Niki's Neverending Adventure

As many of you know, from a previous post, I found some super cute save the date magnets from Vistaprint that I was going to order. Well somehow, the lovely people over at Vistaprint found that post and contacted me!! They offered me free save the dates for doing a review and of course I hopped right on board since I was going to order them anyway!! So here are the save the date magnets I ordered:

The Vistaprint site is super easy to navigate and all I had to do was fill in my info and they gave me a preview of what the magnet would look like exactly! Literally took me like 10 minutes to do! I got the 7 day shipping and they arrived exactly 7 days after my order was placed! Gotta love that! They are exactly what I wanted and everyone I’ve given them to so far has loved them!

Vistaprint offers so many different items on their site!! From all things  like invitations, magnets, logos to anything you could imagine for your business!! They also make super cute picture magnets which I have had my eye on :) Ya’ll definitely need to check out their site! They are also super easy and nice to work with. I would definitely order from them again.

Posted in: on Monday, September 14, 2009 at at 11:42 AM 7 comments    

First off, I am going to start with my running week recap. This week was just ok for running. I felt super tired and sleepy all week and had a really HARD time getting out of bed early enough to get my runs in! Hence, 2 missed morning runs. So here it is:

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 7 miler at 10:17 pace! Awesome run!
Wednesday: Skipped 3 mile recovery run, slept in:(
Thursday: 4 mile speed work, fartleck run 1 mile hard, 1 mile easy with warm-up
Friday: skipped 4 miler, slept in. Attempted afternoon make-up run and failed due to side stitches. Strength workout
Saturday: 3 miler, hard *recap below
Sunday:5 miles, great run! *Recap below
Total: 19 miles

Saturday I planned to make up my 4 miles I skipped on Friday. However, I slept through my alarm again! I don't know what's up with me! Guess I am super tired for some reason! So I attempted to make it up after class Saturday afternoon even though I have had some failed afternoon runs this week. I told myself just do 3 and I would be happy with that. So 3 miles I did and I ran super hard! It was so hot too making for an even harder run, but I got through it! I don't remember my exact pace but I remember it was pretty fast!

Today's 5 miler was really good! I was still tired when my alarm went off at 6am but I got up and headed out. I ended up doing 5 miles at a 10:13 pace. Not too shabby for me!! I am hoping to not skip any runs this week because it just screws up my whole schedule!!

Onto the part about me being fickle.... If ya'll haven't figured out by now, I am super fickle and have the hardest time making decisions!! Give me a nursing decision and I can totally make it in seconds flat but life decisions, not so much...So I am second guessing the wedding dress choice from last week. I think I just was convinced more by everyone else there with me about how "perfect" the dress was. I just think that when I find the right dress I will know it's "the one" and I just haven't felt that way about a dress! So that being said, my mom and I went to David's Bridal today to look at some more dresses. There were some really pretty ones I liked but none I loved:( Did ya'll have that feeling that you just knew it was the right dress? Luckily there is a huge wedding store in Arkansas not too far from us called Low's that I am hoping to find one at when we go look! Plus I'm having too much fun looking at wedding dresses! I don't want it to be over!

Posted in: on Sunday, September 13, 2009 at at 3:58 PM 3 comments    

I don’t know what it is about me and running anytime other than the morning…it just never works out. Today I was feeling extra tired, like I have been all week (not sure what that’s all about), so I turned my alarm off at 5:30 and slept until 7am and got ready and headed to class without doing my morning 4 miler. I planned to just make it up this afternoon. I had really good intentions too! I came home from class, ate a PB&J for lunch and planned to do some school work for a few hours before running. Well when I headed out for my 4 miler, 3 hours after lunch, my stomach felt awful! I had a killer side stitch within the 1st 0.1 of a mile. This is the same thing that ALWAYS happens with my afternoon runs. So knowing it would just continue to get worse, I turned around and got Sadie and we went on a nice walk. I then came home and did a strength workout. So at least I did SOMETHING today. I’m just mad at myself for sleeping in. So this week I will be short 3 miles (from Wednesday’s run that I also skipped by sleeping in). I will make up today’s run, tomorrow morning and it’s looking like it will be on the treadmill because I am still a little weary of running in the dark all by myself. And since I will be getting up at 5:15 so I can run before class, the sun won’t be up until after I am finished. I guess in the grand scheme of things, missing a 3 miler is definitely NOT detrimental. But still, I feel like a slacker! I am so ready for class to be over tomorrow and for my weekend to start!! Any fun plans this weekend?

Posted in: on Friday, September 11, 2009 at at 9:32 PM 2 comments    

I am so sad Jaime and her daughter had to go home yesterday. We had a blast for the 5 days she was here! It went by way too fast!! Like I had said, we went wedding dress shopping Tuesday and of course I found something I love! Here is the link to the dress that I think would be perfect for my beach wedding. What do ya’ll think?? It just looked so pretty on and I am totally loving the flower thing with feathers! Plus it is totally under my budget!! The store I found it at is having a big sale in January so they told me to come order it then so I can get 20% off! Jaime and I actually found this dress in a magazine the night before we went dress shopping! Funny, right?? I would love to see what dresses ya’ll would choose for a beach wedding! Send me pictures and/or links!!

Onto my runs… I was supposed to do a 3 mile recovery run yesterday but I slept in late and was not feeling it yesterday afternoon. I am just not good at running in the afternoon! So that means I will be running Saturday instead. I did do a quick 4 mile bike ride and a walk with Sadie so I got some cross training in!! Today I did a 4 mile speed workout on the treadmill so I could catch up on some of my DVR’d shows! I watched GREEK while running. Anyone else watch that on ABC Family?? Anyway, I did a fartleck run of 1 minute hard, 1 minute easy for a total of 4 miles with my warm-up. Didn’t do a cool down, just kept on with my intervals! It was a good workout, I was hot and sweaty by the time I was finished!

Well, gotta get back to reading/ studying. Sorry I haven’t been commenting much. I have been trying to catch up since I didn’t get much blog reading done while my BFF was in town! Who’s ready for the weekend?!? I am!!

Posted in: on Thursday, September 10, 2009 at at 1:25 PM 10 comments    

I had a WONDERFUL long run this morning! I woke up around 6, drove about 30 mins to where I was going to run and was off about 7am. I ran the same route, for the most part, that I did last week. It felt a little tougher than last week but definitely do-able. That’s why I was surprised to see that my average pace was 10:17 for 7 miles!! No wonder it was feeling harder than last time! Last week my average pace was 10:47 so I ran 30 seconds per mile faster! Wohoo!! Here are my mile splits:

Time: 1:12:00

Mile 1: 10:38

Mile 2: 10:22

Mile 3: 10:09

Mile 4:10:36

Mile 5: 10:31

Mile 6: 9:52

Mile 7: 9:51

Overall, great run in my book!

My plans for the rest of the day include Wedding Dress Shopping and eating at my favorite restaurant! Can today get any better?!?

Posted in: on Tuesday, September 8, 2009 at at 10:26 AM 4 comments    

We have had a lazy Labor Day here! It’s been GREAT!! Just sitting around looking at wedding magazines and wedding stuff online anticipating wedding dress shopping tomorrow! I am so pumped! Not only is it wedding dress shopping day, but we are going to eat at my favorite restaurant with my mom tomorrow night, Cafe Piazza!!

So my wedding question for the day is where did ya’ll go on your honeymoons? Or if you’re not married, where would you like to go for a honeymoon? I need some ideas! We have been looking at the Sandals resorts and they are really nice but I am open to suggestions!

Well that’s all for tonight, we are about to watch 27 Dresses:) Hope everyone had a great Labor Day! I have a 7 miler in the morning also!! Busy day:)

Posted in: on Monday, September 7, 2009 at at 8:39 PM 5 comments    

This week has been great for running! I was nervous about the 5 day running week but so far, it has turned out fine! I had an especially awesome run today that we will get to in a minute. Here is what I ran this week:

Monday: strength training/ walking

Tuesday: 7 miles

Wednesday: 3 miles recovery

Thursday: 4 miles speed work, 4X800 plus warm-up and cool down

Friday: 3 miles

Saturday: strength training

Sunday: 4 miles

Total: 21 miles

Today’s run was really good! I was only supposed to do 3 miles but I was feeling good so I decided to change it to 4 miles instead. I ran this 4 miler faster than I have in years!! Here’s my stats:

Time: 37:39

Avg pace: 9:24 min/ mile!!

Mile 1: 9:58

Mile 2: 9:30

Mile 3: 9:24

Mile 4: 8:44 !!

Ya’ll, I can’t believe I ran this fast for 4 miles! I just really keep impressing myself with these fast runs!! I would say my training is going great!!

Jaime and I are having a great time together!! We have done a lot of shopping, eating, and girl talk! I am so glad she will be here for another 2 days!! And on Tuesday, we are going Wedding Dress shopping! I am SUPER excited! This is the thing that I have been looking forward to the most! There will be more wedding related questions coming tomorrow! Hope ya’ll have a wonderful Labor Day!

Posted in: on Sunday, September 6, 2009 at at 9:56 PM 3 comments    

Sorry I’ve been MIA for the last couple days. I’ve been super busy with school and getting ready for Jaime to come visit!! She got here today and we have been having a blast ever since! I was a little nervous how Sadie would act with her 2 year old since she has never really been around any kids, but she did great! Loved her!!

Onto my runs… Thursday I had a speed work session. I did 4X800 with warm up and cool down totaling 4 miles. It was a really good work out. Not too much to say about it!! Today I had 3 miles to do and I decided to do it on the treadmill so I could watch Big Brother from last night. Good choice on my part! It was a good episode and really great run! I did 3 miles in 29:50. Tomorrow is a rest/ strength training day.

Sorry I don’t have anything too exciting to talk about! I am exhausted. Goodnight!

Posted in: on Friday, September 4, 2009 at at 10:15 PM 1 comments    

Hey guys! I am super tired and ready for bed but thought I would do a little update! I was at school/ doing school stuff most of the day and didn’t get home until 6ish. I have been spoiled being able to be at home all the time, even if I am studying my life away! I know Sadie has really enjoyed me being in school so I can be home with her a TON more!! Before I started school, I worked 3 12 hour shifts a week and don’t think Sadie liked being home alone that often! Haha.

My run this morning was good but sad. It was dark almost my whole run so I decided to run up the main road because it’s well lit and has a sidewalk. Well I saw a cop car ahead and was wondering what was going on. Once I got up there I saw that someone had run over a dog and it was in the middle of the road! I was so sad at seeing this my eyes welled up and I was crying!! A little hard to run and cry but I am such a dog lover and any time I see a hurt dog, let alone a dead dog, I get really sad:( I was just hoping it would be gone when I passed back by there on my way back and they were gone. Luckily it was dark so no one could see me being a big baby and crying while running. Other than that, my run was really good. Legs felt a lot better than I thought they would! I ran at an even 10:00 min/ mile pace. Could have pushed harder, could have gone slower, so I think it was perfect for a recovery run. Oh yea, I did 3 miles this morning! Don’t feel like going to get my Garmin to post my mile pace’s but there was some definite negative split action going on!!

I have another busy day tomorrow full of a test, lots of reading, cleaning because Jaime is coming on Friday, class, and BUNCO tomorrow night! Yay! Hope ya’ll have a GREAT Thursday tomorrow!

Posted in: on Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at at 9:45 PM 8 comments    

This has to be quick because I have been so busy with school stuff today, I haven’t gotten anything done around the house! I literally have been doing school work all day! From 10am, after my run, to 6:30 this evening. BORING DAY! Oh well, it’s what needed to be done! I am so ready for December to be here so I can have a break! Haha.

Anyway, onto my run. I had a 7 mile long run on the schedule for today. I headed out to my parents house so I could run out there. It was a really good run. Nothing to exciting to tell except I did see 2 deer right on the trail I was running on. They just stared at me as I ran by. Like 5 feet from me and didn’t move! I felt a little tired around the 4 mile marker but not long after that I felt really good! Must have got my 2nd wind! I even ran the last 0.1 mile to my car when normally I would stop right at 7 miles! Just felt like going a tad bit further I guess :) I’m gonna save you from reading my mile splits because they were all about the same give or take a few seconds. I am amazed at how well I paced myself!! My average pace was 10:47 min/ mile. I will definitely take that! A few weeks ago when I ran 7 miles my pace was 11:17 min/ mile! So, I am a whole 30 seconds faster this time! Yay, gotta love that!! I’m interested to see how my legs feel in the morning for my recovery run since my calves have been super sore. Lots of stretching in my future!!

Well that’s all for now, gotta go do some house work and spend time with Al! Hope ya’ll have a good night!

Posted in: on Tuesday, September 1, 2009 at at 6:58 PM 4 comments