XC Nationals!

 

Sometimes you just get tired of sitting. Perching is the new thing.

 

 

Rachael being smart and stuff. Biology majors.

 

Trouble-makers.

 

Coach drove for a total of 36 hours - 18 to Ohio and 18 back.

 

Pre-race dinner at Olive Garden.

 

Presenting the surprise scrapbooks to Coach and Mary. Sierra did a stellar job putting them together as well as conducting a covert mission to circulate the books around the bus for everyone to sign without either coach noticing. Skill.

 

Traveling to Ohio allowed me to see autumn for the first time ever. Like woah, the trees are red and orange.  0_0

 

Me with the best graduate assistant coach ever :)

 

The fabulous fire ladies - can't wait to see the things God is preparing us for next season!!!

PR in South Carolina & The Halloween Hustle

 

Superwoman and Batwoman, ready to run.

 

Coach brought down the Halloween Hustle tradition from when he coached at Roberts - all runners dress up in the most creative costumes they can think of and keep them on for a hard speed work out.  The funniest part was warming up by running through the middle of campus in costume. People were videotaping the eccentric herd of xc runners as we ran through the dorm courtyard, past the library, past the cafeteria, and down El Prado. I couldn't stop laughing.

 

Last weekend we rode for 6 hours to South Carolina, where we had our team dinner at an Italian restaurant. Hello carbo loading.

 

Team devotions :)

 

 

My shins were absolutely killing me, so I filled up my adidas gym bag with ice from the ice machine and hauled it on over to the bath tub. I decided against melting the ice with my own body heat and ran some warm water to raise the temperature to a cheery 39 degrees. It felt totally hardcore - like I was a pro or something. I freaked out when Rachael went in for her turn because Chels turned on the blow dryer in an attempt to warm up Rachael's shivering upper body - I was like "Electrocution! Have you not seen the warning labels?! Blow dryers and water are not friends!" So yeah, I save lives.

As the title of this blog indicates, I set a PR for this race, cutting my time down from 23:10 to 21:23. I listened to coach's advice and focused on nailing a solid 2 mile and hanging on for dear life during the last mile. During the race I told my mind to shut up about the pain and made my legs keep up with Katye's swishing ponytail. We eventually caught up with Beth and made an intimidating pack before I fell behind them at 2.5 miles. I know I can PR again if I stay with my girls the entire race.

 

Gorgeous course! We made friends with a team from Columbia International University during our cooldown (the girls in the bright yellow tanks). I love how running inspires such a sense of community. That and everyone is much friendlier with endorphins flowing through their bloodstream.

 

Escaping The Midterm Madness

 

That is ambrosia right there. Mind-hyping endorphins in a can for when your essay is due in four hours. The only downside is that it left me so jittery that I kept making spelling typos. Holla spell check. (No mom/dad/concerned relatives, I didn't drink both cans in one sitting.)

 

The really rad thing is that I only have one midterm this week. Uno. My Mass Communications prof moved our exam for next week (which is not even a midterm), so I only have to study for my Christ Culture and University midterm. Total win.

All of my poor freshman friends are doing crazy things like biology and  calculus, and I am just like "journalism major over here, woot woot!" I am already planning on taking the easiest science course available either next semester or my Sophomore year. Now that I am no longer in highschool, there is no way that I am ever taking a science and a math class at the same time again. Ever.

 So yah, everyone else is cramming until their brains fall out while I am like "9 pm bedtime baby!!!" Trust me, I enjoying it while it lasts - my serenity will probably come crashing down around December when finals roll in.

 

Sweet dreams - I am working on decorating my dorm wall with running related posters, inspirational quotes, and Bible verses. I think it would be totally cool to decorate an entire wall with Rave Run photos from my Runners World magazines (RW readers know what I'm talking about). Speaking of RW, I am seriously considering unsubscribing and switching to Running Times magazine. I have read RW for 3 years now, and it seems like they just keep recycling the same stories - not to mention the same cover models. RW was good when I began xc for the first time and ran my first half marathon - now that I am more competitive I think that RT has more to offer. Not to mention that RT is cheaper.....

Sooooo glad my mom convinced me to take the back massage chair thingy to college - it had just been stuffed into a corner back home but is now getting some serious use.

I am totally stoked to announce that I reached a 44 mile total for last week - that is the farthest that I have ever run in a week. My legs, not to mention my entire body, have never felt this powerful and strong before. 

 

 

 

What's Up Weekly Synopsis

 

 

 

My endeared friend's affirmation that I am indeed fabulous totally made my day.

Yes, I bought a 15 oz coffee cup from the bookstore - that's a grande in Starbucks lingo.

 

 

Care package from my family when I was suffering from the worst cold ever - stuffy nose, fatigue, cough, congestion - yes, I know you are dying to read all of the snotty details, but I will refrain. 

 

 

The ever intimidating mid-race face of death.

 

23:54. Disappointed.

 

My best friends - foam rollers and sphere-shaped objects that roll out all the knots in my quads, calves, glutes, back....

 

 

Collegiate Race Recap and a Personality Test

My Tia is an absolute life saver, sending me Starbucks k-cups to brighten my mornings and evening homework sessions. When I asked how I would live without her, she responded with "decaffeinated". Truth. She is that special person in my life who bought me my first Starbucks drink when I was ten years old - salted caramel hot chocolate.  It was love at first sip.

 

 

As you can tell by my face, Friday's xc race was death. Reminscient of the battle scene in Narnia, the race began on a flat grassy plain that gave way to rolling, sandy hills. I covered the first half mile in 3:26 and was feeling pretty good, Bethany and Rachael were right behind me and our rivals had begun to decluster and spread out in front of us. I totally thought that the race would play out like the last one - surge up to a group of girls, stay with them, then pass them and repeat. I clocked a 7:26 for my first milesplit but wasn't too worried, I reasoned that the loose sand slowed me down a bit but that I would gain momentum as the race went on. Nope. The entire course consisted of loose sand and long hills. It was like being stuck in the Matrix, where the sand was draining my energy and fight with every stride. Bethany passed me by the 2nd mile mark, but I had zero oomph to keep up with her. I finished with a time of 24:28, 26th out of 63 girls. I guess it didnt help that I had a cold, which has only worsened since the race.

 

Warning-the following information is probably only interesting to those in my family, as is this entire blog. If you could care less about where my tuition dollars are going and my personality type, you may want to go back to lurking on your friend's profiles on Facebook.

For my Christ, Culture, and University class I took the Myers-Briggs personality test, which was so accurate that I am wondering if scientists have been stalking me since my birth and taking case notes.  The test consists of 93 questions, which ask about your tendencies/preferences in certain situations. Your answers to the questions show whether you lean toward being introverted vs extroverted, intuitive vs sensing, thinking vs feeling, and judging vs perceiving.  

I am classified as an INTJ - introverted, intuitive, thinking, and judging.

According to the book, those with introverted intuition and extraverted thinking:

• "want and need challenge, and they often have a high need for achievement. They have a driving need to be competent, and they often set high standards for themselves."
• "they are always analyzing their actions with an eye to improvement"
• "self-critical"
• "an exceptionally strong need for independence"
• "will power"
• and my personal favorite - "Respect is given to others only on the basis of their competence and understanding, not on the basis of their position. When INTJs are certain of their insights, they will ignore the system and rules."
• "determined"
• "vision oriented"

I think that my family and close friends would agree that I reflect most, if not all, of the above statements. Now I understand myself better.

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

Snapshot of life as a College Freshman

 My day usually begins with my cell phone alarm going off around 6 AM. After that, it is pretty much a blur of cross country work-outs, consuming caffeine, studying, listening/trying not to doze off during class, and accepting my 20 new friend requests on Facebook (slight hyperbole). This post is a simple snapshot of my university life, sprinkled with subtle hints for those of you dying to send me care packages. :)

 

  

My dorm habitat - I am totally into aqua blues and lime greens, not to mention hot pink. The plan is to eventually install a fridge under the microwave.

 

What do I snack on? Green tea, coffee, popcorn, dark chocolate, unsalted almonds/peanuts and Clif bars. Not to mention brown sugar.
Before going to college I could not nap, I had too much energy or would start thinking about my marathon-long list of things to do. Not anymore. At about any time of day, especially after hard cross-country work-outs, I can slide into my bed and pass out for a 20 or 30 minute power nap.

 I chill with the ice tub about four times a week.

 Collegiate sports definitely take a toll on the body, but I don't plan on being sidelined for the season because I wasn't keeping up with injury prevention. My left calf has been driving me CRAZY, so I have been icing every day, elevating my legs when I read or before I go to bed, and I finally ordered a pair of hot pink compression socks for recovery. The last thing I want is shinsplints. Hopefully I can hitch a ride to Walmart soon so I can pick up a foam roller. If you don't know what I am talking about, a foam roller is a wonderful device that loosens up your muscles and rolls out all the knots in your leg muscles. Google it :)

Sometimes I bring the ice with me. Accessorizing like a runner girl. 

 

Now that I have rambled about my running life, time for the next most important element of my existence: eating. I have been devouring fruit, veggies, salad, soup, and wraps like there is no tomorrow, not to mention the amount of water, coffee, and tea that I chug drink everyday. The above pic is an example of what I eat for lunch. The salad bar also has either quinoa, barley, bulgur, or wild rice everyday that I like to mix with my soup or salads.

 

 

Proof that I don't wear running shorts and hoodies to every class. Only to some classes...

 

 I happen to live off of hot pink and light blue post-its notes - they are like pieces of my mind that I can post all over my planner and laptop so I don't forget any of the million events/essays/assignments/social gatherings that come my way. I just dislike the yellow and orange post-its....they come off as so demanding.

For those of you nerds/creepers wondering what classes & activities I am involved in, here is a quick run-down:

I am currently taking a 15 credit course load and was able to knock out 30 credits worth of general education requirements thanks to the AP classes that I slaved under in high school.

My classes include: Intro to Mass Communications, Liberal Arts Math I (the easiest math course available), Intro to Radio, Intro to Psychology, and my Honors course (Christ Culture & University).

I am currently working on an article for my university's newspaper profiling the stellar cross country team, and hope to become involved with the television program. My mornings and/or afternoons are pretty much devoted to running.

 

 

 

Dorm Day!!

After a four hour drive infused with anticipation I finally arrived at my university!
It took me and my Texan roomie a few hours to set up and such, but I am pleased with the results. The most depressing part of the day was plopping down $155 for my Liberal Arts Math packet. And maybe seeing my parents cry as they hugged me goodbye, but that was more bittersweet.

I thought I would feel competitive of those around me and would spend my hours fighting not to compare myself to others - nope. It is like a big burden has rolled off my back and I simply appreciate people for who they are and dont care for comparing my height, clothes, weight, or hair to theirs anymore. It's just like, whatever, I have been meeting and talking to random people and am constantly smiling simply because I am happy to be where I feel like my gifts and talents can be nurtured and implemented. Like my university's president said, God expecially created you with a Divine Design that no one else can quite match.
This post is a bit ramblesome but that reflects the activity of the next few days as I settle in. :)

Runner Girl Tips

Some of the things I learned about running while in highschool had to do with experiences that happened outside of the track.

Take care of your gear. AVOID putting your dry-wick running apparel into the dryer; the heat can set gross odors into the fabric and damage the elasticity of sports bras. Just throw your gear into the wash on cold and hang it out for a few hours to dry.

Run inspired. Some people are motivated to move with music, I find motivation to complete my core workouts and blog entries by painting my nails with bright polish.

Visualize. When my quads are burning during Spinning class I imagine myself competing in the Kona Hawaii Ironman race, pushing me to pedal faster. Visualizing my goals gives me that extra oomph in training for competition.

Get creative. During my senior year of high school I painted my experiences as a female runner for my AP concentration. Painting, journaling, or playing an instrument help relieve stress.

Show your pride. Confession: I am proud to be a runner, and am absolutely psyched whenever someone new to the sport joins in.

Get crafty. This goes into the same category as creativity. I made this magazine holder for my Runners World magazines and running logs from the cardboard box that my racing flats were mailed in.

Stay hydrated. In highschool I was the girl who had a waterbottle on her desk or in her gym bag for every class - nothing has changed in college.

Ecclesiastes 4:9 "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil."

Kiss my Kicks. It is super important to find a shoe that your feet love. A well-fitted shoe can go a long way in keeping you un-injured and happy during your runs. Personally, my favorite pair of sneakers are Saucony's Progrid Guide 4. I actually bought 3 pairs of these shoes in a row after one would wear out (two of them are featured in the photo above). 

Beat Blisters. A pair of dry wick running socks can help keep your feet dry and blister free. I remember wearing cotton socks during a rainy 5 mile run during cross-country practice that left me limping afterwards from unforgiving blisters.

Key Lime Pie in Key Largo

Went snorkeling, ate food.  Too tired to write anything creative.

The customer service was incredibly welcoming. 

Although Tim ordered one of the spicest selections on the menu he still added hot sauce.

Mahi Mahi burger with sweet potato fries before consumption.

After consumption.


 

Homemade Key Lime pie in Key Largo - the best dessert I have ever tasted.

 Didn't comb my hair for the 24 hours preceeding this photo - livin' up the beachy waves.

That post-snorkel glow.