Day 4: Crawford, TX & Albuquerque, NM

I left Austin around 8 and headed to Crawford, TX to see George Bush's ranch... I couldn't really get close but hey at least I saw it. I then began the 11 hour drive to Albuquerque...... Looking at mapquest telling me it was going to take 11 hours was pretty frustrating ... I wish I could just time travel!

I'm pretty sure I drove through 10 rain storms, and one of the towns was flooded that I was supposed to go through! I drove through a bunch of old towns - Paducah was pretty neat - they still had a 5 & 10. It was mostly country roads, until I got to 40 West, which was relaxing, but did take a while. They don't have rabbits out here that try to cross the road ... they have big hairy black spiders and turtles. When I was by Prairie Chapel Ranch (Bush's ranch), there was a mama turtle crossing with her baby; I decided to slow down and let them cross. 

As I continued my journey west, I realized how much I appreciate cruise control and polarized sunglasses - that sun in New Mexico is bright! Right before I crossed into New Mexico, I stopped at a gas station near Amarillo. In the bathroom, they had big sheets of paper you could write where you're coming from/going to. It was really neat to read some of them! I drove on Old Rt 66 & by Cuervo (was Jose from there?).

I booked a hotel room on priceline.com for $60... it was 3 stars and had a 90% rating from visitors - the Crown Royale in Albuquerque (normally goes for $139). I went to a restaurant recommended by a local - called the "Frontier Restaurant". I'm pretty sure I saw a sign in there that said it was on "Man vs. Food".

I realized as I was driving yesterday that I forgot to write about my experience on Day 3 getting windshield washer fluid.... I was in Harlingen, TX and the alarm kept going off in my car telling me that I needed windshield washer fluid so I stopped at Auto Zone. I guy was circling the parking lot on his bike when I walked into the store and when I came out he asked me if I needed help with filling up the windshield washer fluid. I did. I had no idea how to open the hood of my car because I couldn't find the lever inside of my car that you pull to open it! He helped me find it and then insisted on filling the windshield washer fluid himself. He started to unscrew the cap on the transmission fluid and I stopped him just in the nick of time! He then was pouring it in the correct reservoir, but he had his fingers over the mouth of the bottle to keep it from spilling ... the dude had about 2 gallons of windshield washer fluid run through his fingers. I'm glad it wasn't antifreeze or something like that! Afterwards I offered him some food because I didn't have any cash to give him and at first, he refused, but as I was backing out of my spot, he changed his mind. Today (two days later), my biggest regret is giving him my cosmic brownies. Everything else I'm sure he needed/wanted ... but I really could go for one of those right about now! 

That's all for now - need to get my day started!

A sign on the post office window in Crawford, TX

My view from the hotel room last night.

Day 3: Corpus Christi, Harlingen, Mexico!, Austin

After I woke up, I left my friend Paul's and got gas at the local Kroger- they were about to change the price as soon as I pulled into the station!


I'm surprised how expensive gas has been- the lowest I saw was $3.29 but that was in Tuscaloosa-- here in Texas the lowest I've seen is $3.39 and as high as $3.75! Anyways, as I pulled into the gas station, I saw the guy at the pump next to me had Maryland tags! I wound up talking to him for a little bit and it turns out he works with my friend Paul that I had stayed with the night before-- he went to Virginia Tech and actually helped Paul get his job in Houston! What a small world.

I then headed to Corpus Christi, hitting a lot of rain on the way. Corpus Christi had a bunch of offices for banks and oil refineries (I passed quite a few on the way into town).


Once I got into town I even saw an aircraft carrier!






Here are some pelicans:


Was only in Corpus Christi for ~30 minutes and then kept heading south. I grabbed a cup of coffee on my way out of town and it was probably one of the best cups of gas station coffee I've ever had!

For lunch I stopped at "Big House BBQ" in Kingsville, TX, right by Texas A&M.


While I was there I had the tastiest brisket sandwich I have ever had (it literally melted in my mouth)-- the meat was from a farm right down the road! A handful of extremely good looking cowboys walked, which made me almost choke on my food. What's up with all of the dreamy guys being this far south?? ;)


After lunch, I continued south to Harlingen, which is a town right on the border of Texas/Mexico. On the way, I passed lots of RV parks and a lot of ranches. There was about a 70 mile stretch of nothing- no gas stations, no nothing. Glad I had music & snacks to keep things exciting!!

One of my professors at Maryland used to live in Harlingen, which is why I visited. I did a lot of research on immigration in college and have always wanted to visit a border town. It was pretty eye opening to say the least. 75 miles outside of the border, Border Patrol had a ton of cameras set up on the road. After that, I realized how unsafe it was. The town itself was pretty sizable city- but the homes were almost identical to those I saw in the Dominican Republic. It's amazing how much poverty there is here in the US! Harlingen has the lowest cost of living of anywhere in the US, too. It's quite the contrast to posh Howard County.

Once I got to Harlingen, I stopped by Auto Zone to pick up windshield washer fluid because when I got my oil changed last week, the dingeses completely "forgot" to top off the windshield washer fluid. Thanks Apple Ford....

I was talking with the cashier at AutoZone and he told me to go across to Mexico at the International Footbridge in Progreso that goes over the Rio Grande River, which was one of the most safe places on the US/Mexico border for Americans. Off I went- paid $2 to park, and $1 round trip to leave and return to the US! There was an older guy with his grandson that I ran into that goes over to Mexico to get manicures and his teeth cleaned-- he bought me a Corona and I bought I dress!















I was in Mexico for 30 minutes max and then headed back over the bridge with my passport !

Then off to Austin.... I hit a ton of rain on the way up North through Texas.


I hit 10,000 miles on my car on the way to Austin and also went to the bathroom in the most disgusting bathroom at a gas station I have ever been to in my entire life! Cops were pulling people over, asking to see their papers and I even had to go through a Border Patrol checkpoint ! At least they had cute dogs!


I got into Austin around 9pm and had the most delicious tacos and one strong margarita! We stopped by the turtle pond on UT Austin's campus afterwards. Boy there are good looking guys here!! Do I have to leave???









Heading west today! Goal is to be in Albuquerque tonight!

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Location:Leon St,Austin,United States

Day 2: Birmingham, New Orleans, and Houston

I left Nashville bright and early and was in Alabama within an hour. I stopped by Birmingham to see the house my dad was born in. Here it is:




Then I stopped by a coffee shop named "Octane" where I got the best cup of coffee I have ever had-- they even roast their coffee right there in the store! Then I left and headed west. As you probably remember, I wasn't 100% if I was going to go through Little Rock or New Orleans on my way to Houston when I first left my house.... But I wound up deciding to go to NOLA.
As I drove through Alabama & Mississippi I passed a Mercedes Benz plant, gas for $3.29, and lots of trucks! I even got gas at a gas station that sells crickets...
During the drive yesterday I realized how thankful I am I have the endurance of a bus driver and a marathoner. I was driving for close to 14 hours yesterday and wasn't even that tired once I got to Houston. Of course eating healthy, staying hydrated, and talking to people makes the difference!
I was in New Orleans for MAYBE 30 minutes and was able to have gumbo & beignets(sp?).
















Once I left NOLA I hit torrential downpours & traffic jams. I didn't stop between NOLA and Houston. As soon as I crossed over into Texas it was very flat! (Cue the song "Wide Open Spaces" by the Dixie Chicks).




I think when I got to Kentucky & Tennessee I realized how far I was from home based on the license plates I saw. I'm in Houston now and have seen 3 Maryland license plates (only counting once I left West Virginia). It's also interesting to see how each state has similar cities.... Like Roanoke, LA... Roanoke, VA, and Roanoke, NC. There was also an exit for Clarksville, TN and I thought I was back home! Iowa, LA was probably the worst--- was I in Iowa or Louisiana? It can get very confusing if you've been driving all day! Way to go for originality, states.
I spent the night in Houston last night-- reminds me of a mixture of Phoenix & Cleveland. Heading south today--- then will head west tomorrow!
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Location:Givens St,Houston,United States

Day 1: Western MD, WVA, Kentucky, Tennessee

Saturday night I was so tired I wound up going to bed without being anywhere close to being finished packing. This past week has been exhausting! I woke up early Sunday morning, finished packing, packed my car, and hit the road (I left at about 7:30am).
Instead of taking 81 south, I drove all the way through Western Maryland and then straight down West Virginia & Kentucky to Tennessee. The drive through Western Maryland was beautiful - I'm sure the colors in the fall would make it spectacular! I've never been as far west in Maryland as I was, so it was cool to drive through Frostburg and by the exit for Deep Creek.
Once I left MD, I began the seemingly never-ending drive through West Virginia. If you draw a line from the top of West Virginia to the bottom of it that's where I drove... And boy was it hilly! I did pass a car with a bumper sticker that said "hell yeah I'm a redneck" and also saw a tractor in the median of the highway broken down and it looked like it had been there since they first discovered WVA. I also had never been as far west in West Virginia as I was-- it was weird driving past lean-to shacks in Appalachia. I did see van loads of kids from a youth group in Ohio or Connecticut heading to a work camp there -- wish we had a work camp there when I was in high school! Anyways, I decided to stop in Charleston, WV for a light lunch. I found the "Bluegrass Cafe" on yelp! and got a spinach salad -- everything on it was from local farms and it was DELICIOUS.




Once I got back on the road, I continued towards Nashville. Thank you to everyone who gave me snacks- the drive was much more bearable because all I did was eat for 11 hours! I did realize the crunchier something was, the more awake I was, so all of those crunchy snacks are pretty much gone... Ha!
I know Kentucky has some beautiful farmland but seriously as I was driving I felt like it was almost a waste of space -- I guess I'm in for a rude awakening the further west I go! Kentucky also has an interesting way of doing road construction-- there were a few times where they had road signs saying "road construction ahead" and there were a bunch of cones set up but no road construction. There were cones making the highway one lane for almost 10 miles at one point... But no construction.... No construction equipment was even to be seen. It was kind of frustrating but I can't really complain that much because at least people driving on those roads know how to drive with cones on the road... Not like your average Maryland driver.
I saw signs for Lincoln's homestead when I was in Springfield, KY, so I made a pitstop there off of the Blue Grass Parkway.




Then I ran into some rain:




...And Brad Paisley's trailer!!




I made a total of 4 or 5 stops yesterday and was on the road for 13 hours. I only stopped for coffee once (and it was Dunkin Donuts coffee!). If you're a techy person, check out Waze and Songza--- make road trips much more bearable, as long as you have service!
I got to Nashville around 7:30 pm their time, 8:30pm EST. I stayed with Chelsea Gough, a girl I went to Mount de Sales with who has an internship at the Grand Ole Opry Hotel. We went to the "Pharmacy" for dinner -- great burgers and beer! We went to bed early from our food babies :).




Well, today I'm off to Houston... Still trying to decide if I'm going to go through Arkansas or down through Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. Probably going to be the latter.












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Location:Crystal Spring Ln,Nashville,United States

Last night at home, let the journey begin!

I'm writing this at 11:38pm, the night before I am about to embark on a journey of a lifetime - driving to the West Coast for work. I accepted the job offer this past Tuesday, and agreed to drive cross-country this Sunday...solo. I'll be working for Nourishmat, a really cool start up out in San Francisco. I am really good friends with the founders, Phil and John, and am so thankful and also really excited that I can live with them once I get out there!

I'm leaving my house at 7am tomorrow morning (right outside of Baltimore), and heading west. First stop = Nashville, TN where I will be staying with a friend from high school. After that, I'll head to Little Rock and then down to Houston. A ton of driving in the first two days, but I'm hoping I can get to Houston Monday so I can spend the night there. Goal for Monday is to have dinner with my friend I'm staying with down there! Of course, if I get tired I'll be sure to stop and spend the night at a motel. I also have my tent with me if I come across a state campground that I need to stay in.

Thank you so much for all of the love and support I've had from everyone - coworkers, friends, family - over the past week. I'm not actually sure if it has hit me that I'm leaving home for the west coast tomorrow or not...but I will definitely need your love and support once I leave!!!

I guess I should probably start packing now?

These are a few of my favorite things...

As a runner and a running specialty store employee, I often find myself or others asking me "what's the best of the best?" Well, this post is intended to answer that question! The list will be pretty small at first, but it will definitely grow the longer I run .

Apparel

• Spandex shorts - Under Armour 7" Compression Shorts . When I get the infamous chub rub and it's so bad Body Glide won't work, I wear these suckers and they work wonders!
• Spandex Crops - lululemon's run: inspire crop ii . These are the BEST crops you will EVER WEAR! SO comfy - they have flat seams so they don't chafe, awesome reflectivity, and a cool pocket in the back for key/credit card/cash. The one big thing for me that was the major WOW factor was that they don't fall down (which is exactly the problem that I've been having with my Under Armour Crops). They don't ride up either! Perfect sizing. I have them in the "we are from space" plum color and ahhhh I love them so much! Go buy a pair! 
• Long run shorts - Brooks Versatile 5" Woven Short. These shorts don't ride up and they give you plenty of breeze on long runs - anything 6 miles or longer. You can wear them for shorter runs too !
• Socks
• Balega Hidden Comfort - Just the right amount of cushioning and compression
• Underwear
• Patagonia's Active Hipster . Wedgie free, most comfy and dry wicking undies I've owned! 
• lululemon's mula bandhawear bikini . These things stay put! Yes, they are $18, but they are really really comfy. I bought them on a whim and am very pleased with them (Patagonia's are still my favorite ; ) ).
• Sports Bra - Armour Bra - easiest bra to get on & off and most dry wicking, non-chafing & supportive that I've tried.  I've tried Moving Comfort bras, but had problems with chafing....I swear by Under Armour!
• My favorite hat - North Face Better Than Naked Hat . This unisex hat is super lightweight and comfy. Unlike every other running hat I have in my closet, it has a unique adjustable strap on the back which makes it easy to adjust as you're running and also is more comfortable than that funky velcro closure most hats have.
• My favorite shirt - lululemon's run: swiftly tech v neck . I bought this shirt because a manager at a lululemon store I was interviewing at was wearing one and loved it! I've run in it 4 times and haven't had to wash it yet (the silverscent keeps the stink away). I like this shirt better than any other shirt I've had! 

Injury Prevention / Treatment

• Hydration on the run? Fuel Belt - by far most comfy hydration belt I've tried and easy to grab the bottles from while you're running!
• Losing Toenails? Pro-Tech Toe Caps - While training for my first marathon, I found my toes getting blistered. No matter what size shoe or what type of sock I was wearing, I kept getting blisters and I was worried about my toenails falling off, so I picked these up! You just slip one over your "toe of concern", slip on your socks, and away you go! I swear by them (Charm City Run and REI sell them)
• Got dat plantar faciitis? Feetures Plantar Faciitis Sleeve - When I had Plantar Faciitis so bad I could barely walk, I slipped this sock on and I felt immediate relief . I haven't run in it, but I do wear it on a regular basis, and even with flip flops when I want to take a ride on the wild side
• Chafing? Try Body Glide . I saw track girls using this in high school and grabbed a stick for myself and use it for every run in the summer. I just did a 10K last week with it on and had no chafing - even after running through sprinklers! Just an FYI - there really is no difference between the ladies version of Body Glide except it's more expensive and you get less. If Body Glide doesn't work for you, try Under Armour 7" Compression Shorts . When I get the infamous chub rub and it's so bad Body Glide won't work, I wear these suckers and they work wonders!

Nutrition

• Clif Shot Bloks - I've tried Gus, bars, you name it. Shot Bloks are the only thing that sit with my tummy well, regardless of what I've eaten. Favorite flavors : CranRazz, Strawberry, Tropical Punch, Mountain Berry, and for my long runs in the summer the Margarita one is great (3x the sodium).

2013 Arbutus Firecraker 10K

Almost two weeks ago I lost one of my best friends, Lew Goode, to brain cancer. When his family and I were talking about ways to commemorate him, we decided to do the Arbutus Firecracker 10K in memory of him. I had always steered clear of this race because of the heat and the hills, but this year I decided to give it a try.

The sky looked a little iffy before we started - I thought it was going to downpour but the sun wound up coming out right at the start. I wound up "running into" a lot of runners I've sold shoes to at Charm City Run - kinda cool to see them enjoying something I helped them pick out! I even ran with one customer for a good amount of time. Throughout the race we were greeted with sprinklers and old ladies squirting us with hoses. This was an AWESOME race and I would recommend it to everyone - it is definitely one I will do every year. At the end of the race, there was a bunch of food - hot dogs, watermelon, oranges, you name it. Great race, fast times.

Martin & I at the finish...
I finished in 55:44 and came in 50th place!

Overall rating? A.

Main complaints? None

Favorite parts? The friendliness of the crowd!

Communication before the race? N/A (I signed up at packet pickup)

Expo? N/A

Premium? B+. Red tech tee- off brand, sleeves were awkwardly long, but the design was nice!

Water Stops/Aid Stations? A+. The aid stations, sprinklers, and hoses made the course bearable on such a hot day!

Finisher's Medal? N/A

Finisher's Festival? A. Thanks for the fresh fruit!

Would I run this race again/recommend it to anyone? Definitely! Great local race for the 4th