For once I’m at a loss for words. How do you write an intro paragraph to the demise of something you’ve enjoyed doing the past year? I guess you don’t, you just jump into it.
First and foremost, I want to thank all of you for sharing this journey with me. 13 months ago I started Noshing on Asphalt as a way for me to keep family and friends up to date on training for one of the biggest challenges I had accepted – running my first marathon. While every ‘first’ marathon is absolutely special the one that I chose to be my first had extra meaning. I would be running the Marine Corps Marathon in memory of my brother who was killed in Iraq.
On October 28th, as Hurricane Sandy started showing her ugly face, I laced up my tennis shoes and set out on a 26.2 mile journey. They say you discover who you really are during a marathon. Your mental and physical strengths pushed to the limits. What I discovered during that race was that it wasn’t the race itself that showed me who I was; instead it was the months of preparation that went into it. During those months of training highs and lows, I realized that I had finally come to some peace about my brother’s death.
So that’s how Noshing on Asphalt got it’s roots. But something happened during those few shorts months of training and blogging about my experiences, I discovered you, my readers. We forged a bond through your sweet comments, advice and encouragement. I had friends who weren’t active asking me how they could start living a healthier lifestyle. Even though I’m nothing special, I realized that people were motivated and intrigued about my lifestyle and that excited me.
So I kept blogging. I kept sharing my ramblings. Bits and pieces of my quirkiness. My love for all things bright, colorful and obnoxiously neon.
My love for running. Without running, I don’t know where I would be. It is my bliss.
I shared my passion for healthy eating and expanded my knowledge of what it really means to me. I discovered that I feel better when I follow a more Paleo diet instead of the beloved clean eating which was one of the cornerstones of my blog.
I discovered some truly fantastic bloggers that have helped me grow in my fitness and healthy living life. Make sure to check out my Good Reads tab if you’re looking for some good blog recommendations.
During the past 13 months I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some amazing companies and found several products that I seriously can’t live without.
To say the least, I’ve really enjoyed breaking out of my comfort zone and sharing my adventures. I’m not quite ready to shut everything down but life is funny with how it happens so I now need to devote my time to other matters. I don’t know if this is my absolute last post or if I’ll pick it up down the road when things calm down a bit. However, for now at least, this is goodbye.
Thank you again for sticking with me and enjoying this fun roller coaster journey I’ve been on. I will miss you all very much but I know you’ll continue to do exciting things. Keep pushing yourself; don’t stop striving for healthier lifestyles. Remember, you’re a role model for others – even if you don’t realize it.