While I was running on the beach the past few days I noticed quite a few people that were smoking. This kind of came has a surprise to me. How could someone smoke at such a beautiful place? The ocean in front of them.

Peace. Quiet. Sunrises. Sunsets. Laughter of children. Dogs playing catch. Then taint all that with smoke? (I am not talking about cigars, btw).

To me it seems contradictory. Then I got to thinking (yup, there I go again) how sometimes in life (maybe its just me) that we have a lot of beauty in our life but we might have a “smoke” in our environment. Maybe its food. Or negativity. Or people that bring us down. Or excuses.
Or not making an effort to change something that we know we should. Or fill in the blank. We can be surrounded with beauty, peace, pure awesomeness, but ruin all that with just one little (or big) thing. As I was running along and thinking about this thought, it struck me that a lot of people live life with “smoke”. We may not even be aware that we are.

I don’t know about you, but I want to live a life that brings a smile to peoples faces. Sure, tough times will happen. Life is not perfect. But if can acknowledge the “smoke” in our life and make an effort to change that, then we can live a really awesome life! Cool? Awesome!
Thought: what is your “smoke” and what will you do to change that?

Photo by Winnie’s human’s

Dedication.

What is it? Let me give you one example. It is always amazing to me how many people are at the beach with metal detectors in hand. Early in the morning. No matter the weather. All day. Dedicated to finding jewelry and coins! Think about it.

They don’t know if they will ever find any. It could be just pennies or worthless trinkets. Or they may find something worth a lot. Whatever the outcome, these people are dedicated to the task at hand.

Ok, so how in the world does this apply to our life? Glad you asked:)

Life requires dedication. It requires hard work. We might not feel like it sometimes, but I hate to be the bearer of bad news but life is a 24/7 effort. Just like the metal detector people we too need to be dedicated to life. Or whatever we want.

Me? I want to be dedicated to living a life that helps others. Yes, there are times that I get tired. Or just don’t feel like it. But then I get an email saying I changed their life. And that gets my butt back into action. Dedicated. Are you?

Photo by ingridtaylar

Ah. Heading home today. Goodbye beach. Hello road!

Its been nice to be able to work in a different environment. Nice to feel the sand under my feet. Nice to  run along the beach. Nice to listen to the waves. Makes you appreciate the little things in life!

Got in a quick beach walk. Then it was packing up, cleaning and getting the kiddo’s in the car. We stopped at the water+go kart park. Our plan worked. 2/3 kids slept almost the whole way home! Traffic was light for us going North. Sadly the people heading South were stuck in a parking lot.

Hello home! Good to be back! After unpacking, cleaning and organizing, I “snuck” out for a much need climb/hike/run. And fresh air! Girl did it feel GREAT to to move my legs. Climb up the rocks. Breathe. Live!

Back home for 4 days. I will enjoy!

Photo by Hamed Saber

Another day at the beach! Even though I am here, work has not slowed down. Between chasing kids, writing, meeting various deadlines, I have looked forward to getting out to the sand in the morning!

Stuck with walking again this morning. This whole taper thing drives me crazy. A lot of dogs again. People out with metal detectors. Runners. Walkers. Few kids getting a head start on sand castles. Saw dolphins again.

While walking this morning, I was thinking about footprints. We all know the famous poem. But I have a different take. What about life-prints? Our life leaves an impact on whatever we do. The words we say (or don’t say). The things we do. How we live our life. Its so easy (speaking to myself here) to go about life without stopping to think that that whatever we do will leave a print on someone else.

Today’s take away thought:  what kind of life-print are you leaving?

5 miles in the books. Ultra better get here. Stat!

Photo by Randy Son of Robert

Thank god!!! I was able to-hold your breath-RUN this morning!

I felt like I should run at least a little. And when I started I felt SUPER!!! Legs felt like they could fly. So I was very thankful for that! Had a lovely, ipod free beach run. Thought about next week at this time & what I would be doing. Getting a little nervous I must admit!

I ran into my friend Laura. Chatted a bit. Her husband did Ironman for his 40th birthday.

Nice humid, sweat fest 6 mile run in an hour. Ultra in a week. Wow.

Photo by Ernst Moeksis

Where did the week go? Can it really be Thursday already? Another walk this morning. This taper thing can’t end soon enough!

I am happy to report that I have good running form. I went to a free running clinic tonight hosted by http://www.runningrehoboth.com/. They had a foot doctor there. I nearly fell off the treadmill from laughter when he said to me “so, you probably run about 60-80 miles a week”. I agreed with a shrug. He asked me when my next race was and he said “ok, I know you now. You are an athlete. Don’t need to prove it to us by that pace you running now”. I got off the treadmill:) I was told that I had good running form. I should probably change my shoe type. Too much motion control. I could be a better (and most importantly) faster runner if I would wear a different shoe! Music to my ears!

My friends, Andy O http://blog.andyobrien.com/ , Caleb http://bonkproof.com/ and Steve http://www.runbulldogrun.com/ better watch out. There is another speed monster in the house!!!

Photo by procsilas

Ah, taper week continues. Its Tuesday morning and I-hold your breath-just walked! Ok, you can breathe again:)

I took a nice walk on the beach. No ipod. Just me, the sand, ocean and other random people. Oh and lots of dogs. It kind of reminded me of Huntington Beach, CA. Dogs of all shapes, sizes, colors, and spirits were out this morning! Whew!

I walked with the enjoyment that in 11 days I will be at the start line of something I have worked very hard for.

And with that, my friends, ciao!

Photo by lepiaf.geo

12 days till race! And a little warning, this week is not going to have miles. Its taper week:) So enjoy the week along with me!

Today was a very humid, sticky, moist day. I think it was in the low 100’s just like the other parts of the country!

I talked with Phil (ultra pro) last night & he told me to cut my miles way back. So with that advice I did a run/walk combo. Was hard to keep myself to not running straight, but I did it! Reminded myself that August 22 is the goal. Not today. I have a feeling I will be saying that a lot to myself the next 12 days!

Did 5.5 miles on the beach. The ocean water felt great. So did the sand under my feet. Blister still there. Toe nail still on.

Photo by mikebaird

Sunday! First morning at beach!

Not sure if I can call this a run really, but WTH. After a day of traveling with kids, sand in just about every place and a diet that I don’t usually eat, I was REALLY looking forward to my run this am.
Started out with shoes. But everything just felt “off”. So I cut over to the beach to see if that would make a difference. It didn’t. So, I got to thinking. Maybe I would try this whole “barefoot running” thing out. I know, I am lame. Barefoot is supposed to be mandatory on the beach:)
I really should be a barefoot runner. I grew up barefoot. Maybe I will have to get the 5 fingers shoes yet.
I will admit, the pain I was having in my right foot (I dare not say the word “PF” word) was gone right away. YAY! I ran on. Beach running is a bit harder so I did walk some (thus the slow pace).
It was SO nice, peaceful, quiet and beautiful out. Just awesomeness!
I came back at 2 hrs for a water (well had lemonade) break, then back out for the last hour.
I was heading back to the beach, running barefoot still & another runner asks me how I like it. Cool! Could this be a new ice breaker? Me thinks maybe so! My reply was “process of elimination”.
Not sure when I got it, but I have a horrible blister on the bottom of my big toe.
The other goods news? My big toe nail finally came off. Well, let me rephrase that. I have had countless nails fall off. None like this. Won’t go into the details. But I had to cut most of it off today. I was going to pull it off, but I was a wimp. A piece of the nail is still hanging on for dear life, but I think by the end of this week it will give up:)
Now, there is just skin there. I hope I get a toe nail in the next couple of years. Right now it does not look promising.

Cheers from the beach!

Photo by mikebaird

Home for 2 days, now back on the road! This time heading to Rehoboth Beach, DL for a work/fun vacation. Looking forward to getting some work done while listening to the sound of the ocean!

We (friends+ their 3 kids under the age of 7) packed up the van and headed out. Another Saturday without a long run at 6am! Whoa!

The drive to Rehoboth Beach, DL was long. Its not far in miles, but between the people leaving AND coming to the beach it takes forever to just to drive a mile. And if you have traveled with kids before……..well, lets just say that we were AL ready to get there!

Upon arriving, we immediately saw about 5 dolphins, so the kids and myself were excited about that! It was quite hot, so jumping in the ocean was going to feel really good!

We got to the house after lunch at Subway. Unpacked. Headed to the beach. We all had a blast!

Dinner tonight was not my normal fare. But good:)

Miles today: ZERO. Tapering has really begun. I am glad I am at the beach this week!!!!

Photo by kalandrakas