16 weeks = 4 months. It is crazy to me that we are 4 months pregnant! I am in a strange combination of physically knowing I am pregnant (my clothes don't fit) but mentally not realizing it. I was in Target the other day and I walked past the baby section and found myself thinking, "Maybe some day we might have kids..." And then I was like,"Oh shoot! We ARE having a kid...in APRIL." I forget that I am pregnant pretty often and then I remember and I think, "I have been pregnant fooorreeevvveeerrr!" - such a weird combination.
The second trimester has definitely been better for me than the first. I have not be nauseous since the end of week 13 (and week 13 was quite the week for nausea...I think I used all of my strong will to literally will myself to not throw up in the car several times.)
I am exhausted. I don't know if I am exhausted due to pregnancy or if it is everything I do in a day, but it seems nice to blame it on growing a human. The lovely internet tells me that exercising while pregnant will actually help me feel more energetic. I am sure that is the case for some women, but not this one. I have started exercising again, but I do not think it is making me feel any more energetic. If anything, I go to bed closer to 7pm on the days I exercise. I typically take a two hour nap during the afternoons on Saturday and Sundays (and still sleep 9ish hours at night).
Anytime I complain about low energy or being tired all the time, Ian reminds, "You are growing a human! This is what a miracle feels like." I wish miracles felt more like rainbows, unicorns, and pumpkin cinnamon rolls. It is a good reminder and hopefully Ian will keep reminding me.
I feel like the biggest challenge of this pregnancy is to not wish away the next 6 months. I so badly want to close my eyes and wake up when its (this school year) is over. I want Ian to be done with grad school. I want to know who is going to cover my classes and what I have to prep for them. I want to know what is going to happen next - are we staying in Denver? Are we moving? Where are we moving? When are we moving? I would probably feel this exact same way if I was not pregnant, but I think knowing that we are responsible for another human (who will be helpless and needs health insurance) makes it worse. Ian and I have a great life. I would not want to trade lives or problems with anyone. So in the moments when I feel a whisper of, "Wake me up when its all over..." I whisper back, "Dig deep and believe that God has good things for us in the next 6 months and we do not want to miss them."
2 Timothy 1:7, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self control." This is not an exact translation, but it is what I have memorized - a mix of NLT and ESV.
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Monday, October 17, 2016
Pregnancy Q & A
This is such an exciting and heart breaking post to write! We are so excited that God has blessed us with a wee one on the way. And, at the same time, our hearts break for our friends that desire for this and it is not going (or has not gone) as planned. You are not far from our hearts and thoughts. We are learning how to walk the path of deep deep joy and at the exact time deep grief.
Because we have friends all of the world we wanted to take a moment and let you know how life is looking for us as we experience pregnancy (and then I can look back some day and remember...see Answer #1).
Q: Has the baby eaten your brain?
A: Yes, yes it has. There are days when I know that my students think I am stupid. I can't remember things that should be so easy to think of. I did mention to Ian the other night that I should maybe give myself some grace - I don't know how many women try to reteach themselves (and then teach their students) Calculus II and Multivariable Calculus while pregnant.
Q: So far does everything look good?
A: Yup! I had a small moment of panic during the 12 week check up when the doctor could not find the heartbeat. She assured us that everything is okay and our child is just so active that they could not get a good reading. (Of course, my child is going to be active and have ants in his or her pants.) I have been lectured at both my doctor's appointments about weight gain. People! I can't exercise, I can't drink alcohol, the only stress relief available is ice cream and pumpkin cinnamon rolls (thank you sweet and amazing husband for making a ridiculous amount!). So our kid might be born obese... sorrynotsorry.
Q: When are you due?
A: April 17th, 2017 - I am not putting too much hope on that exact day. I keep thinking late April. If we end up in Denver long term, I really really hope that our kid's birthday is not 4/20. I am really holding out that we may have a May Day (May 1st) baby. I want to make it as far through the school year as possible. Will I eat my words come April? Yup. But I really want to be there for my other babies (who are so cute and adorable this year!)
Q: How are you feeling?
A: Shocked and disbelief. I can't really believe that there is a human inside of me.
Q: Have you experienced any morning sickness or symptoms?
A: Yes. I was pretty nauseous weeks 6 through 12. I threw up during weeks 7, 8, and 9. Between marathon training earlier this year and morning sickness, I am ready to not throw up again for a long time. I tried all the remedies I could find online - none of them really helped. At this point (14 weeks) I am exhausted, apathetic towards life, and the nausea comes and goes.
Q: Will you find out the gender?
A: Most likely. If we are going to have a girl, I need to start telling Ian to NOT spoil the kid rotten (I think the grandparents/relatives will do enough spoiling). In Korea, he was such a softie for little girls. And he spoils me like there is no tomorrow, so I can only imagine how many ponies he would buy for our daughter.
Q: Do you think you want a girl or a boy?
A: I have an older brother and I absolutely LOVED growing up with an older brother. Ian has a twin brother that was super fun to grow up with as well. I would say that Ian and I both would pick a boy if we got to pick, but we don't. Also, I hate the cliche, "I don't care if it is a girl or a boy as long it is healthy." Unhealthy babies are awesome too! Ian and I will love and adore our baby regardless if he or she is healthy or not (I could go on, but I will get off my soapbox now).
Q: Are your parents excited?
A: Excited is an understatement for both of our parents.
Q: How is running?
A: Nonexistent. I realized that if I run, the next day I threw up every 30 minutes. Same thing would happen if I went for a walk. So I am not exercising right now. I have been encouraged to give it a try now that I am in my second trimester. I have gone for a couple of 10 minute strolls (leisurely walking pace) just to get outside for a bit.
That are all the common questions I can think of right now. Let me know if there is anything I forgot.
Something that I pray often is, "Lord, prepare our hearts for what you have for us." I started praying this last May when I thought about Ian graduating and our future was unknown. Now there is a baby thrown into the mix and worry can creep in quite often. So if there is a prayer to cover this pregnancy and the next year of our life, it is this one.
Because we have friends all of the world we wanted to take a moment and let you know how life is looking for us as we experience pregnancy (and then I can look back some day and remember...see Answer #1).
Q: Has the baby eaten your brain?
A: Yes, yes it has. There are days when I know that my students think I am stupid. I can't remember things that should be so easy to think of. I did mention to Ian the other night that I should maybe give myself some grace - I don't know how many women try to reteach themselves (and then teach their students) Calculus II and Multivariable Calculus while pregnant.
 |
| I thought I was 3 weeks here (hence the 3)...I was actually 4 weeks 4 days. I look at this picture and laugh a little bit - we had no idea what the next 8 weeks of our life would look like (or the next year for that matter). |
A: Yup! I had a small moment of panic during the 12 week check up when the doctor could not find the heartbeat. She assured us that everything is okay and our child is just so active that they could not get a good reading. (Of course, my child is going to be active and have ants in his or her pants.) I have been lectured at both my doctor's appointments about weight gain. People! I can't exercise, I can't drink alcohol, the only stress relief available is ice cream and pumpkin cinnamon rolls (thank you sweet and amazing husband for making a ridiculous amount!). So our kid might be born obese... sorrynotsorry.
Q: When are you due?
A: April 17th, 2017 - I am not putting too much hope on that exact day. I keep thinking late April. If we end up in Denver long term, I really really hope that our kid's birthday is not 4/20. I am really holding out that we may have a May Day (May 1st) baby. I want to make it as far through the school year as possible. Will I eat my words come April? Yup. But I really want to be there for my other babies (who are so cute and adorable this year!)
 |
| I thought I was 6 weeks 6 days in this picture...I was actually 8 weeks 2 days. My mirror selfie game is not quite on point yet. I think I have teeny tiny bump. Can you see it? |
A: Shocked and disbelief. I can't really believe that there is a human inside of me.
Q: Have you experienced any morning sickness or symptoms?
A: Yes. I was pretty nauseous weeks 6 through 12. I threw up during weeks 7, 8, and 9. Between marathon training earlier this year and morning sickness, I am ready to not throw up again for a long time. I tried all the remedies I could find online - none of them really helped. At this point (14 weeks) I am exhausted, apathetic towards life, and the nausea comes and goes.
 |
| This sums up my days right now. The left is me in the morning and the right is me in the afternoon evening. I swear my belly grows throughout the day and then shrinks back down at night...so weird! |
A: Most likely. If we are going to have a girl, I need to start telling Ian to NOT spoil the kid rotten (I think the grandparents/relatives will do enough spoiling). In Korea, he was such a softie for little girls. And he spoils me like there is no tomorrow, so I can only imagine how many ponies he would buy for our daughter.
 |
| 14 weeks 2 days - I definitely can tell I have a roll and can't wear most of the pants I own. |
Q: Do you think you want a girl or a boy?
A: I have an older brother and I absolutely LOVED growing up with an older brother. Ian has a twin brother that was super fun to grow up with as well. I would say that Ian and I both would pick a boy if we got to pick, but we don't. Also, I hate the cliche, "I don't care if it is a girl or a boy as long it is healthy." Unhealthy babies are awesome too! Ian and I will love and adore our baby regardless if he or she is healthy or not (I could go on, but I will get off my soapbox now).
Q: Are your parents excited?
A: Excited is an understatement for both of our parents.
Q: How is running?
A: Nonexistent. I realized that if I run, the next day I threw up every 30 minutes. Same thing would happen if I went for a walk. So I am not exercising right now. I have been encouraged to give it a try now that I am in my second trimester. I have gone for a couple of 10 minute strolls (leisurely walking pace) just to get outside for a bit.
That are all the common questions I can think of right now. Let me know if there is anything I forgot.
Something that I pray often is, "Lord, prepare our hearts for what you have for us." I started praying this last May when I thought about Ian graduating and our future was unknown. Now there is a baby thrown into the mix and worry can creep in quite often. So if there is a prayer to cover this pregnancy and the next year of our life, it is this one.
Saturday, August 20, 2016
Ragnar Trail Race - August 2016
About a month or so before I ran the Napa Valley Marathon, I was asked by a co-worker to consider joining a Trail Relay Team for the Ragnar Trail Race in Angel Fire, New Mexico in August. I have had my eye on Ragnar for awhile - so I eagerly accepted. A relay race seemed like a new and different challenge. I had participated in a 24-hour relay several times in high school but it was in 1-mile increments. I was excited to take on a new challenge. Plus, if the trail race was in August, I would already be in good shape to run a half marathon in October. (The Rock n Roll half marathon comes to Denver in October and I have run it every single year we have lived here.)
I had NO IDEA what I said yes to. I had no idea what trail running was really like and I had no idea what my life would actually end up looking like in August.
I spent the summer attempting to train for the race. I quickly learned that trail running is a whole entire different beast (I could probably write a blog post just on all my trail running thoughts!) Trail running (at least in Colorado) has some serious climbs and running 1/4 mile on a trail can sometimes feel like an eternity.
A couple of weeks before Ragnar, Ian and I found out we were expecting which changed the game dramatically. It was too early to share with my relay teammates but we knew. Ian was pretty concerned that I would push myself too hard (where would he ever come up with that idea?) and I was exhausted from starting the school year. However, I was not about to back out or give up so off to New Mexico we went.
One of the advantages of the trail relay race is that the team can camp and be in one spot the entire time. The road races involve mini-vans and sleeping in school gymnasiums. We lucked out in that we all chipped in for a hotel room at the resort close by (an 8-10 minute walk from the exchange area) and so we could shower and sleep there if we decided to (I was one of the few people on the team that did not sleep in the tent and slept in the hotel instead... I told myself it was because I was pregnant and I could baby myself).
I ended up being runner #1 for our team, Angels on Fire. Our team's start time was 3pm on Friday and at about 2:50pm it started drizzling and then it started pouring at about 2:58pm. I ran the green loop first, then yellow, then red - not necessarily the order I would have picked but it was nice to go first and just get going instead of waiting around.
The green loop was supposed to be the easiest out of all of them (it was the easiest, but that does not mean it was easy). It was 3.8 miles and supposedly only had an elevation gain/loss of 620 feet (I think their elevation maps were off). It was nice to head out in daylight with fresh legs. The green loop was the least "trail" of all the loops. At one point, I was pretty sure that I was running through someone's front yard. The only issue with the green loop for me was that I was running it in the rain and the grass was quickly turning into mud. I was worried about getting injured with 10+ miles of running still to go. I tried to be careful and there was one point where I almost sat down and scooted down an incline because it was so steep and so muddy.
It stopped raining within a few minutes of me finishing my loop and handing off to the next person. I was so happy that we had all chipped in on a hotel room because I headed up and took a nice hot shower and got all the mud off of me. Ian was our team's volunteer. He volunteered from 4pm-7pm (or something like that). His main duties were emptying trash cans for the dining tent and helping people sort their trash correctly. I ate dinner with some teammates and we hung out. Once Ian finished his volunteer shift, he ate dinner and we got to check in with some teammates that had run the yellow and red loops in the meantime. Yellow sounded hard but doable and red sounded miserable.
Once it started to get dark, Ragnar got their bonfire going. It was so nice that it was not raining as the temperature was dropping. I can't remember what time I ran my yellow loop but I think it was around 11pm or midnight. I had practiced running with a headlamp once (that is a whole story within itself) and we had purchased a headlamp that was great quality and adjustable/tilt-able which is key for running at night.
The yellow loop was 4.7 miles and had an elevation gain/loss of 1300 feet. I had heard that it had a lot of tree roots and rocks on the trail so I was okay taking it slow. The first mile or so was on a paved then gravel road so I tried to run that at a good pace then the switchbacks came. Once I got to the switchbacks (and forest) I walked A LOT. The incline was so steep that it would have killed my legs and it felt like you just kept going up and up and up (for a mile?). I was also a little worried about missing a turn or something since it was dark and I could not see or hear other people. Eventually I got to the top (I don't really know? it is hard to tell in the dark). I alternated between jogging and walking. I told myself it was okay to walk but to keep a good pace. Around 2-2.5 miles into the loop I started passing people (which was shocking to me since I was walking). Once I started catching people, I was more motivated to run. I did not want anyone to pass me back. I did not have a great split for the yellow loop, but I felt good about the effort I put in. I would have run it the same way if I had to do it again in the dark on not fresh legs.
After I finished yellow, I think I took another quick shower and then tried to sleep for a couple of hours. I don't how much good sleep I got, but it felt so nice to lay in a bed and be warm and snug.
I think I woke up around 4 or 4:30am and started getting ready to run again. At this point I was tired and not really looking forward to running the hardest loop. I thought yellow was hard and everyone was saying that red would be worse. Additionally all the loops end the same - with steep downhills (basically running downhill on a ski slope but on mountain bike trails). It is one thing to bike on a mountain bike trail, it is quite another to try to run them. I was not a happy camper about the "running" trails.
I thought I was going to start running around 5, but I think I ended up starting closer to 6am. The sun was up and I did not even need my headlamp. The red loop was 6.2 miles and gained 1400 feet in the first few miles. I honestly don't know how much running I did on the red loop, especially on the way up. It was so steep and my legs were already feeling dead. I also was concerned about my breathing as I was at 9-10,000 feet for most of the loop. I think I said the phase, "Breathe! Breathe! The baby needs oxygen." about 200 times in a row in the same cadence over and over again. I got passed by people but could not get myself to try to run, so I just kept walking.
I did not do well mentally on the red loop. I remember at one point honestly thinking that I was going to be stuck on the loop forever. I was discouraged and upset that I was running/walking on mountain bike trails that had signs up like, "No runners, bikers only" and yet Ragnar was having us run the trails. I thought I had done difficult training runs - but I had not practiced running bike trails.
Eventually I hit the water station which meant I was at the top and halfway to the end. I was so happy to be halfway and at the same time I was ready to just be done. The way down was definitely better than the way up. The ski lifts would run every so often which made me laugh and there were some great, amazing views. I did more running on my way down and that helped it go by faster.
Ragnar marks, "1 mile to go" on all the loops and I remember specifically an indescribable amount of happiness when I saw the 1 mile to go sign. I think I may have started crying and I threw my arms up in the air and said, "Thank you Jesus!" about 10 times. I did not think I was ever going to finish (I know illogical, but I am currently not trying to run at 9,000 feet elevation on exhausted legs so I am much more logical now). I finished my leg! I was done!
Several people on the team ended up running extra to make up for missing members of our team. Ian even jumped in on yellow loop at the end. Once I finished the red loop, I was done. Since I knew I was pregnant, I thought 14.7 miles in 16 hours was enough. I was happy to cheer team members in as they finished.
Once our team was done, we broke camp and packed up. We found a pizza place in town and enjoyed a meal as fairly clean, tired, satisfied people. While we were eating it starting pouring, then hailing, then back to pouring rain. I was so happy that we were off the mountain and already packed up. My guess is that some teams were still finishing and I felt so sad for them.
Typically I do not buy anything at the merchandise tent at events like this, but Ian and I totally got suckered into buying a onesie for the baby. Since we each participated in the race, it was our first race as a family. Ian and I got t-shirts so the baby needed his own t-shirt as well! I can't wait to have him try it on. We will have to tell him about how we all raced when he was 6 weeks in utero and the size of a blueberry - family bonding!
It was my parents anniversary so we called them while we were waiting for the pizza and told them Happy Anniversary along with Happy Day You Find Out Your Grandparents - what a fun memory!
I had NO IDEA what I said yes to. I had no idea what trail running was really like and I had no idea what my life would actually end up looking like in August.
 |
| The pay off for trail running - awesome views. My car is down in that valley where I started this training run. If there is anything that could convince me to become a trail runner, it is the views. |
 |
| Me on a training run this summer. Also, the first picture that I have of myself pregnant. I did not know I was pregnant at the time, but there was a little bun in the oven! |
 |
| Our team before the start - everyone is happy, dry, and rested. |
I ended up being runner #1 for our team, Angels on Fire. Our team's start time was 3pm on Friday and at about 2:50pm it started drizzling and then it started pouring at about 2:58pm. I ran the green loop first, then yellow, then red - not necessarily the order I would have picked but it was nice to go first and just get going instead of waiting around.
 |
| Starting the race for our team (that we would finish 27 hours later) and trying to keep the rain out of my eyes. |
 |
| You can see me finishing at the transition tent - I was soaked! |
Once it started to get dark, Ragnar got their bonfire going. It was so nice that it was not raining as the temperature was dropping. I can't remember what time I ran my yellow loop but I think it was around 11pm or midnight. I had practiced running with a headlamp once (that is a whole story within itself) and we had purchased a headlamp that was great quality and adjustable/tilt-able which is key for running at night.
 |
| I was bundled up to run the yellow loop. Headband and Headlamp ready to go. |
After I finished yellow, I think I took another quick shower and then tried to sleep for a couple of hours. I don't how much good sleep I got, but it felt so nice to lay in a bed and be warm and snug.
I think I woke up around 4 or 4:30am and started getting ready to run again. At this point I was tired and not really looking forward to running the hardest loop. I thought yellow was hard and everyone was saying that red would be worse. Additionally all the loops end the same - with steep downhills (basically running downhill on a ski slope but on mountain bike trails). It is one thing to bike on a mountain bike trail, it is quite another to try to run them. I was not a happy camper about the "running" trails.
I thought I was going to start running around 5, but I think I ended up starting closer to 6am. The sun was up and I did not even need my headlamp. The red loop was 6.2 miles and gained 1400 feet in the first few miles. I honestly don't know how much running I did on the red loop, especially on the way up. It was so steep and my legs were already feeling dead. I also was concerned about my breathing as I was at 9-10,000 feet for most of the loop. I think I said the phase, "Breathe! Breathe! The baby needs oxygen." about 200 times in a row in the same cadence over and over again. I got passed by people but could not get myself to try to run, so I just kept walking.
I did not do well mentally on the red loop. I remember at one point honestly thinking that I was going to be stuck on the loop forever. I was discouraged and upset that I was running/walking on mountain bike trails that had signs up like, "No runners, bikers only" and yet Ragnar was having us run the trails. I thought I had done difficult training runs - but I had not practiced running bike trails.
 |
| One of the main reasons I am not a fan of trail running - how do you RUN on that?!? And not risk injury? |
 |
| Such a pretty view on the red loop. I was more than happy to stop running to capture the picture. |
Ragnar marks, "1 mile to go" on all the loops and I remember specifically an indescribable amount of happiness when I saw the 1 mile to go sign. I think I may have started crying and I threw my arms up in the air and said, "Thank you Jesus!" about 10 times. I did not think I was ever going to finish (I know illogical, but I am currently not trying to run at 9,000 feet elevation on exhausted legs so I am much more logical now). I finished my leg! I was done!
Several people on the team ended up running extra to make up for missing members of our team. Ian even jumped in on yellow loop at the end. Once I finished the red loop, I was done. Since I knew I was pregnant, I thought 14.7 miles in 16 hours was enough. I was happy to cheer team members in as they finished.
 |
| The happiest runner I know. I never look this good running! |
Typically I do not buy anything at the merchandise tent at events like this, but Ian and I totally got suckered into buying a onesie for the baby. Since we each participated in the race, it was our first race as a family. Ian and I got t-shirts so the baby needed his own t-shirt as well! I can't wait to have him try it on. We will have to tell him about how we all raced when he was 6 weeks in utero and the size of a blueberry - family bonding!
It was my parents anniversary so we called them while we were waiting for the pizza and told them Happy Anniversary along with Happy Day You Find Out Your Grandparents - what a fun memory!
 |
| Our relay team right after the last person finished! |
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Napa Valley Marathon
I ran the Napa Valley Marathon this past March and wanted to blog about it before I forgot too many of the details. In some ways, I have so many memories of our time in Napa and in other ways, it is just a big blur.
Saturday, March 5th
I flew from Denver to San Francisco. Ian flew from Santa Ana (where he had been at a conference for grad school) up to San Francisco. We rented the cheapest car we could at the airport. BUT they were out of them? So we got a new Dodge Charger to drive around California. It was fun and super nice! The three main things I remember from Saturday is #1) The weather was not great - it was rainy sideways. and #2.) I kept telling Ian, "I can't believe that I am going to run a marathon tomorrow. Have I even trained for this?" Considering that I had spent the last 6 months of my life doing little else, I am not sure why my brain had such a hard time processing that I was really going to run a marathon again. #3.) We stopped on our drive from San Franscisco up to Napa for some Vaseline/aquaphor. I had read on a blog earlier that week to slather yourself in it if you are going to run a marathon in the rain to prevent chafing - I took the advice and did not chafe at all.
We checked out the race expo and found our hotel. I went for a quick 2 mile run on the dreadmill (in the most ghetto 24 hour fitness ever) and we went out for dinner at the Olive Garden (while it continued to rain sideways). We tried to get to bed early.
Sunday, March 6th.
RACE DAY! From the moment I woke up (which was really early) I tried to manage my nervousness by telling myself that I was wasting energy to have my heart rate up and "the hay was already in the barn". I covered myself with vaseline as I was anxious about chafing. IT STOPPED RAINING (later on the bus, I heard some people say it stopped around 3:30am). Huge Shoutout to Ian - he woke up super early to drive me to the dropoff point and did a great job of listening to me ramble about running stuff. I don't know if I could run races without Ian.
I got to the finish line and found a bus to jump on. We were driven 26.2 miles out to the start line. 26.2 miles is a long, long way when you are riding on a bus with strangers in the dark at five o'clock in the morning. An older guy sat next to me on the bus. We chatted a bit, but I think he was just as nervous as I was.
Once we got to the start line, people were piling off the bus. I stayed on with about 5 other people. It was chilly outside and we were in the middle of nowhere and still had an hour before race started. Eventually, I got off, found the restroom and warmed up a bit. I was thankful that I had layered up because it was cold. It felt like time had stopped and 7am would never come. The announcer/starter was hilarious! He carried on conversations with people over the microphone (we could only hear his side).
Finally it was time to start! They sang the national anthem and said a benediction. I threw my throw away pants to the side, took a selfie, and we were off.
Miles 1-6 - weather: sunny
I had a hard time settling into a good pace. I started out too slow and then I was running way too fast. There weren't any pace groups and I did not want to spend the entire race staring at my watch. I will say that I felt SO LOVED during those first six miles - my phone was going off like crazy with texts of well wishes from people in Colorado (and Illinois). I read each one. It made me realize how strong of a community we have here.
I also was texting my girls, Emily and Allie. Although they did not physically train with me each day, they were my support from the get go. They listened to me talk about training and long runs and fueling on long runs and played, "this is the better than..." and never once made me feel like I talked about marathon training too much.
For the most part, I was running about 10 seconds per mile faster than I wanted. I kept telling myself, "save it for mile 20...save it for mile 20...save it for mile 20". I finally got into a good rhythm of running off of feel for the first half mile of each mile and then slowing myself down and really focusing on my watch for the second half of each mile.
I ate a couple bites of a clif bar at mile 6 and congratulated myself for getting close to be 25% of the way done.
Mile 7-12 weather: cloudy
There was someone around my pace named Amy. Amy had the BEST friends. Her friends made a sign that Amy's name on it. Spectators were only allowed at certain points on the course. Amy's friends were at every single spectator spot. So I started cheering for them. "Yeah, Amy's friends! You guys ROCK! What great friends!!" There were also people sitting in lawn chairs in their driveways drinking their coffee cheering us on - it was so cute. I was feeling good about my rhythm of half a mile off of feel, half a mile off of the watch. I think I was coming through mile markers about a minute (overall) faster than I wanted to. I did a lot of math during miles 6-20. I had another snack around mile 12/13.
Miles 13-20 weather: mix of clouds and sun, some sections were crazy windy.
I can not remember anything too specific about these miles. I think I did a lot of math about my pace and I played, "this is the better than..." and texted Emily and Allie a couple of times. I really tried to focus in and just take it a mile as it came. I settled into running near someone else (Amy perhaps?!?) for about 5 miles. It was nice to pace off someone and not worry so much about my timing.
Mile 20 - I remember two things as I passed the 20 Mile Marker: #1.) I wanted to be done. I was exhausted, but I just wanted to stop running at that point and #2.) My stomach did not feel great. I decided to skip my snack. I convinced myself to try to keep drinking water. (My water had Nuun in it.)
Getting from mile 20-21 felt like the lllooonnngggeeesssttt mile of my life. I think I checked my watch about 200 times during that mile. My pace was okay, but my brain was having a hard time doing the math. Mile 20 feels like such a great accomplishment. I started counting down at mile one: 1 mile down, 25 to go. So by the time 20 rolls around, it feels like you are almost done. Except you still have 55 minutes of running to go.
Mile 21-23 weather: cloudy
I remember getting really scared because my brain was having a hard time thinking. I kept trying to figure out my pace and where I should be but I just could hold all the numbers in my mind. I am not sure how I stayed on pace at this point (running at sea level? the bajillon squats and lunges I did during training?) but I am so glad my legs kept rolling.
Mile 23 & 24
The sky opened up and poured - which was awesome. It felt so good that have the rain cool us off. I am a salty sweater, so salt was getting in my eyes, but I did not care too much. Some people I was running by were saying things like, "Thank you Jesus! Thank you Jesus for this rain!" I tried to play "this is better than ___" but I could not think past a few words. My pace was okay. My stomach hurt. My legs were fatigued. I started to realize that as long as I did not 100% tank I was going to make it under 4 hours.
Mile 24.5-26.2
At mile 24.5 I hit the wall. I think I had hit the wall mentally back around mile 20 but my body was done at 24.5. I wanted to stop. I knew my form was not great. I knew my pace was not great. I just wanted to stop. The finish line felt miles and miles away. Thankfully I texted Emily at some point and she texted back, "BREATHE!" which was actually really helpful. I could focus on breathing. Also, I was with it enough to know that as long as I did not quit, I would PR. My garmin had me at 26.2 in 3 hours 56 minutes and 47 seconds. The race was a bit longer (26.5?) and I finished in 3:58 on their time. I cried as I came down the shoot and finished. I was so happy to have finally finished a marathon in under 4 hours. Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Once I crossed the finish line, an older volunteer man thought I was going to pass out. He grabbed my arm and made me walk around. I did not have warm or happy feelings towards him. I just wanted to sit down. I had convinced myself the last 6 miles if I could just sit down my stomach would feel better. Ian came and rescued me from the old man. I made Ian promise me that if I ever talk about running another marathon that he would break both my legs. He just looked at me and said, "Wait ten years - you will run another one." Example #908839473 of Ian knows me better than I know myself.
We hung out quite a while after the race. I got a free massage. Ian walked all the way to the car in a downpour to grab my bag. The finish line was at a high school so they had (hot!) showers available. It may have been the best shower of my life. The person who won the marathon won their weight in wine. They actually put them on a two balance scale with the person one side and wine on the other side.
Eventually we started to head back towards San Francisco. We had not gotten far when I told Ian that we needed to stop at a grocery store. Thank the Lord that I was aware enough to tell him. He pulled into the parking lot. I asked him to go in and buy some Sprite. He parked. I jumped out and started puking next to a tree, barefooted. It was not the best moment of my life. Ian came out with the Sprite. I sent him back in for napkins or paper towels or something. He came back out. I think I asked him to go back in for something else, but I can't remember. Thankfully I felt much better after I threw up (unlike my previous marathon).
We found a great Korean restaurant on our way back to San Francisco. We also stopped by Buena Vista for an Irish Coffee (for Ian). We stayed in a hotel near the airport so we returned the rental car and went to bed. I think we woke up at 2:30 the next morning for an early flight. Ian had his Hebrew midterm when we got back to Denver. I was excited to go to school the next day and tell my students that I had done well. They were so sweet and supportive (or just knew how to get me to not talk about math...)
Whew! That was a long post. I am so proud of the work I put in to accomplish a goal that I had set for myself 5 years ago. I am thankful for the community that celebrates us and with us. I am in awe of the One who is Emmanuel - He was with me every moment of my training and racing.
Bucket List:
run a marathon under 4 hours
Saturday, March 5th
I flew from Denver to San Francisco. Ian flew from Santa Ana (where he had been at a conference for grad school) up to San Francisco. We rented the cheapest car we could at the airport. BUT they were out of them? So we got a new Dodge Charger to drive around California. It was fun and super nice! The three main things I remember from Saturday is #1) The weather was not great - it was rainy sideways. and #2.) I kept telling Ian, "I can't believe that I am going to run a marathon tomorrow. Have I even trained for this?" Considering that I had spent the last 6 months of my life doing little else, I am not sure why my brain had such a hard time processing that I was really going to run a marathon again. #3.) We stopped on our drive from San Franscisco up to Napa for some Vaseline/aquaphor. I had read on a blog earlier that week to slather yourself in it if you are going to run a marathon in the rain to prevent chafing - I took the advice and did not chafe at all.
We checked out the race expo and found our hotel. I went for a quick 2 mile run on the dreadmill (in the most ghetto 24 hour fitness ever) and we went out for dinner at the Olive Garden (while it continued to rain sideways). We tried to get to bed early.
Sunday, March 6th.
RACE DAY! From the moment I woke up (which was really early) I tried to manage my nervousness by telling myself that I was wasting energy to have my heart rate up and "the hay was already in the barn". I covered myself with vaseline as I was anxious about chafing. IT STOPPED RAINING (later on the bus, I heard some people say it stopped around 3:30am). Huge Shoutout to Ian - he woke up super early to drive me to the dropoff point and did a great job of listening to me ramble about running stuff. I don't know if I could run races without Ian.
I got to the finish line and found a bus to jump on. We were driven 26.2 miles out to the start line. 26.2 miles is a long, long way when you are riding on a bus with strangers in the dark at five o'clock in the morning. An older guy sat next to me on the bus. We chatted a bit, but I think he was just as nervous as I was.
 |
| This was right behind the port-a-pots. Prettiest Starting Line Ever! |
Finally it was time to start! They sang the national anthem and said a benediction. I threw my throw away pants to the side, took a selfie, and we were off.
 |
| Ready to roll |
I had a hard time settling into a good pace. I started out too slow and then I was running way too fast. There weren't any pace groups and I did not want to spend the entire race staring at my watch. I will say that I felt SO LOVED during those first six miles - my phone was going off like crazy with texts of well wishes from people in Colorado (and Illinois). I read each one. It made me realize how strong of a community we have here.
I also was texting my girls, Emily and Allie. Although they did not physically train with me each day, they were my support from the get go. They listened to me talk about training and long runs and fueling on long runs and played, "this is the better than..." and never once made me feel like I talked about marathon training too much.
For the most part, I was running about 10 seconds per mile faster than I wanted. I kept telling myself, "save it for mile 20...save it for mile 20...save it for mile 20". I finally got into a good rhythm of running off of feel for the first half mile of each mile and then slowing myself down and really focusing on my watch for the second half of each mile.
I ate a couple bites of a clif bar at mile 6 and congratulated myself for getting close to be 25% of the way done.
Mile 7-12 weather: cloudy
There was someone around my pace named Amy. Amy had the BEST friends. Her friends made a sign that Amy's name on it. Spectators were only allowed at certain points on the course. Amy's friends were at every single spectator spot. So I started cheering for them. "Yeah, Amy's friends! You guys ROCK! What great friends!!" There were also people sitting in lawn chairs in their driveways drinking their coffee cheering us on - it was so cute. I was feeling good about my rhythm of half a mile off of feel, half a mile off of the watch. I think I was coming through mile markers about a minute (overall) faster than I wanted to. I did a lot of math during miles 6-20. I had another snack around mile 12/13.
Miles 13-20 weather: mix of clouds and sun, some sections were crazy windy.
I can not remember anything too specific about these miles. I think I did a lot of math about my pace and I played, "this is the better than..." and texted Emily and Allie a couple of times. I really tried to focus in and just take it a mile as it came. I settled into running near someone else (Amy perhaps?!?) for about 5 miles. It was nice to pace off someone and not worry so much about my timing.
Mile 20 - I remember two things as I passed the 20 Mile Marker: #1.) I wanted to be done. I was exhausted, but I just wanted to stop running at that point and #2.) My stomach did not feel great. I decided to skip my snack. I convinced myself to try to keep drinking water. (My water had Nuun in it.)
Getting from mile 20-21 felt like the lllooonnngggeeesssttt mile of my life. I think I checked my watch about 200 times during that mile. My pace was okay, but my brain was having a hard time doing the math. Mile 20 feels like such a great accomplishment. I started counting down at mile one: 1 mile down, 25 to go. So by the time 20 rolls around, it feels like you are almost done. Except you still have 55 minutes of running to go.
Mile 21-23 weather: cloudy
I remember getting really scared because my brain was having a hard time thinking. I kept trying to figure out my pace and where I should be but I just could hold all the numbers in my mind. I am not sure how I stayed on pace at this point (running at sea level? the bajillon squats and lunges I did during training?) but I am so glad my legs kept rolling.
Mile 23 & 24
The sky opened up and poured - which was awesome. It felt so good that have the rain cool us off. I am a salty sweater, so salt was getting in my eyes, but I did not care too much. Some people I was running by were saying things like, "Thank you Jesus! Thank you Jesus for this rain!" I tried to play "this is better than ___" but I could not think past a few words. My pace was okay. My stomach hurt. My legs were fatigued. I started to realize that as long as I did not 100% tank I was going to make it under 4 hours.
Mile 24.5-26.2
At mile 24.5 I hit the wall. I think I had hit the wall mentally back around mile 20 but my body was done at 24.5. I wanted to stop. I knew my form was not great. I knew my pace was not great. I just wanted to stop. The finish line felt miles and miles away. Thankfully I texted Emily at some point and she texted back, "BREATHE!" which was actually really helpful. I could focus on breathing. Also, I was with it enough to know that as long as I did not quit, I would PR. My garmin had me at 26.2 in 3 hours 56 minutes and 47 seconds. The race was a bit longer (26.5?) and I finished in 3:58 on their time. I cried as I came down the shoot and finished. I was so happy to have finally finished a marathon in under 4 hours. Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Once I crossed the finish line, an older volunteer man thought I was going to pass out. He grabbed my arm and made me walk around. I did not have warm or happy feelings towards him. I just wanted to sit down. I had convinced myself the last 6 miles if I could just sit down my stomach would feel better. Ian came and rescued me from the old man. I made Ian promise me that if I ever talk about running another marathon that he would break both my legs. He just looked at me and said, "Wait ten years - you will run another one." Example #908839473 of Ian knows me better than I know myself.
We hung out quite a while after the race. I got a free massage. Ian walked all the way to the car in a downpour to grab my bag. The finish line was at a high school so they had (hot!) showers available. It may have been the best shower of my life. The person who won the marathon won their weight in wine. They actually put them on a two balance scale with the person one side and wine on the other side.
 |
| Our San Francisco (and Friday night) Tradition |
 |
| Headed Home! |
Whew! That was a long post. I am so proud of the work I put in to accomplish a goal that I had set for myself 5 years ago. I am thankful for the community that celebrates us and with us. I am in awe of the One who is Emmanuel - He was with me every moment of my training and racing.
Bucket List:
Sunday, December 20, 2015
2015 Thankfuls
To say that I am late on this post it quite the understatement, but the tradition must continue!
Usually when asked, people share people and things that they are thankful for. I have had the nagging thought for a long time, "What if I was a starving, homeless, physically disabled, unclothed, orphaned child?" "What does that child have to be thankful for?"
I realize that this is a sad and graphic picture to paint, but it gets to the heart of the questions, "what can I be thankful for regardless of my circumstances?" and "can I truly give thanks in any situation?"
Past Years: 2014 and 2012 (there are others under the Thankfuls tab)
According to my worldview, the resounding answer is, "YES!" So I tried to take it on for this year's thankful list:
1.) God is Sovereign - He has supreme authority
2.) God is Faithful - He does not leave me nor forsake me
3.) God is Good - regardless
4.) God has a plan
5.) God's plan includes saving me FROM sin and evil and saving me TO a community of believers
6.) God offers believers Peace that passes all understanding
7.) God is Wise - Because God is Wise and Good, I can trust His Sovereignty
8.) God offers us Rest - not veg out and do nothing, but rest for our souls
9.) God's Word
10.) God is Eternal - I do not need to worry about a time when He will not Be
11.) God is All-Knowing
12.) God is Big - bigger than _________ (let's not create false dichotomies)
13.) God Creates - He created and continues to Create
14.) God can and does Redeem
15.) God is accessible - I can pray and be heard
16.) God Blesses - this may be repetitive of 6 and 8, He has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Eph. 1:3)
17.) We have the Holy Spirit
18.) We are not alone
19.) God is my Provider
20.) God is my Friend
21.) God is Light and in Him there is no darkness (1 John 1:5)
22.) God is our Hope - and offers us hope in all circumstances
23.) God is our Father - this
24.) God is LOVE - God defines what love looks like
25.) God is our Refuge
26.) and Strength
27.) An Ever Present Help in times of trouble (Psalms 41:6)
28.) God is Joy and offers us His Joy
29.) God is the Performer of Miracles
30.) God sent Jesus so that we may have life and life to the full
31.) God is Just - even when I do not see it
32.) God is Healer - physically, emotionally, relationally
33.) God does not fit into the box I try to make for Him, after all he is wild
34.) God Forgives
35.) God does not give us a spirit of Fear, but of power, love, and self control (2 Timothy 1:7)
36.) God Rescues (maybe I already said that in #4 and #5?)
37.) God is Passionate about His Glory
38.) God has shown us community within Himself - Trinitarian
39.) God has made a helper suitable for man
40.) God remembers and keeps his Covenants
41.) God has Built his Church and the gates of Hell can not prevail against it
42.) Jesus scorned the shame - so we do not have to
43.) God is the Deliverer from Fear
44.) God has proven himself trustworthy
45.) God has given each believer Spiritual Gifts
46.) The Holy Spirit is our deposit,
47.) guarantee
48.) and Seal (2 Corinthians 1:22 and Ephesians 1:13)
49.) God disciplines us
50.) We have an Example in Jesus
51.) Our Identity is in Christ
52.) God is my Joy - not a temporary emotion based on circumstances, but a permanent attitude of my Heart (because of Who HE is and What HE has done)
What are you thankful for?
Usually when asked, people share people and things that they are thankful for. I have had the nagging thought for a long time, "What if I was a starving, homeless, physically disabled, unclothed, orphaned child?" "What does that child have to be thankful for?"
I realize that this is a sad and graphic picture to paint, but it gets to the heart of the questions, "what can I be thankful for regardless of my circumstances?" and "can I truly give thanks in any situation?"
Past Years: 2014 and 2012 (there are others under the Thankfuls tab)
According to my worldview, the resounding answer is, "YES!" So I tried to take it on for this year's thankful list:
1.) God is Sovereign - He has supreme authority
2.) God is Faithful - He does not leave me nor forsake me
3.) God is Good - regardless
4.) God has a plan
5.) God's plan includes saving me FROM sin and evil and saving me TO a community of believers
6.) God offers believers Peace that passes all understanding
7.) God is Wise - Because God is Wise and Good, I can trust His Sovereignty
8.) God offers us Rest - not veg out and do nothing, but rest for our souls
9.) God's Word
10.) God is Eternal - I do not need to worry about a time when He will not Be
11.) God is All-Knowing
12.) God is Big - bigger than _________ (let's not create false dichotomies)
13.) God Creates - He created and continues to Create
14.) God can and does Redeem
15.) God is accessible - I can pray and be heard
16.) God Blesses - this may be repetitive of 6 and 8, He has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Eph. 1:3)
17.) We have the Holy Spirit
18.) We are not alone
19.) God is my Provider
20.) God is my Friend
21.) God is Light and in Him there is no darkness (1 John 1:5)
22.) God is our Hope - and offers us hope in all circumstances
23.) God is our Father - this
24.) God is LOVE - God defines what love looks like
25.) God is our Refuge
26.) and Strength
27.) An Ever Present Help in times of trouble (Psalms 41:6)
28.) God is Joy and offers us His Joy
29.) God is the Performer of Miracles
30.) God sent Jesus so that we may have life and life to the full
31.) God is Just - even when I do not see it
32.) God is Healer - physically, emotionally, relationally
33.) God does not fit into the box I try to make for Him, after all he is wild
34.) God Forgives
35.) God does not give us a spirit of Fear, but of power, love, and self control (2 Timothy 1:7)
36.) God Rescues (maybe I already said that in #4 and #5?)
37.) God is Passionate about His Glory
38.) God has shown us community within Himself - Trinitarian
39.) God has made a helper suitable for man
40.) God remembers and keeps his Covenants
41.) God has Built his Church and the gates of Hell can not prevail against it
42.) Jesus scorned the shame - so we do not have to
43.) God is the Deliverer from Fear
44.) God has proven himself trustworthy
45.) God has given each believer Spiritual Gifts
46.) The Holy Spirit is our deposit,
47.) guarantee
48.) and Seal (2 Corinthians 1:22 and Ephesians 1:13)
49.) God disciplines us
50.) We have an Example in Jesus
51.) Our Identity is in Christ
52.) God is my Joy - not a temporary emotion based on circumstances, but a permanent attitude of my Heart (because of Who HE is and What HE has done)
What are you thankful for?
Friday, July 10, 2015
Dublin Day #3 (2015 Summer Adventures Part 8)
Disclaimer: The main reason for these posts is to remember our trip in the summer of 2015. There will probably be too many details and lots of parenthetic statements. I teach math - not writing. We did not take any picture on this day/the things we wanted to take picture of were not allowed to be photographed.
We both woke up at 6am. Ian showered while Alissa ran. We ate breakfast at 7am at the hostel. Someone had closed the window in our room overnight and it was so stuffy in there! After breakfast, Alissa showered and we packed up. We checked out of the hostel. Today was the first warm day that we had experienced; we did not need our jackets. We walked to the Dublin Castle and sat in the garden and played hangman. We were waiting for the Chester Beatty Library to open, but realized that it was not going to open for at least another hour. So we headed to a nearby bank and used the ATM and explored some streets near Trinity College that we had not seen yet.
 |
| image via google images |
We decided that we were hungry and ready for second breakfast. We went to The Elephant and Castle in the Temple Bar area. I remember that it looked like a super upscale place (and we had our backpacks and everything with us) but it ended up being really reasonable and still nice! We both decided on the California Breakfast - it was so delicious! Orange juice, two eggs, potatoes, bacon, french toast and coffee all for €21 for two people (that was about 25 dollars for two people). *I did not write this part down in our travel journal, but I think I was slightly grumpy before we had second breakfast. I remember being so thankful that we found good food at a reasonable price and felt much better after some coffee.
Properly fueled we now set off (again) for Chester Beatty Library (which I think is right behind or connected to the Dublin Castle). We looked around a bit - a lot of really old pieces of literature. I, of course, did not write down what we saw and have now forgotten. I think we saw the original (or very early copy) of Handel's Messiah Chorus along with some of Shakespeare's originals. There was a lot to see and I get overwhelmed easily in situations like that, so I took breaks on the benches they provided. There was a special exhibit featuring Asian (mainly Japanese I think) pieces, but we walked through it pretty quickly as I felt like we saw everything when we were in Asia.
Ian had to use the restroom (which was like a block away) so I grabbed some brochures about the library to look at and sat on a bench. I thought, "Surely there must be more than just one exhibit in this place." (There was also a gift shop and a restaurant). After Ian came back from the restroom, we found out that indeed there was one more exhibit. There were three parts to the exhibit - Christianity, Islamic, and Eastern Religion. We spent all of our time in the Christian section. It was unbelievable! We saw ancient recordings of Scripture. Pieces of manuscript on papyrus ranging from 150AD-250AD and third and fourth century pieces of Numbers, Genesis, Daniel, Esther, Romans, Acts, Hebrews, and 1 Corinthians...really incredible. It was a challenge to take in and process that we were seeing writings (copies) of what we read in the Bible only a few generations after Jesus was on the earth. Thanks to Ian studying Greek in seminary, I know a little bit and was able to look at the 1 Corinthians 13 papyrus and find the word, "agape" over and over. After we went through the exhibit twice we went to the rooftop garden and tried take in what we had just seen. The crazy thing is - we almost missed it. When I think about our trip to the Europe - this is definitely one of the highlights.
We went to the Revenue Museum next - it was a fail. It was literally about taxes and revenue. We went through the entire museum in about 5 minutes. We decided to find a park. We walked to St. Steven's Green and sat on a bench. The weather was so nice that we were quite comfortable. After 30 minutes or so of people watching we headed back to Dame Street (what Ian and I would consider the "downtown" area of Dublin) and grabbed a snack at Starbucks and took the bus to the airport. Check-in and security went well.
I remember thinking that I could run the airport much better than whomever was in charge (Ian would say that I say this somewhat often about many things though). Our flight was delayed an hour or so. It was only 40 minutes in the air - which I remember being thankful for. It was a large plane but the seats were tight and there was a bachelor party on the flight. One of the guys in the wedding party was dressed as a bride. Once we landed we walked through "customs". I really wanted my passport stamped so I was not happy about the lack of customs.
We took an AirLink bus into Edinburgh's City Center. Our hostel was an easy short walk from the bus stop. The two guys that checked us in at the hostel were really informative and nice. We found our {private aka not a dorm} room and put our stuff down. Then we went in search of dinner. We walked to Rose Street. We found a Scottish restaurant on the second floor of a building. Alissa had the Sausage and Mash with a Innis & Gunn Pale Ale. Ian had fish and chips with a Yardhouse (from London?) Pale Ale. It was great food - big portions. We gave the place a 8/10. The carpet was a red and blue plaid design - nice Scottish touch. We walked back to our hostel. Ian headed out the Black Dragon for a pre-release of Magic Origins. Ian picked white and ended up playing green-blue deck. He went 2 wins, 1 tie, an d2 losses. He met many locals and had fun chatting and playing games.
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Dublin Day #2 (2015 Summer Adventure Part 7)
Disclaimer: The main reason for these posts is to remember our trip in the summer of 2015. There will probably be too many details and lots of parenthetic statements. Feel free to scroll through and just look at pictures. Also, I teach math - not writing.
Second full day in Dublin! Ian woke up at 6am showered and ate breakfast. I woke up closer to 7-7:30am and took a fake shower. We went to Costa Coffee (located near our hostel) for coffee and protein. (The hostel had free breakfast but it was all carbs - white bread/toast, sugary cereal, not really anything to stick to your bones if you are walking around all day.) We planned out our day and talked about how hard it is to stay in dorm-style hostels. But we like to travel so we hope we can stay young (in spirit) and continue to stay in hostels.
We set off for Christ Church. We read the history on a plague outside. It was established in 1030! We decided to attend/participate in Morning Prayer (therefore free admission!). There were 2 Anglican Priests, us, and 1 other person there for morning prayer. We did responsive readings from the Common Book of Prayer. It lasted about 15 minutes and was pretty straightforward.
 |
| One of the stain glass windows from Christ Church |
 |
| This is the exterior of Christ Church...I can't remember exactly why we took this picture or why we used this angle.... |
 |
| A picture from our tour, Ian with his Irish Coffee, and a cool light fixture made from Jameson bottles |
The tour was great! We hit the jackpot as far as tour guides go. Niles (our awesome tour guide) was kind, enthusiastic, entertaining, and an encourager of photographs and questions. Each tour stop was well done and not boring. It was a good concise mix of history and current operations. At one point Niles was talking about the specific ratio of malted to unmalted barely that is used in Jameson Whiskey. I thought, "Ding! Ding! Ding! I am going to find out the ratio and then tell my students about math in real life!" So I asked about the ratios. Niles answered that the ratios are a secret and different for each of Jameson's 39 whiskeys. He went on to explain that you have to have a PhD in Chemical Engineering to be considered for the job of a distiller. (How fascinating and mathtastic!)
The tour ended with a tasting. There was a Scottish Wiskey - twice distilled - it was my favorite and Ian said he could taste the smoky-peaty flavor. There was Jamesons - distilled three times - Ian's favorite and it was a crisp and clean taste. Then there was Jack Daniels - single distilled - corn flavored (we found out which was after we had tasted each.)
The reason that Jameson is not clear is due to be aged in recycled barrels - either port wine, sherry, or bourbon barrels. After the tasting, we got either a shot of Jameson or Ginger Ale, Jameson, and Lime. Ian had the first, I had the second (it was delicious!). We thought the tour was well-done. We would definitely do it again or suggest it to others.
We went to Christopher's (super close to Jamesons) for lunch. Alissa had a pannini and Ian had a bagel sandwich with soup. After lunch we sent off of a hunt for a sweatshirt/jacket for Alissa. I planned on bringing one but forgot it at 3am the day we left. We browsed for about an hour on Henry Street. Not much to choose from, but I ended up finding a grey fleece for about 17 euros (and there is no tax charged on clothes)!
 |
| We saw this when we were out walking - how Irish! |
We walked backed to the hostel and napped for over 3 hours! We woke up refreshed and headed out to find dinner. We went in search of an "Irish pub". After walking around the Temple Bar Area we ended up at the Trinity Bar. Ian had Arthur & Guinness Pie and Alissa had Beef Stew. It was good, filling food. We also had potato skins. The music was loud and Mumford & Sons was the band of choice. We ended our day at Starbucks - recording our day and reviewing our budget.
The verse we memorized during our trip was "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him." Psalm 28:7
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)