Timing of travel in March was cramping my race schedule. I had to deviate slightly from my challenge to do one race a month in 2014.

On Saturday morning, I woke up early and headed to this place.

I had a plan.

I would run my old high school cross-country course.

My March race would be a race against my 16-year-old self.

The course is not particularly easy (especially for someone who has spent the better part of the winter running the flatlands of Columbus, OH). A quick lap around the football field and then out for laps around the old soccer and baseball fields, a run up the hill behind the high school and out into the neighborhood. You finish with Heart Break Hill (otherwise known as the Flower Farm Hill) before ending where you started in front of the stadium.

3.2 miles

I ran it in 24 mins 32 seconds.

I kicked her ass.

It felt good.

Then I returned to the Conwell’s and did a little of this-

I think it may end up being my favorite race of the year.

Dear Heather Ann,

Let me introduce myself, I am you in 20 years. I hope you don’t find this too forward of me but I am heading home tomorrow and started thinking about you, my 16 year old self, and I felt compelled to write.

This weekend I will sleep at the Conwell’s (yes, your friendship with Chrissy survives and thrives into the adult years) and I will take a well-earned trip down memory lane with my daughters (you will be glad to know you finally got those sisters you always wanted, you end up with three daughters).

It struck me today that there are some things I wish I would have known back then; I wish I could have told you.

Now is my chance, so bear with this middle-aged women for a moment as she shares with you some well-earned advice.

1. You are strong. Just because you didn’t make the cheerleading squad freshman year does not make you weak. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Spend more time believing in your abilities and you will find what you need.

2. I know you desperately want a boyfriend. Boys are great. You will find many to love and be loved by over the years. Choose wisely and be patient. The right ones will come, don’t manufacture them in your own head and settle.

3. Spend more time with your parents. Ask your Dad to write down his words.

4. You have a great group of friends. Know they love you and will be by your side for years and years to come.

5. That semester abroad you will take- stay the year. Life in the states will be here when you get back but you may never have the chance to travel like this again.

6. Stand up for yourself. Spend less time trying to please others and more time allowing your voice to be heard.

7. Really, don’t drink in high school. No good can come of it (Mr. Conwell probably has some idea you all are stealing swigs of the hard liquor he keeps in the garage).

8. You are beautiful. You may not think your bangs are high enough or your legs look good in those new Guess jeans (which by the way are so not worth the $80 you made your parents spend on them), but you are stunningly beautiful. It will take you years to understand that.

One final piece of advice, spend less time wishing away these days and making plans to “escape”.

You will leave home.

You will spend years chasing down dreams in other cities.

But, one day you will long to come home again.

You will want to share this place. You will need your new family to understand how it shaped you.

So soak up your home. Enjoy all that is has to offer and don’t wish these years away….

Much love,

H

I had another blog post written in my head for this morning but then last night happened and as I was getting ready for work today I knew I had something else I wanted to share.

Two things actually

1. Music heals the soul

2. I want to be my friend Kari (or really I want to see myself approaching life the way she does)

To the first, Kari and I went to hear Green River Ordinance last night at Skully’s Music Diner (http://skullys.org/).

You know in high school how you had that  playlist you’d listen to before a big game or athletic event you were participating in (except back then it wasn’t known as a playlist it was referred to as a cassette tape that you dubbed from the radio)? Anyway, these guys are that playlist for me. I listen to them every morning when I run and they pump me up for the day. They are my happy list that gets me motivated to tackle it all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9cIzzijnfU

http://www.youtube.com/user/greenriverordinance

Skully’s, in my humble opinion, is one of the best places to hear live music in Columbus. Intimate, approachable, great set up and most importantly a place that doesn’t make me feel like an old, soccer mom trying to be a college student for the night. It takes me as I am!

Last night I just felt happy. For an hour and 30 minutes all was right with my world and it was all so good.

Secondly, this happened

I know the picture’s a little grainy, but that’s me and the guitar player for the band. Kari and I decided he was a Keith Urban look-alike. Kari asked him to take a picture with me.

You see Kari does that kind of stuff.

She makes me stand in the front row, take pictures with adorable band members who are probably a decade younger than me and stay out late on a school night.

As I was brushing my teeth this morning the phrase that popped into my head when thinking about Kari was this-

She lives life boldly.

I love that about Kari.

She’s the first one to hop up on stage and sing, or dance until her feet fall off. She’s always game for an adventure and she encourages her children to be open in that way as well.

I spend too much time thinking about what others think of me. Wondering how I will be perceived.

I would have never approached a band member for a photograph. What if he says no?

I would have stood at the back of the venue and swayed to the music, beer in hand. What if I stood up front and people couldn’t see over my 5’7 frame?

Nope, Kari encourages me to take chances, to live in the moment. Her example encourages me to Live Boldly.

So that’s my plan for the rest of the year.

1. Listen to more live music

2. Live my life more Boldly

Thanks Kari for an amazing evening. I love you!

The divorce has consumed me. As we drew closer to the moment we would sign those papers, I felt as if I were walking to my own execution. A bit dramatic yes, but very much the feeling in my soul.

Now that it is here, gone and life has kept moving there is a sense of relief.

While it has been important for me to write about it, we have moved through this place.

I am ready to focus again on life.

So today as the snow fell and I realized we had nowhere to be and nothing to do, I relished the chance to live in the moment with the girls.

There was the “sticky blocks” as Ellie calls them.

And Sidney volunteering to clean my kitchen.

There were verses to memorize and write on the kitchen wall.

And of course snow to shovel (we definitely needed our Dora umbrella to get it done).

We finished the day with our own Oscar pre-show party. Come on, no one watches the Oscar’s anymore it’s all about the pre-show party (or it is when you have kids who need to be in bed by 8:30). We critiqued the clothes and laughed at Ellie’s obsession with Kelly Osbourne’s hair “Momma is that really purple?” “Momma why did she color it purple?” “Momma it’s really ugly!”

Yes that is life lately and it is glorious.