Race Time is in!!!!

I've been desperately checking the YMCA's website, hopeful that the time results of our run on Saturday would be posted. I made several phone calls just double checking I had the right website. Obsessed? Naw, just ANXIOUS!

So finally I get home tonight and though I was told on the phone this afternoon the results would be posted tomorrow, I took Angel's advice and checked anyway :-) Sure enough, they posted!!! Unfortunately no pics have posted yet for me "borrow" but that's okay- the time was in.

As I said in my first post about the run, I thought I did it in about 52 minutes. Well I am HAPPY to admit, I was WRONG! Did you catch that honey?! I'm admitting I'm wrong! (who am I kidding, I'm wrong all the time! haha)

I completed the race in EXACTLY 50:00minutes!!!!! No additional seconds! Crazy huh?! That may seem like a lengthy average mile (10 minutes) but for me...a girl who just recently started running a few days a week, I thought that was pretty good! I am SO proud of myself! One, for actually following through and participating, two for not stopping but a couple of times (uphill portion about killed me which I didn't stop until after I huffed up the hills), and three for finishing in under an HOUR! That was my internal, private goal. I exceeded it by 10 minutes!! WAHOO!!!

Now I'm very anxious to decrease my average mile time, but at the same time, I'm feeling very excited to start training for a half marathon! Who cares if it takes me all day...the natural "high" I felt after my run Saturday I'm sure would be SO intensified by completing a half marathon!

I ran today at lunch, and it's just NOT the same. No one was passing me up...I wasn't passing anyone up...and all I had to look forward to was going back to work! Yes, I'm thankful to make money...but there was no one cheering me on as I approached the building!

I've been researching upcoming runs locally to participate in and think I've found some good ones...but I just found tonight this AWESOME one I want to do, but I want to get a team together to do it. The Dirty Dash: http://www.thedirtydash.com/default.aspx Does that not look like the funnest thing ever?! Though it's not local, I think the drive would be well worth it!

Anywho: as soon as I can "borrow" the race pics that were taken by others, if they aren't too horrible, I'll share them.

50:00 - HOORAY!!

The Big Run

Maybe to most, 5 miles seems like nothing, but to me- someone who has never really ran more than a mile at once until just recently, completing this event was a big accomplishment.

Unfortunately the route wasn't all flat like it is when Angel and I run on our lunch breaks (2 miles). The ridiculous uphill portion about killed me, but I didn't stop. In fact, I was passing some of the people who had passed me in the beginning!

My sweet husband came to the finish line to cheer me on. He knew how excited I was to have a NUMBER so came to document me crossing the finish line. Silly to be excited about the number?- maybe, but he loves me anyway.

The event was timed, but unfortunately our times are not being posted with the photos that were taken by the event sponsors until this week. I think I finished in about 52 minutes- we'll see what the judges have to say. I'll update once I know.

I definitely want to continue participating in these great events. I can see how they can become addictive! I told Angel that I'd definitely consider a half marathon, but I first need to do a few more smaller runs and see how they go.

Here are a few pics Taylor took of our fabulous morning:

Almost to the finish line: I don't think I even saw Taylor yet

Hi Honey! I'm EXHAUSTED!

I stopped so suddenly I became dizzy and had to have an event staff rip off my tag for my time info! Haha I grabbed some water and went to see my hubby. The man behind me looks so funny! I know it's just a yawn, but it cracks me up!

THEEEE Number!

"Slow it down, start slowing it down..." the guide led Angel in

I haven't a clue, but I thought this pic was funny-

Me and my supportive husband

Thanks for coming to support me honey- You rock my socks

Me and Angel: I wouldn't have done it without her!

What a great way to spend the morning! I didn't win any ribbons, but Angel scored a $25 gift card to a South Sound Running! A bunch of runners left who were chosen for the gift cards so the announcer started looking at people in crowd and started shouting numbers he saw: 44 was one of them! Lucky girl!!


On a side note, I went to the eye doctor after the run because I've had a terrible itch and nastiness going on in my left eye. The diagnosis? ALLERGIES! Never had allergies in my life and I've always been so proud to say so! Not anymore. I thought maybe after I had kids little things like that might change about me: hair color, allergies, acne (going away for once!) but no- NO kids and allergies. Is it a mid-twenties issue?! Ugh!! So my pictures from this morning really showed off my swollen eye balls-I couldn't believe how itchy they were. I was given some eye drops: so far they haven't helped, but maybe over time they will. LAME!

Well until my next run...

2 Miles

So..... I'm really excited to be participating in my first official run! I've talked about participating in various runs, but have yet to actually DO IT! My friend Angel loves to run and ran her first half marathon this past December. She asked if I wanted to participate in an upcoming 8k with her, and I thought, what the hey! I can do it!

We've been running on our lunch breaks in preparation for MY big debut and her practice run for an upcoming half marathon. We ran 2 miles today, in the rain, but only stopped twice for just a tiny bit. I was SO proud of us! (particularly myself for not being pooped!)

I get online to register for the run tonight, and take a peek at the map. As I followed it around with my eyes, I imagined the course in my mind....and I thought "there is absolutely NO WAY that course is 2 miles..." As I sat here contemplating the course,over and over again imagining the area- I finally searched "How many miles is an 86?" and embarrassingly realized that an 8k is NOT 2 miles!!! I am such a nerd! I've been excitedly saying to people "I'm running my first run, an 8k...I know it's only 2 miles, but..." OH MY GOODNESS! Why hasn't anyone said anything?! "Oh poor Kari...she thinks she's running 2 miles! Jokes on her!"

I can't stop laughing out loud at myself every time I think about this epiphany tonight.

I guess I better step up my game! I thought I would have a fabulous finish time for the 8k(2 mile) - 5 miles might be a different story! Wish me luck!!!

Mother's Day Dinner

Taylor wanted to make dinner for his mom for Mother's Day. He asked her if she'd be okay with those plans and of course she said YES! I found a recipe and Taylor did his magic with it, and VOILA!

(We also had Dom, Chris, Haylee and PK over for dinner; Heidi had all her kiddos together for Mother's Day dinner!)

So after my family left, we quickly cleaned up, did dishes, and I made some delicious double fudge brownies with fudge topping (Yes, of course I ate some of the batter...my favorite part!) Once I was done in the kitchen Taylor got started on dinner.

The menu:
HOMEMADE teriyaki sauce
Chicken Teriyaki and veggie stir fry
Steamed brown rice
French bread slices with butter (left over bread from the french toast breakfast)
Strawberries/Grapes (left over from breakfast)
Dessert: Brownies with french vanilla ice cream

Quite the tasty day! Taylor had done the majority of the cleaning and preparing of the food for my Mom's breakfast, so after dinner I was sure to do all the clean-up so he could visit with his family just as I had in the morning.
Dinner and visiting was great! Heidi even said it was the best Mother's Day she's ever had! Pretty sweet kids she has.

We are so thankful for our Mother's and the way they raised us to become the adults we are today. I know that without my mom, I wouldn't have met Taylor: without the values she helped instill in me- I wouldn't have known to look for a man as spectacular as Taylor.

Moms are great: they never receive the credit they deserve. Thank you to all the great mommies out there! I can't wait to become a mother myself...but it's fun to learn from all the great moms around me!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the Mothers, Moms, Mamas, Nanas, Grams', Mommies and Mommies to be.
To our Moms: WE LOVE YOU!!!

Mother's Day Breakfast

This is my 2nd attempt to post about our lovely Mother's Day. The first post I wrote Sunday night was almost completely deleted when I posted! UGH! So I'm going to add the pics, then write about it...We'll see how it works.

Our day:
Woke up at 5:00am, thinking of all the things I needed to do. Made myself lay there until 6:30am but did not get any extra sleep.
Made coffee cake
Finished cleaning the house
Set the table
and finished preparations for our BREAKFAST with my MOM, GRAMS,SISTER, and NIECE!

The menu:
Homemade french toast on fresh french bread
Strawberries and purple grapes (mixed)
Scrambled Eggs
Bacon (fresh yummy bacon from a local butcher shop)
and of course
coffee cake

Breakfast and visiting were divine! What a great way to treat the Mommies in my family.