I think part of the reason Adam and I had such a good time this weekend is because we didn't have any distractions. There was minimal work talk and no friends or family to infiltrate our time. I forget sometimes how important it is to make time for one another. A friend once wrote on her blog that you should never stop dating your spouse. I couldn't agree more, but I sadly forget to follow the rule. Case in point, my week...
Tonight, I had a touch football game (yeah, I play touch football.. I even got a touchdown tonight!) and then came back to work... and am still at work...
Tuesday- If I can get out of work, I am going to go wedding dress shopping with my future sister-in-law.
Wednesday- Meet some friends for happy hour
Thursday- Work Halloween party
Friday- Beer brewing/Halloween party
Saturday- run a 1/2 marathon and potentially more Halloween parties
Sunday- Soccer game and football party with my family
The only day that I will hang out with Adam is Friday, but in a group setting. I don't intentionally book up all my days, it just happens.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Wonderful Weekend.
Adam and I had a great weekend in Chicago. The bands were awesome, the weather was a little rainy, but nothing to complain about. The only things we bought were a belt for Adam (his belt broke at the Minneapolis Airport prepping for the security checkpoint) and two concert posters, one from each show we went to. This is a little strange for me since I absolutely love the Chicago Michigan Ave H&M and always find something to buy there. Maybe it was the rain, but I just wasn't in a shopping mood. Its probably better anyway, I find that most of the things I buy in other cities are available at my local H&Ms (yes plural, another one opened up at Southdale this weekend) and so I'm saving myself the sales tax.
It was a well needed break from reality, I'm a little dreading having to face the emails in my inbox, the projects that need to be finished and the meetings that are scheduled, but for tonight, I am still on vacation.
I'll probably write more about the weekend later, but for now, a picture from the weekend.
It was a well needed break from reality, I'm a little dreading having to face the emails in my inbox, the projects that need to be finished and the meetings that are scheduled, but for tonight, I am still on vacation.
I'll probably write more about the weekend later, but for now, a picture from the weekend.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
The soundtrack to our life
Girl: "I'm going to that show on Monday" (points at band name on t-shirt)
Boy: "Oh, yeah, me too"
A few hours later...
Girl: "Who are you going to the show with?"
Boy: "Myself"
Girl: "We should go together"
And 7 years later, the now married boy and girl went to see the same band play last night at the Varsity.
The Get Up Kids were awesome. They played "our song," Mass Pike... Since The Get Up Kids were the first band that Adam and ever saw together, its only fitting that our song be one of theirs.
Now we get to go see them again tomorrow in Chicago...
I'm pretty much on top of the world.
Boy: "Oh, yeah, me too"
A few hours later...
Girl: "Who are you going to the show with?"
Boy: "Myself"
Girl: "We should go together"
And 7 years later, the now married boy and girl went to see the same band play last night at the Varsity.
The Get Up Kids were awesome. They played "our song," Mass Pike... Since The Get Up Kids were the first band that Adam and ever saw together, its only fitting that our song be one of theirs.
Now we get to go see them again tomorrow in Chicago...
I'm pretty much on top of the world.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Keep on running.
My next adventure is another 1/2 marathon... in 12 days.
I've discovered that I can't just sit back, I need to be doing something. Or perhaps its the fact that once I get my mind open to an idea I have a hard time letting it go. Especially when I know that I can do it. I now know I can run 13 miles, I've done it several times now, so I can totally do it again.
Adam and I are off to Chicago this weekend to see some of our favorite bands. I wrote this post over the summer of my dream week of concerts, and it is happening.
Tomorrow we're seeing the Get Up Kids in Minneapolis. Then we're off to Chicago on Thursday to see them again and then Lawrence Arms on Saturday. I'm so excited to see these bands and to get to spend some time with Adam. Considering the fact that I have less things going on in my life, one would think that means I get to see my husband more. Shockingly, no... I've been back in the working world for less than 3 months and I definitely need a vacation!
I've discovered that I can't just sit back, I need to be doing something. Or perhaps its the fact that once I get my mind open to an idea I have a hard time letting it go. Especially when I know that I can do it. I now know I can run 13 miles, I've done it several times now, so I can totally do it again.
Adam and I are off to Chicago this weekend to see some of our favorite bands. I wrote this post over the summer of my dream week of concerts, and it is happening.
Tomorrow we're seeing the Get Up Kids in Minneapolis. Then we're off to Chicago on Thursday to see them again and then Lawrence Arms on Saturday. I'm so excited to see these bands and to get to spend some time with Adam. Considering the fact that I have less things going on in my life, one would think that means I get to see my husband more. Shockingly, no... I've been back in the working world for less than 3 months and I definitely need a vacation!
Monday, October 05, 2009
What Next?
So far in 2009:
I've reached my pre-Adam weight.
I've got my Masters Degree.
I've run a 1/2 Marathon and a Marathon.
There are 3 months left in the year... what else should I do? Or, should I just call it a day and take some time to relax?
Do I always need to be pushing toward something, or can I learn to be content with what is? Eight months ago I was having coffee with a friend and I was counting down for school to be over and she was trying to savor every minute of her daughters new born days. I'm starting to feel like I always need be looking forward to something in the future instead of just enjoying the present.
I think its time I learned how to sit back, relax and enjoy life.
I've reached my pre-Adam weight.
I've got my Masters Degree.
I've run a 1/2 Marathon and a Marathon.
There are 3 months left in the year... what else should I do? Or, should I just call it a day and take some time to relax?
Do I always need to be pushing toward something, or can I learn to be content with what is? Eight months ago I was having coffee with a friend and I was counting down for school to be over and she was trying to savor every minute of her daughters new born days. I'm starting to feel like I always need be looking forward to something in the future instead of just enjoying the present.
I think its time I learned how to sit back, relax and enjoy life.
I am a Marathoner.
Three years ago, I ran my first 5K in 41:18. When I say "ran" I really mean, ran/walked. The next day I watched my one of my friends run the Twin Cities Marathon. We waited for her at mile 23 cheering runners on and cheering especially loud when we saw her. I remember thinking "this is crazy, I could never do that" but at the same time in the back of my head thinking "what if I could". I began running more, slowly building up the ability to run one mile without walking, and eventually two miles. I signed up for an indoor triathlon (400 meter swim, 12 mile bike, 2 mile run) and finished second to last in my heat, but I finished. I then signed up to run Grandma's half marathon, and was committed to doing it until I hurt my knee in a soccer game a month before the race. I think I was sort of looking for a reason not to run and used the injury as a good reason to back out. I was dead set on running a mid distance race because I signed up for the Twin Cities 10 mile and the Nike + 1/2 marathon in October 2007, just one year after my 5K debut. I again backed out of the 10 mile due to another knee injury from soccer and decided to walk the Nike + 1/2 marathon completely untrained. It took me 4 hours and it was sort of unpleasant, but I wanted to finish so I wasn't going to give up.
During grad school I ran off and on, but I still had some residual knee injuries. This last winter, despite grad school, I decided that I needed to take time for myself again and started running more frequently. But, I was still only running 3-4 miles regularly. In April 2009, I signed up for the Urban Wildland 1/2 marathon and the Twin Cities Marathon in the same week. With my track record of signing up for races, I had no idea if I would complete either race. I finished the Urban Wildland 1/2 marathon in 2:16:52 and ran the whole time. Yesterday, I ran the Twin Cities Marathon and finished in 5:14:36.
The marathon- It was a physical and mental journey, harder than I anticipated. I knew it was going to be tough, but there's something about being so close, yet still so far that can cause some vicious mind games. During my training long runs, I always felt good up until about 10-11 miles, and each mile after that was harder and harder. So, I knew after the half way point (13.1 miles) things would get harder, and they did. I was running with the 5 hour pace group thinking that we would be running 11:30 miles, but we were running at 10 minute mile pace for 10 minutes and would walk one minute and take 30-40 seconds at the water stops. This worked out for me for 17 miles but then, I just couldn't keep up the 10 minute/mile pace. I was getting light headed and feeling like I could pass out. I dropped back from the pace group and contemplated my marathon future.
Should I just stop right there? Should I keep going until I just pass out?
I slowed down to a walk and started to wonder if I would be able to finish at all. My head was whirling with worst case scenarios when I looked down at the pace bracelet on my wrist and saw I was only 2 minutes off my pace group. That suddenly jarred me back to reality and then I saw the 19 mile sign and I was back in the game. The last 6-7 miles were tough. A lot of the fans on summit had left and those that were there seemed to have minimal cheer left in them. Mile 25 felt like it was never going to end. And then the capital was in sight and I heard all the people cheering at the end. It was such a great feeling.
It still feels like a dream (except for all of my day after soreness) because I never thought I could say I ran a marathon. This was something that other people did, not me. I still don't feel like I'm a runner, despite the fact that I keep thinking about what races I wanted to do next. I used to be nervous to run 6 miles, now I'm not afraid anymore and know that I have the endurance and strength to handle just about anything I try. I am a Marathoner.
Pictures of the big day:
Mile 15 with the pace group. Still going strong. (Me in the purple)
Mile 20 "the wall," I smiled to myself when I got there as my 'wall' was mile 18 and I had already surpassed it.
Mile 23... Tired and ready to be done!
Nearing the finish line!
Crossing the finish line.
My parents with my Uncle Tim and his grandson greeting me at the finish.
During grad school I ran off and on, but I still had some residual knee injuries. This last winter, despite grad school, I decided that I needed to take time for myself again and started running more frequently. But, I was still only running 3-4 miles regularly. In April 2009, I signed up for the Urban Wildland 1/2 marathon and the Twin Cities Marathon in the same week. With my track record of signing up for races, I had no idea if I would complete either race. I finished the Urban Wildland 1/2 marathon in 2:16:52 and ran the whole time. Yesterday, I ran the Twin Cities Marathon and finished in 5:14:36.
The marathon- It was a physical and mental journey, harder than I anticipated. I knew it was going to be tough, but there's something about being so close, yet still so far that can cause some vicious mind games. During my training long runs, I always felt good up until about 10-11 miles, and each mile after that was harder and harder. So, I knew after the half way point (13.1 miles) things would get harder, and they did. I was running with the 5 hour pace group thinking that we would be running 11:30 miles, but we were running at 10 minute mile pace for 10 minutes and would walk one minute and take 30-40 seconds at the water stops. This worked out for me for 17 miles but then, I just couldn't keep up the 10 minute/mile pace. I was getting light headed and feeling like I could pass out. I dropped back from the pace group and contemplated my marathon future.
Should I just stop right there? Should I keep going until I just pass out?
I slowed down to a walk and started to wonder if I would be able to finish at all. My head was whirling with worst case scenarios when I looked down at the pace bracelet on my wrist and saw I was only 2 minutes off my pace group. That suddenly jarred me back to reality and then I saw the 19 mile sign and I was back in the game. The last 6-7 miles were tough. A lot of the fans on summit had left and those that were there seemed to have minimal cheer left in them. Mile 25 felt like it was never going to end. And then the capital was in sight and I heard all the people cheering at the end. It was such a great feeling.
It still feels like a dream (except for all of my day after soreness) because I never thought I could say I ran a marathon. This was something that other people did, not me. I still don't feel like I'm a runner, despite the fact that I keep thinking about what races I wanted to do next. I used to be nervous to run 6 miles, now I'm not afraid anymore and know that I have the endurance and strength to handle just about anything I try. I am a Marathoner.
Pictures of the big day:
Mile 15 with the pace group. Still going strong. (Me in the purple)
Mile 20 "the wall," I smiled to myself when I got there as my 'wall' was mile 18 and I had already surpassed it.
Mile 23... Tired and ready to be done!
Nearing the finish line!
Crossing the finish line.
My parents with my Uncle Tim and his grandson greeting me at the finish.
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