The Color Run 2013

 We ran the SoCal Color Run again this year! It's a fun, family friendly, non timed, crazy dirty, 5K that was loads of fun.

We will be back for more next year!

Reflections Art: Top of the Hill

J.T. entered into the National PTA Reflections Art program with another photography entry this year. Well it was really last year since entries are due in October.

Almost a whole school year later, we found out that he won the Award of Excellence (aka 1st place) for his division and category in our school district.

This is so exciting. He was thrilled!
This is his SECOND time winning this honor. Last year he won with a piece called "One Mile Shoes". Mr. B joked that he is going to have to branch out past taking pictures of shoes.

Here he is at the Reflections Event.

 

This is his winning entry. The theme was "The Magic of a Moment".

Last year, we went for a run together and on that day, he used my phone to capture this image. His artist's statement read: 

The magic of a moment is when you are climbing a hill and you finally get to the top. 

So young, so deep... sometimes.

 Congratulations J.T.

The OC Half Marathon and Completing the Beach Cities Challenge

The Health Expo volunteers,
assisting with the check in process
and handing out t-shirts and bibs
were tons of Elders and
Sister Missionaries from my church.
It really threw me off at first and
then, I just realized it was plain
rad. 

May 5th.  Beach Cities Challenge. Check.

A few months ago, I ran (ish) the Surf City 1/2 marathon. It was the second race of 3 to complete the Beach Cities Challenge. Long Beach, Surf City, OC.

It's been a goal of mine and today, I finished.

The OC marathon is point to point. You don't run a giant loop. It was my first experience with this and as far as races go, I think I prefer the loop.

I hadn't been running a whole lot but Mr. B and I have been enjoying OC Fitness Boot Camp, working out together and with a group of great people three mornings a week before the kids get up. We got a deal on Groupon and it's been a rad way to hang out together. Some gnarly decline, jack knife hand walk outs totally pinched something in my neck and I was on the desperate search for chiropractic attention. Thank GOODNESS a friend referred me to Dr. Ryan of Lampson Family Chiropractic. Whew.

My sweet pal Ash was also running OC as the first race of her Beach Cities Challenge so we carpooled that AM. The event requested to park at the OC fairgrounds (where the race would end and the finish line festival would be held) and then catch a shuttle to the starting line (at Fashion Island in Newport Beach). The organization was lame and we ended up waiting over an hour to catch the shuttle (even though we arrived well before our assigned shuttle times) and got to the starting line 45 minutes after the gun. All these people? We're getting off the bus and just going. We stopped to take a quick picture before a quick stretch and getting on the good foot. 

I am not a fast runner. But right now, that's not my goal. I'm still focusing on the JUST FINISH mentality. As I got dressed that morning I knew I'd wear my compression socks which make a huge difference when I run over 8 miles. I decided to wear a skort and a sleeved shirt. I don't really do shorts but the more I question why, the sillier I feel. Another post about body image coming very soon. I feel the need to think on these words a little more before pushing it out there.

I wore my Dodger hat (which I've worn for every race)... I kind of feel like it's lucky. And even if it isn't lucky, it helps with the sweat that will inevitably happen due to my crazy thick Hawaiian Girl hair. So Thank You hat... and I love you Dodgers. (haters gonna hate)

 Save for my hat and phone I left all of my other gadgets, support equipment at home. I usually wear a hydration belt that holds water, chia drink, electrolyte replacement liquid. I generally take pieces of gum and maybe clif shot blocks or a gel/goo packet. I decided a few weeks ago that I would approach this run with a different mind set. That I would avoid the hullaballoo. The unnecessary, the over anxiety, the worrying, over thinking... yeah all of that. Rubbish.

A few days before this race, I did a hypnotherapy session at Unwind the Mind with this super cool chick I met at Book Club! She is so cool and has this amazing and super calming voice. I figured I could give it a try. I feel generally pretty balanced in the rest of my life and was looking to her to help me control and maintain that level of peace during this run. Most of running is mental anyway. She gave me a key phrase, "Pass it". I practiced worrying myself silly over things that brought feelings of tension and then just "Pass it". After a few rounds of that, I really felt like I could apply that phrase to so many different things.

So that's what I did. I took my three cough drops in the key pocket of my skort, my excellent playlist and the knowledge that my love and best friend would be there at the finish line and I ran 13.1 miles. According to my GPS, with the weaving I did 13.75 but who's keeping track?

There were hills. Like no joke hills. The other races that I've done have been fairly flat, with a few inclines but nothing too drastic. Wowzer there were hills. It's all good though, one of the best parts about climbing a hill is getting to fly down the other side.

With 3/4 miles to go to finish, I took out my head phones and let myself enjoy the noise around me. The cheering at the finish. These people don't have to cheer for me and I appreciate their energy so I repay that with smiling and waving and putting some pep in my step.

 I saw his face first, then heard his "Alright Babe!" immediately after. 

I would go to the moon for this man. 

I smiled so big and did a little jig when I crossed. I made my way to the snack bags (which the kids would raid when I got home), post race photo, and went in search of my medal. See that sucker? over .75 lbs! Yeah. That's what I'm talkin' about. 

So that post race high lingers for quite a while. I felt great. Didn't limp to the car, didn't fall asleep right away. We got home and after I showered we went to Brunch and then took the kids to see Iron Man 3.
I was pretty sore the next day but got up to go to our bootcamp workout anyway... just trying to cement that Like a Boss feeling.

Woot Woot!