I’ve been running lately.
Just a little bit – getting back into it – I wasn’t planning on saying anything until I was regularly running 5k distances and more.
But I have this super inspiring group of friends, and they make me smile big each and every day. We are virtual sherpas.
The sherpa thing started with Lindsay, who is a sherpa for her husband James, a professional athlete. Then there is Jess, who is training for a marathon with her husband. On facebook and instagram, sherpa-ing came up, as Jess was planning a 20 mile run the next morning. Several of us commented, saying we were going to be out running, and we would cheer them on, we would be virtual sherpas.
So on a crisp cool morning last week in the bay area, I ran with Jess, Jolene, Lindsay, Heather, Sarena, and Dorry. We were sherpas for Jess and her husband. We tweeted and facebooked and instagrammed, and now it’s become kind of a thing.
I cannot thank these dear friends enough for their support, encouragement, inspiration. I recently said “I used to be a runner” and Heather shushed me on that one – saying we’re all runners, that passion defines a runner, not mileage.
Heather is so wise.
I have met Lindsay in person, and she is a dear friend. The other girls – I consider all of them dear friends, and know I will meet them someday (all at once would be awesome, but very loud, I suspect…)
That is the awesome and unexpected perk of being part of this crazy world of social media – you meet extremely cool people.
You find inspiration everywhere. You learn and grow and share.
Another inspiring source of learning and good food? My friend Sarah. Source of learning not just because she’s a teacher.
Sarah makes awesome peanut butter, Sarah makes awesome hummus. I made this recipe of hers, and it was gone in a day and a half. This is now one of my favorite flavors of hummus, and I will make it often. Lemon is one of my favorite flavors and is always added to my hummus, but miso? Genius. Salty lemony genius.
Sarah’s lemon miso hummus. Run over there and make it. I’ll be your sherpa.
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Girl – this made me tear up. I love you! Thank you so much for your never-ending inspiration and support.
aw, big hugs to YOU my dear! I cannot tell you how many times I’ve gotten a much needed energy burst of excitement from you – your strength and spirit are inspired and admired! love you!
blogging friends are pretty amazing!!! we love getting inspired by our blogging friends
hugs
hugs to both of you! yes… so true, I am constantly amazed by the awesomeness.
It must be the day for inspiration! I love all the creativity in the blog world. And Sarah does rock. I could live on nutty butter.
we could all live on Nutty Butter… praising the Goddess that is Miss Smart!
I’m with Heather on this one, totally teary over here. I couldn’t have said it better myself. I’ve been trying to find a way to explain just how deeply touched I have been throughout my own training process by all of your love and support — it’s been totally unexpected and totally amazing. I truly believe this little circle of friends we’ve formed will meet one day, it’s destiny. I believe that. I heart you and am SO proud of you for getting back out there and running again!! Yay for virtual sherpas!
oh i triple that! sherpa tear jerker. And i love the inspiration from everyone. and pass me the dip, please.
sherpa #assslap!
it is hard to explain, right? after I hit publish I thought, I didn’t even BEGIN to describe the elation – but it’s difficult to put into words. it’s just a GAAH and a jump up and down and an “oh, look at the bunny!” and huge smiles and happy tears and waving your hands in the air and … wine. Cheers! XXO
Ahh, I love Sarah and Lindsay.
Good for you for finding enjoyment in running and doing it for YOU.
Totally agree with what Heather said, and I love that!
I know, me too – love this whole group of inspiring people – including you! I have always just run for me, which is why I stopped for a while when it wasn’t fun (foot and ankle pain this year…) taking it slow and so far it has been a great thing in SO many ways!
That is wonderful that you are returning to running! I agree with your friend on shushing the “I used to be a runner”. You have embraced that spirit my friend. You are a runner. I’m so happy to have met you through blogging. xoxo
thank you so much, Jillian! your friendship has been a great joy for me this year, some smiles when I really needed it.
Oh I love this too!! This totally made my day!! Have LOVED meeting you here virtually and our virtual sherpa run dates, it is so so awesome and motivating and FUN! we would be SO LOUD if and when we meet! I didn’t know you met Lindsay! So jealous! But then again, I have met Heather (who is equally as awesome!), so there ;-P heehee! XOXO!
…and I am SO JEALOUS of the Heather meeting
Lindsay and James were here last summer for a triathlon, Basil and I went and hung out with them… LOVE being a sherpa to ALL of you, and you seriously make my day All The Time! XXO
you are a TRUE runner, you are DEAR friend, and i am SO thankful for you.
and I am thankful for YOU. such a bright light in my life, and always with the words I need to hear at precisely the right moment… you are so good at that…
What a wonderful post! I love all of the inspiration and connections I have made through the internet and everyday I am grateful for that. I tried to get into running earlier this summer but after a nasty bout with seriously sore knees, I scared myself and talked myself out of going further. Looks like I myself may need some sherpas when I finally get over my fear and get back into it
if and when you do – let me know! sherpa at the ready
Welcome back to the world of running! And Heather’s right, you’re never an ex-runner (kind of like you’re never an ex-marine
). I think that’s what keeps me running. I see so many people that I haven’t seen for a while and they always ask, “are you still running?” like they expect the answer to be no. So, just to disappoint them I keep on.
I cannot wait to try that hummus! Heading over to Sarah’s blog right now.
thank you, Debbie! yeah, I suppose you are right… even if you get sidelined by an injury or life becomes busy, it’s still innately part of you! enjoy the hummus, have a great weekend!
gosh girl you are awesome. *somethin in my eye…
XXO
Ooh, I love the idea of lemon and miso in hummus! Must try this out.
The sherpa thing is so cute. And this recipe is amazing.
I wish you well with your running… so fun to have great blogger buddies to do this kind of thing with.
thank you, Elle… I appreciate that! I have always loved running, and the break was long enough! I am enjoying it again!
yay for running! that’s so awesome! and wow that hummus looks gooooood:)
My BF..who used to be a full-time health nut, but is now a part-time health nut because he’s succumbed to my high calorie cooking…saw this hummus and asked me to make it
Of course I happily obliged..it looks fantastic. Miso and lemon in a hummus looks and sounds amazing! That said..I hope you try the Sriracha – cheese bread – it’s out of this world! It’s such a bummer I couldn’t get a good photo of it!
I AM going to try the bread!!
you are a genius with that, and I thought the photos were fine – did the trick for me! I’ll let you know when I make it! 
enjoy the hummus – so very good!
Amazing.
[I meant the running and the sherpas, but I'm glad you liked the hummus too
]
Love the idea of virtual sherpas! I could use one today, I am just not feeling a workout, haha.
And this hummus – oh boy, I knew there was something else out there to do with the miso in my fridge. I wonder if it would make a nice salad dressing, thinned out a bit? Worth a shot I think!
oooh, yes, do it! I use hummus in place of dressing a lot. sometimes I even thin it out
and I wish I had seen this yesterday – I would have totally sherpa – cheered you on, Cara!! 
Yay, congrats on the running accomplishments.
And it’s crazy (and awesome!) how you’ve formed that little community of supporters! Good ‘ol blog world. 
I just bought some lemon hummus over the weekend, mmm! Next step will be to make it myself, I guess!
I’ve gotten back into the making of the hummus, rather than the buying of the hummus… it really is so quick… the longest part for me is the peeling of the chickpeas, which I make myself do – much creamier, smoother hummus. lemon hummus is the best – so bright!
I love the idea of the sherpa thing. I don’t have running sherpas but rather rather life sherpas in general, and I also have to do it via the internet because my friends who are my life sherpas live so far away from me. But that doesn’t matter. Where there for each other and cheer each other up to move on and support each other. This is such a wonderful thing. And I very much hope to meet you in person as well one day!
Also, the hummus looks fantastic! A friend of mine has recently discovered her love for hummus, I have to share that recipe with her!
that is how we are sherpas too – we are all over the country! and Kath, YES I want to meet you! I really think this will happen…
I love that you’re getting back into running – slowly is the way to do it! I’ve been having a love affair with running since we moved to NYC, and I LOVE thinking about all of you when I’m out on a morning run.
I know you and I have had many conversations about the running… it seems so long ago! I am getting back into it and it feels good. This sherpa thing we’ve got going on is awesome, too. Love the energy!
Now I have to go out and buy miso!
Love lemon hummus so I know this has to be amazing
it IS… you must!
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