I've never done a confessions post before, but I love reading them! It seemed about time I jumped on this trend.
Confession 1: On summer break, I regress back to my teenage years and sleep late. Really late. As in, nearly noon. I don't think I'll ever be an early riser!
Confession 2: I'm a slob, but I'm an organized slob! You know that episode of FRIENDS where Chandler opens Monica's secret closet and it's a disaster zone? That's pretty much how I live my life...Mess. But I know where everything is!
Confession 3: People tell me they're jealous of where I live because of the beach, but I actually hate the beach. It's hot, dirty, and takes a lot of work. And honestly, I kind of hate water in general. I'll jump in our pool after a run, but otherwise I rarely go in the water.
When I do get dragged to the beach, this is as close to the water as I get.
Confession 4: Sometimes I wish I had majored in biology. English is my true love, but sometimes I wonder what my life would be like now if I'd followed my other true love.
Confession 5: Click-bait headlines, like the ones that start with a question or the word "why", drive me nuts. I also hate listicle titles, although I'll admit I sometimes get suckered into reading them.
Maybe it's in my nature to over-analyze words and their connotations; I simply can't help it. Given that runners are sometimes a bit sensitive about how things are phrased, I thought clarifying some definitions/debates could benefit us.
This one's a hot topic, isn't it? So many runners get offended when they're called joggers!
As Mark Remy has pointed out, the main difference between a runner and jogger is that joggers are the unluckiest bunch in the world; they're always stumbling over bodies in the woods!
A runner, on the other hand, is anyone who feels a lightness and joy in their heart every time they put on their running shoes and step out the door!
I'll admit, sometimes when we talk about "fueling" I get kind of annoyed. What are we, cars?
If fuel is the good food we put into our bodies in the hopes that it will make us strong and power our runs, then food is all the fun stuff we get to eat afterward!
I honestly hadn't given thought to this until recently. I was reading an article (which I just spent 30 minutes trying to find, with no luck) on Runner's World about a marathoner who is offended by the term "half marathon" because it undermines the race distance.
You know, like, it's not just half a marathon. It's a race all its own; a 13.1 mile race! I can see where he's coming from, but I'm not personally offended by it! What do you think?
The last one kind of connects to this. I have the weirdest pet peeve about distances! "I ran a __" denotes, to me, that you ran a race of that distance.
"I ran 5k" means you ran a training run; "I ran a 5k" means you ran a race. I can't be the only one who gets annoyed by this, can I?!
This was a mindset change that I made purposefully. I was so used to hearing that sometimes we just have bad runs, but that we can learn from them and they make use stronger and tougher...But this mentality didn't work for me. It was too negative.
I've re-framed "bad" runs as "tough" runs. I simply don't believe that bad runs exist, unless you end up injured. And tough runs are valuable; they do make us stronger, better runners in the long run (har har). A good runner can and will learn from a tough run!
This week has been insane. Gasparilla, an overnight work commitment in Coral Gables, and then, for the first time ever, my number came up for jury duty.
I was #113. Also, can we take a minute to judge the County Clerk's Office for using "thru" instead of "through"?
It was actually a pretty interesting experience at times, but mostly it was boring. The redundancies and the weird analogies the judge and lawyers went into drove me nuts. I didn't get chosen for the jury because as soon as I heard what the case was I knew I'd be too opinionated/biased to remain impartial.
It wasn't until Thursday evening that I hung up my race medals, and I realized that I only have one more hook on our shelves!
One lonely hook...It will have its own medal come March 15!
I guess I'll have to start doubling them up sooner than I anticipated!
Remember a few weeks ago when I had some blood tests run to figure out my exhaustion? I had my followup this week. The good news is that everything is generally normal.
The one thing that stood out to my doctor was that my B12 was a little low. Nothing drastic, but low enough that she's wondering if I'm having some absorption trouble. So I'm going to start taking 1000mg a day to overload my body and try to force adequate absorption.
I wonder how quickly I'll see results!
In other news, I watched this video from The Onion and gave myself the hiccups laughing.
I know, I know...I haven't written since Monday! But things are finally calming down here, and I'll be able to catch up on your blogs (and mine) soon!
I took some much-needed rest Sunday through Tuesday, and have done T25 Wednesday-Friday (double today, actually), but I haven't run. I have a 10k next weekend, but no plans to really push myself. I'm mentally needing a run soon though, so it's not like I'm quitting! ...Just taking a little break this week.
So, briefly, here's some things I've been up to:
I came back to school Monday to find my substitute had managed to crash one of my computers, taking me back to the turn of the century.
Oy. It was Dec. 31, 2000 when I first got to school.
Luckily, our IT department is prompt and knowledgeable, so everything is up and working now.
I've somehow managed to get tired of chocolate peanut butter and pretzels for my mid-morning snack. (I eat breakfast at 6:45am and my lunch is at 12:52pm, so some protein indulgence is necessary.) This sweet treat has been my go-to this week:
I don't know how "natural" it really is, but it sure is delicious!
I've been attempting to find joy in the little things this week. I've been so exhausted and stressed out leading up to my TPE (I'll get to that shortly), that I've just been a wreck. I was at work until 7pm the other night. Wondering where I was, Matt texted:
"Do I have to figure out how to explain to Archie that his mommy doesn't love him anymore?"
The only appropriate reply being: "Tell him his nuttiness drove me away."
And then this happened:
This still cracks me up.
For those of you not familiar with the Dramatic Chipmunk (I forgot his name originally)...
Watch it. You won't be sorry.
One reason this week has been so rough, besides the exhaustion from wedding fun and traveling, was that my final teacher performance evaluation was today. The TPE is a 45 minute observation during which you must exhibit a variety of skills and practices in the classroom. Some of my salary hinges on this. Along with the TPE, my DPP (deliberate practice plan, a year-long self-assessment of areas I want to improve in) is due.
Literally the minute the lesson ended, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. I had no clue how stressed I was until it was over. It's not that I don't do these great instructional strategies usually, but it's hard to show them all in one lesson alone. I'm looking forward to my post-TPE meeting to go over my DPP and see how it all turned out.
What a great note to come back to after the eval!
Of course, I've been reminiscing about last weekend's wedding. I was talking to some friends at work about going in on throwing a "wedding-like" party. I think if you had enough people pitch in, you could have all the fun of a reception without having to force anyone into marriage against their will, for the sake of a party.
Maybe this summer!
Two of the tamer sets from the photobooth with Jeff and Cayla.
I've been so behind this week; I have something like 40 blog posts to read.
During my run today, I had the honor of being yodeled at by a bunch of teenaged boys hanging out of an RAV4. My usual response to this in the past has been a quick flip of the bird.
Listen, if he can do it, I can do it. Best role model ever.
The problem is that, as a teacher, I feel like I'm kind of expected to be "on" at all times. There's definitely a possibility that one of these days, a former student, student's sibling, or even a student's dad will be the one behind the honk.
Maybe I should learn to take it is a compliment. When I pass runners while driving, I have to squash the urge to honk and yell out the window, "Go, runner, go! You rock!" Maybe I should just assume the honk is pure-intentioned.
The problem with having a reaction at all is that by the time I muster a response, the car is long gone and I'm left gesticulating to thin air and the occasional squirrel.
Or the occasional lolcat.
What do honkers want, anyway? It's not like they're looking for a response. They're not pulling over to start a conversation.
I've noticed a trend in honkers, of course. During early morning runs (before the sun is up), honkers are scarce, as if they know that someone running at 4am means serious business. Afternoon and early evening is the top time for honkers; on a mere 3-miler, I've counted up to 8 honks on a good day. As the sun sets, even creepy honkers seem to realize that nighttime honking could be taken as malicious.
Left with the choice to curse, wave, or ignore, I tend to choose ignore. And I might consider updating my wardrobe, if I didn't think it would bring the wrong kind of attention.
Can I get this in a lady's tech tee?
What's your response to honkers? Do you ever honk at or shout encouragements to runners while you're driving? ABK
*Don't mind the smiley faces in the pictures below. If I haven't asked permission to post faces, I like to give people the privacy they deserve. :o)
I don't mean "runners who run long distances." I mean "runners who live far away from me and make me regret my choice of location."
I began thinking about this earlier today. Cori over at OlivetoRun.com posted about what running has taught her (you can read it here; it's very moving), and as I was ruminating on what running has taught me, the words changed a bit and I ended up thinking about what running has given me.
And one of those things, perhaps the most surprising and rewarding, is a reconnection with my far-away friends.
Distance can be a pain in the butt and a relationship killer. Unfortunately, after spending years bonding with girls through major childhood events, the magic of sisterhood, and small living spaces, my years as a student ended and we all went off in our own directions. And then there are those who have always lived far from me, and running has helped to strengthen those friendships, too.
KS (of Fast & the Furriest
PR fame) and I were sorority sisters who shared a suite. We (and two
others) were inseparable. Now her little, BE, has begun running as well,
and completed her first half marathon recently! Even my little has decided to try her hand at running. Our
support of one another has helped to solidify our sorority bond
post-college, and we're hoping to gather all the AXOs who have become
runners to participate in a race together...What a great reunion that
will be!
BE is one of the most positive, energetic, and genuinely fun people I know (as you can see by her facial expression in above photo). She could make the most boring community service project a blast. I am dying to run a race with her!
While none of us ran in college, many of us have taken it up as we near the big 3-0. Whatever the reason (maybe we're seeking to rewind the aging process before we even really begin it), it's amazing to see how many of my friends have become runners. A few of them are friends from my childhood who I've reconnected with on multiple levels, running being one of them.
We went to elementary and middle school together, and I was able to reconnect with these ladies despite being a plane ride away. We found running separately from each other, but seeing their progress online helped us bridge the gap. Here we are atop Masada in Israel in June 2012.
Some of you may remember my mentioning AG; she's BG's best friend , and was one of my closest friends in middle school when I moved. We reconnected at BG's baby shower. I cajoled her into joining me for the 6 weeks to 6 miles running group, even though she's never been a runner. I intend to encourage her addiction to running as much as possible!
There are those I never lost touch with, but through running have now found a deeper level of understanding.
The first friend I made when I moved to FL, BG has been with me through everything, even when she went off to live in various countries in Africa. She even came back stateside to be a bridesmaid at my wedding! Now that she's back home for awhile, I can't wait to run with her...but I'll need to be patient, as she's due to give birth any day now!
Some saw me through the hardest, darkest times in my life, making themselves irreplaceable, becoming a pillar in my life that upheld well-being, happiness, dignity, and honesty.
When ED and I met, neither of us were runners or in the best shape. Our friendship grew based on mutual loyalty, respect, and the ability to listen to hours-long conversations...
...we live on opposite sides of the States, but our love for running has made us closer than ever. Bucket list: run a race with ED. It has to happen.
Running has given new life to my relationships, and of course this makes sense. As runners, running becomes part of the fabric of our lives. It's in our very being, in our soul, and to share the love of running with those we care about outside of running...it adds depth that I cannot put into words. It's like...friendship inception. A bond within a bond within a bond...
Today, I am so grateful that I have been able to add another link in that chain that is friendship, not just with these ladies mentioned, but with so many others as well. I urge others: join the club! There's always space for more, we're a welcoming tribe, and your friends will thank you! Have you inspired anyone in your life to begin running? Do you like to run with others, or by yourself? How has running changed your relationships?
As I was scrolling through my twitter feed this afternoon (ah, the joys of winter break, when all grading is finished and report card comments are entered!), I came across a link from Runner's World that promised great laughs.
How could I resist?
The links within were all from Remy's World; they are author Mark Remy's list of his favorite posts from the past year. (If you've never checked out Remy's World, I highly recommend it.)
Anyway, as I was scrolling through, I came across a post that felt like it was made for me. And by "made for me", I mean "made for any runner who has ever run in a race. Ever." How many of us have finished a race and immediately begun to whine about the old man threw a 'bow at the water station, or the jogging stroller that kept bumping runners off the sidewalk? Remy has put together an awesome Running Violation Ticket we can use on these lawless runners, and just reading it and know I'm not alone in my frustration has brightened my day.
Click for original post.
I especially love that my biggest pet peeve is the first on the list: stopping in front of other runners sans warning is an infraction worth a $20 fine. My favorite, though, is the one that carries the heftiest price tag because, while you may not see it often, it's just so ridiculous when you do. Click the photo for a larger version and enjoy a few minutes of laughter on this Friday afternoon.
These violations occur most often at big races that attract a slew of non-serious runners: Turkey Trots, Komen races, and the like.
I'm tempted to print multiple copies of this and hand them out mid-race to those who can't seem to get a handle on basic race etiquette. Can you imagine? I'm in tears just thinking about it.
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