Watch out New York! (and pictures of running and food)

Sunday afternoons are my favorite because they are my designated time to catch up on cleaning, laundry, and oh yeah my favorite thing - TV. In between the folding, windex-ing, and Netflix marathons, I managed to throw together a photo dump of what's been going on since Tuesday's post. In short, pictures of what I've eaten intermixed with some super attractive selfies.

Like I said, you're welcome.

Wednesday was a rest day from running, so after working a long day, I came home, planked, sweated through 8 minute arms, and then rewarded myself with an hour of reading by the pool where my only physical activity was turning the page. 

Perfection.

Thursday morning I threw together the last of my TJ's steel cut oatmeal with bananas and cinnamon which was the most delightful combination yet. Seriously y'all that's some good stuff.

Thursday nights are evening training runs with the FW Running Company Group. 

In case anyone was wondering, running at 6:30pm in Texas is really effin' hot. 

I really don't know if I've ever sweated more in my entire life. It was an easy run (well as easy as running in 100 degree weather can be) and I made it a point not to push myself because killing over from a heat stroke was not on my to do list for the day. I'm really glad I survived the run because when I got home I was met by my boyfriend and my awesome wife/roommate with an INCREDIBLE chicken fajita dinner. Spoiled? 

Yes, yes I am. 

(PS the perks of living approximately a half a mile away from Chipotle is that every single home cooked Mexican meal is majorly enhanced by their delicious guacamole. Seriously I don't even bother making my own guac anymore-just take me to Chipotle.)

Friday was another day of work insanity (I'm starting to forget what a normal work day is like...) but after work I met up with my sweet friend Madysen (aka awesome pink sign friend) to celebrate her birthday! She texted me with the awesome idea of trying out a Blow Dry Bar before heading to her birthday dinner. Lucky for me Friday was pay day, so I was totally game!

Before: normal hair, but larger than normal smiles because MIMOSAS!

And champagne.

And more champagne because, well, do I need a reason?

We left feeling like rockstars (the champagne may have had something to do with that) and headed off to Don Pablo's for a delicious birthday dinner where my favorite baby in the entire world made an appearance.

The cuteness is ridiculous.

Peyten says hi and that she would like to stick her hands in all of your salsa.

Good hair is a terrible thing to waste. I was a little bummed out that in approximately 8 hours my Saturday morning run would have destroyed my just paid for hair, so I took a picture for you. 

Don't get used to that. It will never happen again.

Saturday morning I was up bright and early at and out the door by 6am to meet up for my first weekend marathon training run with the awesome FW Running Company people. In all the excitement I completely forgot to charge my Garmin and so this was my attempt at charging during the 15 minute drive. It almost worked, my watch died somewhere between mile 4 and 5. Oh well. 

I have never run with a group before. Let me clarify. I have never run with a group of people who are so equally obsessed with running that for the entire duration of the run all they talk about is running.

IT. WAS. AWESOME.

After reading and listening to the coaches talk about how your long  weekend runs (they aren't long yet but as marathon training progresses they will be) are supposed to be done at an aerobically easy pace, I decided I should probably take the expert's advice and chill the heck out and slow the heck down. I stuck with the 9:30 pace group for the full 6 miles and I would definitely categorize it as an easy run. I know that as the weather gets a little cooler into the fall and the  runs build up to 20 miles I will be so grateful that I decided to stick with the 9:30 pace, but it is a little tough right now since I feel like I have all this extra energy and am used to a little bit quicker pace. Luckily the pace group I am with is awesome and super fun. Seriously. I have no idea how I will ever run alone again. Marathon training is going to be SO FREAKING FUN. Also there was chocolate milk. Which was delicious.

After the run, I headed to run a super fun errand!

NOT. I had to buy new tires. Which was boring and expensive and their reading material is dull.

Question. Does anyone else feel like running entitles them to multiple breakfasts? Because I do. On my way out the door I had a pre-run brownie Cliff Bar, and then afterwards I had a post-run bagel and schmear from Einsteins...

And then approximately 2.5 hours later I had eggs, bacon, toast, and hash browns. I have no picture but I promise it actually happened. You can ask Taylor. My appetite is ridiculous. 

Anyways, mid-bagel I remembered that I need to do my 8 minute arms and #plankaday so I did and my word of advice to you is that if you want to hit a personal #plankaday best you should listen to Beyonce because damn that girl is empowering.

Y'all I will absolutely flip shit if I make it to the 3 minute mark. Up until about a week ago the longest plank I'd ever done was 45 seconds. I am nowhere near as hardcore as this awesome planker. 

After planking and eating (I get the feeling that this is not the conventional way of working out but I was never really given a formal training so OH well) I hopped in the shower and got ready to head out to Tater Tot's house where we planned on going to see a movie... 

Compromise. It's what's for dinner. 

Buuut decided to take a nap instead. No, we aren't very exciting but the nap was free. And free is always good, right?

After napping (napping is just so amazing) Taylor and I headed downtown to meet up with my BFFs Alli and Allison to celebrate Alli's birthday! We met up at Chuy's (in case you can't tell we are kindove obsessed with that place) for Fajita's and friend time.

Favorites favorites. 

Alli left for vacation this morning, so after our early dinner, they headed back to Dallas. Taylor and I were then forced to entertain ourselves and luckily we are really good at that. 

Taylor's roommate and his girlfriend have been trying to get us to try Sweet Sammie's for approximately 1 million years and last night we finally did. Ruling? AMAZE-BALLS.

The rest of the evening consisted of drinking wine out of a pint glass (cause I'm classy) and watching HIMYM and falling asleep embarrassingly early for a Saturday night. 

I felt slightly guilty about passing out before 11pm, so when we woke up this morning I asked Taylor if he wanted to go to Cabela's (Cabela's is to Taylor as Target is to Natalie) and if I remember correctly his response consisted of an overly excited hop, skip, and a jump out of bed. So off to Cabela's we went. Where I entertained my self with instavideo.

Instagram @nataliehickson

Taylor is 104% sure that while in New York City I will be attacked in the dark alley way that I will most certainly be spending the majority of my time. Paranoid much? It's really my fault, I forced him to watch countless season of Law and Order SVU with me, so I should've expected this. 

Apparently this is what I will be carrying around New York to ward off all the bad guys. 

Yes, I definitely see that happening. 

A great weekend! I'd apologize for this post being really long but that's totally out of character and also I don't mean it. Now I'm off to my two favorite places, Trader Joe's and Target. Sundays are the bomb.com!

LOVE&HUGS,

Nat