I’ve Written a Book!
If you'd like to learn more about my journey, and how I began running, check out my new book.
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September 18, 2021
Facing Fear
Three months ago, I began writing an article about my experience running a half marathon on New Year’s Day. I never finished that article. The thoughts were there, but I couldn’t make sense of them or put them into words. Now, less than two weeks from my first attempt at running a full marathon, I am regrettably reliving feelings I experienced before that half marathon. It’s time to get some clarity. Here’s the background. Last summer, I began training for the 2021 Walt Disney World Marathon®. This was to…
April 3, 2021
Strength Training Cheat Sheet for Runners
We know that building and maintaining strong muscles is important, especially when it comes to supporting a running lifestyle. However, I have struggled in the past to incorporate strength building exercises into my routine. I would do some strength training one day and then I would forget which exercises I had done. Sometimes I would neglect certain muscle groups and overwork others. If I had abusy week, I would sometimes neglect to do strength training at all. Then I would get overwhelmed because I didn’t know which exercises to…
September 20, 2020
Are Running Breaks Harmful?
My recent experience while taking a brief break from running left me pondering a question: Can taking a break from running be harmful? It all started weeks ago when I felt pain in my lower left leg and also in my right knee. At first, I tried not to worry about it and continued with my running routine. When the pain returned, my level of concern increased. I had flashbacks to last summer when I experienced pain in the same areas. At that time, I made the mistake of…
July 31, 2020
Moving up to the Marathon
How do you know when the time is right to consider moving up to a full marathon? Until quite recently, this is a question that I didn’t think that I would ever ponder. Running 26.2 miles was for other runners. I had no desire to run a marathon. However, a few months ago, something started stirring inside of me. It was a weird longing and I tried to ignore it at first. The feeling was that I wanted to run a full marathon. Up until this point, the longest…
May 21, 2020
Running During a Pandemic: What I Learned From a Little Girl
With my head completely cluttered from the latest news and predictions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, I tied my sneakers and headed out the door. I needed to run. My feet settled into a rhythm as I zoned out to the podcast in my ears. I was hearing the sound, but not listening or even attempting to comprehend it. Digesting information is not possible when your mind is overwhelmed. Continuing down the road, there was no enjoyment nor discomfort. I was numb and content to remain that way until the…
April 29, 2020
It’s Time for a Virtual Race
This past Saturday morning, I completed my first virtual race. Previously, I had never seriously considered participating in a virtual race. Sure, I had seen advertisements for virtual races with really cool looking medals that were tempting, but the idea of a virtual race never fully made sense to me. That is, it never made sense until now. For several months I had been training for a half marathon and was looking forward to the race. As the coronavirus pandemic ramped up, many races were canceled. I continued following…
April 8, 2020
Running Is Hard and That’s Why I Love It
As humans, we usually look for the easy way out. We want to know how to hack the system. How can I do this faster? How can I do it easier? How can I do it with the least amount of effort? When given the choice between difficult and easy, I think most people would choose easy. However, this is not the case with running. Running is hard and many people choose to do it anyway. As a runner, you have to push yourself. Sometimes you have to push…
March 25, 2020
What to Watch on the Treadmill
Are you looking for something to watch while getting your miles done on the treadmill? These films are more than just good distractions. They are inspiring stories about everyday people training for and participating in endurance sports. Run along with these amazing folks and they will motivate you to finish strong. The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young1 hour 29 minutesThis may be a quirky race, but it is absolutely no joke. This film tells the story of how this unusual race began and follows several participants…
March 18, 2020
Runner Mindset: Responding to Naysayers
Recently, I was chatting about running with someone I know and respect who is a non-runner. After briefly discussing the upcoming half-marathon that I’m training for, the conversation shifted. Suddenly, he knew more about running than me. He declared that running is bad for the knees. He then went on to imply that the reason my knees were not yet ruined was because I had only been running a short while. What? Stunned, I couldn’t speak. Instead, I let out a little laugh. Inside, a fire had started because…
March 4, 2020
