A 5k (+30 pounds) THANK YOU to Our Troops

Happy Memorial Day (weekend), everyone!  Sometimes this weekend seems to be overtaken by vacations, BBQ's, and (if you're from Indiana like me) the 500.  While all of those things are fine and dandy, we cannot forget the REAL reason for our holiday:  the men and women who have given their lives from our freedom.  I wanted desperately to do something--anything--to honor these heroes, and I ran across a flier for a 5k being sponsored by a local VFW chapter, with all proceeds going to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project.  Although all of my running buddies were either going out of town for the long weekend or very, VERY pregnant and Jonathan was working (of course), I decided to do it anyway.  Only a cause as important as this could convince me that a race in the late-May Vegas heat while pushing a jogging stroller was a good idea. :)

I very rarely include Matty on my runs.  Not only does he get bored easily, but my sturdy boy and the stroller combine for at least 30 pounds of extra weight.  Factor in the Mohave Desert heat and the ups and downs of Spring Mountain foothills and . . . well . . . you get the picture.  But, this kid ROCKED his first 5k.  Armed with his blanket, some water, and a baggie of goldfish, he was the perfect running partner (although, I wouldn't have minded if he pulled his own weight instead of me having to push it). :)

Random side note:  a "celebrity" appearance was made by this guy.  Don't recognize him?  Me either.  Apparently, he's the husband on the TLC show "Sister Wives," and he was here MINUS his three wives.  With the crowd of desperate, fame-hungry women who surrounded him, I don't think it would be hard for him to find a fourth.  Pathetic.

Anyways, I absolutely LOVE doing events that involve our military men and women and/or veterans.  Not that civilians don't appreciate our country, but you haven't experienced patriotism until you've been surrounded by those who have made REAL sacrifices for it.  Unlike most events, during the singing of the National Anthem and the subsequent moment of silence for local hero Marine PFC John Lukac who gave the ultimate sacrifice, people here really meant it when they saluted the flag or placed their hands over their hearts.  And the moment of silence was SILENT.  Actually and completely silent.  It was very, very moving.

I made Matty a promise that he could play at the park if he behaved during my race.  He made a few whines during the run (didn't help that the run was at one of his favorite parks and we ran right past the playground a few times) but, on the whole, he was amazing.  I was more than happy to head over and let him get out some energy after the race.

Yes, Matty, I'm sure that you most certainly need to cool off after your long, 5k ride. ;)

That water was COLD, though, and it wasn't long before we moved on the real fun.  And boy, did he have serious energy to burn off.

                                      

"You sure it's okay for me to go down the slide this way?"

Why in the world does Vegas find it necessary to put statues of giant yucky things in its' parks?  I mean, I know they're fake but still.  Let's teach the kids that's its okay to go up to things like giant lizards and snakes.  Giant rattler?  Didn't faze Matty in the least.

Love the "prehistoric" part of this park.  In Matty's words:  "WOW."

Thank you again to those who have served, are currently serving, or who have given the ultimate sacrifice for me.  Words cannot begin to express my gratitude and, although it may seem as if the world doesn't care, there are those who do.  You are never forgotten and never taken for granted.  God bless.

Sharks, Candy, and Lots and Lots of Mud

I have the most awesome friends in the world.  Seriously.  I've been wanting to do a mud run for awhile now, but most of my friends here in Vegas are either A.) pregnant or B.) not into running.  Enter my amazing friend Shawna Haugh.  Shawna and I met in Korea and, although the military moved her and her family to Tucson while we were sent to Vegas, we've remained good friends.  Her husband in deployed, and she was looking for an excuse to escape the monotony of the single mom life in Tucson . . . and the Dirty Girl Mud Run was the perfect excuse for a trip to Vegas!  And, although the main reason for her trip was the race, it didn't mean I couldn't show her and her sweet kiddos some fun while they were in town.  First stop:  the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay!

Our last trip to the Shark Reef was a nightmare.  We not-so-fondly remember it as the 'Mandalay Bay Massacre.' (Reminisce about it here, if you dare.)  Jonathan thought I was crazy for attempting it again. But, Matty was older this time, we wouldn't be skipping a nap, and I wasn't going to sacrifice a chance at fun in fear of a break-down.  So, we packed the kiddos in the car and headed down to the Strip.

It was a completely different story this time.  Matty was absolutely amazing:  no tears, only loads of curiosity and giggles.

Showing Kailey some fish . . . 

Talking to the fish in his own Matty language.

My absolute favorite picture.  We were in a tunnel, surrounded on three sides by water and colorful fish.

Three excited kiddos.

Making himself comfy while watching the sting rays.

I've been wanting to see the Titanic artifact exhibit for MONTHS, but Jonathan always has excuse to not go (he has fully adopted the Las Vegan attitude of 'Locals don't go down to the Strip).  We bribed the kids with the promise of a trip to M&M World if they would let be patient and let us do this.  They happily agreed. :)

Unfortunately, you aren't allowed to take pictures inside the exhibit but, trust me, if you are ever in Vegas, this is a MUST see.  It contains artifacts recovered from the wreckage including an unopened bottle of 1898 champagne, dishes, clothing, an a real piece of Titanic's hull.  When you enter, you receive a "boarding pass" which outlines the name and details of a real Titanic passenger; before you exit, you are given the chance to find your passenger on the manifest and see whether you "lived" or "died."  Shawna and Kailey lived; Skylar, Matty, and myself all perished.

After a quick pit-stop for lunch, we kept our promise and headed to M&M World.  This place is 4 stories of all things M&M's.  We started at the very top and made our way down.  Out of everything, Matty was most impressed with the display of the M&M car, of course.  

Which one of the kids is most ready for a nap? ;)

M&M goodies in tow, we headed home.  Later that day, Matty was either extremely exhausted or imitating one of the hobos on the Strip.  Take your pick.

Finally, the day of the race arrived.  My sweet husband graciously agreed to watch the kiddos for the morning while Shawna and I made our way down to Impact Sand and Gravel.  That's right:  the race was being held in a quarry.  Even for someone who has spent considerable time running on gravel roads, this was  going to be a challenge.  Oh, and it was 40 degrees at 8:30, the start of our wave.  Hypothermia, here we come!

Before the race . . . 

. . . and after (yep, a complimentary Natty Lite at the finish line.)

 It was only a 5K, nothing distance-wise I don't do almost every day, but I'm proud to say Shawna and I completely every obstacle, even though we had the option each time to go around.  Not only did we wade on our belly through near-freezing water and trudge through thick, shoe-sucking mud, but several of the obstacles involved climbing walls, scaling fences, and spider-monkey-ing our way up a few way, WAY too tall nets.  Despite Shawna's claustrophobia and my fear of heights, we did it all, coaching and pushing each other the whole way.  It was definitely the most challenging thing I've ever done and, not to toot my own horn, I am so super proud of both of us.  Not to mention we did it all to raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.  We did it for the ta-tas! :)

I'd been training in a brand-new pair of running shoes for a few weeks now, but I kept my old ones for this one last "retirement race."  I've put over a thousand miles on this puppies, and it was good way to send them out in style.  They were rinsed off and donated after the race. 

Today I woke up a little stiff and sore, a little congested from swimming/running in near-freezing temperatures, and not to mention with my knees covered in bruises from crawling through the rocks and mud . . . 

. . . but it was SO worth it!  Go Dirty Girl! 

Pyeongtaek Port-Silk Road 5k

This past weekend I participated in my first ever international 5k. Now, I haven't run competitively in. . . well, in a very long time and, even though I run a 5k three times a week, I found myself almost sick with nerves on the morning of the race. Luckily, however, a fabulous group of Lady Draggins (and about 500 Koreans) joined me for the race. This is the LD 5k team pre-race:

Heading for the start line. Yes, all the Koreans were wearing their light blue race shirts, and we were all proudly screaming 'AMERICAN' with our bright green 'PIL SUNG' shirts. Isn't there an AFN commercial about this type of behavior?

The race began like a nightmare: imagine yourself the midst of Korean rush-hour traffic. That's EXACTLY how Koreans run, too. Either really fast with sudden stops or extremely slow with no direction. All of it with absolutely NO situational awareness. Awful. Especially for someone who needs to get into a groove to run. But, eventually, the pack thinned out and I was able to finish. The race actually ended up being almost 6k instead of 5, but I finished it with a respectable 29 minutes, with the rest of the LD 5k team not far behind. This is all of post-race (and yes, we all got medals):

Signing up for the race, we were promised food. Little did we know that "food" meant the Korean staples of kimchi and rice. Not exactly what I crave after a race. Luckily, USFK came through with boxes of BK Whoppers. I love being a fat American.

Fantastic job, Lady Draggins! Can't wait for the next one!