I Said I'd Do What?

What did I get my big mouth into? Recently I seem to ask myself that question on a now routine basis.

What do I mean?

For me this really relates to my fitness journey. Let's take a look shall we?

August 2012 Feat: I decide I want to run The Boston Marathon in 2013 with a charity team close to my heart: Tedy's Team (which raises $$ and awareness for the fight against Strokes).

Result: I raise over $5,000 for the American Stroke Association, I complete the Boston Marathon in 4:04:08 and my family and I make it safely without being hit by the explosions.

(Note: I will be running the 2014 Boston Marathon with Tedy's Team and I am psyched. You can Donate Here!)

December 2012 Feat: I ponder becoming a certified Spin Instructor, somehow trip over the online sign up site and book a certification class for March 2013.

Result: I nervously drive to Manchester, NH, take an all-day class, take the online test the next day, pass and get my certification!

(Note: I haven't found a way to make this dream a reality yet, but I am still trying!)

March 2013 Feat: I'm surfing Facebook, an ad for the Boston Triathlon (Sprint) catches my eye, I click the link to their website, I continue to click through, my credit card shows up in my hand and I register for my first triathlon for August 2013.

Result: On August 4, 2013, I load up my gear and my spectators, meet friends at the event, step wwwaaayyy out of my comfort zone and enjoy every step of the ride while completing my first Sprint triathlon in 1:24:58.6.

April 2013 Feat: After running the Walt Disney World Half Marathon in January 2013, I knew I had wanted to tackle the Goofy Challenge (Half Marathon followed next day by Full Marathon) for its 10th anniversary in 2015. But then a new challenge caught my eye ... the Dopey Challenge. The Dopey Challenge is 4 races in 4 days totaling 48.6 miles (5k, 10k, Half Marathon & Full Marathon). Again my credit card showed up in my hand and I was registered.

Result: Time will tell as this comes to light January 9-12, 2014!!

***

So what else did I say I would do?

Oohhh this next fitness feat started in June 2013 while I was attending Fitbloggin in Portland, Oregon. During a session entitled "Stop Keeping up with the Joneses," we were asked to introduce ourselves.

What I’d love to do as a way to get started, is to have everyone introduce yourself. We’re not a huge group, so just your name and your blog. I’d like you guys to say one weight loss or fitness goal that you’ve seen someone else do that you really wish you could do.

And in that room with my dear friend Sue (aka MrsFatAss) next to me I uttered:

Dani, Weight Off My Shoulders: There’s so many! I’d like to do a half ironman.

Yes thanks to live blogging at the session there is documented proof of what I said. :P

Once the session was over, I turned to Sue and said: "Why did I say that? Now I actually have to do it." Fear. Immediate fear.

But also something deep down in my heart was excited at the possibility. I, Dani, the ex-230 lb wallflower could possibly tackle a Half Ironman.

Now at this time, I hadn't even done one triathlon let alone thinking about a Half Ironman, which is 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.2 mile run ... all in a row!

The seed has been planted.

Once the first sprint triathlon was completed, the water was planted on the seed.

After the second sprint triathlon where I somehow placed 3rd in my division, the plant started to grow!

While vying for another Got Chocolate Milk Team Refuel sponsorship, I said how I would use the $500 prize to sign up for my first Half Ironman.

Which brings us to the present - October 2013.

I had a friend as well as one of my Weight Watchers members take part in the Pumpkinman Triathlon Festival in September 2013. The Pumpkinman Triathlon Festival is a Sprint Triathlon on the Saturday and a Half Ironman on the Sunday. Some people even take part in both. Say whhaaa?? I know.

They did nothing, but RAVE about the race, the swag, the organization and the scenery. It takes place in Southern Maine in the Fall. Hello? How could that not be beautiful.

On a whim, I reached out to the Pumpkinman social media team about partnering up for my first Half Ironman ...

... and they were all for it! YAY!!

So on Halloween, October 31, I officially registered for the Pumpkinman Half Ironman on September 7, 2014!! Ahhhh!

No going back now, right?

Right.

Especially since I have my official Got Chocolate Milk Team Refuel tri-kit to rock.

So now it is out there, official and will be my sole focus after finishing the 2014 Boston Marathon. Thankfully I now have a great triathlon training book recommended to me by NYCRunningMama so I will be starting to get a good base during the winter months.

It's never to early to start training, right?

***

Do you ever get yourself into a crazy commitment by opening your mouth? ;)

LA (Part 4): Playing Tourist

With my running and blogger meet-up fun over (read about it in Part 1, 2 & 3), I had just one thing left to do on my LA bucketlist: tourist time! :P

After lunch with my friend Dave and a Patriots win (WWOOO!!!), I headed to the Metro to make my way to the Walk of Fame and Chinese Theatre. Dave gave me step by step directions so I wouldn't get lost. Purple line to Red line to Hollywood-Highland.

I emerged on to exactly what I expected LA to look like --- tourists, sun, celebrity impersonators and Starbucks.

Yes, I had to drink Starbucks. There are no Dunkins in LA and I had been up since 5am so caffeine was necessity. Since I never go to Starbucks, I had to text my wife for instructions on how and what to order. ;)

After getting some caffeination, it was time to hit the Walk of Fame.

I have no idea who Taylor Holmes is, but had to take the pic based on the last name. Hmmm this might be him! Thanks IMDB.

It was so surreal to really be in LA. I just wish my wife was there to enjoy it with me. Sightseeing wasn't as much fun without her. Plus I was by myself so making comments to myself wasn't as exciting either.

The Chinese Theatre was cool ... and of course I had to go around and put my feet in celebrity footprints.

Pretty sweet to see up close and personal.

There was even Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.

I wanted to take a pic with Shrek, but alas there was no one around me to help. And I wasn't about to pay a celebrity impersonator to snap one. :P

I wasn't really sure what was around the area to check out (I am a bad tourist)! So I just wandered up and down Hollywood Boulevard checking out the stars, the shops and the people.

I was also soaking up as much sun as possible since I knew it was cold and overcast back in Boston.

As I was walking back towards the Metro, a sign caught my attention on my right side.

There it was in the distance - THE Hollywood sign.

Now I didn't have time go go climb up and take a picture with it so catching it from a distance would have to do this trip.

By this time, it was approaching 3pm and I was getting beat. Thankfully my teammate Ray was able to pick me up a couple Metro stops down and give me a lift back to his place.

At that point, it was nap time. I was getting drained. Plus this whole time I was sick so my body was ready for some RnR. He had a family event to go to so I chilled until I had dinner with my girl May (from ReducedFatGirl.com) at Blue Dog Beer Tavern. It was great to have some one-on-one time to catch up (since this weekend was the first time we got to meet up in real life) and share some beer. Mmmm local craft beer...

After Mae dropped me back at Ray's house, it was time to hit the couch. I was pooped and would be spending the next day traveling back to Boston. A long cross-country adventure.

I flew from Burbank to San Francisco and San Francisco to Boston. I was taking off from Burbank at 1:20pm and arriving in Boston at 1:00am (the next day). Oy! Thankfully we were able to make up some time and I landed at 12:20am-ish.

But the flight from SF to Boston was nearly empty so I moved myself around until I was able to get a complete row to myself. Hello legroom!!

I then paid the $8 to United to get the unlimited TV access. TOTALLY worth it for a 5+ hour flight, right? I watched The Heat, Hangover 3, Monsters University, Diners, DriveIns and Dives and so much more. But my favorite? The first episode of my cousin's show of course - The Pete Holmes Show on TBS (weeknights at Midnight ET).

How cool is it to see someone you know/related to on TV?

***

There is so much more of LA I wish I could've seen - like hello a beach!! - but for the limited time I was there, it was amazing. I was able to see some amazing sights, soak up some sun, enjoy some local craft beer, run some miles and meet some of the most awesome people on the planet.

What more could one ask for in a less than 65 hour trip to the opposite coast? ;)

LA (Part 3): I rocked it & I rolled it!

Did I really run two 10ks the day before the Rock 'n' Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon? Yes yes I did.

I woke up Sunday (October 27) morning with the realization that I was actually in LA to run that amazing Half Marathon. Ha!

I had such an amazing time between the Expo/Blogger Meetup and the Haunted Trails of the Night 10k that I couldn't wait for the Half.

***

I bound off the couch before the 5am wakeup call that morning. I was ready to go. I am always worried that if I hit snooze I will sleep through the race so I make sure to keep that little extra pep in my step in those moments. :)

Thankfully I always lay out flat Dani the night before so getting ready was easy. Ray, my teammate, wasn't running, but offered to drive me to my friend Andrea's place so she and I could drive to the race together.

Yay not having to take the Metro by myself.

It was great to catch up more with Andrea (a fellow Weight Watchers Leader) while driving to the race. We are both early birds and like to get to races with time to spare.

Since we left the place she was staying right on time and she found a "secret" parking garage for the race, we were there with plenty of time to spare. It was perfect really.

She ended up parking under the LA Convention Center (where the expo was) so I actually knew where we were. Yay! We exited the Convention Center and a block later we bumped into the Starting Line (on our right)

... and the post-party stage/party area (on our left)!

Talk about convenient.

Before Andrea and I parted ways, we ran into my Got Chocolate Milk #TeamRefuel running mate Jeremy.

Thanks for the pic Jeremy!

It was soooo nice to finally meet Jeremy after interacting together so much on social media!!

I bid Andrea and Jeremy adieu as I headed to find the Rock 'n' Roll VIP tent. I can't thank Got Chocolate Milk enough for the access to the VIP area before the races. Wicked nice to have special bag check and bathrooms.

Thank you to the Farms of Beverly Hills at LA Live for opening a portion of their website to this VIP area. I even got to take a pre-race selfie! Phew! :P

I was even able to charge my phone so I would be able to take it on the course with me.

Before I knew it it was creeping up on 7:30am (Start time) and I headed out to Corral 3. I was searching along the way for friends running, but didn't notice any of them. The course would be two different loops/out-and-backs so I hoped to run into everyone I knew along the way ... literally!

I made it to Corral 3 with minutes to spare.

I love taking in the atmosphere at races especially the pre-race vibes. You see some people that are totally calm, some that are nervous, some that are making last minute adjustments to their playlists and on this day people fixing their costumes. Yes, since this was October 27 many people we rocking some pretty sweet costumes out on the course.

I was too wrapped up in the people watching to realize it was our Corrals turn to hit the pavement.

Before the race started, I knew I wasn't going to PR so my goal was to have as much fun as possible and enjoy the race. Especially since I had run just under 13 miles the day before.

The first few miles felt effortless which made me think I was probably running at a pace slower than race pace. I was sticking with the 1:45 pace group for awhile and thought if I stuck with them great - if not, I'd be okay.

I promptly lost that group in the late Mile 2/early Mile 3 because I started taking pictures. What was I taking pictures of? The LA Coliseum. The. LA. Freakin'. Coliseum.

I was going to take FULL advantage of this experience.

Go ND! :P

Heelloooo fog!!

And there was no way I was making it out of the Coliseum without taking a pic of the Olympic rings.

Soooo freakin' cooooolll!!!

It was the happiest 10 min/mile pace I've ever had. :P

After leaving the Coliseum, I actually noticed Doctor Dribble out on the course. He dribbles two basketballs while running half marathons and marathons. A-freakin-mazing.

Can you tell I was enjoying the run? We weren't even four miles into the race yet and there was so much excitement.

Once we left the coliseum, folks were coming towards us for their loop around the stadium. I peered through the crowd looking for any familiar faces, but unfortunately didn't see any of my peeps. Darn! But there were a ton of amazing costumes out there so I was still entertained.

There was also a Mini-Marathon race going on alongside the half. Folks were running and walking 3.55 miles. It was great seeing those folks costumes, but I was slightly jealous as we passed the six-mile mark and those peeps were heading to the Finish and we had to keep going. ;)

But, I pulled up my big girl shorts and kept putting one foot in front of the other. My legs were feeling pretty good despite all the running and walking I'd done the day before.

There was a slight incline as we headed through the Financial District, which woke my legs up from the night before. You may remember those hills during the trail run - yikes! But, I channeled my Spinning training and powered up. As we approached the hilly bridge at Mile 9/10, we entered a tunnel first with a DJ and lights.

I took pictures and video in the tunnel of the wheelchair races and elite athletes zooming past us, but they came out a blurry mess. I should've stopped to shoot them rather than snap on the go. Next time.

But it was wicked cool to see those speedy guys zooming past and looking as if they hadn't even broken a sweat. The wheelchair athletes as well are such amazing inspirations. I couldn't stop cheering and yelling for all of them. Just one of the reasons I love out-and-back type courses.

The bridge - and it's subsequent incline - seemed to last from about Mile 9 through mid-part of Mile 10.

Can you see how foggy the whole race was?

There was a water station and band stationed at the top of the bridge and it was just what I needed as my legs were starting to feel the hill workout they had done the night before.

I hit Mile 10 and my legs felt like lead. I tried to remind them (and yes I talk to my body parts) and let them know that the inclines were over. As I enjoyed the downhill off the bridge, the friends I know and love started popping up all over the course. I was able to cheer for all the familiar faces I know and love. I threw up high-fives when possible, big arm waves in other instances and air kisses to anyone that wanted them.

My smile got bigger and bigger as I passed familiar faces. Have I mentioned I love the out-and-back course? ;)

Every time I saw a familiar face I got a little pep in my step.

I knew I had less than a 5k to go and I was ready to give it my all, while still trying to take pictures and tweet. Yes I was attempting to tweet and run at the same time.

We re-entered the bridge from before and I was met with a homeless person pushing a shopping cart. He was pushing the cart and trying to race the other runners. It was an enjoyable site for sure.

Sorry for the blurry pic, but again a result of running and snapping at the same time.

As I approached Mile 12, I thought it was the perfect chance to snap an in-race photo to share on Twitter and Facebook.

So on my phone screen this picture didn't look as frightening as it did on the computer. :P Can you tell how excited I was to be running ... and almost done? ;)

Once we passed that 12-Mile Mark, it was a straight shot to the Finish and I was ready. I love seeing the Finish Line in sight and giving everything you have to reach it as quickly as possible. Even if your mind is moving faster than your legs. ;)

See ya Mile 13, I'm Finish Line bound.

And there it was. Half Marathon #14 was in the books. I got my water, my medal and was off to stock up on my low-fat chocolate milk.

How cool is the Finisher's Medal?

If there's one thing RnR knows how to do, it's medals!!

I was proud to post a 1:53:19 - very respectable for me/the conditions. I never thought I would expect myself - even with stops, pictures, etc - to post a sub 2-hour Half. Oh how times change ... and I love it!

And as always, I pay the $20 to get my medal engraved on-site. I would never want to get all the way home to have someone engrave my medal only to mess up my name or time. If they mess up on-site, they have a box of medals to replace it! :0)

After chatting with social media friend/blog reader Curt from TherapyRunner at the medal engravement, it was time to head back to the VIP area and meet up with my Team Refuel running mates. :)

Gotta love a mimosa post-race, right?

I had a great time chatting with running mates post-race, especially Jeremy and Paul.

After soaking up some final minutes of free food, it was time to head out and meet up with my friend Dave for beer, brunch and Patriots football.

I wish the race had less fog, but I guess I should expect that in Cali, right? The race was well organized, had great cheerleaders and spectators along the course and was a blast overall.

***

Have you ever run Rock 'n' Roll Los Angeles Half?

Haunted Trails Of The Night 10k

Soooo have you ever signed up for a race and didn't realize it was happening? Oh no? Is that not normal?

Well it has happened to be more than once ... and on one Saturday night (October 26) in LA it was no different.

Let me back it on up.

As we may remember when I left us off on Part 1 of my LA trip, I was in California to run the Rock 'n' Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon and meet some amazing social media friends.

Once we left the meetup, we headed back to my teammate's house to change and head to his brother's house. He had told me about the 5k his brother was racing that night. Ohhh hello race. My ears perked up. We chatted that morning that if they had an extra entry that I would be fact be interested in running.

Shocking I know. :P

As we headed to his brother's house to play with some puppies before heading to the run, I figured a free extra entry had limited chance of happening so I wore what I wore to the expo to his brother's house. It would be cool to cheer his bro on. I love spectating races.

While in the car, his brother let us know that it was a 10k. Oh cool cool.

We get to Paramount Ranch, where they apparently film shows/movies. Sure.

[video width="480" height="480" mp4="http://www.weightoffmyshoulders.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/2013-10-26-21.05.51.mp4"][/video]

As we walk onto the lot, BOOM! There is Linzie from SeeSharpRun! Whhaa?? He had told me he was running a race that night, but what are the odds he would be at this specific one. Well, turns out he is an ambassador for the race series. Hollah!

Ray (my teammate) asks the race director Keira if she possibly has an extra space for me - the girl that has come all the way from Boston. And generously Keira said Yes.

Wow!

So there it was. After running a 10k training run that morning, it was time for my second 10k of the day. Bring it!

Sweet swag and Finisher's Medal!!!

I was ill prepared clothing wise, but thankfully had my Got Chocolate Milk #TeamReful racing t-shirt on and my regular running shoes. The two-sizes too big Lululemon yoga pants would have to work. :P

This race was also (if you couldn't tell by the name) being held at night and I did not carry a headlamp in my pocketbook. (Note to self: carry headlamp at all times) The rule was you had to have some sort of light with your person so out came my trusty iPhone Flashlight app. Yup, laugh away folks. ;)

Now the group offered me some little flashlights, but thankfully Linzie had the best headlamp ever invented so I decided that he would be stuck with me the whole race. What? We had met a few hours earlier that day so we were ready to become BFFs.

I have done three local trail runs here in Boston that aren't as intense trails as I would experience at this race and they were in the daylight.

Who doesn't love a new challenge right?

Here is how the site described the event:

Runners of all levels and abilities are given the chance to practice and experience trail running in the night. This race will be a fun and very safe event, and all the while everyone will be able to enjoy the spirit and festivities of the Fall season.

Join us for two 3.1 mile loops of runnable non technical single track trails. This course is a fairly easy course with very little hills or climbing. Witness the trails of the night become illuminated by glow sticks, goblins, and loads of fun! Stay after the race for a haunted post race party in the historic old ghost town of Paramount Ranch. This is a Trail Race that should not be missed!

Thankfully Linzie agreed to stick with me during the race so we lined up together and were ready for the two 3.1 mile loops. Keira let us know that there would be volunteers and glowsticks along the course letting us know where to go.

Oh! And since it was a Halloween themed events there would be spooks and ghouls along the course. Umm yay?

The horn sounded, we headed out and I started my Runkeeper. Oh yeah, I forgot the Garmin at the house. (Note to self: ALWAYS carry Garmin in my pocketbook)

Right off the bat I knew this would be challenging. Again wicked thankful that Linzie had his "it looks like noon on a Sunday" headlamp on because my flashlight app wasn't cutting it.

First incline in I knew I was in for a long race. Being sick didn't help with my breathing. Oh boy! I sounded ROUGH, but knew physically I could make it through.

Linzie was on my page. This race wasn't about time, but about conquering the feat AND making it through injury free. We both had that pesky half marathon in the morning. ;)

Let me tell you it is tough running at night (I rarely do it!) and I felt okay slowing down to avoid injury.

I tried to enjoy and soak up the experience as much as possible. It was great to chat with Linzie the whole time about running, the Boston Marathon, blogging, Run Disney, life, etc. We are both doing the Dopey Challenge so it was nice to commiserate on our craziness together.

And I loved that as we approached a steep incline Linzie would say: "Endurance training baby! Endurance training!"

Ummm ... yay! :P But it was exactly what I needed to hear.

I, again, am a newbie trail runner and I thought to myself how are we not done with one loop yet? We finally emerged to the Start to stop for water and start the next loop. My breathing was so labored due to being sick I thought about stopping. Then I caught a glimpse of the medal out of my right eye.

Oohhh no I will NOT NOT get one of those babies. (that enough nots?)

I grabbed a quick sip of water and we were off again.

Now, I thought the second loop would be harder than the first, but it really wasn't. I knew it would be rough, but I was okay with walking.

There were a few inclines where we had to walk up to catch our breathe and I said: "This is ALL counting towards my 1,000 miles run in 2013." Thankfully Linzie agreed. ;)

The terrain was uneven (as one would expect) and there were some turns where I started to slip slightly down the hill due to lose gravel, but with the help of the headlamp we were able to recover.

I wish I could better articulate the elevation we traveled. I unfortunately couldn't snap any pictures since well - it was pitch black out.

As we moved/ran/walked/hustled/chatted through that second loop, a sense of sheer joy came over me. I was going to do it. I was going to accomplish 2 10ks in one day. Damn pride came over my whole body. I would never have thought a few years ago that I would look forward to doing something like that.

We realized we were just 1/2 a mile from the Finish and it was time to kick it up. We wanted to finish strong and finish strong we did.

We came out of the trails and back to the main Barn area...

... and I was given my medal by the cutest little Star Trek character of them all. I wish I had gotten a picture of him. He was probably 5 or 6 and just the cutest thing ever.

I am beyond thankful for Linzie. I wouldn't have completed the race or had half as much fun without him. It is funny to meet someone you have chatted with online in person and you just hit it off. I felt that way with him.

The race was really well run, the course was easy to follow, the volunteers were excellent and the ghosts/ghouls along the course were definitely scary. I can admit I screeched more than once along the way.

And the post-race party/spread was amazing. These trail runners know how to snack ... and I like it. :)

My Runkeeper also did a really great job tracking the race since I was out in the hills.

I officially finished in 1:20:54 - good for 34th overall out of 69.

I can't thank Keira enough for this opportunity. It was truly life-changing.

If you are in the LA area, please please please check out on of Keira's trail races. The group was so welcoming to this clear outsider and I had a great time!!

***

Have you ever taken part in an impromptu race? Are you a trail runner?

LA (Part 1): The Expo and THE Meetup

Did you all know I went to Los Angeles for a weekend, October 25-27? Oh you didn't. Wow! I should've talked about it a little bit more. ;)

Ahhh I crack myself up. Thank goodness I make someone laugh.

Anywho, I digress...

I headed to LA on Friday, October 25 to run the Rock 'n' Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon with Got Chocolate Milk's Team Refuel and meet some of my favorite west coast bloggers/Weight Watchers/social media friends!!

dani-rnrla-meetup

Excitement is an understatement for how I was feeling! :P

Thankfully I had a nice pre-flight beer (as one does) before heading from Boston to Denver and Denver to Burbank.

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Anyone who has to fly through Logan should hit up Boston Beer Works - drink local! :)

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I bought these in Denver airport based solely on the name!

Thankfully my flights were pretty uneventful, which is exactly how I like it. I was staying with a Team Refuel running mate, who actually arrived just as I walked out the airport. Hello timing!

Since I was on East Coast time, I hit the couch early so I could get up early and knock out a little 10k in the morning before the trek to the Expo/meet up! :P

Thankfully my running mate gave me great directions to a nearby bike path so I had a great out-and-back planned. It was gorgeous weather. Everyone I passed was in long-sleeved t-shirts and pants, but since again I was coming from East Coast weather (low 40s) I was in a tank top and capris. :P

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It was tough with my sickness that was still going strong, but I felt good at the end of the run. I tried to keep a nice pace as I had the Half the next day.

Once I finished I was on the look for chocolate milk and after three stores it was a success! :)

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I even spotted some cool cars along the way.

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After breakfast and a shower, it was time to take the Metro to the Expo! Woo! I love picking up a race bib. :) Dork I know.

The RnR Expo was held at the LA Convention Center so about a 25-30 minute train ride. It was totally worth it to not have to rent a car. Hello travel on a budget. :)

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Thanks to Ray for acting as my paparazzi. :P

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Spooky! ;)

The RnR expos tend to be nice and organized, which was also true at RnR LA. It was easy to pick up my number, get my t-shirt and get my swag bag. They switched up the bags this time (made 'em orange), which is nice since I have six of the same one. ;)

I made up to hit up the Got Chocolate Milk booth first and get my chocolate milk mustache on.

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Once this picture was snapped, it was time to check out the rest of the Expo ... which was surprisingly tiny. I thought there would've been more vendors there in such a big city, but it was pretty limited.

As I was on my second loop around the Expo (just in case I missed any sales), I ran into three of my favorite West Coast bloggers: Brian from PavementRunner.com, Linzie from SeeSharpRun and Andrea from RenewedMeHealth.com! YAY!! It was my first time meeting all three so of course we chatted then immediately made this awesome photo happen.

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Amazing, right?

I bid those fine folks adieu, but not for long. I was only heading to Yard House early to make sure we could get a table big enough for everyone that would be attending my #RNRLA meetup. I had no idea how many folks would actually show up, but I hoped it would be everyone I had hoped to see. :) The folks at Yard House were amazing and hooked us up with a great table with plenty of seating in an easy to spot location from the door.

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It was funny how nervous I was feeling to meet some of my favorite social media folks. It was like a first date. I just hoped - and expected - everyone to be as awesome in real life as are online ... and they were!! YAY!!

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Thank you Pavement Runner for this great group shot!

Do you want to know the fantastic folks I got to share tweets, instagram photos, laughs, smiles and beers with? Of course you do!!

We had the phenomenal:

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@PavementRunner and @RunningHutch - running and fitness gurus

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@EpicBeerGirl - a fellow craft beer lover

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@ReNewedMe - fellow WW Leader & Shedder of 170 lbs

mae

@ReducedFatGirl - WW Success Story & Shedder of 135 lbs

Unfortunately I didn't get to grab an individual picture with Gillian (@GillianBCN) or Linzie (@SeeSharpRun), but she is still awesome and he will make a big appearance in Part 2 of the LA trip!! :)

The conversation flowed as if I have known these folks IRL (In Real Life) for ages and it felt natural. It was an amazing opportunity that I am so thankful for. We talked about families, running, Weight Watchers, life, etc.

Now when I read these folks blog posts or tweets, I can actually read them in their own voices. Am I the only person that does that? :P

Thank you Yard House and thanks to all these folks for coming out and taking a couple hours away from their time in the Sun to join me for a beer ... Ummm carbo loading? ;)

After lots of hugs and goodbyes, it was time to snap one more fun pic with Brian.

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Pretty typical! Thanks for this shot Brian! :)

We wished each other luck in the race tomorrow (for those running) and it was time to get back to the Metro and head back to the house to change for the evening activities (which will be in a blog post of its own)...

... but now before passing this landmark. Oh hey Staples Center!

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And Gooooo Celtics! :P

I'll catch you all at the next installment of the LA Adventures ... that impromptu Night Trail 10k with Linzie of SeeSharpRun!

***

Do you love race expos? Have you set up a blogger meet-up before?

Dani Dishes 10-28-13

This episode of Dani Dishes takes place in Los Angeles and recaps an amazing weekend of fun, friends, beer, running and sun!!  

Going Going Back Back 2 Cali Cali

I'll give everyone a minute to finish up singing/dancing to the title of this post. Oh you know I busted a move while I wrote it. :)

dance

That is totally me in the middle!

Anywho, what we were talking about?

Yes yes Cali.

So this afternoon I am off to Los Angeles. Woo! This will be my first time to LA.

When I go to LA I will just see celebrities everywhere and become BFF with them, right? Oh is that just on TV? Ah. Gotcha.

I lived in San Francisco for about 10 months in 2007 while I was working for the Giants. I visited San Diego with the team, but haven't been back in Cali since 2011.

I am heading to sunny warmer brighter California (sorry chilly Boston) for the Rock 'n' Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon which is on Sunday, October 27.

I will once again be reppin' my Got Chocolate MilkTeam Refuel orange/black singlet, orange Sparkly Soul headband, "gunmetal" Sparkle Athletic skirt and orange Zensah compression sleeves & sports bra.

run

Still love this pic from Mission Meltdown from RnR Philly

I thought about dressing up in costume since it is so close to Halloween, but am saving all my costume funds for the Dopey Challenge in January. ;)

I am wicked excited to hit up the West Coast and hopefully meet some social media friends/blog readers/fellow runners/Team Refuel running mates/Weight Watchers friends. I am planning on being at the Yard House near the RnR LA Expo (at LA Convention Center) at 1pm on Saturday.

dani-rnrla-meetup (1)

Sooo if you are in the area please try and stop by! I would love to see as many people as possible. :)

I'm not sure how much of LA I will really see since I am not renting a car, but I'm sure running the half marathon will give me a glimpse into it.

Plus I will really just be soaking up the nice weather. :P

***

Many people have asked me how I am able to race/travel so much - frugality my friends.

Thanks to this blog and my Team Refuel sponsorship I have been awarded many complimentary race entries which I am truly truly honored and so thankful for. I would not be able to participate in some of the best local and national races without these honors.

But when it comes to travel and housing that is all me. I don't get any help/sponsorship for those so I use frequent flier miles to fly or I will ask my parents for a flight somewhere in place of a Christmas present. If it is a race in the Northeast, I have been able to get decent train tickets thanks to Amtrak or Bolt Bus. It isn't the quickest way to travel necessarily, but it is cost-effective. :)

For housing, I have been relying on the kindness of friends, family and teammates for a guest bed or a couch. A couch isn't the comfiest thing to sleep on the night before a race, but I will take it.

I try to also pick races that could become a racecation. If we are doing our one big vacation for the year, I will try to hook a race to it. For example, Disney in 2013 and 2014 have been our big splurges. Thankfully the wife goes along with that plan as well. ;)

tori-me

But racing is expensive so if anyone has ideas of ways to get sponsorship or help with travel/lodging please let me know!!

For now, I will start packing for LA and be thankful I have a nice teammate in Ray who is letting me crash on his couch this weekend!

***

Have you been to LA? Running RnR LA? Do you travel for races?

Rock 'n' Roll Brooklyn 10k Recap

No. Sleep. Til. Brooklyn!!! What? You really didn't think I would pass up using that as my opener? C'mon now. :P

I was REALLY looking forward to this little trip to NY last weekend (October 11-13) as I have a lot of great Weight Watchers/blogging friends that I was going to meet up with as well.

After leading my final Weight Watchers meeting of the week on Friday (October 11), I hustled home to change, pick up my bags, and head out to the train station. I was annoyed by all the security/waiting when I flew to NY in June that I went with Amtrak this time around.

I got to South Station with plenty of time to spare, bought my second Dunkin Iced Coffee of the day (hey! I was up at 5am! Don't judge) and settled in to wait for the train.

I knew I'd be on the train for a good 4-ish hours so I made sure to get in as many steps as possible before boarding. My train departed at 11am and I was over 6500 steps by then. Yay!

I settled in to a nice window seat. Hello plugs to charge my phone. And got comfy. I did try to get up and walk at least once every hour while on the train, which was easy for me since I drink so much water. :P

It took me awhile to realize that we were in fact behind schedule. Ahh! I was going to be cutting it close enough to packet pick-up. I was landing in Penn Station at 3:15pm and packet pick-up ended at 5pm in Brooklyn. I didn't need a delay to kick this off.

Thankfully I was tweeting with RnR while on the train letting them know about my hold up. I just kept trying to put good juju out into the world that it would all work out.

After arriving 30 min late (curse you Amtrak), my friend Kitty was on hand to meet me and help shuttle me through the public transit system to get to Brooklyn in tact. ;)

AND...

WE MADE IT!!

Yes! We made it with time to spare. Phew!

Ummm Corral 1, how did that happen??

After picking up my bib, we needed to celebrate with a beer of course. Kitty and I met her brother's roommate for dinner and to unload my bag so I could save time storing it in the morning before the race.

I met up with my girl Sheryl (aka Bitchcakes) for a nightcap and to crash on her couch. I am so thankful that Sheryl opened up her apartment to me. I was able to crash on her couch and use a car service to head to the race the next morning. Sheryl lives in Brooklyn so I thought she would be close to the start. Yeah Brooklyn is bigger than I thought.

Thankfully it all worked out and the $22 car ride was totally worth it in the morning to make it to the race safely and on time.

I met up with my Team Refuel teammates - Anthony and Lisa - to chat before the race.

I love racing and meeting all these amazing teammates from around the country!! Plus the VIP tent was crucial, private bag check and private port-o-potties. Thanks Got Chocolate Milk for the hook up.

As we were chatting, I realized we had just 40 or so minutes until Game Time AND I hadn't eaten. Dammit! So I got my KIND Bar out and scarfed it down.

I headed over to the Start Line and set myself up in Corral 1. Feeling out of place is an understatement. I had no idea how I ended up there, but I enjoyed the experience of being so close to the elite athletes.

My stomach was feeling off. Gah! Not a good sign. I shook it off to nerves. No matter the distance I ALWAYS get nervous before a race.

After the National Anthem, the horn sounded and we were off.

Enter more intense stomach cramps. Dammit! I knew it. I ate too close to the race. I try to NEVER eat closer than one hour to Start time and I failed at that. I was hoping I would still be okay, but apparently not.

From the onset, I felt like I was going to throw up. Yup, this was going to be a looong 6.2 miles. Thank goodness it wasn't a Half or a Full.

I just tried to focus on seeing friends and enjoying the scenery than the pain.

But as the race went on the pain got more intense. It was fun to run through Prospect Park in Brooklyn. The bands and fans helped take my mind off the pain until I crossed the 5k mark. I thought to myself how am I going to make it through the last half of this race.

I looked down and my pace was getting slower and slower. Ugh! Well clearly I wasn't PRing that race so the best I could do was focus on finishing.

The race was pretty flat as we can along the outside of the Park. Shortly after the 5k check point, we took a right and headed back into the Park.

As we approached Mile 4, we started going up an incline. Oh that was that hill that Sheryl told me about. The pain increased. It got so bad that at Mile 5, I stopped and tried to make myself throw up. I thought it would help. Well it didn't work so I just started running again and just get to the Finish.

The race ended on a downhill, which was nice so I just tried to pick it up and Finish strong.

I even managed one of the best action shots ever during a race.

I look like I know what I'm doing. :0)

I crossed the Finish Line and almost kissed the ground. I was so happy to be done, but proud of myself for pushing through and finishing. I actually felt zero pain in the rest of my body besides my stomach which I took as a good sign since I had been battling a foot pain the couple weeks prior.

I was pretty impressed with finishing on such a precise time and overall I did well compared to when I started racing. But, in the moment I was upset. I had the right to be. I accepted my thoughts and moved on. Plus, I had chocolate milk to drink!!

AND I even got to take a pic with a celebrity!

Hello Nesquick Bunny! :P

I waited in the very long line to get my medal engraved. It's worth the $20 to me to get it done onsite because if they mess up they have a box of medals right there to fix it. Wouldn't be the case if I got it done at home.

After meeting up with Kitty, who kicked race butt, I headed back to the VIP tent for some post-race food and refreshments. Again, thank you Got Chocolate Milk for the hook up. This was definitely better than the free Michelob Ultra you usually get (which I always pass on).

Yay wine!

Before heading out with Kitty, I was able to FINALLY meet up with a social media friend and inspiration to me, Amy (aka The Awesome Mom) and it was magical. :)

She was as pleasant and sparkly in person as I imagined.

Kitty and I headed out to grab my bag from her brother's place and meet with the rest of the crew for lunch. Now there was some train issues going on in NY due to construction or something. So our trek from Brooklyn to Melanie's hood seemed to take forever. Especially lugging my bags around. We ended up on 2 trains and a shuttle bus, but we finally made it safely to Melanie's.

We cleaned up a little and headed to brunch with other friends I had wanted to see while in town.

This group shed 330+ lbs through Weight Watchers!

I was glad that everyone got along since not everyone knew each other beforehand. :)

We then celebrated with a little pub crawl before turning in early. It had been one long day and I would be spending the next day traveling back to Boston on a not so comfy Bolt Bus.

Overall, it was a quick, but jampacked weekend in NY. It was great running a rare 10k. I wonder how long Rock 'n' Roll will keep this race around before changing it to a Half or Full. It seems inevitable in my opinion since the 10k is so rare these days.

I loved the down and back during the race since I was able to see Janine and her mom racing as well as Amy and my Got Chocolate Milk teammates.

And now I know - no eating less than 1 hour before Game Time. It will just end ugly!

*The More You Know*

Oh and RnR Brooklyn was my third of 4 RnR races on the year. I have RnR LA left on October 27.

***

Have you run Rock 'n' Roll Brooklyn? Do you love the 10k distance?

I rocked & rolled through Providence...

Redemption. I was looking to redeem myself at this year's Rock 'n' Roll Providence Half Marathon.

Why?

Well last year I ran this race and narrowly missed a PR by a minute or so. But I was beat. I lost steam. I didn't know the course. I wasn't ready for the hills. I wasn't ready.

But, 2013 would be different.

I am a stronger now. I am wiser. I know the course.

So I was ready to enjoy the day.

Pressure?

Nope.

Why?

Well, I was going to be running the ZOOMA Women's Half Marathon the day before on the Cape so I knew I wasn't going to PR in Providence.

But, I wanted to come out on the other end feeling STRONG since I felt the complete opposite at the end of last year's run.

On Saturday, September 28 after finishing the ZOOMA Half and grabbing a quick shower at Nancy's, it was time to hit the road ... after a quick stop at Dunkin' Donuts of course.

Mmmm caffeine!

The drive from Falmouth to Providence would take about 80 minutes. I cranked up the tunes and set off.

The weather was glorious and I got to Providence early enough to grab lunch before meeting up with my friend Samantha, who I was crashing with that night.

On hear advice, I dined at PJ's Pub which was close to her apartment. Funny thing was I asked them to recommend a local brew and they said: "Harpoon IPA." Sorry miss. That is local to where I live ... not you. I was looking for a RI beer, but they didn't have any on tap. Sam Octoberfest it was to celebrate my race earlier that morning.

After my GPS somehow sent me to the wrong address for Samantha's, I got myself squared away and finally found her place. She met me in the parking lot and we jetted off to the Expo to meet our friend Robin. Yay seeing blogging/Twitter friends turned real-life friends! :)

We picked up our bibs...

... must be a small crowd if this girl - yes me - somehow ended up in Corral 2.

Speaking of small crowds, the expo this year was TINY. It took us no time to do a loop - or rather a couple loops - around the Expo. I wanted to take advantage of the free KT Tape booth, but some girl was getting most of her body covered in KT Tape so I bagged it.

We then headed over to the Got Chocolate Milk booth so I could take a couple pics and meet the other Team Refuel runners.

It was awesome meeting Jill and John - two amazing athletes!

And of course we needed a pic with the chocolate mustaches!

I had missed this at the last RnR Expo so I wasn't missing my chance this time around. :P

Samantha, Robin and I headed back to Samantha's apartment to unwind, watch some youtube videos on her Apple TV and enjoy a couple glasses of wine. My kind of night.

We enjoyed a nice dinner at Chili's since both Samantha and Robin are Gluten-Free so it worked for all of us then called it an early night.

Hey Flat Dani

Why such an early night?

Because the alarm was going off at 4:30am. Again, damn these early race times.

Providence has been known to have massive crowds in the parking garage so our goal was to get there early to secure a spot ... and early we did.

Thankfully Samantha is a local and got us in and parked quickly.

This gave ample time to enjoy my pre-race KIND Bar, have multiple trips to mall bathroom so we didn't have to use port-o-potties, hit up bag check and hide in the warmth of the mall before the start.

Oh hello Finish, we would be seeing you in a few hours after this was taken.

Before I knew it it was time to head to our corrals. I made a last minute port-o-potty stop (damn small bladder) and Samantha and I went to Corral 2. Robin was already settled into Corral 1.

While standing in the Corral, I saw my Tedy's Team runningmate Jackie, who I had actually ran into earlier in the mall as well. Yay seeing familiar faces.

Before the race, the game plan was to run with Samantha, but she was feeling severly undertrained so we were going to play it by ear.

My foot was feeling sore so I had no idea what my body would bring for the run.

The Start was delayed, which was tough in the chilly air, but the announcer tried to keep it light.

It was finally time to begin. Robin and Corral 1 went off and a couple minutes later it was our turn.

From the get go something felt off in my right foot. I had been battling a pain in the ball of my right foot earlier in the week, but this was coming from the arch.

I tried to shake it off and keep running. Samantha and I hung together the first 1.8 miles or so before I needed another port-o-potty stop. I figured it I went around Mile 2 I would be golden the rest of the race. My nerves get to me at the beginning of races.

Hit up the port-o-potty, almost ran over some of the 3-mile racers (oops!) and I was back on the course just in time for the first hill of the day.

But this time I was prepared. I buckled down and pushed up. It was easier this year. The weather helped, but I just felt smarter.

I turned up the music on my X-1 Headphones, which I attach to my visor and tried to zone out.

As we approached Mile 4, I knew the big hill was coming. This is like a hill for what feels like forever, but is really around a Mile. But it just keeps climbing. I remembered it from last year.

After giving myself a fist pump for making it through that mile, the pain increased in my arch.

It actually got so bad that at Mile 5 - the transition point of the Half Marathon Relay - I thought about quitting. I was going to get my first DNF.

Oh hell no I wasn't.

The rest of my body felt AMAZING. I would keep soldiering on. I stopped at Mile 5 to stretch and started running again.

I had a huge debate with myself during the next 2 miles. I started crying. The pain was tough. I knew that if it became unbearable I would stop. I am not risking my Dopey Challenge training for one race or one medal.

As we came down a hill approaching the water, I looked up and saw this sight. I had to stop and take a picture.

The fog was so thick it looked like a horror movie. I expected something to come out at me. It was a cool sight though.

But the pain got worse. I actually took my phone out of my armband, clicked it off airplane mode and texted my wife through the tears. I had no idea why she wasn't responding until I realized it was 8am on a Sunday so she was probably sleeping.

I put my phone away and got back to focusing on putting one foot in front of the other.

As I approached Mile 9, I started feeling better. The foot started loosening up and the pain started to subside. Maybe it was the adrenaline. Maybe it was the tears. Maybe it was working itself out.

But I just focused on enjoying the race.

I hit the Mile 10 marker, I looked across the street (as this was the start of an out and back loop thing) and saw Robin. I totally looked like a fan girl yelling: "ROBIN! ROBIN! GO ROBIN!" She looked fast and strong.

So I pulled from the depths of my energy and gave it all I had. I pushed through and reminded myself I had just a 5k to go! I can do that in myself. (Ummm not really but it worked in the moment)

I kept ticking the miles off with each step. When I hit Mile 12, I realized I was going to get Sub 2 - even with a half the day before and a bum foot. I also knew there was the hill approaching the Finish - it got me last year - but not this.

I pushed even harder once I saw the Mile 12 marker, but made sure to keep a little in the tank for that final hill.

I took the turn towards the Finish, squated down a tad in my stance and pushed. I gave all I had on that final hill.

There was the Finish Line. There was the Capital. There was the Chocolate Milk.

I had done it.

1:54:22.

Hell to the yeah.

With all that - half the day before and a sore foot - I finished just 1 minute and 24 seconds slower than last year. Are you serious? THAT just goes to show how much can change in a year.

Amazing.

Not sure the Chocolate Milk had ever tasted so good. ;)

Jill & I post-race

I chatted with the Got Chocolate Milk folks and headed off to get my medal engraved. I ALWAYS take advantage of the on-site medal engraving at the RnR races because if they mess up they have a whole box of medals right there to fix the mistake - not if I take it home. So it is worth the $20 to me.

Once the medal was set, I headed off to get my bag out of baggage claim and wait at the Letter X for my friends. It was so odd not having my wife there at the Finish and not seeing her out on the course. It took some wind out of my sails for sure.

Robin had OWNED the course and had delayed finding me because she needed a couple more cool-down miles. An inspiration to me on so many levels - she shed 90 lbs with Weight Watchers and completed her first Ironman in July.

Lucky to call her a friend!

Samantha finished. Her main goal. She did a great job too.

We didn't even plan to all be wearing Zensah compression sleeves. :P

It was great to spend the weekend with these two ladies. We had all done the race together last year as well, but staying together the night before made it special.

The Providence race is a great time. It is the right amount of challenge yet scenic enough to get you through it.

As always, the Rock 'n' Roll experience of having the bands along the course give you a bit of energy, the volunteers are always friendly and the spectators are encouraging.

We even hung out to watch the band for a little while. We were right up on the stage. I rarely go to concerts so that was just a cool experience.

Plus there are amazing places to grab a beer/food after the race. We had some misinformation on a couple places websites, but we ended up enjoying a great meal at Bar Louie.

But after a double race weekend it was time to head back home with happy memories in tow.

***

Do you enjoy the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series? Have you ever run in Providence?

I rocked & rolled through Philadelphia!!

Is there a better way to spend your birthday weekend than racing, exploring a new city, seeing an old friend, meeting online folks and setting a shiny PR?? NOPE!

Well not in my book. ;)

I arrived in Philadelphia on Friday, September 13th and had a great time walking around a bit with my friend Joann, who I've known since 7th grade (I'm 31). We hit a few local establishments before calling it an early night.

One of the best ways to explore a city - in my opinion - is on foot so I headed out bright and early Saturday morning (September 14th) for a little shakeout run before the following day's half marathon.

It was beautiful. Joann lives right by an entrance to the bike path so I hopped on and just let the legs lead me. I was planning on just running 2 miles, but I had something I wanted to see over a certain bend so I just kept running. I honestly wanted to keep going, but had to bring myself back to reality knowing I had a race the next day.

Thankfully Joann doesn't mind walking and Philly is a wonderfully walkable city so instead of driving or taking a bus or taking a train, we walked from her apartment to the Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia Expo. It was a great way to hit some of the "must sees" of Philadelphia and the weather was beautiful!

Rocky and I conquering our dreams!!

I couldn't ask for a prettier day to explore a new city!

LOVE - wish my wife had been with me so we could've taken a cheesy photo together

We had such a great time walking and talking that before I knew it we had finally made it to the Expo.

After picking up my bib...

I made sure that one of my first stops was to the KT Tape booth to get my knee all taped up for the following day then it was time to see my favorite people: Got Chocolate Milk & Team Refuel.

Should I host my own radio show? ;)

Joann and I wandered around the Expo, trying out some free samples, running into familiar faces from Boston (yay Kelsey) and making sure I nabbed a sweet pic in front of the green screen.

I should wear these glasses all the time, right?

Following the Expo we hit up the famous Reading Market and continued our sightseeing/trek back to her apartment. We saw almost all historic landmarks Philadelphia had to offer as well as some of the most historic taverns. Balance, right? ;)

We had a lowkey/chill dinner before I called it an early night. I had an early wakeup call with the race.

Joann was gone, but thankfully she had a full length mirror so I could still do my pre-race selfie. Important or the race won't happen. :P

I got myself ready nice and early so I could hit up Dunkin Donuts first (hello coffee) and give myself plenty of time to get lost walking to the Start - just in case.

I did love the art on the walls of a certain bridge underpass as I walked to the Start.

It gave me something to think about as I ran later.

Thanks to Got Chocolate Milk & Team Refuel I was able to hang out in the VIP tent prior to the race and meet up with some of my teammates.

The wonderful Erika & Angela

The VIP tent was sah-weet. They had snacks, a special bag claim as well as Elite athletes all over the place. I felt extremely out of place, but had a great time sitting and chatting with my teammates. It was also nice to have a special area with bag claim and port-o-potties to use before heading to the Start Line.

Apparently I was too busy chatting, having my pre-race KIND Bar and Energybits and using the bathroom to realize I was cutting it close to the Start.

I had to hightail it over to Corral 4 and made it pretty much just in time.

Before the race started, I tried to tell myself to just take it easy. I was trying to use the race as a simple long training run. BUT I was also told that Philly was one of the flatest courses around and a great place to PR.

My mind and body were torn. Once the Start gun went off I said I would listen to my body. And no matter what enjoy the run.

And from the get go I had to pee again. I had to talk with myself of when to stop and use the port-o-potty or skip it. I also was sad to know I had zero people watching me along the course. I get sad when I don't have even one spectator I know personally.

But as I turned the corner (around Mile 2 I believe), there was a smiling face I was happy to see. The one and only Mission Meltdown (aka Dre). We know each other through blogging. He has one amazing infectious smile. I was BEYOND happy to see him. Plus he snapped this pretty sweet action shot.

I used his energy and love to push through the rest of the race.

I decided to hit a port-o-potty before the 5k mark and I was happy I did. Short line so the whole experience took under 45 seconds.

Once I left that spot, I was golden the rest of the race.

I just kept trying to enjoy the scenery around me and take in the experience. I actually was around the same few people the whole race so I made it my mission to try and stay with them or ahead of them for the rest of the race. Sometimes during long races you need to play games with yourself to distract yourself from the time.

I also was using a pacing bracelet for the first time ever. I picked the 1:45 bracelet out of the bin at the Expo. My previous PR was 1:44:30 so I thought having the bracelet might be a nice experiment to see how well I did.

It actually helped me make up time after the bathroom stop. :)

Philly is legit flat/downhill folks. We kept going down and down and I thought to myself at some point we HAVE to hit a large hill, yet we didn't.

I was making glorious time and my body felt awesome.

It was around Mile 7 that I realized. I might hit a PR if I play my cards right, but if I miss it - it will all be because of my darn bladder. :O)

I was cruising along listening to the convos of the folks around me when I came across a Rock 'n' Roll and Team Refuel legend - George (probably during Mile 8). We were online friends, but had never met in person. All of a sudden he came up next to me. It was great to have someone to chat with for a couple minutes - especially someone you have been wanting to meet in person for awhile now.

Every time I hit a Mile Marker, I checked my Garmin and checked my 1:45 pace bracelet. I was on my mark of trying to stay at least 30 seconds ahead of the pace band.

As we hit Mile 10, I just told myself "You just have a 5k to go - kick it up a notch." I tried to give it everything I had. I wanted a PR so bad I could taste it.

I tried to just focus on passing people - it takes my mind off the PR - and keep myself strong.

We were still on a slight decline, which confused the heck out of me. If you go down, at some point you have to come back up ... except in Philly. :P

As we passed the 12 mile mark, I ended up near someone running in jorts (jean shorts). I COULDN'T have this person beat me so I had to et in front of him.

I saw the Mile 13 mark and the road finally started to have an incline.

Of course!

Of course it would incline during the last tenth of a mile.

But I dug deep and gave it everything I had.

I crossed the line, grabbed my medal, took my post-race photo and finally looked at my Garmin. Unofficial time of 1:44:08 ... a freakin' PR!!! Ahhh!! Even with a 45 second port-o-potty stop.

I headed over to see my peeps at the Got Chocolate Milk tent ... I needed my sweet sweet After of chocolate milk.

I even got to snap a pic with George after he finished.

Love his hair! :)

After chatting with Lindsey from Got Chocolate Milk, it was time to head to the medal engraving tent and get my medal engraved. It is totally worth the $20 to me. I do it at each Rock 'n' Roll event. Why do it onsite? Well if they mess it up, they have a whole box of medals sitting next to them where they can redo it. You wouldn't get that if you waited til you got home.

The man told me I had an official finish time of 1:44:12. Still a PR by 18 seconds! :) Hell yeah! I jumped up and down!

Oh I'm sorry, does that say SUB 8 min/mile pace for a freakin' half. Yes it does. Whhaaa??? Me. Lil 'ol me. It is CRAZY what my body can do now. I am loving every moment of this adventure.

After my medal was all snazzy, it was time to head back to the VIP tent and wait for my Refuel teammates. The one thing I dislike about the RnR events is their post-race beer choice - Michelob Ultra. I just don't like wasting calories/Points on that beer. I have specific beer taste. ;)

BUT, when I went into the VIP tent, there were mimosas. Oh yes I will have one of those ... thanks!

I LOVED the medal and really needed to thank Team Refuel for the chance to run this race.

I added my own sparkle thanks to this Sparkle Athletic skirt.

As I was enjoying my mimosas and snacks (mmm bacon), other teammates starting trickling in. It is just such a treat to meet these online friends in real life.

What a great crew! Thanks Angela for the pics!!

This was a great great race. It really is one of the flatest courses I have ever run on. It was scenic. The bands along the way were rockin'! The volunteers were energetic. And the crowd - as always - was lively!!

Would I recommend this race? For sure!

After hanging with the crew for awhile, it was time to head back to Joann's house, grab a shower and hit up lunch with Joann. Sunday afternoon we finished up some touristy stuff, but called it a night early. Ordered in some sushi for a pre-birthday dinner and watched a movie at her place.

A lovely end to a lovely day as I had an early wakeup call the next day to head home. Yes I got to travel on my birthday. :P

Overall, it was one truly amazing weekend. I was surrounded by so much love, earned a shiny PR and just enjoyed the experience. I am one lucky lady for the opportunities I have received.

Until next time Philadelphia...