Thank you, ENELL!

As hard as it is for me to believe, my second year of being an ENELL ambassador is coming to an end. Representing a company (honestly, it's so much more than just a company) that I truly believe in has been such a rewarding and wonderful experience and I'm so thankful I had the opportunity again in 2016.

Absolutely humbled to be selected to represent @enellsportsbras for 2016. I am so excited to work with a company who's core mission is to support and empower women by providing them with products that allow them to reach their fitness goals. This bra is the reason I was finally able to run, to lose weight, and feel confident while working out. 2016 is going to be amazing! #Enell #teamenell #runchat #2016

A photo posted by Sarah (@sparklyrunner) on Dec 23, 2015 at 6:20pm PST

As part of the ENELL Race Team, they sent me some new ENELL gear to run in and sponsored three of my races. I've been wearing ENELL for about six years and have been so impressed with the gorgeous colors they've come out with in the last year: Dazzling Blue, Biscay Bay, and Rock It Red. As a well-endowed runner who cannot wear the "fun" bras from other companies, it is awesome to be able to sport a colorful, fun ENELL bra under my running tanks- somehow, the run just feels better if it's color-coordinated! 😁 And that Dazzling Blue was the perfect choice for my wedding day 5k as my "something blue!"

How amazing does that blue trim look with that blue tank?!

Flat bride for tomorrow's Wedding Day 5k! #flatrunner #teamsparkle #mcshuppwedding #ido #weddingday #somethingblue

A photo posted by Sarah (@sparklyrunner) on May 20, 2016 at 9:28pm PDT

Besides the cool colors, ENELL also supports me like no other piece of clothing/running equipment. The first thing I pack for any trip is my ENELL. Basically, that's the only thing I can't replace. Running clothes? Sure. Shoes? Absolutely. A sports bra? No freaking way. This year, my ENELL came with me to Cape May, NJ, the Bahamas, Ireland- quite a lot of travel for a bra!

October running near our hotel in Dublin, Ireland.

Finishing the Castaway Cay 5k on our honeymoon in June.

Running races as an ENELL ambassador gave me the opportunity to raise awareness of this brand among other female runners. I can't tell you how many times I've chatted with other well-endowed folks who hadn't heard of ENELL and were surprised to know that a bra existed specifically for their and their girls' support needs.

Pittsburgh Half Marathon in May.

Baltimore Women's Classic in June.

Race 13.1 10k in December.

But what I love the most about ENELL, is the confidence this brand gave me to even think about becoming a runner. With the right support, you can do anything. And believe me, when I put on my ENELL, I truly feel #unshakable.

#IHaveARunnersBody ...but for years, I thought the exact opposite. Continued below ⤵ ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ ✨✨✨✨✨ Growing up overweight and well-endowed made it damn near impossible to think of myself as athletic, let alone a runner. In gym class, classmates would joke, "Hey Sarah, don't give yourself a black eye from jumping jacks!" I know they intended to be funny, but their comments hurt. My own negative thoughts about my body coupled with "jokes" from others pretty much sealed the deal for years and years of self-hatred and self-sabatoge. I hated my body and used food to both comfort and punish myself. But then I watched Matthew complete the @oddyssey_half in May 2011 and I saw so many people running that didn't fit my idea of what a "runner" looked like. And I thought, if they can do it, maybe I can do it too. So I started running. And I found @enellsportsbras, which absolutely changed what I thought about being well-endowed and running. The running led to thinking about my body differently; positively. That led to fueling my body better, which led to even more positive thoughts about my body. What's amazing about this is that none of these positive thoughts have to do with what I weigh or how fast I run. This body has allowed me to run two full marathons, 20 half marathons, and countless 5 and 10Ks. I'm damn proud of this runner's body! Five years of running later, #IHaveARunnersBody. But as it turns out, I had one all along. Change your mind, change your life. 💖💖💖 #bodypositivity #irunthisbody #werunsocial #Enell #support #womensrunningcommunity #effyourbeautystandards #runchat #teamenell #flawsandall

A photo posted by Sarah (@sparklyrunner) on Mar 31, 2016 at 6:18pm PDT

Even though my official ENELL Race Team ambassadorship is coming to an end, don't expect my love for this brand to go anywhere. You'll still be able to find me posting flat runner pictures on instagram, color-coordinating running outfits/costumes, and chasing down dreams, with my ENELL in tow. Thank you, ENELL, for all the literal and figurative support over the last year- it's been an honor to be part of the team! ❤

ENELL Ambassador Race Recap & Review: Race 13.1 Baltimore 10k

Note: As an ENELL Racing Ambassador, I receive race entry fees and merchandise, but I genuinely love the brand. All opinions here are my own. 

Last weekend, Matthew and I ran the inaugural Baltimore Race 13.1 10k. I know that sounds confusing- the race's name is "Race 13.1" and they offered a half marathon, 5k, and 10k option in Baltimore. Because Matthew and I had six miles on our marathon training plan anyway, and because we rarely find any 10k races in our area, we signed up for the 10k race.

This was also my last event as an ENELL Race Team Ambassador- talk about a bittersweet race! It has been a real joy getting to represent ENELL over the past year and this race was no different. Because it was going to be cold, somewhere in the 38-42 degree range, I decided to wear a long-sleeved quarter zip up under my ENELL singlet. And obviously, I had to add a Santa hat and a Sparkle Athletic skirt! 😁

Naturally, I had to wear my "Rock It Red" ENELL for this holiday-themed race.

Matthew and I chose to pick up our packets race morning. We parked in the recommended lot ($15) and walked the short walk down to Canton Waterfront Park to pick up our bibs and shirts. It felt 20 degrees colder when we were down near the water! This race started at 7 am and packet pick up was advertised for 5-6 am- so it was still dark out when we got our stuff. We opted to head back to the car and sit in the warmth until the race start- of course, not after we made a pit stop at the brand spankin' new port-o-potties!

New, clean port-o-potties with no line?! Every runner's dream! 

While we huddled in the car, we both decided to put on the race shirt because it was a little colder than we expected. The shirt we got was a really nice tech shirt and I put mine on under the long-sleeved quarter zip and my ENELL singlet. Another reason I love ENELL bras- I can change in public and not feel like I'm exposing myself to the world. 😜

The back of the shirt has the race's mantra printed on it: "You can. You will."

At about 6:40, we made our way to the starting line in Canton Waterfront Park. We noticed the different colored bibs for the different distances and realized that there were very few 10kers in comparison to the half marathoners. The half and 10k were going to start at 7 and then the 5k would start at 7:10 am.

There weren't many people at the race, maybe around 1,500, and there were even fewer folks that dressed up in holiday gear. While taking a few pre-race pictures, I did manage to find some other like-minded runners, however:

Christmas, in runner form.

Proud ENELL ambassador.

After a quick playing of the National Anthem, the race began! The half marathoners and 10kers would follow the same course for the first three miles and then the 10kers would turn around to head back to the park and the finish line. This course was very different from most of the Baltimore races I've done- mainly because we did very little running near the Inner Harbor, where most of the Baltimore races start and finish.

This course was pretty easy to follow- there were plenty of volunteers and police out there making sure we knew where we were going and making sure we were safe. The course wasn't totally closed; there were times where the police had to stop traffic to allow the runners to safely cross the road. But there were absolutely no issues at all with us being able to run our race and feel safe.

Waiting at the start...

Good morning, Canton!

A beautiful day for a race.

The turnaround point for the 10k was right near the National Aquarium and it was well-marked. Matthew and I were keeping a pretty good pace averaging right around 11:45 minute miles. I noticed that my Garmin was picking up the miles a few hundred feet before the posted mile marker (not unusual) until mile five. We saw the mile marker for mile five and then my Garmin didn't hit five until well after the mile marker. In fact, my Garmin recorded the race as being 6.15 miles long, not the 6.2 that is the correct distance for a 10k. Weird, but not totally unusual for my watch to be different than the course.

The views on the way back to the finish were absolutely stunning- watching the sun come up over the water was so gorgeous! However, I wished I'd brought sunglasses- it was so bright! I also ended up being over dressed. Around mile three I was so damn hot. I should have left the race shirt in the car.

I think we're supposed to turn here 😜

So pretty.

The Inner Harbor from a different angle.

When we finished the race, we headed over to the food table. I was expecting some water and bananas but there was so much more! Panera bagels, bear claws, scones, etc. It was quite a spread!

They also had computers there where we could check out our official finish time- 1:13:37. Matthew grabbed a bagel, I got some fruit, we took a few selfies and then headed back to our car.

Stats from Garmin Connect.

All. The. Carbs. 

What's better than a Panera bagel?!

Goofs.

In summary, this was a well-organized and fun race with a unique course. The race shirt is pretty cool and the post-race food was abundant and awesome. And oh yeah, there was a man playing an accordion at the start and then again at the finish so that should definitely fit into your decision making if you want to put this one on your calendar. 😂

As always, I was thankful to have my ENELL bra to support the girls while I was pounding the pavement. And though you couldn't see it, I was happy my bra matched my outfit. I'm pretty sure that's always a contributing factor to having a good run/race. ❤


Have you participated in a Race 13.1 race before? What did you think?

Introducing... Wonder Woman AKA Rock It Red!

And the new color is....

ROCK IT RED! 

...or as I like to call it, WONDER WOMAN!

Hopefully you've just watched Authentically Emmie reveal the brand new, limited edition ENELL bra live on facebook! 

As an Enell Race Team Ambassador, I got my hands on this gorgeous bra a few days ago and decided to live record the unboxing so y'all could see my genuine surprise reaction- we were not told what the new bra looked like, only that one was coming our way. So, I put together this little youtube channel (I don't know if I'll use it again, it is super cringe-worthy watching yourself!) and filmed my reaction. Check it out below:

If you ever doubted my level of enthusiasm and love for the ENELL brand, this video - and the constant use of the term "holy freaking crap" - should convince you otherwise.

I can't wait to try her out this weekend on my long run. Follow me on instagram to see this beauty in action!

If you want a "Rock It Red" for yourself, head on over to ENELL.com and use the code "RockIt10" for 10% off and FREE shipping until 9/12!


Have a great weekend!

Accountability Tuesday: August 30, 2016

Short and sweet this week, friends.

It's been busy at work because all of our students moved in over the weekend and we've been going non-stop with programs and events. But, I still managed to get all my miles in for Walt Disney World Marathon training!

Training:
Tuesday- 2.3 miles in 30:51, 13:23 pace
Wednesday- 2.63 miles in 30:02, 11:25 pace
Saturday- Shippensburg University Service Fun Run/Walk, 3.37 miles in 37:12, 11:03 pace

The university I work for sponsored a fun run Saturday night and even though it was supremely hot and hilly, I was impressed that I kept just over and 11 minute/mile pace. I still went out too fast. My splits looked like this: 10:42/11:24/11:36/9:31. All. Over. The. Damn. Place. Someday I'll learn about pacing, someday.

The weak link for me this week was strength training. I don't enjoy it and it is so difficult to MAKE myself do it. Ultimately, I know it's an important part of my running AND maintaining my weight. My goal is to make that more of a priority this upcoming week.

Too fast to capture on camera ;-) 

Food Find & Non-Scale Victory:
No cool food find this week, but this week was the second time that I had Smart Points left over at the end of the week! (My Weight Watcher week runs Wednesday- Tuesday) I am super proud of myself for sticking closer to my Smart Points goal each day and making healthier choices.

Anything left at the end of the week is a miracle. 

Weight:
+ .4 from last week.

Not concerned. .4 is just a bathroom break ;-)


SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

So, as you know, I'm an ENELL Race Ambassador. In addition to getting some races sponsored, we also get new limited-edition bras before the general public. Yesterday, I got the new, SURPRISE color bra and I was so freaking excited! I even filmed my reaction so you can see how pumped I was when I saw the new color- it's gorgeous!

I'll have a special post here on Thursday (when the color will be released) with my newly created YouTube account. Trust me, I haven't got a clue what I'm doing when it comes to videos but I think you'll like seeing the genuine reaction to the new color.



Have a great week, friends!

Enell Ambassador Race Recap & Review: Baltimore Women's Classic

Note: As an ENELL Racing Ambassador, I receive race entry fees and merchandise, but I genuinely love the brand. All opinions here are my own. 

For the third year in a row, on the last Sunday in June, I ran the Mid-Atlantic's largest women's only race, the Baltimore Women's Classic. [check out 2014 and 2015's recaps!]

While the things I love about this course- the bling, the price, the atmosphere- stayed the same, there were a few differences. First, I was running this race as a part of the Enell Racing Team so I got to wear my sweet Enell tank and my newest favorite Enell, Biscay Bay. Or as I like to call it, the "Green Goddess."

The second thing that was different about this year's race was that I decided to run this race in memory of a former student intern of mine, Amanda Strous. On June 18, a little over a month before she was to be married, Amanda was murdered in her apartment, most likely by her upstairs neighbor. The night before the race, I decided that I wanted to run with Amanda's name on my back. I felt so incredibly helpless (and still do, to be honest) and this felt like something small I could do to honor her and share her name with others.

Flat runner.

The morning of the race, Matthew and I arrived to downtown Baltimore about an hour before the start. We'd pre-purchased parking (thank you, Parking Panda!) and then walked about a half mile to get the to pre-race expo/festival. My dad had already picked up my packet earlier in the week so we just walked around to see the different vendors and what they had for sale. I also might have eaten some watermelon :-)

While waiting near the start line, Matthew and I consulted the course map to see where he would station himself to get some good pictures. We didn't have long to wait and soon enough, the race began and we were off!

My strategy for this race was to reserve as much energy as I could. It was sunny and warm and I tend to get dehydrated and very light headed when I run in the summer.

Waving to Matthew, not saluting. ;-)

The biggest challenge of this course is the monster hill that you hit about a mile in. It's a heck of an incline but the good thing is that after that hill, there really isn't much elevation change throughout the rest of the course.

As you can see from the following pictures, the course was crowded. I'm not sure how many women raced this year but it felt close to 2,000. Given that I'm usually towards the middle-to-back of the pack, it was especially crowded on the parts of the course that narrowed. Sometimes I struggled to find room to slow down and take my walk breaks.

Beginning of the race... elbow to elbow.

End of the race... still elbow to elbow.

Despite the heat and the crowded course, I finished the race in 35:06. As I walked through the finisher's chute, I grabbed my medal, a bottle of water, and a cold towel- they take such good care of runners at this race. Then I walked towards a volunteer handing out roses- he went to grab one rose and accidentally came out with two as they were caught up on each other's stems and leaves. He said, "You get two!" with a big grin. I took both roses and immediately knew why I'd received two- one was for me; the other for Amanda.

After the race, I ran into two friends: Dr. Iannone, my undergrad psych professor, and Tara, an IG friend that actually won my blog's second birthday giveaway. It was awesome to see both of them and catch up. Matthew and I also headed over to a new vendor this year that was giving away free finisher photos. I also might have eaten some more watermelon :-)

Dr. Iannone, me, and Tara. And then me again. :-)

Thanks, Baltimore Photo Social!

All in all, this was another great Baltimore Women's Classic race. I was thankful for my beautiful new Enell for supporting me in style and always keeping the girls in their place. And I am so in love with this green color; it looks so great with my tanks/racer-backs.

I was also thankful for the 3.1 miles of quiet reflection I had during the race when I was able to think about Amanda's life and legacy that she left on this earth. It was a privilege to run every step with her name on my back.

This event has all the elements of a great race: semi-challenging course, ice-cold towels and watermelon at the finish, free photos, awesome bling, and easy race-day logistics. I think this one will be on the calendar for years and years to come!



Have you ever done a race more than once? If so, why? If not, why not?

Enell Ambassador Race Recap & Review: Pittsburgh Half Marathon

Note: As an ENELL Racing Ambassador, I receive race entry fees and merchandise, but I genuinely love the brand. All opinions here are my own. 

Last month, I ran the Pittsburgh Half Marathon for the third time in a row- well, as long as you count running the full last year as running the half too! My first experience with Pittsburgh Marathon weekend was in 2014; I fell in love with the city, the people, and this race so Matthew and I have been traveling west every year to do it.

As you'll remember, we ran the 5k on Saturday morning. That afternoon, our running Ohana (Coach Jeff, Mandy, Lauren, Gloria, Chelsea, Lauren B., Kelsey, Kathleen, and some others) had dinner at Chelsea's house and talked about our race strategies. It would be Lauren's first full marathon (you can read about it here) so much of our conversation centered around last-minute tips for what was looking like a rainy, stormy race day.

After chatting for a while- and eating tons of food- Gloria, Matthew and I headed back to Steff and Joe's. Luckily for us, while Steff and Joe were out of town at Flying Pig race weekend, they let us stay at their house so we didn't have to get a hotel for the weekend- thanks, friends!

We laid out our clothes, discussed what time we'd be leaving in the morning, and then tried to get some sleep. Matthew and I had talked about what race he was going to run. He'd signed up for the marathon but because life gets in the way (hello, wedding planning), he wasn't trained the way he wanted to be. The great thing about Pittsburgh is that the full and half follow the same course until mile 11. So we planned to run miles 1-11 together and then depending on how he felt, Matthew would turn off to run 16 more miles and I'd head down to the finish. But, like most things, this didn't work out quite like we'd thought.

1. This Enell tank is AWESOME.
2. How perfect was the Dazzling Blue as "something blue" for my last race as a single lady?

Race morning, we drove into the city and parked fairly easily. Thankfully, Gloria is a Pittsburgh expert and helped us navigate the city streets and find a great parking garage. We headed to the hotel that had the VIP area (some of our running Ohana are fancy-pants and got the VIP package :-) ) and hung out in the lobby with some of our friends. The weather forecast was looking horrible- rain and storms off and on all day. As we headed out to the corrals, it was cloudy and humid but wasn't raining yet. Gloria, Matthew and I were all starting in the last corral (D) and though it was a bit of a cluster getting there- the road we were all walking on was somehow STILL OPEN to traffic (YIKES!)- we had no problem checking our bags and then finding a place to stand in the crowd. And then we found Kelsey! I love finding friends in the corral :-)

Race mornings are for friends. 

Don't you know? The party's always in the back of the pack!

As we were waiting to start, it started raining. And it was one of those cold, crappy rains. So Matthew and I huddled together as we shuffled towards the start line. Since my toe was still a little cranky (ingrown toenail issues), we were just going to take the race nice and slow. Our first few miles averaged around 11:30- 12 minute miles.

Around mile 4, we ran into Karen, our friend Brandi's mom. She asked us what intervals we were doing (30:30) and then asked if she could run with us for a while. This was Karen's ninth half marathon but only her second without Brandi by her side- Brandi was running for time at Pittsburgh so they were racing separately. So our running duo became a trio and we kept trucking along, albeit a little slower than we'd thought. Karen was struggling a little bit with the humidity and without having her usual running partner by her side.

A few miles later, Matthew let me know that he'd decided he wasn't going to turn off for the full. He said, "This was meant to be. We were meant to help Karen get to the finish line." So that became our new goal- get Karen to the finish line of her very first Pittsburgh half marathon. Karen is actually originally from Pittsburgh but now resides in Georgia. When we got to the bridge that is opposite "the point" around mile six, Momma K (Karen) says to us, "I've been dreaming of this moment!" I might have cried a little :-)

Check out that scenery.

So. Many. Bridges.

I absolutely LOVED running with my veil and the countdown on my back- "20 days til Mrs.!" Runners and spectators all along the course shouted out words of encouragement and even some marriage advice. My favorite was when another female runner shouted out to me, "You know what the best part of a wedding is?" I said, "What?" She said, "The marriage that comes after." I can't even type it without tearing up! It was so much fun- I'm even more convinced runners (and spectators) are the best people on the planet.

The miles ticked by and we tried to keep each other distracted from the rising heat and humidity. It had stopped raining halfway through the race but was very muggy. Gross! When we got to mile 10, Matthew insisted that we do a dance. It was pretty damn hilarious.

Maybe they're moon-walking?!

If you've ever run this course, then you know that just past the last bridge at mile 11, you begin a grueling, mile-long uphill. It completely sucks the energy out of you at a time when you're already pretty tired and your feet/legs are killing you. Well, this year, some heavenly spectator decided to station herself on the bridge with a huge sign that said "You've come this far! Now get the F up the hill!" Which is pretty funny on it's own but then, just past the sign, there were two more people handing out literal "F's" on small pieces of paper for runners to literally carry up the hill. Hands down, the most creative sign I've ever seen on a race course!

Clever :-)

After conquering the monster hill, we began our descent to the finish line. Just a few miles later, we crossed the finish line in three hours and some change (3:11) and officially earned the title "Runners of Steel." We grabbed some finisher's pictures and then headed through the chute to get our food. However, there was barely anything left. The same thing happened last year after the marathon- somehow this race ALWAYS runs out of food for the back of the pack. In fact, at mile nine, there was supposed to be Gu and some fruit chews but when we got there, there was nothing. Honestly, it is such crap- we finished well within the four-hour time limit and should have been entitled to the same food and course support as the first finishers. It is irritating to say the least. Anyway, we headed towards the finishers festival in Point Park to grab our bags, Steel Challenge medals, free beer, and then went back to the finish line to cheer for our friends running the full marathon.

Chelsea, Lauren, and Coach Jeff rounding the corner to the finish of Lauren's FIRST marathon!

After all our friends had finished and we were able to say our goodbyes, we walked with Coach Jeff back to the finisher's festival so he could pick up his bag. While there, we got to take some other cool pictures with some props that the Pittsburgh Marathon folks provided. This was new this year and I have to say, it was a pretty cool improvement.

How handsome is this finisher?!

Happy to be finished and to have found a cool background for yet another finisher pic ;-)

All in all, it was another successful Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend. Will we be back in 2017? Only time will tell. There are some other races that we are thinking about next spring and we may have to make some tough decisions regarding how often we'll be able to travel for out-of-town races- especially since we are headed back to Walt Disney World for Marathon Weekend 2017; Dopey for Matthew, full Marathon for me. We'll just have to wait and see if a return to Pittsburgh is in our future :-)

Steel Challenge (5k + half or full or relay) Finisher medals.

What's the best sign you've seen on a race course?

Accountability Monday: Leap Day Edition

Good morning, y'all! It's Leap Day- I hope you do something cool with your once-every-four-years extra day!

It's been a busy few weeks around the sparkly household. As you know, I ran the Glass Slipper Challenge last weekend with my friend Jen. We had the BEST time. We ran two fun races, got our New Balance Ariel shoes, and got to play in the parks all last Sunday. And, as you might know, Matthew flew down to Orlando late Saturday night to surprise me and cheer me on during the half Sunday morning. He's seriously the greatest thing that's ever happened to me :-)

Life is de bubbles, under the sea! 

He even wore his Princess 1/2 shirt from 2012 for support <3 

When we got back from Princess late last Monday night, it was go, go, go all week! Work is super busy for me right now and I'm currently leading TWO Weight Watchers meetings! Which is awesome, but also means that I'm working an extra two nights a week plus the 45-50 hours a week I put in at my full-time job. It's going to be pretty crazy around here for the next few months. 

Also, as you can see from the pictures above, I've still been struggling with back of knee pain. Luckily, I was able to get an appointment with my ortho last Tuesday and got the official diagnosis: popliteal tendonitis and a possible Baker's cyst. Basically, there's some inflammation within the knee and it's pushing out onto the back of the knee, causing pain. Everything else in the knee looks good- no meniscus or ACL/MCL tears. That was my biggest fear- especially with Shamrock, Pittsburgh, and our wedding and honeymoon right around the corner! The treatment plan? Two weeks of absolute rest (one week down, one week to go), daily ibuprofen, then a return to walking and running as long as I don't have any pain. It is already significantly better than it was in Disney last week just from resting it this week.

Did you catch that little fun fact in the last paragraph? We are headed back to run the Shamrock Half Marathon in Virginia Beach for the third year in a row. Due to scheduling conflicts, we won't be able to run the Dolphin Challenge (8k on Saturday, Half Marathon on Sunday) but we are super excited to race at the beach again this year. AND- they're giving away FREE race photos for all participants- how cool is that?! Some of that "luck of the Irish" must have rubbed off on me because I just got the most perfect sports bra for this race- the new limited edition ENELL- Biscay Green!

How beautiful is all this swag from ENELL?!

As part of my ENELL Ambassadorship for this year, they just sent me my first package, including the newest limited-edition color ENELL sport- perfect for a St. Patrick's Day race! I also got a super cute racer back tank that says "I <3 ENELL" and the heart is actually an image of the front closure of their bras; so clever! They also sent a sweet pull-over jacket (WITH thumb-holes!), an ENELL tote bag and an ENELL measuring tape. I am so excited and proud to represent this company for another year. 

Enough about last week, here's something cool happening this week- I have my first bridal gown fitting TOMORROW! I seriously cannot believe that our wedding is less than three months away- and that we've got two more big race weekends until then. It's going to be a whirlwind spring, that's for sure. But really, would I want it any other way? Heck no! Life is bursting at the seams lately and I'm totally loving it :-) 

I can't wait to recap our Disney trip- stay tuned this week/weekend for the race recaps.

Have a wonderful, fantastic, fabulous Leap Day, friends! 

Race Recap & Review: Bel Air Town Run 2015

Last Sunday I ran a personal best at the Bel Air Town Run in Bel Air, MD. Bel Air is the town I grew up in and this race is also the very first race I participated in back in 2011. This race holds a special place in my heart and I try to get back to it every year.

This year, I waited until race day to sign up so I had to pay the maximum price: $25. If you sign up online, you can register for just $15. I'll definitely be signing up online next year :-)

I got to race-day registration really early- like an hour and a half before the 8 am start. After picking up my packet, which included a cotton t-shirt and a bunch of information on upcoming races, I walked back to the car and then to a cute little coffee shop on Main Street.

Adorable and affordable- my kind of place.

I grabbed a cup of the house blend and then sat outside watching people gather for the race. Though this is just a local 5k, they usually have about 1,500 people participate. I texted my friend Laura and she came over to say hello. Fun fact- Laura and I were cheerleaders together in high school and now you can usually find us at the races together in the Baltimore area!

Around 7:45, I finished up my coffee and headed to the start line. Since I've done this race three previous times (2011, 2012, 2014), I knew what to expect on the course and used this pre-race time to think about the course and my strategy. Downhill for the first mile, plateau for most of the second, and then one long uphill followed by one short hill followed by yet another hill to finish- the last half mile of this course is tough!

I didn't have a time goal for this race though I knew I'd like to beat last year's time on this course- also my 5k PR- 32:44. Since my training has been almost non-existent since the Pittsburgh Marathon, I wasn't expecting to beat it by much but I definitely wanted to try.

The race started and we were off! I really struggle with pacing myself- my normal pace is around 11-12 min/mile and I know how that feels. But I don't know what faster than that "feels" like. So, I decided that I would run each running interval so that I was out of breath by the end and then use the walks to recover. I used 1:1's for this race and during the run portion, I kept repeating the words "steady" and "push" with each footstep. Overall, I think this worked really well- especially for the first mile.

Around the halfway mark, I started to feel really, really hot. The sun was out in full force and it was pretty humid. Luckily there was a water station at the 1.5 mile mark so I drank a little and then poured some on my head.

All the past year's race shirts lined up at the mile 1 mark.

My beautiful hometown!

I got to mile two and started to feel myself slowing down. I kept repeating my mantra words and reminded myself that this was just a 5k- it's ok to feel uncomfortable because it's only three miles. I hit the first of the last three hills and focused all my energy on getting to the top. And I stuck close to the side of the road to try and stay in what little shade there was.

I made it up the big hill and then took a sharp turn to the left to tackle the smaller but steeper hill. By this point, the heat was getting to me and I was ready to be done. I pushed on and finally the last uphill to the finish was in view. I could see the clock and knew that I had a chance to PR- mustering up the last little bit of strength I had, I charged up the hill and over the finish line.

Happy finisher.

After I cooled down a bit with some water and orange slices, I went over to the official results- they were printing them out and posting them near the finish. I knew that I'd beaten my previous time but I wasn't 100% sure on the official time. I finished in 31:28! A new PR by a full minute and 16 seconds!

Then I took a look at my splits, ha! I definitely came out way, way too fast and then slowed down over the three miles. My last mile was almost a minute slower than my first! This race showed me two things: 1. I am capable of running faster than 11-12 minute miles. 2. I need to learn how to properly pace myself so I have an even effort throughout the race.

Yikes! Look at that last .1 though :-)

After doing the happy dance, I went back to Shamrock Coffee for another cup and they only charged me a dollar because I'd been there earlier in the day. Awesome! Support your local businesses and they'll love you back!

Overall, this is a race that I will continue to do each year. It's cheap, it's fun, and it's a lucky course for me- I've PR'd three out of four times I've ran it. Maybe I'll finally get a sub-30 minute time in 2016! :-)

Another fun fact- can you tell when I started wearing Enell sports bras?! For my very first race in 2011, I think I wore three regular sports bras- yuck! This year I got to show off the new raspberry zest and I'm still totally in love with this color. Thank God for good support and fashionable colors :-)



How do you pace yourself during a race?