Long time no blog!

Hi Friends! It's been a while since I've sat down and blogged, but I've got so many things to update about that I thought I'd just to a quick recap to get up-to-date...so here it goes, Jenn's life in bullet points:

• If you follow me on twitter, you've probably already seen me mention this, but my Etsy store is back up and running...and it's in full swing! I've started making non-slip headbands similar to those you find at running stores, race expos, and the interwebs for $15-18. I'm charging $10 each or $25 for a set of three. All proceeds benefit my Girls on the Run SoleMates fundraising campaign. If you check it out and don't see a pattern you're looking for, shoot me a message! I'm in the process of making a bunch more.
• Chocolate pasta sucks. I bought some at Soulard Market last Friday with plans to make it as a dessert for Easter dinner. I told my mom about it and she immediately thought I was crazy and requested that I do a test run. Well...she was right it.was.awful! I boiled the noodles, chilled them, tossed them with whipped cream and strawberries and topped it with chocolate sauce. Sounds great, right?? WRONG! After tweeting that this was an epic fail Lauren told me her boyfriend has made chocolate pasta as a savory dish with butter and parm...I may try that with the rest of the noodles (if I'm not too traumatized to try them again).
• Speaking of the fabulous Lauren...I AM GOING TO CALIFORNIA to visit her in September to visit her!!!!! We were originally planning a long-ish weekend, then she mentioned that she was road-tripping to Vegas the week I was planning on leaving. This lead to me popping into my boss's office and asking if I can take 12 days off (well, 12 days total, not 12 work days) and she said YES!!! So...LA and Vegas in less than 5 months?? Time to get my ass in shape!
• If you're in St. Louis and you haven't been to Sanctuaria yet, you need to go. NOW! I'd be lying if I said I remember a lot about last Friday, but what I do remember is amazingly yummy drinks (with pretty flowers), a cool crowd, and a very hip vibe. I can't wait to go back.
• If you have a second check out the Girls Guide to the Galaxy's StL 2011 Sexiest CyberGeek contest. They posted it last night, and I've found some cool new local people to follow! I'd love to opportunity to meet all of the other nominees sometime soon.
• Our Ragnar Chicago team is finally coming together! After having a full team of 12 set late last year, the team kind of fell apart this spring. Work, school, and babies caused some girls to have to drop, but we're now back up to a team of 11 and we already have 2 out of the 3 volunteers that we need. We are still looking for one female runner and 1 volunteer in or near Madison or Chicago...if you know of someone PLEASE let me know!

Ok..I think that's enough for now. I promise I'm really going to try to be better about updating. I've got way to many races and new shoes to tell you about to not blog.

Happy Almost-Thursday!!!

Back to the basics

It's been a while since I've posted about shoes, so I decided to share a couple of pairs that arrived yesterday. If you follow me on Twitter, you've probably heard me talking about Sole Society. It's a new shoe club that just launced this year. I didn't hear about SS until last month and signed up right away. I ended up ordering two pairs of summer heels, the Anouk and Analisa.

Here's what SS has to say about the Anouks: This fashion forward yet timeless platform is a fun, sexy addition to your shoe collection. With peep-toe, cutouts and a Tstrap, it's equally sleek and fierce.

• Heel Height: 5 1/2"


• Platform Height: 1 1/4"


• Runs true to size


• Material: Microsuede

Anouk in coral

I ordered them in coral and am in love. They're so cute and comfortable that I've decided to order the blue as well!

Isn't the blue pretty, too??

Next up is Analisa:

Take your look to the next level with these gorgeous ruffle heels. The adjustable ankle strap provides a secure fit while the stiletto adds femininity and glamour.

• Heel Height: 4 3/4"


• Platform Height: 1"


• Runs true to size


• Material: Satin

L.O.V.E.

Analisa may not be the most practical shoe ever, but 4" heel, platform, ruffles AND pink meant that I had to have them. Their not as comfortable as Anouk, but they're certainly not uncomfortable and I think they'll look super cute with dark jeans and a white top.

Have you guys found any cute new shoes lately?

And the winners are... (plus tutu instructions)

Thanks to everyone for the super sweet comments about Rock n Roll Dallas - Barbie from barbie runs for fun and Jacob (aka @Wirelessjake on twitter) are the lucky winners of theHoneyMilk! I'll be putting both of you in contact with them very shortly. For everyone that didn't win and would like to try HoneyMilk, here's a coupon code I found online for you - SMP63032 - using this code will save you 33% on your entire order of Athletes HoneyMilk (up to 6 cases of each flavor per order), plus the shipping is ALWAYS on them!

Miss Alayna sporting her halloween tutu and her PunkRockRacing tee!

Also - I owe Fran overdue instructions on how to make tutus so here it goes:

You'll need:

2 spools of 6" tulle (I like to use more than one color - so get one of each)

Spool of grosgrain ribbon, preferably something about an inch thick

Scissors

I start by cutting the tulle into strips approx. 24" long (this will give you a tutu that's about 12" long). I find it easier to go ahead and cut off of the tulle at one time, but feel free to just cut it as you go. Then I tie the ribbon around the back of a chair making sure that it's tied tightly enough that it isn't going to move too much. Then all you do is fold the tulle in half and tie a slip knot around the ribbon, making sure the knot is at the bottom of the ribbon. If you don't want to use slip knots, you can simply make a double knot - easy peasy! If you're using multiple colors, just alternate the tulle as you go and continue that pattern until it's long enough. When it's the length you need simply cut the ribbon, allowing enough room to tie a bow, and you're all done!

This is how I've made all of mine - if you're wanting to use elastic instead of ribbon, here's a great tutorial from Plumtickled - just remember she's showing you how to make them for a kiddo, so you'll want to make sure you get the proper waist measurement.

I hope all of that makes sense - if anyone wants to make a tutu and doesn't understand anything I just said, shoot me an email and I'll do my best to help.

Hope y'all had an awesome Monday!

Rock 'n' Roll Dallas...and a giveaway!

This past weekend I headed to the greatest state in the Union for Rock 'n' Roll Dallas. My love affair with everything Texas, and more specifically DFW, isn't a secret so it should come as no surprise that I loved this race.

When I arrived in Texas I was greeted by The Running Couple, who arranged for absolutely perfect weather. It was so sweet of them to make sure that the highs were in the mid-80s and the sun was shining. Friday I had a bit of time to myself and it was so nice to walk around Fort Worth, there were blooming flowers and beautiful green trees everywhere!

Beautiful scenery during a long walk Friday afternoon

The weather played a trick on me though, because by Sunday morning it was FAH-REEZING! Ok, technically it wasn't 32 degrees, but it was darn close, especially considering it was in the 80s Friday and Saturday. Normally temps in the 40s & low 50s wouldn't have been so bad, but I had no cool weather running clothes with me. My tank, shorts and HoneyMilk tutu would have to do!

Nothing says Texas like the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders!

Lee and Isis were so wonderful to wake up super early just to to drive me to the start. They even braved the cold to cheer runners on during the race. This worked fabulous for me because they were able to drop me off about 2 blocks from the start. From there I quickly made my way to the VIP tent. Brian (@TriBoomer on twitter) generously gave me a pass into the VIP tent where I was able to chat with him and where I finally met Sarah Stanley.

Just one of the beautiful homes we saw along the way

Before the race, Brian introduced me to Miss Texas USA, Ana Rodriguez. She had never run a race before and asked if I minded running with her. I can't begin to describe how friendly she was, and I'm not talking that fake beauty pageant niceness. She was genuine. It was great to have a buddy for a little while but she was too fast for me so I told her to go ahead after a couple of miles. Luckily I was outfitted in my HoneyMilk honeybee costume so I had tons of people cheering me on, I had forgotten how many cheers tutus earn on a race course!

I couldn't believe how many people asked me about HoneyMilk while on the course. Several people saw my post about the tutu on the RnRDallas FB wall and many more commented that they saw the tutus floating around the race expo. This made me SUPER happy. I was able to spread the word about a product that I truly love to those that had never tried it and I told those that were already faithful HoneyMilk customers about Team HoneyMilk.

This honeybee is done with half-marathon #4 for 2011

I cannot express how much I love this course. Say what you want about the Competitor Group and Rock 'n' Roll races, but they sure did a great job mapping out a beautiful 13.1 miles through Dallas. I loved the race last year, but this year was even better. The course was exactly the same, but I think the volunteers were even better this year and there was definitely a lot more crowd support this time around. For me, this race was over far too quickly - if they ever offer a full at this event, I'm jumping on it. I was having so much fun out there that I could have kept going! My one major complaint about the event was the lack of mylar blankets at the finish line. I was a tad cold while running, thanks to the temps and a little drizzle, but once I quit moving I was miserably cold. Mylar to wrap up in would have helped a lot.

So thanks to Texas for another wonderful race - I can't wait to come back again!!!

My reward for the race!

Now onto the fun stuff...the giveaway! As you can tell, I'm a big fan of HoneyMilk and a member of Team HoneyMilk. They've been generous enough to give me two cases to giveaway to my readers. Entry is simple - just leave me a comment letting me know which flavor of HoneyMilk you'd love to try. My personal favorite is vanilla, but there's not a flavor I don't like (that's why I'm a big fan of ordering their variety pack). So that's it, just leave me a comment (and be sure to give me your contact info so I can let you know if you win!) by Monday, April 4th - easy peasy! Good luck!!!!

Cowtown Challenge Weekend

This post-race margarita that's big as my head proves that everything is bigger in Texas

It seems like it’s been a while since I’ve written a race report. I guess that’s because it’s been a while since I last ran a race. Luckily my schedule is about to kick into high gear – hopefully that means that I’ll be a bit more motivated to train properly...fingers crossed!

Last Friday Ashley and I hopped on a plane headed to Fort Worth. The flight was great, thanks to an awesome Southwest flight attendant who kept the vodka coming, even though we didn’t ask for more than the first round. I swear I could feel my mood improve as soon as the plane touched down, there’s just something about being in Texas that truly makes me happy. Shortly after we grabbed our luggage Lee & Isis were there to pick us up. It was absolutely amazing to see them again! Once we got back to their place we chatted for a bit but headed to bed relatively quickly since we had to get up bright and early Saturday.

Lee, two fine ladies whose names are escaping me, Isis (and her baby bump), me, and Ashley after the 5k.

On Saturday morning we got to the expo by 7am so that Ashley & I could pick up our packets. I was surprised by how big the expo was, it was big enough to feel like a “big race” but no so big that it was overwhelming. Ashley & I grabbed our 5k and half/marathon bibs, the special Cowtown Challenge bib and our t-shirts. Pretty soon it was time to stash our bags at the HoneyMilk booth and head to the start line for the 5k. This was a mistake – we should have headed to the start much sooner. I’ve never seen a crowd like this for a 5k! We ended up getting there in plenty of time, but were kind of stuck at the back of the pack. We tried to run for what I would guess was about ¾ of a mile but finally gave up because it was so crowded. We ended up saying screw it and just had fun while covering the remaining distance. It was awesome to be with Lee, Isis & Ashley and I cannot wait to see the photos – they’re sure to be hilarious!

See HoneyMilk makes people happy – we’re proof of that!

After the above photo was snapped, we headed back to the expo and poured some HoneyMilk for everyone to enjoy. We couldn’t stay behind the booth for too long because we had to get to the meet-up sponsored by HoneyMilk. The meet-up was at Magnolia’s Motor Lounge. None of us had been there before so we were excited to try it out. The food was excellent, as was the beer, and I heard the garage fries topped with country fried bacon were especially yummy. It was so great to see all of my Texas buddies again and to meet some for the first time. I wish I would have been smart enough to snap some photos of everyone!

Meet-up at Magnolia Motor Lounge

After the meet-up Ashley hung out with some family, Isis had to go to work. Lee was super productive and I took a nap. When I finally woke up Lee & I headed to the best place in the whole world, a/k/a Central Market, to pick up supplies for a fabulous dinner and then we were off to pick Isis up from work. She and I relaxed and caught up some more while Lee slaved in the kitchen. After dinner Ashley joined us again and another DFW buddy, Mike, came over. Lee & Isis were smart and went to bed early…Mike, Ashley & I stayed up watching some silly stuff on tv.

Alarms went off bright and early Sunday morning. Mike, Ashley & I got ready for the half, Lee got ready for the 50k and Isis got ready to be an awesome wife & friend (she wasn’t running but got up and drove us to the start!). The start was gain pretty crowded, but seemed like it moved a little more smoothly than the previous day. Ashley started off with her cousin and they quickly pulled in front of me. While I was in line for the porta potty Ashley called – at first I was worried about her but then she told me that her cousin sped off and she was going to hold up and wait for me. I told her I was moving slowly but she said she didn’t care.

Ashley & her medals representin’ Big River and HoneyMilk

Having Ashley by my side for the last 11ish miles of this race made the day for me. We chatted, laughed, took pictures with real-life cowboys and their horse and popped into a Starbucks to use a real bathroom. We weren’t moving fast, but we were having fun and for me, that’s what this race was all about – I needed to just have fun again. I cannot thank Ashley enough for sacrificing her race to stay with me.

The course was ok - we ran through some questionable neighborhoods, but we also got to run past the Stockyard, which was a highlight for me, and all around downtown Fort Worth. There were some killer hills (Hello mile 9!) but other than those I'd say it was a reasonably flat course. There wasn't a ton of course support, but I'd say that the police we some of the nicest I've ever seen on a race course. Oh, and this was the first race I've done that gave out finisher's shirt - that was a nice touch! All in all I'd probably give this race a 7 out of 10. Since it's in Fort Worth, there's a high likely hood that I'll be back in 2012.

HoneyMilk and Punk Rock Racing gear, plus two medals = a great day

So there you have it, half marathon #13 is in the books...next up is Rock 'n' Roll Dallas. See you soon, Texas!!!

Wordless Wednesday

To.
Die.

For.

Jimmy Choo Marine Crystal Collection

Wordless Wednesday

I-Lyddia

These will be mine...hopefully by tomorrow if the UPS man cooperates!