for Graham

while i was sitting here trying to figure out how to wrap my mind around the following huge life problems:
 - how is tomorrow the last day of the month??...
 - wait, my marathon is in how many days?!?...
 - i really should have taken an ice bath yesterday...
 - why cant i get my ass to do 800s at the track?...
 - how in the world could i let myself run out of ranch dressing?!?!.....

...like i said, admist all my huge life problems, i saw that a friend was in need. and i looked further and saw more friends were reaching out for their family. and i knew i wanted to help. but ya know, my huge life problems are really big..... (*shaking my head)...

i met katie through blogging and the twitter world and was able to meet her a few years ago at the boston marathon. although we live far apart and keep in touch via random drunk phone calls/texts, i still feel a connection to her (not to mention she has THREE awesome golden retrievers.... and we all know how i feel about them).

whenever i tell ty a story about katie he goes "the one with three dogs?" (yes, that katie....) and its often followed by something along the lines of: "i cant imagine how much hair is in their house" or "i wonder if they all sleep in bed together... they'd need a triple king" or "just so you know, we will never have three dogs, but it does look like they never have a dull moment over there".

yes, there is never a dull moment in that house. katie just accomplished a huge HUGE IRONMAN!!! only to come home to a very ill puppy. her baby. and my heart just breaks seeing what they are going through.

another friend of katies wrote this am "Thankfully Katie has some wonderful friends named Amy and Liz who are asking for help via PayPal donations. I donated. It wasn't a lot, but I think every little amount counts and I know how thankful both Katie and her husband Thom will be."  (http://discombobulatedrunning.blogspot.com/)

and i wholeheartedly agree.

here is the post that katies good friends wrote: for Graham

...in the midst of all my seemingly huge life problems, it just makes sense.

mid month rambles

someone please tell me how we are seriously 3 days into the 2nd half of the month?! what?! when did this happen? the days/weeks/months are flying by and before we know it there will be snow on the ground again! (ok sorry, didnt mean to bring that up.... i wish fall could come tomorrow and last til december...of 2013). with a few hot sunny beach days in between. k thanks.

but yes, we are now just over halfway through the month and just under 40 days til marathon #6. ive actually looked at the goals i made for myself back at the beginning of the month, and am already working on doing a few of them:

-smart training, rest, stretching, ice, compression. i cant afford to get hurt....
i guess this is going as well as it can go right now... i had some more hamstring/groin issues but i went to the chiropractor and he worked his magic. and my compression socks and i are true bff's right now.

-figure out a freaking time goal for around the lake marathon since my original goal might not be enough any more (yes i have a goal to make a goal)
i * think * i have it figured out... i havent printed out the pace band yet, but almost... (still slightly in denial/wanting to run without my garmin.... somebody thinks thats a really bad idea....)

-200 running miles for the month. yikes.
im currently on pace to accomplish this goal (current mileage: 116) despite feeling like omg i run all the time i haaaate running and taking a break this weekend. i pretty much eat, sleep, breathe running, but its almost taper time (well ok, 4 more weeks...) and i have a 4 mile cushion for the next two weeks so we'll see what ends up happening...

(side note: after this race i have 11 weeks until the next marathon.... training started back in march and wont end until october 14th. who decided to do this again?!)

-go back to the chiropractor
done! and i have another appointment next week!

-regain the attitude: suck it up and just fuckin do it. #bigpimpin
obviously, always. (minus skipping saturdays run hehe oops)

-just breathe
every day. a bunch of times.


yesterdays 19 mile (well, 19.1 mile) run really drove it home how far ive come in my training and that with a little extra push i really can overcome pain and (despite a LOT of complaining) finish strong with a good time. i went out and ran 6 before meeting up with sarah to run 13 with her. she and i are running a half marathon next sunday and ill be pacing her to her goal time, and shes been working really hard at gaining strength and speed as well. ill let the numbers do the talking, but needless to say she pushed me to be fast on this run when i really just wanted to lay down in the road and quit. thank you to best running buddy ever for not letting me fall over and die, although i know if i did she would stop my garmin for me ;) thats what friends are for.

um hi... an 8:17 mile at 19?! shoot. me.

but i love it, obvs.

and i also became an aunt for the first time last week... meet Ronan Joseph Nappi :)

love him.

one lovely blog

last friday (or was it 2 fridays ago? im way behind here.... ) i was nominated by JEN at running with the girls for the "one lovely blog" award. thanks, jen!!

The One Lovely Blog Award is a "pay it forward" kind of way to recognize your favorite blogs.

Here are the rules:

1. Post the award logo and and picture on your blog and link back to the person who nominated you.

2. Tell seven things about yourself.

3. Nominate bloggers who you think deserve the award.

Here are my 7 things -

1. ive never had a peanut butter & jelly sandwich. i know, i know. ive tried jelly once (on an english muffin about two years ago)... ew, gross. ive probably had about 6,943 peanut butter sandwiches in my life (or probably more like in the past 5 years), but never a real american peanut butter & jelly sandwich. yes, im aware thats not normal. (this should not surprise many of you that have actually met me)

2. i actually went back to the chiropractor last week (this was one of my june goals!), and he told me my ass wasnt strong enough, hence the hamstring/groin issue. lovely. squats and clamshells for the next 5 weeks.

3. pinterest has again sucked me back in after a short leave of absence. i even made one of the recipes last week (forgot the whole spicy red pepper flakes though, still came out delish) and have plans to buy a new purse i found on there! i figure if im gonna be on there twenty three two hours a day, i might as well make it useful to my life.

4. i still struggle with the "toilet paper rolls over the roll" issue. everyone needs to understand thats the only way it goes. if you think it goes under, youre wrong.

5. back in december i wrote all about how i was so "A-ok" with my "no marathons in 2012" decision. and then i changed my mind. and now that im less than 6 weeks away from a potential huge 26.2 PR, and although im powering through my training like a boss, and im hitting minutes per mile i have never seen before on longer runs, and im loving it and hating it and laughing and crying and and and... i regret choosing the race i picked. i cant wait for mount desert island in october. (18 weeks... but whos counting?)

6. im terrible at getting birthday/christmas gifts sent out on time. cassie, you always wanted your birthday in july instead of may, right?

7. i have an obsession with feetures socks, anything/everything zebra print, and hooded sweatshirts.

(and now im supposed to nominate  people/blogs for the award but pretty much everyone i know already got nominated cuz theyre awesome, so yeah. im not gonna do that)

 

another awesome thing happened this week (amidst all the non awesome things that have been simultaneously occurring lately):

saaaaaay whaaaat?!?!?!

oh yes. its true. i will be rockin the streets of boston covered in neon and awesome with this chica and this chica. we are team "call us maybe". thank you to janine for my giveaway win! if anyone else wants in, feel free to join our team!

may recap

i have to say, the month of may was pretty much insane with regards to running. if i wasnt attacking my fridge or sleeping, i was running. i even had quite a few times when i was running around the hospital at work. i just never slowed down. and i loved every minute of it (minus the few days when my hamstring told me to fuck off... but i showed it who was boss).

may
run:  166.6 miles (ill have to check but this might be my highest monthly mileage ever- checked. yes it is. and i was off 8 miles on the original posting of this)
bike: 71 miles
swimming: 1050 yards

races:
polar bear sprint tri
reach the beach 200 mile relay

pineland farms 25k trail race

favorite run: that time i just went out and ran a marathon cuz i just felt like it (smart)
# of times i went out and biked 43 miles just for the hell of it (also smart): 1
quote of the month: "did you do this in high school?"
current song obsession: "fighter" by gym class heroes, "marilyn monroe" by nicki minaj
least amount of sleep/most uncomfortable: reach the beach parking lot at 6am
favorite pins of the month:

may goals:

- dont crash and die at the triathlon - win. although i took a turn a little bit too wide and ended up in gravel. that crap is NOT easy to bike out of!
-track 800s - oops. although, i ran two of my four miles last night at 5k pace(ish) so does that count? (maybe i should have looked at these goals once during the month)
-strong/smart/stylish (obvs) reach the beach & 25k race - done. clearly i rocked both of these things.
-win the lottery- guess you cant win em all
-convince ty i might need the new saucony kinvara 3's- fail.

june goals:
-smart training, rest, stretching, ice, compression. i cant afford to get hurt....
-another long bike ride (before i have to give the bike back, booooo)
-figure out a freaking time goal for around the lake marathon since my original goal might not be enough any more (56 dayyyyys!!) (yes i have a goal to make a goal)
-attempt p90x yoga atleast once.
-200 running miles for the month. yikes.
-go back to the chiropractor
-sit ups/push ups. every. damn. day.  so help me God....
-lets revisit that track 800's goal, shall we?
-regain the attitude: suck it up and just fuckin do it. #bigpimpin
-just breathe