Race recap

Yesterday, my cousin and I ran the Revlon Run/Walk 5k. Last year we walked the race, this year we decided to try to run it. My cousin has been training for weeks (go girl!) and I've been trying to keep up with regular runs. We took the metro down bright and early (it dropped us off right across the street from the event - so convenient!) and walked around the expo. I have to say, the free swag was not quite as good as last year, but oh well, we still got some good stuff. We walked around the expo for a while, then lined up for the race. A lot of celebs were on hand to host the event (Matthew Morrison, AC Slater (Mario Lopez), Stacy Keibler, Halle Berry and Matt Bomer). The runners were supposed to start at 8:45 and the walkers were supposed to start at 9:00. There was no attempt to distance the 2 groups, and they just let everybody start at around 9:00. It took a few minutes to even get to the starting line, and even after that we had to dodge people for a while in order to be able to run. Trying to avoid walkers and stick together proved too difficult for us, so we split up and just went at our own pace. I felt good for most of this race - I kept a nice, easy pace and didn't feel too tired. I hit "the wall" when I saw the 3 mile marker - the last part felt so hard! But I finished and got my medal (from the cute volunteer firemen at the event). I used Map My Run to keep track of my time - it says that the route was actually 3.67 miles, which I ran in 40:23. Then my cousin and I sat and drank some water and had a snack before heading home. I think this is a super event, just not sure if I would run it again (maybe go back to walking it). It felt a little crowded to be dodging people all the time. But good for a fun run, rather than a seriously competitive one. I find that I like running in races - there's something so motivating about being in a huge group, all heading towards one goal. Which one next? 

Half Dome

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Hiking Half Dome has been on my "to-do" list for a couple of years now. My dad mentioned a while ago that he would like to hike it before he dies. After doing a little bit of research on it, I decided I wanted to too. Last year, we procrastinated and never got permits for it. This year I was determined to make this happen. I wanted to challenge myself! A few family members all said they wanted to hike it too. I nagged my dad every week or so to apply for permits. Finally in mid-March, we sat down and planned our trip. By that time, hotels in Yosemite were fully booked until late September. Whoops. September it is. So we made reservations and picked a weekend to apply for permits. Permits are given out on a lottery basis, with only 400 allotted each day. I was a little nervous that we wouldn't be approved, but a few weeks ago we got news that we were good to go! At nearly 9,000 feet, this 14-16 mile hike is gonna be brutal. Gotta work on that training! 

Harder, better, faster, stronger

This weekend I ran in my first 5k! It was one of my goals this year to complete one, so now I can check that off my list. I was a little nervous about running, especially because I felt like I hadn't been super strict with my training. I had bumped up the amount I running I was doing each week, but had never actually ran 3.1 miles straight (I know). I was ready to accept the fact that I would just have to walk part of it. As I went up the huge hill to the starting line, I started to get more pumped up. Before I knew it, I was crossing the starting line. I turned up my special race playlist and just started to go...and didn't stop! Other than a quick water stop, I ran the whole thing. Which I'm pretty darn proud of. And I reached my goal time of 35:00 (came in at 34:21!). There is something about being in a huge crowd of people that really gets you moving! And the people cheering on the side didn't hurt - the best race sign: "run now, tequila later." I really liked doing this race - and I'm excited to do the Revlon run/walk in May! 

Working on my fitness

I've been finding myself in a gym rut lately. I know I should be training for that 5k (in March) but I just ain't feeling it. So I thought I'd tell you a little bit more about my gym-ventures. 

My whole life, I was never the athletic kid. I read books, and drew pictures, and put on spice girl skits...but sports? Not so much. I did the bare minimum in PE class and that was it. When I got to college, people around me were so...active. The gym was always full, people played sports for fun. It was so not me. I walked to class, but that was about it. Once I moved off campus (and started driving to class), all that pizza and beer pong caught up with me. I graduated with the freshman 15 (plus a little extra) - I was no longer comfortable in my own skin. My parents could see I was unhappy, and offered to pay for a gym membership. I initially refused - the closest I came to breaking a sweat was going to get the mail. And that was the problem. Something had to change. I agreed to go. Luckily, I had a friend who belonged to that same gym. She helped make me feel more comfortable going to the gym - I was intimidated! And knowing I had a date set up with someone held me accountable. Soon, I started seeing results and going became a habit. It's been 2 1/2 years since I first started going to the gym, and I can't imagine quitting. I feel so much happier, calmer and self-confident. If I skip exercising for a few days, I can really feel the difference, mentally and physically. Now I'm no expert, but here are a few things that have helped me get healthy and stick with it:

1. Create a gym schedule. I used to just wing it and go whenever I felt like it. Turns out, I feel like sitting down more often that I feel like going to the gym. Now I have a schedule, and I stick to it. It's so much easier this way.

2. Pack my lunch the night before. I used to always pack my lunch in the morning, and I barely had enough time to throw together a sandwich before I ran out the door. Now, I pack the night before and make much healthier choices. I usually pack a salad, fruit, yogurt, veggies, and a treat. I still seem to be racing against the clock every morning though...

3. Don't weigh myself. I know that people have differing opinions on this - some people say that regular weigh-ins help keep them on track. For me, hopping on the scale would keep me too focused on that number, rather than how I feel. 

So even though I get in a rut every now and then, I'm still on a pretty good path and I'm proud of myself :)