My Training Week

 I am sad to say that my favorite spin instructor is leaving in 3 weeks.  I've been taking spin for almost 3 months now and I cannot imagine my Monday nights without her.  *sigh*

I am going to try a new class tomorrow at the location closer to home with Julie.  

Tuesday: Rest day

Pool running has become one of my favorite things.  It's not real easy (although most people think it is) and when done properly, it can improve fitness.  I've still been able to PR while pool running (I still road run 2-3 times a week).  I've been doing this since I found out I have 4 heel spurs and it has helped me still be active and not lose any fitness.  

Thursday Pool run again.  My partner was not happy with the early morning shot (granted it IS 0530), so I put some cool glasses on us to make us look cool.  (Maybe she will be happy to know I did not post her early morning face!)

I was off Friday so I did a solo run outside!  I'm loving this fall weather!  I ran a fast 4 miler with my last mile being an 8:28!  Since I did not get home from a concert until 2am that morning, I think that my 4 miler was pretty awesome!

Saturday was an 8 miler with my running buddy.  I did not post a pic of us.  She is still shocked with the pool pic I made her do.  Maybe after she sees that I did "pimp" our pic from Thursday she won't be so reluctant.  I like her as a person and a running partner, so I'm gonna make sure I keep her happy.  

I know, I know...car selfies are stupid.  But again, I'm trying not to freak out my partner so I thought this was much nicer.  Hopefully this week she will see how nice I really am.  Hahaha

Total run miles this week:  30.2

The two runs outside were pretty good.  

Friday's four miler was a 8:59 pace 

Saturday's eight was a 9:36 pace

Pool runs are typically a 10 minute pace based on our research (and my running partner's coach).

My spin class always says I average around 20-22 miles for the hour, I'm not sure how accurate that is, but I'll go with it.  I don't document spin class mileage like I do running miles.  

How was your training week?

So...I tried to quit...

So I tried to quit this blogging thing.  And I did.  For over 3 months.  My running partner asked me the other day if I still blogged and I told her no, although I kinda missed it.  I honestly didn't have much to say, I'm quite boring, and I've been kinda busy with this whole "working 40 hours a week" thing (I know, you feel sorry for me, okay, not really)

So what's been up with me?

A whole lotta nothin'

I'll give you the short and sweet...

Yup.  Nothing much.

Lots of running, a few races, work, and a new love of spin class <---  Well kinda..the first 20 minutes I'm cursing my instructor.

There are a few significant things that have happened though:

I found out I have two heel spurs on each heel...grand total of four.  Yeah, they suck.  All this time I thought it was plantar fasciitis, it was bone spurs.  Ouch.  I've been x-rayed and medicated, now I'm all better.  I'm still sore after long runs, but after some Mobic and a nap, I'm all good.  (One of the MANY perks of working in sports orthopaedics!)

These are my beautiful feet!  X-rays are so cool!

Because of the above I've been doing some pool running about three times a week.  Which has been actually quite nice.  My running buddy is having some issues with her feet so we've been doing some pool running and my feet have gotten better, wish I could say the same for her.

I've ran two races, my annual Women's 4 Miler for breast cancer, I have another PR for that (33:34).  I also just completed the race where I broke my finger last year...and I didn't break anything.  YAY!  I ran the trail half marathon in 2:05:xx.  Not to shabby for a trail if I do say so myself, but honestly I was just glad to finish.  Our team was only 5 minutes from placing!  That's pretty awesome too!

So that's all I've done training wise for the past three months.

Told you I was boring!

Now I need to catch up on y'all!

A Childhood Dream...

After I graduated nursing school last month the hubby asked me what I was going to get myself.

I thought, "A gift of my choosing...hmmmm"

I asked him what he was going to get himself when he graduates next year.  His answer was simple.

"I'm going to buy a nice guitar and learn how to play again"

That really got me thinking.

When I was a child I always wanted to take piano lessons.

I never took lessons though.  For one, we didn't have a piano and two, I'm not really sure my parents thought I was serious about learning.

When our son came to us a few years back and said, "I'd like to play the violin" I never thought he was serious either.  So I let him try it for a year, we rented the violin since we did not want to invest in something he may not like in a year.  Well he likes it.  He still plays (his very own violin now) and he wants to play more instruments.

So when the hubby asked me what I was going to get myself I said, "I want learn how to play the piano"

After my first day of work I came home to a brand new keyboard the hubby picked up that day.

I had my first lesson on Wednesday.

I can play two songs already.

I love to sit and play them over and over.

I'm pretty sure if I don't learn how to play another song the boys may make me wear headphones while I practice.

I'm also pretty sure I smile the entire time.

So every week I will go to lessons until I can play independently.

Never in a million years did I think I'd be able to sit down and play the piano.  But I can.

So it's true, you can teach an old dog new tricks.

I wonder how many more tricks I have up my sleeve.

I think I'm gonna name her Ruth after my grandmother.

A Tuesday Freebie!

Today I got something for free that I've wanted for a while.

While searching the storage area at the hospital for our new office space, I came across this...

A bosu ball!!!!!!

I politely asked the guy what it was doing here.  He didn't have a clue.  Then he turned to me and said, "if you want it, take it, it's been here for months and I don't even know what it is"

I turned to him and said, "It is mine!  That's what it is!!!"

Score!

I've been wanting one for our home gym and was too cheap to buy one!!  Those things are expensive!!

So it is residing in my house now.  I feel like I've struck gold!!

Now I need to read up on some exercises!!

4TW5K Race Report!

Yesterday was the race I've been training for like a mad woman!  4 The Wounded 5K is a race I've done for the past four years and I was going to make this year the best time ever!  (and beat the hubby's course record)

This race is one of the TOUGHEST races I do every year.

First of all it's in June, which is very iffy here in Virginia.  It could range from 60-100 degrees easily.

It has two different courses, one trail, one road.  I've always chosen the trail.

It has a very long hill after a very long downhill (you run down first really fast, then turn around and run back up it!!)

Trails freak me out a bit and we had a few rainy days last week and all I kept thinking about was that the trail was going to be muddy and slick (like my last trail race which ended horribly and resulted in a broken bone)

But it's for a good cause.  100% of the proceeds go to the Wounded Warrior Project, which I've said in the past is a cause near and dear to me.  This year just the participants raised $117,000.  Final numbers will be announced later this week.

So yesterday I woke up and it was a beautiful sunny day around 65 degrees!  Woo Hoo!

I was feeling excited to beat my old PR (27:24) and to beat the hubby's course record (27:01).

Let me tell you...beating a 27:01 on a trail is no joke.  I've been trying to beat him for 2 years!

I brought in an expert for this race (my friend/coach) and she wrote me a training plan to beat him.  Of course her comment was, "You will run fast, but you are crazy and you do crazy races, so hopefully you will beat the hubby"

So I did what she said.  Most days I liked her, on speed work days (Tuesdays) I hated her, like cursed her most of the way...in my head because I had no air left in my lungs to actually say the words.

But then yesterday something happened.

I ran fast.

Really fast.  (For a trail race)

I ran down the hill super fast...like a 7:43 pace.  This is the ONLY consistent mile on road.

Then I turned around and ran up hill only to be met with the trail at the top of the hill.  Ugh.

Every year I run this race I think to myself, "Why in the hell do I subject myself to this pain?'

Then I think to myself of all the soldiers that don't have legs or arms.  Soldiers that have PTSD.  I've never been to war but I'm so thankful for those that do.

Then all the pain goes away.

So I ran.  And I ran hard.  I ran as fast as my legs would let me.  I breathed as deep as my lungs would allow.  And I ran.  I owned that course.  I made it my bitch.

And I won (so I didn't actually win any awards, but I won bragging rights)

I ran a 26:46...ON A TRAIL!!!  I was in beast mode.  An 8:39 pace...on a trail.

My fear of trails have somewhat subsided...for now.

So it's official.

I finally beat the hubby's course PR.

Finally.

Me and the hubby.  Matching shirts...yes.

Steph and I, no matching shirts.

Change is on the horizon

There have been many changes that have occurred in the month of May for me.  One being of course changing jobs.  I'm super stoked about my new job!  So stoked I'm gonna bore you with the story!  Haha!!

Several months ago I approached my boss at the OB/GYN clinic about a full time position.  I knew as soon as I graduated that I wanted to work full time.  I haven't worked full time in years (I know I'm a totally spoiled brat).  After discussion with the hubby about where to work and how to save for retirement, I knew I needed a full time job so I don't have to work until I'm 80.  I want to enjoy my adult years, grandchildren (hopefully) and travel.  The hubby and I are in agreement that we want to enjoy our lives before we cannot take care of ourselves.

After I approached my boss she told me that she really didn't have a full time position.  I was very up front with her and told her I have to find something.  So my journey began with lots of searching with the very limited time I had.  After being turned down by both hospitals "new grad program", I was feeling very discouraged.  I was on one of the hospitals websites and saw a posting for a nurse in the orthopedic clinic.

On a whim I applied.

Within two days I received an email from the hiring manager wanting to interview me.  I emailed her back immediately to be sure she was fully aware I was in nursing school and could not work until June.  Her response?  "I still want to meet you"

I interviewed for the job April 1st (April Fool's!!).

I was there for almost two hours.  I met all the staff and doctors.  I also met the doctor that I would work with if I was hired.  She's a beautiful blonde doctor from Texas.  We clicked immediately.  Then she asked if I had any experience in sports ortho.  I asked if she meant professional or personal.  She said either, so I told her about my experience with my hand injury.  After my story she raised her right hand...and made a fist.  She broke the exact same finger...on the exact same hand.  How ironic.  I was like "NO WAY!!!"

I left that day feeling like they may offer me the job.  Two weeks later I received an email with the official offer.  Since it's with the hospital it takes a while to go through the chain of command.

I'm super excited about this new chapter in my life as an RN (NCLEX pending) at the sports orthopedic clinic.  I've always been interested in sports medicine (obviously).  Not only will I be in the clinic, I will also be her OR (operating room) nurse meaning I'll assist with all her surgeries.  I'm getting the best of both worlds, clinic hours, no holidays, no weekends, AND OR time!!!

I often say "everything happens for a reason".  In this case I feel like I was meant to apply and get this job.  I was turned down for the hospital floor jobs because this one was the one meant for me.  Although I did shed some tears when I didn't even get an interview for the PICU or NICU, I know now why I didn't get those jobs.

I just hope it's as awesome as it is in my head right now.


Do you believe in fate?  

I sure do!

Yes, I'm still alive...

So the last time I posted was April 13...wow, so much has happened.

Even fellow blogger Heather checked up on me!  <-----  How sweet is that????

I needed to take a break from all things that were considered "fun".  Blogging was one of them.  I was so deep into school that I really didn't have ANY time to take off and read anyones blog.  That made me kinda sad that I didn't have time to sit down and read anything that wasn't related to nursing.  But guess what?????  I'M DONE!!!  I GRADUATED!!!

But so much has happened in the past month that I need to do a quick update with full details to follow!!

Here are a few things that have happened...

I went to a baseball game with my family on Easter!  We saw the Cardinals (our fav!!) play the Nats in D.C.  The Cards lost but we still had a blast!  The last time I went to a baseball game I was preggo with the boy!  <----  Long time ago!!!!

I had a job interview last month, and they loved me (I mean, what's NOT to love???) and offered me a full time position!!!  It's gong to be a great opportunity for me.  It's in sports orthopedic clinic!!!  This is one of the fields I've always been interested in and starting next week I get to start!!  It's days only, Monday-Friday, and I get some operating room time with my doctor!!  What?!?!  I'm so stoked!!!

Oh and I graduated nursing school!!!  What?!?!  Yup!  I did it!  Soon I'll be taking the NCLEX exam to officially get my Registered Nursing license!!!  Can't wait!

The hubby and I just got back from a week long vacation with my bestie and her hubby in Punta Cana!  We had a blast!!

While we were there I celebrated my 35th birthday!!  Nothing like spending my birthday in a foreign country drinking Mai Tai's on the beach!!!

I'm still training for my 5K that is actually next Saturday, so there was no shortage of running while I was on a  "break"!

So that's all for now, I'm sure there is more, but now I must read all the things that have happened to y'all!!!

Did y'all miss me???