Walt Disney World Marathon Part 5: Beyond the Finish Line

Welcome to my race recap! Read Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 3 here, and Part 4 here.

Okay, so I crossed the finish line of my first ever marathon feeling like I'd just, well, run a marathon. As soon as I slowed to a walk my body was like, whoa there crazypants what did you just do and where can you lay down?

It's hard to explain clearly now, but I was feeling pretty out of it. Not only did my whole body hurt but my mind was also pretty muddled. It was what I imagine going into shock might feel like, in some small way. I didn't feel like I had control of myself, which was weird. I had been running for so long, my body mechanically doing what it needed to do, that when I stopped it was like everything hit me at once.

Someone put a medal on me. I was so relieved and happy and kept being on the verge of tears.

Luckily, someone grabbed me right away and asked me if I wanted ice. My brain could at least comprehend that this was a good idea so I followed this woman over to a bench where I sat down. There, she carefully wrapped bags of ice around each of my knees. I remember this older guy sitting next to me with long hair and a long beard who told me he liked my sleeves. I was wearing bright neon yellow arm sleeves!

I knew I needed to keep moving, so I walked gingerly out of the icing area and continued through the herd of finishers. People were passing out foil blankets and I took one but didn't have the wherewithal to do anything with it other than let it sort of trail behind me like I was Linus dragging his blue blanket. Suddenly an older man appeared in front of me and said, "You look like you could use some help!" As I kept murmuring thank you over and over and of course felt like I was holding back more tears, he carefully tied the blanket around my shoulders, double-knotting it. The cold was starting to hit me now that I wasn't running and I was so thankful to have another layer!

So now with my medal around my neck, a blanket around my shoulders, and ice packs around my knees, I hobbled further on to pick up a sports drink, water bottle, and official runDisney snack box. I found a spot on the ground and gently eased myself down, unable to bend my legs too much yet. It felt so good to not move! 

When I opened my box of food, I zeroed in on the salty tortilla chips and cup of fake cheese. That is not usually the kind of thing I go for but when I saw those suddenly they were everything I wanted! I started feeling more like myself after sitting for a bit and when my friend joined me we hung out for a while longer until we felt like standing and then headed out to continue with the rest of our day.

We iced more at our hotel room (and inhaled some cold leftover pizza), took showers and got ready, and then headed to Disney Springs for the evening! The best decision we made was to keep moving throughout the rest of the day. Easy walking around the shops kept our legs moving and I think it definitely cut down on soreness. We also wore our compression socks.

After that, it was a crazy couple of days in both the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. Visiting Disney World is exhausting even if you haven't just run a marathon, but man is it worth it. We had the best time and made memories that I'll always hold close. Oh, and you KNOW we wore our medals every single Disney day!

Running the Disney World marathon was the culmination of so much hard work. I loved sharing the experience with my friend and I love the satisfaction and pride of earning that medal.

Here's to many more racing adventures in 2017!

Walt Disney World Marathon Part 4: Completing 26.2

Welcome to my race recap! Read Part 1 here, Part 2 here, and Part 3 here.

My friend's knee started bothering her during the first half and we split up around mile 15 as she needed to walk for a bit. We kept in touch during the race through Snapchat and phone calls!

At some point later on in the race, nutrition was available...PowerGels and bananas. I didn't have a super rigid fueling strategy. Just grabbed something here and there beginning at about mile 5 to prevent hitting a wall. (I also brought some mini LaraBars and Gatorade Prime Energy Chews that had worked for me in training.) It was amazing how many volunteers were helping out at these stations. Truly, so much work and organization goes into these events and it really shows.

The route took us through Magic Kingdom first, then Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot. Of course, in between we were running on main roads, staff roads, and other various hidden areas. There was a long stretch through ESPN Wide World of Sports which thankfully I had read about and tried to be mentally prepared for. It was just as tough as I expected, approximately miles 17-20. Definitely the longest 3 miles of the race, boring stretches without much going on. Those few miles are the only time I needed my music!

The second half of the marathon got progressively more difficult mentally. Training had prepared me for the tough moments when you really just have to grit your teeth and push through. I was thankful this course was super flat. The two or three inclines were laughable compared to what I'm used to in my neighborhood and it seemed at times like I was the only one still running while everyone else took walking breaks.

Passing mile marker 20 was a surreal moment since, from that mile on, I was going farther than I had ever run before in training. Somehow my legs just kept moving! Stopping or walking never really occurred to me, but during that last hour it was amazing how many different body parts took turns hurting.

Finally, it was mile 23. Then 24. Then 25. For the final mile, we ran around the countries in Epcot. As inspirational music swelled and crowds of people cheered, I got a little choked up as I thought, wow, this is really happening... I'm finishing a marathon, like am I a superhero or something?? 

During the final miles, spectator support is absolutely invaluable. In the middle of the really rough moments when you're asking yourself if it's worth it or trying to ignore your hip pain or wondering exactly how big that blister is.....someone will yell out "You got this!" or "Great pace!" or "Looking good!" And you'll throw your shoulders back, smile to show your gratitude, and give those people something to watch!

I lost count of how many times I heard my name as people specifically encouraged runners by reading off our racing bibs. Those cheers meant more than I can express.

At mile 26 I heard the gospel choir. I threw my hands up in the air and sang along for a minute until I got beyond them and spotted the finish line. WHOA. Donald Duck was standing at the finish line (various characters trade off during the race) and I ran over the line feeling LIKE A BOSS.

I finished with a time of 5:15:45. I will admit to being a little disappointed with that, especially since I completed my last half marathon with a time of 2:02:57. However, I came to terms with the fact that this was going to be a slower race because of the crowds and craziness. This just means that it will be easy to beat if/when I run my next marathon!

Stay tuned! I'll do one more wrap-up post soon.

And only 8 months later...here it is, Part 5!

Walt Disney World Marathon Part 3: The First 13.1

Welcome to my race recap! Read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

We woke up around 3AM and basically sprang out of bed. This was it! The magical day we had envisioned for months, through endless training runs and long workdays and non-Disney-related moments.

We got dressed, made sure we had what we needed in our gEAR bags (lol) and caught a bus around 4. Yep, it was cold all right! Started out in the 30s. Not bad running weather, but not really the kind of cold you want to stand around in for hours. I was thankful I had heard you didn't really need to be there 2 hours early like Disney claimed. We ended up having the perfect amount of time to get through traffic, security, gEAR check, port-a-potties, and corrals.

Wow. I knew runDisney races were crowded but this was a crazy amount of people. After the race, we found out that there were over 17,000 finishers (not including people who started and didn't finish for various reasons). Disney is nothing if not organized though, and we calmly moved through the horde to get to our starting corral.

I had gotten into Corral F (corrals ran from A-P, with P being the largest including the walkers) which was a result of my proof of time from my last half marathon. My friend was in Corral J, so we decided to start together there. However, somehow we ended up in Corral K. Oh, well.

We watched as corral after corral was sent off in a blaze of fireworks, with Mickey counting down for each start. How magical is that?

Runners were huddled in clumps all around us and it was pretty amusing to see the get-ups inspired by the desire to be warm. Resort towels, garbage bags, and even a bathrobe were on full display. As we moved up to the start, more and more of these comfort objects were tossed to the side (and picked up by people waiting in later corrals!). Disney collected and donated all the throwaway clothes; this happens at many races.

Finally it was OUR countdown and OUR fireworks. Go! Shortly after 6AM, we set off in the darkness. The first few miles flew by and we drank in every little thing. Running under the Magic Kingdom entrance and seeing the first few character stops, we couldn't stop smiling.

As we ran down Main Street towards the castle, I wanted to freeze time and savor the moment, but we had to keep moving! Our pace was slow and steady even from the beginning because of several reasons. First, we were with slower runners and, in the middle of huge crowds, we really had to run the pace of those around us. Second, the course was narrow at times and we had to keep our eyes open for people suddenly walking (thanks, Jeff Galloway), veering off to meet spectators, or stopping for a quick selfie. Third, we were focused on enjoying the unique runDisney experience and meeting our own personal goals. Mine was to run the whole marathon...that's it!

I see why people get addicted to runDisney races. It is my favorite race I have ever done. Period. Nothing beats the magic! True it was crowded and crazy and of course it was difficult, but the pros greatly outweighed the cons.

Runner support was phenomenal. Water/Powerade stops were nearly every mile, with dozens of volunteers ready to assist. Multiple aid stations had everything from Vaseline to Biofreeze (I used both!). Thousands of spectators cheered, offered food, and held up signs.

Many runners were in costumes, so that was fun to see. Lots of great people-watching opportunities! Each mile marker had a different Disney character(s) on it along with accompanying music. Character stops were plentiful, and even though I never stopped for one, I enjoyed seeing them as I ran by. They included Beauty and the Beast, stilt walkers, the dragon float from the Festival of Fantasy parade, Lilo and Stitch, and even Oswald the Lucky Rabbit! It seemed we were always coming up on unique characters and many racers took full advantage, lining up for a picture. My friend and I weren't interested in standing a line during a marathon, though!

Running through the parks was the absolute best, everything I dreamed it would be. One of my favorite places was Africa in the Animal Kingdom. Such great theming! I had heard that it was possible to ride Expedition Everest halfway through the race but unfortunately we ran past it too early and it wasn't open for riders yet. I definitely would've done it if I had the opportunity though!

Honestly, the first 13.1 miles flew by. Months of training had paid off and I was feeling great.

Would the magical Disney runner's high help me "go the distance?" Stay tuned...

Keep going! Read Part 4 here...

Walt Disney World Marathon Part 2: Getting There

Welcome to my race recap! Read Part 1 here.

My friend and I had signed up for the Walt Disney Marathon in April, when registration first opened. Our conversation went something like this...

Me: I mean, if I was ever going to run a marathon I would want it to be in Disney World.
Her: You don't have to convince me! I would totally do it.
Me: Wait, are you serious?
Her: Are you?

The marathon wasn't until January, so we had a long time to look forward to it. We spent our time completing a Color Run 5K, a Mud Run 5K, a Hot Chocolate 15K, and a Run & Ride Half Marathon. Yes I admit I had been bitten by the racing bug and I was loving it!

Hal Higdon's marathon training plan that we followed was an 18 week schedule and we plunged right in. I wrote how many miles I was to run each day in my calendar and completed them like it was my JOB. I wasn't going to be disgraced in front of Mickey Mouse, no way. If I was going to do this, I was going to do it right.

After months of anticipation, training, enormous amounts of food to satisfy our increasing appetites, and Disney-related reading/music/gifs/what-have-you, we found ourselves in Orlando on Saturday, January 7. Weather-related delays and turbulence on the flight had my stomach in knots, and the stress only increased when we realized we were going to be cutting it closer than we wanted to at the expo at ESPN Wide World of Sports.

Nevertheless, we were extremely grateful that our race was still on after hearing that the half marathon had been cancelled due to lightning. I can only imagine how devastating that news was to the runners. On a positive note, Disney seemed to handle things extremely well and we heard of runners making the most of things, as runners are prone to do. I saw many people out getting their miles in anyway on Disney property. Typical!

Unable to fully enjoy the Magical Express as I kept watching the clock, I self-soothed by eating handfuls of peanut butter M&Ms. Now that I was finally hungry, of course we didn't have time to get any real food. At the resort we didn't have time to leave our carry-ons, instead we hopped on the bus to the expo.

 

When we finally held our official bibs in our hands I almost sobbed with relief. Okay, now this was actually happening! My proudest moment of the day was scoring a free banana and apple slices at the Chiquita booth by tossing a beanbag through a hole. Apple slices for my empty stomach and a banana for pre-race fuel!

We had intended to do some resort-hopping but our matching faces of exhaustion reassured each other we were on the same page. We headed back to our resort, All-Star Movies, and went straight to the food court. It was time to carbo-load, and we chose macaroni and cheese and pizza. We ordered way too much food, so enjoyed leftovers over the next couple days.

While eating, we talked about the weather again. It was going to be cold. The temperature had been dropping and Sunday morning it would be 30s at the race's start, 5:30AM. I had brought a throwaway jacket to wear over my tank top and arm sleeves but I was getting nervous since I knew we would be standing around for a bit before actually running. After reading a tip online, I asked a janitor emptying garbage in the food court for two trash bags to help us keep warm at the starting line, which she happily supplied.

Oh yes, now we're ready! Early to bed!

Keep going! Part 3 is here.

Walt Disney World Marathon Part 1: The Training

Yes, I'm just going to casually post this here even though it has been quite a while. Does this mean I'm going to start posting regularly? No promises.

However, because I love reading others' race recaps and Disney World vacation blogs, I'm writing about my experiences here. And if you're like me and obsessively comb the internet for these kinds of updates, this is especially for you!

So, I ran a marathon. *blush*

And that was the easy part! I had heard that running the actual marathon could be considered a "victory lap" after all the training, but I'll admit I had my doubts. I mean, victory lap? Seriously? Running 26.2 miles did not seem like it was going to feel that easy breezy.

Now of course I know where that perception comes from. Training for a marathon is really really tough. I ran most of my miles alone, with no cheering crowds or water stations. Runners have to be self-motivated. Here's the thing: running takes discipline. If you want to run a race and you want to meet a particular goal or goals, you have to be willing to stick it out even when no one but you knows (or cares!) if you are logging the miles or not.

You have to run in the rain or the heat or the cold.

You have to run when you're sad or tired or whiny or anxious.

You have to run because you made yourself a promise...a promise that you're not going to be one of those people who registers for a race and then blows off the training. You're going to stick it out.

And I did! I really did. I followed a Hal Higdon marathon training plan since I felt like I had good success with his half marathon plan. I ran nearly every single run on that schedule, missing only one or two due to sickness. I got up early or I ran after work. I piled on layers or I wore my cap to keep the rain out of my eyes. I pranced through newly-fallen snow like a focused, non-flying reindeer.

And I am immensely proud of myself for this. My confidence increased. I would run up a hill a little faster just to prove I could do it. Each time I completed a run that I started out dreading, it was like I was showing myself that yes, this was possible and yes, I was up to the challenge.

The first training run I completed that was longer than 13.1 miles (a half marathon) was a big step. Then I cleared 16 miles. Then 18. And finally, before the taper, 20. I was running four times a week, farther and farther. My friend, who has been by my side for nearly all my races was my accountability partner. We ran our long runs together every Saturday. We sent each other pictures on Snapchat to encourage each other. We reminded ourselves of the end goal:

The Walt Disney World Marathon.

Keep going! Read Part 2 here.

Hello, Sugar!

Nope.

Didn't do it.

Attempt #1 at the Sugar Detox was a fail. At least in terms of completing it. I made it 8 glorious days before I got concerned that I was doing something wrong.

I was feeling okay, not like I was starving myself. However, I was definitely missing out on "something."

I started feeling weak and lethargic. I could barely lift easy weights at the gym. I had heard that I might go through a short workout slump, but when it got to about my fifth workout and things were not getting better, I got concerned. I have worked way too hard at the gym to start losing muscle mass.

So I gradually added those carbs back in.

Am I right back to where I started? No. Believe it or not, I did learn a lot. For instance, how crazy dependent I am on sugar. How it ends up in practically everything I eat. I learned that vegetables and protein can be a meal. I learned more about what it feels like to be truly hungry versus bored or anxious. I learned that WOW a Gala apple can seriously taste like candy.

This past week, my meals have been mostly vegetables, instead of mostly carbs. I am working on key concepts like balance and fuel, as opposed to emotional eating. For me, eating better has been about planning and some extra work in the kitchen. Being prepared makes a big difference.

This is not the end of me trying new eating plans. I enjoy learning about nutrition far too much for that! However, if I do anything close to this plan again, I will not wait so long before eating a banana or two. My enthusiasm to try something new sometimes escalates into too much too soon. This leads to frustration.

I of course have to end this post with a new recipe I found! I have been enjoying coconut milk as a healthy fat, and this Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding has the perfect level of sweetness.

Source

Reading Blogs & Eating Oatmeal. At Times Simultaneously.

I'm trying to eat healthy.

This isn't necessarily a New Year's resolution. I just want to be mindful of what I'm putting in my mouth. (For more on me and nutrition, click here)

So I've been chowing down on fruits and vegetables. I've been drinking lots of water. I've been avoiding processed foods and sugars.

I've also been experimenting in the kitchen.

Some new blogs have been extremely helpful to me during this time. It's very cool to read about women like me who are working to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

My current favorites are:

Carrots 'N Cake

Kath Eats Real Food 

The Great Fitness Experiment

Lots of recipes, pictures, workout tips, and advice. Unlike some of the wacky food or exercise writers out there, these three ladies are down-to-earth.

I've been inspired to try new things at the gym and eat new foods (flaxseed, anyone?) because of these blogs.

I've been making some really rockin' awesome food recently, so I thought I'd share just one recipe today so this blog post isn't a million paragraphs. I do like short paragraphs, in case you haven't noticed.

This muffin recipe is one I found on the blog Chocolate-Covered Katie. She has some, um, interesting recipes on there. She's into making healthy versions of desserts. Some are pretty out there. However, her chocolate chip cookie dough dip with chickpeas isn't bad. I actually like it, but it does not taste like cookie dough. I know my cookie dough.

So here's the muffin recipe! I modified it a bit, so check out Katie's original recipe if you want.

In a big bowl, stir together:
2 1/2 cups mashed banana (extra soft and ripe for best flavor)
2 2/3 cups water
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp vanilla extract

I know it looks gross. It's wet banana mush!

Now stir in:
5 cups rolled oats
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Now throw in whatever you think would taste good with oatmeal! Dried fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, etc. For my batch, I used raisins, shredded coconut, walnuts, ground flax, and wheat germ.

Now pour the oatmeal into muffin tins (with liners if you want, or just spray the tins) and bake at 380 degrees for about 20 minutes.This makes a lot, so Katie recommends freezing them. I stuck some in my freezer and have been snacking on the rest all week.

Warning: if you don't like cooked oatmeal, don't make these muffins! Basically they're like mini bowls of oatmeal in muffin form. I happen to be in love with oatmeal, so these were perfect.

Let me know if you try them and what you think! Have a great weekend.

Source

A New Year's Revelation

Another year gone. Yipes. I know it's cliche, but it's true: the older you get the more time flies.

When I was little, days and weeks and months stretched out like I had all the time in the world! I wanted time to pass faster. I wanted to be older. So I could do more things. I wanted to be sixteen, because thanks to Sound of Music I believed it would be the most romantic year of my life. (It wasn't. It was just awkward.)

But now? Zoom! Goodbye, 2012! Hello, 2013!

I have the usual New Year's resolutions. I'm planning on doing some in-depth Bible study with the help of commentaries. I want to make better eating choices. Keep up with the gym, especially strength training. Do well in my classwork.

But there is one last resolution that I've got to be HARD-CORE about:

No more self-diagnosing myself online.

I wouldn't necessarily call myself a hypochondriac, but thanks to the help of Dr. Internet, I've experienced those moments of panic.

I need to do myself a favor and stop googling alleged issues. All I get to see is someone with similar symptoms ask a question on Yahoo Answers and receive feedback from any old crazy with a computer. Someone who can't even spell cancer correctly probably isn't qualified to provide any real answers. Just sayin'.

The internet is helpful for many things, but sometimes the overabundance of information can hurt you rather than help you. I'm sure our doctors would rather we skip the online diagnosing and obsessing and instead go straight to them. Of course, if you're just looking for some general information to point you in the right direction, just use common sense and only check out the reputable sites. (This is an excerpt from the pep talk I gave myself last week....)

Oh, and here's another tip. Stay away from Google Images if you're typing any body or medical-related terms.

You can thank me later.

10 Things.

Here are 10 things to catch you up on my recent life:

1. Discovered that I could use a bit of weight training in my life. Enjoy pretending I have big muscles. Until some big guy shows me I really don't.

2. Went on a family vacation during the first week of the Olympics. Walked around tourist sites all day and tried to stay up late each night watching swimming and gymnastics. Pretended to be Michael Phelps in the hotel pool and discovered I need to spend more time on my arms (See #1).

3. Moved back in with my parents. Both because I enjoy their company AND....

4. Will be starting my master's degree next Monday. Online at the University of Pittsburgh. For Library and Information Science. (more on this later)

5. Preparing to start school again. Trying to resist buying too many new school supplies. Getting excited about studying at a different library near my house (NOT at the one I work at; that's weird).

6. Just finished rereading (rerererererereading?) the Harry Potter series. Read Deathly Hallows as slowly as I possibly could but it still ended. And now I'm not sure what to do with myself.

7. Tried running again. Got sore. Might just run a smidge so my knees don't hate me. Already lusting after new running shoes.

8. Ate a Mediterranean Veggie sandwich at Panera's. Going to attempt to duplicate it. Contemplating becoming a vegetarian....haha yeah RIGHT!

9. Went on an epic 4-hour-long shopping trip with my sister. Only fought once. Maybe twice. Mostly spent the time advising each other on outfits and finishing each other's sentences.

10. Paid about 17 bills all at the same time, including new tires (full story coming soon) and insurance and school and more car things...at least now all is squared away.

So yeah. Things have been crazy.

Hope you all had a nice summer; now it's winding down....booo.



Yeah, probably won't hear any of these things from your doctor. But then, I don't know your doctor. So who can be sure?

Thank you, Olympics

Thank you, 2012 Olympics, for making sports simple and interesting to me.

You do this by:

- Making it obvious who to root for. No picking between random teams with random names, forced to choose based on color of uniforms alone. Instead...USA! USA!

- Exposing me to things I didn't know were sports, but are actually pretty cool. Synchronized diving, anyone? Craziness. Also, I was completely stumped when I saw what looked like basketball until someone threw the ball into a soccer goal. Um, confusion? Turns out it's handball. News to me!

- Showing the best of the best. If I don't want to see quarter or semifinals, I can skip right to the race for the medal! I only want to see the most important, most dramatic competitions!

- Making me feel like I can do anything. As I sit here eating my cookie, watching women rocket over hurdles, I think, Eh, maybe I'll give that a try, myself. I just love the irony of the people of the United States, the fattest nation in the world, plunking down every night to watch these feats of athleticism. Maybe the Olympics will inspire some exercise; we can only hope!

Thanks, Olympics!

Actually, I'll Just Stand

Sore. I am so, so, sore.

Yesterday I thought it would be a good idea to go to a 6am class at the gym. Boot camp, they call it. Fun, they said it would be.

And it was, sort of. The hour went pretty quickly since we were doing so many different things. Free weights. Squats. Lunges. Crunches. Ouch.

I tried not to pay attention to the fifty-year-old women lifting heavier weights than me. It was my first time, all right? By the end of the class, I could barely raise five-pound weights over my head. Or just my arms over my head.

So all day yesterday I felt a little twingy, but that was it.

Not so today. After not moving all night (mostly), I am now trying to stretch out the aching muscles in my body. It's so annoying how a person can think she's in decent shape until she tries something new. Something new that kills her. And makes her body let out imaginary screams of pain when she tries to sit down in her computer chair to write a new blog post.

Really, this post couldn't be about anything other than the pain I'm in because it's kind of hard to think about anything else.

So, the lesson here is, go easy with the boot camps. And if you do, make sure you have some ibuprofen. Or chocolate.

Really, chocolate is probably better.

Easy, Breezy, Beautiful. Or Crazy, Hectic, Fantastic.

So, the library has been busy lately.

Like computer-slowing, kid-swarming, library card-applying, crazy-number-of-book-borrowing busy.

• Dozens and dozens of kids registering for the summer reading program. Like, a herd every hour. And please don't stick me behind the desk at the children's library, because I get crazy. There are so many things to do, and I just end up throwing stickers at children's heads and forgetting half the things to tell the parents.

• Strangers. No, not the dangerous kind. The kind who are suddenly interested in the library now that it's summer time. Oh, can I use the computers? Check out eBooks? Get onto the wi-fi? Random people every day; taking over the regulars. New people all over the place.

• College students. Back from school! Ready for something to do other than be put to work at home or skype with their college friends. And I am extremely impressed with people around my age coming to the library and getting books "just for fun," by the way. Honestly, it's so rare I get guys my age just coming to check out a novel that I practically want to propose marriage when it happens.

I love, love, love a busy summer at the library. So much so that I'm already dreading the slow torture of winter. But I love seeing new people, and sun-kissed kids in flip-flops, and entire families all flocking to the library. I love running around and doing fifteen things at once. It does wear me down, though.

The other day I got home extremely wound up, still processing all the conversations I'd had and things that had happened. I had to go right to the gym and move my legs like a crazy person to get my brain to slow down.

Hooray for summer at the library! If you haven't been to your local library in a while, well, you really should. Find out what's happening. You might be surprised.



Hm...not enough fine young men at my library. Like these guys, for instance.

An Interest in Pinterest

Judy Smith has pinned a pin to pinterest.

What? What is this nonsense?

I stayed away as long as I could, I'm telling you. I'm not super crafty. I don't consider myself the kind of Susie Homemaker type that would need Pinterest to inspire me to do crazy creative things with ribbon, paper clips, and nail polish. Or whatever.

Seriously, everything I saw on Pinterest seemed so daunting and crafty that I was turned off. And plus, I didn't want to be a typical girl. I like to go against the grain on occasion. And everyone expected me to be on there.

Then I finally thought I might as well check it... out for the sake of the library. That's right, the library. I already take care of Facebook, Twitter, and Blogger for the library. Why not see if I can add Pinterest to the list? I saw that other libraries use it successfully as another way to increase awareness of their usefulness and to provide information. For instance, the New York Public Library has dozens of boards, including a neat one with fashion pictures around the time of Downton Abbey, taking advantage of its current popularity.

So I dove right in. I take it back; I actually stared at pictures for hours. Wait - time has passed? All I did was look at a few puppies. And cookies. And muscles.

I just think it's so ironic that I can be waffling between wanting to just eat every-freakin' thing I see on these boards and wanting to never eat again yet exercise continuously so I can look as awesome as that model. Only you, Pinterest, can torture me in this way.

My favorite are the sarcastic/witty comments. They just crack me right up. I'll take something snarky over something inspirational any day of the week.

So now I'm a pinner. Or whatever. I only have an account for the library, but I'm thisclose to getting my own. It's only a matter of time until Pinterest wears me down...

Xtreme Library Workout

Get up!

That's right - I'm talking to you! Put down your bag of chips and get up! It's time to sweat, tone, and strengthen...in the librarian workout!

Now, I'm sure some of you are thinking that librarians are pretty sedentary. Not so. At MY library, you get a workout.

So let's do this! Take off your cardigan, put your glasses on top of your head, and let's do the librarian workout:

1. The Book Squat: Of course the book you need to shelve is on the bottom shelf. It seems like they all are, sometimes. No matter, use those glutes to stick that book right where it belongs, according to the dewey decimal system. And one and two and three and four!

2. The Literary Lunge: Whether you're carrying a large stack of DVDs or arranging material on the holds shelf, you are bound to lose your balance. In such occasions, simply lunge to grab falling items. This is a library, so you can't let too many things hit the ground at once. And don't forget to follow-through!

3. The 10-Shelf Dash: Pick up your pace, swing those elbows, and stride through the library. Don't forget to walk by the gang of unruly teenagers "doing homework," the sketchy guy at the computers, and the kid eyeing the spinning rack of periodicals. There's nothing like a brisk walk around the joint to remind everyone that you've got your eye on things.

4. The Chair Hover: Picture this: you just helped a patron at the desk and are now heading back to the office to sit down and continue working on that program flyer. But just before you hit the seat, another patron steps up to the desk. (How do they time it like that?) Engage your lower half and pick yourself back up before your butt even TOUCHES that seat.

5. The Cruisin' Cart: Do your library muscles still need a little help, even after hefting all those books? Give the book cart a push! After you've loaded it, of course. My dream is to one day be able to ride a cart through the library, but that's unfulfilled currently. Want to know how many times I've thought about doing that? 75. Oh - 76.

Hope you enjoyed a taste of the active life of a librarian. Don't forget to stretch!

Just So You Know

So I'm having internet troubles. Hopefully they will be resolved shortly, but here's a mini blog post since I wasn't able to write one Friday and probably won't be able to tomorrow.

A few of my favorite things this past week:

• Wearing flip flops for the first time this year!
• Turning the heat off and opening the windows.
• Making chocolate chip cookies with Oreos inside (for the recipe, click here).
• Painting my nails with Hunger Games nail polish.
• Reading amazing reviews of The Hunger Games movie, which I will be watching at midnight this coming Thursday!
• Taking an ice cream walk.
• Getting great deals on groceries like fresh fruits and vegetables. Because I'm an excellent shopper.
• Listening to sessions online at work from the Public Library Association's Virtual Conference about social media and iPads.
• Catching up with my best friends.

Despite not having internet much this week, I managed to have a good time. Have I perhaps learned something? Anyway, who wants to stay inside when there's so much to do in such beautiful weather!

Happy Sunday. :)

Strolling Through the Library

I occasionally patrol the library.

I guess I picked up the habit from working at my college library. Every hour we worked, the library staff had to walk around and count how many students were using the library. While walking around we would push in chairs, pick up books, and generally tidy up. Also, I considered it my personal duty to break up couples "studying" in the back.

So I kind of still keep up that habit at the public library. Every once in a while, if things are slow at the desk, I'll stroll around the library.

I do this for a couple reasons. First, it's just generally good to know who's around. If we find a DVD case in the bookdrop without the DVD, I might know if the patron's still around in the library. Or if someone calls looking for someone (which happens more often than you might think), I might know where that patron is. And generally I think it's a good idea to keep an eye on who's at the library in case there's some kind of issue.



Also, I like to pick up books scattered around and push in chairs. When people are browsing, they tend to leave a trail. Which is MUCH better than them shelving them in the wrong place, by the way. So I'll scoop up all the books hanging around, trying to carry as many as I can in one trip. Because I like to carry things...And I definitely have a thing about keeping chairs pushed in. How hard is it, people?

Finally, I like to walk around just to walk around. Stretch my legs. Get the blood flowing. I walk around a lot during the day in short spurts, but sometimes I just like to stride purposefully around the whole library. Good for the heart!

Hope you all have a great weekend! Stay healthy, stay warm, and visit your local public library. :)

Quietly Singing To Myself

So, I go to cycling class a couple times a week at the gym. It's great.

I'm one of those people who likes to sit in the same area every time. It's my spot. Don't mess with my spot.

Maybe you're all spontaneous and, like, "hey I want to sit waaaay over here today!" or "maybe I'll try a bike in this corner," but I'm not like that.

I like a bike in the back and over to the side a bit. That way, I get the full force of the fan blowing from the back of the room, and I also get to see out the door. For people-watching purposes, obviously. I can see everybody in the room, and I can see everybody walking around outside the room. Perfect.

During class, the instructor plays all kinds of music to get us pumped up. Good songs with good beats. Fast for "sprints," slow for climbs.

Guess what? If I hear songs that I know, I'm going to sing along. It's just a given. So I'll be in the back on my bike quietly singing to myself. I would like to be loudly singing to myself, but then it wouldn't really be just to myself, would it?

It's a little embarassing, but sometimes I just can't help it. I'll have been singing half the song before I even realize I'm doing it. Sorry, people around me. It's Adele, for crying out loud.

Happy Monday!

Running Away From Running

A few weeks ago (months? hard to tell), I ran 7 miles. At once. On the treadmill in my basement. While watching The A-Team. But that part's not really important...

Anyway, I ran 7 miles! Hooray!

But now, apparently, after hitting that significant milestone, I have completely lost interest in running. I've run maybe three times since then.

Part of the reason is probably that, since joining the gym for a whole year, I've wanted to go there more often. I don't run at the gym because...well, just because.

Things I've Learned About Running, As I Apparently Wrap Up This Season of My Life:

-I love exercise and the way it makes me feel (look...).

-I don't love running.

-I never found the elusive "runner's high." Unless that's what a second wind is.

-Running makes my knees hurt.

-There are other ways to exercise that don't involve... running.

-I am not going to run 10 miles. Which was my New Year's resolution. I've accepted it and I'm moving on.

I guess I just got sick of running. I never fell in love with it, and I found cycling instead to fill that hole. I really love the cycling classes at the gym, and I'm able to go three times a week and challenge myself.

So, goodbye, running. At least for now.

Up, Up, and Away!

So, a couple times this past week I was at the gym before 6am.

I know, right? Who does that? Weirdo...

On Wednesday, I really wanted to go to a cycling class, and since I have an earlier shift on Wednesday, I decided to go to the one at 6 in the morning.

So I set my alarm for 5:30 and made myself presentable for, well, the gym. Where expectations are low. Or should be, anyway.

I got to the gym about ten minutes early and managed to claim the last bike in the room. Wait - what?

I noticed while I was driving to the gym that there were actually people on the roads. Going places. It's like there're these whole magical hours I know nothing about. Because I don't get up earlier than 6 unless it is a certain Friday in November.

So I got the last bike in the room! Because, apparently, there enough hard-core gym members that go regularly at 6am. Craziness.

I just sat there on my bike for a few minutes, blinking, pondering my existence. Then the class started and I didn't have time to think about how early it was. There was only time for sweat.

Getting up that early on Wednesday made me warm up to the idea a bit, so I got up the same time on Sunday. I went to the gym to join about four people (Seriously. Four people.) to exercise on various machines. What a difference.

All right, then! It's a new week. If you're like me, you nearly burst into tears at the thought of having to get out of bed, and delayed it as long as possible.

Happy Monday!

Walkin' on Sunshine

So last week, I decided to download Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl onto my iPod (from my library's website), put on my walkin' shoes, and take a stroll through my town.

Walking through the neighborhoods was pleasant. I said hi to old people sitting out on their porches. Passed kids riding their bikes. Chased squirrels. Kicked rocks. The usual stuff.

I even walked down the main street. And a couple busier roads. This kept getting awkward, since there was a LOT of traffic. And I felt like everyone in my town drove by. And looked at me.

Doesn't anyone walk anymore? I felt very conspicuous.

Someone I know even stopped to ask me if I needed a ride. Nope - just walkin'.

I wasn't going anywhere in particular. I was just listening to a British narrator tell me the story of Charlie Bucket and Willy Wonka. Whatevs.

I really like to be outside during the summer. But sometimes I'm not sure what to do.

Sometimes it's nice to just take a walk.