Weekend Fun

Don't you just love a weekend that feels fully appreciated? Coming off FCAT, I was in need of a good one, but because I'm still on that pesky Cipro, I couldn't unwind with a long run.

The first thing on my list for this weekend was to sleep in, which I did. Naturally awake by 9am, I forced myself to snooze until 10, then read in bed until close to noon.

After a late brunch, Matt and I went paddling. It's been so long since I've gone, and I really needed to do something active. Being unable to do anything "rigorous" has been pretty frustrating, but getting outside and on the water was very healing.

Matt making his way through the mangroves.

Sunday we headed up to see Brittany's little one turn...one. (I can't believe just a year ago she was such a teeny little thing!) Like most babies, she was tentative and dainty about the cake at first, but by the end she understood what the big deal's all about. And she mauled that cake for all it was worth.

Her face at the end is simply awesome. That expression!

Afterward, because Britt lives near to the beach where all those shark teeth always turn up, we made our way over and spent about an hour or so with the "Florida snow shovel". We came away with a small handful of sharks' teeth, some quite big. I think we've found a new hobby!

Black sand and rocky...not your usual Florida beach.

But what it lacks in beauty, it makes up for in cool souvenirs!

Maybe someday we'll actually manage to fill this jam jar haha.

Matt digging around the rocks for a good scoop of shells/teeth.

Proof I actually got in the water! (Usually I just sit in my chair and nap/read.)

All things told, it was an excellent weekend. Too bad I woke up Monday with a throat full of glass and lungs full of cotton. I'm hoping to stave off the worst of what's been going around lately. I'm counting down to when I can get out and go for an easy run, and I'd hate to have to wait longer because of some silly summer cold!

How was your weekend?
Do you relax at the beach, or play in the water and collect shells?
It's already 90 here. The gloating from you northerners can start now.

ABK

My Schedule Lately

If you haven't noticed, my running posts have been few and far between. While volleyball is going on, I've had to adjust my schedule; I've cut my runs back to only two or three times a week.

On Monday nights, I'm meeting with my Ragnar team to run; I also try to run twice between Friday and Sunday. For now, while training for big races is kind of on hold, this is working well. I'm staying motivated and in shape, but I'm not stressing.

Beginning after my Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, I'm going to start adding some speedwork into the mix.

Matt signed us up for an awesome race in early December called Sup 'N Run...It's a relay! He'll paddle 4 miles, tag me, and I'll run 8. I'm so excited.

A little afternoon paddle this Saturday.

Speaking of paddling, we went today with Meg. November has brought us some perfect weather for the water; it was sunny but not too hot. The water was refreshing instead of warm; it even drizzled a little before sunset.

Meg and me paddling to the beach for a little rest.

And I got to see dolphins!

Spot the dolphin!

Racing against the sunset.

We just barely caught the last 5 seconds before the sun got below the horizon.

Tonight Matt and I saw The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. This book was my favorite in the trilogy, and I'm so happy that the movie was fantastic. I totally loved it!

What are your plans this weekend?
What's the last movie you saw in theaters? We rarely see movies in theaters, but series we're loyal to always make the cut.
What's your running schedule like when you're not actively training?
Do you do speedwork?
Are you running a Turkey Trot or doing the Runner's World holiday run streak this year?

ABK

A Daring Heart

I do not have a daring heart. I am not naturally a risk-taker, adventure-seeker, or new-thing-trier. My first reaction is usually to say "no" to anything that requires any kind of courage.

If someone wants me to try something scary, they need to introduce the idea slowly, and preferably with a bribe. It took Matt 8 months to get me to try paddling, and the night before my first paddle I literally threw a tantrum, had a panic attack, and cried at the mere thought of getting on a paddleboard.

My first time ever paddleboarding.

The next morning, on the board itself, I cried with sheer terror...But the tears were cathartic, in a way. They broke down a barrier. Anyone who reads my blog now knows that we paddle weekly, and I even had my first (accidental) night paddle this last Friday.

For how much I hate water, it seems to be a major gateway to learning to have courage. Here I am snorkeling in the Bahamas.

If I can be successfully led into something that terrifies me, I'll usually love it. The person behind most of these new experiences is Matt, and for that I'm forever grateful. He was the one who encouraged me when I first wanted to learn to run, and I think becoming a runner has had everything to do with my willingness to, slowly but eventually, face what scares me.

My first-ever solo race, and the first time I ran a sub30 5k.

Looking back, I realize now that I've conquered a lot of my fears. Maybe I'm teaching my heart to be more daring, and with each new conquest and victory comes a little more bravery.

Matt was the one who prompted me to take my Birthright trip to Israel before I aged out of the program. (Come to think of it, he was also behind getting me to study abroad.) Here I am with my cohort excavating underground ruins.

Running has something to do with it too, I think. After all, every time I set a foot over the starting line of a race, I'm facing that evil little voice in my head that tells me I'll never be a runner. It was right for a long time, but it hasn't been right in years.

It may not seem as scary as traveling the world, but choosing to go to grad school was a major leap of faith...And for an introvert like me, teaching takes courage every day.

Running builds confidence like few other sports can. It forces me to look doubt in the eye and steamroll right over it. It has taught me that my mind is strong and that my body can accomplish great things.

Ziplining in the rainforests of Panama.

The greatest thing about conquering fear and teaching my heart to be more daring is that it's keeping me active. When we live in fear - of ourselves, what others will think, of the world at large, whatever - we tend to hide in safe spaces. Safe spaces rarely get us moving.

Hiking up Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina.

Climbing rock faces in Leo Carillo, California.

My initial response may still be "no", but at least now I know that "no" is often a lie. Slowly, "no" is becoming "maybe." I hope in the future, my first response to risks and adventures is a resounding and confident "YES!"

Learning to be daring has taught me that I'm not made of glass, that life can be bigger and more enjoyable than I'd ever thought possible, and that if you fake it 'til you feel it, eventually daring will come.

What's the biggest risk you've ever taken?
Are you a naturally daring person?
What has running given you the confidence to do?

ABK

SUP Sunday

I think this is becoming a habit.

Matt had a paddleboarding race on Saturday while I was running the 10k, so we were both exhausted. We had a lazy Sunday morning complete with waffles and coffee before heading out for paddling.

Breakfast of champions!

I love that Sundays have become an actual "weekend" day now. Sundays are usually so stressful for me, but I've made more of an effort to do things like laundry, grading, and online classes before Sunday rolls around, so now we can spend the day doing things we love.

We grabbed Jimmy John's subs (an unwich for me!) and took lunch with us to paddle. We took a route that brings us through beautiful shallow backwaters to a nice beach spot, then through mangroves.

Water so calm it was literally mirror-like.

I can't help it; I see a bird and I just have to try to hold it.

There were so many little fish for this guy to catch.

Matt enjoying the water.

Ducking through spiderwebs...those banana spiders are ginormous!

We went about 5 miles at a very leisurely pace. Because I run mostly in the city, paddling has become a way for me to enjoy nature again. It's so quiet and calm on the water. I love being in the sun. I love being active in a non-demanding way.

Meg joined us for a little while. Like our matching boards?

This week volleyball begins. Practices are three days a week, which means I need to begin running in the mornings before work. My plan is to do a couple 5-milers this week and a 7-miler if I feel up to it, as I have a 15k Saturday.

It will be the first time I've run a race of this distance, so it's an automatic PR! I haven't run 9 miles in awhile, so I'm going in without expectations. I just want to keep getting stronger for my half in November.

Do you like spending time outside/in nature?
How do you spend your Sundays?

ABK

I Know, I Know...I've Been Missing Again

This whole "week between posts" thing isn't purposeful, but unfortunately, blogging is at the bottom of the totem pole as far as concerns right now.

I've been having a pretty down couple of weeks. Not just because I've been easing back into running and having to take it slow is a little depressing...But that's part of it.

Report cards are in, and the clean slate of a fresh quarter feels freeing. I'm hoping that "free" feeling sets in soon, because right now I feel as stressed as ever. And unfortunately, that's rolling over into my fitness life.

Have I mentioned lately that I've realized that I kind of hate "working out"? If I'm going to be active, I prefer a whole-body activity that's fun and helps me forget I'm staying fit. That's why I love running...it doesn't feel like exercise! It's also why I'm quickly becoming a SUP addict.

An evening paddle on the backwaters.

This past week, my Ragnar team met to discuss team names, payment plans (holy expensive race, Batman!), singlet designs, and more! I'm so excited to get to know all the women on the team better. I work with two of my teammates, but the others are virtual strangers (or "friends waiting to be made").

SO EXCITED!

Saturday Matt had a SUP race and won first place in his division! Is it wrong that I'm a little jealous that he's been paddling for a short year and is already winning races, and I've been running for 4 years and have only placed once? (Third, I may add.)

The starting line.

Matt's in the center, hauling tuchus!

Of course, SUP is a relatively new sport and the races are smaller, but still. He's definitely found his niche.

I'm so proud!

I went for a nice 4-miler last night. My legs felt like lead after paddling 5 miles Sunday, but it feels good to be building up my mileage. I have a 10k this weekend that I loved last year, and I'm hoping that I'm in good enough shape that I enjoy it this year (although I'm not looking to PR...Not after having to take time for recovery.)

My foot was completely pain-free during the run! Now that I'm refocusing on a shorter distance race to end the season, I feel a lot happier and less stressed about meeting any goals. I'm just letting my foot heal, enjoying myself, and running because I want to.

This will be my first half marathon run alone, so it will be a milestone no matter what. I'm really looking forward to relying on myself for the entire race.

Also, like I said, I've been having a rough few days. I came home today to Matt waiting to greet me, holding these:

And they're my favorite, to boot.

Day. Made.

What interesting fitness activities do your friends or SO participate in?
Are you excited that The Walking Dead is back? I AM!
What cheers you up when you've been down?
Besides running and blogging, what have you been up to this week?

ABK

And Then I Ran!

I have to admit that over the last two weeks, I've been anxious, stressed, short-tempered, and easily irritated.

I realized today the reason why. It's report card time.

I'm always in an awful mood leading up to the report cards, but I hadn't even realized they were looming! It's like my body went into stress-mode without my brain even knowing why.

Anyway, I made a decision this weekend to make a change to that, and what better way to improve my mood than through exercise? First, I went paddling on my new board twice.

Sunday we paddled through the backwaters and enjoyed the scenic mangroves.

 Sunday we saw a mama and baby dolphin just 10 feet from us. At the time I was in the water cooling off and eating a snack, and I immediately leapt onto my board. I wish we'd had time to get pictures, but they disappeared into the mangroves.

Just after seeing the dolphins swim by...I was seeking refuge on the board.

After 3 miles of paddling, running errands, and having dinner, I got in a nice 2.5 mile run. It felt great to get back out there. It was way more humid than I expected, but with such a short distance I was happy to find that my cardio hadn't deteriorated too much, and my pace was right where it usually is.

My legs felt great and fresh. It was just what I needed.

Super sweaty and super happy!

With my focus now readjusted to the 10k in two weeks, I feel like "running less" (as per my podiatrist) is going to be doable without guilt or stress.

I had a dream last night that I tried to call a friend and accidentally called my grandparents, which seemed to me like a sign. I gave them a call tonight and enjoyed hearing all about how my love of reading has come to me through the lines of my mom's family. We are a family of readers, for sure.

Tonight calls for loads of yummy snacks and a grading marathon. I'm definitely looking forward to the end of the quarter and a clean slate.

Peaches, strawberries, and whipped cream...the perfect after-work snack.

What are your favorite things about fall?
Are you planning anything fun for Halloween?
Are you watching the Division Series in baseball right now? The Rays are making my heart hurt, for real.

ABK

Books, Boards, and Big Decisions

At my school, we have a daily break of 15 minutes during which everyone pauses to read from a book of their choice. Students are expected to read 50 books by the end of the year (give or take, depending on length and complexity) and teachers are expected to read 30.

As I've taken time off from running, I've been spending more time with my books. I don't mind that; I'm a voracious reader. I was reading a lot of non-fiction earlier this school year, but now I've gone back to my roots.

My all-time favorite has always been Stephen King, and I've been indulging my obsession quite a bit this month.

I had to reread this one, because the sequel came out and it's been too long!

It's been awhile since SK has written real horror, and this was just what the doctor ordered!

Hey, fall is meant to be spooky, right?

I'm in the middle of this one. Slow at first, but once it picks up, it's awesome.

I've also begun reading Joe Hill's novels. (Hill is King's son, and his books are gory and gruesome and creepy and fun.)

Well-written and eerie. I highly recommend this one, and "Horns".

This week, Matt installed a sound system for a paddleboarding store. As part of his payment, he traded for a paddleboard and paddle for me! I'm psyched. We went to the beach today and I got to use my very own board for the first time ever.

His 'n hers at the beach. (Mine is the BOGA!)

Knowing this is my board helped me feel a lot more comfortable on it. I even dealt with some pretty big swells and didn't fall off. It felt great to get some exercise and spend time outside.

I'm at the beach in October. Jealous?

As far as running goes, I've come to a final decision. I'm going to run a 10k on October 19 and a 15k on the 26th. These are both races I've done before and love. I'm planning to drop to the half from the full for the November race.

I'm disappointed, but I also need to face reality. I'm not ready for the full; I've had too many setbacks. I'd rather run the half and enjoy it than struggle through a full I'm not ready for, possibly injuring myself and definitely doing some mental damage, too.

In January, I set my resolutions. My original goal this year was to run an "extra-long" long run to see how it felt, and then decide on if a full was in my future. I've accomplished that much.

My 2013 NY Resolutions.

This will also allow me to be fully recovered and ready for Ragnar in February.

Running is a life-long commitment. I don't want risk being able to run for a long, long time. In the long run (haha), this is one season that got a little off-track, but there will be many seasons to come.

How do you enjoy spending your downtime?
Are you a big reader? Recommend something to me!

ABK

Labor Day Weekend

What better day to have 15 miles scheduled than a day named for labor? I pushed my long run off this entire weekend because of all my little aches, and I plan to get those 15 miles in today instead.

Labor Day has kind of become a holiday that, for me, is rife with political implications. Rather than get into all that, I'm just going to say that I appreciate the people who work hard for little money and little recognition. The most thankless jobs are often the most important, and we build our country on the backs of those willing to do the under-appreciated work.

Anyway, Scott flew in from California for the long weekend, so Matt and I spent a couple days with his family. (I feel like lately I've been filling a lot of posts with a lot of non-running pictures...but how many screenshots of Nike+ can someone really take? Anyway, I think paddling counts as cross-training, so this is still a totally relevant post, right?)

We got in Saturday after lunchtime and met Scott and my MIL for bowling. Admittedly, I'm terrible at bowling, but I really love it. The most expensive part of bowling is renting shoes, but luckily Carole (my MIL) bought me my own pair a couple years ago, so now I'm all set!

Those little pinup girls are the cutest!

83 baby...Bowling is like golf, right? The lowest score wins?

Yes, my first frame I got a gutter ball and came back by knocking down a very impressive ONE pin.

After bowling, the boys' aunt joined us and we had dinner at JoTo's, a hibachi steakhouse we're kind of obsessed with. It's our go-to place when family is visiting. I was too mesmerized by my food to take any pictures, but we were able to get one at the end of the night.

After stuffing our faces.

Our plans for Sunday included kayaking, and I decided to bite the bullet and giving paddleboarding another try. In case you're new to my blog, let me reiterate that I am terrified of open water. I hate anything that lives in water. I have legitimate panic attacks when I think we're anywhere near a manatee.

But Matt loves SUP and so many of our friends love it, so I need to learn to at least be comfortable with it.

We ended up having a great time. We stayed in the bay area so it wasn't too deep, and we spent some time going through the mangrove tunnels. I even got in the water for a bit to cool off!

Gazing off into the distance and imaging one day being able to afford one of the gorgeous mansions lining the bay.

Like a pro!

Keeping an eye out for manatees in the water.

Scott gave Matt's board a try.

These birds follow paddlers because we stir up fish as we go, making lunchtime a breeze!

 By the end of the day, I was so comfortable I was able to do planks on the board, and moving from standing to sitting was easy as pie!

My form is a little off, but for planking on a paddleboard, I think I did a pretty good job!

Mangroves are protected and it's illegal to cut them, but these tunnels are somehow always maintained enough to kayak/paddle through. The shade is a nice treat, and there's something truly spiritual and ethereal about floating beneath the branches. It's quiet and calm and simply perfect.

I had to kneel in the tunnels so that I wouldn't get whacked in the face by the branches.

Basically, this was a great day of cross-training and fear-smashing!

After a very full day, we had dinner and then departed to go back home. We didn't get in until almost 10pm. Needless to say, I didn't want to get up at 5am to run this morning, so while I have a long run on the docket, I'm planning to do it later on.

What did you do for Labor Day weekend?
Have you ever paddleboarded?
Do you have any hobbies that you love, but stink at?

ABK