theinbetweenismine

just a girl living the expat life

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Archives for August 2016

13.1 lessons I learned from training for and running a half marathon

August 31, 2016 filed under: about me, fitness, running, yes!

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I never had the ambition to participate in a running race. I am still a little bit surprised myself that I signed up for and finished my first half-marathon a month ago. If you had told me this two years ago, I would have laughed in your face and called you crazy.

I just didn’t see myself as a (race) runner, like, AT ALL. 

BUT, this has been an interesting experience for me and taught me some lessons (which I think can be applied to other areas of life).

1) I always do better with a plan.

It might be self-imposed, but if I write down my goal and line up a plan, it’s so much easier to stick to a schedule. Sure, I could just tell myself to get out and run on a regular basis, but it’s so much easier to just look up what training session is next on your plan and just “do it” than make that decision anew every single day (I am not good at mundane decision-making). Besides, sticking to a training plan also puts some “thought” behind your workouts and is designed to improve your performance over time – duh!

2) I can do things that are hard.

Determination: I have it. Sometimes you have to stop thinking, and just start doing. Once I had committed to the race, it was “on”. I wanted to work for this, and work hard.

3) Listen to your body (before your run).

Remember how they tell you to just trust your gut sometimes? That’s exactly what this is. Trusting your gut can mean putting in the extra effort (on a good day), or giving your body some rest (on a bad one). It’s not always easy to figure out if you’re just up against fighting your inner Schweinehund (pig-dog) or if you truly need a break. Your inner Schweinehund is the part of you that wants you to stay on the couch and watch Netflix instead of going for your run, but you will know – with time – when your body is legitimately telling you that it needs a break. 

4) Listen to your body (during your run).

Don’t judge a run by the first mile (95% of the time it’ll feel miserable, but believe me, it gets better) and run based on how you feel that day. If it’s 100F and 80% humidity outside, running by effort is way more important than running a certain pace. It’s also ok to walk if you feel like you need to walk. Training is there to condition, but also to get to know your body.

5) Trust your training.

I had ‘easy’ training sessions that felt impossible. I had “interval days” that felt like a breeze. The last two longer runs before the race felt awful and I doubted that I was ready for the half. And then it all worked out in the end. Trust that all the hard work you put in over weeks and weeks will pay off  – because it will.

6) You get out of things (your body) what you put into them.

Literally. I have always been ‘health-conscious’, I’d say, but nutrition and especially hydration have been major focus points during my half marathon training. I used to be … ahem… not very good at staying hydrated, but guess what? Your body wants to shut down if you subject it to increased training activity, but don’t fuel properly. Running on an empty stomach and little hydration? Let’s just say, you learn to pay attention real fast.

7) Setbacks are part of the journey.

I was very lucky that I didn’t get injured during my half marathon training (well, except for a bumped, bloody toe that forced me to skip two training runs, but that was a home accident and not directly related to my training). I did have quite a few days though where my runs felt less than stellar and where doubt crept in that I was not really cut out for this. The strange thing was: it made me want it even more.

8) Life starts at the end of your comfort zone.

Haha. Isn’t that the truth? Nothing worth having comes easy and that is true for running as well. If you want to get better and achieve a goal, you have to work for it and sometimes that is hard.

9) You’re capable of so much more than you think.

Like I mentioned elsewhere, I never thought that I ever could – or even wanted to – run more than 3 miles. 5k is a respectable distance and I was totally fine with it. Until I wasn’t. Because once you put in a little bit of work, you’ll be surprised to see what you’re capable of and you naturally want more. I ran 13.1 miles. I didn’t think that was possible.

10) Running is not just physical, but also mental.

There were days when my body was ready to do the work, but my mind was not. There were days when I was mentally ready to go, but my body was not. Finding that sweet spot where body and mind agree is not always easy, but I found to be true more often than not that when your body wants to give up, your mind can help you push through and vice versa.

11) Run your own race.

I am no stranger to the comparison game, but if we’re completely honest, you can really only compete with yourself. You really  cannot care about someone else’s pace or finish time, because you can only work on yourself being better than yesterday. It’s all relative. What’s slow for one person, might be the fastest pace for someone else.

12) Support is everything.

It’s hard to admit, especially if you think you’re running/racing mainly for yourself (which we all do!), but it’s so important to have people who support you in your endeavors. It matters during training (when words of encouragement get you through the tough parts) and it matters during the race.

Following and supporting other runners on social media and receiving support in return? An incredible community.
Signing up for a race with a friend? Holding each other accountable and encouraging each other during training is priceless.
Knowing that my whole family was tracking my race through the race app – even from 6000 miles away – and cheering me on? Carried me at least half of the way.
Having people come out on race day to cheer on complete strangers? It’s one of the kindest acts of humanity (I swear, it meant so much!).

I never ever want to bore anyone with my talk about running or racing, but I want those who have supported and checked in with me along the way to know that it was tremendously important for my success and so very much appreciated. Having cheerleaders on the sidelines, whatever journey you might be on, might be one of the most important pieces in order to accomplish your goals.

13. I am a runner.

For the longest time, I suffered from “imposter syndrome”, because I wasn’t sure that I could call myself a runner. There was no official set of rules that separates the “runners” from the “non-runners” and I am not sure where I thought that line was, but I had always been more on the humble side and so I placed myself on the “non-runners” side of that line for a very long time. Until I realized that runners come in all shapes and sizes and everyone who laces up their shoes and goes for a run is a runner. Mind-boggling epiphany, I know!

13.1 – I did it.

Enjoy the feeling of accomplishment. You are going to be a little high on running when you cross that finish line and it’s totally ok to brag a little.

 

One final note before I go… (because more than one person has asked me about it): 

No, I have not signed up for a marathon.

I think I have a pretty good grasp on my own abilities and as much as the adrenaline rush after the half had me scream “where can I sign up for a full?”,  I know I am not ready for it, mentally or physically.  At the end of the half-marathon, I was done. Did I have a few more miles in me? Maybe. Would I have wanted to do the whole 13.1 again? No way. It will take a lot more training and hopefully more race experiences along the way, before I feel ready to tackle 26.2. But it’s a future goal that I wouldn’t completely rule out at this point (← haha. Did I really just say that?)


I’m linking up with Rachel, Suz, Lora, and Debbie for Running Coaches’Corner 

 coachescorner WildWorkoutWednesday

 

 

 

 

 

 

and with  with Jen, Nicole, Annmarie, and Michelle for Wild Workout Wednesday.

18

August Favorites

August 30, 2016 filed under: monthly favorites

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1. J actually found these Blowfish Bungalow Sandals for me online and asked me to get them. I honestly thought I had enough sandals, but since I liked the look as well and they were very affordable, I did order them and I am so very glad I did. They look very nice, are well-made and very comfortable.

2. I’ve been trying out some running fuel options and came across these ProBar Enery Chews. They’re basically like gummy bears (maybe a little softer) and are packed with 24g Carbs, Vitamins B & C, and electrolytes. Bonus: they’re tasty and relatively low calorie.  I’ve been chewing a few before longer runs and they seem to agree with my stomach.

3. I’ve been trying to use a higher SPF on my face on a daily basis and this lightly tinted Heliocare 360 fluid cream moisturizer + sunscreen has been my new favorite go-to. I saw an advertisement for it somewhere online and decided to try it out. It’s super-thin and light-weight and doesn’t smell awful as other sunscreen often does.

4. I am not a die-hard fan, but I do like the Olympics and the olympic spirit, so I’ve been watching quite a bit in the last couple of weeks… track & field, gymnastics, marathons, badminton, soccer. Kinda sad that it’s all over.

5.  I am usually not a big fan of pre-packaged breakfast items, but these Quaker Oats Breakfast Flats are really crunchy and tasty and a quick fix if I need to eat something (anything!) before I head out the door. Ingredient list isn’t awful (although I wish they would take down the sugar a notch) and three flats only have 180 calories. I can justify that when I am in a crunch.

6. I bought two of these Champion Gear™ Women’s PowerFlex Seamless Stripe Tanks on sale and I am so happy I did. The fabric is super-light, soft and I just simply love the colors (I got the one pictured above and one in dark teal).

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Happy belated Birthday, National Park Service.

August 26, 2016 filed under: about me, travel, USA

In honor of my love for the National Parks and the outdoors, I’ll be running a virtual 10k this weekend organized by VRC. There is still time to join me, if you’re up for it. I am usually not a huge fan of virtual races, but the t-shirts + medals are really cool and a portion of the registration fee goes to the National Park Foundation, so it’s almost a no-brainer. 


Ugh. I spaced out and didn’t get this post out in a timely manner, but birthdays ought to be celebrated not just on one day, but for at least a whole week. Or, make that a month. Especially if you’re celebrating a centenary, am I right?

So, yesterday was the official 100th birthday of the National Park Service! Happy belated birthday, and thank you for preserving and protecting the beautiful lands and sites of America.

Being a geographer (with strong geologist tendencies), I’ve always loved the National Parks. In 1998 when I was in college, I was lucky enough to participate in a three week excursion through the American Southwest with my geology class. It was a mandatory field trip (the three week trip, not necessarily that destination) but I had no hesitation picking and signing up for the trip through the United States (including a number of National Parks). I had always been fascinated with the United States and their beautiful landscapes. If I didn’t know that I was loving geology then (after all, I was trying to earn a degree in it), I definitely knew it after that trip. What I got to see in those short three weeks was amazing and changed me for the better.

The National Park Service manages 59 National Parks, 123 National Momuments, and 231 other types of protected areas. I’ve only seen a handful really, but hoping to check more off my bucket list in the future.

So far, I’ve been to Arches Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Death Valley, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Zion. Here are just a few impressions (all photos taken by me).

I MEAN! What do you say??

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Landscape Arch – Arches NP

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Delicate Arch – Arches NP

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 Dead Horse Point Overlook – Canyonlands NP

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Half Dome – Yosemite NP

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Yosemite NP

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Zion NP

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Zion NP

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Grand Canyon NP

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Grand Canyon NP

 National Momuments I’ve seen are Basin and Range , California Coastal (why yes, the whole coastal area of California is considered a national monument!), Devils Postpile (simply stunning!), Grand Staircase-Escalante, Montezuma Castle and Muir Woods (although I need to explore that more).

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This sketch is truly amazing. I’ve first seen this in my geology class and have been fascinated by it ever since. If you take a closer look (right click and open image in a new tab to see a larger version!), you see a bunch of different National Parks that comprise the Grand Staircase… and it’s called that because from north to south, stepping down through multiple National Parks from Bryce Canyon National Park to the Grand Canyon National Park, it exposes older and older rocks (with the oldest ones exposed on the bottom of the Grand Canyon) in a staircase fashion. SO FREAKIN’ FASCINATING! Sorry, I am having a geek moment here, but seriously, if that doesn’t fascinate you, too, I don’t even know what to say.)

And some more impressions. Because why not.

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California Coast

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Devils Postpile

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on top of Devils Postpile, the hexagonal columns exposed.

My three favorite NPs (I can’t just pick one!) so far are  Arches, Grand Canyon, and Yosemite NPs,  And I haven’t even mentioned other Recreation and Conservation areas with more than stunning sites (let me mention Horseshoe Bend (my favorite!) and Antelope Canyon as two examples).

The ones I want to visit badly are Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Glacier NPs. And I’d really like to see Vermilion Cliffs NM (‘The Wave’) and Devils Tower. Ah, who am I kidding? I want to see them all. 

I also would for some odd reason like to see Mount Rushmore sometime. I think it’s that I just cannot imagine that the faces of four US presidents are really sculptured into the granite face of this huge batholith formation. Have you seen it?

There is some truly amazing stuff out there, people!

Which National Park is your favorite? Which one are you dying to visit?

 

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Currently | August

August 25, 2016 filed under: currently

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so excited because it’s my nephew’s first day of school today. I can’t believe he’s 6 and ready to start school already. He (and my niece both) are growing up too fast. Slow the heck down.

sad that I can’t be in Germany right now to be part of the 1st day of school celebrations. It’s a big deal, every kid gets a “Schultüte” (see picture) on the first day which is filled with school essentials and also some candy and toys to celebrate being a “school kid”.

watching nothing in particular really. I haven’t watched much TV (or Netflix or Amazon Prime) lately, just following along with the news in the evenings.

reading Running – A love story by Jennifer Miller. Well, I finished that book within 24 hours earlier this month. It was a great and quick read and I really enjoyed it.

frustrated by politics and propaganda. If I hear one more Trump supporter say that they can’t trust Hillary because of her lies, I dare you to double and triple check the facts on what’s coming out of Trump’s mouth. 

drinking ice-cold Arnold Palmers. So refreshing.

eating seedless grapes. I forgot how good they are.

loving the cute lunch bag that my sister sewed for and sent to me.

enjoying the slightly cooler temperatures around here. We’be been having highs in the low 90’s with temperatures cooling off nicely in the evenings, which has been so great.

thinking that I might have jinxed it a little bit when I told you about my nice office situation a little while ago, because last week, my co-worker and I were told that we will have to move out of the awesome corner office that we currently share and into cubicles (without a window). Womp, womp. I can’t be ungrateful. I know, we were lucky to have that office in the first place, but it’ll be a significant setback to move into a cubicle.

deciding on a new running goal.

wishing that we got more vacation time in the US.  Anyone with me?

thrilled that my mom is back home and has been recovering well from her surgery. She still has to take it easy for the next few months (because of the internal scars that heal much slower), but overall she’s feeling good and that makes me so happy.

1

TotR | Race memorabilia

August 23, 2016 filed under: fitness, linkup, running

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Another Tuesday to link up with Erika, Patty, and Marcia for Tuesdays on the Run.

Today we’re talking about race memorabilia. Do you display it? Toss? Repurpose?

In all honestly, I am still in the “I-want-all-the-race-memorabilia”- phase. The reward-system works for kids, and it still works for me. It’s nice to get a sticker medal at the end of a long race that you’ve worked for so hard and it’s a good reminder of what you have accomplished.

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I probably haven’t run enough races to have an opinion on what to do with too much of memorabilia and I will probably only start thinking about it if I ever cross that line. So far, every single piece of memorabilia is very dear to my heart. 
I haven’t found a dedicated spot to display my medals yet and I think I have to invest in one of those nice medals racks (any tips?). The bibs and heat sheets I keep in a box (for now – I also want to display the bibs somehow) and the t-shirts I’ve gotten so far are all so nice that I proudly wear them :)

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I can foresee that I might start tossing the heat sheets (or maybe repurpose them for races where I need something to keep me warm before the start), once my box starts overflowing, but that’s going to be a while.  I am not sure yet what I will do with shirts. I might (or might not? Who knows?) give away the ones I don’t like as much,  but I will definitely keep the medals and bibs! :)

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I haven’t bought any other memorabilia other than the stuff you get when you partipate in a race, but I know that there is tons more (stickers, batches, shirts and other garments) that you can often buy. Do you go for those kinds of souvenirs?

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16

A week in Colorado

August 19, 2016 filed under: about me, career stuff, travel

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Earlier this month, I was lucky to get to travel to Colorado for work. I’d never been and was excited, both to visit a new state and to participate in a really cool workshop. One that I had been looking forward to for months!

I’ve worked on a lot of different, sometimes menial tasks for a gazillion different people in the last few months and the workshop was for a part of my work that I am actually very excited about, but we haven’t had enough projects lately, so I was forced to occupy my time earn my paycheck doing other things.

In case you’re interested in what I (would like to) do (full time), read about the remote-sensing technology that we work with here.

Most people in our agency work with airborne data (that is collected from an airplane), while our office specializes in terrestrial data collection (on a tripod). This is our niche and something we wanted to showcase during the workshop to make people aware of our work and capabilities and start some new collaborations.

Many people gave presentations of their work during the workshop, some people (including me) presented posters that were on display for two days. We had some discussion groups and an innovation panel discussion.

Well, I mentioned in an earlier post that this week was probably one of the most exciting weeks of my career. I am not sure exactly how it happened, but somehow I ended up on that innovation panel (on a stage in front of 200+ people) that was led by the director of our agency. I know I was probably asked because they wanted people with different areas of expertise on the panel, but they could have easily asked my colleague (who is higher than me on the career leader) to sit in. But fate had it that one of the organizers picked me, so I guess I had to step up to the plate (but not without a side of nerves).

There were opening statements, questions, inquiries, audience questions, and closing statements. 1,5 hours flew by in a flash. I really didn’t have enough time to be nervous.

I think overall it went well even; much better than I expected. My hands didn’t tremble too badly when I took the microphone, my voice didn’t shake and I didn’t trip over my own words (I think).

After the panel, I shook hands with the director and the fellow panelists and then I didn’t have much time to waste, because I had to head over to the other ballroom to present my poster. I was definitely on auto-pilot for a bit right there.

And then, the associate director (also one of the head honchos) walked up to me to invite me to have dinner with the director and a select group of (geeky scientist) people.

I mean, WHAT?

I had to turn around and check if he was actually talking to me and not a person standing behind me. Nope, he was definitely talking to me. No case of mistaken identity either.

So, I guess all that was left to do for me was to say yes. Which I did, of course (and I also dragged my very excited colleague along with me).

I am still in a bit of shock. Apparently, this is a pretty big deal and not many people get to have dinner with the director over the course of their career.

But we did. Haha. Hahaha. My colleague and I just kept exchanging glances and kept shaking our heads in disbelief.

Anyway, I am not going any deeper into the thick of things about the workshop, but let’s just say we had a few very fantastic days in Colorado with lots of exposure and networking opportunities, great presentations and discussion group sessions. The highlight for me definitely was to get the opportunity to be involved front and center during this workshop.

We also got to do a tiny bit of sightseeing – not enough though and I’d really like to go back! Here are just a few pictures that I was able to snap along the way.

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Downtown Boulder

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The Stanley Hotel – Estes Park, CO

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This is the hotel where Stephen King stayed in 1973 and where he was inspired to write “The Shining”.

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Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

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 “The Alley Cat Cafe”  

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Horsetooth Reservoir

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Have you been to Colorado? What’s your favorite place to visit there?

10

Recipe | Protein Waffles

August 17, 2016 filed under: recipe, running

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On Sunday, after my first run of my new training cycle, I had a craving for something sweet and remembered that I wanted to try and make “protein waffles”. 

I don’t make waffles, pancakes and the like very often, so I don’t feel too guilty indulging every once in a while. I got to satisfy my craving for something sweet and got an extra helping of protein after my run at the same time. Sounded like a winner to me!

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I had all ingredients on hand and so nothing stood in the way between me and waffles (and coffee, of course)! 

Since they turned out great and some people already asked for the recipe, here we go!

Protein Waffles
 
Author: San
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 25 mins
Serves: 8
Super-easy, delicious protein waffles for the post-workout hunger.
Ingredients
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg whites
  • 70 ml coconut oil
  • 200 ml unsweetened almond milk
  • 60 ml organic raw blue agave
  • 200 g (Einkorn) flour
  • 100 g Whey Protein Powder Vanilla
  • 50 g greek yogurt (full fat)
  • 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking powder
Instructions
  1. Whisk together the egg whites and eggs. Heat the coconut oil (if not already in liquid form) and add to the eggs. Then gradually add all the other ingredients and mix well.
  2. Heat the waffle iron (I used one that makes the thinner, heart-shaped waffles, but you can also use on that makes thicker ones). You don’t really need to spray the waffle iron if it has a non-stick coating and the batter contains oil and helps to prevent sticking.
Serving size: 8 Calories: 275 per serving
3.5.3208

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I used my waffle iron that makes thinner, heart-shaped waffles, but I’m sure a Belgian waffle maker will work, too. You can add dried blueberries to the batter (like I did) or top the waffles with fresh fruit later on. Since the protein powder and the almond milk both came in vanilla flavor, the waffles taste really good just plain as well.

Next time, I want to try and use oat or almond flour instead. And maybe I am going to skip the baking powder. I don’t need the extra puffiness.

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Delicious post-workout snack and very filling. Enjoy!

4

August Link Love

August 15, 2016 filed under: link love

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Oh boy, this article “The problem is not women running alone“on Runner’s World got my blood boiling. I wish every guy in the world would read this and think about it for a minute or five. This is women’s reality.

15+ Celebrity couples that prove that love can last forever. (Well, let’s say ‘for a long time’… but AWWWWW).

Linguists: Trump uses a lot of ‘words that don’t carry any information”. While I wish this article had gone a bit deeper, I can agree with the notion. At the end of a Trump speech, I feel like he talked for a half hour and said NOTHING.

Erin hit the nail on the head with this blog post: Not everyone is going to like you. Hardest lesson to learn.

I want a barn door in every room.  Ok, at least in one room.

Mr. President, on behalf of an ungrateful nation, thank you. Co-signed.

If you want less police violence, hire more female cops. Hate to say it, but: no-brainer.

Once you lived abroad, it’s never going to be the same. When going home is the biggest challenge.

Such a lovely gift idea: Craft a hot air balloon for monetary gifts.

DIY Dowel ladder. So simple, so fun.

10 mouth-watering skewers and kebabs for the grill. I want to make them all.

How exercise shapes you, far beyond the gym. Another good article about the benefits of any physical activity.

Healthy zucchini muffins with chocolate chips. I made those yesterday wanted to make those. They sound delicious.

3

Home Tour

August 12, 2016 filed under: about me, home

I know, I know. We’ve lived in our house for 7+ months now *gasp* and I still haven’t given you the big tour. The reason is that there is still so much more I want to do to this space, but purchasing ALL THE NEW THINGS requires time.  We’ve made a few investments already, but there are more things I want to buy. I heard that one is never really ‘done’ after moving into a house and I am afraid that might be true… so, to finally show you a bit of our new living quarters, you get the current state of affairs. Future changes to be expected.

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the living room

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the living room + front door

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the dining area

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the kitchen

This kitchen is my EVERYTHING. Honestly, if you’d ask me what the favorite part of our house is, it’s the kitchen. I dreamed of a bigger kitchen (with ample counterspace) for such a long time. And I just love the Scandinavian-farmhouse style of this kitchen. It’s the first thing I noticed when I walked into the house on “Open house”-day and it’s what I instantly fell in love with. Of course, it didn’t hurt that I pretty much liked everything else about this house as well.

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our own washer + dryer – yay! :)

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the hallway

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the bedroom

Yeah. Our bedroom still needs some love.

Not pictured:

+ the second bedroom (craft room – ha!), because it’s still a total mess (even after 7 months). Maybe I get it set up and presentable before my parents visit in a couple of months. 

+ our backyard (because I haven’t taken any photos yet). 

Stay tuned for any updates!

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ToTR | 2016 San Francisco Halfmarathon Recap

August 10, 2016 filed under: fitness, linkup, running, sports

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You guys, I did it. I finished the 2nd half marathon course in the 2016 San Francisco marathon event on July, 31. What an amazing experience!

Since this was my first half marathon ever, I didn’t have any specific time goals, although my training plan had aimed to prepare me for a 2:15:00 finish.  But since I had only run 12.5 miles tops in training and the race would be my first full 13.1 miles, it was going to be an automatic PR either way. So, really my only goal was “to finish and not require immediate medical attention”(as so eloquently quoted from Jen Miller’s book “Running – A love story“).

And fortunately, I did finish and did not require medical attention! I win!

But let me start from the beginning.

I had planned to drive to the Bay area on Saturday morning and then go to the Race Expo in San Francisco with Susi (and her husband, who also ran the race) to pick up our race packets (they didn’t offer to mail them). Well, turns out, Bay area traffic is becoming increasingly unpredictable (even on the weekends) and it took me 3,5 hours to cover the 75 miles from my house to hers. Luckily, she was able to take my bib confirmation and pick up my race packet for me (because I doubt we would have otherwise made it in time). 

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We did some carb-loading in the evening and then relaxed and chatted for a while before heading to bed at a reasonable hour. I didn’t sleep too well (first couldn’t fall asleep, then couldn’t stay asleep) and was up before 5:30 a.m., which was almost the time we had get up and get ready for the race anyway. 

We drove the car into the city, parked close to the finish line and then caught a shuttle bus that would take us all the way to the other side of the city. As you can see on the map (above), our point-to-point course started in Golden Gate Park by the ocean and ended at the Embarcadero, the eastern waterfront along San Francisco Bay.

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There was the full marathon (DARK BLUE) and the two half marathons. The 1st half marathon (YELLOW) was the first half of the full marathon (from Embarcadero to Fisherman’s Wharf, over the Golden Gate Bridge and back to Golden Gate Park) and the 2nd half marathon (LIGHT BLUE) from Golden Gate Park through Haight Ashbury, Mission District back to the Embarcadero) was the second half. We picked the 2nd half marathon, because a) it started a little later and b) the elevation profile looked a little less intimidating.

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We used the port-a-potties, dropped off our sweat bags (that UPS drove over to the finish line! Excellent organization!), warmed up and thanked the law enforcement officials that were strategically placed around the start line for their service. We got into the corral with plenty of time to spare. It was overcast and almost a bit chilly around 60°F, but that’s pretty much perfect running weather, am I right? I hadn’t really done any hill training (because Sacramento is pretty flat), but I was hoping that my training in the heat would balance out the lack of elevation training.

Luckily, both Susi and I were assigned to the same wave (5), which meant we could at least start this race together (hand in hand, as we did our first 10k). I was excited and a bit nervous, but also surprisingly calm somehow. The first wave (with the elite runners) started at 7:30, our official start was not until 8:15.

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Here we are waiting around, taking silly selfies.

Still lacking a proper running watch, I was using my trusted Runtastic app for pace feedback, but I wanted to really focus on not starting out too fast and running at a comfortable pace that I felt like I could keep up. My goal was to keep my average pace below 10 minutes/mile and not walk (except for taking water/electrolytes at the waterstations).

Mile 1-4: The start was great. I felt awake and strong and ready to take on this race. The first few miles of the course were a gradual, but steady incline, but I kept focused on a comfortable pace. We had to run a little loop around Strawberry Hill/Stow Lake  and I saw later (in my Whatsapp family group) that my sister thought I had gotten lost and was running in circles. Haha.

Mile 5-6: We passed the Observatory of Flowers (beautiful) and then made it into the Haight Ashbury district. I felt good, my breathing was calm. I can do this!

Mile 6-9: Hello there Mission district. People were cheering for us and the occasional car honked encouragingly. People also held up some quite funny signs which kept me entertained (and distracted) for a while. “You look so skinny today!” “You’re kicking as(phalt)!” “Go random stranger go!” “I am sure it seemed like a good idea 4 month ago.” Haha!

Mile 10-12: We were getting close to the Bay, so it felt like we were almost there, but there  were still 4 more miles to go. My legs were starting to get a bit tired, but I pressed on, only taking very brief walking breaks at the water stations. I had vowed to get water/electrolytes at every single aid station and I did. I didn’t bother trying to get out my ProBar energy chews that I had tried occasionally (and liked)during training. I just didn’t have the peace of mind for it.  I was keeping a good pace (as far as I could tell) and I didn’t want to drop down now!

Mile 13: We passed AT&T Park (Home of the SF Giants) which was exciting and gave me an extra push. I knew that I was closing in on the last mile of the race. Spectators became more abundant there too and helped me keep the momentum to the finish line (although I was getting tired and thirsty and I was getting to the point where I just wanted to be done). And then the finish line came in sight… 

One of the absolutely FREE (!) race photos by Saucony. I wish I knew where on the course this was taken… I am assuming it was toward the end  because of all the flags and balloons in the background. I don’t look like I am completely falling apart, so maybe I was actually holding up quite well or they used a very flattering filter. Ha! (BTW, that is the second bigger race with free race photos – is it really so uncommon?)

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Here I am crossing the finish line (all by myself and not in a crowd of people)!! The print on my t-shirt turned out to be “nomen est omen”.  

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My legs were tired, but I felt amazing and giddy. I couldn’t quite believe I had just finished this race. I got some water and then moved to the side of the finish area to call my Dad. My whole family (overseas!) had been able to follow me race via the RTRT.me app and my Whatsapp had been buzzing with encouraging messages throughout the race (which I only read after the fact!), but I think my Dad was almost more excited than everybody else. You must know that he was my long-distance coach, my cheerleader, and  go-to training resource during my half marathon training (he’s an athlete and former soccer player and physical education teacher and has a wealth of knowledge) and it felt amazing how excited and proud he was about my race finish.  

I hung around the finish area to wait for Susi. And then there she was making it across the finish line! I am so, so proud of her – of our! – huge accomplishment!

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We got our medals, grabbed some water, a banana and protein bar, and then made our way over to the Expo. We were so happy to have finished, that we completely spaced out on taking a photo in front of the official backdrop. So this post-race selfie with our medals and the Bay Bridge in the background will have to do.

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Because we had run both in the Berkeley Halfmarathon (2015) and the San Francisco Marathon Event (2016) consecutively with official finish times in both events, we qualified for an extra challenge medal that we could pick up at the Race Expo after the race. AWESOMESAUCE :)

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I also really loved the long sleeve tech shirt! Definitely one that I will wear out again!

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We walked around the Expo for a bit, picked up our sweat bags and got some (non-alcoholic) beer, free greek yogurt, and Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream before we headed home.

My official finish time was 2:09:30. 

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According to my Runtastic app, I was even a bit faster (of course, I didn’t run the perfect race line and ended up with an extra half mile according to my app) and it had me consistently under 10 minutes per mile, which I am super-stoked about. I wasn’t sure if I could keep this pace over the whole 13.1 miles.

I finished 5:30 minutes under my training plan goal of 2:15:00. I came in 77th in my age group (of 249), 815th female (out of 2460) and 1932nd overall (out of 4489). 

Running my first half marathon in San Francisco was a huge success all-around. The race – which is going into it’s 40th year – was organized to the T. From shuttle services, to baggage check, to after-race entertainment and free swag, not to forget FREE race photos. The medal and tech tee are awesome and the challenge medal was an extra perk!

The weather was perfect and the ‘rolling hills’ of this (2nd half marathon) course were absolutely manageable. Running through Golden Gate Park and the San Francisco neighborhoods was simply amazing, although I am thinking that the 1st half marathon course – over the Golden Gate Bridge! – is even more stunning! So, maybe next year?!

For now, I am going to relish in the fact that I DID THIS. Big, happy smile and all.

A 2016 San Francisco Half Marathon Recap #tuesdaysontherun #totr Click To Tweet

 

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This week, I am linking up with Erika, Patty and Marcia  for Tuesdays on the Run again.

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Hi, I am San – German native, dual-citizen living in beautiful Northern California. Runner. Knitter. Crafter. Reader. Writer. Proud aunt, sister, and friend.

I’ve been blogging since 2004 and don’t intend to stop any time soon. If you are looking for personal content and making a  genuine connection, you’ve come to the right place.

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