It's over...not quite

One quarter done. Finals completed. Grades are in. And yeah buddy...four weeks for winter break. It's a strange feeling. The quarter system goes by really fast. 10 weeks to cover the same material colleges on the semester system do in an entire semester (I would give you the conversion to weeks if I knew it. But I do not).  But despite the brevity of quarter, or perhaps because of it, I feel I have learned a lot. But not, as you would expect, from my classrooms. I don't know if I just lucked out,  took easy classes, or maybe I have an easy major or what have you. But my high school experience was much more difficult than the classes I took here at UCSD. Although we are a relatively prestigious university, I did pretty well with relative ease.  Without any real undue stress I was able to maintain my straight A streak (please allow this moment of pride). So I guess what I am saying is that college is really not as scary or as difficult as you think.

What I learned had to do more with social relationships and time management. It is so easy, when you have a lot of time on your hands, to procrastinate until the last minute. And it is hard, especially with a large group of friends (a.ka. the freshman xc runners) to maintain strong relationships with all of them (8). I have learned to be a mediator, a friend, a confidante, and support. But more importantly I have learned when is the time and place to step into those roles. I'm still learning. Of course. No one is perfect. But I am pretty happy with how things are going so far.

As for running, track is fast approaching. I'll be running the 10k. Which is daunting yet exciting. 25 laps buddy! Coach says he'll help me get through the monotony. I'm excited for track, despite my diagnosis of planters fascists, and am ready to have the great season I have never had on that red hamster wheel. I obviously still need time to mentally overcome my original dislike of the sport. I really want to be successful. But I have time. So that's good.

So break is pretty long. And I'm stoked to see/run with all my old and great friends. As well as have some of my new friends meet Temecula. It's a pretty great city whatever anyone might say.  So that's an update.

Love,
Alia

what to say...

So, as Katie as informed me, I have not updated this thing in about a month. I apologize for the very few readers who actually read this. Which, I fear, may only be Katie. :P I do like blogging, but man, have I been busy! And not actually doing anything important. So I've avoided writing...to prevent a boring entry. But I can no longer postpone the inevitable. So to my lovely reader(s?)...a snapshot of what has happened in my collegiate experience thus far.

Part I. Class

It's weird because it doesn't seem as if the purpose of school is class anymore. You know how in high school, you woke up with the sole purpose of attending class all day. Not here. No one holds you accountable for your attendance, you go to class for a minimum of 50 min a day (sometimes you don't even have class at all). The rest of your day is yours. And the amount of time is MIND BLOWING. Even with running, I find myself lounging in my room, or a friend's room, or a dining hall, for hours at a time. doing very little. My homework load is light (almost all the time. Save the one time my 'brilliant' teacher decided to assign three essays at one go) and the classes are easy. Maybe it is just the classes I chose. Maybe I was lucky...or unlucky. I didn't even have midterms (definitely lucky). I was told all through high school that what I was doing would be comparable to college. Except Daddy, who told me it would probably be easier. Daddy knows best I suppose, because he was right. I learned the study skills needed to succeed during my secondary education...but I feel I haven't really needed to apply them as of yet.

Part II. Running

I have been having an amazing season. Knock on wood. Let me put it this way. My goal was to make the travel squad...that is top 7...by my junior year in college. I ran, at Conference, 4th for my team. Well, I guess I need to reevaluate my goals. But my successes feel all that much sweeter. I respect and trust both coaches and I love the team. I am inspired by these individuals every day. And it's not always the top runner that makes me proud. To be honest, it is rarely her. It's the girls who "rally" (mammoth joke), who struggle, and maintain their composure (if not their confidence) at all times. It makes me proud. Simple. I like having a team that I can be proud of. disclaimer: I am not saying I was not proud of my high school team. Quite the contrary. My expectations, created by those relationships at GOHS, were incredibly high. I'm just glad that this team rose to meet them.

Part III. Friends

So...I don't know what I would do without cross country. I think I would be a loner, and completely friendless. Because I spend entirely too much time hanging out with my teammates. I went home this last weekend, and actually had a Skype message with two of them. Because we went through withdrawals. I'm exaggerating (not about the message. That happened). I probably would have made friends if I didn't run. But I do love these people, and they help confirm that my decision to run in college was well worth it. They, in the short time I have known them, have earned my respect and friendship. It is easy to be friends with people who are just as passionate about the same things I am.  Running brought us together, and holds us together. Despite injury, sickness, what-have-you, we are there for each other now. Our friendship probably accelerated due to the fact that we know no one else...but that is besides the point. :P

So there you have it. A post from Alia Bales. Hope you enjoyed. And Katie...thanks for keeping me on top of this. Love you.

Love,
Alia

I have a lot of stuff to say!

It has been a while since I last posted. And during that time a whole bunch of stuff happened. I moved in my dorm, got lost going home (almost made it to Mexico!), started classes, made the travel squad, went to Washington, read Beowulf, and wrote a paper. Oh and yes. I turned 18.

That is a lot of stuff to happen in less than 20 days. But that is college for ya! I'm adjusting. Even though I have been away from home for over a month now, there are still tons of new things that I am exposed to and have to respond to. Everything from parties to getting to class on time without a bell schedule to locking my bike correctly. All new. I feel that I have learned so much already...and have only been to class twice. ;)

I read Katie's blog every day (haven't missed a post); and it's really nice to see that she is going through a lot of the same adjustments I am. Even though she is on the other side of the country. Just goes to show that all college kids go through the same things. Which I am pretty sure I've said before...

You can have fun in many ways. But the most fun I've had at a college function was when me and one of my teammates went to a small dance party and just had fun on our own. Because we are fun people (at least that's what I like to think). 

Social life aside. Class is pretty cool. I only have 3. Literature of the British Isles Pre-1660 (really fun course. The professor obviously loves what she is teaching and makes Beowulf really interesting. Which, if anyone has ever read it, is a pretty mean feat), Anthropology (boring teacher. she just reiterates everything you have already read in the book), and Muir Writing (introductory writing course. I accidentally went to the wrong class room the first day I had this...so many problems. ALWAYS BRING YOUR SCHEDULE). I have 2 lectures and a discussion on monday, Muir Writing (15 kids) on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 2 lectures on Wednesday and Friday. Practices in the morning. Meals with the team/suite. Speaking of my suite: they were the coolest people on my birthday; taking time to decorate my door and buy my a giant cupcake and balloons. So glad they are my neighbors this year. 

Long update...yes. I applaud you if you read this all the way through. Peace!

ups and downs

so emotionally college can be a series of ups and downs...hence the title of this post. there are days that its really awesome to be a collegiate athlete;

1) the independence
2) the location
3) the weather is normally pretty swell.

those are the ups. the downs...well so far

1) buying your own groceries. food is expensive...i've so taken that for granted
2) not having your mama and daddy with you...also taken that for granted
3) having your bike stolen...tip: learn to lock your bike up properly

thats it for this post.  oh i had my second race. it was a 5k. did okay. :) better at the opener though.

all done. for reals this time. wait! shout out to my sister for a great first xc race at fastback!

my first race

my first race in blue and gold! i've gotta say...there is just something about a uniform that makes you perform soooooo much better than normal clothing. and this uniform is just kinda TOTALLY AWESOME!  spandex bottoms that i find quite comfortable and a loose jersey top (as opposed to the spandex 'shimmels'  (sp?) that i wore in high school). beautiful!!!

anyways. our team did AWESOME! we dominated on both sides and i ran a good minute faster than i did at time trial (same course). looks like this new training may have some merit ;) .

after my race/cool down/meeting, my mom and i hopped in our respective vehicles and booked it to the high school homecoming football game. i got to see all of my friends. which was great. and now it a weekend at home. which is nice.

okay. thanks for reading. and just keep on running!

What I Learned in Mammoth!

So for camp, the UCSD cross country team loads up 4+ vans and drives the 8+ hour drive to Mammoth California to experience the trails, elevation, and views. It's really beautiful up there, but the most remarkable thing about the small ski town is its usefulness in uniting a bunch of very different girls and guys into one solid team. With results as if we were stranded on a deserted island together. Not that I am familiar with being on a deserted island. Anyway, our coach controls every aspect of our running lives; our eating and sleep patterns, our ice bathing, our trails and workouts; and can monitor each in a way that he can't do when we are on our own. Yet by doing so, he teaches us the way we SHOULD be collegiate athletes and actually taught us the science of our metabolism, nutrition, and workouts. To be honest, it wasn't very different from what I did in high school. Good to know that I've been good at being healthy.

As for the team, I've learned that there is a very high proportion of twins as well as nicknames. At least 6 kids are one half of a pair of twins. And nicknames range from Brown Bear to Johnny Boy to Swag. And yes, the coaches use those names just as often as we do.  We learned which people we run better with, because each person favors a certain side to run on (I like running on the left which means most people find it comfortable to run with me.  Because most people like running on the right).

While up on top of the mountain, my status changed from freshman athlete to an officially enrolled student athlete. With the help of my sophomores (thanks Kaity, Chia, and Kellen!), I got every class I wanted with a pretty decent schedule.  Soon I'll do a dry run of my classes to get the directions right in my head (those who know me, know it needs to be done).  Next quarter, I get priority registration. So much less stressful. Yay for athletic props! :)

So I am back in La Jolla. My first race is today. And I'm coming home this weekend. So that's the end of my  update. Thanks for reading. :)

if you want a look at some stuff...

So here is our 'swag'. I swiped this picture from a teammate's Facebook (thanks Sean) but it is essentially the same stuff that i got. The shoes are bright blue and green instead of black and green though. Here is a picture...

exciting yes? 

we leave for mammoth tomorrow morning for a week of fun and training in high altitude. should be fun. :) 

a short update

today was the time trial. i woke up at 4 am so i can eat and hydrate before the sun rises. but i couldn't fall back to sleep because i was so nervous. all that nervous energy translated into the fastest beginning of a race i've ever done. in other words...much too fast. even though i was tired and went out too fast, i still pulled a 17:04 for the 2.5 mile course. i came in 11th out of 23 (right smack dab in the middle) and was the 6th freshman overall (out of 8). not too shabby. later today the final roster comes out, and although i am assured a spot, i still can't wait for it to be posted so all the stress and worrying on the team can subside. tomorrow is 'gear day'...where we get flats, shorts, shirts, warmups, sports bras, and a $200 gift certificate for (much needed) new shoes. the rostered kids also get $150 for food. the life of a collegiate athlete! i am so excited. and bear in mind...we are DII. okay my short update was longer than expected. so over and out...and just keep running

Goodbyes and Hellos

The day before I moved happened to be Katie and Anna's 18th birthday. And my idea of a great birthday surprise was to make the half hour drive to their house to wake them up at 7:30 for a last final run together. The plan worked flawlessly (save for a slight delay in my arrival time because I missed a turn and the next turn around point was 2.5 miles away. And yes I did have the GPS. It's sad really). They then spent the day with me, helping me and my mom babysit an adorable 6 month old baby and watching half of Disturbia. The Johnsons also broke fast with us (since I am and Muslim and practice Ramadan). The birthday girls also went with me to my semi-surprise goodbye party thrown on by a few friends who wanted to see me off before my big college journey. It was a great day, albeit incredibly sad as I was hit with stress and fear in waves. Saying bye was tough but it wasn't forever. I'm stealing this quote from a wall post one of my friends made today... "‎"Don’t be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again." -Richard Bach"".

Saturday commenced with a final run with my high school team where the twins bestowed upon me the gift of music in the form of a carefully picked out CD. Thanks guys.

My family helped me move up to La Jolla and settle into my dorm. My roommate, Sarah, is incredibly sweet and I am so excited to be her teammate for the next four years. Everyone else is really great too, making a point to make us freshman feel included. And the final cuts haven't even been made yet. We are all hoping that no one gets cut at all. That the 20 girls on the female roster can be stretched to 23 and the 16 boys on the male roster can include 2 more.

Right now we are in evaluation week (aka tryout week) which included a easy run, strength test and time trial, which combined with our previous personal records are taken in account. Nate (my coach) said he's not only evaluating our physical fitness but how well we interact with the team and the amount of effort we are putting into everything.  Now that I have completed the strength test,  I know upper body strength is my weakness (luckily it seems everyone else save a few incredible individuals are in the same boat).  But the strength circuit he put us through today is the first step in remedying that problem. ;)

Wish me luck tomorrow for my time trial. It is a hilly, twisty course through "The Trees", essentially the eucalyptus grove that extends throughout the campus. I am excited and nervous, and I hope I can prove the coaches and team that I deserve to be there.

I guess that's my update for now. Thanks to whoever is reading!

IT'S SUMMERTIME!

Yesterday, my sister officially became a Freshman at GOHS. And, truth be told, I am sad. Sad that my sister is growing up, sad that I'm no longer part of that great campus, sad that I'm not part of the wonderful cross country team that was once my family. I know this nostalgia is brought upon by my impending move (yikes...2 days!!!!) I keep remembering all those wonderful times, and find myself running by the school, or  picking up my sister from practice just because I seem to have a problem letting go. I feel better when I see other alumni there too (shout out to Katie, Anna, Shannon, and Katie B.) 

But back to my sister. Her name is Summer, and she is a beautiful, intelligent, athletic and talented in too many ways to count. I'm going to miss her like crazy when I head out to UCSD, but I'm close enough to visit whenever I miss her too much. Freshman year is always so much fun, and I hope her's (as well as mine) is memorable. It's Day 2 of school for her, and already she has homework (her fault for being a brainiac and taking Algebra 2 and Chemistry at only 13). I'm not envious of that homework. And I'm glad she is finally officially part of the Wolfpack.  So here is to my Summertime (I haven't called her that in a while, but it was the inspiration for this blog and it's title), and the rest of my summer in La Jolla. 

Good Luck to all!

what you will do to keep in shape...

So far, I have written a lot about my feelings about college and very little about running.  So I guess I should talk about running a bit. Since my blog IS entitled "just keep running".

I move into preseason housing on Saturday. So I guess what I have been doing is pre-preseason athletics. And it is so different from high school that for a while I think my body went into shock. I was running faster, but for only around a half hour. Big change from the relaxed two hour runs I was accustomed to. So my stomach was hurting but at the same time I was feeling like I wasn't getting enough from my runs. What a dilemma? Right? But after a while, the symptoms seemed to reverse. The slower I ran, the more my legs hurt. The faster I ran, the better I felt. I guess what I'm getting from all this, is that your body adapts. It's amazing really. I'm still going through some adjustments. But I guess all that's left to see is if I perform with lower milage as well as I did with higher milage. Me? I'm hoping for better.

So even though the milage was lower, it did grow to a bit over an hour. And running solo is awful, day after day, no matter how long you are running. But with all my Great Oak High School teammates (alumni or otherwise) running much different workouts, that is what I had to do. Until my friend, future teammate and former teammate, Kaity, texted me asking me to run with her. But there was a catch. She needed to run at 5 am. So that is what we did. Kaity was running then heading off to a really long workday helping run a day camp for kids; I admire her dedication. Me? I ran, then came home and then conked out. Friends, I learned how to take a nap! (for those that know me, this is a seriously big deal). This has definitely been a summer for sleeping.

Tryout week starts on Monday. Time trials, strength test, VO2 test. Luckily, I signed with the team. I am guaranteed a spot. But it is still time for me to show that my dedication and training this summer paid off.

And that's all I have to say about that. :)

sweatpants, goodbyes, catchphrases and beginnings

what i think i fear the most about all this change is that i'll wake up tomorrow and not know anyone anymore. that i will be so far removed from everyone's life that i lose touch and lose wonderful friends. i think that is what makes the goodbyes so hard. that a tiny part of your brain quietly goes "this could be the last time". which is completely unreasonable, but still that little voice continues to whisper.

i move to La Jolla, california in t-5 days. saturday afternoon i pack up my car (my beautiful little honda civic that i really have to wash) and drive to my new home, new team, and new life. (talk about all that newness again). i don't really have that much of a traumatic move...being only an hour away from sunny little Temecula...but the 'being on your own' concept is very much in play. i'm just incredibly thankful that i was blessed enough to have a team to welcome me in (trust me, it was UCSD's number one selling point).

i'm not the first of my friends to move. jessie, one of my greatest friends packed up her shiny 'new' car and drove hours and hours to get to Utah. and her move, in my opinion, seemed so dramatic that saying goodbye was an absolutly horrible experience. because we cried. a lot. so we devised a plan, me, katie, anna, and jessie (you'll hear about those three a lot). we bought a pair of medium black men's sweatpants (they were all out of smalls. go figure. it's summertime), silver fabric paint, and a catchphrase. ""Together forever, never apart, maybe in distance but never in heart."


We hope it will be a reminder to keep in touch. And if all else fails there will always be Skype. 


it's a new beginning. and to keep myself sane...i just gotta keep running. 

the end of an era

the films made in my generation are on their way to becoming classics. maybe i'm being a little bit dramatic, and let's be honest, liberal with my compliments (because goodness there has been some flops. twilight anyone?), but i'm darn conservative in regards to the level of impact films such as the disney princess collection, Harry Potter epic and (even i'll admit it) the Twilight Saga have had on my culture. i'm 17 years old...and have witnessed the birth and completion of both the written and visual versions of Harry Potter and multiple disney adaptions of beautiful fairy tales. and let's not forget the Toy Story trilogy (which concluded with Andy as a high school graduate on his way to college); beautifully serendipitous to say the least. my childhood seems to have been landmarked by these notable films and as they all begin to conclude, one by one...so does my own legal status as a child (let's not be one for technicalities, and argue the differences between being a minor and a child). my impending birthday lines up nicely with the beginning of college and a new plethora of responsibilities. its the end of an era.

so you would think that with all these nice correlations, the effect that disney's announcement that no more disney fairy tale movies will be made in the 'foreseeable future' would not be so devastating. maybe devastating is too strong a word. but i AM sad. sad that disney's logo (the castle), will no longer be so meaningful, that my favorite fairy tales will no longer by creatively adapted, that both the story and the films that remind me of my childhood will no longer be created. disney said they are trying to change with the times...

but from what i can see, the kids, the ones who 'changed' the most ...they really haven't changed at all. they still dream of Neverland, and of towering turrets, and of magic and of true love.  

at least i still do. 

CHANGING

so, i'm not here to tell you how to deal with change. or what's the best way to cope with it. to be honest, that is a personal thing that each individual has to figure out for themselves. and that's called growth. but what i can tell you is that it is inevitable. change will happen in every aspect in your life...and for some reason, all that change manifests itself during this time in your life. yeah, i'm still talking about college. 

i'm going to address a few changes that i have gone through, to either illuminate the numerous similarities between all college bound kids, or prepare you for your own future journey. 

one of the most pertinent changes at this time and for this blog, is my training schedule. excepting a few universities, collegiate running is shorter and faster. no matter what division you are training in. and it is beyond weird switching from the long, repetitive slower stuff we did in high school to what i'm dong now. and at first i grumped about it. but i have to trust my new coaches just as much as i did my old ones. it is just hard letting go of the past. 

and now that i am leaving (in t-17 days), even more things are changing. my mom called me the other day and asked if i was busy and wanted to go see a river dance show in october with the family. i was like whoa! (yes, that is a finding nemo reference.) that's when it hit me that my life is really not going to be the same. they're talking about rearranging the rooms in the house and giving a few rooms, different purposes. including mine. and while it doesn't really bother me, at the same time, i feel kind of panicky. home is not really going to be the same when i don't live there 24-7. it's different. and weird. 

college is a new slate. a new part of your life. and that newness is EVERYWHERE. new bedding, new housing arrangements, new running, new team, new food, new shoes, new stuff, new clothes, new coaches, new friends, new school, new. new. new. 

and new is bright and shiny. and i like it. i do. but there is something comforting from that old blanket you've kept since you were a kid (or insert whatever metaphor you relate to the most) that just doesn't measure up to that new comforter. 

that's kinda how i feel right now. 

Blogging

So I have no idea how to work this blog thing. So in case you are wondering about the random font changes, the fact that I am somehow following my own blog (??),  and any other strangeness I am sure will pop up, blame my ineptitude at blogging. But I think this will be fun despite these issues. :) And hopefully with time I can figure it out.

Why University of California San Diego?

Well first of all, you know where it is located right? Beautiful La Jolla, California. And umm yes the campus is about 10 minutes away (although to be fair, I’m not sure what mode of transportation gets you there in 10 minutes.). But beyond that, which is the most superficial reason I chose this campus, UCSD promises a top-notch education, a fun social life, and a continuation of the sport I love.  Plus, it was close to home, without any sacrifice to the idea of ‘newfound independence’.

UCSD was not my first choice, or my second, or my third. It was kind of just floating around my head as an option, albeit a good one, until my acceptance letter came in and I was absolutely thrilled.  I am not the only kid who decides what school to go to based on their excitement level when they go online to see a “congratulations” as the opening line. 

I just had to keep everything in perspective before I made my decision.  And I was able to answer the most important question, will I be happy at UCSD?, with a resounding yes.  

Dear Reader,

College is a big step. But you don’t realize, until you are looking at it looming in the not so distant horizon, just how big it will be.  It is your first time on your own and with it come great freedom and great responsibility. And both those options are equal parts terrifying and totally exciting. And even though I feel incredibly young and naïve, I know that I’m ready. 13 years of education, 17 (almost 18) years of life, and everyone else will be in the exactly same boat I am. And that, my dear readers, in case you were wondering, is why I am writing this blog. Because it helps to know that everything that is going on, the overwhelming amount of stuff that you have to deal with comes part and parcel with growing up. And although I’d rather find Neverland, there is a decided lack of pixie dust in my local supermarket. So I guess I’ll just take a deep breath, and write to my heart’s content. Oh, and read up on two of the greatest friends a girl can have. Because Katie and Anna have blogs too. And knowing we are all going through this together is kind of therapeutic. So is running. Which is what we are going to do tomorrow morning, bright and early. So goodnight. :)

Love,

Alia

and you thought running was just to stay in shape

The most sensual, invigorating, experience? Try running in the dark, on a cool summer day. Aware of every single muscle as an isolated unit, working together to propel you forward. Your breathing heavy, paced, controlled. Your heartbeat a metronome, the beat to a timeless song known only to you. Both mindless and totally consuming, you are aware of the raw power of the human form, yet also conscious of its limitations. Every footstep an acknowledgement of individuality. Every step moving you forward, and never back.  Running is a harmonious marriage of instinct and intelligence, of liberation and imprisonment, of independence and collaboration. It is through running—the simplest of all human activity—that one can battle the limitations of the body with a sheer force of will; and win. I run because for a mere fraction of a second, I am airborne and can fly. I run because when I do every sense is engaged. I run simply because I can. And you thought running was just to stay in shape.