Health, Photos, Running

Athletic weekend

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I have been upping my running mileage by 500 meters each week so I can be in 10k race form by September. This week I am between 6 and 6.5km’s. On Friday I decided to ask my Boyfriend to do my 6k loop with me — I felt really good, so I pushed myself hard towards the end and I bet my time by a good two minutes. I ended up doing a few crazy somewhat long sprints that left me feel like I wanted to vom. We finished in 35 minutes and some change, so really like a 10 minute mile – I don’t get it. I guess maybe it was the stop lights that we had to wait at that made it seem longer?

I also ended up wearing my visor that I received as some free swag at a bike shop when we went to Ironman Canada last year. It definitely keeps the sweat from accumulating on my face. Or so I’d like to think. I turn purple/red and I sweat A LOT on my face when I run. The picture on the left is from Monday’s run though. The blue tank is old, purchased from Winners and probably not the best shirt for running as it rides up a bit :(

Monday we had a holiday here in Ontario and so I asked the Boyf to come on another run with me but take a brand new route. It was only 6.89k but it felt like miles longer than what it was. I ended up whining, and complaining a lot. I pretended I was near death and wanted to stop for water, thankfully he put up with me being annoying and pushed me harder. He’s all “What? You want to drink some water out of the manhole?” It wasn’t funny when I heard it but when I think about it, I’m glad he pushed me hard. Plus it was a holiday and realistically we couldn’t stop for water. Nothing was open! I think the route seemed 2x longer than what it was because I knew the roads and I knew they were really long. We finished in 46 minutes. 11 minutes way slower than Friday and it was only 800meters more! Isn’t that weird? Towards the end I was crawling at a snails pace, but still “Jogging”. I’m not sure what was up. I get so down on myself when running days go like that. I need to stop being negative.

Tonight is the trail run. Let’s hope I don’t quit like last week, 2k in. I can DO this.

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Photos

Safe and sound

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My brothers family moved from Ireland to Canada on Saturday. It was a very long process to make this happen – years in the making, and finally it has come true.

Since I am about a 3 hour plane ride away from them, I cannot stop calling them and speaking to them on the phone, constantly. I call twice a day and I’m probably starting to get a bit homesick. It’s alright though because I have booked a flight to visit them in the fall. Poor Kelan (the 4yr old) keeps asking if I am going to visit him today: “Ancy Nancy , I haven’t seen you today. When are you coming over?” Awww! How cute is that? He can’t say Auntie Nancy and just says Ancy Nancy!

My brother has never been one for picture taking and we rarely got updates on how the kids looked. Over the past three days I received 2 batches of photos from my Mom. She’s going camera-happy and I’m giddy at looking at them all.

I share with you… my big awesome fun family!!

I guess in Ireland they don’t have huge trucks like they do over here. So all the boys wanted to go in my cousins “huge truck”. All four boys are in there, but you can’t spot Kelan.

This is my old bedroom transformed into my Brother+SIL + 2 youngest boys bedroom. Spiderman bedding. Here is Kelan chatting to me on the phone with his cute Irish accent. ADORABLEEEE.

Ruairi (Rory) wearing the birthday “super hero cape” (that I bought here) for Kelan’s birthday. Ruairi will get one on his birthday in December, but I guess I should have sent them both at the same time… as Ruairi was kind of sad when he didn’t get his own.

There they are, running down the hallway! teehee.

Kelan’s adorable smile. I love the color of his eyes!! (I haven’t seen this kid since he was 1.5yrs! He just turned 4).

Ruairi has a black eye. Poor kiddo.

lol

Helping each other down the slide. This is where I see a lot of my Brother in Kelan, the oldest boy. His eyes bring me right back to when my Brother and I were kids. That happy/evil smile. :)

Oisin the soccer superstar (literally) listening to his new ipod. Jealous!

Look how excited they are to be at the park. Waaayeeahh!

Even more excited when they spot my Dad coming down to visit them at the park!!

Mom and son coming down on the slide. There’s my daddio observing it all.

I can’t wait to go home :)

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Photos, Reviews

KQC Straightener

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I did a review on a curling iron (Part I, Part II) from flatironexperts.com a while back. I guess it was successful as they sent me a straightener to review as well! This KQC hair ceramic straightener is from flatironexperts as welll.

I haven’t felt confident about a hair straightener in a long time. My 3 year old CHI caught on fire and I replaced it with a fake GHD (which I thought was authentic), it was then replaced by another straightener I received to review.

This one feels more like my CHI used to. You know the noise when you clamp down on your hair and it makes a “pop” closing noise? This is going to sound weird, but it sounds like a higher quality than my other 2 straighteners. It’s not as flimsy and the clamping handles don’t get super hot.

Product modeling shots. Shooting photos in natural sunlight is definitely way better and more vibrant than artificial lighting. I need to remember this.

Check out the lighting on this closeup. Fire Engine red plates.

No gaps in this straightener! Much sleeker looking than a bold colored straightener. Looks more expensive, doesn’t it? So far so good. Been using it for two weeks straight, and you can clearly see my straight hair in my OOTD posts where my hair is always straight. Give it a quick sweep over your hair and poof — you have sleek straight locks.

Thanks flatironexperts for letting me review this product! I loveeeeeeeeeeeee it.

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