A Dose of a Race Recap...

On April 20th me and a few friends ran Pat's Run in Tempe, AZ. If you're not familiar, it's a 4.2 mile run that honors Pat Tillman who was a former Arizona Cardinals football player (and ASU Sun Devil!). He left a lucrative contract to join the Armed Forces after the events of 9/11 and sadly, died in Afghanistan in 2004. His family created the Tillman Foundation in memory of his legacy and achievements and now the race draws over 35,000 participants! This was actually my first year running the race and it was so much fun. We saw hundreds of runners honoring Boston (I wore my yellow and blue!) as well as firefighters and members of the military running in full gear. The race included everyone from moms with strollers, wheelchair participants, kids and serious racers. All coming together for the same cause...overall, it was just a really inspiring day! 

Pre-Race group photo! Starting line. 

The Saturday before the race I actually tweaked my foot and had some major swelling and only ran once that week. :( Of course I was a lil nervous about how it would feel and so since it was Lisa's first race I decided I would run with her. I really had no idea what kind of pace she would be running but I'm glad we decided to duck into a closer starting corral. We had a really good start! No trampling over people..or getting trampled! Lisa was running great and I had no pain in my foot! At about the last half mile there was a major hill and sure enough the foot started to feel it bad. But we ended up finishing strong!

 Congrats on a great first race Lisa! (Sporting my blue (for Boston) Pro Compression socks...which I really think helped with the foot situation!)

 Time 39:07 Pace 9:19 (Nick also had a great run with a time of 29:08!)

Unfortunately, my foot has been feeling the effects since then. I took a few days off but I only could manage a lousy 2 miles last week. It's making me slightly worried since my half is only 5 wks away. I'm sure the foot will be fine in a couple more days but it's kinda a bummer when an injury throws you off your training game. :( Cross your fingers for me!

A Dose of Birthday Cheer...

 Now... 

and then. Some things never change, and for that I'm grateful.

Happy birthday to my favorite person and oldest friend. Here's to many more years of playing dress up together! xoxo.

Boston...

When I started running not too long ago, it was something I sorta dreaded and at that time, something I was just doing to "get in shape". But slowly I began throwing around the idea of possibly signing up for a race in the future...like waaay future. I decided though, I needed a goal to work towards to keep me on track so after a couple of 5k races I went out on a limb and signed up for a half marathon..a complete surprise to everyone around me! And you know what, these past few months I've developed a fondness for the sport of running that I never thought was possible. Like, ever. For me, it's the satisfaction that comes from knowing it's just you, and only you, who's responsible for getting out of bed every Saturday morning, or lacing up after a hard day at work, and pushing yourself to complete those miles or minutes even when your body may not feel like it can. It's knowing that you've pushed your body further than you thought possible. That "runners high" they speak of, well it exists and it's a fantastic feeling. Now here I am, 3 days after the tragic events in Boston and 6 weeks away from my first half marathon and I'm filled with an even greater love for running and it's community. I have a whole new motivation for June 2nd. So from here on out, my miles are for Boston.

For more info and to join me:

http://ireport.cnn.com/topics/957645

Log your miles here.

http://www.charitymiles.org/

4.09 Mi in honor of Boston.
*(4 hrs 09 mins was the time on the clock when the first explosion occurred.)

A Dose of Festival Wear...

It's that time of year again when music festivals are taking place all over the country. It's one of the many reasons why I love summer so much! There is just something so fun about an outdoor concert! So I thought it would be fitting to share with you some of my music festival necessities!

1. A comfy and cool outfit- Since you'll be outdoors for hours at a time and doing lots of walking (and dancing!), you wanna make sure you're comfortable and not sweating to death! An easy maxi or a pair of cutoffs and a tank would be my outfit of choice.
2. A lightweight jacket- Here in the desert, when the sun goes down so do the temperatures. A denim or leather jacket is right on trend and will pair perfectly with just about any outfit!
3. Sturdy footwear- There is sure to be lots of walking in dirt (and possibly mud), so the last thing you want is dirty feet! Yuck! I suggest a comfortable ankle boot. And let's not forget that large crowds of people can be dangerous for those toes so leave the sandals/heels at home ladies!
4. A hands free bag- A cross body or a cute bucket bag like above is the perfect size for storing sunnies, money, ID, chapstick etc. and it's hands free!
5. Hat and sunglasses- Your outside in the sun all day long so make sure to cover up and keep cool! A floppy hat is also great for hiding that 2nd day hair! ;)

What do you guys think, am I missing anything?
Are any of you ladies attending a music festival this year? Country Thunder? Coachella? Bonnaroo? If so, what will you be wearing? I don't think I'll be attending any festivals this year, however, Coachella is definitely on my bucket list! But I did manage to snag tickets to see these guys in June and I'm soooo excited!!

A Dose of Bloggers...

Calling all AZ bloggers!!

I've got my ticket, how bout you?

Check out the Phoenix Style Collective blog for more details.

I'll be attending with this gorgeous gal and I'm soooo excited!! Hope to see some familiar faces there!

Would You? Wednesday...

Happy Wednesday ladies. With all this gorgeous weather we've been having around here, I'm wanting to skip straight forward to summer! I've been daydreaming of sandy beaches and lounging with a drink in hand. Sadly, it will be a few more months until any traveling takes place but in the meantime I can still dress like it right?! This season tropical prints aren't just for your island getaway. There are plenty of great options for everyday wear...even at the office! You can try incorporating a printed pump during the week and for the weekend, I'd try some printed shorts! Now what do you think? Would you wear tropical print for everyday?

A Dose of Spring Do's...

Since I can't seem to build up enough courage to chop off my long locks, I've been searching for some creative spring and summer do's! Because who really wants to blow dry, curl, and repeat everyday!? Especially when it's way too hot outside and you've got better things to do! No thank you. Here are a few I'm looking forward to trying. 

I've tried wearing "Heidi" braids and I just feel too much like a "milk maid" with them so I like this version of wrapping them around the back of your head instead over the top.

A scarf is the perfect addition to your low bun or top knot! 

What are some of your easy go-to summer hair do's? Spill!

Hope you all had a lovely Easter weekend! 

Images via