Putting Pencil to Paper + A Look Ahead at 2024
Photo by Adam Parshall
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I’ve noticed a pattern lately, not even an intentional one, but I’ve found myself drawn away from the screen and toward writing and reading in a more tangible form- good ol’ pencil (or pen) and paper. I think it’s part-diagnostic, part-creative, part-rebellion from my own digital habits.
One of the most significant forms of that has been ordering sheet music for my personal studies in book form, rather than downloading PDFs and reading them from my iPad. The iPad is an amazing tool, considering the hundreds of songs I need access to for my fellowship accompanying vocalists and instrumentalists in their lessons and performances. But I feel I can develop a more personal connection with the music I’m learning when it’s something tangible I can hold, write notes on, and keep forever, however tattered and worn it becomes. I’ve also been using some neat, huge manuscript paper to draw compositional sketches on, which just feels more creative and inspiring than plugging notes into a digital program.
Florence Price sheet music, daily planner from Omoi Zakka, and the Tracksmith Hare A.C. Training Journal
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Then, in order to understand myself and daily life better, I’ve started jotting down bits and pieces of my everyday and running in a journal. The entries are short and to the point, narrowed down to the basics, that way it’s sustainable to keep when things get busy.
Since starting school, I have just not been totally satisfied with my running. I need a plan. I had training plans that my coach Karl would write me, and they were good plans, but I ended up never following them during my busy school semesters (sorry, Karl!). I just slogged out easy miles wherever I could squeeze them in. It’s been enough to maintain some sort of base level of fitness, but it’s not enough that I feel satisfied with my output. Perhaps it’s the frustration from knowing my potential but feeling I haven’t been reaching it. My expected graduation is spring 2025, and there’s no guarantee my post-grad career will be any less time consuming than my work now. So, something has to change.
As an experiment, I am going to write myself a plan for two goal races and an FKT attempt on my calendar for 2024. A plan that I believe is sustainable with my workload, that can help me reach the fitness I know I am capable of.
On that note, here’s where the MOTR community comes in: each week I’m going to share an intimate look at my training leading up to these three goal events: a road marathon, a trail 100K, and a ~300 mile FKT attempt, and share it exclusively with Mercury on the Run members. I might play around with the format; it might be written, or it might be a brief video update, or both. The details I share will be exactly what I’d share with my coach. What went well, what didn’t go well, the ups and downs of it all. What I’m hoping to get out of this is accountability and support for my running and hiking goals; what I’m offering is a behind-the-scenes look for those invested in my journey. MOTR members will also be the first to know what exactly the races and FKT attempt are! Plus there will be a comments section where members and I can interact each week. If you haven’t already, please consider joining as a member for $5/month to help support me, my newsletter, and my goals. I’ll share my first update after this week.
Of course, I will continue sharing stories and musings on running, music, and life via this newsletter, and it will continue to be 100% free. :)
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Lastly! This past weekend I ran the Last Person Standing event at Across the Years for the second year in a row. I signed up the day of, as I was very wishy washy about committing to this one. I ended up being the second to last woman standing and sixth overall. I wrote this shortly after finishing the race:
Rang in the New Year with 60 laps / 84.5 miles at Across the Years - Last Person Standing! This has become a new favorite tradition of mine. To run through the last sunset, celebrate the New Year at midnight, and run into the first sunrise of the year. It’s a great time to reflect and feel renewed. It’s almost like a spiritual cleansing, to run until total depletion. This felt like a chance to just run my little heart out while getting whatever bad energy out of my system too.
Across the Years mid-lap just before sunset on New Year’s Eve!
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The theme of my newsletter last week, and my chosen theme for 2024, is to allow things to unfold. This event was a true test of that, as I found myself wanting to quit many times, but kept going. You won’t know unless you try. I actually fully intended to quit before mile 70, but Eric Hallsten pulled me in for one more lap, which somehow turned into another 15 miles. We can get so far on our own, but it’s amazing what we can accomplish with a bit of encouragement and belief from others too. It felt like a great setup for the mindset I want to carry with me into the year ahead.
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Thanks for reading. If you’re picking up what I’m putting down, please consider buying me a coffee or joining Mercury on the Run as a supporting member for $5/month. Supporting members receive a 4-pack of unique stickers and a handwritten thanks from me, occasional mementos from my adventures, and new for 2024, an exclusive weekly behind-the-scenes look at my training for the goals and adventures ahead.
Some more fantastic ways to support are subscribing below (always free), sharing this letter with a friend, or buying me a coffee. Thank you to all that read and support. I’m so appreciative!