A Monday Mish-Mash

Since it's Monday, I'm not really feeling like stinging together a full, coherent post, so I'll just comment on a few things that are floating around in my head right now:

• So, I have a stress fracture in my tibia.  You would think that I would learn my lesson from all of my many running injuries over the years, which seem to become more severe each time, but, for those of you who are runners too, you'll understand how hard it is to go without running, even for a day.  The last time I ran was the Cherry Blossom Ten-Miler on April 6th {which I actually finished in a  shockingly quick time of 1:19, given that I was already quite injured at that point}, and I'm really yearning to run again, especially since running outside at this time of year just fuels my love affair with DC.  Also, I'm not going to pretend that I haven't already plotted out races to run in Chicago.  The doc told me I have to wear my boot for the next 4-6 weeks, so I suppose it's a good thing that I already had one of those suckers sitting around in my closet.  The only reason why I'm not crying on a regular basis is because I'm allowed to swim!  I am in the process of joining a gym with a pool for the next month, and, after going for two swims over the weekend, I think it's safe to say that I'm hooked.  Now, if only I could get Dan to set foot in a pool…the poor thing is traumatized after swimming through college :)
• We had a lovely Easter with both of our families, spending Saturday night with Dan's family {we got to meet his brother's girlfriend and his adorable new dog, Charlotte, as well as see Dan's sister} and Easter Sunday with mine.  I am trying to count my blessings, particularly for these next few months, because I know that this may be the last time we live near our families…sob.
• Last weekend, we went out to the Windy City for Dan's revisit weekend.  While it still doesn't feel completely real that we are leaving our beloved DC in just a few months, I am so, SO excited to get to experience a new city. Having Kristin, Allie and Emily there will be a huge plus for me, and I felt really comfortable with the people that I met at all of the Partners Club events last weekend.  
• We are going to our first Nats game of the season tonight with a group of local admits from Dan's program.  I am excited to meet some of the people who we will be spending 4 years with, and I never turn down an opportunity to go to Nats Park.
• On Saturday, we went to a Drink the District event put on by Living Social.  Despite a brief downpour, it was a fun event, and we got to try lots of good beer and wine {as well as some not-so-tasty mint juleps}.  We went with a group of friends, and, after hanging out with them more at the end of the event, had to say what is likely to be our first goodbye {as some of the friends will be leaving for a few months in Europe next weekend}.  I definitely teared up in the cab ride home.  This endless series of goodbyes is not going to be easy...
• On Thursday, we went to a fun wine tasting event with Dan's parents that was put on by Wine Spectator.  The event was a lot of fun, although I would be lying if I said I wasn't intimidated by tasting a $1,000 wine.  I'll stick with my less-than-$20 bottles, thank you very much!!
• I need a vacation.  So badly.  Which is why I giddily happy that our San Francisco trip is creeping up on us.  I just need to recharge.
• So, I must confess that I've recently gotten hooked on House of Cards.  The show is fabulous!  Fortunately, Dan has no interest in political shows, which means that I can binge-watch this series {which he is less likely to do, hence the snail's pace with which we are going through my other current obsession, Friday Night Lights}.
• Oh, and looking for jobs and apartments is stressful.  I know, right?!  I know people mean well, but both searches are stressing me out to the point where I just don't want to talk about it.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend! The rest of this week is supposed to turn summer-like, and I am using a bachelor party that Dan is going to this weekend as an excuse for some much-needed "me time', which will likely involve too much baking and too many episodes of House of Cards :)

Well, it's safe to say that fall is officially upon us! The hot summer-like days of a few weeks ago have given way to crisp fall mornings and evenings, which makes this New Englander happy as a clam.  We went to Larriland Farm out in Howard County on Saturday, and that made me feel as though fall had officially arrived.  We picked a huge back of delicious Stayman apples, as well as a couple of pumpkins and small gourds.  Of course, we had to get a jug of cider for Dan {interestingly, he prefers cold cider, and I like mine hot and with a cinnamon stick}.  The farm is a lot of fun, for those of you who haven't been, and is only about an hour from DC.  Be warned: we were one of the few young couples there without children, but I really enjoyed watching the kiddos experience fall delights as we ate our picnic lunch.  Last night, I made a delicious apple crisp with the apples, from a recipe that Dan's mom sent me.

Yesterday, Dan and I ran the Army Ten Miler, which was a great addition to our weekend.  I had been excited about this race since we signed up in May, and I was especially grateful to be able to run, particularly since, a month-and-a-half earlier, I was in a boot and was essentially immobilized.  The first few weeks of running post-boot were definitely no picnic, since I hadn't been able to do cardio in about seven weeks, but the payoff of being able to race was incredible.  Dan was a rock star {duh} and ran it in 1:04, and I clocked in at 1:17.  While I can't keep up with that speed demon, I was happy with the race and my sub-8 minute miles.  Our parents were along various points in the course, which is always good for a pump-up, and it was truly inspirational to see so many wounded warriors running.  There was also a blind runner near me for a chuck of the race who was running with a guide, who was actually more like a coach.  It was really touching to watch them, and you could tell that the guy was really grinding hard.  After two great races this season, I am looking forward to doing the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler and the Nike Women's Half next spring!!

Things at work are definitely picking up, so I was glad that we got to experience a fun fall weekend, and had some really nomalicious dinners {Bistro Bis on Capitol Hill on Friday, Ristorante Piccolo in Gtown on Saturday, and, of course, Mellow Mushroom last night}.  I've been enjoying the cozy nights of putting my pajamas on when we get home from work and sit on the couch watching my Sox in the MLB playoffs, snuggled under our blankets.  I missed my guy when I was traveling, so it sure is nice to be back home with him for the foreseeable future :-)

Hobbling

I was able to go see a sports medicine specialist yesterday, because my foot pain had been getting progressively worse over the three weeks since it first started.  The doc ordered a second set of X-rays in an attempt to rule out a stress fracture, which he was able to do.  He is now convinced that the pain is tendon-related, mostly because of the location and type of pain I was experiencing when he examined me.  His main concern was that I would rupture the tendon in question, which would have required surgery and what would likely have been a long recovery process.

So...for the next three weeks, I have this fancy shmancy accessory:

This will look lovely with the cocktail dress that I'm wearing to a wedding this weekend ;)

I'm not going to pretend that I wasn't upset about the diagnosis and course of treatment {and yes, I did cry in the doctor's office}, but I had largely gotten all of my tears out of the way over the past week-and-a-half.  For those of you who know me, the order to not exercise, or do any sort of physical activity, is about the equivalent of a death sentence.  I am an incredibly active person, so it is nearly impossible to go from a high level of activity to nothing at all.

Never fear, though, I have developed, with the help of a good friend who broke her foot IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR MARATHON AND FINISHED {seriously, so many street cred points for Lindsay!}, a lifting and stretching routine that will at least make me feel as though I'm doing something other than sitting around and eating bon-bins.  I joked to Dan that I will have my best abs ever at the end of three weeks {highly unlikely, but I'm all about goal-setting here}, and I just did my first day of the routine this morning.  I can essentially work my arms, back and core, so I spent probably 40-45 minutes doing that.  Let me just say that trying to lift that sucker to do bicycle crunches requires a tremendous amount of exertion.  It's heavy!

I'm really trying to take it all in stride, because I would rather follow the doc's orders now and hopefully be out of this boot in three weeks.  Dan and I have even started calling it Das Boot!  But that's not to say that it has all been rainbows and roses.  For one thing, I live in an incredibly hilly neighborhood, so there is no way to avoid one when walking to and from the Metro.  The boot is awkward to walk in, but any unevenness of surface is even more uncomfortable.  I am trying to be very deliberate with how I walk on those surfaces so I don't inadvertently put too much strain on another part of my body.  Secondly, having to rely on creaky, slow-ass Metro elevators is far from ideal.  Thirdly, the psychological component of this injury has probably been the worst.  I exercise daily to keep myself in great cardiovascular shape, but I can't say that I don't enjoy the benefits of having a fit physique.  The thought of losing that has been a lot to handle, but I think that, if I am diligent about my workouts, I'll hopefully be back in fighting shape before I know it.  I am already imagining the moment when I go on my first run, and I can't wait.  I get jealous watching each successive runner file into our gym in the morning! I want to be the one running!!!

Shameless shout-out to Dan for dealing with the crying, depressing mess that I have been over the past couple of weeks.  He is truly the best, and has been so supportive and encouraging as he has witnessed my emotional struggle over this injury.  I can't wait to run together, hopefully sooner rather than later, once Das Boot comes off!!

Trying to Make Sense of a Tragedy

via A Blog About Love

I promise I will post about our hiking adventure from this past weekend, but I am writing with a truly heavy heart this morning and wanted to address those feelings first.

As all of you are probably aware, two bombs wreaked havoc yesterday near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three and wounding more than 120, nearly 20 critically.  The attacks occurred on Patriot Day, better known as "Marathon Monday." Patriot Day is the most sacred of days in Massachusetts, with the entire state taking a day off from work and school to celebrate the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the start of the Revolutionary War.  The day truly does capture the extreme pride of the citizens of Massachusetts, who ring in the day by tuning in to the afternoon Sox game and the running of the Boston Marathon.  The bombs that ripped through crowds of innocent bystanders yesterday shattered the sacredness of the day.

On a personal level, while I may not live there anymore, Massachusetts is the state where I grew up, and it will always profoundly affect how I view myself.  To illustrate this, my Massachusetts license is due to expire next March, and I would rather not have a valid ID than have to trade in my Massachusetts ID for a Virginia one.  They can punch a hole in it, rendering it useless, but I refuse to fork it over.  The type of pride instilled in every "Masshole" for our beloved state is something that you can't really put into words.  Many people have a strong allegiance to their city, but mine is statewide, and, better said, region-wide.

A very close friend of mine was at the finish yesterday, watching a friend run.  Thankfully, through the magic of Facebook, I was able to see that she was fine.  However, when I texted her to tell her how glad I was that she was okay, she told me that she had left the blast site mere minutes before the bombs went off, joking that she had wanted ice cream and that that was the first time when her sweet tooth had been legitimately good for her health.  I am so grateful that she is okay, but my heart is broken for the families of the dead and of those still fighting for their lives.  My thoughts and prayers are with all of them as they struggle to make sense of lives cut short.  The fact that an eight year-old child was among the dead is truly sickening.  When will our children cease to be targets of acts of violence??? When will parents stop outliving their children?

Having run my first marathon exactly a month ago today, I tried to put myself in the runners' place, that of complete confusion in the face of sheer exhaustion.  The fatalistic part of me can't help but think, 'What if that had been my race? What if that had been my parents, my boyfriend and my friends at the finish?'  The thought that you could be putting yourself in danger of a terrorist attack just by going out for a run is enough to strike fear into any runner's heart.  But runners are a strange breed. We do what we do for reasons that we cannot really explain to anyone else.  There were so many stories of heroic runners who, immediately after finishing the race, continued running to Mass General in order to give blood.  So, even in the face of this tragedy, I choose to run.  I run for Massachusetts, I run for Boston, and I run for the innocent lives lost.  That's about the best that any of us can do.

26.2

I promise, I'm still here!

People, March has been a BUSY month for me, so blogging just hasn't been in the cards for me.  Between being ridiculously busy at work and having lots of exciting things going on in my personal life, I just haven't been able to find the time to blog.  To give you a good idea, my last four weekends are as follows:

Weekend of March 2nd and 3rd: Anniversary celebrations!

Weekend of March 9th and 10th: Cuse game + cousin in town + lots of friends in town

Weekend of March 16th and 17th: MARATHON {and then doing a whole lot of nothing}
Weekend of March 23rd and 24th: Working a wedding + birthday + March Madness

Yes, FINALLY, the blessed event happened last weekend, the marathon I had poured my blood, sweat {lots of it} and tears {yup, some of those too} into for the past four months.  Even though I had run two half-marathons before, I was terrified on race day.  When I did my 22-miler two weeks prior to the race, I had felt myself starting to hit the "wall" that all marathoners talk about, which typically happens somewhere between miles 20 and 21.  I hoped that I would have just enough adrenaline to help me power through.  It didn't hurt that I had THE most incredible support team.  From the minute I had told him that I was running this race, Dan had been my biggest cheerleader, telling me how great I would do even when I was sulking after some miserable long runs.  I knew that Dan, my parents, and a few friends would be cheering me on along the course, and I can't fully convey how big of an emotional boost that was.  In short succession, from miles 13.5-16, I saw: my friends Alix and Lauren, my parents, my coworker, Beth and her husband, and Dan.  I had the biggest smile on my face as I ran by all of my people.  In general, though, race culture is so wonderful, because there are always residents lining the roads and cheering runners on. This race was certainly no exception!

Here's a look at the course.  For the most part, it was, mercifully, flat, but there was one hill in particular, the hill just before mile 6 as we exited Rock Creek Parkway and took an off-ramp up to Calvert St.  BOY, was that a steep hill.  Luckily, it was also brief, but I was dizzy and gasping for air at the end of it.  

But I digress.  This marathon was certainly not fun the entire time {I hit my wall at 21, but luckily, after taking the advice of a coworker and ingesting some M&Ms along with my Shot Blox, I got a HUGE burst of energy, which I can probably also attribute to the adrenaline rush of almost being finished}, but I learned, as I did throughout this entire process, how mentally tough I can be if I have to be.  Sure, I may cry at the drop of the hat and may occasionally be overly sensitive, but damn it, I pushed through all of my self-doubt and finished a marathon, and in pretty good time, no less!! My goal had been to finish in less than 4 hours, which obviously is not going to qualify me for Boston, but seemed like a reasonable goal given my pace and the fact that it was my first marathon.  While my goal was definitely just to finish, I think I would have been a little bit bummed if I had finished in over 4.  Well, my time was 3:53, so I was one happy girl!!!!!!!!

The greatest feeling {other than crossing the finish line and getting to stop running} was rounding the final bend and spotting my parents and Dan, all of whom were screaming words of encouragement to me.  At this point, the adrenaline was flowing and I was trucking it around that final turn, all smiles.  You would never know that I was in the final tenth of a mile of a marathon, right? HA!  When I had crossed the finish line and it was FINALLY over, I just stopped for a moment and put my hands over my face.  In that moment, I experienced the greatest sense of accomplishment that I ever have in my life.  I had set a goal for myself {and a difficult one that that, given the miniscule percentage of the world that has run a marathon} and accomplished it.  All of the training, all of the injuries, all of the early Saturday morning wake-ups to run, it was all worth it.  After hobbling over to them, I was finally reunited with Dan and my parents.  Seeing the pride with which they all looked at me only reinforced that sense of accomplishment that I was feeling.    I am also thrilled that running a marathon is now yet another bond that my dad and I share.

And the madness is not ending, friends.  Here's a brief rundown of the next few weekends of my life:

Weekend of March 30th and 31st: Easter weekend

Weekend of April 6th and 7th: Work event all day Friday and Saturday

Weekend of April 13th and 14th: Cousin in town + going on a birthday trip {more about this soon!}

Weekend of April 20th and 21st: Possible weekend trip to Pittsburgh, followed by a quick overnight visit from an out-of-town friend on Sunday night

I will post more next time about fun goings-on in April, May and June!

With my friends Jame and Lindsay, who also ran the marathon, prior to the race

My biggest supporter :)

Seeing my parents and Dan both along the course and at the finish line brought the biggest smile to my face.  I'm so lucky to have so many wonderful supporters!

Long Weekend Recap

I have an unexpectedly light day today {perhaps it's the calm before the storm that is my event on Friday and Saturday?}, so I thought I would update you all on my much-needed long weekend.

Last week was no fun, so I practically fell through the doorway of Dan's apartment when I got there on Friday after work.  We headed over to my parents' house for dinner to celebrate my mom's birthday {despite how tired I was, I can always be bribed with the promise of cake}, and then went to our friends' house for drinks and Catchphrase {which, conveniently, is now an iPhone app, and which I am obviously now buying}.  It was the low-key night that I needed, but still sufficiently social. 

On Saturday morning, after my run, we drove down to the Charlottesville area to partake in my Christmas present to Dan, which was an overnight in the Cville area and a trip to a few local breweries.  We ended up going to two, Starr Hill and Devil's Backbone.  Starr Hill is the more well-known of the two and I did enjoy the beer, but I think I was slightly cranky because it was right around lunch/snack time and they didn't have snacks to go with our beer.  Fail.  Devil's Backbone, a beautiful brewpub nestled in the foothills of, you guessed it, the Devil's Backbone Mountain, was much more my speed, because we were able to stuff our faces on a jumbo soft pretzel with spicy mustard while still enjoying our beer. I was no longer experiencing hungry crankiness.  We drove to our B&B, which, while charming, is, as it turns out, in the middle of nowhere.  We dropped our stuff and then drove 45 minutes to Charlottesville.  Being that Dan had finished much of the beer of Lil' Lightweight {yours truly}, I was the one tasked with driving, and I spent the entire time white-knuckled and afraid of hitting a deer.  Luckily, no Bambis were injured during this drive, and we made it to our predictable dinner choice of Mellow Mushroom in one piece.  Sure, we could have sampled some local Cville cuisine, but we were in a pizza mood and knew what we were getting ourselves into with MM, so we knew we would walk away happy {despite a Hoya loss that happened while we were eating and checking the score in vain}. 

I had brought my computer with me for the sole purpose of watching some Homeland...and I barely lasted a whole episode.  I blame the energy drain of driving in sheer terror for 45 minutes, plus the amount of alcohol ingested throughout the day {we also drank some of the Cab that Dan had gotten at his office holiday party} for my sleepiness.  I promise, I'm not 90!  In all seriousness, though, this was such a wonderful, not to mention much-needed, trip.  I always enjoy gifts that we can partake in together, and will take any opportunity I can get to have a change of pace, if only for 24 hours, focus on each other and reconnect.

We headed back reasonably early, after a homecooked breakfast courtesy of the B&B proprietors {okay, Grands rolls don't count, but the rest was homecooked, and Dan, who had somehow had a deprived childhood by never having tried them, had his world changed forever}, because I had to get my 18-miler in that afternoon.  I had a really great run; I ran from Rosslyn on the Mt. Vernon Trail to just about the Wilson Bridge in Alexandria.  I also happened to see my parents outside {the trail runs right by their house}, so that was a perfect opportunity to stop for a water/chatting break.  I felt so accomplished/exhausted when I got back, but, within an hour, I was doubled over in stomach pain.  Dan made the unwise decision {and yes, we both kicked ourselves afterward for failing to connect the dots and choose a different dinner option} to head into the city to get himself dinner to bring home, and the trip took him two hours due to the Inauguration crowds.  When he got back, I was curled up in the fetal position in bed, in complete agony.  Since it had worked for me before, I tried taking a nap to see if my stomach ailments would go away, instructing Dan to only let me sleep for 45 minutes.  Well, I was OUT, and he had to shake me pretty hard to get me back awake.  Finally, 5ish hours after I finished my run, I was able to eat something {just some pasta with olive oil and parmesan}, but I know that I have to keep talking to the doctor about this stomach situation to hopefully get it figured out before my race.  Dan took very good care of me, trying to make me feel better, waking me up from my nap and cooking me dinner, which I was very grateful for.

On Monday, we went to Metro 29 for breakfast, and then I basically lazed around for the rest of the day {okay, fine, I cooked and did work, so I was anything but lazy} and prepared myself for the firestorm of this week. Only a few more days...in the meantime, I promise I'll post pictures soon!

Marathon Training: Oh yeah, that's happening...

I feel like marathon training has become a part of my morning routine to the extent that I forget to talk about it on this blog.  But I am slightly over halfway through my training, so I thought I would give you all a quick update.

I was thinking today how strange it is that my "short runs" on the weekend are now 11-12 miles.  Prior to training for this race, the longest distance I had ever run was 13.1 miles {twice}.  It is astounding to me how far I've come in just two months of training. A few weeks ago, after a horrific 16-miler which ended with two miles of jogging/limping, I was feeling pretty down about my training.  I have been plagued by hip joint pain for the past month or so, which has reared its ugly head, in particular, during my longer runs.  I was frustrated by having to plan my entire weekend around when I was going to do my long run, and that bugged me.  That was why I was so apprehensive leading in to my 18-miler yesterday.  I had been hemming and hawing all weekend about when I was going to do my run, and was nervous about running later in the day, when I had already eaten.  I have found that I have stomach issues if I run with food in my stomach, which is one of the main reasons why I run early in the morning {in addition to the fact that I am a morning person}.  Dan was nothing but encouraging yesterday as I prepared to leave for my run.  He really has been my biggest cheerleader throughout this process, and has been quick to reassure me when I've had a tough run or am visibly in pain.

I had a really great run yesterday, so I came out of it feeling somewhat reassured that I can do this.  I felt really good for the first 12 miles or so, and didn't feel too terrible after that.  My hip did start bothering me, but I think the fact that I didn't run in the city, and, thus, didn't have all the stop-and-go action that aggravates my hip, made for an easier run.  I ran from Rosslyn on the Mt. Vernon trail and turned around by Wilson Bridge in Alexandria.  I even saw my parents outside, basking in the glorious day, in the park next to their house, so I stopped for a quick break to say hello and eat my Shot Bloks {if you're training, these are made by Clif Bar and are fantastic; not being a regular consumer of caffeine, I didn't want to risk using a training aid with caffeine in it and having it mess up my body}.  I was definitely ready for the run to be over at about mile 15 or 16, but I felt really good about myself when I finished.  I was even able to call upon a short, surprising burst of energy at the end of the run to pass a couple of people.  It was great to be able to go home to Dan and know that I had done it, and he was really happy for me.

Now, I haven't run my race yet {it's on March 16th, for those of you who are interested}, but I have a renewed sense that I CAN do this.  The fact that I have been able to overcome a lifelong hatred of running, in addition to exercise-induced asthma, is proof that you can do anything if you really put your mind to it.  I have an incredible support team led, first and foremost, by Dan, and they continue to encourage me, even in moments when I doubt myself.  For that, I am so grateful.  It has also helped to hear from friends who have trained for marathons, picking their brains for tips.  I'm excited to push myself more over these next few months and, hopefully, have a successful race!!!

I promise that I will try to update you all soon on our wonderful long weekend.  It is going to be a tough week at work, but hopefully I'll find some time to write!

In A New York State of Mind

Last week was a really hectic one, both in my personal and professional life, so sadly, I never posted about our New York trip.  But I didn't want to leave you all in suspense for too long {since this week is going to be another doozy}.

Dan and I had a really smooth trip on the bus, both ways.  Sure, we could have saved an hour each way and taken the train, but we both decided it was worth it to pay a fraction of the cost and slum it on the bus.  Once we got to New York, we met up with our friends James and Lindsay {the latter of whom had just arrived from DC on the train} and walked over to James's place.  We agreed to go to sleep on the early side, since James, Lindsay and I all had to do a 12-miler for marathon training and wanted to get it over with on Saturday morning.  We were up at the crack of dawn {7, to be exact, an ungodly hour for a Saturday} and, after Dan ran part of the way with us, the three of us ran around Central Park.  Boy, was that ever a great run!  I loved running around the park and, since James ran up ahead of us and Lindsay and I were running at a slightly slower pace, the run was so enjoyable.  We gabbed the entire way and cheered each other on when our joints started hurting.  There is definitely something to be said for having a training partner!!

After all of us showered and got ready in what has to be record-setting time, we scarfed down some bagels and power-walked to MSG for the Hoya game.  It was the first time that both Dan and I had been in the storied Garden, and luckily our Hoyas made the trip worth it, handily defeating St. John's.  After the game, we headed to a bar, where we ran into a whole smattering of friends, both my friends, and Dan, James and Lindsay's swimming friends.  It was a great time, especially since we don't usually partake in the post-game celebrations after home games.  Afterward, we walked over to the High Line and then grabbed some snacks before heading back home.  We went to 4 Napkins for a burger dinner and spent an hour or so at a low-key bar before calling it a night.

On Sunday morning, we met up with a few of my cousins and two of the kiddos {the same ones who had visited DC over Thanksgiving, plus a few more} for brunch, which was a lot of fun.  Dan had never met anyone from my dad's side of the family, so I had been really looking forward to introducing him to then.  We had a really nice time, and I enjoyed seeing my family in their natural Manhattan habitat.  From there, we headed home, and our wonderful New York weekend was over.  Sure, I may still maintain that the Big Apple is too big a city for me to ever consider moving to, but I really enjoyed our time there.  Spending time with friends, family, and, of course, my amazing travel buddy, really made the weekend perfect.  I look forward to hopefully going back soon {which will definitely happen if baby bro moves there after graduation!}!!

Brunch at Veselka with the cousins

Scenes from the High Line

I think the fact that each of us wore a different WAG shirt contributed to the win :)

Just Kidding: My 48-hour cold

While lack of sleep and lots of long training runs may be weakening my little immune system, the good news about me is that I'm rarely sick for very long.  I'm not the type of person to get a cold that lasts for three weeks, and, luckily for me, mine are usually gone in more like three days.  Obviously a relieft for someone who refuses to let sickness get in the way of her routine :)  I am feeling significantly better today, which obviously makes me happy as I head into what promises to be a very busy weekend.

I was definitely feeling pretty crummy on Wednesday.  There were points when I was starting to fall asleep at my desk because I was exhausted and didn't feel well.  Thankfully, a Photoshop project perked me up in the afternoon, as did the promise of an evening spent baking at home.  I spent the night baking, which never ceases to bring me joy.  I will post a photo of my festive creation soon!  Let's just say that Pinterest never lets me down :)

Yesterday, I took advantage of my remaining comp time from our bumper crop of events and took another day off.  It couldn't have come at a perfect time, what with that pesky little cold threatening to turn into a larger cold.  The day started off great, because I slept for 10 hours.  10 HOURS, people!  I don't remember the last time I got 8 hours of sleep, much less 10!  I had another 13-miler that I was thinking of doing this week, but, with how crummy I was feeling, I didn't want to push it.  However, those 10 hours of sleep made enough of a difference that I felt fine during my run.  I'm still kind of in disbelief that my body was able to handle two half-marathon runs in six days, but it turns out that the human body is a pretty amazing thing.  I was so stiff and sore for the rest of the day, though, that I looked like a 90 year-old as I limped around at a snail's pace haha!

Once I got home and ate something, I finished off my baking, finished wrapping Christmas presents and writing cards, did laundry, shipped presents to out-of-town friends, and bought a Yankee Swap gift.  So, as is usually the case for me, my day off was not just a day to be lazy!  Then, Dan and I went to my parents' house for dinner, which was nice as usual.  I'll be heading over there again this weekend to help my dad with his Christmas shopping; he typically asks for my moral support and shopping expertise any time he needs to set foot near a store!

This weekend is going to be JAM PACKED with fun activities!  Tonight, Dan and I are getting together with two sets of our "couple friends," which I am so excited for.  We haven't all been together in ages!  Tomorrow, we are going to the Georgetown basketball game with those same friends, and are then going to a Christmas party that one of Dan's friends from home is having.  On Sunday, I have a brunch/Yankee Swap with some lovely girlfriends, and then am helping my dad with Christmas shopping.  It will be a busy weekend, but you all know that I wouldn't have it any other way!  One week from today, things will be winding down in the office, and I can't wait for my Christmas vacation!

My unexplained absence

Thank you all for your patience as I have been attempting to get my life back together this week! The past few weeks have been a roller coaster, but I think we're close to coming out the other side in one piece.

As you all know (how could you not, with me reminding you constantly?!), Dan and I ran the Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach over Labor Day weekend.  We had both been training (separately and together) very hard for this race, and we were really excited.  We went out for a delicious pre-race carb loading dinner on Saturday night with my coworker and her husband (more on them later), who were also running.  We went to bed VERY early, as we were set to wake up at 4:15 a.m. 

I had a dream that night that everything kept going wrong with our race.  I can't remember the specifics now, but I remember it being that a lot of little things went wrong.  I guess someone should just give me a crystal ball...race day was HOT (probably mid-80s at 7:00 a.m. for the start) and HUUUUMMMMIDDDD, so we knew that we were going to have to hydrate a lot.  It was the most painful run of my life; whereas I am usually able to zone out on long runs to the extent that it doesn't even feel like I'm doing the work, I felt every step, and boy were those steps painful.  My goal was to finish in 1:50 (1 hour, 50 minutes), and I got 1:47 (which was 9.5-10 minutes faster than my time last year, which I was very proud of!), and Dan's was to finish in under 1:30 (yeah, my guy is a speed demon!). 

When I reached the finish line, my first thought was that I needed to sit down...boy, was I exhausted.  Just kidding, my ACTUAL first thought after crossing the finish line and going through the receiving line, where bottles of Gatorade and water, wet towels, bananas, canned fruit, etc. were being thrust in my face, was that I wanted to find Dan.  The problem was, I couldn't find him.  I'm not going to go into my lengthy search process, but, nearly an hour later, with my truly amazing coworker, Beth, and her equally amazing husband, Bryan, by my side, I was told that Dan had been taken to the hospital to get fluids.  I lost it.  I was absolutely hysterical, and the walk to the car and subsequent ride to the hospital are a complete blur. My overwhelming feeling was that I wanted to be with him, but I had no idea what kind of condition he was in.

Dan suffered heatstroke (presumably at around mile 11 of the race) and a score of other complications directly resulting from the race.  As a result of rhabdomyolysis (which, by the end of the week, we affectionately called "the rhabdo"), a condition whereby muscle tissue is broken down and released into the bloodstream, the level of myoglobin in Dan's bloodstream was so high that it necessitated an 8-day hospital stay. It was a true rollercoaster of emotions, and every day brought both triumphs and challenges.

Sunday, the day of the race, was by far the most terrifying and hellacious day of my life.  There is no worse feeling than seeing the person you love in a hospital bed, not to mention in pain.  By the end of the day, it became more apparent that Dan was going to be okay, but the following week in the hospital was physically and mentally draining for both of us.  We were so lucky to have the love and support of so many friends and family members (Dan's parents both came down for part of the week, so we had ourselves a nice little party in the hotel room), and I can truly say that I would not have been able to hold it together without all of the heartfelt emails, texts and calls that I received.  Those messages helped me stay strong for Dan (which, if you know me and my tendency to cry at the drop of a hat, is counterintuitive for me).  In particular, I have to give a shoutout to Beth and Bryan, without whose kindness and selflessness I would not have made it through even that first day. 

To be perfectly honest, I wasn't really sure that I even wanted to say anything about last week on this blog, out of respect for Dan's privacy.  However, I wanted this to serve as a cautionary tale for those of you who are active (particularly those of you who run).  Heatstroke can happen to even the most experienced of athletes, so it is of the utmost importance that you stay hydrated and listen to your body, particularly when you are exercising on hot and humid days.  I would not wish what happened to Dan on anyone, and it was definitely a wake-up call for both of us.  We are so incredibly lucky that he is going to be just fine! 

It's Friday, Friday...

Aah, how I love long weekends!  What a breath of fresh air (yes, I did just go on vacation, and no, I am not complaining).  It has been a truly fantastic week so far, so I will do a little recap of that before talking about the weekend:

Monday was a pretty tough day at work, mostly because I spent all afternoon battling technology issues.  And what do I do when I'm stressed or exhausted?  Well, naturally, I cook (read: bake).  However, this was no ordinary stress release, because, not only did I bake (a blueberry-raspberry crumb pie), but I also legit cooked.  I made some vegetarian chili for Dan and I to eat on Tuesday, in the interest of spending less time cooking and more time watching reruns of How I Met Your Mother.  Mission accomplished.  The food was delish and I felt much more relaxed when I went to sleep!

Tuesday, by comparison, was a truly lovely day.  I went to the Welcome Back Jack BBQ with Lauren, one of our favorite Gtown traditions.  Being outside, with all of the undergrads back on campus, makes me so happy.  That night, Dan and I had a really wonderful night, noshing on the food I had cooked the previous night (seriously, I need to start doing more meal planning, a la Kate! Side note: I am considering buying myself an Anthropologie apron in the hopes that it will make me look like an actual chef.  But I digress...), watching HIMYM and spending a lot of time chatting.  It was just wonderful :)

On Wednesday, I went over to my parents' house, both because I had a dentist's appointment on Thursday morning and was bumming a ride off of my mom (hence the fact that I stayed with them), and because we were celebrating my dad's 58th birthday a little bit early.  His birthday is on Monday, and there is a chance that I may get to see him for a bit, but I wanted to make sure we celebrated with him.  The whole family was there, and it was just a really nice time.  Plus, there was a yummy cake, which I will obviously never turn down!

Last night, Dan and I went to a Nats game, which I always love (like I said in my last post, because I got to spend time with him, watch baseball, and inhale a Shake Shack milkshake.  Seriously, the black and white shake, try it).  It was a really good game (well, for the Nats; the Cards were not so impressive) and I always enjoy the atmosphere in the stadium, particularly now that the Nats are hopefully playoff-bound.  Although I will always be a Red Sox fan, it is great to see the team in my adopted hometown do well, especially given how awful DC teams have been historically.  Anyway, by the 8th inning, I was ready to go, with an early wakeup call looming for my last run before our race (!!!).  Dan has a four-day weekend, so he rolled right back over and went to sleep, but I suppose he deserves it, since the Friday that he took of when we went to Boston was the only day he's had off since starting his job in May.  Poor guy!

Tonight, we are beginning our carb loading and are planning on a chill night, being that the race is quickly approaching and I need a good night sleep after going to bed WAY too late last night.  We're heading down to VA Beach tomorrow morning to pick up our race packets, and are then going out for a carbalicious dinner with my coworker and her husband (who are also running the race).  We are both SO, SO excited for this race!  Leave it to us to use a holiday weekend to run a half-marathon.  I totally lucked out with my guy, because I don't think I could be in a relationship with someone who doesn't share my active lifestyle.  He definitely does!  Guess we're a good match :)

I hope you all have a fabulous holiday weekend! Happy Labor Day!

P.S. My Friday discovery, thanks to The Hoya, is...the hilariously bitchy Suri's Burn Book (yes, that Suri Cruise girl).  Oh, the things that become popular.

A Perfectly Relaxing Weekend

I have to start this off by saying that I can't wait for a long weekend this upcoming weekend.  Just sayin'.  And yes, I know I was just on vacation!

Anyway, I can't forget to do my habitual Monday recap of the past weekend's activities.  It was a really tremendous weekend, one that found me with a constant smile on my face. We were luckily able to leave a little bit early on Friday, which left me just enough time to get down to the Sculpture Garden and snag some great fountainside seats for Jazz.  I can't believe that this week is the final week (because that also means that it is the official end of summer.  So much sadness).  I met up with Lauren there, and we were able to munch on some fruit and chat while we listened to the music.  The thing about Jazz is that I know absolutely nothing about that type of music, but it sure is a nice, relaxing soundtrack playing in the background while you talk to your friends!  Afterward, I met up with Dan at one of my new favorite pizza places, District of Pi (at least, I think that's what it's called; in any event, it's the pizza place on 9th and F whose sign has the symbol for Pi on it) and we had some delicious deep-dish pizza.  Then, we went home and watched The Dark Knight, the only Batman movie that I hadn't seen, and which I really liked.

On Saturday morning, we had our 12 miler, our last long run before our race this coming Sunday.  I felt really good for the vast majority of the run (I started feeling it in the last mile or so), and we finished in 1 hour, 41 minutes!!! If you consider the number of times we stopped for traffic lights and cars, plus the adrenaline that will be flowing while we run our race, I should hopefully be able to stick to my goal of sub-1 hour, 50 minutes.  We're both getting really excited for the race!  During our run, we ran into a group of Navy guys, running in formation and carrying the colors, and chanting up a storm.  Listening to them chant was fun, and a huge pick-me-up to boot.  Anyway, after we had sufficiently recovered from our run, we went to a bagel place in Clarendon to replenish our tanks (because you have to figure that you burn about 1,500 calories in a 12-mile run, which means that, if you're starting out the day by running that much, you're in a serious deficit).  Then, we took a nice 1-hour nap and woke up feeling slightly less sore.  We lazed around for the rest of the afternoon watching TV, and then went to Thunderburger, one of our favorite restaurants, for dinner.  Seriously folks, this place is amazing!  I was skeptical that they would have anything I could eat (being the picky vegetarian that I am haha), but they have an INCREDIBLE falafel burger.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Then, we went home and relaxed some more before meeting up with Dan's friend Goran and his girlfriend Nicole.  We started out at their place and migrated to RFD, and I had a really nice time with them! 

We lazed around a little bit on Sunday morning, since Dan had a later tee time (which, unfortunately, got rained out after he and his friend had already driven all the way out to the course) and I had a later brunch.  I met up with Lauren, Cat and Cat's boyfriend Matthew (who I was meeting for the first time) at Ted's.  As usual, there was a ridiculous wait, but the food always makes it worth it.  And yes, I think I have been there a half-dozen times this summer alone :)  Lauren and I walked back to her place (getting caught in the rain in the process) and lounged for a bit, and then I went home and had yet another lazy Sunday afternoon.  This is starting to become a pattern, and I'm totally okay with it.  I even- gasp!-skipped the gym, which I justified by my 12-mile run on Saturday and the 6-miler that I knew I would do this morning (Side note: last week marked my largest weekly mileage total, 42 MILES!!!). 

I have a really fun week to look forward to this week.  Tomorrow, Dan and I are going to adhere to our new once-weekly cooking rule (which we had to instate because the amount that we were going out to dinner was becoming ridiculous haha).  On Wednesday, due to an early-morning dentist's appointment on Thursday, I am staying with my parents, and we are going to celebrate my dad's birthday (which is actually a week from today).  On Thursday, Dan and I are going to the Nats game, which I can't wait for (I always love a good Nats game, because of 1) the chance to spend time with dan; 2) my love of baseball; 3) my newfound love for Shake Shack milkshakes; and 4) the fact that Cat and Matthew will be there (even thought Cat has been here all summer, we haven't been able to find a time for her and Dan to meet).  We're leaving for Virginia Beach at some point on Saturday, and will be there until Monday.  We're both really hoping to get some beach time in, so we'll see what happens!  Also, next Monday is our 18-month anniversary (I know, I can hardly believe it!), so it will be nice to celebrate that this weekend as well!!!

I hope you all had a lovely weekend!!!

Okay, I've been a bad blogger...

Gulp, sorry for the absence from the blogosphere this week...Things are really getting hectic at work this week (as in, I feel like I haven't left my desk this week, I have been getting in early and have not been taking a lunch), and will probably remain that way until I go on vacation in a few weeks.  And then, in typical me fashion, I have completely booked all of my nights after work, meaning that I am too exhausted when I get home from work to blog.

However, today is a little bit more chill, and is also a fake Friday for me!  I'm taking tomorrow off to recharge (I will most likely spend much of the day by the pool with my mom) and prepare for an early weekend of birthday festivities.  As I mentioned, we are going to a top-secret location tomorrow night for part of Dan's birthday present, and then we are getting together with two of his (and now my) friends on Saturday night, which should be great.  I know that I will come out of this weekend exhausted, so I think that the extra day tomorrow will be just what the doctor ordered.

Anyway, before fast-forwarding to this weekend, I should recap last weekend, since I didn't do my habitual post-weekend update.  On Friday night, Dan and I went to Liberty Tavern, one of our favorite restaurants in Clarendon, and got their insanely delicious Vermont pizza (cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, apple slices and prosciutto; I obviously got the veg version).  Dan really wants to see The Dark Knight Rises in IMAX, but, after we talked about it, we agreed that it would be better for me to watch Batman Begins first, as I have never seen any of the movies and could probably use the backstory.  Luckily, he had DVRed it when it had been on TV earlier on in the week, so I got to have a nice, quality movie night with my guy.  Truly wonderful.  Some of my favorite nights are the ones where we just relax and snuggle up to watch a movie.

On Saturday morning, we got up at 7 (I know, we're both insane) to go running.  Despite the fact that it was misting, it was nice to get outside, particularly because, after an evening storm, it was significantly cooler out.  As I was running along the river and then back into the city and around the Tidal Basin, I was just overwhelmed with gratitude that I get to call this place home.  Since it was so early, there were very few people out along the Tidal Basin, so I had it all to myself.  Once we had showered and changed, Dan and I parted ways for the weekend- he was off on a golfing outing for the day and I was going up to New York to visit my dad's side of the family.

Spending the weekend with the family really was wonderful.  I hadn't seen that side of the family since November, so a reunion was long overdue.  I always enjoy getting to see aunts, uncles, cousins and second cousins, so this time certainly did not disappoint.  Just sitting around talking and enjoying each other's company brough a smile to my face. 

On Sunday, after being in the car for what felt like forever on our way home, I returned home just in time to watch the finale of The Bachelorette.  As I may have mentioned, I am minorly  completely addicted to this show, especially because so many of the guys seem to be great guys.  In the end, even though Emily didn't pick the guy who was my first preference, I was totally won over by Jef and melted when I saw him interact with her daughter.  They really do seem to work well together and seem very in love.  I hope they prove the statistics wrong!  As much as I love the show, I also realize that it is completely unrealistic and ridiculous, so I have stumbled upon several blogs that humorize it a bit.  Lincee over at I Hate Green Beans is a hoot-and-a-half, and I am consistently laughing hysterically when I read her blog. I happened upon Ashley's blog when I was trying to find a picture last night of Ryan's completely effeminate tank top when I was Skyping with Kristin last night, and found it to also be hilarious.  It's nice that people can have fun with it!!!

On Monday morning, I woke up to an esophagus in extreme pain, and that's when it occurred to me that all of the stomach discomfort that I have been experiencing lately may just be acid reflux, which, unfortunately, runs in my family.  I have spent a few days feeling pretty crummy, but I think the medication I started using is finally starting to kick in, so hopefully I'll be in tip-top shape for the weekend!  I am definitely the worst sick person ever, because I try to pretend I'm not sick and go about my exhausting routine as usual.  I'm sure it will catch up to me at some point...

This week has been busybusybusy! On Monday, Dan came over for some stir-fry that I whipped up, and we were able to successfully find some Season 4 episodes of Parks and Recreation.  I would appreciate them putting the season up on Netflix, oh, yesterday.  We managed to have a really nice night, despite the fact that Dan picked up a completely ridiculous ticket on the way to my apartment :( Poor guy.  Last night, I grabbed drinks with Dan's/my friend Lindsay at Donovan House, a really cool place on Thomas Circle. I don't think the bar itself is called Donovan House, but it is located on the pool deck of the Donovan House hotel (interesting concept, but it works).  The view from the rooftop was INREDIBLE, and, as always, I had a great time with Lindsay. We did have to wait about a half-hour for our check, which was annoying, because the employees were both struggling in general and didn't know how to work their new computer system.  Oh well, I still made it home early enough to Skype with Kristin.

I'm so, so excited about this long weekend, and I'm sure I will have many more updates next week!  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend as well!

A Pretty Perfect Weekend

This weekend turned out to be a busy one, but, if this makes any sense, it felt relaxing at the same time!  My boss let us leave work ealry on Friday (yay!) and I used that extra time to peruse the book selection at Kramer's before meeting up with my dear friend/former roommate Colleen for a quick happy hour.  It was so nice to catch up with her, particularly since she had just returned from a trip to the West Coast, and I always enjoy the time I get to spend with her.  After that, I met Dan at home and we went to a Chicago-style pizza place (YUM) and then, deciding that we didn't want to spend the money to go and see 21 Jump Street, we finished watching Invictus, which we had started the night before (it was a great movie, for those of you who haven't seen it!).

On Saturday morning, we went on a nice little run together, only part of which I literally spent gasping for air.  My asthma has definitely been acting up when I have tried to run outside, particularly when running hills, which is frustrating because, while I am completely capable physically of running hills, I must not be breathing correctly when I do so, because it almost always ends in an asthma attack.  Dan was really concerned towards the end of the hill (we ran down Wisconsin and then down and back up Mass, which, for those of you who aren't aware, is a pretty steep hill).  Anyway, we rewarded ourselves after our 6-mile run with some Dynk's Pancakes.  These are a family recipe, named after the family friend who used to make them for us up at the Lake every year, and they are the most delicious Swedish pancakes (they very closely resemble crepes) on the planet, especially with some maple syrup and berries.  We plunked down on the couch in an exhuasted heap while we ate and put a good dent in The Godfather II (which, I have to admit, I like, to Dan's utter astonishment).

On Saturday night, we trekked out to Virginia to celebrate my friend Liz's birthday.  Her roommate threw her a surprise fondue (YUM) birthday party, followed by karaoke in Dupont.  Being that it is still Lent (only a few more days!!!), I had to abstain from the chocolate fondue, but the cheese fondue was delicious!  Liz was very surprised, and it was a good group of people as well.  I was not crazy about the karaoke place (it was small, which allowed us more mic time, but you couldn't really hear the music, or the singers), but it was still a nice time out with friends.

 Belting it out for the birthday girl

 Ann serenades Liz

Loves

On Sunday morning, my dad and I went for a hike on the Billy Goat Trail at Great Falls (MD), and boy, what a fun hike!  There was definitely some good up-and-down, what with all of the rocks, and there was a short portion of the hike when we were climbing up to a cliff.  I thought I would be terrified, but it was actually so much fun!  There were also blue bells for as far as your eye could see, and getting to see the falls at the end made the hike really worth it.  And, as always, it was nice to have some good daddy-daughter time.  We both marveled at the fact that such beautiful scenery and such a nice hike are available to us not far outside the city. 

The rest of my day was a good mix of productivity/laziness.  I went to Palm Sunday Mass before returning home to go to the grocery store and run to CVS.  Then, since it was such a nice day, I decided to go for a run outside, even though I was exhausted.  After that, I dove under my covers and watched Under the Tuscan Sun, which I had had a strange urge to watch all of last week.  Then, I made myself a nice dinner and Skyped with Kristin before hitting the sack early to re-set for this week.

I have lots of fun things to look forward to this week: I am anticipating that Dan and I will watch the National Championship game (men's basketball), I am going to a Red Sox game with my family tomorrow at Nats Stadium, Molly and I are doing a painting happy hour on Wednesday, and then I get Friday off for Good Friday!  Gotta love working for a Catholic school!  We are hanging around here for Easter, so I am looking forward to spending some quality time with friends and family.  I hope everyone had a lovely weekend!!

Yearning for Spring

After an entirely unimpressive winter (seriously DC??? We had MAYBE two dustings of snow the entire winter), I am ready to break out the dresses and retire my riding boots until next fall.  We had some warm days the last few days that caused me to lose the tights (yikes, scandalous!) and trade my boots in for flats.  We'll see if the weather holds...

I have lots of exciting things that are on my radar:

• My birthday is TWO WEEKS from tomorrow!  I don't know what I'm more excited for, getting all of my friends together and going dancing, or breaking Lent and stuffing my face with cake ;)  Or going out dancing/karaoke-ing.

• March Madness!!!!!!!!!! (duh)  Despite a disappointing Hoya loss in the BET yesterday (one of the most worst meltdowns that I have ever had the displeasure of watching), I am cautiously optimistic about our chances in the NCAAs.  Our seniors have really come into their own this year, and both for their sake and my own, I would hate to see them make an early-round exit.  I will be glued to the TV come Sunday to see who the Selection Committee has us playing in the first round!

• I just signed up for my second half-marathon, after having been thwarted in my quest to run the Marine Corps Marathon (who knew that it would sell out in less than three hours? I was planning on waiting a few months to make sure my body would hold up enough to run it, but I guess that was a mistake)!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Dan and I were looking into some other races, and the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach (on September 2nd) caught my eye.  I had heard of it before, but had decided against running it in the past for whatever reason.  This time, I decided that I had to run it!!!!  Think about it, people, live music along the course!  This race was made for me! And, even better, Dan *might* run it with me (maybe I will just get all of his friends to peer pressure him into it haha), and it would be so fun to have a running buddy! What I love most about training for a race is that it gives my runs purpose.  I have (knock on wood) had great runs recently ever since my leg started feeling better, so I'm psyched to start doing long runs again!  We're hoping to run outside tomorrow, so here's hoping the weather holds up!! 

You would never know that the girl who is so gung-ho about races now actively HATED running up until a couple of years ago.  I think that there is definitely something to be said for the power of endorphins, and I feel them much more when I'm running than with any other form of exercise.  I am the type of person who likes to challenge myself physically, so running is perfect for a masochist like me!  I also love the control running gives me over my weight.  Before I started running, my weight definitely yo-yo'ed, but now my it stays a lot more constant (even if I have those occasional cake binges, like the one I will probably be having on my birthday haha).  Because of that, I FEEL so much better all the time, and so much more in control (which, as a control freak, I love).  It is also really motivating, too, that I live in such an active city, so that, when I see other people running outside, it makes me jealous and want to run outside myself (twisted, but it's really such good motivation!).

I hope you all have a lovely weekend!  I hope it's sunny and warm where you all are!