Happy Friday Friends! I’m excited for the weekend! My brother is coming down today to help us move tomorrow and I’m really looking forward to hanging out with him in Boston after work.  You do have to mix work with pleasure! Tomorrow is the big day and I’ll be thrilled to be all settled.  Moving is no fun.  The weather is supposed to be gorgeous this weekend so I hope to get some time to enjoy it!

The other day I discovered a wonderful little snack that I’m loving late afternoon at my desk.  I took my usual Greek yogurt, added a scoop of peanut butter from my stash and then crumbled up my granola bar on top.  It was so good and now I’m kind of addicted! I’m not sure why I never considered combining the yogurt and granola bar before! Anyway, that little tidbit made my week and I would say it is definitely sensible snacking!

I originally was going to do a Yoga Pose post but that can wait until next week.  Today we need to bid farewell to my favorite running loop. I’ve been blessed to have lived in the Back Bay of Boston for the last three years and with that I am able to enjoy not only the Esplanade but also the Boston Common and the Commonwealth mall.  With all three parks so close I am able to run surrounded by nature and water all the time.

Wednesday night I went for an easy 4 mile run.  When I left it felt like every other run.  I ran down Beacon St. and came to the Mass Ave. bridge and then it hit me.  It would be my last run from my apartment. I KNOW I’ll come back and run along the Esplanade on the weekends every now and then because I love it THAT much but it was still bittersweet.  It got me thinking about how running routes can be like our best friends.  They are reliable, safe (if not it’s probably not a good route) and always there for us (barring inclement weather like a Nor’easter or hurricane).

Within moments of running by the water I can feel myself physically relax.  My mind calms and my breathing softens and it’s just me and the pavement.  I love that feeling and most days that is what gets me out there in the sun, rain, warm or cold.  On Wednesday, my commute took an extra half hour (oy, Boston traffic!) and I considered skipping my run.  I had a lot of packing to do and a million other excuses.  But after I got out of the car I knew I NEEDED that run.  I’m so glad I ran because it was a day where I felt like I could run forever and felt amazing…perfect for my last run on the Esplanade.

I know my route and loops like the back of my hand.  There is the easy 3 mile loop, 2 versions of a 4 mile loop, 2 versions of a 5 mile loop, a 6 mile loop, an 8 mile loop, a 10 mile loop out to Harvard and back and if I’m marathon training there can be loops as long as 20 miles around the river and parks of Boston.  I’m able to just set out for a run with no set distance decided.  I can cut off and make the run shorter if I feel crappy or I can keep running and make the run longer if I feel awesome.  It’s kind of like the perfect situation.  I can set myself into auto-pilot and just go. I can get lost in my thoughts or in the view of the sailboats.  I know where every bump is and step down is and running whether or not is dark or light out doesn’t matter because it’s lit.

Sunny days are awesome with the sun sparkling over the water and the warmth on my face.  Rainy days are my favorite, the paths are empty and only die-hard runners are out there.  Boston is covered in fog and it’s so quiet and peaceful.  It’s calm in a way you never thought a city could be.  Wednesday was rainy and at first I was a little disappointed but then I realized I was thrilled.  It was the perfect way to say see ya later to my favorite route.  I love stopping at one of the docks and standing on it all alone listening to the sound of the rain on the water and stretching my legs.  Taking a minute for just me and me alone.  God, I love that.

So today, I say see ya later (never goodbye) to the Esplanade loops (as they are dubbed in my Garmin software).  You’ve been one of the best friends a girl could have living in the city.  You were my company when I knew no one, the best friend I needed when the going was tough.  You gave me a place to think, to run out my emotion, to take in the beauty of Boston, to be happy and to enjoy the sunshine.  And most of all, you were always there for me.

I only hope that my new town will have good loops and provide me with all the things the Esplanade did! From what I hear, there is a pretty picturesque lake close by and I’m itching to check it out.  Saying goodbye to my favorite loops can be hard since I’ve never loved a running location quite as much as this.  But I’m a positive person and am reminding myself that finding new running routes can be just as fun!

So tell me, what was your most favorite running spot? Were you sad to leave it behind or are you still lucky enough to run there? Do you feel like your running loops can be like your best friend?