Three Years of Blogging

Last week, this blog turned three years old. Three. Freaking. Years!

When I started writing in July 2013, I had no idea how much this little blog would become such a big part of my life.

It's connected me to some of my favorite brands and given me opportunities to represent them. It's allowed me to be invited to exclusive events and VIP programs.

Cigna Blogger Event 2015, Akron Marathon VIP 2014, Enell Ambassador, J&A Racing Ambassador 2015

It's given me a creative outlet that doubles as a way to keep myself accountable.

It's encouraged me to expand my skill set into marketing, management, and cultivating community online.

But what has really made this blog life-altering for me is all of the people it's brought into my life including YOU!

Readers, fellow bloggers, runners I connected with on social media- each and every person I've met through this space on the internet has brought an immeasurable amount of joy into my life.

While this blog started as a way for me to share information about my training experiences, it has evolved into more than that. When I was training for the Dopey Challenge in 2013, this was my space to track my weekly mileage and stay accountable to the training plan. When I broke my foot in 2014, it was my space to vent all of the feelings of frustration, anger, and disappointment I felt about being on crutches for seven weeks and not able to run for almost four months. When I made my comeback in the spring of 2015 and completed the Pittsburgh Marathon, it was my space to celebrate and reflect on how I got there. And in all three of those examples (and countless other times), you supported me. You commented, emailed, tweeted messages of love and encouragement that made these experiences better because I never felt alone. Thank you.

So, this third blogiversary is dedicated to you, dear reader/fellow blogger/friend of Sparkly Runner. Thank you for hanging out with me for the last few years- I appreciate it so much more than you know!

PS- If your picture's not here, let's meet up at a race very soon! :-)