Leaving Ohio; Heading West.

I am excited to announce that big changes are on the docket in the not-so-distant future.  For the first time in my lifetime, my mailing address will no longer be traced back to Ohio.  I am officially moving to the West coast!

I will be moving to Eugene, Oregon in the coming weeks, as I have been presented with an opportunity to train with a group of post-collegiate runners out there.  Giving up a full-time job and familiar surroundings for just the opposite doesn’t make a whole lot of sense (after a few years working as a professional, most people are not looking for ways to climb back down the ladder), but this is something I have wanted to do for a few years now and to have the chance to live in a community with such strong ties to running is something I could not pass up.  So chase my dreams, I will.  

The list of things I will miss about Athens is too long to even begin (tonight at least...although stay tuned in the coming weeks for my best attempt at said list).  After what will have been 8 years (almost to the day) spent in this gem of a town in SE Ohio, it’s time to move on and see what else is out there.  I'm excited about the opportunities and experiences that will come with being a "professional" runner.  I'll be living and training amongst some of America's best men and women distance runners and I hope this environment helps me to see continued improvement in my times and performances. 

In the meantime, I've got a busy next few weeks of packing and racing.  I'll be running a very competitive 5k in Wheeling, WV the first weekend in August (Debbie Green 5k) and then I'll fly out to the Massachusetts cape to run in one of the premiere American road races - Falmouth - on August 14th.  It's a 7 mile race that runs along the cape coast and features some great American and international runners.  Check back soon, because updates will be frequent these next few weeks!

Heading to Eugene.  This time, without a return trip!