I’ve spent a good part of the past four months in a beautiful place.

Slater Park is one of my favorite places to be.  Not only is it pretty, it has so much to offer.

The picturesque landscape,

Interesting architecture,

And plenty of benches just inviting you to rest and relax.

The park is always a quiet, peaceful place, yet it’s bustling with activity.  From baseball to tennis to soccer, there are little athletes at every turn.  There’s also running.  Lots and lots of running!

Sean and I ran a 5K (his first official 5K!) in this park on October 16th.

We stuck together the entire time and soaked in experience.

Slater Park holds a special place in our hearts.  Not only is the park a great backdrop for a run on fall afternoon, it’s the perfect place to walk through on cool evening.

At least a few times a week, we walk the three miles through the park.  With only the crunch of the leaves beneath our feet, we’re able to chat about our day, unwind, and recharge for the next big adventure.

I look forward to spending many special moments in Slater Park.  Whether it’s a morning run or an evening stroll, a concert by the water or the upcoming Winter Wonderland, the time spent in the park is always full of smiles.

Do you have a special place to relax, unwind, and recharge?

Sean and I are pretty excited about the holidays.

We get that Halloween isn’t exactly one of the holidays, but it’s still a holiday.  We’re not letting it pass us by!  We started the celebrating over the weekend when we bundled up for the Jack-O-Lantern SPOOKtacular at Roger Williams Park in Providence.

Who knew that carved pumpkins could be so beautiful?  It was quite a sight.

There were pumpkins of all different shapes and sizes, sporting artwork from local carvers. Spooooky!  And inspiring!

In honor of “Snowtober,” we carved a little pumpkin of our own – a snowflake!

With our initials, of course.  Lucky for us, carving pumpkins provides all sorts of creepy photo ops.

We jumped right on that.

Even though our design was a little ambitious for our amateur carving skills, we pulled it off…and we have the pumpkin seeds to show for it.

All that weekend fun was just the beginning.  We’re keeping the Halloween fun going now that the day is actually here.

Funfetti-style.

The funfetti is critical to holiday success.  We’re having a group of family and friends over tonight to “oohh” and “aahh” over the cute trick-or-treaters, eat sweets, and admire our decor share in the festivities.

Happy Hauntings!

Did you know???  Snickers is the most popular Halloween candy.  I learned that at trivia a few weeks ago…but I’m a Reese’s girl through and through!

{Note: This was originally posted yesterday, but some WordPress issues resulted in a lost post…or my blogging skills are a little rusty.  Regardless, I’m baaaaack!}

aka “BeckOnTheFun!”

Renegade Playground – 10.8.11

I remember my first blog post.  I wrote it on February 12, 2010.  It was a Friday.  I spent that night at home.  Like most nights, I found myself curled up with a mug of tea and a humming laptop.  I read through the blog posts of day and thought, “I can do this, too.”  So I did.  I clicked over to WordPress and created BeckOnTheRun.  I didn’t give it much thought.  I just started snapping photos and writing.

At the time, I was adjusting to a new Becky – new habits, new body, new friends, new goals. Everything was NEW and so very exciting!  I wanted to share my experiences and connect with like-minded people.

For 18 months, I wrote.  Sometimes I posted once a day and sometimes once a week…until I stopped.  I can’t really explain why I stopped posting.  I guess I just didn’t feel the urge to do so.  Big things started happening in my life and I couldn’t help but focus on the moment.

I loved blogging.  I love blogging.  I still visit my favorite blogs everyday and feel inspired/entertained/motivated by the stories I read.  And today, I want to tell stories again. I want to write and share my experiences.

Let me assure you, the past few “off the record” months have been good.  Real good.

I’m still the same ol’ Becky.

But I have a new, handsome partner-in-crime. You’ve seen him once or twice before and you should know, he’s here to stay. Hi Sean!

From the time we wake up to the time we fall asleep, our days are filled with hugs, laughter, and impromptu dance parties.

We’ve had some crazy adventures.

A few obstacles were tossed my way,

But it was nothing I couldn’t fix with some mud, sweat, and beers.

While some things – like flashy socks! – never change, many things have changed during the past few months.

I started my new job.

I run a little less.

I eat more ice cream.

And I smile so much more.

“Change is good.”  And I think it’s time for some changes around here, too.  Starting now, I plan to blog regularly again, but the content may be more BeckOnTheFun (thanks for the nickname, Lauren!) and less BeckOnTheRun.  Feel free to join me on life’s little adventures!

Hey there!  Thank you so, so much for all the well wishes on my new job!  Working in a new school district with new students and colleagues is exciting and daunting at the same time.  On September 1, I will officially go back to school and I’m really looking forward to settling into my new position.

Until then, summer continues!

Last summer, I dedicated myself to marathon training.  Most morning, I awoke with the sun to run, stretch, or cross train.  I followed a pretty intense schedule and stuck to my daily workouts.

This summer has been quite the opposite.  Coming off a stressful spring, I couldn’t handle to demands of training and found myself following a much more flexible schedule.

C'mon, Beck! Can't you take one photo seriously?! Um, no.

But the truth is, I’m so used to training plans that I feel a little lost without that piece of paper telling me what to do each day.  My Type A personality thrives off these plans.  So…what’s a girl to do?

Make a plan!  I’m not building up for a big race or taking on any great challenge.  I just want to stay focused on my main goal: health.

The BeckOnTheRun Stay Healthy Plan

• 30 minutes of cardio 5x/week.Some days I go to spin or run a little longer, but I hope to fit in at least 30 minutes.
• Strength training 2x/week. I haven’t blogged about this (I log my workouts on dailymile) but I have committed to strength training at least 2x/week and I’m loving it!
• Limit race registrations. I don’t have a specific number of races I can run, but I plan to think long and hard before spending money on more races.
• Sleep. I’m an eight hours kinda gal.  I need my rest, especially during this crazy “back to school” time.  My “night owl” ways need to change.
• Eat dessert daily. But only ONCE a day.  I tend to go a little overboard in this department.  If I’m being realistic, I shouldn’t be eating cupcakes everyday.

There it is.  My plan for me, for my health – both mental and physical.  It’s simple, manageable, and exactly what I need right now.  In January 2009, I committed to my health and in the grand scheme of things, that’s what I care most about.  Whether I’m training for a race or not, I don’t want to lose sight of the big picture.

We all have a different approach to food, fitness, and well-being.  Through the ebbs and flows of life, that approach changes.  This is one of those times.

PS – I also really want to run across this bridge.  Who’s with me??

Hi there!  I hope all is well in your corner of the world.  It’s all good ’round here. GREAT would probably be a better word.  I have so many reasons to smile these days.

It’s time for an {ontherun} update.  My days are chock full of activity – mornings at gym (or on the road), afternoons in the kitchen, evenings out ‘n about – and I haven’t had much time for blogging.  But I have good news to share!

This news is SO good that I embraced my inner baker and made some legit cupcakes to mark the occasion.

Chocolate peanut butter cupcakes?  Please and thank you.  These little darlings are over-the-top good.

Good enough to match my over-the-top news…

I GOT A JOB!

Miss Paige is back!  After searching, applying, and interviewing for various positions, I received (and accepted!) an official job offer on Monday.  I’ve never been more excited to hear those three little words – back to school! On September 1, I will begin the year in a new school district working at a special education teacher for children in grades 1 – 3.  Yay!

When I received the phone call, I teared up.  I am so grateful that this job opportunity came my way.  I have been blessed in so many ways.  I am a very lucky girl and I am forever appreciative of everyone who supported and guided me through hard times, so I could make it to this place.

But summer ain’t over yet!  Let the good times roll.

When I heard that the Rock ‘N Roll race series was coming to Providence on August 7th, I knew I had to be there for the event.  I signed up…and what and event it was!

The Expo

The {ontherun} crew arrived at the expo on Saturday afternoon.  Our local races are typically smaller, more low-key events, so it was impressive to visit the convention center and see thousands of runners browsing booths filled with gear, food, and other running fun.

We rocked out.

We carb-loaded.

And we even ran into another blogger!

Hi Heather!

I left with a bag full of swag and lots of excitement as I prepared to run my fourth half marathon.

The Race

Oh…the race!

Rain, rain, and more rain!  I wasn’t a fan.  I knew I wasn’t going to break any records on the course yesterday, but I hoped for some serious rock ‘n roll running.  When I woke up to a downpour, I knew this race would be interesting…

Luckily, I had a close friend along for the run.  Lizzy and I both went into this race with minimal training and decided to make the most of a rainy day by sticking together through 13.1 miles.

7,000 runners registered for this race.  The runners were separated into 15 corrals.  By the time Lizzy and I arrived at the start, the crowd was so thick that we couldn’t get near our corrals.  We started with Corral 12 well after the official 7 AM start time.  The first mile was crowded and slow as we wove through runners and walkers along the course.

By the second mile, Lizzy and I settled into a more consistent 10:00/mi pace, but I felt anxious.  I went into this race unprepared and worried that I couldn’t handle 13.1 miles.  My stomach was in knots.  Lizzy gave me pep talks as I spouted off my concerns.

My foot hurts. Wet shoes = blisters.

My shorts won’t stay on. Rainy runs require shorts with a drawstring.  Lesson learned.

I don’t like Cytomax. I wish the race had Gatorade.

The course is too hilly. Maybe it wasn’t.  Everything felt like a hill to me.

But each time I whined, Lizzy came back with something positive.  We focused on running through each mile, sprinkling in walking breaks (and bathroom breaks!) when necessary.

At mile five, I got the boost I needed when I saw my boyfriend’s parents cheering for me.  I never expected them to come out in the rain for the race and I was so surprised and happy.  Their support was super motivational and carried me through a few tough miles. Thank you!

Lizzy and I forged on as the rain came down and the wind blew.  Our pace was slower than usual (for us), which is always a little disheartening, but we made our own fun.  We jumped in puddles and said crazy things to keep each other laughing.  Never a dull moment on the race course!

And at mile 11, I heard the {ontherun} crew in full force.  Yay!  Every time I see them, I feel a surge of energy from the cheers.  And I knew I only had a couple miles left before I would see them again.

Together, Lizzy and I rounded the corner and tackled the final hill on the 13.1 mile course.  I was tired, wet, and ready to be done!

Seeing my favorite guy made the finish so much sweeter.

Another half marathon in the books!

Official Time: 2:15:32 – 10:21/mi

I really need to thank Lizzy for sticking with me for the entire race.  I’m sure there were moments when she wanted to run away, but she didn’t.  We crossed the finish line hand-in-hand.  That’s a true friend.  Thank you, Lizzy!

The Post-Race Pizza

This recap wouldn’t be complete without some serious pizza goodness.  Breakfast pizza?  Why not?!  After the race, we moved the party to Federal Hill for some half marathon celebration at Caserta Pizza.

It’s always fun to refuel and exchange all the gory details of the race.  Rain or shine, we all had some serious fun!

***

This half marathon was the last on my race schedule for awhile.  I plan to stick to shorter distance running that requires a less demanding training schedule.  I love running, exercising, and staying fit, but I’m ready to take a little break from “marathon” things…for now.

Rock ‘N Roll Providence – thanks for the fun!