she's at it again...

i dug my running shoes out of one of my many boxes today and put them to use. they've been neglected for several weeks now in the shuffling chaos of change. but i really love the consistancy and methodical-ness (?) of running. no equipment necessary except for a pair of shoes, lungs, and legs that work.

how in the world did i, of all people, become "a runner?!" (i like my friend kelly's comments about her self-description as a runner. i mean, basically, if you're running...then you're a runner. it's that simple right?) when i started dating my boyfriend last fall, i had just started training for my half marathon. he has ONLY known me as a runner. that just makes me giggle. it's not that i don't like athleticism...i'm just not super talented at the whole deal. (if he only knew my dark un-athletic past! shhh...no one tell him!)

but running...

see, running consists of putting one foot in front of the other in a motion that is faster than walking. some people are speedier at it than others, but come on--EVERYONE can do it! and thus, running opens the door of "being athletic" to just about anyone. i just love that!

i have a friend who used to run in high school but stopped because he was frustrated with the fact that you can never "win" at it. you are constantly trying to beat your "personal best." it's not about winning--it's about improving. an endless quest. but i like that too.

training for a half marathon was an incredible experience. because when i started, i was barely doing a mile or two. when i finished in december, i had run 13.2 miles! how did that happen? slowly...over many months...by increasing my mileage a little every few weeks. did it feel like i was ever going to make it to 13.2? no way, man!

running reminds me of being a Christian. [insert spiritual applications here]

so i started training for a full blown marathon today. (well, i started the 12-week pre-training before the 18-week "official" training. it will be 26 miles. how many did i run today? 1.5. awesome.

i'm so glad i dug up those shoes. now where's my bible?

the first day of the rest of my life

well, hey! welcome to my blog! what do you say to begin one of these things...?

for starters, let me catch you up on where i'm coming from:

i am intrigued by blogs. i've wanted one for some time, but haven't had the time to put into it. but something happened recently that caused me to decide that i MUST get my own. long story short: i was reading the blog of a family friend from my hometown who included a link to one of his friend's sites...it happened to be my MOTHER'S. did anyone know my mom had a blog? no. but she had been posting for months. what a technologically savvy mother.

so then i was ashamed. i was so behind in my coolness that even MY MOM had a blog. how sad. (not that my mom isn't cool--she is the essence of coolness...it's just that, being 28 years her junior, i'm supposed to be on top of this kind of stuff, right?) it was then that i knew that blogging was in my future.

it's crazy the things that can inspire us, huh?

so here i am. and it is the first day of the rest of my life. i just finished grad school, moved into a new house, and my apprenticeship that i've had for the past three years ended today.

so to end today's post...
three things that have inspired me for the past three years:

1. my dog
i adopted my ex-racing greyhound two years ago. (his name is owens.) what a fabulous decision. he makes me so happy! i've learned so much responsibility and patience from taking care of him while at the same time, he is the truest companion i will ever know. and boy is he full of quirky adventures...


owens at bedtime

2. facing my fears
ok, so it sounds silly...but my greatest fear for a long time was going underwater without holding my nose. i can't explain it. it just made me deathly afraid. i never learned how as a kid. i tried for the longest time to overcome the problem by myself. but i eventually just gave in and took swimming lessons. some of the best money i have ever spent! at the end of those lessons, not only could i accomplish that goal, but i felt like i could do anything else i had been afraid to do! like: allow myself to be girly...make new friends...make an A in greek class...run a half marathon...take a trip to france...or...


before running the st. jude half marathon in december
(you can see me in action if you click here!)

3. falling in love
holy cow, i highly recommend this one. although it came out of the blue this year, love has taught me all kinds of things about myself! a thoroughly enlightening experience. (sometimes those things are good and sometimes not so much...) the whole experience of being in love makes me want to become the best version of myself more and more. and one of the craziest things about love is that it meets you right in the middle of your all-too-common worst version of yourself. how cool is that?


nick and i after graduation last weekend


so there you go. three inspirations in three years. not bad at all.