Marathons and I are Meant to Be

Recently I have been struggling with finding new, exciting places to run. I follow Nike Running and their many running photos always inspire me. I found this amazing shot on the Nike Running Facebook page and I wish the girl in this photo were me. Not only would that fulfill my goal this year of modeling for Nike Running, but it would also mean that I had the awesome privilege to run over this amazing terrain. The Oregon girl in me, with an arguably obsessive passion for running and all things swoosh, dreams of one day running here.  

Turning my dreams into reality is hard work. I don't have a clear path towards my goal and I am doing the best I can with the resources currently at my disposal. I inspire on social media and love helping people realize that they are capable of more than they think they are. In the same way, I am inspired by those who follow me and interact with me day to day. Since I was young my goal has been to work in Beaverton, OR for Nike. In recent years, I haven't let that passion and goal go, but I have had to expand my goal to include becoming someone who inspires others to pursue their goals and challenge themselves. I love inspiring others and can't tell you how much it means to me when someone tells me that I have helped them take up running and better their lives. It truly means the world to me and makes all the hours I spend on social media worth it. 

My husband and I are living in Northern California so he can pursue his career dreams and finish graduate school. It's hard for me to always be cheerful about living somewhere where I can't see my corporate dreams becoming a reality. With that in mind, I refuse to give in. When we do finally move to a larger city, I want to have made these years count. Right now, blogging and social media are my connection to expanding my dreams and sharing my passion on a local and global level. So, mastering these skills is something I want to focus on now. 

Motivation from Nike Running

My third marathon is coming up in three weeks. For the third year is a row I am running the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco. I can't help but feel like the marathon is my race because of the parallel's that I can draw from it in my own life. All my dreams take time, work and seem impossible. The marathon distance is tough to train for, takes work, sacrifice and at times seems out of reach. No matter the struggles, I refuse to give up on race day and I will get to that finish line if I have to crawl there! I have to keep faith that my career path is somewhat like a marathon. I have lessons to learn along the way, setbacks and triumphs, but in the end, I will reach that finish line. They always say that the journey is the best part, so for me, I am going to try to enjoy the ride. But someday, Nike, you better be ready, because this girl is coming for you and I challenge anyone to beat my passion and persistence. I have big dreams and it's about time I Just Do It.

Nike Did it Right Again!

I am IN LOVE with Nike's new women's football jerseys! Nike really touched on the huge female market of NFL and College Football fans with these jersey's. They are fitted and flattering for a woman's body and make cheering for your favorite NFL team a lot more feminine. I want these University of Oregon Ducks jersey's ASAP! What better way to show my pride then to sport this awesome gear?

 Black Women's Football Jersey (Oregon)

Green Women's Football Jersey (Oregon)

Nike is number one in so many ways and they just topped the charts with this release. The jersey's are available in any team you call your own and are available online and in stores. Which team will you be cheering for this year and which jersey will you be sporting?

Journey for a Better World

I got to meet Jason Lester today! I was so excited to meet this insanely fit Nike endurance athlete. I drove 2 hours each way to get to the Petaluma outlet stores to be able to meet him, run with him and be a part of this epic journey. For those that don't know, Jason is running and biking across the country, 4800 miles in 92 days to create awareness for improving our world. When I arrived I checked in, got me hand stamped and picked up my t-shirt for the 3.65 mile run. 

Nike really knows how to put on an event. I walked around the store reading their innovation story and checking out their different programs, like their Legend pants made out of plastic water bottles and their reuse a shoe program, because "every sole deserves a second chance" before the run began. When it was time to begin we ran two miles out to meet Jason, took some photos and then ran with him for two miles back.  

When we got back from the store we did a quick question and answer with Jason and learned about his passion, struggles and triumphs. He is a vegan athlete and I was especially curious about his diet. He has a chef along with him and also eats at various vegan restaurants along the way. I have been thinking of trying to be vegan because I just don't feel that great when I eat dairy  and I was impressed that Jason is able to lead this lifestyle and perform so well. I think I may give veganism a try soon.

After the question and answer session it was autograph time. I had Jason autograph a poster for me and we also took a photo together and had a brief chat. I was the only one there that had driven two hours to do the run with him so he was impressed that I came that far. However, he is the one who has run thousands of miles to get here, so a few hour drive is a breeze! After the photo it was time to refuel with water, trailmix and vegan cookies.

The best part of this event was learning about what it takes to be an endurance athlete and how every moment is a mental battle. This advice of being mentally tough will stick with me during my Nike Women's Marathon training. One of his quotes that stuck out was his motto "I don't want to chase dreams, I want to live them." Jason Lester is living his dream every day and achieving amazing things in his sport. I was honored to be a part of this journey and inspired to work on my mental toughness during my training. I wish Jason good luck on the final days of his run finishing up in my home state of Oregon in a little less than two weeks. Just do it!