runnin' down a dream.

WOD: Yardwork. Weeding, mulching, planting, etc. Three hours so far with no end in sight.

Sat, 25 May 2013 14:12:41 -0400

WOD: Yardwork. Weeding, mulching, planting, etc. Three hours so far with no end in sight.

Breakfast in bed and a new book. Saturday, you are my favorite.

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:18:05 -0400

Breakfast in bed and a new book. Saturday, you are my favorite.

Today I felt cute. This is a big deal because my train has been...

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:40:54 -0400

Today I felt cute. This is a big deal because my train has been derailed and I’m slowly cleaning up the wreckage and getting it back on track.

Also, a “new” mile pr. Nothing like knocking 35 seconds off your previous best to get you high on life!

Friday Five

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:26:22 -0400

1) Thanks for all of your support re: yesterday’s post!

2) I’m really annoyed that I’m not partying it up at Carb Day today—my boss was supposed to take me as a work connection invited us to his company’s shindig, but it was not to be. Actually, this happened last year too. &*#$(%&#

3) I’ve somehow successfully avoided making plans for this weekend which is excellent because cash is tight and because life’s going to be pretty crazy until I leave for Edinburgh. I think I’m going to hang out on the back porch with a book and a beer and go hiking at least once. And I’m going to be doing a lot of cleaning/yardwork/scrapbooking in preparation for my brother’s graduation party next weekend.

4) I need to do some serious shopping in the next couple of weeks. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good backpacking backpack? (I’m planning to pack my life into a carry on suitcase and a backpack for two months because I have two stops on the way to the UK and I don’t want to deal with lost luggage.) I’m also in the market for a new laptop and various running gear.*

5) I’m eyeing some half marathons for this fall, but I refuse to register until I have a solid base. I’m finally actually going to see my chiropractor again next week because my back/glutes/hamstring are all pissed off for some reason…not enough to keep me from running at this point, but enough that I should probably let him work his magic.

"Ice cream, bad for you? What are you talking about, girl?!? I’ve never had bad ice cream!"

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:02:04 -0400

“Ice cream, bad for you? What are you talking about, girl?!? I’ve never had bad ice cream!”

- Grandma

a new beginning

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:11:37 -0400

My job for the past year has been hectic, stressful, and one of the best learning experiences of my life. I’ve had the opportunity to get an inside look at various businesses [and conclude that most of them don’t actually have their shit together] and to learn from one of the most incredible women I’ve ever had the pleasure to know. But it didn’t come without problems. Actually, there were a lot of problems. But I enjoyed the work and the opportunity to soak in the knowledge of such an awesome person.

I was planning to begin searching for my next job for this fall, but things don’t always go according to plan. I’ve been living in a state of constant questioning for the past two months, and it’s good to finally have some direction. Business circumstances have changed, but with the support of my boss I’m now being thrown into living my personal dream for the next three months.

Nine to five has never appealed to me. I really want to travel as much as I possibly can, and a traditional job makes that difficult to do. I don’t want to be stuck in a role where I have to rely on a mere two weeks of vacation a year. And it’s not because I’m lazy…quite the opposite, in fact. I work my ass off. I’m happy to work long hours, but I want my weekend and I want flexibility.

So as of today, I am self-employed. That’s scary. I just spent a lot of money on a nonrefundable plane ticket to Europe. That’s good. Because now there’s nothing to do but leap, keep the faith, and hope that things work themselves out. They usually do. And if they don’t, I’ll come back to the US in late August and keep running after my dreams anyway. And it’s gonna be fine.

My baby brother graduates next weekend. As I pass the cap on to him, I can’t help but feel like I’m going through a graduation of my own. I’ve done what I needed to do for the past two years. I’ve been right where I was supposed to be. Now it’s time for me to do some adventuring.

Nothing like a Frankie Valli dance party, bacon, and beer to...

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:25:10 -0400

Nothing like a Frankie Valli dance party, bacon, and beer to make the feels a bit better.

I couldn’t sleep so I ran. It’s going to be a long and emotionally charged day, but...

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:32:11 -0400

I couldn’t sleep so I ran. It’s going to be a long and emotionally charged day, but that’s okay because at the end of it Rindy and I are running away to meet Darcy and Amy and we’re going to eat calorie free burgers and beers and cupcakes and ice cream.* You can come too.

I know, everyone wishes their hair was this attractive. Pro...

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:36:54 -0400

I know, everyone wishes their hair was this attractive.

Pro tip: don’t forget a ponytail holder. Bonus pro tip: make sure your shorts aren’t too loose before a high intensity class. Juuuust sayin’.

Turbokick was awesome, yoga was…hard. It was very difficult to get out of my head and try to remember how to breathe. Oof.

“You suppose that you are the lock on the door. But you are the key that opens it.” -Rumi

Is it bad that I kinda want to go to the gym for 3+ hours?

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:59:32 -0400

Is it bad that I kinda want to go to the gym for 3+ hours?

Garmin Forerunner 10

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:43:00 -0400

A few people have asked me how I like my Garmin, so here goes:

Pros: Lightweight, easy to use, interval alerts, easy to read while running, picks up satellites quickly

Cons: Only displays two items at a time, USB charger [I’m fairly certain I can buy a wall charger and I probably will]

Overall, I’m loving this watch. I used Nike+ for years and liked the easy format, but eventually got to a point where I was having a difficult time finding Nike shoes that fit me properly for running. This is very similar in that it’s incredibly easy to set up and requires little to no thought…yes please. I like that there is no shoe pod involved, so theoretically this will last longer. I also love the data analysis on Garmin Connect.

Several people asked how I managed marathon training with no GPS device. It’s not that hard, really. I found pre-measured paths, occasionally drove routes with my car to check mileage, sometimes used RunKeeper on my phone, and mostly just relied on my tried & true routes for shorter runs.

That being said, I do enjoy having a better idea of my pace during the actual run rather than attempting to figure it out with a calculator afterwards. I don’t mind that I can’t see more than two elements of the run at a time. I’m not a fast runner, and I’m okay with that. I’m much more concerned with distance than with speed, and I tend to do a lot of math while running, so I’m happy to glance at my watch from time to time and decide when I need to kick it up a notch. This model also has a virtual pacer that will alert you whether or not you’re near your goal pace, but I haven’t tried that out yet.

Right now I have it set to show distance and running time, and it works fine for me. I love the interval setting as I’m currently working through C25K and can set my watch to tell me when to run. I also get notifications each time I run a mile—I think these settings can be changed, but I’m not very concerned with distance right now so haven’t really explored them.

So if you’re training for a BQ and need to do serious speedwork, this isn’t the watch for you. If you aren’t super concerned with the numbers while on the run and want to save a little cash but still get an idea of your training data, it’s great.

Today, I'm really grateful that I can run.

Mon, 20 May 2013 17:52:02 -0400

On a related note, if you could just show up on my doorstep with a big strong hug and a six pack to not talk and watch Arrested Development, that would be great.

C25K W2 on the Monon. First tank top run of the season. If you...

Sat, 18 May 2013 18:45:11 -0400

C25K W2 on the Monon. First tank top run of the season.

If you are attempting to keep track of my training plan, you may as well give up now. I’m currently following a plan called “I hate training plans and I need to listen to my body first.” Example: I “should” have run in Chicago, but my whole body was aching from carrying my bags around for two miles and I had blisters from my stupid shoes. (Actually, they started bleeding during my run earlier this week, but I spared y’all the photo. You’re welcome.)

Anyway, I’m using C25K as a general guide but basically just taking rest/cross training days when I need to and repeating workouts as I see fit. I’m not registered for any races at this point* because I need to run more than I need to race and I’d rather let myself build up slowly than have to take more time off.

What do people do while waiting in long lines if they aren’t on Tumblr?

Sat, 18 May 2013 17:30:14 -0400

What do people do while waiting in long lines if they aren’t on Tumblr?

I spent more than I made at Half Price Books. Now the conundrum:...

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:32:20 -0400

I spent more than I made at Half Price Books. Now the conundrum: which to read first?

I happen to be wearing my Indy Mini shirt this morning and some guy came up as I was ordering my chai tea and asked me about the race like we were old friends. Then he told me to look for his costume at Monumental and say hi. Guys, runners are just my favorite. Miles break down social barriers faster than anything else I’ve witnessed.

Oh my.

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:53:28 -0400

Oh my.

nothing like a little Friday night rejection...

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:21:59 -0400

oh well. I knew it was a long shot, and I was actually amazed that I made it to that round. At least this solidifies that I have no solidity in the near future…gulp. Freelancer for hire!

I didn’t forget (it’s definitely tops on my UK priority list!!) Can’t wait to...

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:57:00 -0400

I didn’t forget (it’s definitely tops on my UK priority list!!)

Can’t wait to reunite with this loveliest of ladies when I’m not exhausted from marathoning! I’m secretly hoping she’ll make me Brenna burgers and go on excursions with me and I JUST CAN’T CONTAIN MY EXCITEMENT!

And I’m planning on knocking back a few beers with this girl. Because duh. Traveling Tumblrs unite!

Flashback Friday: International Edition Study abroad...

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:10:02 -0400

Flashback Friday: International Edition

Study abroad wasn’t in the budget, but I did go on a quick winter term trip to Italy sophomore year. Did some duomo climbing, ate a lot of amazing food that I can’t eat now, found the best gelato place in Rome, and fell in love with Venice. Clearly I needed Darcy to give me selfie lessons. And don’t get me started on the hair, the clothes, and the unflattering photos. (These are the best of the bunch—my hard drive crashed and I lost all of the photos I hadn’t already added to FB. The worst.)

I’m considering this summer my “adult study abroad” excursion. One of my best friends lives in the UK and I’m staying with her for the summer, freelancing, and traveling as much as I can. Because working my ass off to pay my student loans every month is depressing and because I’m 25 and I do what I want. Spending a chunk of time abroad has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember, and it’s time to get started. When I look back in 5-10 years, I’m not going to be thrilled that I managed to avoid all the fun stuff of my 20s because I was so concerned with getting those stupid loans paid off.

Cheers to chasing dreams.

Mischief managed.

Thu, 16 May 2013 23:02:42 -0400

Mischief managed.