Girls on the Run 5K

I ran a 5K...and I am proud to say it was my slowest one yet! I really enjoy running, but as I get older, I want to find ways to give back to the sport that has given to me. Enter the Girls on the Run Sparkle Run. Girls on the Run is a nationwide organization that uses running to build emotional, mental, physical and social health for girls. When a coworker told me about the opportunity to be a "Sparkle runner" running buddy and pace a girl through the race, I was sold.

Packet pickup was really easy. Look at these great tanks we got! The organization provided multiple days for packet pickup and I was in and out in minutes. Way to go!

I wanted to truly sparkle for this run, so I gave myself a pink sparkly manicure and pedicure. I also bought some face and body glitter to share. (Amy Haas of Race Across the States sold me on this stuff.)

The race start was slow because man, there were a lot of girls (and buddies)! I think every girl that ran had a buddy, and this race was for girls in Maricopa and Pinal counties, two of the biggest counties in Arizona. The announcers did a good job of starting us in waves. My girl wanted to walk and run, so that is what we did. It was a bit hot out and the first water table was not until about one mile in. That was a bit far for her. The cheer squads were great, though. So many people were out with posters and costumes.

I encouraged my girl to run over the finish line, and that we did! We finished in just under 45:00 according to my watch. People passed out water and Gatorade just past the finish line-needed due to the hot weather.

All in all, this was a great experience, and one I definitely recommend. Next time, I will just come a little more prepared for lots of people and hot temperatures. I could also up my sparkle game. I mean, people had not just face glitter, but hair glitter, and tutus!

Eats and Empties (Week 17)

The Eats:

Cottage cheese overnight oats (IFoodReal)

Garlic pork with mashed sweet potatoes and broccoli (Meal Prep in an Instant)

Healing Instant Pot Lentil Soup (Hummusapien)

Hot cross buns (The Perfect Loaf-made by my husband)

Lemon garlic roasted broccoli (Simple Fit Vegan)

Loaded baked potato soup (Instant Pot)

Shepherd's pie (Food Network-our traditional Easter meal, made by my husband)

Soaked whole grain pizza (Oatmeal with a Fork)

The Empties:

Fresh broccoli
Five pound bag of carrots
Box of chicken broth
Carton of 18 eggs

Carton of Greek yogurt

Lemon
Head of leaf lettuce
Half gallon of milk
Five pound bag of potatoes
Can of Progresso soup
Twelve ounce bag of fresh spinach
Frozen big-batch white beans (Epicurious)
Frozen heavy whipping cream

What went to waste:  

The milk soured, but I used it up in my favorite mug cake, so win!

I Quit Reading.

Astute blog readers may have noticed that I did not post my "Everything I Read" post in March. That is because I quit reading for Lent. I had decided to just fast from chocolate and Instagram this Lent, but then someone close to me mentioned fasting from reading. I felt convicted! I read a lot early this year, and while it was not bad, I tend to go to extremes. I had wondered several times if reading was getting in the way of my relationships or other life duties, and taking a period to fast from this practice seemed like a good way to find out!

There are many reasons to fast during Lent: to remember Jesus and His sacrifice for our sins, to put things back in their proper places, to make room for God, etc. Fasting from reading did all of these things and more for me. It reminded me that Jesus is to be the center of my life, and anything else that starts to eclipse Him is an idol. It reminded me that reading is a good gift from God, not the "have-to" or "need-to" that I often make it. I should crave Christ rather than distraction. Taking quiet time to reflect on the Word and dig deeper into it is beneficial.

I tend towards asceticism, so I guess I should clarify that I did not fully take reading out of my life. I still read my Bible daily. I added a practice of reading a chapter of John each day and doing some doodling about it in my Scripture journal. I also read the daily Lent devotional from Kate Bowler.

Instead of reading, I listened to podcasts. I crocheted. I did crosswords. I asked my husband to do more things with me. I watched some television and movies. I think I would rather read than watch TV, but this fast was just for a season.

I did not miss chocolate or Instagram near as much as I missed reading. Perhaps that is because I have fasted from them before. Perhaps it is because they are not quite such a part of my life as reading. I will eat chocolate and go back to Instagram, I think. I know I want to go back to reading. It is more important, in my book.

Jesus is the best gift. Jesus is essential. Fasting from reading helped me reflect on these truths. As I go forward, may I worship the giver and thank Him for His gifts. May I recognize that what I ultimately need is Him, and all else is grace. Grace upon grace. Even in reading!

Eats and Empties (Week 16)

The Eats:

Cinnamon raisin sourdough bagels (The Pantry Mama)

No-bake mini cheesecakes (Sally's Baking Addiction)

Pumpkin, spinach, and cottage cheese stuffed shells (Fit Foodie Finds)

Spicy enchilada casserole (Meal Prep in an Instant)

Whole grain pancakes (Kim's Cravings)

The Empties:

Frozen Anaheim green chile salsa (Food & Wine)

Jar of applesauce
Fresh broccoli
Two pound bag of cheddar jack cheese

Two pounds of frozen shredded chicken
Box of chicken broth
Frozen chunky lentil and vegetable soup (Budget Bytes)

Two 16 ounce containers of cottage cheese

Dried cranberries
Block of cream cheese

Old garlic
Head of iceberg lettuce
Bottle of lemon juice
Frozen easy marinara sauce (Budget Bytes)
Frozen Mexican meatloaf with potatoes and vegetables (Meal Prep in an Instant)
Old graham crackers
Green onions
Bottle of olive olive

Twelve ounce box of jumbo pasta shells
Jar of peanut butter
Can of pumpkin
Red onion
Head of romaine lettuce
Frozen diced tomatoes
Bottle of vegetable oil

What went to waste:  

Egg leftover from a bagel egg wash (I intended to use it in a recipe, but forgot, and by the time I found a use for it, it looked funky, so I tossed it.)

Pat's Run 6.0

Six time's the charm? I mean this was the year to run and get the final medal to complete the set honoring Pat Tillman as ASU Sun Devil, Arizona Cardinal, and US Army Ranger. Overall, I would say I had a pretty good build into this race. The Lord blessed me with my fastest 5K in the fall, my first marathon in December, and a fast 10K in February. I was pretty confident I could top my 8:01/mile pace from 2023, but then I got sick. I was thankfully only down for a few days and was able to run easy on those days. I did miss my 12-miler, though. (I was using the Sub-45 minute 10K plan from Run, but not quite running the assigned paces.) I felt a little froggy throughout the week and still had a little bit of a runny nose. I tried to prioritize sleep and carbs (bagels!) during the week so I could give the race what I had.

Goals

A: Better my time of 33:40 from 2024 and my 10K pace of 7:41/mile

B: Enjoy my time in the first corral (Will that ever happen again?)

C: Run miles afterward if possible (on my way to training for my last race of the "season")

Packet pick-up

I need to remind myself that this takes a little bit of time. Packet pickup is not difficult, but there is traffic. This time, I think the issue is that the left turn arrow was only letting through a few cars at a time. I found a parking spot right away when I entered, even though the lot was full. I had to stand in a line of about six people to get my packet, but when I got to the front, pickup was quick. I told them my bib number, got my bib and shirt, and was out.

There is not much in the race bag in the way of swag. I got my shirt, a restaurant coupon, and a packet of Squirrel's Nut Butter (new this year). That is not what this race is about, though. Many people do not even choose to "race" it. Rather, they choose to run in memory of a man who gave his all for his country. 

Sometimes I get race nerves. This race, though, got me excited on Friday. I looked actually looked forward to being with so many people working together for a great cause!

Race Day

As in past years, I got up at 4 am, and we were out the door by 5 am to catch the 5:13 am light rail. I got a little chilly on the light rail and walking to the arena, but I knew I would warm up quick. Praise the Lord, the morning went mostly according to plan. I went to the restroom for the first time. We walked through the vendor tent. I picked up a lot of loot. I got my husband to take pictures.

Warm-Up

Two miles was a good warm-up for my most recent 5K and 10K, so I aimed for that again. It was a little tricky finding enough space to run, but I got it in. I threw in a few strides (bursts of speed) during the second mile. All of this I did from 6:20-6:40 am. Then it was back to the restroom, and into the corral by my goal time of 6:50 am. At 6:55 am, I took a caffeinated vanilla GU gel, and at 7:05 am, we were off.

The Run

The first bit of the race (the jag to get the 0.2 mile, I think) is a little crowded. Thankfully, I was able to keep a good pace. My first mile came in at 7:28/mile. There was a little downhill for mile 2, and that brought me to 7:16/mile. There is a slow uphill around Papago Park, which is not hard, but did slow me down some. That mile came in at 7:36/mile (still faster than my 7:41/mile 10K, which was my goal). I tried to keep a good pace and keep passing people for the last mile. At 4 miles, I told myself to work and get into the stadium. I knew there was a small uphill, but figured I could count down from 100 twice, and it would be over. I lost cost in the first hundred. I did remember to throw up my hands at the finish line, and for once, I got a decent photo.

The finish line was a bit different this year in that they hustled us through the chute and completely out of the arena to get medals and refreshments. It could have been cool to get a medal photo on the field, but my husband was not there anyway. No big deal. 

Pat's Run hosted a tailgate this year, but we did not attend. I just got my husband to take a few photos, and then I went out to run the rest of my miles around Tempe Town Lake before heading to brunch at 10 am. Let me tell you. That brunch was delicious!

Results

My final time was 31:18, and 7:27/mile. That is two minutes and 22 seconds faster than last year. As my mom taught me to say, "Yeah, God!" And also thanks to all the running dietitians who put out free information about nutrition for athletes. That has made the biggest difference in me being able to train more and run further and faster.

Final Thoughts

This race is so cool because it is not just a race, but a community event. The event is SO well-organized. I so appreciate the fact that it is made accessible for as many as want to participate, from wheelchair racers, to families who want to push their children in strollers, to kids who want to run the 1K. What a great way to commemorate Pat Tillman, a man who put others before himself and gave all to protect our freedoms to engage in activities like this race today. His legacy is truly a great one!

Eats and Empties (Week 15)

The Eats:

Chia and oat pudding (Simple Home Edit)

Easy sourdough bagels (Lion's Bread)

Lentejas (Mexican Lentil Soup) (Isabel Eats)

Orange chicken (Meal Prep in an Instant)

Tortilla 2.0 (The Spanish Radish)

The Empties:

Frozen banana oat flour muffins (Fit Foodie Finds)

Five pound bag of carrots

Box of chicken broth
Frozen chickpeas
Cilantro

Ginger root (some grated and frozen for future use)
Bag of frozen green beans
Frozen green chiles
Dates
Jar of mayonnaise
Half gallon of milk
Orange
Two pound bag of frozen peas
Bottle of rice vinegar

Bottle of soy sauce

What went to waste: 

We spotted mold on half our sourdough loaf and out of caution, tossed all of it.

Real Life Marriage: Sibling Spats

Thankfully, my husband and I do not really fight. At least, praise the Lord, we do not engage in the kind of knock-down, drag-out, call-each-other-names conflict I would deem a fight. Still, we have conflict, and the longer we have been married, the more of it we seem to have. We (I) get irritated over little things. We bicker. We cannot see eye to eye. Why? Shouldn't we be growing together, instead of acting like an adversarial set of siblings?

I feel silly likening our conflict to that of siblings, but in a conversation with my husband about feeling safe in marriage, he used the same analogy. "You can't just get rid of your sibling," he said. "It's safe, so you fight."

That really struck me. I think part of the reason we have so many spats right now is because we feel safe. We feel comfortable expressing all of who we are, and sometimes that means strong preferences. While we should not use safety in marriage as an excuse for unkindness, there is also room for all of us, and all of our (mostly my) big emotions. As much as I hate our spats, maybe they are a sign of growth.

We grow when we learn more about each other. We grow when we learn to communicate better. We grow when we understand better how to honor one another's preferences and needs. Sometimes spats are part of that.

Do I treat my husband solely as a sibling? No. He is my lover, friend, wise counselor, person who knows me best, etc. Framing our spats in terms of the safety of relationship, however, is helpful. Safety in our relationship is crucial to our covenant, and to our growth within it.

May we spat well. May we spat better. May God continually grow our marriage so that it more and more images Him and his great, unceasing, unchanging love for us. To Him be the glory. Amen!