Baby Olympics

Thanks to everyone who planned the best baby shower ever! Carrying on the Olympic tradition, the Troxell baby shower hosted the Baby Olympics, including stroller time trials, musical juice boxes, feeding frenzy and don't break the water. Team Mego barely snuck by Team Natedog in a tie-breaker determined by an average of the stroller time trials.

Good Grief!

So I'm finally returning to the blog after a frustrating spring/summer of low to zero energy while running and still no 'cure'. The last few weeks I have headed over to Schenley Park to explore the trails since I'm getting a bit sick of looping over through the north side. Trying to add more miles and get six in sometime before the Great Race, I started looping back on the main trails. After hitting the welcome center, I kept going being Flagstaff Hill towards CMU. Just ahead is a memorial/pond to Westinghouse that I've only ever run through one other time, the day my dad died. Ironically, my grandmother, his mother, passed away peacefully this morning at 96.5. I don't know how my mind unconsciously has let me wandered there twice, but it is a beautiful place and now will be my own memorial to both of them. The warm, yet crisp weather typical of cross country season was much nicer than that March day four and a half years ago. I remember arriving at the sparkling pond just as it started raining. I felt like the skies were mourning with me. A little silly, yet comforting at the same time. Today was not nearly as mournful since you can hardly do anything but celebrate a life so long and full. As I type, I am listening to the "In Memory..." cd made by a dear friend. I love it - but only when I'm ready for a good cry. In reflection, it is amazing how therapeutic running can be. If not just to be in the woods with little distraction to enable remembrance. As tough as it's been to get out the door, I'm glad I went out today. And I am so thankful for the outpouring of love four years ago when my world was flipped upside down.
So this was a little sad and a little scattered, but wanted to share. love you guys!