Blue Sky Mind

An interesting turn in my running happened when I was in Mexico. I didn't run. At first assessment of the narrow beach and soft sloped sands, I knew it wasn't good terrain for my ankles. The only other option was a narrow dirt road leading into town which offered the hot, Mexican sun; fast-moving, heavy trucks kicking up dust and sputtering diesel exhaust; and no breezy relief from the sea. Plus, there was a week's worth of yoga classes, beach walks and ocean swimming before me. So I decided a week off from running might actually be a good thing. While the part of me that is hardest on myself felt pressure and even a little guilt taking time off from my training, another part of me was relieved by my choice to live these next few days as fully as possible by not pushing -- and letting myself just be.

I chose not to drink coffee, not to have alcohol, and to enjoy the colorful vegetarian diet offered by the resort -- yogurt, granola, bananas, mangos, pineapple, hibiscus juice, French toast, jasmine and mint teas, cucumber salad, pico de gallo, queso fresco, guacamole, grains, banana leaf wrapped packets, fried tacos, and delightful desserts. My life was immediately simplified by not having to prepare meals or wear shoes. I slept under mosquito netting with the most amazing sea breeze rushing in the cabana all night long, carrying its sound with the sound of the ocean waves. Because of the 2-hour time difference, I was able to wake each morning before the sunrise and watch the pelicans and fisherman as the sun peeked over the jetty. I became aware of everything I was living without and felt burdens slipping off my back one by one. No work stress, none of my boyfriend's stress, no cat bowls. And on the beach at night, you could see all the stars.


Through meditation practice at 7 AM, 3-hour yoga practice, time to think and relax and play on the beach, evening lectures, fabulous people, fire circles and salsa dancing, I reconnected with parts of myself I had lost touch with. I was quiet enough to hear things I never heard before. And above all, I learned that I need to be light.


Since coming home, I've returned to running for the pure joy of it. I withdrew my application for the New York City Marathon, and have become focused on finding more quiet space in my life. I'm still a runner - just a gentler one a the moment. And one with a blue sky mind.

Riviera Maya

Only a few more days 'til I am here... I'm looking forward to the taste of summer, shedding my winter skin, daily yoga, running on the beach, swimming, bronzing, exploring the ruins... After the 70 degree days we had last week... running in a tank top on Kelly Drive, daylight savings time, greeting my running club friends with the promise of a warmer season in the air... it was hard to face the bitter wind and snowy trail and 34 degree temperatures yesterday, never mind the heavy winter gear again. Especially with a beach cabana right around the corner. Take me to Mexico!

Running on Ice

This is the entrance to the Wissahickon at Northwestern Avenue. Joy and I like to park at this entrance when we are setting out to do a longer run, since we are often too tempted to retreat to the car when we park in the middle entrance. The advantage of the middle lot are the restrooms at Valley Green, which prevent me from having to do a "bear in the woods" routine, especially on UC mornings like today. But that, I've discovered, is all part of the experience.

The length of the entire trail is 10.6 miles. Though I feel like I know every bend in the road, the seasons change its look entirely, even camouflaging old, familiar hills. Even though it looks slick in this picture, it was 33 degrees, and my friend Jennifer who took a walk on Forbidden Drive yesterday told me the trail had been plowed up ahead. So we ventured forth.

The world felt insulated and quiet without many fellow runners on the path. Some walkers, horseback riders and skiers traveled by. I thought to myself as we started out that it felt like we were up in the mountains and later, how similar to a day on the slopes this run felt. We ran to the sounds of the river rushing around its melting ice, a woodpecker high up in a tree, and the crunch of snow under our feet. Each step felt good. The snow added ruggedness to the terrain, challenged our foot falls, and seemed to cushion our landing. There was so much beauty and feeling, an hour passed before we knew it.

As flurries started to fall, we stepped up our pace, more comfortable and trusting of how the ground would receive us. With my arms low and hands by my hips, I felt a line of energy up my center and through the top of my head, lifting my spirit and conserving my upper body energy so that my cold lower body muscles could churn out their work. I felt like a gazelle - legs strong, turning over fast, keeping pace, moving me forward. It was a rewarding finish to the morning, and agreeably the best run of 2007 so far. Look out NYC, here we come...

Proudest Moments of 2006

In the spirit of Mr. Rodgers, my friend Jennifer asked, "What are you most proud of this past year?" So I came up with a few things off the top of my head that I thought I'd share here:

1. training for the Philadelphia marathon: I am most proud of the discipline, focus and determination I found in myself week after week.

2. finishing my first marathon and no longer wondering what running 26.2 miles would feel like.

3. creating a blog.

4. confronting love: yikes, it is so glorious.

5. realizing I didn't have to work so hard to prove myself in my new role at work because I was already doing it and doing it well.

6. being admired professionally.

7. facing my finances.

8. becoming conscious of the stress in my life and finding a direct improvement in my health as a result of controlling it.

9. discovering MAC fuchsia cream blush. it has a shiny glow like you just got in from a walk in the woods.

10. my relationship with my boyfriend's children. I never imagined how happy it would make me to become a "sister-friend" to a ten year old girl or to give dating advice to a sixteen year old boy.