The Perfect 10

Happy Sunday! These last few weeks of summer are absolutely flying by! We wrapped up our last day of freshman volleyball camp yesterday, and I'm getting really excited about this upcoming season. It's always fun to see what I'm going to have to work with, and just like my first two years, I think I'm going to have a really great group. Go Cards! I got home around 3:00 yesterday afternoon, and spent a majority of the rest of the day reading, getting a foot massage, and walking the pup until he couldn't walk anymore. A tired puppy is a happy puppy, right? So, I wasn't super productive yesterday, and I'm hoping to pick up the slack a bit today. But first, Survey Sunday!

1. Is there a sport you'd love to try, but haven't yet? What is it and why?

TENNIS! Okay, I've tried tennis, but I've never had any formal instruction with the sport, and I would love to really learn. I feel as though it's a sport that can be played for many, many years, and I have a tennis court in the middle of my neighborhood that I would love to put to good use. Additionally, I have been so inspired by the Olympic divers that I wish I had grown up learning how to flip and twist off of a 3-meter board.

(Source)

2. Where did you go on your last holiday?

Argentina. Blog posts to come - I promise! It's on my "Last Week of Freedom" To-Do List.

3. Who inspires you the most?

Oh man, I love this question. There are so many people who inspire me. My parents, and the way they have raised and endlessly supported two great (in my opinion) kids while working full-time and still finding time for the things that they enjoy. The people I work with, and the way that they never settle for anything less than the very best for their students. Athletes, and the things they sacrifice to be the very best they can be. So many "ordinary" people inspire me each and every day, and these people push me to become better than I was yesterday.

4. Why do you blog?

I believe I've answered this question a couple of times, and I feel like it changes a little bit each time. I blog for many reasons. One, because I truly love writing. I've always loved writing, ever since I was a little kid. And I have a passion for health and fitness that, after reading so many other health and fitness blogs, I wanted to share with others. And while this blog has transformed from being solely workout- and recipe-focused to being more of an online diary of my life, I love to think that what I have to say can impact just one person on any given day. I hope to bring excitement to something that people typically see as a chore, and most of all, it's my own creative outlet. I enjoy it, and apparently people enjoy reading it, so I'll keep on keepin' on!

5. What's number one on your bucket list?

I've got quite the bucket list. And I know how lucky I am to have already been able to cross so many items off of my bucket list. But a couple of the major items on my list are qualifying for the Boston Marathon and visiting every state in the United States, as well as visiting every one of the seven continents. So far, I've hit three. But running and traveling are two of my very favorite things, so I'm sure it comes as no surprise that those two categories are what top my ultimate to-do list. 

6. What's your happiest memory?

The day I brought Mack home has to be right up there as one of the happiest days of my life. This little puppy has changed my life for the better, and I cherish every single moment I get to spend with him. He makes me life exponentially more chaotic, but he is such a tangible example of unconditional love. And I wouldn't trade our three-times-a-day walks for anything in the world. He might. But I sure wouldn't.

7. If you could be someone else for a day, who would you be?

What a question! Right now, because we are less than TWO WEEKS away from the start of the 2016 Olympics (if you haven't noticed yet, I'm obsessed with the Olympics), I would probably want to live the life of an Olympic athlete, just to experience what a day of training (and eating) looks like in their shoes. I love a challenge, and I love being pushed to the limit, and I feel as though this be extremely eye-opening. Either that, or I would love to spend a day being Mack. I so wish I knew what he does while I'm gone. 

8. Road or trail?

ROAD, 110%. Okay, this isn't really fair. I have only had one experience with a trail race, and it was 13 miles in Texas in the middle of July. And that combination just doesn't add up. But because road races are what is going to get me to Boston, and road is far more prevalent near where I live, I'll take pavement any day of the week. 

9. What's your dream job?

To be honest, and I have said this before, I've got my dream job. I love working with high school-aged students, and I truly love getting up and going to work each day. As I say this, I'm currently stressing about the fact that inservice begins in just about two weeks, but I think it's just the anticipation of everything starting up and going full speed ahead again. Once I'm in it, I love it. If I wasn't teaching, I would probably want to do something either in the fitness world, or I would love to open up my own bakery. 

10. What was your favorite race or event?

I loved the Chevron Houston Marathon, in which I participated January 2016. I loved the Aramco Houston Half Marathon as well, and I look forward to my second go around in 2017. The Austin half will forever hold a special place in my heart, as it was my first, and the one I've completed the highest number of times. And though the hills were killer, San Francisco will certainly be a race to remember. I guess I didn't do such a great job of answering this question!

Finishing my FIRST full marathon!

And that's all I've got. I've got 6 miles and lots of errands on my to-do list today, so I'm off to conquer them all. Have a fabulous and restful Sunday!