All Aboard The Allie Coaster

I am always one for a good roller coaster ride and the last few years of my life has felt like a non-stop trip on the craziest coaster I have ever rode. Tonight I invite you for a short spin on the Allie Coaster...proceed with caution.  

I have always had issues with being hypersensitive to certain smells. For as long as I can remember the detergent aisle at the grocery story made my stomach turn. I had perfected holding my breath long enough to get down the aisle by the time was a teenager. (Sadly a trick I still use today.) Then there is anything that remotely smells like fish. And don't even get me started on the smell of lavender and my daily battle with my lavender loving hubby.

But lately I have noticed I have become very sensitive to touching certain things, especially paper. (Trust me, it sounds as crazy to me as it does you, but seriously it makes my skin crawl just to think about it sometimes.)  I remember construction paper bothering me a little when I was younger, but nothing like what I have dealt with the last 2 weeks. I often joke about being crazy, but this has made me really start to think I needed to be checked into a psych ward - STAT!

As it turns out this is apparently this is another lovely side affect of my ADHD that was kept in line when I was on crazy amounts of Adderall XR. My first thought was I needed to get back on a higher dose of meds because I left like I was losing it.

After calming down I reflect over what I have  been through over the last year to get to the point I am today. A few weeks shy of a year ago, Kipper and I embarked on our journey to become parents. (Original post can be found here)  In the last year I have gone from being on the highest legal dose of Adderall XR to knowing that while extremely hard, I can function without it if I have to.

I wish I would have blogged more about my experience this last year because it is often hard for me to explain it, even though every major step is so vivid to me.  Days I couldn't get out of bed or I struggle to just stay awake even though I had slept 12 hours. The raging food cravings that if I would give in I could eat a weeks worth of calories in one day. The added social anxiety. And the emotional stress it has caused on my marriage. (I thank God everyday I have such an amazing husband who has stood by me at my worst)


Yet through it all, one thing has kept me going. One day, when we finally meet Baby Martin it will all be worth it!  This journey has been  an emotional roller coaster to say the least. While I feel like we have come so far, really we just made it over the first major hill and I know we have a long way to go. I just tell myself everyday to trust God's plan (which truthfully is easier some days than others) and to keep focused on becoming a healthier me.

Allie Facts: Training For A Half Marathon Edition

In 27 days I will be embarking on possibly one of the hardest things, both physically and mentally, I have ever done: my first half marathon. The Cowtown Half Marathon to be exact. During the training process I have realized a lot of things about myself and the training process in general so welcome to a new installment of Allie Facts!


-  Running is just as much of a mental game as it is physical. I can't tell you how often my mind tries to make me quit.

-  I often beat my mental mind games with thinking about the cupcakes and/or wine I am earning.

-  Thank goodness I don't actually  consume those things as much as I actually think about them while running.

-  The longer distances I run, the harder it is to get into sync. It used to take a 1/2 mile, now it can take up to 2 miles.

-  I am terrified of having to go to the bathroom during long runs when there is no where to go... terrified.

-  I have may or may not have had to go to the bathroom in places I would prefer not to admit.

-  You are supposed to feel better as you get in better shape, yet for some reason my body just hurts a heck of a lot more now that I am running several times a week.

-  I am pretty sure Body Glide is one of the most amazing inventions ever.

-  You can only think about what you are going to wear for the big day for so long during runs.

-  I am so thankful that I will have my hubby and great friends by my side on the big day.

-  Because I am a slower runner, long runs only happen on the weekend. And since Saturday is filled with Spring Show, Sunday Funday has been replaced with Long Run Sunday.

-  I miss Sunday Funday mimosas with friends....a lot.

-  I have come to the conclusion that my friends who run full marathon are just plain crazy and might need some sort of therapy.

-  And the only explanation for my friends that do Half Iron Man and Iron Man? They are either robots or aliens because it just isn't human.

-  Actually they have to be aliens because I am not sure waterproof robots are believable.

-  Not going to lie, knowing that dear friends will be at the finish line with mimosas waiting makes this task much less scary! (don't judge...we deserve them!!) 

-  As much as a joke about being crazy for deciding to do this, I am proud of myself for making the decision to do it. When the big day comes it is me against the road. There is no judge who scores you or a teacher to grade your performance. Sure there is the time clock, but not matter what time is on it when I cross the finish line it will be my Half Marathon PR. I will be a Half Marathon finisher. That is something no one will be able to ever take away.

^%*&! Just Got Real!

This time last year in a crazy moment of insanity, I committed to doing Warrior Dash just to prove to Kipper I could do it. (in case you missed that episode here you go!)  I still remember the first day we started training. I couldn't even run an entire mile without walking some and I thought I was going to die....like seriously DIE!

Fast forward a few months I did something I NEVER imagined I could. Along side my hubby and some of my best friends, I, Allie Martin, crossed the finish line of Warrior Dash. It was maybe one of the hardest things I had mentally done in my adult life, but it was amazing and I couldn't wait to do it again.

Over the course of the next year we....

Ran a handful of 5K's

Kipper did his first Tri

And we did our first "official" 10K

Then somewhere along the way I had this brilliant idea we should do a freaking Half Marathon. Yep I thought it would be super fun to run 13.1 miles. (I am pretty sure I was on crack at that moment) But in all honesty I really just wanted to go back to Disney World so I thought we could run the Disney Princess Half. I mean who wouldn't want to do a race where you got to dress up in princess costumes, run through Cinderella's castle and when you finish you get a medal shaped like a crown and they glitter you with a wand?!?!?! See how I got sucked into this crazy idea...it was the glitter!! 

This year is the 5th anniversary of the Princess Half, so it sold out much faster than in years prior. In November we realized we wouldn't be doing the Princess Half so I kind of just stopped caring about the whole half marathon idea. Until Kipper started talking about the Cowtown and how he was going to do it. I would randomly say things like "yea, me too" but I never really gave it a lot of thought. It was the holidays and I was focused on enjoying them and trying to relax. 

Then Monday it all became really real - Kipper signed us both up for the Cowtown Half Marathon! I have roughly 7 weeks to get my crap together, 45 days to be exact! But no matter if I have to crawl across that finish line - I will do it.  Please love me during the next 7 weeks.  If I am cranky, socially lame, obsessive or MIA...I promise it is only for a short time. Time to prove to myself I CAN and WILL do this. I might not be able to walk afterwards but failure is not an option. 

Much Love, 

Allie (who is realizing THIS might be the craziest thing she have ever done...)

Dear Kate Spade, I Love You

Not sure when it happened, but somewhere around my junior or senior year of high school, I feel in love with a simple black, NYLON purse.(enter Kate Spade Classic Sam)

I can still remember the pure joy of opening it on Christmas morning. And I also remember my anger and heartbreak when it was stolen my last semester of high school. :( But then my sweet Meme replaced it as part of my graduation and all was once again right in the world.

Me loving a purse was not a big shocker since Meme bought me my first "designer" handbag in the 5th grade - man I loved that green Dooney and Burke! But thinking back to when I fell in love with that black bag, I still don't really know WHY I loved that bag so much (circle of truth: I still have it tucked away in my closet even though I haven't carried it since 2000/2001. The only one of my "designer" bags from middle or high school that I still have) But there is just something about Kate Spade that resonated with me then and still does today. And how can you not love a brand that is classic and retro, uses vibrant colors, witty sayings AND adorable graphics like this one?

For Christmas this year my sweet hubby bought me the most adorable Kate Spade cross body purse and a new PINK wallet! (He did good...really, REALLY good!)

My new Kate goodies started me off on this trip down memory lane. Over the years there have been several accessories and bags that have be added to my collection, most of which have never left.  I just realized that the makeup bag I carry in my purse, is the same olive green Kate Spade makeup bag I got in college. I still remember the trip to Florida when Kipper bought my travel makeup and toiletry bag. And then I realized the one piece that has really stood the test of time - my multicolored striped satchel!

It was my freshman year of college and I was looking for a cute book bag when Momma and I found this bright colored Kate Spade diaper bag at Nordstrom. Since that day it has been though a lot: attended college, 2 trips to Disney World, made its rounds in New England, visited more beaches than I can count, taken at least 3 cruises, explored the streets of New York, a trip to Chicago, survived multiple Miss Texas weeks, ventured to Vegas twice, over a dozen trips to Canton, a million work events and Kipper's first Tri! And those are just the things I can think off the top of my head!

Seriously, it is one awesome and well made bag!!! 

Now if I can just talked Kipper into getting me my dream bike..... and about 100 other things on the Kate Spade website!  :)