Running Up That Hill

Ok, actually I haven't been running up any hills.  I have been running somewhere that is very flat, the scenery never changes and the speed stays oddly consistent.  Can you guess where I am running??  If you said on a treadmill then you are a winner!  Umm I don't have a prize to give you, so this is kind of embarrassing. 

I thought it was time to give a little update on my half marathon training.  So up until last night I would have simply said, "It's going."  Right after signing up, I was pretty motivated and ran consistently for a couple of weeks.  Then the holidays hit hard and I was just way to occupied to find space to squeeze in a run.  This is a totally lame excuse, I realize that.  It's just the way the cookie crumbled though...into my mouth.

Anyways after some time off, I started feeling nervous about this upcoming race.  I mean it's not until May, but I need to be super intentional in my training so that I can actually make it. I am in no way competing in this race.  I just want to finish and I would like to run the whole race without feeling a need to walk.  We'll see.

So this last week I really pushed myself to run.  My first run of the week yielded 2.5 miles and those were for some reason the hardest miles I have just about ever ran.  I would say that most of the time when I feel like I need to stop running it's due to overall lung capacity.  I start to feel like I can't breath which just makes me overall feel tired.  This run was different though.  Somewhere around one mile my legs turned into lead.  Maybe not for real, but it was overwhelming.  It took everything in me to not stop right then.  My next run for the week was much better.  I made it to three miles and managed to run it 1 1/2 minutes faster than I had been prior to the holiday hiatus.  So the issue has been this three mile mark.  I have been really struggling to get past it.  It takes a lot of self talk to get myself to three miles because I find myself just wanting to lay down.  It's been this kind of mountain blocking my way.  Last night though, I totally did it.  I ran a total of 4 miles.  I was really determined to make it past that 3 mile mark.  My goal was to at least get to a 5k.  I mean that's barely past 3 miles.  But three miles came and I thought I can do this and I went for it.  And I totally did it.  I will admit that around 2 miles last night I wanted to stop.  I found the tired sensation and lazy feeling creeping in and I almost gave in.  But I know I have to overcome this!  And at least for last night I did.  I am paying for it a little today though.  I am getting sore as the day goes on.  That's ok though, I will take it. 

I have one hundred and something days left which is really a good chunk of time to train for this.  I still haven't settled on an actual plan for training.  My goal up to now has been to get this three mile block out of the way.  If I can consistently get past three miles, I think I will feel comfortable moving into a full blown training plan.  Ryan found one he is excited about, so we'll see.

I am by no means an expert runner.  I have to have my music blasting to try and not hear myself breath, because I know what that sounds like and it's not pleasant.  I also know that I probably look like I am about to pass out.  Nice thing about treadmills are that I can lock my door and run without the embarrassment and I can shed clothing when I get too hot.  I do realize that here soon I need to venture outside.  The biggest roadblock there is timing with work.  By the time I am off work it is dark or very much on it's way to dark. And I am not comfortable running around here in the dark.  It's not that our neighborhood is bad, it just makes me nervous to be alone running in the dark.

Anyone else running out there??  If so how is it going for you?  I found this picture once and it makes me laugh so I thought I would  share.

2011 Book Love: Part Two

I know you have been on the edge of your seat so without further waiting, here is the second half of my book list from 2011.


Bittersweet  By: Shauna Niequist
I definitely would recommend this book.  The author was open and honest even when it would have been painful to write or even embarrassing to open up about.  God is intertwined in this collection of short stories, however I am not sure I would recommend this book because of it's deep insight into faith and religion. 

The Help  By: Kathryn Stockett
Is there much to say about this that hasn't been said due to the movie release?  I loved how I felt like I really knew the characters and actually felt the tension of the time period.  I think this book really appealed to my inner sense of wanting to be a change maker.  The ending was my only complaint.  It felt rather sudden and abrupt.  What did you think?


I Know This Much Is True   By: Wally Lamb
No joke the title of this book has been on a small slip of paper being carried around with me for a few years.  Let me say that this was a crazy long book, like 900 pages.  But it was really worth it. It was well written and felt very real at times.  I did have a few complaints about some development of the story line along the way, but those complaints are rather minor.  If you think you can stick out 900 pages, I say it's worth it.

The Glass Castle  By: Jeanette Walls
This was tough on me emotionally.  I was horrified by the parents in this book.  As a parent myself, their actions and line of reasoning was incomprehensible.  I was impressed by the author's ability to write this book about her parents and not just bash on them.  That really stood out to me in this book.  Read this book because it's well written and a fast read.

Extremely Lout & Incredibly Close  By: Jonathon Safron Foer
Loved this book!  It was beautifully written and very touching.  I am not sure if I understood a book being beautiful before this, but this one definitely has a certain flow about it that I loved.  The book follows a 9 year old little boy and his journey through dealing with grief, in ways only a child would know how to grieve.  Definitely a must read.

A Thousand Splendid Suns  By: Khaled Hosseini
This book was heavy.  It's strange for me to think about woman in this day in age that are held as slaves basically in their own homes.  This was an interesting look into the Afghan history and culture, one that I am not familiar with at all.


The Grapes of Wrath  By: John Steinbeck
How did I not read this prior to now??  I was immediately sucked in by the characters and loved the chapters that were just pertaining to the population as a whole.  They were slightly poetic.  It is interesting to watch the plot and characters intertwine and evolve while dealing with the Depression and the changing landscape.  Sometimes the classics can be overwhelming, but I didn't find that to be the case with this book.

One Day  By: David Nicholls
This is another one that is a movie, so you may already know the story.  I found the characters in this book easy to connect with and to sympathize with.  I liked watching the characters grow and change.  In ways it's just your basic love story, but the way it's written makes it seem sort of epic.


Skippy Dies  By: Paul Murray
This is another lengthy one.  And I will be honest and say I think it could have done with a few less pages because it felt long at times.  This book follows teenagers and a community following a death and shows the effect it has on everyone.  It was sad and funny and real.  I agree with several other reviews I read that the last couple hundred pages were the best.

Rules of Civility  By: Amor Towle
This book was great! Written in the 20's and 30's for the bulk of the story makes for a fun time period.  The time period, the plot, the characters...I ate it all up.  It was a fast read and one of those books that I couldn't wait to read more and found myself wondering about it when I wasn't reading.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children  By: Ransom Briggs
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but I was surprised.  It follows a boy and the death of his grandfather and the revealing of his grandfather's life. It had twists and mystery and held my attention.  It was a little more sci-fi than I would have anticipated, but not over the top.  (I mean this coming from a girl who is addicted to the vamps right now.) It did have a feeling that it was meant to be a series, which I don't like that feeling even though I love series.  I want to feel like a story is complete.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being  By: Milan Kundera
This book was originally written in Czeck and had been translated.  It follows a few different story lines, but mainly the relationship between one man and woman in particular.  Their ups and downs and dealing with the complexities of baggage and life.  It's a good book full o fquotes that you will want to remember.

There you have it!  What did you read this past year??  Any recommendations for me??

2011 Book Love: Part One

I think I have made myself clear on my love of books and book related items...ummm like libraries.  I have a serious need to read and find serious enjoyment in reading a good book.  So I think I mentioned that I had read 26 books over 2011.  I realize this may not be an amazing number, I mean I didn't read hundreds of books or even one hundred, however, I exceeded the goal I set for myself.  And well, I am proud of that.

Anyways, I thought I would share the books I read over the year, just in case you are looking for something to read.  I will give the disclaimer that these are totally my opinions and thoughts and I am no professional in my book reviewing capabilities.  I will also say I am a sucker for a series.  I pretty much always get roped in and continue reading all the way through.  So here they are....well half of them because I thought this would be way to long with all of them.  Anyways, here you go.

The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels  By: Ree Drummond
Oh so worth the read.  This was a wonderful love story made even better by the fact that it is true and real through and through.  If you haven't heard of The Pioneer Woman definitely check out her super successful blog and site. 


And Then There Were None   By: Agatha Christie
I am a big fan of mystery and thriller type novels, so this one totally got me.  There was no real gore to speak of in this book, which I figure has to do with when it was actually written.  Probably written now it would be chalk full of blood and so forth.  The story was great and kept you guessing until the end.  I am usually the person who in a movie says wouldn't it be crazy if this is what is happening and then later you find out that is totally what is going on.  So it is nice to stay in the dark on a story.

Shopaholic and Sister   By: Sophie Kinsella
This is just an easy read.  The shopaholic series is just silly and funny and don't require tons of thought.

The Lucky One   By: Nicholas Sparks
This was an OK book.  It was an easy read again.  I mean I enjoyed it but as far as Nicholas Sparks goes, not his best in my opinion.


The Hunger Games   By: Suzanne Collins
This is the first in a series of books.  It's set in a sort of post apocalyptic world and centers around a young girl and the Hunger Games which happen every year.  I really enjoyed this book and found myself just wanting to read more and more.  It was one of those that if I walked in a room I grabbed it and read some, even if it was only a page or two.  It definitely holds your attention.

Catching Fire   By: Suzanne Collins
I warned you I am a sucker for series.  This is the second in The Hunger Game Series. Same drill.  I did enjoy it.  Still think I enjoyed the first one better though, but that's OK I wasn't by any means unable to finish it.

Mockingjay  By: Suzanne Collins
This is the third and final book in The Hunger Game Series.  I did enjoy these books.  This was was a little heavy at times, but I still recommend these books as a good read.  I would have liked more, but isn't that the curse of a series??


Shopaholic and Baby  By: Sophie Kinsella
Another in the shopaholic series.  Very similar to previous books in it's ease to read and general light reading.


Mukiwa: A White Boy in Africa   By: Peter Godwin
This was a book about the author growing up in Africa in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, during white/British rule.  This book was very introspective and he did a good job really showing how his feelings changed as he came of age and grew and experienced different things.  It was also interesting to see "the bad guys" change and lines blur of who was against whom and who was fighting for the right thing or wrong thing.  This was worth the time to read.  On a side note if you watch the movie Notting Hill, Hugh Grant's character owns a book shop and on there is a poster for this book hanging up in it.  Random, I know.

The Fear   By: Peter Godwin
I was inspired by the other book to read this one and what a book.  This caused me to constantly think about Africa and some of the war stricken areas there.  I pray for the people in these war torn areas and for what they have to experience.  At points, I felt I couldn't continue reading, but then I felt like I needed to continue in order to bear witness to these atrocities.  We should be standing up for these people.  We should be doing more, I just don't know what.


The Forgotten God  By: Francis Chan
This book is about the Holy Spirit and our often neglect or misunderstanding of it.  This book really opened my eyes and made me thing.  It caused me to reconsider how I was thinking about the Holy Spirit and how I forget that he is wholly and completely God.

White Oleander  By: Janet Finch
What a sad story.  I had heard good things about this book and really I wasn't blown away.  I was hoping for more in.  A little more redemption or something and didn't find it exactly.  I don't know.  Anyone out there read it and loved it??

So there is half of them for you.  And don't worry I haven't given up my vampire love.  Actually I am listening to a Vampire Diaries inspired music list on Spotify right now.  Now you know just how deep the addiction runs.  

MIA

Sorry for being a little MIA lately.  I recently discovered The Vampire Diaries.  It's a TV series.  And I of course became highly addicted.  And then of course drug others down with me.  My free kidless time has been sucked dry (umm no pun intended...well maybe) by very handsome vampires.  Of course this show has all of the requirements for me to fall in love.  You know....teenage love, drama and some sort of fictional nonsense that makes it slightly embarrassing to explain (I personally seem to have a slight affinity towards the vamps).  I am sure you understand.  It appears from research that this show is about to start it's 3rd season.  Which means I have lots of watching yet to come!  Woo hoo!!  Umm if you have Netflix the first two seasons are on there.  Just saying....your regularly scheduled blogging shall return shortly...I think.  Actually on a productive note, I ordered the neatest prints from a few different Etsy shops.  So as soon as those arrive I will be sharing those exciting babies with you all.  'Till then bloodies...umm bloggies enjoy the main vamps of my latest craze!

A New Year

With a new year knocking anxiously at our door, I am sure we are all reflecting and starting to think of what we would like to see over the next year. I am not a huge resolution fan.  I just haven't been one to make lots of resolutions over my life. This year though I think I can sum it all up in one...be more intentional.

This covers just about everything. Some of it seems obvious, like I have to intentionally eat more veggies otherwise I will avoid them like the plague. Other things roaming around in my head seem more vague and unclear on how to attain.

I know in this new year I want to intentionally seek after God more. I want to intentionally be more aware and thankful for all that God has given me and learn to find my fulfillment in that.

2012 is going to be a good year. Let's worry about tomorrow less and keep our eyes focused on God and what He has given us today.

Happy New Years bloggies!