The Color Run….

I completely forgot to write a post about the Color Run 2012 in Philadelphia.  We had so much fun running it! It was my first 5k.  I wasn’t able to run the entire time..but I did a pretty good job..considering I hadn’t ran in over a year.  The first color station wasn’t impressive…but then we got to the next one and it was incredible!  you could barely see anything.  There were so many runners, but it didn’t feel crowded.  And the atmosphere was so much fun.  I can’t wait to do it next year, and I think I’ll bring my 5 year old along this time!  I highly recommend doing it if it is coming to your city or town.

Afterwards, we walked to Starbucks to get a bite to eat.  It was so much fun walking around the city seeing people in their colors!  People were everywhere covered in color!  We took the high speed line home and walked all the way home..which my children weren’t happy about…but I figured it was a good ending to a 5k.

The toughest part was cleaning up…..trying not to get the color everywhere in the house.  Even after washing and scrubbing…it was still a bit in our hair and on our skin.  There is also some still on the carpet, outside the bathroom!

Running gear….on a budget…..

Did I mention that I started running?  Did I mention that I didn’t want to spend any money on running gear?  Well, I probably didn’t mention that I hadn’t bought a new pair of sneakers in about 7 years…..so I needed a new pair of running shoes.  Well, I have a hard time finding a pair of sneakers that I think are comfortable.  I didn’t want to spend $100 on a pair of shoes, only to discover in a week that they weren’t comfortable.  So, I did what I always did…I went to the thrift store!  I found a near-brand new pair of Nike Air running shoes in my size…for only $10!!  and they fit perfectly.  They are probably one of the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn…so far, I am loving them!

Then, I decided I wanted to listen to music while I was running…so I borrowed Tuesday’s old ipod..which is now River’s ipod…(she said I could borrow it!)….and I needed an ipod holder.  Well, there are a million ipod holders out there and I searched and searched..and finally, after reading a million reviews…decided to get this holder….the Aztech Accessories iPod Nano 3rd Generation Armband…..I decided to splurge..it was $2.71!  And it has worked out great.  The velcro is strong and makes it easy to adjust the tightness of the armband.  Some people, in the reviews, complained that the plastic cover made it hard to use the ipod’s wheel..but I think that would be true for any cover….

I run mostly at night and I really needed some type of flashing light for visibility…..I wear mostly dark colors and I didn’t think I was getting noticed by the cars at night….I did some research, and again, there were tons of options..all different prices…..I wanted something that used AA batteries because I wanted to be able to recharge them..I didn’t want to have to constantly buy those watch batteries…anyway, I found this flashing LED light…for only $2.99.  I ordered three.  And, though it is a bit heavy..it is great.  It came with an armband and it is exactly what I wanted.

So, since I started running, I have invested about $25 in gear….not bad…..

Park…..

About a month ago, I discovered running.  My husband has been running for awhile, but I had never tried it.  I normally run at night, because that is when I have the time…after the children are all in bed.  But the other day I “acquired” a jogging stroller……okay, someone in my neighborhood was throwing it away….it is in perfect condition….it looks like they never used it…just left it outside…it was a bit rusty and faded…but the wheels looked brand new…after I pumped them up!!

So, now that I have a jogging stroller..I can run during the day with River!  It is a completely different workout!

About two months ago, Christopher and Quinn, discovered a little park by us…we never knew it was there!  Isn’t it funny how you can live somewhere and not even know something exists!  It is now one of our favorite places..especially since I can run there, River can play, and then I can run home…and my work out is done!