2014 - It'll Be a BIG Year!

That's a bold title, right?!  Well, if the rest of the year is anything like the first couple of weeks, than I completely stand by my statement.

Today is January 13th, not even two weeks have gone by during 2014 & A LOT has happened, A LOT!  Here goes:

On Monday, December 30th we finally found "our" house, we put in an offer on January 1st & it was accepted later that day.  So, if everything goes as planned, we'll be closing on the house on January 30th & then moving in, slowly at the end of February/March.  There's not much that we need or want to do to change the place up, but there's a couple of things here & there.  Ideally, we'd like to have any updates done before we move in.  We have the apartment lease until March 27th, so it's kinda nice we aren't super rushed to get out of here (even though we REALLY want to get out of here!).  The house is everything we said we didn't want, it's fairly new construction, it's in a new neighborhood, it's two-story, & bigger than we need for right now, but we just loved it, so maybe what you think you want, really isn't what you want.  Here are some pics:

 

With all that happening, that would probably make the first couple of weeks of a year seem crazy, right?  Nope, not crazy enough for us.  On Tuesday, January 7th I had a small outpatient surgical procedure to remove a cyst from my ovary, it was an hour long procedure, all is well, cysts were benign, things are looking good.  The recovery has been pretty OK, just trying to take it easy, which is proving to be harder than I expected.  And of course, the weather over the past couple of days has been absolutely gorgeous, which just makes me want to go RUN!  Yeah, that won't be happening until February, I did however go for a nice leisurely walk this morning (1 mile) & I'm just excited that I was able to do that.  It was the first time I'd gotten out to "exercise" since my great trip & fall during my first & only run of 2014, haha, that was quite epic.  But yeah, I'm feeling good & I'm so grateful to Lake & my mom for doing such an amazing job taking care of me & also all of my friends & family who called & texted last week to wish me well & check in on me, I'm very blessed.

So overall, I'm very HOPE-FULL for 2014, lots of things going on, still adjusting to our new home & city.  The move hasn't been the easiest thing but we are definitely getting adjusted & enjoying ourselves & through it all, the best part of it, aside from the new home, have been getting to know a whole new, awesome set of friends.....well, some old & some brand new, but all definitely awesome!  :)
HOPE is "my word" for 2014, rather than make a resolution, which I guess we did, just made a resolution to eat out LESS, Lake & I eat out way too much, so just trying to eat in & with a big new kitchen in our house that won't be too hard....but I also decided on an overall "word" for the year, and that word is hope.  Hope for so many things, some that I've thought of, some that probably haven't even crossed my mind yet.  So, cheers to 2014!  May the beginning of this year be just a glimpse at what amazing-ness is to come for Team Ellis & for all of our friends & family out there!!

   

So...How Are You Spending Your Time Now?

As most of you know, Lake & I will be moving to the Dallas area in the next month.  This past weekend we secured an apartment in Addison, it's within walking distance of where Lake will be working out of for the next few months, then they'll be shifting the office to North Plano, which is where we'd like to end up when it comes to our new home!

Anyway....as most of you know as well....because of this move, I've left my teaching position.  I'm slowly looking for something else, but until we are up there & moved in, my search is very light.  So then...you may ask, what do I do with my time?

Well, on most days, I wake up & go for a quick jog, nothing major, 2 - 3 miles.  I've also become an expert cleaner, house picker upper & laundry doer.  My goodness, keeping the house "show ready" is a full time job...I know those of you with kids are rolling your eyes at me, but in total seriousness....I feel the pressure.  "HOUSE MUST BE SPOTLESS AT ALL TIMES!"  Even though we haven't received on offer on our home...yet, all of the feedback from the showings have stated:  "Home shows like a model, but we didn't like....." So oh well, I know that the right family will buy our home, we just have to keep praying & be patient!  If you know of anyone looking for a 3 bed/2 bath in the Northwest side of SA, LET ME KNOW, Please :)

I've also been able to explore the joys of cooking once again!  And that's always fun.  Trying out lots of new recipes, lots have been from Pinterest.  My fave one that I've found so far has been for a pizza that I made last week, here's the link from Pinterest.  Now, I didn't "shuck" the corn, I opened a can, but for the most part, I followed the recipe & it was GOOD!  I'm trying out a recipe for loaded nachos tonight, seriously...I cannot wait to see how they turn out!

My version of the cherry tomato, goat cheese & corn pizza

Speaking of Pinterest, I've also been doing lots of "utilizing small spaces" searches, as well other home type of searches.  One of my favorite things has been finding different "brews" to making your house smell yummy!!!  Last week I tried one called "Witches Brew" & it made the house, well at least the kitchen & TV Room area smell so good!  The recipe linked above calls for lemon, apple, orange, cinnamon sticks, all spice & cloves....I'm simmering one right now with keys limes, an apple, orange, all spice, cloves & just a sprinkle of cinnamon & it smells just as good!  I've also pinned a couple for a more "Christmas" smell & one for the Spring.  Super easy!

Today's brewing concoction, smells like Fall!

So that's pretty much what I've been up to.  Well that & tying up our loose ends here in SA & just prepping us for the move & watching as much HGTV & Property Brothers as I can possibly watch!  If you get a chance, try the "brew"...it's awesome & if you try a different version, send it my way!  :)

Week 4 - Finish It Up in NYC

So this post is a little late, but in case you didn't know, I was able to complete my goal of running/walking 100 miles during the month of July!  And I finished 4 days early!

I didn't run too much the week of our trip, got a couple of runs in early on in the week, thanks Ariana for joining me on one of them, but I took it easy after Wednesday.

We flew into New York City on Friday, July 26th.  When we got to the hotel our room wasn't ready yet, so we walked around our neighborhood & then over to Central Park.  It was only a block away.  We were able to get an idea on where we'd be running the next morning, we'd mapped it out already & the plan was to start at the hotel, run to see lots of "sights" in the park during the first 1.5 miles, then finish out the last 1.5 & grab some breakfast at a crepe restaurant off of Columbus on the Upper West Side.

Saturday morning we woke up around 7:00am & we were ready to get running by 7:30, the weather was amazing!  Nice & cool, upper 60s, a little humid, but nothing compared to Texas.  We ran over to the entrance of Central Park at E 76th & we were off!  Our first stop was at the Alice in Wonderland bronze statue, then over to the Hans Christian Andersen statue.  Then to Bethesda Fountain & Strawberry Fields, up north to Belvedere Castle & then, just finishing out the run.  It was such a pretty run, so many people out, doing the same thing, playing with their kids, walking their dogs, running in a marathon!, just being active, it was awesome!  As we finished, we decided to walk along the outer part of the park & I looked up to see how much farther north we needed to go & much to my delight & TOTAL surprise, we had finished the run on W 100th Street!  Totally coincidence, didn't plan it that way, it just happened.  Complete serendipity!  ;)

So, that's it, goal accomplished!  Was it easy?  Well, it wasn't the hardest thing I've ever done, but it wasn't easy either.  Was it fun?  Ummmmm, the encouragement & the sheer look of bewilderment on people's faces when I would tell them what I'm doing was fun.  My knees & lower back didn't think it was so much fun.  Would I do it again?  Maybe not 100 miles, but maybe something smaller.  Like my good friend Ariana, she's running 60 miles this month, like that mileage much more.

Anyway, like with most "physical challenges" it all ends up being mainly a mental game with yourself. Making sure you follow through, doing it even when that's the last thing you want to do, and trust me, I had those moments plenty of times over the month.  Especially with the fact that it's the middle of summer!  So I did it!  #100JulyMiles, DONE!  :)

Thanks to everyone who ran with me or "liked" a run check-in, or status update, or picture or who left me an encouraging word here or there, I appreciate that so much!!  :)

I'll leave you with pics of our Central Park run!

             

   

Week 3 - San Antonio & Its Running Trails

So over the course of this "adventure" of running 100 miles, I've had my share of running routes.  I think picking a place to run is half of the battle.  Running the same route over & over again is incredibly boring & that's why I hate running at the gym.  Nothing to look at & you don't change your scenery.

It wasn't until I started running 4 years ago, that I found out just how many running trails San Antonio has to offer.  And even if you run them over & over again, you can still add in slight variations here & there, start at a different trail head, run the other way, etc.  The people running said trails are always entertaining as well.  A good friend of mine have a "weirdest thing I saw on my run today...." ongoing text conversation.  These usually vary from seeing animals, to interesting fashion choices, to used....well, things along a run.  I definitely don't always see "weird" things, but when I do, she's the first one to know about it!  I also appreciate running trails because even though you're in the middle of the city, you always have some major highway just blocks away from you, you still feel like you're secluded, just you & the pavement.  It's relaxing & even therapeutic at times.

So what's my favorite trail?  Well, that's hard to say, but after logging all these miles recently, I'd have to say my favorite place to run is on the Riverwalk.  You can't beat the scenery, the people watching is fabulous & it's just a pretty run!  The only problem is the section between the Houston Street Bridge & Nueva Street Bridge, lots of stairs & more people, but other than that, it's great!  Bravo San Antonio, you definitely keep it interesting!

Now for the weekly numbers.  I completed Day 18 today with a 4 mile walk/run with Lake.  That places me at 80 miles total, so slowly but surely I'm getting there!  Now, according to my math, I should be at 67 miles, so I'm definitely way ahead of schedule.  I won't be running on Friday though & the plan is to run my last 3 miles in Central Park in New York City on Saturday.  We fly out Friday morning on my birthday!  We'll be there until the 30th.  I'm really excited about the route that we're going to run while we're there, should be a great way to finish this all out.  :)

Thanks to everyone for the supportive comments & "likes" on FB, Twitter & Instagram!  Thanks also to Lake & Kristen for helping me get through my miles this week, y'all are the best!  Until next week, when hopefully I'll be typing that I've successfully run 100 miles during the month of July!

Week 3 runs...all sorts of weather fun!

What's up with 2013?

So I did it, I complete my resolution for 2012! 

I look back at it now & I'm like, that wasn't that hard, but then again, it was challenging & it did push me & it pushed my friends & I'm glad that I did it.  If anything, it kept me in shape for the entire year, forced me to wake up early on specific Saturdays or Sundays and to top it off, I got to run alongside family & friends throughout the entire year, it's kinda cool actually! 

So, CONGRATULATIONS to my friends who crossed the finish line with me!  (Anne, Mike, Kristen, Ariana & Mireya).  I'm super proud of you all & I couldn't have done it without you!

I'm doing it again this year, but not really like a resolution, I figure you can't have the same resolution two years in a row.  I haven't actually made a resolution this year.  I jokingly said that I'd "tweet" more....which actually I have been doing, but that's not a resolution, it's just kinda silly actually.  BUT if you are interested I do think Twitter would be more fun with more followers so my name is:  @ericavellis you can follow me & my ramblings there.....

So what to resolve for, up until last year I never really made any resolutions, just thought they were pointless, why do you have to wait till January 1st to resolve to make yourself better or lose weight or whatever...just start today, if you really want to change.....so I'm stuck!  I have been making more of a conscience effort to not be so busy & be home more.  Maybe a resolution to cook at home more often, or maybe to bake??  I got a pretty pretty baking cookbook for Christmas from my bestie, so maybe I'll take that on.  I hate baking though.....it's too precise.  I love cooking because you can change stuff up & if you go too heavy or light on something it doesn't totally ruin the recipe as it so often happens in baking.  But I'll give that a shot...that's not really a resolution though & that'll just make me fat!

Anyone out there have a suggestion for me????  HELP!  :)

In Case You Were Wondering......

The 2012 New Year's Resolution is still on & going strong!  To say I've been busy is a slight understatement, but oh well, whatever.

Now, let's talk races:

Saturday, August 25th - Jalapeno 10K Trailrun
Never have I EVER been so mad for an ENTIRE race, NEVER!  I don't blame anyone but myself for agreeing to sign up for this race but I think I was fearing for my life the entire time.  When someone says "trail run" I will completely believe that they mean crazy, rocky, hilly, dirty, branches ready to take your head off, TRAIL RUN! 
The run was through the back woods of McAllister Park which is very pretty, but you know when you're running on a trail & you see those crazy "off roaders" come zooming towards you from one of the side trails & you think to yourself....WHY?!?!  Why would you off road when you have a nice safe & clean paved trail right here in front of you....well my friends, on this day, I was one of those CRAZY people!
I ran this race with Mireya, I've given her enough grief since then so I won't here, but she seemed to enjoy it much more than I did.  I wanted to turn so badly at the 5K mark, but I stuck with it & finished in around 1:06...and to think, I was aiming for under an hour, HA!  I was so spent after that race was over, not even funny! 
Best part of the race was having brunch at Tre after the race....

Monday, September 3rd - Dry Comal Creek Wine Run
Ah, Labor Day, a day to take it easy & rest & not do anything....but run 5 miles.
I did this race last year & I figure any race that ends with a Sangria Slushie is amazing in my book! 
The race runs through a neighborhood off of Highway 46 which is across the street from the vineyard.  It's a 5 mile race but it's hilly.  I started off the race not feeling great, walked for a bit, then had a surge of energy to finish it out.  I ended up finishing just over 51 minutes, which was 2 minutes slower than my time last year, so that made me sad, but oh well, you can't win 'em all!
For this race we had a big group!
Myself, Lake, Kristen, Ariana, Mike, Anne, Leah & Sarah, it was fun & the food & drink after was good!  Glad I ran that one again, it will probably be a yearly occurrence. 

Sunday, September 9th - Mission Possible 10K
Second race for September & this one I'm happy to report was my best race ever!  (at least in terms of 10Ks)
The race started at Concepcion Park which is located on the south end of the river.  We ran north up the river towards the King William area, it was a really pretty route!  About halfway through the race I realized that my pace was pretty good & that I had a good possibility of PRing, so I figured why the heck not!  I kept up my pace & starting pinging people off in my head.  I was passing folks & checking them off of my list, kinda fun actually!  haha.  I ended up finishing the race just under 1 hour!  A personal best for me, I was so proud!  Mireya & I ran this race, she came in just ahead of me, I think it was a good race for both of us. 

Saturday, October 6th - 10 Miler Pancake Run
Yes that's right, 10 miles!  UGH!  This race!  OK, another race where I was really mad the whole time...but this time for a much different reason.
The race started at Blue Star Art Complex, we run up about a mile, then turned back down the river, then headed waaaaaaay south on the river about a mile and a half south of Concepcion Park....where there is absolutely zero shade anywhere! 
The race didn't start till about 8:20ish, this race should have started at 7:00am, it was just too hot & there wasn't any relief from the sun, it was miserable.  Seriously, I don't even know what my time ended up at....like 1:58 or something awful, I don't even care!
Someone who did do well was my freakishly fast sister in law, Leah.  I don't know what her final time was, all I know is that when we passed each other she was around Mile 7 & I was around mile 5.3....awesome!  A few of her friends & Lake also ran this race....everyone did great, I'm just glad that I finished in one piece & didn't throw up...though I felt I could have.......

So what's next? 

I think I'm done for October.....I have a 10 mile run to do tomorrow & probably 9 miles to do next weekend.....then it's November!

In November Lake & I will be running a 5K in Austin on the NEW Formula One Race Track, or at least that's the plan.  The race is scheduled for Saturday, November 3rd, then the next weekend we will of course be running in the San Antonio Rock N Roll Half Marathon.  I'm not sure what I'm "goaling" my time for, I'd like to PR which would be anything faster than 2:16, but I'm hoping for 2:10, we'll see, it'll all depend on the weather honestly.  Let's all start praying for cooler, crisp weather.....AMEN!

In December I'll be running the Color Me Rad Run on Sunday, December 2nd & then a few days later I'll be running the Light the Night 5K at Sea World, which is a SUPER fun run!!  That's it...the year's over....I told my mom even if I get hurt there's no way I'm not finishing out this stinkin' resolution!  I'm too close!

I'm also not letting Anne, Mike, Ariana, Kristen or Mireya not finish it either...DO YOU HEAR THAT FOLKS?!?!?!?  You think I'm annoying right now, just wait!  You're finishing this with me whether you like it or not!......but it's all out of love!  :)

I've had some people ask me about 2013, honestly....finding a race a month is a lot of pressure, it's been super fun, but I don't think I want to have to do a race a month again.  I do however already have a race planned for January...you should run it with me.

January Race - Resolve for a Better SA 5K

The Junior League of San Antonio will be hosting it's FIRST EVER 5K race!  The race will start & end at The Bright Shawl (819 Augusta) which is located on the northern end of downtown.  The race will run along the north end of the Riverwalk on the Museum Reach, it's going to be a really pretty run, I'm so excited to be apart of the planning for this race, I cannot wait!!  The race is on Saturday, January 12th at 8:00am, maybe YOU want to try to do a race a month for 2013....why not start with Resolving for a Better SA! 

Click here to sign up for the race!  If you can't run the race but would still like to support the Junior League of San Antonio, click here to check out my super awesome & fun fundraising page!!  :)  Any donation would be greatly appreciated & I'll give you a shout out on my FB page....you know that's SUPER cool!

PS--I forgot how much I love blogging...I need to not let months go by without blogging.....

26 Day Picture Project - Day #10

Day #10 - Spa Water

I've been on a "Spa Water" kick since I attended the AVID conference last month in Dallas. It's super easy & I've actually gotten more ideas from a pin that my friend Alison pinned a couple of weeks ago that had "recipes"

In the end it's all very simple, you chop whatever fruit you like & place it in the bottom of a pitcher, I personally like to muddle mine up a bit, then add a layer of ice & finally the water. Let it sit for a few minutes, then enjoy! The longer you let it sit, the more flavorful it gets, I do however suggest you tossing out the water after a day, even if you aren't done. If I use citrus of any kind I lightly squeeze the fruit before dropping it in.

So far I've tried:
Strawberry-Raspberry; Raspberry-Lime; Lime; Apple; Cucumber-Lime; I haven't been brave enough to add mint or basil, but I've seen recipes with it!!

Today's concoction is Strawberry & Cucumber, very interesting flavoring, love it! Thanks for the idea Mitra!! :)

26 Day Picture Project - Days - #4, #5, #6, #7, #8 & #9!

Day #4 - Happy 4th of July!

Here's my nephew, Hayden & my sister in law watching Hayden's first fireworks display! I'm not sure he really appreciated all the noise, but he sure did love the colors! 

I'm very happy to be there for his first witness of fireworks :)

Day #5 - What's Old is New

I had a lunch meeting today & decided to wear a new dress that I bought this past weekend at Old Navy (on sale no less!) & I wanted to wear fun heels with it, so since I just cleaned out my shoe closet I thought it would be nice to wear these shoes, circa Nine West around Spring 2005. I love when I can wear "old" things & make them new again.
Plus, I got lots of compliments & that's always fun! :)

Day #6 - Goodwill
I took in my Goodwill San Antonio donation today for Junior League of San Antonio! Getting my check marks done early ;) The house feels lighter now....

Day #7 - Sunrise Running
This picture was take at mile 2.6 during my 5 mile run on Saturday morning along Loop 1604, run was tough, but the pic sure is pretty! :)

Day #8 - BFFs

This past weekend some of my very best Valley friends came to visit! Weekend was filled with lounging, catching up & laughing :)
I've known Monica since we were 10 years old & I've known Cristina since we were 5 years old. They're the best! :)

Day #9 - Curriculum Writing 2012

Today started my first of 7 days of curriculum writing for school.....yeah, that's all I got.....

2012 Resolution - July Race #1

Race Goal:  37:30......I was really pushing myself on that, oh well, gotta shoot high I guess?!
Actual Time: 40:04, not even CLOSE!  :(
The Race: I ran the SARR Freedom 4 Miler on Independence Day.  The race started at the Mainland Trailhead of the Leon Creek Greenway which is off of Bandera Road.  I guess we ran east on the greenway, it was pretty flat for the most part, except for the final .6 of a mile, ridiculous!  All UPHILL!!  A little after a mile & a half I started to not feel really well, so I stopped for a little bit, but got back started after 2 miles.  My time at 2 miles was 21:19, so I think I did pretty well to finish the 4 miles barely over 40 minutes.  I felt great the last mile & a half.  Oh well, next time.....
Who'd I run with?:  My running buddy Anne & my sister in law Leah, they both owned that race!!  :)
Coming Up (July Race #2):  I'm running the Too Hot to Handle 5K at Boerne Lake on July 15th.  I'm not sure what time I should say.  I'm gonna say 27:30, which means that I really need to push myself hard during my training runs.  

Leah, me & Anne after the Freedom 4 Miler Race

Speaking of training runs, our 1/2 marathon training group is in FULL swing!  The only problem is that  we have been so busy that I missed 5 weeks worth of Saturday morning runs with our group!  Yikes!  Last Saturday was my first one back & yeah....that was no fun.  We were scheduled to run 4 miles, but everyone in the group voted to run 5 miles instead, which is fine, but I just couldn't keep up with that pace, so I got slightly lost & only ended up doing 4 miles, hopefully it'll be better next week.

26 Day Picture Project - Day #1

How did that even happen?!?!
So during my run last night it started raining, it didn't seem too crazy, but when it started pouring I decided I'd cut the run a mile short & head home, as I crossed to street & got on the sidewalk the tree that you see here fell....FELL! It didn't scare me really, I think I was more shocked....I was sprinting at this point & turned to go into my neighborhood & saw that another tree had already been knocked over on our street. The power was out, I couldn't get into the house b/c I couldn't open the garage.....
Long story short, I was invited into the home of a nice older couple down the street who let me use their phone & gave me a towel to dry off. I'd like to thank Ms. Rose & her husband for helping me today! :) 
Day 1, kinda crazy!

crazy scene, but all is well....well not with this poor tree, but no one was
hurt  :)

Other pictures of stuff that happened yesterday....up until the tree thing, I really thought one of these pictures was going to represent Day #1....but the tree really just took the cake, don't ya think?!

these absolutely cracked me up, they are multipurpose
sunglasses!  Ariana & I decided that you could use
them twice before they broke....

I've been on a yummy "flavored"water kick after
having some at the hotel I stayed at during the AVID
Conference in Dallas...yesterday's was with lime, today
I plan on trying out apples :)

The 26 Day Picture Project!

I can hardly believe that today is June 30th, hence today is the very last day of the month, which means that an entire month of my summer break has quickly dissolved into only memories, weird how quickly that happens.....

Not that I've been sitting around just twiddling my thumbs, watching TV & vegging, I could only wish that I had the luxury to do that, but alas, summer is flying by & I'm incredibly busy, but it's been quite fun!  I've been busy running, junior leaguing, emailing, conferencing, & unfortunately NOT cooking, which makes me really sad!  Usually summer is my prime time to get back in the kitchen, but it just hasn't happened yet.  I'm hoping July will lend it self to cooking, fingers crossed**

July is promising to be just as busy!  More of the same....it's still nice to have this time & I'm not going to lie, I have spent a few hours here & there just sitting on the couch, being lazy, watching re-runs of Grey's Anatomy & Sex and the City.  I've also gotten to see VEEP & Girls, which are both HI-LARIOUS!  Thanks HBO!

With my 30th birthday looming in less than 30 days now (27 to be exact) I wanted to do some sort of countdown or like bucket list or something.  I thought about starting it on June 26th, exactly ONE month before my bday, but I was driving back from the Valley & it didn't lend itself, then I was like, ah, oh well, not gonna do anything, but then on Thursday I got a brand new point & shoot camera & I got an idea, why don't I start on July 1st (my birth month, best month ever, just FYI) & take a pic of the coolest thing I do that day or the coolest thing that I see that day.  GENIUS!

This idea is actually a play of something I do with one of my best friends, except with her it's...."Weirdest/Randomest Thing I Saw on my Run Today", and trust me, we both see some weird/random stuff (chancla, chonies, live chicken, preggo test), I tell no lies!  So for 26 days I'll chronicle my life through pictures...through the eyes of an almost 30-year old....ah, it's the best I could come up with.

We'll see how well I can keep up with it....Stay Tuned!

2012 Resolution: May Race

Race Goal:  One Hour, which was quite a stretch.  I've only run one other 10K Race in my life & it was during my first running season.  During that race I ran a 1:18 time, definitely nothing to brag about, so I knew I would "PR" but I wanted to challenge myself & really push, hence the lofty goal.  Not sure how realistic I was considering that I've only run 6 miles under an hour ONCE & it was about 10 seconds under an hour & a 10K is 6.2 miles.....so yeah, there are all of my excuses.....
Actual Time: 1:02:35, 2 1/2 minutes off my goal, which is quite a bit, but I still think it's pretty decent.  Just gives me something to strive for in my next 10K.

The Race: I ran the PODER 10K.  The race started at Lanier High School, we ran over to Commerce, then managed to get to Houston St.  We ran down Houston & took a left on Lexington.  Right at about the turn around my tummy started feeling not so hot, so I decided it was a good time to take my GU gel & walk for just a bit (this may have been my 2 1/2 minutes), so at the turn around I started back up again, down Main Ave., back to Houston to Commerce, up the biggest overpass EVER, then back to Lanier HS.

the runners:  Justin, Ariana, Anne, Mike,
me, Mireya & Kristen

Who'd I run with?: 5K Racers:  Ariana, Justin, Anne, & Mike (they were an AWESOME cheering section for the 10Kers as we finished the race, along with Mireya's husband Matt)

10K Racers:  Mireya, me & Kristen.  This was the first 10K for both K & M & they of course did amazingly well!!!  I'm so glad I found other people to follow me along in my crazy resolution, so far it's been super fun!

Coming Up (June Race):  I haven't found one yet.  My "usual" group is running a race on June 9th, but Lake & I will be driving back from a wedding in College Station that day, so I'm out for that one.  I'm trying to find another one, but boy our weekends are filling up fast!  sheesh!  I'll find one though, maybe I can get Leah to run it with me......

My goal over the summer is to get faster though.  Since I'm only training for the RNR Half Marathon & not the Full Marathon this year I figure speed work is what I should really concentrate on at this point.  :)

2012 Resolution: April Race #2

Race Goal:  28:00 flat!  Considering how late I'd stayed out the night before at Alamo Heights Night, I wasn't expecting anything crazy.  I felt good though when I got to the race & the weather was absolutely PERFECT for a run!  A little chilly, about 55 degrees, nice breeze, so that was on my side.

Actual Time:  27:43, wohooooooo!!  well that was my official watch time.....the "official" time on the results site is 27:51, but whatever, it was actually 3.11, so I did stop my watch before I crossed the line, but I'm sticking with my time, thank you very much!!

The Race:  I ran the Providence to Pearl 5K.  It was more like the Pearl to Pearl 5K, but oh well.  We started right at Pearl right by La Gloria.  Ran up river for like 1/2 mile, then turned back & ran down the river to the dam & turned back around to go back up river to Pearl.  Lots of turns & such & lots of cross runner traffic which was slightly annoying, but it was a decent race.  If it would have been a larger race this would've been a bigger problem.  Kudos to the race coordinators for staggering the runners/walkers before the race started, had they not done that I don't think I would've been quite as fast.

Who'd I run with?:  This race was myself, Mireya & Kristen.  We all did great!  :)

Coming Up (May Race):  So I'm only planning on running 1 race in May & it's a 10K.  The Poder 10K on Cinco de Mayo!  :)  We'll see how this one goes.  I ran a 10K training run on Thursday of this week & it was ugly!!  YIKES!!  I guess I'm "goal-ing" this at:  1 Hour, flat!  I'll just have to wait & see I suppose......

2012 Resolution: April Race #1

Race Goal:  28:30, I say that, but I don't really mean it.  I had set that as my April 21st race goal & this 5K just came up out of the blue, so I haven't exactly been "preparing" like I should have.  Of course, this is all just an excuse to make it OK with what my actual time was.....

Actual Time:  29:25, booo!

The Race:  I ran the Veterans Memorial High School 5K in Mission, TX.  One of my aunts is an AP at this high school & I just so happened to be in town for my friend's wedding this past weekend, so I figured why not!  My dad was already running it & my mom was volunteering at it, so it made sense.
The course started at the high school which is located at the corner of Mayberry Road & 2 Mile Line in Mission.  It was soooooo windy that day so that was no fun!  The course went south on Mayberry, then weaved through a couple neighborhoods, then west on 495, then some more neighborhood weaving, North on Conway, East on some rando road just south of 2 Mile, then back on Mayberry south & headed back to the start.  All in all, for a first time race I thought it was really great!  I found a couple of improvements that need to be made, but it was pretty okie dokie!  :)

Who'd I run with?:  Lake & my Dad, who both beat me.....SNAP!

Coming Up (April Race #2):  Providence to Pearl 5K this Saturday, April 21st.  This time I really mean it when I say I'm aiming for 28:00!  YIKES!

2012 Resolution: March Race #2

race gear ready to go!

Race Goal:  28:30, still trying to hit that 5K mark.  I wasn't sure what the course would look like, but I figured I could do it.  Of course I did myself no favors during the week last week.  I didn't have any time to run during the week & to top it off my allergies kicked me in the rear at the end of the week so all in all, I wasn't expecting to PR.

Actual Time:  drum roll please!  28:05, PR, AGAIN!  :) 



Anne's husband is a great sport!

The Race:  The Culinaria 5K at La Cantera Mall.  This was the 2nd year that it's been run.  The race started on the "street" in the newer section of the mall.  The race started right in front of Zara & wow was it crowded.  The entire race was kind of a logistical NIGHTMARE!  I wasn't happy with it.  First, when I signed up I wasn't required to complete a waiver, just pay.....somehow I knew that would come back to haunt me & of course it did.  Two days before the first packet pick up an email was sent out insinuating that it was somehow OUR fault that waivers were missing....nice!  I got my waiver taken care of then at packet pick up, they didn't have my packet because they didn't have record of my registration.  OK, strike 2!  Got that taken care of, even though I could have screamed at someone when they told me that they'd "trust" that I'd paid, even though I had my PayPal confirmation email, but whatever.  A few weeks later I get another email that they have my signed waiver, but they are missing my registration form, even though I filled out a SECOND one at packet pick up.  OK then, got that in.  Next I guess in an effort to save money they had us pick up our timing chips the morning of the race.  What a cluster that was!  You went in & exited from the same tiny door, then you were expected to know which line you needed to stand in.  Needless to say there were lots of annoyed runners Saturday morning.  Last peeve.....there were way too many runners for the starting line.  Everyone was just huddled into a big pack on a narrow street & it didn't open up for like the first tenth of a mile, which I know isn't much, but it was still annoying because you end up wasting valuable energy weaving in & out of people while you try to pass them. 

The weather didn't help, it was misty & slippery, but that wasn't any one's fault. 

My actual run was good!  Started cramping up around mile 1, but felt much better at mile 2 & picked it up the last 1/2 mile or so.  It was good.



just some of the people who ran
this race :)



Who'd I run with?  This was a popular one.  The usual suspects were there, Kristen, Mireya, Anne, & Mike.  My co-workers Alison & Maria also participated.  Shaunda, Rachel, Laura, Edwina, Debi Erica B., Marcus & Miguel also joined in on the running fun.  And I saw my old buddy Cesar there...again, like at the February race.  All in all, very popular race!

Coming Up (April Race):  Still trying to decide between two options.  One is on the 21st & the other is on the 29th, who knows, maybe I'll do both......next goal though, 28:00.....yikes!

2012 Resolution: March Race #1

Race Goal:  1:08:00, I had originally thought my 1/2 of the race was 6.8 miles, so I figured a 10:00/mile pace was quite feasible.


about to hand off to Leah, I was
laughing because my neice was
yelling "HURRY YAYA!!"



Actual Time:  1:08:44, so in actuality I only ran 6.75 miles, well according to the course.  According to my watch I only ran 6.54 miles, so I was way slower than my goal.  I'm disappointed, but oh well.  I finished.  I still haven't checked our "official" time, but I think Leah crossed the finish line at 2:07, so she did a GREAT job!  Go Leah!



Finishing off the race, GO MAMA Leah!



The Race:  The Alamo 13.1.  It benefited the Leukemia / Lymphoma Society.  The race started off in downtown, just in front of the Alamo, then weaved a bit through downtown.  We then ended up on Avenue B which runs parallel to Broadway.  We ran down Ave. B to the Witte Museum, then hooked a left into Brackenridge Park.  Ran through the park for about .75 miles, then ended up back on Ave. B & running back towards downtown.  We took a right on Josephine St. & my leg ended about .6 miles later.  I handed off to Leah who ran the rest of the 13.1 miles.  I didn't feel amazing during the run, I didn't feel bad either.....I kinda just wasn't "feeling it" actually, so oh well!  I guess a week off of virtually no running, lots of bad for you food & drinks probably didn't help me out in any way.  Oh well!

Leah & I with our medals

Who'd I run with?:  just me & my sister in law Leah!  :)

Coming Up (March Race #2):  The Culinaria 5K at La Cantera Mall tomorrow (March 24th).  I'm still trying to hit that elusive 28:30, but I'm not hedging my bets on this race.  I haven't run since Sunday & I haven't been feeling well since Tuesday, so we'll see.  As long as I break 30:00 I'll be happy, but I'd really LOVE to hit my 28:30 mark....fingers crossed!

Quick Update:
The JLSA Running Club has their first run on Tuesday, March 27th!  My friend Kristen & I are so excited & there has been quite a bit of interest!  YAY!

my cool kid nephew, Hayden :)

2012 Resolution: February Race (Part 2)

Race Goal:  28:30, a whopping 19 seconds faster than my previous time.

Actual Time: 28:41, so the site says I ran it slower, but hey, I go by my watch & if my watch says 28:41, I ran a 28:41, suck it race clock!  And ACTUALLY I just noticed that I PRed, AGAIN!  For some reason, I thought I'd run my last 5K in 28:40, so I was a little upset that I was just 1 second slower.  I mean c'mon, if you're gonna fail, FAIL BIG!  But now I'm super happy!!!!!

The Race: Run4Hope, it was put on by the Rape Crisis Center.  The race was at Brackenridge Park, again, same exact course.  The weather was much more bearable this time though, my health....not so much.  I hadn't felt well on Friday, so I went to bed early hoping I'd feel better.  I woke up & felt a little better, but not 100% & my tummy hurt :(  So I ran, fast at the beginning, then I think my body got mad, so around mile 1.5, I pulled back, basically so I wouln't throw up & clipped along at a slower pace for about four tenths of a mile (one song).  I started feeling a little better & kicked it in the last mile, felt great after that!

Mireya, me, Kristen & Anne
getting ready to run

Who'd I run it with?:  Kristen, Mireya, Anne, & her hubby Mike.  While I was there I saw another friend who was running, it was quite the popular race!


Coming Up (March Race):  Leah & I are running a 1/2 Marathon Relay on Sunday, March 18th that runs through downtown SA.  I'm not sure the exact mileage, but I know it's more than 6.5 & that I'm running the longer portion, but it's flat.  My goal is just to keep it at 10:00mins/mile pace, since I'm not exactly sure what the mileage is.  I haven't run more than 5 miles since the Vegas 1/2 (DISASTER) & I'm a wee bit worried, so we will see how this turns out.  I'm not sure I'll have the chance to run any longer distances before the race.....and I know I'm not running the week prior to the race since we're going to New Orleans at the beginning of my Spring Break & I'll be in the Valley for the end of my break, so yeah.......wish me luck!

On another note, some of my JLSA buddies & I will be starting a running club next month, which I am so excited about!  We are going to try to meet twice a month, once during the week for an evening run & one run on the weekend.  We're also hoping that we can get larger groups in on the "Race a Month Challenge."  Our first "official" JLSA Running Club run is set for March 27th, YAY!

2012 Resolution: February Race: Part 1

Race Goal:  Under 30 minutes, I know that was my previous goal, but this was a last minute race that I hadn't planned on doing, so I just wanted to keep at a decent pace.

Actual Time:  28:49, that's right boys & girls, PR!  I hadn't even realized that until I saw my January race post, how exciting!!!

The Race:  Cupid's Chase 5K at Brackenridge Park.  We started at Koehler Pavilion & ran an out & back.  Mile 2 was essentially a loop within part of the gravel trails of the park.  The course was OK, not the greatest, there were lots of places that had really uneven surfaces, BUT all in all it was a good race.  VERY COLD Race!

Who'd I run it with?:  Alison

Coming Up (February Race, Part 2):  Still planning on doing the Run 4 Hope 5K at Brackenridge Park on February 25th....I wonder if it'll be the same course?!  My goal is still 28:30, I'll have more people around to push me at this one, so we'll see!  :)

February 5K Race Bib (Race #1)

2012 New Year's Resolution: January Race

I never make New Year's Resolutions....ever!  Nothing against anyone that does, I just never have....This year I decided to make one, but make the "results" really easy to see.  

2012 New Year's Resolution

I am planning on running at least 1 race every month.  I think I've also managed on getting some friends to do this with me!  This morning I ran my first race, Too Cold Too Hold 5K/15K at McAllister Park.  January's group was:  me, Leah, Mireya, Kristen, Anne, her husband Mike, Ariana, Michelle, Lori & her husband.....the last 3 ran the 15K.

Race Goal:  Under 30 minutes

Race Time:  28:55, WOHOOOO!  This is my fastest 5K time ever.  My previous "PR" was 29:40 last March at the Green Door 5K in Rockwall, which we may run again this year.  The March race is still up in the air.....

The Race:  We ran through McAllister Park, the trail was good, a little tight in some places, but all in all I thought it was laid out well & not too difficult to navigate.  Everyone did super good & I'm super proud of everyone!  YAY!!  :)

Who'd I run it with?:  Anne, Kristen, Leah, Mireya, Michelle, & Ariana

Coming Up (February Race):

Run4Hope 5K Run/Walk at Brackenridge Park on February 25th, if you'd like to join in on the fun, check out the website for the race!  :)

http://www.active.com/running/san-antonio-tx/run-4-hope-5k-run-walk-2012

Next Race Goal:  28:30, not crazy faster, any little bit faster is a big difference!  

Too Cold Too Hold 5K Race:  January 22nd 2012; 1 race down, 11 more to go!

Most of the gals from our "group" that ran this morning

2011: The Re-Cap

So I guess I've been busy......that's my excuse I guess, because why else would I have a 6 month gap in posts?!
Well, since 2011 is now over & I did oh so much enjoy my year in review post from last year, I thought I might as well do that as my first post for 2012, so here it is:
January 2011
Back to school & routine & just regular life, but I did throw in a little visit to Vegas there with my best friends from the Valley. We went to celebrate Miss Cristina's single-dom one last time! It was a weekend filled with lots of laughter, food, gambling, & fun! I'm so happy to have taken this trip with this group of ladies. The rest of January was pretty much par the course, which isn't a bad thing
February 2011
During this month we celebrate love, right?! What better way to celebrate than to host a Twilight Movie Night! DUH! This party was so fun to put together. It also "snowed" in San Antonio & we got a day off for it, then had to make it up on President's Day. The same weekend of the "snow" was also my first race of the new year. I ran a 5K in New Braunfels with Michelle, which ended up being a great race, the weather started off chilly, but warmed up nicely & we ate Chicken E on the way home. Any day that contains Chicken E is a good day in my book!
March 2011
Happy Anniversary Lake & Happy Birthday! :)
On March 1st Lake & I celebrated our 3rd anniversary, crazy how time just flies on by. During this month Cristina got married & we had a great time celebrating her & Dyver. Spring Break was also in March, I spent the week being lazy & relaxing, it was awesome! During March I also ran my first half marathon for the year in Dallas & hit a new personal record! It was a great race.
April 2011
April was all about Fiesta fun & starting to look forward to summer! Lake & I had a very laid back Easter & just celebrated together, it was quite perfect actually! :)
May 2011
May began our race training for the fall. I'm still not sure why, but I made the decision to run the FULL marathon in San Antonio this past year & my training started the last weekend of May. We quickly went from running 3 miles the very first weekend to 12 miles by my birthday at the end of July. To say that the training was "hard" & "intense" is quite the understatement. Although, while I was going through it, it wasn't so bad, it's now that I look back on it that I realize just how crazy I really am! May also shoved me out of my comfort zone when it came to public speaking. I'll pretty much do anything to avoid having to stand in front of people & speak....I know what you're thinking, "but Erica, you're a teacher!" There's a HUGE difference between standing in front of a group of high school students versus a group of your peers. The position I currently serve in the Junior League of SA is New Member Chair Assistant which basically does lots of the background work for the New Member class, however, the New Members have a big kickoff before their year "officially" starts & it's run by the NM Chair & Assistant. As far as the presentation stuff went, I was in charge of showing off the website. To say I was nervous doesn't really begin to describe how I really felt. Alas, I did survive (obviously) & I think I've taken a positive step forward in public speaking. I still don't like it, but I now know I won't throw up on people even when I'm THAT nervous! May also brought my brother & his family to San Antonio. I am beyond grateful, happy, & blessed to have them so close, even it's only for a few years. I love seeing Maryn all the time & seeing her grow up right before my eyes. I'm also really loving being close & seeing Hayden during his first year, it's so exciting to see his new "tricks"
June 2011
Ahhhhh, the lazy hazy days of summer! I would say that I thoroughly enjoyed myself over the summer. June was filled with laying out, running, a super fun beach trip, & being lazy! I also was in Dallas for a week at the AVID Conference & got to meet up with some Dallas friends! SHOUT OUT to Misty, Mary, & Holly. They were all very sweet & came to pick me up from my hotel. I ate italian with Mary, ate mexican & saw The Bachelorette with Misty, & ate burgers with Holly & got all caught up on her life as a newlywed! So not only did I get to attend a really great conference, which I will go to again this summer, but I got to spend time with friends that I never see, it was a super fun week!
July 2011
July is my favorite month of the year, why you ask, because it's my birthday & the heart of summer! I turned 29 this year & had a great birthday, all thanks to my husband & friends! On my actual birthday I did a day bar crawl with Kristen. We covered a lot of territory. We hit up The Friendly Spot, took the downtown trolley to Esquire, & walked over to Zinc. It was one of the funnest birthdays that I've ever had! To top it off, Lake surprised me when I got home & said to pack a bag & we were headed BACK downtown to have dinner & stay the night. We took our time the next morning & did lots of fun touristy SA things! I really love doing that. That next weekend we bowled for my bday. It was a really fun night! :) Thanks to everyone who was able to make it!
August 2011
August always signifies the end of summer.....we had our last few pool times & last few lazy days, but back to work was definitely on the horizon. Coming back to school is always so stressful, no matter how many times you've done it! You're nervous & you feel unprepared, but just like every other year, you make it through those first couple of weeks & get back in your groove & things are great! August pretty much involved getting ready for school.
September 2011
Now's when the marathon training was getting a little crazy! We were approaching our "milestone" run & during this month I ran some pretty crazy amounts! The farthest & by far worst run was the 15 mile run. There was one point in the run where it was 90 degrees & this was in LATE September! UGH, South Texas, you make me sad! Although the first "cool" front to blow in was over Labor Day weekend, which coincided perfectly with a 5 mile race that I ran with Leah & my friend Dawn. It was a very hilly race, but I PRed with a 49 minute run, I felt amazing after! There really is nothing like a runner's high! :)
October 2011
October was more of the same, running & school & junior league, but all fun! During October my training group hit our "milestone" run which was 21 miles. I actually didn't run this with my group though. The weekend that we were scheduled to run this was also the weekend of my friend Monica's bachelorette party at SPI, so Lake & I got up extra early & headed out to the Valero Trailhead & ran. We ran the first 6 miles together & by that point the sun was up, so Lake felt OK to let me run on my own, so he finished his 12 & I powered through to run 21! WOW! Lake picked me up, I showered & was at the airport by 12:30, I was on the beach by 3:00, haha, it was a great & tiring weekend, but lots of fun!!! For Halloween I dressed up as the Tooth Fairy, thanks to Leah's help with my accessories.
November 2011
Monica & Tommy got married the first weekend. Since Connie (another bridesmaid) & I both live in SA, we decided to carpool to the Valley. We made it just in time for Monica's Bridesmaids Luncheon. Later that day was the dress rehearsal & rehearsal dinner at Pappadeux, yum!! The next day was make-up & getting ready in the morning, then wedding time! The reception was at Quinta Mazatlan, which a beautiful outdoor venue in south McAllen. The whole weekend went by in a blur, but it was a great time! The very next weekend was the marathon! The weather wasn't shaping up to be on any one's side & I started getting really worried. It had been so long since I'd trained in warm weather, then it totally freaked me out to see it would be in the mid-80's when I was supposed to finish! So the race didn't go as I wanted, but I did finish, and I suppose that's what counts, at least I have to say that! This race seriously taught me that running really is just putting one foot in front of the other AND I quite possibly have the greatest friends EVER! Seeing them sprinkled throughout the course cheering me on made me feel so happy & very special. Although I am glad that only Lake saw me between miles 16 - 22, I looked rough....someone only a husband could love! But having him pump me up during that point was definitely needed! Special shout out to Anne who literally ran with me around mile 6 & Kristen, Mireya, & Matt who walked with me around mile 24, I'm sure they would have run with me, but I was walking at that point, so they didn't have to! ;) We were off to Tulsa for Thanksgiving & I left with a very worried mind. My dad was hospitalized the Friday before Thanksgiving with pneumonia & stayed for an ENTIRE week! Things got scary around Wednesday, but he's made a full recovery & is doing great now!
December 2011
And finally the last month of the year! So I started 2011 with a trip to Vegas (see January 2011 section) & I also ended it with a trip to Vegas. Lake & I ran the Las Vegas Rock N Roll Half Marathon the first Sunday of December. I was really thinking.....hey, you already ran a full marathon, you've run more than 13.1 miles on SEVERAL occasions over the past 6 months, this half, well it's gonna be CAKE for you! But boy, was I ever WRONG! UGH! The weekend overall was fantastic. We flew in on Saturday, checked into our hotel at Aria, which was awesome by the way...highly recommend! After check in we made our way to The Venetian to packet pick up & here's where I learned that 44,000 other runners would be joining Lake & I on our run down the strip the next night, that's a whole lot of runners. This was the largest race I'd ever participated in by far! I was excited though, running on the stip, at night, pretty cool! Well, the weather was OK, a little chilly, but after running a 1/2 marathon almost 2 years ago while it was sleeting, I thought, hey, it's not THAT bad! The race started at 5:30pm & right away I could tell I would be annoyed. There so many people in my corral (Corral 15) who were NOT supposed to be in there. You are given your corral number based on your estimated time of completion, so everyone that SHOULD be in your corral would have --### (ex: 15339), so I know that I'm supposed to be in Corral 15 because of the first two numbers on my bib. Well, looking around me there were tons of people with 20, 25, 30, 40, 21, 19....well, you get the picture & I'm thinking....hmmmmmm, so moving up a couple corrals isn't the worst thing, but jumping 25 corrals IS! And just like I predicted they release my corral & BAM, a whole bunch of walkers. I mean, more power to ya if you are going to walk 13.1 miles, that's awesome, good luck, God Speed, but MOVE OUT OF MY WAY! I'm sorry, but when I spend half of my energy saying "to your right" or weaving in between people because YOU chose to move yourself up when you had no business doing so, YEAH, it's going to annoy me. I actually had one lady call me a SUPER mean & disgusting name because after I'd politely said "to your right please" & she didn't move I passed her anyway & while I did that I acidentally bumped her & wham....super mean disgusting name, what the?!?! After about 6 miles (yes, almost half of the race) things finally starting clearning up & I was feeling great! I was right on track to hit my PR. Then mile 9 rolled around, which has always sorta been my personal mile nemisis & it reared it's ugly head again. I physically could not make myself go any faster than I was going, it was sad....I finished the race, my 3rd best time, which isn't saying too much considering that my 2 slowest times are REALLY REALLY slow. And to add insult to serious injury I felt AWFUL after the race was over. I still don't know what happened, I'm not sure if it was too cold, if I didn't hydrate well enough, if I was too tired because we'd walked around all day or maybe my body just wasn't ready to run for that long of a time. Who knows, oh well.....Lake PRed though, which is awesome! YAY! December saw the end of the 1st semester of school & a 2 week much needed break! During those 2 weeks Lake & I traveled to jolly old London to enjoy holiday! That's a whole other long post though. Stay tuned.....
All in all 2011 was a fabulous year! I learned a lot, got way more involved at school & in Junior League, to which I'm so grateful for all that I've learned & the leadership skills that I've gained. I've lost a few relationships, but gained knowledge from the losses & also gained some amazing friends, so thank you 2011, for being fun, awesome, & pushing me out of my comfort zone! Ready to take on 2012, let's see what you've got in store!