Online or Offline
When you have a blog, you put yourself at risk of having a stalker, or some weird man following your life. However, I stay in this blogging in addition to professional running, not just because of my book coming out in the future, but because I think the good outweighs the bad. However, I try not to post too personal of things on here. Mostly, I just talk about running, and never my location or perfect pictures or videos of me.
It means a lot to me that my doctors from my chapter of health obstacles can tell a patient to come on my blog and read my story. Or read my story to help them write an admission essay for college. When I was going through a lot, all I wanted to read were inspirational stories about people overcoming health obstacles and returning to a happy life. As soon as I felt in a good place after overcoming my health obstacles, and sealing the deal with pro running of long distance, I put myself out there. I feel like basically everything I post is appropriate and health related, so my boss can read things on here and feel okay. This may become a place where I just have my book soon, but I think most of the pieces on here are inspiring to people overcoming obstacles trying to live a healthful life, or even athletes looking on how to improve running or lifestyle. I love meeting athletes and they inspire me to be better in running and life.
Yes, there is that occasional man I was never dating lurking on here who does not have my number, but I have helped too many going through what I went through to take this down so close to my book publication. My doctors love telling current patients to read my ‘About Me’ section and learn from how much my life changed from my health obstacles and constructive ways to run to overcome anything in life. Overcoming health obstacles is a big thing for me, and I upset to find out that a friend from my past told a different friend inadvertently that their health obstacles were too much for me, and it made them feel weird about talking to me while still overcoming those obstacles; I was devastated to find out something silly like a person not in my daily life saying something incorrect was why I missed them that much longer. If only that girl said it would make me want to look at them even more, instead of what they did which was significantly disappointing to find out later on. The only thing I do is encourage people to run to overcome anything in life, figurately or literally. I love a good story about becoming a stronger person, we are meant to adapt and grow through obstacles into better people. I never say things like ‘nope’ I say things like ‘yes’ let me see everything. If I am running recreationally and not in the elite field of a longer event, I like to pick a buddy and pace them through the hard parts, and sometimes I get to do that in real life as moral support to a friend I love whom is trying to overcome an obstacle; those times are always an honor to have. One time, I paced a judge 20ish miles into a marathon when she almost dropped out because of her knee tendonitis, and it’s one of the coolest stories I have; thank god she is a marathon runner almost just because of that reason, Empire State Marathon 2015 forever. That was the fall that I ran two marathons, not just one. Another time, the last two miles of the 1812 half-marathon I helped pace a military woman running for the first time, feeling that wall in the end, but it was cool talking them through it; she’s an incredible woman. In real life, I have helped buddies enduring health obstacles I had in the past, wear that monitor one more time, switch medicines, or watch lacrosse practice instead of playing. Another time, one of my best friends whom had been a collegiate DI lacrosse goalie, needed to run a midfielder mile time and I made her try to keep up with me for five miles at my fastest pace the week before; because I always made that gap she had to run so fast, she beat attackers in practice the next week. That is actually how I got my official Cornell Women’s Lacrosse t-shirt when I watched them play at Harvard that spring, I made my goalie friend faster than the attack and some midfielders during the timed mile. I actually had the opportunity to run on the indoor Harvard track, which was pretty cool on a weekend with my coach, it was my special thing in U20 marathoning, completely separate from my friend’s lacrosse game of course; I ran a very fast marathon track time at age 19 on the Harvard track. My time trial ended up being a bigger deal than the race I thought I was training for by running that private event, at the time I thought it did not even matter and it was just a build up with my coach for a race; it’s a cool thing about me living my best life that year not even realizing it at the time. That’s how I knew how to travel from St. Joe’s to Harvard to watch my friend’s play some LAX a few weeks later. The first time I took a train and needed to get a cab, I freaked out but it was fine in the end. Nevertheless, 5:30 minute miles are a big deal in lacrosse conditioning. Seriously, those days were when it was fun to be a young marathon runner in the elite field, comparing it to my lacrosse buddy’s athletic careers, now I feel older even though I’m still young for the sport; already been there done that. In reality, being young for the sport never made me feel younger it made me feel older than my friends, and then I started doing work earlier than them and when they caught up to me it made them understand why I stopped going out so much. It all comes full circle, you can hit different bench marks on sperate timelines than your friends or need a ‘water break’ at different time too. I would rather sit down and talk to someone for fifty years than make them run fifty miles with me, especially if we are in a place in life where we already ran a lot and should sit down like that anyway. I might be jealous or perhaps more attracted to their comfy chair than them; all those rumors must be true now. Sometimes, overcoming an obstacle makes you a better person in a way that you learn compassion, like one of my friends overcame a health obstacle to suddenly become the nicest man ever, they were kind of really mean before ‘running to overcome’. For instance after a mission trip I had horrible anxiety for months post seeing terrifying things in the third world, and they would lay with me watching a movie, where before ‘running to overcome’ that just is not something they would do with me unless I had some extravagant outfit with spray tan and my hair styled perfectly well. It took years to watch a movie together and eat popcorn, it was harder to get him to be a good friend than it was to run a marathon at seventeen; going through something in life made him gain a pleasant personality, at least with each other, just sitting there. He was like that because of going far away to school at five, not having anyone ever hug him, and by the time twenties rolled around they were just very very cold, running to overcome made them more warm and fuzzy or compassionate; you need to hug your kids everyday so they express emotion healthily as adults. All of my interviews are a big deal to me, and so are my running stories, there is a bigger purpose. The best runners run for something bigger than themselves. You can really use personal experiences to help other people, and it collectively makes a big difference, one second of compassion can be very profound and lead to something bigger.
There is always a debate on the pros and cons of putting yourself out there, but when you do it to help other people there are always more pros than cons! Even whenever you write a book, you do it more to help someone, not to be a money-maker. I share running stories for the right reasons, and I think the right reasons are the only reasons. It’s nice to give someone your card and they can look at your cohesive website with anything you’ve published. When my book is out, I’ll be at all of these race expos, retreats or events, talking about me and a lot of people love to talk to me about my run accomplishments, so that’ll be cool when things are back to normal! I love hearing “Wow, you finished MDI” or “Wow, you ran all of those times by… 20 and 25…” or “ How did you overcome all of those health obstacles and run to that standard?” or “How do you organize your fundraising events, because I am trying to….?” or “Do you still want that contract? Will you sign it?!” so I love being a blogger with a soon to be book publication. It is like the entire career could be a secret, but I get to have an entire book.
****I ran my fastest marathon time @19 on the Harvard track, and it was only supposed to be a time trial before Boston, which I did not end up running that Spring…. I think I was fastest at 19, and I do not know if I will ever be like that again, only time will tell. Did I outgrow being good at the marathon before hitting 26, the age you should run 26ish miles the best? I do not share this story all the time, because a family friend is insanely jealous, but would not care if I ran MDI a million times. :) Sometimes you do things young, but that is the time it happens for you. I did a lot of training in Boston, and loved the indoor Harvard track, I took the train from Maine down to Boston all the time in college just to run the course and meet with my coach. Magic was made in my marathon PR wearing a sports-bra with spandex and Nike sneakers on the indoor Harvard track, me running at nineteen was everything. Even though I never studied at Harvard I love it so much, because that is where I ran my fastest marathon time ever and watched my best friend play lacrosse for her dream school.
Cool Video
I like this video a lot!
Why I chose PhD over MD?
I wish I knew in the beginning, because in terms of standardized tests, the subject test was less money and far easier for me than the MCAT. Scores were fine all around, but one was easier for my brain and shorter timewise. I spent thousands of dollars on MCAT study prep and simulated tests, hundreds on the Kaplan 7 subjects books, and books on books of practice exams. Then, the actual MCAT is like almost $500. So yeah, I spent tons of money just taking the MCAT, not even to mention my pre-med minor, and all those shadowing hours of the emergency department or on a lucky day surgical things etc. So, my GRE and Subject GRE combined were less money than the MCAT. However, all that time and money was not a waste, because now I know for sure I would like the PhD path, while having two options if I want them. I just feel like it is more me to be on my chosen path, and everything that I have ever studied is still applicable or valid either way. A lot of people have this long debate, I am not the only one, but it is a big choice in life. It all boiled down to, What is more me? I have known which one I want for a couple years now, but I thought sharing the ‘What is more me?’ logic would be helpful for someone. Steps in your life should feel natural, not knee jerking, the choice that feels right is probably the better one for you.
Afterwards, I let my friends use my books and notes for free.
This is supposed to be a picture of the PhD or MD debate. I guess it’s like a thing.
I will tell you, I took a biology class in a summer sesh, and the professor was the worst, giving me a very controversial topic for a paper and never stopping with the controversial; I needed half of my class to tell a dean what she would say to me in front of everyone. It is ok to have red hair, is all I have to say. I never had another professor talk to me about genetics the way she did ever again, seriously. The other topic she told me to write about was not about genetics of red hair, but about feeling pain and her controversial topics made everyone uncomfortable; it was a problem. That lady had some serious issues, like for real. I realized how crazy she was after taking advanced courses with a better school, and looking at personal options to conceive children, overall her views on genetics were not correct nor appropriate to be teaching. Honestly, there are just things that cannot be unsaid, and when you start thinking about conceiving in adulthood the last thing I should be thinking about are the comments that professor had about my red hair and genetics; even though I know there is something wrong with them, secretly I’m scarred for life with things that never should have been said. My private school bio proff did a lot to help me, and would never say anything negative about my genetics or red hair, in fact she loves my red hair. I’ll probably have a big family one day, and some of them might inherit my hair and whatever else that means, I don’t know yet, maybe it does skip a generation; only one way to find out. Maybe they will inherit being a marathon runner with a doctorate? I won’t let that awful biology professor know either way. All I would ever care about is those future children of mine are happy, healthy and alive, plus have a babysitter while I’m working. My baby nephew was just born a redhead, and we all love him a lot, don’t tell that old bio professor I had years ago. Italian class after that hideous biology course, kept me in a good mood later on in those days. When I actually took the next level class with my private school and the biology professor was another way, it was a positive experience for me. In any field someone is going to be nuts, and you’ll have to ignore it whilst finding a way to thrive despite that negativity. Be flexible, and keep trying in different ways if something does not feel right. If you feel like you belong somewhere, you probably do, and you are in the drivers seat of your education.
My Birthday Theme
Still shaking off the thousands of masks I donated, and hundred or so that I sold for $2 if even…
For my birthday, I am going to buy some nice new linen fabric and sew matching aprons for my mom, sisters and I. I have been wanting this apron for a very long time, just for baking scones in the morning or not needing to change outfits to puree a special stew. Aprons are nice if you are cooking for family, trying to impress someone. I only have one mom and two sisters, no more no less, we all love baking or cooking together. It is funny how the relationship dynamic changes, my sisters are ten years older than I am so it took years to catch up and connect, siblings are not always friends sometimes you just have a different type of unconditional love. The three of us ladies are on such different paths, we do not really have a complete understanding of each others serious sides to life, but there is always love for each other no matter what happens in life. You can love people and separate your serious side of life from eating and drinking nice things on a weekend. Honestly, I completely separate anything serious from time with my sisters; light fun and relaxing is my rule. The only sibling activities we can have are eating, drinking and cooking with only us three sisters and nobody else is allowed. Even though we have different personalities and careers, mathy or sciencey or fashiony, the three of us can all bond over good food paired with wine. Cupcakes and sparkling rosé are a favorite of the three of us, as well as both of our parents Barb and John and the twin chihuahuas of course.
The Purl Soho Cross Back Apron Pattern
https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2015/11/20/cross-back-apron/
They will look just the website!
I will post how mine turn out, but this is the Purl Soho Design!
Full Circle
Would you be happy if your boyfriend paid for your competition to have a novel with a photoshoot, ironically of clothes you picked out by pointing to them in silence? Or just not care about them cutting her a check, if you will? In some of my businessy work experience, I had the opportunity to gain some insight from my boss’s side loves on how ‘writing competitions’ or ‘grants’ work behind the scenes, and I admire her being strict with a budget, because some people don’t pay attention and go obscenely over a budget. Every time you go over your budget is where you could be saving an obscene amount of money instead, just something to think about. No more no less, 10 is 10, 50 is 50, don’t let something become 1.50. In my personal life, that mentality made me stop and think, why is money going here and there? Or, these three glasses of wine cost both of my legs, or I cannot for the life of me justify this being in the budget, or this staying in the budget is some kind of sick joke, it’s me or the dog kinda stuff; this is not going to work for me, it just won’t. Over time I saved a lot of money after working for my boss. However, some items going over them with my boss, you would just feel the anger come off of me like ice from Elsa in Frozen; it’s funny. In the end, if something is over budget and matters in life and not just to someone for a personal reason, there can be a ‘buy out’ getting rid of something is not always ruining it. What are you going to do when your boyfriend buys the book deal of your worst nightmare? Laugh it of, I suppose. Perhaps, have a photoshoot that’s budget-less and a million times better; take a picture that will truly make them a richer man place it above the fire place for all to see whilst visiting.
My real topic is about how I lean towards things like having a private coach, and it may be from being spoiled with private violin lessons from my doctor instructors my entire life and making up my own events. There are so many politics in running for a company, which is why a lot of ‘professional runners’ just have a private coach and an unrelated job to running. I could have trained at altitude with a sponsored team the summer of 2018, but instead I had my private luxurious coach willing to work with me, create an altitude training project just for me. It was like how she would let me run race times on a private track during snowy winters. I spent two weeks at a time training in different locations for an entire summer, building towards a fall marathon. Looking back at the political issues of the sponsored group I could have trained with, I am so grateful to have a coach who coaches me for personal pleasure and knows all the things to instruct properly for my training.
That professional decision, and specific chapter, makes me think about my sophomore year of college. I could have transferred to a bigger university and run collegiately, but I stayed professional in the marathon distance, and with my small private school. My options that year were go study in Paris, add another major, or transfer to the big name. Guess which one I picked? The most responsible choice for me, adding another degree. My freshman year, I finished my ten class requirement towards a major resulting from starting college in highschool, and needed to add more, because more is more. I am such a private person, and try to avoid conflicts especially silly political team conflicts, but one girl saying something to a coach can make or break a person sometimes which is scary. You can forgive but you can’t forget, if drama actually affects your life, that person is on that list in the back of your brain where ‘NO’ going out to dinner and being friends is not an option.
Being a way with my private coach, gave me the luxury of avoiding a lot of trivial issues with drama in the more serious competitiveness, and then socially I did run clubs with drinks or yummy foods once a week or so; even underaged. If you are shy, it’s okay to run an official time on a track for a longer event like the marathon or half-marathon. Even recreationally, a marathon does not need to just be a day like it is for many, you will race what you run in practice no matter who you are. Tracks are awesome to utilize as an official time for an event or knowing what you will tentatively run in your event. I have private and public races, both types were very important to me thus far. Suggesting running official 10k, 15k, half marathon or full times on a track can blow some people’s minds and make some athletes feel better than other options would have. Everyone is different. If I am running an official time on a track, my chihuahuas can watch me, which is a plus for everyone.
Cher Playlist Workout
J’y pense que, chaque marathonien professionnel va mieux en écoutant Cher! Incorperer la musique de Cher est le secret pour courir un marathon en moins de trois heures, ne dites à personne que je suis celui qui vous l'a dit! C'est vraiment très beau de courir pour Dieu tout en écoutant Cher. Chantez aussi.
TRISHA YEARWOOD shared some nice recipes on a Cher themed episode that I really enjoy!
Share the Love
After a recent night out seeing Cher in concert, Trisha Yearwood has invited her friends over to continue celebrating with an 80s-themed party complete with a righteous meal, costumes and karaoke! Her menu includes I Got Hooch Babe, Tipsy Ham and Cheese, The Beet Goes on Salad, If I Could Turn Back Lemon Thyme Bruschetta and Dark Chocolate Ladyfingers.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/trishas-southern-kitchen/episodes/share-the-love
3 cups blackberries
1 1/2 cups moonshine or vodka
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice plus 1 lemon, cut into thin rounds, for garnish
1/4 cup sugar
4 cups sparkling lemon seltzer
One 12-ounce bottle ginger beer
When ready to serve, add the seltzer, ginger beer and lemon rounds. Serve over ice.
I hope this is what my little cousin bought all that alcohol with my card for, after I gave her my expired driver’s license for college…. in black and white we look like twins, which could have been cool if she didn’t use it in a way to make me mad… some things are just for you to go dancing and not to throw the huge party every weekend. I mean like I would not have cared about $50 of vodka-crans if she went out dancing, or maybe beer or seltzer thangs for three of her friends, but there is never a reason for me to fund real alcohol for a party like she impulsively thought one summer… maybe mixing a ton of, I Got Hooch Babe, drinks would be cool. I deserve to know if those parties were actually good someday, and find out what guys would let her buy alcohol with my money. Seriously, who were those guys that summer?? Who were they??
