keep on running...

Running.

I love it and I hate it. But most days I love it. 

Yes, it's hard to get out of bed before the sun comes up. And yes, it's hard to push myself up that hill when I'd rather fall over and die. Yes, it hurts like crazy the day after I've really pushed myself. And yes, there are some days I just don't want to do it. 

But there is absolutely nothing in the world for me that can, in such a short amount of time, shake all the garbage out of my brain and give me clarity of thought, give me a reprieve from the stresses of my day-to-day or prove to myself that I actually can do hard things. 

It's mind over matter. It's setting a goal and pushing myself to the limit to reach it. It's release. It's keeping myself fit so I can take care of my girls. It's collapsing to the floor after I've given it my all. It's eating a bowl of ice cream and not feeling a tinge of guilt.

I really missed running last spring and summer. I ran until about 34 weeks pregnant with Kate and then my body screamed at me to stop. So I did. Then I needed to sit it out for most of the summer while my body recovered. So I did. Then I went to Utah where the altitude did a number on my endurance. But I kept trying and slowly but surely, I succeeded. 

Today I finished week six of nine weeks of training for my first half marathon in a year. Today, I ran up the final hill to my house without stopping. And I did it in record time. And I didn't want to die when I finished. 

Today was a good day. A day to remind myself why I run. And it felt good. 

01. my summer walking/slooooooow running buddies

02. parley's trail with my  mom. we co-motivated one another. and we both needed it. 

03. more parley's trail and teaching my mom new lingo. 

04. half way up the hill that never ends. 

05. eight miles on the rail trail. 

06. cutest running buddy on the planet. 

07. ten miles in new england fall splendor.