Discovery World.

This past weekend I got to check out Discovery World in Milwaukee with Big Brother Big Sisters. It was the first BBBS activity that my Little Brother and I were able to participate in and I think it’s safe to say we both had a really good time!

shiny

making a guitar

totally normal to put a boat in a building, right?

so creepy…

so many fish!

have you ever held a shark egg? didn’t think so!

I’m already excited for future opportunities to visit places I have missed out on visiting in Milwaukee due to my advanced age – lol! And an added bonus is we got a one-year membership so we can come back and check it out again! I am already excited.

Weekend in a Nutshell.

This past weekend was a fun one.  Nothing super exciting happened but it was still much appreciated after a full week back at work (with co-worker drama mixed in – blech)

On Saturday I overachieved at my 2013 goal for January and also did a craft project to add to my organizational project I did last week!  I’m on a roll!  I’d seen this post for a pompom/wood slice project and for some reason was really drawn to it.  And really drawn to the idea of a mindless craft project after an annoying week…

Here’s how mine turned out!

Not quite as good as Ashley’s and $10 over my monthly craft allowance but considering I had to purchase a glue gun that I will ideally be using again, we’ll say that’s close enough.  Side note: I have totally missed the smell of a hot glue gun.  If you’ve never used one, you don’t know what I mean but it brought back many memories of crafting as a kid and projects at church, etc. So random!

Before and After

I also tried my hand at baking some Babycakes cookies this weekend!  I wanted to make Babycakes cookie sandwiches but I struck out on locating Rice Milk Powder… never fear, Amazon Prime is here (but not until later this week).  The cookies were a major bust on the appearance front (except for three), because I failed to realize how much these suckers spread!  I’ve never made vegan cookies that spread anywhere!  Despite their none bakery case appearance, they tasted fan-tas-tic!

One cookie, right?

Almost as pretty as the original, or no…

I got the recipe for these cookies on the Babycakes app so if you want some good vegan and gluten free recipes, check out that app!  It’s really fun, probably my favorite purchased app. (One version was on Oprah too, slightly different than mine but same idea)

I also took my Little Brother bowling this weekend!  Is it weird that my arm is sore from throwing the 11 pound ball?  Ha!  He had such a fun time and so did I.  I’m really loving the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program so far.  It’s letting me remember all these fun things I used to do when I was little  You’re never too old to act like a kid, right?

Got to wear these cuties too!

Now I just need to find a way to get through the next 4 days to get another weekend… I might start a petition for 3 day weekends every weekend.  Is anyone in?

Did you do anything fun this weekend?  Would you rather work 5 8 hour days or 4 10 hours days to get your “40 hour work week” in? 

Four Day Week Friday.

Yikes.  Where has the last week gone.  I can’t completely blame my lack of blog posts on my level of busy-ness but rather because I am pretty lazy + sort of busy!  So to recap the past happenings of this week, here is another edition of random information Friday!

1) On Saturday I did my last long training bike ride before my upcoming 36 miler!  (it’s tomorrow, btw!)  I made it 26-27 miles in a little less than 2 hours and realized the kind of speed necessary to run a marathon in that time… crazy, really.  I can’t even bike that fast, let alone run!  I felt OK for most of the ride and I am pretty sure the ride tomorrow will be fine but towards the end, I started getting a little flare up of back pain.  I think I should be able to help that by taking a couple of breaks along the way and resetting my posture.  I’m hoping that’s all it takes anyways!  Looks like the weather is going to be very fallish which I am not ready for yet on my bike anyways?!  I have summer-y bike things but what about for cooler weather?!?

Pretty view on my 26 miler

2) My “long run” of the week was supposed to happen Sunday with sister.  Now, I am not sure if the utter failure of a run had more to do with the ride on Saturday, not eating enough carbs Sunday or some other outside factor but this run sucked.  Like mega-sucked.  Like I don’t really ever want to run again sucked.  I think I made it 7.5 miles and hated it the whole entire time.  I am clearly in a running funk and nothing seems to be able to help me break out of it!  Yuck.

3) In lieu of said horrible run, I am once again taking an extended break from rigorous exercise.  I just feel so burnt out most of the time lately and I am not sure if it’s just being lazy and out of shape or actually being “overtrained”, etc.  I am only taking walks this week, nothing else.  I’m hoping a little more rest will set me right again in the running department.  If not, I will either just cheer Sister on in the 1/2 marathon in two weeks or attempt to walk/run it also.  I’m planning to play it by ear until the very last minute.  Whatever is going on is so not like me that I can’t really force myself to run because I just loathe it if I do.  But this loathing feeling is now spreading to exercise in general which is REALLY not like me…  Maybe being in a race environment will re-kindle my love for running?  Either that or it’s going to be a long 4 months “training” for the Disney Marathon…

4) Last night was the first time I got to meet my Girls on the Run group!  We start next week with official lessons but this week was a meet and greet and it was so cool to have this opportunity to introduce ourselves as coaches before the actual training starts.  Hopefully all the girls enjoy the program, it seems like a very promising group of girls and the coaches also seem like people I will be able to get along with… although that could always change at a moment’s notice  But in all seriousness, I am very excited for the opportunity to make a positive impact in these girls’ lives and I am hoping I can live up to my intentions.

5) I’m headed out of town next week and I am going to miss this little butt so much!  It would be so much easier to leave him if he didn’t give this incredible guilt trip every time the suitcases come out… Poor bud!  I will miss you!

Irrational love of blankets and the color pink…

6) When did it get to be 1 week into September?  Just when I think the summer went fast, the fall proves it will fly by even faster!!

7) As proof that I am incredibly lazy + this year is going fast, my winter boots are still sitting in my office.  I really did plan to bring them home in like April.  Whoops.

Also envelopes I intended to return about 6+ months ago. #procrastinator

8) I am so, so, so sick of this election bull already… blech.  Still like 2 more months?!?  I am so anti-politics it’s got to be unpatriotic.  But when you are picking between a rock and a hard place… And seriously Mr. Ryan?  How in the heck can you not remember your marathon time by over 1 hour.  Why lie about something SO DUMB!?  Or why even talk about it at all…  But I bet with enough training he could probably pull off a 2:00 marathon, nbd.

9) This is the first year since I graduated college that I had zero sadness about not going back to school now that it’s fall!  And when did all the freshman start looking like small children?  I swear I am not THAT old.  Maybe a little but I still get confused with being a high schooler so apparently it’s just really hard to judge a person’s age?

10) That’s all I’ve got this week!  Hope everyone had a speedy 4-day week if you had Labor Day off and are now ready for another September weekend!  Happy Friday!

Full Moon Half Marathon: Through the Eyes of a Volunteer

After running my little 5k on Saturday morning, it was time for me to play the part of volunteer and help out with another local race, the Full Moon Half Marathon!  Never mind that it was not actually a full moon, it still seemed like a pretty cool race!

I showed up at the high school where the runners would finish and also parked before to be bused to the start around 5:30 to pick up my official volunteer garb, helped load up some ice for another volunteer and then headed out to man my first post!  This race is a 13.1 mile point to point so they needed quite a few volunteers along the way, just in case.  I  ended up being very confused on where I was technically supposed to be but I still made it work I think?!  Although I am still not sure how helpful I really was…

So reflective!

My first point was probably mile 2-3 for the runners so at that point they didn’t really seem to need much and I think I just got in the way more than anything.  There was a pretty busy traffic crossing that I didn’t really think I was supposed to be directing as they said the police would do that where necessary… but I think cars were thinking I was directing them even though I was just standing to the side?  I really have no clue what was going on there… Since it was still the early parts of the race, it didn’t take that long for everyone to filter through that spot so I headed on to another one.

Again, it was kind of confusing as to where I should go but I just ended up driving until I was ahead of the first runner and pulled over to park and wait.  Once they started coming through I used that opportunity to cheer everyone on as best as I could.  It was mile 6 and I know from experience that is one of the worst miles of a half because you aren’t quite half way done but starting to feel it… It was a mix of people being thankful for the cheering and those being annoyed looking with it… I really need to practice my race cheers!  I had no idea what to say except “Good Job” and “Stay Strong” and “Keep it up”… Not the most inspiring words ever, doi.

It took everyone a little longer to get through this point and the pace spread had really started to take effect.  I ended up being at that point for probably 45 minutes or so and then ended up calling it a day and driving back to drop off my flag and vest.  I was thinking of stopping again along the way but it seemed to be better staffed with volunteers and cheer teams closer to the finish plus I was starving so I just called it quits to go pick up my pup from my parents and eat ice cream – hah!

If you look close, you can see runners off in the distance to the right…

This race seemed like a really cool race to run but I really wonder if I would have much success running a half marathon at 6pm at night… I am a total early morning runner and always fade by the end up the day?!  Hopefully at some point I can give this race a try though because it does look unique enough to be worth it – although possibly a little on the expensive side.

Another worry I would have about future years would be the weather at 6pm on an August night.  This particular day was beautiful but I seem to recall most August evenings are rather warm and humid so more undesirable conditions!

I guess next year if I decide not to run it, I will have to come back and volunteer again.  But maybe this next time I will bring some pump up tunes and brush up on my cheerabilities?!?  Maybe make a sign or two

I need your help: What would be most helpful to hear from someone on the side lines of a race?  Just a cheer?  A certain phrase?  I feel so lost as to what to do for such a thing as I am so used to running them myself

Volunteer Update.

Remember a while back when I posted about the ideas I had for mixing volunteering and running?  Well a couple of them are starting to pan out and start soon!

First, I am volunteering to help with a half marathon this weekend near my parents house and excited for that!  I have often thought about running this half but this year I am not in the shape for it plus it’s at night (like 7pm start) so I wonder if I would be able to run at that time of night.  Normally I really struggle running anytime after like 10am.  But by volunteering I will hopefully get more of an idea of what it is like! (and if I would be the last one across the finish line!).  It’s called the Full Moon Half Marathon but my mom pointed out that it’s not actually a full moon this weekend.  Strange?

Second, I am going to be an actual coach for Girls on the Run!  I was thinking of just starting as an assistance coach but since my after work time is pretty flexible I might actually be able to be the “head” coach!  I’ll know for sure in a week or so after they have time to fix everyone up with a group.  I’m really excited about this because I know when I was 8-13 years old, doing something active was not really my cup of tea but I really should have been at that time.  Hopefully I can help these girls realize that exercise is FUN!  I’m just hoping all the girls don’t run faster than me

I’m very happy that I am finally finding some ways to volunteer doing activities I have a passion for.  I really struggled the years after I graduated college with feeling kind of lost in this respect.  I never was the one who had to select where I spent my free time because school work and being with friends was all I did when in college.  Now that I am a little more “grown up” I’m having to figure out what to do with my life so each time even a little piece falls into place, it seems like a good thing!

What was one thing that surprised you about being a “grown up”?  I know for me it has been the total loss of opportunities to meet new people my age (not really going to be helped with these opportunities but it’s the right direction, right?).  In school I was always in different classes with people my age but after graduation, all of a sudden I am surrounded by people much older than me in totally different situations.  It’s not quite how I pictured it when I was a kid, that’s for sure!

Using Your Powers for Good.

I’ve always had a thing for the superheros  Superman (especially Dean Cain) was by far my favorite but I am pretty much a sucker for any kind of TV show or movie that features someone who uses their super powers to help others.

Unfortunately, I was born without superpowers.  I know, depressing, right?  But lately I have been really wanting to find something I can do that helps people, even if in a very small way.  Three recent ideas I have had come back to my love for running.  (Despite the fact that I could really use some of Superman’s indestructible-ness when it comes to running lately, I know if I stop always trying to push myself running and just run/walk for fun, I will probably end up hurting myself less and channel some of that injury avoiding power maybe?! Who knows…)

One opportunity that I have been really thinking a lot about is volunteering to help with Girls on the Run.  I’ve read many good things about GOTR on the Healthy Tipping Point blog and it’s really peaked my interest in finding a way to help out.  I don’t know if my work schedule will allow me to actually be a coach or assistant coach but I am hoping I can find some way to help out that does fit with my schedule.  I think this would be an awesome way for me to blend my 15?! ish years of “baby”sitting experience with my love for running and being active!

A second opportunity that I have been thinking about for quite some time is completing a race through the Team in Training foundation.  This is something I have always considered doing but I was recently contacted by someone at the foundation and it peaked my interest yet again!  My only hesitation with this is the amount of money you have to raise to participate.  My pool of people to ask of for donations is VERY limited so I am pretty worried about actually raising enough money to make this happen.  But where there is a will there is a way so I am sure if it’s meant to happen, it will!  Someday!  I am actually sort of thinking about maybe doing a century ride for this in lieu of running a race?!  100+/- miles on a bike sounds downright painful but regardless, it has to be a lot less stress/impact on my tired legs and bad back, right?  Maybe not, I really have NO clue about actually riding a bicycle for a race so maybe I better look at a few shorter distances rides in the nearer future.

My final volunteer perspective is volunteering for more local races.  A while back, I had signed up for a local marathon in October thinking I would be good to go after a few months off running this summer after my MAY marathon.  When the May marathon turned into a late June marathon, I knew this really could not safely happen.  As much as it pains me to not complete this race, I know my body is not really in a state right now that I can ask it to do such crazy things as running this marathon.  I want more than anything to do the Disney Marathon in January so that is my priority one right now.  (This race may also be 90% walked but I am cool with that.  More picture taking opportunities and still a HUGE accomplishment!)  So to 100% prevent me from running a marathon in October, I signed up to volunteer at it.  That way I know for a fact I won’t try to talk myself into actually run/walking it  So I am helping with the expo and on race day!  I had tons of fun with this last year and I am sure I will again!  I’d also like to see if there are any other races that I can volunteer to help with this summer!

So those are my current ideas.  Some may work out, others may not but I feel good about the fact that I have finally identified some ways to help others while still doing something I really, truly enjoy!  Because to me, you will only enjoy volunteering if you are doing something you like

Do you have other ideas on ways to mix volunteering and running?  I’d love any other suggestions!