Embassy Row 5 Miler

I have to say I really do love living here (although, my heart still belongs in Kansas City) there are so many unique opportunities! So when Jen, one of my running buddies and I had a 5 miler planned (it can real boring running our super hilly neighborhood all the time) suggested we head into DC and run Embassy Row I jumped at the chance. This is the first time I have been down here (except for a drive thru) and I were super excited. So excited that the bad weather didn't stop me from going!

Once we navigated our way down there, found a parking spot, and got all ready, we were literally the only people down there except for a few construction workers. It was a awesome run. There was so much to look at that the miles seemed to be flying by! Each Embassy has it's own beautiful personality. Some are old world, some are new age, and some are just tiny little row houses.

The best part..about mile 2ish we heard tons of sirens and we joked maybe it's the President's Motorcade...OMG it was! We totally saw the President! Remember when I mentioned we were the only people down there on Embassy Row...well how could you miss the only 2 people on the street acting a bit crazy, smiling and waving! He didn't miss us because he waved back at us!!!! We were a high for about another 2 miles after that!

Top Left: Statue of Gandhi by the India Embassy

Top Right: House around Embassy Row

Bottom Left: President of the United States

Bottom Right: Statue of Nelson Mandela by the South African Embassy

I loved it! It was all beautiful. I can't wait to run it again. If you are even in DC take the time to visit Embassy Row.

Faster 5k Training and Now a 10k!

While training for the 5k I realize I need to change the time on my 10k time as well. So I the week after I my 5k (May 9th) I will be running a 10k. My last 10k (a long time ago) was 1:29. I ran 6 miles the other day in 1:11(with stoplights). So I am on another mission, beat my 10k time!

How has my faster 5k training been going? Well, it's going pretty good! I have been following the plan and doing everything I am suppose to be doing so hopefully it works!

I even got the family involved

in training. 

I have a test 5k coming up next weekend. I probably won't sign up for a race just run it myself.

My husband has ran with me a few times the past couple of weeks and he pushes me out of my comfort zone. It is good for me...although I tell him I have to wear sunglasses when we run together so he can't see me giving him the stink eye!

Me in my sunglasses

giving the Stink Eye!

Totally can't see it!!

In case you were wondering which races I am doing here they are! I am getting really excited for both of them! 

Here is the 5k I am signed up for on May 9th!

National Police Week 5k

Here is the 10k I am signed up for on May 17th!

Capital Hill 10K

The Quest for a Faster 5k

So I have been running for years, but I have never broken a 30 minute 5K (well, I ran a 29.59 5K in the middle of a half marathon but I don't think that counts).

So I am on a mission! I want to break my record. My fastest 5K was 2 years ago at the Garmin 5K in Kansas. It was 31.14! It was flat and it was fast! I was actually shocked at my time. Here's a little history as to why I was so shocked.

My first 5K (you can read about that here) was slow- I don't even know the time. I searched for it but it was such a small race I could not find it. I know for a fact it was somewhere between 50-60 minutes. It had to be, only because the next 5K I did was The Cherry Blossom in DC and I remember doing much better and it was 43 minutes.

When I moved to Kansas, I started really running and adding distance (like 5 and 6 miles) and I ran a couple more 5Ks at 43 and 40 minutes. Then, on a whim, I signed up a for a very small race in Lansing, KS called the Steeple Chase and I ran without stopping and my breathing was perfect...I clearly remember rounding the corner and seeing 34 minutes on the clock..what? I sprinted so hard toward the finish line and ended up clocking in at 36 minutes! I was so excited and that is when I realized I could run! Long story short...I ran a few more with times anywhere from 35 to 36.

Then came the Garmin 5K. I remember just running and enjoying it so much and as I got closer the finish I remember hearing the announcer call names and times and I heard 29 minutes...what? So I full out sprinted and clocked in at 31 minutes! Holy cow! I was over the moon! Granted it was flat, but hey! A PR is a PR, baby!

Top Left: Stephanie and me at Garmin 31:14 PR Apr. 2013

Top Middle: Cherry Blossom 43:59 Apr. 2010

Top Right: Mustache Dash 34:54 Oct. 2012

Bottom: Diva Dash: 36:06 Mar. 2013

Since then, I have been consistent and sticking around the 32 to 34 minute finish! Then I realized that training for all these further distances has made me stronger and last fall I ran a 3 miler with my husband that was extremely hilly and clocked in at 32 minutes. So I can do this! I can break it and I am following a plan! I found one online from Hal Higdon.

Super hilly 3 miler with my husband! 

Beer was very much needed after this one! 

So, this May, I am attempting to break my 5K PR! I will give it my all! 

Ready to change the PR status on my wall!

Note: the 10K time 1:29:59 it's the only 10K

I have done and it was when I had just started 

running! I need to change that, too! 

The Running Bug

This is the story of how I, Sunny ended up getting the running bug! 

So the year was 2010 and the family and I had just moved to Lorton VA and on a whim I decided to run a 5k. I had started running (or trying to run) a year earlier with my friend Jen in Dayton, OH. However I had never mastered the breathing part of running. I tried but I just couldn’t figure it out. In April of 2010 I had seen a flier for a race called the Lyme Disease 5k, and ironically it was a on a paved trail in the woods during tick season but I thought this would be a perfect first 5k for me! So I signed up!

 I also convinced my neighbor (who just had a baby) to run with me. We had about 4 weeks to train, I still had not figured out how to breathe while I ran but I was determined to do this. Something I never thought I could do. As I type this I always have thoughts back to middle school when I tried out for track my 8th grade year (you know the team where everyone gets to participate). I ended up being the  team manager. True Story!

So Shawn and I trained for 4 weeks before race day and that day came!!! I remember being so nervous! Could I actually run 3.1 miles? What if I don't finish? Akkkkkk! 

We showed up and put on our race shirts (before we knew it was a faux pas to wear the race shirt before you finish...just to note I didn't find this out until well into my racing experiences) and got all pumped up! 

 Shawn and me before the start of the race! 

My husband and kiddos surprised me with 

these super cute signs! 

So we take off out of the gate and like every newbie, I am running with the crowd! You know what I am talking about!!! Haha! 6 minute miles..I am guessing. Yeah, that lasted all of half a mile or so! Then the running crowd started to thin out which was a blessing because the majority of the race was on a paved trail.

I am not sure what part of the race this is.

I still look somewhat ok...??

But I was thinking, "Why is this lady walking

right in the middle of this race!? Ha, now I notice 

there are not a lot of runners around! 

About mile 2 I remember thinking, "This SUCKS! Why am I doing this? I can't breathe!!" But Shawn kept me motivated. She kept me moving even when I decided I need to walk! 

This picture cracks me up! Shawn is telling me,

"You got this"

Even though I ran/walked the race, I finished, and the moment I finished I thought to myself, "That sucked!" But 10 minutes later I was planning my next race! I have now RUN many races: 5k, 10k, a TUFF 7.2 (which I literally was last to finish..more on that later), 10 milers, and more than a few half marathons! 

My times, breathing, and love of running have all improved over the years. I have figured out how to pace my self and finish successfully on almost all of my runs. I sometimes have a bad race here and there which is normal for any runner but it doesn't stop me! I just keep going! All thanks to that first race with Shawn. The Lyme Disease 5k on a trail in the woods during tick season! 

Shawn and me at my first 5k! 

Running with NERDS on Galentine's Day

Last year, I decided 2015 would be the Year of the Kansas-themed Races.  It's easy to get carried away with race registrations and I thought this might help me focus my calendar & not spend so much on registration fees!  First up:  "Psycho Wyco Run Toto Run," a 10 mile trail run.  Second:  the "Garmin Half Marathon- In the Land of Oz."  Third:  "Topeka Tinman," the Long Course.  Finally:  "The Kansas Half Marathon."  There are a few others, but they don't go with the Kansas theme, so we'll ignore them.  The other thing we'll ignore is the "Psycho Wyco" part of that "Run Toto Run" race.

It all starts with the promise of a beautiful trail in winter.

It's all fun & games until someone gets nabbed by El Chupa Cabra.  (thanks for the warning, trail masons)

Just kidding.  I'll talk about the "Psycho Wyco" part.  Here, in Kansas City, we have a great community of trail runners.  They're called the Trail Nerds and they put on some really fun and challenging races.  The races are held at Wyandotte County Lake Park, which is the "Wyco" part.  The winter course has charming nicknames for different parts of the trail:  Fall Down Hill, Speed Demon Ridge, Broken Leg Turn, Misery Ridge, Fester's Wander (designed by the race director's dog), and the Three Hills Section (aka Three Sisters, aka Three Witches, aka Three Bitches) and I'm guessing that's the "Psycho" part.  Run Toto Run takes place on this winter course.  It's mostly single-track bridle trail with lots of roots, rocks, horse poo, creeks, dirt, and mud. As one of the Trail Nerds said on their Facebook page, "It's AMAZING(ly hard)." Amen.

Great group of Gals, ready to race the trails!

This year, Run Toto Run was held on February 14th-- Galentine's Day (a day to celebrate female friendships & I participated with a great group of ladies from the Bouncing Buns).  There were 7 of us that caravan'd to the race.  The 10 mile runners were shuttled from an offsite parking lot to the Start line, while the 20 mile and 50K runners parked at the Start.  The weather was cold, but not too cold; temps were supposed to drop as the day went on.  The DJ was great, the volunteers were friendly, bag drop was easy-peasy, and the porta-potty lines were non-existent.  Great way to start a race!  The 20 mile & 50k runners started at 8:00 & we started at 9:00.  Trail etiquette dictates that slower runners pull off the trail when a faster runner comes from behind, calling out, "On your left."  We had a mass start across a foot bridge & then an open field to get to the entrance of the trail about a quarter mile away.  Our group started towards the back & took it slow, knowing there would be a log-jam at the trailhead.  As we slowed to a walk at the bridle trail entrance, either Tacha or Jane called out a joking, "on your left," getting quite a few chuckles and setting the tone for the rest of our race.

Our shoes after a particularly sloppy training run.

Adding sheet metal screws to your shoes helps with traction when conditions are icy or muddy.

The first quarter to a half mile of trail was crowded, but eventually, the course cleared out & we found a happy running/walking/pulling-over-for-faster-runners pace.  Tacha, Jane, and I decided we would stick together & were in it for the adventure of a new experience.  We fell in behind a gentleman and chatted with him until we hit the first of four aid stations.  He stopped for water or snacks & we turned down in to the "triangle," a section of trail that's about a mile long & zig-zags down and back up to where we turned in, only on the other side of the aid tent. Every time we've run through here, I've laughed at how the runners look like they're in one of those shooting gallery games:  When looking down from the entrance, everyone seems to be running in different directions, with no clear view of the trail.  For the most part, the trail was very uneven and difficult for us to navigate, but every so often, we would come to a flat section of trail that was such a joy to run on.  Those sections were a rare treat.

Definitely not one of those flat sections I was mentioning.

About five miles in, a man came up behind us and we asked if he would like to pass.  He didn't and was happy to have us set the pace.  He stayed with us until the end.  Also, there was a man we played leap-frog with for the first couple of miles, but he settled in with us, too.  They didn't really talk to us, but stayed right behind.  We had several instances of faster runners passing by, always encouraging us as they flew past.  What was amazing is how quickly they came up from behind and how quickly they disappeared ahead of us.  Poof!  Now you see them, now you don't. We dubbed them "Trail Ninjas."

We had a couple of falls (Fall Down Hill, perhaps?) and thought we would freeze from the cold winds on Speed Demon Ridge.  The Three Hills Bitches lived up to their name, that's for sure. We crossed streams, pulled ourselves up inclines by ropes attached to trees, and rounded corners that seemed like cliffs.  At one point, we came to a man-made ditch that I had absolutely no idea how to cross.  It was too wide for me to jump across (because I was tired!) & too deep for me to jump in to & back out of (because I was tired!).  Thankfully, Tacha took the lead, jumped in, and followed it uphill about 10 yards until it was shallow enough to step out of (which I might have figured out if I hadn't been so tired!).  Jennifer warned us that we would hear the DJ playing long before we saw the finish line, but once we heard the blaring sounds of upbeat club music, we knew we were home.  Tacha dug deep and pulled a little ahead.  Jane & I grabbed hands and crossed the finish line like we'd been rescued after weeks lost in the wilderness.  I was never so happy to see a Finish line in my life! (That might be a slight exaggeration)

I could hear a choir of angels singing as we crossed the Finish Line. (It sounded a lot like Pitbull.)

At the end of the race, I may have suggested I was retiring from trail races, but that was also an exaggeration.  If you've never tried a trail race, I highly recommend it!  It's nice to get out of your comfort zone and a lot of fun to join in with people who are in their comfort zone.  The path may not move, but the trails change with the seasons.  Change can be good, even especially when you start using words like "Psycho" and "Nerds."

Time for a Change (Guest Post)

This post was written by Sunny's cousin, Casey! I hope you all enjoy her post! I certainly did! She is a very inspirational woman! Thank you, Casey, for sharing your story! 

Time for a Change

8:40, 8:40, 8:40. This is all I can hear in my head during my first run after a month break. I don’t know if the lack of running made me insane or if I just had plenty of time to develop some very unreal expectations. I hear the Garmin beep, letting me know that I hit my 3^rd mile and my run is over. I look for my average pace with incredibly high hopes that I got that 8:40 I was so desperately trying to maintain. My heart sinks. 10:20. What? How can this be? I was sweating, out of breath, and my legs felt tired and achy. I burst into tears. Now, I’m sure I looked absolutely crazy – on the side of the road in my blue and green pants with a neon yellow hat, sobbing like a child whose balloon just disappeared into the sky. I just couldn’t help it, I felt utterly and completely devastated. 

Two months earlier, right after my first half marathon and before the tendinitis, I was running 15+ miles at a 10 minute pace and had great plans to do my first marathon at the end of December. Those long runs were beginning to feel easy and my confidence in myself as a runner was through the roof! So now, as I’m standing on the side of the road crying, I’m asking myself “What is wrong with you?” “Why can’t you run any faster than that?” This trend continued for two weeks or so. Every time I would see a friend post their run to Facebook, I would obsessively check their times which always left me feeling disappointed in myself. These are the people that I used to run with, the people that I felt like were on my “level.” But now, I couldn’t even run with them if I tried my hardest. 

I think, as runners, we all have struggles with beating ourselves up, whether it’s over a race we were hoping to place in but didn’t, a long run that we felt so tired on we had to walk and maybe even stop a few times, or just a personal time we were hoping to beat but couldn’t. However, my self-loathing had risen to a whole new level. I couldn’t even complete a run without crying and filling my head with negative self-talk. So, I spoke to my husband, my friends, my family, and my best running partner (my sister-in law) about the struggles I was having. Of course, they all mentioned  the fact that I had just taken a month off running, had pretty bad tendinitis, that I had only just gotten into running 7 months prior and had lost over 50 pounds in the past year. As they were saying these things to me, I was realizing something- I wasn’t giving myself any credit for the accomplishments I had made. I mean, just a year ago I couldn’t even run one mile without stopping, was 50 pounds overweight, and would have laughed at someone if they would’ve asked me whether I would ever run a half marathon.

My first half with my sister-in-law Lindsey (left)

My running partners 

Lindsey (left) and Erika (right). 

So at that moment, I decided that I wouldn’t beat myself up anymore and I wouldn’t compare myself to others. Not only that, but I began making a conscious effort to fill my mind with positive, empowering thoughts during runs instead of obsessing with times and pace. Guess what started to happen? I started to enjoy my running again. I could run a few miles, look at my watch and not burst into tears.  Now, my times did slowly start to improve and with each run I got a little bit closer to my normal pace. However, if I did have a “slow” run, instead of beating myself up, I would tell myself, “That’s okay, you tried hard and you still did GREAT!”  Two months later, I am almost where I was before the break and feeling happier than I have in a while. 

Don’t get me wrong, I still care about my time and I still have goals to run farther and faster. But what I don’t do is punish myself. I celebrate my accomplishments and use my “setbacks” to encourage and motivate me. It is so important to be your own biggest cheerleader and to think highly of yourself as a runner. Times and paces are just numbers. They do not tell your story. They do not explain how far you have come or where you will go. Use those numbers to fuel your performance, not hinder it. You are a runner, you are strong, and you will accomplish great things!

My husband John (my biggest supporter)

and me at my most recent race! 

Likes Long Bike Rides In The Rain

Each year, for the past 17 years, our local bike shop has sponsored an event that benefits the American Cancer Society.  I love this event.  Cancerthon is held in January, on a track surrounding a football field.  Did you catch that part about it being held in January?  We're in Kansas, not sunny California.  It is rarely warm in Kansas in January.  As it turns out, this event used to be held indoors.  Teams of 3 would hook a bike to an indoor trainer, attach it to a computer, and log their miles.  The computer would show which team was in the lead and there were inevitably grumblings about some trainers being easier to ride on than others.  The easy fix?  Move the event outside where there was nothing to blame but yourself for being slower than anyone else.  Thanks a lot, people who ride slower and complain.*                                  (*I would, absolutely, have been one of those people)

Teams and individuals can register for the Male, Female, Mixed, Individual, or Junior divisions.  For 6 hours, each team can have 1 rider out at a time & each rider tracks their mileage.  At the end of the event, the teams and individuals with the most miles wins.  Participants make a flat donation to the American Cancer Society and lots of local businesses donate all the stuff (food, prizes, the track, port-a-potties, insurance to cover the event, etc) that make it so much fun.

5 of our 8 at the After-Party.  We watched from the balcony seats b/c warm air rises!

This year, Bouncing Buns put together 3 teams of 3! I believe our very original team names were:  Bouncing Buns 1, Bouncing Bikers, and Biking Buns. The great part about having multiple teams is that we would definitely have friends out on the track at any given time.  Team members changed around a little bit, due to illness and other commitments, but we had 8 ladies represent our group.
Last year, the weather was cold & windy!  My feet froze and I had brain freeze and tight shoulders from riding in the cold wind for 2 hours.  This year, the forecast got worse and worse as the week leading up to the event went on.  Temps were in the upper 30's and it drizzled rain for the entire event.  To lessen the risk of illness, the event was shortened from 6 hours to 4.  No one complained!

Doesn't that look fun?  You can see the wet ground & all of the cold weather gear on the cyclists.

It is very difficult to plan a wardrobe around exercising in cold rain!  If I seal out the rain, I'll be sealing in the sweat.  If I dress in lightweight clothing, I'll get chilled before & after my time on the bike.  It's fun to see some of the gear other people have (and easy to tell who doesn't let winter weather stop them from riding outdoors).  There were neoprene helmet covers (I wore a stocking cap under my helmet), things called "Bar Mitts" that looked like waterproof fabric lobster claws that fit over a bike's handlebars.  The rider just tucks their hands in the mitts and has access to brakes & gears inside the mitts.  I wore my weather-resistant Isotoners & lost feeling in my fingers for a little while.  Lots of folks had weatherproof shoe covers (I had them, too, but somehow my shoes managed to fill with water & my feet went numb pretty quickly).  I saw rain jackets (I picked up a cheap one at Walmart & it worked like a charm), wind-breakers, hoodies, and cycling jerseys.  Lots of people had on neck gaiters or balaclava masks.  Some of the kids wore their ski bibs.  We all had mud up our backs from dirty tires.

The crazy thing is- this was a really fun event, even in miserable conditions!  Cyclists are a good group of people. Also, dedicated cyclists like to pick on triathletes.  Sometimes, triathletes see the picking as a challenge & focus on proving triathletes are capable of riding outside in the rain & not just on the trainer in the winter-time, thank you very much.  Then the cyclist gets a kick out of seeing how easy it is to rile up a triathlete, but it's okay, because it's all in good fun. But, even though the triathlete had a great time out in the cold rain, she knows she will spend the rest of the winter on the trainer, so maybe the cyclist has a point.  <- That may or may not have actually happened today.

They give out trophies, too!

Several of us got chilled to the bone & spent more time trying to raise our core temperatures than we did riding in the cold rain.  That was okay, too.  It was all for a good cause & we got to do some of that warming up in the bike shop, laughing with other participants, and winning prizes.  They say that misery loves company.  Well, today we may have been miserable, but we certainly were in good company.  I wonder what Mother Nature has in store for the 2016 Cancerthon?