Just keep Swimming... Wait, what?

It has been a CRAZY month- especially the past two weeks!  Our family is in complete summer mode... Road trips, swim lessons, and lots of family time.  I have also been putting more onto my plate therefore running has been on the back burner (literally, every time I go for a run I'm burning!)

Last weekend we tackled Chicago!  I ran the Chicago Rock n Roll marathon series 5k on Saturday and half marathon on Sunday.  Oh wait, there's more!  We explored the city on Saturday afternoon by foot, logging over 13 miles towards my "Beat The Heat" half marathon virtual race through Jost running.  Not only did we walk off our Chicago deep dish pizza, saved on cab fees, and collected bling.  SCORE!  But coming off my running excitement left me tired and sore :(

 








All week passed by with my running shoes sitting at the front door waiting for me.  I did try to swim, but Kinnick and Cooper can swim better than me- although it's quite the cardio workout!  This morning I actually told my husband that I'm thinking about retiring from "running."  An hour later I was putting on my new Lululemon workout top and heading towards the gym.  Wow!  My Newton running shoes are just getting warmed up and ARE NOT heading into retirement.

My run this morning was on a quarter mile track (in the Texas sun) outside at the gym.  I did 4 min run/1 min walk intervals for most of the 3 miles and it was amazing.  Through out the workout I listened to music, prayed, and just took MY time.  I remembered what I loved about running- not the next race I was registered for or my slower pace, but MY time by myself!  Do you all enjoy that too?

So what do you or who do you run for?
I run for:
myself- to be a better mom/wife
to pray/worship
to eat (run to eat/eat to run)
enjoyment of my environment

Next on my plate:  Bible study, Girl scout leader orientation, Creating preschool curriculum, Jury Duty, etc... How many days until Kindergarten and then Disneyland?  :)

"Easy" Cross Training Day!

I love how I had admirations of blogging every other day, then it turned into once a week... Well folks, summer happens and it's been two weeks.  I have been watching my "steps" with my new Fitbit and I LOVE it, but I feel like my "steps" are my workout for the day.  My running has been pretty scarce.  T-26 days until I run my next physical race.  It's just a half-marathon in Chicago!  In the windy city hopefully I'll have the wind with me because I am going to need all of the help that I can get!!!

My next virtual race is Friday morning!  I love JostRunning!  This virtual race is the perfect motivation that I need to get moving, log miles, and collect BLING!  How cool is my racing bib? Anyone up for run/walking 6 miles with me?

 


Today, again not feeling like running, I opted for an "easy" stay at home workout day.  I have new Zumba DVD's and a new Plyo Fix DVD from Beachbody.  So much for easy!  30 minutes of Zumba and I looked like a hot sweaty mess! But the chick on the DVD was barely glissening, urg, and with those abs!  So I figured since I was already sweaty what's an extra 15 minutes of burpies, squats, jumps, etc???  OMGoodness!  I'm pretty sure I made the easy example on the DVD look good!

In conclusion, I'm sticking to running.  Just kidding- I need to cross training but I need to appreciate the workout as a workout and not an easy day.  It's all about calories in and calories out!  Hopefully good calories in and AMAZING calories out, Right?!  What are you favorite cross training workouts?  How many "easy days" to you have?  Lastly, I am serious, who's joining me Friday morning?!?!

Summer Challenge

June 2nd... The year is almost half over! How are your New Year's resolutions going? Ha, ha...right? Do you even remember? Now is the time to set goals and strive for them!

 

The new year brought me to the end of my marathon training and January 12th I became an official marathon runner.  Since then I've been on and off track but now I'm jumping on and not looking back!  For me, running is my way to get away.  Sometimes Vegas is a good get away too!  When I run, I can listen to music or just nature and I can think about things bothering me or think about nothing... It's your run!

 

I workout better when there is a challenge and a medal/reward at the end.  So now I'm challenging you! It's summer, it's hot, and it's easy to be lazy.  To be apart of the challenge all you have to do is to log miles--- walking or running through summer (6/1-8/31).  Post your miles on my Facebook page www.facebook.com/runningkooky  There will be two winners: one for the most miles logged and then one random one from a drawing.

   

But while logging all those miles register for JostRunning virtual races and make them count! I bet you could get a few medals per month for 5k, 10k, half marathon , and reach even for a full!

    

The challenge is on! Do you accept this challenge?

          www.facebook.com/runningkooky

http://runningkooky.blogspot.com/

          www.JostRunning.com (Virtual racing)

www.mapmyrun.com (website and app to track miles)

In Summer... •insert Olaf voice•

It's officially the end of the first week of summer break!  Did you enjoy yours?  Kinnick, Cooper, and I started the week off by making a list of 100 things to do in the 100 days of summer.  I am pretty proud of our checklist and we have already accomplished a few!  Dress up was on the list; not so much like a member of the Robinson family from Duck Dynasty but how cute!!!

 It was hard to want to workout on Tuesday but I did make it to the gym to run.  I haven't really done any tempo running training, because I need more information of the correct training sequence.  On Tuesday I turned on some music and ran the fasted mile that I could, followed by the fasted mile I could walk.  Mile three was a combo of jogging and sprinting.  I enjoyed the run and it was good practice for the half marathon I am going to be doing with my husband in August (I have a feeling we will be walking a lot)!

Wednesday morning I was ready to work out!  I watched the finale of Dancing with the Stars Tuesday night and went to bed thinking, "I am pretty sure if I get into better shape that I could dance like that too!"  Who doesn't want to dance with Derek Hough and MAKS!  So I ran... fast!  I used to run a solid 11 min mile, then 10:30, and have been stuck at a 10 min mile.  Now, I have consecutively ran two 5k's less than 29 minutes!!! After running I went inside for Zumba Toning (aka kick butt Zumba).  I left the gym so thankful for my lungs, legs, endurance, etc... 

So what's next?  I am running a 10k in the am--- anyone want to join me? :)  I will be running the full 6 miles but if you register for the Jost Running virtual 10k you have other options!  You can "Brave a New Route" by running, walking, biking in increments for a total of the 10k distance!  Check out their site at: www.jostrunning.com

I am also registering for their half marathon and you can too!  Don't roll your eyes!  Log 1 mile everyday for 2 weeks and then collect your amazing bling.  I run for medals!  Do it, Do it!

JostRunning Virtual 5k

This week was full of so many up and downs! My daughter graduated from preschool so I officially have my first kindergartner.  With all of the prepping and tears of graduation, parties, and teacher end of the year gifts I didn't get to run... At all!  Have you ever been in a lull like that?  Towards the end of the week I needed mom time, so I looked towards running.

Thursday was the last day of preschool where I teach and my kids attend.  I planned a perfect afternoon heading to the gym after school while the kids were still all wound up from last day school festivities.  I was going to run a virtual 5k through Jost Running and support ALS... But my kiddos had other plans.  (We ended up having snow cones for dinner!)  Have you registered for a race and then race day comes and you can't run, don't want to run, etc?  That is the beauty of virtual racing! It's your race! So rather than loosing my registration fee and chalking it up to a donation with at shirt; virtual racing allows you to race on your time to fit your calendar.

SO...Friday morning was my virtual 5k!  It was amazing! Perfect weather and I was feeling great.  5k in just over 26 minutes!!! I achieved a PR! With Jost Running you can input your time and see yourself on the leader board... just like a live race.  Not only did I get to pick my race day, time, and location- check out this bling. Let's face it- who doesn't run for the medal?  I am already registered for a 10k through Jost Running Virtual Racing.  Who wants to join me?

Still celebrating Cinco De Mayo 9 years later

Happy Tuesday!  Did you all celebrate Cinco de Mayo yesterday?  I enjoy the 5th of May not only because it's celebration of thanks to Mexico in fending off the French (Wilkipedia) but it's a great reason to eat yummy enchiladas, tamales, and margaritas.  It's crazy to think that nine years ago I had a Cinco de Mayo send off party from my hometown, Des Moines, to move to Dallas.  Wow!

Our first time in Mexico

My Mom and I celebrating during our trip to Mexico

This year I celebrated a bit different... first was our fun party at Kidz World preschool full of games, food, singing (Libre Soy!), face paint, and who doesn't love a photo booth.  My daughter singing Let it Go in Spanish was a hoot!

And now onto running while celebrating Cinco de Mayo.  I ran more like hiked a hilly 5k Saturday night feeling under the weather and before going into work.  Probably not one of my best decisions, but it was fun and I got to mark race #6 off my 14 in 2014 list.  I officially learned I am not doing a night race again (especially before a 12 hour shift at the hospital).  I run better in the morning- mentally and physically.

With that said, wouldn't it be amazing to run great races for wonderful beneficiaries while receiving bling!  Make sure to check out Jostrunning.com and register for their virtual races this moth supporting ALS.  After signing up you get to pick your race day and time!  Their website allows you to track your race as well as others so the virtual race takes on a community feel.  Register, log a 5k, submit your time and distance within the time frame, and you will find the below medal in your mailbox!  But why stop at a 5k?  I challenge you to register for a longer distance race... maybe not complete all the distance at one time but log it over a week instead.  It's your race!  I will add my virtual races to my facebook events and maybe we can all run -virtually- together! 

Retire, Run, Work

Wow!  What a crazy week and it's only Wednesday!  I am late on posting from Saturday's race, but better late than never.  I have just been non-stop from Monster Rehab Energy Drinks since Saturday and I have so many posts that I want to blog about...  So here we go!

Saturday morning started out with our LAST 3 year old soccer game that I have been "coaching."  We were the Hawkeyes and honestly, pretty good.  My son, Cooper, could name 263 other things to be doing during soccer.  He hated most of the season therefore, we both retired of soccer on Saturday.  It was a good run of 3 seasons, but he's moving onto swimming, hockey, and drums!

Lunch was at PDQ-- weird name (People Dedicated to Quality), but pretty amazing chicken strips.

Kinnick, my daughter in black, and her friend Addi
Thank you Nadine for the great picture!

After that was a whirlwind that sent my husband and kids to my daughter's soccer game (which I hated to miss) and me to my second ever 5k "night" race.  I run with a wonderful Moms Run This Town group of women from Allen, Plano, McKinney, and Frisco.  We registered with two teams for the Running Moms Rock 5k in Highland Village, TX.  After a few pictures for the costume contest (we were #teamflour- sponsored my The Flour Shop Cupcakes)  we headed to the starting line for a quick and not easy 5k.  There's only a couple hills in NTX and this race course found them...ouch!  But in the end we had a good time!

#TeamFlourShop from MRTT

Look Mom! 1st place until the next 2 girls showed up :)

Really feeling those push ups, hills, and chicken strips 

Of course it was Saturday night so I hung up my Mom bag, cupcake apron costume, running shoes and headed into work.  I really needed to shower but after a quick meal from my in-laws I decided to jump in their pool with my kids.  The first swim of the year lasted around 2 minutes for me... burr, banana, burr.  I was "clean" and headed back to McKinney for work.  I dread my shift Saturday nights but then Sunday night I know I only have one more day of work until Monday I can be back "being mom!"

Does anyone else try to cram their Saturday's full?
PDQ's chicken is great, but Cane's sauce is amazing, agreed?
Any advise on eating before of "night" race?