A friend and I had an argument recently. I had set an early curfew for myself to be rested for my run the next morning, but when I started to leave my friend said, "You're not a professional, you know. You don't need to be this strict about everything. It's not like you're gunning for … Continue reading Unprofessional
Category: Training
Fresh Start
A new year practically demands introspection. As runners we tend to be focused on the road ahead of us, but it's nearly impossible to begin a new year without looking back on the old one. 2015 was The Year of Significant Life Changes, and running kept me sane through the worst of it. During the past … Continue reading Fresh Start
The Optimist
I don't consider myself an optimist. Chipper affirmations are usually met with a wince and a heavy amount of side-eye. What may be intended as positivity is received as trite, simplistic, and belittling. Oh you have a problem? Chin up, sunshine. Everything happens for a reason. Life doesn't just work out because we smile and … Continue reading The Optimist
Best Laid Plans
Plan A is lovely. Plan A is preferred. Plan A is the best intentions of our best prepared best self. There's a reason it's at the top of the list. There's also a reason why we usually end up on plan B (or C or D...). Life is too messy for Plan A. The A … Continue reading Best Laid Plans
Trust the Process
If there's more, I want it. There it is, my approach to running and entertainment and work and love, wrapped up in six little words. The six-word memoir is one of my favorite writing exercises. Inspired by Hemingway's legendary short story "For sale: baby shoes, never worn," six-word stories force the writer to focus on … Continue reading Trust the Process
It’s Actually Only A Little Bit Hard Being Green
Left to my own devices, I'd eat Hershey kisses, guacamole, and Diet Coke for breakfast. Imagine that life... I'd be free! I'd be happy! I'd weigh 600 pounds and have lost all my teeth! It's possible this might affect my running. I need rules. I need boundaries. As someone who historically makes bad decisions, it helps to leave … Continue reading It’s Actually Only A Little Bit Hard Being Green
Up and Over
Hills demand respect. The hill won't budge, and it won't change its incline. The hill doesn't care that it's hard. It doesn't care that you're tired. The hill was here first. If you decide to climb, the change needs to come from you. I've been running hills more regularly recently, and they are completely kicking my … Continue reading Up and Over
No Alarms. No Surprises.
No. I'll pass. Thanks, but no thanks. If you were planning on inviting me to try that new restaurant, or join you at a new weightlifting class, or taste this delicious new recipe you invented, the answer is no. The marathon is next weekend, and I'm taking no risks. I'm as boring and predictable as … Continue reading No Alarms. No Surprises.
Take Two
I said I wouldn't do another. Training was brutal, and once was enough. I lost sleep. I lost toenails. I lost touch with friends. For half a year, I did nothing but work, eat, and run. Completing the 2011 Twin Cities Marathon ranks among my proudest moments, but it came at a cost. So I thought … Continue reading Take Two
Friendly Reminder: Be Nice
If you've participated in any type of community race, you've run amongst tutus. They're everywhere. They're silly, they're festive, they mask imperfect butts and thighs. A little childish? Sure. A bit stupid? Perhaps. But deserving of nationwide ridicule? Of course not. A good reason to mock someone who has cancer and runs a nonprofit? Hellllllllll no. … Continue reading Friendly Reminder: Be Nice
Racing the Hare 