Pumpkin Run 2015 Race Recap

 Saturday was the 33rd annual Joplin Pumpkin Run. This race has been around longer than I have folks. It is a hilly 5 mile course around a park just outside of town. I have wanted to do this race since I was a newby runner and two years later it finally happened.

But I wasn't the only one running!  The girls hadn't ran a fun run since July so I signed them up too and boy were they excited.

The fun run started out with "the rise of the great pumpkin".

And a hay ride to the start line.

Marissa ended up being the 4th kid to cross the finish line (that's my girl). 

She is a natural with her effortless style of running. She just has a way of making it look so easy.

Emily wanted to know what place she was so I told her she was "place # super awesome"!
She was THRILLED with her final result ;). She loved running this race with Meme (my mama). 

Good job ladies!
Instead of medals the kids were given their own little pumpkin.
It REALLY is a pumpkin run :). 

With the kids run over we were ready to get our 5 miles on. 

Our goal was to finish. No pace or time agendas made.

It is so nice to go into a race and only be thinking about having a good time. 

And that we did!

This photo pretty much assures that we were the happiest bunch of runners out there that day.

(especially seeing we had just ran up that hill) 

When it came to the end of the race Lacey gave me a run for my money with a sprinting show down. I believe the exact words she said were "It's on Beth" as she kicked it into warp speed. I some how magically managed to beat here by hundredths of a second. 

It was  pretty much the coolest thing ever and for a few seconds afterwards I thought my heart might explode. 

At the end of the day this is where we fell we finished with 47:something times, exactly where I expected us to be.  So the Pumpkin run was a race worth waiting two years for.  Fun with friends, a fun run to remember and another race shirt for my wardrobe.

I think that wraps up races for a while.
Until next time, happy running!
Now it's your turn. Grab the button in my sidebar and link-up for this weeks Tuesday Talk! Beth - Our Pretty Little Girls ~ Michelle - Grammie Time Keri - Living In This Season  ~ Christina - Waltzing In Beauty
Lauren - Simply Free ~  Becky - BYBMG
Jess and Katie - Sweet Little Ones ~ Whitney - Polka Dotty Place
Laura - Life Is Beautiful ~ Elizabeth - All Kinds Of Things
Sarah - Abiding In Grace ~ Stephanie - Wife Mommy Me
Emily - Morning Motivated Mom

An InLinkz Link-up

Strong & Beautiful, Where Exercise & Faith Collide

Over the past couple of years I have been on a journey. Calling it a journey makes it sounds so intense, but I'm not really sure what word could describe it better seeing I feel so far from where I first began. It is the story of me passionately chasing after something I never imagined, an active and healthy life style. My story has been full of changes, turns, setbacks, adaptions and victories.
To say it has been life changing doesn't seem to say enough.

I guess I had naively assumed that when I started this it was going to be all about me. I was finally doing something for myself, to make myself feel better, look better, and satisfy my desire for "me time".   It has taken me over two years to figure out that this story has never been mine.
It all starts with Anna. She started running just a few weeks before I did and I was instantly inspired. I wanted to do something too. I think I can run! You see, only weeks after she had began she was already making in impact on someones life, my life, and I will forever be grateful. If she hadn't started I probably wouldn't have either.

Looking back over the past two years I can recount story after story similar to the one of Anna inspiring me. Flame igniting flame, one person encouraging another. Stories that are intricately and beautifully woven together.

In a world where it is acceptable to tear down, rip apart, degrade, belittle and make each other feel foolish. Where discouragement is the norm, jealousy abounds and comparison is a thief of so much joy and the cause of so much pain. I have watched countless strong and beautiful women push back and fight not only for themselves, but each other. They push each other towards their goals and dreams giving all the glory to God along the way.

My journey has never been about me. It was always meant to encourage and point others to Jesus.

It's a ministry, a gift and something that I want to use to build up the spirit and bodies of those who God puts in my path. I want to be the voice that says you can and the example that say I will too. To be real enough to share my struggles and strong enough to keep going.
To realize that that I will never achieve physical perfection by this worlds standards but know that I am made perfect and complete in Gods eyes because of the blood of Jesus Christ.   And out of that knowledge, I do everything to the glory of God. 
Encouraging, helping, praying, sharing, inspiring and teaching others to do the same.
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. ~1 Thessalonians 5:11
That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ~Colossians 2:2

Jumping To A Healthier You!

Happy Monday morning friends. 

I hope that you had a great weekend!

Today I want to talk to you about something near and dear to my heart,

 Exercise!

Today I wanted to share one of my favorite ways to add some fun to my exercise routine, the benefits it provides and a great new product that makes it easier.

Jumping rope can:

*Improve Coordination

*Decrease foot and ankle injuries

*Burn a high numbers of calories

*Improve cardiovascular health

*Increase endurance

And that only names some of the benefits.

Long gone are the days when jumping rope was something that little girls did with beaded jump ropes.

Allow me to introduce you to the TKO Soft Grip Jump Rope. 

It is 9 feet of smooth PVC rope, has comfortable soft grip handles and functions smooth enough to make the least coordinated of us look like a pro in not time. 

My favorite part about this rope is easily the handles. They are the perfect size making them really natural to hold and have an excellent grip. Did I mention they function perfectly too? Half of the battle of jumping rope is a rope that works smoothly. The TKO Soft Grip Jump Rope is top of the line.

TKO workout ropes are affordable and fun letting you add variety to your fitness routine. That means less boredom at the gym or anywhere you choose to take your TKO rope!

Jumping rope is such a versatile way of exercising.

HIIT  or endurance, traditional jumps, high leg, one leg, alternating. 

The options are abundant!

Utilizing your legs, arms and core muscles jumping rope is a full body workout that can burn up to 170 calories in 15 minutes, yes please! I have absolutely loved rediscovering my love for jumping rope and I know you would too.

Thank you TKO for letting me try your product and share it with my readers today. 

Be sure to check out these other great products from TKO as well.

 I received this product free in exchange for my review. 

For more info you can see my disclosure statement. 

Tuesday Talk: Mid Summers Night

This past weekend was a great but busy weekend. We spent time together, played, did chores and started working on the home school room. Let me just take a quick moment to say my husband amazes me and I am now more than ever so excited to share that space with you when it is done.

The highlight of our weekend had to be the Mid Summers Night Fun Run. It was fun run #I lost count and a good time for all. Today I wanted to share a few details while bombarding you with pictures of cute kiddos running. What can I say, for this running mama it just doesn't get much cuter. I hope you enjoy them too.

Our local Kia dealership sponsored our girls to run in this race.
They wore some super cute Kia shirts for advertising, my girls got to race for free. It was a win, win for all.

Getting ready for race time.

Pre-race family photo

Here they are "the crazy quartet" as we like to call them.

It doesn't get much cuter than this group. 

Marissa was off to race by herself but Emily decided she wanted to race with daddy so mommy could take pictures.

Your mom might be a blogger if... 

Lined up ready to race. 

Anna and I busy doing our proud mama thing.

And before we knew it they were off!

Marissa was all business

Emily was quite possibly the happiest little runner ever.

This was a pretty simple race out and back on a local gravel trail.

About 9-10 minutes later here came Marissa.

For the first time ever Marissa managed to come in first among the 4 friends. To say she was excited may be a slight major understatement. I think she said "I beat Jonathan" to anyone who would listen to her. In fact I had to have a talk about being a humble "winner" with her in the car.

I must add that I did smile to myself. It brought back so many memories of being a little girl who used to always beat the boys. There is just something so exciting about that when your 7. Don't get used to it baby girl. Here in about 6 more years things just change. 

Emily on the other hand....still smiling and having a grand old time she came in towards the back of the pack.

She was cheerfully greeted by her sister who was probably saying "I beat Jonathan!"

A great race always requires a post race snack.

What better than ice cream in mid July!

Yup, definitely the highlight of the weekend.

Now they are already asking the question that every runner asks when finishing a race.

"When can we do it again?"

It's your turn to grab the button on my side bar and link up with me and my amazing co-hosts.

Meet your hosts! Becky from BYBMG, Beth from Our Pretty Little Girls, Whitney from Polka-Dotty Place, Elizabeth from All Kinds of Things, Tara from Mrs.Coach Sims, Keri from Living In This Season, Sarah from Abiding In Grace, Lauren from Simply Free , Emily from Morning Motivated Mom, and Jessica & Katie from Sweet Little Ones, Christina from Waltzing In Beauty, Amy from Go Forth and Mother & Michelle from Grammie Time

An InLinkz Link-up

Kids Classic 2015

About a month ago we attended the 30th Annual Kids Classic Fun Run. The Kids Classic is a free running event meant to encourage physical fitness and track interest in Pre K - 6th grade students.
I signed Marissa up to run in a  "competitive" race, one lap around the stadium. Emily was excited to run a race too (a not so competitive race across the football field where everyone gets a ribbon). 
I have to be honest. I was NERVOUS for Marissa. Part of it was wanting to see her succeed. As a homeschooler the kid doesn't have a lot of experience with competitive sports, let alone with a group of 20 some girls the same age as her. I was nervous she would be scared and I was nervous she would quit. I just wanted her to do her best, not give up and be proud of herself whatever the outcome.
  I watched her line up with the group of girls and my stomach was flipping and flopping. They took off and I had no idea what to expect.

Before I knew it she had pulled away from the pack and was running in 4th place. I went from sitting, to standing, to standing at the front of the bleachers then jumping up and down yelling and cheering her on all in about 30 seconds. 

She ran and ran her little heart out and the little girl that I was so nervous for did something I never imagined her doing. She came in 4th place earning herself a spot in the top 6 and a medal.

Words can not express how proud I felt at that moment. Sure the medal was an awesome bonus but seeing her so persistent, focused and just watching her run. It was awesome.

Still on an emotional high I had to scurry off to run with Emily. We joined the group and made our run down the football field.

It was a great day on the track with my girls.

I hope and pray for many more in the future.