Outdoors, Shmoutdoors

Running outside s-u-c-k-s, sucks. I'm so used to running in my pretty, temperature-controlled, staff-cleaned, elevation-regulated gym facilities, that my neighborhood run yesterday afternoon was an unwelcome surprise. And by that I mean, hot-as-hell demonic activity for the certifiably insane.

I was lying on the couch watching Scream (feel free to be embarrassed for me), itching to be doing something physical. I decided to drag my lazy bones off the couch, patch up the hole in my favorite pair of yoga pants, start up Pandora on my phone, and run the 2-mile circuit of the surrounding cul-de-sacs. I ended up doing a 1.1-mile jog/walk combo due to the heat, the elevation of my neighborhood, my thirst, and my 5-day hiatus from running. I know, I'm pretty lame. I warned you that I'm a huge wiener when it comes to being in the heat. My music kept me company while I cursed at the MapMyFitness+ app for not cooperating with my GPS. I'm a huge fan of this app, but only when it works simultaneously with my phone's GPS and my run is actually tracked properly. I had to make a guesstimate, which screws up my Excel spreadsheet...

I kept wondering if my neighbors could hear me wheezing as I labored up the steep cul-de-sac hills. Mostly I was wondering whether I can run a 5K in 7 days without walk breaks, without vomiting, without crying, and without passing out. Yes, I trained for 12 weeks, and yes, I completed many a 5K run (and then some). Perhaps the mistake(s) I made was training indoors, during the winter, strictly on a treadmill. Fortunately, the 5K course I'll be running is almost entirely flat, except for one uphill section toward the end. Also, Ian is unexpectedly available to come cheer me on and take pictures of me crossing the finish line! I cannot wait to blog about completing my first race ever, no matter how I finish.

I will say that, despite my temporary self-doubts and my poor attitude about the heat, I took pride in my meager run and my motivation to drag myself from the couch out into the bipolar steam room that God dubbed Virginia.

Well, we're off to Cafe Caturra for coffee and pastries. We've been trying to instill the family tradition of doing this every Saturday and experimenting with different coffee shops, but our schedules have never allowed it. We're starting now! :)

P.S. Do you enjoy exercising outside, even when it's hot? Do you prefer to exercise outdoors or indoors?

Twenty-twelve

Is anyone else as excited for the 2012 London Olympics as I am?

Source
Every single time I see a commercial, I get excited all over again. Sometimes I yell, "Yeah!" and pump my arm in the air, like I'm an Olympian competing in London. Hey, I recently ran 4 miles; what Olympic team wouldn't want me? Judge me if you must.

In the 2008 games when Michael Phelps won his 8 golds, I did not miss a single event of his. In fact, I refused to leave an Applebee's where I was enjoying late-night appetizers with Caroline and my best friend until I watched Phelps win the eighth gold. I'm not sure whether that should be a source of pride... I've also always loved Olympic gymnastics. For whatever reason, I was particularly invested in the big names of the '08 Games -- Shawn Johnson, Usain Bolt, Phelps, Nastia Liukin, etc. Maybe because I was finally old enough to really appreciate the Olympics, though even as little girls, my sister and I loved watching the winter and snow sports. I cannot wait for the Games this summer!

On a marginally related note...
Speaking of other countries, I'm pretty stoked about trying a new (to me) Greek restaurant, Zorba's, tonight with the fam. My parents have already tried it, and they reported that the portion sizes were gargantuan, which is exactly how I like my Greek food! As "authentic" as they can be in Richmond, VA, I'm all about authentic foreign cuisine. Plus, I love a "just because" excuse to eat out.

Happy Friday, all!
P.S. Are you a big Olympic supporter? Do you get riled up over any particular sport?

Joyful Noise

Have you seen Joyful Noise with Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton?

It. Is. Great.

Caroline and I are big fans of OnDemand movies from Comcast, so we roped Mom into watching one this evening. We thought we'd pull up Joyful Noise on a whim, and we really enjoyed it. It's got heart, it's got soul, it's got attitude, it's got Old South charm, it's got heritage, it's got wit, it's got sarcasm, and it's got phenonemal music. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it. But then, soulful, young-love, pun-filled, humorous, musically-inclined movies are some of my favorites.

In other news...

I got back into swimming! I did 25 laps in a 25-meter pool, which is truly nothing to write home about. But it felt so good to get back in the pool, use my goggles, and get kicking. I even did an IM (individual medley -- 25 meters each of butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle), which had me winded, but it felt good. I'll never miss 8 a.m. practices or twice-a-day practices, but sometimes I miss swimming competitively. I was on a competition team for 11 years, and swimming was the one sport at which I truly felt like I was good. Basketball, softball, gymnastics, soccer, and a (very) brief stint in ballet just weren't for me. But swimming... swimming was where I came alive. Breaststroke was always my thing. I wasn't half-bad at the others (except for freestyle, ironically), but breaststroke was where I felt like no one could touch me. The 100-meter breaststroke event was always my favorite. Even when my cap peeled back when I dove in, my goggles settled mid-cheeks, and my lungs burned, swimming was one of my favorite things about summer.

Okay, enough of my reminiscing. It's just freeing to be able to exercise in different ways than weight machines, treadmill runs, and elliptical jogs. I'll keep you apprised as I work out in different capacities this summer. Ta ta!

P.S. What's your favorite method of exercise?

Pity, Party of One?

Okay, okay, party of two. Make that four.
I am exhausted. I'm dirty, I'm sweaty, I'm irritable, I'm sore, I'm over it. Today we moved my sister out of her dorm room. I still can't believe two years of her college experience are over. A week ago, I was a freshman, and yesterday, I was graduating. Move-out day is one of my least favorite parts about college. I'm planning to live in the same apartment for at least the next year, so I'm feeling pretty grateful right about now that we won't be lugging boxes from the ABC store (hey, they have an endless free supply) or insanely heavy furniture down treacherous flights of stairs anytime soon.

Gripe numero dos:
For the past 36 hours, I have literally felt as if the world (or possibly just the state of Virginia) said "hell no!" to AC. Since I left my blissfully cool apartment Tuesday afternoon, things haven't been the same. The temperature was unexpectedly warm all day, which allowed Caroline and me to enjoy packing breaks in the fresh air. Inside her dorm felt like a sauna. We baked to death until 2:00 a.m., at which time we were pretty much stripped down, sticking to the silky mattress covers and dripping in sweat. Of course, today's moving process didn't ameliorate our lack of sleep or the heat. When we finally uncovered the AC unit, we could feel a mild difference. Honestly, it didn't matter. Even the AC blasting in my car for 3 hours didn't make me feel much better. I'm a huge baby when it comes to being uncomfortable in the heat.

Third gripe:
We were able to meet up with Ian for dinner as we passed through Farmville. We dined at a local favorite, Charley's Waterfront Cafe, for Pasta Bar night. It literally felt as though the restaurant responded to the heat outside by turning on the heat inside. Of course, the poor chefs slaving over the open-flame burners cooking pasta and tossing oil-slicked veggies in the air didn't exactly help cool the restaurant down. I think I drank about six glasses of sweet tea before I finally felt hydrated.

This is what pooped looks like, after you've loaded two cars full of clothes, cosmetic items, stuffed animals, school supplies, appliances, sorority paraphernalia, and "heyyy, I've been wondering where that was!" odds and ends:

All gripes aside, today was a great day :) I'm a huge fan of productivity, family, and being homebound. Have a great night!

P.S. Did you loathe moving in/out of your dorm room? Was it a mega-pain in the ass? Did you have lots of capable help, like my Superdad?

HTP Martini Monday

Yesterday was a fantastic, wonderful, incredible, amazing, beautiful day in A.K. World. Not so much literally. It was foggy and drizzly all day. But inside, things were cheery and inspiration-fueled.

For one thing, it was my last day of my first year of graduate school. There was just one Ethics exam and one "practice" counseling session self-critique to be turned in standing between freedom and me. I surprised myself with how incredibly prepared I felt for my Group Therapy final last Thursday and my Ethics final. Never in my life have I put in more time or effort studying for exams. I really went above and beyond what I knew I was capable of, and it showed through my lack of pre-exam freakouts and in my confidence as I took the tests.

After Ethics, I jetted off to Robin Alexander for celebratory martinis with Amy, Jennifer, and Kristin (from left).

One whole year of grad school, done, just like that! Of course, it won't feel that way until I receive my final grades...

First there was the Sour Straw:

Then I tried the Andes Mint:

Both were irresistible, and both will be repeat offenders.

I washed those down (wait...) with the Tuscan Chicken and the sweet potato fries:

Though my bank account objects profusely, it's safe to say I've found a new favorite local spot.

So, what else was I celebrating?

Well, one of my favorite bloggers in the world, Caitlin Boyle over at Healthy Tipping Point, had emailed me to let me know that I was being featured on her blog as part of her "Success Stories" showcase this week, promoting the release of her new book:

I was beyond thrilled. Being recognized by Caitlin is a big deal to me; her blog serves as daily inspiration to better myself mentally and physically. In case you aren't familiar with Operation Beautiful, head over to her blog and check out her empowering work. I was cheesin' like a fool for hours on end. I called my mom and Ian as soon as I received the email. I emailed the link around. I told the ladies over martinis. I grinned and giggled through a phone convo with Dad. To be honest, I haven't stopped smiling since :)

On top of everything, Monday nights are Make It or Break It nights, and last night's episode did not disappoint. I must say, I'm pretty pleased with the start my week has had. Today, I'm off to my sister's college to help her pack up and move out. Wish us luck!