Can you believe that it is the Christmas season again? I decorated our apartment yesterday and I'm honestly so ready for some festiveness. I feel like a lot of people are desperate for some holiday cheer, and I am totally in that camp as well! To kick off Christmas celebrations, I'm going to participate in 'Tis the Season-a-Thon again this year. I participated last year and it was such a great way to get into the holiday spirit that I knew I needed to participate again in 2020. I'm going to be vlogging my week of reading so you'll be able to see what I get up to (and how much I'm able to read because it's honestly been a STRUGGLE lately!), so stay tuned for that! In the meantime, here's what I'm planning to read:
Disclaimer: I received an entry to the Mount Dora Half Marathon Dora Double Challenge to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
Can we talk about how cute this year's logo is? 🦌😷😍
Hey guys! I know I have quite a bit to update y'all on from these last few weeks, but before I jump into what's been going on in my life this November, I wanted to take a second and share with you some important updates for the Mount Dora Half Marathon weekend that is less than 4 weeks away. First, and most importantly, is the COVID-19 Safety Measures that the race is putting in place. I love the fact that they have made these measures well-known far in advance so that runners can properly prepare. You can see the protocols outlined below:
MOUNT DORA HALF MARATHON & 5K SAFETY OVERVIEW
😷 PROTECTIVE GEAR & SANITATION PROTOCOL
• Mount Dora Half Marathon & 5k will employ strict health and safety considerations regarding staff and volunteers. All are required to wear personal protective gear.
• Participants are required to wear a mask pre and post event. Bring your own mask until the race start. Running in a mask is not required. Carry the mask with you in your pocket or running belt and put it on post event.
• Hand washing and sanitizing stations will be accessible through the event venue.
• Portable restrooms handles will be sanitized regularly
↔️ PHYSICAL DISTANCE
• Mount Dora Half Marathon & 5k will limit participation capacities to ensure local event size restrictions are not exceeded. Capacity information is indicated on each event.
• Physical distancing will be maximized in runner-only areas, including but not limited to bib pick-up area, portable restrooms lines, race start, water stations, finish and post- race food activity.
• The race start will be managed by the release of groups based on pace.
• Spectators are to practice social distancing and must be spread out
• There will be no gear check to minimize the contact and exchange of personal items. All personal items and gear should be left in the car or help by a family member.
🚰 HYDRATION STATIONS & REFRESHMENTS
• Participants will be provided with water in a cup at water stations, but volunteers will not distribute water to participants while running. Cups of water will be placed on a table. If you prefer you may bring your own container.
• Water/aid stations will be placed on the course and at the finish line.
• Post-race refreshments may consist of packaged products such as nutrition bars; fruits may include bananas and/or oranges. Sealed water bottle will be available.
Personally I feel really great about the detail that the Mount Dora race staff has put into these safety measures. Going to an event where many people will gather is inherently risky during those times, but with these measures in place I'm feeling more comfortable with participating. I hope that all participants will respect and follow these guidelines and that they are enforced throughout the race weekend for everyone's safety.
Secondly, I wanted to let you know that *REGISTRATION PRICES ARE GOING TO INCREASE*!! Next Tuesday, December 1, prices are going up for registration and will be as follows:
Mount Dora Half Marathon will increase from $79 to $85
Dora Double Challenge entry will increase from $85 to $89
Register NOW and save an additional $10!
Additionally, you can use code "BIBRAVE" for 10% off your entire registration!
Make sure your register ASAP to get the best price possible, and to secure your spot for a festive, in-person race to end your 2020! I'm really looking forward to participating in this race next month, and I hope you'll join me!
For the first part of the week he was Uncle Sam, and as the election dragged on he turned into The Count from Sesame Street! 😂
I don't know about y'all, but I feel like I barely survived last week, haha. Like many folks across the globe, I was extremely invested in the outcome of the 2020 Presidential Election. I feel like my political leanings are fairly obvious, and I strongly felt like there was so much at stake for millions of people with this election. I was absolutely dreading election day because I knew how heartbroken I would be if the outcome resulted in another four years of our current leadership. I did not want to feel the heartache and turmoil of the last four years any longer, so a lot was riding on this decision and I felt like I was relying on so many other people to do the right thing. It's so hard feeling like such a big decision is completely out of your hands once you cast your ballot!
I did not feel good AT ALL on Election Night. I'm glad to have had my emotional support Australians - Michael and Jess - chatting with me that night (and throughout the entire week). On one hand, it felt like the weight of the world was on the United States' shoulders because the ENTIRE globe was watching the outcome of the election, but on the other hand it was comforting to know that millions around the world were rooting for the same thing that I was. I was glad to have Michael and Jess there to keep me grounded and share memes while we all anxiously watched the results roll in. Luckily I had some leftover Halloween cupcakes to stress eat. I split them with Brett and doubled the Frankenstein effect 😂
I put myself to bed around 11pm, randomly woke up at 3am and scrolled for an hour, and snoozed off and on until it was time to wake up for work. All of my colleagues that I interacted with the day after Election Day were also exhausted, and all we could do was talk about the election and obsessively refresh results maps. I was on the treadmill at the gym when Biden won Michigan that day, and I couldn't help but pump my fist in celebration as I ran through the stress. That was the last state that was officially called until Saturday, and I would be lying if I told you the waiting wasn't agonizing!
I did the best I could to keep myself distracted over the course of the next few days, but it was damn difficult. On Friday morning, though, GA and PA flipped to BLUE which was oh so exciting. 💙 I was actually pulling down my Gritty mug for good vibes in Pennsylvania when I found out the news that PA flipped! Gritty may be the god of chaos, but GOOD chaos. 😂 Even though some states flipped blue, it would still be over 24 hours before any state would make an official call.
Selfies from moments after I found out the results!
Snowy's just like... idk what's happening 👁👄👁
On Saturday I was just getting back from a 15 mile run and playing with Snowy in the living room when I saw that CNN had made the official projection that Biden won Pennsylvania and, in turn, the election! I have been saying it all week that I really do feel like that this is one of those moments in history that you'll always remember where you were when you found out the news of this election. The last four years have been so tumultuous and to know that the leadership that has caused so much hurt in our nation will NOT be returning for an encore was just so incredible. Seeing the images of so many Americans celebrating in the street had me so overjoyed. It has been so long since our nation has felt that level of collective happiness and it was truly amazing to feel that connected to the country in such a positive way for a change. I'm still smiling just thinking about it.
I am so thrilled that the election is over and relieved that it went the way that I was hoping. I am so hopeful that our nation can start to heal and take positive steps toward fixing the issues we have. Obviously there is so much work to do, but I can finally say that I feel confident that the new administration will face the challenges our nation is facing head on instead of ignoring them and allowing them to get worse. We'll have to see how the next four years play out, but I'm full of hope, and that hasn't been the case in a very long time.
Other than the election occupying all of my brain space last week, I actually completed a fun, self-imposed running challenge over the weekend as well! I called it the 15/15 Challenge, where I ran 15 miles on Saturday, and the Hot Chocolate 15K on Sunday. I actually vlogged my experience as well, so check out the video below to see the challenge in action. I have included some clips of my reaction to the election results as well, as they were announced shortly after my 15 miler on Saturday, so if you want to see my very fresh reaction to the results, click play!
I'm actually off to Florida tomorrow morning to spend a long weekend with my parents! I haven't seen them since FEBRUARY so it will be so good to spend time with them. We have some fun activities planned including watching a manned SpaceX launch and running a LIVE, IN-PERSON 5K!!! I haven't run a live race since MARCH so I am so thrilled to finally get to run a race, and I get to run it with my parents! I'll be updating y'all next week on what we get up to, so stay tuned!
*uhhh how did SNL absolutely NAIL Kamala's outfit with literally hours to pull it off?! I'm so impressed!
Disclaimer: I received an entry to the Virtual Chicago Hot Chocolate 15K to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
Over the weekend I ran the Virtual Chicago Hot Chocolate 15K! I've been wanting to run a Hot Chocolate race since I first learned about them, but as of now they don't usually come up to the northeast. I hope that changes in the future so I can get the full race experience, but I'm thankful that I was able to enjoy the virtual experience. We've been having a bout of really warm weather over the last few days and I was excited to take advantage of it with this virtual race. Sunday afternoon I laced up, donned my BibRave orange, and headed out on my 9.3 mile journey!
For virtual runs I tend to not wear my bib because I generally find bibs cumbersome, but I do like to put my bib and my medal on the table we have on our porch as a reminder that we're in race mode! It's also so great to have your medal waiting for you when the race is complete, just like it would be at the finish line.
The run itself was coming a day after I had run 15 miles, so my legs were TIRED. You can definitely see in my splits that it took quite some time for my legs to warm up and actually start feeling comfortable. For the most part, I just tried to focus on putting one foot in front of the other in an effort to string miles together because boy was I tired. It wasn't until about mile 6 where my legs actually started warming up and I started feeling good on this run. Sometimes it just takes a while to get into the swing of things! Overall it was a lovely run, I enjoyed the sunshine, and I accomplished the only real goal I have during any race - I finished!
Finish time: 1:40:03
Because it was the Hot Chocolate 15k, I wanted to celebrate finishing with a sweet treat. It was way too warm for hot chocolate, but I felt that not having some form of chocolate was a crime, so I walked down to the convenience store and bought two of my favorite chocolate bars - Take 5 and Milky Way! Chocolate definitely tastes better at the finish line! 🍫😉
In addition to my own finish line treats, the race packets were full of amazing snacks and swag! This race has one of the best items (IMO) that you can recieve for registering - a super cozy fleece-lined hoodie! (The hood is also removable if that's not your thing.) They also sent along some chocolate, hot cocoa packets, and a Honey Stinger Waffle to help recreate the deliciousness you would receive at the finish line during one of their in-person races. Such a great virtual swag bag!
I celebrated Medal Monday yesterday (of course) and showed off the medal you earn by running one of these races while sippin' on a Starbucks Holiday Drink (so happy they're back!). All participants of the 15k and 5k receive a finisher's medal with the same pendant, and the ribbon is different depending on the distance you ran. You'll notice that the 15k medal has a red ribbon, and I believe the 5k medal has a blue ribbon.
One of the coolest things about this medal in particular is that it opens up to reveal a little compartment for a piece of chocolate! I thought this was such a cute touch and one of the more unique medals now in my collection. If you want to see the medal in action, go check out my Instagram post for a video!
I had a really wonderful virtual race experience for the Hot Chocolate 15k, and it has only made me want to try out an in-person Hot Chocolate race even more! In the meantime, though, I definitely recommend trying out one of these virtual races. It doesn't matter where you are in the country, you can sign up for any one of the virtual races and enjoy an at-home Hot Chocolate race experience! Check out hotchocolate15.com/virtual for more details!
Over Indigenous People's Day weekend I decided to give myself a little bit of a running challenge. I was originally supposed to be running the 2020 Chicago Marathon and I was bumming hard that I wasn't going to be there, so I decided to try to do something special - a weekend-long marathon! The plan was to try to get to 26.2 miles total from Friday to Sunday. I've been wanting to get my body used to running on back to back days and running on tired legs, so I made a plan to build up my mileage each day starting with the shortest distance on Friday and the longest distance on Sunday. Of course, first step was laying out all of my gear for the weekend!
You'll notice that I had a bib on this pile - that's because I was planning to *finally* run the Virtual Providence Half Marathon that I was originally supposed to run in May! Packets for this race didn't come in the mail until mid-summer, and I think at that point I was feeling pretty salty that all of my races were getting cancelled, so the idea of a virtual half that was supposed to be in-person was too much to bear so I kept putting it off. For this weekend, though, I wanted to have something to celebrate to replace what was supposed to be an amazing trip to Chicago, another state completed in my 50 States challenge, and my very first Abbot World Major Marathon. So I thought that this weekend was the perfect weekend to finally finish the PVD Virtual Half and have some race bling to brag about once my weekend-long marathon was complete.
Day 1 of the challenge was pretty straight forward, and a great way to kick off the weekend! I ran the first 3 miles with Miss Snowy and the second 3 solo, with a .23 mile cool down walk. I don't think that there was anything too significant to write home about for this run, but it was good to kick off the weekend feeling strong and having some positive energy entering a running challenge!
SATURDAY (7.09 miles)
Day 2 was SO DANG HOT! 🔥🔥🔥 In reality the weather was beautiful and I was thankful that we had a random warm day in the middle of the week, but I was really underprepared for the heat. (Note how red my face was!) I was wearing shorts for this run but I was also wearing a long-sleeve tech shirt for the first 6 miles which was ROUGH. I picked up Snowy to run the last mile with me, and needed to shed the long sleeve or I probably would have passed out haha. Overall this was a great run, though, and I was glad to get through it.
The last day of the challenge was the day I was finally running the Virtual Providence Half Marathon! I had other plans later on in the morning so I got up SUPER early to get out the door and get my miles in. The morning actually started out really warm and muggy, but as the sun rose it got progressively colder? 🤔 It was very strange. I did a few shorter loops closer to home while it was still dark out in an effort to stay safe, and then when the sun finally rose I did a larger loop to get myself to 13.1. I felt good pretty much the entire run and kept the pace nice and slow. I picked up Snowy for the final mile so that she could celebrate my finish with me!
The Providence Half Marathon sent along a decent amount of swag items with your registration, including a fleece zip-up hoodie and a tech shirt along with the medal and bib. I've actually been trying to run this race in person for a few years (I was trying to run the full for my Rhode Island marathon before I ran Newport!), and I never pulled the trigger on registering until this year for the half marathon. Unfortunately I picked the year that COVID struck and cancelled the race! However, I appreciate how communicative the race organizers were in navigating the unknown waters of cancelling a race during a pandemic. It did take them a while to send out the race packets to everyone (which honestly is why it took me so long to complete the race!), but they did their best to make sure runners felt accommodated and I really appreciate that. It hasn't been an easy year on the running community, but I know race organizers are trying their absolute best!
I ran a total of 26.43 miles over the course of the three days!
It felt great to get out there and tackle a challenge like this, even if it was self-imposed. I definitely see more random challenges like this in my future. They make running fun! I highly recommend trying it yourself if you're struggling to find motivation. It's definitely helped me quite a bit! 🏃♀️
Disclaimer: I received an entry into the Milwaukee Marathon to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
YOU GUYS!!! I finally have a LIVE marathon on the calendar that's less than a year away!!! I'm so excited to share that I'll be running the 2021 Milwaukee Marathon in April! I can not wait to check another state off of my 50 states list. It has been far too long! I will be running this race as a part of BibRave and I'm really looking forward to representing the orange crew while running through the streets of Milwaukee.
The course seems like it will be pretty challenging with lots of rolling hills, especially in the middle miles! Luckily the last ~9 miles are net down-hill, which you love to see, even if there are a few sneaky uphills sprinkled in there. I'm loving that we'll set to see a lot of the city, including the lakefront which I'm sure will be super beautiful. I always think that the best way to explore a new area is by running through it, and I'm sure this will be no different.
You may be wondering "But what if it gets cancelled?! We're still in a pandemic!" And you're absolutely right! The organizers of the Milwaukee Marathon have already acquired the permits for this race to be in-person, and they are confident that they will be able to put on a safe race for everyone. However, if the race does end up being cancelled, registrants have a few options:
-Defer your entry until 2022
-Get a refund of your entry fee
-Apply your entry fee to the Virtual Milwaukee Marathon
I love the fact that they're already thinking through these steps and being extremely upfront about them, because it's at the front of center of my mind when it comes to live racing, and I'm sure it is for you too!
I'll be kicking off training for this marathon at the end of December and I'm hoping for a good build up for a successful 26.2! I'm running fairly long distances pretty frequently now, but I need to make sure that I'm hitting the right distances to finally achieve my goal of running a Sub-5 marathon. I'll definitely be bringing back my #Sub5orBust training logs because they keep me accountable. I'd love to achieve that shiny PR in Wisconsin this April! Fingers crossed! 🤞
Wow. I went into October expecting to have a fantastic reading month, and I really really didn't! I'm not quite sure what happened this month but reading just was not on my priority list this last month. That's okay, though, because I'm trying to keep my life as balanced as possible and just doing what feels good on a daily basis. If that felt like reading, great! If it didn't (and it often didn't), that was fine too. I just didn't pick up books that I was that excited about in October, and sometimes that happens. I'm in a bit of a slump, but hopefully in November I can pick up some more books that I'm excited about. By the end of the month I had actually *added* a book to my TBR which is a bummer, but we'll try again in November!
Last Friday we got a really random snow storm, which means that it was Snowy's very first snow day! Snowy was rescued from Tennessee so we're only assuming that she had never seen snow before, and her reaction definitely reaffirmed that assumption! Check out this quick video of her going out the morning of the storm:
She absolutely LOVED it! She was doing zoomies all around the yard, eating the snow, and just having a blast with this weird substance falling out of the sky. It was so fun to see her first reaction to snow, and I'm glad she enjoys it because there's a good chance she's going to be seeing LOTS of it while living up here!
My jack-o-lantern got a little frosty.
Later in the day I took Snowy to the dog park for some off-leash fun! By this time the snow had accumulated by a couple of inches and she was absolutely loving it. I don't think she stopped running one time in the ~45 minutes we were there. We were there alone for the most part, but toward the end another pup showed up and they played super hard together. I'm definitely going to make an effort to bring her to the park during/right after every big snow because she was SO happy! 😍
Happy (day after) Halloween, everyone! Because of the pandemic, we stayed home and had a really low-key evening, but we still wanted to dress up! We went as Snow(y) White, the Evil Queen, and Dopey. I think our costumes cam out super cute, and we had a great time getting into the spirit even though we were just chillin' in our living room, haha.
We did put out some candy bags for the trick-or-treaters on our front steps, and only about a third of the candy we put out was still there at the end of the evening! I also baked these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies which are DELICIOUS and I've basically been surviving off of these cookies and the leftover candy for the last 24 hours 😅 HEALTH! We ended the night playing Mario Party with our friend Mike and enjoying some Pumpkinheads with cinnamon sugar rims. A great, low-key Halloween, in my opinion!
Earlier in the day I went on a lil Halloween run dressed as Mickey Mouse. The eagle statue was also dressed up a Jack Skellington! I'm a fan of the costumed run and was glad I was able to fit in 4 miles before stuffing my face with pumpkin cookies and pumpkin beer 😂 Even though it wasn't what we typically do for Halloween, we still had a really fun day. Hopefully this pandemic business is cleared up for next year and we can celebrate big time! 🎃
