9.2 Miles in 48 hours

Well folks I lived through the weekend. Literally went from couch to 5k and then bed to 10k, whoa. 

I only had 2 goals for each race, to not be last, and to finish better than my previous times. I'm proud to say I reached both goals in both races!!

A HUGE HUGE thank you to everyone for the tweets, the facebook likes and all the encouragement. Special thanks to the fam for coming both races to cheer me on :D

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Friday night 7:30 pm - 5k

time to beat was 0:50:33.8 finished the race 0:45:10 and 4544/5999

I think this race was my favorite of the two (obviously because this one is shorter) but there was a more party feeling atmosphere about this race, the Saturday races seemed more serious and hardcore with all the fancy pants marathon runners. But there is nothing like running down the middle of Green street with what seemed like the entire U of I student population lining the streets cheering and high-fiving. You can't not run with that many people around you cheering.

Favorite part of this race was the Naval ROTC boys in uniform ringing a bell about mile 1.5. My favorite sign from this race as you neared the finish was "You can't quit now, you aren't the pope!" Running in the stadium at night with all the lights on coming out of the tunnel was a pretty cool experience too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saturday morning 7:40 am - 10k

time to beat 1:49:47 race time 1:42:09 and 2167/2350

This race was a little tougher I won't lie. About mile 3 my feet were killing me, those fancy pants official orthopedic shoe inserts were not friendly to my feet and I now have blisters the size of Texas, but I kept telling myself I had to keep going, I had to finish. 

This race was more through residential neighborhoods and it was so awesome to see how much the community comes together for this event. People were lined up sporadically along the route sitting outside in their lawn chairs cheering everyone one. Free high-fives, people sitting in their pajama's watching you run by, there was even a Free Candy station that someone had set up with gummybears along the way.

There were so many awesome signs along the route that I saw. "Whine now, wine later", "Blisters are Braille for awesome" one sign was cheering for their friend and it said "Go Erin, and Go Complete Strangers!" 

I also might have got lapped by the lead marathon runners, but holy shizz those guys were booking it. The guy who finished first was running a 5 minute mile. Yikes!

The thing I found most amazing was runners really do come in all shapes and sizes and all ages. You really are just running against yourself though. If you look around at everyone out there they were all running for different reasons and all had different goals.

One older lady was doing the race because she had been told she would never walk again, she was using a walker for the race but wanted to prove to herself she could do it. There were just so many touching stories out there.

I still have no idea what October Heather was thinking, but one thing I can say for sure is, she got her race bling. 3 medals and 2 t-shirts. I sure hope she is happy now.

As my dad put it, April Heather saved October Heather's ass. True story. I have the race foundation laid for sure, now there is nothing to do but improve, I'll have to really legit start working on this whole running thing though. The 2014 dates are already set, time to get running..... well after these blisters heal and as soon as I stop walking like an old lady ;) 

Dear October Heather,

Hi, it's me April Heather. First I would like to commend you on your enthusiasm and ambition, I realize October was 192 days ago. The seasons were changing, the pretty leaves and crisp breeze must have swept you away to another world, a world full of optimism and confidence, and apparently a foresight that I don't have.

I'm sure you had noticed the days getting shorter, but maybe you forgot to think about the fact that they get even shorter and the whole daylight savings time thing always screws everything up. And as the people on Game of Thrones say a lot.... 'winters coming' but maybe you were distracted by the pretty leaves.

But for reals October Heather, what the f*@# were you thinking when you signed up for TWO races that are now 2 days away. Clearly you didn't think about the cold winter months that would have to be spent doing something other than sitting on your bottom. Kudos to you for having a little faith, but did you forget our procrastinating tendencies? I guess you got caught up in the hype, the free tshirts and finisher medals. It sounded like a good idea at the time, but in hindsight a 5K would have probably sufficed and got your point across, no need to add the mini I-challenge to the mix (you just wanted a 3rd medal didn't you?!) which added a 10K. 3.2 sounded too easy huh.... sure add another 6. 

Signed, 
HOLY S***.
   - April Heather

I don't want to die. But let's think about this for a second, several times before I have signed up for races with little no prior workouts, these do include a 5k and a 10k, and that 10k course is brutal, it's pretty much a vertical climb up Mt Everest. But I didn't die during those events, and I won't die this weekend. I don't think this is what they had in mind when they say couch to 5k, I thought long and hard about actually not doing it. I've been wanting to get my "running" career off and going here for awhile, better late than never? If you aren't first your last? Slow and steady wins the race? I have scoured the FAQ's on the marathons website and they allow walkers in all races except the full marathon!! Whew... at least I can walk if I have to without getting evil looks. My two goals are to not be last, and to do better than my last times.

Here are the last times I have for races I've done, brace yourself (caution these are nowhere near world record times)

5k:  50:33.8
10K: 1:49:47

omg, I am hyperventilating already.

Working for the Man

I read an article on CNN the other day...

"The average 25-year-old has already worked 6.3 jobs between the ages of 18 and 25, according to a recent study by the Labor Department."  - from the article found here

Say what?!

If you click the picture of the poor sap who is smiling like an idiot, and click through the other sob stories of the millennial's who have worked several jobs. You know what? Shut up!! Until the age of 26 you can be under your parent's medical insurance so you don't need a full time job, and quit your whining you got to experience a whole bunch of semi-fun jobs. Some of the interviewed millennial's [a millennial is also know as generation Y, Google it] go on to brag about their success in starting new businesses for themselves. 

I don't see what is wrong with this. You worked a whole bunch of jobs yes some crap but you got to experiment with what you liked and what you didn't like. The article talks about all this job-hopping going on. I know part-time jobs are jobs, but do we really consider them jobs? I mean if a person has like 8 full time career worthy jobs, that is one thing, but if you have 6 different part time jobs does that really count? 

Anywho... 

This got me thinking about how many jobs I have had. The only real, aka full-time-with-benefits-job, I've ever had is my current job at the insurance company. I've been there 6 long years in May, but maybe you'd be interested in my other jobs... you know before I started working for the man.

Job #1- The Greenhouse and Nursery in my small town. This was my very first job at the ripe old age of 15, I even had to get a work permit from the school so I could work before I was 16. My main job here was watering the plants, planting. I went on a few landscape jobs with the guys and laid sod, got your Christmas tree all cut and in a stand during the holidays, put together grave blankets and wreaths. My very least favorite job was bringing the mums up from the back on the giant skyscraper carts. SUCKED! Pros of this job, I got to work with my friends, I was outside all summer and though it sucked at the time (or so I thought) there are some days I wouldn't mind going back to those summers in the sun. Time at this job 2 years.

Job #2- The Drycleaner, in TWO towns.. At this job I basically checked in all your dryclean only clothes, sorted the laundry to be sent over to the 2nd location in the next small town over, which housed all the laundry equipment. I'd work here after school and weekends. Then when A.Drama started working there too she took over the main small town location and I would work in the next town over location after I was done at school (college school) I like this job because basically all I ever did was check stuff in. I would press the pants, the pleats suck. I'd put together orders and run the cash register. When I was in the next town over I got to press the laundered startched dress shirts, I will be honest, I loved this part of the job. We had like 3 different machines that basically did everything for you, but I loved putting the shirts on the machines, fun stuff. Then I got downsized. Time at this job 2 years

- after a very very short 1-2 month break, this has been my only unemployed time since I was 15 years old

Job #3 I worked at Michael's in the big city for one day. Hated it and I still lived at home to boot and driving 35 mins after working to 10-11pm just wasn't cutting it when I had to get up and be at school again in the morning. Time at this job 5 hours.

Job #4- an open MRI facility. LOVED LOVED LOVED this job!! I miss it everyday. Literally every single day. An open MRI is great for people who are claustrophobic (since it's open on the sides) and also for larger patients who might not otherwise fit into the smaller tube style MRI's at the hospitals. This job was perfect, I'd come to work after my classes, I was living in the big city at this point which made things easier. There were 5 people total in the office, I was the late night receptionist checking people in since we were open until 7 for your convenience. My boss was the most amazing person ever and my co-workers were the bomb-diggity. I worked next door to China King and The Great Harvest Bread company, can we say ideal? We played jokes on each other and everyone loved each other (I still keep in contact with everyone) Did I mention that my boss was the most amazing person ever?! When we didn't have patients there may have been Uno tournaments. Then I got downsized, I stopped working on a Friday and started the next job on Monday. I would have worked there forever :( Time at this job 2 years

The whole crew plus the gals and doc from the dermatologists office 2 doors down

We got a singing telegram for my boss, that's how awesome she is.

Job #5- The Insurance company, nuff said. Time at this job 6 years and counting 

Job #5.5- Bath and Body Works. My first and only retail job. I worked here for the holiday season, got some sweet discounts. It honestly wasn't that bad, but going to school full-time in the evenings, working full-time at the insurance company it was just too much at the time. 

Well I'm below the average it appears, and really I think the current full time job with benefits and a retirement plan is the only one that really really counts. How do you stack up on jobs so far?

Happy Siblings Day

Happy National Siblings Day! 

I am lucky enough to have two wonderful, sometimes a pain in my arse, siblings. You know them as NiBo and A.Drama. NiBo will be turning 21 in November and A.Drama will be 25 in October. Over the years we have been on many a sibling adventure or two. Sometimes I love them, sometimes I could do without their attitudes, but overall I love em both ;) 

Happy Siblings Day to my favorite brother and sister! 

NiBo it appears we hang but do not take pictures together, sorry you are under-represented in the sibling photo montage. A.Drama we take lots of pics together and I could have put lots more, didn't want NiBo to feel left out.

Keep being awesome guys! 

Love,

 Your Big Sister :) 

No Lifeguard On Duty

                                                                               google image

A wise person said today... 

"When the boat tips over, it's every man for themselves... sad part is the boat tipped over a long time ago and we are all treading water, holding on to anything or anyone we can, to keep from drowning!" - The Page Turner

Our little ship is sinking. People dread going into work because it's lame, and then I feel bad for disliking my job right now because so many people don't have one to dislike, but morale is low, today it was hot and humid inside which made sitting at desk that much more unbearable. AND to make matters worse one of my floaties, The Page Turner, has decided that greener pastures are calling her name, and is opening a candy store in her town, now I'll be left on my own swimming in a circle. I won't lie, I don't want PT to leave, I won't know what to do without her, it will be difficult.

Maybe my job just isn't challenging anymore, literally trained monkeys could do this work. I'm not so sure some of the people working there wouldn't be better off traded with monkeys, a monkey might even smell better than some. I've lost the gung-ho attitude that I had when I first started, or maybe I was just so green I didn't know better. I'm sure my small town naivete hasn't helped, but it never ceases to amaze me the lack of work ethic that people have and the fact that they will stop at nothing to throw people under the bus. The knowledgeable get nit picked to the point of giving up and the clueless get rewarded for being able to speed through things without double checking their work. It's a broken system that leads to broken people. If I didn't have the bills to pay, I'd quit tomorrow and go back to school in something fun and study abroad, or join the Peace Corps, at least I'd feel like my life was making a difference. End Rant.

                                                             google image

... and it's only Monday. 

Bicycles

I'll admit it was a rather lazy weekend, per the usual, with very little accomplished. It was beautiful weather and it was lovely to get to have the windows open and let the fresh air in.

About 5:00 this evening A.Drama and I decided we needed bicycles. I've been wanting to get one for awhile just haven't got around to it. The bikes we had were from like middle school and we'd kind of outgrown them. So we traveled to Wal-mart and picked us up some cruiser style bikes. We got home just in time to get the tires filled up, seats adjusted and the handlebars just how we wanted them. We made a quick run to the 212 to show off the new bikes to mom and dad and make it back to my place to watch the ACM's.

Hope everyone had a chance to get outdoors and enjoy it. Looks like rain is coming for the better part of next week. April showers and all.... here's hoping Spring gets the showers out of it's system and we can enjoy some more days like today... and maybe just a smidge warmer.

A New Blog to Creep

After weeks and weeks of peer pressure, my sister has finally given in and started/updated her blog. She promises to update at least with some cake pictures every once in awhile.

A.Drama has spent the last couple months working in the bakery at our grocery store in town. She keeps getting better and better by the day at decorating cakes and cupcakes. She may use Pinterest to get the creative juices flowing sometimes, but hey, that's what it's there for.

If you'd like to check out what's going on with her and maybe even get a few decorating tips, hop on over to her hopefully updated regularly blog, the Sprinkle Box.