Still Alive... And Chasing a Goal!

I know, when I started this blog I promised I would keep up with it. Well, some unexpected family issues threw a wrench into that plan.

Without delving into too many details, this past summer brought challenges that were both stressful and time consuming. Taking the time to sit and update the blog became a low priority. Eventually, so did running. I'm sorry to say my training came to a grinding halt for a couple months, albeit for worthy reasons.

On the upside, I'm back! Challenges have been met and autumn is starting off with a lot of promise. Running has resumed and, as of today, so has blogging.

Getting out of a lethargic rut and back into a routine that requires energy and discipline isn't easy. Even when my schedule began to open up and offer me more time to run, moving my feet out the door felt far more difficult than it did before. After a few weeks of stagnation, I realized I needed to give myself a higher level of motivation to make the change happen. Fortunately, it wasn't hard to find.

I always wanted to go to Hawaii and I always wanted to run a marathon, so I registered for the Maui Oceanfront Marathon in January!

I'm super excited, despite their use of Comic Sans!

If it isn't obvious, this will be my first marathon and my first trip to Hawaii (one of only two states I haven't visited). Fortunately, the date worked out very well because I had just enough time to start the 18-week training plan I selected. Of course, I still found reasons to be lazy in the last week or so leading to the 18-week cutoff, but once week 1 started I was out the door!

I'm now into week 4 and I haven't missed a training day yet, regardless of periodic Oregon downpours. The thrill of running is back in my system and the rut is quickly becoming a distant memory.

More details to come about the marathon, the training and probably some talk of surfing...