I Run These Towns

In my first half marathon I raised money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through Team in Training . I was not a runner, and a friend convinced me to go to an informational meeting for TNT. How could I not be completely affected by the stories of all the incredible runners and survivors? I signed up for a marathon on the spot (although an injury forced me to run the half), and here I am an avid runner seven years, twelve half marathons, two full marathons, and dozens of 5ks and 10ks later. Fundraising was hard. Not only was I learning to run and dealing with a particularly challenging IT band injury (that plagues me to this day if I let it), I was also trying to raise money in a town where I'd been living for only a few months. It was difficult, and it turned me off of fundraising for a while. As a result I always, 100% of the time, donate when someone asks me to when doing a race. I know how hard it is, and I want to help others meet their fundraising goals.  I've bee...

One of the biggest challenges with running is maintaining interest. It can be boring to run the same loop day after day (and you know we all do it). It becomes monotonous, and therein lies one of running's biggest challenges - consistency.  Last year during my work's board retreat my friend and I ran up the ski hill at Boyne Highlands during our retreat. It was such a challenge that we decided we'd do it again at this year's retreat at Crystal Mountain.  I grew up in West Virginia, and I'm a lover of mountains. Michigan is completely flat in the Lansing area, and the only real opportunity for any significant hill training is in Mount Hope Cemetery. I see a rare hill, and I want to climb it. My sophomore year of college I lived in a duplex with five other girls off of Price Street in Morgantown, WV. Price Street is a very steep street, and it was a daily challenge walking back from class (especially if it was raining or snowy).  I am used to hills (or at least I...

This year has been one full of intense challenges. From challenges with our adoption, my taking and failing the bar exam (again), having to put our 15-year-old cat down...it's been six months of a lot. This is on top of the regular stresses of life with work and my Crohn's. And through all of it I've been very mindful to count our blessings. If nothing else the first six months of this year have taught us that life is short. Life is challenging. And we should embrace every single moment.  When we had to get away to Toronto a few weekends ago it was not just a fun vacation. For us getting away is part of who we are; it's a necessity. Of course it is fun, but it's getting away, traveling, experiencing is how we deal with life when life gets tough. When I get up and head for an early morning run, it's not just for my health. It's for my sanity. My husband has been really coming along on his own running plan, and now that he's starting to enjoy it I find...

After living in Michigan for more than seven years, I've visited Canada one time. Okay "visited" is too strong a word. I ran there during the 2010 Detroit Marathon . Up until this past weekend it was my one and only time on Canadian soil. My husband loves Canada, and it's become a bone of contention that I always want to go SOUTH instead of north when we travel. This past weekend, after a rough few weeks, we decided to head up to Toronto. Toronto is just over a five hour drive from Lansing, and we needed a change of scenery. After over a month of not traveling, including canceling two races and two trips, we needed to get away. It was mid-afternoon when we arrived in Toronto. Our random hotel pick the night before turned out pretty well. We were right near the St. Lawrence Market/Old Town area. We dropped our bags and headed out to explore downtown Toronto (just over a mile away). Our first stop was the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for those of us who ar...

My bestie's husband is from Texas. On a visit there a few years ago she posted on Facebook that a woman on the radio in Dallas advised everyone to "pack their patience" to deal with the traffic. Such a delightful saying, and much to my husband's chagrin I say this all the time (I'll admit partly because it annoys him.) This would give me extreme road rage. Here's the thing - I'm not very patient. I'm not good at sitting back and waiting for things to happen. I'm a doer. I MAKE things happen. That's one of the ways both running and traveling are good for me. I'm restless. I need to get out, see things, keep moving all the time. If I stop...well, stopping is just not an option. Traveling to vibrant cities is critical for my well being. I get my public transit/walkability/density/vibrant neighborhood fix and then come back here and continue to work at the Capitol hoping that one day I'll be sitting in committee hearings where every...

You all know I'm a huge fan of Jillian Michaels, the world's toughest trainer, as a form of cross training. My Jillian DVD collection has grown, and I love every one of her workouts. This weekend I was doing a kickboxing DVD with high knees (always fun). I felt a tweak in my knee, but I didn't think much of it at the time. It turns out it is always difficult to do a DVD in my house while dodging the 200 pounds worth of dog who like to lie around me. The culprit The knee was slightly sore on Saturday, and by Sunday it was extremely painful - especially any time I bend it. And it turns out that in order to function bending my knee is kind of a key component. Walking down stairs is the worst. I've suffered with IT band pain on my left leg, and this is nothing like that. This is an intense pain on the inside of the right knee cap. Fun times. So my running has been taking a hit anyway in the last few weeks due to the craziness of our schedule, and now this. I'm ...