OKC Half Marathon Recap with My New Running Buddy

I was so excited to run the Oklahoma City Memorial half marathon with my new little running buddy!

One of my favorite things about races is the energy at the race expo! My parents and the hubs came with me to pick up my race packet and participant shirt.

The expo was a little disappointing. It wasn't very well organized. But perhaps most frustrating was that no one could tell me about the elevation of the course. I searched on the official race site, on their Facebook page, on Google, asked on their Facebook wall and tweeted to them and couldn't find any information on the elevation whatsoever. The pacer also wasn't very helpful either because he didn't really know an answer either. So I was completely unprepared for the course that lied ahead.

Nevertheless, I was stoked to run a race with my baby and that my family was able to come and support me!

Downtown OKC was beautiful!

We walked around for a while the night before the race to find a good place to carb load. But it was prom night so all of the Italian restaurants had at least a 2 hour wait (another reason why this race was a little frustrating).

On race morning I woke up at 4:15 to eat my first bagel and get ready for the race. The families and I walked to the starting area. We walked through the OKC Memorial which was so serene and beautiful!

After a quick trip to the port-a-potties and a 168 second pause to remember those that were lost in the OKC bombing, I lined up in my corral!

The race started exactly at 6:30! My favorite part of the race was the tradition of local firefighters walking the course.

from the Official OKCM's Facebook page

My legs felt heavy about a mile into the race, right in time for the first major hill of the course. Cut to 8 miles later {and several thoughts of "I'm never running a half marathon again" and "Why do I think running is fun?!}, I had already walked a few times because my body felt so lousy. I just never felt in rhythm. There were a few times where I felt like I couldn't get enough oxygen and got lightheaded {which scared me considering I'm providing oxygen for my new running buddy!}, so I swallowed my pride and walked for a few seconds as needed.

I was so relieved to see my family around mile 9! 

I was so tempted to ask someone to either finish running with me or to walk with me the rest of the way, but I decided to tough it out and finish on my own, continuing to walk as needed.

I thought I was delusional when I finally saw the finish line! I was hoping it was my finish line {as if there would be another finish line in the area??? I told you I was delusional}. I decided to go for it was hard as I could and finish strong. 

I'm thankful that I did because I broke my PR by a few seconds! I'm not sure how I did it considering it was a tough race + walking, but I did it!

My takeaways from this race:

 - 6:30 is a really early starting time

 - an elevation chart would be really helpful

 - eating dinner at 9:00pm and waking up at 4:30am isn't the best idea 
 - running a half marathon while pregnant is much harder than running without a kid in your abdomen
 - walking during a race is OKAY! It doesn't make you any less of a runner!
 - no matter how many times you swear you'll never run a race again, you'll be looking for another race within a week

Overall I'm really thankful for this race because the weather was perfect {and in Oklahoma, there's only about 5 days of perfect weather a year} and it provided a nice weekend getaway with my family filled with lots of laughs and good conversations.

While I did struggle during this race, I'm sad this will probably be my only half marathon {at least officially} during this pregnancy. I might be crazy, but I'm still looking for a fun and entertaining race that I can do before I get too big!

2014 Recap in Pictures {and Numbers}

Happy New Years Eve! I'm super sad that 2014 is over. This year has been one of my best years ever, and by far the best running year. Here are a few of my highlights (both running and in life) in numbers.

In 12 months...

221:15:11 hours running

155,315 calories burned

$7,850 raised for Multiple Sclerosis research

1,253 miles run

141 Rebif shots

33 double-digit runs

21 runs at half marathon distance (13.1 miles) or over

15 (approximately) falls while skiing

14 vacations

3 pairs of running shoes

2 half marathons

2 concerts

1 brother’s high school graduation

1 sister’s wedding

1 year without MS relapse

1 dead toenail

1 marathon

My heart is sad that this year is over, but I have an incredibly strong feeling that 2015 will be even more meaningful and exciting! I have a feeling God has something incredible planned for my life, and that it will begin to unfold this year!

Up next, my 2015 #GoalsToGlorify!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let's chat!

• What are some of your favorite moments of 2014?
• What are your New Years Eve plans?

2014: Running Year in Review

Best Race Experience
It's a tie between the NYC Marathon and the Rock N Roll Dallas half marathon. The scenery, crowd and experience of the NYCM is incomparable to any other race, but running the RNR with my dad cannot be compared to any other experience in my life. The moment my dad and I crossed the finish line was one of the happiest moments of my life!

Best Run
Definitely the first time I ran 22 miles. My goal distance was 18 miles but I felt so good that I wanted to try for 20. Then I decided to try for 22. I really wanted to keep going until I ran a full 26.2, but figured my running coach wouldn't be too happy with me :)

Best New Gear
Does my NYCM race medal count?

If not, I must say my injinji socks. 





Most Inspirational Runner
Kayla Montgomery, without a doubt. She's an incredible runner with an amazing story, with a foundation built on faith. She's my hero and inspiration like never before! 


If you could sum up your year in a few words, what would they be?
Monumental, memorable, blessings.

Up next, my 2014 recap in numbers!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let's chat!

• What are a few words that describe your 2014?
• Have you set any goals for 2015 yet? If so, what are they?

injinji does no wrong!

I've always loved injinji socks! When I first started running I developed HORRIBLE blisters from not having decent socks. Before each run I'd have to bandage up my big and little toes on both feet to prevent blisters, no matter how long or short my runs were.

After researching running socks I decided to go to the local running store and invest in a new pair. After telling the salesman what I was looking for, he instantly got a pair of injini socks and let me try them on. They were fun. They were different. They were moisture wicking. They were perfect. They were thick enough to prevent blisters but thin enough that they weren't annoying. In fact, I ran my first half marathon in them and had NO problems! 

Here I am after my first half marathon. You can't see my socks, but I promise I was wearing them :)

Cut to a few days ago when I won a giveaway from my favorite blogger, I received a new pair if injinji socks, which reminded me of how much I loved them! I reached out to injinji and they sent me several different kinds of their socks!

I know you're not supposed to try anything new during a race or a long run, but I love injinji products so much that I tried them out during my most recent 13-miler (actually 13.1, but who's counting?).

from my instagram

I really do love injinji! I tried their new lightweight, ultra thin performance socks. 

Their 5 toe system is compiled of moisture-wicking material which keeps moisture from building in your socks making your feet sweaty, and prevents blisters (anytime you buy new workout gear, it's important to buy moisture-wicking material! Trust me!)

My socks were the no-show length, which wasn't completely true...

But I don't really care about that. My pink and purple socks matched my pink and purple shoes, so that was awesome! I don't really care about my socks matching - that's just a perk!

My feet were so comfortable during 13.1 run! I knew they would be, but it's always nice to have confirmation! I didn't have any problems with sweaty feet or blisters, or any other problems that can occur with your feet!

injini does no wrong! They may kid about their sock height, but that's easily overlooked when you feel the quality of their socks!

I've built a great relationship with the good folks at injinji and we have some really, really exciting things coming SOON!! So stay tuned to the blog to see what surprises we have in store! You won't want to miss it! I promise!!

Let's talk it out:

 - Do you like your socks to match your shoes?

 - Who's excited to hear the announcement?!

Race Recap: Rock 'N' Roll Dallas

Everything about this race was incredible!

From the expo, to the bands, to the swag bag and crowd support, everything was perfect!

Expo:
The expo was the best I've ever attended. A red carpet guided me to where you needed to go, and the displays and tables were set up to direct traffic. Thanks to the great organization everything was incredibly easy to find!

The sponsor booths were great too! They had anything and everything you needed for race day or training. Everyone was so kind and helpful!

Race Day:
We took the DART to Fair Park because we knew traffic and parking would be a nightmare. Traffic in that area is always horrible, but even more so when a big event is happening. We weren't going to run any risks of getting there late, so we hopped on the trusty DART.

The starting line was just a few blocks away from the DART station, so soon after we arrived, we lined up in our designated corral, which was also a breeze. The atmosphere was electric as they blasted fun music and had a lively announcer.

The race started promptly at 8am. They had wave (interval) starts, so our corral was running by 8:12, which was much better than I had anticipated, and it seemed like everyone had ample time to spread out and establish their paces.

The race was flat for the most part, but it did have a couple hills. Overall it wasn't too challenging. I loved running through beautiful neighborhoods and Dallas landmarks, and it was a blast to end at Fair Park! The most concerning part was the shape of the asphalt. Very rarely were we running on a smoothly-paved street. There were a lot of cracks and holes throughout the course, which was alarming and dangerous if you weren't watching.

It was so fun, I had to dance.

The bands throughout the course were great and exciting! The groups of cheerleaders, both professional and local, were fun and encouraging! Even the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders were cheering right before the finish line!

We had a strong finish as we crossed the finish line!

There was also a runners-only secure area where runners collected their finishers medals and could refuel with bananas, chocolate milk, bagels, Jimmy John's sandwiches, and even one of these things:

And I can't forget about the headlining band: American Authors! They sounded great! Unfortunately we couldn't stay for long because we had to catch the DART back home.

Overall:
Overall, this was by far my favorite race I've ever done! I'd recommend it to anyone, regardless of running or race experience! I'll see you again, RNR Dallas!

What Made the Rock 'N' Roll Half Marathon So Special...

My dad has been a major inspiration in my running. Years ago, before a wife and children, my dad used to run 5 miles a day. As I was growing up, he often talked about when he used to run. So in college when I began running, my goal was to be able to run 5 miles just like my dad was able to.

I began running, and while it was a long journey, I eventually made it to 5 miles. It was a sweet thought thinking about how I would have been able to keep up with my dad's distance had we been able to run together back in the day.

My dad began running again about a year ago, building back up to his 5 miles a day. When we were vacationing in Hawaii, my dad, my husband and I went for a run. I mentioned to my dad that we should run a half marathon together and he instantly agreed. I mentioned how the Rock 'N' Roll series in Dallas was supposed to be a fun race with a good course, lots of crowd support, and live bands along the route.

We signed up for the RNR shortly after Hawaii and dedicated months to all of the training and preparation that goes along with such an event.

Finally, the race weekend arrived!

We strolled down the red carpet to pick up our packets at the expo. 

Then the night before the race, we prepared and gathered all of our race-day gear, including putting our bibs on our shirts to save time.

5:00am came quickly, but the family was up and at 'em to get ready to catch the DART to transport us down to Fair Park, to the starting line.

My family took their first DART ride, and they looked so cute I just had to take a picture to remember the historical moment.

We lined up in our designated corral soon after we arrived. 

We were slightly nervous about the race being so big, but once the race began the atmosphere was so fun and relaxed that we forgot about the thousands of people who were running around us.

The race seemed to fly by! Especially when you're having so much fun you're able to dance while running. If that's not talent, I don't know what is.

Dad and I talked most of the last mile, which was nice. We'd both been listening to our music up until then, but the last mile we shared motivations, scriptures, and the poem "If" which unfortunately made the last mile go by too quickly. But made the race even more special.

The finish line came too soon, but it was joyous!

We basked in the half marathon endorphins for the rest of the day with the rest of the family! Please note how my mom, sister, brother and husband all wore the most thoughtful shirts created with love by my mom, to show their support for us. Which were also orange for Multiple Sclerosis Awareness month :)

It was such a wonderful day, filled with celebrations and love! We're already planning our next half together -- this time we'll take it back to Hawaii!