Being Accountable: Workout Recap

Lately I've been slacking on my workouts, and it stinks! Also, I know it's a few days early but I wanted to say it:

I'm SO happy that it's Summer, and even with all the heat I don't care. I can't wait to go swimming or to the beach soon. 🙆🙌

Anyways, I've been slacking so hard lately, and it's mainly been a mix of stressing over my cat McLovin, not sleeping well at night (partially because of the former), and the intense heat hanging over the city. 100 degrees and humid makes me really glad I got Movie Pass though.😃

I don't know if you guys handle stress the same way that I do, but when I feel so much coming at me from all angles my first reaction is to (figuratively) ball up in a corner and completely shut down. Nothing gets done, no training, organization, healthy eating, nada. It's been my way of coping when too much comes in and it does no one any good. I realize that in order to improve I need to change these coping tactics, and what used to help a lot was writing down what I need to do, or what I did for the day. Partially this made me accountable, and seeing a schedule on paper leaves less to guess work.

In preparation for my upcoming marathon training, and feeling like I'm going into it blind and nervous, I'm going to start forming good habits now. Once a week, possibly Friday, I'm going to have a weekly training re-cap on the blog. I may not write down every small detail of what I'm doing (for example, each weight I lift, etc.), but I feel like it will get me into a good habit of being mindful of everyday actions.

How do you handle stress? 

RUNderful Wednesday: Favorite Post Workout Treats

The middle of the week is here, and we've made it this far, so we have A LOT to be thankful for. Sometimes it's large and life changing and sometimes it's very small. It's the little things that count, right? 😊 I've been thinking a lot lately about attitude and positivity, and how to keep it going even when times may be tough, and there really is no simple answer. During rough times (or even good ones!), it's beneficial to remind ourselves of something positive in our lives, things we love. Today I'm going to talk about something that makes me HAPPY: 

Post Workout Treats

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Working out, running, biking, etc. outside in the Summer here, even in the early mornings can be way too hot. When I run outside in the Summer I even have waaay different standards as far as mileage times go. I still LOVE to be outside though, and nothing says screams 'Summer' after a long hot workout than a yummy slice of salted watermelon, snow cone, fresh lemonade or a smoothie. Sitting on my covered patio on a towel, filling my stomach (and taste buds) to my hearts content, chilling out and watching the backyard flowers and wildlife is one of my favorite post workout ways to relax!

Can you say mmmmmmm? 😍

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What's your favorite post-workout treat?

Workout Hair...Don't Care?

If you have easily knotted, damaged hair, I feel you.

Even though it's usually in a ponytail, braid or bun to keep it out of the way, I really love having long hair. I didn't always have long hair though.

When I was a kid I was SO bad at combing out the knots and tangles that would accumulate in the hair at the back of my neck; they were these big, huge bird's nests' of knots made even worse by the constant bike riding and playing outdoors I was doing. Running a comb or a brush through it made my eyes water and my mouth grimace and I would have just rather ignored the problem than tackle it head on (pun intended ha!). When I was around 7 or 8 my mom would get so mad at me for having knotty hair she would threaten to cut it all off if I didn't keep it combed, and one day despite my protests, she did.

This was taken a year or two AFTER my hair was cut to my ears

My entire childhood after that I had short hair, complete with Alfalfa type cowlick. I was SO cool. I hated it but didn't know what else to do. Then when high school and hair straighteners and blow dryers came along, so did the relentless heat damage. I straightened and (temp) dyed and blow-dried to my heart's content, determined to have beautiful hair, and for awhile it did look good. Eventually the heat was too much for it and it just wouldn't grow much below my shoulders, just break off.

The longest my hair would ever go. It was straightened and washed EVERYDAY

Dallas, TX for the Cottonbowl

I thought it would grow if I dyed it brown and got rid of the highlights, but the heat tools were still used everyday.

Madrid, Spain @ the stadium watching Real Madrid take on Equador

During the Summer it would grow a little, only to break off again in the winter

Gruene, TX shopping

My hair was beyond dry and damaged. I had no idea how to take care of it. 

Houston, TX at the movies

Finally, in my last year or two of graduate school, I became determined to get longer hair. I swore off any heat tools, which was SO hard for about a year or two. When you're in the habit of having shiny straight hair and it stops looking what "good" should look like, it's tough. My hair would dry looking very frizzy thanks to the years of abuse it had gone through, but eventually it began to dry nicely, and look shiny on it's own for the first time since I was a kid. I continued with the highlights, but other than that and using masks, leave in conditioners and hair oils, I left my hair to dry on its own. I learned how to do up dos and braids to make it look cute without heat styling, and 8 years later my hair is much longer and SO much healthier.

SO much healthier now! 

Running over 5 or 6 miles still leaves my head in a rat's nest of trouble, but I've recently been playing around with how I fix it pre run, and have found some tricks that actually work.

Here is what I have been doing, and some of my favorite things to use in it:

1. Ponytail holders

When I braid my hair before a run or BMX practice, it can still get knotted up. To help prevent this, I make a low ponytail by the bas of my neck, then braid the ponytail and finish it off with another ponytail holder. It tends to keep things from rubbing and I haven't had any more huge knots. I love the ponytail holders without the metal part. Those can sometimes pull and hurt!

2. Leave in conditioner

Before or after I braid my hair I like to spray some leave in condition all over my head. It helps make the tangles manageable to brush out, and also helps protect form the sun's heat. My favorite brand hands down is the It's A 10 leave in. It's slightly pricy, but I haven't found anything as moisturizing as this.

3. Braiding

When I make a pre-run French braid, I put a ponytail holder around it right after I have all the hair braided in, usually right at the base of my neck. From there I continue with a regular braid. I feel like breaking long hair up with the ponytail holders helps with the knots.

4. Hats

Sometimes wearing a hat can help. Granted, when it's taken off you will have sweaty hat hair, but the brim around your head helps your hair not to bounce around so much and rub against itself. Therefore, less tangles, not to mention it's good to use a hat when you're in the sun. Sunglasses as well, but those don't prevent knots. If a company invents a pair that does though, I'm alllll over that. 😎

5. Post run

Post run or ride I like to take my gross sweaty braid down in sections, and lightly brush it out. When I'm in the shower rinsing out the conditioner, I like to comb through it with a tangle teaser, and again when I'm out of the shower and my hair is towel dried and has some leave in conditioner and/or hair oil in it. Tangle Teasers are amazing; they don't pull or hurt, they get those knots out and they also won't break your hair like other brushes. Then air dry!

If you have tough to manage hair post workout, what do you do for it? 

Race Recap: Polish Pickle Run

As far as weekends go this has been a good one, including a last minute 5k with friends, a 4 year old's birthday party AND a cookout, but for now let's talk about the Pickle Run. 😃

The Polish Pickle Run is an annual 5k held every year in a little town called Bremond, TX. Bremond is located about 30 minutes away from College Station and is a town rich in Polish history (hence, the Polish Pickle Run). A friend of mine has been talking about this run on and off for the last year; it’s a run she and her husband try never to miss and they always have so much fun there. So, on Friday I signed up and headed to her house to meet up with our group. We all got up around 5 am to make it there by the start of the race at 8am. Once we got out of town the drive was a quick one with lots of beautiful country and farmland to look at. We made it there about 20 minutes before the race started, parked in a small field with some other cars and walked the block into town to the starting line. We set our watches and before we knew it we were ready to start!

Waiting for the race to begin

Picking up our race packets

The route began in the middle of town, went down the street and out to where homes were. There were lots of people running, everyone from young kids to kids in track to an 80 year old (who won her division). Since both sides of the road were all ours, there were no issues with being balled up and not having enough room, and while there were slight rolling elevations, the roads were nice and flat so my feet and hips were happy about that! There were two aid stations and every mile someone was there to call off the current time. There was a stretch of road before the first aid station where the turn around was that went gradually uphill for a half a mile or so, and that was tough. I was so happy when we turned around and went back down the “hill”!

During the last half mile we ran down the town’s Main Street again, and I could see the finish line from far away, so that was good incentive to keep running as fast as I could! Crossing the finish line was amazing! They gave medals out to the top three winners in each age group, and I ended up with 5th, but I accomplished my goal of a sub 30 minute 5k in 90 degree weather, so it sort of felt like a win. :) I crossed the finish line and totally forgot to turn off my Garmin for about 4 minutes, lol! I got some water and a slice of watermelon and tucked in. That was the BEST watermelon 🍉 . I met back up with Robyn, Kate and Nick and we got in the beer line and also got plates of BBQ, hung out and watched the awards ceremony. They also have raffles. They enter everyone’s race bib numblers and pick one, so someone won the bales of hay lining the start/finish and someone won a baby heifer, given away by the race director. But no worries, if you don’t have the room for a calf or a need for hay, you can choose the money option, which was what these winners did. We also went back to the car to clean up a bit, and I applied what was probably the 4th layer of sunscreen that day. Sunscreen is one of those things you don't realize is important until you're burnt up, so I take my sunscreen seriously. 😎

All done! Waiting on the awards ceremony

Awards ceremony and drawings

There were lots of pop up shops down the street and a museum, so we checked those out as well. Robyn and Nick got all stocked up on pickles and Kate found some cute sailor inspired crafts to decorate with, and a few gorgeous handmade rings. After half a day of fun and awesome people, we all headed back to town.

A parade came through town shortly after

A race T Shirt Pickle Run quilt! How cute! (My fav square is the swooshski)

The race director, Ken announcing for the awards ceremony

We had to, haha! 

I wasn’t sure what to expect of the Polish Pickle Run, but I really ended up enjoying it and having a blast! There were good people, great friends and I loved the small town experience. I will definitely be running this race again if I can. If you can make your way to Bremond, go run the Pickle Run next year, you won’t regret it!

There's nothing like a fun race day with friends!

RUNderful Wednesday

The middle of the week is here, and we've made it this far, so we have A LOT to be thankful for. Sometimes it's large and life changing and sometimes it's very small. It's the little things that count, right? 😊 I've been thinking a lot lately about attitude and positivity, and how to keep it going even when times may be tough, and there really is no simple answer. During rough times (or even good ones!), it's beneficial to remind ourselves of something positive in our lives, things we love. Today I'm going to talk about something that makes me HAPPY: 

Running Friends!!!

I'm not sure about you guys, but I used to only enjoy running by myself. I originally started as a way to combat all of the stress I was under and think through my problems, something I felt I couldn't do while others were around me. Through the years my motivation for running has changed. I no longer was under the same stress, and I began running with a different, and happier, frame of mind. Lives change, situations change (for the better), and so do the reasons you began running, or anything else you love to do. Can anyone relate? 

I am SO SO happy to have a group of running friends now (who would've thought lol!) that I run with on Saturday mornings (some friends are not pictured here, but are just as AMAZING😄). We are always exploring the city and finding new and interesting things to check out as well, so it never EVER gets boring! If you've never run with a group, or even another person, I encourage you to try it. After all, you never know what fun you're missing. 

Tips For Running In the Rain

All of us in the Greater Houston area got lucky this weekend. The news said it would rain non-stop from Friday - Sunday, eradicating any chance we had of enjoying the weekend outdoors. On Monday ribbons of rain began to sweep through, pouring down then stopping in what so far has bene a never ending cycle. I feel torn every time it rains; on one hand I LOVE listening to the rain pelt the windows as I sit inside enjoying being dry and a feeling of coziness, but on the other I can't help but think of our BMX tracks getting soaked, then sometimes needing a week or more to dry out and ALL the extra work needed to get them back into shape.

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You can still do stuff in the rain. Running in the rain can be fun, given that there is no lightening or thunder around. I'm not a fan of pushing mother nature's limits that much, and usually I opt for the dreadmill to get those miles in, but there are those times you just want to jump in some puddles, right??😃

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I have run in the rain several times. The first time I got out and ran I had a special rain jacket from Brooks. It worked well. The second time I just grabbed a HUGE see through plastic garbage bag, tore a small head hole in it (it was too big to even need arm holes), put it over my head, let the rest settle down almost to my knees, and just ran. That bag ROCKED. After 5 miles (I stopped when I heard thunder), my legs were soaking wet, but everything else was an "OK" level of dry. OH- and IT WAS SO MUCH FU|N!!!! Bring it on weather. 😃

11 Tips For Running In The Rain

1. Trash bags are AWESOME and cheap. Use one.

2. Wear a hat with a brim. This will help keep that water out of your eyes.

3. Body Glide or any other anti-chafing balm is still necessary.

4. Make sure you're visible to those around you. Rain can make it tough to see, so make sure you wear something bright colored and if possible reflective. Watch carefully for cars and avoid running on the side of the road if you can.

5. Don't layer or overdress. You don't need to wear a swimming suit, but all those layers will eventually be soaked and hanging on you and that won't be comfortable.

6. If you must bring along electronics, make sure they're safe. When I was running with my old iPod I did the cheapest thing and put it in a plastic sandwich bag, sealed it and folded it over on itself. My iPod stayed nice and dry.

7. Be more careful running in the rain. Rain makes things slick and you don't want to ruin your day by tripping or stepping in a puddle you underestimated and ending up with a twisted ankle.

8. If you see lightening or hear thunder, stay inside and use the treadmill. If you can't get to one of those, there's a lot to be said for cross training. It might be time to try a new workout for the day. :)

9. Change when you get home. Just like after swimming, don't sit around in wet cold clothes.

10. Hang or set up your shoes in a place where there's plenty of air flow and they can dry out well.

11. Have fun!

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Does anyone else love to run in the rain?

Miles To Go Before I Sleep. Pun Intended.

These last few weeks I have been SO sleep deprived it's not even funny. I KNOW you guys know that feeling. The other day I got home from work, sat down in the chair and felt so tired and overwhelmed with everything on my list that I didn't even start it. Yep, not good. I felt about my impending training the way I felt when I was a kid and I rolled my BMX bike up to the tiny starting hill at our local track for the first time, like I was facing a HUGE insurmountable mountain. 

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I know that there are so many people out there under WAY more sleep deprivation than I am, so I know it could be worse. Navy Seal training, living in a party dorm, finals week at school, doctors working in their residency, extremely long hours at work, jet lag from constant travel, parenthood, etc. You guys are heroes. Unless you are the loud one making the dorm an all night party dorm - then you suck. I got stuck in a party dorm in grad school with a Resident Director who couldn't have cared less, so between that, the constant parties and the occasional drug busts, I got about 3 hours of sleep a night. That was definitely not conducive to studying, and this singular case I'm not going to sugar coat it and say I took away so many positive things; that was the worst semester...EVER. 

Right now my goal is to sort of press the pause button on everything and restart a new, earlier bedtime and keep it consistent. That means being in bed by 10 with my eyes closed, not skimming the pages of a new favorite book or perusing whatever new interest it is on my phone's browser. I'm naturally a night owl, making it super tough to wake up in the morning in a good mood, or really to wake up at all. They say it takes 30 days to establish a new habit and that's what I intend to do. It may be impossible to fully let go of being a night owl but I sure can control having an earlier bedtime. 

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Social media always shows people getting up at the butt crack of dawn to work out, and I think of doing that and inwardly cringe. However, what I'm currently doing to manage my time isn't working, so it's time to be mindful and to make an active change, especially with marathon training looming in the Fall. Right now the "waking up early" motivation isn't there. 😑 It has been happening every weekend, but now it's time to move that same motivation to the weekdays as well. Time to accomplish goals and improve those time management skills, WOOHOO!

Me every time a new Harry Potter book came out 😋

Night owls, how do you motivate/reward yourself to consistently get up early to workout? 

Keeping Cool in the Summer Heat

I LOVE the Summertime! Well, parts of it. The birds are singing, the sun is out, the trails are calling my name, the almost constant Spring rain has slowed, and the beach/pools are ready for swimmers; that part I love. OH! And snow cones. I REALLY love snow cones. I could easily do without the 90-100 degree heat and humidity (that make it feel like 110), but you can't have it all, and that part just comes with the territory. Since we can't turn on the giant outdoor AC unit, we have to find a way to deal.

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In my love of all things outdoors, the heat can also be very dangerous. It can lead to heat exhaustion, heat stroke, bad burns, etc. (Remember when you were in school and some of your classmates would come back from a beach or pool weekend and be PEELING? I remember seeing one girl casually pick hers off in long pieces while sitting on the floor in Spanish class, and somehow everyone thought that was cool! I'm stumped.) I'm definitely not perfect in ever having avoided some of these things, but through growing up in Texas I have picked up some helpful ideas that help keep me cool and protected while being outside in the Summer.

Below are a few things that I do almost constantly, as well as a few things I'd like to try out.

Start the Day EARLY 

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I used to (and still sort of do) hate waking up at 6 am or earlier to beat the hot sun and get in a morning run, but as much as |I fought the thought of my eyes opening to an alarm on a Saturday morning, it does have its perks. The last few weeks I've made a HUGE effort to get up early and get out, and by 9AM my runs are done and I have the rest of the day free for whatever else I need to do. The early morning helps me stay cooler than normal here and my mile times are also a touch better.

Bring Water On Your Run, Walk, Ride, Etc. 

This one seems like a "DUH" moment, but when you're used to running in the cooler temps and depending on water fountains it's easy to forget a bottle or hydration backpack on those longer runs. Water is life guys! I've tried to use a water belt, but it bounces around too much for my liking, so I have been carrying a Nathan water bottle. I love it, it's easy to carry and not drop and it also has a little zip pocket in the front for GU Gels, and ID, a key or all 3. I'm curious about the hydration vests and hope one day this Summer to try one out.

I love these water bottles! 

Salt/Electrolytes

I'm including this in the blog because while electrolytes don't directly keep you cool, I've found that after a super hot workout they definitely help with recovery. When we sweat we lose so much more than just water; our bodies lose salts/electrolytes that we can't get back with just drinking water. Because of this I like to make sure I'm getting plenty of electrolytes either after my run, or in the water during it. My favorite so far are NUUN tablets. They have no extra sugar or anything you don't need. There are also plenty of other options like low calorie Gatorade, as well as salt tablets. I have a friend who used to get headaches during her runs, so she began to take a salt tablet before the run and her headaches went away. Try different things, and you will find something that works for you.

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Ice, Ice Baby 

Having ice rocks on a hot day and not just to keep drinks cold. When I travel to BMX races during the Summer, I like to get a cooler of ice each day for my drinks, and when I am done practicing on the track or racing I go back to my cooler, push up my jersey sleeves and dunk my hands and lower arms into the halfway melted ice for 30 seconds or so. If you're super hot, icing the inner wrists and back of your neck helps quickly lower your temperature.

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Find That Perfect Trail

Trail running and riding is SO much fun! To help combat the high heat, try to find a trail with lots of trees and shade. Not only will you keep cooler, but who doesn't want to look at a beautiful trail full of trees? 😋

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Gear Up 

Wear those hats and sunglasses when you're out! I love to wear the hats I get for my half marathons. They are light, easily washable and made of that techy fabric that wicks sweat up and away. Keeping shade on your face helps so much. I also have a Brooks Running hat I love to wear. So far my favorite running sunglasses are form a company called Goodr. They are relatively cheap at $25, come in a vast amount of colors, and are POLARIZED! For $25!! They also don't slip, bounce, or pinch behind your ears. I've been using mine for the last year and couldn't be happier. Below are some fun flag print sunglasses if you missed out on the Brooks victory shoes this go around. 

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During or Post Workout Cold Towel

A month ago at the Hospital Hill race in Kansas City, one of the items each runner was given upon crossing the finish line was a soaked ice cold towel, and honestly that was a lifesaver. The towel was cool too since it said the race name on it and was shaped like a long skinny rectangle. That cold on the back of my neck (and really all down my shirt lol) was the best thing after a long hot run, and helped me cool down almost immediately. When I used to BMX race as a kid, my dad would always keep an ice cold washcloth in our cooler. During one state race at Cowtown BMX in Ft. Worth, it was over 100 degrees, so I raced with it wrung out and under my helmet. I stayed cool the entire time!

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Cooling Gear 

I went to a sporting goods store recently for some GU Gels, and they had a big display of cooling towels and headbands. I have a ton of towels already, but the prospect of a stretchy headband that takes sweat and makes it cold really intrigues me, and if it works like it claims to it might be perfect for the hot months. Has anyone else tried one out?

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Take A Dip

It won't keep you cool DURING your workout (unless you're swimming laps), but jump in the pool after! Swimming is something I miss the rest of the year.

SUNSCREEN!!!! 

Never forget sunscreen when you're outside, it's too important. Not to mention, some companies have come out with "cooling" sunscreen sprays. I have yet to try a cooling version, but definitely will this Summer. Right now my favorite sunscreens to wear are in a spray can (so I can get my back), and either claim to be heavily water resistant or made for sports. I've tried the cheaper ones, got a mile down the road and then noticed white rivulets pouring off me. Not too attractive, or useful. 😓

Found at Target, because Target is awesome ❤

While these ideas are in no way the only ways to keep cool while it's burning out (fans, misters, the list could go on), these are some of my favorites, and have really come in handy more than once. Get excited - the Summer's here, and it's going to be a good one! Stay COOL out there guys. 😎😎

How do you keep cool outside in the Summer?

RUNderful Wednesday

The middle of the week is here, and we've made it this far, so we have A LOT to be thankful for. Sometimes it's large and life changing and sometimes it's very small. It's the little things that count, right? 😊 I've been thinking a lot lately about attitude and positivity, and how to keep it going even when times may be tough, and there really is no simple answer. During rough times (or even good ones!), it's beneficial to remind ourselves of something positive in our lives, things we love. Today I'm going to talk about something that makes me HAPPY: 

Track Workouts

Track workouts are AWESOME!! No, really!

I don't know if it's because a top quality track was built 3 blocks from my house, or if I'm just feeling braver these days, but I have been really loving a good track workout. I never saw myself as wanting to run for 30 minutes to an hour and never leaving an oval, but there are some MAJOR pros to this plan. 

First of all, it has been so hot outside that it doesn't really cool down too much at 7 PM.😝 I can take a large jug of water with me and no matter where I am in my workout, the water is right there!

Second of all, it makes you faster. All that sweat is SO worth it when your mile time starts going down in the middle of the Summer. 

I have been playing around with some different workouts lately to see what works, and there are so many options available online; all you have to do is do a little surface research and you're faced with more options than Summer snow cone flavors. Below are a few I found on Pinterest  (I couldn't find their original links, sorry, but the last two list a source on the picture). Some I might have to work up to, but hey, I'm OK with that. ❤

Yesterday I tried the first half of the workout below for the running portion of my training. It was a good workout, and I was a bit too tired to incorporate all of the active recovery suggestions. However, I did include some core work and dumbbells when I got back home. I'm excited to keep doing this one, as well as try out the rest! 

Also, lately I've been feeling the results of the L sits, core and upper body workouts I do for BMX in my running. Having a strong core is important, and I've noticed that I have better posture as well, leading to a (hopefully) better form. Running more mileage in the Fall will definitely require this (YiKeS), and I'm trying to get a head start on it now. Time to be mindful, get out that door and show that track what's up! And you always know it was a good workout when you sit down after and leave a sweat-butt imprint on the pavement! 😂

What do you like most about track workouts? 

Training Issues: Time Management

Hi guys!! It's officially Summer! It's been getting pretty hot the last couple of weekends, but after some snow twice here this winter (humor me, it's ALOT for us 😋) I'm ready for a bit of heat. Now that running an impending marathon has set in, and between training for BMX racing with my wonderful coach😄 and life in general, it will give me the opportunity to work out more of my time management skills. While everyone has different angles they like to take when it comes to laying out their week/month/etc., keeping a training/to do journal is a big thing for me, so that's what I will be trying out first. WOOHOO!!!! 

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I don't know about you guys, but also for me a big part of having "it" together is maintaining a clean space. Waking up in a clean place and knowing where things are helps keep the stress down when living life by a schedule. I do know some friends who genuinely LOVE a mess, and have piles of things everywhere, but for me less is better. I recently began a closet cleanout, which after not having done it for awhile is a big job. It's not done yet, but after a ThredUp donation, a trip to Target (where an extra decorative pillow made its' way into the cart, oops! sorry not sorry) and a few hanging partitions, it's starting to look a lot more like and actual closet. I also found a gift card I thought I'd long since lost, so it is proving to be a lucrative endeavor. 😎

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While that's still going on little by little, this week I begin training for my next large BMX race, so that will be first in my book (yes, pun intended LOL). I'm learning little by little how to better prioritize my time without getting anxious or stressed, so this is an ongoing thing, but half the battle is committing to start, so I'm proud of myself for that. I'm so excited! Let's GET IT this Summer!!!

What is your next goal? 

Signing Up For My First Marathon

Well, I did it! I signed up for my first marathon, because if I don't do it now I never will. A marathon is one of those things I never thought I'd ever do, but then again I never thought I'd start running and actually like it, so we surprise ourselves everyday. I've been mulling around the thought of completing a marathon for the last two years now, and each time I tell myself, "I want to get a sub 2 hour half marathon first, then I'll start upping my mileage and training for a marathon". Well, I got a sub 2 hour half a few months ago, so that old excuse won't work anymore!

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I talked to someone I follow on Instagram about a month ago; she has done 30 some odd marathons and I wanted to know how she did it. She said that she was so nervous for her first one that she chose one in northern California among the Redwood trees, and that way if she never wanted to run one again she would have that one wonderful memory. However, she ended up loving it and decided to run a marathon in every state. I don't think I will go that far (pun totally intended), or have the cash for that right now. Regardless, I'm ready to start somewhere.

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As much as I was planning to try a destination marathon, too many things came into play. First and foremost, I am not sure how my body will feel after the race and why pay to be stuck in a hotel room sleeping for the next 24 hours and not touring a new city? Second, one of the best, if not the best Texas marathon is right here in my city. Third, I used to volunteer for this race when I began running 3 years ago. Each year I co-captained the mile 8 mega station with Justyna. It was so inspirational and we had so much fun together doing it, so why not make my first full where I got started truly loving this sport? Also after talking with Jess about her experience with this one, the answer was pretty clear.

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On January 19th, two days after my birthday, I will be running the Chevron Houston Marathon. I'm nervous, excited, and eager to see what I am truly capable of. It's going to be a long road (there it is with those puns again!) but I'm going to train my butt off and try my absolute hardest. Thanks to everyone for their training advice and advice about what to expect. It's a great way to begin my journey, and I can't wait to see how it changes me for the better. Also, since I love Robin Williams what better way to end a blog than with a Robin running meme? 😋

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What was your first marathon?