Does November feel like a get-‘er-done month to anyone else?

In the last few days of October, I was hit originally with the urge to nest. There were cabinets and closets to be de-cluttered, minor building projects to complete and a house to clean. Something about the 30 days between Halloween and Thanksgiving, when the holiday season takes off, motivates me to wrap up any apartment projects and makeovers so my place will be ready for the fun and fracas to come.

Speaking of holidays, I got all of my Christmas shopping done this past weekend. The news has been going on about shipping delays for people doing their shopping online and items running out in store, so I decided I wasn’t interested in waiting. And frankly, after the traffic I had at Polaris Fashion Place this past Sunday, there’s no way I’m braving traffic and crowds on Black Friday.

With one major task out of the way and some smaller ones to take place throughout the month, I’m looking forward to the transformation around me, and at the same time, I’m making an effort to slow down and take it in.

I’ve been taking hikes at nearby parks whenever I can, such as Shale Hollow in Delaware County and taking in the colors and crisp fall air turning colder. It seemed like it took forever for fall to finally arrive to Columbus, so finally getting to see the yellows, oranges and reds lining downtown and the neighborhood where I work has been incredible.

With the temperatures dropping means I start digging out my sweaters and layering up. I got out my fall/winter coat today, a champagne puffer that always gets me compliments and paired it with a leopard silk scarf through the loops around my hood. I’m not the biggest scarf fan, but it ties on with my brown boots and helps pull together my work look. I’ll always prefer the colors of late spring/early summer, but there’s such an elegance to the warm, earthy shades of autumn transitioning to winter.

It gets darker earlier, which helps me feel relaxed and cozy in the evenings with Marina. Those early dark evenings mean that soon baking season will be starting up. I think the last time I baked was early to mid-September, when I was trying a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe. Life and work picked up since then, so my baking took a backseat. But now with Thanksgiving approaching and quiet evenings, I can get back to one of my first loves and love languages.

November is also my last racing month. This upcoming weekend is the Indy Monumental Marathon. This is full marathon #10, on my way to 50 full marathons by the time I’m 50.

Indy is an emotional city because it’s my first home away from home and returning there for the race or for a fun day out always feels like a homecoming, like I’m coming out of a time machine as a wide-eyed 18-year-old finally leaving the nest. Marathon weekend is also a traditional girl’s weekend for Mom and I before the holidays, where we laugh at everything and have way too much fun.

After Indy, I take my time reflecting back on the year in running, where I’ve been and where I still want to go. I’m still a little shocked that this is #10, a milestone race, that I’ve actually held on and remained committed to a lofty goal I set for myself five years ago. Time really has flown by and while half of me can’t wait to see what my future – in life and in running – holds, I kinda wish it would slow down just a teensy bit. Let me slowly drink my apple cider and listen to the birds chirp, while a gentle gust of wind blows the yellow leaves down around me.

You know, I didn’t really have a specific point I wanted to make with today’s post. It’s a new month and the season is changing around me, and I’m feeling myself transform and change alongside it. I’m having fun with it too.

May you all have a great, transformative month ahead.

Yours in running and reading,

Allison