Monday, May 31, 2021

May Books

Can you believe that reading wasn't my jam growing up?! Clif Notes were my best friends in high school - I'd "read enough" to get by for a paper or test, but other than that I did not enjoy the act of reading so never did it... like ever. Maybe I wasn't reading things that held my interest or maybe it was because it was "required" so I didn't find it enjoyable, but whatever the reason, I'm glad I challenged myself to add the goal of reading 17 books in 2017 (which turned into 88 books in 201777 books in 201867 books in 2019, and 66 books in 2020). In the last year or so, especially since going back to work outside of the house full-time, the majority of my "reading" has been through audiobooks because I don't have as much time to sit and read physical books (not to mention I walk to work and walk on my lunch break so have at least two hours a day I can listen to something). Even still, holding a physical book is the bomb diggity and I hope to get back to adding more reading vs listening this year. Just like in years past, writing a monthly recap of the books I get through is a great way for me to both record what I'm reading and to stay accountable. So here are the books I finished in May:

  • Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy - I have read/ listened to some of Julie's other books so I thought I'd grab this one. I don't know why, but this one just rubbed me the wrong way a bit. Maybe it was the fact that my grandma recently went through another round of cancer, chemo and the like (so it hit too close to home) or maybe the teenage angst was a bit too real (teenage girl "playing with" and taking for granted the emotions of her best friend who loves her). I did appreciate the author taking a different route with the characters (instead of the main character, Alice, who has cancer and has been given one year to live, being super sweet and loved by all, she can be a real "b word" and doesn't seem to be dealing with the terms of her life and death in a nice, cookie-cutter way), but it was very hard to root for Alice when she was just plain mean at points. Don't get me wrong, it felt real, but I was having a hard time connecting with her (which was eye-opening... maybe I hold people to an impossible standard - like they should grieve or act the way I think they should). I wouldn't say I hated this one, it just wasn't my favorite book of Julie's. I would give it a 7.5 out of 10.

  • Alone Together: Love, Grief and Comfort in the Time of COVID-19 by Jennifer Haupt - I saw this pop up on my Hoopla app and I was intrigued. Not only was this a collect of poetry, essays and interviews about the time of COVID-19 {which I would say we are technically still living through}, but the proceeds from the book went to help independent booksellers - how awesome is that?! The book contains pieces from more than 90 authors. Many of the stories/ poems/ essays were short, but I found myself enthralled in just about every single one of them. I think because this time in our lives is so recent that everything the authors were saying still felt raw and right at the surface. I found myself nodding 'yes' or tearing up remembering those exact same emotions I had felt. Some of the topics were deep and others were light, but all of them were heartfelt. I realize I am "young", so when I say something like "I've never lived through a time such as this" might not mean much, but I still thought it was pretty powerful to have all of these writers share what life was like for them. It was insightful to hear how differently folks were impacted by this pandemic. I would give it a 9 out of 10.

  • The Art of Making Memories by Meik Wiking - I had this book favorited for a while and decided it was time to download it. As I've mentioned, I have a TERRIBLE memory (thanks to fibromyalgia and "fibro fog"). I loved listening to this book (from the CEO at the Happiness Research Institute). It was short, but the ideas were awesome. I've never really thought about what makes a moment turn into a memory, but what they've found all made sense. For example, firsts often make memories, so we should try new things (whether it's an activity, a food, a place to visit, etc) or the fact that when we engage more senses memories tend to stick better. Love that there were tips throughout the book on how to put the ideas into practice (and even suggestions on how to break a year into different tangible ways to make and solidify {happy} memories). I would give it a 9 out of 10.

  • The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim - A friend mentioned this book a while back (normally when folks post about books I screenshot it for when I need a suggestion on something to read/ listen to) so when I noticed it in the "New" section of my Hoopla app I grabbed it. Although this was a novel, I appreciate that it opened my eyes to a world I know very little about - the life of an immigrant. This was the story of a mother and daughter, switching back and forth between both perspectives (and two different times - the last 80s and 2014). I really liked how the two stories fit together (obviously they would, I mean it's a mother and daughter, but to see how people experience things completely differently is always eye opening and a great reminder to not assume how I see the world is how others see/ experience it). I won't give anything away, but I sort of loved the way the story concluded. Everyone has a story to tell, a life they lead, and although we may know nothing about it, we should treat others with all the respect and love possible. I would give it an 8.5 out of 10.

  • The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune - A friend had said this was their favorite book of the year thus far, so once it FINALLY became available I had to snag it. They mentioned it was like Harry Potter (which, shocker, I have never read any of the books or seen any of the movies) mixed with Umbrella Academy, so I wasn't sold, especially since I'm normally not a Sci Fi sorta gal, but I downloaded it anyway. I mean, they said it was like a Pixar movie in book form, so I had to give it a shot, right?! OH MY GOODNESS, they were 100% right and I LOVED it (and am now rethinking my avoidance of Harry Potter ;)). The story is heartwarming, weird, funny, compassionate, heartbreaking, courageous, love-filled and everything in between. I will say I read it from an LGBTQ+ perspective so the "magical" kids were even more impactful and meaningful for me, but even if you took it "at face value" it's still an amazing story. This is definitely one I will be buying a physical copy of (and recommending to everyone - kids and adults alike). The world needs more people willing to stand up for those who need it most. I pray I can be part of the solution (and that you'll join me). I would give it a 10 out of 10. 

  • The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune - Since I loved The House in the Cerulean Sea so much, I figured I'd try out another one of the author's book and my Hoopla app had this one available. I will be honest, I didn't love it as much, but that could be because I am normally not a huge superhero fan. Don't get me wrong, I appreciated the queer coming-of-age story of a fanboy with ADHD, but I felt like it was pretty predictable and I never really got lost in the story itself. I definitely didn't hate it (and when the sequel pops up on the app I'm sure I'll give it a listen), but it wasn't as amazing as the previous book I read of his. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

With that, May has come to a close. My reading may not be going gang-busters like it has in the past, but I hope it never completely stops. If you have any suggestions, let me know! I'm always willing to add them to my library wait list! 

PS I created an Amazon list that includes all of the books I've read and would recommend to others. Check it out!

What was the best book you've read lately? 

Sunday, May 30, 2021

Workout Recap - Week 22

Sunday, May 23rd – Hiked Yellowstone 

Monday, May 24th – Hiked Yellowstone

Tuesday, May 25th – Hiked Yellowstone

Wednesday, May 26th – Rest Day

Thursday, May 27th – Hiked Grand Teton [recap coming soon]

Friday, May 28th – Hiked Grand Teton [recap coming soon]

Saturday, May 29th – Rest Day

If you know the hubby and I, you know we weren't planning to just sit around on this trip - we'd be hiking and exploring. Now, hear me out, it might not have been as active as trips in the past (first due to the weather {we were dealing with blizzard conditions in Yellowstone} and second due to the fact that the hubby's dad and his wife met us, so we were keeping them in mind when planning the hikes and daily excursions). I will be recapping each day individually (that way it will be more digestible chunks rather than just one HUGER THAN HUGE post) and link back to them when they go live. All that to say, we definitely got in our fair share of steps and saw a decent chunk of the National Parks we visited.

How were your workouts this past week?

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Walt Wednesday

Some people do a "Wordless Wednesday" post, where they simply share a photo or image, but I thought I'd make a little series out of my Wednesdays. And since I love alliteration so much, why not go with Walt Wednesdays (obviously everyone can use a little break from the seriousness, scariness and sassiness of life - and what better way to help put a smile on your face than with a cute wiener dog picture, am I right?!)... So, without further ado...

WALT WEDNESDAY!

When life gets overwhelming, how do you de-stress?

Sunday, May 23, 2021

Workout Recap - Week 21

Sunday, May 16th – 5.05 solo miles, 4.04 mile run with the hubby

Monday, May 17th – 90 minutes on the stationary bike

Tuesday, May 18th – 13.11 mile run

Wednesday, May 19th – 90 minutes on the stationary bike, 5.05 mile run

Thursday, May 20th – Hiked Grand Staircase-Escalante

Friday, May 21st – Rest Day

Saturday, May 22nd – 5K run with the hubby in Idaho

The hubby and I left on an almost two week road trip (from Oceanside to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks) Wednesday after I got off work. I tried to get in a decent amount of running prior to leaving because I figured the majority of my workouts while on the road would be more hikes than runs (not a bad thing, just a different type of mileage). Stoked I was able to get in 27.25 PAIN-FREE miles in the first half of the week and went into the trip without any twinges/ niggles. 

How were your workouts this past week?

Thursday, May 20, 2021

My New York City Marathon Update

If you've been around my corner of the InterWebs for a while, you may remember my drama surrounding the New York City Marathon. If not (first off, welcome and thanks for finding me!) or you've forgotten, let me give you a brief rundown:

  •  I qualified for the 2020 (50th Annual) New York City Marathon by training my booty off and running a 1:32:50 half marathon at the REVEL Big Bear Half in November of 2019. {Read the race recap HERE}


  • Qualifying for the NYC Marathon does not guarantee you a place at the starting line of the race. There are only a limited amount of spots for qualified runners and once they've all been taken, they're gone. On the morning of registration I was volunteering at one of our local elementary school jog-a-thons. I got on the website within 90 minutes of the registration going live and the spots were all gone. {Read about the heartbreak HERE}


  • I entered the lottery for the NYC Marathon (for a FOURTH TIME) in hopes that even though I qualified for the race, I might be able to be one of the lucky few to snag a spot to the starting line through the random drawing. {Read about the crazy stats of how many people entered the lottery and how few got in HERE}


  • While waiting to hear back about the lottery, the hubby made an off-handed comment about going to New York City and running a marathon even if I didn't get selected... Um, you don't have to tell me twice! I honestly pondered (and even started planning a bit) about doing a solo run along the official course, but on a different weekend (which would also be cheaper #FrugalCarlee ;)). {Read about the hubby's great idea HERE}


  • Once I got the official "NO" from NYRR about the race, THEE Pavement Runner actually offered to fundraise on my behalf so that I could go and run. He wanted me to have the full experience and was willing to take on the LARGE fundraising goal for little ol' me! {Read about why Pavey is THE BEST EVER HERE}


  • Before I took Pavey up on his offer, I tried one last option and reached out to my contact at New Balance (one of the title sponsors for the race) through the running store I work at to see if they happened to have any spare entries that would be willing to allow me to use. I was beyond stoked when NB came through and got me access to the race. {Read about how I finally got to register for the NYC Marathon HERE}


  • Then, as you're well aware, COVID-19 hit, life as we knew it stopped and, along with everything else, the 2020 New York City Marathon was cancelled to try and help keep everyone safe and to stop the spread of the virus.

Source

  • Once there appeared to be a "light at the end of the pandemic tunnel" NYRR decided on the next course of action. The runners who had registered for the 2020 New York City Marathon would be able to roll over their registration and submit their preference in running future races (picking between the 2021, 2022 and 2023 races). Preferences would be taken into consideration (runners were able to rank their top two years), but not guaranteed. I talked it over with the hubby, since he had never been to New York City before and this trip would be just as much about him as it would be about my running. He said that he would prefer we wait until at least 2022 (at that point we were not even sure if the 2021 race would go on as scheduled). He wanted to really "experience" NYC and was worried if we went in 2021 things he wanted to see/ do would still be closed/ limited. With that said, I submitted my preferences of 2022 as my first choice and 2023 as option number two.


  • As of today, over 18 months after qualifying, I officially received word that I'm "in" for the 2022 New York City Marathon! Now obviously A TON can happen in the next 18 months (if the last 18 months are any indication), but I am hopeful and feel like we're moving in the right direction. NYC HERE I COME... eventually ;) 


Wow. Who knew there would be THIS MANY twists and turns with a single race?! Whatever the case (and whenever I am lucky enough to arrive at the starting line) you better believe I'm going to make every moment as memorable as possible!

Have you ever been to New York City before?

Wednesday, May 19, 2021

Walt Wednesday

Some people do a "Wordless Wednesday" post, where they simply share a photo or image, but I thought I'd make a little series out of my Wednesdays. And since I love alliteration so much, why not go with Walt Wednesdays (obviously everyone can use a little break from the seriousness, scariness and sassiness of life - and what better way to help put a smile on your face than with a cute wiener dog picture, am I right?!)... So, without further ado...

WALT WEDNESDAY!

When life gets overwhelming, how do you de-stress?

Sunday, May 16, 2021

Workout Recap - Week 20

Sunday, May 9th – 8.08 mile run with the hubby

Monday, May 10th – 90 minutes on the stationary bike

Tuesday, May 11th – 85 minutes on the stationary bike, 5.05 mile run

Wednesday, May 12th – 10.10 mile run

Thursday, May 13th – 90 minutes on the stationary bike

Friday, May 14th – Rest Day

Saturday, May 15th – 13.13 mile run 

Don't call it a comeback, but HOLY CRAPOLY, this week was good! Sure, my legs felt like cement at times and my paces aren't where they used to be, but I smiled on my runs and got in more miles than I have in a long time - 36.36 miles this week! The hubby and I'll be leaving on Wednesday for an almost two week road trip, so I'm sure my running miles will be drastically cut for the coming days, but knowing I CAN run more miles without any pain or twinges is AMAZEBALLS!

How were your workouts this past week?

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Walt Wednesday

Some people do a "Wordless Wednesday" post, where they simply share a photo or image, but I thought I'd make a little series out of my Wednesdays. And since I love alliteration so much, why not go with Walt Wednesdays (obviously everyone can use a little break from the seriousness, scariness and sassiness of life - and what better way to help put a smile on your face than with a cute wiener dog picture, am I right?!)... So, without further ado...

WALT WEDNESDAY!

When life gets overwhelming, how do you de-stress?

Sunday, May 9, 2021

Workout Recap - Week 19

Sunday, May 2nd – 5 mile run with the hubby

Monday, May 3rd – 90 minutes on the stationary bike

Tuesday, May 4th – 90 minutes on the stationary bike, 4 mile run

Wednesday, May 5th – 10.10 mile run

Thursday, May 6th – 90 minutes on the stationary bike

Friday, May 7th – Rest Day

Saturday, May 8th – 6.5 mile run [in honor of my Daddy O's 65th birthday]

Surprisingly I got in a couple "longer than normal" runs for me this week (one to help bring awareness to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2Spirit Peoples and one in honor of my padre) and the body still feels great! I hit over 25 miles in one week for the first time since mid-March - WOWZER! The hubby and I will be heading out of town in another week and a half (and dialing back the running a bit, I'm sure, due to travel), but I'm excited to be near or over 20 miles in a week for the next week or so. Again, taking it nice and easy to make sure I can continue running injury-free!

How were your workouts this past week?

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Walt Wednesday

Some people do a "Wordless Wednesday" post, where they simply share a photo or image, but I thought I'd make a little series out of my Wednesdays. And since I love alliteration so much, why not go with Walt Wednesdays (obviously everyone can use a little break from the seriousness, scariness and sassiness of life - and what better way to help put a smile on your face than with a cute wiener dog picture, am I right?!)... So, without further ado...

WALT WEDNESDAY!

When life gets overwhelming, how do you de-stress?

Sunday, May 2, 2021

Workout Recap - Week 18

Sunday, April 25th – 5 mile run with the hubby

Monday, April 26th – 90 minutes on the stationary bike

Tuesday, April 27th – 90 minutes on the stationary bike, 4 mile run

Wednesday, April 28th – 90 minutes on the stationary bike

Thursday, April 29th – 90 minutes on the stationary bike, 4 mile run

Friday, April 30th – Rest Day

Saturday, May 1st – 8.08 mile run

It might not seem big, but it is! I finally ran over 20 miles in a week and was completely pain-free! I also did my longest run in quite a while - 8 miles! BOOYA! Still planning to keep the midweek runs shorter (4 or so miles seems doable if I am also riding the stationary bike), but I'm pretty excited that I might be able to bump up the weekend mileage a bit (or maybe add in another run day during the week)! Don't you worry, though, I'm still keeping everything dialed back. I'd rather be safe than sorry, so if that means less overall running to make sure I am preventing injury, then that's what it's gotta be!

How were your workouts this past week?