Chicago Marathon: #roadtobuns

It all started with 5 friends, a google doc, multiple VRBO inquiries, daily gchat conversations, and a chain of emails. The Chicago marathon has always been on my bucket of list of races to run and I was beyond excited for it to be a runcation with friends from all across the country.  I found the ideal condo near the start line, looked into flight options, started planning the "cation" part of the trip {ok, I know the marathon isn't until October, but I'm slightly type A}, when an email on January 16th changed everything...registration for the 2014 Chicago Marathon will be conducted through a lottery system. Womp womp!!!

Cue more emails and researching other fall marathons in hopes of finding a marathon that would work for everyone, because for me a huge part of running a marathon is who you have along side you for the journey.   Well it quickly became clear that not only was that not going to happen, none of them appealed to me quite like Chicago. So back to plan A: The Chicago Marathon, with only 2 people! With the lottery, {we thought} everyone who threw their name in needed to be ok with any and all of the possibilities: we could all get in, one of us could get in, or just a couple of us could get in.  March 19th rolled around and I took {what I thought would be} a big gamble and threw my name in the hat! I'll be honest, I was looking forward to the rush of taking that leap of faith waiting on pins and needles to see if I got in, and if I would be running with any of my friends. Well, let's just say the "lottery" was somewhat of a buzzkill. I signed up, only to find out that I didn't have to provide payment information and will have 5 days upon acceptance to pay. While that's actually great news because it encouraged one other friend to throw her name in the hat too and  I'll be able to make the choice whether or not to run, depending on if Tess and Mandy get in, I really didn't feel like I took much of a gamble, ha! 

Now back to the gchat conversations...social media has seriously been such a huge blessing in my life, introducing me to amazing people who have become some of my closet friends, providing me with fabulous opportunities, and connecting me with companies I have truly fallen in love with. One of those amazing people I am blessed to call friend is Tess! I am so thankful Tess accepted my invitation to join 11 strangers to run Ragnar Tennesse with NUUN...that was the beginning of our "snapchat-gchat-fake tattoo-Christ centerered-country music loving-we just get one another" friendship! 

I really am not sure how it happened {I'm also not surprised}, but somehow through our gchat conversations we decided that if we get in to the Chicago Marathon we will run it in buns! Yes, you read that correctly...buns! 

Now let me just explain something to you, my thighs have a sparks flying, can't get enough of each other, loving relationship! So what we have now labeled #roadtobuns, is going to be an around-the-world journey to get these thighs of mine in buns shape. 

The #roadtobuns will require:
1. Leg weights

2. Daily #roadtobuns workouts...a Pinterest board & google doc have been created
3.  Stock in and a lifetime supply of Bodyglide
4. A friend who is willing to join me on this crazy fun adventure! 

Talk about a leap of faith!  If you have any favorite leg exercises/workouts, Tess and I would love it if you would share!

The Early Bird Gets The Worm: A Guide To Working Out In The Morning

It's 4:30 am, your alarm goes off {and if you have an iPhone it probably has a motivational label, like you can do it,  your running shoes are calling your name,  OR believe you can}, you are perfectly snuggled into your bed, with you comforter oh so comfortably embracing you like a cocoon {your bed is never more comfortable than when your alarm goes off for an early morning workout}, its dark outside, and you hit snooze several times.  To run {go the gym, yoga class, etc} now OR later, that is the question...

I am here to tell you:

I have always been a morning person, in the sense that I have never been able to sleep in past 7 or 8am, even as a teenager.  Now, with my schedule, the only guarantee I have of getting in a workout/run is if I do it first thing, as in 5am, in the morning.  I have fallen in love with my early morning workouts and I can't think of a better way to start my day!

Here are a few of my tips to becoming a morning runner:

Lay your clothes out the night before  or if you feel the need to, sleep in your workout clothes.

Set multiple alarms and if that doesn't work, you might want to consider an alarm clock on wheels; nothing like chasing an alarm clock through the house to wake you up.

Find workout/running partners there is something about knowing that someone is waiting for you and holding you accountable, and that you are doing the same for them.

Do NOT text your workout/running partners in the morning it always ends up going something like this, "I'm tired, not sure I want to run this morning." "Yah, me too...maybe we should cancel and run later??" "Ok, sounds good" And then the run never happens...

"I regret getting up early to workout" said no one ever.

Go to bed early its definitly easier to get up, the earlier you go to bed.

Set the timer on your coffee pot to brew either before you workout OR to come home to the fresh smell of coffee, whichever you prefer.

There is no excuse to not get in a workout during the day I all too often hear people saying they just don't have time to workout; but let be honest, you're not doing anything else at 5am,  so why not workout??

You CAN do it if you choose to!

A lot of people ask me, "How do you do it!?" {referring to me running in the morning}...but its really just a matter of making the decision to do it! I will not say its easy, but I am always so thankful when I get up in the morning, and regret the days I don't! There is no better way to start the day, than with close friends, great conversations, and a solid run, all followed by a cup of coffee and some quiet time, before things get moving and grooving.