She knows she can run a half marathon

You know the feeling of satisfaction you get when you cross an item off of a list? That was me on Sunday, x 100. A few years ago I set the goal to run a half marathon by the time I turned 30, and this past weekend, I accomplished that goal 4.5 years ahead of schedule.

Three months of training finally paid off. I’ll admit, I wasn’t strict to my training plan and missed a lot of runs. But I also completed a lot of them. I have been running since I was in track & field in junior high, but never to this extent. The training program encouraged me to run 3-5 times per week, varying in distance and pace. While I ignored the suggestions for pace, I ran as fast as I could each day which sometimes meant a 9-minute mile and other times meant closer to 12. I learned that I could run different distances, that I wasn’t a failure if I couldn’t go faster than 10 minutes per mile and that some days were good and some weren’t and that was okay.

As the weekend approached, I realized this was all becoming real. With a Saturday night carbed-out meal and an early bed time, I felt the jitters for the next day. Then Sunday came, and I felt oddly more calm. I started out toward the back of the pack and felt at ease as I crossed the start line, listening to The Naked and Famous. The first mile was the easiest mile ever, I couldn’t believe it passed so fast.

Then after mile 3, the faster-paced runners were looping around so I got to pass my boyfran Zebulon, and friends Leigh, David and Micah as I ran to the turnaround. Miles 3-6 really felt like nothing. I couldn’t believe this because a 10k used to seem unattainable to me and yet here I was, completing a 10k without feeling any boredom or pain. And then, there was a slight incline and the knowledge that I would soon be seeing my family and friends and the whole thing got a little harder. And then I heard the tambourine and the shouts of my name and I couldn’t have been happier. 

A mile later I saw my sister, her husband and my two nephews and that gave me the push I needed to get to the second turnaround. I had my name taped to my shirt both on the front and the back for the purpose of getting more encouragement from strangers. You would not believe how encouraging strangers and other runners are! I found a lot more bounce in my step once people were talking to me, cheering for me, urging me to continue.

Feeling great as I approached mile 12, I stumbled on my foot and rolled my ankle. OUCH. And then I hit “the wall.” I wanted so, SO bad to walk and just get this the H over with. And I slowed my pace and just as I was about to switch from a jog to a walk and let my body give in, my mind took over and said, “There is no way you are walking at this point. Not after you worked this hard. You get yourself in gear.” And so I did. And the last mile was probably the toughest. But then I saw my cheerleaders once again as I approached the end and that jolted me into a full-on sprint. I even heard spectators comment about how fast I was finishing, and that felt good. And then I drank some water. And then I wanted to puke and die. So that was how my half-marathon went.

To recap:

Training is good. Hal Higdon knows what’s up.

If you set a goal and you work towards it, by golly, you can do it!

Pace yourself. Don’t compare yourself to others. Do it for you.

Encouragement is highly encouraged.

If you hit a wall, let your brain take over and propel you forward. One foot in front of the other.

Drink water. Eat food. Don’t throw up.

Musings on the future:

Will I run a full marathon ever? No. I do not wish to.

Will I run a half-marathon again? Maybe. But not for a while.

Should you run a half-marathon? If you would like to.

Will I run a 10-mile, 8-mile, 10k, 8k or 5k? Yes.

Do I feel like a million bucks even though I’m sore as a mother effer? Yes.

Is it weird that I’m now picturing a million male deer? Yes.

Am I an oddity? You bet.

The annotated version:

 

Thanks for reading! I know this was a long one! TWSS.

Letter to my 30-year-old self

I've always loved the idea of writing letters to my future self to see how things were and if they've changed. Chances are, they have.

With three 30th birthday celebrations this month, I thought "What will I be like when I'm 30?" Who will be in my life and where will I be professionally, socially, life-ally, etc.?

So here, 30-year old self, a letter:

Dearest Jennifer,

I hope you're reading this on your blog "She Knows This Much is True" that you started in 2011. If you're not, you're a super-genius because this is the only place you're putting this. So you should keep blogging because otherwise the Google Gods will probably take your site away and then you'll never read this.

Anyways, I hope you're married by now, to that boy Zebulon and that you've started a band called Jenulon or Zebbifer. Just kidding on the second part. I hope you're thinking about having kids if you don't have any already. And I hope you dress them up real cute like those J.Crew ads you always admire a little too much. Seriously, stop ripping out pictures of that little Asian girl in Crewcuts and giving them to your sisters as inspiration.

I hope everyone you love is still around. This means your family, your friends, your puppies. Maybe some of the wuppies will be gone, but if they aren't, you are one lucky bizzo! I hope you're still saying bizzo. And I hope you're still stealthily taking photos of bizzos in public who shouldn't wear see-through clothes to a baseball game.

I hope you've changed positions in work and are working hard with your sisters to make your dad's company even better than it already is. I hope you feel happy in what you do daily and that you don't have carpal tunnel from all of those crazy data entry stints. Maybe you've got JB Data Collection down to an art form. I hope so! Right now it's still just a dream. I hope ISO audits are the breeziest and you don't tear your hair out over them. 

Are you still blogging over at T & L? I hope so. I hope you've met friends there and are happy with it and inspired by it. Remember, you wanted to start it to express yourself, but also to meet people who shared your interests. Have you met any of them? Or do you just tweet with them? Are you still being run by a computer? 

Did you ever run that 1/2 Marathon? Did you run more of them? Anything crazier? Do you feel healthy and look healthy and feel good about how you look? I sure hope you do. You always struggled with that. I think you're becoming a better you already though.

I have a feeling you are still the same way when it comes to packing your schedule with every possible thing you can. Do you still do nerdy things like craft and send letters? I hope so. If not, get on that, girrrl.

Have you had a reunion with your HK buddies yet? Have you gone back to Asia? You should go back to Asia, yo roots. Did you make it to Ireland or England? Also do that. Have you worked on your fake English accent anymore? Hope so, it needs a little work.

And last, Jennifer, I hope this leaves you feeling happy and accomplished and super schmawesome. I also think it's time you write to your 35 or 40-year old self. KTHXBYE. (Do you still say that? KTHXBYE?) Yahahhaa. (Or how about that?)

xx
Yo self

Return to Blog Land & Seattle

Annnnd a month later, I have returned to this little blog. This is the longest it has been between posts on SKTMIT since I started it, and I’m sorry for neglecting you. I have found this to be true of my personality: I discover something, fall in love with it, work at it, feed it, breathe it, then somehow it drops off my radar. (This is not true for people or animals, luckily. Just fads, music, foods, habits, and the like.) Anyway, most of my Internetting energy has been over at Treble and Lace, so if you’re interested in those parts of my life, then head on over. Otherwise, here’s an update on this side. What have I been doing for the past month???

Friends from Michigan came into town and I spent a weekend going out with them, the next weekend I saw Florence + The Machine and celebrated my boyfriend’s graduation. After that, it was my boyfriend’s Grandma’s 80^th birthday – it was a surprise party and part of me thinks you shouldn’t surprise older people, but she reacted pretty mildly. “Oh, everyone from my life is here. How nice!” My grandma’s 70^th birthday was the following day but I sadly had to miss her celebration. (Side note – my other grandma’s 90^th birthday is coming up in July. A 70^th, 80^th and 90^th birthday in the same year, KEWL!)

Then it was off to beautiful West Coast, where the boyfran and I spent a week going to bed early, waking up early, running, walking, eating, drinking, and hanging out. I’d much rather post photos here or on T & L than on Facebook, so here you go. Although, I might start actively using Google+, but as you know, it will only be for a burst of time.

{Morning run}

{Ampersand on a stick!!}

{Obviously}

{Wish I had a kitchen in Seattle}

{My favorite}

{Fresh lunch}

{Trying to eat the field}

{Ichiro}

{My camera has awesome zoom}

{Another installment of our MLB stadium tour}

{Saving some Safeco dirt}

{I like when things are not the size they should be and I'm trying to avoid a TWSS moment}

{Brunch}

{Freeway Park}

{Gum, anyone?}

{Last night in Seattle, out of sequence}

{His alligator shoes had red tips on them}

{My first train ride in the US!}

The weekend, in le nutshell

I told you it was going to be a good weekend! This is how the story went: 

Friday:

{My boyfriend's brother, Zack, and his new wife Jaemie}

{The two sets of Mr. and Mrs. Will}

{Future Mr. and Mrs.? Cough, ahem}

{Sisters}

Saturday: 
After brunch with the newlyweds, it was time for Theodore's 2nd birthday party.

{Skeptical Archie}

{Still unsure}

{Yo Gabba Gabba cupcakes created by Carrie}

{Dark frosting has its downside}

{Theodore eating green grapes while opening gifts}

Sunday: I went for a long run to start the day off. Then I headed over to the boyfran's family's house where we had a delicious meal and watched the Masters on TV. Yes, I watched golf and enjoyed it. Then the five kids went on a bike ride through Downtown White Bear Lake and along the lake itself. We stopped at various points to play darts and eat pizza and it was so fun! And then, it was Monday. Let's try to spend this week with our heads and hearts up, only to get to another crazy and fun weekend.

{Away they go}

{Pier stop}

{Aww, nerdy}

Merry Monday

Hello you guys. It’s been a while since I’ve had something to write, and mostly because life is carrying on as usual and it’s harder to find inspiration in things when you’re busy keeping up with everything else. Last week I got sick and it has permeated into this week, so my head has been a little cloudy too. One thing is for sure, I’ve definitely been feeling the Mondays for the past few weeks and they are no fun. So, back to the Merry Monday side of things, where I drum up things that make my day happier and less like the programmed-ick-day that Monday can often be. 


We’ll make it through somehow: 
1. Today is the first day of ½ Marathon training for me. I like beginnings and challenges, so this is good motivation to kick myself into gear. I’ve been admittedly lazy these past two weeks. 
2. Fleurs. Last Friday, my manfriend brought flowers to my work as a surprise. They are in full bloom now and smell so beautiful! 
3. The Hunger Games. I get to read Catching Fire today and I cannot wait because I’ve had to wait a whole DAY between Book 1 and 2! 

{My favorite kind of flower}

{The boyfriend made a Jennifer-friendly light pulley}

{My puppy and her cutie feets}

So I have all of those things waiting for me when the day at work ends. A workout, some flowers, and a book that will keep me awake too long. What are you looking forward to today?

Merry Monday

Hello dearies! It's been probably over a month since I last wrote this installment since there were so many other things happening on Monday, like the day off of work for Christmas, the day off of work for the New Year and although I was working, MLK Jr. Day and Lunar New Year warranted other thoughts.

Now I am finally back to being at work on a regular, old Monday. Cue the trumpets! Wahoooie! It's 100% a Monday at work too. This weekend was fun and fast, as usual. I spent Friday celebrating Laura's birthday in Uptown (it was such a college reunion!), Saturday I attended the boyfran's high school alumni basketball game and we celebrated three years of going steady with a tarte from Chez Arnaud, a dinner at Rudy's Redeye Grill, a viewing of Super 8, and a night out with his friends who were in town. 

Sunday was a day of volunteering (you can read all about it here) and then I went and cuddled with my nephews for a couple of hours. Then, I saw The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and was blown away. You can also read about that movie here. All in all, a good weekend.

This month has been one of the best, with so many activities and what I feel are accomplishments. I planned to run 25 miles this month and am at 22 so far. I wanted to see at least three movies and I've seen 4x that amount. I did really well on my resolution chart in terms of the weekly and monthly goals, and not so well on the daily goals.

This is what I'm looking forward to and what will give me energy today:

1. My coworker comes back tomorrow. I'm trying to finish a lot of her stuff I was filling in for, so this day will be busy, busy.

2. Book club is tomorrow and I'm excited to see everyone. (Not as excited to see all of their tans from their January vacations, snots!)

3. Next weekend one of my favorite comedians (Chris Barnes) is coming to town and I'm definitely going to see him.

The days are long, but the years are short. This one is already flying by! I hope you have a great Monday! 

Merry Monday

Happy Monday! (Is that an oxymoron? Heh.) Unlike about 78.1% of my weekends, this one seemed to last forever, in a very, very good way. Thanksgiving started perfectly with a Turkey Day 5k (an easy-breezy-fun-run), Friday was a very long day at work (mainly because I was thinking about the people who weren’t at work), but I ended it with a couple of games of pool and Big Buck Hunter (yep) in Uptown. 

Saturday was the loveliest day of all! It started out with a breakfast at Grandview Grill (my new favorite breakfast joint) to reunite with my friends from high school. Then my sister and I headed over to the new Anthropologie on Grand and did a bit of damage. Afterwards, we had dinner at Punch Pizza (also a favorite spot) before buying macarons at Surdyk’s (sub-par) and heading to First Ave. to catch The Pines and Mason Jennings. Mason was amazing, as always. He played a good mix of songs from his latest album, Minnesota, some from the album before that, and some from the 7 albums before that. He threw in a couple of covers too, which I was all for. After the show, we headed a block or two over to Kieran’s to meet my friend David who I studied with in Hong Kong three long years ago. And you know, I might have stayed up until 4am getting beat at card games. 

Sunday I headed to the mall with some girlies to do a bit of birthday shopping (thanks family for having holiday birthdays) and then bolted out of there to go to yet another Thanksgiving dinner, complete with cribbage and football.

Okay, so you might not care about the ins and outs of my weekend, but when I write about what I did, it not only serves as a little bit of a record, but also a moment at least to reflect on it and appreciate it before moving on. Sooner or later though, I’m going to be reflecting on something a minute or two after it happens…hmm…

Anyway, I’m super glad I had a couple of reunions this past weekend and can’t wait to have more over Christmas! But for now, it’s Monday, there’s a LOT to do this week at work (not so much socially), and I am, as usual, tired. 

What should I think about today?

1. Cyber Monday. Some might say I like to dabble in shopping. 

2. Running. I did surprisingly well at both Thanksgiving dinners, only eating one plate, minimal desert, and barely anything else those days. Still, I feel a bit guilty and am going to go running after work.

3. Connecting. Sometimes when I have reunions, I get addicted to the idea of them. Especially because David wants to go to Toronto together to visit all of our HK friends. So now I'm thinking about every possible reunion I can muster up.

Was your weekend long or short? Was it hard getting up for work today? (Yes over here!) Anyway, I hope your Monday is super-cali-frag-i-listic!