4th of July Race Fun

When you think of a memorable race experience, what do you think of? For me, I think of our local 4 miler on the 4th of July. It's always hot, always has a good turnout, always hot (did I mention that already), and it usually brings around a good story or two to share.

I've run this race six times so far (this year will make seven) and each experience has been incredibly different from the previous.

I ran this race in 2009 with my sister in law and oddly enough, I formed this blog just a couple of weeks later! Happy 9th blogiversary to my little corner of the world!

The race that year was my third to date and her first ever! I had just began running in January of that year and she followed suit not long after. Every time I think about this race I giggle. It was freaking hot, we walked a lot, and were some of the last ones to cross the finish line. The course even "re opened" while we were on it and we were asked to push to the sidewalks by the officers. My oh my how far we've come!

In 2010, I had a broken foot and missed out on the race, but I was back in 2011 and so was Kayla! This race turned out to be much better than the last and I ran it with a few of my "super hero" friends! We had a blast!
 

 

After coming back from my initial IT Band injury in 2012, I attempted to beast mode this race and literally threw up after crossing the finish line. Thankfully, a trash can was nearby. Never beast mode when it's 100 degrees outside, people. Learn from me.  

In 2014, I way overslept and a text from my dad woke me up..."hey, are you here?" I've never jumped out of bed and gotten ready for anything so fast in my life. Ever wonder what it's like to be inside the mind of a runner? Well, check out this race recap and wonder no more! 

For 2015's race, several friends of mine and I decided to complete our area's "Triple Crown" - a series of races that falls between March and July. We also received a special medal for doing so! Participating in all three races with them was so much fun!!

 

 In 2017, I ran this race and knew I was going to majorly bomb it. Well, as a HUGE surprise to myself, I actually ran very well and somehow achieved a 30 second PR! I was incredibly shocked to say the least!

What does 2018's race have in store? Well, here's a new one for this year - there's RAIN in the forecast! We shall see what new and exciting experiences Wednesday has to bring! 

Are you running a 4th of July race? How far is your distance if so? Have fun and have a Happy 4th!

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

Favorite Hometown Race

Please pardon my lack of human social interaction over the past few days - I am officially down with the flu (type A) and have been since Sunday. Ironically, my brother who lives in another state was also diagnosed with type A on Sunday although his case is WAY worse than mine, symptom wise. For two days straight, I've been quarantined to my bedroom, only leaving with a lysol can in one hand and a clorox wipe in another - and the trips out of my room have been few and far between. I've been SO meticulous over the past few months with hand hygiene for both Brayden and I so I'm not quite sure where I picked this up from! (Yes, I also received the flu shot as required by my job.) Now, my biggest prayer is that Brayden doesn't get it...that would be awful.

Anyway, I decided to join in on a little Tuesdays on the Run fun today to help break up this crazy watch tv, sleep, drink fluids, repeat monotony.

Today's topic is all about your Favorite Hometown Race and after a little deliberation, I chose one and actually surprised myself with my choice - it's the 4 Miler On The 4th (of July, that is).

This race is hosted by our local running association. They host several races throughout the year and always do a great job, but this one happens to be my favorite.

Once May hits around here, races are few and far between due to the heat. I guess I always look forward to this 4 Miler for a couple of reasons - first because by the time it rolls around, it's been a while since I've run a race and second, this is one of the first races I ever ran when I began my running journey back in 2009!

This race also holds a lot of fun memories for me! I ran this race in 2009 with my sister in law - it was my first time to run this race but her first race ever! We still joke about this one because it was super hot and probably not the best race to choose for a first ever!

Another year, I must have missed my alarm and woke up from my dad's text, asking if I had made it to the race start! YIKES! I somehow managed to get dressed and out the door in record time, which led to a pretty interesting race to say the least! 

I've also had the opportunity to run this race with friends over the years (here and here) which has always been fun and helped those hot miles not seem so hot after all!

This past year's race was one of my favorites, though! I went into the race not expecting much at all and came out with a 30 second PR! I still have NO idea where that came from, but I'll keep it! :)

Oh yes, I should also mention that I love the 4th of July which definitely helps with my loving this race! Red, white, and blue, patriotism, USA, summer, fireworks, BBQ...need I say more?

Do you have a favorite hometown race? If so, what is it?

It's the Tuedsays on the Run Linkup with Erika, Marcia and Patty!

4 Miler On The 4th Of July (& A New PR)!

Hello and happy Wednesday! I hope everyone enjoyed their 4th of July!

As I mentioned on Monday, I debated running the local 4th of July 4 Miler - it's one I've done several times but just wasn't sure if I really wanted to this year. The logical side of my brain kicked in on Monday afternoon once I realized that I was going to get up the following morning and go for a run anyway, so why not make it a fun one?

Since I hadn't preregistered, I knew I needed to get there with time to spare before the race began. Parking and logistics isn't hard, thankfully (it's a small town).

On the way there, I decided to look up information on my PR from this race/distance in years passed and after reading it to Jason, I knew that goal was NOT obtainable (I even said so to Jason). Three years ago on race morning, I woke up INCREDIBLY late and made it to the start line with moments to spare. I somehow PR'd that race at 35:04! The following year, I tried to beat my time and missed it by mere seconds (35:06). Of course this year, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I wouldn't even come close to a PR.

Oh well - I decided that I would just have fun and take this one as a training run. No big deal!

I seem to always end up in the same outfit for this race every year! Haha whoops!

Registering for the race and stashing everything away in the vehicle was a breeze. I even had time to foam roll and make a potty stop! Bonus!

Off we go!

Shortly after starting this race, I saw a girl ahead of me that I recognized from other local races. She's in my age group and super fast, so I decided I would try and keep up with her for as long as possible. I managed to do so until a little after mile 3 when I lost her. 

Throughout the race, I kept checking my watch to see how my timing was going. Somehow, I noticed that I would be very close to a PR if I kept pushing myself...although my timing in my head told me that I would be off by just a bit. I wondered how in the world I was even close to a PR? I'm still not sure! Maybe pushing a jogging stroller for so many runs helped my leg strength? No telling...

I slowed down a bit at mile 3 because I didn't think I was going to get a PR and I seriously felt like I was about to fall over. Hello July heat and humidity in the south! Once I realized towards the end of mile 3 that I was actually going to PR by a good bit, I kicked it into as high of a gear I could muster and made it across the finish line.

My PR? It was by a whole 30 seconds!!

I couldn't believe it!

After crossing the finish line, I was handed a bottle of water which was so nice (vs having to bend down to pick one up) and I made a bee line to the closest shaded spot I could find.

Another noteworthy addition to this year's race (from the one I ran in 2015) was an adequate amount of water stops! This one had three vs the last time I ran where there was only one water stop. Thanks, guys!!

Jason and Brayden found me shortly thereafter and were excited about my PR, too!  (Well, Jason was excited...Brayden just wanted food!) Hah!

Jason also purchased a delicious and incredibly refreshing popsicle for me! These are made by a local company and they use all fresh ingredients and real fruit!

The popsicle flavor I tried after the race was a Mango Cherry one and it was so good!

I love my support crew so much! They are amazing!

The official race results were posted which showed that I placed 5th in my AG out of 29 women! I'll take it! 

After I cooled down, we stopped by a local diner for breakfast.

I so enjoyed my morning at the race and my time spent with two of my favorite guys! I am so glad I made the decision to get up and go run! :) Accomplishing something I thought was impossible was really fun, too!

How was your 4th of July? Did you run any races or eat any good food (or both)?

2017 Make Your Heart Race 5K

I so vividly remember my first ever 5K. It was held in February of 2009 and was called the "Make Your Heart Race 5K", put on by my hospital. It was a cool and humid morning and I completed that 5K in 32 minutes and some change. After a few years, they stopped putting on the race and nothing ever took it's place.

Well, imagine my surprise when I heard an advertisement for a race of the same name again this year! After several years, they brought the race back - our fitness center took it over and changed the location, but it was the same "Make Your Heart Race 5K", nonetheless! Needless to say, I jumped all over that race registration!

As my friends and I began discussing the details behind this race, the idea of forming a team came into play. You see, my friend Melissa's dad passed away last month from a sudden heart attack, attributed to heart disease. Since this race was all about heart health, we decided to create a team to honor him....so we called ourselves "Team Mickey". Mr. Tracy was a devoted Disney fan and loved Mickey Mouse, so that's where our team name came from! Also, he was a State Trooper and loved his line of work, so we outlined the writing on the back of our shirts with the shape of the state of Louisiana.

Assembled and ready to run!

The back of our shirts said:
Always in our hearts.
In memory of
Sgt. Tracy Morgan
EOW 01/10/17
 

Somehow, we arrived super early and we were one of the first on site!

Funny side note - if you remember the Disney Cruise Line story and the fog that happened that morning....well, guess what the morning of this 5K brought along? Yep...it was super foggy. I find the correlation between the two a little funny because I think someone was trying to play a practical joke on us from heaven. :)

Anyway, after a few announcements and a quick prayer, we were off and running. This route was brand new to me so I didn't know what to expect. We ran by a nearby high school and through a neighborhood. One of the streets was even named "Karen Lane"!

I somehow ended up with the lead pack in the very beginning of this race and as we hit the half mile mark, they began to fade away. You know when you watch the Boston or New York Marathon on TV and you see the lead pack way ahead of the next set of runners? Yep, that's how I felt. I was so worried I would get lost since this route was brand new to me and had lots of turns, but it was clearly marked and had someone on each turn to direct us!

I tried to stay below a 9 minute mile and didn't even check my current PR before this race began. I felt as if I didn't have a chance to get close to it, so I didn't think about it. This was my first post-baby 5K and I figured I would take what I could get.

After mile 2, I realized that was a silly idea as I was running WAY better than I expected. However, my sides were starting to hurt and I wanted to stop. I kept telling myself that I could sit down when I was finished and I only had a little bit to go. I could also hear Mr. Tracy telling me that I couldn't give up now...I was too close to the finish! That was just the boost I needed to finish strong.

Although it wasn't quite a PR, I was still incredibly impressed with myself! My pre-baby 5K PR was 25:08 so a little more than a minute off isn't bad!

After catching my breath and trying not to throw up (I truly gave this race all I had), I stood around and talked to a few running group friends. It was great to see them again since my running group disbanded!

I also had a chance to cheer for Jason and Brayden as they crossed the finish line...as well as the rest of Team Mickey!

Even Brayden's shirt was complete! :)

While waiting around for the awards ceremony, we took a girl team picture!

The awards for this race were for the top overall 1st, 2nd, and 3rd male and female. Imagine my surprise when they called my name as 3rd overall female! 

I knew I was close but wasn't completely sure that I placed!

Our awards were from the local Painting With A Twist and I love it!

After the awards ceremony, we deiced to head over to a local diner for breakfast.

Delicious and a perfect way to end a fun morning!

I want to thank my friends who all came together for this event. I truly am honored that I had the chance to run with this team. This one was for you, Mr Tracy!

Fitness Friday - 7/3

Happy 4th of July Weekend! Today, I'm enjoying a little time off of work followed by a weekend spent with family and friends! :)

Currently training for: 
Louisiana Half Marathon
Rock ‘n’ Roll NOLA Half Marathon
Glass Slipper Challenge
Castaway Challenge
Diva’s Half Marathon
Contraband Days 5 Miler
4 on the 4th

Saturday – T.G.I.F. GT5K
Sunday – Rest Day
Monday –  3 mile run/walk with Jason; PT exercises - lunges/squats with weights
Tuesday –  Tone It Up Kettle-bell Workout
 Wednesday – Rest Day
Thursday – Rest Day
Friday – All 4 Run - Gone For A Run's 4 Miler

This week, my goal was to run several days and keep up my leg/PT exercises...especially since I have a 4th of July 4 Mile race tomorrow! I'm definitely going to set several alarms so I don't have a repeat of last year! :)

 3 mile run/walk with Jason! 

 
Summertime means smoothies for breakfast! This one included:

• 1 cup of sliced strawberries
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 cup frozen pineapple
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1 cup Silk almond milk

Blend, serve, and enjoy! :)

Summertime also means summer-berry salads....from McAlisters, of course!

Today, I'm going to complete Gone For a Run's All 4 Run 4 Mile Virtual Race. I'm looking forward to enjoying a run on my day off work! :)

This week was a bit of a hard week as well. Wednesday marked two years since my grandfather's passing and today is 2 years since his funeral - it's hard to believe how two years have gone by so quickly! Although I miss him terribly, time truly does heal all wounds (and I'm so grateful for that).

How was your week? Any fun 4th of July plans? Running a 4th of July race?

Whatever you choose to do, have fun and be safe!!

2015 Athlete’s Corner 3 Miler

This past weekend was so much fun, I enjoyed every minute of it!

On Saturday morning, I ran the first race of the “Triple Crown” series here in my hometown. It was a 3 mile race that began at a local athletic store and ran through a few neighborhoods.

I’ve run this race several times in the past, but this is the first year that a medal will be given to those who complete the entire series (3 miler this past weekend, 5 miler in May, and 4 miler in July). Extra bling? I’m in!

In looking back, I realized that I’ve actually run this race four times, the first being 2010! I had to laugh at my antics at 2011’s race and am happy to see how far I’ve come time-wise! I didn’t look at my time from 2014 prior to running the race this year, because I didn’t want to freak myself out.

However, I knew my time was in the 23 minute range somewhere…



I arrived bright and early at the Athletic Store to a HUGE crowd of people – much larger than previous years.



After picking up my packet, number, and shirt, I found a few of my friends.




These shoe timing chips were something new this year!



We lined up and were told that the race would begin in 1 minute. I frantically realized that I hadn’t yet told my watch to search for satellite. Oh. No. Before I knew it (and before I had time to think of a plan B), the race director hollered GO!

Oh geeze.

As a last-minute thought, I decided to just start my watch anyway and follow it time wise, even if it wasn’t picking up distance yet.

The watch picked up satellite around .2 miles, so I knew how to calculate my time, distance, and how far it was off in my head. Above all else, it gave me something to do while I ran! Hah!

Lead runners somehow got turned around and ran straight instead of turning into the first neighborhood…whoops! I’m so glad I didn’t follow! As I passed each mile marker, I kept track of my distance vs my time…although I was never 100% sure about my pace, so I pushed on and ran as hard as I could. I also tried to count each girl that I passed to see if I had a chance of placing in this race (although I was highly doubtful because there were SO many people). I’m kinda competitive, what can I say?

Before I knew it, we were on the stretch back to the finish line. I decided not to grab water because the finish line was so close and I was in a good running pattern. The best part? I had NO pain at all. Nothing. It was amazing.



Hello finish line! That’s a smile of relief, knowing I was so close to being finished! (Thanks to Randy for the great photo!)



I crossed the finish line with an official time of 23:40! I had to go back and check last year’s time to be sure….but it was definitely a PR! A 13 second PR at that!



After hanging around for the awards ceremony, we walked over to a local restaurant for breakfast.

About that awards ceremony? Yeah, I didn’t place (which is totally ok with me…I’m GREAT with a PR)! However, the girl that was maybe 15 seconds in front of me the entire race placed third in my age group. Whomp whomp. Guess I’ll just have to work harder next time!



Breakfast was delicious and I enjoyed spending time with friends!

The rest of the weekend?

Well, I saw Cinderella with a group of girls on Friday night and…yeah, we had a blast!



My Disney-loving friend and I enjoyed dressing up for the movie…(No, I didn’t wear the tiara the entire time…mostly just for pictures!) :)

However, I did love wearing my new shirt from the Lauren Conrad (LC) Kohl’s Cinderella line! It’s a light blue tank with butterflies all over it – it’s a beautiful top!

I definitely want to see the movie again….it was SO good!

How was your weekend? Run any races? Did you see Cinderella?