It has been one month since I started seeing my physical therapist, Daniel, twice a week. And…yes…there has been major progress since that initial meeting.
I mean…I started off not being able to walk without a limp…run more than 1 step…and pretty much being unable to do a one-legged squat or pretty much anything involving any sort of stress on my left leg. Gimpy yet again.
But over the weeks, Daniel has entrusted me to more and more dynamic movements to get this hip flexor back into working order. And…for the most part it has been paying off. For one thing, I can jump and hop without anything more than a twinge…and even then, that’s a rare thing.
I have been churning it out on the Alter-G treadmill. The first time he had me on there, he had me at 80% of my body weight. When I went back to see him on Tuesday morning this past week, he put me back on the Alter-G for another 25 minute session. He said to start at 90% of my body weight and if that feels okay…boost it to 95% of my body weight. I started off slow, getting my stride, focusing on form…and after the first 15 minutes, I took it from 90% up to 95% as he said. The pain didn’t climb…it only twinged a few times at me. And I was bored at the slower pace, so I boosted that…so that could have had something to do with it.
Sorry…treadmills bore me! Even really cool anti-gravity treadmills. So, I tend to go faster just to get it done.
After I polished off that run, Daniel said that he felt comfortable giving me the go-ahead to run outside. OUTSIDE!!! OUT-FREAKIN-SIDE!
The angels sang and the birds chirped and life was good. I was pretty excited. Daniel cleared me to run OUTSIDE every-other-day for no more than 3 miles. Thursday would be my first attempt. The thing was…after my run on Tuesday, I was pretty sore on Wednesday. I wasn’t exactly sure if I could get the run done on Thursday. I also started to feel crappy. Thank you seasonal allergies…in February. We had a stretch of weather in the 70s and all the trees started to bud…pollen…pollen everywhere. UGH. I was miserable. So, I got some Benadryl…and curled up in my bed at 8 pm…not looking forward to Thursday morning at all.
But when it came around, I actually only hurt a little bit. Nothing big. And I was able to get through all my dynamic warmups without a problem. So…I went for it. I did my 25-ish minutes of running…stopping when I got to 3 miles. It wasn’t pretty and it wasn’t fast. There was a lot of me thinking about my stride. I could tell I wanted to baby the left hip and would do an occasional limp-run. And at the end of the run, while I felt good, my right ankle was a little sore, which did mean I was compensating. That was frustrating. But…the run went…better than I expected!
I rested the rest of the day and prepared to see my PT on Friday morning. The first thing he did was ask how I was. I told him I was sore and what I gathered from my run. He had me walk the length of the room and said that my limp was gone when I walked…which is BIG!! I’ve been limping around since January 1st. WOOHOO! So, he had me run through some of my lunges and stair work. And then he hand me on the BOSU for some dynamic stuff. And I got a light massage on the hip flexor to see if that helped any with the soreness. And it did. I went into the weekend feeling better.
And then the weather changed again. From 70s down to the 30s. No joke. I was freezing at the Norton Sports Health Training Program run. Most people were running 7 or 14 miles. I was doing 3. Thankfully, I wasn’t the only one in shorts. In fact, my fellow ambassador, Reggie, won for the most under-dressed that day. Poor guy!! Special shout-out to my warm friend, Jack, who helped keep me warm as my body pretty much locked up and didn’t want to move during the warm-ups. I was TOTALLY okay with that! I HATE being cold. HATE. The cold does bad things to my body.
So, after the really weird warm-up session, I shed my long pants to reveal my compression shorts (the ones I bought at Disneyland) and went out with the group, managing 1.5 miles one way (with hills, which I was supposed to be avoiding, but I swear, we ran downtown last time we started at the U of L Row House. UGH. So, while everyone else went on…I had to turn around. Which sucked…but I was definitely following instructions. The last mile was pretty much straight into the howling wind the entire time. When I hit 3 miles, I was right where I started. and I got into the car to warm-up.
And once again, my right ankle was being cranky with me. And it stayed that way the rest of the weekend. I vowed that I was NOT going to run again until I saw Daniel…which should have been today, but my appointment was canceled as he was running a fever and staying home. I see him Thursday morning and will discuss it with him then.
My allergies are clearing up, finally…so that’s good. And I’m feeling better. But…mentally this continues to be a tough pill to swallow. I still have a few meltdowns throughout the week…even when I do get to run.
I start to fret over all the small things, every pain, every twinge…and I focus on what COULD happen. So…to help me stay focused, I made a purchase over at Momentum Jewelry…this wrap:
EVERYTHING you want is on the other side of fear.
THAT…pretty much sums up what I need to focus on these days. It’s like my physical therapist said…there is this area where I won’t be doing enough for my recovery…and then there is doing too much…and there is all this middle-ground. And I’m right on this line…and I just need to push a little more. And that’s what we’re doing.
Eventually.
Once I get this stride, limp-run, Bambi-leg thing fixed.
And that’s is my first month working toward a comeback. MAJOR progress…I’ll take it!
Traditionally in the interwebs, this makes it Throwback Thursday…or #TBT, if you will. And that’s kinda fun to participate in. Dig through those archives for some sort of fun photo of you and post it…then poke fun at your hair, your outfit, your bad decisions!
BUT…with that being said…I have the BEST decision you will EVER make on a #TBT for realz! (Did I really just say that?)
You see, the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon/miniMarathon is providing their very own THROWBACK today…and TODAY ONLY! So, if it is not FEBRUARY 23, 2017, this code will not work for you. So…act fast because just like the past…this offer will also fade away!
If you REGISTER TODAY for any distance (the full marathon, the half marathon, or even sign up as a relay team) you will get THROWBACK pricing..back to August’s rates. That’s a full $20 OFF your registration TODAY. But this is ONLY today!
Plus…when you register today, you will also receive a THROWBACK KDF T-SHIRT! How cool is that. It’s so simple…just use the code below:
Yes…that is me, the blonde, at the start line of a little local race in my hometown of Corning, NY! Seriously, I didn’t run as a kid – this was the one race I did every year. How’s that for a throwback. Look at all those white shoes! HA!
Anyway…this code for KDF is only good TODAY – February 23, 2017. So do NOT miss out!!
The Code is: THROWBACK
And, please, pick me – Karen Brady – as your Race Ambassador Referral!
And…one more time…without the words…a THROWBACK in honor of today’s THROWBACK code!
You know, one of the most rewarding things about being an Ambassador for the #KDFMarathon is that I get to encourage other people – friends, strangers, friends of strangers, etc – to sign up for this amazing race and to train with us using the official Norton Sports Health Training Program!
So…I’m here on my blog to do just that. Let’s begin with the Norton Sports Health Training Program, shall we?
The Norton Sports Health Training Program is a fantastic 14-week program that helps prepare runners and walkers for both the KDF Marathon and the KDF miniMarathon races. Registration for the program is 100% FREE!!! If you are anything like me, FREE is your favorite price. So, make a point to head over to the Norton Sports Health Training Program page on the KDF Marathon site and register.
Well, not only will you receive a training manual at the annual kick-off event on January 12, 2017 at 6 p.m. at the Kentucky Derby Museum(you can also download this online), which will highlight the training guidelines and the weekly group runs (there are two (2) per week – Tuesday Hill Repeats and Saturday Long Runs), but you will also have the opportunity, at this event, to meet and talk with members of the Norton Sports Health Team, and have any of your questions answered prior to beginning training. Attending this event will also give you the opportunity to check out the exhibits at the Kentucky Derby Museum commemorating the annual Run for the Roses.
If you have been wavering on whether to register or not…then wait no longer. I have a discount code for you that is good through December 24, 2016. Trust me, you do not want to miss out on this deal.
Go to the KDF Marathon registration page and register for either the full or half marathon distance. As you are checking out, be sure to enter this discount code and receive $10 OFF REGISTRATION!
CODE: AMBASSADORGIFT
And, as I said, this is good for $10 OFF REGISTRATION!! Be sure, when you register, you pick me, KAREN BRADY, as your Race Ambassador Referral!!
Trust me, you won’t find a better deal than this!!
Two for one! Register for the race distance of your choice…then go register for the Norton Sports Health Training Program. Trust me, I participated in the training program last year, and it is phenomenal. I was just coming back from months off due to my hip labrum tear, and this program not only laid out distances to run, but helped me get back into the act of running regularly. It is so worth participating in! And, as a bonus, I met a lot of awesome people and made some new friends. Why go it alone? Train with people who have the same goal as you. It makes a world of difference!
Me after finishing the Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast – New Albany, IN
Race: Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast
Place: New Albany, Indiana
Date: November 24, 2016
Time:37:03
*twirls around*
It happened this year!! After having to miss out on my most convenient and least stressful face of the year last year…this year I was registered and ready to run. That’s right, my friends. It was time for New Albany’s very own Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast. It is held every Thanksgiving morning (for 28 years now!) and it happens…literally…right outside my door. The start and finish area is at the fairgrounds located directly across the street from my apartment complex. How’s that for an easy race morning?
As you might recall, last year I was still on the recovery list after dealing with my nemesis, my hip labrum tear, and then…my stress fracture in my leg. The hip is going to be a constant thing, but when my leg started to bother me again, my orthopedic doctor decided it would be best to take the rest of November off from running and to send me to physical therapy. I had been registered for the Fast Freddie Five Miler already…because I knew my boot would be off and I figured I’d be good to go. But, sadly, I wasn’t. And for the first time in the years I have been running…I had to miss out on the challenging race before my Thanksgiving feast. I was, however, a brief spectator last year, rushing down to the start line in just enough time to see everyone off.
It wasn’t the same.
And this year…in the true tradition of Thanksgiving…I was hungry for this one.
When you think your coach is on drugs for the pace she wants you to try to hit…and then this is the bib number you are assigned!
The Sunday prior to Thursday, I met up with my friend Jack and his friend Heather (who recognized me from the YMCA) to run the course. It was 23 degrees out that morning, but I hadn’t run the course in a long time (and I know I need to because it does have some hills to challenge me), so I really wanted to do this test run on the course. Or…a course preview…as we referred to it. I ran it at an easy pace…my Garmin saying I did it in about 39 minutes. Happy with that.
After getting home, I went to check my training calendar that my coach, Linda, throws together for me each week. Fast Freddie was listed…and she set my goal time for 38 minutes. I had run just slightly over 38 minutes when I ran this last, in 2014, so I thought this was an achievable goal time for my first year back to this event. But, later that night, she texted me and said that she changed my time goal for the race. I went to check and she changed it to 36 minutes. I texted her back and said that I had never run this course that fast (my fastest race time is 36:54 in 2013…when I was in my best racing shape), but I would try. She told me not to kill myself doing it, but she thought I was capable, being that I was just barely over 36 minutes on a 5 mile speed work run I did a few weeks before.
For the rest of the week, I fretted over that race time. I did my training runs, hit the paces, tried to run easy on the easy days (which isn’t easy for me…unless I run with other people), and just not try to obsess over it. I would do my best on race morning…and that’s all I could do.
Me after 4 hours of cooking and baking on Wednesday night.
To top it all off, though, I was hosting Thanksgiving this year. I hosted last year, but I wasn’t racing, so I decided that I needed to do as much as humanly possible the night before. This meant, I made a conscious decision to not rest my legs or feet…but to stand in the kitchen and cook up all of the side dishes I was serving. Leaving, simply, the sweet potato fries, the BBQ pulled turkey, and the apple cinnamon slow-cooker apples for the morning. It took almost 4 hours to get it all done, but I did. I even had to set an alarm on my phone to wake me up so that I could put the food that was cooling on racks into the fridge. I went back to bed, having my alarm set for to give me time to do all my stretches and PT exercises before the race…as well as chop up a lot of apples for both the slow cooker that had the turkey and the slow cooker with the apples as well. It was a hectic morning, but I managed to get everything going before Cathy taped up my right foot (still having some issues with it) and pinned me up. Time to go.
It was actually earlier than I usually head over to the fairgrounds for this race, but I was meeting up with three other #KDFMarathon Ambassadors who were running this particular race: Jack, Melissa (and her husband), and Leah (who also has Linda as a coach!). When I showed up, I found Jack and Leah standing near the stage inside…and Melissa was just parking and heading our way. We wanted to get a picture together before the race. Melissa showed up, looked at me and said, “Where are your clothes?”
So…race morning was the type of weather where I get really confused as to how to properly dress. It was around 50 degrees at the start, but there was a cold 9 mph wind. According to the Weather Channel, it felt more like 46 degrees out. That being said, I had opted for a t-shirt and a pair of short (rainbow) shorts…and my usual compression sleeves and BondiBand with pigtails and all that good stuff. Melissa and Jack were in leggings and long sleeves. Leah was in shorts and a t-shirt too (and was wearing a pie hat on her head).
Leah, Me, Jack & Melissa…the #KDFMarathon Ambassadors representing!
We gathered outside for the photo…my peeps wearing their KDF Ambassador shirts (I like to be bright, so I didn’t wear mine…but I did hold it up!). Not going to lie…it was cold. So, after the photo, Jack and my warm friends helped walk me to the start line while keeping me warm. And it was here that I ran into my friend, Harry, who was walking the course. So…I was just finding everyone today.
I went toward the front of the race group, taking up my usual position about 3 rows back from the start. The front row is reserved for the people with the low bib numbers. My bib number was, hilariously, #420. I was so amused when I picked up my bib Wednesday night because I had joked that Linda was on drugs when she set my goal pace…and then I get #420. HA! The crazy bib number things that happen to me. Anyway, I like to be close to the start, without getting in the way of the people who actually deserve to be right up there. You know…the people who run strides ahead of the race. Those crazies in the singlets and shorty-shorts. *glances down at rainbow shorty-shorts*
Fast Freddie’s Five Mile Foot Feast starts promptly at 9 am. Fred came out to give the usual information about the start. He would tell have runners get ready and then blow the whistle. And that…is what he did. And at the whistle blow…we were off.
I saw Cathy immediately, holding up my sign, gave a wave, and pushed on. After all, I was chasing down a fast time.
Fast times used to be a lot easier for me. Especially when a course has hills. You see, one problem I am finding with my hip labrum tear is that I lose power and speed on my uphills. I can’t easily burst up them like I used to. Nope. I actually struggle at times on hills. But I wasn’t going to worry about that. I didn’t have time. You pretty much get hit with a hill right away on this race. Not a big one, but it send you up and over the highway…but there is a nice downhill that awaits on the other side. I revel in those downhills. What I lack in hill climbing, I made up for on those downhills. Up ahead was the light, and we all blazed our path onto Mt. Tabor road, hitting that first mile marker. I looked to be just slightly behind on the 7:12 pace I would need to average in order to hit 36 minutes.
Mt. Tabor Road is a series of rolling ups and downs. By now, the body is warmed up and I can take these in stride, for sure. I actually handled these better than I anticipated. I was pushing that pace, hoping to, maybe, surprise myself in the end. We crossed the railroad tracks, went up another hill and then down, turning onto Grant Line Road. Mile 2…done. And I was still just a smidge under the 7:12 time.
But this third mile…this is the killer. As you head into Sam Peden Community Park, we get hammered with our first long climb. This hill isn’t steep…but it is continuous. Pretty much for the entire half a mile that you run toward that third mile mark. There is a water stop as you enter the park, but I always bypass it and keep running. My focus at this point was on pushing myself up that hill. This was not easy for me…and I could feel myself really fall back on my pace. And when this hill does level off (nope…no downhill…darn it), you’ve gotten through that third mile. I was set back now on my time, but I was going to see if I could make it up. I rounded the corner and started to make my way out of the park. There was a guy near the apartment complex at the park exit cheering on people. He saw my number and said, “What you got for me, 420?” HA!
Honestly, I used to dread Schell Lane. It is the hilliest part of the race. But, this past summer as I was training for the Kauai Marathon, I made a point to do hill runs in the mornings up Daisy Lane (opposite the way we run it in this race) and then through Schell Lane and back…just so I was getting in various climbs on the hills. They slowed me down slightly, but the downhills gave me some momentum to make up some time. The last hill is the hardest, but you get rewarded with the best downhill ever…all the way down Daisy Lane. I made the turn, and pushed my pace on that downhill hoping to catch some of my time. This is my favorite part of this race. I feel so fast and free and alive. Four miles…done.
The last mile was all that I had left…but I was starting to run out of gas in my legs. Seriously. Daisy Lane levels out pretty fast and it’s a huge shift when you’re coming down that hill to suddenly just have…flat. I proceeded as fast as I could force these legs to move, but I knew I was starting to struggle. I also knew that I was close to having a time in the 36 minute zone…so maybe…maybe I could at least get a new PR. I made it my goal to, as always, do my best to make this last mile count.
Me, crossing the finish line at Fast Freddie’s Five Mile Foot Feast – New Albany, IN
At the traffic light, I made the turn and began the last stretch of road back to the Fairgrounds. I actually do run this stretch a lot and am familiar with the rolling hills. All that being said…my legs were pretty much done. But I wasn’t having it. I was half a mile away, and I was going to press on and see what happened. As we neared the Fairgrounds, I could hear the crowds of people who were there to cheer, or were waiting on their family members. That’s the best part, coming into that finish where people line the street and send you down that finishing shoot. I made the turn to run it into the finish and could hear Cathy screaming at me to run faster. I managed, my Garmin telling me that as I crossed the finish line, I was hitting a pace around 5:42. Usually I have no finishing kick, but I could now see the clock and my 36+ minute zone was close to closing. I gave it all I had…
…and managed no new PR…and missed 36 minutes by well over a minute. But I was done. I had beat my 2014 time by well over a minute, so given that last year I wasn’t able to run at all…this was a total and complete win. I think, as I train more this coming year, I’ll find my stride again. My running has been a struggle as of late, but I’m getting it figured out, little by little.
After crossing the finish line, I went and met up with Cathy and we went to find a spot near the road to cheer on the rest of my #KDF Ambassador team!! Jack came in first…then Leah…and then Melissa and Paul. I was there for all of them. And, afterwards, we even got a picture with Santa, who was at the finish.
Me, Santa, Jack, and Melissa after we finished the Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast – New Albany, IN
You never know what to expect from this race.
The awards were going to be handed out and the raffle drawings were going to be done, so we headed into Newlin Hall, where it was warm, and we all just sort of conversed as prizes were handed out.
And then…as they got to the Female 35-29 age division…I heard my friend Amber Korte get announced as third…I hadn’t even seen Amber. I wasn’t sure if she was still there, but I cheered loudly. And the second place was announced. And then…my name was called for first in my age division. I was…amazed, to be honest. In 2013, when I ran my fastest time on this course, I didn’t even place. When I ran in 2014, I was third in my age division. So, yeah, I was surprised. I went over to the table and got my Fast Freddie Mug (they were yellow this year!)…and went back to hang with my friends. Except…I had some more stuff that needed to be done for Thanksgiving dinner…so we hugged and I said goodbye and headed back home to shower and cook up the remainder of the meal before everyone started arriving.
The infamous Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast mug as age division awards. LOVE IT! First in my age group this year!
The official results of this year’s Fast Freddie Festive Five Mile Foot Feast was that I finished with an official time of 37:03…only 9 seconds off my PR on this course, and a full minute and three seconds slower than my coach was hoping for. I was 112/866 finishers this year. I was the 21st female to cross the finish line. And I was 1st in my age division. I was disappointed that I didn’t manage the fast time Linda hoped I could run, but I ran really well and really hard…and I still ran better than the last time I ran this race. I’ll take any small victory at this point. Maybe, with a little practice, and some hip strengthening, I’ll hit that sub-36.
I hope all of you had a fantastic Thanksgiving! I am very thankful for all of you who return to my blog and read about my adventures in running and in travel and food. I leave you with this Thanksgiving-ish thought:
Whatever feeds your desire, your hunger, and your fire…chase it down this year.
Me crossing the finish line of the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon – Louisville, KY
Race: Urban Bourbon Half Marathon
Place: Louisville, Kentucky
Date: October 22, 2016
Time: 1:44:47
It was the weekend before Halloween…and after a few long runs with my running partner, Matthew, he and I had come up with some fun ideas should he choose to run the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon with me. Like…at one point we were going to dress as Batman & Robin…and then, at the halfway point, we were going to switch out so the other person was Batman and the other was Robin. When we couldn’t find Robin outfits, it changed to Superman & Wonder Woman. I had the Wonder Woman running costume…but as I said…this race was the weekend before Halloween. Superman was a bit difficult to come by. What he did end up with was a great brown cotton shirt. YES! We were SO ready for this!
My biggest concern that morning was the chilly air. My body doesn’t do well in cooler temperatures. Once it gets under the 60s…it’s iffy. When it hits the 40s, like it did that morning, my body sometimes doesn’t want to function at all. So, I had to decide if I was going to do a singlet with arm warmers…or just short sleeves. I went back and forth on it, but totally ended up going with the arm warmers and singlet. It was a decision I immediately began questioning my decision.
I headed downstairs at my apartment that morning in my outfit choice to see if I could take the cold air. I did all my physical therapy stretches, warmup moves, and plyometrics and figured…I’d probably warm up when running the half…I’d stick with it. I’d just wear warm things before the race. I also donned my KDF Marathon Ambassador shirt for the group picture prior to the race start. My foot was NOT loving the cold air though, so I knew that this race was going to be about feeling that out and seeing how it did as the miles began to wrack up! I’ve learned to really listen to my body…so I knew I’d be hyper aware of it as the morning went on. That being said, I headed back upstairs to eat some cereal and finish up pre-race prep.
Kat and I the morning of the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon. Next time she’s in town, we are so racing together!
My good friend, Kat, who ran the KDF Half Marathon in 2014 with me…and who I paced the Buffalo Marathon with the same spring, was in town and staying with me. Poor thing probably had to get up way earlier than she intended that morning, but she was a good sport. I wished she could have run it too…but another time, for sure! My roomie, Cathy, and I saw her off (with a vegan and gluten-free breakfast from Annie May’s…and some additional road eats) and then hopped into the car for the dash over the river to Louisville. Parking wasn’t too much of a problem. And…to keep me warm on the hike from the car to the photo op, I donned the warm poncho I got at the NYC Marathon in 2014.
I had messaged the other Ambassadors to warn them that I was running a little late, and, I was the last one to show up, but a couple of others had just gotten there as well. I shed the poncho and set up for the photo op. I love my Ambassador family and love these little photo op moments together. Seriously, I want to hang out with them for the rest of my life. After the photo, I put the poncho back on and texted my running partner, Matthew, to see if he was there yet. He was…and I told him to stay put…because I was incoming.
My KDF Marathon Ambassador team!! We all ran really good races that day!
Just as I spotted him, my friend, Katie, spotted me. There were hugs…and photos…and some chatting. Katie and I have been trying to meet up at races for awhile now. It finally happened. YAY!! Now to find a time to have her over for a run and dinner. That also must happen. Maybe sometime during the holidays. I love hosting people for the holidays. What do you think, Katie?
Matthew was in the best outfit for running. A brown cotton shirt and shorts. He also had a white long sleeve shirt under it because, as I mentioned, it was freakin’ cold that morning. His girlfriend, Dawn, made sure she got some pictures before wishing him luck. She and Cathy went to find a good spot at the start line while he and I started to walk down the line to the corrals. The opening to get into them was a good ways down. We were back with some over 2 hour pacers, so we did our best to work our way up a bit more. We were treating this as a fun training run…but we wanted to be somewhere near our normal pace, for sure. We got as far as we could before the National Anthem…and then…the gun to send us off.
Me and Matt (and Creepy Cathy, HAHA) before the start of the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon (photo courtesy of Dawn Johnson)
We gave a wave to Dawn & Cathy as we crossed the start line and passed them. We ran down West Main and made the turn onto 2nd Street and then onto E Muhammad Ali Blvd. The first mile clicked over and we were off to the training (races). In fact, Matthew and I just settled in and sort of just started talking. It was great. In fact, we actually paced the first 4 miles rather quickly and then, slowed it down on the hills of Cherokee Park. In doing so, we were able to take on the hills and still feel strong at the top. Of course, once we climbed to the top at Hogan’s Fountain, I told Matthew that we were hitting my favorite speed…DOWNHILL!!
The next three miles were back up in pace as we came out of Cherokee Park and made our way down Cherokee Parkway to Cherokee Road to Baxter Avenue. I got a lot…and I mean a lot of Wonder Woman shout-outs. It made me smile. I’d wave and smile and pump my fist at anyone who shouted out at me. But my favorite, I think, came around Mile 9, when a woman shouted, “IT’S WONDER WOMAN!” She turned to her companion and said, “She was always my favorite superhero.” It’s little things like that, people!!
Matthew and I just after finishing the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon – Louisville, KY
The sun was out and while the air was still cold, the runners were definitely warm at this point. Matthew said he was glad he wasn’t running a marathon, because we were 10 miles in and he was struggling a bit. He took in some fuel and we moved into our final three miles. As we got into the last mile, my legs were ready to move, so I settled into a bit of a faster pace and began to make the dash back down East Main toward the finish line. I could hear a crowd and an announcer, so I knew it was close.
And then I saw Dawn and Cathy…and they were yelling and shouting. And I crossed the finish line, foot twinging, but not hurting bad, hip feeling good, and just…glad to be done. It was a good run. Matthew came across momentarily after me!
Ron Steve and Me in the After Party area after the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon
We received our medal (hey…a training run with bling…LOVE that!), and it made my race to have Chris from the KDF Ambassadors put my medal around my neck. Seriously, that meant so much to me. Then, Matthew and I went to do the photo ops. Afterwards, I spotted a good friend, Ron Steve, who had a brilliant race that day, beating his goal by 2 minutes!! THAT was very good news. I wanted him to have a good race and he certainly did!! We all moved through the chute, getting our water, snacks, bananas, and chocolate milks…and went to the after party setting. Runners got to have like 8 bourbon shots if they wanted…and got soup and pizza as well. Because of my food allergies, I didn’t partake, but Cathy did eat my slice of pizza. It was, apparently, really good pizza. Dawn and Matthew came to sit with us in the sun and I did get up to do a few leg swings to keep the hip loose.
Me being serenaded by the lead singer of The Louisville Crashers…HAHA!
After getting serenaded by the lead singer of The Louisville Crashers…it was time to get going. Lots to do that day…and some brunch and grocery shopping was going to start it off. I said goodbye to Ron, Matthew and Dawn, and went to accomplish the rest of the tasks that needed to be done that day, before heading to the Jack O’ Lantern Spectacular later that night with my friend Amanda!
It was quite a day.
So, my official results of the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon is that I finished in 1:44:47, which is a 3 minute improvement from the Indy Women’s Half Marathon. No rain…just cold. And I wasn’t even pushing it. I’ll take that! I was the 249/2508 finishers overall. I was 52/1406 women to finish this race. And in the 45-59 age division, I came in 5/154. Not bad at all. I was very happy with the way I ran this race, given some aches and pains, and the cold weather, which never helps. Yep…definitely a worthwhile training run (race).
I know…I’ve been neglecting the blog…especially product reviews as of late. Life has been a bit crazy. But with my first marathon back from injury now in the books (even though it did not go well at all)…I feel like things are settling back down and I can get right back on track.
YAY!!
So…let me start off by reminding you that I am a Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon/Mini Marathon Race Ambassador!!! It’s true!
What is it they say? Pictures or it didn’t happen? Well…it happened:
What a great team to be working with!! Seriously…I met them at the big kick-off meeting last week and, seriously, we all bring something different and unique to the group. And I love all of them already. And I’ve only just met most of them.
So…now to the entire purpose of this post.
Do you know how amazing the NUMBER FIVE (5) is? Well…let me tell you a few ways…
1. Cinco de Mayo
Runners LOVE to eat and drink, am I right? And while these days we have important things like…Taco Tuesday…and the like, the ultimate Mexican-themed holiday has to go to Cinco de Mayo. While this is not even a federal holiday in Mexico, this doesn’t stop me (and the rest of the USA) from breaking out the chips, salsa, guacamole, tequila, sombreros, etc…and celebrating the 5th day of the 5th month. Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico’s Independence day…but the day actually commemorates the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. There you have it. The more you know.
Now, pass me the guacamole!
2. The Five Second Rule
HA!! We’ve all done it. Eating a tasty treat and then…WHOOPS…you drop it and it hits the floor. This is the little unwritten rule that says…hey…that delicious food item is still safe to eat. I mean…we’d hate to let it go to waste, right?
3. High Fives
We, collectively, as runners…LOVE a good high five. I mean, you’re running the later miles of a distance race and there is a child/adult/spouse/friend/complete stranger with that infamous sign…
Whether it’s up high, down low…ooops…too slow (see what I did there?), there is nothing more uplifting than a mid-race high five. For real!! This little hand clap makes victories sweeter, the low times a bit more tolerable, and…they sure do make you think that you are getting that power up promised, as you run your way through the streets, when you slap your hand together with a stranger.
4. The ever-popular 5K race
It is the perfect distance for some…and torture for others. But if you are looking to get better, faster, stronger…the 5K race is the race for you. And, in addition, you aren’t out for hours on end on a weekend. Anywhere between 15-45 minutes…and BOOM…you’re done!! Is it any wonder the 5K race is where most runners start? It’s a warm-up…it’s a challenge…it it easy…it hurts…it is hard. It’s all these things…and that’s why we love to hate and continue to run…those 5K races.
5. $5 OFF #KDFMARATHON RACE REGISTRATION
As I mentioned above, I am one of the Race Ambassadors for the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon/Mini Marathon! And this is a great opportunity to get a discount on your race registration, whether you choose to go 13.1 miles (Mini Marathon) or 26.2 (Marathon). Here’s the deal…all you need to do is head over to the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon/Mini Marathon Registration Page and click on the button to begin your registration. Enter the following code between September 15 – September 29, 2016 and recieve $5 OFF your registration:
AMB5OFF1
And, remember, when you see the question:
Were you referred by a race ambassador?
Choose my name – Karen Brady!!
See…the number 5 is a wonderful thing!! Now, stop procrastinating and hesitating and get registering. Come seek out a finish line with us!!
It was the best news I had received in a long time. I found out, as I was making my way to Minnesota, that I was chosen to be one of the 2017 Race Ambassadors for the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon/Mini Marathon.
I can’t even begin to explain how excited I am to take on this role. I absolutely love being an encourager and this opportunity gives me the chance to help people take steps to meet their goals at the Kentucky Derby Marathon or Mini Marathon.
Seriously…EXCITED!!
All that being said…if you register within the next two (2) weeks, you can take 10% off your registration by using the code:
KDFR4R08
When you register (see, I said when not if)…be sure to select my name – Karen Brady – from the “Ambassador Referral” on the application.
Just go here and register. Simple. Easy. Motivational.
Me crossing the finish line of the Minnesota Half Marathon – St. Paul, MN
Race: Minnesota Half Marathon
Place: St. Paul, Minnesota
Date: August 6, 2016
Time: 1:41:24
Two weeks ago, I had a plan. I was to run 12 miles…either around my grandpa’s neighborhood in Minnesota…or with my friend Julie (depending on her schedule) somewhere in the Minneapolis area. Neither came into fruition, because Southwest had that computer meltdown that literally grounded and cancelled flights that entire weekend. So, while my family was in Minnesota, celebrating my grandpa’s 95th birthday, I was still in Indiana…and Southwest was willing to reschedule for up to 2 weeks out. And after checking with my aunt and my grandpa about their schedules…I was rescheduled to visit now at the beginning of August instead. The rest of my family would be back in Alabama, but I would get a bit more one-on-one time with my grandpa, aunt, and cousins (and their families). So, there were pros and cons.
It just so happened that in my current marathon training schedule, my long run for that weekend was a 13 mile run. And, as luck would have it…there was a local half marathon running on Saturday.
Maybe this was meant to be.
There were a lot of things that compelled me to sign up for the Minnesota Half Marathon. For one thing…if I’m going to put in the time and miles, why not get a medal for it? Another reason…it benefited the Ronald McDonald House Charities, and a friend of mine is currently in Chicago at the Ronald McDonald House with her niece, who is being treated for cancer…and kicking cancer’s ass if I do say so myself. Also…there was an inline skating division. Yes…roller bladers were invited to also do the 13.1 mile course. I have never been part of a race with an inline skating division. So cool. OH…and the course…has you running right along the Mississippi River the entire time. Sounded perfect to me. And so…as a rather last minute decision, I registered and packed my racing gear in my luggage.
Caribou Coffee!!!!!
Upon arriving in Minneapolis, after a much-needed and fantastic stop at Caribou Coffee at the airport, my roommate and I got our rental car and headed out to St. Paul…down to The Running Room to pick up my packet. We arrived just slightly before they opened (let’s hear it for making good time!), so we went up the street and killed some time in CVS, before heading back down to the store and stepping inside. There was a small table set up with a laptop, some race bibs, and boxes of t-shirts off to the side. A young woman was manning the table and she asked my name, typed it into the computer, and grabbed the next race bib on the stack (2490), took a sharpie and marked the half marathon checkbox, and told me to grab my size t-shirt. That was it. Super easy.
French Meadow Bakery’s Gluten Free & Vegan Cornmeal Waffle
From there, we headed over to Minneapolis to hit up the grocery store (I was cooking 2 meals while there AND making dessert), and then get to grandpa’s house. We let ourselves in…and he was inside and very happy to see me there. We were, of course, already ready for some lunch. We invited Grandpa along, but he was tired from his trip earlier in the week that he took. So, Cathy and I packed up and headed out to one of our favorite places to eat while in Minnesota…French Meadow Bakery. I was cooking dinner that night for my Grandpa, aunt, my cousin Natalie, and my cousin Molly and her family (hubby and 3 kids)…and I was making BigMAC Potatoes. I normally do gluten-free pizza before a race, but since I was treating this as a training run, I figured it was fine to change things up. Who knows…maybe I’d stumble across something that worked better. Cathy ordered the Mac & Cheese for lunch and I went with the Gluten Free & Vegan Cornmeal Waffle (which is topped off with bananas, toasted walnuts, and a toffee syrup). Because…we all know how much I love breakfast. We devoured our food and did a little bit of shopping at the Electric Fetus (that’s a record store, in case you were wondering), a Half Price Books, and then went back to home base, as I needed to bake the Gluten Free Strawberry Streusel Bars that I brought ingredients (yep…I brought the last 2 jars of my strawberry jam to Minnesota for this) to bake specifically for the birthday peeps (my aunt celebrated her birthday a few days after my grandpa did). The dessert needed to cool for 2 hours, so I got it baking and then settled in to talk and hang out with grandpa for a little while. Eventually, my aunt came home from work and Molly & Co. arrived. Molly volunteered to make her famous green beans…and I was excited about eating them because they sounded SO good. I put Cathy on the task of rinsing, poking, and rubbing the potatoes down with a light bit of olive oil. We got them in the oven, since it would take about an hour to bake, and then I got to work on the lentils, which would make the “meat” portion of the vegan dish. Soon, we had everything cooked and we settled down at the table, where I walked everyone through how to assemble their potatoes. And we devoured them and half of the Strawberry Streusel Bars too. Vegan cooking FTW!!
The Olympics were starting that evening, so the opening ceremonies were put on the screen and while I foam rolled (and taught my cousins all about foam rolling and the stick!), I watched what Brazil was bringing to the world stage for these 2016 Summer Olympic Games. I was exhausted, as I had been up since 12:45 am to squeeze in all my stretches, warm up, and manage a short (2 mile) run and shower before my ride to the airport had arrived at 4 am. But, as the United States were walking in the E’s (Los Estados Unidos!), I was at least able to stay up and see Michael Phelps carry in the flag. Once that happened, I was in bed and setting 2 alarms for the morning routine for a race.
The first alarm came WAY too soon, but I got up, went through the first part of my race-day routine, and then climbed back into bed for about another hour. The second alarm was go-time…so I had to get up, get changed, eat something, and get to the race. I managed to get into my race outfit before checking the weather and discovering that it was currently 57 degrees outside. So, bra top wasn’t going to work. I came prepared with 3 different singlets though, so I grabbed my purple Boston one and slipped it on. That would do. Cathy was up just as I stuck a bagel in the oven to toast for her and prepped my oatmeal cup I brought with me.
So…basically I was doing EVERYTHING that they advise against in preparation for this half marathon. I forewent the pizza the night before…I stayed up late…I ate a big bowl of oatmeal pre-race (I usually have a serving of cereal before leaving for the race and then a banana 30 minutes before the race)…I was testing out Skratch as a form of fuel (as my current fuel has been giving me stomach cramps)…and I didn’t give myself any time to stretch, do my PT exercises, my dynamic warmup stuff, or my plyometrics…yep…I was doing it all wrong and just hoping for the best. HA! Good thing I wasn’t racing this.
Pre-race nap in the rental car
After we ate, I quickly brushed my teeth, filled up one water bottle in my fuel belt with water, the other with Skratch, and grabbed my banana. Then, we were off to the races. Via a detour. Where Cathy managed to get where we needed to be without even trying. Talk about luck! She got us parked in the parking garage the race site recommended to park in…with time to kill.
So…I took a nap.
No joke. I took a freakin’ nap.
Ah…my power naps are so…awesome.
After about 2o minutes, we decided to head on down toward the start line so that we wouldn’t feel crushed for time. One problem…we couldn’t figure out how to efficiently get down to the ground level over by the river. Hmmm…
The Minnesota Half Marathon has an inline skating division…HOW COOL!
After a few false starts and a lot of back and forths…and many stair wells and elevators, we figured it out and got down to where we needed to be. From there, we followed all the runners toward the start area. And I immediately ducked into the long lines for the port-a-potties. Apparently potatoes and oatmeal make me have to pee. I rarely make use of the port-a-potties…and the lines were LONG. Cathy found me in time to pass of my banana at 6:45 am…as the half marathon was to go off at 7:15 am. The inline skaters were sent of at 7 am. The bathroom lines had a TON of inline skaters in them and as the time ticked down and the lines barely moved…they had to move to the front or miss the start. Banana…bathroom…time to watch the inline skaters go before getting myself ready to run. There were some seriously incredible skaters who lined up…but the majority were casual racers. Still…it was pretty awesome to see them take off. Some were SUPER fast.
After they were out of the starting area, the half marathon runners were asked to line up. So, I hopped into the start area…just behind the 1:40 pacer. I had no pace expectations…just to run comfortably. It was a training run, after all. We were sent off a few minutes early, to be sure.
But I was off.
Me…heading out at the start of the Minnesota Half Marathon in St. Paul, MN.
This race was beautiful. The entire run is done along the Mississippi River. The roads are closed to traffic, so it’s just you, the runners, the river, and…the occasional struggling roller blader. This course was reversed from the years previous to help make the last 5 miles a bit flatter. You know what that means? The hills hit in the first half of the race. Some of these climbs brought some more of the novice roller bladers to a stop, or to a crawl (while clinging to the cement divider on the road), but I just worked my way up them. I’m still trying to get my spring and speed back when it comes to hills. That being said…I just adjusted my stride and pushed on.
We turned around just before Mile 4 to head back toward the start area, so any downhill we had, now was an uphill. There was a small amount of support out on the side of the road…but mostly I enjoyed listening to the pacers whenever they were around. OH…and the one guy who was totally flirting with this girl in the 1:40 group. He literally turned to her and said, “I like your pace!” Um…right…
Anyway…the run beside the river was quite pleasant…even though most of these miles were put in right in full sun. Yeah…I was regretting not just doing the bra top at this point. The singlet was light…but I would have been way more comfortable without the fabric.
At Mile 5, I decided to take a risk and try out some of the Skratch that I picked up samples of to see how it did as a fuel. By Mile 6, the pacer in front of me was telling the runners that were with him that it would be a good time to gu. LOL! One good thing about running so close to a pace group, was I knew when “the last hill” would be hitting. I let them go soon after Mile 8. This is also the point of the race where all the runners are sent past the finish line. Seriously…we had to run up the road for another few miles before turning around again. This is the second race I’ve done in Minnesota where we are sent past the finish area…like a tease…
This is me…running past the finish line area just after Mile 8. What a tease!
Cathy saw me and was screaming and cheering. And I gave a wave and continued on. Mile 10…more Skratch…but I was feeling a bit tired. So, I knew Skratch was not going to be a good fuel for my upcoming marathon. UGH. This means that I am back to square one on the whole nutrition/fueling thing. MEH. I had a backup Huma gel, but I was only 3 miles from the finish, so I stuck it out. Just before Mile 11, we make the turn and run back toward the finish area, this time…to finish for real. This involved a bit of a hill climb…and then it was just over 2 miles to hit that finish line.
With the gentle breeze coming off the river, I relaxed, settled into my pace, and just made my last couple of miles count. I could see the finish line ahead and started to pick it up as much as I could manage. And…I even managed to pass up another female runner right at the finish line. You see that line, you sprint, dammit. SPRINT. Even I do that, and I don’t sprint. I am not a sprinter. LOL!
Anyway…upon finishing, I was given my Minnesota-shaped finisher’s medal and took some time to walk through the recovery area. I was introduced to Aspire Sports Drink, which is made with natural ingredients and doesn’t contain any artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives. It was AMAZING. I tried 4 of the 6 flavors. Only 35 calories per bottle too. Gotta love it. I eased out of my racing shoes and into my flip flops for recovery. And, after a bit of walking…Cathy and I went to get some coffee at the nearby Caribou Coffee (of course), before heading back to Minneapolis so I could change and then hang out with my friend Heather for some lunch and shopping that afternoon.
Me with the Mississippi River behind me…after the finish of the Minnesota Half Marathon – St. Paul, MN
So, my official results of the Minnesota Half Marathon is that I finished in 1:41:24, which is only 6 seconds slower than my finish at Derby. AND…my Garmin had this course at 13.25 miles exactly. Anyway, I was 86/1164 finishers overall. I was 16/640 women to cross the finish line. And I was 3/87 people in the 35-39 female division! Third in my age division. HOLLA!! Imagine if I had been racing this thing (but I know better…and I am SO close to my marathon this year!).
I had a lot of fun at this race. Not only did it benefit a great cause, but it was a fantastic way to work in a training run. Afterwards, I went and had delicious Mexican food for lunch and walked the Mall of America with one of my best friends in life…Heather…who brought along her 8 month old niece…and we had a blast. It was a perfect start to a perfect visit to Minnesota. Gorgeous course…challenging…and if you aren’t feeling up to the half distance, they also offer an unusual 6K distance as well.
In the midst of everyday stresses and stressors, it’s always nice to have a little break from the things that are just…making you feel so BLAH about life and what you are doing with your life.
For me, this week, it was having my beautiful sister, Karla, drive up from Birmingham, Alabama, with her eldest son, my nephew, Landon. I didn’t know how much I needed her and the distraction of having her and Landon here to really just allow me to relax, smile, and be me again!
Family, especially my sister, is, apparently, the cure to what ails, troubles, and bothers you. I’ve been having…a not so amazing time these past few weeks…and, unfortunately, it’s something I am not really allowed to discuss. Censorship sucks, yes? YES! But…just trust me…the type of personality I have and the person I am…it’s been bothering me on a fundamental level, which, has added a lot of added stress to my already chaotic life.
Suckage.
But this weekend…was amazing. I love spending time with my sister…and it doesn’t happen often enough. So, her texts and calls that ask what I’m doing on certain weekends means…she’s coming to visit. And I LOVE when she comes to visit. She and I are best friends and sisters and just…have always been close. So, me living this far away for 11 years (YES…11 years as of Friday)…has not been easy on either of us. But here is some of the mischief that we got into this weekend, helping me to not even think about the bad and sucky things that have made a certain portion of a time of my day…a thing I have resented and even loathed at times over the past couple of weeks.
Here’s to sisters…and nephews…and family…and general FUN! They make the world right again.
1. Fish in the Water
One thing Karla and I had discussed for Landon to do while here was to go to the new water park in New Albany. Unfortunately, Friday left us with thunderstorm warnings and the threat of pop-up storms. So, at around 3:30…when she arrived and we left the office…the lifeguards were being sent home and the park was closing. So, Plan B…go to the YMCA and let him swim. He was swim tested and given permission to go to the life guard chair in the lap pool and to go down the slide in the kids pool. So, for a good portion of the afternoon…about an hour and change, that’s what he did. Cathy, Karla, and I all sweltered to death in the humidity of the pool area of the YMCA while he played and cooled off in the pools. It was worth it to see the smile on his face!
2. SUSHI TIME!
My sister commented a week or so ago about how delicious my vegetarian sushi looked when I Instagram-ed it and posted it to Facebook. And then…I had a brilliant moment of brilliance. My nephew, Landon, is a very, very, very picky eater. BUT…he does love cheese things. Cheese quesadillas, cheese sandwiches, mac & cheese….ALL THE CHEESE! With the excitement over sushi on my post, I thought of the perfect place for us all to grab dinner, that even Landon couldn’t turn his nose up and refuse to order anything. Dragon King’s Daughter to the rescue! For those of you who are not local, Dragon King’s Daughter is an Asian-fusion restaurant with two locations…one in New Albany, Indiana, and one in Louisville, Kentucky. The menu includes traditional fare from the Far East, as well as contemporary fare with a unique twist. They offer classics of Japanese dining such as lemongrass miso, vegetable, and sushi rolls, as well as a multitude of new creations including a mixture of East and West forms and flavors. On the kids menu…a cheese quesadilla…and for the adults…we all went sushi. My sister and I figured we could get a roll each and split one…so I got the Vegetable Roll, she got the Buffaroll, and we split the Green Acres Roll. Cathy went for the fishies…and got the Shrimp Tempura Roll and the Dragon King’s Daughter Roll. And after that…a trip over to the Comfy Cow for an ice cream dessert. What a great first few hours.
3. Playtime at the County Fair
It just so happens that the Floyd County Fair happens across the street from where I life. Convenient, yes? After dinner and dessert, we came home and walked over to the fairgrounds to scope out some rides and the barns with Landon. He went on three rides (he had 4 tickets, but he wanted his mom to ride with him on one he wasn’t sure about). He loved going to see the animals. And one of the highlights for me was seeing my sister crack up every time the goats bleating. Her laugh is so contagious. We all shared lemon shakeups and just walked around. After that…it was time for showers and then we were all down on the couch to watch Zootopia and then…they took over my room and went to bed and I crashed out on the couch so I could get up early and head out for my 12 mile run and get it done before too much of the morning was passed.
4. It Runs in the Family
One of the best things we decided to do, was to go for a short run together. After my 12 miler, I got home and Karla and Landon put on their running clothes. We hiked up to Sam Peden Park and ran a loop. It was hard for Karla, as she hasn’t run in a long while…and she’s not used to the crappy air quality of the Ohio River Valley, but she was a trooper and pressed on. I ran right there with her to encourage her…and Landon…he was busy chasing down the Army men who were running there. He beat quite a few. It was awesome. Landon has amazing speed and gorgeous running form. He’s a natural and I love watching him run. Needless to say, it was a great way to start the day as a family.
5. Wild Eggs
Breakfast was the next most important stop on Saturday. We stopped off at Highland Coffee for some coffee first…and then took the drive over to Westport Road to go to Wild Eggs. Landon already knew he wanted pancakes and BACON. He made sure to tell me that if I got an omlette, he wanted my BLUEBERRY muffin. Since I can’t eat the muffin, I was totally cool with this. It had been forever since I went to Wild Eggs for breakfast…but it was a nice return. They even have gluten-free bread and a gluten-free menu now. LOVE that. Yes…it even includes gluten-free pancakes, French toast and the like. That was exciting. But after 13 miles of running and a hike to and from the park…I wanted some protein. So I ordered the Surfer Girl Omlette (fresh spinach, wild mushrooms, tomato, cream cheese and onion and topped with diced fresh avocado, pico de gallo, sour cream and fresh alfalfa sprouts. Served with skillet potatoes). I got mine without the cream cheese and sour cream. My sister got the same thing, just without the mushrooms (she hates mushrooms). And Cathy got the Kalamity Katie’s Border Benedict (green chili cheddar corn cakes,topped with chorizo, two poached eggs and queso fundido, pico de gallo, sour cream, green onions and avocado. Served with skillet potatoes and an Everything Muffin). And, yes, I got a blueberry muffin for Landon. He was pretty full after eating the two pancakes that were as big as his face and the bacon he ordered…but he took a few bites. The rest…came home with us and then went home with them today.
6. Pierced Ears
Okay, here is something that I didn’t expect to happen this weekend. My sister and I got to talking about earrings…and she brought up how her daughter (she’s 16 months) had her earrings work out perfectly…and how my mom (whose holes closed because she stopped wearing earrings) had just gotten her ears pierced a few weeks ago. I said that I keep saying I need to get it done but just haven’t pulled the trigger. I think a part of me thinks it will fail again. As a kid, I gave the pierced ears a try about 5 times, but always and an allergic reaction to them. My sister was the same way, but it worked for her as an adult. So, she told Cathy to pull into somewhere that could pierce my ears. We did. And now I sit here with beautiful 4mm white gold studs in my ears. Karla taught me how to clean and turn the earrings every day (3 times a day)…and the rest is history. So here is hoping that they work out this time around…because I have wanted to have pierced ears for a long, long time. Leave it to my sister to get me to do something like this on a short weekend visit. HA!
A shopping trip to a few of our favorite stores followed up that little adventure.
7. Putt-Putt
Because you can’t just spend the day shopping when you have a 9-year-old boy with you, we took Landon to the Renaissance Fun Park. We had discussed Go Karts…but opted, instead, for putt-putt. It had been ages since my sister and I went putt-putting. It was a lot of fun. The easy holes on the course they put together there are actually quite challenging. But we had a blast. Afterwards, Landon and I took on some air hockey…which he won…and then he played a few more games after that…until the money on his card ran out. It was worth every moment to see him out there laughing and being a competitive little boy.
8. SOCCER!!!
One of the main reasons my sister aimed for this weekend was that the local professional soccer team, Louisville City FC, was playing on Saturday night. And, since Landon is a HUGE soccer fan, and soccer player himself, we thought it would be fun to take him to a match. I said I wanted to get him a replica jersey for him to wear during the match and she picked him up a hat and then got a t-shirt for Chace. I made sure Karla wore the logo t-shirt I owned to the match as well. They got some pizza for dinner and we settled into our seats at midfield to enjoy. I have never seen Landon so into an event as that soccer game. Seriously, he was shouting at the players and the refs…and it was just magical and fun and amazing. I bought him ice cream at half time because…it’s my job as Auntie…to spoil him and get him hyped up on sugar. HAHA! In the end, after a horrible call by a ref, we ended in a draw of 1-1…and Landon had hoped that some of the players would come over to the midfield (they usually do) so he could get pictures and some autographs, but they all returned to the locker room without coming over. He was bummed, but he still had a fantastic time, and I loved seeing him light up the way he did when Louisville City scored the first goal of the match!
9. Home-Cooked Breakfast
I gave my sister and Landon the option of grabbing breakfast out at a restaurant before they hit the road…or having me cook breakfast for them. Landon really wanted waffles (with powdered sugar, which he now LOVES thanks to Wild Eggs putting it on his pancakes), scrambled eggs…and bacon. So, my sister and I hit the grocery store for bacon (this vegetarian does not have bacon on hand), eggs, and a gluten-free waffle/pancake mix. And then, this morning, I got to cooking. I started the waffles first, knowing that would take the most time. He wanted the Mickey Mouse shaped waffles…so I made that happen for him. And, because we adults weren’t too sure we wanted waffles, we had gluten-free avocado toast with our eggs. I started cooking the bacon before Karla emerged from the bedroom, but she took over that so I could focus on toasting the bread, doing the waffles, and scrambling the eggs. It all finished up at the right time…everything done when it should be. Breakfast was served. And I didn’t take a picture of it, but Karla and I cook epic breakfasts together. And Cathy now has lots of bacon in the fridge for this coming week. Which makes her happy.
After that…they had to hit the road and get home…
It was hard to let them go, but I know Karla’s husband and other two kids were missing her and Landon like crazy. I just was having such a good time and all the time together went by way too fast.
They got home late this afternoon…and she said that they missed me as well.
And let’s face it…the Olaf/Frozen/In Summer references don’t get old. Because…it’s Olaf. And Olaf is awesome. Anyone who says so has no soul.
Summer is H-O-T. HOT! So hot. And while I prefer to train in the heat…the one thing I do suffer through (like most other people) is the humidity. And being that I live in the Ohio River Valley…it’s pretty damn humid. Like…all the time. One morning, this past week, I got up to run and it was 84 degrees at 4 am. That’s not normal! And it’s not even July yet.
With all that being said, how about I highlight some of the things that made this hot and stormy week a little cooler…
1. Game of Thrones
So, last Sunday was, possibly, one of the best episodes of Game of Thrones. The battle scene, shown above, was one of the most intense and best things I have ever seen on television. Kit Harrington, who plays Jon Snow, was amazing in this episode and totally deserves to win some awards. I mean, he really had 100 horses charging at him. That is not CGI!! Unfortunately, my HBO Now stream was locked up (as was the rest of the world, apparently), so I ended up having to stay up an hour later than usual to actually watch the episode. I was NOT looking forward to spending an entire day off the Interwebs if I saved it to watch the following day. It was totally worth it, but damn, it through off the rest of my week for sure.
All that being said, tonight is the season finale! OMG!!! I hope HBO Now isn’t bogged down this week and that the finale lives up to this past week…because…DAMN!
2. Blueberry Picking
First of all…yes…I picked the blueberries pictured above. I went to Bryant’s Blueberries with the intention of only picking 5 pounds of berries…but the crop of Blue Crop berries this week were AMAZING! I mean…big and ripe and awesome. Oh yes…I was in a good place. So, as it was bound to happen…I got 10 more pounds. WORTH IT. These are the best blueberries I have ever had. Forget anything you get in the store. I don’t know if more jam will be in the future, but I think some blueberry bagels and/or waffles and/or pancakes will be happening. And blueberry muffins are definitely happening.
3. Louisville City FC…SOCCER BABY!! So, on Tuesday (which meant I did my hill repeats in the heat of the day…after 2 spin classes on Monday), and last night, I was at Louisville Slugger Field, not for baseball…but for soccer!! I am a season ticket holder to Louisville’s very own professional soccer team. In fact, last night’s match was broadcast on ESPN3. Which is pretty cool. We also had our highest attendance record to date, finally breaking that 10,000 mark. In fact, it was 10, 062 showed up for the match last night.
But, beyond that, after the match on Tuesday night, I got to get my picture with my favorite player this year, Enrique Montano (#20). I look horrible in the picture, as I still had my hat on (I hate hats), and I had been melting in that heat I had been speaking about…but this picture is…awesome! I love when the payers come over to the midfield section to meet the fans. And Montano is very good about that. Happiness.
If you’re local and haven’t made it to a Louisville City FC match yet…stop delaying. Our team leads our division…so we’re pretty awesome. It’s worth it
4. Fun Hair I don’t think it will last for long, but on Wednesday afternoon, I went to my hairdresser and we got a little funky with my hair. Teal. Yes…I dyed my hair teal. Not all of it, but quite a bit of it. The problem is, I workout and run quite often, so I sweat. And my hair, just being blonde, doesn’t hold color too well. So, I’m enjoying it while it lasts, but it’s already, sadly, fading.
5. Roadside Assistance
I’m not talking about AAA or the local trucks that stop and help out stranded drivers. Nope. I’m talking about a super-amazing project that I am a part of with some great friends of mine. One of my girls, Indy (aka: Jennifer), had a spark of genius about creating a project that centers around the songs released off of Peter Cincotti’s new album. Since Exit 105 was released the other day, Indy put together a Tumblr blog and posted a recipe already for a cocktail based off the song “Long Way From Home.” So from now until Peter’s birthday on July 11th, we’ll be developing and sharing recipes inspired by the songs on the EP. These will be shared everywhere we can think to post them, but will also be collected onto a Tumblr blog-http://exit105-roadside-assistance.tumblr.com/ Check it out!!
And if you are unfamiliar with the talent of Peter Cincotti…discover him…NOW!
Did you do anything amazing, fun, and/or exciting this past week? Ever dye your hair a crazy color? Got any fun plans for the upcoming 4th of July holiday?
It was the best news I had received in a long time. I found out, as I was making my way to Minnesota, that I was chosen to be one of the 2017 Race Ambassadors for the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon/Mini Marathon.
The Celiathlete 