American Bank Half Marathon Relay

Team Two of a Kind

I was so nervous for this race and I am not sure why. I think I get nervous for the 10k's because they are the challenging races for me right now. The rain finally stopped but it was in the mid 40's the whole race. We started on Shoreline and went down to Palmetto Park on Ocean and then headed back. I ran the second the leg. 

Results:

My leg time - 1:08:11.9

Total team time - 2:19:16.2

Average team pace - 10:53 (however I was more on track at 10:30 for the most part of the race)

My partner Becky coming in for the hand off

Finish strong!!

Team Two of a Kind!
I met Becky a year or so ago now I guess at an IronMan competition a local fitness guy put on.
I switched over to her CrossFit box until it closed last May.
Now she is one of my fave running buddies!

I didn't PR like I was hoping but overall I am very pleased with how I ran. I didn't walk near as much as my Carrera Race last fall.....Maybe .15 of a mile up a hill this time around. The new New Balances held up well and I think the sleeves helped too. I have been battling shin splints so I think both were needed by now. 

Breakfast because I was HANGRY! Whole30 compliant - potato hash, two eggs, cherry tomatoes, sauteed greens, and leftover fruit from my drive to Corpus for the run. I ate everything on my plate!

New Kicks!

Since my FleetFeet gift card was burning a hole in my wallet I went got some new shoes! Going to try out the New Balances since they didn't have my size in my Asics that I have been wearing since May. I also picked up a pair of calf sleeves hoping that might help with the shin splints I have been getting. That could also be from my shoes being almost 7 months old too. 

Tomorrow is my first 10K of the year and 1 of 6 I have set to run for myself as a goal. I am relaying the American Bank Half Marathon with my friend Becky. Fingers crossed the weather isn't too crappy and the soreness in my legs from HIIT class on Tuesday will subside so I can get in a good run. The course is simple, out and back on Shoreline Drive next to the bay so as long as the weather holds up it should be a great run!

Motivation Monday

Or lack there of. After the weekend I had of helping my parents do a garage sale and move stuff I was exhausted. And sitting in front of a computer out in the shop all day for work doesn't exactly get my blood flowing to want to run unfortunately. I have a habit of wanting to go home, cook dinner, and hang out with my dogs after work but I didn't. I actually left work early so that I could get in a road run. With the sunset at 5:22'ish and then only having about another 30 minutes of light after that I have to time my road runs just right if I want to try to get in some decent mileage. 

The best part about running on Monday is that I feel like I started my week off right, regardless of how my day went. My plan is to run everyday and beat my mileage from the day before. I have 2 1/2 more weeks until the American Bank Half Marathon Relay and I am just hoping to PR on it. I leave for California on Christmas Eve day to spend Christmas and my birthday with my sister and I am truly looking forward to running in Southern California, especially with her. 

Training for the American Bank Half Marathon (relay of course!)

Its been a few weeks since I have been running since I was so preoccupied with the wedding, friends, and family and such. But I am around 7 weeks out from the American Bank Half Marathon and Relay that will be taking place here in Corpus. I have a buddy who is going to run it with me who has a few halfs under her belt solo. I am really looking forward to reconditioning my body and spending my little bit of free time doing something good for me again.  

As always I use my Nike+ coach app on my phone to help me with my training program and send me reminders. It helps me if I get little nudges like that of how much I need to run. Plus I can always check out the weeks and prepare my schedule around how much mileage I need to get in. 

39th Armed Forces Beach to Bay Relay Run

So about a week before the big Beach to Bay run that is held every year here in Corpus Christi I was stuck in this big black boot! How come you say....well I was changing up my stride, something a CrossFit coach told me to do, since I am a heal striker. Well in doing so I started to get a stress fracture on the outside of my foot. My friend who help me through all of it is an LAT at a local high school and he also told me that the colorful Nikes I was wearing really did nothing to support my foot either. Needless to say I wore this boot everyday during the day for about three weeks and it helped so much! It enabled me to keep training and run my first 10K!

I chose to run the first leg of Beach to Bay which is.......the beach leg! Duh! It gave me a great excuse to spend some time at my first home here in Corpus Christi. I love the island. I miss the island. I miss the beach. I miss the friends I made, the bars I went to, and the lifestyle that comes with living so close to the water. 

This year the winds were roughly around 20 MPH give or take and the majority of the leg that I ran was into the wind! Ugh! But I finished. My average pace per mile wasn't that great but given the super loose sand and wind that day I will take it. 

Beach to Bay has all ready opened up registration for 2015 and I am definitely going to run it again. I think this next one I want to run the third leg. If you have never been a part of this awesome relay you definitely need to put it on your race bucket list! Plus coming to Corpus Christi is always a bonus!