Prairie Dog water station and course marshal crew

My crew and I signed up for another water station/ course marshal at the 3W Prairie Dog race . Need to earn us some free runs right. It gets expensive when your kids start to like running and want to join you. Did you know that if you volunteer at some races they will give you a free race in return ? Yup that makes me SO excited. 3W gives you a $40 voucher for a 4 hr shift. That's a free 5K or 10K . Makes this mom happy especially when her kid asks to run a race with her. Free is always a plus. 

I'm pretty lucky that my kids and my husband are fabulous and will volunteer with me. No complaints either, yes I know I'm super lucky. Normally we are all together at a water station but they needed to spread us out a little this time. No biggie. My husband and middle son decided that they wanted to do the Course Marshal stuff for the 5K turn around. Sounds good to me. We parted ways at the water station as they had to walk a little ways down the trail to get to their spot. Once the 5K was done they came back to the water station to finish out the shift and help me and the other kids. The weather started out warm but then the wind hit and it got chilly. Thankfully we dressed in layers and managed to keep warm. I love volunteering and being able to cheer on my fellow running buddies along the way. It's always fun to see familiar faces and get sweaty hugs from those fabulous friends. My husband always says we runners are a crazy bunch. He's probably right but I love them, crazy and all. 

My Course Marshal crew 

Water and Gatorade at the ready  

Never a dull moment I swear 

After the race we are in charge of taking down the water station. It's super easy, just dumb jugs, pick up trash, fold up the table and stack stuff for the truck to come by and pick up. It's easy and done in a matter of minutes. After we checked in with Whitney and got our $40 race vouchers the kids earned some pizza from the post race party. They claim it's the BEST pizza ever. Kind of how I feel about the post race oranges and bananas . Best stuff ever.

As a special treat we hit up Red Robin for lunch. I am so thankful that my crew goes out of their way to help me earn some free races for Garrett and I . I am especially thankful that they do this with out complaining and they actually DO their jobs and do them well. It makes me so SO proud of them so a special treat is always in order.

Irun4 Natalie and Blake virtual run

Seriously this swag from http://www.levelupruns.com/ is awesome !! I was SO excited when it came in the mail. The tank fits perfect and I absolutely love how you can see the names from far away. The medal is HUGE and bonus points to Level Up for offering an extra medal for my buddies. I got my race packet yesterday and my kids are on spring break so I thought I'd have to put off a run for a week but nope, my middle son decided he wanted to join me this morning. We geared up and did 4 miles. Head on over to http://www.levelupruns.com/ and get signed up for an awesome virtual run too. They have some new ones coming up so don't miss out. 

Instagram winnings rock

How awesome is this. I love Instagram giveaways especially when I win 6 tubes of NUUN . Score me !!

Wind, snow, ice, water and mud

Colorado is always throwing something at us as far as weather. Today we had wind, snow, ice, water and mud. We also hit a new trail and if the cloud cover wouldn't have been so low it would have been beautiful. I plan to run that route again and hope that I'll get to snap some pretty pictures. 

Do what you can with what you have where you are.

That is probably my all time FAVORITE saying. I hate hearing the excuses all the time. Oh trust me I used to be the queen of excuses. The gym is to expensive ( still true ), I don't know what to do, I don't have the equipment, I am to tired etc etc . I had them all and they are all dumb. Well except for the gym being expensive, that's still very true. 

Today I met with my running buddy Lois and we hit this trail in our town. It's such a fun trail. They have different obstacle things all along the path. You can run a bit and then do an obstacle . They have parallel bars, monkey bars, balance beam, ladder, bars etc. We usually hit this park once a week and each time we do something different at the stops.  At one point we found a log and put it to good use. We used it for kettle swings, overhead press and we tossed it back and forth between eachother. A simple log found out on the path was a pretty fun workout tool for us. We even carried it running from one spot to the next. No excuses right .  

We also scaled the rocks. No it's not a rock mountain but going back and forth and up and down a few times is a workout still. Again no equipment is needed just a few minutes outside at the park.

Never give up, there is always a way to get it done and most of the time it's so simple.  Make it fun, enjoy yourself, sweat, get outside. Do it for you because you are so worth it.

What do you run for ? It's virtual race time with Running On The Wall

Why do you run ? And it's a virtual ? Oh heck yes !! So why do YOU run ? Care to share ? I'll share my reasons in no particular order mind you:
1. I like to eat.. a lot
2. I like cupcakes
3. I run for my irun4 buddies Natalie and Blake
4. Me time
5. Time with friends
6. Stress relief
7. Because I can
8. Because it's fun
9. It makes me happy
10. The swag
11. The bling !!
12. The beer .

Seriously the list could go on but you get the jist of it right. We each have our own reason as to why we run. Run for you, run for someone who can't, run for food, run for beer or run just to simply run. I just hope that whatever the reason you're enjoying yourself immensely. I'm doing this virtual race for my irun4 buddies Natalie and Blake and I'm so excited to share this with them .
Check out runningonthewall.com for awesome virtual races, medal holders and so much more. So what do you run for ?  

runningonthewall.com

Post Easter run, seriously needed this

1 to many peeps, 1 bag to many jelly beans. Well you get the picture. Easter was hard on me. I ate and ate and ate some more. Easter candy is the best stuff ever and I like it way to much. Needless to say I was feeling like a big fat slug, not cool . So first thing Monday morning post school drop off I hit the trails with Kodi . I needed the run and so did he. 

This pond is just up from the house and it's my favorite spot. I love to end my run here and stretch. Hopefully come summer, Kodi will behave himself enough to get back his swimming in the pond privileges. Right now they are revoked because he takes off and doesn't come when he's called.. bad dog Kodi, bad dog .

I came out of the shower to this sight. Poor spoiled dog, apparently he's cold and tired. Sure looks comfy doesn't he.

Easter morning run

As a mom nothing makes my heart soar more than hearing my 10 yr old say " wait mom I want to run with you " . He left his new skateboard jumps and a bucket of candy to come run 2 miles with me. I'm one proud mom. Nothing better than some running with my son and my Chessie .

I can't do another treadmill run

On Wednesday we got slammed with 20 inches of snow. I wish I was kidding. The kids had 2 snow days, it was windy and cold so I had to stick to the treadmill for my runs. I hate the treadmill . I'm thankful I have it because it keeps me running but man I hate that thing. SO today the kids headed back to school, it warmed up a lot and I decided to try and brave it for an outside run . 

The path near our home was beautiful . Only a few slick spots that I could jump over but other than that it was clear. 

Then we crossed over and hit the big park . MISTAKE !!! Holy hot mess !! I thought it would be good since it's a pretty popular park and tons of people use it . Ya NOPE, WRONG . It was awful . We had to walk a lot and slip and slide. I was thankful when we made it back near home and clean paths.

Run the year 2016

So awesome. As of today I'm at 300 miles for the year.

The Runner Awakens Virtual swag excites my 10 yr old runner

A virtual run ? Really ? People do those things ? And what exactly do you get ? What keeps you from cheating ? Do tell me more. 

Yes I LOVE virtual runs. Yes I LOVE good race swag and NO I do NOT cheat. Why the heck would I or anyone for that matter want to cheat ? Who would you be cheating other than yourself ? That just seems so dumb. I always have Map My Run on and GPS don't lie my friends. Now that we've cleared that all up let me tell you about the most recent virtual run I took part in. 

WOW check out this medal !! I mean seriously BB8  AND it spins !! Doesn't get any cooler than that my friends. http://www.levelupruns.com/ you did NOT disappoint with this awesome swag. Job well done !

So I have a 10 year old son who has decided that he likes to run. Oh happy happy mom right here. He's already done a ton of races with me, and when I say with me I clearly mean he leaves me in the dust. He's placed in almost all of them which thrills him beyond words. I gave him a little interview about running. It went like this :

Me: Why do you like running ?
G: Because it's fun mom .
Me: That's it ? It's fun, no other reason ?
G: It makes my legs stronger for football . Oh and it makes me faster. I like the medals and the cool race shirts we get too.
Me: That's cool. Are you excited about your next race ?
G: Yes I can't wait. Running is fun. I'm like the only on in my whole class whos ran 6 miles and got a cool medal for it.
Me: Do you like virtual races or the regular races we do ?
G: Do I have to like one or the other ? I like them both.
Me: Why do you like them ?
G: Well I like the regular ones because of all the people around. They always have good food at the end. Remember when we got pizza that one time ? Ya that was the best after race food. I like the virtual ones too though because I get a cool medal for a workout run. It keeps me going and makes me want to go out and practice more.
Me: I love you son .

He is so just like me. I too love the regular races but I also love LOVE my virtuals too. They do help keep me motivated and hey I love any extra bling I earn. If I'm gonna be out running those miles I might as well get me some sweet swag right?

I signed up for this virtual for myself when I was presented with an opportunity to run this race and write a post about it, however when the medal came in the mail I decided to give it to G. See that very morning that it showed up he had asked me to run with him after school. I put off running with my usual group so I could run with him. And when the medal showed up on the same day it was just meant to be. He had NO idea he was going to get some swag after our run and he was so excited. It was fun to give him this medal and share my love of running with him.

Rocking his new kicks of course 

Holding up his newest bling. I think this kid needs his own medal holder soon. Seriously though can you see how HUGE that medal is !! Yes he took his bling to school with him the very next day to show it up. He especially likes to show his P.E. teacher who also happens to be his run coach . Yes he's on his schools running team .. way to go G !!!

Pure joy when you feel like you're flying 

So even though this medal isn't going on my bling wall I'm super excited that it will be displayed on my sons bling wall. I can't wait to do another run with him.
http://www.levelupruns.com/ did an awesome job on this medal and the only thing we really missed about this run was a bib to add to our collection. It's always extra exciting when you do a virtual that supports a good cause. Level Up Runs donates part of the funds to struggling schools to help them keep their sports programs alive. That's so cool . I grew up in a small town and I recall a few years when the levy wasn't going to pass and we almost lost our sports. That thought alone was devastating since sports had played such a huge part of my life in school .

I'll be taking part in their next virtual run The Incredible Virtual Run featuring none other than the Incredibles. Um how cool is that !! I have a sneak peek of that medal and I'm going to share it with you .

Seriously how cool is this medal ? They sure didn't skimp on the Runner Awakens so I'm gonna bet that they didn't skimp on this one either. Registration is currently open for this run over at http://www.levelupruns.com/ and if you use the code SAVE10 you get 10% off your registration . Wait what ? A cool medal AND a discount code . SCORE !!! So I hope you'll join me and my 10 yr old running buddy for this next virtual race .

Instagram winnings

Winter storm watch ... cancel that Blizzard warning in effect .

Really ??

Yes that was what my emergency alert said when I got it this morning. I text a friend and asked if she was up for a few miles with Kodi and I . I'm thankful she was able to make it and we hit the path for 4 miles. It's beautiful out and I'm not sure where this blizzard is suppose to be. It's close to 70 with a slight breeze and the sun is out and beautiful .

Love this pup 

Half Marathon reflection

As I sit here today pondering my half yesterday I'm reminded of a quote I keep on hand. " It doesn't matter what happens between the start and the finish line. All that matters is that you cross both " Oh man that speaks volumes to me. So SO true. It takes courage to start and commitment to finish. I like to think I have those qualities. The half was a struggle. Every step was hard BUT I started AND I finished. I laughed, I groaned, I wanted to cry BUT I started and I finished and THAT is what matters. I earned that bling and those beers for sure.

Spring Equinox Half Marathon

So your friend sees this Half Marathon and checks out the bling.. it's cool AND has 2 free beers so she sends a message to your regular running buddies and says " we should do this " we all get super excited and say yes lets, lets carpool and celebrate our other friends birthday. We rush to sign up. 10 minutes later we get another message from same friend saying " you do realize we all just signed up for a Half Marathon in less than 4 weeks right ?" Um well ..... ah crap !!! The things I let them talk me into. Peer pressure is way worse when your a runner. Dang corrupt friends of mine. 13.1 miles... no problem, we got this. And did I mention there is beer at the end ? Oh and Clydesdales too !! 

Bright and early we met up at Lois's house to carpool up to Fort Collins to the Anheuser Busch Brewery . It's always nice to travel with friends and this trip didn't disappoint at all. Lois had 6 in her car and Chris had 4 in hers. Let the party start. It was super cold out when we got there , as in 17 degrees cold. Thankfully they had an indoor area for waiting until the start. We warmed up, got in the ridiculously long bathroom line ( 6 stalls for woman .. never a good thing ) and then ran outside to snap some pictures. 

Kara, Lois, Me, Melanie and Kelli ( my car pool peeps ) and check out our matching skirts.. heck yes !!

This was the whole gang of us 

Kara, Lois, Me, Kelli, Denise, Melanie, Dray, Molly and Chris ( the birthday girl ) 

The race started about 15 minutes late but for good reason . This was the first time for this race ( they have a fall that they usually do ) and they didn't have outhouses at the start so the ladies bathroom line was ridiculously long. They decided to wait for the line to end so everyone started at the same time. Not a huge deal and they made sure that everyone was informed of what was happening. Job well done Spring Equinox crew.

The course was beautiful !!  A mix of paved and dirt roads with the mountains in view. It was peaceful and stunning.

Mile 4 Endurance Way ... how perfect is that ? 

I mean check out the view we had  

I finished. Was this the best race ever for me ? Oh heck NO !!! This race sucked. This race pushed me hard. This race had me ready to quit at mile 4, I wanted to beg for a ride back to the start at mile 9 and I could have kissed the ground when we hit the finish but I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get back up . Every step hurt, my legs felt like blocks of cement and every time our interval timer went off I wanted to punch it so it would stop. I finished though and for that I am proud of myself. I didn't miss a single run interval. I crossed both the start and the finish. Some races are just like that. Some days 13.1 feels like a breeze and other days 1 mile kills me. It's how you handle the situation that counts. I didn't quit, I didn't give up, I pushed through and I finished with a smile on my face and memories to keep always.

Time for some beer !!!

Okay probably one of the better post race food spreads I've seen in a long time. Pancakes, bacon, fruit, English muffins, cocoa, water and beer.

I keep it simple, Budlight Lime is my go to 

And then finished with a Cranberry Lime A Rita . 

One of the things I was SO excited about was the fact that the horses would be here today. They take off Monday so this was perfect timing. These beasts are beautiful. I'm a sucker for a horse.

They had a few out for pictures. The line was open to the public at this point ( we didn't drink our beer fast enough dang it ) so it was pretty long and we had to get back for some family events. So because we are crazy like that we just walked to the front of the line and took our own pictures. The backdrop was amazing too.

The whole group I went with was so awesome. We actually all knew more people there but this was the group I rode down with and ran with. They are always so much fun. Most of them are part of the RIOT ( running is our therapy ) group as well as MRTT ( moms run this town ) and Run Junkies groups. I feel blessed to call them friends. We had beers, we laughed, we told stores, we snapped pictures, we ate food and just had a wonderful time together.

The birthday girl 

Cheers 

By the time I got home they had uploaded the coolest race photos ever. They did such an awesome job at placing the photo people in the coolest places. I mean the mountains in the background. So amazing .

Always ALWAYS have fun 

This race was mentally tough for me but even with it being hard I had the best time. I had wonderful friends to push me to the end, great food, good beer, beautiful views, free pictures, Clydesdales, race bling and laughs. What more could one ask for right .