2017 Running Stats

     Instead of doing a month recap, I am posting a year recap with my running stats for 2017. This year was a great year of running for me! I am happy with the progress I made this year, and can't wait to continue to see progress in 2018.

Holiday Tapering

     Happy holidays! My last serious run was on Dec. 17 where I ran 10 miles at a 10:25 min/ mile pace. Since, I have been running 3 or 4 miles whenever I can find time/ get motivated enough to go outside. I didn't intend to taper so soon, but with the busyness that comes with the end of December, it just turned out that way.

Is there a doctor in the house?

It's official. My husband/best friend is now Dr. Craig Owen (though he'd prefer it if no one called him that)! He says that he is not the useful kind of doctor (i.e. medical doctor).

He was hooded at WSU's commencement ceremony a little over a week ago, and has completed the requirements for a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering. I feel like that does make him a pretty useful kind of doctor.

Year of Running 2017

This year has easily been the best year of my life (so far...). This summer, I married the love of my life and he graduated with his PhD just last week!

Despite work and wedding planning, I still managed to get in a fair bit of running this year (681 miles as of December 15). Here is a recap:

November Running Recap

83.4 miles

15 hours, 30 minutes, 43 seconds

2,747 feet of elevation gain

Average pace of of 11:10 min/mile

Dairy-free Thanksgiving for Two

Craig and I ended up spending our first married Thanksgiving in Pullman, without family. This was my first year cooking a Thanksgiving meal. Because I have a dairy allergy, I had the extra challenge of trying to find dairy-free recipes. Everything turned out delicious (although I still missed my family)!

Exciting Life Updates

   
     The past few days have been crazy exciting! On Thursday, Craig passed his Ph.D. defense. This a huge deal. It basically means he is finished with school! He turned in his completed dissertation last Friday, so as long as it gets accepted (which it most definitely will) he will be Dr. Craig!

     What's just as exciting: He is currently at a job interview. The company flew him down and is paying for all expenses. From what we can tell, it could be an amazing opportunity!

Eight Mile PR Attempt

Now that I am about 2 months into race training, I am gaining confidence during my runs. I am pushing myself to run faster and further. This weekend, I ran a fast (for me) 5K and 8-miler. 

First Snow Run(s)

I had a cozy-snow-filled weekend. It was a bit of a surprise; We don’t normally get snow before Thanksgiving. I did a long run in the fresh snow and made it home in time to watch the New York City Marathon elite women's finish. 

Self-Bribery

A simple trick to make exercising a habit.

David's tea: a treat I use to bribe myself to exercise :) 

I’ve mentioned this before, but I hate dislike strength training. I can rationally acknowledge its benefits, but for the past year or two I have found myself skipping workouts, to the point where they become so infrequent that I end up quitting altogether.

October Running Recap

60.36 miles

11 hours, 35 minutes, 33 seconds

1,181 feet of elevation gain

Average pace of of 11:31 min/mile

Recipe: Homemade Mint Chip Larabars

Craig and I both really like Larabars- especially the Mint Chip Brownie flavor. At $1.50 a bar though, we don’t buy them regularly. Instead, I found a simple recipe to make them at home. Over the past couple years, I have made a few modifications, including adding almonds for additional protein. 

Reasons I Run

I am kind of obsessed with running (obviously which is why I have an entire blog mostly dedicated to running). I'm no elite and will never earn any money as a runner, so it may seem silly for me to spend so much time and energy at a sport that I'm moderately ok at.

However, running has brought so many positive changes to my life since I began 5 years ago. I wanted to take a moment to attempt to describe why I love running so much, by compiling a (somewhat corny) list of reasons why I run:

Running Without a Gym Membership

If you can afford a gym membership, by all means go for it! Your health is definitely something worth investing in. However, if you are unable afford to pay membership fees, there are still ways to stay in running shape.

I Love Hills!

Part of the hillier route that I ran today.

Now that the weather has cooled down, it finally feels like Autumn! Encouraged by the change of seasons, I have taken on the challenge of choosing hillier running courses. 

Impromptu 10K

The trail where I ran, along wheat fields, with Moscow Mountain in the distance

   I’ve been keeping up with my running schedule pretty easily over the past few weeks. This Sunday I had 4 miles to run, but that didn’t seem challenging enough, so I decided to do a little over 6 miles instead and call it a 10K!

          My legs were feeling great, and I just knew it would be a good run. However, the weather didn’t know that my legs felt like running fast: it was a VERY windy day!

Eggs over oatmeal: a new approach to training

     I am in my 2^nd week of training for the Yukon Do It Half Marathon, which is on New Year’s Eve. This year will be my 5^th time participating in this particular half marathon! 

In the last mile of the 2014 Yukon Do It Marathon

My approach for training for this year’s race is much different than it has been in the past:

Wedding in Darby, Montana

This gym name would only exist in a place like MT.
I mainly took this photo to send Craig because he likes corny signs.

            This last weekend, I rode up with my friend Melissa to Darby, MT for a friend’s wedding. We left Friday after work. It was exciting to go somewhere new, but I was also a little anxious to go somewhere without my husband. I didn’t want this to get in the way of me having fun though, so I basically just ignored my anxiety.

Building a "Base" (aka wow I'm out of shape!)

     I had a whirlwind of a summer, marrying my best friend. Then we moved. Then the air quality was terrible from wildfire smoke. Basically, I didn't run too much towards the end of this summer, and my fitness suffered. I have new plan, though, to get back into running shape. 

First Run of Half-Marathon Training

     Great news! The air quality in Washington has cleared-up a whole bunch. We were able to leave the windows open all day today. It was so nice to breath fresh air! I was starting to feel suffocated inside with the windows closed.

The trail near my house. It was so nice to get to be outside without  smoke.

Wildfire Smoke and the Trip to Bozeman

This last weekend we went to Bozeman to visit family and friends. We went on a few day hikes and ate good food. We encountered a ton of wildfire smoke during the trip and came home to hazardous levels where we live. These conditions have led me to the decision not to run in the half marathon I had planned for the end of the month. Now, I need to come up with a new training goal!

Bride on the Run

  

     Craig and I are married! Our wedding day was a perfect. Being on the water, the location was serene; we were able to hear waves during the ceremony, which was short and simple. For the reception we also kept the decor simple, relying on the natural beauty of the location. We didn't go overboard and have any running-related items within our wedding, but I did insist on getting a photo of me wearing my running shoes under my wedding dress. 

Half-marathon Eve

At the finish of the half marathon in 2015

     Tomorrow morning I will be running in the Snake River Canyon Half Marathon! I am pretty psyched for it. This will be my third year participating. The prior two years, though, I was having severe shoulder pain. Now, I feel completely healthy! I am excited to see how I perform in comparison. 

8 mile long run & morning snow

     Yesterday, I made the decision to do my long run a day early on Saturday rather than Sunday. This meant that I would be running 8 miles on tired legs. Usually I like to have a rest day before long runs.

The reasoning for this was two-fold:

1. I checked the forecast and there was an anticipated 14 inches of snow beginning that night. There was little change I'd want to run in that. Usually I like to sit in bed all morning, sipping coffee as I watch it fall. 
2.  I was upset. I had woken up to not-so-great news. 

Ready to head out in 25° weather. Craig says this hat makes me look like a  "real" runner

My 10 favorite things about Pullman

     I came here for graduate school, and during my move I was already telling my dad about where I wanted to live next. I never intended to stay long, but it's been almost 4 years since I moved here. My only reason for staying has been to support Craig through his PhD.

     I wanted to to acknowledge 10 positives about living in Pullman, WA.

New job & the escaped mouse workout

     I found a new job! It's in a lab on the fourth floor of the same building where I worked prior. I didn't even need to interview or anything (huge relief). The downside is my employment is contingent on my new boss's funding so will probably only last a few months.

A Walk in the Snow

     I've been in a bit of a sad mood lately. I was basically laid-off less than a week ago, so I guess it's to be expected that I'm a bit down. A long walk in the snow at Kamiak Butte was just what I needed to lift my mood.

Resilience in Scientific Research

Lab-coat selfie!

     I've had a rough few months. Since August, my employment status has gone from employed in an awesome and challenging job, to struggling to hold on to a part-time job, and now to laid-off. Basically, the department I work for had mismanaged funds before hiring me, and did not realize that they did not have enough funding to support my position long-term. This is a super bummer because I really liked my job and my boss.

HELP! I can't move my hand.

     In a turn of events, my broken pinky finger ended-up requiring 2 surgeries to fix! My hand was in either a cast or brace from August-November. I pushed through this struggle, and finished off the year with a half marathon.

Eating thai food after my appointment with the orthopedic surgeon