The Broad Running Broad

My marathon soft launch started last week – which I’ll detail in a later post – and with the increased mileage means more time to think on where I’ve been and where I’m going or would like to go.

My post this morning (or afternoon or evening, depending on when you’re reading this) is a general life update with a side of musings. About a month ago I was in the office and my grandboss popped his head over the partition to ask how I was liking it “up here,” since I moved to the other side of town back in November.

I told him I’m loving it. Which is true. Not too sound too cliche or cheesy, but I underestimated how life changing moving up here was going to be.

My main reason back then for moving up here was to be closer to my job, since I used to live on the southeast side and that commute would have been hell, especially in the winter. My drive into the office is definitely more peaceful now. My options are backroads or in-town driving. The time driving isn’t too different, but there’s less traffic to contend with and my in-office days are generally relaxing.

Speaking of driving, I’ve also learned that where I live in location to the nearest suburbs is damn near perfect. I can head east on the main road and be in one suburb – which has almost anything I could need for errands or services – or I can head west on the same main road, be in the other suburb where I work and pick up anything I need on the way home from work. My location and a hybrid work schedule has given me so much time back I lost or had to squeeze to weekends.

My apartment is located in a residential neighborhood, where there’s always someone out running, walking or playing with their kids. I didn’t realize how much I missed having neighbors. That’s not to say the neighbors at my old place were anti-social or unfriendly, but there’s a noticeable difference between an apartment that was located off a highway and state routes versus a neighborhood that’s tucked back a bit from the noise.

It’s also worth noting that the city of Columbus is constructing another park after they just opened a new one earlier this year, and new houses in the neighborhood right behind me are popping up like dandelions. If the population growth follows like it’s projected, I got up here in the perfect time.

Then there’s the recreational opportunities. During the pandemic I used to drive up to the northern suburbs so I could use the trails and maintain social distancing. Every time I run I discover a new path in my neighborhood and along the trail systems. There’s no way to get bored.

Then in 2022 when I was training for Pelotonia, I would bring my bike up north for my longer weekend rides. There was bike path through my old complex that was fine for weeknight rides, but I didn’t feel comfortable taking my bike off the path for longer rides there. So instead I would head north and ride the backroads between Westerville/New Albany/Sunbury until I picked up the Ohio to Erie trail.

Thankfully there’s a lot of bicyclists on the north side, so drivers on the back roads tend to be better about sharing the road (at least the ones I’ve encountered). I also discovered on those rides that a lot of the homes and farms on those country roads look a lot like the ones I grew up on, so in a way, I felt like I was a kid again and at home. My bike has been at my parent’s house since the move, so I’m looking forward to getting it this weekend and starting to ride again.

So this all brings me back to Grandboss’ original question, which I was thinking about last weekend during my long run and again during my training run yesterday morning. I knew my life would change for the better by moving up here, and that I would be happier up here than I was in my old place. And it is.

However, I didn’t realize just how much better life was going to become. I’m busier now, but at the same time it’s not stressful and doesn’t feel like an impossible burden. I feel connected at work and to the community around me. I have pretty much everything I could ever need within 20 minutes, and my neighborhood reminds me a bit of the neighborhoods I remembered when I was a kid and we lived in town. There’s a feeling of returning that provides comfort and peace.

Simply put, I am far happier than I could have originally predicted.

And it’s pretty nice.

So Reader-friends, I want to thank you for stopping by my corner of the internet and reading this morning/afternoon/evening’s musings. I hope you all enjoy your day ahead. Father’s Day is this upcoming Sunday. For those who celebrate it, I hope you enjoy yourself. For those of you who find the day challenging or conflicting, I hope you are able to experience peace and comfort as you go through it, whatever “it” is.

Yours in writing and life,

Allison