A little perspective

Last night, I was all set to write a post about being single and alone. How much I was tired of it, how I just wanted to find my perfect man, how sorry I felt for myself because dating is so confusing.

And then I checked my facebook and saw a post from a college friend. A girl I’ve known since I was 18-years-old. Her dad had suffered a heart attack. He’s only 56-years-old. She was asking for prayers. I prayed for him and her and went to bed.

When I woke up this morning, I checked my phone and saw on facebook that her father had died. Not long after her original post about the heart attack. My heart fell to my feet and I had to fight back the tears. He’s much too young to die from a heart attack and she’s much too young to lose a father.

It brought back memories of my mother’s heart attack last December. She was lucky–she went to the hospital when the first signs happened and was able to get life saving care, and because of that, I still have my beautiful mother today.

So, in the grand scheme of things, nothing is as important or bad as it may seem. Being single and alone certainly isn’t the worst thing in the world.

My friend and her mother are picking up the pieces of their broken hearts today. It certainly puts things into perspective.

My 2012

I’m not usually much of one for recaps. I’ve written a few race recaps, and made an attempt at writing one about running the Chicago Marathon, but didn’t get very far on it. Not sure why. I don’t even like doing Top Story recaps for my 5pm newscasts. (that drives my News Director Crazy, BTW!) 

So, true to form, I’m not going to recap my year, but I do want to highlight the awesome.

In no particular order:

I turned 30 in March. And it was awesome. I used to dread that age, thinking that if I didn’t have a husband, house and kids, I would be a failure. I also thought that was so old. How wrong I have been! Its not old. And its so true, “what screws us up most in life is the picture in our head of how its supposed to be.” My life is pretty good. I have a great family, friends and co-workers. And when I did turn 30, something clicked in my head; I stopped caring what other people thought about me. I decided to live my life for me, and in the moment. What a freeing feeling that is! If wisdom comes with age, I’m going to embrace it!

I did a Warrior Dash. I went completely out of my comfort zone here. I don’t like to get dirty, and I always claim that I have no upper body strength. But I got in the mud and I did ALL of the obstacles. It was awesome.

I flew an airplane! Twice!! I have wanted to pilot a plane for a long time, and I bought a groupon and made it happen. If the cost wasn’t so prohibitive, I would consider getting my private pilot’s license. I LOVED it!!

I ran my 2nd Lincoln Half-Marathon. This time I ran it with the internet. I PR’d by more than 9 minutes and had a blast. Great race. Good times.

I ran my first (and perhaps only) Full Marathon in Chicago. The internet was awesome. I loved the vacation and loved running a Full Marathon. It was hard, training sucked sometimes, but I did it, and accomplished my goal of around 5:30 hours. (I did it in 5:33:03). 

I ran other smaller races throughout the year, including my race-iversary and the coldest 5k I’ve ever run!! 

I’ve met some incredibly wonderful people and had some very trying times in my life and family. I gained another nephew in September and dated a guy, went on vacation with him, and had the relationship fizzle out, all in the span of 4 months. 

What will 2013 hold? At least 2 more Half-Marathons, maybe more! 🙂 And hopefully many more good things. 

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904 miles (and counting) for the year! I made my goal with 3 days to spare! Yeeeesssss!

I am so proud of myself. This commitment was hard. It was like a training schedule for a race, but there was no medal at the end; just the satisfaction of reaching my goal. And knowing I did it is a pretty awesome feeling.

And today’s run was hard. My legs felt tired and I had to fight for each mile. But I did it!

New goal for this year is 920 miles. I thinks it’s doable. I’ve got 3 whole more days to run! 🙂

Happy Friday friends!

I’ve been called a candy cane and an elf today. I’ve also been asked if i smell like peppermint. (the answer is no, although i should have worn my candy cane lotion!)
However, my skirt and shirt are sparkly pink, not red. Thankyouverymuch. I’m just in the Christmas spirit! Speaking of that….we are supposed to get 4 to 8 inches of snow tomorrow! Yay!

Have a great day friends!

Monday musings

Guys! I made a big discovery this weekend!

Despite what I have thought for my entire life, my hair has some natural curl! I bought a new sea salt spray, scrunched and dried it and voila! Magic curls. I’m very happy right now.

In other news, my roomie and I are having an End Of The World party Thursday night. I’m trying to decide what to wear. Its a house party and I could wear jeans and a cute top or this fabulous sparkley vintage dress I got at a consignment shop for 10 bucks:

Anybody have any great ideas? I’m all ears! I’m getting up early in the morning–6 miles are on tap!

Have a great night friends!

Monday (so far) by the numbers:

4-As in AM, the time I woke up this morning. (I was having a very vivid dream that I was standing in a garage and there were 2 very large spiders on the wall. One of them jumped at me and came flying at me in the dream. I woke myself flailing my arms around and yelling.) I’m quite glad my roomie is in L.A. until tonight! That would have been embarrassing!

5-AM the time I actually got up. I could not fall back asleep after my dream near-miss with the spider and said ‘screw it’ and dragged my butt out of bed and onto the treadmill.

10-The number of miles I ran. (I was up and awake, and I have to get my 20 miles in for the week, might as well bang out a bunch at once, right?!)

7-Degrees it was at 5 this morning. It was crazy dark and so cold so I hit the ‘mill.

1370-the amount of calories Dailymile (friend me!) said I burned on my run this morning. I’m starving after my breakfast of a protein shake and strawberries and cream oatmeal.

2-PM the time I estimate I will hit the ‘wall’ and be freakin’ exhausted after waking up so early.

8-PM I’m fairly sure I will be in bed by this time tonight. Cross your fingers!

I hope you all have a fantastic Monday friends!

Creative Christmas cookie frosting.

I went for a run before this happened. Its chilly here, only 40°, but i got 1.5 miles in before the cold got to be too much. It’s something at least!

Strange fact about me: i like to bake and frost the cookies, but i don’t like to eat them. I’m not much of a cookie fan. I don’t even like to eat desserts i make, not even cookies. But i like to eat desserts (cookies not included) that other people make!

Vacation miles are the best kind of miles!

I have a 4 day weekend. When I woke up this morning I knew I was going to run at least 5 miles, I wanted to try to run 7 miles and hoped I could run 9 miles. That would give me my 20 miles for the week, but I wasn’t sure I had it in me.

Apparently, I did! It’s amazing what a good night of sleep will do for you! I got to 8 miles and felt great so I kicked it up from 5.5 miles per hour to 6.0 miles per hour and cranked out the last 2 miles to get an even 10 miles today!

21 miles for the week baby! Beast mode engaged!

Here’s the stats: first 8 miles 10:54/mile. Last 2 miles 10:00/mile.

Now I’m heading out to Christmas shop!
Have a fantastic day friends!

“I count my blessings, instead of sheep…”

My favorite Christmas movie is White Christmas. There is a scene in the movie where Rosemary Clooney can’t sleep Bing Crosby sings a song to her that goes, “When I’m worried and I can’t sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep. Then I fall asleep, counting my blessings.”

Sage advice.

My personal life is a little crazy right now. 2012 has been hard on my family. Without going into much detail, it has kind of sucked. But I’m trying to remember to count my blessings instead of focusing on the troubles in my life.

So, in no particular order they are:

I’m thankful for my wonderful friends and family.
I’m thankful for my local tumblrs. Lindsay, Holli, Sarah, Victoria and Steph and I are having a girls night Friday night. Lindsay has an apartment with an indoor pool AND a hot tub. There will be yummy food and wine and good times! I’m so excited! These ladies are amazing and I love spending time with each of them. Who would have that people I had never met a year ago would be some of my dearest friends?They make this journey even more amazing!

I’m thankful for Brooke. For many reasons; for her contest that is helping me reach my 20 mile a week until the year ends goal. And for the way she said “sorry.” When we were in Chicago, my Canadian friend would say that word and it would make me giggle. I’m also thankful that I will (hopefully) get to run another (half) marathon with her in Fargo in May! I’m also so glad she’s my friend.

I’m thankful for this guy. David is one of the funniest people I have ever met. His posts make my day. Follow him!

There are way too many of you to name, but I’m thankful for all of my followers. I have never met such amazing people both in real life and only online. Thanks for being a part of my life!

I’m thankful for my work friends. We are having family dinners each week where one person hosts it and cooks the main dish and the others bring a side dish. Tonight is breakfast-for-dinner. French toast here I come!

I’m grateful for running. The way it has changed my life, literally reshaping me. As a person and my body. Its my stress relief, the way I get through a day sometimes.

There are so many more things I’m grateful and thankful for, I can’t remember them all…but I know this; I need to remember when I’m down to be thankful.

There is always, always, always something to be thankful for.

-Author Unknown