Monday, July 30, 2012

Did I just sign up for another half-marathon?

I did. Why? I'm not sure.

I guess I thought that two 3 mile runs into my eleven week training would be an excellent time to decide on training and running for a second thirteen (+.1) mile race. Some Most times I make rash decisions. Sometimes I make rational decisions. This style of decision making has worked out pretty well for me so far (read: applying to and attending a school I'd never heard of in a town-- in my own state-- I'd never heard of based simply on a poster they sent me in the mail... turned out to be the best decision I've ever made), so let's see if that streak continues.

So, I guess I'm into running now. Maybe it will be my hobby? 



I'll let you know after mile 8... 

Monday, July 23, 2012

My life sans Facebook and other updates.

I de-activated my Facebook account four and a half weeks ago while sitting on an airplane headed back to Boston from LA. It's been a marvelous and freeing four and a half weeks.

One big plus of de-activating my account: my mornings (immediately upon waking up) no longer include looking through half-open crusty eyes into the too-bright white light of status updates concerning things I don't care about written by people I don't remember meeting (it's impressive how much creeping can be done on Facebook profiles of people you don't know. Hours of it, I dare say).

Another big plus: telling people that I don't have Facebook. I haven't had to tell anyone that yet, mostly because no one in the last four and a half weeks has asked if I'm on Facebook, but when I do, it'll feel good. I met someone while on a vacation recently who didn't have a Facebook account. When he told me this, I thought... Wow. What a really cool guy. Turns out he was a registered sex offender, so I guess that's a good reason not to have Facebook.

There are times I wonder if any awkward photos of me have been added recently, and times that I wonder if today is my best friend's, cousin's, sister's, or my birthday (funny how we all rely so heavily on Facebook for notifications on things we should know anyway). But those thoughts eventually pass. I definitely recommend de-activation to anyone who wonders how they constantly end up on their friend's cousin's friend's brother's wife's wall, and/or anyone who wants the freedom of their morningdaynightallnight back.

In other news, I signed up for a half-marathon with my friends Julie and Ashley. I'm looking forward to it (no I'm not) and hope that I at least finish. I ran 8.1 miles once, and from mile 6 on I thought my knee caps were going to break through my skin. I'm not sure how 13.1 miles will go. Following a better running schedule that gradually increases the distance and time I have to cry to myself about even signing up for a half-marathon in the first place will likely help. Please pray for me.

I was in New York City for the weekend visiting my friends Jon and Ben whom I've been friends with since 7th and 1st grade, respectively. I spent time with good friends, ate some really good food, saw parts of the city that I hadn't seen before (isn't that always the case?), drank bellini's all morning, drank Jack and Gingers all day, drank beers all night and bought orange pants. All in all, a successful trip as any I'd say.

So that's that. I don't know how to end this blog except awkwardly. Bye.


Tuesday, July 17, 2012

ColorMeRad

Wow, here we are. A month and a half from my last post. I would just like it to be on record that I was upfront about my laziness inability to post on a regular schedule. I would also like it to be on record that since it's the thought that counts, I'd say I've posted quite regularly over the past month. And a half.

Anyway. Let's talk dirty.

No, no. It's not that kind of post (please... my mother reads this) (which is about it besides Ashley)(thanks both for the support of my blog and subtle disappointment in my lack of actually blogging).

Rather, let's talk color.


CAN YOU SPOT THE AWKWARD 4TH GRADERS IN THE PICTURE ABOVE??         
(hint: cover the picture from the bib numbers up)
                                                         

Ashley and I ran a 5k on Sunday sponsored by ColorMeRad. I've never experienced such a 5k in my entire life (mostly because this is a pretty unique 5k and partly because this is only my third ever 5k... my first two being the exact same standard 5k).

As we pounded/dragged/wishedweneversignedupfora5kinjuly along the zig-zaging course, Ashley and I passed through four cloudy stations of color, each one covering us in a different neon color via handfulls of neon powder.

It was a rainbow-brite lover's paradise, with neon colored cornstarch being thrown at runners like the sand you threw at your little sister on the beach, less the crying and tattle-tailing. I had the feeling that somewhere in Boston, a RoseArt Super Sand Art manufacturing plant just exploded, its contents landing only in the South Shore Plaza. On me specifically.

It was a good run, but mostly a good time. As we reached the finish line, in record time.... 25.34 right Ashley  ;-)... everything became monochromatic. Everything was bluepinkpurpleyellowgreen. Quite literally everything. Our hair was bluepinkpurpleyellowgreen; our shirts were bluepinkpurpleyellowgreen; our socks/shoes/shorts/hands/teeth/sunglasses/inner ears were bluepinkpurpleyellowgreen; and, our armpits, belly buttons, elbow creases, faces and the backs of our knees were a dark and drippy bluepinkpurpleyellowgreen.
What an "acceptable" way to feel like a kid again beyond the time in your life that you feel like a kid at all. I say "acceptable" with "" because no one driving past us on our ride home found it acceptable that two girls covered in paint were in a car driving down the highway. Whatever. I had a good time with a good friend and that's what mattered.

Coming off of our 5k, Ashley and I decided that we should start our own 5k (look for H2gO! in cities near you!) and also sign up for our first half-marathon. One of these things is false. The other is in process.

I'll blog about how it goes... in a month. And a half.