Ready To Love Again

Since dating has been the topic of conversation a lot lately for some reason, its been on my mind a lot. I have always had a lot of guy friends, which I love, but at the same time it sometimes sucks because you're always in the friend zone and never in the dating zone.

This week I decided that it was time for me to get out of my comfort zone and get to know more guys and really put myself out there. It's completely out of my comfort zone to initiate something with a guy....unless we are in the friends zone and then its no big deal :) I have watched many girls push guys away with being too overbearing and because of that I am very cautious and don't put myself out there like I should.

From the day that I decided I was going to get out of my comfort zone, I have done 2 or 3 things that I normally wouldn't have done, which were very hard for me. So far nothing has come about of what I did, but I now can't say What If.

Below is a song that I recently heard for the first time and it pretty much sums up a lot of what's been on my mind.

Happy Birthday To My Best Friends!

My two best friends in the whole world both have birthdays this week.  I have known both of them for many years and these two know me better than any of my other friends. I honestly don't know what I would have done in my life without them. I am very lucky to have such great friends!!

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEATHER AND KATIE!!!!!!!

I have known Heather since I was 5 and she has been there for everything!!  She was one of the first people who heard about the time I first held a guys hand, my first date, my first kiss, when I got my drivers licence, prom, high school graduation, when I went through the temple and everything else in my life. Until recently, Heather and I had never in my life spent more than 6 months apart from each other.  Since I've moved back to California that is changing and its been one of the hardest things for me! Growing up we always joked around that she needed to marry one of my brothers so she could officially be in my family, even though she unofficially was. We'll she didn't marry one of my brothers, but she did marry my cousin and is officially a part of my family and can never get rid of me even if she tried!  :)  I'm so grateful for such a wonderful friend who has been there for me throughout my whole life!  I love Heather with all my heart and look forward to seeing her every chance I get.

Katie and I met in high school when I was a freshman and she was a junior.  We met in the pool during a water polo practice and its history from there.  Katie was one of my closest friends on the water polo and swim team and I had the hardest time when she graduated since she was the one who I would do a lot with.  After Katie left for college we lost contact until one day she just showed up on my doorstep after moving back to Long Beach.  From that day on we were attached at the hip.  We took classes together at LBCC, we swam together, we watched the Bachelor/Bachelorette together, we went to Disneyland together, we did everything together!  Pretty much if you saw one of us, you saw both of us.  I love that I now have her living 5 blocks away from me and if I ever need anything she is so close.  I'm so glad that high school brought us together and also that she randomly showed up on my door step a year or two later!  I've has some very hard times in my life that she has helped me through and I couldn't have made it through them without her! 

Don't Seperate Mental Training from Physical Training

If you’re running, you’re training your mind as well as your body. Remember that.


I was looking at a few blogs and came across this article, that I really needed.  I'm going to try to remember this in my training and I really hope it helps!  I'm crossing my fingers that getting mentally prepared will also help with my motivation!!


Written by: Matt Fitzgerald


Your mind, not your body, gets the final say in determining how fast you run in races. After all, you set your pace mainly by feel (perhaps with a little help from time splits), and that sense of feel—those cues of comfort and discomfort—come from your brain. Obviously, the mind and the body are linked in such a way that you start to feel awful—that is, you start to feel the need to slow down—as your body nears its physical limits. But the mind is always a step ahead of the body, as has been shown in numerous studies finding that when athletes quit an exercise test in exhaustion, their muscles remain physically capable of continuing. It’s an intolerable level of suffering that precipitates the bonk.

Because the mind is always working with the body during running, the mind (which is to say, the brain) is also always being trained along with the body during running. It is while you run that you develop and refine the sense of feel you use to find your maximal sustainable pace. The brain changes physically in response to training every bit as much as the muscles do.

Mental training in endurance sports, as in most other sports, is typically treated as something separate from physical training. You do your run in the morning and/or afternoon—that’s your physical training. Then, in the evening, you lie down and close your eyes and envision yourself running prettier than you real do—that’s your mental training.

There’s nothing wrong with mental rehearsal, but all the visualization and talking to yourself in the mirror in the world won’t improve your running performance as much as taking full advantage of the mental training that occurs during your training runs. Your race performance is ultimately determined by how fast your mind/brain feels your body can go, and that, in turn, is determined primarily by how fast you have proved to your mind/brain that you can go in training. It’s all about confidence, and confidence comes from hard evidence of what you can do. You can’t talk yourself into having the confidence that you can run a sub-four-hour marathon or whatever your goal may be. The only way to build real confidence in your ability to achieve any race goal is to effectively prove it in training.

Therefore I encourage all runners to approach training firstly as a means of building confidence in their ability to achieve their race goals. On a practical level, this means you should create and execute training plans that are overtly designed to maximize your confidence. Don’t worry about which workout you need to do to boost your VO2max, and so forth. Those details don’t matter. Just think about the sorts of specific training experiences you need to have behind you going into a race in order to arrive on the start line confident in your ability to achieve your goal.

You also need to think in terms of setting yourself up for success in your training. Do everything you can to minimize the number of failures you experience in your training. For example, if you’ve planned a critical “peak” workout intended to put the finishing touches on your race fitness and prove your ability to achieve your race goal, be sure to rest up for a few days before that workout so you can crush it.
I’m not suggesting that the body is not important to running. Of course it is. What I’m suggesting is that you don’t really need to think about your body in training. That approach is unnecessarily complicated. The point of training is to get ready to achieve race goals, and the single best indicator of relative readiness to achieve race goals is confidence. This is something that all of the best athletes understand, but that all-too-many age-group runners miss.

Six-time Ironman champion Dave Scott said it well in an article for Active.com:

I knew going into each race that my confidence would help to support a fast day and a successful outcome. After transitioning from coaching myself to coaching others, I knew the best place to start was to establish and build upon an athlete’s confidence level. The technical stuff is secondary if you don’t have the inner-drive, mental edge and physical foundation to take the leap.

running.competitor.com

Pay It Forward

"A life lived for others is the only life worth living." ~Albert Einstein

Last week was a hard week for me.  It seemed like a lot of things all hit at once and I struggled a little bit.  One of the nights I just wanted out of the house and wanted something to do, but no one seemed wanted to do anything or they had other plans.  Instead of sitting in my house bored out of my mind I went for a drive, blasted my music and did a lot of thinking.  As I was pulling back up to my house the thought crossed my mind "you're happier when you're volunteering or doing things for others."

In Utah I had a lot of opportunities to volunteer and I loved every second of every one of them.  Every year I would take a day off of work and help out at the Special Olympics, I would volunteer at a place called Friday's Kids where I was able to play with special needs kids for a few hours while their parents went on dates or got things done, on Sunday nights I would go to a home where I was able to play basketball, duck duck goose and any other game you can imagine with special needs adults, and then all the little things when something would pop into my head. It was always said to the volunteers that we were helping out and making the kids/adults happy, but in reality it was really the kids/adults that were helping and making me happy. In those moments I was the most smiley, cheerful, happy person you had ever met. 

When I got home after my drive I looked on the Internet for opportunities to volunteer in my area.  I found a few different things that will work with my work schedule and I'm so excited for the first time I'm able to go volunteer. As I was reading over a few of them the thought came to my mind that "I hope one day that I'm able to be a stay at home mom and my children and I can go do these things together." I would love to someday be able to volunteer more during the day or even more hours when I'm not having to be at work all day everyday.

Today I went to lunch at Cafe Rio and as I was standing in line all I could think about was how slow they were being and how hungry I was.  Right as I was about to get my food and rush back to work two LA County Sheriffs got in line behind me.  The guy behind the counter asked them how Lakewood was doing and the response of one of the Sheriffs got my attention and made me laugh.  I just looked at these two men and realized that volunteering is great, but its also the little things that we do and we can do them every day.  I went up to the cash register paid for my meal, paid for the two officers meals and ran out of the restaurant like I had guns pointed at me or something.  I was trying to be sly, but I'm pretty sure I just made it worse by how fast I wanted to get out of there :)

So, what's the point here? As I’ve had a lot of time to think lately, I’m going to try and have a Pay it Forward day EVERYDAY.  These things don't have to be as big as paying for someones lunch every day (I might go broke if I did that Ü). It can be leaving a nice note for someone, making breakfast in bed for your significant other, putting a flower in your neighbor’s newspaper and leaving it on their doorstep, anything to make someone feel special and let them know they are being thought of. This can be for a stranger or for someone who is important to you.  In paying it forward not only are you giving a gift to others, but you're giving yourself a gift as well.

"Be the change you want to see in the world." ~Gandhi

Motivation

About a month ago I got pretty sick and wasn't able to work out for 3 weeks. Since that time I've lost basically all of my motivation to run or even work out at all.  I went on a run last week with my mom and did the slowest 5k I've done in a long time, which also did not help with the motivation.  I am starting to swim and do spin classes, but I need motivation to run since I have a race in 8 weeks and my legs aren't the easiest!!  HELP!!  What do you do for motivation?

Family

This morning I was able to carpool to work with one of my co-workers.  The more and more that I get to know her, the more and more I realize how much we are alike.  The whole way to work we were talking about dating because of a date that she went on this weekend.  We talked about the kind of guys we've dated, the kind of guy we would like to date, different qualities that we find attractive in guys, and qualities that aren't attractive at all. Throughout the whole conversation I first thought of my dad and how I want to marry someone just like him.  Then I thought of the relationship my parents have and how I want one like theirs.

I love watching and learning about what a happy relationship should be like by watching my parents.  They are a great example of a happy marriage.  Through all of this I then started thinking about my brothers and sisters and how we were raised, different memories from growing up and how close we all have become with each other.  I love how close I am with all of my siblings as well as my in laws. I love that we can all go to each other in hard times, we can all laugh together, we're all there to support each other, I love that we're all active together and how much we all love spending time together.  I'm so grateful for such a wonderful family!

   

Harvey Black

When I was living in Utah I would go over to Aunt Sue and Uncle Harvey's home every once in a while for Sunday dinner and in the past year I've become closer with the both of them.  Aunt Sue is the person who I was named after (She is Susan Lindsay and I am Lindsay Susan) and someone who I look up to.

When I was in Utah, Harvey was battling cancer, but always seemed to stay positive.  At one point he had become cancer free and then they found 4 tumors on his leg and the battle began again.  As much as him and Aunt Sue tried to stay positive I know Aunt Sue was having a hard time.  I would call Aunt Sue at least once a week to see how both her and Harvey were doing and I truly loved speaking to her.  As the battle continued Harvey had to have his leg amputated due to his cancer to help prolong his life, but again he seemed to stay pretty positive.

I got an email from my dad a few weeks ago telling me of Harvey's condition.  The email stated that Uncle Harvey had blood clots in his lungs and stump.  He also had cancer tumors in his lungs, liver and a big one around his heart.  The doctors had given him hours to a few months to live. As soon as I got that email I told everyone that he just had to hold on for 2 weeks until I got to Utah so that I could go see him for the last time.  Well, next time I'm going to say until I get to Utah and I get to see him because Harvey passed away the morning I got to Utah and I wasn't able to see him.

The funeral was this week and everyone in my family was able to be there except me, which I really struggled with.  My mom said the funeral was very nice and there were a lot of family there.  My mom asked my Aunt Sue how she was doing and her reply on a scale of 1-10 was a negative 5.  I really wish I could be up in Utah with my Aunt at this time!  Please keep my Aunt Sue in your prayers as she is struggling right now!  Harvey was a wonderful, loving, thoughtful, and caring man who is going to be missed greatly!

4th of July

The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. I love being able to be with the family, hanging out with friends, having BBQs, and watching the firework shows.

When my parents moved out to Huntington Beach we started new 4th of July traditions that I love.  We start off the morning with the Surf City 5k.  This 5k is always so much fun and not a race I take seriously, at all!!  I actually think I get my slowest times on this race because I'm so busy cheering for people I know, taking pictures while I'm running, and just goofing off.  That may be why its one of my favorite races and why I look forward to it every year!

A few of us before the start of the race all in our matching shirts

Taking pictures while running :)

All of us after the run/walk

Cool Chicks

After the 5k we usually ride our bikes to IHOP, but this year we went to a pancake breakfast and then went to the park to let the kids run around and have some fun since they had all been very good while waiting for us to run our race.

Enjoying our pancakes

I love this picture!

I love that me and my sis are so close!

After hanging out at the park for a while it was parade time.  Every year HB puts on the largest parade West of the Mississippi.  The parade is a few hours, which we don't last for, so then it was beach time!!!  I had a lot of fun spending hours with the fam and then I was able to ride down a few towers and spend some time on the beach with my friends.

I can't believe she's leaving for college soon

Brandon was loving the sand...and eating it too

Aubrey can dig for hours, and that's what she did

After the beach it was time to relax, have some quality time with the fam and then it was time for fireworks. Huntington Beach is PACKED during the 4th so we walked down to the beach to watch the 30 minute fireworks show. I had such a great day spending time with my family!!  I love the 4th and can't wait for next year!

Mady and her bff Kiersten

Lisa (who was my YW Pres when I was a Laurel) and Mady

OOOOOOO

AAAWWWWWWW

Liberty Ball

Have I told you lately how much I LOVE my job? :) This week for work I had to go to Vegas for the Liberty Ball that we were putting on.  The Liberty Ball was a lunch and dance for our seniors that was a lot of fun!!

The night that we arrived to Vegas I got to my hotel, (which I LOVED.  I would recommend the Aria to anyone in a heartbeat!) and waiting for me at the check in desk were my cousins Doug and Heather.  I was SO excited to see them!!  They were there for a few days for their anniversary and were so nice to let me bombard them on their actual anniversary to have dinner and spend some time with them.  I miss my cousins so much!! 

After getting back from dinner, walking the strip, watching the water show, and just spending some quality time with the fam, Chelsea and Quynn arrived in Las Vegas. Chelsea is also someone who I miss terribly from UT.  Her and I worked together for many years and she became more like a sister to me than a friend.  Her and I would talk about anything and everything, and we even were on a Masters swim team together.  I don't know what I would have done without Chels in UT!   I'm so glad that I was able to spend some quality time with them as well before the left on their trip to Boston.  I think we all need to meet in the middle more often!  

Me and Heather in front of the water show at the Bellagio

I wish I could move them to CA!

I miss my Dougie!!  He always makes me laugh!

Chels and Quynn in front of my hotel

Day two of the trip was why I was there.  It was time to go dance my little heart out with 300 seniors.  I don't know any other HMO that does things for their members like we do.  I honestly think I work for such a great company and love how much they care about their members!!

One of our members showed up as Elvis.  He was
cracking me up and kept saying "Thank you very much"
in his best Elvis voice

All this member wanted to do was the twist.  He asked the DJ for
a twist song more than once.  This is when he got his 3rd twist song

We have a photographer come to all of our dances and give
our members a complimentary photo. We of course also take
advantage :) 

Me and my AWESOME boss

Its become a tradition do to a jumping picture :)

Momo Night

So....I may have gone to Disneyland 2 this week and 4 times in the past 2 weeks...no big deal :) Whitney and I needed a Momo (our nick names for each other) night and needed to get our mind off of things and have some good Momo talk, so where else other than Disneland?  :)  We had such a fun night eating out little hearts out and spending a lot of the night at DCA and then headed over to Disneyland for the rest of the night.  We ended the night getting ice cream on Main Street, which is my favorite place to get ice cream, so I was one happy girl.