Things Have Gone Topsy-Turvy

YIKES. So, as of noon, I found out that I'm moving to Newark on Sunday and I start my new job on Monday. Keep in mind that I finish my old job in Seattle on Friday (OMGSOMUCHTOGETDONE).

I'm kind of a mess right now: I have a plane ticket for Sunday, I have already booked to have my car shipped to New Jersey, I have a plan for the cat. I do not have a place to live (correction: several lovely friends in NYC have offered me places, but I'd really like to try and be in NJ, to make the commute and apartment hunting easier). That's obviously making me very anxious.

Actually, the move to New Jersey is only temporary: I'll be there for three weeks until I go for more training outside of DC. I'm very excited about that - I'm really looking forward to training, meeting new colleagues, and being near my DC friends. Plus, it all works out pretty perfectly for running the Army 10 Miler and the Philly Half. Volunteering at NYC is a bit crazier, but I think I'll find a way to make that work, too. There are trains and buses and friends with spare beds, right?

So, REALLY, I'll move to NJ after Thanksgiving - anything I can't fit in two suitcases will be staying in Seattle until then, which means I'm going to have to do some very careful packing. I figure one bag for running clothes and one for work clothes, right? Roommate & I have already decided that she's going to keep the small foam roller and, in return, we'll go halvesies on a bigger foam roller that Amazon or RRS can deliver to me out East.

Everyone, even complete strangers are being really, really lovely. I've already got dinner plans with a friend of a friend for next week (and she's being absolutely amazing in helping me with the housing stuff) and the NJ/NY Oiselle Team ladies are going to let me crash their get-together. Other friends are already plumping for drinks. There's a 5K put on by the running club that I think I'd like to join on the 29th, so I think I should go and see what the club is like. My college friend is coming up the weekend after to help me look for apartments. I am so grateful for everyone's support, because I am very, very sad to leave Seattle and my friends here.

I'm trying so hard not to dwell on leaving Seattle. It hurts so much to think about it, even though I know I'll be out here at Columbus Day for Operation Move Cat East and for Thanksgiving. Still, I wish I'd had time to tell my friends and this city a better goodbye now. But, I'm grateful for this new opportunity and I will make the best of it.

Plus, I promised myself long ago that I could buy an iPad once everything was happening for sure. So....mini or original size?

Week One

I have a lot to write about right now, including recaps from the Disneyland/Dumbo Double Dare Expo/10K/Half and the Lake Chelan Half and two much more serious posts on Syria and political heroes. I'm hoping I can get to at least one of those tonight. They're just draining topics, ya know?

In the mean time, I will use this very short post to mark the end of the first week of half marathon training. I mean, I know exactly which half marathon I'm hypothetically training for, but I haven't actually signed up for it yet. In large part, that's because my life is in such turmoil right now. I think I'll feel comfortable registering as soon as I get a start date for my new job and feel like I can begin planning my life after the next two weeks. I hate the feeling of being on hold.

ANYWAY, this week's training (plus a cheat from last weekend):

Saturday: Disneyland 10K. A PW by almost 10 minutes!

Sunday: Disneyland Half. A PW by 5 minutes!

Monday: Session with my trainer. My arms got killed.

Tuesday: #hitreset with Jasyoga. Amen.

Wednesday: 3 easy miles

Thursday: Another session with my trainer (we're trying to fit in our remaining sessions before the move).

Friday: HOLY CRAP REST DAY (mostly because we were driving to Chelan).

Saturday: Lake Chelan Half Marathon. I pushed HARD. It felt AMAZING. My friends are great. (more later)

Sunday: Cowbelled the heck out of the Women of Wonder 5/10K. I might run later. I might not. I had to go beg bandaids from the first aid tent for my cowbell injuries.