Walking

I adored walking five miles and enjoying my surroundings in the wilderness today. Very calming, relaxing an enjoyable. I love watching and listening to the birds beautiful songs, singing as angels, walking on my trials through the woods, perhaps while simultaneously holding my Vatican rosewood rosary in my pocket. Birds are very nice to enthrall your mind with whilst walking, especially cardinals. Cardinals and butterflies are meaningful to me, cardinals in the winter months of course. I’m very fond of walking.

I love cardinals!  I try to be the best version of myself, even if all I can do is go on a spiritual walk with the cardinals through the trails in the woods, or watching the cardinals enjoying lunch on my back deck, whichever happens first.

I love cardinals! I try to be the best version of myself, even if all I can do is go on a spiritual walk with the cardinals through the trails in the woods, or watching the cardinals enjoying lunch on my back deck, whichever happens first.



Best Friend



All you ever want,

Such a fighter. Yes, you are.

The queen of glamour.

 

Yes, I will do it.

Yet, not just for you,

I will, more for mom.

 

Kissing and pure love,

Not moving my legs, just lips.

Lovelight room of bliss.


 


Balade au Clair de Lune


Peut-être que tu me veux et

veux tous les bébés

et veux que je sois docteur

et courir vite.

Alors que vous avez un travail non exigeant physiquement,

tout en étant de la meilleure humeur que vous ayez jamais été.

Êtes-vous heureux?

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The Goal

I feel so motivated to run a very fast marathon time this upcoming Fall. Hopefully, I will not only bounce back into race shape, but I hope to be in the best shape of my life. I want my power braids in, with my spray tan, run buns and sports-bra, with my cool race bib toeing the line ready to perform like never before. Straightening my hair the night before, knowing it’s going into French braids the next morning anyway, putting on all my make-up knowing it’ll come off in the race, wearing my glam earrings knowing I’ll want to take them off twenty miles in anyway. That thrill of a gun going off, being in the proper stride, looking at my legs and watch whilst running the mile splits written on my wrist the night before. It will feel so so so good to be back in race shape, racing one mile split at a time, being in the kind of shape that makes you feel as though you can just keep on running forever and ever. I always feel like I can just keep running forever and ever upon being in the ‘perfect’ race shape for me. Fall races are going to be awesome this year, I have all the chills already. Everyone is going to want it so bad, we’ll all be running ridiculously fast times, all the top three places will be ties of top fifty!

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I love scrambling the top of this mountain too much, climbing up through the cave and out the top, wondering which trail to take once up there and then skinny dipping in the freezing lake every time no matter what.

I am going to be so cold, and just hit all my mile splits next season like a beast.  Let’s all do it!

I am going to be so cold, and just hit all my mile splits next season like a beast. Let’s all do it!


 
 

Run Inspiration

These documentaries are very inspiring to watch, even if you are not a runner. Ultra runners are more ambitious than I am, but I adore learning more about them!

Incredible journey shared, and beautiful scenery in this documentary.

These running stories will give you chills!

I love this video about these beautiful couples participating in an awesome running event! Very inspiring and special to have an event with someone you love.

I love this movie, because it brings you joy to watch someone find true passion in life.

I love the ‘Hey There Delilah’ story, and I also loved watching her series on YouTube about becoming a lawyer after professional running. It’s awesome to have the athlete years and then do the next career.

I remember when one of my coaches told me after my first marathon at 17, that she had run 2:36 the day before in Chicago. You would think that she would be a celebrity, just amongst us. Some people really care about times and know all 500 women in the US who have been running sub 3 and so on, but a lot of people literally do not follow women’s running at all; you never know. What times do you think I have run? You wouldn’t really know, so it’s funny talking to different groups sometimes, as it is funny figuring out how to run a marathon fast. There are fast races, and then there are the ‘don’t try this at home’ races, or sometimes you pace people running recreationally.

It’s worth a shot, running without getting tired!

This is a very nice documentary.

I always follow any interview Des is featured in!

If trail running is new for you, this is a fantastic video to watch. I always learn something new from listening to more and more athletes wisdoms from awesome experiences.

Did your sneakers make the cut of this list? I like to know the latest and greatest of sneakers available, so I thought I would leave this right here!

Some of my old teammate’s biggest career accomplishments in running were finishing the mile event in under four minutes. I wish they could all have a movie like this one, but this movie certainly does the four minute mile justice and is extremely inspirational.

I wish I had this to watch before altitude training in Alaska, I ate sugary cereal dry the entire time. I loved learning about Brenda Martinez’s experience and wisdom from being a professional athlete. Her husband is also her coach which is pretty cool, he said that he ran a fast Santa Barbara marathon time, I would love to read their career novel if they wanted to write one. My parents loved going to Santa Barbara on vacation, I looked at their grad math program but it was just too far away, I am always stuck in the snowy northeast schools, what a dream, maybe I could do a race there someday.

I love her!

A Ted Talk to Watch

Steven Sharp Nelson, just shared a beautiful Ted Talk discussing his mother, glorifying and honoring her life through gorgeous music. What if music could find someone you lost? Steven, makes the connection between music and spiritually by playing his mother’s favorite music in a debut public performance.

“As Steven Sharp Nelson grieved the loss of his mother, it was music that finally brought healing. He realized that the people we’ve lost aren’t truly gone; the holes their absence leaves inside us are not meant to be filled with something or someone else. Join him on a journey to reconnect with someone you’ve lost—through the power of music. Featuring performances of the “Cello Song” and Steven’s first-ever performance of “Nessun Dorma.” Steven Sharp Nelson is an award winning, Billboard chart topping, YouTube rock star…in a cellist sort of way. His creations are watched and listened to over three million times every day. He has performed in dozens of countries and iconic concert halls such as the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, the Greek Theatre, Royal Albert Hall — in Rio, Paris, Singapore, Japan, Istanbul. In 2011, Steven hoped to incorporate all of what he had experienced and learned when he, along with three partners, built The Piano Guys, a group of self-proclaimed “dorky dads” who film classically-influenced instrumental music videos in nature. Steven is an advocate for music education and the promotion of creativity through musical demonstration, interaction and innovation. It is Steven’s wish wherever he speaks or performs that he, along with his music and his message, can be considered a spokesman for hope. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Snowy Chihuahuas

It was a very snowy day today. I decided to wear a hat and a buff to cover my face, with my sunglasses. Upon walking back inside to have lunch, no one minded me taking off my coverings from the blustery walk with my puppies. No one in the house minds looking at my stitches or my band-aid either, because when you love someone you see past the stitches or skin around it, and covers. I feel blessed having a loving compassionate and mature support system with nothing but love to give me.

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I took the hat and mask off in the driveway, and put them in my pocket. The chihuahuas took their sweaters off inside.

Running Story

I loved this Ted Talk, because Laura Tempesta touches on the discussion regarding marathon runner’s level of comfort in their bras. Laura, has a master’s degree in lingerie design. This caught my interest, because she specifically discusses marathon runners.

One time during a marathon, I actually had to cut off my bra, because it was so uncomfortable twenty-two miles in. I took trauma shears from an EMT volunteering with a station, cut it all off, threw it off, poured some water all over myself and finished the race. Having the right bra is a huge part of marathon running, if you have the wrong bra it can be a disaster. I am pleasantly surprised that someone so high-up in lingerie design is mentioning runners specifically, it is pretty cool.

 
 
 
 
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Searching through Ted Talks, I discovered this video. I had the pleasure of doing a neuroplasticity research study, applying mathematics to neuroscience, that was my special project opportunity, my sister loved reading about my project afterwards which was cool. Pursing graduate study in mathematics this topic interests me very much, look at everything you can do with mathematics. In this video an MIT professor discusses taking the math behind neuroscience and applying that information to creating robotic limbs. Hugh Herr, has a lot of very fascinating speeches on this topic, giving people a new life as a bionics designer, he is a rock climber too.

I want my friend to watch this video. In this video, Hugh Herr discusses his advancements as a rock climber after recovery and having prosthetics which is absolutely amazing. He really showcases his climbing career in this video.

This is the type of research that makes a man suddenly want you to have a doctorate and happy marriage. Oh my goodness gracious, these spontaneous offers my dad keeps letting me know about are outstanding. In all seriousness, I have had the luxury of a very well rounded education, to pursue a very nice career path. Majors and minors of English Literature, History and Mathematics, combined have given me a very nice career base to work off of. My favorite calculus class, may surprise you, the professor incorporated the history of mathematics, and literature behind the science of mathematics which is physics. Being equipped with the knowledge of mathematics and comprehension of literature helped me pursue technical writing, which enabled me to be a very comprehensible efficient teacher. Breaking up difficult formulas into comprehensible literature for students I am helping, enables them to learn difficult equations, because they understand the terminology upon adding literature to the numbers or formulas. In addition to technical writing, teaching students difficult mathematics in a broken down comprehensible way, I personally enjoy being involved in research which applies science to mathematics. It is truly is pleasure to have the luxury of working with scientists in regard to mathematics behind neuroscience, for example in the neuroplasticity research study. Mathematics, history and literature are proficiencies that can combine into a well-rounded career in research and education; all subjects intertwine and are vital to have a comprehensive understanding of, in certain careers. There is even a formula for my poetry! Once you understand the language of mathematics, you have a base for teaching, technical writing, software or engineering, there are so many directions to go into, a lot of people dabble in all the directions. Physics is speaking calculus or applying what you learned in linear algebra, and if you can break down difficult concepts into literature, it’s a big deal. You never know. Happily, women are embraced in this industry in the places it really counts. At one point, I had to ignore ‘it’s a mans place to have this career’ and sometimes you need to break away and go to the right place to be a certain way, I have been casually told that sang over cocktail hour by high-up individuals who give you a vibe they can ruin your life behind the scenes too; ignore sexism and just do it anyway. This is an age where women are really desired in STEM; I feel things are heading in a more welcoming direction just in the past ten years. Sometimes, you are even more respected doing the graduate classes a little bit older, like I had some nice work experience in and going back into grad work I did not know if I would feel old, but honestly I feel good; I think it’ll all fall into place. Just this past summer, in one math class there were some twenty year old’s and some thirty year old’s, we all meshed and it was a fine dynamic in a productive classroom. School can be your job sometimes, or you can do both! I love being a marathon runner, because I feel so inspired by women in my running circle who go back to school as I am doing, we have to balance certain things, however the balance is welcome and very fine; there is a comradery in the balancing of different aspects of life and competitiveness. Through time, you realize it is a luxury to be immersed with like-minded people in your industry or desired field.

I have some of my tutoring content on YouTube, but they did not transfer perfectly well, I am more of an in person or emailing specific files kind of a woman. math with miss maddie

One of my private lesson students is special needs, and I spend a lot of time making ring flashcards for them, and once I read to him all of the literature behind the numbers in his math problems they really understand everything relatively quickly. Having literature behind the numbers and equations, being there to explain the lesson thoroughly during a prove lesson is a very positive experience. Punching holes in the top corner of flashcards is worth the time too. I have to tell you, working with me in private sessions made him go from having zero’s on quizzes to answering all the problems very quickly and correctly to obtain 90-100’s! It makes me very proud. My private session student will probably finish a PhD before I do, hahah… In all seriousness, it took us two months to have him really organized and having a full comprehension of new content, but sometimes having a private session teaching in addition to school is the solution to having a student excel or surpass standards versus being held back. I’m a very patient person too which probably makes a difference when I take time to have private sessions, being patient is a good quality for my real software job too; so many different personality’s, but everyone’s an important member of the group.

I also really like this video!

Recovery Post Stitches

A week into stitches, and they are healed enough so I can reach behind my back and put on my gauze pad with tape all by myself after a shower. I need to run to Target and buy some fabric Band-Aids tomorrow. What a difference five days makes after a medical procedure, I think the body needs time to react to anything invasive or being cauterized for goodness sake. My two chihuahuas kept me non-strenuously walking on trails near my home, which is a very good thing. I probably won’t run until the skin is at least fifty percent stronger, next week it will be twenty percent stronger. I want it to look as cosmetically pleasing as possible, so just walking my dogs is enough exercise for me. If it does not look straight when it heals, I can always do something cosmetically to it, I don’t know; either way pas de problem.

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I like to add liquid collagen to my smoothie or whatever my special drink of the day may be. This makes my skin and tendons stronger. I really feel a difference in my knees and skin health. I like powder or liquid form, so I am not swallowing tons of vitamins at once; it’s easy.


 
 

I always have the best and worst surprises in unexpected times. Being such a planner, with my agenda penciled in with the entire year ahead of me from races to meetings to classes, there are so many bigger things than my ‘penciled in events’. A horrible vacation can make you discover something significant. Yeah, I had this surgical procedure and some stitches inside and out, but now I get to have my hair styled and do a fun face of make-up to make me happy tomorrow. One of my New Years Resolutions is to try a new lipstick shade every month, tomorrow is the day my January lipstick happens; my birthday lipstick ten days early. The balance of prodigious and abysmal luck is lipstick!

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