Two weeks from today, I will be sipping a giant glass of wine somewhere. Why, you ask? Because two weeks from today is the last day of the 2011-2012 school year. And in two weeks and one day, summer 2012 officially kicks off. What a glorious, glorious thought! 

A few summers ago, my friend Jerra told me she always gave her summers a theme. She said this was a way to avoid that typical question teachers get, "So, what are you doing/did you do this summer?" 

I dubbed the summer of 2009 The summer I ran in to things (because I started running) and the summer of 2010 The summer I saw things clearly (because I got LASIK). The summer of 2011 was The summer I got really happy (because I was happy where I was -- mind, body and soul). 

So, with summer 2012 just hours away, I've been wracking my brain to come up with something fantastic to focus on. I just couldn't pick one thing. Therefore, summer 2012 is going to be The summer of the bucket list. Below, 53 things I really intend to do this summer. Some of them, I realize, will make little to no sense to you. And I apologize for that. I also realize that some of these things might be laughable to you (like, for instance, cooking one meal a week (because I don't do this. I know. I'm a let down to my mother!)) but it's my list, darnit, and I'll put these things on there if I want to! 

What's on your list? 

Home:

1. Buy better television for downstairs
2. Switch couches
3. Put a wall hanging at the end of the hallway
4. Hang sconces and basement picture
5. Hang pictures upstairs
6. Organize Tupperware cabinet
7. Organize extra room
8. Organize gift giving
9. Organize finances/retirement

Work:

1. Organize newspaper
2. Revamp JHE curriculum with more challenging items
3. Look for information on understanding and internalizing reading

Personal:

1. Rip CD’s to iPod
2. Sign up for my next half marathon
3. Beat 27 minutes on my 5K
4. Go see Nanc’ in Louisville
5. Plan a trip where I have to use my passport
6. Kiss Dan in the rain
7. Workout in a swimming pool
8. Do personal training sessions with J
9. Bike rides with dad
10. Go to the library
11. Clean closet and clothes drawers
12. Host a girl’s night in
13. Trader Joe’s
14. Go on vacation
15. Farmer’s Market
16. Eat a blizzard
17. Go mini golfing
18. Eat a cookie skillet
19. Go out on a lake
20. Spend a day doing nothing
21. Go wine tasting
22. Dress up just because
23. Enzo’s
24. Brewster’s
25. Polito’s
26. Ritter’s
27. Fro yo
28. Run 150 miles
29. Go on a picnic
30. Write a letter to a friend
31. Make something from Pinterest
32. Cook a meal during June 4
33. Cook a meal during June 11
34. Cook a meal during June 18
35. Cook a meal during June 25
36. Cook a meal during July 2
37. Cook a meal during July 9
38. Cook a meal during July 16
39. Cook a meal during July 23
40. Cook a meal during July 30
41. Cook a meal during August 6

An Indy pictorial

Here, for your viewing pleasure, pictures of my trip to Indy and half marathon numero dos.

My favorite cheerleader was a little slow to get off the air mattress.

My running ladies (before) -- Andrea, Erica, me, and Teresa in our 13.1 shirts!

Entering the Indianapolis 500 Speedway. So cool! 

...And after the race, medals all around! 

Bling bling!

My sad, disgusting, bruised toenail

Short and sweet

Both this post and my run today are short and sweet. 


It was a perfectly lovely day NOT to go to school! We had a built-in snow day planned for today, and since our snow day total this year was zero, a three-day weekend ensued! 


This morning I woke up around 8, putzed around until 9, and finally headed out to get a few miles in. The run was short. I didn't time it. I just tried to see how my body felt. Here's the general overview:


Lungs: Felt okay, but winded, even after teaching three Jazzercise classes this week. Maybe I was running faster than normal. Maybe it's because I took six days off after Indy. Either way, it felt nice to get them pumping again! 


Legs: Felt decent! After I stretched, I noticed my quads talking to me (they're typically the part of my legs that talk the loudest). Now though, many hours later, feeling good! 


Left toenails: Good! 


Right toenails: Uncomfortable. Stupid tender bruised toenails. Back to flip flops for the weekend -- and what a beautiful weekend it's shaping up to be! 

What a day this has been

Things that have happened today: 

1. I have realized that there are only three weeks of school left, causing me to completely panic.

2. Said panic has exploded multiple times today. 

3. Baby Grace is here! My first cousin once removed makes baby number three in our family in the past 14 months!

4. My legs feel normal enough that I can walk down the stairs normally again! 

5. I'm pumped about trying to go for a run on Friday. 
6. I finally finished grading all 44 research papers for Expository Writing! 

All in all, a lovely day! 

Indy recap :)

Oh Indy! Where do I even begin? 


Upon signing up in January, I was still on a runner's high during my training for the Princess Half Marathon. Then I ran the Princess Half, and went through a total training down period. I just didn't want to run. So, leading up to Indy, I skipped a lot of my training runs and hoped for the best. 


On Friday, I picked up Dan and we headed down 65 to Indy. This is when the stress began. Traffic was TERRIBLE. Between all of the 26.2 stickers plastered to cars, and the mass exodus from college campuses this weekend, there was a long series of slow downs. Mistake #2 was not eating lunch and waiting until almost 3 p.m. to stop for food. By the time we got to Lafayette, Dan was saddled with a grumpy girlfriend on the search for some serious carbs and the task of driving the rest of the way, as obviously I was incapable of doing it without muttering obscenities at the drivers around us. 


After a baked potato and a sandwich, it was back in the car and down to the Expo. It was a pretty standard Expo as far as Expo's go. Lots of vendors, lots of loud music, lots of bright colors, lots of people. We picked up my bib (and my friend Christa's, who was unable to make it) and met up with my former student Melanie to walk around. (Side note: I like the Disney Princess Expo better. Why? More free stuff there, duh!) 


While at the Expo, we were able to see almost everyone I knew running the Mini. SO COOL to be able to greet everyone the night before the race. My coworker Johnna, her fiancee Lyn, Dan, and I all ended up at a sports bar for dinner because it had zero wait and pasta specials. So, we stuffed ourselves on chicken pesto pasta, garlic bread, and pita with spinach artichoke dip and separated. Dan and I headed to Teresa's sister Cara's house to spend the night there. 


At 5:30, the alarm went off, signaling that it was time to wake up and carb up (again! So many carbs!). A banana and half a Clif bar later, we threw on our gear, I forced Dan to get up, and we were out the door together. 


At the race, we hit the porta potties, found Olivia, Jodie, Andrea, Kelly, Sean, and the rest of the crew, and took our pre-race pictures. At 7:15, they made the announcement that runners needed to get into their corrals. I hugged my friends goodbye, and Dan walked me up to F and helped me hop the fence to get in. 


Naturally, at this point, I got emotional and started crying. There's something about knowing you're about to put your body through a torture test that makes me highly emotional. Luckily, Dan was wearing a shirt I hate, providing some comic relief. :) Once he left to go find Lyn, I calmed down and started talking to a woman in my corral. We both commented on the heat and humidity. I checked my phone to make sure my music was set, and my texts were on. Check and check. 


At 7:33, the first racers took off. At 7:37, I crossed the starting line, and was off. In the first mile, I saw the elephants at the Indianapolis Zoo. I missed a lot of other stuff on the run, so I'm glad I got to see those. I'd set up my phone to get text alerts for myself as well as my friends, so when I got to the first 5K at a 9:23 pace, I got a little worried that I was going too fast. But I felt great, and didn't want to slow down. 


Going into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was awesome. Seeing all the people on the track in front of me was so inspiring -- all those people all doing the same thing? Awesome. I made it out of the track and still felt great -- I was running a 9:22 pace. 


At mile 9, I saw Cara and Dave -- SO what I needed in that moment. In the ten minutes prior to that, I saw a man with the bloodiest nipples I'd ever seen and a woman who had gone to the bathroom in her shorts while running... and yes, we're talking #2, so a little inspiration was in order. 


THEN the sun came up. The beating down, terrible, hot, hot, HOT sun. I got desperate at this point for liquid. I started taking any cup at any station. At the Gatorade station, a woman in front of me dumped a cup of it on her head. It was desperate times, people. 


I'd been doing a run walk method throughout, but really had to increase the walking around mile 11. And by increase, I mean I essentially walked every three minutes during miles 11 and 12. I started texting Dan and my parents for inspiration. I checked my texts and saw that my friends were doing well. And then I was able to breathe a little. When I hit mile 12, I told myself that I had less than 12 minutes left and walking was no longer an option. So, I started to run. Or jog. As I got closer, I kept looking for Dan, knowing he was waiting at the finish. The crowd was awesome -- cheering and yelling and clapping. So, so, cool. 


In other news, there were a lot of young guys wearing light blue shirts. I kept thinking I was seeing Dan. They were not Dan. With the finish just 100 feet away, I gave it everything I had and sprinted to the end. And just as I passed, I heard, "ANGELA!" And there was Dan (and Lyn)! 


I got my medal, got my snacks, got into the park, and was thrilled that this time I had my cell phone so I could get in touch with the others I was waiting for. Guess what? Zero signal! UGH. Anyway, about 20 minutes later, I finally spotted Dan and Lyn, totally by chance, and made my way toward them. I think Dan was shocked when a super sweaty girl threw herself on him, but I was just so happy to have him there. A few minutes later, Johnna made it out to us. And eventually, miraculously, we were all able to find each other. 


Final time 2:11:18 -- almost five minutes faster than the Princess Half. For being so hot and humid, I was THRILLED with that time. I saw quite a few people laying on the side of the street with medics, which was terrifying. It was just far too hot to be running and I was lucky enough to be in an early corral and not in the direct sunlight for more than four or five miles. 


But the best part? I felt great after the race! I felt really excited about running again. It was so invigorating to do a run and feel alive! And it was great to get it done and think, "I'll do this again. I'll do more half marathons." I needed that. I needed to remind myself that I can do this. 


So, today? Some leg pain, for sure. Giant blisters on the toes. The possible loss of three toenails impending. 


Still totally worth it. 


I couldn't have done it without my friends, my family, and my supporter at the finish line. So, so thankful for this experience and the people I got to do it with! 


Now it's on to some smaller races and some fun runs. I need some fun runs for a while. :) 

Race preparation

I realize that this is probably totally normal, but I feel like a total stress cadet when I prepare for half marathons. It started earlier this week when I made a list of things to take JUST for race day. The list is TWENTY ONE ITEMS LONG. Then, I started compulsively checking the weather reports for Indianapolis (oh, hello humidity and heat). 


On Wednesday, I got the first little nervous/excited stomach. That was a great moment. 


And last night, I started carbo loading. Ohhhh the carbo loading... it is a funny thing to have to overeat a lot of carbs. According to a calculator I found online, I should be eating about 400 grams of carbs a day today and tomorrow. 


I thought about counting carbs today, but I didn't. For me, counting is something I just don't want to do anymore. Years ago, I used to count my calories every day. (I know this works for some people as an effective dieting tool -- I'm not saying it's not good, it's just not for me.) I didn't realize at the time how obsessive it was to do, but I would literally make a list every day of calories I'd consumed. It was something I thought about a lot -- what I had eaten that day, how many more calories I could consume, if I had enough calories left to splurge. So now that I've totally gotten away from that, I don't care to really count the carbs to make sure I'm getting enough. 


Basically everything I ate today was carbs in one form or another. And tomorrow will hold much of the same. I think I'm doing a better job with it this time, but I suppose I'll see if it helped on Saturday. 


Now, it's off to pack my 21 items for race day, plus all the other stuff I'm going to need. So incredibly excited to take off tomorrow afternoon with Dan to go meet my friends in Indy!


Indy Half Marathon, bring it on! 

Indy running thoughts

Indy is just three point five short days away at this point, and there are oh-so-many thoughts running through my head. 

For starters, in the car this morning, I got the nervous-excited stomach feeling. The thought of running 13.1 miles in just a few days is nerve-wracking, but it's also really exciting to take on this challenge. It's nice to be feeling that anticipation because up to this point I'd been feeling sort of apathetic about this race. 

Things I'm worried about:

-The weather. It's looking like it's going to be WARM. That's going to make for some HOT miles.

-Running my best race. The training is done, at this point. I just hope it was enough this time around.

-Beating my PR. I mean, finishing this race is going to be a triumph, but it would be AWESOME to finish with a better time than February. Then again, after training for six months straight, I'm sort of over all the running. 

-Seeing my support. In Disney, I was lucky enough to see my parents twice. I'm worried that Indy won't net me even a glimpse at Dan, and I know I'm really going to need it. 

Things I'm excited about: 

-CARB LOADING.

-Seeing so many of my friends finish this amazing accomplishment together.

-As Sherry would say, bling. 

-The post-race hug from my wonderful supporter. 

-The post-race blubbering. 

-The post-race meal. :)