Pretty Muddy Recap

And once again, I have taken a blog hiatus, but this one is not without good reason (but then again, I always find myself saying that). I am hoping this will be the last one of the summer, but you never really know with me! From Friday at 11am, until yesterday at 3:15pm, I drove approximately 11 hours. I went from Houston to Austin to Dallas to Houston to Austin, and in each city, there was some event or activity that was calling my name. So, if you will please forgive me for staying away for a few days, I will try not to let it happen again.

But, it's time for my Pretty Muddy race recap. As a blog ambassador, one of my responsibilities is to complete a post-race write-up, so that is exactly what I plan to do. I have to start it off by saying that while I had a wonderful time, and the race was a lot of fun, my experience will be a little bit different because one, I didn't have a group put together for this race because all of my friends are scattered across the world right now, and it is hard to motivate college-aged students to drive all the way to Dallas for a 3-mile run, and two, I couldn't stick around for any post-race activities, because I had to get back to Houston for my brother's high school graduation (more on that to come). So, my post will focus solely on the race and atmosphere itself.

The Race

After a non-traditional race breakfast of hard-boiled eggs and fruit salad,

I arrived at Skyline Ranch around 7:00am, which allowed me a great parking spot, for my 8:00am start time. I was glad I arrived early because that allowed me to check in, check in my purse to the gear tent, and participate in a 7:30am kickboxing class. It was definitely not an intense kickboxing class (can't be worn out for the actual race!), but it was a fun warmup event. I participated for about ten minutes before making my way over to the starting line.

This is the first women-only event I have ever participated in, so I was not used to seeing all of the fun costumes, but I loved seeing how much fun some of the groups must have had coming up with cute matching costumes, or catchy sayings. My favorite shirt that I saw said, "Strong Today, Sore Tomorrow." There were also lots of fun tutu's, and lots of pink, which I not only loved because I love the color pink, but because one of the race sponsors was Susan G. Komen, so I loved seeing all of the support and awareness being raised in the ongoing fight against breast cancer.

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At approximately 8:00am, the first wave of 2013 Pretty Muddy runners were off! I found myself toward the front of the pack, and we hit my two most anticipated obstacles first. The bubble tunnel was a bit disappointing, but that might have been because it hadn't had enough time to generate as many bubbles. I'm sure it was much better as the day went on. The slide was just as fun as I thought it would be - I felt like I was at an elementary school carnival all over again.

After the slide, however, was where trouble hit. We crossed a creek, and instead of staying left like we should have, a group of about five of us went right. We ran on for a while before a man in a golf cart chased after us, informing us that we were running the wrong way, and that if we continued following this path, we would be doing the trail in reverse. We decided to continue on the path we were currently running, but we sure confused a lot of women when they saw us running in the opposite direction!

We hit the creek again, and ended up running about half a mile through the water until we finally hit dry land again. At this point, there were only three obstacles left: the haystacks, the ball pit, and the large pile of mud that required submerging your entire body into the mud. I am not going to lie and say I was thrilled about doing that - I don't mind being muddy, it's just the fact that I am voluntarily covering myself in mud that gets to me. I wish I had a picture of myself all covered in mud, but I was not willing to get my purse and phone all covered in mud!

I immediately washed off as best I could, threw my old tennis shoes to the side, where they would later be donated to people in third world countries, grabbed my purse, and headed back to my hotel so I could take a shower and get in my car to make the four hour drive back to Houston. I made a stop at Bucee's for gas and a water bottle, and made it back to Houston by about 1:15pm.

My shoes are somewhere in there! (Source)

All in all, it was a really great event. I loved seeing women of all ages, shapes, and sizes out there looking like they were having a blast. Exercise can definitely be fun, and I think if anything is to come out of this blog, I hope that readers will come away with that the fact that anyone can start an exercise program, and everyone's exercise program will be a little bit different, depending on the particular person's likes and interests. Get muddy, wear pink, but just be sure to get moving!

Susan G. Komen

Happy Tuesday, everyone! One step closer to the weekend, right? Well, let's jump right in, because I have some exciting news regarding the Pretty Muddy Run in Dallas, that is taking place in only 24 short days (which also means that my brother graduates high school in 24 short days, crazy)!

Breakfast

Breakfast went as usual this morning, and I scrambled up some egg whites, sauteed some spinach, and topped it all with lemon pepper and salsa. I had a few handfuls of green grapes to go alongside the egg whites.

Workout

No more class means that my Tuesday and Thursday's are no longer jam-packed. This also meant that I got to take a 10:00am Body Pump class at the gym. You know how much I like my Wednesday spin instructor, and she is also the instructor of this particular Body Pump class, so I was glad to have the opportunity to take another class with her. It was a good one, and I really liked that she gave us the option to do inner-thing squats on the squat track. I have never thought to do that before, but now I will be sure to take advantage of it!

We also did this plank move called "Around the World," in that you start in plank position,

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move one leg out to the side (and back), move the other leg out to the side (and back), move one arm out to the side (and back), and finally, move the other arm out to the side (and back). It is much harder than it sounds, so if you are looking for a move that will challenge your regular ab routine, you should give this one a shot.

After BodyPump, I headed over to Town Lake to take advantage of this absolutely beautiful weather we are having. I walked the three-mile loop, and now I am ready to tackle a day full of studying and preparing for my final exam.

Pretty Muddy Dallas

It's been a while since I have blogged about this race, but since it is quickly approaching, and there is some exciting news regarding the race, I figured a post was appropriate.

Many of you are probably familiar with The Susan G. Komen Foundation, a foundation dedicated to fighting breast cancer, and eventually working to end it. The foundation has made incredible contributions, and it is a cause near and dear to my heart, as I know many who have been impacted by breast cancer. And that is why I am so excited to announce that Susan G. Komen is the official charitable partner of the Pretty Muddy Dallas event!

Jennifer Legere, the executive director of Komen Dallas County, expresses her excitement over the partnership with Pretty Muddy: "We are thankful that Pretty Muddy is joining us in the fight against breast cancer to help ensure Dallas County residents have access to life-saving breast health services. Each year, we invest 75 percent of the net funds raised back into Dallas County to support breast cancer education, screening, treatment and support services for medically-underserved residents. The remaining 25 percent goes toward national research to find the cures." Pretty Muddy is just as excited about the partnership, and I would have to agree with that excitement. Who doesn't want to help contribute to a great cause while getting your exercise in for the day? It's guaranteed to be more fun than logging those miles on a treadmill!

So, if you haven't signed up yet, make sure to do it quickly! And if you are planning to road trip to Dallas from Houston, please let me know, I'd love a car buddy!

My First Massage

I don't know what came over me, but yesterday after my cycling class at the gym, I felt exhausted. My body just felt tired and all I really wanted to do was lay on my couch and watch a movie. Unfortunately, schoolwork didn't quite allow me to do that without feeling guilty, but I decided that a little massage was just what I needed. Gregory Gym - our gym on campus - happens to offer 30 minute massages for just $33, so I decided to take the plunge. One of my roommates had gotten one before and just raved about it, so I decided to take the plunge and sign up. More on the actual massage in a minute.

Breakfast

To fuel me through a long day of class, I started off with two Van's Blueberry Waffles, topped with peanut butter, cinnamon, coconut flakes, and dairy-free chocolate chips. The peanut butter mixed with the blueberry is a very.. different taste. Not bad, just not my favorite. I also heated up two of my egg white vegetable bars to eat once I got to class.

After class, I took advantage of the sunny weather and swam 80 laps in the outdoor pool at Gregory. I still had about an hour before my massage, so I took advantage of that time and did a bit of reading, attempting to get a jump start on what I hope will be a very productive weekend.

Massage

The title of my post says this is my first massage, which isn't exactly true. It's my first real massage, but after the first day of the BPMS150 - a bike ride from Houston to Austin - I got a 15-minute massage, mostly for my legs, and I can honestly say that I wasn't sore at all the next day. And that was a good thing considering I still had about 80 miles to go. So, my thought process before scheduling this appointment was that if 15 minutes can make me feel essentially pain-free, a 30-minute massage will do wonders. Not that I was really in pain, but I think all of my recent training endeavors, paired with school, have taken quite the toll on my body. I didn't quite know what to expect from this massage, and I was a little nervous because I am very ticklish, but it felt great. It hurt, but in a good way, if that makes any sense. I feel 110% more relaxed, and my body feels so refreshed. I'd say it was a success, and if you are a UT student, I highly recommend taking advantage of this opportunity. Jeff is a rockstar!

And now I'm off to turn this Thursday into a productive one. And DON'T FORGET, there are only TEN MORE DAYS until this special offer for the Pretty Muddy Run expires. Just commit already! Look for some training posts coming soon!

Perfect Day

Happy Martin Luther King Day, everyone! I hope it has been spent doing something that makes you feel free. My day certainly started off on the right foot as Sarah and I woke up and spontaneously decided to go watch the sun rise. We drove to Mueller Park, my new favorite place, evidently, and captured an absolutely beautiful sight. The sun rise kicked off what has been another beautiful day here in Austin, and you will hear no complaints from me about the warmer winter weather.

Once we arrived back home, I enjoyed one of my favorite breakfasts: yogurt mixed with walnuts and raisins. It fueled me for a day of.. reading. And not for school, but for pleasure. For once, I am not just caught up with all of my school work, but I am actually a little bit ahead. Let's see how long I can keep this up! Anyway, I started a new book called Still Alice by Lisa Genova and I absolutely loved it. I couldn't put it down and though it was extremely sad, I cannot wait to dive into another one of her books.

So, after a morning full of reading, I decided to take advantage of the fact that not only is it my favorite weather outside, but that my toe was feeling much, much better. I headed over to Mueller Park for the second time today and got in a five-mile run through the park and the surrounding neighborhood. It felt so good, and I am hoping that I even managed to get a little color in my skin during my run.

After my run, I sat down by the pond and finished Still Alice before heading back home and indulging in my favorite snack - a honeycrisp apple with peanut butter. I could probably eat this three times a day and not get tired of it. I am now making some edits to my first paper of the semester and contemplating what outdoorsy thing I can get in before a conference call from the founder of Pretty Muddy Women's Runs, the run for which I am going to be a blog ambassador in Dallas. The fact that I am participating in a conference call tonight really makes me feel like I am getting old. Wish me luck - I am not sure how these things go!

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Pretty Muddy Run

Before I get to what might be the most exciting news ever reported on this blog, I will start with my workout and breakfast.

Workout

Before I hit the gym, I ate one of of my banana-oatmeal-almond butter muffins so that I wouldn't be working out on an empty stomach. It took a lot of willpower to stop at just one, but I managed to make it out of the house before eating any more. Since I took a strength class at the gym last night, today's workout was a hodgepodge of cardio. I spent 20 minutes each on the stair master, the elliptical, and the bike. I am hoping that my toe will feel ready to run by this weekend, because I am starting to get really antsy. Today is a beautiful (and cold) day that would be perfect for running!

Breakfast

Once I got home from the gym, I surprisingly wasn't too hungry, but I have plans to walk around Town Lake with a friend, so I knew I needed something to sustain me until lunch time o. So, even though it's very cold outside, I whipped up a cold, refreshing smoothie that featured frozen blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, a cut up banana, a handful of spinach leaves, and a tiny bit of almond milk. It was one of my better smoothies, because too often I either make them too thick or too liquidy, so I may have finally found a winning recipe.

Anyway, onto the more exciting news. On Monday night, I received an email from a fellow Texas blogger who was looking for bloggers to join their team and blog about this new women's mud run series called Pretty Muddy, and also encourage their followers to join them in getting "pretty muddy." The race is coming to Dallas in 2013, June 1st, to be exact, and I was honored to even be considered for the position. I sent in my information and was notified last night that I am officially part of the team, meaning I will be given a free entry to the race, as well as Pretty Muddy gear, in exchange for blogging about the event and getting the word out there about the race.

I did a Warrior Dash last November and I loved it. It was very muddy, but a lot of fun. I am a huge fan of obstacle courses, and this particular race has some fun ones. I am ecstatic to really be getting my feet wet in the healthy living blog world and to be a part of helping this event be as successful as it can be.

I don't know much about the event, but I do know that is is on June 1st, 2013 in Dallas, Texas at the Skyline Ranch. I would love it if you joined me - sorry, ladies only - in getting "pretty muddy." If you are interested, please contact me, and once I receive more information, I will let you know ASAP. I will be blogging about this event periodically over the next six months, including how I will be "training," and how I will continue my (mostly) healthy eating habits to sustain myself through this 5K full of mud and crazy obstacles.

I owe y'all a huge thank you for faithfully tuning into my blog every day (or at least a few times a week), because it is helping my blog gain more and more readers, which is more than I ever could have dreamed of when I began this endeavor a little over a year ago. So, thank you, and I hope you continue to read fitness & froyo, because I sure love writing it!