Weekly Therapy: fueled by turkey

November 29, 2014 - Mel

the week:
This Thanksgiving week has been cray-zay, and I’m happy to be on the other end of it. Bring on the holiday madness and anxiety! And cheese plates. More of those, please. Approaching Thanksgiving was really stressful, and I had to deal with some last-minute disappointment (which I ran off in an anger-fueled 5-mile Turkey Trot); alas, keeping some perspective, I am so thankful for so many people in my life and my present opportunities and future prospects. And we had one helluva gluten-free, nightshade-free Thanksgiving meal.

weekend:
I feel overwhelmed by homework (story of my life), so I’ll be consumed by two-sample hypotheses and group conflict (in more ways than one). THREE WEEKS left in this semester.

seven things, seven days:
1. Upgraded and ran the Turkey Trot 5-miler this year! I love having runners-as-neighbors too, for the camaraderie to approach the start line.
2. I also love being able to walk to/from the start/finish line.
3. Received my virtual race packet for the Christmas Story 10k. I’ve never done a virtual race, and this race swag is sweet. SO EXCITE.
4. Having reverse heat problems now where the bedroom is the warmest room in the house, which… NOPE.
5. Also, we finally had a plumber out to fix the calcified water line to the house humidifier (since the furnace company doesn’t have its own plumber, #dumb), and when the furnace is switched to “winter,” the furnace doesn’t work. HOORAY, OLD HOUSES!
6. Another week before the glass doors are installed in the new shower, but we’ve basically moved in. SO HAPPY to not have to run to the other side of the house in the middle of the night to pee!
7. On Life Lists and Bucket Lists and such: Why you’re more likely to run a marathon at an age ending in “9.” Crisis of Meaning is an interesting spin on things. {via Research Digest)

Weekly Therapy: just a little further…

November 21, 2014 - Mel

the week:
Guys. The contractors have promised me that the master bathroom, bedroom wall, hallway, and master closet will be DONE before Thanksgiving. Praise, baby turkey Jesus, I need to clean my house.

weekend:
Woof. Another mid-point statistics exam today. Send me some wisdom, Math Gods! There’s also Light Up Night (and its usual hijinks). Since taking on a full-time role at work, I will regularly work over the weekends — though I’ll still get out in time to enjoy Friendsgiving dinner Saturday night. The contractors are planning to work Saturday too so that our home is in working order by Thanksgiving (that will certainly be something in which to give thanks!). Homework and a long run planned for Sunday, and I fully intend to move into my NEW WALK-IN CLOSET.

If you’re in Pittsburgh and into social media and blogging and podcasting (and not working, like me), you should go to PodCamp!

seven things, seven days:
1. The East Nash Dash I ran in Nashville sent me such a wonderful letter about the benefitting charity Progress, Inc. ALL proceeds from the race go towards the organization — how amazing is that?! I wish more organizations stayed in touch this way.
2. Happiness Conspiracy this week left me feeling… well, less happy. I don’t know if I can really explain it, but I feel as though I am lacking in self-awareness, identity, and confidence. I need to work on my authenticity and living an authentic life.
3. Current status: sleeping in the guest room because of the work (and dust) in the master. Everyone should sleep in their guest room to ensure it’s comfortable and cozy. Mine is probably the coldest room in the house besides the kitchen, so I hope you’re into that! Or, you get an air mattress in the attic.
4. Anticipating the end of this project, I have been on something of a spending spree. Probably has something to do with winter hibernation, right?
5. 9 Quotes About Life from the Movie “Garden State” – wisdom from one of my favorite movies. {via PsychCentral}
6. Some call it “ghosting,” some call it “pancaking.”
7. I’m (still) fascinated by (and want to study) motivation — this research is in reference to the motivation behind selfies {via The Red & Black}

Hot Chocolate 15K: To Columbus, with marshmallows

November 19, 2014 - Mel

Has this turned into a running blog? Well, that’s about all that I’m doing right now, so… join me in my therapy. And for the record, running is still terrible. Kinda.

THIS was the race I was, ahem, “training” for over the last 8 weeks. A group of friends talked me into running it with them, and a 15K seemed like the perfect post-derby season challenge. Plus: hot chocolate stations and marshmallow stops seemed like a good incentive. See also: a sweet finishers medal. I’ve run for less.
Ahem, apple crisp.

hot chocolate 15k

Downtown Columbus was a mad house for the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K. I was already feeling anxious-excited, and my race day room service breakfast was late (but then, free), and we got lost trying to find the start corrals (this, after somehow realizing we were at a Mile 2 water station… uhhhh)… AND bubble guts. I got assigned to the J group with a bulk of people running/walking the 5K and was grateful for all my lateral training and avoidance of hits from derby. I did step on the back of someone’s shoe trying to side-step the walkers (whoops). It was smooth sailing, err running, after the course split at about 2.5 miles — which was marked and VERY obvious for the runners, thank the… weather gods? Oh, the weather (thanks, Ohio!). EFFIN’ FREEZING. My fleece-lined pants are good for cold 5Ks, but I need something a little warmer for these long distances.

I had no real goal other than thinking I should probably run the 15K faster than my 10-miler (duh). I also wanted to keep my pace around 10:30. That first 5K though… it took me a long while to warm up. But I basically ran the whole thing (save for the water station pass-throughs), of which I am ultimately proud. I didn’t get that overwhelming hunger at Mile 8, but boy, did I experience the WHY THE HELL AM I DOING THIS?! Especially when my left thigh started cramping up. But then… I felt something that made me feel as though I might be enjoying this whole running thing.

Splits
5K: 33:29 (pace 10:47)
10K: 1:05:37 (pace 10:34)
Finish: 1:38:38 (pace 10:35)

So long, and thanks for all the fondue!

Weekly Therapy: run for yourself… but also run for all the chocolate.

November 14, 2014 - Mel

the week:
Holy recovery! All things considered, I didn’t feel too bad this week for running 10 freaking miles. My hip was really bothering me the day after the race, so I’ve been foam rolling all week and stretching between customers at work. I would also really, really like to get a short 2-mile-ish run in before the end of the week to “stretch” everything out.

weekend:
Race weekend is finally here! There will be all the hot chocolate with ALL THE MARSHMALLOWS.

seven things, seven days:
1. New gluten-free bakery in Columbus? CHECK. Gimme all of your Oatmeal Creme Pies!
2. Basically, I will be in a sugar coma until Wednesday.
3. Did I tell you that I signed up for the Pittsburgh Half Marathon? Yep. DOING IT.
4. MY MASTER BATHROOM IS ALMOST DONE. Up next: master bedroom walk-in closet. What.
5. Have any advice for how to manage extreme hunger during long runs? I seem to be an anomaly, whereas other runners don’t think about food for ALL THE MILES.
6. The age-old question: Can Money Buy Happiness? Well… kinda. But you’re probably doing it wrong. {via The Wall Street Journal}
7. The Psychology of the Supermarket. Don’t shop hungry, Phil. {via Bon Appetit}

Five miles of STEPS: Fineview Stepathon

November 13, 2014 - Mel

On October 18, I completed my first 5-mile race: the Fineview Stepathon. Again, I signed up the day before because I’m some sort of torture artist. It also technically wasn’t a five-mile race as much as it was a five-mile adventure course, but I was completely on board with the challenge. I’m just happy that it didn’t rain!

Extra bonus: I could walk to the start line/home from the finish.

I like steps, I like mud, I like trail running — and the Fineview Step-a-thon brought it all (and some hills, natch). The course was somewhat confusing for this newb. I ran with the map and had to pull it out of my belt for the last mile because a group of us were SO lost. At another point, I was also lost, alone, in the woods and couldn’t find the right colored paint marks. Thankfully, I had someone running up from behind me to lead the way.

In my mind, this read: FFS.

The steps though. OH BOY, THOSE STEPS. What, like, 371 of them? 300 of them seemed like they were in the last mile. As strong as my legs are, I maintained a good pace running up for a little while (even got some congrats from a runner I passed), but overwhelmingly lost steam not even half way. I am not shamed to say that I walked for a good bit of the course.

Regardless, this was a fun one to cross off the “runner’s bucket list.”
Finish 1:09.36
12th of 37 female
36th of 72 overall

Fine view from atop Fineview finish line.

EQT 10-miler: aka, my first 10 miles ever.

November 11, 2014 - Mel

You know those crazy thoughts that start out something like: hey, I have to run 7-8 miles this weekend, why not SIGN UP FOR A 10-MILE RACE?

And this is how you end up registering for Pittsburgh’s EQT 10-miler.

I’ll put it out there completely: I have never run 10 miles. At least since adulthood, but probably forever. Was I prepared for this race? HELL. NO. Did I finish? Yep. And you know what? I’m really proud of my finish! And there was a medal, so…

The first five miles felt really good. Something happened to me both mentally and physically though going up the small-ish incline of Canal Street approaching Mile 6. I WANTED TO STOP. But then I talked myself into going a little further because I recognized the water station a few feet ahead (and I would walk with my water). The feeling when I started walking was overwhelming: if I keep walking, I am NEVER going to start running again. Aaaaaand there’s still four whole miles left.

If you can believe it (and if you’ve ever run a long race for the first time with not-enough training, you know what I’m talking about), I felt even worse by Mile 8. Also, I was SUPER hungry. I ate a handful of Sport Beans to relieve the hunger, but it only averted the crisis for another half mile or so. At this point, I just want to get the race over with (and about this time I realized that next week I would be DONE with the 15k). I cannot thank the Steel City Road Runners group enough for having amazing pacers. At just the right time, the 11:00 pacers passed me, and I dug deep to keep up with them until the finish.

10 mile race pittsburgh

Finish time: 1:48.35
P.S.: there was gluten-free snacks at the finish line!!!

I have to do this again next weekend? FML.

East Nash Dash: 4 (cold) miles in Nashville

November 10, 2014 - Mel

Still in 15k training mode! So, while on vacation, I ran the East Nash Dash — a 4-mile run from Five Points through downtown Nashville and back again. I found the race last minute, so online registration had ended; signing up and paying on-site was super easy.

east nash dash race nashville
Great view from mile two!

The temperature was about 27 degrees (uh, brrrrrr). How happy I was to have the premonition to pack a winter hat at the last moment!!!

finish line nashville 4 mile run

Look at that finishing stride: all heel strikes. Sigh, need to work on that. Also need to stop super-sprinting to the finish line. Overall, it was a really fun race, with a sparse crowd of runners (not sure if it had anything to do with weather). Water stations and port-a-johns at every mile, with a nice bridge climb that passes the Titans stadium just at the halfway point. There was a little weird loop going downtown for the return two where runners were criss-crossing one another, but it didn’t cause any stoppage. I felt good for most of the race, and looking back I probably could have picked up my pace a bit (aka: famous last words).

Alas, I placed 9th in my 30-something age group (!!!), 60th overall (out of 113), and finished in less than 40 minutes (39:54).

Weekly Therapy: diagonal*

November 7, 2014 - Mel

the week:
I’m recovering from a wild weekend of roller derby in Nashville. We didn’t play in the Championships games, but I was probably just as exhausted! My friend booked the Gaylord Opryland resort for our vacation — a place that I fell in love with nearly a decade ago — and it was every bit as amazing as I had hoped (and we got a fantastic rate on the room AND an atrium view AND I ordered room service twice).

opryland, nashville, hotel, gardens

Already decorated for Christmas.

weekend:
My training starts tapering off after this weekend in preparation of the Hot Chocolate 15k next weekend in Columbus, but I still need to get in a long run before Sunday. I’m considering doing the EQT 10-miler in Pittsburgh. Am I crazy?!

seven things, seven days:
1. I missed two different events this week due to being overwhelmed, exhausted, and stressed out (and, forgetful). Is it time for winter break yet?
2. At least I didn’t spill wine on me (or my seatmate) on either of the flights? Even if the flight attendant confiscated my concourse sippy.
3. I’ve been treading A/B waters in Statistics, but this week I finally drowned in confidence intervals. Someone send a life raft!
4. The contractors said the bathroom should be done next week (hooray!). Though we have to wait another 2-3 weeks for the glass shower doors.
5. Shazam for BIRDS! {via gigaom}
6. My new quote when needing motivation: “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” Thomas Edison
7. In other words, I’ll be re-doing all of my statistics assignments from last week because there’s another exam coming.

*does everyone else know the secret code for “Bed All to Yourself”? That is referred to as “diagonal” amongst my circle. HELLO, VACATION!

Weekly Therapy: what is your greatest fear?

October 29, 2014 - Mel

the week:
I finally went to Scarehouse! Four years of being in Pittsburgh, and a friend who works there took me. We also did The Basement, which… well, I’ll leave it for you to experience.

Question for you to ponder: What is your greatest fear?

While we were visiting Scarehouse, we were asked to participate in a research study about fear emotions. The researcher hooked us up to an EEG headset, and as a pair, we took a series of “tests” before and after touring the haunt. Interesting addition to an already-interesting evening, nonetheless.

scarehouse bunny selfie
Scarehouse is scary.

weekend:
Friday night was the season opening of Pittsburgh Ballet, with Sleeping Beauty. How awesome for the boyfriend, to celebrate his birthday with me and the ballet? *wink* Have I mentioned how much I want to do adult ballet classes? I think I’m going to start soon, especially since we get a discount with our subscription to PBT. We had dinner before the show at Grit & Grace downtown, which I am just in love with — and I can find multiple items every visit that are gluten-free! See also: ONION RINGS (!!!)

Otherwise, I’ll be getting a head-start on assignments, so I’m not concerned with them while I’m traveling next weekend (ha, right).

seven things, seven days:
1. I ran five miles. Does that deserve an exclamation point? Less than a month away from my 15k. I had to query other runners about nipple chafing, btw. So…
2. Apparently you make a lot of friends on twitter when you ask people about nipple chafing.
3. We cleaned the fridge TWICE and cannot find the source of a deathly smell. The boyfriend and I will be flipping a coin to see who opens and cleans the ice maker.
4. 90% on my Statistics mid-term. WHO AM I???
5. Non-petroleum jelly does NOT effectively combat nipple chafing. TMYK.
6. Finished Redirect: The surprising new science of psychological change. I don’t think I’ve highlighted so much information in one book!
7. A topic that I’ve been talking a lot about lately with friends and family. Because, I don’t think many of us are prepared. We’re older, but not wiser about menopause. {via

Weekly Therapy: two steps forward, two steps… harder.

October 21, 2014 - Mel

the week:
Well, that was a short week. Thankfully, I was able to switch my Monday shift to visit friends up in Chautauqua for some fall outdoors and boating fun. But whew, I have been feeling like unmotivated crap since. Thanks, sugar.

weekend:
Both the boyfriend’s parents and my dad and aunts are visited this weekend, separately. I opted not to attend a neighbor’s chili cookoff (not much there for me anyway). I also fit in homework (a research paper AND a proctored exam). What was that about me wanting to take a full-time position at work? Remind me about the money. Also, also: I had this bright idea to run the Fineview Step-a-thon race. 371 steps and 5+ miles. WHO AM I?!

You know that whole thing about “my weekend needing a weekend”? Yeah, that.

seven things, seven days:
1. Trying new cat boxes and litters… again. And new Feliways in a couple new spots. I’m determined NOT to put my cat on anti-depressants.
2. This gluten-free food study scares me and makes me SO MAD.
3. The personality trait that doubles Alzheimer’s risk. Welp. {via PsyBlog}
4. After two-and-a-half years in my part-time role at work, I’m moving into a full-time position. Not the dream, but it will get me through the end of school.
5. Speaking of school: OMG FINANCIAL AID. Why is there a lapse in communication with students ALWAYS. Until they need money.
6. Been thinking a lot about being mindful since my last Happiness Conspiracy. This Psychology Today article about How to Spend the First 10 Minutes of the Day makes sense.
7. Why resilient people are happier: And how to be more like them {via The Muse}