Magic Where You Are

New Year's Resolutions aren't something I've made, ever. I find that I don't stick to them, I forget about them as the year goes on, I get bored...you get the picture. However, I do like to make goals. Goals are relatively easy for me to stick with and I love when a goal is accomplished. 

With this new year of 2019, I've been toying with an idea in my mind and it's all about magic. 

For the Disney fan, magical moments are huge at the Disney Parks and Cruise Line. They happen all over the place and they happen quite often. Why, Disney itself is pure and simple magic. 

Instagram is full of accounts of those who spend time at the Disney parks and fill their Instagram feed with Disney magic. I absolutely love looking at them and seeing pictures and stories from the happiest place on earth! 

However, the thought hit me one day...what if that same magic...that butterflies in your stomach, make you smile, fill your heart with love type of magic can happen to us wherever we are? For those who live away from the parks, finding that Disney type of magic can be easier than you think! 

Have you ever truly taken the time to watch a sunrise or a sunset? How about giggling right along with the sound of a child's laugh? Or reaching a fitness goal you've been working on for a long time? What about a Disney movie? (Take Mary Poppins for example - I left the theater feeling the Disney magic for days!) 

Last week, I was pulling weeds (glamorous, I know), and as the sun started to set, I began to notice the sound of crickets. Now, you might be thinking that the sound of crickets doesn't sound very magical to you, but when I leaned back on my heels and closed my eyes, I envisioned the Wilderness Lodge. That sound brought me right back to a place that's 13 hours from my home - my favorite resort on property and it made me smile. 

Enter #MagicWhereYouAre

This year, I am making it my goal to slow down and take time to capture those magic moments that happen to me wherever I am and I would love for you to join in the fun with me! On Instagram all year long, whenever I find a moment that reminds me of that special magic, that Disney feel type magic, I'm going to capture it in photo, hashtag it with with #MagicWhereYouAre and if you do the same, I'll be able to follow in the fun along with you! This is all about discovering those magical moments whether at home or at the parks - wherever you are! 

I hope you'll join in the fun with me! I can't wait to see what magical moments await in 2019!

Remaining Summer Running Goals

Although the calendars say that summer is coing to a close soon, that couldn't be farther from the truth for Southwest Louisiana. If this year's weather pattern follows the last, we will have summer like temperatures into October which really makes me sad because I love fall! Oh well, let's hope we at least have a few "fall like" days soon!

Today's Tuesdays on the Run topic is all about our remaining summer running goals.

I have one.
 

My remaining summer running goal is to run the Castaway Cay 5K on Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. Soon and very soon, we will be out in the Caribbean, enjoying the sweet sound of waves crashing on the shore and I'll have the chance to run this 5K once again.

I've mentioned this before, but it's amazing to see how this race has changed and evolved so much over the years. When I first ran it back in 2009, we had maybe 15 fairly hard core runners that met with a cast member on the gangplank and I was the little newbie runner who had no clue what was going on. Now, runners meet in the Walt Disney Theater and there's usually hundreds of runners that take part in this race on each cruise.

We can't wait to board the Disney Fantasy and take part in all the fun the ship has to offer. I also plan on going for a few training runs on the jogging deck on our at sea days.

Do you have a remaining summer running goal?

It's the Tuesdays On The Run Linkup with Erika, Marcia and Patty. 

Really Big & Slightly Scary Running Goals

Another whirlwind of a weekend has come and gone and this one was spent in New Braunfels, visiting my brother and sister-in-law! We had a BLAST and loved our time there. I even took an extra day off of work (yesterday) so we could leisurely return home, which was definitely the right call.

With another Tuesday upon us comes another Tuesdays on the Run and this one is all about race goals - big, scary, hairy race goals.

To be honest, I hadn't given much thought to race goals prior to this summer. Earlier in the year, I began to experience something that concerned me and after speaking with my physician, it was determined that I have a complication that arose during childbirth. I haven't shared about this here because I haven't been quite sure how to go about doing so and let's just say that what I've experienced has left me with a heart full of gratitude that I can even run at all. My running goal prior to this summer? Just. Keep. Running.

Throughout this "journey", so to speak, I met an amazing physical therapist who taught me a wealth of knowledge and gave me hope when I needed it the most. Maybe...just maybe I wasn't completely done in for just yet!

With the conclusion of physical therapy came the eye opening wonders of Orangetheory. I love this form of cross training because it's doable for me, even with a weight restriction. I can work on strength as well as cardio at the same time which is perfect for me! I can also see and feel the benefits of Orangetheory and now I'm totally 100% hooked.

Now, my goal of "just keep running" has turned into "maybe I can run a little faster"..."or farther"...?

So, where do I go from here? Well, I thought I'd never be at a place where I'd be able to reach or beat my current half marathon PR from 2015. My goal that year was to break 2 hours in the half and with the help of a pacer, I did just that.

Is a sub-2 hour half marathon doable for me again? I can't say exactly, but I'm starting to feel strong and more powerful, just like I did back in 2015. Breaking my half marathon PR IS a huge and scary goal for me, so we shall see what the future has to hold.

Another HUGE lofty goal for me is to hit a 4:30 full marathon time. My current PR is 4:44, but my knee can say otherwise at times, so I'm not sure how many more full marathons I have in me. Again, we will see what the future has to hold here!

Is "just keep running" a big, lofty, scary goal? Sure it is. Each of us are fighting our own battles, and if putting one foot in front of the other is the biggest goal that can be set right now, then I'm all about that. I might never reach a PR status again, but if running is something I can continue to do for years to come, I'll be happy enough with that!

Do you have a running goal that scares or intimidates you?

It's the Tuesdays On The Run Linkup with Erika, Marcia and Patty. 

2017 Goals

With a new year comes a fresh slate with new opportunities. I've never ever been a fan of resolutions, but I do like to set goals for myself. While thinking about goals for today's Friday Five topic, I came up with several that I would like to set for 2017.

Organize and throw away/donate

Oh my gosh. Ever since we found out we were pregnant, we had to cram eight years of our lives into one less room (to make room for Brayden). I am a very sentimental person, so I often hold onto things I shouldn't necessarily hold on to. My goal for the next few months is to take my house room by room and completely organize and donate/sell/throw away the "clutter" I don't need. I also have an ebay box, so I need to post those items online to sell. We've been looking at houses for a while now (over a year) and just haven't found anything we loved. However, I know that one day we will, so my new motto is this - would I take the time to pack this item in a box and move it to a new home? If not, then bye...it has to go. This will help me stay focused on the task at hand.


Train properly for a race/stick to a training plan

As you know, my running group will cease to exist after Saturday (tomorrow). Sad face. After having been a member of the group for 8 years, this will be a huge change for me. However, I have a few races on my horizon and want to stick with a training plan so I can effectively train and complete the races without injury. My running buddy Heather still wants to keep training as well so I know this will help with my motivation!


Pay closer attention to my food intake

This one is self explanatory. I was doing really well in the months leading up to Christmas but now that's all been erased. I need to get back on track and stay at my pre-baby weight state! 


Enjoy my family

Time is something we all wish we had more of. Spending time with my family is something that is very precious to me and I want to enjoy the time we have together without distractions. As a full time working mom, I take the time I have to spend with my fast-growing baby very seriously and I want to cherish and enjoy it.


Be more contentious of money

There are times when I order something online or purchase an item simply because I want it. This year, I want to be more aware of why/where/how I'm spending my money. Is it something I truly need? If not, then I won't make the purchase. As I mentioned before, we are looking at purchasing a house in the near future and I would like to have a decent amount saved up before that time.

What are your goals for 2017?



Today, I'm linking up for the Friday Five!

Join the Friday Five 2.0 Linkup at Running on Happy & Fairytales and Fitness! 

10K Goals

This weekend, I will run my first postpartum race - a 10K that runs through my hometown and ends on the 50 yard line of my local University. It's also the race that holds my current 10K PR.

I am excited but I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous at all. There's just something about race day that brings around so much anticipation...there's nothing quite like it! I also have a few goals I've set for myself for this race which only makes the nerves a bit worse.

This race will serve a few purposes...the main being a decent (hopefully) 10K time to post as a corral placeholder for Princess in February. I also registered for a back-up 10K that will be held the following weekend. I'm looking forward to both races, but I'm also glad to have the 2nd one as a "just in case" kind of race. I've also run both races before, which I think will help tremendously on race day.

With my IT band giving me a bit of an issue during last week's planned 12 mile run, I am going to keep up the PT routine and stretching throughout this week. Thankfully, I ran 5.5 miles on Saturday and had no issues whatsoever. I'm crossing my fingers that it will be the same for race day!

I set two goals for race day:

Ultimate goal: 54 minutes
Although my 10K PR is right around 51 minutes and change, that was a couple of years ago. I've also had a baby and taken a bit of forced time off from running since then...so I don't think that setting a PR goal here would be feasible. However, running the race with my mile splits around 9 minutes each does sound obtainable.

I'd be happy with it goal: 59 minutes
Ultimately, I would like to reach anything under the 1 hour range.

Although my husband has to work and won't be able to be at the race to give his support, my parents will be there along with Brayden to cheer me on as I cross the finish line. I can't wait! I'm crossing my fingers that the weather is nice for Saturday!

Bring on race day!!

Taking It Back To Where It All Began

If you’ve read through my journey, then you know all about how I started running, why I became a runner, and the motivation that got me to the start line. However, I never shared more about the weeks and months that followed my decision to begin running.

As I ran up and over and up and over a very steep bridge with my running group on Tuesday evening, my mind drifted to “the early years”. I began thinking about where I started in my running journey, who I started it with, and how far I’ve come ever since I began running. I had to laugh at the headwind of what felt like hurricane force that was blasting me in the face – seven years ago, had you told me that I would be running laps over this bridge in the not-so-distant future, I would NOT have believed you. Actually, I would have thought you were crazy.

My wandering mind then brought me to my very first 5K, a mere 5 weeks after I began my running journey.

The race was held in 2009, I ran my hardest, and I crossed the finish line with a time of 32:10 and a pace of 10:23. I was so proud of myself for accomplishing that goal, I didn’t think I’d ever beat that time.

However, with a little bit of hard work, I broke the 30 minute barrier just a few months later…and boy was I surprised! (I’m saying to Jason here…OMG, look at the TIME CLOCK!!!)

Now with countless 5K’s under my belt (and many years of training), I’m going for 24 minutes in the 5K distance…and I’ll get there, it just takes time – and I have to remind myself on a daily basis….progress takes time!

Then my thoughts drifted to the half marathon distance. Rock ‘N Roll Mardi Gras of 2010 was my second half marathon and the first where I ran my hardest and gave it my all.

I finished this half marathon with a time of 2 hours and 28 minutes and I truly felt as if I could never run that fast EVER again.

Fast forward to December of 2010 - after running hill repeats and training hard all fall, I crossed a half marathon finish line with a time of 2 hours and 12 minutes……a sixteen minute PR! I was so excited, I ran up to one of my running coaches screaming with glee!! The funny part….she jumped up and down and did a happy dance with me! To me, that’s the best part about running , we are ALL in this together (and no, I’m not talking about High School Musical…although I do love that movie)!

Again, I thought my 16 minute PR was it, I’d officially achieved MY half-marathon time and I was done…set for life.

Do you see where I’m going with this?

In January of this year, I accomplished one of my life-time goals as I crossed the finish line of my 19th half marathon – breaking 2 hours in the half marathon distance.

Am I super fast? NO, I’m not. Breaking 2 hours in a half marathon was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life….while others breeze by that 2 hour timeline like it’s nothing. We are ALL on different journeys – it’s good to remember that sometimes!

To the new runners out there, don’t get discouraged. Set a goal and focus on the baby steps until you get there – because you WILL get there if you stick with it, sometimes it just takes a little bit of time.

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Setting goals are super important, but celebrating each step along the way is key…


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Its all about the baby steps and being proud of yourself along the way!

So, what’s my next big goal? Breaking 4 hours and 30 minutes in the Full Marathon – but that won’t come for quite a while and I’m OK with that.

Some might scoff at the goals you set for yourself but you know what? These goals are YOUR goals….they are goals you can work hard at achieving and ones you can be PROUD OF when you accomplish them!


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It’s amazing to look back over the last six years and see how far this running journey has taken me. I’ve made some amazing friends and explored incredible destinations all because of running.

I never thought the running bug would bite me like it has, but I’m so grateful it did! Where would I be without running? It’s my stress relief, my afternoon companion, my goal, hopes, and achievements all wrapped into one!

I’ve said all of that to say…..if you’re just starting out on your running journey or you’re discouraged where you’re at, don’t give up! You NEVER KNOW where running will take you or where this path may lead! Who knows what exciting possibilities are in your future….you CAN do incredible things, just believe in yourself!!

How far has your running journey taken you?

Run for Others 5K Recap

On Saturday, I ran what will likely be my last 5K of the season. As you probably know, I irritated my ITBand last week and was indecisive on how to tackle this 5K.

In the end, I made the decision to forgo my PR plans and run the 5K with a work friend instead. My work friend’s name is Balinda and she has been seeing a personal trainer for the past month. Her goal was to run the entire 5K without stopping and I decided to run with her!

We arrived to a decent sized crowd – being the end of April in SWLA, it was a hot morning. Thankfully, the 5K began at 7:30 a.m. (YAY)!

With my BRF’s (Heather and Kelli) before the race began! :0)

Balinda and I ready to run!

And we’re off!

This course was a double loop course through a beautiful and quiet neighborhood.

We even passed a garage sale or two!

Balinda ran this race SO well and I was incredibly proud of her! Prior to this race, she shared her goals with me – to run a 12 minute pace, finish around 36 minutes, and run the entire race without stopping.

I glanced at my watch several times during the race and didn’t say anything until closer to the end because I didn’t want to scare her – we were keeping a steady 11 minute pace! I did tell her several times how excited I was for her and how proud I was of her!

Beautiful Oak trees!

As we closed in on the finish line, we picked up the pace and ran it in home!

Our final time? 34 minutes! Not only did Balinda reach her goal of running the entire 5K, she also ran below 36 minutes and below a 12 minute pace! I was incredibly proud of her!!

As far as my knee? Yeah, it’s out of commission for a little while. I started to feel it pretty bad around 2 1/2 miles. Looks like it’s back to cross training and the bike for me! I’ve said it before and I still feel the same way…I’m disappointed, but it’s NOT the end of the world! I’m so grateful it’s not race season and I have time to recuperate!

Have you ever run a race with a friend to help them reach a goal?

(P.S. – I’m SO grateful for all of the support with my grandfather…thank you guys so much! It looks as if he will have surgery on Wednesday so please keep those prayers coming!)