I know I never double post, but I thought you should read this hilarious comic by one of my all time favorite blogger/funny man/comic writers, The Oatmeal...
The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances
Enjoy!
Saturday, July 20, 2013
see Sam run Saturday: Zombies, Jobs, and Delts, oh my!
I am a nerd.
I have no shame.
That being said, I want to introduce you all to the Zombies, Run! app (I am in no way paid by this product, I just love zombies.) This app makes me grin like an idiot while I'm running, which I'm sure is entertaining for onlookers. Once you download it, you'll see that your base camp is called "Abel Township" and this is your new home. Your helicopter has been hit with a missile - which is uber mysterious, because who has missiles in a zombie apocalypse?! - and you've landed in Abel and have now become known as "Runner Five". Certain leaders from the the township will talk to you via headset (you can't reply, obviously) and you're tasked with missions in order to earn your keep. Each run is its own mission and you collect helpful items along the way and learn more about the outbreak, the neighbors, the people in town, and your mysterious arrival. All of this plays through your earbuds along with your favorite running tunes. After each song, there's a new transmission and info from Abel. As if that's not fun enough, there's this gem called "Zombie Chase".
HELL YES.
When you enable Zombie Chase mode, you're adding in interval training to your run. At some point in your mission the person you're communicating with from Abel will notify you that there is a zombie horde hot on your tail! You can hear the grunts and moans and a beeping in your earbuds. As the horde gets closer, they get louder and the beeping gets faster. You must increase your speed by 20% for one minute in order to escape unharmed. It's challenging and oh so much fun!
As you progress through the missions you earn points and can help build up Abel, which is nice and all but I'm in for the story and the zombie chases. Try it out!
.JPG)
In other news, I have moved out of my house and into a bedroom at Casa de Healthy Little Me. It's different having roommates again, but I enjoy being downtown and able to walk and ride my bike places. Speaking of which, I rode 15 miles the other day! I haven't done that in a few years and it felt wonderful. One of the best feelings in the world, to me, is coasting down a hill or bridge while standing up on a bike with the wind in your face. I plan to do many more miles while I'm here.
The summer job is going well. If you don't remember, I work as an instructor/counselor for an educational marine science camp here in town. It's the best summer job EVER! I get to boogie board, kayak, fish, and fossil collect all week long! And my tan is coming along nicely... except for the horrible Keens tan lines on my feet.
Also, kayaking and loading and unloading equipment have not been bad for my arms. Check out the baby delts popping out and saying "what's up?"
Since this job only lasts the summer, I have been applying for jobs like a mad woman and even applied for a few paid internships. I have had two interviews for two of those internships and landed the first! This fall I will be an earth science educator out at Congaree National Park. I am super excited!
The other internship is my dream job. It's a curatorial position at Dinosaur National Monument in Utah! I interviewed with them Tuesday and I think it went well. Everyone cross your fingers so that I can post see Sam run Saturdays amongst dinosaur fossils!
Make the most of your Saturday, readers. Go do something active and fun!
-see Sam run
I have no shame.
That being said, I want to introduce you all to the Zombies, Run! app (I am in no way paid by this product, I just love zombies.) This app makes me grin like an idiot while I'm running, which I'm sure is entertaining for onlookers. Once you download it, you'll see that your base camp is called "Abel Township" and this is your new home. Your helicopter has been hit with a missile - which is uber mysterious, because who has missiles in a zombie apocalypse?! - and you've landed in Abel and have now become known as "Runner Five". Certain leaders from the the township will talk to you via headset (you can't reply, obviously) and you're tasked with missions in order to earn your keep. Each run is its own mission and you collect helpful items along the way and learn more about the outbreak, the neighbors, the people in town, and your mysterious arrival. All of this plays through your earbuds along with your favorite running tunes. After each song, there's a new transmission and info from Abel. As if that's not fun enough, there's this gem called "Zombie Chase".
HELL YES.
When you enable Zombie Chase mode, you're adding in interval training to your run. At some point in your mission the person you're communicating with from Abel will notify you that there is a zombie horde hot on your tail! You can hear the grunts and moans and a beeping in your earbuds. As the horde gets closer, they get louder and the beeping gets faster. You must increase your speed by 20% for one minute in order to escape unharmed. It's challenging and oh so much fun!
As you progress through the missions you earn points and can help build up Abel, which is nice and all but I'm in for the story and the zombie chases. Try it out!
.JPG)
In other news, I have moved out of my house and into a bedroom at Casa de Healthy Little Me. It's different having roommates again, but I enjoy being downtown and able to walk and ride my bike places. Speaking of which, I rode 15 miles the other day! I haven't done that in a few years and it felt wonderful. One of the best feelings in the world, to me, is coasting down a hill or bridge while standing up on a bike with the wind in your face. I plan to do many more miles while I'm here.
The summer job is going well. If you don't remember, I work as an instructor/counselor for an educational marine science camp here in town. It's the best summer job EVER! I get to boogie board, kayak, fish, and fossil collect all week long! And my tan is coming along nicely...
Also, kayaking and loading and unloading equipment have not been bad for my arms. Check out the baby delts popping out and saying "what's up?"
The other internship is my dream job. It's a curatorial position at Dinosaur National Monument in Utah! I interviewed with them Tuesday and I think it went well. Everyone cross your fingers so that I can post see Sam run Saturdays amongst dinosaur fossils!
Make the most of your Saturday, readers. Go do something active and fun!
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Sun's Out, Run's Out.
So, I've been getting more used to Oklahoma. And I learned a little local secret about running - go in the morning! I have to send out some reports for work everyday at around 5 am and the sun comes up around 6 so I've been heading out for some really beautiful sunrise runs and have been able to beat the heat (thankfully!). And even though I'm not too much of a morning person, I'm kind of loving this new routine.
For starters, over the past year with all of my traveling I've learned an important lesson: there's no better way to discover a new place than to run around it. And in the early morning at dawn, I feel like I have the whole place to myself. It's just me and the pavement and the adorable little town of Alva.
I guess there are a lot of country roads out here and a lot of the people I work with like to run on them. But ya'll - there are TARANTULAS and SCORPIONS and RATTLESNAKES and God knows what else out here in this area and so I've decided to keep to the pavement and have stuck around the town square instead.
 |
| You should be jealous of this sunrise! |
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| Adorable little boutiques around downtown Alva. |
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| 77 degree weather? Yes, please and thank you! |
So far, half marathon training is going well - but I'm still nervous and scared just thinking about the daunting task of trotting 13.1 motherfreaking miles. Whatevs, I'll do it.
But today I'm heading back to good ol' North Carolina for a week. I'm ready for some sea-level runs, toes in the sand, and maybe a few fireworks to celebrate good old 'Merica. see Sam run is moving in (temporarily) this month so I need to do some house cleaning and make way for her, as well!
Happy Tuesday, everybody! What's your favorite thing about morning runs?
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