Change, change, change

As I was driving home the other day, I realized this summer marks my 6th year here in Richmond...which ties with the longest I've lived in a place before...which was Richmond from when I was born until I was 6.  Most of y'all know I've been searching a lot lately for a new job and what exactly will make me happy.  Lately I've been thinking maybe I could make it in the Peace Corps or maybe Americorps - meeting a lot of new people, helping, making a difference.  What more could a girl ask for?  All I know is I'm ready for a change, to be out of my comfort zone and to do something that makes me happy.  I'm still trying to figure all of this out and find the best place for me.  Have any ideas?  Pass them my way.  The unknown can be scary but it's also exciting and hopefully the change I'm seeking and hoping for will happen soon.

A little bike ride and a few thoughts

Richmond has been hit with two days of absolutely beautiful weather!  What was I supposed to do...stay inside at work?  I don't think so!  I took the day off today so I could enjoy the weather.  Seriously, can you blame me? 

I decided I was going to get a quick bike ride in and head down to the park Ronnie and Deana showed me a couple weeks ago.  The only part I forgot was having train tracks to go over and not knowing if they were smooth or if I'd faceplant on my way to the park.  I was only about 5 minutes into the ride and all I could think was how miserable it was, how much my legs hurt and how I still had 30 minutes left to bike.  But I kept going...and for a lot longer than 30 minutes.  I finally made it to the park and I loved every second of it and on the way back, I saw so many things that made me smile - kids playing in the park, a tractor pulled over so the guy could go in and talk to the guys at the service station, an F150 logo from the back of a truck that had fallen off, etc.  It's so easy to go through your day and not take in all these small things and get annoyed at that biker you can't get around because there's traffic coming the other way.  (Yes, you're welcome cars on Purcell and Mountain.)  Me?  For today and right now, I'm thankful I was on that bike, slower than in a car, so I could see and experience those things, being reminded how amazing the small things can be sometimes and to enjoy just being outside, being a biker, being 28, being me.

I will not burn out....hopefully

I've come to the conclusion on why I get burnt out so much when I train for something.  I love having a goal to work towards and a culmination of all the hard work when I know I can relax but sometimes I seem to get too focused.  The closer I get to a big race, the more afraid I become of getting hurt so I stop doing the "fun" things like combat or zumba or anything that might tweak any part of my body.  That's when the fun goes out.  So now I'm making an effort to keep the fun things when I'm training.  Especially if it's a lite training day, I can throw in a fun class or every few times, throw out a lite day for some cross-training.  It truly seems to be a mental game and hopefully this way, when the race is completed, I'm still in the gym, having fun.  Yes, I can take time off to recover from the running and biking and whatnot, but I won't get burnt out.  At least this is the plan.

I mentioned this is the year of Elaine and 2 weeks in, it's going pretty well. ;)  I'm slowly taking back my life and doing things for me.  When I get up the guts to tell the world a few things I have on the burners right now, it will just keep the momentum going for this to be a kick butt year!