Weekend Snapshots 7: Mother’s Day

This weekend came through fast and furious per the norm in our casa. It was of course Mother’s Day on Sunday, our whole weekend pretty much centered on the mommas. Without realizing it my hubs started my weekend off (almost) perfectly, joining me at the Pearland Pear Run. We were supposed to actually participate in the 5K run but due to unforeseen oversleeping we missed joining the run! We were there to cheer on the runners, Lety, my dad and my little brother. We also were able to get little bear signed up for the kid’s mile run, she cracks me up when she runs! She starts of full blast and gets totally bummed when she gets tired, at which point she insist on turning back – I explained to her it was the same distance either way so she had to keep going. Suddenly she catches her second wind and took off again finishing her little run.

“For those people who don’t like to run, they don’t know that you’re going to get tired and want to stop but then you get crazy and lots of energy – so they should just do it” ~ Little Bear

The rest of the day was spent shopping for Mother’s Day gifts, including my own! My hubs hinted to me earlier in the week about my gift, asking if there was anything I really wanted, like a new handbag.  I argued that I could probably get a new grill for the same cost and that is exactly what we did!! SCORE! Plus a new nail gun – DOUBLE SCORE!

Sunday was the Mother’s Day Madness 2016 :) Trust me we love our mommies, very very much! It just so happens that my hubs and I have mommies who love us very very much – which translates to a lovely art of juggling time and attention. We spent the first half of our day with my hubb’s mommy and the second part of our day with my mommy. Thanks to the crazy wait times at all the restaurants we took advantage and had a few mini photo-shots.

I was lucky and snagged a few minutes at the airport in between mommies, always a good day when we get to stop by and explore. Also, in a weekend where we are running from around, it was nice to sit with my loves and just take a breather! Most Sundays at the airport are quite and pilots will be doing “touch and go’s” we get to watch a few airplanes land and take off. By Sunday evening we all passed out on the couch we woke up sometime before midnight only so that we could all make our way to our beds and fall asleep again. Busy Busy but lots of memories made <3 o:p="">

Don’t forget to join the ladies at 3twentysix & TheReinvention of Jessica!! 

I miss the finish line!! But I am so proud of my dad and Lety for being so awesome!!

Shopping!! 

I hope you enjoyed your Mother's Day! I know we had a great one! 

Miles Miles and More Miles

This is the third week of my training plan for running the Chevron Houston Marathon, let me tell you it’s been interesting. The first week “sore” was an understatement when I finally had a cross training day I realized very quickly how important it really is. I decided to get on the stationary bike and I did some exercises on the big ole’ exercise ball and I felt so much better getting a chance to stretch out and wake up all my other muscles.

I dislike hate running in the sun and heat is my kryptonite, so even though I’ve claimed to dislike the treadmill I decided to go that route instead. Turns out I can at least feel cooler inside at the gym with the fan blowing at me and not melt. I have to make the treadmill interesting, so I take it a ¼ mile at a time, then a mile at a time and then 2 miles at a time. In each quarter mile I set my pace and increase it little by little and then start all over, at a mile I check my time and then try to improve it the next mile. Finally I’ll break at two miles reset the treadmill and try to improve all of it all over again. I know this sounds like a lot but let me tell you the treadmill.is.boring. very very boring.

I know if I attempted to go out in the heat I would throw in the towel I know myself and I know I would give up long before I hit 5 or 6 miles. So the treadmill has been my better than nothing go to. I pray for cooler weather, for an over cast sky and even for a little sprinkle but while the temps still hit 90 degrees plus and Mr. Sun insist on shining bright I’ll head inside and battle it out on the treadmill.

On the 19^th I ran the Kemah’s Toughest 10K and it was warmer than I would liked and this past weekend I did the B.I.G Love 5K fun run and by the time we got going 8:30am I was feeling a little hot too but each run was done and great - I’ll fill you in on those later :)

For now I’m adding on the miles and keeping my eye on the goal.  I had this fantasy that when I would increase the miles that my pounds would start melting off. Of course this is yet to happen. I am going to be the bigger person here (haha!) and understand that running more mile does not equal losing weight. This crazy thing happens when you go for a longer run – you get hungry like hangry kind of hungry and I might be guilty of feeling like if I just ran 6 miles then a bacon cheese burger should be my lunch. SO I am adjusting and planning my nutrition better and I am hoping to see better results within the next few weeks. I pray to the weight loss god’s that if they could please hurry up, the next bridge run is on Oct. 17^th and I’d really like to carry the least amount of lb’s up the Galveston causeway. Please and Thank you in advance!! 

Do something you love

Do something you love Y

This past couple of weeks I’ve experienced this very topic in the simplest ways. On the 5^th I joined my co-worker and friend Beverly, by running the BEENezy 5K. For the past few months I’ve seen Beverly be determined and fierce in her mission to lose weight and be healthy, she has lost almost 30 lbs and started walking/running. This was a great experience Just like it has been in so many past 5K’s but it really reminded me how much I love the simple things about running a 5K, not just running in my neighborhood but signing up for a fun run 5K!

The friendships you build – Beverly has always been my friend but of course running gives us more to talk about through our days and the experience is something we will always share . The butterflies in your tummy prior to the start line – I love the start line sometimes more than the finish line because once you cross over you leave everything behind and you depend on the training you’ve done to get to that point, it’s exhilarating! The other runners no matter your size or ability – Once you get near the end they are your friends and you can laugh at the struggle and you get to encourage each other to the finish. The moment when you’ve pushed past something you thought you couldn’t do, like run a whole mile without dying or finishing before you thought you would! In our run Beverly questioned how long we had been running and I instantly knew she was going to beat her regular time. All these things reminded me why I love running so much. It changes you and it changes your outlook on your ability to push yourself!

Friday I went back to MixFitz Studios for a #SweatParty and for what we used as a girls night out. I had so much fun but even better I was surrounded by women that love what they do! Their ability (lol my ability) to dance didn’t really matter, their size didn’t matter, all that mattered was to let loose and have a good time! At the end of the night I was exhausted and drenched in sweat, I spoke to Crystal for a few moments and we realized that our love for this crazy thing we do was very similar in many ways.

By the end of the night I was laughing and dancing with these women who are just having a good time and they are pushing you to keep going and let go! I was able to try stuff I would probably have tried- even with a few drink stirred up in me but you’re around other ladies doing the same thing who don’t care what you look like and anything goes!

Talking about some who does what he loves, my boss, ultra-runner, crazy runner aka Jim Abney and his son Dustin finished their 24 hour run to bring awareness to Childhood Cancer Saturday morning. Over the course of 24 hours other crazy runners joined them in the rain and overnight to help keep them going! In one of the purest ways Jim continues to show his love for running but even more so his love for children battling cancer by enduring the pains of long distance running because in the end his pain does not compare to the pain and suffering children go through when fighting cancer. Every time he laces up his goal is to honor these children and in the process he encourages others to do the same.

I am doing something I love Y, I’ve been inspired by other people that also do something they love Y and my hope is that you are encouraged and inspired to do something that you will fall in love Y with too.

Race Report: Kemah Bridge Toughest 10K

The day before a race is always so much fun, I am really pumped before a race – you’d think I was going to win something! I turn up the music in my truck and in my office, I get really excited :) This time was even better because my bestie Clarissa came with me to pick up our race packets.  We ended up having so much fun just driving out to the Clear Lake area and having lunch together – I think it should be this way before each and every race!!  {{I might have to take Friday the 17th off for the next packet pick up-shhhhh don’t tell my boss!}}

The morning of, my nerves start to sink in a little bit, I got everything in order and bounced around trying to figure out what I might be the most comfortable wearing – which is very funny if you think about it – I run three times a week! I should be able to pick out what I’m running in, in the dark :) I ate my banana and half a bagel with peanut butter to make sure I was fueled and ready and by 5:30a.m.  Alma was there and we made sure we had everything we needed to pick up the rest of the gals. Somewhere around 6 am the 5 of us were on the road down Highway 6 headed to Kemah, thankfully a truck full of girls and the chattering we had going on made for less time for nerves to build up.

Yes nerves still build up, if I give it enough thought – actually I get butterflies in my tummy on days that I am going to go for a run on a new trail or if I am going to start a new training plan! I guess that’s why I love running so much – it’s never a dull moment :)

We got there right on time, just maybe 25 minutes before the 7:30am start time, so we made a bee-line for a last minute potty break and headed for the start, again we got there so close to the start I was feeling just fine, truth is I knew that even if you had to roll me down the Kemah Bridge I was still going to knock out this 10K.

Mile 1- was quick. I kept my pace and just keep going, this is after all my own race and it does not matter if I’m slow or fast, I am doing this just for me :)

Mile 2 – Woo-wee! I was just thinking to myself on the way up the bridge “just keep running, just keep running” “ohhh how pretty!” ßon the very top of the bridge!! And to the guy (security?) on the bridge eating a doughnut “really??”  The first up and over was, well, over and it wasn’t that bad…

Mile 3- I don’t know exactly what was going on in mile 3, except that it was my second time coming up the bridge and somehow it was not to shabby.

Mile 4 – in the middle of mile four I felt pretty good and I was zoned out when I almost bumped in to another girl! She started talking and waving her hands around –“I am sooo done!! If this was a 5K we’d be done!” I thought yep but it’s not and I’m not done yet! I kept going and I remember thinking she looked like she could have taken me out in a race any day. Ha. I felt pretty good passing her up…and then we had to go up again!

Mile 5 - this was the worst. By this time I know who my running buddies are. I know there are some skinny-minis trying to make sure I don’t pass them up and I am making sure a couple of runners don’t pass me up. BUT on the last trip up the bridge I realized someone who was walking was keeping up with me! Yes. I know. So I stopped and walked and then I felt like I was moving faster!! Either way I took that time to take a quick picture and started running again and  it was downhill from there!

Mile 6- the last stretch was good, I knew in my head that here I was going to be able to make up some time. I knew my legs were tired and I knew that it would be easier if I just stopped running again and walked to the finish but we train to finish strong. So I just zoned out and kept running. Right before I crossed the finish I saw Alma and Lety standing of to the side and Boom! It was done.



Guada, Clarissa, Lety, Alma & Me

Not my best 10k, but this is another thing I love about running, I do not race against everyone else just against me. I know where I’ve let myself slide these past couple of months and trust me carrying those extra lbs up a bridge 4x was no picnic. So I clean the slate, I train harder and eat cleaner. Come October 18^th I run it better. AND I remind myself that a year and a half ago I would have never made it up there the first time around.