‘Tis the Season to be Silly

Posted on December 27, 2014 by Little Miss Sunshine State

Posing with Santa

My sister and I are trend setters. 2 years ago, we were the only goofs wearing hats shaped like rotisserie turkeys at our local Turkey Trot 5K. The following year, a photo of us made the front of that same Turkey Trot’s flyer and, low and behold, we had started a trend! On that year’s race day, it was clear that people had gotten the message and considerably more participants wore crazy get-ups and the tradition has continued through this year.

Besides our local Turkey Trot, we have made it a tradition to participate in at least one Christmas-themed race a year. And this year, were able to do two: The Reindeer Run at Sea World, Orlando and the inaugural Jingle Bell Jog in Fort Lauderdale.

For the Reindeer Run, we put together some great snowmen costumes using elastic, white tulle, plastic snowflakes from the dollar store, white long-sleeved shirts, large black buttons and white stockings. The hats were purchased last year in the Target dollar bins during a post-Christmas clearance. The results were perfection! We turned heads and were asked by strangers if they could take photos of us. Not bad if I don’t say so myself.

: In the corrals

: Oh, look! A copy-catter

: Mid run selfie!

The Jingle Bell Jog was fun because the costumes came as part of the entry! No tech shirts for this race. Full Santa costumes for all! Check out the sea or running Santas down Las Olas Boulevard. Oh what fun it is to run in a felt costume in 75 degree heat and humidity. Only in Florida, lol!

Don’t Go Bacon My Heart… I Couldn’t if I Fried

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Little Miss Sunshine State

On Saturday, I ran my first official race of the season… the Great American Bacon 5K!

While I didn’t plan on taking the race too seriously, I do take my bacon eating pretty seriously so I had to BRING IT with our team name and jerseys! And despite the gimmicky theme, the course was not easy. The park in which it was held is a converted trash mound and had some serious elevation changes. (For all you non-Floridians, trash mounds are the highest points of elevation when you live at sea level, lol.) What’s more, the race didn’t start until 8:20 which made for an uncomfortably hot run.

Team “Don’t Go Bacon My Heart” was comprised of some pretty kick ass runners of all different levels! The newbies got Personal Records, the sprinters had a blast and a new mommy got her first post-baby 5K under her belt! And the best part?… Good conversation and some nice cold beers to celebrate at our impromptu tailgating after-party at my car. Let the race season begin!

Kick-A$* Morning Run!

Posted on June 12, 2014 by Little Miss Sunshine State

Check out my pace in my third mile this morning!! 8:06! Great way to start what turned out to be an amazing day. I was productive at work and at school, I had a wonderful lunch with lovely friends and I had a yummy dinner with my mom. Can’t beat that!

I’m so happy that I’m getting faster!! 😀 Next Step: Adding mileage!!!!

May 13th: Night time run

Posted on May 13, 2014 by Little Miss Sunshine State

Well, I’m swamped with reading 4 chapters, and I already have a couple of papers I need to be working on… and its only the second day of classes. I spent 14 hours either in my car or at a desk at work or at school today. My knees hurt from being bent all day, and my butt and lower back hurt from being sedentary. When 7:55pm rolled around and the professor began to make sidebar conversation with my peers, I quietly escaped the classroom and ran to my car. I wanted to take advantage of the last bits of day light. I needed to see the sun for my own sanity after being in a window-less office then a window-less classroom all day. Plus I didn’t want to run in total darkness.

I got to the house, greeted the pups, changed and headed out the door. I did 3 miles at an 8:50 pace under the light of a full moon. Not the best run I’ve had but most definitely not the worst. I’ll proudly accept my performance, especially considering the crazy long day I had. Feels so good to keep it up! Now…. lets get some of that reading done… :-\

April 9th: Back in My Groove!!

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Little Miss Sunshine State

So, not only did I get back in my groove and go for a run today, I ran a 5K at an average pace of 8:40 which for me is pretty good!! As I mentioned in my previous article:

http://walkruninspired.com/2014/03/31/goals-im-committed-to/

I want to start running regularly at an average pace of under 9 minute miles… Today’s run means that I’m well on my way!

Now, if I can only extend the length of my runs at this pace…. 😉

Tap and Run Orlando 2013!

Posted on December 14, 2013 by Little Miss Sunshine State

So, we joined the “over the hill” costume category at the Orlando Tap and Run 2013!

Check out our amazing costumes!

Amazing!! We had fellow runners take photos of us and with us! …..

Here’s how we did it: moomoos from thrift store, foam rollers, shower caps and glasses from dollar store, saggy boobs are loofas we safety pinned to our sports bras…. Fun times!

Crazy Costumes and Holiday Traditions

Posted on December 14, 2013 by Little Miss Sunshine State

My sister and I have created several traditions for ourselves around the holiday season. The newest of these is running a Christmas themed 5k in full costume (do you see a theme here? Lol). Last year, I went up to visit her in Orlando and we ran Mickey’s Jingle Jungle 5K at Animal Kingdom dressed as reindeer. Our costumes, I must say, were pretty impressive and we had more than a few fellow racers ask to take photos with us!

This year, the pressure was on to top our previous awesomeness! The solution: Sexy Mrs. Clause!
Check out our photos from this morning’s Reindeer Run 5k at Seaworld, Orlando!

But this isn’t the only costume race we’re doing today…. This afternoon we’re doing a “Tap and Run” with some pretty epic costumes….. Stay tuned for the hilarity!

Turkey Trot Mania 2013!

Posted on November 30, 2013 by Little Miss Sunshine State

Costumes were a hit and I think we’ve inspired others to get a little crazy next year!! Check out these awesome pics!

Age old Tradition: Turkey Trot 5K costumes

Posted on November 23, 2013 by Little Miss Sunshine State

It’s the most wonderful time of the year again!!!…. time to start thinking about the holidays. My step mother, Jane, has already finished her Christmas shopping (I’m not joking). And although I haven’t even begun to deplete my bank account on useless chotchkies, I have successfully finished making our insanely awesome costumes for the Thanksgiving morning Turkey Trot race….

Ah yes, the age-old tradition of running 5 kilometers while wearing a very politically incorrect Native American costume or brown tutu and crazy turkey hat. I’m pretty sure that the first race was organized by the pilgrims themselves… the same year they initiated Black Friday camp-outs in front of Best Buy and Walmart…

Regardless of the ridiculousness of the whole thing, it’s something my sister and I love doing and have absolutely no plans of stopping despite the embarrassment it causes others. In fact, our bodacious costumes from last year’s event got us featured in the flyer that came in the mail for this year’s race! We’re dragging my brother-in-law and some friends along this year in full costume for our most outrageous Turkey Trot yet!!

I have very simply taken some cotton t-shirts from the craft store (you can use old ones from your closet and up-cycle them!) and pieced them together with ribbon, rickrack, fabric and dollar store finds to create a family full of pilgrims, Indians and turkeys that would rival the first thanksgiving. Here’s how I did it:

Pilgrims:

Materials:
Black T-shirt
white cotton fabric
ribbon remnants
sewing machine or no-sew iron tape
hot glue gun
lace fringe/ buttons (optional)

Directions:
For Shirt
1. fold a square piece of fabric over to form a rectangle.
2. Cut a half circle from top for neck hole and a slit down center to create two lapels.

3. With hot glue gun, glue the collar onto the black t-shirt. Add bow or button to finish.

Skirt/ Apron
1. take any piece of ribbon long enough to be tied around your waist and a large rectangular piece of fabric.
2. pleat the white fabric as you either sew or iron it onto the ribbon.

Bonnet
check out this great site’s simple directions
http://dorcassmucker.blogspot.com/2011/11/easy-pilgrim-costume.html

Indian

Shirt:
1. Take brown shirt and create pattern using rickrack, ribbon and fringe. Attach with hot glue gun.

Skirt:

1. Take a rectangular piece of fabric long enough to be tied around your waist and fold it onto itself.
2. Cut it on an angle from the fold to create a triangle.