Lessons as a Newbie Runner

I am not a runner.

I have always said it to anyone that asked if I wanted to participate in a 5k or any other activity, fun or otherwise, that involved running. I've always admired runners.  But at the end of the day, I always found it so much easier to spend all day riding 100 miles around the county than to run 2 miles around the neighborhood.

But I have crazy friends.

And those crazy friends convince me to do crazy things like register for a 16 mile trail race.  Two friends in particular worked their magic and got me to register to run the Hyner View Challenge. The Hyner is 16 miles of beauty... when you're not suffering your way over three mountains... in a state park about an hour north of State College.  I'm not quite sure what made me decide to do it, other than perhaps just wanting to try something new.  So on New Year's Eve, after a day of snow and in the 15 degree evening air, I ran State College's Resolution 5k to kick start my training program.

Since I joined the world of trail runners (or soon-to-be trail runners if it ever stops snowing) I've logged about 80 miles and have learned a lot of lessons about what I am, and am not, capable of.

So here is a top ten list of my discoveries from my first 6 weeks as a runner.

1.  No matter how much I liked to think it would, all those hours I spent on a bike last year did not prepare me for running. Not even close.

2.  Run slow.  It really doesn't matter how slow I get in the distance, it's covering that distance that matters.

3.  Your 6 year old sneakers that you bought to wear to the gym in college will not suffice for running long distances, especially on trail.  Unless of course, you don't actually need your ankles in order to walk.

4.  Running in your hiking boots sucks even more.  

5.  As a clumsy person, trail running requires an extraordinary amount of attention.  Rocks have a way of grabbing your feet no matter how hard you try to avoid them.  So do roots, branches and sometimes just the dry leaves.

6.  When you spend most of your days practically running in place on snowy trail, running on plowed road makes you feel like a real athlete.

7.  Treadmills are the most boring invention ever. And why do gyms even bother to put the captions on the little TVs if they aren't going to place the treadmill close enough for a normal person to read them?  You can come up with some really creative things in your head for what the anchors are actually saying when you're stuck running 5 miles on a machine. (Especially when you see them interviewing your boss, and you know what they REALLY think about the issue.)

8.  I don't feel as bad about having such a sweet tooth and having recently discovered gelatto that you can buy at the grocery store.

9.  30 degrees is actually a really comfortable temperature to run in.  Especially after several runs in the 10's, 32 feels like spring.

10. Camelbak hoses can freeze.  And why wouldn't it with as cold as it has been?  There is nothing worse than carrying several pounds of dead (frozen) weight that you can't even use to hydrate.  Good news... tube socks and electrical tape make great insulation for the hose.  And double as a snot rag.

Each run for me has been a discovery in one or another of these lessons.  I keep learning more each time I hit the trail, too.  I'm happy to say that I'm actually enjoying this running thing, I'm learning how to make sure to stay hydrated so I'm not crippled the rest of the day, and I finally got a sweet new pair of shoes (that feel like heaven to run in).

Goodbye hiking boots, hello trail runners.

Life at 25

This post is equal parts a reflection of my 25th year of life and an overwhelming realization that my friends are what make my life so sweet.  Warning: I'm never sappy on this blog.  But this post is sure to be over the top.  For those of you with a weak stomach, you can stop reading now.

Last night I was looking through my phone for a specific photo from last Thanksgiving.  As I'm scrolling back through pictures, I kept stumbling upon things that made me pause and smile. As I kept scrolling, I suddenly remembered that on my 25th birthday, I told myself that I was going to make 25 the best year of my life.  One year ago, that had much different meaning to me.  I was impatient.  I needed more out of my job, my city and my free time.  I set this goal as a way to motivate myself to search for new adventures.

Fast forward a year, and I am sitting here realizing that this last year has absolutely been one of the best.  I went to bed thinking, "Wow, I really did a lot of awesome things this year." And I was proud and felt accomplished.  But it was this morning when I woke up that the impact of this past year really dawned on me.  I woke up this morning with my heart overflowing with love and gratitude for all of the people in it that made my 25th year of life so amazing.  So much so that I was moved to get up and write this for you all before I have even had my morning coffee.  (Is this real life??)

So on this eve before my 26th birthday, because my posts on this blog are unreliable and for those of you that weren't able to share these moments with me, here is my 25th year of life... the cliff notes edition.

New beginnings

I woke up to this sunrise over the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia on New Years Eve.  I moved again-- this time to share a home with the man I casually refer to as "the roommate" on this blog. I made new friends in a great group of inspirational folks on my Bike & Build trip. And as of this morning I've learned that I'll finally be starting in a new and permanent role (but not forever) with the Borough, with a desperately needed adjustment to my salary. 

Get there on 2 wheels...or 2 feet

I have put almost 1,600 miles on these legs this year.  I spent a week biking in Virginia.  Rode 4 charity rides. Spent countless afternoons in the saddle exploring Centre County with friends. Ran my first (and second) 5k. Paddled (in circles). Skied (well, crashed and threw my poles). Hiked at home and in the Shenandoah National Forest. Layed on the beach at Assateague. I can't believe how lucky I am to have the woods as my backyard and the mobility to explore the beauty that lies within a few hours' drive. 

Soak in the City

Watching friends move away is heartbreaking.  But visiting them in the awesome places they live is right up my planner-nerd alley.  And I made the most of that this year.  Two trips to Austin to prepare for and celebrate the marriage of two amazing people.  A trip to Chicago for a conference which was a perfect excuse to catch up with family and old grad school friends.  My first trip to DC to see the monuments. And then my second to bike to the capital and third to see a dear friend's new home. My first trip to Philly to see a great couple's new adventure-- but no monuments because of the government's little hiatus. Countless trips to Pittsburgh to visit friends and show others my newly discovered favorite places.  A quick trip to Indianapolis to celebrate the birth of a wonderful woman's baby girl and see more old friends. 

Finding Family

There have been countless other adventures that don't make it to the abbreviated version of a year in review.  Countless cups of coffee, pints of beer and nights of dancing alongside ugg-boot wearing undergrads.  (Stole that last part from you, Joyce.)  Days in the saddle (or sneakers), dinners at IP and long overdue Skype dates. Culinary adventures (that may have given E a heart attack), sleepovers (believe it or not, you still do that at 25) and long drives in snow storms. 

While all of the adventures and discoveries of the last year bring me happiness, it's thinking about the irreplaceable family of friends that I shared these adventures with that make me happiest.  We have shared laughs, stories and hangovers. We have supported each other through heartbreak, loss and illness.  But we have also celebrated each other in engagements, marriages, babies, new jobs, big moves, athletic achievements, and growing relationships. 

The greatest thing that 25 has taught me is that while I may never be able to overcome my impatience in getting to my next adventure, I have already found one of the most important elements of a fulfilling life. So thank you, friends (and my awesome "roommate"), for helping me reach my goal of making 25 my best year yet in a very meaningful and unexpected way.  I am confident that 26 will be even more amazing with all of you in it. 

Biking, Building and more Biking

Many of you know that I spent last week riding my bike through the Virginia country side for an organization called Bike and Build. It was a great week, filled with physically demanding rides, lots of heat (and ice cream), sleeping in churches and showering in random places, and people and communities that were inspirational.

The ride started in Richmond, VA.  I spent time getting to know all of my fellow riders, find out how the ride days and build projects were going to go, hear more about Bike & Build's goals and contributions to the affordable housing cause, hang out in Carytown-- a cool neighborhood in Richmond, and go on a 20 mile ride around town to make sure everyone's bikes were in working order. We also decorated our gear trailer that would be carrying all of our supplies for the trip.

The people that I spent my week with were awesome.  We had very different backgrounds: a few riders were just graduating college and preparing to go to college or the Navy, a few were still in graduate school studying at universities all over the east coast, others were like me with full-time jobs and were spending their vacation on this trip.  Some of us had never traveled out of their home states before this trip, others had lived and/or were currently work in developing countries.  We studied urban planning, environmental science, sociology, business, computer science and more.  It was an awesome week spent learning from each other, sharing stories and establishing a common ground.

Our support van, Elvis, and trailer, Priscilla, broke down a few times,
but otherwise successfully got our supplies from place to place for us.

The 2013 Capital Riders.

Our first riding day took us from Richmond, VA to Farmville, Va.  It was approximately 70 miles and about 95 degrees.  It was a beautiful ride with small, rolling hills and lots of time to get to know the other riders.  We stopped for lunch in the parking lot of a church to enjoy a bit of shade and refill our water bottles. When we arrived in Farmville, members of the church that was hosting us had prepared an awesome pasta dinner and spent the rest of the evening talking with us about Bike and Build and other adventures that we've all been on.  I met a family with a daughter that is getting ready to start high school this fall.  She was so excited about the trip that we were taking and was inspired to learn to ride her bike and prepare for a Bike & Build trip before she goes to college in a few years.  It was awesome to have gotten to know her and her parents, share the knowledge I have about learning to ride a bike, and see her excitement and admiration for the journey I was on. She even asked me if I would stop at their church next summer when I was riding through VA. (Who knows if I will be, but it was cute of her to ask!!) 

Hanging out in the shade enjoying lunch and a short break from the heat.

The next day, we woke up at 5am for a homemade breakfast with members from the host church before heading off to Charlottesville, VA.  The ride was also about 70 miles, but it was much hotter and the rolling hills were much more frequent and steep. We got to stop at a few cool roadside convenience stores, got free cookies and watermelon, and toured Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson.  The scenery was beautiful, but the arrival in downtown Charlottesville came with a bit of stress and anxiety due to a long day in the heat, getting lost and heavy traffic. After walking about 10 minutes to a gym to get a shower, we finally pigged out on pizza and had a beer at a cool bar in downtown Charlottesville.  After that kind of day, sleeping on an inch-thick inflatable mattress on a church-gymnasium floor was a very comfortable rest! 

Lots of interesting roadside stops-- most of them very friendly
and some a little skeptical of a bunch of spandex-clad riders. 

The home and gardens at Monticello.

From the gardens at Monticello, you can see almost 50 miles into the central VA countryside. 

 We spent the next several days in Charllottesville.  We were at the construction site for the Belmont neighborhood for two days helping the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville.  We got to meet the Habitat Staff, several of the partner families that would be living in the neighborhood, and a group of volunteers, called the "Wednesday Crew" that had been volunteering with this organization for 15 years.  We helped install floor systems, decking (the sheets of wood that cover floor systems), and built wall sections. It was the first time I've ever volunteered at a Habitat site that let their volunteers use power tools.  And I must say, the safety practices of some of the volunteers were concerning.  I escaped with just a few bruises from walking into 2x4's and narrowly avoided injury when a nail-gun misfired.  (I won't elaborate, Dad, to save you the heart attack.)  The build days were actually hotter than the riding days-- partially because it was just getting hotter that week and because we were spending all day standing in one spot on top of a house heaving heavy building materials.

We were staying at a church in downtown Charlottesville, so we had plenty of time after the days' work was done to go out and explore the restaurants, shops and bars that we were staying near.  We also discovered a small garage that had been converted into a venue for free concerts that we got to enjoy while we were in town.  Charlottesville was a beautiful college town with a lot of cool things going on.  The urban planner in me was really enjoying the mile-long pedestrian mall with all of the outdoor cafes and the warehouse district that has been converted into an eclectic mix of residences and shops.

Downtown Charlottesville, VA.

Our build site, the Belmont neighborhood, in Charlottesville.

The ride out of Charlottesville to Washington, VA was by far the most beautiful day on the road.  At one point we were riding with the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Mountain ranges on either side of us.  The combination of picturesque farms, mountain ridges, and clear blue skies inspired many of us to repeatedly admire out loud to each other how beautiful it was and how lucky we were to be riding. Of course, we had different feelings in the heat of the afternoon when the heat index reached 107 degrees and we rolled into Washington, VA to find the world's tiniest shower and no cell or internet access.  Washington, VA is only 128 acres and a population of less than 150 people.  It is popular for being the first of 28 towns by the name of Washington in the country and is home to a 5-star Inn and Restaurant which many people come to enjoy. It was a much different overnight experience than our last several nights in Charlottesville!  Overall, though, this ride was my absolute favorite and the mental pictures I have of this day are the first ones I've recalled this week as I've shared stores of my ride with people. 

Just outside Charlottesville on the former Blue Ridge Turnpike.

One of my favorite views from the trip: The Shenandoah Mountain range that I had hiked two weeks prior. 

My last day of the trip we woke up at 4am to ride from Washington, VA to Washington D.C.  We rode 102 miles with a heat index that was once again over 100 degrees!  The first part of our ride was very hilly and difficult.  After lunch, though, we were lucky to be able to ride the next 50 miles to D.C. on a rail-trail that was flat and free of traffic. We stopped at an awesome BBQ place that was right on the bike trail in the afternoon and then at a bike shop just outside of D.C. for some snacks and to meet some alumni Bike and Build riders.  When we finally got to D.C. our first stop was the National Mall. It felt good to be there after such a long day and was amazing how different a place we were compared to where we started first thing in the morning.

Made it to the Capitol after 100 miles on the road on the last day.

Heading home was really tough.  In just a week, I felt like I had made a bunch of great new friends, saw a large part of a state that I previously knew very little about, had helped make a difference in the lives and communities that Habitat helps, didn't care about what junk food I ate or how sweaty I was, and hadn't thought about anything other than living in the moment and enjoying the beautiful world around me.  On the car ride home, after an inevitable nap, I was already missing the people and places I had spent the last week with. I feel very accomplished, very proud of myself and all of the other riders that have ever helped Bike & Build, and like riding my bike any distance is achievable! Some of the riders on my trip were putting the bug in my ear about leading a ride in a coming summer...and if I can find a way to take a whole summer off work to ride my bike across the country I would absolutely love to!

Thanks to all of you that supported me either financially or morally as I prepared and went on this trip! I raised just under $1,300 as an individual and my group raised almost $25,000 to help support affordable housing.  I rode 325 total miles through Civil War history. I have some pretty legit sock tan lines.  And I would totally do it all again.

A 'National' Vaction

Eric and I decided to take our summer vacation over the weekend of the 4th of July.  It worked out that we had 4 days off work and it also happened to be a year from our first date last summer, so we decided to plan a fun weekend.  We had much deliberation about what we should do... Go to Canada?  That't not very American on the 4th.  Take a bike trip to PA breweries?  I'll be riding my bike all week the following week.  Visit some friends in North Carolina?  Too far to drive in a weekend.  We finally decided to go to DC and the surrounding area for the weekend.  A decision we fully recognized had the potential to lead to a lot of traffic and big crowds-- but it turned out to be a great weekend.

We spent the 4th touring the monuments and museums on the National Mall and having lunch at an historic bar called Old Ebbitt, which is right across the street from the White House. Unfortunately, the President was having a 4th of July bash on his lawn, so the roads were closed and we couldn't really see the place, but it was still cool. I got to watch the fireworks from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and the crowds actually turned out to be pretty manageable. 

Our spot between the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials for the fireworks show on the National Mall.

One of the best fireworks shows I've seen!

The next day we went to the beach at Assateague National Seashore in Maryland.  The beach was very rustic, with wild horses roaming the beaches and parking lots. We spent most of the day on the bayside because the ocean side was very windy and you couldn't see more than 30 feet out over the water.  Eric took a kite-boarding lesson and I enjoyed the sun and a book. After a day in the sun, I got my urban-explorer fix in Downtown Bethesda, Maryland and ate at my first tapas restaurant.  Whoever decided to make a menu that included eating a sampling of anything and everything you could ever imagine is a genius! It was amazing. 

The beach at Assateague Seasore. 

One of the wild horses we saw at the beach.

On our way home we went to Shenandoah National Park in nortwestern Virginia.  This park has a single roadway, called Skyline Drive, that runs along the ridge of the mountain range for 125 miles.  We hiked in the White Oak area of the park which has 6 waterfalls ranging from 80 feet tall to just 20 feet tall.  Our 7 mile hike took us about 4 hours including stops to catch our breath from all of the climbing and a lunch with a beautiful view of  the valley that I rode through the next week on my bike trip.

From one of the lookout points, we could look down on this 80 ft. waterfall. 

A view from the drive along Skyline Drive.  I rode through this valley the next week and got to look up at these mountains.

It was a great 4th of July weekend touring the National Mall, a National Seashore and a National Park.  And mixing history, cities, and nature. Hope you all got to enjoy a fun-filled and relaxing 4th of July weekend as well! 

Can Summer last All Year?

Spring seemed to take its sweet time arriving, but now that its here (and summer, too) it has been jam-packed with things to keep me busy--sometimes more busy than I'd like to be!

I spent almost a week in the Windy City in April for the American Planning Association Conference.  It was a great week spent catching up with the planning legends that shaped my passion for my profession, some of my great grad-school friends and reuniting with the city.  This trip to Chicago has a special place in my memory. Despite having grown up visiting my uncle every year or more, I saw the city in a whole new way on this trip. Not only did my friend, Pat, introduce me to several new neighborhoods and restaurants that I've never ventured into, but I also spent the week "living" in my uncle's place, taking the L to "work" each day and navigating the city solo.  And of course, a conference isn't complete without spending a morning away from the sessions to venture to that great breakfast place that was only a few blocks away in my memory.  After a 13 block walk, I was happy to find that my memory hadn't failed me on the quality of the food.

Breakfast and Bikes all in one place. What more could you need in a morning away from the Conference.

Despite the rain, we managed to sneak in an impromptu game at Wrigley Field.

May included a few visits to Fort Wayne and Indianapolis and a visit from my beautiful nieces.  I was lucky to be able to take man friend for a visit to see my hometown and meet the parents, celebrate a dear friend and mentor's dream of starting a family, and be reunited with the entire Police clan as we remembered my grandpa's life. A few weeks later, after their whirlwind trip to DC, I got to spend an evening listening to Simpson's jokes that were over my head and avoiding "tight-rope-walking" disasters in the backyard with Sophie and Eve (and Nick and April, too).

Apparently the Simpsons prank calls are all you need in life...

June has been a blur of fun summer activities and lots of work. The weekends have been packed with 5k's, bike rides, hikes, kayaking, baseball games (when they're not rained out) and lots of other fun stuff with the "Bike Gang" (my friends Joyce and Cait, that is).

The "Bike Gang" at the Spring Creek 5k...my first 5k.

Luckily there was more water for kayaking this year than last year.

The next few weeks will be quite a scramble at work and at home as I prepare for a few trips to Virginia and Maryland.  As many of you know, I'll be participating in a Bike & Build ride through Virginia in the middle of July. http://bikeandbuild.org/rider/index.2012.php?rider=6916 I've been working hard to get ready for the 9-day trip that I'll spend riding my bike between various cities in Virginia to build houses with Habitat for Humanity chapters.  I can't tell you all how much I appreciate your support either by donating to my fundraising for the trip, getting out there and riding the roads of Centre County with me, or sending me advice and encouraging words about the journey.  I'm excited and nervous that the trip is only a few weeks away... but I've ridden almost 750 miles since March in order to prepare, so I'm ready to hit the road! 

Don't let our smiles fool you... our shoes are full of water after getting stuck in a downpour! 

Hope everyone is enjoying the start to their summer.  Happy early 4th Holiday!