J'Espere

            Last week I had to be a grown-up. Again. Normally I can squeak by in what I lovingly refer to as “pseudo-grown-up” world. That’s where you are technically at a physical age in which you are considered a grown-up, but secretly you are still treating said activity/excursion/event in the same way a much younger version of yourself would.   I live on the edge.             But last week I had a realization. I would call it an epiphany, but I like to think those refer to something positive and this wasn’t.    So I will call it a realization. Months ago, on a high from running the 4 mile Fleet Feet Run in Chapel Hill, I signed up for the 10 miler (at a steep discount, I might add!) KNOWING that if I could run 4 miles with a 10 month old, I could doubtless run 10 miles with a 22 month old! Because 22 months is much easier than 10, right? In my head she would already be a p...

Occasionally, it is time for change. There are some fixtures, however, that don’t change. Monday- Friday, barring a plague, I go to work. SL usually goes to bed by 7:30/7:45. In the morning I have oatmeal, then I kiss my baby and head off into the amazing world of librarianship and education. And in the afternoons I go for a run or head to the gym. Until lunch one day, when I heard a co-worker talking about the new barre3 studio that had just opened nearby. Actually, I think talking is not the appropriate word. I think raving better suits it. She was loving it. She is a runner, too, so my ears perked up a bit as I listened to her explain that barre3 truly was the best of ballet, pilates and yoga. And my former ballet dancer and current yoga loving self listened up. I will be the first to say that I was already aware that barre3 was coming to Raleigh. Early on, I had “liked” the Facebook page, and followed some of the health posts. But I had done nothing beyond that. Then, one ...

Disclaimer: I DID NOT run the Tar Heel 10 Miler. It is a race I absolutely love and adore and run almost every year, but this year, it just wasn't going to happen. SL has done a great job of turning "training days" into "reigning days"- meaning, she reigns and I listen. But I knew I could eek out the Fleet Foot 4 miler, plus Laurel Hill is included (good thing? bad thing? still not sure) so I just signed up for it and told Matt that I was going to voluntarily wake up at 4 a.m. and go run in Chapel Hill. There are so many things I love about the Tar Heel 10 miler, but my favorite is easily the fact that it's such a comfortable race. 10 really might be the perfect number, and the race attracts so many different people- from serious runners interested in a fast training course, to novice run/walkers who know the pace time will allow them to finish in a reasonable amount of time. Plus it starts early- 7:30 a.m.- so you can be at Sunrise Biscuit before 10 if yo...

I was originally going to post something huge about what's been happening with the house, but then yesterday happened, and suddenly the house seems much less important for the moment. If I'm feeling super ambitious however, I will put up a bonus post tonight. The Boston Marathon is THE marathon. I think the only possible way to beat it would be with the original marathon from Athens to Crete. If you're not running down dusty Roman roads, however, run Boston. Every runner has it on their bucket list (even me, with no intention of doing it before I'm about 80- have you seen the qualifying times??). Always the 3rd Monday in April (Patriots Day), usually pretty and cool, thousands gather to run around the city of Boston, receive their jacket, and then go home to say "I ran Boston." It's a very important marker in a runner's life. What I love about races is the feeling you have when you get there. I remember the first race Matt came with me ...