Half Marathon! DUN DUN DUNN!

After a few months of training and maybe about a month of not-so-much-training... Chad and I were ready for the Rock 'N' Roll half marathon. We started our trek to San Diego on June 1 and stayed at the Four Points hotel (which is ironically round) the night before the race. 

We arrived at the Expo on Saturday where we got a ton of little free stuff, our cool race T-shirts, and our bib and corral number. We would be at corral number 23, towards the back, because we told them ahead of time that we'd take a long time to finish. Just to be safe. 

It was 1.6 miles from our hotel to the starting line. Driving there would be impossible because of the crowds and road closures, so we got a nice warm-up on the way. We found our corral and inched forward as each "wave" was released to start. I found myself getting totally emotional and annoyed at myself at the same time. Why tears right now? Come on... 

We took a picture of ourselves and I worried about posting it to Facebook, announcing to everyone that we were crazy enough to start a half marathon. "But Chad, maybe I shouldn't share this... what if we don't finish?" And he said, "But what if we do finish?"

Post shared. 

Oh my gosh. Here we are at the start line. What the heck are these tears doing streaming down my face? Who am I right now? Chad knows better than to address them. Instead we admire all the people around us wearing tutus and crazy-colored clothing. It was the perfect overcast, not-too-hot day for a run. 

And here we are. Time to start "running." I take off with a trot. Chad trots for a bit too, partly to humor me and partly to get out of everyone's way. We had been scrunched up like sardines. I look ahead and someone is dressed in a joker costume with a sign that says, "Only 13 miles to go!" Oh my gosh. 

Someone in front of me has a shirt that says, "If you can read this, I'm not last." I start to jog and leave Chad in the dust. I soon realize this is silly because I'm just going to wait for him later... Definitely not doing something this crazy by myself. Power walking it is. 

Throughout the race there were bands lined up playing cool tunes. There were cheerleaders, and people sitting on their lawn. One sign said, "I don't know you, but I believe in you." Another said, "blisters are temporary, online stats are forever." And my personal favorite, "Worst parade ever." 

We had ice, "Gu," water, and Gatorade to refuel with about every mile. At the half-way point there were a ton of people cheering for us, and people looked right at us saying "You can do this!!" Emotions overflowed again. 

It sure was a good thing we stuck together because by mile 8, holy Moses. My feet were hurting worse than any full-day shopping trip around the entire Ontario Mills Mall. Far worse. They felt like they were going to explode, and I thought of nothing else but my feet. Chad distracted me with conversations about our favorite rides at Disneyland. It worked for a while, but mile 10 was where I started to cry. Different tears this time. I stopped twice during this mile and laid on the filthy ground with my feet in the air. An old lady consoled me and later ran ahead of us like it was no big deal. As I was mid-sentence complaining about my feet, an athletic-looking person in one of those laying down wheelchairs whizzed past me (going the opposite direction, but still). He had no legs. "I feel awesome right now," I said. 

The "sweeper van" was about 40 feet behind us at this point. That was our ride to the finish line if we were too slow. The streets had to re-open soon. Am I going to make it? Stress. 

At mile 11 I began to count every step out loud. Chad guesstimated that we had maybe 2,000 more steps left. I counted every step up to 1,700 and started looking for the finish line. Tears started again because at this point, there was no way I was getting in that van. 

Tears tears tears. Thoughts of pain and oh-my-gosh-we-are-nuts! Chad tells me to stop because I'm making him cry too... Because we are just a few feet from the finish line. Some people on the sidelines read our names on our bibs and cheer us on. "Way to go Chad!" "You got this Sam!!" The super energetic announcer girl approaches us and gives us high-fives. We hold hands and look at each other in a moment of pure awesomeness as we cross the finish line. 

We. Freakin. DID IT! 

We put our medals on each other and I basically collapsed to the ground because of how heavy mine was. We got some free chocolate milk and guzzled it. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get up, and I was almost right. There was no way I'd be able to walk the 1.6 miles back to the hotel like we planned, so we took a cab. We could barely move the entire night and the next day. Room service, anyone?

Two things I learned from this experience: 1. Running is still not my favorite thing. Not even close. 2. People who do half marathons are somehow absolutely nuts yet totally awesome at the same time, because oh my gosh...

The best part of this whole thing was being able to do something I would have NEVER ever thought I would even consider signing up for, and to totally conquer it WITH the person I love the most. That made it completely worth every painful step. 

A special thanks to our friends Michelle and Bobby for talking us into this, and for sending Tylenol and cold water bottles to our room. You are the best!! :)

New Dream: A half marathon?

My favorite movie is Tangled. I have seen the movie a million times and even had one of the songs from it played at my wedding. I love the whole idea of having a new dream once your old ones either don't come true or fizzle out. (You can refer to my last post to find out about our fizzled out dream.)

Of all the new dreams we could have chosen, I definitely would not have chosen running a half marathon as my new dream. Not in a MILLION years. I have never been great at running. However, my husband wanted to do it because a friend talked him into IT: the San Diego Rock n Roll half. I've been wanting to do something active with him for such a long time. Tennis, softball, anything. But he has never been totally motivated. Now that he's into this, I figure I should be in it too.

So, I began my training with C25K about 10 days ago. The C in C25K (couch to 5k) is most definitely "couch" for me. Maybe "negative couch" if that can exist. I was so worried to do anything the last two months (last post explains) that I... didn't do anything but walk once in a while. I did C25K for 3 days, and once I realized my husband was serious about the half marathon, I downloaded the half marathon training app. I've been doing that for 5 days. It is pretty difficult! Especially today - we ran outside for the first time at a nice park. It sure is different from the treadmill. There are just tons of different smells and sounds, there's the sun and the uneven terrain... My stats were no longer right in front of me, but I did try the map my run app and that turned out to be pretty cool! It tracks your distance, lets you set goals, share with social media outlets and gives you updates about your pace and time at each mile. It was really nice. The first mile was tough, but I did it in 14:50. If I can average a 15 min mile for the entire 13.1 of the half marathon, I can finish in the allotted 4 hour time. That is my first goal - to finish!

All this running stuff is completely new to me, but it has been cool to see my progress in such a short amount of time. I could barely jog for a minute on the first day! I'm so excited to see how we do. But even if we don't finish for some reason, I think it will still be really awesome that we tried. We have 3.5 months to train. Eek! :)

New Beginnings, Continued...

I decided I should write a blog post about my sad news, although I'm not sure I want to get too detailed about it. I am a pretty positive and happy person and would rather not focus on the negative!

The main point is that we were pregnant. Then we got some concerning news that it may not be a successful pregnancy. Two days later, I found out everything was okay... Then about a week later, things were just not making sense to me, so I requested a more detailed ultrasound. It was at that appointment that we found out I miscarried. Talk about an emotional roller coaster. Although the news that we were pregnant was a bit of a surprise, we were just so excited and ready for the tiny blessing God would give us. Going through this has been surprisingly more difficult than I thought. Plans were being made, and I was determined to take on this amazing responsibility.

This happened just two weeks ago, but it feels like it has been months. It has been difficult for sure, but I believe everything happens for a reason. I also believe God has a perfect plan for us. Throughout my entire life, God has been faithful to me. His ways are perfect, and his plan for my life is perfect. I will never have the answers, but someday I will see how God can use this situation in my life to maybe help or encourage someone else. I know it has opened my eyes to others who are hurting, and it has helped me know how I can help them. It has helped me understand the value of relationships in my life - a lesson I definitely needed to learn.

One day at a time. :)

The New Beginning is Near

It's the beginning of the last day of 2012. As I lie here sick with a cold and covered in hives, I've decided to reflect on the great things that have happened this year. :)

First, I started off the year right by getting married. Great decision, especially because the person I married also happened to be my best friend. He came into my life at just the right time.

They say the first year of marriage is the most difficult. Sure, we've had plenty of disagreements, but we've come out stronger because of them. The biggest thing I've learned is that sometimes your love for your spouse needs to outweigh your love for being right, and that not every little thing is worth fussing over. I'm sure that's a lesson I'll be reminded of again and again in the future. Nonetheless, I've enjoyed every minute of having my husband. He is always putting my needs before his own, and he shows me respect and love on a daily basis. It is so great to have a partner in life to dream with and love God with. I really do look forward to every moment we get to spend together. I'd be crazy to call that "difficult!"

We've gone through some big transitions together including moving for the first time, and me getting my first "real" job. Moving was not that fun of an experience; my new job, however, turned out to be a huge blessing. I perfectly remember leaving the interview after they told me I got the job. Tears of joy were all over the place right when I saw Chad. I love that I have a job that doesn't seem like "work."

As a result of my employment, we got to buy some new furniture which included a new couch and a nice leather ottoman. Around the same time, we got a kitten. Precious is probably the coolest cat I've ever had. She fetches, hides in boxes, is cuddly and even comes when we call her. It's great to have another personality around the house, not to mention someone else to blame things on. The only drawback is her love of clawing our ottoman. I promised myself I wouldn't let any animal control my home, and here we are covering our nice furniture with blankets so she'll be less tempted to scratch. I guess it's a temporary trade off until we figure out what to do. She's way too cute to give up.

This year we also got to experience some adventures. Many of those were spent at Disneyland, our favorite place. We have made so many happy memories there and were so blessed to have annual passes, which is why we were sure we'd enjoy a honeymoon at the Disney Aulani resort in Hawaii. We had so much fun that someday we hope to go back. For my birthday, Chad took me to San Jose to show me his favorite fancy restaurant. It was so fun to get all dressed up and try to remember how to use multiple forks. I discovered that sauce made from wine is the best tasting sauce ever, and that duck and lamb taste pretty delicious too. We rented a car (with a sunroof - so cool!) and drove to Monterey to see the aquarium and look at the candy and art shops in the area. Then we went to San Francisco and drove across the Golden Gate Bridge. It was exciting to cross that off the bucket list. We also took a trip to Hollywood for my mom's birthday. We went to the Wax Museum, the Guiness Book of World Records place, La Brea tar pits and the Hardrock Cafe.  We also got to enjoy an awesome couple's retreat for two days at Ironwood Christian camp. So. Much. Fun.

Probably the biggest blessing this year was finding out I was pregnant. Chad's cousin had just announced they were pregnant at Thanksgiving, and we had just been talking about that, thinking we might be. I took one test and it was negative. I waited a couple days and took another, since I knew my body was acting a little strange, and sure enough there was the plus sign. Chad had just finished putting up the Christmas tree when I went to show him the test. It was exciting and a little scary to know that our lives were going to be different from that point on.

We were so excited to tell our families. We told my parents by giving them sweatshirts that said Granny and Gramps. It was so cool to see their excitement. My dad went on and on about names and plans for the future. I'm so glad we waited to tell them when they were both together. We told Chad's family at our weekly family dinner with his grandma, parents, sister and bro-in-law and their kids. Chad said the prayer and toward the end said, "and thank You that Cassidy, Carson and Connor are going to get a cousin. Amen." They looked around confused for a second, and then big smiles spread across their faces. It was priceless. I'm so blessed that we have families who love us and are there for us when we need them. I'm so blessed that our relationships are healthy and happy.

As the year comes to a close, I want to reflect on the positives, and about all the positives that have come out of the negatives. I've learned things I never would have it if weren't for the occasional bad day. The good days will give you great memories, but it's the bad days that give you a chance to look back and laugh and be thankful you have a good story to tell. Right now it's not that funny that my entire body itches and my lips have ballooned to Angelina Jolie status, but maybe tomorrow or the next day when I'm better, it will be. I'm thankful for this time that forces me to look at the good in my life and know that I am fully and completely blessed beyond measure. I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store.

How to Prepare for the Real World While You're Still in College

Okay. I am writing this post in a hurry. I just felt the need to inform those of you who are still in college and wondering what it will be like when you get out there and apply for jobs.

Since I am currently applying for jobs, let me give you a few quick tips!

Stay close with your professors.
Who cares if everyone else thinks you are a teacher's pet? If you went to a college like mine (and if you were a prudent student), odds are, your professors will still want to help you get a job once you graduate. Keep that connection! Nurture it! (Thank you Dr. Pearson for ALL your help!)

Remain friends with your classmates. If not friends, network buddies.
Just because your Facebook friend posts every five minutes about what their cat threw up or how hot it is outside, doesn't mean it's the smartest idea to delete them. Keep up with your classmates, especially those who excel, because they can definitely become your competition in the job market later... OR you could actually end up working with them. It happened to me! True story. (Good story, too).

Do your BEST in the classroom.
This applies to my fellow journalism friends, or anyone else. I have a few articles I wrote for my campus newspaper that I am really proud of, and others I know I could have done better with. I have been asked multiple times to bring writing samples to interviews. Even if the employer doesn't ask, I still bring them. Also, make sure you try to write in different styles and about different things. What if you apply for a sports writing job or a job that requires you to do heavy research about car insurance? Write stories that are reasearch heavy, magazine style, how-to, long, short... Include statistics; write about people, places, food; write a restaurant review; write about things to do in the area. Write things people will want to read - things that are sensational, weird, shocking (but don't embellish the truth, of course), informative, and write about things that give people that warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

Don't be afraid to try something new.
Try freelance writing. Submit an article to a local magazine or newspaper--you will be surprised how much they would like your content that costs them nothing! Make sure it's relevant to their publication. Edit it perfectly, and turn it in early. If you do a good job, that's another published article you can show to an employer.

Get involved.
To my journalism people: Apply for an editor's position. Join the PR club. Write for the yearbook. Get an internship. Become an R.A. Take initiative and get into a position of leadership. Make it your goal to create a beautiful resume that employers can't wait to get their hands on! The more stuff you do, the prettier that resume looks.

Make yourself more valuable by enhancing your skills.
This is a huge deal! The more hats you can wear in a work environment, the more job security you will have. Graphic design, HTML, photography, etc... even politics and history. Learn as much as you can from the classes you are taking. You never know what hat you will need to wear in the future.

Stay up-to-date on the latest!
As a journalist, you NEED a Twitter account to help you keep up with the latest news. Knowing what's up helps you spark intelligent conversations... and what employer doesn't want the assurance that they hired a sharp, intelligent employee? Staying in-the-know will also spark ideas for articles. You should always be writing and reading.

Finally,
When you graduate and get that job, keep track of the things you do and the projects you work on.
Update your resume every couple of months. You never know if/when your own circumstances or your employer's can leave you out of a job. Remembering the skills you have learned will help you impress in the interviews to come.

There you have it. A quick list of what you need to do to become successful once you are free from college. One last bit of advice: Don't be afraid to graduate because you WILL make it, and don't give up searching for that job that will lead you toward your long-term career goal.

Can you think of a tip to add to this list? Please comment below!

Good luck!

Ticking talk

I remember sitting at my desk in that freezing-cold classroom. Two rows back; three rows across was where I sat, already waiting for recess to begin. I stared innocently toward the front of the room as my fifth grade teacher talked about all the things we had to look forward to in life. She continued talking for a really long time about everything from wearing deodorant to getting married, so I was pretty sure she had forgotten her lesson plan. But of all the things she mentioned that day, one thing stood out: college. One day, I would be in college. It was a concept so complex; so intangible to me, that I was sure it would never happen in a billion years. Besides, college was only for geniuses like Einstein. I just could not imagine myself surviving something so monumental as an extended education, let alone the fifth grade.

I received an e-mail yesterday about going to a senior class meeting. Apparently, according to that e-mail, I only have 17,107,200 seconds, or better said, 198 days left until I graduate with my BA. Time has definitely flown by. As I read those numbers, I thought back to that classroom; that speech; that moment in time when I thought my future was lightyears away. Then, a verse popped into my mind: "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." I discovered that verse on a chocolate bar. When I was a senior in high-school, my mom surprised me with a box full of graduation invitation candy bars. On every label was a picture of me, directions to my graduation, and Psalm 90:12. It has been one of my favorite verses ever since.

At this moment, I only have 197 days left in college. That little e-mail was a big reminder: Life is short. I have no choice but to soak in what I learn in every class, savor the joy of every activity, and cherish every little moment spent with friends and family. Those future plans that seem like they will never happen are sure to happen soon enough. For now it's time to start living. My days are numbered.

*This post completed for a class: JRN371

Behind the "scenes"

I could not have planned a better summer vacation. This summer, instead of taking a trip to Hawaii or a nice resort, I was able to complete an internship at my local newspaper, the Yucaipa/Calimesa News Mirror.

I couldn't believe how each day held a new surprise. Not only did I get to choose what I wrote about, but I also got to take pictures of fires, accident scenes and special events. As a staff reporter, I had a "backstage pass" to the city. I had the "authority" to interview important people in my community and catch their vision for a better Yucaipa.

Each day was unpredictable. I was often called to events late at night or in the middle of the day. I got to see SWAT in action when one man locked himself in his house and threatened to shoot police. I photographed a car that was split completely in half after it crashed into another vehicle because of a drunk driver. I watched as fire personnel doused the flames of a house that contained a deceased elderly woman. While some scenes were painful to see, I counted it a privilege to help cover these stories and gain experience in the process.

I was able to meet interesting people like local artists and a teen model. I was able to fly in a very tiny airplane with the "Young Eagles" and take a picture of Yucaipa from the sky.

From this experience, I learned to love the newsroom. Working, communicating and writing stories about the most interesting things and people proved to be far more exciting than any vacation I could have planned. I was sad to leave, yet excited to put my experiences into practice this fall at my school's newspaper.

*This post completed for a class: JRN371

Choose happiness :)

Stroller mania

People are so amusing. I went to California Adventure for my birthday, and found that women or men pushing strollers are extremely assertive. If you do not get out of their way, they WILL run you over. I had about 4 near-death experiences.

Sadly, the kid in this picture was bonked in the head with some lady's purse. Her dad was speeding down the walk-way, assuming the crowds would part. I guess the plan to get ahead backfired a little bit.

Twenty-something

Today, I am officially a twenty-something. After church I met my mom for lunch at Mimi's Cafe, and we decided to share a yummy turkey sandwich. We were sitting there, wondering how I got to be this old, when I decided to say: "Mom, just think: 21 years ago, I was looking up at you with these very same eyes... and a little tiny head." I meant it to be funny, but in a serious tone she said, "Don't say stuff like that." Before I knew it, her eyes welled up with tears and we both started boo-hoo crying right there in Mimi's!

I could not pull myself together for about 2 minutes, and neither of us could look each other in the eye. We laughed at ourselves and cried some more. I tried to talk about the pretty flowers on the table or our fun plans for the day, but the thought just kept coming back of how time is flying by. Life is so good. Today I was reminded of how important it is to savor every moment.

Five o'clock somewhere

Aren't beer commercials the funniest? I'm going to be 21 in a few days. Technically, I'll be "legal." Allowed to drink, go to clubs, gamble... and all that jazz. It is crazy to me how much pressure I've been getting from people. People saying I should go drinking and have a good time. It seems like it's the thing to do.

I don't mean to sound like a goody-goody, but I really think there are other ways to have fun. I don't need to go drinking just because I'm allowed to. I would like to remember all my fun experiences. I don't want to worry that I'll do something totally stupid and I won't even remember it. Even social drinking. Why do I have to? It is totally okay to just not drink. Isn't it?? I'm not saying that everyone should have my same opinion. Just know that it's okay to not do what everybody else is doing.

I got called to take pictures of an accident recently. A Ford Focus was going well above the speed limit and veered into oncoming traffic. The Ford smashed into another car and one teenage passenger flew through the windshield. The 27 year-old driver and the other teen survived with serious injuries, and the driver in the other vehicle was uninjured. The one teen was rushed to the hospital. A heartbeat was detected for a short time, but then it stopped. The teen was killed. Had the driver been sober, this ugly incident wouldn't have happened.

Those funny commercials sure make alcohol look good, don't they? They don't show people puking their guts out. They don't show people acting like complete idiots. They don't show people flying through windshields or getting in car wrecks.

I just can't figure out why people think drinking is cool. There is no social mandate that says we must all drink alcohol at the age of 21. If you don't want to, you don't have to. Don't be stupid. Enough said.

Letter to the ice cream man

Dear Ice cream man (or woman),

I would love it if you would slow down in my neighborhood. Today, once again, I heard you coming down my street. You see, I was really excited because I had just finished my delicious turkey sandwich. I heard your song, and at that moment I knew that a chocolate something was just what I needed to top off my meal. I immediately got up and ran to our cute little change box on the hutch and grabbed plenty of quarters. I darted outside... only to find that you were gone. The music had stopped. You were nowhere in sight.

But that didn't stop me.

I grabbed my scooter, put my quarters in my pocket and began my search. I thought that you must be stopped somewhere close by, giving some cute little kids their own serving of delicious ice cream. But no. I went around the entire block looking for you. I burned off an entire ice cream in calories, sir. I am wondering why - during this tough economic crisis - you chose to blaze through my neighborhood. I guess I will never know.

Until next time.