Five for Friday!

1.  FRIENDS One of the great benefits of racing the states is the opportunity to catch up with friends. Unfortunately I don't really have any friends in the states that I have left (minus Minnesota) so last weekend after finishing my Maryland  race I still had some weekend left so I hopped on a plane back to Nashville then immediately drove the 2.5/ 3 hours to Louisville to catch up with 2 of my FAVORITE ladies who are near and dear to my heart.

Natalie helped me out in a very crucial time in my life and we shared a 1 bedroom apt for 4 months while I was transitioning and found my job in Nashville. 

Jenna helps keep me sane. We lived together for a total of 3 years (combined in Ohio and Louisville) and tell each other EVERYTHING. She is probably my absolute best friend and if I EVER get married, I'm confident she'll be the maid of honor. 

2. Derby Horses I LOVE to take photos with random statues / objects. If you've ever been to Louisville you may have noticed they have Derby horses all around town with different decorations and such. Jenna and I would make it a point to see how many we could find and get photo with each one. I have a whole album on facebook devoted to these gems and when my family came down for my 25th birthday they got in on the action too. As I was driving up to meet Jenna last week I saw one on the side of the photo (last photo bottom right) so I pulled over and took a self portrait. The first photo in collage is what started the obsession at Thunder Over Louisville back in 2009, and the rest are just some of my faves.

Am I the only one, or do others like to take photos like this as well?

3. Wyoming: This weekend I'm crossing off State #41, "The Cowboy / Equality State" ,also known as Wyoming. This will also be the big # 50 in terms of lifetime halves run... damn.  Although it's a girls weekend and I'm looking forward to seeing L and Kim (and of course B is tagging along but I see her everyday at work so its not the same) , what I'm not looking forward to is the elevation and altitude. I'm not going to lie- Miles 1-5 will be fun and excellent downhill training for SD's all downhill course, but 5- 13.1 are going to suck. Let's just say there are ZERO time goals involved.

4. Bootcamp It's no secret I'm not the best with an exact training plan so a lot of people have asked me how I've gotten faster. CROSS TRAINING hands down. For the last 1.5 years I've been going to bootcamp pretty consistently 1-2x week, kettle bells a few times a month (and I have my own at home), and most recently yoga 1-2x week. Everything I do is offered at work which is why its easy for me to be consistent. With bootcamp you get out of it what you put into it, but I've noticed a HUGE increase in strength and endurance from this.

That's me in the bright yellow shirt

Probably the sexiest photo of myself I've ever posted (trying to listen to instructions while sticking out my stomach)

On Wed there was a challenge out there to get 100 colleagues to attend, I believe we ended up just shy of 120!

This is reason #14343232 on why I truly absolutely LOVE the company I work for!

5. Moving Update: Finally found out I get to move in to new apt June 1. Currently my stuff is residing in the living room piled up- mattress, dressers, clothes tables EVERYTHING is in that 10.x10 space... that's talent. 

In the mean time I spent a week crashing at my friend Ts and starting today I'll be crashing at Bs and taking care of her cat since she will stay out West for a week after our Wyoming race. It's so frustrating trying to find things since most of it is in new apt, so I constantly have been feeling like a mooch having to borrow something pretty much every day from some one.  June 1 can't come soon enough! 

Do you relay run?

The last few days my mind and internet search browser has been locked in one one main topic-- running relays.

So far this  year I have 3 overnight relays planned, and all 3are put on by different organizations- there are some pros, some cons, but regardless each is unique in different ways and I'm sure it will be a blast

                                                 New Balance Race to the Beach Relay- May 18-19

• this has my running world turned upside down as I'm frantically trying to throw a makeshift plan together to prepare for an ultra relay.
• regardless of how much I train, I know its going to suck. Its been since summer/early fall 2010 since I've followed any type of training plan. I'm literally lost. I know I need to increase mileage, thats a no brainer- what I don't know is how to do it SMART so I don't have a repeat or last year's ITBS ordeal. 
• Unfortunately they haven't posted the legs yet- but the team captain knows to give me the lowest amount of legs-- still be about 30 miles, but hey its better than 36 lol 

                                      Colorado Relay - Vail to Aspen to Breckenridge! July 27-28

• all lady blogger relay! Our lovely captain Julia H just announced our legs tonight!
• Van 1
• Runner 1- Vanessa @ Gourmet Runner
• Runner 2- Danielle @ Happy, Healthy, & Strong
• Runner 3- yours truly
• Runner 4- Jill @ Run for the Hills
• Runner 5- Lauren @ A Duck on the Run
• Runner 6- Amanda @ Run to the Finish 
• Van 2
• Runner 7- Julia @ Pain, Pride, Perserverance
• Runner 8- Rachelle @ Running for Trevor
• Runner 9- Ashley U @ Ash & Diz
• Runner 10- Ashley R @ Redonk runner
• Runner 11- Jill @ Fitness, Health, and Happiness 
• Runner 12- Kara @ Mile High Maven
• I met Vanessa, Julia, Ashley, and Jill H all originally awhile back at our blogger meet up,  hence where our idea for a blogger relay originated. Jill H and I ran Ragnar TN together where she handed off to me- seems fitting that I'll be handing off to her this go round. 
• The extreme elevation is of concern- my first 2 legs are relatively short, but the last leg... the leg where you're already tired from running, being cramped in a van, and little sleep- thats a douzey. 7 miles starting at 7,000 ft elevation and finishing at 8,000 ft elevation--- a steady climb the whole way- ick I'd  rather just get it over with vs. having to draw it out over 7 miles. Regardless of everyone dealing with lack of oxygen (some ladies have to run in 10,000 feet elevation) I think we'll have a B.L.A.S.T

                                                                        Bourbon Chase- Sept 28-29

• Even though this is the farthest out, I'm captain, thus there is a lot of pre planning with hotels, van assignments, themes, team names etc. 
• I'm excited that I get to run this relay with my brother Eric (i'll be handing off to him), as well as this will be B's first relay as well as probably one of her first big races off her hip stress fracture. She's doing well- still on the crutches so we can always hear when shes coming at work. I believe she gets off her crutches in March ( a solid 6 weeks on them) and will probably be a religious user of the Galloway method until her strength and confidence builds up :) 
• What I'm not so excited about is how much stress this has put me through the last several days. We're having a  hard time with van choices, themes, team names etc and not everyone can agree and its hard to get feeback from everyone.  I guess that is a major difference between a serious runner who wants everything to get done and is just used to doing what I'm told, vs. people that are there to just have fun and there is some running involved here and there-lol I need to remind myself of our differences. 

So for anyone out there that has never done a relay- obviously Ragnar has the most locations across the US, however as you can see there ARE other organizations as well. Typical cost is about  $1200 for a team (100 per person) so its a realistic race fee- then you just have to be smart about budgeting for hotels, vans (about $100-$150) and if you're going out of town- whatever your travel expenses may be 

Happy Running