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Happy Friday! This week, after weeks of wearing Essie Polish, I’ve mixed it up and am wearing “Chocolate Moose” by OPI. This color is new to me, so I had no idea how I would like it:
This polish used to belong to my mom, but she decided to get rid of a few colors, so she passed them off to me the last time I was home (this summer). I decided this was a great fall color to try, but I sort of felt “meh” about it when I put it on the first time. I let it sit for a few hours, and it did grow on me a bit, but eventually I decided to put on OPI’s pink glitter on top for a little extra fun. I like it much better this way. I’ll probably wear the color again, and it’s a great neutral, but I wouldn’t intentionally go out to buy another bottle of it.
Here are some random facts for the week:
Since high school, my rule for engaging in Christmas related activities is that I am free to do so at midnight as it turns to November 1st! I’ve already watched a Christmas hallmark movie and listened to some Christmas music. I’ve felt a little conflicted about it this year though since it’s been in the 70’s this week…
Last Sunday morning Melissa and I went to Starbucks to get coffee before watching the NYC Marathon, and I got so excited when we walked in and I realized that Christmas cups/drinks would now be out. I ordered a peppermint mocha (I had a free drink!) and… IT CAME IN A WHITE CUP. I was definitely a little bit sad that my first Christmas drink didn’t come in a Christmas cup…
I LOVED the outfit I wore to work last Friday, and wish I could wear it at least once a week! Navy blue anchor sweater, gray skirt, and orange shoes- so fun!
In other seasonal news, I finally broke into these pumpkin spice latte M&M’s that I bought in early September (I definitely win points for holding onto these M&M’s for weeks without opening them since they are delicious!), and I love them! Have you tried them?
Now it’s your turn to share! What’s one random fact from your week?
Happy Thursday and HAPPY NOVEMBER! (Seriously- November already?!). Here’s what I’m feeling thankful for right now:
I’m thankful for another visit with my soccer brother. My brother spent Monday night at my house, and while we only got to spend a short amount of time together, it was good to see him again (I still am so excited that he isn’t living across the ocean from me!).
I’m thankful for a weekend with friends. I got to spend the entire last weekend with friends, played many hours of games, ate far too much candy, and watched the NYC Marathon- I’m thankful for such a great weekend:)
I’m thankful for beautiful weather. It was a little bit chillier last week, but this week the high has been in the low 70’s again. I can’t believe that it’s November and I’m still wearing sandals to work every day!
I’m thankful for podcasts. I listen to a few hours of podcasts each week, and I love being able to learn new things, be entertained, or feel connected to the world differently as a result of listening.
I’m thankful for some wonderful runs lately. October rocked in terms of running. I’ve had three of my fastest runs/races of the year this month, and I’ve felt strong as I’ve loved the moments I’ve had to run. I’m so thankful.
Now it’s your turn to share! What are you feeling thankful for today?
Since I’ve officially ended my outdoor biking season for 2015, I thought I’d spend a moment reflecting on this season. My 2014 outdoor biking season was really my first “serious” outdoor biking season, so I was interested to see what the 2015 season would hold.
A few stats:
- I biked in 5 states: Florida, Minnesota, Kansas, Michigan, and Indiana
- Times I was almost hit by a deer: 1
- I set a new PDR of 70 miles.
- I biked approximately 600 miles outside this summer.
- I had countless moments of feeling truly thankful for everything that biking has given to me.
- I biked through water for the first time in my “flooded bike ride“.
One of the things I most love about biking is that I get to travel so many miles and get an up front view to the beautiful nature that’s around me.
Summer time cornfields
Fall cornfields
Here are a few notable rides:
Exploring New Roads (I got a lot more comfortable this summer in exploring new areas on my bike)
I think I’ve hit a place where I’m comfortable in knowing what I need to bring while on my bike, and I’m comfortable with being gone for 5+ hours biking. I’ve relaxed this season in a way that I hadn’t relaxed on my bike last year, and I loved exploring all sorts of new routes.
I’m thankful to have gotten to spend so many hours on my bike this summer, and I’m thankful for the strength I developed. Biking has been a great cross training activity for me, and has made me a much stronger runner as well. Ultimately I’m thankful for another season of safety on the road- I don’t ever want to take that for granted.
Now it’s back to my indoor season and bike trainer riding. I miss the feel of the wind on my face and the beautiful nature around me, but I love getting to read while biking… and watching Hallmark movies doesn’t hurt either 🙂
On November 1, 2014 I lined up at the starting line of the Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon, feeling completely unsure of how this race would go. I had my last long run in September of 2014 because I got shin splints, and hardly ran all of October.
I had put my heart into training all summer and early fall, and was raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society with Team in Training. All training cycle I was convinced that this was my year. I knew that my training was on point, and I thought I was set for a PR… until I got injured and things fell apart.
October was difficult mentally for me, and I was worried that I wouldn’t even be able to finish the race, but I was excited as I did my pre-race rituals that morning.
We kicked off the race and I felt surprisingly good, and loved those first few miles with Caitlin and Melissa, and somewhere around mile 4 Cait and I broke off from Melissa and I pushed ahead, still feeling good.
The race was hard, but I feel like running in memory of my grandma helped to push me forward.
Everything seemed to come together in that race, and the last two miles I hit a zone that I had never hit in a race before, and I set an amazing PR. IT WAS MAGIC.
Crossing that finish line was one of the true highlights of my life. I’ve had other excellent races, but this race finish was SO unexpected- my reactions clearly show the range of emotion I rapidly went through at the finish:
One second difference- smiles and tears of happiness
It’s hard to imagine another race being quite the same as Monumental was last year. I ran with friends, I had had a most excellent training cycle (before the shin splints), I raised money in memory of my grandma, and I set a shocking PR for myself. It was beautiful, and it was magical. A year later I still tear up thinking about the race.
After that race I wrote a post entitled “13.1 Thoughts on Running 13.1” where I talked a bit more about what I love about the half marathon and what it’s given to me.
The 2014 Indy Monumental Half Marathon was absolute magic full of warm feelings, smiles, tears… and a few moments where I almost passed out. It’s hard to imagine that I’ll ever beat the feelings of that weekend.
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Now it’s your turn to share! What was your most “magical” race? Why? Feel free to share a race recap if you’d like!
Happy Friday! I ran out of time to post last week so I have TWO weeks of nail polish for you! First of all, let’s start with this week! This week I’m wearing Essie’s Jamaica Me Crazy with “sparkle on top”:
To me this feels like a most ideal fall combination with the orange and yellow of the sparkle and the pink below it- it feels like fall, and for some reason it’s a bit difficult to see in the natural light.
Last week it was all about Essie’s Smokin Hot:
I love the richness that comes with this color, and it’s been my go to racing color. Above is the picture of that nail polish with the Arch in St. Louis!
And now for some Friday Facts:
I’ve been craving an Apple Chai for the last few weeks (I’d never had one before but it sounded delicious!), and I finally got one on Monday night! It was delicious… and then I remembered that it had caffeine in it! In my excitement I forgot, and I just can’t have caffeine past the early afternoon. Whoops 🙁
Last weekend I went to a soccer game, and it was windy and misting that night, so I threw up my hood and enjoyed the game. At the end of the game I snapped the picture below to my cousin, and it was only then that I realized that my hair blended into the fur on my coat and it looks like I have a full blown lion’s mane. Oops!
The wind blowing from behind me certainly didn’t help.
Let’s talk about gas prices for a minute! I filled up for under $2.00 last weekend, and got SO excited! Does anyone else feel gleeful when they fill up for cheap?
Each week I try to do some Sunday Self Care. This week it involved my first indoor bike trainer ride, some time sitting outside grading quizzes, and reading and candlelight while watching Quantico. Is anyone else watching?
I’ve only bought race photos at one race before this year (Indy Monumental in 2014), but I decided to purchase photos from Rock’n’Roll St. Louis because I loved them! I just wish they were less expensive.
Now it’s your turn to share! What’s one random fact from your week?
Happy Thursday! The temperature has definitely cooled down a bit and it feels like summer is officially over now (of course it’s been for many weeks now, but last week I was in a sleeveless dress at work and was still hot!). Here’s what I’m thankful for today:
I’m thankful for October. This October has been absolutely gorgeous, and I have absolutely nothing to complain about in regards to the weather. I’m thankful that October is a month that exists, and I’m thankful for all the fun fall things.
I’m thankful that I got to see my soccer brother! My soccer brother has been overseas playing professional soccer, so I haven’t been able to see him since Christmas (it’s been quite the adjustment from having him live with me). He just got back to the country and came to visit me last week, and it was SO good to see him! I’m thankful for the time I had with him.
I’m thankful for people who are willing to say the hard things. Recently I reviewed the book “The Entitlement Cure“, and I continue to feel so thankful for the words that are written there, even when they are hard to hear.
I’m thankful for changing leaves. Just gorgeous. It makes walks, chores outside, and driving places feel sort of magical. 🙂
I’m thankful for my Kindle. It makes reading so easy and convenient. I usually carry my kindle with me for those random moments where I can get a few extra pages read!
Now it’s your turn to share! What are you feeling thankful for today?
After reading and loving The Rosie Project, I immediately added The Rosie Effect to my holds at the library. The Rosie Effect is the sequel to The Rosie Project, and picks up a few months after the first book ends. I love when I get attached to characters and get to continue to follow their story, and this book didn’t disappoint!
While the first book is about Don’s quest to find love, The Rosie Effect follows his journey after he has found love… and of course it can’t be all smooth sailing. Rosie and Don have now moved to New York City, and are adjusting to new jobs and a new group of friends as they enjoy their first year of marriage. The book continues to follow Don’s journey in understanding social norms and the proper way of behaving in relationships, and that leads to some hilarious misunderstandings along the way. I loved the start of the book and then I hit a point about half way through where I wasn’t loving the book quite so much, but by the end I was completely hooked again! The sequel isn’t quite as good as the original, but I think it’s still worth the read.
Here’s a quote:
“Rain Man! I had seen the film. I did not identify in any way with Rain Man, who was inarticulate, dependent, and unemployable. A society of Rain Men would be dysfunctional. A society of Don Tillmans would be efficient, safe, and pleasant for all of us.”
I gave it a 4 out of 5 on Goodreads. If you’re interested in other book reviews or suggestions, check out my book reviews page.
Now it’s your turn to share! Do you like book series or do you prefer individual books? Have you read either of these books yet?
I believe in the little things of life- the little moments, the little bits of laughter, the little lessons learned… and the little items that bring happiness to life! Fall has SO many fun fall things, so I thought I’d share some of them with you today!
First up: I went to a pumpkin patch (in the middle of pine trees!) and carved my very first pumpkin (at least, completely on my own!).
Pre-carving… and feeling a little nervous.
Probably the hottest carving weather I’ve ever had
The first pumpkin I’ve carved on my own!
It turned out pretty well for my first carving experience I think 🙂
Of course there’s been other delightful fall moments as well:
Pumpkin lotion… all the time! 🙂
Fall meals! This was at Panera the day before R’n’Roll St. Louis- Squash Soup, a turkey and cranberry melt sandwich, and a delicious pumpkin cookie! Every speak of it was delicious.
There’s been lots of gorgeous fall walks… and lots of moments of stillness to fully enjoy the present.
Seasonal decorations! Fun fact: that white pumpkin was purchased in September 2014, and at the end of last season it was looking good still, so I decided to hold on to it to see how long it would last. It’s been 13 months and it’s still nice and solid!
There’s been cookie making! These are pumpkin spice cranberry oatmeal cookies. You can find the recipe here.
This week I’ve been enjoying homemade squash soup. This is in the middle of making it, so it looks nothing like this now. I hope to post the recipe in the next few weeks! It’s delicious and tastes just like fall.
There’s been mini pumpkins! So cute!
And so many little fall gourds.
And lots of bike rides to close out another biking season.
We’ve had one of the most beautiful falls I can ever remember. Our highs have been in the mid 70s most days this month, and we’ve had very little rain. I’ve had lots of outdoors time, and ran 2 awesome races.
I’m thankful for all the fun fall things this October has brought to me.
Now it’s your turn to share! What has been one of your favorite parts of this fall?
Here’s last year’s “fun fall things” October post.
This weekend I decided to run a 5k race… a mere 6 days after my hilly half marathon. It felt a little crazy, in light of the fact that the half was the hardest course I’ve run, but I had friends running the 5k, and wanted in on the fun!
I woke up at 6:30 on Saturday morning and got ready quickly before heading over to the start line. At least I had bright colors to wake me up:
Seriously- how funny is that shirt? 🙂
My legs felt a bit heavy walking to packet pick-up, and I hoped my legs would loosen once the race started. This race is special to me: This was my very first race after I started running (back in 2011), and in 2013 I set my current 5k PR on it. This year, due to construction, they changed the course up a bit, and unfortunately that change added some “hills” (nothing like St. Louis!).
I threw on a podcast and hit start on my garmin as I crossed the starting line, and surprisingly I felt… good. At 0.3 of a mile I hit my first decline and people were slowly down as I took the hill with easy strides, and didn’t slow down on the opposite incline.
At mile 0.75 I saw someone from my Mexico Team who I haven’t seen since May, so I took a second to run over to her and give her a hug!
The rest of the race was a blur. I know that my legs felt tired and heavy every time I turned them over, and I remember making a conscious decision to try to not pay any attention to my legs at all. I tried to focus on my breathing and the podcast and enjoy the run.
At some point I looked down at my garmin and realized that I had a shot at running one of the fastest 5ks I’ve run recently, so I tried to pick it up a bit more and kick it at the end. Just like I said in my recap from St. Louis, practicing a strong finish all fall was definitely worth it, and I felt good coming in to the finish.
I crossed the finish line in 2:32:30, which is about 2 minutes slower than my 5k PR, BUT it’s the fastest 5k that I’ve run in a race in the past two years, so I can’t be mad about that at all… especially since I wasn’t recovered from St. Louis yet!
These past two race weekends have honestly really surprised me. I’ve felt really strong while running, and have been able to enter a zone that I’ve only entered a few other times in my life. I love the feel of that zone, knowing that I’m 100% focused and present in the racing moment. I gave it everything that I had this weekend, with great results. I guess there’s something special about the Homecoming 5k 🙂
Now it’s your turn to share! What’s one of your favorite parts about racing? What’s one lesson you’ve learned in running the last few months?
Welcome to Thankful Thursday: Half Marathon Edition, where I focus all my gratitude on one topic: my half marathon! Since I just did Rock’n’Roll St. Louis this past weekend, here’s what I’m feeling thankful for this week:
I’m thankful for safe travels. I drove well over 10 hours this weekend for the race, and to get into a car after just finishing a race and drive for many hours made me nervous! I’m so thankful for safe travels to and from the race!
I’m thankful for excellent weather. The weather for this race was about as close to ideal as possible, for which I am so thankful! I trained in some pretty hot weather, so I’m glad that it cooled down a bit the past few weeks so that we could have a race start in the upper 30s/low 40s. The sun was shining and there wasn’t any wind- exactly what I would’ve picked if I could’ve ordered weather for the day!
I’m thankful that I got to run with my friend Jill. Back in high school we never would’ve thought that either of us would like running, so the fact that we had a weekend together devoted to running isn’t something that we ever could have imagined. I’m thankful that she was willing to run slower than she normally does to stick with me for the race!
I’m thankful that I was able to conquer the hills! Hills aren’t something I train on, so when I run them in races, it’s a bit of a struggle. This race had 13 miles of hills, and overall it didn’t bother me too much, which I was surprised about honestly.
I’m thankful that I get to run. It all comes down to this: I can run, and it’s a true joy to be able to do so. It’s not something I ever thought would be possible with POTS, so every race I do feels like a miracle to me.
Now it’s your turn to share! What are you feeling thankful for today?
