Weekend Update

"Copy Cat"- Craig is tired from the early morning run. And Razzy is tired from her life of being Razzy.

     Craig and I have had a fun weekend just hanging around Pullman. We ran, ate pizza and candy, and went to a movie! We also spent some time just lying around home.

A week of adventures

   The past few days have been pretty eventful. I started out not feeling so well last week. My chest and upper back pain returned the beginning of June and has lingered through the month. Last time I met with my doctor, he recommended I get my heart checked out, so I had a "stress test" at the hospital on Wednesday. It actually wasn't so bad. The guy in charge was really nice and we talked about running most the time, so it wasn't super "stressful."

I'm a robot! Me at my treadmill stress test. 

 

Why my dad is awesome

My dad and I running the Yukon Do It half-marathon 2015 last December

     I have always worked hard at school, work and running. It must be genetic. My father is easily one of the hardest workers I know. He has recently begun running again and ran his first half marathon a week before he turned 60.

A runner's approach to life's challenges (grad school)

            I am currently working on earning a Masters degree in Plant Pathology. For a while now I have not felt like I've been making much progress on my research project.  I have technically passed all other course requirements and am just waiting on my thesis and defense to graduate.

The lab I where I do my research. I am sitting at the bench (notice I am missing the bottom half of my body haha). 

           

       

Weekend hike & 5K race pace

View from the top of Kamiak. Note the dark rain clouds. 

     On Saturday morning, I woke up, feeling like it was super early in the morning. It was still cool out, and there was no light coming from behind the window blinds. Then I checked the clock, and it was 10:00 am! No way, I thought to myself. I thought it was more like 7:00 am. I never sleep in. Usually my cat starts meowing at 7:00 am, so it was nice that she let me sleep. Maybe she was too busy enjoying the cool morning to bother me.

Let the training begin

       This weekend I convinced myself to start training for a half marathon again. I have been a bit afraid of running long distances ever since I became in ill and required a cholecystectomy. Despite hesitation, I have been slowly getting back into running for the past month or so, and now I think I have just enough confidence to register for a race. 

   

Trip to Lucerne Guard Station

This last week, Craig and I traveled to the Lucerne Guard Station located off of Lake Chelan to visit Craig's grandparents who are volunteers for the Forest Service there.

Science nerd on the run

     I ran 6 days in a row last week! I have a lot of energy now that I'm feeling better. Yesterday,
I went for my usual run along the trail near my house. On my return trip, I stopped after two and a half miles and called it good cause it was so dang hot out (it was 2:00 pm and probably 85 degrees).
     As I walked along the trail, I noticed a diseased plant that I had been running past the whole time! The plant had these black giant swellings, or knots, and my official diagnosis is black knot caused by Dibotryon morbosum. All the shrubs along that part of the trail (7 plants) were diseased. I took photos for all the plant pathologists amongst my readers (I think there is at least one person who would be interested? haha).

How I became a runner

         

At my first 5K! 

     I actually didn't start running until around age 21. Ever since, running has been such an important and beneficial part of my life. Here is the story of how I first got into running.

Making Bread While Running

     Things are going great! I think the pain I have been experiencing for the past half year has finally ended. It turns out that I was having "phantom pain" or nerve pain even after having my gallbladder removed. The medicine that my doctor prescribed for this really seems to be working. It's a huge relief not to constantly be feeling bad. I've even been able to run a little bit.