Virginia is for Lovers 14k Race Recap

Virginia is for looovers... and I LOVED this race!

The 14k started at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning. It was SO nice to race on a Saturday (every other long race I've completed has been on a Sunday), and it was glorious starting at 9 a.m. instead of 7 a.m.

It's a good thing it started later, too, because although it was a really nice day, the beginning was cold. We even had to avoid an icy path for about a mile and a half!

Despite the serious mud and ice, Anastasia and I ran the majority of the race at a 7:40ish pace (I know this thanks to my Garmin Forerunner! it was SO nice being able to check our pace). Because we arrived very last-minute, we ended up at the back in corral 3, although we were slated to start in corral 1. We spent a lot of the race weaving in and around other runners... but all that passing probably made us feel good, huh? ;)

are you loving the gatorade splash stains all over my sleeve as much as I am?

I kept thinking in my head, "It's rude to count people as you pass them... out loud."

I found myself really entertained by my surroundings throughout this race, unlike the boring Rock 'N' Roll in August. I felt like that race was really built up with all the bands supposedly playing for the runners, but I was a little let down after that one.

THIS race included a whole lott'a goofy costumes (a black and white swan... feathered wings and all, a guy in a tuxedo carrying a dozen roses...) and fun matching team outfits.

Anastasia (always my running twin) and I opted for black leggings and pink long sleeved Ts from Target. Yeeah! 

after Rockin' and Rollin' for 13.1 miles

We must like pink. ;)

More pictures to come of us enjoying the after-race... Anastasia has all the photos on her camera.

For finishing, we got Valentine carnations, a Virginia is for Lovers glass, Yuengling, and Moe's burritos and chips. Don't mind if we dooo!

Jamie and the A Team after the finish

Jamie even found us at the finish! We were looking for each other throughout the race, but weren't united until the end. VA Beach neighbor-blogger love!

Speaking of blogger love, Robby, Kat, Ian met up with us after the race. It was SO good to see Kat... it's been way too long!

I ended up finishing in the top 7% of my age group, or 9th place. If Anastasia and I had officially signed up as a team, we would have taken 2nd place! Oh well, now we know for next time. ;)

After a fantastic 3 hour nap post-race, I picked myself up and made a yummy green monster thin mint protein shake. 

virginia, protein, and green minty chocolate is for lovers.

I know your typical person would turn up his or her nose at the idea of throwing spinach in a smoothie, but I swear you can't taste it at all. And for those who aren't spinach fans, what better a way to get your greens? ;)

Later, I geared myself up for a night on the town with my good friends Lisa-Marie and Aasia and Meghan. It was so nice to reunite for a fun night of margaritas and daaancin'! 

nothin' like a night of dancing to work some sore legs.

Q: What's your favorite aspect of a race? The post-race party? The fun distractions during the race? Or is it the post-runners rush and awesome feeling of accomplishment? I'll take all the above!

P.S. Ally is having a delicious giveaway on her blog! Check her out!

My iPad Works My Booty.

Nike is amazing. iPads are awesome.

No, I'm not a Nike shoe wearer. I'm an Asics girl for my narrow feet and high arches.

But I'm officially a big bad Nike fan because this FREE Nike Training Club App is the monneeeey.

work me out, Nike!

Anyone with an iPhone, iTouch, or iPad can download this baby, and unlike other decent training apps, you don't pay a cent for each workout or the app itself.

I was feelin' a home workout for my snow day and got pretty psyched when I remembered I still had this baby to try out.

So, after some of this...

bottoms up, bottoms up (up!), lemme see ya cup... got a couple bottles....

Chloe got corralled in the kitchen...

"really, mom?"

And I threw these babies on for a sweat session in front of my iPad.

I've missed you guys.

I bought my Reebok Easytones for work when I was in restaurant management for a summer before I got my "real" job. They were perfect for standing and walking around a restaurant all day, and I felt like I was tonin' while I worked (cue the 7 dwarf music).

Perhaps it had something to do with the extra nachos and restaurant food I was constantly chowing down on that added some extra curve-age to my frame, but trust me, these babies work.

Once I was all set up, I selected my workout. I chose "get toned" for a full body workout (next, I want to try "get focused" so I can just do arms and save the hard legwork for running days).

choose your workout

choose your level

choose your workout

I hit up "SUPER FUSION," a 45 minute strength workout.

each workout gives you a preview of the circuits you'll be completing

AND you can play your music while you work out!

My favorite part was the fact that I could select any album or playlist from my iTunes library. If anyone's looking for some new workout music, I highly recommend The Ready Set (their debut single, Love Like Woe, was the opening of my vlog).

I really liked the fast pace of this circuit workout. I used my dumb bells for almost every move, but you can adapt any move to use no weight. Also, you can view a quick 10 second video of each move if you're not sure what you're doing.

can we all have a laugh at my attempt at taking dead lift instructional shots?

I've gotta work on the whole documenting my workout thing...

but I have a feeling I'll be using the Nike Training Club a whole lot for weight days!

FORTUNATELY, Anastasia and I will be running the Virginia is for Lovers 14k tomorrow (because hello? I love her) along with Jamie, and we hope to snap some great pictures pre- and post-race. I'm excited!

It's a Small, Small World.

Pop quiz: what's the most horrifyingly annoying song ever to be played in all of Disney World?

I think the answer to this one would be unanimous. The Small World boat tour of singing dolls around the world is sure to get stuck in every passenger's head for the rest of their day at Disney.

myyyy hero!

I can't fail to mention how it was my favorite as a 5 year old. My mom apparently took me on Small World about 37 times in a row. She still loves the ride. Me? Not so much.

At least I had some killer style.

there we are, a Halter girl dream team repping pink and purple together.
and yes, I really needed that many scrunchies.

thanks, mom and dad. that fanny pack really pulls together my
high socks and coordinating oversized polka shirt and shorts.

I digress. The topic of this post is intended to cover what a SMALL world it really is.

Last week, I noticed I had a post comment from cupcake dynamite (how cute is their blog header? I need to do some re-vamping to mine. Any ideas?)
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Apparently, Julie's blog is just bringin' people together.  :)

I've always had such jealousy over the Orlando and Charlotte blog friends of mine who get to meet up with others who have the same likes, interests, and hobbies. When I saw Jamie's comment, I was so excited!

Jamie even remembers when Julie featured my hand painted glassware in a few posts. Yay for bLyss Designs!

**bLyss Designs now has a Facebook Page, thanks to a suggestion by Michelle. Go check it out and "like" it now, puh-lease! :)

The CRAZY small world part comes next. Jamie graduated from one of my rival high schools! What's more? She knows one of my Catawba friends, Todd, and she played field hockey. THIS means we played on the same field hockey field. She was right wing on the opposing team, and I was left wing.

And not only does Jamie live in Virginia Beach as well, but our houses are exactly 2.4 miles away (yep, we mapped it).

I nearly wet myself I was so excited to have another Jersey girl so nearby. And not just another Jersey girl, a Jersey girl running buddy! Oh, how I've missed my running buddies... Anastasia, Rob, Mag, John... it's been a lonely winter training for the Shamrock on my little treadmill at the YMCA.

So, Jamie and I scheduled a run on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. (after a Saturday morning rainout).

As we met up halfway between our houses, we giggled at the fact that we can check "running blind date" off our bucket lists. She was awesome, it was a gorgeous day outside, and it was a perfect way to start out my Sunday morning.

This is the most running outside I've done since the summertime.  I was enjoying Jamie's company and the sunshine so much, I got completely distracted and ended up running 7 miles before returning home to my little Tasmanian Devil.

thanks to Brian, Chloe's got a new favorite monkey toy!

I finished up my run with a .25 mile walk with Chloe. Trust me, .25 miles is a lot longer when it sounds with this little one... and walk is a strong term for what's going on here. "Drag" is more like it.

Jamie and I are already planning more buddy runs, trips to Skinny Dip, and nights out. Jersey girls taking VA Beach by storm - wahoo!