A long run in St. Louis is exactly the same as in Zurich...

My future runner

... ok, not really, no not really at all. Yet, there are a few similarities that a long run holds no matter where you are at. Namely it takes a long time, is a challenging mental and physical game, and your body hurts when you are done.

Yesterday afternoon I went for a 15 mile run from our house in south St. Louis city. The last time I ran that far I was in Switzerland. In fact I remember the last time I did exactly a 15 mile run was while we were traveling in Norway in the end of July. I ran along a fjord and it was incredible. It was rainy and overcast but an absolutely magical run. I wove along the banks of a massive body of water, saw small waterfalls, signs for reindeer crossings, beautiful cliffs and small mountains, and probably fewer than 10 people or cars the entire way. Yesterday was almost the same...

I ran by McDonalds, Target, and even saw the scenic River Des Peres.

I tried to stay on my feet as I ran along sidewalks that no one ever takes the time to shovel or salt.

Cars rushed by and splashed me with snowmelt and nearly ten drivers either honked or whistled at me.

A handful of times cars even stopped for me while I was in a crosswalk.



Yet, it was still a "scenic" and reinvigorating run. That is the other similarity no matter where I run, how much better I feel when I'm finished. No, maybe I couldn't run to the top of the valley that Zurich sits in or along the beautiful Zurichsee or see the alps. But I did get to explore a part of St. Louis that I don't know as well since we have only lived in this neighborhood for a few months, and I did even get to run by some of the Anheuser-Busch's Clydesdales. And I felt great when I was done.




A view from the top of our Zurich neighborhood!

And I shouldn't completely trash talk running in St. Louis. After all there is an AMAZING smelling donut shop a half mile from our house that depending on the winds I can probably smell for a good quarter mile when I run past it. While it makes me want to stop and taste one of every type, instead it motivates me to run a little further so that at least my caloric expenditure will match my intake if I eat ONE of their donuts. In comparison every once in awhile my long runs in Zurich would take me past a chocolate factory on the outskirts of the city. While one would think that it would be heavenly to run past, instead I found it quite the opposite as it made me nauseous anytime I had already run over 10 miles. So far the donut shop in St. Louis wins.

I would love to go back to the days where I could run a very short distance from my Zurich home and have amazing views, every car would stop for me whether in a crosswalk or not, nearly every sidewalk or path was shoveled and cleared since it was a major method of transit for everyone, and people didn't honk and whistle at you like they had never seen a runner before. Yet I won't complain that my new running paths don't involve near as many hills (or mountains for that matter) and south St. Louis actually has some beautiful old houses to run by and day dream about even if they aren't quite as large and picturesque as the ones in my Zurich neighborhood.

A late February sunset near our house in Zurich last year

While I sometimes start to get burnt out on running, I keep coming back to it. It is such a great way to explore and learn a city. It will continue to be one of my favorite things to do when I travel and when I move somewhere new (or old). I am not sure whether or not I have ambitions to try and get faster anymore, but I certainly plan to explore, meet new people, and see new things along the way. I hope Emma one day learns to appreciate it (at least a little). And so far the signs are good that she is making herself out to be an endurance queen. Remember this video from the Denver airport last fall? Still one of my favorites...

Oh January!



It never fails, January is always a long, cold and relatively boring month it seems. Steve works a lot. It is cold and snowy (especially this year). The days are short and gloomy. And we have just come off of a great holiday season with family and friends, making it seem all that much less exciting.

 

Emma doing her best impression of her father this past month...

With Steve's only day off on Sundays right now, it gives Emma and me a lot of time together just the two of us. We have been busy trying to come up with fun ways to fill our time. Between new art projects and play dates with friends, we are always scheming to come up with the best way to spend the little time Emma has with dad on his days off as well. Lucky for us we think we filled them pretty well this past month from Emma's first hockey game to getting outside for fun on both the crazy warm and the crazy cold and snowy days!

 



We kept Emma up late and took her to her first NHL game!



She actually sat still for a little while too!



Getting ready to head outside in the snow!



First steps before it got really deep, she didn't like it.

Catching snowflakes!


Making snow angels!

We've been lucky and had a couple super warm Sundays in January (despite that first Sunday in January snowstorm)... our moving back resolution is to get out and explore the area around us more. Dakota thoroughly enjoyed our outing to Castlewood State Park!

And while my days are busy chasing after someone with a whole lot of energy, I find myself constantly thinking about what's next as we get more and more settled back into the states. That of course has led me to a few different things... trying to get back into the running groove and deciding on a spring marathon to add to the schedule, planning one more big trip for late this spring before we have to start paying full fare for Emma to fly (we're going to South America and yes I know you are thinking we are completely crazy to go with a toddler in tow!), and applying for jobs.

 

Fun to have play dates with some of our Zurich friends back in St. Louis! These two crack me up!

Born one week apart in Zurich, now both living back in St. Louis!

 

While we still miss some of our old playmates, we've had a blast meeting new friends for both Emma and mom alike back in St. Louis!

 

It's true, I am not convinced I am cut out to be a stay at home mom forever (it's hard work!). I always envisioned myself going back to work once we moved back, but we'll see how soon that all happens. In the meantime I am going to do my best to enjoy everyday I have with Emma and prepare ourselves for what I know will be a really big transition. While I think it will be good for both of us (Emma really is a social butterfly) I am sure it will not be easy... we'll just have to wait and see who cries more when that time comes!

 

Finger painting in the bath tub is one of our new favorites!

 

Post finger painting Emma goes "swimming" in the super full bath tub...

So as we start February with more snow and cold (that groundhog sure is accurate so far) here's to more fun in the bath tub on the cold days and exploring Missouri on the warm days! Oh how I forgot how unpredictable Midwest weather could be! 

 

The second go around with painting in the tub and Emma quickly turned herself into the primary canvas!

Looking forward to more of these perfect family outings!