- I was promoted at work.
- I entered and won a lottery entry into the NYC Marathon on my first try.
- I made new friends at work.
- I started new medicine (Remicade).
- I felt the best I've felt in over a decade! I got my life back!
- I had awesome bowel movements.
- I joined a running group.
- I made great running friends.
- I trained for a marathon and regularly woke up at 4am or earlier three days a week to run.
- I joined a gym.
- I saw Halsey live in concert.
- My best friend got engaged!
- I said yes to be my best friend's Maid of Honor!
- I socialized and stepped outside of my comfort zone.
- I went to NYC on vacation with my best friend!
- I ran the NYC Marathon!
- I ran an awesome half at OUC!
- I ran my first relay and my first trail run at Ragnar!
- I camped for real!
- My sister graduated from UCF!
- I got an electric keyboard to learn how to play.
Showing posts with label NYC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NYC. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
The Best of 2016
I know there's a lot of hate going around the internet towards 2016. However, 2016 was a phenomenal year for me for the most part!
Sunday, November 13, 2016
NYC - Part 2
The Race of a Lifetime:
I was very restless the night before the race. Between the nerves, excitement, and peeing every couple hours because I had been hydrating the night before, I didn't sleep well. One time when I woke up, I checked my smart phone time and compared it to my stupid watch and concluded that my phone did indeed fall back. The final time I woke up was thirty minutes before my alarm was set to go off, but I couldn't get back to sleep. Once 5AM rolled around, I began getting ready. It's always nerve wracking getting ready for a race in a hotel. To my surprise, I don't think I forgot anything. Even though I laid out all of my gear the night before, my pre-run habits were thrown off a bit. I was very slow and methodical as I got ready to embark on what I now consider to be one of the best days of my life. I told Taylor I would see her at the finish line and I left to walk towards the New York Public Library where the start busses pick up tens of thousands of runners.
Runners were already flooding the streets and I just followed the crowd to the back of the library in Bryant Park. This is where they start herding the runners into huge lines that wrap around the block before taking us to the front of the library where we board the marathon busses. At the start of the line, they handed out brand new $28 gloves, which were a sweet start to the morning. There weren't any porta-potties in the area, so I stopped hydrating at this point. I boarded a bus a little after 6AM. It took close to two hours before we unloaded at Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island. The guy next to me smelled so badly that I was trying not to gag. Unfortunately, the bus didn't have a working bathroom. Guys were peeing in cups on the bus and walking to the front of the bus every time stopped in traffic or at a light to dump out their urine. Runners, we live a glamorous life. Meanwhile I wish I was dude because I had to pee BAD!!! I wasn't the only lady asking how much further until we get there.
It was around 8AM by the time we unloaded off the bus only to discover that we had to wait in the super long security line to into the start village where the porta-potties were located. In the forty-five minutes it took to get through security, I thought I was going to pee myself a few times. Security searched my approved, clear race bag and had me walk through the metal detector. Once I was through security around 8:45AM, I asked where the porta-potties were and made a bee line to them. I nearly cried when I saw the HUGE line for the porta-potties. I kid you not, I had to wait over 40 minutes in the porta-potty line. By the time it was my turn, I don't think I peed so much in my life. I seriously may have peed for two minutes straight, which means I did a two minute squat before the race. My legs were shaking by the time I was done.
At last, a little after 9:30AM I found a place to sit for a few minutes before I got back in line for the porta-potties. I figured I'd want to go before my corral opened around 10:30AM, so I better get in line even if I didn't have to got yet. It worked out perfectly. Once I was done with my second porta-potty stop of the day, it was time for me to head to my corral. I only had to wait about 10 minutes before my corral opened. While I waited I decided to take off my throw away sweats. After I was in my corral at the bottom of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, time stood still and I took it all in. I was interrupted by the guy behind me asking for a kiss for good luck. I put five marathon pickup lines on the back of my shirt. Folks really enjoyed them during the race. #1 seemed to be the favorite.
The start line was kind of a blur. The National Anthem played, the cannons went off, and Wave 4 was on its way. There were military guys close to the start screaming and cheering for us! The bridge was quiet because no spectators were allowed on the bridge. I heard a rumor that advised you not to run near the edge of the bridge if you were on the bottom because the runners from the top pee of the edge and if it's a windy day, you could find it pissing rain. I don't see how that rumor could be true, but I ran on the inside nonetheless.
Once I made my way off the Verrazano Bridge into Brooklyn, the crowds didn't disappoint. People lined both sides of the street! Brooklyn was the longest and easiest borough. It was flat and fast which made it pass by quickly. I waited in line for a porta-potty around mile 9. My watch was set for 5 and 1 intervals (running for 5 minutes and walking for 1 minute), but I skipped a lot of walk breaks in Brooklyn. That could have been my demise toward the end of the race, but I was caught up in the energy of the crowd. Queens was really short, but this is where my feet started to hurt. I think my activities from the pervious days were catching up to me. The Queensboro Bridge during miles 15-16 sticks out to me. I walked the bridge in an attempt to save my legs for the finish. No spectators were allowed on this bridge either, so I didn't feel bad walking. After mile 16, in Manhattan, I stopped at another porta-potty.
The Queensboro Bridge took me into Manhattan where the roar of the crowd was unlike anything I had ever heard. Manhattan definitely had the biggest crowd. This is where I really started slowing down and taking more walk breaks through the water/Gatorade stops. I really just wanted to take it all in and enjoy every minute of it! I encountered some hills on my way into the Bronx. They say the wall hits you at mile 20. Even though I was hurting, the wall didn't hit me as hard as it usually does at this point in a marathon. At the 20 mile mark, there are only 6.2 miles left. While that may not seem like a lot compared to how many I'd already completed, that is really where the race starts. It's where I give myself a gut check to see much I want it. Back in Manhattan making my way to Central Park, I struggled with the slight incline on the course. After 20 miles an ant hill feels like a mountain. I should have trained on more hills because the bridges and hills kicked my ass. I felt like everyone cheering my name was my friend. The people of New York are really what make this race so special.
I hit the wall at mile 23. I'd like to know who put those freaking hills in the last three miles of the race. I walked a lot, make one last pit stop and put in a new phone battery between miles 23 and 25. Not long after I passed mile 25, I tried going live on Facebook. It was a weak connection, but it connected and that's all that matters. After 25 miles, it's difficult to look good and strong. However, being live on Facebook was good motivation to not look like I was experiencing a lot of pain. Hopefully, it wasn't too boring. Perhaps I should have talked more to make it interesting. I was totally in the zone.
In the last mile, three moments stand out to me. The moment I saw mile 26, the moment I saw Taylor, and the moment I saw the finish line! When Taylor came into sight, words cannot express how great it was to see her. She was cheering me on and the look on her face told me how proud she was of me! I gave her a high five, which has to go down as the best high five in the history of high fives! I took my time to take pictures of the mile markers, Taylor, and the finish line. As I was taking a picture of the finish line, I was overcome with a level of joy I've never felt before. Facebook Live lost connection as soon as I crossed the finish line, but I'm glad everyone that wanted to experience it with me was able to. I didn't cry, I just relished in the moment of victory. No matter how difficult life gets with illness, I can't give up on the possibility of better days ahead. This was my best day! I was strong and healthy and I believe the future holds more days like.
I took pictures and posed for others. A volunteer placed my medal around my neck and I took and posed for more photos. I had to shuffle my way a half mile North to get out of the runner zone around the finish line. Thankfully, I opted for the post race poncho. The poncho is fleece lined and kept me warm on my trek to meet Taylor at the hotel. I was not moving very fast after the race. Everything hurt so good. My feet and legs were on fire. I found the subway I needed, but I had to wait for three trains because it was so crowded. While waiting for the train, I was reading through all of my messages and that's when tears found my cheeks. The support I had from family, friends, and co-workers was incredible! Everyone seemed to understand how much this race meant to me and helped me embrace and celebrate it!
I stopped for coffee on my way back to the hotel, but once I was back Taylor was my hero! She helped me take off my shoes and took care of me! She went to the hotel restaurant and brought up burgers and fries to the room so that I wouldn't have to move. I was super sore after the race. It felt like I ran a marathon or something.
Overall, it was the race of a lifetime. Checked that off my bucket list, but I totally want to do it again! Exploring New York City and sharing the marathon experience with Taylor made it a trip I will never forget. I think we made memories to tell for decades and I absolutely believe we would kick butt on the Amazing Race! THANK YOU, TAYLOR!!!
I was very restless the night before the race. Between the nerves, excitement, and peeing every couple hours because I had been hydrating the night before, I didn't sleep well. One time when I woke up, I checked my smart phone time and compared it to my stupid watch and concluded that my phone did indeed fall back. The final time I woke up was thirty minutes before my alarm was set to go off, but I couldn't get back to sleep. Once 5AM rolled around, I began getting ready. It's always nerve wracking getting ready for a race in a hotel. To my surprise, I don't think I forgot anything. Even though I laid out all of my gear the night before, my pre-run habits were thrown off a bit. I was very slow and methodical as I got ready to embark on what I now consider to be one of the best days of my life. I told Taylor I would see her at the finish line and I left to walk towards the New York Public Library where the start busses pick up tens of thousands of runners.
Runners were already flooding the streets and I just followed the crowd to the back of the library in Bryant Park. This is where they start herding the runners into huge lines that wrap around the block before taking us to the front of the library where we board the marathon busses. At the start of the line, they handed out brand new $28 gloves, which were a sweet start to the morning. There weren't any porta-potties in the area, so I stopped hydrating at this point. I boarded a bus a little after 6AM. It took close to two hours before we unloaded at Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island. The guy next to me smelled so badly that I was trying not to gag. Unfortunately, the bus didn't have a working bathroom. Guys were peeing in cups on the bus and walking to the front of the bus every time stopped in traffic or at a light to dump out their urine. Runners, we live a glamorous life. Meanwhile I wish I was dude because I had to pee BAD!!! I wasn't the only lady asking how much further until we get there.
It was around 8AM by the time we unloaded off the bus only to discover that we had to wait in the super long security line to into the start village where the porta-potties were located. In the forty-five minutes it took to get through security, I thought I was going to pee myself a few times. Security searched my approved, clear race bag and had me walk through the metal detector. Once I was through security around 8:45AM, I asked where the porta-potties were and made a bee line to them. I nearly cried when I saw the HUGE line for the porta-potties. I kid you not, I had to wait over 40 minutes in the porta-potty line. By the time it was my turn, I don't think I peed so much in my life. I seriously may have peed for two minutes straight, which means I did a two minute squat before the race. My legs were shaking by the time I was done.
At last, a little after 9:30AM I found a place to sit for a few minutes before I got back in line for the porta-potties. I figured I'd want to go before my corral opened around 10:30AM, so I better get in line even if I didn't have to got yet. It worked out perfectly. Once I was done with my second porta-potty stop of the day, it was time for me to head to my corral. I only had to wait about 10 minutes before my corral opened. While I waited I decided to take off my throw away sweats. After I was in my corral at the bottom of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, time stood still and I took it all in. I was interrupted by the guy behind me asking for a kiss for good luck. I put five marathon pickup lines on the back of my shirt. Folks really enjoyed them during the race. #1 seemed to be the favorite.
- Let's finish at the same time
- Do you need a kiss for good luck?
- Who's cheering you on today?
- Is this your first time, too?
- I get lost easily...Can I follow you to the finish?
The start line was kind of a blur. The National Anthem played, the cannons went off, and Wave 4 was on its way. There were military guys close to the start screaming and cheering for us! The bridge was quiet because no spectators were allowed on the bridge. I heard a rumor that advised you not to run near the edge of the bridge if you were on the bottom because the runners from the top pee of the edge and if it's a windy day, you could find it pissing rain. I don't see how that rumor could be true, but I ran on the inside nonetheless.
Once I made my way off the Verrazano Bridge into Brooklyn, the crowds didn't disappoint. People lined both sides of the street! Brooklyn was the longest and easiest borough. It was flat and fast which made it pass by quickly. I waited in line for a porta-potty around mile 9. My watch was set for 5 and 1 intervals (running for 5 minutes and walking for 1 minute), but I skipped a lot of walk breaks in Brooklyn. That could have been my demise toward the end of the race, but I was caught up in the energy of the crowd. Queens was really short, but this is where my feet started to hurt. I think my activities from the pervious days were catching up to me. The Queensboro Bridge during miles 15-16 sticks out to me. I walked the bridge in an attempt to save my legs for the finish. No spectators were allowed on this bridge either, so I didn't feel bad walking. After mile 16, in Manhattan, I stopped at another porta-potty.
The Queensboro Bridge took me into Manhattan where the roar of the crowd was unlike anything I had ever heard. Manhattan definitely had the biggest crowd. This is where I really started slowing down and taking more walk breaks through the water/Gatorade stops. I really just wanted to take it all in and enjoy every minute of it! I encountered some hills on my way into the Bronx. They say the wall hits you at mile 20. Even though I was hurting, the wall didn't hit me as hard as it usually does at this point in a marathon. At the 20 mile mark, there are only 6.2 miles left. While that may not seem like a lot compared to how many I'd already completed, that is really where the race starts. It's where I give myself a gut check to see much I want it. Back in Manhattan making my way to Central Park, I struggled with the slight incline on the course. After 20 miles an ant hill feels like a mountain. I should have trained on more hills because the bridges and hills kicked my ass. I felt like everyone cheering my name was my friend. The people of New York are really what make this race so special.
I hit the wall at mile 23. I'd like to know who put those freaking hills in the last three miles of the race. I walked a lot, make one last pit stop and put in a new phone battery between miles 23 and 25. Not long after I passed mile 25, I tried going live on Facebook. It was a weak connection, but it connected and that's all that matters. After 25 miles, it's difficult to look good and strong. However, being live on Facebook was good motivation to not look like I was experiencing a lot of pain. Hopefully, it wasn't too boring. Perhaps I should have talked more to make it interesting. I was totally in the zone.
In the last mile, three moments stand out to me. The moment I saw mile 26, the moment I saw Taylor, and the moment I saw the finish line! When Taylor came into sight, words cannot express how great it was to see her. She was cheering me on and the look on her face told me how proud she was of me! I gave her a high five, which has to go down as the best high five in the history of high fives! I took my time to take pictures of the mile markers, Taylor, and the finish line. As I was taking a picture of the finish line, I was overcome with a level of joy I've never felt before. Facebook Live lost connection as soon as I crossed the finish line, but I'm glad everyone that wanted to experience it with me was able to. I didn't cry, I just relished in the moment of victory. No matter how difficult life gets with illness, I can't give up on the possibility of better days ahead. This was my best day! I was strong and healthy and I believe the future holds more days like.
I took pictures and posed for others. A volunteer placed my medal around my neck and I took and posed for more photos. I had to shuffle my way a half mile North to get out of the runner zone around the finish line. Thankfully, I opted for the post race poncho. The poncho is fleece lined and kept me warm on my trek to meet Taylor at the hotel. I was not moving very fast after the race. Everything hurt so good. My feet and legs were on fire. I found the subway I needed, but I had to wait for three trains because it was so crowded. While waiting for the train, I was reading through all of my messages and that's when tears found my cheeks. The support I had from family, friends, and co-workers was incredible! Everyone seemed to understand how much this race meant to me and helped me embrace and celebrate it!
I stopped for coffee on my way back to the hotel, but once I was back Taylor was my hero! She helped me take off my shoes and took care of me! She went to the hotel restaurant and brought up burgers and fries to the room so that I wouldn't have to move. I was super sore after the race. It felt like I ran a marathon or something.
Overall, it was the race of a lifetime. Checked that off my bucket list, but I totally want to do it again! Exploring New York City and sharing the marathon experience with Taylor made it a trip I will never forget. I think we made memories to tell for decades and I absolutely believe we would kick butt on the Amazing Race! THANK YOU, TAYLOR!!!
NYC - Part 1
Day 1:
After I met Taylor at the LaGuardia airport, we took a taxi to the hotel. The morning rush hour traffic was so terrible that it took us 45 minutes to go 5 miles. By the time we made it through the tunnel bridge from Queens to Manhattan, the GPS was estimating it to take 18 minutes to go 0.9 miles. We decided to ditch the taxi and walk the rest of the way to the hotel. Dare I say we walked faster than the taxi.
Upon arriving at the Renaissance at New York Midtown hotel, they had trouble locating our reservation because I reserved our room through a travel agency through the marathon website. Once they found our reservation, I think they felt bad because they let us check in five hours early. Our room was on the 22nd floor with a cool view of the city. The hotel is only a block away from the Madison Square Garden.
The Expo was first on our long list of things to do, so we grabbed a bite to eat, bought our unlimited 7 day metro card, and took a bus to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The Expo was HUGE! I picked up my race bib and race shirt, and then we explored the Expo. I bought a tank, beanie, visor, coffee cup, and glass with the race logo. We tasted different energy bars and protein shakes. Taylor even made a sign that said "TEAM LAUREN" and a customized bib that said "RUN LAUREN RUN!" We walked down every aisle and took advantage of photo ops. Afterwards, we went back to the hotel to drop off everything. However, we realized we forgot to pick up Taylor's grandstand seating ticket, so we made our way back to the Expo to pick up her ticket. Shoutout to Taylor for being cool about my forgetfulness!
Once we had her grandstand seating ticket, we made our way to our first subway ride. We took the 7 train from the convention center to Grand Central! Grand Central Terminal looked just like it does in the movies! From Grand Central we walked to the New York Public Library. The library was really neat. I loved the architecture. Taylor even looked up her last name in the Genealogy room!
Our next stop, Ellen's Stardust Diner! On the way through Bryant Park we came across a Carrousel and I just had to go it! Taylor was a good sport and humored me. I rode a cat on Le Carrousel in Manhattan! At the diner, waiters and waitresses sing while they serve as they await their big break on Broadway. This was a really cool experience because they sang two of our songs "For Good" and "Let it Go"! We called it a night after dinner and headed to the hotel to get some sleep for our second day in the city.
Day 2:
Our first stop was the Marathon Pavilion near the finish line. We practiced taking the exact subway line Taylor was going to take on race day. The finish line stood in its full glory awaiting thousands of runners. It was surreal to see the finish line that I trained so hard for. I didn't cry, but I was still overwhelmed.
On our way to The New York City Fire Museum, we enjoyed Starbucks. It had a touching 9/11 exhibit. My favorite part were the fire engines from the late 1800's to early 1900's where they changed from being horse drawn to motorized. Also, the history of how the Dalmatian became the fire mascot was interesting. Dalmatians became the popular breed with fire departments because they used them to keep critters away from the horse drawn fire carriage. They were long winded and worked well with the horses, but they were smart enough to realize they could hop on the motorized engine once the horses were no longer necessary.
We finished the NYC Fire Museum just in time for lunch at Black Tap. They serve out of this world shakes and burgers. I got the Salty and Sweet shake that was peanut butter with pretzel bits and a delicious display of candies, whipped cream and drizzled chocolate. It was AMAZING!
After lunch, we headed to Wall Street. Wall Street found its way on my bucket list while I was a finance major at UCF. Although it's not for the public, it was still neat to see. We had a photo op with the Charging Bull of Wall Street where we rubbed its balls for good luck, and then we walked by the New York Stock Exchange. Security was really tight around the NYSE. The public isn't even allowed on that side of the street.
The Staten Island Ferry was only a few blocks South. We walked there just in time for the 2:30PM. It's a free 30 minute ride each way from Manhattan and Staten Island. The view from the ferry was picture perfect. I got great photos of lady liberty and Manhattan's skyline with the One World Trade Center.
Once we were back in Manhattan, we took the subway to the Brooklyn Bridge. There is something about bridges that fascinate me. The Brooklyn Bridge is on my list of top three bridges I've visited along with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and the Golden Gate Bridge. Although we didn't walk all the way across the bridge, it was still cool to see up close in person. After the bridge, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for Broadway.
On the way to see Wicked, we found an Irish Pub and grabbed a drink and some food before the show. I had my first Irish coffee (whiskey and coffee)! I am so in love with coffee and it rocked my world. I dressed as Elphie with black over the knee boots, black dress, black jacket, and green leg warmers to pull the witch look together. The show was phenomenal with powerful vocals, a talented cast, and Broadway style performances! It was so special to share the experience with Taylor! The story line and main characters closely resemble our own story and the friendship we share. When Glinda and Elphaba sang "For Good", it was the cherry on top of the experience. "For Good" is our song and while I was nearly moved to tears, a reflex fought back the emotion and I just soaked up the meaning and promise of every word. "Who can say if I've been changed for the better? / I do believe I have been changed for the better/ And because I knew you / I have been changed for good." Taylor was a champ the whole trip! Even when I was moody no matter how well I tried to control the taper madness and prerace jitters, she was right there along for the ride snapping me out of my funk and bringing me back to reality. There's no doubt she makes me better and I love her for it!
Day 3:
We explored Central Park and it was absolutely beautiful! The leaves were changing color and it made it a picture perfect walk in the park. We saw the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain and the Loeb Boathouse. Even the hotdogs we ate in Central Park were supremely better than a normal hotdog. Central Park is where Taylor seemed most at home with the trees and lakes and without the stink of the city.
From Central Park, we went and rode the Roosevelt Island Tram. It's like a sky ride that takes you to and from Roosevelt Island and Manhattan along the Queensboro Bridge. We used our unlimited 7 day metro card for the round trip. The tram offered awesome views of the city! It was great for sightseeing. After the tram ride, we enjoyed NY pizza at Patsy's Pizzeria. Seriously, the best pizza I've ever had!
We quickly walked through Rockefeller Center and took a photo with the gorgeous St. Patrick's Cathedral before heading to the Love Structure for a picture. The Love Structure was a lot smaller than I anticipated it was going to be. Afterwards, we went to the hotel where I took a three hour nap.
When I woke up from my nap, we went to Barilla Restaurant - Bryant Park and got lasagna to go for my pre-race pasta dinner.
I'll blog about race day in another post. We walked over a marathon while exploring the city during the three days leading up to the race. Between the walking and the stairs to get to and from the subway, Taylor was sore and swollen. I was a little sore myself, but I like to think that my marathon training prepared me for exploring the city as well. Although there's no doubt it made race day a little more difficult, I don't regret it. Our days were packed with activities and I think we made the most of our time in the city!
After I met Taylor at the LaGuardia airport, we took a taxi to the hotel. The morning rush hour traffic was so terrible that it took us 45 minutes to go 5 miles. By the time we made it through the tunnel bridge from Queens to Manhattan, the GPS was estimating it to take 18 minutes to go 0.9 miles. We decided to ditch the taxi and walk the rest of the way to the hotel. Dare I say we walked faster than the taxi.
Upon arriving at the Renaissance at New York Midtown hotel, they had trouble locating our reservation because I reserved our room through a travel agency through the marathon website. Once they found our reservation, I think they felt bad because they let us check in five hours early. Our room was on the 22nd floor with a cool view of the city. The hotel is only a block away from the Madison Square Garden.
The Expo was first on our long list of things to do, so we grabbed a bite to eat, bought our unlimited 7 day metro card, and took a bus to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The Expo was HUGE! I picked up my race bib and race shirt, and then we explored the Expo. I bought a tank, beanie, visor, coffee cup, and glass with the race logo. We tasted different energy bars and protein shakes. Taylor even made a sign that said "TEAM LAUREN" and a customized bib that said "RUN LAUREN RUN!" We walked down every aisle and took advantage of photo ops. Afterwards, we went back to the hotel to drop off everything. However, we realized we forgot to pick up Taylor's grandstand seating ticket, so we made our way back to the Expo to pick up her ticket. Shoutout to Taylor for being cool about my forgetfulness!
Once we had her grandstand seating ticket, we made our way to our first subway ride. We took the 7 train from the convention center to Grand Central! Grand Central Terminal looked just like it does in the movies! From Grand Central we walked to the New York Public Library. The library was really neat. I loved the architecture. Taylor even looked up her last name in the Genealogy room!
Our next stop, Ellen's Stardust Diner! On the way through Bryant Park we came across a Carrousel and I just had to go it! Taylor was a good sport and humored me. I rode a cat on Le Carrousel in Manhattan! At the diner, waiters and waitresses sing while they serve as they await their big break on Broadway. This was a really cool experience because they sang two of our songs "For Good" and "Let it Go"! We called it a night after dinner and headed to the hotel to get some sleep for our second day in the city.
Day 2:
Our first stop was the Marathon Pavilion near the finish line. We practiced taking the exact subway line Taylor was going to take on race day. The finish line stood in its full glory awaiting thousands of runners. It was surreal to see the finish line that I trained so hard for. I didn't cry, but I was still overwhelmed.
On our way to The New York City Fire Museum, we enjoyed Starbucks. It had a touching 9/11 exhibit. My favorite part were the fire engines from the late 1800's to early 1900's where they changed from being horse drawn to motorized. Also, the history of how the Dalmatian became the fire mascot was interesting. Dalmatians became the popular breed with fire departments because they used them to keep critters away from the horse drawn fire carriage. They were long winded and worked well with the horses, but they were smart enough to realize they could hop on the motorized engine once the horses were no longer necessary.
We finished the NYC Fire Museum just in time for lunch at Black Tap. They serve out of this world shakes and burgers. I got the Salty and Sweet shake that was peanut butter with pretzel bits and a delicious display of candies, whipped cream and drizzled chocolate. It was AMAZING!
After lunch, we headed to Wall Street. Wall Street found its way on my bucket list while I was a finance major at UCF. Although it's not for the public, it was still neat to see. We had a photo op with the Charging Bull of Wall Street where we rubbed its balls for good luck, and then we walked by the New York Stock Exchange. Security was really tight around the NYSE. The public isn't even allowed on that side of the street.
The Staten Island Ferry was only a few blocks South. We walked there just in time for the 2:30PM. It's a free 30 minute ride each way from Manhattan and Staten Island. The view from the ferry was picture perfect. I got great photos of lady liberty and Manhattan's skyline with the One World Trade Center.
Once we were back in Manhattan, we took the subway to the Brooklyn Bridge. There is something about bridges that fascinate me. The Brooklyn Bridge is on my list of top three bridges I've visited along with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and the Golden Gate Bridge. Although we didn't walk all the way across the bridge, it was still cool to see up close in person. After the bridge, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for Broadway.
On the way to see Wicked, we found an Irish Pub and grabbed a drink and some food before the show. I had my first Irish coffee (whiskey and coffee)! I am so in love with coffee and it rocked my world. I dressed as Elphie with black over the knee boots, black dress, black jacket, and green leg warmers to pull the witch look together. The show was phenomenal with powerful vocals, a talented cast, and Broadway style performances! It was so special to share the experience with Taylor! The story line and main characters closely resemble our own story and the friendship we share. When Glinda and Elphaba sang "For Good", it was the cherry on top of the experience. "For Good" is our song and while I was nearly moved to tears, a reflex fought back the emotion and I just soaked up the meaning and promise of every word. "Who can say if I've been changed for the better? / I do believe I have been changed for the better/ And because I knew you / I have been changed for good." Taylor was a champ the whole trip! Even when I was moody no matter how well I tried to control the taper madness and prerace jitters, she was right there along for the ride snapping me out of my funk and bringing me back to reality. There's no doubt she makes me better and I love her for it!
Day 3:
We explored Central Park and it was absolutely beautiful! The leaves were changing color and it made it a picture perfect walk in the park. We saw the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain and the Loeb Boathouse. Even the hotdogs we ate in Central Park were supremely better than a normal hotdog. Central Park is where Taylor seemed most at home with the trees and lakes and without the stink of the city.
From Central Park, we went and rode the Roosevelt Island Tram. It's like a sky ride that takes you to and from Roosevelt Island and Manhattan along the Queensboro Bridge. We used our unlimited 7 day metro card for the round trip. The tram offered awesome views of the city! It was great for sightseeing. After the tram ride, we enjoyed NY pizza at Patsy's Pizzeria. Seriously, the best pizza I've ever had!
We quickly walked through Rockefeller Center and took a photo with the gorgeous St. Patrick's Cathedral before heading to the Love Structure for a picture. The Love Structure was a lot smaller than I anticipated it was going to be. Afterwards, we went to the hotel where I took a three hour nap.
When I woke up from my nap, we went to Barilla Restaurant - Bryant Park and got lasagna to go for my pre-race pasta dinner.
I'll blog about race day in another post. We walked over a marathon while exploring the city during the three days leading up to the race. Between the walking and the stairs to get to and from the subway, Taylor was sore and swollen. I was a little sore myself, but I like to think that my marathon training prepared me for exploring the city as well. Although there's no doubt it made race day a little more difficult, I don't regret it. Our days were packed with activities and I think we made the most of our time in the city!
Saturday, October 29, 2016
My Badass is Ready to Live My Dream!
You guys, this it! This is going to be my last blog before I conquer the NYC Marathon. Race day is eight days away. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the whirlwind of emotions that have been washing over me. All of my training comes down to one day, Sunday, November 6th, 2016. There are enough people planning to track me on race day, from co-workers, family, and friends, that it should help encourage me to push through "the wall" when/if I hit it because I know everyone will be watching (tracking) me. No pressure, right? A part of me loves the attention and another part of me wishes no one knew.
Some things that make me anxious:
Some things that make me anxious:
- Daylight Savings Time ends the morning of the race, which means time changes at 2AM on November 6th, race day.
- There is a chance of rain on race day. Wet shoes and wet socks are the perfect breeding ground for blisters. Blisters and Marathons are not good friends.
- Aunt Flow could fuck things up.
- The hills and bridges are a bit intimidating.
Some things that make me excited:
- Cooler weather will give me the chance to run my optimal race.
- Frank Sinatra's song 'New York' playing as I cross the start line.
- The energy of the crowd.
- Central Park will be beautiful to run through with the leaves of the trees changing color this time of year.
- Seeing Taylor cheer for me in the Grandstand seats as I near the finish line.
- The sweet taste of victory as I cross the iconic finish line of the TCS NYC Marathon. (I cried as I typed the last sentence.)
On March 8th, when I found out I got into the NYC Marathon, I couldn't run a 5k without struggling. So if you think you could never run a marathon, think again because I'm proof anything is possible with hard work. Since March, I've worked my butt off to prepare for this race. I even overcame some health issues in April and started new medicine in May. Failure is not an option. I'm healthy, I'm strong, and my badass is ready to live my dream!
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Everyone Deserves a Friendship Like Ours
I just want to take this moment to brag about my best friend. She challenges me and encourages me to chase my dreams. Before I found out I got into the NYC Marathon, she was on board to go with me in the unlikely event that I won a lottery entry.(I never would have guessed I would get in on my first try.) I know this trip isn't happening at the most ideal time in her life as she is busy making huge life plans (like planning a wedding and buying a house). Yet, her support hasn't faltered. She's in it for the long run, pun intended. Since I'm a marathoner, I know and appreciate her commitment to being my biggest fan and her dedication to being my best friend. I'm overwhelmed by the fact that she will be in the grandstand seating area to watch me accomplish this amazing achievement. Not only does thinking about crossing the finish line make me emotional, the thought of sharing that experience with her has a powerful affect on my race mentality. I want to run the race for me and I want to finish strong for her. She wants me to cross that iconic finish line in Central Park as much I want to cross it! Everyone deserves a friendship like ours!
As much as this trip is about the race it's also about being on vacation in NYC with my best friend! We haven't vacationed too much together. Will this be a test in our relationship? I doubt it, unless we're testing to see how high we can get our level of awesomeness. Will this be an audition for the Amazing Race? Unlikely, although I have a feeling using public transportation will be comedic and terrifying at times. I believe this trip will be one we remember for the rest of our lives. Even without NYC in the equation, I'm excited to get some much needed Taylor time!
As much as this trip is about the race it's also about being on vacation in NYC with my best friend! We haven't vacationed too much together. Will this be a test in our relationship? I doubt it, unless we're testing to see how high we can get our level of awesomeness. Will this be an audition for the Amazing Race? Unlikely, although I have a feeling using public transportation will be comedic and terrifying at times. I believe this trip will be one we remember for the rest of our lives. Even without NYC in the equation, I'm excited to get some much needed Taylor time!
Friday, October 7, 2016
29 Days Left!!
Where has the time gone? In one month, running the NYC Marathon will be a mere memory. I will have achieved a huge dream of mine by crossing the finish line in Central Park! Even though I'll likely walk funny and be in pain after the race, I cannot wait!!! The pain I feel after I've put forth my best effort is one of the most rewarding feelings and sweetest victories around. After I cross the finish line, I want to be able to say, "I left everything I have out on the course!" I'm hesitant to set a time goal. Perhaps part of me is cowardly because I don't want to set a time goal and disappoint myself. However, I think the real reason it's difficult for me to set a time goal is because I'm not sure I know what a realistic goal would be. Sure, I know which pace group I train with, but there are going to be different factors that I haven't encountered before. The weather will likely be drastically cooler with lower humidity than the weather I've been training in, which will actually increase my overall speed. But then there are the hills and bridges, which might slow me down. The first mile is all up hill on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and then the course is relatively flat until mile 15. Honestly, I'm a little intimidated about the second half of course being full of bridges and hills. The other factor that comes into play is the crowd. I've been told the crowd can carry a runner through the race. There are going to be millions of people on the sidelines cheering throughout the race. Once we get into Manhattan the crowd in some places are known to be more than ten people deep just lining the course encouraging the runners! The last factor that has me a bit concerned is the fact that I am almost certain Aunt Flow will be accompanying me during the race. Won't that be fun??? My main goal is to have fun during race. I want to run in the moment and enjoy the dream I worked so hard for! Although a PR would be nice. lol
The race is 29 days away!!! This is it people! I am really going to run the TCS NYC Marathon! I didn't run this week as I was letting blisters heal from my half marathon on Sunday. To make matters worse, my long run this weekend with the group was cancelled because of Hurricane Matthew. I don't think a week off will set me back since I've stayed on track with training very well for the most part. Hopefully, I'll be able to get a run in on my own this weekend. It probably wont be 16 miles like my schedule suggests, but anything is better than nothing. Plus, I have my longest training run on my schedule set for October 15th. I'm going to attempt a 20 miler with my group, so I'm not going to beat myself over taking it a little easy leading up to that long run.
I am super excited about the NYC trip!!! I have a lot of expectations and I have no doubt NYC will deliver and exceed them!
The race is 29 days away!!! This is it people! I am really going to run the TCS NYC Marathon! I didn't run this week as I was letting blisters heal from my half marathon on Sunday. To make matters worse, my long run this weekend with the group was cancelled because of Hurricane Matthew. I don't think a week off will set me back since I've stayed on track with training very well for the most part. Hopefully, I'll be able to get a run in on my own this weekend. It probably wont be 16 miles like my schedule suggests, but anything is better than nothing. Plus, I have my longest training run on my schedule set for October 15th. I'm going to attempt a 20 miler with my group, so I'm not going to beat myself over taking it a little easy leading up to that long run.
I am super excited about the NYC trip!!! I have a lot of expectations and I have no doubt NYC will deliver and exceed them!
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Preparing for the Marathon and Winter
I did something I don't think I've ever done before. I ran 100 miles in one month! It is possible I've done it in the past and didn't know it though. I also ran 18.5 miles during one of my long runs, which is my longest training run to date. Surprisingly, I wasn't even sore after running 18.5 miles. Say what? That's right, I must be getting in some kind of shape because after the run I was jumping and doing lunges to test my legs and they performed as if they weren't even fatigued.
Am I getting excited for New York? HELL YEAH, I AM!!!!! I think about it everyday. I have two countdowns on my phone: One for when I leave to go to New York (59 days) and one for race day (62 days)! It's practically two months away!!!! I have a tentative itinerary that Taylor has given me free reign over. She's pretty much just going with the flow. I know her nature to plan, so I appreciate how much trust and faith she has in me to make the itinerary. I also know that whenever we go somewhere and I'm the one driving, I tend to drive and navigate. Whereas whenever we go somewhere and she's the one driving, she drives and I navigate. I am taking it upon myself to learn the subway lines and bus routes so that I can confidently lead the way. However, I also think getting lost in NYC would make one good story tell. Other than the Race and being in NYC with my bestie, I'm most excited about seeing Wicked on Broadway and walking over the Brooklyn bridge!
I've started preparing for winter in NYC. I'm a typical Florida girl with very limited winter apparel. I recently bought over the knee, suede, black boots. I sprayed water and stain repellent on them to make them water waterproof. I also purchased a black, thigh length, waterproof jacket. I love it because it's form fitting and looks amazing with my boots! Now, I just need some tops, bottoms and scarves and I think I'll be all set. I'm not buying any winter running apparel for the race. I figured once I actually get to NY, I can decide if I should buy additional running gear (arm sleeves, ear muffs, etc.) at the Expo to keep warm. Even if it's in the 50's, I should be comfortable in shorts and a tank to run in. I already have throw away sweatpants and sweatshirt that I will use to keep warm at the start of the race and then toss once I get warmed up. All of the runners' discarded items on the side of the road will be donated to charity.
Am I getting excited for New York? HELL YEAH, I AM!!!!! I think about it everyday. I have two countdowns on my phone: One for when I leave to go to New York (59 days) and one for race day (62 days)! It's practically two months away!!!! I have a tentative itinerary that Taylor has given me free reign over. She's pretty much just going with the flow. I know her nature to plan, so I appreciate how much trust and faith she has in me to make the itinerary. I also know that whenever we go somewhere and I'm the one driving, I tend to drive and navigate. Whereas whenever we go somewhere and she's the one driving, she drives and I navigate. I am taking it upon myself to learn the subway lines and bus routes so that I can confidently lead the way. However, I also think getting lost in NYC would make one good story tell. Other than the Race and being in NYC with my bestie, I'm most excited about seeing Wicked on Broadway and walking over the Brooklyn bridge!
I've started preparing for winter in NYC. I'm a typical Florida girl with very limited winter apparel. I recently bought over the knee, suede, black boots. I sprayed water and stain repellent on them to make them water waterproof. I also purchased a black, thigh length, waterproof jacket. I love it because it's form fitting and looks amazing with my boots! Now, I just need some tops, bottoms and scarves and I think I'll be all set. I'm not buying any winter running apparel for the race. I figured once I actually get to NY, I can decide if I should buy additional running gear (arm sleeves, ear muffs, etc.) at the Expo to keep warm. Even if it's in the 50's, I should be comfortable in shorts and a tank to run in. I already have throw away sweatpants and sweatshirt that I will use to keep warm at the start of the race and then toss once I get warmed up. All of the runners' discarded items on the side of the road will be donated to charity.
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Confession
I have a confession: I do not remember the last time I felt this well. This could possibly be the best I've felt in over a decade. I have so much energy that I don't know what to do with it. I've had no pain. My bowels are functioning better than I ever thought was possible. At the doctor on Friday, I weighed in at 151 pounds! I feel like a normal person, strong and healthy. Is this how you people feel all the time? It's wonderful!
My life is amazing at this moment in time. Training for the NYC Marathon is going spectacularly well! I've found a pace group that challenges me just enough to keep me wondering if I can keep up. Since I managed to stay with them for 10.5 miles on Saturday, I'd say I can keep up even if it is out of my comfort zone at times. My supervisor put in a request for me to get a raise and my employer is paying for me to become CRIS (Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist) certified. It's a total of 6 classes and I just registered for the first class this week. The class is online and I can work at my own pace.
My life is amazing at this moment in time. Training for the NYC Marathon is going spectacularly well! I've found a pace group that challenges me just enough to keep me wondering if I can keep up. Since I managed to stay with them for 10.5 miles on Saturday, I'd say I can keep up even if it is out of my comfort zone at times. My supervisor put in a request for me to get a raise and my employer is paying for me to become CRIS (Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist) certified. It's a total of 6 classes and I just registered for the first class this week. The class is online and I can work at my own pace.
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Crazy Loves Company
I feel like I should warn you in advance. In the next five months, it is extremely likely I will be littering my blog with posts about running as my marathon training kicks into full gear!
I did the Echo Half Marathon on Sunday. I had a 10 mile run planned on my schedule, so I decided I might as well register for a half. I stayed with the 2:30 pacer for the first 9 miles, and averaged an 11:27 pace per mile for those 9 miles. I slowed down on the 10th mile and after I passed the 10th mile marker, I walked most of the last 5k. My official finish time was 2:46:01. I can't complain considering I slowed way down on the last 3.1 miles of the race because I wasn't fully trained for the entire half marathon. I'm excited to start MarathonFest this week! They will host group runs on Tuesdays for speed work, Thursdays for hills, and Saturdays for long runs. You might be wondering why I paid for training when I'm already able to do a half marathon before the training begins. Well, running long runs solo is boring and I tend to doubt myself rather than finish strong. I really want accountability to stay on track and I want to be challenged in ways I wouldn't likely challenge myself. It would also be a bonus if I meet other runners going to NYC.
I'm hopeful to meet new running friends. Plus, I'm excited to challenge myself on group runs by pushing my pace out of my comfort zone. I can't wait for the gym I joined to finally open so that I can get to work on getting in the best shape of my life by November.
On Thursday, I'm going out to lunch with my previous supervisor in Payroll. We were never into small talk so it should be an interesting outing. As far as I know she hasn't filled the position I left yet. I really want to ask her questions about FMLA, but I don't know if I'll find the courage to because it might involve talking about Crohn's. I still struggle to discuss Crohn's with people I don't consider friends. It just seems too personal. We will definitely talk about running. I know she's been running four days a week. I'm going to see if I can talk her into running a 10K. If she bites on the 10K, I'm going to try to convince her to run a half marathon. You know crazy loves company and if she's already running four days a week, she might as well be training for something.
I did the Echo Half Marathon on Sunday. I had a 10 mile run planned on my schedule, so I decided I might as well register for a half. I stayed with the 2:30 pacer for the first 9 miles, and averaged an 11:27 pace per mile for those 9 miles. I slowed down on the 10th mile and after I passed the 10th mile marker, I walked most of the last 5k. My official finish time was 2:46:01. I can't complain considering I slowed way down on the last 3.1 miles of the race because I wasn't fully trained for the entire half marathon. I'm excited to start MarathonFest this week! They will host group runs on Tuesdays for speed work, Thursdays for hills, and Saturdays for long runs. You might be wondering why I paid for training when I'm already able to do a half marathon before the training begins. Well, running long runs solo is boring and I tend to doubt myself rather than finish strong. I really want accountability to stay on track and I want to be challenged in ways I wouldn't likely challenge myself. It would also be a bonus if I meet other runners going to NYC.
I'm hopeful to meet new running friends. Plus, I'm excited to challenge myself on group runs by pushing my pace out of my comfort zone. I can't wait for the gym I joined to finally open so that I can get to work on getting in the best shape of my life by November.
On Thursday, I'm going out to lunch with my previous supervisor in Payroll. We were never into small talk so it should be an interesting outing. As far as I know she hasn't filled the position I left yet. I really want to ask her questions about FMLA, but I don't know if I'll find the courage to because it might involve talking about Crohn's. I still struggle to discuss Crohn's with people I don't consider friends. It just seems too personal. We will definitely talk about running. I know she's been running four days a week. I'm going to see if I can talk her into running a 10K. If she bites on the 10K, I'm going to try to convince her to run a half marathon. You know crazy loves company and if she's already running four days a week, she might as well be training for something.
Saturday, March 26, 2016
3 Miles Down, 23.2 Miles To Go
Isn't it incredible what our bodies and minds can be trained to do? I am extremely fortunate how easy it is for my body to get back into shape when I'm feeling well. It's almost not fair to others. How many people can go from not being able to run one mile straight to being able to run three miles straight in 33 minutes in just three weeks? If you've been a beginner runner before, you know that's not something just anyone can do. I trained for a 5k in three weeks and that seems insanely awesome!!! A typical couch to 5k training program is 8-10 weeks long. Running feels right and I'm thrilled with how well training is going so far. It's been wonderful to hit the roads and trails even if it's already getting hot. My body is building strength and endurance every week!
I'm not really sure what the purpose is of the following paragraph, but it's just a glimpse of what goes on inside my head. Read at your own risk and feel free to judge me silently.
When I was going to counseling (oh by the way, I stopped) one of the things I told my counselor was that I feel like without my chronic illness I would be superhuman. The disease brings me down to even the playing field with regular, healthy folks. Now, I know this might make me sound like an arrogant asshole. I also know it's not ideal to believe that this disease gives me limitations in life. However, the fact is that chronic illness is a constant battle. I am a fighter and I would be lying if I said I am unaffected by it. In moments of wellness, it feels like I am superhuman. By saying it "evens the playing field," I mean that I can do anything any regular, healthy person can do; however, if I wasn't sick, I think my potential would have a higher capacity for awesomeness. I don't like to use Crohn's as a crutch or an excuse. If you know me, you know eventually I will persevere through my struggles. When I'm not depressed, I think I'm pretty damn awesome!
I'm not really sure what the purpose is of the following paragraph, but it's just a glimpse of what goes on inside my head. Read at your own risk and feel free to judge me silently.
When I was going to counseling (oh by the way, I stopped) one of the things I told my counselor was that I feel like without my chronic illness I would be superhuman. The disease brings me down to even the playing field with regular, healthy folks. Now, I know this might make me sound like an arrogant asshole. I also know it's not ideal to believe that this disease gives me limitations in life. However, the fact is that chronic illness is a constant battle. I am a fighter and I would be lying if I said I am unaffected by it. In moments of wellness, it feels like I am superhuman. By saying it "evens the playing field," I mean that I can do anything any regular, healthy person can do; however, if I wasn't sick, I think my potential would have a higher capacity for awesomeness. I don't like to use Crohn's as a crutch or an excuse. If you know me, you know eventually I will persevere through my struggles. When I'm not depressed, I think I'm pretty damn awesome!
Saturday, March 12, 2016
Coming Down from the High
Dare I say this week has been the best week ever! I know, I know I won't shut up about it.
I ran 6 miles this week and today I knocked off over two minutes from my two mile time on Tuesday. I love it when my body feels good! It's only my first week of training and I was already able to run two miles without stopping for a walk break today. Today I ran two miles in 22 minutes and 13 seconds. That's pretty good considering how out of shape I am. I hope to keep improving. My motivation has been through the roof and I am head over heels in love with running again. I know health is always an uncertainty, but my goal is to train hard, train smart, and finish strong. If I can do that, I believe I can get a PR in NYC. My training schedule has been made, but right now my focus is to get ready for the Corporate 5k on April 7th. I can't wait to run with some co-workers! My company is giving every employee that crosses the finish line a Fitbit!
My first training day in my new position yesterday went well. My new supervisor had a lengthy conversation with me about how I got the position. I found out that I beat out six other candidates for the job. Originally my new supervisor already had a different internal candidate in mind for the position and was just going to offer it to that person, but the CEO told her that she had to open the position to everyone. She got two other ladies from her department to help with the hiring process since she felt she was biased. Evidently, my cover letter really gave me an edge because it showed my amazing writing ability. The person that my new supervisor originally wanted for the position is a Project Assistant, so he/she already has some experience and is familiar with contracts and work flow, but he/she didn't have a strongly written cover letter and didn't have a college degree. After all of the interviews, my new supervisor consulted with the two ladies from her department and they both chose me for the position. My new supervisor also agreed that I was the best for the position because I was also the best communicator in the interview. They all felt that it would be easier to train someone from scratch, which it's anticipated that it will take up to two years for me to fully learn the position, than to train someone how to communicate proficiently even if they already have some experience. My new position will be communicating with executives on a daily basis, so they felt it was extremely important to have someone competent that can write e-mails and such without having to proof read everything.
I am so proud of myself for really earning this position. This position will be a change of pace that will take some adjusting to. It's strange not knowing anything and not being able to really be productive at this point. At least, my new supervisor understands that it's a slow learning process. Its not slow because I'm not smart, it's slow because there's a lot of information to learn and a lot of decisions are circumstantial. There aren't necessarily rules for everything. Rather, there are guidelines with multiple directions. I can already tell she is going to be a great mentor. She knows her field well and she has passion for what she does. I can't wait to get on her level of understanding. The way she manipulates words and negotiates contracts is impressive. So far, I'm really intrigued. So far, I feel dumb.
I ran 6 miles this week and today I knocked off over two minutes from my two mile time on Tuesday. I love it when my body feels good! It's only my first week of training and I was already able to run two miles without stopping for a walk break today. Today I ran two miles in 22 minutes and 13 seconds. That's pretty good considering how out of shape I am. I hope to keep improving. My motivation has been through the roof and I am head over heels in love with running again. I know health is always an uncertainty, but my goal is to train hard, train smart, and finish strong. If I can do that, I believe I can get a PR in NYC. My training schedule has been made, but right now my focus is to get ready for the Corporate 5k on April 7th. I can't wait to run with some co-workers! My company is giving every employee that crosses the finish line a Fitbit!
My first training day in my new position yesterday went well. My new supervisor had a lengthy conversation with me about how I got the position. I found out that I beat out six other candidates for the job. Originally my new supervisor already had a different internal candidate in mind for the position and was just going to offer it to that person, but the CEO told her that she had to open the position to everyone. She got two other ladies from her department to help with the hiring process since she felt she was biased. Evidently, my cover letter really gave me an edge because it showed my amazing writing ability. The person that my new supervisor originally wanted for the position is a Project Assistant, so he/she already has some experience and is familiar with contracts and work flow, but he/she didn't have a strongly written cover letter and didn't have a college degree. After all of the interviews, my new supervisor consulted with the two ladies from her department and they both chose me for the position. My new supervisor also agreed that I was the best for the position because I was also the best communicator in the interview. They all felt that it would be easier to train someone from scratch, which it's anticipated that it will take up to two years for me to fully learn the position, than to train someone how to communicate proficiently even if they already have some experience. My new position will be communicating with executives on a daily basis, so they felt it was extremely important to have someone competent that can write e-mails and such without having to proof read everything.
I am so proud of myself for really earning this position. This position will be a change of pace that will take some adjusting to. It's strange not knowing anything and not being able to really be productive at this point. At least, my new supervisor understands that it's a slow learning process. Its not slow because I'm not smart, it's slow because there's a lot of information to learn and a lot of decisions are circumstantial. There aren't necessarily rules for everything. Rather, there are guidelines with multiple directions. I can already tell she is going to be a great mentor. She knows her field well and she has passion for what she does. I can't wait to get on her level of understanding. The way she manipulates words and negotiates contracts is impressive. So far, I'm really intrigued. So far, I feel dumb.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Life is Good
Today, I finished my last payroll run at Wharton-Smith. It was bittersweet. I have loved working in the payroll office and learning from my amazing supervisor. There was not one day I woke up not wanting to go to work. That's how much I enjoyed it! It has been a great experience and I am truly going to miss it. I will be wrapping up my responsibilities as payroll assistant and training someone how to do some of my tasks. Even though my official start date is March 21st (That's the date my pay increase takes effect), my soft transition begins this Friday. This Friday, I'll be training with my new supervisor! Next week, I'll be back in payroll Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday; and then I'll be training with my new supervisor on Thursday and Friday. After the 21st, I will officially be the contracts/risk specialist and I may float back to payroll occasionally until they're able to fill my old position. I can't wait to start learning my new position! I am up for the challenge and I think the folks in my new department will prove to be great mentors for me.
After messaging some friends, once I realized I really got into the NYC Marathon I went into my supervisor's office and told her with a shaky voice and tears in my eyes. She was ecstatic! She shared with me in my excited disbelief and even had tears in her eyes, too! I never dreamed I would get in on my first try because I know people that have been trying for 5 years and still didn't get in this time. I have never been this excited about anything before. I can't even describe exactly how I feel about it because words seem so inadequate.
Financially, I wasn't really ready for it, but with my new promotion and taking on some work with my dad on the weekends I should be able to save for the trip/race without sacrificing other things I'm saving for. My bestie, Taylor, has already committed to join me and Kim will join us if her school schedule allows her to get away. I've booked a hotel in Midtown New York for four nights. Holy crapola, that's the most I've ever paid for a hotel per night. They better have great toilet paper. We want to see a Broadway show and cross the Brooklyn Bridge. I'm sure we'll come up with more to do. Just envisioning crossing the finish line in NYC has made me cry more than once already.
I am officially in marathon training! Yes, I expect it to take the entire 8 months until the race to properly train. Seriously, I want to be in the best shape of my life on race day. I'm still working out a training schedule, but the good news is that I already have runner friends volunteering to train with me on my long runs to help push me through.
After messaging some friends, once I realized I really got into the NYC Marathon I went into my supervisor's office and told her with a shaky voice and tears in my eyes. She was ecstatic! She shared with me in my excited disbelief and even had tears in her eyes, too! I never dreamed I would get in on my first try because I know people that have been trying for 5 years and still didn't get in this time. I have never been this excited about anything before. I can't even describe exactly how I feel about it because words seem so inadequate.
Financially, I wasn't really ready for it, but with my new promotion and taking on some work with my dad on the weekends I should be able to save for the trip/race without sacrificing other things I'm saving for. My bestie, Taylor, has already committed to join me and Kim will join us if her school schedule allows her to get away. I've booked a hotel in Midtown New York for four nights. Holy crapola, that's the most I've ever paid for a hotel per night. They better have great toilet paper. We want to see a Broadway show and cross the Brooklyn Bridge. I'm sure we'll come up with more to do. Just envisioning crossing the finish line in NYC has made me cry more than once already.
I am officially in marathon training! Yes, I expect it to take the entire 8 months until the race to properly train. Seriously, I want to be in the best shape of my life on race day. I'm still working out a training schedule, but the good news is that I already have runner friends volunteering to train with me on my long runs to help push me through.
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
This Smile is Glued to My Face
I have officially accepted the job offer for the contracts/risk specialist position. I will transfer on Monday, March 21st to my new cube downstairs. I am super excited about this opportunity!
Above is a snip from the e-mail that confirmed my entry into the 2016 TCS NYC Marathon! I won the lottery!
My lab results are in. Although they have improved slightly, the doc wants me to start taking iron again because my levels are still too low. He didn't mention anything about switching meds and since I'm feeling ok, I didn't ask.
It's not even Wednesday and this week has already been a whirlwind. When I have more time, I'll post more about my new position and NYC.
Above is a snip from the e-mail that confirmed my entry into the 2016 TCS NYC Marathon! I won the lottery!
My lab results are in. Although they have improved slightly, the doc wants me to start taking iron again because my levels are still too low. He didn't mention anything about switching meds and since I'm feeling ok, I didn't ask.
It's not even Wednesday and this week has already been a whirlwind. When I have more time, I'll post more about my new position and NYC.
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
I Take Naps in My Dreams
I thought I got all of my credit card shenanigans straightened out. Thankfully, I remembered my dream last night, which triggered a thought. In the dream, my sisters, a few friends, and I were on vacation in NYC. Apparently, I take naps in my dreams. Anyways, when I woke up this morning, I was lost for second because I thought I was taking a nap in a hotel room in NYC, not in my bedroom in Florida. It made me think about my dream, NYC, and the NYC Marathon. That's when I started to freak out. I remembered that I forgot to change my billing information on the New York Road Runners website where the marathon lottery takes place. The drawing isn't until March 8th. so I did have some time... but it was a close call for someone with a memory as bad as mine. If I didn't update my billing info with a valid credit card and I won the lottery into the NYC Marathon on March 8th, I would have forfeited my entry because I didn't have a valid payment method on file.
I'm all set now! Honestly, I don't know if I'm more nervous about my interview on Thursday or the lottery drawing next Tuesday. All the while, I should probably be more concerned about taking naps in my dreams.
I'm all set now! Honestly, I don't know if I'm more nervous about my interview on Thursday or the lottery drawing next Tuesday. All the while, I should probably be more concerned about taking naps in my dreams.
Friday, March 28, 2014
New York, New York - Part 2
I pride myself in being able to sleep anywhere at anytime except for the night before a race. Sure, I fell asleep quickly even with the sound of loud children having fun in the hall and the next room over. However, I woke up a couple of hours before our alarms were set to go off in fear of oversleeping and missing the race. By 5:30am on Saturday, March 22nd I gave up on trying to get back to sleep. Rita, Shar and I left the house by 7:00am to get to the race and pickup our packets in time for the 9:00am start of the half marathon. The temps in the morning were in the low forties. It would have been more bearable if it wasn't for the wind. I bought running pants specifically for the race and I had borrowed my sister's heavy running jacket. I wore a beanie to keep my head and ears warm, but I kept the hood of the jacket up to keep the wind off of my neck.
Rita and I usually do 3:1 intervals when we train together, but we decided to do 2:1 intervals for this race. To our surprise, it's the best finish time we've had together. We took off our jackets by mile 3. I didn't take it off because I broke a sweat, but because the jacket irritated me. We ran the next 10 miles with the jackets tied around our waists. I ran the entire race with my gloves on. The cool weather definitely helped us keep an even pace for the entire race. Typically, we slow down after mile 10, but we were able to push through our cramps and fatigue all the way through the finish. Once we passed mile 12, I told Rita that it looks like we can finish in 2:35! I'm not sure if it was her or I that picked up the pace for the last mile, but we pushed it hard to the finish and wound up finishing in 2:34! I think that's an amazing time considering we were doing 2:1 intervals! Following the race, we went to the beer garden at the after party. It sounds crazy, but beer tastes heavenly after 13.1 miles.
This race was the reason I went to New York. To run the half with Rita for her birthday. Everything else I was able to do was just a happy bonus. I met Rita through Team Challenge. We actually signed up at the same info meeting. She raised money for CCFA to go to the Chicago half and I raised money for CCFA to go to the Napa half. We quickly found a common pace in order to run together during training. At first, I was the one encouraging and pushing her. She excelled so fast during training that she soon was the one encouraging and pushing me. We help each other get through the difficult mileage. We understand when the other isn't having a good day. She is such a beast that she ran her first marathon with me at Space Coast last November. She made the 26.2 miles look easy while I struggled. I would have never had this opportunity if I didn't take part in Team Challenge. I'm beyond grateful that I met Rita. She's one awesome lady!
Following the after party, we found a pizzeria and I had delicious New York styled pizza! Then we went to the house to shower before heading to the boardwalk near Coney Island with Pooch, Dana (Pooch's girlfriend), Shar, Rita and I. It was nice to walk out the stiffness in my legs from the race and all the walking the day before. Coney Island took a huge hit from hurricane Sandy and was still being renovated, so it wasn't opened. The boardwalk was nice. It reminded me of Sea Isle City in NJ when I visited my aunt and uncle. Once we were finished walking on the boardwalk, we went to a hole the wall place to eat gyros for dinner. Talk about yummy!!!!
After dinner, we went back to the house to get ready to go to a club called Flamingo. I was happy everyone was going in jeans because I thought is was way too cold to wear the dress I brought. Shar doesn't drink, so she was our designated driver for the night. When we walked into Flamingo around 11pm, there were tables and a bar, but not really any designated dance floor. Shar went to talk to someone she knew behind the bar and the next thing I know is that we were being escorted upstairs. As we climbed the stairs you could hear the music getting louder. I felt the vibration in my feet more with every step I took. Upstairs was a whole dance floor with VIP seating around it and of course a bar area. Shar then talked to the guy behind the bar and he walked us over to a VIP table. I can't even describe how loud the music was, but the vibration I felt in my butt when I sat down is a good start. There were eight of us, Rita, Molly, Pooch, Dana, Shar, Shar's two friends that we met in the city and me. Rita's sister, Molly got me started with a long island ice tea... more followed. Damn, they make 'em good in New York. By good, I mean strong. I think it was an Indian club of some sort, so the music was unlike I've ever heard before. It didn't stop me from dancing though. The clubs in New York are opened until 4am. I can count on one hand the number of times I've danced and drank like that before. It was so much fun to cut loose for a change. In the car, on the way to eat at the diner was when I realized how sober Rita was. I'll be honest, the diner is kind of a blur. Perhaps because I was tired for almost being up for 24 hours straight, or it could have had something to do with all of those long island ice teas.
As soon as we got back to the house around 5:30am I went to bed. I was exhausted! When I woke up, Rita's aunt had already made pancakes, which were the best I've ever had. They were thick and tasty. I wasn't sure what the plans were for the day, so I didn't waste any time getting ready and packing my stuff in case we didn't have time to stop by the house before they had to take me to the airport later. I didn't know, we were meeting some of Rita's old friends at a beer garden until we were almost there. I wasn't really dressed for a beer garden, but no one seemed to care. Luckily, I've never had a hangover in my life and Sunday stayed true to that. Still, I wasn't in the mood for beer, so I stood with Shar and watched some March Madness while Rita took advantage of the beer garden (Studio Squared) and danced with her friends. We stayed there until it was time to take me to the airport. I slept on the plane ride back to Orlando.
This was like a once in a lifetime kind of trip. I'll be lucky if I make it back to NYC. Don't get me wrong I want to go back, but I'm sure it will definitely be a while before that happens. I'm forever thankful for Rita and her family for taking me in and showing me New York. It was one hell of an awesome trip!
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| Rita and I staying warm before the start. |
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| Celebrating our awesome race! |
Following the after party, we found a pizzeria and I had delicious New York styled pizza! Then we went to the house to shower before heading to the boardwalk near Coney Island with Pooch, Dana (Pooch's girlfriend), Shar, Rita and I. It was nice to walk out the stiffness in my legs from the race and all the walking the day before. Coney Island took a huge hit from hurricane Sandy and was still being renovated, so it wasn't opened. The boardwalk was nice. It reminded me of Sea Isle City in NJ when I visited my aunt and uncle. Once we were finished walking on the boardwalk, we went to a hole the wall place to eat gyros for dinner. Talk about yummy!!!!
After dinner, we went back to the house to get ready to go to a club called Flamingo. I was happy everyone was going in jeans because I thought is was way too cold to wear the dress I brought. Shar doesn't drink, so she was our designated driver for the night. When we walked into Flamingo around 11pm, there were tables and a bar, but not really any designated dance floor. Shar went to talk to someone she knew behind the bar and the next thing I know is that we were being escorted upstairs. As we climbed the stairs you could hear the music getting louder. I felt the vibration in my feet more with every step I took. Upstairs was a whole dance floor with VIP seating around it and of course a bar area. Shar then talked to the guy behind the bar and he walked us over to a VIP table. I can't even describe how loud the music was, but the vibration I felt in my butt when I sat down is a good start. There were eight of us, Rita, Molly, Pooch, Dana, Shar, Shar's two friends that we met in the city and me. Rita's sister, Molly got me started with a long island ice tea... more followed. Damn, they make 'em good in New York. By good, I mean strong. I think it was an Indian club of some sort, so the music was unlike I've ever heard before. It didn't stop me from dancing though. The clubs in New York are opened until 4am. I can count on one hand the number of times I've danced and drank like that before. It was so much fun to cut loose for a change. In the car, on the way to eat at the diner was when I realized how sober Rita was. I'll be honest, the diner is kind of a blur. Perhaps because I was tired for almost being up for 24 hours straight, or it could have had something to do with all of those long island ice teas.
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| Me, Molly and Rita, the dancing queens |
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| Shar's friend, Molly, me, Rita, Shar and Dana |
As soon as we got back to the house around 5:30am I went to bed. I was exhausted! When I woke up, Rita's aunt had already made pancakes, which were the best I've ever had. They were thick and tasty. I wasn't sure what the plans were for the day, so I didn't waste any time getting ready and packing my stuff in case we didn't have time to stop by the house before they had to take me to the airport later. I didn't know, we were meeting some of Rita's old friends at a beer garden until we were almost there. I wasn't really dressed for a beer garden, but no one seemed to care. Luckily, I've never had a hangover in my life and Sunday stayed true to that. Still, I wasn't in the mood for beer, so I stood with Shar and watched some March Madness while Rita took advantage of the beer garden (Studio Squared) and danced with her friends. We stayed there until it was time to take me to the airport. I slept on the plane ride back to Orlando.
This was like a once in a lifetime kind of trip. I'll be lucky if I make it back to NYC. Don't get me wrong I want to go back, but I'm sure it will definitely be a while before that happens. I'm forever thankful for Rita and her family for taking me in and showing me New York. It was one hell of an awesome trip!
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
New York, New York - Part 1
I left Thursday after work and arrived at the JFK airport around 9:30pm. Upon the wheels of the airplane touching down the entire plane erupted in applause. I've never been on a flight that cheers after landing before. It must be a New York thing and it was pretty neat! Rita and her cousin Shar picked me up and took me to White Castle. Of course, I loved the burgers! Once we got to Shar's parents', which is Rita's aunt and uncle's house I ate the White Castle sliders and we had some wine. I'm so grateful for Rita's family opening their home and making me feel welcome. I think Rita and her family are from Guyana, so this trip had an international flavor to it. At first, I was a little worried of unknowingly doing something that would offend them since I'm not familiar with their culture, but that feeling passed quickly. I basically just followed what everyone else was doing. I took off my shoes before going inside and I welcomed everyone's kiss on the cheek greeting. I'm not sure if they turned on the English captions on the TV for me or if they always have them on, but I was thankful for them regardless. We went to bed and little did I know that it was going to be the most sleep I would be getting in New York.
Rita's uncle dropped us at the train station at 9am so that we could get to the 9/11 Memorial by 10:30am.. The train is also the famous New York subway. To start the day it was Rita, her two sons Zachary and Aiden, Shar and me. The subway was not quite what I was expecting. There is nothing glamorous about it. People and germs everywhere, I could feel the germs on my skin and I was in pants and a jacket. I'm glad I got to ride the subway though. Once we went through security at the memorial we walked through some construction to get to the two waterfall reflection ponds.
After the memorial, we walked to Chinatown. That was like a whole other world. I think I would describe it as a big, street flea market. Cheap souvenirs, fake designer hand bags, you name it. I got two I <3 New York shirts for $5 each! Where else can a tourist buy a $5 souvenir shirt like that? The exact same shirts were selling for $12.95 in the airport. I forget the name of the food I tried, but it was tasty. Rita and Shar seemed to know what everything was while I probably looked like a lost tourist. When I got a smell of fish, I realized we just walked by a vendor with fish on ice right there in the open. I don't know how you buy fish in Chinatown and transport it back home without it going bad. Chinatown was rich with culture and I loved taking it all in. In between Chinatown and Little Italy we went into this place that sold hand bags, pizza, cookies and coffee. They had a little bit of everything.
Rita's uncle dropped us at the train station at 9am so that we could get to the 9/11 Memorial by 10:30am.. The train is also the famous New York subway. To start the day it was Rita, her two sons Zachary and Aiden, Shar and me. The subway was not quite what I was expecting. There is nothing glamorous about it. People and germs everywhere, I could feel the germs on my skin and I was in pants and a jacket. I'm glad I got to ride the subway though. Once we went through security at the memorial we walked through some construction to get to the two waterfall reflection ponds.
The ponds were big with about 30ft waterfalls surrounding them. The names of the nearly 3000 people who lost their lives that day were engraved around the ponds. I didn't personally know anyone that lost their life that horrid day in 2001. I was 13 years old, and not really certain what the world trade centers were. I remember my sister banging on the bathroom door to give me the news that left me confused on the pot. Of course, I was on the toilet when I learned of the tragedy that Tuesday morning. I choked back tears at the memorial. It was heavy to read all of those innocent names. I wondered who they were behind the name. Where they were going that morning. Did they know they are loved. Where would they be today. How thankful I am that Rita was with me because she lived in NYC on that tragic day. Her two sons hadn't been born yet when it happened. It's something they learned about in history class. . Overall, I'm glad I got to pay my respect.
After the memorial, we walked to Chinatown. That was like a whole other world. I think I would describe it as a big, street flea market. Cheap souvenirs, fake designer hand bags, you name it. I got two I <3 New York shirts for $5 each! Where else can a tourist buy a $5 souvenir shirt like that? The exact same shirts were selling for $12.95 in the airport. I forget the name of the food I tried, but it was tasty. Rita and Shar seemed to know what everything was while I probably looked like a lost tourist. When I got a smell of fish, I realized we just walked by a vendor with fish on ice right there in the open. I don't know how you buy fish in Chinatown and transport it back home without it going bad. Chinatown was rich with culture and I loved taking it all in. In between Chinatown and Little Italy we went into this place that sold hand bags, pizza, cookies and coffee. They had a little bit of everything.
Once we were finished walking around Chinatown, we took the subway to the American Museum of Natural History near Central Park. This stop was for the kids even though they didn't seem interested until we came across the dinosaur exhibit. I'll admit it was pretty awesome to see the museum where the movie "Night at the Museum" takes place. I could totally picture all of the animals coming alive at night! I was trying to save my cell phone battery, so I didn't turn on my phone in the museum until I came upon the view pictured below. No leaf on a single tree and still a breath taking view! I can only imagine how special Central Park looks in the summer when it doesn't look so dead. We ate dinner at this place called Shake Shack, which had awesome burgers.
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| I took this photo on the fourth floor of the museum overlooking Central Park West Historic District |
Since we spent a few hours in the museum by the time we were finished it was time to head to Times Square. We decided to take the bus to get there because I think we were all over traveling by subway. When we got to Times Square, we met up with two of Shar's friends. I can't remember their names and even if I could, I probably wouldn't know how to spell them. Zachary was begging to go to the M&M store, so that's where we went. the store was HUGE! I think it had four floors. Side note, the orange M&M is my favorite. We also went into Forever 21 and the Disney store. Both were equally as impressive as the M&M store. We got some photo ops in Times Square before the sun completely set and then Shar called her brother, Pooch (I think it's a nickname), to ask him to pick us up so that we wouldn't have to ride the subway for an hour back to the house. The seven of us (Rita, Aiden, Zachary, Shar, her two friends and I) waited outside of Bubba Gumps for Pooch. Little did I know that he was going to pick us up in his Camery with his girlfriend in the front seat. Yes, that means the seven of us piled into the back seat of the Camery. It was comical to say the least. That's how bad public transportation is in NYC. We'd rather ride with nine people in a Camery than have to take the subway.
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| I'm in Times Square! |
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| The birthday girl, Rita, and I. I love running with her. |
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| Iconic view of all the Taxis. |
By the time we got back to the house, we had been out in the city for 12 hours. Most of which was spent on our feet. I didn't waste much time getting ready for bed. In fact, a three year old, Luna, asked me why I was going to bed already around 11:30pm, which made me laugh. New York never sleeps, not even the kids.
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