Dobrý den Praha!

With our amazing hosts!

And we're off! Last week, we left for our 2+ week European adventure/belated honeymoon. To start off our trip, we stayed with my dear friend from college, Amy, and her boyfriend, Pete, who both relocated to Prague for work back in January. It's been several years since I've been to Europe, and over 10 since traveling to a country that doesn't natively speak English. I don't think I realized until recently how different visiting Italy now would be from doing so when I was in high school. Living in the US, everything feels, and really is, much newer and modern, in terms of the landscape of a city. Ten years ago, I felt a disconnect to things that were so unfamiliar. Now, I'm finally at a point where I can appreciate it. 

Walking through Prague, it's impossible to not acknowledge, and admire, the drastic differences between what's before me and what I see in my everyday life - the cobblestone, the randomness of narrow and windy streets, the newness of something unfamiliar. Traveling is exciting, but, as a co-worker recently pointed out, for her, and me as well, it can push you to the point of almost uncomfortable at times. Even for the most organized person, exploring a new place brings about a level of uncertainty. Especially for those of us who like to be in control, it can be stressful, to the point where it's possible to even lose sight of the reason people visit new cities in the first place. 

The Dancing Man &
The Dancing House

Recently, both in traveling and in my everyday life, I have found that acknowledging that potential for mild chaos and confusion can be enough to restore my sense of comfort. As Jillian Michaels encourages in a yoga DVD of hers (and thus, perhaps in real life as well), "Get comfortable being uncomfortable." Life throws us curveballs, and oftentimes, we throw them at ourselves. Whether we see it coming or not, these things - traveling, changes, relationships - challenge and push us in different ways.

I feel fortunate to have been able to see where our friends in Prague are living, a window into this new life they've created for themselves. From the other side of the ocean, I can easily forget what a shift this has been, and continues to be, for them. Living alongside them for a few days, I can better appreciate, and admire, the courage it has taken to stray from the known to the unknown. I'm honestly not sure I could ever do what they've done, uprooting their lives and moving to an unfamiliar place, to the extent to which they have.

Glowing in front of the Vltava River

In an effort to maintain some kind of base for the half-marathon, we set out on Sunday morning to get in a few miles. Running, particularly on vacation, has become a priority beyond how it makes me feel. I've written about it before, but, even if only briefly, I enjoy seeing a new place that way. Running along the Vltava River, I couldn't help but feel a bit bothered that I wasn't able to bang out four quick miles with ease. Sometimes it's easy to lose sight of a bigger picture- despite four jam-packed days of exploring the city, stuffing our faces, and catching up with Amy and Pete, we still fit it in, and that's something I have to be proud of.

And I guess that's what's most important. It's easy, and even natural, to size ourselves up against others, or even another version of our own self, overlooking what we are doing because our focus is on we think we should be doing. I have a lot of friends traveling this summer, and I often listen enviously as they rattle off the list of all the places they're going. Instinctively, I question if we should have planned to do more, packed more in to our time abroad. It's easy to get swept up in others' dreams and plans, but ultimately, I have to be true to myself and more than anything or anyone else, I need to know myself. We are doing a ton in our two weeks in Europe, but that's not even what matters. What's most important is that it's a trip that matches us, that fits us and what we want out of it. And it really is.

There will always be people who do more than me, and likewise, people who do less. I write a lot about reflecting on changes I've made and comparing me to myself, and I guess I started this post, nearly two weeks ago now, thinking that's what I was doing here yet again. I don't want to compare myself to others, but I'm realizing that when I notice these differences, whether it's with regard to traveling, running, or otherwise, they can push me towards feelings of appreciation, instead of inadequacy. What's "uncomfortable" for me is different than what it is for anyone else, but the commonality is that we're each striving, I hope, to be our best, happiest, fullest versions of ourselves. Our starting lines are not the same, so how can our finish lines be? 

Girl on the Run...for Girls on the Run!

When we first moved to Michigan nearly three years ago, I reached out to our local Girls on the Run council about volunteering in their office as something to do with my free time (since people who are unemployed have a bit of free time). Some of the ladies I ran Hope Express with had been involved with GOTR in their area, and it sounded like a worthwhile organization to get involved with. They have councils throughout the country - I encourage you to check them out in your area. 

I love the mission of GOTR - to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident through the use of a curriculum that integrates running - and I feel personally connected to it, because of the impact running has had on me. At the end of each program season, the girls participate in a 5k, a culmination and celebration of their hard work throughout the last 10 weeks. The girls participate in the 5k, along with their families and other community members. Volunteering at the event is awesome, and if I can attempt to find words to really capture the most recent 5k, I will (eventually!) post about it.  I seriously get excited just thinking about young girls having this opportunity at an early age, at an age where what they learn from their experience with GOTR can have an impact on the rest of their lives.

Over the past few years, I've gotten to know the incredible staff at our council (Southeastern Michigan, serving five counties in the area), and have been inspired by their commitment and embodiment of this program. This past spring, I worked on the 5k Planning Committee, and it really helped to fill a niche in my life, getting to plan, collaborate, and organize logistics, all for a cause I feel connected to. Still, it seemed to just increase my desire to get move involved. While I do hope to be a coach down the line, becoming a SoleMate became increasingly important to me. Being a SoleMate means committing to raising money for the GOTR scholarship fund, while training for a race...which means I'm running a race!


I am officially signed up for my fifth half-marathon, the Detroit Women's Half on Belle Isle in Detroit, taking place on September 21. It seems perfect to be running this race, a celebration of women, in support of GOTR. It's been almost two years since I've trained for a half, so I have some high expectations and hopes, both in terms of running and fundraising, but more than anything, I'm excited to have a purpose to run and a way to support this wonderful organization. 

To learn more and/or to donate, please visit my donation page and help me to reach my goal of donating $1,130.18 to the GOTR scholarship page. This fund helps ensure every girl has the opportunity to participate in GOTR. Be sure to check back for training updates, race info, and to learn more about GOTR!

Summer!

Happy Summer! 

I'm the definition of "creature of habit," so while I thoroughly enjoy being given the gift of time for myself over the summer, it's something I have to think a lot about and plan for (which for some, I know seems a little backwards). For me, it's a balance between enjoying more time than you're used to, and feeling like you're wasting it all. So with that in mind, weeks before school let out, I started really thinking about how I could make the most of this summer, without doing the most. I came up with a list of a few actually productive things I wanted to accomplish this summer that were more like tasks, and then thought a lot about what I wanted to do for enjoyment. It's easy to spend days on the couch, but I know many of those aren't enjoyable to me. They're easy, but not enjoyable. So I came up with a list of how I want to spend this summer....and blogging more is on there. Sometimes it can feel like a task, but I know it's something I enjoy doing once I make it a priority. And it is a priority for me. I appreciate having a running record of the past few years, because while the focus of most of these posts is something running-related, it has been a bit of a map of where I've been, where I am, and where I'm going.  

I certainly have plenty to write about - the end of the school year, the Silver Gallup Relay, committing to my fifth half marathon to raise money for Girls on the Run - and I'm looking forward to adding all of that and more here, so this can continue to be a road map of sorts of my life. 

Celebrating Me

Ryan with a sleeping tiger

Using my birthday as a good excuse to travel, we headed to Chicago this past weekend. Ryan and I have each been there once, but separately. I love that we can get there so easily from Ann Arbor, so this was a good excuse to take advantage of our proximity. 

Lion and I 

We lucked out and had beautiful weather all weekend. After the winter we've had, it was perfect (because yes, 40 degrees and sunny is now considered "perfect"). I wasn't even bothered when the sun shining through the window woke me up yesterday morning. I was just glad to see it. We stayed in Lincoln Park, so I was excited to incorporate both the (free!) zoo and the lake into our run yesterday. While we did end up having time to return to the zoo today (because now that I'm 28, apparently I can't sleep past 7am), it was neat to be able to run through a pretty unusual backdrop. Being able to run through it made me appreciate the ability to pack in extra sights of a new place.

Lake Michigan

The run, and really, the whole weekend, was a perfect reminder of why I love spring. Each year, before this beautiful weather becomes the norm, people allow something that was just recently a (literal) cloud over our lives to become something we appreciate. I recently thought about the concept of "spring cleaning," and it makes sense. Spring feels like a new beginning, a chance to realign or reset. Similar to the start of the school year and Rosh Hashanah, or January 1 and New Year's, the arrival of spring feels like an opportunity to appreciate, celebrate, and reflect. Of course it's all I've ever known, but I like having my birthday this time of year for that reason. There have been years when it's still felt like winter and years I even remember some snow, but when the weather is what it's been this weekend, I can't help but use my birthday and the return of nice weather to slow down and be grateful.

Cheering on the Phils in
Chicago!

To me, running is the more consistent reminder of the chance we have reset, each day, without a formal occasion or big milestone. It's a self-given opportunity to slow down and process. My friends and family know that I am very reflective, sometimes to the point of a fault, so perhaps I don't rely on runs to do that as much as I do to appreciate. It can be easy to get caught up in wanting to go farther and faster, but I am still in a place where I can pat myself on the back for simply putting on my sneakers, going out, and running. Birthdays are the day of the year when everyone around you celebrates you, but what about the other 364 days?  Of course there are days when I feel frustrated with where I'm at versus where I'd like to be in my running, but overall, my runs have managed to remain a place where I continue to celebrate what I am doing, rather than criticize what I'm not. It's a chance to start over, even if just mentally, if it feels like things aren't going my way, and birthday or not, that is a gift I can always give myself. 

My new favorite animal, featuring interesting audio

Light at the End of the Tunnel: The Arrival of Spring

After two especially long first months of 2014, I feel comfortable speaking for the majority of people when I say that I finally feel hopeful that winter will eventually be gone. Even in the bitter reality of winter, I have always said that I enjoy living in places where the seasons change, because I do like aspects of winter...one of them being that it leaves. I like the appreciation I, along with most people, have for spring and nice weather when it comes. What quickly becomes the unnoticed norm is so celebrated in the days of early March (or late March/early April/May...). 

Simply turning the calendar to March is the first step. This week, it seemed almost out of nowhere that the sky was already lighting up when I walked out the door at 6:30am, and it has been noticeably lighter later in the evening....past 6:30pm! The high temperatures started to creep out of the teens, even touching the 30 degree mark. And the sun - the sun finally begun to shine! When I moved to Michigan, I'll never forget the person who told me, after I brushed off the cold and snow, that those weren't the most challenging parts of a Michigan winter - it was the blanket of gray that covers the sky for what feels like all winter. The sun has been out more and more in last few weeks, and the feeling I get after these past few months makes me wonder if the Beatles wrote "Here Comes the Sun" in Michigan right around this time of year. 

All of these little things come together as a reminder that the winter blues will evenutally be over, if only we have the patience to wait it out. Yesterday, we took the day off to drive out the State College to celebrate my dad's birthday, and when I woke up a little later than usual for a weekday, the sun was streaming in through every window in the apartment. A distant relative of the person who eagerly runs to the big window to see the snow covering the street, I nearly jumped out of bed to return to the same window to see the sun rising over the day. It looks foreign and is blinding, but it's beautiful. While the snow of the past three months is still present (and will be for what a while still), when I keep my head up, I can block that out and focus on the warmth of the sunshine, and on the good things that are to come. 

I know it's not yet time to return the jackets to the closet and pull out the sandals, but today in State College, the sun is shining and the high is in the 40s. For the first time since December, I'm heading out to run, and it just all feels right. I stick by my words that I enjoy the seasonal changes, which include the hardships of winter, and it's really for this moment. Winter reminds me to appreciate the weather of the rest of the year, even if only for a little. Soon it will be too hot and we'll start to complain at that, even though right now, it's hard to imagine such a time exists. Regardless, right now, it's good to be reminded that when times are tough, there's always a bright side.

Insanity

To summarize the past month and a half, it's been...winter. All of the stereotypical adjectives one would use to describe this season apply to what this year's winter has been. It's been unbelievably and consistently cold, both in Michigan, as well as in most of the country. Luckily the sun has been out a little more in the past two weeks or so, but otherwise it's been gray on top of all that, so 2014 thus far has certainly been a challenge for many. 

Right around the holidays, Ryan and I started talking about the idea of trying out an extreme at-home workout program, like Insanity. I think we both had our reasons for being interested in doing it, but we didn't discuss them fully. Instead, just after New Year's, we decided to give the first workout a try. We didn't discuss committing to the full 9 weeks, or what our plan of action was. We just wanted to try it out. 

So we did. The first workout we did was while we were snowed in at my parents' in New York, and after flying back to Michigan, we were snowed in/frozen in again...for four days. More or less stuck inside, each day we certainly had the time to workout, so we just did. 

Fast forward 6 weeks. January's work calendar looked a bit like a Picasso painting. Normally, I would have been completely thrown off by the lack of routine and schedule with so many days off from work due to the snow and cold. Having the days off made it a little easier at times to get into a good flow and routine with Insanity, which can be a bit much to do after a long day of work. And while I didn't anticipate many positives of the program in advance of doing it, I'm so appreciative of them now. 

On days when the high was a negative number, it felt really good to workout in the comfort of my living room and it sounds great, but it felt good to be hot and sweaty when it was so cold outside. I don't mind running in "cold" temperatures, but prior to this winter, I defined that as temperatures in the 30's, with a sprinkling of 20's to make me feel extreme. I didn't run at all during this program since it's six days of a week, and I have no idea how I would have. There are days when the sun is out and the cold can feel like refreshing...but most of these days weren't that. Regardless of the type of workout, I know it would have been very challenging to continue to incorporate any regular physical activity into my schedule during these cold weeks without Ryan by my side. It's been so helpful doing it with him, and has really kept me accountable. 

The closer to the end we get, the harder it's becoming for me, but I'm proud of how far we have come and impressed that we somehow got to this point. Here's to finishing it out! 

Hope Express Reflections

As I type this, the 2014 Hope Express team is making their way from Hershey to Penn State....by foot. I wrote a similar post around this same time last year, about how being so far from an event that is so close to me leaves me with so many emotions. As I obsessively follow the team's travels via social media, I'm transported back to my own experiences from 2011 and 2012. While there are so many moments in life that I love and hold close to me, I always refer back to the "magic" and those feelings from those two nights. I think for me, it's the selflessness that comes along with an event such as this. Similar to THON, people who were virtually strangers prior to the event are suddently doing literally ANYTHING for one another. I'm lucky to have friends and family who I've known for years who I know would bend over backwards for me, and I for them, but seeing people come together for a common purpose, people who otherwise may never had, is such a pure example of the human spirit. In our daily lives, we can lose track of that and reliving my experiences with THON and Hope Express bring me back to that. It sometimes feels like finding your way again, even when you didn't even realize you were lost. 

I haven't run in close to two months now, and this definitely makes me feel a strong pull to. want to do so. The time away has been intentional, but thankfully not due to injury or anything forced. Nevertheless, it's diffferent feeling these emotions on a run than it is sitting here typing. Even the best emotions can be overwhelming and in the past few years, I've found that regardless of the feeling, running helps me to slow down and take it all in.

While I don't think it'll ever get easier to be this far from Hope Express, I'm easily reminded that it doesn't need to always be this way. My hope is that some years I'll return to the mix, while for others, I will remain there in spirit, cheering from afar. Regardless of where I am though, it's a comfort to know that during that 24 hour stretch each year, my heart will be on those roads, crushing those mountains, fighting this fight. We say that when cancer is no more, we'll run(/dance) for joy, but until then...everything we do is for a cure.