I once heard that the greatest gift you could ever give the world is a healthy you.
When I first set foot on the pavement and ran my first couple of miles during my post-grad years almost eight-years ago, I knew I’d grow a love and affinity for running.
As an incessant creative and homebody guitar, playing her guitar, recording covers online and sharing her little ramblings and words of wisdom online, running was my aid to my creativity and mental health.
There’s something about movement, running, walking, and absorbing different sensory outputs in the environment that activates the brain in a new way, allowing for opening your mind to creative thinking, as well as moving the stress, anxiety and any blockages in your body, outward.
And so… after months of training since January and running 3 miles to 5 miles to 8 miles and soon 10 miles, the half marathon felt like a breeze — and what epic views for a first trip to Yosemite to take in!
What a wild, wet and muddy 3/13.1 miles you were, but I’m happy to share in these adventures with my love, always.
Sometime in 2017: my lost and lonely first two years of post-grad falling in love with running
March 2018: My first race and first 5k, during my first year in LA
April 2018: My first 10k, a month later because a 5k wasn’t enough for my avid running!
July 2022: A whole pandemic later and freedom from leaving an overworked job, this was a return home with a warm-up 5k with my love
May 2023: My first half marathon, a personal goal, with an idyllic trip for my wanderlust-soul to Yosemite
The snow on the mountains this year has been out of this world (unfortunately, some of the roads have been closed off and trails, like to epic Half Dome, have been closed until further notice). The views are truly out-of-this-world and something our naked eye needs to experience, yourself. Whilst saving our energy for our Yosemite Half Marathon at Bass Lake, we were able to do a five-hour road trip drive up on Thursday from Los Angeles, settled into our cute little Airbnb, drive the two-hour commute into Yosemite National Park on Thursday and Friday, and run/recover on Saturday. We checked out on Sunday, made a Sunday trip to visit my family, then back to Los Angeles for a Lakers vs. Warriors playoffs game, with my love. (The travel exhaust kicked in, for sure…)
When all’s said and done, I’m excited to embark on more runs, races, and perhaps travel new cities and places through my love of running and the outdoors. Anyone have any cities and races they’ve loved?
With love and honesty,
Rachel
beauty within 
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