My favorite Christopher Robin quote

Pretty much whenever it rains, I hear the voice of Christopher Robin (yes, from Winnie the Pooh) in my ear.

He says, "Tut tut. Looks like rain."

Christopher Robin and his bff, Pooh Bear.

I think this is the Christopher Robin from the TV show.

I love rainy days when I can stay inside but have my screen door open so I can listen to the rain fall.

Spring tricked me

I shouldn't be surprised. That's half the fun of spring, right? Sunshine and then rain? Well, I don't mind the rain, but the 40 degree temperatures are not flying with me anymore. I've put away my winter clothes, and I refuse to get them out again!


For the past several days I've been curled up in bed or on my sofa trying to fight away a sore throat and cough. Riley looks at me every time I start hacking. I wouldn't say it's a look of concern. It's a look that says, Stop making that awful noise. You're disrupting my nap and hurting my ears!


I was so antsy to get outside that I did my Monday night nOg run last night. I was supposed to celebrate marathon success with a running club friend, and I didn't want to wait another week to get to see her. Those 3 miles were so fun and energizing, but they definitely didn't make my throat feel better. In fact, I've been sneezing like crazy today, so I think the heavy breathing outside got a bunch of pollen up in my head.


Excuse me while I go shake my fist at spring.

Spring Awakening

I totally missed the first day of spring a couple days ago! So I'll celebrate today with this Oscar Wilde quote:

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go." 

Something about that makes me think of the coming of this great season. Spring totally brings me joy and happiness as the sun shines longer, and I can comfortably sit outside in a T-shirt, jeans and flip-flops without getting too hot so I can soak up some Vitamin D (with sunscreen... most of the time!). At this point, winter leaving also makes me happy!

Two weekends ago, the musical Spring Awakening came to Raleigh. I was lucky enough to win tickets from the nOg Running Club I've mentioned. I'd heard about this show years ago (and really wanted to go when it came through Atlanta while I was still living there), but I honestly knew very little about it besides the fact that the Broadway production (which won several Tony awards) starred Glee's Lea Michele... that's why Jon Groff played the special Glee guest role as Jesse... Lea and he were lovers in the show.


Anyways, I was blown away by the music (by Duncan Sheik - remember him and "Barely Breathing") and especially the lighting and the set! It was only in town for Friday and Saturday nights, and we went on a Friday, and I was a little disappointed that there were so few people in the theater.


My two guesses as to why that was:
1. No advertising. I had no idea this show was in town, so if I hadn't won tickets four days before, it would have come and gone, and I'd have never known.
2. It's got some adult content... but so does Rent and that definitely sold out many shows in Raleigh.


Here's a clip I found of the original Broadway cast performing three mash-ups from the show for the Tony awards in 2007.





Again... I'm so happy spring has sprung!

26.2 miles: Check!

I ran my first marathon Sunday morning. It was the Tobacco Road Marathon, and 20 of those miles were on the American Tobacco Trail, which meant it was very flat! I think I chose a good first marathon to attempt because any major inclines would have just added to my frustration.


I wrote up a full race report on my running blog in case any readers are interested in checking that out. I should let you know that it's pretty honest about everything that happened during time it took me to complete the course (5:06:42). Everyone on that site (Runner's World) can relate to all things running, so we're all pretty frank. So anyways. There's your warning.


I'm so thankful for my family and friends who came out to support me at the finish as well as my friends who sent me texts and messages with their well wishes. I really appreciated those good thoughts!!


Here are some photos from the race:

Trying not to show my pre-race jitters!

Finally the finish.

Last couple steps.

26.2

Wanting everything and nothing.

J, me, J.

BROTHER! :D Did I mention he ran a half marathon PR??

J & me

I'd say another marathon is definitely in my future... at some point... 

Boylan Bridge beer flights and best in the Triangle?

For the month of March, I've been voting in the Triangle Arts & Entertainment's poll for what I think is the "Best Brew in the Triangle." For the most part, I pick Big Boss Brewing Company because I love a lot of their beers (Blanco Diablo, Aces & Ates and Brown Betty, to name a few) and they also host cool parties at their brewery (such as the "Who's Your Paddy?" gathering I went to last night). They get a bunch of food trucks, such as the delicious Klausie's Pizza, to park in their lot and have bands playing in the warehouse and have the taps pouring out $3.50 pints. It's a good time.


There are 14 breweries listed on the poll, and I think I've tried 9 of them (but most I don't remember what I thought about their beers and only 3 of those 9 have I had recently). The leader in the poll is Aviator, and while I've only had 2 of their beers and I really really liked them, I want to try more before I vote them the best. Though I'm not really convinced I think it's the best, I do really like the beers from the Boylan Bridge Brewpub. I've voted for them a couple times, too, just to put them on the board.


Speaking of the BBB, I had a LivingSocial deal, which included a free flight of their beers, and I took advantage of it with J yesterday for lunch because the weather was nice enough to sit outside (and I know their porch will soon explode with people, especially on the weekends).

Beer flights

What we ordered: Crab Dip and Bacon Wrapped BBQ Shrimp to start. The dip was our favorite out of the two starters and is something I'd order again. J went with the Spicy Chicken Philly he already knew he really liked, and I tried their $5 sandwich of the day, which was fried catfish. I of course had to trade chips for sweet potato fries because they are so good there, and they serve them in a little paper bag, which is just too cute.

Fried catfish sandwich

If you want to vote for your favorite Triangle beer, the poll closes March 31. You can vote once a day!

Luck of the Irish

This holiday always makes me think of my grandma, Ruth, who (according to my mom) loved playing up her Irish side on March 17. I kind of like to do the same thing. I love the color green and pinching people who don't wear green today... so look out if you see me!


I'm also going to throw in an Oscar Wilde quote since it is Thursday. This feels like something that could be said in Ireland:

"Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future." 

--Oscar Wilde

Other Irish things I love:

• Books: Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt (a great memoir)
• Movies: The Boondock Saints and The Departed (ones about Irish people in Boston)
• Drinks: Guinness (Fun fact: It really is good for you! Low calories and high protein!)

• Music: The Dropkick Murphys (also featured on The Departed soundtrack)

Let your light shine

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

-Maryanne Williamson, used by Nelson Mandela in his 1994 inaugural speech 

nOg Run Club

Monday night might be my new favorite thing!


Months ago I heard about a running club that met every week at the Irish pub Tir na nOg (where the race I ran two weekends ago was). I've seen runners wearing run club shirts at local races and read about the club on my local running store's e-newsletter, but I never actually got my stuff together to go.

Anyways, two Mondays ago I finally buckled down and went with my friend Jen. I feel like taking that first step to doing something can be so difficult sometimes (even when the thing you're wanting to do is so easy) but once you do it once, you open the floodgates.


Last night I went back without Jen (sadly she had to work) but metup with three other people. We went on a nice 3 mile run (even nicer with the daylight savings time in our favor for an evening run) and then played trivia while enjoying the $1 pasta & salad and beer specials.


While our team didn't win, we were actually right in the middle of the pack, so there's much room for improvement while also not thinking too badly about ourselves, haha. There were  a lot of St. Patrick's Day questions that nobody knew, so maybe a week when it's more general we'd have a better chance.


Regardless of how we do in trivia, I'm so excited to be a member of an actual running club now! Eight more runs and I get that free club shirt, too.

Oscar Wilde Thursday and committing to the walk

"For who, being loved, is poor?"
-Oscar Wilde

Last night I committed to joining the team of a friend to raise money for the SPCA of Wake County. The SPCA recently decided to become a No-Kill shelter, which of course requires more money to keep animals alive until they are adopted.

My mom keeps reminding me that I am totally a dog person (this is when I was freaking out the first two days after I adopted my pup). Before we got our family dog in fifth grade, I would volunteer at our local animal shelter by playing with the dogs. Even when we did have our dog and I moved to North Carolina in high school, I still occasionally volunteered at this SPCA I'm now raising money for.


The shelter where I got Riley (the Animal Protection Society of Durham) doesn't have the funds to be a No-Kill shelter. It takes $250 to support the life of an animal for 2 weeks, which is the amount the 3K Dog Walk is asking each participant to try to raise.


I hope you will consider donating to this cause, or if you're in the Raleigh area, please consider joining our team April 16 for the dog walk downtown! I've heard it's a really fun time.


Go here to visit my fundraising page and/or join the team. Animal lovers unite!

Riley says: Help support us in the 3K Dog Walk!

Mardi Gras!

I love Fat Tuesday!


I'm not doing anything to celebrate Mardi Gras... nor have I really ever beyond a fun run last year because a local running store manager was from New Orleans and wanted to host a run around the neighborhood followed by jambalaya and King Cake and Abita (delicious New Orleans beer) and giveaways, so I'll have to pretend I'm doing that again this year.


I just found this recipe for King Cake on Mother Nature Network, but because I'm unprepared, I won't be making it today... but I may do it later for a belated celebration!

St. Patty's Run Green 8K

Saturday afternoon I ran this super fun 8K in downtown Raleigh. It started at Tir na nOg Irish Pub, which also hosts a running club every Monday night. The race was great because it was at 3 p.m., and I could walk to the starting line from my apartment!

I was really excited because I had recruited some friends to run with me and had everyone meet at my place to walk. I think because I was with other people I was distracted while leaving and didn't realize I didn't have my Garmin or my iShuffle until we got to the race. I was treating this as a fun run at the end of marathon training, but I still wanted that Garmin to pace myself (and good thing. I didn't see one mile marker the entire race, but I know they were there). I ended up running back to my place 10 minutes before the start and realized I was going to be way too hot in the top I was wearing, so I also changed clothes really quickly.

I made it back to the start soon enough and crossed 2 minutes after the gun so I was back with families with strollers. It was fine, but it was a lot of weaving at the beginning. The race flew by for me I think because I was looking for my friends the whole time. I never found them, but somewhere along the line I must have passed one of them. Obviously by the name of the race this was a St. Patrick's Day run, but I was still shocked at the number of people wearing green!! I was decked out in full Carolina blue in preparation for that night's game versus Duke, which was amazing, by the way. GO HEELS!!

Anyways, I felt really strong the entire race. There were a lot of uphills, but they were pretty tame compared the ones I run on my normal routes. The best part was my knee didn't hurt!!! I don't know if that's because it knew it was "go time" or what... but I'll take it!!!

I crossed the finish in 44:25 which isn't a PR, but I wasn't going for one. My goal was to do the race in less than 45 minutes so yay. It blows my mind to think that in just three weeks I will have run 5 times what I ran Saturday (plus an extra 1.2 miles)!

The after party was so much fun! Race participants got a free pint glass and a beer from the local brewery Natty Green's (I think I drank Wildflower... they had several to choose from), which was quite refreshing. I missed the memo that we were all meeting at a certain spot after the race, so I went straight for the beer line when I finished before meeting up with my friends (below):

While we were hanging around, Ryan saw a booth for Shoes for Soles. You donate shoes and they go to someone in need. He wanted the T-shirt they give you for donating thinking it said something like "I love shots" (for St. Patty's Day celebrations was his train of thought there) when it really says "I love shoes." What an unpleasant surprise for him because he had to walk home barefoot!

Anyways, I hadn't run a race since Thanksgiving (it was directed by the same people, actually, for MS) and I always forget how much fun they are! I'm really looking forward to my marathon now.

Oscar Wilde Thursday

"I have nothing to declare except my genius."
-Oscar Wilde

With all the Charlie Sheen craziness going on, this Wilde quote seemed like something Sheen would say.

For a laugh (or two or three), check out this site of Sheen-isms:
http://livethesheendream.com/

March marathon and an April dog walk?

I have a marathon coming up this month. My first one ever! I'm so excited to push myself to cover this distance (26.2 miles) and had hoped to raise money as part of this process. In the past, I've raised money for Honor Flight Network, which sends World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., to see (their) war memorials.

At the WWII memorial in Washington, D.C., in 2009,
when I raised money to send one veteran on the trip.

For this race, I tried contacting the North Carolina Honor Flight chapter because I wanted to donate closer to home. Unfortunately, I did not receive an answer, but I'm pretty sure it's because it was actually talked about in the news and most likely got bombarded with calls/e-mails. Between work, my new puppy, training for the marathon and everyday life, I didn't really have time to continue trying to contacting them, so I kind of let fundraising go.


However, I now have a friend who is participating in the SPCA K9-3K Dog Walk that's happening in Raleigh in April. The money raised goes to support new no-kill animal shelters in Wake County. I'd like to join and walk it with my pup and maybe also throw it together with my marathon? I'm still thinking about it.


I also just saw this article about a puppy in Oklahoma who was euthanized and then found days later still alive. It wrenched my stomach to read that he was thrown away in a trash can. I'm so happy I could save my puppy from the shelter, and it was great seeing her and her litter all get adopted, but the reality is there are so many animals out there who aren't so lucky. Fortunately for Wall-E (that's what they named the puppy that was found), he now has hundreds of families looking to adopt him.

My sleeping girl with the teddy bear she has since destroyed.