Running Playlist (Podcast Edition)

It's been a couple of years since I shared my list of favorite Disney podcasts with you guys, so I thought it was high time to update my running playlist!

When I first became a runner, music was all my thing (and it still can be, but it's not my first go-to anymore). I loved the sounds of upbeat music piping into my ears as my feet hit the pavement during a run. However, as I evolved as a runner and discovered new things, the world of podcasting was introduced to me thanks to a friend, and it's been history ever since! 

If you're a Disney fan and enjoy listening to podcasts, keep reading - here's a few of my favorites below!

My absolute number one favorite podcast is currently the Be Our Guest podcast. These guys are fun to listen to and always share a wealth of knowledge about the latest and greatest at Disney!

The Joyful Miles podcast is another I enjoy listening to. Joyful Miles is especially high on the list as these ladies always keep me laughing and entertained while sharing all things runDisney and running related!

The Disney Dish podcast is brought to you by Jim Hill and Len Testa - these guys are seriously Disney geniuses and it's always interesting to listen to their take on the happenings at the park and in the world of Disney.

Now being a DVC Member, I've also branched out into a few new (to me) podcasts that include the Welcome Home Podcast and the Resort Loop podcast for their monthly DVC Roundtable.

Like I mentioned earlier, I do listen to the music on the occasion, but my main go-to is usually a podcast! I love getting lost in a run while listening to stories of Disney in my ears. Podcasts definitely help the time and the miles pass by!

What's on your running playlist?  

Today, I'm also linking up with KookyRunner and Zenaida for Tuesday Topics! 

Mid-Year Review 2019

Happy July! I seriously can't believe it's already July. I say this every year, but where has the time gone? Before we know it, Christmas will be here!

So, how has the first half of this year gone in my little corner of the world? Well, let's take a look!

Running/Fitness

From a running standpoint, it's been great. This past spring, I managed to PR in the 5K and 10K distances and felt strong with both races. Orangetheory attendance has been a twice weekly occurrence over here and I love it! I also somehow managed to place first in my AG division for the April Half Marathon challenge at Orangetheory. Mayhem was another challenge I completed during the month of May which was so much fun.

Since May, I somehow did something crazy to my hamstring/ligament/bursa of my right leg. I took two weeks off from working out and running after Mayhem was over (except one 2 miler in Alaska on national running day), hoping that would help and it did not. After seeing an orthopedic doc last week, he decided it would be best if I began with physical therapy and go from there. My first evaluation is today and I'm really looking forward to getting some answers and hopefully some help! If you saw my instagram story, you heard me say that he also ordered dry needling (which I'm so freaked out about) and I appreciate everyone's kind words and expertise/advice. As a nurse, I'll poke you all day long, but I do not like needles pointing my way! 

Weight Loss

I'm still mostly following the Faster Way lifestyle and feeling great. I did totally bomb it while we were on vacation but it was fairly easy jumping back into it once we returned home. I've lost the extra weight put on during the cruise but haven't lost any additional weight, which I'm working on now. 

Family Time

We spent 10 days in Canada/Alaska at the end of May/beginning of June with Jason's family and had a BLAST! I've been posting a few recaps here and there with more to come. Returning home and reliving the trip through photos and videos is so much fun and I love sharing it with you guys!

Brayden is also GROWING so fast. He literally grew 1/2 inch between May and June! He's in the 95th percentile for height and grew 5 inches total since his 2 year old checkup. Crazy, I tell ya!

That's about all I can think of that was exciting or stood out as noteworthy this year! Tell me something exciting that's happened in your life in 2019!

Today, I'm also linking up with KookyRunner and Zenaida for Tuesday Topics! 

Summer Running Plans

Races in the summer here in Southwest Louisiana are not plentiful, and for good reason. Unless you are able to wake up early before the sun rises or go out once the sun is setting, your chances of getting in a decent run will be few and far between! However, there are still a few (random) opportunities for races during the summer and I'm going to take advantage of at least one of them!

4th of July 4 Miler

This is one I've run almost yearly for a while now. It's hot, it's sunny, it's crazy, but it's so much fun! A couple of friends and I are also participating in the Triple Crown again this year, so we will receive a medal for completing all three races of this series (the other two races were earlier this year). I am definitely looking forward to a fun day with friends!

Orangetheory

Even though I leave a nasty mess, at least this one is inside with AC and fans! Apart from a few Saturday long runs, the majority of my workouts will be taking place at Orangetheory this summer!

Wine & Dine Half Marathon Training

With the Wine & Dine Half Marathon at the beginning of November, training will have to begin sometime this summer. Although it's going to be a hot one to train for, this race is going to be so much fun and I'm really looking forward to it!

...and that's about it! I knew there's not much going on around here this summer, but it's still going to be a great one!

What are your summer running plans? 

Today, I'm also linking up with KookyRunner and Zenaida for Tuesday Topics!

Group Run or Solo Run?

When I first became a runner (about 10 years ago), I was scared. Scared of running long distances, scared of crowds, scared of running alone, scared of running in groups - the fear of the unknown was real here, y'all! Plus, I'm a huge chicken in general so yea...

In my race planning process though, I knew that I likely wouldn't be able to motivate myself enough to train for my very first half marathon on my own, so I went WAY out of my comfort zone (I mean WAY) and joined a local running group. I still remember those first few group runs - I was too shy to talk to anyone and everyone seemed as if they had already formed their own groups. So, I would show up every Saturday morning, meet up with the large group, then when everyone would break off for their runs, I would run it solo. (I don't want it to sound like I didn't speak to a single person there. My coaches were wonderful and I made "friends" while there, but I just didn't have anyone to run my distances with.)

It took an entire five or six months of this process before I started being invited to run with a group - I finally made real friends there and I'm so very glad I stuck it out. By the next season of our running group, I was no longer a solo runner, but I had my group and it was wonderful! This went on for another 8 years and it was seriously one of my favorite times of my life!

Sadly, our running group disbanded a couple of years ago and although some tried to stick together and run for a while, it definitely began to fizzle out. Sad times.

Now, I have my little running buddy (Brayden) who loves to go for a run with me as well as Orangetheory which is definitely more of that group type setting that I love. As a people person (I'm a nurse and love working with people), I crave that group type atmosphere and I'm so glad that Orangetheory gives that to me.  My oh my what a change from the shy person 10 years ago who didn't want to step foot out of her front door because she was scared!

So, do I consider myself a group runner or a solo runner? Maybe a little of both! :)

What about you? Do you prefer group running or solo running? Today, I'm also linking up with KookyRunner and Zenaida for Tuesday Topics! 

How Running Has Changed Me

This January marks 10 years since I've been a runner. That seems like such a long time but for me, it's gone by in the blink of an eye! This running thing and I have had so many amazing adventures along the way, it's definitely safe to say that it has helped shape and mold who I am today.

Running has helped me better appreciate the simple things

A gorgeous sunrise...a beautiful sunset...I've seen a lot of them thanks to running. Surrounded by nature on a summer afternoon, the sounds of crickets and shoes hitting the pavement...my favorite. Running with my little guy in the stroller in front of me...one of the best things in the world. How about a pain free run? Yep, those are appreciated too. The gift of the ability to run? Yes and yes! From the PR's and small victories to the injuries and low points...all of these moments can been appreciated because of running.

Running helps me clear my mind

If there's a lot going on in my life, I can always tell if going for a run will help "fix" it. I've heard other runners talk about "saving the world" while out for a run and I totally get it - there's just something about a good run where you can think through and sort out your troubles. It almost always seems better in the end. Running definitely helped me deal and cope with the decline in health and loss of my grandfather and I'm so grateful I had running to lean on. (My family, too...but you get what I'm saying.)  

Running has led me to meet some amazing people

My running group members whom I miss dearly - we definitely formed a special bond and I love seeing my friends out and about. A lot have joined Orangetheory, so it's fun running into them there. During the 8 years spent with GoRun, I definitely formed some bonds and friendships that I'll cherish forever!

Above all else, running has taught me patience, helped me grow as a person, and taught me to better appreciate the gift of life itself. I am grateful, so very grateful. 

Today, I'm also linking up with KookyRunner and Zenaida for Tuesday Topics!

Journey To (2) PRs

The weekend before Easter was a signifiant one in my life. No, I didn't accomplish anything great in terms of the world's standards (like finding a cure for cancer or winning a Nobel Peace Prize), but something seemingly small to others yet incredibly significant to me took place. Somehow, someway, I managed to PR in both the 5K and 10K distance in the same weekend.

Why is this so significant, you might be asking? It is just a couple of PR's after all...

Well, it's significant to me for several reasons (hear me out here).

For starters, these PR's were both at least 4 to 5 years old. Those original PR's were obtained back in 2014 and 2015 when I was at the height of my personal running "career". I'd also managed to break 2 hours in the half marathon during that time frame. 

Then, time simply.....happened. I slacked off from running as much. I got pregnant and had a forced break from running. I had a baby. Childbirth took its toll on my body. I had a newborn. I had post-baby weight. You get the picture.

Something I've never shared here are the struggles I faced post-childbirth. I haven't opened up about  them because I was waiting on the right time to do so and I honestly didn't know how to talk about it. Having these recent PR's is a huge part of the "whole" picture and since this blog is a story of the every day struggles and victories in life, I am sharing it with you today. 

Without going into significant detail (as I'm sure you can put the picture together), things didn't just....well, go back into place like they should have after delivering Brayden. He was born in April of 2016.  By fall of 2016, I knew something wasn't right. I spoke with my OB who confirmed that something was indeed wrong but she reassured me that a LOT of women experience the same issues after childbirth. My problem revolved around the fact that my child was born posterior instead of anterior (meaning he was face up instead of face down). Thanks, son. Little known fact - only 4-10% of babies born vaginally are born posterior! Interesting!

Was there much I could do? Well, yes and no. My options to "help" things along (notice I didn't say "fix") were surgery (no thank you) or physical therapy by a specialist trained in pelvic floor issues. 

Also to complicate things is the fact that I'm a runner. Running puts pressure on the pelvic floor and can worsen the issues I was having if not properly treated. I was instructed specifically to not (ever) lift more than 50 pounds at a time or do crossfit. Period. 

Although the options to help these issues along are there, they are not a permanent fix and this is something I will deal with for the rest of my life. I'm also incredibly thankful that mine is not on the severe end of things!

So, in the spring of 2018, off I went to my second bout of physical therapy (the first being for IT Band issues way back in the day). Why did I wait so long? Honestly, I was scared. What did pelvic floor physical therapy entail? I had no clue and was beyond scared to find out. 

Much to my surprise, I had nothing to be scared of. My physical therapist was incredible, y'all. She seriously made me feel SO comfortable and helped correct the "whole" person, not just my one main issue. She taught me so much about proper form, alignment, breathing techniques, and stretching, all while treating my pelvic floor issues. In total, I spent two and a half months with my physical therapist and I know I made a life long friend because of it! 

Side note: If you ever have to go through pelvic floor physical therapy I'm here to tell you there's nothing to be scared of. After attempting to research online (without any luck because there's VERY little out there) and speaking with several PT friends, I was amazed at how easy it all was. Seriously. 

Around this time, our Orangetheory was about to open and I was super scared for that as well. Should I try it? How about the weight floor and lifting? Would I even be able to do it? Prior to joining, I spoke with several OTF friends who encouraged me to try it out and I'm so glad I did! One of the best parts about Orangetheory is the ability to work at your own pace and use weights to your own specifications aka - I can lift as much or as little as I need! 

Over time, I can tell that my post-childbirth issues have gotten better thanks to the information I learned from PT. This past fall, I saw my OB for my annual checkup and she again confirmed the way I was feeling - things had improved significantly. Her words were had she not known of my "issue" before, she wouldn't have even been able to tell that there was a problem at all!

I definitely call that a win-win for sure! 

Since that appointment, I've been able to dial the intensity up a bit in both running and Orangetheory while still being careful to not overdo it. I've noticed that my speed has also increased with better weight training at Orangetheory and weight loss thanks to the FASTer Way (more on that in another post). 

Prior to running the 5K two weekends ago, I didn't even check my previous PR. I just knew it wasn't a goal I could ever obtain again and honestly, I didn't even realize I achieved a PR until after we were leaving the race venue!

On the morning of the 10K, I did check my previous 10K PR and told Jason in the car that there was no way I could accomplish that one again. 

Imagine my complete and utter surprise that both PR's were obtained in one weekend, the 5K PR by 14 seconds and the 10K PR by 1 minute and 16 seconds! 

It's been a long and tough road getting back to this place again. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Our lives would not be what they are without the peaks and the valleys. Those tough patches we face are what make us stronger and those peaks all the more sweet!

If you've made it all the way through this, thank you for sticking with me. I love the running community and sharing in the struggles and accomplishments this journey can bring!

What's been the biggest struggle you've had to overcome as a runner?

Today, I'm also linking up with KookyRunner and Zenaida for Tuesday Topics!

Favorite Non-Running Hobbies

Today's Tuesday Topics Linkup is all about our favorite non-running hobbies! If you've been a blog reader here for a while, I'm sure you can guess mine! :)

#1 Disney and Traveling 

We LOVE going to Disney, but we also love seeing new places! One of the reasons we joined the Disney Vacation Club last fall is because it gives us the opportunity to do just that. Already, we've discussed the idea of visiting Hawaii in the future (I traveled there for my senior trip, but Jason's never been)! We are also taking a cruise this summer (non-Disney) with Jason's family to Alaska! This time, we will be sailing on Royal Caribbean. I am excited to return to Alaska and take in the wondrous beauty of it all. For this trip, we are planning on excursions we've never done before which include whale watching and visiting a musher's camp. I know Brayden is going to LOVE seeing the dogs! It should be an all around fun time!

#2 Family & Friends

Family and friend time is absolutely the best. I love being with my family and friends and spending time with them! Life is seriously so fragile - I see it every day. One thing about working in oncology is it has given me a better appreciation for LIFE and enjoying loved ones in the here and now. In the end, I want to be able to look back over my life and say that I truly took the time to appreciate my family and friends. Our loved ones bring such a richness and fullness to our lives and it's important to truly value that.

#3 Baseball

During baseball season, you can either find me at home watching a ball game or at Minute Maid Park cheering on my beloved Astros! I've been a fan since birth and love carrying the tradition over to Brayden! We also love visiting Minute Maid Park! It's almost opening day, y'all!! I'm SO excited!

#4 Volunteering

When I look back over my life, I can't remember a time that I didn't volunteer (because I truly love it that much)! At my church, I've been a volunteer with our Girls Ministries program since 2000 and once I started working in oncology in 2007, I also became a volunteer with the American Cancer Society. Over the years, I've also helped in various other areas, but these two have stuck the longest and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Giving of yourself and your time, especially with how busy life can be is truly rewarding, especially when you know you're helping to make a difference.

So, there you have it - when I'm not working or running or going to Orangetheory, those are the areas you'll find me! 

Join Kookyrunnerand Zenaida every Tuesday for the Tuesday Topics Linkup!

Cold Weather Running Essentials (Southern Edition)

Cold weather (I mean really cold weather) and life down south don't really go hand in hand. Yes, we do have our cold (to us) days and our random and super rare snow days, but those are only a handful a winter. If there's one thing you CAN bet on with winter time in the south, it's this....

As runners, we have to learn how to deal with and adapt to all types of weather conditions - especially with traveling out of town or for a long run during one of those random really cold weather snaps. So, how does this Louisiana girl brave the cold? Here's my cold weather running essentials, southern edition!

#1 Appropriate attire

For me, this includes ear muffs, gloves, and layers!  Sometimes, it's even cold enough that I don't have to shed any of it, even during a half marathon!

This happened to be one of those super rare snow days I mentioned above - and it was my highest mileage weekend for Dopey Training! It actually snowed and the snow stuck for an additional day which I've never seen happen here!

#2 Throw away gear

This tip and tip number one go hand in hand! Raid your local stores at the end of winter for discount sweatshirts. I seriously have a bag stuffed with all different color sweatshirts from previous end of winter sales! They truly make a world of difference at the beginning of a race while standing around, waiting for the race to start. Once you warm up during the race, you can toss your sweatshirt to the side. Most race organizations pick these up to donate to those in need!

Speaking of adapting to crazy weather...how about the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend of 2010 where it sleeted mid half marathon and water stations were iced over for the full? Hello first half marathon! Thankfully, this newbie runner took the suggestion of a friend to snag a sweatshirt from Walmart literally hours before leaving for the trip! Also, I never shed any of my layers during this race and was super grateful for all of them!

#3 Treadmill

I've thought about selling it many times in the past, but it's a necessity for me. Although I'm not a fan of running on a treadmill, it definitely comes in handy sometimes, especially on super cold days!

#4 Hot Hands

Y'all, these things are life savers! You can find them in the sporting goods/hunting section of most stores and they work like a charm. They are single use packs and once exposed to air, they warm up really quickly. I use them even for races (like this past weekend in New Orleans) where it's just slightly chilly at the start and I toss them once I'm warm. If you haven't used them, seriously get some!

...and that's all I've got for now! Running in the winter months can be tricky to plan, especially because of the way the weather changes around here!

Switching topics - this weekend, y'all! We leave THIS WEEKEND for Disney World! I am so excited and cannot wait!

Stay tuned for a Princess Half Marathon costume reveal coming up tomorrow! I finally finished it last night and cannot wait to share it with all of you! Have a great Tuesday!

Join Kookyrunnerand Zenaida every Tuesday for the Tuesday Topics Linkup!

2019 Rock n Roll New Orleans Expo

Another Rock n Roll New Orleans has come and gone! 2019 marked the 10th year of this race and I've run it every single year except for 2016. I was registered for the half that year but was placed on "do not move too much" restriction from my OBGYN. I knew that even walking a half at 32 weeks pregnant simply for the fact of keeping a race streak up was probably not a good idea, so I bowed out. My OB was never so happy to sign papers for me! (She's hysterical!)

Since that was more information than you wanted to know right now, let's move on to the Expo itself!

We arrived early on Saturday morning, checked into our hotel, and valet parked our car. Since our room wasn't ready yet, we headed upstairs to meet our friends who were also doing the race that weekend.

The race expo was held at the Ernest N Morial Convention Center and our hotel was located a super short walk away. We were at the Hilton Riverside this year. I do think it's funny that I've run this race 9 times and have stayed at a different hotel every time! (I basically just look for whichever one has the best rates!)

We arrived not long after the Expo opened for the day and the crowds were super light!

In fact, we had zero wait for our bibs!

Since Rock n Roll has gone paperless now, there are lap tops set up when you first walk in where you can look up your bib number. You take your bib number to your prospective line, show the workers your ID, then you're on your way! It's super easy!

Of course we had to take a picture with the finish line!

We brouwde the official merchandise for a while and I did end up purchasing a quarter length sleeve purple shirt. The image on the front has a fleur de lis and is filled with symbols of New Orleans. It's so cute!

Another merchandise offering was shirts and jackets with participants names on the back. I didn't purchase this one, but my friend did!

The changing rooms were port-a-potties which always cracks me up!

Brooks had a big presence at the Expo (as always)!

They even had an adorable photo booth option complete with props. The end result was a super quick three image video that I shared to my instagram. 

After browsing for a while, we left the merchandise area and walked over to the Main Expo floor.

I was super thrown off at first because it looked way smaller than it has in the past. In reality, the expo floor was just laid out different.

And of course, my husband just HAD to make a sign for me. Thanks, Jason!

We loved seeing these guys, too!

Before it was all said and done, we might have even registered for 2020....because they were giving out free t-shirts. Like I need another t-shirt.

We had so much fun exploring the Expo floor and meandering around! If Rock n Roll New Orleans is ever on your list of races to run, do it! It's seriously one of the most fun races ever!

Join Kookyrunnerand Zenaida every Tuesday for the Tuesday Topics Linkup!

Keeping Your Activewear Fresh & Clean

Handling running and work out clothing once they've been worn can be a challenge, especially in the hot and sweaty summer months.

Confession: I don't sort all of my dirty clothing out into piles for washing (darks, whites, jeans, you get the picture) because seriously, ain't nobody got time for that.

Including me.

However, I DO wash my workout gear separately from the rest. Running any time of year here can be unpredictable, but it's almost always warm (except for maybe January) and by the time I'm finished with a run or workout, I'm a mess.

I'm very thankful for the companies who recognized the need for sport specific detergent in athletes. A favorite around here is WIN Detergent. This is not a sponsored post, by the way - WIN is just the favorite of all the ones I've tried. 

Source

The detergent has a very light scent and definitely leaves my active wear clean and fresh! We love the blue bottle of detergent, but there's also a green, unscented and dye-free bottle available for purchase as well.

For drying purposes, I also make sure to lay my favorite sports tops and sports bras on top of the washer/dryer to dry flat. For non-clothing items such as the FlipBelt (that are ok'd for the wash), I also chunk them in the washing machine with the rest of the active wear which is a super nice perk. 

Saturday's around here are usually for washing clothes, so I have two separate loads of my own - one for regular clothing and one for active wear clothing...and that's all there is to it!


How do you keep your active wear so fresh & so clean?

Join Kookyrunnerand Zenaida every Tuesday for the Tuesday Topics Linkup!

Running Fuel

I find it highly amusing that the topic of today's "Tuesday Topics Link Up" is all about how you fuel for a run.

Why is this funny, you may ask? Well, let me replay my Friday evening.

9:00 p.m. - Hey Jason, you wanna watch that Bird Box movie on Netflix? Sure.
11 p.m. - Movie is over and I'm SO WIRED because I don't do suspenseful or horror movies. I think I'm about to lose my mind.
Midnight - Still can't sleep. Hey, let's work on trying to transfer all 100,000 pictures from my iphone to my computer. No time like the present, right? (But for real...it's like 24,000 pictures. Anyone else feel me?!)
1 a.m. - If I don't go to bed, I'm seriously not going to wake up for my long run in the morning (and not waking up was seriously not an option)
2 a.m. - Barely asleep, I heard the sound of Brayden crying because he wanted "momma's bed". Alright, kid...come in momma's bed.
4:30 a.m. - The toddler was giggling in his sleep. Giggling. It was cute but 4:30 a.m.? Really? His giggling got him transferred right back into his own bed.
6 a.m. - A crazy freak storm moved through the area. Every time it thundered (happened at least three times), I JUMPED out of bed like the Bird Box ghost was headed my way.

Needless to say, it was not a productive night of sleep. Oh yes, and Brayden's monitor decided to have a sporadic connection which then caused the machine to annoyingly beep and beep and beep. It got itself turned off on two separate occasions during the night.

So, when my alarm went off at 7:15 a.m., the rain had just passed and I was ready to just get my long run over with.

What did my sleep deprived foggy brain have me do? I got dressed, grabbed a bottle of water, then headed out the door.

It was around mile 4 of my 10 mile run that I realized I didn't eat breakfast. Not even a typical pre-run bar or a banana. (Totally NOT in my norm...like at all.)

When I started getting light headed at mile 9, I realized I also didn't have any gels, GU, chomps, sports beans, not a single thing on me.

What. In. The. World.

Y'all, I've been a runner for 10 years now. I've run 6 marathons and 30+ half marathons and definitely know better. What possessed me to forgo any and all nutrition, food, gels, or gatorade at the least?! 

I'm not sure I know the answer, but the breakfast Jason had waiting on me when I returned home was everything I'd ever dreamed of!

All I can say is, I blame it on the Bird Box. Thanks, Sandra. 

Join Kookyrunnerand Zenaida every Tuesday for the Tuesday Topics Linkup!