Spinning, IronMan Jessica Jacobs and crazy friends! Perfect way to spend a morning!

Spinning Spinning and more spinning!

Sometimes it's not about doing what's comfortable, it's about pushing yourself to see what you can do! 

Today was the 3rd annual Rock N Ride Spinathon at the East side YMCA.  Last year for the event, Lisa and I rode for 2 hours.  It was the first time Lisa did any sort of a spin class and she rocked it. 

All I can say is that I love this girl!  She keeps me moving!  

When I say let's run 4 miles, she says lets do 5!

Last year I told her we needed to decide between running the Warrior Dash or running the Packers 5k.  She quickly pointed out that we were running the Warrior Dash 9:45am heat and that the Packers 5k didn't start until 6pm.  Guess what?  We did both!

 This year we decided that we needed to up the ante and sign up for 3 hours!

So 3 hours it was!  3 Hours for the MAKS and Livestrong programs at the local YMCA

My friend Jenny told me to ride some miles for her since she couldn't be there.  I told her that the 1st hour was for her!  Stacy really pushed us to keep moving and put on the miles!

As I was riding that 1st hour, it got me thinking.  There are so many people that keep me motivated, inspired and moving forward.  It doesn't matter if it is my other fellow crazy runners, my family that puts up with my hours of training miles and travel, trainers that push me through classes, the numerous myTEAM Triumph Angels and Captains that I have gotten to know over the years, my online running family and more.

Today I was riding these miles for some of them!

Hour 2 for us meant a changing of the guard... a new instructor!  This time it was 3 time Ironman Champion Jessica Jacobs!  Jessica as come back to lead the spinathon each and every year!  Jessica is a force to be reckoned with on the course and I am always excited to workout with her at this event!  This year was no different!  This hour took spinning to a whole new level - more sprints, hills and then she decided to throw in some jumping, squats and everything in between!  Some of the guys in the back of the room decided (and let her know) that they didn't think she was human!  This woman didn't know the meaning of go easy!  We pushed it to levels that I don't think I knew existed!!

This hour also was a huge shout out to my newest inspiring friends,  my fellow Skirt Sport Ambassadors!  These ladies are out there making it happen, working to inspire and motivate other women to becoming healthier, fit women!  Even though I have actually not met any of these ladies in person, I feel inspired to do what I can to keep motivating and inspiring everyone around me!  Thank you ladies!

Finally, it was time for hour 3!  My legs were burning!  After one hour of Jessica, I still had another hour to go... and it was more Jessica leading the way!  After 2 hours of going all out, I knew that I didn't have much in the tank, but this time, I needed to pull out all stops!  When you legs get tired, you go with your heart!  You need to find what motivates you to keep going!

Today, by the time hour 3 got here, I knew that I didn't have much left in the tank.  I needed to dig deeper to make it through the last 50+ minutes!    But then I remembered Ashton's smile.  Ashton, hour 3 was all for you!  Ashton is the son of good friends of ours and I will have the honor of being part of his team of Angels for the Wausau Half Marathon with myTEAM Triumph.  All of my miles this year will be working up to helping him complete is second half marathon!  Ashton is one of those kids that has a smile that can light up a room.  He knows that he has limitations, but he doesn't let that slow him down!  So I couldn't let tired legs slow me down!

It was a tough hour, but we made it through!

In the end, when we added up the numbers, we rode for over 60k - or approximately 37 miles.  I say approximately because the spin biked at the Y have a trip odometer on them, but we really don't know how to convert it to miles.  From everything we have been told (or found online) the distance is somewhere between Kilometers and miles.  So for ease of tracking how far we went, Lisa and I have decided that we are calling it kilometers and going from there.  Yes we know the distance we are traveling is not accurate, but at least we have something to compare!

Overall, the morning was amazing!  We pushed ourselves, sweat A LOT and laughed just as much!  Thank you to the Green Bay YMCA for putting together an another awesome event and even bigger thanks to Stacy Ryan and Jessica Jacobs for pushing us to our limits!  I am already looking forward to next years event!

Oh yeah, and Lisa says we are riding all 4 hours!

So I guess we are going all out!

Who's coming with us?

My goal was to make 2016 Epic... we are well on our way!

Ok a few weeks ago a mentioned on Facebook of a big announcement!  After a few delays, I am happy to say that I was selected as one of the Brand Ambassador Captains for Skirt Sports!  To say that I am extremely excited is putting it mildly! a few months ago, on a whim,  I filled out the Ambassador application.  I figured why not!  After several weeks of waiting, I received an email telling me that I had made the cut and was one of the new Ambassador Captains for Skirt Sports!

Yes, I read... and REREAD that email 5 times, waiting for it to really sink in!

This is too cool!!!!

Most of you know that I love my running skirts and I generally don't head to a race without one.  Well, that love has now landed me a fabulous opportunity with this awesome company that is working to empower and motivate women and young girls into making health and fitness a priority, despite any obstacles they may be facing.  Real Women doing Real things to make this world a better place!

The company was founded by one woman who decided that she was a woman and wanted to feel pretty when she was running (training for IronMan Wisconsin to be exact!)  She wanted to feel inspired and help others to the same.  This skirt that she wore during her Iron Man WI event was what launched this company!

Now you are probably thinking, oh ok, just another running apparel company.  But these skirt are more than just something pretty!  They are also extremely functional!  

Over the years they have not only helped women feel beautiful when they run, but they have helped provide inspiration, motivation and compassion thru several different programs and events to keep women moving!  The more I learn about this amazing company, the more excited that I am to be able to team up with them to do my part in inspiring women to get out there, get active and healthy!

The best part for you?  I get the share my discount with you!  Use the code "SKIRTLOVE20" and save 20% off your order!  So click on the link below to do some shopping, look cute when you are out running or at the gym and fall in love with these products just as I have!

Now excuse me, I have some shopping... and running to do!

No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth, I've just been running all over it!

Wow!  Where has the last 7 months gone!

Apparently life has completely gotten away from me and I have been neglecting my blog!  When I was just sitting here this morning reading back through a few of my posts, I realized how much I really have missed writing these updates!  That needs to change!  Writing these posts was a fabulous way for me to reflect back on adventures, keep a log of these adventures and keep in touch with all of you!

I know that there is no way that I will be able to completely recap everything from the last 7 months (I can't believe that the last post I did was from my Birthday Ragnar adventure last June!) s instead of tryign to go back and recreate posts for each adventure, here is a snapshot of the second half of 2015... a photo journey of the many adventures and a brief synopsis!  Over the next week I will then go back and get caught up on the adventures thus far in 2016.  My goal after that is to get out here and most at least once a week for you!  Whether it be a recipe, a recap on one of the crazy adventures planned for this year or who knows what else!

We spent A LOT of time at the ballpark!  Thanks to the Host Family program with the Green Bay Bullfrogs, we were able to host their Radio Broadcaster for the Summer.  Parker was with us from the end of May thru the middle of August.  Between his crazy schedule at the ballpark and traveling with the team, the only time we really saw him was at the ballpark, but it was still an awesome experience for all of us.  We watched more baseball in those few months than I think we ever have, but it was so worth it!  I am excited to say that we will be hosting again this year and, at this time, it sounds like it will be on of the summer interns.  

We headed north for a night to spent the night on a Bed & Breakfast train!  After a dinner on the moving train, we relaxed with a few drink and new friends on the train and then retreated to our own room in the sleeper car.  Of course, while the rest of the train slept in, I headed out for a morning run!  90% humidity, but I didn't care!  Afterwards, it was a warm breakfast before we headed off the train and had to drive home!

On one of our trips up north, I got to reconnect with a few friends from high school, take a hike up Silver Mountain and spent the evening catching up and laughing the day away!  Thanks for the memories ladies!  Until next summer when we can do it again!

Who says you have to do a virtual run solo?  Not with my awesome friends!  We ended up starting the morning later than planned because of a nasty storm that rolled through early in the morning.  In the end, our group was smaller than originally planned but we got in those 4 miles... and the best part?  Before this fun morning, every one of my friends that was there, met at least 1 new person that day!  I love when I can introduce my running friends to each other!

July meant the return of one of my favorite races of the summer!  The Cliffrunner 10k trail run.  6 miles of hills, rocks, dirt, cliffs and everything in between!  I was determined to beat my time from last year and thanks to my new friend Melissa that I met on the course, we pushed each other and ran an amazing race!  PR by almost 15 minutes over last year!  That's going to be tough to beat in 2016, but you know I'm going to try!

Meet Snickerdoodle!
In August we met this little sweetheart and a few weeks later she became part of the family!  Full of spunk and energy... and yes a lot of sass, the house is no longer quiet!

Over the summer, I rediscovered my love for yoga.  Last winter I took some Hot Yoga classes and realized that I did NOT like hot yoga... however, yoga outside on the city deck downtown?  That's a whole difference story!  Now I look forward to those days that I can squeeze in a yoga class into my schedule!

3 years on a row!  Warrior Dash WI!  John  went with me again this year, as did Darrin and my dear friend Lisa!  We spent the morning climbing, crawling and swimming through tunnels, mud, ponds and more!  I think we found mud in places that should never see mud but we didn't care!  After all that fun, we headed home, took showers, relaxed for a bit and headed to the next adventure of the day...

As if running warrior dash wasn't enough for one day, Lisa and I finished off our day by running the Packers Training Camp 5k in and around Lambeau Field!  While we were there we ran into Lori and a few other friends who all said we were completely nuts for running both race in one day, but that was part of the fun!  2 races + 240 miles =  lots of mud and laughs.  

Sound like a perfect day to me!

Over the summer, I also discovered this amazing pond, just a short run from my house!  How did I not even know this was here until now?  This quickly became one of my favorite places to run, especially in the early morning!  I would often leave the house before dawn, just so I could get here in time for sunrise over the water!

After running the Chicago Ragnar earlier in the year, I jumped at the chance to work the Great River Ragnar for Bondi Band.  Lots of driving, 2 long crazy days, scorching heat but loads of fun hanging out with some other awesome vendors and crazy runners!  Never again will I look at a frozen fruit bar the same again!  I gave up trying to keep track of how many I ate... it's a good thing Chris from FrioFrio was keeping track for me!

Finally the weekend that we were all waiting for arrived!  Girls Weekend 2015 brought us to Minneapolis for Women Rock!  Last year's girls weekend was 3 of us... this year it was 7!  Everyone seems to want to join us on our adventures, and I don't blame them!  With the exception of Lisa, our official cheerleader, the other 6 of us all met at the gym over the last 2 years and have continued to do things together now that several of us have switched gyms.  We will do what we can to find fun and laughs wherever we go!  The weekend was filled with running, laughs, hot guys, amazing food, lots of walking and everything in between.

A last minute add to my race calendar!  I scored a free race registration to the Lake Country Half Marathon in Oconomowoc (Near Milwaukee) Labor Day weekend!  The course was one of the prettiest courses I've run and I was completely enjoying the day... until the sun and humility took over!  When I started out the day, I was feeling good, had a great pace and was loving the day.  Unfortunately, at about the halfway point, Mother Nature decided that was enough.   I will say that this was the first race I've run in a LONG time that I actually felt like quitting.  I didn't.  I kept moving, even if it was just walking.  In the end I really didn't finish that far off my usual pace.  One of these years, I will go back and re-run this course so I can see what I can really do!  Besides, the scenery was amazing!

How to do pull off a PR for a 5k?  Find a run at an airport - on the runway!  No hills to worry about!  Oh yeah... and it helps when you have a friend running on your heels that you are determined to NOT let her beat you!  Lisa, Emily and I all set new 5k PR's on this warm afternoon and had fun doing it!  

For the 3rd year in a row, we got the crew from work together to run the Fox Cities Marathon Relay!  It's always a fun filled day, with no pressure of how fast you have to run.  It's about spending the day together, doing what we enjoy!  The highlight of this year's race for me?  By complete change, my dear friend Tracie passed through the exchange point just minutes before I started my leg, while she was running her Full Marathon!  I ran hard for that 1st mile to catch up to her and was able to run the rests of my 6.3 miles with her!  This girls is such an inspiration and one day, I will be able to keep up with her for more than 6 miles  :)

Last big race of the summer!  The Inaugural Bellin Women's Half Marathon right here in Green Bay!  We got the girls together for a fun weekend of shopping at the expo, dinner and the race!  The weather was perfect and the course was beautiful, and how many people can say they had their race bling handed to them by Katherine Switzer?!?!  Can't wait to run this one again net year! 

Hope you enjoyed this stroll through some of the highlights of 2015.  I know I missed a few, and will probably make mention of them over the next few weeks in follow up posts.  It was a fun filled year of adventures and 2016 is starting off to be more of the same!  Stick around and follow the adventures!  Or better yet, if you live in the area, come join me on some of my upcoming adventures!

2015 was awesome, lets make 2016 EPIC!