Because metamorphosis

Things have been changing dramatically over the past few years. I've gotten more and more involved with weaving, less and less involved with knitting and spinning and fluting. Getting less involved with flute is a huge departure for me because I've been playing nearly continuously for 40 years. I started young. Two things have taken the place of my fluting. Running and weaving. I've written about weaving.

And I haven't written at all, or hardly at all, about running, and I've kept somewhat quiet about it in general. I started running in June of this year.It didn't occur to me at the time that I could have chosen a different time of the year to start outdoor exercise. I just knew that I was turning 50 and I needed to run and that was that. There's an app for that!

Lots of very good apps, actually. I chose the Couch to 5k from Cool Running (coolrunning.com, not to be confused with Cool Runnings the movie loosely based on the Jamaican bobsled team). It's a good app and it got me to my first 5k. I knew I loved running after the first week, even though it was hard, hot, exhausting, sweaty, and expensive (shoes! holy crap!). I don't know if I've ever achieved that "runner's high" but there are plenty of times when there arrives a state of calm and effortlessness that is so relaxing and it melts all the tension away.

Six months on I've finished four 5k races (one on Thanksgiving in Sumter, SC., with my fabulously supportive sister-in-law), and am training for a couple of half marathons in 2014. Here's my line-up for this coming year.

• New Years Day: 2.014 mile fun run through the Norfolk Botanical Gardens Holiday Lights display
• January Challenge: Run every day (at least one mile, with Leslie and Rosenda)
• February 15: Virginia Is For Lovers 14k
• March 15: Shamrock 8k
• May 24: Elizabeth River 10k
• August 31: Rock-n-Roll Half Marathon
• October 4: Crawlin' Crab Half Marathon (with Leslie)
• October 25: maybe the Wicked 10k (probably)
• November: Sumter Turkey Trot (for sure, with Leslie)
• December: Surf-n-Santa 10k (probably)

And I might sprinkle in some 5Ks if I think I need a little interim excitement. Racing is FUN!

My dream race is the NYC Marathon.

Another race I'd like to do is either a half or a full marathon at Disney World. It looks like incredible fun. Or a race in Europe. Also someday. But clearly I'm addicted to this. It has kept me sane, and therefore employed because I didn't up and quit, through a personally terrible year of work. I've also lost about 25 lbs - which was not the primary goal but I'll take it! I need to take at least another 25 or 30 off before I feel like I'm fit enough to start training for a marathon. And do more cross training. I've tried hot yoga. Kent thrives on it but the jury is still out on that for me.