This past weekend was a really fun and busy one, outside of just the Girls on the Run Atlanta 5K on Saturday morning! I mentioned that the weather cleared up for the race, but I was actually so happy that it cleared up in general because I had lots of fun activities planned, many of which involved being outdoors!
Starting with Friday night though, in which I stayed in, did laundry (I'm exciting), put together the kitchen table that I had bought and had delivered weeks ago, and also got in a long-ish run. As I mentioned, I had been working towards the goal I set of running 100 miles in the month of April. I wanted to be the first girl to complete the challenge and have been anxiously following the leader board for the past week. I had a good head start on the other females in the competition (and most of the guys too!) and was doing really well working towards that goal. I knew that I was going to hit 100 but wanted to get it done right away. So, after running every single day last week except Monday (in which I still went to the gym 2x that day!) I ran 8 miles on Friday night.
These were what I call stupid miles in that running them was stupid. My body didn't want or need them, but my mind forced me to do them so that I would be at 97 miles on Friday night and then hit 100 after the Girls on the Run Atlanta 5K. Those Friday miles weren't pretty but I got them done!
I finished third overall in the competition and hit my goal of being the first female to complete it. I guess what you could say is that I really don't give up on things and stick to the goals that I set. I didn't realize how few of us would actually get to 100 miles this month which makes me all the more proud of this goal! I know there is still a few days until May 1st so others can finish too, but I was proud of myself for doing it with about a week to spare. I ran more miles than I have in a while since I didn't really do any long, long runs throughout the month. I mostly just spread them out. Last week alone I did 9 last Saturday (between the two different races), 3 on Sunday, 1 Monday, 2 Tuesday, 6 Wednesday, 5 Thursday, 8 Friday, and then 3 Saturday. That is a lot of miles!!!
Anyways, I got that over with and am pretty happy to have a break from the pressure I had on myself, but it still just is leaving me back to that race itch I keep feeling!
After the Girls on the Run Atlanta 5K and achieving my miles goal (yay!) I went to breakfast with the Movers and Pacers crew that came out and supported. I then did a quick jaunt home to shower, change, and head back out again to my first festival in Atlanta's festival season!!
The festivals in Atlanta are something that I heard a lot about when I moved here. Everyone said that there are so many activities every weekend and different festivals every weekend throughout the spring, summer and fall. And I have just started to get a taste of that with the many different events I've seen advertised and promoted. For some reason I haven't really gotten myself to any of them until this past weekend when I went to Inman Park Fest with a friend.
The festival consisted of tons of local art vendors all throughout the streets, which I LOVE walking and browsing, but also some great house parties where I didn't know a soul at, but everyone was so welcoming. I joined my friend and some of her friends, and we went to a few different daytime house parties and was just amazed at how hospitable everyone was to a complete stranger! Offering food, drinks, opening their homes, etc. It was really incredible! The festival also had a great parade.
Following the parade I enjoyed a few more house parties, then left the festival to go to a housewarming party in a different area of town with a different group of friends. Which was SO fun. Apparently I still have some beer pong skills up my sleeve. Who knew?
And the night ended with randomly meeting up with some of the Movers + Pacers crew for some slight shenanigans before going home and crashing in bed. I love this picture.
Sunday ended up being one of those perfectly gorgeous days that you just want to be outside the whole time. After a slow morning start, I spent a little bit of time by the pool in my apartment complex before heading out to my group's flagship run on Sunday afternoons. After a little bit of stress I ended there right on time, which was great because I had a friend who joined for the group run for the first time. I introduced him to a ton of people, we ran together, and he loved it, which made me so happy! He actually hadn't run more than 2 miles in more than 10 years he said. And he had gone out that morning to buy running shoes for the run! Now that's dedication!!
It was absolutely beautiful running weather on Sunday and just a beautiful day to be outside.
After the run we did an ab workout and then went to get fruit smoothies and hung outside for a bit. I don't think any one of us wanted the beautiful day to end! In fact, we hung around long enough that we all ended up getting some falafel wraps from the place next door. Which, totally negated the run. But that's sort of a theme for me lately at least.
Monday morning was a great day on the food and exercise front (at least I got one in!!) where I did a leg workout in the morning (which I am feeling now!) and finished the day with a tempo run with Movers and Pacers. Which also came with an amazing view!! The run was special being on a Monday night, as a send off to one of the runners who is moving away this week. We met at the Jackson Street Bridge in Atlanta which is a little iconic because it has a beautiful view of the city. We took a ton of amazing pictures, which I will flood you with in a second but I first want to tell you how proud I was of this run! It was about 3.5 miles that I averaged an 8:40 pace on. I NEVER run that fast outside of a race environment and it was definitely a challenging run for me, but I was also really proud of myself. I was one of the first people to finish the run and that usually does not happen for me. I want to maintain the speed I have built up so I need to mix in tempo runs and this was a great night to do it. I felt so good at the end of the run, which I very much needed that confidence boost!
And check out these photos...
Looking at these pictures makes me so happy, which is why I post so many on here.
Moving to a new city has been so hard. And running for me is still something that is very hard. But it has become a huge part of my life. And there is something about running that bonds you with people. I cannot believe how connected I feel to so many in this group, how included I feel, and how much I have looked forward to seeing this group every day in the few short months I have been running with them.
Today I had a really shitty day and the only thing that got me out of the house was going to run with the sprint crew. I really enjoyed the time while I was there, and then returned home to have ice cream and beer for dinner. Because apparently I spoke too soon when I talked about that motivation I have been having lately!!!
I actually binge ate for the first time in a while today. Where I sorted through my cabinets looking for something to eat and pulling out a box of crackers that I have had since December and eating them standing up on my counter with cheese as fast as I could. I continued that after sprints stopping to get a bowl of ice cream, knowing that I didn't have anything that would satisfy my binge in the home. It is a bit disappointing to me and I knew in my mind that I should run or exercise or focus the binge urge elsewhere, but I just let it happen.
Hoping for a better day tomorrow and struggling with how to reach the goals of where I want to be when I have suddenly lost the motivation I had just a week ago. Why is every day a struggle, people???
Starting with Friday night though, in which I stayed in, did laundry (I'm exciting), put together the kitchen table that I had bought and had delivered weeks ago, and also got in a long-ish run. As I mentioned, I had been working towards the goal I set of running 100 miles in the month of April. I wanted to be the first girl to complete the challenge and have been anxiously following the leader board for the past week. I had a good head start on the other females in the competition (and most of the guys too!) and was doing really well working towards that goal. I knew that I was going to hit 100 but wanted to get it done right away. So, after running every single day last week except Monday (in which I still went to the gym 2x that day!) I ran 8 miles on Friday night.
These were what I call stupid miles in that running them was stupid. My body didn't want or need them, but my mind forced me to do them so that I would be at 97 miles on Friday night and then hit 100 after the Girls on the Run Atlanta 5K. Those Friday miles weren't pretty but I got them done!
I finished third overall in the competition and hit my goal of being the first female to complete it. I guess what you could say is that I really don't give up on things and stick to the goals that I set. I didn't realize how few of us would actually get to 100 miles this month which makes me all the more proud of this goal! I know there is still a few days until May 1st so others can finish too, but I was proud of myself for doing it with about a week to spare. I ran more miles than I have in a while since I didn't really do any long, long runs throughout the month. I mostly just spread them out. Last week alone I did 9 last Saturday (between the two different races), 3 on Sunday, 1 Monday, 2 Tuesday, 6 Wednesday, 5 Thursday, 8 Friday, and then 3 Saturday. That is a lot of miles!!!
Anyways, I got that over with and am pretty happy to have a break from the pressure I had on myself, but it still just is leaving me back to that race itch I keep feeling!
After the Girls on the Run Atlanta 5K and achieving my miles goal (yay!) I went to breakfast with the Movers and Pacers crew that came out and supported. I then did a quick jaunt home to shower, change, and head back out again to my first festival in Atlanta's festival season!!
The festivals in Atlanta are something that I heard a lot about when I moved here. Everyone said that there are so many activities every weekend and different festivals every weekend throughout the spring, summer and fall. And I have just started to get a taste of that with the many different events I've seen advertised and promoted. For some reason I haven't really gotten myself to any of them until this past weekend when I went to Inman Park Fest with a friend.
The festival consisted of tons of local art vendors all throughout the streets, which I LOVE walking and browsing, but also some great house parties where I didn't know a soul at, but everyone was so welcoming. I joined my friend and some of her friends, and we went to a few different daytime house parties and was just amazed at how hospitable everyone was to a complete stranger! Offering food, drinks, opening their homes, etc. It was really incredible! The festival also had a great parade.
And the night ended with randomly meeting up with some of the Movers + Pacers crew for some slight shenanigans before going home and crashing in bed. I love this picture.
Sunday ended up being one of those perfectly gorgeous days that you just want to be outside the whole time. After a slow morning start, I spent a little bit of time by the pool in my apartment complex before heading out to my group's flagship run on Sunday afternoons. After a little bit of stress I ended there right on time, which was great because I had a friend who joined for the group run for the first time. I introduced him to a ton of people, we ran together, and he loved it, which made me so happy! He actually hadn't run more than 2 miles in more than 10 years he said. And he had gone out that morning to buy running shoes for the run! Now that's dedication!!
It was absolutely beautiful running weather on Sunday and just a beautiful day to be outside.
After the run we did an ab workout and then went to get fruit smoothies and hung outside for a bit. I don't think any one of us wanted the beautiful day to end! In fact, we hung around long enough that we all ended up getting some falafel wraps from the place next door. Which, totally negated the run. But that's sort of a theme for me lately at least.
Monday morning was a great day on the food and exercise front (at least I got one in!!) where I did a leg workout in the morning (which I am feeling now!) and finished the day with a tempo run with Movers and Pacers. Which also came with an amazing view!! The run was special being on a Monday night, as a send off to one of the runners who is moving away this week. We met at the Jackson Street Bridge in Atlanta which is a little iconic because it has a beautiful view of the city. We took a ton of amazing pictures, which I will flood you with in a second but I first want to tell you how proud I was of this run! It was about 3.5 miles that I averaged an 8:40 pace on. I NEVER run that fast outside of a race environment and it was definitely a challenging run for me, but I was also really proud of myself. I was one of the first people to finish the run and that usually does not happen for me. I want to maintain the speed I have built up so I need to mix in tempo runs and this was a great night to do it. I felt so good at the end of the run, which I very much needed that confidence boost!
And check out these photos...
Moving to a new city has been so hard. And running for me is still something that is very hard. But it has become a huge part of my life. And there is something about running that bonds you with people. I cannot believe how connected I feel to so many in this group, how included I feel, and how much I have looked forward to seeing this group every day in the few short months I have been running with them.
Today I had a really shitty day and the only thing that got me out of the house was going to run with the sprint crew. I really enjoyed the time while I was there, and then returned home to have ice cream and beer for dinner. Because apparently I spoke too soon when I talked about that motivation I have been having lately!!!
I actually binge ate for the first time in a while today. Where I sorted through my cabinets looking for something to eat and pulling out a box of crackers that I have had since December and eating them standing up on my counter with cheese as fast as I could. I continued that after sprints stopping to get a bowl of ice cream, knowing that I didn't have anything that would satisfy my binge in the home. It is a bit disappointing to me and I knew in my mind that I should run or exercise or focus the binge urge elsewhere, but I just let it happen.
Hoping for a better day tomorrow and struggling with how to reach the goals of where I want to be when I have suddenly lost the motivation I had just a week ago. Why is every day a struggle, people???
I did the same thing last night. I have to finish my terminal project (the equivalent of a thesis, but a project instead of an academic paper, except, mine has an academic paper attached to it and is 70 pages anyway) by Friday and there are all these edits and changes that have to be made and my committee member hasn't written me back about scheduling and I asked to postpone my internship hours this week and I'm having friend problems and OMG I was just standing at the kitchen counter last night shoving cheez its in my face and pacing back and forth. I burned an entire pot of black beans and my whole first floor still reeks, even though I left the windows and the fans running all night. :/
ReplyDeleteI was supposed to run earlier in the week and donate blood, haven't done that, going to try to do that today instead. Still not done with my project and instead I'm typing out this comment.
I want chipotle.