Playing CATCH UP to my RUNNING....

So I have totally done horrible at this whole blogging thing. I would like to say that I will do better in the future but I know that is not true. I have been busy with finishing up the Fall 2012 school seemster and taking a few end of the year trips. Before I begin to blog about my running/sewing I would like to toot my own horn by announcing that I got straight A's this semester! TOOT TOOT!! This was by far the hardest semester yet at school. However, I still have four more semesters to go :) I am elated to have made straight A's! I am excited for next semester to begin but I am welcoming my winter break with open arms. I was able to go to Vegas and California at the beginning of Decemeber! Thank you Champion Technology Services! My cousin Brandie's company always throws a Christmas party and this year it was in Vegas and they allowed her to bring one guest. Luckily that one guest was me! HOORAY! Tim, Ginny and Kaylor drove up to Vegas to hang with us for the weekend and then we drove back to Cali with them to stay a week. Let's just say the trip to Cali was quite eventful, full of laughter and Raising Cane's in one form or another ;). We went to Ikea, DISNEYLAND, California Adventure and celebrated Kaylor's 1st birthday with a good old Micky Mouse Birthday Bash! (Please see Picture This to see photos from her birthday bash.) While I was in California Tim, Ginny and I did Chino Valley's Reindeer Romp. Now begins my running updates:



September 22,2012 (Hammond, LA): I ran a 5K for my friend Wendy's dad George. He and I share the same birthday and for his birthday present he wanted us to join him in a 5K that his guard unit was participating in. Well pretty much the entire Barker/Coleman clan including George himself was unable to attend. However, I try to be a woman of my word and I ran the 5k as his birthday present. It was probably the most unorganized un-fun run I have done thus far. It started three hours late because they couldn't start the race without water and apparently the water supplier people were behind a wreck or something. I am not really sure of the details but needless to say by the time the race actually started I was over it and so not warmed up anymore. Not to mention my 30th birthday party was that evening. I can't remember exactly my time but it was around 35 mins. I am glad I was able to run it for George and hey I have a t-shirt to add to my collection for my t-shirt quilt that one day I will make. (Sorry I don't have pictures of this event)


Color Run November 17,2012 (UPDATE)

The Color Circle at the end!

I forgot to mention the color run I ran with my family (Mom, Sister, Brother in law, and Cousin) in New Orleans. My friends Beth and Becca were there as well but they went in the group ahead of us.  It was the first time the color run had come to New Orleans and it sold out within 2 weeks or something crazy like that. It was a huge success! There were so many people there. It was the first time for my mom, sister and brother in law to do a race. I am glad I got to do it with them. I think they enjoyed it :) Hopefully you will enjoy the pictures from it. We took a ton but here is a few.

My "Running" Attire

Becca and Me

My mommy and me!

The Family!

Beth, Me and Becca

Brandie and Me

Waiting to start...

A TON O' PEOPLE!

This happened alot. My poor sister..

The Blue

The Yellow

Reindeer Run November 30,2012 (Baton Rouge,LA): One my friends Jennie Kern told me about this race and of course was down for it. It was a night run in downtown Baton Rouge. They provide you with a long sleeve tshirt, reindeer antlers and jingle bells to tie on your shoelaces. I convinced my boss/friend Beth and her daughter (my friend), Becca to do it with me. Becca and I decided after some ideas back and forth with our friend Rebecca to make headbands with reindeer names on them. I was VIxen, Becca was Rudolph and Beth was Blitzen. It was fun to hear all the jingle bells while I was running before I put in my headphones to jam to music. I will say these two things about the race: It could have been mapped better because there were a ton of people who chose to cheat during the run because it was quite easy and two, I know that I most definitely need to listen to my heart rate monitor when I run. I may or may not have let my heart rate get to high and it wasn't a very good idea at all. I finished the race in 33.24. That is the fastest I have finished a race since I began my running this year. I hoped to be at 30 mins but like I said I let my heart rate get way to high which caused me not to do as well as I could have. I had a blast running the race though and that really is what it's all about. Here are a few pics from the occasion::

 Becca and Beth

Rudolph and Vixen

Reindeer Romp December 15,2012. (Chino Valley, CA): This is a 5k that I was lucky enough to do with my cousins Tim and Ginny while I was visiting them in California. Brandie stayed home and watched Kaylor for us. Thanks B! This race is the coldest one I have ran. The morning of the race we woke up to see snow on the mountains. Anybody who knows me even a little knows I don't function well in the snow. However, once I started running I warmed up fairly quickly. I finished this race in 35 mins. The lungs and high altitude didn't get a long. However, I am pleased with my time because of the difference in altitude and the fact that I had been sick earlier in the week. As you crossed the finish line you were presented with a bottle of water and cute little ornament that said Reindeer Romp Chino Vally 2012.  I enjoyed doing this with Tinny and look forward to many races to come. Here are some pics of the event below:

My view while running...

Clearly this is after the run back at the apt but we forgot to take one at the finish line! 

I have decided already that my goal for the year 2013 is to run a half marathon. My Uncle Victor and I have a little wager going on too. If I finish the race in under 3 hours I get $100! So needless to say I WILL be finsihing the half marathon in under 3 hours! I am really looking forward to the new challenge in my life and as always will do my best to keep you all informed of my progress. I have not yet found the half marathon I will participating in but I hope to choose one soon! Thanks for all your continuing support!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!