updates

I didn't reach my donation goal, but I did manage to complete the 5K several weeks ago. And at a quicker time than I had thought! It was probably one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life and I can't wait to do it again. I started looking for upcoming events to sign up for and it seems like there's always a couple every month. I've grown to actually enjoy running. It's the best feeling and the endorphins dont suck either. Now that Jaze is gone, I'm looking to Mae for inspiration. 10K next? We'll see.

On another subject, I did get hired for that position I interviewed for last month. I started my 6 day training yesterday. There are so many compliance issues I meed to memorize and new procedures to learn. It'll be a challenge, but I like that.

Run

Three more days till the race. I decided to try out the shoes I bought yesterday. It's one thing running on a treadmill, but actually running out on the roads is a whole other experience. Distance is from home to Rocking Horse Drive and then back, 2.96 miles.

It was a good run. The shoes are AMAZING! I don't know how I ever ran without them. I ended the run at a pretty decent pace. Although I'm not as great of a runner as my other friends (Jaze, Care, and Mae), I hope to get there soon.

Ending pace 13.43 minutes per mile.

Deformity at its best

I'm been running the past month to prepare for the San Diego Blood Bank Naked Juice Run. After 5 minutes of running I always feel a sharp twinge on the sides of my calves. I never knew if it meant I was in worse shape than I thought or if I was just wearing the wrong shoes. I'd like to believe I was wearing the wrong shoes. So thanks to advice from Jaze, I visited the Running Institute to get fitted for some running shoes. They took scans of my walking patterns and explained the different parts of the foot and what areas I was putting the most pressure. Then he told me the news.

Like most women, I've never been happy with my body. I'm too short, too fat, have muscular legs when I wish they were long and slender. Seeing as how I've been this body type for a majority of my life, I slowly began to accept it and decided that I didn't need to be a stick figure and that toning up would be just fine. But how could I possibly come to terms with the news from the worker at the Running Institute. His news you ask? Well, here's the jist of it...

"You seem to be putting more pressure on your right foot when you stand and walk. Has anyone ever told you that your right leg is slightly longer than you left?"

I have one leg longer than the other?! What the?! Being curvy I can deal with. But one leg longer than the other? How am I supposed to fix that? At least I got some kick ass shoes.

Interview

I applied for another position at the company I'm currently working for a couple of weeks ago. Well, they contacted me last Friday and am scheduled for an interview tomorrow with one of the Directors. I got word from a co-worker that there were originally 5 open positions but 3 have already been filled. So, it looks like my chances of getting one of those open 2 is pretty slim considering there are others with more experience who have applied.

They changed the interview process about a year ago, 6 months after I was hired. They call it "Behavioral Assessments." It sounds more like a psychology survey to me. I'm super nervous. I hate these things. Wish me luck!

free ninety nine

After a much needed week off from work I gladly returned to my duties as a PFA this past Monday. Once I completed my work and the ques were clear, I decided to take a quiz posted on the employee website. If you answered all the questions correctly, your name would be put in a drawing for an iPod. With chances slim of winning (the quiz is open to employees worldwide) I opted to try anyway.

The following morning I was greeted with "Hey, congratulations on the iPod!" Yeeeeheeee!!! I love free stuff!

Puppy Love

My bf, I'll call him Lee, and I have been going back and forth on getting another dog. We already have Lexi and she's awesome. Unfortunately, she hasn't been around other dogs too often and rather than playing and making new friends, she becomes a bit too aggressive. She already gets jealous when Lee and I are sitting on the couch watching a movie. She'll place her paw on his knee and look at me with the iciest glare. It's kind of sweet she thinks of Lee as hers. I took her out for a walk around the park one day and it was almost impossible to control her when she saw another dog coming our way. So I'm pretty sure she wouldn't like having a new dog around. Another woman to share Lee's attention? She definitely won't like that.

But yesterday, while Lee was doing what he likes to call "man work" (stripping paint off an old cabinet), Lexi was with a neighbors dog. His name is Sniffles. Lexi wasn't growling or barking. She was playing. They ran together, jumped on top of each other. I'd like to think of this as a sign that getting a new dog won't be as bad as I thought.

Inspire

"Perpetual inspiration is as necessary to the life of goodness, holiness and happiness as perpetual respiration is necessary to animal life." - Andrew Law

Inspiration, it has the potential to be any thing.

I look for it, I surround myself with it. When I find it it consumes me for that moment, but as quickly as it came it soon fades. Here's an example, I read Emotional Intelligence during my first year at community college. Understanding the thought process, managing emotions, attitudes, decision making, potential, it was so intense, a mental orgasm if you'd like. From the words of this book I was inspired. I would major in Psychology and learn all that is to know about human behavior and become the most noted therapist from here to Maine. The year wore on and inspiration subsided. Today, I'm a business management major.

Another example, a couple of years ago I was cheated on .... bad.... real bad. The pain of a broken heart inspired me to be stronger, to try new things. I vowed not to be the Plain Jane that men can use and throw away. I began dressing different, I cut and styled my hair different, I dyed it unusual colors. I went out more often, I became more social. But, the inspiration of self empowerment began to fade. Today, I am more conservatively dressed with simple black hair and would rather stay in with a few close friends and talk.

Nowadays, I wander around looking for that thing that'll inspire me once again. This past weekend I had the privilege of supporting my friend, Jaze, while she ran the annual Rock & Roll Marathon. While we (a couple of her other good friends and I) waited for her at the 23 mile mark, I felt the tingles of inspiration once again! I watched the runners, tired but so eager to finally be close to the finish line. Their strength and endurance humbled me. And after 3 or so hours of waiting for Jaze, she finally came. I was so proud, at a loss of words. All I could say was "You look so good!" because she did. She smiled and we hugged. I held back my tears till she ran once again towards the finish. At that moment I came to a realization.

All these years, I've been searching for inspiration. That thing that would motivate me to do something worthwhile with myself. I just needed to find it, to soak it up. And guess what, it finally it found me. Inspiration isn't about a thing, it's people. It is Jaze, it is my family, all my friends, even strangers. They inspire every day. So I'd like to take the time and say ....

continue to inspire

and I will do my very best to do the same.

PS. Family and friends, thank you. I owe you tons.