night before the crowds fly in!

After an early morning 14 miler with some friends who are training for the Twin Cities Marathon, I gave myself a little pep talk and headed off to do ERRANDS! Woot. The best kind - paper shopping and grocery shopping ala trader joes. One of the best thing about Trader Joe's is the line up of enticing flowers at the entrance. I am typically pulled to the bright colored blooms, but today, I eyed a smart lady pick up a bushel of eucalyptus and a bundle of lavender. Brilliant! I grabbed a few packs and filled several vases around the apartment. I haven't left the apartment yet, but I am hoping that when I reenter, the wild branches will bring me back to running Owl Trail along the Pacific coastline.


Later in the afternoon, Mike and I rearranged furniture and CLEANED! Our wedding entourage (ie. friends and family) begin arriving tomorrow! We actually had a pretty nice time of it. And, the apartment looks just lovely if you ask me. We spent our last night as an unmarried couple (without an entourage) drinking rum and cokes and eating grilled salmon, summer squash, and green salad. The veggies all came from our CSA! Seriously, we have a "mini-share," and we cannot make it through all the vegetables. Way to go ploughshare farm.




So, really, all's well here. We are going to take Rachel the Dog Vasich for an evening stroll and then work on some projects.

A running update

Earlier this week, I attended my first trail running club practice! I was tentative at first; I wasn't sure about the concept since I have never joined a professional running group. However, after the first practice, I really think I'm going to like it. First off, it's awesome to run trails when someone else (ie. coach) is keeping track of where we are running! Secondly, it's motivating to run with other people (the club is open to all ages and pace groups). I tend to run a little harder and accept tough workouts as challenges instead of hurdles to finish as fast as I can.

Our first run was an easy 4 miler on the Theodore Wirth trail system. Most of the practices will meet there. There isn't much to say about the run itself...but I must voice how much I adore the trails! Not the bike trails, not the running paved trails, the REAL THING. I CRAVE the sensation of leaping over a fallen tree and turning fast corners. I like the terrain, the hills. All of it. I am looking forward to some longer runs...

Anyway, this running club thing is pretty darn cool. As for the women's running collective, I have to get back on the organizational bandwagon. We do need to make some changes for next year if we want to keep it going...maybe I should call a meeting/run? I think it would be awesome if we met more regularly, chose some key races together to train for, and broke into different pace/distance groups. This might help keep folks accountable. It's a great idea...just needs more commitment (from me as much as anyone else!). But we are an "award winning" group (ha, neighborhood award...) so that must mean something!

Falling into place...

Well, things are certainly on the up-swing wedding-wise! The checklist is starting to focus on details instead of the central drivers. Just this week, we met and contracted the most natural fit photographer, Scott Streble. His studio is in Northeast Minneapolis in this great old warehouse. Mike and I had quite an adventure figuring out the freight elevator. From his massive PEZ wall to his candid, photo-journalist style, it was immediately clear that Scott fit the bill.

And! After waiting four months, my wedding dress arrived! And yes, it is as gorgeous, more gorgeous, than I remember. The ladies at l'atelier couture are just lovely. This is the precious e-postcard I received last week:


Also, new bridesmaid dresses...
Pansy for my beautiful bridesmaids:


And, wisteria for my lovely sister:


Okay, and just so you are convinced that I haven't fallen headfirst into the over-the-top world of wedding planning, I am sharing with you a quite hard-core (well, about as hardcore as I get...okay, except maybe my cliff jumping/abseiling days) image from my last half-marathon at the end of April. I PR'd, but I almost lost my soggy shorts due to massive rainfall.

Running buddies!

I mentioned in my boyfriend-away event run-down that I finished a half marathon with the help of some of the women from Women's Running Collective.


It's too bad the number on my friend on the left isn't showing in this picture. Somehow, this crazy girl got "69." I mean, really, how did she manage that??? We asked her if she requested it, but she claimed that she hadn't. Incredible.


To update ya'll, the WRC is going strong! We've been doing great at monthly run/brunch, but our weekly night runs have yet to truly blossom. For example, last Thursday, I was the only one on time. Returning my solo run, I realized that my cell had a missed call from a couple stragglers...Soooo, we enjoyed a refreshing post-run DQ. Hey, if you can't run with em', you might as well enjoy the benefits of some major calories someone burned, right?!

Still, the WRC has encouraged some small group running on a spontaneous basis. In fact, that brings me to describe run I did yesterday with my hardcore/hilarious friend. You might not be surprised that this is the same friend whose number was 69 on half marathon day. Anyway, we decided to go for a 7-9 miler. Next to the river, through the city, past the Gutherie, over the stone arch bridge, through U of MN campus, back over the river to home, the run was beautiful but challenging due to the hills. Thanks to my friend, we also pushed the pace pretty hard (though she'd probably say that I was the pace-pusher). Anyway, it was the kind of tough run that leaves one feeling damn good. Thank god for resilient, talented friends that'll stick with you to the finish line.

On My Lonesome! But not too lonely

For the last 20ish days, Mike has been traveling the west with Orange Mighty Trio. As professional musicians, touring is incredibly important because, as I understand it, there is no better way to get your name out there, grow a fan base, and make a few dollars while you're at it.

Touring goodbyes have always been tough for me. A committed adventurer of sorts, the lifestyle of the touring musician has generous appeal: new places, new people, fresh perspectives. Yet, at this point in my life, I've needed to stay home. Over the last couple years, I've realized that, if we are going to last, I would need to make peace with the idea that Mike will continue to tour and travel for as long as he can! I can deal with that reality if I discover and create passion in my own work, projects, and daily toodling.

As Mike returns home with a list of wild stories and inspiration, I can also look back on the last weeks and offer some of my own:

-Canoeing seventeen miles down the St. Croix with three girlfriends, two dogs, and an amazing array of fresh food.

-2 music and movies picnics at Loring Park

-Completing the Urban Wildland Half Marathon in 2:02:18 with a good friend and solid running buddy by my side.

-Treating myself so 4ish DQ ice cream cones (medium, vanilla) and 1 amazing Sebastian Joe's cone (oh man...what was that flavor??)

-2 hardcore runs with the most fun, tough, and hilarious runner out there. More on this in future post...

-1 short (!) haircut

-Dinner with my lovely downstairs neighbor at Midori's Floating World Cafe. A not very adventurous sushi eater, I ordered my ol' standby, the California Roll...needless to say, I was perfectly satisfied.

-A successful shopping trip. Of course, I bought fancy dresses instead of work clothes...more on this in future post...

-An unreasonable number of walks and runs with Rachel. In fact, it seemed that each time my mother called, I was (surprise) out walking with Rachel. Rachel was the BEST company ever these last weeks (except for the night of the awful thunderstorm...)

-planning and beaming over the exciting lessons I'll be teaching this fall!

So, as my hardcore/hilarious runner friend put it, "You've learned that you can live without Mike." Actually, that's not my point at all. The point here is: I have learned my passion(s) in life extend beyond my relationship, as they should! Further, I can take care of myself and bring joy to my own days. And, to be honest,this wasn't always true.

I believe someone wise once wrote/said, you cannot truly love someone else, until you love and accept yourself. The best love is one that is not possessive or needy, but comfortable and sure. Judging from my own journey, I'd say that's about right.

WRC: Women's Running Collective

I'm pretty lucky to have some fit, athletic lady friends that need some running buddies as much as I do. This morning, we had our first collective meeting (although, truth be told we did more running, eating, and chatting than "meeting" but that's the point right?!). It was very relaxed; we did manage to pull together some suggestions for the future of the collective however. Ideas included night runs, races (in which we would sponsor a women's health non-profit, girls' sports causes, etc), and once a month run and brunch. So a very successful first meeting. Best of all, the women who came to the meeting are totally inspiring individuals and amazing friends. That's really the best news of all.

Also, if you read this, are female, and like to run...and live in the twin cities. Shoot me an email and I will get you on the list serv.

Future running goals:
-TC Marathon 2009
-Urban Wildland Half Marathon: Aug. 1st
-Some kind of trail race...I am IN LOVE with running in the woods. Absolutely head over heels. The kind of running that frees my soul.

How to keep pink cheeks in the winter time...la ti dah.

Holy hooligans, it's been a while! Winter has settled in here in the Twin Cities. The sky today is perfectly white, the trees are naked but for the pines and a few stubborn maples, and the ground is brown and frozen. Get out of the city, you might mistake yourself for living in the tundra.

To survive Minnesota winters requires one to mindfully nurture a special resilience and odd admiration for the bitter cold. It's a skill that I work on every year. What keeps me smiling through the winters? Mostly small things...

1. My favorite coats: big pockets, high collars, horn buttons, elegant embroidery. It sounds trite, but lovely clothes can brighten my day! A nice coat is well worth the dollar.

2. Getting outside: I try to spend at least thirty minutes outside each day. A walk with Rachel, walking to the bus stop, going running (if it's above 20 degrees), walking on my lunch break at work. Once you get moving...the cold is a little more bearable.

3. Planning dinners with friends and dates with my boyfriend: Being with the people I love is the fastest way to warm up a room! Cheesy but true. Just last night, we invited a lovely pair of friends over for dinner, wine, and yuker (yuchre? yucher? Alas, it's a favorite Minnesota card game.)

4. If I didn't get a good walk or run outside, I go to the gym. I absolutely must work up a sweat to keep those endorphins sparking.

5. Drinking lot of tea, working on craft projects (like the enormous scarf I started two years ago...one day Mike will have a nice gift!), and reading reading reading with Rachel curled up next to me. Not a bad way to spend winter evenings.

6. Plan a trip to somewhere tropical! Oh boy! Central America!

I promise more soon from this tundra front...especially recipes. Lately, our dinner menus have been sorta unoriginal. However, we're having a holiday party in a few weeks so I need to get cracking on the menu and decor planning!