Here We Go Again

First off, let me apologize for neglecting this blog. In the last ten days or so my personal and professional lives have started spiraling into chaos. I've been emotionally overwhelmed and even though I love writing for you all (okay truth telling here, I really love writing for me), I haven't felt balanced enough or really even had the spare time to clear my head and put down any cohesive thoughts.  But, as I sit here tonight on the couch physically and emotionally drained, I figured I'd take a few minutes to catch up on some things.

Here we go again Part 1:

Monday was the first day of my second semester as a coach for Girls On The Run. On a side note, How did February get here so quickly!?!  Now here is where I'm going to tell you something and you have to promise not to judge me: I wasn't really looking forward to it. In the month and a half that we'd been off I'd gotten used to having a normal work schedule again (I have to leave very early to get to GOTR and then work again late at night to make up for it) and my situation at home has started pulling at me to be around there more often. For these reasons, as much as I hate to admit it, I wasn't overly pumped to go meet our new girls on Monday and start another semester. I'm sure you're thinking I sound kind of selfish and I was being a little selfish, but here is the good news: I love the girls!  You can't help but forget all of the stress and worry that day-to-day grown up life brings when you hear a bunch of 8 year old girls talking about what it means to be a positive person. Witnessing their innocence reminds you that it's okay to drop the hardened exterior that we've all built up around ourselves over the years of battling the "real world". As I sat there on Monday listening to the girls talk, I realized for the first time in a long while I felt totally unburdened. 

Here we go again Part 2:

Over the weekend I commited to a coworker that I would run a half marathon with her in April. Then promptly had a heart attack when I realized that said half marathon in April is only 10 weeks away!!  Don't get me wrong, I'm all about jumping back on the running wagon. I just wasn't planning on jumping on the training wagon quite so soon. 

What you're looking at is an 8 week (I really couldn't face 10 weeks) training program that looks interesting and a little different. I'm hoping changing up the training will make it feel less like training.  A girl can dream can't she??  The race I've commited to does have me a little excited. It's a diva dash for women only and looks like it should be a really fun celebration of female strength. I think there was so much seriousness that went into the Houston Marathon that it will be nice to do something fun and a little frivolous like stoping mid run for a tiara and boa break. I think I need a reminder that running and racing is FUN. So, here we go again!!