in full force!  These women were unbelievable.  They're running races better than I am and I'm 20 years younger.  True inspirations!!!  When they called for the 5K runners to the chute, we started to make our way down.  We did run into a friend of my dad's who was there to support his wife and daughter.  It was nice to start the race with a familiar face.

We took our place towards the very end of the pack and waited for the start. This course was no joke.  Hills right off the bat.  I was feeling pretty good up until I turned the corner and saw the bridge.  I knew the bridge would be part of the course, I just didn't know how quickly it would get to me.  Or that we were literally running over it and then back over it again.  Note to self for next time.....practice this bridge a few times.  I made it up pretty good and going down it was a breeze.  I had the worst taste in my mouth so I grabbed a cup of water.  Well I tried to drink and run at the same time....no bueno.  I almost choked so I stopped drinking right away and tried my best not to keep coughing.  From that moment on, I was a mess.  The way back up the bridge again was the WORST.  I didn't think I'd ever make it up there.  I did have to walk a bit too. But when I go to the top, I saw a familiar face, and that's exactly what I needed.  Meghan was supposed to run with us (well in the half) but was sidelined with an injury.  I think she's a rock star for coming out and supporting every one.  I needed to see a familiar face with a "you can do it...there's no more bridges" at that moment in time because I was about ready to quit.  I was ready to walk the rest of the way.  But I didn't.  I found some energy and finished up the race.

Yep...that's the bridge.  

I met up with Sharon and we ran into my dad's friend and his family.  I actually finished right behind his daughter and got to witness the cutest thing.  He saw her at the 3 mile marker.  He caught her attention, snapped a quick picture of her, and took off running towards the finish line.  He ran along the fence as far as he could cheering her on.  It was amazing.  And it gave me a little push to the finish. One day I hope that I'll have the same kind of cheerleader waiting for me at the end of a race.  (Yeah I'm talking to you Hubs.  I know you've been to both my half marathons but a 5K is just as important. Just sayin.......).  We said our goodbyes and headed to the breakfast tent.  While I couldn't eat the pancakes thanks to my gluten allergy, I did load up on the banana and strawberry toppings.  We sat in the grass by the pond and had a great breakfast.

Then we got a crazy idea.....let's go to the top of the bridge and take a picture.  Probably not the best idea we've ever had.  We tried our best to get there but realized that in order to get up there from where we were, we'd have to walk up a ramp that the half marathoners were coming down.  That just seemed like a horribly rude thing to do so we got as close as we could without going up.  Then we cheered on the runners for a while.  They were almost to the finish line.  Once again we saw all the Fab 50 gals who were just chugging along like it was no big deal.  I plan on being one of them in 20 years.  As we were leaving, the 2:45 pacers were coming up.  They kept telling the runners around them to pick it up and not finish after them.  They kept encouraging everyone around them.  I was so thankful for them and I wasn't even running.  Just to know that there are complete strangers out there wanting you to do better than you think you're capable of doing is just amazing.  These 2 girls were awesome.  I can only imagine what the other pacers were like!

While I am not happy with my time, I can't complain about finishing a race that had horrible bridge running.  I wasn't the last one to cross the finish line.  And it gives me a good starting point.  I'm determined to improve upon this performance.  I've already beat my time in one of my runs this week.  I know that one day I'll get into the time range that I want to be in.  I know I'll be able to run up and down that stinking bridge without stopping.  So until then, I'm just going to relish in the fact that I'm an Iron Girl to the Core!!!

Picture courtesy of Sharon

Disclaimer: I was provided an entry to the race in exchange for sharing my experience.  All the opinions are my own and I totally recommend this race series to any and everyone!!!!  
     

Weekly Workout

I've linked up with Meghan once before but I'm so proud of myself for linking up this week!!!!

I've turned over a new leaf!  I'm trying to get in a routine with running.  I want to make it a permanent fixture in my life but haven't been able to yet.  But I think it's about to change.  Not only do I have a few more 5Ks scheduled, I also have a big 10 miler at Disney in October to train for.  The Hubs is running it too and there is NO WAY I can let him beat me.  Not because I don't think he can but because I'll never live it down if he does.  So I have that goal in mind that I need to start working towards.  I think this week was the jump start I needed.

On Sunday, I participated in the Clearwater Iron Girl 5K. I'll have my recap up tomorrow of the race but I ended up doing 3.18 miles according to my Nike+ app that I had going.  I didn't weave as much as I thought I did I guess.  It wasn't a great race for me but I finished it.  And that's all that matters.

I took Monday off because my body realized that I had done something so out of the ordinary that it went into shock. OK maybe not that dramatic but I was feeling it so I didn't want to push my luck.  I took the day off to relax

On Tuesday, I sported my yellow and blue in honor of the Boston Marathon tragedy.  I still can't wrap my head around all of it.  Once we got the kids to bed, I put on yellow and blue again and got on the elliptical for 26.2 minutes.  It was the least I could do.

Wednesday...I was determined to get back out and hit the pavement.  I did 3.1 miles, beating my Iron Girl time by about 15 seconds.  I'm considering it a PR.  I'm giving myself small victories and if that means PR'ing my training runs, then by golly that's what I'm going to do!  I had some wicked left shin pain when I finished, which isn't very exciting at all.  I'm horribly prone to shin splints (I think it's due to an injury I had years ago that affected a lot of the tendons in my foot/ankle) so I was not excited when it started back up again.

I don't even know what I did on Thursday but I know running wasn't involved.

Friday was another "rest" day but there was no resting to be done.  Work was CRAZY.  We were slammed and running around like crazy people.  I need to start wearing a pedometer when I go to work.  I'm sure I walk a million miles a day. I got a call while at work about Em and had to race to the pediatrician with her.  She's doing so much better now but it was a horrible afternoon/night.  I think I went to bed at 7:30pm.

Saturday turned into the type of day that we didn't plan.  Originally the kids were going with my in-laws to a circus and we were going to have a few hours by ourselves.  We were going to watch our friend who was competing in her first Cross Fit competition.  But with Em being sick, only Noah went to the circus and we didn't leave the house.  Once Em went down for a nap, I laced up my shoes and went out for a run.  I did 2.25 miles and recorded my fastest mile to date.  I wasn't trying for a fast mile either.  I just went out there feeling great.  I only did 2 miles because my shin pain started coming back and I didn't want to push it too hard.  I did a 0.25 mile cool down walk before heading back to the house.  When Noah got home, he wanted to go running so I took him out for a bit. We didn't go very far but let me tell you....the boy is fast.  It was fun to be out there with him.  I really hope I can instill the importance of a healthy lifestyle in him at a young age.  And who knows, maybe he'll end up being a race partner for me!!!

I can't wait to see what next week brings!!!!
    

At a loss

I had every intention of posting an Iron Girl recap today but I have to postpone it.  The events that transpired yesterday at the Boston Marathon has left me speechless.  I cannot believe something like this happened. And even more, that these types of events continue to happen.  It truly has me sick to my stomach and my mind going a mile a minute.

On my drive home from work, I was listening to sports radio (like usual).  I have to commend the guys at 98.7 The Fan.  They handled the situation in the most respectful manner.  They didn't just touch upon what happened and then continue on with their normal sports talk.  They abandoned their usual programming and provided continuous coverage.  Sometimes we just need to be in the moment.

It got me thinking about everything that's happened during my life.  There's been so much tragedy in my short 30 years.  I remember the Oklahoma City Bombing.  No one will ever forget 9/11 and where they were when they heard the news (I was in my dorm room at USF being woken up by a dorm mate banging on my door wanting to use my iron for his fatigues).  Virginia Tech Shooting.  Columbine.  The Colorado movie theater shooting.  Sandy Hook.  Now the Boston Marathon.  It all got to me before but now I have kids. That changes the game.  Thank goodness my kids are too young to understand what's happened.  I can't imagine how I would handle having to explain why someone would want to hurt innocent people.  I can't wrap my head around that for myself.  How am I supposed to explain it to an innocent child?

Will things get better for my children's generation?  Will they have to witness the same senseless tragedy that I have?  How can I protect them from the horrors in the world?  I know I can't shield them from everything but I pray that I can help them navigate through this scary world so they still see the good in people.  That they don't become jaded by society.  That they aren't afraid to live their lives to the fullest.

Truer words have never been spoken.  I pray my children have this same view and that I can be the example for them like Mr. Rogers's mother was for him.  She was a wise woman.

While I am by no means a good runner, I have fallen in love with the camaraderie and fanfare that goes along with the running community.  This community is one that inspires and supports one another.  I've experienced this is every race I've been in.  When I'm feeling like I can't take another step, there's a spectator or volunteer or fellow runner there to pick me up.  Whether it be a cheer, a "You can do it" or clever sign on the side of the road, or the 60 yr old runner who's out there on the course, it's that sense of inspiration, family, and support that pulls me through.  I can't begin to imagine what it was like for the runners, spectators, event staff, and volunteers yesterday. But I have seen that same sense of family and support from runners throughout the world.  The amount of prayers, love, and support being spread all over social media is amazing.  And it is in that place of love that we'll start to pick up the pieces and move on.  We will not forget what happened but we'll run faster, run longer, and run with more purpose in our step because of it.

Today I'm sporting my yellow and blue in honor of the victims and I know the rest of the running world is too

      

What Am I Doing for Mother's Day?

Mother's Day.

The one day where all of us moms get to do whatever we want and no one can complain about it.  The one day where we're celebrated because of the ridiculously hard work that goes into being a Mother.  Let's be real, it's tough being a mom.  I'm sure I'm not speaking for myself alone when I say that being a mom has been a crash course in multi-tasking. We're pulled in every direction, whether it be getting clothes ready for the day, cooking dinner, spending time with our kids (and their Daddies), driving here and there, and passing out all the love we can.  All of that happens in about 20 minutes.  It's a tough job that doesn't have an owner's manual.  It's a "learn on the fly" type of thing.

But it's the most rewarding title that I have!  I wouldn't trade being a mom for anything.  I was born to be a mom.  And boy do I love Mother's Day!  I think I worked on my first 3 or 4 Mother's Days so I've only had about 2 Mother's Days to spend doing whatever I want.  Some women want to spend the day being pampered.  Some women want to lay around doing nothing.  Some women want to spend the day exploring the world.  I'm planning on spending my Mother's Day making strides to improve my health (and I'm planning on having the Hubs and the kiddos there cheering me on).

I'm excited to be participating in the Great Mother's Day Race this Mother's Day!  I'm on this journey (a very slow one at that) to becoming a runner and becoming a healthier example to my kids.  This race is exactly what I need. It's a race that's centered around celebrating Moms and families and healthy lifestyles.  I thought about signing up the entire family for the race but decided to do this one solo.  I decided to run on my own because that's the way I want to spend part of my special day.  I want to do something that is strictly for me.  And that's what this race will be.  A couple (times about a million) minutes and 3.1 miles of "me" time.  Time with my thoughts. Time with nature. Time on my journey to becoming a runner.

I know. I know.  Enough about me.  Let's talk race details.

When: Sunday, May 12, 2013 at 9:00am. Packet pick up will start at 8am on race day at the Registration table.
Where: Al Lopez Park (4810 N Himes Ave, Tampa FL 33614)
Who: This race isn't limited to just us Moms.  Grab your family and head on down!  Strollers are welcomed so pack up the kiddos!!!!!

This year the race will be chip timed (a new addition from last year's race) with prizes for top finishers in the age divisions.  There's goodie bags and  Dri-Fit tee shirts for participants.  Snacks will be provided before and after the race with lots of water along the way.

Registration is only $35 until May 11, 2013 and $40 on race day.  To make this race a little sweeter, all Life With My Loves readers can receive 10% off registration costs by using the code TBBLOG.  How awesome is that?!?

Sign up on Active.com and don't forget to take advantage of 10% off!!!

And while you're at it, like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter!!!!

I'm excited about the opportunity to spend my Mother's Day having fun and making myself a better person (and to have my family cheering me on to the finish....hint hint Hubs!!!)  Why don't you join me?!?!?

Disclaimer: I received an comp'd entry into the Great Mother's Day Race in exchange for promoting the event.  I am not being paid to participate.  All opinions are my own. 
  

I'm not happy at all but I'm glad I did it

I didn't really talk about it much but I ran the Rock N Roll Mini Marathon (aka 5K) this past weekend.  I had grand plans of killing this race big time but unfortunately, I fell very short of killing it.  I'm really disappointed in my results but I'm ready to make this my jumping off point for the rest of the year.

I was feeling pretty good going into the morning. Woke up at 4:45am and didn't feel tired at all.  My brother and his girlfriend (who I should probably just call my sister from now on because that's what she really is to me) ran it with me.  Sharon has been my running buddy since our first Princess Half Marathon a few years ago.  We headed down to the Trop after a slight detour, with plenty of time to get ready.  I ran into my friend from work who was running the half and chatted for a while.  Time was getting closer to the start of the Mini Marathon so we headed into our corral.  We were pretty close to the front.  My other friend found her way to us right before the start.  The gun went off and off we went.

The first mile wasn't bad at all.  I was feeling really good actually.  Then the brick happened.  For some reason it didn't dawn on me that we'd be running on brick roads.  I don't know why I didn't realize this.  I knew the roads down there were bricked but for some reason that slipped my mind. So needless to say, I was pretty much miserable for the last 1.5 miles.  I was concentrating on not tripping on the uneven road (yes, that's something that would happen to me) and trying to figure out when the finish line would magically appear. I'm not really sure why this was such a roadblock for me but it totally was.  Plus it was making my left shin hurt like heck.

But I crossed the finish line.  And that's all that matters.  I'm embarrassed of my time (which is why it won't be publicized here) but I know it wasn't a great run and it's only up from here.  I'm ready to seriously kill my time at Iron Girl Clearwater.  And to make things even better, the Hubs and I have registered for runDisney's Tower of Terror 10 miler in October.  I've got to figure out a training plan, and fast, because I cannot finish after the Hubs.  I just can't!  I'll never hear the end of it!

So here's to pounding the pavement and getting faster!  Oh and being very bright in these bad boys

via

   

I'm an IronGirl

10^th Annual Athleta Iron Girl Clearwater ½ Marathon and 5K

Iron Girl’s Mission is to Empower Women Toward a Healthy Lifestyle!

I am so excited to be participating in the Iron Girl Event Series again this year.  I wasn't able to run in it last year but I did the year before and had a great time!  It was actually my friend's first race and I was thrilled to support and encourage her to reaching her goal of running the entire thing without stopping!    She totally rocked it and I couldn't have been prouder to be a part of the day for her.

Jess and I with some of our Chi O sisters

Check out the awesome gear!

That's what Iron Girl is all about.  The mission of Iron Girl is to empower women toward a healthy lifestyle.  I'm excited for this event because it's just another reminder of the decision I'm making towards a better lifestyle for me and my family.  I've said time and time again that I want to be a good role model for my kiddos and what better way to do so than to make exercise a part of my life.  I've been fortunate to find amazing women in the Tampa area through blogging who are just as excited about fitness and running (well probably a lot more excited than me).  The Tampa Bay Bloggers have teamed up with Iron Girl this year.  In the spirit of Iron Girl, it's important to empower, encourage, and support women of all athletic abilities.  The women of the Tampa Bay Bloggers share that belief.  We're excited to share our journey with all of our readers.  (Want to follow all the TBB runners?  Check out Caroline's post to see who's running)  

So here's the exciting part!  You can join me and the Tampa Bay Bloggers for the Iron Girl Clearwater 5K or Half Marathon!

Date:                           Sunday, April 14, 2013

Location:                     Coachman Park

Entry fees:                   1/2 Marathon Race
Women's Individual
$95.00 until April 10
$105.00 race week and expo
(you must be 14 years old to participate in the 1/2 marathon)

5K Race
Women's Individual
$35.00 until April 10
$45.00 race week and expo

5K Race Team
Mother Daughter 2-person teams
$70.00 until April 10
$90.00 race week and expo

If that's not enough to make you run out and sign up, here's something to sweeten the deal a little:  10% off registration using the code TBBLOGGERS13 until February 28th.  Just click here to register.

Don't forget to like Iron Girl's facebook page and follow them on Twitter @TheIronGirl.  We'll be using the hash tag #IronGirlTBB if you want to keep tabs on our training and race talk!

Come out and run with me!

Adding More Bling This Year

That's right ladies and gentlemen.  This girl is adding more bling to her collection.  Race Bling that is!  I'm so excited to be getting back into the running world again.  As part of my goal for 2013, I'm going to become more fit.  Part of being fit for me means pounding the pavement again.

The Hubs put one stipulation on this endeavor: be smart.  I hurt my knee pretty good after my last half and ever since, I've had knee pain when I run.  He knows me better than anyone and knew that I'd want to jump in head first and pick up a long distance.  His only request was that I take it slow.  I could do whatever races I want as long as I'm not going for 13.1 again until the fall.

So for the first time ever, I'm going to listen to him.  Call the press.  This is a first.  Jess is actually listening to the Hubs.  Has hell frozen over?

But he has a point.  I need to really do this right.  I want this to become a lifestyle, not just something I'm doing once.  I need to make sure I'm doing everything I need to in order to be safe and injury free.

So here's my plan so far:

Feb 9th: Rock N Roll St Pete Mini Marathon (3.1 miles)
April 14th: Iron Girl 5K
May 4th: Expedition Everest (This one's not a definite but I want to do it and I want the Hubs to do it with me)
I'm hoping RunDisney is having the Tower of Terror 10 miler again this year.  I think that would be a great race to do and if it's in September again, it would be a great time to be doing a 10 mile race.
November 24th: Women's Half Marathon I've ran the 5K in this series and had a great time.  I've always wanted to do this half so I think it's a good choice and great timing for me.  It will make the Hubs happy too.  Plus it will give me another half under my belt so I can go into the Princess feeling pretty good.  I think it's only fitting to head back to Disney for this race so I can completely blow my previous 2 finishes out of the water!

So here's to 2013 and adding more Bling to my life!!!!!

My collection needs some new friends!!!

A Brief Catch Up

Things in the Crimella household are quite interesting right now, for lack of a better term.  But that's for another day. I've been a huge slacker because I'm EXHAUSTED...like "need to hibernate for about 3 weeks in order to start feeling human again" exhausted.  If anyone knows how to make this a reality, head my way....STAT!

I didn't write about my weigh in on Tuesday so I figured I'd share it (I know you've all been on pins and needles waiting for this).  I'm down another 2.8lbs for a total of 13.2lbs in 4 weeks.  I am beyond thrilled.  Not only did we eat out every day for an entire week (Becca....my budget needs you), I was convinced I gained at least 2lbs.  I may have squealed a little on the scale when I saw the loss.  And the best part....I wore a pair of pants tonight that I could not zip 3 weeks ago.  Like they were loose!  I think I could get used to this!!!

Now it's off to bed so I can make it through tomorrow (I cannot wait for this week to be over).  Lots of fun scheduled for this weekend and boy could I use a distraction!!!

Oh, for my Tampa peeps.....Be The Match, the National Marrow Donor Program's donor registry, hosts 1K/5K events all over the country to raise awareness and funds for Bone Marrow Transplant patients.  Tampa is fortunate enough to be a part of this amazing series.  The first Be The One Run will be held on April 1st at Al Lopez Park.  I will be participating with my coworkers as we raise awareness for our amazing patients in need of bone marrow transplants. I would love it if you joined us!  You can either join our team (BMT Nursing-Giving for a Living) or create your own team. It will be a great event for an amazing cause.