St.Jude Memphis Marathon Race Recap

This was my second year running the full marathon at St.Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend. I dedicate this run each year to my brother Raymond, who lost his battle to two types of cancer both diagnosed in the last year of his life. Thanks to everyone who contributed to my fundraising efforts, I exceeded my goal raising $1,165 for St.Jude Children's Research Hospital.



Here's the recap of my weekend. It's a little lengthy, but 26.2 miles is a lot to recall.

Friday, December 4th

We arrived in Memphis around 2:30 on Friday afternoon. Our room wasn't ready for check in yet, so we walked around downtown Memphis. We wanted to wait to go to the expo because we had tickets to the pasta party which didn't start until 6:00. Our room was finally ready around 4:00. We settled into our room. Then, we walked a few short blocks to the Cook Convention Center for packet pick-up, the expo, and the pasta party.


We stayed at the Peabody, home of the famous ducks

The decorations were beautiful



They make this Gingerbread Village each year.



This is what goes into the Gingerbread Village. Quite impressive!

The Expo & St.Jude Hero Pasta Party

 I saw my friend Minerva as soon as we arrived for packet pick up. She was running her first full marathon. We were able to do a few training runs together back home.

I thought this pic looked cool with the people blurred in the background.

Then, I realized it looks like I have Mickey Mouse ears.

They had a separate packet pick up area this year for VIP Runners who committed to fundraising. Packet pick up was pretty simple and quick. They gave us our Pasta Party tickets and VIP Hospitality bands all at once, so we didn't have to get in a separate line like in year's past.

After packet pick up, we made our way into a larger room where we got our race shirts. Then, we entered my favorite part, the St.Jude Gift Shop. I spent most of my birthday money on a t-shirt, picture frame, poster, and two St.Jude Sweaty Bands.

The gift shop opened up to the main expo where there were several booths from sponsors and different vendors. It's so hard to look in the crowd, but I did manage to get Michael a t-shirt and I purchased another Sweaty Band.



 Mom and I found our name on the Ford Explorer. The SUV had the names of all the VIP St.Jude Heroes.

We signed this Ford Van. I didn't notice the ABC Wall of Cancer this year.

I signed, "I Run 4 Raymond."

Dad signed,  "Love ya Raymond."

 Mom signed, "Run 4 Raymond. Be Happy."

After we browsed around the expo, we got in line for the St.Jude Hero pasta party. The pasta party was reserved to St.Jude Heroes who raised $500 or more. They let us in a little early. We entered to cheerleaders cheering, "Go Heroes!" "Thank you, Heroes." They had all varieties of pasta with alfredo or marinara sauce, chicken, vegetables, salad, bread, and cookies. The CEO of St.Jude along with patients and families usually speak at the pasta party, but we didn't stick around the whole time. There were people still coming in after we finished eating.



We walked a few blocks back to the Peabody. We laid out our things for race day, showered, and went straight to bed. We were in bed before 9:00, but I didn't sleep much at all. I think I was more nervous about the race this year than I was for my first full last year.

Saturday, December 5th

Race Day

I got up at 4:30. I hoped to sleep until 5:30 or 6:00, but I was too restless. At 6:00 I ate my Belvita Biscuits with a banana and some water. Then, I got dressed. I put Vaseline everywhere, paying extra attention to my feet. I've gotten a lot of blisters lately despite trying new shoes and socks. I ran my 20 miler blister free, then I got major blisters on a half marathon with the same socks and shoes. I was so worried about blisters during this race.

Mom and I went down to the lobby around 7:15. The start line was right outside the Peabody Hotel this year. The lobby was crammed packed with runners. We managed to find a bathroom that wasn't packed around the corner near the parking deck. I made several trips to the bathroom. I'm always nervous I will have to go on course. We hung out near the bathroom until 7:45 before making our way to the corrals. The race started at 8:00, but we knew we wouldn't start until 8:15 or after.  I munched on some pretzels while I was in the corral to get some more fuel in before taking off.

Starting corrals outside the Peabody

Memphis Music Hall of Fame near the start line

BB King's Blues Club near the start line

Mom and I at the start line

My mom planned to start in one of the last corrals and take it easy this race. She suffered an injury earlier this fall and missed a lot of training. St.Jude means so much to the both of us that she couldn't bare to sit this race out. She took her phone with her and snapped a lot of great pictures on the course.

I had three goals for this race. I always try to set multiple goals, so I never walk away disappointed. Goal #1: Run a 4:40 marathon  (I knew 4:40 would be a challenge, but I hit that pace in several of my training runs. I was hopeful I could reach this goal) Goal #2: Run a 4:45 marathon. (Deep down I wanted better than a 4:45, but I felt like 4:45 was attainable) Goal #3: Run this marathon faster than last year. (I was confident I could achieve this goal)

I positioned myself in Corral #9 right behind the 4:40 marathon pacers. I hoped to stick with them the majority of the race. Maybe I would even feel good enough to break free from the pacers in the final miles beating my 4:40 time goal. After all, I managed to break free from the 4:55 pacers in the final 10K last year crushing my sub 5:00 goal.

While I was in the corral, I heard someone holler my name. It was Debi from Girls Run the 901! I met her at last year's race. She lined up next to me in the corral and we chatted while we waited to start. Marathonfoto snapped a nice pic of the two of us!

Debi and I at the start line

I also got to meet Tricia from MissSippiPiddlin. I joined Tricia's Weekly Wrap blog link up while training for this race and I've kept up with her through Facebook and Instagram. I felt like I already knew her even though we've never met. I couldn't believe she was able to find me in the crowd, but I was so glad that she did.

Quick selfie w/ Tricia before she went to her corral

The corrals released about every two minutes. Corral #9 crossed the start line at 8:17. My mom snapped these pictures of my corral taking off.



Even with the corral start, it was still crowded in the first miles of the race. The course completely changed since last year. Last year, we ran our first miles on Riverside Drive before turning and going up a big hill towards Beale Street. This year, we hit Beale Street just past the first mile mark. The crowd on Beale was overwhelming with lots of music and cheers.

My mom captured some great pics on Beale Street

 I love all the signs

 Band playing on Beale Street

 Coyote Ugly Sign on Beale Street

When we turned off Beale Street, I was finally able to catch up to the 4:40 pacers that I lost in the crowd. I saw the group of young adults with Down Syndrome on the corner cheering for us. It was so crowded that I was only able to wave. I didn't get the high fives that I remembered from last year.

Mile 3 ran along Riverside Drive with views of the Mississippi River to the left and beautiful houses on the right. This was probably the most scenic part of the entire course. I was settling in with the 4:40 pacers. We started to make conversation and I felt comfortable with their pace. I enjoyed the company and thought how nice it would be if I could stick with them the entire race.

We turned back onto Beale Street around Mile 4, but instead of climbing up the big hill from last year we turned left onto Front Street. We ran a mile along Front Street, catching a good glimpse of the Pyramid home of the Bass Pro Shop. Surprisingly, I didn't lose GPS signal on my Garmin when we went through the tunnel. I took in a Honey Stinger waffle around 4.5 miles. I knew the campus was coming up, and I wanted to take in fuel before then.



Mile 5 went through the campus of St.Jude, my favorite part of the entire race. Words cannot describe the emotion I experienced with cheers and high fives from families and patients of St.Jude. This is the best crowd support of the day with signs, shakers, and cow bells. Everyone cheering, "Go Heroes!" It's truly uplifting. Last year, the marathoners went through the campus twice at Mile 5 and again at Mile 24. After reviewing the new course, I knew we wouldn't be returning for a second trip through the campus this year. I tried my best to take it all in.

I was continuing to stay on pace with the 4:40 pacers. At the 10K mark, one pacer announced, "6 down 20 to go." We all sighed. Then he said, "On second thought let's not talk about how far we have to go."

The water stops were so crowded that I missed the Powerade at several stops and just grabbed water at the end of the line. Every time I went through an aid station I lost track of the pacers and I had to speed up to catch them. I was getting tired of catching them only to lose them at the next stop, but I wanted to hold onto to them for as long as I could.

We completely bypassed the Memphis Zoo and the Museum of Art this year, which was a little disappointing. The roads seemed more crowded. The lanes were coned off to keep runners in the right hand lane and traffic was moving in the left lane. I don't remember as much traffic last year. I saw one runner step outside of the cone to pass another runner and the truck in the left hand lane had to come to a screeching halt.

I ate another Honey Stinger waffle around Mile 10. The female pacer was fueling every five miles as well, so it was nice to not feel rushed. At the halfway point, the half marathoners turned left and the full marathoners turned right. I was glad to see the crowd thinning. I saw Debi at the halfway point. She seemed to be going strong. She took off ahead of the 4:40 pacers and I never saw her again.

Honestly, much of the second half of this race is a blur. I remember running through Rhodes College and around Overton Park in Miles 14 and 15. There was nice crowd support in these areas. I ate a third Honey Stinger when we exited the college campus. The next several miles were through residential areas. There were quite a few spectators in their front yards cheering for us. By this point the pacers were pulling farther and farther ahead of me. I tried so hard to keep them in my sight, but by Mile 19 I knew it was time to let go.

I was disappointed that I was no longer on pace for my 4:40 goal, but I tried to shift my focus to a 4:45 finish or better. I ate pretzels at Mile 20 for some salt intake. This worked well for me in the final miles last year. I continued to alternate water and Powerade at the water stations. I walked a lot in the final 10K of the race.

I do believe I came face to face with  "The Wall" at Mile 20, but not because of inadequate fueling. I think it was more of a mental block. I knew my #1 goal of 4:40 wasn't happening and the more I walked my #2 goal of 4:45 was slipping away. I couldn't bring myself to run more than a few yards at a time. I started to calculate how slow I could run/walk the last miles and still beat my time from last year if only by a minute or two.

The marathon course seemed much tougher this year. There were no big highlights in the final miles like last year with a second trip through the campus and back through the crowds on Beale Street. Instead, we ran through the outskirts of downtown over and under several overpasses. The final three miles were an odd down and back loop. It felt never ending and I wondered when I would finally get to where the runners were on the other side.

When I rounded the corner towards Autozone Park my Garmin read 4:44. I knew if I could push my pace through the final yards I could finish in 4:45 and some seconds. I ran faster than I had the entire race.



My Garmin read 4:45 and some seconds when I made the final turn into AutoZone Park. I ran as fast as I could to beat the clock before it turned to 4:46. I did it! I finished in 4:45:44, an 8 minute PR!

I saw my friend Minerva at the finish line. She had an awesome time for her first full. I congratulated her on a great race. We snapped a quick picture and then she went on to find her husband and daughter. I was glad that she could run St.Jude this year.

I went upstairs to meet my mom. Her hips bothered her, but she managed to finish the half marathon. I was just happy that she was able to get through the race. I knew it meant a lot to her.



I rang the PR bell. I came, I ran, I PR'd.

We took a few pictures. Then we went to the second floor of Autozone to the St.Jude Hospitality Lounge reserved for Heroes who fundraised $1,000 or more. They had sandwiches, nachos, and other food and drinks. We fixed a plate to take back to the room. 

Overall, I'm pleased with an 8 minute PR. I still feel like I'm capable of running a 4:40 marathon or better one day. I can't help but feel like I left some on the course with my strong kick to the finish. I'm already thinking about my next marathon. I know I need to give my body time to recover, so I'll probably choose one next fall on a flat, fast course.

MealEnders Blog Review and Giveaway

Disclaimer: As a Sweat Pink Ambassador, I was given the opportunity to try MealEnders in exchange for a blog review. The opinions in this review are my own.

Can't resist a second helping at dinner? Craving that candy bar in the vending machine? Hate the feeling you get from overeating? If this sounds familiar, MealEnders may be right for you.

What are MealEnders?

MealEnders Signaling Lozenges help to conquer overeating and master portion control without the use of added stimulants. MealEnders uses a combination of behavioral psychology and sensory science along with the body's natural hunger and fullness signaling process to bridge Overeating Danger Zones and clear the desire to overeat from the mouth and mind.

MealEnders have two components: a sweet outer layer and a cooling/tingling center. The outer layer provides a dose of "dessert" typically associated with the end of a meal. The center engages the trigeminal nerve that reacts to tastes with a sensory component, such as cooling and tingling, to clear the palate, cue the end of eating, and train the mind to recognize when it's time to stop.

Each Signaling Lozenge is 15 calories, 2 grams of sugar, and 0 fat.

They come in four delicious flavors: Chocolate Mint, Mocha, Cinnamon, and Citrus.

Chocolate Mint and Mocha are my favorites, but the Cinnamon and Citrus are tasty too. The Cinnamon outer layer is like a cinnamon roll and the citrus outer layer tastes like lime sherbet.

When to use MealEnders?

I had a month to sample MealEnders before writing this review. I typically used MealEnders when I stayed late after school and craved a snack from the vending machine or after dinner when I craved dessert.

You might use MealEnders:

At the end of a meal to replace dessert

When you feel the urge to finish a large plate of food

When you crave a second helping

When you want to snack on junk food

How to use MealEnders?

Step 1: Identify your moment of temptation. For me this was a trip to the vending machine or dessert after dinner. Once you've identified your temptation, enjoy a MealEnder.

Step 2: Savor your MealEnder. Allow it to dissolve completely. Do not bite or chew.

Step 3: Feel MealEnder's active taste sensations instantly clear cravings from your mouth and mind. The lozenge's palate clearing effects can last up to 20 minutes to bridge the Overeating Zones.

Do MealEnders work?

I'm not going to lie, I was a little skeptical when I first heard of MealEnders. How can a lozenge curb your cravings and prevent overeating? Is it safe? What are the ingredients?

After sampling MealEnders I've learned that they are 100% safe. They contain no drugs, stimulants,  herbs, artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, or MSG.

The psychology and sensory science behind MealEnders actually works. I was able to resist a few trips to the vending machine or dessert after supper by enjoying a lozenge. The tingling sensation from the center lasts long after the lozenge has dissolved, which helped shut down my cravings.

Would you like to try MealEnders?

Great news! I am giving away 4 (25 piece packs) of MealEnders. That's one in each flavor: Cinnamon, Citrus, Chocolate Mint, and Mocha. That's a $50 value! Enter to win your MealEnders today! Some restrictions apply:

U.S. only

One prize per person. If you win this giveaway, and have already won another prize from MealEnders through another blog, please disclose that you have already won so we can choose another winner.

Giveaway ends December 15th

Would you like to save money on MealEnders?

Use discount code FitHolidays20 to save 20% at MealEnders.com.

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Weekly Wrap-Week 18 Marathon Training

November 30-December 6, 2015

I am joining the Weekly Wrap hosted by  Holly from HoHo Runs and Tricia from MissSippiPiddlin. The Weekly Wrap is a blog link up where bloggers share their active lifestyle and other exciting things weekly. To find out more, click on the image below. Feel free to join in on the fun.

I've used Hal Higdon's Novice 2 Marathon training plan for my second marathon at St.Jude Memphis Marathon. I've recapped my training here in the Weekly Wrap. Race week has finally arrived! Here's how it went.

Monday, November 30th

 

Monday was a scheduled rest day for running. It was nice to get back in a routine at school after having the week off for Thanksgiving. It was a busy day and I was exhausted when I got home.

 

Tuesday, December 1st

 

I had a few short, easy runs on my plan for this week. I ran two miles easy on Tuesday morning.

 

 

Wednesday, December 2nd

 

I don't know about you, but I obsess over the weather before a big race. I stalked Memphis weather as early as two weeks out. I checked it several times a day. I was so preoccupied with Memphis weather that I didn't realize it was supposed to rain Tuesday night and most of the day Wednesday. I had a wet two mile run on Wednesday morning. 

 

Thursday, December 3rd

I ran another two miles at an easy pace on Thursday morning. I stayed late after school to finish planning for my sub on Friday. Later that evening, I packed my things for Memphis.

 

Friday, December 4th

 

Mom and Dad picked me up at 8:30 to head to Memphis. Michael stayed home this trip, but I knew he would track me on race day. We made two quick stops on the way and arrived in Memphis at 2:30. Our room wasn't ready for check in, so we walked around downtown. We didn't want to go to the packet pick-up until later because we had tickets for the pasta party at 6:00. We were finally able to check in after 4:00. Then, we walked a few blocks to the Cook Convention Center for packet pick up, the expo, and the pasta party. More details and pictures to come in my full recap later this week.

 

 

Saturday, December 5th

 

Mom and I had a great time at the race. Mom ran the half and took it easy since she missed a lot of valuable training time due to injury. She took a lot of good pictures on the course for me to share in my race recap. I didn't meet my 4:40 time goal that I was hoping for, but I did manage an 8 minute PR since my first full at St.Jude a year ago. The course seemed tougher on the back route and my pace slowed significantly in the final 10K. Look for more race details and pictures to come in the week ahead.

 

 

 

Mom and I got a couple of post race photos. Then, we went to the VIP Heroes Lounge to grab a plate of food to take back with us to the room. We went back to the room, ate our food, and showered just in time to catch kick-off for the SEC Championship game. Bama is headed to the playoffs again this year. ROLL TIDE! After the game, we went to the Flying Fish for supper.

 

Sunday, December 6th

 

We got up incredibly early and hit the road by 6:00. We stopped in Olive Branch to eat breakfast at Cracker Barrel. We made two more stops, one for gas, and one for lunch at Milo's less than an hour from home. We got home around 12:30. I got unpacked. Then, I took Allie for a short walk. I thought that might help loosen up my legs some after riding in the car all morning. After our walk, I napped for almost two hours. I got all the laundry caught up later this evening.

 

Are you completely exhausted after a big race? What do you do to recover in the days following a big race?

 

 

Stay tuned this week for my first product review and giveaway. As a Sweat Pink Ambassador I had the opportunity to sample MealEnders signaling lozenges in exchange for a blog review and giveaway. These lozenges are a revolutionary way to beat overeating and master portion control.

 







 

What site do you use to host your giveaways? I've noticed several people use Rafflecoptor. Is it simple and easy to use for a newbie like me?

 



Weekly Wrap-Week 17 Marathon Training

November 23-29, 2015

I am joining the Weekly Wrap hosted by  Holly from HoHo Runs and Tricia from MissSippiPiddlin. The Weekly Wrap is a blog link up where bloggers share their active lifestyle and other exciting things weekly. To find out more, click on the image below. Feel free to join in on the fun.

 

I am currently training for my second marathon at St. Jude Memphis this December. I just completed Week 17 of Hal Higdon's Novice 2 Marathon Training Plan. I will recap my training and other highlights from my week here in the Weekly Wrap

 

Monday, November 23rd

 

Monday was a scheduled rest day for running. I slept in until around 8:30 since we were out of school for the whole week of Thanksgiving. I worked on my blog posts recapping the Magic City Half Marathon and catching up on the Weekly Wrap link up. I got some exciting news that I was accepted into the 2016 Honey Stinger Hive Sponsorship Program. I started using Honey Stinger waffles while training for my first half marathon two years ago. Since then, I've relied on Honey Stinger's all natural products to fuel my long runs. I'm so excited to be part of this program and receive awesome discounts on products that I love!

 

 

Tuesday, November 24th

 

Tuesday was my 29th birthday. I really didn't do anything special to celebrate. I took an extra rest day from running because I was still a little sore from the half on Sunday. I slept late and woke up to some nice surprises from Michael. Not only did he outdo himself on the cake last Tuesday, he showered me with too many gifts. He gave me my favorite Bath & Body Works holiday scent Winter Candy Apple gift set, a book signed by Meb, and my first piece of jewelry from Tiffany & Co twist knot earrings.



 

To top it off, he brought home ice cream cupcakes from DQ. When I was younger, they had these in the freezer. You could just walk in and grab one, but now they have to be special ordered and they're only available at certain Dairy Queen locations. It was a real treat!

 

Wednesday, November 25th

 

I ran 3.1 miles as part of the Girls Run Fast Women's Virtual 5K/10K. I've never done a virtual run before, but as a Girls Run Fast Ambassador I thought this would be perfect for my first. I submitted my results and was informed that they had to order more shirts and medals. I was glad they had great participation in the event. I can't wait to get my goodies in the mail.

 

 

Thursday, November 26th

 

I did not participate in a Turkey Trot or Turkey Burner event, but I loved seeing everyone's photos on Facebook and Instagram. I did run 4 miles before going to my parents house for Thanksgiving lunch. Afterwards, I came home and walked Allie. Then, I took a long afternoon nap. I woke up and had leftovers for supper. I was stuffed!

 

 

Friday, November 27th

 

I got my final long run of 8 miles done. I had to test out my Heroes singlet. Nothing new on race day! I can't believe I'm coming to the end of my training cycle. Just a few short runs left before St. Jude Memphis Marathon.

 

 

We decorated for Christmas on Friday afternoon. Then, we went to my friend's house for potluck dinner and a bonfire later that evening.

 

Just one picture of our decorations. No, that's not a real fire. It was 80 degrees here on Friday!

 

Saturday, November 28th

 

Mom and I ran Ryan's Run 5K with Kylie from Ainsley's Angels. We were so excited for the opportunity to run with this organization which ensures that everyone can experience endurance events. We hope to do more runs with Ainsley's Angels in the future. To read more about our race, click here.

 

 

Later Saturday afternoon, we watched the Iron Bowl. The game was nerve wrecking at times, but Bama put the game away in the final quarter. I was so glad Derrick Henry got that final touchdown to beat the school record for most touchdowns in regular season play. Our kicker, Adam Griffith also had a great game putting 17 points on the board. ROLL TIDE! SEC Championship bound!

 

Sunday, November 29th

 

I woke up with a terrible headache. It feels like sinus pressure, so I've been drinking my apple cider vinegar. I'm praying it's not the onset of a sinus infection. Ain't nobody got time for that! I've got a marathon to run in less than a week.

 

Michael and I met my parents and grandfather for lunch. Then, we went by the school to decorate for Christmas. I want it to be nice when the kids return tomorrow. I took a long afternoon nap, which helped some with the headache. Later, I cleaned house and got the laundry caught up.

 

I'm so excited (and a little nervous) that race week has finally arrived. It's going to be a busy week at school, especially since I will have a sub on Friday to travel to the race. I'm riding with my parents to Memphis. Michael is staying at home for this one. He was there for my first marathon and I know he'll be tracking me from home. I've got a few 2-3 mile easy runs on the schedule for this week, which means I won't have to get up as early before school. The weather is looking nice for Saturday (I've been checking it obsessively). It might be a little on the warm side this year, but I won't complain as long as it's not raining and there's no ice storm (hence 2013 cancellation).

 

How do you deal with prerace jitters? Any last minute tips for the race?

 

 

 

 















Ryan's Run 5K

November 28, 2015

Ryan's Run is held each year on Iron Bowl Weekend in memory of Ryan Colburn, who was an avid sports fan and loved the Iron Bowl Rivalry between Alabama and Auburn. Proceeds from this run benefit the Frazer Youth Worship Arts Program and the Ryan Colburn Youth Scholarship, which supports youth with disabilities to attend the National Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs Conference. This run attracts over 100 participants. Participants are encouraged to wear their favorite team colors.

This year Ryan's Run partnered with Ainsley's Angels, an organization that ensures everyone can experience endurance events. In addition this organization aims to build awareness about America's special needs community through inclusion and activism throughout local communities.

Mom and I learned about Ainsley's Angels at a 5K we ran in Tuscaloosa last August. When we heard Ryan's Run was partnering with the organization we knew we wanted to participate. We were so excited to be partnered with our assisted athlete, Kylie. Kylie has run in several events through Ainsley's Angels. She loves to run!

We had some time beforehand to visit with Kylie and her family. Kylie's mother is an ambassador for Ainsley's Angels and she helped organize everything for this race. Kylie's dad and grandmother were also at the race. Kylie had a busy weekend. Her family just returned from a Disney trip on Friday night in time for the race on Saturday. We took some prerace photos before lining up at the start line.

Pre race photo with Kylie

 

The Ainsley's Angels team of runners and assisted athletes

 

The race started promptly at 8:00. This was mine and mom's first time pushing a stroller. We were overly cautious, especially maneuvering through the crowd and around turns. We took turns pushing and we both had to push up one big hill.

 





Mom, Kylie, and I at the start of the race

We had so much fun running with Kylie. We looked at the houses decorated for Christmas. Kylie really liked one house with an angel out front. She kept saying, "Big house". We later realized that she refers to her grandmother as her "Big" and her grandmother has an angel at her house.

 

 

This was a down and back course. We cheered for the other Ainsley's Angel runners and assisted athletes on the course. Kylie was especially excited when she saw them. She sat up to get a better view of them coming by.

 

 

At one point Mom asked me, "Want me, want me?" She was asking if I needed her to take over with pushing, but it sounded like the beginning to the Whip Nae Nae song. So I started singing to Kylie, "Watch me, watch me. Let me see you whip, let me see you nae nae." She laughed. I asked her if she liked to dance and she smiled and shook her head yes. Then, I remembered she had a twin sister. I told her that I have twin boys in my class who love to dance to that song. She laughed again.

 

 

In the final mile, we underestimated how close we were to the finish. We kept telling Kylie, "This is our last big hill." "This is our last turn." Her mom told us that she would probably throw her blanket off at the finish. We noticed she gripped her blanket with all our talk of the finish line. When we made our final turn, I told Kylie we would run to the finish. I thought it was a straight shot, but I forgot one last maneuver. I stopped to walk through the final turn and Kylie sighed. She was ready to fly through the finish.

 

Kylie knows how to embrace the crowds and cheers of the finish line. She sat up in her chair and threw her arms out wide with the biggest smile on her face. Seeing Kylie's excitement made my mom and I even happier that we could take part in this race with her.

 

 

 

 

 

After the race, Kylie and other assisted athlete were recognized and presented their medals. Kylie was so excited to receive her medal. It had a football that moved to go with the Iron Bowl football theme of the race. She liked playing with the football. She couldn't wait to show her mom, dad, and her Big. She spotted them in the crowd and pointed to them. We knew it was time to say our goodbyes. Mom and I had so much fun meeting Kylie and running this race with her. We hope we can do more races with Ainsley's Angels in the future.

 

 

Have you ever heard of the Ainsley's Angels organization or participated in a race with them? Doesn't Kylie have the prettiest finish line photo you've ever seen?

 

 



Weekly Wrap-Week 16 Marathon Training

November 16-22, 2015

***Sorry the formatting is so crazy on this post. Some of it is centered and some of it is not. I've spent all afternoon trying to correct this, but Blogger has a mind of its own.

 

I am joining the Weekly Wrap hosted by  Holly from HoHo Runs and Tricia from MissSippiPiddlin. The Weekly Wrap is a blog link up where bloggers share their active lifestyle and other exciting things weekly. To find out more, click on the image below. Feel free to join in on the fun.

 

 

I am currently training for my second marathon at St. Jude Memphis this December. I just completed Week 16 of Hal Higdon's Novice 2 Marathon Training Plan. I will recap my training and other highlights from my week here in the Weekly Wrap.

 

Monday, November 16th

 

Monday was a scheduled rest day for running. I enjoyed the extra hour of sleep. My legs were still tired and sore from my 20 miler on Saturday.

 

My St.Jude Heroes singlet arrived in the mail. I also received two more donations towards my fundraising. Thanks to everyone's generous donations, I exceeded my goal of $1,000 raising $1,120 for the children of St.Jude.

 

 

Tuesday, November 17th

 

I ran 4 miles at an easy pace to begin week 16 of marathon training. There was a beautiful sunrise.

                 

I had a nice surprise when I got home from school Tuesday evening. Michael has baked me a cake every year for my birthday since we've been married. I didn't expect him to bake me one this year because he wouldn't have an opportunity when we weren't both together. He told me he was working his off day because they really needed the extra help. He left the house for work as usual. Turns out he came straight home after I left for school and began baking my cake. My birthday is not until the 24th, but this was the only chance he had to make my cake. He made this triple layered chocolate ganache cake from scratch. It tasted as good as it looked!

 

 

Wednesday, November 18th

 

When you oversleep by 30 minutes and you're under a Wind Advisory with wind gusts up to 30 mph you adjust. I was supposed to run 5 miles at marathon goal pace on Wednesday morning, but I swapped it for Thursday's run of 4 miles easy. I was able to get this run in before the downpour later that morning.

 

 

Thursday, November 19th

 

I ran 5 miles at marathon goal pace. It cooled off a bit since the rain on Wednesday. It was foggy with a light drizzle.

 

 

Friday, November 20th

 

Friday was a scheduled rest day for running. We had a laid back day at school. All the students were eager to get out for Thanksgiving Break. I stayed late to do my lesson plans. I still need to go back sometime over the next week to get my Christmas stuff put out. I always like to surprise the students when we get back with the Christmas tree and the arrival of our class elf.

 

Saturday, November 21st

 

I had a 12 mile long run on my training plan for this weekend. My friend Paula convinced me to sign up for the Magic City Half Marathon in Birmingham, AL. It probably wasn't wise to sign up for a half this close to my full at St.Jude, but I planned to treat this as a training run and take it easy.

 

Michael and I arrived in Birmingham around 12:30 and got an early check in at our hotel. We grabbed a quick bite to eat and settled into our room. Michael was ticked because the hotel didn't have the SEC Network, so he couldn't watch the Bama game. He refused to go to a sports bar nearby to watch it. When Paula and her husband arrived, I walked with them to get my packet at Regions Field. There really wasn't much to the packet pick-up. We got in and out quickly. There were a few sponsors set up and clearance merchandise from the Trak Shak.

 

 

Michael and I ordered Pizza Hut to eat in the room while we watched other football games. I went to bed around 9:00, but I tossed and turned most of the night.

 

Sunday, November 22nd

 

I ran the Magic City Half Marathon. It was the coldest morning that we've had all fall with temps in the 30's, real feel in the 20's, due to the wind chill. I took it easy as planned. It was actually more fun running with no pressure for a PR or time goal. For the first time ever I brought my phone with me and tried to take pictures along the course. Click here for a full race recap and more pictures.