5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

Happy Friday, my dears! Time for a little countdown for the weekend.

5. The number of days until I fly to VISIT SAN DIEGO TO SEE JOE. I'll be there for the majority of July hooray, hooray, hoorayyyy.

Tough Mudder, November 2013. Paint, not blood.

Ohh, the differences in our lives...

4. The number of songs I'm currently obsessed with.

Please note: My blog is a judgement-free zone, thank you very much. And with that...

Skid Row - from Little Shop of Horrors (just smile and nod)
Love Runs Out - OneRepublic (little late on this bandwagon...)
World Championship Finale (2) - from Pitch Perfect 2 (the Bella's winning number ;) )
Platinum - Miranda Lambert (I'm brunette)

3. The number of pairs of shoes purchased recently.

New Balance 775s (left), New Balance Fresh Foams

I'm loving both of these pairs of shoes... which is nice, considering I had a near mental breakdown hoping they were good choices. The 775s took some runs to get used to, but the Fresh Foams felt as if I had been running in them my whole life (in a good way)! Also, I like how this picture makes them seem smaller... cough-I-wear-a-size-10.5/11-cough.

$8.50 from Old Navy, say whaaa!?

And the above are my other current loves. I don't run in those...

2. The number of salad pictures taken this week.

Spinach, tomatoes, onions, almonds, eggs, Sriracha.

Spinach, peas, corn, green beans, carrots, cottage cheese, tuna, BBQ sauce.

1. The number of months left until I start graduate school.

This has been a very weird time in limbo for me, and I'm ready to be done. If you recall, I graduated from undergrad with a BS in math, worked in DC for two years, then quit my job in May so I can start grad school (sport and exercise psychology, woop woop!) in August. For the time between, I have moved home to live with my parents. I guess in my mind I had this picture that coming home for this summer would be like coming home for some sort of break during college - all of my friends from high school would be around, and we'd play and laugh and la-dee-da forever and ever. Yeah, no, they aren't here. I've had travels to visit family, and I have my aforementioned long ass visit to California, and I've had occasional encounters with some other friends and acquaintances from my past, but I'm so ready to have structure again. Give me classes! Give me papers! Give me tests, exams, stress!

On second thought, keep the stress.

Pick a number and give me a fact! Please.

Two for the Price of One

I had two topics in mind that I wanted to discuss this week, and both have enough weight to them that they could be their own blog posts... but I got antsy, so here's a BOGO deal from me. You're welcome.

First up - vacations and exercise.

Like many of you, I'm traveling for the 4th of July holiday. I'll be hanging out with my family (parents, grandma, cousins, aunts, etc.) for about a week, starting tonight. While I'm basically already on an extended vacation until graduate school begins in August, I'm still excited for a week of tanning, relaxing, drinking, swimming, and being with family in a new location.

However...

You can feel the "but..." creeping up behind you...

This means no accessible gym. No machines. No weights. And all around more difficultly in fitting in exercise.

There was once a time in my life where this would be a SERIOUS problem. While it still causes me discomfort and a little anxiety, I'm much better about going with the lack-of-routine flow. I know I can fit in makeshift circuits when I don't have equipment (like the one here), but sometimes I'm left feeling like I sort of half-assed my workout.

It's so much more important to spend time with your loved ones than obsessing about your fitness. Trust me, I've returned from vacations in a cloud of regret, wishing I had spent thirty minutes laughing and playing cards with my aunts rather than huffing and puffing about "feeling lazy." 

Maybe this is extreme, but think about it - when you die, do you want your tombstone to read "Great Daughter" or "Great Legs?"

Next up - relationship with God.

As I've briefly mentioned, I have a Bible that's sectioned to take you through it in two years. I just finished.

Throughout the whole thing, my daily reading reminded me about His love for us. It reminded me to pray, to always think about Him, to thank Him, and to consider what really matters. I had this thought that as soon as I finished, I'd be struck with such knowledge, such Biblical wisdom, that I would do what was right more often than not, pray hourly, and show my love to others on a much greater scale.

Yeah, not quite.

Actually, the opposite has happened. As soon as I closed Revelation, it's like I closed my relationship with God. My daily reading was my meditation, my habit-former, and in its absence, I've forgotten all that I've learned. Horrible, but honest.

Don't worry, guys - I plan on starting a new devotion program in order to keep up this relationship. I could tell that I was so much happier when I was talking with Him constantly and when I was loving others the way He loves me. I hate that I've forgotten, but I'm grateful that He's reminded me.

How do you deal with traveling and exercising?
For those of you who are religious, do you ever push God aside?

He's going the distance, among other events...

This was a whirlwind weekend full of all kinds of emotions.

LET'S REWIND TO THURSDAY.

Mother and I went to our town's minor league baseball game, and she caught a foul ball! She's the one with the hand-eye coordination in the family; that's why I run.

Though there wasn't much competition - look at those filled seats...

Our team ended up winning in the last inning, which was exciting, but the game was a far cry from my days in DC watching the Nationals.

Friday. Yikes. I ran 5 miles outside (longest distance in six months, whoop whoop!), but unfortunately, I decided to foam roll the completely wrong part of my body. Dear friends, when you have possible nerve damage in your hip/groin area, please do not irritate it by repetitively smashing your body against a cylinder for twenty minutes. Needless to say, I was quite upset and teetered on another "all is wrong with life" moment. Luckily, I realized this wasn't the run's fault (although there was mild pain during it), this was my stupidity, so I didn't dwell for too long thinking I had regressed in recovery.

Then it was early to bed, early to rise, becauseeeeee...

JOE FLEW IN FROM CALIFORNIA. Pardon his squinty eyes. And my ridiculous cowlick.

He traveled the cross country distance to spend one day with me to accompany me to my high school friends' wedding! Most gorgeous. wedding. ever. Because I don't want to be obnoxious and try to get their permission to post pictures or details online while they're on their honeymoon, I'm going to refrain from showing you just how gorgeous - you'll just need to take my word for it. I saw SO MANY good friends from high school that I haven't seen in years. I laughed, I cried, I randomly decided it was a good idea to drink Baileys, I ate too much cheesecake...

Even with his wearing cowboy boots, I was taller.

Sunday made its way to impolitely end my weekend, and something in the back of my mind said, "Run." I tried to shove it off - I ran Friday, and it didn't end well. I was scared. 

But I did it anyway...

Joe has always been my good luck running charm. He has been with me through a ton of races and injuries, and he's sat patiently entertaining himself while I've been off on my long runs.

Sunday I demanded asked him to sit with me as I ran on the treadmill.

3.5 miles and zero pain. None. Nada. It was incredible. I cannot express (ha, you all know) how much I've been wanting and how long I've been waiting for this run - this painless, freeing, emotional, light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel run.

After prancing and screaming and jumping and singing and hugging, we went to brunch with my parents, and then I sadly drove him back to the airport. 36 hours wasn't enough.

I didn't have too much time to mourn because as soon as I got back home, my parents and I went to a downtown symphony concert!

And the weekend ended with a visibly disgusting, yet oddly pleasing salad with cottage cheese and salsa.

Boom.

How was your weekend? 

10 Pescetarian Points to Ponder

It's been about a month and a half of pescetarianism (word?), and I'd like to share some insight.

But first!

Shifting your diet is a big move, and I highly recommend doing so with a flexible attitude. Just know that you don't have anything to "prove" - if you choose to give up meat but then decide a few days/weeks/months later it's not for you, you didn't let anyone down, you aren't a failure, and no one can or should judge you.

That being said, allow me to enlighten you on a few things to remember before shooing away the furry and feathery protein crowd:

1. Realistically assess your favorite fast food restaurants. Chick-fil-A has the word CHICK in it for a reason. There is a void in my life that only a char-grilled sandwich can fill. Alas.
2. Have a conversation with the members of your household and their olfactory preferences. It's a new rule here that after I make my meals, all the trash goes into the street trashcan, not the kitchen one. 

   

   Mmm, dat smell.

3. If asked, you're a vegetarian. It's much easier than saying "pescetarian" and requested to explain.
4. However, although verbally you're a vegetarian, you can stray from veggie menus. Sometimes those menus won't have shit, but if you look at the normal one, it'll have some delicious seafood option that you can enjoy!
5. But on the flip side (again), Finding Nemo takes on a whole new meaning when trying to agree on a restaurant.

   

   We found food options for BOTH of us!? Totally excited.

6. Contrary to popular belief, you are NOT what you eat. I have yet to find any scales, fins, or gills on my body.
7. Your wallet will be a little lighter. $ seafood > $ deli. 
8. Beg ask your boyfriend not to boast about his new and improved buffalo wing sauce that you won't get to try on buffalo wings (not to say spicy tuna isn't a thing).
9. Obviously, you can get your protein from sources other than fish (cough - eggs, beans, and almonds - cough). 
10. Lastly, however you choose to classify yourself, don't let others classify you! 

    

    Nomz.

    Did I miss anything? ;)

A Team Sport

As I'm sure you know, the horse American Pharoah won the Triple Crown on Saturday evening - a title not bestowed for 37 years.

As I'm sure you know, the jockey Victor Espinoza won the Triple Crown on Saturday evening - a title not bestowed for 37 years.

As I'm sure you know, the trainer Bob Baffert won the Triple Crown on Saturday evening - a title not bestowed for 37 years.

As I'm sure you know, the owner Ahmed Zayat won the Triple Crown on Saturday evening - a title not bestowed for 37 years.

... And I think you know where I'm going with this.

Many people shared in the victory on Saturday - a team, if you will. One could not have done it without the others. Unfortunately, I found myself stuck in the "well, who is the real winner?" cycle after the three minute race, but fortunately, I was able to pull myself out. They are all winners. It was a team effort.

Giphy/Tumblr

I think in a lot of cases, our accomplishments are team efforts. I know for a fact I could not have completed and succeeded in all of the races I've run without the support of my family and friends, without the guidance of online training resources, or without God's power and mercy. I could not have graduated college without superb professors or aid - both financially and emotionally - from my parents.

I like to think of myself as self-sufficient, but then I laugh. I can't even do my own taxes.

We were made to be in a community together. Just like American Pharoah could not have won without a rider who could not have ridden without the horse being taught by a trainer who could not have worked without being employed by an owner who could not have owned anything without a horse, we all count on someone for something. Bit of a run-on sentence, but whatever.

One final comment: The longest horse race in the triple crown is a mile and a half. When are they going to run 26.2?

Distance, but Not the Running Kind

Even though I was am (let's not get pessimistic, MK) a long distance runner, the title of my blog has another meaning.

I've been in a long distance relationship for the majority of 2 years and 4 months.

And by "majority," I don't mean 51%. I mean I've been in a long distance relationship for 2 years of those 2 years and 4 months.

Us, right before those 2 years started. Now his beard is almost down to the same length as my hair in this picture. Can you say, "Duck Dynasty?"  

It started off as just a few hours apart. I moved to DC, he was in Virginia. Not bad, eh? Like basically the same thing. You ask people from Arlington where they're from, and they'll say DC. But he wasn't in Arlington... Okay, I digress.

Then he moved to Louisiana for a job. Longish flight, one hour time difference, we made it work... though not all the time.

Our hours are different. I wake up before the sun and sometimes even go to sleep before the sun. He was in New Orleans, so can you guess his hours?

Courtesy of DN Journal, here's a pic of Bourbon Street. Balconies close around 3am. Parties do not.

I despise talking on the phone (what a great trait to have while in an LDR!), so text/g-chat/email/Facebook are our prime modes of conversation.

Do you know how often texts can get misinterpreted? If I had a nickle for every time we got in I started a fight because I thought he was being sarcastic, I wouldn't have to pay for graduate school.

It was AWESOME to visit. I even ran a few races in LA! Unfortunately, we only saw each other about every other month, and it was killer.

Well, guess what!? He has moved again!

...to California. So like, actually across the country.

Crack open an end to a job, pour in a switch to graduate school, sprinkle your boyfriend moving even farther away into the mix, stir, and bake for an hour at 350 degrees. Serving size: one distraught MK.

I know that we'll still fight, and I know that we'll see each other less often. But then again, I'll be in school with holiday breaks and whatnot. It'll be interesting and hard, but we both know that it'll be worth it in the end.

Any LDR-ers?
Any advice?