these are not just shoes ...

these are not just shoes ...
Originally uploaded by aswim in knits

No, they are a whole lot more than that. They represent discipline, pride, motivation, challenge, friendship, strength, and accomplishment ... all of the things I have gained this year through running.

When I added running to my workouts this spring/summer, it was mostly because I wanted to get in better shape, and knew that swimming wasn't enough (for me) on its own.

I didn't expect to love running so much.

On Thanksgiving morning, I will run the Feaster Five, a 5 mile road race in my community. No matter what my results are, I will be proud of what I have accomplished this year.

I am a runner.

Thankful Thursday

At the behest of Carole, I am jumping on the "Thankful Thursday" bandwagon ...

I am thankful for good friends. In the past year or two, I have learned how much I rely on my friends -- to celebrate with in times of joy and to lean on in times of sadness, to listen to and to listen to me, to give me a word of advice when I need it and a kick in the pants when I deserve it.

The best kind of friends are not necessarily those who I might have expected to walk into my life, but those who have changed my life in ways that I couldn't have imagined.



These flowers are from one of those friends. This summer, I spent a week in New York. When we got to the city, M (my friend and traveling companion for the week) decided we needed some flowers at the place we were staying, and left these on my windowsill. Sometimes, it's the littlest gestures that say "you are important to me."

To all of my friends -- including those of you who are part of my online world -- you are important to me, and I am grateful that I have you in my life!