Why I Run

Happy Monday! I don't know about you guys, but I am absolutely exhausted. I woke up at 4:40am so that I could get in a swim before school, because finding a lane at the MAC on a weekday afternoon is almost impossible. So obviously my morning started out on the earlier side. I got to school around 6:45am and I didn't stop moving until 11:45am. I, along with two other English I teachers, administered a Mock STAAR to our students, and though we had already spent a significant amount of time setting up tables for our 200ish students, this morning was a nonstop whirlwind of setting up dividers, gathering dictionaries and thesauri, and getting kids signed in and situated. Once they had actually begun the test, we had to walk around and keep the students on task, pass dictionaries and thesauri from one student to the other, and basically cater to their every need. They aren't allowed to leave their seats without permission, so even if they needed a tissue, we had to go to them. I got my exercise, that is for sure! And shout out to my mom for coming up to help administer the exam. You know she loved being back at her alma mater! 

Cardinals

I have not yet graded any of their exams, but in just walking around I was so proud of the way they behaved during the exam. They appeared to be taking it seriously, utilizing strategies we had discussed in class, and I have high hopes for their scores. I hope it gave them a little bit of confidence in the way they will perform on the actual STAAR exam, but all I know is that simply administering the exam wore me out, so I can only imagine how they must have felt after taking it. Which is why my afternoon classes had movie day. Teacher of the Year, am I right? Hey, it was a well-deserved movie.

Why I Run

Ever since my freshman year of college, when I was no longer playing volleyball and needed something to keep me in shape, I have been running. That is no secret, and though there have been months of ... less mileage ... I have stayed pretty consistent with it. I ran at least one half marathon each year of college, and I am constantly looking for new marathons to cross off my list (typically a destination race, if I'm being honest).

Nike Women's Marathon 2013

While perusing Pinterest (this has become an all-too-common phrase on the blog these days), I have come across different mantras describing why people run. I have read a couple of articles that highlight different reasons people run, and I wanted to join in on the fun. With another half marathon coming up, today seemed like the perfect time to do just that!

1. Running started out as something to do so that I wouldn't gain that freshman 15. And believe me, I was terrified of that phenomenon. And while it is certainly a great way to stay slim, quite frankly, distance training can often make you gain weight. But I run because it makes me feel good. No matter the distance, there's no better feeling than the one that follows a run. But I won't lie, I do love how it makes my legs look.

2. I love running for the fact that it can be done absolutely anywhere. For someone who loves both traveling and exercise, running is the best of both worlds. It doesn't matter if the place I'm staying has a gym, because running is always an option. And what's better is that running in a new city can help you to discover some of the city's most hidden gems. Sometimes, getting lost can be a good thing.

Running our way through Barcelona

3. Running has given me a no-excuses mental toughness. It's 36 degrees with a drizzle in the air? (Yes, I realize to some of you Northerners, that's nothing.) Those miles aren't going to log themselves. You've already run 12 hilly miles through the streets of Austin? Here's one more for good measure. If I can do that, I can do anything.

Miracle Mile, anyone?

4. I am not a yoga person. Nor will I probably ever be a yoga person. And it's not because I don't love a good stretch, rather, my mind is often moving much faster than my body. I'm not much of a meditative person, but I am a thinker, and running gives me that much-needed time to think. As someone who has to be "on" all day, those 45 minutes I spend running help me to escape everything else I've had to deal with that day and just go.

5. Building off of that, running is cheaper than therapy. It releases frustration, stress, fear, anger, insecurity, and makes me feel confident, secure, strong, and fearless. And though running may be cheaper than therapy, it's still up in the air as to whether race fees are.

But it all evens out when you get a Tiffany necklace at the end, right?

6. I love the running community. I love meeting and chatting with new people at the starting line of races, making an instant connection because we realize that we're all a little bit (or a lot) crazy.

7. Running gives me energy. Call me crazy, but I love waking up at 4:45 in the morning to get in a run before school. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, I go to school with more energy than I would have if I had slept in that extra hour. I feel focused and productive and ready to conquer the world (or at least my to-do list).

8. Ever since I can remember I've been a competitive person. I won't lie, I'm still a little bit bitter over the loss to Cinco Ranch my senior year that would have sent us to state. Even when I play pick-up volleyball with my friends, I still find myself playing competitively. Running is no exception. Not every run is going to be a PR, but I love pushing myself to the limit and realizing that some days are going to be tougher than others. Which is very true of life, as well.

9. I run because I can. I take my health for granted each and every day of my life. But every day I should be thanking God that I have two healthy legs that allow me to conquer these crazy miles. Heck, I should be thankful they allow me to run even one mile! There are so many people who can't run, for whatever reason, and not taking advantage of this incredible gift He has given me would almost be a crime.

One of my favorite running views

10. Most of all, running brings me joy. In a way that I can't seem to put into words. I think Holden Caulfield, the main character in one of my all-time favorite books, Catcher in the Rye, said it best when he said, "I don't even know what I was running for - I guess I just felt like it." Because sometimes I don't know why I'm running, but I'm in in for the long run.

Insert "running"

Were you inspired to lace up your running shoes? Or do you just think I'm a little more crazy than you thought I was before? Regardless, enjoy the rest of your Monday!

Random Survey

I’ve been a bad blogger. I didn’t post a Things I’m Loving Friday Post, and though I had all the time in the world yesterday, I didn’t post yesterday, either. I can’t say that I did much yesterday, and I also can’t say that was a bad thing. This entire week I’ve felt extra tired, so it was nice to just lounge around for the majority of the day. But I didn’t lounge around all day. I did go for a 7.1 mile run around my neighborhood, and I also picked up my car from the shop, that thankfully didn’t have any major issues.

It was a real welcome into the year of 23 when my check engine oil light lit up on my way to school Friday morning, but that false alarm ended up being a blessing in disguise, as my front brakes were absolutely shot. Nothing major, thankfully, because I’m not quite ready to start making car payments!

Anyway, I know I missed Things I’m Loving Friday, but I will stick with our regularly scheduled Survey Sunday. So, let’s get it going! This one is kind of random, but fun nonetheless. Enjoy!

Household chore I actually enjoy doing: This might be really weird, but I actually love cleaning the bathroom. Sarah and I used to almost fight over who would get to clean the bathroom. Though I don’t love cleaning the bathtub, whoops! I also don't mind hand washing dishes, but I would rather do a bunch at one time, so the dishes might pile up a bit before I manage to get going.

Biggest house disaster: I feel bad answering this, because it's not technically my house. It belongs to my parents. I just have a room here. But I also can't answer it because our house isn't one bit a disaster, it's just lived in. And that's not my way of saying it's messy, because it really isn't. But I will say that I have sort of taken over dining room table with all of my books and papers and pencils and pens and jewelry and race bibs and to-do lists and lots of other things that probably shouldn't be there. But if we only eat in there on Thanksgiving and Christmas, it's okay if I claim it as mine the rest of the year, right?

Before company arrives, I hide: I'll answer this one in regards to my actual room. I'm thinking of one specific day when my friends Sam, Alex, and Corey came over, and it was a bit of a surprise to me. Before they walked into my room I made sure to stash any neglected clothes under my bed, because sometimes I maybe don't always hang my clothes back up after I've tried them on and neglected them? Whoops!

Most recent music download: I'm loving this old school download - Crazy For This Girl. Was anyone else a Dawson's Creek fan? I didn't watch it regularly, but if I saw it was on while flipping through channels, I would keep it there.

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The last thing I bought online: I may or may not have taken advantage of the Kendra Scott additional 15% off all sale items. But the color was so unique that I just couldn't live without them! I'm just kidding, of course I could live without them. But the earrings I purchased were a good deal. And I wish I could find a picture of them for you, but I guess you'll just have to wait in anticipation until I get them in the mail.

I hate to shop for: Hardware. I'm not sure if that's a thing, but honestly my least favorite places in the entire world might be places like ACE Hardware and Home Depot. I used to dread going those places with my dad when I was younger, and though I actually grew to kind of like Home Depot a little bit, I always just felt so overwhelmed in there. I'm sure it was very obvious that I didn't know what I was doing, and DIY projects are absolutely not my strong suit. 

Favorite family ritual: Honestly, I'm going to have to go with the nightly game of Wheel of Fortune that my parents carve out time for each evening. If I'm home when it's on, you better believe I'm playing along with them. I have yet to win, but I am usually doing other things at the same time, if that counts for anything.

I sleep in: a big t-shirt and either pajama pants or shorts. Or maybe leggings. It just depends on the night.

I have style crush on: I'm not so sure I can answer this question. I have a very classic style that I don't really model after anyone. I will say that I follow Anthropologie on Instagram (surprised?), and I do find myself gasping and saying, "Oh, that's a really cute outfit" on the daily, but my sense of style is very limited. 

 

One of my go-to sweaters (and my students can attest to that)

Warning: This picture is from almost three years ago

I’m currently reading: I've just barely started reading Malcolm Gladwell's Tipping Point. I also just purchased a copy of American Sniper from Target, and I cannot wait to start reading it. Because let's be real, the chances of me actually going to see the movie are slim to none. And I have a whole list of books I hope to read ... maybe over the summer when I have some more free time?

What’s up with the ________ trend? Starter Pack. I'm not sure if that's even a thing anymore, but for a while I saw captions on a group of four photos that would be something like, "The Procrastination Starter Pack," or "The Monday Morning Starter Pack," or "The White Girls Starter Pack" (#basic), and I guess I just never understood where it even came from! A lot of trends I can get behind, but that one seemed to come out of the blue.

How did I ever live without… A foam roller. No really. This little runner has been experiencing different aches and pains throughout this year of more running than ever before. Nothing serious, but I'm certainly feeling the extra use. Which I'm taking as a good thing, because it's alerting me to the importance of stretching and rolling - two things I never used to take the time to do.

And I hope your Sunday is a great one. I'm hoping to post this and then be productive, productive, productive, as I didn't get quite as much done yesterday as I had hoped, and I want to have all of my loose ends tied before spending what I hope will be a beautiful weekend in Austin this upcoming weekend. Talk to you guys soon!

Old English Prayer

Well, today’s just a day like any other day. Nothing special happening over here. Just kidding, because I love my birthday, and you can go ahead and call me self-centered until you’re blue in the face. But who doesn’t love waking up to happy birthday messages, opening sentimental cards, and not knowing what to do when people are singing you happy birthday? I love the promise of another year, and though a birthday is really just another day, it’s one that I can’t help but be excited about.

And I can't help but be thankful that I've moved past this stage (this was 10 years ago, W H A T!)

Though the day isn't quite over yet, I have had an absolutely wonderful birthday. My students behaved (mostly), my volleyball girls treated me like a queen, and I felt very loved and celebrated all day. And you know I love a good note, so this was right up my alley (along with too many cookies and too much cake).

Workout

And what would a Kelli Tomlinson birthday be without a workout? An incomplete one, that’s what. So, even though the sun never came out, and the temperature only dropped as the day went on, I laced up my running shoes and headed outside for a 5.6 mile run around my neighborhood. And though it wasn't quite dark enough to whip out my new headlamp, I am excited to put this guy to good use on any early morning or late night runs that I may take. Safety first!

Old English Prayer

As much as they say to make a conscious effort to separate your work life from your personal life, it’s only natural that aspects of your work life will pervade your personal life. That’s one of the things that I love about English – that so many of the texts that we read have messages that go beyond the classroom. That are applicable to everyday life. That help you to make a realization that you otherwise wouldn’t have made. To help you to understand that you are not alone. To wake you up to a truth that you’ve been missing. And that’s exactly what happened when I read “Old English Prayer” with my reading classes.

I don’t normally like poetry, aside from Shel Silverstein, but this one struck a chord with me. In a good way. So, for those of you who are unfamiliar with this poem, I wrote it below:

To me, this is an absolutely beautiful poem, and it made me stop and think. Maybe a little bit more than it made my kids stop and think. But how can I blame them for that? They’re 15 and 16, and I’m 23, and it’s just now stopping me in my tracks.

I am the queen of to-do lists. I take probably too much joy out of making a weekly to-do list, and then crossing everything off of that to-do list. I mean, I write down my workouts and the lunches I need to prepare and the papers I need to print and the letters I need to write. For Christmas my parents got me a 365 Lovely Thoughts Pad, which is a combination calendar and inspirational notepad. Not only does it inspire me daily with the quote at the bottom, but it gives me a place to write down all that I hope to accomplish that day. And now that I have babbled on and on and on, let me get to my point.

I love this poem for the repetition of “Take time to …” because so much of my life is a constant check off one item and move onto the next. And while I certainly take time to do all of these things, sometimes I forget why I’m doing them. Working isn’t merely a way to earn a living, rather a way to find personal success. A reminder that you are being challenged and failing and learning and succeeding. Thoughts drive our actions, so make sure they’re meaningful thoughts. Playing, well, that one speaks for itself. I may have grown another literal year older, but I think I’ll stay a kid forever.

I could harp on the importance of reading forever. How else can you enter into another world, gain other perspectives, and hopefully learn something new along the way? And when you offer a friendly smile, you’ll often be surprised what you get in return. The days that I focus my time and energy on others are the days I take walks around my neighborhood grinning like an idiot. And Henry David Thoreau claims one of my favorite quotes, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” I say, why not dream a little bigger, darling? Don’t settle for less than what you want to be. And what is our purpose aside from loving other people? Yes, even on the days that we don't want to. And we can all do a better job accepting love. And on those really tough days, stop and appreciate the fact that you are alive to see another day. Stop and appreciate the people around you, and tell them that, for you never know what battle they might be fighting. And in the words of e.e. cummings, “a day without laughter is a day wasted.”

And my goal for the year of 23? Though nobody likes you (thanks, Blink182 for always being relevant), I’m going to do my best to be present in the moment I’m in, not constantly thinking about the next item I can cross off my list. That an evening spent with friends is more fulfilling than an evening spent grading (though getting that done is important, too). That I will spend my time doing things that matter, but not feel bad when I take some time to do absolutely nothing. To keep my face toward the sunshine and spend more of my day smiling than I do frowning. Here’s to another year, and to making it the best one at that!

And thank you all for the sweet birthday wishes, whether they were via text, phone call, card, Facebook post, embarrassing Instagram photo, or email –  I loved and took each and every single one of them to heart. I am so unbelievably undeserving, but you guys sure know how to wrap a girl up in love!

Birthday Discounts

If you play your cards right, you won't have to pay for anything on your birthday. There are so many birthday freebies offered out there that it’s impossible to take advantage of all of them. And while there is a very public list of birthday freebies circulating the Internet, I’m here to share with you some of the lesser-known birthday deals. Granted, none of these are completely free, but they certainly make a difference.

Anthropologie

This one might be my very favorite. You all know that I am Anthro obsessed, and it’s all too easy to drop a couple hundred dollars in there. That being said, Anthropologie does reward cardholders (and becoming a cardholder is 100% free) with tag sales and 15% off your entire purchase any day in your birthday month. So, if you are going to shop at all during your birthday month, and hopefully you are, buy a couple of extra items to make that discount even larger!

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Ulta

I love Ulta, and I am spoiled to have one right by my house. And again, I am sure that it comes as no surprise that I have an Ulta rewards card. Hey, when they’re free, why not, right? Anyway, Ulta is really good about giving its rewards cardholders discounts and deals, but during the month of your birthday, you get two times the bonus points on everything that you buy during your birthday month. Those points add up quick, and they quickly turn into what feels like free money. So, for someone who buys her shampoo and hair products and powder and nail polish from Ulta on a regular basis, it’s a great incentive to receive.

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Pinkberry

With a blog name like fitnessandFROYO, you can’t be surprised that I have a couple of frozen yogurt frequent buyer cards. It’s like my version of a Starbucks Gold Card, okay? Anyway, those with a Pinkcard are eligible to receive a small frozen yogurt with toppings any day during their birthday month (actually, it’s within 30 days of receiving the birthday email, which makes it fair for all of us February babies).

Kendra Scott

This one is probably my second favorite. I am no exception to the Kendra Scott obsession, and the fact that one recently opened in City Centre is both a blessing and a curse. Kendra Scott is known for being both bright and bold, but without being too flashy, and it is very easy to become addicted. And for those who are registered with an active email account can take 50% off any Kendra Scott item during your birthday month. Perfect.

Half Price Books

One of the really great things about being a teacher is that I don’t have to lose those wonderful student discounts. Not that I can’t still pass as a student, but it’s nice to know that I don’t have to lie to get the discount. And not only do I get a teacher discount, but you also receive a "birthday surprise," which I would imagine to be a discount coupon of some kind. Not too bad for a place that sells books at an already reduced price! While I do have (and love) a Kindle, sometimes a physical book and a warm blanket are all you need on a cold day.

Columbia
I wish I could pretend that I am an always adventurous, always outside kind of girl. While that isn't necessarily true, I have always preferred Columbia to Patagonia. For whatever reason, Columbia fits me much better, and the prices are slightly better, too. And you can find Columbia in sports stores, whereas the same can't always be said for Patagonia. Anyway, I do have a couple of Columbia fleece jackets, and you guys know I'm into the vests these days, so a 20% off coupon throughout the month of your birthday (especially when you have a winter birthday) for all members of the Columbia Greater Rewards Club.

A Columbia jacket pre-70.3

And for those of you who like Starbucks, you will be happy to know that you can take advantage of a free drink on your birthday. That paired with a free Einstein's bagel isn't a bad way to start out your birthday morning! And I have just two more days of feelin' 22. I was only 22 for a moment, and evidently nobody likes you when you're 23. 

Myers-Briggs

Another Monday is almost in the books. Selfishly, I love that our day to quiz and test is Monday, because a weekly vocabulary quiz and short answer response is a nice way to ease back into a Monday. Especially a Monday after a wedding weekend. Which was absolutely beautiful, by the way. It was a long trek out to Fort Worth, but it was more than worth it to watch Sarah marry the man of her dreams and become Mrs. Patrick Vondra (!!!). Plus, I got to reunite with all of my roommates, minus one, which was a blast and a half. You never know what will happen when the ladies of The Clubhouse get together, especially when an open bar is involved. I’m just saying. I’m actually mostly kidding about that one, but a good time was had by all. And now one of our own is a married lady. Who can believe it?

Workout

Before I get going on the heart of this post, let’s talk exercise. I thought about going to bed early, in the hopes that I would wake up early and go for a run before school, but I decided to be a human and actually stay awake for the entire Super Bowl. It turned out to be one great game, which is about all you can ask for when you don't have a dog in the fight. And of course, I loved watching the commercials. Among my favorites had to be –

• Snickers

• Budweiser

• Microsoft

• Toyota Camry

• Always, Like A Girl

• Doritos

So, there was the Super Bowl, and though I knew a temperature of 38 degrees would make for good running weather, I also knew that dragging myself out of my warm, cozy bed to go run for 45 minutes around my neighborhood at 4:45am probably wasn’t going to happen. Driving takes a lot out of you, and I knew that I needed the extra rest this morning. Plus, I knew the high wasn’t going to get much above 50 degrees today, so an after-school run would still be quite pleasant. And it was. In fact, it felt so good outside that I turned my usual 5.2 mile run into a 6 mile run. Not a bad way to wind down what was otherwise a very slow Monday.

And when you follow up a great run with some Chobani Apple Cinnamon yogurt, topped with 18 Rabbits Jr. Chocolate Banana Granola - a new-to-me granola because my usual brand hasn't been in stock at Target lately - Monday really can't be beat.

Myers-Briggs

I am sure this comes as no surprise to you guys, but I love personality tests. I love taking surveys and quizzes of all kind, especially ones that tell me about myself. Granted, I should be the expert on myself, but I like to see how well these quizzes match up to what I think about myself. And Myers-Briggs tests tend to be pretty accurate, and my official score was:

ENFJ

• E – Extrovert. N – Intuition. F – Feeling. J – Judgment.

But, if you remember this post, I think I identify as an ambivert, because I absolutely have traits of both the introvert and the extrovert, and I think they are pretty darn balanced. So, when I match my personality type to some sort of chart, I often look up results for both ENFJ and INFJ. And to be honest, this personality type could change with the time of day. My intuition result was just barely intuition, and I often think I identify more on the sensing side of things, as I consider myself to be a very realistic and practical person. But these were the results I received when taking a test sent out by a professor at UT, so I tend to go with it.

And if you want to know the reason that I took this personality test, it is so I could see which Harry Potter character I matched up with. Are you surprised about that? You know I love Harry Potter. My results?

• Albus Dumbledore – The Teacher (ENFJ)

and

• Remus Lupin – The Counselor (INFJ)

Albus Dumbledore comes as no surprise, as obviously, I am a teacher. Though the introvert in me cringes at the thought of talking in front of a large crowd the way he does in The Great Hall. And Remus Lupin is also not much of a surprise, as I am thinking very seriously about getting my Masters in Counseling. I do care a lot about the needs and cares of others, and I often shoulder other people’s burdens without even realizing it. I take some of my student’s stories home with me, but I absolutely love listening to other people’s stories, though I definitely have trouble standing up for myself, even with high school students!

 

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And what inspired this post was when I saw this article – The Best Careers For Your Personality Type. First, you must determine your personality type, and you can click here to take this quiz. Of course, there are many, many quizzes out there, but this one seems to be pretty reliable, and linked to by the creator of the Harry Potter chart.

I found myself to be an empath (shocking, right?), both with the ENFJ and INFJ personality type. The other categories are pragmatists, caretakers, and theorists. Of the remaining three, I would consider myself to be most like a caretaker, but still more of an empath. So, we are already on the right track. Anyway, ENFJ’s are said to be “Inspiring Guides,” with teacher, health educator, and minister falling under that category, while INFJ’s are called “Compassionate Counselors,” and writer and school counselor are the two careers I can identify with from that list. Completely shocking, right? Your personality type truly has a lot to do with why you prefer some jobs to others, which is a very obvious statement, I know, but it’s interesting to see that I seem to be in the right place. That though I have my days of doubt, what I am most happy doing matches my personality.

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I absolutely love discussing and analyzing things like this, even if I don’t exactly know what I am talking about. People’s personalities and thoughts and feelings (or lack thereof) are of so much interest to me, and while I am not always comfortable in a large group of people I don’t know very well, I find it to be very easy to connect with one or two new people on a very deep and real level. Just my two cents!

And I would L-O-V-E to hear from YOU guys! Does your personality type match up with your career or your field of study? If it doesn’t, why do you feel as though your career is still right for you? Obviously these quizzes and charts are not a rule book, but they are fun to think about. Have a great rest of your Monday! 

Super Bowl Survey Sunday

Happy Super Bowl Sunday! I tried hard to find a survey that related to the Super Bowl in some way, but my efforts did not pan out. I'm just dropping in to post this before I head back to Houston from Dallas, but I will surely be back with a full weekend recap. Eventually.

But for now, enjoy this little survey that I came across on this fun little blog called Peace, Love, and Oats.

5 Words to Describe Myself:

• Loyal
• Active
• Optimistic
• Compassionate
• Determined

4 Favorite Foods:

• Salmon

• Grilled chicken salads
• Frozen yogurt (duh)

• Dark chocolate

3 Things I’m Most Proud of Accomplishing:

• Graduating from The University of Texas (with a JOB at a dynamite school!)

• Completing six half marathons
• This is very small and recent, but I believe I have mentioned on here that in addition to English classes, I also teach a couple of reading intervention classes, for students who may need a little bit more motivation in that area. I give the students 15 minutes at the beginning of each class period to read any book they want. A lot of my students love The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, so I went out and purchased a few copies of each book in the series. Hey, if they’re going to read, I’m more than willing to shell out the cash. Anyway, one of my most reluctant readers was laughing the other day while he was reading. I was about to scold him, but then he pointed at his book and informed me that it was funny. And after finishing his vocabulary quiz? He picked his book back up. Proud is an understatement.

But truth be told, I’m proud of a lot of things. And I don’t think that’s being arrogant. I’m proud that I graduated from UT with high honors, because I worked hard for what I earned. But I am also proud of the B’s that I came home with, because that means I learned to hold myself to a standard of grace and not perfection. And because I didn’t let myself be a slave to my schoolwork. I’m proud of the way I’ve grown this blog, slowly but surely. I’m proud of myself for coaching my volleyball team to an undefeated district season. What I’m trying to say here is, don’t ever hold back on loving yourself!

2 Favorite Workouts:

• Running. It’s cheaper than therapy, am I right?
• Swimming. I love losing myself in the laps, and the (headphones) will make that even easier.

1 Thing to Expect from my Blog:

• You can expect me in my entirety. I’ll tell upfront that this blog is not deep or philosophical or full of anything that will necessarily move you in any way (okay, sometimes it might). But you can expect the fun, the exciting, the mundane, a recipe and a workout thrown in here and there, and you can expect the unexpected, because you never really know what this life will throw at you.

And that’s all I’ve got for now! I hope you are settling in and getting ready for a fun Super Bowl experience. Don’t get me wrong, I love football as much as the next person, but I’m not super thrilled about it this year. So I’ll watch for the commercials and the halftime show, but I’ll probably be asleep before the game is even over. Whoops!

January Mileage + Road Trip Snacks

This post will be short and sweet, as I am about to hit the road to Dallas for Sarah's wedding. But it is mainly to hold myself accountable for the miles that I hope to run before the year is over.

By the way, is anyone else having a hard time believing that January is already over? Where in the world has the time gone? I know they say the spring semester moves much slower than the fall, but I'm honestly having a hard time believing that. I'm sure things will slow down once the dreaded STAAR test is over and done with, but for now, I feel as though things are moving 100 miles/minute!

Workout

I thought about leaving for Dallas yesterday. But I just couldn't justify missing a day of school with just TWO months (yikes) left until the STAAR test. That, and getting a sub is often more work than just showing up to school. And leaving Friday after school would have put me in more traffic than I was probably willing to put up with, so leaving early today was truly my best option. And I knew that between driving home from Dallas after what should be a fun wedding weekend, and Super Bowl Sunday, a workout probably won't be happening. So I am happy that I was able to log a couple of miles this morning before leaving.

So, I went to sleep nice and early last night, with the intent of waking up early to get my run out of the way so that I would be sure to have enough time to get all of my belongings together for a night in Dallas. I woke up around 7:30am and went for my usual 5.2 mile run around my neighborhood, a little faster than usual this time. As much as I loved the warmer temperatures this week, the cooler weather is ideal for running, especially in the morning. So, it felt great to stretch my legs a bit before sitting in the car for over four hours.

January Mileage

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, this is mainly to hold myself accountable for the miles that I told myself (and Amira) I would run. If I make myself report my mileage on the blog each month, then hopefully I won't check in with something low like 25 miles, because that certainly won't see me hitting my goal of 1007.5 miles. So, the total number of miles that I ran in January is ... drumroll, please ...

113.3 miles

That's a bit more than the number of miles I hope to hit each month (84), but I am glad to be starting out ahead, rather than in the hole. Because it's inevitable during those summer months, as well as volleyball season, that I will fall behind a little bit. So I may as well build up the mileage while I have the chance.

Road Trip Snacks

Because I am going to be in the car for around 10 hours (ugh) this weekend, I made the conscious decision to be smart about my road trip snacks, so that I wouldn't be tempted to stop at McDonald's or the first place I saw on the side of the road when my stomach was twisting with hunger. Not that McDonald's doesn't have any redeeming qualities, because it does. But fast food combined with long periods of sitting doesn't always sit well in my stomach. In order to remedy that, I made sure that my car was stocked full of healthy snacks, that are easy to eat while driving, of course.

We have:

• Cuties
• Mini Honeycrisp Apples
• No Bake Energy Bites*
• Luna Minis
• Grapes

And of course, a CamelBak filled with water, plus a few additional water bottles as well. Can't be getting dehydrated now, can we?

Granted, I don't plan on eating all of these snacks in one sitting, rather, I hope to spread them out throughout the course of my trip. Failing to plan is planning to fail, so this list is exactly how I plan to avoid that. Other great snacks would be nuts of any kind (a great chip replacement), as well as carrot and celery sticks (but because I prefer to pair those two snacks with hummus, I'm leaving them at home this round).

*I believe I have put a similar, or maybe this exact, recipe on the before, but because I know it has been awhile (I promise that one of these days I will get my blog organized by pages and tags and I don't know, maybe update my age?), so I'll post it again for you guys. These recipes are all over the Internet, so I'm just joining the ranks of many, many others, and many, many variations. 

*No Bake Energy Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (I have tried making these with almond butter, and they just don't hold as well)
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tbsp. chia seeds
• 1 tbsp. flax seed
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Pinch of cinnamon

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and stir.

2. Place bowl in the refrigerator and let chill for at least half an hour.
3. Remove from refrigerator and roll into little balls - you can make these as big or as small as you would like.
4. Store balls in an airtight container kept in the refrigerator for up to one week (if they last that long).
5. Enjoy!

To me, these things always taste more like dessert than something healthy. But isn't that the ultimate goal? These are perfect to pop before a workout, and they're absolutely acceptable to eat just because. The oats provide some healthy carbs, the peanut butter some healthy protein, and the chocolate, well, what's a day without chocolate?


I hope you guys enjoy your weekend. See you for Survey Sunday!