A day for "me"

Happy Friday everyone! Today was the first day of my trip here in Barcelona that I haven't been surrounded by coworkers and although I am going to miss them all and had a blast this week, my brain is I think benefitting from the lack of non-stop stimulation and conversation.  Since I live alone now, I have gotten used to having time in the evenings by myself.  I usually eat dinner alone, or watch a TV show, or just have some time to relax.  I had forgotten how exhausting work travel can be sometimes because you are with people non-stop.  And, don't get me wrong, I LOVE it.  I LOVE spending time with my coworkers, going to the group dinners, learning about people outside of the office, etc.  It is why I don't ever miss out on those dinners to just hang back on my own.  I always push myself and rally the energy after a long day to go out with coworkers and am happy that I do.  BUT, it is nice when it's over and you get a little time to yourself :)

I started this day by sleeping a little later than I usually have been in the mornings and then heading out for a 5-mile run.  It was a bit of a boring run as I just sort of circled around my hotel a bit and didn't go too far.  I didn't want to get too sick of the route that I am planning to do tomorrow and just wanted to explore a bit.  However, I did try out a couple different items that might possibly be a race day outfit for me.  I love the brightness of the pants and the top I think is really flattering but also lightweight.  I know they don't really match but I love that they are bright and they make me feel good and strong.  What do you think of it??

When I got back from the run, I made my way up to the continental breakfast that the hotel I am staying at has.  I had a delicious breakfast and coffee, and snagged a few apples to have as snacks.

As lovely as the meal was, I was definitely missing my regular Starbucks Friday girls and was thinking of them while I sipped my coffee!  I texted Jess & Aubrey to let them know I was thinking of them, and although I missed their FaceTime call when they were at coffee a little later, the voice message that the two of them sent me absolutely made my day!

Thinking of Starbucks Fridays!

I spent today catching up on work e-mail, planning some logistics for next week, and then later in the day did a little shopping and relaxing.  There is a massive mall that is right near our hotel that I checked out for a bit, made a few purchases, and did some great people watching, and also spent a little bit of time in the hotel hot tub/indoor pool thing.  It is on the 26th floor and has a great view of Barcelona.  Relax here for a bit?  Don't mind if I do!

While I was lounging I read through some of the latest issue of Runner's World that I have started and stopped a few times.  I read the article about Juli Windsor and John Young's experience last year running the Boston Marathon but not being able to finish -- and overcoming so much just to be runners in the first place.  I also read the article about running in Haiti.  And Dimity McDowell's article about being a badass mother runner and accomplishing training and completing an Ironman.  And I cried in every article.  In Dimity's article she writes about how she became so emotional during her training and cried all the time and I am pretty much at that point.  For her, completing an Ironman was "going big" with a goal and that's what I feel like I've done with the marathon.  The article says,

"Oh, the Ironman tears.  When you're going big, dramatic emotions are as inevitable as piles of laundry.  O'Donnell admits to welling up while watching an Adam Sandler movie -- "a comedy!" he exclaims-- after a race.  "You're so emotional during your first shot at going big because you truly don't know if you can do it," says DeBoom." - Runner's World article by Dimity McDowell

[O'Donnell and DeBoom refer to other Ironman athletes.]  Dimity, the author, goes on to write about how she cries when she is happy she accomplished a major training.  She cries during training because she doesn't know if she can finish.

"I cried every time I heard Florence + The Machine sing, "It's always darkest before the dawn," because I felt like the Ironman training put me in the dark -- and dawn was going to break in Coeur d'Alene [her Ironman.]  I cried when, during the bike portion of a half-Ironman race I did as training, I saw my aerodynamic shadow on pavement below and thought to myself, I'm doing this. I am really doing this." - Runner's World article by Dimity McDowell

I have been, and so AM, at that point.  I was tearing up nonstop while reading these articles!  The other totally crazy thing that's been going on lately is that I have started to get it in my mind at random times, "I could so do this again.  I am going to do another marathon." which surprises me to have those thoughts.  And, as I read this article, I thought to myself, "I wonder if I could/will ever do an Ironman?" and there was a little flow chart in the article questioning "How big do you want to go?" and I followed the path from... "Do you want a pure running race?" No.  "Do you know how to swim and ride a bike?" Yes.  Have you completed a few shorter traithlons, plus a half-marathon or marathon?" Yes. "HALF-IRONMAN TRIATHLON."  Uh oh...

The other options for "going big" included "Half-marathon" Check. Then "Sprint Triathlon." Check.  Then "Marathon." Signed up and almost done training: soon to be check. "Tough Mudder" Almost check (signed up!) "Multi-day relay race" Coming up -- planning to do one this fall! "Olympic Distance Triathlon" Not yet, but want to this summer!

The other options on the list are a multi-day race, half-Ironman triathlon, Ultramarathon, and Ironman.  Wheels are starting to turn, people!!!!

For dinner tonight I went out to a pizza place near my hotel around 7:45 but it wasn't open until 8:30 p.m.!  So I walked around a bit and got some candy to try from a bulk candy store I found... I was curious!   But in fact, none of it was that good and I still have most of the bag left, which is usually unheard of when it comes to me and candy.  I went back to the restaurant immediately at 8:30 and was waiting as they opened the doors :)  I had a gigantic pizza that I ate a lot of (but not all) and 2 bottles of water.  It was the first night in a while that I didn't have any wine or dessert (although the candy before dinner was sort of like a pre-dessert...) I also finished reading Runner's World while I ate.  Cheese was my power food for the 18-miler, so I figure why not, right??

Also, for the record, that is olive oil not wine in the back!  I have my 20-mile run in the morning and I knew I was going to need a lot of water afterwards so I stopped and grabbed a couple big bottles of water and also some nail polish.  I spent my Friday night in Barcelona in my hotel room painting my toenails like little French flags and drinking tea and water.  Pretty exciting, huh?

I took a couple of pictures of my toes to show... I thought the French flags would give me some Paris inspiration for the run tomorrow!  I originally took a picture trying to hide my big toe on my right foot because the toenail fell off a few weeks ago (did I ever tell you that??) and it is pretty gross looking still.

I thought my toes looked weird so I then took a picture in Snapchat to be able to draw over the bad toe and take a screenshot.

I then figured, why not "be real" and show you guys my feet as they are, and this whole series...  Hopefully it doesn't gross you out, but here are my toes in all their glory.

There you have it!  Now, time to get some rest.  Wish me luck on my run tomorrow -- THE PEAK OF MY TRAINING AND THEN OMG, I AM TAPERING FOR THE PARIS MARATHON!!! Ahhhh!! I am literally feeling every emotion possible this week I think, haha.