Worth

With a new year and new resolutions, I think this is always a good time to focus on why each and every one of us deserves all the goodness and happiness in life: for each of us to understand our own worth, regardless of circumstance, time of year, looks, intelligence or financial means.

I have been thinking about this for many reasons unrelated to the new year. First, I finished the podcast, "Serial" (which OMG YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO IT IS AMAZING AND I WANT TO TALK TO MORE PEOPLE ABOUT IT!), which for those of you who haven't seen it, is about a teenage girl's murder and the man who was convicted and all the discrepancies related to his conviction. This brought up questions not only about if he was wrongfully convicted, but how he has lived his life in prison when he (seemingly) is innocent (maybe) and how his outlook has rationalized his life and what people think of him- mainly his family, church and other prisoners.

Secondly, I have been watching Netflix like NO OTHER. And I am watching some awesome shows that are no longer on because I don't like watching new things when I know I LOVE the older stuff (gosh, this Netflix/roku business is changing my life...goodbye cable!), and I have been so impressed with the take charge actions of the females characters and how they don't apologize for anything. It sounds silly, but they reinforce the notion of being true to who you are and knowing your self-worth and value. I really identify with movie or TV episodes/shows that connect with me on emotional levels about life and situations. There are a few episodes that stand out for me- maybe someday I will compose them into a post about why:)

Thirdly, I think great friends are those who make you realize what you are worth. They take you for who you are, let you talk about the deeper things in life, show you things you hadn't thought of before, reinforce your strengths and help you improve upon your weaknesses. Over break I missed so many of my Richmond friends, but I loved getting to see my out-of-town friends, who always help life seem a bit brighter and more fun! I am thankful for all of them and how they help me be a better person.

Running always makes me think of my self worth. Mainly when I get "in the zone" and have some awesome jams on my iPod, like One Direction...There is nothing like a good run to get your confidence up!

Finally, dating...ahh. I don't talk about it much because this blog ain't my whole life (minus the whole running, reading, friends, food and traveling part), but one thing I take away from dating is really valuing your worth. It is SO important not to be ashamed of who YOU are- your quirks, your flaws, your preferences, and what you do and do not deserve. It can be hard to stand up for yourself when you are unsure of someone else's thoughts/feelings and worry you will ruin something or make someone not like you, but you need to value you. If something feels wrong, it probably is. If someone is pissing you off, tell them. Stand up for yourself. If they are right for you, they will value what you have to say. Remember, DO YOU. Know your worth. It can be hard at times, but makes all the difference.

*I also had to get my garbage disposal fixed today after I put too many potato peels in at once on Sunday when I cooked a million sweet potatoes. I know my worth is clearly NOT related to home improvements or any of the construction trades.*

In case you care, the white pipe coming from my disposal is what was clogged up with potatoes!

And then a great quote to sum up the New Year, resolutions and worth- because happiness RIGHT NOW is key to being your best self. Always.

For a long time, it had seemed to me that life was about to begin- real life. But there 

was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, 

some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life."

-Aldred D. Souza

This was a hodgepodge of a post...I blame it being the first week back to work!

Do you think you know your worth? What are areas of your life that reinforce your views on yourself? HAVE YOU LISTENED TO SERIAL?! THEORIES?

Shamrock Marathon Training Week 5

My last week of break is done:( But some travels, relaxation, reading and running happened, so all is good:)

Monday: 45 minute elliptical (weights)

Tuesday: 7 miles @ 8:31 (This was a WINDY run at Duck, Outer Banks, but was really fast for some reason! I PR'ed my 10k time (53:16) and it was the first time I have run 7 miles in under an hour!)

I rewarded myself with delicious coffee and a rainy walk after my 7 mile PR run. Seriously, though, best coffee shop in Duck.

Wednesday: 5 miles @ 8:33...this may be a PR as well. I love beach running! (Arms)

Thursday: 4 New Years miles @ 8:57. I was happy to feel well enough to run the morning after a late night, but the weather was too beautiful not to! (abs)

Friday: Off. I actually took a full rest day for once since I was driving back from the beach. It was hard but I felt my muscles needed it.

Saturday: 14 miles @ 9:30. This is an estimate as my Garmin died right before mile 11. I estimated the rest of the run by the podcast I was listening to and ran 30 more minutes at the same pace. My fitbit reinforced my estimates. This run was hard- it was cold and rainy, and I slept in so I ran without the training group. My legs felt better at the higher distances, and I carried water with me for the first half and then looped back to my place for water and a larabar. I got really tired around mile 12, but a few weeks ago that was mile 9, so my legs are getting stronger! My stomach felt great the whole time, so I may try more larabars instead of candy. It also satiated my hunger well! This was my longest run ever!

On the last mile...trying to keep my motivation up by taking pictures!

Thank you Serial podcast! I think I listened to about five episodes on this run. Who did it?!

Sunday: 5 miles @ 9:25. I am sick of the dreary weather! (Abs)

Total: 35 + lots of walking I didn't measure since I have a fitbit:)

Have a great (and hopefully fast) week!

New Years 2015

Since Monday I have been in an awesome beach house with friends in Duck, Outer Banks. It has been a great way to celebrate the end of one year and start of another. Here are bunches of pictures- enjoy!

New Years Eve!

Awesome book quote. Reading is a must at the beach.

Final sunset of 2014:) What a wonderful world!

View from our porch to the ocean!

Our house! Living in luxury:)

The beach is great anytime of the year!

Walking to coffee in town with some of the crew.

So true:)

How was your New Years?

Why I Run

Happy last day of 2014! I thought it would be fitting to end my year of blog postings about a topic that has to do with my New Year's Resolution* to run a marathon- why I run in general.

* By the way, I don't agree with resolutions- you can change your life at anytime, not just for the new year…and you should ADD things to your life as a resolution and not take them away. Making changes is part of a lifestyle overhaul and not a single goal. Remember, DO YOU and find a balance on what changes will work in your life. Don't compare yourself to others.*

While meeting a friend for drinks this weekend, we got to talking about the deeper things in life besides daily life, what TV shows we watch, and how much we miss college (ha!). We got to talking about life and religion and finding/maintaining happiness. Her and her husband have found a great church in their state that has brought them a new sense of purpose and intellectual fulfillment. I am not at a point in my life where I attend church regularly, but I have found other methods of intellectual, emotional and physical fulfillment (besides school, which is obviously a big part). My method is running.

I started running because I fell in love with the high at a race. I had friends who ran in college and, though they tried, they could never  convince me to run. I would occasionally run to the gym, but my choice of exercise was either in sports, like soccer, or the elliptical-esque machines. It did the trick for a while.

I began to feel bored and unchallanged by it all. When I was in grad school, while I still enjoyed going to the gym, I was not getting the high I once had.

I started running to get that high again. To reach goals I set out for myself- from running a mile without stopping to running 2, 3, 4, 13.3, ect. It was such a gradual build that I never gave it much thought nor had lofty goals all at once. As I started running, I signed up for races and my distance goals stemmed from that.


Before I knew it running was in a way my religion. It gave me time to think; to zone out and explore; set goals and meet them; take control of my body and health and nutrition, as well as appreciate the power of what my body can do; develop a holistic approach to health, wellness, and how I want to live my life; to realize what is important and what is not.

I have run in different cities, states and countries...and explored areas I otherwise would not have. I have realized that running is a commonality we all share regardless of culture or lifestyle. It is a time where I prepare mentally and physically for what life has in store. I do some of my best thinking when I run, and often make many decisions while doing so. Even when I dont want to do it, I never regret a run. How many things in life can we say that about?

I have met and become involved in Massey (cancer center) through running and have reconnected with old friends. I have met new friends near and far. Their life stories have inspiried me, challenged me and motivated me. I have become a better person through these people.

When I am ever in a challenging run, I run for all the people who can't. I run for those we have lost, those who are struggling, and for the times I have and will. I run because my life is in my control. Because putting one foot in front of the other through good times and bad shows me that we can make it through anything. That I am capable to overcome difficulties, and therefore should take risks and persevere through them. That my time on this earth is short, so my happiness and well-being are my priority.

These are thoughts the elliptical and gym equipment never could do.

I run because I can. I hope you find something that gives you this power, too.

Also- Check out a blog post I did a few years ago about this topic.

Why do you run? What are your resolutions for 2015 (if you make any)?! 

***Happy New Year!***

2014 in Books

I read a lot of books this year, but I did loose some steam after I started back in school. 

The ones with asterisks (*) are recommended. Enjoy!

1. Drive by Daniel H. Pink
2. **My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni
3. The Women of Atomic City by Denise Kiernan
4. The Beast by Faye Kellerman
5. The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell
6. **The Rosie Project by Greame Simsion
7. **Hello, Darkness by Sandra Brown
8. **Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
9. **Still Alice by Lisa Genova
10. We All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner
11. The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes
12. One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
13. **Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
14. The Second Wives Club by Jane Moore
15. Home to Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani
16. **The Last Letter From Your Lover by Jojo Moyes
17. Deadline by Sandra Brown
18. Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot
19. The Other Woman by Hank Phillipi Ryan
20. The First Affair by Emma McLaughlin
21. Otherwise Engaged by Eileen Goudge
22. **A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron
23. Queen of Babble in the Big City by Meg Cabot
24. Four Friends by Robyn Carr
25. **The Silver Star by Jeannette Wells
26. The Matchmaker by Elin Hilderbrand
27. Another Piece of my Heart by Jane Green
28. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
29. **Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
30. **Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
31. Ellen Foster by Kay Gibbons
32. Family Portraits by Jane Green
33. **Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham
34. Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding
35. Return To Sullivan's Island by Dorthea Benton Frank
36. **The Things We Do For Love by Kristin Hannah
37. **This Is Where I Leave You by Johnathan Tropper
38. The Fault in our Stars by John Green
39. One Summer by David Baldacci
40. Bleachers by John Grisham
41. Downtown by Anne Rivers Siddons
42. **Princess by Jean Sasson
43. Black Notice by Patricia Cornwell
44. Glitter and Glue by Kelly Corrigan
45. The Price by Joan Johnson
46. **On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves
47. The Collector by Nora Roberts
48. Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood
49. Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple
50. After the Darkness by Sidney Sheldon
51. **Orphan Train by Christine Baker Klein
52. **The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
53. Fireworks Over Toccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff
54. **Early Decision by Lacy Crawford
55. **Belong To Me by Marissa de Los Santos
56. Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
57. The Guest House by Erika Marks
58. Always Something There to Remind Me by Beth Harrison
59. Love Anthony by Lisa Genova
60. **The Promise of Stardust by Pricille Sibley
61. **Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
62. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
63. **Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
64. **The Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose
65. Beachcombers by Nancy Thayer
66. **What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
67. **Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
68. Happiness Sold Separately by Lolly Winston
69. Smoke Screen by Sandra Brown
70. **Low Pressure by Sandra Browm

Did I miss any great books this year? I love recommendations!

Shamrock Marathon Training Week 4

I got so much rest this week due to time off and not traveling for the holidays. My runs overall felt ok but not as good as one would expect with all the sleep I got! You just never know what you're gonna get with running-> not bad but not great!

Monday: 3 mile walk  (weights)

Tuesday: 6 miles @ 9:18 (abs)

Wednesday: 3.1 miles @ 9:40 (Treadmill was AWFUL but it was pouring outside-> weights)

Thursday: 4.1 Christmas miles @ 9:11 (abs)

Friday: 40 minutes elliptical (weights)

Saturday: 13.3 miles @ 9:18 (my friend and I need to slow down...our legs tire after mile ten at this pace. Run was VERY hilly miles 4-9).

No time for Starbucks this week but Gatorade taseted good!

I'm trying to show you here that my face is salty...oh well.

Yay over a half marathon and only a few minutes faster than my PR (I calculated we hit 13.1 at 2:01 and my PR is 1:58...). It's amazing what can change in two years from when I had never even run my first and got a 2:05!

Sunday: 5 miles @ 9:08  (National Harbor run across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge into Alexandria-> abs)

Total: 31.6 miles + 3 walking

This was less than last week because of the weather and because I ran more than I was supposed to last week. Thankfully I am feeling good!

Christmas 2014

I hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas! I started the day with an easy 4 mile run, opened gifts, went to a movie (Theory of Everything- it was wonderful!) and had a delicious dinner. I went back to my place last night to organize and get some gifts set up. My favorite gifts of the day were a fitbit and some running stuff, but everything was great!

I am tempting to take more pictures so here is the hogdepodge from my phone! 

Oh how times have changed...running before breakfaat and gifts are opened!

Cats live such a tough life watching gifts being opened...

My awesome stocking:)

The tree before the festivities began!

I am heading to see "Into the Woods" this afternoon before a low key night of resting up for my long run tomorrow! I have slept SoMUCH this week...I am hopeful I can kick my butt into gear tomorrow for a great run before heading to the National Harbor! Sometimes if I get too much sleep I have a hard time running...who knows why!

How was your Christmas? Favorite gift or food? 

Do you have a harder time running when you have been lazy or get too much sleep?