I came across this Global Running Day link up on my friend Amy's blog where she's linking up with Kristen at Jonesin' for a Run and the Global Running Day Q&A Linkup and I thought it would be fun to participate. So here we go!

Why do you run?

Because it saves on therapy bills? But really, running is awesome in so many ways - see my earlier post about 10 Reasons Running is Awesome - and I do it for many of those reasons. I didn't get into running because I wanted to lose weight or anything like that. I had already been working out for a while and I got into running because I liked the community around it and because it challenges me both physically and mentally. And I wanted something more than bootcamp and elliptical training I was currently doing. You can read my full running story here. 

How do you plan to celebrate National/Global Running Day?

I got in 5 miles earlier today. And maybe I'll eat pizza for dinner. Because running and pizza are like wine and cheese. Having one without the other just seems wrong, especially if we're talking about celebrating something.  

How many miles have you run so far this year? Do you have a mileage goal for the year?

I've run about 385 miles so far. I don't have a specific mileage goal for the year, but I would like to gradually increase my overall weekly mileage. In May I ran about 80 miles, which is the most miles I've ever logged in May since I started running. I hope to keep my mileage up like this over the summer, so I should see my highest ever summer mileage. Woohoo for training through the heat and humidity!

What big events do you have on the race calendar for the rest of the year?

Not much this summer because big running events and Charleston summers don't mix well, but in the fall I have a handful of 5Ks and 10Ks plus my friend Jenn and I are doing Lumiere's Two Course Challenge (10K + half) at Disney Wine & Dine in November (and I'm designing special shirts for us to wear, too). My goal race for the year is the Kiawah Half in December. I may add a few more practice halves in there during fall training, but I'm not registered for any of those yet. 

Before I leave for a run, I must have:

Clothes on. And my phone. I don't like to run without my phone, especially because I have asthma. So I need these three things: phone, Flip Belt, inhaler. If it's hot and/or a long run, I'll also take my water bottle filled with Skratch.

Usually I run with a Garmin, but it's on the fritz and I need a new one, so I've just been tracking my miles with Runmeter on my phone until I can get a new watch. But even a watch isn't a necessity for me for every run. 

Do you track your runs? If so, what do you use?

Yes I track them. I use Runmeter and/or my Garmin, and log everything into Daily Mile and my blog. 

Who is your favorite running partner? 

I have yet to find my match here in Charleston, but back in Charlotte, I had great times running with my friend, Nicole. We trained for and ran the Charleston Marathon (her) and Half Marathon (me) together back in 2013 and had a blast. I also had fun running with my friend Jenn (from Pennsylvania) at the Disney Half this past January and can't wait to run with her again in November!

What races have you run so far this year?

Disney Half Marathon
Charleston Half Marathon
Wando Heart & Soles 5K
Palmetto70 Relay (no recap yet, oops)
Cooper River Bridge Run 10K
Moms' Run 5K

If you had to give someone one piece of advice about running, what would it be? 

Running is a journey, not a destination. Enjoy it - the ups, the downs, and the long flat stretches. Enjoy it all because even the worst run is better than not being able to run.

Describe your relationship with running in one word:

Intense.