Today marks the one-month anniversary of life in
Portland. It has already been an
adventure, filled with trail runs along Wildwood, crock-pot dinner masterpieces
with the roommate, and some prime time hours at a local French restaurant.
On the running front,
I have spent these past weeks running tempos on trails, VO2 max on grass, and
even got to put on the blazing red BTC uniform for a local 5k cross country
race! It was a thrill and a first for
many things: hay bales, moguls, BTC teammates, and the VooDoo donut food
truck. I look forward to more of the
latter two than I do of the former two.
This past June, when I asked Lindsey if I could move in with
her, I don’t think either of us knew exactly what our roommate situation would
look like. I think I can speak for both
of us when I say it has been magical.
There is something special about living with someone who shares a
similar schedule, lifestyle, and love for chocolate. We get to carpool to workouts, foam roll in
our couch-less living room, and try new “recipes” (sometimes, just throwing in
whatever sounds good; e.g. Quinoa? Yes. Avocado? Yes. Fried egg? Double
yes). We quickly established a support
system, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have her as my roommate, teammate,
and friend.
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Although “pursuing the dream” often sounds glamorous,
sometimes, there are places where there is a little less “glam” and a little more
“grunt.” Life as a newbie elite athlete rarely comes with the hearty paycheck,
the complimentary massages, and the comped travel fees. Thus, I have recently started working at a
local French restaurant while I continue to work toward securing a job at
another company. Yes, when I walk in
each day I am greeted with the sweet smell of freshly baked croissants and feel
as though I have just entered the streets of Paris. Yet, once I put on my apron, I’m moving and
grooving, clearing tables, setting tables, and washing bar mats. I sometimes
have questioned whether it’s worth the hours on my feet and the ketchup
splashed on my pants, but this is the road I have decided to take. These little hiccups and not so picturesque
bits are part of the journey. They
remind me that I am chasing the dream
and I am willing to make some sacrifices in order to achieve such. I couldn’t be happier.
