Feelin' great being a "bugger"

It exists, running can feel great! Today, I felt fantastic... that's it. When it feels this good it's so easy to run. I mean it's still hard 'cause you're running but you get the picture. Today I completed 55 minutes of pure bliss. I'm not sure if it was the pelting down freezing rain of yesterday in contrast to the beautiful crisp sun. Or maybe it was that I waited until mid-afternoon to run but both my mind and body felt light as a feather. I wasn't limited by my notorious hips or my fatigue and my feet were even pain free (for real this time)!

My Wednesday runs have been very eventful since I move to island time but today wasn't as exciting in the animal department. I'm ok with that. The only point of interest was my double run in with a middle aged man and I must admit I was mildly impressed by his pace. I passed him once as I entered the trail to the lake and he went off in a different direction. I assumed that was it until I arrived at the half-way bridge and there he was again! Weird, I didn't know how he got there. I had already given him the "on your left" once and I didn't want to say it again so I made my presence known by trying to run loud. That's when he picked it up (a pain, I know). So here I am thinking ok, here we go, I'll just follow you at my consistent pace until you tire. When I finally caught up and passed him I had to ask, "how did you get ahead of me?" Between gasps he told me he took this trail I've never heard of that cuts off like half the lake loop. He also managed to throw in a chirp calling me a "bugger" for passing him again which made me laugh. Ha, who was he kidding, of course I was going to beat him! Anyways, I finished my run feeling energetic and motivated! The goal now is to keep this recovered state going. Enjoying the run!
xo
Becks

Making work Fun!

Here's another video I made for work. It was captured on an iphone so I'm not proud of the videography but I am happy with the transitions. Enjoy it's all in good fun!

Wednesday's Adventure Run

I seriously love Wednesdays they are the best. I rise before 7 on Tuesdays and Thursdays so I let myself sleep on Wednesdays. It's the usual: wake up to coffee and cereal, check the news and get ready for my run. I take the normal route: around the meadow, throw in one or two laps of the lake (depending how I feel) and then another meadow loop. Strange encounters are redundant, I don't look twice as I pass frogs, squirrels, deers and dogs. Even yielding to horses has become commonplace. What isn't normal, was my run in with a heron that left me screaming like a little girl.

It was like the giant troll under the bridge.  I crossed this toothpick bridge that separates me from marshy wetlands of reeds, lily pads and muck. My heart stopped as its wings began beating against the wood under my feet. I didn't know what that noise was. It was like a generator warming up, when suddenly a four foot wingspan emerged from the reeds and took off. It was probably more scared of me than I should have been of it but my heart jumped out of my chest because of this guy.

This isn't the exact bird but you get the idea. Once I got over the adrenalin rush I laughed as I added heron to the list of don't look twice animals. But seriously herons are huge....see
xo
becks

Another day at the office

I convinced myself that I began practicing yoga so that I could work out and relax at the same time. I guess this is pretty much true but there has always been a teeny, tiny part of me that was totally pissed off by my lack of yoga ability. I had to improve!  How could I call myself a high performance athlete if I was humbled by crow and could hardly siphon the energy to balance through dancer's pose. I so wanted to move like that seemingly effortless yogi. I realized it's called yoga practice for a reason. So I did the only thing I knew how and practiced... a lot.

I realized that as I made this video I've come a long way in the strength department.  I've developed enough "functional" strength through yoga that I can compete in fun random work competitions but my loss to Tanner shows me I have a long way to go. I'm really looking forward to see how yoga strength impacts my training.
xo
Becks

Like I never left

I'm back, ok well not totally back but major step in the right direction back. Today, I attended my first mundy park practice since my foot injury forced me to stop back in July.

It felt so normal as I did the (modified) usual: 5k warm-up, 2 x 2K loop and cool down. There was some minor discomfort which was to be expected considering the huge lump of scar tissue that makes up my heel. I'm comforted by the fact that after I finished icing I could walk around without throbbing pain. The after-the-fact pain is the culprit that serves as the ever present reminder you're charting injury waters and this was most definitely the case last winter/spring/summer.

I didn't know what to expect today. I just wanted to run and feel good. I finished my loops better than expected: 6:38 and 6:48. Before I started I told myself I'd be happy with 7 minutes. It's good to be back I had a much needed mind/body break. I could feel the health radiating out of my out-of-shape body. I feel fresh, it feels so natural to run again and I'm so grateful to have the motivation to do so.

I guess when I think about it in some ways I'm totally back.
xo Becks

Yakima or bust!

How did I get here? I’ve spent the last two days helping my sister at a work convention in Yakima, Washington. I know, yak-i–what? It was a totally random spur-of- the-moment decision. For now, I'm into being spontaneous, I’m still in the foot healing process so I can run/cross train anywhere and my sister needed company.

So poof! Before I knew it my bags were packed, I hopped in the Lincoln navigator and headed to what I thought was a quick jaunt inland from Seattle. Turns out 6 hours later we arrived in small-town hickville in what looked like a cold desert.  I quickly realized my dreams of manicures and designer bags were just that, dreams but coffee, free food and a good attitude made our trip hilarious.

We had good tunes, shopped for Halloween costumes at the local Target (pronounced tarj-eah) and dined on endless salad and breadsticks at the local Olive Garden. I didn't realized how much I missed pasta - it's so good. From the outside, the idea of the trip sounded like a disaster but we had so much random, relaxing fun. I helped my sister set up her booth (a black unmarked tub that just made it through the security checkpoint at the border), provided her with endless coffee and pretended I knew what I was talking about at the conference.

I also obviously got my runs in. What I love about running is that you can see a lot of a town and explore areas you probably would never go if you were driving. From what I saw Yakima is full of pawn shops, used car/used lawn mower/used tractor lots and repair garages (which actually makes a lot of sense).

As long as I can run and have coffee I’m easy to please. Throw in some lasagne and I'm in heaven. It also helps that we took off early from the conference to squeak in some Nordstroms shopping at Bellevue Square.  Tory Burch flats and good company I'm in!

xo Becks

Party like it’s 1990-99!

Well, I’m another year older and hopefully another year wiser?  I’m not so sure if that’s the case but I have learned a lot about myself in the last few months. What I do know is that I celebrated my closer-to- 30-than-20th birthday having more fun then I could wish for.

Mer and I had a perfectly planned evening, the only problem with a perfectly planned evening is there’s a high potential for disaster - everything has to go according to plan!

It was well worth the risk, as our dinner table for ten grew I contemplated my popularity as friends added chairs. 

Celebrating in 90's style doesn’t really get any better then chunky heel loafers, baby tees, dark red lipstick and side slit dresses avec chockers. Throw in some mmm-bop and quit playin' games with my heart and I flash back to high school dances working up the nerve to ask for a slow dance. 

As I wake up in 2010 laughing to myself at a hilarious birthday evening I realize how lucky I am to have friends who voluntarily take pubic transit in clothes like these to celebrate with me. What a send off into 26!

xo Becks