Day 20: Small Tempo Run and Estate Sales

Day 20.

I started to write this earlier today and then I ran out of time. Now, hours later, on a Friday evening after getting kids from school, dropping kids at acting and soccer, waiting for said kids, and getting home for a couple hours before going to pick up another kid and this mom is tired!  It's harder to write at this time of day but I'm hoping to fit in a short post before my husband gets home and we make pizza together for family night.

Speaking of tired at the end of the day. Yesterday I taught kindergarten at my kids' school.  I love this class.  So full of spunk and energy and ideas and anything you can imagine.  They are funny, witty, and outspoken.  A range of ages and stages and all things WOW.  At the end of the day, I didn't think twice about giving my son some screen time when he asked.  For one, I was pooped (in a good fulfilled kind of way). And for another, I got a good reminder of just what a long day school can be for these little ones!  They NEED downtime at the end of their day.  I needed to be reminded of this.  I think sometimes when I don't see their day, I am quick to say no to certain activities they ask for and I often expect them to be doing something active or reading or something stimulating for their brains.  But the truth is:  They've been doing these things all darn day!  They need to zone OUT a bit!  Just like us.

Also, on the tired note, I'm feeling a very HAPPY TIRED right now after a really nice run with my sweet and inspirational friend Corie.  For those few of you besides me that read this, she's my friend that pretty much coached me for my first triathlon. Also the person that takes me on snowshoeing and mountain adventures.  Really, she's a amazing in so many ways (even though she dislikes the overused word amazing ;)).  Anyway, I had planned on a long run today but instead, Corie and I ran 10ish with 4 at a tempo-for-us-right-now pace.  It felt really good to push myself a bit more than usual since lately I run many many many slow untimed runs.  Mostly really.  With a few faster stuff on my treadmill stuffed in between.  No real training plan but I'm still fitting in miles and feeling happy with my running.  Today brought me right back to that place where I'm feeling a little hungry for more serious training again.  Maybe not enough to actually sign up for a marathon to race and actually stick to a plan and go for a goal time... but.... it gave me a whiff of that desire again.  Our run was a mix of rolling hills, trail, and flatter-for-Bend (but not entirely flat at all) roads.  We had a few really nice gradual ups and downs that allowed our rusty legs to get some more turnover than usual.  My Garmin and hers were definitely off with the splits even though we ran the same route....grrr...this is annoying to me since I don't know if it was my Garmin that was off or hers.  I'm going with mine being the accurate one because I liked my splits a bit better than hers:

7:28
7:18
7:26
7:32

Our miles before and after this portion were easy conversational pace.  Actually, we kept up conversation through the whole run really.  Admittedly, we were breathing a lot heavier and our words were fewer and farther in between while running the miles above but we still talked.  Thank you Corie!!  Next time we can run 13 with 2x4 miles at these efforts. Fun fun!

Estate Sale
Before I met up with Corie, I was going to run a bit beforehand so I could fit in more mileage today. I got a little distracted.  Instead of heading down to my normal trails by the river, I ran on the roads in my neighborhood.  At about a mile I saw a sign for an estate sale and something made me stop.  I'd never been to an estate sale so I asked a lady coming out to tell me how it worked. I asked,  "Do I just want i the house??" Yup.  I guess that's how it works.  So glad I did stop!  I found a really beautiful piece of furniture (at least I think it's beautiful) and a couple solid end tables!  I am still slowly adding pieces of furniture to my home.  I'm in no rush because I want my house to have an eclectic feel.  I value things that tell a story... unique and meaningful.  I can't wait to find a place for this.

Before I wrap this up, a few bullets of gratitude and intentions for this Begin Again Project.

Again, here  in link is the post that began Project Begin Again.  And below are the guidelines I keep in every post.  

So, here's how this will go. 

1. I will write something on here every day for 38 days because that is how many days until my 50k.  
 
2. I will keep in simple!!! Some days will consist of three sentences if that's all I have.   
3. I will write for me.  
4. I will try very hard NOT to compare my old Runninghood self to the Amanda typing today.  
5. I will keep my posts to daily gratitude, intentions and.... because how can we not feel sad, heavy hearted and powerless at so much happening in our world...I will include at least one small way I can or have done something to make the world a better place (this can be as simple and powerful as helping my child learn a lesson about love and kindness).  
6. Why am I doing this?  To Begin Again.  Just as with training for a marathon when we put in our daily workouts, I want to get into the habit of focusing on the things that make me happy and my intentions for making my life what I want. Writing helps me with this.  

Days 20:

Gratitude:

• My run today.  It wasn't anything fancy but it did feel really good to get out on the roads and wake my legs up a bit.  
• Time with my friend Corie.  
• Life in general.  Tis Good.  

Intentions:

• RELAX with my family this weekend!

Ah, it's Boston Marathon weekend!  Remembering my Bostons with such warm memories and thinking of all my friends who are running this year.  So exciting!!!!  

Feeling a bit of that Boston Strong spirit that I'll never forget. 

--Amanda

Boston and Stuff

I've sat down several times to write a blog post since the Boston Marathon.  Nothing.  When it comes to blogging, I'm just not feeling it much these days (most my blogging is done on Instagram). But when it comes to Boston...even if my blog is on the way to the grave, I kind of want to at least write something here.  There are so many good things to say about Boston 2015. It was everything I wanted it to be and more. Ok, so the freezing cold and sopping wet walk from the finish line to the bag check wasn't fun but everything else was wonderful!

This girl... such a special time with her!  And to think we met through running blogs five years ago and now she's family to me.  

As I've said from the start, Boston was a training run of sorts for me as I prepare for my first ultra marathon in May--The Trail Factor 50k.  My goals for Boston were to keep it FUN and relatively EASY.  With this being my 5th Boston and maybe my last for a few years, my specific intentions and reality were:

• Use Boston as a quality long run.  Don't race it all out.  Save my legs so I can continue training for my ultra.  Yes!  It's amazing to me how good this mountain trail running has been for me!  Since moving to Bend, Oregon in August, I've run almost all my runs on trails.  My weekly mileage hasn't exceeded 50 miles except one or two weeks (most weeks around 35-45ish), my mile splits have been trail slower and the time on my feet longer and varied in terrain/footing.  I've run more dirt and hills than ever before and my body has thanked me!  My longer runs of 20 miles and over have added up to more time on my feet than ever before in a single training run.  I've also been able to get out on the road every two or three weeks to test my legs out and run some faster miles.  Add to that a few treadmill speed workouts and you have one very loose training plan taken mainly from my heart/head and two or three running books I have accumulated over the years.  But you know?  This trail running and loose training has worked wonders for me--my body, soul, and running heart! I didn't even know (or care about) my Boston time for several hours after I finished because my Garmin stopped working during the last half of the marathon where it was pouring rain.  This was actually a good thing since my goal was to run without a watch or not look at it much at all!  I ended up running a 3:33:xx.  This is around the same as my other Boston Marathons (except for 2012 when it was 90 degrees):  2004: 3:32; 2013: 3:35 ? (I think...I know, how do you forget but I do); 2014: 3:28.  This one felt entirely different!  It was a lesson in distribution and pacing for me.  I went out easy and stuck with around that pace.  Yes, I slowed down at the end and my legs were tired but there was never any point where I felt like I was dying!  I think I actually could have had a Boston PR if I would have fueled the right way and had racing it as my intention...but we can usually say that in hindsight.  Ha!  
• Soak it all up!! With this being my last Boston for at least a couple years, I really wanted to take it all in and EXPERIENCE Boston for all it is.  You bet I did this!!  I soaked it up in more than one way...the rain and the energy!  Leading up to Boston, I got to spend some very quality time with friends in a city I LOVE!  During the race, I high-fived, stopped for a picture, SMILED nearly the whole way, almost cried a few times when I saw people supporting each other, and embraced the incredible energy from the crowds. 

This wasn't the easy portion of the run (obvious from my face) but I was still feeling so happy to be running!  I think I'll be buying these this time...for the story behind them.  At this point I was sopping wet and cold!!

Gorgeous weekend!! The weather was perfect every day except race day!

Watching the women's B.A.A Invitational Mile!  They make their fast mile look easy! 

• Play around with FUEL.  In training runs I don't use fuel anymore.  I used half a gel once for a 14 miler but I finally decided I didn't want or need it for the kind of runs I have been doing.  I eat a good breakfast and then take water or sometimes Nuun Energy (electrolytes and caffeine) with me.  My best marathon (my first) was run with one gel the entire way...just sipping it.  Granted, I was young, there is no science behind my strategy, and I wasn't running for a personal record since I had no record yet but it worked for me for what I wanted.  With Boston I drank water and had sips of gatorade every 3 or 4 miles.  I also sipped on 3/4 of a Huma gel for part of the race. If I would have had a bit more fuel of some kind, I think I would have had the energy to run some faster and stronger miles at the end if that's what I had decided to do but I'm happy with how things turned out.  The run was easy until the very end and I secretly hoped I would have had more energy to make a 3:30 or sub 3:30 feel strong and easy but that wasn't happening for me in order to keep running in a way that would mean I'd be able to continue training.  
• Enjoy being a part in someone else's first Boston Marathon!  As I've shared on this blog before, one of my closest friends is a friend I met through the blog world in 2010.  We got to know each other by reading each other's blogs but then we became daily email friends and then phone and Skype and eventually traveling to spend girl weekends together.  Five years later and I consider her family.  This year was special because I not only got to see her but I got to meet her parents and sister.  She was there running with her dad for his very first Boston Marathon at the age of 63!  Not only did she coach him all the way through but she paced him to another Boston Qualifier.  Such a special and memorable experience to be able to join this family for much of the lead-up an celebration.  Some good genes in this family!!  

It was cozy in the tents at Athlete's Village! 

Our good friend AM was there to cheer for all of us!  She spent hours in the rain and cold and then walked from the restaurant to the hotel with me once it got dark.  Only thing...I took us the wrong way and we ended up walking what felt like 5 miles in the POURING DUMPING rain.  She didn't hate me.  

Father and Daughter.  Runner and Coach.  Another BQ for him at 63!  Such an amazing man who is married to the sweetest woman and together they raised 6 of the best women around!  Honored enjoy some of this experience with them!

Some random bullets about Boston and After:

• The weather wasn't ideal but it was better than some of the other times I've run when it was 87 and 90 degrees!  The rain and cool temps really was being in our element as Pacific Northwest runners!  After training in Portland, OR for so many years, the rain, wind, and cold didn't have much on me.  Until AFTERWARDS.  With a sopping wet shirt, shorts and every inch of me from head to toe being saturated, it was MISERABLE walking from the finish line to Boston Commons for our bags. That was the true marathon!!!  My teeth were chattering so hard I thought they might chip loose! 
• It felt so much less crowded this year! I know last year was a special year with more people allowed but everything felt more efficient this year.  
• There is no race quite like Boston! From the city of Boston to the expo, energy, race course, spectators...the whole package...it can't be beat!  I will be back again when I am less busy with my kids and sports and can justify spending the money on another Boston.  For now, there are other things calling me.  
• I ate more sourdough bread and drank more beer than I have in awhile!  I'm surprised I fit in my shorts for race day.  But it was worth it.  Enjoying good food and beer while traveling with friends is part of what makes trips like this so fun!  However, in the future, if I'm going to try again for a PR, I might not drink beer every day leading up the race!  Oh, and the beer in Boston was disappointing for a west coast girl who likes a hoppy IPA. 
• I didn't run the day after Boston but I did run the following day with my friend AM.  We ran a slow easy 6.  It was a slow start.  My body was not liking me after running 26.2 miles on road after never running over 10 off trails for months.  My right leg wasn't working so well but I warmed up.  Since then, I've gotten back to my daily running routine.  Hoping for a long run of 18-20 this weekend if I can fit it in.  
• Lots going on in life that has me smiling so much.  I feel the happiest and strongest than I have for a long time.  Maybe ever.  Just content and present.  I'm enjoying my home, these trails, the memories to come in this backyard this summer, driving my kids to soccer tournaments and practices, seeing my husband thrive in a job he is so deeply passionate about, and soaking up this time I have to be home while my kids are still young.  Grateful.  

I've never been a blogger who was much good at race reports but it felt good to write a few thoughts down!  And now for some pictures.  

I don't know who missed the trails more...him or me.  We both were so happy to run together when I came home.  With my husband working so hard, this dog went from clocking 40-50 miles a week to maybe 10.  Love him!!

The Deschutes River on my 13 mile trail run yesterday

If someone visiting Bend, OR asked me to list my top recommendations for trail running, Shevlin Park would be in my top 3 on the list! From steep climbs leading to mountain views, meandering paths through lush forests along Tumalo Creek, wooden bridges, to paths leading to the perfect bench or table for a post run stretch or snack, this place has it all!!  Every time I visit,  I wonder why I don't drive the 10 minutes her more often.  

THIS is what I'm most excited for this summer!!  Time with my family in our backyard...enjoying each other and making and sharing memories.  

THIS is what I'm most excited for this summer!!  Time with my family in our backyard...enjoying each other and making and sharing memories.  Oh, and enjoying some good beers after long happy days in the sun!

Now off to get the kids and do the soccer shuffle!  This felt really good to blog again.  

Amanda

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Year of Running 2014

One of my favorite races from 2014!  Trail 30k near Asheville. First in AG and an incredible amount of peace and freedom that was found!

Let's see if I can make this post short and sweet!  I'm jumping in on Miss Zippy's Year of Running link up.  I've only done a handful of link up posts since starting this blog but this one is fun and simple!

2014 was a very memorable year for me with running and racing!  I spent most my year in Asheville, NC where I truly tapped into my love for trail running.  I have so many amazing memories from running there and training for Boston 2014.  It was one of my favorite running years that I've ever had. But for different reasons than the past.  2014 also brought an incredible amount of travel where I was able to run in so many beautiful and new places:  St. Croix (a 20 miler on this island in the Caribbean was long and hot but unique in a really powerful way.), Boston (visiting a friend and for Boston 14), Charleston, Savannah, Tennessee, Colorado, and so much more!  Now, living in Bend, OR, running has taken an entirely new page where almost all my runs are on trails and I start training for my first trail 50k (and Boston 15) TODAY!  No personal records with running in 2014 but definitely some personal FREEDOMS with running!  I've redefined what running is in my life and I'm even more thankful for all this sport offers!  

Best race experience?  Even though Boston turned out to be quite rough at the end (what marathon doesn't really?) with throwing up and finishing slower than I wanted, I was proud of my 3:28 and so so grateful to be there with my whole family and some very special friends during such a powerful year for the Boston Marathon.  I even got to ride the bus to the starting line with my dear friend Jenn.  So thankful to have had this experience!   I'm breaking the rule here and listing two races by counting my trail 30k in May: Cradle to the Grave 30k in the Pisgah National Forest outside of Asheville.  I got to do this with my husband and a few friends.  It was my second time doing this race but I was so much more prepared the second time.  I ran most of the race by myself but I think it was better that way.  This race is perhaps the biggest reason why I'm so drawn to trail running and racing now.  Such freedom and peace and joy to be found when you are out there running through such natural beauty.  

After Boston.  This kiss and time with my family was better than any finishers medal.  

Best run?  I'll choose one of my best runs.  Since so many of my runs in 2014 have been favorites, I'm just drawing from a hat here.  My best runs have been about the experience...the scenery...the freedom I've found in soaking up the world around me and truly enjoying the run for the gift it is without putting as much into the time on the clock.  When I was in Asheville, I ran at night a lot.  Not because I couldn't run in the day but because there was such peace to be found running those quiet streets in my small town where I lived.  One night in February sticks in my mind the most.  I wrote about this in Gift of the Run; Beauty to be Found.

Such beauty greeted me on my run tonight. Lonely streets, 
snow covered ground, 
little footprints and happy snowmen winking at me with crooked grins, lopsided hats and carrot noses -- signs of the joyful life that graced another snow day.
Small town charm surrounding me as I passed churches and little bungalows with red doors... 
The sky lit up with the sun peeking through for a glorious sunset over the Blue Ridge Mountains.
It stopped me in my tracks. 
Standing. 
Staring,
     in awe at the beauty that is there for us when we slow down to take it in. 
I ran on with the perfect song in my ear, my heart feeling big and wild 
       passing field after field, 
street after street 
of BEAUTIFUL. 
Then there it was...the bright and full moon leading me home, 
smiling down on me while I counted the first stars of the night...feeling blessed and beyond grateful to be living this life and to have the gift of the run.

Best new piece of gear?  I didn't get much this year when it comes to running gear.  A pretty simple year with regards to material stuff.  But I did buy a few new Oiselle items.  My red Oiselle distance shorts have been WELL LOVED!!  I also started running in a new/old pair of Brooks Cascadias.  These shoes.  ROCK!  Next piece of gear on my list:  a simple Ironman Timex watch like I used to run with before I got a Garmin.  Excited to run Garmin-free for much of my runs and perhaps all my races.  

Pretty sure I wore these red shorts almost daily this summer.  Don't judge.  I washed them too.  

Best piece of running advice you received?  Hmmm, this is hard.  I think this goes back to an email I received from someone after a post I wrote near the Boston Marathon in April.  They said something to me about staying within myself with my goals.  These words stuck with me so powerfully!!  I thought on them lots and actually wrote one of my favorite posts about it and how it applied to RUNNING and LIFE. You can read that here:  Stay Within Myself.  

Stay Within Myself 

Most inspirational runner?  How the heck do I answer that?  Gee, so many inspirational runners.  I'm inspired daily by so many of you.  I'm going to say my friend Jenn.  Love this girl so much.  She used to write a blog called Running Sane and that's how we met in 2010.  Since then, she's become one of the most special people in my life.  A sister.  Friend.  Truly family.  We've shared so much of our lives together through daily emails, training logs, trips across the country together, skype chats, and so much more.  A constant in my life. The mostly unlikely of friendships considering she lives in northern MN and I've been all over from Oregon to NC, but a friendship that is beyond special.  I've had the joy of sharing my training with Jenn through several training cycles and I've been lucky enough to hear about several of hers too.  Even when she's not training for anything specific, she inspires me with running (and life in general).  Seeing how she focuses on a goal, digs deep,  and has fun with her running in off season (but yet still seeking some sort of excellence) makes me want to do the same.  Above all, I'm inspired by how she continues to find strength and balance through running.  As a mother, wife, sister, daughter and friend.  Even though we are often different with our goals with running, when I hear about her goals, workouts and races, something clicks in me and I find a hunger and strength that might have been a bit dusty.  She doesn't have much time to train in the winter (and have you ever heard about a northern MN winter? ha!) because of having all three of her kids in competitive hockey (So much involved! And these kids are TALENTED!) and working beyond full time but she still makes time to be her own personal bad Ass with running!  Just the other day she wrote to me about her treadmill run (short but sweet) and it made me want to get out there and push myself a bit more than usual!  Thanks for inspiring me friend!  Looking forward to riding the bus together again in Boston 2015!

Riding on the bus to Hopkinton with Jenn before the Boston Marathon!  The most fun I've had in athlete's village.  Laughing before a marathon was energizing!  

If you could sum up your year in a couple of words, what would they be?  FREE.  PEACEFUL

Your turn.  What were your Bests of Running with 2014??  Answer here or link up with Miss Zippy with your own Year of Running 2014 post.  

Amanda

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All Things Running: Emcee (yikes!), Boston Marathon Thoughts, Healing Trail Runs, Trail Fun and More

It's Halloween day and I've yet to put a costume together.  My husband and I try to get in the spirit and make memories by dressing up with our kids and it often means coming up with a costume idea last minute.  Except last year when Whiplash from Ironman 2 was part of our family for the night. I won't say how excited my electrical engineer husband got about creating that costume.  Let's just say there were several nights of work (electrical work included) involved.  And boy was it authentic! So, we have about four hours to pull something together.  We're thinking a modern Luke and Leia--if we can't find a blonde wig for him then it will be an older Luke that has started buzzing his hair off (since it's much sexier than a comb over).

Running Running Running!  Lots of running thoughts lately.  The summer is officially over and this girl is settling into her running season.  I'm not sure what this winter holds for me with running but I'm getting excited to think of some plans.

Road Running vs. Trails
I ran on sidewalks today for one of the first times since we moved here.  Almost all my running has been on dirt, rocks, hills, and winding trails through the trees and along the river.  I'm not complaining one bit.  I'll take trails any day over the road.  However, I try not to pay much attention to my watch when I run on the trails since pace is MUCH slower.  Today I dropped my son off at his Montessori school and then ran to a meeting downtown.  It was a pleasant surprise to see what my pace was on sidewalks/road compared to the trail!  In fact, I rarely run with a watch these days on the trails now that I know the distance of most my routes.

Something New That Makes Me Nervous: EMCEE
Yikes yikes yikes!  So, I agreed to be the Emcee for the Sister's Happy Girls Half Marathon and 5k (put on  by Lay It Out Events).  I'm a mix between excited for the opportunity and nervous as all heck! Public speaking is something I'm not bad at once I'm comfortable (after all, I was a teacher for almost 10 years) but the first time for anything is just a little scary.  I'm kicking fear to the curb and trying something that scares me.  I think each time we say "YES!" and put ourselves out there (even if it means stepping outside of our comfort zones), we open doors that lead to new possibilities and connections. As soon as I agreed to do this, I sent a text my friend Sarah Bowen Shea (Love this gal!) and she gave me a short text pep talk and gave me the link to her article about her own Emcee experiences:  Fun at the Finish Line.  For any of you at this event, I'm warning you now that my voice might be ten octaves higher than usual until I relax.

Boston Marathon Indecisiveness 
Boston Boston Boston.  The Boston Marathon is in April.  That means many people start training in December.  Some like shorter training plans and start in January.  In the past, I've used October to December to build a strong base and get my mileage up before using a specific plan.  This year brings up a whole bag of indecisiveness:

1. First thing I'm questioning is if it is even in my best interest to run Boston this year.  It's expensive to get there, I've already done it four times, and it just might not be the best idea on a number of levels.
2. If I do run Boston, I need to decide how I'll run it and how I'll train for it. The Boston Marathon weekend is so much more than just a race weekend.  It's a weekend where I get to see some of my closest friends as well as be involved with the running/marathon community on one of the most exciting race weekends out there.  Nothing quite like Boston when it comes to the marathon.  Talk about ENERGY!  I can certainly train in a way where I just log miles and don't train specifically for any time goal.  This would allow me to run Boston for fun and possibly use it as a training run for an ultra marathon.  I'm also looking into different training plans that I might use if I do decide to train a bit harder.  Another option is finding a coach to work with (maybe even someone new to coaching (or just wanting to grow their coaching business) and wanting a guinea pig and someone to help them advertise/market through my blog.  However, with the latter, I'm not so sure I'd want just anyone telling me what do when it comes to running/training so it would have to be a seasoned runner who knows their stuff!  My gut tells me I'm going to go with training myself and possibly carrying my training over to an ultra marathon.  Of course, it all depends on this body of mine and how well it holds up! Oh, and who knows what a Bend winter holds.   

Trail Run Fun

Many of us have seen the Instagram pics of runners running on trails. One of my favorite Instagram feeds to follow is Speedy Mama Jess here in Sisters, Oregon.  I love seeing these kinds of shots! They are inspiring AND I get to see all the beautiful spots people run while seeing them enjoying doing what they love.  However, I admit, I always wonder how much time they took to set up their camera timers to snap the perfect shot.  It makes me laugh but I also think it's fun and I enjoy the pics as much as they enjoyed taking them!  I suppose this is part of what blogging and instagramming is all about:  capturing moments and sharing our lives with others.  On Tuesday, my husband and I hit up the trails for 11 miles.  It was such a gorgeous day so we decided to try one of those timed running pictures.  We'd never done it before and it made for some good laughs.  Our dog thought we were a little weird with our running back and forth for a few minutes while getting our shot.  But I think he kind of liked the game.  When we were ready to run on and not try for another shot, he actually turned around again thinking it was picture time. Ha!  Made me laugh.  

Deschutes River Trail taking off from Meadow Camp

Healing Trails

If you asked me about my favorite trails to run on here in Bend, Oregon, I'd have to say Shevlin Park would be the first place that comes to mind.  Now, I've only been here since August and I haven't even begun to discover all the trails there are around here but for now, Shevlin Park is where I go when I want to get lost in the trees and be alone with my thoughts and the beauty surrounding me.  It's GORGEOUS!  A bit less on the high dessert feel and more of the lush GREEN that I love.  Tumalo Creek trail is one of the easier trails in Shevlin Park--just what I needed for my Thursday run this week.  I won't go into details (yes, I'm allowed to be vague on here--it's my blog after all) but I will say that there were a few days this week that proved to be rather difficult and deeply painful on an emotional level--related to some news I received about a friend.  Running in the forest was just the medicine/comfort I needed. It was a time to be wrapped up in all the forest has to offer:
old, wise trees
fall colors
still and white waters from the creek
soft dirt
shaded paths
steep climbs that take you above some of the tallest trees
and
the perfect rocks on which to sit.

Plenty of tears and conversations/prayer on this run.  But also an incredible amount of peace, healing and hope in my heart once I finished.  Thankful for the gift of the run.  And beyond thankful for these forest trails I have at my fingertips.
  

Much wisdom and peace to be found on a trail run in the woods. Beautiful how these forest walls with their still and white waters, old towering trees and winding trails can pull us in so deeply and bring us so gently back to ourselves--telling us stories, whispering answers, and listening to our heart's every word. I'm so thankful for the gift of running. 

I have much more to say about running but this post is getting way too long so I'll leave some for next time.  I want to ask about recommendations for running pants, share some of the things I'm loving lately with running stuff, and put some potential races out there.  Oh, and I plan on trying this hands-free leash with my dog (honestly, I'm not sure what to expect with this type of leash...part of me fears falling on my face!) and then writing a review and giving one away to one of you!

Happy Friday!  And Happy Halloween to those of you who take part in it.


Laying it on thick with the questions today but lots I want to ask:
1.  Have you ever been an emcee at a race or somewhere else?  Would this make you  nervous?
2.  What are your favorite marathon plans that you'd recommend if I decide to use a plan for Boston?  
3.  Do you have a running coach you'd recommend?  
4.  Do you find healing and comfort through running?  
5.  Are you dressing up for Halloween?  Your kids?  What will you be?  

Amanda

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