November is just FLYING by and I've suddenly found myself less than 2 weeks out from CIM and my marathon debut... how did that happen? Well, this month was busy (are any months ever low-key??). I'm excited for the next few days, to press "pause," reflect, and express gratitude.

Here's the quick run-down of recent happenings:

November 1 - my little brother and my dear friend got MARRIED! Yep, Brendan and Jonah finally tied the knot. It was a beautiful celebration at home in Davis and I was proud to be part of one of the fastest wedding parties in history :)
November 9 - Off to Pennsylvania for the Pittsburgh 10-Miler! The race was fantastic - the Pittsburgh Marathon folks are an awesome team who are passionate about the sport and supporting emerging elite runners like me. They put on a great event and I was determined to take advantage of the opportunity for a fast race.

The race itself was magical - one of those days where you somehow feel amazing, even in the midst of marathon training. I went out controlled, ran my own race, and with 3 miles to go found myself reeling in some of the top Americans. The last 2 miles were a tactical battle; I made a hard move at Mile 9, surging into 6th place. Kara Lubienecki ended up nipping me in the final meters and I finished in 7th overall, 1 second out of 6th but as 4th American (and in the prize money!). Even though Kara caught me, I was overjoyed with my race - it was finally, FINALLY the race I knew I had in me (not to mention a 3 minute PR!). It felt so good to see all my hard work pay off, and was a great confidence boost leading up to CIM.

November 10-14 - From Pittsburgh I headed to Cleveland to put some time in at Movable HQ. I got to run on some of my favorite Ohio trails and survived my first snowy run of the year!

November 26 - Now we're just a week and a half away from CIM! The hay is in the barn, the taper is in full swing, and I'm just doing a few tune-ups as I spin the wheels and get ready to race! Tomorrow -- Thanksgiving -- I'll be giving thanks for making it through this marathon segment healthy and full of running joy. Preparing for a successful marathon takes a village, so I'm full of gratitude, appreciation, and love for all the wonderful people who've supported me on this journey. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Joyfully,

Kaitlin