Indianapolis Mini Marathon

Indianapolis Mini Marathon!

~ reallifesparkle ~ 1 Comment

My cousin and I after the race.

Top | Crops | Headband | Shoes

Although I’ve been MIA for a bit, I had to share an update on my half-marathon experience. We did it! And lived to tell about it!

After 12 weeks of training, lots of miles logged, and sore muscles, we officially crossed the finish line of the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon. It was hard, but we ran almost the entire thing (our walking breaks were definitely less than a mile total). Our time was 2 hours and 41 minutes, so only 11 minutes over our goal of 2:30, and still pretty respectable for our first go (and not running at all prior to mid-February). We ran through sun, light sprinkles, and a straight-up downpour at various times, and although my body was aching by the end and my feet were KILLING me, I’ll definitely be back for more.

In case you’re wondering what I wore – because let’s be honest, picking out what to wear for the big day was pretty fun too – I EARNED my Lululemon reward. This mint top is described as “light support,” but I can tell you it was very secure and way better than any other “light support” sports bra I’ve ever worn. I’ve also learned I have to have a (moisture-wicking) headband of some sort, otherwise sweat drips in my eyes and I hate everything. This one from Lululemon was great and never felt like it was about to slip off, plus it’s reversible. My leggings were a find at the Gap outlet on our way back from Garth Brooks. These are similar, but if you want the contrast stitching and don’t mind a different color combo, these are $11. I’m also still completely in love with my Mizunos. You may have also noticed that I matched my outfit to my shoes, because of course. (There was also a jacket from Lululemon in the perfect berry color that would’ve really completed the ensemble, but Husband heard the price and it became a “we’ll think about it.” Sigh.)

IndyMini - Start

Waiting to start.

IndyMini - Kissing Bricks

Kissing the yard of bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

IndyMini - Finish

About to cross the finish line and finally seeing my husband and sister waiting for me at the end. My cousin was long gone – she decided to end her suffering and took off for the finish line around mile 11. I couldn’t blame her, I totally would’ve too.

IndyMini - After

After we crossed the finish line! 

IndyMini - Medal

Toasting our accomplishment and recovering (right before we ate sooo much pizza).

The biggest surprise out of all of this has been that I’ve found myself looking forward to running. When I was growing up, people always asked me if I was a runner, just like my dad was. I remember my mom telling me that he had planned to have me start running with him before he got sick, and I laughed because I’ve NEVER been a runner – it’s always sounded more like torture than anything enjoyable. I won’t miss the “homework”aspect of knowing I have to get a certain number of miles in each week, but I’ve come to enjoy the clearheadedness that comes from putting in a few miles after a stressful day. Plus, I’ve never felt stronger than when I realized I could go 6 miles without having to walk at all, a feeling that’s grown after completing the 13.1 – walking bits and all. I’m not going to lie, that final half mile or so was absolutely brutal. While the encouragement of the other girls helped me when my feet were screaming at me at the end, the thing that really got me through was thinking of my dad running it so many years before, and fighting through to cross the finish line just like he did. I’m not sure I’d ever thought I’d find myself becoming a runner like he’d always hoped, but better late than never, I suppose.

Dad Running

My dad running track in high school. He’s the one with the long, flowing, 1970s hair who’s receiving the baton. 

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Half Marathon Training: 4 Weeks

~ reallifesparkle ~ 4 Comments

MiniTraining - 4 weeksMiniTraining 4 weeks 2

The picture isn’t my prettiest, but yesterday officially marked the end of week 4 of my half marathon training. While I’m still 8 weeks away from the big day, I’ve also realized how far I’ve come in the month since I started.

The first time I stepped back on the treadmill, I couldn’t even make it through a full mile of running. I suppose that’s what I get for thinking I could do a half marathon when I hadn’t actually worked out in a solid year. There’s still a good amount of walking happening, but yesterday I ran 2 miles straight through, and ended up running 3.75 of my 5 total miles. Even with the walking, I wrapped up my whole 5 miles in just barely under an hour (59 minutes and 38 seconds, to be exact), keeping me nicely on pace for our starting corral time of 2 hours and 30 minutes.

My cousin has decided to take my sister’s spot, and um, I forgot she used to be a real runner. Real runner, like her first training run the other day was “only” 4.5 miles at my best pace per mile on a good day. So this should get interesting.

Luckily, I’ve made another running buddy who’ll be running with us. Like me, she’s just in it for the experience, so our goal is simply to have fun and cross the finish line. Regardless of our pace or our finish time, I know the three of us are going to enjoy the adventure.

My Go-Dry seamless long-sleeve and compression capris are the remaining items I snagged from my trip to Old Navy a couple weeks ago. I’m still just as in love with the performance, and I stepped a bit outside of my comfort zone with the bold pattern of these pants. I also had to break down and get an “expandable waist pack belt” to carry my inhaler and epi with me while running. Let’s be real though, it’s a fanny pack.

The real stars of the wardrobe show are my new running shoes. I was really trying to get through my training using my old shoes, but last weekend’s training left my feet hurting so badly, I had to spend the rest of the weekend in sneakers. I thought I was ok by Monday…until I tried to do my run Monday after work. An abbreviated run and trip to our local running store, The Blue Mile, later, I learned the searing pain in the balls of my feet and the lightning bolts going up my shins to my knees were a sign that my old shoes had had enough. Turns out, even though I hadn’t been putting in this kind of mileage over the past 4 years, the shoes had still aged and broken down. I knew trying to save myself the cost of the shoes could end up costing me a lot of future pain, so I bit the bullet and invested in these babies, and boy am I glad I did. These Mizuno Wave Enigmas are honestly the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn in my life, and running in them feels soooo much better!

Eight weeks and lots of miles still to go!

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OOTD 2.29.2016: Fitness Edition 

~ reallifesparkle ~ 2 Comments


As I’ve continued my training for the Mini Marathon, one thing I learned pretty quickly (other than the limits of my asthmatic lungs) is that there’s a good reason all of that fancy workout gear exists. In college, random tshirts and leggings leftover from dance classes and show choir rehearsals were just fine for the half-hearted time I occasionally logged on the elliptical at the gym. My workouts after college got a bit more serious with regular Zumba classes and ballet barre method Pilates, but even then a loose tank, sports bra, and some leggings were all I really needed. Last week on the treadmill, I realized my (drenched) concert tshirt and few remaining pairs of athletic leggings just weren’t going to cut it anymore.

Though I’d love to just go nuts in Lululemon, that’s not exactly in the budget right now. Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely earning a Lululemon treat with all this training (I’ve got my eye on some things…), but for now, I needed to restart my workout wardrobe with a much lower price tag.


 After my miles on Saturday, I decided to swing into Old Navy on whim to check out their activewear selection, and I was not disappointed. I might actually be a little obsessed. The whole store was 40% off for the day, so this pretty blue seamless long-sleeve and my striped compression capris were an absolute steal! All of the moisture-wicking, breathable goodness for what ended up being about a quarter of the price of all of the various brands I’d been looking at for gear. If you haven’t checked out Old Navy Active for your workout clothes, you definitely need to!

As a training update, it’s going. This whole asthma thing is no joke, and learning the difference it makes when I’m running outside in the colder air can be unbelievably frustrating. I go from feeling good and lasting longer running on the treadmill, to not even making it through a mile outside before I need to walk. My husband reminds me that it’s still early in my training and the most important thing is getting in the miles to keep building up, whether they’re walking miles or running miles. Moving forward indoors (even though I still think the treadmill is miserable), just to feel like I’m going backwards outside can be annoying. But I’m still going, and I know I’m getting a little better every day, even when it doesn’t always feel like it.

At least now I can put in my miles in cute workout clothes too!