Debutante

Crossing over to the dark side of blogging....


This is my first attempt at blogging, which is huge considering I have always been cemented against keeping diaries or anything of the sort.  The closest thing I "journal" are my running logs, which admittedly are sometimes hit and miss.

But I digress.  Let me back up and give a quick history of myself and my running journey.  I hail from Virgina, where I began running track and cross country in middle school.  Up to this point, running was quite unenjoyable, just ask my parents who heard (and still do) the complaints first-hand.

Finding the joy of running led me to multiple state championships before moving on to compete for the University of Virginia.  While a Cavalier, my career took another leap, and I ended my time at Virginia with multiple All-American finishes.

High School State Cross Country Championships 2003

Cross Country NCAA Regionals

Thanks to great coaches along the way, I never "burned out" and improved every year.  Really, it was a storybook career up to that point.  Or was it?  In my heart, I knew, and still know, I had yet to really tap into my potential.  Which leads me to my current position as a member of the adidas-McMillanElite team coached under Greg McMillan in Flagstaff, Az.

Two-mile Time Trial in Flagstaff, Az with McMillanElite

After about two long unprecedented years of struggles with injuries after college, I am finally finding my groove again.

Growing up, there was a cross-stitch of a quote hanging on our wall that always sticks with me:

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. 
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

I've always marched to the beat of my own drum, and I truly believe that following your instincts will mean leaving your own trail and subsequently, success.

Enough of the gory details...Please allow me to introduce my border collie Super Bee, aptly named after the Dodge muscle car.  Since she was born, she's had the V8 engine that keeps on powering!

Super Bee 

Super Bee is one of the best friends and training partners one could have.  This past week she logged 55 of her own miles with me, never missing a beat.

Finally, I owe a great portion of my success to my never ending support from my family (Mom, Dad, Mema and Hal for logging lots of road time) and closest friends (you know who you are!).  Even though there are a lot of solo miles logged, it wouldn't be possible without knowing there are people who believe in me out there.