Doing a du: The challenge of a duathlon

The two best things about running shorter races leading up to marathons is that I’m less nervous and more competitive. Mostly, I compete against myself in 5-Ks but the more women in my age group that I can pass on the way...

February: A lost month

For the first two weeks of February, I was hit by a sinus/bronchial crud that took me out of running and just about everything else but the bare minimum of being a Mom. The crud came on so hard and fast that it forced me to me...

Getting my kicks on the Route 66 Half Marathon

Recently, I was blessed with a very special gift. Some friends, who moved to Oklahoma City, sent me frequent flyer miles so that Team Karen could run the new Route 66 Half Marathon together. (My friend’s name is Karen, too, so...

Have a nice fall

Have a nice fall

It happens to all of us sooner or later. Sometime, somewhere, you will take a fall. Fortunately, when a runner falls it usually isn’t a big deal. More of an irritant than anything else.

Falls are not all...

Juggling to fit in long runs

I ought to learn to juggle tennis balls. Seriously, it might actually help as I’ve learned to master juggling to fit in my running schedule. Fortunately, with spring finally arriving, it makes it easier to fit in my running...

Making an exciting (but scary) commitment

Here’s the back story: One day I just decided that I had to run a marathon. It wasn’t really a flash of inspiration of the moment as much as it was a decision made over a long period that finally for a variety of reasons all...

New goals for 2007

If you’re anything like me, this year has gone by much too quickly. But it’s time to think about 2007. Training plans? Race plans? Family schedule? Work schedule?

Forget about resolutions. We’re runners and making...

Portland: My 25th marathon and counting

The Portland Marathon will always be special to me. This year Portland marked my 25th marathon and the eighth year I’ve run this race. It’s a terrific marathon.

My friend Sarah (who was running her first marathon) and I...

Racing through a California redwood forest

One of the aspects of running I enjoy the most is traveling to new races in areas of the country I like to explore. Recently, my husband had an engineering conference in Northern California so I just knew I had to find a race...

Senses on the journey

Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling. One of the beauties of running is all five of our senses get used every day on a every single run. The more you run, the more you notice, the more you appreciate.

Sometimes, I...