I'm not a strong girl...I'm just strong!

Postman just dropped of the mail at work. He Put it down in the wrong location. Since hes new & its raining out, i figured I'd be nice & just moved it so he didn't have to. I move the first container over as he heads out w/ our outgoing mail. 

I go back for the big box.  Mid carrying the big box to the mail room he said from around the corner "leave the box there, it's really heavy, ill bring the dolly back to move it" 

I debated putting it back down so he wouldn't feel bad, but I was already moving, can't stop now! 

He looks back around the corner for my response and goes: "oh man, your strong"

Chicks can be buff too, don't underestimate this little lady!!! 

I'm not a strong girl...I'm just strong! 

BiG Cardio 5K

A little back story first:

The first…well I guess second 5K that I ever ran and the first one in S. Florida was the 4Kids of South Florida BiG Cardio 5K. My first officially 5K was back in 2007 when and I did it with my college.

 

When I moved the Florida, I ended up have to take a really crap job that paid well below standard in my field and hardly even meet living standards in general, so I for sure didn’t have the money to pay for a gym membership or anything…so I started running as a way for me to stay in shape. Well running and not being able to afford food kept me pretty small. LOL.

I would ran with Jake (my dbf – dog best friend) about a mile or two every night after work and then I would do a few weights in the house, but nothing major and I went from being in pretty good shape to being in…eh shape.

About 3 months after I left the crap job and stared working at Banyan in 2010 I heard about a 5K race that Banyan sponsored a team for, and for some reason I thought how hard can it be right…I run with Jake every night a mile or so…a 5K is only 3.15 miles. I can do this.

Boy was I mistaken. Yes, I ran the whole thing, but boy was I crap. My time back in 2010 was a pathetic 36 min. I could have basically walked the entire thing and done better.

Anyway. That was in 2010…lets fast forward.

2011 my time was 32:17

2012 my time was 27:12

Now it was 2013 and I was ready to do this. I signed up again…after some debate and the Puerto Rico Half Marathon talk falling though. I would have rather done the Half Marathon in Puerto Rico, but not enough people wanted to go and to do it alone would have made me a very broke girl!

I did it with two on my close girlfriends and although neither of them worked for Banyan, I signed them both up under the Banyan Wings of Hope Team. Funny Things is that out of the 6 people that did participate in the 4Kids, 2 of them were my friends.

So this year, I was really ready to push myself. Not only have I been doing well lately and setting pretty good times, I was feeling good. I had talked my friend into running her first 5K ever…and honestly, I was pretty sure she was going to not only kick my butt, but everyone else’s…girl can run!

We all managed to drag our butts out of bed. We all meet up at the park. We walked around for a bit and decided we would try to pace around 7 min (this is my new goal, since I want to get under 22). And I managed to keep that pace for the most part…I failed a bit towards the end, but all 3 of us still KICKED BUTT!

We each came in first in our age groups!

I came in this year at a time of 22:50. Not the best time I have had recently, but it was good enough to take the gold. After freaking 4 years of doing this race, damn it has become like a tradition for me….and for my friend, who did her 3 year this year. Even though it is not our favorite race, we always seem to run it, and I think we may also do it again next year.

This year the swag was much better and it was much more organized. Last year when we finished the race, they didn’t even have cold water out at the finish line yet or any of the tents set up. But this year, they had their shiznit a little more together.

 

Besides all the religious crap that people kept trying to hand me, it wasn’t too bad, and afterwards I went and put flyers for JWKFA in the cars. Trying to promote my awesome ass kickboxing place as always!

Either way it was a good time and I finally got some good swag at the run!
 

My next race is the Color Run and I am doing it with some friends from JWKFA. I didn’t actually sign up for it because I thought that it was on the same day as the 4Kids, but it wasn’t and someone else bailed and they had an extra entry, so why not.

M.A.D.D. Dash 5K

I wasn’t planning on signing up for any more races in April. One was enough since I am busy licking the wounds of turning 30 and seeing my life going nowhere fast, but my girl really wanted to do it, so I finally caved and signed up! I am on a mission to do 24 races this year right…and if my life is going to turn to shit and fall into shambles at least I have that accomplishment right! LOL

We did the M.A.D.D. Dash last year and it was a nice run, but it is the same course as almost every other race we do in Ft. Lauderdale…I would like something different for a change I think, but whatever.  They did give us “Dry-Fit” shirts this year, but they are unisex and TOTALLY sux! OMG, I can’t even wear mine to bed because it is just uncomfortable.  IDK, I will just toss it in a pile with my ever growing stash of running shirts and move on.

You know what I would like…for them to start giving away Dry-fit Tank Tops or running shorts or something like that! I have so many shirts, I could start a shirt shop!!!

Anyway…back to the race, this was now my first race in the 30 – 34 age group. OMG that just sounds horrible! I don’t even want to write that.  They say age is just a number, well however they are is stupid and needs to come over here so I can hit them!

We got there nice and early and this time, my mum got to come with me! That is right, she has only been to one other race with me and that was the Jingle Bell Jog last December where I am pretty sure I left what was left of my tits after they froze off!  I was really happy to have her at one of my races, and it kinda encouraged me to push myself just that much harder. I wanted to make her proud of me, since I remember when she told me “Don’t worry Chloé, if you don’t do that well”

Well, even though I am now…over the hill…so to speak, I still managed to do ok. I set a new PR at 22:18 & placed 1st in my age group (Now 30 - 34). Maybe getting older isn’t all that bad! JK. It is horrible. Who ever said that should also be hit!

So regardless of what I say, I am pretty proud of myself, and the fact that I totally impressed my mum! She was all, Wow Chloé you are getting pretty good at this running thing!

That I am Mother, That I Am!

Even though I did do very well, I am disappointed in my overall results.  I came in 4th Overall Female & missed 3rd overall female by 1 (that right 1) bloody second. Her time was 22:17. Ugh!!!   SO CLOSE! I am just too damn competitive sometimes!

I really want to pick it up and have decided to add a new goal to 2013. I want to drop my time below 22! I would like to get to 21something, even if it is 21:59 by the end of the year. I don’t know if I will be able to do it, because dropping just a few seconds off my time is going to be hard as hell, but I want to try. It actually looks like it might be possible!

Preachers' Daughters, Another Sign of "No Hope For the Human Race"

I have recently stumbled upon another sign of how far American standards have fallen into a display of pathetic failure for the human race:

I found out Sunday (thanks to my hairdresser) that their is actually a reality show called "Preachers' Daughters" and I was then forced to suffer through an episode where I watched in stunned (semi) silence these girls proceed to rebel and embarrass themselves on national television.

Although I may not Christians or whatever Preachers are...I feel that by volunteering to be a preacher they have submitted themselves, and their families, to be held at a higher standard then the average person and they are presenting themselves as role models to ppl in that faith. I find it a little sad that they are willing to air their laundry on TV for money (be it whether they donate it to the church or use it for materialistic things) and allow their daughters to display themselves in such a manor...i.e. sneaking out of the house at night, making out with boys in front of cameras, having babies outside of marriage...things that I believe (I could be wrong) their religions look down upon and  consider "bad".

Are we that desperate for mind numbing pathetic television that we are falling deeper into some kind of twisted depravity?

Beach Beast Race

Well this month I turn 30, it is officially. I don’t know whether to scream, cry, or what. I think I am going to have a nervous breakdown. I feel like I have officially hit a point in my life where I have stopped progressing, growing, and developing. I have no relationship (being single does really sux sometimes) and I have a job, that I feel like I am stagnant in…basically, I need a change. Soon…the only thing I have going for me is my running right now so I am embracing it. Because, well running can’t leave me. :)

So this month, since I am having a big “Damn you’re getting old party” I only signed up for this race. I feel kinda bad, because I wanted to do the Doggy Run with Jake since he loved it so much last year, but it is the day after my party and I have a feeling I won’t be getting up at 7 am to run a 5K.

I signed up for the Beach Beast when I saw a Living Social Deal, I didn’t have any races yet for April and if I am going to hit 24 in 12 months, I can’t really take a month off, especially when Summer here is so hot that I don’t plan on doing many races from (June through Aug).  None of my friends wanted to sign up for it with me, so it looked like another race I was going to be doing alone. Last minute I did find out that my friend Amy had signed up with some people from her gym, but that is different. I figured I would just see her there, say HI and go about my run.

 

I meet up with her at the parking lot and we walked over together and hung out for a bit, but she was in the WAVE before mine, so as she took off, I went and chilled on the wall waiting for my wave to start. This guy came over and started talking to me…kinda, he was cute and I had seen him at a few other races, but I was pretty sure the girl staring at me was his girlfriend, so I just played nice. And what are the chances of me meeting a nice guy?? We all know how my track record is, and considering I am having a nervous breakdown about being single at 30…it might not be the best time to start talking to a cute guy!  But he told me I should run in their wave and do it with him, so I figured why the heck not!

The beach race was awesome…hard, but awesome. I had never really run on the sand before and holy cow is it harder than grass, trail and street! I felt like I couldn’t get speed up. But DAMN did cute boy take off and kick some butt, he totally smoked my ass (kinda cute) but I totally passed his friend

 

**not the girls – come to find out later, they are just all a group of friends – but I will get to that**

Running along the beach was like having your feet stuck in some type of goo. I just didn’t feel like I could get my momentum up or anything, but I totally kicked ass on the obstacles. On one of the first ones we did I watched the guy in front of me fall right over it, I had to laugh…after making sure he was OK of course.  They had “Over-Under”, walls, burpees, crap crawls, tires, rocks and more! It was a blast!

I didn’t think I did that well, but I ended up doing much better than I thought! I came in FIRST Female in my wave, and 3 Female ages 23-32

*I don't think Chris #5 & Stephan #3 are woman so let’s not count them in the Female placing. LOL)!!!

I managed to place 66th OVERALL!!! I am proud of that one, considering that is male and female.

Time: 28:52 (considering it is my first obstacle race on the beach - and running on sand suxs - I am pretty proud of that!)  Not to Shabby at all :)

I did run into the guy again after the race, he came in shortly before me, which I found kinda hot! LOL. He was...is single and we started chatting and found out that we had done some of the same races…I had seen him around before. I nicely asked about the girls with him...just "friends" - but I have heard that before. However his friend came up and totally did the cock-block thing. I wanted to give my number to the cute boy – John I think his name was – but then I would have had to give my number to his friend, which not so much. I thought it was funny, John was also an Aries…DAMN, and I am still kicking myself for not exchanging numbers with him.  Well if it was meant to be (which hello this is me…I* will never see him again) it will be, and I will run into him at another race. He told me he was doing the Single Mingle 5K, but of course that is the same day as my bday party, so I am not doing it! But nice smooth way of him asking if I was single and telling me he was! Shoot, I shoulda given him my number!  Oh well…can’t regret things that can’t be changed, just need to move forward in my nervous breakdown mid-life crisis.

Next race I am doing, I will be 30! EEEK! Please tell me, am I the only girl that has ever freaked out about turning 30? Dude, I don’t want kids, but if I did…I only have like 5 years left! Life is freaking short!

Well, I have nothing really planned until May…then I think I have to do that race with my work…not like I really want to, but it is “team” spirit or whatever and I like to run! LOL

Face Meets Wall

I, like many others, am completely addicted to pushing my body to the brink. Nothing like getting up out of bed after an intense workout the night before and feeling pain. Its a good pain and I look forward to it. 

This morning was no different, after 3 days of just non stop intense workouts, I woke up and I was so so so SOOOOO sore to!

I hobbled out of bed and stiff legged it over to the bathroom. I went to sit on the toilet this & BAM, my legs gave out.

In a pathetic attempt to catch myself and grab something anything to hold myself up, I had to make a drastic play w/ my flailing arms...only to realize that my arms are just as sore as my legs, which resulted in an extremely non-elegant  face-plant to the wall.

I look up, check sliding down the wall, hand on the floor since it was of no help in saving me and a partial buttock on the toilet only to see my dog looking at me head cocked to one side with an expression that said: dude, mum, your an idiot!

So it's a good morning. I'm now sitting at my desk now wanting to get a cup of tea, but debating if its really worth the agonizing pain that will shoot down my legs as I attempt to get up and waddle to the break room....as of right now, I am thinking it is not!

The Challenge Mud Run

We signed up for this one a long time ago, back in December of last year, thinking “Well it’s only $25” why not, it will be awesome!

Pre-Race Disappointment

The Challenge Mud Run was advertised the race a 5 mile with 20+ obstacle and puzzle race. We have never gotten to do a puzzle race before, where they ask you questions and you have to figure things out, so this sounded awesome! We signed up as a Team, I have an addiction with TEAM VENTURE…obviously and if you have ever seen Venture Brothers, you would know why J Awesome Show! LOL.

Anywho, this race was a complete and utter failure. It was literally the worst and most unorganized race we have ever done!

Where to start…

There was no organization on parking. We have done a LOT of races at Amelia Park, and they have had more people and not as much traffic. I am not quiet sure what happened, but lines were backed up for miles. After sitting in traffic for about 45 min we realized we would miss our Start Time if we didn’t park soon. So instead, we pulled off onto the side roads and parked back by the school. At least we saved ourselves $10 in parking.

We headed over to the packet pick up line. The packet pick up had been available the day before, but it was ALL the way down South Miami towards Homestead and being from Davie, I was not about to drive over an hour after work, during rush hour traffic to pick up the packet. We haven’t really had a problem picking up packets on the day of the even before, so we figured…how bad could it be.

That was our bad completely, we should have taken the traffic just getting there as a sign of just how bad things were to become.

Next we stood in line for 2.5 hours, waiting to get our timing chips and bib numbers. It was complete and utter chaos. The organizers and volunteers were at a complete and utter lose, by the time we did manage to squeeze our way to the front of the line, we realized what the problems were. They didn’t have the bibs in any numerical stack. They were just tossed onto a table. That is right over 2000 bib numbers (each assigned to a chip and a person) tossed into a random pile. So when we did get to the front of the line and told them our bib number, they had to dig through this stack of disorder just to find it (They didn’t find mine by the way and had to give me a new one). Then to get your timing chip (you will see how pointless that was to give us later in the blog) they had chip of 200 each hanging from the top of the tent and they had to find the matching one for the bib number and cut it out.

**Side Note – we did meet like 3 awesome ass people from our neck of the woods in line! So it did make passing the time fun!**

After we FINALLY waited in line, got our bibs and made it to the start line, we were pretty much pissed! We were almost 2 hours after our wait time and had already been at this even for 4 hours. We were pretty much thinking we would be done by now and hanging out instead of just getting ready to start the race.

The gun goes and we start….and we go through some lame obstacles, like the tires and stuff and we get to the river, where they have set up this really cool looking like leap frog pads that people are jumping across, but there is a line…a BIG line and this race is times. After about 2 mins or so of watching people, I realize they have about 50 people in front of me and only 3 paths across…one person at a time. You do the math, so I look over for one of the volunteers and ask “can we just swim it” he said yes, So I dove in and about 10-15 other people followed suit. It was either that or wait in line for another 45 min to do the leap frog pads (which would have been awesome to do…but HELLO TIMED RACE HERE!)

My friends and I swam across the little lake and finally get to a puzzle. It is a triangle, with little triangles inside and you have to count how many triangles there are…ummm that was the only puzzle, and I have no idea if we got it right or wrong because they just told everyone to do 5 or 10 (I can’t remember) push-ups. Maybe everyone got it wrong.

Then all of a sudden we could see the finish line!! What? Really? No way was that anywhere near 5 miles! More like 3! And it was, people that took GPSs with them said it was less than 3 miles. 5K and 5 miles are a little different.

The last two obstacles also had extremely long lines. LIKE 45 min waits again at least!  First one was dive into ice water or eat a cricket…after 5 min of standing in line, my friends and I said Screw it and ate the cricket…only to get the privilege to walk over to the next obstacle with an even longer line. We stood there…for easily 10 minutes. I kept looking at my watch and after 10 minutes and we hadn’t moved, we decided to just go around it and finish.

Anyway…we finished…and it was timed, which was funny and as you can see completely pointless, because it was an irrelevant time!  We spent more time waiting in line to do the obstacles then we did actually doing the race. Our results were pathetic!

Time: 45:29
Female Division: 18 out of 1,190

At least we got to
enjoy some beer

At least we got a free Sapporo beer at the end. I like that beer and I got some KIND bars, which I LOVE! But there was no food…instead there were food trucks and honestly, I wasn’t in the mood to pay for anything after that pathetic race! We were all disappointed and completely pissed off. Checking on Facebook later, we were not the only ones. The comments and posts from people were pretty vicious, but I can’t blame them. For what some people paid ($80 or more) I would be extremely pissed off as well! I was pissed and we only paid $25 + $10 for the insurance!

I don’t know if the organizer had ever run a race before…but you can pretty much find every clue how to NOT run a race in this one. I am pretty sure the organizer was just trying to jump on the bandwagon fad of obstacle races just to make a quick buck or something.  To give them credit, they did offer us a free entry to the fall Challenge Mud Run, so we will give them another try. AND OF COURSE do better :) But if they don’t BRING it BRING IT the next time around, I know I will never do another race with them…FREE or not!

Next I am doing another strange Groupon Special Race. The Beach Beast Run, I just hope and pray that it is not as bad as this one.

I also turn 30 next month, so I am going to be in a different age division. I hope I can continue to do well and place. Makes me nervous, I am getting old…and I am still single and basically at a stalemate in my life…but you don’t want to hear about that crap. I guess I am going through a slight mid-life female crisis.