Surf-N-Santa 5 Miler 2015

On December 19th, I ran my 47th race. That is a powerful statement. Just 8 years ago on the same exact date, I reached a tipping point in my life and just 3 months later ran my very first race. If you would have told me back then that just 8 short years later I would have so many races under my belt, I wouldn't have believed you. The past 8 years have really been amazing for me, and I have more self confidence than I ever had before. I can thank several things for that, but number 1 on the list is running. It has been a game changer for me.

All that being said, I have been in a bit of a running slump since going back to work. I just cannot seem to find motivation to run at all. I hate it. I thought that signing up for this race would change that, but it didn't. So I went out and ran 5 miles with hardly any training and could barely walk at the end.

Even though there was a cold snap that day, it was actually a really great afternoon for a run. Once we got moving the air felt nice and running on the boardwalk was really enjoyable. I liked seeing all the lights. If you are not into running, you can always go down to Virginia Beach and drive through the lights too. It is a pretty neat set up, and who doesn't love the beach?

Shrub and Bryan ran it too!

I taped up both of my legs, but by the time I drove 2 hours to get there, it didn't seem to matter. My muscles were stiff and even though I jogged a little around the parking lot, they would not loosen up. It was really painful. The first mile felt alright but after that things started to hurt and I ended up walking and near the end could feel myself starting to limp. Not to mention that my old hip injury came back. Ugh! There were a few moments near the end where I could feel the tears in my eyes and hear the nasty voice in my head telling me this was it, the end of my running days had finally come. But I pushed it deep down inside of me and made it across the finish line. My quads felt like tight rubber bands that snapped as I walked. After a beer and a little standing around I started to feel better.

Free beer! Yay we finished!

Jess came out to support us too!

Obligatory beer chugging picture.

It was crowded in there!

All in all, it was a great night for a race and I would definitely do it again. About 2 months ago I had the idea in my head that I would run another half marathon this spring. I think after this race my short term goal is going to be just to make it through Monument Avenue 10K in one piece. And to somehow dig up some motivation from somewhere.

What keep you motivated?

600 miles!!

Oh my gosh!! I just noticed I have a total of 600 miles on my mile counter! How awesome is that??

I have a 5 miler tomorrow night I am looking forward to. Promise to update before Christmas!

And today was the last day of school! I made it to winter break!!! Holla!!!!

HCA 8K 2015

Saturday November 14th I ran the HCA 8K which is part of the Richmond Marathon. I have run the half marathon 4 times, but with so much going on at work, I knew I would not have the time to dedicate to training for a half. I barely had time to train for the 8K. Being all ambitious, I even made a training plan back in September since I had slacked of once again and I couldn't even keep up with that.

Wave 1??? Aww crap. I guess that's what I get for not training.

My athletic supporter! Our squinty eyes tell you just how exhausted we were.

Even with the little training I did manage to complete, I finished the 8K in 50 minutes 48 seconds.

Boom. Drop glitter.

I'm awesome. Just kidding.

True, I ran the whole time with a side cramp and was breathing like I was in labor but I did it! I had a good laugh when I saw the photos and saw how I was smiling as I crossed the finish line.

Big smile cause I knew I did pretty darn good ;-)

It was a great morning for a  race and all in all, I had a good time, but there was a dark cloud hovering just on the horizon.

The terrorist attacks in France really got to me on Friday night. I did not realize what was going on since I was at the mall with my parents and then took B back to their house for the night. When I got there, dad had the TV on and was watching what was happening.

I am so sad and tired of people harming and killing other people in the name of whatever they believe. So what if someone believes something different from you? It makes the world a more interesting place. Why can't people just live and let live? Sometimes I feel like we are back in the freaking middle ages.


I try to keep hoping that some day, there will be total peace in this world.

While I was running back towards the finish, the sun was in our faces. I happened to look up and see this beautiful, classic diamond shaped kite. It was yellow and someone was flying it from the roof of their building. There was a tree between the kite and me. Most of it's leaves had fallen off so I could see the kite on the other side of the branches, the sun shining across a cloudless sky. The sight of it made me smile. Despite the evil in this world, there is still so much beauty.

Urbanna Oyster Festival 2015

This picture starts off the post because it started off my weekend and it's one of my most favorite mugs ever. 

I took Friday off of work because it was the annual Urbanna Oyster Festival! My first experience of this Virginia tradition took place last year, and it was fun, but this year was much more fun. Mostly because my hubby got to go this time and B was a year older and he was much easier to deal with all day. While he still takes a daily nap, we knew he wouldn't take one today so we just powered through.

About 70,000 people attend this festival in tiny Urbanna, Virginia every year. It takes place the first Friday and Saturday of November. We go on Friday because it is the less crowded day. The weather this year was AMAZING! It was a record high in the 80's! I was super happy to walk around in flip flops all day.

B got to experience his first pony ride! He did great and held on tight.

Virginia is for Lovers! 

There is so much here. Lots of vendors and lots of food! I do wish there were more local vendors. They have a fair amount of food vendors that are the ones you see at the state fair and sell you one corn dog for $5. We found the Lions Club stand that was selling yummy food for a fair price and it all goes to charity. There are also some food vendors that are local which was nice. Always try to hit those up.

There are quite a few other vendors selling the same odd things...like weird puppets that look mass produced in a back room in Mexico and those funky hippy/poncho hoodie things that all the stoners wore in the 90's. I'd really like to see more home made vendors. I bought 2 Christmas ornaments: one was a shell made to look like a snowman with a Santa hat on that was made from a Steelers pattern and one that was an oyster shell that looked like a beach and had a little sign in the sand that said "Urbanna". I tried to convince dad to get the dried out crab wearing a Santa hat but he wouldn't go for it. 

They also had a stage with different bands. B hopped out of the stroller, grabbed 2 sticks and took a dance break! This kid LOVES to dance. I have no idea where he gets it from. 

Eventually we made it down to the harbor where our friends had their boats docked. This was probably the most fun. The festival is big and it is nice to have a home base where you can sit, relax and drink a beer. I loved boat hopping. 

Dad and I continued our Jell-O shot tradition we started last year! Thanks Marsha for bringing those!

Uncle Rusty, Michelle, Me, Mom

Our buddies who are hysterical! Love hanging out with them. Also great because B has so many people watching out for him and mama can take a break.

My little captain! Seriously, how great is this picture? I had to take about 10 pictures before I got this one, but it is perfect.

Oh heeeeey! Just pretending to drive this yacht the size of a house!

Before we left we went over to another marina and found another friend who was there on a boat he bought that he is fixing up and re-selling. He does this with everything. There is nothing this guy won't sell. This boat was 51 feet long, had 3 state rooms (bedrooms) and a head (bathroom). There were 2 seating areas with tables and benches. I could seriously get used to that. I don't know if I would ever want to own a boat like that, but it would be hella fun to go out on it once in awhile.

See? It was huge. (That's what she said.) Apparently it was owned by a the owner of the Redskins at one point.

I greatly enjoyed spending the day with my man and family. It was too pretty of a day to be stuck at work, so I was happy to off. This has felt like the longest weekend ever and I've loved it. 

He finally crashed when he decided to head back to the car. He was such a trooper. We are so blessed that we have such a smart, easy going kid.


http://www.urbannaoysterfestival.com/

Halloween 2015

First off, I went running for the first time today in over a week. It hurt.

I also went and got a massage last week and the lady had to work knots out of my legs. How do you get knots in your calves?? I knew I wasn't crazy and that there was a reason why my legs ache every day when I get home from work...my plan is to start trying to get some pilates in at some point during my day and convincing the hubs to rub my legs every once in awhile-and by that I mean every other day (lol).

Last week was CrAzY. I just have to say that I have a whole new level of respect for my mom. She made all my Halloween costumes through the years and not only were they amazing, I have no idea how she got them done. I decided to make B's costume this year. (I feel like I have a lot to live up to!) and since I don't have a sowing machine and never really learned how to use one anyways, I had to sow the whole thing by hand. I decided I wanted him to be Toothless, the black dragon from How To Train Your Dragon. I made all the pieces and parts and attached them to a black hoodie. It turned out great!!! I was pretty proud of it. The whole thing also had to be finished in time for him to wear it to daycare on Friday. Ahh!!

In case you didn't know, this is Toothless. And if you haven't seen the movie, you should.

 

 

image source

This was my little Toothless!

 

 

I had it done in time for the party at daycare! 

And then made some last minute additions for a Saturday morning dress up.

He did much better Trick or Treating this year. He had fun saying "Trick or Treat!" and opening his bag. It was so fun to watch. We made it to a good amount of houses and then ran home to hand out candy. He was tired and slept in, even with the time change. (So thankful for the time change!! I love having an extra hour to sleep before having to get up for work.)  Hopefully we can get another year out of Toothless. He was a hit. 

We also carved out pumpkin at 5pm on Saturday cause that's how we roll. 

I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween! 

time out for mommy

Today I needed a time out.

I started getting a sinus infection last week and I tried to fight it off but I couldn't. So I broke down yesterday and went to the doctor and got some medicine. I also took the day off of work. The hubs went to work, B went to daycare, and I spent the day on the couch under a blanket watching TV. No one was tattling, whining or picking on anyone. It was wonderful to not be at work.

It is also hard to run with a head fool of crap so I haven't been running since Sunday. On Sunday I snuck out while B was napping and C was mowing the grass and ran 3 miles, the farthest I've gone in awhile. At first it hurt, but then it got better. It was a great afternoon for a run. I seriously doubt I will get another run in before this weekend. These fall sinus infections are really getting old. Hopefully tomorrow will be better!

My "time out" today was great.

Oh, Happy Back to the Future day!!

Hello Again

Once again, time got away from me. 

The summer was busy. And wonderful. And relaxing. I really did not want to return to work and it's taken me over a month to get back into a routine. It was hard this time. It's hard to believe that I have been teaching for 11 years now. Where did the time go?

A lot happened in August and September. Way more than I care to go into, so let's concentrate on the good!

My hubby had a birthday this week! "Happy Birthday for you Daddy!" as B said. He helped me make C a cake on Monday. 

Happy Birthday Daddy!

One good thing I did back in August was sign up to become an Origami Owl Independent Designer! I absolutely love their jewelry and when I started to research the company to figure out whether this was something I really wanted to do or not, I fell even more in love with them. They really are a good company, they care about their designers (direct sales, like Mary Kay) and have a lot of incentives and programs to help you succeed. For some people who sell it, it is their full time job. Will the title Work From Home Mom be in my future?? I have no idea. But for now, I enjoy telling people about it because I enjoy it so much. I would love to eventually earn the trip to Cancun though!

Check out what they have to offer and shop with me HERE! 

Now on to the topic that is the reason behind this blog! Running! 

I have not been on my A game lately. At the beginning of August we went to visit my in laws up in the mountains of PA and while they live right next to a biking trail that is great for running, I never got off my butt and got out there. All my running clothes and shoes went with me, but I never got them out of the suitcase. I was on a really good running streak prior to that and it totally sidelined me. I also get lazier as the beginning of school approaches and I do more sitting in a lawn chair by the water than anything else. Can you blame me really? Since I have been back at work I have been doing over 10K steps EVERY DAY. That did not happen in years past...

So that being said, I decided I needed some motivation, and the main motivation that has always kept me moving, has been races. So yesterday I signed up for the HCA 8K which is part of the Richmond Marathon. I would really love to be doing the Half Marathon that day, but I just don't have the time to train for a half and I'm really too close to the race date to start now anyways. But I am excited for the 8K! If I can keep the training for that consistent I will try to keep going and look into a spring half. Because I really, REALLY want to do a half marathon again. It's been too long.

One of the paths I run near my house. It had rained last night, and was cool, and it's beginning to look like fall. It was perfect.

So this week I got 2 runs in (and they hurt, man did they hurt) and today I did 2 miles. It did not hurt as much. This is how running works. Once you've started and been consistent for a good amount of time, to the point you call yourself a "runner", you can jump back in fairly easily after a break.

Not too bad!

Average pace: kinda slow. But that's OK! Improvement happens over time and it feels so good. I find that running without the jogger feels SO easy after running with the jogger a lot. I had to take B with me on Tuesday and Wednesday so today was a real test to see where I am. I'm at 'slow', but that's alright. It will be interesting to see how far I go in just a few weeks.

My laps

I love running with an app because it is so much easier than a watch. I do want to start running with my Garmin again though so I can keep an eye on time. I keep my phone in my FlipBelt so I can't really look at it while running. I started easy with mile one and when I heard "11:25" I decided to try and make mile 2 faster than mile 1. It wasn't exactly easy but I shaved one minute off my time! Start small with your goals and you will reach them, and they will grow.

Check back next week for an update on how training is going!

TTFN-Ta Ta For Now! (My son is watching Winnie the Pooh...)

Deltaville 5K 2015 and everything else

Hello friends! This has been a crazy and hectic last few weeks! I thought my life would be a little better after school let out for the summer but boy was I wrong. B has kept me on my toes along with everything else going on.

First, I got new prescription sunglasses! I've never had prescription sunglasses before but I am loving it. I also got new glasses as well. It has been an adjustment because I have developed an astigmatism and now I am supposed to be wearing glasses all the time instead of just to see distance. I am very slowly getting used to them and still being stubborn about wearing them all the time, but I am loving the prescription ones for driving.

Stylin'

My parents' 40th wedding anniversary was June 28th so I threw them a surprise dinner with their closest friends. It was perfect! They thought they were just meeting us for dinner...hehehe.

Surprise!

My "aunts and uncles"

Everyone had a great time, and even B was semi well behaved. The empty outdoor dining area helped because he could run around out there.

Argg!

June 30th was our wedding anniversary! We waited and celebrated with dinner in Urbanna. We went to a place called The Works and it was soooooo good! It was also so good to have some kid-free time.

4 years and counting!

Crabby hat. Crabby baby.

Friday we went out on the boat and B wore the best hat ever. We went out in the bay and it was a gorgeous day! Since there were storms the night before the humidity was low. I liked swimming out in the open water and even (finally!) got to drive the boat!

Saturday morning I had the Deltaville 5K. It is a fun race with an out and back course. I think I could have had a better time if it weren't for the guy who decided to dress up in sleigh bells (not jingle bells, legit sleigh bells) and a Santa hat and run near me through the whole race. The bells were absolutely maddening. I had 2 choices: go ahead of him or let him pull ahead of me, because he ran my EXACT pace. I tried pulling ahead and that worked for a little while, until my app told me I ran the first mile in 8 minutes 57 seconds. I knew I had totally screwed myself. I slowed down so I wouldn't hurt myself and here comes Sleigh Bells again....every time I got away from him he would catch up. Or if I let him get ahead, he stopped at the water stations and then started running when I got near him again. It was honestly horrible. I can understand dressing like that for a Christmas race...but not in July. It kind of ruined it for me :-( Next time I will just wait and move back into another wave so as to avoid that annoyingness...All in all though I was super happy with my finishing time. 31 minutes 48 seconds is really good! If I could run a consistent 9 something mile I could probably pull in at 30 or less like I have been trying so hard to do. Maybe next time...

I saw this on Facebook later and will be looking for it next year. They had CRAB RACES at the race!! I so wish I had seen this in person!

ouch

Saturday night I was super tired and my feet were so swollen. I understood why when I looked at my FitBit app. I haven't had that many steps in one day in a long time.

Sunday we went out on the boat again and went fishing for cobia! Apparently they are hard to catch because they don't school and they are extremely picky about their bait. But we got one!! Unfortunately he snapped the line before we could get him in the boat, but it was fun trying to get him in. Cobia can get very big and we weren't sure if he was a keeper anyways. I think he was just shy of the 37 inches they have to be to keep them.

Check out that mouth!

Feisty!

You can kind of see him below the water.

Personally I was happy just to drive

 

Hope everyone had a great Fourth of July weekend!