The sun is out. I know it, but don’t see it–I am surrounded by the Appalachian mountains. There are people everywhere. Casual conversations and occasional chuckles are all around me. It is time to get on a bus. A school bus, that is. Instead of a school backpack on my back I carry a hydration … Continue reading Running the Yamacraw
Turning the Inside Out – Part 1 … So that’s exactly what I did! Of course my journey began as I assume it does for most? We all start with a vision of grandeur, the idea of an incredible journey leading to a major life transformation? Most of us never really even consider how difficult … Continue reading Turning the Inside Out – Part 2
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose” said Dr. Suess. As a person who loves to venture out outdoors and travel, I understand the importance of comfort and quality in the shoes that I choose for a particular occasion. When I come across … Continue reading Shoe Romance
A light drizzle mixed with cold wind that seems as though it cuts right through your rain jacket and the shirt underneath. Headlights pierce through the early morning darkness. Still stiff and with sleepy eyes, the thermos of hot coffee appears to be the only thing giving comfort and cheering up our spirit. We are on … Continue reading Mixed Feelings
A minivan packed with tired and smelly runners, bananas, laughs and moans, bananas, delicious sandwich, energy balls, more bananas–there were lots of them. These are just a few good memories I have from an awesome experience I had in the fall of 2015. I took a part in a fun relay race that was a … Continue reading My First 50K Experience & the Gear I Used
Margaret Wheatley, an American author and expert on organizational behavior suggests that “without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.” I believe that Wheatley is on to something solid with her observation. I am convinced that without accurate and realistic self-reflection; true happiness, self-worth, and … Continue reading Turning the Inside Out – Part 1
Left, right, up, down. Trees, leaves, rocks, dirt, roots and twigs. Steady breath and monotone sound of shoes hitting the trail. Quietness of the outdoors, change in terrain, occasional critter or another human. I feel like I could go forever. I fell in love with trail running. Trail running reminds me of the vibrancy of … Continue reading Turn
I don’t claim to know much about writing. To be completely honest, I am nowhere close to being talented in the art. There is one thing that I can certainly tell you though, and that is what dirty socks smell like. That’s right… dirty, smelly socks. Socks so smelly that my beautiful, and compassionate wife … Continue reading Smelly Socks
The tent is set up in just the right spot of the campground. Fire is burning gently throwing a blanket of aromatic smoke over the campsite. Camp chairs are carefully arranged around the campfire. They are ready for the best part of camping–a time around the campfire with great stories and food. Speaking of food… … Continue reading Dirty & Unsanitary
It is just a typical, gloomy, early spring day in Belarus in the mid 90’s. The day is overcast with piles of dirty snow on the street that are still melting, keeping the roads and sidewalks wet and dirty. It is damp and cold–the kind of damp and cold that goes through your clothes all the … Continue reading Contacts
