Chasing Twilight: A Joy Journal for Runners

Chasing Twilight: A Joy Journal for Runners

As a runner, you know: running is not just a sport of body but also of mind and spirit. You might not always know how to express these feelings, though. In these pages, you’ll meet three runners—Adam, Connor, and Jim—who are expert at expressing their thoughts about the sport, from keen insights to laugh-out-loud truths. Even better, they invite you to join them on a year-long (or longer; the pages are not dated) expedition. Not only will you get to read the authors’ personal essays, poems, and observations about running, racing, and life in general, but you’ll also find space for recording your own experiences in whatever form you like. Your new traveling companions expect you’ll have a lot to share, because they recognize that every run brings something new, whether you’ve only just begun running around the block or you’ve completed your twentieth ultramarathon. Some runs may seem to offer only new pain, but more often you’ll encounter a new sight, think a new thought, or shift into a new perspective. The journal spaces in this book invite you to reflect on runs and running so you can capture the lessons you learn along the way. Whether you’re a runner who is content with a neighborhood jog or one who isn’t satisfied until you’ve explored every trail, you will find in these pages a home base you can return to again and again, a home filled with friends who love life as much as they enjoy going as fast as they can. When we move our bodies, we move our minds. The grit and determination we summon to best ourselves allows us for greater reflection on the journey . . . not only on the path, but within our lives. We learn more about ourselves through the obstacles we overcome, the people sharing that same sense of purpose, and the world around us, which has given us the opportunity to breathe, to move, and to observe. Running brings us closer to ourselves, the people around us, and the Earth itself. In this book that champions the body, mind, heart, and spirit, those who have challenged (and surprised) themselves share their intimate words detailing their experiences, serving as not only a wellspring of guidance and inspiration but as compelling source material for the motivation for better health. Dominic Cottone Senior Managing Director of Leadership Consulting Expert in Executive Wellness, Ferguson Partners We all have our own personal reasons for running. I believe that all of these reasons collectively add up to one common purpose-that is, to feel good about ourselves . . . physically, mentally, and emotionally. There is nothing more powerful in our lives than our own personal self-esteem and self-confidence as that is the very foundation by which we all accomplish everything else in our lives. Chasing Twilight captures this very concept in so many compelling and inspiring ways which all of us who run can identify with. Every day is a gift, and the messages and stories in this book are real evidence of this truth. Well done. Dave McGillivray Boston Marathon Race Director The true beauty of running is the journey and adventure it provides. Running inspires self-reflection and sparks personal growth, no matter your pace, talent, or ability. Adam, Jim, and Connor have tapped into this beautiful power of running, and invite the reader to reflect on their own journey as a runner and to remember the child-like joy that we often feel (and forget). Chasing Twilight is thought-provoking and inspiring, for the new runner to the professional, and will make you fall in love with running all over again. Jill Deering and Monica DeVreese Cofounders of rabbit running apparel Adam Kimble is a professional ultrarunner, motivational speaker, running coach, race director, and amateur survivalist. Adam played Division I baseball at Bradley University prior to developing his passion for ultrarunning. After graduation, he ran his first ever 5K race near his hometown of Minooka, Illinois, in 2009, completed his first half-marathon in 2011, and completed his first ultramarathon (50K) in 2014. He has gone on to run the fastest known time (FKT) on the 171-mile Tahoe Rim Trail (37 hours, 12 minutes, and 15 seconds), completed a 60-day transcontinental crossing of the USA (2,500 miles), spent 60 days alone in the wilderness to become the winner of Discovery Channel's The Wheel, and completed a 31-day self-supported FKT across Great Britain. He lives in Tahoe City, California, with his wife Karen and his dogter (dog-daughter) Sofi. Connor Crouch is a forest scientist who is currently pursuing his PhD at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. Connor obtained an undergraduate degree in journalism, but not before realizing his passion for forestry rivaled his joy for writing. He researches how forest management can help restore forest ecosystems and enable them to adapt to a changing climate. When not looking for insects and mushrooms or camping for field work, Connor enjoys running the trails of Flagstaff, reading science fi