NOC Rollin' and Strollin' 5k

My team at work has shrunk by half for the time being, as three of the six of us are on maternity leave. The three of us who are left happen to all be on our own fitness journeys, and we've become accountability buddies, reminding each other to carve out time for the gym or get that planned run done after work.

We decided it would be fun to run a spring 5k together, and while we were searching for one, someone at work happened to share one he was hosting for NOC Society, a non-profit that provides free, inclusive programming for adults with disabilities. 

Now what?

I feel like over the last year and a half, my posts have mostly centered around my upcoming 40th birthday. The excitement of that milestone has died down, and now I'm left wondering...what's my next big thing?

The Lost Dutchman Half Marathon 2026

I don't even know where to start with this race. Although I only registered in late December, I've spent years thinking about what my 40th birthday race would be. The decision to run the Lost Dutchman came down to a few factors, and in the end, since it was possible, it was important to me that I run on my actual birthday. A Sunday birthday the year I turned 40? Probably another sign.

As I weighed my options, the concept of a desert sunrise race spoke to me more and more. It just felt like it would be something special...and it was.

A Weekend in the Desert

When I first had the idea to run a destination race for my birthday, I didn't think it would come to fruition. It felt like a lot of work for something I could always just do locally. But as each year of my late 30s ticked by, the desire to do something big for my 40th grew and grew, and before I knew it, I'd signed up for the race, booked the flights, and committed to the training. And after years of imagining and months of planning, suddenly, my 40th birthday—and my destination race weekend—was upon me.

My Better Half 10k 2026

I wasn't going to run this race this year...it was too early to be my birthday race, and therefore it felt skippable. But photos of the shirt and medal changed my mind, and I quickly decided I could tack a couple miles onto the 10k and get a good, final long run out of it. 

I'm so glad I did.

Two weeks to go

Somehow, race day is less than two weeks away. Now's about the time I should be tapering and reflecting on my training cycle, but I'm sort of in denial that we're already here. I've run so many birthday races—it's a tradition I've truly grown to love, and my birthday just doesn't feel complete without it—but this is the first time I've chosen a destination race. 

The nature of a destination race means I've been thinking about it for a long time, because I've had to be picky about choosing it and proactive about planning travel. In fact, I first thought of running a destination race for my 40th when I turned 38, so I've been dwelling on this race (and this birthday) for years.

So it makes sense that I'm struggling to wrap my mind around the fact that in ten short days, I'll be in Arizona running in the desert and welcoming my 40s.

The countdown begins

Fourteen months ago, my sister roped me into her journey to get into the best shape of her life by 40. While she still has a couple years to meet her goal, time has caught up with me, and now I'm four weeks out from the big day.

In a month, I'll be 40.

Not to be corny, but these last 14 months have been life-changing in some unexpected ways, but even as I say that, I'm not sure what I expected. Did I think I'd be wiry with muscle for the first time in my life? That I'd lose my sweet tooth and suddenly be capable of making only the very best decisions when faced with treats or meal planning? Because none of those things has come to fruition.

And yet...

Hello, 2026

I don't think I've ever mentally prepared for a year the way I did for 2026. Not because of my resolutions or goals for the year, but because this year will usher in my fourth decade on this earth and I've been thinking a lot about what I want this decade to look like.

"My forties" is hard to plan for, so of course, I'm looking at this year as a time to set a foundation of renewed purpose, joy, relationships, and health.