1 of 14

Today marked my first race of the new year and I have to say, I picked an excellent race to start off my year of 14 races!! My running partner K.J actually told me about this race and I am sooo glad that she did. It is part of the Louisiana Marathon series but it was a 5K that was mainly sponsored by The Advocate, the local newspaper in Baton Rouge. Before I tell you about how great the race was let me back track to the day before when we (K.J and I) went to pick up our racing packets!

The Drive

Normally I wouldn't blog about the drive to or from a race but this drive was exceptionally painful mainly because I have road rage and traffic was horrible. Our 45 minute drive to B.R turned into a two hour drive because a lovely semi truck somehow managed to veer off the interstate and crash into a tree. Now normally this would cause a slight back up but this particular semi was apparently carrying paint of some sort which resulted in the haz mat team being called in. When we finally passed the sight of the crash there were at least 4 cop cars, and 5 other vehicles which we assumed were the haz mat vehicles but who knows. (I am not sure of the condition of the driver of the semi but I truly hope he is ok because the truck looked awful) Luckily I have Netflix on my phone and I was able to introduce K.J to the oh so cheesy Disney Channel original movie, Teen Beach Movie. She watched about 30-40 minutes of it before we were able to inch our way out of traffic and to the expo. It made for an interesting drive there for sure. K.J. and I always have some fun adventures when it comes to Expo trips.

The Expo

I am not sure how many of you are familiar with racing Expos so let me give you the skinny on them. Running Expos are generally where you pick up your race packet with your bib, shirt, and any extras they might throw in your bag. In addition they usually have tons of booths that represent the many different races going on in and around the area (probably my favorite part of the expo) and they have booths where people are trying to sell you running merchandise from headbands to shoes and everything in between.  I hate to say it but K.J and I have yet to attend an expo where we didn't find something we loved and bought. For example, this trip I bought two headbands, one for the summer races/looks and one for the winter races (like today's). We also each bought a car decal for our cars. Luckily, K.J. and I are bargain shoppers and we didn't spend over $13 combined! It was pretty great! This particular expo got us both pretty fired up about some upcoming races that we plan to do together. Before the expo we had I believe 6 races on our list so far and now we have 9 or 10. (She has done and is doing more races than I have committed to thus far.) One particular race we really want to do is a 1/2 marathon relay race in MS. We are both pretty stoked about this one and we really hope we can pull it off.  I'll keep ya'll updated.  I wasn't incredibly excited for my race the next day but after going to the expo and being around all the other runners, not to mention how excited K.J. was for me to be running again, my excitement level increased drastically as we drove home to prepare for our upcoming race! Long story short, if you ever get the chance to go to a running Expo before a race, I highly recommend it :)  

The Preparation

K.J and I made a pact to get everything ready the night before so that we would be ready to go as soon as we all woke up. I met them at their place at 6am! I took a picture of the main essentials I knew I would need for this race. 

Advocate 5k

I actually wore a red long sleeve shirt over my race shirt because it was 38 degrees when the race began at 8am! The polka dot fabric you see is the fancy new headband I bought at the expo, I used it to cover my bright yellow headband used for the warmth factor, also bought at the expo. I needed extra protection. I am a baby when it comes to the cold weather! It's hard to tell but those are power energy gummies! A MUST have for any race I do. I usually take 2 for a 5K. They give me extra energy when my body thinks it can't possibly run any further :) I also NEVER run a race without my arm band, iPhone (not pictured) and my head phones. I was fortunate enough to be able to run with a  new arm band that fit my iPhone better than my previous one! Not to mention it matches my headphones and we all know I love to match!! I also decided to wear my sparkly leggings under my sofie shorts because like I mentioned before it was freaking cold! Last but not least no race is complete without my bib!! (I save all of these bibs on my cool display that my cousin B made for me!) After my preparation I went to sleep like an old lady at 8:30pm. It was the best night sleep I have had in a very long time though :) 

The Race

The Advocate 5k was incredible!!! We (K.J, Joshy and I) all got up and began our drive at 6:15am! We left a little early in case there was ANOTHER back up due to the same accident the day before. Luckily for us the haz mat team wasn't out that early but there was definitely a back up for everyone going towards BR later that morning. Anywho I digress... We arrived at the race 55 mins early but we found free parking!! You know it's the little things that count. K.J.'s husband was our lovely driver so that we could rest before and after the race. When we got to where the actual race was I began getting a little nervous because it was cold, I was worried my legs would lock up, I really want to do the race in under 40 mins etc. The thoughts just starting racing through my mind. Luckily K.J. is an excellent friend, running partner, and motivator. She just kept saying how excited she was for me to be racing with her again and how great I was going to do etc. We also met up with another fellow runner that was running her first race back after having a baby in November. It was nice to have somebody in the same boat as far as not being able to run a lot prior to the race. We gathered in the choral to begin the race. The race began and I just started running. I was doing really well too. The music was good and the air was energized! I actually kept a steady pace throughout the entire race. We even had to go up a hill (overpass) and back down and back up and back down. I took the hill slowly, walked briskly once at the top and then allowed myself to run/coast down the hill each time. I picked up my pace the last 1/2 mile once I could see the finish line. I wanted to throw up once I started running faster but I managed not to :)  It felt so freaking great to cross the finish line!! I did it in under 40 mins too. My official time according to my print out was 34:25! I was so stoked that I did it under 40 mins. Everyone also received a finisher medal after crossing the finish line! It's not about the medals but it is a nice motivator :)  This race is exactly what I needed to keep my spirits high as I continue to work my way back into running!   I highly highly recommend this race for any beginner or seasoned runner!

My Splits

A little collage from the race today! 

Post Race

On the drive home there was another back up due to an accident but luckily Josh got off and was able to avoid the very long wait. The interstate was literally at a stand still. No cars were moving :/ Semi-trucks really like to wreck on I-12! While driving home I was able to reflect on my year thus far and my recent race. While my year believe it or not has not gone like I thought it would, it still has been a great start to 2014!! I felt so great about this race. I wasn't incredibly exhausted afterwards or discouraged. I actually rode the stationary bike for about 5 miles once I got home to work my hip flexors a little so they wouldn't hurt tomorrow. In addition to that I made sure to do a good amount of stretching to avoid the pain the following day. Not to mention my adorable 2 year old niece thought my medal was so cool. She had me run down the hallway towards her so that she could place the medal around my neck and said, "Congratulations Nanny! You won!" (We did this several times.)  haha I love that little girl so much! 

Life is good folks! Count your blessings no matter how big or small! And just keep running!!! 

Tulle Crazy

I have a little niece on the way! As a result I have been going a little crazy making outfits for the soon to be adorable baby K to arrive!!! My sister and her hubby have decided to decorate K's room in Princess Peach from Super Mario Brothers. I am pretty excited to see the room once it is all decorated. 

Being the awesome sister/auntie I am, I volunteered to make her coming home outfit. I obviously thought the only outfit for her to come home in would be a Princess Peach outfit. After I volunteered to make said outfit I realized uh duh Leesa! You don't know the first thing about making a Princess Peach outfit! Luckily I live in the day and age of wonderful fantastic pinterest! I spent probably 30 minutes looking at different pinterest ideas and finally pinpointed one I thought would be fairly easy to replicate. Below is the picture I found on pinterest and the varying stages before it's completion. 

The necessary equipment! 

Stage 1

                               

Stage 2

Stage 3

The Inspiration found on Pinterest!

My final product! 

 (Sorry for the random display of pictures. I don't really know how to place pictures on my blog very well. I will get better! )

In addition to this beautiful Princess Peach outfit I decided to surprise my brother in law with a little Batman outfit. My brother in law loves Batman. It is his favorite superhero! I bought a batman onsie from Walmart and I decided to make a little tutu to go with the onsie. I had to girl up the boy onsie! 

 I am really hoping he likes it! 

NA Na Na Na Na BATBABY!!!! 

There will be more baby craftiness to come I can assure you! However, that is all I have for now! Thanks for stopping by :)

"Let It Go"

NOTE: I have decided to use this blog as a way for me to journal my running experiences and more so my thoughts after each "training" session and race. I know a ton of people don't read my blog but for those who do, I want to be open and honest about the struggles and joys running can bring on a daily basis. WARNING: Long Post Ahead

Today began my official day of training for the races I hope to be able to participate in for the year 2014. Some of my fellow runner friends decided to do 14 races in the year 2014. At first I was hesitant but now I am completely on board! I very excited to be able to run again without any severe pain in my legs during my run or severe pains after my run. I think my body really just needed a rest from the strain that I had been putting it through over the past year.

Today I ran 3.05 miles to prepare myself for the race that is coming on Saturday which is a 5k (3.1 miles). In preparation for my run today I decided to make a running playlist to help keep me motivated. On a later post I will share that playlist with you for any of those who are looking for some new music to listen to during your runs. One of the songs on my current running playing list oddly enough is from the movie Frozen. (Side note: If you haven't seen the movie it really is a must see. It's been a long time since I have been impressed with a Disney movie and this one impressed me).  It is entitled "Let It Go" and is sung by the oh so talented Idnia Menzel. While I was running, certain lyrics struck a chord with me and I would like to share those lyrics and thoughts with all of you. For those who know the song I am referring to, the lyrics, "The cold never bothered me anyway" are clearly NOT the lyrics that struck a chord with me. HAHA! Anybody who has been around me for more than 30 minutes knows I am forever and always cold regardless of the temperature inside or outside the house. However, I digress..

(Necessary back story/information)
I suffer with a little problem called anxiety. I have no health insurance and no way to get on anxiety medication. Not to mention I would really like to control my anxiety through other means. Not that I am knocking anyone who is currently on anxiety medication because I know several people who have been immensely helped with the use of anxiety medication.  I am simply relaying my thoughts for me as an individual person. One way I deal with my anxiety is through running. You can imagine how disappointed I was when I decided I needed to take a break from running and how my anxiety levels fluctuated a great deal during that time period.  Over the past month or so I have been suffering with a lot of anxiety. On occasion I can pinpoint the cause of my anxiety in which case I generally deal with the situation at hand. However, sometimes the situation that is causing my anxiety I don't necessarily have control over. That has been the case over the last month. Not to mention I am both elated and terrified that this is my last semester of my college career and in 123 days I will have to make very grown up decisions and try to figure out where my life is headed yet again. Life is stressful but honestly life is also so very wonderful even with anxiety :)

Ok so now that I have told the world that I have anxiety let me get back on track with today's "training" session. Due to the stress/anxiety I have been feeling lately, I went to the gym (it was raining) and ran the track upstairs as fast and as hard as I could. Running literally relieves all the tension that is built up inside my chest due to my anxiety. During one of my fast sprints "Let It Go" came on and as I said previously, a few of the lyrics just spoke to me. These are those lyrics and why they spoke to me:



A kingdom of isolation and it looks like I'm the queen.
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside.
Couldn't keep it in, Heaven knows I tried.
Don't let them in, don't let them see.
Be the good girl you always had to be.
Conceal don't feel, don't let them know.
Well, now they know!

( I used to pretend I didn't have anxiety and I would just bottle it up inside and be miserable. I also thought for the longest time that I was one of the only people who had an issue with anxiety. So that made me feel isolated and clearly I'm amazing which makes me a Queen right? ;)  I have now learned that it's ok to have anxiety and that a lot more people have it than are willing to let on. Not to mention I just told the world, aka the 3 people that read this blog, about my anxiety) 


It's funny how some distance,
makes everything seem small.
And the fears that once controlled me, can't get to me at all
It's time to see what I can do,
to test the limits and break through.
No right, no wrong, no rules for me. I'm free!

(This is how I feel when I run. My anxiety goes away completely and stays away for a while after each run. During my run the limits are endless and I feel like I can do anything even if I am barely running. Some people refer to this as a "runner's high" In that brief moment of time when I am running all is right in the world and I am free!! )

Let it go, let it go.
And I'll rise like the break of dawn.
Let it go, let it go
That perfect girl is gone
Here I stand, in the light of day.

(Running is the one place where I can let my anxiety go and it gives me the energy and desire to keep running until it is all gone. When I run I feel like I don't have to pretend to be able to keep everything all bottled up inside. Running is my outlet for my stress/anxiety)

Those are some of the lyrics and the song in and of itself is amazing not to mention the movie. What is more amazing is the fact that I lead an incredibly blessed life. I have made some mistakes, I have dealt with repercussions from others' mistakes and yet through it all I have been blessed! I consider running one of those many blessings I have been given by my Heavenly Father. He knows me and He knows that I need a way to deal with my anxiety levels. He has not only given me amazing family and friends but He has also given me the ability to be able to run and to run well (once I am back in shape again.) I didn't really understand how running was truly a blessing until I could no longer do it. Perhaps that was a lesson I needed to learn. I needed to be humbled and realize that running may not always be there so I need to enjoy it while I have it and not to be so hard on myself when runs don't go as I would have liked them to.

That is exactly what happened today when I ran. Here are my stats from my "training session" today. It shows a treadmill but I ran on the indoor track not the treadmill. You will notice that it took me 45 minutes to run 3.05 miles at an average pace of almost 15 minutes per mile. 

This is NOT the norm for me. It was actually very discouraging to me because I have a race coming up. However, my good friend/running partner K.J reminded me of a motivational picture I sent her just last night because she experienced a similar run on Saturday. I highly recommend sharing your stats with fellow runners, who aren't competitive, because they generally have had similar stats and feelings and will usually have some words of encouragement for you. I am very grateful to my friend K.J and R.C for their constant encouragement. Especially when I decided to begin running again. Here is the quote that was shared amongst fellow runners:

 Life is great even when it's bad! 

For those who are seasoned runners or runners who are just beginning my wish for all of you is to remember: "EVERY RUN IS A BLESSING" 

After my run :)