Home

Man it's good to be back. Back on my blog, but also back home.

I've been thinking about the word home a lot lately, and what exactly it means to me. It's a word we all throw around a lot - "We are heading home for the next two weeks" - or - "It's good to be home" -  etc.

Since moving to Tel Aviv, I have struggled with the definition of home. When people here ask where I'm from, in my mind I think, "Where from as in most recently, or where I grew up? Please clarify." I usually say Chicago. Yet we did live in Baltimore for the past five years - it's where we are most recently from, and where we will eventually move back to.

Baltimore - 4th of July - 2014

Sometimes in conversations as a couple, I just roll with Andrew's response of saying that we are from Colorado. It's easier - I did live there for almost two years - and it's where eventually we want to end up. The Colorado flag still hangs over our bed as I put minimal effort into home decor and we both dream of the days when we will live next to the Rocky Mountains again.

Estes Park - December - 2013

I think home can mean a lot of things. Ultimately, my home in regards to my roots will always be the Chicago area, my favorite city in the world and where my awesome family lives. Yet my home is now Tel Aviv, where my husband and I reside, and it took up until the past week for that to really hit me.
It was interesting going home the past two weeks - and by home, I guess I mean the U.S. We hopped from Chicago to Colorado to Mexico and back to Colorado, and saw almost all of our good friends and family in the process; it was a fantastic time. Yet it was the first time when meeting someone new and asked where we were from, we both smiled and said Israel. Tel Aviv.

But to be honest I was kind of dreading coming back. I was being a huge whiny baby and was afraid to fly back without Andrew, acting as if I was being sent off to a third world country with no connections or friends. When in reality, I was coming back to our cozy apartment and some super supportive and amazing friends.

I was wheels down here last Wednesday evening - JFK to TLV is an 11ish hour flight - followed immediately by a three day competition that I'm really excited to write about next. And what I was sure would be a tearful, mopey return on my part absolutely wasn't. It was easy, comfortable, and above all else made me realize that Tel Aviv is now truly my home.

Tel Aviv - Yom Kippur - 2016

I'll wrap up by getting a little mushy. This spring has been absolutely insane - in both good and bad ways. We lost our dog daughter which will forever make our souls ache, but have figured out how to work through hardships together while friends and family rallied around us. We had several visitors come explore Israel with us, followed by a fabulous time back in the States. We have tallied 15 total flights between the two of us since March.

Fort Collins - May 2015

Today is our two year anniversary today and while at this point a low-key night of wine and sushi sounds perfect, I don't want to downplay the celebration of the past two years. It's been nothing and everything that I could have imagined, and I cannot and would not trade a single second of it - I think he would say the same.

We aren't necessarily following the cookie cutter timeline of how things should look for married couples... we won't own a house for awhile still, and don't plan to start a family while living overseas.  But I've really never been a cookie cutter, follow the recipe/instructions type of girl. I prefer to make my own odd, unique cookies. Even if they sometimes get a little bit burnt.

Cheers -

Kait

May Flowers?

I’m back! After almost 4 straight hours of crazy turbulence on our Denver – Baltimore flight late Sunday night, I wasn’t sure if I would live to blog another day. I’m talking heart pounding, clasping my arm rests type of flight. Good stuff.  What actually was good was the flight into Denver on Friday instead - I was loving the views, per usual.

And of course, the view once we got there  :)

However, it's back to reality now. In the midst of an extremely rainy week here in Baltimore; I suppose I should just remind myself that April showers bring May flowers right? So come Thursday, enough is enough rain.

I squeezed in a couple miles after work last night before the rain rolled in, and then sat down to map out some May goals and thoughts. May is one of my favorite months, for absolutely no reason outside of it kind of being the intro month to summer.  I’ll write a more goal specific post later this week to give you a peep inside my crazy head. 

ya I know.

Something else cool: if you’re into workouts, or link-ups, or both, a more exciting announcement is this: I’m cohosting a Tuesday Blog Link-up for the month of May!

WOOOOOOOO LINK-UPS

Before you pee your pants, here are the deets:

The hosts are Rebecca from Getting to the Show and Chelsea from Delipsch, and they both rock.

Check out Rebecca

Check out Chelsea

May Challenge Guidelines:

Every Tuesday in May Link up with your favorite type of workout. Keep in mind that this link up does not have to be the only thing that you post about; feel free to post about whatever the heck else you want and then throw in your favorite workout/move/circuit at the end, etc., so we can all walk away ready to sweat.

May Link Up Schedule

6th- Favorite Core workout

13th- Favorite Arm workout

20th- Favorite Leg workout

27th- Favorite workout from another blog

It’s a super simple yet useful link up to participate in, especially for the month of May… the appetizer month to the main course summer months…. Ya dig? Come play.

That’s all I’ve got. I’ll be back for some hump day confessions tomorrow. Hold onto your pants.

Cheers -

Five Things Friday

BEFORE we go any further, I have an announcement. Last night, at my third Blue Crab Crossfit class ever, I did my first double unders! 45 total, strung together about 10 in a row. The coach, Ben, was awesome, and sorry I'm not sorry, I'm a little bit proud of myself.

Moving on.

For Five Things Friday, I’m going to name one thing under each of the five categories that I’ve selected. This has been done mainly to cover the random assortment of things that I want to discuss.

1 (one) thing I loved this week – My run on Wednesday after work. Temperatures were hovering right around 55, and I was able to pull on shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt. It was magical. I did a couple laps around Patterson Park and then a short jaunt down by the water, totaling just over seven miles for this girl.

1 (one) thing (I realized) I dislike this week – The fact that Starbucks doesn’t offer almond milk. Am I being outrageous here with this expectation? I guess I just figured that enough people across the country now drink almond milk almost exclusively… it would just be an awesome option to have. Is anyone else with me here? Hello Starbs, are you listening to me??

1 (one) thing I (oddly) miss – I never in a million years thought I would say this. But while I was in the office kitchen earlier this week, another dept. was setting up for their team breakfast, and a woman was setting up one of those electric griddle things. See below.

It flashed me back to my time working in the Sunflower Deli back in good ole’ Fort Collins, CO (which is now apparently a Sprouts). Once a month we had a senior breakfast, and would set up about five of those griddles at 6 AM to cook up a plethora of pancakes, sausages, etc. At the time one of my favorite hobbies was b*tching about that job, but looking back, it was a job that kept me incredibly active, I worked with very caring people, and got to interact with a ton of (mostly) happy customers on a daily basis. I mean we were in Colorado after all – everyone is pretty much always happy there.

me, in Colorado, being very happy.

1 (one) thing that makes me sad – My leg still hurts. My right hamstring to be exact, right up under my butt. The thing is, it isn’t sharp or jabbing or anything that is super restrictive (hence why I still allow two runs per week) but my sadness comes from the fact that it has been lingering since late September. If I had to wager (I’ve been doing some reading) it’s an obnoxious case of high hamstring tendon apathy – you can readthis post on it, or this article, and then shake your head and agree with me.

I’ve started implementing some of the mentioned exercises and should probably get a little more aggressive with them. Any other suggestions or comments on this matter is more than appreciated.

Last but not least –

1 (one) thing that makes me excited – USA men’s hockey vs. Canada, today at noon EST. A win puts us in the finals – fingers crossed!

Zach Parise

Linking up with #Backthatazzup Friday – enjoy the below jam!

Cheers to ‘Merica!!

And last, but not least - an extra Friday thing. This late V-day gift - a giraffe named Sphincter - showed up on my porch last night. I love him like he's my own son.

Tell me some things you love/hate/miss/are confused by/pumped for this week. Ready go-

Kait

Keeping it Simple

Man, it’s been awhile eh? The holidays called for some time off in all areas of life, so I took the time to keep my laptop powered down and give my fingers a rest.

Let’s talk about this crazy cold weather everywhere, eh? I know Chicago has basically turned into a tundra, but Baltimore even got down into the single digits today -  my Civic wasn’t too eager to start up this morning.

But do you know who was eager to start up this morning? Beth.

My Christmas present from Andrew was a bike trainer, which was shipped in a large box from Amazon. It was a bitch blast to set up last night, but I’m in love. I plan to get a thorough sweat session on her tomorrow after work, and can’t wait until it gets a bit warmer to do run bike run type workouts.

To give a short and sweet summary of my holiday season – it was long, and wonderful. Much time was spent with family and friends; great food drink and conversation happened. And of course a few runs.

One of my other favorite gifts was this guy:

And my favorite blog shout out of the year was text to me from my sister’s boyfriend, who decorated a Christmas cookie for me...

RKR = Run Kait Run. Awww thanks Jase you're a gem.

And of course, once wheels were down in Colorado there were plenty of lights to fall in love under, trails to fall in love on, and mountains to take our breath away. 

Baltimore quickly swallowed us back up this past Sunday afternoon as we somehow navigated the absurd delays and cancellations at airports across the nation; we got away with just a one hour delay, landing at BWI right around 3 pm with eight bags in tow between the two of us.

New Years Resolution? Learn to travel lighter.

Kidding. Let’s get real for a minute. Last year I made a very elaborate New Year’s Resolution list. It included different categories, etc. Some things I achieved – I feel like I did a great job of being pretty proactive, all injury aside. Definitely have been flossing more too.

Others, like ‘stop chewing on my cuticles’… I once again failed. Maybe this year?

Anyways, listen up. This year I’m keeping it simple. Literally.

There were points during the past year that all of my resolutions, goals and what not literally stressed me out. I found myself having panic attacks over not becoming a taco connoisseur while I simultaneously tried to do a sugar cleanse for three weeks. I reprimanded myself when I couldn’t find the time to practice my violin, and cried when I realized I wouldn’t hit my goal time for my marathon… because my fifth metatarsal was once again cracked, and running was off the table.

My body is still healing. On my to-do list tonight is to create a viable fitness plan for myself these next few months so that I can get myself into true healthy running shape. Yes I’m running, yet not that much, and not pain-free.

My point is, as far as specific running/racing goals, body goals, health goals, life goals, here’s what I’ve basically wrapped into one for 2014:

Keep it Simple

Keep it Balanced

Do it Joyfully

I want to drink more lemon water. I think I’ll do that; at least I’ll try. One of my best friends reprimanded me for not doing sit-ups ‘the right way’ – this is coming from Mr. Crossfit himself.

that guy  ^^  (& my sis)

Ok, Ok, I’ll work on my sit-up form. I’ve been missing my abs these days anyways – the Christmas cookies buried them.

I want a stronger upper body. I can work on that. And eventually, when I sign up for some races, I will set some short term goals there. But I’m keeping it simple, I’m not stressing myself out, and I’m living 2014 as joyfully as I can. After all, I did tattoo the word on myself. 

Glad to be back my friends. Share some of your resolutions/goals with me, I’d love to hear them. Let’s make 2014 one to remember, what do you say?

Cheers –

K

Packin' and Jammin'

I'm not going to lie, this week in food has been pretty absurd, as I have slowly eaten through my fridge and cabinets to leave myself with basically nothing (but a few eggs) before I depart for 16 days. The most interesting would probably have to be this:

Cucumbers stuffed with spicy tuna salad.... sub par.

And most awesome would have to be this:

a microwaved s'more, made with nutella. Not paleo, yes delicious.

In other news, the hypochondriac deep down inside of me has convinced myself that I fractured or tore something in my shoulder. It really hurt today, and also didn't feel great on my 6 mile run.

Yet the subtle masochist deep down inside of me is telling me to continue ignoring it. I mean, even if something is actually wrong, I'm unsure that would hold me back from skiing some Rocky Mountains when I'm out in Colorado next week. If it's messed up, may as well jack it up some more right?

Kidding. Kind of.

The past two hours of my life has entailed mucho packing. I always become a bit panicky prior to leaving for long trips. What if we go to a fancy dinner? What if I decide to work out twice in one day and need extra sports bras? What if one day I want to stay in my pj's all day long? Do I need to bring all four pairs of my boots?

The answer is obviously yes. Let's see if I make it past the 50 lb weight limit. Taking bets, ready go.

It's way past my bedtime, let's wrap this up. The plan is to get up early and do a couple circuit workouts that don't involve shoulders (ya good luck with that). I leave you all with my new favorite song. It makes me really happy, and incredibly excited to spend time with both my Chicago and Colorado friends these next two weeks.

The Script - Good Ol' Days

Cheers to that -

K

Eating Snow

Things that will not help my lack of motivation to workout: launching off a small cliff while skiing and slamming my full body weight onto my left shoulder.

Hello there whiplash.

I like to pretend that I’m a good skier. Every time I lock into my skis and hit the first few slopes of the day, I immediately start looking for obstacles to challenge myself with; small ramps of snow to go off of, moguls, those hidden trails through the trees.

I’m not that good. I’m reminded of this almost every winter, with a new kind of injury every time.

Andrew is a better skier than me – he demonstrates a little more caution and typically follows a few hundred meters behind me waiting for my ego to get too big and for me to then eat shit snow He comes up from behind, grab my skis that I managed to dismantle, and follows the same series of questions:

- "Are you OK?

- "How did that even happen?"

-"Maybe now you'll calm down a little bit?"

-Laughs, shakes his head, skis away.

(Sigh.)

The shoulder will heel; it already feels a bit better today. Until then, burpees and push-ups will have to wait.

Outside of taking a face full of snow, the weekend was awesome. It dumped snow up in Snowshoe West Virginia the entire weekend we were there; so much so that we had to get Andrew’s car pushed out of the parking spot yesterday on our way out. The weekend was full of fabulous food, (for the most part) great skiing, and really awesome conversation.

Now, it’s Monday. And I have all of these things to look forward to:

love my countdown app 

It’s home to Chicago this weekend for Christmas, and then off to Colorado the following week for New Years. Being gone for 16 days is definitely something I’m pumped for, but not so pumped to pack for. I’m also going to try hard this week to eat the last of what I have in my fridge/freezer, so that nothing goes bad while I’m away.

This should make for some pretty interesting meals. Stay tuned. Hope your 

week is looking fabulous. If it’s not, here’s one last happy countdown for you that hangs in my bedroom:

Cheers –

K

Less is more

First thing's first:

Couldn't go on without acknowledging today and what it means to us as Americans.

I need a haircut. I hate them, but I really need one, it’s out of control. I mean, check out that MANE:

Also why do I look like a giant in this pic from last weekend?

When it comes to haircuts, less is more. If you take off more than two inches, I’m probably going to snatch your scissors out of your hands and come at you. Kidding, but seriously.

I’ve actually been thinking about that concept a lot lately; less is more. I put it in the same category as quality versus quantity.

Once upon a time, I ran as much as I wanted, wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted to. I pounded the trails all over the city of Fort Collins, Colorado, finding dusty paths outside of city limits, and it was beautiful. A love affair with running, if you will. My body showed me grace for my 50+ mile weeks throughout the entire summer and fall of 2011, for whatever reason. Maybe it was the lack of a desk job, maybe it was the still-newness to running, I don’t know. But it was lovely.

Have I mentioned recently that I miss it?

Sidenote – for all of you  Colorado/mountain runners, do me a favor and never take that sh*t for granted. I would kill for quick access to dirt trails over pavement, and for my Garmin to be reading a couple thousand feet above altitude instead of negative numbers.  That’s right, my runs next to the harbor are literally BELOW sea level. Cool?

Clearly my running has changed since then, as I've collected enough injuries the past year for a family of six. So when it comes to marathon training, the quality of my runs are much more important than the quantity. The same concept actually goes for racing. If you didn’t pick up on it in my last post, I'm hyper-competitive. Possibly a bit too competitive when it comes to racing, but really I’m not sorry. I don't like doing things without reason behind it. I like to have intention, and I like to beat people and finish strongly.

What’s your point kait, get off your high-horse.

source

The point,  I guess, is that the Marine Corps Marathon is now 46 days away. I’m entering a high-mileage point in my training, and have 19 miles on the docket for this weekend. I’m a little nervous to see how my body responds, but I’m also starting to get excited as the race day is actually starting to become more of a reality.

Call me crazy, but unless I feel confident that I can run the race, enjoy it, and PR, I’m not sure I want to run 26.2 just for the heck of it. It goes back to the competitor in me – I want to do well, I don’t want to just run it to run it. I already know that I can complete a marathon, two of them actually. There’s a time and a place to try something just to try it, but marathons are no longer in that category for me. 

Quality over quantity. I try to do it on this blog – I don’t post just to post. I have slowly evolved to take this approach with my runs, with my work, with relationships in my life. Even with cupcakes.

vanilla almond cupcakes my coworker brought in today. so. good.

Just felt the need to share my current mindset; a weird little peek into my brain, if you will. Please don't misinterpret as me sternly declaring that there is not point in a leisurely run; I'm all for them, and still enjoy them. I just can't as much as I used to.

  

I’m off to a happy hour. Should be a perfect little outing to get over the hump this week!

Cheers!

K

3:15

3:15 AM.

The time we finally landed in Denver this past Friday morning to start off our weekend. The same time we left Fort Collins for the airport this Tuesday morning to fly back to Baltimore, and end our weekend. Our Thursday night 5 hour flight delay out was super brutal  but lucky for us we had this little dog to entertain for awhile...

Weekends like this always wreck me. Not because of the pounds of pizza and froyo and beers and wings – I mean sure, those physically ruin me for a week or so. But I’m talking emotionally.

I’ve realized, more over the past year and a half just how important a present community is to me. Like probably top 5 things in my life kind of important. And I don't think community necessary equates out to just the word friends, although friends are awesome don’t get me wrong. I'm talking community. Your crew, who puts their arms around you and are like no matter what stupid ass crap you decide to pull, they are going to call you stupid but still love the heck out of you.

Side note: this trail we ran in Fort Collins will continue to forever and always break my heart

I have a lot going on in life right now, in a couple of different areas. And if we are being straight up honest, I've found myself saying over the past couple months... maybe I don’t want to write on here anymore? Posts lately have felt a little bit flat, a little bit pointless. I’m not looking to waste anyone’s time, and I’m certainly not looking to waste my own.

Looking forward, I'm seeing some changes and trials coming up this next month or so, and to say I’m currently facing them with stark confidence would be a bold face lie. Don't make me a liar people. The problem is, until today my mindset was ‘Welp I’m just going to worry about it/figure it out/deal about it post-Memorial Day.'

Word on the street is, Memorial Day is over (hope yours was awesome as well). Last time I checked my calendar, June is three days away.

Holy hell.

I have to apologize, this post is bouncing all over the place. It's kind of how I want it - it’s a rant and it’s my emotions. It’s a blatant, unmasked combination of fear and joy. And as I stand here and pound away at my keyboard, I remember why I started writing in the first place. To share this crazy-ass journey with you guys.

the trail of my life.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m pumped for summer. Super pumped. I think it’s going to be chock-full of some straight up awesomeness. But I also foresee a couple handfuls of tears. So there’s your vague disclaimer.

Love you guys, thanks for listening.

Cheers!