Escape to Nature
The past six weeks of my life have been filled with mostly work and taking care of my daughter. Sometimes it’s necessary to grind when you have a big goal you are going after. I’m currently working on saving enough money to purchase a home in cash and that requires a daily focus unlike anything I’ve ever done before. This week my energy was all around low. I was going to bed tired, awaking tired, and feeling tired most days. I knew right then it was time to break away from work and business building and escape to nature for a little renewal of the soul. I grabbed my dog, a few snacks, a thermos of iced coffee and set out to hit up one of our national parks. When I arrived, I was greeted with underbrush fires and immediately decided to turn around and find something else I could visit that was a safer situation. Washington-on-the-Brazos was the perfect location. It’s a beautiful 3.5 mile trek on our state’s birthplace. The perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
It’s been a few years since I spent time here so it felt like I was looking at it with new eyes. I’ve also never taken the hiking trail - instead just visited for the historical elements and to have a picnic. I discovered a whole second part to the state park and future location for lots of wildflower photography. If you live in Houston, Waco, Brenham or Bryan/College Station this is a nice getaway for the day. The ground was a perfect shade of spring green with trees still barren for our recent snowfall. Families were scattered at the entrance having picnics and kids were running around playing. It is dog-friendly for the outdoor trails. If you want to tour some of the historical areas, you can stop at the visitor center. I was just there for a long refreshing walk. This trail is pretty easy for all levels which made it perfect for a two hour relaxing stroll. I completed two rounds on the trail and clocked about 5 miles for the afternoon.
Recently I’ve implemented a new running program (feel free to follow me on Facebook or Instagram highlights to join in on the fun or view my progress) to get to 10k in two months. During the month of February I made it a goal to start running. I’ve never been a runner and decided it was time to push myself. I started small at just 2.5 minutes and worked my way up to a full 30 minutes by the end of February. When I reached that milestone I knew it was time to switched and start running towards a bigger goal - 10k in 8 weeks. I’m adding only 1/2 a mile a week to my Friday run to reach it. On days I do not have a scheduled run I am doing #BBG high intensity training, yoga for stretching and walks like today. Keeping my body conditioned is important for me to be able to hit the milestones in my runs.
I’ve also recently picked up new wardrobe additions! I find cute workout clothes really motivate me. I really love Savvi sports bras and have a handful of them from my friend Kristen. This green was fits like a glove and has a super flattering scoop in the back. For pants, I’ve grabbed these joggers from Wal-mart and recently picked up these lavender ones from Amazon that are under $20. Shoes are so important when you do long distances and Asics has been my go to brand for my walking/running shoes. These mint color ones are perfect for Spring and feel like I’m walking on clouds. All in all, escaping for a few hours helped me turn off my brain and move my body. I came home refreshed and renewed to get a head start on my week and a good night of rest. I’d like to know, what refreshes you?