It's really weird, this period of time in between a huge goal race (Hospital Hill) and the start of training for another pretty big race this Fall (Tunnel Hill 50 mile).

I have no training plan to follow.

I have no set amount of miles I need to hit.

No speed work to dread or look forward to.

I'm basically just doing what I want, when I want.

Honestly, it kind of stinks.

I love having a plan on paper.

I love crossing out each workout once it's completed.

I love having that accountability and knowing what needs to be done.

I love seeing myself get stronger.

Yes, I know I could always make up a small plan with no race at the end.

I absolutely could do that, and even started writing one up but I just didn't have that fire inside of me, that excitement just wasn't there because I'm so goal oriented and with no goal race at the end, there was no drive to really follow through.

Does that make me crazy? Yeah, probably.

Do I still run regularly? Yes, absolutely.

I've been meeting a new running/mom friend at the track at 5am recently, our goal is 3 days a week! This has really been the motivation I need to get it done, because it's so easy with no plan to just sit back and do nothing.

I've also been attempting to get in at LEAST 3 miles a day on the treadmill.

(on top of my track work)

Not exactly the easiest thing in the world to force myself into.

For me running is about 90% mental.

Example:

18+ miles on a treadmill? No problem, if my plan says it, I do it.

3 miles on a treadmill just because I want to? Extremely difficult.

I'm sure others feel the exact same way that I do, I'm sure there are others out there that don't think this way at all. As runners we are all so uniquely different but we can totally understand and appreciate each others process because at the end of the day, running is incredible and we all love the same sport!

What's on the schedule racing related between now and when I start my next big training cycle?

Here's the list:

1. Macklind Mile - Held each year here in St. Louis, it's a one mile *downhill* course. This is the first year I'm running it but it really appeals to everyone. They have 6 different categories that you can sign up for... The Men's Competitive, Women's Competitive, Recreational Mile, Kid's Quarter Mile Dash, the Dog Mile & Elite Runners. Each category has their own start time so you know that you will be running or walking with like minded individuals.

2. America's Birthday 5k - This one is held ON the 4th of July, I'm really excited about this race because afterwards all the participants get a spot to watch the 4th of July Parade! It's going to be hot so I'm not looking to PR or anything like that, I'm just hoping to finish with a respectable time and not overheat!

While I am looking forward to both of these races they're not something I have a set running schedule. The mile, I'm working on speed work but I feel really confident I can compete. The 5k, I just want to finish, it's going to be hot so I don't want to set unrealistic goals AND I have some friends and family running this race with me so it'll be nice to just take it slow and have a good time! Holiday racing is pretty much my favorite thing! 

I'll start a true running plan again on July 21st so between now and then I'm just planning on doing my best to keep up some sort of workout regimen. I'm also planning on relying on those around me the next few weeks to keep me going & let's be honest, it's always more fun running WITH someone than by yourself anyway!

Now that I've rambled long enough...

How do YOU fill your time between race planning?!? I'd love to hear in the comments about YOUR experiences :)

I hope you all have a great weekend & will see you back here next week!

*CHEERS*

"Disclaimer: I received a free sample of Luvo Flipped Bowls as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRavePro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!"

So to say that we're beyond busy right now would be an understatement! Summer is always full of fun activities with the kiddos, however on the flip side that leaves very little time for meal prep and sticking to any sort of healthy eating regimen.  We do our best but often fall short.

When we got the option from BibRave to opt in for Luvo meals I was all about it! After reading about their products I couldn't wait to try them. They use three simple principles when creating their meals:

1. The right balance of protein, whole grains and veggies

2. Not too much sodium or added sugars

3. No artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners. Also, their poultry and beef are raised without antibiotics

(source)

We were sent samples of their Flipped bowls, flavors included Chicken Meatballs in Tomato Basil Sauce, Chicken Meatballs in Garlic Wine Sauce, Chicken Meatballs in Creamy Stroganoff Sauce & Chicken Meatballs in Creamy Pesto Sauce. Every single time I ate one of these meals I swore that  particular one was my favorite. They are just so delicious and full of flavor!

While Luvo offers a wide variety of meals, these flipped bowls are at the top of my list personally and the meals I would recommend to those looking for a wholesome, plant based twist on these familiar meals. Packed with so much protein, 16g in which 1/3 of that is plant based, they are an easy and quick way to fill up without the guilt of other, less desirable, prepacked meals!

Head on over to Luvoinc.com and you can use code BIBRAVE at checkout which will score you one free meal when you order 7!

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Happy Monday!

*CHEERS*

"Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Hospital Hill race & a sample of NuGo Egg White Protein Bars as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRavePro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!"

It seems a little surreal that this half marathon is already over! I feel like it was just yesterday I started my training plan for this race with the hopes of a PR in mind!

Spoiler alert, I got my PR and couldn't be happier!

Anyway...

The weekend started out great, I was traveling with my Mom and Sister (My Mom ran the 7.7 mile and my Sister was our support system on the trip!), so we met up in the early afternoon and hit the road for Kansas City, MO! We are coming from St. Louis so it was about a 4 hour drive, totally doable and the perfect little getaway distance!



Once we got there our first stop was the expo, I was really excited for this expo since I had been seeing all the posts from Hospital Hill's Instagram account about it. Sadly when we got there they were already taking down a good amount of the booths or the booths were already empty. We grabbed our bibs rather easily and then did end up walking around the booths that were left. We did score some extra Hospital Hill swag though in their merchandise booth!

Then headed to our hotel which was about twenty minutes away from the hotel where the expo was being held and where the start line was located. We decided to head back downtown for dinner and drinks before hitting the hay. We ended up at a local eatery called Char Bar. I'm such a huge fan of BBQ and smoked meat so this place was legit everything!



Once we got back to the hotel we got our stuff ready for the race. I had everything laid out nicely and of course took my #flatrunner picture! You'll notice that I have some NuGo Egg White Protein Bars stocked up and ready to go... Since they are made of completely REAL food (no added sugars or artifical ingredients) I knew this was what I wanted to not only carry with me on course (in my Orange Mud Gear Vest) but also to have one waiting at the finish line to refuel post race!

On the ride home, breaking out the NuGo!

Once everything was out and ready to go we went to sleep. I personally got a really good nights rest, my Mom and Sister who shared a bed, I don't think they enjoyed it that much! We woke up really early, about 5am to get going! When we woke up the weather was way less than ideal, super crazy winds, pouring down rain and lightning. I was really nervous the race was going to be cancelled. The night before the half marathon (so Friday night June 1st) they canceled the 5k that was planned due to excessive heat. The new plan was to have the 5k, 7.7 mile and half marathon all on June 2nd. It was really looking like the entire weekend may have to be scrapped.

I know there were a ton of people who were upset the race was cancelled Friday night and while I get their sentiment I also feel like the Race Director and those working with the Hospital Hill race ONLY had the runners best interest at heart. I can only imagine how tough the choice had to be to postpone the 5k, and I'm sure they didn't take the decision lightly. Ultimately, I feel like they did what was best for the runners, it was crazy hot, miserable hot even! It was good to know that the RD and crew had racers in the forefront of their minds when making these decisions, which gave me extreme confidence heading into Saturday that the right choice would be made.

We got to the start line, weather still wasn't ideal. The rain had almost subsided but it was windy and still bouts of lightning. I was a ball of nerves to be honest. We had VIP bands and attempted to find the tent, personally I was all over the place emotionally and couldn't figure out where the tent was, when in the end it was right in front of where we ended up being! Me and race morning's just don't jive.

Anyway, the race was postponed only a half hour. Heading to the start line I was able to meet up with two other BibRave Pro's, and we snapped a pre-race pic and we were off!



It was a bit windy and very cloudy to start out with but I was really happy it wasn't blistering heat. Given the fact that the race is in June in the Midwest, the odds are pretty good it was going to be beyond hot! The weather cleared up, it did get hot but all in all I felt like it was the perfect day to race!

I decked my Mom out in BibRave orange for the race too!!!!

Now given the name, Hospital HILL, I knew it was going to be hilly and as a general rule I really don't like hills. However the difference with this race was that I went in PREPARED, overly prepared actually, for what I was getting myself into. I wasn't shocked at the amount of hills nor did I get bent out of shape when I saw one on the horizon. I implemented my plan of taking the uphills slow and sprint down. It worked, all in all, it worked like a charm!

All in all there was about 718 ft of elevation gain for this half marathon... To put it in perspective, the GO! St. Louis FULL marathon has about 552 ft of elevation gain!

I averaged a 10:35 minute mile throughout the race, granted I wish I was faster (runner problems!) I am beyond happy that I was able to achieve that time on that course. It put me in at 2:18:34. My previous PR was 2:35:49 in April of 2017. Gaining that much on my PR still makes me so happy when I think about it.

How cool is this certificate I downloaded from Athlinks?! I immediately claimed my results and was able to score this awesome certificate!

The course was gorgeous, I honestly felt like I was running through a really small town. The spectators were incredible and it seemed that there was always someone outside cheering us on. There was even a few who had sprinklers out on the edge of their lawns pointing them into the street for the runners! Also a HUGE shoutout to all of the police officers who were working the traffic crossings. They rocked! I have never ran a race where cars were allowed to cross the running path during the race, with direction of course! These police officers stood out there all day helping us out and making sure we were safe, and they cheered us on to boot! Talk about an incredible community support!

Also, free race photos?! Yes, please! The only problem is, I don't run pretty, so out of about 18 photos I think only 3 look decent in my opinion!

Then there was the post race party, I was blown away! Seriously, it was so well put together in my opinion. There was so much going on, so much to do!! I ended up finding the VIP tent finally and was able to take advantage of a post race massage (never had one before and now I may be hooked), had something to eat and they also served us mimosa's!!! The volunteers working the VIP booth were awesome, friendly and made it known they were there for us, so cool! Also, check out the medals, I'm all about a nice medal and this one has jumped to the top of my faves!




Aside from the VIP experience we had a Beer ticket, a Wine ticket and a Food ticket on our bibs... I have only ever had a Beer ticket before so the Wine and Food was new to me. Turns out they had an entire pancake breakfast waiting for the runners at the end as well! So you can grab some beer and/or wine, get a great breakfast and not have to travel but a few steps of each other!

We walked around for a while and basically just hung out. The highlight of that part of the day, a lady walked up to me and asked, "What is BibRave?" I was so excited to share what BibRave is all about! Turns out she had found our BibRave discount code and used it to sign up for the race, she just wasn't sure exactly what it was!

Once we had taken part in all of the post race activities we headed on home.


The entire race experience was incredible in my opinion and I have already recommend the heck out of it on every platform possible! I'm already planning on next years race and would LOVE to turn this a race I do yearly... I would LOVE to be a part of the Hospital Hill family from here on out!

If you're looking for a late Spring half marathon and are interested in coming to Missouri, I can't recommend this race enough! All around such an incredible race experience!!

Happy Friday, all!!!

"Disclaimer: I received these Rudy Project Rydon Sunglasses 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!"

So first off let me be completely honest, I'm picky about sunglasses. Not only that but I'm EXTRA picky about sunglasses for running. In fact I'm weird about all gear that pertains to my head and running, I swear I have a large head so tons of head bands, hats, sunglasses etc. tend to fit so tight and I end up getting a head ache. So I was a little nervous going in, I wanted so badly to fall in love with these sunglasses.

I did, in fact, fall in love with them. To the point where I will wear them even when I'm not running but just outside hanging out.

My favorite part about these sunglasses is the fact that they change from Photochromic Clear to Laser Red (hdr) lenses. Especially for when I'm running on the trails, I don't always need them to be completely dark but I still want something protecting my eyes. These sunglasses fit every single need that I could possibly have. On top of that, they're comfortable and so lightweight. They just feel smooth when handling them and even smoother when they're worn!

If you're in the market for a pair of active wear sunglasses I would suggest checking these out HERE and use code GODSPEED for 30% off!

*CHEERS*