Ingold's Race to The Finish Line (Running themed wedding)

Well, It's been about 3 years since I've actually have posted anything but I just had to blog my wedding. A lot has happened in 3 years too much to go over but I'm a married women now!!  This blog is about my wedding and how different it was and I hope to inspire other DIY brides looking for a different theme. 
First, I would like to thank my vendors who made my day possible. 

Venue: The Springs Edmond
Photographer: Bolt Photography, if you are OKC area book her for your events!! you won't be disappointed.
Videographer: Terra Productions
DJ: DiscJockeyNow
Cake: DC Cake Appeal
Grooms Cake: PaddyCakes by Molly
Hair & Make up: Tangles Boutique & Salon Edmond
Dress: David's Bridal
Tux: Jos A Bank

My husband I are both runners, and collegiate cross country/track coaches so we knew we wanted to incorporate running into the wedding, yet keep a rustic them. I was a DIY bride and made all the decorations as well as the bouquets and boutineers. 

Our invitations were running themed, the save the date was a bib number, created on vistaprint.

The first way we incorporated running was the table numbers. Each table was a track event. We also had participation ribbons (ribbons galore customized) on the table for each guest, as well as running shoe charms (Etsy) sprinkled on the table.

Photo by: Bolt Photography

Photo by: Bolt Photography

The biggest hit I think anyways was the grooms cake, a track replica!! We also had a bride and groom runner cake topper. 

Photo by: Bolt Photography

We did our grand entrance to Chariots of Fire, and the maid of honor and best man held out a finish line barrier (vistaprint) we ran through. 

Photo by: Bolt Photography

Instead of a bouquet toss I did a baton toss "relay" as in the next person in line 

photo by: Bolt Photography

We even had our tea in a 5 gallon gatorade jug which I spray painted silver to go with the rustic theme.

I believe that is all we did to incorporate running into our wedding. I hope my wedding inspires other brides and helps them come up with unique themes. Don't be scared to be a DIY bride it really wasn't bad to do and I had a lot of fun creating my day. 

Till next time, 
Mrs. Ingold

The Bubble Effect

I've been thinking a lot lately since "tis the season"for engagements, weddings,any other such announcement. As you know from various other posts I went to a small school in the middle of a corn field. It was like living in a bubble. You were kind of disconnected from the real world out there. I'm sure a lot of small colleges are like this.

Girls were made to believe if you were in a relationship for longer then a year you were expected that ring by spring. Candle passings made girls stress about when that so called guy was going to pop the question. It became a culture of "needing" or "wanting" that type of relationship and that if you did not have that ring by spring if you were in a relationship longer then a year. Let me explain candle passings. A candle passing is when someone gets engaged and it is not out yet. Someone puts signs up all over campus advertising that someone is engaged. All the girls meet up and pass the engagement ring around then you pass a candle around to who you think the person is that got engaged. Once the girl who is engaged gets the ring 3 times she has to blow it out and announce the engagement.

This tradition has led to a lot of unreal expectations in life. I'll admit I was in a 4 year relationship when I attended this college and had these expectations. I would get engaged by the end of my college years, get married right after I graduate just like half the girls that attended GU. Well my story isn't quite like that and part of me is glad it wasn't.

To make a long story short. I got engaged a year after I graduated so no candle passing. lol.... I was engaged for a year before the flourished relationship just kind of ended. I'm not sure if it was because we grew up in a world where that was just how things worked where you ended up with that person. I think my eyes opened up being outside of that bubble and realized that there is more out there. Maybe it was a mistake breaking things off maybe it wasn't I'll never know for sure. But I couldn't live in that bubble anymore. I'm kind of glad I did because I needed to grow as an individual learn who I really am. (Which I'm still working on) I will never say I needed more from him, it was a relationship a girl dreams to be in. I'm thankful for what I learned in that relationship and I HAD what every girl would want one day.

Why'd I let it go? Too many variables, I needed to work on myself, right out of college do you really know who you want to be in life none the less share it with another person for the rest of your life. I wonder how many of those right out of college marriages actually last? I'm not saying they won't but the maturity level is there on some levels. Being really ready. I know a lot of people who have gotten married right out of college and it has worked. And then I know a few that question it. But I wasn't ready to take that risk. At one point I thought I was. Guess you'd say brainwashed to think that way. The bubble.....

Till Next time,

Alice

Enduring the pain or developing "pussyitis"

Throughout your life you will experience pain, how do you deal with the pain? It can be physical pain, emotional pain, or imaginary pain. The reason I bring up pain is because after this weekend it became a popular topic. How do you handle pain? What is your pain tolerance? In today's society I think the tolerance to pain has become slim. How do you become tougher to develop a higher pain tolerance? 

When working with athletes I use a pain scale of 1-10. 1 being a paper cut, 10 being that I'm going to take you to the emergency room because you are on your death bed. You will be surprised to how many will give me an 8 or 9. I"m like are you really dying in pain right now? Understanding pain that the body or mind creates is interesting. Only the one person can feel it and endure it and treating it can become a struggle. This brings me to emotional pain. Our minds only think something is hurting. We create it ourselves. So can this lead to physical pain as well? We are just imagining that this pain is being created when nothing is really wrong. Aches, pains, heartaches, toothaches you name it we build it up in our minds and create this unbearable and intolerable substance that can't be ignored.

Now time to train the mind to ignore this substance that you have created for yourself. Block it out? But what if something is really wrong? How do you know if it's really just your mind that has created this "pain". Training your brain to accept pain, to embrace it, developing the part of your brain and using it as a muscle and get it stronger to help you not fall into having "pussyitis". Becoming tough is what we all need to do. Emotionally, mentally, and physically. 

Sorry for the use of profanity by saying "pussyitis". 

Till Next Time, 

Alice

SSMMBMBSBBMM

If you have ever taken anatomy and had to learn the cranial nerves and their functions, maybe you learned a mnemonic that would help you remember them. I use the mnemonic "Some Say Marry Money But My Mother Says Bad Business".This came to me when I was job searching and trying to decide what direction I should go. As an certified athletic trainer I could have gone back to Texas at a local high school and make 60k a year but I chose not to do that and follow my passion. I accepted a job where I have to work another part time job on top of it to make ends meet. Is it ideal no but I did not want to marry the money and get stuck with something I do not enjoy. Some Say Marry Money,But it can be Bad Business.

Some say its dumb but I say its a challenge, a desire to do what I love everyday. I want to live happy not be stuck in a job position that I hate. Could I be setting myself up for failure this way? ABSOLUTELY but it's worth the risk!

Till Next Time,

Alice


Enjoy the anatomy lesson S is for sensory, M is for Motor and B is for Both!

Three F's

The 3 F's of life

Forgive the past
Forget the future
Focus on the day

I'd like to think I'm a pretty strong person, I've been put through the wire emotionally for 10 months or so. I just ended a graduate assistantship program and learned what type of coach I want to be to build and mold athletes on multiple levels. Struggled to find the opening to pursue this the past 4 months. I just got out of a 5 year relationship/ 1 year engagement that I guess we were both on different levels in life at this point in time. I've had friends judge me for the decisions I make about my future. The things I thought I wanted the past 10 months has changed drastically. Have I become a different person because of it all? YES I can't say I wasn't changed by the ending relationships, the constant rejections, the drop numbers in support when I turned down opportunities. 

I started to become one of those cynical people. The people in the V can agree to that statement I found no positives in life anymore. You hurt inside when you don't forgive the past. It can tear a person up. It made me not want to trust anyone. I let people go, I let in the wrong people who in return hurt me. What do you do about it? Look at yourself in the mirror and say it's ok I forgive the past. I can't control the future. I need to focus on the day. Take a deep breath and move on. 

I'm usually a half glass full person but not anymore. I have friends that no longer support me for various reasons and that is understandable after breaking a heart, not taking their advice on a job etc. I know I hurt people in my decision process. I was hurt too. Making decisions about what I WANTED to do was not easy. But it is my path to walk and I'm the only one can walk it. 

I'm at peace with the decisions I've made and I'm embarking on a opportunity that I think will fully make me a better person, coach, and friend. I deeply apologize to those I've shut out, not lived up to your expectations but it's my life and I know you want the best but I want the best for me as well. I believe I've made the right choices in life. I'm learning, I'm not perfect and NEVER claimed to be. I apologize for those I've hurt, believe me I didn't want to hurt anyone.  

I believe I'm embarking on the best opportunity for me at the moment. My career. I'm focusing on me and getting to where I need to be. I want to impact the lives of those I work with and I believe I can continue doing that in the new position I just took. It may not be the best financially but it is a foot in the door that I need. I'm ready for the future but focus on day to to day. 

Sorry for the ramblings but I'm tired of being judged for my past. They were my decisions I've let it go so should be those who care for me. 



Till Next Time, 

Alice 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB-RcX5DS5A

Apology

Have you ever felt like you were stuck in a hole and no matter how hard you tried to fight your way up to the top you just couldn't? Or you have a nightmare and your trying to run away and you just can't? What do you end up doing when your in these positions? Say it's not real and focus on what you can do to change it?

This blog is very hard for me to admit and I'm not doing it for people to feel sorry for me or pity me. If I can help someone with this blog by writing what I've gone through then I would feel like some sort of light was brought out of a dark time.

This summer has been full of lessons and losses. I've had to deal with some very difficult situations that maybe only a couple of people know about. I lost control of me. I've become very cynical, hard and cold to the world. I wouldn't self diagnosis myself with depression but I believe not eating, and sleeping  and feeling like the world is against me is getting close. I have found myself not wanting to get close to anyone anymore, and started shutting people out except a select few. I apologize to my family and friends who have tried to help me but I just wanted to be alone.

I'm sorry to those that I hurt within a few months. I lost a few people in my life due to different situations that I can never change. People change, situations change and I know I hurt people. I got tired of caring  which is difficult for any one who knows me because caring is what I do.I became selfish and only thought of me and my wants and desires. Which in return let go a bunch of people in my life that I will probably never regain.

I'm trying to get out of this dark time and focus on getting back to where I was before and putting others first. Stop focusing on me, start a job, start believing in others again and pushing them to become better because overall that is what made me happy and a better person for. If people can't accept that then they are the ones that need to leave my life not the ones who I pushed away.

I don't regret any of it. It has taught me balance. The balance of being selfish and caring for others. I must focus on reaching my goals of trying to be successful but at the same time look at those who I'm going to be interacting with and changing their lives.

Now I believe the light is at the end of the tunnel and I've found a rope where I can slowly climb out of. Not all your wants and desires are going to come true, but don't shut people out trying to reach them if they are not happening. I'm sorry again to all those I've hurt or come across stern, and cold. Everyone has problems they face and I let mine get the best of me.

Till Next Time,

Alice

Cinder Track Memoirs

I decided to go burn off some steam by running 400m repeats. Yes I just ran a marathon a week ago and should take time off. BLAHH BLAH BLAH I've heard it before. I know I should take time off but that's not me. Running is what helps me think, and feel better overall. Working out hard just gives me confidence and restores my faith even if it does tear my body up. We get old anyways lol.. I ran a mile to the hs cinder black track and did 6x400m @ 80-82 w/ 1.5 standing recovery. Not much work,  but better then nothing for me. 

After I finished my repeats I stood at the starting line of this 400m cinder black track Looking around at how track may be taken away from me. I took in the smell and how I love the smell of track, how the white lanes needed to be repainted, where the exchange zones were, how the long jump runway was short, how lane one there was a rise in the track, I took in the solitude of standing alone on this track and how at home I felt. How natural I become when I'm on a track. The serenity of this is where I belong.  I got to thinking of how basically half of my life has been defined by track. I can't imagine my life without track in it, but I may have to. Maybe it's time to find something else that defines me. Track has taught me confidence, drive, competitiveness, leadership, character, faith, and friendship. 

It's weird how a sport can teach you about yourself. It's been a big chapter in my life but maybe it's time to  leave it all behind. It's interesting to think about how one particular thing can define you and to it possibly being gone. It's helped me grow as a person but now I think I must accept the possibility of it leaving me. Difficult to swallow but it's one that I probably have to accept.  I always have my legs ( well knock on wood)  and can run, but maybe continuing my passion into the coaching world is just not meant for me. I guess I can always teach my children one day to find the joy in track if they want. It's going to be hard for me to let go of one thing that I've always set my mind on for so long, invested so much time in to become a great coach but I must be prepared to do it. Sometimes opportunities are just not there and can't force them. Just going to be hard seeing how far I've worked to try to get out and become someone to fail.

Till Next Time, (Hopefully won't have to give up my dreams)

Alice