There’s something powerful about seeing thousands of people willingly line up to do something hard. Simply because somewhere along the way, they decided they needed this challenge. As Grandma’s Marathon celebrates its 50th anniversary, I keep thinking about how this event has become part of so many people’s stories. And not

As a lifelong Minnesotan I’ve been to Duluth many times.  There are so many things to see and do that there are many that I have never experienced.  Particularly during Grandma’s Marathon weekend I find myself falling into the same routines and visiting the same places.  While I love these

Entering my 4th year as a GRAMbassador (and my 3rd year running Grandma’s), I knew this topic was one I wanted to blog about. I ran my first marathon in 2005 in my early 20s.  Fast forward 9 years and I had my first kid.  I was either pregnant or nursing for

I just dropped out of what was to be my first half Ironman. This came shortly after I dropped out of pacing the Fargo Marathon, and just before I dropped out of the Hospital Hill half that I run every year in Kansas City.  I’ve dropped out of half a

In my Junior year of High School (2014), I pulled up Google Search on my phone and typed “running and panic attacks, will my body ever feel normal again?” The results were mostly WebMD, telling me to seek medical attention if I didn’t feel well but I stumbled upon a

Ten marathons in, and my race day packing list keeps getting shorter, not longer. I used to think more gear meant better races. Another gel pocket. Another gadget. Another thing I saw another runner wearing and thought I should probably have too. After a decade of racing, two kids, and

The running community has given me so much more than just a hobby or a way to stay in shape. Over the years, I have basically built my identity around this sport. It has fundamentally changed who I am, making me a more caring, driven, and peaceful person. Because of

Close your eyes for a moment.  Think back to the day you signed up for this race — or the moment you committed to whatever  big goal you’re chasing right now. What did that feel like? Were you nervous? Excited? Did a  little voice in the back of your head