Happy Thanksgiving (one day late)!

This Thanksgiving, and not just on Thanksgiving (or the day after) I am grateful for opportunities and support.

This year I’ve been fortunate to have any many opportunities on both the personal and professional fronts.

IMG_4290With my some changes at Stevens, it presented me with an opportunity to reflect on what I wanted to do professionally and the best career path. I’m fortunate for that opportunity because that is how I ended up where I am now, three days into my new job, which has been great so far.

This new job is what led Josh and I to sell our apartment in Hoboken and move to Connecticut. While, I am still bittersweet about the move, I know this opportunity was one that I would regret if I didn’t act on it. I miss Hoboken, our old apartment, and the easy access to NYC very much especially since we’re still living in a sea of boxes but I am grateful to be in this position. Of course, none of this would be possible without the support of Josh and our families.

IMG_4296And on a personal/running note, this was definitely not the year for PRs but a lot of great milestones and experiences. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to run my first international race, the Virgin Money London Marathon in April with the AgeUK team. Later this fall, I ran my 10th half marathon in New York and my 8th marathon and 3rd NYC Marathon amidst a stressful time in our lives wrapping up my old job and preparing for the move. Training for and running any race requires the support of many people – those who you live with; those who have to hear you talk about it nonstop – be it coworkers, friends, family, the lunch guy or any one who will listen; and your teammates and coaches. While the race is an individual effort, the accomplishment is a team effort. I’m fortunate for all the support I continuously receive for all the crazy running adventures I go on.

2015 has been a great year and it’s not over yet (no Christmas music until after Thanksgiving!). I will do my annual year-in-review recap in 2016 but in the meantime I’m so grateful for the opportunities and support.

Happy Day After Thanksgiving everyone! I wish you wonderful food and a great time with family and friends and some Black Friday shopping.

Sunday Snaps #4

Congratulations to the Women’s USA World Cup team! What an incredible game and a great win for USA during the 4th of July weekend.

And on to less exciting news, here are some pictures from my long run on Saturday with the Athletes to End Alzheimer’s team. We ran from the Queensboro Bridge to Roosevelt Island and back and stopped for a quick photo shoot.

The photographer was a little unsure of how to use the phone camera. A group of us around mile 4.5 of the run with Blackwell Island Lighthouse.

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Posing with the trees at Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park at Roosevelt Island.

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FDR’s head in the horizon.

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Excited to take a picture with the Four Freedoms, as pronounced in President Roosevelt’s January 6, 1941 State of the Union speech.

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The group and the Four Freedoms. Very appropriate for Independence Day.

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And I’m sorry for the sweaty back marks. Mine was the biggest one. I’m a sweaty mess, sorry.

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Photo credits to Coach Ali, and teammates, Tovy and Gene.

And to cap off my Saturday, it wouldn’t be a 4th of July BBQ if I didn’t chop wood. If you can’t tell, it was my first time and likely my last.

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Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

What did you do to celebrate the 4th?