tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48895949068730533402024-02-19T10:58:09.806-05:00Trail GrazerA blog on my travels and life experiencesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-49041233551278758842015-10-18T11:21:00.000-04:002015-10-18T11:21:00.547-04:00TransitionLife is full of a lot of transitions. Over the past 3 years alone I've moved 6 times. Now that I have settled into my job, after a year and a half, I have consistency in my life and it's wonderful but also sometimes makes me wonder -when will things get spicy again? I've realized that I don't need to move 100mph in order to feel safe or comfortable. It's in working with who I am and what I have that I have found my happiness.<br />
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As you probably have noticed, I haven't blogged in 7 months. I may not blog for another 7 months. But yes, I'm alive and well :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976039908315170835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-46943739991677522212015-03-13T02:39:00.001-04:002015-03-13T02:39:17.173-04:00Adventures in Kauai, HawaiiLife has been awesome! We jut got back from a week long excursion in Kauai, HI, also known as the "Garden Isle". <div>
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When we were planning our trip, we were trying to decide which island to visit and since I had never been before, R recommended Kauai. He has been fortunate enough to visit Hawaii at least half a dozen times in his lifetime because he grew up in sunny Southern California. I, on the other hand, grew up in Maryland so a trip to Hawaii for my family would mean 15+ hours of travel time...it just wasn't going to happen. </div>
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I think one of my favorite parts of planning the trip was that we didn't plan THAT much. At least we booked our flights and hotel ahead of time, but we didn't have every minute of every day planned out. We made a Google Doc of things we wanted to do while we were on the island, but if we didn't get to all of them we were both totally okay with that.</div>
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We left Seattle Wednesday night and returned early Wednesday morning this week. The trip was hands down the best vacation I have ever had - one of the big contributing factors to how great it was is probably R and how great of a travel buddy he is! </div>
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Many of you have asked what we did ..... here ya go!</div>
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For the first few days, we stayed up in Princeville (on the North Shore of Kauai). It was definitely more gray and rainy than we were expecting, but we were still able to get out and do a great 8 mile hike to an amazing waterfall, eat the most delicious sushi either of us have ever had, and get luxurious massages at the St. Regis hotel. </div>
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The biggest mistake we made was get those massages right before our island tour via helicopter with no doors. I honestly don't remember much from the massages but I do remember the helicopter tour pretty vividly. R got some amazing pictures and you will find them on our respective Facebook pages. I think the most memorable part of the helicopter ride (besides thinking I was going to fall out of it constantly) was probably the views of the Napali Coast (where we had hiked the day prior). I had seen pictures of it and experienced it on the ground but it was definitely the most gorgeous land I have ever seen.</div>
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The second half of the trip, we were down in Poipu Beach, definitely a much more resort-y area. Our hotel was brand new and we literally had a penthouse suite - it was insane. There were a lot more touristy things to do in that part of the island, so we took part. We went snorkeling, lounged on the beach, got sunburnt, watched the sunset, ate delicious poke, had our Valentine's Dinner almost a month late, discovered Kauai Chocolate Company & Coffee Company, as well as Port Allen/Kauai Brewery, went whale watching (and actually saw humpback whales!), saw a cool lighthouse, and saw Queen's Bath. </div>
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I wish we didn't have to leave. I would go back in a heartbeat. I loved how remote the island was and how there were tourists, but it wasn't overwhelming. Most of them were honeymooners or old folks! Glad we chose the serene atmosphere, it was so relaxing. </div>
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When we boarded our flight, we were both exhausted but we can't wait to go on our next adventure!</div>
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Pro Tip #1: Do NOT, under any conditions, devour your first cheeseburger in 5 months right before your helicopter ride. You will regret that pretty much instantaneously.</div>
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Pro Tip #2: For food, we always went to Yelp first. The great part about that was we were able to try some local options that we would never have known about if people didn't say such great things about them.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-4561465923541748152014-12-21T16:37:00.000-05:002014-12-21T16:37:08.503-05:00Reflection on 2014I know this is a few weeks early, but when you're in the mood to blog, you're in the mood to blog!<br />
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When I wrote this post last December, I was sitting at home with my parents and younger brother. I was working two jobs and only had two days off between October 5 and January 15; Thanksgiving Day & Christmas Day. I was able to pay my bills, but there was no way I would be able to pay for a place of my own. Right after I wrote the post last year, I met with my friend who had moved to Seattle that past April. He told me it was the land of opportunity... so I went to my manager at Lululemon and asked if I could transfer out to a store in Seattle. We made it happen! Luckily it wasn't as sudden as my move to San Fran; I had about two weeks to say my goodbyes. The move out to Seattle was definitely not nearly as stressful and painful as the move to San Francisco, but I honestly wasn't sure how long I would be out here.<br />
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It was definitely challenging when I first got to Seattle to make ends meet, but somehow I did it. I was working 3 jobs at one point, but was able to keep myself motivated and continued to apply for better jobs. After 9 months at Lululemon, I hung up my hat and moved on to Zillow. It was pretty crazy to say goodbye to a company and coworkers that I loved, but they were my support system when I needed them and it was my time to move on. When I was first offered the position at Zillow, I don't think there were words that could describe how excited I was. Overall, it has been an incredible experience - it's pretty cool to work for a company where you can tweet to the CEO or shoot him an email and he responds within 5 minutes. What a great guy! I definitely have learned a lot and been pushed in ways that have forced me to learn more about myself, but it's so worth it!<br />
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Earlier in the year, I got injured when I overdid my running, so I've kind of laid off on the whole running thing. I know I have been a huge runner for the past 9 years, but sometimes things in your life change and you just find other things that you are passionate about. I ran the NYC Marathon again and loved it; I will totally do that race every year that I get accepted into it. I am thinking of holding off on other races, unless they are 5ks, just because they are more fun :). Once I got to Seattle, I have really fallen in love with yoga. I haven't been going as regularly as I used to, but I have picked up skiing and can't wait to go again!<br />
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The coolest part about the past year? Meeting the guy of my dreams. If you go back to my January 19th post, you'll see a picture of us - I was his +1 for the Amazon company party that I went to the night I arrived in Seattle. We started dating early this summer and it has been nothing but bliss. It's pretty cool to find someone who inspires you to be better every day and is always there cheering for you; whether you're running a marathon in New York or land a HUGE sale. We have taken so many fun trips this year - and I can't wait to see what 2015 has in store for us!<br />
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Namaste.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Seattle, WA 98122, USA47.6087583 -122.296423547.565936799999996 -122.3771045 47.6515798 -122.2157425tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-17494196545944585632014-11-16T22:30:00.004-05:002014-11-16T22:30:51.745-05:002014 TCS NYC Marathon I can't believe it's been so long since I last posted! Boy does time fly.<br />
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I ran the NYC Marathon 2 weeks ago and after having some time to unwind, I decided it was time to post about it, so here we go....<br />
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My weekend began when Ryan picked me up to take me to the airport early Friday morning. It was probably 5am and we were both still half asleep - why is it so hard to get up to go to work and so easy to get up to go to the airport? After saying goodbye and going through security, I boarded my plane and off I went to NYC! I fell asleep before we even took off - I never seem to have a problem sleeping on planes.<br />
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It was weird landing in NYC considering 75% of my clients are on Long Island and I know that area by zipcode and by the map - not by the trees and houses. Anyways, I flew into JFK and then took the train downtown to go to the expo. I ran into a few of my running buddies - one of them is a former Saucony rep - it's always so great to catch up with people who you share something in common with that you value so much. After I got my bib, I headed to the Port Transit Bus Authority Terminal to board the dreaded 107 to Newark, where my hotel was. I decided to stay in Newark because it was cheaper and I had no idea how sore I would be Monday morning when I woke up to fly back to Seattle. Let me tell you - it's a pain to get to. With all of the money I spent on transit into and out of NYC, I basically would have spent the same amount on a hotel in Manhattan! The initial bus ride to Newark was MISERABLE. To start, I got on the bus and a lady got mad that my bag was hanging over the seat divider so she shoved my bag up against the wall, spat on me, and insisted on sitting next to me. It was awful. Eventually, I made it to my hotel.<br />
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Saturday morning I woke up and it was POURING cats and dogs and it was about 39 degrees. It was SO cold. I took the train into the city and braved the cold and wind to do some much needed shopping - and then it hit me mid-afternoon...I'M RUNNING THE NYC MARATHON TOMORROW MORNING! I did panic a little bit, but I was able to calm down. I wound up going to the same place for dinner in Lincoln Center that I went last year and took the train back to Newark.<br />
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MARATHON DAY<br />
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Since it as the end (or beginning?) of Daylight Savings Time, I panicked that my alarm wouldn't go off or my phone alarm would get all messed up because I had been having issues with my phone, but luckily it did go off on time (4:30). I got up, got dressed, hopped on the shuttle to the train station, and then took the train into Penn Station, where I hopped on the Subway down to the Staten Island Ferry. I met a girl on the way into the city who was my age and was running her first marathon that day. It helped a ton talking to her and giving her pointers for the race since I ran it last year.<br />
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We eventually got on the ferry and headed to Staten Island. Boy was it chilly!! It seemed like the bus took FOREVER to get to Fort Wadsworth - maybe there was more traffic this year? I wound up waiting around a little longer than last year outside before the start, but I found a black trash bag that I wore to keep the wind off. They had to move the start of the wheelchair race to Brooklyn because the winds were 40+ mph on the Verazzano Narrows Bridge and I guess they didn't want the wheelchairs blowing off! The windchill was in the upper teens at the start - it was pretty brisk, but once I made it into Brooklyn, it really wasn't all that bad and I warmed up a little bit. I wound up wearing a long sleeve and windbreaker the whole time.<br />
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The race was much easier this year - having run the course last year definitely helped. Last year my back cramped up around mile 18...this year it didn't happen until mile 23 and I was able to power through. Maybe it was because of all of the yoga and physical therapy and chiropractor visits? I think I was definitely more relaxed this year. After I finished, I grabbed my medal and headed back to the hotel.<br />
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Running a marathon is such a humbling experience. People have asked me if I will continue to run, or will this be my last one? My answer is pretty simple: I will run the NYC Marathon every year I get into it. I know I need to focus on my training more - this year I didn't do the best, but I wasn't trying to qualify for Boston in this race. One day down the road I would love to qualify for Boston. Not sure exactly when that will be, but it's definitely one of my lifetime goals. I have to give up a lot to focus on the intense training for that, and I'm not quite there yet.<br />
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In the "off-season" I'm going to focus on staying healthy and in shape. Hoping to take up skiing - another one of my lifelong goals that I haven't been able to do because I've been training for a race or there hasn't been enough snow.<br />
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Thank you so much for your continued support - you know who you are!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-51655518058648746082014-09-11T00:59:00.001-04:002014-09-11T00:59:08.407-04:00Never forgetOkay, so I'm going to admit, I hate blogging about controversial topics because I'm always going to ruffle someone's feathers. Even if I have a disclaimer at the beginning, middle, and end, someone out there is still going to get their panties in a bunch about something I say. So here is your fair warning; you can stop reading now if you want!<br /><br />September 11, 2001.<br />A day we will never forget.<br /><br />I remember going to school (I was in 5th grade at the time) and we were in home room when there was an announcement made over the intercom. Our teacher told us that something really bad happened close to us and they had to send us all home. Our parents could come pick us up, and whoever was left was going to be sent home on the bus. They wouldn't tell us anything other than the fact that whatever this terrible thing was, it might happen again.<br /><br />Two days prior, my family and I had toured the White House. It was an amazing tour, led by our neighbor who was in the Secret Service. I remember how majestic it was walking through the halls of such great leaders. Little did I know that the ability to go on a tour of such a great and historic building would be forever changed two days later.<br /><br />Since my sister was in the local private school, my mom picked her up and I had to take the bus home. I remember walking up the driveway and thinking it was so weird that my dad was home so early in the day. We also live next to a major interstate, and I just remember it being dead silent. As a 5th grader, I'm surprised I realized that silence.<br /><br />I walked into the house and turned the corner into the living room and saw our brand new, big screen TV replaying the footage of the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and Flight 93. My entire family was sitting on the couch, Mom crying, Dad just sitting there in shock, Monica twirling her hair, and Chris was probably playing with his Tonka truck. It was so weird. I asked what happened, were they watching a movie? "No," my dad said. "Some very mean people did a terrible thing to our country today." I donn remember much from that day except being very scared that something bad was going to happen to me.<br /><br />I think every kid at the time was worried; schools were at risk, who knows what your bus driver really did when you were in school, etc etc. When we returned to school, it was heart wrenching to hear about my classmates who lost cousins, loved ones, even parents in those tragic events. We had to do something to move on. During that time I'm pretty sure everyone was much more patriotic than they were today. I know my yearbook picture has me wearing an American flag around my neck. "My Country Tis of Thee" was our song in chorus. The year went on, people started to get angry.<br /><br />The next year I was walking home from the bus (I was now middle school). I had just found out my baby cousin Bridgit was born, and that we declared a War on Terror. I wasn't sure exactly what it meant, but I knew we were going to go find the bad guys. Years past, and there wasn't much progress that I heard about.<br /><br />Fast forward a few years, to my time at the University of Maryland, and I remember sitting on our couch in Parkside surfing Facebook like every other college kid was doing at the time. I remember hearing one cheer and then all of a sudden my News Feed blew up with statuses saying that "Osama is dead!". I was so excited and in shock that I didn't know what to do. That was the first time I found out about some major news event via Facebook. Friends were partying down at the White House, but I was too exhausted to metro down there. <br /><br />So here we are, September 11, 2014. 13 years later and the one day is as fresh in my mind as ever. How do I feel about it? Sad that such a terrible thing happened, but glad with the progress we as a country have made. We had lost so much trust in others right after 9/11 that it was hard to even trust your neighbor sometimes, but we have prevailed. <br /><br />Everyone talks about how bad war is and how cruel it is. I leave those decisions up to the elected officials I vote for every November. If you aren't happy with how the country is being run, vote for who you think will do a better job, don't sit back and complain. People hate on Bush and Obama; just remember that everyone has their strengths! Some are better at leading a country in a time of crisis than others. Just keep that in mind. God help us if I were to ever become President. If I got stressed out, I would call up Ben & Jerry and Top Pot founders to ask them for advice. Just give the elected officials a break and be thankful that you have the opportunity to voice who you want to lead your country, even if you don't like who ultimately gets elected.<br /><br />What it really comes down to is we are able to walk down the street wearing whatever we want, listening to whatever music we want, and eating wherever we want. We have that power to chose. It could have all been taken away from us on 9-11, but it wasn't. Just remember that.<br /><br />Hug someone you love, listen to some country music, and salute the flag. We've come out in one piece, America, and let's be proud of it!<br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-41093548390020646182014-06-01T17:47:00.001-04:002014-06-01T17:47:25.095-04:002 weeks.<div class="MsoNormal">
In two short weeks, I will begin on a new adventure as an
Inside Sales Rep for Zillow! Words cannot begin to describe how thrilled I am
to start on this new journey. When I found out I was accepted for the position,
it was one of those “if-the-tree-falls-in –the-forest-alone-does-anyone-hear-it-fall”….I
was laying in my bed, just having awoken from a nap on a rainy morning and I
had a missed call from a Seattle area number. I called them back and they
offered me the job – I yelped with excitement…. but then realized I was the
only person in my apartment. Although I may have been all alone, I knew there
were so many people that were cheering for me out there in the world – my family
back in Maryland and my friends all over. I did it. I got that big kid job that
I’ve always wanted!</div>
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Since I accepted the job offer, I’ve reflected a lot on the
past 18 months; since I graduated from college. I would never have guessed as a
freshman in college (who had their heart set on being a cardiothoracic surgeon
at the time), that I would be working at a running store after graduation, or
moving to San Francisco, or moving to Seattle. I always imagined myself living
close to home and being around my family all the time. Well, my “story” changed,
and I am 100% a-okay with that. </div>
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The first 6 months after graduation were mediocre. I lived
at home and had a fun job at a local running store. Month 6 is when it started
to get tough; student loans kicked in and I was moving out to San Francisco
with a 4 day notice. Months 6-11 were probably the most frustrating. I had
moved cross country to work for a startup where I was promised one thing, and
reality was completely different. It sucked. So I moved home and fell back into
the life I was living before I moved to SF; something I was more comfortable
with. I returned to working at the running store and picked up a job at
Lululemon Athletica, which has been one of the most inspiring experiences I’ve
had in my life. I have worked with and met some incredible people. The team
that I worked with back in Maryland was that loving and caring group that I
needed when I had just moved back home from San Francisco. My interview with
them was literally the day after I got home from my cross country drive, and
emotions were running high. Through my vision and goal setting, I was able to
make moves and venture out to Seattle, in hopes of pursuing my long-term goal
of working for Lululemon or Patagonia in their Corporate Social Responsibility
department. </div>
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The team out here in Seattle has been unbelievable; they are
some of my best friends. They have made me feel at home when I thought I wasn’t
going to make it. When I had $1.50 to my name until my next paycheck, they were
the ones that bought me a cup of coffee. When my grandfather passed away, they
were the shoulder I cried on. They have taught me to be okay with feedback, and
how to grow from it (good or bad <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span>).
I have never worked for a company where management has been so onboard with
your hopes, dreams, and aspirations that they are literally cheering you on
every step of the way. As my time comes to an end at Lululemon, I am so SO
incredibly thankful for the experiences and growth that I have had since I
began. I have had so much personal growth since I first started, but just as I
got comfortable back home, it’s my time to move on.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-8086841362506399342014-03-27T00:03:00.000-04:002014-03-27T00:04:09.788-04:00Let It Go<span dir="auto">Aparigraha... known by yogis as "non-grasping" or "letting go". </span><br />
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As one of my favorite yoga teachers recently said in our Groovin' Flow class, "We have to go to yoga class with no expectations. When we have no expectations for ourselves, all we can do is surprise ourselves." <br />
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I found that from the time when I first started practicing yoga, I would always get so frustrated in class. I would always be comparing myself to others in class and would get even more frustrated when I couldn't do certain poses. Well, as a Bikram instructor pointed out this week, everyone's body is different and some may be able to hold certain poses better than others. If your hip has been misaligned since birth, there's no point in beating yourself up over a pose heavily involving hips and balance. As a runner, I find myself a lot tighter than my classmates, but after going to class 3+ times a week I have noticed a huge difference in my running and my recovery. I've learned to "let go" in class and not grasp on to the fact that I might not be able to do a pose in class today, but accepted that tomorrow or next week I might be able to. <br />
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Just like in yoga, we have to live our lives with Aparigraha always in mind. If we are living a life where we are grasping onto things (material or not, like relationships, etc), how are we truly going to enjoy life? When I made my first cross country move last summer, I obviously had to declutter my life - of stuff and of "fake friends". Although it may have sucked at the time, being able to let go of grudges that were held or clothes that I hadn't worn in years, I am so much happier now. I really don't own much, and I'm pretty happy about that. I've learned that true happiness is achieved with people and yourself and not with material goods - I'm glad I've gotten there! (Even though a cupcake doesn't hurt every now and then ;)). <br />
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So as Idina Menzel sings in Frozen..."Let it Go".... <br />
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xo<br />
NamasteUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-3838782628905620612014-02-26T16:01:00.003-05:002014-02-26T16:01:46.693-05:00Growing through YogaI don't know where to begin. I have had two amazing experiences with yoga this week. The first was during Savasana at The Grinning Yogi in Capitol Hill (taught by Jamie Silverstein) and the second was at the Sweatbox in Capitol Hill (taught by Laura).<br />
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We all struggle with different things. Some people have bad body image problems, some have low self confidence, others have eating disorders...the list goes on and on.<br />
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For me, I think one of my biggest struggles is accepting that we are all yogis, even me. I always felt like I grew up as that tall and awkward girl. I remember in basketball I was always the tallest girl on my team and couldn't pull off the "cute" that the shorter girls could pull off. I was the middle child growing up, too, so I always tried to be different from my sister, but sometimes that came back and bit me in the butt when I would get in trouble. I think I spent more time in the principal's office in elementary school than I spent in class. I would go home and cry because I had no friends and that I didn't fit in. My parents never pulled the pity party thing that some parents do - they taught me at a pretty young age that when you fall down, you get up, brush yourself off, learn from your mistakes, and keep moving forward. In middle school I didn't really have that many friends either (I switched from public school to private school in 5th grade, so that transition, along with going to middle school really sucked). I decided in 8th grade that I was tired of not having friends, so I made the switch back to private school (this time an all-girls Catholic school that had been around since the mid-1800s).<br />
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High school is where I learned to not care what others thought of me. I remember running for freshman class president and spending hours on crafting the perfect speech to present to my class of 115 girls; it had all of the talking points for someone running for the President of the United States, but I can tell you now, probably 90% of my class slept through the whole speech. Needless to say, I lost, and was heartbroken. I couldn't believe that my classmates wouldn't elect me. Well, I discovered that it was all about who you knew, and not what you knew. After that one awful experience, I wiped my tears and ran for Student Council 5 more times -- losing every time except for the last time; Senior Class President, I won. I'm pretty sure my campaign was "Vote for Maria, the giraffe". Quite the change from my campaign strategy as a freshman! I must say, I made some of the best friends in high school. I only keep in touch with a handful, but it's so great to know that they are always there for me, no matter what struggles I may have. In high school, I was also very involved with the Youth Group at my church. That's where I really made my closest friends and also found my first love - fair trade.<br />
College was interesting, too. I learned towards the end of freshman year that if you are close minded, you are going to be miserable. The more I got involved with groups and causes I was passionate about, the more I gained my independence and found true happiness. One winter break I decided to go to Bikram Yoga, and that basically changed the rest of my life.<br />
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Before my first Bikram Yoga (which was at Bikram Yoga Columbia, taught by Kat), I had never had a place in my life where I was 100% calm and at peace. For me, peace had been when I was asleep. If I had even 5 minutes in my day that weren't jam packed with things to do, I would freak out. I had always thought yogis were kind of weird - hippie like, even. They smelled like incense, went to acupuncture, wore stretchy pants, liked to sweat, only used Dr. Bronner's if and when they did decide to shower, had dreadlocks, didn't shave, ate granola every day, and went to crazy small coffee shops (kind of like the one I'm in now...).. you get what I'm saying. Well..... I guess I'm a yogi. Now, if I don't have quiet time each day, I feel out of wack. I enjoy long, peaceful walks, eating granola and locally roasted coffee for breakfast, go to yoga on a pretty regular basis. Yoga has kept me sane. I definitely felt awkward in the first few classes I went to, but now I have gained full confidence and enjoy being in a 107 degree room dripping in sweat for 90 minutes, staring at myself in a mirror as we go through the poses. One day I wouldn't be opposed to going to Bikram Yoga Instructor training, either. If you had asked me when I first started if I would be interested, I would have laughed in your face. With all of the ups and downs over the past few years, yoga, Bikram in particular, has really been one of the consistent things in my life. I love how I can go to any studio anywhere in the world and go to the very, same (but different) class. Thank you Bikram, you really have saved my life.<br />
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Now, here I am, 22 years old, sitting in a local coffee shop in my new home - Seattle. If you asked me a year ago, I would never in a million years have guessed I would have done so much in the past year that I have done. I have worked my butt off and never have gotten paid, moved to a different city and had to move back home, made friends and drifted away from some, gone to yoga and fallen out of poses, run the New York Marathon...the list goes on and on. I am so thankful for everyone that has been so supportive of me and my adventures - it means the world to me. Until next time - Namaste. xoUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-4780314272919283442014-01-24T15:55:00.000-05:002014-01-24T15:55:37.880-05:00First week in SeattleThis week has been full of apartment hunting...work...sleep...and sweat.<br />
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I've been staying with one of my friends for the past week as I've apartment hunted. My goal is to stay in the Capitol Hill area; I have discovered that if I travel too far down Madison, it gets kinda grungy. Of course, the grungier and closer to the city you get, rent skyrockets. I found a cute studio apartment with a built-in Murphy Bed, so I'm hoping that will work out...we shall see!<br />
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I was fortunate to be able to pick up some shifts as soon as I got out here, so I've been working between two lululemons this week. Both crews are unique and wonderful! After tonight, I will have been to all four lululemons in the area -- hopefully I'll be able to venture up to the outlet and Vancouver sometime in the near future.<br />
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I mentioned I've been sweating ... well maybe just 4 times this week, but 3 of those times were in a span of 24 hours. The other day I went for a quick 3 mile run just to check out the area -- can I say hilly?! Last night I went to CrossFit for the first time, as well as sculpt yoga (basically hot yoga, but with weights). Then I went to a spin class this morning. Let's just say my whole body hurts right now and I could barely lift my arms to put a coat on this morning!! I definitely want to go back to CrossFit...the yoga, that's a different story. I'm not the biggest fan of Vinyasa, and the weights just kept falling, and people kept grunting and breathing super loud (one of my biggest pet peeves). The spin class this morning at 7am definitely woke me up, and it's nice because I've been able to lounge around all morning and not that much of the day has passed!<br />
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I did some exploring after spin today and poked in the Pike Place Market and saw them tossing fish - how cool! Of course, it was before 9am so there was almost no one there, but that is the time to go! It reminded me of all of the other markets - like the market in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Broad Street Market in Philly, Lexington Street Market in Baltimore....the list goes on and on. I also popped in to the oldest Starbucks - it's pretty small. I already had my cup of coffee and a delicious waffle for breakfast, so I just bought a coffee cup. Now I just have to find a place to live so I can use it there!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-40322764296716219772014-01-19T11:56:00.001-05:002014-01-19T11:56:40.711-05:00Day 4: Billings, MT to Seattle, WAI did it!!! I made it to Seattle! It's kind of funny because I feel like I didn't really drive that far (even though it took me four straight days of driving)... it honestly felt more like I was driving my car on a treadmill for four straight days (haha!). <br /><br />I left my hotel yesterday morning in Billings, MT (the area smells really bad, just in case you were wondering), and went to the Cracker Barrel right down the street where I had the best blueberry pancakes that I've had in FOREVER and they even put peaches on top- it was the next best thing to heaven! I then hit the road...<br /><br />The drive wasn't too boring yesterday-- I must say though, the drive between Missoula, MT and Coeur D'Alene was pretty hair raising. Just imagine driving through the mountains (so beautiful) but it had just snowed about two feet the night before so where there wasn't snow, there was melted snow that was actually ice. You want to slow down but you can't because there is a car on your tail and you can't switch lanes because then you'll be driving in ice/snow-- ahh!<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=14/01/19/455.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/14/01/19/s_455.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I wound up stopping in Coeur D'Alene for a late lunch (it was BEAUTIFUL) and then got gas for $2.77! Onward to Seattle ! It was crazy because it's so humid that the water droplets froze midair so it looked like there was snow on all of the trees, but it was just frozen water . It was also super foggy for the majority of the last leg of my drive, but I arrived in one piece and can't wait to get my life started out here!<br /> <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=14/01/19/456.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/14/01/19/s_456.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />As soon as I arrive (7pm), one of the guys I'm staying with had a work party to go to and they just invited me as I walked through the door, so I put on my sparkly shoes and headed out the door. Turns out one of the guys works for Amazon and the other works for Microsoft... And we were going to the Amazon post-holiday party at the Seahawks stadium. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=14/01/19/457.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/14/01/19/s_457.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=14/01/19/458.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/14/01/19/s_458.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=14/01/19/459.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/14/01/19/s_459.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=14/01/19/460.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/14/01/19/s_460.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Wowee! That's all there is to say. There was SO much food, so many drinks, Vampire Weekend took the stage at 10pm, and the place was PACKED! Of course, I ran into someone I knew who graduated from Maryland this past May. What a small world!<br /><br />We came back, and I fell asleep within 20 minutes of walking in. I can barely lift my arms today because I think all of the driving has finally caught up with me. Thank goodness I'm on this big, comfy cozy couch for a while. Go Seahawks! <br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=E%20Denny%20Way,Seattle,United%20States%4047.618926%2C-122.299991&z=10'>E Denny Way,Seattle,United States</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-70203141708575434322014-01-18T01:09:00.001-05:002014-01-18T01:09:15.314-05:00Day 3: Sioux Falls to Billings, MTAm I there yet? Some people are extremely annoying and tick me off.<br /><br />Today was a mostly bitter day but was sweet when I saw Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse! I did pass over the "Crazy Woman River" and was wondering if they named it after me? Ha!<br /><br />I woke up and went to a DELICIOUS bagel shop in Sioux Falls. I then realized that Iowa was only a stone's throw away, so I did some off-roading and got there!<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=14/01/17/1659.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/14/01/17/s_1659.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I then began the long drive to Mt. Rushmore. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=14/01/17/1660.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/14/01/17/s_1660.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=14/01/17/1661.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/14/01/17/s_1661.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I don't journal or write my thoughts and reflections down, except for when I'm blogging and I write it on my blog. One of my good friends at work wrote in a reflection journal every day for a year. If I did that, I couldn't imagine going back and reading everything and seeing some of the crazy thoughts I had! So when I'm not blogging, I just keep everything in my head, and when something (or someone) irritates me, I'll bring it to my full attention to resolve it. On my 13+ hour drive today, here were some of my reflections...<br /><br />1. Oh my god there are some utterly obnoxious people in this world. I feel like everything they do is just for the approval from others. Seriously? Grow up! I can tell you right now that your friendships will probably not last long if this is you. Just sayin. Also, we are all different and have our own individual and unique gifts and talents, so embrace it!<br />2. I need to do a better job of keeping toxic people out of my life.<br />3. Although some long time friends drift away, it's important to just let whatever is going to happen, happen. The worst thing someone can do is fight with themselves to get something to work (relationships), even if they know it probably won't work out. What a waste of time!<br />4. I'm very happy I'm blazing a new trail and moving to Seattle, even with all of the uncertainty that may come with it.<br />5. Okay this one is a biggie, I never thought I'd say this, but if I could live in the woods in a cabin with just my role models (so maybe 4 people total) and never interact with a human being another day of my life (except for them), I'm okay with that.<br />6. I want to marry a farmer or a country bumpkin. <br /><br />The end.<br /><br />Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=I-90%20E,Billings,United%20States%4045.748905%2C-108.560520&z=10'>I-90 E,Billings,United States</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-76103182076618520032014-01-16T21:41:00.001-05:002014-01-16T21:41:42.856-05:00Day 2: Chicago to Sioux FallsI woke up this morning and realized I had an awesome dream and wanted to run downstairs and tell my parents... and then I realized I was in Chicago at my friend's and not home. Yes, I cried a little, but then got my day started and off I went! <br /><br />I grabbed a box of instant coffee packets from Starbucks because I knew I had a long day ahead of me and wasn't sure if I was going to be in the middle of nowhere or not! It then took me 2 HOURS to get out of Chicago! Rush hour traffic there is awful. The roads are HUGE like Houston and the drivers are all insane. I think they should stick to riding the "L". <br /><br />My dad called me to warn me about blizzard conditions in Minnesota and he gave me alternative directions, but I wound up just driving to Minnesota because I saw blue skies ahead and thought "what could go wrong?". Well, as soon as I saw snowplows and salt trucks in Wisconsin, I knew I was in trouble!<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=14/01/16/1286.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/14/01/16/s_1286.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Well then it turned to this....<br />(Really high winds and snow blowing across the road) <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=14/01/16/1287.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/14/01/16/s_1287.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />And then it turned to this...<br />(Whiteout conditions)<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=14/01/16/1288.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/14/01/16/s_1288.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />It was pretty scary because you'd go from being able to see everything to being in a white tunnel of snow . That's when I decided it was time to get off the road. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=14/01/16/1289.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/14/01/16/s_1289.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />I had lunch in Wisconsin and was looking forward to having dinner in Sioux Falls-- until the road was closed! It turns out there was a 20 car pileup earlier in the day and the road had been closed for 3 hours! I got gas and they had opened the road back up when I was done. I got to Sioux Falls and decided to call it a night because the roads were so hairy and they had closed I-90 west of Sioux Falls and all of the overhead road signs said "treacherous conditions- travel not advised". I was kind of bummed I couldn't make it to Rapid City, but I think it's for the better. 5 more hours of driving in this weather would have sucked.<br /><br />I don't think they actually have paved roads here - I think they are all made out of snow! There is so much snow that you can't see pavement, they have big bulldozers plowing the streets, and businesses have shut down! I must say that the Walmart was open and talk about an interesting crowd haha. I was bummed that the Barnes and Noble was closed because I finished my book on "tape" today (Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point") and don't have another one and I'm only halfway across the country! I guess I'll swing by tomorrow on my way out or just buy one on my phone. <br /><br />Tonight I'm just relaxing- I was thinking about going to the movies but that requires me going out in the cold so I think I'm just going to lay low and hit the hay early!<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=14/01/16/1317.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/14/01/16/s_1317.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Hopefully my car starts tomorrow!<br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=W%208th%20St,Sioux%20Falls,United%20States%4043.548616%2C-96.727303&z=10'>W 8th St,Sioux Falls,United States</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-80445743084994294272014-01-16T00:24:00.000-05:002014-01-16T00:24:10.463-05:00Day 1: Flight 93 Memorial, Cleveland, and ChicagoThis morning, once my parents left and my brother went to school, it hit me that I was actually leaving. I teared up a little, packed a few last minute things, and was on the road at 7am. <br />
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It was super foggy when I first left, but I made pretty good time! Once I got to Pennsylvania, I saw signs for the Flight 93 Memorial so I decided to check it out. It was 30 miles out of my way, but it was totally worth it. <br />
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I was the only person there besides the Park Ranger (it is a National Park), and it was cold! The bathrooms there reminded me of the bathrooms in the Dominican Republic-- just holes in the ground!<br />
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I then headed to Cleveland to visit John Carroll University, where I spent my Freshman year of college. <br />
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It was weird being back in the area because I haven't been there in almost five years and so much has changed! There is even a lululemon right down the street, so I stopped by to check it out. <br />
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After grabbing lunch at Tommy's (a JCU favorite), I hit the road for Chicago!<br />
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The last time(and only time) I was in Chicago was my freshman year of college. I took the megabus from Cleveland to Chicago to visit a friend from high school. We had a dinner stop in Toledo and after we had left and were an hour west of Toledo, our bus driver got a call from dispatch that he had to turn around to get two people who he left behind at our dinner stop. It was extremely frustrating-- I wound up not getting in until like 1am! The trip was 6 hours! When I left Cleveland today, I thought it was going to take 6 hours, but (luckily) I didn't have any passengers I had to worry about leaving behind so I made it in 4-5hrs. My friend that I'm staying with took me to a great Italian place down the street for dinner. My observations of Chitown so far: craziest drivers I've ever seen, highways are huge like Houston, it's so cold it's like the Polar Vortex 24/7 and gas is expensive! <br />
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That's all for now! Off to South Dakota tomorrow!<br />
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-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-41239019938680161002014-01-14T17:20:00.001-05:002014-01-14T17:20:16.618-05:00Reflections the night before Cross Country Trip #3!If you couldn't tell by the exclamation point in the title of this blog post, I'm STOKED! I am SO excited to go out to Seattle, you have no idea. Yes, I'm sad to leave my family, friends, and coworkers but it just feels so right.<br />
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A few months ago, as you may remember, I moved out to San Francisco to work for a startup. I was offered the position on a Tuesday, accepted it that Wednesday, and was driving cross country (solo!) just a few days later on that Sunday. The trip out was great, but once I got there, it wasn't as great as I had hoped it would be. The founders of the company I was working for got in a tiff and I wasn't really getting paid like my contract had originally said I would get paid, so I had to come home. It sucked. I felt broken, hurt, you name it. I was pretty bummed that I had to come back home, and wasn't sure if I would ever make it back out to the West Coast. I told myself on my drive back that I would try to get back out West around March. Then I thought about it a little more, and I convinced myself there was no way I'd be able to get back out within a year. To this day, I can't believe I sold myself short the night I told myself that.<br />
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I came home, started working at Charm City Run again and picked up a pretty awesome job at Lululemon Athletica. I was a little nervous at first about the job at Lululemon because I was so used to the family I had at Charm City Run and wasn't sure if I would really have a "family" at Lululemon, but oh my gosh, do I have a family there or WHAT! Every day that I've gone to work since I've gotten back from California, I've loved every minute of it and have never really felt like it was work -- it was more like "best friend time". In my interview at Lulu, they said that working around the holiday time is the best time .... and they nailed it! I can't believe how fast these past three months have flown by!! I have definitely made lifelong friends at both jobs. Last night I was driving home from my last shift at the Columbia Lululemon and it hit me - I really love everyone I work with. I feel like I have such a deep and unique connection with each person I work with--it's something I've never really experienced before. My coworkers always joke with me that I know everyone, so I'm excited to see who I run into as I trek cross country once again!<br />
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As my dad and I were talking last night, we both came to the realization that this is "THE move", like the one you always dream to take when you're a little girl -- chase your dreams kinda thing. I'm ready for an adventure!<br />
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Now to answer your questions....I'll be updating my blog each night as I make my way across the country, assuming that I have a reliable internet connection! Tomorrow I'll be leaving at 7am and eating lunch in Cleveland at one of my favorite restaurants from freshman year of college (I went to school up in Cleveland for one year before transferring to Maryland!) and then will be eating dinner / spending the night with one of my close friends from my first semester at UMD. Thursday my goal is to make it to Rapid City, SD. Friday I'll visit Mt. Rushmore and journey Westward -- the route I take all will depend on the weather at that point. I've never been to Montana and Idaho, so I plan to drive through them, but if the weather is too treacherous, I have plenty of room in my schedule to hang in a city for a few days if need be. Yes, I'll be driving by myself (it's the best and only way to do it!) and yes, I do have plenty of windshield washer fluid, gas money, and healthy snacks! (....well, except for the brownies that my friend Jenifer gave me!). I should be in Seattle by Saturday night, and will be staying with friends when I first get out there, and then I'll be finding a permanent address! WOOHOO!<br />
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Alright, that's all for now! Time to pack!!!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-40309128323407716622013-12-31T17:24:00.000-05:002013-12-31T17:24:06.860-05:00Reflection on 2013 This time last year I was sitting here on my bed with tears in my eyes thinking "Where am I going in my life? What the heck am I doing?" . I felt like I had hit a dead end. I had just recently graduated from college and didn't have a job lined up or any plans to live anywhere except home. Since I had graduated early, I was knocked all out of wack because ever since I was a little girl, I had told myself I would be graduating from college in 2013 and I had graduated in 2012. Yes, it was definitely exciting to graduate early, but I didn't have anything to look forward to! At least, that's what I thought at the time.<br />
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<b> 2013 has been one hell of a year.</b> I worked four jobs at once, fell in love, was told I might not ever be able to run again, bought a car, fell out of love, drove cross country solo (twice), lived in San Francisco (and loved it), worked for a startup, was "homeless", moved home, ran the New York City Marathon, turned 22, got a dream job, then another one...so bring it on 2014. 2013 has had it's ups and downs but it has been hands down the best year so far and I think I know why - it's because I had no expectations for 2013. I got comfortable with being uncomfortable. It was my first official year in the "real world", but it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Yes, paying for student loans and my car stinks, but I feel like I've accomplished something when a paycheck comes in and I can pay my bills.<br />
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On the whole falling in love / falling out of love thing... it happens to all of us at some point. I've realized how much I value my boldness and independence. If I was "tied down" earlier this year, I would NEVER have taken the leap I did to the West Coast. I would never have accepted a job in San Francisco on a Tuesday, said goodbye to my closest friends and family over a span of 3 days, and then pack my car and head west by myself that Sunday. That cross country drive out to San Francisco was one of the most eye-opening experiences I've ever had. Just me, my car, and the highway. I loved every minute of it and I really enjoyed my time in SF. I can't wait to get back on the road!<br />
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Running the New York City Marathon was one of my favorite parts of 2013. There really are no words that can accurately describe the experience - who knew running 26.2 miles would be so breathtaking? If I could run it every year for the rest of my life, I would.<br />
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2014. Bring it on.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-54553794721867563342013-11-21T13:32:00.001-05:002013-11-21T13:32:14.204-05:00What the heck is up with designers these days?Something that I have always struggled to understand since I was involved with United Students for Fair Trade is why is apparel these days so much lower quality than it was 50 years ago? Even in the past 10 years alone I find that the materials and methods used to make our every day apparel has gone down the drain. What the heck is going on? Wouldn't designers use common sense and choose higher quality, longer lasting fabrics? Wouldn't the supervisors in factories overseas take pride in the work that is being completed and actually reward the hard work being done? Well unfortunately no, that's not the way it works.<br />
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A few years ago I visited a former sweatshop in the Dominican Republic on a trade justice trip. After speaking with the workers in the factory as well as at a fair trade chocolate cooperative.<br />
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I don't understand why people are so motivated by money. Yes, it's nice to get rewarded for hard work, but I feel like I have been meeting more and more people these days that place material goods higher on their level of important than their own family or friends! Maybe I've just become more aware of this since I've personally hit a financially tough spot in my life. It's upsetting that it's all people worry abotu and money is their only way to happiness. How can we change the world for the better and encourage people to live simply so others may simply live?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-15255054297875860512013-11-21T13:32:00.000-05:002013-11-21T13:32:25.706-05:00My reaction to WSJ's "OK, You're a Runner. Get Over It"<div style="text-align: center;">
"OK, You're a Runner. Get Over It" <-- No, how about YOU get over it??</div>
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On November 12, the Wall Street Journal published an opinion article by Chad Stafko titled<a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304448204579186401818882202?tesla=y" target="_blank"> "OK, You're a Runner. Get Over it"</a> . I recommend you read it if you haven't. <br />
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Basically, Chad writes about runners and anger about them putting something as simple as a bumper sticker on their car indicating a race distance that they have completed (such as 13.1 or 26.2). Well Chad, I have BOTH on my car and display them with pride.</div>
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I'm not going to lie, when I was driving cross country I would look in my rearview mirror to see what people's reactions were when I drove past them. The majority of them would talk but who knows if they were talking about the fact that I was passing them or the fact that I had those bumper stickers on my car. I think that those stickers really unite the whole crazy running community.</div>
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As I was running today, multiple cars passed me with those stick figures on their back window displaying for the world to see how big (or small) their family is, and how many kids they have. In my opinion, if someone driving those cars is against runners having runner bumper stickers, why is it right for them to display their family? To me, the family bumper stickers are worse than the runner bumper stickers. What if a couple can't have kids but really wants to? Wouldn't driving by these stickers be a stab at their heart? I guess some people don't take it personally, but sheesh, people take the chill pill before you go getting mad at runners for displaying something their proud of! At least we don't walk around all year long wearing our half or full marathon medals!!</div>
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To close, here is the BEST response I have seen to the WSJ article: <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/fun/the-wsjs-get-over-it-column-translated?page=single" target="_blank">The WSJ's "Get Over It" Column, Translated</a>. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-57745734849771145342013-11-19T22:21:00.001-05:002013-11-21T13:05:21.677-05:00Margaritas and MilesI went out for margaritas at my favorite Mexican Restaurant Monday night after work. Once I got home, I realized I hadn't even eaten dinner but was so tired I just went straight to bed! Woke up this morning and was dreading the Ladies Run but those margaritas did wonderful things - I wish I could have run longer.<br />
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Today I had my longest run since the NYC Marathon - just about 6 miles! It's good to be back on the road. Some people have been asking what my next race will be -- right now it looks like the Rock n Roll DC Half in March with some friends and then the Vermont City full marathon at the end of May. I'm tempted to do the Rock n Roll full because it's only $15 more...for twice the distance...but we will see what the doc says (I have to see a chiropractor about my feet - oy vai). I definitely know I can do two full marathons in a year, it's just deciding which two I want to do is the hard part! Like I said, I have my eyes on Vermont City (since I deferred my entry from last year) and possibly Chicago in the fall? We'll see ;)<br />
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Also - some of my running blogger friends have been posting about two different initiatives by the running community to stay fit with some pretty cool prizes - one is <a href="http://runeatrepeat.com/2013/10/29/pile-on-the-miles-20135th-annual-challenge/" target="_blank">"Pile on the Miles" (aka #POTM2013)</a> and the other is the <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/cold-weather-running/the-2013-holiday-running-streak" target="_blank">2013 Holiday Running Streak</a> . Pile on the Miles is a goal-setting initiative for the month of November managed by one of my favorite bloggers this year - <a href="http://runeatrepeat.com/" target="_blank">RunEatRepeat</a> . The idea is that you choose the mileage you want to run in the month of November and you do it! I just realized that I never signed up, so today I did. My original goal was to run 50 miles after I've run the NYC Marathon, and I'm only 24.25 miles away from that goal! I'm going to do the Holiday Running Streak as well - thats where you run at least one mile every day between Thanksgiving and New Year's....we'll see how that goes. I encourage you to sign up if you haven't already!<br />
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That's all for now - happy running!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-15763775539183538602013-11-10T23:20:00.004-05:002013-11-10T23:20:49.280-05:00One week post-NYC MarathonI can't believe it's already been a week since I ran the NYC Marathon. I'm STILL all smiles - definitely one of the best moments of my life. I know I have probably said this before but I am so thankful to be where I am in my life right now. From my family to my lululemon family, there are so many things I look forward to every day when I wake up. Running is fun. Bikram Yoga is fun. Life is fun. Earlier this week I realized that there are so many miserable people in this world. How can they be so miserable? How can negative people live their lives day to day? I wouldn't be able to do it; too depressing. I choose to be happy and I hope that I can inspire others to do the same. There are so many great things happening, why miss out on them by being miserable?<br />
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This week I "took off" from running. I got back from New York late Monday night and was so excited to sleep in my bed! Tuesday AM I was up early to lead a Ladies Running Group at 9am at Charm City Run -- I only did 2 miles at a sluggish pace, but it was nice to be able to loosen up my legs after having sat on a train forever on Monday. Tuesday night I went hardcore and did Bikram at Bikram Yoga Columbia. I could barely walk going in to class, and afterwards I felt renewed and pain free. Turns out I really just needed a good stretch! Wednesday I treated myself to a much needed mani/pedi (it's been too long...) and lots and lots of sleep. I worked quite a bit during the latter part of this past week, but I was able to recover from the marathon. Today I went to Centennial Park and ran 5 miles -- I was going to do 7, but I felt so sluggish that I decided to give myself a break :).<br />
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Someone asked me tonight what my next race is: I'm actually not registered for anything - this is the longest I've gone without registering in almost 4 years! As you may remember, I deferred my registration for the Vermont City Marathon last year because of my "injury", so I'm probably going to do that race at the end of May. I'm also probably going to be doing the Rock n Roll Half in DC with one of my best friends from high school in March. My goal for the winter is to do some tuning and get FAST. I now know I can run half and full marathons, I just want to cut down my time and eventually qualify for Boston!<br />
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Well that's all for now - hope everyone has a great week! Stay positive :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-11243216633455562192013-11-05T15:17:00.001-05:002013-11-06T08:40:20.064-05:002013 ING NYC MarathonI feel so official typing the title of this blog post. I ran the New York City Marathon this past Sunday.... I actually did it!! I have come so far since the first mile I ran when I was 12 years old, the summer going into my freshman year of high school. All throughout high school I was the slowest girl on my cross country team, but in college I was able to motivate myself to run and wound up running my first half marathon in October 2010. Since then, I have completed 3 full marathons and 9 half marathons. Here is my analysis of the NYC Marathon....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlY4GfKAA7CqkUXyO1YMJVJWZflSs7TKUhq-XLgXbVnKahc8qYjnUOXDRFgbLMc4Af9q-q3h1mjRQMIGyNzdYOD_2OFjxQ1p06EsBDZcxtpVnXb9UgcFq-bkkf8KG4qy7RHxk8rvRtsvY/s1600/IMG_5988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlY4GfKAA7CqkUXyO1YMJVJWZflSs7TKUhq-XLgXbVnKahc8qYjnUOXDRFgbLMc4Af9q-q3h1mjRQMIGyNzdYOD_2OFjxQ1p06EsBDZcxtpVnXb9UgcFq-bkkf8KG4qy7RHxk8rvRtsvY/s320/IMG_5988.JPG" width="240" /></a>Leading up to the race, the NYRR did a great job at keeping us informed of everything that was going once. They stay on top of their social media and send emails, but not too many. All throughout preparation and race weekend never once did I find myself saying "where should I be now?" or "what should I be doing?". Communication was A+ throughout the entire weekend and I felt very safe, too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNv5TrZMqySg6X_E4nOy9bQyWXKlN3hP5PhOttynBsMIaY3bOSmrWRpf2QzpPe5PTSQGv5rhLBO_ixe8UmRi9fWB_YOENntfJoZFsCieaBtEEZDN-ZkcjGCMIc7svdrGZh4cKK4UQiFWT9/s1600/IMG_5981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNv5TrZMqySg6X_E4nOy9bQyWXKlN3hP5PhOttynBsMIaY3bOSmrWRpf2QzpPe5PTSQGv5rhLBO_ixe8UmRi9fWB_YOENntfJoZFsCieaBtEEZDN-ZkcjGCMIc7svdrGZh4cKK4UQiFWT9/s320/IMG_5981.JPG" width="240" /></a>After having my train arrive to NYC almost 2 hours late due to downed power lines, I arrived at the Javits Center for packet pickup around noon. The line was outside and down the sidewalk, but as with most lines in NYC, it moved pretty quickly. Once we entered the actual Javits Center, they checked our bags and in we went to the expo! WOW - it was HUGE and very well organized. I picked up my number, got a picture with the "countdown until race day" clock, and did a little shopping.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGd-qOTSK2SuydJ1EDK-j9piV1QOLCP05w4ShsxfMXivHr-fsoVVJARrVuJH29ZJNUKHgYlcwLcObO7Dg-tMDAqtSR-sXUBYUAY829VM9UR-t8aRTK1MrQWKTGChwSC9Ub_iBI9OCNutpf/s1600/IMG_5990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGd-qOTSK2SuydJ1EDK-j9piV1QOLCP05w4ShsxfMXivHr-fsoVVJARrVuJH29ZJNUKHgYlcwLcObO7Dg-tMDAqtSR-sXUBYUAY829VM9UR-t8aRTK1MrQWKTGChwSC9Ub_iBI9OCNutpf/s320/IMG_5990.JPG" width="320" /></a>The Asics section was huge - as it would be since they were a main sponsor! I decided against buying any apparel because I told myself I would only buy finishers apparel -- what's the point of buying apparel for a race you didn't even finish?! I stopped by the Saucony area and said hi to Jeff, one of our Tech Reps. I treated myself to some CEP recovery socks for post-marathon recovery. I also got my hands on the new Garmin 220, but had to resist buying one. Maybe that will be my birthday present to myself :).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0qPpng2Cp4YD2Xdysg2qKtYJHoHOXiwiST4G8iQWb25SrBl3VrjypmiuYIVChFThZ25JrqgZv6jYxKN7vugY7qA6wYscnDqxt9rKOO0giVV2gOt-M00qlC5ze7WwT9AWrHtV92ARN2so/s1600/IMG_5991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0qPpng2Cp4YD2Xdysg2qKtYJHoHOXiwiST4G8iQWb25SrBl3VrjypmiuYIVChFThZ25JrqgZv6jYxKN7vugY7qA6wYscnDqxt9rKOO0giVV2gOt-M00qlC5ze7WwT9AWrHtV92ARN2so/s320/IMG_5991.JPG" width="240" /></a>After leaving the expo, I walked around the city for a little bit, grabbed some dinner, and headed up to my cousin's in the Bronx. She was having a "Day of the Dead" party, so I got to meet her friends. I got to bed a little later than I was planning on going to bed, but I was able to sleep in on Saturday so that made up for it. Saturday afternoon we explored the Bronx a little and then before I knew it I was headed down to Manhattan for dinner! Saturday night I stayed with a friend who lives right near Hell's Kitchen, so we had a great Italian dinner. I was in bed by 10:30pm....didn't fall asleep until about 2... and was up at 5:45! I'm really glad I opted to stay with my friend in Manhattan - made the commute so much easier and shorter in the morning!<br />
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One mistake I did make was not planning where I was going to be eating breakfast race morning. I assumed there would be a 24hr Starbucks in Times Square - I was wrong! Luckily I didn't have to wait too long until it opened, so I got plain oatmeal, a banana, and a shot of espresso. I hopped on the subway and headed to the Staten Island Ferry!<br />
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I arrived and the wait wasn't long and the ferry had plenty of seats. I had selected with my registration to take the 7am ferry, but because I hung around in Times Square for a Starbucks to open, I got on the 7:30. No one checked to see which ferry we were supposed to be on, which was fine with me! I'd say I waited 15 minutes to get on the ferry and the actual ride was about 30 minutes. Once we reached Staten Island, I joined thousands of other runners hanging out in the ferry terminal to stay warm. I charged my phone, got all of my stuff situated for the race, and then was ready to head to the start! I went outside and was greeted with a cold wind and a long line for the buses, but as I mentioned earlier, just because there may be a long line, but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll be waiting a long time. I was on a bus within 30 minutes and headed to the start.<br />
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Once we got off the buses we had to go through metal detectors and headed to Fort Wadsworth. They had tons of port o potties and the corrals were clearly labeled. I started in the 3rd wave in the Orange Corral. I had been warned that I was going to be sitting outside for a long time in the cold, but I was sitting for maybe 10 minutes when they ushered us to the start! The sun was out so it was much warmer than I thought it was going to be. Glad I had layers on!! After I ditched my excess layers, I was all ready for the start.<br />
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<b>People have said it before, but there is really nothing quite like the start to the New York City Marathon.</b> Just imagine tens of thousands of people lined up to run 26.2 miles through the streets of NYC..."New York, New York" playing... the cannon goes off -- and we're off!!<br />
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The Verranzano Bridge really wasn't that steep, considering what I had been warned and some of the hills I've run. The bridge in Annapolis, MD that many races have included in them is 10x worse, and I've done many races in Annapolis, so I didn't have any problems running the Verranzano. I did get a little hot on the bridge, so I had to peel off my pullover and re-pin my number onto the shirt I was wearing underneath. Now I understand why race number belts exist! I'm going to have to get one of those.<br />
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As soon as we got into Brooklyn there were SO many people cheering for us - it was awesome. Throughout the entire race I didn't need my music because there was so much music being played throughout the course! Apparently the NYC Marathon has more music per mile than any other race - ~5 bands per mile (that isn't even including people just blaring music from their speakers!). The bridges really weren't that bad - even the Queenstown Bridge was fun!<br />
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There really is nothing like running up First Ave with tens of thousands of people cheering for you on either side of the road! I ran into one of my good friends from Maryland, my cousin, and another friend who was working at a water station during the race. I'm glad I had my phone. I didn't hit the wall, but around mile 18 my back started to cramp up -- the crowds helped me along and I powered through until the finish! Running through Central Park at the end was probably my favorite part -- the leaves were beautiful and the crowds going into Columbus Circle were electrifying. The finish was breathtaking!<br />
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Right when you finish they keep ushering you along for your medal, space blanket, official finishers picture, and bag of recovery food. Then the hard part starts - the walk to the exit. I swear that walk is feels like you're running another 26.2! Luckily, I had opted for "no baggage" so I was able to "exit early" which meant I only had to walk one mile uphill after the finish instead of 2 miles like the people who checked their bags! If you didn't check your bag you also got a snazzy fleece-lined poncho -- TOTALLY worth it!! The recovery food was great, poncho was toasty, and the pictures have turned out really well so far(I might even consider buying some).... the walk to the subway and walking the next few days has sucked haha but I'll survive.<br />
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After I finished, I headed to my friend's in Manhattan to get my bag of stuff. He was at a bar watching the Pat's game and as soon as I walked in everyone cheered for me - it was pretty cool :). I ate dinner at Chevy's in Times Square and then began the journey back to the Bronx where a hot shower, my recovery compression socks and stick were calling my name! I slept like a baby Sunday night!<br />
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Monday morning I got up at 5:30am to get down to Central Park for the Marathon Monday Finisher's Festival to get my medal engraved and official finisher's gear. Getting my medal engraved was totally worth it - it was only $20! The finisher's gear was lame - it was some off brand with weird sizing and was ridiculously over priced, so I just bought an Asics Marathon jacket instead (they only had 4 left at 7am when they opened, and I was able to snag one!). Everyone wore their medal that day in the city - it was fun to be able to look at the runners and if you made eye contact you would both wave and embrace each other's pain!<br />
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<b>All of this being said, if you can do one marathon in your entire life, make it the New York City Marathon. It is worth every penny and you will have so much fun! Who knew you could have so much fun running 26.2 miles??</b><br />
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Some final thoughts...<br />
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<li>I'm really glad that I decided to not check a bag</li>
<li>I got a little sun-kissed, but I'm glad I didn't wear a hat. Wish I didn't even bring one with me!</li>
<li>You don't need water bottles- there is water at every mile after mile 3! </li>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-4996652548692555572013-11-02T13:03:00.001-04:002013-11-02T13:03:50.688-04:00'Twas the day before the 2013 NYC Marathon...I still can't believe that in less than 24 hours I will be running the 2013 NYC Marathon! <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/11/02/863.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/11/02/s_863.jpg' border='0' width='166' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I remember when I swore off ever running again my senior year of high school. When I went off to college, I was going to the gym every day but didn't really feel like I was getting much out of my workouts. 20 minutes on the elliptical, 20 minutes power walking, and 20 minutes hiking really wasn't doing it for me! I remember going to the gym one Sunday morning in November 2009 and was power walking (I refused to let myself run) on the treadmill and I was watching the NYC Marathon. I told myself : "I'm going to do that one day". If you asked me 4 years ago if I thought I would actually be running the New York City Marathon, I would tell you no. The day I committed to running a marathon and then 5 months later committing to run a half marathon were two moments that literally changed my life for the better. <br /><br />When I ran the Baltimore Half in 2010, I had trained by myself and came up with my own training plan. I finished in 2:09, which is pretty admirable for a first half! All I remember during that race was running as fast as I could and pushing myself. Then, a year later, I ran my first full marathon - the Marine Corps Marathon. Although I didn't have the best finishing time, I definitely learned that it takes a *little* more time to train for a full marathon than a half 😉. I used that experience to improve the next year and hopefully this year the training has paid off as well!<br /><br />Earlier this year I was having weird tingling sensations in my foot so I went to the doctor and they said the only way for the pain to go away was if I stopped running. Telling a runner to stop running is like telling a movie star they can't act or a singer they can't sing. I was devastated.<br /><br />I took some time off from running and did bikram yoga and pool running ... For a few weeks.. But I couldn't wait to pound the pavement. I went back to running and still felt the pain so I decided to defer the Vermont City Marathon I had been training for until next year. I was heart broken, but this injury was actually a blessing in disguise. <br /><br />A few months later (mid August), I found out I got into the NYC Marathon. Seriously. What a surprise! Some people go 10 years of entering the lottery and being denied before they are let in. Some people never even get the chance to run a marathon in their lives! I'm so incredibly thankful and blessed that I will have the opportunity to run 26.2 miles with 50,000 other crazy runners tomorrow - among them are Olympians, world record holders, and even Pamela Anderson! <br /><br />I went to the race expo yesterday at the Javits Center and it was a zoo- I had to double check and make sure I wasn't at a UN Conference because it was so crowded and there were people from all over the world speaking different languages. Last night I stopped by the Opening Ceremony for the Marathon- WOW! It was very well organized and seeing the finish line gave me goosebumps. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/11/02/864.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/11/02/s_864.jpg' border='0' width='239' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I cannot imagine who or where I would be without running. Running is not just part of my lifestyle, but it's part of my career. The satisfaction I get from being able to inspire others to run cannot be compared to anything else in this world . Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being a constant support system - especially my family and friends. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/11/02/865.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/11/02/s_865.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/11/02/866.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/11/02/s_866.jpg' border='0' width='640' height='640' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Kingsbridge%20Ave,New%20York,United%20States%4040.879991%2C-73.906209&z=10'>Kingsbridge Ave,New York,United States</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-58045975740840041602013-10-28T23:37:00.001-04:002013-10-28T23:37:09.717-04:00Food & Relaxation in the week of TAPERTapering is never easy... I definitely look forward to it, but holding myself back from running 5 miles because I want to is SO hard. I ran 10 miles yesterday and the furthest I plan to run this week (/will allow myself to run) is 3.1 miles. This week I have committed to relaxing, eating healthy, and crossing things off of my to-do list that I haven't been able to do since I moved home from California.<br />
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I can't believe I've already been home a month!! I miss California sooo much, but hey, I'll go back soon - it's only a matter of time. Since being home, I think I have taken a greater appreciation for things I used to take for granted - like the convenience of a real mall, grocery stores other than Whole Foods, Safeway & Trader Joe's (trust me, they get old after a while!), and hills on my runs. MOM's Organic Market is hands down my favorite grocery store. Seriously, this store got me through college. I would ride my bike or run to the one in College Park and just meander through the aisles, without even buying anything sometimes. It was therapy for me. Now I'm home and it's still like therapy for me :)<br />
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As some of you may have heard, I had a pretty nasty fall on my run Thursday--I could barely walk Friday and Saturday and somehow I woke up yesterday with very little pain, allowing me to squeeze in my 10 miler. This week my goals are : figure out what I'm wearing for race day and make one kick ass playlist (even though I probably won't even listen to it as I run).<br />
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Today was my last day of work until next week when I get back from the New York Marathon. As soon as I got off work, I came home and COOKED ! It's been way too long - the kitchen has been calling my name. For about two hours, I cooked spaghetti squash, quinoa, whole wheat pasta, chicken, and sweet potatoes! Hopefully this will keep me fueled for race day. I also had a great evening sweat date with myself at Bikram Yoga Columbia -- I've never cried during yoga, but tonight I definitely did - hey, there's a first for everything!!<br />
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Things I'm scared of this weekend:<br />
1. Oversleeping - it happened for the 2011 Army 10-miler, and this year I'm not trying to miss the boat to the start (literally).. I have accepted the fact I will get very little sleep this weekend<br />
2. Being hungry at the start - I won't actually start running until like 10:15 on Sunday morning....maybe I'll stop and get a steak dinner mid-marathon?<br />
3. Sucking. Rule #1: Don't suck<br />
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Other than that, nothing. Bring it on world!! xoxo<br />
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PS - My goal is to head West again in January -- stay tuned :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-19852354175439026722013-10-20T22:15:00.000-04:002013-10-20T22:15:10.460-04:00It's time to taper! In my opinion tapering sucks. When you are training you can't wait until it's time to taper, and then when it actually is time to taper, all you wish you could do is run. Since I had (well, in my opinion) sub-par running experiences last weekend, I decided to make my 13 miler today a chance to make up for it. I laced up my good ole Saucony Guides and took trit trot several times around Centennial Lake.<br />
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My main issue last weekend at the Baltimore Running Festival was not the fact that I hadn't been training, it was the fact that you aren't supposed to think about anything when you run, and I was thinking about literally everything there was to think about when I ran. Today it was a struggle to get to mile 5, but once I was there I could have kept running for a full 26.2! Alas, I had to force myself to stop at 13.1. There were two old guys that made the run enjoyable - one was playing a harmonica and the other cheered for me every lap I made.<br />
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My goal for the next two weeks is to figure out what I'm wearing on race day, stay healthy, and remember it's TAPER TIME!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-10700226337842343262013-10-12T21:49:00.001-04:002013-10-12T21:49:30.964-04:00Baltimore Half Marathon 2013<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYJFl2jGvaN_nn7TJwaJ7OOm0QGBluQGMEBrDMIqUdIIXOysiR1S9-Z1goFzlzBXxGeRgmgRNZdUM4O3Q75hEOPpZJ1uEGzg1fxom3zxSvZteLvLXYIVG-dydFOTZnD5LPwTlMKQGpLlp/s1600/IMG_5801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYJFl2jGvaN_nn7TJwaJ7OOm0QGBluQGMEBrDMIqUdIIXOysiR1S9-Z1goFzlzBXxGeRgmgRNZdUM4O3Q75hEOPpZJ1uEGzg1fxom3zxSvZteLvLXYIVG-dydFOTZnD5LPwTlMKQGpLlp/s320/IMG_5801.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Me after my 8th half marathon!<br />Finished in 2:14</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It wasn't pretty, but I did it!! I just completed my 8th half marathon! This was my 4th year in a row doing the Baltimore Half Marathon and I struggled. Should not have had that whole wheat bagel with PB on it before I started!<br />
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In light of what happened in Boston back in April, his year there was an obvious increase in security for the Baltimore Running Festival. This was also the first year that Under Armour wasn't the head sponsor -- and I think it was pretty obvious to those of us who have done the run in years past. Maybe CSE decided to spend more of their money on security - who knows. My only real complaints about the race were:<br />
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<ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUNJeYU__4Ayo28h1rYgW9nUKnHIpN03S234-PcIQtU-uGK1JzxILAqtY4FBLyetbEwoNSc64RhAT1EsKe75e2T0m_SLaCNkHOR9EMpe502UNTOJ8_PbYzG93xjANKDxfsba-sDj2AlbX/s1600/IMG_5808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUNJeYU__4Ayo28h1rYgW9nUKnHIpN03S234-PcIQtU-uGK1JzxILAqtY4FBLyetbEwoNSc64RhAT1EsKe75e2T0m_SLaCNkHOR9EMpe502UNTOJ8_PbYzG93xjANKDxfsba-sDj2AlbX/s320/IMG_5808.JPG" width="320" /></a>
<li>The starting line was moved and as soon as we made our first right there were cars and even a bus of Relay runners blocking the path of 10,000 half marathoners. </li>
<li>There were some water stops without volunteers - or an adequate amount of volunteers. </li>
<li>Around Lake Montebello there weren't as many bands as there normally are , which made that part of the race a struggle for some of us. The second half of the race was A+ in my book - the Tiger by Union Memorial and all of the upbeat music made the second part of the run leaps and bounds better than the first!</li>
<li>Runners were told that the finish line was being moved closer to Camden Yards to eliminate some of the congestion in the Finish Line Festival. I'm not sure if it was because I was 18 minutes slower than my time last year, but the Finish Line Festival was more crowded at the entrance than in years past. There were lots of tables with the medals in areas that would normally be open. At the Finish Line Festival, there was also no composting or recycling. Was UA paying for this? Not sure, but this is something I don't know why they got rid of. Last year they had composting & recycling teams! </li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt46v1_SLEiRn9FReNvyG0o9Zk6KE9vaaA1vtqmdkNWAP0Pz6B_anKeBIY7v9VDRfSiUCd6YcvimibPdjWDCcLB-335ntpoYqIT6DJTKef32X9yl4L4h42AHoR5K8eH7xLYCbRERaZUvlG/s1600/IMG_5802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt46v1_SLEiRn9FReNvyG0o9Zk6KE9vaaA1vtqmdkNWAP0Pz6B_anKeBIY7v9VDRfSiUCd6YcvimibPdjWDCcLB-335ntpoYqIT6DJTKef32X9yl4L4h42AHoR5K8eH7xLYCbRERaZUvlG/s320/IMG_5802.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIDjzAkAZvgNFndw5SSCH7gqjcaq6MW6vpbtECTSBJ0gnYrk3L30o8e4AOZrdewvWAInE9XFsqECtiVVMuTp15XhAyFP1SkLNYngEL2dWyvV8URdyOnT6Jf00GXy0q9b_DPGQOIMwFSqyF/s1600/IMG_5805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIDjzAkAZvgNFndw5SSCH7gqjcaq6MW6vpbtECTSBJ0gnYrk3L30o8e4AOZrdewvWAInE9XFsqECtiVVMuTp15XhAyFP1SkLNYngEL2dWyvV8URdyOnT6Jf00GXy0q9b_DPGQOIMwFSqyF/s200/IMG_5805.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a>Other than that, I enjoyed the race. Baltimore always has a great Running Festival and I am looking forward to next year!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4889594906873053340.post-7016401030559406882013-10-02T18:31:00.002-04:002013-10-02T18:31:46.583-04:00Funny Running VideosHere are some funny running videos I have come across. Posting these now since it is officially fall, which is marathon season! Best of luck to everyone with their final weeks of training!<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsMw10KVVCk&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">Marathon Thoughts</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oo6Pm0juNvY" target="_blank">Marathon Runner's Monday Morning at Work</a><br />
<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/video/kevinmcshane/the-8-stages-of-running-a-marathon" target="_blank">The 8 Stages of Running A Marathon</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0