Of course I had to bring my ladies with me for support! Megan was so sweet to make us all water cups with our initial on them. 
 Each of these ladies mean the world to me!
Girls weekend cups for the win ( 99 Cents Store) !
When we arrived at the Westin Phoenix Downtown, we couldnâ€
t resist enjoying lunch pool side on the roof top. Hello sunny Arizona! I enjoyed the Chipotle Tacos. I loved the aioli sauce. It made the flavors really pop.
When we walked into our beautiful suite, we were greeted with some fun swag from our Westin friends. Shirts for the event and New Balance shoes from Westin’s shoe lending program as well as a basket of yummy goodies to enjoy during our stay. Westin really knows how to make you feel loved! I was super stoked to stay in one of Westin’s Heavenly Beds again. Did you know they sell these beds?!
After freshening up, we headed to the event, which was held in the downstairs parking lot. I love that my friends were there to support me. (Little did they know I was going to make them participate in the 5k fun run.)
The event kicked off with me leading a stretch session before the run.
We did some deep hip openers and leg stretches to get us all warmed up before we took off for the 5k.
I loved all the staff that participated; they were all so friendly and motivated to get a little sweat on!
We did lots of good arm stretches to loosen us up.
Of course we did my all time favorite, the  pigeon pose. Hello hip opener!
After the stretching was over it was time to hit the pavement for a 3 mile fun run through downtown.
Everyone kept a nice easy pace. I got to chat and give tips to folks who were looking into running more in the future and possibly even signing up for a half marathon!
The run was also led by Dave Sobek the Director of Marketing! Go DAVE GO!! He just entered into the New York Marathon lottery and I am rooting for him to get in!
I was so proud of my girlfriends for finishing strong! None of them are big runners. They love to workout but running is just not their thing.
Itâ€s always nice to have an encourager along the course and Westinâ€s David was so great to be there for them!
After the run we toasted to HEALTH!
We also enjoyed a few healthy snacks. Westin was serving up Turkey Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries. The Chef was so kind to share how he cooked their Sweet Potato fries, and I canâ€t wait to share them with you all!
It wouldnâ€t be a well-being event without a massage! I was so thankful for the amazing massage treatment that made the day complete.
After we finished the fun event, we headed upstairs and got all dolled up just because!
It was so fun to do each others hairs, nails, makeup and take pics to make sure it was documented! Even though we are all old ladies and really just stayed at the hotel for dinner and chatted until midnight, it was s great excuse to wear high heels.
Like I said we ate at the Westin for dinner at the Province Restaurant. They truly had some pretty amazing food. I enjoyed some red wine and a delicious plate of Cast Iron Salmon: scottish salmon and Gnocchi. We also ordered mussels for the first time and I was in LOVE! How have I never had mussels?! I am sure it was the amazing wine sauce that they were cooked in that really made them yummy.
We also sampled all the yummy desserts, but sadly my camera died so no fun photos!
The next morning we slept in (I was impressed with my internal clock for letting me sleep in) and hit up the GYM!
Because you know you canâ€t go on a girls weekend with a personal trainer and not expect to get your butt kicked! We did a really awesome GPP workout called Run the Rack! It worked our entire bodies!
After, I rewarded them with a fantastic Province Restaurant BRUNCH on the poolside patio.Â
We enjoyed one last layout session before we hit the road back to California. Honestly this weekend was exactly what this Mama needed: fitness, food, fun, laughter, and refreshment!
I honestly can not say thank you enough to the Westin Phoenix Downtown for letting me part of this amazing event! We didnâ€t leave the hotel once, yet we felt like we had the best girls weekend ever! The hotel really does put health at the top of its priority list. The weekend sure did help me to Eat Well, Sleep Well, Play Well, Move Well and Work Well! We are already planning our next trip back!
Question: When staying at a hotel what is the most important thing for you?
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We headed out on Friday and got to spend time with my brother who lives in Chandler. On Saturday we hit up the Dodgers vs. Padres game and had such a wonderful time.
Of course I enjoyed my first hot dog and Blue Moon of the season! (The only time I eat hot dogs is at a baseball game and they are always all beef.) I swear they just taste better at a ball game!
It was so great taking RJ to her first baseball game! She was such a trooper. The weather ended up being in the low 80â€s (unlike some years when I am wishing I had on a swim suit). Hubby was truly surprised and had no idea that we were taking him. I think having RJ with us this year was the best gift of all!
Yep, she has Dodger pride written all over her face!
I also got in a 13 mile run that morning with my wonderful friend Heather, who so graiously came with us (she loves the Dodgers) and helped with RJ! It was a really fun run because I got to run 8 miles with my brother, 3.5 miles with Matt, and 2 miles with Heather! The weather was nice and the trail couldnâ€t have been more perfect! I love running in Arizona, I almost feel like I can breathe better.
After we went on our run I loaded up on breakfast at a place called The Good Egg. I had egg whites, veggies, potatoes and salsa (not pictured). I knew we would have a pretty heavy day of eats so I stuck to a clean plate!
After the game we went to downtown Phoenix and tried out the Taco Guru. Honestly this place was not my favorite. They had a great atmosphere, wonderful margaritas, but the tacos and guacamole were nothing to rave about. I think I need to go back again, as it’s a new restaurant and is still working out some of the kinks. I just have had some pretty amazing tacos lately so I had high expectations.
Hello yummy pineapple margarita!
Sunday we said our farewells and hit the road to home. On the way home we stopped by the “Really Good†Beef Jerky store in Blythe to see what the fuss was all about. It was actually very good and now hubby wants to start making his own. He has been inspired!
Because I am crazy and all, as soon as we pulled into the driveway I took off for a 30 mile bike ride with my running buddy Susie to get my legs moving after sitting for 5 hours! We couldnâ€t believe how good it felt to get on our bikes again. So thankful for Daylight Savings Time and the ability to ride a bit later now.
At the end of our ride we swung by Hanger 24, a local brewery that was having live music and food. It was a little pre-St.Pattyâ€s Day celebration!
We celebrated with a little Orange Wheat and then called it a night!
On Monday for Hubbyâ€s actual birthday (yep he was born on St.Pattyâ€s day) he wanted something at home and low key. After the busy weekend we had, that sounded perfect to me! I surprised him a little and had the back patio all decked out with party decorations and made delicious carne asada salads!
RJ was the BEST decoration. 
Really RJ? Could you be any more precious?!
We finished the evening with a little funfetti cake (Hubbyâ€s fave) and watch some Jim Gaffagon on the patio with friends. ‘Twas the perfect birthday celebration!
So blessed to celebrate another wonderful birthday with my best friend and soul mate! He truly is my better half and I am so glad God brought him into this world.
Oh and did I mention I am going back to AZ this FRIDAY? I know crazy, right?! Well this time itâ€s for a little fun girls’ getaway for a Westin Well-Being Event held at the Westin Phoenix Downtown! The event going to be Friday March 21st from 3-7pm. Itâ€s completely free to the public and is going to be a lot of fun. If you are in the area, I would love to meet you! Here are all the deets!
Experience a Well-Being Celebration
Step into Spring with The Westin Phoenix Downtownâ€
move well, eat well, play well, sleep well and feel well. Enjoy an assortment of FREE wellness activities in downtown Phoenix, hosted by The Westin Phoenix Downtown Hotel.
- Outdoor 3-mile run and fitness session with Bobbi McCormick of NHerShoes
- Relaxing and health boosting post-run chair massages
- Delectable Superfoods samplings with nutritional advice from our hotel chef
- Informational animal therapy booth
- DJ entertainment and prize giveaways!
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Friday, March 21st, 2014  |  3 – 7 p.m.  |  Free Event
Donations to Phoenix Children’s Hospital graciously accepted.
3 – 7 p.m. – Registration: enter to win raffle prizes
Complimentary Chair Massages
Live music, food and drinks3:30 p.m. – Fitness Session begins
4:30 p.m. – 3 mile Run begins
Come anytime throughout the event and join the celebration for health, fitness and well-being!
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RSVP and Inquiries: infowestinphoenixdowntown@westin.com
Questions: How did you celebrate St.Pattyâ€s Day? Did you wear green?
So many emotions go into this post. I am really hoping I can make it through it without getting choked up as this was the best I have ever felt running a marathon!
This wasnâ€t my first marathon (10th!) nor my fastest (4th)… but it was one of the best!!! (In case you are interested in checking out my other race recaps, click here.) This was my third Rock ‘n†Roll Marathon and as always they put on such an amazing event.
This year we had the wonderful privilege of taking part in the Westin VIP package!
VIP MARATHON PACKAGES INCLUDE:
- Complimentary pasta dinner for two the night before the race
- Expedited bib pickup and waiver processing at expo (THIS WAS HUGE!)
- RunWESTINâ„ Concierge-led warm-up run
- Grab-and-Go breakfast for two on race day
- Late checkout on race day
- And much more!
When we arrived to our room on Friday, we were greeted with all kinds of fun SWAG! A cute picture of us framed, almond butter, water bottles, Epson salt, Chobani in the fridge, a Lululemon head band and more! The staff at the Westin Phoenix Downtown were absolutely phenomenal. Honestly, we felt like we were right at home. I wish I took more photos of the room, it was so nice. We had a one bedroom suit that was super helpful with having a baby. They even had a baby Genie in the room for us!
After we got settled in, we made our way out the door for a PRE-PRE-Race dinner. Thanks to the lovely Lynn from the Actors Diet, we decided to try the Pizzeria Bianco. Adorable right?!
I was doing great sticking to 100% clean eats all week, but that night I decided to enjoy myself! I started with a wonderful glass of Cab.
The hubby and I decided to split one of their fresh pizzas (minus the cheese). RJ was drooling over it! It very was delish! Loved the CRUST and the freshness of the toppings; felt like I was in Italy.
We woke up on Saturday and decided to go out for a Family-Shake-Out run! Just a 2-mile run around downtown to stretch out our legs.
… Then it was on to the MASSIVE EXPO!
I think RJ had a ton of fun! I really hope that one day I will get to cheer her on at a marathon.
It was fun listening to bloggers Run EMZ and Pavement Runner on the main stage! They are so real and down-to-earth!
I got to chat with Emily after the interview and I am still amazed at her ability to run 100 miles on the treadmill!!! What an inspiration!
After the Expo, we went to the Arrogant Butcher for lunch. OH MY WORD YUM! I ordered the sweet carnitas on top of corncakes with an delicious fresh slaw. This place doesn’t disappoint.
After lunch, we met up with some high school friends and then got dressed for dinner. At this point, I honestly almost forgot I was going to be running a marathon in the morning!
We had dinner provided for us by the Westin Hotel. I enjoyed a yummy bowl of pasta and a fresh ceasar salad. It was simple and we ended up having to take it back to our room because RJ was ready for bed.
The race didnâ€t start until 7:50am so I could have stayed out later, but I was ready to hit the hay and just take my time in the morning. I told myself you are just going out for a long run.
Race Day:
This little bundle of JOY decided to get up at 5:30am which was the best alarm ever! She was so happy. I swear we are so blessed with the best sleeper and traveler EVER!
I got up and went downstairs to grab a full breakfast. I enjoyed a bowl of steel cut oats, almonds and raisins as well as toast with almond butter… and yes, coffee and water were consumed!
… Then it was time to get dressed!
My amazing business partner of Refresh Attire made me this awesome shirt to wear!
The best part about staying downtown was that I literally walked out our front door to the start line! I didnâ€t even leave out the door until 7:20am!
I was super worried about the late start. I didnâ€t want it to get too HOT out there on the course. I donâ€t hate the heat, but anything past 75 degrees isn’t fun for me to finish in. Thank goodness it was only about 48 degrees at the start and we had the best weather the entire race.
The Race:
5… 4… 3…. 2… 1… GO!
First 10k:
I saw the 3:45 pacer and I decided to stay right behind him and if I felt good I would move up. I wasnâ€t trying to run fast, just finish! I also made my mantra for the race “Itâ€s about YOUR best possible!” Just like always I had to tell myself over and over not to run anyone’s pace, but just do the best that I could do. The first few miles were nice, perfect weather, fun bands, nice and flat…
Mile 1: 8:30
Mile 2: 8:29
Mile 3: 8:23
Mile 4: 8:29
Mile 5: 8:21
Mile 6: 8:25 // My heel started to hurt! It had done this a bit during training and it has done it in the past. It almost feels like a bone spur, but itâ€s not. I decided to recognized the pain and just move forward. I knew it would go numb and I would be able to ignore it, but it wouldnâ€t get worse (or so I hoped). Soon I was approaching the 10k mark.
As you can see… nothing but FLAT! I am not even sure we ever did hit a hill. I live in a very hilly place and I knew this was a pretty flat course, but man… they really meant FLAT!
To the Half:
Mile 7: 8:26
Mile 8: 8:25
Mile 9: 8:30 —> Supposedly a hill 
Mile 10: 8:33 —> I took a Gu.
Mile 11: 8:35
Mile 12: 8:25
Mile 13: 8:32
The next 7 miles were nice. There wasn’t a whole lot of scenery, but there were spectators that were nice and there were lots of water stations (I carry water so I never have to stop). At mile 9 or 10 there is this “hillâ€. I could tell there was a little bit of a grade, but honestly I liked it! I liked the change and if were being really honest I really liked passing folks
Around this time I also decided to start praying. I wanted to pray for a lot of my friends that are going through some fertility, adoptions and so many other factors in their lives. Before I knew it I was approaching the halfway mark and I was getting texts like crazy from so many for my AMAZING friends encouraging me to stay strong and how proud of me they were! In my mind I am thinking how this is nothing… an Ironman is what I should be doing…lol…
Can I just say that people are hilarious! I loved all the fun signs and air high-fives!
After the Half:
Mile 14: 8:19
Mile 15: 8:23
Mile 16: 8:29
Mile 17: 8:23
Mile 18: 8:40
Once I finish the half marathon I always get so emotional, but this time I was really focusing on being present… living in that moment. My mind tends to start thinking about the finish line and what I will post about instead of really taking it all in. Well for the FIRST TIME EVER in my marathon career, I was in the moment. My body felt amazing. My heel pain was there, but it was easy to ignore and for the first time I was running with my whole body not just my legs. I kept telling myself (yes, I talked to myself the whole race)… “if your legs are tired run with your arms if your arms are tired run with your heart.”
The one part of the course that I thought I wasnâ€t going to be a fan of is when you see runner running toward you (Mile 14 for you and Mile 19 for them) and you know you are going to have to run back. It ended up not being as bad as I thought it would because I believe there was nice gradual down hill on the way back.
At mile 17, I got a fun text from my best friend D telling me that I was going to hit a wall any time now and pass that wall and to run to my darling daughter and hubby at the finish. The crazy thing is that I was nowhere NEAR hitting a wall!
Mile 19: 8:36 —> Gu #2
Mile 20: 8:35
Mile 21: 8:17 —> Saw my family!
Mile 22: 8:20
Mile 23: 8:44 —> Hill
At Mile 19, I took my Gu #2. I knew my family would be at Mile 21 so I had something to look forward to very soon. It was like I was running toward them at the airport after being away for YEARS! I honestly wanted to pick up RJ and squeeze her. I gave hubby a kiss and said see you at the finish!
Right after I left them, I saw this sign and nearly lost it!
I couldnâ€t have said it any other way! I was so grateful to be able to run… for my health and for all the things that have happened this past year in my life. I deserved none of it and yet have been given more than I could have ever imagined! I WAS GRATEFUL!
Talk about second wind! At this point I looked down at my watch and saw that I had 3 miles left. 3 miles? 3 miles? 3 miles?! Thatâ€s only 12 laps around the track! I was flying at this point and I was breathing it all in. At Mile 23, I saw the only REAL hill the entire course and because I was feeling so good… it didnâ€t even phase me! Ok, I did say, “Really a hill at the end, thatâ€s funny!â€
Mile 24: 8:22
As soon as my watch hit Mile 24, this was it! This was my chance to sprint if I wanted to, if I had it in me. Oh and did I ever! I have NEVER in all my races, felt more strong than I did those last two miles. I couldn’t believe my body wasnâ€t sore, wasnâ€t giving up, wasnâ€t saying “what the heck are you doing,†but instead was saying “Bobbi you are only doing this race once… so FINISH and FINISH wellâ€.
Mile 25: 8:09
My watch hit Mile 25 and that was it… I WAS going for it! I turned off my music and listened to the crowd as I came in BOOKING it that last mile. I didnâ€t know how fast I was really going. For all I knew I was running a 10 minute mile, but I knew I felt amazing and I wasnâ€t going to slow down.
THE FINISH:
Mile 26: 7:13 —> Really?
That last .2 of a mile I felt so light and so free… I felt like I could have kept going! Something I have never felt before after any race! I felt like a ‘real’ runner!
Official Time: 3:41:57
#10 BABY!
I couldnâ€t believe I was done! I couldnâ€t wait to squeeze the cutest spectator EVER! She was even sporting her Bobbi McCormick onsie from Megan. What a rush of emotion!!!
We had an amazing brunch with my Grandparents (margs and chilaquiles were consumed) and then headed to the Westin. Back at the hotel, Chris the runWestin Concierge left me an awesome card of encouragement and some fun post race goodies!
I soaked in the awesome tub and of course put my finisher shirt on as well as my compression socks and new Lulu headband!
What an amazing race! I can honestly say that it was for sure the best I have EVER felt in a race and I only trained 6 weeks! I guess for me it’s the “Run Less, Run Fast” method of training for me!
I leave you with some fun race photos…
I have all kinds of fun stuff to tell you all, but for now I have to jump into bed and get ready for my 6:30am Iron Girl Vegas Tri start!!! I am incredibly excited to be at the Westin Lake Las Vegas Hotel this weekend. Ever since the Westin Concierge job interviews, I have been sold on traveling to Westin Hotels for all RACES!
The Lake Las Vegas location is no exception to all of their other amazing locations! Check out the view from our room.
I can not wait to jump into this Heavenly Bed!!! These beds are perfect for tired athletes like me 
…and of course enjoy the STARBUCKS in the morning!
I love that I can trust that if I forgot anything at all (i.e. running shoes, shirt, pants, etc.) that the Westin Hotel would hook me up with a pair. I love the RunWestin Gear Lending Program. It really put my mind at ease for this race.
CHEERS FRIENDS! See you soon!
QUESTION:
Have you ever heard of Lake Las Vegas?
*Westin Hotels hosted my stay for the weekend. I am excited to experience the RunWestin first hand. All opinions are my own.”
]]>Diving right in to Week 2 of the 21 Day Summer Detox Challenge! Things are starting to look up. Energy is getting higher, headaches are gone and my skin is starting to really GLOW!
I have been a busy bee in the kitchen. I love getting back to being creative!
This weekend I made almond meal pancakes, lime mock-tails, sweet potato and black bean burgers, Oh She Glowâ€s Summer Stone Fruit Crisp, egg white omelets with avocado, strawberry chia jam, salsa (‘how-to’ coming soon) and we ate out twice which I enjoyed steamed brown rice, veggies, shrimp and tofu.
QUITE A WEEKEND OF EATS!
The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Polar. My thoughts and opinions are completely my own.
You all know that I LOVE my POLAR watch. I have had the FT7 polar for about two years and I really like how it pushes me to new limits. I was super excited to give the Polar RC3 GPSÂ a try as it has the capability to track my runs, cross training and cycling!!!
Polar RC3 GPS:
Once unboxed, you have the watch, heart rate monitor and the USB charger.
After it is fully charged, there is a very simple setup process where you program the watch’s settings (time zone, etc.) as well as the user settings (height, weight, age, gender, etc.) They have provided a detailed quick start video in case you need guidance in setting it up. The video also goes over all the functions, buttons and menus. It is very important to put your correct setting in there as this will help determine your correct calorie burn.
When I first turned it on it had a hard time picking up a signal, but after giving it some extra time, it picked up the signal and was great when I took it for a test spin. It kept great track of my run! It tracks your route, speed and distance so there is NO NEED to where an additional GPS-type watch or use an app on your phone. I love that it is all-in-one. I also really like the fact that it shows altitude and my average pace (really… these are the only two things I care about).
I LOVE that it has a rechargeable battery. Itâ€s a lot better than having to buy batteries all the time! Itâ€s great that the watch is light and I can barely tell I even have the chest strap on (…but I am used to wearing one all the time). The reason I love tracking my heart rate (and I encourage all of my clients to do the same) is because knowing what my heart rate is during “High Intensity Interval Training” (H.I.I.T.) will help me PUSH myself a little harder. If you know that your heart rate is supposed to be in a certain range for fat burn and thatâ€s your goal for the workout, then the Polar can help you with that!
I first wore the Polar RC3 GPSÂ while I was running in Chicago and then did a quick workout in the gym. It was great that the Polar tracked my running distance and weight training session all on the same watch!
I canâ€t wait to use this in my next TRI-TRAINING because it will be so nice to hop off the bike and on to a run without having to change anything!
Also, if youâ€d like to buy this great running GPS, click ::HERE:: The discount code “fitfluentialâ€Â will be 25% off MSRP and can be redeemed at www.shoppolar.com. The discount code is ONLY valid for the RC3 GPS (all colors/combinations of the RC3 GPS available) and will expire on August 31st, 2013.
Sorry friends this may be a longer recap than normal, but there is just so much to tell you all about!!!
Thursday morning I rose bright and early to catch a 5:30am flight off to Chicago! I brought a simple and healthy breakfast from home to take with me on the plane.
I landed in the beautiful windy city around 3:00pm and headed downtown for our first RunWESTIN meeting!
I checked in at the Downtown Sheraton Hotel and was very pleased with the super comfy bed!
There was a nice little workspace to check emails at. I was also blessed to have been gifted unlimited amounts of STARBUCKS while here!
As soon as our first meeting was over, I ordered dinner. I love that their menu has so many “healthier†options. They really believe in building a colorful plate.
Dinner was Potato Crusted Salmon… heavenly.
I hit the hay early and got up at the crack of dawn for a 30 minute run on the riverfront. I also did a little Summer Shred strength workout in their state-of-the-art gym.
For the next three days my outfit pretty much consisted of one of RunWESTINâ€s super cute New Balance shirts, shoes and black capris. Did you know that when you stay at a Westin they have a GEAR LENDING program? Westin Hotels & Resorts have a partnership with New Balance that allows guests to rent sneakers, workout tops, socks, shorts and pants at any of the 190 Westin properties for $5. Westin locations also provide running maps of the area for guests to use. Fun little fact!
So if you forget your shoes, shirt, sports bra or socks, they will lend you some for just $5 for your entire stay???? AS A RUNNER, I thought this was genius! They really are the RUNNERS†CHOICE hotel!
At 8:30am, we all met downstairs for breakfast at the Sheraton, where I enjoyed an egg white veggie omelet and stayed clear of the home fries!
After breakfast, it was on to the Rock and Roll Chicago 1/2 Marathon Expo! I love love love EXPOS! I always feel like a kid in a candy store!
Our booth was pretty sweet! Love how clean and stylish it looked.
Here is some of the GEAR LENDING items…
While I was at the expo, I got the chance to work with some fun new friends that Westin hired to help us out for the weekend. We were handing out free pace bracelets to runners as well as telling them about Westin Hotels & Resorts’ VIP Packages that they will be offering starting in September 2013. I loved getting a chance to chat with some pretty accomplish runners!
Runners have some great stories to tell and when you get a chance to listen, your minds will be blown!
After working the booth, I headed over to the Westin Hotel to work at the front desk as the RunWESTIN Concierge. A little taste of what the job would look like (fingers crossed). Welcoming guests comes naturally to me, so this part was just as fun!
The day didnâ€t end there. I headed back to the Expo for a little EXPO STAGE interview with the other candidates and John Bingham! Such a funny guy. He made the interview a lot of fun.
Then we were off to our hotel to get spruced up for a little VIP Roof Top Party at the Wit Hotel downtown. I canâ€t remember the last time that I got to get this dressed up! I even wore eye liner!
The BEBE dress was courtesy of my beautiful friend Susie. I was really surprise that my hair was cooperating with all the humidity!
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When we got there the place was packed!
What an amazing view!
The event was put on by the Rock and Roll Marathon corp. They had some amazing appetizers, sushi, grilled tacos, sliders and gourmet mac-n-cheese. I enjoyed mostly sushi and…
I just had to try a slider!
Fun times!
One of the other finalist and I called it a night early as we were still on PST and were about to pass out!
We had a little time to ourselves on Saturday morning so I spent some time reflecting on everything that I am so thankful for. With everything going so fast, sometimes just being still for 5 minutes refreshes my entire soul!
I enjoyed a clean breakfast in the club lounge…
…and then I was on my way again!!! Loved walking down the Magnificent Mile all weekend!
All kinds of fun things to see.
Day 3 was a lot like Day 2… Expo and Front Desk.
When I had a chance to take a break, I enjoyed an Apples n†Greens from Jamba Juice to keep me moving!
At 5:00pm, we all met up to take the Westin VIP Members on a fun 2 mile run along the lake to loosen up their legs. What I didn’t tell you is that all of this was done on CAMERA! I got a taste of what it would be like to be on a reality TV show!
By the time dinner rolled around, I was SPENT! My feet were ready to be up and I was pretty hungry! I ordered a Shrimp Salad and some Veggie Pot Stickers. The Veggie Pot Stickers were probably not the healthiest choice, but I thought, “What the heck…got to live a littleâ€.
On SUNDAY (my last day) the alarm went off at 3:15am and I shot right out of bed! I was ready for some marathon action!
Even though I wasn’t running it, I was super excited to wish everyone “Good Luckâ€!
Before we headed to the start line, we got to encourage runners at the Westin VIP Grab and Go Breakfast. Lots of wonderful healthy pre-race fuel. Dry cereal, coffee, juice, toast, bananas, peanut butter, oatmeal, fresh fruit and much more!
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At 5:30am, we headed to the start line!
This was a moment to remember! All three RunWESTIN finalist got a chance to give a little last piece of advice to all 20,000 runners on the MAIN STAGE! Talk about thrilling!
After the start of the marathon we headed back to the Westin to congratulate all the VIP runners! It was so encouraging seeing their faces of achievement! We also gave them ice and water for recovery. After the last runner came in, we all parted ways and headed back to the airport.
I enjoyed a lovely Quinoa Veggie Bowl and glass of Cab to wind down before my flight took off.
Right when my first flight was about to take off, I got a call from United that my connecting plane in SF to home was cancelled!!!! Hubby wasnâ€t too happy…lol…
Thank goodness they put me up in a decent hotel room so I wouldnâ€t have to stay in the airport all night.
I took off this morning at 6:55am and had one last hour flight to HOME!!!
I was greeted with these amazing flowers and dark chocolate from my MAN…
…and when I walked into our house my other man couldnâ€t keep his paws off me!!!
Someone was a little busy this weekend and put in my much wanted/needed giant white board as an anniversary gift (6 years on Sunday). I will be doing a HOW-TO post on this soon!!! All this for $30! Yup… Iâ€m sure that catch your attention!
And the Best Husband Award goes to…… MATT MCCORMICK!
Well there you have it folks… my weekend in a nut shell! I wonâ€t find out if I got the job for a while and even when I do hear from RunWESTIN, I have to keep it “hush-hush†until mid-August. So patience and prayers appreciated!
I will tell you this, after getting a feel for the job and really getting to experience it for myself, I know that this would be a great fit for me. But God has my path planned for me already so Iâ€m blessed either way!
To be continued…
QUESTIONS:
- What do you think about the Gear Lending program that Westin offers?
- Have you ever been to Chicago?
- Whatâ€s your favorite hotel to stay at when running a marathon?
but I will be tackling my last set of interviews for the RunWestin position! More to come…promise!
s amazing what happens when you decide to just step out in faith and TRUST that if you work hard and are truly passionate and tenacious your wildest dreams can come true!
Last Friday was truly bittersweet for me. I really hate goodbyes! It was an “end of an Era†as Monica from friends would say. I loved every day I went to work at Forest Home and I can only say the same thing about turning a new leaf and taking on all kinds of fun new jobs! I will miss my beautiful teammates, but we are all REAL FRIENDS so I know they are just a phone call away!
I typically had Mondayâ€s off from work, but now that I am my own boss Mondayâ€s will be work days for me. So what did my Monday look like? (like my new office?)
5am: Alarm goes off
5:30am: Head out to teach kickboxing
6-7am: Teach Kickboxing
7-9am: Coffee with a friend/business meeting
9:45am: New Client Assessment and training
11am: Finally make breakfast and enjoy my time in the WORD
12-2pm: Return emails, blog, work on client meal plans and workouts
2pm: GET A CALL THAT ROCKED MY WORLD
2:30pm: GET NERVOUS and all plans go out the window!
3pm-4pm: hit the gym to kill the nerves
5:30pm-6:30pm: Train Clients
7pm: Shop and Dinner
8pm: Nails done
9pm: Pack
10:30pm: Bed
and then I was up at 3:45am to catch a flight to CT!!!!!!! Ok, so what the heck kind of call did I get??? Well you see this all goes back to that video project I was working on this weekend. You see I applied for the RunWestin Concierge position I saw on Meghannâ€s Facebook page a few weeks back. Never in a million years did I think I would get into the quarter finalist (top 10 out of 1,090 folks that applies) and I did! Once I got the news that I was a quarter-finalist I had 2 days to make a video that explained to them why I would make the perfect candidate! Well… here is the video – http://vimeo.com/69823009
Thank goodness they didnâ€t make us wait long, because I got a call on MONDAY at 2pm, from the Westin folks letting me know that I made it to the FINAL 5!!! Out of 1, 090 people who signed up!! TALK ABOUT AN HONOR! I was pretty much freaking out! Here are the details of the job description you will see that this job was MADE FOR ME! I seriously have been training for this job my WHOLE LIFE!
Not only did I get a call to let me know I was in the finalists, but that I would be flying out to their headquarters for a live interview on TUESDAY! The interview wasnâ€t until Wednesday, but they wanted to make sure that I got in OK. So I took the 6am flight to NYC and headed out for a chance of a LIFETIME!!!
So my office for Tuesday looked a bit like this…..
I was picked up at the airport, car and all 
When I got to my room at the Sheraton Hotel in CT, I ordered room service and got their amazing smoked salmon salad and called it a night!
My interview was at 10:10am so I got to sleep in a bit, but who am I kidding… I couldn’t sleep I was so excited!!! First things first, I enjoyed a lovely cup of BREW, THANK GOD there is Starbucks in every room.
I then ordered an egg white wrap and a pineapple and orange juice smoothie, but I could barely eat it because I WAS SO nervous!
I took my time getting ready. I am pretty sure this is the first time I have worn slacks and a collared shirt in YEARS! Gotta love Ross!
It was then off to my first interview of possibly two! I had to get through the screening panel, from which they narrowed it down to the TOP 3 to go through another interview with some pretty important people at Westin! OH WOW was I nervous! Took some deep breaths in and out, did a lot of praying and truly was myself. I thought the first interview went really well and after hearing even more about the details of the job, I got even more excited about the opportunity!
After my interview I had to wait about two hours before they called me for the next round of interviews (if I even made it), so I had lunch with my beautiful friend Amanda who was a finalist as well! We went back to my hotel and I ordered the Veggie Burger and it was really good and I had a little bit of my appetite back.
I waited and waited and didnâ€t see a call come in and then I checked and for some reason my phone never rang! I saw a voicemail checked it and I MADE IT! I was in the top 3 and had one more interview at 3:30pm!
My second interview had 8 people in the room and I was in the “hot seatâ€. I continued to be myself and I think it went pretty great as well. So whatâ€s next? Well, I have to fly to Chicago next weekend to attend the Rock and Roll Marathon for a little “try outâ€. I am so bringing my ‘A’ GAME! After I get back they will call the finalist to let them know if they will be the first ever RunWestin Concierge.
So as you can see my first week of being my own boss, didnâ€t last so long!! Not in a million years did I think that there would ever be a job that I felt like I had been training my whole life for.
Runner…check!
Hospitality and Customer service…Check!
Personal Trainer…Check!
Loves helping people…Check!
Social Media..CHECK CHECK CHECK!
What does this mean? Will I be moving away? NOPE! Best part is I would get to work from home, minus the travel to all the different sites of the Rock and Roll Marathon Series. This is a brand new position so all sorts of things still need to be worked out. But Iâ€ll tell you this, I have never wanted anything more in my life!!!
I have a week till Chicago so next week should be a little bit normal
Questions:
When was the last time you stepped out in faith?
Have you ever stayed at a Westin?
Have you ever ran a Rock and Roll Marathon?
Stay tuned for more details to come!
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Happy Weekend!!! I had a fun video project I worked on this weekend for an amazing opportunity! I am super excited at the chance to even be in the quarter finals. I will know more tomorrow night, but if you could say a little prayer that I make it into the top 5 finalists on Monday that would be amazing!!!! More to come promise