Bring On 2013

I know everyone always says this, but this year went by so fast! It feels like 2012 just started!

It's true what they say... "The days are long but the years are short."

As you might already know, I set a New Year's resolution for 2011 to "become a runner" after years and years of remaining resolutionless.

(Actually, that's a lie. My resolution was always "get a resolution next year". Typical sarcastic pain in the ass. How cute.)

So of course, I had a grand old time setting some resolutions for 2012 and typed them into my trusty iPod touch. Well, the iPod touch died a slow death in July and with it went all my resolutions.

It's okay though; I remember setting a "make homemade sushi" resolution, but I'm just going to say I forgot that one.

I made like 12 different types of salsa in Mexico, no joke. So I'll just count that as the sushi one.... Yes, that makes perfect sense to me.....

Other resolutions, such as "read more often for fun", were successful! I think I read close to 30 books this year for fun. I've always loved reading but I claimed I was too busy with school or work to read as often as I wanted. It was rare in 2012 that I didn't have a book in my hand or carried around in my purse....

So I'm sharing with all of you my resolutions for 2013! Hopefully I won't make any dumb ones this year that I'll regret (homemade sushi...... really, Taylor?!) but now I will never lose them on a silly bit of failed technology!

Sub-30 min 5K - I think I can accomplish this by the end of 2013! I'm consistently in the 31:xx range when I'm on my A-game. And I have an entire year to run faster!

Don't to anything stupid going leading up to your first half marathon - I have some time goals in the back of my mind, but in all honesty I don't want to make those big important goals. My goal should just be finish alive. So I just really want to make it to the start and finish line with an injury free smile on my face!

Smile, Tay! Take some better pics while you're at it!

Learn to cook - I'm a terrible cook and don't really like eating out, either. If I could just snack all day and get rid of meals I probably would. But I'd like to be like my Italian family and just throw together a gourmet meal in my sleep.

Eat more veg - I'm not a vegetable person. AT ALL. I wouldn't willingly eat vegetables if there was another option. But the other day during a post Christmas meal with family, I was eating all the veg on the table and loving it! (I think it's because I was so sick of turkey, so I just went for anything) It was exactly then that I knew I needed to just find healthy options that I genuinely enjoy instead of eating things for the sake of being healthy.

BE HEALTHIER!! This is not healthy, but it's oh so scrumptious! (If you've been to Canada and didn't eat a Beaver Tail, you haven't lived!)

Enjoy my wedding and don't get overwhelmed trying to please everybody - The past couple of weddings I went to, it just seemed like the couple was running around constantly talking with people, meeting and greeting, and trying to keep everyone happy. It's going to be a lot to juggle lots of family and friends from multiple continents, but I need to focus on my special day more than anything.

Get UK drivers license - I got the wheels turning on that already (sorry, pathetic pun intended... I know it was bad...) but next year I'd like to be more skilled. And fully understand all 3 pedals down there. And actually get out on a real road.

Hello passengers seat! I mean UK drivers seat.... I just realized I'm wearing the same cardigan in two photos... I swear I'm not like a cartoon character; I don't wear the same thing everyday...

Happy New Year, everybody!

What are some of your New Year's resolutions?? What are you looking forward to most about 2012??

Goodbye, Summer!

Tomorrow is the first official day of autumn, even though you'd never know it in Florida. It's still muggy and gross and HOT. None of that "oh my run was actually a bit cool and brisk today" for us. That won't happen until..... well... NEVER.

But it dawned on me that this was my last summer in Florida. Tomorrow is the start of the season where my whole life literally changes. And what better season for such a change? Everything is transitioning: the weather (of course not where I live), the seasonal aisles at Target, Starbucks coffee flavors...and now my home!

I reflected on everything that happened this summer. And even though I didn't travel the world, swim with sharks, or compete in the Olympics, a lot did happen that made this a great summer!

I got off a ship that I lived on for 4 and a half months! Okay, so this was technically in the spring time, but I'm counting it as the beginning of my summer time, because it kind of felt like a semester away at school. Except instead of classes and studying it was working and more working. And instead of getting excited over school spirit and football games, it was getting excited over your favorite Disney princess. (Team Rapunzel in case anyone cares)

I kid you not, that is where I lived... My address was "the middle of the freakin' ocean, Planet Earth"

I got engaged! I flew to Canada on one hour of sleep to visit Fiance's family in Alberta. I spent the entire drive to the romantic destination complaining about how hungry and tired I was from flying, not knowing he was about to propose in front of the "mountains I've already seen before... why are we here and not getting food?!"

That's really what it looked like, I promise! And yes it's summer time... In Canada... eh?

It was a moment I will never forget. And it was perfect. And fun fact, my reaction was recorded by his uncle and brother. And it's hilarious!

I ran a whole bunch! A lot of it felt great! And a lot of it felt like crap! Running on a moving, breezy ship is a hell of a lot different than running in hot, still, humidity. I felt like everything I worked toward since my initial new years resolution 2 years ago was all for nothing. I felt so weak, like I'd never get back to the way I was before. I logged a lot of dreadful miles, and then suddenly I felt okay again. I still have bad runs every once in a while, but who doesn't??

I turned 22! And I wrote a list of 22 things I had learned from being alive. Most of it is probably absolute crap, but it was fun to look back and think of everything I learned. I use "everything" quite loosely.

I went to the beach... a lot! I probably went more this summer than in my whole life. And I live like 10 minutes drive from the beach. It was relaxing. And it's definitely one thing I'm going to miss once I'm settled in England. I mean, you can't do this kind of stuff on Brighton's beaches!

Lots of sand and lots of sun. Complete opposite of England.

I got a visa to live in the UK! Waiting for that was so nerve racking! There was always that possibility that it wouldn't go through and I'd be stuck here. But it got approved, and I can move to England as long as I get married to a British person next year. Alright, if you insist!

And now, here we are. It's the end of summer and everyone's drinking their body weight in pumpkin spice latte's and lighting vanilla scented candles. Oh and I can't forget buying endless amounts of candy corn even though you can't get through a handful of it... Or am I the only one who does that?

Are you sad to see summer go? What was your favorite part of Summer 2012? Or maybe you're like me and are already in the pumpkin, scarves, and boots mentality! If so, what are you looking forward to most this coming season?

To Run Or Not To Run.......

..... that is a SILLY question!

I most always choose the "to run" option in that question, except for times like right now where it's late at night and my head is in a bag of Twizzlers. A "Family Sized" bag of Twizzlers I might add. (Does anybody else see "Family Sized" but actually reads "A LOT MORE FOR ME SIZED"???)

I have to admit that I am not the most seasoned runner... I've only done two races, I'm slow, I lack a sports bra that costs more than $16... But I like to pride myself in, at the very least, being passionate about running. I want to improve. I like getting up and going running despite my other love of complaining about heat and bugs in my face. I will also revolve my plans around running to get a good workout in.

So then my runner friends are like, WHY haven't you done a half marathon yet?!

The truth is, I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to! But over the past year, I haven't really been in a position to commit myself to any race, yet alone a big race.

In my very first post I discussed how my new years resolution was to run a half marathon, and I had my heart set on October 14. This was a race I had researched that took place in Oxford, England. So I mapped out a training plan and stuck to it.

The more I trained with that exact date in my mind, the more I kind of dreaded it. I didn't dread the running or the training; truth is I dreaded that actual race. I felt like I just picked that one because it fit best with my moving plans and Fiance's work schedule.

I wanted so bad to accomplish this new years resolution that I just picked any race, and my heart just wasn't in it.

In a way I felt guilty. No, I take that back. I felt so incredibly guilty that I was contemplating not doing a half marathon this year just because my heart wasn't in it. I told myself to suck it up and just continue doing it. But then I found a race that I absolutely fell in love with. The Brighton Half Marathon takes place in February, and Brighton is my absolute favorite city in England. I was still so frustrated, because I wanted to do this race so bad, but it was in 2013, so technically my resolution wouldn't be resolved in 2012. Isn't that the point of "new years resolutions"??

So what's more important in this situation? Is it running a race just to get the job done even though my heart isn't in it? Or is it holding back for a race that I'm genuinely excited about even though I have to wait to achieve my goal?

I know in life sometimes you have to suck it up and do something you don't want to do. But in this case, when the something you don't want to do is a hobby, I feel the karma spirit gods of new years resolutions will cut me some slack.

I finally decided that I'm going to wait to do a half marathon, despite it going past my new years resolution's expiration date. I like feeling excited about races, and not a silly need to get it over with. If I'm going to run my first half marathon, its going to be the race of my dreams.

What about you? Did you ever feel like you were letting yourself down by not accomplishing something you wanted? What about new years resolutions? Are they sometimes meant to be broken?