~Go Hard or Go Home~

It's been a busy past couple weeks- I feel like I've been going, going and going, and haven't really had a moment to sit down and catch my breath. Weird thing is though, I really enjoy my life better that way. I may complain from time to time, but I do better when I'm extremely busy. I hate having idle time (ok, I wouldn't mind it for an hour a day so I could have some time to get my life organized, but that won't happen). The weekend before last, Ellen and I had yet another wonderful roadtrip- as mentioned earlier, we were headed to Daytona for some fun, relaxation, and of course, some Nascar. After quite the adventurous drive on the way down, including some unusual Southern snow up until we got to Georgia, we finally made it, and went straight to YaYa's ( the local bar we go to there - filled with all sorts of unusual people and karaoke every night). It was a great time as always. We went to bed fairly late, but I was proud for dragging myself out of bed for an oceanside jog the following morning. I could do that every single morning for the rest of my life. The sand was firm, the ocean was calm and beautiful, and hardly anyone was on the beach. My Ipod seemed to know where I was and put on the perfect soundtrack of Black Crowes and Susan Tedeschi. I was disappointed when my run was over but it was time to get our credentials and head to the track for some racing. We picked up our hot passes and then headed over to the track with Shawn. We wandered around for a little while- spotted Bruce Jennar, got to see Danica, ate some great food that Nascar prepares for it's employees, and then after about 50 laps were ready to head back. We went back to the beach house, took a nice nap, and prepared for another night out on the town. This one was a bit more wild than the previous night, and we finally shut it down around 4 or 5 AM. Amazingly, I pulled myself out of bed at 8 AM and was able to get in another nice 8 mile run along the ocean. The view provides some good motivation to get up! We then headed to the track again for the Sprint Cup race. It couldn't have gone more smoothly. Shawn was nice enough to give us his employee parking pass, so we didn't have to walk far and avoided the $60 parking. We didn't sit in any traffic and got right into the track. We had a great time, but unfortunately, due to some pop up potholes on the track, there was about a 2 hour delay during the race. It worked out well though because that allowed us to get some great driver sightings; we were back in the pits and that was where all the drivers hung out during the red flag, so I got to see all my favorite drivers! Aside from running along the ocean, that was probably the highlight of the trip. Around 5 pm they started the race back up, but after being there for 5 hours, the lack of sleep from the night before started to catch up with us and we decided to head back to the beach house. It worked out perfectly- 2 very nice, handsome guys in a golf cart offered to give us a ride to our cars, and with how exhausted we were and how badly our feet hurt, it was the perfect ending to a pretty perfect day! Not gonna lie, we felt pretty important zooming by on the golf cart past everyone walking. :) The guys ended up being from Fishers, Indiana and were down there for work- small world. We attempted to go out that evening but were pretty boring- we are definitely no longer in our college years, and after a long walk on the beach the next day, headed back to NC. All and all it was a great weekend- and I even left out some parts, such as the forest fire we had to drive through, the fight we were almost in at the bar, and a few other stories :) Thanks again for everything, SR!

My favorite driver- Kyle Busch!

Getting to the track!

Moving on, this past weekend I had my first race of the many I have signed up for this spring and summer. This was the HardCORE trail series, for the "serious trail runner". Love the motto on the shirt we got: "Go hard or go home". That's my life mantra! It was held at the US Whitewater Center and was an 8k. Christa and SR did it with me and it was so much fun. Five miles goes by a lot faster when you are climbing 1/2 mile hills, running in shrubs to try and get around people, slipping around in mud and hurdling giant roots. It was over before you knew it. The race was very well put on, aside from the start. We were kind of hanging around the back, not knowing the race was going to start, and without any warning, they started it. Now, I'm not this super amazing runner or anything, but my pace was quicker than the 100 or so people that were in front of us, so that made things interesting. SR probably could have won the race if we had started farther up. It is VERY difficult to pass people when the trails are only a few feet wide. My legs are pretty cut up from running off the trail to try and get past people for the first mile or so, but I loved every second of it. The cross country runner in me started to come out , and before I knew it, I was doing the instinctual harmless "elbowing" to try and get around people. Probably bad sportsmanship, but it was nothing aggressive, just little taps to try and get around people :). It really made me miss the days of XC. I ended up 21st out of 200, 4th female, and 1st in age group, and I believe my time was around 40:25. Not very fast, but I wasn't expecting much since it was more about not falling and spraining an ankle, and less about fast times. Might have been able to place higher if the start was a little more organized, but oh well! More than anything, it was just a fun Saturday workout around others who enjoy the same type of thing. SR had a great race and ended up 2nd. Christa, SR and I had a yummy post-race breakfast at Mimi's afterwords. It was a beautiful 60 degree day and all and all was just a lovely weekend. I didn't have to work either which made it even better. I had to work Sunday, but not until 3, so I took my road bike out for 28 miles to enjoy the weather. It was my first time on my bike since October! I know they say you never forget how to ride a bike, but I spent the whole ride getting the "feel" for my bike again, and made some dumb mistakes. The first time I needed to unclip I almost forgot how to do it! After a while, I felt my body start to mold to my bike again and it started to come back to me. I can't think of a better way to enjoy a sunny afternoon than to overlook the country in Davidson, listen to some awesome music, and push my body. It was great! Didn't do much socially this past weekend, but I needed some recovery "me" time after Daytona anyways. I live for weekends like this past one and that is exactly why I moved to North Carolina!

And lastly, I am happy to announce I am the proud owner of a Mac! After a lot of research and a lot of saving, I finally made my decision and went to the Apple store with my friend Jenny to make the purchase. I just have to say, the people in the Apple store are amazing! I had my heart set on spending about $500 more than I actually did; they actually discouraged me from all the upgrades I wanted as they were unnecessary for what I would be using the computer for. That NEVER happens! And, we were going to use Jenny's student discount to save me about $200. To do this, we were going to have to lie and say she was buying it for me, but those of you who know me best know I absolutely CANNOT lie or break the rules, and immediately started acting weird when we got in there. The girl who put together my order was very cool and said "You are just trying to use her discount, right? I don't care, that's fine!", and after catching me in my lie, put it in for me anyways. It was the most stress-free, easiest purchase I have ever made, and although I am still figuring my way around the world of Mac, I am in love with it and do not miss my PC at all. I HIGHLY recommend them. And go to the store- don't buy it online. They are very helpful and will answer all your questions. So now that I am once again in tune with the world of technology, hopefully I can update my blog more often to avoid novels like this one. Oh, and I finally have my Itunes back, so I feel whole again. Life was just not the same without my music!Thanks for stopping by and happy Monday!

Gentlemen (and lady!), Start Your Engines!

It's been a long few weeks of work, work and more work, and working out. A vacation is much needed. I've really hit the ground running with my training, and am really enjoying it. Once I dedicate myself to something, it's all or nothing, so I've really been giving 110%. I had a very enjoyable 12 mile run this morning in the lovely 30 degree weather. I absolutely HATE waking up, but once I get my running shoes on, get my IPOD going, and head out the door, it is one of the most peaceful, serene times that I have. Just me and my thoughts. I actually get sad when the run is over, which is a little weird I guess. I'd say I did about 7:30-7:45 pace this morning, which isn't too fast, but given the fact that I am extremely sore from all my strength training and swimming, I was pleased. I also had a good 3 mile tempo run Tuesday where I held 6 minute pace, so I'm satisfied with how everything has gone this week. Enough about my training though, I know that's dry and boring.

Road trip to Indiana!

I am super excited for tomorrow. My good friend Ellen and I will be taking yet another road trip together- this time to Daytona. I have no doubt it will be a fabulous trip. No matter what we do, it is always a good time! Due to the generosity and hospitality of my good friend Shawn, we will yet again have our "hot passes" for the Daytona 500. Yes, I am going to ANOTHER Nascar race. Ever since moving down to the south, I have embraced my inner redneck and have to say, I really, truly enjoy the races. I will say, I am spoiled having the hot pass. I don't think I could watch the race from the stands. I just find it fascinating to be back there with the cars and in the middle of all the action (and extremely loud noises). It makes the 4 hours or so go by very fast. Ellen, my family and I had hot passes for the Brickyard 400 and had the time of our lives. My dad and brother still talk about how "awesome" it was. So, thank you SR for putting up with my redneckness and allowing me to experience Nascar once again:). I will be sure to take lots of pictures of all the action. Danica Patrick will be making her Nascar debut, and even though I find her a bit annoying, I am excited to witness a piece of history. I have a feeling she is going to make quite the statement on Saturday. She is a tough, strong woman who has something to prove, and I think she is going to show Nascar fans she is here to stay. And, let's not forget about the ocean!!! Something about the ocean, even if it will be cold there, brings me back to my center. The smell, the sound, the sand in your toes- there is no other place I feel quite at home like I do at the ocean. I am determined to live by the beach one day. I am closer in North Carolina than I was in Indiana (about 2 1/2 hours away), but somehow, it doesn't feel close enough. Can't wait to get down there!

At the Brickyard, where I met my "boyfriend" :)

Hopefully we will see this crew again!

Ellen and I being Nascar fans with a firstclass view!

Lastly, I have researched and researched computers, and have determined I will be getting a MacBook Pro very soon. I can't believe the response I had when asking whether to go Mac or PC...every single person said Mac. Wow! That's a true testament to the computer ,and although expensive, it sounds like it is well worth the investment. I have been without a computer ever since I was robbed in September, and cannot wait to be able to have one of my own again.

Well, this time tomorrow I will be hitting the road. Have a happy and safe weekend!

Believe in Blue!

The Superbowl is quickly approaching, but it can't come fast enough. I absolutely cannot wait. And my mom called to tell me I can expect a package in the mail full of Colts gear to flaunt around Charlotte, which should arrive today. I just love that my mother still takes the time to send care packages to me. I know I'm 26 years old, but there's just something about getting a package in the mail from your parents that makes you feel like a kid again.

I can't believe it's been 3 years since we last won the Superbowl. It feels like just yesterday. I was talking about it on the phone with my mom the other day and the fond memories we have leading up to that game and after our victory. I feel so thankful to have witnessed a piece of Indianapolis history. I had moved home to Indiana right after college, and although I wasn't too happy about it at the time, in retrospect, it was one of the best things that could have happened to me. You know the saying "Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers"? I believe that 110%. I was so disappointed I didn't have a full-time job lined up right after college and had to move home with my parents. I was also embarrassed that I spent four years at college only to be living with my parents again. It was a blessing in disguise. In the 6 months that I lived at home, my world as I knew it would be turned upside down. I went through a very difficult breakup with someone I thought I would eventually move across the country to be with. So, there went my life plan. Literally one day after the breakup, my father was diagnosed with colon cancer. He had absolutely no symptoms, but on a whim requested a colonoscopy and they discovered cancer. He immediately began chemotherapy and radiation treatment. So much happened at once that I literally just fell to the ground one day crying and couldn't pull myself up. A future that I had been planning with someone had disappeared, and I was all of a sudden faced with my father's mortality. You always view your parents as invincible, and to see them as a human being, sick, struggling, weak, at at times, in tears, is absolutely devastating. I feel like I am a pretty strong person emotionally, but I was broken. I don't think I ever even cried about it until one day after my dad was at the kitchen table eating breakfast, he looked up at me, worry in his eyes, and simply said, "I'm scared. I never thought I would be facing cancer". I ran upstairs and broke down. My dad is tough and is an incredible athlete, and to see him so weak and thin...it was extremely difficult. Looking back, I know I was depressed. I had trouble eating, sleeping, and I guess all and all was just in a very dark place. One I hope I never go back to. Honestly, watching the Colts was such a simple break from all of my emotions, it was one of the few things that I found myself looking forward to. The unrelenting faith the entire city had in the Colts was inspiring. I would sit with my parents and cheer them on, and it really brought us together.

The day of the Superbowl I decided I would spend it with my parents at our local country club. My dad was in the middle of his treatment so he was not feeling the greatest, and I just knew I really wanted to be with them. We got all decked out in blue, and as you can see in the photos, I even sported some hideous blue nail polish. Blue Shots!
The game seemed like a dream. Every touchdown we took these delicious blue shots (even though my dad wasn't supposed to be drinking). The country club was the perfect atmosphere- there was a great crowd, gourmet food, and shots served at every touchdown. As the clock ticked down to the end, the joy in the crowd was indescribable. The cheering could be heard out from the streets. There were fireworks and cars honking their horns the whole drive home. The pride felt in Indianapolis was something I had never experienced before, and it made me so grateful to actually be living in the city to witness it. They couldn't even keep Colts hats on the shelves. The city was BLUE. And it was awesome!

I guess what I'm trying to say is the Colts helped me climb out of a deep dark hole I was in, and see the light again. I think you have to go through times like that in your life because it is then you learn the most about yourself. When it is just you, your fears and your sadness, you really learn what makes you tick, what you want out of life, and just how much inner strength you really have. And if God had answered my prayers, I would have been across the country at a time that looking back, is a time I needed to be home. In those 6 months, I was able to get to know my parents as an adult, not as a child breaking all the rules, I was able to be with my father through his struggle with cancer, and I was able to be in Indianapolis at a time that is probably one of the most exciting times in the cities' history. I am so much closer with my parents because of that time spent at home. If I would have moved away, our relationship would probably be very different than it is today. To me, that Superbowl was not just a game; it was much, much more than that. And I am happy to say as this game approaches, I am in a much better place in my life, and no longer have that dark veil over my eyes. And, my father is now nearly 3 years free of cancer, and is now ranked number one in the state for 50 and over tennis. It's amazing how much your life can do a 180 in 3 short years.

Mom and I after the game. Notice the great Tony Dungy

in the background :)

Here's to the Colts bringing home ANOTHER Superbowl to Indianapolis. Let's go Horse!

Thanks for stopping by in reading. And, as always, feel free to follow me ;)

A Good Book has No Ending.

So, I just finished "The Shack". I know in my 2010 goals I said I didn't want to read fad books, but this was given to me by someone so I thought I'd check it out. I was a bit skeptical, because I've either heard rave reviews or strong criticism regarding it's content. I opened it up knowing I would be reading it as a book of fiction, and I think that helped. I believe many people are reading it as the truth, or nonfiction, and that is where people are going to get offended. It's simply one person's view of God, Heaven, and pretty much everything holy. Obviously no one knows the right answer, but I found it refreshing to get a picture of what it could be like. I think when it comes to books regarding religion, they need to be read with an open mind. Take what you find useful and apply it to your life, and disregard everything else. That is exactly what I did. I was able to take a few key points from the book that I hope to apply to my life, the main theme being that of forgiveness. I also have an incredible picture in my head of what the afterlife may be like. It also helped clarify some questions I had regarding Jesus, because I oftentimes struggle with understanding certain parts of the Bible. So, all and all, I found the book to be entertaining, an easy read, and uplifting (and who doesn't want to feel uplifted??). I would recommend it to anyone, religious or not, and just would advise you to remember the book is fiction. The following is an excerpt from the book I particularly enjoyed :

"If anything matters then everything matters. Because you are important, everything you do is important. Every time you forgive, the universe changes; every time you reach out and touch a heart or a life, the world changes; with every kindness and service, seen or unseen, my purposes are accomplished and nothing will ever be the same again."

Basically, you CAN make a difference, and you do make a difference. Thanks for stopping by!

Here goes nothing!

So, I've decided to jump on the bandwagon and start a blog. I figure why not? I love to write, my life sometimes seems like a giant joke, so I feel like others may get some entertainment from it, and I feel it will help hold myself accountable to all of my goals if it's out there for the world to see. We shall see. I think it may also help "unjumble" my mind, if that's a word. My mind has so many ideas and thoughts, it's exhausting at times. It is a little bit of a vulnerable feeling, knowing I will be letting others into my mind, but I think it will also be freeing as well.

Since we are at the start of a new year, I have, as always, set some new life goals. I'm going to try and not make mine so general this time, and I'm really going to try and make them goals that are not only attainable, but will help enhance my life. I've had a bit of a midlife crisis at age 26- 4 years away from 30 has made me a bit nervous. Being an extremist as well as a perfectionist has me realizing the years are going by way too fast, and there is never enough time in the day to get to all I want to do. Also, losing a family member in 2008 has given me an even more intense "live life to the fullest" attitude, and has made me want to never, ever, EVER take a single part of life, whether it be a person, thing or emotion, for granted. I feel I have accomplished many things that I am willing to admit I am proud of, but not nearly enough. And my life is certainly not headed in the direction I had imagined it would be at 26 years old. That isn't neccesarily a bad thing, but it has required me to re-adjust some of my goals. So for 2010, my aspirations are as follows:

1) Travel- a lot. I am assuming there will come to a point where my life will be tying me down quite a bit more than it currently is (maybe it won't), and I want to take advantage of my freedom while I have it. My brother Brent recently backpacked around Belize on a whim, and that is one of the most admirable things he has ever done, in my opinion. He just packed up with a friend and left, and had one of the most incredible experiences of his life. I regret not joining him. I am happy with my first 3 years in North Carolina- I have tried to explore as many beaches and mountains as time has allowed, but there is still more that I want to see. Instead of having wasted weekends on the couch, I want to see it all. I only wish I could afford more plane tickets. I am proud of in the last 3 years, I have made a genuine effort to visit friends throughout the country, and I will hold those memories dear. I was able to see New York City, California, Lake Tahoe, Daytona, Raleigh, Boston, Asheville, Las Vegas, Michigan, and a few other places. On my bucket list of places to visit where friends live are California (again), Montana, Kansas City, NYC (again- which might happen if I get in to the marathon), Fort Benning and Nashville. I am hoping to make the majority of these happen in 2010. Vacations are wonderful, especially when you are able to catch up with long lost friends.

This is a picture of Brent in Belize. Isn't it incredible?










2) To make my body the most fit it has ever been in my whole life. This will be difficult considering I used to train 6-7 hours a day. Again, as I'm getting older, I'm starting to get stressed out. There will be a point in time where my body won't be able to lift as much weight, where it won't be able to handle my long workouts, and where my joints will begin to fail me. And that is one of my biggest fears. My body has been so durable my whole life. I can put it through hell and 99.9% of the time, it responds positively, and never lets me down. So, I would like to step it up this year, and see just how far I can push myself. I kind of fly by the seat of my pants when it comes to racing, such as entering a marathon a month before I plan on running it, while recovering from pneumonia. I completed it, yes. Could I have ran it faster? More than likely, yes. I am proud of my athletic accomplishments, but don't feel I have tapped into my full potential. I have had several athletic shortcomings that will stick with me for the rest of my life. For example, losing the state meet in the 100 breastroke by 3 one-hundredths of a second. Or missing the Olympic Trial cut in the 100 breastroke by 8 one-hundredths of a second. I'm done having moments like that. I know I can push my body far, and I plan on doing that this year. I finally sucked it up and signed up for my first triathlon, so we will see how that goes. I don't feel like it will be a problem, considering I run and swim frequently, and am decent on the bike. The Ironman is on my bucket list, as well as an ultra-marathon, so I figure there is no better time to get started on that list until now. So, to reach this goal, it will require me to be more consistent. For those of you who know me, or train with me, know I will jump on the bandwagon for a while, but then I just stop. Not in 2010! :) It will also require me maintain better sleeping and eating habits. I feel like if I have a concrete goal to work towards, it will help maintain these habits. I will be running a half marathon on April 10th with a goal of going 1:25, and if I get in to the NYC marathon, it will be to go a 3:15. Both should be fairly easy to attain if I maintain consistency in my training, eating and sleeping.

Finishing the Boston Marathon.







3) Read more. I used to be a giant book nerd, and I still read quite a bit, but not enough. And I don't want to read "fad" books. I want to read the classics, books that will inspire me, that will leave me thinking after I finish the last page. One of my best friends works for the Oxford Press, and has inspired me to be better about this. She always has a great book to talk about. Plus, I can't tell you how many people my age can't spell, and it drives me crazy. And it also has shown me that people in my generation do not read enough, and I will not be one of those people. I think reading keeps you on your toes, and that is a good place to be!


4) Say "I love you" more. No explanation needed.


5) Make more time for my friends. I feel I have the greatest friends in the whole world, and it's easy to get caught up in your life and not make time for that phone call or an hour for coffee. And that is unacceptable. I just need to do it, and make the time for it.

6) Attempt to be more easy-going. I usually am, but I tend to really freak out when there are are too many things going on out of my control. So my goal is to accept that there will be times where things happen that are truly out of my hands, and I just need to put the trust in God that if I am holding up everything the best I can, things will work out in the end, even if it doesn't feel like it.


7) Get back in school. I love school, I love learning, I love challenging my mind, and I miss it. Right now I am thinking a certificate in substance abuse counseling- I just need to make time for it.

8) Walk Laramie more. When I get tired, I tend to forget about her, and she is one of the most important things in my life. I need to remember, no matter how exhausted I feel at the end of the day, to spend time with her, because it is limited.

My girl.










9)Learn to play guitar (a pink one).

10)Make an effort to clean my room once a week. I get so busy I will leave it for a few weeks, and at that point, it becomes overwhelming, so I leave it for a few more weeks. I'm notorious for making piles. If I make a point to clean once a week, it will be easily maintained and I'm hoping it will help my life feel a little bit less chaotic.

11) Start cooking more. I have been told I'm a master microwaver. I need to work on that.

8) Lastly, go to bed each and EVERY night with the comfort of knowing I have lived to the fullest, given 100% in everything and have made a difference, no matter how big or small it is.

I'm sure there are more, but as you can see I am very verbose and my hands are getting tired. Thanks for reading!