“Some people follow their dreams, others hunt them down and beat them mercilessly into submission.”

-Neil Kendall

In a couple weeks, I am embarking on the approximately 3,000-mile road trip from Huntington Beach, CA to New York City, NY…on foot. That’s right, I’m running to New York. Before you jump to the conclusion that I’ve lost my mind, you should know there are lots of people who do this. Okay maybe not lots, but enough that it’s a “thing” people do. I originally wanted to do it solo, but my parents vetoed that. Dad decided he was ready to retire and wanted to come with me (in a car). I think it’s called father/daughter bonding or something like that.

If you want to follow me on my adventure, check back here. Everyone insisted that I start a blog, so this is me blogging. Even if you’re not interested in the whole running thing, there’s going to be some hilarious anecdotes…put my dad and I together in an 18-foot trailer for 3 months, chaos is sure to ensue.

I can’t begin to describe how excited I am. Running across the country is something I’ve wanted to do since high school and I can’t think of a better time than now. Maybe it’s cliché, but I think Nike’s on to something with its “JUST DO IT” slogan. Life’s short, I don’t have time to think about whether or not I have time to take a few months and run to New York. It’s a no-brainer. Plus I don’t exactly have a better plan. Running 3,000 miles seems like a good use of time for my college-educated, unemployed self. The bad economy, the competitive job market, the “what do I want to DO with my life” question, they’ll all still be there when I’m done. Right now I might as well lace up my shoes and live a little. This run is going to be that post-grad, life-changing journey people my age are supposed to take as some sort of soul-searching quest for identity and place in the world. More accurately, it’ll probably just be completely exhausting and my only identity will be the girl that always smells like IcyHot and craves carbs. If nothing else though, I’ll have some really good stories to tell. Here’s to chasing dreams, staying young, and that sweet open road.

s.e.