First blog post! Happy 2017

Happy New Year!!

This morning I opened a Snapchat from my online running coach, Andrew, who was making an observation about himself.”All I really care about is running” he said…making training plans for his athletes, planning races, etc. and I responded: ME TOO!!! Obviously this is an exaggeration on both of our parts, neither of us are A-holes who care about nothing aside from running, plus I’m not a coach and I don’t make training plans for others, BUT in the last year I have definitely become beyond passionate about all things running. That Snap made me so happy! I am not alone! Then I assisted my non-runner husband out of bed to head down to the waterfront with me for the Rupert Runners Resolution Run that I was in charge of promoting this year.

At the event my friend Shannon who is a very talented journalist, photographer, yoga instructor and runner, suggested that I blog about the upcoming challenge I’m taking on next week. The Dopey Challenge at Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend in Orlando, FL. I obviously agreed with her because now I’m sitting here writing this first post on this new blog. I actively use Instagram as a sort of photo training log and as a place to find inspiration and interact with a massive online running community, but since a caption on a photo isn’t always the best place to reflect or report on day-to-day training and progress, this blog now exists!

If you’re reading it, I hope there will be things that you can relate to, learn from or get ideas and inspiration from. I am no running veteran. Growing up I was a soccer and volleyball player, a tap dancer and a skier. Aside from a few years of elementary school track & field, I don’t have a running background. It was only in 2013 when I was 28 years old that I participated in a clinic with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training and completed my first half-marathon, the Nike Women’s 1/2 in San Francisco. Now, with 6 half and two full marathons under my belt, I’m heading into a giant four-race 78.3 km endurance challenge in just a few days. I have many other goals for 2017 and beyond that continue to evolve over time and experience, and I think writing about all of it is a good idea. More accountability, planning and reflection. Hopefully what I learn along the way is useful to anyone who comes across these posts.

Hope you had a great New Year’s Day. The short, non-competitive Resolution Run reminded me of something very important today, that I actually just love to run. What an awesome thing to be reminded of on the first day of the year.