My First Week as a Nebraska-ian

Before we get to that, wrap up on running...I ran Wed (7) and Thurs (4) and then got in roughly 10 miles this morning.

Plan on running again tomorrow morning before church, and then some swimming in the afternoon if the pool isn't overrun with children.  The community pool is great for lap swimming, with lanes and everything.  And muuuuch longer than my former silly pool back in Texas.

So here are a few pics from the past week...

en route to Nebraska

Yummy beer after a long day 1 in the car

FINALLY!

Early morning downtown on the way for an iced coffee

Main lobby (1 of 3) of my new workplace (not sure why its all fuzzy here on blogger)

County fair

Mutton bustin' at the County fair

Got myself a new house.  Well a new OLD house :)

Hot dog eating contest downtown this morning

Antique shopping.  Bought this cute old dinette and chairs for my new little area in the kitchen of new casa

Bought a WORKING old fashioned rotary dial phone just like I grew up with.  Cost?  $5  :)

I Got a House!!!!

I am so blessed!  In a small town with so many people that have moved here and are moving here, finding a rental is very, very hard to do.

Thankfully my teammate at work had looked at a house thinking she was going to downsize, but then decided the house wasn't for her, hooked me up.

I went and looked at it today after work and we shook on it right then and there.

Its just over 800 sq ft on the top floor and then the bottom floor (basement) is another 800 sq ft.  There are 3 BR's, 2 up and 1 down, and 2 baths.  Covered parking, a HUGE back yard, and a deck!

So so so blessed and beyond excited that I found something so quickly.  I will be living here in the temp housing until Sept as end of August I fly home to meet the moving company they hired to move my stuff which is perfect timing as by the time it makes it here I will be able to move in!!

Back Yard from the deck

From the back yard

Deck

Street view

Got Time for a Quickie?

I don't know...this blog might be dwindling down.

I mean I could post and post random crap to fill up and put another link in your reader or what-not, but honestly so much has and is happening that I am finding that all my happiness, good fortune and blessings ... that if I sit down to write about them it comes off a bit braggart-y.

I could post a ton of pictures but I don't have a lot of space left on this thing and well I don't want to spend money to post pictures.

Things will probably pick back up once I get more settled in a permanent residence and not so many little things to take care of.

Let's see...first running:  ran Friday, Saturday and today.  Nothing major but I need to get a 2 hour run in and it won't be until the weekend before that happens.  Not ideal, but it is what it is and to be honest with you I don't seem to care that much.  I have a new life, new friends, new town, new job...and these things are taking the top spots on my 'important things to do' list.  There is a night race (5K) here in a couple of weeks and I am excited about that.

Work:  Today was day 1.  And you know those workplaces like Google, Facebook and what-not that have those environments where everyone is so darn happy because the work environment is full of awesome people, awesome amenities and fun things thrown in to keep you 'invested'?  Yeah this is that kind of place.  The break room alone made me gasp!  The HUGE refrigerator fully stocked, and espresso, coffee and hot cocoa machines, along with an array of vending products.  Couches, flat screens...totally serious.

My office was outfitted with 2 huge monitors, laptop and everything else you can imagine.  A Galaxy tablet will be next, plus I had a welcome package full of items such as backpack, tshirts, water bottles, dried fruits, ball cap...It was a nice gesture and one I never have received anywhere else!

I had over 300 emails to me already, 3 meetings and 4 projects in various stages assigned to me, so I worked late which I NEVER do...but you don't seem to mind because its awesome and I am just so excited to be a part of this growing up and coming go get 'em atmosphere.

Outside of work:   Everyone invites you to everything.  Yesterday after getting home from Denver all I wanted to do was lay in bed but was invited by my boss and a few others to meet at the pool for a bit so instead of being lazy and getting a run in, I went to do that instead.  This weekend is already booked because hey the Cheyenne County Fair is this week/weekend plus the CoC big to - do downtown as well, so there ya go!  Going to be tons of fun I know!  There isn't a lot that happens here so this is one of the 'big' weekends everyone looks forward to!


I am in temporary housing as my employer pays for 2 months (plus food allowance per diem), but I am already trying to find somewhere since its not easy here.  I did drive by a rental house today, and while it needs work, I want to see the inside.  Its a 2BR/1B, but no garage and no basement...we'll see...I have time to inquire on availability of a few other places that may be coming up within the 2 month time frame.


I don't mind it here and Nugget seems fine, but I miss having a kitchen as all I have is a small fridge, a small counter for food prep and a microwave.  Not a lot to do with that but I am making do.  Eating a lot of salads, fruits and vegetables which is fine for now.  I am trying not to eat at the restaurants because I am only allowed $30 a day for food and I would rather spend it on groceries.  $30 actually covers me for a few days if I shop at the farmers market and the grocer.

So that's it for now...but I will leave you with a couple of pictures from the equivelent of 'Starbucks' in my little town...

The two are connected and inside you see a lot of folks just drinking their coffee, playing chess/checkers, reading the paper or their newest favorite read. 

These two little girls were SO SO SO cute!  Then I realized one was picking her nose!  HA!

 

I'm Heeeeeeeeeerrreee!!!

1163 miles later I am finally at my new home!

There are tons of photos, things to write about, but it might take me a while to get some sort of logical post put together.

Since I arrived I have been going non-stop and won't have a moment to myself until around noon tomorrow.  I have to drive to Denver in the morning then flip around and come back.  

Then I will maaaaybe have some time to put something together.

I did get a nice run in this morning (65deg with basically no humidity).  The views I see now when running are amazing ... at some point I need to bring my camera on a short run just to snap a few pictures.

Ready or Not Nebraska, Here I Come!

Three crosses atop a butte as you enter my new little city :)

It will take me 2 days to get to mi new State, but when I get there, this is just part of what I have to look at every single day.

...and a shot of downtown... :)


And yes I got my long run in yesterday.  Ran on the treadmill just shy of a 2 full hours stopping only once to go to the potty :)

11 miles.  

Now I don't have to worry about it for this weekend but will more than likely get in 7-8 miles on Sunday after dropping my sister off at the airport in Denver.

T Minus 3 Days

I cannot even remember where I left off, but I've been busy, busy, busy.

I got in my longest run yesterday since my injury which occurred back around mid-April.  We had a bit of sprinkles at the beginning of the KW run, but it stopped shortly after it started.

I am thrilled that I am back up to 10 miles!!

I'm going to hit up CrossFit today even though its open gym (which means there is no official WOD, but you can practice whatever you want or put together your own WOD).

I decided to put together my own:

150 Single Unders

400m run

20 KB swings

30 abmat situps

5 pullups

x 5 rounds

Since we are down to the wire before I leave for Nebraska, and also looking ahead at the week through the weekend, I am going to do a long run on my own on Tuesday.  I will do it on the treadmill and basically the plan is just to run for 2 hours.

Other than that I will just fit in some shorter runs here and there and probably get another CF workout in before I leave Wednesday morning.

Not really much more to say for now, except that this shit just got real.  It kinda creeped up on me, but I am excited and just ready to get on the road already!

T Minus 6 Days...

Rain.

Rain.

Rain.

And more rain.

The past 3 mornings I was not able to get my run on before work due to just the crazy amount of rain we've been getting every day (so different from last year!).  Well Tues and Wed since yesterday was my last day at my current job!

When I woke up around 6am this morning it wasn't raining (yet) but it was lightning and the radar showed what was coming and well...I just wasn't going to chance it and besides...lightning.  Duh.

Besides getting running done on the treadmill the past few days and some CrossFit in there as well, needless to say my days and (most) evenings have been consumed with tying up little loose ends that need to be taken care of before I leave.

I will be back in a month or so to meet the movers, but at least the assessor has come by and all that is taken care of; just need to wait for the relo company to get back in touch with me so we can decide on a day and then I can book my flight back here to meet them.

I believe I am done-zo for today though.  I'm exhausted and I need a break.

Maybe I'll head to CrossFit later though...

Or not.

:O)

T Minus 9 Days...

Monday:  4 mile run before work

CrossFit: "Cindy" after work

We just did Cindy back early June in which I didn't keep track of my score since I was just coming back from injury, and also didn't do kipping pull ups but used the rings instead.

This time I was back to actual kipping pull ups and I kept track of my rounds:

20 min AMRAP of:

5 x kipping pull ups

10 x push ups

15 x air squats

Total Rounds: 11 full rounds  (55 pull ups, 110 HR pushups and 155 air squats)

Previous scored Cindy was 13 full rounds plus 4 kipping pull ups back in March when I had just begun CrossFit for realz.  :O)

A few times I could only muster 4 pull ups and would jump down and do the final pull up on the rings.  And to make it worse, we were made to use wooden dowels for full extension above and behind our head with each squat to insure proper form since so many people either get sloppy or just plain don't do them right.  Ugh.  But it does help with form thats for sure!

What really did me in was the warm up was 50 burpees!!! and because there were 3 people that showed up late we had to do penalty burpees; 5 for the 1st person, 6 for the 2nd and 7 for the 3rd.  Thankfully no one else showed up late.

After the burpee's we took 15 minutes to figure out our bench press max (for 3 reps), then halved that and did 25 reps.

I didn't remember to bring my gloves and I also didn't realize how wrecked my hands were until I got home and in the shower.  My hands burned so bad it felt like my skin was melting off. 


While my rounds were less than they were back in March, I feel great about the outcome since the warm up about killed my arms!  I honestly didn't know how I was going to be able to pull off that many pull ups and pushups!


On to Tuesday!!!

You Can Never Be Too Busy for a Workout

Wednesday:  20 mins of swimming laps

Thursday:  1 hour run followed by 20 min of swimming laps

Friday: 3 mile run

Saturday: 9 mile run

Other than that, still preparing for the big move, and spending as much time with friends and family as I can.

I've been off since the holiday which has been awesome.  Three more days at work and then off until I start my new job on the 23rd.

Ready to get on the road!

First 2 a Day In a Long Time!

4 mile run in the AM before work.

Miserably hot, humid, oppressive, smothering run.

I was going to do a Pub Run/Crawl in the evening, but when I saw what the UC had on tap for a WOD (or a double WOD at that1), I wanted to go to CrossFit instead!  I had never done 'Annie' before and I love the jump rope even if I have to stick to singles so as not to re-injure my back or piriformis.

'Annie'

50 40 30 20 10 (descending ladder)

double unders

sit ups

Since I don't do double unders, I had to 3x each number so (150, 120, 90, 60, 30)

Sit ups were Rx'd at the 50, 40, 30, 20, 10

For time:  11:37

Coach gave us only 15 min or you took a DNF.  Motivation.

then the 2nd WOD

12 reps

15 reps

21 reps

15 reps

12 reps

of rotating between the following 3 moves:

Box jumps (20" for the girls) No box jumps for me either due to back, so I had to scale to step ups

Hand stand pushups

Dead Lifts (I racked 75lbs and went with that)

For time: 12:39

Felt great to get back to 2 a days!  But daaaaaaaaaaaaamn I was SPENT when the WOD's were over...soaking dripping beyond covered in sweat.

Felt like my old self today!!!

16 Days

There are 16 days left before we hit the road North, and really there isn't much left to do.  

I've gone through and selected what running and casual clothes and shoes that will make the initial trip, and as soon as I am done with working at my current job I can go through and pick what work clothes I am going to haul up.  

I only have 4 more days here (1 day this week and 3 next week), so I could probably just decide what I am going to wear in advance for those days and then make my selections.  But seeing as how I have a full week between my last day working here and when I am actually leaving Houston, there isn't much need for getting so ahead of myself.

I will be without all my stuff for at least 6 weeks, so I am selecting carefully and also making sure I take some Fall like items just in case.  Mainly just light wind/rain running jacket, a denim jacket and a few of my favorite long sleeve Marathon race shirts (Chicago, Houston and New York for example :O)

Deciding which shoes go is the hardest part ... :O)

What else?  Hmmm...the only thing that hasn't been taken care of is getting an advance prescription from my Endo so that I don't have to worry about that for a while.  I have no idea what the hell is going on there because I have left several messages.

I have a lead on a house already, so just waiting for that person to call me...sooooo hoping that it works out.  A house is so much more preferable.

This week is busy though.  Lunches and dinners with different friends.  Family time.  Special friend time.  Pub Run Crawl.  4th of July.  Running.  CrossFit.

Thankfully I took some extra time today to go take care of a few things that are just time sucks and now I don't have to worry about doing that during my time off ...

Bottom line:  The next 16 days are going to drrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaag!  And this post was completely meaningless, but I'm bored.  ;o)