Running

**This post may be long winded so bare with me here as I jump from subject to subject....I apologize.**

{Our first family portrait in front of our new home}



As this week goes on I am beginning to feel slight anxiety about the move.  Not the house, not the city, not the fact that everything will change once we settle in....but the very fact that I will be leaving the city that I call home: Claremont. 

Friends have been asking me how I am feeling about it and up until today I have been able to be 100% excited about it.  Well I guess I should back up....It hit me Sunday morning.  Nick, Lucy, and I were just finishing up the loop and heading back to the car.  It was right then when it occured to me that, that day was the very last Sunday morning that I had to run in Claremont.  Then it hit me even more.  That Sunday was the last day that I had and I didn't take advantage of it!  Sad and somewhat amazed with myself because I always run my long runs on my Sundays...in fact, those are my favorite runs!  My favorite day to run....and I didn't run. 

Oh well....it's the way of life I thought...move on.

Then today came.  I am fighting back tears...which makes me feel dumb because in all honesty...my runs will be better in our new city because of all of the rolling hills (yay!  Claremont running is either straight uphill at first then downhill, or vice versa) but still....I have been running for over 15 years now and 13 of those have been spent in Claremont. 

I don't think I am sad because of my runs will be different so please don't think it's that...I think it's more just the fact that in life comes change...and with that change come good things...but before you can get to those good things you have to go through the rough transition, otherwise known as, change and this girl wasn't blessed with that gift to embrace change...

So today, I plan to run 7 miles.  Tomorrow and Thursday I plan to run shorter runs in the morning and come Friday morning...the last run will be spent with my best friend (who has experienced this whole change thing far more than I ever could, and also will be down for the weekend) and we will run 7 miles.  I may or may not cry afterwards, but at least I will have her shoulder to cry on.

Then it will be exploring a new city, finding new runs that I fall in love with, runs that I get bored with, and runs that make me who I am.  As I become aquainted with a new neighborhood, new favorite eateries that will hopefully include, mexican, bagels, yogurt, greek, and whatever else I am forgetting, new routes to get me to and from point A to point B, I will not forget my Claremont...my comfort and my routine :)

Now, to a better topic that is not so emotional (umm, hi watery eyes...)

I wanted to post some pictures from my latest race.  As I said before I finished in 1:48....2 minutes faster than my goal and because of this I am now wanting to run another one to see how I can improve even more.  I have spent my days reading Born to Run and now that I am finished with it I can't stop talking about...there is just so much information in that book that I have applied to my runs and already have seen a difference.  I encourage anyone who is somewhat skeptical about running or thinks that you are not a runner to go pick this book up (or purchase on Amazon for an amazing deal) and talk to me once you are done.

I am looking for my next half....not sure which one I will do yet but I want to sign up for one soon...and then it's the full marathon for me.  I am getting closer and closer to wanting to run one that I think my time is coming.

Ok! Picture time!!

 Had to make this one B&W...girl w/no makeup on looks better in B&W...

But Nick just finished and I am so proud of him!!

 The BF

The girls and I after the race and some good wine :)

Vacation...

What's that?

I need a vacation.  Life has been so incredibly busy with the move, medic school, and many many other things that I can't share just yet, that I look back and ask where did the months go?

Updates as of today:

1. Half Marathon went great!  My time was 1:48 minutes....2 minutes below my goal time of 1:50.  I managed to shave 4 minutes of my time from my last half...me=so happy.
2. Nick ran amazingly well!!!! I was so proud of him.  He did it in 2:14 minutes and didn't even train for the damn thing.  Wish I had his determination!
3. Nick just finished week 4 of medic school and is still doing very well.  Seriously, I don't know how he does it, but somehow he does. 
4. We close escrow May 18th!!  and get the keys on May 21st.  Wow....it's gone by so quickly.  We are both so very excited to own our own home...our first home..and most importantly to have something to call our home. 
5. We are both going at about  250 mph a second and this past week in particular has been extremely draining.  Although, I say that knowing in the back of my mind that it's all worth. every. second. 
6. Nick will be done with the class portion of medic school by the end of June, which at that point, it will be smooth sailing.

I do realize how blessed we are to be able to own a home at such a young age and I thank God daily...I honestly have been so humbled by everything that has happened in our life.  With that said, I am being completely vulnerable and honest by saying, there are days where I literally find myself pulling my hair....(it is kinda funny).  But when I have those moments I hear deep down inside of me a little quiet voice saying it's all right. 

I am looking foward to the decorating most of all....I have so many plans that I just can't wait to start on and that is really what is keeping me sane.  Since Nick is using up the majority of his time with studying, I have been doing most of the packing...so far our house still looks like we aren't going anywhere, other than the walls are bare....and this scares me a bit.  I feel like we have a lot to do still.  With that being said, this girl will be spending her Friday night alone with her fur babies packing.

I hope by the time the end of October rolls around we will be able to get away for a night for a little vacation. 

Until then....this picture will do the trick (kinda)

Wine Country + Half Marathon = A very happy girl

This weekend, the husband and I, alongside some of our closest friends will be running the Santa Barbara Wine Country Half in Solvang.  If you are anything like me, I had you at wine.  I love wine.....even more, I love to run, and even more than that, I love to run then drink wine with my friends.  I cannot wait.

Nick and I went to Solvang almost 2 years ago...we had a blast....our favorite winery was Fess Parker which is where this picture below was taken. 

Since Nick has started medic school, our originally plan to go up early and enjoy the day on Friday has gone out the window.  It now has been replaced with me still taking the day off but running around with my head cut off trying to get last minute things taken care of.  Some of the plans consist of going to Traders to buy running snacks, dropping our fur babies off to the grandparents, cleaning and painting (yes, painting) the floors, and last but not least...packing.  We hope to be on the road by 4 pm....which will put us smack dab in the middle of Friday traffic.  lovely. 

Once we are there, I think I will relax a bit.  I suffer from pre-race anxiety....you know how most people suffer from the pre-race jitters?  Not this girl.  I am a full on pre-race anxious little ball of anxiety.  I want to make sure all the plans work out, we have a race packet, I get to lay my race clothes out the night before, and then of course, sleep. 

My goal?  1:50.?? minutes.  I can complete the race in that time.  I know I can. 

Then it's wine time!!!  Nick and I will be reunited with Fess Parker, and the others will be able to soke up the Solvang sun and drink some yummy-in-my-tummy wine. :)

Until then my friends, have a lovely day!

PS: moving day is now 2 weeks away.  That will be saved for a later post :)