thirty

I turned 30 today. Wow, that's a weird sentence to read. This day has been an unofficial deadline in my mind for as long as I can remember. Deadline for what, I don't know.

Birthday celebrations started Tuesday when Trea threw a surprise party for me at Ruth's Chris. I don't think I've ever had a surprise party before, and it was such a fun night. There was kind of a "This is Your Life" vibe when I was greeted by my oldest friends from college, my newest friends from Twitter and coworkers from jobs present and past. I couldn't have asked for a better evening, and I really appreciate everyone who came to celebrate with me. You all made me so happy.

Today, I'm having a day of solitude and quiet reflection while I pack for our Maui vacation. While 30 is just another number and doesn't mean anything, I'm still surprised at how far away my memories have gotten. It seems like not long ago at all that this was my birthday party. I remember getting a basketball, my very own tape player (it was purple!!) and two new tapes: Paula Abdul and Belinda Carlisle. Man, I was proud of that radio. 

Has it really been 20 years since I floated the Buffalo River with Dad and Charley? It doesn't seem like it.

Was high school really more than a decade ago (and does anyone know why I thought it was a good idea to dress like Blossom)?

Today, I'm supposed to be a grown-up. I have a fantastic career, and I'm doing all the things I want to do. I have a happy home and a happy marriage, and I couldn't ask for anything more. I have been blessed beyond measure.

 But for some reason, I still feel like this kid.

On the road again

Trea and I have had a great holiday weekend. We relaxed a lot, tidied the house, and Trea worked in the yard all day Sunday. Now we are growing tomatoes, squash, oregano, parsley and basil. I can't wait to make a fresh salad!

On Saturday, I went to Rush Running to try to solve my ankle pain problem. They watched me run and recorded my feet with a handy dandy video camera that's mounted on the floor at the back of a treadmill. Then they played the video back for me in slow-mo and showed me that I overpronate. (For more info on what that means, go here.) Thankfully, my problems stem from having the wrong shoes for my stride or gait or whatever the running term is. Turns out I'm not incapable of running (for now)! I just bought some super cute Nike Pegasus running shoes in May, and they still look brand new. It stinks to have to buy another pair of shoes, but I was willing to try anything to get back out on the road. The folks at Rush recommended Brooks Adrenaline GTS 10's, and I LOVE them -- even though they made me go up a half size and they look like boats on my short legs. These shoes are supposed to stabilize my ankles and keep them straight. 

The sales guy even showed me some exercises I can do at home to strengthen my ankles and try to prevent any future issues. I LOVE Rush Running! The service I got there was a thousand times better than the "service" I got at Hibbett Sports, where I bought my Nikes. That conversation went something like:

Me: I just started running, and I'm not sure what shoes I need.

Hibbett: What kind of shoes do you like?

Me: That's the problem. See, I just started, so I don't know. I'm not sure what's right for me.

Hibbett: Well, let me know if I can get anything for you from the back.

Me: *Sigh*

Trea and I ran three miles today, and so far, I'm pretty much pain free. I still feel some pain in my ankles, but it seems more like leftover pain that hasn't quite healed yet. There weren't any shooting pains that made me limp this time, so that was nice. After taking a week off, I wasn't able to move up to level four on PodRunner. We stayed on level three, and I'll likely stay on that one until the end of the week. It's amazing how much momentum I can lose in only seven days. After sitting around for so long on the couch with my feet propped up, I barely made it through today's run. But I didn't quit, and my pace improved since I wasn't running weird to compensate for joint pain. My issue now is entire body pain, which means I need to get back on schedule and build up my endurance. It also means I feel incredibly old.

Speaking of old, I'm going to see Aerosmith in Las Vegas in a few weeks! I'm SO excited. To ensure I got tickets the day they went on sale, I joined the Aero Force One fan club. (Yeah, I know.) By joining the fan club, I got to buy tickets early, and they're supposed to be in the first few sections near the stage. Being a fan club member means I also get a super awesome t-shirt, which arrived on Saturday. Just one more reason it's been a great weekend!

And yes, that's a membership card. It has my name on it. It's not like I'm gonna carry it in my wallet.