Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Races I will finish in my lifetime:
Ironman New Zealand. The Spartathlon. The Pharonic 100K. I'm not really sure why I wrote this, guess I just wanted it on paper somewhere. Let me know if you're interested in joining me! :)
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Free States 100K
Oh boy! First 100K in the books. It was an incredible race; like all races it had its ups and downs but in the end, it was the entire experience that counts. First time @the distance, I can't complain about the results. A little background on this race: the trails at Clinton State Park are NEVER dry. ever. And it had been raining in Lawrence for three days straight, so by race day the trails were soaked, and there was standing water over roughly 20% of the course...the rest was ankle to knee deep mud. If it wasn't for this, the course would have been crazy fast, 'cause it's all rolling hills but the total elevation gain is only 5000ish feet. The volunteers were the best ever, and this whole race was a perfect example of the spirit of ultra/trail running.
Anyway, I started out not feeling that great, I guess my head just wasn't in the game. Usually when I race, I've put in several months of solid training and by race day I'm ready to go out and kill it! But with only two weeks notice before this one, I didn't really put in any training. In the end it didn't matter though, 'cause running is about the heart - the only reason you train is to prep your body for the physical pounding it's gonna take, but to just finish an ultra you need mental toughness and can get away with minimal prep as long as you're in good shape to begin with.
The course was three loops, each just over 20 miles. It was an out-and-back with a big loop in between. I made a mistake early on; I missed the turnoff for the "back" on the first lap so I basically ran out, two loops, back, a second full lap, then a third of just out-and-back, minus what would have been a fourth loop. Confusing I know, but I'm too out of it to explain further. This actually turned out great for me, 'cause due to my unique position on the course, I got to run with several different groups of people. I started out with the 100K guys on the first loop. When I missed the turnoff I ended up with the marathoners, and ran that second loop and the "back" portion with the lead girl - we hit it off and had a great time doing that gasp/talk/pant thing. You runners know what mean! I also met a guy who teaches high school history in Lincoln, Nebraska, close to my birthplace. We chatted about teaching, and God, and all sorts of random stuff.
Then on my second full lap, I met the back-of-the-packers in the 100K. These guys are my heroes - while the rest of us are chillin' out with food, blankets and fun at the end of the race, busy complaining about how bad it hurts to run for 8-10 hours, these guys are out there running for longer than we ever have in our lives, and probably ever will. THAT is tough, people, 'cause they're out there by themselves, toughing it out and hurting in ways that only they know. I was so stoked to meet some of them, and was inspired by hearing their stories about Leadville, Kettle Moraine, and other insane ultras. Make no mistake people, these guys, no matter how "slow" they may be, are INCREDIBLE athletes!
But on the "back" portion of my second full lap, before my final out-and-back, I caught up with the lead male runner, and we paced each other 'till he finished. Man he was hurting! Not just physically but mentally 'cause he had no idea how close his competition was. With all those switchbacks and the sound of the rain and your own footfalls, it's impossible to tell if anyone is coming up on you. That pressure of not knowing how much of a lead you have, and your desperation to maintain it, is just awful. But he finished in first, and I was really grateful for the company.
Aaannnd for the last 10 miles of my race...hahaha. One of the guys I'd run with for a while told me a story about a race in which he fell less than a mile from the finish line, but thanks to his cracked ribs and broken ankle he couldn't finish. So I just kept telling myself, "don't do anything stupid, run fast but be careful!" And of course, not five minutes into this last section, I...well I'm not sure actually. I think I might have passed out? I remember wrenching my left ankle after catching it on a tree root, and I think I was falling...I ended up on my back, not sure how I got there, and had obviously hit my head, 'cause there was blood @the back, and I felt kind of dizzy and sick. I let myself sit for a minute or two, then began the loooong hobble to the finish line. I think it was about 8 miles...grrr. But this was a good lesson for me, 'cause I let my mind wander way to much during these races, and I have to remember that no matter where I am in the race, no matter how I feel, I have to keep my wits about me. I will never, ever, ever run a 100-miler without a pacer. I just can't concentrate enough, and one of these days I could really hurt myself.
But I finished! It was awesome, 'cause with less than two miles left I met this guy from my hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, who designes satellites and military equipment. Can't believe that I sometimes complain about studying history...but he told me stories about the Leadville 50 and some other races that I've been thinking about doing in the next several years, and chatting with him really helped me feel better. And then the finish! YES!! No matter how much one loves running, it's always great to get to the finish 'cause 1) it's a race after all, and you've been running hard and are more than ready to be done and 2) you get an incredible feeling of accomplishment as you reflect on what you've just done. And the really cool part? I finished literally one minute before the downpour started. It had been raining on and off throughout the day, but boy it was coming down now! I chilled out with some other runners and the support crew for a bit, collected by belt buckle, then headed back to my friend's house.
Chris, thank you so much for letting me stay at your place and driving me everywhere! You and your parents are awesome!!!
So for my first 100K experience, it wasn't that bad. I'm racing the Vermont 100K in July, and I am going to SMASH that course. Kill it. I'll be in better condition, both mentally and physically. And that course shouldn't be muddy, it's hilly but I love that. I'll feel like a total wimp 'cause the Vermont 100 miler is the same day, but in February '11 I'll run my first 100 miles. So it's all good. So for now, I'm just praying like crazy that my ankles heal fast, or at least that the swelling goes down. This is my last full week to "officially" wear my senior boots and I don't want to miss any of that. If you're reading this, pray for me? I really appreciate it. Recovery time begins soon, I'm going to put my feet up and slather them with biofreeze, and get to work on my Latin assignments. Only three more weeks!!!
Anyway, I started out not feeling that great, I guess my head just wasn't in the game. Usually when I race, I've put in several months of solid training and by race day I'm ready to go out and kill it! But with only two weeks notice before this one, I didn't really put in any training. In the end it didn't matter though, 'cause running is about the heart - the only reason you train is to prep your body for the physical pounding it's gonna take, but to just finish an ultra you need mental toughness and can get away with minimal prep as long as you're in good shape to begin with.
The course was three loops, each just over 20 miles. It was an out-and-back with a big loop in between. I made a mistake early on; I missed the turnoff for the "back" on the first lap so I basically ran out, two loops, back, a second full lap, then a third of just out-and-back, minus what would have been a fourth loop. Confusing I know, but I'm too out of it to explain further. This actually turned out great for me, 'cause due to my unique position on the course, I got to run with several different groups of people. I started out with the 100K guys on the first loop. When I missed the turnoff I ended up with the marathoners, and ran that second loop and the "back" portion with the lead girl - we hit it off and had a great time doing that gasp/talk/pant thing. You runners know what mean! I also met a guy who teaches high school history in Lincoln, Nebraska, close to my birthplace. We chatted about teaching, and God, and all sorts of random stuff.
Then on my second full lap, I met the back-of-the-packers in the 100K. These guys are my heroes - while the rest of us are chillin' out with food, blankets and fun at the end of the race, busy complaining about how bad it hurts to run for 8-10 hours, these guys are out there running for longer than we ever have in our lives, and probably ever will. THAT is tough, people, 'cause they're out there by themselves, toughing it out and hurting in ways that only they know. I was so stoked to meet some of them, and was inspired by hearing their stories about Leadville, Kettle Moraine, and other insane ultras. Make no mistake people, these guys, no matter how "slow" they may be, are INCREDIBLE athletes!
But on the "back" portion of my second full lap, before my final out-and-back, I caught up with the lead male runner, and we paced each other 'till he finished. Man he was hurting! Not just physically but mentally 'cause he had no idea how close his competition was. With all those switchbacks and the sound of the rain and your own footfalls, it's impossible to tell if anyone is coming up on you. That pressure of not knowing how much of a lead you have, and your desperation to maintain it, is just awful. But he finished in first, and I was really grateful for the company.
Aaannnd for the last 10 miles of my race...hahaha. One of the guys I'd run with for a while told me a story about a race in which he fell less than a mile from the finish line, but thanks to his cracked ribs and broken ankle he couldn't finish. So I just kept telling myself, "don't do anything stupid, run fast but be careful!" And of course, not five minutes into this last section, I...well I'm not sure actually. I think I might have passed out? I remember wrenching my left ankle after catching it on a tree root, and I think I was falling...I ended up on my back, not sure how I got there, and had obviously hit my head, 'cause there was blood @the back, and I felt kind of dizzy and sick. I let myself sit for a minute or two, then began the loooong hobble to the finish line. I think it was about 8 miles...grrr. But this was a good lesson for me, 'cause I let my mind wander way to much during these races, and I have to remember that no matter where I am in the race, no matter how I feel, I have to keep my wits about me. I will never, ever, ever run a 100-miler without a pacer. I just can't concentrate enough, and one of these days I could really hurt myself.
But I finished! It was awesome, 'cause with less than two miles left I met this guy from my hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, who designes satellites and military equipment. Can't believe that I sometimes complain about studying history...but he told me stories about the Leadville 50 and some other races that I've been thinking about doing in the next several years, and chatting with him really helped me feel better. And then the finish! YES!! No matter how much one loves running, it's always great to get to the finish 'cause 1) it's a race after all, and you've been running hard and are more than ready to be done and 2) you get an incredible feeling of accomplishment as you reflect on what you've just done. And the really cool part? I finished literally one minute before the downpour started. It had been raining on and off throughout the day, but boy it was coming down now! I chilled out with some other runners and the support crew for a bit, collected by belt buckle, then headed back to my friend's house.
Chris, thank you so much for letting me stay at your place and driving me everywhere! You and your parents are awesome!!!
So for my first 100K experience, it wasn't that bad. I'm racing the Vermont 100K in July, and I am going to SMASH that course. Kill it. I'll be in better condition, both mentally and physically. And that course shouldn't be muddy, it's hilly but I love that. I'll feel like a total wimp 'cause the Vermont 100 miler is the same day, but in February '11 I'll run my first 100 miles. So it's all good. So for now, I'm just praying like crazy that my ankles heal fast, or at least that the swelling goes down. This is my last full week to "officially" wear my senior boots and I don't want to miss any of that. If you're reading this, pray for me? I really appreciate it. Recovery time begins soon, I'm going to put my feet up and slather them with biofreeze, and get to work on my Latin assignments. Only three more weeks!!!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Boston Marathon!
No, not for me. I was an idiot and didnt' register in time. But I'm qualified for next year at least. I couldn't possibly be more thrilled for everyone out there tomorrow...you will have the time of your lives and remember this race forever. I still remember all the little details, ha! Some I wish I could forget, but they do provide comic relief! This isn't much of a post but I just had to say something about Boston. I'm a runner at heart, and though I have at least one season of triathlon ahead of me, running will always be my passion, and I want to experience as many marathons/trail runs/ultras as possible in my lifetime. Boston especially. If you haven't yet experienced this one TRAIN RACE QUALIFY REGISTER RUN!!! You'll never regret the time and effort involved I promise. But anyway, good luck to everyone running tomorrow, I wish you the best and will be praying for fast times, incredible memories and lots of (happy) tears :)
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Back in Lubbock/insane 100K race/etc!!!
Yeah, these next few weeks are gonna be crazy! I'm off to Lubbock tomorrow for a bunch of meetings with USAT and all the collegiate tri teams in the South-Midwest region. Too soon, I'm going to be finished with my two-year stint as a regional representative/conference director for the South-Midwest region. I can't believe it...really going to miss this job. I got to meet the most amazing people, and visit Seattle, Washington and Colorado Springs, Colorado - two of the most beautiful places on earth. I'm still thinking about working full-time for USAT later, living in Colorado Springs would be incredible. These next two years in Lubbock will be full of big decisions...
Speaking of Lubbock, I'm being an idiot and, like last year, driving there and back from College Station in one day. 14hrs of driving is gonna kill me. But I have a TON of studying and writing to get done this weekend, so I just want to get those hours put away by Friday so I can have the rest of the weekend to study and swim. SWIM! Off on a tangent now...at the pool today, I met this awesome new professor at A&M. He's gonna be teaching medicine, and so cool he's a swimmer! He asked me to teach him some stroke technique, and after doing that I told him about the book Total Immersion, which is pretty much how I taught myself to swim. It's a great book, even if you're a good swimmer I recommend reading it. But the prof and I had a great conversation about scuba diving, history, medicine, Texas Tech, and hockey. Random but totally awesome! I LOVE the incredible people you can meet through sport; that is definitely my favorite thing about training and racing. What's the point of it otherwise?
But what else...oh yeah, this 100K. Umm, I don't really know what to say about this one. I decided to nix the New Orleans 70.3 because my training just wasn't coming along as well as I hoped. I'm in great endurance shape now - I swam 8000 meters at a strong pace earlier today and felt great the entire way. I can run for hours without getting tired, but cycling is as usual - decent but not where it needs to be. Come to think of it, I've never been happy with my cycling fitness, more than likely because I just don't like the sport enough, or care enough, to train like I need to. Guess that's why I'll always be a better runner than triathlete! :D I really need to work on speed, which is my sole focus this summer. But for right now, I'm skipping New Orleans because I know that it just won't be the race I want, and though normally I'd use the experience to bolster my training, I can't afford to dissapoint myself right now. It's been a tough semester, mentally at least...But I really wanted another race this semester, 'cause after all, what's the point of intensive training otherwise? There's no ironman around this time (except for St. George which is finals week, no way!) so my only other option was running races. And what's the point of just another marathon/50? I've already done that. So despite the fact that I haven't done any ultra-specific training since February, I signed up for the Free State 100K, held April 24 in Lawrence, Kansas. I'm really excited about this one, 'cause not only is it going to be my first 100K, but I get to stay with a great friend who I haven't seen in a while - Chris Steil! He's awesome and offered me a place to stay, and is even driving me to and from the race, 'cause after running 100K the last thing I want to do is drive myself anywhere! I remember driving back to CS really late at night after a tough 50-miler...ouch. Never again if I can help it!
So that's that...hehe I've told some people about this 100K and they've sweetly offered to make funeral arrangments for me. I love my friends ;)
Well, it's getting late and normally I'd head off to bed or study some more. But since I'm leaving so early tomorrow, my run is going to have to be SUPER-early, as in 3AM. Fun fun. I know that if I go to bed now, I'll do my usual shut-off-alarm-and-fall-back-asleep and leave way late and miss the meetings in Lubbock. I slept from 11AM to 6PM Wednesday, and 9PM to 8AM. Best day/night of sleep ever, and now I'm well rested and ready to tackle this crazy boring day tomorrow. So I'm going to treat myself to some reading for fun now :D Like I said next week is insane so I may not post again until after the race on the 24th. But I'll do that ASAP so you guys know that I'm still alive ;)
Speaking of Lubbock, I'm being an idiot and, like last year, driving there and back from College Station in one day. 14hrs of driving is gonna kill me. But I have a TON of studying and writing to get done this weekend, so I just want to get those hours put away by Friday so I can have the rest of the weekend to study and swim. SWIM! Off on a tangent now...at the pool today, I met this awesome new professor at A&M. He's gonna be teaching medicine, and so cool he's a swimmer! He asked me to teach him some stroke technique, and after doing that I told him about the book Total Immersion, which is pretty much how I taught myself to swim. It's a great book, even if you're a good swimmer I recommend reading it. But the prof and I had a great conversation about scuba diving, history, medicine, Texas Tech, and hockey. Random but totally awesome! I LOVE the incredible people you can meet through sport; that is definitely my favorite thing about training and racing. What's the point of it otherwise?
But what else...oh yeah, this 100K. Umm, I don't really know what to say about this one. I decided to nix the New Orleans 70.3 because my training just wasn't coming along as well as I hoped. I'm in great endurance shape now - I swam 8000 meters at a strong pace earlier today and felt great the entire way. I can run for hours without getting tired, but cycling is as usual - decent but not where it needs to be. Come to think of it, I've never been happy with my cycling fitness, more than likely because I just don't like the sport enough, or care enough, to train like I need to. Guess that's why I'll always be a better runner than triathlete! :D I really need to work on speed, which is my sole focus this summer. But for right now, I'm skipping New Orleans because I know that it just won't be the race I want, and though normally I'd use the experience to bolster my training, I can't afford to dissapoint myself right now. It's been a tough semester, mentally at least...But I really wanted another race this semester, 'cause after all, what's the point of intensive training otherwise? There's no ironman around this time (except for St. George which is finals week, no way!) so my only other option was running races. And what's the point of just another marathon/50? I've already done that. So despite the fact that I haven't done any ultra-specific training since February, I signed up for the Free State 100K, held April 24 in Lawrence, Kansas. I'm really excited about this one, 'cause not only is it going to be my first 100K, but I get to stay with a great friend who I haven't seen in a while - Chris Steil! He's awesome and offered me a place to stay, and is even driving me to and from the race, 'cause after running 100K the last thing I want to do is drive myself anywhere! I remember driving back to CS really late at night after a tough 50-miler...ouch. Never again if I can help it!
So that's that...hehe I've told some people about this 100K and they've sweetly offered to make funeral arrangments for me. I love my friends ;)
Well, it's getting late and normally I'd head off to bed or study some more. But since I'm leaving so early tomorrow, my run is going to have to be SUPER-early, as in 3AM. Fun fun. I know that if I go to bed now, I'll do my usual shut-off-alarm-and-fall-back-asleep and leave way late and miss the meetings in Lubbock. I slept from 11AM to 6PM Wednesday, and 9PM to 8AM. Best day/night of sleep ever, and now I'm well rested and ready to tackle this crazy boring day tomorrow. So I'm going to treat myself to some reading for fun now :D Like I said next week is insane so I may not post again until after the race on the 24th. But I'll do that ASAP so you guys know that I'm still alive ;)
Sunday, April 11, 2010
decisions decisions...
Ahhh these past few weeks have been crazy! Last week I got an average of 3hrs/night for three days straight. I've never been drunk in my life, but I'm pretty sure I experienced some of the effects...stupid things I did are included, but not limited to: stalling my car in the middle of an intersection, losing my: keys, wallet, cell phone, backpack, favorite swimsuit&cap, insulated waterbottle, and ironman towel (found most of it though), mixing up a few assignments (but thankfully was able to correct everything!), mixing up the names of a few good friends (seriously), falling asleep in the bathroom (yes) and several more things that I can't remember, 'cause I'm still catching up on sleep :P Oh dear...But things are looking up this week; I'm ahead in most of my classes, and the only stuff that I really need to get done is my neverending Latin homework. Just trying to survive that class...
But on to the decisions part. I'm registered to race the New Orleans 70.3 this Sunday (April 18) but am seriously considering nixing that race. I've had a really tough semester, training-wise. I feel like I'm in great shape right now, but I don't think my speed is up to par. I've got the endurance base, and my running is better than ever :D But the thing about 70.3s is, it's all about speed; it doesn't matter how long you can swimbikerun, if you can't go that fast your race is gonna be awful. I know that I wouldn't have a great race, probably not even a good one...and honestly, adding a sub-par race on top of everything else would put me down in the dumps. I just don't want deal with that right now. Plus the travel time would take away precious study time. Soooo I'm considering registering for the Kansas 70.3 on June 6. That would be ideal, right after finals so no stress, and I've wanted to race that one for so long! But triathlons are pretty expensive, so I'm not sure that'll work out. Hopefully I'll know in a week or so. I tried SO hard to find a 100K this next weekend to race instead of New Orleans, but no luck; I can't afford to fly to Cali or Washington. Ultras have a way of relaxing me like nothing else, and I know that mentally, nothing could be better for me at this point. Butttt that's not gonna happen, so I'll just have to wait until July 17, when I'll get to race the Vermont 100K. I'm really excited about that one :)
*Yawn*. Well, I'm going to bed. Sorry about the random post, but I'm tired and it's this is the best I can write. Hopefully I'll make more sense next time. But not likely. Finals are coming up and even though I'll try to stay ahead, the work will pile up anyway. Sleep. Sleep is good. Very good. 'Night everyone...
But on to the decisions part. I'm registered to race the New Orleans 70.3 this Sunday (April 18) but am seriously considering nixing that race. I've had a really tough semester, training-wise. I feel like I'm in great shape right now, but I don't think my speed is up to par. I've got the endurance base, and my running is better than ever :D But the thing about 70.3s is, it's all about speed; it doesn't matter how long you can swimbikerun, if you can't go that fast your race is gonna be awful. I know that I wouldn't have a great race, probably not even a good one...and honestly, adding a sub-par race on top of everything else would put me down in the dumps. I just don't want deal with that right now. Plus the travel time would take away precious study time. Soooo I'm considering registering for the Kansas 70.3 on June 6. That would be ideal, right after finals so no stress, and I've wanted to race that one for so long! But triathlons are pretty expensive, so I'm not sure that'll work out. Hopefully I'll know in a week or so. I tried SO hard to find a 100K this next weekend to race instead of New Orleans, but no luck; I can't afford to fly to Cali or Washington. Ultras have a way of relaxing me like nothing else, and I know that mentally, nothing could be better for me at this point. Butttt that's not gonna happen, so I'll just have to wait until July 17, when I'll get to race the Vermont 100K. I'm really excited about that one :)
*Yawn*. Well, I'm going to bed. Sorry about the random post, but I'm tired and it's this is the best I can write. Hopefully I'll make more sense next time. But not likely. Finals are coming up and even though I'll try to stay ahead, the work will pile up anyway. Sleep. Sleep is good. Very good. 'Night everyone...
Monday, April 5, 2010
I'm gonna miss this...
I can't believe that in just over a month, I will be a college graduate. That's insane! These years have gone by soooo fast. I've lived here in College Station longer than I have anywhere else - thank you Air Force! I've loved it, but settling down for four full years really helped this attachment grow...I'm ready to graduate, I'm excited about the future and know that I'm prepared for grad school. Texas A&M isn't "my" school anymore...I don't know most of the people I see everyday; my class is about to graduate and move on. I'll miss the teachers for sure, especially my sweet undergraduate history advisor. I love her! And I'll miss the campus, Kyle Field in particular. But I'm ready to move on. Sure I may shed a few tears, but I really wouldn't want to spend any more years studying here. My only regreat is that there are so many more subjects I wish I could have studied! Oh if I only had the money, I would give anything to go back and get a Bachelor's degree in several different areas...I'm definitely going to audit classes in the future. Just can't get enough of history, religion, geography, philosophy, and so many other subjects! I wish I could make a career out of studying for personal enrichment. Even as a teacher I'll have to be too specialized for my taste.
The thing that I'm going to miss the most is triathlon. The fightin' Texas Aggie Triathlon Team, to be exact. We've come a long ways since my freshman year, but to be honest I don't like it. I'm glad that the team has grown so much, but I miss the way things were a few years ago. I formed some incredibly awesome friendships with some incredibly awesome people. Shout out to Cheryl, Cara, Meghan, Nellie, Paige, Rick, Ryan, Devin, Aaron, Eric, Daniel and so many more people. You guys were with me for my first Nationals, my first marathon, through all these years as we've grown up and begun to graduate. Not to be creepy, but I want to keep in touch with you guys for the rest of our lives. Seriously.
Sometimes I wish I could go back and start my entire college experience over again, knowing what I know now. But honestly, I don't think I'd change a thing. I LOVE my job working for USAT, and all the time I've spent training and racing. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to spend so much time by myself, but that's what it takes to race well. I'm glad I joined the Corps...it took a lot of time, and wasn't particularly useful for anything, but I formed a lot of friendships through it. I DO wish that I had figured out earlier that Nutrition was not the right path for me, so I wouldn't have wasted so many hours studying chemistry, and would have had more classes on history, etc. to take. But it's all part of growing up, figuring out who you are, what you are passionate about, what you want to do for the rest of your life. I never really pictured what I would do for a living. I know that I'll be training and racing ultramarathons and probably triathlons for the rest of my life. And I want to have a family so bad! I'll be in grad school for the next few years, at least two while I work towards my MA (history), and I may decide to pursue a Ph.D. To be honest though, I'd rather just teach elementry school, because I love kids so much! I know it won't pay as well, but there are more important things than money. Also, I'd love to be a coach. Running probably, perhaps cross country. Maybe triathlon. Boy that would be awesome! Not the greatest job security, but still...I'm glad that I have at least two years before I have to figure that stuff out!
I'd love some advice/tips from anyone who's experienced the "graduating" experience. I'm more than ready to take on the real world, but it's a little scary to think about! Life is good here, CRAZY busy but good. I'm excited, nervous, the works. Hopefully I'll make some good friends in Lubbock, because I'll sure need them! Can't wait to move up there in August, and start the next chapter of my life...wow, I still can't believe this came so fast...
The thing that I'm going to miss the most is triathlon. The fightin' Texas Aggie Triathlon Team, to be exact. We've come a long ways since my freshman year, but to be honest I don't like it. I'm glad that the team has grown so much, but I miss the way things were a few years ago. I formed some incredibly awesome friendships with some incredibly awesome people. Shout out to Cheryl, Cara, Meghan, Nellie, Paige, Rick, Ryan, Devin, Aaron, Eric, Daniel and so many more people. You guys were with me for my first Nationals, my first marathon, through all these years as we've grown up and begun to graduate. Not to be creepy, but I want to keep in touch with you guys for the rest of our lives. Seriously.
Sometimes I wish I could go back and start my entire college experience over again, knowing what I know now. But honestly, I don't think I'd change a thing. I LOVE my job working for USAT, and all the time I've spent training and racing. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to spend so much time by myself, but that's what it takes to race well. I'm glad I joined the Corps...it took a lot of time, and wasn't particularly useful for anything, but I formed a lot of friendships through it. I DO wish that I had figured out earlier that Nutrition was not the right path for me, so I wouldn't have wasted so many hours studying chemistry, and would have had more classes on history, etc. to take. But it's all part of growing up, figuring out who you are, what you are passionate about, what you want to do for the rest of your life. I never really pictured what I would do for a living. I know that I'll be training and racing ultramarathons and probably triathlons for the rest of my life. And I want to have a family so bad! I'll be in grad school for the next few years, at least two while I work towards my MA (history), and I may decide to pursue a Ph.D. To be honest though, I'd rather just teach elementry school, because I love kids so much! I know it won't pay as well, but there are more important things than money. Also, I'd love to be a coach. Running probably, perhaps cross country. Maybe triathlon. Boy that would be awesome! Not the greatest job security, but still...I'm glad that I have at least two years before I have to figure that stuff out!
I'd love some advice/tips from anyone who's experienced the "graduating" experience. I'm more than ready to take on the real world, but it's a little scary to think about! Life is good here, CRAZY busy but good. I'm excited, nervous, the works. Hopefully I'll make some good friends in Lubbock, because I'll sure need them! Can't wait to move up there in August, and start the next chapter of my life...wow, I still can't believe this came so fast...
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