The Color Run

Around two months ago, Brittany and I decided we wanted to run the Color Run when it came to Birmingham.  We quickly gathered a group of 6 for our team and we started training.  This is probably where I should add that I did not train.  I didn't run one time.  Everyone else did and they were awesome.  I just tried to keep up.  I was in charge of designing our team shirts and I thought they turned out so cute.  We got several compliments and I even had someone ask me if I had a business card.  I did not.

This was while we were waiting for the other half of our team. Here we are. We couldn't come up with a team name.  So I played off the color run logo and made the color fun shirts. The back of our shirts had our monogram, just as any good southerner should. I felt like we ran forever before we got to the first color spot.  I didn't really know what to expect.  I thought the color powder was going to be falling on us but there were people on either side of the road kinda squirting it on us.  It was cool. Team selfie. Of course the pink was my favorite. And I love these team selfies. The blue was the last color during the "race". I kinda loved the confetti at the finish. I'm not sure where the rest of our team was by this point.  Team after! I looked like a smurf!  The blue people got me good.  I was still getting blue out of my ears this morning. It was such a fun morning.  I loved seeing the diversity in the participants.  There were so many people.  I heard an estimate of 5,500 people.  I love that it's promoted as the "Happiest 5K on the planet"  and it is so happy!  Everyone was smiling and having fun!   I would definitely recommend participating.  Its so laid back and low pressure. It's not timed and everyone kinda takes their time.  I just wanted to enjoy it and have fun and that's what we did.

Sister Time

I was so excited to see my sister it felt like forever since i'd last seen her.  That has to be the worst part about them living 3 hours away.  Some days I'd love to just be able to grab lunch together.  It's also difficult because I know how busy they are when they get to come home and as much as I'd love to kidnap her and make her spend the whole weekend with me I just can't.  When we realized the NCAA National Championships for gymnastics were in Birmingham we knew we had to fit it in if possible.  Alabama was competing in the evening session of Friday so we decided we would go.  I was so excited because we got to go together and cheer on our school.  Plus we both love gymnastics.

We sprung the 4 extra dollars for the lower level seats.  We were right behind the media tables and beam.  It was a little bit of sensory overload trying to watch 4 events at once.   UCLA was on beam first rotation and I thought one of the team managers looked familiar.  I figured out it was Jordyn Wieber from the 2012 Olympic team.  So that exciting.   Alabama tied Florida and advanced to the finals on Saturday night.  We weren't able to go though because of family obligations.  (They came in fourth).
After we left the gymnastics meet we went to the see light tunnel in Birmingham.  Pretty cool.
We decided to have a slumber party at mom and dad's because the second part of sister time included running a 5K race in Gardendale Saturday morning.   It was supporting two local charities and we knew several people running it.  We were excited. 

Here we are before we left.

I had not really trained for this.  Like at all.  I'd been running a little for some cardio but not 3 miles.  I knew it was going to be tough.  I only had two goals.  1.) Not finish last.  2.) Finish under 40 minutes.  I realize that 40 minutes is a really slow 5K but I knew that was going to be pushing myself but still obtainable. 

I'm happy to report I met both goals.  When we rounded the corner I say 36.xx on the clock and realized we were faster than I thought. I realized I could finish in under 38 minutes I kicked it up a notch. 

 I love these next two pictures that were taken at the finish.

My sister is way more fun than I am.  She was posing and smiling.

Then she says I jumped in front of her right at the finish to beat her.  I know she doesn't believe me but that was not the case at all.  I really wanted to finish under 38 minutes and they clock read like 37.57 so I was trying to finish. They also told us to stay in line so one of us had to be first. I really did feel bad because she could have finished a lot faster.  I probably wouldn't have finished if it hadn't been for her.

Our sweet friend Anna.  She finished way faster than us and was cheering us on at the finish.  That was one good thing about finishing later, there were a lot more people to cheer you on. 

I went to pick this crazy haired boy up at my parents house then headed home to get ready for the start of our Easter festivities.
I was so excited to get to spend so much time with my sister.  I'm hoping to get to Atlanta more this summer to visit her.  She has been a huge encouragement to me lately and I try not to take for granted all the fun ways we have to communicate.  We talk often but nothing beats face to face laughter and a hug.   Easter post coming up.