Fort Casey, Whidbey Island

Alex and I decided to take a day trip out to Whidbey Island on February 23rd, 2019 and ventured over to Fort Casey to walk around and learn more about the old military base.

Here is part of the base, you can see the watch towers and cement bunkers

Fort Casey is a historical state park that was once a military fort. It was constructed in the late 1800’s and had soldiers stationed here from 1899 to 1945. Follow this link to learn more about the history and area surrounding Fort Casey: https://parks.state.wa.us/505/Fort-Casey.

It took us about an hour and half to drive out to the fort. When we were there, it was overcast and very windy but well worth the trip. It was eerie getting to go into the bunkers and explore the rest of the base.

Some parts of the bunkers were very dark, cold, and damp. They freaked me out a little because of how deep they were and how much they echoed. I don’t think I would have gone into them alone, but Alex insisted that we explore… There were parts where we had to use the flashlights on our phone in order to figure out how to get out of the bunkers.

Not all the bunkers were open, but the ones that were contained old elevator shafts, showers, a switch board, and many other old rusted things that I couldn’t figure out what they were used for.

Below you will find some photos of Fort Casey and the different things we saw while we were there:

Taken from the watch tower over looking the water

These three photos above are my favorite from this trip. I love the blue of the water being contrasted with the grey and black color schemes of the old concrete walls.

Overall, our trip to Fort Casey was well worth the drive. I had never been here and it was really fun to be able to get out and explore, both inside the bunkers as well as on top of them. I would highly recommend it you are looking for a fun day trip. There were also many parents with their kids, as Fort Casey serves as a great place to explore and learn about some of the history behind the base.

Week 11

March 11- Starting to feel better

Today I woke up to my alarm for my 8am. I still feel pretty sick, but I pushed myself to get out of bed and go to class. Not sure if I really learned anything, but took notes that I can read over later for the final. My cough is getting worse where my chest and back ache from the strain.

Going to the gym hasn’t even crossed my mind, as I have been focusing on getting healthy again and making it through my project and presentation that are both tomorrow. I’m hoping maybe on Thursday I will be able to go to the gym? I want to make sure I give my body enough rest to get fully better. I am starting to feel a little pudgy from not keeping up with running and weight lifting, so I know the second I feel 100% better I will make my way to the gym.

March 12- Slowly getting better

My presentation and project went well, finished both without getting into too long of a coughing fit. I am feeling way better than I have this past weekend, but I am still wanting to get rid of this cough! I took an hour nap earlier and that seemed to help.

My goal is to continue going to bed early and making sure I am getting better! I am optimistic I will be able to kick this thing by Thursday!

March 13- Feeling even better!

Today I am feeling better, not 100% back to normal yet though. I still have a head cold going on, so I don’t think I will be able to make it to the gym today. I am hoping tomorrow I will be feeling even better to try and make it.

March 14- Almost back to normal

I am feeling fairly good today! I decided to skip my 8am and sleep in instead. The extra sleep really helped and I woke up feeling a lot better today.

I am still a little nervous to go to the gym. I really don’t want to make my symptoms worse by over doing it too soon. Instead, I think I am going to wait until next week to get back into my workout routine just to make sure.

I did an ab workout tonight and will continue with this through the weekend. I am starting to feel a little unhealthy by waiting so long to go to the gym, but I really don’t want this sickness to return.

March 15- Rest

I am finally feeling very close to normal and it feels really good! I am starting to get the yearning feeling to go to the gym. This must be a good sign that I am getting back to normal!

Who knows, maybe I will end up getting to the gym before Monday… only time will tell.

March 16- Full body circuit

I did it! I got up to campus and completed my full body workout. I could tell my muscles haven’t been used in while. Everything seemed really heavy! I did my normal routine with 10 pound dumbbells and 75 pounds for squats. I was able to complete everything, but I could tell my body was feeling weak from being sick.

I am hoping I can get outside tomorrow to complete a 2.5 mile run. I don’t want to push myself too hard so I get sick again, but it does feel good to get out and begin being active after being cooped up for so long.

My only fear is not letting my body fully recover from being sick. I am going to take it easy leading into next weeks workout, with the hope of being back on a normal schedule by the end of next week!

March 17- Rest

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!! I wish I was able to go out and celebrate, but with finals being next week and being sick all last week, it is time to cram. I spent most of the day indoors trying to study and prepare for my finance final tomorrow.

I was going to go for a run, but ran out of time with trying to retain everything I have learned this quarter in finance. I am hopeful for being able to go to the gym the rest of the week (Tuesday through Thursday), as my finals are all on Monday and Friday.

Happy to be feeling back to normal again! I’m sure I will take advantage of this feeling by hanging out with friends and hitting the gym.

Week 10

March 4- Full body circuit

This week I am switching up my weekly routine: body circuit on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and running on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

With that being said, tonight I worked on my arms with the dumbbells and legs with the stair climber. My body felt very tired from the weekend and I could tell I wasn’t putting all my effort into this workout. I’m hoping tomorrow my body will be well rested!

March 5- Run 3.4 miles

It was so sunny today, so I knew I had to run outside! Of course I had to go to Lake Padden. Last time I was there over half the lake trail was iced over to the point where I had to walk/ slide through the trail.

Today wasn’t much different… I got about 1.5 miles in and the trails started turning to ice. I actually ended up slipping and falling. I got back up, turned around, and headed for the clear part of the trail I had just run. After running a total of 3.4 miles, I got in my car and my shoulder and left thigh started to ache. I ended up cutting up my thigh and think I might have fallen weird on my shoulder. In the moment I didn’t notice I had injured myself, but once I got in the car and started warming up is when I noticed I might have hurt myself.

We will have to see how I feel tomorrow and figure out if I will be okay to go weight lifting tomorrow at the gym.

March 6- Rest

I woke up with my thigh aching and shoulder feeling a little worn out. Because of this, I decided to take the day off and give myself some time to rest and heal. I don’t want to turn a fall into a more serious injury. I’m hoping tomorrow I can get to the gym to complete my full body circuit!

March 7- Full body circuit

Today I switched up my routine. I still focused on arms and legs, but tried new machines instead of dumbbells. I had tried these machines back in January when first starting my new workout plan. I remember not liking them too much as I felt I was straining my muscles instead of strengthening them. This time around was was different! The machines actually felt really good and I didn’t feel like I was straining myself at all. Honestly, I think it is because I built up how much weight I can lift, so lifting 25lbs on the machines was just enough to get my muscles fired up and working.

I’m excited to see what results I will be able to accomplish this March. The weather should start getting nicer, meaning I will be able to start running outside again!! I can’t wait to take up the old routes down to Boulevard Park and around Lake Padden!

March 8- Flu 😦

Today I woke up and felt really tired. I tried to shake it off and make it to my 8am, but wasn’t able to get out of bed. EVERYTHING hurt!! I have really bad body aches, a sore throat, a temp of 102, and keep going between chills and sweats. I think it’s safe to say I will be sleeping most of the day….

Update: I did end up sleeping almost all day. I had to meet with a group from 10-12. Once that was over, I went home crawled in bed and slept from 1pm through 12pm the next day. I woke up every so often to eat and drink, but mostly spent my time in my bed.

It sucks, this is the weekend Alex’s family is supposed to come up to celebrate our birthdays. Unfortunately, I don’t think I will be able to make it… sleep might be the better option in order to kick this thing before dead week this week and finals next week.

March 9- Flu Cont.

Honestly, I’m not feeling much better than I did yesterday. All I want to do is sleep and try to stay warm. I slept most of today as well, made sure I was drinking a lot of liquids, and eating some food to help keep my strength up. I’m hoping today will be the worst of it so I can start preparing for quizzes, projects, and presentations for next week.

March 10- Flu Cont.

Still not feeling too hot, I am starting to get to the point where I don’t need to take Dayquil and Nyquil every second I get. My cough it getting worse, but I guess this will supplement as my ab workout for awhile!?!? My goal is try to sleep as much as I can and get my body well before this next week picks up… I’m already getting really tired of being sick!

Week 9

February 25- 3.45 mile run

It was so nice out today! It was about 40 degrees and sunny, so of course I decided to run outside. It is so easy to get in the rut of running on the treadmill so being able to get outside was much needed. I did my favorite route from my apartment to Boulevard Park.

The route seemed shorter than I remembered. Maybe I’m just more in shape this time around while running it? It was almost 3.5 miles, and it felt good! It makes me yearn for spring and summer where I can go run outside everyday!

February 26- Full body workout

I hit the gym and was able to successfully complete my entire workout. I ran a mile around the track, did my arms, and finished off with my legs. I am still working towards doing a pull up. It is taking longer than I thought it would to build up to it. It is a little disappointing, but I know with more training I will be able to get there! I am hoping to keep the motivation to keep pushing myself to work towards this goal.

I can’t wait to see the progress I will make in March!

February 27- Rest

I didn’t take the time to get out and run today. Instead, I spent the time catching up on class work. It is that time in the quarter where classes start picking up again with finals and prep for finals in three weeks. It felt good to take time to get on top of my classes.

February 28- Full body circuit

Today I got to the gym around 5pm. It was a little busier than I thought it was going to be. I was able to finally get the dumbbells and complete my arm workout. This is starting to feel easy with the 10 pound weights, I am thinking I might need to increase to 12.5 soon! I also got a solid leg workout in with a few of the machines. I am still working towards a pull up and decided to push myself a little harder and complete another rep than I normally do. This means I did three sets of five instead of two. I know this doesn’t sound like a lot, but I am making progress and working towards a full pull up.

March 1- Run 3.62 miles

It was hard to get motivated to run today. I pushed myself to head to the gym and was really glad I did! I hopped on the treadmill, got into a good rhythm, put on a Netflix episode, and started running. This was the first time I have ever watched something on my phone while running and it made the time go by really fast. Before I knew it, I had already run 3 miles!

I was amazed at how easy this run felt today. It proved to me how important it is to train your mind when running. Many times I end my runs with the idea that I went far enough because I am out of breath and tired. In reality, it seems like I should be pushing myself further knowing my body can handle it. If I change this mindset, I believe I will be more happy with how far I am running and the results I am achieving.

March 2- Rest

Today my parents came up to celebrate my birthday a day early with me. We spent the day stocking up on food, celebrating with champagne, and going out to dinner at the marina in Bellingham.

It was a fun day spent with my family, and because of that I decided to take the day off from running. With my 21st birthday being tomorrow, I think I may take tomorrow off as well. It will be my cheat weekend, but come Monday I will be at the gym running off all the food and drinks acquired over the weekend!!

March 3- Birthday rest day

It’s my 21st birthday and it was a day well spend with Alex and friends. I went got coffee with some friends and had dinner with Alex at Boundary Bay (one of my favorite restaurants in Bellingham!)

We spent the night eating good food and tying a bunch of different kinds of beer. I’m excited for next weekend to continue the celebrations next weekend!

More Snowy Photos

Below are some more photos I took when Alex and I ventured out into the snow on our extra days off.

Two weeks ago, we got 3 extra days off from classes due to snow. Of course this means we got extra time to go play in the snow… Alex and I did just that! We walked up to campus and ended up have a huge snowball fight in an empty field. We also were able to get out and walk some the trails near my apartment.

Here are some of the compiled photos from our extra three day vacation:

March

Here’s to completing my second month of my workout plan! I can’t believe this is already the 8th week. It’s crazy to see where and I started, where I am currently at, and the goals I am still working towards.

I originally started this journey to stay in shape both physically and mentally. There is something to be said about the confidence booster I feel every time I walk out of the gym. I have noticed a difference in my confidence since getting on a regular gym schedule. I am more confident about my body, but I have also gained confidence in meeting new people and putting myself out there. I think a lot of this confidence has to do with feeling less stressed out with projects and school work. I am able to better prioritize what’s important and what’s not by having to divide my time up between classes, the gym, and hanging out with people.

It is also rewarding to start seeing results in my arms in legs. My muscles are more defined and are starting to look fairly toned. It is very motivating to see these changes and helps push me to keep going to the gym to continue to improve what I’ve started. Overall, I am very happy I have stuck to this routine. It is a positive change I have made in my life and it has more of an impact on my health than I thought it would.

With this being said, I feel like I have developed a good routine for myself and want to continue to do the same things I have been doing. I have decided to not make a calendar for this month. I am happy with running between 3.5 and 4 miles two days out of the week, biking one day, and the other three days are dedicated to weight lifting. This routine has worked for me and I want to continue with what I am doing. I am happy with the results I have gotten so far, and can’t wait to see what I will look like within the next two months!

Monthly Stats

March was full of weeks that were mostly made up of rest days. But I’m sure this won’t be the case for April, especially as the weather starts to get sunnier and warmer!

Week 8

February 18- Full body circuit

It’s Monday and my workout schedule has been flipped due to skipping my rest day yesterday. I added walking on the stair climber to my leg workout and it felt really good! I could feel my legs burning and I loved the little motivational blurbs the machine gave. By the time I was done, I had climbed the equivalent of the Pyramid of Giza! It was cool to compare my progress to a real life equivalent.

February 19- Bike

Today I opted to bike instead of run. I biked for about 20 minutes and called it a day. I was sweating, got my heart rate up, and the legs were burning. Overall, I would call this a good enough workout for the day.

I am looking forward to having a rest day tomorrow. My body is starting to feel like it needs one. I also can’t wait to get this finance midterm over with tomorrow and have the rest of the week to relax and catch up on other class work.

February 20- Rest day

I was happy to choose today as my rest day. I got through my midterm, got some other class work done, and took some time to relax.

February 21- 3.4 mile run

Today I went to Lake Padden to run. The sun was shinning and I couldn’t wait to feel the crisp air on my face and in my lungs.

I was a little disappointed about half a mile into this run. The trail turned into an ice rink. For the next two miles I was forced to walk, as it was way too icy and dangerous to try and run. There were a few time times where I almost fell and when finishing my run I could tell my left knee felt strained from the ice.

From the 3.4 miles, I probably only ran about 2.25 and walked the rest. It still felt good to get out, but I do wish I was able to have run the whole thing without all the ice. Below are some photos I took as I made my way around the lake.

February 22- Full body circuit

I got through my arms and legs workout. It feels good being back on a solid schedule after last weeks snow days. I was a little sore after my run yesterday, but it still felt good to go to the gym.

February 23- Rest day

Alex and I took and hour and a half road trip over to Fort Casey today. I am hoping to post some photos this upcoming week. Because of this day trip, I wasn’t able to go to the gym before it closed. I will be going tomorrow instead to get my last run in for the week.

February 24- Full body circuit

In order to get my workout routine back on track, I decided to make today another full body circuit. I believe this will help keep me motivated as well to go to the gym each day this week and complete the task laid out before me.

Today I focused more on arms, I have been trying to get to the point where I can do a pull up on my own. As of now, I am using an assist machine and can do it with about 90 pounds on my own and 40 pound assist.

I also utilized the stair climber, man was that a workout! I like being able to use different machines every now and then to get a good workout in. I’m a fan of the stair climber and want to try to start using this more often.

Week 7

February 11- Another snow day

Today class were cancelled due to snow and ice. Unfortunately, when classes are cancelled it also means all the buildings are shut down. This includes the gym… I was so tempted to put on the warmest running clothes I could find and go for a run outside. I went outside to check the sidewalks to see how icy they were and almost slipped just walking. That was my deciding factor: it wasn’t worth risking falling or twisting an ankle while trying to run in the snow.

Today’s run didn’t end up happening, but I am hoping classes will be open at least for half the day tomorrow so I can get some weight lifting in!

Instead, I will spend the day getting caught up on homework and possibly even work ahead to free up some extra time later this week to spend longer sessions at the gym.

February 12- Classes cancelled due to snow

I wish I was more excited about classes being cancelled again, but like stated in yesterday’s entry that means the gym is closed. With getting some work done yesterday, today seemed like a perfect day to go play in the snow.

Alex and I headed up to campus to walk around for a bit. It was amazing how quiet it was. We ended up running around on the open field behind the bio building and having a snowball fight. After getting pelted in the face a couple times, we decided to call it quits and head back home to get warm.

I guess you could count all the running and throwing as a good enough workout for the day!?!?! I am so hoping we have classes tomorrow so I can get a solid workout in at the gym.

February 13- Another snow day

I can’t believe it! Classes were cancelled again today. What started out as a delay until noon ended up turning into a full day off from school. I know I should be grateful about the extra time to get classwork done, but I am aching to get back on a normal schedule and be able to use the gym.

The sidewalks and roads are still too icy to run outside, so I opted to stay in again today. I never thought I would ever be this anxious to use the gym, this is something I am going to need to remember once I graduate… find a good 24 hour gym ASAP!

I believe campus should be open tomorrow and I have already made plans to go right after my class ends at 10am. It is going to feel so good to get back at it and work some of the muscles that have gotten an extra long rest. I am hoping the gym isn’t too packed with people who have the same idea that I do. I’m sure I am not the only one who has been feeling cooped up the last couple of days.

February 14- Full body circuit

We did it! Classes were in session and I was finally able to get a workout in this week. Better late than never I guess! I completed my full arm and leg workout and opted to do core at home (which I just completed before getting on here to reflect on my day at the gym).

I was shocked how easy the session felt today, maybe it has something to do with my muscles being well rested after having almost a week break? My arm routine is starting to feel easy again, I think it might be time upgrade from the 10 pound dumbbells to the 12.5 pound ones. I will try and use these on Saturday as see how it goes.

I am also thinking about skipping my rest day on Sunday and saving if for later in the week. It feels good to be going to the gym again. It gave me that extra bit of motivation that I needed to push myself. My goal for running tomorrow is to hit around 3.75 miles. Hopefully this won’t be too hard, since it has been a week since I last ran… I guess we will find out tomorrow!

February 15- 3.4 mile run

I hit the treadmill again and was able to get 3.4 miles in. I attempted a hill workout on the treadmill and it was really challenging. It was uphill the whole time with differing degrees in inclining. Halfway through, I had to decrease how high the treadmill was going, but I still was able to get a solid workout in!

February 16- Full body circuit

Alex and I went to the gym after our psychology class around 10am. This, in my opinion, is the best time to go. There usually isn’t anyone there and all the machines I want to use are open! I was able to get my arms and legs workout in and without having to wait, I was done in 30 minutes.

It feels good being on a solid schedule again, especially after being cooped up earlier this week due to snow! Because of having so many days off, I am hoping to skip my rest day on Sunday and save it possibly for Wednesday (as this will be my busiest day next week).

February 17- 2.5 mile run

As stated in yesterday’s entry, I opted to skip my rest day today and get a run in. I felt lethargic this time at the gym, so decided to complete a smaller millage run.

It felt good going to the gym, but I could tell my body was tired and I mentally was having a hard time getting motivated to run a long distance on the treadmill. I think it’s starting to get old running on the treadmill, hopefully the weather clears up and the snow melts so I can get in a run outside. I miss feeling the fresh air against my face and in my lungs.

Snow Day in Bellingham

It was the best feeling waking up and seeing that 7:30am text that classes were cancelled for the day! Below are a few photos from my adventure out and about around Bellingham.

This was taken at Lake Padden (the second stop on our outing).

What a better way to spend your impromptu day off from classes than going to some of my favorite spots, playing in the snow, and avoiding having to study for my marketing midterm tomorrow.

The first place we went was Boulevard Park, I’ve posted some photos on here before of Boulevard and wanted to this time around also. I didn’t take too many pictures as it was freezing from the wind off the water, but here is one of my favorites from our fist stop.

Who says you’re too old to play on the playground?

The second place we ended up going was Lake Padden. Hands down, this is one of my favorite spots in Bellingham. Not only to run, but also a place to go and get away from all the busy and crazy nonsense that is college. When we arrived there was no one there. It was amazing how quiet and peaceful it was.

I think this photo was by far my most favorite one I took while at Lake Padden. I love the rolling hills of evergreen trees in the back, and the geese off to the right. It’s amazing how much you can capture in one photo.

It was so beautiful with the white snow covering the ground and trees. I couldn’t believe how peaceful it felt.

What I love most about these photos is the color scheme they all possess. They all have a gray ambiance and a light contrast to them. It makes them seem so much more intimate. This type of feeling is something that is hard to capture, but when I look at these photos there is something that draws me to them. Here are a few more photos below I thought were worth sharing:

I’m hoping for a bit more snow this coming week and more time to go out and capture the beauty that surrounds us in our everyday lives.

Sunrises and Cold Mornings

Here are some photos I took of my morning walks up to campus last week. These photos are the reminder of why I get up for my 8am classes five times a week…

I’m a week late on posting these photos, but I didn’t want to go too much longer without sharing them! The sunrises lately have been so pretty and I’ve been early to my classes, allowing me to take the extra time to capture some of these beautiful mornings.

This photo, by far, is one of my favorites I’ve taken. I love all the vibrant colors and the way the library lights up like this in morning.

It’s interesting how a walk I take everyday to and from campus seems to change day to day. I feel like I’m starting to notice the little things I would have never thought twice about.

Below is a quote I came across and thought it was fitting for the photos above…

“Don’t use the future to escape the present”

This, to me, encapsulates my daily routine and walk to classes. It is so easy to get caught up in the ideas of future plans and what I want to do with my life after college. It is easy to get swept up in the future and not focus on the here and now. It seems like college is so forward looking, making it easy to get caught up in plans big ideas for the near future. It’s important to take time and be thankful for the here and now. We need to look up from our phones, unplug our headphones and just enjoy the world around us.