Chicago Marathon

So, I finally have time to write a little about the marathon.
As everyone knows, last Sunday I ran the Chicago marathon.  I got kind of restless the night before, trying to plan out my outfit so it was just right for the weather.  I got it right finally, and found some clothes to wear before the race started and then throw to the side of the road when the race began.  Tons of people wear clothes they don't care about and then ditch them at the start of the race, and then people come and collect the clothes to give to charities.

The race itself was pretty awesome.  You get to run through a million different neighborhoods, and there really are people cheering you on pretty continuously.  I respect anyone who runs marathons where there aren't very many spectators because they really get you through it.  I had taped my name on my shirt which was a brilliant idea because every time someone cheered me by name, I smiled and got a little burst of energy.  I only walked through water stations, which are every 2-3 miles.

Some of the strategies I used to get through it when it got tough (and it got tough multiple times).
-I remembered all of my training.  It really helped that I had run much of the route before and knew I could do it.
-I remembered how far I had come since I first took that step into the gym at Rockhurst all those years ago.  I went from not being able to run more than a straightaway on a track to running 26.2 miles.
-I thought of each mile individually rather than as 26.2 miles.  I viewed the last 3 miles as "just a 5K."
-I read peoples' signs.  Some of my favorites:  "You're inspiring me."  "Go stranger go!  I'm cheering for you stranger," "You've done worse things for much longer," "Running is a mental sport and you're all crazy," "I can do all things through God who strengthens me," and "Pain is temporary, pride is forever."
-I used a few mantras.  At the end in particular I started just saying to myself, "Dig, dig dig dig," to keep going.

When I finished I felt elated.  Never once during that race did the thought ever cross my mind that I wouldn't make it.  I only thought I was crazy once. This race helped me reach a turning point in my life.  I'm no longer a jogger, or a runner, I'm a marathoner.  I have already started using it as inspiration in my life.  If I can run a marathon, I can do anything. I need to have more confidence and faith in myself.

You can do anything if you set your mind to it.  So go run that 5K, or that half, or that marathon.

"Believe that you can run farther or faster. Believe that you're young enough, old enough, strong enough, and so on to accomplish everything you want to do. Don't let worn-out beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself."
-John Bingham, running speaker and writer

"It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard...is what makes it great!"
-Tom Hanks in A League of Their Own

Twas the night before the marathon...

The race is early tomorrow morning so I'll have to attempt to sleep soon.
I've been training for this since June 4th.  Running a marathon has been on my bucket list in the abstract  "I'll do one, one day, maybe," kind of way for a few years now.  And now tomorrow I'm finally doing it.

I've gone through a lot of different stages of feelings during training.  I've been excited, terrified, unsure, angry, and extremely doubtful.  I finally reached a level of acceptance and certainty.  I'm ready to do this.  The time is right.  I just have to trust in my training.  I'm sure it will be incredible.

Like I said on the paper I filled out at the expo--I run to prove I can do anything.  And so I can eat dessert.

I'll have details later!

What happens when Miss Positivity is challenged with crappy days.

I hadn’t had a bad CTA experience in several months so I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised when Friday I had a terrible one.  I left my apartment the same time as usual, maybe even a little earlier.  I make my way to the bus stop for the #136 and am waiting and waiting….and waiting.  Finally, one comes but it drives right by.  So I wait some more and some more, and finally, another one comes.  And it ALSO DRIVES RIGHT BY.  At this point, I know for a fact that I will be late.   My stomach is in knots and I am extremely anxious.  If there is one thing that really really gets to me, it’s being late for work or class.  So, I’m standing there realizing I have to do SOMETHING.  The red line will take too long.  So will any bus, but I just hop on one—I choose the 144 instead of the 146, the one good choice I made this day since it goes express sooner.  Before I get on, I drop my water bottle on the ground.  (This becomes important in a second).  So I sit down on the 144 and realize my seat is getting all wet.  My water bottle was leaking.  So I move seats, becoming more and more anxious realizing this is not my day at all.  This whole time I’m thinking I have two choices.  I can get off at Michigan and try to hail a cab and maybe still make it, or I can stay on the bus and just jog the remainder to school. 

I choose wrong.  I get off and realize pretty quick every stinking cab is full.  I hop back on a 140something and take it to Michigan and South Water.  I get off and am still 16 minutes away.  It is 5 til 9 at this point.  So I hope on a 140something or other and take it to State and Lake.  I am now around 12 minutes away.  I jog half of the distance to school and make it 12 minutes late.  One more thing about this choose your own adventure (every thing I chose was wrong) day.  I had put my water bottle with the ice remaining in my lunch bag not realizing the reason it had been leaking was because it had cracked (I thought nalgenes couldn’t crack).  So my sandwich was soaked and I had to throw it out.  I was in a funk through lunch.

Fast forward to the next day—Friday night.  I am on the way to Union Station.  I leave super early and take the red line not wanting to deal with the bus.  The red line of course has a delay of 5-10 minutes on the way (This rarely happens—delays are usually 1-2 minutes).  So I get off at Jackson finally and try to find the bus to Union Station.  Now I have a pretty good sense of direction in Chicago by day but when it’s night time it pretty much all goes out the window.  Add night to anxiety at being late and you have me totally and completely clueless.  So I wonder around in the rain looking for the bus and finally decide to walk to Union Station. Somehow I find it and I arrive bedraggled and pretty stinkin’ wet.  Of course my luggage is soaked too. 

TWO horrible transit/getting lost etc experiences in two days.  It goes to show you have to take the bad along with the good in life.  This seriously has tested my positivity.  It’s easy to be positive when things go great in life.  The real challenge comes when you’re faced with stress.  Let’s hope things look up soon.

A look into the mind of a first time marathoner

Some thoughts during my 20 mile run today:

whew, it's kind of hot today. But this is good in case it's hot on race day.
Darn, stupid gps isn't working right. Reset.
Feeling pretty good so far. (at the beginning lol)
cool, race for AIDS going on now.
Huh, Chipotle Cultivate festival. Oh man, it smells good. must go away from the smell. (Lincoln park)
man, this city is awesome.  I can't believe I live here now. (view of John Hancock)
These buildings are beautiful. (on state street)
I can't believe that a few years ago I was staying at this hotel (old Ambassador East) and now I'm living here running by it.
Northwestern University. So that's where it is!
UGH Smokers!!!!
Stop lights. blah.
STUPID F'ING bus almost runs me over.
ow, stairs.
Thirsty!!!!
What is going on (traffic blocked off on some streets downtown)
Beautiful beautiful view (by lake and view of city near Field Museum)
Charter one pavilion!!! Avett Brothers are there in 2 weeks!
Northerly Isle!  This is so amazing!  Beautiful.  I feel great. Don't want to turn around. (10 miles)
Stupid GPS stopped working again!  UGHHHH!  Now I won't know if I've gone 20 or not at the end.
Ok, it's kind of starting to hurt and I'm hungry (time for another gu)
(Note, denial stage building into anger stage)
Holy crap this hurts.
F my life.
(Note: depression stage)
Pretty soon I may cry.
I'm going to die.
Please let me stop.
(Note:  Acceptance stage)
I am strong. I can do this. I'm capable. I can do anything I set my mind to.
OWWWWWWW.
I hope that's 20. I'm calling it 20.

So much to say, so little time

So I went to see Ingram Hill last night with a friend from school.  I haven't seen them since I found out who they were and became a fan when they did a private concert at Rockhurst four years ago this October.  It was a ton of fun.  We shoved our way to the very front--I've never done that before and always wanted to.  I mean, we were like 3 feet away from Justin Moore, their lead singer, who is not altogether unattractive. ;)

We got to sing along and dance and just have an awesome time.  There was this girl next to us who kept trying to tell us stuff and of course we couldn't hear any of it.  She kept trying to twirl us (lol, if you know me this didn't work out so well) and make us hold our hands in the air.  She was sweet but either very ditzy or merely a little ditzy and very drunk.  After the show, I went back and got a photo with Justin and had him sign their new cd.  He's the nicest guy.  I asked him if he remembered playing at Rockhurst and he said he did and asked me if I tweeted that to them earlier in the day (I had).  SO much fun.  By the way, it was a big deal for me to be able to say all this to him.  I've really come a long way in my ability to say what I want to to people I don't know well--let only semi-celebrities.  My confidence in myself has increased a thousand times over since high school and even college.  And affirmations are amazing!  They're helping tremendously every day.

In completely other news, how much do I love this city?  There's annoying stuff too, but I really do come to love it more and more all the time.  The energy is incredible, and I discover amazing new things all the time on my runs.  I was coming home on the red line last night and it was packed after midnight and normally that would annoy me, but I was in a great mood from the concert and kinda deaf and so I just thought, "Wow, what a cool thing to have so many different people all packed together sharing the same space."  And also I see crazy things running all the time--like I ran past people doing an AIDS walk/run today and past the Chipotle Cultivate festival.  I ended up at Northerly Isle today halfway through my 20 mile run.  It's this really beautiful beach and nature area south of the planetarium.  It was so quiet, peaceful, and beautiful, that I took out my headphones and just listened to nature while I ran.  That is something I usually don't get here.

I could see myself staying here for internship or a bit longer.  I don't think I could ever settle here because I need my nature, but I feel sad at the thought of leaving.  I'm just getting to know it and really feel like I belong here.  It's a great feeling.

Things that always make me happy

Running forever on end gives you lots of time to think.  I always think of blog topics while running and usually am too tired to write them afterwards.  But one I thought of today is just so fun.  I thought I'd list out some of my favorite things.  Because as Julie Andrews sings, "I simply remember my favorite things and then I don't feel so bad.

Things that make me happy

-the smell of coffee brewing
-watching the snow fall and drinking hot chocolate
-a new episode of The Vampire Diaries (when paired with a glass of wine and chocolate this is pretty much bliss)
-a good run
-yoga
-reading an amazing book

-baking
-smelling flowers, looking at flowers, everything about flowers
-fall (the leaves falling, the crisp air, pumpkins, cider donuts)
-the Royals when they play well
-traveling
-mountain climbing
-my kitties cuddling me
-crafting
-a good night's sleep
-the smell of lavendar or rose
-candles burning
-finding new places in Chicago
-the summer concerts in Millennium Park
-my friends
-my family
-a meaningful church service
-having no homework
-receiving/sending a letter
-watching the sunset
-sledding/building a snowman/walking in the snow
-baseball opening day
-the first warm day in spring
-coming home after being away a while
-seeing the mountains after being away for a while
-music
-Sara Bareilles and David Cook in concert
-Friends, the tv show


Thinking of things you love rules.  Instant mood booster.

Positivity rules!

There is SO much to catch up on in this blog.  So I moved to a new apartment.  I spent a week finishing up packing, moved on Friday, and am now pretty well settled with just a little bit of cleaning and decorating to do.  My new place is less shiny and sparkly and impressive looking, but it's super cozy and the right size for me.  I have really nice windows that have a pretty good view.

In other news, after visiting home and spending more time hanging out with my awesome friend Ciara, I decided I needed to be even more positive than I already have been.  She pointed me to some great websites and pages on facebook with positive quotes and affirmations. This encouraged me to form some of my own positive affirmations that I now say 1-2 times a day.  It's already working!  It's amazing how different I feel already and how my attitude is changing after just over a week of this. I find myself smiling more, thinking more confidently, speaking to strangers with more ease, and turning around negative thoughts into more positive ones.  It felt a little silly at first, but now I can speak my affirmations out loud with confidence and truly believe them.

I really believe that this positive thinking will carry me through this semester and allow me to be successful. I just started classes yesterday, and while I know it's going to be a TON of work filled with new experiences and things that I have never done before, I believe that I can do it, and that I can do it well.  When professors asked if things seemed overwhelming, I found myself shaking my head "no," while others said things like, "Yes, it is kind of a lot."  I really hope this keeps up.  I think I need an affirmation for an earlier bedtime next!  I also want to learn to use positive psychology in the schools I work in. I believe so strongly in it.  It's amazing what we can do with just the power of our minds.

I also just adopted two new cats two days ago.  There names are Shalimar and Shenandoah.  I've been volunteering at Treehouse Humane Society for two months now and fell in love with these girls (they're sisters!) almost right away.  They were getting depressed in the shelter and losing weight.  I've barely had them here, and they already seem so much happier!  They follow me around and curl up next to me.  My favorite thing is when they jump up on my bed right before I go to sleep and when I wake up.  This morning Shalimar laid on my chest while I read.  I know that it may not have been the most financially responsible decision, but I know with my heart that it was the right one.  I didn't make it impulsively and they needed me.

 Shalimar is on top.  Shenandoah is beneath her.

 The view as Shalimar laid on my chest this morning.

 my new space!

There is nothing like a beautiful sunset!


Well, that's most of the news here.

I go into one of my schools to meet staff on Friday and the will meet the kids at that school the next Friday and the students at the other school the following Monday.  Can't wait to get started and see what working in a high school is like!

"I am stronger than my challenges.  And my challenges are making me stronger."
-Karen Salmonsohn

"It makes no sense to worry about things you have no control over because there's nothing you can do about them, and why worry about things you do control? The activity of worrying keeps you immobilized. "

-"You cannot be lonely if you like the person you are alone with."
-Wayne Dyer