Door #2

Day 3. Already a struggle. I think just because this will be a long one. Shitty shitters.

Welp, long story short, I started having left posterior tibial tendon (inner ankle) pain. Blah blah. It was a gargantuan cankle and diagnosed as a tear on an ultrasound. Blah blah. Took six weeks off. Blah blah. Got an MRI that showed it was actually tendinosis, not a tear. Blah blah. Doc said it’s a common chronic issue in 40-something year old runners and that the tendon is simply wearing away from years of running (so basically, the MRI diagnosed me as old). Blah blah. Said just to run to my pain level. Blah blah. Got a second opinion, who said it actually CAN heal, but it may take 3-6 months. Blah di freaking blahhhhh.

She's a beaut, Clark!

Side note, this foot also has evidence of an old stress fracture I never knew about, cuneiform and metatarsal arthritis (with a bone spur sitting on top of it just for funsies), and my plantar is still the size of a sumo wrestler’s. So, I’d like to think the MRI actually just diagnosed me as a BADASS. An old badass, but still.

Also, I seemingly know a lot of people currently considering or getting knee or hip replacements. I’d like to advocate for foot replacements to be a thing. Maybe just gonna drop that nugget in a suggestion box somewhere. Mmm hmm.

But I digress.

Anywho, I decided to choose door #2 - the doc who says it actually can heal with ample rest. So, I'm going to give it a shot. No, not a cortisone shot, a chance type shot. My plan is to not run until…omg…January. At this point, if the sucker isn’t better, I will then revert to door #1 and call the doc behind door #2 and tell him he was a liar and just run to my pain tolerance. I mean, I CAN run on this, but if there’s a solid chance I don’t have to run with discomfort, I’m gonna give it a go. 

Tendons are stubborn, impatient little buggers. Whereas a bone injury is predictable and typically heals in a set amount of time, tendons like to mess with your sanity and leave you guessing. I’m not sure why, but I keep playing the final Jeopardy theme song in my head…

So, what will I do in the meantime? Road bike. I may join the Zwift world. Lift weights. Bitch. Eat copious amounts of cheese. However, I feel like I need another hobby too that will satisfy my competitiveness. Some other things I’m good at include telling off selfish asstwats and being the first one to get through all the wines at wine tastings, but Mike tells me I should probably scale back on those. I dunno, I’m kind of proud of them??

And hey! Instead of running today, I’m blogging! I set a goal at the beginning of this year that I would blog once a month. HAHAHAHAHA. Fail. Here we are, first blog in a year and a half. Not gonna lie, blogging started to feel narcisssssisssstic (added extra s’s because if you say narcissistic five times really fast, you’ll laugh at yourself). Like, why do I feel like anyone gives a shit about what I’m doing? Sometimes I don’t even give a shit about what I’m doing.

But anywho, here are a couple other life updates that I’ll mention in my narcisssssisssstic state this morning...

I’ve had a new job for about a year and a half now, and it’s amazeballs! No, no, I'm still coaching with IPR too, but I’m also a copywriter/editor now for a mental health organization full of pretty amazing peeps. I mean, they actually care about you as a person and laugh with each other. WHOA. And no, I don’t write for them like I’m writing now (translation - I don’t swear). I can seldomly be serious.

I’m working on starting a cross country team at one of my sons’ schools for next year. Seems like this won’t be an easy feat, but I have some pretty cool peeps in my arsenal helping me, so yeah, can’t stop, won’t stop. ← I actually really dislike that saying. So cliché, eh? But it works. Anywho, Mike and I always say that cross country saves lives. Sounds silly, but I don’t know where I’d be today if I never joined my high school team. See, look at me being all serious and shit.

But no really, I'm fine. It's fine. Fall always ends up being a neurotic time of year between birthdays, holidays, and the 6-week long bronchitis stint that pretty much always knocks me out during October and November anyway. Mike and the boys are prepared for simply not knowing what kind of Jen they'll get each day for the next three plus months. Like, did she wake up crying? Laughing? Yelling? Singing? I dunno.

I suppose this unpredictability could also be blamed on perimenopause though? Interesting that the symptoms of that and not running are quite similar. And shit, just think, my three dudes have to deal with me during both. Eeeekers. If you suddenly feel bad for them, Mike likes brown ales and the boys like ice cream. Or maybe I should just set them up a GoFundMe. "Mom Went Bonkers. Anything Helps."

Aaaaaand on that note, bye.

Wilmington Half Marathon Weekend Recap

We ran a half marathon!  We won!

Okay yeah no, we didn't actually win the race, but we're calling it a win.  We got on a start line not injured, not sick, and in somewhat good shape.

This past weekend, Elle and I ran the Wilmington Half Marathon.  It was our longest race since 2019, when both of our attempts at the 2:45 OTQ standard were derailed by injury.  Then Covid. And more injuries.  And a lot of "why are we even doing this??" moments.  We've done relays and some shorter stuff, but yeah, this was like...a real race.  

In January, we ran the Frosty 50K relay with fellow Winosaurs, Liz & Michelle.  I wasn't really expecting much other than to have fun and drink bourbon with Des Linden afterwards (<-- both of which were successful), but I actually felt good on my leg.  Elle was already registered for the half, and she then convinced me to race it too.  I threw in some speed work for the following five weeks, and boom, off we went.

Twenty minutes into the drive to Wilmington, we figured we should probably eat a healthy, light lunch to really power us up for the next morning (lies).  We spent the rest of the drive live-stream listening to the Alex Murdaugh trial (that is some messed up shit!).  When we finally arrived, we checked out the finish line, gave the race director* some shit for rerouting the finish line around construction, thus making it slightly longer, and then headed off for a healthy, alcohol-free, full of hydration-only dinner. 

*he's a friend, so I'm allowed to say this.

Chipotle mmmm lunch

Mellow Mushroom mmmm dinner

We then headed back to the hotel to chill and have a photoshoot lay everything out for the next morning.  Our 3:45am wake-up was going to come very quickly!

I woke up at 2:45am because, ya know, that internal alarm thing.  I prepped my 8-creamer coffee (not an exaggeration, this is my M-O), we poked holes in garbage bags to prepare for standing around in the rain before the start, and then my nerves set in.  What the hell.  I haven't felt nerves like this in, hmm, I dunno.  I guess it was just because I was actually doing a race that I cared about again.  It was kind of funny.  The number of times I went to the bathroom was not.

We shuttled to the start, found an alcove to stay out of the rain that was also near porta-pots because ya know, nerves, and then just waited.  I tried force feeding myself a clif bar, but ick.  I swear, I felt so nervous that even my teeth hurt.  So dumb.

Once the race got rolling, I'm not gonna lie, I felt pretty dang flat.  My runs since that 50K relay had felt great, but I just felt depleted this morning.  ...silly rookie feeling of the nerves having gotten the best of me.  That's okay though.  The temps were great, the rain was a non-issue, and the elite and sub-elite fields were STACKED, so it was pretty dang exciting to be back in it.  After a 6:24 cozy first mile, I clicked off between 6:14 and 6:18 through mile 9.  This is exactly where I wanted to be... a 6:15-16:18 average pace would land me a 1:22 finish.  Elle was about 15-20 seconds ahead of me here, and she continued on to maintain the pace beautifully.  Me?  Not so much.  Bye bye, Elle.

Mile 10 ...probably dreaming of doritos

There were some rolling hills/grinders in the final four miles, and I could feel my need for more endurance here.  And/or maybe hill work.  Aww hell, maybe just a big snack?  I dunno.  These miles clicked between 6:23 and 6:33.  Just after mile 12, where the half marathon split from the marathon by turning right, a volunteer started yelling at me to turn way before the actual turn.  And then she yelled again to "turn now!" So, I said, "now?"  And she said, "now!"  So, yeah, my dumb ass turned into a parking garage.  I realized the mistake quickly but was kinda pissed so then yelled at her, "what the F!"  But the F was followed by some other letters.  Y'all, I swore at the sweet volunteer!!  I spent the next quarter mile feeling like a total shit.

One minute and thirty seconds later, I was over it when I heard a spectator yell, "Go Mommy!"  My kids were not in Wilmington with me, so I knew it was a fellow #motherrunner closing in on me, and my first thought was, "She has kids.  She could be a master."  If you aren't familiar with masters, this is a nice way of saying "old hags".  Also, age 40+.  Anywho, monetary prizes were being given to the top three overall and top three masters for men and women, so I used this as a carrot to kick and hold her off, which I did.  Go me.  I finished as second place old hag.  Bam.  1:23:58.  Meh.

If you've never run this race, do it.  Wilmington is one of my favorite towns in NC.  Good food, breweries, and of course, the beach.  The race course has some longer flat stretches but also some hills, which keeps it honest and interesting.  Some elevation change is good in endurance races; it changes up the muscles and can lead to faster times.  The construction reroute will also be gone next year, so the finish will be shorter and without all the turns.  Lots of free beer and excitement at the finish line.

Post-race, we had dinner with some of the race crew and also "the Queen" ...Ann Marie Pierce finished the marathon in 2:36, qualifying her for the 2024 Olympic Marathon Trials.  Watching her finish brought me to tears, mostly of joy for her, but if I'm being totally honest, also a weird mix of emotions of both envy and relief from when I tried, but failed, to OTQ in 2020.

We then went out after dinner, but what happens in Wilmington stays in Wilmington. 😏  ...which basically just means we drove to a bar while blasting 90s music and then judged what all the 20-somethings were wearing while we drank High Noons in a corner and tried to act cool (fail).  

So, yeah, Elle (who finished in 1:21:56 and won her age group), and I are excited to keep grinding towards faster times.  Not sure what will be next, but perhaps I should handle this shit first.  Looks like my other foot is now jumping on the arthritic train too, or maybe this is just a normal "48-hours post-race old hag normal occurrence?" I dunno.  Not enough to stop me though. :)

Good times, Wilmington!  Onward!

Elle finishing

Jeremy (second male master also!)

Liza Fletcher & Safety While Running

Today's 10-mile run for #letsfinishlizasrun felt like crap.  I probably would have just cut it short, but I finished it because Liza will never be able to experience the glorious feeling of a crappy run ever again thanks to a scumbag that never should have been let out of jail in the first place (seriously... prior charges of rape, assault, robbery, kidnapping, and keeping a man in his trunk??  How was he free??).

And to those with the judgy comments of 1) why was she was wearing just a sports bra?, and 2) why was she running in the dark alone at 4:30am?  Have YOU ever run 10 miles in the extreme heat/humidity?  Probably not.  I can tell you that she was not trying to attract anyone's attention.  What she was doing though was trying to regulate her body temperature while working hard towards a goal.  And are you one of those people that says "Oh, I wish I could do that, but I don't have the time."  Yeah, Liza didn't have the time either, but ya know what, she made the time.  In addition to being a mom of two little boys with a full-time job, she trained hard and made it happen when she could, which for her meant at 4:30am.  Where there's a will, there's always a way, and this was Liza's way.  So, I challenge you to have even a fraction of Liza's grit and determination.  Maybe then you'll understand and shut your pie hole.

And to the media that was quick to point out the fact that Liza was an heiress to a billionaire and had some marital struggles.  Shame on you.  What couple doesn't have stuff to work through at some point?  We were being led to believe at first that her husband had something to do with it when really, he was probably already struggling to protect his two boys, that will now never see their mommy again, along with his own emotions.  I get that they have to explore all possibilities, but come on, wait until you have some actual facts before you break someone down even further.  But, I digress...

Wherever Liza is now, I hope she finished her run and then some.  And to all my fellow runners, men & women, don't let these scums scare and deter you from doing what you love.  Alternatively, let's do it safely, but let's do it even more now.  Trust your gut, and if you come across someone sketchy/suspicious, look them confidently right in the eye and let them know that you're a force to be reckoned with... 

And maybe get one of these:

www.goguarded.com

Rant over. 

Here are more tips to stay safe on the run:

* Run against traffic so that you can see who is coming towards you.

* If you wear headphones, leave one out so that you have an ear open to hear everything around you and, especially, behind you.

* Wear reflective gear and lights.

* Ladies, consider bunning your ponytails, wearing a hat, etc.. Sad to have to think of this, but ponytails are easy to grab.

* Run with your phone or tell someone your route before you head out. Running clothes, sports bras, & belts nowadays come with so many awesome pockets!

* There's safety in numbers of course! Buddy up when ya can. If you're like me and often enjoy the solitude of a run, just be sure to run in populated areas.

* Carry pepper spray, and/or as I mentioned above, get this: https://goguarded.com/.

* Carry something that can make noise if needed. ...an alarm, a whistle; etc.

* Change up your routine. Don't run the same route every day, especially if you run at the same time every day.

* Always assume cars have the right of way even when they don't. Cars can be a-holes and won't necessarily stop at crosswalks; etc. With that said, don't be an a-hole runner ... i.e. don't sprint across the street to beat a car - just wait until they go. You certainly don't want to risk getting hit or someone developing road rage.

* Unfortunately, social media, while awesome in so many ways, can make it easy to track our whereabouts (i.e. Strava). Be careful with including your locations, and be sure that you only accept people you know. Consider keeping your accounts private too.

* Also as mentioned above, trust your gut, and if someone looks suspicious, don't look away and show vulnerability. Look them in the eyes and let them know that you not only see them, but you're confident and not afraid.

Happy & safe running, y'all!

OA & Maine

I got chased by a wolf on my run yesterday.  Like I literally saw my life flash in front of me as I screamed like a 4-year old that doesn't want to put their shoes on.  And apparently, eating nachos doused in velveeta cheese while watching Saved by the Bell as close to the tv screen as possible after high school XC practice is what I recall most fondly.  

But in any event, about a quarter mile after being chased by this ferocious beast on the quiet country roads of Maine, its owner appeared out of nowhere.  Yeah, it was a dog.  Named Maverick.  Not even that big.  Just had pointy ears.  It just wanted to lick me.  So I then sat on the curb with ol' Mav for a couple of minutes and caught my breath while he happily slobbered on my face.  And then I thought to myself, huh, Mav didn't even catch me.  Well that's cool.  Maybe I didn't lose as much speed as I thought.  And then I said bye (to Mav.  Not the owner.  She was still laughing at me.) and started running again.

Anywho, this is a big part of what I love about running...just these unknown experiences that could happen as you head out the door, the wild thoughts & memories & epiphanies, and the ability to think more clearly and logically while solving all the world's problems.  All these things that don't seem to happen without running.  And oh how I've missed it!

We're in Maine with family right now, and this trip couldn't have come at a better time in regards to my running.  I'm on week two of running again after six weeks off for what was thought to be a stress reaction in the cuneiform bone on the top of my foot.  Wrong-o.  After two MRIs and a CT scan, it turns out I have osteoarthritis and a cyst around both my first metatarsal and cuneiform bone.  The six weeks off was unnecessary, as you don't ever get rid of OA; it's all just about pain management.  And so even though I am very super largely mucho AGAINST cortisone injections, as they simply mask pain while potentially making the actual problem worse, since this ain't a problem that can be fixed, welp, here I am.  I guess that kinda makes me a traitor.  But oh well, this mama needs to run.  Racing fast is awesome and all, but what's more important to me is being able to enjoy the simplicity and beauty of running while thinking about random shit and getting chased by wolves.

Happy running, y'all!

42

Yesterday, I was running down Lake Brandt Road, singing loudly as I plodded along without giving two shits who saw or heard me, and then it hit me...it was the third time in a row I replayed the song "Bette Davis Eyes".  Oh dear lawd.

I am 42.

No, but really, it's cool.  I still feel energetic and quick as a whip.  Well, except something new hurts me every week, and I tend to not know what day of the week it is anymore.  Like, ever.

I had a great birthday last week.  It consisted of a family mountain trip over Easter, then friends that are more like family that know me well and gave me presents like:  middle finger sunglasses, an oversized pair of granny panties, a coloring book of animals humping each other, 40 single serve bags of Doritos, and a massive hunk of blue (or is at bleu??) cheese with a candle stuck in it.  Oh, and a massage gun, because again, something new hurts me every week.

So, running.  After the shit show that was the first two months of 2022, with non-stop school closures, covid & quarantine, and some calf asshole-ness, I've now been able to string together a bunch of consistent weeks again!  I ran the PTI 5K in March to see where I was, and it wasn't so bad!  Well, I'll rephrase that, it hurt like a mo-fo, but an 18:54 on just a couple of fartlek runs left me pretty happy and motivated to train more specifically again.

Because here's the thing with getting older.  You seriously just don't give a shit about anything.  For what everyone says about physical decline as you age, I will debate that in favor of mental gain.  I mean, minus the part about not knowing what day it ever is, but really, it balances.  Hear me out.  When I was, sayyy, 32, I would have OBSESSED about this 5K for weeks.  And I never would have let myself run it without having trained harder.  Now, I signed up for it three days before, decided the day before I wasn't even going to run it because of the 30-40mph forecasted winds (sounds awful, right?), drank three glasses of wine and ate a chicken cheesesteak that night instead, but then woke up at 6am and said, "Meh.  Why not.  You're gonna run regardless, so go race."  And so I did.  And it was freeing and glorious.  And I had a badass attitude about it.  So yeah, our oxygen capacity and ability to build muscle as we age does diminish (mind you, very gradually, so every time you use age as an excuse, check in on your training and life choices instead!!  ...there's your coach PSA for the day), but I swear the lower-key mental gains weigh heavier!

So, I have a fun goal that may be attainable, or it may not be, but it's fun to think about regardless.  ...and that is to PR in every distance from 5K to marathon as a master (master is age 40+).  #fasta-as-a-masta-that-loves-to-eat-pasta (apparently as you get older, you become a bigger dork too). The marathon would be the most meaningful to me obviously, and if I can get my shit together enough to get in the heavier miles, I'd love to go back to Indy to finish what I did not in 2019 (<--dropped at mile five with what ended up being a calf tear).  We will see.  For now though, I'm genuinely enjoying some shorter stuff!

This past Saturday, I ran a solid 14-miler.  ...my longest run in a very long time.  It felt great, except now as I write this, I'm icing the top of my foot.  I think my instep got bigger?? (I blame pregnancy, just like I blame pregnancy for everything, like this weird right-nose-nostril-cartilage collapsing thing...yep, definitely pregnancy.  And now next time I see you, you're totally going to stare at my nose).  Anywho, luckily today is my planned rest day anyway, so hopefully tomorrow will begin a few days of pain-free running before something else sets in.  Okay, but seriously, as the weeks become more structured and consistent again, I know much of this will get better.  Because consistency is EVERYTHING (<-- there's your second coach PSA for the day).

Happy old-ass and oxygen-diminishing, yet mental busting, running, y'all!  And thank you to everyone for making #42 and this week so special!

Cows at Kau

Ran straight up one heckuva grade for almost two miles in the ol' Smokies.  Glorious.

I ate my first steak in FOUR YEARS!  Yep, pregnancy seriously left me allergic to beef (see, I told ya...pregnancy!).  It was DELICIOUS.  Until about midnight, when it reallllllly was NOT DELICIOUS.

Granny

They can be sweet sometimes.

Meg turns 42 this year too.  Total dumpster trash.

Pessimists

Making the Case for 2024

This past week, my social media has blown up with memories from two years ago.  More specifically, pictures and snippets of my training for, and on race day at, the 2019 Indy Monumental Marathon, where I was targeting a 2:45 Olympic Trials Marathon qualifying time.  Depending on my current mood, seeing each one yields a different emotion, the biggest one feeling like, well, a dagger in my side.  Ouch. 

I get excited and full of pride.  Like, "I was targeting something epic."  I get mad.  Like, "I wasted so much time of my own, and that of my family, for what?  Nothing to show."  I get mad at my current self.  Like, "I was so driven then.  Put down the Doritos, and get back at it, will ya?"  I want to avoid it.  But I also want to relive it.  I can't explain it.

Since that day and dropping out at mile five with what an MRI would later reveal to be a calf tear, I've struggled to find a goal as, for lack of a better word, "worthy".  It sounds dumb, but attaining that 2:45 Olympic Trials time essentially would have been my Olympics.  I had no delusions of grandeur of actually then making the Olympic team.  A Trials qualifier felt like the pinnacle for me, as if I would have capped my running career with the ultimate accomplishment.

In some ways, I now feel like a ticking clock.  I'm 41 years old, and while I'll always be the first coach to say that age is just a number (side note, a 41-year old not only won, but PR'd by nearly two minutes at Indy this year!), it's more where I'm at in my life with a business and young kids and no patience that oftentimes leaves me feeling depleted.  I find myself saying, "Well, what's the difference if I've run a 2:51 or if I run a 2:45 now?"  The 2:45, other than lowering my PR, doesn't equate to a Trials qualifier anymore, so does it matter??

This is where I want to make the case for the 2024 Olympic Trials standards...

USATF has yet to announce the new standards, but rumors are swirling that the men's time will become 2:17 or 2:18 and the women's <2:40.  ...to which, I feel defeated.  Look, I'm a realist; 2:40 ain't in my cards.  In 2019, I knew in my heart I could have run that 2:45, but I was stretched THIN (figuratively and literally 😛).  Even if my calf had cooperated, it would have been close, and honestly, I don't think I could have trained any harder or better.  This was a big part of the excitement actually...it was a goal that was in my realm of possibility, but it certainly by no means was a given.

In any event, I digress.  I want something to chase again, but I feel like I don't have anything.  And my guess is that a lot of the women (and men!) who had my same OTQ goal are feeling the same way right now.  If the standard goes below 2:40, this cuts out about 80% of the field from 2020.  There were also a lot of women between 2:45 and 2:50 that just missed the standard too.  Why not keep boosting our sport and give them a reason to want to keep dreaming and chasing?  Because I know for me, if the standard goes below 2:40, I'm more likely to target Doritos for a modeling gig than to target that.  If it were to stay closer to 2:45, mayyybe even 2:43-2:44, I would 100% go for it again.  

I'm sure money is a big reason, but for all the money spent on athletes in the Trials race, I would also think the economic boost for the host city has to be pretty stellar.  I also understand that qualifying for such an event is, in a way, "exclusive" ... like, it's meant to be a smaller group, the cream of the crop per se... so perhaps the fields shouldn't be that big.  But I don't know...as we work harder and accomplish such feats, it almost feels oddly like a punishment or something to have such a drastic drop after the fact.  In a way, it makes me a little sad for the sport, and I'd actually be curious to chat with other women or men in my position to see how they're redefining their goals now, or if they even are at all. 

Ultimately, at the end of the day, and like I've said a bazillion times, I'll always run, as it's simply what I love to do.  ...but to chase and daydream about something so amazing just puts it on a whole other level, and I'm really missing that right now.

Happy chasing!

Me (and that's ok)

 I feel like I have so much to say and nothing to say all at the same time.  <--- I wasn't really sure how to start this blog since it's been so long since writing, so there we go, I just wrote out what my brain was thinking.

Ahh yes, here we are, still in the land of a pandemic.  Remember when we thought it would be over in two weeks when it started in 2020?  HA!  That's funny.  Not really.  My two boys and I got sick this week, and what was the first thing we did?  Freaked out we had Covid.  Got tested.  Negative.  Remember when colds and shit were normal for this time of year?  Oh wait, they still are.  But we're programmed to freak out now that it could mean something else, creating hysteria.

Okay, enough of that talk.  I will say that I am SO, SO, SO grateful about a month ago that I decided NOT to run the Chicago Marathon this weekend.  Why?  Well, for one, I can't breathe super awesomely right now, and two, it's going to be hotter than sriracha out there.  After Boston, Kiawah, and Myrtle, I promised myself that I would never run another hot marathon.  I've run enough races in my life now; I'm not interested in just completing them anymore.  If I can't compete or try and better my time, meh, no need.  Too much other crapola going on to deal with that mess (look at me all spoken like a true old wise person and stuff!).  Okay, but really, best of luck to everyone in Chicago.  Like seriously, start off slow cuz that second half will suck if you don't.

I'm still in my "FUN" running mode.  Full disclosure, I go through highs and lows of wanting to compete.  I get PUMPED, sign up for a race, and then the next week think, "well what the hell did you go and do that for?!"  I know I can hold my own at any point, but I'm definitely not in any kind of tip top race shape.  I did sign up for the sub-elite race of the USA Half Marathon Championships in December (any male having run under 1:25 and any female having run under 1:35 can compete) and am having thoughts of a spring marathon, but I'm still allowing myself grace and living in the moment of where my heart takes me.  For example, as I write this post, my heart took me into a bag of cheese Doritos...  

Ran another relay with my winosaurs team; had another blast!

My heart also took me to starting my own business in July!  It's official and going so much better than I could have ever imagined for the first few months.  In Pursuit Running (I PR) offers one-on-one and small group worldwide coaching, as well as a free community group run on Thursdays for those in the Triad, NC area.  I've already learned so much through the process, appreciate the amazing "village" of family, friends, and professionals that have helped me make this happen, and am just so damn proud to have created something that helps fuel other individuals' fires and desires.  Because in today's world, especially in this pandemic land, it's crucial to take care of ourselves first (think of being on an airplane...you must put on your own oxygen mask before helping someone else.  If you don't, you eventually won't be able to help another single person, period.  Roger.  <--- not that I know someone named Roger that needs help, but meaning like, Roger, 10-4, got it.  Oh dear lawd help me).

Furthermore on this point, I read a quote yesterday from one of my favorite professional all-time runners, Lauren Fleshman of Oiselle, that really resonated with me.  For the past eight years, she has coached Oiselle's "Littlewing" team, which is a small group of female professional runners in Oregon.  She decided to leave her coaching role to focus on other professional and personal desires and priorities and said, "Sometimes, doing what we need to do for our health and wellbeing will disrupt stability for others.  It just does.  I hate that part so much."  Gahhh, so true.  It took me so long to go out on my own because I feared how it would affect the runners I had currently been working with.  However, I wasn't taking care of myself and my own needs and that of my family, who are ultimately who matter most.  I'm trying to stay true to my vision for my business with this same mantra too.  It's hard when you can't make everyone happy, but we need to accept this reality in order to protect ourselves and those closest to our hearts.  By doing so, I'm so excited for what I PR is already becoming!

I PR and the Jesse Wharton Elementary Run Club

An I PR Thursday Run

On another completely random topic that I can talk about because it's my blog and I can do whatever the heck I want here.........do any other moms (or dads) feel pressure to put their kids in 6,457 activities every week!?  I legit had a mom ask me the other day what sport my boys were doing after school on Mondays.  Not like in general, but in particular on Mondays because she didn't have anything scheduled yet for that day and needed to find something.  I was like, ummm, they're eating dinner??  We have swim and robotics and gymnastics and run club and soon-to-be mountain biking between both boys on Tuesdays through Saturdays.  I already feel like I'm going to lose my marbles sometimes because we're overdoing it?  I felt a teeny bit of shame for having a day where my kids weren't in an activity.  Is this a thing??  Again, I had to go back to my mantra above of doing what's best for my wellbeing and making sure my kids are actually happy in what they're doing, but yikers.  When I was a kid, I did one activity at a time; I tried a lot of different things, but the solo focus enabled me to determine if I truly had a passion for it (enter running!).  K, rant over, thanks bye.

On that note, I'm heading out for a short run. 
Happy Fall, and Happy Running, y'all!