Hello and happy March! I wish I could say happy spring, but it truly doesn’t feel like spring in Kansas City. I think the Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes summed it up the best…I am sick of the snow!
I need Kansas City to warm up a little bit…. it’s been about 3 months now below freezing
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) March 3, 2019
Also, just had to share this part of an email from my granddad after my running post last week. My granddad used to run all the time (multiple marathons, including Boston!) and his fueling advice made me laugh. Totally sound, but I don’t think you would catch a lot of runners drinking soda on the course these days!
Interesting read on your half-marathon training and hydration. For what it’s worth, I always took a 20 oz. bottle in a holder I strapped around my waist with me. I filled it with half Pepsi and half water. The caffeine and sugar in the Pepsi seemed to help my energy level. If you prefer Gatorade, you might try mixing it half and half, or even weaker, since you had some problems with it full strength.
I made this illustration last week of one of our football players. I’ve never done anything like this before but it was really fun trying out a new technique. I want to work on more digital (and paper!) illustrations in the future.
I was pretty sick last week – just a normal head cold, but still the worst. My mom suggested I take this elderberry syrup (also comes in gummies!). It’s a natural remedy and I took the ‘intensive routine,’ 4 doses of 10ml per day, while I was sick. I think it definitely shortened the amount of time I was sick for. I’m continuing to take the gummies once a day while it’s still cold season and I really think it’s helping.
I love Topo Chico with a twist of lime but cannot find it ANYWHERE in Kansas City or Lawrence except for Chipotle. Anyone have advice???
Loving Lately
Watching:
The Bachelor
Obviously!! I just finished the iconic ‘fence jumping’ episode with my roommates. The Bachelor at its core is honestly terrible, but it’s so entertaining to watch with friends.
I watched this movie last week with a few of my roommates. I haven’t laughed so much at a movie in a long while. Rebel Wilson is hilarious and I loved hearing Liam Hemsworth in his real accent. Highly recommend.
Eating:
Cara cara oranges
More people should know about these!! They were on sale at Aldi last week and I snagged a bag of 7 for 2.50. They’re sweeter, a little like a blood orange, and the best snack. I have a huge sweet tooth and always feel like I have to have something sweet after a meal for dessert and this makes a good, healthier substitute for dessert. (Although I still end up eating dessert afterward, don’t be fooled!)
Cinnamon roll pull-apart bread
This was a total kitchen experiment for me. I took pre-made biscuit dough and laid each biscuit out with the edges slightly overlapping, then flattened them as much as I could. I then made the cinnamon mixture (1 tbsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 4 tbsp melted butter) and spooned it out over the top.
You’ll end up with lots of extra liquid after spooning it out and spreading it across the biscuits – save it for later. Then roll them all together into one big roll, then cut it into slices like you would with a normal cinnamon roll. After laying them out in the pan, pour the extra liquid on top. Bake according to the biscuit instructions on the package. These were so good and definitely a treat.
I found this recipe that seems similar and made it yesterday. It’s more like monkey bread, but takes a little more time than the above recipe. I used brown sugar instead of white sugar for a richer flavor and I think that made it much better.
Wanting:
More Outdoor Voices pieces! If you haven’t seen it already, check out my blog post from last week about the pieces that I own. I’m very curious about the OV Hoka Cliftons, because my main workout is running. I can’t justify that purchase right now though while I have perfectly good running shoes, so this might be my next pair after I wear my current pair out. However, I’ve read that they’re heavier and I love how lightweight my current running shoes are, so I’m not sure. If you’ve tried the Hoka Cliftons let me know!
Outdoor Voices is a brand all about #DoingThings. #DoingThings means being active and moving just for the sake of feeling good. Instead of being the fastest and strongest person out there, you’re moving – with friends – and getting fit for fun. I am by no means the healthiest or fittest I could be, but I’m proud of my body. I’m able to run a half marathon, strength lift, rock climb and more.
I’ve eyed this brand from afar for the past year, but I finally made my first purchase from this brand! Not only is their mission amazing but they also have the best and cutest clothing.
Their founder, Ty Haney, is the total definition of a girl boss. Not only does she cheer for the Jayhawks (which I love), but she also founded her own activewear company before she was 30. This article from Outside Magazine and this article from Vogue both sum up her aspirations and energy perfectly.
From their website…”If you like having fun, we’ll get along. We’re joggers, dog walkers, hikers, and dribble-dribblers — a community of Recreationalists who prefer a pickup game with friends to slashing seconds off a time. We inspire Doing Things together by Doing Things Together.” Most workout gear nowadays is either neon or black, but I love bright colors in my entire wardrobe. Outdoor Voices has cute styles and colors that I love sporting to the gym or on a walk outside.
I get really overheated when I work out, so I prefer exercising without a shirt if I can. The crops are a perfect solution for me. They provide extra coverage, but they’re still freeing. They’re also super cute! I’m wearing the Venus Crop in Rose/Clay/Flamingo, but I also own the Athena Crop in Flamingo. I have a smaller chest and I’ve found that these work great for running, but you might want to pick one of their more supportive bras if you have a larger chest.
I’m also wearing the 3/4 Warmup Legging in Flamingo. While I wouldn’t wear them for running (I prefer a higher waist and different material), I would definitely wear these for weight-lifting or a pilates/yoga class.
A better look at the textured compression material
Other Outdoor Voices pieces that I’ve been eyeing (in brighter colors, of course!)…
I’m running my third (?!) half marathon this April. Ever since taking a running class – one of those one-credit, just-for-fun classes – I’ve fallen in love with running. If you told me this in high school or even freshman year of college, I would have said you were crazy. I’ve found that I’m really into the sense of accomplishment you get after running and just how easy it is to move and get started.
As I train for the Rock the Parkway half marathon this spring, I wanted to make a difference. I’m aiming to raise at least $200 as I’ll be running 200 miles from February to April to be prepared for the half.
Join me in supporting Children’s Mercy, a nonprofit hospital, as part of the Burns & McDonnell Rock the Parkway on April 13! With your help, we can make a difference in the lives of patients and their families at Children’s Mercy. The link is here to donate – thank you!
My previous experiences
This photo totally cracks me up – I forced myself to smile every time I saw my mom with her camera so I wouldn’t look like I was in pain!
Previously when training for my other two half marathons, I roughly followed the Hal Higdon Novice 1 training plan. I say roughly because I didn’t keep up with it very well and let myself taper off my training when I needed it most, getting closer to the race. It didn’t affect me much for my first half (I did much better than I expected), but it definitely did for my second half. All I wanted to do for my first half was just finish, but I wanted to beat my time for my second half. I ended up missing it by about 3 minutes. I did just about everything you could do wrong in my training for both of those half marathons!
The technique that I used to train for my first two half marathons was the Jeff Galloway method. The method uses a run-walk technique, i.e. run for 3 minutes, walk for 45 seconds (and other combinations). This is very popular for making it easier to run longer distances as well as run faster. I really liked it; however, I found myself relying on the walking times even when I was able to start running again. For my third half marathon, I want to run the whole thing as much as possible.
Training plan schedule
I’m using the Hal Higdon plan again, but this time I’m using the Novice 2 program. This program has more days of running and takes the long run up to 12 miles the week before the race instead of 10 miles. I’m on week 5 and I’ve been loving it so far. My class schedule is also a lot freer this semester and that makes a big difference for me. I prefer running in the late morning/afternoon and I’m able to do that easily. My advice below is based on both Hal Higdon’s plan and my personal experience. I would recommend reading his plan if you want a more in-depth look.
Recovery runs
Tuesday through Thursday’s runs should be at a comfortable pace. They’re recovery runs to shake out your legs but keep up your fitness. Since these runs are short, you could combine weight training on these days. If I have time, I normally try to do ab or arm workouts after these runs. The ‘pace’ runs means you should be running at your ideal race pace for the half marathon.
Long runs
Sometimes I run the long runs on Sundays and cross-train on another day. The schedule is fairly flexible throughout the week if you end up needing to skip a 3-mile or 4-mile day, but the long runs are essential. Not only do they build your physical endurance, but they build your mental endurance as well. You should run these slower than your race pace, at least 30-90 seconds slower. The adrenaline on race day will push you through the course!
Cross-training
For the cross-training days, the biggest thing you need to do is just move! I find myself stiff and sore if I don’t do anything the day after a long run. This includes biking, swimming, walking and even Zumba or rollerblading. I really want to start swimming for my cross-training because it’s so low-impact but still effective. If you have advice for swimming workouts, I’d love to hear.
Hydration
I did say I want to run as much as possible, but that doesn’t mean I’m not ruling out walking completely. I started training my stomach this week with my long runs. In races, they usually have Gatorade and water at the aid stations. Previously when I drank Gatorade during the race, it upset my stomach, but that was because I didn’t train with it at all. I started slowing my pace enough to walk after every mile, long enough to drink a disposable cup’s worth (think a Dixie cup – 3 or 5oz) of Gatorade. I felt much less dehydrated after the run than I normally do, so I’ll keep this up. On my first 10 mile run ever I ended up having to call my friends to pick me up because I was so dehydrated…I won’t make that mistake again!
If you have questions about training for a half marathon, let me know! I would love to help. I’m also using the hashtag #hannahtohalf on my Instagram and post all the time on my stories about my training if you want to follow along.
If you choose to donate to Children’s Mercy for my fundraiser, leave a comment below. I’d love to personally thank you!
Hello – it’s been a while! I’m coming off of a very long work week with my internship with the football team. I love every second of working there and signing day last Wednesday was super fun to be involved with. I’m ready for spring practice to start to get some more action in my photos and videos.
I love sharing product/media recommendations with my friends and these kinds of posts are my favorite to read, so I want to share more of them around here. Let me know if you like it!
What I wore for signing day (yikes I need to clean my mirror)
sweater (only $20, red not available) // necklace (custom with the Color Bar in the Maddie style)
Behind the scenes of the signing day show
Loving Lately
Watching:
Good Girls The series follows three suburban mothers, two of whom are sisters, who are having a hard time trying to make ends meet. They are tired of having everything taken away from them so they decide to pull off an unlikely heist by robbing a supermarket, only to discover that they’re in for more than they bargained. Their successful robbery attracts the attention of the store manager after he recognizes one of the women, but for a different reason altogether than just the money. (summary from Wikipedia)
My mom recommended this to me last year and I was watching too many shows at the time, so I didn’t ever watch when it was on air. I started it around 1pm on Sunday and by 5pm I was halfway through the season! This is a pretty lighthearted show and it’s funnier than I expected. The second season comes back on March 3rd and I’m excited to continue to watch.
Grown-ish This is a spin-off of Black-ish, following the oldest child, Zoey, as she goes to college and experiences life on her own. This show is definitely relatable at points and I love how honest and open they are about the different parts of college. I find myself relating a lot of their situations back to my own experiences through college.
Good Trouble Another spin-off here! I loved watching The Fosters and would happily binge-watch it over and over again. This series follows Callie and Mariana post-grad living in LA. Callie works as a clerk for a judge and Mariana works at a tech start-up. I loved watching the two of them and following their stories through The Fosters, so I love keeping up with their characters. They also bring back other members of the family to guest star in different episodes, which is a fun element.
Listening:
I never thought I would be a podcast kind of girl but I’ve recently become so into Brooke Miccio and Danielle Carolan’s podcast, Gals on the Go. I listen to it while I’m running and I think it’s a great intro to podcasts because I already watch their videos so I’m used to their voices, and it’s fun to hear them talk about recent topics and also just chat about their lives. I also like Katy Bellotte’s podcast, Thick and Thin. It’s fun to hear people in the same stage of life as you are and just hear about how they’re handling their lives.
I’m obsessed with Maggie Rogers lately and her new album, Heard It In A Past Life. Maggie’s voice is so unique and different from anything I hear on the radio lately. If you like Florence and the Machine, you’ll definitely appreciate Maggie’s sound. Overnight and Back in My Body are two of my favorite songs off the album.
Eating:
Hershey’s Lava Cake Kisses These Hershey Kisses are my favorite kind of all time. They’re dark chocolate with a melted center. Last year they were branded as Truffle Kisses and only around until Valentine’s Day, so if you’re wanting to try, get them quick! I may or may not have stocked up on a few bags or more.
Oreo Cheesecake Dip The name alone should be enticing enough. I’ve made this recipe for two game nights with friends so far and it was a huge hit. They pair really well with Nilla wafers and I imagine it’d be really good with strawberries as well. Just make sure you’re whipping together everything really well so that the cream cheese is evenly mixed throughout. I put way more Oreos in than normal as well.
Wanting:
More Outdoor Voices pieces! I’m writing a review soon on the pieces I already have, so be on the lookout for that. I’m very curious about the OV Hoka Cliftons, because my main workout is running. I can’t justify that purchase right now though while I have perfectly good running shoes, so this might be my next pair after I wear my current pair out.
I’m back (at school!) Coming off of winter break and back to starting school has me in that transition period of finding my routine again. Instead of having a normal syllabus week, we started with no school Monday for Martin Luther King Day and then a snow day on Wednesday, so this week is really my true first week of school. I meal prepped breakfast burritos and vegetables this afternoon, so I’m set for the rest of the week.
I always pick up a lot of books to read over the winter break and then end up reading more once I go back to school. The Libby app is my favorite – it connects to your library card and you can read books on the app. It’s super user-friendly and I like the interface. I love physical books from the library to read at night, but since I’m normally on the go, I tend to borrow most of my books in the digital format. I also have a really bad habit of not remembering to return my books on time, so digital is great because it does the work for you!
Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi – 2 stars
This had really good writing, but I couldn’t get into the plot itself. I thought that it was okay until the two main characters started texting and the texts were written into the book. I understand that’s part of the whole premise, but it was really hard to follow which character was texting because the fonts/colors didn’t change at all. I couldn’t finish it before I had to return it to the library (and didn’t really mind not finishing it!).
Photo from @simonteen on Instagram
For Penny Lee high school was a total nonevent. Her friends were okay, her grades were fine, and while she somehow managed to land a boyfriend, he doesn’t actually know anything about her. When Penny heads to college in Austin, Texas, to learn how to become a writer, it’s seventy-nine miles and a zillion light years away from everything she can’t wait to leave behind.
Sam’s stuck. Literally, figuratively, emotionally, financially. He works at a café and sleeps there too, on a mattress on the floor of an empty storage room upstairs. He knows that this is the god-awful chapter of his life that will serve as inspiration for when he’s a famous movie director but right this second the seventeen bucks in his checking account and his dying laptop are really testing him.
When Sam and Penny cross paths it’s less meet-cute and more a collision of unbearable awkwardness. Still, they swap numbers and stay in touch—via text—and soon become digitally inseparable, sharing their deepest anxieties and secret dreams without the humiliating weirdness of having to see each other.
The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory – 3 stars
This was super cute and a very easy and quick read. I liked it for a while but didn’t love the ending or how the characters acted toward their relationship in the end. However, it was easy enough for me to get through in a couple days. P.S. This isn’t the same story as the 2004 movie!
Photo by @thelittlebookshelf on Instagram
Agreeing to go to a wedding with a guy she gets stuck with in an elevator is something Alexa Monroe wouldn’t normally do. But there’s something about Drew Nichols that’s too hard to resist.
On the eve of his ex’s wedding festivities, Drew is minus a plus one. Until a power outage strands him with the perfect candidate for a fake girlfriend…
After Alexa and Drew have more fun than they ever thought possible, Drew has to fly back to Los Angeles and his job as a pediatric surgeon, and Alexa heads home to Berkeley, where she’s the mayor’s chief of staff. Too bad they can’t stop thinking about the other…
They’re just two high-powered professionals on a collision course toward the long distance dating disaster of the century–or closing the gap between what they think they need and what they truly want…
The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory – 3 stars
Had to read the sequel…until I realized it wasn’t the sequel. My fault for not checking the summary in advance. Still, it was another cute, easy read. I liked The Wedding Date better! I don’t think I’ll read her third book, unless I need a beach read type of story.
Photo by @readwithjenn on Instagram
When freelance writer Nikole Paterson goes to a Dodgers game with her actor boyfriend, his man bun, and his bros, the last thing she expects is a scoreboard proposal. Saying no isn’t the hard part–they’ve only been dating for five months, and he can’t even spell her name correctly. The hard part is having to face a stadium full of disappointed fans…
At the game with his sister, Carlos Ibarra comes to Nik’s rescue and rushes her away from a camera crew. He’s even there for her when the video goes viral and Nik’s social media blows up–in a bad way. Nik knows that in the wilds of LA, a handsome doctor like Carlos can’t be looking for anything serious, so she embarks on an epic rebound with him, filled with food, fun, and more. But when their glorified hookups start breaking the rules, one of them has to be smart enough to put on the brakes…
The Choice by Nicholas Sparks – 1.5 stars
Not a fan. It was just okay? Maybe I’d appreciate the movie more, but I thought I might like the story. It kind of fell flat for me. I can’t really discuss the main issue I had with the ending without spoiling it, so message me if you want to know my real qualms with it!
Photo by @abibliophilesbooks on Instagram
Travis Parker has everything a man could want: a good job, loyal friends, even a waterfront home in small-town North Carolina. In full pursuit of the good life – boating, swimming , and regular barbecues with his good-natured buddies — he holds the vague conviction that a serious relationship with a woman would only cramp his style. That is, until Gabby Holland moves in next door. Spanning the eventful years of young love, marriage and family, THE CHOICE ultimately confronts us with the most heartwrenching question of all: how far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?
The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks – 1 star
Not sure why I wasted my time on another Nicholas Sparks book after reading The Choice! This was so boring and another cookie cutter Nicholas Sparks plotline, not to mention it was all over the place. The ‘villian’ character was way too predictable and was so static. Some of his movies are great (I’m obsessed with The Longest Ride) but most of them fall short for me. I did just find out that Zac Efron stars in this one though…so I’ll probably end up watching it anyway.
Photo by @grandcentralpub on Instagram
When U.S. Marine Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a smiling young woman half-buried in the dirt during his third tour of duty in Iraq, his first instinct is to toss it aside. Instead, he brings it back to the base for someone to claim, but when no one does, he finds himself always carrying the photo in his pocket. Soon Thibault experiences a sudden streak of luck—winning poker games and even surviving deadly combat that kills two of his closest buddies. Only his best friend, Victor, seems to have an explanation for his good fortune: the photograph—his lucky charm.
Back home in Colorado, Thibault can’t seem to get the photo—and the woman in it—out of his mind. Believing that she somehow holds the key to his destiny, he sets out on a journey across the country to find her, never expecting the strong but vulnerable woman he encounters in Hampton, North Carolina—Elizabeth, a divorced mother with a young son—to be the girl he’s been waiting his whole life to meet. Caught off guard by the attraction he feels, Thibault keeps the story of the photo, and his luck, a secret. As he and Elizabeth embark upon a passionate and all-consuming love affair, the secret he is keeping will soon threaten to tear them apart—destroying not only their love, but also their lives.
Books I’m eyeing:
Normally I’m not big on reading romance books, so I was surprised to look back at my books this month. Below are some books that are definitely on my list to read next. I also have all my book picks to read on my Goodreads. I don’t rate books on there, but I like keeping track of the books that I’ve read and it’s an easy way to have a running list of books that interest me.
Sadie by Courtney Summers
I was initially super drawn in by the cover – I’m a sucker for good design. But this plot seems really interesting. I’ve listened to a few true-crime podcasts (Dr. Death, Dirty John) and really enjoyed them, so I’m curious to see how the podcast will play out in literary form.
Photo by @lifeinlit on Instagram
A missing girl on a journey of revenge. A Serial―like podcast following the clues she’s left behind. And an ending you won’t be able to stop talking about.
Sadie hasn’t had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she’s been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.
But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie’s entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister’s killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.
When West McCray―a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America―overhears Sadie’s story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie’s journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it’s too late.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
I never got to read this at the height of its popularity because it was always taken at the library, but I want to read this before the movie comes out with Cate Blanchett! The movie comes out March 22nd and I hope it lives up to the hype of the book.
Photo by @littlebrown on Instagram
Bernadette Fox has vanished.
When her daughter Bee claims a family trip to Antarctica as a reward for perfect grades, Bernadette, a fiercely intelligent shut-in, throws herself into preparations for the trip. But worn down by years of trying to live the Seattle life she never wanted, Ms. Fox is on the brink of a meltdown. And after a school fundraiser goes disastrously awry at her hands, she disappears, leaving her family to pick up the pieces–which is exactly what Bee does, weaving together an elaborate web of emails, invoices, and school memos that reveals a secret past Bernadette has been hiding for decades. Where’d You Go Bernadette is an ingenious and unabashedly entertaining novel about a family coming to terms with who they are and the power of a daughter’s love for her mother.
What books have you been reading lately? I’d love to know!
Last semester (fall 2018) was a breeze compared to my previous two years. I switched out of the graphic design major, kept my journalism major and added the sport management minor. While my new classes aren’t very challenging, I’m enjoying the shift in studies. I especially enjoyed my Sport Communication class last semester as we explored social media in sport. I even taught myself app design for an assignment, which has inspired me to try to design my portfolio website!
This semester is my last semester ever of college, which is crazy to type. As I tell more people about my senior status, and get the inevitable ‘so what are you doing after graduation?’ question, I’ve been thinking about my college career more than ever. I’m looking for a creative job in the collegiate space, much like my internships that I have now, so keep your fingers crossed for me, please! I’m only taking 9 credit hours – 3 classes – this semester, and I’m definitely going to take advantage of enjoying senior year.
Social life
Living on a different side of campus has also increased my social life significantly. I’ve also been aiming to say ‘yes’ a lot more to doing things in general, and I haven’t regretted it since. I’m living in a ‘senior house’ with five other girls in my sorority this year. I absolutely love it and all the little things about it, like having my own room (!!), having a kitchen to use whenever I want and just having more space in general. That said, it’s certainly been an adjustment period with handling the bills between my roommates, trying (and often failing) to keep a consistent cleaning schedule and buying my own groceries. (Although I was able to eat at my internship with KU football a lot this fall so I can’t say that I cooked much!) Decorating my space has been my favorite part – be on the lookout for a house tour coming soon.
Internships
This March will mark two years of my internship with the KU football team and I have loved every minute of it. I even got to travel for my 1st away game to the University of Oklahoma..and somehow got involved in the game action.
I’ve learned so much and I’m constantly teaching myself new skills to use in our designs. Along with football, I also started my social media internship with KU Athletics this fall. Instead of just working with the football team, I’m working with all sports and getting the opportunity to photograph a range of action. It’s certainly been a challenge and adjustment going from sport-to-sport – who knew there was such a big difference going from horizontal movement in soccer and football to vertical movement in basketball? I’ve learned to embrace the challenge though and my photo skills have definitely grown from it.
Travel
I’m so excited to share that I have a big trip planned in June, but I don’t want to reveal where I’m going just yet. This will be my first time to this continent (a small feat considering the Riviera Maya in Mexico was my furthest trip outside of the U.S.) and I’ve been eagerly researching all the little details of my trip since I booked it this fall.
Fitness
Since I ran my second half marathon this November, my fitness efforts have been very lackluster. I came home for winter break and took full advantage of the holiday season and I’m 100% okay with that. Despite this, I still like the feeling of accomplishment I get after working out, especially with running, so I’m slowly making my way back into a consistent fitness routine. I don’t have a gym at home over the break, so I’ve been doing home workouts just using resistance bands and running on my own. I’m hoping to establish my workout routine again by February, so I have a bit of adjustment to figure out how it fits into my class and work schedules. I’m alternating between runs, the Nike Training Club app and the John Benton Model Fitness program (new to me). I’ll do a post on my routine once I actually get it settled.
2018 recap
Below is a video from some of my adventures in the fall semester – I loved (almost) every second of it and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for next semester.
I wrote my previous 101 in 1001 list in February 2016, my spring semester of freshman year. It is absolutely crazy to me to think back on the stage of my life that I was in then – I’ve grown and changed so much and I’m now a senior in college (!!). This is a list to complete 101 things in 1001 days. Previously, I accomplished only 63 items on my list (you can see the old one here!). It was meant to be completed by November 22nd, 2018. However, I was super overzealous in a lot of my goals.
Goals I didn’t accomplish:
Complete all 101 items
Have a picnic
Keep up with an editorial calendar for a month
My posting is very sporadic – I would love to improve upon this!
Donate blood
Hit 10,000 steps every day for a month
Dialing this back to a week would have been a much more reasonable goal
Take a self-portrait every day for two weeks
Do a 30-day photo challenge
Take care of a plant until it blooms
I tried with a cactus and still maintain that my dad killed it
Reach 1,000 followers on Twitter
Reach 1,000 followers on Instagram
Read ten nonfiction books
Go to sleep at 9pm every night and wake up at 7am for a week
I woke up at 7am almost every day for my 8am classes in the 2018 fall semester, but going to bed at 9pm was not going to happen
Journal every night for a month
Again, I should have scaled this back to just a week!
Get 100 service hours in a year
50 service hours would have been way more attainable
Score in intramural outdoor soccer
I’ve never been that athletic but I still participate..oh well!
Try cutting out added sugar for a week
Finish all Codecademy courses
Go without social media for a week
Not possible with my job literally being social media!
Go to the ballet
Go skiing
Make a 1-minute long stop motion video
Take a cooking class
Study abroad
Wasn’t feasible the way my major worked out, but that’s okay!
Get a 4.0 GPA
Let the record show that I was so close with getting a 3.95 this fall 2018 semester, ugh
Dress nice for class for a week (no leggings/tennis shoes)
Purchase a monogrammed signet ring
Apply for the Amazing Race
Go to a Sporting Kansas City away game
Go horseback riding
Develop my own capsule wardrobe and use it for 3 weeks
Finish giving away my deck of Sneaky Cards
Purchase a nice piece of art
Go to a drive-in movie
Try Christopher Elbow’s Glace ice cream
I have no excuse for not doing this – the shop was a five-minute walk away from my internship all summer of 2018!
Host a friendsgiving
Did not host, but attended one in fall 2018!
Go on a camping trip with friends
The goals that I did completeare explained for the most part on my previous list. As the list is supposed to be somewhat of a temporary bucket list, most of my goals were college-oriented so I could maximize my college experience.
My new list
My new list is to be finished on September 30th, 2021. By that date, I’ll have graduated college and I’ll be 24, hopefully with a real job. I have no idea if I’ll still be blogging by then, but I would love to continue writing here in my own little corner of the internet through post-grad. I’ve learned to scale back my goals from the previous list and some of them are intentionally repeated.
Blogging
1. Keep up with a solid editorial calendar for a month
Partner with at least 5 brands
Make a 1/2 year’s worth of monthly videos
Vlog every week for a month
Collaborate with a Kansas City brand
Reach 1,000 followers on Instagram
Meet a blog friend in real life
Reach 20,000 page views in a year
Do a guest post/partnership post with another blogger
Make a house tour video of my senior house before I move
Take notes on the Slightly Savvy blog courses
Pitch myself to a brand
Back up all photos/videos from my hard drive to online storage
Food/drink
14. Cut out added sugar for a week
15. Take a cooking class
16. Go to a wine tasting
17. Try 10 new restaurants
18. Grow basil
19. Try Christopher Elbow’s Glace ice cream
20. Bake a pie
21. Try Chez Elle
22. Make pasta from scratch
23. Make my own margarita
24. Make homemade ice cream
25. Bring my mom Pyramid Pizza
26. Master my family chocolate chip cookie recipe
27. Meal plan for two weeks
Travel
28. Go skiing
29. Apply for the Amazing Race
30. Go to Europe
31. Visit a friend that lives out of state
32. Visit 5 new cities
33. Go whale watching with my mom
34. Visit a national park
35. Visit 5 new states
Kansas City
36. Go to a KU/Sporting Kansas City away game (not one that I’m working)
37. Attend a Chiefs game
38. Go on the Boulevard Brewery tour
39. Go to the World War I museum in Kansas City
40. Attend First Fridays in downtown KC
Entertainment
41. Attend SXSW or Austin City Limits
42. Attend the Olympics/a World Cup
43. Go to a piano bar
44. Watch the entire Quantico series with my mom
45. Take a trapeze class
46. Go ziplining
47. Go to five concerts
48. Go kayaking
49. Visit five museums
50. Reread the Harry Potter series
51. Go sailing
52. See a Broadway play or musical
53. Go to another USWNT game
54. Go ice skating
55. Go to a trivia night
56. Go to a church service of a different denomination
Work/School
57. Photograph a concert
58. Learn how to use external flash/lighting
59. Get a full-time job
60. Graduate college
61. Get a 4.0 GPA
62. Finish all Codecademy courses
63. Join the KU Alumni Association
64. Get up to a certain amount in my savings account
65. Learn how to rotoscope on After Effects
67. Design my own portfolio website
Exercise/Fitness
68. Actually train for my third half marathon in April 2019
69. Learn how to swim as a workout
70. Run 100 miles in 100 days
71. Take vitamins every day for a month
72. Take a self defense class
73. Do an obstacle course run
74. Work out in the morning before class or work for two weeks
75. Get belay certified – again
76. Stretch every morning/night for two weeks
77. Be able to do the splits
78. Complete a 30 day plank challenge
Just for fun
79. Donate blood
80. Take care of a plant until it blooms
81. Journal every night for two weeks
82. Purchase a monogrammed signet ring
83. Practice my trumpet again for a week
84. Sell old clothing on Poshmark
85. Hang a gallery wall
86. Purchase a nice piece of art
87. Learn to paint a room
88. Get 50 service hours in a year
89. Host a murder mystery party
90. Handwrite a letter to someone
91. Teach Riley (one of my dogs) how to stay with food on her nose
92. Buy a lottery ticket
93. Get a facial
94. Convert all family videos to DVD
95. Learn to sew from a pattern
96. Donate $1 for each failed task on this list
97. Master all Spanish courses on Duolingo
98. Wash my face with raw honey for a week
99. Find an organization to volunteer at regularly
100. Make my own earrings
101. Complete a 1000-piece puzzle (with one eaten by the dog…)
Disclaimer: this post is about to get real personal so if you know me personally, maybe don’t read this!
When this email landed in my inbox with an opportunity to partner with Saalt, I was definitely intrigued. I’ve read a lot about menstrual cups before and always having to go through so many tampons on my period sucks. No one truly enjoys their period (and if they say they are, they’re liars). The Saalt cup is an option to make that time of the month a lot more manageable.
To get the full experience, I tried the Saalt cup out for a full cycle before writing this post.
A box of tampons costs about $7-$10, while the Saalt cup only costs $27 – and it can last for up to ten years. Let’s say you spend about $8/month on a box of tampons and pads. Multiply that by 12, and you’re spending $96 a year on period care. Multiply that by ten and you’re spending at least $960 alone on period care. That’s insane! The Saalt cup is a much better option.
Not only is it super cost-efficient, but it’s also great for the environment. Instead of being made of plastic, the Saalt cup is reusable and made of soft silicone. It’s chemical-free and you can use it for up to 12 hours at a time. I’ve read about other women running, hiking, etc and not even being able to feel that the cup was in.
The cup comes with a small carrying bag to make your experience totally portable. The team at Saalt was also kind enough to send over a bar of chocolate with my cup – and period or not, I won’t ever turn that down 🙂
My experience
I’m not going to lie: Inserting this at first was extremely uncomfortable. I tried it the first night and could not figure it out for the life of me. I then continued to try for the next week and just gave up. I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong!
I’ve had this for over a month and just tried again. After doing thorough research, I finally got the hang of it. If you have questions and need more details, check here for their FAQs. They answer almost every question you can think of. This was super helpful for me. You can also message them on social media and a customer service rep will get back to you quickly. (I ended up having a small issue with the cup itself and the customer service was amazing!) The good thing about this product is while it may not be widely talked about, many women have used it and have experienced the same issues that you may be having while using the cup.
The biggest benefit I’ve found is the time I’ve saved. I can put the cup in in the morning and not have to worry about it until I’m home at the end of the day. I’m a college student with two internships, so I’m always on the go. In my first cycle of using the cup, I had a super busy schedule but I didn’t have to worry about my period at all. You can leave it in overnight as well. It may take some time to get used to, but once you figure it out, it makes a world of a difference. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to tampons.
Another bonus: with the purchase of your Saalt cup, they give back! This women-run organization gives to both HER International and PERIOD.org. HER International empowers women in Canada and Nepal through education, life skills and microfinance while PERIOD seeks to serve, educate, and advocate for menstrual equity through youth-run chapters at high schools and colleges worldwide.
This is so important because there’s a direct correlation between period care and women’s rights. In places where women don’t have access to period care, they end up having to skip school and work, losing educational opportunities and work opportunities. Women that dohave access to period care, thanks to these charities, are able to have the same opportunities as men.
I ran my second half marathon, the Longview Half Marathon, a little under a month ago on November 10th. I’ve been crazy lately with work (end of the football season & transitioning to basketball season) and school (end of the semester), so I’ve been prioritizing those over the blog for sure. I wanted to post this before it got too far away from me though!
I was hesitant to post my results and recap of this race because it didn’t go very well for me. However, I think that’s important to still write about – every race recap I’ve read goes in detail about how well they did and how they crushed their PR. That definitely didn’t happen for me, but I’m still proud of myself for running it!
Training
I was more consistent in my training than I was for my previous half, but the weather killed me here. It had been fairly nice temperatures all fall, even hitting 60 degrees two weeks before race day. That encouraged me to keep running and stay consistent with my workouts. However, my training was mostly just running, and running alone – with the occasional strength workout thrown in there every couple weeks or so. I said this last time too, but I wish I had done more cross training! My only goal was to beat my previous half marathon time (2:34:57).
Splits
Garmin activity – didn’t stop watch til getting in the car post-race, so it’s not entirely accurate
MILE
TIME
1
10:45
2
10:44
3
11:02
4
11:09
5
11:15
6
12:09
7
11:53
8
12:02
9
11:41
10
13:03
11
12:52
12
12:02
13
14:28
Steam was coming off the water because it was so cold! Photo credit to my mom
Pre-Race
My only goal was to beat my previous half (Rock the Parkway in KC in April with a time of 2:34). It was 17 degrees at the start and sunny, no wind. I was feeling like I dressed well and pretty prepared, so I lined up with the 2:30 pacer. It was seriously freezing, but I was wearing enough that it wasn’t terrible for me.
I wore a long-sleeve running shirt, a fleece vest, an Adidas windbreaker, a merino wool cap and leggings that covered my ankles. I think the main thing that saved me here was the fleece vest in between my shirt and windbreaker as an extra layer of warmth. I would highly recommend merino wool for anyone that runs – the cap was thin, but warm enough to keep my head warm and also cover my ears. Lastly, I wore latex gloves (like from the doctor’s office) under my regular gloves (just cheap knit ones). This was a tip from a guy at my local running store, Ad Astra Running, and it definitely saved me! My hands weren’t cold at all.
Miles 1-9
I warmed up about a mile in and was feeling really good, and went out way too fast hovering a few paces in front of the 2:25 pacer. Around mile 6, I was falling behind and not feeling great. I knew I had gone too fast and was regretting it! Lost sight of the 2:25 pacer around the bend. That was fine by me though – I still had the 2:30 pacer pretty far behind me. I wish I had checked my watch more during the first few miles so I paced myself better and slowed down more at the start.
Miles 10-13
Around mile 10, the 2:30 pacer passed me and I was just doing what I could to keep up. I got passed by the 2:35 pacers at mile 12 and felt so defeated. I barely made it through the finish line, my legs were just shot. I walked the majority of the last mile and could feel every muscle in my legs protesting, especially in my hamstrings. I wish I hadn’t let the 2:35 pacer passing me get to me so much mentally, because this was a huge block in my performance. It doesn’t help that she ran by looking like she was having the time of her life and was in a great mood! I’m sure I looked – and felt – miserable at that point.
Post-race
I finished in 2:37, only about 3 minutes off of my previous time. I think that made it worse, knowing that I was so close to beating my PR from last time. After, I took some pictures and got some breakfast pizza from Casey’s (which was surprisingly good) before heading home.
The race itself was alright – obviously, the weather didn’t help. This also wasn’t a very spectator-friendly race and I found myself feeling pretty isolated at times with only a few runners around me and just big stretches of winding trails, especially at the very end of the race. Because of the cold and a recent snow, the trail was also pretty slick at points. I know that KC Running Co went through and salted the trails beforehand though, so I appreciate that. I had to laugh when the last aid station at mile 12 was unmanned and the Gatorade was frozen over.
I’m not gonna lie, I’m pretty disappointed in myself. I really thought I could make it past my old time but I was off by just a few minutes (almost worse than being totally blown out). My Garmin tracking is off on timing because I didn’t stop my watch until getting in the car post-race. Overall, I know I need to focus on cross-training, I think that can work wonders for me.
I had signed up for the Hangover Half Marathon put on by KC Running Co. on January 1st, but I dropped down to the 5K after a work injury… for a good laugh, watch this video of me getting hit by a football player during the Kansas-Oklahoma game (more on this later!)
I have already signed up for the Rock the Parkway half marathon again. I have some time before that (in April), so I plan on focusing on building a strong cross-training base before I start my true training again. I also want to try to run the whole thing this time instead of doing the Galloway method, and I believe that with enough training and discipline, I can pull it off.
Have you ever ran a half marathon/would you like to run one?
Fashion is cyclical and this fall, 70s fashion is totally in. I’m not adventurous enough to rock the bell bottoms or the Lennon circle sunglasses, but I’m into all the trends that I’m wearing in this outfit below. (Apologies to my grandparents and parents reading this, who will surely tell me I’m not wearing ~true~ 70s fashion!)
Mock-neck sweaters are the perfect compromise between a boatneck sweater (shows too much skin when it’s cold) and turtleneck (typically uncomfortable). Both mock-neck and roll-neck have been super on-trend lately – when J.Crew brings back a sweater from forty years, you know it’s a classic.
The jean jacket is the quintessential fall accessory. I’ve been meaning to get a lighter wash jean jacket and that may have looked better in this outfit, but I worked with what I had! I did photograph this with my red leather jacket but the outfit looked much better with the denim, in my opinion. Still trying to figure out how to style the leather, so if you have suggestions please leave them below!
Lastly, in comes the suede skirt. I love the simple A-line silhouette and the pockets are the perfect detail. I remember my mom always trying to get me to wear brown clothing (shoes, pants/skirts, etc) when I was young and I hated it, but I’m really trying to embrace the neutral more. This skirt is perfect – and I’m tempted to pick up the grey or burgundy color too.
Also, sorry if you saw my phone in some of these pictures – I lost my remote that I always use so I had to use my phone’s app instead. Just ordered a new one so more outfit photos are to come!
Hope you enjoyed the post – I took these during rush hour at a busy intersection so you know I really go the extra mile for this!!
Their founder, Ty Haney, is the total definition of a girl boss. Not only does she cheer for the Jayhawks (which I love), but she also founded her own activewear company before she was 30. This 
