Friday, November 4, 2016

Loving....Not Loving...

Holy Cow! As longtime Cubs announcer Harry Caray once said, "sure as God made green apples, someday the Chicago Cubs are going to be in the World Series". You'd have to be living under a rock not to know about this improbable win for my hometown team.

But that's not all I'm loving lately! This week's Friday Five v2.0 link up theme is "all about me". It's been a while since I did a loving/not loving post, and so today, I share 5 things that I'm loving but not loving!



Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Runners, We Get Each Other

The best thing about writing this blog, and the reason I started it, is to reach other runners. The idea was to connect with people who understand me. Instead of telling me I'm obsessed, you all encourage me. When I'm hurt, you feel me. Training? You advise me. Mishaps? Runfessions? Chafing? Runners' trots? You get me.

You are my people.

My family doesn't want to hear about it. My friends pretend to want to hear it. They all politely ask me about running. It's like waving a steak under a dog's nose. I'm so eager, so excited, so passionate about my running that I can hardly hold it in. I vomit up a dialogue of my past runs and then...

Their eyes glaze over. 

Taking the Long Way Home


Sunday, October 30, 2016

The Color Runs...

Autumn in the Midwest is the season of color. Sure, it's nice to see green in the spring after the white and gray of winter, but fall is when things really pop around here. In a sense, it's nature's last hurrah before shedding its foliage and getting ready for winter. Seems ironic, right? Just when it's getting cold, gray, and drab, the trees decide to get naked. Who thought this was a good idea? Don't we need color in the winter?

I don't make the rules, I just live here. And I'm savoring every last moment of nature's show before winter takes over. Not only are the leaves colorful, but the sky has been giving us a nice show in the morning and at night.

This past week was peak season for the colors and I savored it--both on the road and off. Even on the cloudy days, the colors of the leaves made me happy. My weekly training summary is all about the colors of fall!

Taking the Long Way Home


Friday, October 28, 2016

Runfessions: October Edition

October is winding down and that means only one thing...it's time to head into the Runfessional again! This is my favorite time of the month because I get to share all my indiscretions and wipe the slate clean for another month. Marcia hosts this fun link up and there are a lot of juicy 'fessions being shared. You don't want to miss out...

Taking the Long Way Home

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

The Nuisance Inside My Head

No sooner did I sign up for Grandma's Marathon did the voices in my head start their relentless chatter:

"You can't do another marathon."
"You're too old to do another marathon."
"That PF is going to come roaring back."
"Seriously? Another marathon?"
"What are you trying to prove?"
"What are you thinking?"

Do you know these voices? Ever heard those comments? Do you ignore them or succumb?

Those voices used to get under my skin. At this point, as I consider my 5th marathon, I just look at them as just a nuisance.


Sunday, October 23, 2016

Running Into Fall

Fall has finally arrived in the midwest. It was slow to come--summer just didn't want to let go. The foliage is starting to turn into those beautiful colors we wait for. While it was still very warm at the beginning of the week, the temperatures settled into what is considered "normal" for late October. This is the best time of year to be a runner. The scenery is a feast for the eyes, and with cooler temperatures, it's the return of long sleeves, tights, and thumbholes!

The only bad thing about fall is that we know what's next. But let's not think about that. Here are some of the highlights from my week on the road and the mat.

Taking the Long Way Home


Friday, October 21, 2016

Book Review: Run the World by Becky Wade

Imagine that you were told you could travel anywhere to explore running. You have a year to complete your journey. Where would you go?

Becky Wade, named "America's Best Young Marathoner" by Runner's World in 2013 after winning the California International Marathon, got such an opportunity. After graduating from Rice University, she applied for a Watson fellowship, which provided funding for a year of "purposeful and independent exploration and travel". Becky wanted to plan her journey around running and different cultures. She was curious about how runners around the world lived and trained.

Becky shares her stories in her book Run the World: My 3,500-Mile Journey Through Running Cultures Around the Globe.