Disclaimer: This post isn’t all running.
“If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Keep moving forward. It’s becoming my mantra for 2017. I know this year is going to pose some huge challenges – some I’ve signed up for and others are going to come with the territory of being a person who is going to try her hardest to choose kindness, respect, and understanding over hate and divisiveness in a tough time. This week made that clear. Between MLK day, the inauguration, and the Women’s March, this week was one that was full of emotion.
On Monday, I watched Selma for the first time. I’m not sure what took me so long to finally watch it, but it was excellent. I cried into my dinner and did research on the events leading up to and following the march at Selma. In some ways I wasn’t shocked about how little I knew about the actual Civil Rights movement – history books often present the polite version of events. Later in the week, I followed up by watching documentary series called The Sixties and The Seventies. Again, it was eyeopening to see the actual news coverage of the times. It upset me. It made me proud. It scared me. It gave me hope for our future.
On Thursday my friends Kate and Rachel and I got together to run 4 miles in support of the Run For All Women. It was a nice way to get together and chat with women and discuss our concerns and hopes while getting in a few miles. Later that night, I met up with a friend to take a sunset/night walk around a park in Maine as a way to clear our heads for the next day’s events. I felt a great sense of community and belonging.
On Friday, I decided to treat myself to things that made me happy and tune out everything else for a day. I walked the dogs, made a yummy new vegan dish, and went to my running group’s Friday night pub run to be around friends. It felt good to choose happiness.
On Saturday, I went to the Moose Mountain Snowshoe Runaround. It was a 4.5 mile (2 loops) course on some very soft snow.The first go around the course was sloppy and slow. The snow hadn’t been packed down, so it was hard to keep footing and it felt like quicksand and mashed potatoes to run in. It was a great, low-key event with a fun crew. I came in 4th woman (again) and SIX03 (again) dominated the women’s field: 1st Leslie O’Dell, 2nd Sarah Canney, 3rd Holly Blais.
*Race photos courtesy of SNAPacidotic
My friend Liz and I carpooled together and decided to support the Women’s March in our race. I wasn’t exactly sure about whether I should be making a political statement at a race, but given the situation and these times, I needed to do something to acknowledge my support. Luckily, I still had time after the race to make it to the Portsmouth, NH Women’s March and marched with 3,500 others (and my pup Zorro!). It was an inspiring and hopeful day.
I finished out the week with a great trail run in Pawtuckaway State Park with my friends Tony, Scott, and Holly. We had all raced the day before, so it was a relaxed 9miles on some of New England’s most technical trails. We stopped to admire a fire tower construction project; we stopped to fix our waterlogged shoes; we stopped to take selfies. It was a great way to end an intense week.
I think I cried every day this week. This doesn’t mean it was a bad week, just one that made me think and feel. In my book, that’s all good.
Mileage: 32 miles running; 9.3 miles hiking/walking
Time on Feet: 9hrs 29min
Harrier and hounds 