It’s been awhile since we’ve talked, hasn’t it?
I was on a serious roll the past few months, but I have to be honest: the next two months I’m going to be just a bit less consistent. I’m in the home stretch of NASM studying and really need to focus on that. It’s tough to work, blog, and study, not to mention be committed to fitness and having a semblance of a social life while doing those three things. Writing is my outlet, though, so I’ll still be around. But that NASM textbook is my new #1 priority until the second week of January.
The metta movement on Friday was a HUGE success! Dave DID run the full 100 miles and raised more than his $25,000 goal – last time I checked he was at $28,950! That means even MORE kids are going to have that life-altering surgery. I’m not going to lie–the whole experience moved me. We surprised Dave by holding up photos of the kids he was running for and he broke down in tears every time. Needless to say we all broke down as well. I had a moment later in the weekend where I realized just how crazy it is that $250, something I would spend on clothes, shoes or food in a few weeks, can completely transform a child’s life. It is the difference between living as a leper and living in a world of possibility. I thought about those 100 kids that Dave’s feat is going to help. That’s 100 people who will now be able to thrive in society – they may go to college and discover the cure for cancer or become a global diplomat and solve world hunger. It’s just a mind-blowing thought and extremely, extremely humbling.
I spent the remainder of my weekend in Ann Arbor on a road trip with my girlfriends from college. Martina (think hipster-architect and probably the actual inventor of Pinterest) is going to the University of Michigan for grad school (Go Blue!) so we drove up to spend the weekend with her. We ate bagels and pizza like it was going out of style, laughed constantly, and danced until the early hours of the morning, losing complete track of time.
See this is what I hate about not blogging for a few days – I start to remember a million random things I want to share with you all and there’s just no ebb and flow to the post anymore. Maybe I should rename my blog to “I Had A Big Lunch – Now Read My Word Vomit.” But anyway, did I tell you that I tried barre finally? I’ll share my review of the studio another day but it totally kicked my butt in a way that my butt has never been kicked. It wasn’t a “holy crap look how much I’m sweating” -type workout. More of a “holy crap how long can I hold my leg up like this before getting a debilitating charlie horse” and “holy crap there are a lot of mirrors in this room so I should probably actually hold a firm core for the first time in the history of a group fitness class.” Stellar.
Just another new fitness routine to add to the mix. Can we add another day to the week so I can fit in all the workouts I want to do every week? That would be perfect.
So tell me…
Questions:
- When was the last time you stayed in a college town? Did you have a blast or feel like an old prune in a sea of young, prime grapes?
- What’s your opinion on barre workouts?
- What was something funny, embarrassing or crazy about your weekend? Did you finally go for it and spend $15 on that jar of nut butter or spend six consecutive hours watching cat videos on YouTube?
i had a big lunch 
Wow I am so glad the charity event went so well! These things always make us re-evaluate our own lives and how lucky we are!
I am with you on trying to balance blogging and studying. I want to blog 3 times per week but sometimes school has to take priority – and rightly so! So think it may only be twice for me this week – but life comes first!
2-3x per week seems like a good balance – I’m with ya on that one!
Wow – Michigan has a beautiful campus! That’s the one thing that I missed about going to a smaller university. I wish I had gone to some school with gorgeous Harry Potteresque libraries.
The whole school was straight out of a movie – it was gorgeous and classic everywhere you went!
That one room at Michigan legit looks like Hogwart’s. Beautifullllll. Ahh I haven’t taken a barre class in a few months and I miss it. I need to take one again soon. They always kick my butt in the best way.
That’s exactly what everyone kept saying about that room (the Law Library). I have yet to go back to barre but I should too!
That is crazy (Metta), and congrats to you all on the huge fundraising success. So much for all of you to be proud of! I haven’t been in a college town 9staying wise) since we left Cville, but living there post grad school without being enrolled was very interesting. Luckily, it still functions of its own accord and has its own identity separate from UVA, but still, I know what you mean!
Yeah Ann Arbor was kind of like that too – it’s a little different from Champaign – whenever I go back it’s literally a different world run by 19-21 year olds haha.
Looks like 100 miles was a huge success!! Great weekend eats too!
I can’t begin to tell you how fun and successful it was. We were all thrilled!
Those college photos are GORGEOUS, as are you. 😉
Aw so sweet brittany! I was awe-struck at the beauty all around ann arbor as well!
Welp, I loathe barre and am more than happy to tell anyone about how much I hate it, but I’m glad you got to experience it! Hopefully you enjoyed it more than I do 😛 It looks like you had a great time in Ann Arbor! Or, if nothing else, a very delicious time 🙂
I didn’t LOVE it but I can see myself doing it again every once in awhile haha. Plus I knew the instructor so it was fun to laugh at ourselves – I looked like a complete fool doing it!
Sounds like a great weekend. Congrats on pursuing the NASM. I heard it is very hard. I have ACE and that was hard enough.
Haha yeah it’s challenging – the first few chapters was basically a crash course in anatomy which blew my mind. All the more reason to have some discipline and put studying first!
I am glad you had a great weekend and that the event went so well. I still go to college so I feel like an old fart but good thing I don’t look it, as I’ve been told 😉
Hahaha don’t jinx it! That’s awesome! Good genes 🙂
Wait, who’s Dave? Dave ran 100 miles?!
Dave is an ambassador for my particular lululemon store. He is a huge fitness presence in the Chicago community and a marathoner who just so happens to be involved with Smile Train. It all came together to be an amazing fundraiser event for Smile Train, and YES he did run 100 miles in less than 24 hours, on a treadmill in our store window, no less! It was remarkable!
Congrats on the Metta Movement being a huge success! That is amazing news! You should feel so great that you were able to make a difference.
So excited you tried barre. It looks like Flybarre? Can’t wait to hear what you thought. I love it!
Thanks you’re so sweet! It really felt great to be a part of something that big. It was nice to get out of my own head and my own world for awhile. It was Flybarre! Good eye 🙂
What a great road trip!
I love a weekend with my girls and greasy food!
Ps that sweater is adorable!
Thanks! I got it from Victoria’s Secret actually!
Wow! Dave is quite the guy. Hearing stories like his just makes my heart smile – especially for all the wonderful kids he has and continue to help. Really is inspiring.
The time w/ your girlfriends sounds like a blast. Nothing beats eating bagels & lots of pizza :). That’s basically the definitely of a perfect weekend to me!
Hope you have a fantastic start to the week.
I spent all of Friday with a giant grin on my face so I totally know what you mean 🙂 Bagels and pizza – cheap, fast and a major crowd pleaser haha
So many good things in this post! First, I’m happy to hear that the charity event went well. Second, it looks like you had a fabulous girls’ weekend! Third, I totally hear you on there not being enough time in the day.. I think that a lot of us bloggers are overachievers with a ton going on! And lastly, I feel the same way about barre. I think it’s a great, low impact, work your booty workout!
Low impact for sure haha. You start off thinking “this is so easy” and then after like three minutes of the same movement your muscles are burning! It’s crazy!
OMG this is why I cannot go back to Boulder, CO – because it’s such a college town and I hated college and I would feel SO SO SO out of place, lol!
Oh and I also HATE barre classes – I want to throw my little ball at the instructor when I am trying to squeeze all the air out of it with my THIGHS!
It’s DEFINITELY a niche workout – i prefer a sweatier workout but i still liked the small, repetitive muscle movements. It was a whole new type of workout thats for sure. Never been to CO – well yes but I was 8 – and i really want to go and experience the great outdoors!
Dave is my hero. #nartinaforever
#nartina in #narnia