Fail Fail... WIN!

Two fails this weekend. The first one was Ram Racing's Hot Chocolate 15k/5k at the National Harbor Saturday morning. The race was set to start at 8am so my friend and I left my place in Arlington just before 6am. Everything was just dandy until we approached the location where we were going to park. Dead stop on the highway and we were still a couple miles away. We needed to park by 6:45am so we could catch the shuttle. Well, we got there right at 6:45am and all was fine because they obviously realized things were running behind as there were plenty of shuttles. We got to the race at 7am so we had an hour to kill. Good and fine since I don't like to be rushed for races. Even had time to take some photos!

So there I am ready to run and there's a view of the harbor, kind of. Well, there was MAJOR traffic getting into the venue and it was blocking part of the 5k course. Yeah, real men of genius designed that course! The announcer was the worst as he kept saying, "about five to ten minutes until we get this thing going." Umm, no. The 5k was supposed to start at 7:30am and it started at 8:30am. So the 15k, which I was running, started at 9am. AN HOUR LATE. I also didn't plan on standing in the cold for two hours so as you might imagine I got a little chilly in that outfit. This was only the beginning of the worst. My toes were numb for the first three miles of the course, a very strange feeling. The course was AWFUL! We ran the first 5 miles on a legit highway, interstate, whatever you want to call it. AND they left a lane open for traffic. I was dodging semis, mack trucks, douche in a BMW, breathing in exhaust fumes, and looking at signs for 495, 295, Route 1.

Hey guys, let's take this run onto 295! #safe

We finally got up to the harbor and that was okay, but the course was just still so dumb--narrow, off road, on road, sidewalk. Ridiculous. I am pretty sure my dead cat (RIP Miss Kitty) could have designed a better course. This was definitely not a course for a PR as you had to weave in and out to get around people because it was so crowded. I still finished in an hour and 20 minutes so not great, but not bad.

Then we have disaster number two: ACC championship and the Hokies. Holy hell what an awful showing. There's really nothing good to say about that effort! However, the joke was over the next day when we got the invite to the Sugar Bowl! Honestly, better bowl than the Orange Bowl anyway! Better location and better opponent. It's just so funny because of all the hate about it too. I swear some people just love to hate the Hokies. Sure there are teams out there I don't really care for, but I don't actively spout hate and hope they lose. Lots of people do that to the Hokies and to them I say SUCK......... OUR SUGAR! Haha. And today was all about how undeserving we are and this is a travesty. Hoooookay, what about Michigan?! And what about the fact that this is all about money anyway just like everything else in this greed riddled world!? I mean Bernie Madoff might as well be running the NCAA and BCS because it's all about getting the suits more money for their yachts, summer homes, luxury cars, and other non-necessities. So do we deserve to go to the Sugar Bowl? No, not really, but we're going so STFU and I'll be cheering them on with my hater blockers on. PEACE.

Peanut Butter

If you really know me you know that I am pretty obsessed with peanut butter. I really could subsist on it and I know I am not well if I do not want any. What's better than peanut butter? Peanut butter AND chocolate. Today I went to Pinkberry and they had peanut butter flavored frozen yogurt! I tasted a sample and it was a winner. I ordered it and added strawberries, mochi, and heath bar. It was pretty much the highlight of my day! That's a little sad, but whatever. I ran about 6.2 miles this morning. I decided to hit the trail and run into Georgetown and back, which is always a beautiful and calming run.

Friday I had a really wild night of Whole Foods, running, and Target. Then I watched Bridesmaids with my roommate. Honestly, I was a little disappointed! Everyone hyped it up so much and I thought it was going to be amazing. It was really funny and I enjoyed it, but I expected more.

Saturday was my sister's bachelorette party, which lasted all day and into the evening since we did a winery then bar thing. I watched the game and was once again, unimpressed. I am really worried about playing Clemson this weekend. It's on my birthday too so they better win!

Super Bummed

I am truly blaming my most recent injury on Mizuno! I swear I've played by the rules only increasing my mileage by 10 percent a week and I have cross-trained trying to minimize the impact from running. Well, I got on Dr. Google today and started reading about the symptoms and it seemed to match achilles tendonitis (tendinitis?). Then I got on the running forums and it talked about how it was so hard to recover from AT. Great! Then I was massaging the back of my heel trying to assess my pain. I noticed a crunching feeling last night and it was definitely still there today. It's like nothing I have ever felt and I knew it was not good. I had my coworker touch it and she was severely grossed out. I called my doctor at 10am and she had an opening at 3:30pm. Yay! Love their practice. Meanwhile I got some ice from the nurse and that seemed to help it.

Cut to doctor. I gave her a brief history, been going on maybe 2 weeks, but wasn't bad until I ran 12 miles Sunday. Ooops. She said, "first of all, good for you running 12 miles." Haha! So she checked it out and had me do some things and asked if it hurt. She said she thought it was AT. UGHHHHH!!! Then she had me face the wall and touched the back of both ankles and at one point I yelled out in pain. It's weird, but sometimes if you touch a certain point there is this brief shooting, hot pain. I know you're thinking this sounds awesome. So she said no working out for a week and take 600mg of ibuprofen three times a day. And then I said, "yeah, I was going to take some time off running, but what about cross-training?" She said, "nope, I know telling someone like you to not run is tough, but I really want you to take a week off and not exercise at all." I said "okay, I know." And she said, "I mean it. You really need to take a week off." And I know I do, but damn telling me not to exercise for a week is like telling me not to breathe. I can't remember the last time I took off more than a day. I just hope it gets better and it's not a nagging injury like everyone talked about on those running forums.

I know it could be way worse and four or five months ago I would have been super mad and probably continued to exercise. I am going to take the time off though and more if necessary. And with that I will leave you with this quote because I think it's inspiring and can be applied to many aspects of life.

"Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won't either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself you tasted as many as you could." -The Painted Drum by Louise Erdrich

Lime Mousse Cake

It was a busy weekend in Taylo's world. Okay really only Saturday night through Sunday night, but whatever. I went out in DC Saturday night and got to see a bunch of friends. Late night, but fun times. Next I think you should know that I designed and ordered the coolest shoes on NikeID! I know you're jelly. I would be too. Now I am even more excited for the opener against Appalachian State. I'll definitely be the coolest person at the tailgates and games. Orange and maroon head to toe! Okay, I'll shut up now.

I ran a bajillion miles yesterday trying to increase my mileage for the Richmond Marathon. I am reeeeeeeal pissed though. I could have run even more, but my right heel was/is killing me. I decided to stray from my beloved Asics and get Mizunos. I will never betray Asics again. These Mizunos are killing my heel, but only the right one?! I thought it was blistering, but no. It's like someone has taken a hammer to my heel. Grggghhhhh. It only hurts when I'm in sneakers though. Anyhow, I was out at my parents so I got to run through the neighborhood hitting every street and seeing the mountain views. It was nice and the weather was awesome. One thing though. Doesn't everyone over the age of 10 know to run AGAINST traffic so you can see the cars coming at you? Apparently Mr. No shirt running with my jogging stroller missed that lesson in life. He was running WITH the traffic which made it real awkward when we happened to be running the same direction at the same point and a car came through.

Then my Mom made an awesome dinner and it was nice to sit outside without it being 876 degrees! She made whole wheat pasta with crab, shrimp, and asparagus! On the side we had garlic bread and salad. I piled so much pasta on my plate and my mom told me I wouldn't eat it all. Wrong. Then for dessert we had Lime Mousse Cake and it was all homemade. Even the crust!


So, I know what you're thinking. "So that's where Taylo gets her cooking skillssss." Hahaha! Right Mom? Mom said the cake is only for the pros. Whatever, I could make that cake in my sleep. Only three days left until my weekend begins!

Umm, Who's The Rude One?!

So before I get into things I want to talk about what just happened at Trader Joe's. Some people are so mean and self-centered in Northern Virginia. It was super packed as usual and if you know anything about TJ's you know it's small and the aisles are super narrow. So I am going along and there is kind of a jam in the aisle. I only had a basket and all these people around had carts. So this guy in front of me kind of moves to the side and I figured he was stopping so I went around him. Then I hear him like being all passive-aggressive saying, "oh yeah just go ahead, no one else is trying to get through, cruise on through." In the past I might have engaged him, but I was just so dumbfounded I didn't say anything. Then I stopped to get some garbanzo and black beans. So this douche stops and says, "you know you're incredibly rude. People are trying to get through and you just move on through." I am thinking umm, what? First of all, sorry I didn't know there was a ranking of who got to go through first. Secondly, I have a basket and it's a lot easier for me to navigate. So I just said, "umm I have a basket and you have a cart. Chill out." And you're a grown man berating a woman in a grocery store? Like who's the rude one? I don't know why but it really bothered me and kind of hurt my feelings!

Anyhow, yesterday was my sister's bridal shower and it was fun. She got a lot of good stuff and had a good time as well. I got her Virginia Tech tervis tumblers! Would you expect anything else from me? No!

Then I came back home, went to a BBQ in DC, ended up seeing a former coworker who happens to work with my friend now. It's funny because we were all working for the same agency at one time, but now both of them are at another. DC is so small! Then I went to a birthday party for a bit, which was interesting. This is random, but sometimes I feel sooo old and other times I feel pretty young.

I didn't get up until 10:20 this morning because I had to get up early yesterday. I needed to do a long run and thought it would be okay to do it around 5pm. Wrong. I looked at the weather and it was going to be brutal then. So I decided I'd go around noon. Oh.my.god. Worst decision ever. I ran 12 miles and every minute of it was pretty awful. Oh well, at least I did it.

Nothing Can Rain On My Parade

I really think someone could tell me they hate me and I suck and I'd say, "okay, great!" and not care one bit. I am in such a good mood. Everything is working out and for the first time in a long time everything feels right! Even better tomorrow is Friday and it's the freakin' weekend!

I made the dumbest move on metro this afternoon. I'm on the platform and it says a "Vienna" train is approaching so stupidly I just get on the train without checking to make sure it was an orange line train. I kept thinking to myself, "man the train is really empty today." Well, duh, there was a reason for that. All the sudden we leave Rosslyn and two minutes later I am seeing daylight! This is NOT supposed to happen on my commute because I'm underground the whole time. I start freaking out and realize I must have gotten on a blue line train. No worries, I got off at Arlington National Cemetery and turned myself around! Taylor, five months ago, would have freaked out and been so pissed. But I just rolled with it! It happens.

Then after I got home I had an awesome 5.2 mile run even though it's another scorcher out there. All my good fortune almost ended though when I was running through a crosswalk in which I had the WALK sign and Granny comes barrelling into the crosswalk and gets a foot from me before slamming on her brakes. I threw my arms in the air, screamed, and yelled, "!@$%" as I kept running from her. I could tell she was freaked out too, but come on. I've said it before and I'll say it again, people do not pay attention!!

Lazy Sunday

I had a pretty low key weekend. I have been running around and going out too much and it wore me down. I feel like I have something on my schedule every day. So I stayed in Friday night because I wanted to get up at a decent hour Saturday to run 11 miles. Good decision. Then I spent the afternoon at the pool with Jon. It was freaking hot and the pool is like bath water.

One of my friends from Virginia Tech, who I have also known since elementary school, is going away to graduate school for a year at Carnegie Mellon. So his girlfriend threw him a surprise going away party Saturday night. That was fun and he was super surprised, which is always nice!

I was going to go to the beach with Logan today, but my throat has been bothering me and as I said I feel run down. So I felt bad, but I texted him last night bowing out. We're going to a wedding in August though and we will get to go to the beach then! So today was the laziest Sunday I have had in awhile and it was great. I woke up at 9:30am and made a yummy breakfast--baked peanut butter pancake. (I should have taken a picture because it was so pretty). Then I washed my sheets and did other laundry. Also cleaned my room and dropped some stuff off at Goodwill. It was a pretty productive Sunday as well.

And dinner was delicious! I haven't had kale chips in a good week so it was time for those with some ketchup and encrusted tilapia! Now is it really time to go to work again tomorrow? Boo!

Weekend Warrior

Well, my week finally turned around and I had a great weekend! So our softball game, well, we're a little rusty. We were at bat first and did okay, but then our opponent went to bat and I was playing catcher. They cracked ball after ball into the outfield. I was starting to wonder if there was a softball they couldn't knock out of the park. I am happy to say we finally dusted ourselves off and instead of getting stomped we just got crushed! Haha. They hit one home run so far out of the field it went into a parking garage! I hit at all three of my at bats, but they were lame grounders so I need to work on hitting. Oh, I made an awesome diving catch in the outfield too. It was epic. You probably saw it on SportsCenter. And I had just finished a pop sickle so the stick was still in my mouth... super safe!

Happy hour with coworkers Friday was hilarious and fun. Happy hour is great too because it makes for an early evening ;) and I was asleep by 10:45pm on a Friday night. Whatever, don't judge. Thus I was up early on Saturday to make some pancakes before going to get new running shoes and then head to the pool with my friend/coworker. Cottage cheese oatmeal pancakes are delicious. They sound gross, but they're amazing. I got new running shoes at Potomac River Running and a Nike hat since I had a 10 miler planned with my friend Kim on Sunday and it's about 3867282 degrees out every day lately. I am trying to ramp up my miles and training because I plan on running the Richmond Marathon this year. My first full marathon!! Anyhow, here's a little montage of me getting pumped for softball, new running shoes, and then all geared out for the 10 miler.


After the pool I went to bikram baptiste yoga. It's like a 100 degrees in there, but didn't matter since it's like 120 degrees outside. It was a pretty good yoga sesh, especially since I hadn't been in two weeks and it wasn't crowded at all. Kim and I ate at Boulevard Woodgrill last night and I had the seafood kabobs--yummy. Then we came back here for a chill night and watched The Guardian since we wanted to be up by 7:45am to beat the heat for the 10 miles. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Yes, it was hot, and it was a lot hillier than I expected. I usually bike that route so biking hills is MUCH easier than running them. However, since I dorked it out with all my gear plus took a Gatorade G2 and a Clif Gel + caffeine I really found it to be a pretty enjoyable run. We finished in about an hour and 40 minutes and that included a few walking breaks. Pretty good training run. I like that I have the whole day ahead of me and my workout is done!

Happy Friday (for me)!!!

Less than eight hours to go. I love the weather this week and wish it would stay like this all summer. I woke up at 6am this morning and went for a nice 5k run. I have asthma and really bad allergies so when it's too hot and the pollen is out, running outside is horrendous. When I arrived home I started to get ready and eat breakfast, which was this:


I know what you're thinking, WTF is that green stuff that looks like soup?! Well, it's a smoothie with almond milk, kefir, spinach, kale, flaxmeal, chocolate protein powder, frozen banana and mango. And you're probably thinking spinach and kale in a smoothie!? Disgusting! But you would be wrong and should try it because it is amazingly refreshing and you can't taste the veggies. Also enjoyed a kashi waffle with some sunflower seed butter and a little syrup. Lastly, some Newman's Own Vanilla Caramel coffee in a winter coffee mug. I don't discriminate with dishes just because the season changes! Also, I eat sweet potatoes year round and usually every week. I hate how they're only associated with Thanksgiving. Truly rude.

And to start your Thursday off, this is what some man said to me in the elevator at work this morning: "It's just past 8am, are you having fun yet?" Me: "Umm no, I will be at 4:30pm." To which he says, "Alright, if that's how you want to think about it." You are so right sir. Now I am going to have a blast at work sitting at a desk all day. Someone pass the Perrier. Poppin' bottles.

P.S. Please excuse the picture quality. I had to take it with my droid and lighting in the kitchen wasn't the best!

Bring it back

Okay first of all, please excuse the horrendous color scheme on previous posts. I need to work on fixing that. Secondly, clearly I have not written in awhile--like almost three years. Well that changes today: Taylo in the back yo is back!

So let's see. What am I going to write about here? Well back in 2008, I didn't like running anywhere. Not even to food, alcohol, the beach, the bar, a Hokie football game. I mean, let's be honest: we used to have to run in high school for tennis and as soon as I was out of the coach's sight it was time to WALK! Now, I love running. I'm obsessed. If I ever cannot, for some reason, run, well it will be an ugly day. So, what I am trying to tell you is that I will probably talk about running here.

What else? Yoga. I have only recently gotten into that, but I am really liking it too. Specifically baptiste yoga. Still, running is my number one fave.

Also, I might post about cooking, baking, eating, restaurants, whatevs. Then lastly, but MOST CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, I will talk about Virginia Tech as I am still unhealthily obsessed with everything Virginia Tech. Football, basketball, visits back to campus, Enter Sandman, college friends parties, tailgating, VT clothing, alum gatherings, Hokie weddings, etc. It NEVER STOPS AND IT NEVER WILL! If you have a problem with this, I suggest your eyes find something else to read.

And my old posts, they're probably going to be different because obviously that was a different time in my life. I was only 22/23 and still young and naive. Now I am so much older (26!), so mature, worldly, and all that bullshit. Also, some of my old posts allude to something I was so excited about. I guess the good news is that I am doing what I was so excited about. The bad news is it was cool at first, but I am over it now, and can honestly say I am the complete opposite of what I once was about it. When I started I thought it was the best thing to ever happen to me. I seriously was so beyond excited and grateful. Now I cannot wait to sprint the hell out of here and just move on. I am not as bad as I was this past Fall/Winter so hopefully I don't bitch too much, but just be forewarned: I will refer to it and it will most likely, not be positive!

So glad you're here. Everyone is welcome, until you piss me off. Haha, jk. Kinda.