10 weeks to go (marathon training)

Hell Week at Orangetheory started this week. I'm a sucker for a free t-shirt, like most of us, so I had to get in my 5 Hell Week workouts to get my shirt.

Monday, October 23rd - Clean Week: Core Function
Hell Week didn't start til Tuesday, so I headed to the gym with the girls at lunchtime, and knocked out this workout. It's becoming one of my faves.

Tuesday, October 24th - Rest day
Wasn't able to make it to OTF today.

Wednesday, October 25th - Orangetheory class: Hell Week "Don't Breathe"
Yup, don't breathe is right. Damn hell week is hard


Thursday, October 26th - Rest day
Might have gone out the previous night, so sleeping in was needed.

Friday, October 27th - Orangetheory class: Hell Week "28 Reps Later"

Saturday, October 28th - Orangetheory class: Hell Week "Thigh Day the 13th"


Sunday, October 29th - Rest day


A few more rest days than I would have liked, but Hell Week does have me sore.

2017 Tropical 5k Recap

I never had any intentions of doing the Tropical 5k. But then I saw that it could count as part of the Florida Storm Series, which means more medals. I had already done the Ft. Lauderdale 13.1 and the Turkey Day 10k, so I only needed 1 more race to get the Category 3 medal. Who am I to turn down more bling? Especially when it's just a 5k! I signed up and was ready for my category 3 medal.

The 5k is on Saturday, and though I scoured all of the information that was sent to me and the website, I didn't see it listed anywhere if they had day of packet pickup. So, to be safe, I left work a little early on Friday and headed to Marlins Ballpark for the expo. I had been to the Miami Marathon expo a couple of years ago when I did the half. Then it was at the Miami Beach Convention Center, meaning most horrible parking of all time. Marlins Ballpark was a WORLD of difference. Parking in the garages (I had to pay parking, but they were sure to tell you the rate in the pre-race info) was easy and painless. I picked up my number, and checked out all the vendors. And I may have picked up a few things too. 

I headed home and started to prep my race day outfit, but it was gonna be 50! That's coooold for this Caribbean creature, so long sleeves were needed. I also pulled out my gloves, cause I'd rather have them then not. I went to bed early and go some sleep before my early morning drive to the beach. 

I headed to the beach in the dark and the ride was pretty smooth. I really only hit traffic when it was the exit to get to the start. The start was at the Miami Children's Museum. There was some parking there, and more across the street at Jungle Island. 

I was lucky enough to get one of the last spaces at the Children's Museum, and those spaces were free. Score, free parking!

It was chilly out there, but I started walking towards the Museum building and the start. That's when I saw a few tents with race day packet pickup. They really could have mentioned this in the emails and the website. Especially for those only doing the 5k, going to the expo isn't really necessary.

I headed back to the start and got into the corral and waited. I found a friend out there, and we chatted and caught up a little before we started. 

The anthem was sung and it was time to get going. It was crowded. Really crowded. I always start with a 5 minute walk, and I might have gotten elbowed a couple of times. My intervals started soon enough, and I was off. I was glad to be running cause I wanted to warm up. 

The course was great. It was across the causeway to South Beach and alongside the port where all of the cruise ships are. By the time Runkeeper told me it was mile 1, my pace was already fast. I knew it would be with the cold, but it was really good. I wasn't pushing too hard either. 

Mile 2 came up and I was shocked at my pace again. I knew what my PR was for the 5k was (36:38), and thought I can get a new PR, probably by a few seconds. At about mile 2.5 there is a slight uphill, then a gradual downhill while you get off the bridge and onto the mainland of the beach. I decided to let gravity do it's thing, and ran down the entire downhill, ignoring my intervals.

We went a little farther down the street, and I started up my intervals again. Then we turned and there was the finish. I ran all the way til I crossed the finish. It was crowded when I came in, but I think I might have one decent pic.

I crossed and remember looking back and seeing 36:0?. I knew I did it. But overly cautious me, needed proof before I celebrated. 

I headed out to get my medal and here's where the good race got messy. There were hoards of people trying to get medals, and not enough handing them out. I had to search for a bottle of water. There were just buckets on the floor with gatorade and water. No one was handing them out, and I had to push myself through a crowd to get one.

Then there was another hoard by the race pics. I know the storm series has free pics, which they will even post to your Facebook for you. Pretty cool, and since I was there alone, I waited for my pic. There were people that were skipping in front, hogging the background. So rude.

Once I got out of that mess, I walked about another block to the beach. The after party was at Nikki Beach at South Point (the most south point of South Beach). I headed onto the sand for some pics on Miami Beach. Then I headed to Nikki Beach for some food and to grab my Category 3 medal. I looked around for the marketing tent, which is where the pre-race email said the medals would be. I didn't find it, so I asked one of the race staff. He called in and told me that I could pick up my medal the next day at Bayside. That is the day of the half and full marathons in downtown Miami, not closer at all. I told him I was only doing the 5k, and I only did it for the medal. He said I could contact the race office and have it mailed to me.

I headed back to the shuttles back to the start, since this was a point to point race. The shuttle took a bit to get there, but while I was waiting I checked the website, and there it was. My new PR! 35:11!! And then before I knew it I was headed back to the start and my car. 

The race itself was great. Flat, cause let's be serious, this is Miami, we're at sea level. But the communication and definitely the post race area needed help, badly. This isn't the first race, so I'm not sure why it was so disorganized. But I'd def give the Tropical 5k a second try.

A 2014 Recap

I'm joining in and giving you a recap of my 2014. It was a great year, and I hope 2015 will be an even better one!

January
Started off the year in the happiest place on Earth, just in time to see the Osbourne Family Christmas lights before they got taken down for the year. It was nice to get in a little more Christmas before the season was really over.

February
Was time for my nephew's Lego Superhero 7th birthday party, and a few weeks later I did the inaugural Enchanted 10k at Disney. It was so much fun, especially, since I got to dress up as my favorite princess, Cinderella.

March
I went to a bunch of parties for some of the awesome little ones in my life, and also made some awesome St. Paddy's Day cupcakes, Irish Car Bomb cupcakes.

April
Finally went to the Animal Kingdom and rode Everest for the first time. So much fun! I was also keeping up on my running.

May
Watched my best friend graduate from nursing school, helped another celebrate his birthday with a special request, Oreo cupcakes, and spent lots of afternoons by my pool.

June
My birthday month! I finally made Sweet Angels cupcakes a page on the internet. I made a myself a slip and also got a great new job. I celebrated my birthday at the new job, but had a bunch of friends over to celebrate at my house too. Plus Mom made me these cute beachy cupcakes. It was so fun!

July 
Kris and I finally celebrated our birthdays together with a night out at Epcot and an after hours tequila tasting. It was so good. We also had a girls brunch here in Miami for all of us to catch up. It's so good having an all day brunch and gossip session.

August
In July I signed up as a Beachbody coach after trying Piyo with my blogger friend Kat, and I posted about my fitness journey. This was a HUGE leap of faith for me, and I'm still trying to figure out how to fit it all in, but I can say I'm a fitness junkie now. I also went to New Orleans with Kris and we had such a great time, and got LOTS of steps in in the process too!

September
I went to FL Blog Con and gave my blog a new look! I love going to FL Blog Con, I always leave with such awesome ideas from other bloggers and tons of new blogs to read!

October
Time for my niece's birthday. And she picked a Blue's Clues theme this year. We got creative and threw an awesome Blue's Clues party. I also shared a little about my history of running, and all the races that I signed up for. I also headed to Epcot's International Food and Wine festival with Meli, so I could enjoy the food before my race.

November
Means it was time for the Wine & Dine Half Marathon weekend! This would be my second half marathon, and it rained the WHOLE race. I'll chock that one up to experience. I also did a 5k the morning of the half, and I survived. My first double race weekend. I really love that bling! I also did the Turkey Day 10k on Thanksgiving morning and got my 10k PR!

December
Has been full of fun holiday get togethers with friends. But I haven't let it derail my fitness. I've kept up running, since I have 4 races to go in January and February. I started a fitness challenge group and I've even started Insanity Max :30, to give my body an extra boost and see how far I can go.

Here's a toast to 2014 and a huge welcome to 2015. I hope to share more with all of you and hope to inspire others to design their own lives to make them healthier, more creative and more FUN!