3 ways to sparkle while (and after) traveling

And here I thought summer couldn’t get any crazier. Last year was the epitome of unusual. I was back and forth to North Carolina all summer long for my dad’s transplant. We were in Vegas for BlogFest, roadtripped to California for the EMPOWER race. I also went to Rochester, NY, Seattle, WA, and Asheville, NC,…

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Confessions of a Runner: Running Sucks

Ok that’s a little bit of an exaggeration, but right now that statement is true for me. It’s springtime here in Portland. Which means some days of torrential rain and wind, and some days of 65 and sunny. Sometimes it swings from one to the other in a matter of hours! That means running season…

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Battling creaky knees. In my 20’s.

There’s no disappointment quite like when you’ve wedged yourself into your spandex, laced up your sneaks, perfectly curated your playlist, allotted time in your busy day, and finally head out for a run only to feel shooting pain through your knee. Or even to have a great run only to be hobbling around for a…

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That time I went out with a nudist

Ok, I didn’t go out on a date with a full-blown nudist. We were in a bar in Portland. Wearing many, many layers of clothes. Though it might not be that far-fetched since I have been kicked out of a coffee shop because my date was barefoot and have been on a second date to…

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Happy feet, not just for penguins

One of my favorite scenes from one of my favorite shows, Modern Family, demonstrates Gloria discovering the wonders of comfortable feet. After insisting on wearing 5″ heels to Disney World for the day, her husband Jay ends up forcing her to try on some comfy slippers instead. Her demeanor instantly changes from irritated to affectionate….

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Home is where you lay your head at night

The past months have been B-A-N-A-N-A-S! When you travel a lot, whether for work, pleasure, or necessity, you start calling wherever you’re going to sleep that night “home.” For me this summer, I said “home” a lot. Home the beach where my parents are. Home Asheville, my hometown where my childhood house is. Home Portland….

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New PR: Best run streak of my life!

I PR’ed last week. No, I didn’t win a race. Or run the fastest mile. Or run a marathon. But I ran 35 miles last week! Since leaving for North Carolina in June, my distance has taken a hit. The heat and the humidity of summer in the South interrupted the increase in distance for…

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California Dreamin’

Until recently, I’d only been to California twice. Once in college for a field hockey tournament in Santa Barbara, and another weekend in San Diego when I was debating where to move after Colorado. And yes, there were those two trips to LA for BlogFest. Except for one afternoon in Santa Monica, both trips were…

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Rest hard today to play hard tomorrow!

In a society that’s go, go, go all the time, it’s hard to prioritize rest, relaxation, and recovery. Summertime is often such a busy time of year, filled with patio dates, music shows, hikes, trips, and all the things. I was warned it’s especially frenzied in Portland. There’s an energy in the air once the…

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