Run to the Sun

This past weekend was amazing.  I knew as soon as my dad told me that him and Mom were going to a classic car show in Myrtle Beach that I wanted to go.  The only problem was Alex had to work that weekend and I didn't want to go by myself.  Insert Jill.  I knew she would go with me and went she did.  We left right after school Friday afternoon and we were on our way by 3:30.  We arrived in MB at the hotel where my parents were staying (we didn't stay on the beach)  around 7:45.  We unloaded the cars and met with my parents in their room.  My parents had already eaten but they decided to ride along with Jill and me to grab a bite.  After dinner it was an early bedtime since morning would come too soon.

Saturday morning we were up by 7:30 and ready to go by 8:30.  We had every intention to run, but after talking with my parents and hearing how busy the car show was we decided to head there first thing.  Mom called us on our way (8:45) and said the parking lot was already full and we would have to take the shuttle.  I had never seen so many cars.  There were over 2900 cars at the Run to the Sun show. We walked around and stayed there until about 12.  We then went to Tanger and shopped some.  The evening was spent hanging out with my parents for dinner.  Saturday was St. Patrick's Day which is Dad's birthday.  It was the first time in a few years that I actually got to see my dad on his birthday and meant so much to me to be with him and mom.

Sunday we ate breakfast and shopped a bit more before heading back to real life.  It was a great weekend away and it was great to be able to spend such a special time with my family and a great friend.  Now, without further ado, pictures!

View of the Intracoastal Waterway from our room. 

Just a small view of the 2900 cars

Dad's license tag he had made

Dad's 1940 Ford Coupe

NCSU Bronco! Go Pack!

Had to get a pic of the beach!

Got to ride in the Coupe!

Dad and I riding!

Jill got to ride as well!

My mahi from The Cheasepeake House

5K Training Week 2

This was a slack week in training.  My gym membership is no longer active and the weather was not cooperative for 5K training.  Excuses, excuses I know.  I only managed to run twice this week. 

March 12: 2.12 miles: 26 minutes 02 seconds (followed by a 2 mile hike with hubs and the pups)
March 14: 1.50 miles: 20 minutes 45 seconds (cut short by rain)

This weekend did not include any running, although I had every intention to run while in Myrtle Beach!  A post to come later this week (with pictures hopefully!) about my weekend trip to MB!

5K training Week 1

Well it has been one week since I've started training for the 5K on March 31st.  I've ran 3 days this week and I wish I could say I was already running 3.1 miles, but I'm not quite there.  So here's my week one recap courtesy of my RunKeeper App.

March 1: 1.51 miles; 21 minutes 07 seconds
March 7: 3.00 miles; 42 minutes 12 seconds
March 8: 1.51 miles; 20 minutes 30 seconds
March 10: 1.05 miles; 13 minutes 53 seconds

I didn't make it very far at all today, but at least I made it.  I'm experiencing a lot of tingling in my feet and I think that is coming from parts of my feet aren't use to much pressure because I pronate when I walk or run.  I'm also experiencing a lot of cramping in my side.  After research and talking to some more experienced runners I have to focus on my breathing.  The cramping is coming from shallow breathing (breathing from my chest) and not breathing from my diaphragm.   Week 2 will be spent focusing on my breathing and better nutrition to work my mileage up to at least 2 miles each run.

Edit: I also want to say that although my body is sore I do feel pretty good about myself.  I'm also excited to after this 5K to begin training for a 60K on my bike.

Loving My Job

It is weeks like this week that remind me why I love teaching.  I've been teaching for two years now and I am definitely learning more each semester, which is probably why this week has been so great.  This is the fifth semester teaching Algebra 1.  I really am starting to feel like a pro at the subject.  I taught a big topic this week: graphing and writing linear equations.  For anyone that knows anything about the current NC Education System, you know Algebra 1 is the only state tested math exam.  How students perform in Algebra 1 gives the state critical data about our school.  No pressure, right?  Anyway, back to linear equations.  Don't worry, I'm not going to bore you with an algebra lesson.  I tweaked the way I taught the unit this semester and rearranged some stuff and even with a full moon this week, my kids were on their A game.  They were taking notes, doing problems, correctly doing their homework.  They knew their stuff, and let me tell you, I am one PROUD momma.  My students aggravate the puddin' out of my 90% of the time, but I love them.  They bring so much joy to my life.  They trust me to help them, they bring me food, we have inside jokes, we laugh together, and I hope they know that I care for them. 

Pi Day couldn't come at a better time.  What? You don't know what Pi Day is.  Pi Day is officially March 14 (3.14, get it?).  My kids are expecting their Linear Equations Unit Test, but since they've been rocking in class lately, we are going to pause to celebrate.  I'm thinking of decorating my classroom, doing some baking, bringing some food, and just celebrating.  How often do you get to celebrate in Math?  Any math teachers out there, be sure to leave a comment with some Pi Day activities!

My FleetFeet Experience

What a beautiful weekend it has been here in Lexington!  I know most enjoy the snow and everything else cold that winter brings, but I LOVE this warm winter we have been having!

A week ago, Alex and I were having dinner with Chris and Anna and they told us about The Human Race.  A 5K walk or run put on by The Greensboro Volunteer Center.  The Human Race is all about helping local non-profits and Triad Ladder of Hope is participating.  The cool thing is that when you register for the 5K, you choose which non-profit you want any money you raise to go to.  Needless to say, I signed myself and my friend Jill up.  That's right, this non-running girl is running her first 5K on March 31st, only giving us right at 30 days to train.

I'm sure all my runner friends out there probably thing that I, someone who hasn't ran a mile since 8th grade, is crazy to sign up for a 5K with such a short training window, you are correct.  I am crazy, but I am excited about the opportunity to raise some funds to help end Human Trafficking.  Please consider donating $5, $10, or whatever you can to help Triad Ladder of Hope.  You can find my donation page here.

Anyone who knows me knows that I don't do anything halfway.  Running a 5K meant time to get some new gear and where else to go other than FleetFeet.  Don't know what FleetFeet is, well let me explain.   FleetFeet is as their website says "so much more than a running store" and that they are.  Yesterday morning Jill and I headed to Huntersville so I could get fitted for my very first pair of running shoes.  The process begins by taking off your shoes and socks and a fitter looks at your feet.  Right away based on the location of calluses on my feet, Mark was able to tell me that I am a pronator, and right he was.  Pronating is when your feet roll to the inside when you walk.  He then watched me walk about 20 feet and finally measured my foot.  There is a 1/2 size difference between my left and right foot.  After getting the measurements he was off to the stock room to pull me different shoes to try out.  The first pair I tried was a pair of New Balances (not sure what style), they fit well, but my foot felt like it was slipping out when I walked/ran.  Mark then told me because my foot was so narrow that I needed to be tying my shoes using the bunny ear method.  Who would have thought I was tying my shoes wrong all these years.  This bunny ear method isn't with tying, but just how your shoestrings are looped through each other before tying, securing your foot in the shoe.  After trying the New Balances, I  tried a pair of Sauconys.  I didn't even bother trying to run in those, they didn't fit my narrow foot well.  Lastly I tried a pair of Aesics.  They fit like a glove, they were snuck around my arch as well as my toes.  I went for a short run in them, but my foot was still pronating, so we tried out some insoles.  Now, I know there are people out there who have the thought process "If you buy a good pair of shoes, you shouldn't need insoles" which is great if you have a neutral foot, but I'm a pronator.  My foot wiggles around in shoes trying to overcompensate for its rolling.  We put in an insole to hold my heel in place and the shoe was now perfect.  I went for a run and my foot no longer rolled inward.


**Disclaimer: the next section is about being fitted for a sports bra, I will not be offended if you choose to skip ahead :) **

Now that I had my shoes, insoles, and I picked up some wicking socks, I was almost ready to leave until I was told they would fit me for a sports bra.  I was very excited about this, because being larger chested has always been a set back from running.  It's painful and when I already have a back that is in pain 95% of the time, I didn't need or want the added stress.  Did you know that when running the breast naturally move in a figure eight pattern?  I had been a fool buying sports bras before, I thought the best kind were the kind that sucked you in just a compression sports bra, you know the tighter to your chest the better off you are.  So not true.  Compression sports bras are only ideal for B cups and smaller, and for someone quite larger than a B cup, this is just not acceptable.  Just like a regular bra, the support from a sports bra should come from the band, not the pressure or the shoulders.  I tried on an Enell brand and it really fit perfectly.  It would take some getting use to the tightness, but it did fit well.  However, it was not fashionable at all.  It had about 20 clasps in the front and a full back, but after years of searching for "cute" bras, there really isn't much offered for us over a C cup.  I wish I could say I purchased the bra, but at $65, I couldn't quite get it after my other purchases, but I do know what to be looking for today when I go shopping for a new one!

**End of Disclaimer**

After all was said and done, here were my purchases:

Aesics 2170s

Superfeet Berry Insoles

Balega DrynamiX socks

SweatyBand - not in this pattern though

I am super excited about my purchases and about running for such a good cause.  Please consider visiting my donation page and helping out Triad Ladder of Hope.  Any proceeds raised go directly to them, no covers or percentages are given to the Human Race.  

And for those of you wondering what my time goals are for the 5K, I don't have one.  I just want to finish.  With only a a month to train, I doubt I will be able to run the whole way either.  I want to finish and not feel like death.  Two weeks after the Human Race, I will be running another 5K in Lexington, and I will have a better idea of what my goals will be.  Check back to read how my training is going!

Currently

I saw this on a blog I like and thought I would indulge myself. 

 Current Book:

After recently finishing Safe Haven and The Vow, both were excellent.  The Vow was nothing like the movie, seeing as how it was a true account of how Kim and Krickett Carpenter truly depended on God to fall in love after a horrible accident.  I recommend both.  I am just now starting Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman.  I think it is going to be very challenging and worthwhile.  Here is a website that was built around the book.

Current Playlist: 

Alex and I have both been going through old mix CDs from high school and I'll have to admit my current guilty pleasure is Nelly's Country Grammar album.  

Current Food: 

I just finished eating leftover pizza from dinner last night.

Current Favorite Color:

Red, of course.

Current Favorite Show(s):

Sadly, I have way too many.  Take a breath:
Gossip Girl, Hart of Dixie, Pretty Little Liars, The Lying Game, Switched at Birth, Grey's Anatomy, Criminal Minds, Big Bang Theory.
My newest favorite: Are You There, Chelsea.  It really is hilarious.

Current Needs:

A new pair of running shoes.  I currently have a pair of Brooks Cascadias and I love them, but they are more designed for trail running.  Since I am running my first 5K at the end of the month it is time for something more suitable!

Current Bane Of My Existence:

Students who insist on talking even after you have asked them, nicely, 15 times, to stop.

Current Celebrity Crush:

Due to seeing The Vow, it is back to Mr. Tatum.

Current Indulgence:

Weathervane's Blue Norther a complete blueberry wine that is AMAZING.

Current Outfit:

Dress pants and a light sweater.

Current Excitement:

Pedicures after work with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law.

Current Mood:

Content and excited today is Friday.

Current Favorite Verse or Quote:

Colossians 3: 12 - 17.
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Current Favorite App:

Police Scanner +; it allows me to listen in when Alex is working.  I never thought I would want a scanner because I wouldn't want to worry while Alex was on the job, but now that I have this, I love it.  I love being able to hear Alex's voice, especially when he works nights, and if he goes on a dangerous call, I can send up a specific prayer for his safety.  I also listen about an hour before he clocks off so I can see if he gets an important call that would put him getting home later.

February Already?

As I was just reading through my goals for this year, I realized I missed the whole blog at least a couple of times a month.  It's amazing how after a long day at school I just don't feel the need to come home and blog.

Here is a quick update from January.  January is one of the best months out of the year.  Why you ask?  It's my birthday month.  There wasn't too much excitement this year.  Most of the month was spent preparing students for exams and EOCs and then jump starting the new semester at my new school.  Things at South are going well.  This semester has been going smoothly due to a fresh start and some new students.  I really am enjoying getting to know these kids.  The last weekend in January was spent celebrating my birthday.  My parents came up on a Thursday evening and I cooked for them.  I fixed a poppyseed chicken casserole (compliments of Alison Ingersoll) and we pretty much devoured it, as we always do.  Alex and I were off on Friday and we all spent the day in Charlotte.  My dad has been looking for a classic car to be able to take to car shows and we checked out some places while there.  It was really interesting being able to see all the cars and experience that with my dad.  Then Saturday we went to Lazy5Ranch.  It was a drive through zoo with over 200 species of animals.  The animals would walk straight up to your car and stick their heads in your windows.  It was more fun than what I thought it would be.  I honestly can't wait to go back when it warms up.  (I'll post pics when they are updated to my computer from my iPhone).

February consists of Valentine's Day (as well as my parent's 30th anniversary) and Alex's 25th birthday. This year I planned a surprise party for Alex's 25th.  Nothing big, just some friends and family getting together to celebrate his life :)  He keeps telling me he really was surprised so I hope he was.  The party was last weekend as well as the Greer annual trip to the circus in Greensboro.  This year was definitely not a disappointment, they even had a great dane come out with miniature ponies.  I am so blessed to call Alex my husband.  He is so supportive and loving and caring.  I am blessed beyond words.

Well I'm currently having issues getting my computer updated with pictures from my iPhone so I will try to update with some pics later this weekend!