Thanks to Laurie from Meditations in Motion, I discovered a new link up started by blogger Heather Gerwing. The last Monday of each month, Heather invites other bloggers to share their “Four Somethings”: Something Loved, Something Said, Something Learned, Something Read. If you are a blogger, you may post your Four Somethings too!

Oops I forget to do this in December but I’m back this month:

Something Loved.

It’s usually the races I’ve run. But this month, I only ran three (free) club-sponsored fun races.

So what I’ve loved is my runs with friends. It has kept me motivated to train for my upcoming half marathon and to get out of bed on some cold dreary weekend mornings.

Something Said.

This ties in with something read but it’s what Deena Kastor said in an interview:

“I truly believe my fastest days are behind me and my best days are ahead!”

That is the case for all of us aging runners.

And one more:

“As athletes, we have ups and downs. Unfortunately, you can’t pick the days they come on.”

So true!

Something Learned.

You sometimes take your pets for granted…until they’re gone.

I had the love and affection of a cat for over 20 years.  And during the last few weeks of his life, he became very clingy… too clingy.

Miss him!! But I feel lucky that the break in my work travel schedule allowed me to spend a lot more time with my favorite cat (at a time when he needed me most.).

 Something Read.

Our running group, the Sole Sisters decided to all read a book and get together after a run to discuss it. For our second reading gathering, we chose Dena Kastor’s book.

It was a fast read and an interesting one. I knew little about her start to running and all her successes.

I have only followed her as an older runner and actually met her a few years ago.

But what I took away from her book was not about training or running. It was about attitude and being more positive.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:

• “Oh, you’re doing it again, I said to myself when I became aware of negativity, being careful not to rebuke myself and therefore wind up being negative about being negative. I told myself: Find a thought that serves you better.” 
• “Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate.”
• “My competitive days had a short window, but I could push my mind and strengthen my positivity for a lifetime. How optimistic could I become? How much richer could I build my life? What joy and potential lay ahead. Pursuing positivity felt infinite, limitless.”
• “Our life is what our thoughts make it.”

I am trying to apply to my life (and to running) some of things that I read in Deena’s book.