I Run These Towns

Ernest Hemingway once said, "The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places." I'm often told that I am strong. I've been told by friends or family that I'm the strongest or bravest person they know. I find it embarrassing and always a little surprising. Bravery and strength come in many forms, and I don't think of myself as being particularly strong or brave. I'm driven, and I'm stubborn enough to push through Crohn's problems because I refuse to lose to it. But brave? Strong? I'll let you in on a little secret: I'm often terrified. I'm terrified that I won't recover to my pre-surgery self. I'm terrified that I won't be able to run anymore. I'm terrified that this surgery/infection/flare will be the one from which I won't be able to recover. Everyone in this world has legitimate struggles, and it's how we take the punches that reveal our character. I try to be grateful for my s...

Do running and cities make you happier? The short answer is yes, obviously, or I wouldn't be writing this blog. As someone who hasn't been able to run or utilize and experience cities in a way I'm used to, I can attest to the increased level of irritable and grouchy. I'm definitely happier when running and cities are an integral part of my daily life. I'm currently reading Happy City by Charles Montgomery , a book that examines happiness based on where one lives. It doesn't take long to realize that living in suburban (or exurban - beyond the suburbs) neighborhoods without places to which one can walk makes people less happy. They spend more time in their cars and have less human interaction. Even reading the anecdotes in the book of people driving 50-60 miles one way to work every day make my skin crawl. Charles Montgomery looks a little like one of my fav country singers, Dierks Bentley. That is a huge compliment, by the way. I started thinking about ...

Every year in autumn it happens: the madness. Every year I think next year won't be like this. We'll say no. We'll manage the schedule. Yet every year as summer comes to an end I find myself looking at the calendar and wondering what the f*ck we've gotten ourselves into.    Having two sets of season football tickets, including one set at my alma mater six hours away, is a blessing and a curse. We love college football, and we love seeing everyone. It's just that when the schedule comes crashing down on us that we realize how little time we have to do normal things like yard work and laundry. Looking ahead at the next few months is daunting. We have one, ONE WEEKEND, in three months in which there is nothing planned. The other weekends include trips to Atlanta, Washington, DC, three trips to West Virginia, a bachelorette weekend, two weddings, a 5k, and a 10k. Then we have Michigan State football games (which take up entire Saturdays) on our "off" w...

If we ever got a boat, I would name it "Miner's Lady". It's from the West Virginia anthem "Country Roads", and it's rather ironic given the lyric that follows: "stranger to blue water". The chances of us getting a boat are either slim or none because a) we don't know anything about boating and b) if we ever had a vacation retreat it would definitely be in the mountains not on a lake. A few years ago I wrote a blog about Michiganders and their penchant for going "up north". I didn't get it then, and I don't get it now. I start to feel itchy if I spent too much time in Michigan, and nine times out of ten I'm ready to head south. Anywhere south, but preferably West Virginia.  I travel all over Michigan for work, and I love discovering and rediscovering towns I love. Last week I headed to Midland, Michigan for a conference. Midland is home to Dow Chemical , and Dow has invested significantly in the community to attrac...

In the last week I've been trying to come to terms with the simple fact that the New York City Marathon won't be happening in November. In order for me to make it work I need to start an aggressive training program this week. Unlike a normal marathon training program where I've run a few half marathons in a year, my fitness level has taken a beating. I have run two half marathons this year, but in the interim I've had two abdominal surgeries and a blood clot. Yesterday I tried to go for a run, and it was an abysmal failure. I "ran" a mile, and it was painful. I still have abdominal pain when I'm not even moving, so trying to run was not cool. I have to accept that I'm just not ready, and pushing myself will not bode well for my health. The good news is that I can defer my entry to the NYC Marathon and run it in 2015. I will run New York even if it's delayed by a year. It's just that I'm not good at accepting my limits. Call it a characte...

Dear Lansing, A few months ago my husband and I decided to take the plunge and buy a house in Downtown Lansing. I know some people think we're crazy. We've gotten everything from "Downtown Lansing is terrible" to "Where will you send your (nonexistent) children to school?" I get it - it is a risky move. But there's nowhere else in mid-Michigan we'd rather live. A sprawling township? Never in a million years. East Lansing? Come on, give me a break. We want to walk to work, live in a downtown, and live in a historic (and affordable - one reason why East Lansing is out) home. With all of that being said, I would like to share some constructive criticism with my new neighborhood. There's so much to love about it, but there are some serious things that need to be addressed. We plan on living here for a long time. So here's the thing Downtown Lansing: you should probably really consider taking me up on the following suggestions. I'm tenaci...

I discovered an abdominal mass this spring, and I knew it was something that would need to be removed. This isn't my first rodeo. I went to my surgeon in April and told him I promised to schedule surgery after my triathlon in June. My surgeon didn't think it was a great idea to wait, but I'm not known for my listening. True to my word, my triathlon was on June 21, and my pre-op visit was June 22. Surgery was scheduled for July 9, and I assumed I'd be running again by the end of the month. I'd lose very little of my fitness level, and I'd jump right back into running like a champ. Of course we all know that isn't how it happened, and now I'm looking at starting running again soon from a very different place. I'm much skinnier, I'm weaker, I'm not able to eat much. Yet somehow next week I will begin training for a marathon. The smartest idea I've ever had? Obviously not. But life is meant for living, not standing on the sidelines. I hav...