5k

Train all winter, race all summer.

Miscellaneous

I think this might be the summer of races, and I’m not mad about it either.

I’ve ran a couple races the past three weeks and have so many more marked down on my calendar over the next couple months. The boyfriend and I seem to be in an official racing kind of lingo lately. There’s just something so exciting about running a race. The registering, the bib number, lining up, the mile markers, the crowds, the excitement. I love hearing pace times being yelled out, running along side complete strangers and the cheers as you sprint the last few feet into the finish line. Anyone who trains all winter on a treadmill is really missing out if they don’t run any of the races offered in the summer around Northeast Ohio. I mean we only get four nice months of weather anyways, so as a runner you better take advantage of it!

I ran a 10K in Northfield two weeks ago. You could run either a 5K or a 10K. All proceeds from the race went to stop human trafficking and it was put on by a local church. The race size was relatively small, but the route included mostly bike trail running and a few good hills. My mom walked the 5K and set a new PR for herself! I finished the 10K in just under an hour, which I was happy about. More info on the race can be found here.

Mom and I after the race.

Mom and I after the race.

Yesterday night the boyfriend and I got a group of friends together to run the Mentor Flag Day 5K. It was supposed to storm, but it actually only ended up sprinkling as everyone started to cross the finish line. The event included post race food, which was awesome. I set a new PR for my 5K time (26:45), which isn’t amazing, but the last 5K I didnt was in December and my time was 34 something, so I’ll take it. The race was on Wednesday night at 7 p.m., which I actually really liked after a long work day. This is a great family event too. More information on the race can be found here.   

America!

America!

I really wanted to run The Lake Health Half Marathon this Sunday, but the race is sold out. Why they stop accepting entries? I’m not sure, but I’m pretty bummed. Plus the race was only a cool $50 compared to other halfs AND only 15 mintues from my house, but oh well.

This week marks 16 weeks out from the Akron Marathon. I’ve tossed around the idea of trying to run the full, but it’s not set in stone yet. I’m following a bare minimum training schedule for a full, but who knows if I’ll just stick with the half instead. The mileage is way down to only 18 miles a week right now, so it’s currently no big deal. We’ll see what happens I guess!

I hope everyone is taking advantage of summer and running a few races!

Keeping Running!

An Inspiring Month.

Miscellaneous

Well Christmas is here! I must say that this season has been one of my favorite. I feel like I am truly in the Christmas spirit and have celebrated the season. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I cannot wait to see my family, give out my gifts and carry my 13-month nephew around the entire day. The next day I will spit my Christmas Day between mine and my boyfriend’s family for the second year in a row. I feel like a kid when I say and mean that I cannot wait!

The season started out with Thanksgiving, which was a fabulous 60 degrees for Chardon, Ohio. These little candy turkey and acorn off Pinterest were a hit!

turkeysThen the Christmas Pinterest creations began…

xmas cookiespeguinsOn December 8 the boyfriend and I ran the Jingle Bell 5K at Legacy Village. This race was great! The course was a little challenging with a few tough hills, and the holiday themed costumes were hilarious. Plus there was tons of activities, food and music post race. I would recommend this race to anyone looking for a good workout and a fun festive time.

jingle bell 5kjingle bell 5k runThis past year, as many of you know, I started a new job. My coworkers at work are very passionate about animals. Now I’ve always been an average animal lover. I can appreciate an adorable cat or dog, but I never gave much thought past that. I never thought about animals without homes, abused animals or those living in shelters. During the past few months I’ve listened to my coworkers talk about donating to pet shelters and stopping to pick up dogs without collars on the side of the road. I got inspired to donate to our local pet shelter this Christmas because of their passion. I never thought I would be collecting pet food and treats for Christmas, but it was a very meaningful experience. I hope someone’s passion inspires me again in the future or visa versa for another person.

doggie bagI also work at a local grocery store, as well as in the marketing department for a local hospital. A few days ago I was at the very end of my shift at the store. I had been a cashier, ringing people out for hours and I was exhausted and tired of getting yelled at by crabby, mean customers. My very last customer came through my line. He was an older guy with gray hair. He asked me how I was and we had typical small talk while I rang him out. He paid with a $20 bill and I handed him back his change. He took the money and then handed me back the $5 bill. “Merry Christmas,” he said. “Hang in there.” I stood there, dumbfounded as he turned to walk away. I mumbled a thanks and then just stood there with the money still in my hand. I couldn’t believe how nice that was and how it ironically happened to be my very last customer of the day. It truly made my day. I know anyone who works in retail probably can relate to that. I put the $5 in the Salvation Army kettle on my way out of the store that night. I hope that guy knows how much that little act of kindness meant to a tired cashier. So of course being inspired again, my mom and I bought little Christmas candy, tied a Christmas tag to the box and wrote a thank you note on each one. Yesterday we stopped at the bank, the coffee shop, and the grocery store and gave them to the people who waited on us. Retail is terrible during the year normally, it’s even worse during the holidays, remember that during the next few days!

I want to extend a very happy and blessed Merry Christmas to you all. I hope everyone spends the next two days surrounded by friends and family, enjoying the wonder and joy that this season brings and that inspiration to do good finds its way into your life!

Keep running, keep laughing, Merry Christmas!

The Holidays Are Coming…

Miscellaneous

I cannot believe next week is Thanksgiving! Fall has flown by, and it has been super fun, busy and fabulous!

I’ve already begun to think about Christmas. I want to get a head start this year. My birthday is December 16, so my goal is to have all my Christmas shopping done by at least then (hopefully WAY earlier.)

Since I’ve been obsessed with Pinterest lately, I made a calendar to hang on the fridge that is marked with all these holiday crafts and activities that I want to do with my friends and family. It’s really quite pathetically hilariously.
Activities include holiday baking, caroling, random acts of kindness, deadlines for having the Christmas tree up and cards out, etc.

Can you tell I’m excited for the holidays?

Also on my holiday calendar is this 5K. A couple of my girlfriends and I are  running it on December 8. You dress up in holiday themed costumes and tie jingle bells to your shoelaces, plus proceeds go to the Arthritis Foundation. More info on the 5K can be found here.

Tonight is also the Holiday Open House in Downtown Painesville. I interned with the organization a few summers ago. The event features local businesses all around downtown and you walk around and get your “passport” stamped at all the places listed on it. Once you have visited all the places you enter your passport into three raffle gift baskets. It’s a great way to support the local area, plus there’s free refreshments at all the places, a visits from Santa and Christmas carolers. It’s going to be a really fun night. More on this event can be found here.

I hope you are just as excited as I am for the holidays. I also hope you get inspired to be festive and spend time doing fun activities with your friends and family. More importantly I hope you all realize during the next month or so just how lucky we all are to be able to celebrate the holidays. I hope we all learn to count our blessings and treat others kindly not just during Christmas, but all year round.

I’ll leave you with this Christmas classic.