Michelle Runs With It

 S alisbury Marathon 04.04.26 “A marathon is a marathon no matter the pace.” Seeing Mike Wardian warming up at the start and chatting with Bart Yasso at the finish line was pretty cool (or “tough” as the kids say). What was really cool, was hearing the stories of the everyday runner. As a pacer, you get to hear so many. My job as a pacer was to keep steady throughout the entire 5 hours, be upbeat and positive, distract, encourage, and when the sun rose temps to 83° to remind runners to hydrate, fuel and listen to their bodies. I met some absolutely incredible runners, and with a 5-hour goal time, many were first time marathoners while others were experienced and knew the name of the heat game. Either way, I loved hearing their stories - how some were running for the first time with their partner, family trivia, best races and race day fails, the guy who ran an extra 6-7 (haha) miles just to get his wife to the half of her first marathon, the group of 20 from Richmond who would ALL ...

One thing I know to be true is that running has never been about the number of miles I run, nor how fast I get from point A to point B. Running has always been about who I spend it with, and the energy it gives me, not drains from me. I ran a lot this year and while I had both a disappointing DNS and DNF, my heart led me to where I needed to be. I accomplished what I could and despite some very devastating circumstances, I am still proud of what I was able to accomplish, but I am really REALLY grateful for those that showed up for me in the times of utter sadness and despair. My family, my friends, and now how indistinguishable the two are now - my FRAMILY, THANK YOU! These people I know were put in my life for a reason and I am eternally grateful to each of them.  Besides running and grieving the loss of my Momma, I did have some good moments of 2025 and I know she'd want me to continue to find joy. Here are a few of my favorite things from the year of the snake: Favorite Concert:...

"It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward." ~Rocky Balboa It was just after 4:00am on Saturday morning and my heart was racing as we drove 80mph on 95N heading to Philadelphia. The car had just slid on the ramp from route 32. Richard was playing it cool, but I could tell he was white knuckling it as the sleet and snow came down heavier outside.  We had to make it to South Philly by 6:55am, 7:00am at the latest, for the unofficial "fat ass" Rocky 50k Run, dammit. This weather was not in the forecast the night before. I thought, maybe, I'd be able to get a little more sleep on the way there as I barely slept, worried I'd miss my 3:30am alarm. I'm glad I finally got up at 3:28am because it turns out I had forgotten to actually turn my alarm on. Oops! Lori was in the back seat and all of our running gear, fuel/food, shoes, post-run clothes, and hydration packs were in the trunk. Richard was already ...

Even with the most perfect race day conditions, a trail ultra can be a lot like a box of chocolates. I signed up for Rosaryville at the end of May. I was going through a lot with my mom's health and decided not to run Old Dominion 100-miler in early June. I needed something familiar, close to home, and affordable to look forward to in the Fall. I also knew that I'd likely be able to convince a friend or 2 to run it together. Sure enough, it didn't take much to get Arielle on board.  In July, a friend offered me a free race bib for Marine Corps Marathon, 2 weeks prior to Rosaryville. I thought it might be nice to have a very motivating, long training run. Arielle had decided to do the same. We ran a lot of miles together over the next few months. However, her training was impeccable. She stuck to her plan. My life was a little chaotic. My mom's service, family visiting from out of town, Fiona's 13th birthday, a spiritual pilgrimage to the Grand Canyon had made it nea...

What an incredibly perfect day to run a marathon! Despite being very nervous about the crowds, the mileage on asphalt, the lack of consistent training, I went in with an attitude of gratitude. I also went in knowing this race wasn’t about me. It was about honoring those that put their lives at risk for our freedom, even when leaders are not doing the same for them.  I hadn't run over 15 miles since my last marathon in April. Signing up for Marine Corps Marathon was a way for me to have something exciting to look forward to. After a rough summer, a busy back-to-school/dance/life season, and a reflective adventure in Arizona, I actually dreaded the expectation I put on myself to run a crowded road marathon. Then I flipped my negativity. I was showing up to the track once a week with Tracy for the Detroit Free Press marathon training (which she crushed by the way), this race was going to be Arielle's first marathon, and her training cycle was BEAST! My excitement for Arielle was a...

Find friends who say YES! “For a little while we are again able to see, as the child sees, a world of marvels. For a few moments we discover that nothing can be taken for granted, for if this ring of stone is marvelous, then all which shaped it is marvelous, and our journey here on Earth, able to see and touch and hear in the midst of tangible and mysterious things-in-themselves, is the most strange and daring of all adventures.”  -Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire A bucket list National Park, a bucket list trail adventure, and some of the best kind of peer pressure led my dear friends, Lori and Karen, and I to reach out to another amazing strong friend, Amy, who had just completed this with her sister. And the planning begun… Our original plan was to conquer the infamous Rim to Rim to Rim hike in two days. We would hike down from the South Rim, across the base of the Canyon, and then hike up to the North Rim to stay a night at the North Rim Lodge. The North Rim is an isolated, landma...