Face it Friday - Frustration OVER

I am human! I know folks it is a shocking revelation, but I am not always the perfect Weight Watchers member and I tend to think that is why you all can relate. We are human. Life happens. Then I realize "I Am Still Learning"!!

So a week ago today I stepped back on the scale for the first time in three weeks. We had been traveling each Friday to either Chicago for the Half Marathon or Maine for relaxation (not that I am complaining at all).

But I got on the scale on August 2 and was up 4 lbs since my last home weigh-in

July 13 - 155.2

August 2 - 159.3

(Note: I NEVER thought I would be upset/mad to see a 159 on a scale! Oh how times change...)

Well that was expected with vacation and taking advantage of stopping at all our favorite spots in Chicago. ;) But it was time to get refocused.

So on August 3, it was back to tracking. I was determined over the next 11 days to track everything (be a #trackstar), get 100oz of water each day, do a plankaday and hit all of my Good Health Guidelines.

At the same time I was starting full on Marathon Training...

so it was time! :)

Thanks to my ActiveLink I am wicked aware of my activity and motivated to top myself each day.

Well by Monday morning I was up to 60-something Activity Points, yet I got on the scale and nada.

Say whhaa?? Usually after a few days back on plan and that much activity, I woulda seen some movement but nope.

So it was time to bring in my reinforcements ... my #wwmafia crew (which is a group of WW Leaders and Receptionists that are the bomb biggity - yup I just used bomb biggity).

I asked for their advice and soaked it all in.

Because I can use all my WW Leader info on myself, but sometimes you need to hear it from someone else to get it to sink in.

So I kept on doing what I was doing:

*Eating 26 DPT a day

*Eating/Drinking all 49 of my Weekly Points

*Not touching my Activity Points

*Drinking at least 100oz of water a day

*Kept up my plank a day streak

I checked in again on Wednesday...

(Note: I am broke my own rule this week by weighing myself more than 2 times a week and I was upset with myself for doing that, but I got swept up in my own crazy!)

... and nada!

I started to look through my tracker and share with my most trusted WW Leaders and Receptionists to get their thoughts.

Common theme: water retention. Yup, indicator to me? Not able to get any of my rings off my fingers.

But I stuck with it!

I could've just given up and said Screw it! I'm having Chinese food but no! I trust WW and know it works.

I tallied up 111 AP this week - thanks ActiveLink for pushing me to light those darn lights up! ;)

So I got on the scale this morning and BAM. It worked.

Home Scale read 156.2.

WOO!

And the official Weight Watchers Lifetime/Employee weigh-in read .... 156.4!

WOO!

In range (153-157) and once again proving that WW works.

Now, for me ... this summer has been a HUGE adjustment. Not only are we in a new place and I am in a new job, I have now had to adjust to attending BBQs and having a social life. ;) Well going from working like 100 hours a week to not, I feel like a new member now (like I've written before). So now adjusting to social life and learning how to handle the delicate time of Lifetime/maintenance.

This whole summer has been a welcomed learning curve. I have learned to really keep my fitness up in the times of Happy Hours, BBQs and vacations.

Thankfully, I have a great support system that will not let me get too far off the deep end. They keep me in check and I would be LOST without them!!

So let's as a group just make it through these last few weeks of summer and move on ... to Birthday Season!

Oh darn... ;)

But moral of the story is: I Am Human ... and I am Still Learning!

Marathon Training - My 1st Track Workout

I was nervous before yesterday's workout. I have NEVER done a real track workout before. But my running coaches (Sarah and Joanna - yes a 1 month old is keeping me in check) had set up a plan for me and I needed to stick with it. What was even better was that there is a track right across the street from Sarah's house so I could have my coaches right in front of me - helping me along the way!

How can I not give it 100% with this lady cheering me on!

So we hit the track and it was go time - Sarah had her stopwatch and everything! ;)

We started off with 2 laps (800m) warmup jog and followed it up with a 100m sprint.

Once we finished that we headed to the shade and did some good stretching.

Then it was GO time.

Thankfully Sarah actually ran on our college track team so I knew to listen to all of her advice. The goal of the 5x800 workout was to stick with a certain pace the whole time. So after chatting with Sarah, the goal was to finish each 800m in about 4 minutes.

And of course I started out too fast. Oops! I finished the first 400 in 1:33 where I was really looking for a 1:52-ish time. So I slowed down the second lap and posted an overall 3:40ish for the first 800, which was pretty decent.

Following the first 800m, I was instructed to walk around the track once (400m) pushing the sweet lil baby Joanna to keep the muscles loose. I love doing what I am told.

PLUS let me tell you that adds some weight and difficulty to the walk ... which I welcomed. :)

As I continued the 800m intervals, I got more in tune with my pace and what a 1:50ish 400m felt like, which really made me feel good. I felt like I was becoming a stronger person and runner.

I was able to average between 3:40-3:50 for the remaining 4 800m loops and it felt awesome ... even with the pounding heat!

After the final 400m walk with Joanna, we did one final cool down 400m jog and hit the shade for some stretching.

The running coach seemed to approve my performance during my first track workout - PHEW! She is a tough coach that I don't want to let down. ;)

I owed her for coming up with a great workout so we had some chill time after ... with food of course!

But overall, I loved the change in my routine. It mixed up my normal long runs and I felt like I got a lot out of the time on the track. NOW I know what all those elite fancy runners are talking about when they go on and on about their track workouts. Granted I have only been through one so far ... but I survived ... I thrived ... and I will go back for more! :)

Marathon Training - 13 Miles

On Wednesday, I sat down with my BFF/trainer/running coach/new mom Sarah and we worked out a true Marathon Training plan for me. I say real because we actually wrote everything down from that day through November 3 - Marathon Day. Wow!

THAT made this whole journey seem really real. Yes I know the whole running and signing up for it made it real, but starting a true training plan makes it feel like it is happening ... as it is. :o)

My calendar for today read 14 miles. I was ready for it. I even had a good alarm set so that my butt would get up and run. ;)

It worked.

I was up and out the door by 6:15. I headed to my usual route around the Charles River. I checked the weather before I started and with humidity it was 90 degrees.

At that point, I made the decision that I would focus on the mileage rather than the time/pace of today's run.

I stretched and hit the pavement.

Oh, I could feel the humidity right off the bat. I knew I would be running a 9-something min/mile pace. Which again I was okay with.

I tried to get into the running groove I know and love, but it wasn't sticking.

Not sure if it was all the heat or what, but I couldn't get into a rhythm.

I had to run in my glasses because of my possible pink eye and that totally threw me off. I gravely DISLIKE running in glasses - yes this was learned about 2 minutes into the run. I alternated between running with the glasses on and with them in my hand. I just felt uncomfortable running without them on since everything just looked blurry. Not the safest thing so early in the AM.

Additionally, the brand new earbuds I bought at the expo for the Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon kept falling out. They praise themselves on having the "lock" technique of the earbuds, but for some reason it just hasn't worked for me. They fell out during the Half and each run following that.

(Note: I got so frustrated today I almost threw them in the River then made sure to write a letter to customer service when I got home. Hopefully I can get the issue resolved.)

The first half of the run felt like it was 100% in the sun - as I took the turn around - it was like a new run started ... it was shady and had a breeze. Oh the breeze felt heavenly. ;)

I was feeling the humidity more and more as the run wore on. I unfortunately just wanted it to end. I kept counting down the miles one by one.

As I neared my car (I run a loop around the River), I spotted a sign for free water and just had to stop.

(Note: The Charles River is a 13-mile loop - the portion I did - and there were only 2 water fountains that gave out hot water. Not cool Boston. I tweeted Mayor Menino about it today. Hello 90 degrees in Boston and just 2 water fountains - boo!)

As I neared the 13 mile mark, I struggled in my head as to whether I could push on for the final mile or not.

I HATE not finishing what I started or accomplishing a goal, but I was feeling completely OUT of gas in my tank. So I made the executive decision to stop.

Ugh, I was wicked upset with myself for a few minutes then I had to get a grip. I ran 13 more miles than had I stayed in bed. I could've said Nah I'll do it later when it wasn't so hot. BUT NO ... I went out there and gave it everything I had.

So what did I learn today?

I relearned ;) that I need to listen to my body. I may not always be able to fulfill what the "training schedule" has planned, but I can give it all I have.

And...

Each run is a fresh start. I will get it next time!!

Six months later...

The week is only half over yet it already celebrated two large milestones ... 1) Monday - July 30 - marked our 6 month-aversary of being in Boston

and

2) Wednesday - Today - August 1 - marked my 6 month-aversary of working for Weight Watchers

WOW!

Those are two big milestones for this week.

On one hand, it seems like we have been here for about a year ... but on the other hand, it seems as if we just arrived.

It is crazy to think how much has changed in the last six months, but you never know what will happen unless you take that leap of Faith.

The last six months have had its ups and downs, but overall it has been amazing.

It is wicked fun to share the awesomeness of New England with the wife. Having the time to spend with her is a definite bonus of my new work schedule. It is great to take an afternoon and head up to Maine and walk along the beach ... and it counts as activity! ;)

I know the transition was tough for her - new job, new life, new living situation (having to crash with my parents), but I am indebted to her for making the sacrifice for me ... and my happiness.

I'm also enjoying having the time to participate in a bunch of road races with a great group of friends, who also love running as many different races as I do ... and want to get brunch afterwards! :)

It is great having so much free time to be active, but on the other side it is a great adjustment having a career with so much alone time. Each day is different since I have a varying number of meetings on a given day. I enjoy the freedom to come home in between meetings, but sometimes miss having coworkers to joke around with.

I made some great friends in our little trailer in Chicago. ;)

But thankfully the members make my day. I can't believe how much has changed since I joined WW as an employee six months ago. When I started I receptioned five meetings a week and now I lead 13 WW meetings a week. I love being a part of so many members journeys - celebrating the ups, working through the downs and learning what motivates/pushes them to continue on their journeys.

Every single member inspires me to be a better WW Leader, a better WW member and a better person overall. I can't tell them how much they mean to me.

And seeing the results is jaw dropping ... since taking over my first WW meeting as a Leader in May - my members have lost over 1,200 lbs. HOT DAMN!!

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On the flip side, it is an adjustment for me to have so much down time. I am used to 12-14 hour days with few days off. Now I have at least 2 days off each week. In some regards, I feel like a new WW member - learning how to navigate the summer and balancing social engagements and staying on plan. But it is a challenge I am happily taking on.

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Do I miss Chicago ... the people ... the work? Yes. But am I happy with the decision we made? Yes.

I will be even more excited when we move into our own apartment next week. ;)

And ... RELAX!!

I cannot even begin to tell you how awesome my weekend was. Okay I can. But the main reason it was so great was because we had NOTHING planned. The wife and I took our first weekend away - weekend away ALONE - since moving to Boston ... and didn't make any plans for it ... besides getting out of the city. We used this last weekend as a belated Birthday celebration for Tori (she turned 32 on July 18) and headed to Camden, Maine. It is about three hours from Boston We rented a nice little cottage for a couple days - thank you LivingSocial ... and it was

GLORIOUS!!

We both had wicked stressful weeks so we were so looking forward to some downtime.

We were able to sneak out of town before noon on Friday (July 27) and headed North.

Camden is about 3 hours from Boston, but we took our time getting there. Camden is a cute little coastal town so I knew Tori would love it.

We got to our cottage and was greeted with this lovely view:

Peaceful.

After getting settled we headed down to explore the downtown ... and of course hit Happy Hour. It is vacation! ;)

After enjoying the local cuisine, it was time to get back to the cottage and call it an early night ... but not before testing out the jacuzzi, catching the Opening Ceremonies for the Olympics and enjoying an adult juice box. :P

I was wicked excited to sleep in on Saturday - but ooohhh no! My body woke me up before 6am. Why thank you internal clock - way to kick in on my off days. Sheesh!

Saturday was a nice - take it as it came - kind of day.

It started off by me kicking some booty at mini golf! Don't knock the stance, I got not one, but TWO Hole-in-Ones during the 18 hole course.

After grabbing some freakin' awesome lunch at a local establishment (I had ribs for the first time in ages and they were finger lickin' good!!), we went off to try some local vino.

We ended up at Cellardoor Winery and took part in a tasting. We were able to try six different types of wine ... and NONE disappointed.

We left the winery with 6 bottles of wine ... shocker! :O)

After the winery, I took a nap. I cannot tell you the last time I took a nap ... and it was GLORIOUS!!

It was overcast on Saturday night, but that didn't stop us from enjoying a Sunset Cruise. Well, we didn't end up seeing a sunset, but  it was so serene and peaceful on the boat that I was okay with not seeing one. Plus, being on a boat makes the wife so happy that the trip was worth it just for that.

We went out on the Schooner Olad, which normally holds 22 people - but thankfully our trip had just six people on it - so it was nice and calming. :)

We got back to land at about 9pm so we just found a local pizza joint to hit up - the guy legit sounded like Mario from Super Mario Brothers - which entertained Tori to no end.

I of course had to try the jacuzzi out again before heading out on Sunday.

Once again my internal body clock woke me up before 7am on Sunday ... so we were off early.

We grabbed our Dunkin Donuts, played some Phase 10 and packed up since we had to check out by 11am.

The great thing about driving home was that we could stop off anywhere we wanted on the way back.

So as we left Camden just before 11am - and the rain that was predicted for the whole weekend finally started to fall - we decided to make a pit stop in Ogunquit on the ride home.

Ogunquit is one of my favorite spots in Maine ... and quickly becoming one of Tori's as well. :)

So we stopped there for lunch and a quick walk on the beach - we also called this "delaying the end of vacation." :P

It was finally time to head home. Despite some traffic, we made it home before 5pm. Thank goodness. When we got home from Chicago, it was almost midnight.

The pups were excited to see us when we got home and in a snuggly mood, which made coming home just a little easier.

Even though our vacation was about 48 hours along, it was EXACTLY what we needed. Just a weekend for the two of us to get away and hang out with each other ... and RELAX!!

I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to do these sorts of adventures now ... and having built-in puppy sitters in the house!! ;)

Jerry Garcia Memorial River Run 5k - 7/26/12 - 23:00 (7:26 min/mile)

As we were driving up to the 5k Thursday night, we passed loads of people walking to the pre-race hangout area and I thought to myself how many of those people looked familiar. It is funny how you start recognizing people at races. It's like you think you knows those people, but you really don't. You just see them at all of the same races. It's like when people have the gym take the same classes or have the same schedule as you. Thankfully, I have started to chat with some of the usual runners and it is great to build/learn/meet new runners!!

---

*The Jerry Garcia Memorial River Run marked the 3rd of 5 races in the Let's Run Summer Series*

I knew this 5k would not be one of my best efforts. I was still recovering from July 22's Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon (Sunday) in Chicago when this race crept up on me on July 26 (Thursday). But, you need to complete all 5 of the races to get the free jacket in the end so nothing was holding me back from running. :)

PLUS, these races are wicked fun so I never want to miss one.

So Thursday is my busiest day at work since I lead 4 back-to-back-to-back-to-back Weight Watchers meetings from 12-5:45, but they are great groups and days are always easier when I have a 5k to look forward to.

Thankfully the race didn't start til 7:30 so I had plenty of time to come home and chill before we headed out for the run.

The weather report said we would have heavy rain and thunderstorms, but thankfully we lucked out and there wasn't any rain until we were heading out!!

We headed out over the bridge and over to the Start Line. We got there closer to the start than usual so we actually only had to wait about 15 minutes until the race started.

Before I knew it it was time to go. I felt sluggish, but I was still going to give my 100%.

It was WICKED humid, but thankfully I was used to that from Chicago. ;)

So I didn't feel as strong as usual, but I was happy to run into my friend George just after Mile Two. It really wouldn't be a 5k unless I ran into him!! He is one of those people that I kept seeing at races, we chatted on social media then we finally met up at one of the last runs!

I crossed the Finish Line at 23:00 (7:26 min/mile pace). About 33-34 seconds slower than my usual times at the Let's Run Summer Series ... but I was still A-okay with it! I mean hello, I still ran a 7:26 min/mile pace. Me!! So yes, I was happy with the results.

I finished 167 out of 995 overall and 29 out of 546 women.

I will take it!!

Afterwards, I enjoyed some music and brews with my Let's Run ladies: Vickie, Kim and the wife (aka Tori)!! :)

jerry garcia

I just wanted to note that this was the 16th of my 24 road races in 2012! CRAZY!!

Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon - 7/22/12 - 1:51:43 (8:32 min/mile)

I was more than a little bit excited for this trip to Chicago - see this blog post for more. But in terms of the run, I was feeling it. I was feeling strong in my training runs. I was having a little bit of back soreness so I took the five days before the race off. All I did was my normal walking, schlepping and lifting for work.

Once we got the Chicago on the Friday, we did do a TON of walking - which was great. I had really missed just walking around the city.

But I digress...

We had a SUPER early flight out to Chicago on Friday morning. But the airline made up for that by somehow upgrading us to First Class - for no reason known to us - but we took it. :)

Friday and Saturday were reserved for hitting up our favorite eating locations and seeing as many friends as possible. Let me tell you we dominated in that department - seeing over 30 people in a 3-day span.

At the expo on Friday, I even got the FINALLY meet Dan (aka Cubicle Dad) after tons and tons of Twitter and Facebook time.

But, I called it an early night on Saturday night. Thankfully the wife got us a hotel close to the Start Line so I really didn't have to walk too far the morning of ... and it had a kick ASS view of the River.

Race morning I woke up at 5am. I had everything set up on Friday so I was ready wicked fast.

The wife was injured so she wasn't able to run herself, but she served as an AWESOME spectator/photographer. :)

We headed to the Start Line around 5:45. I like to get to a race at least 30 minutes before it starts to just stretch and hang out. Thankfully I didn't have to check a bag, but I did get to wait in the dreaded port-o-potty line. Ugh...

I was pretty psyched to be in Corral 8 since I think the year before I was back in Corral 20-something.

(Candid from the wife)

Things really changed in a year ... here is a pic from the same race in 2011 and 2012. I felt a lot stronger this year and had dropped over 15 lbs which helped as well ... and I wasn't just 6 months removed from back surgery. ;)

It was wicked exciting to be in a closer Corral as I was able to actually hear the National Anthem and see the elite runners take off. It was such a thrill. It also meant I didn't have to wait as long to Start. Another bonus.

It was finally time to Start ... I got those butterflies in my stomach ... But was too excited to really notice them.

Of course, the buildings downtown screwed up my Runkeeper almost immediately so it kept telling me I was running at like a 4:45 min/mile pace. Ummm yeah, I'm not Kenyan. So thanks for just making me feel bad. But, I know it is more the satellites than anything else so I just tried to use the overall timer/music more than the pace info.

Additionally, the wife was getting text updates with my location so I was planning on using her to really tell me how I was doing since my sole goal was to finish in UNDER 2 hours.

To keep the eye on the prize, I found a woman with a 1:50 pace sign on her back and tried to stick with her as long as I could.

Since it was 84 degrees at the start - and who knows the Real Feel since the humidity was through the roof - I wanted to go out strong so I could build a little buffer for later in the race when I knew I would be slightly slower (miles 6-10 where there would be no trees).

Thankfully the course is FULL of music and spectators, so motivation is always high during a Rock 'n' Roll race.

I really admired the P.F. Chang runners who ran the entire thing with a Chinese dragon.

I even found the wife a few times on the course and was able to get an action shot. :)

After this point, I actually texted her while running to try and figure out my pace.

Do you know how hard it is to run and text at the same time? :P

I was actually feeling strong throughout the run despite high temps and stopped at each and every water stop along to way to make sure I stayed hydrated ... and poured one over my head for good measure as well.

As I passed Mile 11, I realized the race directors had made a new addition to the course and it was AWESOME!

At Mile 12, it all hit me. As I trudged up the final incline towards the Finish Line that I was going to do it. I wasn't only going to do it - it being posting a sub 2-hour Half Marathon time - but I was going to SMASH it.

I started to cry.

Yup, I'm sure the runners around me were like "Who is this crazy chick?" but the whole thing hit me at once.

Wow, I - Dani Holmes-Kirk - was going to finish this Half Marathon in under two hours. Me - the girl who lost over 60 lbs. Me - the girl who ran a 12 min/mile pace when she started running. Me - the girl that used to have 0 faith in herself. Was going to accomplish this feat.

And it was A-freakin-mazing!!

Here are the official results:

I still cannot believe I did all this! For reference of how big this is to me, here are the times of my four-career half marathons:

February 26, 2006 -- Hyannis Half -- 2:20:18 August 14, 2011 -- Rock N Roll Chicago Half -- 2:12:15 January 28, 2012 -- F^3 Lake Half (Chicago) -- 2:05:40 July 22, 2012 -- Rock N Roll Chicago Half -- 1:51:43

I don't think the smile on my face could get any bigger!!

And the run can only get better with a racing medal...

I wore the medal for the rest of the day! I was too excited not to. It was great seeing other runners all over the city doing the same thing. I saw quite a few at Weber Grill, where we traditionally have lunch after the Rock 'n' Roll Half.

I cannot wait to run this race again next year - it will be the third time.

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The moral of this race is ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. This experience reminded me that I can do anything I put my mind to if I put in the work and have the passion/desire/drive to see the results ... and you can too!

If you asked me three years ago if I would run a half marathon in under 2 hours, I would of laughed you out of Chicago. But flash forward and look what I did.

And now? Now I set my sights on the Rock 'n' Roll Savannah FULL marathon on November 3.

And I say ... BRING IT!

Chicago On My Mind...

It's pretty interesting that we are heading back to Chicago for a weekend almost six months to the day that we left. We packed up the Uhaul and headed back East on January 29 and are now heading back to Chicago on July 20 ... it's funny how the world works. I also never thought I would be looking forward to this three days in Chicago as much as I am.

And I have running to thank for it to be happening at all!! :)

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Last year, the Rock n Roll Chicago Half Marathon marked my second-ever half and the first since February 2006 ... and to make it even more special - it was the longest race I was doing (August 2011) after having major back surgery (January 2011). Yes, less than eight months after half of my L4-L5 disc removed, I was planning on running - no dominating - the half marathon.

And I did ... well in my opinion I did. I cut about 8 minutes off my time from the first half in February 2006 and the Rock n Roll in August 2011.

Here is the recap from last year.

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Unfortunately, the wife has suffered an injury and will be unable to run on Sunday, but thankfully she has enough other fun things planned to make the trip worth it. :)

I'm not sure why we picked such an early flight on Friday (5:50am), but it does give us three whole days in Chicago as a result.

Friday will be the day to really see as many people as possible since I will be crashing early on Saturday night.

We will be able to have breakfast with her old coworkers (a Friday tradition when she worked there), hit up the expo as soon as it opens, I can tour the new offices at Wrigley that were happening just after I left and meet as many friends as possible for Happy Hour.

Ooohhh I am smiling just thinking about all the smiles, hugs and laughter that will take place tomorrow. :)

On Saturday, the wife's parents are making the roughly 2.5 hour trek from their home to come meet up with us in the city. I think this is the longest the wife has gone without seeing her parents in quite some time so it is great they can come up and meet us.

Then Sunday is the big day!! The race starts at 6:30am and I'm hoping to get there nice and early and maybe even spot some of my Twitter friends and old coworkers that I know are running as well. Plus I just love milling around in the pre-race excitement. :)

Now I just heard that the start should be about 81 degrees. Boo! Really I am okay with it, but I know it will be too hot to wear my Superman socks that I now love so much. Well, they will still make the trek out there ... just in case!

After a cool down and some Dunkin Donuts, we will take the rest of Sunday easy ... and of course hit up the Weber Grill restaurant before heading to the airport. It is now a post Chicago Half Marathon tradition! ;)

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My goal is to run a PR - which is currently 2:05.40 - and run my first sub 2 hour Half Marathon. Now I know the heat will play into how I run so I am not going to push myself to a limit that might cause me harm. BUT I am going to give it everything I have on that course. :)

While taking in the scenery as well. The course is all through the city of Chicago and along the Lake - one beautiful beautiful course.

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I am also excited to see how being down about 17 lbs between the two Rock n Roll half marathons impacts my times...

It wasn't til I looked at these pictures side by side - July 2011 vs. July 2012 - that I can see how big of a difference 17 lbs can make. That is the same fuel belt in both pics, but as you can see on the left I couldn't wear it any lower because of my weight.

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So to all, I hope you have a fantastic weekend and I cannot wait to update you all on how this weekend goes for me.

To my Chicago friends, I cannot wait to see all of you!! Be ready for lots of hugs... :)

VERT Sasquatch Trail Race (2.35 mi) - 7/15/12 - 18:59 (8:05 min/mile)

So this was my first ever trail run. Let me tell you: I have GAINED a TON of respect for people that do trail running ALL the time. WOW! It is quite a workout... I figured it was safe to kick off my first trailing running adventure with a race that was short - 2.35 miles seemed like nothing ... PRIOR to running it. ;)

I was HONORED to have the privilege of being asked to be the Captain of Team Slumbrew for the event and of course I jumped at the chance. Not only do I love their beer ... but I also LOVE the people behind it. Drink local folks ;)

They even hooked us up with these awesome tech shirts for the run...

Team Slumbrew had 12 awesome people on it. I only knew two of the people beforehand, but think we all clicked pretty well. :)

Racemenu did the timing and had awesome chips that went on the shoes. 

The run was set into three separate waves since the paths were pretty tight. Our team was in Wave One.

Like usual I didn't bother to look at the course beforehand so I had no idea where the start was or what to expect. Sometimes I kind of like the unknown of a race course since I practice on the same course all the time and know the ins and outs of it.

But anyway, we all lined up on the field across from the Stone Zoo and all of a sudden the gun went off and it was go time.

I was actually having some technical difficulties at the beginning of the race so I decided to forego listening to my music or my Runkeeper during this run. Also, I thought C'mon it's only 2.35 miles - that isn't that much.

WOAH!

2.35 miles on this trail run was MUCH different.

We started my running along the road before we headed into the woods and proceeded to run vertically for about 2 miles.

Wow.

All I kept thinking was thank GOODNESS I Spin. I got myself down into more of a squat and run barreled up the hill as best as I could. But, it there were so many rocks/tree branches/other people to watch out for.

It was definitely more of a workout than I had expected, but it was a good burning for sure. It made me realize how strong my legs have actually gotten over time.

Thanks to Alain from Racemenu for yelling at me to "smile already" so I could get this great action shot!

I was definitely breathing heavily and cursing under my breath before and after this was taken. ;) This was just after what I figured was the half way mark.

I finally looked down at my Runkeeper once I saw the long awaited downhill come into view. We were just shy of 2 miles and I was ready to be done. It was in the mid 90s and I was sweating up a storm.

I hit the downhill and just felt like a kid running free down a hill without any sort of brakes. Normally I can reel myself in on a downhill, but not this time. All I focused on doing was NOT falling down the hill and taking out the people in front of me.

Once we got to the bottom of the hill, we STILL weren't done. C'mon people. We had to sprint around the field and then would be done.

Wow! This race honestly felt wwwaaayyy longer than 2.35 miles, but it proved once again how much stronger I am thank I give myself credit.

I crossed the line at 18:59 (8:05 min/mile pace) and was 111th out of 444 and the second finisher on Team Slumbrew.

What an accomplishment.

Go Team!

We rocked it!

I even won an award - cuhlearly, not for my speed or lack there of. But for being a social media nut - Facebook and Twitter - about the race and the VERT Race Series. :) I was so surprised and honored. I got a cool VERT mug with the Slumbrew logo on it. :)

It was great to hang out with some of my twitter buddies in person:

George and I have crossed paths on Twitter, Untappd, Foursquare and on the road at races, but it took til this race to finally chat!

The same with Lexi - lots of social media, but had yet to meet in person. I wanted to thank her and her husband for giving me this sweet Untappd t-shirt!! :)

So thank you all for making my first trail run a success.

It is Wednesday and my ankles still hurt - so I know I need to keep practicing to get used to it. But, I will definitely do it again!!

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Have you participated in a trail run/race before?

Wordless Wednesday

Boy have I missed Wordless Wednesday ... well here goes!

The cutest little lady to my join my life - Ms. Joanna Grace Gilligan. SWOON!

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I HEART compression sleeves ... especially after a 12-mile run. Who likes that my Weight Watchers ActiveLink looks like a beeper?? :)

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PROOF: I wore a bathing suit - 2 different ways - in public! HUGE Non-Scale Victory...

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Everyone needs some meditation time...