Muggy Monday

So I got in an easy 4 miler today, but MAN it was a sweaty one.
The temps were in the low 70s (in November?! not ok) and it was humid as mess out there.
But my legs surprised me.
I started out kinda sore, but they loosened up in the end.

I'm planning on getting in one more easy run tomorrow.
Then I'm all rest and carbs until Thursday.

Today has been extremely uneventful because while the college is officially on break, the high school is not.
They get out tomorrow.
So until then I'm just lazing around watching How I Met Your Mother and trying not to O.D. on cornbread.

I hope everyone else is having a great Monday!

Taper Time

So my Thanksgiving break has officially begun!
And it's time for me to relax for a bit before the big 13.1 on Thursday.
I'm pretty darn excited.
So how do I plan on relaxing?
Laying around, browsing Tumblr for countless hours, and watching movies.

This semester has been tiring, so I'm fully planning on investing in some R&R.
I hope everyone else has a great start of Thanksgiving break!

Slacking

So I know I've been slacking on my blog.
Sorry guys!
Thankfully, my semester should be over soon.
I start my Thanksgiving break this weekend.

I HAVEN'T, however, been slacking on the running front.
I got in another good, long run this weekend.
THE HALF MARATHON IS NEXT WEEK!
I'm pretty excited.

And tonight is my last night of lab, so I'm definitely pumped about THAT.
=)

Cranking It Out

So I worked the State Meet on Saturday!
It's sad to see the season come to an end, but I enjoyed spending the day with friends.
I ended up working concessions with two other runners and that kept up plenty busy!
Our best senior runner, Kate, set a PR of 21:47. I was so happy to see her end the season so well.

Sunday I knocked out 13 miles!
I set out intending to do 10 or 11 miles, but I decided to go the full 13.
I needed to prove to myself that I was able to do it.
It gave me much needed reassurance for the upcoming Half Marathon.

Anyways, the Cross Country banquet is this Thursday. I hope I don't cry when Coach starts making speeches.
I am so thankful to have found Cross Country.
It changed my life around and is easily the highlight of my high school career.

I hope everyone else had lovely weekends filled with great runs!

State Meet

This time of year is when I start getting overwhelmed, but I'm trying to keep up my blog as well!
(I swear!)
But anyways...

Last Chance Invitational went alright. Still didn't put in a stupendous time, but I think my body is trying to catch up to all my demands lately.
The State Meet is this Saturday. I won't be running it, but since my team hosts it, I'll be working it all day.
But onto more exciting news...

I'm officially registered for the Atlanta Thanksgiving Half Marathon!
Wohoooo!
If anyone has any advice, feel free to share it.
I'm having trouble hitting 13 miles, even though I've hit that distance before.
It's been a while.

Happy Humpday everyone!

Last Chance Invitational, Region, and the End

So I haven't posted in a while.
My apologies! Life has been getting a bit hectic with job-searching, homework doing, college applicationing and what not.

But anyways. Last Saturday was our "Last Chance Invitational" Meet. It was on our course.
I didn't pull any great times, but I did all right. Lately that's all I can ask of  myself.
I'm not entirely sure why I've been so slow for the past month or so, but I can only hope my body will sort itself out.

But this Wednesday was region. While I started my race feeling thoroughly exhausted, my energy picked up after the first mile. And while I, once again, didn't post a time I'm particularly proud of, I enjoyed my run. And considering it was my last meet of my Senior Cross Country season, that's really all I can ask.

So other than helping with the State Meet next Saturday, my season is done. It's sad to think about it, but I have no regrets. Running has changed my life. I can't even imagine where I would be without it.

So with the season wrapping up, I'm setting my sights on longer distances. So far I've only run 5k and 10k races. But I've talked things out with my family, and I'm going to be running the Thanksgiving Half Marathon in Atlanta. I'm really excited.

Since I'm so new to this new distance, please give me any advice you feel like offering up! I'll take all the help I can get! Hope everyone else is having an amazing week!

Sometimes Life Just Works

Life is looking up friends!
Guess who has a date tomorrow?
This kid, that's who.
I'm super excited (he's really cute!).

On the running front, things are always going well.
The temperature drop makes it a lot easier to run and run hard!
We had hill workouts today so my thighs are a little shot, but it felt good to run out some stress.
Our "Last Chance Invitational" is this Saturday. Hopefully with the weather I can pull out some better times.

I hope everyone else is having a lovely week!

Disney in Review

Sorry I haven't been posting lately!

I've been super busy with school and work stuff. 

But here's some info on my Disney weeked!

It was such a fun trip!

I really enjoyed spending 4 days with my running friends in Florida. 

We drove down on Thursday and went to Disney's Wide World of Sports on Friday. 

I ran the course in 27:41, which isn't great, but I was just happy to finish. 

That night we went to America's largest McDonalds. 

They even served ice cream!

We went to Universal the next day (more importantly, HARRY POTTER WORLD!)

I spent the day with my friends Justin, Wesley, and Fernanda. 

I got to try Butter Beer and bought a wand! 

Unfortunately it rained the whole day so we were soaked when we made it back to the hotel. 

But we didn't let that drag our moods down. We ordered pizza, played cards and hung out in the lobby. 

The ride back was rather long and tedious, but the trip was worth it. 

 I really needed the break, and my friends took my mind off of all the recent drama!

The Day Has Come

Today the cross country team will be loading our excited selves onto a school bus to embark on a 12ish hour drive. 

But it will be totally worth it. 

Why, do you ask?

Well, my good folk, it is officially DISNEY TRIP!

Therefore it is HARRY POTTER LAND WEEKEND. 

In a matter of days I will be in possession of a wand. 

I am beyond excited. 

For my 'bus entertainment' I fully loaded my ipod up with Coldplay and packed three Harry Potter books. 

On a less great note, I  had a rough day yesterday. 

I won't go into detail about my now ex-boyfriend, but yesterday I found out he cheated on me. 

I don't tolerate cheating. Ever. 

Luckily I have amazing friends and family that were there for me. 

So have a great rest of the week! My weekend officially starts now!

Also, take a chance to thank your support group for all they do.

Disney in 3

The Cross Country Disney Trip is in 3 days!
That's right folks, the magical time of year is upon us again.
I am SUPER pumped. I've been looking forward to this all year.

I'm even more pumped because my two cross country besties made the trip this year.
Megan and Fernanda are beyond excited.

And best of all, while we running in Disney, we're going to Universal the next day.
That means....
I GET TO GO TO HARRY POTTER WORLD.
Ahhhhhhh.

So coach had the top girls knock out a 7 miler today.
The weather wasn't too temperamental, so it wasn't complete torture.

I hope everyone else had a lovely weekend!

Fave Friday: Coldplay Edition

So in honor of my favorite band, I decided to dedicate my fave Friday completely to Coldplay!
So here are some of my favorite songs:

1. A lesser known song: Only Superstition

I love this song! It's probably my favorite Coldplay song to run to. It's got a catchy guitar.

2. An older song: Amsterdam

This is from their Rush of Blood to the Head album. I love how mellow and romantic it sounds. Swoon!

3. A newer song: Paradise

I am LOVING this song right now. I don't even thing I describe it properly. It's just amazing. Check it out for yourself! I'm so pumped for the new album!!

Anyways, all goes well on the running front right now. We don't have a meet tomorrow, so I plan on getting a longer run in tomorrow morning. We had hill work yesterday and I am SORE, so I plan on taking it easy today. I might just go for a walk.

There's a small music festival going on one town over this weekend, so my sister, boyfriend, and I plan on hitting that up. I hope everyone else has exciting weekend plans!

Weekend Review

So this Saturday's meet wasn't a total bust. I didn't PR, but I didn't get reinjured, so I'll settle with that for now!
More importantly, let's talk about MUSIC MIDTOWN!!!
Twas awesome. I'll add pictures later (I'll be stealing them from my sister).
But anywhos, my runner friend Megan and I left from the meet and drove to Atllanta.
There weren't any problems on the ride up, thank goodness. (First drive through the ATL!)
We showered up at my sister's dorm and then drove over to Piedmont Park and met up with my cousin Riley.

There were so many good bands!
The Joy Formidable, Band of Skulls, The Black Keys, and of course COLDPLAY.
Megan and Riley were losing their minds during the Black Keys.

Unfortunately, Coldplay was a slight bust.
There were a lot of smokers (cigarettes and other...) around us and Megan started getting really sick.
We kept having to move through the crowd.
We eventually ended up on the hill near the back. Megan kept insisting we stay so we watched from the hill for a bit.
We had to live a bit early to beat the traffic, but at least we got to see some Coldplay.

Overall, the weekend was pretty nice.
I hope everyone else's weekend was great!

Varsity Redemption

So good news!
Even though I sucked up the last xc meet because of my shin injury, Coach has me running Varsity again this Saturday.
It's at Clinton Farms again, but a different course.
I'm hoping for some shin redemption!

Music Midtown is also on Saturday!!!!!
YAY COLDPLAY (and other bands)!

My "Run from the Cops" 5k went rather well.
I finished in 25:35.
I'm still hoping to get my times into the 24's, but I'm just happy to be running!

We did 5 1,000 meter sprints today at practice and I help my pace well.
This fall-ish weather is treating me nice!
Hope everyone else is having a great week!

Fave Friday

It's late and I need some z's, so this post is going to be very...to the point. Ha ha.

1. Local 5ks! I'm doing a "Run From the Cops" themed 5k tomorrow. Wish me luck!

2. Fall weather. Today felt GREAT outside. Sweaters and nonstop chai is just around the corner!

3. Waffle House. I'm addicted. 'Nuff said.

I hope everyone else has great plans for the weekend! Happy Friday!

Shin Redemption

So I went on a easy-does-it 3 miler today while the rest of the team did speed day.
And the run went without incident! It even felt good.
I'm still going to try and be cautious for the rest of the week though.
I don't want to re-injure myself and end up out for the season.

There's really not much else to tell today.
I just felt like sharing the good news!

Happy Tuesday!

The Cursed Week

I'm convinced that someone put a hex on me last week, because everything was just weird!
My runs were pretty off last week.
I threw up OUT OF NOWHERE.
And then at the Meet this Saturday, disaster struck.

I was about halfway through the race when I landed HARD on my right foot, sending a (for lack of a better description) shock wave up my shin. My shins had been achy all week, but this was the final straw. My right shin was now in major pain. But with a little over a mile to go, I couldn't let myself drop out of the race. So I kept trying to block out the pain and managed to cross the finish line in 28:10.

Although the time isn't stellar, I'm just glad I finished the race.

As soon as I got out of the puke chutes, I essentially buckled. Coach had to come pick me up and get me back to the team's tent. Then the Sports Medicine Coach took a look at me, wrapped an ice pack around my leg and forbid me from moving. I was then told to go see him on Monday to decide whether or not I'd need an xray.

So the rest of the weekend I essentially tried not to move. My shin felt a lot better on Sunday, so I was hoping it had just been some freak occurrence. When I got rechecked today, the Sports Medicine coach didn't mention an xray and just told me to take today off and take it easy-ish for the week.

So while I don't actually know what happened this weekend, I'm just glad I haven't been injured for the season. Taking today off was a hassle, but if it gets me better, I'll deal. I should be up and running again tomorrow, but I'm probably not going to be doing the dreaded speed day. I'll be doing a long, slow run to reassess how my leg feels.

Hopefully I've put in all the 'bad karma' for cross country this season. I'm ready for some good karma!
I hope everyone else had a lovely weekend!

Fave Fridays (and "Thirsty Thursday")

I'll start with 3 favorite things and then explain "Thirsty Thursday".

Lizard Thicket: I know this sounds strange, but it's the name of a clothing store in Newnan. I usually loathe clothes shopping, but they had SO many great things! We went there over the weekend for my birthday and I left with a shirt, skirt, and dress. WIN!

The Cure: I have been on such a kick lately! They're one of very few 80s bands that I can handle. I find myself singing 'Just Like Heaven' a lot on my runs.

Powerade Zero: It has nothing to do with the 'zero calorie' part for me. I LOVE the flavors. Regular Gatorade and Powerade taste too thick and sugary to me. With coach ramping up the top girls mileage, I've been chugging these things down whenever I get home.


Thirsty Thursday: A slang term for Thursday nights at the college (aka 'let's all get wasted' night). Before you all jump to conclusions, I did NOT drink any alcohol or go to any parties. I'm too much of a goody goody.

However, coach had the top girls running the 'College run' where we run to the college, loop through it, and head back to the high school. I feel that I should also mention that 98% of my run yesterday felt pretty good! All the girls were sticking together and we were keeping a pretty solid 8 minute pace. Pretty good for a run right after speed day.

But just when we were about to leave the college campus, I got sick out of nowhere. Seriously. One second I was fine, the next second I was throwing up. Luckily, the girls didn't notice me drop back and kept running. I would have been (more) embarrassed had they stopped for me. Luckily only a handful of college students witnessed my homage to Thirsty Thursday.

As embarrassing as it was, I felt fine right after and was able to complete the run! I'm just hoping it doesn't happen again this Saturday.

Good luck to everyone and their running endeavors this weekend!

Fall Weather Tease

Hey guys! I know I haven't been posting or reading other blogs as frequently as I usually do.
I'm a bad blogger....

But here's an update:
My birthday weekend was pretty sweet. Ate LOTS of good food and got some sweet swag.
But the best part was getting to spend some quality time with friends and family.

College is in full swing at this point. I aced my first Stat exam and am keeping my fingers crossed on my Bio exam, which was today.

Cross Country is only having two practices this week because of Labor Day and a rainy Tuesday. But I've been running on my own and this Fall-like weather has been AMAZING.
Unfortunately, it's supposed to heat back up this weekend. BOOOO.

I hope everyone else is having a great week!
We have a home meet this Saturday and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a good race!

Fave Friday

I'm feeling a bit better today! I slept like a rock last night, so maybe I was just tired.
I tend to get cranky without enough food or sleep (yes, I'm about to turn 18, not 3, but still...)
Onto 3 of my favorite things!

Ponyo: I've been really loving this movie lately. It's so adorable, and I LOVE Miyazaki's movies. He's like the Japanese Disney. (Keeping fingers crossed for a Ponyo birthday present!)

Local 5ks: Don't get me wrong. I love love love Cross Country season because working within a team forces me to train harder. But pushing it so hard can get overwhelming. I love community 5ks that are either just for the heck of it, or for some charity. I should be running one on Saturday, and it will be a nice break from an actual Meet. I'll be able to enjoy it without worrying about a PR or rank.

Professor Quartermus: He's definitely my favorite teacher at the college this semester. He's in his 60's and technically retired, but he still teaches freshman Biology. He's kind of nerdy and corny, but he's really nice, and does his best to engage students in the subject. And while he can be super nice, he's a (pardon my French) bad ass when it comes to phones. He has called several people out in the middle of a lecture for texting. More power to him!

The Funk is Invading

Everything.
My mood.
My shoes (smell like death).
My hamper, and therefore my room.

Oh cross country season. You make my room smell so...bad. And NOTHING is working out that smell.

The season has NOTHING to do, however, with my funk.
I'm not really sure what is.
Probably just a combo of busy weeks, stress, and feeling a little sick lately.
Hopefully this all will pass without actually coming down with something.

Coach cancelled our Tuesday practice due to heat, so we had speed day on the xc course today.
It was painful, but I stuck with the top group of girls and finished within my projected time for all 5 repeats.
Twas a blessed practice.

Anywhos, this cloudy mood of mine better clear up before the weekend!
My birthday is a-comin' up this Sunday, and I'd like to start off the big 18 in a cheery mood.
I hope everyone else is faring well as Summer winds down!
Who else is ready for that fall weather?

Kicking Off the Season

Our first cross country meet was today!
We ran at Clinton Farms.
I'm happy to say that we had many runners PR on this course.
I ran a 25:50, which isn't my best time, but it's enough to keep me on Varsity for the next meet.
And, compared to ALL of my times last Cross Country season, it IS a PR (off season races excluded).
2 whole minutes faster than the crap I was running at the end of last season.

Needless to say Coach was pretty proud of me.

But on a downer note, I think I might be getting sick.
Practice all this week was a major struggle, and this morning my throat really started bothering me.
I'm super prone to strep, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's just a fluke.
I AM, however, going to get everything checked out on Monday.

College classes have been keeping me pretty busy, so my life is officially being re-consumed with school.
I hope everyone else had a great week!

Into the Wild

Was a great book! And a very good movie (although very depressing in the end...)
But anyways. All was well on the running front this Saturday.
I did a 9 miler that actually felt pretty good!
The weather was a lot nicer than it has been.
SO ready for fall runs.
I didn't run Friday or today, but I walked 4 miles Friday and 3 miles today.
My legs were feeling a bit off, and with our first Cross Country meet this coming weekend, I didn't want to take any chances.

But on another note, my house has been creepily quiet this weekend!
We moved my sister into Georgia Tech on Friday, so we're having to slowly adjust to her not being here.

I hope everyone else had a lovely weekend and got some solid runs in!

Celebrity Girl Crush

Ok, I usually don't fall into the 'Oh my gosh, I LOVE celebrities, they're such good role models, blah blah blah' malarkey. But there is one celebrity that I continue to be impressed by. She keeps me inspired as a curvy girl AND as an athlete. I'm also super duper jealous of her fashion sense.

The girl? Kelly Osbourne.
I think she is SO amazing.
She completely turned her life around. She works out like a beast, she dresses in clothes that flatter her figure, and she just seems like one kick ass chick.

 I mean, check out those legs! So jealous.
Does anyone else have a celebrity they just love?

Terrible Tuesdays

All cross country runners at my school seem to be moody on Tuesdays. 

This is because Speed Days are on Tuesdays. 

Cue horror music. 

Speed days: can't live with them, can't SUCCEED without them. 

As much as I dislike them, I stuck with them at practice today.

We ran 6 800s. I kept all of them (except for the 4th, which was about 3 seconds over) under 4 minutes. 

But the annoying thing about speed days is how hungry I stay afterward. 

I ate SOOO much food afterward and I'm still hungry!!!!!

Does anyone know how to fix this?!

Also, just on a curious note, how many calories (ballpark) do you consume per day as an athlete. 

People always tell me 2,000 per day is the standard, but I usually eat between 1400 and 1800 depending on the day's level of hunger. At this point, I don't want to lose weight, I'd just be happy with maintaining. But I'm just nervous that I'll overestimate my calories and put on more weight. 

A Day So Nice You Have to Post Twice

Or the fact that my other post today was such a downer I felt like sharing happier news.
Today has been a pretty good day!
I rolled pennies with my grandpa, which may sound boring to most people.
But I love spending one on one time with papa. He makes me laugh.
Then I was off to cross country practice where coach had the top group of girls running 5 miles today.

At first I was SUPER nervous. Compared to the other top girls, I'm at a disadvantage.
I'll just keep it simple by saying they're 'built' much better for running than I am.
But I kicked some butt today!
I was the 2nd girl to finish!!!!

So how do you wrap up such a great run?
You get your running buds to go to Waffle House with you, of course.
So we went there and did a splendid job of undoing all the hard exercising we'd just done.

So while my post this morning was a bit of a bummer, my day certainly picked up.
Happy Monday, everybody!

Letting Go

As a girl who used to be 'a bit hefty', I often find it hard to be happy just the way I am.
I stopped weighing myself a couple of months ago. No matter what the number was, I wasn't happy with it.

Sometimes you just have to stop and take a good hard look at yourself.
And this is the honest conclusion I came to:

I'm the healthiest I've ever been.
My diet isn't 100% perfect, but it's close enough (I'd say anywhere from 90-95%).
I put good foods into my body to fuel solid workouts that challenge me.

I think a lot of my negativity has stemmed from the energy crashes I experienced this summer and the slower race times.
The neurotic part of me worries that I'm getting out of shape, but the logical part of me knows that's not possible. I have kept consistent mileage and strength work.

I'm trying to add yoga back into my life because it gives me a sense of balance.
I will also (hopefully) start rock wall climbing again when the wall at the college opens back up.

As a senior in high school, I just feel like I'm in an awkward transitional phase.
I feel so ready to start college life and find my place in this world as an individual, but I've still got a  year left.

So until then I'm trying to bide my time and find activities around her that are stimulating.

Has anyone else experienced this? How did you manage the stress and lethargy?

Fave Friday

Hey guys! So the first full week of Cross Country practice is behind us. Wahoo!
We did a hell hill workout yesterday, so my butt is sooore.
I'm hoping to get in a 4 or 5 mile run today.
Note to self: take it easy on the Chinese for lunch...

Now onto my favorite things!
1. COLDPLAY COLDPLAY COLDPLAY COLDPLAY. I can't really explain why, but I have this INTENSE love of Coldplay that started late Freshman year and has grown steadily since. I listen to their music constantly. All my 'most played' on itunes are Coldplay songs.

2. Owls! They're the most adorable birds on the planet. I've had a strange obsession with them since I was little, and my love of Harry Potter definitely didn't help. My sister just made me a little owl-plushie last night, and it is adorable!



3. The Golden Hammer: for reasons beyond my knowledge, I've snagged a couple of age group medals for 5ks (and one 10k) this past year. If I remember correctly, the golden hammer from the Habitat Hustle 5k was my first ever medal! And it's a (fake) GOLDEN HAMMER. I mean, come on.



I hope everyone has a lovely weekend and gets in some nice, long runs!

Monday Mile Trial

So today turned out to be the BEST FIRST DAY OF CROSS COUNTRY EVER.

I was fully expecting it to suck hardcore. Practice was at 3:30 and it was 100 degrees outside.
Major bummer. And mile trials were today. Every first day of the season Coach times everyone on their mile to set the lineup for the first meet.

And this is where things take an epic turn.
Right before we lined up to run, he said that if we were at the timed mile during Summer practice (which I was!) that we didn't have to run it again, provided that we could remember our time.

I definitely did. 7:18, my best timed mile to date.
SO, not only did I not have to run a mile as fast as I could in the horrible heat, my solid time put me in third place for the lineup!

Of course, the boy's captain and I went on a three miler after practice so we didn't TOTALLY slack off today.
We ran McDonalds (an out and back run). We stopped for water and he randomly decided to buy a burger and eat it right before we set back out.
Needless to say his stomach was killing him when we finished.

Anyways, I've rambled quite enough.
I hope everyone else had a lovely Monday!

Founder's Day 5k

I ran a 5k yesterday.
A good many people I knew ran it too! (But once again, I'm a horrible blogger and failed to bring my camera...)
It was such a hilly course, my shins are definitely feeling it this morning.
My time was 27:31, which I wasn't too happy with.
It did however, grab me third place for females in my age division.

ANYWAYS.
This weekend has been otherwise uneventful.
I came home and took a FOUR HOUR NAP after the race (holy balls!).
Today I walked four miles (mostly to redeem my pancake breakfast) and now the family is about to go to some Georgia Tech social thing.

My sister moves out the 18th. I'M STILL NOT READY.

On another note, I apologize to the people (Lauren) who asked me questions for the Q&A. Answers will come eventually! I'm being a horribly lazy blogger, I know.
I hope everyone else had a lovely weekend!

Back From Athens

It was a pretty solid trip.
We caught up with my mother's friends and I came back with a pair of shorts, two pairs of jeans, and a blouse.
Unfortunately it was two days of completely lousy eating.
Le sigh.

Hopefully I'll be getting my good eating habits back on track soon.
If anyone follows some good, healthy food blogs, let me know!

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend!

Fave Friday + Pet Peeve

Allrighty!

1. Trashy tv show: Jersey Shore! I can't help it, guys. This is an addiction. I know it's wrong, but these people crack me up. Yes, I've grown to understand their lingo (MVP, grenade, DTF, GTL).

2. Ice Cream Flavor: for the longest time it was chocolate. But then it was strawberry. And while I can still do some major damage on both of those flavors, there's this one rare flavor at Bruster's that they only serve once in a blue moon. Graham Central Station. I can't even describe how amazing this is! The perfect combination of sweet and salty.

3. Chapstick flavor: Coconut! I'm not a fan of most things coconut, but coconut chapstick feels AMAZING.

And now for the pet peeve: fat jokes. For some reason, people my age seem to think these are ok. THEY'RE NOT. No matter who they're directed at, I find these unacceptable. Whether the recipient is obese or barely weighs 100 lbs when soaking wet, I find fat jokes to be in EXTREMELY poor taste. People are made in all different kinds of shapes and sizes. Certain numbers don't matter, a healthy lifestyle does.

Anyways, I'm still taking questions if you have any! I logged 3 miles on the dreadmill today. I have a longer run scheduled for tomorrow. Then we're heading to Athens on Sunday. Wahoo!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Q & A: Yea I Got Tagged! What what?

ME! Jessie



I already put this on my last post, but I failed to put this fancy picture up, so I figured I'd repeat myself.
Ask about whatever you feel like asking. (Except for my number. 1. Because that's slightly creepy...KATIE and 2. because my phone no longer exists. It got killed at Peachtree).

Anyways, some of you might be wandering what interesting things a 17 year old does during the summer.
Right now, I'm watching Spongebob. Wahoo. Partayyyy.

I got a 6 miler in this morning, but I had a brain fart and decided to wear a cotton shirt.
Overall it was a pretty good run.

But I need some advice.
Lately (for about the past 5 months) I have been hungry ALL THE TIME.
Which would be ok, if that didn't lead to things like weight gain and therefore decreased running ability.
I usually kind of graze through out the day, so I'm trying to switch things up and eat larger meals three times a day.

How do you guys space out your eating?

Spaghetti Scarf Down

Just got back  from a team practice!
It went pretty well. I was the first girl to finish.
Everyone's times were slower because of the heat, but I think we were all just glad we got through it.

But as soon as I got home I showered and then scarfed down A LOT of spaghetti (A LOT).
Oh well.
Weight loss is for squares. Ha ha.

Anywhos-its: Lauren tagged me in the Q & A tag game.
So if you have any questions to ask me, fire away!
I'll answer any question (or give a smart answer to avoid the awkward ones).

The Dreadmill

I got back SUPER late from Atl yesterday.
We got majorly lost looking for the art show, and slightly lost again trying to find our way back to the interstate.
So my run scheduled for the morning simply didn't happen.

Instead, I drove my lazy butt to the gym and got on the (cue horror music) treadmill.
Twice in one week?
Weird, I know.

I'm being overly dramatic.
It really wasn't all that bad.
I busted out the 6 miles coach had scheduled.
Now I'm back home, showered, lounging around in a bikini for no apparent reason, and about to go lounge on the screen porch and read Harry Potter.

Happy Saturday!

Fave Fridays

Wahoo for Fridays!
I pumped out a speed day via treadmill yesterday, and today I'm taking it easy.
We're heading into Atlanta to pick up my sister from orientation, and then we're meeting up with the birth mom and going to an art showing.
FUN TIMES.

So anyways, here are 3 things I've been into lately.

1. Sudoku: I love doing sudoku while I watch tv or listen to music. It's not too much of a brain buster, but it makes me feel productive.

2. Harry Potter: This has been a constant love since elementary school. You know how many times I've dreamed of being a Weasley? I'm re-reading the series for like the tenth time now. Needless to say I'm looking forward to Pottermore.

3. South Park: This is such a guilty pleasure! I'm not always a big fan of South Park, but every now and then I'll watch a couple episodes and catch myself giggling. Jonas Brother and evil Mickey Mouse episode? Favorite episode of all time.

Wonky Wednesday

I'm ready for real life to start again!
I'm losing track of the days of the week.

Yesterday was a solid group practice!
We had a good number show up, and my fellow captain (Sam) and I enjoyed talking to some new faces.
Even better: the run went well!

Lately the heat and humidity has made me feel like poo, but yesterday's run was glorious!
4 miles of bliss.

Today's run was 5 miles of slightly LESS bliss, but it was still a much better run than usual.
But aside from that today has been a day filled with food.
Veggie chili and a Mediterranean salad at the Corner Cafe, several cups of cereal, 3 bananas, and then a grilled cheese and bowl of grits at the Waffle House.

But whatever. It was a worry-free waistline day, although I'm not positive my stomach will be agreeing with me tomorrow.

Hope everyone had a wonderful day!

TWO WEEKS?!

My high school starts back in two weeks.
Holy cheezits, I didn't even realize.
Needless to say I'll wait until the day before to go get my supplies.

I'm only taking one class at my high school this year (senior year).
I'm dual enrolled at my local college, so I'll be taking the rest of my classes there.
My biggest concern is getting to cross country practices on time. (Fingers crossed with on campus parking!)

My runs have been a bit of a struggle lately, but I've been getting them in.
My mileage has severely decreased, but coach is making sure to make those miles count.
I busted out a 7:18 mile last Thursday, which is the fastest mile I've put out before.
I took it as 'runner Jessie' showing 'fat Jessie' who's boss.

Anywhos, there's not much more to report here.
I've been sleeping in a lot (I need a job!) and trying not to eat my own weight in snacks out of boredom.
Is it said that I'm actually ready for school to be back?

"Only I Can Live Forever"

Said in that raspy Voldemort voice.
Chills? Yes.
Today is the day. Or, I suppose you should say tomorrow.
BUT I'M GOING TO THE MIDNIGHT PREMIERE. AHHHHH.
Needless to say I'm incredibly excited.

I knocked out a rather hot and humid team run on Tuesday. I'm just proud to be one of the people who showed up! Not many people showed up.

There's another one tonight, and I'm hoping more people will show up tonight.
This heat wave has to end!

A Magical Week

Well, for me anyways.
Summer xc practice starts tonight! (Fingers crossed all us girls make it through the heat advisory).
AAAND (the real magic) I got tickets to the midnight Harry Potter showing! Wahooo.
Them tickets are selling fast.

Being a 'born in the '90s' kid, I grew up with Harry Potter.
I've read the series multiple times (and am reading it again).
Will I be sobbing at the end of the movie? Pretty much guaranteed.

A part of me is super sad to see it end.
But that doesn't mean I'm leaving it behind.
My mom jokingly refers to my generation as the "Potter Generation".

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Winspiration and Fave Friday

Coach just sent out our summer practice schedule.
WIN!
I'm hoping running with the team will help reinspire me.
These on and off energy crashes are beginning to get under my skin.

Anyways, to jazz up Fridays I've decided to start naming off my current favorite things.
I'll go in threes since that's a good number.

1. Criminal Minds: LOVE LOVE LOVE. Dr. Reid is the cutest nerd on the face of the planet. My friend Kelcy and I have him on our polygamy list.

2. Runner's World: aka my bible!

3. My 'Snooki' boots. They're so comfy!

GSN and Chai Tea

Two bad habits I'm back on lately?
Game Show Network and Chai Tea.
Of all the habits I could have, though, I suppose those aren't so bad.

My thighs have been SUPER stiff since Peachtree, but I can still run on them.
I actually did a tempo run today, and I didn't feel like I was about to pass out!
I think scaling back on my mileage is helping my energy levels.

Not much more to report around here.
I'm ready for Summer cross country practices to start up!
Hope everyone else is having a lovely week!

Peachtree Report

So my morning started off at 4 this morning!
I woke up, forced down some Chai tea, grabbed my running bag and drove over to Amelia's house.
A couple of thoughts ran through my head on the way there:
-"Thank God for 90's Weekend on Star 94" (it was playing on the radio).
-"Wow...NOTHING is open at 4 in the morning."
-"Kudos to you, Mr. Paper Delivery Man" (my paper was ALREADY on my driveway when I pulled out).
-"Driving this early in the morning makes me feel like the only survivor of a zombie apocalypse" (am I alone on this one?)

So once I got to Amelia's, we loaded into her mom's car and took off.
I'll spare you the uber boring details, but we got lost on the way there.
We ended up killing about 45 crucial minutes before arriving at our parking place in a panic.

We loaded onto the Marta and rode to the start, which killed about another 30 minutes.
By the time we got off, Amelia and I had about 10 minutes before our wave started.
And we had to pee.
So we rushed to the porta potties, did our business, and rushed toward the wave start.
Unfortunately the wave start was surrounded by fences and by the time we found our way in, our wave had started.

But the Peachtree volunteers are straight up ballers and let us go with the next wave. No big deal.

So we started the race and BOY there were a lot of people!
I ended up leaving Amelia behind a couple of minutes in.

The first couple of miles flew by, but I made sure to stop at all the water stations because I don't handle the heat very well. The frequent stops slowed my pace and Amelia caught back up with me.

We also ran into my cousin along the way, which was a pleasant surprise, but he told us to go on without him, so we pushed forward. The last couple of miles were a struggle, but all in all it was a pleasant 6.2.

The race ended at Piedmont Park, where we got water, our t-shirts, and some food.
But now I'm glad to be home.
I plan to get a nap in and then (if they're not rained out) go see the fireworks.
Happy 4th everyone!

Double XXL?!

I can't really explain why, but the newest XXL Grilled Stuffed Burrito commercial gets on my last nerve!
I couldn't find it online, so it's basically this: It shows several pairs of friends from different countries (Japan, England, France) holding one of the burritos and talking about it. They keep talking about how huge it is. The main theme is "What are we supposed to do with all this?".

Now, I might just be acting self righteous, but I don't think we as Americans should be proud that we make fast food the size of a baby.

I mean, I can definitely put some food away. I eat a lot, but I try to keep my foods healthy (like fruits, veggies, and whole grains).

What do you guys think? Am I the only one who thinks giant fast food meals are a problem?

Here Comes The Sun

(Doo doo doo doo).
And it's alright!
I had a pretty good run today. I'll take it!

Even though it was still a struggle just to get through a 4 miler, I felt more energy in me than I have in about a month now.
Woohoooo.
I'm hoping this good fortune will carry into Peachtree on Monday.

In the meantime, nothing is really happening around here.
Still no job, so I've been catching up on a lot of old Gameboy games. (You'd think someone my age would be out socializing, right? Wrong.)

Anyways, I hope everyone has a lovely Friday.
I'm off to play Harvest Moon.

Trivial Tuesdays

This has nothing to do with running (unless you count running from security personnel), but I just had to share it.
Happy Tuesday!

Sexy Sax Man 

Lazy Days

Lately I've been lounging around a lot.
My life has been filled with tv marathons.

But on a more interesting note, I found a ride to Peachtree. St. Amelia saves the day once again.
And I bought a hula hoop! I forgot how much I used to love doing that when I was younger.
Plus it's a good thing to do while watching back to back (to back to back) episodes of Law and Order and Drew Carey's Improv-a-Ganza.

Anyone else reconnect with old past times?

New Mantra: Is that Rob Thomas?

Thanks to a certain other blogger, this video has completely invaded my life.

It kept playing through my head on my run this morning. I'm pretty sure the people driving past me thought I was crazy. Laughing out loud when you're running by yourself tends to do that. 

Still no news on the mysterious ailment front. In the meantime, I'll just watch this video...again.

Skeptical

So I went into the doctor's office again today (this time with my Mom) and we came up with some answers (not that I'm being generous with the term answers).

The Doc still doesn't know exactly what's wrong with me, but he and my mom both agreed that I should get on some pill to knock my hormones into some sort of order. Any men-folk reading this post might not want to read from here down. You've been warned. The next 'safe read' zone will start in bold. 


They put me on birth control pills. Which is weird to me because I'm 17 and nowhere near sexually active. But I've always had an irregular period, and since I started running, I haven't had one at all. While the doc claims that this isn't unheard of, he feels that it might be a good idea to force my cycle into action (through the pills).

I could care less whether or not I get my period as long as my energy picks back up and my insane mood swings settle down to normal PMS mood swings.

Men-folk can pick back up here. The aforementioned problem, however, doesn't seem to explain my weight gain. The doc, my mom, and the nurses swear up and down that the weight gain isn't a problem and that it's probably just muscle. I'm not fully buying that. The doc said it couldn't hurt to watch my carb intake (since I'm vegetarian, he thinks I might be replacing protein with too many carbs) so I'm going to try that for a little while and see if it doesn't get me anywhere.

Until then, I'll just hope that this new 'solution' will pick my energy back up.

Results are in...not.

So I called the doc today to check in on my test results.
And apparently, everything is normal. Now, I would usually be delighted to hear this.
But I was frustrated.
Because things aren't normal.

I'm glad they didn't find anything serious, but I'm ready to feel better. I want to figure out what's wrong and fix it.
These past couple of weeks have been hard and I'm sick of not having any energy.
Back to the drawing board I guess.

Energy Crashes

So I still haven't heard back from my doctor. They vampired me two days ago, and sent the blood off to get tested for...I'm not really sure. Stuff?

I reeeeaally hope they call me soon! I'm trying to stay positive, but this week has been hard. It seems like my symptoms are just getting worse. My hunger no longer compares in intensity to the headaches and energy crashes I've been experiencing. Yesterday I took TWO naps (taking one is usually unheard of for me) and I still woke up exhausted.

Needless to say my runs have been...lackluster to say the least.

I'm sorry to prattle on about all of this. I promise I'll stop complaining about it. Next time I give an update, it should be on the doctor's results. I hope everyone else is having a great week?

Any cool this planned for the upcoming weekend?

"Ferocious"

So, I might have mentioned this before, but I've been vegetarian for 4 years. (Technically I'm pescetarian, but details details). I started in Junior High for animal rights and what not and the habit stuck.

Which was fine when I wasn't running 30 miles a week with cross training mixed in. And I dropped the animal rights thing a while ago (not saying I don't care about animals, but my VIEWS on animal rights have shifted a bit).

But this past year, when I started running and dropped around 20 pounds, things got tricky. My hunger skyrocketed. And I don't mean "I'm a little hungry". I mean "I'm starving" pretty much ALL THE TIME.

Now, we're not ENTIRELY sure as to why that is. It could be too little protein, but there are other symptoms that point to a possible thyroid problem. But the issue has been getting progressively worse and my energy levels are also beginning to suffer.

I tend to stick to my habits (God forbid I ever get into any drugs, because I tend to have an addictive personality). And with these problems starting to spiral out of control, I might have to make a tough call: putting (lean) meats back into my diet.

At this point, it has nothing to do with moral values, but I've been meatless so long that it's become part of who I am. But with this "ferocious" appetite (my hunger has been called this a lot lately), something has to change.

So I had bloodwork done today, and I hope to hear back on that soon. I'll just have to wait and see.

Biking Fail

So today was a rest day from running. I decided to be proactive and jump on my bike (a great way to get in some exercise on a 'rest day'). But I got 7 minutes into my route when my back tire essentially gave up on life.

I mean, this sucker was flat out depressed. So I walked my sad bike home and tried to pump some air into it.

No dice. I didn't take the time to examine it because a swarm of mosquitoes were feasting on me, but it must have a hole in it. The tire wasn't taking ANY air.

So until I get that fixed, my rest days will truly be filled with resting, or trips to the pool for laps. Yipee.

I hope everyone else had a lovely Father's Day!

Whacked Out Wednesday

So my running schedule has been pretty full this week.
I finished a lovely night run with friends Daniel and Megan on Monday.
I met up with Daniel again last night to run, and boy did we choose a HARD run.
Pretty much all uphill in direct sunlight (never a good idea in Georgia weather).
Lesson learned: never let me and Daniel improvise a route.

I knocked out a 4 mile tempo run this morning.
I felt pretty good when I got home. I made some breakfast and took a shower.
However, I completely crashed afterward.
I'm not usually a napper, but I flopped onto my bed and completely passed out.

I still feel kind of fever-y and my shins kind of ache, but I'm going to take some ibuprofen and hope I start feeling a little more, I don't know, alive. 


How's everyone else's Wednesday going?

Family Resemblance

So I had a lovely time in Atlanta this weekend! We went to Little Five Points, which is a great part of the city.
Courtney was the late one on this occasion, which is funny because she lives in Atlanta! (But the trains were being worked on, so it's not her fault.)


It still boggles my mind that I can look at her and see the resemblance. Just something I'm not used to.

But we met up and glanced through a couple of stores (like Junkman's Daughter) and then went off to eat at the Flying Biscuit.

I had an AMAZING hummus wrap and we got a dozen of their flying biscuits to go (which is basically all I ate on Sunday).

But my long run Saturday was a bit of a struggle because I accidentally slept in, so it was really hot outside by the time I got out there. That's ok though. I redeemed myself with a bike ride and strength training yesterday.

 I knocked out another 5 mile long speed play this morning, and will hopefully be meeting up with some friends tonight to knock out a relaxed run. I hope everyone else is having a good Monday!

Mycatbrokemyspacekey.

But luckily my sister is a wiz a electronics and fixed it right up.
Otherwise I would have punted the cat over the neighbor's fence.
But ANYWHOS.
This is what's up this weekend.
I'm meeting up with my birth mom (for the second time ever) in Atl tomorrow.

First time meeting her about a year ago. 

Wahoo!
But not before I get a nice relaxing long run in tomorrow morning.
I've logged 21 miles so far this week and I'm hoping to at least make it 30.

AAAAND, my date is tonight, so I'm super excited.
=).
Anyone else have some awesome things planned for the weekend?

Say WHAT?!

I have a date this friday. Say WHAT?! (Hence post name).

His name is Matt. What's with me and guys named Matt?

I NEVER get dates. This is a momentous occasion. And homeboy is cuuuuute.
Needless to say I'm excited.

On the running frontier, I got another two-a-day in on monday, busted out a difficult 4 miler Tuesday morning (sore muscles?) and busted out a comfortable 4 miles this morning. I should be running with St. Amelia tomorrow morning and then run again tomorrow evening with some cross country girls.

Unfortunately, I'm not going to be running in ATL for a number of reasons. =(. But my race day will come!
But I'm still going to Atlanta this weekend to meet up with my birth mother, Courtney.
So this weekend should still be fun.
I hope I can get a long run in!

What's on tap for you guys this weekend?

In a deep south state, far far away...

...yours truly is dedicated to improving her times!

Last night I did some strength training and this morning I busted out 5 miles worth of speed intervals. 

I also have my sights set on a 5k this Saturday located in the A-t-l.

Oh, and not all was lost on Saturday. Although I didn't get to run my race (The Invisible 5k) I met up with another buddy, Joseph, to go on a 5 mile evening run. 

Other than that, my days have been rather uneventful. I'm still looking for a Summer job and trying to keep the house clean. 

And my garden is finally blooming, so maybe I can whip up some fresh, tasty recipes soon!

I hope everyone's having a great Monday!

The Invisible 5k

So I woke up late this morning. I vaulted myself straight out of bed and right into panic mode. I hastily forced some breakfast down, got dressed, and sped (sorry, mom) to the rec department where the race was supposed to be. But then things got weird. No one was there.

So there I am, standing like a goober when I see what looks like a registration tent across the lawn. So I sprint over and slam my money down on the table. The guy examines my attire and then asks, puzzled, "Are you here for the softball tournament?" WHAT?! 


So I sprint back to the rec building (leaving a group of very confused softball parents in my dust). I then (very politely) proceed to bang on the window to the locked building. The lobby man (I don't know what they're called) ambles on over and opens the door about an inch (because apparently crazy needs a door fully opened before it attacks).

I ask him out of breath, "Where is the race being held?"

I receive a blank stare followed by "What race?"

We look into each other's eyes for one long awkward moment before I apologize for the inconvenience and walk back to the parking lot.

Once I get to my car I just stand there for a moment, bewildered (Is this all just a bad dream?). I was just about to get into my car and cry when I saw a runner a couple of cars down lacing up his shoes. I amble over as calmly as possible (because I've already scared enough people today) and ask if he heard about a race being held today.

"Oh yea," he says. "I just called the coordinator. They cancelled it."

I wanted to ask several things (Couldn't they have updated their website which I checked last night? How do you have the inside scoop and I don't? WHY DID THEY CANCEL IT?!), but I was too tired to listen to any of the answers so I just thanked him, got into my car, and (angrily) drove home.

Lesson learned? I have no idea. Make sure your alarm works?

Movie Week

Hottie!

So I've been watching a bunch of movies this week!
I watched Accepted (for about the hundredth time), Without a Paddle (once again, for like the hundredth time), Easy A (don't even get me started), and I'm watching Star Wars for the first time tonight.

Me and St. Amelia at graduation.

I know, it's insanity that I haven't seen the Star Wars trilogy before, but I haven't. I live in an all female household and it just never really happened. My sister's boyfriend discovered this and nearly stroked out. So now he currently have his VHS copies in our possession. I should be watching the first one tonight. As long as Harrison Ford is in it, I'm game! =).

My bestie Daniel!

But my running has been really fun this week! I've done two-a-days twice this week. On Tuesday I ran the morning and then did a night run with St. Amelia, and yesterday I ran in the morning and then met up with my friends Daniel and Victoria at 8. I was afraid that my legs wouldn't be able to take it, but the paces both times were comfortable and I had a lot of fun catching up with friends!

And for the most exciting news: I'm running a 5k tomorrow!!! (Cue roaring applause). I'm hoping that taking today off will restore my legs (they've been a bit store) and that I'll really bust it out tomorrow. I hope everyone else has a great weekend planned.

Memorial Day Weekend

I know I've seriously been lacking on photos, so I'll just put in a few illustrations here and there until I get re-motivated to actually pick my camera back up.

I can get a bit lazy sometimes.

But anyways! I ran 10 miles yesterday, which is the longest run I've done in a while. It felt great to get back into the swing of things. Sadly, though, I'll be giving that back up next week as I am most likely running a 5k next Saturday. Hoping for a PR redemption.

But other than that, not much has changed. My summer has been rather uneventful thus far (I need a job!!!!). I've just been watching movies and playing games (typical teenager, right?).

GREAT movie. Justin Long is awesome.

But hopefully the family will be taking a trip to Athens, my favorite city in Georgia, soon.

40 Watt Club in Athens

In the meantime I guess I'll just kill off a couple of my Sims...

Hope everyone's summer so far has been full of good runs!

Cruel Summer

Man, this heat is killing me!
I'm heading out in the mornings, and it's STILL hot outside.
But I shouldn't complain. My legs are doing a lot better and I've been doing Zumba most nights.

It's also a great break, not having to go to school every morning.
I'm not racing this weekend because I'm going to a wedding, but hopefully I'll be entering a 5k next Saturday.
I hope everyone's summer is going well!

God Bless Brooks

So my new pair of shoes came in yesterday and I got to try them out today!
I upgraded from Brooks Adrenaline GTS 10's to Brooks Adrenaline GTS 11's.
(Hey, I know what works for me, and my old shoes were basically dead.)

They ran like a dream! My shins didn't hurt at all.
And I was fortunate enough to run with a good friend of mine, Sam.
5 miles flew by.
And after talking to coach, I'm thrilled to say that Sam with be my fellow captain (captain of the boys).

Sam is the guy in the green shirt. Kid cracks me up.

Cross Country season is so close!
=)

Perseverance

So yesterday's run was essentially a lesson in patience and perseverance. All 5 miles went at a snail's pace, and while my shins didn't really hurt, my muscles felt like they were stuck in mud. I went home, sulked for a while, and then went to Zumba to cheer myself up. I came home sore, but a lot happier. 

When I woke up this morning I was debating whether or not to run. My muscles were still kind of sore from last night, and my ego still stung from yesterday morning. But tried to put my check my bad outlook at the door and headed out anyways. 

I guess life was rewarding me for my hard efforts yesterday, because while my muscles were a little tired, I really enjoyed my run today! It was still much slower than I wanted it to be, but my body felt good. 

I'm not sure what's causing me to struggle this week, but I'm just glad that I can still enjoy logging the miles. No matter how slow they are. (But hopefully I'll be back to my old self soon enough.)

Of course, I've got to brag on another blogger, Morgan. She has a stress fracture and has been enduring it with a phenomenal attitude. While she's struggling to wait the injury out, she's handling it better than I would. Stay strong, girl! I could learn a couple things from her on the art of a good attitude.

Janeen's Run 5k

.

So this was just about the sweetest race I've ever attended. 

I made a friend

The guy hosting it was on the Ga Tech track team some odd years back and so was his wife, Janeen. 

I'm very sorry to say, however, that his wife died last year in a car accident. 

But he decided to honor her memory by hosting a race to raise funds for an athletic scholarship. 

It was even more touching because all the men and women that ran with her on the team showed up to run it.

So I was honored to be a part of it. 

Now, it was, however a killer race. I never knew that Atlanta could be so... hilly. I put out an ok time of 26:40. I was hoping to PR, but once I realized the type of course I was dealing with, I pretty much kissed that dream goodbye. But I enjoyed myself nonetheless. 

Unfortunately my shins took quite a beating and I've been nursing them since then. I've been doing a lot of yoga and icing them. I refuse to get shin splints right before summer starts. 

Anyways, I hope everyone else had an awesome weekend! I should be wrapping up finals tomorrow and then my summer OFFICIALLY begins. 

Why I Love the Running Community

There are a LOT of reasons that I love running.
But my fellow runners are one BIG reason.

I love how supportive other runners are. It doesn't matter if you PR with a sub 20 or a sub 40 5k, a fellow runner is bound to congratulate you.

Runners also encourage each other during races. You won't find many sports where competing athletes will offer  supporting words to their 'rivals'. I've had many strangers running beside me offer a 'you can do it' or a 'just keep  going, you're almost there'.

I also love that the term 'runner' can encompass all types of people. Tall, short, skinny, husky, male, female, you name it. The running community is open to anyone willing to lace up their shoes and head out.

I'm proud to be a runner.

What do you love most about running?

Getting Pumped

So I registered for a race this Saturday in Atlanta!
I'm super excited.
More details will come soon.

Also, though it doesn't seem it, Cross Country season is just around the corner.
I talked to Coach about it today, and we scheduled a meeting on Monday to talk to the girls about Summer practices.

Oh yea, and did I mention that Coach has made me the girl's TEAM CAPTAIN?
I'm pretty excited.

Coach is pretty much my favorite adult at my high school. He really helped me turn myself around health wise. He's always looking out for me. He knows I'm dedicated to the team, and he goes the extra mile (ha ha) for his loyal athletes.

Needless to say, I plan on working my butt off for him AND for the team this upcoming fall.

Cross Country 2011, let's DO this!!!

Facebook Withdrawal.

I know this seems totally unrelated, but I gave up Facebook to focus on my 'self love'.
The problem is that I look at my old photos and compare myself to all my other friends.
Not healthy.
So POOF, Facebook is gone (for now).

I do have to admit, though. I'm going through Facebook withdrawal.
I mean, I LOVE Facebook..
(Yes, I'm one of those).

So now I'm sitting here watching Drew Carey's Improv-a-ganza and contemplating what to do with my time.

Major love for improv hottie Jeff Bryan Davis

Homework?
Read a book?
Self Meditate?

Nah, I'll just watch Jersey Shore.
(Just kidding, it isn't on).

Self Love

This time of year I always get super stressed.
I think my body is just trying to see me through to summer.

But with all this stress, something finally gave.
Surprisingly, I think it was a blessing in disguise.
I've lost about 20 pounds this past year.
And I still wanted to lose more.
I was watching every single calorie that I ate.
I rarely, if ever treated myself to something like dark chocolate.

But with all this extra stress added on, my obsession with numbers has broken.
Don't get me wrong, I still have my moments, but I've started relaxing with my food.
I'm still eating healthily, but I'm not focusing on numbers.
And I don't see sweets as the devil.
I figure, if focusing so hard on being a certain weight is stressing me out so much, why am I trying to lose more weight?

I should be content with the fact that I'm healthy.
I'm not overweight, and I exercise very frequently.
I guess I just got so caught up in the numbers that I lost sight of what being healthy is really about.
Being happy.

Osama Bin Gotten

That was a friend of mine's facebook status.
I have to admit it kind of made me giggle. That clever kid.
Otherwise, I'm not exactly sure how I feel about the news.
I don't feel comfortable celebrating the death of another human being, but I can't say that I'm sad that he was caught.

While we're on serious topics, I want to remind everyone to keep the citizens of Alabama in your prayers.
It's going to be a long time before their lives return to relative normality.
Being just a state over, some cities in Georgia got hit as well.
Miraculously, my hometown was passed over. The worst around here are a couple of blown over trees.

We heard from my half sister in Alabama, and the blessings continued.
She and her children were unharmed.

On a cheerier note, I'm coming out of my slump successfully. And although I'm still kind of tired, I'm feeling a lot better than I did.

I hope you all were kept safe this past week!

Prom Night and Power Naps

So prom was a lot of fun!
I danced like a fool and we camped out on my grandparent's land afterwards.
But today I'm exhausted, and kind of in a slump.
My eating habits fell off the wagon this week. I think it's all the end of year excitement and deadline stress.

So this week my goal is to get out of my slump and get my eating habits back in order.
More vegetables less breads (pumpkin bread is a major weakness).

But I should put some pictures up soon!

As far as running goes, I've been staying on track, but struggling with the heat.
I've been enjoying my morning runs with Amelia.
Hopefully I can do a morning run tomorrow.

I hope everyone else's week went well!

Sometimes Things Do Work Out

My friend Amelia is officially the patron saint of running.
When no one else would, she stepped up and volunteered to run with me in the mornings!
She loves run just as much as I do, so she's not acting like I'm putting her out or anything.
The only issue will be keeping up with her! (She's very fast).

But I'm just happy I found a morning partner!
I ran again this afternoon, and it wasn't pretty.

Anyways, prom is coming up with Saturday, so we're busy at work finalizing plans and what not.
I hope to have plenty of pictures to share!

Hit and Run

I am SO FRUSTRATED right now. (Hence the violent title).
As any southerner would know, the heat is truly starting to kick in about now.
Which means that running in the afternoons is next to impossible.
I did it today, and not only was I incredibly slow, but I was dizzy and nauseous the whole time.
Damn heat.

So I figured, 'hey, I can beat this!' I'll just run in the mornings before school.
But mom shut me down.
She insists that I have to have a running partner to run in the morning or I can't do it.
Just one problem:
NO OTHER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT IS GOING TO WAKE UP BEFORE 7 TO RUN 4 MILES.

I know that my mom's just trying to look out for me, but I hate how difficult fitting my running in is made by OTHER PEOPLE.
Anyone else have similar problems?