I sit here with a sore back from sitting, writing, reading, watching, learning, and computing I know we sit too much. Our work and society has us chained to the act of sitting. Movement is wrong or something you do when you get punished, like when the teachers gives my son “laps” for fighting. Sitting however, is the real punishment, especially for kids!
Back in May, I started ramping up the running miles. The snow had (mostly) melted and it was time to get base miles in for summer running adventures. By the end of May a starting feeling run down, worn out, and just wasn’t recovering from even short runs. My first instinct was “panic”. “What is wrong with me? Chronic fatigue? Adrenal Insufficiency? Imbalanced hormones?” I had already spent the winter not running and focusing on replenishment of nutrients, muscles, and rest. As I struggled through a twelve-mile Memorial Day run with my new running group, The Donner Party Mountain Runners, I felt like I had no energy and picking up my legs was more work than it should be. “Should I be on the gluten-free diet after all? Am I pre-menstrual, low on vitamin D? There is no way I am bonking! I eat plenty of carbohydrates daily and during my runs.” Or do I? I am a fueling expert. I know what I need and how often. At least that is what I have …
Welcome back to Tara Dell Tells
” This is your run. It doesn’t belong to anyone else.” David Summerfield, Bridger Ridge Run Race Director
Why I keep going back for more….
Eric, my birthday boy, your story is worth telling and every year, I know the fact that I tell you that your are a miracle gets a little more embarassing for you.
Perfection is the enemy of good, right? I hear this phrase a lot. My first belief about this statement is, ” I am not a perfectionist. I mean, look at how many typos and grammatical errors I publish!” Then, I look at my saved drafts. I have hundreds of drafts filled with ideas I want to share on my website or at that very least, archive for my future reflection. These drafts are waiting for further attention to ensure they are suitable for publication on my blog. Then it occurred to me, are these drafts waiting to meet my perception of perfection? I don’t concern myself with typos. Some day I will employee an editor focused on making sure I look like I studied grammar in school. What I do concern myself with is whether or not I have clearly articulated the idea I am trying to share, which has become a bit of an elusive task since suffering a concussion a few months ago. Do my words reflect the feeling generated by the idea, …
This picture was taken July 27,2018. It was the last time I shut down my computer in the office of what had been my dream job for eighteen years. Working at CLIF Bar as the lead nutritionist was living my dream. It opened my eyes to opportunities, growth, and community. I could nerd out on nutrition strategy AND run at work with an extended family of friends and adventurers. Those friendships will long outlast my butt in a seat at Clif Bar & Company’s office. After eighteen years, it was time for change. It is no secret that running is a major priority in my life. When I can’t run I am thinking about when I can run or, what else I can do to get outside and play in the dirt. When I interviewed at CLIF in the year 2000 I was told three things that left me with no doubts that this was the place for me. They saw it too because I did beat out ninety other applicants. Those three things were: …
A few years ago I had the chance take part in the making of a short film about the community that gathers every year in the Bridger mountians outside of Bozeman, MT to run the four peaks. This race is one that calls you back. The beauty of Montana the and runner comradiere is hard to deny which, is why I am joining in again. Being from Montana, a MSU grad, and an ultra runner, this race and it’s people are in my DNA. Check out this flick I was part of during my second sabbatical (earned after 14 years of leading nutrition strategy for Clif Bar & Company). I would like to dedicate this years run to someone or something. Any ideas?
The last two months have been a practice of going inward and reflecting on everything from career, parenting, running, and relationships. This has resulted in no recent posts. No apologies necessary. This is just a time of year I go inward. My career coach, mentors, and long-top therapist have all said in separate instances that ” it is time to get out of your head and into the world.” Nothing proved their point more than the circumstances that brought about this photo! Let’s just get to the point. My car ran out of gas thirty-five miles outside of my mountain home. I was returning home after my weekly working-in-the-office-stint in the Bay Area, listening to Jenny Blake’s Pivot Podcast, and reflecting hard on my next career move when they car began decelerating up the mountain pass. I quickly realized that the car was dying still, with no idea why, pulled over, called my husband and said, “Something is wrong with the car.” He says, “How? It is a brand new car.” It was then that I …