I feel like I am finally back in the swing of things. School is starting to really pick up and I have been working out almost every day. I ran a total of 15 miles over the weekend with a long run of 9 miles on Sunday, which felt really good even when it started raining when I only had 3 miles left. I am aiming for over 20 miles this week, which will be a record for me, but hopefully become a more regular occurrence.
On a related note I feel the need to say that this whole running thing I’ve got going on has nothing to do with me wanting to lose weight. I am really happy with my body right now. I went to a Postsecret event a couple weeks ago (which was fantastic) and was reminded, thanks to all the anorexic postcards, of some friends in college who were anorexic and my own unhealthy obsession with my weight, aka my weird idea that a size four wasn’t small enough. None of us ate healthy food or worked out – the whole focus was on how little we could eat. I lived on coffee and cereal.
I may have gained weight since my college days, but I’m so much healthier that it’s hard to be down about it. I think it is so important that we support each other and always remember that we’re all different. I remember in school once we were getting our fat percentage tested and the skinniest girl in the class had the highest percentage. Doesn’t that just scream at you that we as a society are focusing on the wrong things?! That we should be focusing on blood pressure, cholesterol, etc instead of what size jeans you fit into it?
I had a friend who was in and out of hospitals for anorexia so this is a very touchy subject for me. Not to mention that my high school nurse and I knew each other well thanks to the number of times that I was called into her office and forced to eat saltines and drink juice. I just have one final thought, which is that I feel 1,000 times better about myself when I finish 9 miles at a strong pace than I ever did when I put a bikini on and could count all my ribs. So, yeah, I’m going to get off my soapbox now. I hope everybody had a fabulous weekend!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
What I want right now
Work has been kicking my butt lately hence the lack of posting. Also, for probably the first time in my life I’m having trouble sleeping so I’m a thousand times more tired than I usually am. However, I have been keeping up with my running. But really there’s nothing that exciting to report...AND I have nothing to write about here. I started to write about the baby fever that is taking over my life, but it was a really lame post. So instead I’ll do another post of things I WANT. No, NEED.
First, while I am usually not a fan of exposed zippers I love how it makes this simple black skirt more interesting and sexy.
Second, I have always wanted a pair of Tory Burch shoes. Actually, Tory Burch anything would be welcomed, but I especially love these bronze wedges.
Lastly, I really need a new purse and I keep saying I’ll get a black or brown, but I love this sunny yellow purse. It would just brighten up any outfit!
If only I was made of money.
First, while I am usually not a fan of exposed zippers I love how it makes this simple black skirt more interesting and sexy.
Second, I have always wanted a pair of Tory Burch shoes. Actually, Tory Burch anything would be welcomed, but I especially love these bronze wedges.
Lastly, I really need a new purse and I keep saying I’ll get a black or brown, but I love this sunny yellow purse. It would just brighten up any outfit!
If only I was made of money.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
More Evidence That I Should Drop Out Of School
To continue with my earlier post I forced Chuckles to take the same personality test I did. Funnily enough we’re practically complete opposites AND his profile clearly said, “You should not marry a career woman.” So. Can you use an MBA degree as a housewife?
Anyway, I finally signed up for my half marathon! I’m excited right now simply because I can’t believe I’m actually following through with something and now that I’ve spent the money on it I HAVE to run it. Good thing I’ll be successful with this resolution because I already have missed several days on my Project 365 resolution. I’m just not very creative when it comes to photo composition, which is one of the reasons I chose the resolution…but I’m having a hard time with it. Oh well, hopefully I’ll get better. Running, on the other hand, has been going well. I went for an 8 miler on Saturday and it felt fabulous – much better than the week before. I think it was either the speedwork I did during the week…or the huge plate of pasta I downed the night before.
Anyway, I finally signed up for my half marathon! I’m excited right now simply because I can’t believe I’m actually following through with something and now that I’ve spent the money on it I HAVE to run it. Good thing I’ll be successful with this resolution because I already have missed several days on my Project 365 resolution. I’m just not very creative when it comes to photo composition, which is one of the reasons I chose the resolution…but I’m having a hard time with it. Oh well, hopefully I’ll get better. Running, on the other hand, has been going well. I went for an 8 miler on Saturday and it felt fabulous – much better than the week before. I think it was either the speedwork I did during the week…or the huge plate of pasta I downed the night before.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Born in the Wrong Decade
One of the classes I am taking this quarter is Management of People. One of the first we things we had to do was take a personality test – the Myer Briggs test to be exact. I’ve taken this before but couldn’t quite remember much about it other than that I was introverted (Shocker!).
Halfway through the seventy question test I just wanted to scrawl across the test, “You guessed it! I HATE PEOPLE! Happy Now?” However, the perfectionist in me would never purposely fail at test…even if it is only a personality test.
After I took the test and scored it I found that on the Judging-Perception scale I am very very much on the Judging side. Not judging in the sense that those shoes you’re wearing are hideous…although I am judging in that sense too. But in Myer Briggs test it refers to something completely different. In my case when it comes right down to it it means that I need the next 5 years of my life planned out in excruciating detail. This tendency of mine drives my fiancé mad and he is always telling me I do not need to plan so far ahead and blah blah blah. The point is it’s a big part of my personality and there is NOTHING I can do to change it…or something like that. My personality description also said that I would most likely marry an alcoholic (no joke) so when I informed Chuckles that I was justified in my planning the next ten years of our lives he replied that it was time he started drinking more, which is fine by me as long as he doesn’t lose his job because, apparently, I am also meant to be a housewife. Time to start popping out babies! Screw school!
In other news, I haven't done any running since Tuesday, but I did do yoga on Tuesday and my arms are still sore. I plan on running 4 miles when I get home tonight, which will make for a very long day, but I'm not going to let that stop me.
Halfway through the seventy question test I just wanted to scrawl across the test, “You guessed it! I HATE PEOPLE! Happy Now?” However, the perfectionist in me would never purposely fail at test…even if it is only a personality test.
After I took the test and scored it I found that on the Judging-Perception scale I am very very much on the Judging side. Not judging in the sense that those shoes you’re wearing are hideous…although I am judging in that sense too. But in Myer Briggs test it refers to something completely different. In my case when it comes right down to it it means that I need the next 5 years of my life planned out in excruciating detail. This tendency of mine drives my fiancé mad and he is always telling me I do not need to plan so far ahead and blah blah blah. The point is it’s a big part of my personality and there is NOTHING I can do to change it…or something like that. My personality description also said that I would most likely marry an alcoholic (no joke) so when I informed Chuckles that I was justified in my planning the next ten years of our lives he replied that it was time he started drinking more, which is fine by me as long as he doesn’t lose his job because, apparently, I am also meant to be a housewife. Time to start popping out babies! Screw school!
In other news, I haven't done any running since Tuesday, but I did do yoga on Tuesday and my arms are still sore. I plan on running 4 miles when I get home tonight, which will make for a very long day, but I'm not going to let that stop me.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Sea of Love
I feel like I am finally back on the healthy wagon. I ran a total of 12 miles this weekend. They were difficult, but felt good. I blame the difficulty on how windy it was outside – it really is hard to run up a steep hill against the wind.
I also did some speedwork last night at the gym, which is quickly turning into my favorite workout. I used to dread it, but now I really look forward to it. I like it because it is easy to convince myself that I can run fast when I only have to do it for a mile at a time. I also watched the end of the UNC basketball game while I ran, which really made the time fly by.
I also started keeping track of everything I eat again, which I pretty much stopped doing for the month of December. School starts up again this week so I’m glad I got back into my routine before it started otherwise I never would have.
I’m alternately pumped and depressed that school’s starting again. I’m pumped because I don’t really have another long break until August, which is when I am getting married and that means that the next 8 months will just fly by. On the other hand, I have eight months of school with no break, which means I will be Burnt Out by the end of it. My plan of attack is to take it day by day by day. I almost wish I had some more wedding planning to do for something to look forward to, but knowing that I was going to be busy I already took care of most everything. We have to register this month, but after that all that’s left is little stuff like making the favors and…well, that’s pretty much it.
I’ve even finished my favorite part of the planning: the playlist. We are having a very intimate wedding, less than 30 people, so no band or dj, which gives me complete control over the music. As a music fanatic I wouldn’t have it any other way. I was hoping that it would take me the whole year of our engagement to fiddle with it, but it’s only taken me six months. I also thought it would take me forever to settle on what song I wanted to walk down the aisle too…but I actually decided pretty quickly on that:
Here’s the song that we will walk back down to the aisle to:
This was the second runner up for the processional song:
Do you have a favorite love song that was or will be featured in your wedding?
I also did some speedwork last night at the gym, which is quickly turning into my favorite workout. I used to dread it, but now I really look forward to it. I like it because it is easy to convince myself that I can run fast when I only have to do it for a mile at a time. I also watched the end of the UNC basketball game while I ran, which really made the time fly by.
I also started keeping track of everything I eat again, which I pretty much stopped doing for the month of December. School starts up again this week so I’m glad I got back into my routine before it started otherwise I never would have.
I’m alternately pumped and depressed that school’s starting again. I’m pumped because I don’t really have another long break until August, which is when I am getting married and that means that the next 8 months will just fly by. On the other hand, I have eight months of school with no break, which means I will be Burnt Out by the end of it. My plan of attack is to take it day by day by day. I almost wish I had some more wedding planning to do for something to look forward to, but knowing that I was going to be busy I already took care of most everything. We have to register this month, but after that all that’s left is little stuff like making the favors and…well, that’s pretty much it.
I’ve even finished my favorite part of the planning: the playlist. We are having a very intimate wedding, less than 30 people, so no band or dj, which gives me complete control over the music. As a music fanatic I wouldn’t have it any other way. I was hoping that it would take me the whole year of our engagement to fiddle with it, but it’s only taken me six months. I also thought it would take me forever to settle on what song I wanted to walk down the aisle too…but I actually decided pretty quickly on that:
Here’s the song that we will walk back down to the aisle to:
This was the second runner up for the processional song:
Do you have a favorite love song that was or will be featured in your wedding?
Thursday, December 31, 2009
New Year's Resolutions
I was going to write a post about how I never make resolutions and then, out of curiosity, I looked at my blog archives from last January and, apparently, I made several resolutions last year. The good news is I succeeded at one of them, which was to run more. But the other two were huge failures (be organized and be more adventurous with fashion). I’m not even going to attempt being organized this year – it’s a lost cause. So here are my resolutions for 2010 that I hopefully will not immediately forget about.
Run a half marathon. Since running was my only successful resolution of 2009 why not continue with it for 2010? I plan on signing up for the race next week and seriously start training this weekend. I’m actually excited for this. I’ve always wanted to be able to run a half marathon and, more than that, be the type of person that would run a half marathon. Now I am that person! I just have to keep reminding myself how wonderful it will feel to cross that finish line. Along the same lines I want to diversify my fitness routine. Try swimming more and take more classes at the gym.
Project 365. I got a fancy new camera last January and I haven’t been very lax about using it. My goal this year is to become a better photographer and I figured the best way to go about this would be with lots of practice. With all that practice I’m sure to get better at composition and lighting. So I plan on taking at least one picture every day. Obviously, to succeed at this resolution I will need to get in the habit of carrying my camera with me everywhere and also uploading my pics once a week. I also think it will be fun to look at the pictures next year as a way of reviewing 2010.
Career Decision. This isn’t so much a resolution as a MUST DO. I have to start interviewing next fall so I really need to figure out what kind of job I want and what kind of company I want to work for. I’m sure I’ll be blogging about it because it has been weighing heavily on my mind lately.
I am really really looking forward to 2010. Mainly because I’m getting married. Did you hear me? I’M GETTING MARRIED. I’ve been engaged for six months and yet I still feel the need to shout that every time I say it. Here’s to a fabulous 2010 – Happy new years!
Run a half marathon. Since running was my only successful resolution of 2009 why not continue with it for 2010? I plan on signing up for the race next week and seriously start training this weekend. I’m actually excited for this. I’ve always wanted to be able to run a half marathon and, more than that, be the type of person that would run a half marathon. Now I am that person! I just have to keep reminding myself how wonderful it will feel to cross that finish line. Along the same lines I want to diversify my fitness routine. Try swimming more and take more classes at the gym.
Project 365. I got a fancy new camera last January and I haven’t been very lax about using it. My goal this year is to become a better photographer and I figured the best way to go about this would be with lots of practice. With all that practice I’m sure to get better at composition and lighting. So I plan on taking at least one picture every day. Obviously, to succeed at this resolution I will need to get in the habit of carrying my camera with me everywhere and also uploading my pics once a week. I also think it will be fun to look at the pictures next year as a way of reviewing 2010.
Career Decision. This isn’t so much a resolution as a MUST DO. I have to start interviewing next fall so I really need to figure out what kind of job I want and what kind of company I want to work for. I’m sure I’ll be blogging about it because it has been weighing heavily on my mind lately.
I am really really looking forward to 2010. Mainly because I’m getting married. Did you hear me? I’M GETTING MARRIED. I’ve been engaged for six months and yet I still feel the need to shout that every time I say it. Here’s to a fabulous 2010 – Happy new years!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Motivation for the new year
Then last night I went to the gym to run a 4-miler on the treadmill. The first mile went great. Then the second mile I started to get shin splints and stomach cramps all at once. Two things that rarely happen to me. I kept pausing the treadmill to stretch and drink water, but nothing was helping. So I quit at mile 2. I have NEVER quit a run early before. I felt shitty about it all night. I should have at least walked the other 2 miles. Oh well, time to start over and forget about it.
Luckily, Runner’s World posted an article today about how to stay motivated so I decided to write down my favorite ones from the article here so I can refer back to it when I need a little extra push (some I tweaked slightly to fit me personally).
Create a blog. I’m already doing this! This is all about publicly declaring your goals to create accountability for yourself. In that vein, I fully plan on running 4 miles tomorrow and 8 miles on Friday.
Forget the watch. I have become way too attached to my Garmin. I can’t even imagine running without it. But I found on a 10 miler I did a week ago that when I didn’t look at it constantly and actually relaxed I ran at a faster pace. So I need to become more relaxed and start making running fun again. On a related note, I think this is partly what went wrong last night – I was pushing myself too hard and if I had just slowed down I’m sure I would’ve finished the 4 miles.
Sign up now. Signing up for a 5k is how I originally motivated myself to start running. I’m very competitive so this always helps me. I really need to sign up for the Seattle Rock n Roll half before I chicken out or they sell out. I signed on to do it a couple weeks ago and then got sticker shock when I saw how expensive it was. But now I have Christmas money so I NEED to get on that. I know that’ll get me off my ass. The fear of failure really is the ultimate motivator.
Think Fast. Runner’s World’s suggestion here was to run the first half of your run slow and then run the second half fast. I definitely need to try some runs like this because so often I don’t pace myself very well and am dying on the second half of the run. It would be a nice change of pace to have extra energy at the end of the run.
Download new music. I know if Kesha’s song Tick Tock came on my iPod as I was running my pace would increase. Or promise yourself that if you go for your run you can purchase that song you just can’t get enough of when you get back.
Remind yourself. It always helps me to remind myself how far I’ve come both mentally and physically since I started running regularly. I may not be at the weight I want to be at, but I am proud of my body because I know what it’s capable of. I love my legs now even if they are ridiculously short because I know how strong they are. I always make a point of thinking about how confident and great I feel when I finish a run.
Treat yourself. When I am having an especially hard time getting my ass out the door I promise myself a treat when I get back. Chocolate milk is the best treat because it’s good to drink after a run and who doesn’t love it?
Honeymoon Bikini. This is the obvious one. Swimsuit season is just around the corner. I’ll be on a honeymoon this summer and I fully intend to look hot while on it. I plan on hanging a pic of my dream swimsuit in my office to serve as a constant reminder.
Don’t Pause. This is a big one for me. I need to just jump out of bed and go for a run – I tend to give myself too much time to talk myself out of it.
No Regret. My mantra: You’ll regret it big time if you don’t run and laze around on the couch instead.
Try New Trails. Change up your route. I think I’ll try the park across the street (I don’t know why I haven’t run there yet…) and Green Lake would be a big treat for me (great people watching).
What motivates you to get out the door and get your ass in gear?
Luckily, Runner’s World posted an article today about how to stay motivated so I decided to write down my favorite ones from the article here so I can refer back to it when I need a little extra push (some I tweaked slightly to fit me personally).
Create a blog. I’m already doing this! This is all about publicly declaring your goals to create accountability for yourself. In that vein, I fully plan on running 4 miles tomorrow and 8 miles on Friday.
Forget the watch. I have become way too attached to my Garmin. I can’t even imagine running without it. But I found on a 10 miler I did a week ago that when I didn’t look at it constantly and actually relaxed I ran at a faster pace. So I need to become more relaxed and start making running fun again. On a related note, I think this is partly what went wrong last night – I was pushing myself too hard and if I had just slowed down I’m sure I would’ve finished the 4 miles.
Sign up now. Signing up for a 5k is how I originally motivated myself to start running. I’m very competitive so this always helps me. I really need to sign up for the Seattle Rock n Roll half before I chicken out or they sell out. I signed on to do it a couple weeks ago and then got sticker shock when I saw how expensive it was. But now I have Christmas money so I NEED to get on that. I know that’ll get me off my ass. The fear of failure really is the ultimate motivator.
Think Fast. Runner’s World’s suggestion here was to run the first half of your run slow and then run the second half fast. I definitely need to try some runs like this because so often I don’t pace myself very well and am dying on the second half of the run. It would be a nice change of pace to have extra energy at the end of the run.
Download new music. I know if Kesha’s song Tick Tock came on my iPod as I was running my pace would increase. Or promise yourself that if you go for your run you can purchase that song you just can’t get enough of when you get back.
Remind yourself. It always helps me to remind myself how far I’ve come both mentally and physically since I started running regularly. I may not be at the weight I want to be at, but I am proud of my body because I know what it’s capable of. I love my legs now even if they are ridiculously short because I know how strong they are. I always make a point of thinking about how confident and great I feel when I finish a run.
Treat yourself. When I am having an especially hard time getting my ass out the door I promise myself a treat when I get back. Chocolate milk is the best treat because it’s good to drink after a run and who doesn’t love it?
Honeymoon Bikini. This is the obvious one. Swimsuit season is just around the corner. I’ll be on a honeymoon this summer and I fully intend to look hot while on it. I plan on hanging a pic of my dream swimsuit in my office to serve as a constant reminder.
Don’t Pause. This is a big one for me. I need to just jump out of bed and go for a run – I tend to give myself too much time to talk myself out of it.
No Regret. My mantra: You’ll regret it big time if you don’t run and laze around on the couch instead.
Try New Trails. Change up your route. I think I’ll try the park across the street (I don’t know why I haven’t run there yet…) and Green Lake would be a big treat for me (great people watching).
What motivates you to get out the door and get your ass in gear?
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