Crazy Times

This week has been crazy crazy crazy!! Yes, I had to say it three times because I have been busy. I have not even had time since Fri. to sit down at the computer! That is how busy I have been. I plan on doing the rest of my Mardi Gras Half Marathon recaps this week or this next weekend. Hopefully!

Please don't leave me followers, I am still here, just really busy! Spring break coming up soon!!! YAY!!!

Rock N Roll Mardi Gras Half Marathon Part 1

Sorry I have been missing the past week. I have been really busy with school/teaching and trying to clean my house. I just had Bunko last night and things have just been crazy!

I am going to do this recap in two sections. One for the Expo/beginning of the weekend and then another for the Pasta Party/Determination and the actual half marathon.
Here goes:

Brian and I left on Friday after I got out of school and headed to his parents. We were going to stay there Friday night and then wake up the next morning to head to some of his friends apartment and to the Expo.

This picture is from Christmas, but these are our friends that we stayed with while in New Orleans.

We arrive in New Orleans at Jon and Sonia's and put our stuff up. Then we headed to the Expo downtown.

We arrived at the Expo, but we had to walk forever to get there through the Convention Center. 

I was really excited about the Expo and wanted to enjoy it, because it was my first Expo to go to. The last half marathon that I was in did not have an Expo. We picked up our packet at the hotel that we stayed in since it was a host hotel. 

 I wish that would have been my time, but it wasn't, sadly enough, but I did think that it was funny that they had that set up in there!

Brian would not get up and take a picture with me in this queen and king statue. Oh well, I still thought it was funny. I believe it is supposed to be the Mardi Gras King and Queen. 

I stopped and talked to Donna at Sweaty Bands. After I finish my recaps of the race I am going to do a review on Sweaty bands for them! I was really excited to get to see her.

I love what this Team and what it represents, but their clothing is so expensive.

 

Brooks was the main sponsor for the Rock n Roll Mardi Gras race. I wanted to get one of their shirts, but they were way to expensive! 

Brian and I got to meet up with Allen Cormier at the Expo. They went to college together and he lives in that area now. He was supposed to be able to run the half marathon, but had something come up he couldn't miss. I felt really bad, but he was still able to get the swag bag and his shirt. 

I am really excited about these medals. Do you see the one that has two guitars on it with the white ribbon. After I run the Rock n Roll Dallas I will have ran two rock n Roll races in one year and I will get that medal!

We found this silly thing right outside of the expo! I thought it was to funny to pass up.

This is the route that I was going to be running. (Not the route in red, the one in blue). It is still hard to look at this and thing that I ran that entire route. 

The Rock n Roll Mardi Gras Marathon and Half Marathon was benefiting The American Cancer Society (Determination). My sister-in-law Karen ran with them and I am very proud of her for all the money that she raised. More to come about that in a minute. 

All the runners and then the girl runners.

I met up a little bit later with Karen (my sister-in-law), Jason and her friend Heather and Bobby at the Expo. They ran this last year, so they had already seen all of this stuff. We took a few pictures and then we headed back down the convention center to their hotel. 

While Brian and I waited for Karen and Jason to come down to the Lobby, we got Starbucks. Well, Brian got his chocolate chip frappaccino and I got an Ethos water.

I love my husband so much that he came with me this weekend! I do not think I could have done this race or this weekend without him! He is simply amazing. 

Coming up next is the Pasta Party with Determination and then the half marathon. Stay tuned for more recaps.

Another Half marathon DONE!

We just made it home a few hours ago from the Rock N Roll Mardi Gras Half marathon! It was an exciting weekend and I had a great time, but I am glad to be home now. I will do a full recap tomorrow, but I will say that I ran it 9 minutes slower than my last half, but I was sick this time, so I was coughing a lot. But, I still finished and got my medal! Here are a few pictures to hold you over for the time being...

I am so glad I finished and I had my husband Brian there to support me! Thank you everyone for all the support! Full recap coming up in the next couple of days!

Time to GO!!!!

That is right, in just 24 hours from now, I will be running the Rock N Roll Mardi Gras in New Orleans! I am really excited. I have been helping some friends train for a 5K, so I haven't gotten as many runs in as I would like to at my speed, but that is okay, becuase this race I plan to take slow. No PR for me, and no time that I want to finish at. I just want to finish this race for me.

My sister-in-law Karen is running for the American Cancer Society. She raised a ton of money and I am really proud of her for it.

Next time you hear from me, I will be wearing this around my neck.....

I am really excited to get this, however it won't say Inaugural on it. It will just be for the half marathon. Ya'll be thinking and praying for me out there. Going to the EXPO today to get my running packet and then a Pasta Party tonight and then the HALF Marathon tomorrow morning!

BIC Band Winner

We have a WINNER for the 2 BIC Bands that I reviewed about here. I have fourteen people tell me which BIC band they would want if they won and I choose two winners using random.org to select them.


Congratulations............................

ROS from Life's a Wheeze 

and

Brooke Anne from Mommy Does.

Ros and Booke Anne, contact me at my e-mail, kaylajean87@yahoo.com with which BIC Band you want and your address and I will contact the person to send them to you.

Thanks so much for entering my giveaway.

7 Days to Game Day

That's right! There is only 7 days left until the Rock N Roll Mardi Gras Half marathon. I have not been able to run the past few days because I have been sick, but since I was stuck inside all weekend from the cold, I got on my treadmill yesterday and ran 3 miles.
I was supposed to do 6 miles on Sat., but I did not want to relapse my sickness, so I decided to not run. My body is in shape, I am not sure how much the 6 miles would have helped me or hurt me. This week I am going to run 2 or 3 miles each day before Friday.

I believe that when you are as sick as I was, is that you get yourself better (especially if you have a race the following weekend) and then take on what you want to conquer.

I am going to be staying with a friend of Brian's. They live about 20 minutes from where the start line is, so I am extremely nervous about staying away from the start line, but I think we will be okay. I am going to be leaving about an hour and a half before the race actually starts to make sure that I can get there and find a parking spot.
I am trying to think of everything that I need for this weekend,, so I am going to make myself a little checklist.

• Running skirt
• ROTE Shirt
• Sports Bra and other under garments
• red and white BIC Band 
• Hair ties
• Garmin watch and charger
• cameras
• compression socks
• running shoes
• GU's  and other energy gels
• spi belt
• iPod/head phones
• directions to EXPO
• directions to startline/dropoff
• Road ID
• underarmor jacket (incase the weather changes)
• phone/phone charger
• Cash for parking
• Registration ticket for bag pickup

Hopefully I am not forgetting anything, but I probably am. What do ya'll think? 

SuperBowl Sunday tonight!!!! 

Who are you rooting for? Packers or the Steelers? 

I have to say that my family is for the Packers.

Don't forget to check out my BIC Band giveaway. It ends next week.

BIC Bands Giveaway!!!!!!

Sandy, the awesome creator of BIC Bands and the author of A Mom On The Run has offered to let me host a BIC Bands giveaway!

BIC Bands ~ Because I Can Bands ~ We run because we can...for those who can't, so that one day they will!

Sandy is so great because she donates $1 from the sale of each BIC Band to a new charity each month! 

 

I ordered one BIC Band from Sandy and she sent me another one to try out.  She makes thick, thin, and skinny bands. And there are so many colors and designs to choose from. I got to try a thick band and a thin band. Here are the two that I recieved.

 

 I picked out the red and white checkered thin one because I am going to be wearing that one with my New Orleans Rock N Roll Half marathon outfit! It is a thin band. The other one has seashells on it and it is thicker than the red and white. 

Aren't they so GREAT!?

The Review

When I let Sandy know which BIC Bands I'd like to try, she shipped them right away and I got them within the next two days. I love that they shipped so quickly! I didn't have to wait pretty much at all for them.

As soon as I took them out of the package I could tell that they were of great quality.

 

 

These BIC Bands have a felt type material on the underside of the design. I have worn these each time I have ran for the past 2 weeks. I have ran many times in that period as well as playing basketball and Zumba class! It stayed on the entire time and NEVER SLIPPED! I have done lots of jumping and I even wore them out to eat one day as just a normal headband. It never even moved! 

I have recieved lots of comments on them, because there is not that many people where I am from that run often, so when they would see me wearing a BIC Band, they would ask where I got it or how much did I pay for it. 

 

Sandy told me that some people prefer the thick band and others will prefer the thin. I love both sizes, but the thin one is the style that I absolutely love!!! I can't wait to get some more! I also have a zebra print one that I bought before, that is one of my top favorites! 

 

It is really hard to see, but I have the red and White checkered BIC Band on, however this day it was around 40 degrees when I went to run, so I had on a beenie, gloves and everything else you see. I headed out and ran 12 MILES! Yes, you heard me right, 12 miles! The BIC Band NEVER slipped anywhere. I had taken off my beenie a couple of times and the BIC band was still in the same place. 

 

 

Here is what the thicker band looks likes on me though...

I like to wear mine closer to my forehead, but you can move it back some on your head if you prefer that. 

The Giveaway!

Sandy has offered two BIC Bands to giveaway! So, that means two of you will win an awesome BIC Band of your choice! These would be a great gift for a girlfriend, wife, daughter, sister, mom, or friend! Sandy will make the band of your choice and mail it to you via me.

Here's how to enter. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

• Mandatory Entry: Go to the Bic Bands esty site or Facebook page and tell me which BIC Band you will choose if you win.

• Become or be a follower of Running through Life.

• Like BIC Bands on Facebook.

• Spread the word by posting this giveaway on your blog.

Enter now through Wednesday, February 9th . A winner will be chosen by random.org. I will announce the winner on Thursday, February 10th!

WooooHooo No School.....Snow Day

I am so excited. We do not have school tomorrow because it is a possible SNOW DAY!! I live in Southeast, Texas and if you live around here you should know that snow is a very uncommon thing. I have seen real snow once in my life and it was fabulous!!!

 This was last year around this time in our old home. It was the first time I had seen snow and I was so excited about it. Brian was not home, so I made a snowman by myself and called him Farmer Brian. When he got home, he demolished my snowman by diving into it, while loosing his wedding ring at the same time.......

He found it though. I know my snowman looks pitiful, but it was my first one and by myself, so you gotta give that to me! Milly wanted to jump in for the picture too. I had her underneath my jacket so that she would not freeze to death.

We are expecting snow tonight and some tomorrow, so we do not have school....Thank goodness. I actually will get a four day weekend now.

I have my Rock N Roll Mardi Gras race in less than 10 days and I have not been able to run at all the past 4 days because of the weather and because the past 2 days I have been sick, coughing, sneezing, and a slight fever. I have been drinking Vitamin C like crazy trying to get myself better before my race. If I am not better, you better believe I am still going to run, but it will just be a very very slow easy run so I do not cause myself to relapse!

Coming up in just a little bit will be a review and giveaway for a BIC Band. Check it out!!!