Fun (and slightly random) Fact Friday

I started writing this posting and it quickly became the most random, fragmented post I think I've ever written.  My excuse is the following:  (a) It's Friday, (b) it's a full "Blue Moon," (c) I'm really, really tired, (d) I can't stop thinking about Froyo (Frozen Yogurt), and (e) I just woke up from a 10 minute cat nap.  If those four things aren't enough, then I'll just blame it on my adorable pregnant patients all day with their "pregnancy brains". It's all their fault.  Speaking of which... that brings me to my first tangent.

1.) I have come to a conclusion.  I do not ever, ever, EVER want to be 9 months pregnant and live in Escondido. Almost every single patient that came in to the OB clinic today had the same complaint.
"I can't find my ankles" or " Is it possible for my feet to pop from the swelling?" As if being 9 months pregnant isn't uncomfortable enough, these poor women are living in 90-100 degree heat with 80% humidity.  I'm swelling up just thinking about it!

Today was a fun and busy day- feeling pregnant bellies, listening to fetal heart sounds, and talking to expecting mothers talk about coping with the horrible humidity and heat.  It is amazing to see all their discomfort and frustration fade away the moment I find the baby's heartbeat on the doppler.  They momentarily forget they no longer have ankles and can't fit their feet in shoes! :)

2.) Yesterday I had the joy of pulling a patient's toenail.  I can't decide if I should be concerned with how much I enjoyed something that is considered a torture technique!  Don't worry, the patient was thoroughly numbed with lidocaine and he said that dropping the ladder on his toe was far more painful.  After doing the procedure I looked at my feet and realized his and mine don't look all that different. Marathon training does wonders on beautifying feet! (I spared you all the joy of seeing a picture of my gorgeous blistered and toenail-less feet, I know you're bummed. Instead you get to see my enthusiasm before the procedure. Note- pt gave me permission to use this pic!)

Although it looks like I'm laughing at him, I'm trying to display my excitement. Unsuccessful attempt. 

3.) I cannot believe that tomorrow is the first day of September. When did that happen?! I have a feeling that September in San Diego is far different from September in Alaska. September is my all-time favorite month back home.  Fall colors, beautiful crisp mornings, cool trail runs, pumpkin flavored everything, crockpot deliciousness, and that all-familiar smell of snow creeping its' way closer to Anchorage.  San Diego fall?  Hm.  I don't think there is such a thing. Unless it's 80, sunny, and humid.  Is that fall? I guess I will have to wait and see.

Fall in Anchorage

Bullwinkle the Moose

Denali National Park - September

Moose Rutting Season- AKA fight over the ladies Season! 

Home, sweet home.

4.) Three-day weekends.  LOVE THEM.  I wish I could tell you that I'm going to the beach, laying by the pool, and soaking up all of the glorious "Fall" sun that San Diego has to offer.  The only thing I'll be (attempting to) soak up is the diagnosis and treatment of every disease known to man.  Doesn't that sound like a fabulous way to spend the holiday weekend?  The truth is, I'm so used to studying every waking moment that I start to get the shakes and a little anxiety when I don't study.

I'll throw in a little running as well, don't you worry. :) The next few weeks are my peak training weeks.  It's hard to believe that St. George is in just over a month! I love the tough training weeks: hills, tempo runs, back-to-back long runs on tired legs, track workouts, you name it- I'm a glutton for torturous runs. With that being said... I'm just gonna come out and say it...

I'm tired.

Luckily, the reward is a fabulous taper and a trip to see my parents and sister in St. George!  And of course... a little 26.2 :)

56 miles since last Saturday.  30 more in the next 3 days.  Let's do this. 

5.) Have a GREAT labor day week.  Please do things not labor related so I can live vicariously through you!

It's a home run!

Typical day at Centro Medico Del Carmen is as follows:

- Day starts at 9AM. We see patients according to "Mexican Time."
I do NOT mean to sound derogatory at all, but it truly is a different clock. And if you were to google the term, the Urban Dictionary would say "About an hour and 23 minutes after the designated time." It is a world of "I'm 10 minutes away" meaning "I'm leaving right after I take a shower, eat some breakfast, and then I'll be about 20 minutes away." There are many patients that are on time, so the day seems to pass very quickly!

- Snack every hour or so.  If not snacking, you can guarantee we are deciding on where we're eating for lunch.  That discussion begins at approximately 9:01AM.

- As the clock nears 12:30, the final decisions are being made regarding lunch.  At Centro Medico del Carmen, it is the most essential and life-changing event of the day.  I work for probably the most AWESOME doctor in the history of doctors, and he is so generous to treat us to lunch.  Every day.  I am the luckiest PA student ever.

- Lunch is consumed family style in the work kitchen.  Jokes are made (mostly about me and my lack of bacon or other animal products on my food.)

- A food-coma-induced siesta occurs for approximately 30 minutes while I work on chart notes that seem to stack up too quickly on my desk.

- Start seeing patients again.  Snacking begins once again.  As does the discussion of where to have lunch tomorrow.

- At roughly 5:01 PM, baseball practice commences in the parking lot.  Wait... what?!

Yes, today we decided to have a friendly game of baseball in the parking lot outside the office.  I'll have you know, I am an awesome hitter (is that what they're called?).  It only took 5 tries and the ball went so far I could barely even see it.  (And by "so far I could barely see it" I mean it went straight up and landed about 15 feet in front of me.  Clearly I need to quit running and go pro.)

If you can't tell, I absolutely LOVE my clinic.  Seeing patients is definitely not a piece of cake (although we do eat a lot of cake & other treats at work) and I am challenged every single day. But I look forward to walking into the clinic and seeing my friends' smiling faces every day.  And come on... who doesn't love baseball?!

I think she came off the ground a little bit!

Dr. Watson.  Is he doing ballet... is he pitching?  No one knows!

Now that's a swing!

Yep.  Clearly a pro.

After one of many strikes.  I mean home runs.

Don't worry, I pulled over to capture this amazing sunset.  Can't imagine a more beautiful drive on my commute!

Does this grey hair make me look old?

PA school is turning me into an old lady.  Whether it is the constant exhaustion, the craving for a nice, long nap, or... the gray hair I pulled out last week... I am officially 26 going on 72.  I immediately screamed like it was the end of the world, and proceeded to make Jake analyze the hair for his opinion.  He came to the conclusion it was a light brown/bleached hair from all of the time I've been running in the sun.  I think Jake must have read a book on what to say to avoid getting the silent treatment from your wife... and I'm pleased to say he officially passed that test!  I momentarily believed him, then I made him check my entire head for other "light brown/bleached" hairs.   In addition to comments regarding my sanity, he said that I had no grey hairs and I would not be turning 72 this year. I was going to take a picture of it and get your opinion, but it was blown away by one of the 4 fans in my room.  Dang it.

On a far less traumatic note, today was a great day in clinic.  I love my patients.  And the staff I work with is AWESOME.  After a busy, busy day filled with patients, I ended the day with my usual Monday night run with my running buddy Carrie and the rest of the Movin' Shoes running group in Encinitas.  That is one of the best parts of San Diego.  No matter the day or time, you can find a running group to join for free!  Alaska- you've got some work to do.

Turn around point on our run!

I could really get used to this.

California Dreamin'

Maybe Jake was right after all... with sun like that, maybe the hair was just bleached... right? (Please say yes!)

7 days.

7 days of fabulousness.  That's the best way to describe the last 7 days with Jake.  I highly recommend planning spur-of-the-moment trips to visit your wife who is at grad school, because they are better than any other trip you could plan.  

Here are some of the highlights:

 Thanks to an awesome friend of mine, Jake and I scored pre-season Charger-Cowboy tickets to the game last Saturday.  It was my first pro-football game so it was nice to share it with someone who knows something about football!  Although, I wouldn't say we're the most football-educated crowd.  :) As you can see below, we were die-hard San Diego fans and sported our team jerseys... ha!  Fans at the games are hard core!  When I went to the bathroom, I was asked by multiple women, "What team are you representing today?!"  Apparently not wearing team apparel is as big of a mistake as wearing apparel from the other team!  Regardless, Jake and I had a blast :)

Die Hard Football Fans

Woo!

You've heard all about my sweaty run on Sunday - which I think I have finally recovered from.  I'm still trying to drink back in my body weight in fluids that I lost in the race.  We had an awesome breakfast with Dan-the-man and some friends, followed by a day of attempting to stay cool.  I took two cold showers, and laid in front of the fan all afternoon.  A perfect day.  Ha!

Tuesday (in addition to double Taco Tuesday), we went to Coronado!

Beautiful Coronado!

We laid on the hot beach, played in the seaweed-infested water, and read all about the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.  Isn't that what you do at the beach?  

Since we had temporarily satisfied Jake's Taco craving that morning, it was my turn to satisfy my candy craving. See the picture below to witness my enthusiasm!

Happy Brittany.

Too bad I'm allergic to apples.  And in case you were wondering, I did consider eating only the coating.

To come down from the sugar high, Jake and I walked around the beautiful Hotel Del and had a happy hour Sangria to try to cool off.  

Friday, Jake spoiled me rotten and took me to the Las Americas outlet mall.  I don't know how I got so lucky to have a husband like Jake.  He earned himself a lifetime of Taco Tuesdays.

My equivalent to a Coach outlet store.  Nike shoe HEAVEN.

Okay, can these be any cuter?  I almost bought them for our future runner children but Jake wouldn't let me.

It was ridiculously hard to say goodbye yesterday.  Tears were everywhere.  You'd think by now I'd be a pro at saying goodbye, but instead it feels harder than the first time.  Jake and I always say, "we're lucky to have each other to miss so much."  So true.  I love you, Jake.  

Marathon Training

Marathon Training. Two powerful words. Distance runners know that those two words have a lot of implications. Miles of pounding on the joints, hours of sleep sacrificed, mass amounts of sugary "goos" and chews consumed, real-life nightmares of hill repeats, a fight with continual blisters, and the occasional combination of tears and sweat.

So you ask... Why would I do such a thing? Months and months of ridiculous training just to run one 3 and some odd hour race?? What are you thinking, crazy girl? I wish I had a simple answer. (Besides the excuse that I can eat anything I want!)

Ice Bath 

Marathons are just that- a little crazy with a side of unbelievably awesome. It is the opportunity to use every ounce of fear, frustration, joy, pride, and strength that live in us all... and pour every ounce of that into one 26.2 mile package.

Almost done!

The training gives me almost as much joy as the actual race because:  
- Hours of being outside & soaking up the sun (or rain... or snow in Alaska!)
- Learning to rely only on your body - and listening to the cues that you are doing too much, or that you could push a little more
- Meeting some amazing athletes that share my weird addiction with not only running, but also talking about race strategy, running gear, favorite training routes, or workouts conquered.
- When you finish a tough run, you get that feeling.  You runners know that feeling.  I wish it had a cooler phrase to describe it than "Runner's High" because... a) I've never been high so I have no idea what that means and b) It's 100% produced by YOUR huge accomplishment, so therefore it should have a name that matches that power of the awesome runner. :)
- You get to know a place unlike most locals.  Passing slowly on foot allows you to notice every detail of nice streets- and some sketchy streets too!  I've learned far more about amazing San Diego than if I were just commuting in a car to/from work.
- A continuation of the bullet above... It helps with my horrible directional dyslexia.  To those of you who don't know me- I have a horrible time remembering which is right and which is left.  Yes, I know... Your 4-year-old has no trouble with right and left sides.  I do.  Sorry.  Just point and I'll follow.  Or risk being run into.
- Stress relief... or as Jake would probably call it, sanity-keeper.  Tough days, rough nights, you name it... it works like I charm.  In the world of PA school- it keeps me upright and smiling!
- I feel strong even when I feel weak.  Running 20 miles on tired legs makes me feel like I can conquer the world.  (Which, in case you were curious... is my ultimate goal with running.  Maybe some day.)

My Ashley - cutest running buddy ever.

So what is a typical week like in peak training??
(Side note- I am a complete slacker and don't have much time for cross training...)

Monday- 6 miles with Movin' Shoes
Tuesday- 9.5 miles of hill repeats at Torrey Pines
Wednesday- 10 mile Wednesday (usually more like 8 mile Wednesday!)
Thursday- Easy 8 miles or Track Workout
Friday- Rest, cross train, or easy run with Carrie!
Saturday- Long run (14-22 miles)
Sunday- Easy 6-8

Total: 50-65 miles of pure joy

Then repeat. Over and over. And over.

Of course the training gets rough, it gets tiring, and more than anything- it is taxing on the body.  That is where listening to your body is absolutely essential.  I'll definitely write more on aches and pains and avoiding injury later.

For now, it's time to study.  Kind of like running, it is a pain... :)

Jealous?  Don't be. 

Baby Catching

As many of you know, when I began this blog last year, I was in Peru volunteering in a hospital in Trujillo.  My job (if you want to call it work!) was to help deliver babies. There was no greater job than helping bring babies into the world.

I'm currently doing my OB rotation in Escondido, CA- let's just say, I'm in love.  OB is my calling.  There is nothing more beautiful than seeing a baby be brought into the world.  On Monday, I got to see a few births and it was amazing to see the difference in medicine from Peru to America.  Here is a little insider view into some of the differences in the "birthing experience"

Peru:

"Waiting Room" for family & friends

Infant Warmer

Birthing Center

Baby Nursery - all babies share a bed

America:

Infant Warmer

Birthing Room

Babies stay with the mom after birth

It's a completely and totally different experience both from a medical and patient perspective.  Patients in Peru are not allowed to have any family or friends in the delivery room.  In America, you'll likely find cousins, friends, and good ol' Aunt Jane standing by the mom's side.  Both have their advantages, but it was very enlightening to experience the American way!


Another fun tangent of the day:
Yesterday one of my patients told me she was a mother of 10.  That's a lot of babies.
Then she told me she delivered them all herself at her farm in the "campo" (countryside). She delivered every single baby, without a doctor or nurse, not even an extra pair of hands to help catch the baby.  She said all of the births were without complications and to this day all are alive and well. Unbelievable.  She also told me that they would feed the placenta to the cows.  Interesting :)  What a contrast from the elective c-sections, inductions, and epidurals that mothers are able to have thanks to modern medicine!

My lesson learned: (Besides that she was my instant hero...) Our bodies are pretty amazing and 99% of the time, they know exactly what to do and when to do it.

Relax? I don't quite understand that word.

Today I was able to spend the afternoon with Jake after a fun & busy day at clinic.  While Jake is clearly in vacation mode, it was clear that I was on the opposite end of the spectrum.  My life at this time consists of working, studying, eating, studying, sleeping, and studying.  With a side or two of running. :)

It is difficult, if not impossible, to "come down" from the busy, studying-packed lifestyle I live.  Taking 15 minutes to nap on the couch should be something "relaxing"... right?  Maybe even spending a few minutes to cook something fabulous?  I live for the day I don't have guilt from enjoying the simple pleasures in life like cooking, reading, and... well... blogging. (haha).

How I relaxed at the beach yesterday!  

After trying to put the guilt of not studying on the back-burner, Jake and I spend the afternoon in our favorite part of San Diego.... Encinitas.

We walked along Hwy 101, exploring fun shops and cafes.  We enjoyed a fabulous dinner at Rimel's where Jake got a vegan salad.  Ha! Just kidding.  I'll give you one guess what he ate.

Yep.... Tacos. :)

I had a delicious veggie wok bowl with a "chili cilantro sauce" that is to die for.

The night was finished off by a nice date at a wine bar! Another amazing day with Jake. I plan to savor every last moment we have together (even if my mind doesn't let me forget the massive amounts of studying I need to do!)

8 more months.  Just 8 more months.

Love this guy.  

Did someone say Taco Tuesday?

Well... its official. We FINALLY found the best Tacos Jake has ever eaten. Maybe the search can end now?  Doubtful...

This morning started off with my favorite running spot @ Torrey Pines. Tuesday is hill workout day with my training buddy, Dennis. 9.5 fabulous miles of hill repeats is probably the best way to start my day. Yes, I'm serious. :) To make it even better, Jake decided to join us! I think he quickly regretted his decision when he realized just how many repeats we do. He did incredibly well and ended up doing the first 2 with us... Then ran on his own while we did the remaining 8 repeats.

To reward him for his hard work, it was deemed necessary to eat tacos twice today. I think he would have eaten tacos at all 3 meals if we could have found somewhere open at 8:30AM. So that's where the world's greatest tacos comes into our story.

Meet Las Cuatro Milpas:

Line out the door!

This fabulous find had a line down the street when we arrived.  Although hungry, we knew it was a must... and were we ever right!  The menu is simple: Tacos, Chicken/Pork Burrito, Tamales, Rice, Beans, Chorizo con Huevo (Chorizo with eggs), and on Saturdays they serve Menudo.  Let's get serious though.  The prices are unreal and the servings are incredible. Not to mention the out-of-this-world-so-good-I-want-wrap-myself-in-their-tortillas food.

Menu.

 Sticking with Jake's motto: "you never know when the next meal is going to be, so eat like a caveman..." we got enough food to feed a small to moderate sized army.  (And by "never know when the next meal is going to be" he meant in 5 hours when we ate Tacos again.)

Thumbs up for Taco Tuesday

Drool.  All for $9

Tacos, tacos y mas tacos

This is where the action happens.  

Could live on these delicious morsels.

As for the other part of Taco Tuesday, we met up with my good friend Dan and had another round of Tacos for dinner.  All in all, our mission was accomplished.  The world's best tacos were had, the most amazing rice and beans were devoured, and now I am drooling and want more of those tortillas.  Delicioso!

AFC Half Marathon

Pop Quiz:

1.) Did you know that I LOVE to run in races? Shocking, I know. Yesterday was the AFC (America's Finest City) half marathon in San Diego. I think the name should officially be changed to the AHASC (America's Hottest and Sweatiest City) half marathon. Much more fitting. It was close to 85 degrees with probably 90% humidity.

Before the sweatiness

2.) Did you know that it's possible to sweat out your weight during a half marathon? Yes, it's true. You know that awesome feeling after a steaming, hot shower right before you reach for your towel? Well, imagine that feeling (minus the "awesome" part) but there's no towel. Then you decide- you know what's a good idea? Running 13.1 miles. Yep. That was me. (Don't worry, I had clothes on).

On a positive note, I actually felt pretty good and had a fun time on the race course. It was a beautiful course that started at the Naval Base in San Diego and ended in Balboa Park. Granted, I could barely see anything because of the salty sweat flooding into my eyes, but from what I made out of the blurred colors and shapes, it sure was gorgeous! I didn't get a PR, but I'll take a 1:37.22!

Dan the Man and I!  Nice work, buddy!

Pretty amazing view!

3.) Who cares about a timing chip?That's the question that went through my head as I arrived at the starting line yesterday. We were bussed out to the starting line at 5AM and while sitting on the bus I realized my timing chip was sitting comfortably in my car, next to my comfortably sleeping husband. Given the race day heat, I decided it was probably a blessing. I blame my forgetfullness on Jake. He was being so wonderful and sweet in the car that couldn't stay focused on the task at hand.



My Favorite Running Skirt Twins, Cindy and Christy!

4.) Did you know that Jake is an amazing cheerleader? Let's be honest, who get's up at 4AM only to sit in the car for 4 hours until your wife finishes a race? Luckily I supplied him with a pillow, blanket (clearly unnecessary), breakfast, and two cups of coffee. There is nothing I look forward to more than seeing his big smile as I run toward the finish line. I'd love to have captured his face on camara after I finished. It was a Ewwww...you're-so-sweaty-but-omg-I-love-you-but-don't-you-dare-touch-me-with-your-sweatiness face. I don't blame him. I was gross. :)

Happy Monday Friends!