31 Day Blog Challenge – Day 31

 

#31 – Why do you blog

I blog as an outlet for the thoughts that swirl around my head. I blog to keep track of my training and events as a measure of my progress. I blog because my memory sucks and this is a great tool for looking back on things.

I didn’t think I could complete this challenge. I had a hard time for a while even making one weekly post, never mind one daily post. I’m glad I saw it through and it reinvigorated my writing.

I don’t really know what else to say about it except to thank you for reading day in and day out. Your comments have buoyed my spirits, encouraged me, motivated me and inspired me.

Now…tell me why YOU blog.

 

 

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31 Day Blog Challenge – Day 30

 

#30 – What’s in your make-up bag?

If you know me, you how ridiculous this is. I don’t wear make-up.

Only for my best friend did I ever put make-up on (for her wedding) and it was like torture! I even had to have my hair done and put on a dress. A DRESS!

 

 

 

 

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31 Day Blog Challenge – Day 29

 

#29 – Where have you travelled

We travelled a bunch when I was a kid, but I can’t remember everywhere we went. We have family in Indiana, so we’ve gone to the midwest a bit (MO, IN, IL, OH) and we travelled down to FL and all over New England camping. Lots of family time in the car because we never flew anywhere.

I’ve gone to San Diego a couple of times. I’ve travelled to GA and TN on business. I’ve been to Montreal twice (once for my Lasik surgery) and Niagara Falls. I’ve been to Las Vegas several times since my parents/brother/niece live there.

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve seen a Cubs game at Wrigley Field.

 

 

I saw a riverboat McDonald’s on the Mississippi River.

 

 

We went to King’s Island amusement park in OH.

 

 

I got scared half to death in the pitch blackness at Alien Encounter while in Niagara Falls. I actually exited using the “chicken door”, which was basically a fire exit into a back alley behind the building.

 

 

I took a trip to the ER while camping in FL because I rode my bike into one of those warning barriers when my dad told me to watch out for an incoming truck. Smacked my head on the ground and smashed all of my fingers.

San Diego the first time was a quick family two day trip when visiting my parents in Vegas. The second time was with Tara for our honeymoon. We visited Sea World, the Zoo and took a dinner cruise. We also hit a couple of places that were on Food Network shows that we like after seeing how hyped up they were. We were not disappointed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What have been the favorite places you’ve travelled?

 

 

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31 Day Blog Challenge – Day 28

 

#28 – What are you looking forward to

I’m looking forward to the race season beginning. I’m doing far less this year to save money and keep up with marathon training, but I will be going to a bunch of events as a cheerleader/volunteer/photographer/shadow to root for my friends.

I’m going to continue to work with Active Heroes and fundraise for Carry The Fallen, as well as participate in the quarterly ruck marches.

Tara and I have decided we’re not going to put a pool up anymore in the backyard and will instead build a permanent patio around our fire pit. I’m looking forward to warmer weather to start spending more time working outdoors in the yard.

Lots more time spent with good friends and weeding out those that negatively affect my life. I’ve already made great progress with this and look forward to a more positive future.

What are YOU looking forward to?

 

 

Day 1 and 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14, Day 15, Day 16, Day 17, Day 18, Day 19, Day 20, Day 21, Day 22, Day 23, Day 24, Day 25, Day 26, Day 27

 

 

 

 

31 Day Blog Challenge – Day 27/Face The Music Friday #68

 

#27 – Post your favorite recipe

As learned on day 21, one of my favorite foods is the Swedish Apple Pie my aunt makes for all of our holiday gatherings. Tara and I have come to make it ourselves now and it’s SO good. Try it out and let me know what you think. Share one of your favorite recipes with me!

 

Swedish Apple Pie             350 degrees / 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Apples
3/4 cup butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 egg (unbeaten)

Fill 9″ buttered pie plate 2/3 full with sliced apples. Sprinkle cinnamon & 1 tbsp. of sugar
over the apples.

In saucepan – melt butter. Add sugar, flour and egg.  Pour over apples.

 

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Training wasn’t on par this week, but was to be expected after Saturday. Carry The Fallen went well and my feet are still a mess, so that sounds about right! I did the complete marathon ruck march with a 27 lb ruck and kept it on the entire time, outside of breaks. The only other training I’ve done is a 3 mile run on Wednesday which felt really good at the time, but my feet are paying for it again today. I don’t think they were quite ready for running again.

Next week is Julie’s birthday so we’ll be spending some time with her and Dan this weekend. Hopefully next week I’ll be back on track and we’ll see more of a normal training schedule again. I have a planned long run of 10 miles Sunday…fingers crossed!

I find my music has been drifting back towards my angsty post-college days, so enjoy this week’s throwback.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

31 Day Blog Challenge – Day 26

 

#26 – An old photo of you

There isn’t a lot I can tell you about one old photo of me, so I’m making it a bit of a photographic run down my younger childhood…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 1 and 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14, Day 15, Day 16, Day 17, Day 18, Day 19, Day 20, Day 21, Day 22, Day 23, Day 24, Day 25

 

 

 

 

Marine Corps Marathon – I’m In!

 

So, I know my blog post for today already went up for the daily challenge, but I had to share this!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

31 Day Blog Challenge – Day 25

 

#25 – Your 5 favorite blogs

OK, so I don’t like this idea. I can’t pick just 5 favorite blogs, so I’m just going to list some below of the ones I read the most and have gotten to know along my journey.

 

Finding The Skinny Geek Within –  Des is on a weight loss journey much like myself and is making great progress. She runs and also has a great love for tennis.

The Girl Who Ran Everywhere – Nicole is a marathoner and a huge inspiration for me. She has such a positive attitude and outlook on life.

Slow And Steady(ish) – Dana is another fellow runner who also has a love of soccer, much like myself. I love her wit and snarkiness.

Back At Square Zero – Abby is a hardworking teacher and runner working on staying injury-free and always improving her PRs.

Deb Runs – Deb is a personal trainer who has run all sorts of distance races and is someone I look up to that gives great running advice.

Slacker Runner – Don’t let the name fool you. Fallon trains hard and is another snarky writer that I enjoy.

Run The Great Wide Somewhere – April is another friend on a weight loss journey. She is a huge Run Disney fan and does lots of their races. It’s interesting to see an inside look at them from a runner’s perspective.

 

If you weren’t in this list, don’t feel slighted. I had a hard time narrowing it down, but I love all the blogs that I’ve subscribed to. Please let me know if you think there are some other good ones I should read!

 

 

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31 Day Blog Challenge – Day 24

 

#24 – Your favorite childhood book

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

I loved all the silly little poems and the pictures that went along with them. I was also a big fan of The Giving Tree as well. It was just an awesome style of writing for a young kid to read. This was before I started reading Stephen King, of course…

 

 

 

What were your favorite books growing up?

 

 

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31 Day Blog Challenge – Day 23

 

#23 – Your dream job

When I was a kid, I wanted to be either a veterinarian or a physical therapist. Math and science were not my strong suit, so out the door those dreams went.

I would pick something music related. I know that’s really vague, but I have no idea. Not like a promoter or something, but like a producer. I don’t have any musical skill so obviously that can never happen, but I think it would be awesome to be around music ALL. DAY. LONG. That is the only thing I can think of that I would never get sick of doing and would always like going to work.

 

 

 

What would be your dream job? Or do you already have it?

 

 

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