Smaller Goals

So there were quite a few of you who were all about the unpacking and grocery shopping immediately to ensure normalcy will once again be restored after a holiday weekend.

I’m a little different. Yes, the grocery shopping happened, but I absolutely HATE unpacking. So much so that I’ve resorted to pulling a trick my mom used to use to make sure my brother and I were keeping our rooms somewhat clean.

Putting away 10 things every day until it’s done.

If I weren’t such an overpacker, it’d surely be done by now.

I have high hopes I’ll be done unpacking by the time I need to pack again to fly to DC in a few weeks. Such a vicious cycle.

Anyway…

Now that things have started to slow down again and I’m looking for ways to procrastinate more unpacking, I can start focusing once again on getting back into some sort of routine with my exercise.

However, since I tend to get distracted easily (ooohhh… what’s that? Soooo shiny…), it helps to have something in the future to work towards.

My friend Annie found this race that benefits the continuing research on breast cancer. With my family being affected several times by the disease, I could not have been more excited to say yes to this one...

But, because I often get stressed out by training for long distances, I’ve settled on a few 5k’s. Not that another longer race won’t happen later this year (New Years Resolutions are still in the back of my head), but for the time being, shorter is better.

I feel this is the only context you’ll ever hear me say that.

My cousin contacted me about doing the half together and is excited about it being an all-women's race. I said "woah there, I just finished a half marathon, but would love to have you come to visit and could run the 5k while you do the half..."

Anyhoo… both races are in June and if you happen to be in the Chicago area, definitely check them out (just click on the logo)!

Which means there are approximately 2 months to get into super speedy shape. Or whatever “super speedy” is for me.

During half marathon training, the “success” of the run was more about getting the distance in and less about how well the run actually went. Quantity vs. Quality. Runs were almost always completed. But some were just plain UGLY.

Now, I’m going to start keeping my eye on the pace of shorter runs.

Work it harder. Make it better. Do it faster. Basically, just listen to what Kanye tells me to do.

This probably means more interval workouts. And, for goodness sake, getting more strength workouts involved.

I always say that about strength training. But this time I mean it.

No really… I do…

Yikes.

The Nothing Goal

Running around is all I’ve been doing as of late.

It’s not so bad I guess. Today is Friday and there’s a pretty relaxed weekend ahead of me. And when I say “pretty relaxed”, I really mean there are only plans for one night.

As of right now. The planner seems to magically fill itself faster than I can keep up. There are worse things, I’m sure. But for the moment, I’ll enjoy the thought of a partially empty weekend.

I’m tired.

Why?

Several runs happened during lunch with my guy friend. Who is not getting any slower (like what I’m doing). Instead, he seems to thrive off of no sleep and staying out until 2:30 the night before. Stupid boys.

A 5k run with my girl Miss Annie. Which was also our chance to go over the race course for the Burdeen’s Diamond Dash 5k run/2k walk coming up in a little over a week!And yes- there’s still time to register or donate- all proceeds go to the Make A Wish Foundation and would be greatly appreciated!

Back on track- after all this cardio, Jillian Michaels reminded me how important it is to continue strength training on a regular basis or she’ll kick my butt. She did this as the plumber was 10 feet away from me fixing the sink (yes, yet another thing we’ve had leak in this house). I used to feel funny about the roommate watching me do workout videos. This was a whole new level of weird.

 I also hit the elliptical for 20 minutes on top of that because I just didn’t feel “done”. Blame the coffee at 3pm. Whoopsies. Thankfully, it’s easy now to walk down to the gym for just 20 minutes if I feel like it. Starting to slowly love that. And sorta take back how angry I was the first time I visited…

Clearly I was a rockstar with the workouts this week (or at least I think so, don’t tell me any different!). And the laundry. And the grocery shopping. As to free up my weekend even more. So I can, that’s right, do nothing at some point. That is the goal.

However, it will not be tonight. Because tonight is a nationally televised Mizzou football game- my alma mater.

The bar has been chosen. The Bud Light has been chilled. I am READY.

Have a good weekend, kids!

And GO MIZZOU!

Near and Dear

There are a few things in my life that are important to me.

Other than the obvious of friends and family (duh), I have a few hobbies that often classify me as a nerd or crazy.  Sometimes both at the same time.

Like my running?

Well.

“Wait… so you pay to run?”

“Does running miles on end sound like fun to you?”

“Running’s not a real sport.”

Yes. Often, yes. And you’re wrong.

Easy answers.

Luckily, some of my friends do get it. I have two guy friends I run with regularly. My friend Mon cranks out 6-milers on her treadmill all the time. My friend Annie started doing races with me last year.

And Annie is a passionate girl. When it comes to fitness, work and her community. So when she got the chance to combine all three?If you’re in the Chicago area or Northwest suburbs, definitely check it out! She’s done an amazing job at getting it all together and all the proceeds go to Make a Wish Foundation!

A few of us girls who are running it are using it as an excuse to wear tiaras.

As if I REALLY needed an excuse…

Another near and dear hobby I totally geek out about?

Baking.

“How do you not weigh a thousand pounds with as much as you bake?”

“I thought you were a healthy eater?”

“There are so many calories in that- I could never eat it.”

Moderation. Moderation. That’s too bad.

What can I say? The majority of us find comfort in food. And there’s something about the process of baking that relaxes me. Possibly the promise of delicious treats at the end.

And when I use the term “treats”, it’s really because I’m obsessed with Dane Cook and his sketch about treats at the movies.

He’s also very near and dear to my heart, by the way…

Anyway, that lil’ swap I did with Jessica was fun because it gave me an excuse to break out the mixer and preheat the oven to 350. And as we were chatting it up about how good of an idea it was, we decided maybe to do it again.

But with more people.

Why not?

So… without further ado… we bring you the Blogger Bake Swap!

Jess and I are really excited about doing this because, well, we like to bake and we like to eat baked things. But also because it’s a way for some peeps to connect to others you’ve already known for ages across this community.  If there’s enough interest, we’d like to make the swap into a seasonal thing.

For the inaugural swap, we’re going with a theme of “Favorites”. That means you’re going to be sending one of your favorite baked items to the person you are matched with (make sure to save one or two servings for yourself, of course).

Rules:

1. Each participant should send approximately a dozen of whatever treat they choose to make. (12 cookies, brownie pan to serve 12, etc). Of course, you are allowed to send more, but please keep the minimal to 12.

2. The date of which each baked good should be shipped will be announced once our pairs are finalized, and we just ask that you be respectful of others and try to get them out before, or as close to that date as possible.

3. Tell Amy & Jess how much you love them for organizing this fantastic operation. (this one is optional…)

*Disclaimer- the organizers of this bake swap are merely responsible for for matching the participants, and are not responsible for the items shipped.

So if you’re interested in joining in, email me  (secondcityrandomness@gmail.com) or Jessica (ssh.jessica@gmail.com) so we can get you on the list to be partnered up!

Alright, enough talk. Let’s get Friday out of the way.

Because seriously… my family is coming in for the weekend (another near and dear) and I’m very excited to show them my new place and take them out for a lil’ tour of my surroundings!

Yay for the weekend!