In winter when I was growing up, my dad would insist on “warming up” his car in the mornings. Before he left for work each weekday, he’d go out to our garage, put his keys in the ignition, and turn it on, letting it idle for several minutes.
What this accomplished, I still have no idea. (And bear in mind I grew up in Augusta, Ga., a city that’s on the same latitude as Casablanca, Morocco and Tripoli, Libya — not exactly the northernmost tip of Maine, you know?)
But I started to understand it at least a little bit today as I sat down to write to you after taking almost two weeks off — the fingers are a little rusty, the brain is a little creaky. Maybe I need to “warm up” a little myself?
So in that spirit, and because a number of new people have signed up during the time I’ve been away, I thought I’d share a brief introduction to what we’re about and all there is to explore on our website, especially if you haven’t had the chance to.
Essays
First, I typically write an essay every Wednesday on something I’m thinking about, something that’s inspired or moved me, or something I think will inspire you — because I know how hard it can be to keep ourselves motivated, especially when you have lots going on in your life.
A few of my recent favorites:
Interviews
These have been the most fun part of writing THM this year, as they’ve given me a chance to get to know you all so much better on an individual level. So far, I’ve interviewed almost twenty of you, and there are more to come very soon:
Races You’ll Love Running
Every Sunday, I send out a list of races I think you’ll love running — which could be anywhere around the U.S. or really anywhere in the world. I look for the most interesting places I can find, especially in spots that aren’t the ones we all already know about — plus everything else I’ve discovered that week that’s interesting in running, health, the world, and in between.
These are for paid subscribers only, so if you aren’t one yet, I hope you’ll join us (hint, hint!):
Training Plans (for more than just the half)
These are also for paid subscribers only, and are based on plans I’ve built and used myself (and that many people have written to me about, telling me how they’ve helped them train for their own races).
I could go on, but I’ll leave it there because this is an email in your inbox, not a novel — and there’s so much more to explore at our website.
In the meantime, I hope you’ve had an amazing week so far and have gotten some great runs in — keep in touch and let me know how your running/life is going.
Your friend,
— Terrell
Was in NC when PNC 10-miler took place. Wife fractured humerus in left arm didn’t stop us from seeing granddaughter perform in high school marching band festival competition … she’s 2nd generation color guard.
Fantastic format with this newsletter! It's visually so easy to navigate. Hope your time away did your soul some good.