Gladiator Rock 'N Run Fun

For some inexplicable reason, I agreed to join my friends in yet another obstacle race. This time, DH joined me, which was pretty exciting since he doesn't run and hasn't ever participated in a race. So off we went to the Gladiator Rock 'N Run.

Overall, it went pretty well. One obstacle, Hamburger Hill, involved a half mile incline up the side of the Estrella Mountains. I struggled there, but finished most of the other obstacles, and I think I conquered my fear of heights. Okay, maybe not. But I got over that awful wall (the literal wall, not the figurative one - although I suppose I did that too), so I call it a win.

Of course, I couldn't have completed a few of the obstacles alone. I'm a whopping 5 foot 3 inches, and some of these obstacles aren't made for the fun-sized, if you know what I mean. I was very lucky that two of the men from our group hung back with my husband, a runner friend, and I. Both were so sweet, helping not only me, but several other runners who needed the occasional boost or encouragement. One of the obstacles was a dumpster you had to climb into and back out of. There were some bars on the outside that I used to get in, but I had no hope of climbing out. I couldn't reach the top of the dumpster and my parkour skills are seriously lacking (read: non-existent). But I wasn't alone and one of the guys who'd hung back with us knelt down and allowed quite a few people to use him as a step stool.

This isn't uncommon at obstacle races in my (very limited) experience. I'm amazed, and quite touched, by the kindness I see in runners. There are stories in the media all the time about runners who sacrifice a PR or win to help out another runner who's struggling or injured. I admit it, I tear up a bit when I read these, blown away by the selflessness and consideration runners exude all the time. Of course, this isn't necessarily true of all runners, unfortunately. However, the majority seem to be of the mindset that an individual sport doesn't have to exclude camaraderie. For that, I'm extremely grateful. It's encouraging for people like me who are just getting started and aren't confident in our abilities. It's inspiring to know that we're supported and should anything happen, our fellow runners will be there to pick us up. And it's a relief to know that when we're too short to do it ourselves, there will almost always be another runner waiting to give you a boost.

A Race for Maggie's Place

I finally did it! My first 10K!

If I'm this elated now, what in the world is it going to feel like when I finish my first half?!

At any rate, I ran (/walked) 6.2 miles for the first time ever on October 9, 2013 at the Arizona Race for Maggie's Place. I was hoping to get some semblance of a decent time to submit for the Tinker Bell Half Marathon. Prior to this, my farthest distance was about four and a half miles. I was so nervous the entire week before the race. However, the night before I diligently laid out my running clothes, prepared my water bottles, packed a GU pouch in my belt, laid out my headphones, ate my pasta, and went to bed. I woke up on time and made to the race with a little bit of time to spare. On my way to the race area I get ready to put on my bib... only to realize I didn't have it. So at this point, here I am all by myself at my first 10K, practically in tears because i literally forgot the ONE thing I needed to participate. I called my husband, who I figured was at home still asleep, to see if he could make sure my bib was where I left it before I tore my car apart. It was and he offered to bring it to me, but suggested I start by asking the organizers if they could by chance provide me with a new one instead.

Luckily someone at the registration booth must have felt for me, or just didn't want to see me cry, and I got hooked up with a shiny new bib. All systems were go, and I got myself to the start line in one piece.

I was doing pretty well and made it to just before the first mile marker, when I saw some guy standing near the path. I got closer and realized I was looking at my husband, holding a sign and ready to cheer me on. Since I'm an unaturally emotional person, I started tearing up a bit and made a very strange half-laugh, half shocked squeal type sound (judging by their faces, the two women running in front of me didn't know whether to be irritated, entertained, or concerned).

My fabulous husband was waiting at nearly every single mile marker with a different sign, a few quick words of encouragement, and at one point, some more GU (he didn't know I'd remembered mine). That was probably the most romantic gesture I've ever seen, and honestly, I think I could have finished even if he hadn't done that, but I wouldn't have finished nearly as strongly as I did. Nor would I have been as happy.

Silly woman that I am, I didn't get a picture. But I know I'll never forget seeing him on the course after he did a surprisingly good job acting like I'd woken him up on the phone earlier. I finished in 1:25:48, which for me, was actually pretty darn good. After all, I finished my first 5K eight months earlier in 57 minutes.

I have no idea if that's going to be a good enough time to affect my corral placement at the Tinker Bell Half, but I know that I've pushed my limits once again, and I couldn't be happier!

Calling all super heroes!

I can't leap tall buildings in a single bound and I'm definitely not faster than a speeding bullet. I'm hardly faster than a still bullet. But on Saturday, September 28th, I ran the Super Hero 5K anyways. I went dressed as my favorite comic book villainess, Harley Quinn (from the Batman series). And apparently red and black are my colors, because I rocked it!

I PRed with a 40:48 finish time. That's almost seven minutes faster than my last 5K. The ironic part of this is that I thought I was doing terrible during the race. I had NO idea I'd gotten a new PR until the results posted later that day. I was with a couple of girls from my running group and had warned them that I'm not particularly fast. I actually ran the entire first mile (that was a first in itself). But after that, I felt like I had to take so many walk breaks that I was worried I'd be crawling across the finish line. Just before the first mile marker one of the girls I'd come with caught up to me (she had to stop to fix her shoe). She stuck with me for most of the race but ran ahead towards the end. Little did I know that by trying to keep up with her, I'd improved!

It was a pretty good run for the most part. It was fun to dress up, and the organizer did a great job making the event festive. The Arizona Justice League was in attendance and in costume for participants to take pictures with. I even got arrested by Commissioner Gordon! There was food, music,  a photo op area, cardboard cutouts of heroes and villains alike, and a push-up contest.

Fun times were had by all and I limited my destruction to a bare minimum (I left my giant hammer at home).
So what does one do next after a shiny PR? They prepare for their first10K apparently! Here we gooooooooooo!

Water Ballons and a PR

One of my favorite things about running is that I can do something great for myself while doing good for others at the same time. Many races donate proceeds to charitable foundations, and I'm a sucker for a good charity. I volunteer often and I've organized fundraisers and toy drives for local organizations and I live for helping others (after all, I am getting a master's in counseling).

The 5K I completed in July was the Splash Mob 5K in Tempe, Arizona. This run is somewhat unique in that it wasn't designed to donate a little to charity in order to put on a run; it was designed to put on a run so they could donate to charity. The organizer of this race couldn't be more passionate about helping others. I had the pleasure of meeting him at the packet pick-up, and he was so passionate about making a difference. Along with registration fees, participants were required to donate two non-perishable food items. Profits and donations were then provided to a local school for homeless children that works to make sure these kids have a safe place to go, clothes to wear, and food to eat.

It was an absolute honor to participate in a run that does so much good, and I had a great time while I was at it. There were kids throwing water balloons and spraying the runners with water guns along the course. At the end, the participants were allowed to enter Big Surf Water Park and splash around in the wave pool. Overall, it was very well organized, and I truly enjoyed this race. I ran with my step-mom and even managed a PR. Don't laugh... I know it's still slow. But considering where I started? I'll take my shiny new 47:25.8 thank you very much!

Why I Run

This morning I woke up at 4:30 am to get in a run before work. My run/walk was four miles long, my farthest distance yet. While I was out there pounding pavement I started thinking about all of the reasons I was doing this. This is what I came up with:

I run for the girl I used to be
Alone and small, wrapped up in fear
I run for the woman I wish to see
Each and every time I look in the mirror

I run for pieces of peace of mind
Lost through the years of to and fro
I run to prevent becoming blind
To all of the places that I could go

I run for my soul and my heart
I run to keep my demons at bay
I run to keep from falling apart
I run for God and I run to pray


I run to do what I thought I could not
For pride I've never known before
I run for freedom that can't be bought
And I run for one reason more

I run for those without the choice
I run to take less than I give
To raise money, awareness, even a voice
I live to run; I run to live

I'll admit, it's pretty cheesy. But hey, it was 5:00 in the morning! No matter how it's written, the point is that I have many reasons for running. And the beauty of it all is that I can't think of one reason not to run (excepting injury). Not everyone runs for the same purpose. These are the things that inspire me and there are many more that I just couldn't get on paper. I hope each of you has a reason, or many reasons, to run. It is with these pieces of inspiration that we puzzle together a picture of who we are.

Now, why do YOU run?

Beat the Heat

I am not a natural athlete. I was always more involved in academics and the arts. I helped run my high school's creative writing club and literary magazine, took voice and piano lessons, and acted in several of my school's theater productions. I got good grades, especially in French and English, and I spent my extra time working with special needs children. I do love watching baseball, so I had the notion once to play softball. That lasted until I realized that to make the high school team, you actually needed to have played softball. Like, ever.

Another reason I never really played sports was because I was born and raised in Arizona. You may wonder why that matters. Well, I think it's a terrible idea to be outside in 120° weather. It's as simple as that. And frankly, I think that's pretty darn logical. However, it seems that not everyone shares my affinity for air conditioning. Someone even went so far as to organize a race in the middle of June in Arizona.

Despite my skepticism, I did run the 5K (I use the word "run" lightly). Originally, I laughed when I heard of the Scottsdale Beat the Heat 5K and 11K. It was scheduled for the record hottest day of the year in Phoenix, at the record hottest time of the year (in the middle of the afternoon). A good friend of mine had registered with some family members. Her family members ended up having somewhere else they needed to be and she didn't want to run alone, so I bought one of the registrations.I was coming off of two weeks rest for plantar fasciitis and shin splints, and I wasn't thrilled about the prospect of running in 112° weather. Still, I put on my Sparkle Skirt, laced up my Brooks, and took off (slowly) at 2:47pm. Because I was out of practice and still a little tender, I ended up slowing to a walk very early on.

The 5K itself was pretty much normal; it wasn't a fun run, so we just followed the course and tried not to die of heat exhaustion (I'm only exaggerating a little). What I remember most was, near the end of the course when the 5K and 11K converged, runners who were finishing the 11K would pass me and consistently encouraged me as I hobbled to the finish line. They'd say something like "Great job!" or "Keep it up!" as they flew by, and I just couldn't believe that the "real runners" would even notice me, let alone spend time and energy making me feel better. I was so touched, Of course, I understand now that this is just how runners are: we are a unique community comprised of support and understanding. I've also since stopped referring to other people as "real runners" and discounting my own progress. So what, I had to walk the whole 5K and it took me 57 minutes to finish? I'm pretty sure that's still progress.

At the finish line, they had a fire truck and sprinklers to cool down participants, and a 40-foot water slide was waiting nearby. I was definitely ready for the Sno-Cone station, too. In the end, it wasn't a great run, but, like all the others, I'm glad I did it. It's true, what they say, about never regretting a run.

Bouncing, Buddies, and Bubbles!

Walt Disney, an innovative and brilliant man, once said, "Too many people grow up. That's the real trouble with the world, too many people grow up. They forget. They don't remember what it's like to be 12 years old."

I reflect on that thought often, and in this way, I'm lucky. I've always been whimsical in nature. My husband is especially fond of that, and for his sake and mine, I hope I never lose my child-like sense of wonder and hope. 

A couple of months ago, I ran my fourth 5K - The Bubble Run. It wasn't timed and I left my Garmin at home, so I can't tell you how I did in that sense. To be honest, I really didn't care what my time was; I was too busy having fun!

I ran this one with three other friends. One of the girls is more of a walker and we all chose to stay together and enjoy the fun, so I only "ran" a little bit here and there. We spent out time talking and laughing, stealing these moments of freedom and running with them (literally!). We bounced and danced our way through bubble bogs and went through a couple of them more than once. By the end of the run we were colorful and giddy.

For me, the Bubble Run was one of the best I've done. It was so refreshing to blatantly ignore my pace and finishing time and instead focus on the element of fun. I felt like a kid again, and there's something to be said about that. I also realized that friends make running better. No matter how much you love running (or hate running), being around people you care about makes the experience even better. True friends share your fears and struggles, amplify your joy, and inspire you to to be a better person. Without them we float along, day after day, content, but complacent. 

I hope that as you read this, you're reminded of a run that had nothing to do with racing, and everything to do with having fun. I also hope you think of your friends - the ones that make make you cry uncontrollably and laugh hysterically. The ones who know you implicitly and accept you wholly. The ones who allow you to act like you're 12 years old, and rather than disown you as you do the Gangnam Style dance through a wall of bubbles, laugh mercilessly and do it along with you.

Blog Hop!

In case it isn't completely obvious, although I'm fairly certain it is, this is a very new blog. So I'm very excited to participate in my first blog hop!

This is a runDisney blog hop, so get hopping and check out all the great blogs that combine the best sport with the best brand ;)


And go check out the hostess with the mostest: Kristy from Kristy Runs Kato!
http://kristyrunskato.blogspot.com

That moment when you realize you ARE a runner

This weekend my husband and I drove a couple of hours to a nearby town so he could visit a friend who owns a small craft beer brewery. While we were there chatting, another couple at the bar joined our conversation. Eventually the woman and I ended up chatting while the men droned on about beer (I have a healthy appreciation for beer, but let's face it, I can only talk about grain builds and yeast strains for so long). I genuinely don't remember how it came up, but I mentioned running and the woman mentioned she'd been wanting to start running, but just hadn't. I regaled her with stories (or rambled at her) about how amazing it felt to PR, how supportive the community was, and how fulfilling it is to accomplish something that genuinely takes effort.

I kid you not, I had just told her about how I could run a whole mile now (yes, one) when she told me I inspired her. I. Inspired. Her. Sometimes I doubt myself as a runner just because I can't run fast or far. I'm registered for a half marathon, but I still have so much work to do. It's like when you're trying to lose weight and instead of celebrating the 10 pounds you lost, you only see the 50 you still want to lose. I saw only the 12.1 miles I haven't run yet.But when this stranger told me I inspired her, I felt like a real runner for the first time. I also thought about all those who inspire me. I follow the Women's Running Community, Distant Runners, and #Team runDisney on Facebook and the other runners I've encountered through these groups are largely responsible for keeping me going. Their encouragement, support, humor, and passion all give me the courage to run through the bad days and cherish the good ones. I feel like I am slowly learning to become the runner I want to be through their guidance, even if they don't know it.

This was a rather serious example of embracing my inner runner, but there are also some really fun examples out there. Here are a few of my favorites:

You Know You're a Runner When...

• You scoff at paying $10 for a movie ticket, but you'll happily pay $40 for a 5K that you hope lasts less than 30 minutes
• Your home decor includes some form of bib or medal display
• You have more running clothes than regular clothes
• You're proud of your lost toenails
• You get an invitation to a wedding and have to check your race schedule before you RSVP
• Your friends ask about your weekend and you can only respond in miles and time splits
• You get excited when you see a porta potty
• You consider the phrase "it's all downhill from here" to be a good thing
• You have race entry fees built into your budget
• Your Garmin has logged more miles than your car
• You're not ashamed to wear spandex
• You have dreams about showing up late to races or forgetting your shoes
• You spend more time researching running routes than restaurants when traveling.
• Your runs are sometimes longer than your commute to work
• The word bib makes you think about races, not babies
• PR means Personal Record, not Public Relations
• The first question you ask your doctor is "When can I run again?"

AND

• You can say the word Fartlek without giggling

These are some of the best I've seen. Feel free to share yours in the comments!

Warrior Princess

One of the most beautiful aspects of being human is our ability to feel something so deeply that it brings tears to our eyes. Emotions swell and overwhelm us, sweeping us into a breathless current where we drown in a feeling of being so completely and absolutely alive.

Of course, it’s a lot more fun to drown in emotions like love, happiness, contentment. When I did the Warrior Dash in April of 2013, I was enveloped in a very different emotion: fear. Yeah, let’s just say that’s not as much fun.

Overall, I finished the Warrior Dash 5K in just under an hour and a half. And really, that’s not TOO bad when you consider that the obstacles took some time and there was some bottlenecking here and there. But I swear, if I never see a “Giant Cliffhanger” again, it will be too soon. You think runner’s trots are bad? Try being terrified of heights and trying to climb a wall using nothing but a knotted rope that doesn’t even go all the way to the top. Oh, don’t forget about being short and not being able to maneuver yourself over the wall without anything to hold on to (remember, the rope didn’t even want to get to the top of the wall). At this point you’re stuck on a wall that you barely made it to the top of and now you have to figure out the whole getting down thing. Well, there’s another rope. But of course that would require upper body strength that you no longer have since your arms were replaced with spaghetti. Rope burn? Splinters? Well, that would have been something to think about before sliding down the wooden wall while attempting to hold the rope so you can kind of look like you sort of did it right.

The good news is, I survived. The better news is, I made it through the rest of the obstacles and had an absolute blast going through the mud pit at the end. By the time I finished, I was exhausted and had earned quite a few bruises (People at work asked me how things were at home several times the following week. Was it wrong to widen my eyes, wring my hands, and say “fine” before looking down and shuffling away? Okay, I didn’t actually do this. But maybe I should have!).

I will say this: I have never been more proud of myself for anything. Nothing I’ve accomplished has taken more effort and strength than this, and even though it was terrifying, I was so glad I didn’t skip the Giant Cliffhanger as some other runners had. It was an incredible experience, and I’m already signed up for a similar obstacle run in October called the Gladiator Rock ‘N Run. Although I hear that one has some walls too…

The Neon Run

On Saturday March 23, 2013, I ran my second 5K. I was with my younger sister and her best friend, as well as my stepmother and her boyfriend. The Neon Run promised to be a mind-blowing experience with neon glow paint and blacklights, music and a colorful after party.

My only goal for the night was to PR. Not by much, but I wanted to beat my 57 minute time from my first 5K. Needless to say, I felt a bit crushed when I checked my time after crossing the finish line and saw 59 minutes had gone by since we started the run.

As it turns out, my disappointment was misplaced. I had forgotten to consider that there were several points where we experienced a bottleneck effect and I was unable to move very quickly. Additionally, my sister wanted to walk, so that affected my time. Most importantly, it turns out the course wasn't properly measured, so we actually ran an extra half-mile! Given these circumstances, I certainly felt a bit better about my time.

Besides all that, the Neon Run was meant as a fun run, so time wasn't important anyways (I'm just an over-achiever). I'd like to say it was fun, and in some ways it was. I went through about half the course with my whole group, and I ran most of the last half with my stepmom's boyfriend. The run was poorly organized and had a few issues, so running was the only thing to focus on. I was pretty proud knowing I pushed myself and even though there was a lack of neon, my face was glowing anyways.

I don't want to spend much time talking about the race (the organizers have been beat up enough on their Facebook page). I like to think that they learned from their mistakes and will correct those mistakes for future races.

At the end of the day, I learned two things. The first is that I'm stronger than I think. That was the farthest I've run ( and/or walked), and I lived! The second is that it's not all about a PR at the end of the day. Sometimes a run means more than that, and that's okay.

Happy running!

Until next time...

The first of many...

On Saturday, February 9, 2013, I accomplished something that surprised me: I completed my first 5K. It wasn't pretty; I barely finished in under an hour. But I finished, and for me that was an accomplishment. In fact, it was one of the proudest moments of my life. Now I  know I *SOUND* like I have low standards, but truly, this was something I thought was beyond my realm of possibility. I bake, I scrapbook, I work, and I go to school. And I'm pretty awesome at all of those things. Those skills all came naturally to me, and it didn't take much for me to do well. But running? I sucked at that. I could hardly run for a few minutes less than a month before this. So my only goal for this D-backs Race Against Cancer was to finish, which I did. I wasn't even last! And on top of that, I saw Luis Gonzales - Mr. Diamondback himself and one of the greatest left-fielders there ever was! I'm a huge Arizona Diamondbacks fan, so this was the perfect first race for me, and running into Gonzo (no pun intended) was pretty incredible. But, this is a blog about a wannabe princess with a penchant for bling, so there's one more reason this was a perfect day... 

So, crappy time, but I did finish. Since it's my first race, I have a new P.R. - 57.05.4. Next time, I'm shooting for under 45 minutes. I'll leave you with a personal favorite running quote:

"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run."

Until next time my friends!

And so it begins!

As of right now, I’m overweight. Very much so. Although I wanted to change how I looked, my love of food and loathing of exercise made that desire completely unrealistic. And yes, at this point I admit that my lack of willpower is both embarrassing and concerning.

However, in January of 2013, I became inspired and found a new willingness to change my life. And of course this transformation begins with the place where all dreams come true: Disneyland.
I’ve been a big fan of all things Disney since childhood. Disney symbolizes so much: innocence, fantasy, hope, love, dreams… So it’s no surprise that while visiting Disneyland with my best friend in January, and we stumbled across the Tinker Bell Half Marathon and the related health expo, I had a “lightbulb moment.”

It started with a pair of New Balance runDisney shoes. And a Sparkle Skirt. I wasn’t entirely sure at the time why I bought running shoes and clothes, but they came home with me anyways. Two days later, I went for my first run. After all, I hated running. The difficulty breathing, the pain in my legs, the undying boredom… However, something about that first run was different. I didn’t have trouble breathing; I enjoyed the burning in my lungs. I didn’t feel pain in my legs; I  felt just a little bit more powerful than before. I wasn’t bored; I was amazed.

This was the beginning of a new journey, and it was due to these first steps that I decided to document my successes and failures. Besides, nothing motivates like facing the scrutiny of people on the internet!