We still have some training to do yet

Meredith ran off tonight. Now this isn't an unusual occurrence, Meredith frequently uses her free time outside to go "explore," but she usually comes when I call her, even if it takes a few minutes. Tonight she didn't come back for a pretty long time. I got nervous because it was starting to get dark out and I drove around the neighborhood calling her to no avail. I was about to turn around to go home, thinking to myself "she couldn't possibly have gone out this far..." only to find out that she had indeed gone that far. A family that lives about half a mile up the road had found her outside and brought her into her back yard. So I am upset because she was obviously too far away from the house, but at the same time, there was no way that she could come when I called her because she was fenced in. Now don't get me wrong, I am grateful that they found her and I can only hope that they brought her in with their best intentions of keeping her safe (after all, they did feed her dinner), but at the same time, there was no way that she could get home. I thanked the family for taking care of her and brought her back home, but we need to find a solution to this issue pretty darn quick. I love this dog too much to let her get taken, hit by a car, abused in some way, or caught by a dog catcher because she got in the wrong person's yard.

Couch to 5k- Week 4: Day 1

I DID IT!

Today scared the crap out of me. I ran on Thursday like I said that I would, doing week 3's routine an extra time; however, I did walk the 2nd 1.5 minute run. I didn't run Friday again, and I obviously didn't start week 4 on Saturday. I know it is a lame excuse, but my sister called me on Saturday morning (Happy 25gth birthday, Cassandra!) and she was able to get her sweet puppy Penny early. Being the dog expert I am, she wanted me to go to get dog supplies with her before she picked Penny up. We already had plans to hang out that night so I just spent the day at my parent's house with Cassandra playing with her puppy, so there was no time for me to run on Saturday.

Anyways, I guess why I didn't run isn't as important as the fact that I did run this evening. I was scared of this week's routine (5 minute walk, 3 minute run, 1.5 minute walk, 5 minute run, 2.5 minute walk, 3 minute run, 1.5 minute walk, 5 minute run, 7.5 minute walk) because I was not doing so hot with the three minute runs already and if I wasn't doing so well with 3 minute runs, how on earth was I going to do a 5 minute run? I am very proud of myself for doing this, which probably seems like such a small accomplishment, but I have to give myself credit. It really looked like it might pour down on me today when I went out, but then I just told myself that if it rained, it would be like getting a free cool down :) The podcast for this week was put together really well. It was all very upbeat music that kept you moving. Some of the other weeks had songs that we a little lower tempo and it was hard to keep moving when you weren't aided by the music, but I really liked this week's podcast.

Of course there were times that I felt like I wasn't going to make it. During the first three minute run I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to complete the schedule today because my chest felt very heavy and it was hard to breathe- like the air was thick or something. Then of course, the 5 minute runs felt like they would NEVER end. During the last run, my right foot got all numb like it did a few weeks ago and that made running pretty uncomfortable, but I pushed through and I successfully did this week's routine. Go me!

Couch to 5k- Week3: Day 3

This morning I did actually make myself get up and run! It was hot, and very humid, but I did it. I felt bad because it really seemed like Meredith wanted to go with me, so I did bring her along, but I don't think she will be joining any more of my future C25k runs. She is just so darn curious about everything around her, and I love that, but I don't love having to jerk her away from whatever it is she is exploring so that I can keep going. I am doing this program for me, and I need to be able to do it to where I am satisfied with myself and the progress that I have made. In all honesty, she just slows me down and is more of a burden. What I really need to do is take up our long 2-3 mile walks again and let her explore during that time. I know I said I was going to do this, but I have yet to do so.

I decided after this morning's run that I am going to do the week 3 schedule tomorrow and Friday and start week 4 on Saturday. I need to get more comfortable with these 3 minute runs before I attempt to tackle two 5 minute runs (in addition to two 3 minute runs). So keep me accountable, expect updates about things both tomorrow and Friday for a continuation of week 3 and then on Saturday for the beginning of week 4.

On the bright side, I will be getting new running shoes soon! I want the Reebok Runtones. I have been eying the Reebok easytones, but I don't really wear sneakers around everyday, so I think the runtones will be nice to have :)

I have been a bad runner lately....

I haven't been as on the ball as I should be with this whole Couch to 5k thing since I have been on my break and I need to get back on track! I was going to go out today but I ate breakfast before I really thought about it, and I hate running after I eat. Then the afternoon was unbearably hot, and we got done with dinner later than I would have liked and my belly is full full full of talapia, salad, and cantaloupe with grapes. Soon it will be dark, and another day will have been wasted. Tomorrow morning I WILL go out to run. I will do it, I will do it, I will do it! I may even invite Meredith along for the run.... and then I will NOT take the two days off between runs and I will start week 4 by Friday.... keep me accountable!

Getting to Know you

So I haven't done this in awhile... just for funsies......

The Q's.

1. What kind of athlete has the hottest body?
Runners

2. Are you a planner or a procrastinator?
I procrastinate by planning :) I find that I am actually quite a productive procrastinator in that I procrastinate from an activity that I really really don't want to do by doing something that I just really don't want to do lol

3. Diet or regular (soda)?
Well I PREFER the taste of regular soda, but I rarely drink it. Coke Zero all the way!

4. What's your one "must have" for Fall?
pashminas!

5. What's your favorite fast food restaurant?
Taco Bell. Period.

6. What do you think is the sexiest profession for a guy?
hmmmmm,.... something intelectual, as to what that would be, I have no idea.

7. Did you wear braces?
Unfortunately. I was told I would only have to wear them for a year, a year and a half tops. Three long years later....

8. Would you rather have a guy that's super sexy or kind?
Kind all the way- but sexy doesn't hurt ;)

Couch to 5k- Week3: Day 2

So my Aunt asked me to watch the boys this morning so that she could go to the doctor, and of course, I agreed. I knew that if I didn't set my alarm to go for my run this morning, there was no way that I was going to go tonight. Its still cool enough to run, cool being a relative term of course, in the wee hours in the morning, but it doesn't cool down fast enough while it is still light enough to run in the evening. So I woke up, got all ready to go for my run, and went to turn on my ipod and it was d.e.a.d. I can't do my run without my ipod, not for the music's sake, but because my ipod also serves as my timer for when to run and when to walk. I don't have a watch or other timing instrument, so my ipod is pretty vital to this whole process. Luckily, I woke up an hour before I had to watch the boys so that I could have some "cool down" time after my run (instead of the 35 minutes before like I had planned last night- 5 minutes to get ready, 30 minutes to run) so I could charge my ipod for a few minutes before heading out.

It was very humid this morning. By the end of my first three minute run, I was dripping with both sweat and humidity- more humidity than sweat because there was no way that I was sweating THAT hard after a 90 second run and a 3 minute run. During the first 3 min run, I really found my stride. I found out it was easier for me to run "all out" than my wimpy feet shuffling that I had been doing. I guess I was afraid that if I ran all out, I wouldn't be able to doing for a very sustainable length of time. I still don't know if that's true because all I am running right now is 3 minute increments, but we will see as I continue through this program I guess.

Anyways, sorry for the long post I guess I just feel chatty this morning!

Sundays At Tiffany's

Yesterday morning I had finished Eat Pray Love, and was waiting for my books that I had ordered from Amazaon (The Insulin Resistance Diet, Women Food God) and I needed something to read. I had to go to the car shop and have two tires replaced and there was no way that I was waiting an hour and a half with nothing to do! My Aunt had recently given me several of her old novels, as she is trying to clear out the clutter and make room for the baby, and this book Sundays At Tiffany's was among them.

Now I will willfully admit that the plot line sounds extremely cheesy, this I cannot deny. It starts with a little girl who has an imaginary friend to help her through her childhood difficulties (absentee father, mother who is more preoccupied with her own love life and career, etc). This imaginary friend must leave her once she turns nine, but she isn't supposed to remember anything about him. She does in fact remember this imaginary friend, grows up and writes a broadway show about it. When she is in her thirties, she runs into this imaginary friend (who has now become real) and they fall in love.... and they all live happily ever after.

If you are into the fantastical, love story type of situation, this book is definitely for you. As for me, I prefer a more realistic love story... but then again, what love story really is realistic? How often do those Nicholas Sparks romances actually happen? I will admit, however, that this book was certainly a page turner. James Patterson does have a way with words and it was a very light and easy read. I do think the situation with Micheal- his job, how it works, and how he ended up becoming human- could have used a little more development. I understand that they are trying to keep the mysterious side of it going, but I just felt like I needed a little bit more. I also think the relationship between Jane and her mother needed more development; there was enough about why it was such a strained relationship, but there was really never any information why Jane was so eager to please her mother and how her and her mother could have had the resolution they did at the end of the book. Just a few thoughts...

Swim Lessons

One day last week, I was able to let me aunt take the day off swim lessons and brought the boys to their lessons myself. It was a lot of fun to watch the boys in their lessons, learning how to swim. It was also fun to watch them playing in the pool when they weren't in their lessons, showing off and being their cute selves!

Wordless Wednesday

Eat Pray Love

After four days of devouring this book, one page at a time, my most recently conquered novel is Eat.Pray.Love. This book was absolutely amazing and echoed something that I have always had the romantic notion of doing, dropping everything and just traveling. Granted, Elizabeth Gilbert's traveling was more purposeful than mine would ever be.

She had three places she wanted to visit: Italy, India, and Indonesia (the three I's). In each place, she had a mission (so-to-speak) that she wished to accomplish. In Italy, she wanted to pursue pleasure- in India, she pursued devotion- and in Indonesia, she pursued the balance between the two. Throughout her journey, Liz Gilbert was also trying to get over her own battle with depression, self doubt, and loneliness all sprouting from a failed marriage and an additional failed relationship. Gilbert's trip was one of recovery, one of discovering herself, and one of finding happiness within herself again.

My only question that was sort of unresolved at the end, and I could have totally missed it, was at the beginning of her stay in Indonesia, Liz found out that she was only allowed to stay for a month, and she ended up staying her whole visit. How was this whole thing resolved?

This novel was a truly inspirational read and I cannot wait for the movie to come out this weekend to see how they translated this novel full of inner dialogue and personal thoughts into an on-screen production.

Go. Read it!

Doctor's Appointment

Yesterday, I went to the doctor. Now this wasn't really a FUN doctor's visit per se, (I mean really, are any of them really fun?) But I do feel hopeful afterwords because I think I might have been given the solution to solve one of my biggest problems- my weight.

Since the new year (i.e. January 1st), I have really tried to live a healthier lifestyle and place a greater emphasis on exercise. When I lived in my apartment, I would try to get to the gym several times a week and even make a little game out of it. I lost some weight, things were good. I didn't place a great emphasis on the things I was eating until later in the year.

Recently, as we all know, I have started the Couch to 5k program as a way to attain one of my goals- to run a half marathon. This idea of running a half marathon came about for several reasons; 1. to help promote my healthy lifestyle 2. for a long term goal 3. to have something to work towards. This is something that I am completely doing for ME, for once in my life. Something that I want to do and that is fueling me to keep at it. No exterior motives allowed.
I have also recently started trying to make much better health-conscious choices about what I am eating. Now I am not saying that I am a health fanatic by any means, but I am in fact trying to be healthier.

Much to my dismay, I am actually GAINING weight through this process of running and eating healthier rather than LOSING weight. What's up with that?!?

So yesterday, I went to the er... ahem... Lady Doctor. She asked me what was going on with my life, more specifically my weight, because she has noticed that I have in fact gained weight. (It always feels so good to have outside sources confirm this, no?) Several years ago, after my freshman year in college, I was diagnosed with PCOS (poly cystic ovarian syndrome). No big deal- pop some birth control and regulate things a little and all is well... Recently the symptoms of PCOS have manifested themselves more and I am now going to have to do more than just pop a few birth control. She has met set up to do some labs at the end of next week so hopefully I can get on some medicine to help this issue a little bit more.

But what I am REALLY excited about is this book she recommended for me: The Insulin Resistance Diet. I came home and read up on it yesterday and then proceeded to order it. I can't wait for it to get here tomorrow and start putting some of this stuff into practice. Maybe, just maybe, I will have some success in this area soon.

Couch to 5k- Week 3: Day 1

So I have been a bad runner lately and I took a little time off from it. The last time I ran was last Wednesday, so I took almost a week off of running. I think I needed some time to let my calves heal a little bit because I have been pushing them a lot these past few weeks and I really think it made the difference.

Today's running schedule was: 5 minute warm up, 90 second run, 9o second walk, 3 minute run, 3 minute walk, 90 second run, 90 second walk, 3 minute run, 8 minute walk (3 for the interval, 5 for a cool down).

I was very intimidated this morning seeing that I would have to run for a full three minutes without stopping. I know that this doesn't really sound like a lot, but for someone who literally hasnt run for almost 8 years, its a big deal. I realized though that it was not that I was running MORE this week than I did last week, it was that I was running longer intervals. So I just kept telling myself to keep going, it wasn't that I was running a whole lot more. The first three minute interval wasn't as bad as I had thought it would be and I felt so accomplished when I finished it. I ran the full three minutes, at a pretty decent pace!

My calves didn't hurt at all today except during the last 3 minute interval but they stopped hurting when it was over. I surprisingly had a bit more trouble with my shins today than with my calves, I hope that I don't get shin splints! But they aren't in serious pain, it doesn't feel like someone is stabbing them or anything, it was more of a dull ache.

Anyways, I did it! Go me!

I am almost done with my newest book Eat, Pray, Love so expect a review probably tomorrow. I also have some pictures that I have been waiting to upload, so those will come soon as well!

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

I just finished The Memory Keeper's Daughter, and I must say that this is one amazing book. It was absolutely compelling and I tore through it between last night and this morning. Seriously, the TV hasn't been on and I have been planted in my Grandpa's chair reading practically straight through as I devoured this story.

The story opens up with a loving portrayal of a kind, handsome doctor, David Henry, and his incredibly pregnant wife, Norah. One night, in a huge snow storm, Norah goes into labor and Dr. Henry is forced to help his wife through her delivery. What no one expected was the second child, the one born with Down's Syndrome. The Dr. Henry makes the decision to send the child to a home with his attending nurse. This decision is the pivotal point in all of the character's lives. David tells Norah that their second child was born dead. Caroline Gill decides that this home is no place for a child and disappears with the child who is assumed dead to raise her as Caroline's own. The novel revolves around this decision and the influence that quick decision had on all of their lives. This one moment, this one choice, and the incalculable amount of consequences that are a result....

This book is certainly different than the idea that I had when I began the novel. I had head of this novel when I was a senior in high school and I have been interested in reading it ever since, not really knowing the premise of the story, but knowing that it came highly recommended. I would continue that recommendation and tell anyone that it is well worth the read.

Couch to 5k- Week 2: Day 3

Today I ran week 2 day 3 and I can't say that I am happy with it. I ended up walking half of running interval 5 and some of my other runs were rather pathetic. I decided to go ahead and re-do w2d3 on Friday and take the weekend off of running. One thing that I do love about this program is the flexibility of it. I like that I can feel like I should go ahead and re-do a day and not feel bad about doing so. Afterall, it is all about living a healthier lifestyle. I don't want to over do it, and I definitely don't want to go into week 3 unprepared!

Unfortunately, I think when I do re-do w2d3 on Friday, Meredith will not be joining me. I love having my dog on my runs with me but today she was a real hindrance to me from the start. On my very first run of the day she just stopped dead in her tracks right in front of me! I almost tripped over her (and that definitely wouldn't have been a pretty site). Now I am not saying that she won't join me on any of my future runs, I just think I am going to take a day off of the dog company.

/start rant

So today I have been in a weird funk. I went about my day as normal- I took the boys to swim lessons, relaxed a little, got my new glasses, watched Jon, went and got my computer fixed...etc etc etc.

But in between all of that I have been doing a lot of thinking. I am not at all where I thought I would be at this point in my life. I would have never in a million years thought that I would move home for an undetermined amount of time. Don't get me wrong, I love my family. I love being around my family, but I find it hard to feel like this is where I should be right now when I have so many friends going off on so many different, exciting adventures. New apartments, fabulous internships, jobs in foreign countries, picking up their lives and moving them somewhere unfamiliar. And here I sit, back home.

I do feel like this program that I am in at ECU is the best one for me. I think next June I will be very fortunate to have earned not only a teaching license but also a master's degree in a single year. I will be grateful that I came home and leaned on family for a little support to get me through this phase in my life, but I can't help being just a little bit jealous.

I totally get that I am only 21 and my time will come to get the cute apartment, have the fabulous social life, find that wonderful guy- but it would be nice to have some of that right now. I have virtually no social life right now. All my girl friends are in Raleigh, where I wish that I was. All of my friends from "back home" are still a good 45 minutes away from where I currently reside. And all of my new friends and a good hour away in Greenville. It's like I am stuck between worlds with no hope for an escape.

I fully realize this was a "woe is me" post, but a girl has to vent sometimes.
/rant

Couch to 5k- Week 2:Day 2

I just completed W2D2! I am finding the running parts get easier and easier as I go through the program; however, my calves are getting worse. If I could figure out what the heck was going on with my calves and a way of fixing it, I think I would be doing a LOT better with the program. I am running all of my runs by today's run 3 was absolutely pitiful. I am not even sure if I could call it running it was so pathetic. My calves were so tight and hurt so bad it was all I could do to keep my legs moving. I don't have issues with my breathing, which was what I used to have problems with, so now if I could solve this calf mystery all will be right in the running world.

I also had something weird happen in my 6th run today, my right foot (and then my left foot) got extremely tingly. It was like the kind of tingly that you get when you sit indian style and your foot looses blood supply. Is this normal? I guess I will have to do some research to that effect and find out!

** after reading up on my calf pain, I have found out a few things

- I need to be hydrating more, both BEFORE and AFTER my run

- I need to be stretching more, both BEFORE and AFTER my run

- I probably should be taking some sort of multi vitamin

- icing will help :)

Reading List

So now that I have finished reading Angela's Ashes, I thought that it was only fitting for me to create a reading list of books I would like to tackle :)

* The Memory Keeper's Daughter- Kim Edwards

* The Glass Castle- Jeannette Walls

* Eat. Pray. Love. - Elizabeth Gilbert

* Thirteen Reasons Why- Jay Asher

* Outliers- Malcolm Gladwell

* Her Fearful Symmetry- Audrey Niffenegger

* Same Kind of Different As Me- Ron Hall and Denver Moore

* The Other Hand (aka Little Bee here in the States)- Chris Cleave... I started this book when I got it in England last summer and haven't finished it yet, I would like to.

I am sure there are more to add to this list (such as the incredibly long list of books that I will need to read for the fall semester) but I think this is a good start. Oh how I love reading and oh how I LOVE that I have started to do it for pleasure again :)

Angela's Ashes

I just finished reading Angela's Ashes after about a month and a half of reading it. Wow. This book was depressing! I could only take this book in small doses because of how completely heart wrenching it was. In the first two chapters, three characters die! The entire memoir recounts author Frank McCourt's haunting childhood that is filled with hunger, depression, and poverty. In the memoir, McCourt recounts the hardships that his family endured during his childhood- his father's alcoholism, several deaths, sickness, and the like. It was a truly a good read, one that I was compelled to complete even after a few weeks hiatus due to grad school course work. I would definitely recommend this book to read (hello Pulitzer Prize winner!), but only if you are prepared for the sadness this memoir entails.

I am actually considering reading the sequel- 'Tis which is McCourt's account of his life once he returns to New York!