Every Mile is a Miracle

[roxymama]

Thank you!!!!

Honestly, they felt exactlyyyyy like my 4s. Which doesn't bother me one bit. Haha.

Nice! By the time I'm done with my three pairs of 4's I'll be ready to look for the 5's on sale!

Congrats on the PR and the outfit (it's super adorable!!!) gotta love free VIP tents. Experienced that once and it was so nice. And congrats to the whole family!

 

[KSellers88]

Thank you!!!!

Honestly, they felt exactlyyyyy like my 4s. Which doesn't bother me one bit. Haha.

YESSSS! I know what I will be buying next! (Just bought 3 pair of Launch 4s and one pair of Asics Gel Nimbus, my husband may implode if another box of shoes shows up on our door, LOL).

 

[roxymama]

YESSSS! I know what I will be buying next! (Just bought 3 pair of Launch 4s and one pair of Asics Gel Nimbus, my husband may implode if another box of shoes shows up on our door, LOL).

Mine told me I need to throw away shoes if I buy shoes and I still haven't thrown any away.

 

[KSellers88]

Mine told me I need to throw away shoes if I buy shoes and I still haven't thrown any away.

LOL, same! I might need them!

 

[kski907]

Awesome weekend. Love the half outfit and the family pic with your medals. The VIP experience sounds amazing. Congrats.

 

[FredtheDuck]

Congrats on the new PR! Also, those pics of Bay running and with her medal are ADORABLE.

 

[SarahDisney]

Congrats on the PR! (And what sounds like a great race weekend, despite the disorganized corrals issue)

(Just bought 3 pair of Launch 4s and one pair of Asics Gel Nimbus, my husband may implode if another box of shoes shows up on our door, LOL).

Mine told me I need to throw away shoes if I buy shoes and I still haven't thrown any away.

My mother gives me a dirty look every time I walk into the house with a new pair of shoes.

Here's my thing: I've never actually run in Brooks before. But I love those tye-dye shoes. I'm trying to decide if it's worth investing $100 in shoes that might not work out for me (if they don't work out I can wear them as regular every day shoes, but still ...). It's a tough decision. I may have to wait and see if they go on sale eventually.

 

[jennamfeo]

I'm trying to decide if it's worth investing $100 in shoes that might not work out for me

This might help persuade you:
"Take your Brooks gear for a 90-day trial run. Put it through its paces and sweat in it as much as you want. If you are not 100% satisfied, return it to us for free."

 

[KSellers88]

Congrats on the PR! (And what sounds like a great race weekend, despite the disorganized corrals issue)




My mother gives me a dirty look every time I walk into the house with a new pair of shoes.

Here's my thing: I've never actually run in Brooks before. But I love those tye-dye shoes. I'm trying to decide if it's worth investing $100 in shoes that might not work out for me (if they don't work out I can wear them as regular every day shoes, but still ...). It's a tough decision. I may have to wait and see if they go on sale eventually.

I've run in Asics, Mizuno, New Balance, Nike, and Saucony and my feet love Brooks...but everyone is different! I'd try them out like @jennamfeo suggested and if you don't like them return them, or if you're a size 8.5 then I will buy them from you! LOL.

 

[sourire]

Congrats on your race weekend and PR!!! Loved reading your recap!!!

 

[jennamfeo]

I wanna talk about my "A" Goal I set for the year and the first race (which I am now going to call an attempt) that I had planned to hit that goal in, which is next month.
"A" Goal - Sub 2:20 HM
I actually came reeeeeally close to this goal last weekend at RNRAZ (2:22:22), but I was still just doing my long run pace, not Tempo. Coach has me set to run this race attempt next month in 2:11, which would be way below my goal and amazing. However, let me tell you some fun facts about the race I signed up for in February.

1) It's on my birthday weekend and my outfit I have planned is AWESOME.
2) It's in Vegas, so I have free lodging with my parents.
3) It's not too super early in the morning.
4) The course is gorgeous and you get to watch the sun rise over the mountains.
5) IT'S UP A DAMN MOUNTAIN.

I ~knew~ what the course was because I have been there a few times before for photo sessions. I ~knew~ it was uphill a little bit, but I am no geographer.
This beautiful course is all uphill for the first 5 miles at an elevation profile of a nice 1000 feet.
After that it's all smooth sailing downhill, but ya'll, that hill might kill me. And if it doesn't kill me personally, it for sure is gonna kill my pace.

So I am going to finish out this awesome training plan that @DopeyBadger made for me, for this race. I am going to incorporate a few runs up a hill in the next few weeks. And I am going to run the best that I can at this race next month, because that's what I am here to do.

If I don't get my "A" goal this race, I'll get it at the next one (which I will ensure is flatter than this one).

 

[kski907]

No Worries, you got this girl, Aquarius power!!

 

[jennamfeo]

No Worries, you got this girl, Aquarius power!!

I'm a late February baby, so I'm a Pisces. But water sign power for sure!!!

 

[FredtheDuck]

I'm a late February baby, so I'm a Pisces. But water sign power for sure!!!

Then from one Pisces to another, Pisces power!

 

[SarahDisney]

Once you make it through the first five miles, it'll be smooth sailing. You got this - give it your best and I know you'll do great!

 

[jennamfeo]

DBP Week 7 Report 1/16 - 1/22
Planned:
Monday 1/16 - REST DAY!!!!!
Tuesday 1/17 - W7DBP 5 Miles @ EA 12:23 + Strides
Wednesday 1/18 - Gym
Thursday 1/19 - W7DBP 1 mi @ WU 13:09 // 3 mi @ Tempo 10:01 // 1 mi @ CD 13:09
Friday 1/20 - Swim
Saturday 1/21 - W7DBP Balloon Fest 5k + 4 additional miles @ EB 11:34
Sunday 1/22 - W7DBP 8 Miles @ LR 11:11

Monday: Rest Day = Best Day

Tuesday: Since I pushed myself a bit at the HM race on Sunday, my legs were like "nope" at the start of this run, but they shook out when they realized I wasn't trying to run fast. After about a mile they felt great.
Plan: 5 Miles @ EA 12:23 + Strides
Actual: 5.01 Miles @ 12:10
Splits: 12:05, 12:12, 12:32, 12:46, 11:21 (Strides)

Wednesday: I had full intentions on going to the gym today but life got the best of me.

Thursday: Tempo run number two. This one felt better than last weeks. I can't wait for spring to come so I can stop running in the dark though.
Plan: 1 mi @ WU 13:09 // 3 mi @ Tempo 10:01 // 1 mi @ CD 13:09
Actual: 1 mi @ 12:38 // 3 mi @ 9:49 // 1 mi @ 12:37

Friday: I slept in, so I missed the morning lap swim session at the pool. I went during my lunch break though and got my swim in for the week!
Plan: 1400 yds - 100 SKPS, 200 F/B, 4x100 speed intervals, 200 Pull, 200 CD

Saturday: Happy first local race of 2018!!! Run with Balloons 5k - untimed (unofficial: 32:30)
I want to do as many local races as I can this year. Sadly, I don't think any go over a 5k and not many of them are timed. This one was not. Still fun though! I will do a race report for the race, but again I had to split my run into two today to get my mileage in.
Run #1 Plan: 4 Miles @ EB 11:34
Run #1 Actual: 4.04 @ 11:15
Run #1 Spilts: 11:11, 11:17, 11:24, 10:52

Race Plan: 5k @ EB 11:34
Race Actual: 3.01 @ 10:50
Race Splits: 10:41, 11:08, 10:38

Sunday: My headphones died at 1.5 miles so this was a long, quiet run, when I really didn't need or want to be in my head. We had a great plan today that I would run down to the Balloon Festival and meet my husband and DD there. I had my heart set on my after run beer. But something happened and we had to go home. I did end up getting my beer at home but it wasn't nearly as satisfying.
Plan: 8 Miles @ LR 11:11
Actual: 8.01 @ 10:56
Race Splits: 10:54, 10:55, 11:02, 11:00, 10:58, 10:56, 10:53, 10:49

Upcoming Training:
Monday 1/16 - REST DAY!!!!!
Tuesday 1/17 - W8DBP 5 Miles @ EA 12:23 + Strides BLIND!!!
Wednesday 1/18 - Gym
Thursday 1/19 - W8DBP 1 mi @ WU 13:09 // 4 mi @ Tempo 10:01 // .50 mi @ CD 13:09
Friday 1/20 - Swim
Saturday 1/21 - W8DBP 8 Miles @ EB 11:34
Sunday 1/22 - W8DBP 11 Miles @ LR 11:11 (Nutrition Strategy)

 

[jennamfeo]

Race Re-cap: Run With(out) Balloons 5k, January 20, 2018
One of my little goals for the year is to run most of the local races here in town (and maybe some neighboring towns as well). I really want to get involved with the runners here in town (although being an introvert, it's hard to do) and eventually start up a yearly race here. Most of our races we have here are 5ks and Fun Runs. We do have a yearly Triathlon that happens, but that is our lengthiest race we have. I want to start up a yearly race that has a 5k, 10k, and a Half, at least. I don't know if we could pull off a Marathon here, but would love to try. So, with all that being said, welcome to my first local race of 2018!

Packet pick up was at first scheduled just for the morning, day of the race. I was not thrilled by this, but in the end we would have been fine. Instead, I left work a little early and raced to one of the Crossfit boxes here and grabbed my stuff and my husband's stuff. Nothing too complicated. No ID check, though. Not that it really matters, I don't know, local races are weird. Haha.

Once again this race was part of my Dopey Badger Plan training, so I woke up early and got my 4 miles in before the race. I stopped at the store at mile 3 to get some balloons for the race. And right at the 4 mile mark the back of my right thigh started hurting. Like a sharp pain. I stretched it out a bit before the 5k and it felt a little better.

This race was scheduled during our town's annual Hot Fair Balloon Festival. The race was supposed to happen during the morning mass ascension on Saturday morning, but the weather was not cooperating and it was windy ALL WEEKEND. So, no balloons for the "Run with Balloons" 5k. Well, my friend Kayla and I decided to dress up for the race as Pennywise the Dancing Clown from IT. It was an easy costume to pull off and I think we looked fun! I am not sure anyone else really caught on to our costumes, but whatever. Bonus: We were the only balloons that people got to see in the air. You're welcome, fellow runners.


The first 1.5 of the course was on a road leading to a camp ground. I started off way too fast (9:35) and tried to slow down (I was supposed to be at about 11:34). At about 1.2 miles a sweet volunteer lady was like "you're halfway there!" and I was like "nope we aren't please stop saying that!" So she asked how far we were and I told her. I know a lot of people who were running this 5k as their first race ever and that lie did not need to happen that early on. I hope she stopped saying that. We were told that about a mile of the race was on a "dirt path". What they meant to say was "about half of the race is on a trail and you have to run up a hill with switchbacks." So, now I'm a trail runner. And I hope the lady with the jogging stroller made it up the hill okay. The trail parts were awesome. I have never ran a trail and I loved it! The view at the top was gorgeous, but would have been better if there were balloons up. The course went from a road, to a trail, back to the road, through a cactus garden, across the beach by the lake, over a dock, and back on the road for the finish. It was an amazing and interesting course. Kudos to the race director, even though the course was short a bit.


They only had medals made for the first 225 people who crossed the finish line because I guess they weren't expecting the turnout they had (good problem to have). And this event was untimed, which was fine by me. I got to the end, still had my balloon, hugged my friend who helped put on the race, and got my medal. I LOVE this medal so much. They turned out great!


All in all, it was a great race. I will definitely do it again next year.
Unofficial time: 32:30 (10:49 pace)

And here is a fun picture of Bay on the sketchy roller coaster at the carnival this weekend!

 

[Sailormoon2]

Nice race!! Super cute outfits and I love how vibrant the medal is.
If you haven't, doing local races is a great goal! Plus, it saves on the travel $$.
I am at the other end of the spectrum from you, in that I have raced all of my locals so many times they have become monotonous, and I am struggling to plan a race schedule where I actually run something new. LOL!

 

[jennamfeo]

Nice race!! Super cute outfits and I love how vibrant the medal is.
If you haven't, doing local races is a great goal! Plus, it saves on the travel $$.
I am at the other end of the spectrum from you, in that I have raced all of my locals so many times they have become monotonous, and I am struggling to plan a race schedule where I actually run something new. LOL!

We actually just moved back to our hometown about 6 months ago, so this is only my second local race since moving back. I look forward to trying them all but I don't think we have more than like 5 here in a year.

 

[roxymama]

That medal is awesome. I'd probably throw my training pace out the window if they said only the first 225 people get one. Even if it looked like only 250 were there. I get all crazy when it comes to shiny things!!!

Your outfits are scary...I don't like clowns...especially murdery ones...but since y'all are cute and all sparkly...I'd tolerate the outfits...but may run slightly ahead of you

Congrats...and that course sounds really cool!