Looking back over the past year, it has not been easy, but it has gotten easier. I mean, really what can you expect from being 1700 miles away from all that you know and love? I remember two months after I came here, I wanted to leave. I missed people and places and things. The familiar. And I remember how the Charlotte Running Club reached out to me and made me feel like I had the biggest support group ever. But something inside of me, told me to stay. As hard as it was, I needed to stick it out. For this was my dream. I couldn't just abandon that.
So I did all that I could do. I reached out to any group and any people that I could. I couldnt just strictly rely on running anymore. I made friends and I left friends. There were people I met for a short while and then drifted away from. But one year later, I feel as though I finally have those people that I can count on. People that I can call my friends. You see, starting all over isn't easy. For me, I value friendships with people that I can count on, that have similar beliefs, and similar interests. It's almost like an interviewing process, making new friends, but once you find some good ones, you have to hold on tight!
The Runner's Roost in Denver has been the best running group I have joined out here. I started going to this again after a 4 month hiatus. Even if I have to sit in 2 hours of traffic every Weds night to get there, it is totally worth it. This group is extremely fun and supportive. Weds night runs followed by free food, beer, and great friends. I just love it. I will be applying to this racing team next year rather than being on the Fleet Feet Boulder team because I want to promote a store that has helped me so much! Unfortunately, I have felt that although I met one training partner at FF, it is not really what I have been searching for. Special thanks to Phil, Bridget, Heather, Ashley, Yaicha, Emma, and new friend, Becca. Without these people, my running experience would not be the same.
I would be lying if I didn't say that dating someone hasn't helped me. Even though Dan is from New York, he has a lot of friends already out here, all of whom have been incredibly welcoming and fun. Seems like this state is a gold mine of transplant Pennsylvanians, Californians, and New Yorkers. Dan has made my life infinitely easier out here, and honestly, it's nice to have that one person that you can count on to always want to go on adventures together. From traveling over 1300 miles in one weekend to training on the Boulder trails, the past five months of my life spent with a person that I can call a best friend has been absolutely thrilling.
Job wise, I am a living example of what can happen with hard work and patience. I started out in Boulder at a gym and a candy shop. I was enjoying the Boulder life, living the dream. I cant say that I wasnt a little bit jealous of those fellow classmates of mine that had real jobs, but honestly, you only live once and these jobs were stepping stones for me career wise. Willy Wonka wore on my last nerve but with patience, I found out through Phil, one of my Runner's Roost friends, that there was an opening with World Triathlon Company (Ironman) in their warehouse. It was basic shipping and ordering stuff, and to be honest, it did get boring, but within two short months, I advanced to office manager and who knows where I can go from here. This company is growing in an economy that is struggling and now I have my foot in the door. I have worked hard out here to make it, and I can honestly say, I am now making it and loving life and my job. I can wear what I want to work, my bosses are triathletes, I get free gear, and I get to be around athletes all of the time. It's really a dream job for me, and I cant wait to see where it takes me.
If you have never been to Boulder, you must come and see the beauty of this place. As I was driving home tonight after a run in Denver, I was in awe at the beauty that I saw out my window. The sun was setting behind the flatirons creating a backdrop of pinks, purples, and blues. And I felt a peace come over me. A peace that I have been longing for for many years on the East Coast. A peace that I hope remains for many years to come.
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