Happy Blog Birthday #2 + Why I Run

Happy Friday! Today is the second anniversary of Chicago Jogger. It’s hard to believe only two years have gone by – it feels like I’ve always been writing this blog. I started this small corner of the web to share running and healthy cooking experiences, and for motivation. I can’t wait to see what’s to come in year three.

Here are a few of my favorite posts from each month of year 2:

2014

• August: Harold’s Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake
• September: Quinoa & Butternut Squash with Apple Cider
• October: What is TRX? A CrossTown Fitness Experience
• November: Running Update + Healthy Pumpkin Spice Bites
• December: January Challenge ~ Green Smoothies + No Sugar

 2015

• January: Nike+ Chiberia Challenge Recap + 2015 Challenge
• February: Florida Recap + Vacation Workouts
• March: Seattle Recap ~ Dungeness Crab and Vietnamese Spring Rolls
• April: Runner Advice: How do you fuel before a race?
• May: Meyer Lemon Snack Bars
• June: Caprese Chicken Zoodle Bowls
• July: Vacation Run: Florence, Italy {+ Five Florence Favorites}

Today seems like the perfect time to share a bit more of my running history.

Running is my motivation to live a healthy life, and has meant many things to me over the years. I grew up on a farm in a small town in northern Iowa. My lack of coordination prompted me to join the track team in middle school, and add cross-country in high school. I wasn’t winning any races {or let’s be honest, even running on varsity}, but the experience created a positive lifestyle and lasting childhood friendships.

I ran a few local races for fun in college. After I moved to Illinois to attend law school, running was an outlet for stress relief and a break from reading case law. When I moved to Chicago after graduation in 2008, I started running on leafy neighborhood streets and fell in love with the city for good. Soon this turned into meeting new friends for running dates on the lakefront trail on warm evenings after work, and training for longer races. I completed my first half marathon in 2010.

Two summers ago before our wedding, my now husband Kurt and I met with our officiant to prepare for the ceremony. She planned an interview to get to know our relationship. One of the first questions was whether we had individual hobbies separate from each other. Kurt instantly thought of baseball – cheering for the White Sox and competing on fantasy baseball teams with friends. The reverend turned to me, expecting a quick answer. My mind was blank and my heart started to race. I remember thinking I had to come up with something to show I had a personality! Kurt noticed my discomfort, and suggested my favorite hobby might be running races with friends. I had never thought of this as a hobby before, but it was the perfect answer.

My next goal is to run a destination half marathon, even if it’s just across the border in another state. Someday I would love to run a long race through wine country in California or along the beach in Hawaii. I’m planning to keep this hobby with me for a lifetime.

{A similar version to this post was originally published on the NBC Chicago Stride blog in June 2014.}