Hey y’all! Magnolia here, hailing from the great state of Louisiana where mosquitoes, humidity, and oppressive heat reign supreme! While I am new to Salty Running — at least a newbie in this more public role, rather than my usual stance as a lurker — I am definitely not new to running. My very first run, a five-miler with my dad, happened at the tender age of six and I’ve been running ever since. Not like Forrest Gump’s non-stop running, but relatively speaking, I’ve used running as my preferred outlet for exercise and stress relief for a couple of decades now. It’s a cheap way to clear my head, celebrate my inner me, and sweat out any naysaying anxiety.
I have run three marathons (trained for four, but caught the flu mere days before the other race and had to pull out), numerous halfs, and countless 5Ks and 10Ks. Note to the Salty readers out there: with very few exceptions, I do not win any of these races … and I am totally cool with that. I consistently race in the top third of the pack, far behind the leaders, but firmly within the “I’m pushing past my comfort level” zone.
I am a wife, mom of three, and full-time attorney who struggles daily to strike the right life-balance. Since having kids, I find I don’t seek out races as often I once did; now I may only race a few times a year. I’d like to proclaim this is quality over quantity, but it’s honestly just a function of what fits into my hectic family schedule. I often think that I should have time management down to a fine art by now. Sadly, I do not.