Running Monologue

Winter is not usually my favorite season.  I don’t like the cold, and I don’t necessarily want to be out in it more than I need to be.  I miss working in the garden and running in shorts and just playing outside in a t-shirt and flip-flops.  Most winters, I end up feeling pretty blah.

I had decided that this winter would be different.  I was going to embrace the whole hibernation/ snuggle up approach to winter, and so far, it’s working.  (I think working on projects during the day that inspire and excite me helps, but that’s another story.)  Part of my winter hibernation is reading… lots and lots and lots of books.

I am a reader all year round.  My whole family is.  But this year, I have begun the practice of reading more than one book at a time, and I like it very much.  There are just too many fun things to read, and I can’t wait to begin some of them.

My latest passion is reading and re-reading juvenile fiction.  I loved, loved, loved reading as a kid, and I can remember so many wonderful books that absolutely pulled me in and created worlds for me that I have never forgotten.  All of Beverly Cleary’s books fall into that category as do Caddie Woodlawn, Island of the Blue Dolphins, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, and anything by Laura Ingalls Wilder. 

Harper Lee is developing very different tastes and doesn’t always like the same books I enjoyed, but she has introduced me to a lot of new ones as well.   I recently discovered Lois Lowry.  I have a copy of The Giver, but I haven’t read it yet.  It’s on the end table right now waiting to be picked up.  Harper Lee just finished The Willoughby’s, and I finished Gossamer last night.  We plan to trade this afternoon.

I’m finding myself particularly drawn to these books I think because much of my own writing seems to be turning in that direction.  Some of my favorite pieces that I’ve been working on recently would probably be categorized as juvenile fiction, and I’ve developed a curiosity about what else is out there.  The styles and genres and subject matter all vary greatly, and frankly, I’ve been surprised by all the new books and topics I’ve discovered.  It’s been quite an adventure.

We should never fall into that snobby grown-up attitude that literature is only for adults.  I have run across some particularly fine pieces of literature that are most certainly for kids.  I think sometimes there is an attitude that writing for kids couldn’t possibly be that difficult.  It’s just all about seeing the dog run, right?  To assume so is to vastly underestimate the mind of a child. 

In fact, as a writer, I’m beginning to think that no one deserves a finely crafted sentence more than a young reader eager to learn about the world and open to the possibilities of anything and everything.  I know that literature certainly affected me in profound and positive ways, and I can think of nothing better than writing something that might have the same effect on someone else.

I joked with the librarian the other day, as I was dropping off yet another donation box of books, that I had to cull my shelves because our house was beginning to look like that of a crazy person’s.  There are books and magazines stacked everywhere on every conceivable surface, so I decided to donate and share some of the wealth.  Of course, we’ve only managed to fill up the spots that were briefly empty.  Some of them are from the library, but others were recently ordered on Amazon or taken from friends who are also in the process of clearing clutter.

The truth is I will never have neat bookshelves—you know, those that are actually color coordinated in the home design magazines.  What’s up with that?  All green bindings on one shelf and all blue on the other?  I just don’t see it.  Books are meant to be pulled off the shelf often, opened and placed face down on a table or chair arm while you get another cup of coffe, dog-eared, and written in with notes and smiley faces in the margins.  They are meant to be read and savored, touched and smelled, loved and made real like the Velveteen Rabbit.

Here’s my reading list right now:

The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

One Year to a Writing Life by Susan M. Teberghien

The Boy Who Sang the Birds by John Weston

The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

Isaac is currently reading:

Alvin Ho- Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look

*just finished Otis Spofford by Beverly Cleary

*ANYTHING that has to do with natural disasters or sharks

HarperLee is currently reading:

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Adventures of Tin-Tin

Gossamer by Lois Lowry

What are your favorite books from childhood?  What about as an adult?  Leave your comments here with books we should add to our reading list.  Bring on the books!

Welcome to Shannon Kinney-Duh of Free Spirit Knits

I told you that I had some exciting new things planned for the blog, and one of those is my interview with Shannon Kinney-Duh of Free Spirit Knits.  She is one of my favorite artists and bloggers, and her e-course “Inside Out” was a brilliant introduction to art journaling and this awesome blogging community that I’ve grown to love.

I took Shannon’s course during the summer of 2010, thus beginning my journey to where I am now, which is a pretty good place.  I think Shannon’s class took me by the shoulder, shook me a little and woke me up to the fact that I wasn’t quite living up to my potential. 

I signed up on a whim; I wanted to see how an e-course worked in case I ever wanted to teach one someday, and the artist part of me thought it would be fun to stretch my creative muscles a little.  Since I was able to hold a jumbo crayon, I have loved art and making things so it seemed like a great summer project that I could enjoy on my own and with the kids.

What I got was a reminder of how much I missed that creative part of my life.  I grew up with an artist grandmother who spent her days making and painting and crafting and collecting and all along the way, telling me stories.  Those days in my grandmother’s studio were the foundation of who I am, but since adulthood, I had let that part of me go.  I didn’t paint much, and when I did, I stuck it away somewhere because I didn’t think it was very good.  I colored with Harper Lee and Isaac, but I never just sat down with my own art supplies and painted or doodled or created fun messes just for the sake of creating.  Shannon’s class brought all the good things that come from expressing myself creatively flooding back.  It even helped me get back into creative writing.

Since her class, I’ve filled up numerous art journals, created a few pieces for myself and for friends, begun trying new mediums and projects, signed up for other classes, completed an impressive number of writing journals, and made the leap to writer/artist as my job, and I’m happier than I’ve been in ages.  There was a lot of work in between, but I credit Shannon’s course for giving me the jump-start I needed and for reminding me what is really most important.

Shannon is a self-proclaimed free spirit who believes we should all be bold explorers of our lives and live with an open mind and heart, and she encourages those she comes in contact with to do just that with her warm smile, words of encouragement and brilliant example.  And she was gracious enough to agree to do an interview with me for my readers.  Here’s what she had to say.

Shannon, tell us about your own creative journey.  How do you incorporate creative living into your everyday life?

I was longing to live a creative, authentic life for a very long time.  It wasn’t until after I graduated from college and had to start looking for work that I really dove deeper into my creative search.  I just wasn’t happy doing work that didn’t feed my soul.  I met a group of women who were on a similar journey at the time, and we read “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron together.  And that was the start to my healing through creativity.

I think my path took a more courageous turn when I became a mother.  There was no hiding at that point.  Meaning, I cried every day I had to drop off my 5 month old to daycare, so it forced me to take bigger risks towards living a creative life, because what I learned is that ultimately I wanted to be home with my children and do the creative work I so enjoy with them and around their schedule. 

So now I incorporate creativity into my everyday because it’s pretty much essential when parenting two small children!  We have an art room where we spend a lot of time together.  We paint, we build, we discover, and we get messy together.  I teach them a little, but mostly I let them lead the way and they are the ones teaching me.

You often say that we are all creative beings.  What do you mean and how would you respond to people who say, “I’m just not creative”?

I was one of those people who used to say, “I’m not creative.”  I definitely did not believe I was an artist, and that was a very limiting belief about myself.  So I know what that feels like and I still meet adults every day who say the same thing.

I learned through my own self-discovery, art exploration and yoga practice and study that we are the creator of our own lives.  That can be a hard concept to grasp, but when you get it and start believing that you can create a life you love, rather than one you don’t, you start to see that anything is possible.

My yoga practice also taught me that thoughts become things.  I learned that when I kept repeating the story, “I’m not creative,” well that’s exactly what I became.  So when I learned to change my thoughts to something more positive is when I saw real change in my life.

What do you think is so important about embracing your creativity and expressing it? 

I feel that creativity is the gateway to your intuition.  The more time you make to explore and express your creativity, the more connected you stay to your authentic self.  And when you have a clear connection to that inner place, the more in alignment you are with your true path.  When you get more comfortable expressing your creativity, you will learn how to enjoy the process of creating, rather than worrying about the outcome.  And being in the flow of the present moment is when you’ll hear your inner voice, feel your inner strength and see a connection between the two.

It seems that many people are looking for ways to “be happier.”  Why do you think there is such an overwhelming number of books, websites and programs devoted to the idea of happiness?  What do you see as the “key” to unlocking this concept that many people find so elusive?

I think from a very early age we are programmed to look for quick and easy fixes.  We learn how to please others, how to fit in and we get really good at looking to outside sources for approval.  This continual search outside ourselves keeps us disconnected to the happiness that truly lives within.  So we keep searching and looking “out there.”  But eventually, hopefully sooner than later, we learn that nothing “out there” can truly make us happy.  Happiness does come from within.  So slowing down and finding quiet stillness are “key” to reconnecting to our heart centers – the source of our wisdom.  When we start from the inside is when we’ll find peace of heart and the happiness we are all looking for.

I often view creativity, in its many forms, as a type of spiritual practice.  What connections do you see between being creative and being spiritual?

Life is a school and we are here to learn from it.  Our journey is a spiritual one as we are beings having a human experience.  Trying new things, thinking new thoughts, exploring, being curious, facing fears, and making mistakes – which are all aspects of creativity – are just as important on the spiritual path.  We aren’t here to be perfect, just as the act of creating or our spiritual practice isn’t meant to be perfect.  The more we fail the better because it allows us to learn along the way. 

I see that when I face the blank page and get ready to paint, I can easily get nervous.  I may want to turn back, resist, organize the art room yet again – do anything else but face it.  But, when I remember to be kind to myself, to have fun with the process and that it’s just paper, I can usually get my hands messy and begin.  And that’s very similar to the spiritual process.  There may be challenges in our lives, like that blank paper, that bring up fear, but if we can accept the fear, embrace it, and walk forward, that’s when the true learning happens.  That’s when the true creating occurs.  And that’s when the spiritual practice expands to a new level.

What advice would you offer someone who wants to explore his or her own creativity but doesn’t know where to begin?

Simply begin.  Take yourself to the art section at the bookstore.  Look through some magazines.  Start reading creative and inspiring blogs.  Sign up for that class.  Find those that are doing what you secretly wish you could do.  Because once you start surrounding yourself with that kind of inspiration you will soon learn that YOU can do those things, too.  Even though you don’t feel creative now, remember, many of those people you see creating used to feel the very same way.  Look for community and surround yourself with support.  And remember, there will always be fear when learning something new, so accept that fear will be there, and then slowly face that fear with one small step at a time.  And remember to be especially kind to yourself along the way.  (Negative self-talk does you no good!)

Tell us a little bit about your logo, “I’m a Free Spirit.”  What does being a free spirit mean to you?

A free spirit to me is someone who is less interested in conforming and more interested in diving deeper into her own heart.  She is a life-explorer who thinks freely, with an open mind, heart and soul. She has the courage to live her truth and as she discovers the beauty and joy within her and all around her, she inspires others to do the same.

Tell us a little bit about some of your projects that are currently underway and any new projects on the horizon?

The 6^th session of my e-course “Inside Out: A Creative Adventure of Self-Discovery” is coming up January 23^rd, 2012.  This course encourages you to become a bold explorer of your dreams and inspires you to celebrate your authentic brilliance through art journaling, writing, guided meditation and yoga principles, all while connecting to a like-minded community of women from all over the world. 

I will be taking the entire next year to work on creating my newest e-course, “Mothering with heART” which will invite mothers to enrich their creativity alongside their children, while reconnecting to their authentic way of mothering.

I also have a new website coming out in January, which will host my blog where I write about creativity, wellness and mindful living.  It will also offer a safe online community where free spirits can connect with each other.

And of course my biggest and best project is to continue creating space in my life, being present for and with my two little boys, and making lots of messes along the way!

Thanks, Shannon, for all you do to help others recognize the treasures they hold!

Check Shannon’s art and blog out at www.freespiritknits.blogspot.com and be on the lookout for upcoming e-courses.  It is so worth it! 

 “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”  -Dr. Seuss

One of my favorite pastimes over the last year has been reading other people’s blogs, which has its upside and its downsides.  The up side is that I get to “meet” many interesting people all over the country, some of whom resonate with me very much.  I laugh, am challenged in my thinking, discover new and creative ways of doing things, connect with other women and writers, and am met with a lot of positive attitudes.

The downside is that I do the inevitable comparison, particularly with blogs that have a large readership.  What are some common elements?  What niche does each blog fill?  How do they reach so many people?  What’s the appeal?  And, most importantly, how does my blog compare?

You see where this is going, right?  Pretty soon, blog led unto blog, and I was very quickly sucked into the world of linking from one person to the next until I was confused and lost and completely overwhelmed by all my blog “should be.”  I became frantic about my content.  Who was this mythical “tribe” so many writers kept referring to?  Did these tribes vary that much?  Was anyone who said they were in a “tribe” pretty much a stereotype themselves?  Was I writing for the right audience?  How could I write about running and being a mom and living a creative life and spirituality and my church and teaching and cooking and stupid “life” stuff without alienating at least half of this “tribe” at every turn?  My head began to spin.  Maybe I should just quit.

I mean, men read this blog.  Some of my friends read this blog.  My mother-in-law reads this blog.  Runners read this blog.  Artists read this blog.  A whole bunch of people I don’t know read this blog.  How could I possibly write for all of them and have them care enough to return?  And how could I get even more seemingly unrelated people to read it?  Who, exactly, is my tribe?

I asked Rob.  “Who do you think my tribe is?”

He thought for a moment and said, “I think your tribe is probably extinct.  They killed each other off.”

OK—not what I was looking for though I did have to laugh.

See, the problem is not really any of my readers; it’s me. 

Here’s What I Am

Writer, artist, runner, coach, mother, Christian, volunteer, wife, daughter, teacher… and-- get ready for it—a Republican.

Here’s What I Love

Running, writing, drawing, coloring, reading, books of all kinds, old movies, John Wayne, gardening, animals, sitting on the porch and doing nothing, hiking, the mountains of North Carolina, history, red lipstick, hippie clothes, Irish punk, Scotland, old people, making mud pies and sand sculptures, birds, hot baths, candles, chocolate, kickin’ ass, and cold beer.

Here’s How I Am

Funny, good-hearted, spiritual, creative, disorganized, late, passionate, tough, a procrastinator, cheerful, and foul-tempered.  Basically, I believe in loving others as ourselves and peace when possible, but I also believe that there are times when it is absolutely necessary to kick somebody’s ass and that they do, in fact, deserve to have the crap kicked out of them.

See where this might be a problem?  My sensitive, artist friends were with me until that last part, my Democrat friends were with me until I said I was a Republican, and my more conservative friends were probably offended by my use of the word ass.  I am, as my sophomore English teacher once wrote in my journal, a “series of pleasant contradictions.”

How could someone like me possibly find a tribe?  Is there a tribe of red lipstick wearin’, knife totin’, physically fit, artistic moms out there who hate telephones and texting and love old movies and running through the mud as much as I do?  If so, pass this blog along to them because try as I might, I just can’t be anything other than who I am—nasty temper, chronic lateness, and smelly running shoes included.

As I grow into this new vocation of writer/artist, I am constantly reminded of a lesson I have learned over and over again.  Trying to be anything other than exactly what you are never ends well.  In the past, I’ve tried to teach like others, write like others, run like others, and live like others because I thought others had the inside track to success, but every single time, and I mean EVERY time, it ended in failure.  Whenever I have been successful in my life, it has been because I have followed my own way.

People will either love my writing and my books and my blog or they won’t.  Those who do are my tribe.  And even if my tribe is small, I will know that it is mine and came to me because I was true to myself alone.

When I think about all the good in my life, much of it is related to running.  Now, obviously, my children didn’t come from running, but I think running contributed to healthier pregnancies and a stronger body that allowed me to carry and give birth to very large, very healthy kids.  Running has also given me better strength, cardiovascular fitness, mental toughness, self-confidence, and stress relief.  It has given me some of the best friends and mentors of my life, and it has made me view myself in a different (better) way.  Overall, it’s been a pretty good hobby, and its benefits are things I believe in passionately.

I wasn’t always a runner.  In fact, I remember a time when I was barely able to make a whole lap at the park without walking, but over time, I built up my strength and endurance.  Soon I was able to run for long periods.  Still, I was mediocre at best.  I didn’t really know what I was doing.

Then I met my coach who taught me more than I ever knew existed about the science of running, and lo and behold, I got better.  I don’t mean a little better; I mean head and shoulders better.  I mean five minutes off my 5K PR better.  I mean shuffling along at the back of the pack to running in National Championships better (though I was still out the backdoor at the National races).  My point is that coaching and learning the nuances of running made a difference for me, not just in my running but in my life and in how I view myself as a person.

People ask me all the time what they need to do to get better.  Sometimes they want simple answers and quick fixes, but for the most part, they just want someone to teach them how to improve.  They’re willing, but they don’t know where to begin.  That’s why I’ve decided to begin coaching other adults who are seeking some of those same things I was several years ago. 

I told you that 2012 was going to be my year of taking action and doing new things, and as part of that action, I am offering a holistic health and fitness program for all levels.   If you are someone who knows you need to exercise but feel overwhelmed by that first step, this is a good place to start.  I can design a program fit specifically to your needs, goals and abilities and give you the encouragement you need to get moving toward better health in just a few weeks. 

If you are a regular exerciser but you’re looking for something new and different, this program is also for you.  Whether you have never run a race or if you are looking to see just how fast you can run, I can personalize your plan to meet your goals based on your current fitness and health.

Just knowing what to do and having the right tools to reach your goals is all you need to get started in making a change in your life.  Not knowing where to begin or feeling that you are alone are two of the biggest motivation killers, but having a coach to communicate with or to meet for a run is a key to getting started and sticking with a fitness or training program.

I don’t have a lot of fancy gimmicks, and I’m not going to lie and say that this is easy.  It’s not; if it were, everyone would do it.  I believe in consistency and putting in the work.  If you do those two things, you are well on your way, not just in overall health but in personal growth as well. 

Running, for me, is a metaphor for life. You get out of it what you put into it.  

Cassidy and Harper Lee-- ringing in the New Year with good friends.

Last night, Rob and I sat up, half asleep and eyelids drooping, to watch the ball drop over New York City and a lot of people who clearly have more exciting lives than we do.  Heck, even our ten-year old has a more exciting life.  She went to her long-time friend’s grandmother’s house for their 5^th annual New Year’s Eve party.  She probably stayed up later than we did.  So Isaac was an only child for most of New Year’s Eve and the first part of 2012.  Although he said it was fun, he did admit that “things are more fun when Harper Lee is with me.”  After a full day playing at the park and swimming at the YMCA, eating his favorite lasagna and ice cream sandwiches and drinking sparkling grape juice, he passed out in front of the fireplace on his sleeping bag around 8:30, and Rob and I drank what was left of the juice and talked about the year that was about to end.

We had some losses this year, the most significant being our two beloved dogs, Ellie and Cari.  Their deaths seemed like the end of something for Rob and me since we had those two girls long before we ever had children.  It was a stark reminder of how times change and how the years close old chapters and open new ones on a regular basis.

Overall, though, our year was a good one.  We went to the beach, bought a boat, sailed and swam, sold a boat, sent our oldest to summer camp, went to Los Angeles, and sent our youngest off to his first year of school.  The biggest event in our life as a family this past year, however, has been the change in Rob’s job, which has improved all our lives in ways we hadn’t fully imagined but had hoped for in so many ways.  Having Rob home with us and back to his old self, not the stressed-out, always on edge person he had become, has been our greatest blessing this year.

Isaac "bouldering" at Stone Mountain on New Year's Day

2011 was also a great year for me in that I came to several realizations about myself and the direction of my life.  I think I’ve set myself up for a good 2012 though I still struggle with fear and doubt from time to time.  I have a lot of plans for the coming months, and I’ve already begun work on them.  I’ve lightened my teaching load (though I’m still teaching my favorite literature class) so that I can focus on writing my book.  The book is a somewhat private affair for me right now.  I don’t spend a lot of time talking about it, and I don’t want to.  It’s one of the reasons I haven’t mentioned it too much prior to now, but saying it makes me feel accountable—to whom, I can’t say… maybe only to myself, but I’m the most important one in this instance, right?

I also have a couple of other things (more on that to follow) that are being finalized right now and that are rooted in taking action on things I’ve been “thinking about” for quite some time.  2011 was a great year of self-reflection, praying and planning, and 2012 is going to be a year of action, or at least a year of practice.

I don’t really believe in making New Year’s resolutions.  As Harper says, “That’s pretty much the kiss of death.”  Instead, I like the idea of goals.  I’ve always been a writer of goals; it’s something to work towards, one day a time, and it doesn’t have that sense of “all or nothing” or even punishment that the word resolution does.  A goal is something you work on bit by bit, every day.  If you screw up one day, the whole thing is not lost; instead, you pick up where you left off and keep going.  I like that so much more than an “I will do…” or “I will not do…” list.  In fact, I have several goals this year, so I’ve decided that my guiding word for 2012 is going to be practice.  I’m going to make a daily practice of:

*writing

*training seriously and consistently

*yoga

*strength training

*focusing on the present and not worrying about tomorrow

*counting blessings rather than complaining

*surrounding myself with positive and supportive people

*following my gut more often

*prayer and meditation

*listening more, talking less

*creativity—not just in art but in daily living

There will be days that I don’t quite make it on all of these points, but the goal is to continue practicing, to move toward these things one step at a time.  I don’t know yet what the end result will be, but I’m so looking forward to finding out what 2012 holds for me.

Journal:  What plans do you have for the new year?  Do you have a resolution or would you like to work on a practice of your own?  What will your practice be?

 Homestead Cabins at Stone Mountain- New Year's Day, 2012

December was an unexpectedly good month for racing around here.  I went into the holiday season with relatively low expectations, but between the two of us, Harper Lee and I had a pretty good month.

On December 10, my girls from G-Force raced at the Mt. Airy Rosy Cheeks 5K.  For those who don’t know, G-Force is an after-school running program for girls in grades 3-6.  We focus on fitness, nutrition, friendship and fun and operate under the premise that “a fit girl is a powerful girl.”  This was the close of our 3^rd season, and as always, we concluded our 10-week session with a 5K.  For some of the girls, it was not their first, and they raced for personal records, but for most, it was their first race, and it was a great one to start off with.

The Mt. Airy Police Department uses the race to collect toys for needy children in the area.  Instead of an entry fee, participants bring one unwrapped Christmas gift.  I especially love this race because it allows the girls to participate in a race, which is a new and exciting experience in and of itself, and it lets them do something good for others. 

It was our fastest group of girls yet.  21 of them completed the course and all under an hour.  Harper Lee ran a PR with a time of 27:43.  Her official time was slower because we started the girls pretty far back to avoid impeding other runners, but I clicked my watch as we (finally) crossed the start so I could get an accurate time for her.  She raced really well and looks stronger all the time.  And that was all after she tripped over a giant plastic candy cane at the start and got run over by the crowd.  I had gone ahead and didn’t even know about it until one of the other girls told me she had fallen.  I said, “Well, I hope she gets up.”  Fortunately, Crystal was further back and pulled her up and looked her over before saying, “Your Mama is up there.  Get up and run!”  Yes.  One of those lessons that applies both to racing and life— don’t be surprised if you fall; be surprised if you don’t.  And when you do fall, get up and keep going.”  Eventually, she caught up, and after calming down a bit, she went on to run a good race.  Is there a lesson there?

The next weekend, Crystal, Jason and Alison and I ran the Pilot Mountain Challenge, which is technically a 5K but is straight up Pilot Mtn. on trails.  It’s not a PR course.  And it is most decidedly not MY kind of course.  I love running trails, especially on training runs, just because I love the mountains, and I love being in the woods, and I love the solitude and quiet, but trails do not play to my strengths as a runner.  I am strong, yes, and I can muscle through a lot, but I’m really a rhythm runner who finds a pace and sticks to it.  Trails tend to break it up, and I don’t handle it nearly as well as I do just running as hard as I can on the roads.  That’s why 5K’s on the road are my best races; however, it’s fun to just jump in these trail races from time to time and see what I can do.  I’ve found that the good people are REALLY good, but that I can do pretty well too just by virtue of being out there and being tough.  This race was no exception in that I placed 9^th out of 57 or 58 women; however, I ran a 39:43.  Yes, for a 5K.  That’s 12:49 pace, I think.  Hmmmm….  Not my kind of course.  Alison tore it up and destroyed the women’s field with a time of 28:56 and beat all but six of the men.  It was her kind of course.

I felt the absolute worst I’ve felt in a race in a long, long time.  I had a stitch, I felt like I might puke from half a mile on, and I looked like I was in major distress at most points in the race, BUT it was worth the run and something I would probably do again.  Besides, as I was sucking wind and trying not to fall off the side of the mountain, I remembered to just look up as I went around the knob.  It was beautiful.

After Pilot Mtn., I felt I was ready to run a faster 5K course that would allow me to stretch my legs and find out exactly where I am.  I chose the Mt. Mourne Elf Run on Christmas Eve.  Jason and Rex drove down with Harper Lee and me to watch us both race.  Harper decided to run a fast sprint rather than another 5K, so she signed up for the Fun Run, which was a 400.  We had run there a few years ago, and the course was a fast PR kind of course.  I was psyched to see where I am right now despite my weight and my less than great training.  I figured it would give me an accurate baseline.

I was wrong.  It is a PR course but only when the police car leading us out knows the course.  Unfortunately, we ended up running about 5541 meters.  At the two-mile mark, I looked at my watch and wondered if I needed to flag down a car to give me a ride back to the finish.  I knew at that point that something was not right, so I just kept racing, and I won my age group and finished well overall.  But as for finding out what I can run for a 5K, that will have to be on another day.  The police had sort of rough day; the police car that led the Fun Run stopped and sat for at least 8-10 seconds halfway through the race resulting in several fast kids slamming into the end of the car and piling up on one another.  Rather than stringing out, the leaders were caught once again in the mob and had to start sprinting again from a dead standstill.  Harper Lee finished second right behind another girl who was working just as hard.  They both had a good race, but again, who knows what might have happened.  Still, it was a race, and it was a great way to start our Christmas Eve.

Besides, the winner of Saturday’s race was Anthony Familglietti, a two-time Olympian and six-time US Champion.  As Jason likes to point out, not many folks can go out and get in on a game of basketball with Michael Jordan or Lebron James, but the beauty of running is that you just never know who will show up on any given day.  In this sport, people like me can run the same race on the same day as Familglietti.  And he seems pretty nice to boot.