Running for Good

Break

2011-12-28T16:14:00.000-06:00

20 - I got a tablet for Christmas, which also doubles as a reader. I have since read, "My Horizontal Life," by Chelsea Handler. Pretty funny book.

78 - I will no longer have problems returning library books on time, because they are automatically taken off of my tablet. And I am reading them faster now!

56 - Done. Enough said.

58 - We went to see The Nutcracker at new Kauffman Center for Performing Arts. It was a very beautiful venue, and the dancers were fabulous.

89 - I failed at this. Didn't send Christmas cards this year. :( Just a really busy week before we left for North Carolina, and some struggles with a good family photo.

That's it this time around. Hope all of my faithful readers had a very Merry Christmas!

The return of the prodigal blogger...

2011-11-22T06:25:00.000-06:00

I like to think my readers will celebrate my return to blogging as much as the prodigal son in The Bible. :)

I would like to preface this post by adding my apologies for no pictures. This post would be delayed by months if I wanted until I had the pictures ready.
On now...

June:
Found out my mom's cancer has returned and metastsized to the bones. It was not a great month. I did summer school and knit like crazy to finish the baby blanket for Rob & Judith's babes arrival.

On June 29th, Claire Elizabeth McDaniel was born. So cute! We got to visit her at the hospital on the 30th, the day before I left KC for an entire month. I was so glad to meet her before I had to go. She is so sweet and has grown so much in the last three months!

July:
I spent the entire month in Michigan.

A portion of that was a totally awesome vacation with our besties, David & Gina. This included: Chicago boat tour, Wrigley tour, camping at the beach, swimming in Lake Michigan, Fricanos, a Barkel bonfire, the New Holland Brewery, the Holland Peanut Store, Tiny Tower, Pentwater Lake, tubing, personal water craft, dune rides, and all other things Holland/Zeeland/Michigan. I think it's safe to say our besties enjoyed Michigan, meeting the fam, and spending quality time with us. I need more of those two in my life.

Another portion of July was taking care of my mom and her house. She ended up in the hospital for 2.5 week and in a rehab facility for 1.5 weeks. It was a stressful time, but I am so thankful that I was able to be there for her (and for myself) during that time. I love my mom, and Michigan, and it was phenomenal to get a little of both this summer. On a brighter note, my mom is much improved and has made incredible gains since this summer! Woohoo mommy! :)

August:
We celebrating 5 years of wedded bliss! :) I had just returned from MI, so we decided to keep it low key and we went to a wonderful dinner at Pierpont's. We also spent some good friend time with Kendra & Colby, and Lauren & Jeff. The last weekend in August, we returned to MI for Katie's wedding. It was a wonderful (but quick) trip, and we got to see a lot of family, help my mom out for a day, and have a great dinner in Douglas. Congrats to Katie & Ross!

September:
We went camping for our anniversary trip (a month late) up to Watkins Mille State Park. It was a wonderful family weekend, and Travis and I so enjoyed it. This was Avery's first camping experience, and she had a blast!! We definitely will be doing this again.

We also went to three Royals games. One against the Tigers (who are now in post-season playoffs!). We had a great date night, and the month just seemed to fly by.

October:
We have already had a wonderful weekend of camping at the Ozarks with Travis' parents and aunt & uncle. Gorgeous weather and 540 miles on the motorcylce in three days. It was great, and we really miss getting to spend more time with those people. I ran the Kansas City half marathon, in what I thought was a great time for my current fitness level.
November:
I also took a sewing class and made a beautiful stocking! And now we are heading to Michigan for Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving:
This thanksgiving I am thankful for my mom. A woman whose strength, courage, and determination inspires me to be better, kinder, and more in love with this world which we have been given.

101 Update:
#5 - I no longer eat food in the teacher's lounge. It's eaiser at the high school because we have our own office lounge and there is less free food in there! :)
#11 - I regularly eat strawberries and blueberries (and sometimes raspberries) for breakfast. Healthy and delicious!
#18 - It has been at least 6 months and I have only had two jobs the entire time!
#22 - Had a girls night last weekend when Travis was up hunting in South Dakota. It included lots of dancing, the way every girl's night should. :)
#29 - We know where we would like to be living next.
#36 - Part of our bestie vacation was in Chicago.
#49 - Saw the high school musical, The Wizard of Oz. Phenomenal! We took our social group kids, which made it even better. :) I love high school kids.
#50 - When going from Holland to Chicago as part of the vacation, I took the Amtrak. It was cheap, roomy, and I definitely would do it again!
#53 - Swam in Lake Michigan several times this summer!
#54 - Watched a gorgeous sunset on Lake Michigan in July.
#57 - We went to the Louisburg Cider Mill (and corn maze/pumpkin patch) with Rob & Judith, and Claire. I dominated that corn maze.
#59 - We went to a high school football game, and Olathe South is now headed to the State game this weekend! Good luck!
#72 - I got a tattoo! It is on my foot and says "find joy." It hurt real bad, but then healed pretty great. And it only stopped me from running for a week.

#74 - I am now at MS+60 on the pay scale.
#76 - I tried to give blood but my hemoglobin was too low. :( Fail.

#77 - I got my wedding dress dry cleaned this summer. Now I just have to get it out of my mom's house and into my own house (for storage purposes).
#82 - Our closet is organized and it's gorgeous!!

Wow! It looks like I've accomplished a lot! I guess that is what happens when you don't update for 6 months. :) Perhaps my next update will be sooner. Perhaps. Until then, so long friends and foes.

Long awaited return!

2011-05-23T07:21:00.003-05:00

I'm back... and I'm totally badder than ever. Whatever that means.

Anyway, a lot has gone on and there is a lot to cover, so let's begin...

January:
I am going to take back what I said about knowing what I wanted to do with my life. I still think I know my direction, however, we decided that it was not the right time for me to go back to school for the Admin degree. I think it was a great decision (after the 1st bad decision that is), and I am even more confident than when I made the original decision to return to school. Oh, the joys of being indecisive. :)

February:
I don't really remember. I'm sure it included Valentine's day and other lame holidays. But I believe it also included at least a few snow days and some regular holidays off of work. Oh, now I remember! I got strep throat and was home sick two days, then came back to what proceeded to be the busiest work month of my life. But that's over now.

Rob & Judith are having a baby and were finding out the sex. Naturally we hedged bets on everything related to the baby possible. Those are seen below in the picture. Please note Travis' length guess, it's particularly enjoyable (that is in inches). In order to make our pick for boy/girl, I made these cupcakes and we had to go into the kitchen and select either pink or blue in accordance with our pick. It was really cute.

Also, it's a girl and she's scheduled to arrive on July 1st.

March:
We went back to Michigan for a much needed break. Great news, the weather there was gorgeous! We enjoyed great time with family and it was absolutely wonderful to at least see the lake again. Strange how I can miss that lake so much.

Beautiful sunrise on our drive back to Michigan.

Lake Michigan in March.

I got a Kitchen Aide Stand Mixer and it's changed my life. Look at the beautiful buttercup color! Skipping ahead - in May I got an ice cream maker attachment for it... amazing!

My car turned 100,000 miles and it was exciting. We celebrated together.

April:
I ran a half marathon, for which I was entirely ill prepared and had actually contemplated not running again until the fall. However, even without a best time, I had a great time running and it re instilled my desire to continue running. Post race I signed up for another half marathon, which we will get to.

Me, Lauren's mom Suzanne, and Lauren

First Royal's game of the season!

We also hosted Earth Day, which has now become our annual party. It was a success! While I did not make special organic, earth friendly dishes, I do think my mother Earth appreciated my drinking in her honor, and recycling all things metal, glass, and plastics #1-2. Here are my cookies & cream cupcakes. (They were displayed much cuter when the party actually arrived.)

Easter sunrise service. Just gorgeous!

Royals game #2 of the season!

May:
I co-hosted a bridal shower for my wonderful friend Mary. It was entirely stressful, but it turned out adorable and great, mostly thanks to both Kendra and I's slight case of crazy (and OCD).

I ran a half marathon, and placed 3rd in my age group (and got another medal for that!). Even though, again, it wasn't my best time, I had a lot of fun.

I, alone, hosted a baby shower for Judith. It was much less stressful, as I now had practice, and it turned out adorable and she got lots of great baby things.

My house, shower ready.

I attended Mary's bachelorette party, which was a fabulous, much needed girls night out! We started at someone's house and then traveled by trolley to several stops including Waldo, Martini Corner, and the Power and Light area. Kendra spent the night with Avery and we all had a wonderful time.

Speaking of Avery, here she is being all adorable this week. I love that face, so much it's insane.

I finished two books. One for my work book study, Lost at School was about school discipline and dealing with children with difficult behaviors. I felt it had very good points and perspectives, as well as some good forms to use in practice. I felt some of the story was somewhat far fetched with the "ripple" of change this weird school psychologist created. But it was enjoyable and thought provoking all the same. I also finished Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris. I'll have you know I finished this book the fastest I have finished any book since high school (in 2 weeks)! It was just as I expect from David Sedaris, it was funny, quirky, and ridiculous. I laughed out loud several times, just ask Travis. I think next I will be reading Mystic River.

This was a marathon update and I apologize for my long absence. Now that I have this overwhelming update out of the way, perhaps I will be more current. Also, I've been keeping up on my monthly to-do's, but I'm starting to realize that I may have made more travel goals than feasible. Please refer to the updated 101 list for my current progress.

Snow Day(s)!

2011-01-11T15:25:00.000-06:00

Currently I am home on snow day #2! It's been a lovely two days, and I thought, what better day to update my blog?!

101 progress:
#16: I am happy to say that yesterday marked the start of classes for a Ed.S degree in Special Education Administration from UMKC for me. While I was supposed to have class last night, it was canceled due to the crazy weather. This will take me about seven semesters, or until Spring of 2013. After much thought and research into certification, etc., I am happy to say I believe this is the correct direction for me, and I'm excited about all of learning and opportunities ahead. However, this likely rules out the possibility of me ever becoming Dr. Laurelin Barkel, put it's practicality over title. :)
#18: I have officially only had two jobs for 6 months now. And my progress in this area is continuing!
#20: I have completed another book! Over break, and finished yesterday, I read The Flip Side by Flip Flippen (haha, yes, Flip Flippen, and no, Flip is not his real first name). This book was sent to me by my dad and he said that it really changed his life. It would likely be categorized as a "self-help" book, which I am not terribly fond of. However, I have to say this was a very good book that provided me with insights to myself and my leadership style. I think it is a fantastic book for anyone entering a leadership role, or even for young career people. I even teared up a few times. I think my dad particularly enjoyed that I had the opportunity to read this book, and it's meaning to him also provided me with some insight to the person my father is. Touching, I know.
#89: I sent holiday cards this year (only to the people who sent to me, so I have some room for improvement). Just need to continue annually.
Montly to-do's: I am also happy to say that I kept up with all of my monthly to-do's. And a special thanks to my one and only committed reader for the present in helping me achieve some of these goals. :)

That's it for now... see you next month!

Christmas is coming. :)

2010-12-17T09:14:00.001-06:00

3 more days of work, then two weeks off.... I couldn't be happier. :)

1. Travis' littlest bro came down to visit for Thanksgiving. That was a very nice weekend filled with: tons of cooking/baking, eating, going out for beverage (he's newly 21), visiting the Nelson-Atkins Meusuem of Art (and using the headphone guides), a little Black Friday shopping, a new fake Christmas tree, and putting up Christmas decorations. It was great to have Phillip visit, and we did a lot of fun things. I enjoyed hosting.

2. As noted in #1, I made a lot of food for Thanksgiving. Here are some of the included recipes:

Chocolate Cream Pie - AMAZING!
Cornbread & Sausage Dressing - delicious, although highly involved to make

3. Since the last post, I ran another half marathon. I ran the Gobbler Grind half, which was the first race Travis has not watched me at (which is why it was not my best). Travis was in South Dakota hunting with his dad for the weekend, while I went to run the final half of the season with Lauren. It was way too busy and there wasn't nearly enough post-race food or beverage. Overall it was a disappointment, but you never feel bad after running 13.1 miles, which is why I went out for breakfast afterward. :)

4. Travis has now run with me enough times that I am checking it off the list! He has also committed to running the Brew to Brew race (44 miles in a team effort) in April, he will be running at least 3.3 miles then. :) It makes me so happy when he runs with me.

5. I have sucked at taking pictures, reading books, and having girl's nights. I will work on improving.

Until then... Merry Christmas!

Michigan brought the Fall with them...

2010-11-09T16:15:00.001-06:00

So, what has happened in the past month (I have to check my GoogleCalendar to see the recap of my life):

1) We went to see Saved! the musical at KC Rep Theatre! I thought it was really good and funny, but my fellow show goers thought it was "eh." Mark & Julie had seen the movie and said it didn't live up to the movie, and Travis was just "eh." I think part of it was because it was a Rep production the cast was small and so was the set, so there was no wow factor. However, I highly enjoyed it. Thus completing #49 for yet another time this year.

2) We did our 5k with the Tomahawk Trailblazin' Runners club! It was fantastic! It was great weather, and we had nearly 60 students, parents, and staff from Tomahawk participate. It is so great to see kids get excited about running. I LOVE this part of my job. :)

3) I ran the KC Half Marathon, in personal half marathon record time. It was once again lovely running weather and I finished in 1:54:49. I was very proud of my time and felt very happy the rest of the weekend. Travis and I celebrated with a delicious brunch at the City Diner. Thus beginning completion of #2.

4) We have been ridiculously busy with things with the church. This month has included a continuing Young Adults Book Study, a new 32 week Bible study (not my favorite so far), and running the silent auction at the Community Treasures church event. Needless to say, I've been keeping up on #17.

5) Last weekend Travis' parents and aunt & uncle visited us in KC. They spent 10-11 hours crammed in a pick up just to haul their motorcycles all the way down here to ride with us! The original plan was to do an overnight trip to the Lake of the Ozarks, but with a high chance of rain, we decided to do day trips around KC. It worked out very well. The first day we went up to Weston where we got $0.25 shots of delicious flavored things, such as: Tequila Strawberry Rose, Double Chocolate Vodka, Concord Grape Vodka, Eggnog, Peach Margarita, etc. Then we made our way through Atchinson and down to Lawrence (where KU is). The second day we went through teeny-tiny towns all the way up to Osbourn, where none other than the Shatto Farm is! Leading me to...

6) Visited the Shatto Farm! This is an amazing little local dairy farm that is marketing genius. I have been wanting to visit for awhile, and this was the perfect motorcycle stop (other than the fact that we couldn't transport milk back home)! While there I milked a cow, which was much easier than expected by the way. We also were given a tour and samples of all their milk, including: banana, strawberry, orange dream, root beer, chocolate, egg nog, and pumpkin spice egg nog. Mind you, I don't ever just drink milk, but I would this! And my favorites were root beer (yes, it tastes like a root beer float!) and banana (I don't even like bananas!). My least favorite was actually chocolate, if you can believe it. It was a fantastic stop and just re-affirmed my love for Shatto. :) You will love them too, one of their ice cream containers reads: "I scream, You scream, The police come, It's awkward" You can't get better than milk, cheese, cows, country and a saying like that. :) Thus, I have completed both #44 and #45.

7) Hence the title of this post... ever since the company from Michigan visited, it has been noticebly fall like weather. Fall has arrived. I have mixed feelings on this.

8) This past weekend I ran another half marathon in Warrensburg, MO with my faithful friend Lauren. It's a small town race in the middle of MO, and we were expecting a mostly flat couse. Well, it was almost all hills, rolling hills. It was probably the hardest half marathon course I have ever done. There were lots of aid stations, but not volunteers at every turn, which resulted in Lauren getting lost on the course, running at least an extra mile. It was also windy. All in all, it wasn't the best and I didn't get a personal record like I was hoping. However, I did get second in my age group (although I have nothing to show for it - no awards, no finisher's medal even!), so I was happy over all, finishing with a time of 1:56:40. Thus, I have completed #13. Oh, and Scott came to watch me! And afterwards we went out for a spectacular brunch at Eggtc. It was delicious!

9) I have made all kinds of delicious things this past month. But one worth noting in particular is Banana Peanut Butter Granola. Delicious! Thank you again http://www.annies-eats.com/!

10) And this month, I am thankful for a warm place to sleep, living where it isn't currently snowing (as in MI), and blankets in which to cuddle.

As requested... another picture of the new paint (and curtains now!) in the dining area.

October is here!

2010-10-01T21:35:00.000-05:00

October has officially arrived! Everyone seems to love October, and it is a great month. Filled with plesant weather - perfect for running, delicious fall foods, and the desire to savor every last minute of outdoor time. I am beginning to realize I am also a big fan of October.

So as of late:

We went back to Michigan for my mother-in-law's 50th birthday party. It was a huge surprise. No one knew we were coming, and I think it was a successful weekend. We got to see Justin & Kelsey's house in progress, so that was pretty cool. They are going to have a great place! We also stopped on the way and had lunch with Dave & Julie in Normal (check off the list!). We had delicious chicken salad (prepared by Dave) and enjoyed seeing their place there. The trip was not without drama, as right before making it to their house, Avery successfully locked us out of the car while it was running with all keys inside. :) But, we got in without spending hundreds of dollars or several hours. Thanks Avery!

I have been a cooking fiend lately! Trying several new recipes including: Spicy Shredded Pork, Shredded Chicken Tacos, Homemade Salsa, Pollo Rosa Maria, and Cherry Coke Cupcakes.

Cherry Coke Cupcakes

They have all been delicious! I am thoroughly enjoying this new found hobby and I believe we are eating great!

We have been painting like crazy! We also got a new rug, pillow, and new curtains are being made as we speak! I am successfully beginning the transformation of my home decor. :) Gift certificates to World Market or Pier 1 for Christmas please. :)

We have started a young adults book study at church, and a 30 week intense Bible study. While this is a big time committment, I am excited about the opportunity for relationships with others and the opportunity to grow through this study.

Last night we made it out to another Royals game, and the Royals won! This weekend looks like it is going to hold some gorgeous weather. Possibly some apple picking (and following apple baking/cooking) in our near future. Two weeks until my first half marathon of the fall! Oh, and I find out if I've been accepted to the London Marathon next week!!!! I am so excited to hear and will post when I find out. Until then....

Long Awaited Return

2010-09-10T18:35:00.000-05:00

I'm back. I'm back, and I'm busy!

I apologize for the great delay in posting. I have been very busy with work lately, and outside of work too!

7- Not sure if I already posted about this, but I think I can officially "like" salad! I had one the other day that was delicious: spring mix, Gorgonzola, grapes, golden raisins, apples, and a vinaigrette.

11 - I have found a great breakfast option: Smoothies. I make them with either frozen or fresh fruit (strawberries, mixed berries, blueberries, pineapple, etc.) then I mix with either banana or yogurt to thicken and milk. (I know Gina, you think this isn't a smoothie, but I don't care.) It is delicious, healthy, and portable! I like to drive to work thinking about all the fruit I am eating in a delicious smoothie form!

25 - On Avery's birthday (yes, she has a birthday, and yes, we forgot to get her a present) we went to the park for a family picnic. We packed up our awesome picnic backpack (thanks Grandma!) and the grill and headed out for a beautiful evening! We had burgers on the grill, salad and pineapple. Avery played, and enjoyed time chasing her ball. I think she had a good birthday, and we really enjoyed the little trip. Would really like to do it more often!

We also had our anniversary last month.We enjoyed dinner out, a long motorcycle ride through/to Atichison, Parkville, and Weston, and Travis even bought me flowers!

Monthly and weekly to-do's are going well, and I've been improving on reading the news article one.

All items relating to cooking have been going spectacularly thanks to Annie's Eats, this food blog Gina shared with me! I have tried several new recipes this month, but here are the ones I got pictures of:

Chicken Enchiladas and Mexican Rice

Chocolate Kahlua Cupcakes

And here is the recipe for the best pork loin Travis or I have ever had! Island Spice Pork Tenderloin

Other exciting news: Travis has finished his last class for his MBA! He is now officially a Master! We just have to wait until December for the graduation ceremony.

I'll be back sooner next month... or so I hope! :)

Florida!

2010-08-04T17:36:00.000-05:00

My recent trip to Florida helped me cross several items off my list!

31 - Go para sailing! We went down to Key West with David & Gina for four days and spent one day doing a large amount of water sports, one of which was para sailing! Since David refused to go, Gina, Travis, and I went as a triple. This meant we got a bit higher than the other pairs. It was really fun and not at all "adventurous" or scary. The transitions of taking off and landing were incredibly smooth, and it was very peaceful and beautiful from the top! I would definitely do it again!

32 - Go snorkeling! On this same day, we went snorkeling on a barrier reef out in the keys. The trip out there made me slightly sea sick, but once I got in the water I was okay. There were hundreds of fish, and very beautiful ones. It was really fun. Unfortunately for David, he was wearing the mouth piece incorrectly until about one minute prior to being called in to leave. :) He was snorkeling, not snorkeling!

42 - Visit David & Gina's house in Sarasota! On our trip to Florida, we spent the majority of the time back at David & Gina's beautiful home. My favorite part is their high ceilings and their laniani for sitting and grilling. Gina has done a fabulous job decorating, and we have decided she will eventually be my interior decorator. :) They are very lucky to have such a beautiful place!

oh, Gina and I won at mini golf versus the boys :)

48 - Travel to Key West! Clearly, we went there as previously discussed. Other than the water sports day, we spent one day renting scooters and scootering around the island. Mid-day I decided I wanted my own scooter. :) I love scooters!

51 - Stay at a bed & breakfast! We stayed a the Old Town Manor Inn in Key West. Each couple had our own room, with a shared balcony. I have always been a bit weary of the B&B, as I sometimes feel like it's so small everyone knows what you're doing, or I feel weird eating in someone else's house. I have to say, this experience changed my mind! I thoroughly enjoyed the help provided my the hosts regarding things to do/places to go, the breakfast was a welcome treat, and the charm provided was exquisite! I would highly recommend B&B over a hotel any time!

83 - Clean all the baseboards! Before leaving for FL, I cleaned immensely! I even did all the baseboards. :)

62 - Try at least one new recipe/month! Recipe of the month (courtesy of Gina):
Turkey Florentine Meatballs
1 box frozen spinach (thawed)
1 1/3 pound ground turkey
3 garlic cloves
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 medium onion, chopped
salt & pepper
EVOO

Wring out spinach. Place turkey in bowl and add spinach, onion, garlic, egg, milk, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt & pepper. Mix together. Form 16 balls and place on baking sheet. Drizzle with EVOO. Roast about twenty minutes. Serve with any kind of sauce.

*This was delicious! I loved the spinach, and you can also make this recipe using oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs to remain gluten free! Thanks Gina!

19 - Run at least once/week! Running at least once a week is being maintained. In fact, I even ran twice with Gina while on vacation, and once on Key West. This I really enjoyed, as I felt I got to see parts of the area I wouldn't have otherwise (and we were able to stop and look at restaurant menus as needed). I think from now on I will make it a point to run at each place we vacation!

7 - Learn to like salads! This is going spectacularly! Yesterday I even ordered a salad from Panera for lunch. It was the Fuji Apple Chicken Salad. I can't say I was a huge fan, mainly due to the fact that the "apples" were dried apple chips. But I ate it, and am continuing on this road. I have a salad with me for lunch today. :)

10 - Wear sunscreen! Well, I did. A lot. And I still got super burnt in Key West. However, I maintain this was not my fault, it was the sun and the water. I am healing now and peeling now.

64 - Take more pictures! I did a great job on our vacation!

thanks for the memo about the model like pose Gina

In other news, I now also like eggs. Gina made some delicious ones with chorizo and cheese, and then the following weekend I ordered an omelet for breakfast! I am also back at work starting yesterday. I am not really sad about this. I had a great summer, and am actually looking forward to having a daily purpose again! :)

Mid July Update?

2010-07-16T15:37:00.000-05:00

Since last post I have checked many items off my list:

#7 - I am beginning to like salads.
Which leads me to #62, my recipe of the month:

baby spring lettuce mix
walnuts
feta cheese
dried cranberries
raspberry vinaigrette

I ate this last night, by choice, and enjoyed it. However, I'm still not a fan of "iceberg" lettuce. Not sure that will be changing.

#18 - Tomorrow will be my last day working my Saturday job. I called today to put in my two week notice. This means August 2010 will begin the "at least 6 months with only two jobs." I am looking forward to my Saturdays always being free!

#52 - Check

#53 - We were in Michigan for a week around 4th of July. We spent many a night at the beach and even went up to a cottage at Pentwater Lake (which connects to Lake Michigan). It was gorgeous weather, and we thoroughly enjoyed the trip. This provided us with the opportunity to swim in Lake Michigan, which was a remarkably warm 72 degrees. It was really, really great.

#54 - We tried to watch a couple sunsets, but usually it got cloudy right at the setting time. But it was still many enjoyable evenings at the lake.

That pier on the other side is where Travis and I got engaged almost 5 years ago!

#69 - I filed ALL the papers in the guest bedroom. This was a huge feat!

#70 - In conjunction with #69, I cleaned out the filing cabinet! Between these two tasks I spent an entire day sorting and shredding, resulting in at least 7 sacks of shredded paper. Phew. I was not looking forward to this, but it feels good to have it done. Now I just have to keep up the filing. :)

#90 - I wrote my times on all of my running medals, including that date and distance.

#93 - I am happy to say Avery is now out in our house every day, all day, even when I am not home. She is a total star. Oh, and she got stung by a bee in Michigan, but seemed to only be a little disturbed.

#99 - Travis' awesome Grandma Elzinga altered all of my clothes that no longer fit. I am happy to say, this gained me four dresses in my closet!

In Michigan, we had a memorial service for my Grandpa. It was a great day to celebrate a great man's successful life. He truly was and is an inspiration for his children and grandchildren. And ALL of the grandchildren made it back for this occasion. We also had a family wedding (same side of the family) the following weekend. It was very warm, but the site for the wedding and reception was beautiful. We had a great time with family, I only wish Matt & Jess could have been there for the wedding.

The groom and my beautiful Grandma Estella

The beautiful bride (my cousin) and her dad (my uncle)

The cousins photo, minus Dan and Matt this time

Our table mates and "the married cousins"

Also, congratulations to Travis' cousin Kelli and her husband Steve, who welcomed baby Brant James into the world on Tuesday, July 13th! Unfortunately, a few days after we left Michigan. :(

Less and one week and we will be in Florida! Woo hoo! Looking forward to another great trip to see great people. And, I get to check many things off my list there too. :) See you next month.

Check. Check. Check!

2010-06-20T22:46:00.003-05:00

101 UPDATE

1)This month's new recipe:

Garlic-Roasted Chicken Breasts

Yield: 4 servings

Active Time: 15 min.

Total Time: 40 min.

Ingredients:

3 large garlic cloves
1 tsp dried oregano
Scant 1/2 tsp dried hot red-pepper flakes
2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
4 chicken breast halves (with skin & bone - optional, as noted by myself)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1/2 tsp salt, then transfer to bowl. Stir in oregano, red-pepper flakes, oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Cut a 2-inch-long pocket (about 1 1/2 inches deep) horizontally in side of each breast half and spread 1/2 tsp garlic mixture into each pocket. Coat chicken with remaining mixture. Roast chicken 20-25 minutes until just cooked through.

Here is a picture of my preparation of this dish, pre-roasting. I improvised to some degree. :) I used boneless-skinless chicken breasts (which made cutting the breast more difficult). I also don't own a garlic press, so I just had to chop. Despite these changes, this was an excellent dish, full of flavor. The garlic and red-pepper flakes left my lips tingling, and it was fabulous. It has officially been added to my favorites.

I also tried the following new recipes this month (without pictures, sadly): Quinoa with Black Beans and Cilantro, Caramelized Corn with Onions and Red Bell Peppers, and a Garlic-Lime-Beer marinade for pork loin. All of these recipes have been brought to you by one of the best iPhone Apps ever: Epicurious! It is free, and has thousands of search-able recipes (including a whole category of Gluten Free!). It has been a great addition, helping me have easy recipes on hand.

2) Weekly 101's have been going great. Below, I am dressed for our 4th wedding of the summer. I am loving my hair that evening! It could not have turned out better!

The running has been going well, although it continues to be exceptionally hot here. I am keeping up the 5:30AM runs, which makes me very tired. Luckily, I have afternoons off to nap if needed. :)

3) We went to a Royals game last Tuesday. It was a fabulous evening for a game, and we got to sit in the shade, which made it even more perfect. I had a great time with my friend Mary (back in town from being in Texas for months). The night included: excessive amounts of chicken fingers and fries, lots of doing the wave (and researching the wave: did you know the average audience wave moves at a rate of 22 ft/second and is approximately 15 seats wide at any given time?), catching free hot dogs, and almost winning an Evo (not really, but I like to think so).

4) I finished reading What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, by Haruki Murakami (a birthday gift from Gina). It was really good. It was so incredibly accurate to what runners actually think about, do, and work for. I highly suggest this book to any distance runner. It was inspiring, made me laugh, smile, and was entirely relate-able.

Here are some highlights that illustrate many of the same feelings I have had:

Around mile 23 of a marathon, he states, "I need a drink, but if I stopped here to drink some water I don't think I could get running again. I'm dying of thirst but lack the strength to even drink water anymore."

While running his first marathon, the author was thinking about how great a beer would be. Afterward, he did get that beer and summed it up this way, "It tastes fantastic, but not nearly as great a the beer I'd been imagining as I ran. Nothing in the real world is as beautiful as the illusions of a person about to lose consciousness." Haha!

This line sums up my feelings for running (granted, I am much younger than the author, although I like to think I'll still feel this way in 20 years): "Long-distance running (more or less, for better or worse) has molded me into the person I am today, and I'm hoping it will remain a part of my life for as long as possible. I'll be happy if running and I can grow old together."

5) I am thankful for summers off! Even though I am currently working summer school, I am aware of how lucky I am to have time off (and still get paid). It is great to have relaxing time, travel time, and not have to worry about vacation days during the summer. I am lucky to have a job that allows me all of these great opportunities! I will be rejoicing throughout the summer!

In non-101 related to news: this weekend we enjoyed two motorcycle rides (one in which we got caught in the rain/thunderstorm) totaling well over 100 miles, we now have functioning carports to park in, and we have a new track light in the kitchen. I suppose it's been a rather productive month!

The season of weddings and sweat.

2010-06-09T17:48:00.000-05:00

Progress on 101 in 1001: (Note: due to some demanding readers and technical problems, I do not have as many photos as originally planned.)

1) I beat Gina in Words with Friends

2) Had a girl's night for Judith's bachelorette party. It was a great night that consisted of dinner at a seafood restaurant (which involved chicken for me :)), drinks at one of our favorite destinations, and topped off with some good dancing time! Judith enjoyed a surprise visit from her mom, and I met her niece Lillie for the first time (who is adorable). It was a great time all around!

3) Up to this point in the summer, we have attended three weddings, making it easy to stick to the dress/week item. We have three weddings remaining this summer, June, July and September.

Other updates:

Looking at the calendar, we have only 3 weekends in Kansas City the rest of the summer (by summer I mean until I start work again, August 2nd). That is crazy, we have a busy summer, but with lots of exciting events planned.

I recently booked our Bed & Breakfast in Key West for the end of July. This trip will cross many items off my list! :) I am looking forward to something so exciting.

Not much news in the running world. I'm still doing it, but feel like I have lost a lot of ground. As of now, I'm just trying to maintain, which is difficult due to the fact that the 90 degree days make me run at 5:30 AM, or not at all. :( For now, I'm sticking with 5:30AM.

Half Marathon PR

2010-05-19T16:22:00.002-05:00

This weekend I ran the Runnning with the Cows Half Marathon in rural Bucyrus, KS. Lauren ran with me. Naturally, it was cold-ish and rainy the morning of. We had plans to leave around 6:15 AM. I awoke in a panic at 6:26 and immediately called Lauren. I got ready very quickly, but did not have time for a sufficient oatmeal breakfast as planned. Our official race taxi driver and supporter, Travis, drove us rapidly all the way out to 223rd street. (Props to Travis for coming out to support after a bachelor party, and only 4 hours of sleep.) Our arrival time was actually just perfect. We had time for a quick trip to the restroom, and not too much time to stand in the rain before the start.

It rained. And we ran, and ran. We saw running cows, cheering high schoolers, heard cow bells, had really annoying people running near us (whom we later passed in amazing victor), and saw people going to the bathroom in the wide open. Lauren and I split at about mile 8 and I kept her in my very close sights the rest of the way. The second half we really kicked it on and were passing people the whole way (which felt really amazing!). In the last 1.5 miles, Lauren passed our nemesis "man lady," and I rejoiced for her! About a half mile later, I passed man lady! We both beat man lady! And, I ran a personal record by almost 5 minutes. 5 minutes! Not only that, but Lauren and I both placed first in our age group! First! Overall, it was a huge celebration, here are the results. We celebrated our victory over man lady with a trip to the only Dunkin' Donuts within at least 100 miles, where we order 25 little munchkins and devoured them.

Oh, did I mention the finishers medal is a cow bell! Here we are post race, in the rain.

From here I proceeded to shower and re-warm myself, eat, and nap. Later in the day Judith and I went for a shopping spree (which was really that, a spree of about 6 hours of shopping). It was really great to have some girl time and buy some well fitting clothes. And we topped it off with a fabulous girl's night out, full of dancing and fun until the wee hours of the morning. It was a true slumber party weekend since Judith was staying at our place.

Lauren wants me to run another half with her in June, and I am considering. I'll keep you updated. This weekend we are off to MI yet again, for a family wedding this time. I am really looking forward to seeing so many fun people!

101 in 1001

2010-05-18T06:46:00.022-05:00

So my great friend Gina made this list of 101 things she would like to accomplish in the next 1001 days. At first I thought it was another one of those silly "I'm bored, let me make a list" things that sometimes occur. But as she has been blogging monthly and crossing items off her list, it has started me thinking. What better way to actually accomplish those things you've been putting off or are too busy to do, than to make yourself accountable? So that is just what I'm going to do. I'm going to take my life in my own hands, and make my 101 in 1001 list. I will update on the list monthly. Here it goes....

Dates: May 18, 2010 through February 12, 2013

BODY
1. Run at least two marathons
2. ~~Run at least four half marathons~~
3. Begin consistently using 12 pound weights at the gym
4. Drop a dress size
5. ~~Stop eating food in the teacher's lounge~~
6. ~~Buy gluten free flour and use it~~
7. ~~Learn to like salads~~
8. Be better about actually eating Gluten Free
9. Split meals (or bring half home) when eating out
10. Wear sunscreen (going well...)
11. ~~Find a reliable healthy breakfast option~~
12. No soda for at least one month
13. ~~Place in another half marathon~~
14. Get shorts for spinning
15. Buy new running shoes every 300-500 miles (going well...)

MIND
16. ~~Have further insight into my future career path (PhD?)~~
17. Stay involved in church opportunities (going well...)
18. ~~Work only two jobs for at least six month~~s (August 2010-present)
19. Run at least once a week (going well...)
20. Read a book every quarter (7/12)
21. ~~Beat Gina in Words With Friends~~
22. Have a girls day/night at least once/quarter (4/12)
23. Camp in at least one more National Park
24. Have at least one counseling group each school year
25. ~~Have a picnic~~
26. Read at least one news article/day (not going well, changing to one/week)
27. ~~Start running with Travis~~
28. Give up facebook for a month

ADVENTURE
29. ~~Know where we want to live next and/or be living there~~
30. Travel overseas
31. ~~Go para sailing~~
32. ~~Go snorkeling~~
33. Continue applying annually for The Amazing Race
34. Go to a MLB game each summer (2/3)
35. Go to a Wizards game
36. ~~Travel to Chicago~~
37. Travel to Minneapolis
38. Visit Jamin in Madison
39. Travel to Austin
40. Go skiing in Colorado
41. ~~Visit Dave & Julie in Normal~~
42. ~~Visit Dave & Gina's new house in Sarasota~~
43. Travel to California
44. ~~Go to the Shatto Farm~~
45. ~~Milk a cow~~
46. Visit the wineries in Weston
47. NP once/month (15/34)
48. ~~Travel to Key West~~
49. See at least one musical/year (2/4)
50. ~~Travel by train~~
51. ~~Stay at a bed & breakfast~~
52. ~~Night swimming~~
53. ~~Swim in Lake Michigan~~
54. ~~Watch a sunset on Lake Michigan~~
55. Go to a drive-in theater
56. SC
57. ~~Go to a corn maze (haunted or otherwise)~~
58. ~~Go to the ballet~~
59. ~~Go to a high school football game~~
60. Go to an NCAA basketball game
61. SH once/month (16/34)
62. Try at least new recipe each month (16/34)
63. Attend a Parade of Homes or Urban Living Tour
64. Take more pictures

PERSONAL
65. Take an anniversary trip every year (2/3)
66. Get a full body massage
67. Find a way to live closer to family
68. Wear a skirt or dress at least once/week (going well...)
69. ~~File all the papers in the guest room~~
70. ~~Clean out the filing cabinet~~
71. ~~Get rid of the desk in the guest room~~
72. ~~Get a tattoo~~
73. Get my haircut every 4 months (6/12)
74. ~~Get to MS+60 on the pay scale~~
75. Have at least one planned meal per week (going well...)
76. Give blood (attempted, and failed. low hemoglobin)
77. ~~Get wedding dress cleaned (possibly preserved)~~
78. ~~Return books to the library on time~~
79. Learn how to pick out a ripe pineapple
80. ~~Host an annual party at our house~~ (Earth Day)
81. Blog about each item I complete
82. ~~Buy closet organizers~~
83. ~~Clean all the baseboards~~
84. ~~Get rid of clothes/shoes that a) I don't wear, b) don't fit, or c) are falling apart~~
85. ~~Start changing my home style to eclectic (a la Anthropologie - only hopefully less expensive)~~
86. Send a secret to PostSecret
87. Don't complain about anything for a week
88. ~~Call people by their name whenever possible~~
89. Send holiday cards each year (1/3) - fail Christmas 2011
90. ~~Write my time on all of my running medals~~
91. Go a month with no unnecessary purchases (no eating out, no clothes, etc.)
92. Make an effort to send cards and gifts before birthdays
93. ~~Have Avery able to stay out in the house any time we leave~~
94. ~~Become an auntie~~
95. Keep a journal for one month
96. Send a “just because” gift
97. BW
98. Call people back within one day
99. ~~Get my clothes that don't fit altered~~
100. Stay in touch with friends that move
101. Find something to be thankful for each day, and rejoice!

We did it!

2010-04-25T23:23:00.003-05:00

This last week has been an amazing, overwhelming, whirlwind experience. I think this post needs chapters, a la Jess.

I. DEPARTURE & PRE-MARATHON
Friday was a crazy day in which we both worked until almost 5, took Avery away to her play place resort, and were on the road to the airport by 5:30. We had a direct flight to Boston (which was the best idea ever), in which things went exactly as planned, even arriving a little early.

Friday night we stayed with Matt & Jess and slept on an air mattress (blah). I woke up with a slightly sore neck. Saturday consisted of our last pre-marathon run - in the rain of course!

Then we trekked down to Hynes Convention Center with many others of the BPE team, to pick up our bib numbers and check out the finish line (that we would be crossing in just over 48 hours!).

Picking up #23011

Laurelin 23011, Jess 23018

Finish line pre-marathon craziness

Sunday consisted of getting our nails done (to match the crazy colors of our marathon jackets we would be wearing Monday night), and an early dinner of pre-marathon carbo loading.

Meanwhile, our amazing fans were hard at work poster-making. :)

II. MARATHON DAY

I woke up at 5:30 AM. Had some oatmeal, and Travis drove me to the commons for the buses to Hopkinton. Of course the drive to the commons was not without drama. Travis almost got a $150 ticket for stopping to let me out, but alas, we made it, ticket free. We then proceeded to walk about .75 miles in a huge circle to find a line to get on the bus. A nice lady pointed us to the fountain, where there were six lines, all of which were about 100 yards from where we began out little jaunt. Once in the correct line it was only a matter of minutes before we boarded the bus to Hopkinton.

The bus ride seemed ridiculously long, and was less than pleasant for someone who tends toward car sickness (myself). But when we got out, we were greeted by great lengthy lines for the porta-potties.

From there we made our way into Athlete's Village which was full of more porta-potties and lots, and lots of people. We found our way to the Boston Partners banner and made our way to a near-by porta-potty line. :)

Photo courtesy of Meghan Malloy.

Information from Coach Rick indicated we bring comfortable things to sit on, music to listen to, etc., for while we wait to begin the race. As it turned out we had minimal time in Athlete's Village, and most of the time consisted of waiting for a bathroom. Here is one group photo, snapped before walking the .7 miles to the start line.

From here we walked our way to the start and made it into the 23000 bib corral. If this gives you any indication of the number of runners, it took us 13 minutes to cross the start from there, and this was the second of two start waves.

Photo courtesy of Meghan Malloy.

Just before the start line, Jess and I hugged, and the first tears of the day were shed (happy tears!). And we started out on the best trek of my life. It was amazing. Jess made the decision to run with me that morning, and having a companion could not have been better. The miles just seemed to melt away and before we knew it was time for gel number one, then we made a quick stop at a porta-potty (with no lines!) around mile 10. My friend, fellow Boston Marathoner (two times), and former BPE co-worker, Meghan described the towns run through best:

Thank you Hopkinton for your hospitality, Ashland for the multiple people blasting Sweet Caroline, Framingham for being ugly and making me run faster, Natick for your ice pops, Wellesley for your screams, Newton for your kick ass hills, Brookline for your BC Superfans and Boston for being maybe not the biggest but certainly the best.

While I did not partake in ice pops or hear all the Sweet Caroline blasting, I thought this was a very fitting description. Jess and I split right after our first very own superfans around mile 17. From there we encountered those very same superfans at mile 21, and even more at mile 23. I cannot describe how amazing it is to see people you know cheering for you on the course. Just the pick up needed, especially at mile 23. Throughout the course, there were people cheering everywhere. People had set up their own water stations, were handing out orange slices, tissues, jelly beans, allowing people into their home to use the bathroom! The generosity and encouragement of the spectators was amazing. Between miles 22-23 I began really feeling the run. I had conquered Heartbreak Hill, and had the mindset I was almost there. That was the longest, hardest three miles of my entire life. In fact, running those three miles is the hardest thing I have done my entire life. This picture was probably taken about then.

But as I made a "right on Hereford, left on Boylston" I had a the first glimpse of the finish line! And a slight burst of energy. I made my way down the stretch and across the finish line, with a time of 4:25:23!

I ran the Boston Marathon! The following steps were barely existent, and the wheelchairs across the finish looked oh so tempting. But I kept walking, received some water, my Mylar blanket, and my medal!

I had run the Boston Marathon! My emotions were overwhelming: pain, excitement, celebration, exhaustion, hunger, pain, thanks, etc. I made my way to the Westin, in what seemed like the longest walk ever. There I met some of my very own superfans and celebrated my finish. Jess came in about 23 minutes behind me, with a time of 4:48:27.

Celebratory dinner

For your viewing pleasure, you can see my official time and splits, or the professional photos. This was one of my best days ever.

III. THANK YOUS

I have some final individual thank yous to:

Aunt Shelley

Carrie Brueck

Abby Gaghen

Melissa St. Clair

Rob & Judith (again!)

Laura Lintz

David & Gina (again!)

Thank you to everyone for your support over the past 6 months. This has been one big journey. Not only did I complete the marathon, but we also raised $4,000 to benefit students through Boston Partners in Education. The entire BPE marathon team has raised over $73,000 in support of the organization. I could not have done the fundraising or the running without your support. Whether you have asked about my runs, run with me, sent me emails, posted on my facebook, "liked" my status or link, donated, listened to me talk about running, read this blog, commented on this blog, or tracked me on race day, I have appreciated it all. Thank you for being the best support group ever. Sincerely, thank you!

Special thank yous to my superfans who traveled hundreds of miles to support me: Travis, Mom & Dad Barkel, Mom, Dad & Barb. Thanks to my Boston-based superfans who came out to support me: Matt, Nikki, & Rachel. Special thanks to Jess for doing this all with me, and listening to my non-stop running banter, worries, accomplishments, and fears. Thanks for being the most amazing person ever. And great thanks to Lauren for being my KC running partner. I really could not have done all of this running without you! Thank you for agreeing to run with me, and thanks to your parents for their running advice through you. Training with someone who has marathon experience has been extremely helpful. Thank you to everyone! Your support and generosity has been overwhelming. Thank you!

IV. POST MARATHON

I will likely continue blogging, although probably not as frequently. I will definitely continue running. I have a half marathon on May 15, and Jess and I have already discussed some possible marathon plans for next year (it's an addiction!). This whole experience has inspired me to do more, be more, help more, and do my part to inspire others. We are all capable of so much more than we believe. You never know what might happen from here! If you are inspired to help Boston Partners, you can check out their website or sign up to volunteer. Thank you for being a faithful reader.

I am a runner. I'm a runner.

2010-04-13T16:36:00.002-05:00

WARNING: This is a very emotionally charged post for me. Read with caution.

As I am nearing Marathon Monday, I am becoming emotional, feeling several feelings. Some being excitement, some anxiousness, some amazement, and some just overwhelming. I am hoping that blogging will bring me some peace....

Leading up to this marathon, I have never considered myself "a runner." I have felt as though that was a title reserved for only the most committed athletes, who truly run for the joy. About two weeks ago, as I was running with a parent during the Tomahawk Trailblazin' Runners club, she asked me the question which I have answered many times before, "Are you a runner?" Now usually I answer this question with something along the lines of, "Oh, not really but I try." Well, this time, something struck a cord, as I answered, "Yes, I am training for my first marathon." I think I have officially become "a runner." I suppose that running a marathon might qualify you as such.

Whoa! When did this happen? Was it the day I decided to run a half marathon (after never running more than 3 consecutive miles in my life)? Was it the day I completed my first half marathon in 50 degree rain (running weather that I now enjoy)? Was it in October when I ran my best half marathon to date? Was it when I decided to train for a marathon? Was it one of the many mornings when I awoke during training, and proceeded to push myself to run double digit mileage in either 4 degree weather, 6 inches of snow, or after having worked 6 days in a row? I don't really know when this happened, all I know is, I am a runner. I'm a runner.

There was another word in that response that struck me, "first." As of Monday, I am not only a runner, but a marathon runner. A marathon runner. This whole thing is surreal, I never thought I could be this, I never thought I could do this much. My teammate and former co-worker Laura Lintz, has this great blogpost this week about being your "best self." And I really believe this is a "best self" moment for me. And it brings me to tears. I am so amazed at what I can (and will) accomplish with help of so many supporters. And yes, as that response mentions, I plan to do this again.

VIEW THE MARATHON COURSE
For those not familiar with Boston or the marathon course; please take a look at this video.

It is a 4:30 minute fast-forward ride down the marathon course, set to, aptly chosen, "Born to Run." This is what I will be running in 6 days.

TRACK ME ON RACE DAY
One more reminder, if you will not be around on Marathon Monday, and would like to follow my progress you may do so here, with text or email updates. Simply input my bib number (23011) or search for me by last name to sign up.

THANK YOUS
Thank you so much for all the support from so many of you. I am $138.90 from my goal of $4,000 for Boston Partners in Education. If you haven't had a chance to donate yet, now is the time! And I would be so appreciative!

Let's close out with another round of thank yous:
Melissa St. Clair
Katie Wieringa
Steve & Kelli Salisbury
Brian & Evelyn Sommariva
Diana Petruzzi
Abby Gaghen
Kelly Strauch - fellow BPE marathoner
Lora McDonald
Karen Tefft

Ten!

2010-04-09T07:46:00.001-05:00

Ten days to go!

I am in taper, which has meant significantly less miles. Apparently a common occurence during taper is odd pains and strange dreams. I have already experienced the latter. A week ago I had this dream:
I was running the marathon, which apparently became a multi-day event which included sleeping in an inner-tube in the ocean. And someone was teaching me how to feed the sharks, which surrounded me, without dying. Needless to say, it was a traumatic marathon dream. However, I am quite confident that Marathon Monday cannot get worse than that!

I am starting to excited/anxious for marathon day, but need to keep my emotions in check. I am starting the countdown. I have already stopped drinking soda until after the marathon. I am also trying to be very concious of being gluten free. We have post-marathon dinner reservations made, and we are conference calling Matt & Jess this week to talk final details regarding clothes, times, etc. for the day of the race. The 10 day forecast for race day comes out tomorrow, and my two biggest hopes are for no heat and no wind from the East! We leave on Friday!

In other news, our spring Trailblazin' Runners running club has started at Tomahawk! The students ran one mile yesterday, and are working their way up to our culminating 5K! I love seeing children excited about being active and running. It's so great!
So many thanks to go out this week! Thank you to:
The Henson Family - Lauren Henson - world's best training partner, we've decided we need to train again, and actually do the marathon together next time :) and Mr. & Mrs. Henson - they donated after having met me only once!
Anonymous - your ambiguity is intriguing :)
Tomahawk people - Lindsay Blanchard, Teresa Aley, and Staci Miller
Terry Metzger - Big Cheese Reader extraordinaire
Zeeland people - Gary Feenstra, Todd & Nancy Kamstra, and Garry & Beth Nykamp
School psychology people - Bruce Milford, Peggy Hess, and Carissa Ekholm
Lauren King - neighborly support
Meghan Malloy - fellow Boston Marathoner, running for Team Ally charity
Sharon Warner - encouraging words and donations!
My mama - for giving me life, and so much more!

I am now $430 from my fundraising target! I would be thrilled to reach that within the next 10 days! Help out here!

I plan to update the blog one last time before the race, so be sure to check back in for final thoughts! I would appreciate prayers and thoughts in the coming weeks for: safe travels, comfortable running weather, endurance, and the ability to manage my emotions! Thank you!

I'm really doing this!

2010-03-28T22:36:00.001-05:00

Whoa! So many great things are happening!

Let's begin with a recap of the weather last weekend. On Friday it was a sunny 64 degrees, by Sunday morning we had 6-8" of snow. :( Luckily, it was all melted by Monday afternoon, and turned out to be a beautiful week. So beautiful that Avery has now begun to run with me again. Here she is after our 5 mile run this week...

She was very tired. :)

Back to last weekend, while Travis' parents were here, I decided to sew... something I have never done in my life. Travis' mom was a great help and guided me through my first experience.

Here is the fruit of our labors. :) It was very fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed the bonding time with my beautiful mother-in-law! Stay tuned for more possible sewing progress....

Yesterday marked the longest run of the training program, 22 miles. Lauren and I decided we would provide ourselves with some motivation for this run by registering for the Rock the Parkway half marathon, and then continuing to run 9 miles afterward. Well, it turned out to be a fabulous idea. We set off for the run at 6:45 AM on Saturday, with the knowledge that it was going to rain. Well, it decided to begin raining as soon as we exited the car. The first 8 miles were incredibly cold, rainy, and at times, complete with sleet. During this time, I regretting my choice of shorts several times. There was not a dry part of us by mile 10. However, the run was incredibly well put on, with many water stations (all offering both Gatorade and water), volunteers bearing the weathering, some supporters on the sidelines, adequate Police at intersections, and lots of participates. The course was also very nice, and seemed to go by quickly. After crossing the "finish line" we got medals (which Lauren proceeded to drop in the porta-potty) and turned around to head back out for another 9 miles. Now, I'm not sure why this makes sense, perhaps it was the people for inspiration, perhaps the extra water, perhaps the caffeinated gels I had, but this 22 mile wet, rainy run, was the best run I have ever had. Ever. Upon completion of 22, I didn't even feel it. We had gone faster than usual, and I really didn't feel that tired. I don't even feel sore today. I cannot even describe how excited I am about the marathon after yesterday. If I felt that good in a little race that didn't really matter, think of April 19th! I am so, so pumped! Yesterday could not possibly have gone better.

After I got home from my run and took a nap, I saw that my official marathon information packet arrived in the mail! I am officially bib number 23011. If you would like to track me on race day with free email or text updates, you can sign up here. Enter my bib # or search for me by name. This is really happening, I am really only 22 days from something which I have been preparing for nearly 6 months. I am running the Boston Marathon!

While the race is quickly approaching, I am still training, and still fund-raising. I am currently at 71% of my goal. There is still time to donate here. Thank you to my most recent supporters: Kendra Varns (for the second time! and for the awesome mix of running music), Mrs. Bleish, and Mrs. Polzin.

20 miles and Spring Break

2010-03-18T22:26:00.000-05:00

I have heard the masses, and will oblige with a new post. :) Thank you to my readers for your amazing support and encouragement. You continue to help keep my goal in sight!

Thank you to: Mrs. P, and Mrs. Smith from Tomahawk Elementary, and to Krissy VanGinhoven for your donations and support! Thanks to these and all my donors, I am now at 70% of my goal funds!

Let's see... I am currently on a much needed and appreciated spring break. Not only am I off from my regular job for a week, but I also had to only work twice during this break at my other jobs! It's a true break for me!! :)

This weekend I had a great 20 mile run with Travis as my biking companion. This was my furthest run by two miles, a jump I hadn't done yet in training. It went really, really great. Travis was again very supportive and encouraging. Due to the uncharted distance, this run took us into a great new part of the trail surrounded by juniper trees. It smelled amazing! This run also included some pretty major hills at mile 18, which is pretty close to when I will be encountering Heartbreak Hill on Marathon Monday. I powered through, and hope to have the same gusto in just 32 days!

Tuesday was Travis' birthday, on which he had the day off. We had waffles for breakfast and spent the day relaxing. Oh, and we won trivia at the Flying Saucer! It was truly a birthday miracle. Yesterday was a fabulous St. Patrick's Day! It began with an 8 mile run at 6:00 AM in the rain (really, what was I thinking?), which turned out to be very pleasant. We continued with breakfast at our neighbors, including beer bread made with none other than Guinness. We then spent the day out enjoying the festivities and live music in the Power & Light District. It has truly been a great break, which will continue when Travis' parents arrive tomorrow through Sunday.

Before heading out for the day

Judith & Rob and Travis & I

Judith and I - celebrating our true Irish heritage!

Power & Light at midday

Rob & Travis

Are we there yet?

2010-03-08T16:13:00.000-06:00

Alright Marathon Monday, I am ready for you. I am ready for you any time now....

When I began this training, I did not know it would be this hard. I mean, I knew it would be physcially taxing, and there would be a lot of running. But I never knew it would be this hard, emotionally. I feel like I'm on a rollercoaster. I love the way running makes me feel, and I know I'm doing great things, but I'm also missing out on so much of what I used to know as my life.

This weekend I couldn't hang out with friends on Friday night because I had to work at the Sprint Center. I couldn't go out afterward because I had to run Saturday morning. I couldn't sleep in Saturday morning because I had to run. I was exhausted afterward, causing part of my beautiful afteroon to be spent sleeping. I was again, ready for bed by 10:30 Saturday night. This is hard. I can't really describe it, other than to say it's hard. I feel like I have become this marathon. It is consuming me. Every ounce of me.

So therefore, I am ready for Marathon Monday. Now get here already! :)

I other news, my training continues to go well. Although, I psyched myself out for my 13 this weekend. After running 18 it's kind of hard to take 13 seriously and I thought it would just be a "short" run. Well, it's still 13 miles. I was a little disappointed in my mental state regarding this run, I'm not usually so negative. I just never really "felt it" this weekend. Above I am sporting my new Under Armour 1/4 zip shirt, courtesy of David & Gina. (Please excuse the ridiculous look on my face. Avery was doing something cute on the ground, and I had to look.) However, the weather has significantly warmed up and I am off for a run in 64 degrees!

Huge thank yous this week to the following: Anna Fritz, Uncle Lee & Betty, Rob & Judith (for a 2nd donation!), Dick & Pam Van Dorp, my Dad & Barb, Janie Jones, and David & Gina. Your support will get me through the trying times! :) I am at 69% of my goal, and rising quickly!

Ten

2010-03-01T16:19:00.002-06:00

Enormous THANK YOUS are due to the following fine people:
Kevin Snow - for sending me over half way, even with two broken arms - that takes dedication
Dan & Ann Barkel - for donating a 2nd time and reading my blog
Justin & Kelsey and Curt & Barb - for the donations even in the excitement of new babies in their family
Jen Milia - for super great support from NU alumni
Anyone who reads this - I so appreciate it, comment and let me know you're out there!
Seven weeks to see your name here! - www.firstgiving.com/laurelin

Today's post outlines ten important notes regarding running, and what I have learned thus far in my training (I apologize in advance for the lack of pictures this week):

1. Never underestimate the amount of money one can spend on polyester and spandex.

2. Never underestimate your freakish looks in said polyester and spandex.

3. The importance of access to water, food (or pseudo-food), and a toilet (or pseudo-toilet) during long runs. This is key to life, and therefore key to running double-digit mileage.

4. Running is snow and/or rain is actually quite beautiful and/or refreshing. However, remember that everything is good in moderation.

5. Long runs are significantly more bearable with a partner. Lauren has been awesome. When I originally set out on this, I thought I would be okay without a group or partner, as I never really had one for training in my half marathons. Turns out, it's awesome to have someone there. She gets me going on Saturday afternoons, and gives me lots of great input about running and corroborates my running woos in my time of need. Lauren rocks!

6. Don't stop within the first three miles. The first three miles always suck, guaranteed. Even when I know I'm capable of running 18 miles - as I completed yesterday - I really could just stop at any point during the first three. Don't give up on those, and you'll make it a lot further than you think you can.

7. Port-a-potties are a long run's friend.

8. Do not underestimate the importance of good (well-fitting) running shoes. These are key to remaining injury free. And replace them frequently (about every 300-400 miles).

9. One of the best feelings is being done with a long run. One of the worst feelings is knowing you are missing a long run (due to illness or injury), this is worse than the actual pain of running 18 miles.

10. Now a note for spectators for running. Cheer. I can't emphasize this enough. Even if I don't know you and you think my spandex is appalling, cheer for me. Clap your hands and say, "keep going," "great job," "you rock!" Whatever your words of choice are, you will never understand how much they mean to me. Please, please cheer. I need you.

This weekend was great, including: happy hours, work, cooking, napping, more working, church, running, and hosting a church gathering.

Finally, if you know my amazing (might-as-well-be) sister-in-law Jessica (even just a little bit), please send her some encouragement. She could really use it right about now. She is battling through some terrible sickness and missing training runs... as evidenced above, one of the worst feelings possible. Show her some love!

Back on track

2010-02-24T16:32:00.001-06:00

Thank you to: Kristi Parry, Linda Armstrong, Leslie Rollins, Kim Grant, fellow runner Erin McGrath, fellow runner Kelly Strauch, The Elzinga Family, and Grandpa & Myk Barkel! Your support is greatly appreciated! Thanks to these fabulous people I have now reached my half way point! Wooo hoo! Let's keep it going here! Less than 8 weeks to go.

Last weekend included the following:

1) Working a great Rascall Flatts concert where I earned nearly $140 for BPE!

2) A really great 17 mile run, with my running mate Lauren. We set off at about 10:30 to make water drops. We are now at the point where we need to have water three times throughout the run, meaning that we need to hide some water or gatorade behind trees for us when we reach our quarter and three-quarter locations. We were very excited about the extra beverage, and were also going to do an extra packet of running pseudo-food at our three-quarter point. We made the drops and drove back to the middle, our start point. The run went rather great except when we realized our first water drop took us out 0.6 miles further than we needed to be. This resulted in being 1.2 miles farther than was planned upon the return to mid-way. We made the decision to for-go the three-quarter water drop, as that would have either a) resulted in running at least 18 miles or b) resulted in over a mile cool down. So unfortunately after all that hard work, we still had to go pick up our water drops and pseudo-foods, some unused. :(

3) A post run stop at McDonald's for M&M McFlurries. :) We decided this was just like the chocolate milk coach Rick suggests, containing both frozen milk and chocolate.

4) A great dinner out at Jalapeno's Mexican Restaurant with Travis. Going out to eat just the two of us is something we haven't done in a very long time. It was great.

5) A full on winter snow storm, complete with sleet, snow, and freezing rain. Oh, it's almost March.

Since the weekend I have been entirely exhausted. Apparently that is one of the side effects of running a bazillion miles, and working 3 jobs. :) I went to spinning Monday, and yesterday I set out on weekday mileage, something that made me nervous, given my recent knee troubles (and ridiculous sleepiness). I was prepped and ready to go with new running shoes (same kind I already have) - the fabulous Adidas Supernova Sequence. Little did I know when I originally purchased these - they are the official running shoe of the Boston Marathon!

It went great! I felt awesome, my knee never hurt, and despite the biting winds, I feel re-inspired to keep running! I am so glad I went. However, I am still planning to run every other day to give my knee a little well deserved rest. I think I may be officially back on track!

And I need to share this non-running related news: My hometown of Holland, MI has been ranked one of the happiest places to live, earning the name Happy Town. The awesome candy store I worked for, The Holland Peanut Store, is featured in the beginning of this video, with "Uncle Bill" carrying some candy! I love this! :)

A new hip at 35? Most likely.

2010-02-16T18:13:00.001-06:00

So as I was going about my week, Travis reminded me of a great point, "you know the guy who ran the first marathon died right after?" Wow, I think perhaps I did know that, but now it's so much clearer.Yesterday during a thought provoking run (which started out as 7 miles and ended at 4), I offically decided that running marathons is not good for you.

Last week I took some days off from running and I was also very religious about icing my knee and popping the ibuprofen every 6 hours or so. I was feeling pretty good going into my long run Saturday and I had this striking man as my partner:

So we set off, him on bike, me on foot. The first 15 miles were great with long winded stories and encouragement from my handsome mate. The Clif Shot Blocks worked wonders again, and having gatorade at my ready from my beverage carrying companion was also very helpful. Just before mile 15 my knee started hurting again a bit, but I powered through for one mile to complete my goal. Here I am after 16 miles:

This is generally how I look 4 days/week.

So after 16 miles, we came home, ate lunch, napped for about 45 minutes and then I went to work at the Sprint Center (to raise $$ for my fund), oh the things I do for BPE! Sunday I was very sore, but by Monday I was adament that I was going to accomplish my weekday mileage. I set off for 7 miles, but ended with pretty significant knee pain at four. After consultation with Coach Rick, I am off from running for another couple days, with the instruction to "shuffle" upon returning. Perhaps I will shoot some video of this "shuffle" for your enjoyment next week.

Anyway, back to my point. I have come to the conclusion that running this frequently cannot be good for any part of your body, even if you are being awesomely active. I am fairly confident that if I continue semi-competitive (against myself mostly) running for a period of 10 or more years, I will cause significant bodily damage, most likely resulting in hip replacement surgery by the age of 35.

In other news, the Olympics are now in progress! I love the Olympics. I cry pretty much every time I turn them on. The stories are so inspiring and the medal ceremonies always get me. I am in awe of the athlete's drive and committment to their sport. This story is particularly touching to me. Congratulations to Canada on breaking the streak, and to Alexandre Bilodeau and his family.

And finally, thank you to Dave Ornee for his awesome donation (and enouragement)!

10 weeks and counting...

2010-02-08T22:19:00.000-06:00

To my two, perhaps five (at most) blog readers, I apoligize for my much delayed post. I know you were getting delerious in your anticipation. Also, I have decided to stop the letters posts. I was hoping to eventually spell something amazing, although a quick run down of my letters last week made me realize I was significantly lacking in the vowel department, and those are hard to come by without sounding ridiculous (hence the reach in the O... post last week).

Moving on... this week's 15 miler was less than stellar, although I am happy to say it is complete. It all began with a pretty significant amount of snow fall on Friday (sadly, not resulting in a snow day):

But Saturday morning I was ready to go in my new complete ninja outfit (don't worry, I had several more layers on for the actual run):

When we arrived at our running destination, the trails looked like this:

This was the good part of the trails (and actually taken after the run, when the snow had melted significantly). There were portions of the trail covered in 3 inches of snow, and portions where the only tracks we saw were our friends the geese. By about mile 3 the outside of my right knee was really hurting me, but I was trying my best to power through with positive thoughts and long, distracting stories with Lauren. I doubted myself several times, but Lauren kept me going, through excruciating pain. Until mile 5 or so, at which I almost fell to the ground in pain. After a short walk, I decided I had to do this and was determined to catch up with Lauren (who was now far ahead of me). I powered through the first half, and the second half was better, despite a few killer pains. Anyway, I'm really minimizing the pain here because the details are boring, however, I am now confident that if I made it through 15 miles of that pain, and these trails (resulting in cold, wet, icyness from the knees down) I know I can finish the marathon! And I would like to say a huge thank you to Lauren, as I would have quit three miles in if it wasn't for her.

I think I may have iliotibial band syndrome, a minor running injury which can be treated with stretches, icing, ibuprofen, and rest. I am planning to do some cross training instead of running during the week, and hopefully I will be back on course for 16 miles on Saturday (without Lauren I might add!).

I would like to add that I tried a new running pseudo-food this week: Clif Shot Blocks. They are my favorite thus far, and actually tasted delicious and seemed to keep me running in my hour of need. They also come in fabulous flavors, like Cran-Razz (which I have yet to try, I had Strawberry).

Here there are several awesome running foods, drinks, and pseduo-foods included. I also enjoy Jelly Belly sport beans (in Breast Cancer Supporting variety - just for you mom!). My post long run food is always trail mix and gatorade. In the future (mid-run) I will be trying the Clif Shot gel pictured here. I would like to note that the Clif Shot Blocks and the Clif Shot Gel, are both conveniently gluten free! :)

Oh, and here is a picture of my most recent purchase of capri tights (thanks to several Dicks gift cards for my b-day) with a super-secret pocket made for running pseduo-food:

Finally, a wonderful thank you to the following fabulous supporters:

Ms. Ketti

Cindy Spitz

Tom Baker

Only $204 from 50% of funds raised!

O... Out & Backs Rock!

2010-01-30T21:40:00.000-06:00

First off, a fabulous thank you goes out to my many recent donors to BPE: Grandma Ehman, Dan & Ann Barkel, Rob & Judith, Gayla Posch, Scottie, Mary Power, Tim & Lori Barkel, John & Karen Wieringa, and Janice & Dean Warner! Whoo! My recent birthday gave my fundraising a great boost. :)

Last week's 13 miler:
Lauren and I drove down to Shawnee Mission Park, where we set off for the run, in unusually warm weather (55 degrees!). The second mile was ridiculously hilly and I thought we were never going to make it up... but we did - which resulted in much more brief downhill portions. From there we ran 6.5 miles out and then back. The best thing we discovered were several port-a-pottys planted along the route - allowing for needs to be met if necessary. If you run great distances, you know this is an exciting discovery. However, we also discovered zero working water fountains (I guess it is January), which resulted in 13 miles with NO water! Along the route we met some runner friends who had much water, but apparently not enough to share. And one of them - get ready for this - is running a marathon in every state (only has Alaska to go) and currently has 91 marathons under his belt. And, he gave me a fist pump when I told him I was running Boston. So I fist pumped a near-hundred marathoner. Needless to say we were extremely thirsty by the end.

This week's 14 miles:
Today, I ran more than I have ever run before. This was the first time I have had this experience since September of 2007. We had a system for today to fix the lack of H2O situation. We parked in the middle and ran 3.5 miles out and then back to the car where we were replenished with water (yay, water!) and various energizing products (sport beans and gels) and used the aforementioned port-a-potties. Then we ran 3.5 miles out the other direction and back. There was a little snow on the trails, but the sun was out and the weather was actually must better than anticipated! The run went very well, the aftermath not so much (not sure if it was the sport beans or the pudding for breakfast). Lauren and I had great conversation (including our chant when times get tough, "Lauren, how do you feel?" "I feel good, oh, I feel so good!"), and the 2 hours and 14 minutes flew by! From here on out, I'm running into uncharted territory.

This happened in the fall on a 12 miler, but I ran 5 miles in this condition. I would highly suggest not tripping while running on concrete. I have several scars to remind me in case I forget.

My adorable pup Avery :)

Avery loves going down slides!

Perhaps I will take more recent, relevent photos to document my training soon.

This week, I got my schedule for the Sprint Center for February. I am very excited because my working dates are all on the weekends, meaning I don't have to kill myself trying to work, work more, and run/cross train on the week days. I am working great events like: Monster Jam (where I hope to meet many large truck lovers, and sell lots of beer), Rascall Flatts (where I hope to meet many country crooners who are large truck lovers, and sell lots of Jack & Coke), and Elton John & Billy Joel (where I hope to sing along with every song). Wait... Elton & Billy?? Yes, face to face tour. I am beyond pumped to just be in the building when this happens! All my $$ from this job, is being donated to BPE!

P... pictures!

2010-01-22T18:56:00.001-06:00

I have recently been feeling a little inadequate in the picture department. So today, I will be gracing you with some photos.

First, my 12 miles last Sunday went great! I set my Virtual Partner (here after referred to by her name - Vivian) to 9:45 pace thinking I would be happy with that, but with the little snow remaining, and running on city roads, I needed give myself a little extra room. Well, at the end of 12 miles, I was kicking Vivan's butt by 3 minutes! I ran in 9:30 minute/miles. I was pretty happy with that on a foggy, foggy Sunday morning. From there, I headed to church where I recovered before taking a great nap later in the day.

This week Tuesday I embarked on my 5 mile run. It turned out to be very unfortunate, as I was very dizzy, and lost to Vivan for the first time. :( However, the highlight of my run was these two little deer which were about 15 feet from me (I promise, dispite the lack of clarity in the picture, no zoom). I had to be very careful, as my trip to Yellowstone taught me, you never know when you might get mauled by wildlife, like this man. I have circled them in this picture for your convenience.

A local hill, by the way, pictures do not do hills justice

Tomorrow I will be off for a 13 mile run on some local trails. My running partner Lauren will be back to join me. In fact, I will leave you with a picture of us after finishing the Kansas City Half Marathon in October.

Enjoying some post-race nourishment

Finally, a HUGE thank you to my awesome donors: Grandpa & Grandma VanGinhoven, Grandpa & Grandma Elzinga, and Kendra Varns! See you next week... more pictures to follow! :)

G is for... Garmin

2010-01-16T13:38:00.000-06:00

I believe the amount of physical activity required in this training is starting to catch up to me! Thursday night I was in bed before 9:00pm and on Friday night, I fell asleep watching Valkyrie (a good movie, according to Travis, who was able to stay conscious) at 9:20pm. Talk about an exciting Friday night! :)

Well, last Sunday's 11 miler was great. I was dreading it due to the ridiculous cold, but it turned out to be nice to run outside again, and felt great to have it done afterward. I woke up at 6:45ish and piled on the clothes: tall socks, running tights, another pair of workout pants, workout tank top, long-sleeved running top, long-sleeved zip up Nike jacket, fleece coat, fleece headband, and stocking cap. I picked up my friend Lauren, and we headed out to a running club that meets at 8am. When we arrived, no others were in attendance, so we decided to have our own running club that day. When we set out it was a cool 4 degrees, upon return, it had warmed to 12, although the feels like temp was 6. There was ice in my hair, frost on my coat, and wind in my face. You can check out the details and the awesome information from Garmin Connect.

Later this week, I set my watch on the Virtual Partner setting (you set your "partner" to a pace, such as 9:15 minute/miles, and it shows you and the partner running and how far you are ahead/behind). Talk about motivating! I pushed myself to beat my "partner" and love this setting!

Tomorrow I am off on 12 miles. Lauren is out of town so I'll be running alone, but with my virtual "partner" of course. Snow is melting away, and tomorrow is supposed to be a beautiful day, so it should be a great run! I'll update with my awesome Garmin stats!

J is for... Jess!

2010-01-08T16:56:00.002-06:00

Today's post is the wonderful story of how I decided to run the Boston Marathon this year.

Flash back to late September 2009:
I had been running for about 2.5 years at this point, and had completed two half marathons, with two more on the horizon within the next couple months. I had been trying to talk my common law sister-in-law (aka Jess) into running a half with me for at least a year. She was hesitant and afraid of issues I won't deleve into here. :) At one point (I think perhaps on video, and with the help of her friend Mr. Rubinoff) I got Jess to agree to run the Chicago Marathon with me sometime in the next five years.

So, it was a usual day in September, and I was emailing Jess (who currently works at BPE, doing my old job+), and told her I thought 2010 would be our year to run Chicago! Well, she got back to me and had apparently "just forgot" to tell me that she was considering running the Boston Marathon! "What the what??," I said. Appaled that Jess would A) have forgotten to tell me, B) be crazy enough to run the Boston Marathon. I encouraged her and said that would be a lot of work and the fundraising would be hard, both true statements (secretly being entirely jealous and bitter that I wasn't the one running). Weeks went by and I continued to think she was crazy, but was excited for her, and continued to be secretly sad and jealous, until one day, I thought, "what if I ran? Could I really raise all that money? What about training in the winter?" And amazingly, I called Jess that day and she said, "I think you should run too." And the next sentence out of her mouth was the best idea I had ever heard, "It would make a kickin' Amazing Race appliaction video!"

From that moment on, I was sold. It was the last year I could run for BPE, the only year I could run with my common law sister-in-law, would make the best Amazing Race app video ever, and a year I was ready to run a marathon. I convinced myself I would raise the money, and I would run through the winter (little did I know we'd have this kind of winter!), and I would run the Boston Marathon! I turned in my application (to run for BPE that is), and anxiously awaited the offical news.

I am so glad to be sharing this experience with someone so supportive, encouraging, crazy, helpful, understanding, not mad that I was secretly (or not so secretly) jealous, committed, determined, family, and above all, awesome! And that we are again connected through BPE and fundraising for a great cause is icing on the cake! (I love cake, but I can't eat it anymore, I'll eat the icing though, that's why it's so great!)

After hiking to the top of Mt. Washburn in Yellowstone

I will leave you today by noting that the current feels like temperature at 4:54 on Friday, January 8, 2010 in KC, MO is -5, which I should note is a significant improvement from earlier this morning's feels like of -12. Tonight's actual temperature low is -12 with wind chills reaching -24. It's been really pleasant here lately. :) Oh, and I'm running 11 miles on Sunday. On a great note, today is my second (in a row) snow day - leaving time for some relaxing and running (on the treadmill, so I don't die). On a really great note, I got a Garmin GPS watch for Christmas! It's amazing, and I am currently in the process of figuring out how to save a screen shot as an image so I can show you all the amazing things it tells me!

2 is for... 20%!

2009-12-31T10:40:00.000-06:00

As you will notice (if you look at the firstgiving widget to your left) I am at 20% of my goal!! Waaahooo! Today I made two donations myself, one of the half.com book sales I have been doing, and one for my December part-time job wages and tips! All in all, I contributed $284.09 of my own money today! Yay for me! I would like to challage any readers to contribute just 5-10% of my contributions today. Only $200 more and I will be 25% of the way there!

So, on Tuesday I made the trek for my 10 mile run. It was cold, there was snow every where and I think I almost caused an accident! You know that person who runs on the road and you get so mad because there is a sidewalk for them... well I'm that girl. The only sad part is, with all this snow, there is NO sidewalk! So I ask, please do not try to hit me, run me into a snowbank, or make me wet with your snow spray. Needless to say, it was not the best run I've ever had. :( Today is is crazy cold, so I am going to run my 5 miles inside.

For NYE tonight, Travis' family is coming into town. We are going the Phoenix tonight for dinner and some music and then back to our place to ring in the new year. I even bought a $9.99 bottle of champagne from Costco for this event. ;-) It will be a delightful weekend filled with family, games, food, and presents. As I look forward to the new year, I am very excited for all the things that are to come: running a marathon, visiting Boston again, warmer weather, David & Gina's new house, family weddings, friends weddings. 2010 is going to be a great year!

Happy New Year!

B is for... Bakinhoven!

2009-12-29T11:46:00.000-06:00

Thank you to Matt & Jess Bakinhoven for their incredibly generous donation, and Christmas present to my fundraising! Thank you also to Jim & Meredith for their donation (to several BPE runners!) as well!

As I wrote on Christmas Eve, I did not yet know the terror that would rain (or snow) down upon Kansas City within the next 36 hours. I am SO glad I got my long run in that morning! We got about 14" of snow, which started with freezing rain - made opening car doors interesting. And this sad city 1) doesn't know how to plow/salt, 2) doesn't know how to shovel, 3) doesn't know how to drive... in snow. So as I sit and write 5 days after the beginning of this ordeal, the roads have yet to be sufficiently plowed and snow has yet to be removed.

Well you may be thinking, "who cares, it's not like you have to drive to work!" And you'd be right about that, the not driving to work part. :) But I care! On Sunday I forced myself to run on the treadmill for the first time since, probably March or earlier. It was a sad, sad day. :( However, since I was running inside, I committed to running faster. And I did! I ran 3 miles at 9:00 pace and one at 8:30 pace. It was wicked hot in that gym.

And yet today, I am planning to make the trecherous trek out in the snow roads to run 10 miles. "Why?" you ask, because it's only going to get worse. It is supposed to be colder this week (more ice on the roads) and supposed to snow again tonight. Please help keep me running and not sleeping, by donating at www.firstgiving.com/laurelin!

Wish me luck on this trecherous journey (and I'm serious, I'm afraid I'm going to fall). And I will update with my condition next week! Have a very happy new year to all! And those of you in warmer climates... know that I am sufficiently jealous.

C is for... Champions (and Christmas)!!

2009-12-24T15:12:00.011-06:00

Tomorrow is Christmas!

A lot has happened since I last posted! David & Gina arrived Saturday, and sadly, they left this morning. :( We had a grand time, and completed all of the items on our to do/see list... including WIN TRIVIA! :) Every Tuesday since July we attend Trivia at the Flying Saucer. Prior to this week, the crown of trivia champions had eluded us. This week... we WON! It was amazing and spectacular. We now will be back next Tuesday with a $50 gift certificate!

A few more highlights of their time in KC: eating at Oklahoma Joes (a-m-a-z-i-n-g barbeque, amazing, inside of a gas station - also one of the 13 places to eat before you die), visiting the Nelson-Atkins meseum, Firelies, enjoying a delicious and and entertaining meal at Classic Cup. Here are some pictures of our time together.

Shuttlecock at Nelson-Atkins

Receiving my Gluten-Free cookbook from Gina and David - I'm Gluten Free now, in case you didn't know

Rice and Pollen art in the Nelson-Atkins (gluten free - I could eat it all!)

Toy trains at Union Station - drive in theatre

Ice skating

Liberty Memorial - Union Station in the background

We won!

I have also done a lot of running since I last posted (all up hill, right Gina?). Saturday morning Lauren and I ran with the running group Personal Best down in Overland Park. We hit the road running at 6:30 AM. It was barely light by time we finished 8 miles, but we felt very accomplished! I ran twice while David and Gina were here. They were encouraging and wished me luck, but Gina was recovering from illness and unable to endure the cold. This morning, we dropped them off for their flight at 5:00 AM. I was on the road by 5:45, and completed 9 miles before 7:15 AM!

As I sit inside, bundled up, it feels awesome to know I have my long run done! It is currently freezing rain and will begin snowing shortly, just in time for Christmas! Sadly, our Florida guests are back in the warm weather for the holiday, but we are spending Christmas with our fabulous neighbors, Rob & Judith. It is sure to be an abundance of food and celebrations.

Have a very Merry Christmas!!

O is for... Olathe!

2009-12-18T14:02:00.001-06:00

Apparently I am very into letters, so I thought I would continue with that theme today. O is for Olathe, which is of course the amazing school district I am proud to work for. Also, Olathe Schools happen to be the workplace of my last three donors! They are Janet - the incredible intervention support teacher, Andy - the perfect psychologist, and Cathy - the spectacular secretary. Thank you all for your donations! You can have your name on this page too! Just join them in supporting students here!

Today, is the last day of school before break! And I am very excited for this event. :) I now have two weeks with no school or work (of any kind!). Tomorrow my spectacular guests from Florida, David and Gina (also known as my besties) will be arriving to KC! I am so excited to see them since it has been since their July nupituals since I have seen them! We plan to do wonderful things like: ice skate, eat, run, eat, visit museums, eat, rock out, eat, and win trivia. So, Gina from Florida, will be coming to run with me in 30 degree weather next week. Won't that be fun for her?! :)

Before their arrival in the AM, I am going to run 8 miles... at 6:30 in the morning! My friend Lauren and I have been wanting to attend these group free runs on Saturdays for a month or so now, but I always have to work in the mornings. So tomorrow, we are going to the last one of the year! I am very excited to run with lots of other people and hopefully feel a little inspired and encouraged, even if I can't be with the whole Boston Partners team tomorrow. :(

I'll let you know how the run goes!

Have a very Merry Christmas!

B is for Booyah!

2009-12-11T11:27:00.000-06:00

And here are some booyah people in my life: Katie Magee (fellow Olathe School Psychologist), Pamela Civins (Executive Director of BPE), and Julie Bailiff (Tomahawk treasure and School Social Worker)! Their donations have been generous and greatly appreciated! :)

In running news, I am sad. :( Although I have been told to "stay positive!" My shin (right shin to be particular) has been hurting off and on since my half marathon in October. I have done my best to give it rest, ice and ibuprofen, but the problem always returns. :( Well, it got to the point this week where I was incredibly frustrated that I couldn't be running as frequently as I would like. I did end up calling my trusty (and amazing) marathon coach: Rick Muhr - he ran across the entire state of Massachusetts, people! He encouraged me to follow this method: R-rest, I-ice, C-compression, E-elevation. So, I am running tomorrow for the first time since Sunday, I have been icing at least once a day (attempting twice), I bought an ACE bandage and have been wrapping daily, and have been sitting at my desk all week with my leg elevated (which has made for some interesting conversations). Most importantly, Coach Rick told me to "stay positive" which has been the most difficult for me. So... I certainly could use some encouragement right now! I just want to be running! I will let you know how I am feeling next update!

In case you don't already know, I am working an extra job to donate money to the marathon funds! :) That extra job is bartending at the Sprint Center (the big venue for concerts and sports games in KC). Last night was my second shift and it was the KISS concert! It was very busy and KISS played for a very long time. All in all, the money raised made the night worth it. I am working a basketball game there tomorrow, and hoping to make some more cash for kids! :)

T is for Tomahawk (and Thanksgiving)

2009-12-02T17:14:00.001-06:00

Thank you to some fabulous Tomahawk Elementary staff, Susie Miller and Carrie Hoehn, for making generous donations! You're contributions (and work at Tomahawk) are greatly appreciated! :) If you would like to join them in their sponsorship, visit me here!

Training is going great. Thanksgiving in Michigan was a perfect opportunity for me to run with my perfect marathon partner - Jessica Baker, and her marathon savvy Aunt Shelley. We did 8 miles near Lake Michigan in some unexpectedly not cold weather! I also had a great time visiting with much family, wearing my mom's awesome handmade jewlery, visiting my Dad's community parks, and eating lots of mashed potatoes.

This week has also been warm in KC, yeilding two days of 'shorts and t-shirt' running weather. Although, I'm afraid things are changing quickly. :( I'm off to make meatloaf (which if you knew me 4 years ago, should be a huge shock), and put up our Christmas tree (at least a week too late if you ask me!). Perhaps a little spinning class will make it into my evening routine.

Thank you!

2009-11-18T18:49:00.001-06:00

Thank you to Anonymous for being the first contributor! Your generous donation is much appreciated! Thank you!

Miles Run: 5
Miles to go: 571.5

Funds raised: $175

Another half and the offical start

2009-11-15T15:26:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I ran the Pilgrim Pacer half marathon. Since the half on Oct 17th, I have had a few setbacks, including shin splints and other illness. So, I was not able to stick to my orginal training plan between races. I ran exactly 4 times in the 4 weeks, with the greatest distance being 5 miles. I was hesitant to even do the half, and considered changing my registration to the 10k. Well, in the end, I convinced myself I should do the half.

And am I glad I did. It was great running weather, in the low 50's and somehow I managed to still beat my KC half time, even with the lack of training! I finished in 2:00:29! Here I am finishing - trying really hard to break 2 hours! Next time. :)

Unfortunately, I missed the offical BPE marathon team kick-off meeting in Boston yesterday. :( Although my faithful friend Jess took meticulous notes for me. I really wish I could have met everyone running for BPE, and had the opportunity for support from great people who know the challenges I will be facing. On the other hand, I am looking forward to an 8 miler with Jess in just a few weeks! :)

Don't forget, the giving site is up and running! www.firstgiving.com/laurelin

Let the giving begin!

2009-11-04T15:21:00.000-06:00

I have my giving site ready for donations! Who will be the first to donate to this worthy cause???

It could be you! www.firstgiving.com/laurelin

Thanks for your support!

Running Again

2009-11-02T22:37:00.001-06:00

Alright, sorry I haven't posted in an exceptionally long time! A few days following the KC Half, I developed shin splints. :( That has been a sad experience for me, as I just ran last night for the first time in nearly two weeks. However, I think I am healing and am hoping to be back in the game for my (already registered and paid for) half marathon on 11.14.09. :)

I am hoping to have my firstgiving site up and running soon so I can begin the fundraising! I will be sure to keep you updated when that becomes available! :)

Thanks for your support!

KC Half

2009-10-17T17:54:00.000-05:00

Thanks for all the comments last week!

Today was the Kansas City Marathon! I ran the half marathon. When we woke up around 5:30 AM, it was 43 and raining. :( Lukily by the time the race started it had warmed up to a balmy 45 degrees and stopped raining just in time. My goal time was 2 hours 5 minutes, but I thought with the hilly course I might end up more like 2:10. Well, the run went great and I finished with a time of 2:01:49! I was very happy with my time and appreciated all of my supporters along the way.

My friend Lauren also had a fabulous run and finished around 1:50. Congrats to her! We both are going to be running the Pilgrim Pacer half on November 14th and I am hoping for 2 hours or just under! I never thought I would have done so great and know I can do it again! Congratulations also to Staci and Jill who both finished the half as well!

After the race, Lauren and I cheered on some marathoners and then got breakfast with Travis at the City Diner. Overall, it was a fabulous race and a great weekend!

And so it begins...

2009-10-12T18:51:00.001-05:00

I have been accepted as a charity runner for the 2010 Boston Marathon! I will be raising money for my former workplace, Boston Partners in Education. BPE enhances the academic achievement and nurtures the personal growth of Boston's public school students by providing them with focused, individualized, in-school volunteer support. Check them out at http://www.bostonpartners.org/!

Important details about this race:

This will be my first marathon, running 26.2 miles.
Running as a charity runner is the only way I'll ever be able to do Boston, as I would never be fast enough to run a qualifying time.
The Boston Marathon is one of the biggest, most highly respected marathons and I am really excited to be going back to Boston for this event, and support my former work organization!
I will be running with my sister-in-law, Jessica, who took over my job at BPE when I left, and will also be running for BPE this year! You can read her fabulous blog at http://www.jessinboston.blogspot.com/.
I have committed to raising $3,250 for BPE. This means if I don't raise it, it's coming out of my own pocket. My goal is to raise $4,000 to help public school students in Boston.
I will be using this blog to keep you all updated on my training, fundraising, and other entertaining stories from my life. Please feel free to leave encouraging comments. If I have no comments, I will think no one reads this. :(

Well, on to talk about current running/training.... Last weekend I managed my first ever running injury. While out for a run with Travis (riding his bike) I tripped on a cracked sidewalk and went down pretty hard. Travis immediately ran across the street to Starbuck's to get some napkins for the blood running down my knees and hands. After cleaning the mess, I decided I should run the five miles home. It didnt' really hurt until I stopped running... then it hurt. I sustained superficial injury to both knees and my right hand - I am right handed. This has made for a difficult week typing, writing, and generally trying to get by. But I'm healing and will be back in no time.

This weekend I ran in the Jared Coones 5K Pumpkin Run with my school running club! This was our culminating event of our inagural first year. We had 25 great students participating and had been training for our 3.1 mile run for 5 weeks. The weather was chilly, but all of our students finished and I was very proud!

I am really beyond excited about this opportunity and can't wait for the Boston Marathon!
Don't forget to comment! :)