For years - really ever since I joined YouTube way back in the mid-2000s - I've always wanted to do VEDA, or "Vlog Every Day in April/August". I'm honestly not sure when this trend began or who started it, but I feel like I see it everywhere when an "A" month rolls around and I always kick myself for not planning ahead to participate. I'm thrilled to say that I realized August was coming up this year and was able to be organized enough to plan on participating - finally! While I never really have time these days to edit and upload a new video each day, I thought I'd participate here on my blog and call it "BEDA" instead.
The idea is simple - publish a blog post every day throughout the month of August. This will be a combination of daily life updates (I'm sure this will take up the majority of my posting throughout the month), training progress updates, vlogs, book chatter, and more. Some of these posts might be scheduled, though I'm assuming the majority of them will not be and will just be my on-the-fly ramblings about the things that I'm doing, thinking about, loving, etc. I'm really excited to start on this lil project of mine and - as it's the last day of July today - I'll be kicking things off tomorrow! Wish me luck, and I can't wait to see you all here with me all month!
Have you done BEDA/VEDA?
Are you planning to do it this August?
What are other blog/video challenges you've participated in in the past?
I feel like it's no secret that I struggle a lot with my mental health. It has been particularly tough this year. I don't know what it is, but I am going through one of the hardest times of my life when it comes to my mental state. Over the past few months (probably since December?) I have been up and down so constantly. I go through times where I feel good, and normal, and like I can be productive, and then I experience weeks of feeling super down, crying constantly, not wanting to leave my house and panicking at the thought of being around other people, unable to do the things I enjoy doing...
I'm really tired.
And the reason I'm sharing this with you is not because I want sympathy or that I want advice (though I of course welcome it if you'd like to share!), but that this has been my reality for what feels like such a long time. I'm lying if I said I'm happy most of the time. Most of the time I feel frustrated at myself for feeling so down, for not being productive, for not just sucking it up and ENJOYING LIFE, DAMMIT. Because my life is good. But my brain just doesn't want to let me enjoy it.
I'm trying. I'm really trying... but right now it feels like I never feel good the way I used to. Not even good, just content. It's been a while since I've even felt content. I'm not sure if I'm still feeling residual stress over how busy work was in the spring, or searching for a new home with the threat of homelessness looming above us, but for whatever reason I feel like I'm just in a cloud of feeling bad and it's been really hard to get myself out of it. And it's super discouraging.
I'm tired. And it's getting harder to fight against it day after day. But that doesn't mean I'm going to stop trying. I just need to do some adjusting and be overall kinder to myself. Right now I feel like I'm trying to take on the world and accomplish ALL THE THINGS! (Which, when I'm feeling good, is my favorite way to live life.) But I have to be okay with the fact that if I try to continue on like that right now, I'm going to continue to implode. And I would like to stop doing that thankyouverymuch.
While I was journaling last night, I came up with a ~mental health game plan~ for myself. I've been finding that when I don't follow this plan, things just get progressively worse for me. And as annoying as it might be to tackle these five things on a daily basis, it's necessary for me to stay afloat.
1. Find one reason to leave the house each day. This one might feel like a really big challenge for me. Sometimes the thought of having to leave in itself can push me into a panic. But the more I can actually get myself out, even if it's just for 15 minutes, the more I'll feel motivated to get out of bed, get dressed, and do at least one productive thing in my day. Ideas include:
Going to work (this is an easy one, since you know, I kinda have to go to work every week day haha)
Go for a run/to the gym (or if I'm not feeling mentally up for a run, a walk around the block can work)
Trip to the library, even if it's just to enjoy a change of environment
Beach trip (requires a bit more planning but still works!)
Grab a coffee, which is one of my favorite parts of my daily routine anyway so that should be easy. :)
2. Do one thing creative with my hands every day. I've found that if I can physically do something creative with my hands, it focuses my mind away from the cloud of negativity that has been fogging my mind. Ideas include:
knitting/sewing
journaling
drawing
painting
gardening (which isn't currently a hobby of mine but something that I've always wanted to pick up!)
3. Instead of scrolling my phone, watch a show, play a game, or read. Like so many of us, I can scroll my phone for literal hours. I can spend that time that I'm scrolling, indulging in a good story instead. I find that if I'm focused on a story - kind of like when I'm doing something creative - that it can pull focus away from my hazy, negative brain.
4. Take the pressure off posting to social media. I'm not sure when this happened, but I feel like at some point posting regularly to social media became something that really consumed my mind and I would feel badly if I wasn't consistently posting each week, or I wasn't posting a vlog for every readathon I participated in, or I wasn't finishing Instagram challenges... it all became a source of stress for me rather than a source of fun for me. I really need to step back and just do what feels good. Right now, that's this blog.
I did record a vlog for 24in48 and I recorded a lot of footage for the Reading Rush, but knowing how I felt through that time of recording, I'm not sure if I'm ever going to have the guts to sit down and edit and post it. It's so hard seeing myself pretending like I'm okay when I'm not. I'm not sure when I'm going to feel comfortable talking to a camera again because putting on the mask of feeling good for the camera just makes me feel worse. But writing posts for my blog is always comforting for me, so for the time being, I think I'll just stick with that. (Plus, I have a fun project on my blog coming up in August. Stay tuned!)
5. Take care of my brain. I need to listen to what my brain is telling me and adjust accordingly. If something doesn't feel good, I need to stop doing it or take a break. I feel like I put so much pressure on myself and it just isn't worth it anymore.
With that all being said, I'm not sure what the future is going to bring me. I think I have a lot of really hard stuff to work through still, but hopefully that means there will be positivity waiting for me at the end. I'm not sure. Everything is so up and down that I don't know what to even expect. But hopefully, at the end of the day, I'll feel better and can move forward again.
August (and the end of summer 😭) is right around the corner and I want to make the most of my reading while I still have time in my schedule before students return to campus for the year! This month I will be participating in the N.E.W.T.s magical readathon (and honestly, if you haven't heard of this readathon yet, where have you been?) as well as taking on another round of my Book of the Month Month project. I wanted to share with you the books that I'm hoping to read over the course of the next month and hopefully squeeze as much summer reading in as possible while it lasts.
As a referesher, I was able to complete all 5 of my O.W.L.s back in April, which honestly I was pretty shocked by considering how stinkin' busy I was all month. 😂 I will need to pass at least 3 N.E.W.T.s to become a Wandmaker, all to varying grades. I will need to achieve an O in Herbology (3 books), an E in Care of Magical Creatures (2 books), and an A in Charms (1 book), totaling in 6 different books I will need to complete over the course of the month which is very achievable! All of my books (except one - the audiobook!) will be Book of the Month books as well, so sticking with that theme!
Charms (need "Acceptable")
Acceptable: Read a book that you think has a gorgeous cover
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Care of Magical Creatures (need "Exceeded Expectations")
Acceptable: Follow the spiders! Why couldn't it be follow the butterflies? Read a book with a title that starts with "A" for Aragog!
The Animators by Kayla Rae Whitaker
Exceeded Expectations: A book under 300 pages
#fashionvictim by Amina Akhtar
Herbology (need "Outstanding")
Acceptable: Mandrake! Quick, put your headphones on! Listen to an audiobook.
Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Exceeded Expectations: Read a book betweek 350-390 pages
Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
Outstanding: Read a book with a flower on the cover
This Time Will Be Different by Misa Sugiura
I do have an additional vacation built in to the month of August where I don't have ANY plans whatsoever, so I'm assuming I'll be able to complete my N.E.W.T.s fairly quickly. If that is the case, I'll need an additional stack of BOTM books to read through (which, let's be real... that is not an issue at all *stares at my 30 unread BOTM books*). I've pulled a pile of BOTM titles off my shelf that I'm thinking will be ones that I'll really enjoy. There's a variety of genres in this bunch and I tried to select books from a range of when I received them (oh whattup, 2017 titles?). Hopefully I'll find a few 2019 faves in this bunch like I did during my last BOTM month!
July 16 - Day 23 Workout: 6 miles - 1mi jog, then 4mi at half marathon pace (40 minutes), then 1mi jog Actual: 6.15 miles @ 1:15:00
I think my body was way too exhausted from my half on Sunday to keep up with the demands of this workout. That combined with a short night of sleep (and tbh, a cranky attitude), made the 4mi at half marathon pace feel impossible. I was able to run the 1mi jog at 15:00/mi, mile 2 at the perscribed 10:00/mi pace, mile 3 at 11:00/mi, then just finished up the workout (3 miles) at a 12:00/mi pace, concluding with a .15 cool down walk. My legs felt like lead, my eyes didn't want to stay open, and my negativity took over my brain during this workout and it showed. It's okay, though. I know there's going to be bad workouts during this cycle and this just happened to be one of them!
July 17 - Day 24
Rest day!
July 18 - Day 25 Workout: 5 miles easy - 11:30 pace, 54 minutes Actual: 5.22 mi @ 1:02:00 (5mi at 56:50, .22mi cool down walk)
This run felt significantly better than my Tuesday run, so I'm definitely thinking my body was just exhausted earlier in the week! Nothing too special happened during this run, but I did notice my step count was abnormally high for the time of day I was running (you know... 6AM). Turns out I left my watch on the same table as a fan over night and apparently it counted the vibrations from the fan as steps. 😂 Nearly 20k steps before 8AM, not bad!!!
Please note the time of day that this screenshot was taken 😂
July 19 - Day 26
Rest day!
July 20 - Day 27 Workout: 3 miles - 35 minutes Actual:Nothing :(
Missed this workout to us having a heat index of 112 degrees and not having access to my car to run indoors. WOOF. Whatevs... I needed the rest. 😂
July 21 - Day 28 Workout: 7 mile run/walk - In approximately 1:18, first 2 miles easy at 23 minutes, last 5 miles at marathon pace in 55 minutes Actual: 7.17 mi @ 1:19:53 (7mi at 10:56 pace, .17 cool down walk)
Was able to get my butt to the gym this day! There's just no way to run outdoors at the moment so the treadmill is my home. The run felt really great and went at a fast pace than was planned. I got really into watching the episodes of Love Island while running and the miles flew by! I swear, trash reality TV is the best distraction when you're trapped on the treadmill. 😂
Week 4 Thoughts
It's getting SO HOT outside, making it fairly unbearable to run outdoors. I have a feeling most of my training will be taking place on my best friend the treadmill. I guess as long as I'm sprinkling in outdoor runs when I'm able to it should be okay! I can't believe I'm already 4 weeks into this training. A quarter of the way to race day, y'all!
*I'm working on
getting caught up on my race reviews - please forgive me! 😊
Back in May, I ran the Wallis Sands Half Marathon in Rye, NH! This was my first race post-Marathon Maniacs attempt and in true Riley fashion, I did not train for this race. I actually kind of forgot that it was happening until a couple of days before. 😂 Woops! I've been eyeing this race ever since I started racing longer distances, but for whatever reason it's sold out before I could register or the weekend doesn't work for my schedule. This year the stars aligned and I was able to participate!
I made the trek up
to New Hampshire bright and early on the morning of the race. It was a gorgeous
day for running - just cool enough with an overcast sky. It was great to be
back in my home state and enjoying the 18 miles of coastline that the Granite State
boasts. I picked up my bib and my race shirt (which is actually one of my
favorite race shirts I've gotten to date!) and headed back to my car to kill
time before the race began.
The start went in
waves which I didn't know was going to happen. There were 6 waves total (plus a
wave of walkers that headed out first) and they were based on estimated finish
times, faster times going first and slower times taking up the rear. The race
officials were really great about holding the waves to their allotted times -
there were definitely folks who tried to go earlier! But a clean start really
does help a race run smoother and the officials were great about maintaining
the correct flow of the start.
The course was
really beautiful. The first few miles take you right down the coast which is so
serene at that time of year! It's still a bit too chilly in mid-May for the
beach towns in NH to start filling in, so it is very calm and relaxed. Taking
in the scenery was so nice while running! After a few miles you're taken into
the surrounding neighborhoods where the course can be quite hilly, but is still
very quintessential small-town New Hampshire. We passed by farms, churches,
small hole-in-the-wall restaurants, THE WORKS. It really just felt like I was
home again and it felt great!
Water stops were
perfectly spaced every 1.5-2 miles which I always appreciate. The race put on a
contest for the best decorated water stop which runners got to vote on in a
post-race survey*, so every volunteer was super spirited for this race which I
loved. There was also a surprising amount of crowd support for such a small
town race! It seemed like every major corner we turned there was someone with a
sign and a cowbell cheering runners on. It really does wonders to your
motivation, even if they aren't cheering you on in particular! 😊
I felt really great
throughout this race. There were definitely some ~rolling hills~ throughout the
course (because, New Hampshire) but I felt like I was able to keep a really
great pace through the majority of the race! The one thing that snagged up my running
flow was the fact that I BONKED HARD at
mile 9. You can even see in my splits where exactly I lost steam. I know it's
because I did not eat enough for breakfast that morning or dinner the night before, and I
was STARVING and EXHAUSTED from mile 9 to when I finished. All I could think
about when I was running those final miles was how much food I was going to eat
when I was done running. 😂 It happens!
Basically all I wanted to do from mile 9 onward {source}
I finished in
2:22:20 (lots of 2s) which is one of my better half marathons in recent years!
I'm really proud of myself for how speedy I was despite not training (literally
at all) and it felt great to know that I CAN maintain a good speed across a
longer distance and I don't have to hold myself back so much. Here's all my
race info from the day:
When your half marathon is slightly shorter than a half marathon ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Note mile 9 - the bonking mile 😂
Dem HILLZ
The event did have a
post-race BBQ which unfortunately was dampened by some rain showers rolling
through. It didn't stop me from grabbing as much food as humanly possible
before scurrying to my car with my medal! They had burgers, hot dogs, pizza,
cookies, bagels, bananas, fruit snacks, EVERYTHING! Loved how big of a spread
they had. My one critique was that they only had one line for food which, you
know, isn't the most ideal situation when you're dealing with a bunch of hungry
runners with sore legs. The last thing we want to do is stand in line! However
my gratitude for having food at the end of the run greatly outweighed my
crankiness toward waiting in line (which we can probably chalk up to me being
hangry anyway 😂).
That smile means I was finally able to eat and sit down. 😂
Close up of the finisher's medal!
This was an
fantastic race! (I feel like I always say I would recommend a race during my
race reviews, but lately races have been killing it in their treatment of their
runners and this one is no different!) If you're looking for a New Hampshire
half that brings all of the best parts of the Granite State in one course,
Wallis Sands is a great option. Give it a try next year! I had a great time. 😊
July 8 - Day 15
Rest day! July 9 - Day 16 Workout: 5 miles - 1mi jog, then 3x10 minutes at 5k pace with 3min jog break, then 1mi jog Actual: 5.5 miles? I forgot to look at my totals before stepping off the treadmill! But I definitely completed the workout with a cool down walk. 😂 July 10 - Day 17
Rest day! July 11 - Day 18 Workout: 5mi easy, approximately 11:30 min/mi in 57 minutes Actual: Nothing :( July 12 - Day 19
Rest day! July 13 - Day 20 Workout: 3mi incline hill session Actual:Nothing :( July 14 - Day 21 Workout: 10mi mi run/walk in approximately 1:53 - first 5mi easy in 58 minutes, last 5mi at marathon pace in 5 minutes Actual: 13.29 miles - Sour Apple Half Marathon!
A hilly course on a hot and humid day doesn't make for the fastest time, but it was a great reminder why I race. I had a great time! Full race review will be posted later this week, but for now here's my splits and a selfie at mile 10 pretending like I'm not dying! 😂
1. 9:59
2. 11:52
3. 10:56
4. 11:40
5. 11:12
6. 12:53
7. 11:56
8. 12:15
9. 12:44
10. 12:49
11. 14:08
12. 11:30
13. 11:27
.29. 3:14.5
Week 3 Thoughts
This week brought the first TWO workouts I skipped so far this training cycle. Not gonna lie, I was pretty frustrated at myself for allowing myself to make excuses on those two days, but it is what it is. I just gotta get back on the horse and do better this next week! I'm really glad I raced this week, though. It reminded me how enjoyable racing can be and how accomplished you feel once you cross the finish line. I've got one more race scheduled between now and Newport and I'm considering registering for one more to keep myself motivated. We'll see if I can make it work!
In April I ran my third and final race of my Marathon Maniacs attempt and this time it took me down to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. In the middle of the busiest month of the year, I took on the Coastal Delaware Marathon and I honestly don't know how I did it, haha. This was marathon #11 for me and I was still just as nervous as I am before any marathon. You'd think the nerves would go away after a bit of experience, but they really don't. I was especially nervous because between a move and work being actually INSANE, I ran maybe 3 times between Little Rock and this race. I felt so unprepared, but such is the norm for me lately. They should call me the unprepared runner because I'm honestly never ready for races anymore, haha.
I drove down to the race this time around. I woke up early in the morning on Saturday, packed up my car, and hit the road. The drive itself wasn't so bad. It was about an 8 hour journey from point to point, but I did take a few stops here and there to eat and stretch and what have you. Ultimately it wasn't a bad trip and it probably would have taken me just as long to fly down as there aren't a ton of local airports, and it would have been more expensive to fly anyway!
I rolled into Rehoboth Beach around 2:30pm and went directly to the expo to pick up my bib and some extra gels for the next day. I will say that the swag for this race was excellent. They gave you a nice pint glass, a magnet, and a shirt! I love when races give a little something extra on top of the standard shirt. After the expo I was on the hunt for some food. I found my hotel rather quickly and it turns out there was a restaurant right next door called Nalu so I popped in there for some delicious chicken tacos. It was so nice to enjoy some down time after a long morning of traveling.
I was EXHAUSTED, so after I ate I checked in to my room and just relaxed. I honestly just needed to be in a quiet space after all the insanity that had happened to us over the weeks leading up to the race, and this honestly had felt like the first opportunity I had to do that in a long, long time. I took a long, hot shower, and got cozy in bed to watch reruns of Scrubs while I mentally prepared for the race the next day. Of course, I had to lay out my flat runner. I was particularly excited about my number for this race because it reminded me of Rey Mysterio and motivated me to embrace my inner superstar. I was going to mentally 619 this race!
I was contemplating going out again for dinner, but I was honestly just so tired and all I wanted to do was rest, so I opted to order a cheese pizza from Mama Maria's which was a quick walk down the road. Cheese pizza maybe isn't the BEST choice before a marathon, but I mainly just wanted to eat *something* for my body to burn off the next day and fall asleep. I'm pretty sure I passed out at about 9:30pm. Ya girl was TIRED.
I woke up early the next morning, as you always do on race day, and got myself in the mental zone to take on the challenge of yet another 26.2. I will say that it is a lot more challenging to get myself there when I'm by myself, but it's always encouraging to see all of the runners around you, getting ready to embark on their own 26.2 journey, each of us with our own jitters and excitement. There's definitely an element of camaraderie before a race!
The weather was muggy yet cool in the morning, with a good dose of fog - some of the stranger conditions that I've raced this distance in, that's for sure. Parking was a bit crowded for this race, as the start/finish is on the boardwalk and there's only so much parking available in any downtown beach area. I would definitely recommend getting there EARLY for this race. I got there around 6:30 or so (~30 minutes before start) and I had to park several blocks away from the starting line (which isn't a problem BEFORE your run, but after is a little rough haha).
The race went in waves, though each wave was relatively small and divided by your race distance. Marathoners went first, which I always love, and they gave us a pretty hefty cushion of time before the half marathoners and the other smaller distances were off. The field for this race is pretty small, which is something that I don't always love. For whatever reason, I really enjoy when the races I'm running have a LOT of people. I don't know what it is - maybe seeing others going through the same thing keeps me motivated, but it became pretty clear pretty quickly that this was going to be one of those races where I spent quite a lot of time on my own which is always a challenge for me.
This race is also on the newer side as well (I believe this was its fifth year!), which usually means that the community hasn't totally bought into it yet. That being said, course spectators where fairly few and far between, and the people that were out cheering for runners were generally only cheering for *their* runners. I can't tell you how many groups of spectators I ran by that didn't really acknowledge any of the runners, which was so strange to me. A lot of races I run, spectators cheer for everyone! I don't know if it's just the culture of this race that needs to develop a bit more, but that was kind of disheartening. I will say, though, that the volunteers were great and super friendly throughout the entire course!
The course spends a bit of time through neighborhoods toward the beginning, but you spend a good chunk of time for the first 12 miles in a beautiful state park on paved trails. This provided excellent, cool conditions through the humidity and made for very scenic views throughout the first half of the race. The second half of the race was where it got really tough, especially once the sun decided to show its face. It was almost ALL roads that were 100% uncovered. It was humid, it was hot, and now we had the sun to deal with. I was really nervous when I entered the second half of the race and it proved to be justified becuase I REALLY struggled between miles 16 and 24. I don't do well with running in heat. I feel really light headed, dehydrated, and nauseous. I felt the same way when running Youngstown and I'll likely feel the same way with any future race where I face these kinds of conditions.
Water stops were consistently 2-3 miles apart which was fine, but got super challenging toward the end of the race when I was running out of water in my Camelbak and was constantly searching for where the next chance to hydrate will be. If you're like me and you consume a lot of water when you're running, I HIGHLY recommend bringing a Camelbak or some kind of supplemental water with you because once it gets hot and you dehydrate, there isn't a ton out there between stops. Similarly, bathroom options are limited and fairly far between. There were porta-potties at every water stop, but it would be good to have some more options for runners, especially toward the end of the race.
This is the race where I was reminded - around mile 23 or so - that the marathon is ultimately about being stubborn, about not listening to your brain screaming at you to stop, about putting one foot in front of the other and continuing to chip away at each inch of this gigantic distance. I don't think I've ever questioned my ability to complete this distance as hard as I did during this race. It was TOUGH to not just sit on the ground and wait for a sweep vehicle. I was there by myself and I was so toasted in the last few miles of this race. It would have been SO EASY to take the DNF and try Delaware again on another day. But I kept going. It really did not feel good to keep going, but I did. And I'm honestly really proud of myself for sticking it out because all I really wanted to do was quit. I know other runners have been there in the past! I cranked up my tunes (I basically put "Old Town Road (Remix)" on repeat) and tried to block out any of the pain and negative thoughts as I chipped away at the final few miles.
One thing that I will definitely commend this race on is the spectators at the finish line. The MC did an amazing job of getting the crowd energized for each and every runner at the finish. Even though I was in so much pain and really did not feel well, there was a big smile on my face as I crossed, and it's all thanks to the energy that welcomed be across the finish. I sat on a nearby bench for a little while after I finished and the crowd had the same energy for every runner after me (and I can imagine every runner before me as well!). No race director should ever underestimate how appreciated that is by any runner for any distance!
I later learned that they also pulled out the tape for the last runner who crossed the finish line which I absolutely loved! #finishlinesnotfinishtimes
I definitely needed a sitting break after that race, and I think I rested on a nearby bench for about 15-20 minutes before I had the nerve to get back up again. I took off my shoes and socks and kicked up my feet (which were pretty swollen) while I gathered myself. It was a rough race and not one I could bounce back from very quickly! But once I had collected myself a bit, I took my medal onto the beach to get some ~coastal~ shots with my new bling. Had to be on brand for the race, ya know?!
This race is definitely one that is growing and one that has the potential to improve immensely. It's a really flat course which I'm sure make for *really* quick times when the conditions are right. Looking at social media posts from other runners that ran that day, I know a lot of folks who were shooting for PRs and BQs attributed the muggy conditions to making their goals much harder to achieve, so I wasn't alone on the struggle bus. But you never know what's going to happen on race day, so you gotta take what comes to you! Overall I had a good time at this race and I know it's going to be one that will grow to be something really amazing overtime. I definitely would recommend it for your Delaware marathon!
It's the online bookish community's favorite time of year - The Reading Rush (formally the BookTubeAThon) will be here in less than two weeks! My schedule this year during The Reading Rush is a little tight. I work full time and my mom will also be visiting me toward the end of the week, so I'm unsure how much reading I will be getting done, how many challenges I'll be participating in, and overall how involved I'll be this time around. It's a total bummer because I love this readathon, but I'm still going to give it my best effort. Who knows? Maybe it'll be easier to stay on top of things than I'm anticipating it to be. Either way, I'll still be reading as much as I can and sharing a week long vlog with you at the end. ☺️
Because the Reading Rush will be a little on the busy side for me this year, I wanted to participate in the 24 in 48 readathon the weekend leading in to the Reading Rush and hopefully make up for any lost reading time I'll get during the week. 24 in 48 has one of my favorite readathon concepts that I've ever encountered, and I'm happy I'll be able to partake again this summer! I have 5 books chosen for 24 in 48, and hopefully I can beat my record of 13:09:05!
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
Educated by Tara Westover
Lucky Few by Kathryn Ormsbee
Paper Towns by John Green
Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple
1. A book with purple on the cover
Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan
2. Read a book entirely in the same spot
Bloom by Kevin Panetta
3. A book you meant to read last year
Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emie Lang
4. An author's first book
The Impossible Fortress by Jason Rekulak
5. A book with five or more words in the title
The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Saenz
6. A book with a non-human main character
The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man by W. Bruce Cameron
7. Read a book and watch its adaptation
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
Are you participating in either one of these readathons?
July 1 - Day 8
Rest day! July 2 - Day 9 Workout: 5 miles (1m jog, 3m at half marathon pace - approx 30 mins, then 1m jog) Actual: 5.06 miles total (1mi jog at 4.5mph, 3mi @ designated pace above, 1mi jog at 4mph, then .06 mi cool down walk)
This workout was challenging but actually pretty fun! I enjoy having the tough 10min/mi pace sandwiched in between two jogging miles. I think a lot of my mid-distance workouts will be like this during the training cycle so I'm excited to do more! July 3 - Day 10 Workout: 4 miles steady (Approximately 11 mins/mile, complete in 44 minutes) Actual: 4mi @ 43:50 (10:56 pace), 5min cool down walk, 4.27mi total
Decided to get my Day 11 workout in a day early so I could enjoy my 4th of July! Hitting pace goals on the treadmill has been challenging but I've been achieving them so far. I think being on the treadmill and forcing myself to maintain these paces will make me a better and faster runner.
July 4 - Day 11
Rest day! July 5 - Day 12
Rest day! July 6 - Day 13 Workout: 3 mile incline hill session Actual: 3mi @ 33:09 (11:03/mi) neighborhood run
We were dealing with car troubles on this day so I couldn't get out to the gym to do incline on the treadmill, so I decided to just run around the neighborhood. I woke up early (left the house before 5am!) to get this run in, thinking it would save me a bit from the heat, but the humidity was already at 90% making it difficult to breathe and slog through the miles. I know that training in the weather will help me rock the miles in the cooler temps in the fall, but it sucks in the moment!
This was before 5:30am. BEFORE!
Trying to keep a smile on my face after drowning in the humidity!
July 7 - Day 14 Workout: 8 miles easy run/walk, approximately 11:30/mi, finish in 90 minutes. Actual: 8.47 miles in 1:40:36(8mi @ 11:19 pace, .47 mi cool down walk)
I get super nervous about running long distances when it's as hot and sunny as it was over the weekend, so I opted to go for a treadmill run instead of an outdoor run for this workout (hence why I couldn't get splits for this run!) I felt good for the first 6ish miles of this run and then my legs started to really feel it and pushing through was challenging! I'm not sure if it's because I'm really pushing myself hard for this training cycle or it's because it's been a while since I've run this consistently, but usually my legs don't give me grief during this kind of distance! I'm sure it's just body adjustments and that future long runs will feel easier as we move through training. 😊
Week 2 Thoughts
Another successful week of training! The treadmill has become my best friend in these hot and humid temperatures, but it's forcing me to be more disciplined in my pacing. I have noticed some sharp pain in my right foot and the bottom of both of my heels, as well as some Achilles soreness, and I'm assuming that means it's time for me to invest in some new shoes. 😪 I'm perusing the Brooks site to figure out what I want next. I'm loving my Adrenalines so I think I'll stick with those, but we'll see. Hopefully I'll have a new pair of shoes soon!
In case you missed it (which I'm unsure how if you follow me here, on YouTube, or on Twitter), I took on a #30booksin30days challenge for the month of June. GUESS WHAT?! I COMPLETED IT! I'm a little bit behind on my update vlogs, but I wanted to put all of the books that I read in one place in a wrap up style blog post for y'all as I won't be able to finish up editing until I return from 4th of July festivities on Sunday.
Overall, this challenge was a lot more manageable than I anticipated! I spent a good amount of time identifying books that I know I could get through quickly (a LOT of graphic novels, shorter books, and books with fast-paced plots), and June tends to be one of my slower months work and activity wise, so I really set myself up for success. I also was open to being flexible with my TBR selections throughout the month - I had to grab a stack of graphics from the library at the end of the month in order to reach my goal - so that really helped as well. I think it's all about being realistic with your schedule and planning ahead in order to achieve a goal like this. I think anyone who's a reader can totally accomplish this challenge!
All of the physical books I read this June! I also read 5 audiobooks, bringing my overall total to 30 for the month.
BOOKS COMPLETED IN JUNE
I Hate Fairyland, vol. 1 by Skottie Young Physical copy, 4/5 128 pages #SimsAThon challenge completed: Create a Sim Giant Days, vol. 4 by John Allison Physical copy, 4/5 112 pages #SimsAThon challenge completed: Buy a House Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn Physical copy, 4/5 254 pages Challenge completed: A book that has been to a film or television series #SimsAThon challenge completed: Meet the Grim Reaper
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman Library book (audio), 3/5 415 pages The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli Physical copy, 5/5 336 pages #SimsAThon challenge completed: Fall in Love Listen to Your Heart by Kasie West Audiobook, 2/5 336 pages Giant Days, vol. 5 by John Allison Physical copy, 4/5 112 pages #SimsAThon challenge completed: Eat a Cookie On the Come Up by Angie Thomas Physical copy, 5/5 446 pages Challenge completed: A book published in 2019 #SimsAThon challenge completed: Take a Bubble Bath Saga, vol. 4 by Brian K. Vaughn Physical copy, 5/5 152 pages #SimsAThon challenge completed: Get a Job (Astronaut) The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo Audiobook, 4/5 361 pages Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli Physical copy, 5/5 192 pages #SimsAThon challenge completed: Have a Baby Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 13-15 by Hiromu Arakawa Physical copy, 5/5 576 pages #SimsAThon challenge completed: Get a Promotion The Lying Game by Ruth Ware Physical copy, 2/5 370 pages #SimsAThon challenge completed: Have Your Birthday/Age Up Charlie & the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl Physical copy, 4/5 208 pages #SimsAThon challenge completed: Get Married Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren Audiobook, 4/5 304 pages #SimsAThon challenge completed: Woohoo! Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson Physical copy, 4/5 344 pages #SimsAThon challenge completed: Cook French Toast 21 Proms edited by David Levithan Physical copy, 3/5 306 pages #SimsAThon challenge completed: Make a Friend Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 16-18 by Hiromu Arakawa Physical copy, 4/5 576 pages #SimsAThon challenge completed: Pay Your Bills Heartstopper, vol. 1 by Alice Oseman Physical copy, 5/5 288 pages Carrie by Stephen King Physical copy, 4/5 290 pages #SimsAThon challenge completed: Become a Ghost Fun Home by Alison Bechdel Physical copy, 3/5 232 pages i love this part by Tillie Walden Library book, 5/5 68 pages Adulthood is a Myth by Sarah Andersen Library book, 4/5 112 pages Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanen McGuire Physical copy, 4/5 174 pages Fireworks by Katie Cotugno Audiobook, 3/5 336 pages Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks Library book, 4/5 220 pages Skim by Mariko Tamaki & Jillian Tamaki Library book, 3/5 142 pages On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden Library book, 3/5 544 pages Lost Soul, Be at Peace by Maggie Thrash Library book, 4/5 192 pages The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Physical copy, 5/5 224 pages
TOTALS FOR JUNE
Books completed: 30
Pages read: 8,350*
2019 Challenges Completed: 2
10 Book TBR #3 Books Completed: 0
SimsAThon challenges completed: 16
SimsAThon points earned: 61
TOTALS FOR 2019
Books completed: 72/150
Pages read: 24,230
2019 challenges complete: 34/50
*This number is from my reading progress tracking sheet, which may be different from my final SimsAThon/30 Books in 30 Days update! My tracking sheet will track all the pages of the books that I FINISH within the current month, and not the actual number of pages read within that month. (So, say I start a book in May, but didn't finish it in June, all the pages of that book will only count for June and none will be counted in May). The YTD totals are accurate, though! 😊
June 24 - Day 1 Workout: 3 miles @ 11:30 average pace (35:00) Actual: 3.00mi @ 12:26 average pace (37:22)
I ran on a new route nearby Brett's work after dropping him off so I could get my run in early and shower before heading to the office. You never realize how hilly an area is until you run in that area and holy moly - it is HILLY! I managed to find a quiet residential road to run down (and then up) and was passed by a slew of cyclists going up the hill (they are rock stars). It was a nice, clear, cool morning (high 60s) and although my legs felt like 100,000 lbs, it was a great start to training! A bit off the target pace but I'll chalk that up to the hills and definitely not because I haven't been consistently training for nearly 3 months. 😉
June 25 - Day 2
Rest day!
June 26 - Day 3 Workout: 4 miles @ 11:00 average pace (44:00) Actual: 4 miles in 43:52, 5 minute cool down walk (4.21 total miles)
Treadmill workout! I think for a lot of these work outs with target paces I'm going to need to utilize a combination of outdoor runs and treadmills runs. I've found that I've forgotten what a 11:00/mi pace feels like. Getting my but on a treadmill forces me to run as fast as the treadmill is going. It's way to easy for me to ease up on a road run when I should really be pushing myself through these training runs!
June 27 - Day 4
Rest day!
June 28 - Day 5 Workout: 8 miles easy @ 11:30 average pace (1:30:00) Actual: 8.02mi @ 1:28:06 (10:59 average pace)
Apparently I felt really good for the majority of this run! I got up early to beat the heat, but the sun popped out on my way back and slowed me down a bit on my last 4 miles. I pushed the pace (which I probably shouldn't really do...) and felt great for the most part and was just happy to be running a longer distance again.
1. 11:01
2. 10:31
3. 10:26
4. 10:42
5. 10:59
6. 11:32
7. 11:17
8. 11:20
June 29 - Day 6 Workout: 3 miles of incline Actual: 3 miles of incline on the treadmill @ 50:00 minutes
This is a workout that I'm not used to and will need to figure out throughout the training cycle. I walked at a 2.5 pace on an 8.0 incline for a few minutes while I chatted with my friend Kristen who was in town and came to the gym with me, and then when she left to go do weights, I dropped the incline to 6.0 and brought the speed up to 4.5. This proved to be waaaay too difficult so I played around with the speed and incline throughout the entire run. It was really inconsistent and something that will need to be practiced!
June 30 - Day 7
Rest day!
Week 1 Thoughts
I'm really proud of myself for sticking to all of the workouts this week! I had to adjust my schedule a bit because we had friends in town over the weekend. I'll typically do my long run on Sunday but I wanted to make sure I spent time with them while they were visiting so I pushed it up by a couple days! Overall I felt good for how out of shape I am. Don't get me wrong, I definitely felt the exhaustion in my legs through most of these workouts, but it's good to be back and I'm hoping that I can keep myself disciplined throughout this cycle and see some results as we progress through the training program!
It's been such a long time since I did a book haul and shared with you all what books I've added to my personal library! Life got in the way, and then the pile got so big that the thought of sitting down and filming was super daunting. I decided that enough was enough and just buckled down and got it done so now I have a GIANT book haul for you guys! I've divided the haul into where I acquired each book from, so hopefully that keeps things organized. Hopefully I won't wait this long before my hauls in the future! 😂
Book of the Month
January
Maid by Stephanie Land
Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver
Golden State by Ben H. Winters
April
Lot by Bryan Washington
Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
Early Riser by Jasper Fforde
May
How Not to Die Alone by Richard Roper
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoant
Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
June
Recursion by Blake Crouch
Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
This Time Will Be Different by Misa Sugiura
Amazon
Freshmen by Tom Ellen
Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl
Carrie by Stephen King
Esio Trot by Roald Dahl*
Rabbit & Robot by Andrew Smith
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas*
Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 13-15 by Hiromu Arakawa*
Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 16-18 by Hiromu Arakawa
Saga, vol. 4 by Brian K. Vaughn*
Giant Days, vol. 4 by John Allison*
Giant Days, vol. 5 by John Allison*
I Hate Fairyland, vol. 1 by Skottie Young*
Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl*
The One Hundred Nights of Heroby Isabel Greenberg*
The Princess and the Fangirl by Ashley Poston
Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan
Dog Heaven by Cynthia Rylant*
Heartstopper, vol. 1 by Alice Oseman
Audible
A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin*
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling*
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling*
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling*
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling*
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling*
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling*
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling*
Local Book Shops
The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor
Paradise by Toni Morrison
The Mad Cub by Michael McClure
Thinner by Richard Bachman (Stephen King)
Ticktock by Dean Koontz
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Gifts
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall (Christmas gift from my parents)
Us Against Them by Fredrik Backman (Birthday gift from Michael)
In An Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire (Birthday gift from Michael)
Bloom by Kevin Panetta (Birthday gift from Lindsey via Amazon Gift Card)
Meet Cute edited by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Birthday gift from Lindsey via Amazon Gift Card)
My Brother's Husband by Gengorah Tagame (Birthday gift from Lindsey via Amazon Gift Card)
Alice's Advetures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (Birthday gift from Lindsey via Amazon Gift Card)
