Man, oh man! The last 2 months have been SUCH a whirlwind. [I say this a lot, but] where has the time gone?! It’s currently April 10th, and I just finished the Cap 10K today. Once again, life has been crazy and I’ve been traveling a ton.

I honestly did not complete much formal training for the 10K. Really, I’ve only been running a couple times a week (at least 3 miles when I can get a short workout in and a 5-7 mile long run on the weekend). No real improvements to report, but I’m okay with that. The Cap 10K was my first ever 10K, so I was excited for the experience. It’s the largest 10K in Texas, with almost 20,000 participants. More on the race will come in an upcoming post.

Part of the reason for the absence of training updates/a consistent schedule is because I have been busy, busy busy, and traveling like crazy. So, instead of doing a training update, I’m going to spend time focusing on my travels over the past couple of months.

First, my trip to Waco and Magnolia Market! I took a day trip with some ladies I know through a mutual friend. If you’re not familiar with Magnolia Market, it’s the retail store owned by Joanna Gaines from HGTV’s Fixer Upper. We arrived early on a Saturday, between 9 or 10, and were fortunate that the line was nonexistent. Inside was a shabby-chic decorator’s heaven. They even sell those custom signs you see on the show in practically every house they renovate. 

The market is all about the experience; I didn’t want to spend money on everything I saw, but I enjoyed the decorations and atmosphere (like this garden area – only Joanna could make salad look this pretty).

After we had our fill (I bought a t-shirt and a cute milk glass vase), we grabbed brunch at Cafe Cappuccino, a local Waco spot down the way. I had the BEST sweet potato pancakes; highly recommend the place if you ever find yourself in Waco. Then, it was time to drive back to Austin. I can’t wait to come back to Waco when I have more time to explore, and a house of my own to decorate. Make sure you get to Magnolia Market early though – when we left, the line was wrapped around the block to the nearest stoplight.

Then, in February, we went away for our anniversary to Cancun. I love all-inclusive, and this was no exception. It was the perfect temperature, the food was delicious, and the drinks were on point. One of my favorite parts of the week was our actual anniversary – we adventured into the water for a snorkeling excursion that was fantastic, and ended the day with a relaxing sunset massage.

The only thing I would have changed was I wish we could have stayed a whole week, but I was so glad we got to go to begin with. That, and I was face down in the water so long for snorkeling that my backside got a bad sunburn (oops!). It was really nice to get away with no responsibilities. Just the beautiful white sand, crystal clear water, and of course, my wonderful husband.

Finally, my spring travels ended with a trade show in Chicago. I’d never been to Chicago and it was incredible. It reminds me a lot of New York City, but much cleaner and with friendlier people. I had a few hours off to explore one afternoon, so I got to walk from my hotel to The Bean/Cloud Gate. I looked like a total tourist, I’m sure, because I was taking pictures of the Magnificent Mile the whole time (see below). The architecture was just so cool – art deco details, classic sculptures, modern skyscrapers – there was a little bit of everything.

And then, there was the Giordano’s pizza. That was also fantastic. I’d sneak some back for every pre-race carbloading session if it were possible.

They even have a Garmin store – I’ve never seen one of those before!

Other than working and getting plugged into a church, that’s the majority of what I’ve been up to. I love to travel – it’s freeing to immerse yourself in another place – but I’m also glad to be home for awhile and continue settling in Austin.

Did you do any traveling this Spring? Where’d you go?

Cheers to exploring the world, through running and otherwise! 🙂