For the longest time I used to say March, June and October were my favorite months.

However, I’m thinking in 2021, July is going to replace June.

To sum June up: I started out in a position that turned out not be a good spot for me, and towards the end of month, God pulled me out of it and was pretty direct about where I shouldn’t venture. Plans A and B were aborted, so now I’m on to Plan C or maybe a D and feeling better than I used to be.

My boyfriend is still riding the happy high from New York and has some good prospects in his business. Marina the cat has been watching the squirrel on my patio pretty closely and enjoying lots of attention from her mom.

And the other greats news from June that’s following me into July: fall in-person racing is back!

Fall marathon training starts on July 5th, and with the return of fall racing is a re-awakening from the past year and a half.

I try not to attach my identity too much to one thing, but once you start running, it’s hard not to see yourself as a runner first and maybe only. For five years my life was seeking out races to run, registering for them, traveling to the far away races, and scrolling Instagram for other local runners to serve as inspiration and digital friends.

Then came the pandemic, and at first I thought nothing would happen to racing. If people were so worried about catching a virus, wouldn’t it make sense for them to stay home and let the runners do their thing?

The WHO and CDC didn’t agree with my assessment, so for the rest of 2020 and early 2021 – away the in-person races went.

Now it’s July. The Columbus Marathon is back in October, and I’m already registered for Full #9. July is my kick-off month for training, and I have a lot to work on based off of how last weekend’s run went.

I’ve lost a ton of endurance and speed, and I can’t deny it. Even my slowest half marathon has been 2:40, so finishing 12 miles in 2:51 and suffering through it is a sign I need to get myself in ship shape for Columbus.

In addition to focusing on marathon training, I’m also using July as a time to take care of my mental wellness. All of my life I’ve been a verocious reader, and I realized the other day I couldn’t remember the last time I read for pleasure or to decompress.

Over Father’s Day weekend I stayed overnight at my parents. Mom likes to grocery shop together, and I asked if we could stop by the local bookstore before the grocery store. Jay and Mary’s Book Center is one of my favorite book stores and has been a staple of my teen years. In between the selection of almost anything and the smell wafting over from Winan’s Chocolates next door, it’s impossible not to go in there and feel at peace, like the world around me doesn’t exist.

I picked up four books for the summer reading list and decided I’m going to give myself two weeks per book. One was a short read over a week. I’m on my second book now and want to finish that up in time for a book review next week.

Friends, I cannot get over how much fun I’m having curling up into a little ball and reading for an hour. Marina is enjoying it too, mostly because she can cajole some pets out of me while she’s there.

So July is the month of flexing the muscles – both my legs and my brain. And plenty of swimming. I bought myself and Sam some inflatable pool loungers that come with little cup holders. We’ve already tried them out this past Tuesday.

Unfortunately we’re not using them on the actual first of July. It’s been raining all day here.

I hope you all are enjoying yourselves. Tell me what you’re looking to this month in the comments. I’d love to read your thoughts.

Yours in writing and running,

Allison