Fun in the Sun

Day 6 - A picture of something that makes you happy!

Okay so I couldn't pick just one picture but at least they are all of the same thing except in different locations! As you have probably guessed it is the beach. I love the summer and the beach and vacations and fun in the sun with family and friends! I grew up near the beach and it has always been something I have enjoyed. However, there is a lot more to it than that. I love enjoying God's creation and soaking up the beauty that he has created and that is new each morning. I love the family vacations and memories with friends that go along with such fun times on the beach. I love the art that it depicts when captured in a picture and I love the dreams that it stirs up in me to travel!

 

As you can see my life's journey has taken me to many different beaches and I have loved them all. I am sure that I missed some but I hope to add to this list as I continue my travels! Enjoy!

Yorktown Beach, VA - grew up going to this beach (picture from google images)

Buckroe Beach, VA - grew up going to this beach (picture from google images)

Clearwater Beach, FL - college spring break with friends (picture from google images)

Cocoa Beach, FL - went here on a work trip

Costa Rica Beach - went on vacation with Katie and Aly

Delaware Beach - reunion with college girlfriends

Grand Cayman Islands Beach - cruise vacation with my family

Guantanamo Bay Beach - went here on a work trip

Jamaica Beach - cruise vacation with my family

NC Beach - family vacation near Kitty Hawk (another regular family vacation spot)

Malibu Beach, CA - summer vacation and cousin's wedding

Miami Beach, FL - went here on a work trip (picture from google images)

Ocean City, MD - (picture from google images)

Santa Monica Beach, CA - summer vacation and cousin's wedding

Savannah Beach, GA - college spring break with friends

Virginia Beach, VA - grew up going to this beach

York Beach, ME - went here on a work trip

 

Quote of the day:

 

“Our memories of the ocean will linger on, long after our footprints in the sand are gone.” ~Anonymous

Baby Sis...

Day 5 - Your Siblings

The girls definitely out numbered in the Shaffer household growing up...even the dog was a girl. But that just means we got away with a lot of girly things like fashion shows for my dad after a shopping trip (which we still make my dad watch). My wonderful sister Lindsey is about 2 years younger than me but most people thought she was the older one. We both had a little tomboy in us, playing outside a lot and climbing trees. However, Lindsey definitely was the more girly one of the two. I remember always looking to her for fashion advice and new trends. She has always been great with fashion, make-up, and hair! Sometimes I would come home from college and ask her to do my make-up before we went out.

I admire her strength in all that has come her way on life's crazy journey. She was able to work and go to school and in the middle of all of that get married to the love of her life Wes. She now has an excellent job and she and Wes are living in the beautiful home that they bought last year. Their happy little family wouldn't be complete without their baby dog...Sarge! Lindsey and Wes are the best sister and brother in law around. I have lots of fun visiting them!

Love you bunches Lindsey and Wes!

Quote of the day:

"Bless you, my darling, and remember you are always in the heart - oh tucked so close there is no chance of escape - of your sister."  ~Katherine Mansfield

The Best Parents in the World!

I have decided that I am not going to plan on blogging on the weekends. If I find a little time to squeeze it in then great but I'm not going to push it. I treat my weekends like mini vacations each week. I try to soak up as much fun and rest as I can so that is exactly what I did this past weekend!

 

Remember how I said I needed more sleep. Well Saturday morning rolled around and apparently my body decided it wanted as much rest as possible. I had plans to meet my friend Christi for lunch and ended up sleeping until 11:45! Needless to say I rushed out the door pretty quickly. As soon as I got outside and realized how beautiful it was I was a little bummed that I slept through most of it! That's okay, I made up for it the rest of the day and had a good time. It was nice to catch up with Christi and then I headed over to hang out with Katie and Jordan for a bit.

 

That night J and I went to a little park up the street and walked around for a bit. It was so good to just get away and enjoy nature and each other's company. We talked about a lot of different things and ended up running into a family that J grew up with. It was definitely fun to talk to them and enjoy the park. After the park we went out to Red Hot & Blue for some dinner. I was so hungry by that point so anything sounded good. Our plan was to grab dinner and then go see The King's Speech. We ended up being an hour early for the movie so we just sat and talked some more. The movie was so good and I would definitely recommend watching it if you haven't already...or watching it again! :)

 

Day 4 - Your Parents

How appropriate that I am on Day 4 of this blog experience right around Mother's Day weekend! I really do think that I have the best parents in the world! They have been with me and supported me through it all. Sometimes that meant letting me learn life's tough lessons and sometimes it meant having a fun filled day. I can't begin to describe all of the different ways they have been there for me but I do know that I am so grateful for such loving and godly parents. They have definitely left a lasting impact on my life and on so many others. I am so honored to call them my parents and my friends! I have learned so much from them and will continue to learn from their wisdom!

 

Quote of the Day:

"The best part of life is when your family becomes your friends, and your friends become your family." -Danica Whitfield

It's all about Love!

Last night was a fun night. I went out to the softball fields to watch our church league play their first couple of games for the season. My friend Casey is on the team and she is a blast! I just had to get out there and cheer her and the others on! It was fun hanging out with some friends and getting to know some new people. I think I will make this a regular part of my week...and I am not bad luck Casey!

 

So before I went out to the softball game I started watching some of NBC's new show The Voice that I had recorded on my DVR. I am so addicted to this show. I don't watch much tv at all and when I do it must be recorded because I don't ever see it when it actually comes on. I was so excited to finish the show that when I got home I just had to watch the rest before I went to bed. It was fun to catch up on and I'm starting to pick my favorites already. More to come on that in the near future...

 

Day 3 - Your first Love

 

I guess I got ahead of myself with yesterday's post on love. As you can see my first true love was my savior Jesus Christ! Without experiencing his true, unending, and unconditional love I never would have been able to experience the other types of love in my life.

 

I have experienced my first and only truly romantic love with my boyfriend Jordan. I think what makes his love so special is that I know without a doubt that he reflects my first true love, Jesus, in his love for me! 

The words in Janette's poem "I will Wait for You" remind me of Jordan. When I put his name in, it sounds like this...Jordan, when you speak I am reminded of Solomon's wisdom; your ability to lead reminds me of Moses; your faith reminds me of Abraham; your confidence in God's word reminds me of Daniel; your inspiration reminds me of Paul; your heart for God reminds me of David; your attention to detail reminds me of Noah; your integrity reminds me of Joseph; and your ability to abandon your own will reminds me of the disciples; but your ability to love selflessly and unconditionally reminds me of Christ! I can not imagine experiencing a love greater than this! It has truly been worth the wait!

 

Here are a couple links that I have enjoyed that focus on love...one is to a blog and the other is a spoken poem called "I will Wait for You" by P4CM Poet Janette (trust me it's worth watching).

 

Health & Fitness

I need rest! I have been working out hard lately along with my regular everyday work and life. Then on top of all of that I haven't been getting enough sleep. Well it finally caught up with me! Yesterday I came home and crashed for an hour. I know I could have slept longer but it was enough to get me through. I know that to be healthy I need to get more sleep and be on a more regular schedule so that is my new health goal.

 

Quote of the Day:

"Love is the accurate assessment and adequate supply of another person's need." Dick Foth

~ I heard Dick Foth say this in a sermon he preached at my church and I can't help but keep sharing it. One of my best friends Christy even used it in her wedding vows!

 

Anyone out there as excited about The Voice as I am? Who are your favorites so far?

How much sleep do you get a night? Is it enough?

All Smiles

Day 2 - Meaning behind your blog name

 

I came up with "Smile for the World to See" because for most of my life I have had people comment about how much I smile. When I was younger I was very self-conscious about this and thought it might not be a good thing. So the crazy girl that I was at the time decided that I should try not to smile. I know I was young and still had some learning to do.

 

Well, I am not sure when this changed but at some point I realized that my smile was a gift and it was okay to share it. I love to smile and I feel like when I do I get the chance to maybe brighten someones day. It seems like Americans in particular tend to take life way to seriously. We all have something we can smile about so I think we should focus on those things. 

 

One reason I smile is because I have experienced love. The love of my savior Jesus Christ, the love of my amazing family and friends, and the new love I have experienced with the man of my dreams. Each form of love is vital to my life and I know that my life would not be the same without it! I have been learning a lot about love over the past few months and today I read another blog post at Surrendered and Untamed that continued to challenge me! So check it out!

 

Health and Fitness

 

You know those days when you just feel healthy and feel like your clothes are fitting just the way they should, making you feel great? Well, today is a feel great day for me. This week I haven't counted calories (since I have done it for a while I know about what is in most things I eat) but I have been conscious of what I am eating and have had a good workout every day. Last week I consumed way too much candy/sugar so I felt like I had blown it. However, after being focused this week I stepped on the scale this morning and to my surprise I was the same as the last time I checked. I am okay with that because I haven't really been trying to lose weight lately, just maintain. I still have 10-12 lbs to go for my goal weight but I know with consistency they will come off the healthy way!

 

Like I said before I am running an 8k in a couple weeks so my workouts have been focused more on running. Last night I tried a new interval workout on the treadmill. It was really hard and I will admit I didn't fully get it down but I did push it as hard as I could. Here is what last night at the gym looked like:

 

5-4-3-2-1 Treadmill workout

5 mins @ 6.0 mph

4 mins @ 6.5 mph

3 mins @ 7.0 mph

2 mins @ 7.5 mph

1 min   @ 8.0 mph

 

3-2-1 Treadmill workout

3 mins @ 6.0

2 mins @ 7.0

1 min   @ 8.0

 

Warm up and cool down walk on the treadmill. 7 mins on the elliptical and an abs workout.

 

 

Quote of the day

 

"Make wise choices!" ~ Dave Shaffer

 

My dad used to say this to me before I left the house. It didn't matter where I was going or for how long, he always reminded me and I love him for that to this day! It is something that will stay with me forever! Thanks for your wisdom dad!

 

 

What makes you smile?

What good advice has been passed down to you over the years by a parent or mentor that you will never forget?

Day 1 - Who is Amanda and what is so interesting about her?

Day 1 - Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts

Hello all and welcome to my blog! My name is Amanda and I am currently living this crazy life of mine in the ever so busy Northern VA/DC area. I tend to stay very busy but try to have lots of fun along the way. I spend most of my time outside of work with my amazing boyfriend and friends. I am also pretty involved with my church NCC...check it out, it's a good one! I try to stay as active as possible and running has been a great way for me to let out some frustrations, clear my head and spend time with friends.

 

15 Interesting Facts...here goes nothing!

1. Not only do I LOVE the Steelers but so does my family...and I have converted my boyfriend :)

2. Skype has changed my world!

3. I have never ever had a pedicure (but that will be changing before Summer officially gets here!)

4. I love love love to travel...my list keeps getting longer (I may have to share it one day)

5. I like baseball but mostly watching my amazing boyfriend play!

6. The U.S. military has a special place in my heart. (many of my family and friends are serving to keep us safe and I am so grateful!)

7. Hines Ward is my celebrity crush!

8. DC is fun and I wouldn't trade anything for the experiences I have had but my heart is longing to move home, closer to my family!

9. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is a weakness of mine.

10. I ran my first marathon last March with Team in Training and met some amazing people. (but I do have a love hate relationship with running)

11. I love walking through the DC monuments at night...They are so beautiful and it never gets old to me!

12. I have two of the cutest little cousins in the world, Ethan and Mason! I love them to pieces!

13. I could not imagine going very long without spending an evening at Lebanese Taverna, sipping on a glass of wine with the one and only Katie! It's our favorite!

14. I love a good quote!

15. My family and close friends mean the world to me! I wouldn't trade them for anything!

I feel like I could have come up with more facts but I'm sure they will be shared on the blog at some point!

 

Getting my workout on!

A little recap on my recent workouts. As you may know I ran my first marathon last March, the Shamrock in Virginia Beach, VA. It was one of the best and hardest experiences in my life. I would definitely do one again but I am going to work my way back up to that level. Since the marathon, I have run a 5k race and done some regular running on my own and with friends. I joined a gym in hopes of adding some variety to my workouts but I tend to go back to my regular cardio on the elliptical or treadmill and my new favorite circuit training with the crazy but challenging Jillian Michaels (I can do push-ups now...go me!) I am currently training for an 8k coming up on May 21st (Run for the Dream) and possibly a 5k on the 28th (Chick-fil-A 5k). I will be honest I haven't been as committed as I could be but I am determined to do my best with what I have done.

 

Quote of the day:

"Friendship isn't about who you have known the longest, but about who came and never left your side." ~ Unknown

I'm back...and I hope for good!

Hello family and friends! After not blogging for over 8 months now I don't really know where to start. One thing I do know is that reading so many amazing blogs lately makes me want to get back in the game.

 

I think I will start out with a fun 30 day blog experiment that a few of my friends have tried. It looks like it would be fun and might help me get focused on blogging again. I also plan to incorporate some of my running/workout updates, a quote of the day, and everyday life events as well.

 

I guess we will have to see where this goes! I hope you enjoy the journey with me!

 

Here is the 30 day blog experiment that I am going to try to commit to! I will be back in a bit to start things off again in the blogging world!

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts

Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name

Day 3-Your first love

Day 4-Your parents

Day 5-Your siblings

Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy

Day 7-Favorite movies

Day 8-A place you've traveled to

Day 9-A picture of your friends

Day 10-Something you're afraid of

Day 11-Favorite TV shows

Day 12-What you believe

Day 13-Goals

Day 14-A picture you love

Day 15-Bible verse

Day 16-Dream house

Day 17-Something you're looking forward to

Day 18-Something you regret

Day 19-Something you miss

Day 20-Nicknames

Day 21-Picture of yourself

Day 22-Favorite city

Day 23-Favorite vacation

Day 24-Something you've learned

Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs

Day 26-Picture of your family

Day 27-Pets

Day 28-Something that stresses you out

Day 29-3 Wishes

Day 30-a picture

 

 

You Make Everything Glorious

I love the fall and I even like the taste of fall that we are getting in the middle of August. This morning was brisk and now the sun is starting to rise right at the time I start my commute through the city. I can't help but look in awe of God's beauty. Sometimes I look across the horizon and I just wish I could capture the beauty I see. This morning the sun low in the sky beamed a bright vibrant red and as we rounded the turn along the Potomac River it shown glistening orange over the water. What a beautiful breathtaking view I have the privilege of seeing every morning. My God is so amazing. As I was taking in the sunrise I was listening to the song "You Make Everything Glorious" and it made me think about God making his creation. God is a creator in his very essence and each day he creates a new sunrise with a new day to follow. How amazing that our creator is so brilliant that each morning he makes a whole new sunrise for his glory. I love soaking up God's beauty each day. Lord may I never take for granted your beauty!

Black Cat at Work

So this was random. I walked up to the water cooler at work today and there was this black cat staring at me. Even though I knew that it was fake I didn't take my eyes off of it in case it was a cruel joke and someone decided to scare me! It's not even Halloween people! Who knows!

Shamrock Marathon Completed!

Shamrock Marathon Completed!

 

Hello my long lost friends. As of right now I am over 4 months late on this update. I should have made the time to do this long before now but I guess its better late than never.

 

First, I want to say a huge Thank You to everyone who supported me through my marathon journey! It was an experience of a life time and I couldn't have done it without all of the support. I do hope to one day do another. If you know me, you know I like a good challenge!

 

Well, marathon weekend was like a whirl wind for me. I enjoyed almost every minute of it and at the end couldn't really believe that I had accomplished such a big goal. I went down to my parents house on Friday night. I spent the night with them and tried not to focus on the big event and just enjoy family time. I didn't want to get myself too nervous.

 

On Saturday I did a little shopping with my mom and sis and then drove over to VA Beach to pick up my race packet. Unfortunately I was stuck in lots of traffic and had to take the long way to the convention center. I got around the traffic but I still wasn't sure if I would get there in time. I called up my mentor Sarah, who by the way was totally amazing, and asked if there was any way someone could get it for me if I didn't make it in time. Thanks to my great TNT family they got my packet. I ended up getting there in time so I just walked around the health expo and stopped by the TNT table for a few minutes before heading to my hotel. Once I got to the hotel I checked in and Haley and Bret came in behind me. It was so good to see a familiar face. Especially one that could relate to my huge weekend! I ended up rushing up stairs to unload my stuff and say hi to my roommate for the night.

 

Then I headed to dinner with my parents and Katie and Jordan. Well I was so late getting to dinner that I didn't even get to eat because I had to head back for a meeting with the team. So Katie and Jordan had a nice dinner with my parents. They were great and brought some food back to the hotel for me to eat after the meeting. It was good to eat but I could barely eat. I knew I had to carb load so I ate it anyways. The three of us ended up hanging out at the hotel talking for a bit and then I headed to bed for a good night sleep.

 

I woke up on race day excited and nervous and unfortunately congested. I couldn't breathe out of my nose at all! I wasn't exactly sure how I was planning on running a marathon without being able to breathe. I took some medicine and used a nasal spray, both of which are not recommended, but it was what I had to do to get the job done. I met the team down stairs and we took some pictures and got hype for the big race. Then we all went out to cheer on the half marathoners as they started there race.

 

Next it was our turn. I was able to see my family and friends before the race started. They were hilarious. Jordan and Katie made shirts and my family had big posters to hold up. Boy did I have the cheering section. Well, finally the race started. As expected it moved pretty slowly out of the gate but once we got going it was so cool to run with my teammates and see all of the fans along the road cheering us on! We all started out a little faster than I like so I was nervous about running out of energy to keep it up. The first part was by the beach so it was nice and sunny with a little breeze and the smell of the ocean. Once we got into the residential area the crowd died down and it was time to focus. It was great to see other TNT people out and to yell "Go Team" as we ran past. There was so much support on the race. We went down through ….where the soldiers gave us high fives and cheered us on. That was one of the coolest parts for me. Well once we got back to the main road I was getting tired and didn't think I could keep that pace much longer. It was getting really hot and I was trying to stay hydrated but the energy just wasn't there so I slowed my pace a little. I ended up running most of the rest of the race with Sarah. We both seemed to have trouble with the heat but we stuck it out to the end. I had to walk a little once we got back on the boardwalk. There I saw my parents and stole my dads water bottle. He gave me a sip and I told him he wasn't getting it back. After all I was running a marathon!

 

Around the half way point I saw Katie, Jordan, my uncle, cousins, and sister cheering me on. Then a little further down was Lisa, Nora, and Nora's brother. It was sooo cool having all of them there and excited for me. It definitely gave me the motivation to keep going. Well the heat was still getting to me and it was hard to keep going around mile 16 I think I was sure I wanted to quit but something wouldn't let me so I kept going. Around that time I saw my aunt Janice and Ashley waiting on the side of the road to cheer me on. They had oranges and water but at that point I just needed to keep running. It was amazing to see them too! After that it was the long stretch to the end. I walked fast a lot to save up some energy so that I could cross the finish line strong but was really disappointed that I couldn't run it all out. I do wish I had pushed myself a little harder but there is always next time right! When it comes down to it I did finish the race strong. Next we ran through fort story. It was a pretty part of the run but I was definitely tired and ready for it to end. The TNT coaches were allowed to stay along the side and jump in and run with us throughout the race. At the beginning of the race it was cool to see them and get a little boost of encouragement but by this time I didn't care what they had to say. I was grateful they were there but at one point I could have just punched someone. Let me tell you when you push your body that hard crazy things start to happen. Disclaimer: I didn't actually punch anyone…just in my head! We ran through Fort Story and once we got on the other side I was determined to push myself as much as I could. There were only about 5 miles or so to go and I knew I could do it. I ended up passing Sarah and pacing myself with a few other runners to make sure I wasn't getting behind. It seemed to work out pretty well for me. All I could think about at that point was wow I have almost finished this and I have definitely run farther than I ever have in my life. Some time during the last two miles a TNT coach jumped in and ran with me for a little bit. He asked me how I was doing and I didn't have much to say except that I hurt. He said okay lets start with what doesn't hurt. I said my face! Haha that literally was the only thing I could think of because my whole body was being put through more than it could imagine! He passed me off to another coach as I rounded the bend for the last stretch. I ran the last half a mile or so on the board walk, with one of my amazing coaches, amazed that I was about to finish one of the biggest accomplishments of my life. On the side my friends and family were screaming and cheering me on. I pushed it as hard as I could and ran strong and proud across that finish line with a huge smile on my face! I had done it! Right before I crossed the finish line my little cousin Colon jumped in and ran across with me! It was fun to have him there but when I asked him if he would run a marathon one day he said no way! Haha maybe we will change his mind when he gets a little older! As I went through and got my metal and t-shirts he got the food they were handing out. I couldn't help but laugh! After going through the line I went into the tent to check in with TNT and then off to find my family and friends! Hugs all around! That is if they didn't mind how gross and sweaty I was. We ended up running in 80 degree weather for most of the race. That is really hot when you trained in 30 degree weather for most of the time!

 

Well it was over and time to go celebrate! Katie and Jordan walked with me back to my hotel to get my stuff and my car. I had to take off my shoes because I could not take it any longer. We ran into Lisa and Nora on the way back and Lisa proceeded to give me a giant hug! Then along the way I saw Haley finishing the race. I had to stop and cheer her on. She did such an amazing job! After that we all met up at Cheeseburger in Paradise for some good protein! Haha I know I was craving it and that burger never tasted so good! I finished the weekend off with my family resting and a massage to top it off. What a phenomenal time I had and as hard as it was I wouldn't trade it for the world. Sign me up for the next one. Speaking of, I have only done a 5k since but I was able to beat my personal record for that race so I was really happy. I am still running but not nearly as much. I do plan on training again just not sure when that will be. Next I am going for a half marathon and a personal record!

 

Pictures to come!

 

When I started training for this marathon I could hardly run 2 miles and the furthest I had ever run at one time was five miles. I couldn't have done it with out the great coaches and training I received from TNT. So if you want to go out and complete that life goal, do it with TNT…they will get you there!

 

I guess now that I have posted my marathon update I can continue on with the rest of my amazing life these days!

 

I am going to a Potomac Nationals game with Jordan tonight so I'm really excited about that. Can't go wrong with a little all American baseball and great company on a beautiful summer evening! I have lots of fun plans for this weekend so I hope to keep up with this blog thing for you all to enjoy!

"Friendship isn't about who you have known the longest, but about who came and never left your side."

A TNT Saturday

 20 miles. Do you know how long that is? There are 105,600 feet in 20 miles and I ran every inch on Saturday. What an exciting experience! The first 10 miles were not too bad but around mile 12 or 13 my stomach started to hurt. I guess I changed too many things up for that run. I will have to go back to what I know works for me. By mile 18 and 19 I felt like I was ready to quit. I was sore from running but that was normal and I thought I could push through. It was my stomach that didn't want me to keep going. However, I wasn't about to let that stop me so I slowed down but didn't allow myself to stop. I knew it would be a long sad walk back if I stopped a mile and a half from the end. As I rounded the last corner I picked my pace up again so that I could finish strong. I almost forgot about my stomach hurting. When we got back the LLS staff cheered us on as we reached the "finish line." They handed us beads like medals to practice for the actual race. It was fun and they had lots of food for us to eat. I took a bite of the pizza that I was dreaming about half way through the run but my stomach was still upset so I ate a donut instead…I know what a concept! J I was very sore and the thought of getting on the ground to stretch was not fun. I continued to stretch but was sore the rest of the day. To my amazement by Sunday I wasn't really sore. Wow I am stronger than I thought and my body is learning to recover quickly.

 

I am so thankful for the people who believe in me to run this marathon. Even during training I find inspiration from the people in my life who make me believe that I can do it. Many things give me the endurance to keep running like thinking about our mission and those we are running in honor of and songs and scriptures that bring strength. There are family members whose strength during hard times encourages me. I have great friends who never stop believing in me. I don't want to let them down. I want to be able to say at the end of the race…I DID IT!

 

After the morning run I had time to shower, eat, and take a 45 min nap before I headed out again. That night I went to the Georgetown Pediatric Oncology unit with some teammates. We brought a Mexican feast for the families and staff to enjoy. Everyone was so thankful for the food we brought and it was good to see how our hard work with Team in Training was making a difference.

 

Then it was on to the next event. Saturday was full of TNT goodness; running, mission moment, and fundraising. Hayley, Brett, and I planned a fundraiser at Tonic in Foggy Bottom that night. It was a really good event and everyone seemed to have a lot of fun. Brett organized for a band to come out and play so it ended up being a great event. We were able to raise a good amount of money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and had a great time doing it. I will admit that I ended the night early. Since I didn't get much rest after my 20 miles I was ready to go home to my comfy bed!

 

One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn't do.

-- Henry Ford

 

 

The picture is of me and my friend Katie at the Tonic Fundraiser. Not too bad for running 20 miles and getting no rest! Don't let the picture fool you I was exhausted!

 

I'm excited to say I am running the Shamrock Marathon with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on March 21, 2010! Please help me reach my personal goal of $2,000 by making a tax deductible donation at: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/shamrock10/ashaff
Thanks for helping find a cure for blood cancers!

Longest run of my life…for now!

I ran 17 miles last Saturday! I can hardly believe it! It was really hard and I was in pain during and after the run. However, seeing the gate at the end of our run never felt so good. It was the most beautiful gate I have ever seen. Hahaha! I ran with 2 girls this week and we kept a pretty good pace together. We only stopped to use the bathroom once and fill up on fluids. I have to say the Gatorade they had at the water stop was terrible. It was pink and as Sarah said it tasted like laundry detergent. I think I'm going to bring more of my own Gatorade from now on and just fill up with water at the stops. It was nice running and chatting but running for over 3 hours means you can run out of things to talk about. We tried really hard to keep the conversations going to pass the time. In the end we all made it and were really proud of our accomplishment! Wow 17 miles is amazing. Until you have done it you can't really understand but trust me its crazy!

 

Tomorrow we are running 20 miles. That is exciting and scary all at the same time. My body has done 17 so what is 3 more miles right! I am hoping for a really good run. I think it will mentally prepare me for the full 26.2. I am also craving the excitement that will come with race day! Only 3 more weeks to go!

 

My quote for this weekend's run is going to be from Isaiah 40:31. I love the way the Message Bible reads this particular verse. "But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, they run and don't get tired, they walk and don't lag behind."

 

I'm almost to my goal but you can help me reach it and surpass it. Please help me by making a tax deductible donation at: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/shamrock10/ashaff
Thanks for helping find a cure for blood cancers!

 

Winter Weather Woes

Oh the Hills

Okay so I'm a little behind again on the blog. Last week I ran 5 miles with Melissa on Tuesday. Then I ran with Hayley and Brett on Thursday. It felt good to get out and run a different trail with them. The only not fun part was the hills. There were a lot of them. Most of them were hard but not too bad. Then at Glebe road there are 2 massive hills back to back. I thought I was going to die getting to the top of them. Then it was a matter of getting my breathing under control to continue the run. I was so impressed with myself that I kept going. I also realized that a burger and fries before a 5 mile run is not the best idea. I probably didn't give myself enough time to digest before we ran because I was trying my best not to throw up! However, I made it to the end with no problem and was glad to have it behind me! It was a challenge but so worth it!

 

A True Runner

If I ever doubted whether or not I was a real runner, Saturday's run proved I am.  I mean who would run 14 miles on a snowy morning if they didn't have to. A handful of us got up early Saturday morning and headed out to the Mt. Vernon trail. We started at mile 0 and those of us training for the marathon ran out to mile 7 and back. At first it was just a couple of flurries but then it started coming down pretty good. By the time we got back to our cars there was probably 2 inches on the ground. During that run I had 2 servings of shotblocks and one serving of Chomps (I think they are called). I drank most of my water and Gatorade (the purple kind) and what was left froze in the bottom. This was my first real experience with things freezing. That includes my eyelashes and eyebrows. I had to wipe my face to keep the snow from sticking but my hands were wet so it didn't help very much. The windbreaker I was wearing collected a lot of snow and froze to me so I was wiping that off too. I was glad I had an extra hood on the windbreaker that morning because I needed all the help I could get to block the snow. I ran probably 11 or 12 miles with Sarah and a few other people. It was so good to have someone to run with and motivate me along. I tend to find the strength to go so much further. Towards the end we all ended up at different paces so I ran the last few miles on my own…praying my way up the hills! The night before I had a few pieces of pizza and for breakfast I had toast and a banana. I think that I had a good amount of food because I felt energized and good about the run. That is until the last mile when most of it was up hill and the last section felt like it was straight up. I did end up walking some of the up hill. I think overall I ran 13.5 miles and walked the other .5 off and on. I was so pumped by the end. That is a personal record in distance for me. I finished in about 2 hrs and 50 mins. which I was happy with considering the snow and hills! At the end Maggie had made cupcakes for my birthday so I shared them with some teammates. They were so amazing! I have such amazing teammates!

 

The picture is just one I found online of the Potomac River frozen over. It wasn't this visible on Saturday…a lot more gray and heavy snow but you get the idea. I wasn't able to get pictures that day but it really was beautiful. At one point I saw a bunch of geese or ducks huddled together in the river. Everyone was feeling the winter weather that morning. It is amazing how God shows us his beauty. Running as really allowed me to see more of that and also given me time to just talk to him. It has been a growing experience for me physically, mentally, and spiritually. I never thought of it before but it feels like running has given me the opportunity to put Luke 2:52 into practice, "Jesus grew in wisdom, and stature, and in favor with God and man."

 

Down Week

This week is what I'm calling a down week. I have not been able or really motivated to get all of my runs in. I am glad that I got a couple short runs in so that I can maintain. However, I am looking forward to a really good/challenging run. They are calling for 16 to 24 inches of snow for us this weekend and we got some snow Tuesday night so that has interfered with our running schedule. The coaches changed our Saturday long run to Sunday, which I can't do, but I will be surprised if they actually get to run with all of the snow. Now it's just a matter of figuring out when to run 16 miles this week! This winter has really been a challenge for us to train in but we are hoping it will prepare us for a great run during the race! Bring on the good spring weather…I am over the snow!

 

"Life is a journey, a marathon.  It begins.  It ends.  We all finish the line.  There will be no losers.  Each of us benefiting from the richness of the journey.  Sometimes, benefiting from the journey of others." 

 

Excerpt from Janice Stahl in the booklet titled  What Team In Training Means to Me

I'm excited to say I am running my first endurance event with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! Please help me reach my personal goal of $2,000 by making a tax deductible donation at: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/shamrock10/ashaff
Thanks for helping find a cure for blood cancers!

A Surprise That Melted My Heart

Oh wow! Words can not even begin to describe how grateful I am for such wonderful friends and family. I was going out for a surprise night out with Katie and Jordan to celebrate the big 2-5! Yes, I turned 25 yesterday and I have actually come to terms with it. It is just a number and I am truly enjoying my life! Anyways back to the big events. They picked me up from the metro and started driving south. They told me we were going to a restaurant reserved for special occasions so I just went along for the ride. After going south past Woodbridge I started to wonder. Where in the world were we going…just for dinner! Well we ended up at the Melting Pot in Fredericksburg. Lucky for them I didn't think about there being one closer to where we live! It was funny because I told Chris at lunch that I didn't know where we were going and he asked me where I would want it to be. I told him I would like a Japanese Steak House or Fondue (the Melting Pot). I was very happy when our reservations where for fondue! We went inside and Katie and I went straight to the bathroom while Jordan was being seated. As we came out of the bathroom the host told us to turn around to go to our table. I slid into the booth and who came in beside me??? MY MOM AND DAD!!! They drove up to Fredericksburg to meet us for dinner. I truly haven't been that surprised in a long time…I'll be honest it brought a few tears to my eyes! I had a wonderful time talking, opening presents, and eating amazing food! I will brag on the spinach and artichoke cheese fondue and the bananas dipped in milk chocolate. I did enjoy the rest of the meal but those two were to die for! After dinner we had a little photo op and then headed our separate ways. I had such an amazing time and wouldn't trade these people for the world. I love you guys!

 

We turn not older with years, but newer every day.

- Emily Dickinson

 

I'm excited to say I am running my first endurance event with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! Please help me reach my personal goal of $2,000 by making a tax deductible donation at: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/shamrock10/ashaff.
Thanks for helping find a cure for blood cancers!

Runners High and Birthday Week!

Tonight I ran 5 miles with Melissa near her house. I like running that part of town because it mixes things up a little. There are a few hills that make us work hard but we definitely enjoy the down hill! This was a great run for us. Last Saturday I was not feeling the runners high but tonight it was back. I love it when I can get out and really enjoy running!

I don’t mean to toot my own horn but…Tomorrow is my Birthday! I haven’t been my normal super excited self about birthdays this year and I think it’s because I am turning the big 25. I never thought it would be a big deal for me but I’ve been thinking about all that I have done the past 25 years and all that I still want to do. God has truly blessed me with 25 beautiful years of life and I hope he continues to bless me with many more. I am so grateful for my family and friends and how amazing they have been over the years.

A Day of Learning

Saturday we had our long run on the W&OD trail in Vienna. Our mileage went down to 8 this week for a recovery run. It was kind of nice to have a shorter run but the run itself was very challenging for me. I think a lot of factors added to the difficulty. The first thing I was aware of was my food intake the day before and morning of the run. The night before our run I had grilled chicken, a sweet potato, side Caesar salad, and some bread. That was not enough carbs to get me going the next morning. For breakfast I had a bowl of cereal and a piece of toast…again not enough to energize me. The run was a little rough but I pushed through the first half. Then I ate some shot blocks but I wasn't feeling much better. I was struggling with my breathing some and my nose was all stopped up. That part wasn't fun but I made it to the end. I was pretty upset with the way I ran on Saturday but reminded myself that next week will be better. We go up to 14 miles so it will be a huge challenge but I'm determined! J

 

My day began to improve after the run. I went to lunch with Katie and Jordan. We went to the mall and got Chick-fil-A. I love that place! After we ate Katie and I stopped by New York & Co. I was excited to see the sale sign in the window. The store was closing so everything was under $5. I got two shirts for $2 each…that was so exciting!

 

After my great clothing splurge I raced off to the metro to head into the city. I met Julie, one of my dearest friends, at Ebenezer's for a little coffee and catching up. Ebenezer's was pretty full that Saturday afternoon so we went outside to chat and eventually walked up to Union Station when it got chilly. Julie is getting married this summer so we had a lot of fun things to talk about. We hung out for a couple of hours and then I headed back.

 

I love spending time with good friends!

 

"A faithful friend is the medicine of life."

~ Apocrypha

A Lasting Difference!

Today I read a quote that I really liked especially during this season in my life so I thought I would share it with you all!

 

"The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it." ~ William James

 

I will be honest, at first I wasn't sure who William James was but thanks to Google I found his biography and more quotes. I couldn't resist posting a few more of the ones I liked most!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_James

 

"Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact."

 

"Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives."

 

"Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact."

 

"The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook."

 

Be inspired and go out and make a lasting difference!

 

 

REMINDER! COME OUT TO FRONT PAGE TOMORROW FOR HAPPY HOUR!

 

 

HAPPY TO CURE BLOOD CANCERS

HAPPY HOUR FUNDRAISER

 

 

WHERE: THE FRONT PAGE IN ARLINGTON

http://www.frontpagearlington.com/

4201 Wilson Blvd

Arlington, VA 22203

(703) 248-9990

 

WHEN: THURSDAY JANUARY 21, 2010

 

 

TIME: 5:00PM-8:00PM.

 

 

HOW IT WORKS:

Buy a wristband for $10 and get drink and food specials from

5:00 PM -8:00 PM. Specials include: $3 drafts, $2.75 rail drinks, $3.25

glasses of house wine, $2 miller lites, 1/2 price appetizers and 1/2

price hamburgers!!!

 

 

WHY: Proceeds from wristband sales go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services.

 

 

Please tell your family and friends to come out and be HAPPY TO CURE BLOOD CANCERS with us!!!

 

Please help me reach my personal goal of $2,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society by making a tax deductible donation at: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/shamrock10/ashaff

Thanks for helping find a cure for blood cancers!

 

Longer than before!

So I am a little slow getting this updated but better late than never!

 

On Saturday we all met as a team at 4 Mile Run in Arlington to do our long run. All the full marathoners ran 12 miles. At the beginning we ran with Hayley and Brett for a little ways. It is fun running with other people on the team and getting to know them a little better. I was so determined to have a successful run and I am pleased to say that it went extremely well! For me this was the best trail we have been on so far. I loved the wooded area with the stream along the path. It was like a little escape in the middle of the city. It was nice to hear the birds and the stream flowing rather than 12 miles of traffic. I am not exactly sure where this trail took us but we did end up going under 395 and into Shirlington a little bit. Then we went back and took the W&OD trail up and back. We were running along side 66 but I'm not exactly sure where we were. That was probably the loudest part of the run.

 

 

Melissa and I both tried new energy boosters. Melissa tried the jelly beans and she loved them. She said they tasted good and gave her energy without messing with her stomach. That is always a good sign. The only bad part was that they got hard since it was so cold. I think I might have to try them one time to see what I think. I tried orange shot blocks and loved them! They had an extra boost of caffeine that got me going and they tasted great! I also liked that they gave me a distraction for a little bit since they took a little while to chew up. The only problem with them is they are bigger and a little harder to carry on the run. I did wear my fuel belt again and it went a lot better. I guess I am getting used to it now…lets hope!

 

 

This weekend I went home. I love going home and visiting my family! It's amazing the feeling you get when you're around people you love! I had a great time hanging out with Wes, Lindsey, my cousins and their friends. We ate some good food at Quaker Steak and then went back to Wes and Lindsey's for the Colts game. I am and always will be a devoted Steelers fan! However, since they are out of the running I'm cheering for the Colts to win the super bowl. Just keeping it in the family!

 

 

Sunday I enjoyed some time with my parents and then played Rummikub with them and my uncle and cousin. I loved the game the first round but then I started to lose and it wasn't so fun anymore. I didn't totally lose so it ended up okay. After the game we went over to Wes and Lindsey's to hang out with them for the football game. They made this dip that was to die for! I don't even know what was in it but I loved it. We had a great time with a crowd of family and friends!

 

 

Monday morning I woke up earlier than I had expected. Somehow I convinced my dad to go with me on my run. We went up to Newport News Park so I could run and my dad could ride his bike. I was excited about getting in a good run and trying a different trail. That is until we actually got going. I felt like I was truly training for a marathon. The path is nice most of the time but we both forgot that we had a down pour of rain the night before so the trail was flooded in a lot of spots. It's about a 5 mile trail but we didn't go the whole way around since there was so much water. We did about 3 miles in 36 minutes so I was glad that I at least got out there and did something. It was a challenge running in the mud and ankle deep water but definitely worth it. After cleaning up from my run, I went with my sister to the mall for a little shopping trip. It was fun hanging out with her shopping and talking for a bit. Then mom made her famous lasagna for a big family dinner. Everyone enjoyed some yummy food and then it was time for me to head back to the DC area. I had an amazing time at home but now it's back to the real world!

 

 

Help me raise money to cure blood cancer:  http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/shamrock10/ashaff