Racing into 2016!

That moment when you just finished a very generous and privileged holiday season and then you lay down your credit card to pay for a couple of race opportunities to run around with other people who have also paid to run around together without talking to one another.  It’s painful to pay for races right now…  But I did it.  I need a few races in front of me to motivate my running training!  I’ve been avoiding the cold and, thusly, avoiding running.  I’m still getting my cardio in, but I’m the first to admit that without a race in front of me I start avoiding running big time. 
{This is not a live link- just screenshots.  Use the links in the text below to access the races.}

First up is the My Better Half-Marathon that is happening on Sunday, February 14th, AKA: Valentine’s Day!  I’m embracing Matthew Inman’s, of the Oatmeal fame, strategy of just embracing an exercise opportunity that sounds like fun.  He says that when you think of going for a run, if y don’t just grab your sneakers and head out the door that you’ll talk yourself out of it.  True, true.  Oh, and perhaps, slightly connected to that is that the My Better Half-Marathon is another race brought to us by Matthew Inman and The Oatmeal.  While I’m sure nothing can quite top the Beat the Blerch race, I have to confess that I’m doing this race because I loved running the Blerch and, coming from the same producers, I’m expecting some clever, cynical fun.  And there’s a tunnel of love.  Did I mention that?  And I get to run with my bestie- Gigi!  We signed up together and are planning to dress up as a pair of famous besties in orange and purple.  Wink, wink.

The other ‘race’ I signed up for is less about a race and more about being consistent.  I’m putting my money where my mouth is and I’m taking the Run the Year challenge.  Initially I found it a little intimidating.  I’m supposed to hit 2016 miles in 2016.  If I make my 10,000 steps per day, there should be no problem in making the goal.  I thought that meant I had to, literally, work out and run that far in a year.  Eek, no way!  But when I found out it was any method- walk, run, crawl, gallop, whatever- I knew I could do it!  I’m pretty excited!

I have a few more races in mind that I’m considering.  There’s a half-marathon on Mother’s Day that follows the same route as my first half-marathon, and I’m totally in for the Beat the Blerch half marathon in September.  Lastly, there’s a Brooks sponsored run that is a 10k that lands in the middle of a gap in April when I don’t have any other events.  Brooks races are supposed to be fun, so it’s a thought.  I must admit that I am not really into 5k’s anymore.  In the beginning of my training to become a runner, running 30 seconds was a challenge!  Now, however, my short run is usually between 3-5 miles, so paying actual money to run that distance seems silly.  10k’s are really my ideal distance that still feels like I’m pushing myself a bit.  It’s harder than my regular run, but not so challenging that I need to train hard for it or worry about it.  The half marathon is my new 5k- the hard thing that I can do but takes a lot of mental and physical preparing.  It’s funny how things can shift so drastically, but I’m glad of it and excited for the challenge! 

  
Today was pretty fabulous.  Last year and this year my bestie from high school and I took our littles to Seattle to see all of the gingerbread houses that the Sheraton hotel hosts every year.  This was dedicated to Star Wars, and each ‘house’ was in the theme of each of the trilogy’s.  They were pretty amazing!  The details that go into those sculptures, made completely of sugar and candy, is just mind blowing!  After that, we walked to Pike Place Market, rode the carousel, visited the recently-cleaned-but-already-covered-in-places-again gum wall.  I added my bit of DNA to the wall before we headed back to the 522 bus to get home.  While the kids reintegrated their behinds with the sofa, I headed out to the garage/spaceship where I ran for 30 minutes and pulled on some weights for 15.  I went well over my steps for the day which made me all confident and I went and signed up for all of those races!  

What did you do to take care of yourself today?  😉