There is so much anticipation around the holiday season that we begin talking about it months in advance. Ultimately, the payoff is hopefully positive, but nonetheless gone in a flash, and we are left to look forward to the next significant event in our lives. I can’t help but think about the similarities with many of the major races we run each season. We train for months and months, all in the hopes that the stars will align and we will go out and achieve the goals we set for ourselves. Our best laid plans are somethings thwarted, of course, by weather, or illness, or any of a number of life events that so inconveniently get in the way. This has certainly been the case for me on many different ocassions, and it has given me pause to consider the level of anticipation I place on any one day or event. I love celebrating with family and friends, just as I love running and the running community, but I feel I’m much more careful now. My hope is that I can remember to enjoy the moments in between, take advantage of unexpected opportunities when they arise, and properly contextualize my big races, just as I do major holidays. This may not stop me from getting ridiculously excited to surprise the epicurean with any number of unique and unexpected gifts, but it will help me remember again in the upcoming year that every run is important in its own way. I’m #chasing42 each time I lace up my shoes, whether it’s for a simple training run or a 100-mile race!
Chasing42 Log: 20161220- 20161230
Run: The last week and a half have provided perhaps the most diverse array of running opportunities I’ve had in quite a while. In the days leading up to the beginning of winter break on campus, folks start to disappear early, which means accomplishing anything meaningful becomes more and more difficult. As a result, I was able to leave early the last two days I was in, and enjoy some mid-afternoon, mid-week trail time, which was a delightful treat. We flew out of Philly last Friday, and were lucky enough to snag a non-stop flight to Phoenix for our annual journey to see the epicurean’s lovely family. I squeezed in a morning run before our flight, which was needed considering the 5-hour flight across the country. This past week has been a running delight for the most part. I’ve been able to venture out onto the Arizona desert mountain trails on several ocassions. However, I was held back a bit by an unexpected cold and fever earlier this week, which meant not pushing quite has hard and doing some more running around town as well. Despite feeling a bit under the weather the last few days, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the variety of trail experiences. The highlight was most definitely a run up Elephant Mountain near Tonto National Forrest yesterday, and some of the most spectacular views I’ve ever seen. I’ll be sure to share more trail highlights in an upcoming post!
Thought: It’s that time of year again where the calendar resets, and everyone eagerly pours over potential races and other adventure goals. I don’t have many races on my calendar as of yet, but am hoping to fill it in soon. However, my hope is to plan a few more solo or group adventure runs in the new year as well. There are a lot of ways to experience the world around me, and I want to make sure I don’t miss out on any opportunity!
So, what do you have planned for the upcoming year? What exciting races should I be looking at? I’m always up for adventure invites too! Happy New Year to everyone as you ring it in tomorrow night!
