Even when you don’t have a full-time job, a 3-day weekend is a gift from God.

For Labor Day, Michel and I took a road trip up to Oregon to visit my mom and spend some time in Portland. I was supposed to run 14 miles on Saturday (my longest run ever), but somehow that just didn’t fit in with beer and coffee drinking, burger eating, and family time. Oops…

I did, however, buy two new pairs of running shoes (hello, sales tax-free Oregon!) and Haruki Murakami’s memoir on writing and running, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running.

I seriously needed new shoes, and now is the perfect time to break them in before next month’s half marathon. Plus, I had to get two pairs, because my mom taught me to never turn down a BOGO shoe sale.

Besides shopping for shoes and books, my mini-getaway was amazing, naturally. I spent time with my mom and family dog, Angus, explored Portland with Michel, and enjoyed so many delicious calories.

 

Oh yeah, and Michel got to hold puppies and this teensy kitten.

Taking days off is sometimes necessary not just for physical health, but for mental and emotion health. Stepping away from my routine to spend time with loved ones in a new setting reinvigorated my spirit and allowed me to recharge for this month. I feel rejuvenated now that we’re back and ready to tackle this week’s work and running plan, as well as my monthly and long-term goals.