My First Half Marathon!

Last Saturday, I ran my first half marathon ever! It was amazing. It was a gorgeous course running from Santa Ynez to Solvang (30 min. from my hometown). I ran with my cousin & friend, and we stuck together the whole time! I keep thinking that when my children look back on this picture, it will be neat to see the gas prices waaaaay back in 2013!

Rach forgot her bib in her mom's car, so she got a random bib 2 minutes before start time! It was so funny to hear people at the aid stations give us water and say, "Great job, Kara! Go Roxanna!" It's her sexy running alter-ego :) 

Before the race & scenery along the way:

We got stuck in the porta potty cube of death before the race! There was a big square lined with potties on three sides. People were lined up in all directions, it was madness. We ended up in a line that was actually 4 lines merging into two. There were probably 200 runners waiting, and we all were saying there was no way the race would start on time because there were so many of us still waiting. WRONG. They started anyway. And we still had to check our bags because we didn't want to lose our spot in line! So here I am crossing the start line, running while putting my phone in my armband and hooking up headphones! 

The residents along the course were AMAZING! We saw a woman walking a turkey, people sitting in lawn chairs cheering us on, but the best were these people:

Sitting at the end of their property, in the back of their pickup truck with their dogs, waving an American flag. They said, "God Bless America!" as we ran by and I was so happy to be home. You just don't see or hear that sort of thing in Santa Cruz! 

Lindsay, Matt, & the girls met us at about the halfway point in Los Olivos. I could see the big flagpole for about a half mile, and it really gave me a burst of energy knowing that they were there waiting for us! 

I ran up and saw Ada cheering, "Go Mommy, you can do it Mommy!" And Lola didn't know what was going on until I kissed her cheek :) 

I didn't think I was going to be in the picture below...

I was feeling pretty amazing after scaling Corkscrew Hill to Josh Groban's Awake. I felt like I was in a movie! The golden rolling hills, the oak trees, the green lines of vineyards...it was so beautiful. I absolutely loved running with Jessica and Rachel. It was so good to know that when one of us was weak, another would be strong and lift the others up!

So there was this bison, a very protective mama! She charged Rach when she went in for a picture, and it was the funniest thing I've ever seen! She moved SO fast and everyone running was cracking up. I wish I had a video! 

I LOVED miles 4-9. I was in my groove and my calves had loosened up. By mile 10, I needed a potty break and so did Rach. We stopped and then continued on, my hips and pelvis hurting more with each step. I've worked so hard since having Lola to get my shifty hips tight again, and I feel like all of my hard work held up until mile 10. My body was exhausted, and I had eaten all of my Skittles & Shot Bloks. It felt like all of my ligaments just relaxed and I could feel my bones moving and rubbing against each other. 

At the 11.5 mile mark, I saw a sign with a hot pink shirt on it. I thought, "Hey, I have a shirt like that." Then I realized that Rachel's pic was on the poster next to it! It was my awesome sister-in-law, Kandie! She made a poster and came at the point where I wanted to quit. If it weren't for her at the bottom of that hill, I probably would've walked up it instead of run! Sorry for the big sweaty hug, but I was so happy that you came out and surprised us...we needed it at that point!

I wasn't mentally prepared for the hills at the end. I looked at the elevation map and thought once I made it past Corkscrew Hill, I was home free. Do not discount those rolling hills those last 3 miles! They may look small but they are no joke. I was getting goosebumps and felt like my legs were going to give out at the tops.

I kept saying to myself, "You run 2 miles in your sleep. You run 2 miles in your sleep."

When I finally rounded the last half-mile (worst of my life), I could hear people cheering and knew the finish line was close. I first saw my Nana & Bobba, which was a surprise because they were driving up from a long week of serving at the Los Angeles Temple! I know they were tired and it meant so much to see them there! I almost burst into tears. Then Matt lifted Ada over the railing and she ran across the finish line with me. 

What a perfect way to end a race. See Bobba in the background? :)

She was smiling and waving at everyone cheering us on. I have a future race buddy on my hands!

She loved wearing my medal & almost snatched one of her own!

The three of us, after completing our first half marathon together! My hot pink compression socks saved my calves...and made me stick out in a crowd. Matt said he was looking for my socks! They are miracle workers.

Afterward, Rach & I took advantage of the free massage booth. That should be a part of every race...best feeling ever! I walked (slowly) away with a bruise on the top of my left foot, and my right pinky toe is still numb. My knees and ankles are starting to feel back to normal.  

Ada wanted to ice her feet along with Rach :)

Then we headed to Kay's Country Kitchen in Old Orcutt for the best breakfast food in the West. Seriously. Matt and I split the BAGS Omelette and Texas French Toast. I ate my full halves of everything. Matt says he doesn't like me running half marathons because I eat all of the food he was planning on finishing for me! 

I finally got my big Dr. Pepper that I was dreaming of the whole run.

Our gun time was off because of the porta potty debacle, but my official chip time was 2:57:27.5. I am happy with that because I wasn't out to set a record, I was out to push myself to finish and never stop. Not bad for having surgery 44 days previous! I feel so empowered and strong after finishing this race. I am so grateful for a strong body and for a will to push forward and work hard. I am so grateful for a Father in Heaven who gave me this body, this beautiful Earth to enjoy, and these wonderful people I get to call family to support me in all of my endeavors along the way. 

We decided that this needs to be a Mother's Day Weekend tradition, so I am excited to run it again next year with more friends and with this experience under my belt! Thanks for a wonderful time Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon!

Hyundai Santa Fe’s Epic Playdate Recap!

So remember when I wrote about Hyundai's Epic Playdate Sweepstakes HERE? And I wished so badly that I could go? Well, I was invited to it! :D Ahhhh!! 

We left Lola with my mom in Santa Maria, then Matt & I took Ada down to Dos Pueblos Ranch in Goleta for the day. I've driven by that sign hundreds of times before, and it's easy to see why Cabrillo first came to shore here. We were treated to delicious food (hello breakfast burritos!), engaging game stations, fun music, and gorgeous scenery.

It was a perfect, blue-sky, sunny Santa Barbara day for us. First thing was first: hula hooping!

This is serious business, guys. Tongue action required.

Check it out, I'm wearing my blarf! It's my scarf I bust out for blogging events. I feel the need to be fancy since other bloggers are much more fashionable than I, so the blarf comes out :)

Ada played photographer:

Then we did sand art together. Liz from Say Yes to Hoboken put this activity on & was so nice. Hi Liz! :) This was Ada's favorite! After every other activity, she would ask to go back to sand art. She & I could've stayed there all day! 

Definitely my daughter :)

We had to take advantage of the photo-op in front of the shiny new Santa Fe! Matt's sold. So am I...it's a beautiful car & perfect for family adventures! 

There were ballon making classes:

Giant beach ball volleyball:

Matt punching the ball & taking out a kid (not really, I hope)

They even had a big Quiet Tent! Absolutely genius. Ada said she wanted to lay down at naptime, so we did just that. There were pillows, books, and soft music playing. I was kidding with Matt that we were going to fall asleep and then Ada would be wandering the ranch alone!  

Buncha nuts.

We had a tin foil contest...Ada didn't want to be a warrior - she wanted to be a princess.

She didn't mind getting a whipped cream beard though!

She knew what to do with that! Mmm.

Papa was a...super balloon shiny turban guy?

This Princess sure loves her Papa :)

He's good at carrying stuff on his shoulders.

Eating McConnell's ice cream! The best.

Then there was a paint fight! Maggie from Mighty Girl organized it, and it was awesome. She was so sweet, and it's a good thing I had no idea how huge she was in the blogging world before I met her because I would've said something ridiculous. Well, I still might have anyway, but I wasn't nervous talking to her at least :) 

Look at that sweet face. Does that look like a girl who's about to douse you with paint?

After the paint war, it was time for us to head home. We were pooped from all of the FUN! 

Ada was so overly tired from missing her nap, so on the ride home she was cranky. She was asking for snacks but I didn't have any, so we stopped at McDonald's and got her some fries. I think she ate one before I turned around to see this:

 I think that is the sign of an EPIC day indeed!

Thank you so much to Hyundai, Federated Media, Clever Girls, and Dos Pueblos Ranch for putting on such a wonderful event. They really thought of everything and it was such a great time!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Running Music!

I ran 9 miles last night, just to know that I could do it. I ran slow, 11:30/min. pace. I didn't want to injure myself and be hurt for the half marathon in 2 weeks! I honestly didn't feel good until mile 4. The sun went down and Sweet Home Alabama came pumping through my headphones!

Here is my playlist from last night (all radio edits, I might add):

Mirrors - Justin Timberlake
Jump - Van Halen
Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
Fight for your Right - Beastie Boys
I Kissed a Girl - Katy Perry
Stronger - Kanye West
Living On A Prayer - Bon Jovi
Live Beside the Ocean - Everclear
More Than A Feelin' - Boston
My Love - Justin Timberlake
Only The Good Die Young - Billy Joel
Scream - Michael Jackson
Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
You & Me - Dave Matthews Band
You May Be Right - Billy Joel
Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC
Back in Black - AC/DC
I Believe in A Thing Called Love - The Darkness
In Your Honor - Foo Fighters (nothing gets me moving like Dave Grohl's scream)
Gold Digger - Kanye West
Money Maker - Ludacris
No Way Back - Foo Fighters

What are your favorite songs for running?

My Fault.

I did a bad thing. I didn't follow my training schedule. I completely forgot about a meeting for church last Wednesday night...I didn't put it in my calendar. Boo :( So when Matt got home from work, we went to Costco to pick up my antibiotics (yay for sinus headaches all day & night) and were planning on running my 5 miles as a family afterward. Then I got a text from my friend saying she was almost to the church and I went, "Oh no! I completely spaced!" Told them I'd be right there and hustled to the church. When I got home from my meeting, it was after dark and I was too scared to run alone...even with my pepper spray. That tells you something about Santa Cruz! The crazies come out at night.

So I ran my 5 miles the next day, which was supposed to be my rest day. Then I walked 1, ran 3, walked 1 the next day, Friday. Then I wore old tennis shoes camping that night. Bad, bad idea. I have extremely high arches. When I make a footprint on the ground, nothing connects my heel to the ball of my foot. My arch doesn't touch the ground at all! So I dug around for my old arch supports and couldn't find them but thought it wouldn't be a big deal. Wrong! My feet were so sore from wearing the old tennies while camping & painting the wharf the next day. Saturday was supposed to be my big 8 mile run, but I could only make it 3.3 miles before my right calf was giving me trouble. I knew better than to push through it and was running slow, stretching it out, everything I could think of. But I knew I had to stop and just let my feet & legs rest.

So I've been resting. I always rest on Sunday (wore my comfy heels to church too...does that make a difference for any of you ladies? Or is it just because of my high arches?). Monday I walked 2, ran 3, then came home. I was still sore but it was a huge improvement from Saturday's run. I took it easy and stretched often.

Today I ran a slow 4 and am sore. There were only tiny twinges here and there in my right calf where the pain was on Saturday. Mostly just soreness in my calves altogether. I've been trying to focus on running properly...keeping good form is really hard while pushing a stroller! Tomorrow is a rest day and I'm going to foam roll & stretch all day. While wearing my hot pink compression socks! Aww yeah :) Speaking of, keep checking back for something exciting...who doesn't love a giveaway?!

Half-Marathon Training!

My cousin Rach & I had this crazy idea that we should run a Half Marathon. Why not? We did Ragnar SoCal last year and tried to get a family Ragnar together but it didn't work out, so we figured that the two of us should run a 1/2 together! I found the Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon which fit the bill perfectly. 30 min. from our home, on a Saturday, and would have us home with our mommas for Mother's Day! My total distance for my 3 Ragnar legs was 14.5 miles, so I've never run 13.1 all at once! I'm nervous & excited. But more excited than anything :)

Whenever I've trained for an event, something has come up. With Ragnar it was a stress fracture on the top of my right foot. With this, it was my gallbladder. Since having it removed, training has been great! Just some minor irritation on one of the incisions that my waistband hits, but it's healing up nicely. I feel strong and sore :)

The training plan I'm doing is from Fitness Magazine and I LOVE it! It's something different every day, so it keeps you guessing and lets your body recover enough. I moved everything over one day so that Sunday and Thursday are my rest days, and my long runs are on Saturday.

I like that you walk miles, run a  few, then walk. It gets you used to being outside for a long period of time and burns fat! Cross training is great, I've been doing yoga & P90X.
Last Saturday I ran 6.5 miles and I hit my halfway point and hit a wall. I immediately got a text from my husband saying, "Go West Cliff!!! You're making great time babe!" He was tracking my phone on the iPad and it was the BEST pick-me-up ever!! Gave me the second wind I needed to finish strong.

I have my longest run yet this Saturday, 8 miles! I'm running 4 and Matt is meeting me with the girls for the last 4. Training with a double stroller makes you feel SO FAST when you run without it! Today I was going into the wind for the first half of my run, and the sunshade acted like a huge parachute catching the wind and pushing against me! When I turned around and had that wind at my back, it was wonderful :)

The Half Marathon is only 3 weeks away...I can't believe it!

Lysol Healthing Initiative

Lysol means CLEAN to me! As a child, my mom would have us clean our bathroom and change our sheets every Saturday. We would fill up the sink with hot water and Lysol and scrub the bathroom down. The smell of that all-purpose, lemon cleaner is a favorite of mine. 

While my cleaning habits have changed a bit, Lysol is still by my side. I love Lysol wipes and use them for everything. Wiping down my kitchen table, the girls' toys, doorknobs, counters...basically any surface that needs cleaning!

Lysol has started a new campaign centered around the idea that we want to keep our families completely healthy, along with keeping our homes clean. They are calling this idea Healthing. I like it! Don't just clean your house, take steps to make sure that your family is healthy in all aspects of their lives. 

Extra steps that I take to keep my family healthy:

- washing hands after being around others, especially before eating
- using hand sanitizer when washing isn't an option
- getting outside with my daughters at least once a day
- teaching my girls to cough and sneeze into their elbows
- feeding my family well-rounded meals and snacks
- using Lysol wipes to disinfect toys and items after germy hands have touched them (ie. we have a playdate with someone who has a runny nose, or my own girls have been sick)
- wiping down the grocery cart before touching it, especially during cold & flu season!

Spring cleaning season is upon us, and one of my favorite tips is to take cleaning room-by-room. For me, there is no way that I could clean my entire house in one day without losing my sanity. If I break it up into one room a day, it becomes much more manageable an I am much more likely to actually complete the task! 

One of my other favorite cleaning tips is to start top to bottom. I love to vacuum, so I used to always start with that. Then, once I'd dusted and wiped surfaces off, I realized that I was putting more things onto the ground that needed to be vacuumed up! I was making more work for myself. So start from the top with dusting, work your way down to wiping off surfaces, then vacuum/sweep/mop. It makes a big difference for me!                             
                                 
To spread the word about Healthing, Lysol and Giuliana Rancic have partnered up with YMCAs to demonstrate Healthing in action. At each chosen YMCA, Lysol will be demonstrating the steps to take to "healthify" their lives and will make it fun for children as well. One lucky family will even receive a one-year membership to the YMCA! 

To see how you can implement Healthing into your family's life, head to Lysol's website: http://www.lysol.com/healthing, their facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/Lysol or their guidebook: http://www.lysol.com/healthing/what-is-healthing

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for LYSOL^®. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating.

1 Week Post-Op

Well, ye olde gallbladder has been history for 9 days now. I am happy to say that I am almost back to normal! The bellybutton incision is bruised and hurts the worst. The rest are just a little sore, depending if Lola kicks me or elbows me on that day :)

The day after the surgery, I felt the worst. There was pain in my neck and shoulders from all of the air bubbles, and I needed help laying down in bed and getting up. I pretty much hung out on the couch that day while Matt juggled work calls and watching the girls. He is super man! He says that he doesn't know how I do everything, and I made sure to point out that I'm not on the phone trying to close deals as I parent two little girls every day!

Friday night, my mom got into town and I was so happy to see her! The next day, Matt helped me shower (I couldn't get the bandages wet) and I felt so much better. It's amazing what clean hair and fresh make-up can do for a girl. My mom and I went to the Gilroy Outlets while Matt watched the girls and it was awesome! Everyone was skeptical of me going shopping two days after surgery, but it was a total break without two kids and a stroller :) We took our time (my mom said she's not used to me walking so slow) and got a lot accomplished. We even stopped at Target on the way home and got stuff for the girls' Easter baskets! My only major disappointment was that I could not find a good sports bra. Is it so much to ask for ample coverage on a high impact sports bra?! I went to lululemon, Nike, Jockey, and Under Amour and they all had flimsy sports bras or pads that looked ridiculous. I guess I'll just have to order one online and hope for the best.

Sunday I went to church and was kind of a zombie...Ada was really clingy to me so I went to Sunbeams with her and sat with her in Sharing Time. I made dinner and took a nap. Then the girls had their egg hunt & were so cute! Ada knew the routine and Lola just carried one egg around forever.

Monday we went to Downtown Santa Cruz and shopped some more. We had a yummy meal at Cafe Campiseno, it's a cute little green building outside of New Leaf Market with some seriously good Mexican food! It closes at 6 PM though, so plan accordingly.

I've been living in maxi dresses since the surgery! And my friend told me about these great things called half-shirts, I ordered one from Shade and need to get more! It's perfect for under dresses  and not wanting anything on your stomach. 

My mom has been such an incredible help to me. Lifting Lola in and out of her carseat, in and out of high chairs, lifting the stroller in and out of the back of her car, and carrying the carseat to her car. I'm not supposed to lift anything heavier than 10 lbs. for 2 weeks (yeah, not gonna happen...I've already broken that rule multiple times with Lola). 

She also got up with the girls and fixed them breakfast while letting me sleep in. And watched them when they woke up from naps so that I could nap too. I am convinced that I wouldn't be feeling as well now had she not come to help me when Matt went back to work. She is amazing!!

On Tuesday, we went to San Jose to go shopping some more! We went to the Stevens Creek Mall and had a blast. Ada doesn't like being in the stores for very long and can't wait to go back out into the mall! We ate at Cheesecake Factory and found a parking spot right in front of it. It was a good day :)

               

 In Nordstrom, I was wiping Lola's hands off with a baby wipe while my mom was checking out. I stood up and saw that Ada had wandered off. I wasn't worried, because she knows to stay close. After calling her name and walking a bit with no sign of her, I immediately went to the escalators that she was fascinated with. She wasn't there (thank goodness). I saw a girl flag my mom down and walked over to see a sad, scared, little Ada grabbing onto my mom's leg. I bent down to hug her and she said, "Mommy I was really lost!" She cried a little bit and my eyes welled up with tears. I thanked the sweet girl who worked at Nordstrom for helping her. She said that Ada told her my full name and exactly what I was wearing! That made me proud and I told Ada that she did everything right. It turns out that she was trying to get back to the dressing room where the pedestal is to look at your clothing in the mirror. The girl had the phone in her hand to page me, we got there just in time. She was gone for about 2 or 3 minutes, and we talked about how important it is to stay close! After the ordeal the girl asked Ada if she wanted a balloon and she lit up and forgot about the whole thing.

On Wednesday, we went to Zachary's for a scrumptious brunch. We shared Mike's Mess and brought home a loaf of their incredible whole wheat bread. When the girls napped, I finished laundry and packed. We drove down to Santa Maria while the girls were awake, and oh how I wished that I had been packed and ready to go during their nap! I didn't think to bring the DVD player and the drive was spent breaking up squabbles and trying to shush screaming. It hurt my incisions to keep turning around and I was so glad to finally arrive in SLO and get some tri-tip! We met up with Lindsay & the girls were so happy to see her :) They got to bed sooooo late and were so hard to put down. Subsequent nights have been much better!

On Thursday, we went to Farmers Market in SLO and met up with my friend Linda and her cute girls. I miss this so much!

Sam & Ada were born two weeks apart. They are so cute together & the best of friends!

 F. McLintock's BBQ, grilled artichokes, & lemonade! Mmm

Lola was happy with donut holes from SLO Donut Company & strawberries from Linda

And so tired from a fun day!

Yesterday, we went to Avila Beach's Farmers Market and the weather was PERFECT! Nice and warm, no wind, and clear blue skies. We met up with my sister-in-law, Kandie, and her kids, friends the Griffiths, Tiana & Linda and their girls. It was so fun! Fish tacos from Old Port Inn and lemonade, live music, friends & family...heaven!

 Tomorrow is my birthday!!! So happy to be home, feeling better, and celebrating with my dear family :)