Tag: MLabout

My Birthdays:  A Tumblr Review

I took a brief journey through my tumblr archives in addition to chronicling the memories that each age/year brought.  Thank you for being with me tumblr through these life changing years. Looking forward to what’s to come… 

27 (2010): My first birthday with all of you! I was 8 months into this health and fitness journey. I was training for my first half marathon and gaining self esteem in leaps and bounds. 

28 (2011): I was falling out of love with my first guy I loved. I was aggressively job searching, bored with my job, looking for a change and ready to get out of Alabama. I clung to running and bought myself my first Garmin as a birthday present to myself. 

29 (2012): First DC birthday – although I was up in NY and in Boston for my bestie’s 30th birthday. I had ran my first marathon back in March and was training for my second (Marine Corps) in October. I was still finding my way in my new job and new life, but I was loving it. 

30 (2013): Had a rough few months leading up to 30. Mostly due to work drama, but also the stress of a milestone birthday. I kept comparing my life to others and thinking about if I was behind schedule. 

31 (2014): Achieved my goal of doing a sprint triathlon before my 31st birthday (did it a week prior). Ended up doing a 2nd sprint tri later in August taboot. Finally got a grip on my finances. Was newly dating this sweet shy guy. 

32 (2015): I am training for my 3rd marathon. Crazy in love with T. Job searching for a bigger and better career opportunity in Southern California. Strengthening friendships with my amazing friends and never taking the time we have together for granted. 

Dieting Don’ts

Don’t get so drunk at your bestie’s bachelorette that you:

  • black out
  • puke that night
  • puke repeatedly the next morning
  • puke in the street on the way to brunch
  • not eat most of your brunch and take it to go
  • later eat your cold eggs with your fingers
  • spend the afternoon in the city with your sister because you chose a later bus because you PREDICTED THE HANGOVER
  • buy a “Moroccan” pita at a deli – eat it on the bus at about the halfway point 
  • Puke said pita in the bus bathroom with 10 minutes left to go of a 5 hour bus ride
  • roll into work late today, still smelling a slight whiff of pita puke despite a shower and multiple teeth brushings 

For the record I’ll be 32 next week ladies and gents #adulting 

Recap: Long Holiday Weekend

Warning: mostly me rambling about my exercise and food whilst in NY 😉

Thurs: 3 miles post work/pre-drive to Brooklyn. T brought our favorite gyros to eat before we hit the road (made it up in just over 4 hours). 

Fri: 7 miles at the Long Beach Boardwalk before a full day of relaxing on the beach eating LI deli subs and drinking the new Coors Light Radlers (it’s good cheap bear I swear). Did a total of ~16miles with all the other walking involved with the day, including rallying to go to Manhattan for rooftop drinks followed by late night empanadas.

Sat: Spend the whole day at Coney Island (my first time ever). Watched the men’s and women’s Nathan’s hot dog eating contests. Ate a  Nathan’s hot dog and fries, also ate White Castle, and had a rainbow italian ice! At Coney Island we went to the Sideshow, rode the Cyclone (it was amazeballs), went to the minor league Brooklyn Cyclones game and stayed for fireworks. Managed to rack up ~10 miles walking.

Sun: Brunch in Bushwick at this random dive bar (Tandem) then headed into Manhattan to aimless wander – Battery Park and South Street Seaport. Got a Mister Softee (I refused to have any other ice cream truck treats except for Mister Softee). Got in another ~7 miles walking. Drove back to DC in amazingly just over 4 hours (including EZpass drama – bastards).

Mon: Worked from home with a 10:30am “start time.” Quiet work day, really just Freddie hangout time. Kicked off week 3 of Marathon training with 3.1 sweaty ass miles. 

Measuring LIFE

“Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”

I started this blog back on blogger back in Jan 2010 then moved it to tumblr in May 2010. I specifically called it Measuring Life because it was more than just weight loss and fitness, it was measuring successes in all avenues of my life and holding myself accountable for failures. 

I have so many wonderful things going on in my life right now that I don’t always have time or need the high of a good workout – although I do miss it at times. My pants may be a bit snugger these days, but my heart is also SO FULL. 

My social life, finances, friendships, career trajectory and love life are all in a very good place these days. My life is bursting at the seams with awesomeness. 

I need to gush about T. Next month is our ONE YEAR anniversary AKA my longest relationship. He just has completely changed so much in my life. I’ve always been a “lone wolf” of sorts and now him and I are a pair, a team, a duo, partners. I literally can feel us CLICK. Seriously every once in a while when we are in bed cuddling, we’ll like literally click into place. So much so that on occasion it leaves me practically gasping for breath – this weekend was an example of laying snuggled up with him that took my breath away.  I feel so connected to him on so many levels it’s mind-boggling. 

I may be out of the tumblr loop and maybe even the fitness loop – but I promise you I am living the hell out of life! 

P.S. I have my best friend’s wedding 4 months from today, so whether I like it or not I need to get back on the fitness train and when I do, I promise to be back here and would love to have you cheer me on! 

This weekend will be my 6th year running Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure’s Race For Hope DC 5K.

My running “Idol” David Cook ran in 2009 for his brother (who ended up passing away the night before the race that year, but David ran anyway). In 2009 I donated and told myself I was going to train to run it myself in 2010. 

January 2010, I started running and getting health. I ran in 2010, PRed in 2011 and have been back every year since. 

  • 2010 – I went to PA to visit my friend Kelly and we came down to DC to run together
  • 2011 – I ran solo, but had a bunch of friends come to DC to support me
  • 2012 – I was a new VA/DC resident and ran with my friend Sarah who came to visit
  • 2013 -My sister ran it with me
  • 2014 – I ran solo, but found David Cook on the course and captured an epic running selfie with him
  • 2015 – My boyfriend, T, will be joining me this year. I pretty sure he is going to beat me (damn natural athletic ability) based off our run yesterday, but I’m excited to be with him for his first official race ever (especially since it was my first official race ever) 

5 years and counting

I started this blog to document my effort to lose weight and get healthy 5 year ago this week. My 2010 self wrote:

I’m committed to changing my diet and lifestyle this year.
I have been on a half ass diet for most of my adult life, that has yielded limited or temporary results.

Well I’m dedicated this year. I’m testing my self, my mind, my body and my soul.

Thank you 2010 self for having the courage to start. It was scary and uncertain, but the decision/resolution (in the truest sense of the word) has lead me to a life of health and happiness. The changes I started making 5 years ago still continues. Many come with successes, but there are still times I falter or fail.

As a starting point for 2015 I’m on a mission to lose the weight I let myself gain over the holidays. I have a few spring races on my radar and eager to see what big challenge I want to take on this year – an ultra team Ragnar? An Oly tri? a century ride? Perhaps all of those things and more!