Category: Everyday Running

Cures for Listless Days

Sometimes when I think about how I’ve lived for the last nine months, it reminds me of summer vacations growing up in my little Midwest town. My family seldom traveled, […]

MG January 31, 2021 21 Comments

January in the District

I moved to the D.C. in the spring of 2001, and watched the Pentagon burn a few months later. I thought those would be the worst days I would see […]

2020 on Two Feet

Running is what I do when I want to sift thoughts through my head. A run helps me believe that life is manageable. I ran steadily in 2020 and ended up […]

Letter from Washington, D.C.

Hello, everyone. In mid-March, the mayor directed D.C. residents to stay at home and since then it’s been strikingly quiet. People venture outside like they’re taking their vitamins, no one […]

Dandelions and Big Hair Blossom Days

Back in the days when a house with a yard was part of my life, my dad – who prided himself on a dandelion-free lawn – would enlist my sisters […]

Personal Sphere of Freedom: The Six-Foot Social Contract

Mayor Bowser called me today (yes, on my phone!) to advise that D.C. is under a stay-at-home order and to limit outings to essential trips. After talking with her – […]

Valentine to the Active Transportation Seekers

I see you run commuting, riding to the grocery store, and walking to places unknown purely under your own power. I observe your subtle acts of social change as I […]

All My Yesterdays

My yesterdays are all stacked up in piles. I have the yesterdays of high school, where I dreamed of moving away to the city. There are yesterdays of college and […]

Abebe Bikila Half-Marathon: PBP After-Effects and Sub-Two

With my legs and head two weeks away from our great Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP) ride, I lined up for the Abebe Bikila Half-Marathon, an out-and-back course along the C&O Canal. I […]

Try Harder, Calm Down: Final Thoughts on 2017

At the beginning of each year, I like to set an intention to carry me with me over the next 12 months. These are usually developed as a way to […]

Errundonnee: Running with Purpose

When A View from the Crosswalk completed the very first Errandonnee on two feet – which he called an Errundonnee – I added transportation running as an option for the Errandonnee. Since then, […]

Life is Uncertain, Eat Dessert First

It’s a new year, time to stop eating all the holiday M&Ms and candy canes I bought for 80 percent off at CVS. Ready to start 2017, I tell myself. […]

Running Down the Hits: 12 Months on 2 Feet

The year winds down, and the lull in normal activity opens up time for reflection. The last 12 months have signified intense growth for me, but not in the areas that I write […]

The Running Drug

The trees outside my window waved vigorously, their movement dissuading me from any outdoor time. I checked the weekend temperature, and 30s looked back at me. But with my cycling […]

Harvest in Iowa

It’s been years since I was in Iowa during the fall, but in an effort to avoid the harsher months of Midwest weather, I scheduled an October return to my home […]

Acclimation Frustration in DC: Passing Out

“Ma’am, are you okay?” I realize a teenage boy is talking to me. “Yes, yes, I think so,” I answer, confused how the three boys came to be standing in […]