Wednesday's Weekly Wrap-up

(With my wrap-up posts I try to update each Wednesday about my week in review. I include pictures posted during the week from my Instagram @lilrunner1485 as well. Why Wednesday instead of Saturday or Sunday? Well, it just works better for me on this schedule. So, Hump Day it is!) 

Happy Hump Day! I know so many of you are working for the weekend, but cheers and virtual high fives all around to making it to the mid-week! This will be my first “week in review” post, which I will hopefully be able to do on a weekly basis each Wednesday. I know Wednesday seems like an odd day to do a week in review, but hey, whatever works right?! Let’s get this first series post started! Last week was extremely busy for me work-wise. Plus, now that he is back safe and sound, I figure that it’s ok to say that the husband was also away in New Orleans on business. We certainly aren’t the type of couple that must spend every waking minute with each other, but I most definitely missed him! I am a social person so the extra silence is always weird when I’m the only human home! Luckily, I had my fuzzy child Winston to keep me company! While Winston missed his daddy, I think he enjoyed the time he got to have his mama all to himself! Other than finding a snake egg in my backyard (SCREAM!), not too many exciting things happened. I usually am an “after work runner” so my routine was pretty much work, run, come home, shower (duh) and then Winston and I just chilled watching Pirates baseball games and my Sex and the City DVDs. Yes, I know I live a glamorous life! I was and am still finding myself to be more exhausted in the evenings than usual and I blame that on the summer heat! Running especially in these hot and humid temperatures is a total energy drain!

Speaking of running, for all my fellow summer challenge streakers, last Saturday marked the official HALF-WAY point of the RWRunStreak! If you are streaking with me, virtual high five for a job well done so far! (You can read more about the RWRunStreak here.) I admit at one point on Saturday (Day 20 of the streak), I was thinking “really I still have another 20 days in a row?” Coupled with last week being exhausting in general, my legs are FEELING the streak and I can tell I’ve been running for several plus days without any actual time off. That being said, at the same time it’s nice to look at the glass half-full and know that I’ve made it this far! Now we have less than 20 days left! Fellow streakers: keep pushing through! I know it isn’t always easy and the past few days I’ve experienced those times when I’m just not feeling it, but I keep running toward that goal! I can say that I always feel better about myself after a run, even if the run itself isn’t pleasant. I like being happy, so that’s motivation enough to keep on streaking! Today marks Day 24 of the streak and we are over half way done guys! To quote Princess Tiana, “I’m almost there!”

Aside from the streaking madness and the work flow, after the husband’s return from the Big Easy we basically chilled out all weekend. It’s not unusual for us to go to the theatre to see a movie at least once a week because we love movies. There isn’t a whole lot to do in the area we live in, so we spend a lot of time at our local theatre. We ended up actually seeing TWO movies last weekend and stuck with a comedy theme for both of them. On Friday we saw A Million Ways to Die in the West and on Saturday we saw 22 Jump Street. We particularly enjoy stupid, raunchy, tacky humor, so of course we found both movies hilarious! The movies were a nice addition to our overall low-key weekend.

Sunday was Father’s Day. While neither of us got to see our dads on that day, we did call them to wish them a happy Father’s Day. I hope all you dads out there had a good one!

So far, this week has been busy as usual. I’d say while it has basically been a normal week, Tuesday was an exciting day for me and this blog! After being encouraged to do so via Instagram, I joined the Tuesday Link-up with hosts My No-Guilt Life and Run The Great Wide Somewhere. Both of these blogs are great and I urge you to add them to your reading list! It worked out perfectly that I had just posted about new running shoes on Monday because that’s what Tuesday’s link-up topic pertained to! The link-up was a great way to further connect with other runners in the social media community and it provided me with some great new blogs to add to my reading list! I will certainly be taking part in more link-ups! Thanks again to My No-Guilt Life for inviting me to join!

LOL! I hope I don't come off like this on social media!

What’s on my schedule for the rest of the week? The West Virginia 5K Championship! The husband will be joining me for this race. Our last race was clear back in April for the Pirates 5K Home Run. It’s looking to be a HOT and HUMID time for the WV 5K! Last year was no different and the painful parts of that race are all of a sudden coming screaming back to me! The race in general, however, is very well-run (literally…oh puns, come on hire me now Disney Jungle Cruise). Hopefully we can push through the heat and have a fun time! I hope you all have a good rest of your week! Remember Friday is just around the corner! Let me know if you have any race plans this weekend or if you have any fun things planned in general!

Celebrating New Running Shoes!

Ahhhh the key to my heart: new running shoes! I know it’s been a week(ish) since I last posted, but it was a crazy busy week! On the plus side, that week brought me one of life’s greatest joys, as mentioned above, brand spankin’ new running shoes! New running shoes are just simply the best. I love the smell of new shoes. I love getting a “new look” to update my running style. I love feeling the extra bouncy cushion and support when putting my feet in my new shoes. Can you tell how much I just love getting new running shoes?!

Love my newest running shoes!

Almost all runners know the jubilation of new running kicks, and I am no different! I tend to wear a pair of shoes much longer than I should, which definitely falls under my “bad running habits” category. I don’t know why I do this. Sure, I do get attached to my current pair of running shoes. I mean these bad boys go through it all with me: the joy of a great run, the sucky awfulness of a not-so-fun-run, long runs and everything from crappy to mediocre to great races. My running shoes literally go the distance. They endure my sweaty feet (sexy!). They sometimes suffer from being splashed with my not always but quite often “post-race puke.” They usually end up with battle scars from the obvious overuse and of course grass and mud stains. What with living in West Virginia where so many gorgeous trails exist you didn’t think I’d just confine my shoes to paved streets did you?! A good, loved pair of shoes wouldn’t be complete without the addition of some good ole’ fashion dirt décor! (The only running shoes I exclude from this rule of mine are my beautiful Run Disney New Balance Cinderella shoes! They are just too gorgeous for mud!)

Even my attachment toward a pair of running shoes still doesn’t explain why I always seem to wait too long to purchase new shoes. For every new pair I get there is the short discomfort of “breaking them in,” so that could be a reason. I also always order my shoes online so maybe my laziness to actually take the five minutes to order them is another contributing factor. I mean go for a 60 minute run? No problem! Sit down for five minutes to order shoes? Oh no that apparently takes up far too much time! Once I finally breakdown and order my new shoes, I’m always excited! Having a super narrow foot, I never change brands or style. I am totally team New Balance specifically because they have the 2A narrow width option. Prior to wearing New Balance, I’d always have to tie my shoes absurdly tight and wear heal grips. That’s how narrow my silly feet are. It was a game changer when I went to a specialty running store and discovered New Balance and their narrow sizing options. If you are a runner or are wanting to try running and have never been to a specialty running store, take the time to find one and GO! General name brand sports stores may carry a selection of running shoes, but the staff typically does not specialize in running. Specific running stores can help you, like they helped me, find the right shoe for you and believe me it will make a HUGE difference in your running! The reason why I tend to purchase my shoes online now is that I currently live a little over an hour away from the closest specialty running store. Thankfully, I know what works for me shoe-wise and am able to order the right pair online. I do, however, make sure to support these local stores whenever I can. If you are a runner and live close to a specialty store I encourage you to support it!

My BEAUTIFUL Cinderella
Run Disney Shoes!

Before I purchase my new running kicks I do obsess over what color options I want. The one bad thing about the 2A width New Balance style I wear is that sometimes the super cool colors only come in sizes for all you “normal” foot width runners. Talk about a first world problem! But alas, life moves on and new shoes are better than old, worn out ones. Financially speaking, money really isn’t an option when it comes to running shoes. As a woman, I enjoy all shoes, but while I adore the lovely Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City, I feel sick if I spend more than a certain amount of money on regular dress/casual shoes. I will sadly never own a coveted pair of Jimmy Choos or Manolo Blahniks. For me it’s all about the cute, cheap knock-off versions. However, when it comes to my running shoes, I don’t think twice about spending well over a hundred dollars per pair. I consider running as an investment to my fitness so having the proper footwear no matter the cost is money well spent if you ask me! Aside from race fees running as a whole is a relatively inexpensive sport, so if my main investment is in a great fitting pair of shoes I don’t mind to drop the extra cash.

Mine and the husband's new running shoes!

What are your favorite running shoes? Are you loyal to a certain brand or do you like to change it up? Do you get excited for new running shoes? Are you like me and spend way more for running shoes than your “every day” shoes?

I have more exciting things planned for Random Ramblings of a Running Princess, including a “weekly post,” which hopefully I can launch this week. If not, assume I’m out running instead and here’s a virtual high five for patience!

(All thoughts in this post are my own. I received no compensation from New Balance for this post.) 

National Running Day!

Happy National Running Day! A holiday that celebrates one of my passions and promotes fitness sounds like a great idea to me! While there has fortunately been an increase in its popularity, running is a sport that's often overlooked as are runners themselves. I am happy that National Running Day is here once again to celebrate this amazing sport and this even more amazing community of people I'm happy to be part of.

As the National Running Day website says, "Be a part of National Running Day, a coast-to-coast celebration of running. On this day, longtime runners reaffirm their love of running and beginners can kick off a lifetime and life-changing commitment."

Today I plan to celebrate with a run of course (duh)! National Running Day also happens to fall within the RW Run Streak Summer Challenge, so I love the double motivation to run. For more on the challenge, check out my recent post about it here and let me know if you are streaking too. I'd also be interested in hearing why you run. I run for SO MANY different reasons! I run for basic exercise and fitness. I run to relieve the stress of the day. While I generally try to eat decent, I still love food, and I run so I can enjoy the finer things in life like pizza and cupcakes! In light of my new Run Disney addiction, I also run so I can combine my two loves of running and Disney. Running at Disney?! What could be better? I run to enjoy the outdoors. A little bit of sunshine does the body good.  When I must run on a treadmill (I'm looking at you Polar Vortex 2014), I run so I can marathon shows on Netflix that the husband doesn't exactly enjoy. I run because frankly it's a time effective exercise. Sure, long runs can take a chunk out of the day, but basic maintenance runs give me a great workout in less time than it would take me to do other things. I run because I've been doing it for so long that it's pretty much part of my routine. Most of all, I RUN BECAUSE IT MAKES ME HAPPY! (Please don't take the all caps as shouting, it's meant to be read in an excited tone lol.) I'm not always all sunshine and rainbows, but I do choose to be happy, and running is something that helps me be happy!

I hope all my fellow runners have a Happy National Running Day! No matter your level of fitness or how many miles you log, enjoy your run today rain or shine. Even on the days I'm not as motivated, I am always thankful that I am able to run, and on National Running Day I am extra grateful! If you aren't a runner, but have always wanted to start, today is the perfect time to do so! If you aren't really into running at all, I still encourage you to get out there and walk, bike or do something active today.

Let me know how you are celebrating National Running Day!

Pardon My Streaking!

Well, I've decided to go streaking again! Say what?! Oh, perhaps I should clarify, RUN STREAKING that is! If you aren't familiar with run streaking, this post will give you all the streaking deets!

After successfully completing the 2013 Runner's World Run Streak Summer Challenge, I've decided to give it a go again this year! The RW Run Streak Summer Challenge is to run at least a mile every day from Memorial Day (May, 26) to Independence Day (July, 4), for a total of 40 consecutive days of running. Today marks a week into the streaking madness, and while it isn't always easy, I find that I am more motivated to run when I set a challenge for myself. If you are interested in streaking with me (run streaking of course lol), and didn't start on Memorial Day, it's not too late to do this challenge. My advice would be to just add on the extra days you missed after The Fourth of July, and you can be a RW Run Streak Finisher too!

My 2013 RW Run Streak Finisher Badge

Like last year's challenge, I do have stipulations set for myself. In the event of injury/illness, I will discontinue the streak, because it's better/smarter to be healthy rather than hobble through a challenge. Fingers crossed that doesn't deter me though! I embarked on the RW Run Streak Summer Challenge for the first time last year because of two reasons:

1. Serious need of motivation!
2. I had never, not even in the competitive running years, done a run streak challenge before!

This year, my reason is my need for motivation once again. For me, the summer time is my LEAST FAVORITE time of the year to run. I know, that's the opposite of most people. It gets pretty hot and humid during the summer where I live, and I'm just not a huge fan of running in the heat. It makes it hard for me to want to be out there when the air conditioning seems so nice lol. By doing this challenge I'm motivated to still get my runs in even though I don't particularly enjoy the super hot temperatures. The RW Run Streak makes my summer running better because of the end goal in mind. In addition, I'm currently in training mode for the Run Disney Tower of Terror 10-Miler, which takes place in October at Walt Disney World (my favorite place!). The last few longer races I've done have been in the winter, so my summer training this year is very important with an early fall distance race!

After finishing Day 7 of the RW Run Streak!

I am also a goal oriented person and I enjoyed embarking in last year's run streak challenge. It wasn't always easy and it was even hard to get out there and run on certain days, but it was fun to work toward a goal! The social media community for the run streak challengers is great! The running community is generally very supportive and a special group I'm proud to be part of, so having encouragement from my fellow runners all over the world during this challenge is very motivating! Last year was actually the very first time in all my years of running that I ran that many days in a row! I liked being able to do something I'd never done and this year I'm ready to do something out of my typical comfort zone once again.

As the RW Run Streak stipulates, it only has to be at least a mile every day to finish the summer challenge. As I did in 2013, I am taking the same approach this year. On days that are generally my rest days, I do an easy mile instead. While it certainly isn't easy to even just do a mile on the days I usually rest, it's doable and keeps me focused. Often times I have to make sure I run my mile at an easy pace because typically when I do shorter runs, I want to go faster! This was something I dealt with during last year's challenge, and am hopeful that I can have a better time with the easier days this year!

Every runner is different and personally, I am a huge proponent of having rest days. I don't think I'd want to do a longer streak, but the summer challenge is a good way for me to really stay motivated to keep running as well as build my base back to a stronger place. Again, I encourage you to join me on this challenge! If you are a fellow RW Run Streak summer challenger, let me know how you are doing in the comments below. Thank you and happy (run) streaking! For more information on the RW Run Streak, click here.

My Running Story: Part Two

Hello! First off, my apologies for my short hiatus. The month of May is extremely busy for me work-wise. Many extra events and functions also make May a crazy month, which unfortunately meant my random running thoughts had to take a small break. I am back though!

Since I last left you with my Running Story: Part One, which focused on my competitive years of running cross country and track, I am here to share with you the second part of my running story. This story is still going as I'm continuing to find my place as a runner in the post-collegiate world.

First off, as many former collegiate runners and athletes can probably agree with, life after that last “competitive” race is a bit odd. When you’ve spent the last several years of your life pushing your body to the limit in practice and spending your weekends (and often week nights) in competition, it’s unusual when one day it just comes to an end. Poof it’s gone. Only a memory. It’s also strange when you’ve spent those countless hours with teammates who became friends and then became more than friends – a second family – and you no longer get to have that daily connection. Frankly, it’s an odd time after college in general. No longer having something that you gave so much of yourself to, so much so that it became part of who you are, is difficult.

After my graduation from UC, I was on the hunt for my first “grown up” job and planning my wedding, which was set for mid-August of that summer. This kept me busy, but I admit I felt loss knowing I’d never run competitively for my university again. Of course, part of me felt excited to enjoy the world around me without the constant pressure that came with collegiate running. I’m the first to admit that I was burnt out from both school and competitive running by the time graduation rolled around, so in a way it felt good knowing I wouldn’t have that anxiety to deal with. Since I was preparing for my wedding, I decided to not stop running or take a major break that many former collegiate runners often do. While not anywhere near the intensity of my college training, I continued to run for purely fitness purposes. It was by doing this and just running FOR ME and just running TO RUN, that I truly began to really enjoy the sport. I’ve always liked running, but before it was mostly all about the competition. Now, I find myself loving “just the running.” While the accomplishments and accolades from competitive running appear most impressive on paper, I am just as proud of finally learning to love “just” the running itself.

After my wedding I continued to run for primarily fitness purposes. I found it harder to do so as I was working my first “grown up” job, but I tried my best to continue to make time for running. I also found that running turned into a time for me to relieve stress, something I had always heard people talk about when referring to running, but had never experienced much of myself! Running became my place to let the stress of the day go and it was, and still is, a time for me to think. I think about a variety of things when I run, mostly RANDOM thoughts of course. I think about the run in general, my goals, how good pizza post-run would be, movies, books, my hair (like should I keep my bangs because they are bugging me on this run, but I love bangs), my friends, my to-do list – yup, that’s why random ramblings of a running princess is a fitting title for this blog!

Turkey Trot 2013!

The fall of that first year where I wasn’t preparing for a cross country season was hard because I really found myself missing the sport. I decided I would run the Turkey Trot in my hometown at Thanksgiving as my first road race as a “regular ole runner.”

It was a fitting choice too since the Turkey Trot is and has become even more so a staple of my Thanksgiving traditions! As the year progressed and since then, I’ve enjoyed doing many road races. Sure I’ve won some local ones and received awards, but I don’t do them to set any records. I don’t do them as a fierce competitor, I run them for FUN, and I’ve got to say I love that I can do that. As I did more 5K road races, I did find myself wanting more of a challenge, however. I finally decided in 2011 that it was time to accept that challenge and cross an item off my bucket list: run a half marathon!

2013 West Virginia 5K!

If you remember from part one of my running story, it took a while for me to accept the fact that I was a distance runner. It used to seem like an eternity to run a half mile, and now I want to do a half marathon?! Say what? As I prepared for my first half, those old nerves from my competitive days slowly crept back. A half marathon was unchartered territory. My goal was strictly to finish. Since I was running this one solo, I also knew I'd be relying on my own confidence to get me through the race. I didn’t put any time restrictions on myself. I wanted to cross the finish line and be able to know that I still had it in me to rise to the occasion and complete a challenge that I set out to do. My first half was the Flying Pig Half Marathon in Cincinnati, Ohio. Why did I choose this one? Well, I liked the name of the race. Flying pigs are cute and I thought it was hilarious that they called the finish line the “finish swine.” Yes, I’m really mature. ;) Despite the fact that I seemingly chose the one part of Ohio that’s really hilly to run my first half as well as the monsoon that took place during the race, it was a successful experience. I was pleased to finish and be able to finish in under two hours, despite not having a time goal. I remember the hard parts and thinking during the race that I never wanted to do one again, but after crossing the finish and meeting my goal, those thoughts vanished! I love setting goals, but I really love achieving goals!

My first half marathon: The Flying Pig! 

After my first half marathon!

While half marathons still aren’t my favorite, I’m happy that I have a few under my belt now. Completing that first half gave me a sense of accomplishment that I had been missing from the competitive years. Eventually, I fell in love with Run Disney as well, which could be and eventually will be a whole other blog post! Having done two Run Disney half marathons, I can say that I’m happiest while running at my favorite place on earth!

After the 2013 Walt Disney World Half Marathon!

Let it Goooo! Running as Elsa for the 2014 Walt Disney World Enchanted 10K!

Dressed as Cinderella for the 2014 Walt Disney World Princess Half Marathon!

It's hard to wrap up this post, which has turned into novella territory, because as I said earlier, my running story is still continuing. I'm working to run and to continue enjoying running despite the crazy/hectic busy things life throws at me. I am truly blessed and thankful that I am able to continue on my running journey. I'm proud to call myself a "runner" most of all. Thank you for reading this (you deserve a medal but a virtual high five will have to suffice!). Feel free to share your running story with me. I'd love to read it! Remember, no matter how you started out, every runner has a story!

My Running Story: Part One

Hello there! Welcome back if you've been here before and welcome if you are new to my brand spankin' new blog! Well, that was cheesy...Soooo moving on, since running is a major focus of this blog, I figured it would be a good idea to share my running story with you. Since this is basically approaching novella territory, I've broken my running story into two parts, with this being part one. If some of this comes off as a bit of a humblebrag, my apologies. I'm very proud of my running accomplishments, however, and I am a firm believer in being happy with your achievements. As a goal oriented person, I believe that celebrating success is a GOOD thing because it helps pave the way for future goals and accomplishments!

Pretty much!

My running story begins with a trip way back to elementary school, which is when I first became interested in track and running in general. (Seriously I wish I could insert flashback music here. Yes, I think it's well established I'm a nerd. Deal with it.) My mom used to volunteer at elementary track meets and would take me with her. I thought it looked fun and since I always enjoyed the running activities in gym class, I decided when I was old enough that I would definitely try out for the track team. It helped that I had some natural speed and would usually win the field day races at school. Sidenote: Who remembers field day?! Seriously those were THE BEST days in elementary school! Okay, so I'm rambling now, anyway, I ended up making my school's track team in the third grade. Back then I pretty much relied on my aforementioned natural speed to carry me through and the thought of running a full lap around the track (400 meters/a quarter mile for my non-trackies) was absolutely daunting! I continued running track throughout grade school and then it happened. My 6th grade season I was told that I would be running the 800. What?! Not one lap around the track but two! A half mile!? THE HORROR!!!! My 6th grade self was literally in a panic. My goal at the time was to not walk! After completing half marathons in my adult life, it seems hilarious to think that I was once scared to run the 800, but back then you would have thought the coach asked me to step on burning coals with my reaction.

My approach to running distance as a kid

I was a scared kid and my parents, neither of whom were ever runners, helped me in the best way they could by signing me up for a kids running clinic, which was being run, literally haha oh puns (I should work for Disney's Jungle Cruise with this humor), by the local running club. To be overly dramatic but totally truthful at the same time, I will tell you this: that clinic changed my life. It was there that I learned how to rely on more than just my natural speed and it was there that I realized I had the potential to really be a RUNNER, not just someone who would win field day races. The clinic met a couple times a week and we would increase distance each week. I finally ran that 800 and got better with each meet, even placing higher than I ever did in any of my sprint events my previous years in track. By the clinic's end, we ran two miles. Two whole miles! I was ecstatic. I knew I had a talent for running and I did enjoy but, I didn't love it, YET. I continued running track throughout junior high. Those two laps I was afraid to do would later turn into eight laps of fear, otherwise known as the 3200 (about two miles). While I did the 3200, I really focused on the "middle distance specialty" continuing to run the 800 and 1600 (about a mile).

Having no cross country team at my junior high, I didn't even know what cross country was when someone asked me about it after 8th grade track season ended. I had always believed I would play soccer in high school during the fall. I loved soccer. At the time, you also couldn't do both sports in the fall. So after a nice high schooler explained to me that cross country was "basically like track but through the woods and with hills," I found myself facing a decision. I was almost sold totally on soccer, but a voice inside me kept telling me to do cross country. I knew I could be a good soccer player, but deep down I knew I could be even better at running and maybe this cross country thing could actually be fun. I mean running through the woods? That sounds awesome! I decided at some point during the summer before my freshman year that I would give the whole "running through the woods with hills thing" a try. I had very little summer training and it was then that I learned high school cross country races were 3.1 miles. "More running? Really?" Oh well, if YOLO was a thing during 1999, it would have been my mantra here. Even though I was the epitome of "racing into shape" my first cross country season, I ended up loving the sport far more than I ever loved track. Something about it was freeing. I loved how each course was different, but best of all I loved the true team nature of the sport.

HS Cross Country team! I'm the cool one who felt the need to wear tie-dye.

I continued running both cross country and track all through high school. After my non-training summer before my freshman cross country season and the drastic improvement my times took as I got into shape, I decided that maybe it would be a good idea to actually run over the summer before my 10th grade cross country season. What a novel idea it was to my naive self that had never engaged in any sort of summer training that didn't consist of lazy days by the pool! My teammates and I had qualified for state my freshman season, but we were hungry for more. We ended up training together all on our own that summer and it showed with how our season went. My sophomore season times shattered the previous year's times and as a team we all improved greatly. That year not only did we qualify for the state meet, but we WON the state championship. There's nothing quite like the feeling of winning a state championship. The adults around us encouraged us to remember that moment because moments like that are rare. At the time I didn't think much into their comments, but today I know exactly the meaning behind what they said. That is an amazing memory and one I will never forget. I didn't win any more cross country state titles with my team in high school, but every season I loved the sport more and more. I didn't quite love track as much, but I stuck with it primarily continuing to do and prefer the middle distance events. My high school running career eventually came to an end and unlike graduation, running my last high school track event actually felt like the closing chapter of high school - that is how much of an impact running already had in my life. 

UC Cross Country! I'm the 3rd from left in the front.

Running at this point was a huge part of who I was, so huge in fact that it helped pay for my college education. Originally, I had always figured my running days would end after high school, but I started getting recruited by college coaches and realized that I was good enough to be a collegiate runner and knowing it would help finance my education was a major plus. I also was very keen on running cross country in college because of the team aspect that I love so much about the sport. I ended up choosing the University of Charleston. I'm not going to lie, while I liked what the school had to offer academically as well as its smaller setting via classroom and campus, I chose UC because of the cross country and track programs. Would I recommend you choose a school primarily on athletics? Probably not. But I don't regret my decision one bit! I quickly learned how much HARDER collegiate level running was compared to high school. I even questioned if I was cut out for it at times. I had never done the type of distances we were doing before and it was difficult for my competitive self to go from being a big fish in a small pond to a little fish in a big pond! I never gave up though. My coach never gave up on me either and kept pushing me to be better. I battled injuries I never had before. I did hard workouts I thought were almost impossible. All of this lead me to a mantra that has stuck by me in all my running endeavors: PUSH THROUGH!

UC Cross Country! I'm in front wearing grey shorts. 

I finally did push through and all of the hard work paid off. It was at UC that I really discovered the depths of my running potential. It was there that I finally caved and listened to coach and those around me who kept telling me long distance running was meant for me. I gave up middle distance for long distance and it paid off BIG TIME. I ran my fastest cross country time ever at UC, clocking in at 22:58 for my 6K (sub 19 5K). This time also held as UC's school 6K Cross Country record for awhile. It was broken a couple years ago, which is fine because records are meant to be broken. Just knowing that I once held a collegiate cross country record for my university, however, is still one of my most treasured accomplishments. I also was the 5,000 (5K) WVIAC Conference runner-up in track my junior season. Remember that one lap around the track that used to freak me out? Add 11 more to that and there you have the 5,000! My final collegiate running event came in the form of a beast. Unchartered territory: the 10,000 (10K), also known as the longest track event. Seriously now we are talking about 25 laps around the track. Say WHAT!? How one lap used to freak me out I will never know! I knew I needed to push that limit though so I closed out my final track season by doing the 10,000. It was hard, but I ended up PUSHING THROUGH and placed sixth, good enough to help my team score, which was my goal! By doing the 10,000 I also accomplished another personal mini victory: with that race I had done every non-hurdle track event. I know so much of this is coming off as a major humblebrag, but these accomplishments gave me confidence and I'm proud with how they've shaped me as a runner. I'm proud of my time at UC and I will always cherish the memories I made with my teammates there. Choosing to be a collegiate athlete was again one of the best decisions I've ever made. I even met my awesome husband thanks to UC cross country and track, as he was a member of both teams as well! So seriously, running for UC...best decision ever!

Me & the husband after UC graduation! We met because of running!

I know this is super long and you are awesome for reading this, but my running story isn't over. In fact, I could be dramatic here and say that after college was only the beginning! To keep this from approaching novel territory, part two will be coming soon. Part two is where I can honestly say that I've truly embraced what it means to be a runner. Finding my "runner self" after the competitive world of cross country and track ended is a whole other journey! Stay tuned!

Please share with me your running story in the comments below. I'd love to hear how you got into the sport. Every runner has a story!

Race Recap: Pirates 5K Home Run

Hello! For my first "official" non-introductory post, I intended to share my "running story." Every runner has a story! However, since it's timely, I figured that one can wait and instead I will share with you a recap of the most recent race I did. Since running is a major focus of this blog, I hope to share race recaps on here as much as possible! So, let's talk about the Pirates 5K Home Run!

As an avid sports fan and major baseball enthusiast, I love races that connect with other sports. I've been a Pirates baseball fan since I was little, and yes, I even stuck with them during the twenty year curse of losing seasons (hooray for breaking that wretched curse last year and making the playoffs!). Regardless of your opinion on the Pirates, PNC Park is one of if not THE best ballpark in major league baseball. If you like baseball, this should be a must-see ballpark for you. PNC Park is one of my favorite places to be, so running a 5K that finishes on the field there is a winning idea for me! The race also raises money for the Pirates Charities organization, which is another great aspect of running races. Anytime I have the opportunity to give to a charity as well as help myself stay fit, is considered a double win for me.

PNC Park: one of the best parks in MLB!

This year was actually the second time I did the Pirates 5K Home Run. After a fun experience last year, the husband and I knew that we wanted to do it again this year! The race took place April 19 and just happened to fall a few days after my birthday. Like last year, we took the opportunity to make it a Pittsburgh birthday weekend with the 5K and of course some baseball fun! We arrived in Pittsburgh Friday afternoon and checked into our hotel on Pittsburgh's North Shore, The Residence Inn by Marriot. The hotel was literally across the street from PNC Park, which was where we needed to pick up our race packets. This was already a plus to our experience compared to the previous year, when we stayed about 15 minutes outside of the city. Being so close made the entire weekend more relaxing and made the pre-race and post-race experience far less stressful since we didn't have to worry about finding parking! That's always a plus since the husband suffers from major road rage. Getting our race packets was simple and painless, which is always a sign of a nicely organized raced. My only complaint about the process, which is my same complaint from last year, is not including pins with the race bibs! Having to get pins the morning of only creates chaos. Plus OCD runners like myself prefer pinning our bibs to our shirts before wearing them to make sure they are put on straight! Sigh. Anyway, with our race entry, we received a tech t-shirt, which was a definite upgrade from last year's cotton shirt, as well as ticket vouchers to a Pirates game.

Colorful tech shirts are the best!

We already purchased tickets for Friday's game, so we redeemed our ticket vouchers for Saturday's game, the day of the race.

Cheering on the Pirates! Let's Go Bucs!!!

We spent the rest of Friday night cheering on the Pirates at the game and enjoying ballpark food. Alright ballpark food probably isn't the best thing to eat the night before a race, but it was my birthday trip so as the kiddos say, YOLO (yes, I know I'm coming off as the nerdiest, I mean coolest person ever right now)! Since our hotel was within feet of the 5K area, we had the pleasure of "sleeping in" as well. It was so nice to be able to walk right out our hotel door to the start line! The weather was slightly chilly, but otherwise great. The sun was shining and it was only a few degrees cooler than my "ideal race temperature," which is anywhere from mid 50s to high 60s. We agreed to run the race simply for training and fun, but I will admit I did have some butterfly action going on in my stomach! After my Glass Slipper Challenge running event that I did at the end of February I had taken some time off and I'm not yet in my "full on running routine mode." Also, I was unfortunately rear-ended in a car accident a few days prior to the race and had been suffering from back pain as a result. These concerns were definitely on my mind, but I was determined to enjoy the experience and give it a solid effort! The husband also assured me that we would be just fine. He himself hadn't run consistently in months, so if he was feeling confident, I knew we would both rock it!

Shaking off the jitters, we lined up according to estimated pace at the start line, which was located on the beautiful Roberto Clemente Bridge.

Start Line on the Roberto Clemente Bridge! 

The pre-race energy was fantastic and helped ease my nerves! They were playing music and the Pirate Parrot was running around being awesome like he always is! Soon we were finally off and running. Since the race was sold out this year, there were lots of runners, but I never really felt crowded on the course. The first mile is primarily on paved streets and then you go back in an area that almost has a "trail like" feel to it and reminds me of many local West Virginia running routes. On this part of the course it really doesn't even feel like you are running in a larger city. The course then travels along the river, which provides a gorgeous view! I love looking at things and taking in the scenery on my runs, so this is another reason why I enjoy this particular race course! We were feeling pretty good at this point and it wasn't until mile 2 that either of us started to feel tired. My back was starting to hurt a bit, especially after we had gone down a hill and then later up a hill. The finish line was close though, so we pushed through! Plus, the finish line for this race is extra special! Yay motivation! The final mile takes you past Heinz Field, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers (here we go, Steelers, here we go!) and back to paved streets before you head toward PNC Park and the finish.

As we made our way to the ballpark we entered PNC at right field and ran around the warning track to this finish line, which was of course at home plate! For all my Run Disney loves, finishing on the field at PNC Park is the "Magic Kingdom" portion of this race. Getting to run around the bases on the field of my beloved Buccos is ALMOST as awesome to me as running up Main Street  toward Cinderella's Castle! Again, ALMOST. At this point the excitement and awe of being on the field in the ballpark completely spiked my adrenaline and I put a surge in and charged to the finish. My petite stature makes it easy for me to zoom through people, so I unfortunately somehow lost the husband here as he couldn't get around some other runners. But, it's ok because we were almost done and had pretty much enjoyed the entire race together! Crossing the finish line felt great as my body was soooo ready to be done! It was awesome to hear the crowd in the stands cheering us on. The volunteers were fantastic with their cheers and help as well. After finishing the race, they do try to rush you off the field as soon as possible, which is kind of a bummer but understandable since they need to keep adequate room for all the runners. Since we were basically being pushed out of the park we hurried and snapped a few quick pics on the field before exiting.

Finished! 

The finishers party on Federal Street outside of the park was really fun. They have some of the weirdest post race food ever though. Hotdogs, Chic-Fila sandwiches, chips and cookies after a 5K?! While I try to be healthy, I certainly enjoy my fair share of non-healthy foods, but I still think it's odd to eat a hotdog right after finishing a 5K at 9 in the morning! I did grab us some cookies, chips, water and Powerade. Sorry, I can't just do a hot dog and chicken sandwich that early and I especially can't do it after running. Before going back to the hotel we took some pictures and enjoyed the finisher's party. As a whole, it was a great course, excellent weather and another fun experience! The finish line is worth doing this race alone. It's just so awesome getting to run on the field at PNC Park!

After the race we enjoyed the rest of our day in Pittsburgh. We celebrated my birthday and our 5K finish with a feast of German food at Hofbrauhaus. We met my old college roommate and her sister for our feast, which only added to the celebration! Ever heard of a food coma? Want one? Go to Hofbrauhaus! I can say we certainly did not come away from our 5K weekend in a calorie deficit! We ended the day by using our free race tickets to go to the Pirates game that evening. It was a good game, but sadly the Pirates lost. I blame this on that cheater Ryan Braun! Sorry Brewers fans, but it is what it is! Despite the loss, it was still a fun night at the ballpark with friends after a great race! We definitely plan to be back for the Pirates 5K Home Run next year if circumstances permit! 

If you would like more information on the Pirates Charities or the Pirates 5K Home Run, check it out here.