Merry Monday {holidays, half marathons and weekend recap}

Merry Monday!

Holy crap it's December. Where has this year gone?!? 

I hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving and enjoyed time with family! 

The hubs and I had lunch with his family and dinner with mine. I was very proud of myself for not overrating!!! I also loved my outfit for the day! A beautiful sweater, scarf and leggings combo from Kiki La'Rue! 

How was your turkey day?

The rest of the weekend I had to work

Whomp whomp 

The hubs and I did watch the movie Olympus Has Fallen. 

Netflix baby!

I have to say that it was a GREAT movie. 

It was just an overall good movie. I highly recommend that you watch it! 

Do it!! 

After a lot of thought, desire and a little sprinkle of crazy. 

I have decided that I'm going to run a half marathon in 2014. 

Oh yeah you heard me right A HALF MARATHON. 

That's 13.1 freaking miles!

I felt it was time I really pushed myself with a new goal. 

When I started this year off my goal was to run a 5K, just one. No time goal just be able to run the full race without stopping. I followed the C25K training program and it was a hard process for me. I felt like quitting but I did it. I followed it and it did exactly what it needed to. It took my chunky-monkey-thunder-thigh butt from not being able to run a block to running 3.1 miles non stop. I ran my first 5K in June(HERE) and I did it non stop! I was extremely proud, that's when the addiction began. I went on to run my 2nd in August (HERE), 3rd in October (HERE) and my 4th in November (HERE). I'm running my 5th here soon as well (Flex It Pink, Light The Streets Virtual 5K). My goal this year was to just run 1 by the end of the year I will have ran 5.

 I'm proud of the runner I've become! 

Now after the first of the year I will begin half marathon training. After lots of looking and input from other runners, I've decided to follow Hal Higdon's novice 12 week training plan. I will be alternating between treadmill and outside runs due to the weather to insure I don't get injured. 

Hell, you didn't think I got new running shoes without a race to look forward to running them in?!

As we all know races can get expensive when you include registration, travel and hotel. Luckily I have been extremely blessed, my amazing parents are going to sponsor me. Not only that but them and my hubby will be coming with me to support and cheer me on! Like I said I'm blessed. The fact that they support and believe in me enough to do all that blows me away. I almost cried from excitement. I honestly didn't think that first 5K was going to happen, now here I am talking, researching and preparing to start training for a HALF MARATHON!!!! 

After looking at races that were over 12 weeks away, I stumbled on The Diva Run! It looks like a blast!!!! You get to cross the finish line with a tiara and a boa on and then receive a glass of champagne and a rose!! It's even in my favorite city, Branson Missouri !!! For those of you that don't know, I am a Missouri native and outside of my parents, all my relatives are sprinkled across the great show me state! Also the hubs and I actually honeymooned in Branson!! 

So there ya go it's out there now, I'm going to run a half.

Now I'm definitely accountable!!

Any training tips?! 

I'm also a lover of holiday seasons being about giving not getting, so I challenge each and everyone of you to go out of your way and doing random acts of kindness when ever the opportunity arises. Tis the season my friends, pass on the holiday spirit!

Have a marvelous Monday lovelies!!

-J