Color Me Rad Run

Have you heard of the Color Me Rad Run?

I don't really see the BIG difference between Color Me Rad Run and the COLOR RUN.

So, naturally when my  friend asked me to run I said yes, signed up and then researched it. Details.

The first sentence on the Color Me Rad website says:

When Zoloft and balloon animals can't seem to raise your spirits, the best way to brighten your life is to run Color Me Rad 5K. Historically, running has only been acceptable when trying to escape the law, personal responsibility, the truth, and grizzly bears.  Instead of running FROM something, get ready to run FOR something at this year’s Color Me Rad.  Run for the Hell of it.


It can't be that bad...right?!

Here goes nothing!

Spa Run

Yesterday, I woke with the farmers and road tripped it to Hot Springs for the Spa 10K run. To say it was freezing is a total understatement.

I talked my mom into the festivities. We got the the race a little early but thankfully they opened the convention center where we could wait inside and gawk at all the professional, hot, tan, men runners who where stretching stay warm.

By race time it had warmed up to a hot breezy 40 degrees. I peeled off my northface and gloves and thought warm happy thoughts. We were corralled by our pace. I bravely stood in the 9 pace and mentally noted who I should buddy up with to stay on pace.

 

Seriously there was a old guy running with a cane and a trash bag around him He may have been lost I don't know but old man river was running that race. 

 

8:00am the gun goes off and we scatter like roaches. I cross the start line and "push" start on my garmin. It starts off pretty nice. We run through downtown Hot Springs. I'm easily entertained by the scenery. Once we make it through downtown HS we turn into a neighborhood. I think..."hmm this is going too smooth, I wonder how far we've gone" I look down at my garmin and seriously it says 0.00

 

REALLY AMIE? You didn't hit start?! ugh...I swear my roots are blond.

 

We quickly approached what looked like Art Hill to me, but they called it West Mountain. This hill was brutal. I contemplated throwing myself over it but I didn't want to ruin my outfit. So I kept running..and running..and when I got to the top I pop a Shot Bloks and ran as fast as I could down that mountain. It was a pretty course. I'll probably run this again next year.

 

I didn't do awesome but I did finish under 60 minutes. Finished 57:07

 

Oh remember how I brought my mom so she can take pictures of me crossing the finish line for moral support? I didn't see her as I crossed the finish line, which is OK. I knew I could find her at the "beer barn" Once we met up, she told me how good she did with the pictures and how she got some "good ones" . When I went to look at them...NADA..NOTHING... NOT one picture.  Apparently mom was hitting the wrong button. I swear her roots are blond sometimes. Seriously she asked  "Where is your phone Amie?"I said, "In YOUR hands mom".. Bless her.

 

So she attempted to recreate some pictures

 

 

 

FAIL!! She was still having problems with the camera...bless her

 

 

 

There we go mom...

 

 

 

Then a guy in the "Beer Barn" asked if he could take our picture (with his cell phone) and we're like sure, all stupid and naive...so we get together and the look on our face says it all..."um...we are letting this random stranger take our picture on HIS cell phone?"

 

 

So, We finished our beers and got the heck out of dodge. Being chained to someone's water heater was not on the post race agenda.

Race for the cure

RACE FOR THE CURE :

I woke myself up on a Saturday morning at 5am. (CRAZY)
I stumbled around to the shower to wake my sleepy head up. Thankfully I laid all my stuff out last night. Somehow I still managed to wonder around the room like I'm in no mans land.

Had a cup of coffee and a piece of dry toast. I was so afraid I'd get downtown and have to:
 A. use the bathroom
 B. be starving.

I headed downtown around 6am. The temperature was 47 degrees. UM it should have read. FREEZING. It was so cold.

Thankfully a friend let me park in her parking spot. I didn't have to deal with any of the traffic or paralley parking. I zip in and instandly I had to PEE. ugh... I found the porta potty on the way to the start line. I figured it was so early it was clean. I mean the toliet paper still had the wrapper on it. STILL NASTY.

Headed to the start line. No one there. Panic. Am I in the right place? hmm..Wish I had somewhere with me? And wait and become friends with a girl I have never met but she is also waiting and running by herself. We bonded.

I have to have a GU and a stick of gum. It doesn't matter if I'm running 3 miles or 10. I have to have it. I guzzeled my GU and stuck my gum in my mouth at 7am. The people were starting to pack in to the coraal. I thought oh crap. I'm way to close to the front. I don't want to be in any pictures, T.V or give the impression that I'm about to kill this run in less than 20 minnutes. ugh. It was a sea of people.

7:15 I'm wishing I had Marcia with me. I'm starting to get nervous. Why I don't know.
7:25 A sweet lady gets on the loud speaker and says a prayer. She qouted:
Isaiah 40:31:
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their stregth
They will soar on wings like eagles
The will run and NOT grow weary
They will walk and not be faint
 Peace fell over me. How awesome is it that we can say a prayer before we race.
7:30. Garmin set and the gun goes off.

People are cheering. I am running. I realize this is why people sign up for races. The atmosphere is (in the words of Marcia) AMAZEBALLS

We are headed up the (hill) Broadway bridge. I follow the trail of the girls with the cute running skirt (fromLULELEMON...I know becuase I asked and I totally plan on getting one ASAP)

 I feel good. Once we hit the peak of the bridge I look at my pace 7:54. GESH Amie... Slow your roll.

The first mile was easy peasy.

The second mile my pace was 8:23. Still not bad but the hills were getting to me

MUST STAY STRONG

3rd mile. People were cheering. I think of the verse the lady said during prayer.

May you RUN and not grow weary but soar with eagle wings. ( I apparently didn't memorize the verse)

We turn the corner of Mike's office. I think to myself. That scrub is asleep. He should be out here cheering me on and handing out water with the rest of these guys.

I run. I run fast and pass the group of girls in front of me.

I check my garmin. it says 3.17

I curse. WHAT? Isn't a 5k 3.1. I get distracted

I sprint. to the finish. I see 26:XX on the clock.

Run amie run.

I cross the line.

ummm where is my medal? (my free medal that everyone gets)

Oh thanks. I grab my water and head to my car. I'm in my car and headed home by 8:00am

Things I've learned.
1. 47 degrees is cold. I mean really cold.
2. Learn the code for the car. I had to run with my keys in my sports bra. Which isn't bad. But a little akward when I tried to discreatly dig them out. umm not so descrete.
3. Make Marcia run all races with me.
4. Sign up for the Hot Springs 10k
5.I love running

Glow Run

YEP...It happened again.

Glow Run

Marcia: "Technically you'll already be in ST.Louis.

ME: Yeah but I'll be at the Winery A.L.L. afternoon.

ME: Maybe I'll pace myself and be ready to run by 7pm.

This is going to be great ladies and gentlemen. "Amie" and "Pacing herself at the winery" are two words/phrases that should never be in the same sentence. Thank Goodness it's only a 5k

STL COLOR RUN

The Color Run

I think I've been bit by the RACE BUG...seriously...I can't stop sign up for them.

I rallied these girls to run it with me

...and by rally for Lauren I mean forced her to do it...lol..she love me...

Just because we were running doesn't mean we can't look cute...so what do we do..buy Tutu's.

apparently everyone in the city of St. Louis got the memo...there were 943,932 BILLION people there. It was crazy. We were in the 4th wave to take off. There were literally people starting the race when we finished.

So every 1k there were people throwing this stuff on you

.

So by the end of the race you looked like this:

and this

I had to share this photo. This is Charlie, Angie, Marcia, Andy and Myself...After looking at this I thought WOW....This group (minus Charlie..he's Angie's better half)  has been together since 4th grade. That's a long freaking time...We're getting old. One of the benefits of a small school. You make some great life long friends! love you guys!

So this picture is quite funny... After the race there was a girl holding one of those beautiful water bottles in her hand. She said one of my favorite words "FREE".

"Free water bottles being given out at the Chevy Tent".

Marcia's...(my soul shopping sister) ears perked up like a Yorkie..

She made her way to that tent like a moth to a light...reason # 302,342 why I love this girl...

Isnt' she cute...Love this girl..not because she gives me wine..or justifies me buying unnecessary shoes..she is such a great, fun, honest, loving friend a girl can ask for.

She's also single and I'm totally pimping her out..any takers..

Anyway...we stood in line (along with everyone and their mom) for more than 33 minutes which is longer than it took for us to run the 5k. GO US!

I was totally OK with the longer than the Nile River line...until this little boy..yes boy..he was maybe 10 years old. snuck his way up to the front. I turned into a 5 year old in 3.2 seconds and said to Marcia "This little brat is trying to cut in line" She looked at me like I was crazy...that's OK I still love her and with that I shifted and by shift I mean stood in front of his butting in line butt and cold blocked his butting in line butt. AND PUT AN END TO THAT. What is wrong with these little turds?...and where was your mama?...Go find her and let her teach you some manner boy!!

Yes, Marcia was totally laughing at my immaturity...But I'll have you know he didn't get in front of me. BOOM!

Seriously the color run was the best run ever!! I'm totally doing it next year!!