Californication

This post is brought to you from the porch of a coffee shop on a sunny day in gorgeous Santa Monica, California. Currently, I am enjoying a blood orange sweet tea and being harassed by a homeless man in a puffy vest. Although it might sound like an ordinary day to any California native, this day is exceptionally special to me because how many opportunities will I have to experience this? Not the tea or the hobo, but the hustle and bustle of life in California. To be honest, I’ve tasted the good life, and I am not sure how I can or if I want to go back to the simple life.

California is everything I imagined it would be and more. The more can be attributed to the amazing people I’ve gotten to know in my short stent here in Cali. The shops, beaches, and food (fat, I know) are entirely different on this side of the country. For example, the most popular restaurants are salad bars and grocery stores are stocked full of organic foods and the most beautiful produce I’ve ever seen. In Alabama, I run the streets of Oxford freely. I rarely pass children playing in their yards, and I certainly never have a fellow runner to wave at. Lazy people are almost nonexistent in California from what I can tell. My morning workouts are alongside hundreds of runners on the famous Ocean Avenue. I pass women, men, and hobos (mostly because they are asleep beside them) participating in outdoor yoga classes or martial arts groups. It amazes me. It even gives me faith that there is hope for humanity because, let’s face reality, obesity rates are higher than ever, particularly in the south. How easy would it be to commit to health when you are constantly surrounded by healthy people and given mostly healthy options? That’s what life is like here. I appreciate it, and mostly, I envy it.

My flight down here was smooth. Most of you know that I am insanely fearful of taking off and landing. The in between is never the problem, but the initial and final stages of flying are terrifying enough that I can’t do it without the assistance of drugs, the legal kind, obviously. So my flight here was 5 hours of pure Valium-induced sleep, just the way I like it.  I arrived, picked up my rental car, and rushed to downtown L.A. to meet my host and his friends.

Dean’s friends…

My first few days have been spent with a fantastic bunch of people. Dean, as most people that know him are aware, is EXTREMELY Greek. Like, speaks it, eats it, breathes it, Greek. Naturally, the majority of his friends are of Greek decent as well, and I am totally okay with it. Dean’s friends have been nothing but welcoming and kind. They’ve taken me in as one of their own. I was incredibly nervous as to how I was going to keep myself occupied while Dean worked during the days, but it’s been easy now that I’ve made friends with his group. I enjoy so much listening to them bicker back and forth and discuss their tactics for wooing the luxurious ladies of L.A. It’s hilarious, really. I’ve learned more about Greek culture and history in 3 days than I did in any of my history classes. See, this trip is even educational! They remind me of my friends so much, loud and horribly inappropriate. I guess I’m drawn to that crowd. Our first stop was to a lovely brunch joint overlooking the insanely beautiful Manhattan Beach. It was a breezy 72 in L.A.. The beach was taken over with families, tourists, and natives enjoying the day. Solitude is nonexistent around here. You are constantly surrounded by people in Cali, and as an avid people-watcher, I appreciate that aspect of it. We saw what we think were two celebrities on my first day. Well, let’s say one and a half, because Almost Nikki Minaj was really just a hideous black woman with tacky extensions. The gentlemen were convinced Jack Nickelson drove by while we stood on the side of a mountain in Hollywood. We chased him briefly, which was one of the most horrifying experiences of my life, but we never really knew if it was him or not. We ended up at a gorgeous home in Hollywood hills with some of Dean’s friends. The house was the former home of a one SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH! Ummm, am I living big here or what? We mingled, drank white wine, and ate delicious cheeses and other various treats. The night ended perfectly with the sun setting behind the hills of Hollywood. Breathtaking doesn’t begin to describe it.

Day two began with an almost 6 mile run along the shores of Santa Monica. The view was a overwhelming, as was the smell of homelessness and certain legal medical herbs… It’s everywhere here, I swear. After a quick shower, I hit the Promenade for the majority of the day. Dean is fortunate to live in an apartment overlooking one of the biggest shopping strips in the town. Give me a three story Forever 21 and I am occupied for hours. I spent the day window shopping and resisting the urge to empty my bank account. After 4 hours of walking, I spent an obscene amount of money on a coffee and headed back to Dean’s for a nap. I knew he had something exciting in store for the evening, but with Dean, you never know what to expect. A nap is always a good choice as there is never a guarantee of returning home before sunrise when Dean is making the plans. To my surprise, one of Dean’s got in touch with me to see if I wanted to accompany him to a doggy boutique. I think I’ve decided to say yes to every opportunity here because I am fearful that I won’t get the chance to experience anything like it again anytime soon. Doggy boutiques in California… oh lawd. I would seriously eat the treats sold in this place because they looked so tasty. Why does a dog need a special jar of peanut butter? Or doggy-safe chocolate covered cookies? I have literally seen my dog eat his own vomit. Marley will just have to stick with the Pedigree. No herbal doggy tea for that mutt. After perusing the isles of doggy heaven, we headed to Malibu. Pepperdine University is a school overlooking the beautiful beaching of Malibu. The thought of tuition for this university makes my stomach turn. It was, hands down, the most beautiful campus I’ve ever seen. 

I am really excited about this considering it’s been talked up so much since I’ve been here. I FINALLY had Greek cuisine. From what Dean says it was pretty freaking authentic. Dean knew the owner of some swanky joint. They had closed but opened for us after Dean charmed the owner. Talk about fancy. This place was nicer than any pre-prom restaurant I’ve ever been to. The owner not only opened the place for us but gave us the hook up with white wine, caviar, and shots of some sort of deliciously sweet liquor. In fact, it was Greece’s independence day, so it really was a cause for celebration. The food was divine, but I’m all about the experience, which was even better. We headed to one of Dean’s girlfriends shortly after that. Alex’s parents were visiting from Los Vegas for the week. They busted out the white wine and we enjoyed some fantastic conversation in her ridiculously cute studio apartment. I can’t get enough of these people. Everyone here has a fantastic story and I want to hear each and every one of them.

Day three was my hike to the Hollywood sign. Alex and I had really clicked, so she agreed to accompany me on my hike, and I am SO glad she did. She’s been here for several months, but somehow, we managed to get lost multiple times in our attempt to get to the starting point of the hike. As it turns out, we have A LOT in common. It’s a shame, really, that she doesn’t live closer. She’s a professional dancer turned actress, and really, her story is my favorite of anyone that I’ve met here. Out hike was full of discussions about health, men, and crazy experiences. We never quite made it to the sign, but we got an awesome workout in the attempt. She is a fitness instructor and teaches Barre. What is that, I know? I had never heard of such a class. Barre is a ballet inspired workout, and holy Jesus, was it a workout. I woke up with sore ankles. I really didn’t know I had so many muscles in my ankles, but I felt every single one of them this morning. I swear, I’ve never smelled myself so strongly while working out. It’s not cardio based at all, so my heart rate was never high. It’s all about strength training and flexibility, which I hate but know is 100% necessary if I am going to improve as a runner. She is a mega beast, and I am so thankful for the experience of attending her class. However, my ankles and quads are not.

After shoveling down Greek leftovers and spending 20 minutes beautifying myself as much as possible after a day full of hiking and ballet-inspired exercise, Dean and I met up with his friends for a night on the town. We went to a really fancy (what I consider fancy because I am used to bars full of old men and stalkers) lounge on the roof of some building in downtown L.A. The view was unbelievable. I don’t care how poor you are, it’s impossible not to feel high class in a place like that. The night ended with some Korean and good laughs, and we arrived home at a painful 3 a.m.

Today was not as glamorous. I woke up with the intentions of running 6 miles, but my ankles and quads are so sore that I can’t even think about running without my muscles aching. To my surprise, I walked outside and was greeted with the biggest farmer’s market I’ve ever seen! I spent a good 2 hours taste testing and learning about produce I’ve never even seen in my life. It was absolutely perfect. There’s something about a farmer’s market… The smells, the people, the food (obviously), I have a weird think for farmer’s markets. Call me crazy.  The last few hours have been dedicated to catching up on schoolwork. It pains me to be stuck in a coffee shop all day, glued to my job, but I guess that’s the price you pay for being a teacher. Work literally never ends.

My experiences here have been beyond all expectations. As my boyfriend and family know all too well, I am not an easy woman to please. I am rarely satisfied with what I have, and I am constantly looking for the next best thing. I have to say, I think I’ve found THE best thing. I love every aspect of this state. The weather, the flow, the people, it’s all exactly what I want in life. I have always felt that my dreams and expectations in life are far bigger than anything the south has to offer me. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate my BBQ and sweet tea, but I feel like my opportunities here would be endless. If I had no ties, I don’t know if I could resist trying to make it on this side of the country. It’s a lot to think about, a fantasy, really. I can only dream, I suppose. In case you can’t tell, I am really enjoying my trip. I hope to make this a more frequent thing, so I should probably start saving now. I’m sure I’ll have more to update about later. I still have a good two days here, so who knows what I’ll get in to J. 

Tuscaloosa Half Marathon

The past two weeks have been the busiest of the school year for me. Between meetings, getting a new student, grad school, and training, I have had little time for the fun stuff, which sadly, includes seeing my friends and boyfriend. This weekend should bring some relief. I am no longer focused on preparing for a half marathon. In fact, I am trying to decide whether I want to give myself a week of rest from exercise in general. It's probably not best practice, but I would like to have some time to catch up and maybe get ahead on school work, and it wouldn't be so bad having some me time. I've forgotten what that's like because my only me time since the new year has been during my runs.

 Stress and emotions got the best of me this week. I knew I had to start loading up on carbs and hydrating to prepare for my big day on Saturday, but I went a little crazy with the sweets as I always do when something major is about to happen. Wednesday and Thursday consisted of candy binges and brownies. I had a really stressful day Wednesday, so in typical Shannon fashion, I drowned my sorrows in a tub of Moose Tracks.
I was so anxious about my race the entire week that I barely slept at all. My poor students must hate me; I had very little patience this week and it showed.

Here's the kicker: I spent the entire week freaking myself out about this race even though I ran 13.5 miles the Sunday before. Nanci agreed to meet me in Coldwater, which is the town I work in, if I ran there. I set out on the hottest day in months and ran across two towns. I was dehydrated because I'm so accustomed to running in 45-50 degree weather. It was 65 and the sun was directly over me the entire run. I had to stop once at Sonic for some water. By the time I reached the Dollar General to meet Nanci, I was basically foaming at the mouth and dripping sweat from head to toe. You'd think I would have felt a little more prepared for my race, but I didn't feel as mentally prepared as I would have liked.

So about the race... My parents got into town yesterday night. We spent some time catching up, but we were all exhausted by 9:30. The race was in Tuscaloosa, which is about a 2 hour drive. We decided to leave at 4:45 a.m. to make sure I would have plenty of time to pick up my race packet and get through traffic. I set my alarm for 4:15. I figured I could rest on the way, and it's not like I had to wake up and put my face on...
I woke up at 3:40 to turn the heat down and fell back asleep. Next thing I know, I shoot out of the bed because I knew we had overslept. When I checked my phone, the time was 4:40, just 5 minutes before we were supposed to be walking out the door. My mother is incapable of getting ready in less than an hour, so I gave up on the idea that we'd be on time for this event. As it turns out, my mom had contracted some sort of stomach bug and was incredibly sick to her stomach. She had been up all night vomiting and running a fever. We expected the weather to be bad. The news was calling for rain and snow all morning, but the race was happening regardless. We forced her to stay home. She didn't like it, but it was better than feeling completely miserable in 36 degree weather.
My dad, Blakely, and I were out the door by 5. My adrenalin was in over-drive. It was like the scene from Home Alone where the family is late for their flight and everyone is running around like chickens with their heads cut off only with much more profanity.

I knew my family and Blakely would be miserable in this weather. I pretty bribed them with delicious gourmet donuts for breakfast. Watching my dad experience a red velvet donut for the first time without me was nothing short of torture. I bought 2 knowing that I would reward myself post-race, so I had to wait. Surprisingly, we weren't late at all! We arrived perfectly on time. I was able to pick up my packet, potty, and warm up. The sun came out momentarily but the wind was strong and slapped us like a ton of bricks across the face. Luckily, it stopped raining in the early morning hours and the light snowfall had let up for the time being. I approached the starting line and had to leave my boys behind. Even though I had already run 13 miles, I felt like I was setting out on accomplishing the most important goal I had ever set for myself. The race made it feel so official.

I'm not sure if you really understand what I mean when I tell you it was cold. I have run in cold weather, I've run in rain and sleet, but never in my worst nightmares have I run in such harsh conditions. It was bone chilling, face numbing, stock up on bread and milk because you're not leaving the house for a few days cold. My fingers, face, and toes were numb before the race even started. I knew my body temperature would rise as I ran, but I questioned whether or not it would rise enough to bring feeling back into my appendages (it didn't).

My goal was completion. I am insanely competitive, so I have been practicing on pacing myself during my daily runs to prepare my mind for a slower race. I was not concerned with time or placement. I simply wanted to live to tell about it. The first 6-7 miles were like cake. I felt strong and ready to take on the next. I even managed to pass a few people that had left me in the dust in the first leg of the race. I was enjoying exploring the town of Tuscaloosa, so it really didn't feel like a lot of work. The first leg had 4 hills that I can remember. The first two were not so bad, but the other 2 were fairly steep. Since my trail race, I have developed a hatred/fear of hills. I made it up them no problem and reminded myself that the heavy breathing was only temporary.
I was running up the steepest hill of the race, when I noticed a woman in a wheelchair and two other women beside her cheering her on as she slowly pushed herself up the hill. Once I realized that the woman was also intellectually disabled, I ran beside them for a moment to cheer her and her coaches on. That moment was so profound. Here I am, feeling all high and mighty because of my accomplishments, and this woman, with more limitations than I will ever know, is competing alongside me. I was overwhelmed with inspiration. Witnessing such determination lit a fire in me. I am a healthy, typically functioning young woman, and I had absolutely NO excuses for not giving it my all. It was just the motivation I needed!

By mile 9, I had blown my nose in my sleeve so many times that my nose chapped. My lips were dry and wind burned and my chapstick was completely frozen. More than once, I caught myself drooling without realizing it because I had absolutely no feeling in my face whatsoever. I was also experiencing some pretty insane shin splints. The last 4 miles of the race were the hardest part. I kept reminding myself that 4 miles was a light run for me and I tried to forget about the miles I already knocked out. The view was awesome during the last leg! We ran beside the river and through a park. I'd give anything to be able to run there everyday. The race ended at the Tuscaloosa Ampetheatre. As I approached it, I tried to pick up the pace. We circled the building and as I entered the ampetheatre to cross the finish line, I laid my eyes of Blakely and my dad. Their noses were blood red but they were in the front row, cheering as loudly as they could. My face lit up and I managed to scrounge up the energy to cross the finish line at a sprint. I received my medal and was greeted by hundreds of people cheering me on, but the thing that mattered most was that my dad and boyfriend were there to see me do it.

Completing this race was like nothing I've ever felt before. Partially because I was so cold that I couldn't move my mouth. I looked and felt like I had a stroke. I felt high, probably because I ran 13.1 miles, but mostly because this race was my way of kissing the 285 girl that I used to be goodbye forever. It 4 years, I have lost the weight of an average sized teenager. I have earned the title runner. Running, an activity that I literally used to fear and avoid, has become my favorite hobby. It was a little over a year ago that I completed my first 5k, and in such a short amount of time, I have increased my distance by 10 miles. I can never go back; I refuse to go back. The feeling of accomplishment and pride that I experienced today was more satisfying than any fried food or chocolate covered treat. I am a different person, a better person. Although, I did devour that red velvet donut immediately upon arriving home.
Here are some pictures from the race! Some are pre-race, and the ones where I look like I can't move my jaw are post-race. Thank you for your support and for reading. You guys are my biggest motivation.