Today was a big day! Registration officially opened for the Anchorage Marathon/Half Marathon in June 2026, and I didn’t waste a second. I signed up, booked amazingly cheap $400 flights on Sun Country, and snagged an Airbnb for our Alaskan adventure next year. It’s happening!

Alaska will be my 42nd state in this running journey, and the lineup leading up to it is looking pretty exciting:

• 🏁 State #38: Indianapolis — coming up next weekend!
• ☀️ State #39: West Palm Beach, FL — locked in for December.
• 🏙️ State #40: St. Louis, Missouri — planned for April 2025.
• 🌸 State #41: South Carolina — booked for May 2026.

We’re planning to rent a car and drive down to explore the wild side of Alaska, bears, glaciers, and all the jaw-dropping scenery we can soak in. It’s going to be epic.

And yes, I know it’s Halloween… but this wasn’t a trick. Just a treat I gave myself, the kind that comes with race medals, travel memories, and a whole lot of state-counting joy.

This past weekend, we laced up once again for one of our favorite fall traditions, the Minneapolis Halloween 5K! It’s usually one of my best races of the year, and while I didn’t run much this time around, I still managed to beat nearly 300 runners out of almost 1,400 participants. Not bad for a casual cruise!

The weather was classic late-October: crisp and cool. Eric wore shorts...a bold move that quickly turned chilly. But we scored a win before the race even started by discovering a warm indoor bathroom and a comfy chair to relax inside while we waited. Mental note: definitely remembering that for future races.

The race itself was full of festive energy. While we didn’t dress up, plenty of runners did and the costumes were adorable. My favorite? A group of six girls running together as a caterpillar. It was ridiculously cute.

After crossing the finish line, we celebrated the best way we know how: bagels and a well-earned nap. Because nothing says “successful race day” like carbs and cozy blankets. And of course, we couldn’t leave Reba out of the fun — she got to wear the race medal and looked absolutely regal (and slightly confused). Already looking forward to next year’s spooky sprint!

 

This past weekend was amazing! We pulled off an epic surprise 40th birthday celebration for Eric’s brother, Byron and it all went down in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The setup? Byron thought he was just showing up for the Newton Hills Trail Race. What he didn’t know was that a whole crew of family members had secretly made their way from Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, and even Arizona to cheer him on and celebrate in style. He wasn't surprised to see Eric and I since we had done the race before. But the look on his face when he saw everyone? Pure gold.

The weather was absolutely perfect sunny skies, crisp air, and the kind of fall vibes that make you want to stay outside all day. After the race, we gathered for food, laughs, and birthday fun. 

Turning 40 never looked so good. Happy birthday, Byron!