My love/hate,hate, hate, love relationship with running

It is early-September 2011, and I am on a lovely 2 mile run with my mom aka "marathon runner Jana." Actually, my mom is the one on a "run," I am on all fours in the grass trying my darnedest not to pass out or show the other runners on the trail what I had for breakfast. You're probably thinking, "man, you must have been running really fast!" Right. Wrong. As I lay there writhing in my self-induced running pain, I can't keep myself from thinking/saying/gasping for air, "I'm just not meant to be a runner!"

Flashback a few months earlier to June 2011. My BFF Caitlin tells a group of friends that she and her family plan to run a local 15k in October. Upon hearing this statement, I have the worst case of verbal diarrhea I have ever had...I actually say the words, "I'm going to run that too!" What? No! Bailie! Why did that come out of your mouth? Why did you not just say, "wow, I can't wait to cheer you on while standing on the sidelines eating a donut!" Or, "I would totally run that, but I will be busy washing my hair/out of the country/visiting the President that day." Sadly, Big Mouth Bailie overruled all of my common sense, and I committed to running a race that was 3 times longer than I had ever run in my life.

Flashback to November 2002. The longest I had ever run. It was about -15 degrees and our cheer squad has to run 3 miles at 6am because we are in big trouble for skipping running in the morning. This obviously was very traumatic for me because I can barely remember what happened last week, and this was 10 years ago. (Sidenote: OMG that was 10 years ago! Wow where has the time gone???)

Spring 2008. I run pay my sister to run my 2 miles that are required for passing a class. Yes, I have reached the lowest of lows in my running career. Sorry I'm not sorry about it.

Ok, back from the trip down my sad running-memory lane. While I am laying on the ground feeling sorry for myself and coming to the conclusion that I just wasn't meant to be a runner like my marathon-running parents, my mom, ever the encourager, tells me that I can run and will be able to run that 15k at the end of October. So, I get myself up from the ground and manage to walk the rest of the way home.

My mom and I run the next day, and the experience was so much better, and a lot less painful. I really learned how important it was to pace myself when I ran, instead of sprinting and thinking that I can be the next Usain Bolt, and then thriving on the ground in pain 1 minute later.

"Finishing a race on your feet means that you are successful, not how fast you finish it."

 Yes, that was another encouraging quote from my mom. Geez, quit your teaching job and work for Hallmark already! After I learned that I could run longer distances if I just put my mind (and pace) to it, I broke the 3 mile barrier and did 4 miles on a rainy day in mid-September. A few weeks later, my BFF and I faced the scariest feat I had ever faced in my life...SIX MILES! I was actually nervous before we ran. Really, Bailie? It's not like you can't just stop if you have to. But whatever, I was nervous! Needless to say, we conquered those six miles, and then eight and then those glorious 9.3 miles of the Tulsa Run. After that race, I was hooked!

I have now completed a few 5k races including "Race in the New Year," (a fun 5k where my husband, Zach, and I literally ran in the new year at midnight, complete with fireworks during the run at midnight...magical) and then one of my most favorite life accomplishments, The STL Half Marathon.

Now, almost a year from that horrible September run, I have learned how to run, but most importantly, I have learned how to enjoy running, and the wonderful benefits it brings.

Are you feeling discouraged in your running life? Remember, you are successful if you cross the finish line on your feet! If I can go from the ditch to 15k in a little over a month, you can do it too!

tulsa drivers...every man for himself

I wrote this back in February after being stuck in an awful traffic-jam on my drive to work... Seriously do I sound dra-ma-tic or what!


"The drive to work in the morning can be described as “survival of the fittest.” It is an “every man for himself” world out on the Tulsa highways as its inhabitants venture out of their humble abodes and hit the highways on their way to their respective jobs, schools, etc.
Drivers act as if they are bitter rivals, each one trying to one up the other by weaving in and out of and around traffic, cutting off anyone and everyone that gets in their way. Some drivers will do whatever it takes to “win” the highway; whether it is riding the car in front’s tail or riding the shoulder lane until the last second. Tuesday was like any ol’ Tulsa day. The Ford truck next to me was impatiently revving his engine at the little car in front of him that was moving at a slow 65 mph pace. On my other side a car was riding the side lane to get in front of slow-moving traffic…of course I let him in and of course he did not give the courtesy wave. [Tulsa drivers, and drivers all over…if you must must must cut in front of others, at least give the courtesy wave! If you don’t give me one, I’ll give a “you’re welcome” wave anyways…as if you are even looking back, because your lack of concern to give the initial wave shows a lot about your character. ]

Anyways…Tuesday.
Tuesday traffic was moving along quite smoothly on 169…I even checked my clock 3 times while driving, because the lack of traffic made me think that I was somehow not driving during the morning rush hour. I merged easily on to the BA and was getting excited that I would be early to work, and then the red lights hit me like a brick wall.
Now, the BA is known to have traffic build-ups on the way to work, so I was optimistic during the break and go flow of traffic. And then the world stopped. Ok, the world didn’t stop, but my car stopped. Meaning my foot was on the break, and it wasn’t moving any time soon. Meaning, there must be a wreck or some kind of catastrophic event happing somewhere on the BA, meaning I was not going to be early in to work after all.

And that’s when it happened. As I, and everyone else going WB on the BA sat at a standstill for 15…20…40 minutes, the rivalry between the drivers lifted.
Drivers, who were rivals just minutes before, suddenly shared a common bond. We were stuck, and there was nothing we could do about it.
As we sat there for 40+ minutes, drivers who were once enemies now became friends as each car had to let the other one in from their respective lanes.
For those 40+ minutes, we weren’t in a race to win…we weren’t cutting each other off without a single courtesy wave. No, for those 40+ minutes at a standstill, we were no longer enemies…we were friends.

As we reached the accident site, and passed into the wide open highway streets, we had a newfound respect for one another. That lasted for about 2 seconds until the Ford next to me once again revved his engine at the car in front of him, and I was cut off without a single courtesy wave."

sparkles, je t'aime

To quote a line from a movie with a creepy kid... "I'm baaaaackkkk!" Honestly, I dont really know if it is from a movie, but whatever!

To celebrate my entrance back into the world of blog writing, I just want to post one of my most favorite sparkly things in the entire world... La Tour Eiffel!

This picture is from my 2008 trip to Paris. There is nothing more exciting than standing in front of the Eiffel Tower at nighttime when the entire tower lights up and sparkles! It is an experience I will remember forever...there were yells and gasps of delight when the grand tower began to sparkle on that wonderful Parisian night! I urge everyone to take a trip to Paris and experience the sparkling of the Eiffel Tower...such a breathtaking sight to see!

bailie's list of proper gym etiquette...

After embarking on 60 days of health and wellness which includes going to the gym at least 5 days a week, I have come up with my own personal list of do's and don'ts for the gym.

1. When there are 10 treadmills open in the cardio cinema room, please please PLEASE do not get on the one right next to me. There is no need! There are plenty of open machines, and you will become one of my gymenies...yes, I have them.

2. If you do happen to get on the machine next to me, I really hope you didn't just eat something highly oniony...or just stay away from onions for the rest of your life. Nothing like the fresh smell of onions to awaken my gag reflex on my 5th mile...once again, you'll be an instant gymenie.

3. Once again if you just happen to get on the machine next to me in the cardio CINEMA room [a dark room where movies are constantly playing] please turn your own music on really loud so that I can hear every word of your song instead of the movie on the screen. Please do this, I beg you to be so considerate and turn it up another notch so that you can't hear your loud panting while walking at a 2.0 setting...listen up gymenie I now missed the first 20 minutes of The Fifth Element, and caught every word of your itunes set...thank you!

4. When you just cannot get enough of your strong muscly bods and just have have have to stare intently at every single ripple of your glorious body...go in the bathroom- NOT in front of the mirrors by the weight machines. I know it might be hard not to stare at your narcissistic wonderfulness, but please refrain so I don't accidentally drop a weight on your foot.

5. I could go on for hours on the great, thoughtfull things that people do at the gym...but I'll just list one more of my favorite things. While in the sauna I absolutely LOVE it when you come in, turn your tunes up high, and then start panting and moaning while trying to do push-ups on the nasty floor. Really tops off my wonderful gym experience!

Now, there are fabulous people at the gym and I am totally for everyone getting in shape no matter what shape or size they are- BUT the next time you walk in the cardio cinema room after eating a glorious oniony lunch...leave the ipod at home and go on a machine far far away from me :)

peace, love, and all things sparkly.

lover of all things sparkly

have you ever seen a baby go from hysterics to happy in a snap, becoming completely entranced by something sparkly or shiny that is put in front of them?

i am that baby x100...give me something sparkly and i'll be happy for hours.

welcome to all things sparkly...i hope you are a fellow lover of any and all things sparkly...it is the only way to live.