Running For A Cure!

It's Monday everyone! So let's get on with this epic weekend recap! Friday Josh and I had a cozy date night at home and saw The Shining in the spirit of Halloween being just around the corner. Why must Jack Nicholson be so damn creepy? Those eyebrows.

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Saturday morning I started the day out running a really fast couple of miles to prep for my 5k for breast cancer awareness the following day. I was determined to do really well for this race. After I cleaned up, my mom and I set out to go to lunch, pick up my race packet and shopped around a little. I got the cutest hot pink top to wear underneath my T-shirt for the race. Because uh, hot pink for the win right?

For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you saw Apollo judging me all day long for carbing it up and not giving him anything. Just look at those judgmental eyes...

After a carboholic dinner, my dad and I shared the most amazing dessert. I can't even guys. An apple cider donut sundae? Give it to me now. And to make myself feel better I just told myself I would run that much harder the following day and that this little sundae really couldn't have TOO many cals right? Of course I'm right....

Once I got home, I totally banked on getting Leena Dunham's bio for $4.99 on my iPad! SCORE. I love it when iTunes has crazy limited sales on new book releases. #booknerdproblems. Also, I'm fully aware that I have over 2,000 messages in my inbox...fml.

The morning of the race I was so pumped. This Care4 Breast Cancer Awareness 5k race has become one of my favorite races. It's a local race and ALL of the proceeds stay within the county helping spread awareness and for cancer research. Sorry, but races like the huge Susan G. Komen for the Cure race, with assets over millions of dollars...only 20.9% of the funds that are raised go toward breast cancer awareness. Ridiculous. Okay but I'm off my soapbox. I got ready for the race and was pinked up. 

Like I said before, my mom is my biggest supporter. She got up with me to cheer me on. The cause hits very close to home too though, we have quite a few family members who were affected by breast cancer so I was determined! The race started at a nearby high school where all of the sponsors were set up inside (awesome because it was freezing out). 

As it was getting closer to race time, I warmed up and lined up at my pace marker. There was even a drone that provided race coverage overhead! The one thing that annoys the hell out of me before a race is starting my playlist and running app at the same time and ON time. #runnerproblems. I felt solid throughout the whole race, although holy batman it was COLD outside!! And these were my stats folks!! 

Normally, I wouldn't be too ecstatic about this time, but there were ZERO regrets going semi-off pace and track to high-five the little kids on the sidelines dressed in their little Super Man, Captain America and Iron Man costumes. There are just some things a girl just has to do. I crossed that finish line not even knowing if I was sweating or freezing.

I didn't make the top three in my age group which was my goal, but better luck next time! My mom and I headed home to get ready to pick up my grandmother for an amazing lunch/shopping ahead. How awesome is this selfie with my grandmother in our ridiculous cold weather hats? Thanks L.L. Bean for putting up with our shenanigans!

Although it was a cold weekend, it was a pretty awesome one. When are you willing to sacrifice your best time during a race?? Did everyone else have a good weekend?!

Rocking & Rolling on Race Day

Sunday morning...and when I say morning...I mean early enough where to some people it could very well be Saturday night still...the Chicago Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series was to begin! Now I'm used to early race days, but waking up at 4a.m. for a race is never going to happen again. My friend and I had a LOVELY time trying to park in our reserved spot since they basically started closing off the whole fricken Loop hours beforehand. When we finally made it and we lined up in our corrals, it was quite an amazing site to see how many thousands of people participated!

This was behind me...

And this was in front of me!

I'm pretty sure this was the largest race I've ever participated in and it definitely gave me the biggest running high ever. PLUS my friend and I stopped off at Sports Authority the night before and we discovered the best running compression capris EVER. Runners, I was not paid to say this, Under Armour's Women's UA Fly-By Compression Capris are the BEST. The best part is that I didn't even feel like I was wearing any pants and post-race, I was feelin' even better in them. Zero sweat and fuss. Sports Authority only has them for sale in store right now, but feel free to get them on Amazon too for $36.99! A STEAL. But really, new workout/race wear is primo motivation for me.

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Once my friend and I found out how amazing these were, we had to buy another pair. I bought these bad boys in their "Neo Pulse" color. How much win is this? A lot. I'm pretty sure these will most definitely be worn for my 10k coming up in two weeks.

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Okay you can thank me later. Now back to the race! A lot of people felt cheated afterward since there were many reports of the distance being longer than it should have been by half a mile...which if you're a hardcore competitor, that's a bfd. Also, times were off according to some reports. My GPS even tracked it to be a longer distance as well. HOWEVER it was a great race and there were awesome bands playing at each mile marker. The extra motivation was definitely appreciated since I just flippin' came back from vacation...where I did zero training.

I finished and I was able to do my victory pose in the middle of downtown, in the street and lived to tell the tale.

Of course I needed to stuff my face with a bagel too since I absolutely couldn't have eaten anything that early in the morning before the race. Free bagels, free swag...it was a great day. So attractive.

My only regret was that Ace of Base didn't make it to my running playlist in time before the finish. Luckily we all finished before it got really hot out. Grant Park was home to the thousands of finishers where we stretched out and snagged a bunch of free drinks and stuff from all of the sponsors.

I just looked at the "official" race day photos of myself too and yep, I look absolutely ridiculous in 80% of them thus far. So we'll settle for this post-race pic with our cardboard guitars. Because, yes.

I was quite impressed with myself since I didn't stop once and I kept on hauling ass! Not too shabby after all of that drinking and binging on snack food on vacation. Now to look forward to my 10k that's happening in two weeks. Bring it, bitches!