One Month To Go

Today is the 8th of January.

In one months time, I will be getting married to this guy:

I have no clue what's going on back there on the telly....

And while I could bore you with my wedding planning/outfit stressing/"I'm doing table arrangements in my sleep"/"the f**k is a hen do?!" nonsense (I'll save that for later), I realized that you've never properly met "the Fiance".

You may have figured out by now that he has a name. It's Alex.

So meet Alex! And the story behind our completely normal relationship.

We met in May 2009 while getting ready to start working at a kids summer camp.

Camp loves tie-dye!

Our first ever conversation was in the Apple store at the local mall.

He asked if I went to uni. I laughed at his accent and his use of the word "uni". I said I was studying psychology. He replies, "Freud".  Totally normal response, right?

My id was like "really?! That's what you're making me think of right now?! The Oedipus complex?! What a completely normal response! Die!". My superego was like "no, Tay, you're really stupid for feeling sarcastic right now! Be guilty!". But my ego finally responded, "Yep. Freud."

Psychology humor. 

Did I mention we've been married once before? (Kind of)

We signed some paper and even had rings! Yes, he's wearing a cowboy hat.

It was a totally real "camp marriage" at the camp carnival. And clearly lasted longer than Kim Kardashian's real wedding. Funny thing is, we weren't even together yet.

Our first date was one week after our totally real "sign a bit of scrap paper" camp wedding. We went to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince at midnight.

Other dates have included Paris, San Fransisco, and Disney World just to name a few.

"Dates". "Vacations". Same thing.

Most of our relationship has been long distance. And when I say "long distance", I really mean transcontinental. But we always found a way to make it work. Even if that included 5 months apart, whole summers abroad, or working on a cruise ship. True story!

We got engaged in May 2012.

Surprise!

He's the reason I'm an expat. Obviously, he was worth the big move across the pond!

More fun facts! 

- He was also the reason I got a passport when I was 19.

- The first time I went to England, he tricked me into thinking the supermarket called "Asda" (pronounced by normal people "as-duh") was actually called "Ay-Ess-Dee-Ay." So my entire trip I moronically spelled out the name of a store.

- He has a tattoo that says "SFC" for Southampton Football Club on his arm. He said he got it because he "loves SFC, and that will never change." I replied without even thinking, "I feel that way about Harry Potter." He called me Potter for most of that summer.

- Neither of us were able to attend each others university graduations, but we both watched each others steamed online! Technology is an amazing thing!

- He insisted on going to IHOP one morning (for the first time since his childhood Disney trip when he was 8). When the stack of pancakes was put in front of him, he scooped up the entire dollop of butter and put it in his mouth. I thought he'd gone nuts! He thought the butter was ice cream.

I hope you enjoyed meeting Alex!

My Great Expectations

I said a few posts back that I wanted to type out some expectations for my move to England. I've been constantly writing down random goals, generalizations, and predictions. I like doing these kinds of lists because it gives me something to look back to and see how incredibly off I was.

And seeing as this time next week I will be in England, I thought why not share them now!

Disclaimer: I know there will always surprises and bumps along the way, and I'm excited for that! I started this blog in the attempt to track every moment in this journey. I'm not trying to map out everything so perfect that I lose sight of what I'm doing to begin with. This list is for me, as a future expat and one hell of a list making goal setter, and also for you, whether you're a future expat like me or a seasoned pro with that awkward "not really American, not really English" accent. Or maybe you were just bored on the internet one day and came across this crazy anglophile lady.

So go make some popcorn or put the kettle on depending on what side of the pond you are on because I tend to get a bit wordy.

Ready anddddd GO!

Learn to drive on the other side of the road... and the other side of the car...

This was actually the 2nd photo I took when I got to England for the first time. Seeing this was SO EXCITING!

This concept isn't as terrifying as it was about 3 years ago, when I would wail every ten seconds in the car thinking we were going the wrong way. But I'm not an aggressive driver. And I don't plan on driving much in England. I would just like the option to drive. Like adding a super power to my resume or something. Hi I'm Taylor and I can tap dance, sing the entire Big Bang Theory theme song, and drive confidently on multiple continents.

Run more (and in colder weather). With my free time, I really want to improve my running performance and feel prepared to do a half marathon. And run in cold weather. Because seriously, everywhere is colder than Florida.

Race more. I ran my first race about a year ago and never felt so hooked to something. I'm already signed up for a race on October 20th!

Join a gym and/or running club. When I spent the entire summer of 2011 in England, I joined their local gym and it was one of the best things I've ever done. I really think both of these will keep me busy and help me make friends in the area.

Understand the London Underground. I can imitate the "mind the gap" voice like a champ, but when it comes to navigating the tube I'm pretty hopeless. In my defense, I've never had to learn any subway system. But I want to feel confident going to London and be able to know how to get from point A to point B without wanting to snap my Oyster Card in half.

Understand public transportation in general.

Stereotypical double decker bus picture. With a Harry Potter ad on the side!! I should frame this, it's so beautiful.

I understand public transportation just fine; maybe "utilize" is a better word to use here. I just want the ability to travel via train or coach and not feel like a tourist.

Spell words with u's and s's and y's and such.

Typical American taking pictures of signs that say Energise instead of Energize. It looks so silly to me! All those elementary school spelling bee's were for nothing now. Sidenote: don't know these people in the sign, but they look like they'd be okay with me spelling it with a Z.... ZED.... WTF sort of train of thought did I start?!?!

Flavour. Tyre. Organise. Favourite. I'm trying to fathom this and not want to throw a dictionary at the wall.

Also... Okay this is so random.... But one day while watching my new favoUrite show "Switched At Birth", I wondered how different American Sign Language (ASL) and British Sign Language (BSL) were. Because you never really think of other sign languages. You just know ASL in America, but obviously they don't use ASL everywhere, because then it would be called Earth Sign Language or something. As opposed to Mars Sign Language.

It turns out ASL and BSL are SO DIFFERENT!! So I taught myself the BSL alphabet in case I needed to spell out something whilst not getting lost on the London Underground with my dictionary of words I've been spelling wrong for my whole life.

Learn more about the Fiance. I like to think I know a lot about him. He loves red and despises blue because of football team rivalries (typical English guy) and always eats his chips (fries) before his burger (which I DO NOT UNDERSTAND ONE BIT). But sometimes at random moments, I find myself going "Hmm... I wonder if he likes blue cheese." I like knowing fun tidbits about people.

I know he LOVES when I make him play tourist with me. I make him take me to "see the Queen" every single time and I react like it's the first time ever.

Be a close knit family. All of the Fiance's family lives SO CLOSE to each other! This concept is amazing to me. I've never lived close to family. The fact that we can walk to his grandparents house just blows my mind. I really want to embrace the proximity since I've never had that.

Keep in touch with the other side of the pond as much as possible. Right now, I try to keep in touch with everyone in England as much as I can. Starting next week, the tables will completely be turned. And I want to do everything in my power to still remain in contact with my friends and family in America. England will be my new home, and I'm very excited that I can finally say that. But Florida is where I spent 22 years of my life and I can't forget that either.

Anddddd we're done. For now at least.

I can't wait to look back at this list in a few months and see what really happened.

I'm trying to keep an open mind. Lists like this are made to be changed or added to. I might decide that I hate driving or running or eating fish and chips. I know fish and chips wasn't part of the list, but I think it's an unstated fact that I'll eat a lot of fish and chips. And vinegar. I love vinegar probably a bit too much.

I feel like I have so much to say, but none of it really matters. Because no matter how many lists I make or how much I think I know about living in another country, I literally have no clue what I'm in for.

So I guess all I really can say is bring it on, England. I'm ready for you.

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?

Running With A Hefty Side of Psychology Degree Talking

Alright, it's been nearly a week since I have posted anything... but I promise I am still alive!

Whenever I have a good run, I'm more motivated to post. Today I had a fantastic run! I am getting more acceptable of the fact that I don't know my pace, and I will never know my pace. I will survive. I find that knowing distance is way more important right now.

Also, since I got an iPod shuffle for my birthday, I have been less "burdened" by the iTouch. Why?? Well that damn thing is so bulky strapped onto my arm!! I can barely feel the shuffle! It is an incredible invention and totally underrated.

Today, however, I want to talk about something besides running or moving across the pond.

 I kind of want to get some insight into age and relationships and appropriateness. Sorry if that sounds confusing. Or boring.

But I thought today about that unspoken relationship age line between when you're "having fun" and when you want people to take you seriously.

I am BY NO MEANS an example of what is typical these days for relationships. Honestly, I never have been the average stereotype for anything. I was forced to grow up at a very early age and I've had many people tell me that I am mature beyond my years. I like to pride myself in my ability to give others advice and never truly need advice in return. So while most people my age are extending their years in college and serial dating, I'm getting married. Shocker.

But this is no means about me.

I've known people date plenty of guys and never settle down with one. I've known people who stayed in long term relationships and pride themselves in being a "relationship person". I've known people who just, for lack of a better phrase, sleep around and "have fun" with zero expectations. And what all these people have showed me is that there comes a point where you don't want just a hook up: you want someone substantial.

But it kills me. Because people constantly go to the same type of people but are so distraught when they don't meet their high expectations. Which brings me to think, at what point are these daters doing enough to keep each other around and satisfied with their potential relationship, and at what point are they doing themselves a favor by making the other person take them seriously?

Basically, in normal speak, at what age is it okay to hook up with someone to keep them around because it's expected, and at what age do you slightly hold back because you want them in your future and not just for a good time?

It's just a thought, because lots of people always ponder "how far to go" with their date, but then are upset when they treat them like they're easy.

And I should just say I don't judge based on these preferences. I just don't have the same taste so to say of how to date these days. And it really pains me to see the confusion on half my friends faces when they can't find Mr. Right. I wish I could tell them all the secrets of the universe, but I genuinely got extremely lucky with my current relationship.

So what do you think? What are the courting ages that are appropriate these days?

22 Years on Planet Earth

Happy one year anniversary of becoming legal American drinking age!

That's right; today is my 22nd birthday. While it started out as a shit show, it got better.

First, I will have it noted that I typically don't like my birthday. There's something about getting older that does not appeal to me. Also, when I was younger, my birthday often fell on the first or second day of school, which is not fun. So even growing up my birthday wasn't appealing to me.

But the more I think about it today, the more I realize I should be looking forward to being "in my 20s". I'm past the "beginning of your 20s" ages where you learn to heavily drink and search for designated drivers. Once you're beyond that, you are really in your 20s!

So, I decided to write 22 things I've learned from lessons, funny moments, or from just growing up.

1. Get a passport and utilize it. I cannot emphasize this enough. I didn't get a passport until I was 19, and I totally regret it. I've only been to 4 countries other than the USA, but that's enough to give me the traveling bug.

2. Friendship isn't about length of time you've known each other; that doesn't matter if the quality of the relationship isn't there. People change. You grow up and grow apart. You try and mask their flaws with excuses. Just cherish those that want to be around you. If they don't turn out to be the person they once were (or what you thought they were), show them the door, not your time.

3. Keeping a journal when your younger can be quite hilarious. I love looking back at my life-- the good and the bad-- to see the 15 year old me type like half the keyboard has gone missing on an old online blog, or going back and rereading the journal I wrote with song lyrics and stories. It's a great pick-me-up when you need a laugh.

4. Your childhood music will never get old. When the Spice Girls came on the Closing Ceremonies, the 7 year old Taylor died a little bit on the inside (from excitement of course). I'm not embarrassed to rock out to Nsync on occasion. And nothing is better when an old Britney hit comes on at a club or bar.

5. Social media is a great way to reach hundreds of people, but not a great way to reach one person. Seriously, because of technology the world seems so small. Social media sites are a great way to reach so many people from all over the world to bring people together whether its a cause or common interest. However, it is not a great way to try and get the attention of one person, which is usually what people do.

6. Tie-dying is great, just don't go overboard. It's such a fun craft, and comfy to wear on occasion. But honestly don't make it your whole wardrobe, okay?

7. It's never too late to start a new hobby. I was never a runner in my life... EVER. And sometimes I wish I could go back to high school and do more sports I've always wanted to try. But from running I've learned with enough practice and dedication, it's never too late to get a new passion.

8. It's okay to date someone backwards. This may sound silly, but just hear me out. I always said I liked dating people who were my "best friend" first. Well, Fiance and I did it backwards.. kind of... We met at a summer camp we both worked at. We got "married" at a marriage booth at camp carnival before we started dating. We went on our first date about a week after and eventually became official boyfriend/girlfriend status. I'd say it took a full year to learn the ins and outs of him completely enough for me to say he was my best friend in the whole world. So instead of being best friend, boyfriend, husband, he was "husband", boyfriend, best friend. And I'd say it's worked out pretty okay.

9. Greeting cards are so underrated. It makes me so angry that cards aren't popular in America anymore!! I rarely get cards. In England, people send cards all the time. It's just a common courtesy. I miss that here.

10. Long drives are for practicing your best singing voice. I went to college 7 hours away from home, which meant driving 7 hours there and back multiple times a year. I spent all 7 hours singing (and eating).

11. Hot sauce makes everything better. Bonus points goes to buffalo sauce, too.

12. Long distance relationships can work. Not always, but they can. I'm living proof of that. People shouldn't be so quick to discriminate because I've seen a lot of toxic and failed relationships when the couple lives in the same city.

13. If you ever want a challenge, work on a cruise ship. Seriously, I dare you. Prepare for lack of sleep with a massive side of white rice.

14. Open a savings account, and commit. Saving money becomes a lot easier when you have a strict place to put it. Even if the interest rate sucks, its away from your debit card.

15. Lucky number aren't always lucky. Change them if you want. I'm making that an official ruling.

16. If you want another challenge, work for Disney. Two finger points are your best friend.

Yep. That totally happened. I worked on the Disney Wonder Cruise Ship and was on the inaugural Hawaii cruise. This is at the Pearl Harbor Memorial.

17. A girl can never have too many pairs of shoes. Or sunglasses. Or purses. Or tops for that matter.

18. Go to that expensive-ish restaurant and get the better sushi. It's worth the money!

19. Christmas shopping early is a great idea. I always say I love avoiding the mall around Christmas time because it's busy and stressful and people are mean. But I think I'm a shoppaholic, so I truly don't avoid the mall any time of year. I do, however, pride myself in shopping ridiculously early for Christmas presents because it gives me an excuse to shop and because I like things under the tree even before the tree is even put up. I think I've purchased gifts as early as September.

20. Having a well put together work out playlist is worth your time and effort. No more shuffle and ending up on the theme tune to Harry Potter. Fist pumping high tempo pop music all the way!

21. It's perfectly acceptable to have a "signature color". Elle Woods had pink. I have green. My whole life revolves around the color green. I swear I'm an adult.

and finally...

22. Look back at old pictures often so you can smile, laugh, cry, whatever you need. I don't have a lot from my childhood. I moved around a lot and so a lot got misplaced. But when I find pictures of me as a first grader with missing teeth or my sister holding me as a baby, I can't help but smile at the memory that pictures create.

Rockin' the latest trends since the 90s. And I know what you're thinking. No you cannot borrow my Daisy Duck hat.

 I could probably write a whole book of my silly growing up lessons learned. But 22 is good for now.

Here's to age 22!

iPod and Post-Olympics Blues

While I would like to inform you that today's run was great in all aspects, it was not.

I ran a glorious 3.6 miles... Don't judge me for the awkward decimal... it was 3 laps around my neighborhood. I felt amazing. I was able to use my iPod for music and attempt to use the stopwatch. However, before the first lap was even over it wouldn't let me unlock the screen to hit "lap" and it was stuck the rest of my run... and the rest of the night... and potentially the rest of eternity.

So I have been searching for iPod shuffles, which I have wanted for a long time now because it isn't bulky and doesn't require that awful arm strap, and Garmin watches.

I'm hoping for lots of birthday money, but I doubt that's going to happen. Something about being in your 20s says "I'm too old for birthday cards and birthday money". Even most of my friends don't know my birthday is coming up, which I'm pretty okay with since I have nothing to celebrate. Fiance is on the other side of the pond and I am undoubtedly sad. I know I shouldn't be "that girl" who pouts when her boyfriend isn't there, but I have my moments. I've never really been a fan of my birthday (except obviously 18 and 21) so that just adds the icing on top of the nonexistent birthday cake.

I promise, I'm not "that girl" often. And we will just drop it now.

On a different note, I am also sulking in post-Olympics blues. I abso-freakin-lutely LOVE the Olympics. I watch every event possible... except maybe horseback riding because I'm not a big fan of horses... or modern pentathlon... because I just found out that existed and I'm confused... and it involves horses... but for everything else, I definitely do not discriminate. The Olympics actually gets me teary-eyed and emotional because I am so in awe of these athletes and their accomplishments and their dreams. When they win a medal, I feel like I'm there next to them being their best friend taking in their effort and passion. In reality, I'm downing dinner and frozen yogurt on my couch crying over my jealousy of their stardom and athleticism. I don't know how I was made to get so emotionally attached to people I will probably never meet, yet alone be friends with, but it happened for the whole 2+ weeks of London 2012. And now I must deal with these post-Olympics blues like the sad, overly-enthusiastic spectator that I truly am.

How many days until February 7, 2014?! Winter Olympics, I will spectate you like a CHAMP. 

Jumping In With Both Feet

Today, I was talking to an old friend who knows both me and my fiance very well. It was my favorite conversation I've had in a while.

I've been getting so caught up with the stress of moving to England, especially because of all the unknowns. We don't have a wedding date set and I don't know when I'm moving exactly. I know things will fall into place eventually, but with the stress of my car and money and everything that goes along with moving, it feels like things are falling apart instead.

So when I talked to my friend, she said exactly what I needed to hear. She said "you'll never have enough money, you'll never always get the approval of your parents, and you'll never know if you're going to fail; so I think you should jump in with both feet."

It's true.

You can save all your money, but it will never be enough. There will always be spending, there will always be treating yourself to those cute shoes that are on sale, there will always be struggling a bit with money. There will always be people, whether they are related to you or not, that say what you're doing is crazy, irresponsible, and something you'll regret. There will always be a "worst case scenario" where things happen that are out of your control. There will always be those thoughts in the back of your head causing you to hesitate any life decision.

And you know how I feel about that? Bring it on.

I'm jumping in with both feet. I will not look back and think "what if" or "why can't things just go as planned?" There will always be something, I look forward to triumphing over every one of those stupid "somethings".

That's my poetic and deep meaningful thought for the day. Now let's get to some running.

After my "lazy" week of a running hiatus, I ran the past two nights surprisingly better than I anticipated. The miles came easy, regardless of how sluggish they sometimes felt. It's still hot, there are still bugs in my face, and it's still an over 100 degree summer. But like I said, there will always be "something", and a little sweat never hurt anyone.

slow and steady wins big time

"Slow and steady wins the race" can probably apply to anything but running. In the cliche sense, sure "slow and steady" wins a personal race in running; it keeps you safe and fresh without overexerting yourself. But in the literal sense, slow and steady makes you kind of mediocre in a race.

The day I finished my first 10K in December 2011, I was beyond ecstatic. I felt like I had accomplished so much and was really proud of my whimsy new years resolution to "become a runner". My family looked at me different, my friends envied my new talent, and I felt on top of the world.

About 24 hours later when the "glory" faded (I now, it's a big adjective for a small achievement, just go with it), I felt embarrassed about how happy I was. I saw my 10K through new eyes. I saw my "slow" pace compared to other people and my place in the lower half of the rankings. I didn't see my accomplishment as an accomplishment anymore, and I started getting really discouraged.

But today during my 5 mile run in the blistering heat was the first time I thought back to how "embarrassed" I felt and realized how silly I was being.

Okay, I'm slow. I'm still faster than everybody on the couch. Running is about improving and empowering, and especially breaking down those mind barriers. My "slow" today was once my "fast" a year and a half ago. And my "fast" these days might be my "slow" another year and a half from now.

So it's okay to be slow! Slow is better than nothing, and a lot of other people out there are doing a whole bunch of nothing.

Here's why I think it's okay to be a slow poke:

1. No pressure! - Sure there's the pressure that I put on myself to get better. But that's just the thing; I'M  the one putting it there. There's no need to set my sights on a hefty new PR or even place top 3 in a race! I run for fun. I run for the love of it. I run because I can.

2. My stamina has improved!- Because I've been working so hard to not be slow and therefore appear to be making very tiny improvements, my long runs have gotten a lot better! Don't get me wrong, I still run anywhere between 11 and 12 minute miles! But my slow pace today made the 5 miles breeze by and I felt strong. I'd rather be strong and slow than fast and dead out of breath.

3. My hydration doesn't suffer- I don't know about you, but when I'm in a "fast groove", stopping for water feels like such a burden. I'm not good at that brisk "gush and go" technique nor do I like to just bop around jogging in place while I drink like an idiot. So when I stop, my legs seem to tense up immediately and it's hard getting back into my groove. I'm thinking of The Emperor's New Groove where he goes, "YOU THREW OFF MY GROOVE!! That's exactly what it does; it throws off my groove! But when I'm slow and steady, my hydrating time doesn't take a toll on my legs. I'm happy when I'm hydrated. I'm not happy when my groove is thrown off.

So today, like I said, I ran 5 miles. I took advantage of some cloudy weather, got rained on for 30 seconds, and then ran the rest of the time in blistering hot humidity. At one point when Cody Simpson was serenading me through my iPod (don't judge, I love him... I never got into the JBiebs craze, but Cody is my love, and I'm not afraid to admit it), my iPod completely malfunctioned. And then continued to malfunction. And I still had 2 and a half miles to go. It kept stopping my music (but not my workout tracker), and then it would pause my workout when I most definitely didn't hit pause. It was a nightmare. Not sure if it was the heat or the 30 second rainfall, but it made me want a Garmin watch even more. I threw a little tantrum as well when it paused my workout for the 765th (approximate) time and I think I scared the innocent bystander taking out his garbage. Oops!

I talked about running, so let me talk about fiance across the pond.

Tomorrow is our anniversary. It's the first anniversary we have spent apart since we've been together. Part of me is upset and extremely jealous of all those couples who see each other all the time and would never have to dream of spending an anniversary apart. The other part of me is thankful, because this is the last time we will ever have to be apart. The best anniversary present would be if and when (fingers crossed!) my visa gets approved for me to move there.

I didn't get upset until it was our anniversary there in England, but not here (England is 5 hours ahead of Eastern Time Zone) and we were on Skype. That's when it felt real. Long distance loving is really hard, especially right now.

On a happier note, tomorrow also marks one month until my birthday!

See, there's always a silver lining!

First Post, on Friday the 13th!

Happy Friday the 13th, ironically the day I decide to create a blog. I've been regularly reading running blogs and I thought I might enjoy this. I really like how I decided this unlucky day was THE day to start. Honestly, 13 is my lucky number as of right now, so I do not mind one bit.

I enjoy running, to say the least. I may not be the best, and I am definitely not the fastest. I will probably never win a race, and I almost always have bad technique. But I started off in January 2011 struggling to run half of a mile, and now that concept seems silly to me. Like I said, I'm not fast. I don't have sub-8:00 miles or even sub-10:00 miles. Some days are better than others. I may never have those "easy" miles a lot of runners talk about. And (as of now) I've only done 2 races: one 5K and one 10K. I made it a New Years Resolution to do a half marathon in 2012. I have my sights set on October 14, 2012.

Sidenote: I haven't registered yet.

Want to know why?

Well this blog is called "Running Across the Pond". We've established I like to run, so the other part of the title can't be that tricky.

I'm in the process of moving to England! My long term boyfriend (now fiance) is from England and I just started the process of applying for my settlement visa to move there. It's hard not knowing which continent I'm going to live on in any given month. I can't register for races too far into the future because I might not be in that location! And that's frustrating. But I'm ecstatic for my life to finally be coming together! Applying for a settlement visa was hard work. I'm now waiting for it to (hopefully) get approved, which could take weeks.

And that is why this blog was created! I want to track the trials and tribulations of my running and my process of moving to England. Maybe I can help someone trying to move to England, or even just make some running friends from both sides of the pond. Who knows, this time next year I could be blogging from England writing about running in cold weather (I'm from Florida. Everything is cold.) and trying not to get run over crossing the street! (England drives on the other side of the road... and the other side of the car).

But it's nice to finally become part of this online community!

In running related news, today was a rest day (aka getting frozen yogurt with best friend and not feeling guilty about not running). It was a good choice not to run because it was HOT. Although, it's Florida in the summertime; it's hot 24/7. Surprise! And I'm a Florida native (no I didn't move here from New York or New Jersey or Massachusetts or Pennsylvania or Ontario or any other place people move to Florida from. I know. I'm a rare breed) so that means I should be used to this, right? Wrong. There is no getting used to the humidity, lack of breeze, and pure heat that is south Florida.
I ran 3 miles yesterday. I would attempt to show the splits but I don't like my current GPS system that tracks my runs. I don't think it's calibrated correct and it really throws everything off (the Nike+ chip with iPod touch... if anybody wants to talk gadgets with me, I'm totally for that). I will say that bugs flew into my face for the entire 3 miles. I felt like I was in a road swamp death trap of some sort. The little tiny gnats would just fly into me and stick to my sweat. I know, I'm painting an attractive picture for my first post. But I'm not really the type to sensor these things.
Long story short: 3 miles, first 2 were great (besides the bugs), the 3rd was very sluggish. I did it. I sweat a lot. It was a grand ol' time.

Thanks for stopping by! And it was lovely to "meet" you!