No Pain!!!

So this weekend I took my first step out for a run and I'll be honest I was very nervous. 

Nervous to find out if I still had pain in my Achilles tendon. 

Nervous to see how out of shape I have gotten in the last month with not running. 

I finally purchased some longer tights and headed out Saturday afternoon.  And it wasn't all that bad.  It was cold but thankfully not that windy.  My breathing was all over the place and I had to really pay attention to it to keep it calm and smooth. 

It felt great to be out again.  I was definitely slower and definitely could tell I had lost some of my endurance but was shocked when I finished that I did 1.5 miles.  I was just wanting to do a mile test run.  And best of all, there was very little pain in my heel.  I walked around the block a few times after I finished running and the pain was gone.  Got home and stretched more and I was fine.  No pain! 

It is a Christmas miracle!!! 

Now to focus on building up my strength again and make sure that I stretch better before and afterwards.  I think if I make sure I do that I'll be golden!! 

My only thing now is deciding if I want to join a gym to run inside this winter or just run when I can this winter outside.  Part of me wants to join a gym just because then I know I'll be able to work out daily even if the weather is crazy but the other part of me knows that as soon as it gets nice out again, I want to be outside running. 

For you runners out there....what do you do?  Do you run in the snow and ice?  After Saturdays run in the afternoon I had to be careful to avoid the icy spots and I'm not sure I would have seen those if it had been dark out, which it would be normally through the week when I'm running. 

Decisions decisions!!  Please share your thoughts!!

Merry Christmas Eve!! 

Being a Bum isn't all that Awesome

It has been almost a month now, with the exception of the one day, since I ran the 5 mile turkey trot and hurt my Achilles tendon.  I'm gonna be honest with you, when you go from not exercising to exercising regularly and not again....it sucks! 

I feel like poo.  I feel disgusting.  I can't believe I probably felt like this all the time before April this year....gross, nasty, ick!!! 

This weekend after Miss H goes to her dad's I am getting back out there, even if that means going and paying $9 to use the YMCA's treadmill...I gotta do SOMETHING!  I can't keep feeling this way...it's despressing!  Hopefully it's not too terribly windy/snowy this weekend and I can try to run outside..even a mile would  be amazing!

I don't know about you all but I am feeling stressed and overwhelmed lately.  Maybe something to do with all the wedding plans but I think it's also because I just haven't been burning my energy like I was when I was running.  Being a bum isn't all that it's built up to be...let me tell ya! 

And it doesn't help when I walk into work in the morning and I've got a box of this golden deliciousness waiting for me! 

That's the shiz niz right there if your from the Dayton area...you know what I'm talkin' about

Another reason why I'm stressed....

stupid tree

I love my tree.....when all the damn lights stay on!  When Tony sent this picture to me yesterday while I was gettin' the hair did I wanted to scream right then and there!  This is the second time this darn thing has gone out on me.  Thankfully my future-father-in-law has one of those "guns" that you use to recharge your lights or something and he's going to come over today to hopefully fix the darn thing so it at least stays lite until New Years.  I'm not even annoyed with my decorations yet with them being in the way but I'm annoyed they won't stay PRETTY!!!!  ERRR!!!

Yesterday Miss H also got her new glasses she picked out.  No more cute purple and pink ones...she wanted grown up ones that "blend with her hair"...huh???  She is 6 right??  After more trying to convince her otherwise I finally gave up and realized she had her mind made up and she was the one who was going to wear them anyways.  Just kind of a sad mommy moment if you know what I mean! 

6 going on 16 right??



she's too cute for her own good



Last year's picture of her glasses...such a cute face!



That's the awesomeness going on right now...I know...your jealous.  no??  hmmm

Please say a prayer to the running god this weekend that I am healed and am able to run.  I don't even want to run long distances right now...just 2 -3 miles would be perfect!  I just wanna run so I don't feel all icky!  PLEASE!!!!!!!

Christmas Traditions

Has Christmas snuck up on anyone else this year?  It has for me!  I've got all my Christmas shopping done, half of my wrapping done but then I realized this past Sunday I have just one week left with Miss H before she leaves for her dad's until Christmas day.  YIKES!

I'm all about memories and experiences and doing the same thing each year.  I know those are the things that I remember from my childhood and that's what I want Miss H to remember when she grows up. 

So what that meant was instead of being lazy on Sunday afternoon and taking a nap and watching movies...it meant I was in the kitchen the ENTIRE DAY baking.  And to top it off I had a massive headache...awesome timing! 

Last night we finally cut out and baked our sugar cookie dough we made on Sunday.  I hate this part of doing sugar cookies.  It's so hard and long and creates such a mess.  But we got it done.  Miss H's job was the "Cookie taker off-er", that's her new thing where she likes to take the cookies off the cookie sheet. 

I've been working hard on letting her be more involved with things even if it takes longer and creates more of a mess.  I know it's not a big deal and it's great to have her involved and yes it creates awesome memories...so bring on the mess!! 

After they were all baked, I was ready to sit on my arse for the night, Miss H talks me into decorating them.  SURE, why not, I haven't sat down since I walked in the door from work but let's do it!!!



That's green and RED icing



Our official Cookie Decorater

I really do enjoy doing this with Hailey, I remember my mom baking a TON of sugar cookies before Christmas then all four of us kids sitting out the table anxiously ready to attack any cookie with massive amounts of sprinkles as soon as she laid it down.  I can barely keep up with Miss H I'm not sure how my mom kept up on her icing skills with four kids ready to decorate. 

Finished product

Miss H's special cookie made just for herself...and to which 75% of those sprinkles fell off the cookie when I packed them away at the end of the night. 

Afterwards we settled in to watch my favorite Christmas movie....Charlie Brown Christmas.  LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! 

The Tobster aka Toby

Overall it was a great night.  I may have sprinkles and flour all over my kitchen floor for the next month but you better bet we had fun while we did it! 

Not Enough Tears

We all have heard of the tragic news that happened in Connecticut on Friday and I don't know about you but my mind just can't grasp it.  More than anything this weekend I wanted to run and I couldn't.  I wanted to run the pain away, run until I couldn't any longer and all that was left was the pain that I feel for the families effected by this.  I can't even count the number of times I fought back tears this weekend thinking of those families. 

Being a mom myself, times like this just makes it seem just too real and hard to imagine.  Hailey is the age of those children that were lost on Friday and I just can't bare to imagine how those poor parents are feeling. 

There are no words and definitely not enough tears. 

My heart is broken for those children and the parents.   I can't grasp how those teachers had to feel trying to protect their students and for some reason it makes me even more grateful to have teachers that take our kids each day and love them and care about them as much as they can while they have them. 

There are just no words. 

It's not fair. 

To the families and community effected by this tragedy...I am so sorry.  Sorry for your pain.  We are all heartbroken with you and somehow, if it's possible, that you find comfort in knowing that you are not alone. 

Hair Product Finds

Sorry I haven't been posting much, super busy and also being super lazy resting and healing and it's driving me nuts.  I'm anxious to get back out and run but I'm also afraid it's gonna hurt when I do and it's become a struggle of do I really want to know if I'm better or not?!?!  ugh! 

Since not much is new in that area that I'd share some awesome finds I've found and that are actually really making a difference....on my hair! 

My hair is kind of funky.

It's thick but it's fine.

It's curly but it's straight.

It's soft but it feels like straw. 

My hair is a total womann and can't make up it's mind on what it wants to be...totally annoying if you ask me! 

I round brush my hair every day, it's easy and it creates a nice look when I actually don't rush through the process.  I used to be able to curl my hair and now its like I'm all thumbs when I try so round brushing it is!  I used to fret over a hair not doing what I want it to do and now if it's decent it's a good day! 

HELLO that's what being a mom does to ya! 

But with round brushing lately it seems like my hair has been breaking off more than normal and I'm not sure what the deal it.  Maybe it's because I've been pulling my hair back more with running...that's probably part of it. 

And with getting married in less than a year, I wanna have great hair on my wedding day, or at least something the stylist can work with besides of bunch of split ends...so I decided to invest is some good hair product. 

Totally expecting to have to drop over $50 on product...however...I didn't!!!!  HOLLER!

And I can already tell a HUGE difference in my hair. 

What am I using??  You'll probably be shocked a little. 

RedKen Anti-Snap

This stuff is the most expensive stuff...around $15 I think I spent at the salon but it's worth it.  You put two pumps of this stuff on right after you get out of the shower and gently massage (maybe you can convince your hubby or children to massage your head....I have yet been able to get Tony to cooperate in this area...to be continued...) it into your hair and then blow dry/style how you normally would. 

I also switched up my shampoo and conditioner...and I got this tip from the stylist at the salon when I was trying to find a good shampoo...she was like...I've been using this stuff with Heidi Klum in the commercial and I'm shocked how great it's been on my hair and it's less than $5!  Well slap me silly and call me Sarah....oh wait..errr....never mind.  

In the past I have found that stylist really do know their stuff when it comes to product and if they suggest something to you, you should use it so I thought I'd give it a try. 

Clear Scalp & Hair 
PS...you can get this stuff at Wal-Mart!

This stuff too is...AMAZING!!!  I wash my hair with the shampoo (duh right?) and then I massage the conditioner in and I leave it in while I do the rest of my showering duties (shaving, body wash etc) and then I flip the water to cold and rinse the conditioner out. 

And I'm telling you...after just a few uses I can totally tell a difference and after 1 week I was sold on both of these products! 

Now I just gotta get my hair trimmed and we'll be good to go on hopefully having much healthier hair! 

Do you have a hair product you swear by?? 

Since I Can't Run...

I'm doing other stuff! 

What stuff??

Monthly Squat Challenge....FUN YO!



If I can't run...I figure I might as well build muscle and so that's what I'm doing. 

I've been reading up on my Achilles tendon problem and it say that stretching is even bad for it....soooo I'm just icing it and resting it.  They also say that the best thing for it to not happen again is to work on strength training and so that's what I'm doing! 

Squats, lunges, sit ups, etc. 

All those things effect my running and make me stronger.  For someone who has never been a "weight person" after doing the Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred, I could definitely tell on my runs that I was stronger and couldn't believe how much easier it felt to run. 

So I guess I'm gonna need to be a weights gal...and that's ok. 

So during commercials as I'm "resting" but to me it feels just plain lazy...I'm doing squats, lunges and lifting free weights. 

If you've ever been a mom,  you have some pretty awesome "guns" just because 80% of your day your probably holding at least a 15-30lbs child in ONE arm and doing something with the other arm.  And since Miss H is 6 1/2 years old now and over 50lbs...I just don't carry her anymore and with that has gone my arm strength.  And that bothers me. 

So I'm working on that...plus I want to have amazing arms for my wedding! 

If I can't run I gotta start somewhere right?? 

Have a great weekend!!

I'm Hurting Bad...Like REAL Bad

Remember when I said my Achilles tendon was hurting after my 5 mile run on Thanksgiving and how I planned on resting? 

Well I did that and was feeling better after 12 days of rest and was itching to run again. 

Tuesday morning my BFF and I went out to run at 5:30am and I was excited.  I haven't ran with her probably since September we were thinking and that was probably the last time I actually ran with a partner too! 

However, after a mile, my Achilles tendon was hurting again BAD!  I couldn't believe it.  We pushed to do 2 miles and by the end I was limping and in pain.  Got home and I iced and stretched for a bit before work and could have just cried. 

I don't understand what's wrong and it just makes me mad and want to cry.  

Last night I rested more, lots of icing and stretching for a couple of hours and just praying that if I'm better about doing that religiously that things will get better. 

I just want to run! 

That's it! 

Not training for anything, just want to be able to run this winter and right now I'm not sure if and when that's going to happen. 

I'm so beyond frustrated!! 

Let's hope things improve soon!  Until then...this is what I'm doing in my evenings...

icin'

stretchin'

Other Things that Happened

Other randomness that happened this weekend....

tree

I put up my Christmas tree Friday night and two seconds after I took this picture ALL the lights went out.  I LOVE decorating my Christmas tree but when the lights go out I just wanna throw it all away and start over fresh!  Nothing is worst than having to undo the tree.  Thankfully though I felt motivated Sunday night and got it fixed and it looks better now than what it did originally! 

Turkey Trot Recap

I did it!  5 miles baby!!!  And I met my goal of being under an hour! 

Official time was 54:49 and I was really happy with that.  I ran a lot faster than I did on my training runs and figured it would be right at an hour if I was lucky.   

Me - leaving my house at 6:30am

I drove down to the turkey trot that morning and got there a little after 7pm and got a close parking spot and made the mistake of getting out of my car early and walking around.  

It was COLD out!!

By the time the race actually starting I was freezing and my toes were numb from the cold!  Not cool!  I met up with my friend Laura and her mother-in-law and hung out with them until we started and then wished our Happy Thanksgivings and off we went! 

Starting Line

The crowds were insane, so many people, I think they said it was somewhere between 8,000-9.000 runners there that day and I would definitely expect that!  But lots of people, met lots of this...

costumes

I saw people in pilgrim costumes, turkey hats, full dressed up turkeys, etc.  It was fun! 

They had us split into 3 waves and we were in the 2nd wave, hoping to avoid some of the walkers which it helped some.  The first mile or so my feet were so cold and they were numb, I was just waiting for my body to warm up and eventually it definitely did!  Running with that many people was crazy. 

I didn't really focus on passing anyone or trying to get ahead.  I just wanted to find my comfortable pace and stay there.  My goal was to run the whole thing and to finish in under and hour.  The first two miles went pretty quickly but it seemed to take forever to get to mile three. 

I felt really good during miles 1 and 2 and mile 3 didn't even feel bad but mile 4 I was really having to fight myself trying to not stop and walk for a little bit.  I was hot and so badly I could be coordinated enough to take my running fleece off without falling or getting stuck in it and still keep running...but I figured that would be dangerous not only for myself but for everyone behind me so I just kept it on.  Tried to push up my sleeves and roll my collar down some just to keep myself cool but nothing worked.  I was hot!  And you know me...I don't do well when I'm hot.  Pushed through mile 4 being hot, not in pain or sore, just hot mind you.  I got my mother's genes there!  :) 

Somewhere in mile 4 and 5 I really started to get annoyed with the people around me who kept rushing passed me ad then would stop to walk right in front of me and then repeat the same thing over and over again.  I so badly wanted to yell at them...pace your damn self and you won't have to walk!  ugh!  I know patience Sarah, patience!  This one dude I swear I passed him 10 times during that race. 

Path between 3-4 miles. 

That dude is yellow is the guy I kind of wanted to trip just so he would quit cutting me off when he decided to sprint for 30 seconds and then walk.  My photography skills are awesome while I'm running I'm sure is  what else your also thinking seeing this picture! 

I was "attempting" to take a picture of the sea of people and I obviously missed a little.  The mass of people was amazing, and my thought was...we are all NUTS that we signed up to do this on a holiday!  But then I reminded myself I could have a guilt free Thanksgiving feast afterwards and I pushed on. 

Mile 5 was fun.  hahaha  Did you just hear that?  Mile 5 was FUN. 

I think I've lost it! 

But it was fun.  We came back into town and actually had something to look at besides people, trees and more people.  I could see the finish line for probably most of the last mile which was nice to be able to see the end.  Also you could start to hear the music at the finish line and that was encouraging.  I was actually able to speed up the last quarter of mile which I had told myself I didn't have to do that when I was in mile 4 but I was actually able to do it. 

I crossed the finished line and started walking through the gate and realize how my legs felt like jello and realize how tired I was.  Tried to find where the bottles of water and goodies were after the race, however, when I saw how long the lines were to just get a bottle of water I was disappointed.  I could walk back to my car faster and drink my water bottle I had in my car faster than it would take me to get through that long of a line.  That was probably the biggest disappointment of the whole race for me.  Everything else seemed so well ran.  Even the people at the water stop knew not to fill the cups all the way up but they should have definitely had a better system setup to get people water after the race. 

I walked back to my car and was so glad I was parked close because I really started to get cold again afterwards.  However, heading to my car after the race was not the best idea I thought it would be because it took me well over an hour to actually get out of the city and start my way home.  Which in turn meant I sat in my car and didn't get to stretch like I had hoped to, which caused me to be very tight the rest of the day/weekend. 

Overall though, it was a great race.  I was really proud of myself for pushing through and not stopping to walk.  I still can't believe I ran 5 miles.  Wow! 



me after the race waiting in my car



I will definitely do this race again next year and figure out a different path to take to get home quicker and avoid the crowds leaving town. 

As of today my achillies tendon in my right foot is really bothering me, I'm still walking around like an old lady and that concerns me.  I wanted to run again this past weekend, but I wasn't able to.  Ice and rest are in store for me this week probably! 

Hope you  had a nice Thanksgiving!  Did you run a Turkey Trot?

Happy Thanksgiving!

As this post is being posted (it's scheduled), I'll be crossing the starting line of the 8k Turkey Trot and then spending the rest of the day with family and eating way too much food and probably using some frozen food to ice my legs. 

And then we will be heading out for one of my favorite holiday tradition of

BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING!!!

We aren't the crazy type where we fight over items we are looking for...it's more just fun for us.  A way that we kick off the holiday season with being over-tired, high on coffee and adrenalin and our ads in our purses ready to find a good sale.  If we get a great deal, awesome, if not, it's all about the tradition of getting out there and taking part in the craziest day of the year and

IT'S SO MUCH FUN!!!!  EEEK!!  :)

I can barely contain myself with how excited I am! 

More importantly though, I wanted to wish all of my readers a very

Happy Thanksgiving! 

May today be one of those days that you find the areas in your life where you are truly lucky no matter what your circumstances are, there is always a positive and something to be grateful for in our lives. 

Have a blessed holiday and may you eat too much turkey and watch too much football!

Prepping for the Turkey Trot

So, the big Turkey Trot is in two days and I'm already starting to get nervous!  Craziness!  Normally I get all sweaty hands kinds of nervous when in the starting line but I guess not this time. 

Since this weekend had lots of surprises, see yesterdays post, I didn't get my last run in on Sunday, which I'm ok with.  I ran over 4 miles three times and I felt good and on each run I knew and felt like I could go the rest to hit 5 miles.  I think I'll be fine.  I would have liked to get another run in but I knew I didn't want to do it Monday night because I really want to be rested up before Thursday and have really good fresh legs. 

What I'm doing now for prepping for my race is really hydrating myself, lots of water!  I'm also stretching a lot this week and wearing my boot to help stretch out my feet, which I'm hoping will help prevent my feet from feeling heavy.  Gotta love those Achilles tendons! 

The weather is supposed to be perfect, a little chilly but great running weather!  Just the way I like it! 

I'm already stock piling lots of ice for me to dump into a nice ice bath afterwards so I am not limping around all day on Thanksgiving. 

It's gonna be a great race, I can feel it! 

I'm on top of the world right now and couldn't be happier with things in my life, and I just want to enjoy every step of that 5 mile run on Thursday! 

It's gonna be awesome!!!



We Interrupt this Normally Scheduled "Fashion Friday" For...

the best running moment I've ever experienced!

Hope you'll forgive me for not having a "Fashion Friday" post this week...I just gotta share with you all the run I had Wednesday night. 

I can't even explain it but it was amazing.  I had no idea what was ahead of me in my run on Wednesday evening but I am so glad I didn't skip the run because I was seriously contemplating it. 

As you know, I've been training for a 5 mile (8k) Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving next week.  I've been doing pretty good with my training and squeezing it in when I have been able to find someone to watch Miss H for me.  Big thanks to my sister, Tony and my neighbor for helping me out with this!! 



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Even though I've been mostly keeping up with my training, it's been like pulling teeth to get me out on a run, if I can come up with an excuse, and it sounds good enough, I'd probably take it.  This week has been kind of difficult to find time when I'm going to get my runs in and yesterday I was really feeling guilty for not doing anything since Sunday and so when I got home I had every intention of asking my sister to watch Miss H so I could go get a 3 mile run in.  I needed to do 4 but I wasn't feeling it and figured anything is better than nothing.  Well on the ride home from work I kind of started to talk myself out of it.  Tomorrow night Miss H is with her dad, I'll just run tomorrow right during those couple of hours she is gone, my head was telling me.  But my heart told me, Sarah you could get two runs in if you ran tonight AND tomorrow night and so my head went back to running.  After I picked up Miss H from the sitter she was bugging me yet again to go play with the neighbor's daughter and so I figured I would ask her if Miss H could play with her so I wouldn't have to bug my sister and Miss H could have fun while I was getting a run in. 

So we got home and Miss H did a few of her chores and she was out the door to her friend's house and I changed into my running clothes and stretched and headed out. 

little chilly




pre-run - that smile is deceiving because I wasn't that happy to go run!

I did about 1/2 mile loop in my neighborhood and then headed towards the main highway.  I wanted to run somewhere different and I need to find some good paths to run with it getting darker out.  My neighborhood isn't the most well-lite area in parts of it and so I'm having to find some different routes to stay safe on my runs.  Hence the reason for the neon orange shirt I ran in.

I started out with the mind set I would do 3 but after a mile I was like, let's do 4 miles.  I always do that it seems, don't plan on going that far and then during the run I change my plans and push myself harder.  Heading out of my neighborhood wasn't bad, only about 1/2 mile there was no sidewalk for me to run on but it was still fairly light out yet when I was heading out.  I was tight and my feet felt very heavy during the first 2 - 2 1/2 miles and was thankful for the few moments of a break I got at a few stop lights just to stretch out my legs more. 

It was super busy out with cars and so I really had to watch it when crossing streets or entries into a few shopping centers.  I am definitely glad that I am ok to run without music and that I actually have adapted to preferring it over running with music.  I definitely have my eyes and ears alert at all times while running in a busy area.  I don't really know what I think about when I run, most of the time nothing, sometime I watch my shadow and realize that my form kind of looks like I'm skiing sometimes, or I pay attention to my form and try to take longer strides. 

A lot of times though I don't really give myself credit for what I'm doing.  Running is hard, I don't think anyone can go out and run and say it's easy, you have to put in an effort either physically or mentally or both on each run.  Every run is so different from the next that you never really know what it's going to be like until you just get out there and run.  I am naturally harder on myself and don't give myself credit for much of what I do.  You just do it!  Sometimes people will go on about how well I handle being a single parent and how I get so much done in the time I have to get everything done on my own with not much help.  Last night I closed a jewelry show and my hostess whose gotten to know me pretty well over the years, she went on about how she couldn't believe how much I got done in my evenings with making dinners, running, doing homework with Miss H, and all the other stuff that needs done.  And to be completely honest when someone says this stuff to me, it always kind of hits me, because I don't know how I do it.  I just do it...what other options do I have, ya know?  It's not a big deal...it's my job, it's my life, if I don't do it no one will.  I've heard people call me "Super Mom" more than once and I don't consider myself that at all, it's just what you do, right?  I think all mom's/parents are super parents for what we have to get done...I'm not any different from them.  <---see I don't give myself credit even if it's due. 

Well last night as I was coming back into my neighborhood and kind of scared for my life running in a semi-dark section with no sidewalks and hoping and praying to God that cars would see my neon orange shirt, which one jerk didn't and I had to quickly jump into the grass, I decided I was going to do 4.5 miles.  I could do it and I wanted to do it.  I needed to do it for my training.  The Turkey Trot is a week away, I can't slack now! 

I passed my street and kept going to do that last 1/2 mile loop again that I did when I started out and when I turned back to head home...something inside of me said  "Sarah let yourself be proud of yourself...look at what you have done!  It's ok to be proud of yourself!" 

And that voice was exactly right.  Where I was in that moment was the street that I have practically worn a path on since I started running back in April.  This street has so much meaning to me.  It's the street I turned on when I saw I was going to hit my first 2 mile run.  It was the street that I would push myself to not stop on those 4 blocks because of all the people outside working in their yards this summer and I wanted them to see me running, not walking.  It was the street that I started out walking on and pushing past painful shin splits and the pain in my feet from my plantar fasciitis.  So much sweat and effort as been pushed out on this street and here I was in November of the same year and about to finish 4.5 miles. 

And in that moment...the tears fell down my face.  

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I was/am so proud of myself for accomplishing something that is so hard. The fact that I haven't given up.  I've pushed past every ache and pain and sore muscle to get where I am today at being able to run over 4 miles.  I went from running with a partner to running by myself.  I've gone from the comfort of only running in my neighborhoods to running along highways.  All those moments of self-doubt that I would never be able to regularly run 3 miles and how hard I pushed to just get to 1 mile.  I worked through sore muscles, burning lungs, sweating so much my eyes would burn from the sweat....and here I am just finishing a 4.5 mile run. 

I started out only wanting to do 3 miles...and I went way beyond that and am so ready for that 5 miler next week. 

I can't believe what I have accomplished!  I never thought I could be a runner, never!  And last night on my run, part of me actually let myself believe that I am a runner and be proud of myself.  To actually be able to see and feel that hard work pays off and that you do eventually get somewhere is amazing! 



Tears of Joy and Pride!
Don't ya love what my runs do to my naturally curly hair...errr!



If I can set out to achieve a goal as hard as running is for me, then anyone can do it.  You just can't give up!  I'm sure there were a lot of doubters of me when I said I was going to start running.  Heck I was one of them!  I just hoped that I wouldn't give up and I haven't.  And today here I am and I am able to run over 4 miles and next week I will be a 5 mile runner! 

I have never cried after a run before and actually let myself be proud of how far I have come.  Last night I didn't let myself wonder how I have gotten here...I know how...through really hard work that I did all on my own! 

Last night I stood in my room and just cried.  Cried that I have reached my goal and that I know I'm capable of more and that it's only begun and I'm so proud of myself. 

Best part of it all, has been Miss H seeing me accomplish it! 

Dumbest Blonde Moment EVER!!!!!!!!!

As y'all know I was in DC last week for a conference and it just hit me yesterday that I was in the same down as Georgetown Cupcake.  Ya know...the one from TLC "DC Cupcake". 

Source - their website

I thought I was like 20 miles or something from where they were located and totally cut it off as not possible with the limited amount of free time I would have while in town. 

Well...after craving cake like crazy today and talking to my BFF, I used my trusty tool google maps just for shits and giggles to see how far it really was....and well....I about had the shits and cried for my dumb-ness. 



Will you look at that...courtesy of google maps



2.5 freaking miles!!!!  Not 25 Miles....not 52 miles.......2.5 MILES!!!!!!!!

I was instantly to my bff...you are gonna kill me...I could have caught a cab and been back and still caught happy hour it was so close.  And she was like...Yo Sarah...you RUN 3 miles....

And reality sunk in even more....  I could have had 2 cupcakes and ran both ways and it would have been worth it. 

I suck.

MAJOR blonde moment. 

Dumb Dumb and just Dumber! 

I was so close to that gotta be awesome goodness and I failed miserably. 

Of course my BFF tried to make me feel better

"But we are too good for that stuff...pass the carrots and water please!'

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA...whatevs!  Pass the frosting please is more like it! 

Is it bad that I'm hoping I get sent to another boring conference there just so I have another shot at it?? 

source - their website

*Sigh*  Sorry I missed a chance at devouring you dear sweet cupcake! 

Major fail on my part!  *Sigh*