Boston Baby!

Fifteen years ago, when I was overweight and out of shape, I never would have imagined that I would be 12 weeks away from my second Boston Marathon.  Just to say that, my 2nd Boston Marathon, makes me so proud of how far I have come.  I earned my place at that starting line in Hopkinton on April 16 because of hard work, consistent work, dedication and desire. I had a lot of help along the way; family, friends, coaches and my best training partner and husband, David, who truly believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself.

I have also had the honor of being a sponsored athlete for the Boston Marathon. Again, to say these words, sponsored athlete, when 15 years ago I couldn’t even run 2 minutes on the treadmill, makes me extremely humbled  for the opportunity. Hyland’s, a major sponsor of the Boston Marathon, invited me to join their team for the second time. Last year  David and I had what we both thought was a once in a lifetime opportunity, but with qualifying a second time, I was invited to join the team again. They provided us and my family with a world class experience, brunches, baseball game, more brunches, VIP treatment to the starting line (a private bus with a bathroom in it), and an amazing after party where we, the runners, were the guests of honor. They are an exceptional company, who believe in the power of healthy living and it was (and will be again) a privilege to represent them in Boston.

So, with 12 weeks to go my mileage will increase, my time will be filled with more running, swimming, crossfit and mobility and my husband, my family, my friends and Hyland’s will be by my side every step of the way.

A wise man once said “You can not do great things without the support of great people surrounding you.”

New Year, New Adventures

Happy New Year. I hope everyone had a festive and safe holiday season with lots of love, laughter and fun. We were able to enjoy family time while trying to balance work, the van build and training. This time of year finding the right balance can be a bit of a challenge. It is important to spend quality time with the ones you love but it is also important to make time for you. Taking care of ourselves is often overlooked but it is extremely important, especially during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

David and I got to spend some time with my nieces in Portland. It was a super fun trip away from the van build and work. A time to just have fun with the girls and not worry about anything else. On our way home we were able to take a little detour to Mt. St. Helens National Monument. As we approached the visitor center the mountain disappeared into the thick clouds and it was colder and windier then we expected, so a run was not in the cards. So instead of turning around, we kept driving. David being a true optimist knew that there would be a view of the mountain just around the next corner. Twenty-five miles later, through the thick clouds and snowy roads, the sun and mountain made an appearance.

Sometimes it is worth the risk taking and extra effort, whether it is driving around the next corner, changing jobs, moving to a new state or into a van, as you never know what amazing adventures, sights and experiences await you.

New Years Day, David and I were able to take a few hours and go for a much needed training run, together, with our best training partner, Mira the wonder dog. We have been apart for several weeks now while he is down south building the van. All the time apart will pay off when we get to move into the van, travel, train, race and most importantly spend time together. I am super excited to start racing again and we already have 2 races on the schedule for January. Our calendar has a few more races scheduled for April but otherwise we are waiting to see where the road may take us.

” I knew that I was choosing the road less traveled but I’m not walking it alone”- Jason Collins