Lisa, why don’t you smile more? I have always heard this growing up and even still to this day. It seems like a harmless comment and all with good intentions, but it cuts like a knife. We are all burdened with our own insecurities and you really don’t know unless you walk a mile in someone else’s shoes what those personal insecurities are. Whenever I heard that phrase uttered or some derivative of it, I instantly felt like I wasn’t…
I have enjoyed using this blog as an opportunity to share all about my life as a runner. I have shared the ups and downs through many of my training cycles. While I love opening up, being vulnerable, and sharing both my successes and challenges as I runner, I want to continue to keep my content fresh and beneficial to all. I love running. I think that’s been made pretty clear at this point, but let me open up about…
As the year comes to a close, it is important to reflect back on 2018. It was a year full of change, a year full of goals, some met, some still out of reach, but throughout the year I continued to grow. While I think back on all that I accomplished, it seems very tempting to set some New Years resolutions of my very own. However, to be quite honest, I’ve never liked the “new year, new me” mantra that…
Never stop chasing those crazy dreams. That’s the phrase that continues to resonate with me as I think about what happened on October 7th 2018. This continues to be a theme in my reflection on marathons and the training cycles that go with them, but each one is so unique and different. This year, I finally had the chance to engrave my finish time on the back of my medal. 3:37:05. That time will be forever ingrained in my memory….
After clicking the submit button or signing on the dotted line, it’s only a matter of time before the training begins for your next race. On the surface, every training cycle appears to be very similar. It all starts with picking your plan. I’ve had races where I didn’t follow any specific schedule but follow a general structure (i.e. run a certain range of miles throughout the week on a set number of days with a longer run on the…
It took me a while to write this post, and a little over two weeks later here we are. It’s time to recap on the Wallis Sands Half Marathon this year. I spend a lot of time reflecting back on races. It’s always incredible to think back to all of the tempo runs, the early mornings, and the Saturday mornings spent prepping for a long run ahead. And when you cross that finish line with a new personal record, well, that’s…
The road to recovery is never easy, but I never thought I would learn so much about myself through this experience. Life is full of ups and downs, and I think what I have always loved about running is, regardless of whatever else is going on with my life, I know I will always have those minutes, hours, however long it may be, to focus on myself and my training. Whether it’s speed morning early in the morning at the…
Up until now, I have captured my experiences with half and full marathons through this blog. I have shared many of the challenges and successes throughout my running journey, but I think it’s time to start showing more than I have before now. I came to this realization on November 18th after completing what might be my favorite running loop, the 7-mile loop full of scenery and waterfront views. I came back from my run feeling defeated. My ankle was…
No this isn’t a duplicate post. Not an error. I loved Chicago so much, I just had to do it again! 🙂 I’ve always loved trying out new races, and when it comes to marathons I had never imagined I’d be revisiting the same race, but Chicago, oh Chicago. It has a special place in my heart. After running the marathon in 2015, I could do nothing by rave about how fantastic the race is! The energy, the sights, ok,…
I always find it funny when someone hears that you have a race coming up and they ask, “Do you think you’ll win?” I don’t think I can ever recall a time where I ever thought I would win any race, not in 4th grade field day, not the gym class mile, not a single track or cross country race. Maybe that begs the question, well then, what’s the point? Well, what could be one of the most rewarding and…
