Days FORTY-FOUR through FORTY-EIGHT!

I feel more sick than swine on this lovely Monday, but I must say the college transition is going well despite all odds.

My classes are wonderful, challenging yet manageable and the people in Santa Barbara are mostly lovely.

Something strange has happened here as well! The leaves on the trees have turned strange hues of red and orange, which shocks and disturbs me. Since when do leaves fall off of trees?

Anyway, I have not been slacking on my running in the least, though I took one day off to in order to recoop from feeling like silly putty.

Along with running, I've been riding my bike a few miles back an forth every day to classes. 

After a while this REALLY adds up and leads to serious fatigue.

Overall, I think I've maintained my running, but I want to EXCEL. I want to get better, faster and run for longer. After all, I can't even run six miles and I'm supposed to be able to run 26 in March.

Have any of you ever run a marathon, my imaginary readers?

How did you do it?!

For goodness sake, I'm loosing my mind trying to push into each new mile, and it only gets harder.

In any case, I am off to a very busy day.

Gotta Run,

Brooke

Days FORTY-TWO & FORTY-THREE!

Sand will kill you.

It wants to eat your sole--- you know, of your shoe.

So yesterday I took a run with my new balcony sharer Lucas, who unbeknownst to me is somewhat of a running prodigy. 

We ran down into Isla Vista (small college town full of kegs and bottle caps), which was quite somber due to the heavy partying it's citizens enjoyed the night prior, and we finally reached the neat running trails.

Running in the rich ocean-infused air definitely had an energizing benefit until we reached one place- the ocean.

Or the beach, rather, where we ran even further through the lightest sand on Earth. 500 feet into it, I could feel my shoes filling with the tiny pebbles, my legs becoming weaker and my running mate going strong.

Not wanting to give up, I kept running until we reached a break point in the beach and he allowed us to walk.

Thank heavens.

A few minutes later, though, we continued our run UP the three giant flights of stairs, UP the trails, UP the paved paths by the lagoon and then UP more stairs. 

By the end of this, I was tired enough to nap on the sidewalk, but alas, my running buddy had more energy to take me on a running tour through the Isla Vista shops and then a brisk walk back to the apartments.

In total, we did a good six miles, running about 2.5 of them. Now, this may not seem like too much of an accomplishment, but keep in mind a good part of this was on the beach whilst I was being hit with ocean spray and hearing the kelp pop below me. 

It was nice, though.

I was actually sore this morning, which probably didn't help me when Alicia and I took a five mile (mostly lacking a destination) walk through Isla Vista and onto campus.

Tomorrow, classes start.

And hopefully I can work my feet.

Gotta Run,

Brooke

Days FORTY and FORTY-ONE!

Coming into a new life is never easy.

And falling asleep to a beer pong game outside your window is even less easy.

C'est la vie that I have been experiencing over the past few days.

I moved into my apartment at UCSB with the quietest, most lovely roommates I could ask for. Unfortunately, our neighbors have all decided that the surrounding locations are optimal for drunken success. 

Because of this, I have found the only quiet times here are between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the little ones sober up, just to continue their journeys in the evening. 

Parties even start before the sun leaves the horizon. They're full of hammock swinging, barbeque flaming, water drenching good times.

I suppose.

I guess I've always been such a recluse it's hard for me to understand the continuing festivities. 

I've made tons of friends during the day, but once these people down a 40, forget about it. I'm in bed by 10:30 while they run wild downstairs.

This is not to say I'm excited about the spirit and livelihood by which everyone glistens in alcohol beads, I'm simply going through a state of shock from not being able to hear anything, and from being in a radically different environment.

As my long time neighbor and friend Alicia put it, "We're in this new place living with new stuff and new people in a new climate with new rules."

...It's easy to feel as if you're the only outsider.

All this aside, I am having fun.

Yesterday, my new room mate Jessica and I enjoyed a nice 4.5+ mile walk into campus. Getting lost, we also enjoyed the local terrain of moist trees and dry brush. (What were the fire stats like here again?)

This morning, I ran from my apartment to the Pacific Ocean, about a mile in distance each way. I didn't run on the beach too long because of the high tide, but I did stop to take a break and really take in the experience as well.

I'm here, in a new but very amazing place, and though it may be tough to adjust at first I need to take advantage of every opportunity to gain new insight into this Earth that I live upon.  

I'm planning on kayaking with Alicia soon as well as attending a few campus events.

Running itself is going to be difficult as I figure out new paths and find the drive to wake up after a night of listening to the drunken thoughts of my neighbors. ("Man, you just gotta be cool man, no, I'm serious just relax and--- look man be cool.")

Since much of this is filled with humor, I'll soon adjust. :)

Gotta Run,

Brooke

Day THIRTY-NINE!

Okay, okay, cut it out.

I know it's been a while.

But if it's any consultation  I have a few reasons.

Here's the depressing answer to the 5k: Jake wasn't too well. And since he has been my team mate throughout all of this I refused to run it without him. But I absolutely promise, my imaginaries, the 5k is coming. I will do it and do it well.

Well, I will do it.

I have been running lately, though, however more of it seems to have been me running around town rather than running. 

My family moved and since the house we got it STILL in escrow we have been entertaining the hotel life for many-a-days. So super sweet. Except for we live in the High Desert- which is not so super sweet.

However, TODAY was VERY VERY exciting because I finally moved to SANTA BARBARA. Ever the early-bird, I had everything set up by like ten thirty in the morning and spent the rest of the day with Jake and his super duper brother. Santa Barbara's reputation is definitely more than a rumor, though, because right now I can hear the delights of loud music and a game of apparently very intense beer pong. Fascinating really.

ANYWAY, I am mucho tired and will have much more to tell you tomorrow after I take my first infamous rum in Santa Barbara. 

I routed the whole course and it includes grass, dirt, street, stairs, mud, beach sand and rock. So be prepared for some humor.

Good night and gotta run,

Brooke

Day TWENTY-NINE!

39:28.

That's what I'm working with for the 12th. 

This evening I have work all night and therefore had to run by myself on the treadmill.

Not usually a fan, I took to the massive running machine to see if I could REALLY do it.

Can I really get through 3.1 miles without falling down, throwing up, or drowning in sweat?

In total, I walked .25 miles. Part of that, .1, was right after I reached 1.5 miles and the other .15 was at the two mile marker.

But 3.1 miles I did. And I ran 2.85 miles, which means I reached my personal best in running distance.

I've got to say, I'm worried. Today, I think I had to mentally pushed myself farther than I ever had.

39 minutes and 28 seconds from the point I had started, I was 3.1 miles farther than I had been, even though, on a treadmill, I was walking in place.

If I can do that again or get past that this Saturday, I'll be proud, because it's been the hardest I've worked so far.

Here's to hoping I can move tomorrow,

Gotta Run,

Brooke

Days 26-28

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

That was Jake today before we left on our run.

Not completely invalid, Jake definitely had a huge reason to say what he did.

Yesterday was my last vacation day. 

Jake and I decided that we were going to go to the beach to eat at the incredible Orange Inn in Laguna and have fun splashing in the waves. 

...

Sans sunscreen of course.

We settled ourselves down about a half mile away from the main beach with our super Cranberry Orange Muffins which meant going to change or use the bathroom meant a half mile walk over loose sand, rocks and through high-tided waves. And then a half mile to get back, too.

After making this walk many a times, you would think Jake and I would be beat. 

Ever one's to lean toward a spontaneous action, though, that wasn't all we did.

At about one thirty in the afternoon yesterday whilst covered in sand and giving true justice to the names beach bums, we also went to Disneyland. 

Disneyland makes dreamers out of Jake and I. We truly believe we have the power to see the shows, make the rides and get a taste of our favorite Disneyland Gumbo without ever having a wasted moment. 

After walking from one end of California Adventure to the other, then into Tomorrowland in Disneyland on forward to the River's of America to watch Fantasmic's new editions, we seemed like super Disney goers, even though we looked like we belonged rolled up under an ocean pier.

Overall, the time was side-splittingly good- which reminds me.

The past few days, Jake has been dealing with a mystery ailment- injury- something. Which makes running rather difficult. 

In his own words, "It's like there is a little chubby spikey guy who is crammed in there and he is bouncing and squirming around."

So ouch. 

Jake dealt with this pretty well yesterday though and I definitely had a good last vacation day before I go back to work for eight straight days of torment. (Which will conclude with my last day at work- because apparently they want me to hate them when I leave.)

By the end of the night, I was slightly burned, sore, and covered with a sandy day of fun that lasted past midnight when we finally got home.

If I hadn't had to wake up at four in the morning, this may have gone over well.

But it didn't.

I woke up, calves crazy sore from trudging across the sand and completely covered with the most painful sunburn I've ever experienced. 

After working today, stressing out over school and just being a broken, tired mess, I was less than excited to even move. Let alone run.

When Jake walked into my house, he had this look of FIRE all over his skin and was sort of pinching at his side which hasn't gotten a hint that we need it to get better.

We've promised ourselves to do a 5k this Saturday. It's 3.1 miles and although it seemed impossible, I thought, if we could just run 1.5 miles, stop for .1 and run another 1.5, we'll be okay. 

As I waddled down to Jake, I can quote him again with his intelligent question: 

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

I must say, it probably isn't. 

But as we emerged over the horizon tonight looking like two plump cherries, one with sore calves and one with a pin in it's side, we made our way through our route looking like stumbling red fools.

There was something triumphant about it though.

Because despite the ridiculousness of it all, we were still out there working toward what we promised. And although I can feel pain radiating through my legs and my skin is boiling to the touch, I'm proud that we got out there and did something anyway.

We'll make it.

I think.

Maybe...

But I believe in us.

Gotta Run,

Brooke

Days 21-25

Today I ran with my sister.

Yep.

Okay, okay, I'll get the elephant out of the room, people.

"BROOKE! Where the heck have you been young lady?"

Well, I've been to work. To Disneyland. I've packed a thousand and one boxes and I've baked the most amazing macaroni and cheese with Gruyere, Pecorino Romano, and White Cheddar laced with Cayenne Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes and topped with buttery sourdough breadcrumbs. Oh, an right now I'm preparing the cream cheese frosting from the Sprinkles Red Velvet Cupcake Mix my friend Lauren bestowed upon me for my day of birth celebration.

But that's probably not the issue you were most curious about. 

Over the past few days, the sky has been plagued with this gray and red swell of smoke while ash scattered through the wind. Today was the first day where I could step outside without feeling my lungs collapse and try to escape my body.

Because I cancelled my gym membership and I failed to utilize our treadmill because without a running partner I am worthless, today was the first day I ran further than one mile.

I'm disappointed too.

Especially since Jake and I are scheduled to run a 5k a week from now and I STILL cannot get beyond the two mile running marker without shaking in a cross-eyed frenzy.

Starting back up though, I'm going to try. 

And furthermore, that's not what today's entry is about.

It's about people who push themselves to the limit for us.

I think we all aspire to be someone who can achieve self elevation by pushing themselves beyond their expectations. But it takes a pretty big hero for someone to give every ounce of energy to protect and serve us.

Watching the fires, as devastating as a they are, has made me more patriotic than I'd like to admit. Having some close family friends who were feet from flames and who lost team members in these past few days has left me both saddened but proud.

We all have our talents, and I continually wonder if I'm chasing down the passions that will have the biggest impact on the world. 

Seriously, I hope I can make that kind of difference one day.

Gotta Run,

Brooke