500 Festival Miler Series 10 Miler

In preparation for the Mini Marathon and Carmel Half Marathon that's actually next week, Stephen and I participated in the final race of the Miler Series. After looking back at my half marathon training I have been doing throughout the winter I discovered that I slowly lost my passion in running. All the tempo runs and intervals running made me feel like running was more of a chore for me than something that I used to enjoy. I have been so focused on pace/speed that I have lost the true reason for running. I didn't want to be all wrapped up in getting faster and faster and feeling disappointed when I didn't performed as well. Right before the Saturday race I decided to "take my running back". I am not a professional athlete that has to perform at certain level. I am just a girl that wants to enjoy running because of it's amazing benefits. Who cares if I finish half marathon in under 2 hours. I want to be able to enjoy each run and race to the fullest. That was exactly the attitude that I had when going into the run on Saturday. Stephen decided to run with me and we started pretty slow. I didn't want to put any pressure on myself. There was no goal or certain pace to keep, just keep it fun. We both found this comfortable pace and kept going. The last mile I sped up a little just because that's what I typically do. It always feels good sprinting to the finish line. Stephen wanted to slow down but I told him to keep going strong and we finished great together. The final result was better than ever. Finished 10 miles at 1 hour and 28 minutes! I absolutely loved the fact that I did not have any high expectations for this race and still finished great. But the most important part was that I really enjoyed it and had fun run it with my husband. Keep it fun everyone!

Winter Wonderland

So the winter isn't over yet. Last night we got about 4 inches of snow and the winter that I like is back. The most important thing is that the temperature got a lot better that it's been for the last few days. It's interesting how warm 30 degrees feels after experiencing negative digits.
I couldn't resist and of course had to go outside for a run. I only planned on doing about 3-4 miles cause running through unplowed streets wasn't going to be easy. But since the sun came out shortly after I started running I continue to run and run! This is absolutely my favorite winter weather to run in. Snowy, sunny and not extremely cold day. I couldn't ask for a better way to spend February Saturday. Most importantly being able to finally go outside felt amazing. Last few days on the treadmill were killing me.

Winter Winter Go Away

I am really trying to be positive and not complain about this weather but it's not easy.  Last few weeks has really been bad with low temperatures and wind that makes everything worse. I don't mind running in the winter, it's actually nice when the fresh snow is falling and temps are in the 20s/30s but -8 just doesn't work for me. My treadmill is being used more this winter than ever. I honestly do not enjoy running on the treadmill but I learned to appreciate it a little more this season. Half marathon training has to continue regardless of the weather. Saba is also going a little crazy because she has not ran with me for a few weeks now. I am hoping this is the last stretch of this cold because it can only get better from here, right? One good thing about the treadmill is that I can catch up on my shows, was watching M Jak Miłość yesterday :)

11th Wedding Anniversary

Yesterday my hubby and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary. We started a day with nice long run. The temperature was only about 32 degrees and no sun whatsoever so the first few miles were kind of cold. But as it is with running, once you start going you warm up quickly. Stephen did about 9 miles and I wanted to complete my Strava December Half Marathon Challenge so I finished the last 4 miles by myself. I also knew we were going out to dinner so extra few miles were important :)

For our anniversary dinner we decided to go to Olive Garden...nothing too fancy but always a good choice for a person - me - who loves pasta. You can't go wrong with Alfredo sauce. Dinner was delicious (it probably tasted better because of those 13 miles I ran earlier) and crisp and refreshing Pinot Grigio complemented it very well.
I can't believe that we have been together for 11 years already. It doesn't really feel that long, and look at us, still young and beautiful! :) Cheers to many more years together!

500 Festival Mini Marathon 2014

I have lived in Indianapolis for 13 years and I have always admired over 30 thousand people running 500 Festival Mini Marathon. Last year while sitting on my couch, drinking coffee and watching the news coverage of the Mini I decided that enough is enough and that I want to do it! I wanted to experience the thrill of running through the streets of Indianapolis and feel the goose bumps while running on the Indy 500 track. That day I signed up to take part in the largest half marathon in the US, not knowing that we will have the worst winter ever and I will be going through ICore in the Spring. I was very excited even though I did not have any time to train for 13.1 miles. This year the race took place on May 3rd and I started that day very early. I had my coffee and a bagel to give me an extra carb boost. We arrived downtown around 7 am to make sure we had a place to park.  As crowds were getting bigger my excitement and nerves were increasing also. I took my spot in the Corral T and we started walking towards the start line. At around 8:45 I crossed the start line and the race started. First 3 miles were pretty slow as it was hard to go around people because of the crowding. 5k into the race I had to take a potty break :) As we were approaching Indianapolis Motor Speedway I was very surprised to see so many spectators cheering us on. The energy and excitement was very high. Running on the track was an amazing experience. I did not kiss the bricks but I did take a picture of my shoes stepping on the brick :)

Once I hit the 10 mile marker I started feeling tired but the worse part was the last mile stretch of New York Street. So close to the finish line but it felt like forever. I finished the Mini Marathon with a time of 2 hours and 20 minutes. I guess it's not too bad for being my first half marathon but I was still a little disappointed for not finishing it sooner. Overall it was an amazing experience and I will do it again next year...oh yeah as soon as I cross the start line my hubby sent me a text message saying that he signed me up for next year :) I guess now I have to do it ;) I am a one lucky girl to have a husband that supports my healthy habit.

I did it!!!!!

Blanton Woods Trail Run

Happy Sunday Everyone! Since today was the last day of my Spring Break I decided to make if fun and enjoy it as much as I could. Once I finished all the homework due this week I convinced my husband to go for a trail run with me. We both like Blanton Woods Nature Park for out trail running. Nice quiet area and great, some adventurous, trails. Despite the 36 degree weather (I really hope that Spring is coming soon), we had a lot of fun. It was nice to see the nature slowly waking up from the long and cold Winter. We actually spotted two very cool hawks, some very unique little birds and squirrels chasing each other. After about 4 miles my hubby was ready to go home. He likes to run but not very long distances so I don't try to push my luck when he goes running with me :) I was also able to snap few pictures during our run....

On the way home we stopped at the store to get few groceries for the week and since we always get pretty hungry after our runs I decided to cook something yummy for dinner. I am a bargain shopper and tilapia was on sale today... that's how this awesome idea came to my head - Parmesan Crusted Tilapia! Within 30 minutes we had potatoes and asparagus roasting and fish baking. Perfect, after run, Sunday dinner was ready and done within an hour after we got home. And it was so delicious!!!!

And this is how my dogs spent all Sunday... they are so lazy lately!

Here are links for the recipes I used for tonight's dinner. The only thing I did differently on the tilapia - I coated it in melted butter and then in bread crumbs and parmesan. I did not use any lemon on it. I think it came out very creamy and the crust was pretty crispy. 

http://www.food.com/recipe/parmesan-crusted-tilapia-169764

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/garlic-roasted-potatoes-recipe.html

2014 Spring Fling 15K

I am not doing very well updating my blog. I have been extremely busy with school and work for the last few months. ICore at the Kelley School of Business is the cause of sleepless nights...every minute of my day if filled to the fullest. Thankfully there is only one more month left and I can go back to my working out routine and running. The crazy thing of all is that last year I signed up for Mini Marathon and I am trying to find some time to train for it as well. Craziness!!
While searching internet for fun runs for this year I came across Spring Fling 15K in Plainfield, IN. It was a perfect way to use this run as a training for the mini. And of course it was my first 15K which is about 9.32 miles.  I was so nervous driving up to Aquatic Center in Plainfield. I did not know how I was going to do since I have not really been running that much this year....I blame weather for it. Spring where are you!!! Anyways...I got up early and showed up on time! I got my bib and was ready to go.

The route took us around Plainfield on nicely paved trail. Weather was perfect as well. Morning was a little chilly but as soon as the sun came out the air got warmer. I started off pretty fast, keeping my pace under 9 minutes a mile. About half way through I started feeling a little cramp in my legs but I pushed it through. During the second half my pace was a little worse but overall I was totally surprised how well I did, especially that I have not ran that much this year. My Garmin time showed my average as 9:13 per mile, which was amazing to me! It was a great race and I am ready for Spring to be back and looking forward to another running season :)

Indianapolis Women's Half Marathon and 5K

Wow! What a race this was! I signed up for 5K since Ewelina was running it with me and she just now got into running. I didn't really know what to think about it at first. I am kind of skeptic when it comes to races that charge you extra for a T-shirt. Not that I really want another cotton shirt added to my collection but a lot of times when you are being charged extra for additional race accessories it kind of makes you wonder about the organization of the race itself. As the race was approaching I was getting more and more excited. This was a very unique event. Only women were allowed to race. It also felt special since Ewelina was running it with me. Sharing this special moment with my best friend made it AWESOME! We arrived downtown around 7:15 am...yes Ewelina was not very happy about it...she is not an early bird :) Half marathoners started at 7:30 and 5K started 10 minutes later. My Garmin watch did not find location until about half a mile into the race...love my Garmin don't get me wrong but if I forget to start it early sometimes it takes forever to get a signal...it's frustrating!! Ewelina kept up with me for about half a mile and after that she fell behind and found her own pace. The weather was not our friend. At 7:40 it was already humid and hot. First mile went ok but I sure was glad when I saw a water station at mile one marker. The water was warm but it tasted soooo good. I made it to mile two and achieved my goal of passing two women in front of me. Yeah I do that during any races I participate in. It helps me run faster somehow :) Mile two was also a Gatorade station which definitely tasted great! At that point I knew I have to give it my all with only one more mile left. As the sun was coming up it started burning more and more but I knew I will be able to maintain my under 9 minute a mile pace. Finally I saw a finish line...that's when you get the final boost of adrenaline and start running like a zombie was chasing you. There was a woman running right in front of me that I decided to beat to the finish line...well I think she got the same idea as soon as she saw me coming :) In the end I think she beat me by 0.3 second. When I finished I picked up my medal, rose and water of course! I hang out at the finish line waiting for Ewelina. Finally she made it! She beat her personal record and so did I. Post party was a lot of fun as well. There was a band called The Lemon Brothers Band which provided entertaiment. Those young band members were very good and fun! We had chocolate milk, fruit, sandwiches...and then free beer :) Our final official results were: Ewelina 32:12 at an average pace 10:23, I finished at 27:07 at 8:45 minute a mile pace. We were both happy with our results. We had a lot of fun and I hope we can run another race together again soon. 

I love the medal!!! It's my first one and I hope this is a beginning to a big collection :)

The Package Tour

Well well well...I have not been on here for months again. I stayed busy all summer. Finished spring and summer semester and have been running a lot. But the best event of Summer 2013 was The Package Tour concert. It was only a year ago when I experienced an amazing NKOTBSB concert but this year I attended something much more exciting. It does not get any better than three different boy bands. Boyz II Men, 98 Degrees and New Kids on the Block. On Sunday, August 4th at Bankers Life Fieldhouse all three bands put on a great show. I had an amazing seats and was able to see the whole stage very clearly. Besides that my seat was right at the walkway and Shawn Stockman from Boyz II Men came down from the stage and danced right next to me. That was a moment to remember however that was not all the excitement of the night. Second band on the stage was 98 Degrees. As I am standing by my seat enjoying the show this one girl comes up to me and asks if I would like to go on stage....WHAT????....I was so shocked that I said no! Stupid answer...what was I thinking? Well I missed out on some good fun because the girls that were up on stage got to be so close to 98 Degrees...hmm I am sure I am going to regret that no answer for a long time :(
After Nick, Justin, Drew and Jeff were done with their performance 2 hours of NKOTB started. Oh boy do these guys know how to put on a great show! AWESOME!!!! They sang mix of old and new songs. There was a lot of screaming coming from the audience whenever Donnie or other guys took their shirts off and let's be honest at age 40 Donnie still looks hot hot hot without a shirt :) The best part came about half way through the performance. I see these security guys rolling this huge box and setting it up next to my aisle and giving instructions to the security lady to keep the walkway clear...that means someone was coming down to dance next to us...WHAT?!!! Quietly I was hoping it would be Donnie...well guess what...IT WAS DONNIE!!! Half way through the song he is coming down and walking towards us...WHAT?!! I will be able to touch him? YES! He came down and was shaking hands with our first row...I was also the lucky one to hold his hand for a minute...he has very soft hands :) Then he hopped on this huge box that security put close to us and he sang the rest of the song next to us! That is a moment to remember for the rest of my life! Concert ended around 11:30 pm and to this day I have The Package Tour withdrawals...

Shamrock Run 2013

On Saturday, March 16th I participated in my first 4 mile run Shamrock Run. I was a little scared to do it because that's a little longer distance than what I normally do. It was a cold Saturday morning in downtown Indy. We got there pretty early and had a coffee at Starbucks. There is nothing better than an extra bust of energy before the run than hot, freshly brewed cup of Starbucks coffee :)

Race was scheduled to start at 10 am. I really couldn't wait because it was really chilly ( I don't think Spring will ever come this year, it's crazy that on March 16 the temperature is 32 degrees....I want Spring!!!! ) and I wanted to start moving :)

Run finally started and I started off pretty fast. That probably was not a good idea because at mile 1 I got a cramp in my left side. Oh that was painful but I pulled it through and did not give up. I was able to regulate my breath and it got a little better. At mile 3 I had to slow down because I got a cramp on my right side. I guess my body was just not ready for this race. :( I was able to finish with a great pride because regardless of all the pain I made it to the finish line in 38 minutes and 24 seconds. That is way better than I expected.

I was so proud of myself and I am ready to participate in more races this year. I think I became addicted to running :) Next race this coming Saturday...5 mile trail run...Oh I cannot wait....

Polish Addict

It is not a secret to people that know me that I LOVE nail polish. If I had enough time I would wear different nail polish every day. Well I don't have that much time but I change and buy new nail polish every other day :) My recent purchase was from Polish Addict 34. Laura makes her own nail polish and I must say all her colors and glitters are amazing. I own 6 different polishes from her but the one that I love the most is Spiced Cocoa!

Here is the swatch of it. I used two coats but honestly one coat would be enough. Not only is this color amazing but also the formula is perfect. Great coverage, gorgeous color with a little bit of shimmer! Currently this nail polish is on sale at her website - $4 for full size bottle. Check it out at
http://www.shoppolishaddict.bigcartel.com/ you are not going to be disappointed.

December already

And it's December already...I am actually pretty excited about it because the semester is almost over. One class is over, two accounting classes left. Two exams are going to be pretty hard but I am ready to be done with it.
I am on vacation this week and it feels great to have a little break. I have been watching my current favorite show "Flashpoint" and catching up on "M jak Milosc". I also finished this year's christmas cards. Keeping it simple this year. "Frosty Friends" by Stampin' Up.

 

Happy Holidays Everyone!!!

Kelley

Yes, I know it has been a while since my last post. I have been so crazy busy...last week has felt like a one long blur. School is sucking my energy and brain cells out I think. I had two exams last week and one more still to come...on Monday. I have been tired, exhausted and drained but I think I can pull it through. It was all worth it. On Friday I found out that I got 147 points out of a 150 on my business exam. I am so proud of myself.
Today, I also received another very nice surprise in the mail. A letter that I have been waiting on since January 15th. Yup, a letter from Kelley School of Business :-) I was ACCEPTED to Kelley starting Fall 2012 upon completion of the required classes by the end of the Summer semester. I don't think words can explained how happy I am. I can't believe that in a few months I will be able to call myself Kelley student.....
"I always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come" - Michael Jordan

New Year

WOW! I cannot believe it's 2012 already. We just got use to saying and writing 2011 and now here it is....a New Year! I would like to wish all of you and myself a healthy and a happy one!

New addition to our family

It has been a month since we added new member to our crazy family. On September 3rd my husband, his brother and I were on a way to their parents for lunch. While driving by our local pet store we noticed adoption tents. I asked to stop by just to look at the dogs. My husband noticed a little Yorkie that looked almost like Colette. He said that we should adopt him...... wow! we already have 3 dogs, I don't think we have time for one more. My husband insisted that we hold him and get to know him a little. I did not really want to do it because I exactly know what happens when you hold a dog..... Well I asked to walk him and lady informed me that Jokey ( that was his name - before we renamed him ) doesn't really know how to walk on a leash. She suggested that we take him inside the pet store to get to know him. As soon as I took this little creature in my arms I was sold. Especially after I read his story. Jokey has been rescued from puppy mill and does not really know how to be a dog. He did not know how to walk on a leash, he was scared of every single sound, pretty much of everything. Welcome Home Remy!!! 

We decided to rename him since we did not really like the name Jokey. It just did not fit him. Since Colette's name came from movie Ratatouille that is where I looked for an inspiration for a boy's name. Remy was our choice. Perfect!! 

Since the day we adopt Remy he has made an incredible progress. He walks on a leash now ( that is the only way he will go to the bathroom :), he plays with his toys, he barks... oh and he knows how to jump on a couch and our bed. We are so happy to see his transformation and I am so glad we adopted him.  

New Nail Polish

I have been addicted to nail polish for about a year now. My coworker introduced me to OPI which became my favorite polish. I love everything about it: consistency, brush size, colors and durability. Never before was I able to wear nail polish for a week without chips. OPI gives you all those qualities in one cute bottle. LOVE it!!
Lately though I have been reading more and more blogs about Essie nail polish. Most of the reviews I have read puts Essie on the same level of quality as OPI. So since I am a nail polish addict I had to try this brand. On a way home from work today I stopped at my local beauty store and picked up Essie Demure Vixen. Well, I think I like it....the consistency is a little thinner than OPI also the brush is smaller. I am not a fan of the smaller brush because I feel like I need more strokes to put an even coat but maybe with some practice I can get use to it. Color that I chose is very pretty. More settle than what I am used to. Soft and delicate...good color for work. Now I just need to wear it for about a week to check Essie's durability. So far I am happy with it and most likely will buy more of it. :)

Free Tickets

Something awesome happened yesterday.... while I was getting ready in the morning I had the radio on in the kitchen. Stephen told me that they were going to be giving away NKOTBSB tickets to the concert next week. Unfortunately when the radio station played the contest I was in the car driving so I was not able to call. Also I wasn't too confident that even if I called I would be able to get through. We all know how it is when you try to call radio stations :) busy all the time. My plan was to get to work, get my iPod on and listen for a music scramble they played for the tickets. Around 9:40 am I heard the scramble, wrote down the songs and called the radio. To my surprise I got through on the first try. The person who answer my call asked for my name and put me on hold. Few minutes later I heard the morning guy and girl on the phone asking how I was doing and how I felt about going to the concert; all I needed to do was to give them all the songs played in the scramble. Of course fan like me knew all the songs and I AM GOING TO THE CONCERT NEXT WEEK!!!! I won the tickets!!! I was so excited... well still am. I cannot believe that I was able to get those tickets on the radio.

NKOTBSB here I come!!!!!

NKOTBSB - Chicago

So it has been almost a month when I went to Chicago to see NKOTBSB. Friday, June 17th was the actual date of the concert. Those who know me since elementary school know how crazy I was about Backstreet Boys :) This year BSB joined forces with New Kids On The Block and went on tour together. When I first found out about that the closest place they were coming to was United Center - Chicago. My husband knowing how much I like BSB bought me tickets to that concert. He took a day off that day to take me there. Not only did we see the NKOTBSB (yeah, he went to the concert with me) but we also made this trip our mini vacation. We stayed at the Palmer House Hilton downtown Chicago within walking distance to the Millennium park and Navy Pier which of course we visited. 
The NKOTBSB concert was amazing. I could not believe that 40 year old men can still dance as they did 20 years ago :) They put out a great show. Each group performed their most popular songs and ended the show with "Don't Turn out the Light" that they recorded together. AMAZING!!! Love that song! Check it out on YouTube http://youtu.be/Pgie3qJibhE 

Will remember this concert forever!!!!   

Yard work

Today has been a really long day. After 2 years of ignoring my front yard, today it got its makeover. We got mulch and some new plants. I also got rid of some plants that unfortunately died this year. I am really excited about four hosta plants that I put in the ground today. I hope they like my yard and grow happily. Also my new purchase today was this beautiful ( so far on the picture only ) vanilla strawberry hydrangea. My back hurts and I think I have few blisters on my feet but I feel really happy about my front yard. Let's keep my finger crossed that all the plants survive :)

                                            Hydrangea

Front yard

And a tired dog that has been working on the yard all day, NOT! Just lazy :)

 

Long time no see :)

Wow! It has been about three months since I last wrote something here. Those were definitely crazy three months... finished spring semester with A+ in Finite Math and A- in Public Administration. I am so happy those classes are over. I was supposed to have a little break before my summer semester started however I changed my mind and signed up for summer one due to the fact that my Finite professor was doing summer one Survey to Calculus. Sounds really scary and I think it is going to be, that is why I wanted to continue with that professor, at least I know what to expect from him. 6 weeks of intense math course....
Last weekend I finally repainted my room. Ever since we bought our house about 6 years ago my room was pink and lavender ( people that owned the house before us had two girls and both bedrooms were painted in those colors ). As much as I like pink I could not stand those wall any longer so I came up with paining project for the weekend. I do not like paining at all but I really wanted to redesign my room so that I can use it for my scrap booking, homework or reading. Before it was just bleee....
So here is what this room looked like before I started painting:

Pretty pink, isn't it? Yep it also had pretty flowers on it. If I was five years old that would have been fine but not at 29 :)
After a long day of painting ( all by myself ), here is my new room:

The curtains were actually the inspiration to the wall colors. I LOVE my new room now. I want to sit here all day every day, reading my kindle or doing my homework ( yep I said homework :) Isn't that weird that I don't mind doing my homework as long as I am in my room. :)
Thanks for stopping by!