"Last"

Alright, I know I'm a little bit of a fanatic when it comes to Nike, but I can't help it. I love working for the company for a whole host of reasons, one of them being the inspirational pieces they bring to consumers through marketing. Every time I see a inspirational video by Nike I get goosebumps. Every single time. You'd think after working here for 3 years and having seen ads long before that that I would grow immune to them, but I really don't. They do an amazing job. This video is just one example that makes me so proud to work for this company. No I haven't run a full marathon and I'd like to hope that I'm not last in a race (fingers crossed) but I love the message nonetheless.

Before moving to Oregon, the longest distance I had ever run was the dreaded mile in high school. I was a pretty active kid, but I was involved in activities that where shorter spurts of energy as opposed to enduring hours of high intensity cardio. Running held absolutely no appeal to me if it lasted more than a one minute sprint. It was partially because I thought it was boring and also because I was pretty bad at it. I was busy enough without adding on another athletic hobby.

 My high school's football field & track

Then the whole adult life thing happened, and I didn't have any dance classes or cheerleading practices to attend. I sort of didn't really know what to do with myself, so I started running and doing some light weight training at my college gym. But by running I mean running a handful of miles at too fast of a pace and completely burning out. Definitely not sustainable or healthy. 

Fast forward to me working at an athletic footwear and apparel company that started out as a running shoe company. That combined with the fact that I live in Portland, OR, one of the fittest cities in the country, convinced me to try this whole running thing again.  I started out by doing some research about running and how to get better at it. I would do the whole run a couple minutes, walk a minute, and try to stretch the time between walks on the treadmill. After a couple months of doing this, I tried my first "long" run which ended up being 5 miles. At the time that distance sounded absolutely crazy, but I was able to get myself through the whole thing with a couple of short walking breaks.

As I became more comfortable with running, I decided that I wanted to start doing some races. I started out with a couple 5ks (3.1 miles) and built my way up from there. It made me SO much more motivated to run when I knew I had a race coming up. I'd plot out how many miles I'd run and what days I'd shoot to run on. I'd also plan in some strength training classes (pilates or yoga) to round out my training. Although I started out slow, I progressed each week in the number of miles I could run. My pace picked  up a bit as well.

All of these good vibes helped convinced me to sign up for my first half marathon. I really had no idea if I could actually do it, but the excitement of participating in a fun race (I did one of the Run Nike Women's Races) and a solid training plan help me reach my goal of running 13 miles. 

I never considered myself a runner. I felt like a fraud as I laced up my running shoes and signed up for a half marathon. But here's the thing- all you have to do to be a runner is start*. That's it. You don't have to run 8 minute miles, or run a single mile at all. You can train and practice from running a full mile without walking to running a half marathon. And the best thing about it is that running doesn't cost $20 a class or have any kind of monthly payment. You can go outside anywhere and just run. And once you do that, you will join an amazing community of runners who would be more than happy to give you tips along the way (or else you learn the hard way- body glide anyone?). You will also gain a great hobby that helps keep your body in shape that you can do anywhere, even if you travel often. I'm proud to call myself a runner, and I hope that others out there who are intimidated to give it a try. 

*It's important to note that obviously I'm not suggesting that people with chronic injuries should start running. Always check with your doctor when it comes to injuries and what exercises will benefit your body the most. 

Why I Love (and Volunteer at a) Farmers' Markets

Growing up in suburban New Jersey, I didn't have much exposure to Farmers' Markets. During the summer and fall my family would go out to pick berries, apples, and pumpkins, but that was sort of the extent of my knowledge. However, I used to take family vacations every year to Vermont (Smugglers' Notch near Stowe) and would go to their farmers' markets. I was very impressed at a young age at how beautiful the market was. In hindsight there was only a couple vendors and it was extremely small, but I was intrigued nonetheless. As a child, the colors, smells, and tastes of the market were enchanting and I found myself asking my parents to buy a lot more produce than we probably needed at the time. There was something special about that experience that ended up staying with me.

Fast forward to being an "adult" and moving across the country to Portland. One of the most popular sights that all the tour guides talked about was the Portland Farmers' Market at PSU. It sounded fun so my family decided to go check it out. My first time there I was amazed by how big it was! There were so many different vendors with such diverse produce, many of which I didn't even know by name. As I strolled through the market for the first time, I remember thinking that this was the epitome of Portland- a community of people passionate about their food. So I sampled my way through the produce, took a bunch of pictures, and ended up stopping by the information booth. That is when I first meet some market volunteers and decided then and there that I wanted to be apart of this community.

I began volunteering a couple of weeks afterwards and really enjoyed working with some amazing people. It was fun to learn about the different vendors and foods of the Pacific Northwest. I enjoyed interacting with people who were passionate about eating fresh produce and supporting local farmers in the process. As I began to become comfortable with the market, I would venture out and begin asking a bunch of questions. I stopped by this one stand that was selling pumpkins and decided then and there to make a pumpkin pie from scratch. When I asked the vendor what kind of pumpkin would be the best for pie, she went into a whole discussion about pumpkins and ended up giving me a recipe she loved to use when making pumpkin pie. So I bought my pumpkin, followed the directions in my own kitchen, and all the sudden I had a pumpkin pie from scratch! And let me tell you, the roasted pumpkin smelled heavenly.

I love that everyone there loves food. Whether you run a 5 star restaurant downtown or don't know how to roast a vegetable, you can enjoy coming to a market and buying a beautiful assortment of food. I love that all the vendors are more than happy to share some cooking tips when you ask them. I love the passion the vendors have for their produce. I love the community aspect. The market really is meant for people of all ages. When I eventually have kids, I will definitely bring them to the market to learn about food and where it comes from. Kids are much more willing to try new foods when they have a hand in picking out the produce and cooking the end product. Plus who doesn't love free samples?

All in all, I've had great experiences both as a consumer and as a volunteer at farmers' markets. While I obviously can only speak to volunteering at 2 different markets and being a regular customer at a handful, I really do believe in their mission of creating a sustainable, not-for-profit environment to provide the community with fresh products from local farmers and producers. I do believe farmers' markets mutually benefit both the individual vendors as well as the community as a whole. I'm proud to serve just a small part in making these markets a success. 

Portland Farmers' Market , Hillsdale Farmers' Market, and 10 Reasons to Support Farmers' Markets

Cannon Beach Long Weekend

This labor day weekend was perfect. Dan and I packed up the car, grabbed the dog, and drove to Cannon Beach, OR, just a little over an hour outside of Portland. We spent the majority of our long weekend taking in some beautiful Oregon scenery. While I have already live over 3 years in this state, I am still amazed at just how much it has to offer. I highly recommend taking a visit to the Pacific Coast if the opportunity arises!

After work on Friday, we made the drive to Cannon Beach and checked into a cute little hotel called Inn at Cannon Beach.

We went there a couple years ago and it was just as charming as I remembered it being. They have a whole bunch of adorable tame bunnies running around Cannon Beach, and it was really funny to watch Scout try to figure out how he should react. Once we had everything settled into our room, we took an evening walk together to work up our appetite for dinner.

The sunsets are so beautiful on the Pacific Coast. The sun conveniently sets over the water, so I don't have to be that crazy person who wakes up at sunrise to get these kind of pictures.

On Saturday, we leashed up the pup and went to Ecola State Park.We ended up doing the Ecola State Park Loop, which was a total of 8 miles round trip. It was a beautiful hike along the coast with some amazing view points.

Saturday night I had made dinner reservations at Stephanie Inn, and both Dan and I walked away pretty impressed. In general, the Oregon Coast doesn't boost as many delicious restaurants as Portland does, but this one was very good. They had a prix fixe menu with seasonal options, but you could also order a la carte. I ended up getting a crab and artichoke gratin appetizer that was to die for. I'll definitely be going back there again.

Sunday morning consisted of a morning run for me (and some extra sleep for the fiance and dog) and then a shorter hike in the afternoon. We headed to Oswald West State Park and did the Cape Falcon trail. This was a 2.5 mile (one way) out and back hike that had the most amazing view at the end of the hike.

You can see Scout and I taking in the beautiful views at the end of the trail. Definitely worth it.

Monday was supposed to be snooze in day, but after Scout had initially woke me up I couldn't seem to go back to sleep so I took a nice long walk on the beach with the pup. I ended up chatting with one of my girlfriends about her upcoming wedding, which was wonderful as usual.

Once we finished our walk we got Dan moving and packed up the car. After we checked out, we went to a cute little coffee shop for some breakfast and then decided to head home early in order to have plenty of time to do our weekly errands.

It was definitely a beautiful, relaxing weekend that we both needed. 

Ready For Fall

For some reason, I am normally kind of bummed when summer ends. But this year is different. Maybe it's because I no longer have to start a new year of school (I suck at change). Maybe it's because the weather has been so harsh this summer. But for whatever reason, I am over summer. I need to move on to something new. And fall feels like the perfect thing to move into. This past weekend, we finally got some rain and cool temperatures, and it felt so amazing. So I figured I'd share my excitement for fall with you guys in hopes that it lifts your spirits a bit.

Reasons why I'm beyond ready for fall:

1. Fall clothing- scarfs, cozy sweaters, hats- you name it, I'm ready for it. I'm always so much more comfortable in tons of layers, especially since my office is always freezing no matter what time of year it is. There's something about snuggling up in some warm clothing that just comforts me.

2. Pumpkin spice goodness- ok this one is a given, but I always do get excited for the pumpkin explosion that occurs during fall in all grocery stores, farmers markets, and coffee shops.

3. Apple Picking/Apple Cider/Apple flavored anything- I love going out into the orchards for apple picking. There are plenty of nice, crisp days in the fall that are perfect for spending outside, and what's better than getting some fresh produce along with it? I'm also a huge fan of apple cider, so that is a perk of fall as well.

4. Leaves changing colors- it is always gorgeous when the trees are changing colors. It is the perfect change of scenery, especially when everything is yellow and brown from the lack of rain this year. I'm ready for some color to be back in my life.

 My silly pup blending in.

5. Football- GO BLUE! I'm not much of a NFL fan, but I do love to watch college football. My fiance went to Michigan, so every week during the fall we have to watch the game. Even if it sometimes means waking up at 9am to do it. There aren't many things that will get Dan out of bed at 9am on a Saturday, but Michigan football is one of them.

6. Our first Halloween with trick or treaters- I just realized that we will have trick or treaters this year! And we get to decorate! I'm not sure why this excites me so much, but it really does. I have even contemplated dressing our dog up in a costume this year. TBD on whether he will cooperate with this effort or not.

7. My best friend's wedding!!!!! The last weekend in September I'll be travelling back home for the wedding weekend festivities. I am beyond excited to spend some quality time with her and her family. She is awesome and already has a girls day planned with lunch and mani/pedis followed by a trip to the Italian American Festival (this wonderful festival our town puts on every year that is full of delicious food). Should be an amazing weekend all around!

8. Puppy snuggles- Scout has been extra snuggly lately! I know it's because he is just feeding off my body heat, but I still think it's cute to have my little guy snuggled up to me more often.
9. Enjoying time outside- this summer in Portland has been HOT. Tons of records were shattered. Here are some awful stats. Needless to say I'm ready for a change.

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Hopefully some of my fall enthusiasm has rubbed off on you! 

New Homeowner Thoughts

To say the past few weeks  have been busy is an understatement. Between flying home to do some wedding planning, a work trip to LA, and having some friends over to visit us, we have been quite busy! Oh and add in the fact that we are still adjusting to having a home and all that comes with it. Here are some new homeowner thoughts that I've realized over the past few weeks. It has definitely been a fun, crazy learning experience!

1. Throwing get together with friends is so much easier! It's so wonderful to have plenty of space to have guests over without worrying about bothering the neighbors. While we still had a few large get togethers in our apartment, it always felt like we were cramped and hot (without AC having lots of people in a small space really heats it up!).

= Best game ever

2. Bugs are not my favorite, but I'm getting better at dealing with them. We had a HUGE fly problem a few weeks ago. Apparently they were getting in through the unfinished part of the crawl space. It was gross. Dan was a trooper and really helped out on this one. We ending up going to home depot and buying a screen to cover the open hole as well as added some plastic strips to cover the creases in the door. That seemed to stop the indoor problem, but we still have tons of spiders and cob webs on the outside of the house. We have Terminix come out every other month which does help considerably.

3. Watering everything takes up a lot of time. However, if you get few long hoses (100 or 200 foot one usually work best) it makes the process a whole lot easier. We originally only had one hose, so I used to carry a 2 gallon watering can to water the plants out of reach (including my hanging plants out front). Definitely not a sustainable process. Do yourself a favor and invest in hoses. It makes a world of difference, especially during those hot dry summers.

3.5- This relates to the previous comment, but DON'T plant hydrangeas in the dead of summer like I did. They are called hydrangeas for a reason- they want TONS of water. I water these guys every day and they still don't look awesome. I think they will pull through the summer, but I definitely will be more careful about planting things during the appropriate season.

4. Long laundry lists of things to do- there is always something to do. Whether it's something small like hanging up pictures or changing out a facet to the larger things like remodeling the kitchen, there is always a large list of things that we want to get done. We prioritized the things we needed to get done, but the list will always continue to grow.

5. Getting an awesome general contractor (GC) is SO helpful. That's probably the best advice I would have for new homeowners. We had a list of items from our inspection that we wanted to get done right away (rewiring the house, putting in a new electrical panel, adding AC, fixing the roof, etc) and our GC was able to help us with everything. If he personally didn't know how to fix it (i.e. he isn't specialized in roofing for example) he always knew a contact that he could send out to our house to help get the project finished.

6. Lots of little expenses adding up- while our overall mortgage payment ended up being slightly less than our monthly apartment cost, there still are a bunch of little expenses that seem to creep up on us. Between our trips to home depot, bed bath & beyond, and buying random gadgets from amazon, it really does start to add up. We are learning to keep an eye on that!

7. Being able to spend more time outside- I love being able to bring a cup of coffee out on our porch in the morning and watch the world wake up. It's one of my favorite times of the day, and I just love being able to enjoy it more often. Our dog Scout is loving the yard as well. It is so much easier to play fetch with our little guy when we have a yard right outside the door. We used to have to drive to dog parks, which was enough of a hassle that we only would do it once a week. Now Scout gets to spend a lot more time outside.

8. Make sure you have plenty of tools- I'm always glad to have work gloves, a measuring tape, paint brushes, a step stool, a shovel, a bucket, a dolly, and other basic tools on hand for those random projects that come up. Having a garage makes storage of all those items super easy!

That's it for now! I'll be sure to keep you posted on our first year as new homeowners. Have a good one :)

Running Thoughts

Hello there! Today is everyone's favorite day: Monday! Ok so maybe it might be the most hated day, but I tend to think Mondays fly by faster than most days of the week, so at least there is that. I went on a long run yesterday in downtown Portland and I began drawing some interesting parallels between running and life in general. Yes kind of a weird comparison, but I was surprised of how many ideas seemed to flow between the two concepts. So get ready for a bit of a rant/mind dump.

• Running like life is a contact sport. You can't live it through someone else. There isn't an app or a service to hire in order to log your miles for the week. You personally have to get out there and pound the pavement, not just live vicariously through that gym rat on social media that won't stop posting about how many hand stand push-ups they can do. 

• You are going to have good runs and some really REALLY bad runs. It is humbling to have those terrible runs, no matter how much they suck. They make you realize that you can always challenge yourself to be better. Do better. The more pain you feel, the stronger you are getting. 
• Overall, running isn't exactly a feel good exercise. It really can hurt. And when it doesn't hurt, it is very monotonous. Just like your day to day life, you just keep putting one foot in front of the other.  

 Link

But you do it for those highs- the moments where everything truly falls into place. When you hit your PR or when you cross that finish line at a race, you can finally see how the sum of small parts all slides together to support that overall goal.

• Getting tips and advice definitely can help! I love talking to other runners or reading about other peoples experiences. It really helps you feel like your part of a larger community. I feel very similar when it comes to other things in life. When I can talk to a mentor or friend who has experienced something I'm going through, it makes a world of difference. Whether it's to wear body glide during your long runs or keep a list of achievements throughout the year to help you fill out your year end review, talking to people and hearing their experiences and advice really has helped me thus far. 
• I believe that there is a balancing act in life. Now I'm honestly not a religious person at all, but I tend to find that the really good stuff tends to balance out the bad crap we have to deal with. The only problem is that the timing is usually off for everyone. There are times when tons of bad stuff keeps piling up, and you can't find a silver lining anywhere. Unfortunately sometimes you have to search and find the good stuff. It reminds me of running hills. Boy does it suck running up a steep hill a few miles into your run. It feels like it will never end. But there is always the reminder that what goes up must come down. Running down those steep hills on your way back always feels that much more empowering knowing what you had to do in order to get over them. 
   Link
• Everyone goes at their own pace. You can't compare yourself to others without driving yourself crazy. I'm not a very fast runner, and that used to bother me in the beginning. But everyone is different- they have different experiences, traumas, battles, successes and failures. Forget everyone else and try to be the best you there is, because you'll never be anyone else. 
• I've noticed that in our mid twenties, a lot of people are progressing in different parts of their lives faster than others. Some people are still in school, working towards a post graduate degree while others are working on stepping up in their jobs. Some people are getting married and taking steps there. Others are travelling the world and getting to know themselves. It's ok that everyone is moving at a different pace in different parts of their lives. Don't judge yourself based on where your peers are. 
• Recovery is critical. Whether its getting over a breakout, sleeping until 2pm on Saturday after a long week, or stretching sore muscles, it is important to learn your breaking point and how to rejuvenate and recover. It's easy to be hard on yourself and continuously push to the breaking point, but you have to also be smart and kind to your body or else you won't recover adequately and it will affect your performance later on. 
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• Once you've past your prime in running (injury, age, fatigue), you begin to share your story with the younger generation in hopes that they can learn from your experiences and mistakes. 
• In the end of both a run and life, everyone smells bad and doesn't look great. It's a universal thing. It's not just you. 

Not sure if this jives with anyone else, but these comparisons really struck a chord with me yesterday during my run. Have a good one!

P.S. Hilarious- Thoughts You Have On A Long Run

The Answer To "I'm Engaged! Now What?"

I honestly wish I had read a post on this topic before I got engaged. This is the exact reason why I'm writing this post. Getting engaged is such an exciting and crazy time, especially when you are the one being proposed to! At least the proposer has time to prepare for the day, whereas the proposee (yes I made that word up) is usually completely in shock and has a million things flying around their head. I'll incorporate some of my experience with Dan's proposal as well as some things I heard/read later that I found helpful.

Steps to take when you get engaged:
1. Make sure you take a moment to look around you and completely memorize the setting. You will be telling the story and remembering that moment for the rest of your life, so you mines well take note of the details while you can! Here's the beach that Dan proposed to me back in February.

2. Try to take a photo with your new fiance/fiancee. Although Dan's proposal was pretty private, I'm glad we took a couple of selfies and stopped someone to take our picture together. While they might not be the most beautiful pictures, you will always want to remember the pure joy in your faces right after that amazing moment. Here's Dan and I after the proposal! I'm so glad I have these pictures to remember all the details perfectly.

3. Take an hour or two to let it fully sink in. Then call/text/e-mail all of your close friends and family. Do NOT post anything on social media until everyone important knows you two are engaged, or else it will ruin the surprise for your loved ones.
3 1/2. Ok so now you can start telling people, but expect to be showered with tons of phone calls and e-mails. People are going to ask about how it happened, what the ring looks like, and if you know when you are going to get married. The last question always bothered me- I mean come on, I literally just got engaged, how the heck am I supposed to know when I'm getting married? I'm living in the moment people!
4. Revel in the day- it really is going to be one you remember forever.
5. Now you are allowed to share your news via social media. People will likely want to see pictures, so prepare appropriately.
6. Make sure you new engagement ring is insured! Also, if it doesn't fit, get it sized. Dan already knew what size ring to get, but we had to get in insured the following week. I was so nervous that I would loose it!

7. Sign up for the typical wedding websites- The Knot, Wedding Wire, Pinterest, etc.
8. Start talking about a timeline for the wedding, since people will start asking you.
9. Set a budget and start considering venues
10. Begin making a guest list (consult parents for their potential guests).
11. Relax! You have PLENTY of time to get everything together! I definitely wanted to rush into planning right away, but you really don't need to do that. You should share some time with your new fiance/fiancee and revel in the fact that you are getting MARRIED!