I made a batch of Gluten free cookies today and I already ate eight of them (they're not small either). I don't make cookies very often and I certainly don't normally gorge myself on them. After 4 days in a row of running I'm sure I was just making up for lost calories. After long runs I usually get pretty hungry but I don't normally run every day even when I'm training for a race. My reason for running this much is a good one though.

I started on Monday working for the YMCA as a Trailblazers coach. Trailblazers is an after school program that was created by Jen Gallant for the YMCA after being involved with the Girls on the Run and having parents ask her for a similar program where boys could run too. Trailblazers is a great co-ed program that is less structured than Girls on the run and gets the kid's out trail running during the week. I first heard about it through the Greater Bellingham Running Club who is a big supporter of the program but I didn't really know much about it until I heard they were looking for extra help since it's become so popular so fast.

It's a different group of kids from several schools each day, the coaches drive the big Y vans to gather the young runners and we all meet at one of the local parks. This last week we went to Lake Padden and ran almost 3 miles every day on the back horse trails. Thursday it was absolutely pouring down rain but the kids were troopers and kept big smiles on their wet faces. I was drenched and cold afterward but still happy that I was out running in weather where I would have normally stayed home. (That probably added to my calorie deficit too- burning fuel to stay warm.) Thanks to the cookies I'm going to have plenty of fuel to burn for my long training run this weekend.

And then starting on Monday I get to run every day of the week again with some great kid's who hopefully will continue to enjoy running for the rest of their lives. I often wish I had learned to love running when I was much younger and I hope to inspire these young people to keep going with it. The health benefits are endless and it's a bonus to be able to eat a little extra without much concern. I wonder what trails are on the agenda for next week... there are so many beautiful options and the weather is just going to keep getting warmer. Yay!

This is the perfect part time job for me. Not only do I get to earn a little extra money for my Australia trip, I get to share my love of trail running with some amazing human beings (coaches included) while making sure the kids are safe, happy and healthy while out on the trails. It's an extra bonus to have multiple good reasons to get out and run everyday, rain or shine. I'm thankful for this opportunity and look forward to more adventures as we blaze the local trails this spring.