Glow the Distance - the 2012 Firefly Run

I will always have soft spot in my heart for the Firefly Run. Taking place last June, it was the first running event I ever voluntarily participated in and might have been the first time I ever felt good about running. I had trained for it (sort of), prepared for it (by making light up tutus with my friends), and beat a couple personal records (like running for 6 minutes without whimpering). I had a genuinely (Jenny-uinely?) good time running with some of my closest friends and left feeling good about myself and what I could accomplish. It gave me the confidence to keep running (albeit sparsely) and the encouragement I needed to sign up for even more races! Since then, I've participated in the Hot Chocolate Run, the Color Run, the Warrior Dash, and, of course, the 3rd Annual Firefly Run!

Why did they use a phoenix for the logo?

I'll be honest, despite the soft spot in my heart, when March 31 (race day) came around, I was less than excited. I had probably done less training and prep for this race than any other running event I've been in (with the exception of the Warrior Dash, but more on that later). I had only been running once since the Color Run, which took place over a month before the Firefly Run. Rather than try to get a full night of sleep, I had stayed out until 4 in the morning the previous night and got up four hours later to attend an Easter egg hunt with my sister and nephew (it was super cute watching the little one-year-old try to figure out how to pick up eggs and put them in a basket). Instead of eating nutritious meals that would be a good source of energy during the race, I ate half a pizza, passed out on my couch, and woke up only when Hannah called to say that she was running late but was on her way to my place so we could ride to the event together. Once we got to the starting area, however, I was pumped and raring to go (I think the plethora of glow sticks we brought with us had something to do with that). Once we waved to the helicopter flying overhead (slow news day, apparently) and finished the countdown, we were off!

Hannah and I ran the first 1.25 miles (roughly - I'm bad at judging distances) before we started walking. We then started running again at the start of the third mile. After about 6 minutes, we broke into a walk again (because that first mile really took it out of me). As we approached the finish line (or so we thought), we started running again. Unfortunately, we had been bamboozled into thinking the race was almost over. Had we studied the course map (does anyone actually do that?), we would have known that the course was going to take us near the finish, only to curve and loop around (like a conniving jerk). Regardless, we kept running until the end to collect our participant bracelets and complimentary bottles of water.

This year, we decided to skip most of the after-party and just head back to my place. This proved to be a good idea because it took us forever to find my car (we might have accidentally re-walked a good portion of the course trying to find the parking garage - it's confusing when the start and finish areas for a race are in different locations).

I forgot my camera, so here is a picture of a bunch of
strangers that I stole from the Firefly Run website.

Even though I trained very little for this race, I think it went very well. In fact, I found it rather promising and encouraging. Up until then, it had always been my lungs that forced me to slow down and stop running. At the Firefly Run, however, it was my legs that were having problems keeping up. Rather than worry that my legs are getting weaker, I'm just going to
assume that my lungs are finally getting stronger, which is awesome.

Results: Time spent running: 24:03 (last year - 12:00ish)
Total race time: 43:14 (last year - 51:00ish)
Placement: 3431 (Hannah) and 3433 (Me) out of 4945 - top 70% (last year - barely top 90%)


Do you ever study course maps before a race so that curves don't come as so much of a surprise? Isn't it upsetting that we saw people who were running the 10k course passing us by the end? Wouldn't "glow the distance" have been a way better motto than "chase the night and win"?

"I never thought I would hear those words come out of your mouth!"

What had I said to cause my mom to make such an exclamation? No, it wasn't anything offensive. No, I hadn't been cursing. I had merely stated "well, I'm off for a run, be back soon!"

We were staying with my grandma for the weekend, and I had decided to take advantage of the midafternoon lull by going out to continue my training. While Mom knows that I've been running lately, she has spent the last 22 years (which would have been 23 had I learned to talk earlier) enduring my near-constant complaints about how awful running is and how  much I detest it. Needless to say, even though we are both cognitively aware that I've been running, I think we're both still a little surprised that I'm doing so voluntarily.

With an upcoming onslaught of 5Ks (Maddy and I for some reason thought it would be a good idea to register for four different 5Ks in the next couple months), we figured it was about time to get back into our training, and have been pretty consistently following our Couch-to-5K program since restarting it a couple months ago. Granted, we tend to take slightly longer breaks between running intervals than directed, but I think that when running in the cold, our lungs need that extra minute to thaw a bit.



Firefly Run 2011; Kim, Hannah, Maddy, and me

 You might be wondering, "Jenny, why are you doing so many 5Ks?" Well, the answer is simple; I have no earthly idea. Actually, I'm doing them because they all seem fun. Each upcoming race has its own unique theme that we just couldn't pass up.

• The Hot Chocolate Run, supporting the Ronald McDonald House Charities - One word: Chocolate. A lot more words: Ghirardelli is hosting the after party and will be serving hot chocolate and chocolate fondue. I was hooked from the moment Amanda mentioned it after our kickball game last week! (Side note: we totally made it to round 2 of the kickball playoffs... more info to come)
• The Color Run, supporting the American Heart Association - Jeff brought this to our attention, and I feel like any event that involves people getting hit with wave after wave of color powder is alright by me! Apparently, during the Color Run, you get hit with a new color at every kilometer, only to emerge looking like you've been tie-dyed. Our team name is Color Me Happy; I'm pretty pumped.




That skirt will be
perfect for
St. Patty's Day!


• St. Patty's Day 5k, supporting our food bank - Maddy, being of extremely Irish descent couldn't say no to the opportunity to kick off the St. Patrick's Day Festivities in town with the annual 5K. The race basically starts the entire party, and afterwards, runners can then enjoy the live music, some free beverages, and watch the parade. I think it's going to be awesome, and at the very least will give me the opportunity to wear the skirt I made for Halloween again (I went as Marvin the Martian).
• And finally, the Firefly Run, supporting the Children's Medical Center - This was the first 5K (and despite my illusions of running grandeur, the only 5K) I've ever done. Although the event is taking place long before firefly season this year, it's still held at dusk. We're dusting off our light up tutus now (metaphorically), and getting ready to glow the distance (note: "Glow the distance" is not currently the motto for the Firefly run, but I'm thinking about writing a letter to let the organizers know how clever I am)!

Are there any races you plan on participating in? Do you think I can beat my time from my last 5k (which, at 50:52, probably could have been crab-walked faster)? Is anyone else questioning my sanity right now?

The 2011 Firefly Run

Costumes, free food, Jamba Juice, glow sticks, and running. This was my Saturday evening spent at the Firefly Run, benefiting the Children's Medical Center. What could be better? Probably costumes, free food, Jamba Juice, glow sticks, and N64 Mario Kart (which incidentally, is pretty much how I spent my Sunday).

The race took place in the evening (when the fireflies come out) and every participant received two flashing arm bands at the onset, as well as a glow-in-the-dark bracelet at the finish line. Given my penchant for dressing up, which is fortunately something I have in common with my friends, we decided to kick it up a notch (bam!). With just some tulle, elastic, and battery powered Christmas lights (or more accurately, wedding decoration lights (note: when you shop in that aisle, people ask you awkward questions... but it's not as bad as when shopping for a nephew in the baby aisles)), we were able to make these beauties!



Kim ended up using LED rope lights, so her skirt was awesomely blinding.



I must say that for our first 5k, which was run/walked after an embarrassingly moderate amount of training, I think it actually went pretty well (especially when you factor in just how much we dislike running)! We were pretty awesome though, and totally finished in the top 90% (I don't mean to brag, but I may or may not have come in 2097 out of 2376... like a boss).



Here we are after the race! Left to right: Maddy, Kim, Hannah, and me.

In case you were wondering, it is actually kind of difficult to run with a Christmas light battery pack duct taped to flimsy elastic around your waist. Also, even though there was a costume contest, we were some of the few that were dressed up (quite a few people actually asked to take a picture with us).

After the race was the after party, and after the party was the hotel lobby. After that, you know..... wait... I was channeling Santigold, sorry. But, after the race was the after party. They had a DJ and we got to watch some dance performances by the super bowl 2011 dancers in their LED suits. It was awesome. They also had food and drink tents set up, which is where Maddy and I got some delicious tacos and tried out some chocolate Muscle Milk.

We may or may have seen someone else take Muscle
Milk fake advertising pictures and thought "oo fun!"

By the end of the night, we were all quite parched and extremely hungry, so we went back to my brand spankin' new apartment for a Post-5k Victory Shindig. We even enjoyed ourselves so much that we're thinking of making this a semi-regular happening. Perhaps another 5k every month or so?

Have you ever run/walked a 5k? Do you think the wind-resistance on our tutus might have slowed us down? Are you totally jealous that I got a free smoothie sample and coupon from the Jamba Juice tent? Because you should be.

I'm a Pepper! Wouldn't you like to be a Pepper, too?

"Drink a bite to eat at 10 - 2 - 4!"

While these numbers usually represent the times of day that everyone should drink a Dr. Pepper in order to avoid the natural drops in energy that occur at 10:30am, 2:30pm, and 4:30pm (as determined by Dr. Walter Eddy from Columbia University in the 1920s), today they mean so much more to me.

10 - Days until the Firefly Run.

This will be my first 5k, ever, and based on the description, I don't think I could have chosen a more perfect first 5k. Not only is it taking place in my absolute favorite part of town (that I rarely visit considering how far away it is from everyone - including myself), but it is taking place at night (meaning, not in the sun), because Texas in June is so hot during the day. Because it is at night, and night racing can be dangerous, everyone will be decked out in LED lights and glow sticks! There will even be a costume contest (I plan on making tutus with LED lights sewn into them for my team)! To top it all off, after the race, there will be live music and a special performance from the Super Bowl 2011 dancers in their LED suits. I mean, seriously? Did they tailor make this 5k to suit my needs?

I have already resigned myself to the fact that I will not be able to run the 3.1 miles (which only makes sense considering that I wanted to chop off my legs yesterday after running a cumulative 17 minutes over a half hour time span) but I think merely finishing a 5k, even if partially walked, is a huge step for my friends and me! And who knows, maybe some race-day adrenaline will kick in and we'll get to see what we're really made of!

2 - Number of months since I last saw my former roommate Jennifer.

Jennifer, Hannah, Kirsten, and I all lived together for one glorious semester my junior year of college. Even the following fall, when Jennifer was living elsewhere, she spent a lot of time with us at our apartment, so it was still pretty great. Since then, however, she moved up north for grad school. Tonight, she will grace Texas with her presence again, and I cannot wait to see her!

Here we are at our apartment Halloween 2009. Good times.

4 - Days until I coerce my friends to help me move into my new apartment!

My lease will technically start on Saturday, but I will be at a wedding all day, so I won't be able to move in then. Instead, a number of my friends have agreed to help me move on Sunday in exchange for pizza and beer. I am so excited about this apartment. It has a patio, a window seat (which I have always wanted ever since watching the Torkelsons), and ducks that hang out by the pool (or at least, there were two there when I toured the complex). It will cut my commute to work by more than half and is located less than a mile from a my favorite restaurant, my second favorite book store, and a pub that we all tend to frequent (especially on trivia nights). Best of all, I finally will have access to all of my stuff again! Everything has been crammed in a tiny storage unit for the past 4 months, and it is very difficult climbing around in there to find my belongings (admittedly less difficult ever since I began rock climbing). Also, because I will be supplying the pizza and beer at my apartment, these same friends will be forced to hang out with me while they enjoy their well earned bounty!



Were you raised on Dr. Pepper, like me (yes, I realize that I am a non-specific diet cola girl now, but for years it was DP or nothing)? Have you run/walked a 5k before? How excited do you think my mom is going to be when I move my Dual Cardio Trainer out of her house and into my apartment?