Author: itsclairee

#RealWorldSanFrancisco

It’s been a month since I’ve been back in San Francisco. And as much as I love my city, that doesn’t mean that I’m not still mourning the end of my vacation, and also eagerly planning my next adventure. Costa Rica & Panama for Christmas 2015 anyone? Sorry, mom and dad.

Writing this blog post is difficult for many reasons. It takes me back to Oslo, back to Gothenburg, back to Stockholm and Prague, and it reminds me of the times I had that I now hold so dear to my heart but yet remain so far away. And also it reminds me of my insatiable desire to keep moving. In a place as comfortable and familiar as home, we easily slip back into the grind, which so often does not include those pieces of adventure that keep our heart hungry. It is this that makes these “normal” times difficult, when I remember that doing what I love requires alternate cycles of real life and hard work. Continue reading #RealWorldSanFrancisco

#raceStockholm #helloPraha

At first, I was skeptical of Stockholm.  It is a much bigger city than Oslo and Gothenburg, and we all know I’m not a city girl. Mostly, I was turned off by the hordes of tourists compared to my other destinations. However, I quickly grew to love the city, almost — but not quite — as much as my own. I was a tourist there after all. And the best part was that I met a few awesome people who I look forward to seeing again around the world. Hopefully very soon.  Continue reading #raceStockholm #helloPraha

#eat.run.love?

This morning I woke up to a blustery, rainy day for my last day in Oslo and also my last long-ish run before I #raceStockholm (8 days!). With weather.com telling me only a 10% chance of rain, sleepily and deliriously I braved the elements, only to spend the better part of 2 hours hiding my cell phone in my sleeve praying it wouldn’t die and leave me stranded, and also likely giving many of the people of Oslo the impression that I was crazy as I spastically ran around in the rain singing beautifully along with my music. Continue reading #eat.run.love?

#happyfeet

The ever-relevant question. One that I’m often asked, but always struggle to answer. The question that grazes the ears of most runners just as much as the dreaded phrase “plantar fasciitis”.

Why do you run?

The short answer to this question, is that there is no short answer. Which makes it a perfectly fair question for someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy running to ask of someone who spends their free time mapping out routes for upcoming long runs.

The beautiful thing about running is that every runner will answer this question differently. But for those of you who have asked me and received my usual half-hearted and deflected response, here’s your answer:

Continue reading #happyfeet

#whatmarathontraining?

The Stockholm marathon is coming up in about 2 months, and my training officially started the week before I left for Delhi. Given that I have not been running very much lately (read: I haven’t been running like a crazy person lately because consistently waking up at 6am is hard to sustain!), I was naturally pretty worried about spending 10 days in Delhi, Shitty Air Quality Capital of the World. Not to mention, I’d never traveled to India before myself, but had heard a number of stories — both from friends/family and from the news — that did not give me the most confident impression that the trip would be easy. But given the professional opportunity that would open to me if I took this trip, I caved and let my marathon training slide, something I wouldn’t normally do.

While my trip to Delhi did affect my training and I’m playing catch up now, ultimately, there was a larger lesson to be learned. There always is. As selfish as I am, I must admit that the world is bigger than myself, and I have lots to learn yet. Continue reading #whatmarathontraining?

#tbt #NPSF

Today marks one year since my first November Project workout. But NP has come to define more than just a workout for me. It defines my mornings, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. From there, it defines my weeks. And it has defined my last year. For me, November Project has become a commitment (a #verbal), a friend, a family, an inspiration, and a lifestyle. It’s more than just the crazy amount of photos that I’m tagged in on Facebook (which has subsequently caused my friends to assume I’ve joined a cult).

Continue reading #tbt #NPSF