Why not make "Some Day" today?

It's only been, what, 4 months since I last posted? And in that time a lot has happened. 2 half marathon PRs, my first full marathon, a whole lot of headache and enjoying time and Skyping with my best friend... Sounds like life, right?

(One day I'll get my race recaps up... I only need to post 7-8 of them, between Dumbo over Labor Day Weekend, Women's Running Series St. Pete, and the entire Dopey Challenge a month ago... No big, right?)

😳

😅

And through all of this, the hubs and I have been talking about what we want our future to be like, and how we're going to get there. Health, finances, eventually babies (although that's a long way off), travel, and overall quality of life.

Well, health is one of those big things for me, and I hope for us as individuals and as a family - and yes, even though there are only two of us we're still a family! 😊

The discussion is and continues to be that we have a lot of health problems in our immediate family - just the parents. We're talking obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular concerns with a hx of heart attack, stroke, cancer... It's not a pretty picture.

Sorry, "hx" = "history". It just flows really well to say that, because that's what I'm used to.

For future reference, "dx" = "diagnosis", "tx" = "treatment", and maybe I should just leave all the technical stuff at work, no? 😉

Anyway, we've been talking about becoming healthier as individuals and as a family.

I've been running for two years this month (Yay!) and I'm working on eating better and everything... But one of the things I kept getting from the hubs was "I'll do it when..."

That's short for:

• When I'm less stressed

• When finals are over

• When I lose weight

• When we buy a treadmill

• When I'm not tired

• When I finish that

• When it's warm and not snowy (... BTW, we only live in the Midwest. It snowed a couple inches last night. AND today's high is about 54*F)

There are so many others that I've lost count.

Finally I had to say "There will never be perfect conditions. You're going to get stressed out, and have a million things going on at once, and have bad days. That's. Life."

Don't get me wrong, I have days of "I'll get around to it!", too! I'm only a little embarrassed of the number of cookies I've eaten the last few days (Come at me, PMS!)

But how often in our own lives do we just put our foot down and say "You know what? "Some Day"? That day is TODAY!"

I wonder how much happier/less stressed/more vibrant/more fulfilled we would be as individuals, and what our quality of life will be like.

I know after Dopey I got hung up on the excuses. I'll run: in a few days, after it warms up to like 20*F cuz that's better than -10*F (ok, that was a garbage temp, but true! Lol), after I feel better, etc. etc. etc... And then it ended up being 4.5 weeks until my next run. And I was a crabby MESS. I wasn't very nice when I finally did go for a run 😳

I guess the point of this is... What's stopping you? How do you plan to overcome it? How can I (or anyone else) help you get to where you want to be in your life? (You know, aside from picking winning lottery numbers for you!) 😉

Sometimes we're all that's standing in our way.

ETA: AH! I knew I forgot something! I was going to brag a little. Last month the hubs came to me and said he wanted to do his first half marathon!! Super excited. He decided it'll be Dumbo at Disneyland - as in, the whole challenge (10k + half). I'm probably more excited that he is, if we're being real. This feels like a huge step for us being healthier and happier together... Like you couldn't tell that that's a big thing for me 😉

Welcome to the Unsavory: Another Look at RunSpiration

Well, hello, ladies and gents! I'm baaaaaack!

It's only been, what, a month and a half?

(Whomp whomp whooooooomp)

I owe you all a few race recaps, and I have more races coming up soon. But, sadly, I'm lazy when it comes to getting the pictures off of my cameras.

But pictures there will be! Just not now, because I'm on my phone, and I don't really have squat for race pictures on my phone - for Dumbo Double Dare I had a point-and-shoot in my hand, and the hubs had the SLR.

A little bit ago I got to thinking: what are reasons for running?

Sure, there are those who run for charities, for loved ones, for the fun of it, etc... But there are some less savory ones out there.

I admit it, I have some less-than-savory reasons for running. I mean, sure, I started running because I wanted to prove to myself I could. I wanted to see what the big deal was about people doing races, and I was a little jealous that others were doing it and I, well... Wasn't. I also enjoy the satisfaction of completing runs - I'm not going to finish first, but that doesn't make it any less amazing to me.

But thinking about family and Thanksgiving coming up and all (that's a whole other long story) got me thinking. And I realized that I definitely have some less-than-savory reasons for running - although I'm not quite sure about calling them "unsavory", not just yet 😉

The fact is this: I'm afraid of getting fat.

Bet you weren't expecting that bomb, huh?

And professionals everywhere and those who deal with ED just died a little on the inside, with a part of them screaming "ANOREXIA!!!!"

(Sorry, but I really like food, I try to pay attention to nutrition, vomiting makes me cry so why would I intentionally do it?, and I prefer not to speculate over other methods of purging and such... Just to name a few.)

Part of it is vanity. It's a bit embarrassing to admit. But I also equate part of it to along care of myself, and being a casual runner has helped with that for over a year and a half now.

On the other side... Most of my family is overweight or obese. Some things stick with you over time - my increased risk of diabetes due to genetics (relatives with diabetes, as well as being black), the lack of encouraged physical activity, the heart problems, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, knee replacements related to weight, family history of cancer, family history of stroke... It terrifies me, especially when I see how much of it is weight-related.

And it doesn't help when you have memories of people jokingly saying "You don't have a butt! You'll get one when you gain some weight like everyone else in the family!"

I know it was a joke, but I've always been a little sensitive.

And I don't want that for myself.

Oh, and I'm lazy and don't want to have to do any more clothes shopping 😉

Do you have any "less-than-savory" reasons for running? Better yet, what ARE your reasons for running? (I know some of you like to celebrate with beer/wine/chocolate!) 😉

To end on a slightly more positive note... Some pictures from Disneyland:

(You know, just a little preview of goodies to come. A picture's worth a thousand words, right?) 

Women's Running Series Bloomington, MN Half

I can't remember if I posted on this before (what kind of blogger am I?! haha, kidding), but I talked it through with DH and I signed up for the Women's Running Series Half Marathon in Bloomington, MN in June!
It'll be my second half marathon, my first one by myself. That latter part is  intimidating  terrifying, but I have to remind myself that not only am I doing the Dumbo Double Dare by myself over Labor Day Weekend, I'll be doing the Dopey Challenge by myself in January. And maybe a couple other runs in between.

I always  expected  knew that I would be doing many of my runs and races by myself, but when it's only happened once then it's something you forget about.
I also can't help but remember the Princess Half back in February. I was in such a nasty mood, and my legs just hurt so badly that, of all things... I contemplated giving up.

Now, obviously I didn't, and I have the medal to prove it. And now that I have the experience under my belt, I know what I should and shouldn't be doing (for the most part) pre-race. And that includes not burning myself out (physically, mentally, and emotionally) in addition to putting more effort into my training.

Unfortunately, as much as I can remind myself of what I have "learned" (kinda already knew, but had verified), it's easy to get caught up in the negativity of one event.

One of my goals after we move into our new apartment next month is to get a medal hanger.The search has been... Interesting... But I think I'll be going with one from Allied Medal Displays:

I think at the point I'm at in my running, this sums it all up for me. I started running because I knew I could. I always told myself I couldn't, I'm not fast enough, I'll look stupid, etc... But one day I realized the only thing holding me back is me.
That goes for running longer distances. Running races by myself. Heck, just getting the guts to sign up for one!
Because I know my husband is behind me. My family is behind me (that includes his folks, too, even though dear FIL thinks I'm nuts - then again, the magnet on my car says "13.1 - cuz I'm only HALF crazy!" haha). My friends are behind me.

Speaking of support systems... One of my friends actually texted me to make sure I wasn't in Boston. I told her no (obviously), and then on Friday I realized... She thinks I could run Boston. Nevermind getting into a discussion with her on the details of BQing and such, because I don't think we discussed it. And I'm pretty sure a BQ isn't in my future.

But the fact remains:

It's great to have people who have your back and have confidence in you,

but you have to have your back and have confidence in yourself.

Even so, I wouldn't trade my support system for the world ♥
And before I forget, other medal hangers I'm contemplating:

(both from Heavy Medalz)

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

I'm currently chilling out with the in-laws right now. Literally, chilling. Yet another realization of just how much I differ from them for the most part. Or at least from my FIL. My MIL feels my pain of freezing one's butt off.

I'm going to go ahead and say that today was a pretty fabulous day. For starters, I'm typing this on the new iPad that my ILs gave my for Christmas. I'm loving the fact that I should also be able to use this for class instead of having to lug my computer around.

It's easy to forget just how much my ILs spoil their loved ones... Until you're in the lion's den!!! It was a little overwhelming to get seated in with everyone while working to open a mound of presents. The mound was terrifying last year, since it was my first year to experience it. I mean REALLY experience it... I have to wonder if anyone has ever been crushed under presents. But everyone was really amazing about giving gifts to each other. It's been an enjoyable day, playing UNO and dinner and FaceTime with my sister and just hanging out.

That conversation with my sister was interesting, to say the least. But in a fun way! She and her husband are visiting his folks, and he was playing a game that she got him, and she FaceTimed me on the iPad she got from her ILs (what is with ILs and iPads this season? Not that we're complaining!). I completely forgot that her ILs were also in the room with her and suddenly I went "Oh! I also got practical underwear!" ... And then I heard laughing in the background and it occurred to me that "... You're not alone, are you?" to which she replied "Practical underwear are good."

DH and I also went over to see my brother and his wife (my SIL) for dinner last night. His MIL (that is, her mom) was over there. We watched Speed, had dinner, and had a ridiculous number of jokes. My brother was playing with candle wax, so his wife jokingly tells him he's acting like a kid. Then DH talked about soy candles where the melted wax can be used as massage oil...
Then her mom takes that and starts talking about sex candles! It was somewhere between horrifying to be discussing sex in front of my big brother and hilarious. It's always nice to know for sure that the hubs really blends well with my folks.
Also, DH and my brother were making jokes about those Topsy Turvy planters and making money.

I love my family.

On that note, I'm gonna get back to bonding with the hubs.

Also, 58 days to Disney's Princess Half Marathon!

"You're a great guy. A little too emotionally unavailable, if you ask me."

I vaguely remembered hearing a quote that had "emotionally unavailable" in it and, upon a quick and dirty little Google search, I came up with a quote from the movie Friends with Benefits.
Helloooooo, Justin Timberlake! Ow ow!

Ok, enough of being a preteen again. Some parts of that I could live without.

"Emotionally unavailable" and similar terms have been going through my head since about 5:50 this evening. During my Multicultural final my grandma called and left a message letting me know that my great-grandma (her mom) had passed away.

To be completely honest, I'm unsure of how I feel about this.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my great-grandmother. She was quite the sweetheart. I wish she had gotten to meet DH before her passing - I'd hoped to be able to get out there in November 2013 for a race going on out that way.
All the same, that side of the family I haven't really been "close" to (or "close-ISH", anyway) since about the 4th grade, when we got stationed about 1,000 miles away from there as opposed to 200-300 miles away depending on the route you would take.

And so I have been wondering if I'm "emotionally unavailable", at least on this particular subject.
I even thought "Well, I will never forget the date she passed. 12/12/12. Way to make it memorable, Grandma ____."
But then comes the part of trying to determine if that's being insensitive or if it's just a nice, memorable way to acknowledge the whole thing...
And the sad/funny/ironic/UGH! part of it all is that around the time of day that my grandma said my great-grandma passed, I'd been thinking about giving my grandma a call since I hadn't talked to her in a while. I'd also thought about it late last night.
Part of me is wondering just how coincidental that actually is. And I hear it much louder and clearer than I normally would, considering the bit of Skinnygirl White Peach Margarita mixed with apple juice that's floating through my system.

I haven't heard from my grandma since I got the message, even though I called her back right after my final. I'm definitely going to call her tomorrow, either in the morning or after I get done at my internship to see what's going on.
I hate that DH and I will likely be going to visit family because of a funeral... We'll have to see how that goes.

I have to wonder when I'll actually realize it, or if I already have. Whenever I think of my great-grandma, I think of where her house is situated in relation to everything around her place. The Burger King and the KFC that I always recognized as landmarks, even though I was too young to really be able to place anything else in a place that I only saw when we visited once every other month or so, or even less frequently.

We'll just have to see what tomorrow brings, I guess...

A way to restore your faith in people

So I'm just going to make the assumption that FH does a rather nice job in choosing his friends.

That's not to say that I don't have some pretty awesome friends myself because, let's face it, I love my friends some kinda fierce.

And I wouldn't trade them for the world.

But this morning/afternoon I had a flashback to freshman year in college, where this jackass talked over me the whole time I tried to explain something and didn't bother to let me get a word in edgewise. And after he left I just bawled.

Needless to say, my next two years of college up through graduation... I hated his guts.
He's a pompous jerk, and is apparently only nice when he's smoking weed. No joke. It was weird when I heard that, especially when I heard that he could be nice AND not be a smarmy jerk about it.

And this flashback came about because of... My cousin. Yup, my own flesh and blood.

She has decided to pull herself out of the wedding. And I'm finding that I don't care. I cared more about whether or not people I cared about would be there, regardless of whether or not they're standing up there  with us.
Then she said she's not coming, and that she wished she hadn't wasted her money on a ticket.

Ok, ouch.

THEN she said she was done with me and called me a bitch.

And with that, I can guarantee you that she is not welcome at our wedding or anywhere NEAR our apartment, I don't care if she gets on the plane or not.

There's far more to the story, including -you guessed it!- her not listening to a word I had to say.

But I'm through with it.

I finalized our wedding cake today!
I would've gone with FH, but he got his wisdoms out this morning. I ran a few ideas by him, and then just went with those and had the cake baker/decorator help out with a few ideas here and there.
It's similar to this, but with some definite changes:

I went and bought some of the decor for our cake, and I'll be getting the rest of it taken care of tonight after work.

Sometimes people amaze me.
Just this morning I was saying to FMIL that I hate people.
No offense to anybody reading this. I really like some people. But sometimes people just make me want to smack them. HARD.

Then FH's best woman in the wedding (well, other than me, but you know what I mean! hahaha) texted me saying she was excited for the wedding. And one of the ushers texted me to ask about what his guest should wear, and THEN he told me he was sure I would look beautiful in my dress.
Yeah, I'm a softie. And that totally made my day.

And I've been getting more work in so, while it's been tiring (we're talking that between late Saturday night and the end of tonight I'll have gotten at least 40 hours, and with this weekend I'll have just over 60 if I added correctly)... It's making me feel so much better that the next paycheck in will be rather decent as far as us taking care of rent and all. I mean, even though I know we'll be fine either way, it's still nice to have that extra little bit of security blanket.

I can't believe that we're getting married in 16 days.
Yeah, that's all for now.