Five Senses Friday

Hearing

• The Tampa Bay Rays come back and win!  Not only the game but a spot in the post season.  I love listening to baseball on the radio.  What an exciting game!!  And then the next morning I woke up to Sweet Caroline on the radio - I think there is some irony in there somewhere! :)

Tasting

• Eggplant - you know for someone who isn't too keen on veggies, I really do love me some eggplant! 

Smelling

• Why is this one so hard for me?  I got nothing... 

Seeing

• The shows piling up on my DVR.  The new TV season just started and already I am behind!! 

Feeling

• A little overwhelmed and a little flabbergasted it is already October.  When did that happen?! 

Want more Five Senses?  Check out Mandi's!

Disneyland - September 2011 Edition

Would you believe it?  My annual park pass expired at the beginning of August.  And since then I have been feeling like I lost something - the ability to pick up and go to a Disney park on a whim to be precise.  To renew the annual pass or not is similar to the chicken and the egg.  If I have the pass, I can go whenever, and it will save me money the more times I go so of course I should get the pass.  But if I didn’t have the pass, I wouldn’t go as often, which would also save me money.  Ah, the dilemma.  But since I am planning on going to WDW in October and February (for the Princess Half!), I felt justified in renewing.  But instead of renewing (which you can’t renew the premier pass online – lame!), Jana & I figured it was probably time to go to Disneyland and buy in person.  Pretty smart, right?  Plus with me doing the Tinker Bell in January, and us going to Disneyland to renew, I had completely validated my decision to renew the premier pass.  Completely makes sense to renew!  For those of you thinking I have a *slight* Disney addiction, you would be wrong.  It’s more than slight.  I was trying to explain it to a friend of mine.  It is my happy place.  I can feel stress melt away as I walk through the entrance.  It isn’t just about rides or food or what have you.  It’s about the atmosphere and how I instantly feel young again.  Not that I am old, by any stretch.  Plus it is a fantastic place to meet friends who also happen to be Disney fanatics!  Especially meeting up with those friends who love Disney and who live in other parts of the country.

(And this year, I started a spreadsheet to track my savings.  Oh yes, I am a nerd.)

All this to say, guess where I was last weekend?  That’s right!  Disneyland!!  And perfect timing – since I had just finished the You Go Girl Half (within my time goal!) I felt a little like a Super Bowl winner – “Emily, you just successfully walked the You Go Girl Half in 3 hours 14 minutes and 4 seconds.  What are you going to do next?”  To which I happily reply, “I’m going to DISNEYLAND!!"


We’re going to do this recap in bullet point style:

• We had breakfast at La Brea all three mornings.  Yum!!  And each morning I would have juice, cappuccino and water.  Liquid much?  Why yes, thank you!
• I love the new Little Mermaid ride – especially the first part where you go “under the sea” and the room playing Under the Sea (although I didn’t care for the Ariel with the crazy hair in that room).
• I had visions of the new Goofy’s Sky School being like Barnstormer.  Boy was I wrong!  Instead Goofy’s Sky School is a lot like Mulholland Drive.  Except with Goofy.  And planes. 
• I totally won on Midway Mania.  Jana totally won on Astro Blasters.
• It does not take much to convince me I NEED to buy another Mickey sweatshirt (instead of walking back to the hotel to get one).
• Speaking of shopping, I think I got one thing on my list.  But I got lots of things not on my list! 
• I would so buy a World of Color soundtrack if it were for sale (hint, hint Disney merchandising people). 
• Speaking of soundtracks, I was set to buy a Disneyland soundtrack, but could not find one anywhere.  Boo.  Word to the wise, if there is something at Disney that you want, don’t wait to buy it because you may never find it again. This has happened more than once.
• This was the first time I smelled the ocean on Soarin'!  I don't know if it was because I had been near the ocean the week before and the sight of the ocean triggered the smell or if it actually smells like the ocean.
• I love the Matterhorn at night!!  Not so much during the day.
•  I heart Mr. Toad.  And I think I need to read the Wind in the Willows (I thought I read it when I was younger but I’m not so sure now). 
• We waited in little to no lines for Indiana Jones – all 3 times we rode it!  Guess that means the park wasn’t super crowded (although it felt like it sometimes). 
• Holiday Haunted Mansion rocks my socks! 
• Oh – and it smells like gingerbread!!
• Mickey Ice Cream is delicious!!
• I still get teary eyed watching Fantasmic.  The DL version is my fave (although I do like the setup better at WDW.)
• After Jana left I had about another hour before I needed to leave so I got in line for Tinker Bell.  Oh yes.  My excuse for being an adult in line to get her picture made with Tinker Bell?  I needed to do costume research of course!  (I'm thinking about putting together a fairy outfit for the Tinker Bell Half.  Not sure how yet...  Or what fairy for that matter!)
• Pirates was closed.  Boo.  Guess that means I need a return trip. :)
• Drinking Diet Coke on vacation is awesome!!  (I only let myself drink soda on vacation or in a dire emergency.)
• ETA: Oh!  I completely forgot one very important thing!  We were walking over to Fantasyland and I glanced at the guys walking next to us and they were both wearing identical shirts with Club 33 on them.  If I were brave, I would have asked them if they worked there and how we could score an inside glimpse of the famed Club 33!  But no, instead I walked them walk by and wondered...

 I’m sure there was much more, but that’s all I have for the moment.  See ya real soon!

What to have to drink this morning?

Drinks at Breakfast #1

Drinks at Breakfast #2

Drinks at Breakfast #3

In line for the Little Mermaid

California Adventures

Disneyland

I heart Mr. Toad

I heart Mickey Ice Cream

Us in our new Mickey sweatshirts

Costume Research - hmm, Tink or Vidia?

Five Senses on Thursday

What?  Five Senses a day early?  What does this mean?  It means I am leaving on a jet plane!  I'm off to the Happiest Place on Earth!

Seeing

• The newly painted walls at work. 

Hearing

• What I think was a frog croaking  

Tasting

•   Chocolate milk

 Smelling

• Fall is definitely in the air

Feeling

• Excited!!  Not only for a trip to see Mickey (and Jana!) but I also figured out what I'm going to be for Halloween!

You Go Girl Half Marathon

I ran this race last year, except the 10K version.  I enjoyed it last year and when my co-worker started talking to me about doing a half in September and mentioned this race I thought why not?  Especially since it had a 4 hour time limit!!  This would be an excellent race to judge my walking time to see if I could finish in Disney's 3 and a half hour time limit.  At the time I signed up for this race and started training I didn't know if (or when) I was going to be "allowed" to run again.  It would be my test race.  Oh the things I do for Disney! :)

I woke up this morning to the sound of rain.  And not just rain, but a steady, heavy rain.  Oh Fall, couldn't you have held off for one more day?  Eh, it's just rain, right?  I decided against changing my outfit, figuring either way I would be wet.  Well except to switch out my sunglasses for a hat.  I checked my bag one more time, tried to make garbage bag ponchos, and then headed out the door to meet my co-worker (we were going to carpool to the race).

The rain started to subside to a light mist as we drove down to the race start.  The race start is about a half a mile or so away from the finish.  Last year I parked at the start and regretted it slightly when I had to make the climb up stairs and hills back to my car.  Since my co-worker was the one driving I let her decide where to park.  She opted for the finish (which I would be so glad for at the end!).  We parked and started making the trek up to the start line.

I knew this had the potential of being an emotional race, being my second "big" comeback race since my knee injury.  I started tearing up as the National Anthem was played.  And then we were off!!  Being a girl oriented race, it looked like a sea of pink stretching out in front of me.

This was the first race I would be using my Garmin and as it buzzed for the first mile I glanced down and saw 13:39.  Whoa!  That's a little fast.  The upcoming hill slowed me down naturally.  This race is made up of three out and backs.  As I started up the hill I saw the super fast girls coming towards me.  So impressive watching them.  I kept my eyes open for my co-worker and then I saw her!  We gave each other the thumbs up sign as we passed.  And soon I was at the top of the hill and at the first turn-around point.  It was neat to again see the sea of pink clad runners stretching out in front of me.

We were coming back towards the start line.  Do I stop at the port-o-potty?  I had a conversation with myself about whether or not to stop before finally deciding to use the port-o-potty.  Better safe than sorry!  I was back on the course in no time flat and coming up on the big, bad hill I remembered from last year.  It was still bad, it hadn't improved since last year.  It was also the second out and back (not a true out and back) and about half way up I saw my co-worker again.  She shouts to me "this is a wicked course!"  Those hills can be pretty bad.  Up the hill and around the little park, through the mud puddles.  And then it was a big stretch of downhill!

Coming around a corner, there was a spectator with a great sign reading "1) Run 2) Breathe 3) Repeat".  Love it!

And then it was the finish line!!  For the 10k-ers.  Why didn't I sign up for the 10K again?  LOL!  So last year when I finished, they had chocolate milk but it was only for the half marathoners.  That was going to be me this year!!  Past the finish line and up the incline and on to the last out and back section.  I rounded the corner and could see the fast half girls closing on the finish line.

I knew the last section was along the water so I foolishly hoped it would be flat.  And it was flat for the most part except the few hills thrown in for fun.  Fun or torture at that point!  I finally got to the flat portion.  As I passed one volunteer, he tells me I'm about a half a mile from the last turn-around point. He was a liar!  Liar!  But it did give me a boost for a short time (until I realized it was a lot longer than a half a mile!).  That out section was a doozy!  I kept thinking I was seeing the turn-around but I wasn't.  But all along the course women on the back section were telling me encouraging comments.  Which I needed and so when I passed by a woman who was looking a little down I said something along the lines of "you're doing great!"  And she tells me "thanks, I really needed to hear that."

Finally, finally, finally I saw the turn-around and it really was the turn-around!!  Hallelujah!  As I reached it I could feel tears welling up again.  It was at this point I could see how many people were behind me.  And while I was near the end, there was still a good number of people behind me.

I hit the 10 mile sign.  Only a 5K left.  I can so do a 5K!  Although by the 11 mile sign I was just ready to be done.  And drink my chocolate milk.  Mile 12 comes and goes.  One more mile.  Up the last hill.  One foot in front of the other.  Keep going.  Around the last corner.  And I hear my co-worker yelling my name!!  Finish line!  And done!

I head to the food tent and there isn't any chocolate milk!  Color me sad.  (I stopped at the store on the way home and got some though.)  I eat my banana, do some stretching before we walked back to the car.  I was so happy the car was at the finish line!!  Because I don't know that I could have walked back up to the start line.  Ha!

My time: 3 hours 14 minutes and 4 seconds for a per mile pace of 14:49.  These are the official results because guess what?  I forgot to turn off my Garmin after crossing the finish line!  Doh!  My time wasn't actually that far off my Princess Half time.  Granted even though I ran a good deal of the Princess, I also stopped for lots of photos! :) 

You know what this means?  I will be able to stop for pictures for the Tinker Bell & Princess!!  Yahoo!!  Well at least one or two photos, let's not get to crazy!

And I'll end with - what's next after finishing a half marathon?  Chocolate milk!!  Ice packs!!  A massage on Tuesday. And one more thing on Thursday!  What is that?  I won't say just yet, but see if you can guess! :)

At the start line

Me at the start line

Done!

Another medal!

Songs to Walk By

Songs can be inspiring, uplifting, empowering, and can you power you through a rough patch.  On the eve of my walking half marathon (where my mantra will be don’t run, don’t run, don’t run), I’d like to share with you a few of the songs that got me through training for this half (and hopefully after tomorrow they will have gotten me through this half!).   There is a detectable thread running through my song choices of what I will call redemption.  Or detectable to me.  I am being redeemed from the ashes of my injury.  I may not be as fast as I was (and I was never that fast), but I have come back to a different place.  One that is different than where I was 9 months ago, but one that I can still go out and do a half marathon, even if it is pure walking.  It does seem quite dramatic, and perhaps overly dramatic to those looking in, but in my world there has been an element of drama.  Probably because I do tend to be dramatic! :)  But I haven’t been myself really since that day on an Italian cliff.  (For any new readers, I was hiking in Italy and long story short, fell off the path or cliff, tearing my MCL in the process.)  It may seem as if I have been complaining about my knee for a long time now.  And that would be correct.  I don't think I really expected it would take 9+ months for me to feel almost "normal" again.  I think I've been going through a little bit of an identity crisis.  Before I was the girl who traveled and did races.  What was I now?  While I'm still not running (and won't be until December) I've started reclaiming a little of what I lost.  In the grand scheme of things, a knee injury that didn't hamper to me may not seem that big to another person, and I realize that.  I'm trying to explain my mindset.  But I had really embraced this new me who had started to make a lot of progress in my running journey.

Just as I was proving to myself I could do a triathlon (albeit at a slower pace) I am now proving to myself I can do a half marathon.

Without further adieu, my top few songs that will be powering me through tomorrow:

• Never Say Never by Justin Bieber (I will never say never, I will fight til forever…whenever you knock me down, I will not stay on the ground – self explanatory, this knee injury will not keep me on the ground)
• Breakthrough by Lemonade Mouth (sometimes its proving to the world it was wrong…don’t stop till you break it on through – cheesy Disney song?  Check!  But seriously, I’m ready for a breakthrough!  I’m going to break it on through to the finish line!)
• Get Back Up by tobyMac (it’s never too late to get back up again, you may be knocked down, but not out forever – that’s right, I CAN and WILL get back up again)
• Kiss it Goodbye by Hannah Montana (kiss it goodbye, if fear is holding you back - another Disney song?  You know it!  But I'm definitely kissing the fear goodbye.)
• All I Need (feat. Kevin Rudolph) by Natasha Bedingfield (that’s why all I need is what I’ve got – sometimes it is focusing on what you have, rather than what you don’t – plus this song rocks my socks!)
• One Shining Moment by David Barrett (one shining moment, you reached deep inside...it's more than a contest, it's more than a race - I get goosebumps every time I hear this song.  It's my favorite part of March Madness.  Every year I wait for all the commercials and watch the winning team cut down the  nets just to listen to this song.)
• Our God by Crossroads (And if our God is for us, then what can stop us, and if our God is with us, then what can stand against – there is someone on my side, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me)
• Just Dance by Lady Gaga (no real reason this on here except sometimes you gotta just dance and this song always puts a smile on my face)

And with that, I'd better go make sure my iPod (and Garmin) are all charged and ready to go for tomorrow!!

Five Senses

Tasting

• Mmm, pumpkin spice latte!  Oh how I have missed you!  

Seeing

• A mommy deer with two little Bambis (why do I always think of baby deer as Bambi?)
• Okay, one more as I can't help myself - a spider rappelling (do spiders rappel?) down my mirror as I was doing my hair.  Eek!!  

 Smelling

• Paint

Hearing

• Fire alarms as we had not one but two fire drills!! 

Feeling

• Excited and nervous for my race on Sunday!!  Did I say nervous??

Stroll Down Memory Lane

If you aren't tired of hearing about my upcoming half marathon, you might be by the end of this week!!  But this is a slightly different take as we stroll down memory lane.  My first ever half was completed pre-blog (was there such a time?) but I dug out the email I sent out afterwards.  Looking at it, I realize how things have changed and how things have stayed the same.  I still love cheers and my goal is still to finish.  And yet, I have come so far from where I was then.  Not only was this pre-blog but it was pre-running and pre-swimbikerunning.  It was at the very beginning of my "racing" career.  Shall we go back even further?  Back to the very beginning?  (It's a very good place to start or so Maria von Trapp tells me!)  Okay, maybe not quite back to the very beginning, but close.  I had never been athletic.  I would much prefer to sit and read.  Fast forward - just out of college I had gotten a job in Houston, TX.  I moved and started my job where I suddenly found myself working a lot.  But my employers provided food if you were working late.  How cool is that?  Yeah, not so much.  Sitting and eating lots of take out food does not make for a happy or healthy body.   It took me a while but finally I realized I needed to make a change.  Enter walking.  A friend and I started walking 5Ks and 10Ks in Houston.  And then I moved back up to Seattle, my activities stalled and I found myself working a lot.  Sound familiar?  A (now) former co-worker had injured herself running a marathon and started walking as part of her recovery and convinced me to tag along.  Wanting to get myself out of the rut I had once again fallen into, I went along for the ride.  We started walking after work and on Saturdays (rain or shine).  Pretty soon she was telling me I was going to finish a half marathon.  "Who me?" I would scoff.  No way!!  But she had the last laugh as we shall read with my very first race report!!

First Half Marathon Race Report (Super Jock n' Jill - Sept 2005)
I completed my first (and possibly last if my sore legs have anything to say about it!) half-marathon on Monday! I had two goals going into it - one was to finish in 4 hours and one was not to be last, but really the overall goal was just to finish, whether in last place or not. I am very happy to say I finished in 3 hours and 53 minutes and there were a few people behind me!

The last 2.1 miles were extremely hard, probably the hardest I've ever done, especially as the sun came out and it got hot. But the volunteers were great - offering encouragement at every mile marker and a few of the runners even shouted encouragement as they ran past us.

Enjoy the photo of us "racing" to the finish line!

And this concludes the training portion

If it is Sunday it must be time to take a look back at training for the week.  Especially since this will be the last training post.  Next Sunday at this time I will (hopefully) have completed my third half marathon!!

Monday - hot yoga with one of my favorite teachers!!  Yay!!

Tuesday - 2 miles with the out being a big uphill followed big a gradual downhill which means the back is a gradual uphill but finishes on a downhill

Wednesday - Pure Barre which was tough but I parked in the right parking lot this time!!

Thursday - 3 miles with the sun setting in a glorious ball of pink and orange

Saturday - last long training walk.  The question being, did I want to do 12 miles on a more hilly, and more similar to the race trail, or did I want my normal, super flat trail?  I was leaning towards the more hilly trail when I remembered there weren't bathrooms on this trail.  Okay, super flat trail it is.  But I did want to mix it up a little so I parked near my normal turn-around spot and went into somewhat unknown territory.  I had gotten a later than I wanted start considering it was going to be hot this weekend but it was still comfortable out when I got started.  Off I went and close to 2 miles into it I realized I had made the right choice with the trail with bathrooms as it was fast becoming an emergency to find a bathroom.  I rounded the corner and saw a Honey Bucket.  Thank goodness!!  And then came the realization that the door was locked.  What??  Don't panic.  There was a map and on it showed a bathroom not to far up the path.  So up the path I went and over the bridge and to the bathroom.  It was much better than a random Honey Bucket!!  After that unscheduled detour it was back to the walk.  I was moving pretty good and there were even a few little hills.  I was nearing my turn-around and starting to need another bathroom when I heard some cyclists point out an upcoming park.  Oh thank goodness!!  Parks generally equal bathrooms and sure enough there was a bathroom.  I didn't have much further to go so I finished up my 6 and turned around so I could use the bathroom officially on my way back.  I'm funny that way, sometimes it is so mental.  It was starting to get downright hot but I was coming up on the stretch of the path completely surrounded by trees which immediately cooled me down.  The last two miles were not in the shade.  I was so ready to be done at this point.  And then I was done.  Yay!!  

Tired tootsies

Five Senses Friday

Seeing

• Another gorgeous sunset as I raced the setting sun back to my car (walking of course!)

Hearing

• Cheers, gasps, stomping feet, bodies crashing - FOOTBALL is back!!

Tasting

• Tree Top all natural fruit snacks (which are no Princess fruit snacks!!)

Smelling

• Not much as I am fighting a cold

Feeling

• Really tired - which I'm sure has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact I am trying to cut down on my caffeine intake!  Ha!

Week in Review

With only a few weeks left until the You Go Girl half marathon I thought I would bring back the training week in review.

Monday - hot yoga, nothing too exciting

Tuesday - early morning 2 mile walk.  Won't be too many more of these as it's getting lighter later.

Wednesday - Pure Barre class

Thursday - 3 mile walk where I just beat the fading sunlight. 

Saturday - hot yoga, this was a hard class.  Not sure why.  The beauty of yoga - it is never the same.

Sunday - 11 mile walk where I kept an average (are you ready for this?) 14:38 pace!!  Holy cow!  Let's pause for a minute and reflect.  Wow.  Okay, so this was my basically flat route, but still I'm feeling pretty good about it.  I knew I went out fast, but I was feeling pretty good so I just kept going. 

Five Senses Friday

Hello Holiday Weekend!!  I don't have much planned this weekend except an 11 mile walk and recovering from said walk.  Recovering sounds a lot like chocolate milk and ice packs in front of the TV.  Oh and I really need to work on my 2010 photo book.

Hearing

• All about my company as we made headlines all over the place!

Tasting

•  Candy corns!!  I love candy corns!!  But, isn't it a little too early?  It's not even September.  Oh that's right.  It is!  Where is this year going?

Feeling

• What I really hope is not the onset of an ear infection.  Ugh.

Smelling

•  Is that fall in the air? 

Seeing

• A gorgeous sunset (although that might have been last week...the days are starting to blend together)

Want more Five Senses?  Check out No Apathy Allowed!

Pure Barre

All I can say after this class is boy, have I been slacking on the strength training!  Awhile back there was one of those deal thingys for Pure Barre and a few of us at work decided to buy the coupon.  According to Pure Barre's website it is a workout that is designed to "lift your seat, tone your thighs and burn fat". And tonight was the night to try out my first class. One of my co-workers went with me, so I wouldn't have to go by myself the first time. Thanks Julia!!

I got there early and parked in the wrong parking garage (oops!! this will come in to play later). I filled out the paperwork and bought my socks with grippies on the bottom and met up with Julia. The class before mine let out and we walked into the room. Julia showed me what equipment to grab (weights, resistance bands and a small ball). We grabbed a spot in the back and waited for the class to begin.

It was intense! But good! Lots of little movements, isolating certain areas (arms, thighs, seat, etc).  It incorporates a ballet bar, plus the weights, etc., along with some pilates.  And I'm pretty sure I will be sore tomorrow.  Hard to say what area of my body will be the most sore tomorrow.  I will definitely be back to use up the rest of my classes!

Class ended and I headed back to my car. But wait! Remember I parked in the wrong garage? The building my car was parked in was locked. I walked around the entire building trying to find a way in but no such luck. Hm, what to do? Besides panic, that is. There was a number on the building for security so I called it and explained my situation. They sent someone over to let me in. Thank goodness!! I got in my car and drove home.

At the beginning of class all I could think about was how out of shape I felt.  Even as I was thinking those thoughts I knew they weren't helpful.  And then I really couldn't think much of anything as I was concentrating so much on doing the right movement!  But by the end of class I felt like I had at least taken a step in the right direction.

This, That and the Other

Don't you hate it when you have this great post written in your head (complete with very funny observations) and then when you sit down to actually write it, those great ideas are nowhere to be found?  Just like that - poof!

Anyway, let's just see what comes out of my typing away on the keyboard.  I was in Houston this weekend!!  And knocked off #34 on my 34 Things list.  Jana and I very rarely meet up in Houston - usually its in a Disney park or in another country!  I've never actually been to her house in Houston, which is why it made my 34 Things list (partly to motivate me and partly because I knew it was something I could probably easily knock off).  Flight prices were super cheap and so I made my way down.  Of course I pick the hottest weekend of the year to visit!!  But that's okay since we never really went outside much.  Gotta love that AC!  It was a great weekend!!  I saw Jana & Ben's house, saw several friends, ate yummy tex-mex (creamy jalapeno dip!!), and we planned our trip to Croatia (and Belgium) in November!!  I was feeling quite accomplished when it was time for me to fly home.

I watched Water for Elephants on the plane.  I love, love, love Reese Witherspoon (we would so be BFFs in real life).  And I liked Robert Pattison in this movie.  Maybe he just doesn't do well as a moody vampire?  Because I think I've liked him in every thing I've seen him in, except Twilight.  But that could be because I'm so on Team Jacob!!   

Speaking of BFFs - I walked into a store and some random person asked me what BFF stood for.   

Summer is fast coming to an end.  I woke up early yesterday morning to get a quick walk in before work and it was still dark!  Goodbye long hours of daylight.  I miss you already!  You know how else I know summer is fast coming to an end?  School is starting which means increased traffic.  Boo.

Holy fast approaching race Batman!  Is it really less than three weeks to my half marathon?!  One long walk this weekend, one more the next, and then RACE DAY!!  (Although a small part of me really wishes I was doing the Disneyland Half this weekend.  Who am I kidding - a large part of me wishes that!)

I'm trying out Pure Barre tonight.  Wish me luck!

I'm sure there was something else quite riveting I had to share, but that's all for today folks.

Pushed Out of the Nest

I am so glad to be training for only one event!!  Well, only training for one type of event.  Towards the end of triathlon training I started wishing for it just to be over.  Making sure I got in swim, bike, bricks, and as well as a long walk was starting to take a toll on me.  Don't get me wrong -  I loved doing the triathlon and I'm so happy I did it.  Completing it did a lot to prove to myself that I've still "got it" after being reduced to the sidelines for so long.  (Quick recap - back in November I was hiking in the Cinque Terre in Italy and basically fell off the side of a cliff, tearing my MCL in the process.  I like saying fell off cliff as it adds a little bit of flair, don't you think?)  I've still got some ground to make up before I'm back to normal again but for the first time in a long time I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

I wasn't officially diagnosed with an MCL tear until a few months after my injury when I had an MRI done.  After the MRI showed I had an MCL tear & that I did not need surgery, the physical therapist I had been seeing basically told me there wasn't much more she could do and I was free to participate in whatever activities/sports/etc to the extent my knee pain let me.  In other words, let the pain be my guide.  Well okay.  I took that advice and was on my way.  But my knee wasn't really improving.  It wasn't getting worse, but it was not improving.  I was still having problems standing or sitting for any length of time.  After a few months of little to no improvement, my chiropractor suggested I try another physical therapist, one she had used herself.  My new physical therapist has been fantastic.  Really working with me to build up the strength in not only my knee but my hips because everything is connected.  The hip bone is connected to the knee bone....  I hadn't seen a lot of progress in regards to my knee pain, but I could tell I was getting stronger.  That was until a few weeks ago when all of a sudden I realized my knee wasn't in nearly as much pain.  I could sit or stand and when I started moving again, it wouldn't hurt.  So this morning I went in for what I thought was going to be a normal physical therapy appointment.  But instead, it ended up being my last.  My physical therapist gave me a similar speech to the one I'd already heard - they'd done what they could and they thought I was in a good place and I didn't need to come back.  With those words, I felt like a little baby bird being pushed out of the nest, unsure if I could fly on my own.  I peppered her with questions - what about running?  (No running for at least a couple more months, and then intervals.  Slowly build up and be aware your mechanics may have changed.)  What about other activities?  (Nothing is off limits.  Use pain as your guide.)  When should I come back in, if at all?  (If the knee pain flares up and doesn't go away after 48 hours, come back in.)  So here I am - no longer in physical therapy.  But I have a list of exercises and the recommendation that I get myself to a gym.  In a lot of ways, this is no different than the first time I was set free from physical therapy, but yet, my knee is in such a better place and I feel more prepared.  It is scary to me that they won't be there holding my hand.

And with that, let the regularly scheduled half marathon training begin!  I'm still planning to walk the upcoming You Go Girl half marathon.  I don't have much time left.  Ack!!  Better get cracking!

Wee Bit of Me Wednesday

Here it is Wednesday again!!  How does the week fly!!  Especially since I have a short week this week.  Why?  Why because I'm off to Houston this weekend!!  So anyway, I thought I would play in Wee Bit once again this week.

{one} what's your guilty pleasure tv show?

Pretty much anything I watch on the Disney channel (Phineas & Ferb anyone?).  Switched at Birth, Hawaii 5-0, I could probably go on but I won't.  And I won't mention my guilty pleasure radio shows either!

{two} ear piercings on men: yes or no?

Generally no

 

{three} do you have dish or comcast?

Comcast

 

{four} what's your favorite current fashion trend?

Fashion?  Trend?  Yeah, not so much up on the fashion.

 

{five} if you could learn to do anything, money not being an issue, what would it be?

I really do want to learn how to be a (good) photographer.  And cook (in Italy).

 

{six} red or white wine?

Red.

 

{seven} what type of food is your favorite (ex. italian, mexican, etc.)

Probably Italian, although Thai is a close second

 

{eight} hp or mac?

Oh I'm definitely not a Mac (read the evidence) for yourself, although I am trying to learn to be friends with my Mac. 

 

{nine} what color is your bedroom?

Kind of an off-white, very blah.

 

{ten} what's your favorite form of exercise?

I would have to say a race.  Exercise & I don't always get along, but if I'm training for an event, it definitely helps.  Right now, yoga and walking (but stay tuned for an update!).  But I do want to try Pure Barre.

The Moral of the Story on Vitamins and Jamba Juice

Apparently there are times in your life where you learn a lesson and think you have got it all figured out only to find that no, you didn't quite get it the first time and you need to learn it again.  And hopefully it will stick the second time.  Or else you may be doomed to repeat it over and over.  (I will warn you ahead of time, this isn't going to be the prettiest story in the world, so read at your own risk.)

Once upon a time, Emily didn't really like taking her vitamins.  (Actually, I still don't.  But the grown-up in me makes me take them anyway.)  I was late to work so I took my vitamins, stopped at Jamba Juice to grab breakfast and continued on to work.  The mixture of vitamins on an empty stomach followed by Jamba did not sit well.  At all.  And my stomach decided to rebel.  Thankfully it did so at a stoplight.  And thankfully I had a plastic bag in my car.  So much for being a little late too work.  I was now going to be a lot late to work.  Back home, changed clothes, tried to clean up my car and then on to work.  After that I was very careful to only take vitamins on a if not full, then at least not empty, stomach.

(There is another time, that I won't get into details, that involved some sort of healthy-type juice that smelled like vitamins with the same result.  But no actual vitamins or Jamba was involved.)

Cue this morning.  I had an early morning chiropractor appointment, which means I don't have breakfast at home and instead usually stop at Jamba after my appointment.  I get to work with my Jamba in hand (Mega Mango with protein & matcha if you are interested).  By this time, I've at least had a little bit of my Jamba so I'm thinking it is fairly safe to take my vitamins.  That would be a no.  And not just a no - but a NO!  It isn't safe!  All of a sudden my tummy starts rebelling in a big way and I make a dash for the bathroom.  (At least this time I wasn't in my car!)

Moral of the story (at least for me) is do not mix Jamba and vitamins.  It will not end well.

I warned you it wasn't pretty!!

Lake Union 10K

Before I get to the race report, check out my new travel page which has all my trip reports summarized!

I really enjoyed this race last year and decided to do it again.  Plus they had a walkers division, since that is what I am (for now) - a walker!  And I am learning to be proud of that fact.

The day did not get off to the best start.  I either slept through my alarm, or turned it off in my sleep.  Either way, I woke up late.  I hate being late!  I rushed around and was out the door before I knew it.  No breakfast?  Nope.  I recently found this new product, Vespa Power, an amino acid supplement.  I usually only use it when I know I'll be training or racing for more than a couple of hours, but decided to try it this morning as well.  I can't really explain how it works, but basically it helps your muscles metabolize a higher level of fat during physical activity, conserving your glucose.  It isn't for everyone (especially anyone with honey/bee sensitivities), but so far I've noticed on my longer walks, I'm really not super sore the next day.  So I had my bee juice, as I like to call it.

I arrived at the race site, found a parking spot, got my bib and found my co-worker (she also ran it with me last year).  We found another co-worker of ours and chatted until the race was about to begin.  In my rush to get ready this morning I pulled on pants and while we were waiting I was beginning to regret the decision.  Capris or a running skirt would have been a much better choice as it was definitely starting to warm up.  Oh well.  At least I had sunglasses!!

They had us line up according to pace and there was even a pace sign for the walkers.  Which is where I lined up.  We waited for all the runners to cross the start line and then the walkers started!  Yay walkers!  Once I got around several people I found myself at the front of the pack.  As in there was only one walker in front of me.  As in, if this was only a walking race I would have been in 2nd place.  This has never happened before!  It didn't last too long as a couple other walkers sped past, but I did enjoy my "second place" while it lasted.  I caught up with a few of the run/walkers and played leap frog, I'd pass them while they were walking, they'd pass me when they started running.

The first mile passed by in a blur.  I knew I'd gone out pretty fast and so did my knee as it started protesting at the pace.  I settled down into a more manageable pace.  One woman, out for her morning run, passed me and asked how far the race was and then told me "good luck!"  I collect all and any cheers.  Thank you very much!  Just like that we were up to the first water stop and mile 2.  From mile 2 to mile 3 the sun seemed to be always in my eyes (thank you sunglasses!) and it also seemed to take forever.  But finally the mile 3 sign came into a view.  Not too much longer after, I passed a mom and her baby and she and the baby were clapping for me.  (Okay, maybe they were clapping for all the runners and walkers, but I am taking it for myself!)  Up and over the University Bridge, where a car started honking for us.  Seriously, I had great cheerleaders this entire course.  (Again, probably the car honking wasn't just for me, but I'm pretending it was.)  Just after the bridge was my first glimpse of the Space Needle.  Yay!  (The finish line is sorta near the Space Needle.)  The course brought us down by the water and it was fun to catch glimpses of the different house boats.  Water stop number 2, mile 4, and this set of steep, short up and downhills were next.  I was still feeling really good.  And so was my knee.  Once I had backed off the super fast pace, and settled in, my knee did much, much better.  Don't remember too much about mile 5 except thinking I'm so close.  Oh and the volunteers right before the mile 5 sign.  Let me say all the volunteers on the course were great, but a special shout out to the group right before the 5 mile sign.  Your cheers really lifted me up.  I was in the home stretch now.  I thought I was slowing down a tad, so tried to pick up the pace.  I rounded the corner and could see the finish line.  A spectator was standing off to side cheering her heart out.  Again - fantastic cheerleaders all along this course.  And then I was done!  Yay!!  I heard my name over the loudspeaker (they paused briefly trying to figure out my last name). 

My time you ask?  I am super happy to say it was 1 hour 32 minutes and 57 for a (are you ready for this?) 15 minute pace!!  Hallelujah!  I am feeling so much more confident about the Tinker Bell & Princess Halves and their 16 min per mile pace.  Plus here's hoping I will have permission to run before then, but even if I don't, I would say I'm doing okay walking.  And I am embracing being a walker.  I am a walker.  There I said it!  One day I will be a runner again, but until that time, I will walk proudly.

And there you have it!  A 10K with a 15 minute pace and my race for August done!

7 Links

So this little exercise in looking back at the life of a blog was circulating awhile back.  I wasn't tagged officially to participate, but there were at least several that tagged those who hadn't yet been tagged to participate.  Plus I was looking for some sort of inspiration and decided to accept the challenge.  (Even if I wasn't officially tagged.)


Most Beautiful Post
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  And this peek back at my dream of being a writer is beautiful to me.

Most Popular Post
I am at a loss for words why this post is my most popular, but it is!  It consistently shows up in the stats, almost every week.  Although I am pretty proud of the title - Mickiewicz & Mickey Mouse.  It is about my trip to Krakow & Paris in 2009.  Adam Mickiewicz was a Polish author and we saw him everywhere in Krakow.   And we took one of our days in Paris to visit Paris Disneyland!!  Put them together and you get Mickiewicz & Mickey Mouse.

Most Controversial Post
Fortunately I can say I'm not super controversial.

Most Helpful Post
I'm not sure what I would classify as most helpful, but we'll go with this one where we learn the German words for strawberries & raspberries!

Post Whose Success Surprised You
Probably a cross between my post on my red Starbucks cup and my race recap on a weekend filled with a 5K and a 10K.  Funnily enough, I will be doing that same 10K this Sunday!

Post That Didn't Get the Attention it Deserved
Probably my little poem about fall.  Or maybe my post about accepting that it won't always be your best run, but at least you got out there.

Post You are Most Proud of
Hm, I would have to say a tie between my first time running 1 mile without stopping and my Princess Half recap.

Hopefully you enjoyed my little trip down memory lane!

Five Senses Friday

Tasting

• My froyo creation

Feeling

•   the medal being placed around my neck after finishing my 9th sprint tri

Smelling

•  burgers and hot dogs on the grill

Hearing

•  an oldie, but a goodie - Abbot & Costello's "Who's on First".  I don't know, third base!!  Cracks me up every time!!

Seeing

• a random movie I got from Netflix, not sure I would recommend it - but the good news is I watched it and sent it back!!  Trying to make progress on #29 on my 34 Things list. 

No More Bike!!

Woohoo!!  I am DONE!!  And more importantly, my bike is going into storage for many, many months.

Not much exciting to say about the expo - I checked in and dropped off my bike.  I did have lots of traffic issues getting to and from the expo and race site.  A lesson in patience apparently.

Race Morning!!  I woke up an hour before my alarm.  And tried not to let my mind start and fortunately I fell back asleep.  Then my alarm went off for real and it was time to get up and moving.  Driving across the bridge, you could see them setting up the bike course.  I arrived at the race site and set up my transition area and then wandered down to the water.  I passed by who I thought was Ali Edwards and inside I'm thinking "It's Ali Edwards!!" but outside I was playing it cool.  I love Ali - her blog was probably one the first I started "following" regularly.

I got down to the water and did my ritual of inching in to the water until I immersed myself completely.  The water wasn't super cold!  Whew!  I got in line with my other yellow swim caps.  Our magic word?  Excellent.  As in I finished this day as an excellent triathlete!  We were counted down and off we went!  I felt like I was swimming fairly strong and every time I looked up I was surrounded by other yellow caps which made feel good.  I wasn't at the back of the pack.  The water was fairly choppy, not too bad, but every once in awhile a big wave would come rolling in.   I was about halfway through the swim course when I came up upon another swimmer and tried to maneuver around but she was a little all over the place and she ended up kicking me.  Which, with that many bodies?  Is bound to happen.  But then she turns to yell at me "Oh, come on!"  Really?  You kicked me.  She must have been having a bad day.

And then I saw the swim finish.  While on the one hand I was glad to be done with the swim, on the other hand I wanted to keep swimming so that when I came out of the water it would be time to do the run (walk).  And I could skip the bike!  But no such luck.  I got out of the water and headed back to my bike.  Oh bike.  I tried to talk nicely to my bike in hopes that would help.  It did for awhile.  I also gave myself permission to do whatever I needed to do to finish.  Such as walking up the really short, steep hill.    I was feeling fairly good and then I was heading up a hill when guess what?  My chain came off.  Again.  But the good news was since I'd already dealt with it earlier in the week I didn't panic.  Well didn't panic too much.  I pulled off to the side and attempted to get the chain back on.   Thank goodness it was only the chain!  I got back on and started off again.  The rest of the bike was fairly uneventful and soon I was back in transition getting ready to walk.

I started towards the run start.  And I really wanted to run, but I didn't.  In fact most of the run can be summed up with I really wanted to run but I didn't.  Even at the finish line.  Which was the worst - so many people cheering and here I was walking.   I have come so far with my knee and I didn't want to do anything that could damage it.  Plus I'm a rule follower and since the physical therapist hasn't given me the okay to run, I walked.  Plus I had walked the entire thing, so I wanted to actually finish walking.  So I walked through the finish line and got my medal.

My parents were there to cheer me on at the finish line.  And I told my mom about seeing Ali Edwards (since she is a bigger fan that I am).  And wouldn't you know I happened to look over and see Ali.  So I dragged my mom over to meet her since I knew she wouldn't go by herself, and I knew she would regret it if she didn't take the chance to meet Ali.  Ali was super nice.

Going into this, I wanted to finish in less than 2 hours and 30 minutes (since my worst time was 2 hours and 26ish minutes).  And I did!!  I finished in 2 hours 10 minutes and 55 seconds.  Not my best time, but not my worst!  And given the chain issue as well as the knee issue, I'll take that!

Transition Area

Lots of bikes

Almost time to swim

This will be me soon

Almost "GO" time

Finished!

Ali & Emily

Yay!  Another medal!