Weekly Wrap

May 23rd-29th, 2016

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 not training for anything. I will begin training for the Pensacola Marathon (my third marathon) in July. For now, I am trying to stay in a routine of running 4-5 days a week and doing a long run of 1+ hours on the weekends. I hope this will help me ease into my training in a little over a month.

 

 

Monday, May 23rd

 

I rode on my bike trainer for thirty minutes on Monday morning. My legs were heavy and tired from racing on Saturday and running long on Sunday, but they felt better after my ride.

 

 

Tuesday, May 24th

 

I ran four miles on Tuesday morning. It was actually on the cooler side with temps in the low 60's and low humidity. That weather didn't last long. It warmed up significantly later in the week.

 

 

 

Wednesday, May 25th

 

I ran four miles on Wednesday morning. I stopped to take pictures of some flowers on my run. I pass by them everyday and I had been meaning to take some pictures.

 

 

 

Wednesday was the last day of school for the students. The end of the school year is always bitter sweet. I'm happy for summer break, but I am going to miss my students. I get so attached to them.

 

After waving the buses farewell for the summer, the teachers went to a local theater downtown for our end of the year surprise party. It was a luau themed party with pasta, salad, breadsticks, and cake for dessert. Some of the teachers and administrators performed an end of the year skit for us and the Superintendent even stopped by for  a visit.

 

Later that evening I went out to eat with some co-workers to celebrate one of our paraprofessional's retirement. We went to a nice restaurant on the lake. As we were leaving, I couldn't help but take a picture of the sunset over the water.

 

 

Thursday, May 26th





 

Thursday was inservice day for teachers, so we didn't have to go in until 8:00. I slept a little later before heading out for my run. It's amazing the difference an hour makes in the temperature. I'm really going to have to be disciplined about getting up early this summer or I'm going to suffer through my training.

 

 

Teachers were dismissed at noon. I went home and packed. Then, Michael and I headed to Orange Beach, AL for the weekend.

 

Friday, May 27th

 

I took a rest day from running on Friday. Michael and I got up early, so we could secure a spot on the beach for Michael to fish. We were on the beach by 7:00 and we stayed for several hours before it got too crowded.

 

 

 

We went back to the condo around 11:00 to get cleaned up before grabbing a bite for lunch. We went to the Wharf for lunch and some shopping.

 

 

We tried a new restaurant at the Wharf called Montego's. I had the Grilled Shrimp Tacos with the Caribbean Mango sauce and Michael had the fish tacos. They were delicious! I would definitely recommend this place if you're ever in the area.

 

The Shrimp Tacos and Fried Green Tomatoes

 

I love the atmosphere here as well. We ate outside overlooking the marina.

 

We went back to the condo later that afternoon. Michael fished the pier while I took a nap. We had a late dinner at a place called Bill's by the Beach. This restaurant is down West Beach in Gulf Shores. The atmosphere here was also nice with more fine dining inside and a more casual feel outside with views of the gulf from across the street. I ordered the Grilled Mahi with rice and veggies and Michael got the Shrimp and Grits. Both of our meals were delicious!

 



My Grilled Mahi

 

I'd describe this place as a mix between fine and casual dining because they had more of an upscale menu, linen napkins, but plastic souvenir cups. I'm not complaining though. I love a souvenir cup!

 

 

This place has the best gelato. I would make a special trip just for dessert. I had the Banana Caramel and Michael has the Strawberry Cheesecake. I've never tasted gelato so rich and creamy!

 

Saturday, May 28th

 

I got up early on Saturday to run. I ran five miles along the Backcountry Trails. I'm familiar with these trails from several races that I've done in the area. I love the peacefulness on the trails away from the hustle and bustle of traffic. I wish we had more places like this at home to run.

 

 

Michael and I met my brother and sister in law along with some of their friends for a boat ride later Saturday morning. We anchored down on an island and hung out for most of the afternoon. I've never seen so many boats in my life. The pictures don't really do it justice.

 

My sister in law, Jodi

 

Sunday, May 29th

 

Michael went deep sea fishing with our brother in law and some of his friends for most of the day on Sunday. I wish I could handle deep sea fishing, but I just can't do it. I've tried twice and I've gotten sick as a dog both times. I've tried all the tricks Dramamine, Sea Bands, ginger ale, saltines, staring at the horizon, but none of these have worked. I'd rather stay on dry land and not chance it.

 

While Michael was fishing, I ran my long run of 9 miles. It was hot by the time I started at 7:20. I ran out of water just past the halfway point. I stopped off at a park at mile 7 for a short break. Luckily, I found a water fountain there and a beautiful pier.

 

 

After my long run, I hung out by the pool and caught up on three months worth of Runner's World magazines. I wish I could recover from all long runs this way.

 

 

It was 6:00 before Michael got back from fishing. We went to eat at Hog Wild, my favorite BBQ place in town. I love their pork sandwich with slaw on top. Michael likes the Wild Fries with pulled pork and slaw. If you like BBQ, you have to try this place next time you visit Gulf Shores.

 

 

Pork Sandwich with Slaw

Wild Fries with Pork and Slaw

 

While we were eating Michael and I discussed heading home early instead of waiting until Monday morning. We knew the traffic would be bad on Memorial Day. We packed up and cleaned the condo. Then we hit the road. We got home just after midnight, but it was worth it to have all day Monday at home.

 

Michael returns to work on Tuesday and I will begin teaching summer school this Wednesday. As much as I love a break, I would be bored to tears sitting at home all summer long. I will teach summer school through the month of June.

 

How was your Memorial Day weekend? Did you travel or enjoy your long weekend at home?



 

 



 

 



 

 

 

 

 





 

 

 

Weekly Wrap

May 16th-22nd, 2016

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 not training for anything. I will begin training for the Pensacola Marathon (my third marathon) in July. For now, I am trying to stay in a routine of running 4-5 days a week and doing a long run of 1+ hours on the weekends. I hope this will help me ease into my training in a little over a month.

 

 

Monday, May 16th

 

My husband surprised me with an indoor bike trainer a few weeks ago. I got my slightly used Trek bike from his co-worker a little over a year ago and I feel guilty that I haven't ridden it much. I'm not comfortable riding on the open road alone and doing the same loop around the neighborhood gets old. Most people bring their rides indoors during the winter months. I feel silly bringing my ride indoors as everyone is headed outside. At least I'll get more use out of my bike with the trainer. I plan to ride 30 minutes to an hour on cross training days.

 

I rode for 30 minutes on Monday. I used a wired bike computer purchased on Amazon to track my time and mileage. Then, I entered my stats into my Garmin Connect account.

 

 

Tuesday, May 17th

 

I ran five miles on Tuesday morning. It rained on me during the first mile, but luckily it was just a short, pop up shower. There was rain in the forecast all week. I hoped it wouldn't affect my runs.

 

 

Wednesday, May 18th

 

I ran four miles on Wednesday morning. There was a light drizzle at the end of my run, but the rain held off. Thank goodness!

 

 

My new Spandits! Inferno print Boardies came in the mail Wednesday afternoon. I was so happy to receive them in time for my race on Saturday. These 7' spandex shorts are super cute and comfy. If you're interested in trying them you can use code SPANDITSLOVE to save 10%.

 

 

Thursday, May 19th

 

I ran four miles on Thursday morning. I got caught in another pop up shower, but it helped cool things off.

 

 

Friday, May 20th

 

I took a rest day on Friday in preparation for my race on Saturday.

 

 

Saturday, May 21st

 

I ran the Jubilee Run for Cancer 8K on Saturday morning. This was my third year running this race in memory of my brother and both of my grandmothers who lost their battles to cancer and in honor of my mother and grandfather who are both cancer survivors.

 

It was a humid and hilly race through downtown Montgomery. My time was 43:43, only eight seconds from a new PR. If I had known I was so close I wouldn't have walked on that last hill. You can't PR them all. I was happy to place 1st in my age group. It was also nice to see Valerie (@icecreamrunner)  again. Although she's ran many races, this was her first 8K. She had an awesome race and placed 2nd in her age group.

 

I'll post a full race recap and more pictures soon.

 

 

I had another exciting mail day on Saturday. My Spandits! team uniform arrived! I really wasn't expecting it so soon. Doesn't it look great?

 



 

We didn't have time to go fishing Saturday afternoon. My husband's cousin is getting married in two weeks and we had to attend a Couple's Shower Saturday night. It was a beautiful place for a shower overlooking the river. Michael hates taking pictures, but I was able to talk him into taking just one with the river in the background. It's not that often that I get dressed up and put on make-up.

 

 

Sunday, May 22nd

 

I took my new Spandits! gear for a test run this morning. This long run was tough, but I felt comfortable and confident in my new Spandits! Boardies and tank.

 

 

I ate lunch and took an afternoon nap after my run. Then, I stuffed my students end of the year goodie bags with sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and sunglasses. I can't believe we only have three and a half days left before summer break. I will see most of my students again next year since I have them Kindergarten through 4th grade in the multi disabilities unit. I have two 4th graders leaving me this year to go to the middle school. It is going to be sad to let them go. I've gotten so attached. Needless to say this is going to be an exciting, but emotional week ahead.

 

How was your week?

 

Did you run any races?

 

When do your kids get out for summer break? Do you have big plans while they're out of school?





 

 



 

 



 





 

 



 

 



Weekly Wrap

May 9th-15th, 2016

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.

 

 

After a four month Weekly Wrap hiatus, I am more than ready to return to the fun connecting with other bloggers. March through May  is an incredibly busy time for a special education teacher. I didn't have the time to commit to visiting and leaving comments on other bloggers' posts in the weekly wrap. Now that we only have eight days of school left, I plan to catch up on my blogging and connecting with other bloggers. I sure have missed everyone.

 

A few things have happened since I've been gone:

 

1. I mooned up in Half Fanatics finishing 4 half's in 28 days. In case you missed it, I did manage to recap those races. (Sea Turtle Half Marathon, Tuscaloosa Half Marathon, Montgomery Half Marathon, and the Blue Angels Rock n' Fly Half Marathon)

 

2. I signed up for my third marathon, the Pensacola Marathon on November 13th. I will begin training the second week in July. I've used Hal Higdon's Novice Plan for my first two marathons. I may try his Intermediate plan for this marathon, but I'm still doing my research. I plan to recap my training here on the Weekly Wrap.

 

3. I ran another local half (Centerpoint Half) and a few local 5K's (CCAD Run for Autism, Run for a Mom, and Pancake Run for Missions) which I still need to recap. So stay tuned. I have one more race next weekend, the Jubilee Run for Cancer 8K. That will probably be my last race for a while. It's so hard to find races here in June and July.

 

Now that you're caught up on my past few months, here's the highlights from my week.

 

 

Monday, May 9th

 

I took a much needed rest day on Monday. My allergies started acting up over the weekend and I didn't feel well.

 

Tuesday, May 10th

 

I laid out my clothes for Tuesday morning, but my head was still stuffy when my alarm went off. I decided to take another rest day and enjoyed an extra hour of sleep.

 

I got some great news on Tuesday. I was selected as a 2016-2017 Spandits! Ambassador. Marcia (Marcia's Healthy Slice) convinced me to try the Boardies after seeing all her posts on Instagram. I love these shorts! The spandex is super comfy and they don't ride up or chafe. Plus, they have the cutest patterns. I can't wait to order more Boardies and I have my eye on the capris for this fall.

 

Use code SPANDITSLOVE to save 10% on your purchase.

 

Wednesday, May 11th

 

I felt a little better on Wednesday and I was able to get a four mile run done.

 

 

Thursday, May 12th

 

I ran five miles on Thursday morning. The humidity was terrible that morning.

 

 

Friday, May 13th

 

I normally like to schedule a rest day before a race, but I had to run Friday morning to get my miles in for the week. I am a little behind on my goal of 1,200 miles for the year, but I am not giving up.

 

 

Saturday, May 14th

 

I ran the Pancake Run for Missions 5K on Saturday morning. This run has always been scheduled the same weekend as the AGAPE Run for a Mom, but it was the weekend after this year. I was so glad I could participate. The course was beautiful and the weather wasn't too terribly hot or humid. I ran a decent race, finishing in 26:05, and I placed 2nd in my age group. It was nice to see my friend Valerie (@icecreamrunner) at the race. She placed 1st in her age group!

 

 

 

 

Later that afternoon Michael and I went fishing. We haven't had much luck lately. The fish aren't biting for us this year. Michael did let me reel in the catch of the day, a nice sized bass.

 

 

Sunday, May 15th

 

I'm trying to be consistent running a longer run (1+ hours) on Sundays leading up to my marathon training. Last year I got out of the habit of doing long runs over the summer and it made it difficult during the first few weeks of my training.

 

I ran seven miles this morning. I got another late start, but luckily it wasn't too hot or humid. There was also a nice breeze blowing. I've got to enjoy days like these while they last.

 

 

I don't normally refuel on runs less than ten miles, but today I was starting to feel lightheaded and dizzy midrun. I stopped to eat a pack of my Honey Stinger chews and I felt better almost immediately. My last 3.5 miles were strong and I ran negative splits. I love Honey Stinger's natural, organic products for the energy they provide me with on days like today.

 

 

Are you currently training for any races?

 

I hope you had a great week! I look forward to reading all your posts.







My Best (And Worst) Race Experiences

I recently came across Eventbrite, the world’s largest self-service ticketing platform, which helps people find and plan events. It inspired me to share a blog post about my Best (or Worst) Running Experiences. Hopefully, this post will help you when planning for your next race. You might want to add a few of these races to your bucket list.

My love for running began in the Spring of 2012. Since then, I've ran 36 5K's, eight 10K's, two 15K's,  two 4 Milers, one 10 Miler, 13 Half Marathons, and two Full Marathons. Most of my races are local, but I have traveled to races in Louisiana, Tennessee, and Florida. I don't have a 50 states goal in mind, but I would love to run all of the Southern states.

I've had so many wonderful race experiences that I couldn't narrow this post down to just one race. Instead, I've decided to rank my race experiences into 10 categories.

Best Charity Race

Hands down, the best charity race is St.Jude Memphis Marathon. I've participated in St.Jude Memphis Marathon weekend the past three years. After a disappointing race cancellation in 2013, I returned in 2014 and 2015 to run my 1st and 2nd full marathons. This event attracts 20,000 runners for the Family Fun Run, 5K, Half Marathon, Marathon Relay, and Full Marathon. Participants can register as St.Jude Heroes and raise funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Over $8 million dollars was raised in previous years.

Some course highlights include the Riverfront, Beale Street, Bass Pro Pyramid, Memphis Zoo, Rhodes College, Sun Studios, and the historic Cooper Young community. My favorite part of the course is running through the campus of St. Jude where runners are cheered on by the true heroes: the children of St. Jude and their families.

I think everyone should experience this race at least once in their lifetime. I would highly recommend it to first time half or full marathoners.

Best Race Series

My opinion is a bit biased because I've only participated in one race series. However, the Gulf Coast Half Marathon Series is top notch. If you love running beach towns, this is the race series for you. There are three races in the series: Gulf Shores, AL (late Feb/early March), Pensacola Beach, FL (April), and Mandeville, LA (October).

This series is always well organized. Local organizations show great support at these races volunteering at water stops. The water stops are awesome! The best water stations receive a cash prize for their organization. The parrot heads were in Gulf Shores and cute guys in speedos were in Mandeville.  The pre/post race venues offer great views of the water with live music, plenty of food, and drinks. I absolutely love the soft blend cotton t-shirts with cute designs and the medals which double as bottle openers. Last year was my first year to participate in all three races in the series. I received a special medal for running all three races.

Best Inaugural Race

The Big Beach Marathon and Half Marathon in Gulf Shores, AL was a well organized, fun inaugural race. The full marathon course was a certified Boston Qualifier. I debated running the full, but I eventually settled on the half marathon. The only disappointment of this race was that the half marathon course wasn't certified and it was long. The course map on the official website confirms that the course was 13.47 miles.

The race started at the Hangout and ran down 59 towards Fort Morgan Road then along the paved Backcountry Trails. The final miles ran on Perdido Beach Blvd back towards the Hangout. There were plenty of water stops on the course. There were not many spectators along the trail system, but it didn't affect me. I enjoyed the peacefulness of the trails. The volunteers did a great job directing traffic on the busy portion of Perdido Beach Blvd.

I loved the design of the t-shirt and medals. The Hangout provided boxed lunches with sandwiches, chips, fruits, and cookies at the post race party.

Flattest/Fastest Course

Louisiana is known for being pancake flat. My first half marathon was Rock n' Roll New Orleans. I ran a conservative race. My main goal was to finish under 2:30. I would love to run this race again to see how I could improve my time on this flat, fast course.

I ran my first and only sub 2:00 half marathon at the Gulf Coast Half in Mandeville, LA. This course runs along the paved trails of  Fontainebleau Park, through downtown Mandeville and back. This course is perfect for a PR.

My second fastest half marathon time is currently from the Gulf Coast Half in Pensacola Beach, FL. This down and back course runs along Casino Beach Blvd with views of beach cottages and the gulf. This course is also flat and fast if you can endure a little headwind in the first half.

Hilliest Course

I am not a fan of hills, so I tend to avoid hilly courses. I like to support the Montgomery Half Marathon because it is so close to home and it raises money for local charities.  This is a great event for the city of Montgomery. This was the second year they offered the Boston Qualifying full marathon course in addition to the half marathon and 5K. This race attracts over 1,000 people to the city of Montgomery.

The Air Force does a fantastic job volunteering on the course and directing traffic at busy intersections along with the MPD.  The course runs through many historical sites and neighborhoods. There's plenty of support on course with well stocked aid stations. The finish line is located in the Riverwalk Stadium home of the Montgomery Biscuits baseball team. The mayor of Montgomery, Todd Strange is there to congratulate the runners as they cross the finish. After the race, there's plenty of food and entertainment and post race massages.

If you want to check Alabama's historic capitol city of Montgomery off your list, this is the race for you. I just wouldn't expect a PR, unless you train on hills.

Best Weekend Experience

I've ran the Shrimp Festival 10K the past three years. This race is a scorcher year after year. As much as I dread the heat, I keep coming back for the total weekend experience. This race is held each year during the National Shrimp Festival weekend.

The National Shrimp Festival is an annual event in October on the white, sandy beaches of Gulf Shores, AL. The festival offers live music, seafood, arts and crafts exhibits, sand sculpture contests, a golf tournament, and a 5K/10K run. Everyone should attend the festival at least once in their lifetime. There's plenty to see and do, and it's great fun for all.

The Shrimp Festival 5K/10K starts at the Orange Beach Sports Complex and runs through the paved Backcountry Trails. There are several hundred participants. All net proceeds of the run are donated to Coastal Baldwin Education Enrichment Foundation, benefiting the local Gulf Shores & Orange Beach public schools.

The t-shirt design is the same each year, but it's cute and colorful. I've been fortunate to place in my age group the past two years. The medal is the same cute design that's on the t-shirt. The post race offers live music and plenty of food including pizza, pasta, and drinks.

Most Scenic Course

The Gulf Coast Half Marathon in Mandeville, LA was by far the most scenic of the three races in the Gulf Coast Series. I love the charm of Mandeville. The homes are beautiful. The shops and restaurants are small and quaint. I loved running Fontainebleau Park with the oak trees covered in Spanish moss and the views of Lake Pontchartrain on the course were breathtaking.

I also enjoyed the scenery at the Tuscaloosa Half Marathon in Tuscaloosa, AL. I loved running along the riverfront and on the campus of the University of Alabama. The down and back route of miles 5-8 allowed runners to pass the course highlights of the President's Mansion, Denny Chimes, and Bryant Denny Stadium twice. This is a must do race if you are an Alabama fan. Roll Tide!

Best Start Line

The Blue Angel Rock n' Fly Half Marathon has an awesome start line atmosphere. Rock music selected by the participants was played on the huge jumbotron. The color guard performed and the National Anthem was electrifying on the electric guitar. Confetti cannons shot confetti in the air as we took off to more rock music. There was supposed to be a fly over, but they were unable to do it this year due to the weather.

This race did not disappoint. I loved the course on the NAS Pensacola. There were 10 well stocked water stations on course along with music stations to keep runners motivated. The t-shirt design and medal was awesome! There was plenty of food including pizza and Jimmy Johns sandwiches and live music at the post race party.

Most Emotional/Memorable Finish

I'll never forget my first marathon that I ran at St.Jude Memphis Marathon in memory of my brother Raymond who lost his battle to two types of cancer both diagnosed in the last year of his life. My family was cheering for me as I made the final turn into Autozone Park. On my iPod, Pharrell Williams "Happy" was playing. I always thought Raymond would love that song. Tears filled my eyes as I looked up to the Heavens and said, "This one's for you." I could feel his presence with me throughout the race, but especially at the finish. I will continue to run full marathons in hopes to improve my time, but none will ever compare to my first experience.

Another emotional/memorable finish was at the Gulf Coast Half in Mandeville. I dreamed of running a sub 2:00 half marathon for quite some time. I reached mile 12 right at 1:50. I had less than 10 minutes to run just over a mile. I pushed hard that last mile. My heart was beating out of my chest. When I crossed the finish, the clock read 2:00:13. I knew my chip time would be faster, but by how much I wondered. It took me a while to get up the courage to check my official result. I didn't think I made it. When they printed my result, the paper read 1:59:57. I was thrilled!

A favorite local 5K, Ryan's Run, partnered with Ainsley's Angels this past year. Ainsley's Angels is an organization that ensures everyone can experience endurance events. My mom and I got to run with an assisted athlete, Kylie. This was my most rewarding race experience. I'll never forget how Kylie's face lit up when we approached the finish line. She sat up in her stroller and threw her hands in the air with the biggest smile on her face. This wasn't Kylie's first race. She knew how to embrace the finish line.

Most Disappointing Finish

My most disappointing finish was at the Sea Turtle Half Marathon in Gulf Shores, AL. This is another course that I would consider to be flat and fast. Many runners PR'd on this course. I wasn't feeling well on race day, my knees started bugging me during the race, and I walked most of the second half. This is my slowest half marathon to date.

This was a nice half marathon despite my disappointing time. I loved the down and back route along West Beach. The long sleeved tech shirt and medal were cute. The Hangout was the perfect pre/post race venue. They provided boxed lunches at the finish with sandwiches, chips, fruit salad, and a cookie.

I could go on and on about my race experiences. These are only a few. What do you look forward to the most at running events? What are some of your best or worst race experiences?