Tag team, BACK AGAIN.

Sooooo...another long hiatus from the blog world -- consistency isn't my skill, okay? 

Recap: Winter. Winter was *ROUGH* This was my second year in Michigan, and last year I thought that was how winter in the Midwest went. A little snow, some cold, you know.... 

No. This winter. Wow. Snow on snow on snow. 

(My first shovel experience!)

Snowy Sunset. February.

Ridiculous snow storm mid March.

Those are just a few. It was crazy. It definitely prepared me for post-graduate living in NoDak. For those of you that don't know (which let's face it, everyone knows because no strangers read this blog) -- I'm relocating to North Dakota May 4th! what? yep. This Texas girl will be braving the plains of NoDak. Lord help me. Seriously.

Future roomies! Long distance no more!

Super excited and a weeeee bit stressed with packing, school, work, and job searching. Oh, and marathoning in my free time *ha* Marathon #2 set for May 10th in Fargo, North Dakota. woot woot! Training this time around has been great. I'm still using Hal Higdon's Novice 1 plan, since last time around I was injured and didn't get to finish the training plan as scheduled. I feel great, my pace has been great, and I've enjoyed (most) of my runs. My Garmin Forerunner 220 watch doesn't hurt, either :)


Best running-related purchase (well, gift) ever.

SOOO -- after all the time I've taken off, not too much has changed :) Still a student (for a month more!), still running, and still making fun treats like this:

(Homemade "larabars")


Turkey meatballs - per usual.

I'm hoping to resume my regular schedule (at least once a week) soon to start blogging about graduation, packing to move across the country (again), job searching, nesting, and the hilarity that will ensue while learning to live with Mike Tidd. :)

Until next time,

Suck it up, Suck it in (Winter Mantra)

Welllllll, it's starting to get cold here in Michigan. Much to my disappointment.

It's also about to start getting dark at 3:00pm (okay, that's a little exaggeration, but not by much!) -- which is REALLY going to put a damper on my evening runs. I need to get a night running jacket, but those babies aren't cheap, and $75 dollars on a yellow construction vest does NOT appeal to me. Crazy, I know they're all the fashion rage. Oh well, I've been scouring the racks at Marshall's almost daily with no luck, but I am hoping the fashion gods...or the running gods, will take pity on me and send one my way. Or my parents, hell, anyone will do :) 

I've decided to do two halfs through the winter to help keep me motivated to run outside and not gain the dreaded winter weight, so I'm doing one in January and March. 

Yes, March is still winter. No joke. Kill me now. Doing the halfs will help keep me conditioned for the Fargo full in May, so I thought why not? Plus they're cheap and who doesn't love big shiny medals? Seriously, who doesn't?!

In addition to this, I've decided to cut out sweets for 30 days, and I started Sunday. So, I will be able to have dessert for Thanksgiving. But, lately my sweet tooth (teeth?) have been a little out of control, so this should help. It's going to be hard with the potluck on Thursday at work, but I will survive :) I'm also cutting out booze -- except this Saturday because it's the UM/MSU game -- GO GREEN. So, other than that though...30 days of no sweets and 29 of no booze. Should be interesting. I just want to start the holiday season off right, and this will be easier than the Whole 30 I was considering. So, I will keep you guys posted :) I'm trying to suck it up now so I don't have to suck it in for my big 2-6 :)

Ok, quick post, but I have to prepare for my case presentation tomorrow :) Fall semester is coming to a close soon (I am finished with the semester early, Dec 2nd!) so I have a lot coming up, which is exciting and a pain in the ass all at the same time. I can *finally* see the light at the end of the tunnel...and by the end of April I will *officially* be finished with grad school. Crazy thought.


I just love this. #socialworkeducation

Until next time!

Living in the *Now*

Straying away from the usual fitness/food format to talk about something that is near and dear to me. 

A forever "goal" of mine has been to not be so anxious.
You mean that's an option?
It is. Although I don't "live there" often -- I think I've gotten much better over the past...6-8 months or so. HOWEVER --- since the school semester has started, everything's gone a little bit... haywire? off the map? to crazy town? yeah...you could say that.

Is this even possible? 

Where will I live after graduation? Shit, I'm going to have to move again? Who will help me pack? Wait...when's graduation? What color is my cap and gown? How much is it? What size will my diploma be? How soon do I need to study for the LMSW exam? What state will I need to be licensed in? Can I quit one of my several jobs? Speaking of jobs..what kind will I get? What kind do I want? I wonder how much I'll make? When do I need to start paying on my student loans...

This. Is. Exhausting. 

And you know what else it is? POINTLESS. There is NO way that worrying about all of this NOW is going to change the reality of it being done. I know that I'm a dedicated, structured person. I don't wait until the last minute. But planning 10 months in advance is a little overzealous.

So, how? How to I reeeeeeeel myself back in? Well, I exercise. As often as I can. Whenever I can. This was rough as I had a stress fracture and no gym, so my options were limited, but I made do. I am now back to running 3x a week and yoga-ing 3x a week. Running is honestly something that I can't ever imagine NOT doing. It's as soothing to me as a massage. With sweat.


Yoga -- God's most recent gift to me. While I've been doing it since I moved off and on, I have just really started to benefit in a more emotional way. This is the body I have. I'm learning to be kinder to myself, love and accept myself the way that I am *right now* I'm seeing my body change in great ways, but my favorite change is the change I have on the inside. Practicing self-compassion is not something I've ever been very good at.  Also, forcing myself to lay still and think of nothing for at least 3 minutes before and after practice helps quiet my loud-mouthed mind :)

Pray.  Now I will admit this is something that falls by the wayside from time to time, but I am typically ever-aware of all of my blessings, and try to focus on those instead of what I think I want or need. This helps keep me grounded and appreciative of this little life of mine.

Hold myself accountable. I have a few great friends who will tell me when to snap out of it. Who pray for me. Tell me when to get off that thought train, as I refer to it as after a wise woman said it. Another fun thing I tell myself is,"welp, that's a thought that will take me places..." Because honestly, half the nonsense we think that grows into fear/worry/anxiety/whatever....it's grown from something so small.

Self-help aficionado. Yeah, that's right. I'm a lover of self-help, feel-good, mindfulness type books. It doesn't work for everyone, but I also use these things at my internship, and hell...if I can't practice what I preach then I'm in for a realllll treat when clients start calling my BS. So, don't be scurred. Pick up a book. Or an audio book, for those of you who do that. Listen to it on a commute, on a run, wherever. They aren't as cliche as you think. Ok...they are, but you might like it :)

These are actually for my internship, but they're also self-help-ish.

Be. Silly. Man this is so hard for me. 

This was me actually trying to match an iPhone emoji...but it totally fits here. 

I am SUCH a serious person. The phrase "lighten up" or "live a little" should be written on my gravestone. Except that's not very sensitive...so maybe not. But, taking the time to laugh and appreciate the feeling it brings to my face, my body, my stomach...is not something I do often enough. But, it's hard to be anxious when you're laughing. Just try it. It's a little like sneezing with your eyes open. AKA impossible. 

Lastly, ENJOY. ENJOY. ENJOY. Any little thing. It doesn't even matter.

Sunflowers. Giant ones.

Lazy days. He's a pro at these.

Fall. Scarves. All things pumpkin and cinnamon.


Until next time -- I'll be trying to relax :) Probably by the time I blog next I will have been to Texas and Minneapolis -- so expect some fun photos :) 

Premature Senioritis and Running Babble

Oh...here it is. Spring is here, meaning that May is coming....meaning it seems like *everyone* is graduating. Literally, in one of my classes, there's only one girl that's not graduating this May. 

Oh.....and me. That's right, I'm not graduating this May either...... I'm just excited about the fact that this time next year, I'll be basically finished with my MSW. It will be here before I know it, and then I'll probably be sad about it. That's generally how it works.

So, knowing I have 13 months left of school, why have I been ruthlessly searching for potential jobs on indeed.com, ihiresocialservices.com, etc? Those jobs aren't going to be there next year, Kathryn. If I'd stop doing that all my upcoming assignments would be done, that's for sure.

You know what else isn't going to be there next year (more than likely)? The apartments you look at. Or the houses.

Even Bigs daydreams about post-grad while studying :) 

I am psychotic.

-End rant -

On to running -- I am in my second week of my make-shift training and doing well. My knee is still giving me issues which I am NOT loving, but I've been icing like I should (for once), and trying to get better about stretching/using my roller. I've also been taking IB Profen pre-run (as suggested) these past few days and that's really helped. I also think the kickmyass 90 minute hot yoga once a week really helps, especially while still doing Insanity and abs 2-3 times a week. Since I'm working on overall strength in addition to building up my running endurance again, it evens everything out. Last race training I pretty much JUST ran and did spin, which really didn't give my legs a rest, or work many different muscle groups.

Left: one week ago. Right: This morning, feeling great!

I really don't know how I'd be surviving Michigan without exercise. I know I've said this several times...but I'm serious. It drastically improves my moods AND gives me something productive to do. I'm so thankful to have such a beneficial hobby. Especially when it's frikkin' snowing/icing in MARCH. 'Scuse me sun, it is time for you to make a permanent appearance around these parts. Thanksamil. Adios ice.

The ever-present bruise. 

Anyway -- if anyone has a magic wand knee-fix for me -- please pass it along. I' ll be getting up real early this Saturday pre-St. Pat's festivities to run 5 and am a little bit nervous. I'm hoping to hit up Playmakers one of these Wednesdays for the Sports Injury Clinic. If I end up being unable to run the Bayshore at my pace I will have to get over it. The triathlon will be easier on the knee.

St. Pat's Dash Down Greenville in Dallas. Can't believe this was a year ago.

St. Pat's -- I am excitedddd to see all the pics posted! One of my favorite nonsense holidays. I won't be in Ireland like the manfriend, but Lansing is a close second (ha-ha --not). At least I'll be in great company :)

Stay tuned for some fun pictures from the weekend andddd potential news! 

Sidenote: For those of you that actually read this, my family would really appreciate some prayers, as we are facing some hardships I'd rather not disclose. We would really appreciate it.