To the blog!

I'm telling my fears of becoming a picture-whoring narcissist to SHUT UP because I'm starting a blog, goddamnit.

Why start a blog now? It's 2012--sometimes it seems like if you don't have a blog yet, you've missed the train. Oh well. I'm hoping to accomplish the following by documenting my life for all (or no one) to see:

1) Get faster. I'm a supadupa slow "runner." I've been "running" for about a year, but have only really gotten consistent with it since June-ish. Right now I'm averaging about 13 miles/week, with my long run at 6 miles. I'm currently training for my first race--a 10k at the end of October. My typical easy run pace is 11:45 min/mile, with my pushing it speed at about 10:45 min/mile. I'll be happy to just finish my first race, but after that, I'd like to work on getting a bit faster (which for me, will be working toward 10 min/mile pace) and introducing this mythical thing they call "speed work."

As a side note, I sincerely regret not starting a blog when I was starting running last summer/fall. As a wheezing, struggling-to-finish-a-mile runner, I always wished there were blogs for people like me--it seems that a lot of running blogs are people that were either always runners or have already developed a consistent running habit and are now training for a big race. Obviously that makes sense, but I just wanted to read about someone having similar struggles with getting through two miles, as opposed to trying to finish that pre-marathon 20 miler. Since I missed that train, I'm hoping to at least a) revisit some of that early running time to share the lessons learned with others and b) start this now, pre-first race, while still slow, and hopefully be able to document improvement over time!

2) Use my time better. Oooo, guess what, the blog title has a PUN in it. In addition to talking about the physical act of running, I'm going to discuss my attempts to better RUN my life. So clever, I know. But lately I've just watched the evening hours tick by while I'm aimlessly clicking on the internet or watching a TV show I don't care about. I recently moved out to the suburbs and in with my boyfriend. My job is relatively stable and enjoyable, and I'm running/eating well/mother-effing-FLOSSING and generally acting like an adult. Buuuuut...I still feel a little aimless in how I use my time. I'd like to be more purposeful in my evening activities during the week and find time for things I truly enjoy (more on those later), vs. succumbing to the abyss that is the internet. So I'm hoping to document how I'm using my time and set intentions for how I want to use it (and then be publicly held accountable when I fail!).

3) Meet people! As mentioned above, I recently moved to the 'burbs (outside of DC in VA). And I live with my boyfriend (referred to as Dan, going forward...because that's his name). And our new apartment and surrounding community is surprisingly great! And living with Dan is awesome. And my amazing commute would make you jealous. But I don't really know anyone, besides my coworkers and Dan, that lives less than a 40 minute metro ride away. And things can get a little isolated and lonely sometimes. So even if I don't meet tons of people that live in my area, it'll be great to feel part of a (virtual) community and talk to people with similar interests.

Somethings that I'm hoping NOT to do:
1) Become completely self-absorbed and/or over-share-y. I really struggled with whether or not I wanted to start a blog. I'm honestly a fairly self-involved person, and I'm often embarrassed by my tendency towards narcissism (oh we are twenty minutes into drinks and I haven't asked about you? Oops). I've really tried to suppress that tendency in my adult life (because really, I am interested in what others have to say! I just forget sometimes), but I'm afraid that by posting about myself I'd be indulging that tendency somehow. Oh, also, I know what I'm doing isn't particularly original. I'm just another twenty-something white girl, running slow and living in the suburbs. Don't worry, I get that--I'm not sharing my thoughts because I think they are original or inspirational. I'm sharing them because I'm bored and need some accountability.

I'm also just super sick of the constant over-sharing, over-participating-in-things-together-ness of our current society (no my TV show does not need a goddamn #hashtag! I just want to watch alone!). I've been off Facebook since college and generally prefer privacy on the internet. But my science background tells me that there is an evolutionary reason to share our thoughts and generally be part of a community. So basically I'm blogging for science. FOR SCIENCE. And you know, all those other reasons I listed above.

2) Write when I don't have something to say, suck up to big time bloggers, or over-use emoticons. I don't want to commit all of the regular blogger no-nos. I am a regular poster over on GOMI, so I'm quite familiar with and critical of the major blogging sins. I'm going to try hard not to be another obnoxious HLB, though I fear that's what this will tend towards. I'll do my best to keep it real, not be boring, and write well. Except for puns. I can't promise there won't be puns. And double negatives.

3) Ditch this after three weeks. I have a problem with getting super into things and then ditching them a month in. I want to keep this up and stick with it. So here we go!

Also, my name is Holly. Hey! And welcome.