Some reasons why August is grand

OK, remember that I told you I had some Amazon gift cards, and I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of some beautiful new Brooks Adrenaline GTS 13s in my size? Well, I got impatient. And, I did something I really wasn't planning on; it just happened.

Source

Yes, I bought (gasp!) another brand! And, yes, I was mostly influenced by the color! But, I did do some research and found that this model of Asics is comparable to Brooks Adrenaline. And, Asics come highly recommended from Running Buddy Lori. That's enough for me!

She's smiling because of her shoes.

I decided after last night's 4-mile treadmill run that it is time for new shoes. I can always feel it in my ankles. I have a pair of Brooks Adrenaline waiting for me, and the Asics arrive on Monday. I'm thinking I might switch between the two new pairs?

The shoes are extremely exciting, but there are other reasons I'm super pumped that it's August! Not something you usually here someone in Florida say ... But, it means it's half marathon training month! All the fun begins in the hot, miserable, sweaty, humid days of August. I currently have six half marathons on the schedule, beginning in October, and I keep wanting to add more.

I just found out about this half marathon in Lexington, Kentucky, thanks to this girl. My friend Erin lives in Lexington, and I love the area (and her), so ... hmm. Something to ponder.

And, I really want to do this half again. I have fond memories because of a beautiful half PR there. And, a beautiful trip to New Orleans after!

August also means it's core month. What's core month, you ask? Well, it's a month of core work in the form of a challenge, the August Core Focus Challenge, hosted by Kat at Sneakers and Fingerpaints. She rocks, and I know this challenge will rock! You can join in via ChallengeLoop to receive daily exercises, as well as a chance to win prizes. A strong core makes a strong runner!

Have you switched brands of running shoes? Do you like the switch? Do you use one pair of running shoes exclusively or change up your shoes depending on the day?

Top 5 tips for running a destination race

I ran a destination race in January: the Carnival Classic Half Marathon in Long Beach, Mississippi (I live in the Tampa Bay area). Here are the top five things I learned about packing and traveling for a destination race.
 
1. Pack a variety of race outfits. I failed in this area ... miserably. I checked the weather forecast, and it was supposed to be cold. I knew I'd be wearing a jacket. I knew I'd be wearing ear warmers. I debated buying tights (thinking my capris would be too cold). Thankfully, I didn't buy the tights. Thankfully, I just borrowed some ear warmers from a friend. Unfortunately, I didn't pack a shirt I really liked ... a shirt that I like without a jacket covering it. I packed one long-sleeved shirt, one short-sleeved shirt and a jacket. I knew I'd be wearing the long sleeves with the jacket. I knew it. Of course, it ended up being much warmer than expected, and I definitely didn't need the jacket. I didn't even need the long sleeves. Unfortunately, all I needed was a short-sleeved shirt. That meant the shirt that I didn't like. The shirt I brought for a hotel gym workout. This shirt was not meant for race day when photos would be taken. Now my poor decision lives forever in photos. Sigh. Why I didn't pack more options, I do not know. I managed to pack three pairs of boots, but only a few options for running. Running clothes are light and do not take up much space. Pack a variety of options (and perhaps not so many pairs of boots), and don't dread seeing your race photos.

My poor decision lives on ...

2. Lie out your race clothes like it's the night before the race. I always set out my clothes before a race or even a long run. Mornings and I don't get along, and I like things to be simple when I wake up a few minutes before I need to head out the door. I set out my clothes (including sports bra, underwear, socks, watch and headband) and my fuel, along with my fuel belt (if needed). It cuts down on morning errors (that are all too common to me). But, to avoid my mistake of not having enough wearable options, make sure you put out a few options. Once you have the whole outfit (and all necessary supplies), pack it. Don't put it in the suitcase before it's all there; it makes it too easy to forget something otherwise. 

Race prep for the Women's Half Marathon

3. Arrive at least a day before your race (if it's a long drive or flight). My drive (8+ hours) was on top of a rough work week (the whole three days I worked). Driving is not my favorite form of transportation (give me a jet, baby) because I get bored and uncomfortable. And, the last thing I'd want to do after driving or riding that long is run. I need time to get quality sleep, stretch and mentally prepare for a race. Even if I flew, I think arriving at least a day before is still a good idea — just to get acclimated to the area and get properly rested and hydrated.

4. Get familiar with the area before the race. Fortunately, when I picked up my packet on a Friday (before the race on Saturday), it was almost at the race start. I learned how far it was from our hotel (I even timed it), and I asked about parking and the exact start line. If I didn't have packet pickup close to the start, I think I'd do a drive to and from the race site — to make me more comfortable on race day. You don't want to map it out, think it takes 20 minutes, and then find out that there is construction that will make it take double that.  

5. Plan your sightseeing (and fun food and drinks) for after the race. This trip involved a day trip to New Orleans. I made sure to save the Bloody Marys, hurricanes and beignets for after the race. I can't imagine walking all over New Orleans, eating and drinking those fun items and then running a half marathon. Yuck. Talk about sore legs, stomach issues and dehydration issues. You definitely want the sightseeing to be involved in a destination race since that's part of the appeal, but make sure to plan it wisely. 

Save this for after the race.

Have you run a destination race? Do you have any tips? You can run Iron Girl as a destination race! Sign up for my giveaway here.

It was a Thursday

Thursday didn't really go as planned. Work brought surprises. After work brought traffic problems, a missed running group and lightning (yikes). This type of day (it's a darn Thursday again) leads to randomness.

• On this crazy day, I got some pretty rockin' news: I'm sweating pink. What does that mean? It means I'm a Sweat Pink Ambassador. So, what does that mean? It means that I'll sweat hard, play hard and inspire those around me to achieve their best selves. Read more about it here.
  
  
  

• I didn't consider myself a Beyonce fan before Sunday. I liked some songs, but was not overly crazy about her (unlike her husband, Mr. Carter ... love some Jay-Z). Then, the Super Bowl halftime show happened. She was incredible, amazing, fabulous. She sang live, and she rocked it. And she indulged me a Destiny's Child reunion. Thanks, Bey. 
• Speaking of Bey and Jay, they were in New Orleans the weekend before the Super Bowl. So was I. Where's the meet-up, folks? Or, more realistically, a sighting. I want to improve my celebrity sightings. Right now, I've got a blurry photo of Vanilla Ice. That's it. Jay would have been a major rapper upgrade.

• Everyday, at least four times per day, I'm looking up at seven flights of stairs. The elevator is being replaced in our building. With a dog, this makes for lots of trips up and down. They estimate it will be out for four to six weeks. Nine days down (and up)!

• The Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon is this weekend! I loved this race last year, and I can't wait to rock it again. From an expo on a Major League Baseball field to bands along the course, this race really does rock. And, the name includes my favorite word: rock.

• Stay tuned next week for my very first and very awesome giveaway! Hint: if you like running and are female (sorry, dudes), this giveaway is going to rock your world! (A badge in the right sidebar is even more of a hint.)

Do you like Beyonce? Did you like the Super Bowl halftime show? Do you like Jay-Z? Any good celebrity sightings? Have you rock a Rock 'n' Roll race? What did you think?

Carnival Classic Half Marathon, Long Beach, Mississippi, Jan. 26, 2013: race recap

This race was completely last minute. On a running high from the race with the big bridges, I happily agreed to travel to Mississippi (Long Beach in da house) for a half marathon the next weekend.

It wasn't all about the race. My boyfriend and I usually take a trip at the end of the year. Instead, our house was packed with guests from Dec. 20 until the first week of January. We really needed a trip after that (just kidding, family ... kind of). 

So, after too long of a drive, we arrived in Mississippi on Thursday. I know so many people love road trips. I do not. I love flying. If the drive is anything more than two hours, I want a plane. But, the drive allowed us to take this crazy girl.

She's worth it ... I guess.

The race started at 8 a.m. on Saturday. That seemed late to me. I'm used to 7 a.m. starts. But, I actually got a great night's sleep, and I thought I was ready to run. I thought wrong.

The first 3 miles were completely painful. Not just as in an "I'm totally not into this," which I wasn't, but an "Ow! My calves are cramping," kind of painful. This is new. This hasn't happened before.

I think part of it was because I felt like everyone took off at the beginning of the race, and I was left by myself (this isn't completely true). I ran faster to try and keep up with the pack. And, part of it was probably due to not drinking my usual Nuun the day before. I like to drink a few tablets worth of it to up my electrolytes. Whatever the cause, my calves hurt!

Mile 1: 11:11 (Eek! Started too "fast")
Mile 2: 12:02
Mile 3: 12:09

After slowing down and grabbing some Gatorade at a water stop, the calf pain eased, and I felt better. Still not great, but at least I wasn't in pain.

Mile 4: 11:58
Mile 5: 11:47 (I took a GU gel around mile 4.5)
Mile 6: 11:47

It wasn't until mile 6 that I felt totally in the race. Prior, I had dreams of stopping, calling my boyfriend to come and pick me up and booking it to New Orleans. Not that I was going to do it, but it was fun to dream. 

I came into this race wanting a personal record (PR). I thought it was finally my time to get that PR I've been chasing for almost a year, knowing it was a super-flat course. Before mile 6, I really didn't think it was going to happen.  

Super-duper flat

Mile 7: 11:36
Mile 8: 11:46
Mile 9: 11:31 (I took another GU gel around mile 8.5)
 
I started to get more optimistic after mile 9. I finally felt great, and I wanted to get to New Orleans.

Mile 10: 11:12
Mile 11: 11:14
Mile 12: 11:07

Coming into the last 1.1 miles, I knew I had a fabulous shot at that record. I wanted it, and I hoped I could at least keep up the pace of mile 12.

Mile 13: 10:45 (Holy crap! My fastest mile of the entire race was the last full mile!)
Mile 0.1: 0:43

My official time: 2:30:54. FINALLY! I took off almost 3 minutes from my personal best. 

Super-duper happy with my PR!

Pretty sweet medal

This course was gorgeous. It was an out-and-back of this view.

Maybe the repetitive scenery made me run faster?

But, it was the same thing for 13.1 miles. I know there are worse things in life to look at for 13.1 miles, but it got boring. I need variety ... waaah, right? I'm such a baby. 

But, the after-party made up for it. 

Homemade gumbo? Yes, please.

Beer? Yes, please.

=

On the beach? Yes, please. 

Oh, they also had hot dogs and pizza ... but, why? 

This race is ideal for a "fast" time. It's super, super, super flat (yes, it deserves three "supers"). And, at the end of January, it shouldn't be too hot (for a race in the South) — it was actually warmer than I hoped, but it wasn't unbearable (70s by race-end). As an added bonus, it's only about an hour's drive to New Orleans. YES! 

Have you ever had calf pain during a run? Do you know why? What did you do to resolve it? Has it even taken you 6 miles to warm up? Ever run a race right along the coast? Ever get bored with the same scenery (no matter how beautiful) during a run?

An impromptu trip ... and race

In the last few days, my boyfriend and I decided to take a trip to the Biloxi-New Orleans area.

Yes, it's rather last minute. And yes, I usually like to plan trips. But, this was too good to pass up.

First, I love the area. Second, there is a race nearby. This was the selling point for me.

After my glorious half marathon on Sunday, I am all about running. When my boyfriend suggested a destination race, I immediately said, "yes, please" (or something to that effect).  

Yay, running! Where can I run next?

I was shocked and excited. Why shocked? He's not a huge fan of races. He's not an early morning person, and he doesn't understand why you'd pay someone to run (yes, he's one of those people). So, when he suggested traveling somewhere for a race, I jumped on it. 

My first thought: Vegas. Unfortunately, Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas isn't until November (I really want to do that race). Then, I started thinking closer. And, since we both love the Gulf Coast, that area seemed like a logical choice.

Thankfully, the Long Beach Carnival Classic Half Marathon and 5K is on Saturday, and I'm registered for the half. (I immediately started thinking of all the Long Beach rap references: "so much drama in the L-B-C," "Long Beach in da house!" and "Compton and Long Beach together, now you know you in trouble," right off the top of my head). And, then I decided they need a race shirt that says, "So much runnin' in the L-B-C." Right?!? I guess they're not technically talking about Long Beach, Mississippi, but I think it could work.

So, back-to-back half marathons. I'm pumped. I had such a great race on Sunday, I can't help but think good things for Saturday. Why? Cooler weather and a flat, coastal route. I've never done a destination half marathon, so I'll see how it goes. But, secretively (or not really), I'm really excited and optimistic.

Have you ever done back-to-back races? How did you feel? Have you ever done a destination race? Did you like it?

It pays to know a gambler

In unplanned news, I spent a long weekend in Biloxi, Miss., and New Orleans.

This trip rocked. Why?

1.  It was free. I'm not a gambler, but my boyfriend is. Apparently, casinos really want you to come and gamble in their casino and will pay for your flight and room at a swanky hotel. 

2.  My boyfriend's high school friend lives in Pensacola, Fla., so he made the trip over to visit on Friday. He is the truest Southern gentleman I've ever met.

Nice that we use the crappy cell photo camera instead of the
impressive Nikon around Dain's neck.

3.  We saw an awesome show (Fata Morgana) at Beau Rivage for an awesome price ($9.95 per ticket). It was a Cirque-style show without the Cirque-style price, and it was amazing.

These dudes blew my mind. Photo courtesy of Beau Rivage.

4.  Our hotel (Beau Rivage) has an amazing gym, which I utilized!  
 
5.  Our hotel also has an amazing view, which I enjoyed.

6.  This was only my second trip to New Orleans, but I fell even more in love. This city is so fun to explore. 

7.  New Orleans makes the best Bloody Marys (tomato juice makes them healthy, right?). Each place has their own take on it. The most interesting ingredient: Guinness. 
 
8.  I really enjoy my job (most of the time), but a break is pretty darn fantastic.

A running-less vacation

This vacation, I was going to run.

I was prepared; I had the equipment. 

 I had the resources: a treadmill at the hotel and plenty of land for an outside run.

This was going to my triumphant post about how I finally conquered the beast and ran on vacation. Yeah, that didn't happen.

Instead, this happened.

Best salad ever at perhaps the best restaurant ever

Perhaps the best restaurant with the best salad ever has the best location

 

One of the best drinks ever at the best bar EVER. Seriously.

The best bar EVER deserves two photos. Oh, and that sticker:
best ghost tour ever. Even better: the best bar EVER is on the
best ghost tour ever. (Look for ghosts in the photo. I'm ghostly
pale, but I'm not a ghost. Promise.)

 

Another stop on the best ghost tour ever

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scariest stop on the best ghost tour ever

Awesome local band

Awesome shopping and people watching

More awesome shopping and people watching

As you can see, New Orleans rocked. I loved the food, the music, the people, the history.

The highlights:

• Perhaps the best restaurant ever: Cafe Degas. Yum. 
• The best bar EVER: Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar. And, one of the best drinks: hurricane. I shy away from sweet drinks. I'm a beer and wine kind of girl. Or tequila. Or vodka. Or rum. Or bourbon. Just nothing too terribly sweet. Our tour guide on the best ghost tour ever (Haunted History Tours) recommended the hurricane here, saying they made it with real fruit juice (healthy, right?) and not the syrupy sweet fruit punch mix that most bars use. I was sold. Honestly, selling me alcohol is not that difficult. But, the drink was awesome. I loved it. And I went back for another after the tour. 
• The scariest stop on the ghost tour: Lalaurie Mansion. Freakishly scary stuff. And, my celebrity-loving self loved hearing that Nicolas Cage owned this place at one time (before the bank foreclosed on it). 

Although I had a fabulous time, I'm still a failure at running on vacation. The most action my running shoes saw was being worn for walking around by my boyfriend (sadly, with my large boats of feet plus the size up for running shoes, they fit him fine). But, I'm improving: I did come prepared. Next time, in addition to the vacation fun, I'll add some running fun to my trip.

Wacky Wednesday no more

This is my last Wacky Wednesday. Why? Because every day is wacky and random. And, I can write about that along with my running adventures. 

I guess when I first started blogging about running, I thought that's all I could write about (yeah, I'm a smart one). Obviously, that's always the focus, but there are other things in life like baseball, my dog, celebrity gossip, Elvis, Jessica Simpson, boy bands, Kansas State (and purple), music, movies and wine that are blog-worthy (or not). And, these other interests happen on days besides Wednesday. And, they are a part of my life as much as running. 

So, I'm just going to incorporate those other things into regular posts (not relegate them to Hump Day only). 

Now, onto the randomness:

• Is Jessica Simpson really still pregnant? Holy crap. She's got to be uncomfortable. And, her baby totally missed my birthday. 
• Chloe enjoyed the beautiful weather today ... or was avoiding the stairs. We live in a 7th floor condo, and the elevator was broken.

• I loved New Orleans. It was beautiful, fun and had delicious food. Now that I'm not relegating content like this to Wednesdays, I can do a full post about it later (because it deserves it). 
• I watched "Friends With Benefits." Didn't love it, but it kept me entertained. I like Justin Timberlake, but I think I like him better as a singer (more specifically, a singer in a boy band). He's an OK actor I guess, but bring back *NSYNC.

Wacky Wednesday

• After my 5K on Saturday, I headed to Winter Garden (one of the many Winter-named cities in the state to lure northern tourists) for a girls' weekend. We did some paddle-boating, quad-bike riding (not sure if this is what the four-seat, four-pedal bike is called or not) and wine drinking. Lots of wine drinking.
• The party continued in the Bay Area on Monday night. Nothing like a Monday night party. 

Yes, I am a giant. A purple giant.

• Jessica Simpson has not had her baby yet unless she is keeping a big secret from everyone, which I don't think she can do. Come on, baby Simpson! You can wait until my birthday now and make me one happy girl (again, for the millionth time, yes I'm pathetic). 
• I'm leaving for New Orleans way too early tomorrow. I'm ready for a Bloody Mary and a ghost tour (and whatever else the city has to offer). Bring it on!