three things thursday

There is a bag of fun size Snickers somewhere in our house and I'm wanting one REALLY bad. Why don't I just go get one? Well, because Brad's asleep. What does that have to do with anything? He's the one who hid the bag (at my instruction). Why, why, why do I do these things to myself? He's been given strict instructions that I can only have one a day max and if I don't ask he's not to mention it. Such a good husband. But something tells me he might be a little pissed if I wake him up to get me a candy bar.

I'm covered in poison ivy. Thank you Spartan Race. I'm so allergic to this stuff it's not even funny but luckily my MD called me in some prednisone. Which of course is also why I'm wide awake.

I'm so excited to hopefully meet up with several bloggy friends this weekend!

what are you up to this weekend?
are you allergic to poison ivy?
have you ever met any fellow bloggers in real life?

Let The Good Times Roll!

I've always been extremely proud of my planning skills. My Erin Condren planner is never far away and I LOVE writing everything in (OCD much?). Unfortunately I've run into a bit of uncharacteristic POOR RACE PLANNING.

Case in point:
Last weekend I did the Carolinas Spartan Sprint with my little brother. Side note: It took a lot out of me (so I pampered myself on Monday)

This coming Saturday I'm racing the Run The Bluegrass Half in Lexington, KY.

The very next day I'm racing the Covenant Health Half in Knoxville, TN.

And the DA of the day award goes to moi!

My new motto is obviously "be stupid!"

My plan is to run/walk the KY race (walking up hills and running down them and flats---which from what I've heard there aren't many flats!!) then see how I feel Sunday. I'm not planning on trying for a PR at either race, that's for sure!!!

I'm kind of bummed that I have to leave KY so quickly... The race in TN has no race day packet pick up (LAME) so we have to leave pretty quick to get to the expo to pick it up. Which means I'll get to see my friends for about .0654 seconds. BOOOOOOOOOOOO.

And I'm not sure if you're living under a rock but we have a HUGE basketball game on Saturday night. It'd be awesome to watch it in Lexington, but no. TN it is. Yuck. And in case you don't understand how big this game is for us Kentuckians... I'll provide this link. It's an article about how two older men got into a fight over the game DURING THEIR DIALYSIS APPOINTMENT. Seriously. It's going to be ugly. But I'll leave you with these:

Spartan Sprint Carolinas 2012

They are so right, you do know at the finish line! I'll never forget the rush I got after I finished my first half marathon, but the one after this race dwarfed it! I felt like a BAMF. :)

So Matthew and I left Asheville around 6:15 am on Saturday morning to drive to Charlotte. The race was held at the US National Whitewater Center. We both had protein shakes for breakfast then Matthew switched to water and I had G2. We got to the site around 8am. Matthew took this pic on the way in:

I was about to pee my pants already. We got parked easily (they charged $5 to park) and started towards the check in. Check in was pretty deserted, we got our packets (timing chips, bibs, free drink ticket) and went to get marked up. They put your bib number on your arms, hands, calves and cheeks. They also stamp your forehead with this stamp:

So beautiful! We looked around for a little while, I made myself eat a Clif bar (what I eat before every LR and half), and checked out the merchandise. We both got Spartan tech shirts and stickers, and the guy who was helping us threw in a water bottle also. Here's the finish line:

We walked back to the car to put all our stuff up. They did offer a bag check but it was another $5, so we just took everything back to the car. We made our way back to the start line and waited. We got to watch to heats start before ours and we actually got to see a couple of guys finish in the elite heat. They were finishing right under an hour, so that was intimidating. We had been told the fastest course time was about 35 minutes. I had to make about 3 bathroom runs. The CLIF bar was not a good idea. I guess I was too nervous!

Finally around 10 our heat got to start. We ran about a half mile (trails) to our first obstacle: dive under and crawl under these net things, then jump over a small wall. Repeat. Then we took off up into the mountains on single track. We obviously weren't trying to win or anything but looking back I wish we'd started off faster. We got stuck behind so many people on that single track and it was early enough that our shoes weren't covered in mud yet! So we lost a lot of time, but oh well. Oh and as we were starting into the woods there was a girl in the crowd and I hear her say to her friend about Matthew, "Dang he looks like a Spartan!."

It started to get slippery quickly. We have clay in NC, not dirt. When it's wet it's crazy slick and it cakes to your shoes. Running the next bit was a HUGE core workout. And like Matthew said, we didn't run 4 miles, we tried not to fall for 4 miles! I couldn't stretch out and run because I'd slip. And you did not want to fall. Tree stumps, roots, and rocks awaited if you fell. 

I don't remember all the obstacles and honestly the terrain was just as difficult as the obstacles. At one point we had to run across this mud pit. You could see people stuck all throughout. Matthew went first and hollered back to just pick up your feet as soon as they went down. I take off across and make it but I lost a shoe. Luckily my brother is awesome and went back and got it for me (You'll notice this trend throughout:  My brother saved my butt!!). After I get my shoe back on we look ahead to start running and notice there are ropes hanging down in another pit. THE ROPE CLIMB WAS THE ACTUAL OBSTACLE. Oh dear. I completed my first set of burpees. 

Other obstacles:  set of walls probably 4 foot high (over, under, through middle, over, under), carrying sandbags up a hill and back down, a set of walls one 6 foot and one 8 foot, tractor pull (rope tied to cinder block to pull down and up a hill), monkey bars, a huge hill that you had to rappel up, two more walls 8 foot each (the girls could use the side with a foot hold), a bucket on a pulley that you had to hoist to the top then let back down, a traverse wall, a climb over hay bales, a cargo net, barbed wire crawl, a type of rowing machine that you had to go 200m but you were pulling down instead of rowing, a spear throw, an incline wall they had coated in dish soap, fire jump, gladiator pit, and a swim to end it.  

I know I'm missing a bunch of stuff and like I said this does not include all the crazy terrain, we even had to run in the river for a good quarter to half mile.

It was so amazing to complete the last obstacles: fire jump, gladiator pit, then swim. That swim was so refreshing, I wanted to stay in there forever! After crossing the finish line you get your medal and your shirt. 

The red shirt is the tech shirt I bought, the black shirt is cotton and it's the finisher shirt. And the medal is definitely my favorite!

We made our way to the showers after the race:

They were actually really nice, Dial for Men sponsored them so there was this new soap they have. It comes out of the can like shaving cream and foams up but is a body wash. 

After rinsing as best we could we headed to the car. 

Official Results:  2:11:45

Age Group:  120/195 (62%)

Gender:  527/1018 (52%)

Overall:  2456/3397 (72%)

Among all racers on Saturday. 

PROS:

• This was an unforgettable race. It was challenging, painful, and fun. 
• It was well organized. 
• Plenty of bathrooms.
• We got good parking but we also got there early. 
• The volunteers were great.
• **Edited to add** The race photographers Nuvision Action Image allow you to download your race pics for FREE!!! And they're pics are great, I'll be sharing mine with you soon. 

CONS:

• I understand wanting only people who completed the race to get shirts (Brad paid for entry then couldn't race, he didn't get anything), but the shirts don't say finisher anywhere on them. Also, they're handing you these shirts right after you finish and even though the last obstacle was water we were still covered in dirt. So I just got my new shirt muddy, great. Lastly, they're cotton shirts. When you pay such a high registration fee, I think you should get tech shirts. 
• Only one water station. Yes they told us ahead of time, but what were we supposed to do? Can't use a handheld because you need your hands. Some people were wearing Camelbak's but I just think they'd be ruined. 
• I thought it was crappy to charge for bag check.
• That damn tattoo would not come off!!! Matthew has a scab on his forehead from trying to get it to come off! 

Would I do this race again? ABSOLUTELY! I'm signing up for the 2013 race later today with the promo code 'NC50'. It takes 50% off your registration, but it's only good until Tuesday night. 

Like I said this was an unforgettable race. My brother was amazing as always. He definitely could have went ahead and finished way earlier but he stayed with me. He helped me (and a few other girls and guys) over the walls and even came back on the tractor pull to help me pull that big rock. He's always looking out for me and I love him so much for it! 

I was given one free entry to this race in exchange for blogging about my experience. All opinions are my own. Thanks to Spartan Race!

Spartan Sprint and New Handful Winner

Can I just mention real quick how I'm freaking out about this race?!? A part of me is majorly excited and the other part is flipping its you know what! I just read that you have to do 30 burpees for any skipped obstacle. I thought you only had to do 10. Shit.

It'll just be me and Matthew doing the race. Brad's work puts on a 5k every year and it's Saturday of course. Missy was going to join up with us but had some very understandable reasons to change her plans.

Say a prayer for us. No one needs a broken leg.


And on a lighter note, I'm treadmill shopping. Anyone have any advice?

And PS, the first winner of the Handful bra never claimed her prize so I did a redraw:

Congrats to Suz!! And if you don't read her blog get your booty over there right now, she's great! Suz, send me an email (3xacharmrunner@gmail.com) and I'll get you hooked up!

Happy Friday::: My Week in Pictures, Mostly.

Thanks for all of your all's comments on my last post. Crazy kids. As many of you all said, I'm just glad I got to learn this lesson the easy way and I hope you all take it to heart too!  

riley and i got to go to the park on tuesday

i swear, there is nothing better than spending the day outside with this guy. LOVE him.  

taking a quick water break!

we got three miles in.

the weather has been amazing here and all the trees are blooming, so beautiful!

Matthew changed up my lifting routine while I was home this weekend and it is of course kicking my butt. This is me after doing my new leg/back routine. 

No I did not run suicides in between sets, the workout just really kicked my butt!!! And it is about 129378 degrees in my gym... And I sweat like a man. Oh well. 

are you all loving march madness? who are you pulling for?

Why You Should Never Let Your Guard Down While Running Outdoors

I honestly really hate that I have to tell this story. I hate that it happened at all. And while I can look back on it with a mixture of relief that it wasn't that serious, and humor because let's face it, it's funny now, I still feel like I need to share.

Saturday I had an eight mile long run on the schedule so I got up early and got ready. Brad and I were visiting my family in KY for the weekend and my dad was the only person up at the house. He and I don't get a chance to talk one on one very often so I took my time getting ready and stretching while talking to him. I think I ended up leaving the house around 9am. And just like I was still young, he asks where I was going and how long I'd be, because he's my dad and he worries. I can't begin to list all the times my parents have given me that 'warning tone' when I mention running outside alone... And as usual, they were right.

Our hometown has a major bypass that will take you from one end of the town to the other and there is a walking path that runs between the road and the river. There are only a few spots on the trail that you can't be seen from the road. I've been on that track thousands of times. 


I run out and back on the trail, and it is about 0.8 miles, so I settle in for a while. I've got a great playlist and while I have both earbuds in, the volume is very low. The first person I pass from behind is an older man, probably in his 70's, walking from McDonald's with his coffee. I don't pass another person until I'm on my way back (passed from the front), I passed a young boy who looked about 12 years old. I smile and wave and he nods. I continue to run.

I passed this kid really close to the turn around point so I quickly lap him from behind as I go out for another loop. He moves when he hears/sees me coming and I go on. Everything's going great, the weather's perfect and I'm really getting into my run. I'm running a faster pace than usual and taking the small hills with ease. I loop around and before long see the boy again. I really don't think anything of him being as we've already acknowledged each other, but I do look up at him and he nods again.

Right when I get by him, I feel this sharp smack on my left butt cheek. I am shocked out of the happy little world I was in and turn on him. He turned to run when he realized I was coming towards him but then he stopped. Either I'm not very scary or he realized he was running from a girl. I yelled at him, "who do you think you are?" and "who made you think it's okay to treat a woman like that?" (don't ask me where I get this stuff, I was in the moment). I kept asking him how old he was also. Like I said he looked about 12 and while I wasn't really thinking, I remember the thought, 'if I hit him I'll get in trouble for assaulting a minor.' (No it didn't occur to me that he'd touched me first).

He answers me that his dad taught him that he could treat women like that and he said he was 17. I was fuming. He obviously didn't have a good example at home, but that still didn't give him the right to touch me. He kind of smiled and walked off. I turned and started walking, and even put my ear buds back in... But then I thought, 'No, he's not getting away with this." So I called 911 and told them what happened. (Sorry I didn't have the PD in my phone). They sent two cops out and I was so pleased when I realized I went to school with one of them.

Long story short, they told me that I was right in calling (I was worried I'd blown it out of proportion) and they took me very seriously. They found the boy and he first denied it, then he admitted everything. He ended up being fourteen years old. I didn't press charges and the officers made him get in their car so they could drive him home.

So looking back... Yes this is a very funny story. Some little kid got grabby with me. Big deal.

But the whole incident has set in very heavily for me. I know you can't play the if's and but's game, but really. That just goes to show you. People can surprise you. I thought just because I was out in the open where people might see me that I was fine. I didn't have my pepper spray or ID. I had both ear buds in. Essentially I was in my own little world and that cannot happen!!

I hope you find the humor in this story, but I really hope it'll scare you a little like it did me.


Be cautious. Be prepared. Be careful. Be aware of your surroundings. 

Handful Bra Winner!!

As picked by Random.org, the winner of the Handful bra is:

Congrats Danielle! Email me at 3xacharmrunner@gmail.com by Wednesday so I can get your sizing and contact information!

Rants and Raves

I'm feeling a tad more bitchy than normal today so I figured I'd go ahead and debut my newest idea for a weekly-ish post, 'rants & raves.' A place to share what you're loving rightthissecond and what you'd like to give the big middle finger to. (Yes, I know you aren't supposed to end a sentence with a preposition, so if you were thinking that just go ahead and consider yourself added to the 'rants' list. :)

I'd rather start with the good stuff, so here are my most current obsessions:

I'm wearing my new Handful bra like it's going out of style. It's so freaking comfortable. If you want to try it for yourself, check out my giveaway post here. 

Kentucky basketball is always a favorite of mine, but it always reaches a new level of craziness when March Madness rolls around. Everything in this house revolves around when and where the CATS play. And I LOVE it. 

My newest snack obsession? Laughing Cow cheese how did I not know about you until last week? I'm so ashamed. If you're living in the dark like I was, allow me to share. Laughing Cow makes these amazing little wedges of cheesey goodness and they're mostly 35-45 calories each. They even make a strawberry cream cheese one!!!!!!! Heaven. The one in the picture is queso fresco and chipotle. It's so good it covers up the horrible taste of raw carrots :)

Now onto the people I'd kinda like to punch in the face. 

To my stupid lab (laboratory not Labrador):

Why is it that I have to make an appointment weeks in advance to have a simple blood draw but that you can call me the day before to cancel?? Unacceptable. And don't tell me, and I quote, "It's not a big deal we can get you in the next morning." Actually it is a big deal because I work that day. The job that provides  the insurance to help pay the ridiculous fee you're going to charge. Stupid. 

To the handyman who is was fixing our kitchen ceiling:

Why did you tell me you could come out and do the job today if you were going to work for an hour, leave in the middle to go do another job, then come back to finish?!?!?! I know the world doesn't revolve around me, but seriously. You think I'm kidding? Here's what my kitchen looks like right now:

He said he'll be back to finish today. Great. 

And lastly, to the girl at the gym talking on your phone while laying in the middle of the floor in the ladies only room of the gym: Get the efff outta the way and get off your damn phone!!!! I mean, come on. The ladies only room is about thisbig. It's already kind of a tight squeeze, but when you've got chatty mc cathy on her cell phone seriously laying in the middle of the floor!!@? I'm not a confrontational person (I'd rather just bitch about it online!) but this was too much. She had her sweatshirt slung over the only bench in the room (the one that I needed to actually workout) so I calmly and politely asked her if she was using the it. She said no while giving me the 'can't you see i'm on the phone' look. Rude. 

And just because I almost implicated him in a rant, here's the cutest Labrador ever:

Rant or rave? Tell me what's pissing you off or making you fall in love!

HANDFUL BRA:::: Review & Giveaway

A few months ago I contacted Jody at Handful regarding their super cute bras that I was seeing all over the blog world.

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I loved the way they looked -- the cute straps, the colors, and the most noticeable thing:  the 'bunching' in the middle (AKA: no more uniboob!).

When I contacted Jody she was very honest with me, and I REALLY appreciated that. I'm a D. She flat out told me that this bra was not going to be a sports bra for me, but that I could try it as an everyday bra. I thought her honesty was refreshing and I greatly appreciated that she still wanted me to review the bra.

So specifically for the girls who aren't members of the IBTC (not that I don't love you guys... I'd kinda like to be a member, but I've gotta look out for my large chested sisters here)...  :)

You know how it sucks to wear a real bra (underwire, non-sports bra) all the time? Yeah, it does. The best example I can think of is traveling. When I'm in an airport/car/plane/etc. all day the last thing I want is some stupid wire poking me in the rib.

I have two Under Armour 'sports' bras that are pretty comfortable:

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While they're comfortable, they do nothing for my girls if you know what I mean. They kind of look like a fat roll, uniboob. I will not wear a fitted shirt when I'm wearing these bras.

I had high hopes for the Handful, and I'm so happy to say that it exceeded my expectations. To sum it up:  It gave me comfortable support. The material is so comfortable!! The straps didn't dig into my shoulders. I did like the bra better with the pads removed, and I love the shape it gives me! I also loved the way the cute pink straps peek out in some of my shirts (FITTED shirts!!!)

After I crowned the Handful my new go to travel bra, I tried it out in some other ways. I wore it to lift weights and for an hour long yoga class. It worked perfectly!

Right now at Handful.com you can get the pink, nude and cocoa bras for only $28!!! Black and white are $40 each.

Jody was also awesome enough to offer one bra up to a reader!!!! Would you like to try your own Handful?

Here's how you can enter (please leave a comment for each):
 - Like Handful on Facebook
 - Follow Handful on Twitter
 - Go check out the Handful video and tell me your beach party or road trip essentials.
 - It'd be awesome if you followed me on Linky followers :)

The giveaway will be open until the 10th at midnight. Good luck!!!

Rear View Mirror: February 2012

I ran 54 miles this month, up 9 miles from last month. I'm hoping to get up to around 65 for next month and stick with that as an average for a while. I ran one race this month, the Strawberry Plains Half Marathon, where I got a new half mary PR!!!


I read two books this month:
Through My Eyes (Tim Tebow) - What a great book. I'm definitely no Florida Gator but I'm a big Tebow fan. He's fun to cheer for (and fun to look at!) and I love the example he's setting for kids today. It was fun to read about his upbringing and family and a lot of his opinions were really insightful. I'd definitely recommend this book!


The Best of Me (Nicholas Sparks) - I love me some NS books but this one was a little much for me. I thought it was depressing and too predictable. I don't want to spoil it for you if you want to read it, but I'm definitely glad I just bought it on my Kindle vs. hardback. 




I saw four movies this month:  Safe House, Act of Valor, This Means War, and the Vow. Act of Valor and Safe House were my faves. Didn't like the Vow and This Means War was just okay. 


I lost 7 pounds this month, making my total 12 pounds lost since Jan 1st!! Pretty pumped about this and hope to keep cruising along!




What did you do this month that you're proud of?