HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
I can’t believe it’s 2016. This is the year I graduate college! <- That is crazy.
Anyway, I hope you had a great New Year’s Eve and holiday weekend!
I’m coming at you today with a recap of my year so far. 😉
Tag: running
Thursday Thoughts
HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE!!
Today I’m coming at you with some more Thursday Thoughts and, of course, I’m joining Amanda‘s link-up party!
It may not come as a surprise that my thoughts today are mostly about – what else – CHRISTMAS!
Links I Love
Happy Sunday!
How has your weekend been?! Or, if you’re reading this on Monday, how was your weekend?
Mine has been filled with fun with friends and family, awesome food, some good workouts, and lots of holiday cheer!
Today I’m linking up with the fabulous Amanda to share some of my “Link Love.”
These are some things I’ve found across the web – from fitness articles, to recipes, clothes, career/ blogging/ life tips, and more!
Feel free to share some of your own links in the comments below!
Friday Favorites (12/18/15)
Happy Friday you guys! Hope you’re all doing well on this fine December day.
I’m in a great mood because I’m finally done with finals and back at home for the holidays!
I can’t believe that fall semester of my senior year in college is already over, and that I only have one semester left… but let’s not talk about that.
I’ll put the sentimental senior-in-college thoughts aside for another day, because right now, it’s time to just sit back, relax, and enjoy Christmas break!
I still owe you a half marathon recap (if you want one?), but today I wanted to link up with Heather to show you some of the things I’ve been loving lately!
In case you haven’t noticed…
Hello strangers!
Once again, it’s been way too long since my last post.
I’m swamped with papers, studying for midterms, applying to jobs, and enjoying senior year festivities, but this long weekend I came home to run a half marathon!
I’m hoping to write a full race recap sooner rather than later, so be on the lookout for that!
I haven’t posted in ages, but I haven’t forgotten about blogging. In fact, I’ve been Instagramming daily for the last couple months, and I have tons of blog post ideas for the (hopefully near) future.
And in case you didn’t notice… I have done something for the little old blog recently…
The Rainbow After the Rainstorm
My last post was a little emotional, so I thought I would check in with a more fun, upbeat photo post!
Over the past week or so I’ve been enjoying some much needed fun in the sun and oh soo many delicious eats…
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Like…
Soft serve with toasted coconut.
DROOL.
Girl’s night out = Counter Burger!! The usual – veggie burger with roasted red peppers, mixed greens, tomato, and corn & black bean salsa!
After that awesome dinner date with some of my girls, I was reminded that the most amazing things can come even after a terrible storm… or as Dolly Parton once said, “if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain”.
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*Little update on my ‘situation’ – Let’s just say the torrential rain has slowed to a light sprinkle, and the sky is beginning to clear up in the distance. I’m still patiently waiting for the sun to come out and reveal a rainbow, but I’m staying positive and trying to enjoy the change in weather that happened a few weeks ago.
Okay, enough of the metaphorical talk…let’s get back to some pics.
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Homemade flatbreads topped with fresh un-photographed salsa.
Classic summer barbecue (plus tons of BBQ pop chips!)
Is anyone else as obsessed with Drumsticks as I am? Holy YUM.
Fresh beets, carrots, and way more steak than what’s in this picture… (plus of course, dinner wouldn’t be complete without my fave roll!)
More ice cream…this time a twist with rainbow sprinkles. Probably my favorite way to eat soft serve. Seriously, who doesn’t like sprinkles? They make everything better. And it’s hard to make the best food (ice cream) taste better.
Babysitting means easy meals…aka frozen pizza. This was not exactly my favorite…I’m more of a thin crust veggie pizza girl, but I mean, it’s not like any pizza is bad. It was actually pretty good for a change and it brought me right back to my childhood.
Or maybe it was the terrible Disney movie we watched that did that…
(let’s just say that channel is not what it used to be :()
(multiply what’s on that plate times two)
Slightly more sophisticated fresh tomato, basil, and mozzarella so gorgeously prepared by yours truly…
…paired with BBQ meatloaf, sweet potato with cinnamon, and rolls.
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This past weekend my parents wanted a vacation, so they let me bring along one of my best friends for a nice little getaway with them.
Not too shabby, eh?
The first night, I had salmon with some sort of spinach and fruit risotto. Fancy-shmancy.
Followed up by raspberry chip gelato.
I’m obsessed with the tiny spoons they give with gelato. It forces you to take teeny bites aka eat way slower aka the deliciousness lasts so much longer.
We also indulged in some super fine dining every morning…
…not.
(But actually, the Dunkin’ Donuts Egg White Veggie Flatbread is pretty good!)
For lunch, I spilled hummus all over myself had a hummus veggie wrap on the beach.
For dinner the second night I had a killer sweet potato and black bean veggie burger smothered in horseradish aioli with a side of kale and leeks. Oh my gosh. SO. GOOD.
Then, obviously, we had to get gelato (it’s a given that ice cream is consumed every night of vacation). This time I had mint stracciatella. Perfection in a cute little bowl.
Lunch on the last day was a veggie wrap with goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette. I wish I could have bought the goat cheese spread. It was so light and creamy and really complimented the roasted zucchini, onion, tomato, and other veggies.
We also snacked a lot in between meals, but that all went undocumented, clearly ;).
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Believe it or not, I have even more foodie and fun snapshots from the past few weeks, but I think I’ve bored you enough for one day. Plus, I don’t want to post all my pics at once!
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On the fitness side of things, I’ve been running a lot more lately than I was earlier in the summer. I ran with my friend during our mini vacation which was fun since we were XC buddies back in high school. I’ve also just been loving the alone/thinking time that running provides, so since I’m still enjoying and not dreading runs in the summer sun, I’ll stick with it for now! I’ve also been alternating between some core work and arm/back/hip(PT)/leg strengthening on days when my runs are 5 miles or under. On days when I run 6+, I just leave it at that (plus my stretching/rolling routine, of course)!
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Hope you’ve been enjoying yummy food, awesome workouts, and lots of fun with family and friends! Summer’s almost over… gotta live it up while we still can! 🙂
I get by with a little help from…
I’ve taken quite the lengthy break from blogging, but I have to say I really missed it. I had it on my mind all the time, thinking of things to post about, taking pictures, and keeping up with my fellow bloggers.
Even though I wanted to get back on here, I also really needed the time away – time to put the pieces of my life back together.
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I am definitely still figuring things out, adjusting to some changes, and becoming whole again. Despite all the shock, anger, pain, and sadness, I have really been able to reflect and become a stronger person. I feel like I know who I am better than I did just a few weeks ago, and for that, I can only be grateful.
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Besides the amazing support and love from my friends and family, I’ve really turned to running, music, and the inspirational words of others.
Long runs are the perfect way to be alone, feel my emotions, and sort through all my racing thoughts.
Even more so than normal, I’ve been blasting music. While I exercise, work, drive, and just relax, it’s not only my escape, it’s my way to not feel so alone in what I’ve been going through. There are so many songs with lyrics that speak the exact words I want to say, in ways I never would have thought to say them.
I have to admit, my girl Tay Swift has finally come in handy ;).
Being someone that is moved by the power of words, I’ve always been obsessed with motivational quotes. Recently, I’ve spent more time than ever looking through quotes and pinning on my beloved Pinterest.
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Here are some of the inspirational quotes that really stuck out to me and have stuck with me. These wise words have helped me to make sense of my situation and begin the journey that will lead me to a place that is even better than where I was before all of this.
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So, that’s kind of where I’m at.
I’m certainly not going to say I’m all better, or that I’ve been able to fully let go of the past and move on completely.
But I’m getting there, and I’ve learned a lot along the way.
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I learned that it’s okay to be fragile and fall to the ground and cry.
It’s okay to let it all out and scream and be angry.
It’s okay to close yourself off and really feel your emotions.
It’s okay to be broken and vent and ask for help.
It’s okay to not always be strong.
…For a little while.
And then I learned that after a few days (for me, it was three) of allowing yourself to do and feel everything you need to, there comes a day when it’s time to start s l o w l y putting the pieces back together again. That day should not feel forced. It should come naturally and feel right. Yes, it will be extremely hard and there will be plenty of moments when you find yourself breaking down again – and that’s okay. But you should feel ready to begin again.
Most importantly, I learned that just like a wound doesn’t heal instantly, neither do you.
It takes time to feel 100% again, and that’s okay.
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With time and a positive attitude…
I can, and I will, find happiness again.
I’m already starting to 🙂
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Weekend Workouts
I can’t believe another weekend has come and gone! I hope yours was filled with family, friends, food, fun and maybe even a good workout or two!
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On Saturday morning, I woke up early and got a good running workout in.
I had planned to run outside, but even at the early hour that it was, it was already approaching 90 by the time I was ready to run… So, I decided to hop on the treadmill and pound out a 5 miler. To make the time go by quickly, I did the following workout:
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This morning, I had plans to hit the beach bright and early!
I didn’t want to wake up at the crack of dawn to get a whole workout done before we left, but I knew I would not be able to bring myself to do a full workout after a long day in the sun…
I decided to do a 20 minute, sweaty room workout before I left that went a little something like this:
Then, I washed up a bit and headed to the beach!!
It looks as if it was a cloudy day in this pic, but it was actually gorgeous! Every now and then some clouds rolled by, but the sun was shining down all day long. The heatwave is now over, and I am loving the feeling of the low 80s after this past week’s crazy high temps/humidity!
Once I got back home, I did a 15 minute no-equipment-needed workout that I discovered on Shape.com. It’s an awesome full body workout that I swear by when I just have time for a super quick cardio burst!
(source)
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Time to go enjoy the rest of my Sunday!
Have a great start to your week 🙂
I’ve Joined the 21st Century
Well, I have officially joined the 21st century. That means I’m now tweeting. Guess that’s what this modern world has come to…
I spent a good chunk of my Friday figuring out the whole new world of Twitter. I never really had any interest in getting an account, but after reading Julie and Tina‘s blog tips and hearing from Sarah Fit who told me I should get one, I figured I might as well make the big move.
Follow me?!
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Anywhooooo, here are some fun facts I meant to post on Friday!
1. I’ve been wearing glasses since I was four years old. My eyesight is terrible and just getting worse by the day. Yikes!
2. I loooove ice cream. I probably eat at least a little bit (but usually more than a little bit…) every single day during the warmer months. I know, that’s not the ‘healthiest’ choice, but it’s my (not so) guilty pleasure and since I work out and eat a well balanced diet, a little ice cream won’t kill me. Also, since I’m not needing to lose weight at this point in my life, I think some ice cream is A-Okay!
3. My toenails always have to be painted. I can handle my fingernails being bare for a few days between manicures, but I cannot stand looking down at unpainted toenails. Nasty.
4. I love every style of music. I literally have the most eclectic iTunes ever. I’m obsessed with anything that’s good. I’ve got country, rap, top 40, rock, oldies, techno – seriously everything.
5. I never ever workout without my watch. I got it right before my freshman year of high school and have worn it for every single XC and track practice and race (besides the few that had strict rules – those were tough on me and I still found myself grabbing my wrist to start timing the second the gun went off). I’m surprised it’s held up the way it has, especially since it probably cost about fifteen bucks. I’ve been wanting to get a Garmin or a good Nike watch, but still have yet to make the big purchase. For now, my lil pink and black friend is sticking around. We’ve been through a lot together.
6. Every night before bed, I watch the Shaytards daily vlog on YouTube. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen every single episode, plus most of the videos on their other channels. They’re the nicest, funniest, coolest family ever. One of my dreams is to meet any of the Butlers, and to film a recipe or workout video with them!
7. Besides The Bachelorette, my other guilty pleasure TV show is Keeping Up with the Kardashians. I love seeing what that crazy family is up to and how all the drama unfolds. Also, their outfits are always so glamorous and out there, I never get sick of seeing them literally dripping diamonds while they’re just lounging around the house mansion.
8. If I could have everything ever made by Vineyard Vines and Lilly Pulitzer, I absolutely would. I’m beyond obsessed with my VV tote bag (the pattern is my college’s ‘logo’!) and my second Lilly iPhone case.
9. I love the name “Finley” for a boy. I’ve already claimed it if I have a son one day. Little baby Finn?! Oh my gosh, too cute.
10. Tonight, I’m hanging out with the same little crew that went on the weekend beach trip two weekends ago! So excited for more of their crazy antics.
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Hope you have a fabulous, fun, summery weekend!!
Reliving the Glory Days
Last night, as I briefly wrote about my busy life back in high school, I couldn’t help but think back to those jam packed days. School and running were my life, but I was fortunate enough to have my amazing friends by my side in both.
My decision to do cross country and track was probably one of the best choices I’ve ever made, though I honestly can’t remember when I actually made the decision. My brother was on the team and an awesome runner, so I guess as I watched him fall in love with the sport, my life long passion for dance went out the back door.
I loved dance, but for some reason I always felt like there was something missing in my life. The second I joined XC, I found exactly what dance was lacking- the true camaraderie that comes with being on team.
I’m sure I will talk much more about my high school running career and my whole running story, but I just had a sudden urge to reminisce for a second. One day when I’m more comfortable with this whole blogging thing, maybe I’ll post some team pictures. For now here’s one that was already published for the world (don’t let me flatter myself- it was really just a few neighboring towns) to see.
That mildly frightening brunette “tackling ‘heartbreak hill'” is yours truly.
Cute, right? The papz caught me at my most glamorous moment (and yes, I blurred out the town names on our singlets in my attempt to stay private).
Certainly not the best picture, but I just had to take a moment to relive my glory days.