Sole Sisters: group run

Showing posts with label group run. Show all posts

Friday, October 5, 2012

Binge Running

Yes, that's what I did this past weekend. I flew out to visit my dear friend Rebecca in Vancourver, WA and we binged. We binged on running.

Our mutual friend, Jessy, drove in from Cali and she binged with us. I think by the end of the weekend, we were all hurting.

Here's a rundown of our weekend:

Fly into Portland LATE Friday night. Stay up chit chatting.

Wake up EARLY Saturday morning and head out for the Portland Color Run. Run a 5k, get colorful, jump, dance, sweat, sing and take a gazillion photos.

Our new friend

Clean

Colorful

The must have action shot

Lunch, relax outside while Rebecca's boys nap, and decide we should run again.

We drive out to Saint Lucia Falls (seriously, I should live here) and run 2 miles on trails... not pretty inner-city trails, but trip over roots and barely muster up rocky hills, trails. We get lost. We get turned around again. We take silly Yoga photos at the falls post-run.

We made it to the falls

Stay up late chit chatting, drinking wine and eating guacamole!

Up early, again... this time for a long run. We planned for 6 but ran a total of 7.3! I was on cloud nine. A personal PR for distance and I was amazed... amazed!!.. at how well we ran together. Steady, perfectly paced, pushing one another... best run I have ever had.

Under the draw bridge that connects WA and OR

That's right! SEVEN miles!

Post-run scenic lookout over the Columbia River

After showers, we snag lunch in the car and head to Multnomah Falls where we hike 1/2 mile up steady inclines, a crazy small bridge and plenty of switchbacks... so worth it for the gorgeous view.

It was amazing to see how the three of us could come together after 18 months apart and have our paces match up... not just in running, but in life. I have admired these ladies for their abilities to mother (and mother so well!) and run, to boot. I never, ever thought I'd be a runner, let alone on several runs with them! I continue to be amazed by their awesomeness, and just wish I could have shared a plate of pancakes with their cute faces. Love ya, my West Coast Sole Sisters!

Now, I think it's time for a running detox... my shins will thank me in a week or so!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

In honor of you

At first look, we would be considered unlikely friends. She, a conservative Mormon, me, a Christian who swings more to the Left. Yet, as mothers we quickly bonded over parenting our sweet boys (we each only had 2 kids at the time!) Turns out, we were neighbors, too, who attended play dates, walked to the park and learned valuable parenting tips from one another. Often, we would watch the other's boys so that the weary mom in us could snag a break, or take one of our kids to the emergency room. She started training for a Marathon and, honestly, I thought she was out of her gourd. Run? 26 miles? Crazy. I didn't think it was physically possible, let alone mentally, emotionally, and how could she even manage as a wife and mother. I was in awe.

Now that I'm a runner, I am even more in awe of her determination and dedication. How she sacrificed in order to conquer such an enormous challenge and still be an amazing mom- wow.

Carrie moved away several years ago, but I think of her often. She has always been the perfect image of strength and perseverance.

Yesterday, Carrie had a brain tumor removed. Today, she was walking the halls of the hospital. Again, I am amazed. In awe.

This week, the Sole Sisters have been wearing bandanas as we run not only for Carrie, but all of those who have cancer, tumors or those who have overcome such battles. We run and we remember.