Two weeks ago, I ran the TCS Sydney Marathon with a smile on my face, feeling strong, happy, and grateful. That race was a celebration—of health, of resilience, of joy. And for the past two weeks, I’ve felt incredible.
Nothing hurts. My energy is high. My runs feel smooth, maybe even effortless at times. I don’t know if it’s the cumulative effect of training all summer or if I’m still riding a post-marathon high, but I feel like I’m floating.
And it has me thinking: what’s next?
Should I lock in some goals for 2026? I haven’t come up with anything yet. But I’m excited about the idea of goals. I’m excited that my body feels good enough to entertain fast times again. The question now is how to get there—how to take this strong endurance base and turn it into speed.
For the rest of 2025, I’ll run for fun.
October will bring the local Pumpkin Festival 5K, a fun community run. After that, I’ll line up at the New England Grand Prix Half Marathon. That race will have a competitive edge—those Grand Prix events always do—but honestly, I’m just there to enjoy it. My Whirlaway teammates are blazing fast in the 50+ division, so I know the top spots are covered. I get to race, enjoy the atmosphere, and feel part of something big without the pressure of having to carry the team.
Then, Thanksgiving morning, I’ll head to the local Turkey 5K. Another fun community race that feels like home.
That’s how I plan to close out 2025.
But looking ahead to 2026, I think I want to find a few races that give me a shot at running really well for my age. Not just finishing, but competing—measuring myself against the best 50-year-old runners in New England. I’m not quite there yet, but I feel closer than I have in a long time.
We’ll see.
Since coming home from Australia, life has been busy. The school year started while I was away. When I returned we were one week into it! If you read my book, you know how stressful it can be for me to be absent from school. (If you haven’t read it, you can find it here.)
But I had the best substitute. A retired second-grade teacher who knew the building, the staff, and the chaos of the first week of school. She had everything under control. I walked back into a classroom that was in great shape.
Now I’m falling deep into the rhythm of the year: up at 4:15 AM, prep for the day, get a run in, teach Computer Tech to grades 2, 3, 4, and 5, then zip home to shuttle my daughter to dance (every single afternoon – except Fridays – this year!) For the first time in YEARS, it feels doable.
Why? Because I feel healthy.
No migraines. No swollen body parts. No medication. Just clear-headed energy. It’s wild how much more manageable life becomes when you’re not fighting your body every single day.
So yes, life is full. But it’s also good. And it’s going to go by fast. Before we know it, Thanksgiving will be here, and I’ll have raced all three of those events and closed out 2025 on a high.
So right now, I don’t know what’s next. But I can’t wait to find out.
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