Rockin’ & Rollin’

 “What does not destroy me, makes me strong.”

~ Nietzsche

The Rock and Roll Starting Line

Hey there blogosphere! How the heck have you been? I have been GREAT! My girlfriend (Nic) and I ran the Rock & Roll Half Marathon Relay this past Sunday. It was a blast. The Rock & Roll Marathon series is an awesome collection of races. Last year my Road Runners friends and I ran the whole thing. It was my first half marathon and I was stoked. This year Nic and I decided to run the relay instead. Not going to lie to ya… it was nice knowing I didn’t have to run THE WHOLE THING. I remember eyeing the relay transition area last year thinking to myself… why the heck didn’t I run the relay???? I think I muttered some unflattering words under my heaving chest and sucked it up... then ran the rest of the race like a good little runner girl. 

Racing Priorities... LOL!!!!

However, this year was different. I just haven’t been myself lately. I haven’t been running like I normally do. I guess life keeps getting in the way. Needless to say… I could have prepared a little better for this race, but it is what it is. I had paid my money and I was too cheap to back out and besides… I had a relay partner that was counting on me.



So let me just tell you… 3/23/14 popped up on me like a thief in the night. I didn’t see it coming. Nic and I would talk here and there about the race, but it seemed so far away. I turned around and there it was staring me in the face. Yeah baby… it was race time! 

So we decided that our relay name would be

The famous "Night Before The Race" FB picture

“The Nightingales”…we’re both nurses (Florence Nightingale)… get it? Then later it was determined that I would run the 1^st leg (7 miles) and Nic would run the last leg (6.1 miles). I was cool with that… what’s 7 miles. I could run that in my sleep. LOL… famous last words. Of course Nic and I had to coordinate our relay outfits. She got the tights and I got the shirts. The outfits really came together. We were going for the “louder the better” look. I think we nailed it.



So let’s fast forward to 3/22 the day of the Health & Fitness Expo. This is a great expo they hold in the Dallas convention center and it is also where you pick up your race bib and goodies. The expo is also the place were the racers go to spend ALL of their hard earn cash.  I could have lost my ever lovin’ mind in there. My hands were itching to buy all of my fitness favorites. You can’t even get out of the expo without walking through majority of the booths. However…I did good… I left out of there with only 2 pairs of socks, a set of calf compression sleeves, running inspired stickers, a butt load of GU and 2 shirts. I am happy I made it out alive.


Run Happy Baby!! The fun zone at the expo!!



Nic & I at 6am...
the creepy construction zone is behind the car...LOL!



Keri, Kami & Kati... Love them!!!

Nic and I met up to discuss the logistics of the relay. Let me tell you… Nic and I are pretty smart gals… we got a good number of degrees between us, but this relay business was for the birds. We were plum confused. We finally got it together and decided to head down to the 2^nd leg starting point at 5:15am. Yes folks… 5:15 IN THE MORNING!!! We got down there and it was soooo dark and scary looking. There was actually a creepy construction zone that had warning signs all around the fence. I so didn’t want to drop Nic off there and have to explain to police AND her momma how she looked the last time I saw her alive. WHAT??? NO WAY!!! We stayed in the car until we saw some potential runners. Seriously… who else would be up a 6am in the dark, wearing running shoes and neon colors. I promise… runners are cut from a different cloth. LOL!! Enter Keri, Kami and Kati
(I hope I got their names right…all Ks, 4 letters, ends with i… love it)… they were needing help and so were we. They needed a ride to the DART rail station and Nic needed not to be killed in the creepy construction zone. We hopped out of the car and start talking and sure enough we hit it off. Nic wasn’t going to be alone and I actually gave them a ride all the way to the starting line. We laughed and talked all the way. They were the sweetest people ever. God brings the coolest people into my circle.  



Nic - The best relay partner ever!!!

Back to the race… there were so many people at the race, but I tell ya… I kept running into people I knew or met last year. While waiting for the race to start I even ran into Keri, Kami and Kati again. How cool is that? I finally started the race around 8:12am. Mind you… poor Nic is still waiting patiently at the relay transition area. She has been there for 2+hours at this point and she still has to wait for my slow self to get there. I am not saying I am super slow, but I was definitely not the fastest one out there. However... I got passed up by the following characters: a pregnant lady (so embarrassing), an Elvis impersonator wearing a mohawk (are you kidding me) and a dude bouncing not 1, but 2 basketballs (REALLY…dribbling basketballs!!!!). NIC WAS DOOMED!!! However, I am happy to say that I actually did a lot better than I thought I would. I can’t tell you how happy I was when I saw Nic at the relay transition area after my 7 mile hike. She looked a neon angel… LOL!


7 miles done & done!!!!

So there you have it folks. Another race for the books and another medal earned. Nic and I had a great time and we are looking forward to running this race again and again. I have a few more races up my sleeve then it is time to start buckling down to train for my first marathon!!! I am getting excited!!










Ladies and Gentlemen... “The Nightingales"

Until next time… Happy (Rockin’ & Rollin’) Running!

LR… OMM40:31