Why I Love Running + Race Registration Giveaway!

While training for my first half marathon back in 2013, I didn't feel inspiring. I registered for the race to help cope with a difficult time in my life, when I didn't feel very successful at all. Long story short, I was working my tail off in grad school and at work, but it felt like I was going nowhere. Training for the half marathon helped take my mind off of the struggles I was going through in my post-undergrad life. And that gave me hope.

I've told this story millions of times, but for those of who haven't heard it before, I crossed the finish line of my first half a different person than when I started. Despite struggling during the last three miles of the race, I stepped over that final Chrono-Track overwhelmed with emotion. I felt incredible. And powerful. And most importantly...successful. I ran six more half marathons that year, each one proving that I was getting stronger and faster. I kept competing because after struggling for so long, I had finally found something that provided me with a sense of achievement. 

And that's what I love about running. No matter what you're going through, no matter how hard things get, running has the power to almost instantly make any situation feel a million times better. It won't earn you a 4.0 in grad school or land you your dream job, but it will help you develop the confidence you need to succeed in every day life. This is why I have spent nearly every day since my first half marathon sharing my passion for running, in hopes of inspiring others to recognize their potential, to challenge themselves, and to accomplish things they never thought possible. 

So as part of my effort to get more people running and challenging themselves, I'm giving away one free race registration to the 2017 Divas Half Marathon in DC's Wine Country! The race takes place on September 16th, and registration includes personalized race bibs, participant tees, a pink tutu, and a drawstring bag. After running 13.1 miles alongside hundreds of other women (and a few good men!), you'll be rewarded with a pink feather boa, tiara, an incredible finisher's medal (see below), and some bubbly!

Want to earn your tiara?

Enter the giveaway by leaving me a comment and tell me what you love about running -- that's it! The winner will be announced Wednesday, March 8th, and will notified by e-mail. Best of luck!

Not interested in testing your luck? No problem! You can register for the event yourself here. Promo code RCDIVADC17 saves you 10% on either distance. Hope to see you there!

Come run with me!

What do you love about running?

Even Dopier Than Dopey: The #IndoorDopeyChallenge

Treadmill Running: A History

When I tell others that the majority of my marathon training is completed on a treadmill, they're almost always shocked. "How can you run for so long on a treadmill?" "Do you watch Netflix or listen to music?" "The most I stand is like 2 miles!" These are just some of the responses I get. The truth is, I used to enjoy running outside. A lot. But after experiencing several months of never-ending snow in New York, I had to bring my running indoors. Initially, I started out with 3-6 milers, which eventually grew to 10 milers. So the jump to completing all long runs (12 miles, 16 miles, 18 miles, etc.) was pretty easy.

The Creation of a 48.6 Mile Treadmill Challenge

Back in 2015, I had the opportunity to compete in the Dopey Challenge in Walt Disney World, which had been a dream of mine since the inaugural event in 2014. I even quit a previous job to do it, because my employer would not allow me to take the days off of work, even though I had registered before I was hired. For those of you not familiar with the Dopey Challenge, it is a four-day event in which you complete a 5k, 10k, half marathon, and full marathon around all four parks.  I spent five days in WDW, and it was easily the best extended weekend of my life.

Embrace the clank!

Last year, I wasn't able to compete in Dopey. It was my first year at my current job, and I had already taken a day off for the Dumbo Double Dare in Disneyland. About two weeks before the event took place, I was running a 7-miler on the treadmill when I had an idea; why not complete Dopey on the treadmill?

I knew the this was going to be challenging, mostly because of the 26.2 miles on the fourth day. Most people compete in Disney events because running through the parks before they even open is incredible. The race courses are scattered with character stops, friendly volunteers, and enthusiastic spectators. Not to mention that the parks look stunning all lit up, and running through Cinderella's castle at 6AM is an experience I can't even describe. The closest I would get to Disney World that weekend would be by running in the Run Disney long-sleeved participant shirts I got a year prior.

Two days before the actual Dopey Challenge kicked off, I announced on both Instagram and the #TeamRunDisney Facebook group that I would be attempting the challenge on the treadmills at my gym. I received a ton of messages from people stating that I was either "awesome" or "crazy," as well as a decent handful of "good lucks!"

On January 7, 2016, I completed a 5k on the treadmill after work. The easiest "race" of Dopey was complete, and I was actually excited to run the remaining 45.5 miles. The next day, I ran the 10k on the treadmill again after work. I remember being upset that I didn't go before work, because there would only be about a 12-hour difference between the 10k and the half marathon the following morning. I slept in some PRO Compression over-the-calf Marathon socks, and felt fine the next day.

The half marathon felt effortless, and I even impressed myself with my sub-2 hour time. I couldn't help but feeling nervous for the marathon the following day, since the most I had ever run on a treadmill was 18 miles. I also hadn't completed a ton of long runs since finishing the New York City Marathon the previous November. But with enough determination, fueling, hydration, and Pandora, I ran 26.2 miles on a treadmill and loved every second of it.

Inaugural #IndoorDopeyChallenge complete!

Two Years Running

In the months following last year's challenge, I didn't think about whether or not I would run it again this year. Training-wise, 2016 was a rough year for me, and by November I was still working on getting my speed and endurance back. Just over a month before the challenge would start, I decided to post on Instagram that I would be running it again. By sharing this decision with my friends and followers, I would feel a huge sense of accountability, which would help me run all 48.6 treadmill miles whether I was ready to or not.

In the weeks leading up to this year's Indoor Dopey Challenge, two friends who I met on Instagram years ago told me that they would be joining me. I was surprised that others were signing up to do it, but also so stoked to have both Kristen and Elle complete the challenge! Coincidently, we had all just been selected as PRO Compression 2017 Ambassadors, so Kristen and I coordinated socks since we had a few in common, and Elle joined us on the days that she could. Kristen also had the idea to create "character stops" by attaching mile marker signs featuring Mickey, Dopey, and others to wooden rods. I totally mimicked her idea, and created six of my own, one for each distance and challenge (the Goofy Challenge is completed as part of Dopey by running both the half and full marathons for a total of 39.3 miles). Having these ladies share their ideas and enthusiasm with me definitely helped me get excited to run!

The 5k - The 5k was the easiest run to complete, as expected, and I finished in 27 minutes flat. I headed to Gold's Gym after work so that I could complete the distance in their Cardio Cinema. The Cardio Cinema is exactly what it sounds like; three rows of cardio equipment, including ellipticals, treadmills, and stationary bikes, facing a large projector that displays a different movie every day. My favorite thing about the cinema is that it's totally dark, and there's an industrial fan mounted in the corner of the room that keeps it super cool.

The 10k - Not much to report here. Again, I headed to the Cardio Cinema after work. Running felt effortless, and I completed the 10k in 54:11. Similar to last year, I was worried that running later in the day would effect the half marathon that I would be running the following morning. When I got home, I put on different compression socks and foam rolled to help my legs feel fresh for the next day.

The Half Marathon - I had to get my 13.1 miles in early, because I would be working an event for Vega later that day. Gold's doesn't open until 7am on Saturdays, so I went to my sister's apartment complex around 6:30am to start running. I drank Vega Sugar-Free Energizer before I left my apartment, and kept both water and Vega Hydrator with me on the treadmill. Unfortunately, my extra socks and foam rolling the night before didn't help too much. My legs felt heavy, and I had to switch to a run/walk several times. Knowing that Kristen and Elle were running that day, and that I had a huge audience on social media, definitely helped me persevere. I finished in a time of 2:09:33.

The Marathon - I was so nervous for this. My legs felt like rocks during the previous day's half marathon, and I had worked a 7-hour event for Vega the night before. The main thing that kept me going was the knowledge that Kristen and Elle would be running that day (Kristen started about an hour before I did), and I had people on Instagram cheering me on. I didn't set an alarm for that morning to allow my body get the full amount of rest it needed (I also had nothing else planned for that day, so it didn't matter what time I finished running). For breakfast, I had vegan "nice" cream and iced coffee, and packed my bag of necessities. This included three full water bottles, a bottle of Vega Hydrator, and spare clothes (to prevent from nearly drowning in my own sweat). I arrived at Gold's just after it opened, put my extra stuff in a locker, and headed right into the cinema.

My plan was to break up the 26.2 miles into the following distances (since the treadmill maxes out at 60 minutes): 6.2 miles, 6 miles, 6 miles, 6 miles, 2 miles. I completed the 6.2 miles, followed by the first 6-miler, but I could feel my legs starting to get tired around 14 miles. I ended up running the following: 6.2 miles, 6 miles, 5 miles, 3 miles, 2.48 miles, 3.52 miles. There was some walking toward the end, but I focused on completing the distance, and not on speed. As I ran, I watched "X-Men: The Last Stand" about 4.5 times, and listened to New Found Glory Radio on Pandora. I didn't set a new personal best in the marathon, but I did beat the previous year's treadmill marathon time by about 4 minutes. I finished the Indoor Walt Disney World Marathon in a time of 4:27:04!

Dopey Aftermath

As many of you know, the #IndoorDopeyChallenge isn't an "official" event. You don't have to register or pay any fee to do it. There are no bibs, participant shirts, finisher medals, post-race awards ceremonies...nothing. All you have to do is run a on a treadmill, and share your completion of each distance on Instagram using the above hashtag. That's it. People often ask me "why do you do this if you don't get anything out of it?" To me, this is such a ridiculous question, because I get so much out of this event. I get other people inspired and motivated to try difficult tasks. I build relationships with others who either support me in what I'm doing, or are willing to join me. Most importantly, I feel GOOD about myself, which is a feeling no medal could ever provide me with.

When I compete in a marathon, I almost always cry at the finish line, not when a medal is being placed around my neck. The moment you cross the finish is when you are overwhelmed with emotion. You feel powerful. You feel accomplished. You feel INCREDIBLE. To me, the medals are just evidence that I finished the race. Runners often joke about "doing it for the bling" or "running all the miles, earning all the medals," but in most cases, there's only a little bit of truth to that. We run for the excitement. We run to prove that we can do difficult things. We run to feel ALIVE.

So for the past two years, I completed the Dopey Challenge not expecting anything at the finish. In 2016, I shared on the #TeamRunDisney Facebook page that I had completed my first Indoor Dopey. The post received over 1000 likes, and over 200 comments. One comment came from a woman named Terri Akins, owner of Virtual Run World. She congratulated me on my finish, and stated that she was overwhelmed (in a good way) by the amount of motivation and positive energy that I created in the group. As a result, she wanted to reward me for what I had done. I got to choose any medal I wanted from her website, so I chose this one:

How appropriate!

This year I set off for my indoor challenge, again not expecting anything for completing it. About four days after the marathon, I got an e-mail from the concierge in my building, stating that I had a package. I headed downstairs to retrieve it, and was almost speechless when I saw what was inside:

My friend VK, who I met on Instagram years ago and then in person at the 2016 Marine Corps Marathon, sent me, Kristen, and Elle each a customized Starbucks cup to congratulate us on completing Dopey on treadmills! Both Terri's and VK's gifts at the end of each of my indoor Dopeys are more than just evidence that I finished. They're reminders that as a runner, I have the ability to inspire others with what I accomplish. In a society that distributes participant trophies at children's soccer tournaments, I can serve as a reminder to others the power of intrinsic rewards, and doing things because they are challenging, not because you expect something when you're done. They're also reminders of the incredible friends and community that I have discovered just by running. And all of that is so much more than I could have ever hoped for.

Fall Race Recaps!

One of the reasons it took me so long to start a blog was because I thought that I wouldn't keep up with it. I haven't updated since August 30th, so clearly my assumption was correct! The main reason I haven't updated is because I've had a LOT going on, so blogging has kind of taken the back seat. Tons of great things have been happening though. I hadn't planned on running so many fall races, but opportunities kept presenting themselves and I took every single one!

Those of you who follow me on Instagram may recall the horrible running funk I experienced this past summer. IT WAS AWFUL. I think a lot of my issues were the result of mental issues rather than physical ones (I won't get into details but I was stressing out BIG time, which itself was a struggle because normally I don't stress), but there were seriously days where I would set out for 8 miles but stop after 3. At the end of July, I found out I was running the New York City Marathon, which caused me to stress even more because I had lost a lot of fitness and truly believed that I would not be prepared for it. So I did what I always do...signed up for a ton of races leading up to the big race!

Dumbo Double Dare
One week after I last updated, I headed west to California for the Disneyland 10k and Half Marathon (Dumbo Double Dare). Technically it this was a summer race, and the title of this post is "Fall Race Recaps," but bear with me. Not only was it the 10th anniversary of the race weekend, but it was the Disneyland Diamond Celebration for 60 years of the Happiest Place On Earth! Rani and I were running it together to receive our Coast to Coast Challenge medals, after completing the first part of the challenge in Walt Disney World this past January. I've got a few races to report on so I'll try to keep them brief!

It's been well over a month, but I remember the 10k feeling very hard. I had been sitting on a plane for over 6 hours the day before, so I did factor that in while wondering why my legs felt so stiff. I ended up completing the 10k (which was a villains theme this year) in 57:16.

Rani & I before the 10k!

Who's the fastest one of all?

I met Andrea Barber (you may remember her as Kimmy Gibbler) in the finisher's area!

After the 10k, Rani and I spent time going to the parks and Downtown Disney. I think we ended up walking over 20 miles that day. Not the best idea when you have a half marathon the following day but hey, we were in DISNEYLAND!!

The next morning, we set off for the half marathon around 4:30am (I think? This is why it's important to update more than every 6 weeks!) and hung out in the parking lot until we were released to our corrals. While heading to our corrals, we spotted the ever-inspiring Carlee!

Only runners are this happy to be awake before the sun comes up!

Rani and I were in different corrals, so we quickly hugged and wished each other good luck before splitting up. I knew a few people in my corral, but it was so crowded by the time I got there that I couldn't find anyone. Before I knew it, the race was starting.

Again, it's been several weeks, so I don't remember al of the details, but I do recall the first 5-6 miles feeling very difficult. I was wearing compression socks, but my legs felt very stiff. I don't think they loosened up until about mile 9, and the last four miles went a lot better. My splits ranged between 9:16 and 9:53, and I finished in 2:07:02.

Redesigned medal for the Diamond Celebration!

From Dopey to Dumbo

Embrace the clank.

Diva's Half Marathon - DC Wine Country

Two weeks after Disneyland, I ran the Diva's Half Marathon in Loudon, VA. I hadn't checked a state off of my list since May when I ran the Vermont City Marathon, so I was itching to get another one under my belt. This race was about 45 minutes from my apartment, and I didn't want to spend money on a hotel so I ended up driving to the expo the day before, and then back to the race in the morning. All participants received a pink tutu in their race bag, and I decided to race in mine since I had never run in a tutu before. It was pretty fun!

The weather was actually perfect, and the course felt pretty easy. There were a ton of hills but miraculously they didn't bother me. My only complaint about this race was that most of it took place in a residential area that was comprised of several cul-de-sacs. I would have liked to actually see more of the "wine country." At the mile 13 mark, a group of high school cheerleaders gave the runners tiaras and boas, so I looked like a total diva as I crossed the finish. I made it to the finish in 2:04:18. It was still far from a PR, but I was happy to have beat my Disneyland time.

Color Run 5k - DC

The day after Diva's, I ran the Color Run 5k. It took place at National Harbor, which is actually in Maryland but is just across the river from DC. There was a huge turnout, and the course was really great and scenic. As an ambassador, I received a purple tutu from TCR. So for the second day in a row, I ran in a tutu! I also received two free registrations for the event, so I gave one to fellow #SweatPink ambassador Allison of Life's a Bowl who was in town for both the Diva's Half and her birthday weekend. She helped me out a ton when I was considering moving to Northern Virginia, so I was glad I could return the favor! We ran the course together on tired legs from the previous day's half marathon, but it was a ton of fun! The race isn't timed, but new this year were medals for every finisher. 

#SweatPink at the Color Run!

Lovin' all the color!

Army Ten-Miler

I loved everything about this event. With 35,000 participants, this is the third largest 10-miler in the country. I'm still fairly new to the Northern Virginia/DC area, but I ended up running into SO many people that I knew, including a student, a co-worker, and fellow Annapolis Run Classic ambassador Courtney of Eat Pray Run DC! The event weekend started off at the expo, located at the DC Armory. I had a half-day at work for conferences, so I headed over to the expo as soon as I got out because traffic in the area is BAD, especially on a Friday. There were SO many great vendors, including some of my favorite companies like Sweaty Bands and Honey Stinger (where I loaded up on way too many gingersnap waffle samples). The Annapolis Running Classic had a booth, and since I'm an ambassador, I headed over to say hi to the race directors. They are awesome people, and they sent me off with a ton of new swag! (Side note: registration is still open! Save 10% with code RCREF15.) I hung out at the expo for a little bit, and then headed back to Virginia, again to avoid traffic.

The first corral (which was comprised entirely of our nation's wounded warriors) would start loading before 7am, so I got to the race early to find parking. At 5:15AM, I was the second car in the lot. I always get really bad anxiety before a race if I think I'm going to be late, so I'd actually rather show up early and keep warm in my car than get stuck in traffic or be unable to find a parking spot. Around 6:30AM, the parking garage starting to fill up, and I saw other people in my corral (I was able to identify them by bib color) heading to the start area. It was about 45*F, so I wore pants, the long sleeve race shirt, and an Under Armour Storm hoodie. The idea was to check my hoodie at gear check, but I was so cold that I wouldn't part with it. I regretted this decision at about mile 5 of the race, when I finally got so hot that I had to tie the hoodie around my waist.

The course was incredible. We started in the South Parking Lot of the Pentagon, up to Arlington National Cemetery, and then across the Arlington Memorial Bridge into Washington, DC. Most of the race took place in downtown DC, until around miles 7-8 when I realized we were running on Interstate-395! I thought that was the coolest thing. I mean, how many races are able to shut down a major highway like that?! There weren't a ton of hills on the course, and my legs were pretty cooperative, so I cruised through the finish line with a time of 1:32:52. It definitely wasn't my best time, and I couldn't help but think that I would've been faster had it not been for the hoodie mishap. The Army Ten Miler was such a great event that I really didn't care too much about my time; I was just happy to be there!

Finishers received a coin in place of a medal!

Post-race, I received my coin, and then waited in the longest line ever for the food tables. Soldiers were distributing the coins around me, and at one point, I noticed several boxes of coins sitting on tables, unattended. I was shocked, as I thought about how anyone could just walk off with an entire box. Later on, I found out that many people had to have coins mailed to them, because they ran out. I can't help but think that people were taking extra coins from those boxes as I had predicted. It's truly a shame to think about people taking advantage of situations like that. 

Monster Mash Half Marathon (Dover, DE)

Final race of the recap! If you've made it this far, congrats! I have to say, this was one of the smallest half marathons I've run, but it was definitely one of my favorites! I left work right away on Friday, went home to feed my guinea pig, and then headed straight out the door to try to beat traffic. The drive was supposed to take two hours, but there was an accident on Route 80, so it took me close to three hours. Packet pick-up closed at 8pm, and I made it with 15 minutes to spare. Inside my race bag was New Balance tech tee, a magnet, and a plastic cup, all of which had the event logo on them. I also received a package of limited edition Reese's Peanut Butter Cups with the Wounded Warrior Project logo on them, as the race sponsored the organization. I don't like chocolate so I'll probably be giving them to my mom, but I thought that was such a great touch! I was pretty exhausted between work and the drive, so I made a quick Wal-Mart stop (most incredible Super Wal-Mart ever!) and then headed over to my hotel.

After grabbing coffee and fruit from the hotel breakfast area, I headed over to the race around 5:30AM. I think I was the tenth car in the parking lot this time, haha! I only had to sit in the car for about an hour, because at 6:30, the runners assembled at Miles the Monster (more on him later) for the national anthem, and to honor the members of our military. Then, we headed inside the speedway for a 7AM start. Two things I loved about the starting area were 1. the parking lot was just feet away from it and 2. there were no port-a-potties. Since the race started on the race track, runners and spectators were allowed to use the speedway's own restrooms! If you're a runner, you know how stressful parking and port-a-potties (GROSS) at a race can be. No such stress exists at this race!

As I stated earlier, the race started on the race track. After running one lap on the race track, we then headed out into the city of Dover. The half marathon and marathon take place at the same time, splitting after the mile 6 mark. It was a little cold at the start, but I knew better than to wear pants and a hoodie again. I set off in shorts, a racerback, and compression shorts, and was able to warm up pretty quickly. During the first 6 miles, the course took us through some residential areas, as well as Dover's historic district. Between miles 6 and 7, the course transitioned from residential to rural, and remained that way until we headed back to the speedway to cross the finish. Around mile 11, I looked at my watch and realized that I was on pace to set a personal best. I had been talking to a few fellow runners throughout the course, but stayed focus during the last two miles to ensure that this would happen. I crossed the finish line in 1:54:16...new PR!

Miles the Monster and my monster-sized medal!

Thanks for sticking with me this long! I promise not to wait so long to update again!

Have you done any of these races? If not, which one would you like to do?