I decided to bite the bullet, pay the money, and get my race photos from the 10k I ran a couple weeks ago. Are they more expensive than I want, yes. But am I proud and really liked some of the shots, yes!

This past week was a busy one. We visited family in Vermont, spent time with friends in MA, and hosted long-time friends who visited. Due to that this past week was not centered around routine and the regular consistency. No, this week was all about love, fun, and memories.

This may not be a long post, but my feelings in here are very strong. We are going through a period of time in our family that is not the easiest. My parents, who have been the foundation for my success in life, are simply aging. And my father has Parkinson’s disease, which waits for nobody. You may recall this as the first 5k I ran fully was the Michael J Fox Foundation Run for a Cure. I did it for my dad.

So this weekend was wonderful. I watched my kids play with their cousins and role down the hill at my mom’s VT farm house and pick up with their cousins like they never have been apart. We got to eat good food, drink good drinks, and laugh. I got to watch my kids see my dad and and spend quality time with him up at Jay Peak. All of this filled my heart and and created memories that will continue on. But this was all also very tiring and emotional. Aging is real and the realities around disease are cruel. So this week’s return to routine will help me sort myself out and get on track.

I sometimes need to remind myself that it is okay to have fun. We can get ourselves so wrapped up in our journey or the hard topics of life that we forget to live with joy. But this week was a good way to cap the first half of the year and with that, I begin half marathon training today.

Training

With the two kids and endless needs, I cannot justify a run coach right now. I may save that for… wait for it, an eventual marathon (if this half goes the way I hope it to). So because of that, I am doing my best to create my training plan from what i have found online. It is roughly a 16 week training. I did my first run this morning. 2 miles. It would have gone much better if it was not for the gastrointestinal distress, IYKYK. But it is okay! I will be keeping folks updated on that progress and am super stoked to work towards this goal!

With the running and cross training comes the nutrition. I have been starting to plan better and think more holistically about my intake. I would love ideas for easy and nutritious meals that work for you all. The challenge is always balancing ease with kids with having it work for me.

Happy Monday, Folks!