While You Were Sleeping

I was getting ready for work this morning when I turned on the TV and saw an old friend of mine doing her now weekly make-up segment on the morning show. Now that I have Fios in my room, I've decided to embrace the mature adult I've grown into and actually watch the morning news. Though I am quickly remembering why I never liked it. There is hardly ever anything positive on the morning news. Not even the weather! Crazy! but I digress. It really brought so much joy to my heart to see her up there on the big screen. My big screen lol She has such a passion for make-up and has worked her butt off to turn it into a career. Over time she has grown into the person she needed to be to achieve the goals she set for herself. Goals to make her dream a reality. This is just one story of many, but it was a nice reminder of how dreams do come true and quite a motivating way to start the day. Sometimes I get upset about the time it will take to get to where I want to be. I know I've made significant advancement, but I get a little impatient at times. Just like anyone else, I imagine. I'm so proud of the person I am today and I do my best to improve each day. I just want to be better than yesterday and stronger than the girl I once was. 
I keep seeing that quote floating around about "you have one month to finish the book of 2014. Make the last chapter a perfect one." I'm happy to report that despite the crazy obstacles that came my way, I still managed to get out on top and let's not forget... finishing a full marathon! The year isn't over and I'm sure there will be other obstacles, but there is plenty left on my plate to get done and more people that need helping. All I can do is take it one day at a time :)

1st Marathon - DONE!

The North Face Endurance Challenge

oh boy, where to even begin with this one? I guess first things first... WHAT WAS I THINKING SIGNING UP FOR A MARATHON WITH ONLY A MONTH TO TRAIN?!?! I must have still been high on endorphins from the Nike Half. It just seemed like a good idea at the time. I mean, I was practically half way there with training, right? and wait a minute, this was no ordinary marathon. It was a trail run. I mean I knew trail runs were harder so I trained over and over on the hills around my neighborhood. I even went out one day to the actual course to get a better idea of what I was in for. I knew I wasn't going to breeze through it, but I also knew I would at least finish. At this point, that's all I wanted. To finish a full marathon. I would work on better times with future races, but I wanted to get it out of the way instead of continuing to put it off. I actually amazed myself with how many half marathons I had completed since the Nike Half with all the training. Prior to race day, my longest run had been 19 miles. Sounds like a good amount except I'll be honest in that it did involve walking. There was just no way I was going to be able to run all that straight through. I did the best I could with the time I had and I felt like I was on cloud 9 the closer and closer we got to race day. I was so pumped and ready to get this done! Then 24hrs prior to starting time, nerves set it. Had I really trained the best I could? Had I done everything right? Had I eaten enough that week and had I consumed enough water in all the days leading up? How was I going to do with a CamelBack for the duration of the marathon? I am not used to having anything on my back, but it was supposed to be one very hot day and only 5 aid stations total. I could either suck it up and haul some water around or run the risk of dehydration. I knew it would be harder than my other races, but I was ready to get this done and have a full marathon in the books.

Race Day

It was a beautiful day and I of course was all kinds of nervous. I must have pee'd 4 times before even starting. One of the guys let me borrow a CamelBack for the race and we were good to go. It was 3 of us running and only 2 of us were running our first marathon ever. I'll try not to bore you with too many details, but let me just say that all the training I did had not prepared me in the slightest for this course. I should probably look into elevation changes and figure out exactly what they mean next time I sign up for something like this lol Some of these inclines were just unimaginable. I couldn't believe the 50 miler group was already finishing up and running past us a full speed. We were only just a few miles into ours when a girl tripped and fell. She was screaming at the top of her lungs for a medic and while the guys ran to get one, I ran to her and stayed until someone came back for her. As I approached her I thought for sure there would be a bone sticking out of her skin, but thankfully that was not the case. She finally calmed down and apologized for being so dramatic. That maybe it was only a charlie horse. Let me tell you, when I saw her fall and the level of screaming she was doing I thought for sure I would not survive this race. There was no way... not that I would get tired and give up, but more that I would actually die or have some serious injury that would result in me bleeding to death. Yes, fear was instilled in me at only mile 4ish. At least i think it was 4 ish... there were no mile markers unless you were at an aid station, but alas there was no turning back. I had to keep going or at least try. Despite having my feet fully submerged in water a couple times, the overall course scenery was just beautiful! The aid stations were phenomenal too! Apparently it's pretty standard for Ultra races. They had potatoes, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, oranges, candy, chocolate, bagels, etc. Definitely made me want to consider doing it again next year. 

"Harder than most of my races" was an understatement. I was tested in more ways than one. It was THE hardest race of my life. It started at Algonkian Park in Sterling, VA and went out to Great Falls Park in McLean, VA. We were to There were times I didn't think I was going to make it to the cutoff. I finished my last half marathon with a 2:30 time and I didn't make the half marathon mark of this race until after 3:30. We were cutting it close on time and I was starting to worry. I was already pushing myself and well at that point I was going to need a miracle to get us done in time. We got the final warning of the hard cutoff at the last aid station and even with all the encouraging from my awesome running buddy, it still wasn't enough to get us there in time based on what the girl told us. I kept pushing and I gotta say that my back hurt more than my legs. I hate hate hate that I had to carry a CamelBak, but I know it was one of the smarter decisions I had made. It was confirmed when we saw a guy passed out at an aid station from Heat Exhaustion. Yes, I know I have to learn to run with one, but this race wasn't the time to do it lol We got closer to the end and when I could see the finish line we took off running again. There was no way I was going to WALK to the finish line. Especially when I had an awesome cheer team waiting for me at the end. I mean, my own mother actually came out for this. She never comes to my races! This was a big deal. I had already felt like a failure for not making the cut off, but was happy to know I did complete my first marathon. Zoila's(one of the BFFs) daughter ran into the course to greet me as I was approaching the finish line. I told her to grab my hand and together we crossed the finish line. Just weeks before I was with her to cross her first 5k finish and now here she was at my first marathon finish. There was a lady at the end holding our medals and I was just overwhelmed with emotion. I totally cried. Like a big baby. It was one of my biggest accomplishments in life at that point. I had no shame in my tears lol

I went to get my free beer(s), take some pics and finally get in my very first Ice Bath! During all that time we found out that we were actually fine on time. That we didn't miss the cutoff and that actually we still had over an hour left to finish! I was extremely happy to hear that and even more so when I was surprised with some Tres Leches cake while soaking in my ice bath then finding out everyone wanted to come to the house for a BBQ. I actually had my 10 yr high school reunion that night, but I wasn't about to cut my time short celebrating with the besties to see a bunch of people I don't really even talk to. Though I totally wanted to brag a little about completing my first marathon haha It was such a perfect day in so many ways. I'm excited to do it again next year, but this time I will have sufficient time to train and I'll have adjusted to wearing a Camelbak and hauling around extra weight. It's true what they say, running a marathon will change your life. As if my life couldn't change any more. It seems to always be changing for the better these days and thank God for that! It's about time things start looking up for me. I fall in love with my life more and more with each day. 

 "When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, that is when you will be successful." 

Race Recap

So I've managed to keep moving since the Nike Half. I mean that's always good news, right? Figured I'd update the blog with the latest shenanigans. Not too long after the half marathon, one of the BFFs informed us that she was doing the March of Dimes and asked if we wanted to join. We had been out the night before celebrating Cinco de Mayo on our own terms and well let's just say arriving to this event was a challenge in and of itself! haha BUT we made it AND even got to meet one of the Redskins. He was actually nice enough to take a picture with us which I was forever grateful for. Still waiting to meet London Fletcher, but I guess this will do for now *sigh* It was actually really pretty. A lot of people came out and it was a beautiful day at Reston Town Center to head out onto some trails. I will say it felt weird to just walk as opposed to run, but we did get to meet some good peeps and her coworker even had a friend that lived on one of the street and got us some oranges to snack on. A bit random, but hey... why not? I'm glad we survived and were able to add another race to the list for 2014. I guess it's not really a race, though if you're walking. Whatever. I'm counting it!

Next up... Mother's Day 4 miler. My brother was actually supposed to do this one with me. Seems he partied a bit too much the night before and well, I was left to run this solo. It was actually kind of nice. I've been working on running without music and it was yet another beautiful day for it. Good turn out and because it was one of the races from the company I work for, I was able to do it for free. I can't say no to a free race. Anyway, along the course I ran into a coworker of mine who had also done the Nike Half. It was nice to chat with her for a bit. She had a system down for a run/walk which I did for a while until we got near a crowd. I'm not a fan of crowds so that's when I took off and ran until I had more open space. She still beat me in the end, though lol good for her! I couldn't stay for the race shenanigans, because I had a family BBQ to get ready for and can I just say the margaritas and food was DELICIOUS!! Epic day for a race and family BBQ.

As the finale to this post, I am including the Run or Dye 5k at RFK Stadium. This was my second time doing this race. Last year I ran it with 2 of my BFFs, Bessy and Zoila, but this year Bessy couldn't join us and instead of just Zoila and I, it was also her 8yr old daughter Cassandra. It was her first 5k ever! She finished and did an awesome job. I was so happy to be a part of it and even more thankful that we were prepared for the color blasting this time around. No one suffered direct shots to their eyeballs or up their nostrils! All in all a success with post race Victory Waffles ...YUM!!  
But wait... there's more! :)

  

Dream World

Wait for the guy who gets up early 
to cheer for you on race day.
The one who waits for you at the finish line 
with Starbucks and a foam roller.
The guy who encourages and supports you 
every step of the way.

Wait for the guy who surprises you with 
race entries or running shoes instead of jewelry. 
The guy who delights in weights, 
protein shakes and the outdoors.
Whose idea of a perfect date is a gym sesh, 
good hike, sporting event or outdoor concert.

Wait for the guy who wakes up 
with the same drive to be better than yesterday.
The confident one who grabs and pulls you in 
for a passionate kiss in the middle of a crowd.
The guy who can't wait to show you off 
to his friends and tell them all about you.

Wait for the guy who looks at you the same way 
I look at my Nike Frees... ❤

Tiffany's necklace for 13.1 miles ...CHECK!

Team Nom Noms

You can't run a half marathon and not have it change you in some way. It never gets easier, you just get better. We've heard it all haven't we? It's true, though. Each time you learn something new. Maybe about yourself or maybe about life. What did I learn about myself? I learned that I really love to stuff my face post race LOL bring on all the goodies!! haha OK so race time... I finished later than my last half. I know, how is that possible? Did you even train, bro? So my first half I finished with about a 2:20 time. This time I finished with a 2:30 time. Oddly enough, I felt like I did so much better this time around. I did a lot better with pacing myself and my recovery time was almost non existent. I was ready and able to play at my soccer game that same night. I didn't play, though for fear that I wouldn't be able to function the next day and wanted to give my legs a break. Smart move? who knows! I was walking on sunshine the next morning, though. The last half I did put me out of comission for a solid week! 
The race itself was incredible. Great weather for it and who doesn't love a nice long run around our Nation's Capital through a few monuments? It's always been a bit of a dream for me. To have the monuments be my morning runs. Sadly, I'm not close enough to DC to make that a habit :(
So I hit a nice, lovely, monthly female obstacle that morning and thought for sure I was not going to get through the race. Got my breakfast in with good time and finally made it to my corral before it closed. Just barely, though! Anyway, can I just say this was by far the best race I've done so far?! There were about 15,000 runners and who knows the amount of spectators. The signs were hilarious and I very much enjoyed the shirtless men holding up motivational signs. My favorite being "I like fast girls!" School marching bands, dancers, DJs and I'm assuming local bands posted up at a few stops to keep the energy high. There were plenty of water, Nuun and energy chew stops throughout the race. Even bathrooms! I've heard that is definitely a luxury to have at races. Thankfully, I haven't had to experience a dire need for one during a race, but man those lines were long. Not too many inclines... Just a few. Or maybe I just didn't notice because I was in la-la land seeing all the smiling faces and loved ones cheering on their favorite runners. One thing, I thought was interesting was after about 7 miles, walking was starting to hurt. It got to the point where running was actually alleviating. A lot of it had to do with the shoes of course. I was running in my Nike Free 3.0s and before you elite runners start rolling your eyes... I'm fully aware they're terrible for walking. Running however feels glorious so I don't want to hear how "bad" they are for me. Midfoot striker here who does NOT over pronate. I repeat.. does NOT over pronate lol 
Point is, I finished yet another half marathon and felt on top of the world. So much energy, love and dedication from beginning to end. BFF was with me supporting me the whole way and informed me that one of the runners got proposed to at the finish line. AWW!! how sweet, right? Well yes. It really was. I'm not one for sappiness, but I'm not going to lie. Having someone wake up at the ass crack of dawn to stand for a couple hours holding a sign waiting for you to pass by all because it's something you love and they want to have a part in, supporting you every step of the way with encouraging words and chants... it's pretty fkin awesome. I don't have that. In fact, I never really have. Not that I've had several years of a running lifestyle either, but I never really put much thought into it until this race. I've always been happy with my cheer team, but having a special someone waiting for you at one of the mile markers or the finish line of a race like this would be pretty great I imagine. Maybe one day I'll find a crazy who would love to wake up early to stand for hours hoping to catch me for a second on race day. Someone to meet me at mile 7 with a brand new bottle of water, Nuun and/or energy gel OR maybe even someone crazy enough to just run it with me! Until then, I'll just keep doing what I do best and stay high on some endorphins! :)

"What we find in a soul mate is not something wild to tame, but something wild to run with." - Robert Bault

So Many Feels!

Well, the title says it all... so.many.feels. We're already into April and I have been one busy lady! I landed a job at one of my favorite running companies. I'm only working part-time, but it's been pretty awesome since day 1. I basically get paid to watch sports all day and play on the treadmill. Oh yeah, there's training involved too for a couple months which isn't too bad because it's so easy to learn and read about something you're already so interested in. Potomac River Running is mainly known for their personalized shoe fitting process, but I actually didn't know about all that until way later. I got to know about PRR through their races. I've done quite a few and have spent a lot of time checking out their website for future races which led me to see the several fun runs, trail runs, clinics, trainings/classes and workshops they offer. They're very involved in the community and offer great products for pretty much anything running related. Of course I want to work there! The interview was a nice change from what I'm used to. I didn't even know how to dress since I'm used to office jobs. Let's just say I was a little over dressed! They told me if I came in to work looking like I was dressed, they would send me home. That means I get to wear my workout gear everyday I work. Not a bad gig if you ask me. What's even better is that it's only 2 miles from home! If you haven't guess already, let me confirm for you that I do in fact walk or run to and from work. It's a nice little trail with a few creeks and bridges. I will enjoy it more as spring and summer come into full bloom. No more snow please! I'm so over it! 

Next up on the updates is I finally started school. That's right. I am not only officially enrolled, but I have already started attending. I'm only taking one class to finish up the current semester, but it's already been a nice eye opener. Bye Bye social life! As if I really do that much these days anyway lol I've learned to set time aside to study and actually do my homework! That's a huge milestone for me actually. There are only a few more weeks left in the semester so I'll be picking my course load for summer very soon. Full time student, part time employee. I think I'm going to enjoy getting used to this. I won't lie... I felt so out of place on the first day. I know it's not a big deal, but I feel like I did everything backwards in life. Going to school and working part time is something I probably should've done when I got out of high school, but instead was more interested in making the money full time. The thought of going to class, actually studying and completing the assignments was of no interest to me. Today I sit in my lectures being probably the most attentive and nerdy of them all, but you know what... I love it. I've come a long way and I know it's gonna take a while to accomplish what I want, but I'm just happy to at least be starting it. If I'm not out running, playing soccer, volleyball, working or in class then you can bet I'm probably at home like this... 

"He who opens a school door, closes a prison." 

- Victor Hugo

2013 Photo Recap

I made a little video of the main 2013 shenanigans. 
Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed putting it together!

*INSERT NEW YEAR MOTIVATIONAL TITLE*

New Year New Me? Uh NO. Try again!

All these new years resolutions... I mean I think it's great that people are at least trying to be healthier and live a more active lifestyle, but no resolutions for this girl. I definitely have new goals for the year, though. I've come a long way in the last couple years, but i'm not done. Perhaps the biggest delay is due to my absolute obsession with delicious food? Clearly, my number one priority is NOT abs, though they would be nice to have. Hmmm maybe haha Honestly, this year I just want to push myself even further and see what I'm really capable of. Looking into the trifecta for the Spartan Race, i have the Nike Half Marathon in April and looking into the Rock and Roll Half as well. Still need to decide on a full marathon for later in the year. That's right... a full *gulp* i'm very nervous about that. Maybe i'll see how the year goes before commiting to one? Also on the list... ROC Race! Have you heard of it? It's like the Wipe Out game show except in the form of a 5k and it's coming to DC this summer. There's no way I'm missing out on that! Might try the Warrior Dash again, but honestly I'm just trying to keep my focus on events I haven't done yet. I also heard about GoRuck Light. It's an event put together by special ops vets. I've seen some videos and checked out the site... def adding that to the list!

But OMG how effin cold was it today?! and to think I signed up for Winter soccer and for an outdoor league at that. I think my team hates me now and is starting to rethink the idea of playing outdoor in the winter. I don't blame them. I've already started getting emails about if we're still playing tomorrow night because of how cold it is. At first it seemed like a legitimate question and I was going to ask the league, but then i thought... hey isn't this what we signed up for? ugh! The good thing is with all these Christmas sales, I loaded up on cold gear. Now I can go about my morning runs in peace with the perfect gear to keep me warm. My hiking buddy would be so proud of me! For once I put my money towards quality gear that benefits me and I dont have to use all his gear when we hit the mountains during the cold months of January and February. You might call us crazy, but we actually LOVE it. I wasn't always keen on hiking during a snowfall or even in the winter at all, but as always he drags me out and well I can never say no. Wasn't long before I fell in love with the winter hikes as well. I love my friends and I love that they're so outdoorsy. They definitely keep me busy... as if i needed help with that lol 

So already there's a lot on the plate for 2014. I'm sure more events will get added as the days come because you can never really plan everything. Doesn't always work out how you imagined in your head. One thing aside from training that i'll be spending a lot of time on is finally breaking out of the professional industry I've been in for the last several years of my life. I've always loved sports and being active <wasn't always in the best shape for it, but eventually my body caught up with my heart> so I've always wanted to do something related to that. Now that im actively involved in more events and have a better understanding of health and fitness, I'd love to finally break into Sports Marketing. How cool would it be to market for Nike or even be a sports broadcaster! *day dreaming* haha well it won't be an easy switch, but it's not impossible either. It'll take time, but I'm already starting on it and with the help of some great colleagues it looks like i'll be ready to go in no time. I think my biggest challenge will be maintaining patience. I can be very impatient once i've decided on something. Hoping for a smooth transition, but im thinking it will be more bumpy than anything. Tends to be the case with me haha Well, wish me luck! Better days in 2014 :)

Here are the links to some of the events I'll be partaking in. Just in case you might wanna check em out too:

• ROC Race - Game Show Inspired 5k: www.rocrace.com
• Spartan Races - Obstacle Races 3mi, 8mi and 13mi options: www.spartanrace.com
• Rock n Roll Half/Full Marathon - 13.1mi or 26.2 miles: www.runrocknroll.competitor.com/usa 
• GoRuck Events - Events designed by Spec Ops Vets: http://www.goruck.com/en/events

Nearly Naked Mile - PR'd

Nearly Naked Mile - Reston Town Center

Towards the end of last week I started coming down with a some kind of cold/flu. I hate hate hate being sick! Mainly because I know it means i have to put my workouts/runs on hold. Well this girl can be a bit stubborn at times and decide she wasn't going to stop. I had signed up for the Nearly Naked Mile race in Reston and figured, hey what's a mile?! I ran a half marathon for goodness sake. A mile is nothing! I'll just run it super fast and head straight home back to bed with my medicine after it's done. Well Nearly Naked Mile implies nearly naked attire. That's right. A lot of skin to bare and with me being sick it was a tough call. Major crossroad in my life. I decided to go with a t-shirt and a tutu. I know what you're thinking: Man! She's so good at this taking care of herself bit. Well let me tell you it was FREEZING cold that day. I did arrive fully layered up though with snowboard pants, a hoodie and scarf, but come time to run... the layers had to come off. By then i was so pumped and warmed up, I forgot i was sick. I decided, hey let's just sprint this thing as see what kind of time i can get! Well, I did just that and i actually PR'd. I was soooo excited, but about 15 seconds to the finish line my body was begging me to stop. Honestly, i could hear it crying from everything i was putting it through. I wanted to just come to a complete stop. I felt like i was really dying. Not because i was tired/out of breath, but because i was in pain, feeling horrible, weak, eyes burning... you get the idea, but how many people do you know that actually STOP before crossing the finish line? No. That's when you have to push yourself even more. Figured it would all be over sooner and I'd prob get a pretty good time. Well i definitely got the pretty good time. My fastest mile recorded at 8:55. Sure it's not the fastest, but it is my fastest and you know what?... i was running with the flu so don't even hate because who knows what time i would've got had i been healthy! Needless to say i nearly collapsed by the time i finished. Super nauseous. I could feel the fever coming. I raced to get my winter gear and begged to go home. I couldn't even stay for the after party or mini ceremony :(  

I am excited to share that one of the runners on my team. A friend and sister of one of my best friends actually placed #1 for fastest in our age group finishing her mile at 7:22. Now THAT is incredible!! We'll be doing more races together and i'll likely do my first FULL marathon with her next year. So despite torturing my body with all that, I was happy that i went, earned my flannel shorts, cup and PR'd. Sure, i spent the remainder of the day in bed watching movies, but TOTALLY worth and who cares... i love watching movies anyway. Here's a little snap shot of that race. Enjoy!

Instagram: Sunshine_Memoirs

Run or Dye

It's been a very eventful the last several days. With guests and Halloween adventures! I was happy to have a few days off work for most of it. Thursday morning i was able to get a run in during DAYLIGHT hours! oh man... it was glorious! see pic on the left for proof. There really is nothing quite like it. Even more rewarding that I was among the vibrant trees. Color was literally pouring out of the leaves. I had a coworker from our Ukrainian office come over and stay for a few days. So we did the whole DC thing. Got to play tour guide and show her the beautiful sights our Nation's Capital has to offer. All that jazz. So even though I only got one daytime run in, I was able to walk around DC all day Thursday through Saturday. I mean the point is to keep moving, right? I also learned this past weekend that i have a serious obsession with tress in the fall! haha

RUN OR DYE

The BFFs and I at Run or Dye in DC

I mentioned in my last post about the Run or Dye 5k race that was coming up with the BFFs. Well we did it and it was A LOT of fun. We had to run through a few tunnels with people throwing powder dye at us. Sounds fun, right? too bad it was hard to breathe and see while running through these mists of color and the occasional person throwing a whole handful into your face. Zoila, was not so lucky running through the yellow tunnel. No. It seemed they had it out for her. The left half of her face was covered in yellow by the time she made it all the way through. I'm not gonna lie, i had to stop for a bit because i was laughing so much. The occasional child would scream out "YELLOW FACE!" and one spectator coming in while we were leaving made a passing comment of "wow! some people really got hit hard!" hahahaha i'm probably laughing a little too much about it for her liking. Sorry Z, but it was effin hilarious! So all in all it was a good run. It was great to do it as a team. To start together and even finish holding hands through the finish line. AWW we're so cute aren't we! haha This weekend is the Reston Nearly Naked Mile race to run. I'm thinking a tutu, some body paint and a fuzz bra... that should do it! What can i say? i love running :)

What Next?

Instagram : @Sunshine_Memoirs

 So What Are You Training for Now?

I was at a family birthday dinner about a week and some change ago. One of my cousins heard that i had recently completed my first half marathon. So of course he had a million questions for me. I was actually pretty surprised at the interest, but was more excited that anyone even cared to hear about it and my training. So I'm telling him all about it and showing him pictures when he hits me with "so what are you training for now?" It seriously caught me off guard. What am i training for? I mean i just finished a half marathon... wasn't that exciting enough? Apparently not. My family is not easy to please... but it did get me thinking. All this training for the last several weeks/months for the half and now it's done. So what's next? Well, I hadn't really thought about any immediate challenges for post half. Actually, I just wanted to get back into the other activities I enjoy doing like weight training with the BFF more regularly, supporting the other BFFs in their fitness hobbies, boxing, soccer, hiking, etc. Of course I have other halves i want to do and next year a full marathon, but until then I think I'm just going to enjoy this wonderful little life of mine. 

I actually have a cute little 5k coming up this weekend. You like how i said cute and little? haha i remember when that seemed nearly impossible. OK sorry, i digress. So this 5k, it's in DC. Perhaps you've heard of it? Quite popular! Well, 2 of the BFFs will be joining in on this run. Not everyday I get the BFFs together for a run together. It's pretty amazing when your BFFs love being as active as you are if not more. It really makes life so much easier and happier(high on endorphins). You know what else is great? Being with someone who supports and encourages all your hopes and dreams, but not only that... is willing to lace up and do it with you. I gotta say... I'm walking on sunshine these days :)

So now that the leaves are falling and the days are getting cooler, it's time to find ways to keep moving OUTSIDE and stay warm. I decided to get the team together for our first Winter Season(we usually only play fall and spring seasons). The Winter season doesn't start until January, though. In the meantime, I got asked to join a team for the remainder of the Fall season since they're short on girls. It's actually turning out to be a win-win situation. I haven't played since May, so this will be good practice to get me ready for the upcoming season. I'm pretty excited about my off season and all the promising activities it holds, but no worries! I'm not giving up my distance running. It is an addiction and I'm no quitter lol 

Heritage Half Marathon - Done!

 Achievement Unlocked

Well well well... guess who successfully completed her very first half marathon?!  :)
That's right! All that training on ridiculous inclines and adding those extra miles paid off! Whether it was in NY or in VA, there was always plenty of work to do! I may have only had 6 weeks to train, but i tried to make the most of it. I was really worried about how i'd do since the weather was looking rainy and i had just been informed of the several miles of straight inclines through the course. 8 miles was the most i had done at one time a week prior to the race, but i wasn't gassed out after them so I figured I would be ok. Just get some gels and stay hydrated, right? So there i was... 7am waiting to go. It was dark and it was raining. I thought for sure i'd be done in close to 3 hours. Well, i'm so super proud of myself for not taking 3 hours. I finished in 2:20. Sure it's not the fastest, but it was sure as hell a lot faster than i thought i would take on my first half! I can't really put into words how I feel about it all though. Besides the obvious, feeling incredible and triumphant. I guess you'd have to know what running really means to me to even try to understand. It's so much more than just being healthy.
I started my running journey over a year ago and it was more for therapy than anything. Through rain, snow, heat and fog i found my strength and learned to push through all the pain, sweat and tears. That's right... tears. Each mile showed me just how much i was really capable of both physically and mentally. I was never any good at running and trust me when i say i HATED it at first!! Now i just can't get enough of it. I grew so much more as a person the more I ran and can honestly say I have never felt healthier than i do today. Never thought I'd see the day I would willingly sign up for a half marathon and yet here I am today... taking Advil to recover from my biggest accomplishment. I've been through hell and back in the last year and I couldn't be more proud of myself for sticking through it all and pushing myself to be better each day with each mile chasing after a dream i thought would never come as soon as it did. 
I was so worried about the weather. Afraid to have to run my first half in rain, but when i really think about it, I don't think it would've been the same had it been sunshine and rainbows the whole way through. I think everything about it was perfect. The downpours for all 13 miles is pretty much how i felt this past year and conquering each mile was just a reflection of how far I've come in all this time. 
I was so blessed to have my cheer team with me. 2 of my best friends surprised me with shirts they made to support my craziness. Each shirt said "Team Sunshine_Memoirs" ... i almost cried! Best shirts ever!! Those closest to me who have first hand witnessed my struggle were there showing their love and support yet again like they always do. Waking up at the crack of dawn to stand in the rain waiting for me to finally come through that finish line. Never doubting me, but always believing in me. I don't know what I would do without them. It feels pretty amazing to have that kind of support and I know how blessed I am to have them in my life. God is good and He gets more gold stars for getting me through my first half, but we're not done here... no sir. We're only just getting started. Where are all those fun music ones? Country music and Rock and Roll HERE I COME!! :)

"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the founder and protector of our faith" - Hebrews 12:1

11 More Days!!

OK i'm so sorry I have been so MIA. I got so consumed with work, that by the time i was done training I just wanted my bed. Don't you worry though, I have been keeping up with my training for this half marathon and with only 11 days left I'm even more excited to get er done! So much progress over the weeks with tonight being one of the best. I do my longer runs on the weekends and during the week it's less mileage. Tonight's mini run was one of the most successful of all the runs so far. I did it without stopping once! Do you get what i'm saying? ZERO stoppage! That's a HUGE feat for me. It was taking me a while to get back to where i was. I was having trouble with pacing myself again, but I feel so much better now. They say home is where you heart is and i gotta say nothing has ever felt more like home than tonight's run :)
So this past weekend we paid a visit to NY for my Uncle's surprise 77th bday party. Well, my brother is a runner as well and has come down a few times to train with me. This time I met him out in the city(he lives in Brooklyn) and we ran miles after miles through Central Park. I brought my BFF with me on this trip and while she may not be a runner(she prefers to be labeled as a body builder/gym rat) she did an amazing job keeping up with us. Nothing quite as amazing as BEAUTIFUL weather and scenery, running for miles upon miles with my brother and BFF. Did you notice our Power Ranger shirts? I forgot my brothers shirt back at my aunts house, but he was supposed to be the Black Ranger. Maybe next time he comes down we can go for another run together in our shirts. I tried to get my tracker to work that day, but it was an epic fail. I would say we did about an hour and a half of running. We even threw in push ups  box jumps, squat jumps and headstands. Yea we're a little obsessed lol All in all... amazing workout and even better half marathon training. 
The weekend before was my longest distance at one time. I reached 7.35 miles and let me tell you, I was feeling GREAT! gotta love that runners high. There is nothing like it. So peaceful too! I'm not saying this half marathon is going to be a breeze, but i'm just ready to enjoy every mile of it. I've been trying to find a shirt to wear that day and I found one that says "Trample the weak. Hurdle the dead." I feel like that might be a winner! yea?

Team No Days Off

So this past weekend has been one for the books when it comes to training. Going harder on my weights giving it everything I got. By Sunday i was completely sore. I'm talking legs weak, arms sore, chest heavy and body in P.A.I.N. For some reason, running just seemed like a great idea! So how about seeing how I do on the 5+ mi loop i used to run... oh boy. Well, I have to say i'm really surprised i did it all in under an hour. I really thought it was going to take a lot longer. Not sure what's changed the most. my running or walking speeds! haha either way, i'm glad it was just under an hour. Means i'll be back to my old pace in no time. Hopefully sooner than later because this half marathon is coming up fast! I have a bout a month and some change to train for it. By the time I got back from my 5mi loop i fell to the ground and couldn't move. i think i laid there for about an hour. ok fine... half an hour. Point is, i could not move! Unfortunately for me, that was not an option. We had family over this weekend so i had to be up and about walking around. I also got tagged in this yoga challenge on IG by one of my BFFs. Basically they post a new yoga pose daily and you have to do it too. I gotta say, it took everything in me to get it done last night, but i did it! #soproud #teamnodaysoff hahaha well this week is not going to get any easier. Must keep training! It's also time to learn about these energy gels and the other joys of marathon training. Wish me luck... advice welcome!!  :)

Delicious Training

So i'm getting back into the swing of things after a 3 month break. I was able to get some cardio in during that time, but nothing close to how I used to train. I've always thought about how it would be like to run the trails near my job. Every time i sit outside for lunch I see plenty of people walking or going for a lunch run. It's really neat and I've always wanted to do it except for there are no showers in our building. So i just stuff my face and watch the active worker bees hit the pavement. Don't get me wrong, I still train. I just do it when i'm home or near a shower! It's all about the hygiene... smelling like sweat is frowned upon in my work establishment. I don't understand why they have to be so picky! smh haha anyway so this Delicious Training... i decided to sign up for a half marathon *GULP* i have just over a month to train since it's in mid October. I'm super nervous about it, but I know that I will at least finish...
Well, today I decided to hit the trails near my job after work. Let me tell you I don't think there were ANY straights! Hats off to the daily runners. I mean i have a lot of ups and down on the trails by my house, but these trails were more like hazards! They should come with warning signs for your ankles! ok ok you think i'm exaggerating. it's ok, though. I won't stop trying. I figure it's good to train on all types of trails. My joints might not agree, but hey no pain no gain, right? :) 
I'm loving all the runs and with it comes more shoes!! I am definitely shopping this weekend for some more. Need more free runs in my life. Aside from that... I finally tried the fruit in my water bit. I basically shoved a lot of pineapple in my water all day and let me tell you it was orgasmic! Quite tasty! I might have to keep doing this...

Welcome to MY gym :)

Raven Rocks - AT

Stretch-In on the AT

I decided to take some PTO yesterday and head out to enjoy the beautiful day. Leave it to the BFF to take the day off with me and head out to the mountains. I love that I live so close to some of the stretches of the AT. In less than an hour I'm out and wonderfully lost on trails full of beauty! :)

What was special about this hike was that it was with this particular BFF. She is what you would call a gym rat. Straight body building. Works hard all day every day to achieve everything she can and more. She's not afraid to lift heavy and train with the guys. She has earned her right into the bro life. The reason I say this is because we both share a deep passion for what we do. I love running and she lifts, but at the end of the day we just love our active lifestyle. We've done a few obstacle races together and have killed it! We make a great team together. She trains at the gym for the most part. And well, those who know me know i only go to the gym if I have to. Please don't confuse that to mean, i don't strength train or that I hate the gym. I don't. I started there too once upon a time, but i just love being outside. I don't care if it's running, walking, biking, kayaking, paddling, basketball, soccer, hiking... the list goes on! If it's outside, I'm all for it! I love it and I have found several ways to get my strength training in without a gym. I still go when I can and during the colder months, i'm def spending more time there than outside. I mean you can understand why, right? lol i'm not an idiot either! The gym is a great place to train and focus more on specific areas. WELL yesterday I took my BFF out to MY gym. We made it to one of the overlooks and started working out. I only put a couple action shots in my pic here, but we did everything from push ups, dips to bicycle kicks, bridges, yoga, planks, etc. It's just fun for us and pretty neat to take gym life to the outdoors for a bit. On our way back we missed our turn off to head back and ended up roaming random parts of the AT for about 2 hours! *sigh* good times! haha All in all though it was really a great time. Great workout with the BFF and the weather could not have been anymore perfect. A little 10 mile hike on a Monday afternoon? Yea you know ...Just another day in the life  :)

It's an Obsession

Beachin!

It was a very interesting weekend! a couple of my girlfriends and I decided to up and go to the beach for a bit. We got there pretty late in the afternoon on Saturday, but still enough time to soak up the remains of the sun. By Sunday we were pumped and ready to hit the ground running. I have this little obsession with my Free Runs in that I take them with me everywhere I go. I just can't leave home without them. Yes, I even have them at work. I guess I just feel like maybe there will be a chance to squeeze in a run or maybe the location i'm at is just so beautiful that I become inspired to run for a bit. I run because I like it. I'm not the fastest and i'm not filled with superior endurance. I am in no way the best runner out there, but I am one of those that enjoys every minute of it. Whether i'm out enjoying the weather, trying out a new playlist or clearing my mind of a million and one thoughts it's still always the most refreshing part of my day. Somehow exhausting myself is a favorite pastime of mine  :)

Anyway, the point of my story is that everyone has their own passion and it's OK if it's not running. My BFFs are gym junkies so I was very excited to find out, they did not leave without packing their workout gear as well. They don't like running. In fact, they hate it, BUT they do it anyway because they know how beneficial it is. These girls are what you would call gym rats. You can find them lifting with the guys or going hard on the squat rack. We make a good team if you ask me. Together we have the best of both worlds and it's always fun when we can come together and enjoy a good workout. It just so happened that we put in work at the beach this time around. It was a great time and much needed vacation. I can't wait to have them along with me on some of the upcoming runs and I guess I'll be signing up for some of their events as well. Lucky for me... i already enjoy working out with the guys, so it will be an easy transition with them in the weight room.

Now... who wants to spot me?! LOL

Need.Bubble Bath.STAT

Team Phoenix

where to begin? This weekend has been nothing short of exhausting! I mean that in a good way. Well, maybe not so much right now, but tomorrow definitely. Tomorrow I will feel great about all of this! *crossing fingers* So as I mentioned before, this weekend I had both the DC Dragon Boat Race and the Warrior Dash. The Dragon Boat race was an all day event. We had 3 races to compete in at 250 meters. The first one we did TERRIBLE! i mean even I noticed how terrible we did. We were totally NOT in sync with each other, The 2nd race was MUCH better. Overall we got the silver medal for the day. Sunday(today) was the final race at 500 meters. I'm so upset I missed it, but I did get the update on the results and Team Phoenix placed GOLD! So exciting! I should be receiving my medals this week from another teammate. I'm so thankful to have been invited to join them. Even if just for a day. There will be another competition at the end of August at the National Harbor. They've already asked if I wanna compete with them... uh DUH! Of course I want to compete! It's only just one of the most fun sports I've done in a very long time. Even with the weather being as dark and gloomy as it was. Not even having to wear wet clothes all day bothered us. Everyone on the team was super friendly and easy to get along with. I can't wait to compete with them again soon! 

Mario and Luigi!

Fast forward a bit and we get to the famous Warrior Dash. Someone told me the Hero Rush was more intense and harder than the Warrior Dash. I beg to differ! Sure it's less miles, but I definitely like this one was more difficult. I also heard this year's Warrior Dash was harder than last year. I've been wanting to do this race for a couple years now. All just to have the viking hat. The hat alone is what sold me on the race once upon a time. Well, I can finally check it off the list! I realized today that I've improved a lot with hills. There were so many hills at the beginning. I'm not saying i ran through every single one in the race. I'm just saying I've improved! Let's not get crazy now! haha Another thing I learned is that I have terrible balance and a small fear of heights. This did not help me at all today. Nope. It definitely slowed me down and if it hadn't been for le BF, I would probably have some kind of broken bone or at least have a sprained ankle. I love that we did it together, though. It was a lot of fun. Very muddy, but about half way through we had some beautiful sunshine! I'm hoping they got some good action shots of us. We only took before and after pics. I wish we had taken some pics while we were covered in mud, but we pretty much just ran straight to the showers to clean off and head back to the little party going on. Our next race together is the Run For Your Lives Zombie Obstacle Race in October. I have a serious fear of chainsaws... should be interesting. I am proud of myself today, though. I wasn't sure how I would do with all the climbing, but I did alright! Now, i'm just ready for a nice bubble bath and a lot of sleep! Good weekend overall though :)

Sometimes It's That Little Extra!

Instagram: Sunshine_Memoirs

It's totally OK  guys. I ran today! So I'm back at this dominating inclines thing. I figure, once you master inclines everything else is just a walk in the park. Tonight's run started on what felt like the worlds longest incline. Got me pretty winded for the rest of the run, but hey... can't breeze through every run. That's just boring! Gotta add some challenges every now and then. That little pic on the left is a little something I made for Instagram today. That song came on my iPod at about the last stretch home and for some reason that one part of the song really just got me pushing more than before and got me home.
Now, I'm very familiar with the saying "your mind gives up way before your body does." It's pretty much the only reason I've kept improving over this past year with my running. I heard it again this past weekend at practice for the Dragon Race. Coach told us to focus on our strokes and breathing. Gave us tips on what to do if we're feeling gassed or too tired to keep going. At the end of his spiel he left us with that very quote. I thought to myself, there it is again. Something I hear all the time and sure it gotten me through the hardest of times when i just started my running journey, but you know how when you hear the same thing over and over it tends to lose its value? Yea that's kinda what happened with me and that quote. I know it first hand to be true, but i guess I had forgotten it's power and significance. There were parts of tonight's run where I just wanted to stop and walk because I was tired. Tired? seriously, who gets tired? I don't know what's wrong with me! haha OK so I got a bit winded sooner than I would have liked. I tried so very hard to stick to my little training for the evening and when I felt like I had reached my limit, I remembered that quote: Your mind gives up way before your body does. So you know what I did... i decided to test it out once more. I figured what's the worst that could happen? I mean it's not like I'm not going to die. What's another quarter-mile if my body can still go, right? RIGHT! I totally surprised myself a few times tonight with how much further I really could go, despite how exhausted I already was. Definitely a successful run tonight. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the weather is getting very warm. Might need to get some shorts soon because ain't nobody got time for pants!! 



So, I know I've mentioned an obstacle race I'm doing with le boyfriend soon. The Warrior Dash. WELL, it's coming up a lot sooner than later. Actually, it's finally here. We'll be heading out on our mini road trip Sunday morning for a midday wave run. We have decided to go as Mario and Luigi. I'm a little upset about the arrangements as I've been Luigi since I was born. This time around, I'm stuck being Mario. I guess it makes sense because he's so tall. He said something about he had to be Luigi because green brings out his eyes (BARF!) hahaha OK so maybe he's right, but only just a little. ANYWAY... we ordered our shirts and I can't wait for them to arrive. I'm trying to decide if suspenders would be too much during the run. Thoughts anyone? I'd love to add more to our outfits, but at the same time i prefer to run with as little added weight as possible. Here's a little preview of whats to come in this weekends post accompanying the Dragon Boat Race. SO EXCITED!!  :)

110%

Susan G Komen Race - DONE

Race for the Cure

Can I just say, this whole waking up at the butt crack of dawn on a Saturday is getting really old?! You know, I say that every weekend and yet I continue to sign myself up for more! OK so maybe I hate that i had to be out of my house at 5am to head to DC for a 3 mile run, BUT it was for a very good cause and I had a GREAT time! I definitely tried to do this one for time. I finished at 32:11 ...not my best time, but definitely not my worst! I'll take it. Just gotta keep working on it. We did luck out with the weather, though. Not a single drop of rain until we were all done and partying it up with the Zumba crew that was on stage. Saw a lot of neat costumes and got to see several survivors. The back of their pink shirts read "proud to be your inspiration." loved it! Those women are real fighters and they were totally my inspiration! I did especially enjoy the run around the Lincoln memorial. That's probably the ONLY reason i'd love to live in DC. To be able to have that spectacular view as part of my daily runs. I suppose I could just metro my butt out there a few mornings and do it anyway, huh? but why, when i can just do a quick 5 miles near my house which already has beautiful trails? decisions decisions. As long as we keep running, I guess it's all good!

-----

I'm next!  :)

So, a few days ago I was asked to join a paddle team participating in the DC Dragon Boat Race this coming weekend. I have NEVER in my life paddled anything. I've been meaning to try kayaking, but have yet to get out there and do it. I have heard of how intense these workouts can be, so I was actually really excited to be a part of the team. The races are on the 18th and 19th. Unfortunately I can only participate in the race on the 18th since I have le Warrior Dash on the 19th. I really hope i'm not too sore the next day for that either. Well, back to my story... So, I was asked to join the team since they were short a few members. I, of course, accepted instantly! I'm up for any kind of outdoorsy adventure and even more so if it involves a great workout. We got to the waterfront and training began immediately. Learning techniques wasn't so bad. The paddles were light and boat was kept in place. We were given the world's fastest Rowing 101 lesson. Not too much longer after that we were quickly taken out into the water for a real life race practice. 

That's where the real fun began. The yelling, the screaming, the pressure! The play calls! except i'm not sure what you call that in rowing... instruction yelling? my favorite... POWER - FIVE - NOW!!! everyone slams their paddle into the water about as far and hard as they can for 5 of the most powerful strokes you can possibly do. Everyone in sync of course! We have sets of 10 and sets of 20 at different levels of intensity and distance plays an important factor. The 500 meter one really had me working my arms and core out. It was a lot of fun, though. Definitely need more practice before the big race so that I can at least get used to it all. This may become a real hobby of mine. You know, like my running, hiking, biking, boxing, etc ...seriously, can I just live outside for the rest of my life?! I could just use a friends house for showering purposes lol I'm really excited to see how I end up doing on Saturday. I really hope i don't let them down. From what I heard at practice, they always place Gold *gulp*