Fresh and Loose

For as long as I can remember my Dad has been a runner. As a little girl I remember him coming home from his long jogs - his face slightly flushed and hair slicked with sweat. I remember his running shoes and bank robber-looking face mask he wore to brave the frigid central Illinois winters. I remember not exactly understanding why he would want to get up at a ridiculous hour in the morning, gear up and run through the dark alone but nevertheless, somewhere along the line I was inspired to follow suit ...and good thing I did because what I have learned from family and friends while running has become invaluable in life in general and indispensable in Perú specifically.

The Running Rink´s chillin´ before a silly silly fun 200 mile relay race in 2007. From left to right is Chad, Joanie, Joe, Jim, Steve, Tim and Dad.

¨Fresh and Loose¨ was a term coined by childhood family friend, Jumpin´ Johnny Kennedy. The moment of it´s inception went something like, ¨How ya feelin´ after that last run Jumpin´?¨ Johnny´s response, ¨Fresh and Loose!¨ Simple enough but from that point forward the phrase took on a life of its own. Why? Who wouldn´t want to feel as Fresh and Loose as Johnny Kennedy after a grueling run? Jumpin´ Johnny has the rare ability of being endlessly positive. He is practically the epitome of the phrase, ¨Success is 80% attitude 20% aptitude.¨ Like Jumpin´, my Dad, aunts, uncles and cousins, are all accomplished runners in their own right but it´s their positive, fresh and loose outlook on life that makes them successful. I am just lucky to be able to run with them... and pick up a few life pointers along the way.

Jumpin´Johnny finshing his second Iron Man for the year at Lady Lou.

My uncle Steve completeing the same IM. Next up for Johnny and Steve - IM AZ in a few short weeks.

So that brings me to Perú - here I am after being dropped into a small town in the Andes, in a strange culture, not knowing the language and devoid of my support group from home. Not gonna lie - things get tough here at times. Like in running, I have felt every emotion possible. Sometimes I feel like I am flying and other times I feel like I can´t take another step. Fresh and Loose has become somewhat of my mantra down here and I let it ring in my head when I´m feeling lost. Thank goodness I´ve had you guys to pound Fresh and Loose into my head over and over and over again... it´s a lesson I´m still trying to learn but I hope that I´m getting closer and closer every day.

My running group from last year just after we completed the Nike Ready to Run 20 Miler - Carrie, Jen, Sarah, Brady, Jennifer, John, Angie, Me, and Amanda.

So since this weekend is marathon weekend in Chicago I can´t help but reminisce about the fun we had last year, but I also want to say good luck to everyone running this year especially John, Sara, Angie, Bob, Brady, Ashley, Jen, Betsy, Sarah and Jumpin´Johnny. You totally should have made shirts with my face on them so that I could be with you when you run... but since you didn´t, I guess I´ll just be there with you in spirit. I hope you guys have a blast!

My best friend, Paige, and me before the marathon in 2008.

Next up for me on the running schedule is the LA Ragnar Relay in April with Paigie and ten other women. We´re going to have a great time! Then it´s Utah´s Ragnar Relay in June with some of my favorite runners including six Rink´s, my good friends Annie and Shane and a USA 25k National Champion... the name of our team? Fresh and Loose. Love it!

Also, just thought I should mention that it isn´t just us who are aware of the Fresh and Loose mentality... right now I´m reading the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. Christopher McDougall is an accomplished journalist - a former war correspondent for the Associated Press, he´s also written for Esquire, The New York Times, Outside, Men´s Journal and Men´s Health. His writing is equal parts brilliant and hilarious and I definitely recommend the book. Anyway, in the book, McDougall writes about his search for the ¨hidden tribe of super athletes,¨ the Tarahumara Indians, who can run for literally days without injury or following basic race strategies such as a balanced diet, tapering before a race, goo consumption, etc. Turns out that part of the reason why they can run as they do is because of their positive, loving attitude that goes for all things including running. Looks like they may be on to something...