Tag Archives: Mom

So I’m Running A Marathon

I haven’t always loved running. To be completely frank, I used to dread the thought of a running, but I think it’d be safe to say that I’ve fallen in love with lacing up my running shoes and escaping for an hour (or two).  Last March, I ran my first half marathon with my Mom and became instantly hooked to races. Not only do I love running races because I’m side by side (commiserating) with thousands of other runners, but because the electricity of the crowds really gets me going. My roommates, however, will say my favorite part is the medal at the end – I guess I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love the bling at the end, too. Since that first half, I’ve run two more half marathons and four other smaller races.

As part of my 2016 New Year’s Resolutions, I made it my goal to qualify for the 2017 NYC Marathon via the 9+1 program. This program is a great way for NYRR Members to qualify for the race because it not only promotes the smaller NYRR races (9 races), but also encourages people to give back to the running community by volunteering (+1). With this goal in my mind, I knew that 2016 was all about getting into optimum marathon shape and staying injury-free. I had no intentions of running a marathon this year, but when one of my closest childhood friends texts me asking if I wanted to run the Marine Corps Marathon, I had to say “YES”.

Part of the reason I immediately said “YES” to running this marathon was due in part to the fact both my parents ran the Marine Corps Marathon 15 years ago. My parents started training for the 2001 MCM with a group of their close friend and eight year-old Meg would bike alongside them on their long runs, haul water, and cheer them from the sidewalk. This really sparked an insatiable passion for the sport at an early age. It would be an understatement to say that I’m so excited to make a “return” to the MCM and run in my parents footsteps. 

2016 is all about pushing my limits and running the Marine Corps Marathon is the perfect challenge.  Here’s to running my first 26.2, crushing my goals, and many ooh-rahs along the way.

Summer Daze

I always dreamed of having a perfect summer in New York. What I forgot to factor in, was the fact that I work 40+ hours a week and didn’t make enough money to do the things I truly want: travel and eat lots of food. Fortunately for me, I’m surrounded by some pretty amazing people who helped make my first summer in New York pretty great.

After looking through most of my photos, I can tell you I spent a significant amount of time at sporting events, running around Manhattan, apartment searching, and trying new restaurants.

Here’s some photos that perfectly capture my first summer in the Big Apple.

Things My Mother Taught Me

What sort of daughter would I be if I didn’t write about how amazing my Mom is on Mother’s Day? It goes without saying that my Mom is the most amazing woman in the World – she’s transformed my life in numerous ways and has taught me more than I can remember. I have always been called a “Daddy’s Girl” but the fact of the matter is that I am my Mother’s Daughter through and through.

This post is dedicated to 21 of the millions of lessons my mother has instilled in me.

  1. Take lots of pictures – The name of this blog is titled after my mom’s advice when I was handed a camera when I turned 8 at Disney World. “Snap away Meg, capture the memories”. This sentiment has truly stayed with me, whether it is via snapchat or with my Canon.
  2. Home is where the heart is – Moving around as a kid was like one 15 year-long adventure. Kudos to my Mom for packing up the house (by herself on more than one occasion) and bravely moving us around with a smile on her face. We have a sign in our house that reads, “Home is where the Navy Sends You”, but she taught me that it’s not where you live that matters, but where your family and heart is.
  3. Family First – This is pretty self-explanatory but she has reiterated numerous times that your family always comes first. No exceptions.
  4. Making friends is a hobby – I distinctly remember my mom telling me that making friends was her favorite hobby when I was 9 years old and living in Japan. I really didn’t quite understand this because sports were my favorite hobby. As I’ve grown up and (hopefully) matured, I’ve come to embody that same sentiment. I love making friends more than anything!
  5. Is it a want or is it a need? – Every time I go shopping, my Mom’s voice rings in the back of my head, “Is it a want or a need?” I am not very good with spending money (or rather saving it) so this is something that I hope I will get better with as time passes.
  6. Never quit – I have on more than one occasion wanted to quit a team or drop a class, but my mother has always told me that Patten’s never quit. To this day, I have always finished out the season or completed the class. You feel so much better knowing you stuck with it.
  7. Handwritten thank you notes never go out of style – I always dreaded writing thank you notes as a kid, but as I’ve grown up, I have realized the value of writing somebody a quick note, no matter how small or insignificant the task. It takes five minutes and gives you an excuse to get cute stationary.
  8. Put your phone down – We have No-Phones at the table policy, but this has extended into other social gatherings. I have learned that you learn so much more about a person when you’re 100% focused on them and not your boring virtual conversation.
  9. Leave your judgments at the door – Don’t judge a person until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes. My mom taught me that everybody comes from different circumstances and backgrounds and it’s rude to judge them for their decisions.
  10. Sunscreen. Sunscreen. Sunscreen. – My mother is a skin cancer survivor and has instilled in my sister and I an obligation to our skin. Though this took me longer to put into actions, I now put on SPF everyday before I head out the door.
  11. It’s 5 O’Clock somewhere – My mom not only taught me that it’s acceptable to have a beer at 5, but that as a girl, it’s totally okay to love beer. She taught me to make jello shots at a young age for the parties we hosted and that a glass of wine on top of Iron Mountain with your girlfriends will solve most of the problems coming your way.
  12. It’s okay to have feelings and be sensitive – My mom used to (and still does) call me Ajax for my abrasive personality, but what I have learned from this is that it is okay to have feelings and wear them on my sleeve.
  13. A clean house is a happy house – I could never understand why my mom cleaned so much before parties and required us to keep clean rooms until I moved into my own place and lived with people who have no sense of cleanliness.
  14. It’s okay to ask for help – My mom always is there for me and has taught me, despite my extreme stubbornness that it is more than okay to ask for help. It is not a sign of weakness, rather a sign of strength to admit that you need help.
  15. Remind people that you love them – I carry around a note in my wallet from 9th grade that my Mom put in my lunch saying I love you. It’s these little notes and random texts that make the best feeling in the world.
  16. Be patient – Patience is not one of my strong suits and my family has tested my patience on more than one occasion, and definitely on purpose multiple times. My mom has always preached to me that patience is one of the best qualities you can practice.
  17. Don’t grow up to fast. It’s okay to act your age – You know that movie ’13 Going on 30′ – that was me for a large portion of my childhood. I always sought more responsibilities, more freedom, more fun, but what I lost were those crazy moments spent with kids my own age.
  18. Do what you love, love what you do – This should be self-explanatory, but my mom simply lives by this rule. She’s a stay at home mom that does cooler things than I do. Honestly, I’m jealous!
  19. Pick up the phone and call –  I used to be petrified of picking up the phone and calling anybody, but now calling people is one of my favorite things to do. I always remember listening to my mom call friends and family from around the world to catch up. Nothing replaces organic conversation.
  20. Life is short. Cherish each and every moment. – My mom’s mom died at a super young age and my mom has always reiterated that life is short. You never know what moments you’ll be laughing at 20 years from now so cherish the memories now.
  21. Be Yourself – My mom has taught me that above all, being yourself and staying true to your identity, whatever it may be, is the most important thing of all.

Mom – thank you for the memories, the wonderful days spent together, and the many life lessons. I can only hope to be as amazing as you when I finally grow up.

 

Blur

The past few days have gone by in a blink of an eye. I cannot believe that preseason is already here and my Mom has already left. So many memories have been made and way too many pictures have been taken – I don’t even know if I can give the last week justice.

A Collaboration

A Collaboration

On my Mom and I’s last full day together in the city, we began our morning heading off towards NYU from her SoHo hotel. We grabbed a delicious breakfast at my favorite deli, “NoHo” and then I gave her a tour of the village since last time she visited she did not have the opportunity to walk by foot around campus. Following our adventure in the village, we walked down to Canal Street in the rain and began to cruise around. After a long drenched walk through SoHo we found ourselves in Little Italy and then began walking to the famed Katz deli. Katz Deli – let me tell you – so nomalicious! My mom and I split the turkey sandwich on rye bread – it was more than enough for the two of us – did I mention it was so yummy? I cannot even begin to describe the amazingness of the sandwich. Anyways, the rain was still pouring but we decided to make a run for McSorley’s which was a little less than a mile away. I could once again, go on and on about how cool of a place McSorley’s is, but I guarantee I cannot even begin to describe the oldest watering hole in Manhattan – take my word for it and visit!

Katz Deli - SO YUMMY

Katz Deli – SO YUMMY

 

Mom and Her New Favorite Bar

Mom and Her New Favorite Bar

The rain finally decided to subside after a round of black and tans at the pub and we once again ventured downtown towards the World Trade Center Memorial. Even though we did not get the opportunity to go inside the memorial, we did learn a lot about the reconstruction from a worker named Massimo. It’s so beautiful to see WTC#7 back up and Freedom Tower is almost built – simply a sign of our strength and prosperity since the attacks. Later in September I’ll write about the experience from my perspective when I was younger (I lived close to D.C. on 9/11).

Freedom Tower

Freedom Tower

After a walk around the FiDi, we retreated back to our hotel room since my teammate Phebe had just flown in and we wanted to grab dinner with her. We wound up at our favorite, Washington Square Diner – a late night staple that got me through way too many papers. It was the perfect ending to a long walking day and a great mini vacation for my Mom and I because the next day we were more than busy moving in.

Teammates

Teammates

I couldn’t fall asleep that night – maybe it was the time difference, the excitement of moving in or maybe just the combination of the two that made it so hard to shut my eyes. Either way, I ended up getting up early enough to head on over to Carlyle to move in. Although check in was less than a smooth experience, everything turned out okay and Cami and I got a pretty gnarly room. A few hours and a ton of boxes later we moved in to our new abode on Union Square. That afternoon we had a team meeting; it was amazing seeing everybody’s beautiful faces again after a long summer spent apart and meeting tons of new girls.

Roommates

Roommates

Granted it’s been a little less than a week since our first meeting but so much has happened, I don’t want to overwhelm everybody (plus I’m super tired and have to get up at 6 for practice). I’ll write again about the team and everything great that has happened since our first practice. Until next time!

P.S. Check this out! (I know super embarrassing, right?)