Race for Hope 5K

This past weekend, Sunday to be exact, I ran a 5K. This "Race" is one that is especially close to my heart. It was The Race for Hope, proceeds going towards The National Brain Tumor Society and to Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure.

In October of 1997, my father, my daddy, passed away from a brain tumor.  He had been diagnosed a year before, but it was inoperable and treatments at that time did not work.  He was strong until the end!

I run in memory of him, in honor of the man that he was! PC will never know him and neither will my husband, but I hope that parts of him(the best parts), will shine out in me so that they can know a little bit of him!

One of my best friends came into town for the race. We've run it together for the past three years and I love traditions and hope that we will continue to carry it on, as long as we can! <3 I was so proud of her! She didn't run prior to and yet she ran the whole thing with us! I mean there were times I thought she was gonna pass me and keep going(we did run together).  We even stayed with the hubs for most of the beginning, as there were SO many walkers we had to dodge and dive(not really). What made it even more fun is that PC was on her first run in her fabulous BOB stroller.  Love how that thing maneuvers and how smoothly it goes up and down the curbs.

We couldn't have asked for more perfect weather!

Before the Start

I mean, you of course have to stop in front of the Capitol for a photo op.  It wasn't like we were gonna win the race. My hubs doesn't like to call it a race, at least not for us, more like a jog. LOL!

Loved all the dogs running! Maybe we'll bring Pepe next time, although I should probably train him before hand! Go, Dog, Go!

It's always a little emotional to see the survivors run/walk, especially the children. They wear the yellow race bibs and carry the yellow balloons.  It's also WONDERFUL to see those yellow balloons and race bibs! I pray that someday we will be able to find a cure for Brain Cancer, as well as the other numerous cancers! 

PC and Daddy- so many walkers!

 Action shot of bestie, hubs and PC.  I had to "sprint" ahead to take the pics- whew!

 After the race we enjoyed the freebies, water, bagels, bananas, popsicles, pita chips...gotta love the freebies!

 Since it was such a beautiful day(and also because we were a block away)we also decided to visit the said known house in the background.  You may have seen it in movie before! ;-)  As you can tell, PC is less than impressed. Paper is more exciting to her!

I LOVE and MISS you!!

Running this May

So I have two 5Ks coming up in May. The first is The Race for Hope, which I have been doing for the last 4 years, this will be my 5th.  I've had the joy of running with my husband and two of my besties. Last year I ran with PC(in utero) and this year, I will run with PC in stroller! I run in memory of my dad who passed away in 1997 from a brain tumor.  I wish PC would be able to know her grandfather, but hopefully she'll see some of him in me!

3 years ago 2012 with my girls and my hubs

Race for hope 2013- baby in utero 4 months 

I hope the third bestie will come back and run it again with us next year and with her newest edition too!

So, this weekend was perfect running weather.  I took Pepe out on Saturday for a 3 mile run and had to drag the pup along at several points.  Apparently I'm more in shape than he is. HA!

Then on Sunday, the hubs, PC and I went for a run.  Clear skies! Slight breeze.....Purrrrfection! We also christened her jogging stroller that PC's grandparents bought for her.  It rides soo smooth.

We love the trail that is right by our house....a fun discovery when we moved!
It does start off a little bumpy though ---------> Yay for the shocks on the BOB!

The trail runs along the Anacostia river.....not the cleanest river, but at least it is scenic and there isn't the hustle and bustle of the city.

I have to say that I was way proud of myself because I was able to keep up with the hubs! Maybe it's because he was just getting used to running with the stroller, or that he was being nice, but I like to think I've gotten better.

The only problem is, she's such a petite little thing that when she fell asleep her little head just lolled off to the side, soooo we need to remedy that. Guess it looks like I'm going to have to roll blankets and put them on either side of her head.
<------ She woke up, somehow she knows when we get home. She always wakes up when we get home in the car or in the stroller. It's like her 6th sense!
 Does anyone else have that problem?If so, what do you do?

The second 5K that I am running is the Girls on the Run 5K. I am running with our girls running club, Sole Sisters. Unfortunately GOTR was not part of the spring season in our county, but I hope that it will return....if not, we will continue with our Sole Sister running club.  I will be running with 20 wonderful young girls. We have some wonderful runners, some better than me! Ha, that doesn't say much does it? We are really trying to work on pacing with the girls because they do really well sprinting off in the beginning, but then end up walking, then sprinting off again.

If anyone has some good tips for teaching young girls how to pace, I'm all ears!!

Will post later about how we all did! 

Did y'all run this weekend? How far did you go?

No Excuses!

The finish line, where Marathoners, Halfers and 5Kers finished

So I ran my second 5K since PC was born, Saturday.  Yay! Here's the kicker, I only logged 5 running miles total since I signed up, due to weather, sickness and time. But.....I didn't say, "I'm not gonna do it." I knew that there was an hour time limit, but I also knew that come race day, I would be motivated to go "faster," to keep up with other runners.  Call it my competitiveness.  I also knew that it was only 3.1 miles. I say "only" because I've done a half before, so 3.1 miles is just that.  If you've never run before though, those 3.1 miles can be daunting, but chances are the majority of you have walked farther than that.

A very unflattering double chinned selfy

So, even though I wasn't as prepared as I would like to be, I knew I had made the commitment, at least monetarily....haha. The night before I felt awful, sore throat, headache, chills, achey....but I wanted to do it and just hoped and prayed that I would wake up feeling a little better.  All I had to do was commit to maximum an hour of exercise.  Thankfully, I woke up feeling better. Too bad waking PC up earlier than normal, kinda screwed up her schedule yesterday. But....she did get to come and cheer on her mama, even if she had absolutely know idea what was going on! Also, thanks to the hubs for giving up weekend sleep to come and support me! Although we all know that PC wouldn't have been able to cheer her mama on without the hubby!

Runners come in ALL shapes, sizes and ages! There were children running, there were elderly running/walking, there were disabled people participating. So, really, NO EXCUSES! Don't let someone tell you that you CAN'T do it.  If you can walk/run you can participate. It's all about the attitude you have.

 I am healthy(so-to-speak), I can run, I can breath, I AM FORTUNATE and THANKFUL! So, even though I didn't feel the best or overly prepared, I didn't want to give up.  I loved seeing the little kiddos running with their parents(hopefully PC will do that with me someday, chances are she'll be faster than I). I loved seeing the determined woman walking with her cane. I'm pretty sure if it were me, I still would have been asleep in my bed. zzzZZZZ..... I loved seeing supportive teams the 314 teams and people running for a friend.

I couldn't take pictures of everything that I saw, mostly because it's hard to take pics while running and two, I've pretty much maxed out my picture limit on my phone(thanks to PC).  Here are some of the snapshots from yesterday- apologies for the blurriness, that's due to the fast pace that I was running;-)

I always love when people love costumes, the next time I run with friends, that will be happening, but alone, it's not quite as fun, but maybe that's just me.  I love the tutus and don't feel like it will impend on my running abilities too much.

I can't get the photos below in order, but the one on the right is the beginning of the race as the sun came up over the Anacostia River, this is us running over the bridge. Notice the person in the green shirt/skirt carrying the little girl?! That was the father. One I love that he's dressed up all fun for St. Patrick's Day and two I love that when his daughter got tired after the first .5 he picked her up and put her on his shoulders. I also want to add that he was in front of me, then I passed him and then he re-passed me heading back, still carrying his daughter! LOVE! 

The picture on the left is after they passed me, he put her down he ran basically the whole race with her on his shoulders. Perfect image of a father, well maybe minus the skirt.  

Didn't have a friend to take the picture with me, so it's just me and the RNN background.  Nothing like meeting up with PC after the race. Can you tell that she loves the medal?! 

Proud of how I did and inspired by all those around me! Congrats runners/walkers! Well done!

Run any races this weekend?How did you do/feel?

5K around the corner

Well....it is a week away to my next 5K.  I'm not all that nervous, I mean they say I have an hour to complete the 5K. I'm pretty sure I could walk the whole thing in less than an hour, but I don't plan on finding that one out.  For me, running alone never really motivates me like it does some people.  I do it out of obligation to completing a race, or to get in shape, but I don't have the love that some people have.  Don't get me wrong. I would LOVE to have that, the desire to run and feel sad when I don't get the chance to.  Thankfully it would seem that Spring is right around the corner.  Last week at this time we were preparing for another snow storm, but tomorrow it's supposed to be 60 degrees.

I did run yesterday. It was sunny and warmer. Too bad the wind was a little unforgiving on the route home.  I did about 2.5 miles, so I am almost to the 3.1.  I wanted to take PC with me, but she was fast asleep and we mother's know, if it isn't an emergency, then let them sleep! Peace of mind for us, or at least for me. Ha!

I really hope that they weather is great next Saturday. I also know that when I get around a bunch of people running I too get motivated to try and keep up, to try and pass the person in front of me and to try and get a PB(personal best, just in case you don't know the lingo;-)).

Thankfully the race basically starts in our backyard and since it isn't a long race I don't have to get up super early to try and eat and digest food and use the bathroom a million times.  Don't get me wrong I could be "empty" and get to the starting line and IMMEDIATELY have to pee!
Am I the only runner this happens to?!

The other question I have is for nursing mothers who run. 
How do you run long distances without pumping/feeding? Do you just ignore it?

Hopefully I will be able to get in another few miles this week, but it's just sooo hard during the week, but at least our Girls Running Club, "Sole Sisters" has begun, so I get a little exercise during the work week. Now that the days are getting longer and warmer, I will hopefully be able to motivate myself to get out and walk/run with PC and hopefully the hubs as well.

I look forward to hitting up the Rock N' Roll expo this Thursday to pick up my packet and view the merchandise.  I think I'll take PC with me so she can experience her first expo.

What races are you running?

Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

It's been awhile.....

I haven't truly exercised in awhile. I mean really truly put on the workout clothes, wait, not true, I have put on workout clothes, but only because they are comfy. It's actually the sports bra that I haven't put, I just find that thing sooo restrictive and uncomfortable.  Don't get me wrong, it does it's job.  One of my besties however lives and dies by her sports bra. I.DON'T.UNDERSTAND.IT though! Please explain T...I know the hubs isn't a fan either haha!

Anyway, I haven't run since the 5K that I did back at Thanksgiving with another bestie. I kinda blame the fact that the weather got colder and that I had to go back to work. So I think that is acceptable. Right?! I mean I suppose out of shape people are always making excuses, but I think mine are kinda valid, no?  Well my last 5K was run when PC was 3 months old, 3 months ago if you're keeping track.

And, like I said, Desperate Times call for Desperate Measures.

Since having PC we've been trying to be better about spending money unnecessarily, you know like going out to eat every week or shopping(me).  We are trying to be a little more money savvy. It's been going well pretty well. We haven't belonged to a gym in awhile, it's just an unnecessary expense for us at this point.  We originally joined to, of course, get in shape. We figured if we were shelling out the money then we would certainly go, otherwise it was money wasted. Ha! We were pretty good in the beginning and then life got in the way!  But I mean, there are a lot of free things we can do, walk, hike, bike, run. Those are all free of charge.....but I do miss the classes, spin and step. I'm hoping that a Planet Fitness will come to the District soon at $10 a month I think we could handle that.  

I'm usually too tired to do much after work(EXCUSE), or I want to spend time with my lil PC (Better excuse right?!).  I'll have moments where I see people running and start to feel motivated...then I get home and start to put on all the clothes and then I give up haha! Sitting down just feels sooo nice.

Then, last week I received an email for the Rock n Roll DC 1/2 and full marathon. It was the President's Day special $99, which is actually a steal! I've done the 1/2 the last two years, last year when I was preggers with lil PC. However, I just haven't had the time to prepare for a 1/2 at this point in the year.  Then, low and behold! I see that they have just added a 5K! That I could do and it was also discounted.  And, wait for it...... you also get a medal!!!! WAHOO! Usually you don't get medals for 5Ks. So, I sucked it up and paid the money(also really wanted another medal)and now I have officially 3 weeks to get ready. But, at least it is getting my Butt moving, slow that it may be! 

***Side-note: PC will be 6 months for this 5K. Then I have another 5K in May and she'll be 9 months.  So I have a 5K every 3 months. Ha!

Be proud! I woke this past Saturday morning and ran 2 miles! I'm more than halfway there haha.  I have to say that I do need to work on my breathing again....phew!! I was doing my fair share of huffing and puffing there towards the end.  Then, the hubs, PC,  dogs and I went for a 2 mile walk, then I did another 2 miles Saturday evening because I couldn't find the metro, and it was taking forever and to top it all off I joined my sister-in-law at her friend's bachelorette party. What did we do you ask? We did Chair and Pole Dancing. Don't laugh, it is truly a workout! It's now Tuesday and I am still a little sore.

Anyone else running something fun this spring?

What's your favorite race you've ever done?

How do you have time to work out, have a job and be a mom?