Spring Has Sprung!

I was walking through campus with a Canadian friend today, and stopped to take a picture of some of the gorgeous daffodils that have sprung up throughout the grounds. She commented that she also wanted to take pictures of these wildflowers to send to her friends back in Canada as a reminder that her weather was better, as she was experiencing spring while they still had snow on the ground. 


I informed her I've never known seasons before. Oh California...

(There is an extra dot on the ellipsis in the third paragraph. Other than that, this is fantastic.)

Following the Rainbow to the Land of the Leprecans

A few weeks ago, my friends Myles and Mehreen were hanging out in my kitchen and found a deal with RyanAir (an insanely cheap European airline) to fly to Ireland for next to nothing. They decided to book it that night. I walked in the kitchen, heard them telling my flatmates, and asked if I could come. We left on Thursday.

First of all, there are some AMAZING deals on flights within Europe, but they come at a cost that isn't money. Baggage allowance is next to nothing, there are insane hidden fees (i.e. if I didn't print out my own ticket, it would have been £60 at the airport to get it from the airline), and the plane ride is anything but relaxing with their stuffy cabins, jammed seating, and constant advertising for products over the intercom. Nevertheless, we made it to Dublin Thursday night irritated but in one piece. Our first day, we took a long walking tour of the city, visiting some of the key parts of Dublin, and made sure to spend a lot of time at the Guinness Storehouse. We joined a pub crawl in the evening, and I got up bright and early the next morning to make it over to Crossfit Dublin for a morning workout (the Crossfit Open clearly takes priority in my life). I then joined back up with Mehreen and Myles for a proper full Irish breakfast, washing it down with just a few pints of cider, and we headed to the old Jameson Distillery Factory (noticing a trend here?).

On our last day in Ireland, we took a bus to the other side of the country. It took two hours. That puts things into perspective, as I went to college two hours from my parents' house, and I thought it was a bit close. Our day was filled with a visit to a proper Irish farm, a hike through the rocky countryside, a stop at a Medieval castle, a cruise along the beautiful west coast, and finally a trek through the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher. While we certainly got our "Irish drink on" in Dublin, the touring of the landscape and coast outside of the city felt as though I was really seeing the country and its natural beauty.

It's trips like these, where we are pinching every penny but getting to see amazing parts of the world, that make me so grateful to be living in Europe at this time in my life. Cheers.

Throwin' it Down in London!

Last weekend I competed in the SICFIT London Throwdown at Brunel University in snowy London. I qualified for this competition in December, ranking 49th going into this final event. After hitting two personal records (one of which was a 65.7kg/145lb lift from ground to overhead) and going through some insane physical challenges in front of a large crowd and some badass athletes, I came out of the competition taking 14th place overall! 

It's incredibly fulfilling to see my hard work at training and nutrition paying off, although just a few days upon return I got bronchitis... and laryngitis! Looks like my body worked rather hard and wanted a serious break.

Snow Has Landed!

My flatmates woke me up at about 3am with my first snowball! I was rather confused initially, but once I realized they'd brought me snow from OUTSIDE, I couldn't contain my joy!

This morning, an unbelievable white blanket covered the campus.

I officially feel like a resident of England.

FeelFit! My own little project in England

Just last month I started a group called FeelFit, targeting primarily students and promoting a healthier lifestyle. I've been offering group workout classes twice a week, and started a facebook group to spread the word about nutrition and other facts that encourage overall fitness. As you probably know, I LOVE crossfit, and any other sport that offers physical competition. I will be getting my certification for crossfit training in March, and am hoping to expand on this hobby by coaching. For now, I'm practicing these skills with this group.

Initially, I imagined my greatest challenge would be figuring out how to keep people active for an hour. That has not proven to be a problem. I know enough movements to keep people moving for days. What has instead presented itself as a bit of a difficulty is the rather wide range of athleticism I've gotten in my classes. A movement that is challenging for some may be a piece of cake for others, so a great deal of my energy in each class is making sure every individual is getting the most of their time by working effectively and efficiently, but not KILLING themselves. I'll save the killings for when I get them on barbells...

This project, FeelFit, has already made me feel better. I've received multiple texts and had a few chats about how sore people are, but they always end it with a smile. That smile has become my ultimate goal. I want people to FEEL the joy of being fit, to reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, and I want to help them get AND stay there. My life (and health) have changed dramatically since I started lifting heavy and eating clean. Now it's time to help others experience that feeling too.

Hot and Cold...WHY?

This is so true of every sink in my flat and nearly all others throughout the UK.


England:

Either scalding hot or freaking freezing.

EVERYWHERE else in the world:

Water you can touch.