Quarter of a Century

Guess what all, Cinco de Mayo= my birthday and this year I turned a quarter century old.  YIKES!

Turning old (yes old, not older) scares me because I feel like my twenties have been so full of change and uncertainty. Age is just a number but fear pushes me to try things I never thought I would or was afraid to before because I want to live life to the fullest and be happy.

5 Things I Love That I've Done In the Last 5 Years(Because 25 would take me all month to write)

1.  Lived away at university and had some wild and crazy times while I was young and stupid but had good people watching my back.

2. Tested multiple career interests out.  I've tried out multiple jobs and possible fields of interest throughout internships in college and two full-time jobs I've had out of school. Some days I'm frustrated that I didn't automatically start with the ultimate job I want, but I'm glad to have taken the time to find what I want to do. You never know where  life leads you and picking a dream career out of the air without actually doing it is unrealistic!

3.  Went on a crazy last minute vacation to Scotland . I went my best girls in college to crash on our friend's couch, who had been studying abroad. It was great to just buy a plane ticket and have a little overseas adventure.

Just Another Nike Women's Half DC Recap Part 2

Here's to the actual Nike Women's Half Marathon race! Part 1 recap is here if you missed!

The race started at 7 AM and as always I was got into the 7:30-8:59 corral with 15 minutes to spare. I was really anxious and slept really crappy, getting only about 5 hours of sleep including me waking up in a panic in the middle of the night. I was also nervous because I was kind of in the front and had lots of room in my corral. Oh yeah and I started flipping out because I was right next to the stage where OMG Shalane Flanagan was. 

She is my running idol, and I just read the issue of Runner's World  with her and Kara Goucher on the cover so it was a big deal.  They had Shalane and Joan Benoit Samuelson there for a moment of silence for Boston.  Both of them were "jogging" the 13.1 miles. You know, just an easy run, haha. I saw Shalane at one point around mile 4, and it totally pushed me. 

My legs had been really tight from cross-training all week and even though I did my best to foamroll and stretch all week but it didn't seem to help much race day. My goal was to run sub 1:40, or a 7:30 pace. The run itself was pretty basic though I had never run through a tunnel so that was really fun, minus how it messed up my Garmin satellites so my pace and distance seemed a little inaccurate.  

I thought Nike did a great job having water and Nuun about every 2 miles with lots of volunteers.  The course was mostly flat, which is nice, but I was a little disappointed that most of it was like the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler which I had just run.  It actually got a little boring, especially that stretch around Mile 8, that is completely straight.  There were no on course photographers for me to try to smile at which I thought was pretty lame of Nike, especially with the hefty registration fee. 

This race was also the first time I had to stop and use a port a potty during a race. It was mostly my anxiety and nerves, but thank goodness I didn't have to wait for one to be open.  Around Mile 8 or so I found a 7:30 pacer (I didn't know Nike was having pacers?) so to keep pushing myself during my hardest miles 8-10, I kept up with the pace group.  This race was a really mental one for me where I had to push out all the negative thoughts saying my legs were too tight and that I wasn't good enough.  

Just Another Nike Women's DC Half Recap Part 1

Well, like many others I too ran the Nike Women's Inaugural DC Half this weekend.  I've always read great things about the Nike events and really wanted to run their San Francisco marathon or half marathon so I jumped on the chance when I read they were doing an inaugural race in DC! It's a female focused, Nike focused race which is super popular because you get a special Tiffany's necklace in lieu of a medal.  

What lady doesn't  love a little blue box after running 13.1 miles? 

Since the races are so popular there is a lottery to ensure a field of only 15,000 runners.  I was accepted automatically through the college student registration which still had a hefty registration fee of a little less than the normal $160, but still, that's the most I've ever paid (and probably will) for a race. I think you are pretty much paying for that Tiffany's swag.

My best friend lives in DC, and I just crashed on her couch for the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler so she didn't  mind seeing me again :)  I got down to the city on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon the day prior to the race. I was expecting it to be crowded, and it was. The Georgetown Nike store was mobbed because it was full of Nike race gear, and the expo was in a tent a few blocks away near the water.  

When I got there the line for packet pickup was around 0.25 miles long. YIKES!  

The boyfriend went to go grab us Baked and Wired cupcakes for lunch (best cupcakes in Georgetown, IMO) which included a big red velvet cupcake for me.   The line ended up moving pretty quickly, but still, it was long. Finally I picked up my bib and pace wristband that I needed to get into the corral and headed to the Expotique. 

I was really disappointed with this.  The tent was small and crowded. It only had major sponsors such as Luna bar and Nuun, which had samples of what they would have on the course, along with Team in Training.  

The main focus I felt was the Nike shoes and the limited edition collection of NWM DC shoes.  

They had a little game where you could type in a code on three different wall spots to see if you won a prize which was neat, but again, it was crowded so less fun than it seemed.  The limited edition Nike shoes are very pretty and an appropriate Tiffany blue color but a little expensive for my budget.  I ended up getting the half zip (pre-birthday gift to myself) from the Nike Store which was less crowded on the way back. 

 I also got to find my name on the wall outside the Nike store with all the runners names which I thought was really cool.  Afterwards I had a fairly relaxing afternoon and dinner to gear up for the race the next morning.  

Next up, race recap Part 2 of the actual race :) Keep reading!

Friday Favorites 4/26/13

 I'm super excited to be running the Nike Women's DC Half this weekend! I'm starting to feel sick today (OH NO!) so I'm loading up on vitamin C, echinacea, and getting lots of rest! I'll be rocking a black running skirt, black arm warmers, and mint green sassy tank I made so if you're running it, look out for me! I'm getting into DC tomorrow and worried about all the crowds of lady runners since it seems like everyone is running this. I am hoping to make a little informal Sweat Pink Ambassador meet up for some cupcakes so hopefully I can get around the city quickly.

Getting a Tiffany's necklace at the finish is going to be pretty baller also. 

 Anyways, once again it is Friday so here are some things I'm loving lately!

1. Favorite Nighttime Snack: 

I've have finished off a box of these this week. It's the perfect little non-dairy dessert for only 100 calories per sandwich. It tastes like a regular ice cream sandwich and satisfies my late night sweet tooth!

2. Favorite Workout Song

Red Hot Run 5K Recap

Last night the local running store, Charm City Run in Baltimore, held a Boston Strong run .  We all wore yellow and blue ribbons and went for a great 3.5 miles along the inner harbor to the Baltimore World Trade Center and back to the store. Most people were wearing Boston team shirts or yellow and blue.  It felt great to be part of a such a strong running community.  

By the way, I found Betty Lou's snacks via twitter and sampled one of their cherry gluten free fruit bars the other day. It was amazing and even my boyfriend tried it and said it tasted just like cherry pie! 

If you are looking for a new sweet snack, check them out online or on facebook! Their snacks contain no wheat, refined sugars, genetically modified ingredients, or hydrogenated oils! 

Finally here's a promised recap of a really awesome 5K I ran a week or so ago. I was itching to do another short race post Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, before the Nike Women's DC half (this weekend!).  I saw there was a local 5K benefiting a school just a few minutes away so I registered online.  I woke up, got dressed and realized I forgot my Garmin. Yikes, I really like having my Garmin for 5Ks to help pace myself but looks like I was doing this race without it.  

The Red Hot Run 5K was a local race and was really small with a little over 200 runners in the 5K, not counting the kids 1 mile fun run.  It was a gorgeous, sunny morning and there was lots of families and kids from the school which made for a nice, happy atmosphere.

I started right in the front of the pack with some really fast guys, who later left me in the dust.  The course went through a wooded neighborhood which was all hills up and down pretty much the whole 5K so it was more challenging than I had expected.  Eventually as I turned the corner from the last hill onto the final (flat!) stretch a spectator yelled out that I was the first girl so far! Even though it's a small race it was still really exciting to hear that so I pushed it until the end.  I ended up PRing by a mere 1 second in 21:21! 

Liebster Award

Today I have a fun post to share! Kristina over at "http://kristinamasten.com" nominated me for a Liebster Award! 

The Liebster award is an "award" given to up and coming smaller bloggers or to someone who deserves recognition for their blogging. Apparently, Liebster is a German word meaning dearest. I don't know what the exact rules are, but it's a great way to discover new blogs and recognize blogs that you think are awesome!

Rules for the Liebster Award

• Write 11 random facts about yourself. 
• Answer the 11 questions given by the person who nominated you.
• Create 11 new questions.
• Nominate 11 bloggers and mention them in your post.
• Thank the person that nominated you and tell the people you’ve nominated.

11 Facts about Me:

Questions from Kristina: 

1. What is your favorite relaxing activity?

I love spending a night in cooking a nice meal or baking something and then watching a movie with a class of wine in some comfy clothes. I also really like taking a long hot shower and painting my nails.

2. If you have one, what is your favorite go-to workout when you are stressed?

Running, hands down. Running is like therapy!

3. Favorite brand of coffee?

I love lots of different coffee such as Kona, Starbucks, Zeke's local  but lately I've been addicted to the Dunkin Donuts coconut flavored coffee I picked up at Target! YUM!

4. What are your pet’s names?

I currently don't have any pets but my family has 4 cats named Ginger, Oreo, Audrey, and Lucy. 

5. How long have you been blogging?

I've only been blogging since October and am still getting the hang out it. Hopefully there is somebody out there who likes it!

6. What is your favorite recipe to make at home?

I love baking especially fancy cupcakes and banana nut muffins.  Food-wise, I think I make a pretty great chili in the slow cooker and love that dinner is ready when I get home from work!

Friday Favorites 4/19/13

Hello all, can't believe all the craziness still going on in Boston but hope justice is served soon! Anyways I'm so glad this hectic week is almost over and can't wait to enjoy the weekend. Check out some things I've been loving this week!

1. Adidas Boston Tribute Tee

There are lot of Boston funds and shirts supporting Boston, but I've ordered this one. 100% of the proceeds go to The One Fund Boston. You can purchase it here!

2.  New Workout Jam by Daft Punk

I am loving this new Daft Punk featuring Pharrell song "Get Lucky"  I heard yesterday and am excited to add it to my workout playlist tonight!

3. My New Running Shoes

After hinting to my boyfriend that sneakers make a good gift idea, for our anniversary he gave me the gift of customizing my own pair of Nikes! I chose the Lunarglide  +4 sneakers in my favorite colors, pink and teal! You can pretty much choose the color of everything on the shoe and add a customized phrase to the shoe tongues! I've been running in the minimal Brooks PureProjects so this are a bit more cushioned and will take some getting used to, but they look so fresh! You can play around with designing shoes if you're bored like I do sometimes on the Nike website here!

4. Fashion Item I'm Lusting Over

I love most pieces put out by Kate Spade and especially love this watch. It's a gorgeous mint green and has that heavy man watch style I love.  Just a really expensive gift idea for me if anybody is asking :)

5. Recipe to Try this Weekend

The PurelyTwins always post really awesome, clean recipes.  I've been craving a classic chocolate chip cookie and this gluten-free recipe for two looks perfect. Yes, both cookies will be for me.  

What are some of your favorite workout songs this week?

Spring is here to stay!

Well this week has been an off week so far for me. Boston, trying to plan my summer weekends because apparently half of them are taken, and trying to get into the groove of a spring schedule! I'm currently trying to figure out the right balance this week of work, running, crossfit, and me time!  Due to some personal stuff I didn't make it to the gym last night. Breathing and not letting exercise become a stressor instead of a stress reliever is really important to me. I'm still working on releasing guilt from my life so it's tough. I spent some time with my bf and if we've learned anything from this week, it's to cherish the people we love. I still can't believe how warm the weather has been, but I definitely welcome all the sunshine and extra Vitamin D in my life.  My favorite things to look forward to in the beginning of spring are:

1. Iced coffees

I had one from Dunkin Donuts earliers this week that was delicious! I need to peition that they carry almond milk or figure out some way to transport it with me when the iced coffee craving strikes!

2. Sundresses

Target is so awful because I need to stop myself from buying another sundress when I go there. Who am I kidding, most times I cannot resist!

3. Baseball

Haven't been to my first game yet, but love heading out to the baseball park and enjoying an  ice cold beer!

4. Running in shorts

This was very exciting the first time I did it a few weeks ago. I hate bundling up and dealing with cold wind when running, ugh. Too bad I am vampire pale and rock some really white legs in shorts!