My Heart Races

Marathon Blog

Mexico!

I’m having major run-blogger guilt.  Major.On Christmas morning Santa put a package under the tree with a swimsuit for each kid and a note saying, “It’s been a busy year and what you all really need is some family time.  Pack your bags.  You’re going to Mexico!”

I did pack my bags.  And that bag did not include my running shoes (not on purpose.)  Oh dear.

Days passed and I’d say to B, “Hey remember when I used to be a runner?”

“Remember that one time I was gonna start a running blog?”

“My run of zero miles this morning went so great.  It felt so good.”

We got home and I hopped right on the treadmill and ran 6 miles.  I thought it would be painful.  I actually felt fantastic.

I got right back into running five days that week and still felt great.  Turns out, my legs needed REST.  Rest is necessary and part of the training process. I’ve been running and training hard since May with no let up.  I hadn’t ever done that before.  I got a 5K, 10K, and half-marathon PR on December 14th at this race and after that, my legs were screaming for a break.  I was foolishly ignoring them knowing that I would soon start this blog. It was a blessing in disguise that I forgot my shoes (and I realize that there were ways to I could have gotten around it- but sleeping each morning felt so good.)

Here are some pictures from our trip.  Time with my family is definitely what I live for.  Our family needed this trip in a bad way.

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Here’s a little video I made of our week:

 

Here’s some couldn’t-have-survived-without-them items… just for fun.

1. Parrot Zik Headphones:  Best ever travel headphones.  I had them on my head for 20 hours on our way to Australia and back and they never bothered me.  Amazing sound.  This time, Lou stole them right after our plane took off.

2. Crayola Color Wonder Set: Markers are forbidden in my house.  They just don’t mix with my crazy kids.  The girls got Crayola Color Wonder sets in their stockings and they were in Heaven.

3.  Denim shorts:  Wore them everyday.

4.  Birkenstocks:  Wore these everyday too.

5.  Seafolly swimsuit:  Whoever invented ruching was a mom.  I’m sure of it.

6.  Lululemon hat:  I had what I like to call a “Mexico ‘fro.”  I have a lot of hair and I think it doubled in size the moment I stepped off the plane.  My Lululemon hat saved my life.

7.  Beats Headphones: The boys got these for Christmas and I didn’t hear a peep from them the whole plane ride.  Perfect.

8.  Polarized Black Ray Bans: I got Lasik surgery 8 years ago so my eyes are sensitive to sunlight.  That white sand in Mexico would have blinded me without these.

9.  Neutrogena sunscreen: The only sunscreen I’ve discovered you can put on your kids in the morning in the hotel room and know for sure that it will last all day long.

10.  Canon camera and lens:  Some footage and lots of pictures were shot with this camera.  Picture is amazing and this lens is so versatile.

11.  Kindle Fire: For the girls to fight over on the airplane.

12.  Go-Pro: Most footage in my video was shot with a GoPro.  They are soooo fun.

13.  Little Canon: My kids were in charge of footage with this one.  I need to teach them what “steady” means.  Yikes.

14.  Lululemon backpack: I wore my backpack everywhere we went.  It had snacks, waters, cameras, sunscreen, everything.  AND I had two free hands.

I’m off to run 18.  Wish me luck.  Hope you have a good run this weekend!!I’m excited to talk about all kinds of training plans next week.

XOXO

Let’s race.

It’s a new year which means I start thinking about races I want train for and run this year.  My favorite races are in the fall in big cities.  I’ve run the TCS New York Marathon once before, but I loved it so much I HAVE to do it again.  It’s the biggest marathon in the world, and it’s one of the World’s Major Marathons.I dare any runner to start running across the bridge in Staten Island to Frank Sinatra’s “New York New York” and NOT get goosebumps… OR … finally make it into Manhattan in Harlem at mile 16 and hear “Empire State of Mind” with crowds 20 people deep on each side and not have to hold back a tear or two.  It’s so magical.

Registration for the lottery will be January 15th to February 15th with results posted shortly after that.  I put in for this race for four years before I finally was able to run it, but I know several people who have gotten chosen the first time they entered the lottery. Who wants to give it a try with me?