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Monday, May 27, 2013

Race Recap: Rum Run 10K

Hands down...  My favorite 10k in the Portland area by far!  Even with an evil hill at mile 4.66, and more sun than this redhead generally enjoys this was by far my favorite race!  I will definitely be signing up for it in the years to come.  I first signed up because the race offered a mojito at the end and not just the standard beer (which I am not a fan of).  But the race had so much more.  The course was fantastic.  It started in Tualatin and worked it's way up to Tigard and back.  Very rarely were we just on roads, but weaved through neighborhoods and Cook's Park.  I know now I need to head down to Cook's Park to run with Katie.  It's shady and flat!  A perfect combination.  I credit the course with my time.  No I am not by any means back to my usual 10 minute mile, but I am now within a mile of that.  I didn't feel ready and yet I held an 11:05 pace even with a water stop and the one hill I walked (I ran all the rest).  I actually improved a minute from my 8k time with Bridge to Brews a little over a month ago.  Woo hoo!  Oh it felt so good.  I kept my head up on the uphills, I let it ride a bit on the down, and I smiled as I went the distance.  Great race!  A must do for 2014 for sure.




After race delights and rewards!  The mojito and teriyaki chicken were fantastic!




Found some friends!  Lilo was hanging out with the food, and Mr. Tiki was guarding the rum.  I loved that fellow runners asked me about the WDW Marathon; I feel so much pride when I where that shirt.  I can't wait to wear my Dopey one!


The Pirate Loot!!!  One of the best looking tech shirts for a race and great snacks!  Not to mention a new cow bell.



The things that kept me going...  My Nike + Watch, Clif Shot Cherry Blok, and my Arbonne water bottle, and coming home to that face!




Thursday, May 16, 2013

Balance Revisited

Seriously!  Who can help me with this?  It is always the way, I start getting focused on one aspect of my life and then all other parts suffer.  Actually, I can focus on three things at once it seems.  Where does everyone find the time?  When I'm at work I'm dreaming about playing with my daughter, running, blogging, writing other things, starting my business, starting my book.  How do I fit it all in?  How do you?  It felt awesome to run during my prep period yesterday, but that only meant that the stack of 150 essays just sat there on my desk.  I still don't have the motivation to even look at them right now.  Summer is going to be so much fun.  Katie is getting so much personality; I can't wait to start swim classes and go running with her more.  Hopefully without my traditional job for two months I can catch up on my masters classes, blog, and training plans!  Not to mention really launching my Arbonne business.  I'm so excited about the products and am so hopeful that it will lead to me being able to spend more time with my family.  So if you are interested at all check out my new website!  DebbieShurson.myarbonne.com 

How would you use an extra couple of hours in your day?

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Community

I have to just say how much I love the running community!  I am so proud to be a part of it.  Not just for the big things like banding together for Boston, but for the little things as well.  I love this sport for the fact that I am only competing with myself, and everyone is so encouraging.  Case in point today...  I took a PTO day to be with my beautiful daughter and I decided it was time that we finally took our first run together.  As we headed out on the Fanno Creek Trail ( a good flat and shaded one) I saw the usual runners giving hellos and waves.  But my favorite came when I was passing two women out for a jog.  One of them saw me pushing Katie with my WDW Marathon shirt and yelled, "Alright!  If she can do it, so can we!"  Then flashed me a big smile.  That's right.  We all can do it!  I had missed my 6 mile training run this last weekend, but this 3.5 pushing Katie felt spectacular.  I can't wait to get out with her again.  It was so great after my day had started early with a smash.  No literally, I ran right into my bedroom door and fell down when I was running to check on Katie this morning at 4:00am.  Not even the sore, potentially bruised nose could keep me away.  What a fantastic day I've had with my little girl, the run and later tonight I am launching my Arbonne business (gotta find a way to stay home with Katie more and pay for all of these runDisney events!).  So much for hump day!  More like new starts day!  Thanks running community for always being there for me!



As you can see...  I worked a little harder than she did.  ;)  Someday she will truly run with me.

Side note:  More motivation came out today by the way of runDisney!  Check it out!
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2013/05/rundisney-reveals-disneyland-half-marathon-weekend-bling/

I wish I was doing it this year, but I will for sure be doing it next year!