2012 St. Jude Marathon

I've run the St. Jude Half Marathon every year since 2007, but decided to go for the full (my second) this year. I didn't make the decision lightly, but felt ready to take on 26.2 again and thought there’s no better race to do it than St. Jude and certainly no greater cause.

Training, at least the first half of it, went very well. This was the first distance race I've trained for completely solo, which was a bit scary. But even with a hectic travel schedule, I still managed to get in all my long runs. I kept up a good weekday training schedule as well, though I didn't focus nearly enough on the speed and tempo workouts. All the runs up to 18 miles were fantastic. I felt good, nothing was hurting and truly enjoyed logging the miles. Then it went downhill. IT band pain combined with two falls thanks to having the grace of a toddler makes for a crappy last month of training.

Fast forward to the week of the marathon, and I was finally feeling better. The first 13.1 went great, and I even got to run it with my fabulous assistant, Kristin. Around mile 14, sh** got bad. My legs started cramping up and it never went away. I collapsed three times and pretty much had to walk the entire second half. I had pumped myself full of potassium, was well hydrated the entire week leading up to the race and even carried Powerade the day of, and didn't drink a sip of alcohol that week (that was probably my big mistake). Anyway, despite sobbing through the last five miles, I managed to run jog hobble across the finish line at 4:41. I wouldn't have been able to make it without the incredible support of my Dad, Brent, Autumn, Michael and Kristin. And the sweet people and even a few runners along the course who stopped to help me. Thank you all SO much!!

Whether it was an electrolyte issue, dehydration, the heat, pushing too hard the first half or just a bad day, I'll never know. What I do know is that I'll do another full. Can't go out like that. ;)

 Feeling good

 Kristin and me

Trying to keep pushing

And, I'm spent...

Expanding my {fitness} horizons

Injury...a word avid runners come to know well. Or at least most of them.

A little over a month ago, I injured my left knee during a race. I had just taken two weeks off while the hubby and I were in Italy, and I had maybe squeezed in a week and a half of decent runs before taking home my FIRST first place finish (whoop!) at Zoom Through the Zoo. I felt great after, but then the next morning my knee had swollen to the size of a grapefruit.

A few days later, after trip to the orthopedic doctor, I was diagnosed with fluid buildup and put on anti-inflammatory meds and a light-intensity workout plan. Needless to say, a mild case of depression set in.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am rather passionate about running. One might call it obsessed. But obviously I've had to transform my training for the time being...and I have LOVED every minute of it!!

For the past month or so, I've been alternating swimming 2-3 times a week and biking at least 2 days. The biking has been somewhat satisfying, but the swimming...I never knew I would enjoy it this much!

A HUGE thank you to my dad, who paid for a month's membership for me at the Y, so I could see if I liked it. Not only is it something we can do together, but it's so much better for my joints, and my body just feels different. Who knows. Maybe there's a tri in my future?! For the time being, though, I think I'll stick with individual workouts. :)

New workout view!

Today was the first Road Race Series race of the year. I promised myself to keep it slow, so as not to injure my knee again. I kept a super slow pace (at least for the first 2 miles), finishing with my worst 5K time to date. But I'm not upset in the least. It was super fun, a new course, and my knee is feeling good.

Anyway, I'd have to say that my fitness horizons have definitely expanded. And regardless of how good the knee (hopefully) continues to feel, I'm going to keep up with the cross training.

Marathon training begins in less than a month!!

The craziness that has been the past month...or so

It's been well over a month since my last post. I'd like to say it's due to laziness, a lack of topics, or whatever, but honestly I just need about 50 bazillion more hours in the day.

First, I have to mention the hubby's and my AMAZING trip to Italia. Trip of a lifetime doesn't even begin to describe it! As mentioned in my couple of Italy posts, we were there for 12 days and made stops in Rome, Siena (our fave!), Florence, and Venice (my close-second fave). Being able to spend that time with B, seeing all the amazing sites we saw, and just experiencing all we did...it was truly life-changing. Timing is everything, and I'm so glad we were able to share it together. I have an entire journal of notes to post, but here are a few pics until then...

 With our tour guide, Paola, in Rome!

 Being silly :)

 Love this pic!

 Trevi Fountain

 Il Campo in Siena...our favorite spot!

Enjoying the scenery!

 Our FAVORITE day on the vineyard tour!

 On the Ponte Vecchio in Florence!

How beautiful is this view?! From atop the Pitti Palace

 Arriving in Venice!

 Chasing the pigeons in the Piazza San Marco!

 Rialto Bridge

 Just had to post...our view on the gondola ride

Ever since we got back, I've been working what seems like all day every day trying to keep my project load in a manageable place. I'm SO very thankful for my job and the fact that I love what I do. But as I'm sure one can imagine, when you're in front of a computer for close to 10 hours a day, the thought of going home and continuing to do so to work on your own blog isn't all that enticing. So there's my excuse for the lack of posts. On the bright side, I'm in the middle of hiring a new marketing assistant. Yay! The University of Memphis sure did produce some incredible candidates!

And then there's BBQ Fest. Normally I despise this event (crazy talk, I know), but I have to say this my favorite year ever! We made so many new friends, had a lot of laughs, let loose, and just had a good time...and I still made it to work every day. :) It may or may not have also helped to have a DD for most of the weekend (thank you, Marcie!!).

 My sweet, preggo friend Marcie and me on Friends & Family night

B and me

Keeping with the positivity, my running has improved tremendously...or so I thought. After taking off for about 10 days while in Italy, I came back ready to jump into training. Well, more so just getting back in shape from the past two weeks of absolutely gorging myself – and yes, it was TOTALLY worth it! Anyway, I placed first in my age group at Zoom Through the Zoo a little over a week ago (and third woman overall, whoop)! I felt great after the race and the next morning. And then it hit me. By the end of the day, my knee had swollen to the size of a grapefruit and I could hardly bend it. I finally went to my orthopedic doctor last week. Diagnosis: inflammation due to fluid build up. Treatment: anti-inflammatory meds and take it easy for the next three weeks, but low-impact exercise (bike, elliptical) is okay. Boo! But it could definitely be worse.

Speaking of running, today is National Running Day! I had an intense bike ride this morning, but did get in a quick gimp-jog in around the neighborhood. :)

Lots more going on...but that's all I’ve got to say for now. Happy Hump Day, y'all!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

I'm loving the AMAZING weather today! Makes me want to go outside and run for hours.

I'm loving that I am running with a new group of girls tomorrow morning. Can't wait! Speaking of running, I entered the lottery for the ING NYC Marathon today. Highly doubt I'll get in, but it's an exciting possibility! I also signed up for the Walt Disney World Marathon in January. Sooo pumped!

I'm loving that my hubby's 30th birthday is this Saturday, which just so happens to be the same day as Hot Wing Fest. Hey Oh!

I'm loving that I barely even have a scar from my skin cancer surgery two weeks ago. So thankful they caught it in time, and the fact that my regular dermatologist recommended I go to Levy Dermatology for the actual procedure. Dr. Levy did an incredible job, and his staff is just wonderful!

I'm loving EL James' Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. I don't particularly care for its classification as "mommy porn," and you do have to get past its (way) more-than-mediocre writing and lack of editing, as it was initially a self-published e-book (keep in mind it didn't go through a rigorous editing process like most books, especially a #1 New York Times Bestseller). I read the first book, all 500+ pages of it, in less than 3 days. Crazy fast for me. Beneath the surface, the story – and the message, too, I guess – is quite captivating. It's been a wonderful escape. It's also...well...let's just say that my husband doesn't have much to complain about regarding my choice of reading material. ;) And as Vicky Ward, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair, so perfectly puts it, "It's a brilliant psychological thriller – albeit a horribly written one." And here's another fab article from Newsweek, for those so inclined.

Oh yeah...and I'm loving that we leave for Italy in NINE DAYS!!!!

What are you loving today?

Off to NYC!

Happy St. Patrick's Day, and greetings from a very bumpy 35,000 feet!

Although I had a bit of bad news yesterday, with my dermatologist letting me know my biopsy came back as skin cancer, I'm in a super fab mood today. At least the spot is not melanoma and is 100% treatable. They scheduled Moh's surgery, which is very common and the most effective treatment, for April 3...which just so happens to be my sister's due date!! Ugh. But we're all I'm secretly hoping Ava Jane is an April Fool's baby. Fingers crossed!

Today I'm heading to New York for the NYC Half Marathon and a search engine marketing conference. I couldn't be more excited about this trip!

First, I get to spend the weekend AND run tomorrow's race with my awesome cousin, Missy. We were both selected for the lottery entry 2 years in a row, whoop. Not only are we close because we're family, but she is honestly one of the most amazing women I've ever met. Family is of the utmost importance to her, she is one of the most hardworking people I know, she loves to run and travel, so obviously we have a ton in common. And she's getting married to a wonderful man this summer (who was supposed to join us this weekend, but sadly injured his knee). So excited to see you, Miss!

The marketing conference I'm attending this week is hands-down my favorite. It was the most educational of all the conferences I attended last year, and just about every seminar on the agenda relates to what I do on a daily basis. SO thankful for the opportunity to continue growing professionally!

And finally, I get to spend time with my fabulous friend, Anna! We met back in 2004 when Brent and I were participating in the Disney College Program, and we've kept in touch ever since. I was fortunate to be able to visit her twice while she lived in Arizona, and this will be my third time seeing her since she and her husband moved to NYC...thank you, business trips! Oh yeah, and we're going to Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday night!! Soooo pumped to see him live! Set your DVRs to record NBC on Tuesday. If you know me, you know I'll be doing everything possible to be seen in the audience. :)

Don't forget to wear your green! Here's a St. Patty's Day toast for you:

Here's to a long life and a merry one.

A quick death and an easy one.

A handsome man and an honest one.

A cold beer – and another one!

Making it through Monday...

While I am certainly no fan of Mondays, I have to say I am SO thankful last week is over and a new week has begun. The past seven days literally kicked my tail...

To start, late last Wednesday, a large government bid was dropped into my lap. I was asked to complete the technical volume write-up, similar to another large bid we completed in 2010. That one took me a solid month in a half. The time I was given to complete for this bid? A day and a half. Seriously?! While I greatly appreciate being asked to take part in something of this magnitude, there is no excuse for those who have a total lack of knowledge and concern to (1) be in the position they are, and (2) be the ones making the final decision on something this big. In the end, the project was completed; and although it was done well, it most certainly could have been done so with a great deal more accuracy and efficiency had there been more any communication and/or preparation. Regardless, there were a certain few people who really pulled together for the sake of teamwork, and we were able to get it done. SO very thankful for them!

In the middle of all that, I had my very first biopsy Friday morning. It is on my face, but luckily it's fairly small and where my jaw line folds into my ear, so it's pretty hidden. I tried hard not to freak out before going in to get the spot checked, and did a pretty good job at that. But of course after it was all over and hearing the dermatologist say she's almost certain it's skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma, which thank goodness is 100% treatable and shouldn't come back once removed), I finally broke down that evening. Just a little too much after working 11+ hours three days in a row. I'll find out this Friday exactly what it is, once the biopsy has been analyzed. Skin cancer or not, it could be A LOT worse. Still...it's not something I was prepared for.

Thankfully I was able to get some actual marketing work done on Saturday (I should seriously hide a sleeping bag at the office...#ilovemyjob #ilovemyjob) and was even able to help out (if only for 20 minutes) at our first ever job fair. We truly have an amazing HR team!

Keeping on with the positives...

After our 7-mile run Saturday morning, Autumn and I had an awesome, albeit super random conversation. We stopped to say goodbye at our "corner" and figure out what time to meet on our next run, and then next thing we know, it's 25 minutes later! Autumn has truly become one of my closest friends, and I am beyond grateful for her advice, guidance, and encouragement. Has anyone (mainly runners) read Mile Markers? If you have a female running buddy, whom you share just about everything with due to the fact that you're running for multiple hours together and it would just be weird if you didn't talk, you should DEFINITELY read this book!

Buster and I had great run on Sunday afternoon, after which I did some spring cleaning, finally got a few loads of laundry done, and spent some much needed quality time with the hubby.

The NYC Half is this Sunday! While I've been having a minor issue with my left foot, I couldn't be more pumped about this race. Running through Central Park, Times Square, Ground Zero, and more – and running it with my cousin, Missy, in one of my all-time favorite cities in the world – I can't wait!!

On an even more positive note, the countdown is on for our Italy trip! A HUGE thanks to one of our friends for her Rome tour guide recommendation. We are even more excited now, if that was even possible.

And finally, today marks exactly five years (even to the day of the week) that Brent proposed! Read the super sweet story below...if you are so moved. :)

Happy Monday, everyone!

Finally at peace...

It's been a roller coaster of a year...well, two years really.

I've been traveling more, we've attended and/or been in more friends and family members' weddings (mostly out of town) than I can even count, the whole kidney stone ordeal of 2011, fertility issues and the ups and downs of thinking "this is the month!", training for the marathon and my current half marathon/PR training, being insanely busy at work, and trying to fit in time with family and friends as often as I can. Even with all that, I finally feel like I'm in a good, happy place in all aspects of life.

Professionally, things couldn't be better. We're in the middle of redesigning a new niche website, we're moving along with the video marketing plan (finally), I'm doing a bit more business development (so exciting!), feeling more productive than ever, and being held more accountable, too, which I'm extremely thankful for. I'm also about to start traveling quite a bit...Houston next week for a committee meeting, St. Louis the following week to meet with customers, Las Vegas a few weeks later for a few different tradeshows (one of which I'm speaking at), then NYC for a marketing conference and the #NYChalf (round 2, whoop!), and Chicago after that for another conference. Phew...but I can't really complain with those locations. :) All I have to say is thank goodness for my assistant (a fabulous one at that)!!

Personally, I finally feel at peace with just about everything. My running has improved, I feel great, and I'm just in a good mood. As far as the baby issue goes, maybe it's because I'm busier than ever at work, the fact that I'm starting a new medication next month, or Brent and I finally being on the same page about {almost} everything, but I have never felt more sure that things are just as it should be.

With all that said, I have to send a quick shout out to a few peeps. My hubby, who supports me working long hours, Saturdays, traveling, and a rigorous running schedule. My parents, who are there for me no matter what. My running buddy, who is there for me more than she'll ever know. My best friend, Erika, who even though we don't get to see or talk to each other as often as we'd like, after 16 years, we know we're always there for each other and are only a phone call away. A couple co-workers, who provide a calming and positive influence, which I am utterly grateful for. And of course, Buster the Boston Terrier. He rules at life.

Happy weekend everyone!

For the love of running...

To say that I love running would be a slight understatement. It is truly my passion, and I'm so thankful for everything it's given back to me.

I consider myself extremely lucky to be healthy enough physically to be able to run as much as I do. I've run nine half marathons, one full, more 5ks and 10ks than I can count, racked up 1000+ miles in both 2010 and 2011, and have a plethora of finisher medals to showcase it all.

But aside from the material gains, it also keeps me in shape. I don't have to be training for a specific race, though that always helps of course. Just putting one foot in front of the other, picking up the pace when I feel like it, 4-5 days a week...that's all it takes.

Going a step further, it's provided me with more emotional benefits than I ever imagined. As of late, my stress level has been through the roof. With everything going on in my personal life (and quite possibly most definitely over-analyzing it all, being the type-A that I am), trying to fit in time with my niece, other family members, and friends when I can, working 50+ hours a week (by choice, so that's on me), and the list could go on... Needless to say, running has been my saving grace as far as stress goes. It's my time to de-stress, my time to think (or not), and my time to just zone out.

Furthermore, I've gained a new best friend in my running buddy, Autumn. Though she and I went to high school and college together and were in the same sorority, we were never really close. We were in the same "circle" of friends, but I guess we just never took the time to really get to know each other. We've been running together for over three years now. In that time, we've run more miles than I can count, shared more stories than I can remember, and confided in each other over everything from marriage and work issues to our monthly cycles and bowel movements...yep. While training for the marathon last year, Autumn injured her foot and could barely walk. However, she couldn't stand for me to be out there training alone, especially with this being my first, so she rode her bike along side me...all 18+ miles, on three different occasions. Same with the St. Jude Half this year. She wasn't hurt, but she had taken some time off and wasn't ready to run. So she made her way out to four different mile markers to cheer me on. Now that's a friend. For anyone else who feels like this about their running partner, I HIGHLY suggest you read Mile Markers. You won't be disappointed.

I'm also thankful for all the tools we as runners are given. Whether it's the latest and greatest pair of running shoes (Asics Gel Nimbus are my new fave!), a new flavor of Gu (they should so sponsor me), my super awesome tights or Under Armor gear to stay warm in the 32 and below weather, I'd say we're set!

I wouldn't say I'm obsessed with running, but I do have the utmost appreciation for it. But as Paula Radcliffe would say, "I can't imagine living and not running. " :)

Pure happiness :)

Autumn & me before St. Jude 2010!

A new PR and a new train of thought!

Once again, it's been what seems like forever since my last post. I've actually had a lot to say lately, just haven't had the time to type it out. Well, that and the fact that I sit at a computer all day. So when I get home or finally have time to myself on the weekend, I'm anywhere but near a computer. But…I really am going to start making time to write more.

With that said, I am so excited to post about my latest race: the St. Jude Half Marathon! I went into it telling myself it's okay if you don't PR {really, you're not going to PR, so get it out of your mind}, and it's okay if you don't even get below 1:50 {which don't get me wrong is an awesome time...but that's a stretch, so you may as well make it 2:00}. This year has been quite wacky health-wise: overcoming the most excruciating pain ever with a kidney stone episode during the peak of my marathon training, changing the dosage of my PCOS medication THREE times, having two other kidney stone episodes, and then finding out about a spine issue.

Needless to say, my mileage decreased significantly. To my surprise, I have been just fine with that. I've wanted to decrease it anyway, trying to put more focus on getting pregnant now that my PCOS condition is somewhat under control.

But who am I kidding? I'm a competitive person, and though I went in believing trying to tell myself I was okay with a slower than PR time, I knew I wouldn't be in the long run (no pun intended :).

I started with the 3:30 marathon pace group and stayed with them the entire time. Running through St. Jude campus and seeing my dad right when we entered...seeing all those precious kids and their families cheering so loud for the St. Jude Heroes...the encouragement of super awesome and random runners along the way, especially our pacer Kevin...one of my closest friends and running buddy, Autumn, finding me at several spots along the route...and finally crossing that finish line knowing I had beat my PR by 4 minutes with an average pace at sub 8 minutes...that was truly a proud moment for me.

I'm not sure if it was all the shorter-distance races we ran, having trained for a marathon - even if it was 8 months prior, knowing everything I had overcome this year, or just setting a goal and knowing that I could reach it. Whatever it was, I sure was happy with the outcome!

The starting line {that guy in front of me was hilarious!}

Running down Beale Street!

the final .5!

Yes, I beat her!! :)

Such a great race!

Can't wait for my next 13.1...or 26.2. Who knows! :) Regardless, I'm going to stop obsessing about getting in X miles before a race. Training is still important obviously, but as long as I'm running and pushing myself, that's what really matters.

St. Jude Hero!

I'm so excited for the St. Jude Half Marathon in a couple weeks, especially with this being my second year as a St. Jude Hero! Visit my page here. :)

With it being the Thanksgiving season, I just wanted to post a quick note to say how thankful I am for my health (finally), the ability to run, the enjoyment I get from running and racing, and for the most wonderful children's hospital in the world: St. Jude. There's nothing like running through campus around mile 5 and being so moved by the precious patients and their incredible families. We as runners are truly blessed!

In case you're not familiar with St. Jude, here is their mission statement: The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay.

As the Thanks and Giving® campaign so beautifully states, give thanks for the healthy kids in your life. And give to those who are not. Please consider donating to this AMAZING cause!

Happy Halloween!!

What a perfect weekend it was! Gotta love Halloween weekend. We love any excuse to dress up like idiots...or act like one in Brent's case. ;)

Friday was pretty low-key. We went to dinner at a local Mexican restaurant, then called it an early night. Brent outdid himself on the pumpkin carving!

Saturday was the annual Memphis-Mid-South Race for the Cure, which I got to run with my Dad! This race holds a special place in my heart, as I run it in memory of Aunt Michele. I placed fourth in my age group, which I'm pretty proud of seeing as how it took almost 5 minutes to get through all the walkers...

That afternoon, I went with my sister Laura to Merry Marketplace. It was my first time going, so I was super excited. They had baby and holiday stuff galore...Laura and I were in heaven! Sadly they didn't have the right size holiday-themed clothes for baby girl C, so that was a bummer. But we did rack up on some ornaments, of course!

That night, Brent and I went to a Halloween party at one of our friend's house. We didn't want to spend money on costumes this year, so Brent went as Mr. Clean and I recycled an old Oreo costume. He was sad we didn't match, so I just told him he could follow me around pretending to clean up the Oreo crumbs. :) But back to the party - the decor, the people, the food, the cocktails...everything was awesome! Thanks again to Brian and Alicia for hosting!

1/2 Oreo, 1/2 witch :)

Our friends Brian & Rebecca as Juno & Paulie Bleecker (best costume of the night!)

Sunday was just as fun. The day started with a wonderful message at church and watching my Sis and her hubby become members. After that, it was the usual trip to the grocery store followed by a quick house cleaning. And then we headed over to our annual neighborhood potluck. My Mom came by and brought sweet Bailey, and even Brent's brother came over for a bit. I just love our cozy little area in East Memphis!

Buster dressed up as Captain Jack Sparrow!

I'm slightly obsessed with scary movies, and luckily I had AMC's FearFest and Halloween movie marathon to keep me occupied in what little down time I had this weekend. This week is shaping up to be pretty insane with another trip to the urologist for a CT scan today, a possible second trip there on Wednesday (depending on what what we find out from the scans), eye doctor on Thursday, and OB-GYN on Friday. Oh yeah, I've got to fit in work sometime this week, too. And then I head to Nashville for the CMAs...whoop! :)

Happy Halloween!!

Thankful Thursday: I'm thankful for today!

With all the craptastic things going on right now, I can't think of a better time to bring back Thankful Thursday. There is so much to be thankful for!

I'm thankful for my husband, Brent. With all the health issues I've had lately, he's been my rock and has spoiled me like crazy. I love you!!

I'm thankful for Autumn, one of my closest friends and running buddy. We joked on our {short-lived} run this morning about how we couldn't run with anyone else with all our sporadic ailments. :) She's also been my running inspiration for longer than I can remember...she's the reason I decided to run my first full marathon this year. Thank you, Autumn!

I'm thankful for my job and my wonderful assistant, Leslie. It's an incredible feeling being able to do what you love every day. And now I have someone to help me do so on a daily basis. So thankful!

I'm thankful for today. There's something so calming and at the same time exciting about knowing a new season is upon us, bringing out the fall/winter wardrobe, and watching the leaves change. I LOVE the fall!

I'm thankful to be able to participate in Race for the Cure in Memphis this weekend. Aside from the St. Jude Half Marathon (check out my Heroes page!), RFTC is my favorite race. It's my way of honoring our sweet Aunt Michele, who we lost to breast cancer last year.

What are you thankful for?

Weekend Wrap-Up

Oh how I love weekends like this! Friday was my sweet sis-in-law's birthday, so of course we had to decorate her cubicle at work:

It makes me so happy to know that there are other people who enjoy making as big of a deal about birthdays as I do. :) That night, my friend Kelly and I went to Painting with a Twist in Germantown. It was a BLAST! They have a theme picked for each night, and you pay $35 or $45 (depending on how long the class is). You can bring in your own wine, and they have an instructor there guiding you throughout the session. Friday's theme was "Wine Lovers," which was perfect for us. I can't wait to go back!

Saturday, I ran four miles, then got ready to meet Kelly for her very last wedding dress fitting. It's been so much fun going with her to all these fittings...her dress is STUNNING, and Will is going to die when he sees her in it. That's my favorite part of a wedding, when the bride starts walking down the aisle and the groom sees her for the first time. Such a sweet moment! After that, we went to ol' faithful Las Delicias for lunch. My tab was $4.37, and the food was quite delicious. No joke. This place rules.

That night, it was my company's annual Redbirds outing, so Brent and I rushed to get ready and headed downtown. It was a nice, laid back evening with co-workers.

After that, we walked over to Local Gastropub, of course. As always, it did not disappoint.

Sunday started with a super early morning wake up call at 5:45. Autumn, Erin, and I met at 6:15 and headed to the third RRS race: 5-miler #1. It was the PERFECT morning for a race. Cool, breezy, and overcast. We ran into some other friends while there and finished with a decent time of 40 minutes.

Brent and I made it to the 11:15 service at Hope, then went to Half Shell for an incredible brunch. After that, I went to the mall to finish shopping for Kelly's bachelorette weekend (got a few things for myself, too :), then met my sister at her house to watch her and Cary's wedding videos. They were SO great! The dancing parts were the best. :) Such wonderful memories of a beautiful wedding! That night, Brent made my favorite grilled salmon, asparagus, and bread for dinner, and I got to relax and watch my favorite night of television.

Such a wonderful few days!! I also got in just over 25 miles for the week, which I'm happy with. This week, I get to run three times with my awesome running buddy, so I'm pretty pumped about that!

Happy Monday!

I'm Back!

I'm so excited to report that I got in 31 miles last week!! After months of feeling sluggish and getting in maybe 18-20 miles (if I'm lucky) per week, I finally feel back to my old self..."old" is not a term I like using as I inch closer to the big 3-0, but I guess I just feel like myself again.

I have a few short-distance races to get through, plus two 10-milers and two half marathons left in the RRS, and the St. Jude half marathon before the end of 2011. Really looking forward to setting a new PR!

On a side note, I just have to say what an AMAZING weekend it was! It was a long work week, but with the hubby out of town, I didn't really feel like sitting at home all weekend. Friday night consisted of a fun dinner date with my beautiful momma. I woke up early on Saturday to run 6.5 miles with Autumn. After a good breakfast and a little rest, my bestie and her sweet boys came over to play with Buster the Boston Terrier for a bit. Then we all went to lunch and did a little shopping. It was tax-free weekend, so of course I had to take advantage! That night, I did one of my favorite things...ordered hibachi take-out, had a couple glasses of wine, rented a movie, and just chilled at home. Ahh, heaven!

Sunday morning, I went out for a quick run and then "ran" into my dad at almost 2 miles. I ended up running over five miles, three of which with him. Such a cool thing! I went to the late morning service at Hope Church and heard such a wonderful message, and then ran a couple errands. I picked up my precious niece after that, took her to the grocery store, and then we played in the sprinkler for a bit.

She's the best shopping partner!

And she loves the sprinkler!

Sunday nights in the summer are the BEST for TV (True Blood, Entourage, Kardashians, and really anything on E!), so of course I indulged in that guilty pleasure. The hubby got home last night, and I was SO happy to have him back!

So very thankful for my amazing family, true friends, and days without drama. :) Here's to a fabulous week...almost 10 miles logged so far!

2011 Road Races Series Begins!

Every year, I run 2-3 races in the Memphis Runners Track Club Road Race Series (RRS). However, I never sign up for the whole series. I finally did this year, along with several friends, and I'm looking forward to getting back in race shape (haven't been too concerned with time since the marathon).

For those who aren't familiar with the series, it's 10 races, two a month, at various parks around the Memphis Metro area. It starts with two 5Ks this month and ends with two half marathons in November, perfectly spacing out an increase in distance. It's only $75 for 10 races ($55 if you're a MRTC member)! There are two 5Ks, two 5-milers, two 10Ks, two 10-milers, and two half marathons. I believe you can still sign up for the remaining races in the series for $95. If you're not interested in that, you can still sign up for the other races individually (just $15): http://rrs.racesonline.com/.

The first race took place this past Sunday. The heat was brutal, and my time was nothing to brag about. But I'm looking forward to working on my pace...and the cooler temps the further we get along in the series.

RRS is a great way to prepare you for an upcoming half or full. I'll be using it in preparation for my FAVORITE race, the St. Jude Half Marathon! This race is over 80% full, so be sure to sign up today if you haven't already. Go the extra mile to raise money for this amazing cause and become a St. Jude Hero or donate to my page! :)