Introducing.....

excited to announce that ya girl has been chosen to be a 2019 Chevron Houston Marathon Ambassador!!!

i'm one of 15;

• • • Jaime Aparicio @jaimesportspt
    • Fren-Mark Banes @FMBanes21
    • Ryan Terry @ryanrunshou
    • Paul Izzo @izzoultrarunning
    • Stephen Izzo @izzoultrarunning
    • Matthew Izzo @izzoultrarunning
    • Heather Foley @haf811
    • Leah Egwuatu @fitfoodiele
    • Leanne Rosser  @lulurunstexas
    • Stephanie Kuzydym @stephkuzy
    • Bonnie Cheever @bonnieandthejets
    • Lauren Stroud  @laurun123
    • Jeff Douse @jdrunner82
    • Mark Barr  @mdbarr8
    • Carolina Muriel @tropicalfruit_runner

click here to get to know each of us a lil' bit better.

yesterday was #throwbackthursday so i took a lil' trip down memory lane and posted a few nostalgic pics from past CHM weekends.  it's one of my favorite traditions and i hope to run alongside my babies one day.

CONGRATS to all my fellow 2019 ambassadors; looking forward to making memories and racking up miles together this year! 

make sure you are following the @chevronhoustonmarthon IG page for updates.

THANK YOU GUYS for your sweet support, well wishes, and encouragement, comments, and LOVE!  race registration is opening soon (June 7th); i hope to meet, run, and train with some of y'all:)

Chevron Houston Marathon Weekend 2016

wooooooo!  more than 27,000 runners from all 50 states and various countries participated this year. WHAT a turnout and what a blast i had!  it took a record 41:00 min JUST for everyone to get across that start line.  soooo many people.   finishing my half marathon was my ultimate goal but seeing so many fit friends along the way was icing on the cake (that i'm eating later). 

CONGRATS, RUNNERS!!!! WE DID IT!

friday afternoon, we headed to the GRB Convention Center for the  Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Sports Medicine Institute EXPO.

i have made visiting this EXPO a friday tradition since 2009.

 

follow the feet, Dego!

we went straight to pick up my race packets, 

i know, i look a lil' 'Hell Raiser-ish' (remember that movie? lol) but i will get back to this hair of mine in a moment. keep reading!

then we visited a couple of the vendor booths.  Dego saw that basketball and it was all over.  nobody else could shoot it but him. nobody.

    

this was Sonny's first time attending the EXPO with me!  all the other years he was working at his engineering job. a lot has changed for us in this past year!

ready!!!! kinda sorta not really!!!!

 

 i finally feel like i'm getting somewhere with this natural hair of mine.  Bantu Knots for the win!  there are plenty of YouTube tutorials on how to create these guys and i love how they turned out. going on day 3 and my curls are still poppin'.  i was supposed to get braids for the weekend but we simply ran outta time for an 18+ hour job.  my girl Ogechi was still able to hook me up cause that's what she does!  

saturday morning, it was 5k time!  i parked right in front of the Toyota Center and booked it to Discovery Green. 

    

i squeezed right into a good lil' spot at the 7:00 min per mile mark this year!  last year  i was back by the 13 min mark.

peek-a-boo

 done in 30 min and some change! i found some fit friends and started snapping victory pics.  great job Ayesha! she did the half marathon the next day and we literally ran into each other during the race.

beautiful, buff, natural sisters, Ama & AJ! #HairGoals i was crushing HARD on Ama's pineapple top! AJ competed in her first bodybuilding competition a few weeks ago.

  then i ran into my Soror, Arlene before and after the race!

i had to go teach my Lifetime class after running but i wanted to go check out the post-race food first. so i did...and the line was crazy long and i didn't have enough time to wait. so i walked out of Discovery Green and tried to go back the way i came (i.e., walking right into the flow of post-race people traffic) and a security guard immediately warned me that i could NOT do what i was about to attempt and that i'd pretty much have to walk all the way down towards Minute Maid park first and go around. i was like, "but i parked by Toyota Center and i need to get outta here, sir!".  that's what i get for being greedy, LOL. out of nowhere though, this guy appeared and said "it's ok, i'll escort her since i need to go tell people to keep moving along anyway." WHEW. so off we went!  i saw the back of his jacket and thought, angel indeed! he definitely saved my butt.  i would not have made it to teach on time if it weren't for him.

after HIIT class, it was time to carb the heck UP!

oh yeah.  Jason's Deli has always been a favorite of mine.  i got the manager special: half turkey sammich w/ fruit & side salad bar. oh and some un-pictured self-serve vanilla fro-yo.

back home to get ready for the next day!

sunday morning, i got up and headed down town to the GRB.

this was around 6:30 as the runners were heading out to the start line a few blocks away. MAN IT WAS COLD out there! but the GRB was nice and toasty and i did not want to leave.

waiting and being random....

taking my traditional starting line selfie and talking myself through this!  

why he so salty back there though? bwhahaha

i wore my Fearfully & Wonderfully MADE shirt by Active Faith Sports.  a few spectators saw it along the route and shouted "Amen!" 

the race officially started at 7am, but i finally made it to the start line around 7:21.

but not before running into one of my  5:30am crew Lifetime class members!! 

and we're off!  about 2 miles into the race a heard a bunch of commotion.  naturally, i turned around and proceeded to have a good laugh.

look, it's a Wookiee!!! Chewbacca had no idea how much he lifted my spirits!  i ran with him for a while and EVERYBODY he passed shouted his name. everybody!!  hilarious. 

i so wish i could have taken a pic of all the ridiculously funny signs i read!!!!!! here are a few that made me bust out laughing:

*at the 5k mark* "You're almost to the finish line! Wait, my mistake. " -Steve Harvey 

 "Remember when this sounded like a good idea?"

 "You feel like crap, but you look good."

"You run better than the Government."

"Could you hurry? We're freezing."

"Worst Parade Ever."

"I love your endurance.  Call me 713-229-3390"

"Pain is temporary, but Facebook posts are forever."

"You trained for this longer than Kim Kardashian was married." 

aaaagh, there were SO MANY.  a sign contest needs to be apart of this event, seriously.

 

was having a little hip soreness at the halfway mark but i kept going. i even had to pee before we started but i kept putting off using the port-a-potty and never did! passing mile 12 and entering downtown made me one happy girl. time to book it.

mama is on her way, boys!! Sonny told me Chiso turned around and said "Papa, this is not very fun." waiting does suck sometimes, Chi!

[video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="http://fitfoodiele.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/chevron-2016.mp4"][/video]

we DID that!!!

2:25:04!  #SkeeWee

couldn't wait to hug my boys and find more fit friends.  HEB was handing out ice cream sandwiches and i couldn't wait to kill mine! then... Chiso happened :) 

great minds think alike :)  Lifetime Fitness instructor and trainer, Milton, finished strong today!  his wife, Jessica, is preggo with their first child! congrats to them and their expanding family.

 

ran into my girl Pam....again!  she run yearly as well; always fun chatting it up with her!

soooooo proud of Nike.  she said FORGET a 5k, i'm taking on a half marathon for my first race.....ever!!! she wanted to cross it off her bucket list...... and she did.

in 2 hours and 30 minutes at that! 

 

i ran into my girl and supporter, Angel! she got to meet Chi and Deg in person, lol.

 

afterwards i sat down to stretch and wait for Papa to go get the car so we could go EAT!  all i wanted was a burger from Jerry Built!  they wished me luck on Instagram so they had been fresh in my mind ever since.  thanks again, guys! that burger did not disappoint! 

   

never does. #LookAtIt #GoneIn60Seconds

thanks for reading!  i put off my post-race nap to blog so GOOD NIGHT!!! :)

Q: do you have a favorite race or event you participate in annually?

20 songs that get me through cardio + Transformation Tues #quickie

and another one! would you LOOK at this girl!?  

4 weeks postpartum and new mommy Kara is looking fantabulous! i am so proud of my sister!  she remained active for the bulk of her pregnancy and is now reaping those fit pregnancy benefits.  i got to watch my niece, baby Natalie, for the first time last week while Kara tended to some court business with her clients.  Baby Natalie is THE sweetest lil' thing!  look at that face! what a pleasure and an honor to be able to return the favor and watch baby Natalie for my sis & bro-in-law.  if you are a preggo or postpartum mom that needs help getting back on track, email me: le@fitfoodiele.com.

my fave music apps are Spotify and recently the Pandora app.  i get my cardio in a couple of times a week and yall know i don't mind it at all!  ONLY if i have my Beats headphones. silent cardio is the worst, right?!  anyway, here are 20 songs i'm feeling that help speed up my fat burning sesh. no judgement! oh and radio version preferably.

1. Yoga - Janelle Monae, Jidenna
2. Love Me Harder - Ariana Grande
3. Bring It Back - Travis Porter
4. You Know You Like It - DJ Snake
5. Hit The Quan - iLoveMemphis
6. Finna Get Loose - Diddy, Pharrell Williams
7. Badd - Ying Yang Twins
8. Wipe Me Down - Boosie Badazz, Webbie
9. Chandelier - Sia
10. She Knows - Ne-Yo
11. Pop That - French Montana
12. Swimming Pools - Kendrick Lamar
13. Flashing Lights - Kanye West
14. Take It Off - UGK
15. Where Ya At - Future, Drake
16. Did A Whole Lot - Sosamann, Sauce Walka
17. Who Do You Love - YG, Drake
18. She Knows - Ne-Yo, Juicy J
19. We Dem Boys - Wiz Khalifa
20. Animals - Maroon 5

check out this morning's motivational Periscope and have a blessed tuesday, friends!

Q: add to my list!  what song(s) gets you through your workouts?

le

WE WON! Jerry Built Homegrown Burgers + The Nike + app

when this happens i'm usually in the study doing some late night blogging.  if Sonny gets home later than the boy's bed time, i do the same thing, lol.  i love having them snuggled up next to me! co-sleeping has always been our thing. they'll be going off to college tomorrow so i'm soaking them all in every chance i get.

helloooooo Nike + friends!!!

seriously, thank you guys for adding me!  i made an IG post and told people to join me on the app but  have been confined to the dang treadmill and stair master since my last long run like a week and a half ago. i know, ugh!!!  i need this accountability and motivation though and seeing people rack up their miles makes me want to get back out there too. i will!  especially since my half marathon  is quickly approaching.

 keep it up, yall! after my 7 miles and the Texans football game....we headed to get our grub on.

---

how cool is this? i would LOVE to have something this eclectic and awesome for my kitchen!

this spatula art can be found on the wall by the front registers at Jerry Built Homegrown Burgers, West U location.  i won't be that person that says 'i never win ANYTHING!!!' (even though i totally said that on the periscope vid we did lol) and it's been a while but ya girl scored a JerryBuilt Homegrown Burgers gift card via their Facebook photo contest recently!

we were super excited to head there for some healthy eats after church sunday.

so we did! look at that spread!

i found JB back in August for Sonny's birthday weekend and we have been like 4 times since then and it's only October.  the kids LOVE the food and the gigantic chalk board in the front of the dining room is a great kid-friendly idea.  we frequent the West University location inside the 610 loop but there is also a location in the Woodlands, TX as well.  this time we had:

fresh fruit for Dego & i (along with some yogurt i brought from home that he is addicted to)

a nitrate-free, grass-fed beef hotdog on a multigrain bun, and.................

one of the best foods ever on earth!!!!! some creamy, mac n cheese.

instead of the Jerry's Cobb, i went with the Houston salad! spring mix, kale, baby spinach, romaine, jicama, roasted sweet corn & black beans pico, queso fresco, avocado, cilantro, and house-made croutons w/ house-made cilantro lime vinaigrette.  YAS. i got a salad to save some macros for that mac and cheese of course.

Chiso got a nitrate-free hotdog as well with a side of fries.

you'll have to scroll back up to the aerial pic to see Sonny's burger it was gone before i got a chance to get a solo shot of it, haha.  he got the Saint Arnold again and the photo i took from his birthday weekend of that same burger won us the gift card! sweet.

Chiso can't go without leaving his mark on the board.

i just want to thank JBHB for being SO generous to our family; we have enjoyed every meal we've eaten there!  i always recommend this family-friendly, healthy joint to everyone we know.  highly recommended and fitfoodiele approved.

Q: what family friendly eateries in your city do you love and recommend?