Category Archives: Travel

On Dreaming Big: EuroTrip 2014

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“Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost”
-J.R.R. Tolkien

There are quite a few things I’ve always wanted to do. Things that I wouldn’t be alright leaving this earth having not accomplished. One of the things I constantly find myself coming back to most frequently, is spending a significant amount of time abroad. (by significant I mean more than just a week trip here or there)

It’s something I need to do, and something I think I need to do alone. While it’s always fun to travel in groups, I feel as if exploring this world solo would be such an incredible and empowering experience. I keep coming back to this dream and yet it’s one I haven’t actively pursued. I’m only getting older.. Which isn’t to say that I can’t take a time out from ‘real life’ as I get older, but I’m in a situation where if I budget well, I can make this happen.. and I’m also in a job where with advanced notice I can leave for a few months and still have a job when I get back. If I didn’t do this within the next couple of years, I’d be an idiot… SO

I’ve decided to put a goal out there. It’s going to be hard to pinch my pennies so I can save up for this to actually happen, but I feel like putting it out there on my blog will help keep me accountable so that I can make this happen.

During the Summer of 2014 I will be spending 3+ months in Europe. I have been putting together numbers and ideas and have come up with a tentative plan. Planning my destinations and months of travel ahead of time will help give me a better idea what kind of bank I’ll be needing in order to make this happen.

Doing my research! ;)

Doing my research! ;)

My tentative plan looks a little something like this so far:

The earlier in the season I leave the better chances I’ll have of finding a better ‘deal’ on flights from the USA to Europe. Summer is clearly a big vacation season…  I also figure it makes the most sense to go from north to south… As much as possible. Flying into Ireland is noted to be a lot cheaper than the UK. Makes sense. Ireland is on the itinerary for month one as it is, so it would work out well if that’s the case! :)

I do know this. There are several places/things that are on my must see/do list, but I also want to embrace the adventure. If I’m on the train from X city to Y city and I find a beautiful little gem along the way… How can you not stop to smell the roses? This will be a once in a lifetime journey.

If I had all the time and money in the world, I would visit every country I could.. But, since that is never the case I’ve had to narrow down where I will be going on this trip. After much consideration I’ve decided on:

Ireland, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Greece. Hopefully Turkey since you can hop on a ferry from the Greek Islands.

I’m really excited and also nervous for this entire thing. It’s going to be the most incredible journey of my life, but it’s also going to be interesting traveling alone for 3-4 months. I’m aware there will be days that are hard and lonely… But it’s all a part of the adventure! As John Steinbeck said, ‘Travel is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to thing you control it’

Heck, hopefully I’ll even run some races! ;) Oooou. Half-marathon scouting time.

“Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe”
Anatole France

Do you follow and travel blogs?? I would love to read some more! :)

Have you ever traveled abroad? Do you have any ‘traveling on a shoe-string’ tips? 

Oakley Women Summit 2013

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Hello from 30,000 feet!
Let me just start by saying if I had known before that the exit row has like, triple the leg room… I would have been volunteering to sit here all my life. It’s pretty much the poor man’s first class. ;) moving on…

I sit here, rather humbled and inspired by this past weekend. Once again, similar to the feelings I experienced after our trip to Napa over the summer — A very rare feeling… I’m absolutely speechless.

It’s difficult to put into words the inspiration and total bad-assity of the entire Oakley Women’s family. From employees, to athletes, to ambassadors; it is a family who is passionate about a healthy, active, kick-ass lifestyle. A family that pushes each other every day to live in the moment, tackle our goals, laugh until our 6 pack abs turn into an 8 pack, ;) and be as fearless and incredible as we can be.

 

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

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The weekend was designed so that we could field test one of Oakley’s largest markets. — Winter and action sports, and to learn more about their 2013 focus, including how this amazing ambassador team is going to help drive their initiatives.

Oakley is incredibly wellknown for their eyewear, this includes ski/snowboarding goggles. What a lot of people don’t realize is that they also design beautiful, functional, awesome gear and apparel for practically all sports. Snow sports included. What better way to field test their winter-wear than to stick us on one of the most technical mountains in North America and set us loose to shred the slopes?!

But, lets not get ahead of ourselves. On Friday all of us gals (and Shawn) flew in to Salt Lake City where we were shuttled through the valley and up the mountain to Snowbird Resort. From there we all met up at the Oakley House, overlooking the incredible mountains. For a moment I thought “this must be what heaven looks like“

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After letting the beautiful surroundings sink in and catching up with some of my favorite ladies in the entire universe, we were served a homemade sushi dinner that our balllller Oakley chef prepared for us, and launched into 2013 discussion. The ins, the outs, the what’s to come. It was such an informative, inspiring meeting that left all of us on the edges of our seats stoked for this year. Stoked to be a part of this rockin’ brand.

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It was early to bed for most of us, because Saturday morning started bright and early to get our gear and hit the mountain. Our Oakley mamas did a phenomenal job of accommodating everybody’s varying skill levels. They even set up some of the gals who have never skied or snowboarded with lessons! I woke up that morning nauseous with the worst headache. I’m pretty sure the altitude. Slowly through out the day I started feeling better, the more I chugged water and got moving!

Snowbird is not exactly the same as many of the ski resorts I’m used to. Back East I would have no worries hitting a black diamond slope at Holiday Valley.. Even Vail. At snowbird, yeah-friggin-right. ;) However everyone was prepared for the elements with layers of Oakley gear. For the first time, almost ever, I own ski pants that ACTUALLY FIT!!!!!!! Every other pair I’ve ever owned tend to be at least 167 times too big. Not exactly the most flattering thing in the world. My purple MFR pants and Crowbar Ski Goggles make me feel and look pretty fabulous. Feeling confident goes a long way in helping you execute to your fullest potential.

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After an incredible day on the mountain, everyone cleaned up and back to the Oakley house we went for a Mexican dinner and Product Review. It is so amazing to me that Oakley cares so much what we think. They take all of our field testing results and send them to the design team to ensure premium, quality product. Sometimes implementing changes immediately. How cool is that? They have an entire team just designated to field testing, because they truly value their consumers opinion.

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The alarms were going off in the morning for our last full day in Snowbird!! The morning started with a fun yoga class lead by fellow Oakley Women Ambassador, Lacey! It was an upbeat and fun Hour! During yoga and after, we had a fitness photo shoot where we got to take a quick fitness class with celebrity trainer Michelle Lovitt! She is such a hilarious and fun spirit!! Next time we all meet up I’m making sure she kicks my booty! ;)

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It can’t ALL be playtime and living it up in Winter Wonderland. We were all there for one reason, and that’s all about the big Oakley picture. So after the photo shoot we were back up in the Oakley house for various round table discussions and a much earned lunch. We were back in play mode in no time though. The rest of the evening was spent learning about the lives of each woman in the room. 30+ inspiring, strong women (and one kick ass dude) all sharing their stories and passions. It was amazing to see how far so many if us have come in the short time since Napa.

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We each had to wear the spirit hood as we told our story…

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Just like that, in the blink of an eye the Oakley Women Summit was coming to a close. The weekend just zipped right by, and before I knew it we were parting ways last night in elevators hugging and soaking in every last minute.

These women have and continue to change me. They put that pep in my step that I know will help me destroy training for my first marathon.

In order to uncover your true potential, you must find your limits and blow past them.

Living In the Moment: Utah Bound

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In my last post, I mentioned that my biggest personal goal for 2013 is to live in the moment more. It would seem, life sometimes hands you exactly what you need in order to accomplish your dreams. This time, it’s in the form of the Oakley Women’s Ambassador Summit.

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I am off to Snowbird, Utah to enjoy far too many laughs, workouts and shredding the slopes with my Oakley family!!! What better way to kick off a year of enjoying the now?? :)

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I hope you all have a great weekend!! Forget your worries and live for the moment.

Gratitude: Snowbird Utah

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I swear, my Oakley Ambassador mamma knows exactly what I need when I need it.

When I was first chosen as an Oakley Women’s Ambassador in May, it was the perfect timing. I was stressed out of my gord between dealing with my brother’s death, my new job as a kitchen manager that was eating away all of my time and soul, Zack being (at the time) the only person in my world. I needed something to remind me I was on the right track, that I was doing the right things to better my life. I needed something big. When I received that phone call that I was chosen to be an Oakley Women’s Ambassador I screamed and cried. For the first time in several months, it was tears of pure JOY, EXCITEMENT, and GRATITUDE.

The trip to Napa was timed so perfectly,  I couldn’t describe it if I wanted to. A little escape from reality to focus on a brand that I truly believe in, making new friends, and enjoying a fit-filled weekend with 100 beautiful women from around the country (and Canada!)

Fast forward 6 months, and I am filled with so much thanks and pure awh that I am able to represent such an incredible brand. Oakley truly represents everything I want to be as a woman and athlete. One that feels strong and beautiful on the inside and out. One that is confident and accepting of all things, even my flaws. I want to empower other women to go out there and be the best that they can be, ESPECIALLY when that means they aren’t at the elite level. They aren’t winning every race and mastering every advanced yoga pose. To be happy being who they are and pushing themselves further each day.

I can truly say that being able to represent Oakley, that forming such an incredible family with my Oakley sisters and Mamma, has changed my life forever. I am stronger because of them. For that I will be forever grateful.

Once again my Oakley Mamma struck at the perfect time. I opened my e-mail yesterday to see the invitation to the 2013 Oakley Ambassador Summit in January and just about fainted at work I was so excited!!

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don’t mind the scarf. Wanted to cover up her contact info!

WE ARE GOING TO SNOWBIRD UTAH!!!!!! Hitting up the mountains and skiing/snowboarding. Which, is hilarious because I have been complaining my face off about how badly I want to go skiing this Winter and that it’s the only down side of living in Austin. No place to hit the slopes down south! ;)

Then BOOM, here is this e-mail. Like I said, I swear my Oakley parents know exactly what I need, when I need it. Boy oh boy do they deliver!! I can not wait to represent my all time favorite brand in Utah (fun fact. I’ve been to 40 states. This will make 41! I’ve never even flown through Utah!!! SO EXCITED)

I am dying of excitement over here to get to learn more about Oakley, hit up the slopes, and spend time with my “family”!!! I MISS THEM SO MUCH, and can’t wait to meet the rest of the 2011 Ambassador team that wasn’t able to go to Napa.

I am just bubbling over with gratitude and am wracking my brain on how in the world I can give back to Oakley even remotely the way they have for me.

Stepping Out Of My Comfort Zone: The San Francisco Marathon

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No one ever went to the moon without stepping outside of their comfort zone. While, I certainly don’t plan on going to the moon any time soon ;) I do have big, scary, life changing goals for myself. These goals are not something that I can just wake up tomorrow and accomplish. They are goals that take hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes I let fear get in my way. Even allowed fear (equal parts fear and knowing my body) come between me and running the Austin Marathon in February. I am absolutely done with that. I am ready to look fear straight in the eye, and laugh in its face.

I WILL be running the San Francisco Marathon on June 16th (my BIRTHDAY) with so many other baller runners like Pavement Runner, Josephine, Krissy, Lauren,  (hopefully) Jane and so many many many others that I hope do not feel offended by me leaving them out!!!!!

I even started training THIS week. The day I signed up I went out for my first training run… Which granted, was 28 weeks away from the race. However, if I have learned anything from this last half-marathon training cycle it is this:

I know my body. I know what it is capable of. Some people can go out and train for 12-13 weeks for a marathon and ROCK it… I, am not yet one of those people. Someday, I hope to be able to say that I am in that group of bad ass runners. But, I am not there yet, and that’s perfectly okay. It will take me the next 6 months to get 26.2 ready. I have NO shame in that.

WHY do I have no shame in that??? Because I am strong enough of a runner and human being to know my limits. I know that I need to step out of my comfort zone, but I also know where and when my body says OK ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. I need 28 weeks because quite frankly, I need more cut back weeks than a lot of runners do.

My right hip will taunt me for the rest of my life. I have learned that in the past 2 years. I trained too hard, too intensely, too long as a gymnast… As an adult I am paying the price. Am I sorry for the intensity of my training as a teenager? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Do I wish that it was easier for me as a runner, now? Absolutely. But, I have come to terms with the fact that I have done damage to my body. I have come to terms with the fact that I am not as natural of a runner as some people out there.

I work hard to run a FIVE FRIGGIN K. I work ridiiiiiiiiiculously hard to run a half-marathon. I know several people who have the the ability to wake up on a Friday and decide they are running a half marathon that Sunday. I am not, and very well may NEVER be that person.

There was a time (in fact that time was NOT that long ago at all) in which I felt SAD that I wasn’t that person.. However, I have realized in the last few months that everybody is drastically different. Everyone’s body was built drastically different. More importantly, everybody’s life has determined whether or not they can be that runner as an adult.

I have come to terms with the fact that my body may not have been built to run. But, that does not mean that I can’t run. That doesn’t mean that I can’t train it (in a healthy way) to be a runner. We have the ability to be whoever and whatever want to be.

I WANT TO BE A MARATHONER. I will be a marathoner, in 27 weeks. On June 16th, my 25th birthday, I will be a marathoner. I will have earned the title.

While some of the runners I know won’t start training for SF for another 10ish weeks, I am proud to have started last week. I am proud of the fact that I pushed my fears aside and said I CAN DO WHATEVER I PUT MY HEART AND SOUL INTO.

There is no going back for this runner. I have registered for the race. I have booked the flights. I have even made hotel arrangements. All that is left is awaiting the ability to book a rental car… (which may take until race day since THAT is when I’ll be legal for most rental cars.. darn you guys and your 25+ year laws…pffft)

Austin Food Truck Tour: Dock and Roll Diner

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I am so in love with the food truck/trailer industry!! Some people don’t get the food truck boom, but I love it and think it’s brilliant. People working downtown don’t have time for a sit down meal, but still wan’t delicious food. They tend to push your limits to try new foods. You meet the most interesting people. The community. Etc. Etc. One of the many reasons I’ve always adored Austin and wanted to move here so badly, was because of the gigantic food truck market. Someday, I even want to open my own here. ;)

Since living here I have been doing a little Food Truck tour of sorts. Trying out various food trucks. I’ve yet to have a completely terrible experience at these neat little trailers, however I’ve only just scratched the surface into this tour! ;)

Last week I stopped by one that really stood out.

Dock and Roll Diner

Located at 1503 South 1st Street the cute little trailer leaves you not entirely sure what you’re getting yourself into…. However, the staff was incredibly friendly and helpful since I had never been there before. I had heard raving reviews, though so when I was on that side of town, I had to make it happen!

After a fun and lively conversation with the owners I decided on the “Maine Event” and Asian Slaw.

The “Maine” Event is Dock and Roll’s signature Lobster Roll. These are a huge east coast thing, and I was terrified and stoked to try them down here!

Deeeelicious, and incredibly fresh — which is just amazing in Austin!!! The lobster was sweet, buttery, tender. Served in a lightly toasted and warm roll. Closing my eyes and with each bite I could have almost transported myself to the east coast. The sandwich was seasoned beautifully and not too mayonnaise-y at all. (That’s the worst!) I was seriously in food nirvana. The flavors are absolutely killer, making each bite succulent, and rich, but the lobster helps make it light and refreshing.

The asian slaw was made up of red and green cabbage, carrot, pickled cucumber, and a Hoisin dressing.

All in all I give Dock and Roll an A-…. If it was more conveniently located it would be an A+++. The food and staff is incredible! They even accept ‘Go Local’ cards (Which I apparently need to look up) and if you check in on foursquare you’ll receive $1 off your next sandwich!! mmmmmm.

Name it and Claim it: 2013 – The Year I Become a Surfer

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Since becoming an Oakley Women’s Brand Ambassador, I have been following Oakley Dispatch on pretty much all social media platforms. Oakley Dispatch is a Surfing and lifestyle documentary based around the world class talent that makes up the Oakley Surf Team.

Following along this incredible journey has made me fall in love with the sport of Surfing. Meeting and spending time with professional Surfer Erica Hosseini during the Oakley Women’s Ambassador retreat in Napa didn’t help matters much… Not only was she one of the most rad and down to earth chicks I’ve ever met, she also had so much passion about the sport that I couldn’t help get the itch to dive into it myself!!

Since then, I have been studying surfing like it’s my job. I just can’t get enough of it!! The Surf Science, Theory and Culture just pulls me in and there is no more denying it.

…my bookshelf has gotten a little full of used surfing books. Who knew there were so many great ones on Amazon?

I have decided 2013 is going to be the year I become a surfer. I know that it’s hard because I live in Central Texas, where I am utterly land-locked. However, in the Spring and/or Summer I am heading to Surf Camp in Hawaii! I’m also heading to South Padre Island in the spring for lessons. I’m not kidding when I say I am going to become a surfer next year.

I have surfed twice in the past. Both times I spent a majority of my time smacking the water and just paddling around on the board. The first time was in the Bahamas in 2009 and the second time was while I was living in Florida during a trip to Miami with my boyfriend at the time. In the Bahama’s we didn’t exactly have a formal lesson. We just kind of had fun with our leashed boards that we rented and played around. In Miami we did take a 2 hour class with a bunch of other tourists and mostly practiced on land and in “white water” next to shore. I don’t think I stood up for more than 15 seconds max. It was still a complete blast, and was incredibly freeing. It’s amazing what the open water can do for your mind. It was a wild feeling…. Even if I wasn’t very far out into the water at all.

I already have a few basic things down that are helpful when starting out as a surfer. I have some endurance in me from the last two years I’ve spent running, I also have pretty decent balance, thanks to the 13 years of gymnastics under my belt… But, those aren’t the only important pre-requisites for surfing.

Over the next five months I will be diligently working on my swimming, yoga, and core work. As well as still running, of course. Getting into surfing, I have no intentions of replacing my running with it. I will always be running.

I can do a mean doggie paddle, I can do the breast stroke.. I can definitely swim, just not very gracefully or fast. Any swimmer with a day of training under his or her belt would be ashamed that I even call my ability to stay above water and move forward, SWIMMING! ;) I will be focusing on the front crawl/freestyle especially. Gotta be able to paddle out and survive the waves if and when you fall off the board! Honestly, THIS is my biggest fear with surfing. I don’t mind the open water, I don’t mind the huge waves. I don’t mind falling off the board and smacking the water hard.. I am worried about being able to make it back to my board and/or shore after being pulled under. It’s a wee bit frightening to think about. Yes, beginners usually surf with a leash.. But, it’s only a convenience factor. It is not a guarantee and one day, the leash will be taken off or broken. So swimming is my #1 priority.

I’m off to my first “Charlotte’s Prep for The Year of Surfing” yoga class this morning at Dharma Yoga. This will also be my first class in Austin!!! I’m really looking forward to it. I miss yoga classes. I do videos frequently at home, but there just isn’t the same buzzing meditative energy at home as there is in a packed class.

Maybe one day I’ll even get to shred some waves with the athletes who live love and train at the Oakley house in the North Shore in Hawaii ;)

Photo Credit: Oakley Dispatch Instagram @Oakley__Dispatch

Have you ever surfed? Have you ever wanted to surf?
Have you ever chased a fitness dream that most people thought made you crazy?

Life Is About The Journey

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I apologize if you came over to my corner of the web today looking for a Rock n Roll San Antonio recap. That is not what you will be getting.

With half-marathon under my belt I have come to this moment, right here, enlightened. In regards to MY OWN running, that is.

You see, before this year I never thought I was capable of running 13.1 miles. I never thought I could actually run much more than a 5k. I mean marathon runners have like…. Less than 10% body fat (or ya know.. so I thought). I’ve always been a thin girl, but average thin.. Not anorexic thin. Until I became an adult I absolutely never had body image issues. Crazy, since I was a gymnast and a dancer. Both notorious for self-image issues.

I can pin the day I started having bad body images to the day I had ovarian surgery. I was bed-ridden for what felt like an eternity. I was on a diet that consisted mostly of mashed potatoes and ice cream. I needed help with everything. After a few weeks, I hated what I saw. Although even at my worst, I was never actually overweight. Actually, I don’t think anyone other than myself, including my boyfriend at the time, even noticed a difference what-so-ever. But I was growing more and more disgusted with the girl looking back at me in the mirror. I was also growing weaker and weaker every day. Truth be told, I had stopped being truly active about 2 years prior to this. Quit gymnastics and dancing entirely. My only form of physical activity at that point was waiting tables 30 hours a week.

When I began running, I saw my body transform. Not necessarily in appearance, but I was definitely getting stronger. I felt my core that was pretty badly destroyed from surgery recover with every run I went on. Even if I was running a mile with frequent walk breaks. Throughout my journey as a runner I have become stronger every day. My legs became the rocks they once were as a gymnast. After some time, I learned to incorporate other forms of strength training. Core work. Leg work. Even my arms, now…

At one point during this journey, running even taught me to love my body. It proved to me that my body is something to be proud of, flaws and all. If I’m smart about it, and put in the work; my body can do anything (within reason) I want it to. This is my body, and it’s the only one I get… Assuming I don’t get bionic parts in the future.

For this very reason, because I love my body. Because I respect my body I have decided to drop to the half-marathon at the Austin Marathon in February and postpone my Marathon debut. This wasn’t an easy decision to come to, yet it was the easiest decision of my life…

I realized there is a genius to the run-walk approach. Hang with me here, because I’m not being literal, though I really am at the same time. (Charlotte, get it together here. You’re not making any sense.)

Physical work is easier and healthier when you take breaks. This also works for learning…. There is a reason that teachers start their lessons with a brain warm-up, then dive into the heavy material, and end the class having backed off a bit.. Allowing creative and cognitive thought to replenish the brain.

After two-ish years of running, one of which was more ‘serious’ running, I have learned that my body needs me to back off after an intense training cycle. Like our brains, my body works best when given rest and variation. After 13 weeks of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion, I know that my body needs me to back off a little. I never really spoke about my brother’s death. I downplayed how upset I was after the split between Zack and I. I downplayed how stressful it was to try to move to Austin after just getting back home to NY. I downplayed how painful my hip was getting at the end of training for San Antonio.

Sitting here right now.. It’s kind of silly to me that I did. I grew more than I knew possible this year. I’ve grown more in less than a year, than a lot of people do in a lifetime.

All of this. Every aspect of it. The epiphanies I’ve had, the injuries I’ve experienced, the heart ache…Wanting to rip my hair out over some of the stress; Have lead me to this comfort… I know now, that life really is all about the journey. There is no rush. I do not want to just survive this life, I want to thrive in it!

I don’t want to just survive my first marathon. I want to thrive! I want to be the strongest I’ve ever been. I want to cross the start line confident, not terrified. (Though yes, there is a certain level of fear in every marathoner, newb or experienced) I know that if I run in February, I will end up only half-way pleased. I will be proud of myself for finishing, but I will be disappointed with how poorly executed it was. I will be extremely frustrated with my body for doing something that it wasn’t prepared to do in the first place.

I will run a marathon. I still plan for it to be in 2013, it just won’t be Austin. It just won’t be 2 months from now. Instead I will be giving myself some time to back off the intensity so my body mind and soul can recover from the last several months of intense life. I’m going to find some local 5ks, pick out my favorite hole-in-the-wall bar in Austin, go to social outings and meet people, and even go on my first post-engagement date. GASP.

If you want to rain on my parade, go right on ahead. It will not bother me. I am comfortable with my decision. No, actually, I’m proud of it. Being smart enough to listen to our bodies takes a level of responsibility that only come after growing as a person, and a runner.

Oakley Prescription Glasses

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During my Oakley Women Ambassador Retreat in Napa Valley, California in June one of the coolest parts of the weekend was getting to go through the Rolling O Lab.

Now, I know what you’re all thinking. What in the world is the Rolling O Lab? Well, it’s a test lab set up to show the science and technology that goes into the Oakley glasses. Lenses and Frames. Designed to show you exactly why Oakley is the best glasses designer on the market.

First thing we learned was about the High Definition Optics (HDO) and boy did they put this to the test for us. HDO is the technology Oakley uses to give clearer and sharper images without any corruption. What does that mean? No headaches! Typically people blame headaches from glasses on the tightness of the frame, when in reality it usually comes from your line of vision created from the lenses in your glasses… The lenses tend to shift everything over. With HDO you see everything exactly where it is, NOT shifted…

This is when the really cool test happened. *pushes up nerd glasses* The laser prism test! A laser is fired through each lense in a frame and in theory, the dots should come together in the center to focus on a single image. So each eye sees the same thing. See, what we see isn’t actually where they are in most glasses. The typical lense will bend light…. Our brain is wasting energy trying to put these images together… Have you ever put on a pair of glasses and felt like the ground was closer to you than it actually was? That’s what causes that feeling. Hence the headaches!

Not with HDO! HDO pretty much eliminates any distortion. What we see, where we see it, is where it’s actually at.

After the HDO tests he did a series of impact tests. As the leading brand in the athletic field for eyewear, you never know what could happen. You could take a spill on your face. Get hit in the eye with a ball. Have a rock shoot up and smack you in the forehead. Athletes are constantly taking risks and sometimes things go wrong. The last thing we want to destroy is our eyes! So Oakley puts all of their lenses to the test to make sure they can uphold the worst of the worst.

The Metal Spike test compared the Oakley Dart lenses with the lenses of the leading competitor, where a metal spike weighing more than 1 pound dropped from over 4 feet up, directly onto the lenses. The Oakley lenses scratched a wee bit, but there was no cracking, no shattering of the lenses. The Competitor? Well, it shattered… Which could lead to some pretty nasty eye problems…

Needless to say, I decided then and there if I was going to be wearing glasses on my face all day everyday, they would be Oakley glasses for sure. Then I discovered that Oakley has some of the cutest Prescription glasses on the market. It was like I won the jack pot!

I was beyond thrilled to get my hands on a pair of Rx glasses from Oakley. In fact, I hadn’t even realized they made them! I mean, it makes sense… I just never looked into it before! Boy oh BOY am I glad they filled me in on that bit of information!

I had such a hard time picking out which ones to get. Literally every pair of frames are adorable! But finally with the help of Zack I narrowed it down and ordered a pair of cute little pair of wire frames! Meet the Oakley Noteworthy.

These adorable frames are super lightweight! I forget they are on my face just about every time I wear them! haha. (Other than the whole being able to see thing… ;) ) However have no fear! If these aren’t your style; there are a variety to choose from!

Women:

Men:

(DISCLAIMER: as an Oakley Women Ambassador I was provided a pair of prescription glasses by Oakley. However all opinions are my own)

Do you wear prescription glasses? If so, check out Oakley.com and click on the prescription link under the STORE tab!