Half-marathon Pictures

Can you tell it was at the beginning?

Can you feel my pain?

YAY!

At the END!

The fans!

Sidewalk Divas

Packet Pick-up! "Look, it has our name too!"

13.1 BABY!

Houston Half-Marathon

SO I DID IT! Yes I finished my first half-marathon and I must admit it was NOT easy! It all started on Friday at packet pick-up and EXPO. My mom came in to town and well it was nice to have a wonderful supportive cheerleader even though it was it short trip. So back to Friday...we went to the George R Brown to pick up our number and that was when I started to get nervous. We walked the EXPO and I found some awesome deals on some very cute clothes. The best part was that each item was $10. Yes cute shorts, a long-sleeve shirt and a very cute jacket all for $10 each item, I couldn't beat that. Then Kelly bought us the best reminder of our BIG day. A charm and necklace with 13.1! 13.1 are the miles we ran. So next time your driving check your odometer and see how far that it. Also my mom bought us very nice pink headbands that read, I run so I can eat! It was a quote we used often on our runs and other than a great and true quote it was an easy identifier for our fans. :) So then after our packet pick up we went to dinner. We made sure we loaded up on all the carbs at Spaghetti Warehouse and the food was YUMMY! We even ate plenty of dessert thanks to Kelly. After Friday well we were on our own on Saturday and I didn't do as I should have, but well shortly after Saturday's packing Sunday sneaked up on. I woke up at 4:00 AM, yes 4! Then got ready for the BIG day! Everything was packed even the cute headbands and I headed to Xiomara's house. Her mom was gracious enough to drive us. Thank you! We arrived to the GRB at about 5:50 and we headed to take a group picture with our teammates. By then we rushed to the "wonderful" port-a-cans and then we dropped off our free bags. (We got tons of free stuff, heck we deserved it after all that running) After that we headed towards the "back" of the black shoot. Well we thought it was the back and before we knew it we were in the middle of a HUGE crowd of people. After checking our watch a million times we heard a cannon! That was the start but it wasn't until at least 5 or so minutes we started to move. At the start my thoughts were still in shock, but right passed the starting line I spotted my fans. My babe on a bike and my mom and mother in law yelling their hearts out. It felt so nice so spot a familiar face in nervous times. Well the running had began and well it was very nice. The three of us split up after one of the many miles so I was on my OWN! Yes I talked to myself more than once but that was what got me through all the tough times. Many things went through my head: my tata, my family, my future, my life, the good things in life, the bad, strangers who would call my name, where I was headed in life, why I was there, my pain, how pain was weakness leaving my body, I think I even got teary eyed but all in all I survived. At mile 6 I heard a familiar voice, it was my babe. He was cheering his lungs out and it felt so good, but truly all I wanted was some food. But then again at mile 8 I saw my fans. It was cool! Then at 10 again my fans were going crazy. After mile 10 I hit my wall but to my favor my babe rode his bike most of the way along my side.I had many thoughts of stopping but he being there really made my last few miles a little bit less painful. Now I must say I was in TONS of pain just about everywhere from my eyelashes down. But back to the race. After the long run on Allen PKWY. I got to downtown and then turned onto Rusk from which I could see the finish line. I swear I felt I was moving in slow motion which I probably was but once I could see the finish line a few hundred feet away I started to kick which you can see on ABC13.com yes on the last link of the marathon video on second 38. Look for a dead looking girl with a pink headband. I got to the finish and boy did I feel emotional. I cried, laughed and even cheered myself on. I was all on my own and it felt SO good to finish this huge life accomplishment! I half way walked to receive my medal and then more of the free goodies to then be greeted by adoring fans! The day went well and I finished one of the things on my bucket list. Now I must stop and post some pictures sooo enjoy!
May the drama continue.

Grad school, work, etc...

Well it is the beginning of the semester and once again I feel overwhelmed. For some reason I feel behind and stressed with all that I have to do. I want to start trying to have a family and then BAM I start school and I think it is impossible. Work is work, well I like what I do but the politics are NASTY! I just want to push a button all day and then go home. I know that would get old quick but something to make my life much more simple. I mean much of the stress is brought upon by myself, but as soon as I get ahold of my life I lose control again. Ok so aside from this semester I just learned tonight that I have to do 600 hours of an internship in one semester, in the Fall. So I am supposed to do all that I am doing now and a FREE, yes free no pay, internship completing 600 hours in 3 months. Does that sound logical? Well one day at a time. First I must apply for candidacy for my grad school. Work like I said before is work. I love it but I am tired of all this juggling. At work it is a juggle. In the morning it is prekindergarten for 3.5 hours then I work with all the other grade levels for 3.5 hours in the afternoon. I had just got a grasp on my groups of 3rd and 4th grade then my wonderful (not sarcastic, he is great) decided to change it up. Now I will only work with 4th grade. Hmmmmm. I like 4th grade but 6 weeks before testing I have to change my groups around. That just means I have to start over and meet new kids. I have to establish some rapport with them before I throw testing strategies at them and that takes a week. SO I have 5 weeks to prepare students for state testing. Hmmmm, is all I can say. I am a little frustrated because ABOVE all that I have my half-marathon this Sunday. I am really excited about it but I have tons of work to do for work and school before that. That really sucks. So before I get to my fun of running I should get some homework done.
May all this drama continue.
-Les

So much stuff so little time!

I am officially a bad blogger! JA! So much has happened since I last blogged and don't know where to start...first it was Thanksgiving and overall that went pretty well. Then I finished another semester of grad school and I finished with all As. It was NOT easy but well worth all the work. Then my hubby and I went to San Diego for Christmas and that was a BLAST! I had so much fun with my niece and my fam. I am so blessed to receive all the gifts I did. Which by the way I got the CRICUT! Yay! I am still trying to figure it all out but so far so good. I just wish I had more time to play with it because I have only opened it ONCE! After Christmas in San Diego we rushed back to attend a very good friend's wedding. It was so much fun. The sad part it that I didn't take many pictures so to those who did please email them to me. The wedding was very nice and fun too! JAJA! Then after that we jetted away for New Years. We really didn't have any plans for New Years, but my hubby's family has the tradition to go to Monterrey, MX to ring in the new year together. We weren't planning on going but this was one of the only years all the cousins would get together so we could be the only few who didn't go. So my hubby and his brothers and sisters all went, which was a first in about 3 or so years. It was fun too! I promise to post pictures soon...the camera has gone missing and hope to recover it soon. Hope everyone has a great new year!
May the DRAMA continue...
Luv, Les