Family and Friends – Reconnecting

Ga and I on the porch enjoying some cake at my aunt's home

This past week, I hopped back on the training bandwagon, visited family, and continued to put the puzzle pieces together for my next chapter. I think the more I grow up and enter the “real” world, the more I appreciate the importance of the people in my life.  Whether it’s a solid training run or an expertly crafted froyo creation, it’s always better shared with company. 

I spent my Saturday evening in the Bay Area (that’s the San Francisco Bay for all of you non-NorCalifornians) at my aunt’s home.  I visited with family from Boulder, Colorado and heard the story of how my grandfather wooed my grandmother nearly sixty years ago.  He had some game: on the first date, he perfectly timed the walk to end as the sun set off the Golden Gate Bridge.  

 

Tuesday was my first workout back after taking some down time from running.  I was excited about the opportunity to run with local Sacramento State runners and alumna.  The workout portion was slightly daunting, as I wasn’t sure how my fitness was going to be after couch-potato-ing for a solid 10 days.  The plan was to meet at 7:00 am and run a 7-mile tempo along the American River, one of my favorite places to run in Sacramento.  Fortunately, my legs found themselves and the three of us completed the tempo with smiles, dead legs, and slightly upset tummies. 

Tree pose and tree pose admiring

This week also marked my first time going to yoga with my brother!  As a rock-climbing and slack-lining aficionado, my brother, Colin, is new to the yoga world.  I am no yogi myself, but I wasn’t sure how he would feel about the coordinated breathing, downward dog, or the ohm chanting.  Sure enough, I had no need to worry.  This guy can plank until the cows come home and do more push-ups than Jackie Chan (I'm sure Jackie Chan can do a whole lot).  After 70 minutes, my brother, mom, and I completed our Shala Series A class (focuses on backbends and hip opening lunges) at Shala Yoga at Arden taught by the blonde and bubbly Biffy!  Although it’s often hard for me to get myself to go to a yoga class, I always feel happy to have gone.

Lindsey Drake, Brittni Hutton, Sheree Shea and I in front
of the Washington Monument at the 2014 RunPro conference

Finally, I finalized my housing in Lake Oswego, OR.  I will be living with my teammate, Lindsey Drake, who I had the pleasure of meeting at the RunPro conference in Arlington, VA.  In our first encounter in the hotel gym, Lindsey offered me her foam roller.  If that’s not a sign of love, then I’m not sure what is!  I am looking forward to the Pacific Northwest scenery, sampling a variety of coffee shops, and of course, training with the Bowerman Track Club.