Category Archive for ‘Inspirational’

I Run DC – Have a Tiffany&Co Necklace To Prove It

On Sunday April 28th, Washington DC played host to the inaugural Nike Women’s Half Marathon. For the past ten years, Nike has hosted this race in San Francisco. This is the first year this famous women’s race has been hosted on the east coast. My Team Philly running friends jumped at the chance to run this and had a great weekend and fabulous run. I even managed a modest PR/PB on this half marathon and is the natural result of what happens when you focus on more consistent training.

The race course is essentially the Cherry Blossom 10 mile plus an additional three point one miles tacked on to complete the half marathon distance.

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Posted on May 19, 2013 :: Categories: Inspirational :: Tags: Half Marathon, Running
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Are You The Doctor?

Yes, I know there are serious issues swirling around with Gosnell, Benghazi, IRS targeting political rivals, and the shocking shakedown of AP by the Justice Department.

We will process and discuss these issues in good time. What we need right now is a moment to chill and perhaps have a laugh before digesting the above mentioned issues.

So sit back and enjoy the comic relief of my favorite Doctor – David Tennant:

Posted on May 16, 2013 :: Categories: Entertainment, Inspirational :: Tags: Dr. Who
234 views :: 1 Comment

The Woman – Margaret Thatcher – Rest In Peace

Britain’s first female Prime Minister, Baroness Thatcher, passed today at the age of 87. She lead her party to three election wins and served twelve years as Prime Minister before handing the reigns over to her successor.

She was fierce.

A principled and intelligent Lady, Margaret Thatcher became Britain’s first female Prime Minister. Her extraordinary leadership skill set, not whom she married, made her the best person for this position. As Prime Minister, she spearheaded necessary and fair changes to spearhead a revival of Britain, while breaking political glass ceilings for women worldwide.

Her keen intelligence rocked the macho status quo in Parliament; she rose to the occasion, but always remained a Lady.

This woman was no #Julia. She was the real deal – a strong, intelligent, capable, heroic woman – a role model for empowered feminists like myself.

I never had the fortune to meet Margaret Thatcher. My good blogging buddy, Mike Miller, created an extraordinary post remembering Margaret Thatcher entitled Iron Lady for the Ages. He shares his memories of time when adults occupied positions of power.

Rest in peace, Margaret Thatcher. You will be missed.

Posted on April 08, 2013 :: Categories: Inspirational, International, Memorial, Politicians :: Tags: Baroness Margaret Thatcher, Memorial
1,402 views :: 6 Comments

All Nighter in Congress

#standwithRand

Posted on March 07, 2013 :: Categories: Democrat, Hot Headlines, Inspirational, Republican :: Tags: Beastie Boys, Congress, Rand Paul
2,489 views :: Leave a Comment

2nd Annual Run For Sherry

Source: shutupandrun.net via Tania on Pinterest

Whatever your plans are this coming Saturday, take some time to run, walk, bicycle, rollerblade, or whatever in memory of Sherry Arnold. A woman who went out for a morning run last January and did not return home alive.

Sherry’s murder touched the core of the running community, as many of us have done exactly what Sherry did that sad morning and returned home safe and sound. It is not unusual for me to run alone early in the morning at a local park. I appreciate the peaceful beauty of the forest and the quiet time before my hectic day begins. Honestly, there are many times when I run with no ID or cellphone on my person and don’t see another person the entire run. Truth is, I don’t think of the potential dangers until after the run. So, I’m advocating to all my running readers to think about your safety BEFORE your run.

When the news of Sherry’s murder broke last year, her cousin who also runs (very well) and blogs at Shut Up and Run (SUAR) organized a Run For Sherry in February 2012. I, along with my running friend Trish, donned ‘Run For Sherry’ bibs and ran like madwomen through the streets of Philly.

This year, we are running for Sherry along Kelly Drive. I invite everyone, wherever you are to take time on Saturday to remember the life of Sherry Arnold.

SUAR (Shut Up And Run) shared some important safety tips to minimize risk and go on running and living – unafraid.

Here are some other things to do to be safe – not just while running, but in general.

Always tell someone where you are going.
Stay on well traveled and well lit roads. Don’t take short cuts through woods, poorly lit areas, etc.
If possible, run with a dog, a group or at least one other person.
Ditch the headphones.
Bring your phone.
If someone looks shady to you, cross the street or go the other way.
Vary your routes. Don’t be predictable.
Know where you’re going. Looking confused and lost can make you a target.
Don’t be distracted. Perpetrators specifically look for people who aren’t 100% aware of their surroundings.
Consider taking a self defense class. You never know when you might need these skills.
Reconsider the pony tail. This is an easy thing to grab and pull.
Have an air of confidence. Walk or run tall with your head up.
Trust your gut. If something/someone doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.
Bring pepper spray, but keep in mind it can be used against you too.
If attacked, do everything in your power to not be taken to another location.

Be Safe, Run On, Never Forget…

Posted on February 07, 2013 :: Categories: Inspirational :: Tags: Running
946 views :: 4 Comments

Inaugural Memories

Photos from when I last covered a Presidential Inauguration:

Sadly, a dark cloud hovers over this inauguration with the report of 23 BP Oil employees who were taken hostage have been killed in a botched rescue attempt. Clearly times have changed since the 1980 hostage crisis. One would hope a moment of silence to remember these victims of islamic terrorists will be included in today’s events.

Inaugural Memories:

Posted on January 21, 2013 :: Categories: Inspirational, National :: Tags: Photography, Presidential Inauguration
528 views :: Leave a Comment

2012 Year In Review

2012 was the year of firsts and lots of early morning bootcamp workouts. I set a challenge to see if I could train and complete a half marathon, a sprint triathlon and a marathon in one year. The answer would be ‘yes’. Everything I accomplished this year was worth every early wake up, every ache and every doubt that flitted across my mind. I’ve completed events that up until fairly recently I could not picture myself completing. This sweet feeling of accomplishment is one I want to remember and hold on to as I embark on new challenges in 2013. Lets have a look at what can be accomplished when you are not afraid to dream big and work hard.

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Posted on December 31, 2012 :: Categories: Holiday, Inspirational :: Tags: 2012, Year in Review
976 views :: 1 Comment

Tuesday Toss Up

What a crazy two weeks! I completed a marathon, cooked a delicious Thanksgiving dinner for 18 and continued to train for a half marathon in Annapolis, MD. And somewhere in there I squeezed in my day job. With all these activities blogging sort of fell to the wayside.

Now that my crazy schedule has leveled off for the rest of 2012, I can focus more on blogging and photography. Had a fun extended weekend in Annapolis and availed myself the opportunity to take a photo or two. I’m in the process of writing my 2012 TCS Annapolis Half Marathon recap which I hope to publish by the end of this week. Of course, you can view my photos from Annapolis and the half marathon on Flickr.

Here is a sneak peak of the photos:

What an awesome plane. I’ve never seen a live aerial performance by the Blue Angels but the planes looks fantastic on the ground. So stay tuned, readers, I’ve lots of blog posts to catch up on before the end of the year!

Ohhh! I am so delighted to report my good blogging buddy and social media rockstar, Jimmie Bise, has found a new avenue to talk all things pop culture at Pop Cast. Via the About page:

Pop-Cast is the one and only podcast dedicated to all things pop culture – movies, music, games, television, food, sports, style, fashion, and anything else that’s watercooler-worthy! With a variety of fun, young voices populating the microphones, our lively weekly discussions about the nation’s hottest buzz will have you coming back for more each week. Pop-Cast - If you’re talking about it, we’re talking about it.

I will be tuning in, so should you!

Posted on December 04, 2012 :: Categories: Bloggers, Inspirational, Photography :: Tags: Half Marathon, Photography, Running
958 views :: 2 Comments

Buster’s 4th Adopt-a-versary!

It has been four years since Buster was adopted into his forever home. Where has the time gone? He still is the handsome, well mannered dog I encountered during a routine vet visit for my other puffball – Tiny. Buster or Mayo found his way to my veterinarian after he was surrendered by a motorist who witnessed a dog dodging moving cars on a very busy highway and was able to safely rescue the dog from certain death.

It only took a day to decide to bring this sweet boy home. He immediately got to work on making himself comfortable after scarfing down Tiny’s food. She was not pleased at all with that behavior and to this day she makes a point to bark annoyingly at Buster while he eats his dog food.

Below the cut are a sampling of photos of Buster through the years. I’d have more photos but I quickly discovered that he is extremely camera shy. It takes a bit of work to snap a good photo of Buster, but I’ve managed to capture a few of them for your perusal.

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Posted on October 23, 2012 :: Categories: Hot Headlines, Inspirational, Photography :: Tags: Buster, Pet Adoption
1,016 views :: 3 Comments

Chasing 26.2 – When the Miles Pile On – Get a CamelBak

Source: rei.com via Tania on Pinterest

As the my running distances increase, I’m finding that I need to re-evaluate all my running gear. I’m letting go of items I’ve grown out of and embracing new ideas and technology. One change I have made recently was a switch to a CamelBak hydration system during training runs. It is working out quite well and it is especially useful for long runs.

I’m am sooo a convert! After putting up with fuel belts that would bounce and spin around my waist during training runs, I’m over the moon happy with my Women’s Aurora CamelBak.

Easier access to water and plenty of space to store essential running stuff, this CamelBak was perfect for an 18 mile run this past Saturday. I found myself sipping water more often and without the annoyance of a plastic bottle popping off the belt. Seriously, this would happen at least once per run – ask my running buddies if you doubt my statement.

The CamelBak allows for 70 fluid oz of water. My fuel belt with both bottles filled holds up to 40 fluid oz. The bottles had a tendency to leak if the pop tops are not closed completely, rarely did I realize all 40 oz of water during a run. Two weeks ago, on mile 11 of a 13 mile run, I found myself out of water and unable to refill the bottles. I finished the run feeling dehydrated and grumpy. That was the last straw for the fuel belt and I switched to the CamelBak Aurora for the following run.

What about the weight and fit? I didn’t notice any difference in the weight of the water and running essentials while wearing the CamelBak and it fit perfectly with little movement during the run. It was freeing not to have a belt cinched around my waist during the run. My arms were able to naturally fall closer to my body without bumping against the water bottles at waist level.

The only thing I’m not sure about is where to house your iPod when running. I’ve stopped running with music preferring the company of my thoughts during a run.

So, to all seasoned and newbie runners, give the CamelBak serious consideration when looking into a running hydration system.

The makers of the CamelBak Aurora hydration system did not sponsor this post.