Saying no isn't such a bad thing

I have been delinquent in posting to this blog the past few weeks.  It has not been for lack of wanting to, but rather because life has just been jam-packed and I have struggled to find a few minutes to sit down and type out my thoughts.  The good news is that all of the craziness from the past weeks is bringing some really positive changes into my life.

Balance. I'm getting there . . .

It has been a good couple of weeks.

Doesn't it seem that when a big life event happens, a bunch of other significant things seem to pop up simultaneously?  For me, it seemed like I was trying to balance a number of major events and commitments in my life the past couple of months, to include things on the family, work, travel, and health front.  And I have to admit, I was feeling pretty IM-balanced for quite awhile.  But in the past week or so, it seems like the universe has realigned and I am feeling more at peace with its intentions.  Okay, maybe that sounds hokey or overly spiritual,  But honestly, I do believe that things happen for a reason, and I'm finally at a point where I am trying to be patient and just let life play out as its meant to.  It seems like once I adjusted my attitude and made a couple of changes to regain more balance, other things started to follow that lead.

Pure adrenaline

So the title of this post may imply that I attempted some crazy running feat and experienced that moment of runner's "euphoria" once the adrenaline kicked in.  Sorry to disappoint you, but there was no insane race, no noteworthy athletic accomplishments, nada, nothing.  I personally wish that I did indeed have some wonderful achievement to share.  But no, this post is focused on the fact that, although I am a big fan of the runner's high and pushing my body to the limits, I am also realizing that pure adrenaline is not always what you need.

Taking the first step

I went to a yoga class yesterday morning.  Okay, big deal, you might say.  But there were a few reasons that made this feel like a fairly meaningful accomplishment to me.

1. I stopped thinking about it and took action.  I have been talking about taking a weekly yoga class FOREVER.  Why did I wait until yesterday to finally check out the studio that is literally down the street from me?
2. I stepped outside my comfort zone.  I would like to say that I am open to new experiences and challenges, but honestly, it can be easy to fall into the daily grind of a familiar routine.  The unknown sometimes can be an obstacle, and it's not until you commit to taking that first step that you suddenly realize you were just being silly by not giving something new a try.

Some days you just need a little sign . . .

I was having one of those days earlier this week . . . and to be completely honest, it really has been a tough couple of weeks.  Peter and I recently made the decision to relocate his mom to Utah and have her live with us, and the big move occurred last weekend.  In retrospect there are things that I would have done differently to prepare for the move, but even so, that wouldn't have made the emotional process of moving an elderly relative in with you all that much easier.  Having just returned from Boston and the high of the marathon, it was definitely a big reality check to tackle this.

Boston Marathon 2011 Race Report

I couldn't resist using my Boston race report as my first blog post on this site.  I may have broken the first cardinal rule of blogging (i.e., keep it succinct and to the point), but there will be plenty more entries that can be kept short and sweet!

115^th Boston Marathon

April 18, 2011

Let me start by saying that this may go down in the books as the most amazing race that I have ever run.  I have barely typed a sentence and I am already getting chills thinking about it!

Back with a Vengeance

I was returning to Boston to not only run the marathon for the second time, but more importantly, to even up the score.  When I ran Boston in 2009 for the first time, I easily got caught up in the excitement: psyched to qualify just four months prior, thrilled to be accepted just days before registration filled up, satisfied with my training (despite coming off four months of training for my BQ race), and ecstatic to be in corral 1 of wave 2 (meaning I would line up right at the start line for the race and for a brief moment feel like an elite runner).  But I must admit, all of this excitement got the better of me – despite reading books and articles about the do’s and don’ts of running Boston.  So in 2009, I went out there, made all the rookie mistakes, and let the course beat me down.  Despite a rough journey from Hopkinton to Boston, I fell in love with the race: the course, the spectators, the joy of everyone privileged to be running, and ultimately, crossing the finish line on Boylston Street.  Two years later, I was headed back to Boston to show the course that I was ready to take it on – and with a vengeance.