Streaking challenge complete...now, let's keep it goin!

If you've been following my blog you know that mid June I gave myself a challenge to do a 50 day running streak.  Well, this past Sunday (Aug 3rd) at the OC fair 5K fun run, I completed that streak!  I'm pretty excited to share my race recap along with my streaking thoughts so here goes... 

The Orange County Fair hosted a 5k fun run which goes through the fair and has several "Detours to Fun" along the way.  I did this race with my hubs, my little babes, and a few of my cousins.  The plan was to make this a fun family run, so pace and time were not a concern.  I didn't even wear my Garmin...what runner doesn't wear a Garmin during a race right?!?!  Anyways, there were loads of families and lots of people with jogging strollers.  I was surprised and excited to bump into fellow INKnBURN ambassador Tam.  Here we are sporting our awesome INKnBURN attire.

We started the race at 8:00am and had my little one in the jogging stroller.  She usually does pretty well in the stroller and I can get anywhere from 6-7 miles with her, but Sunday was another story.  Maybe she was distracted by all the rides, giant stuff animals, and runners, because after about a mile and a half she wanted out.  We made it to the first Detour to Fun which was a giant slide.  My little one was too small to ride so she stayed back with my husband while my cousins and I went on "The Giant Euro Slide."  

Right next to the slide there were a couple games open where you could win a prize, but the lines were long and my little one was  getting impatient so we continued on the course.  By now, my Little Babes would scream bloody murder anytime we attempted to put her back in the jogging stroller.  She wanted to be out and run amongst the runners and who am I stop her.  She is totally my child... and runner at heart :)

We finished the race, got our medals then waited for the fair to open.  I have lived in Southern California all my life and I'm ashamed to say that I have never been to a fair.  So we hung out for about a half an hour then went into the fair to try all the deep fried goodies that I am always hearing about.  We sampled the deep fried Twinkies, Snickers, and Oreos.  My personal favorite were the Oreos...so nomalicious!  We didn't stay too long as the Little Babes was starting to melt down and was in desperate need of a nap.  All in all, it was a great and fun race and we had a great time.  It is definitely a relaxed, fun, and family friendly event.  Would I do it again...absolutely!  

Getting our OC fair 5K bling...

Alright, now let's talk about the running streak.  I have to say that 50 days came and went in no time.  Like I've said in earlier posts, I have always been a runner and usually ran anywhere between 3-5 days a week so it wasn't too much of a challenge.  On days where I would usually have  rest day I would run a very easy 1-2 miles.  I have to say that I really enjoyed doing this.  At first, I struggled and there were lazy moments where I just didn't want to get out there, but once I got started, I was always glad.  It felt good to be and do something active everyday, even if it was a slow, low mileage run.  So, what's next for me you ask???  Well I've decided to extend the streak and do another 50.  After that who knows.  I plan to continue the streak until it no longer seems fun.  So we'll see.  This next 50 days will be interesting, because we will be going to England for a couple weeks in September to visit family.  So wish me luck and I'll keep you posted!  Thanks for stopping by :)

Distance Yourself with INKnBURN

I am so excited to announce that I have been chosen to join the INKnBURN ambassador team.  If you follow me on Instagram (runchelrun), you know that my choice of running apparel is INKnBURN; not only are the clothes comfortable, breathable, and moisture wicking, but the designs are beautiful and unique.

Have you ever been at the starting line of a race and seen at least 10 people wearing the exact same thing you are???  This is actually how I found INKnBURN, I was immediately drawn to the beautiful designs and art work that stand out against all the other running clothes.  INKnBURN is not just another clothing company that simply puts their logo in the corner of a racer back tank or at the bottom of shorts.  The elaborate designs include coi fish, cherry blossoms, and one of my personal favorites is the flutter design which is an abstract of butterfly wings and flowers.  Another great design and one of my other favorites are the denims.  I have the denim camisole which practically goes with everything and the dark blue denim shorts.  The denim shorts have to be one of my favorite pieces as in once I've worn them, they are immediately thrown in the wash so I can wear them again.  These shorts are light weight, don't ride up and they really look like denim shorts, which make them great for bopping around town.  The shorts, sports skirts and camisoles have small pockets to hold your gels or keys.  I have even comfortably put my iPhone in the pocket of the sports skirts during runs with no problems.

Here are a few pics of taken from my Instagram sporting my INKnBURN apparel...

Flutter Sports Skirt

                                             Run or Die Roses Camisole with Britney Sports Skirt

Drifting Petals and Lust Camisole with Britney Sports Skirt

Patriot Singlet Tank and Rock 'n Roll Run or Die Singlet Tank with Denim Shorts

Denim Camisole and Cherry Blossom Sports Skirts

Current Camisole with Denim Shorts. Fellow Ambassador Tam in Rock 'n Roll Run or Die Singlet.

INKnBURN is for people who want more from their clothes and life.  You will pay a little more for, but as the saying goes, "You get what you pay for."  The clothes are well made, beautiful, and well worth what you pay so, check out the website at www.inknburn.com and use my discount code: INBchel14 on your first purchase.  Enjoy!!!

Product Review - Aveeno Positively Radiant Targeted Tone Corrector

I was super excited to receive the Aveeno Positively Radiant Targeted Tone Corrector complimentary from Influenster.  This skin care product is suppose to help reduce the look of stubborn dark spots all while improving your skins radiance in just two weeks.  I definitely have some discoloration and uneven skin tone which I attribute to every day sun exposure and old acne scars so needless to say, I was all for giving this product a try. 

 

It's been just over a week and I have been using the product as directed which is to apply once in the morning and once in the evening before applying my moisturizer.  I have to say that I am actually starting to see a little change in the discoloration on my face, especially the dark spots on my cheeks.  This product is pretty awesome and smells really good.  It goes no smooth and leaves my skin feeling great.  It's also oil free, but doesn't leave my skin feeling dry.  If you're looking to improve your skins overall radiance give this a try.  I'm glad I did! 

#SweatPinkSummer Instagram Challenge Recap

I completed my first Instagram photo of the day challenge; not because I don't like doing them, but mainly because I never know where to find these daily photo challenges.  Often times when I stumble on one that looks fun to do, it's nearly half way over and my OCD will not allow me to start a challenge mid way :).  That being said, I particapted in the #SweatPinkSummer Instagram Challenge.  The challenge consisted of posting specific pictures over 10 days.  This was tons of fun.  I enjoyed thinking of what I could post for each day then looking to see what others posted via the challenge specific hashtags.  Here is a recap of my 10 day #SweatPinkSummer Instagram Challenge...

Day 1: Favorite summer snack -Fresh Berries...Mmmmmmm

Day 2: Favorite workout gear- Of course any clothing made by InkNBurn (flutter skirt pictured), my Garmin, and Mizuno Wave Riders.

Day 3: Summer vacation- Throw back to our trip to Bora Bora.  One of the most beautiful places I have ever seen and hope to return to one day.

Day 4: Celebrate July 4th- Started it off right with a 15K.

Day 5: Favorite recovery stretch or yoga pose- Camel Pose




















Day 6: Take a hike- Hiking in Laguna Beach

Day 7: Favorite way to #sweatpink- Running...Duh!

Day 8: Favorite book- No time to read for myself so I posted one of my favorite books to read with my Little Babes.

Day 9: #sweatpink with a friend- This is another throwback picture of me and two of my favorite running buddies.  One has moved far, far away so we only get to run when she is in town :( and the other doesn't live nearly as far, but the distance has made it hard to get our runs together in.  Miss and love both of these girls.

Day 10: Favorite summer activity- Anything that involves being with my Little Babes.  She is loves the water so we try to spend plenty of time poolside.

I really enjoyed this challenge and made quite a few new Instagram friends in the process.  I also just became a Sweat Pink Ambassador and couldn't be more excited to join their team.  Sweat Pink is an awesome community of people that come from all different walks of life.  They are all about promoting a healthy, active lifestyle and providing support and encouragement to all.  


Happy running my friends.   

Chia Chocolate Pudding

I have been meaning to make Chia pudding ever since I saw a recipe for it on the back of the package and thought...Hmmmm that might be good.  Up  until now I was just putting Chia seeds in hot water with honey and drinking it like tea, which is a super yummy as well and a great alternative to tea if you want a hot drink without the caffeine.  Anyways, I found this recipe online at blog.freepeople.com and tweaked it just a little bit.  It's a super delicious and healthy snack.  Even my 18 month old loves it.  Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/4 cup chia seeds

3 tablespoons baking cocoa powder

1/8 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt (found this at Trader Joe's)

1 tablespoon organic maple agave syrup (also found at Trader Joe's)

Put all ingredients in a medium sized glass bowl and mix well.  After 30 minutes, mix again to prevent chia seeds from clumping together.  Cover and refrigerate over night.  

*I like to garnish with fresh berries and sliced almonds.  I also drizzle and toss the berries in just a little of the syrup before serving.  You can also garnish with chocolate shavings and other fruits...the possibilities are endless.  

*This recipe is great because it can be tweaked in so many ways.  Last night I made a vanilla one by omitting the cocoa powder and adding 1 tsp of vanilla.  I also used less almond milk and added Greek yogurt.  Can't wait to try it today.  I'm sure it will be delish!

Meet me half way

Well, I've made it to the half way point of my 50 day running streak and I have to say that this is easier than I thought it would be.  They say it takes 21 days to form a habit, but maybe because I was already a runner this came much quicker.  Prior to this challenge I was running anywhere from 3-5 days a week, so really I was just adding a few more days. 

How am I feeling, you ask???  GREAT!  I have to admit that on some mornings, I fell lazy and don't really want to lace up and get out, but I blame that on two things.  First, it's been really hot lately and second, if I don't get up early enough before the hubs leaves for work, I gotta take the Little Babes with me in the jogging stroller.  And I'm sure every mom can side with me when I say that when you have to take your little one...or little ones with you, it's kind of a whole production.  I've gotta make sure she's got sunblock on, I pack her breakfast and all sorts of snacks.  I even pack toys and music for when she starts to get bored.  Seriously, once I've packed the stroller and left the house, I am exhausted.  But on the bright side running with the Little Babes in the stroller has definitely made me a stronger runner.  Shout out to all you mother runners!!!

So here I am at day 25 and I am surprised at how quickly it has gone.  At this point I have logged a total of 87.15 miles (each week I am trying to gradually increase my mileage).  The annoying knee pain that I was complaining about at Day 11 is gone...Yipppppeeeee!!!  But, I am very careful not to forget my stretching, foam rolling, and pressure ball.  Looking forward to the next half of this challenge and hoping to finish it strong.  Wish me luck and happy running friends!!!

Thanks for stopping by :)

4th of July Festivities

What better way to start of the 4th of July than with a race???  This year, I headed to my old stomping ground in Santa Monica to run the Red, White, and Blue 15K which was put on by race organization, A Better World Running.  I stumbled on this race and organization while looking for a 4th of July race on active.com.  A Better World Running is an organization that puts on small, intimate, timed fun runs throughout Southern California.  The races consist of 150-200 participants who can run a 5K, 10K, 15K, half, or full marathon.  And...while looking through the A Better World Running website I found that if you volunteer at one of their races, your race entry is free!  How awesome is that?!?!?  So I decided to volunteer for the Stars and Stripes race the following day (July 5th).

When I arrived to Santa Monica, those who were running the full marathon had already started.  The half-marathoners were about to start and the 5K, 10K, and 15K participants would start 10 minutes after.  The course started on the pedestrian path right along the beach; the 15K race consisted of three 5K loops.  Now when I decided to run this race, I was a little nervous about the course, because I struggle with out and back courses and the thought of having to do 3 loops was a little intimidating, but I was up for the challenge.  Here is the start of the 5K, 10K, and 15K races.  Very relaxed in and informal indeed.  It was nice to see so many festive participants in their red, white and blue...

My first 5k loop went fairly quick.  It was still pretty early and there was a nice breeze.  The course is not closed to the public so there were other runners and walkers out, but luckily it wasn't too busy yet.  I started off my second loop and the thought of the 3 out and back loops had sunk in.  I did okay, but as I headed back to the start point, I kept thinking to myself, "Gosh darn-it, I have to do this loop one more freaking time?"  I got to the start point and was told that I was doing well and I may be in the lead for the 15K.  I thought, that has got to be wrong, I am never in the lead or even close in races that I run, but then again, this was a small race.  I wasn't sure how many participants were doing the 15K, but still thought it was cool to possibly be in the lead so off I went on my third and final 5K loop.  This was the worse of the three, but I knew it would be.  I knew that mentally I would struggle, and I did...and by this time, the heat was much worse than when we started.  My pace slowed, and because of all the water I was drinking, I had to stop at at bathroom to pee...anyone else hate when that happens?  Anyway, I made it to the finish and found out that I was the 2nd female finisher for the 15K.  I was excited and kind of mad at myself...I think the bathroom break cost me the 1st place spot, but oh well.  

 

All in all, it was a great run and I'm glad I did it.  This race challenged me mentally, which is good for all runners and in the end, I came out a better, stronger runner.  I enjoyed the smaller race feeling and met some nice people as well so it was a win, win day for me :)

The following day was my turn to volunteer for the Stars and Stripes run in Long Beach.  I was in charge of the 10K water station.  I headed to the start of the course early to pick up water, Gatorade, Gu packets, and other essentials for my aide station.  Once I arrived to my location, I quickly set up and within 10 minutes the marathoners were headed my way.  There seemed to only be a few who were doing the marathon so there was a small break between.  After a bit, more runners and walkers showed up.  I enjoyed cheering them on; some even stopped for a bit and chit chatted which was nice.  I spent about 3 hours at my water station and really had a great time.  Even though I wasn't running, I caught the contact high from all those who stopped by to say hi and thank you.  Here is the view from my station; not a bad place to spend 3 hours of my morning...

Hope everyone had as great of a 4th as I did.  If you are in Southern California you should check out abetterworldrunning.com.  Such a great idea started by two very nice people.  I love the concept and hope to run and volunteer at more of their events.  Happy running friends!

Streaking Day 11

Well friends, here I am at day 11 and so far I am doing well.  I have made it 11 days without missing a run.  I know I am still very early into my streak, but I have encountered some obstacles.  First, I caught a pretty bad cold from my Little Babes.  I was congested, had a headache and a cough, but I still made sure I put in at least one mile and what I found was that I actually felt better during and after the run.  Maybe I was sweating out all the yucky germs :). 

Next obstacle was our mini family vacay to San Diego.   I usually don't run or work out when we go away and sometimes I will pack workout/running gear with the intention of running, but in the end, I always skip it, but not this time!  The first day I did a light run (was still feeling pretty sick) on the treadmill and the second day I ventured out of the hotel for a 4 mile run.  I even found a great hill and did a few hill repeats.  I felt pretty proud of myself for sticking to my streak and getting my runs in and I loved that I remained active while on vacation.

Now the current obstacle I am dealing with is a tight right IT band.  I've had IT band issues in the past...long ago actually so I am all for taking care of this before it gets too bad and I am unable to run.  I have been foam rolling, using my stick and lacrosse ball to try and loosen my IT band.  So far it's not too bad, but I will continue to foam roll, stick, and use my ball along with stretching.  I haven't really been doing too high of mileage, but I guess my body is adjusting to running EVERYDAY.  And I have to admit...I am not the best at stretching and working out the tight muscles after my runs so that is something that will definitely have to change.  Any suggestions for how to work out a tight IT band???? 

Alright friends, I will check back with you on my streak at the halfway mark (25 days).  Wish me luck!!!  Until then, take care and happy running to all!

I'm Going Streaking!

No, no, no...not that kind of streaking! 

I've decided to do a running streak.  Why, you ask...why not?  The official definition of a running streak as defined by the Streak Runners International, Inc (SRI) and United States Running Streak Association, Inc (USRSA) is to "Run at least 1 continuous mile within each calendar day under one's own body power without the utilization of any type of health or mechanical aid other than prosthetic devices."  The run can be done on the road, track, or treadmill.  Running in the water does not count.  

So the question is, how many days should I commit to?  Well, in order for your streak to be recognized by the SRI and USRSA, your streak has to have reached at least one year.  Now, I don't know about you, but the thought of committing to 365 days is a bit overwhelming and slightly discouraging.  I am more of a commit to small goals in order to reach the ultimate large goal.  So, I have decided to start with 50 days.  I will start my running streak on Sunday, June 15.  I didn't want to wait till July 1st to start this and my OCD will not allow me to start at any random day of the month so mid month it is :).  Starting June 15th, I commit to running at least one mile everyday.  Rain, shine, cold, hot, wind or no wind, I will run.  I will run while on vacation, I will run if I'm sick (which I hope not to be during this process).  I will run no matter how busy of a day I have.  I will make time to run at least one mile a day.  Hope you will check back every so often to see how I am doing.  I will also document and post pictures on my instagram (runchelrun) page so follow me and join me on this journey.

If you are currently doing a running streak or have done one in the past, I would love some feedback and advice.  Thanks and Happy Running!!!

Fontana Days Run - Half Marathon

This Saturday (June 7th), I ran the Fontana Days Run (Half Marathon).  Like many others who run this race, I decided to run Fontana because it is known to be one of the fastest half marathons thanks in part to the down hill course...and I have to admit, I was hungry for a new half marathon PR so I thought this race would be perfect.  The race started at 7:30am and is a point to point course from the Applewhite Campground in Lytle Creek down to Fontana City Hall.  It's a great course with an elevation drop of 2,125 feet from start to finish, so if you're gonna run this, be prepared to say hello to those quad muscles :)  Okay, now for the race recap...

You had two options to pick up your bib: Friday afternoon or Saturday morning before the race.  Since Fontana is pretty far from where I live I opted for the Saturday morning pick up which meant an early night and an even earlier wake up call.  I got to Fontana around 5ish since they were adamant that no bibs would be handed out after 6am.  I picked up my stuff and headed to the bus line where runners were taken 13.1 miles up to the Applewhite Campground.  Now here is my first piece of advice: Bring something to keep warm, because it is cold up at the start.  I was wearing a pretty thick hoodie and was still shivering.  I suggest a throw away outfit or if you don't have throw aways, there is a truck at the start line that will take your drop bags to the finish line. 

I was at the start about an hour before the race started.  I met some nice people including a woman (forgive me, I totally forgot to ask her for her name) who was running her 45th half marathon.  She is turning 50 in December and her goal was to run 50 half marathons and 10 full marathons by her 50th birthday.  She is an inspiration let me tell you...and looks nothing close to 50.  I also met another woman (again, didn't get her name..I'm awful) who was super nice and had a great energy to her.  She was doing a running streak where she has been running at least one mile everyday; I forgot how many days she had been doing this, but I also felt inspired by her.  She was aiming for a sub 1:30 in this race.

             
The race started promptly at 7:30am and was very informal, which is kind of nice I have to say.  There was no loud music, or an announcer to cheer for you as you passed the start.  There was no one to sing the national anthem.  I knew the race had started because all of sudden the crowd just started to move.  Here is my second piece of advice: Don't get carried away with the downhill.  Now that being said, do as a say and not as I do.  I was well aware of the downhill course.  I talked to others who have run this race and was told the same thing...but did I listen?  Of course not.  I sped through the first few miles and just took advantage of the downhill, but man did that creep up on me later; somewhere between mile 6 and 7.  My quads were tight and I was tired.  From then on, it was a mind game, I told myself, just get to mile 10 then you only have three more miles, but then when I got to mile 10, I was like, "S#!* I still have 3 miles."  My legs were shot, I was exhausted and I slowed down significantly.  Mile 10 and 11 were a struggle, but once I hit mile 12, I knew it was almost over.  When the finish line was in sight, I picked up the pace and ran as hard as my tired legs would let me.  I was so thankful to the crowd of supporters and spectators who were motivating and cheering me on.  I crossed the finish line and as all runners do, I immediately stopped my Garmin which read 1:50:21.  Not bad.  I was hoping to get under 1:50, but was still very proud of myself.

All in all, I really enjoyed this race and plan to come back and run it smarter.  I think if I would have just kept an easy relaxed pace at the beginning, I would have finished much stronger and maybe even with a better time.  As you can see, my splits were all over the place.

Mile 1- 8:23               Mile 5- 8:14                 Mile 9- 8:17                     Mile 13- 8:57
Mile 2- 7:47               Mile 6- 8:15                 Mile 10- 8:21
Mile 3- 7:51               Mile 7- 8:21                 Mile 11- 8:52
Mile 4- 8:00               Mile 8- 8:15                 Mile 12- 9:20 (Ouch)










   

Happy Belated National Running Day

So this post was intended to be posted to my blog last night.  I wrote and attached the picture from my phone, but couldn't get it to post.  I'm still very new to blogging so forgive me for the late post :)

Am I the only one who was excited to get out and run yesterday?  Of course not, because yesterday was the day to celebrate us and the thing we love to do.

I remember when I first entertained the thought of running.  You see, I was never a runner, in fact, I kinda despised running.  I was always active and went to the gym, but I never ran.  About 8 years ago I decided I was going to give running a try...just because.  I was also between jobs and had a lot of time on my hands.  I started off slowly running a mile at a time until I was up to 3 miles at one time.  I was pretty proud of myself and found that I actually enjoyed running.  To make a long story kinda short, I ended up deciding to train for a half marathon and in the course of my training I was persuaded to train and run the full instead.  I will never forget the feeling when I "hit the wall."  I was at mile 19 and thought to myself that this had to be the dumbest thing I have ever decided to do.  I also remember thinking, why on earth do people do this, let alone enjoy it.  Needless to say I told myself I would NEVER run another marathon again.  Well, here I am now, 9 full marathons, over 20 half marathons, and one relay later and I still love every step.

Yesterday I reflected on my running journey and many adventures in races and training.  I thought about the friends I've made and all the memories we've shared.  I'm so thankful to have found the joy in running.  I love the running community, we're like a big, sweaty, some might say crazy family...but a family I am proud to be a member of.  Happy belated National Running Day my friends!

Me and my Little Babes off to celebrate National Running Day.

Feeling Happy

Happy Sunday everyone!  About a week ago I entered a photo contest with INKnBURN, the photo with the most likes by today won a surprise prize.  Well, I didn't win, but I did come in second.  Prizes were awarded to the top three so I won a $20 gift card.  I'm super excited.  I've never won a contest before, so even to come in second and win a prize is pretty awesome.  If you aren't familiar with INKnBURN, you should totally check them out at www.inknburn.com.  Their clothes are literally art on apparel and so different from what you normally see in terms of running clothes.  Here is the picture I entered wearing my Lust Camisole and Denim Shorts (they look denim, but are actually running shorts).

My Story

Hello and welcome to my world!  I am a wife to the most amazing man and the momma to a beautiful 17 month old.  In my past life (pre-baby), I was a race-aholic who enjoyed traveling to different places to run half and full marathons.  I also used to love baking and while I wasn't much of a cook, I loved finding healthy, simple recipes to make for myself and husband.  Since having my little one, life has changed DRASTICALLY!  I had to ease back into running and I went from doing 2-3 races a month to just one half-marathon in 2013.  It was a bit of struggle finding the balance between my new role as a mom and my passion for distance running and races.  It's been quite an adjustment, but life is good and I wouldn't have it any other way.  I decided to do this blog, because I felt inspired by others who share their stories and thought maybe I can do the same.  Join me on my adventures as I continue to learn how to be a better, faster runner all while trying to be the best wife and mom I can be.