January 17, 2017 AIN'T NO STOPPIN' US NOW

It's a vicious cycle. Eat-drink-run-drink-run-eat-run-eat-drink. What a world-What a world. That's the problem with running--because I run-I eat more which some times leads to a cocktail or two, but there's no way for me to get  off this crazy treadmill I've created, especially, on the weekend before my birthday weekend. Not sure how the birthday weekend extended into two weekends this year--hence, why I need  the 1000 Mile Challenge.  I did get some good runs in this weekend even though it was REALLY cold--it snowed and the streets were covered in black ice on Sunday. That was a scary run, but I'm determined to get those runs in.  My goal is to run 20 miles a week and as of today, I've run 48 tough miles this month. It's not easy--besides the weather-- I'm really tired on the weekends.  I literally have to drag myself out of bed by 7:50 am  to hit the road by 8:30 am when all I really want to do is sleep. As much as I hate getting up early, I never regret it and count myself lucky that I am so resolute. It's innate. Thankfully, these personality traits have helped  me through many difficult years--and they will undoubtably help me meet this challenge too.

The main character in Colm Toibin's wonderful novel Brooklyn also faces many hardships with great fortitude as an immigrant to the United States from Ireland in the 1950's.   Eilis Lacey is a young woman living with her mother and sister Rose in an Ireland with no future. Her sister Rose organizes a meeting between Eilis and a Catholic priest named Father Flood who arranges passage and a future for Eilis in New York City. Upon arriving in the city, Eilis works at a department store, lives in a boardinghouse and goes to night school. Although she is thankful for this opportunity, Eilis is extremely homesick for Ireland, family and friends until she meets an Italian plumber named Tony.  They fall in love and just as she is finally settling into her life in America, Eilis learns that her sister has died and she must return to Ireland for the funeral.  Before setting off to Ireland though, Eilis and Tony secretly marry. Back in Ireland, Eilis easily settles into her old life--meeting with friends and caring for her clingy mother who wants her to stay in Ireland and marry her old flame Jim. Eilis feels torn between her old life in Ireland and her new life in America. Find out what ultimately happens when you read this wonderful love story that was made into a movie a few years ago.  It's about 260 pages or a 5 mile run that is beautifully written--it will definitely pull at your heart strings!
Enjoy.