A Long Absence

I haven't blogged in quite a while. I've been wanting to share my marathon experience, but I just haven't had the time to put it into words here. I will let you know that I finished and had a good experience, and I will eventually share my story. In the meantime, a quick update:

What has been keeping me so busy is a long-term subbing job. Since mid-October, I've been working at the same school for a teacher who is unfortunately out for medical reasons. The doctors are still trying to figure it out, so I'm keeping her in my prayers. As great as it is to have consistent work, I want her to recover soon. As a long-term sub, I get to plan the lessons, grade the papers, and basically act like the real classroom teacher. Hence, I have not had the same kind of free time to read and blog that I used to. Nevertheless, I love the work. I love that I get to develop relationships with the staff and students, and I love feeling like each day has purpose to it. This experience has helped to confirm that, at heart, I do want to return to teaching. It has also provided me the opportunity to make a name for myself in the district and increase my chances of getting a job in the fall. In many ways, God has answered my prayers and has been blessing me. I'm incredibly grateful for this opportunity.

Despite the busyness, I'll try to get around to sharing some marathon details soon.

A Name Change

I know the phrase "live laugh love" has been around for a while. Over a hundred years ago Mark Twain said, "Dance like no one is watching, sing like no one is listening, love like you've never been hurt, and live like it's heaven on earth." Versions and modifications have popped up all over the place, but when I started this blog in January 2008 and decided to title it "live laugh love" I swear the phrase was not as commercialized as it is today. It is found on picture frames, doormats, even utensil crocks. I still believe in the philosophy of living well, laughing often, and loving much, but I want to change my blog title to something less exploited, something I wouldn't face with every trip to Target or Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

For now, the blog shall remain untitled until I find what I want. I welcome any suggestions.

A city where anything can happen

According to Jay-Z, "In New York, concrete jungles where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't do." There is a certain magic to New York City that gives one a sense that anything can happen. I feel blessed to have spent two years living there and grateful for wonderful friends who let my husband and me crash on their couches now when we come to visit.

On Labor Day, Michael and I were looking for something to do and discovered that much of New York City shuts down for the holiday. We didn't let that stop us though. Our friend Celia suggested a visit to MoMA PS1, and fortunately the museum was actually open, so Michael, Celia, Laura, and I headed out. As soon as we arrived, our olfactory senses were overwhelmed by a strong scent of baking bread. It smelled like a delicious combination of french bread and cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven. Walking through the museum, we would occasionally be in a room with open windows or a stairwell, and the smell would just waft in suddenly. Mmm... We wondered where the source could possibly be and how we could get our fill of this tasty treat. Was it the museum café? At the end of our tour, we checked the café to no avail. On our way out, Laura plucked up the courage to ask a museum security guard if he knew the source of the smell. In response, he vaguely motioned to a direction behind us. We headed the way he pointed and tried to follow our noses, but canines we are not. As we approached a gas station, we lost the trail (go figure). Again Laura, ever the brave and undaunted one, asked for help. The woman working in the gas station booth, sitting in her tiny cube behind bullet-proof glass, was only too happy to help. She knew exactly what we were looking for, and she came out from her place of safety to point out the exact building where the bread was baking, telling us that she stops for bread there every morning. Hooray! We could almost taste victory. 

We crossed the street and began circling what looked like a large brick warehouse with a sign indicating it as the home of International Delights. That sounded good, right? However, there did not seem to be any kind of store front or public entrance. How did that woman buy her bread here? Undismayed, we decided to ring a bell outside the only door that seemed like an entrance. A surprised man opened the door and looked at us questioningly. We tried to ask him about the bakery, if there was a place where we could buy bread. He did not speak very much English but offered the word "manager," which we quickly jumped at for surely a manager could help us. We followed the man up a flight of stairs and through a set of double doors into a large space where people wearing hairnets were pushing baker's racks. We definitely found the source of the smell, but how were we supposed to buy bread? This was clearly a factory not a retail bakery. Our foreign friend returned and told us the manager was busy. We tried asking again where we could buy the bread. The man motioned for us to wait a moment, walked away, and returned with a box. He handed it to us, but when we tried to pay, he replied, "No money, no money." As we walked back down the stairs we thanked him profusely. Once outside, we peeked in the box and found a dozen freshly baked, delicious smelling banana nut muffins. Score!

Laura, Celia, and Michael showing off our International Delights (Queens)

Other highlights from our New York City weekend getaway:

Washington Square Park, which was under construction when I left last May (Manhattan)

Michael, Celia, and Laura enjoying the "art" at MoMA PS1 (Queens)

Playing frisbee in Prospect Park (Brooklyn)

Visiting The High Line, a newly built park in Chelsea (Manhattan)

Some Fun Stats

This is what marathon training has done:
243.11 miles in 2008
182.52 miles in 2009
709.69 miles so far in 2010

2008

2009

2010

Thanks to Nike+ for keeping track for me!

Returning to NYC

Michael and I are leaving for New York tomorrow morning, and I'm so excited. I haven't been back since I moved in May '09, so it's definitely about time. I get to see some of my favorite people in one of my favorite cities with my favorite husband. Okay, he is my only husband, but he's the best, especially on road trips.

Since we cook most of our meals at home, we buy a lot of fresh food, so I spent the day trying to find ways to use those ingredients that I didn't think would last the long weekend. I made broccoli soup and mashed potatoes, and I put them in the freezer. I also made applesauce since we had leftover peeled and cored apples from making apple dumplings earlier this week, and we had "leftover night" for dinner. After packing lunches for tomorrow's road trip, I think we will have done a pretty good job on cleaning out the fridge.

This will be our first time boarding Polo, and I'm a bit nervous about it. There isn't any good reason to be; I just hope all the people and other dogs like him and get along with him. He still gets very rambunctious around others. I can't imagine what it will be like to leave my child with someone for the first time, but hopefully I don't have to worry about him/her jumping on others.

We don't have too much planned for this trip. Pizza is definitely going to be eaten, and we are planning a long run in Central Park on Saturday morning. I know we'll be going back to Redeemer for church on Sunday morning and having brunch afterward with my cousin who lives in the city and some other friends. I'm sure there will be pictures and stories in a future blog post. I can't wait :) Gotta go make our trip playlist now.

Injuries

On Thursday morning, I woke up and my left ankle hurt slightly. It felt like I had slept on it wrong. As the day progressed, I continued to feel pain on and off, but I realized it was more the outside part of my foot that hurt. What was supposed to be a four mile run that evening turned into two miles as I wanted to take it easy. I hoped it would feel better by Saturday morning's long run, but as Friday night wore on and I could tell that certain movements still caused pain, I decided to try alternating heat and ice and prayed that God would make it better for my run.

On Saturday morning, I thought my foot felt good enough to head out with Michael to the trail. We ran the first six miles together, and then Mike turned around to head back as he was only planning a twelve mile run. I continued on another mile and still felt fine. At the halfway point, I paused to stretch a bit and rehydrate. One of the great things the last few weeks is that there have been drink stations at several points along the trail thanks to the Marathoners in Training group. Hopefully they don't mind that I sip their Gatorade too. Around mile eight on the way back, my foot started to hurt again. My knees were also aching, and for the last six miles I was in some degree of pain somewhere. I made it to the end though, thankfully.

When I got home and started my shower, the water hit me and I yelped. I looked down and noticed a big red line across my rib cage where the bottom of my sports bra had been. Apparently it had chafed me really badly, but I hadn't noticed until the hot water hit. That injury hurt the rest of the day, but has since healed enough that it does not bother me too much. I also looked up a diagram of foot muscles when I got home to try and figure out what might be wrong. I think it may be plantar fasciitis, but I'm not sure. What I am sure of is that I'm moving forward with training (and treatment), and that minor injuries along the way will be worth it when I cross the finish line.

Going the distance... together

Michael and I are officially registered for the Columbus Marathon on October 17th. Though I haven't mentioned it in my blog for a while, I am still running. Our Asia trip took its toll on my training, but I had anticipated that. It was part of the reason I started training so early. I've been back on track the last few weeks and Michael has really picked up his training too. I really love that this is something we're doing together. Even though we don't run side by side, we are both committed to our own training plans and encourage each other through the process. We often adjust our schedules to make sure we each have time for runs during the week (whether outside or taking turns on the treadmill), and then we head out together for long runs on Saturdays. We really like the Olentangy trail because it is both lengthy and scenic. We start at the same place and each run at our own pace for half our goal distance then turn around and head back. We meet at the car to stretch and head home. It is definitely a bonding experience that I enjoy, and I'm looking forward to sharing race day with him.

In addition to the joy of running with my husband, completing this marathon will mean that I accomplished my goal of running one before I turn 30. Also, I'll be able to get one of these:

A few months ago I started noticing cars here and there with bumpers stickers that said "13.1." I don't know why I hadn't seen any before, but I figured they meant that the driver had completed at least one half-marathon, the distance of which is 13.1 miles. I immediately thought how cool it would be to get one myself someday. Then, I saw a car with a "26.2" sticker. I can't wait to get mine!

Summer Vacation, part 2

I know, I know... it's been over a month since our trip, and I'm just now getting around to sharing with you. I just haven't been much in the bloggy mood lately. It was a fantastic trip though, so hopefully I do it justice here. As I mentioned, the first part of the trip started in Lake Tahoe where my brother-in-law's wedding was, so we flew to Hong Kong out of the San Francisco International Airport. There were six of us on the trip: Michael, his parents, his brother and new sister-in-law, and me. The flight is approximately 14 hours long. We stayed in Hong Kong three nights, and then we flew to Taipei. That flight is only an hour or so, but they gave us a free snack anyway. (Take note, cheap American airlines!) Michael and I stayed in Taiwan another three nights and then flew back from Taipei to Hong Kong to San Fransisco to Chicago to Columbus. We spent 30 hours traveling home and were ever so grateful to sleep in our own bed that night.

Hong Kong Thoughts
I didn't actually mind the incredibly long flight since I had my own TV screen and could choose from a wide variety of shows, movies, and games to keep me busy. I also was not too terribly affected by the 12 hour time difference between California and Hong Kong. I woke up the first night at 2am but was able to go back to sleep until my alarm went off at 7:00. After that, I slept normally the whole trip. Hong Kong was a lot like what I expected only less crowded. I am used to the big city bustle after living in New York for two years, but I had anticipated much more congestion in Asia than what there was. We stayed in Kowloon, which is kind of like the Brooklyn of Hong Kong, and it is where my father-in-law grew up. All of Michael's aunts and uncles are known by their birth order number, which is common in Asian cultures. We spent most of our time with Aunt 8 and her husband, but Aunts 9 and 10 also hung out with us one day. On our last night in the city, the whole family (two uncles, six aunts, their spouses, numerous cousins, and the six of us) had a huge dinner together. I enjoyed most of the food we ate, and I think they went easy on us for most meals, but I did get to (was forced to?) try a few strange things including durian, a fruit that smells so bad one has to wonder why a person ever thought to crack it open and eat it in the first place.

Hong Kong Highlights

Ferry boat ride from Kowloon to Hong Kong island

Dragon boat races at Stanley

Dim sum with Aunt 8, 10, 9, Uncle 8, and Jason

Tram ride up Victoria Peak with views of the city

The city lights night show. The lights flashed and moved to music.

The Yuen aunts and uncles

The Yuen cousins

Taiwan Thoughts
While in Hong Kong, which is full of international business people and tourists, Stefany and I had a much easier time blending into the crowd than we did in Taiwan where we were often the only white people around. Stefany, with her strawberry blond hair and freckles, caused double-takes from numerous people as we walked down the streets. We also had fewer family members to visit here, just my mother-in-law's parents and youngest sister. I tried more "interesting" foods like quail eggs, stinky tofu, and sea cucumber. It was incredbily hot and humid, especially the day we went to the zoo, but we didn't let that stop us from having fun. We sped up the second tallest building in the world in the fastest elevator in the world to see panoramic views of the city from the 89th floor of Taipei 101. At the National Palace Museum, we saw art and artifacts from Chinese history, and we braved the overwhelming crowds to check out the famous Shilin Night Market. My favorite meal of the whole trip was the xiaolongbao we ate DinTai Fung.
Taiwan Highlights

Taipei 101

 

National Palace Museum

Xiaolongbao aka soup dumplings

So many funny signs

Shilin Night Market

The Darndest Things

I am definitely enjoying my job as a nanny this summer taking care of two boys (5 and 8 years old). They crack me up all the time. Last week, the 8-year-old was making a picnic for his brother and himself, and I come into the kitchen to find him reheating Rings and Meatballs (Chef Boyardee type thing). The smell is quite strong and the microwave shows 4:47 left to go, so I ask him how long he put it in for. "Oh, just eleven minutes," he answers. WHAT?! Eleven minutes! Oh, no. Needless to say, Rings and Meatballs did not make it onto the picnic menu that day but into the trash with the melted and warped tupperware.

Dreams and Cravings

No, I'm not pregnant. Okay, now that that's out of the way. A while back, I was totally stuck on pancakes. I made pancakes almost everyday for two weeks. I would eat them for breakfast, lunch, or snacks. I probably would have had them for dinner if Michael was up for it. I finally got over my pancake craving, but I've moved on to pudding. There was a pack of vanilla pudding at the house where I'm nannying this summer. I ate them all the first week of work, bought a replacement pack for them and ended up eating most of those too. Last night, I decided to make my own so I would stop cleaning out my employer. I was really happy with how it turned out, especially as it was my first time making pudding from scratch. Hopefully this craving doesn't last too much longer. If only I could move on to something like spinach or carrot sticks.

I don't know if it's all the pudding I've been eating, all the fiction I've been reading, or just another exciting night of sleep, but I had a dream the other night that the world was ending because of some crazy bet that Zeus made with Snape (kind of like God and Satan's deal with Job.). I think it was all going to end well though because Spider-man was there rescuing kids and stopping floods. I woke up before I knew for sure, but I would bet that your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man saved the day.

Summer Vacation, part 1

I had the honor of being a bridesmaid in my brother-in-law's wedding on June 12th in Lake Tahoe. This wonderful event kicked off a twelve day vacation for Michael and me. We flew in to Reno, NV on Thursday, June 10th and rented a car to drive to Tahoe. It was our first time visiting this picturesque vacation town in Northern California. I've always loved hanging out with my in-laws, and I feel pretty close to the bride and her family too. She was a bridesmaid in my wedding last year. The weather was colder than I expected, so I ended up buying a cheap sweatshirt to use for the few days we were there. Saturday morning was bright and beautiful for the wedding, and when the wind wasn't blowing, it was quite nice. The photo shoot was fairly windy, however, and I was shivering and covered with goosebumps. The ceremony was beautiful though, and the reception was inside (delicious food too!).

beautiful view of the snow-capped mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe

photo by Andrew Chu

photo by James Glover

We stayed in great rental condos right on the beach, and the whole weekend was spent with family. We even had a make-shift church service led by the officiating pastor on Sunday morning. We also set the standard for the whole vacation of eating well and eating a lot. Fortunately I got in three decent runs while we were there.

We left on Sunday afternoon to drive to San Francisco. We only stayed a night there because we left from the airport in the morning for Hong Kong. With only a brief stay, we still managed to take in some sights. Michael's uncle lives in San Francisco, and he took us to Old Mandarin Islamic restaurant. We followed that with a walk along the beach and a hike through a beautiful wooded area with views of the the Golden Gate bridge.

We also made it over to Fisherman's Wharf where we had dessert at Hard Rock Cafe. It was my first time visiting San Francisco, and even though I know I only skimmed the surface of what there is to do there, I'm glad we made the most of our time.

Polo's first run

We're trying to teach Polo how to run on the treadmill.

P.S. The Cheesecake

I can't believe I forgot to mention the delicious cheesecake Michael and I received for our anniversary. Our dear friend Laura, who lives in Brooklyn, sent us a Junior's cheesecake, which is Michael's favorite. Of course, I love it too, but one of Michael's favorite desserts is cheesecake, and his favorite cheesecake just happens to be a New York classic found only in the Big Apple. Thank God for overnight delivery and dry ice!

And thank you, Laura!!

One Year Anniversary

On May 23, 2009, Michael and I said our vows and became husband and wife. Yesterday, we celebrated our first anniversary. It was a wonderful anniversary weekend. On Saturday, we went to the zoo together and enjoyed seeing the new polar bear exhibit (polar bears are one of my favorite animals).
We also bought a treadmill, and spent half an hour trying to finagle it into the house. It still has yet to make it the basement, which is supposed to be its permanent home. I put it to the test though with a 14 mile run, and the treadmill and I both survived.

For dinner, we tried out a Greek restaurant just up the street that we've been wanting to go to for a while. They had flaming Saganaki, which alone would make me want to return, but the gyro and lamb kabobs were also tasty.

On Sunday morning, I made pancakes for us, and we exchanged cards. Turns out we both purchased Papyrus cards from different Targets last Friday and almost bought the same one. A year in, and we're already thinking alike. We went to church and the grocery store like we always do on Sundays, but in the afternoon we went to see Date Night, which we both thought was funny and appropriate for an anniversary movie. Michael made reservations at Akai Hana for dinner, where we devoured a party boat of sushi. Yum!

The activities were great, but it was the conversation and company that really made this weekend special. I love you, babe!

Durmstrang

Sometimes when I learn or discover something new, what I realize is how little of the world I really know. For example, there was a reference to Sturm and Drang in the book I'm currently reading (Cutting for Stone). At first I thought, That seems so familiar, but I don't know what it means. Naturally, I did what I always do when I don't know something: I Googled it. Apparently, Sturm and Drang was an anti-Enlightenment movement in Germany in the late 18th century, and it is commonly translated as Storm and Stress*. That, however, is not why it was familiar to me. I have not studied much of the various movements in music, art, and literature, not as much as I would have liked anyway. No, it was familiar because of Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling named one of the other wizarding schools Durmstrang. I'm sure it's not a coincidental spoonerism, and I'm even more sure that countless people realized this connection long before I did. But in case you didn't, I'm glad I could share my enlightenment with you.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturm_und_Drang

Florida trip

Where does the time go? Michael and I went to Florida two and a half weeks ago, and I'm just now getting around to blogging about it. A friend of ours from college invited us to her wedding in Anna Maria Island, and we were only too happy to attend. Not only did we get to be the sole representatives from her time in Arizona and be blessed to be a part of this joyous and important occasion in her life, we also got to make a vacation out of it. We spent some time on the beach, ate great food (both wedding-related and at restaurants), and enjoyed seeing the bride and groom and meeting the other guests. After a great couple days of wedding festivities, Michael and I headed back to grandma's to get in some family quality time too. We had lunch at a place called RJ Gators, and I can hardly believe myself, but I tried alligator! That's right. It was in the form of popcorn chicken, but I wouldn't say it tasted like chicken. The texture was somewhere between chicken and clams, but the flavor came mostly from the spicy batter in which it was fried. It was actually pretty good.

The beginning of a bird pyramid

After breakfast on the pier

With the bride before the ceremony

Picture perfect setting for saying "I do"

Making pizza with grandma

Waterlogged

The weather in Columbus lately has been beautiful. I absolutely adore the spring colors, the flowers, the blossoming trees. People always talk about how pretty autumn is, and I agree, but I think spring doesn't get enough credit. Perhaps it is because so many people are suffering from allergies that they have trouble appreciating the beauty surrounding them. I am sorry for those of you who are sufferering, but as I don't have any allergies, I am totally and completely loving spring. The sun, the warmth, the delicious smells and gorgeous sights of all the blooming life.

Of course, all this life needs to be watered. Here comes the rain. On Friday, there was a nice little April shower. Clouds moved in that morning, and when I got home after school, I was pretty sure that if I didn't lace up my running shoes and hit the pavement soon, I might be tempted to stay inside once the drops started falling. About five minutes into the run, I was being misted. It was actually kind of pleasant, but ten minutes later, I was in the middle of a torrential downpour. I could barely see and was 100% soaked through. As I headed home, I was a complete mess. I had one eye closed as water had gotten in and shifted my contact, and I looked like I had just jumped in a lake. Just as I rounded the corner of my street, the rain turned back to mist, naturally, but I was done for. Two and a half miles, and I probably had two and a half cups of water to squeeze out of my clothes and shoes. Despite all that, it really wasn't so bad except I think the water got into the Nike+ sensor in my shoe. It hasn't worked since, so I'm headed out today to get a new one. Note to self: Remove sensor before running in the rain.

Not all things are made equal

Two years ago, when I was living in New York, the city became the first "in the country to implement a law forcing chain restaurants to post the calorie count of each food in the same size and font as the price"*. Based on that law, the new health care legislation includes a requirement for chains across the country to post calorie information on their menus and drive-through signs**. I completely support this particular aspect of the law. Sure, I can look up nutrition information online, as I did to get the numbers below. Nearly all restaurants post their food facts on their websites, but I like being able to see in the moment I'm about to order what it is I'm getting. One might think that a burger at one restaurant would be similar, nutritionally, to one at another restaurant. I had assumed that the new blended coffee beverages at McDonald's would be similar to Starbucks' Frappuccinos. I couldn't be more wrong. Out of curiosity, I did some comparing online and discovered the shocking differences between blended coffee beverages all over the place. Here are just a few examples:

Bruegger's Mocha Brueggaccino (16 oz.)

640 calories

29 g of fat

82 g of sugar

0% calcium (is there no milk in there?)

McDonald's Frappe Mocha (16 oz.)

560 calories (480 w/o whipped cream)

24 g of fat (18 w/o whipped cream)

70 g of sugar

25% calcium

Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino (16 oz.)

380 calories (260 w/o whipped cream)

15 g of fat (3.5 w/o whipped cream)

47 g of sugar

20% calcium

I could have TWO Starbucks drinks (w/o whipped cream) for fewer calories than either of the other two versions. Maybe some people prefer making uninformed decisions about what they put in their body. Ignorance is bliss and all that. Personally, I'm very much looking forward to calorie counts being posted as soon as possible.

*http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25464987

**http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/24/business/24menu.html

Oh, the pain

In case any of you in my small group of regular readers out there were under the impression that this marathon training thing is easy, let me clear that right up. It is REALLY challenging. Sure, I've been telling you that the runs are going pretty well. Sure, I've been good about sticking to the training schedule. And sure, I ran 13 miles last Saturday and managed to beat my goal time of 2 hours and 10 minutes. But it is NOT easy.

Last week, the training program really upped my miles. I ran six on Monday, three on Tuesday, six on Wednesday, two on Friday, and thirteen on Saturday, for a total of 30 miles in one week. That's what I used to average in a month. On Wednesday, I felt tired and sluggish. My pace was really slow, and I did not want to keep running. I think there are a lot of factors to how any given run feels and how well I perform. What did I have to eat in the last 24 hours? How much sleep did I get? What's the weather like? How well did I stretch? All these factors coalesce, and I might feel great or miserable. On Saturday, I could tell a huge difference in my energy level from the week before because I had eaten well. However, my quads were killing me for the last four miles because I need to strengthen and stretch them more.

On days, or even on certain miles of a run, when I feel like quitting, I rely on my mind more than my body to get me through. I imagine having Bob or Jillian (from The Biggest Loser) at my side pushing me to keep going the way they push the contestants on their show. I imagine that I'm actually in a race and that any cars or people I see along the way are there to cheer me on. I think about how far I've come, how I can hardly believe this is me running this far, how amazing my feet, ankles, calves, knees, and thighs are for carrying me, for moving me forward. And, like I mentioned last week, I rely on the strength of God and think about how much He has blessed me. If I can do this, I think anyone can. Like so much in life, it really comes down to putting your mind to it.

P.S. I'm still sore from Saturday, and I'm walking around like I just got off a horse. Hopefully a good stretch, followed by today's five miles, and another good long stretch will help ease the pain.

Fasting = Slow but Good

A couple weeks ago I decided that I wanted to fast from sundown Maundy Thursday to sundown Good Friday. I haven't fasted in a long time, but I've really felt like God has put it on my heart to try again. Our church (Vista Community) has been going through a series on spiritual disciplines, and even though fasting isn't one that they have focused on, it's one that I don't spend any time doing, so I wanted to revisit it. I also thought that it would be a good way to help me reflect and meditate on Jesus' sacrifice on the day we remember his death.

As Holy Week began, I realized that I wasn't going to have time for a long run again this Saturday. I had another choir practice and a Starbucks shift to work, but I was completely free on Friday. Hmmm... a 12 mile run on an empty stomach. I contemplated canceling or moving my planned fast, but then I decided that God put it on my heart for a reason and that He could provide me the strength I needed, much like He did for Daniel. I also decided that though I would fast from food, I would still drink water and Gatorade.

Friday morning, instead of breakfast, I read from 1 Samuel and Psalms. Then I filled up my water bottles with Gatorade and got in my car to head over to the Olentangy Trail. A popular greenway for cyclists, runners, dog-walkers, etc, it offers a 13.75 mile route along the Olentangy River from Worthington Hills (on the north side of Columbus) all the way to downtown, with trailheads at several major city parks. I'd been wanting to check it out for some time but kept waiting for a long enough run to make the drive worth it. I wish I hadn't waited so long (it's only a 20 minute drive). The trail was beautiful, and I loved running it. I started my run at about 10am and felt pretty good. The sun was out, the air was still slightly cool, and I wasn't hungry. I did notice that my pace was slower than normal, but for the most part the first five miles felt fairly normal. I had downloaded a sermon that I missed from the weekend we had guests in town and had it playing on my iPod. Our pastor was speaking about the spiritual discipline of solitude, which I thought was perfect for my solitary run. That lasted for about four miles, and when the sermon was over, I switched to music shuffle. I started to get tired near the halfway point and stopped to stretch and breathe before turning around for the second six miles. For the next four miles, I thought about God in every single step I took. Exhausted, sluggish, and ready to stop, I prayed that He would give me the strength to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. I reflected on Jesus' own journey on Good Friday over 2000 years ago, the pain he endured, the path he walked carrying his cross. I thought about how He could have stopped it at any point, but out of His incredible, merciful, abounding love for us, He kept going. Normally, I run just for myself, but on Friday I ran for Jesus. I know that my pain was nothing compared to His, but I was thankful for an experience that helped me feel so close to Him. I know that I couldn't have finished in my own strength, and I realized that I should really spend more of my life depending on God for every step instead of trying to control everything myself.

At mile 10, I passed a couple from our Bible study running the other direction. We shared surprised smiles and waved to each other, continuing on our respective paths. It was just the encouragement I needed to go the last two miles. A simple smile, a friendly face, a reminder that God has given us a family of believers for support and encouragement during the tough times in life. I admit, I still spent a little bit of time walking there at the end, and my average pace was about 30 seconds per mile slower than last week's long run (10'15"/mi), but I finished. And, even more importantly, I stayed faithful to my commitment to God, and He was faithful to pull me through.

Two worlds collide

Last week, I took a sub job as an Intervention Specialist at a high school. Usually, that would mean that I would sit in on other teachers' classes and provide extra support to a few students who read slowly, have trouble staying on task, are disorganized, etc. due to issues beyond laziness and typical teenage angst. On this particular day though, it turned out I was covering for the lead teacher in a classroom with students who have low incidence disabilities (Down Syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, etc.). And, we were going on a field trip! Fortunately, all the extra support staff (nurses, para-professionals) were very helpful, and the teacher I was there for would only be out for a morning meeting. She was coming back before we left for the trip. They let me stay though and help out.

As it turned out, the field trip was to Petsmart and Target, the very same Target where I started working just a week and a half earlier. The kids looked through store ads before we left and made shopping lists of items to look for when we got there. They spend a lot of time working on life skills in class, and shopping is a life skill. Imagine that! I felt a little strange waving to co-workers and managers, saying "yeah, this is my other job," but I really had a good time with the kids. It turned out to be a good thing they brought me along too because while we were there one of the students got sick and another had an "accident" when he didn't get to the restroom in time. Paramedics were called in for the sick student, and after numerous phone calls and voicemails were left, the mother finally responded and came to pick him up. Those incidents required a number of staff, so I was left with a group of students to wander around Target finding prices for things like Pepsi and mac n' cheese. Eventually, we made it back to school safe and sound, but it will probably remain the most interesting day of my subbing career.

Becoming a runner

Spring is here and not a moment too soon. I've been blessed with beautiful weather for most of my recent runs. Last week, I stayed on track with training: 4 miles on Monday, 2 on Tuesday, 4 on Wednesday (it was supposed to be 5, but I didn't realize until later), and 10 on Saturday. That 10 hung over my head all week long. I knew it was coming, I knew it was two miles farther than I'd ever run before, but I wasn't afraid or anxious. I was simply anticipating. I was curious about how it would go, how I would feel. Since Saturday ended up being pretty warm, I decided not to take Polo. The first six miles felt really great, but around the seven mile mark, my quads were feeling really tight, so I took a very short stretching break. It definitely helped, as the next two miles felt much better. The last mile was tough, but I just kept reminding myself that I was about to finish a 10 mile run, and that kept me motivated.

This week is going well so far. Monday- 4, Tuesday- 2, Wednesday- 6. Saturday is supposed to be another 10 mile long run, but I have choir practice in the morning, and I have to work from 2-9:30. Since it doesn't look like I will have much time, I will probably move the run up to tomorrow. It's gray and rainy today, but tomorrow the sun should be back. Lucky me :)

What has been really interesting for me is how much my perspective has changed. Three miles used to be a standard run for me. Now, a four, five, even six mile run feels standard. "Oh, it's just five miles," I think instead of "FIVE miles?!" My mom asked me when I was home for Christmas if I would have ever imagined that one day I would be a runner (I was about as unathletic as you get growing up). The funny thing is, even though I had been running fairly regularly for three years, I still didn't consider myself a "runner." What or who is a "runner"? To me, it was someone who was much more serious and much more in shape than I. Me? I just went out for a short jog every now and then because it's cheaper than joining a gym and I need to burn all the calories I eat. That's starting to change. In just the last week or two, I think I've started to come around to the idea that I may just be a "runner." Whatever it is, I'm starting to feel like one.

My new favorite book

First published in 2008, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society hit the number one spot on the New York Times bestseller list in May 2009 (trade paperback fiction). I have been hearing about this book for a long time and meaning to read it. I've seen it on countless trips to Barnes & Noble and thought about picking it up. I don't know what took me so long, but I finally requested it from the library last month and finished reading it last week. Now, I plan to go buy my own copy. That's how much I love this book.

Briefly:

January 1946: writer Juliet Ashton receives a letter from a stranger, a founding member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. And so begins a remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German occupation, and of a society as extraordinary as its name.*

In detail:

“I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.” January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next

book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb….

As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.

Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.

Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.**

Read an excerpt

I found the characters enchanting, the voice of each in their letters was distinct and made me feel they were real people- people I wanted to meet and befriend.

* http://www.randomhouse.com/rhpg/guernsey//book/

** http://www.abebooks.com/Guernsey-Literary-Potato-Peel-Pie-Society/1249191848/bd

A busy barista

I have so much to share from the last week and a half.

I've been wanting a second job since subbing can be irregular, so I applied around town and found one at Target. I went in for an interview on Wednesday, March 3rd, was hired that day, and went to orientation on Thursday. I trained as a cashier on Friday night and spent the rest of the week training at Starbucks, which is where I will mostly be working. That's right, I'm finally a barista ;) It's been a whirlwind of a week since then as I still took several sub jobs, tried to keep up with marathon training, and prepared for out-of-town guests who came this weekend.

I knew I needed to be flexible this week. On Monday, I subbed and then worked at Starbucks until 9:30pm, but I was committed to fitting in a run, so I went out for 2 miles when I got home that night. I decided to go for 4 miles on Tuesday to make up for it, and since I only subbed and was free that afternoon, it worked out well. On Wednesday, I had the morning free, so I went for the scheduled 4 mile run and then worked a 4-9:30 shift at Starbucks. I was pretty tired and sore (especially since I haven't gotten around to getting those new shoes I need), but I was happy with myself for staying dedicated. I worked both jobs on Thursday, but on Friday I only subbed in the morning. Since I knew my friends would be arriving on Friday evening, I moved my long run up a day. I spent some time in the afternoon shopping and cleaning the house in preparation. By the time I got out for my run, I was worried that I wouldn't be back before my friends arrived, so I cut it a little short, not by too much though (7.3 miles instead of 8). It was really tough only having the one rest day, but I survived and learned that flexibility and mental will power will be key to getting through this program. Positive self-talk is SO important to accomplishing anything in life. It's like that poster I see in so many classrooms: Whether you think you can or can't, you're right.

My training schedule was supposed to be
Monday 4 miles
Tuesday 2 miles
Wednesday 4 miles
Thursday off
Friday off
Saturday 8 miles

My actual runs
Monday 2 miles
Tuesday 4 miles
Wednesday 4 miles
Thursday off
Friday 7.3 miles
Saturday off

With all my running out of the way, I was free to enjoy the weekend. Four of my old roommates from New York drove out to visit Michael and me. We took them to Columbus' famous Schmidt's Sausage Haus in the German Village for dinner Friday night. We had good food and a great time. We ordered three of their acclaimed cream puffs to go, as we couldn't pass them up but were too stuffed to eat them then. On Saturday morning we went to the North Market to walk around and ate breakfast at Taste from Belgium (mmm, yummy waffles!). Since it was a gloomy, rainy day, Michael and I decided to take our guests to the Franklin Park Conservatory as we heard it was a good rainy day activity. In addition to the beautiful plants and indoor landscaping, they have a great collection of Chihuly artwork throughout the conservatory, and we really enjoyed the outing.

I unfortunately had to work a six hour closing shift Saturday night, so Michael played host alone. They went to see Alice in Wonderland, ate an Irish meal in downtown Dublin, and enjoyed Jeni's ice cream for dessert. I don't know how it happened or who decided it would be a good idea, but after only four training shifts under my belt, I was left alone from 5:30 to close on a busy Saturday night. I don't think I messed up anybody's drinks, and I think I cleaned everything the way I was supposed to before I left, which is the most they can probably expect from me at this point.

Sunday morning, we just took a walk down to the Olentangy river (about a mile from our house) with Polo, and then finally enjoyed those cream puffs before everyone piled back in the car to drive back to the city. Despite the fact that the week may seem hectic, I loved it. I really like the new job and was thrilled to spend some time with great friends.

Marathon Training: Week One

Today, I completed the long run for the first week of my marathon training. I chose to use the program designed by Nike+ because it is really easy to track my progress. It's 28 weeks long, which means I should be ready by September 11, 2010. The marathon I'm signing up for isn't actually until October 17th, but I'm building extra weeks into the program to account for vacations and possible illnesses.

Week one consisted of a 3 mile run on Monday, 2 miles on Tuesday, 4 miles on Wednesday, and 8 miles today (Saturday). I was a bit tired on Monday but felt great. Tuesday was awesome because I felt really good, it was a short run, and I had one of my best paces yet (average 8'56"/mi). Wednesday, however, I felt sluggish and my knees started to hurt. I realized that I really need to get new shoes because my current ones have lost their cushioning and support. Nonetheless, I had an awesome long run today. The weather has been terribly cold and cloudy for far too long, but today the sun came out bright and shining and the temperature was up in the high 40's. So much snow has melted that I got to run along the river, which made Polo very muddy but also provided great scenery. The toughest parts were mile 3.5-4 and mile 7-8, which were both uphill. I think I just finally felt to feel tired during that last mile, but Polo kept up a good pace the whole time and looked like he was doing fine. It took us a total of 1hr. 20min, and I'm quite content with that pace. I know they won't all be this easy, but this was a great way to finish my first week of training.

Road running, traffic, and snow

Ever since my favorite running paths were covered with more than six inches of snow, I've been forced to stick to the roads. I looked for and found a few roads that get plowed yet have minimal traffic. Since there is still too much snow and slush on the unshoveled sidewalks (come on, neighbors!) for my taste, I sometimes have to share the roads with cars. I read recently on a running website that runners should go against the flow of traffic for safety reasons. I actually like this better because it keeps Polo on my left side and keeps me between him and any cars. I also get to wave to the drivers, which I see as my way of saying "Hi there, thanks for sharing the road and not running into me and my dog."

The snow is melting though. Yay! The streets are all clear now and most of the sidewalks are okay, but paths in the closest parks are still covered. The forecast is for warmer temperatures (40's) for the next week, so hopefully, the last of the snow will be gone soon.

7 Days

I signed up for a free week at Lifetime Fitness and have been trying to make the most of it. I went on Saturday for 4.8 mile run on the treadmill. On Sunday I went swimming for 10 minutes, rode the stationary bike for 30 min. and ran for 20 min. The gym is having an indoor Triathlon event (for the same times) that I won't be able to participate in as a non-member, so I thought I'd try it on my own. I really had fun and remembered how much I enjoy swimming. Today I ran another 5.3 miles on the treadmill and then took advantage of the hot tub and steam room to relax. It's a shame that the monthly fees are WAY beyond our budget. It really is a nice gym, and I only have two more days left to use it. The treadmill is nice for making quick and easy changes to my incline and pace, but it's monotonous for long runs. I know some people enjoy running in the rain, snow, and cold, but I think it would be nice to have treadmill access as a backup. I guess I'm not hard-core enough yet. Marathon training starts in six days. Maybe that will toughen me up.

Winter Wonderland

After three winter storms, our backyard (like the rest of the city) is covered in a deep, thick blanket of snow. To see how much more than our first snow, check out the picture on my White Christmas post. Polo seems to love it, but he might feel differently if he was the one who had to shovel the driveway. I may have to shovel my fair share, but I love the snow too.

All around update

Reading
As much as I enjoyed my reading challenge of 2009, I'm looking forward to the freedom of reading anything I want from any genre again. Like so many other people, I like to read books before I see the movies based on them, so I recently read The Lovely Bones and The Lightning Thief. I enjoyed The Lightning Thief so much, that I decided to continue the series and just finished Sea of Monsters. The plot can be described as a cross between Harry Potter and a Greek hero tale. I enjoyed the adventure and the use of Greek mythology, which also makes it a good read for any students studying mythology in school. Fun, easy reads. The rest of the series is on reserve at the library, which is an AMAZING place! I can read just about any book I want for free. I may have to wait for it, but reserving books is super easy. I recently checked out The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld, and Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult. Plenty to keep me busy.

Running
Thanks to my former roommate from NYU, the winter weather has not kept me from running. She and I both use the Nike+ running system, which allows users to create and compete in a variety of running challenges. She challenged me to a contest to see who could run the most kilometers in 30 days. As I can be quite competitive, this was a perfect way to ensure I would not let the snow or below freezing temperatures stop me. I've run over 40 miles in the last three weeks and have four days until the challenge ends. After that, I plan to start my official marathon training, which is another feature the Nike+ website offers.

Polo
He's still getting bigger. We haven't weighed him in a while, but I would guess around 50-55lbs. He loves sleeping on our bed and couches, carrying around socks in his mouth, and joining me for runs. He still gets overly excited around guests, which we need to keep working on, but we love him a ton.

Michael
He started a new rotation at Nationwide that he seems to enjoy, yet he still has plenty of time to be a wonderful husband. We grabbed Chinese take-out on Saturday night in celebration of Chinese New Year (Feb. 14th), and on Valentine's day, he made a delicious dinner of shrimp pesto fettuccine with seared scallops as an appetizer. The best part, though, was the cheesecake. He used a recipe from Junior's in New York, which is the best cheesecake he's ever had. I'm not as distinguishing, but I know it was really, really good. It may fit under "reading," but I'll tell you here that I just started a book called The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian, and I'm excited to see how focusing more on praying for my husband will positively affect our marriage.

Vista
I really enjoy the church we've found here. Michael and I are involved in a great small group and volunteer with the set-up/tear-down team. I also signed up to be in the Easter choir. It may seem crazy to those who know anything about my singing ability, or lack thereof, but I'm hoping to blend in. I'm really looking forward to getting to know some more people this way.

Work
We had two snow days last week, Friday was a teacher workday, and today is a holiday, so I have not been subbing very much. I'm hoping it starts to pick up. I really like the district I'm working in, and I generally enjoy each of the subbing jobs I take. It keeps me busy and helps pay the bills. I'm hoping to get a full time job for the next school year, and I actually think I would prefer middle school, which may seem insane, but it's my favorite place to sub. I don't know that I will have much choice though. It's very competitive here.

Weather
Freezing (literally) cold and snowy. Today is the third winter storm in as many weeks. I may drive a 16 year old car, but I'm grateful that it is an all-wheel drive. Our street does not get plowed or salted, but we keep our driveway and sidewalks shoveled. Michael and I take turns with that.

In the words of Porky the Pig, that's all folks!

Sunday Night In

We've been having really laid back weekends lately. On Saturday, we had some friends and their dog over in the afternoon. The pups ran around the backyard tiring each other out, the boys watched the Indiana basketball game, and the girls chatted in the kitchen, oh so stereotypically. Then the four of us played, but didn't finish, Trivial Pursuit. Michael and I actually went out for dinner that night, which we haven't done in nearly a month. We had a two for one coupon for Spagheddie's, which is a much cozier place than expected. The food was so-so, but it was a good deal :) After our typical Sunday routine of church followed by grocery shopping, I took Polo for a nice five mile jog. I have to take advantage of as many sunny days in the 20's and 30's as I can before the weather turns bad again. I baked oatmeal cookies with dried cranberries, and then Michael and I watched the Grammy Awards while playing another round of Trivial Pursuit. Polo tried to join Michael's team but was of little help in answering any questions.

Back to the Grindstone

After winter break, work was slow. Few teachers take days off right after a two week vacation, so I only had a handful of jobs. Things are starting to pick up though, and I'm working four days this week. One of the week's highlights happened on Tuesday at an elementary school. I was supervising indoor recess (due to freezing cold temperatures and icy sidewalks) when a small 2nd grade boy came up and asked me if he could ask me a few questions. When I said he could, he grabbed a stool and took a seat in front of me to proceed. It was quite the funny interview. After finding out that I have colored my hair in the past (both blonde and red), he asked, "Do you have Britney in your name?"
"No," I said.
"Well, do you have Spears in your name?"
"No," I replied holding back laughter.
"Oh, because she has brown hair that she dyed blonde and red one time."
Yup, folks. I have something in common with Britney Spears.

"How old are you?" he asked next.
"29," I confessed.
"Hmmm.... that's one year under my mom. She's 30. But you don't look 29. You look 18."
Ah, I love little kids! Though I can't imagine having my own kid in 1st or 2nd grade already. Yikes!

P.S. Today an 8th grader asked "Who's O.J. Simpson?" (The teacher used him in example of double jeopardy/5th amendment on a quiz)

Avatar vs. Jurassic Park

One of the schools I was subbing at last week was on a really strange schedule due to testing. The day ended with a two hour study center, so the teachers chose to show a movie. The options were Jurassic Park or October Sky, so naturally (like anyone didn't see this coming) the kids picked Jurassic Park. Though I tend to have a poor memory, I do remember the first time I saw this film. It was the summer after sixth grade (1993), and my best friend, her mom, her sister, and I went to the drive-in. Even though the drive-in is probably not the ideal location for viewing intense, graphic, action films, I was still impressed by how real everything seemed in the movie. It was like John Hammond really did discover a way to bring dinosaurs out of extinction with DNA found in fossilized amber, and someone was there to film it.

Yesterday, Michael and I went to see Avatar in 3D. It just blows Jurassic Park out of the water. I know filmmakers have come a long way (technologically and graphically) since the days of T-rex and velociraptors chasing Dr. Alan Grant through the jungle, but seeing these two movies in the same week really hit home how advanced the tech is becoming. I wonder what movies will be like in another 17 years. I really enjoyed the movie and am glad I finally saw something in 3D, but I don't think it's worth the extra money to see future films in 3D. I felt a little like I was watching a Magic Eye movie and had to keep unfocusing my eyes to see it right. The action sequences were especially difficult for me to follow in focus. It was amazing though.