I'm back

I'm finally back! I have not been able to blog because my computer has been DEAD! Josh determined I needed a new power cord. so I ordered one on Amazon, but I haven't been able to turn on my computer at all!

So what have I been doing? Well I just finished a 3 day "learning institute" in Durham and I am exhausted! I'm glad I don't have to commute any more this week. I've been slacking on my workouts this week because I've been worn out, but also because we ran our 5k this past Sunday! For some reason that makes me feel like I can slack this week, haha.

Our race was on Sunday at 2pm and I woke up at 8:30am because I was so excited. Maggie, Brian and Ewa came over and we got ready and headed downtown. The race started in front of Second Empire and we ran down around the capital building then looped back and ran up to the NC State Bell tower, and then back to Second Empire.

Walking to Second Empire! I like how Josh and B have matching shorts - cute

Maggie suiting up!

Josh seems not-so-excited

The way I found out about this race is two of my coworkers were planning on running it and asked if I would run it with them. Then my lucky friends got roped into running with me! So thanks for the invitation Cara and Eddie!

Team Career Development Center ready to run!

Ewa, Brian, me, Maggie and Josh right before the race

Josh and the ladies

Best friend and boyfriend - such good sports for running with me!

I am not a runner. I don't enjoy it that much and I'm not very good at it, and even after a month and a half of training, I didn't really feel like I did an awesome job at the race. I finished it in exactly the time I thought I would and it felt good to finish, but I wish I had done better. Anyway, that is just the perfectionist in me. If I run another race, now I have a time to beat!

Our red faces! We all finished within 5 minutes of each other - Maggie was the winner out of our group! So fast!

Brian and I enjoying an after-race beer!

I'm very happy I don't have to run three times a week anymore and I can give my poor shins a rest! It was a ton of fun though, I think I'm going to have to sign up for another one soon. Hopefully I can get everyone else to run with me too! 

St. Patrick's day!

This past Saturday we went down to the Raleigh St. Patrick's Day parade and festival for the first time in the 3 years I have lived here. St. Patrick's Day always seems to sneak up on me - I guess because it's not a holiday where you have to travel or buy anyone presents. But this year, it fell on a Saturday and the weather was awesome - perfect day for a parade!

This parade was awesome! There were so many people out watching and everyone was excited because of the sunshine and spring weather. This parade obviously lets people in on a first come, first served basis - there were the usual police, firemen and Irish dancers that I expected, then everything from pitbull rescues, lupus awareness, bmx clubs, rickshaws and tae kwon do clubs. It was a pretty interesting group.

After about an hour, we walked down to the festival in Moore Square. I did not realized it would be like a mini state fair, complete with a ridiculous amount of fried things and lemonade and beer. Also, there were WAY too many people there.

We decided to head to Chuck's (my new favorite place to eat downtown!) and eat some delicious burgers before headed back out into the crowds! Everywhere was jammed, and Chuck's had a 30 minute wait but we decided it was worth it. We headed to the Busy Bee to get a drink and cool down while we waited.

Kyla, Maggie and Jacob

Me and Josh - hot and hungry!

I got a sting - such a treat! I like to get one whenever I go to the Hive/Busy Bee:

passionfruit vodka, lime, cilantro, and mint - cold and spicy!

Best St. Patrick's day I've had in a while! It was so warm when we got home we all laid out on the deck and worked on our tans - I spared you pictures of our pale skin that has been covered up all winter!

Shin splints and my cozy office

I had a great run with Maggie yesterday! We ran on Centennial campus - they have a 3 mile running path with different exercise stations along the way. We cracked ourselves up by trying to do some of the crazy exercises, like bunny hopping over an inclined pole that got higher and higher and not being able to do even one pull up! Weak. Here is my run:

http://runkeeper.com/user/KellyMullins/activity/74033311?&mobile=false

And here is me after my run:

Icing those shin splints!

I'm trying to follow the R.I.C.E. method - 

1. Rest (took over a week off, and am slowing easing back into running)

2. Ice - see above!

3. Compression - see my last post!

4. Elevation - kicking those legs up after I run! Not hard for me to do haha.

This week has been going by super fast for me, which is great! It's because I've been busy and productive at work and my nights have been scheduled with workouts and friends and shopping and dinners. I've tried to make my little office space cozy and comfy to work in - which is very hard because since we moved offices in December, I have downgraded to basically a glorified cubicle! 

Hung up mirrors with plain black frames that match my diploma frames and put a short table lamp in the corner to warm up our fluorescent office lights.

My cork board squares with a few pictures, important people's phone numbers, a note from Josh, thank you notes and an ad for an event I did in the Carolinian.

My iPad, which I love for how easy it is to carry around in my bag to meetings and such. Plus the keyboard is awesome! A few more fun pictures, a pen cup Julia got me, and my constant coffee and water that I alternate all day.

Random mouse pad I snagged in the move - I don't "go" to State anymore, but I did! My Raleigh Promise notebook, hand sanitizer and lotion so my hands don't dry out. I eat a green apple almost every day at 10:30am - I am a creature of habit!

And that is about it! Nothing else too exciting in there. It's a cozy little space for where I spend so much of my time!

Tomorrow night is our first night of playing soccer, so wish us luck! :)

finally running, lots of shopping, and my boyfriend the model

I have just had the best Sunday in a while! I slept in for the first time this week, made breakfast and drank coffee in bed, then picked up Maggie for a little Sunday afternoon shopping. Then we were going to sit outside somewhere in the sunshine to have some mimosas and snacks, but the sun went in and the temperature dropped a lot, so we decided to just go somewhere inside. Maggie loves irish pubs and I knew she had never been to Napper Tandy's, so I took her there! We ate fried pickles and drank mimosas and bloody marys and just talked for a while. So nice!

I took a week off of running to rest my poor shin splints and I was actually excited when Saturday came so I could go on a run again! I think I like the idea of a goal, building up to a distance really motivates me to run. I am testing out a compression sleeve - they are supposed to help, and so far so good! I only have one, haha, Dick's only had one in stock so I figured I would test it out on one leg and go back and buy another one if it works. Neither of my legs were sore after I ran on Saturday, so we will see how I feel on Tuesday. Here is my run:

http://runkeeper.com/user/KellyMullins/activity/73504786?&mobile=false

I love the beginning of the month because I get paid on the last business day of each month so I can actually do a little shopping at the beginning! Here are my two favorite recent purchases:

Black ankle pants from Target for work! Great for transitioning between seasons, or if you don't know if it will be hot or cold during the day - the weather has been super crazy around here lately. Ignore my boring institutional work bathroom - I don't have a full length mirror in my house!

Red pointy toed flats from Old Navy! Just got them today and I love them!

On Friday night we went out with some friend's for our friend Whitney's birthday. We went to Mosaic, one of my favorite bars/lounges in Raleigh! Josh, Brian and I found a nice corner out on the patio under some heat lamps and hung out all night. Marcus is in Vegas and Loren was out with a friend in Cary, so when Josh, Julia and I got home, we discovered we were totally locked out of the house! Julia thought she had a key in her wallet, so as she was searching in her friend's car, Josh decided it was prime time for a photo shoot. He told me to get my camera ready, so I listened!

He is so silly and I love him for it!