One Third.

The other day I went out on a big run. There is something really scary to me about running any distance over 5 miles all by myself. I'm obviously going to need to get over this mental hang-up if I'm going to train for this marathon. So the other day I set my sights on a run that was totally out of my comfort zone. I didn't jog my usual route, I didn't even jog my old usual route. I called up my Mom and told her I was going to run to her house. Which oddly enough seems like a whole lot longer when you drive than when you run it.

So I packed up my camelbak and headed out.

I guess I should preface this post with the reason I NEEDED a run that day. I had an awful day, actually it was the beginning of a pretty terrible week. Basically I had to deal with a really rude/mean/yelling/jerk of a customer at work and that put me in a terrible mood. The last couple of weeks I've had some trouble with motivating myself to run. Mostly because in the past I've taken all my bad feelings and channel them into running. Running is one of the best meditation tools for me. It seriously clears my mind.

"If you don't have answers to your problems after a four-hour run, you ain't getting them." Christopher McDougall-Born to Run


But lately I haven't had many frustrations that require a long hard run to clear up. So in a way I suppose I should thank that jerk of a customer for fueling my 9 mile run.


I ran the 5ish miles to my parent's house and realized that I still felt great, so I zipped past their driveway and surprised Carly and Callen and their house. Grabbed a glass of water and headed back to my parent's house. It was such a great run. It was the perfect weather for a long run, misty and cool. Also, it gave me a chance to challenge myself with some hill work, since the whole run is basically uphill. 


Runs like this give me the confidence to continue training for this marathon that is in only 95 days!


Holy wow! Time is certainly flying by....


This is also when I realize that 9 miles is only a little more than a third of how far I have to run on June 3rd. I think I say this every other day but.... TIME TO GET SERIOUS! 

Another February Holiday.

If every Valentine's Day was as good as this year.... I think I could handle sharing my birthday month with another holiday.

25+1

I love my birthday. It's no secret. I make a big deal out of it. I can't help it. Why not make a big deal out of a day when you get to be treated extra special by everyone you encounter? In my old age I have made some concessions.... Instead of a birthday month, I've trimmed it down to about a week and a half. That's about all I'm willing to give though. 

Last year I thought my birthweek was pretty epic.... but this year gave it a lot of competition! 

On Friday night Ashley, Hayley and I had pedicures!

February 11th is also Hayley's Birthday! She was celebrating her 21st birthday so at midnight on Friday we went to the casino so she could tear off her under 21 wristband and get some fancy drinks! A word of warning to those planning to do this same thing.... make sure you go to the security desk before hand so they don't think you are trying to drink underage! Lesson learned. 

We both did a Birthday Cake shot then gambled a little. I won $8, great start to my birthday!

I did this same thing on my birthday.... five years ago. Let me tell you something about 26, it's a lot harder to accept than 25. While 25 felt like a milestone, I felt kinda a little bit of panic about turning 26. Things start to get serious after 25. I had to get new health insurance and a new driver's license. Plus I had to watch Hayley turn 21 and think about how that was 5 years ago. 5 years ago. 5 years ago. Weird that it feels just like yesterday. I'm having some mixed feelings about this getting older thing. On the one hand life keeps on getting better, but on the other I can't help but feel a little sad thinking back and reminiscing on past years.

Birthday Mornings are my favorite. You just wake up feeling like the world is yours for the taking. Seriously, just so happy. You know it's going to be a great day. You know you're going to see lots of people you love and you know you're going to eat a ton of good food!

I started with a little run, because I woke up to sunshine coming through my window. Energized by my motivation to run on a day that I could have very easy made a rest day, I headed down for breakfast with Brian, Carly, Joe, Callen and their friends Kyle and Kelly. Yummy Mimosas!

After Breakfast Brian and I headed to Bainbridge Island to do a little wine tasting. When I was little I hated that my birthday was so close to Valentine's day. Everything was pink, red and covered in hearts. Now that I'm older I've embraced it. This weekend the wineries were doing a special wine and chocolate tasting.

Our first stop was the Rolling Bay Winery. It was a really interesting experience. Since neither of us are connoisseurs and we were both a little hesitant when it looked like we were walking down the driveway to someone's house. It actually turned out to be a really neat place. The tasting took place in a small shed with casks surrounding us and the wine maker (Alphonse) talking wine and giving us a taste straight from the cask. The wine was tasty, the chocolate was nummy and Brian fell in love with the cheese.

A little pre-valentine's day festivities.

We only made it to one other tasting roomand we were not so impressed. It looked like the tasting room hadn't been completed yet. The overall experience there was was pretty disappointing. I think we started with the best one!

My first job ever was at a scrapbooking store on Bainbridge and one of the best parts of that job (besides the whole getting paid to scrapbook thing) was that Blackbird Bakery was just around the corner! We stopped in for a delicious orange roll and some tasty coffee!

After dinner (Pho!) and a movie (The Descendents) the birthday festivities got into full swing with a little.... ROCKIN' BOWL!

Basically it is just bowling with the lights turned down, loud music and black lights. But it is really so much more than that!!! We had a blast. I'm an awful bowler, but I had a great time just the same! Lots of great friend time!

I think this birthday was extra epic :) I'm spoiled by the great people in my life. I'm a very lucky girl.

Happy Happy Sunshine!

It's no mystery what motivates me.... SUNSHINE! Bah! I love it. It loves me. I want to run away with sunshine and live happily ever after. This past week in the northwest has been gorgeous. Perfect weather to get motivated. When I think back on the times in my life that were exceptionally great most of them include blue skies and sunshine.

Look at this cute little thing I found on pinterest!
This is kinda how I feel this week!

I've had some fantastic runs this past week. I've honestly felt great on every run. I think I may have found a winning combination for my training... run less. Sounds silly and counterintuitive but I really think this may work for me. If you read my blog through most of last year you'll remember how difficult my training was for my first half-marathon. Not exactly difficult in the, "I'm training so hard I'm kicking running's ass," way.... but in the, "I've run too much and now I'm injured, but I keep running and I hurt worse and I wanna cry," way. When I committed to running it was no half-ass thing, I went all out, ran almost everyday. So of course it was too much too soon and I ended up in the doctor's office. I've learned soooooooo much in the past year. I've read a bunch of running book, blogs, and magazines. But mostly, I've just been listening to my body. What it comes down to is simple really: I can't run every single day, I need more than a few hours to recover. Wow! All those tears and all that pain came down to that little sentence. I've said it a million times.... I'm in a relationship with running. It took me some time but I think I've got running figured out.

You know when you feel like everything is going your way? The sun is out, you slept amazing, the coffee is good and you can't think of a thing to complain about?! That's me this week..... I actually find that right around the second week of February every year I feel this way ;)

 I haven't made oatmeal in forever! I think I must have forgotten how easy it is to whip up! 

The start of Birthday Week 2012 has been pretty fantastic..... Five stars even :)

Yay! For pictures! I know how much you've missed my oatmeal shots! Sometimes I think about going back to taking shots of everything I eat again. Then I remember how weird everyone thought I was.... 

Speaking of eating.... within the past three months or so I've been thinking about eating chicken. THINKING. As you may have remembered.... I haven't eaten beef since sixth grade and chicken since eighth grade. Any thoughts???

All because....

Two people fell in love.

I really enjoy that saying. Mostly because it's true. Everything in my life is because my Mom and Dad fell in love.....

Today is my parent's 37th Wedding anniversary.

Holy wow, right?!

That's a lot of years. Especially in this day and age.

I can't even begin to describe how blessed I am to have these two people as my parents, not only for their love and guidance but in recent years for their friendship as well.

Maui 2010

Yeah.... sometimes I get all mushy....