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In recent weeks, I have been on two runs which, I suspect, having stood the test of time, will prove their indelibility. During one, I trotted along the local rail trail - clear, flat, wide, but still cocooned in trees with animals scurrying here and there - before plunging into a wooded section of singletrack trail whose curves followed those of the creek nearby. It
The Way Down
You’re at a holiday party, work, the grocery store, the DMV. You’re chatting with someone and they look at you as if you’ve just sprouted neon purple antennae. Their eyes pop with a mixture of fascination, disbelief, and a dash of concern. Your shy smile, your shrug, are already prepped for their next breathless statement. And there it is. They open their mouth and the
Heroes
Late last summer and into the fall, when the repercussions of the fracture which I had suffered in spring continued to stretch on, the feeling I remember most vividly was one of grasping desperation. I found the cruel bombardment, noisy and forceful, which I had been prepared to hunker down and absorb for several months, to be unceasing. Trapped in the cramped, dark space of
Social Media and My Running
After years of being a private runner, running solely for my own purpose, in 2020 I suddenly found myself in the position of Brand Ambassador. I applied to represent companies I believed in, not really believing that I would be selected. Well, selected I was, and my number of social media posts increased accordingly. The many posts I posted about all things running as Brand
Blood Ties
With love, I dedicate this column to my grandfather, Joseph Vincent Behe, who would have turned 97 this month. Some time after my paternal grandfather–”Pappap”–passed away in late December of 2020, my dad shared with the rest of the family a press clipping from a local Harrisburg newspaper. Written with the zippy flare and unapologetic corniness of bygone days, the piece features Pappap front and center
My First DNF and What It Taught Me
It stung because I was now only 20 miles from the last aid station, and in my own mind, I was in the home stretch. “What do you mean I can’t continue?” was the first thing my mind offered in silent response to the aid station captain informing me that he could not allow me to continue past that point because I had timed out. All I
A Runner’s Guide to the ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE
Listen up, people. I’m sure you’ve noticed the same thing I have; there’s been too much positivity in the news lately. Puppies kissing babies. Babies kissing puppies. Rainbows. Babies and puppies playing together under rainbows. It’s sickening, if I’m being honest. Where’s the realism, the pragmatism? As trail runners, we’re all too familiar with the fact that things can be going just swimmingly until, out
Too Much Gear
Running, at its foundation, is a minimalist activity. Yet through the choices we make, we are rewriting this narrative. And we are changing the story at the detriment to our environment. At its roots, running is an inexpensive and minimalistic activity. To run, you need your legs and feet…perhaps a pair of comfortable shoes to protect those feet, and for some of us, a sports bra. Yet
Snowflakes
Exhalations fogging up thick-framed glasses. Traditional Chinese instrumental music. A peanut butter banana Clif bar. An evening sky with colors so elaborate and vivid, it looked like a tropical fruit. I have been on my fair share of runs at South Mountain Preserve, a local park maintained by a nonprofit wildlife conservancy. But this one, for whatever reason, was special. There are moments in life, few and far between,
Brand Ambassadorships and Remembering Your WHY
Many runners are brand ambassadors these days. With cool perks such as product discounts, free gear, and potential visibility (read: social media fame), all in exchange for helping to advertise a product they already believe in, it’s not surprising to see so many athletes gravitate toward brand ambassadorships. Companies that may use brand ambassadors to help market their products include those selling nutrition, running gear, shoes,
