8 Miles (and PS it's too cold)

HIMYM is my latest obsession and watching hours upon hours of it on Netflix is completely acceptable because I'm on vacation until Wednesday, so no judgment you.

Anyways, today I watched the episode of HIMYM where Barney runs a marathon and I was absolutely dying.

So after a whole lot of laundry and a whole lot more HIMYM, I set out for my run this afternoon. The plan was an eight mile run testing out all my cool running swag that I got for Christmas that I hadn't used yet. Runs are so much more exciting when you've got cool toys to play with. Also, I am awesome and managed to score a clearance workout jacket from Target for TWELVE DOLLARS. 

I also finally got the chance to try out my new FuelBelt R20 Revenge Hydration Belt! Although I am completely aware that it makes me look like even more of an old lady while I run, I don't even care. I am head over heels in love with that thing. I hate having to carry a water bottle while I run, but I require water just about every mile, so this was perfect. About three steps into my run I realized it needed some major adjusting, because I had it resting way too low. But after I brought it way up on my waist Steve Urkel style, it didn't budge a bit. It was super comfortable and not at all too bulky. 

I decided that as my mileage is increasing, it was finally time to experiment with some energy supplements. I went to Academy earlier this week and stocked up on a few that I'd ready some reviews on:

Even though the chomps and the Cytomax drops are super appealing because HELLO it is basically candy, I just couldn't imagine trying to run and chew at the same time, whereas slurping down a gel seems a little easier. So for today's run, I decided to try out the strawberry-banana GU Gel around mile four. I've never used any energy supplements at all, so I really had no idea what to expect. And if I'm being honest, it wasn't my favorite. The flavor was fine, but I wasn't a huge fan of the consistency. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I tore it open, and basically just sipped on it from mile 4-5. For me, I couldn't imagine gobbling the whole thing down, the consistency was way too thick for that. And almost every sip, I followed with water. It wasn't terrible, it was just different. 

As far as performance, I definitely noticed a burst of energy from mile 6-7 that I'd never experienced before, which was just what I needed to finish strong. I know that GU is one of the most popular gels out there, which is why I grabbed two different flavors, and I'll probably be trying that one out later this week. You really can't beat the ease of a gel, so we'll see if I slowly learn to love it or if I'll be a bigger fan of the chews. I'll let you know. Because I know you will all be on the edge of your seats with anticipation. 

So today's run was 8 miles in 1:16, so an average 9:30 pace. I felt like I was able to pace myself well today which kept it pretty steady. 

And also, it's TOO COLD. It was about 42 degrees and slightly sunny when I set out this afternoon, and while I was pretty comfortable during the run, the minute I stopped after eight miles, it felt like the wind picked up and I was FREEZING. I usually plan my run routes to where I'll run my designated distance and then have a mile cool-down walk home afterwards. But as stopping to walk was resulting in blue lips and frostbite I was forced to walk/run back to my apartment so I wouldn't freeze to death. And it was close. I just barely made it home alive. I decided to celebrate with the world's hottest shower and some recovery hot chocolate. 

My favorite thing in the entire world is to put M&M's in my hot chocolate so that they get all melty and delicious and it's like extreme hot chocolate. Somehow I managed to misplace a gigantic bag of M&M's and so I had to settle for boring plain hot chocolate. Ew, I know, I hate settling.

Can you believe it's almost 2013? It seems like as time goes on, the more excited I am by the prospect of a new year. Even though it means I'm getting older (UGH), it reminds me of how much can change in a year, and how much good can happen in a year. Just think about how much has happened the past year of your life. It's crazy right? There's something so perfect about the way life works in cycles, and I couldn't be more excited to start again with a clean slate of a brand new year. Who knows what 2013 will bring? No one. And that's the scary/awesome part about it. 

Even though I'm a bit early, I want to wish everyone a safe and happy new year! 

Don't forget to count your blessings as we wrap up 2012!

LOVE&HUGS,

Natalie

Eating in bed

I am having a problem with eating in bed. Really I'm not opposed to eating in bed. Actually, I firmly believe that eating is most thoroughly enjoyed from a reclined position. I do it all the time. The problem is more of what I'm eating...and the hour at which I'm eating. Typically past 10pm and chocolate, always chocolate. Lately...these...

You see what happened was that my sweet coworker gave me some of these amazing dark chocolate dipped pretzel crisps for Christmas. Well she's a GENIUS and they were a huge hit and it took me all of thirty seconds to devour that bag, and then I was sad. So I went to Target and saw them and bought three more bags. These suckers are 3 bucks a piece, so you know I was obviously VERY serious to invest 9 dollars in my sweet tooth when it can be easily satisfied for far less. So I went through those bags in about a minute and a half (keeping up my impressive pace of 30 seconds) and I was sad again. I went to Target yesterday and was browsing by the clearance Christmas aisle when I saw-

DARK CHOCOLATE DIPPED PRETZEL CRISPS WERE 40% OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So after I hyperventilated, I bought six bags. I felt like six was reasonable, because that was all they had and I realized I probably couldn't fit more than that in my nightstand. Yes, the good chocolate goes in the nightstand, because when you need it, you usually don't want to go all the way downstairs to get it. Which is what has led to the constant and problematic eating in bed. 

Moral of the story is I can't stop. I mean, I'm serious. I can't stop. 

So my thinking is the only way to get a handle on my problem is to just take one for the team and eat them all tonight so that they are gone and I am no longer tempted. Thoughts?

On a healthier note, I finally tried out the shoes today! 

I ran a quick little four miles, and did a short hill workout on the elliptical. They were so light and beautiful and perfect that I fell in love and decided to keep them on all day including to my delicious dinner at Blue Sushi & Sake.

I really love sushi. I don't I could ever get tired of it. Which coincidentally happens to be the exact same way I feel about my chocolate dipped pretzels...and hamburgers. 

Oh well.

LOVE&HUGS,

Natalie

Feliz Navidad

The reason why it's Feliz Navidad and not Merry Christmas is because the only thing I have consumed over the past 3 days has been mexican food, and this very moment (dripping guacamole onto the keyboard) is no exception. 

I had an incredible Christmas. On Friday, just minutes before my work Christmas party, I came down with the most violent and disgusting stomach bug to ever grace mankind. The non-stop vomiting in places that you could never even imagine really put a damper on the fajita/margarita gorging that I was planning on. I was sure that December 21st really would be the end of the world, or at least the end of me. But thank the dear sweet Lord it only lasted the typical 24 hours, because I had some major Christmas-ing to attend to. 

One reason why Christmas is awesome is that it gives you an excuse to sit around all cozy and eat ungodly amounts of food, all while surrounded by your favorite people in the entire world.  

My Christmas Eve might be just as important/awesome as my Christmas day. My Christmas Eve always starts out with a semi-early morning Best Friends Christmas Eve Cracker Barrel Breakfast & Gift Exchange. You would be shocked to find out that this event consists of  breakfast at Cracker Barrel where we exchange Christmas prezzies. Yes, we do title all of our best friend traditions. They are all long and self explanatory titles so you better just get used to it. 

Oh and the reason she looks cuter than me is because she is. In my next life I will do a better job of picking out uglier friends. 

For the first time ever, it worked out that I really had nothing else that I had to do until that night, so I decided to follow my bestie home and hang out the whole day long, really secretly hoping that her good looks and talent would rub off on me. It did not. But turns out I am a faster wiener chopper upper. Yes you read that right. I know. You're impressed. 

This is just a funny picture. 

Ever since I've been alive my Christmas Eves have been spent with my family at my Mimi's house. We meet up for tamales, watch a Christmas Story and do Mimi gift exchange. It's probably my favorite Christmas tradition and as far as I'm concerned I will be 85 years old and still going over to Mimi's for Christmas Eve. 

This is Mimi discovering the Iphone flip around camera while the phone was sitting on the table. 

 Mimi's entire goal in life is to fill her tiny apartment with so many people and presents that you can't move at all. Every year she gets closer and closer to achieving that goal. Her trick is to invite more people each year and shower them with lots of prezzies. Taylor and Alli have officially surpassed me (the ONLY granddaughter) in number of gifts. Not that I'm counting. (But really. I counted.)

There's something about spending Christmas morning in the same house I grew up in. It's just really beautiful for me to think that even though it's been almost 23 years, I can still remember waking my brother up at 6am and the two of us creeping into the living room with the glow of the Christmas tree off of the shiny wrapping paper and everything feeling so...magical. Fast forward all this time, and now it's a struggle to get everyone awake by 10, and even though a lot of that magic has faded, I still live for Christmas morning sitting in the living room drinking hot chocolate and laughing at my brother's shotty last minute wrap-jobs, and just enjoying being together. I absolutely live for it. So I guess that's the new magical. Okay, I'm probably done being sappy  now. Please enjoy the following Christmas day festivity pictures.

Dallas/Fort Worth Texas actually saw a White Christmas this year. While we woke up to a rainy Christmas morning, the snow started coming down hard around lunch time and continued for a few hours and gave us quite a few inches of gorgeous fluffy snow! Luckily I headed out to Taylor's family's for lunch and the afternoon and got to enjoy the wintry gorgeousness with some more of my favorite people.

It's been really hard for me to sit here and type when all I really wanted to do was show you pictures of all my new running swag! So I probably better just get that out of my system now. 

Anyone see a color theme? PINK. And lots of it.

OKAY, let me just tell you. I scored: my PERFECT and long awaited shoes (Mizuno Wave Prrecision 12's) a fuel belt, a new dri-fit running top, pink nike drawstring bag, experia running socks, and Yurbuds!! (the only thing without any pink. Bummer.) Can you believe that??? I know. Me neither. I have my shoes and outfit all set out for my run tomorrow. Because I've got some doctors appointments in the morning and lots of afternoon plans, I'm having to make tomorrow's run a 'mill run, but hopefully Friday I'll be able to hit the trail and try out the fuel belt and everything else all together. 

Oh and here is another reason why you should envy me. My brand-new multi colored braided Under Armour braided headband!!! This was one of the fabulous gifts that the bestie gave me and I'm already obsessed with it. It stays put no matter what. Plus it's adorable. 

I'm sure this has been a lot of really fabulous information about my life that you are still trying to process. But I have one more tidbit of good news. I will no longer have ANY excuse for being a blog-slacker, because I am blogging from...

A BRAND NEW LAPTOP!!

Again, SO EXCITED. I no longer have to wait 30 minutes for my brick to power up, and then shut-down again mid-post or download. So get ready y'all. 

If you can't tell, this has been one of the best holiday seasons thus far in my life. And the best part is that it's only half way over! I'm so happy to be able to relax a little over the next few days and ready to ring in the new year with the ones I love.

Who else had a white Christmas?

What was your absolute favorite gift this year?

LOVE&HUGS,

Nat

Staying healthy during the holidays

I just wanted to talk a little about trying to stay healthy during a season filled with holiday parties and delicious packages on your doorstep.

First off, I try to incorporate something green into every meal.

And that's all I've got. 

If you think eating healthy during the holidays is possible then you are insane and you really aren't enjoying yourself very much are you? Admit it. Because the following is exactly what I have consumed over the past 48 hours. Plus about a dozen other delicious things that I ate too quickly to take a picture of. 

YOLO y'all. 

LOVE&HUGS,

Nat

Obsessed

I am completely aware that I have been a terrible blogger. There could not be a busier time of year than the holidays and it's wearing me thin. Only three more work days until a full ELEVEN DAYS of absolutely nothing. Did you hear me????! ELEVEN DAYS. I'm am foaming at the mouth thinking about it. (That's a good thing.) I've been thinking about this vacation since July and IT'S ALMOST HERE Y'ALL!

Itty bitty weekend recap...

Even though Christmastime means going a million miles a minute for the first 25 days of December, there is a ton of good that comes along with it. Presents, parties, and food mainly. This past Friday my favorite (and only) roomie and I had a girl's Christmas party. Think fabulous food, wine, sparkly dresses, dancing, and a whole hell of a lotta talking.

Although all this Christmas food and partying has probably packed on an extra five pounds, I did manage to run a gorgeous seven miles this weekend in our 70 degree December Saturday. Gotta love Texas. And I do. 

After my Saturday morning run, I met up with some of the friends that were still in town for some long overdue and UNFREAKINBELIEVABLE sushi  and shopping.

The only bad thing about the late morning weekend run is that you
 look like this while everyone else looks so gorgeous! Oh wells. 

Saturday night I hit up another party. Taylor's best friend Andy had a birthday this weekend so we all got together for birthday/christmas party to celebrate. (Even though I have no good pictures to prove it.) I love how the stars align this time of year and everyone manages to be in the same place at the same time and I get to see all my favorite people. Can it be Christmas always? Please.

Sunday I hit up the weekend's final Christmas party. I met up with my Dad's side of the family to do a mini Christmas get together where I ate a lot and ooh-ed and ahh-ed over THIS

OBSESSEDDDD!!!!

My beautiful Christmas present from my dad. I am 100% confident that you can never go wrong with James Avery but I've been eyeing this thing since October and now that it's on my finger I find myself staring at my hands more than normal. But I mean, SO PRETTY. 

Also I want you all to know how fabulous my brother is and how I am equally as obsessed with him as I am with my new bling. 

Seriously, that's a good looking kid right there!

Since I'm on a role with obsessions, I must also tell you how OBSESSED I am with his gorgeous senior pictures done by my fab bestie over at Allison Jean Photo. I'm rotating the pictures as my background all day long on my work computer and he is just so adorbs. That's right Benjamin, I called you adorbs. I get to call him that because not five minutes ago he was a four year old in a chili bowl wearing my dresses. 

I wasn't kidding. I'm almost creepy.

I'm trying my hardest to keep up with running, blogging, working, oh and living life. But you know, it's hard. Now I'm going to watch one of my all time favorite Christmas movies.

What's your favorite Christmas movie?

LOVE & HUGS,

Nat

A whole lot of CRAZY

Running is for the insane. I'm serious. It brings out the loco in me. When I am stuck on the treadmill during my weekday runs, I catch myself having full on conversations...with me. Please tell me I am not the only one.

Last week was one of the craziest and most stressful work weeks of all time, so I was a terrible awful person and slacked off running...bad. And when I don't run, and I'm not alone with my thoughts for an hour a day on the treadmill I become really boring and have nothing to talk about-hence, my absence. But I'm back and I'm ready to talk. So listen up to the random rant that is to follow:

After looking at my race pictures, I decided my arms were cause for serious concern, sooooo I bought weights. And they are heavy. Okay, they are ten pounds. But Y'ALL THAT IS HEAVY. Last night I struggled with carrying both weights upstairs in one hand and my holiday Oreos in the other. You may now be starting to understand the root of the problem...

OMG SO GOOD.

I finally went to the running store. I knew that I was going to be getting a great pair of running shoes around Christmas time, so I'd been purposely putting it off. But this weekend Taylor and I headed over to Bear Creek Running Company in Keller just to mosey around and get fitted for a good pair of shoes that wouldn't make my feet bleed. YAYs all around.

The lovely man chatted with us about running, racing, and all the good stuff that I can talk forever about. I got fitted and figured out that I have a pretty neutral running gait which is a good thing and I tried on about a half dozen pairs of amazing shoes and picked out a GREAT pair that Taylor bought me! I know he's sweet. Except he is a tease and won't let me have them until Christmas day. But they are soooooooooooo light and fabulous and adorable and I am counting down the days until I get to run in them. Something tells me this will be cause for a Christmas day run...

 

Mizuno Wave Precision 12

 I am also now obsessed with the following and expect you all to buy them for me for Christmas:

Are you sensing a pattern with the pink? Running obviously brings out the hyper-girly in me.

The last few days have been exceptionally cold. I mean the type of cold that requires me to sit in my car for ten minutes waiting for the frost to melt off my windshield. Really annoying, but it was probably about time for the winter-like weather to make a guest appearance, seeing as it was 75+ degrees all last week. So today I hopped on the cold weather train and put on my jacket, scarf, and my tights...and this is how it turned out:

WINTER WEAR FAIL. 

So now I'm bitter that I have to buy new $5 tights and I'm ready for summer again.

I keep having this trend at the gym where I physically run into the other gym-going people. I'm talking full-on collision of sweat and shoelaces what not. It has happened the last two nights and I'm concerned that if it happens again they'll revoke my membership due to the fact that I'm a clumsy moron. Hopefully I'm wrong. Fingers crossed.

Also, they write cool stuff on the chalkboard wall at my precious little gym and I'm obsessed with this. It makes me giggle every time.

Today's run was a good, slow five miler. I'm trying to gently work back up to where I was pre-10k. So this is what the schedule looks like this week:

Monday: 4 miles ('mill run)

Tuesday: 5 miles ('mill run)

Wednesday: 3 miles (Elliptical)/Arms

Thursday: 6 miles ('mill run)

Friday: Elliptical/Arms

Saturday: 7 miles (trail run!)

Sunday: REST :)

Only 14 days until Christmas!

LOVE&HUGS&THANKSFORLISTENING,

Nat

Toro Dash 10k/Weekend Recap

I want to give a ginormous shout out to my Taylor and Alli, who came out, spent the night, and woke up at 6am to watch me in my very first ever 10k. I love y'all more than you know and you were just the two I needed there cheering me on at the finish line. LOVE LOVE LOVE and all the mushy stuff.

Moving on.

In the midst of a crazy and extremely stressful work day on Friday, I was surprised with this:

OMG WITH THE YUM.

Since they couldn't be there for the race, my family was sweet enough to send me a DELISH good luck edible arrangements box filled with chocolate dipped strawberries, bananas, and apples. I know, chocolate dipped green apples sounds a little weird. Trust me, it's not, it's amazing and I'm pretty sure I even experienced a mini-chocolate-buzz. SO YUM.

After a long day at work Friday, I caught a late dinner with Taylor and Alli where we did nothing but talk about work and realize how old and boring we are. Okay maybe I am the only old and boring one, but misery loves company so let's pretend they are boring too.

After dinner, we made a quick Target run, and then headed home. I was originally a little worried that my nerves would  make it a little hard to fall asleep. Luckily, my Friday sucked the life out of me and I konked out before 11. Crisis averted. 

At 6am Saturday morning my alarm went off, and I took my time getting ready and eating a little oatmeal. I may or may not have had a chocolate covered banana chunk. I don't know. It was early and I can't remember. Maybe I had two.

We got to the race site at about 7:15 and stood around and talked/pretended to stretch for about 45 minutes.

My cheerleader

Pre-race pic!

I was genuinely surprised at how not nervous I was. I think a lot of it had to do with the stress of the day before, but I was really calm. I was honestly just looking forward to getting out there and having a good run. Texas is crazy y'all, and for this December 1 8am race, it was 65 degrees. Later that day it warmed up to about 77, so for a wimp like me, the running weather couldn't have been more perfect. It was a little overcast, but the sun peeked out every now and then and it was just gorgeous.

Once the gun went off, it took a little while to weave around people and get in a comfortable pace. I think that was the part I struggled with the most. It was hard to figure out how to pace myself while running alongside so many people. Since it was my first race ever, I was so excited to be running with a group of people. The energy and the atmosphere was so contagious. I never once got to a point where I felt tired, or out of breath, or anything. I know, I'm just as surprised as you. I also think that my bangin'  race day playlist had a little something to do with it as well. 

Okay, confession time. Once I got about a half a mile into the race, I passed a guy in a yellow shirt. Well about a minute goes by and this gentlemen proceeds to pass me. Fast forward a little bit, and yellow-shirt guy and I are in an unspoken competition. I'd pass him, and a couple minutes later, he'd pass me. This went on, back and fort until about mile five, when I decided that I was going to kick his ass. Not literally, but you know. He was going down. 

I got so determined and actually excited about the idea of sharing with you all that I even took a picture of him right before I passed him for the last time. (And I really wish I'd paid attention to his bib number so I could stalk his race results and know how much I beat him by, but I'm not that smart.)

I am aware that from this picture it appears that
there were no other race participants. I swear there were. 

Once I got to mile five, (and passed yellow shirt dude) I felt like I'd saved up enough energy to really push hard for the last mile. 

Not so cute, I know.

 

I had SUCH a blast. I cannot wait to run another! I'm so glad this went so well, because it really got me pumped up about the Cowntown half in February. I actually feel like I can do this, and am really looking forward to continuing on with training. This was definitely the extra boost I needed to keep going. I am totally obsessed with reading the nitty gritty details of other runners' race recaps, so I'll share with those of you who are like me. My chip time was 57:08, even though I was really really hoping for a sub 57, I'm so not a speedy runner at all, so I am definitely pleased with the results. And I wound up being 13th place out of 73 female 10k runners! My splits were:

Mile 1- 9:38
Mile 2- 9:44
Mile 3- 9:26
Mile 4-9:05
Mile 5- 8:44
Mile 6-8:18

I'm really SO excited that I ran two sub 9 minute miles, because I swear to you, that never ever happens. I'm a slow poke for reals, so it's exciting to see what I'm capable of, and it's motivating me to want to incorporate a little bit of speed workout into my current running routine.

I know it may  be hard to believe, but a one hour race didn't take up my entire weekend. Shocking, I know. My roommate is the most amazing person in the entire world, and she volunteered to cook an AMAZING pancake breakfast for me and my two cheerleaders, and she had it set out and waiting on the table when we got back from the race. Yes she is perfect and NO you cannot have her. (Somehow I was so focused on breakfast that I forgot to take a picture of her. Oh well, you remember how adorable she is from our roomie Christmas decorating party.)

After breakfast, my cheerleaders left, which gave me time to clean, shower, and do a little bit of Christmas shopping before meeting back up with my Tater Tot. After a late lunch, the exhaustion of the morning hit me and we took an AMAZING two hour afternoon nap. Those are rare and much appreciated. 

After dinner we headed up to Oklahoma to spend the night at Winstar World Casino with his crazy roommates. 

At one point I was up a whopping $1.50. To celebrate, I stopped gambling and started drinking and watching other people throw their money away. Which if you ask me is way more entertaining. The entire night only cost me twenty bucks. Total success.  

Sunday morning Taylor and I met up with my dad at the shooting range and  played with guns. Just kidding you don't play with guns. And gun safety is no joke. Seriously kids.

I look badass right?!!

I couldn't be more excited that Christmas is only 22 days away! I was able to get started on a lot of my Christmas shopping this weekend, and am hoping to finish up by this week/weekend. This is the BEST time of the year! 

Have you gotten a jump start on your Christmas shopping?

LOVE&HUGS,

Nat