Go! Pack! Go!

Let's start with Friday. My husband couldn't sleep Thursday night, so I didn't really sleep. Friday morning, my glasses broke....I mean broke broke where they can't repaired. I had to wear my old ones with a prescription that is a billion years old so I had a headache all day. I was cranky. Really cranky.

But I came home and went to sleep and woke up stupid early to drive to Baltimore for a run with my new favorite running crew--Cancer to 5k/Team Fight. It was humid but there was a breeze and it was cooler than it has been. I love running on the water.

Nice and overcast

And because I am still a Wear Blue runner through and through, I was in blue for my miles.

Running on the water is great

Cara and I ran together again this week. My Garmin died right at the beginning and Mapmyrun mapped me running across the water so that was of no use. But our running coach said we went somewhere around 3.3 miles and it felt a little faster than last week so I am guessing somewhere around a 13.45 min/mi pace. So it was a nice run. I didn't come home and run more because I was still feeling the 5 miles from Thursday.

When I got home, I didn't do much of anything. But this morning Kieran was hungry and had to have me feed him at 7am. Since I was up, I tackled our bedroom. Since we moved in, I have had about 8 big boxes in our room still needing to be unpacked. In order to unpack them I needed to go through all our clothes to get rid of the huge accumulation of stuff we just don't wear. So I spent all morning sorting through and putting away clothes. With a total of 4 bags of clothes and 1 bag of shoes leaving our room I am happy and done for the day.

Now I am relaxing and enjoying the kick off of football season. I am a huge Packers fan so I am just waiting for 4pm tonight. Until then we are watching the Dolphins play as that is Gil's team.

Go! Pack! Go!

I made new friend!

I love living in different areas. In the past 10 years I have lived in....

Upstate New York (Thanks Dad for the pic)

Pennsylvania (my first college-Cedar Crest College)

Northern Arizona (nearby ruins)

Western New York (Right down the road from Buffalo State)

SouthernArizona (hiking in Tucson)

Washington State (Vashon Island)

And now Maryland 

And I have met LOTS of friends. I still talk to at least one person from every place I have lived. Making friends is not something that happens all on it's own and I feel like sometimes when you first move somewhere you miss all the people from the last place you have lived that you over look the new people right in front of you.

As I have previously expressed, finding a running partner in this area has been hard for me. But I run on a trail and always see runners out. Today when I was running I saw another woman running and walking and decided at 2.5 miles I would stop and talk to her. So what was supposed to be 3 miles of running quickly turned into 5.5 miles of chatting. I am looking forward to running into her (pun fully intended) on the trail again. Maybe we can be running buddies someday :)

Today's run was 2.5 miles and then walking and talking for another 2.2 miles and then I ran back home when my new friend went on her own way for another 0.8 miles....for a grand total of 5.5 miles. It felt cooler tonight and a little less humid cause it rained all day today so it was the perfect night to spend sometime with a new friend. And despite it being cooler I was a hot schweaty mess when I got home.

My "long" run on Saturday is 4 miles. But compared to today's 5.5 miles I am wondering if I should just do 5 miles again like last week. We will see how I feel on Saturday I guess.

Where have you lived?

Do you find making friends easy or hard?

What was your run like?

Any long runs planned for this weekend?

Hug a pole

I have set my fitness goal for this month to start running in the morning. So far evening run-1, Laura-0. Yep. I laid out my clothes had everything charged and ready to go, and went to bed with the mind set of getting up at 6am (I know not early for everyone but for someone who hates mornings it's awful). I didn't. I hit snooze 3 times and then reset my alarm clock for 715am. 

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So that didn't happen but I came home and ran instead. It was a wonderful, happy, dripping in sweat, running in the rain run. Gil revamped my running playlist yesterday and the songs totally rocked my run. It also started raining about 2 miles into the run. It felt amazing. I forgot how wonderful it feels to run in the rain. It makes me feel like a kid again. 

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I ran a total of 3 miles and only walked about 3 times. Then I stretched. Michelle, the running coach from Cancer to 5k, showed us a calf stretch that really helps.

No I am not hugging the pole...I'm stretching. She said that instead of just putting your toes up on something and leaning forward, that if you pull yourself up on something (like I a light pole) it really helps. And she is soooooo right. This stretch just felt so much deeper than what I generally do. Of course it would have been better with my shoes still on but my feet were hot and I wanted out of my shoes. 

I want to run!!

I'm back finally. After moving and starting work things all hit at once and I really needed to escape from my mind for a bit. 

Since leaving Washington, my motivation for running tanked. First it was the move and being away from my friends and then I lost my job which created financial stress and a whirlwind job hunt, I just didn't want to run. It was hot and humid and I was out of it.

I love these brick sidewalks in town

But....I found my motivation on Saturday!!!!!! I am so excited to tell you all about this. After coming to terms with my lack of motivation, I decided to focus my energy on volunteering for something. I believe in volunteer work. I feel that no matter where you are in life, how much money you have (or don't have in my case), or how busy you are, volunteering should be something that everyone attempts to do. 

I found a group looking for volunteers to run once a week with cancer survivors as motivators and pace keepers. The program is called Cancer to 5k. Each fall and spring, a group of cancer survivors are coached through a 12 week running program to run a 5k race at the end. I went on Saturday morning and was partnered with a survivor and we did a little under 3 miles along the water in Baltimore. We ran at her pace and talked and laughed and the miles went by super fast. I had a blast. I cannot wait until next Saturday!!

I didn't have one from Baltimore so this is one from a different day, such
a pretty, sparkly mosaic

When I got home I needed to run a few more miles to complete 5 miles for the day. I did a slightly faster pace  than I did this morning because I was running a shorter distance. Again, it was great. I felt great. I felt relaxed. I felt happy for the first time in a long time. It didn't feel so much like work but more like something I was doing for fun. The best news. I switched back to my brooks and wrapped my ankle with an ace bandage and my ankle felt fine the whole time and even today everything feels great. 

5 miles done!

Today is a rest day to prevent injury but I want to run so stinking bad and it makes me happy that I have that desire back. 

As far the blog goes, I am going to try to update it 3 times a week for now, which is about how many times I run each week. 

Personal time

Sorry for the hiatus. We have been having lots of family issues and with the addition of me starting my new job, I really just need some time to get back on my feet. I am thinking another week or so before I can clear my mind enough to function.

Look what came in today and a baby!!

My day kicked off with a 630am run. Yes you read that right I ran, in the morning, while the sun rose, before work, and before it got hot and humid and muggy out. Generally morning runs make me feel awful with headaches for the rest of the day and I feel exhausted. But today was wonderful. I ran 3 miles along some trails. I passed bunches of runners so it must be the  thing to do at 630am in Maryland. And it was absolutely breath taking. 

When I got home somebody wanted to stretch with me but ran away as soon as I got the camera.

But mom--I don't want my picture taking plus you're gross

I made myself a smoothie with a banana, frozen strawberries, soy milk, and the new Silk fruit and protein mango flavored soy milk. Oh and for the first time I added some frozen spinach. I am not sure what made me so adventurous this morning but I gave it a go and I seriously could not taste it at all despite the weird color. 

And in case you are interested in a great coffee place near Seattle, like they are so hard to find, Whidbey Coffee is my favorite...especially the one near the entrance of Evergreen Hospital in Kirkland, WA.

Another great thing about today? I had a great hair day which is amazing considering the last time my hair was cut was the beginning of May. I am going to attribute the great hair to the morning run so I can motivate my butt out of bed when I don't want to.

Look! No ponytail or sweat.

When I got to work I found a very special item that I have been waiting for. Never mind it has only been 3 days but I was sooooo excited to finally get it. 

I feel so official!!!

It is almost as good as cotton candy ice cream with gummy bears and marshmallows! Ok 1--I said almost and 2--what do you mean you don't eat that combination and it is something only 5 year old's eat?! 

I know at least one other person out there who would beg to differ with #2....Janae! Which reminds me that everyone should head over to her blog and give her some love cause she just had a baby girl today like a day after moving to Cali!! She is amazing.

CONGRATS BILLY AND JANAE!! 

New Job Bliss

Today was the end of unemployment for me and the start of a new job. I seriously am so excited not just to work but to work at this practice with these people. I really enjoy the people I work for and the high emphasis on patient care that the practice places importance on.

This morning I could not make myself get out of bed early for a run so instead I threw everything into my gym bag and brought it with me.

As soon as work was over I changed out of my clothes and laced up for 2 miles. Remember that trail I talked about?

I was actually able to get a pic off my phone today

Well lucky me it crosses at the road that my work is on!! So today I headed down the road and ran down the trail for a mile and then turned around. I even was able to grab a shot of the back of this building that was painted really cool.

On tonight's agenda is icing my ankle, ironing my clothes and packing my gym clothes for tomorrow. All while watching my DVRed copy of the Olympic closing ceremonies.

Annnnd Im Back!

Sorry for the long hiatus but there was a lot of moving and not a lot of running and since everyone I know hates moving in general (me vehemently included) I figured I would wait to get settled. Plus I didn't have internet for like 5 days. So I will give you all a quick run down of how the past week has gone.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday--Packing, packing, packing. Then my super awesome parents came down to help us move with their truck and they picked up the Uhaul trailer. They had to leave at 2am on Sat morning to get down to MD to help us move that morning. We made a total of 1 Corolla, 2 Patriot, 2 F-150, and 2 Uhaul trips. They even fed us. I swear I have the most amazing parents ever. They left Sunday afternoon.

Always down for a good time :)

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday--Unpacking, unpacking, unpacking. Both Gil and I were soooo sore. I mean my calves hurt just to touch. I really need to get back to the gym and start incorporating Zumba and weight work into my workouts because it took me 3-4 days just to recover from a 2 day move....and my dad and Gil did most of the heavy lifting!

And just because I can't say enough about how great mom and dad are...they celebrated 32 years of marriage on Thursday!

Saturday--Ahhhh back to the good stuff on this blog. Running. The Wear Blue: Run to Remember--Joint Base Lewis-McChord group was running to honor SGT Brandon Maggart. His wife and I run at about the same pace and on Saturdays I would always run with her. They put out a flag with his name on it every Saturday. When she was there she would stop to give it a quick kiss and when she wasn't I would give it a high five.  Her and their son marked out the 4 mile route to honor Brandon. So with that in mind I laced up and headed out the door with 4 miles on the agenda.

(Source)
SGT Brandon Maggart
KIA 22 Aug 2010
OIF

It was hard. I haven't run in a while. Some of that was due to moving soreness and some of it was due mostly to laziness. What can I say? Making a habit of running is hard. Especially when the weather is like 83* that feels like 93* with 90% humidity. Ack. But I am trying. So I mapped out a run to run around town. But on my way down the road I saw a trail!!!! Eeeeekk!!! I didn't even know about this until I saw it!!

It was a Rails-to-Trails trail. For those of you unfamiliar, it is exactly what it sounds like. A railway that is no longer used is paved over and turned into a trail. Wonderful. It even had an old train station. I got to a point where the trail kept going straight, turned left, and turned right onto a gravel path. There was a woman coming from the left walking her dog so I asked her where they all went. On the way back, I ran into her again. Her dog was playing in some water and was so cute. She told me that the gravel trail was recently made and the town puts a lot of work into the trail system. How cool is that?!

Any how I completed 3.94 miles in under 52 min. I stopped and walked and took pictures along the way. Which speaking of...somehow my not-so smart phone lost my all but one of my pictures. Boo.

My ankle hurt a bit while I was running but when I got home I iced and then iced some more. This morning my legs feel good. My calves don't hurt and neither do my feet or my ankle. The only thing that feels a little tight is my inner thighs for some reason. Which is new to me.

Today is my last day before I start work. I am so super excited. I have not worked since April and have not been in school since May. This unemployment thing has really zapped me. Tomorrow I am running 2 miles. I am shooting to run them before work. This whole running and working full time thing for me is going to be interesting but I am ready to give it a go!

Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!

Moving and a New Job!!

I got the job!!! I was offered it yesterday morning. On Saturday, the day after our dinner with the company, Gil and I went to look at a house in the new area. We loved it. So yesterday after I accepted the position, I called the Realtor and we filled out all the lease paperwork for the new house.

My parents are driving down from NY to help us move. We are so excited. The new house is right near a coffee shop and all the little downtown shops.

There is also a running group in the area so I will be continuing running. I should start work next week sometime. I am interested to see how balancing my training for my first half with my new work schedule will go.

In any case, I may be a little silent until we get all set up in the new place. Plans for today include packing, packing, and packing.

Goals

My entire life I have always set goals. I set them to move myself forward and propel myself into new things and challenges. I think having goals helps give me a purpose. Whether it is fitness, academic, professional, or even socially, for me it is incredibly important to give my life direction and organization.

I like to break goals into short term and long term because if I just set long term goals then I would get discouraged with my progress. So just to give you an idea I will list previous goals and current goals so you can share in these with me.

Short Term
Run 1 mile without stopping
Run a 5k
Run a 10k 
Run a 5k under 30 min (only happened once and it was freezing temps)
Run the Skinny Turkey Half Marathon
Run the Marine Corps Marathon 10k
Run 366 miles in 366 days (by Dec. 31 2012)
Graduate with my Bachelor's
Find a job
Get my national certification
Make a new friend
Move into a new house
Get a dog
Lose 10 pounds
Do 20 push ups in a row
Do 15 leg lifts in a row
Cook something new

Long Term
Graduate with my Doctorate
Run a 5k under 29 min
Run a bunch of half marathons--don't really have any in mind yet
Run a marathon
Qualify for the Boston Marathon before I turn 31
Run the Boston Marathon
Run the Paris Marathon
Run the San Francisco Marathon
Run the Seattle Rock n' Roll Marathon
Run the Marine Corps Marathon
Get another dog
Lose 15-20 pounds
Do 50 push ups in a row
Do 30 leg lifts in a row
Buy a house

As I said, I set goals because it helps give me direction, but it also feels great to be able to literally cross things off of a list. I know there are a lot here and they will constantly change so I will update them periodically.

Any goals that you have? Do you set goals?

Interview Update and the Olympics

Sorry for the silence. The company that I am trying to be hired at took Gil and I out to dinner at a place in Annapolis called Jalepenos. It was a great time. The owner of the company and one of the employees that does the hiring took us out. I did not want to freak out my future employer by taking pictures but both Gil and I ordered the chicken enchiladas with mole. A-MAZ-ING! I highly recommend this place if you happen to be in the area. I was warned, however, that if you do go, especially on a Friday or Saturday, you will need a reservation for anytime after 6pm. We concluded the evening on a high note with them saying that they will contact me and returning home for the opening ceremony of the Olympics.

As soon as Gil took off his shirt Kieran proceeded to climb under it and hangout.

"Guys. It will fit if we tailor it a bit"

On the running end of things, my ankle is still aching. I ended up setting out for a 3 mile run yesterday but only completed a slow 2 miles. I also switched from my Brooks Pure Cadence shoes back to my New Balance 870s for extra cushion. I love both of my shoes but after running in my Brooks since January I now prefer them over my NB shoes.

Pond near my run

The 2 miles I did was to honor

SFC Ofren Arrechaga

KIA March 29, 2011

OEF

You will see SFC Arrechaga's name come up frequently as his wife is a friend of mine. He is always on my mind when I put on my Blue shirt and so I run for him quite a bit. 

The majority of the weekend and today were spent engrossed in the Olympics. Despite a relatively disappointing (in my opinion) opening ceremony to the games, I have been watching them every day. As a former gymnast I of course love gymnastics, but I also enjoy track, beach volleyball, diving, swimming, canoe slalom, and rowing. 

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Last night when watching the woman's gymnastics qualifying competition, my heart broke for Jordyn Wieber. If you don't know, she was a victim of a terrible rule (and questionable judging--shocker) that only allows the top 2 gymnasts from each country to compete in the All Around competition. She is undoubtedly one of the best gymnasts in the world and will not get to compete. That is a travesty. 

(Source)

On a random note, Kieran has been super clingy. This morning he decided to sleep on my lap while I hopped on the computer. 

"It's easier to type this way, I promise"

Later on in the day he switched to the top of the couch to bury his head in my hair and sleep. 

This looks comfortable, right?

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend. 

Any favorite sports in the Olympics that you like to watch?

A Walk on the Beach

Today we took shelter from the ridiculously high heat in our nice cool apartment. We did not have much on the agenda other than to run to the grocery store. But after much lazing around, Gil got a little bored so we decided to venture out and drive around the area for a while. We ended up near a string of restaurants on the Chesapeake. There weren't any cars around cause it was a Thursday night so we parked right on the water and walked to a little beach nearby.

The view was beautiful, it almost made me forget about the crazy oppressive heat.

After walking around a bit we sat down on some rocks and put our toes in the water, which was so warm it felt like bath water.

The views were so relaxing.

And there were seashells everywhere.

After hanging out on the beach for a bit we went to Safeway for dinner and some needed groceries. I came out of the store with a pesto pizza for dinner and an interesting cherry chia juice. The pizza was excellent. It had peppers, chicken, cheese, and in place of sauce there was pesto. It was great!

The hubby even surprised me with one of those little single serving chocolate pies! Definite brownie points.

The juice on the other hand tasted fine but the consistency was awful. I could not get past the slimy little chia seeds. But I kept it because I can add it to smoothies and it will work out fine.

Running on the other hand was not in the agenda today. After last nights run, my ankle was not thanking me. So instead of running it was ice. I will do my 1.5 miles tomorrow as long as everything is feeling better. When I first sprained my ankle they said that because of the abnormal location (inside of my ankle as opposed to the outside) it could take a long time to feel better. I was cleared to run but its still not normal yet.

And tomorrow is FRIDAY!! I have been waiting on this day for 2 weeks!!! My stint in unemployment may or may not be coming to an end tomorrow. We will see. Stay tuned!

Shower before or after?

Today was just like most except the humidity was way low and it was a nice humane temperature out. We Gil even got the lawn mowed. We haven't been able to because it has been raining off and and on for a while now. This is the first house we have ever lived in so this is the first time we have ever had yard work....oh the joy.

I was quite lazy today and didn't bother to take a shower until about 5pm tonight. I know I am quite classy.

This also means that I took a shower before going for a run. My husband, mother, father, sister, etc. all think I'm crazy. This has been a life long thing for me. Even if I work out later in the morning or afternoon, I still want a shower before hand. Here is my reasoning.

1. I hate feeling gross. Working out makes me feel sticky and gross. Not showering makes me feel sticky and gross. I don't want to compound the sticky and grossness. 
2. Look better, feel better, perform better. 
3. If I were to run a race on a Saturday morning, I would take a shower before hand. Why not practice that way?

Of course the downside is I tend to go through shampoo and soap quicker than normal but it's not an everyday occurrence. 

Kieran's point of view.
(Source)

Anyhow I headed out for my run around 7pm and it felt seriously wonderful out. I mean look at those relative humidities!! In the yellow!!

(Source)

And it was beautiful.

Tonight I ran around a nearby neighborhood. I like running that specific neighborhood because there are lots of military associated people living there and it reminds me of being in Washington (state). 

The only thing was I didn't have a fabulous run. I had a snack less than 2 hours before I ran. Generally I like at least 2 hours or more between any food and a run otherwise I cramp and start getting sick to my stomach. I know everyone has their eat-before vs. eat-after rules so there is mine. Additionally there was small hill right when I was hitting my groove.

I know it doesn't look like anything but I swear it is a hill.

Which made me feel like this. 

I know classy--see above.

Overall I completed a total of about 3.3 miles mostly running with some walking in there. So I call tonight a success. Now for another shower ;-)