Another long ride and ICE CREAM

Today I embarked on another towpath bike ride! I love doing this with my Sundays...I pumped out over 20 miles on the trails and it was just as fun as the first time! I saw some new stuff as well...

I was sure to try out my clear lenses to fight the rain and pebbles that fly at my face.

Not sure what this is but it looks cool...

Little turtle dragon

A lock along the canal...

This time my mom and sister came with me...and we stopped for ice cream after! We found a tiny little ice cream place with a really great range of choices...

I ended up with a brownie "hurricane."

Today after my ride I took a little break and then went running...practicing for my (hopeful!) duathlon! It seemed to go well but my legs were very heavy. If I do make it to the duathlon, it will actually be a 2k run/20k bike/5k run which will be a far cry from what I did today. Still good to sort of get a feeling for it though.

The day is ending with a duck face and the awesome realization that my nails match my running shirt!

Peaches day and Remote Racing?

Today was a day of PEACHES.

I love summer fruit. Today I woke up and went for a run, which felt a little slow (legs still tired from most recent 13.1?) and then showered and headed off to visit a friend from school! We had a great day together and I came home in time for dinner. Afterwards I had a thrilling evening of working on some stuff that I hadn't finished in the office yesterday! In other words, very exciting stuff!

Tomorrow I'll hopefully head off for a long bike ride again. Can't believe how much time has already elapsed since I did that! As I said a few days ago, I'm thinking about doing a duathlon, so I want to see what bike riding/running all together feels like. For tomorrow, though, I think I'll just focus on the bike riding and enjoying it!

About a week ago, HRG posted about a race she wanted to do in Cali called Summer Breeze, and mentioned that it was also available through REMOTE RACING. 

I had thought of this concept, but never actually heard of it before! Imagine being able to participate in a race that you REALLY want to do, and receive the t-shirt, bib, and medal for it, without having to fly across the country for it! It sounds awesome, though I am a little mixed on how I feel about it. I sort of feel like it's materialistic to want a medal/t-shirt for a race that you won't ACTUALLY be doing...you can go out and run 13.1 completely for free. However, this method allows you to look forward to it, to sponsor something you are passionate about, etc. I'm just not sure though...

Tomorrow after the bike ride I hope to make THIS: 

No-Bake Chocolate Eclair=YUM.

Chrissie Wellington

Recently, I finished a book called A Life Without Limits, written by Ironman World Champion, Chrissie Wellington.

At first, Chrissie's story made the Ironman sound all the more impossible and super-human; something that I shouldn't even consider! However, reading through her story further made it sound more attainable once again. I mean, certainly I would have to take this challenge on during a time when I could focus merely on training and nutrition, but I think I could do it, just to finish one! Chrissie writes a lot about how she always felt she was very average throughout her life, and sort of morphed into this super-athlete to her own surprise! She expresses that really "just anyone" can get into this and accomplish it. 

On that lieu, this weekend's agenda will hopefully include a decent run and a long bike ride on Sunday! I love my towpath Sunday bike rides. I'm thinking of trying to do a duathlon (run/bike/run) in Cincinnati in the end of July, I think that might be my next "thing" to work towards and to look forward to! I'm also planning on going out to visit a friend whom I met at school but who lives pretty nearby--that will be amazing! Reunited after a couple of months apart!

Earlier in the week I was at Target (my happy place) with my sister, and I found THIS, which I really want to have on my wall at school next semester... Maybe I'll put some money towards it!

Also found THIS on the Pantene bottles in the Shampoo section. I'm so thrilled to have been part of the 300,000!

Running Inspiration.

Today I found something AWESOME on NYCRunningMama's blog! It's an inspirational video with HER IN IT. For those of you who don't know NRM, she is an awesome mom, marathoner, soon-to-be-Ironman, and Westpoint graduate! Her stories are amazing and her blog is so inspiring. I read her posts everyday along with my other regular blogs (I check blogs like some people check the news...). Check it out! For some reason I couldn't embed the video, but be sure to take a look!

NRM is the best, and she is really one of the best athlete-role-model-bloggers I've found so far. Love her! 

Other than that, today I finally went LIFTING with one of my friends. It was a great way to get rid of my work stress, which is getting to be intense as it gets close to our students' pay-intake! 

I must say, this doesn't look like a bad way to de-stress either...

Heat Survival and hydration.

Today's post will be based around articles written on some of the most important components of running: getting through hot runs, and hydrating enough!These are all very important components of running, particularly in the summer. Today I skipped my run due to the heat and because I've not been feeling very well lately--I think my body's trying to tell me something! Work has also been taking it's toll on me this week as we've gotten used to a new transition...I think it shows in my posts, which I feel have been only mediocre. Hopefully things simmer down soon and I can get back to my old vivacity!

As I mentioned, the first article I found today was on heat survival. A recent heat wave has swept the nation, and I've broken a sweat carrying laundry up the stairs, let alone on my runs. One thing I try to do to avoid this is to run early before work. Recently I've been so tired from not being able to sleep (due to the heat!) that I just wait till it's just getting dark after work--probably the second best time to run. Morning rowing in the summer also comes ridiculously early--best time to avoid the hot sun (which reflects off of the water) is the AM. One of the biggest things that I definitely have to work on is adjusting my expectations, though. A run in 90 degree 100% humidity is just NOT going to be as fast as one in 50 degree weather. This showed in my most recent half marathon, and is also important to remember on practice runs.

As far as getting dressed for a run, I stick strictly to technical shirts. I used to run in athletic running/rowing tanks (important to have form-fitted clothing in all sorts of rowing weather) but now I've accumulated several tech shirts that are MUCH cooler and more appropriate for heat. 

The second article I found is one something I've been failing at lately: proper hydration. This is SO SO SO important and not only keeps you in good health, but helps you run faster, think more clearly, and ultimately function better as a human. This article pushes the use of water and discourages too many excessively sugary sports drinks. I occasionally sip a mini Gatorade in this kind of weather, but generally stick to water because I feel it's just "cleaner" for my body and works better for me than any other beverage. However, I really like the recipe for the energy boost that this article included:

I'm definitely going to be trying this post-run tomorrow!

Getting out there and running for chocolate.

This image came to mind even though it was pouring this afternoon...for some reason I just LOVE to run in the rain, anyways, and it was a wonderful run and relief from the ridiculous heat we've been dealing with for the last several days. It seems like all of my best runs happen in the pouring rain, whether it be a new PR or just a really good feeling. Today I felt like the rain just washed away my stresses, and I was glad I got out there. I love to run through the mud and the slush, for some reason it makes me feel more connected with nature.

Hot Chocolate 15k/5k posted this ad on Facebook today...GAH I want to do it! If it wasn't so far (there's also one in Chicago...still far) I would totally be all over this. I love RAM Racing events, especially any and all Hot Chocolate ones. Especially in the recent heat, this is soooo appealing! I did the normal Hot Chocolate race last November but I want more more more!

Beautiful City!

We took a lot of pictures on our 7-hour boating excursion yesterday... so I thought I'd make another day's post in pictures! These photos are from all of my usual haunts on the Cuyahoga...the river I've rowed up and down thousands of times over the past five years!

Such a beautiful river and city! I was lucky to be able to cruise around to see it! 

Also for a running update: I got back out there in the sweltering heat today! It was pretty rough! I waited until dusk but it was still pretty bad. I think I might try to go before work tomorrow and see if the humidity is any less. I'm mustering up the courage, meantime, to join a running club practice!

I can waterski?

After today's events, I decided on making a second post (since I missed a post yesterday and ended up making my yesterday post this morning). We had quite the exciting day aboard Alex's parents' boat! They are very nice about taking us aboard and showing us how to do awesome things, like waterski and power around the lake. My parents joined us in the afternoon and Alex headed back. I realized that the Fourth of July is already next week??? Which means if he can get a day off he might be back sooner than I would've thought!!!

Anyways, I got A LOT of pictures today and just had to share most of them! Couldn't narrow it down too well so today's post is picture-book style :)

My successful skiing:

YAY it's us! I'm mid-sentence but at least Alex looks good!

Getting the towline ready...

My dad finishing a round of skiing...

Alex not wanting too look at the camera :)

And then being the waterski champion!

At the helm!

And cracking up over the crazy bumps I was hitting!

A nice family snapshot!

A very exciting day, in the end! Lots of amazing sights and experiences, of course! I'm pretty sore from learning how to waterski but I think that today ends my (looong) week of rest before getting back into things since my half-marathon. Tomorrow I'll probably go on a dusk run to escape waking up at the crack of dawn before work and escape the blistering heat and humidity which seems to finally have hit! So luckily, I'll have some more athletic posts coming up, finally!

YIKES and a successful day.

First of all: AHHHHH! I can't believe a whole day passed without me making a blog post! It was my goal to make a post every day for at least a year but that did not happen! I was gone all day yesterday on an exciting waterskiing adventure (an activity which sadly I do not have any pictures from) and then had to hurry straight to babysitting, and then after that I stopped back at Alex's to say hi and pick up some things that I'd left on the boat. By the time I got home it was so late and Sister had a bad night and needed to talk about it. Then I just went to bed! Somewhere in my sleep I realized that I'd missed blogging today but I obviously didn't bounce out of bed and get it done... Now I don't know if I should make two posts today to make up for it or just stick to one. Regardless, I'll try to get some pictures from today's boating adventure.

I have some pictures that I took on my Friday adventures, though. First off, I went in this BEAUTIFUL downtown library (will get more pics on the nice architecture tomorrow) and found this cool model of the buildings in that area. To me it looks like a piece of sculpture, even though I think it actually was just a model.

The other thing that I found was an ad for The Most Excellent Race! 

The race was earlier this morning and I chose not to participate because I just didn't feel that ready after my half-marathon, and I didn't want to risk any sort of injury. I also knew I would be waterskiing yesterday and that I might get sore (I definitely did!). I think not racing was a good decision but it was sad when I woke up this morning and knew the race would be starting any moment. I'll try for next year and work on finding a different 5k to do this summer.

Amazing Sister Surprise and OMG BIGGEST SURPRISE EVER

Today started out veryyyyyy normally. Went to work and then thought I'd pick up a surprise for my sista-friend at Colossal Cupcakes because who doesn't want to buy something somewhere with a giant pink cupcake sticking out of the roof?? I'll have to get a pic of that next week!

I ended up settling on chocolate with vanilla frosting and PB Cup!

Then I came home to find that Sister had actually left ME a surprise!!! This cutest surprise was left on my bed.

The Hot Chocolate 15k/5k people had some good advice today, considering the chocolate gift and the heat wave that's hit Cleveland!

This evening after my sister had gone to work I was just wandering around the house, doing laundry and checking email, and then later playing my flute when I got a mysterious phone call from Alex. I answered and he told me HE WOULD BE AT MY HOUSE IN TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES!!!! For those of you who don't know, he has been living away from home for the summer for an internship, so we've not seen each other for about 6 weeks. I WAS SO EXCITTEDDDDDDDD. 

He came and took me to a fancy dinner at Maggiano's which is our fave Italian place. We got some delicious food and wandered around the mall for awhile adventuring through some department stores. Unfortunately, I did not get a photo of us tonight but I did get a photo of THESE AMAZING FURNISHINGS that were in the Sperry Store??

Sperry is awesome.

Tomorrow we're going boating, which should be a lot of fun if it doesn't thunder!!! Definitely more pics tomorrow.

S'morey Goodness.

My sister and I went adventuring (errands) and decided to try to find a Dairy Queen so I could eat a S'mores Blizzard (which is the blizzard of the month) because 1) I saw a commercial and it looked delicious 2) Hungry Runner Girl blogged about it and 3) it's--unbelievably--the end of the month!

I decided to get the "Mini" size because it seemed really perfect. Enough to have a good amount of ice cream but not an overwhelming amount. I think that (sometimes, not always) when you indulge it's a good sign if you're left wanting more instead of totally sickened by sugar and the Mini was perfect for that! The s'mores flavor was really strong and amazing, and the graham cracker flavoring was well-incorporated and strong throughout but my only complaint would be that there weren't enough chocolatey marshmallow pieces! Otherwise sooooooooo delicious!

I'm still waiting until getting back into running. I still feel worn out/weak from the half-marathon but I feel like I'll be ready soon. Maybe tomorrow or the next day! I'm excited to get back at it and try some new workouts I've been planning. After all...

Soul Soothing.

Wednesdays call for "Activities that soothe the soul," don't you think? 

Funny, because I do almost all of these things on a daily basis! I think it's so important to have time like this for yourself where you are given ample chance to reflect and identify with yourself. Today I had a 2-hour phone call with one of my best friends, day-dreamed (what I do almost all day everyday) listened to music, read, and now I'm writing! I'm very lucky to have room for all of these things in one day! I'm still not running or cycling because I'm still resting from my half-marathon just a few days ago but I'll be back at it soon :)

I also think I found something to add to the baking list....

Somehow NutterButter s'mores seem to be extremely important and perfectly in season right now! I will add this one to the top of my list and keep updates coming about my baking endeavors...

Miles.

This is what my shoes are saying to me! They want miles! I don't mind taking a few days off of running but I don't like knowing that I have to wait awhile to get back at it! I'm starting to think that my plan of taking rest days until Sunday and then doing a 5k are slowly dissolving as I realize more and more how much that's asking for injury...

I wore my new ruby/burgundy blazer to work and I think it was a hit! I got it at H&M and It's the perfect cropped shape so that it doesn't swallow me up and looks young and tailored. 

Now the real crazy begins at work...I've been given my work cell phone! I have endless streams of voicemails to follow up on. I know that this strange-shaped little guy will soon be my new enemy...

Now I have to hurry to finish my big paper (due at midnight) for the online class that I've been taking...it's about coaching and leadership and is definitely very interesting to me but is also something I tend to put on the back burner in my schedule...I hate procrastination!