Filthy for a Good Cause

I tend to register for a lot of races, mostly running, although I plan on doing a triathlon this year, before I turn 36... When I saw the Myrtle Beach Mud Run, I thought, hmmm... sounds interesting... Then I saw that they were raising money for the Humane Society... I have to say, any event with a charitable tie - well it wins me over... I did an Autism 5k in April. I don't know anyone with Autism, but I think I felt awesome running because I knew my registration fee would be going to a good cause.

 So yesterday, Heather and I spent the better part of the afternoon crafting our little hearts out! Heather showed up at my door with bags in hand - shirts, paint, markers, bandanas and hot pink duct tape! Our four person team, the mudda truckas, were going to show up in style... handcrafted, creative skills all out, style... I tell you what - making the shirts was a lot of fun, who knew we were so talented?  And yes, we have no shame, we plugged our blogs on the backs of our shirts... nothing is better than some free advertising - right?

We went to packet pick up which was at the Marina Inn @ Grand Dunes, so fancy...lol I was pretty stoked to get my shirt, and a bracelet... I adore tchotchkes - especially from races :) I couldn't believe how fast the afternoon flew by - when I got home it was already 5pm! 

Courtesy of Creative Xpressions Photography

I was up coughing a lot last night, my angel (aka petri dish), has had green goo flowing and coughing all week... guess who started feeling like doodie on Thursday - yup, me. I was so worried that I would be sick for this weekend...

I couldn't have that happen - I was so looking forward to this event... I had to make it! So determined, despite the cough, scratchy throat, and crappy sleep, I got up around 6am. First thing, nurse my princess... then it was time to get ready!!! Dawning my hand crafted, kick ass, mud run race gear - I was so excited, I just wanted to get there and get started!!!

I think the one thing about this race that surprised me the most was all the running! I mean, I knew the course was like 3.5 miles, but somehow I didn't give that much thought, I was more focused on the MUD!

Creative Xpressions Photography

I couldn't believe that there were people who finished this event almost as clean as they started! I mean, seriously people - it's a mud run... isn't the mud the whole point? If you didn't get dirty, you didn't do it right!!! I had so much fun, diving into the mud pits, stomping through sludge and even scurrying through pipes which my brother questioned the smell of and as Heather said, made me feel like a ninja turtle! Can I be Leonardo?



I was very happy with our bling! Quite nice, if I do say so myself... and all the snacks & beverages offered at the finish were above & beyond! Gatorade & Mini Fudge Stripe cookies, this event - awesome!

Courtesy of Creative Xpressions Photography

Anyway, there was no way on this side of the Mason Dixon Line that I wasn't going to get completely, and totally, covered in mud from head to toe... and I like to think I did a pretty good job of it! I will say kudos to my team members for embracing the spirit of the mud run... we all came out of it pretty freaking filthy!

Heather said she wants to do it again... so I said, well there is always the 28th! I am already registered for the Dirty Myrtle Mud Run - Lets see if she is up to another one for real...lol 

Of course in true team spirit, I think we should wear our team shirts and of course take it to the next level, I saw these socks at Dicks Sporting Goods... oh how fun!

p.s. the best thing we did was to recruit my father-in-law, he drove our dirty asses home in the back of his truck!

Another goal set in motion...

So anyone who knows me, knows, I am always thinking about what's next... it's a blessing, and a curse. Anyway, after talking to Heather, post running clinic, I was committed to register for my certification exam. See we have big plans, not to be too vague right now, but trust me, we are conspiring something fabulous! Last night, we decided to set a deadline on our exam, end of May we are going to sit for the ACSM Certified Health Fitness Specialist exam! So today, feeling like the semester is over and I have a little free time (depends on who you ask really), I did it... I registered. Friday, May 27th, at 1:00pm, I will test my knowledge, I will prove that the past too many years of studying have been worth something, and my 3.938 GPA means more than 3.938...lol

Now, well - I am nervous. What if I fail? What if I completely blank, choke, lose it? I know, I can't think like that... I am pretty smart, I know my stuff... and yet I worry about it. Worry is like paying interest on a loan you haven't taken, at least that's what I keep telling myself. I thought though, maybe I should keep it to myself, because if I do fail, people are going to ask me how it went and then I will have to admit failure... I guess then failure is NOT an option!?!?

I suppose if I let the thought of failing preclude me from putting my plans for the future into motion, well I would still be single, living with my mom (yikes!) and maybe not even potty trained? hahaha ok, lets not get crazy, I love my mom but seriously, could not live with her.

We cannot live in fear of what we may fall short of achieving, otherwise we would surely never achieve. So, I have my stack of study materials and I am going to make the time to review all this information I have been exposed to in the past 3+ years, and proceed confidently.

Lets face it, if I didn't worry about not achieving this goal, I would have to question if my goal was worth achieving...

Mothers Day...

I was planning this deeply thought out, sentimental blog about moms, being a mom and everything about mothering...I feel a little bad because I just didn't have time (I am a mom) and now it's almost 10pm, I am finally on the computer and pumping (multi-tasking - yay!), and for whatever reason, I am just not feeling all that mushy... I guess what I can say is, never did I think I would so freely pick someones nose, catch their puke in my hand, and deal with huge explosions of doo doo (cover this in a minute)...all with vigilance and without contemplation...I am a mom, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!

This Mothers Day was different from those in the past since this is Gabriella' first! Boy she wanted to make sure she spent as much of this day with me as possible...how you ask? She was up every 2-3 hours last night...

Despite being sleep deprived, I had an enjoyable day. We went out to breakfast and then to the mall, I was going to get those Brooks Trance 10's but then the store didn't even carry them! During our visit to NY&Co. (I had some city cash to spend), Stephen informed me that Gabriella was stinking up the joint & he was going to change her (he is an awesome dad), so I took my phone out of the stroller incase he needed me...lol Well, about 5 minutes later the emergency call for back up was received! Now yesterday we took her to doctors care for her eye (puffy yucky junk) and she exploded...

I found myself reaching up to change her on a changing station made for someone 6 ft tall, only to find we had 1 wipe left & it was dried up! I felt like if this whole episode was on camera, we could have won FHV..I was using tisses and water to clean her off...it was a mess! Before we left today I grabbed the wipes from my bag and also put in more clothes & diapers... Well lets say when I found Stephen, his first words were - "We are out of wipes!"... the seat, the stroller, my princess's new outfit - destroyed... *sigh*

We spent the rest of the afternoon with the family, relaxing a little. We headed home to prepare for a BBQ dinner. It was about 5:30pm when I was convinced (by Stephen) that it was perfectly fine for me to go on my run... everyone was going to be over around 6, but I really needed to do this - it was the virtual Run Like A Mother 5k...

I had the t-shirt, now I just had to get out there... So I get ready, step outside and the rain drops start. Stephen looked at me and said, just go run! So I took on the motto of the post office like it wasn't Sunday and hit the road! It didn't rain long, although after it stopped - I wish it would have kept going - holy humidity batman! I managed to crank out a 9:29 pace, ran 3.25 miles in 30:51...all the while thinking about everyone coming to the house, and here I am, out running! That and the smell of BBQ all over the hood was making me hungry!

Well I will say this, I had an awesome Mothers Day. My sweet hubby made it so special, and I got to have dinner with my mom and mother-in-law too! It was a great day filled with food, shopping and a fabulous run... I really couldn't ask for anything more... so as far as being sentimental, I say, I enjoy Mothers Day - everyday... I love my family and know how loved I am... I celebrate that every day of my life. So it might not be the big outpouring of feelings, but hey - not everything is a Hallmark.

Happy Mothers Day all you Mothers!