Running a half marathon - Tip #1 - Meet your running partner early....

This is not, as many of you know, my first half marathon.  In fact, last year my friend and I ran a full, and that was the plan for this year as well, until the universe told us otherwise.  So, my running partner and I decided we would try to beat our personal best times.  (Maybe that is tip#0, that it is ok to realize something isn't in the cards, but you can still do awesome things!)  Mind you, I am not a fast runner, but I was definitely proud of us both for running our fastest halves yet!

This is us at about mile 6.  Sadly, we had a bit of a rough start.  We were supposed to meet up 20 minutes before the race near the start, and we both got screwed up.  Thankfully, we found each other somehow in the 8,000 or so people who were at the Eugene Marathon!!  

So tip #1 - make sure to really meet your partner early!!  I think because this was our 5th big run together, we were somewhat complacent.  I thought I'd know which roads they'd close, but those changed, and my friend accidentally told me the wrong street to meet.  (Not that it mattered, since I was late!)

After that, I'd love to say it was smooth sailing, but it was not....leading me to tip #2 - really watch your diet before the run.  I was pretty good about carbo-loading, but I think I ate something that didn't quite work for me, leading to a few unexpected bathroom breaks.  Another thing that I really should know better, but was being bad about!

But, eventually things evened out and the running went well.  Tip #3 - choose a really big (as in lot's of people) run for your first half or full!  It is so much fun and so invigorating.  Having tons of people to run with (and run past....hehe) and having tons of people cheering you on is fantastic.  It make for a much more enjoyable run, even when you want to die!  We have done a couple half marathons where the crowd was much smaller, and while still good, nothing like the big runs!

And that brings me to tip #4 - have someone there to cheer you on right at the end!  My hubby and some of our friends were there right before the finish, which totally gave me the energy to sprint as hard as I could over the finish line!

My running partners' partner got this awesome shot of me sprinting the end.  (I think the first thing I said to my running partner is that I hoped someone got a shot of me sprinting! hehe)

We did it!  So happy!

Finally, tip #5 - have people there for you at the end to take pics and tell stories of the run to.  And then go get lunch with everyone!

Happy trails! 

Ash

My new thing will be suitcases....

Oh man...I have really been M.I.A.!  So sorry....I have been working around 70hrs a week, getting ready to run a half marathon tomorrow at the Eugene Marathon, and trying to keep a house, which has been quite interesting!

Nonetheless, I have been thinking about taking a week off of work after the primary election is done.  And during that time off, I want to do some serious house/yard overhauls.  Thus, I wanted to share one of the things I think I want to do to be wonderful decorations, as well as storage/organization pieces.

Suitcases!!

I have not had much time to go scouting, but will be soon....and here are some wonderful ideas I found...

How cute is this?  And how about this?

I found both of these, and other cool suitcase and trunk storage at Lavender and Ash's post here.

I also found this one....soooo cute!

Over at WhiMSy love, she made this super, duper cute tea set, all embellished in a cute suitcase!

Not sure I need this one, but maybe when I get my own house I'd want to try this out!  

Check it out here at Storage Glee!

I think I would have so much fun making something like this!

Seriously cute storage.  Found it at Amy Powers' inspire co. blog!

I could keep going...but I will stop here and share more when they are my own suitcases!

Wish me luck running tomorrow!  Our goal is to finish in under 2:20!

Ash

So much to do, so little time-

Wow!  I can't believe it has already been a week and a half since my last post, and since Ric left!  It has been so busy, and I am definitely missing my man a lot.  We get to talk almost everyday, though, which helps a lot.

Since I was last online, I have worked a BUNCH, run quite a bit and then took Friday off to go camping with friends.  Here are a few pics from that adventure. :)  

My doggie, JB, all tuckered out after Andi and I took him for a run/tour of the campgrounds.

Somehow my tent was a mess within the first hour...lol.  Did I mention that it has been years (like 5 or 6) since I have been camping?  That is crazy ridiculous!  Not anymore, by golly!

Friends and doggie and our messy table :P

Camp fire!  Love it!

Then we came back on Saturday and picked up our half marathon packets.  And Sunday morn (yesterday now) we ran!  We did so great!  Pics to come, but we did the 13.1 mile half marathon in 2hrs and 24minutes!  (My friend was a little faster than me at the end, so she finished just a bit sooner).  It was about 15 mintes faster than our last one!

So tomorrow I am finally taking some time to get my house in order.  It is crazy dirty and messy, and then just tonight the neighbor knocked on my door to let me know the dog had gotten into his yard under the fence. :(  Guess I also have a yard and fence area to work on, too.

Have a good Labor Day!  

Ash

I did it! The Eugene Half Marathon!

Well I know I have not posted in some time, but things have been super crazy, and the little time I have had off, I have either not wanted to be on the computer, or I was out running to get ready for yesterday.

Yesterday, my friend and I ran the half marathon!  It was awesome! 13.1 miles from start to finish, and we only stopped once to go to the restroom. We ran the rest of the time, which neither of us thought we could do.  It was so cool, and running through the finish line was something else!

Here is a photo of the crowd.  There were about 8,000 people participating in either the half or the whole marathon:

We started at the back because we thought we would be kinda slow, but next time, we will start a little further up because we ended up having to work our way through a lot of the walkers.  But it was so cool to see that many people there and all doing what we were doing!

And this is my friend and I getting ready to take off! Thanks to my hubby for coming down to the start line in the crazy crowd to get our photo!

I am so glad I did it, and my friend and I are already starting to figure out what is next!

I also have to share this awesome shirt I bought myself:

Ha!  I had to get it!  It also says it on the bottom of the shirt on the back...hehe.

And here is the bandanna I got for my doggie:

 

Ha!  Who knew I would actually enjoy this!?  

Ok, got to run! ;)

Ash