I Run Like A Girl

The highlight of last week was a gorgeous 3-day stretch when the weather was in the 70s! These days are rare in SF and let me tell you, a 10-degree difference makes the vibe feel like winter versus summer. It felt like the whole city was out-and-about, and I kept telling Joe we NEEDED to take advantage of the weather too! Luckily we made it to happy hour one day it felt so good to kick it in a dress and flips flops 🙂

By the weekend, it was back to 50s temperature, womp, but we didn’t let that stop us from getting outside. On Friday, I met up with Kayla, Rene, and all our partners for dinner at Star Belly. Now that we are all neighbors in the Haight, I’m loving this little crew that we’ve formed! We ordered lots of drinks and yummy food and talked about everything from apartments, to jobs, to the much-anticipated Kayla/Jeff’s wedding that has finally been rescheduled, and our excitement for the summer together after we all get vaxed 🙂

On Saturday, Joe and I got out for one activity: a hike at Tennessee Valley in Marin. We wanted to get out of the city but didn’t want to drive too far, and this hike is our favorite since it feels like you are remote but it’s right across the Golden Gate bridge. It was the perfect outdoor activity that pushed us a bit but also justified the many hours we spent being lazy on the couch afterwards. 😛

On Sunday, Joe had some work to catch up on, and so I had a whole day to myself. In the morning, I did some indoor gardening: I tended to my plants, bought new pots, and set up this area in my living room for new propagations. I was not really into plants before moving into this apartment, but in a short amount of time, it’s become quite the addictive hobby. I feel like I’m in a never-ending loop of needing more pots for my plants, but also more plants to fill my pots – my apartment is quickly becoming a jungle!

Later that morning, I met up with Kayla for our favorite hip hop dance fitness class in the Panhandle. I’ve gone a few times now, and I feel like I hit a breakthrough this class. I could finally keep up with the moves since I recognized some of the songs, and I’ve also gotten quicker at picking up on the choreography for the new songs. I absolutely love this class – it’s so much fun and I’m smiling the whole time, and I’m always sore the next day since it even incorporates some HIIT moves.

I’m pretty content with my fitness routine these days. I’m doing pilates and yoga at home on weekdays and dance class on weekends, and overall I’m feeling the most balanced and strongest I’ve ever felt. My cardio is definitely lacking since I decided to not run again until we don’t need masks anymore in SF, but I have to say, I love feeling more balanced throughout my whole body versus when I was running a lot and basically had no core or upper-body strength.

Last year was a tough year for me fitness-wise. I felt like there was no comfortable way to run outdoors in SF (which was my only outlet at the time). I basically didn’t work out for like 6 months which really affected my confidence. I decided I needed to find new ways to work-out again, not for vanity reasons but more for my emotional health, and I’m SO glad I was able to pick up on pilates, yoga, and now dancing!

I’m excited to start running again after things go back to normal (this is a running blog after all), but to be honest I will probably retire from long-distance running to make room for pilates/yoga/dance in my routine. When I was doing marathons in my early 20s, there was just no time or energy for any other workout – even a yoga class would wipe me out! Now I appreciate having diversity in my routine and do want to keep it up. 🙂

For those who have struggled with changing bodies or fitness this past year, you are definitely not alone. Remember that we have been living through a freaking GLOBAL PANDEMIC, so be kind to yourself!

Ok back to the weekend. After dance class, I cleaned up, ate some lunch, and went shopping on Haight Street. There was a cute store that was closing out and so I got 4 pieces for $30! I am the cheapest person on the planet, and so I almost had a heart attack with this deal.

In the evening, I worked on sprucing up my kitchen, which has been one of my projects over the last few weeks. I decided on a “surfer theme,” since I love surfing and it goes with the rest of my bohemian apartment. I plan to make a video on this kitchen makeover, but here is a preview!

Before:

After:

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you had a lovely week!!!