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.

Midnight In Paris

"Art is merely an antidote for the emptiness and meaningless of the world". Woody Allen must have had this quote hanging above his desk as he wrote the script for Midnight in Paris, a superficial examination of love and art made humorous by the neurotic main character's awkwardness.

The basic premise of the film involves a young engaged couple, Gil and Inez, who travel to Paris with Inez's parents. Inez is materialistic, and accepts Gil only because he is a successful Hollywood screenwriter. Gil, although successful, is not satisfied. An aspiring novelist, he hopes that the cobblestone paved streets of Paris will divulge the inspiration of men who once strolled it's avenues - men such as Hemingway and T.S. Eliot.

Walking the streets in creative angst one night, a clock tower strikes midnight (how original).  A vintage peugeot rattles by, filled with Parisian partiers who invite Gil to accompany them. Suddenly, Gil finds himself not in modern day Paris, but the Paris of the 1920s- one filled with flappers, swanky all-night parties, and classic writers.  And, of course an attractive mademoiselle named Adriana.

As Gil wanders throughout Paris during the daytime with Inez and during the night with Adrianna, he stumbles upon numerous writers and artists such as Picasso, Henri Matisse, Gertrude Stein, and T.S. Eliot. It is while talking to Adriana that Gil realizes how unsatisfying life is when one dwells on past "golden times", and resolves to live his present moments to the fullest - the only redeeming resolution made in the film.

When one looks through the glass goblets of wine and beyond the immortalized Eiffel tower, the questions presented the film are still sitting in the stars - What is beauty? The purpose of art? Love? Woody Allen, an Atheist, offers no answers, but reflects the depressing view of the "lost generation" described in Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises. His main character, Gil, is left to search for meaning in a meaningless world.

While watching this film during my AP Literature class, I came to fully believe that there are two uncompromising and opposing worldviews in this world.
On one side, we are animals that started out as primitive beings who have improved through time and civilization. You only live once, and there is no need or cause for redemption.
On the other side, we are created in the image of God and started out as human beings graced by personality and intelligence. However, we currently are degraded and possess a fallen nature. We are in need of redemption. With these two views on the sidelines, it is much easier to analyze literature and film while recognizing the roots of their author's worldview.

The Runner Girl's Ride

19 mpg, clear headlights, and a five star safety rating. Not too bad.
My parents are graciously allowing me to take over our old family van. Last week I shook out the floor mats, wiped down the inside, and washed the exterior. This week I added a touch of my own personality with bumper stickers.

If you honk at me, I will simply assume that you are a fellow runner.

Finally replaced my goggles, hope that these don't leak! Today's test trial run was sponsored by New Balance, who offered freebie towels and chapstick. WIN!

Freebie running tank from my local running store



The Perils and Pride of a Little Brother

Tim, consider this your belated birthday post.

Cups disappearing? You will probably find them scattered on my brother's desk with various amounts of stagnant liquid in them. Stepping on small round objects that hurt your feet? Probably airsoft or BB pellets.
Lift a cup of water up to drink only to see a broken thermometer seeping mercury onto the crushed ice? Someone was curious to see if the temperature displayed on the icebox was telling the truth. (Don't worry, no mercury was consumed).
Despite these close encounters, Tim is an excitable, enthusiastic, and loving sibling. The longest he has been mad at Tina and I is 20 minutes. He is the person to call if a lightbulb needs to be changed, the television needs to be turned on, or if the toilet is making weird noises.
Tim, I am sure that God has big plans for you in the future. Now, can you please turn on the t.v. for What Not To Wear? I can't figure out the enigmatic remote controls....

Legit member of the Fire family

I finally signed and sent my letter of intent to run for SouthEastern University, making me part of the Fire family. 
Before I signed, Coach called me on Tuesday night to talk about my past experience and to gauge how serious I was about running for the fire - I was absolutely stoked. Before we ended the conversation, he threw in an offer that jolted me like an unexpected pothole in the middle of a race. "I know that it isn't much, but I would like to offer you $500 on behalf of SEU for running on the cross-country team". My jaw almost slammed to the ground. After being deflated on Senior Awards night, I thought that the rewards that I reap from running would just involve endorphins.  I must of stuttered my appreciation in about a hundred different ways before hanging up.
After that phone call, I was on fire - I spent the better part of the evening transferring my logs onto the computer to send to Coach as well as my racing stats. Coach's biggest mistake was saying that I could email or text him at any time if I had questions - I have spent the past two days blowing up his phone and inbox.
I am extremely glad to have a sense of direction now - Coach told me to lay off tempo and interval running and to focus on increasing my mileage. Last week I ran 20.56 miles, so if I increase my mileage by 10% each week, I should be in good shape by the fall.
Summer = 11 weeks = increase mileage by 10% each week = 40 miles per week by the fall

In other news, I have added a College page to my prayer journal - where I am basically begging for miracles. My biggest request is to graduate from SEU without debt. My impending request is for my future roommate - I find out who she is tomorrow! I also am praying for my Coach, who is moving down to FL in July but has yet to find a house.
Another one of my prayers is that all of those around me - my Coaches, professors, peers, and teammates, will find in me a cause for joy.

The LORD will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them.      Deuteronomy 28:12

 

Wake up call

Tempo Run
.62 mile warm
3 miles, 24:49 (8:06) (8:33) (8:10)
.75 mile cool


After watching college cross-country races on Youtube, I have come to the conclusion that in order to place in the top ten for smaller meets (think 120 runners) you need to race in the 18 minute zone. To place between 10 and 30 you need to clock within the 19 minute zone. To place between 30 and 50 you need to be in the 20 minute zone. After that, you can fall anywhere between 60 and last place.
 At my current level of fitness, I would probably be bringing up the rear in a collegiate race. This is definitely a wake up call for me. If I can whittle down my time to 22 minutes by the fall, then I will be alright. If I eventually get to the 21 and 20 zone, then I can place higher. If I dig deep and find a miracle, I can break the 20 zone.

I have never been in a situation where I have allowed myself to go all out, to dig deep mentally and physically. I was a decent runner in highschool, placing between 10 and 20 something out of 70 in meets, but I just didn't dig. Was it the fact that the team was in a state of reconstruction? That my work-outs weren't long or challenging enough? I have a few theories, but I know that I enjoyed serving as the Captain for my team, watching the confidence of my teammates grow as they passed new milestones. I remember one Freshman runner who was estatic when she ran her first full mile without stopping. Another runner who had never imagined that she could run from our school to the beach and back, but found herself running the route on a weekly basis. When I become discouraged over my times, I remind myself why I run - to help others improve, to inspire others, to be a source of encouragement, and to experience a certain kind of freedom that only comes with running shorts and sneakers.

Running reminds me of my full dependence on God and causes me to thank Him for the mere ability to run. I am blessed to be have been born in a family that can afford things I take for granted such as running sneakers. I am blessed to be born in a society that doesn't forbid women from basic freedoms such as lacing up their sneakers and heading out the door. And although I may have questioned it at times, I have been blessed by going to a high school that doesn't have a windfall of funding or a well-oiled running program. Because of it, I avoid looking down on others and have learned the importance of humility in leadership.

Romans 12:7-8

"If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly."

Beat the Heat

Progression Run
7.46 miles, 1:17
mile warm-up (10:18)
5*1 mile with 2:50 minute recovery in between (9:25) (9:01) (8:11) (7:43) (7:39)
cooldown

As I began my run around 6 in the morning, I spotted four or five bunnies chilling on someone's front lawn, hopping around like their presence was of no one's concern.
During my recovery time after mile 3, I tried one of the chocolate gels that I received at the Saucony Spring Training run. No bueno. The warm pudding-like liquid made me want to throw up. Gels are definintely not for me - I prefer consuming solids such as sports beans when my body needs to refuel during a run.

I have no idea how people consume these while running marathons...I would barf everywhere

This heat is baking my brains - please excuse the brief post

Went for a run with my friend Madison, who just so happens to be the Captain of her school's soccer team. It is way more motivating to run with someone else beside me, myself, and I.
In the afternoon, I went over to the beach with Tina and Erin and was able to cover a few more miles. The heat is seriously affecting my splits as well as my overrall energy levels - I need to start waking up early for my work-outs to save my remaining brain matter from being fried in the heat and humidity.

2.4 miles, 28:19
(9:22)(14:22)

2.03 miles, 19:22
(9:44)(9:16)



Blueberry Crisp that I baked for dessert - used whole wheat all purpose flour, old fashioned oats, smart balance butter, brown sugar, and fresh blueberries.  My family devoured the entire dish in a matter of minutes.

My Final Day of Highschool

My last day as a Bulldog was pretty stellar. I only had to stay for two hours for my finals, and when I checked Pinnacle afterwards my exam grades were as follows: A, A, A, A, A, C+, A. Math is obviously my achilles heel.
 I practically ran out of the school once the Principal came over the loudspeaker, announcing that all seniors had to leave campus immediately. My sister, who is a freshman, told me that they caught a senior still on campus during A lunch and forcibly removed his presence.
After going home, clearing out my worn-out school bag, and grocery shopping for my mom, I drove Crystal, Tina, Cat, and Karen over to the beach to meet Madison for a run.

The heat took it's toll on us, leading to many walking breaks and slower splits, but it was great to run with a group. Our moving mob caught some attention from beach goers - one guy cheered for us, "To *** with the boys! Keep moving girls!" Talk about stellar crowd support.

3.4 miles, 44:05 minutes
(11:40) (13:03) (15:42)

Saucony Spring Run

This Saturday has been pretty sweet - I went on a group training run with a local running store and was able to run faster longer than I would if I ran on my own. Saucony also sent a representative down to offer runners an opportunity to test out their kicks. An avid fan of the Progrid Guide 4 series (you can read the full soliloquy of my passion for these shoes here) I decided to test out the Guide 5. The upgrade was lighter than the 4 but had more cushioning. As a taller athlete, I love sneakers that give me a sense of stability and comfort - You won't see me donning minimalist slip-ons unless I am running on the beach's shoreline. My only complaint regarding my experience was that the test trial Guide 5 had normal laces, making the fit less glove-like and causing the inside arch of my right foot to become blistered.  With my Saucony's I have Yankz laces that give my sneaker's a glove-like fit, allowing them to hug the sides of my narrow feet.
For speed work the Saucony rep recommended the Kinvara, at 6.7 ounces it retains a sense of support and has the same Progrid cushioning that I love so much in my Guide 4's.

6.79 miles, 1 hour
(8:50) (8:16) (8:39) (8:50) (9:14) (8:44)
I need to start out slower at the beginning of my runs so that I can finish strong. Negative splits should be my main goal in every run.

Some of the freebies I received at the training run: a sneaker key chain (so cute!), gels, a sticker, and a Saucony bag. My mom also bought me a post-run powder that you mix with water to speed muscle recovery.

I am currently praying that God will give me direction concerning competing in cross-country for college. I know that it will be hard work and that I will have a challenging schedule, but I want that sense of camaraderie and competition. Cross-country would enable me to learn the running routes in my new environment while training with a team. I have already applied for consideration, now I just need to wait, run, and pray.

Savor Summer

 As Summer approaches, I have to start waking up at the crack of dawn for my runs. Here are some reasons why:
8 AM-5 PM = Hades.
6 PM - all night long = Gnats.
4 AM - 7 AM = Calm.

9 AM - 10 AM
4 by 1 mile repeats with a 2:40 minute recovery in between
Splits: (7:06) (7:39) (7:54) (7:48)

The mantra "savor the pain, savor the fight" was running through my head during the last split when I thought I was going to pass out from heat stroke. This pain-embracing motto reminds me of the training method I need in order to compete. There will always be a fight between my mind and my body when I push out of my comfort zone. My body sometimes cries and screams for me to stop while my inner being tells to to keep going, to go faster, to take down one more mile. You can only listen to your body so much when you train competitively - listen too much and you will not see improvement.
However, it also holds true that if you ignore your body, you will eventually crash and burn. There is a difference between sore, excusable pain and sharp, injury-induced pain. It just takes time and experience to tell the difference.
I also have to keep in mind that I am young - I am able to accomplish things that will be genetically more difficult for me to achieve when I am older. It is best to savor the rest of my todays so that in the future I will be stronger from my yesterdays.

As summer approaches with the hope of college in the distance, I have an opportunity to break my self-inflicted barriers - the excuses that keep me from giving my all in everything that I do.
I am not too tall/short/skinny/fat to surpass my goals. Sometimes I pass runs because it is too hot/windy/humid. A little planning can fix that. I simply need to destroy the word "too" and my excuses crumble to the ground like dust.

The source of this profound post can be traced to the fact that:

1. I earned my drivers license today, and am feeling more responsbile/independent.
2. SEU is starting a cross-country team in the fall, and I have contacted the athletic director and sent the athletic eligibility form, making me more critical of my times and excited about the prospect of competitively running in college.

The work-out doesn't end with the run - injury prevention, core conditioning, and strength sculpting sessions will keep you on the road longer.

Senior Awards Night and Photo Fright

The lighting in my highschool's auditorium isn't fantastic, just warning you. Thanks to my Dad for the photos though - he braved not so great lighting, an unfamiliar camera, and some jostling around to get them.

Scholar Athletes
Sports represented from left to right: cross-country & track, softball, football, volleyball, swimming & waterpolo

Me with the Principal



small PL8's and a big date

You can probably guess what major date I am recapping - Mother's Day. I celebrated the hard work of my Tias and Mommy by eating dinner with them at a small restaurant in Ft. Lauderdale known as PL8, where you basically order a bunch of appetizers and share it with your peeps. Perfect for when eating out with friends or in my case, the female side of my family.

Macaroni and cheese topped with fried bacon. What is shared can't kill you, right?

Garlic bread drizzled with balsamic viniagrette

Sweet potato and almond hash - I ate almost the entire plate

My Abuela, Me, and my cousin Erin

Post-dinner at my Abuela's

Prom 2012 Recap

After enduring peer pressure, beration, and even pleading from certain sources, I acquiesed to attend Prom. It took a Grande Caramel Machiato (nonfat milk, no whip, double shot of espresso), a packet of milk chocolate caramel brulee pieces, and two Pina Coladas (non-alchoholic) to keep me alive past my established bedtime.



For dinner at Prom they had buffet tables strewn with corn dogs, sushi, mashed potatoes, pasta, bread, strawberries dipped in chocolate, and assorted mini desserts, but the coffee had taken away my appetite (it contained about 11 grams of protein).

I spent my time shrieking at how beautiful my friends appeared, hugging everyone whose name I knew, and occasionally dancing. I learned that when all else fails, just move your hips.

I woke up around 7:30 AM with aching feet, blisters on my ankles, and a song by Shakira playing in my head.  There is no way that I am slipping on heels again for the next ten days.



Who needs bracelets when you can just wear flowers? Thanks goes to my cross-country and track friend Danny for the corsage.

Another PR Bites the Dust

Today I finally broke the 24 minute barrier, running a 23:45 5k and placing 2nd woman overall, 8th for the entire field. Dad also set a new PR, cutting down his time from 37:22 to 33:01. Yes, that one second is bothering him.

We parked about a mile away from the starting line, which allowed us to warm-up and cool-down while soaking in the torrents of rain and wind.

Yet another post-race photo of me basking in my temporal achievement.

Tina and I picked out dad's new running tank when he was trying on running sneakers. We figured it would be good motivation for him to keep working out with weights. That and it was pretty cheap for a Nike running shirt.

What's Beautiful Triathlon Challenge, Day One

I totally killed my tempo run today (which is a good thing). I was originally planning on running four miles, but decided to tack on an extra mile and a half.  Talk about a motivated Monday.

For today's What's Beautiful Drive Challenge, I had to post a picture of a body part that would be my biggest ally in this competition. Naturally, I choose my legs. I've been pounding out mile repeats and completing countless lunges for over seven years now, and am as proud of my legs as a mother is of her newborn child.

TOTAL: 5.56 miles, 52 minutes
Warm-up: .29 mi, 2:21 min.
Mile Splits: (8:13)(8:15)(8:09)(8:01) NEGATIVE SPLITS!!!!!
Recovery Jog (after each mile split, 3 min): .17/ .19/ .18/ .26
Cooldown: .47 mi, 5:33 min

5 Mile Trail Run

Inspired by the trail running special that Runners WORLD magazine sent me, I begged and pleaded and hassled my family into driving 20 minutes away from our house to a park that has hills and trails.
This park was once an old landfill, but the city cleaned it up, planted grass, built bathrooms and playgrounds, and established trails for runners, cyclists, and horse-riders. It has more hills than other parks in South Florida, thanks to it's history.

5.18 miles, 57 minutes
Mile splits: (10:01) (9:20) (10:30) (10:43) (14:04) Guess when I took a prolonged walking break...

Afterwards I did 100 diagonal lunges (25 per direction) My hamstring and quads hate me.

Source of inspiration. Please excuse the chipped nail polish, I was too busy saving the world to notice.

Districts: Triple PR!!!

I am super-grateful to announce that, at Districts, I set THREE NEW PERSONAL RECORDS!
I couldn't have asked for a better way to end my seventh year of track.
 Last year I ended up dropping to the ground due to heat exhaustion once they did the second call for the 1600 meter race. I had tried staying loose for 8 hours in hot weather (low to mid 80's Fahrenheit) and suffered from cramps, dizziness, and a general feeling of turdiness.  I remember a coach from another team seeing me crumpled against the fence and walking me over to the trainer's tent, where I was iced for a good 40 minutes or so and given Gatorade and Sunchips to rehydrate.
Thankfully it was more cloudy this year, but I still took precautions to make sure that I would not burn my energy too early.
After running the 4*8 relay, where I earned 2:59 for my 800, I completed a 10 minute cooldown jog and dropped onto my mat for a 30 minute power nap.
After the nap, I went for a quick jog, munched on orange slices and granola bars, and visited the bathroom about fifteen hundred times.
This meet went way slower than last year, saying that I ran the 1600 around 9 PM and the 3200 at 11 PM. Thankfully my fantastic Mom and Tina brought me coffee an hour before the 1600, I don't think that I would have survived without the caffeine.
The cool thing was that for all of my races, even though my body was giving 100%, it didn't hurt as much as I imagined it would. For the 1600 meter race I stayed with a group of girls and fixed my eyes on their ponytails, vowing not to let them surge ahead of me. I tailed them until they began to tire out from the extra speed that you put out when someone is breathing down your neck, and then I surged ahead of them and focused on keeping a hard pace. I was so focused on staying ahead of the other girls that the four laps flew by.
During the 3200 there was one girl who was right behind me during the first three laps, but I keep a strong pace as she slowly faded farther behind me. Just the thought of her summoning a kick from somewhere deep inside and passing me (which has happened before) motivated me to sprint the final 300 meters to the finish line like a madwoman.
My seven years in track have taught me that it is better to follow packs, allow them to break the headwind, and surge ahead of them for the final 800 meters, letting out every ounce of kick within you.
The meet finished around 12:15 AM, and we didn't arrive home until 1 AM, so studying was out of the question. I walked straight to the shower, washed off the sweat that I had accumulated over the past 19 hours since I had last showered, and rolled underneath my comforter. I was completely comatose and didn't wake up until 7:16 AM. School today? No thank-you.

SENIOR SEASON PERSONAL RECORDS:
800 meters - 2:59
1600 meters -
3200 meters -

will publish times once they are posted on the official athletic association site

Sandstorm 800's

Pre-run lunch: egg fried in extra virgin olive oil, rice mixed with red beans and diced sweet potatoes, topped with mango, tomato, and onion salsa.
Thanks to the influence of Sarah Stanley I have chosen to cut out processed foods, such as bread, crackers, chips and cereal, and as a result I feel healthier and faster than ever. Instead of eating a sandwich and chips for lunch, I pack left-over dinner such as rice or pasta, bean soup, and salad. I have also been eating a ton of vegetables, especially carrots.

Mom added some bright yellow flowers as an eye-catching backdrop for our front-yard's landscaping, effectively making my family look like Baltimore Ravens fans.  My apologies to the Miami Dolphins, but we couldn't find any teal flowers.  

 

Me and Tina getting ready for our beach run. I wasn't wearing the most flattering/best fitting work-out attire in the world, but Tina made up for it with the tank and shorts that I gave her (Lady Foot Locker: Adidas tank and Nike shorts). The 20 mph winds made my 3.96 mile run feel like a 5 mile uphill run, and running next to the beach also added the effect of romping through a sandstorm, with the wind whipping hard grains of sand against any exposed parts of your body.

RUN
 2 minute warm-up
4*800 meters (3:35, 3:51, 4:11, 4:05)
l:30 recovery jog in between
1.22 mile cooldown (first half jogging, other half walking with Tina)

TOTAL: 3.96 miles, 40:44

My 800 meter times were a bit slower due to the wind that seemed to be trying to push me to the ground while blasting me with sand, but it was still a pretty run. Sandy, but scenic.

After running I was dying for some fresh fruit, so I decided to try the papaya that my mom bought from Bravo's. The flesh of the papaya scooped out as smoothly as ice-cream, and all I had to do was scoop the fruit into the blender with some ice and my smoothie was done.

Despite the post-run smoothie my sister continued her special ritual of finishing every snack with a bowl of cereal. I should buy her a box of Special K chocolate cereal for Christmas next year.  

Tina and I catching up with The Voice while chilling on exercise mats, followed by Fashion Star. We are usually too busy to watch television every day, so we have a lazy day every week where we plop down and watch enough t.v. to fill in the required amount of time needed to run a marathon. Which, if you are a killer runner like Lauren Fleshman, is approximately 2 hours and 37 minutes.

Prom Heels. Check.

I finally found a pair of heels that match my dress for Prom!

Two and a half inch heel

My mom and I drove over to the mall to hunt for my Prom heels, which I found about twenty seconds after walking into Dillards. They match my dress, were on sale, and are formal enough to be reworn for other occassions. Win!
I find it humorous that the mall that is closest to my house is ranked as America's no.2 most-visited shopping mall, yet I have a hard time finding shoes that I like there. For shoe-shopping, it's better to roll on to the other mall that has a Dillards. (Also, the higher a mall ranks in the eyes of shoppers, the more expensive stuff is. But really.)