So I’ve been running quite a bit lately. Averaging at least 20+ miles a week. It feels great to have this weather around where I can run freely and not die by the end.
Last Saturday, Jenna and I ran a really fun 15K (9.33 miles) in KCK at the Legends. It was the first year of the race, and while the hyped up finish line in Sporting KC was a bit disappointing (it was just a narrow little line on one end of the field), it was a beautiful hilly run in our Team Beef Endurance jerseys.
I have a half in October (KC) and then I think Mark is returning to join me at the Gobbler Grind half in November.
(After last year’s KC Half)
The next big thing on the horizon is a MARATHON. I thought it would be super wonderful to run my first while I am 26 - 26.2 miles...cute, huh? I’m thinking April in Olathe. Not a super huge race, but easy logistically and it has pacers to run with, too.
One of the most important things in my mind about successful training is to throw some yoga in the mix. Today, one of my favorite websites for testing out new and innovative products, BzzAgent, is hosting a giveaway for a really awesome yoga mat by Manduka and I want it!
It’s official: My first year of law school is COMPLETE. I am really really happy.
As I drove around Overland Park yesterday running errands and had some quality time with Mark last night, I just relished in all that I have accomplished over the past year. It was way tougher than I thought it would be (evidently being an apparel marketing and PR undergrad is not good prep for law school?) but the challenge helped me grow as an individual.
I also appreciate the ridiculously awesome amount of support I received from my friends and family this year. If you ever listened to me cry or complain, I’m sorry, and you’re the best. I think that my amount of complaining tapered off throughout the year (perhaps Mark would disagree) as I adjusted to it all, and I know I will be able to start my 2L year strong.
Today I came back to Lawrence to “clean” my apartment before my lovely summer subleasors move in, but really I just ended up baking all afternoon to get ready for this:
I saw this on the lovely Natalie’s blog earlier this week and knew this was how I wanted to spend my first day of summer vacation - baking for a good cause!
Tomorrow I am going to hit up the gym and do a little shopping at the Legends. I think Mark and I have one last Minsky’s date planned, too. Last for a while, that is. I know it won’t be the last one forever! Good pizza is hard to find :)
a. I have a final in five days - Yes, on Saturday morning. Cruel scheduling, folks.
b. It is rainy and I wanted to ensure a parking spot.
c. Sleep is lower on my priority list than studying this week.
So I have time before class to repost this great Monday message from Because It’s Awesome, a way fun KC blog.
"The I Am Project :: Our wish is to affirm and inspire the beauty in every woman, to celebrate the uniqueness in each of us, as well as the commonalities that unite us as women. We want to create a space to confront the dark places that come with growth; to witness women being valued for more than their bodies, clothes, or societal projections; to feel inspired by stories and images; and to become more deeply rooted in who we are as women. We want to become a net of resources that will nurture and fortify each other's confidence, and fill women with awareness of the extraordinary beauty that each of us uniquely brings to the world.”
Have a great week! Wish me luck as I conquer the world of Constitutional Law!
Last night I ventured outside of my purple comfort zone and went to Rock Chalk Ball with Mark as guests of the lovely Gregory Family. Erin was in town from Boston where she is working on her MBA at BU, so she brought her friend Josh, and we all had a great time browsing the silent auction items, enjoying dinner and dancing, until Smirnoff Ice abruptly ended the evening before 11 p.m. I blame Mark.
Just to be clear, being at Rock Chalk Ball was not ALL that far outside of my comfort zone...it was a black tie event in Overland Park in a room full of passionate alumni supporters - all things I am very comfortable with. I only had to leave the room once, when the new athletic director (who FAILED to mention he is also a K-Stater!) was gushing about being a Jayhawk. I am proud to go to KU Law, and perhaps someday in the next two years I might consider myself a “Jayhawk.” Nights like last night certainly nudge me in that direction. I had a really great time!
My amazing photog sister is in town (yay! too bad we can’t hang out more this week!) so we lassoed Mark into taking some fancy pics in the backyard, then the others are from the event.
I know we’re not looking at the camera, but this lighting was better than the one where we are looking at the camera.
And yes, for the first time ever folks: My picture with Baby Jay! I also got a hug from Big Jay...Unsolicited, of course.
Going to read Con Law and go to bed early - getting back into running is making me tired.
April is renowned for being a ridiculously busy month. I remember in college we would have banquets, University Open House, Spring Game and numerous projects and what not going on. Luckily, this sort of prepared me for the academic insanity that is April in law school. I LOVE college basketball though, so am taking a break to blog during the second half of the championship tonight.
First off, quick blog shoutout to Mark (at Law Prom a month ago):
Today is our three-year anniversary of dating, but he has been sort of out of commission since he got home from Europe last Wednesday night...some sort of bug he picked up during all of his travels. He heads back to work tomorrow after three weeks off! He will be in Kansas City this week, and then heads to Cali on Sunday for one more trip to Cupertino before the big move in June. Busy bee!
This weekend I had a great time hanging out with some law school girls Friday night at Pub Night. Pub Night is like a variety show, with people who volunteer to showcase their talents, professors who have a band called the Moody Bluebooks (with lyrics to popular songs rewritten to be about law school) and the annual 1L skit which I participated in.
One of the guys posted the video of our skit on YouTube. A few of the girls re-wrote the lyrics to Ke$ha’s Tik-Tok and it was pretty awesome. We had a BLAST doing it. I make some short appearances as a professor - hence the outfit above!
Saturday night I went to Beer Kitchen in Westport with Megan and Jenna for Megan’s birthday dinner. Always an absolute delight to hang out with these girls!
I highly recommend Beer Kitchen...It was NOT at all healthy, but 100% delicious, and we split meals to cut down on the portion sizes (yes, we split a burger into thirds!). We tried the Brickhouse burger (applewood bacon, tillamook-aged cheddar, smoked bacon aioli, red onion jam, roam tomato & "stacked chips" on brioche bun) and the Turkey Turkey sandwich (smoked turkey, turkey bacon, avocado, tomato, chipotle white cheddar & chipotle aioli on grilled sourdough) plus delicious fries and honey bacon glazed brussels sprouts (duh, we had veggies, too!) plus split a liter of Summer Brew (scrimshaw pilsner, citrus vodka, rosemary-infused lemonade & lemon on the rocks). I was pretty impressed that three people could have two drinks each for $10!
To get me through April, I have modified a list of “actions" my buddy Natalie put on her blog:
1. Be in bed by 11:00 every [week]night in April. (Tonight is going to be an exception because the game is slowing me down...)
2. Drink 3 liters of water every day.
3. Keep it to two Diet Cokes a day and no caffeine after 5 p.m.
4. Do the Jillian Six Week Six Pack abs DVD three times per week.
5. Eat three servings of veggies a day.
Just a few things to keep me in check as I kick off this crazy month. My first final is actually in April on the 30th, and it will be my most difficult exam - Constitutional Law. All of us are a little confused when we are supposed to study for the exam since it is just a day after our last class, but oh well.
So it may be snowing on and off this weekend, but with the awesome March Madness that is going on right now and the signs of spring popping up around town (Easter candy!) and my apartment, it is feeling more like spring.
I was very excited to find a package of goodies from SC Johnson waiting for me in OP when I went home for Spring Break:
I have been a BzzAgent since 2007, which means they periodically send me awesome things they think I would like and then I buzz about them to my friends and family. The box of goods from SC Johnson included some classics (Lemon Pledge, Scrubbing Bubbles, Glade Candle) but also some new things I had never tried.
I plugged this Glade Lasting Impressions in around noon today (sorry it is not very photogenic), and within a couple of hours, my apartment smelled lovely.
It alternates spritzing clean linen and sunny days scents. I really like that it smells fresh, without that artificial strong home fragrance effect. They run just under $5 at Wal-Mart and are supposed to last 60 days. I found a coupon for it here or I have some extras I can share--in fact, I have coupons for all of these nice products if you have the urge to spring clean.
I also am trying out the Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Cleaning Gel (I didn’t take a picture of my toilet for the blog!) and it is a pretty simple concept--once a week you put a gel dot under the rim of the toilet and with every flush it helps keep things fresh and clean. Pretty impressive and a nice, lazy way to keep the toilet clean. I’ll be getting one for Mark to use in his bathroom!
One of my favorite Wisconsin exports (i.e. best summer beer) hit shelves recently, too.
I grabbed a six-pack yesterday, and I am eagerly awaiting Mark’s return home from France and Italy so we can sip on it together. (I might have tried one yesterday during the KU game to make sure it was okay.)
Now, we just need to tell Mother Nature that it is spring, too.
After 26 years of loyalty to my K-State Wildcats, I am in my second year of law school at the University of Kansas. I spent two years working in corporate America before law school, and developed a love for running and living a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
