Life is most definitely about balance, and I’ve found myself examining my own balance in a lot more detail as of late. I’ve become acutely aware, now that I’ve had some time to settle into my new position at the University of Delaware, that there are only so many hours in the day. I have always loved to be busy and fill my days with as many activities as possible, but I’ve also had many more things on my to do list than time to complete them. I suppose that is the curse of finding so many different things interesting, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. However, it does mean I’ve spent quite a bit of time “doing” in the past two weeks, and far less time writing. It’s good to take a moment to stop and reflect on what life is throwing at you, and running continues to be my conduit for just that. I cherish my time running every day, whether it be one mile or 50 miles, and what it allows me to accomplish mentally.
I have some catching up to do when it comes to the happenings in September, but it’s coming…even if some of it shows up in October🙂
Chasing42 Log: 20160904- 20160918
Run: My time has been significantly more limited, especially with the class I am teaching on Tuesday nights, and the extra work it involves. However, my training has been strong as I race towards October 7th and the Grindstone 100. I celebrated my birthday a day early on September 4th at the Labor Pain 12-Hour Run in Reading, PA. My goal was to use the race as an opportunity for a long, supported training run and to hit my age (37). You can expect a more extensive report, but the short version is: perfect weather, great course, lots of climbing, well-organized, and 40 miles in a little over 7 hours. I dialed things back a bit the following week, including a relaxing taper-esque run in Lothian, MD on the 10th while visiting family. There’s just something amazing about having an entire wildlife refuge and bird sanctuary to yourself on a Saturday morning (even if the humidity was out of control)! My weekday running has made for some much longer days, and I think the totality is probably catching up with me a bit, based on how I’m feeling at the moment. Heck, I even managed to squeeze in a run in D.C. after a one-day trip for a conference! I wouldn’t recommend changing in a Union Station bathroom, but I always love running on the mall🙂 The streak is still going strong, and I love the habit itself as much as the miles. I’ve been focusing on getting as many trail miles as possible, and climbing as much as I can the past few weeks, and it seems to be paying off.
Thought: I read blog posts and see photos of beautiful mountain landscapes out West, and I seem to dream of living out there pretty regularly. The wanderlust kicks in hard when I’m reading about amazing back country outings and looking at incredible views. This has gotten me thinking lately about what my life would be like if I actually did live in a mountain town, though. Would the pull be so strong that it would be hard to focus on work at all? Would it drive me crazy to be in an office with a trailhead right outside my door? I’m not entirely sure, but I’m learning to appreciate where I am more and more, and will keep looking forward to the adventures to come. I’ll always be #chasing42!
