Adventures in Winter Running

The snow came on Saturday and it seems to have brought winter with it. And let me tell you something: I'm not happy about it. I hate, hate, HATE cold weather. I know everyone talks about how being cold is so much better than being hot because at least you can put on layers to get warmer and blah blah blah blah FALSE. No matter how many layers I put on I can't ever get warm enough. Except for those times when I finally have enough layers on and then I start to walk and start to sweat and by the time I get to the office I'm a hot mess. Cold weather ruins everything. Fall was nice. It was almost refreshing. But then over the weekend the temperature decides to up and drop itself 20 degrees and I've decided to turn into a hermit again until April.

Except unfortunately, I can't, since I signed up for the Frostbite 15K with my Dad on January 24th in Richmond, so I need to stick with the running. And unfortunately, the only thing I may hate more than cold weather is running on the treadmill. (...ok, Maryland and running on the treadmill... with a side of Twilight fans) So, I embarqued on my first ever winter run. Last winter I was able to run almost completely on UVa's indoor track (glorious. Miss you.), but now I just don't have that option.



Right after work I rushed over to Golds and changed into my winter running gear (a good rule of thumb: add 20 degrees to the temperature outside and that is how it'll feel after you've warmed up). I put on my Lucy running tights and thermal jacket and gloves. I really should have put my running turtleneck on, too, since my neck was cold! I need to buy a hat as well. Before I went outside I hopped on the elliptical for ten minutes to warm up and then dragged myself out the door for three miles around the National Mall.

It was about 5:15 at this point and it was already completely dark. Not a great boost to my already sorry mood. On the plus side, there were way fewer tourists to avoid than usual, and I think I saw three total runners out and no bikers. Usually it's a really crowded area. It seemed like it took forever for my Garmin to load, and my muscles started to cool down quickly. So, as soon as it found the satelite I started to BOOK IT.

Well, I thought I did. I kept looking down at my watch to be shocked at my pace. I decided not to push myself too hard, since obviously my body was trying to rebel against the speed. I ended up finishing the three miles in 32:11 (with two long stoplights included). Once I hit three miles I walked the last couple blocks and then stretched inside to avoid injury.

Ok, the run wasn't fun, but it didn't suck. I'm glad I warmed up inside which I think helped a lot. I'm going to do this when I start my runs from home, too (with jumping jacks, etc). Breathing was hard, and my throat was kind of sore at the end. But, I got through it, and I'm glad I did it. What sucked was running in the dark on top of the freezing temperature. I loved running in the dark in the summer time, but the cold weather makes it seem really lonely and depressing instead of peaceful and spiritual.

I may have to invest in a few other winter accessories, and potentially start running at lunch time, but I will survive winter running!

Good thing it doesn't get any colder than this... right?

The First Snow of the Season!

Check this out!




It is December 5 in Falls Church, Virginia, y'all, and it is snowing like CRAZY! That's the view from our balcony and it's beautiful! I'm so glad this is happening on a Saturday and not in the middle of the week when I have to trek to work! Something about the snow makes me feels so cozy. I'm currently snuggled up on my couch under my throw blanket watching the Food Network (my love). Anne Burrell is making an amazing looking Tuscan Chickpea soup that I may have to try out soon :)

I did make a trip to the farmer's market this morning! Luckily the snow is only sticking to the pretty places (rooftops and trees) and not the road so the mile drive was no problem. It was pretty empty today. And I'll tell you what, this Southern girl is not prepared for this! I put on boat shoes over wool socks and a raincoat over my hoodie. Needless to say, my toes were soaked and my fingers were freezing, so I made it a short trip! I did pick up a delicious looking mix of mushrooms, leeks, salad greens, radishes, a parsnip, an onion, and some artisan-made Indian spiced hummus! Anyone know a good recipe that uses parsnips? It was kind of an impulse buy since I've never cooked with them before!

Last night my friend Patrick from work (the same one I'm going to start triathlon training with) came over last minute for chili and cornbread. I used this cornbread recipe (I love Bella's blog! I think I may make her latest recipe for one of the three holiday parties I'm going to next week!) and this chili recipe, minus the chips and blue cheese. I wanted to do the vegetarian chili I made with Krystal in Colorado, but Pete doesn't do beans (I know, right!). We put out some blue corn chips and salsa and cracked open some wine and beer and had a great time. I gave all the leftover cornbread (to avoid temptation-it was delicious!) and most of the chili to Patrick. I love being able to cook for other people even more than I love cooking for myself. Something about sharing the food you made yourself is so special. Creating food is like creating art. It's even more meaningful when other people get to enjoy it.

We were planning on going swimming today, but I'm slowly losing motivation! Pete had to go to work this morning :( so hopefully he'll get me moving soon! We may go pick out our Christmas tree later today :) This snow makes it finally feel like the holidays!!!

I Tend to Fixate

Let me explain...

Well, I'm neurotic. Seriously. A little bit. Sometimes a lot.

No matter where I am in my life or how much work I have to do, I am going to stress out big time about SOMETHING. I've just accepted that. Knowing that I have this tendency, helps me to cool it sometimes. But not really.

When I'm stressed out about something, it becomes all consuming. It's hard for me to focus on other things because this thing that I'm stressed about is always in the back of my mind. When I did theater it was usually whatever scene in the show I was in that wasn't working out or the dance I hadn't quite learned yet. In college it was usually whatever paper was due next. When it relates to work this stress is usually a good thing. It forces me to get this stuff done.

Often, it's just something stupid I have no control over. Last year when I took the Greyhound Bus to Philly (really smelly experience) I stressed the entire way there about whether or not the driver forgot to put my bag under the bus. Seriously, neurotic. Last summer while I was interning I couldn't get off work to move into my apartment and I stressed out for about a week over whether or not the landlord would give the keys to my roomate's mom since her name wasn't on the lease. I worry about being late or getting lost a lot. Sometimes I'll have mini-fixations when I'm about to turn left into a really busy intersection without a stoplight (yeah... I usually just wimp out and turn right and make a u-turn). I don't even want to TALK about the thoughts going through my head when I had to take public transportation for the first time into DC for job interviews.

I am a total nut job.

So, I'm currently applying early to George Mason University Law School. Considering the quality of the program, its proximity between my home and office, and how reasonably priced it is, it's really the best option for me and if I don't get in, I'm going to have to make some serious decisions about where I want to be and what I want to do next year. Now, my grades are good, but my LSAT score is considerably lower than GMU's average. There's a good chance I won't get in, which would really shake my life up a lot. At the very minimum, I'd have to move closer to the city, if not in the city, or to an entirely different geographic location, and I would acquire a considerable amount of debt over the next few years. So, there's that.

However, filling out my application has been a breeze. I definitely put effort into my personal statement, but there was no Suzanne-level stress going on. I just did it and felt good about it and submitted it. I've actually been surprisingly confident about all of my application materials.

Except, that even though I have two weeks before my application is due, leaving plenty of time to get all of my letters of recommendation in, I can't stop stressing that one of them will get lost in the mail. Or that LSAC won't put them in the system in time. Or one of my recommenders will forget to include the form. I'm just so worried about it that I can't get it out of my head and can't focus on anything else.

It's so weird. Even though I kind of NEED to get into Mason, actually getting in isn't what I'm worried about. And even if the recommendations don't get in in time, I'm applying early. I can always just submit my application before the regular deadline. It will be OK! CHILL THE F-BOMB OUT!

I told you I was crazy.

On a completely different note, my calves are killing me. Yesterday it was raining when I got home from work so instead of running, I did Jillian Michael's "Burn Fat, Boost Metabolism" workout on Exercise.tv. HOLY CRAP OUCH! It was awesome. She made up a whole bunch of different cardio/core circuits that kept me interested through the entire workout. Plus, when I did the plank twists, which I could never get through in the "30 Day Shred" I didn't have to stop once. They were so much easier than before! It's so great to be able to see how much stronger I've gotten since the summer! I credit Abu. The man works my abs TO DEATH, but it's totally paying off. Now I just need to get rid of this little layer of fat on top of them to really make them pop...

Ok now, back to stressing/googling about how long LSAC takes to process recommendations/possibly calling the hotline for the third time today...

Rain, Rain, Go AWAY!

Isn't this rain a pain? It was so beautiful yesterday. This weather makes me want to curl up on the couch in sweatpants (which is exactly what I'm doing right now). I skipped spin tonight and instead did 45 minutes of Yoga Sculpt on Exercise TV On Demand. I can't believe I'm just discovering this now. It was a nice alternative to actually leaving my house :)

I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful :) Ours was so nice. I had so much fun spending time with Pete's family. They are such a fun group! My sweet potato casserole was a hit! I was nervous since Pete's cousin made one, too! Hers was sweeter than mine, though, with marshmallows, so I think we each had something a little different! Pete's grandmother was so sweet. She made a point to tell me how great it was and kept telling everyone else to try it! It made me smile :)

Richmond was nice this weekend. Unfortunately my best friend came down with MONO the day after Thanksgiving! So, I only got to see her for a little bit on Saturday, but that little bit was well worth it. Miss you, boo! Come visit me soon!

The Pii board meeting went very well. Next year's Conference will be in Kent, Ohio from July 10-17. My good friend Maria and her sister Sarah are directing, Dorey is choreographer (she was my assistant when I choreographer and I'm so proud of her!), and Matt and Nick are band directors. Seeing everyone made me so excited about next year's conference! I HAVE to go next year. I hated not being there this year.

I'm proud to say that I hit every single workout this weekend! I lifted/went to spin on Friday, ran 6.2 m on Saturday, and lifted yesterday. I also went grocery shopping AND finished my personal statement for law school! My application should be ready to go soon!

This week has been fairly easy so far. I'm in Disaster Contracting training until Wednesday which is so chill (plus I love sleeping in, even if it's just until 6:30...). I can't believe tomorrow is DECEMBER! This year has really flown by. I do love this month though :) I LOVE the holidays. Plus it's my birthday month! 23 will totally be epic! I promise!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

This is me, post Turkey Trot today! Yes, I was a hot sweaty mess. Clarendon has some ridiculous hills, my friends! I finished in 25:38 (according to my watch) and am fairly happy with my performance. I am not happy, however, that the guy who was running with his dog and had to stop to clean up his dog's business beat me. Such is life. The weather was chilly, but not too bad. Check out this crazy fog! I haven't seen it this bad in lord knows how long!



I baked my Thanksgiving treats while watching the parade this morning. The pecan pie looks good. My butternut squash probably won't be a hit. My sweet potato casserole, recipe care of bella eats, is still cooking and smells amazing! I definitely had a taste (or several) of the batter and it was heavenly. I can't wait to try the finished product!

We're about to head over to Pete's mom's house. They're predicting about 30 people there! Way bigger than my own family's celebrations. I'm really excited! I love big family gatherings :)

In the spirit of the season, today I am thankful for...

My wonderful boyfriend, who is so caring and understanding, and always knows how to make me laugh <3
My friends, new and old, who are so fun and keep me grounded.
My parents, who have been incredible role models throughout my life.
My sister, who has shaped the person I am and continues to help me grow every day we spend together.
My career, which although it's just starting is showing so much promise.
My health, and my new ability to understand that "healthy" and "thin" are not synonymous.
My Jesus, who works in mysterious ways.
My life, which is always full of new adventures and challenges. I am so blessed to be living this life full of learning and love. I am so thankful for every new day and opportunity. This year has been full of changes, but each one is a gift. I can't wait to see how my life unfolds before next Thanksgiving, and what other things I can be thankful.

Have a safe and happy holiday, everyone. Now eat that pie and don't feel guilty! Life's too short for that.

P.S. I'm also thankful that Starbucks donated pumpkin cream cheese muffins to the race this morning. Glorious.

Happy (Almost) Thanksgiving!

Is anyone else in a very empty office like I am today? This place is a ghost town. It's pretty much just me and a handful of other married young people (although I bet I'm the only one whose family is going to Disney World without her on Thanksgiving) (Not that I'm bitter or anything) (JK LOVE YOU MOM). I'm keeping my fingers crossed we'll get out of here really early today. Without anyone here I don't have much work to do anyways...

I've really been skimping on my workouts this week. On Monday I went to the gym to take spin and the class was full! It was such a bummer! I did 30 tough minutes on the elliptical and then lost motivation. I hate the elliptical, especially if I don't have music and a magazine to entertain me! Then yesterday, I was planning on going for a run and then working out with my trainer. Then my trainer called to reschedule to earlier in the day. Now, I could have gone for a run after my appointment... but it was dark... and rainy... and I needed to go register for the Turkey Trot... and I realized that when I was playing the excuse game that much I should probably just give myself a break. I did have a good session with Abu, though! He's teaching my to box and it's a lot of fun and a great workout! I don't feel so bad about taking a break, especially with a race tomorrow and since my legs have been feeling icky since Saturday's 10K. The annoying thing was that I had been carb loading in the afternoon to prepare for my run, and when I didn't run I felt like I was just wasting calories.

I know my focus right now needs to be to enjoy myself (without going overboard) over the holiday weekend and then get back on track on Monday. I'm excited about this race and spending time with Pete and his family. I'm making pecan pie and sweet potato pie- plus potentially some other sides... Food Network keeps giving me new ideas!

Pie tip: most pies can be made ahead of time! Follow the recipe until just before you're supposed to put the pie in the oven, and stick the unbaked pie in the freezer instead. When it comes time to bake, just add 20 minutes on to the baking time! I did this with my pecan pie, but not the sweet potato. Sweet potato and pumpkin pies will just get soggy if you do this :(

I'll be back tonight with tomorrow's playlist!

What are you making for Thanksgiving dinner?

Cranberry Crawl 10K Recap

I woke up at 5:15 am this morning (how sad is that I only wake up ten minutes later than this most days?) and hurried over to the kitchen to get some food in my system. I made 1 1/2 servings of old-fashioned oats with a ton of organic raspberries, plus some honey and a date for some good old-fashioned simple carb fun! Along with a few (although maybe not enough) glasses of water.

I'm happy to report that my legs were feeling much better than they have been this morning. My thighs were so sore yesterday from Thursday's training appointment, but I think taking a walk, stretching, and some foam roller action really helped. I was feeling pretty confident by the time I pulled Pete out of bed and we scrambled out the door!

Other than the very cold weather (so glad I invested in some running tights), this course was wonderful. We started at Belle Haven Park and Marina and winded through the Mount Vernon Trail a 5K out and back. We were right by the river and it was absolutely breath-taking. Even the cars and non-race runners (it wasn't the most well-organized race) didn't bother me. After running a bit, the cold wasn't bothering me at all. I felt really good.

What wasn't as fun were the hills. They were non-existent for the first mile and a half. Then they just came out of nowhere! It slowed me down some, and some other runners that I had passed earlier started to pass me back. It took some time to adjust, but I let myself drop my pace and then just worked to maintain it. By the time I got to the turn-around I was doing fine and feeling great!

I maintained about a 9:30/m pace for the majority of the race. When the hills hit I dropped to about 9:45/m. When I only had one mile left, I was feeling great, so I pushed it and ran 8:30/m the rest of the way. According to Garmin, I finished in 58:03. not bad. I'm happy that I beat an hour. The last mile was hard, but not really hard. I was tired, but not really tired, at the end. When I finish a 5K I feel like I'm about to vom. I know just how hard I can push myself so that I go the fastest my body is capable of going on that day. It's going to take a while before I can achieve that with a 10K distance. I know I can't run as fast as I do in a 5K, because I'd lose steam at the halfway mark. I know I can go faster than I did today, though. It's just a matter of finding that balance that's right, and it's going to take some time.

When I race, I don't really race against other people. There is a competitive spark in me that loves it when I pass guys my age, but I know I can't compare to most runners (which is obvious when I've just hit the turnaround and I see the leaders coming back for round two!). I do race against myself though. I'm competitive with my own abilities. While I may never run Boston, I know that I can continually grow into a better runner. So, even though by most runner's standards, finishing a 10K in 58 minutes may not be that great, I'm happy with it. A year ago I ran my first 5K in 28 minutes, and I've only gotten better since then. Again, I'm very excited to break into a new race distance and give myself new goals to work towards. My 5K time has improved almost four minutes in the past year (and that was on the same course, too!) and I can't wait to see how my 10K time improves as well.

Per advice from runner's world, I skipped the post-race refreshments (no biggie, since the 5K runners had taken most of the good stuff anyways) except for some water and refueled with a turkey sandwich plus some fruit salad that I had packed. On our way home we stopped by the Falls Church farmers market, where I picked up some yummy pears, sunflower flax bread, granola, and coffee! I love the Falls Church farmers market. I need to go more often. It's huge and unlike many farmers markets, continues to run year round. I didn't get too much since we aren't eating at home much this week. We're doing Thanksgiving with Pete's family, and then I'm heading to Richmond the next weekend for the Pii board meeting (can't wait to see everyone!).

We're about to head out to our friends' house to watch the UVA vs. Clemson game. Enjoy this beautiful fall day!