My money was too wet...

...to go into the self serve machine at the grocery.

I've been applying for jobs lately, and I needed some of those big yellow envelopes to send applications out. I decided that since it was so nice out I would just run to the grocery down the road to buy them. As I am about to pay, I realize that my money is wet from keeping it in my hand from running, and therefore it won't be accepted by the bill acceptor. I had to call the cashier, and just kind of avoided the fact that it was damp. Oops.

I walked back, and decided after filling out and putting applications together that I naturally needed to go to the post office to mail them. Again, it was just sooo nice out that I walked to the post office, passing multiple students as I went.

Weather:
Temp: 38 degrees
Humidity: 33%
Wind: From the S at 5 mph
Pressure: 30.26 and rising

I love that I now find 38 warm...

1.24 miles to the grocery, another 1.24 back...

a few hours...

1.28 miles to the PO, another 1.28 back...

I feel so productive on Sundays.

I can go outside again!

I can run outside again! Woo-Hoo!

Since the last post, I've mostly been working out at the gym, or taking fitness classes with the rest of the teachers. I had one day where I subbed as a p.e. teacher for the day and got to rollerskate on quad skates! Then I went to my usual kickboxing class, and then subbed for a person on a volleyball team.

I hit a patch of ice with my car a few weeks ago, which led me to run into a curb and screw up my car, so I had to get it fixed. I borrowed my uncle's truck for a few days until I could get my car back. The day my car was ready, I decided I would just run over to the shop (all of a mile and a half), and when I mentioned that to them they were shocked and told me that if I got halfway there and needed someone to come pick me up they could. I made it, and it was fine, but still, it was funny for them to be shocked by my running to get there.

My new favorite routine is to run to the post office and back. I've decided that it's a mile and a half from my house, 2 miles if I go the long way, so I find something to mail and then go mail it. Doing this, I've also learned that I live by a bunch of my students, and they always are a bit shocked to see me on the side of the roads in our subdivision.

Rollerblading should be back soon...the snow has almost all melted, and the area is drying up. I'll get to strap my blades back on, and feel the nice breeze that they create for me. WOO! Maybe I'll be able to accomplish the backwards skating now too...I can do it on ice skates, and on quad skates, maybe I can do it on rollerblades...without falling.

months

So, some people claim that they're horrible if they don't write for a day, a week, a month...whatever...I don't write for over 3 months and I'm just fine with it...

Those three months have brought on a lot of changes, I am now a college graduate, I moved in with my cousin so that I could stay in the beautiful (ha!) state of Indiana, I am an aid for a really neat autistic first grader, and I currently have Marco the cat sitting on my lap dying for attention as I type (and I'm convinced I only like him because he'll let me rub his tummy like a dog). My Colts won, FINALLY! and I had three two-hour delays last week on account of both negative temperatures and 6 inches of snow (is my first ever snow day coming this week? let's hope so!) I've given up trying to run outside, purely because I don't think my lungs are equipped for temperatures much below 20, and my feet aren't equipped for ice, but I joined a gym that just like in Cheers, everyone knows my name. My school made me join their biggest loser competition so that I could get to know more of the employees, and I must say, I'm doing relatively well. I have no real internet connection, hence part of the reason for the hiatus from writing. Right now, things are going really well, and I promise promise promise that I'll try to keep you posted. No more 3 month delays...

Could it get any better?

Seriously...while I felt like February was the worst month I could ever endure, I feel like October has been one of the best months ever. My sister came for a weekend, one of my best friends came for a weekend, and I just spent the weekend in my favorite place doing little more than taking pictures with Flat Stanley, eating, and sitting on my friend's couch watching Grey's Anatomy. The Flat Stanley adventure was awesome...only another education major could get so excited about it. The food was the BEST ever! We went to my favorite pizza place and ate an entire medium pizza, had Wendy's french fries for dinner, ate a huge hamburger, and the delicious food just goes on and on...The best part of this past weekend was that it required little to no work, and we were both perfectly content with that. Everything is just going so well that I'm worried about graduating and moving on with my life because it will just throw everything out of wack.

I really am posting because I finally had the time to run AND post. Winter is coming quickly, and that makes me really sad, but today was what I expect to be the last fall day left, so I ran into my apartment to change and then go run. Because I don't believe in running in this neighborhood at night because of the darkness that might make me fall in a hole, I had a short run, but it was still fairly fantastic!

Stats for today:
Exercise: Running/Walking
Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: 5:15 pm, 31 minutes, 22 seconds
Temperature: 66 degrees
Humidity: 37% (WOW!)
Visibility: 10 miles
Wind: from the S at 10 mph
Pressure: 29.83 and falling

Everything's just going so right...

I haven't posted for a few days because I'm just too happy to spend the time to sit at my computer to type. Everything seems to be going so perfectly that I can't handle sitting inside for too long. I love the place that I'm student teaching at; the teacher I work with is hillarious, and the kids are amazing. October is going to be a great month because my sister came, my best friend is coming, I get to volunteer at homecoming, and I get to go to my summer area to visit my friend for 4 days. I couldn't be a happier camper.

Last week, I ran twice, and they were fairly average runs. My sister was here for the weekend, so I was unable to fit in a rollerblade excursion or run, but we went hiking through a forest in the middle of the city, and you wouldn't have even known that we were so close to downtown. Fall makes me happy, and it was an AMAZING day for being outdoors, so that was great. On Sunday I got to see my favorite quarterback play...from the nosebleed section. We were quite honestly in the last row...had we been one row back, we would have been outside of the dome. I decided that walking up the stairs to get there, walking down to get food, halfway up the wrong row, down to the right one, up, down, up, and down the last time was enough exercise to count, mostly because we were 29 rows up in our section. That's a lot.

Today was really, really long. I got up at 4:15 to take my sister to the airport, came back to grab an extra hour of sleep, and then went to school. I forgot that this week begins conferences because my teacher is going to San Fran for the marathon during official conference time. I had tons of conferences and got home after 6:00, which just makes for an incredibly long day. It's all great though, because things are wonderful. I absolutely dragged myself out for a run at 6:45. I'm really rather surprised that I made it out the door. I ran for a longer distance than usual, and could have kept going had my brain not been so tired. My body was ready for more, but I was so worn out from today that I quit. I'm not sure whether that's a good thing or bad thing quite yet.

By the way...today the high was 80, but apparently there's a "Polar Invasion" coming, and it might SNOW on Wednesday or Thursday. I can't belive it. I always thought that Florida was strange with it's rain every day, but honestly, a 50 degree difference over the course of 3 or 4 days. That's nuts.

Exercise: Running/Walking
Distance: 2.58/ .3 miles
Time: 6:40 pm, 35 minutes, 23 seconds
Temperature: 66 degrees
Humidity: 83%
Visibility: 10 miles
Wind: from the NNW at 1 mph
Pressure: 30.16 and rising

"Plentiful Sunshine"

Yes, that's the forecast for today. How much better could the day get?

I really wanted to go rollerblading today, but it rained last night so I couldn't. I settled for a run, and it was well worth it to be in that sunshine. There is not a single cloud in the sky. The temperature is perfect. How much better of a day could I have? Plus, the Colts play today, and I could ask for nothing more.

Yesterday would have been nice for rollerblading too...but I needed to spend the day getting my car fixed. I got new tires and an oil change, and my car couldn't be happier. By the time I finished all of that, though, the day turned grey and threatening, and rained. No rollerblading this weekend.

I've been so busy this week that I got no running or rollerblading in. I have now put clothes, running shoes, and my rollerblades in my car so that when I have a busy day I can find a place to change and fit a run or a roll in right where I am. Hopefully that will make my life easier.

Off to watch my Colts...

Exercise: Running/Walking
Distance: 3.80 miles
Time: 10:00 am, 50.48 minutes
Temperature: 64 degrees
Humidity: 65%
Visibility: 10 miles
Wind: calm
Pressure: 30.13 and falling

and I'm back...

My Colts won! YAY! I got back from watching the game, and my roomie hadn't moved since I left because she was doing homework. I convinced her that it was too beautiful of a day to not get out, so made her go on a walk. We walked 3 miles by the river, and it was gorgeous! YaY for roomies that will go on walks :)

BEAUTIFUL day

This morning when I got up, I was almost upset that I had told a friend that I would meet her for breakfast because it was so beautiful out that I just wanted to go rollerblade. I went right after breakfast, and it was a much slower roll than usual. It has been raining a lot lately, and because it's fall and the leaves are coming off the trees, the trail was rather slippery. There were a few really nice areas, where it was quite nice, and they made the trip worth it.

I thought it was neat that on my way back, I saw my cooperating teacher running. I've never seen someone I know on the trail, so it was fun to go by her.

After my rollerblading, I decided to go on a run too. I ran a mile, a very slow mile because legs don't work after rollerblading for very long, and then I walked a mile back. It was just so wonderful of a day to go out. YAY!

Exercise: Rollerblading/Running/Walking
Distance: 12.19 miles/1.2 miles/1.2 miles
Time: 11:00 am, 1 hour 32 minutes/12 minutes/15 minutes
Temperature: 64 degrees (I heart fall!)
Humidity: 65%
Visibility: 10 miles
Wind: from the W at 10mph
Pressure: 29.88 and falling

I'm...running...for...Randy...

A lot of things came together for me today, in that I've been finding it harder and harder to make time to run because I'm so busy, but on my run today I realized just how much I love it. I had to drag myself out the door; I kept making excuses for why I didn't need to run, namely that I work too hard during the day to have to run. Once I got out the door, I started thinking that it was tolerable, and then remembered a strategy that the teacher I work with told me. She read an article that said to help make long runs more tolerable you can think of a phrase repeatedly and tap it out with your fingers while you're running. A few minutes into my run I started thinking about why I started running, and it was to run with a friend of my brother's after my brother died. I made my phrase "I'm running for Randy" and got it into my head, and just ran. And it was amazing.

I took a new route, and after a bit I looked at my watch...23 minutes, and I wasn't even a bit tired! I ran for a bit more, and then decided I needed to quit because it was getting dark and I don't live in the best of neighborhoods. I ran for 26 minutes total, and then walked for 4 to let my legs loosen up. I've never been so happy about what I accomplished.

I love that my motivation all comes from my brother, whether directly or indirectly. My initial running started so that I would be able to do a one mile memorial run with his friend. I called her after my first few runs, and she was so incredibly supportive, and told me to start this whole blog. Now she's doing a marathon for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society, and blogs about it. The blog is so motivational for me that it's the reason I went running at 9:00pm on Tuesday and that I went for my run today. Sometimes you just need that example.

I started running as a stress reliever because things were going so wrong...and now I'm running because everything is just going so right.

Just keep running...

Exercise: Running/Walking
Distance: about 2.5 miles
Time: 7:00 pm, 30 mins and 41 seconds
Temperature: 63 degrees (fall is here! :) )
Humidity: 50%
Visibility: 10 miles
Wind: from the SE at 8mph
Pressure: 29.97 and falling

If it wasn't for the wind...

I was going to do it today...I was going to go past the farthest spot I've gone blading...but shortly before I got to where I park, I saw the flags, and realized that they were completely outstreched, and weren't even wavering because it was so windy. I turned around. When I got back, I looked, and the wind was 9 mph, with 20 mph gusts. I think it's good I didn't go because one way would have been horrible.

I did go yesterday, and went farther than before, and it was great. I like going on little adventures, so getting to go on the detour was great. The trail was rough where the detour started, but it was still fun. I got to see bunnies and geese. WOO! Maybe I'll keep going! :)

Back to 'Blading

I went on my first Rollerblading excursion since before I went to Hawaii, and it was wonderful. The weather was great, there weren't too many people on the trail, and it was all around amazing. The thing that was saddest about it though, was that none of my rollerblading friends are living here this semester, so I had to go all by myself. Someone new needs to step up to the challenge of rollerblading many miles with me...

Overall, it was great to get back to rollerblading.

Exercise: Rollerblading :)
Distance: about 8.5 miles
Time: 11:00, 1 hour and 2 minutes including the wait time at intersections
Temperature: 82 degrees
Humidity: 41%
Visibility: 10 miles
Wind: calm
Pressure: 30.06 and falling

Running in a zoo?!!?

First of all, I'm feeling much much better. My eyelid is still a bit swollen, but it's redness is gone, and the swelling has gone down significantly. MUCH better.

Now for the good stuff:
I went to DC for the weekend to visit one of my old roommates who is interning there. We walked around SO much that had I not run, I would probably have exercised enough to last a lifetime. We decided to go on a run, though, and we decided to go through the National Zoo. We did a really good job of running out because it was all downhill, but on the way back, she and I decided to get distracted by the animals so that Frat Boy wouldn't keep running. Basically, it was the most amazing "run" i had ever been on because I ran for a good 15 or 20 minutes, and then saw aminals on the way back! Oh so great! I heart zoos!

Student teaching makes me sick...

...literally.

Yesterday, when I got home from school, I had enough energy to take a shower and fall into bed. I had taught all day because the teacher I'm working with had a meeting, my throat had been hurting for a few days, my ears always hurt, and I felt like I was allergic to something because my eyes were itchy. So at about 7:00 I go to bed, and just have the tv on to relax and fall asleep if I need to. I wake up at about 8:00 to give my roommate some things she needed, and just hang out in my bed. I get up at about 9 to do a last email check and actually get ready for bed, when I realize that my left eye doesn't just itch, it hurts...and is swollen...and pink. I show my roommate and she agrees, but we don't think it's too bad, or bad enough to be pink eye. I call Dr. Mom, who really is a doctor, and she says "well, how bad does it feel, and how swollen is it?" to which I give my generic response of "medium." Her response was that if I felt bad enough I should go to the ER, but I should probably just wait it out another day. I try to let my eye rest , put a cold sock on it (because I can't find my washcloths yet), and just hung out in my bed. I realized that it was getting worse and making me be in pain, so maybe I should get it checked out. I only have one set of eyes, you know. We (my roommate and I) decide that the emergency care center is open until 11, and it is currently 10:05 so I should go. I was just going to drive myself because it was late and I didn't want to inconvenience anyone, and then my roommate said "it's your eye dummy, you can't go by yourself, I'm driving you" and pushes me out the door.

We get to the ICC at 10:45 and I say "will you please see me even though you're almost closed?" and they said yes, so I said "that's so very nice of you." This started a whole conversation that was quite entertaining for me, because one of the other nurses says that it's rude to say things like "that was nice of you." I told them that I felt bad for coming in so late, and that I would try to be an easy patient for them. They said that they didn't mind, they get paid by the hour, and that they just get annoyed when people walk in at two minutes before 11 with a disgusting foot fungus that they've had for 6 months. I told them that since I see Dr. Mom every few months, the most I'd have a foot fungus for was 3 months, but that it was my eye that was causing the trouble. They said that they were happy to hear that it was my eye because they would have felt bad if I had come in because of a foot fungus...

We kept talking as they put me into the computer, and it was quite entertaining. Who knew you could have so much fun at an ICC late at night? They voted me their favorite patient of the night because I was in such a good mood and was nice. I'm famous!

I get checked in and have all of the dumb stuff like blood pressure and temperature taken. So the doctor with bad breath come in, numbs my eye (at which point I decide it is a really good thing that roomie brought me), shines bright lights in it, bathes me in eyedrops to flush out the dye and says "yes, your eyelid is infected, I'll prescribe some eye drops for you." So we go and pick them up and I go to bed.

And my eye still hurts.

I know, it seemed like there should be some final excitement, but not really. If only I had some exciting name for whatever was wrong with me, but no, I just have an eyelid infection. WOO HOO! I hate putting in eye drops, but I will put up with it, and see if they'll let me take them with me to put in in the airport when I go to DC on Friday. (Yes, as in Washington DC!) If only kids weren't so germey. YUCK! ON the bright side though, I love this placement, and it's worth being sick and having eye infections for.

The point of this whole story is both for entertainment value, and to make it okay that I haven't moved much away from my bed lately. I did make it to the fitness center today because it's yucky out and not cool to be out in, and moved a bit. I did the elliptical for 10 minutes, and then ran 5.2 mph for 10 and then walked for 10ish. I know, it's wonderful :) Maybe I'll move some tomorrow too!

If it's rain you want...

This morning I woke up and it was sprinkling and super humid out, but I knew I had to make myself go on a run. I ate breakfast and watched a little tv and realized that it had quit raining, so I put on my clothes as fast as I could and propelled myself out the door. I went on one of my run for 20 minutes and walk for an hour jaunts, and as I finished the black clouds started rolling in. It has not started raining yet, but it is soon to come. YAY for the weather cooperating!

I also decided to just run for 20 minutes, straight, and see where I ended up. I mapped it when I was done, and my 20 minutes was 1.9-ish miles! Next time I'm going to aim for 20 minutes and 30 seconds!

Exercise: Run/Walk
Distance: approximately 5.31 miles (seriously, the distance always surprises me)
Time: 10:20 am, 1 hour, 18 minutes and 24 seconds
Temperature: 82 degrees
Humidity: 73%
Visibility: 6 miles
Wind: From the W at 3 mph
Pressure: 29.99 and rising

I'm back!

Yeah, I know, I stink at keeping this thing up, but I had such an eventful summer that I didn't have time. Why play on the internet when you have friends to do stuff with?

I went on my first run since I've been back in this state. WOO! I wanted to go as far as when I left, but I haven't run in a while. I was running and set my goal for distance, and when it was in sight I decided I couldn't do it and turned around. As I walked toward where I came from, I got mad at myself and made myself turn around and run back to where I set my original goal. And I did it. WOO! I also walked a lot farther than usual because I was convinced that there had to be a connection between to roads...it doesn't exist. I walked and walked and walked. But now I'm done.

Exercise: Run/Walk
Distance: 4.49 miles (wow...I didn't realize it was that many until I just mapped it..CRAZY!)
Time: 6:30-ish pm, 1 hour, 18 minutes and 40 seconds
Temperature: 80 degrees
Humidity: 57%
Visibility: 10 miles
Wind: From the S at 5 mph
Pressure: 29.96 and rising

I.HATE.SQUIRRELS.

I should not be writing this this early. I should not be writing this this early. I hate squirrels. I used to think that squirrels were cute and cuddley and loved them. Until there was a squirrel outside my door this morning at 5:55, BARKING! Seriously, it was barking. I thought that it was my uncle doing something with his bike, so walked out on to the balcony to yell at him, when I saw the squirrel barking. The funny thing is that my neighbor had obviously rolled out of bed also to fling his curtains open and see what was going on. I pointed and said "It's a barking squirrel" and he said "Dumb Squirrel" just like the guy says "silly fairy" at the end of the Dodge Caliber commercial. I tried to go back to bed, but the squirrel continued to bark, so I had to get up. I was bored so went for a run, and I'm back from it before my watch alarm for waking me up today even went off. At least it was productive for me to get out. But still, squirrels should not bark. Period.

Yesterday, I went to a "stretch and tone" class. It was really good for me because I told the lady that I only signed up for a week of it because I was worried that it wouldn't be hard enough. Because I said that, she specifically pointed out things to me that I could do to make it harder. Tomorrow I might stand in the back because I feel bad being able to do more than the old ladies in my class. But it was fun, and I signed up for the rest of the time I'm here. WOO!

P.S. Today I started my watch earlier than usual to time my run, and I started running closer to my house than usual, and got to the mile mark in about 11 and a half minutes. I ran the rest of the minute to make it 12, which got me to the point where I had ended sprinting the last time, and sprinted out a block. YAY for progress!

Today:
Exercise: Run/Walk
Distance: 2.6 Miles
Time: 7 am, 37 minutes and 34 seconds
Temperature: 70 degrees
Humidity: 80%
Visibility: 4 miles
Wind: From the SW at 5 mph
Pressure: 30.02 and rising

Run a little, walk a lot

I ran yesterday! I did it at 10, and thought it was excellent. I ran the same amount I did the last time, and then I added a block of a sprint to add on to my endurance. Then I walked the rest of the 2.6 miles. I did my first mile in under 12 minutes though, and that was kind of exciting.

Later in the day my neighbor and I walked around the perimeter again. We just went on more of a stroll, but hey, that's another 2.6 miles. WOO!

Add that on to the fact that I treaded water for another 30 minutes or so at work, and I think I'm doing well.

I'm just going to post my stats for the run/walk because I'm too lazy to do both...

Exercise: Run/Walk
Distance: 2.6 Miles
Time: 10:10 am, 40 minutes and 3 seconds
Temperature: 70 degrees
Humidity: 78%
Visibility: 10 miles
Wind: From the S at 6 mph
Pressure: 30.09 and falling

So what I'm a slacker?

So, I'm already on the downhill slide of keeping up my goals...yesterday, I was almost on my way to put on my running clothes and shoes, when my Uncle walked in and said "I'm going fishing, do you want to come?" And seeing as how he had just begun teaching me how to fly fish, I really wanted to go. So did. It was fun, and I caught a bunch of fish, and let them all go. I feel kind of bad fishing, but it is really fun.

Today, I had to work, and I feel like it's okay that I didn't run because I treaded water for 45 minutes putting up docks. I also hit my head on a dock, and now have a big lump on it.

Every year, when I get up here, I can not ride my bike up the hill from work (It's a steep hill, something you'd never see at home, and I have a bike that's from the 1940s or so, so it's not that bad that I can't do it). This year, though, I've been able to ride up the hill from the first try, and it's not even too much of a struggle. I guess my running has really helped my legs some, or something.

Tonight I will probably walk around the perimeter with one of my bestest friends, so maybe I won't be too much of a failure...

You just never know...

I'm just so productive this morning...I got up, at breakfast, and then decided to go on a run. I decided to just make an effort to run a mile because it's marked, and then finish the loop by walking. When I started walkinng, after a few steps I looked over and saw that there was someone walking at the same pace I was, so looked over and said "I think we're walking almost together" and she said "why yes, I think we are" and then we talked and talked, and I finished the 2.6 mile loop, but she started after the mile so I just did an extra mile with her to finish up her loop, so I did 3.6 miles in under an hour. WOO! Two days in a row I've worked toward my goal. WOO!

Exercise: Run/Walk
Distance: 3.6 Miles
Time: 7:30 am, 57 minutes and two seconds
Temperature: 70 degrees
Humidity: 82%
Visibility: 9 miles
Wind: From the SW at 10 mph
Pressure: 30.02 and rising

Double Post

Yeah, so I've been really bad about posting twice in a day...I guess it's better than not posting, or is it?

I just had to say that I went on another walk because I've been feeling like I've been cramped up lately (hmmm...hours of flying, 20 hours of driving...I wonder why...). As I was walking I saw my boss and decided to go bug him about the fact that he is the waterfront director and he had his motor boat in the swim area, and he said he needed another set of hands so I went and helped him get his boat situated. We never really finished because the cable for the wench got messed up, so he just decided to park it in a slip somewhere, but to do that he would have to drive his boat, so he took me on a ride. YAY! It was just a short ride, and I never finished my walk because playing with the boat took so long, but still...BOAT RIDE!! WOO!

The air is just so much thinner here...

Today, I went on a walk, and didn't even attempt to run. I have now transplanted myself from home, about 120 feet above sea level, to western NY, 1308 feet above sea level. While it isn't too dramatic, like when I went up a volcano last week, it does make a difference. To ease into my new home, I decided on a 2.6 mile walk, which was a bit of work on it's own. This mostly came from the fact that I came from flat home, to the foothills of mountains, so the hills are a lot of work. I did it though, and that's all that counts. Maybe tomorrow I'll run a block...Maybe two if you're lucky :)

Oh, and while I was walking, there was a lady carrying a sled. C'mon lady...It's JUNE!

Exercise: Walking
Distance: 2.6 miles
Time: 1:00 p.m. 50 minutes, 25 seconds
Temperature: 72
Humidity: 60%
Visibility: 9.0 miles
Wind: from the WSW at 10 mph
Pressure: 30.11 and rising

I guess here is the time to list my goals also...I have two, hopefully I'll achieve at least one, but preferably both of them.

1. To run in the Old First Night Run. I've walked every other year, and it's just 2.6 miles. I can do it. Maybe.

2. To walk the perimeter distance 4 or so times a week. My neighbor is coming soon, so this should become a much easier task because it's what we do to escape all of the listening ears of our families when we need to rant.

Simple goals...right?