Running season has begun! Tri to Finish's Cinco de Mayo 5k & 10k run race recap!

This Saturday was our first 5k of the year and it was a perfect day to start the season! We woke up to a bright and warm morning (which has been an oddity here until recently), got ready, dropped the kiddo off at his grandparents and made our way to Flint to Swartz Creek Golf Course to pick up our bib and race swag for the Tri To Finish Cinco de Mayo 5k.

Registration went quick and I loved this years shirts too! Soft cotton blend and a women's fit so this is a shirt I'll most likely be wearing pretty often. Anymore, my "mom" wardrobe consists of race shirts and tanks. Lol. We also received sombreros, a few product samples in the race bag and Redbox vouchers (perfect for lazy evenings after race days). I also ran into an old college friend, who was working on the timing of the race, so it was nice to catch up real quick.

Once we were all set we headed to the starting line, which was about a 1/4 walk (a nice warm-up) and got our positions. Ryan and I were both feeling a bit sluggish that morning (no coffee!) so we were trying to amp ourselves up for the run since we both wanted to at least beat our times from last year and I really wanted to place in my age bracket. I don't think that either of us were feeling super confident going into the race since we hadn't really ran all that much the past month (all my runs had been short or easy runs since it was before or after yoga). We made our way to the front of the crowd since we didn't want to get stuck behind walkers and having to dodge our way through. We joked that this would be the first time in our lives that we'd ever be following the lead bike.

Pre-race

The race began and we both worked into getting into our cadence. Ryan darted ahead (wayyyy faster than me) and I paced myself with a girl that looked like she was in my age group. I'm terrible with pacing myself so I always look for another racer to follow and hopefully surpass (anyone else do this?). The race course is an out and back and is full of a ton of climbs and declines and through a residential neighborhood and it's actually part of the CRIM course (you pass the 7 mile marker on the course). Hilly courses are my favorite, despite the fact that they kill me. I felt pretty good until mile 2 when i started getting stitches and had to walk a few seconds. :(  I came around the final bend and saw that I was going to be cutting it close to the 27 minute mark and just missed it (darn those stitches!)! Oh well, I was still pumped about my finish since I hadn't trained much and it was fast than prior races.

One of the things I love the most about this race is that everyone get's finisher medals. I'm always really bummed when I find out that a race doesn't give a medal. Also, everyone gets race photos too,  without paying for them and the normal ridiculous photo fees! There was also an after-party with Mexican breakfast foods (eggs & chorizo, beans, tortillas, bananas, apples, etc) from Rico's. I love the atmosphere at the Tri to Finish races. It's always a super friendly, happy and supportive group/community of runners, organizers and volunteers. I actually ended up exchanging info with the runner I was pacing so hopefully we can get together for some runs/races in the future as well.

Post-race glow

Refueling with some mexican food!

Once we checked results, we found out that Ryan & I both placed first in our age groups! That was a first for both of us! I finished the 5k in 27:01 (1st place in 30-34 year group and 18/198 overall) and Ryan finished in 23:48 (1st in 25-29 age group and 8/198 overall --- I'm totally jealous of his pace!). It was definitely a great way to start the running season!

Speed demon!

Both gals were great! Third place ran the whole thing with her baby in a
 jogging stroller too (a tough run on that hilly course)!

Did you have any races this weekend or coming up soon?

It's almost running season! Time to start planning.

The sun is out, the temps are finally out of the teens, and the snow will hopefully be melting soon. I feel like this winter has been the absolute longest winter yet. The bitter cold temps made it nearly impossible to leave the house and spend any time outside, especially with a toddler. I'm ready to get out of this house and have had the worst case of cabin fever ever.

The warmer temperatures and bright sun have me itching to get out and run. I've ran on and off through the winter when temps were above 20 degrees, but it's tough getting out often since I do most of my running in the later evenings or with a jogging stroller. So for the last few months it's been a ton of yoga, HIIT and kickboxing.

Pretty, but over it!

I won't miss this!

Now that it's spring, I've been busy making some race season goals and plans:

• Run one race a month
• Run a half marathon 
• Increase overall speed (would love an under 25 minute 5k)

I like the idea of having a race every single month (starting in April) because it will keep me motivated and having something to look forward to is always a bonus. I'm planning on having a mix between some 5k's, 10k's, a 20k and the half marathon. I'm aiming to run the half marathon by late June to mid July. 

  

The race lineup so far: 

Tri to Finish Cinco de Mayo 10k in Flint (May)

Fenton Tiger Run 5k in Fenton (May)

Volkslaufe 20k in Frankenmuth (July)
Crim 10 mile in Flint (August - one of my favorites!)

My half marathon is still undecided, so if you have any recommendations for an awesome first half marathon in Michigan, let me know. I'm also looking for some recommended training plans too. The longest distance race I've ran was the CRIM (10 miles) last August and I prepped for that by just running a lot, without any real plan. I'd like to have a more structured plan for the half marathon.

I was thankful enough to be able to get a few walks in this week with the kiddo. We both enjoyed the fresh air and warm sunlight.

We love our Ergo baby carrier! New moms...this is a must have!

Loving the sunlight! 

Next weeks temperatures are expected to be in the mid 40's! You can bet that I'll be out there ASAP! I cannot wait to get outside again.

What are your running goals for this year? 

What's the longest distance race you've done? 

If you have any long distance running tips, fill me in. I'd love to hear them all! 

Clarkston Back Roads Half Marathon and 10k Race Recap

A couple weeks ago, Ryan and I ran the Clarkston Back Roads Half Marathon & 10k and I'm so glad that we decided to do this race. It was a really chilly morning, but the gorgeous sites during the run were well worth the initial chill.

I had been looking forward to this race for awhile, but as the date approached I was reluctant since just the week before I took a really hard fall while running. The sidewalks where I run are in terrible shape and I caught my toe while running and super-manned right near a busy intersection. I jacked up my knee, hip and hands in the process, but I think my ego was hurt more than my body, as motorists stopped to see if I was ok. LOL. Anyways, I was definitely feeling the fall a few days later and it made me a bit nervous about running the 10k.

Thank goodness for running gloves! My hands would
have been destroyed without them!

The morning of the run was a chilly one, but it was a nice because this race has a later start (9:30), so it was beginning to warm up a bit and sun peeked out now and then as the race was beginning. I was shocked at how many half marathon runners there were. The start was a little confusing at first because it was difficult to hear what was going on, but after a few minutes everything was cleared up. I started in between the 9:00 and 10:00 pace, but wished that I had jumped up to a quicker corral. I think that I've been taking it too slow from the start during some races lately and it's hurting my time. I'm always afraid I'll push too hard and burn out before the end, but I think I need to push harder.

Staying warm pre-race!

Hubby pre-race! He sped ahead of me (he's faster than I)

The course was super hilly and gorgeous. We looped around the lake and at one point passed a bunch of horses that were galloping around and right near the runners. It was really a cool thing to see mid-race. As difficult as hills are, I love them during races and the challenge they provide. The course was a mix of cement path, dirt road and small trails. The runners were all great about getting over and letting runners pass and there were fabulous volunteers throughout! I was really impressed at how seriously they took runners safety and how well marked the race path was.

I felt pretty good until about the 3 mile marker and my knee started bugging me. I kept pushing through it and eventually the pain subsided some and then went away completely! I felt like the last few miles of the race passed pretty quickly, I was really happy with my time, especially battling a mild injury and for not train all that much (I got a little relaxed on the training after the Free Press Marathon). There was a fun after party with the Clarkston Union Mac n Cheese (the best in Southeast Michigan), MIP beer (which tasted great!), live music and small fires to warm up.  This is definitely a race that I'll be doing again and next time I'll likely try to do the half marathon. I really loved that it was a trail run and all the great and friendly runners that participated. I think that I'm starting to prefer trail races a bit more than road races now.

I was pretty happy with my pace and place for not being 100%. My husband, Ryan, finished 2nd in his age group! Mr. Speedy!

YUM! My favorite!

Finish line is in sight! I totally thought I was going
 to wipe out here since it was downhill!

Do you prefer trail run or road races? 

What type of races or running do you do more often?

Premier Protein #MixedBerrySmoothie Review

I was recently sent some Mixed Berry Smoothie's to try from Premier Protein. I was excited to receive this product as I'm always looking for fast, quick and affordable protein options. There are many mornings and afternoons where this would be a perfect energy boost, especially with a very active baby running around the house and being limited in time or on-the-go. These smoothies have a great balance of carbs, fats and proteins that provide a long-lasting source of energy.

Let me just say, I was shocked by how great these smoothies tasted.  I rarely, if ever, find protein drinks that I like and I was pleasantly surprised at the flavor and that they didn't taste chalky at all. They tasted awesome and definitely a product that I'll be purchasing!

Another thing that I really liked about this product is that it has 60% less sugar than the leading refrigerated protein smoothies. I find that most contained WAY too much sugar for my liking. Each serving has 5 grams of fiber, 15 grams of protein and 140 calories, which makes it a healthy, delicious choice for a morning boost. midday snack or post-workout fuel.

Since I'm still breastfeeding and continuously training for various running races (10k trail run this weekend!), I'm constantly trying to add additional protein to my diet to help keep my supply up and keep my body fueled. Nursing women need 20 grams more protein a day than they did before pregnancy to support milk production so having just one smoothie daily helps me to nearly reach that goal. Plus, it's also loaded with many other essential vitamins and minerals.

Check out all those nutritional stats friends!

Mom and baby approved!

If you're interested in trying these awesome smoothies yourself, check out the following links to grab a $4 off coupons from Meijer and/or Kroger (don't forget to #ShareGoodEnergy and these savings with others):

• Meijer (its their mPerks so no printing necessary!)
• Kroger (digital coupon to load onto shopping card)

Disclosure: I received this product for free in exchange for writing a blog review. Although this post is sponsored, all opinions are my own.

Tri To Finish Cinco De Mayo Race Review....and Triathlon talk!

A little overdue, but life's been busy with a new infant and changing of jobs! There sure is a new normal of getting things done once you have a baby in the house...still adapting to that change. :) 

Anyways...

This past May, Ryan and I ran the Cinco de Mayo 5k Race at Swartz Creek Golf Course in Flint, Michigan. that was organized by Tri To Finish. Tri To Finish puts on events throughout the whole lower peninsula of Michigan and range from 5k's, 10k's, triathlons and duathlons. We had a great time at the Cinco de Mayo race. It was an awesome course with a few nice elevation climbs throughout and paved conditions. I especially enjoyed it because part of the course is included in the CRIM so it helped give me an idea of what to expect in August when we run that race. The starting line was well organized with the MC getting everyone pumped up for the start and the course well marked (always good!). 

This was a perfect race to get me back into the running game after taking the last year off during pregnancy and Aiden's birth. Ryan and I did really well too, so that's always awesome! Ryan got 2nd place in his age group and I got 3rd (out of 14) with time of 28:58, which I was happy about. I wish I had pushed harder at the end, but was reluctant that I would burn out since I hadn't been running as often as I had hoped and didn't know what expect with the hills. I'm really hoping to work on my pace and carve some off my time and maybe place even better by end of summer. 

Pre-race selfie!

Finish line

Awesome medals!

Age group finisher medals

After race with Aiden (Grandma and Poppa watched him). Sweet sombreros, huh? Race swag at it's best.

Overall, super fun race that was well organized. We really loved the medals, shirts and fun hats too (some runners dressed up and wore them - AWESOME). Also, had a mini-breakfast after race for runners to help re-fuel with food from a local mexican restaurant..bonus!

I'm super excited to say that I'll be racing in my first sprint triathlon EVER with Tri To Finish in September at Holly Recreation Area (which is gorgeous if you have never been there). I have a mixture of feelings of excitement and nervousness, but I'm confident that'll it'll be a great starter triathlon. I've started training for it and I'll be sure to update on that hopefully later this week or next week. :) 

Lacing up those shoes: Cinco de Mayo 5/10k Run/Walk in Flint, Michigan

Hey guys! It's been awhile!

Life's been crazy around here with a new baby and being first time parents, but it's been AWESOME! Our lives have been flipped around and everything is new and each day is an adventure. We've been so blessed with an easy and laid back baby and for that I'm extremely grateful and I'll be sure to post a baby update very soon. 

Now that things have calmed down somewhat,  I've been getting back into a workout routine. I've always had a really hard time keeping myself accountable so one of my ways to stick to it is to sign up for races and other athletic events.  I've recently signed up for my first post-pregnancy 5k and it's the Cinco de Mayo 10k/5k run/walk on May 3rd at Swartz Creek Golf Course in Flint, Michigan. 

I LOVE themed events like these. It just adds a flare of fun to the events.  Not only is there the fun run to look forward to, but we get sombreros, Qdoba at the after party, Adirondack chairs at the finish line to celebrate in and tech shirts that I'm sure are going to be awesome (tech shirts are always a thumbs up in my book). I'm still trying to figure out my outfit and am thinking that my old work shirt from the Mexican restaurant I worked at might come in handy. ;)

To prep I've been running 3-4 days a week and adding in some circuit training on other days.  Hopefully all this will help me get back to pre-baby body. ;) I'm feeling pretty good so far with the distance but my pace sure has slowed down, a LOT. That's okay though, I'll get there and at least taking steps to get back to my prior level. Part of this race course is on the CRIM route with the hills, so I'm looking forward to checking it out since the CRIM is another potential run that I'd like to do this summer. It'll be a nice practice run for early season.

As for other races I'm looking forward too...I'm taking a HUGE leap and signing up for a TRIATHLON through TriToFinish! I'm scared, nervous and excited all at the same time. I can't wait to tell you more about it and how I am training for it, but for now I've a little teething baby boy to give some cuddles too. If you're thinking about doing one, let me know! :)

If you're interested in signing up for the Cinco de Mayo run let me know and sign up here. We have a small group running right now and would love to have more join us.  

How do you hold yourself accountable for exercising? 

Do you have any fun races planned for the summer? 

Any training tips (especially for speeding up pace)? 

How Are Your New Year's Resolutions Going?

It has been almost two months since the start of 2013. How are your resolutions going so far? Have you hit that "21 days to form a habit" point yet?

Source: them.

I've been sticking to mine pretty well, except for one of my large ones, "Blog once a week (at least)."
I've been failing hardcore on this one, which is ironic considering I wrote it on my blog. So thanks to Rob over at Rob Complains About Things for pointing out that I'm slacking on my resolutions.

Aside from the obvious, all my others are rocking out pretty good so far.

- Read 40 Books: I've knocked out 5 pretty stellar books so far, and am about to finish the 6th today (Hitman's Guide to Housecleaning...twisted and entertaining read). So I'm about 17% through that goal. Any good recommendations for some books to add to the list? 
- Swear Less: I'm trying to think before speaking a bit more instead of running out the mouth.
- Run a 10k: This one hasn't happened because apparently Mother Nature wants to torture me with more winter weather. So over it, but have been logging some solid gym and yoga time to keep in shape and build muscle and endurance.
- Get my 5k PR under 25 minutes: Will be a work in progress come spring and the above should help. I hate the dreadmill so until weather gets warmer that one will be put off a bit.
- Work toward being able to accomplish yoga inversions: Wham, Bam, I'm smacking this one outta the park! Pretty pumped at how I've been able to nail this one. #YogaADay, #InversionArmy, and #BalanceARMy on Instagram have been awesome for inspiration on this one.

- Blog once a week - FAIL. But I'm hoping to make some changes. I miss the catharsis that writing brings so I need to make this a priority. I need to stop nit picking and just write again.

Let me know how your resolutions have been going! Have you found anything or someone that  motivates you to keep going? It's never too late to start or begin again.

(Source: drowned-in-daydreams, via ego-x-deactivated20130119)

Calling all tomato (red) faces!

Ok, I have a confession...

My face turns beet red pretty much every time that I workout. I'm not talking about a healthy pink glow, but more like a bright red. It's especially worse if it happens to be a hot and humid day, which in Michigan is most of the summer. It's sometimes to the point that it's embarrassing and I can feel people staring at me with a worried expression like I'm going to stroke out.

It sucks. I feel fine when like this, but it's more of an annoyance than anything else.

As if having people constantly be worried about you and questioning if you're alright isn't bad enough, it last forever! After a long run or cardio workout the red sticks around for hours. It's to the point that I have to make sure to allow enough cooling time afterwards to let my face get back to a normal color before heading out in public or going to work. Trying to put makeup on after a red faced workout is pretty impossible too.

This is barely a glow compared to the normal (only after a warm-up).

The only thing that I've found that helps is splashing my face with cold water continuously afterwards and standing in front of a fan on high. I've seen lots of cooling towels/hats lately that you freeze so maybe one of these days I'll give those a try. I'm digging the weather lately because the cool weather seems to knock down the redness a notch or two.

Are you a fellow tomato face? 

Have you tried any of the cooling towels or hats?

Run4Wine Race...you had me at wine!

This past week Ryan and I ran the Run4Wine Race in Grand Blanc, Michigan. I had signed us up for this race months ago a week after I had taken a nasty fall while trail running and sprained my midfoot (the sprain that prevented me from running for 10 weeks) and needed something to work towards and not be so pissed about hurting myself. Can I just say how glad I am to have found this race because it was AWESOME! I was a little hesitant going into this race since I spent the night before with the flu and becoming BFF's with our toilet. I'm so glad that I decided to go through with it anyways.

When we pulled into the parking lot it was already packed and we made our way up to to pick up our race pack. I couldn't believe it when I saw that there was 800 people signed up for the race and more signing up the hour beforehand. I have to say there was some sweet swag for this race and especially for the cheap sign-up (we paid under $25 each).

Included was:
-Sweet New Balance shirt
-Custom wine glass w/logo
-Buffet dinner (we ate LOTS..bonus in my book)
-One drink ticket (wine, beer or pop)
-Tons of wine tasting (wish I had felt 100% to take advantage of it more)
-Cover band

This will definitely be getting it's fair share of use. ;)

Bright pink and reflective! Ooo!

So much tasty food...not gonna lie, we had heaping plates full.
This is before it was ravaged by all the hungry runners.

Wine, wine, wine...yum! Definitely going to Fenton Winery &
Brewery to pick up some wine.

First off, I really liked the course. The 4 mile run was on the golf course, with lots of rolling hills which was a nice extra challenge and a wicked wind (freaking 30-35 mph gusts was just lovely). There were a few spots where the sprinklers were that posed some potential hazards and an excess of goose poop to navigate around though. Ryan and I split up at the beginning since he runs quicker than I and I tend to bonk out if I try to keep his pace (someday I'll get there), but was able to find a couple other runners to pace myself with.

The after party was great too with lots of BBQ fare foods to nosh on, lots of wine samples, bands and a pretty fun group of people. I really wish at times that we had more friends that were into fitness events because this would have been a group event to have a group of friends to run with. 

Hubs and I before the race began.

Lots of pretty trees changing along the way. 

At the finish line....before the race. Like how we're color coordinated?
Totally not planned. 

All in all, we had a great time. We hung out a bit at the end and enjoyed some wine samples and the band, but unfortunately I wasn't feeling the best still so we kind of ended the night earlier than planned. Ryan came in 7th place in his age group and I came in 8th so I'm pretty happy with that since I hadn't ran in about a week and also wasn't feeling that great after praising to the porcelain god the night before. This year was the first time they've done this run and I really hope they do it again. I was amazed how well it was put on for such a large crowd and first time event.

What's my next race? I'm not sure yet! There are a couple of fun Halloween ones (Headless Horseman Run in Howell) that we may do if we are able. I'd like to work my way up to a 6K soon, but not sure how that'll work since winter is coming up and I don't know how I feel about winter running.

Do you have any races coming up? Do you have any tips about running in the winter?

Bump in the road, or root in the trail...injury time!

It's been over three weeks and I feel like I'm slowly going crazy. Three weeks ago I was running in this beautiful place:

...when a tree root decided to grab hold of my foot and give it a wicked twist. Immediately I knew that I was going to be out of the running game for a while. I had been in the middle of a jump (over some overgrown brush) when I came down so there was lots of extra force and torque on it. I heard a pop! and immediately dropped to the ground. A string of expletives stammered out of my mouth as I yelled ahead at Ryan (my hubby) to stop/help. I knew that it wouldn't be long before I wouldn't be able to walk on it at all, so together we hobbled back off the trail and to a spot where I could wait for Ryan to come back with the car because there was no way I was walking back. 

I tried my best to get it raised right away. I sat there about 20 minutes waiting for Ryan to get back. 

Maybe cried a bit (frustration along with radiating pain)

And did a lot of this (plus ice) the next few days.

It didn't bruise a lot...at first, but after about 5 days it turned lovely shades of blue, green and yellow. I never went to the docs to have it checked because our insurance sucks and I was 99% sure it was a mid-foot sprain (this is only about the 100th sprained foot in my life, although it's usually my ankle). Three weeks later and I'm regaining a lot more strength and almost all the swelling is gone.

This time off has really made me realize how I much I really began to love (yes love, not just like) running. It's been a tough few weeks to take off and I feel the frustration mounting. I'm more than eager to get running again, but am reluctant because I don't want to start up too soon and re-injure. Lately it's been lots of stretching, walking and toe raises. I'm hoping to start back up next week, but very slowly. I had plans to run a 10k later this summer, but we'll see if that happens depending on how quickly I can build up strength/endurance again. 

I feel like that last few weeks have taken forever to go by. Whether that's due to the injury or the fact that were in transition from moving from our old home, to my parent's home, and waiting to move into our new home, I have no idea. One things for sure, I miss the solace and time spent getting away from it all on my runs. 

Have you had an injury that knocked you out of the fitness game for awhile? 

Did it take you long to get back to your normal routine and endurance once you healed?