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Hello my sweet friends!
Starting again, here in this space. ON THE BLOG is back…each time a new, growing and evolving version. As I ebb and flow so does this brand. I am figuring it out-wanting it to feel me. To feel authentically me. I have gotten close but the flow felt clunky and rigid…I want to write colorfully, boldly and brightly without boxes to fill. Crazy enough, I am the one that created those boxes thinking writing within them was what I wanted. Not so much.
When things don’t feel right, pause, get quiet and let it simmer. The next right thing will show up when you need it to. That is what I did…time brought me back to here. I am ready for the next journey here with you. Let’s go.
I have been in such a running low…this past summer/fall training season was hard. Like a hard I have never felt before. Emotionally I felt anxious a lot, physically my body was fighting tendonitis -so side knee pain and hip pain. All new to me. It has been a lingering issue for the last year. My mind shifts to the injury quickly when moving and it is hard to shake. That free feeling when running erased this summer.
I experience anxiety in my daily life. A sweet little happy pill called Lexapro helps take the edge off. Grateful for it. This pre run/pre race anxiety was new to me. It wasn’t crippling, but it definitely sucked the joy out of my experience. I became ultra sensitive in my self talk and more self critical than I have ever been. I would guess that not many noticed. I show up for myself. I also show up for the runners I coach and surround myself with. Not hiding what I was feeling but putting it on pause for the miles I committed to. My heart was not giving up on running it just felt lost…and I needed to find it.
Not racing this fall was healing. Spectating, being on the other side sparked me. Sitting on the sidelines cheering others onto their accomplishments was inspiring. Sometimes it is just the change in perspective, the pull to look outside yourself that brings you back. Observing grit, resilience, joy and determination brought back that feeling, that feeling that I have missed.
There are hills and valleys in everything. Recognizing a valley, honoring it, feeling it fully and finding your way back up the hill is courageous. It is brave. I am brave. Not walking away from what I love because of the valley…I am fighting to get back to the top of the hill.
FIND ALL MY FAVS HERE:
NEW BALANCE 860: FLEET FEET COLUMBUS
PUMPKIN FRENCH TOAST LATTE: COFFEE CONNECTIONS HILLIARD
SERVED WITH ANDY RODDICK: FIND PODCAST HERE
BELOW DECK MED: BRAVO TV
THE LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL: TAYLOR SWIFT
MOM LIFE WITH BIG KIDS
I am loving this moment in time with Marin and Tucker. They are both growing into amazing young adults and I am soaking it all in. Mom-ing looks very different than what it did when they were wee-ones…they are not dependent on me for much. Which I guess means that Marc and I have done our jobs as their parents.
I should be missing those dependent days, the squishy faces, the snuggles etc…but to be honest I don’t so much. I loved that moment in time but it was hard…it was a down in the arena, in the dirt daily time. It was moments of feeling depleted, of not having the coping blocks to function properly…it was Mom-ing with everything I had.
This “big kid” Mom life is free and fresh. I am a different Mom as now I have time for me…I have built myself back up and have even more to give. Connecting and loving them on a new level…it is fun. We are now experiencing life together side by side. Cheering them on from the sidelines as always but also jumping in a particpating along with them. Creating a unique bond that didn’t exist before.
A new journey that I am thrilled and fulfilled by. One I am excited to share more about here.
A change in seasons brings about change in our home, what we cook and how we move within our days. Fall is here and a warm and cozy feel has covered our house. I am such a summer girl but this season flip has me loving the warm browns, yellows and oranges. I have been craving comfort meals. While planning our dinners, I am caught by the pics that look like fall on a plate to try.
I have cleverly placed little touches of fall throughout the house, just enough to mark the season. Love filling containers with fake gourds/pumpkins and real buckeyes. My Mom collected a ton of buckeyes from the many park adventures she and the kiddos used to go on. Using them as decor makes me smile, makes me think of her and those sweet memories she gave the kids.
This season always makes me want to cuddle in…lots of blankets, movie watching, early bedtimes and extra warm showers. Prepping for the winter months ahead. I have found myself really leaning into this fall and the changes it is bringing. Letting go of the summer and its gifts, letting it rest within my heart.
INTO THE WEEK AHEAD
Meet my badass friend Morgan. She just ran the NYC 26.2, her third world major. Oh and did I tell you she ran NYC 6 months post brain surgery?! Yep, that is right. She is a warrior and a human I am inspired by and admire greatly. She is the prime example of what a true fighter is. One that fully understands and exemplifies what rising up means-not only plotting her come back but acting on it.
In those moments this week when you are in the suck, rise. Find the warrior within and know the moment of suck is just a moment. Look to the light and find the joy…as there is joy in everyday. Some days you have to look a little harder for it.
To learn more about Morgan and her story follow her on IG: @mainstmorgan
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on the blog
Hanging onto the last days of spring but so looking forward to the summer season! Marked by Memorial Day-the unofficial start of summer. This weekend is THE weekend…all the summer fun kicks off and I am here for it all.
It has felt more like spring here in Columbus the last few weeks. Temps have been in the 60’s with more rain than sunshine. Which makes sense as the Memorial Tournament starts next week. It is well known that rain comes when the tournament starts. Local lore states that the Murfield Village Golf Club was built near Chief Leatherlips grave site. As a result, Leatherlips cursed the Memorial Tournament. The curse is said to be the cause of the rain during this PGA event every year.
I will take the tournament with the rain, love the vibe and feel that comes with the Memorial. Golf has been a part of my life since I was born. It is a family sport on both sides. I have been immersed in it. Being on the course, close to the pros there is nothing like it. Jack Nicklaus knows how to host an event!
Cheers, my friends to all things Memorial Day Weekend!
FOR THE LOVE OF SPORT, FITNESS AND HEALTH
Caparison is the thief of joy. #truth. This has been floating round my mind lately. It is so easy with social media to visually see what others are accomplishing by the minute. What we see is sometimes just the accomplishment, the end result. The highlight reel. The grind and story behind that may not be as visible.
This journey is yours. Your sport, your fitness, your health. It is yours and yours alone…celebrate your steps forward, backward and the in between. Use others journeys and accomplishments as inspiration. Inspiring each other is what it is all about-that is where connection resides.
I find that focusing on what you can do, what you are doing-on the positive shifts your mind frame. Instead of looking at others and wanting what they have, look inward. Create the life you want, keep your joy flowing!
EVENTS TO GET YOU MOVING
THE RACE 9.71k INAUGURAL EVENT!
Event: 9.71k The Race
Date: June 21, 2025
Location: Otterbein University, 180 Center St., Westerville, Ohio 43081
Distance: 9.71k I 5K I 1 Mile
Start Time: 9 a.m.
The 9.71k The Race running and walking event will feature three events: 9.71k Run / Walk (6.03 miles), The Fan 5K Run / Walk (3.1 miles) and the Common Man Mile Walk.
97.1 The Fan hosts such as Mike “Common Man” Ricordati, Jonathan “T-Bone” Smith, Eric Rieser and Tyvis Powell will be at the event.
The 9.71k The Race will be held at Otterbein University, with Start and Finish near the Clements Center.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE RACE
USE CODE: TORREM3S10 FOR 10% OFF YOUR REGISTRATION!
RUN WILD 5K
Event: Run Wild 5K
Date: July 6, 2025
Location: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium , 4850 W. Powell Road, Columbus, Ohio 43065
Distance: 5K
Start Time: 8 a.m.
Run For A Reason:
Run Wild directly supports the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s most pressing needs, ensuring exceptional care for the animals who call our Zoo home and enhancing world-class experiences for our guests. From habitat improvements and veterinary care to education programs that inspire the next generation of conservationists, your contributions help sustain our mission every day.
Spectator Registration:
Spectator registration will be available for $25 per person. All event attendees must have either a Participant or Spectator ticket to enter Zoombezi Bay on Event Day. Race participation and spectator tickets include all day admission to Zoombezi Bay and the Columbus Zoo on Sunday, July 6. You will receive an email closer to race day with instructions on how to purchase Spectator tickets. Spectator tickets are limited to 2 per runner and will be available on a first come, first served basis.CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR RUN WILD 5K
USE CODE:TORREM3S10 FOR 10% OFF YOUR REGISTRATION
MY FAVORITE THINGS
I LOVE this lip balm!!! Have used it for years. I have more than one open at all times. They are all over the house, in each hand bag, in jacket pockets, in my car console etc. Am I the only one?
Just found these on my last trip to Costco. OMG, these are so good!! Love the higher protein, low sugar and only 140 calories. I am a fan!!
IN THE KITCHEN
We always seem to have a few bananas go bad before we can eat them…today we had three. The “just right” amount to make BANANA BREAD! I always say I am going to make the bread but then never do. Today I did, along with Marin! Love having her home from college! The recipe I use is a “church lady” recipe from our church’s old cookbook. It was published around the time Marc and I were married. Church members submitted their favorite recipes. A book was created. It is tried and true. I don’t add walnuts, there is something about nuts in bread I just don’t like.
HOME AND GARDEN
One of my favorite home improvement projects is painting. I think by now I have painted every room in our home at least twice. It is a simple project. You can complete it in a short time which creates a large impact on a space. I am now working on our living room which hasn’t been updated in 13 years! This space has been very “den like”. Very Country French mixed with Ralph Lauren . Dark walls, dark reds, and accents of roosters and pops of blues and whites.
The current color is dated and the walls are in need of care. This space out of them all is the most used there for the most loved. As summer begins, I am ready to create a transformation. It will be light and bright. A more Cape Cod/East Coast feel. Whites, blues and maybe pops of lime green. A space that we can feel cozy and joyful in for the next few years.
Will be sharing more as this project continues here and on my social.
PLEASE AND THANK YOU
Take the time. Take the time to hold a door for someone. To put your grocery cart completely away. To look someone in the eye and say hello. To complement someone. To smile. To say PLEASE and THANK YOU. Take the time to think of others around you and how your actions of kindness can make someone’s day.
Take the time to make the space around you better than it was when you arrived. Un-rack your weights and clean the equipment you use in the gym. Think of the words you use before you use them. Put your phone down when with others-focus on the moment in front of you (this is not so easy these days, for me too)
Etiquette isn’t always about being prim and proper. It is kindness in simple forms.
CELEBRATING BRIGHTLY
Tis the GRAD PARTY season! One of my favorite seasons! Loved creating Marin’s high school Grad Party two years ago. We hosted the celebration in our backyard, it was perfect and just how we wanted to celebrate our girl.
Started the planning early in the year by booking the tent, tables, chairs and linens. We booked these items with a local event company in January. This ensured we had what we needed.
Our theme of course centered around her school colors (royal blue and white) we also incorporated tennis into it all. Under the blue tent were all of Marin’s photos, awards, mementos. We used a vintage tennis ball hopper for guests to place cards and gifts in.
One of my favorite decor items was the series of first day/last day pics. We have been taking these pics every year since Kindergarten. I created side by side pics of each year and printed yard signs on vista print. We then lined them from K-12 in the front yard. They lead all the way past the blue tent in the backyard. You can see them on the left side of the blue tent in the photo below.
We had the celebration catered by a wonderful local caterer…super helpful in all the ways! Cookies were created by one of our favorites bakes by lo…she always does a wonderful job! Our main goal was celebrating Ms. Marin, enjoying the day as hosts as well as spending time with our guests. I can honestly say, we accomplished all of those things! Two years later I look at these pics with so much happiness!
LIVING COLORFULLY
TORRE 🩷
