weekend wonders

it was a beautiful weekend and i ran my ass off. it was wonderful. i did manage to catch some of sunday on the iphone though...spent a few hours with the linder's: donuts, babies and sunshine. ended the evening with a visit to the young men's democratic club on 11th street...yes, it was awesome.

we're running for boston tonight - come and join in if you're in the reading area.

i went for a run.

i wrote about three posts and deleted them all. i mean, what is there really to say...this one hit home. the week has been spent spending extra time on the trails and with running friends as we reflect and run on. we will overcome; just like we overcome the miles, the fatigue, the voice that says we can't, the pain that says stop. we will go for a run.

sending love and prayers to everyone who needs it. spend some extra time with your running club this week.

weekend wonders

i don't have one word to describe this weekend, just that it was exactly what i needed. each day packed full of things and people i love, countless hours outside, early bed times, amazing food and gratefulness. grateful that it fulfilled me and grateful that i have created a life (and a person) that i love and will fight fiercely for. 

- 50 degrees and footloose friday after work for some trial time, followed by pizza, bourbon and the decendents with the bestie and her hubs. 

- spent saturday shopping, donuting, photoshooting, hanging, drinking, laughing, face-masking, editing and overall hustling with the lovely melanie linder. what. a. blast. oh, and lu got her very first designer duds from heidi merrick :) AND she held her bottle with two hands, boom.

- snow meant white trails on sunday, times two. green carnations for dad on st. patrick's and a "clubhouse" hang out after our afternoon trail romp on mt. penn, complete with irish soda bread.  

tune in tuesday

because it was sunny, blue skies and 40 degrees today when i broke out at lunch and took a run - which might be better than coffee, might be. 

run for your life

[image via the reading eagle]

so, you know by now that i run. but did you know i was on the front page of the reading eagle lifestyle section today? neither did i until my mom texted me. super flattered and honored to share the spotlight with caroline hill; pagoda pacer, fitness berks editor and friend.

what i want wednesday

i just really love this mug. it's $10 and it's at A Running Start and i should probably go buy it. what a great way to start the day with a comfy cup of jo in a mug that reminds you of what you love. yes, i think i have convinced myself to go buy it. thanks for walking me through that everyone. 

friday fuel

weekend wonders

Perfect summer weekend. Running, relaxing, dancing, painting and eating with wonderful people. And Mexican Street Corn was attempted and devoured by Double Dutch. Oh. my. god. It's heaven.

weekend wonders

There were other fun things in between the Tom Lowe trail run and the Stoudt's Corvette show with Dad, but this is what I've got to share!

weekend wonders.

radish butter a la phobe's pure food

sky view app = amazing!

sunday runday at green lane

surprise pitcher of margs for the bride-to-be

staving off the sunday blues with good lovin' at union jacks

weekend wonders.

(packing sess with ADZ)

(breakfast at Chatty's: run by ladies only = awesome!)

(be still my heart: antlers at renningers extravaganza)

(saving face at Paisley and Co..: OBSESSED with my new skin/soap regimen)

(tattoo test drive: bird in hand)

It was an excellent weekend.

Packing and pizza Friday night with the bestie. Capers around Kutztown on Saturday with the lovely Melanie Linder (I have my own scentologist now!). And a tour de coffee consumption at Max Crema's and Global Libations - so yummy! Sunday was simply too divine to photograph. The day started with a birthday trail romp at Blue Marsh with 30 of my nearest and dearest Pacer friends - to take a run through the most beautiful and fragrant eight miles (some, more) that I have seen in a while. Running nirvana. Then too much time spent tailgating in the sunshine - always perfect for a couple hours of your Sunday. Dinner at Robin and Kyle's (delish!) and wonderful fresh greens from their garden for my lunch this week (you guys rock!).

It was an excellent weekend.

weekend wonders*.

Is it Monday already? Sheesh, I could have used one more day of uninterrupted shut eye. Well my dears, the first of two big races is over, done, complete! It's a funny emotional mix of relief and anxiety as I determine what my next move will be.

I will be honest with you. Mentally, that race killed me. My spirit, which soared through training season, plummeted quickly the day of the race when the first round of pouring rain let loose before we even got out of the car. At four hours in, with 15 more miles to go - alone, wet, cold and tired - I had a serious talk with myself about what the hell I was doing out there. But I did it, I went out for more. And it ate me alive, but I did it. I finished. And I guess there is satisfaction in that. (And I guess I'm a true Ultra-Runner now.)

It's funny. When you decide to do something and give it your all, everything you've got because you figure it's got to be better on the other side than where you're currently at. You can't feel any worse? So you run to heal yourself because being idle will kill you. You run to prove if you can get through this, you can get through anything. You'll come out clean and reborn, shiny and new. You'll fill the void, the hole, the gap. You'll run so far nothing can get you and you'll win. You'll beat yourself; you'll beat the universe. But what if the opposite happens? What if you come out on the other side worse for wear? More aware of what you're running from rather than what you're running for. What if you finish the race but feel worse than when you started? What happens when you realize you're not as tough as you thought you were? Acutely aware that over three months and over 200 miles later, you're still not okay.

I guess you keep running.

*warrior edition

weekend wonders.

Better late than never! I was a little lax on the pictures over the weekend - didn't take the camera to accompany me on my Appalachian Trail run Sunday morning. There is something so holy about experiencing the views on the trail with your running friends, technology takes a back seat. Nonetheless, there was a blazing bonfire Saturday night at Robin and Kyle's harvest party and delicious homemade beer at Al's after our Sunday morning trail romp!

[first homemade blackberry apple pie of the season]

[bonefire at it's peak]

[pretty smoldering leaf]

[cozy with kate on the africa blanket]

[al, of the infamous 'al's beer run' (oh, and flannel)]