So Many Medals...What to do?

If you are anything like us, you love to participate in race events!  You get that shiny medal when you cross the finish line and then come home and toss it in the drawer.  If you are really fancy (like Jen) and you have an awesome husband (like Jen), maybe you have a really cool plaque with hooks to display all of your hardware!  However, if you're like me...they just end up in the drawer.

Some of the medals are really neat though, and I want to be able to display them in a neat way.  I LOVE arts and crafts, so I hit up the wonderful worldwide web to find some ideas and I stumbled across an idea to make magnets!  It was a really neat (and super easy) way to display race medals in a USEFUL way!  Here's how I did it:




Step 1: Find some magnetic sheets that preferably has one side with adhesive.  I found these at Joann Fabrics.






Step 2: Remove the ribbon used to hang it around your neck - you won't need this.








Step 3: Peel off the adhesive protector sheet.






Step 4: Place medal carefully onto the magnetic sheet - if the medal is really heavy, I recommend using extra glue to reinforce the adhesive.






Step 5: Trim off excess magnetic sheet around the medal.  If the medal is a standard circle or square, this can be done with scissors.  If not, then you might need a crafting blade and a firm surface to cut on.



Step 6: Proudly display your medals on the fridge!!!

San Diego 50 Mile Trail Run

So, we've been taking a long break from the blogging world, but what better way to come back than to do a race recap of the San Diego 50-Miler!  Warning...there will be a ton of pictures!

About a month ago, I got an e-mail from Paul Jesse, the race director for Off Road Pursuits, telling me about the upcoming San Diego 50-mile trail run.  I sent a quick e-mail to my tri coach, Mike Plumb (from TriPower) and asked whether he thought it was a good idea to sign up.  I've run a few ultras in the past and I knew what to expect and he told me to go for it!  I went ahead and registered for the 19 January run.

Unfortunately I did not get in nearly the amount of training that I needed to, but I thought, "What the heck, I can do this!"  At 0315 on Saturday, I woke up, packed up my stuff and my friend Scott and I hit the road down to San Diego, about a 40-minute drive away.  It was cold and dark and I had opted for the early start.  The race actually started at 0630, but the race director was awesome and offered a 0530 start for anyone that was interested!  It was a great idea for anyone who might risk not making the 14-hour cutoff time (which happened to be me!).

The race crew did a phenomenal job of marking the course and stocking the aid stations every five miles.  I only got lost once!  Luckily that only added an extra half mile to the run!  The volunteers were FANTASTIC and their motivation and high spirits (as well as delicious treats) made the run possible.  But without a doubt, there's absolutely no way I would have finished without my friend Scott, who was there to meet me at every aid station and give me the motivation I needed to make it through to the end!

Early in the race at mile 10 I had to dump out the sand in my shoes...next time I'm getting some of those things that cover your shoes and keep the junk out!

Heading up to the 15-mile aid station (off to the far right is another runner, Paul.  We kept each other company periodically throughout the race.

The weather warmed up and it was time to strip off some extra layers!

Heading up to the 20-mile aid station and feeling great!

Miles 20-30 were by far the toughest terrain I had to cover.  It was nice to get back to the 30 mile aid station and head out to an "easier" part of the course!  Or so I thought...

This is me coming up to the 35-mile aid station...feeling mighty broken and downtrodden.  This is when my severe lack of training really hit me!  

A quick refuel and I was feeling much better!

Between miles 35 and 40 I had an opportunity to chat with another runner, John, which helped make the time go by a lot faster!

This would be the last aid station I'd get to see Scott before heading out, so I spent a lot of time getting a pep talk and eating!!!

The snacks were fantastic!  This aid station even had "sushi" made of rice crispy treats, fruit roll-ups, and gummies!

A mouthful of food!!!

The pep talk really motivated me and got a smile on my face - only 10 miles to go!

My "victory" pose!

Heading out on the last 10 mile stretch.  I knew it was going to get dark, so I picked up my long-sleeved shirt and my headlamp.

So happy to be closing in on the end of the race!!!

And it's all over!!!  I made it in the cutoff time (just barely), finishing in 13 hours and 39 minutes!  

Overall, the race was fantastic, from the crew to the race course to the volunteers to the near-perfect weather, I had a wonderful time.  The majority of the credit goes to Scott though, having someone there  at every aid station to motivate me made a huge difference.  There are very few people in this world that will spend an entire day supporting an ultra, and I'm so grateful that he was there to help me out.  Unfortunately, I was too tired at the end to get a picture with him!  

So, 48 hours post race, I'm feeling pretty good overall.  I did have to head to the ER last night because my right foot is really bothering me.  It started at mile 35 and it was a gradual onset, not because I lost my footing, so I was worried it might be something serious.  No obvious fracture on the x-rays, but they put me on some crutches for a few days and I'm just icing it up and resting.  

On another positive note, I only fell ONCE during the entire race.  For anyone that's followed us for very long, you know that I can be fairly clumsy.  I tripped and ate dirt right before the 10-mile aid station, but that was my one and only face plant!  Go me!  

Off Road Pursuits puts on some fantastic events and Paul Jesse is an awesome race director.  I will most definitely head back out on one of their races before I have to leave San Diego!

MCM Recap

Last year, one of my fellow Stroller Warriors decided to run the Marine Corps Marathon just a few weeks before the event. (One of our other members was planning to do it, but sadly sustained an injury leaving a free bib.) We all logged on to watch her 10k updates as they posted, constantly streaming comments on our SW Facebook page, I started to get the itch. Yes, I have done two previous marathons, but that was before I ever liked running.

So with high hopes and a stomach full of nerves, I sat down at my computer moments before the event registration opened and managed to secure one of the slots that sold out in 2 hours and 41 minutes! That brought on the mad search for the "right" training plan. I ended up with a mix of a couple plans that my dear husband helped me figure out.

I briefly wrote recaps of my training weeks, but then we packed away our computer and embarked on our third move as a married couple, my 15th since 1998! We lived with my in-laws for nearly 6 weeks and then finally moved into our rented house in Mt Vernon. Those first 6 weeks were a blessing for my training. I ran stroller-free most days and had the company of my husband who had also decided to run. Unfortunately, those weeks were plagued with PF, a sore right hamstring, and several runs that left me thinking, "What on earth have I signed up for?!"

I had not printed out my training plan and couldn't access the computer until post-marathon, so my training was scattered at best. My focus was getting the house unpacked and livable for the Weasel, and while I did manage to get a few longer runs in, I wasn't feeling super confident. I originally started out with a goal of sub-4. I quickly changed that to just finishing the race.

On Saturday morning, Grandpa came and picked up Weasel (she was spending the night with them so we wouldn't have to get a sitter on Sunday) and left us to relax. Sunday morning arrived and we woke at 4:40. That gave us enough time to eat breakfast and for Jason to down some coffee. We hopped on the Metro and rode to King Street where we met a friend. Neither of us carried anything we couldn't run with because we wanted to avoid the chaos of the bag drop at the end. (Hence the lack of photos in this post!)

After catching up with LOTS of my Stroller Warrior buddies, we made our way to the 4 hour corral and got ready for the canon to sound. We crossed the start line just 3 minutes after the bang and quickly found our stride. It was Jason, me and our friend, Pat. The first few miles were crowded with spectators cheering loudly.

Mile 1 - 9:24
Mile 2 - 9:25
Mile 3 - 9:00
Mile 4 - 8:50
Mile 5 - 9:15

There were a few hills that were challenging but not terrible and we made our way into Georgetown which offered a huge downhill! The main road was packed and there were so many people cheering! At that point, Jason said, "Hey Jen, do we know anyone up here in Georgetown?" As he said it, we saw our friend, Sean Cox (in uniform as he was working the race) and that was quite a pick me up!

Mile 6 - 8:37
Mile 7 - 9:04
Mile 8 - 8:54
Mile 9 - 8:58
Mile 10 - 8:33
Mile 11 - 9:11

We cruised just ahead of the 4 mile pacer and I was running quietly, but still feeling ok. Jason was great as he occasionally asked how I was doing and if I needed anything. Then we came to Hains Point (the dreaded part of the MCM course regardless of what year you're running). It's mostly free of spectators and often produces winds due to the fact that it's surrounded by the waters of the Potomac. The first 1/2 mile of it was lined with large pictures and names of soldiers, sailors, and Marines who have been killed since OIF and OEF started. That gave me the motivation to keep running. But I was starting to hurt.

Mile 12 - 9:01
Mile 13 - 9:05
Mile 14 - 9:49
Mile 15 - 9:52

Around mile 14, I could feel my pinkie toenail on my right foot throbbing. I had issues with the nail earlier in my training and figured it was probably working its way off my toe! I just kept running. As we left Hains Point, I started taking brief walking breaks. I stretched a couple times too. Jason would run ahead and get cups of water and Gatorade for both of us, bringing mine to me so I didn't have to alter my path. BEST HUSBAND EVER! He was looking good and could have finished well before me, but said, "We started this thing together and we will finish TOGETHER!"

Mile 16 - 10:16
Mile 17 - 10:38
Mile 18 - 10:56
Mile 19 - 10:29
Mile 20 - 11:34

As we turned into Arlington, we ran by places we used to walk to from our first apartment as a married couple. It was full of cheering people and even though I still stopped to walk a few times, I was feeling better.

Mile 21 - 10:18
Mile 22 - 11:46
Mile 23 - 11:24
Mile 24 - 11:14
Mile 25 - 11:56

You can see just how much our pace had slowed by this point. My legs felt like lead and even though I knew I was running, it felt like I was being sucked backward. I should mention that the weather was phenomenal! Those winds and rain predicted for the day had held off and it was truly spectacular running weather. We ran that last mile and then made the left turn to run up the final hill to the Iwo Jima Memorial (Marine Corps War Memorial). It felt amazing. We were 25 minutes off my original goal, but I couldn't have cared less.

Mile 26 - 11:44

We ran around people who were walking that final hill, linked hands and crossed the finish line at 4:24. Most people would look at these splits and say we went out too fast. I disagree. The first half of the race was awesome. If I had run any slower, the pain in my legs and my little toe would have just come along at an earlier mile marker. I was happy with our race.

We made it home about 2 hours after finishing the race and I finally took off my shoe. My pinkie toenail hadn't come off, but the enter toe was one big blister! I wish I had pictures to share with you from this race, but I'll always have the memories of a successful challenge completed with my best friend at my side.

As for my future in running? Who knows! I will not be signing up for any more full marathons, but I definitely see a few half marathons in my future. I'll probably stick to 5ks and 10ks for a while though:)

Genetic Traits

We all know that certain traits are genetic...I believe that clumsiness is the gift that both Jen and I received from our mother!  Last week Jen set out to do an 18-miler and took a nasty fall at mile 9.  This week apparently it was my turn.  I went out for a lovely 8-mile run.  I wasn't feeling great when I woke up, so I didn't hit the road until 0830.  Luckily it was a gorgeous day out - perfect for a run down Pacific Coast Highway.  

It was supposed to be an easy run, so I just set a nice pace and trotted off.  On my way back, I had a brief (and painful) encounter with the sidewalk.  I was nearing home and apparently not paying very close attention to my footing, when out of nowhere I smashed into the concrete!  As it turns out, there was a bit of a lip on one of the sidewalk squares that I must have caught my toe on.  

This is what I looked like post fall prior to getting cleaned up.

Luckily it was on a road with traffic and the first truck that came upon me pulled over and this very nice couple got out.  Additionally, a man who was walking to the store heard me fall and rushed over to help.  He helped stop the bleeding on my head and the other man got me some water while his wife called Sean.  Then the gentlemen in the truck drove me the last half-mile home where we met Sean, who took me up to the Camp Pendleton hospital.  

In addition to my face, which took the brunt of the fall, I also got a nice scrape on both my left knee and shoulder.  Not sure what my hands were doing while I was falling, but they were definitely not there to catch me.  There's hardly a mark on either one of them!  

Once we got up to the hospital, it was a 2 hour wait and then we got to see the doctor.  He said he could use glue to close the cut above my eye, which was much more preferable to me than stitches!  

Much better post ER visit!  You can barely even see the glue!

Goal Update - Week 3

As usual, it's time for my weekly goal update!  This really helps me stay accountable to myself!  Again, you won't find perfection here, but you'll find a lot of HEART and motivation to keep pushing myself.  

(photo from idlehearts.com)

Exercise Goals
1) Run 25 miles a week - So, as I've mentioned the previous two weeks, this was a bit ambitious!  This week I got in 16.67 miles total.  I even hit the treadmill one day to work on speed!  I'm not good at pacing myself for sprint workouts, so that's where the treadmill comes in handy.

2) Swim at least three times a week - Well, I got in two swims this week, both in the 50m pool on base and did a mile each time.  I'm really thinking about looking for a swimming coach because I know I need work on my technique to improve. 

3) Bike to and from work at least once a week - This didn't happen, BUT...on Sunday I did a 32.81 mile ride!  That's the furthest I've ever ridden in one stretch.  Note to self - pack more than one gel and carry more water if it's hot out!  Oh yeah, and sunscreen would have been a brilliant idea!

4) 10 dead-hang pull-ups - As always, I've been faithful to the Recon Ron Pull-up Program.  This week it called for five sets - 9, 7, 6, 5, 5 - and I got all five days in.  I was pretty sore this week, so I ended up kipping more than I probably should have.  

Nutrition Goals
1) One caffeinated drink per day - Doing great here and feeling good!  There are some days where I don't have anything caffeinated and don't even need it.

2) One carbonated drink per week - Oops...I messed up on this one and had two this week.  I had a Diet Mt Dew and a Lo-Carb Monster.  That's okay though, at least it wasn't every day!

3) Keep a food journal - I am in love with MyFitnessPal.  It's so easy to use, even to add in recipes to ensure you get an accurate calorie breakdown.  It also helps me to make smarter choices throughout the day about food!  

Words to Run By

Back in October of last year, we did a post called Inspiring Words with running quotes that we love.  I enjoyed doing that post, I thought it was time to bring it back!  When other people can say things in such an articulate manner, I think the best way to honor that is to quote them.

"Man imposes his own limitations, don't set any"

-Anthony Bailey

Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character.
-- T. Alan Armstrong

The five S's of sports training are: Stamina, Speed, Strength, Skill and Spirit;
but the greatest of these is Spirit.
--Ken Doherty

Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. 
Try to be better than yourself.
--William Faulkner

Do a little more each day than you think you possibly can.
-Lowell Thomas

What is your favorite motivational quote?

Running for Stillness

It seems somewhat counterintuitive that I need movement to find stillness.  I'm talking about stillness in my soul, stillness in my mind, and stillness in my heart.  After eight months of going non-stop, or what felt like non-stop, I need to find a way to calm myself.  A way to cease the need to always be doing something.  

I've tried meditating, but I seem to be too restless to calm down.  There are hundreds of thoughts bouncing around in my head and as soon as I push one thought out, there's another one just waiting.  

I've tried yoga...I really love it, but it is hard to work into my schedule and costs a lot of money.

But I always have old faithful - the trails that do not desert, do not cost much, and are always open whenever I can fit them in.

I find that stillness on the trails.  Lacing up my running shoes, tying up my hair in a ponytail, and pounding out the miles is the best way I know how to do that.  

There's no "to do" list when I run.  There's no judgement when I run (unless I'm being extra critical of myself).  There's no requirement to think (well, for the most part).  

It is extraordinary that such a simple act of putting one foot in front of the other can bring such calmness to my mind.  Perhaps it is the simplicity that makes it so peaceful.  I choose not to overthink it and just enjoy the solitude, the break from a busy day, the quietness.  

Brick It!

For anyone that’s ever done a triathlon or any training for a multi-sport event, you are familiar with the concept of the “Brick Workout.”  The idea is to do a bike workout immediately followed by a run. Or a swim, followed by a ride.  This is awful because your legs literally feel like bricks (or sometimes Jell-O).  Although it is completely evil, it is a necessary evil if you want to improve your overall times.  It helps your body get used to the transition from bike to run and can also help you improve your transition time between events. 

Source

For anyone new to this, here’s the basic gist (taken from this site):

1. Work up to it. A brick is for those who have been training and can complete the run and bike distance planned in the brick.

2. Make sure the brick isn't scheduled too close to any planned races. Bricks are very good training workouts and are very hard on the body. There should not be any races planned within two weeks of a brick workout to allow plenty of recovery time.

3. Get all the gear needed ready. Fill water bottles. Get your running shoes set up for when you come off the bike and are switching to running. Place anything else needed for the run, such as energy gels, next to your shoes.

4. Wear clothes comfortable for both sports. One of the points of a brick is to practice transitions for triathlons or duathlons. Any switching of clothing costs time in a race. Making the routine as close to it as it will be on race day is extremely helpful.

5. Drink plenty of fluids. Since this workout usually takes longer than biking or running alone, it is very important to drink enough. Also, bricks are a great time to practice race-day nutrition if you are training for a longer-distance race, such as an ironman.

6. Focus on the transition from bike to run. Since most duathlons and triathlons require it anyway, keep your helmet on until the bike is racked, or put away. Then take off your helmet and bike shoes, if you didn't remove them while still on the bike. Get your running shoes on and get going. This is a great time to test how your feet will react to running without socks! It saves about 40 seconds of transition time.

Source

7. Force the run at first. It never feels good the first 100 yards or so. Most of the time it feels like your legs just won't work. The normal rhythm will come, but until then just force leg turnover and warm your legs up. You will most likely surprise yourself when you review your Garmin and find out you were actually running faster than you thought you were. 

While I haven’t found the pool here on base yet, haha, I do have my bike and indoor trainer here and plenty of area to run.  I’ve only forced myself to do this workout twice because it felt so awful both times!  I suppose there’s only one way to make it less horrible though – do it more often! 

What do you do to motivate yourself into completing a workout that you really, really do not feel like doing?

Big Discovery, New Shoes, and Some Interesting Products!

On Wednesday morning, a fellow Stroller Warrior posted an invite to a CrossFit Workout the following morning. Lo and behold, this event was taking place in my "backyard!" I live about 7 minutes from MCAS (Marine Corps Air Station) New River. Apparently, for the last 10 months, MCAS has provided the space and equipment necessary for any CF workout you could imagine! Who knew? What a big discovery. The best part is this: they have an enclosed play area for kiddos, or if they don't want to play there, you can have them right beside you in the stroller as you workout. HUGE BONUS! 

So with the Weasel in tow, we headed to MCAS, located the warehouse that enclosed the gym and met up with some ladies to grab a quick workout. There were two active duty Marines on hand to instruct us and provide us with the WOD. We did a 1k row to warm up and then got right to the WOD: 15 minute AMRAP - 6 toes to bar, 8 hand release pushups, 12 squats (repeat 3 times), 400m run. That Thursday morning, there were approximately 15 ladies kicking butt at this huge gym...it was AWESOME!

Sorry for the awful pics, but I only had my iPhone.

After the workout, I decided to drive down to Wilmington to visit TrySports in search of some new shoes. I'm a mid to forefoot striker, and I was desperately in need of new ones:

The fella at the store watched me run, listened to my concerns, and then gathered up several pairs for me to test on their treadmills. I have been a loyal Saucony wearer for YEARS, so I fully intended on selecting yet another pair. After testing Sauconys, Brooks, Newtons, and Asics, I was shocked to find myself veering away from my "old standby" and selected the Asics! 

Since we were in Wilmington, home of many hippies, Weasel and I decided to hit up the Tidal Creep Co-Op where we ate some lunch and did a little shopping:

I grabbed several of these packets in search of some new great sources of protein and other healthful boosts:

I'll have a review later, but I'm stoked to try them out. And I even got some to send to Jess over in Afghanistan! After we got home, we hung out for a bit and then after a total nap fail, I packed Weasel in the car, headed back to MCAS and did a 3 mile loop to test out my new kicks. I'm happy to report that they feel great and I already notice a difference in the way my feet and legs feel with full cushion and support! Talk about a great day!!

Balancing Act

Being a stay-at-home-mom is one of the most challenging things I've ever done. You spend all day with your amazing, trying, sometimes crabby and needy, kiddo, and every day is the same. You yearn for adult conversation. You get no weekends off. It's utterly exhausting. But it's also wonderful. I've witnessed all the "firsts" in the Weasel's life. I've taught her so many different things and watched her eyes open wide as she explores this "new" world around her. (And I really hate to complain since her father has missed so much of her life already due to deployment, but sometimes it's frustrating. Especially after having a "real" job.)


Fortunately, I belong to an amazing running club, Stroller Warriors, full of women in a similar role. We meet twice a week for scheduled runs and sometimes lament our day-to-day drudgery (more often we talk about upcoming races, training plans, or ways to fuel for our long runs!). But we need that outlet. It keeps us sane.

TE, Jill (in blue) and me on our pre-Easter Tuesday workout.

Yesterday, I ran 7 miles with my friend, Jill. She's an amazing SAHM with a nearly 1-year old. Her husband is gone for a couple weeks to do training elsewhere and while she was ecstatic that she witnessed Liam's first 4 unassisted steps, she was frustrated with herself. Jill's signed up to do a triathlon later this month, so she has been trying to work in some time on her bike trainer. The other day, she logged exactly 9 minutes before her son woke up. She found herself irritated at the situation and then felt lousy for having her priorities out of whack. 

Jill with Liam before one of our Saturday long runs...making it happen!

I've found myself thinking these exact same thoughts. How do I balance being a good, attentive mother with maintaining wifely duties and keeping myself happy? I do it by exercising. I love running. Even when it sucks, it's one of the best parts of my day. I am thrilled that the Weasel doesn't fuss too much in her stroller (she's even done a full half with me!). She's a terrible napper for the most part, but she sometimes lets me finish an entire Insanity workout mid-day. I'm grateful that I don't have to sit at a desk, yearning to get out for a workout; but it's not that simple. She has a schedule. If I take her for a long run, it compromises her naps. If I want to go for a bike ride, I have to find someone to watch her or get her into the hourly care (which means a long drive). And lord knows when the last time I got into the pool was! But if I didn't do these things, I can't imagine how grumpy I would be. 


So while it's not always easy, I try to remember that I am also a priority. My happiness sanity comes from running. If I don't fit it in, I notice a difference. Running (or working out in general) makes me a better mother and a better wife. For all of you other mother runners out there struggling with this same balancing act, just know you're not alone. Remember, you are just as important as everyone else. As long as you're not sacrificing the needs (not wants) of your child, the way you fit in your "me" time is not only a good thing, it's a necessary thing. 

Guest Blogger: SEMPER SARAH

I met this gal back in our Marine Corps days, and wanted to share a post that I loved!

Three-Legged (never down) Dog: We Run ‘Cause We Want To!

Posted by Sarah Plummer on March 22, 2012 in Semper Sarah | 0 comments

(written immediately upon returning from run…no editing…no over-thinking  ;-p)

A few things happened tonight and I felt compelled to write immediately…  This evening, I went for a jog with my three-legged wonder pup, Bailey.  He and I both are out of shape.  We’ve spent the winter doing lots of down dogs and child’s pose ;0), enjoying gentle short strolls, and eating healthy.  We have not, however, done any running in months.  Twice in the last week, I took us for a jog.  We were both winded after ten minutes.  We both expressed our defeat on our faces – his with lolling tongue, mine with furrowed brow.

Tonight was different, though.  The air was different…the feel was different…we were different…but we were more ourselves.

I was going to cancel my jog tonight.  I taught a free yoga class at my chiropractor’s office and the session ran long.    Then, the other chiro who doesn’t usually adjust me, did adjust me today.  She was awesome!  I felt great.  I felt relaxed and aligned.  I asked her if I should just let the adjustment settle or if going for a run as I planned would be ok.  She said if I felt energetic, go for a run; if I felt relaxed, don’t.  I felt relaxed…plus, it was already dark out, which meant I could only run in my neighborhood, which falls in the “lame” category for scenery.

But when I got home, Bailey bounced to the door to greet me. I fastened his blue collar around his neck, carefully avoiding his long luxurious Cocker Spaniel ears hanging in the way, and we stepped outside.  “aaaaahhhh” I inhaled the early evening air.  I love this time of night.  It feels like summer here even though it’s Ohio, and it’s March.  About 8pm…about 75 degrees…about perfect.

When we were kids, this was the time of day my brother, Matt, and I always used to run.  We’d dart out the front door of any one of the numerous houses we grew up in, and he’d set the pace.  I’d chase him for a while, but being four years my senior, he’d leave me in the dust soon enough.  It was a game sometimes, though.  We often ran different routes every time, but I’d manage to follow his trail.  We loved to run.  We did it every day andthrived off the movement, the breath, the flight we took on our adolescent feet too big for our toothpick legs.

Tonight, as I ran, I looked down at Bailey.  His characteristic doggy “I love running” smile stretched from floppy ear to floppy ear.  He looked majestic.  When he walks, he hops; he has only three legs after all.  But when runs, he is smooth.  He is like the doggy version of Seabiscuit.  The vets said he’d never be able to run the way he runs today. But with one look at this furry fellow and you can tell he is in a state of pure bliss.

His smile is contagious.  It’s on my face now.  Then, the expression spreads to my mind…the memories of my brother and I that I just described then flooded my mind.  My smile grew even bigger.  I miss my brother.  He’s lived in Peru for about seven years.  My mind trails off for a bit…

I return to the moment.    I love the way the nocturnal air feels on my bare arms.  I love that I finally feel aligned.  I love that I feel light again.  This may not last.  I may not feel this way tomorrow when I run.  “But I feel this waynow,” I think.  Somehow, my smile gets bigger, and all I think, as I take one more glance down at my pogo pup is, “We run because we love running…we run ‘cause we want to.”

This is what running is all about. Follow Sarah on Twitter: @TheMarineChick and check out her blog Semper Sarah.