Sketchy Paths to Beautiful Views

Tomorrow I am running the Phillies 5K at Citizen’s Bank Park! I promise to snap some shots at the packet pick up today. Even if there are no balloon arch entrances…because this will be my first time at the Park since Fall. The past 3 years that I have walked back into the bark in April I have tried to figure out how I can arrange my schedule so I can work there again. I missed being in the park at all of the home games. I didn’t miss the uniform so much but I did kind of like the red windbreaker throw jacket. I am in school still though so I will have to suppress those initial butterflies that bounce from my belly to the justification area of my brain.

 

I met up with a friend on Tuesday and ran the Bridge. Turns out the side I always run on was closed, Again. But we did use the super sketchy pedestrian walkway (see above- first pic) to get to the other side. It was a gorgeous night for a run. When I was running to meet my friend, I hit a pot hole and walked it off. When I woke up Wednesday though the outer part of my right leg hurt. Not shin splints or in my calf. Anyway I walked it off mostly yesterday and Wednesday. Today I am good so far.

37 Days to Broad St. I really should get 8 miles or so in sometime soon. Oh yeah and also 106 days til I attempt to run 75 miles. I really should start taking training more seriously, like forming a schedule and sticking to it.

Spring Into Action!

Well hello there Spring! I am in a splendid mood today, so much so I decided to use the word splendid to describe it. Yesterday the Shakeology came in the mail, so after I dissected a sheep’s brain (in class), I came home and made a nice chocolate and strawberry shake. It was actually pretty good. It is getting warmer out so occasionally I will want to wake up early to enjoy as much of the day as I can (and also it gets so hot and uncomfortable I get mad and get up). Last night I woke up 4 times excited to go running. I think it was because I had the shake so late at night, but whatever it was I liked it. It was foggy and looked like it had rained earlier when I went out this morning, which I really enjoy. I prefer clouds to sun, unless on a beach, so sometimes I do prefer foggy damp to hot and clear. I know I am weird. I embrace it!

Saturday I met up with a friend and we tried to run the bridge but it was closed : ( so we ran up Vine St to Broad, then over to Lombard and back east.. I did about 6 miles which felt good. This morning, I ran to the parkway, took some pictures, ran to 10^th St and back home, about 3.5 miles. I walked outside when I was coming back to my desk from clinic today and it is gorgeous out!

 

Next Saturday is the Phillies 5K, we get to finish in the park on the field (probably the warning track but heck still counts)! I am excited about it. I do like doing runs with people but going alone is okay too, especially since rarely do I finish near the people I go with. We get two tickets to one of the On Deck series games, so I decided to go Tues April 3 and the lucky +1 is my brother Patrick. I was going to try to get him tickets to another Sixers game but that never happened so this is a good place for us to go. I don’t know if I am ready to deal with the news about Utley right now…I have not been keeping up with all of the Phils news like I would want to but I call Ashley and Patrick and they tell me. It’s like Sports center on speed dial. I have tickets to the April 28 game (going with Ash : ) and another game with her July 7. I am going to get Red Sox tickets offline too for May so I have 4 games lined up thus far. I feel like it has been a very long time since I have been in Citizen’s Bank Park. Next Friday I am going to hop the Broad St Line down to the stadium to pick up my race packet. Maybe they will have cardboard cut outs of some of the players (since they are still in Clearwater).

 

Broad Street is approaching quickly as well. I need to get a ten mile run in at some point this month, so I know it is possible.

 

I had to make a difficult decision last week with my school schedule. I had to withdraw from my Micro, therefore postponing my beginning Nursing School in the fall. After praying and talking with others, weighing my pros and cons, it was not worth the risk. I will be retaking Micro in the Summer and starting LaSalle in January… Which means I could potentially run a marathon if I wanted this fall… Maybe…

 

I started writing a 5 year plan (May even have been on here…or a letter to my pen pal Andy) anyway…running a total of 5 marathons was on there. I have 3 down…. So, let’s leave it at a def maybe and see how the recuperation from the 20 in 24 goes…But it is fun to think about.

Ides of March...

 

I am stepping it up a notch! Well, in other areas of fitness…Yesterday I woke up with my alarm at 6:10am, strapped my shoes on reluctantly, and walked outside half awake. Tuesday night I went to bed telling myself that the only way I can enjoy the weather is if I wake up early and get out there. It was 60 degrees when I went out and it was amazing! I switched up the normal run to Penns Landing and headed to the Art Museum. I was not the only one who got the running memo, I saw probably 30 runners in the 50 minutes I was out. There was a Boot Camp going on near the base of the steps and I always think ‘man that must suck’ when I run by them. But they are working it, power to em!

I ran to the top of the steps to take in one of my favorite views of the city (see below), then continued on the path to the ½ mile mark. It was nice to run during the sunrise. I was able to get a couple pictures of boathouse row before it was completely light.

 

       I had been talking with some friends last week about what it is they do to stay healthy. I usually do not weigh myself because I went through a phase of my life when I was consumed with it. I no longer own a scale because I appreciate my peace of mind. HOWEVER, I stepped on a scale Tuesday, for the first time in a long time and well I was not happy. I had a feeling that was around where I weighed these days but I like to overshoot it…when I saw the numbers right there it became real. I do not think I am fat or am going to stop eating or anything crazy like that but I did decide (yesterday) to make a conscious decision to start tracking what I eat, so I am aware of the lack of vegetables, fruits, etc and when I am way over my projected caloric intake. I am now on ‘My Fitness Pal’ and so are a few of my friends. Everyone has lost weight with it which is a great inspiration. Today is day 2 of tracking, so far so good.

I know that I have a tendency of going gung ho for something for a very short time then giving up. One of my friends is a Beachbody Coach and so she has been trying to get us all involved with Beach Body…I caved and joined her Shakeology Challenge. Shakeology is replacing one meal a day with the Shake powder and the challenge will last 60 days. We have to commit to working out 3x per week but I am hoping to do more than that.  

This morning when I got up, I decided to dust off my TurboJam and do that instead of run. I can’t tell you the last time I did it. When I was on Beachbody’s website they said you can do the ‘TurboJam Challenge’ or “P90x” among others and I already own both of those but never use them. I did 60 mins (20 min workout and Turbo Sculpt) this morning! Also a good motivator to workout, is on My Fitness Pal they add calories for you to eat when you exercise and that was my deciding factor this morning, it worked!

  

 

St. Patrick’s Day is in two days!!!! I am excited, as always, to listen to some Irish Music, eat some good food, and be around family and friends! I have my green already picked out!! Tomorrow I am planning on going for a run, unless it is raining then I will hit the gym. I hope everyone has a wonderful St. Patrick’s!!!

Happy Leap Year

One extra day every 4 years to do whatever you like.. I actually got a run in.. I read an article today online about gender role reversal being allowed only on Leap Year from back in the day. Pretty hilarious stuff actually. I hope you all enjoyed your extra day of 2012!

I really need to get back to the blog... School has been making training and anything else pretty much a low priority. I always feel guilty writing on here knowing I haven't been running. Well kids, tonight I ran 4 miles on the treadmill and Monday morning I ran 3 before work. Could this be real training again? Let's hope!

I took these two pictures (below) on a morning run last week. Tomorrow is my last night of class for 11 days!!! I'm hoping to get at least an 8 mile run in one of those days.

Oh I got new running shoes too! There is probably only about 10-15 miles on them so far.

I have the Phillies 5K coming up at the end of the month then Broad St in May. Crazy how fast they both sold out! I got lucky :)

Alright this is a good start up entry, more to come...

It Begins....Again

25 weeks and 3 Days until 20 in 24….

Maggie shared this training schedule on our Facebook Lone ranger page…

At first glance I thought ‘YOU ARE CRAZY!’ taking note of the back to back long runs every weekend. Also 11 weeks that the long run is 25 miles or over… Thinking what kind of nut does this?!

Well, I decided let’s just take this as I do with mostly all things…One Day at a Time.

According to the schedule I think I have another couple days..I don’t know for sure though because it starts at Week 2 and ends on Week 26.. Anyway I ran this morning for the first time since Disney!

3 Miles, about 34 minutes, and I feel ready to start this training. I AM NOT ATTEMPTING TO RUN 100 MILES, let me repeat I AM NOT ATTEMPTING TO RUN 100 MILES!! However I am trying to run 75 and I think taking this schedule and dialing it down a smidge could very much help me do it!

Classes started last night and man is it going to be a tough one! Two sciences, so 4 lectures and 2 Labs every week til May. I was planning on following the schedule and it has Tuesday as 4 miles so during the day I kept saying ‘After class, I’ll hit the gym (since I am paying for it and have only been there 3 times the past 3 months).’ My teacher kept us until the very last minute (8:50p…3hrs 20mins of reviewing the syllabus) I was drained. My walk home (1.4 miles- thanks Mapmyrun) seemed like eternity. It’s very rare that I just want to stop walking, close my eyes, and be home but last night was one of those nights. It wasn’t even freezing cold or horrible out and I wasn’t in any physical pain but I was just exhausted!

On the walk I came to the realization that this was only Day 1 of the next 4 months and if there is any chance I am going to get through this…successfully…I am going to have to get back to a more productive Routine. Waking up early enough to run, that has to happen because there is no chance I will be going to the gym after nights like last night. I know I won’t have Lab every night but if I wait until the evening I have less chance of not running.

The next thing I have fallen out of doing is meditating in the morning. Just sitting silent for 8-10 minutes, breathing deep, and asking God to come in to my day and guide me. If you are not familiar with meditation or you think I’m a weirdo, I dare you to give it a test run. At least 3 days…it makes all the difference.

This morning I even got someone to send me a wake up text, because I know that later when he asks me if I actually got up or I rolled over and went back to sleep I’d want to tell him I got up..and I ran 3 miles! I was in the shower around 7:30 and dressed, ready to meditate at 7:52…Got 8 minutes in and hopped the bus for work shortly after. I feel a lot better, not just because of this morning but because I can say that I am training again!

Reprint* well I need to update: I just now was thinking about my Summer Break and I'm a jerk for saying it wasn't important!
I went to New England and watch Dannielle and Kenny get married! I got to see Amanda, Keegan, Lexi, and the Cape Codders. I saw Robbie, Casas, Feist, and everyone from the Sawmills crew at the wedding too! Total jerk for not putting that in there. So for that I'm sorry.

How I Spent My Winter Vacation

Remember in grade school when you would come back in the Fall and the teacher would ask you what you

did on your Summer Vacation?

Well I didn’t really get a Summer Vacation, because I’m a working adult and I also took 3 classes over the Summer. Fall I took 2 classes and now I am trying to remember what if anything I did with my break. It’s not important…. What’s important is I absolutely have something to write on How I Spent my Winter Vacation! I am now in my last 5 days of vacation and even though I am sad to see my weeknights gone and my weekends fill with studying, I am happy to report I got a lot in these past few weeks.

Got to see some friends I haven’t seen in awhile in Jersey.

Me, Matt Hawk, and Colleen

Made it up to Springfield, MA to hang out with some great people for New Years.

Andy, Dave, and Nick

Ran a Marathon and got to see Sean! (See one million pics on the last 5 + entries)


Hit a Sixer's Game with Patrick. They are doing Awesomely, scored over 100 points so we all got a free Big Mac!!

And get ready for this…last night I made dinner! Yep I, Katie Chance, made a lasgna! My mom walked me through it on Christmas, she let me make a mini one and she made a bigger one. But I went to Trader Joe’s (on a budget) and got the different ingredients. Ran to Rite Aid twice while mixing the contents because…I don’t cook ever and I forgot some things. It turned out pretty good I must say. I even made some cookies, Walnut Chocolate Chip!

Meatless Spinach Lasagna : p

I managed to cram in some pretty awesome things during my Winter Vacation and I am glad I did. Because for the next 4 months of my life…The only thing I will be seeing is highlighters, textbooks, and notecards. Hopefully some early morning pavement once I get back into my running routine too.