Summer Reds and Oranges.... and Blues

If the summer were done, I'd be able to talk about how amazing it was and all that jazz. I still have a few more days of glory, so I'm reluctant to summarize it all and wrap it in a pretty bow. I am feeling grateful for such a special summer, yet I am nearly ready to head back to my work and become a productive member of society. I am a creature of habit, so especially where running is concerned, my regular routine has certainly suffered. It's been a struggle to enjoy all the freedom of summer has to offer without feeling the impact of it. On Tuesday, Ryan and I were able to finally squeeze in a delayed long run and I felt the difference. It was roughhhh. Usually I am an "out of sight, out of mind" kind of  girl and I am complain for miles, yet forget it as soon as I return to the comfort of my couch... but definitely not in this case. THAT'S how rough it was! So you live and you learn. Fingers crossed the next long one goes a little more smoothly...with less complaints and more high fives! Rah rah! 

Chicago

Last weekend, I enjoyed a great getaway with the Philly girls in Chicago! I was excited to check it out for the first time and obviously excited to see some of my favorite people..in my part of the country, no less.

In between deep dish pizza, batting cages and the Cubs in Wrigleyville, and taking "the picture" at the Bean, I managed to carve out some time for some pretty awesome runs. On Sunday, Lani and I got up early for an overeager 6 miles...and we did 6.5! Running with your best friend among the sites of a new city makes for a pretty great run. We stopped to take a few pictures and bandage my aching toe, and at the end, I realized I didn't even listen to my distance/pace alerts. Running with a friend completely shifts your focus and attention. 

Best Run of My Life!

Finally - the best blog post ever about the best run on the best day of my life. Okay, enough of trying to make you gag. Just know that this will do all my thoughts and feelings little justice, but I will try!

So about a week-and-a-half ago (July 29 to be exact), Ryan and I set out for a nice, early morning 5 miles around his neighborhood. We went to a park near his house and decided to run a few loops there to start. We noticed a new path/walkway leading up to the amphitheater there/big field in front of it and decided to stop on the second loop to check it out (any excuse to stop is always welcomed in my book).  While we were standing there, Ryan made a comment about his headphones not working right. He unplugged them and started pulling them out from under his shirt and there was a ring looped around the cord. You can imagine my surprise...or maybe you can't. I WAS SURPRISED. He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him and of course, I said YES!

Needless to say, we did not finish the run (which has been subsequent runs a little challenging...what? no stopping to give me a present?). After taking a few minutes to enjoy the moment/take it all in, we headed back to Ryan's parents' house and when we walked up, I saw my parents' car in the driveway and immediately started crying...again. A nice little RunKeeper shout out - they were all tracking us so they could see when we were heading back. Anyway, I couldn't have been happier to have them there to be part of the celebration. Ryan's brother, Sean, and his girlfriend, Sarah, were in town from California and I was so happy to have them be part of the moment too. Champagne for everyone!

The entire day was an amazing whirlwind. This summer has treated me incredibly well and I've thought a lot about how great it would be if we could "bottle up" good feelings and memories so we never lose their strength or clarity. I've never wanted it more than in that moment, yet I quickly realized that we are blessed to have a lifetime of those moments ahead us. The love, support, cards, and kind words we have been showered with from our friends and family in these past weeks has been incredible and I feel lucky to be surrounded by so many wonderful people, both in body and spirit (since they live far away, not because I'm friends with ghosts...uhh). 

One of my most favorite running/life quotes is from Kara Goucher: That's the thing about running: your greatest runs are rarely measured by racing success. They are moments in time when running allows you to see how wonderful life is. More and more, I've seen, or rather, felt, the truth in this. Sometimes, the good is so good and it's hard to conceive how you got that lucky. I've thought a lot this summer about the feeling you used to get jumping off the high-dive as a kid - that incredible rush and release, the feeling of being on-top-of-the-world and screaming your head off and laughing afterwards at just how crazy wonderful it was....and that's how I feel. Running is the big-kid form of the high-dive high. Oftentimes, running is seen as stress manager, but it can also be a break from the day-to-day routine to take time to appreciate the good in your life and reflect. If running is my high-dive high, then I anticipate there will be a lot of it in this next year...and in all the years of our life together :O). 

Olympic Marathon

To beat the heat this morning, Ryan and I got up early to run, which gave me a chance to watch the start of the marathon (while he was sloooowly crawling out of bed). I am just now watching the remainder of the event, as I paused it for our run, but I'm not going to lie - I may or may not have thought I was running in the Olympics when we headed out this morning. 

I'm not sure how watching a televised marathon became an anticipated and exciting event for me. It was probably the 2010 NYC Marathon, when I went to watch and cheer on Sindy. Watching and hearing about the excitement on TV, and then being able to walk right outside to watch it all unfold in the flesh was exhilarating. The closeness a the broadcast allows for made the actual event feel so intimate. While I love watching so many other Olympic events, running naturally feels so close to me. I am aware of how removed I am from the realities of gymnastics, for example; how spoiled I am from watching the world's best every four years, unaware of the true skill and gifts they have. When I am watching distance running, I am in awe of their hard work, commitment, and strength in a way I simply can't conceive when watching other sports.  


It's been a slow few weeks getting back into a routine, both in practice and in mind. Maybe it's been my return to Michigan and resuming a (minimally, to stay the least) schedule and day-to-day life. It could be all the outside factors in my life or in my running or in my Olympic watching. Most likely, it's a culmination of factors and I'm grateful for it all. It feels good to be nearing a mental place where I feel ready to train for my next half, where I'm excited, confident, and motivated.   


Back to the event to see who the winners will be.....!

Find Your Greatness

Mid-run engagement post to come soon, but in the meantime, I loooove this commercial. Snaps to Nike for hitting the nail on the head yet again!