who me?! I missed this. I’m back from a wonderful/insane summer and linking up with Kim and Deborah for some recent runs.
Oxford:
headed onto the Lock
Canal boats, which Liz first introduced me to
I arrived on Wednesday and was greeted with the tail end of a heat wave, which thankfully broke overnight. Before a marathon day of sightseeing, I headed out for a run. Hotel didn’t have any good routes but the internet had a lot, and there were some gorgeous ones because all the crewers need routes to their boats, and to cross train. I settled on one to Iffley Lock and while I didn’t have mist, it was beautiful to run the High Street without traffic and back on the Thames. Some were out in their boats and being coached by their support team who followed on bikes. Another world, but one I loved.
Oxford is a small city so it’s easy to see all the must sees. Some favorites: Bodleian Library of course, and I honestly can’t pick between the Natural History and the Ashmolean.Loved the dinosaurs under natural light, but the Ashmolean is just mind blowing.
London:
the famous Matilda puppy
at Park Run
the beautiful course
a “reunion” run
sightseerunning
I “find”the Thames again
Most famous crosswalk in London?
When I texted Jessie to let her know I’d be in London if she was around, she told me about Hampstead Heath Parkrun and that her sister would be in town. I’d contemplated a parkrun last trip, but it didn’t work on my schedule. It was an easy hop up on the train from my hotel and we met at her house so I got to meet both of her adorable puppies. Ruth was a four legged blur, and I got all the kisses from Matilda.
Shortly after, we all set off and I loved the people watching as folks gathered for Parkrun. It was great to see Jessie and Dustin again and meet her sister and like Tromso it was easy conversation about running, and travel. Jessie warned me it was the hilliest Parkrun but I didn’t mind, and I loved the mixed terrain of paved and trail. They kindly waited for me at the finish and Jessie got a great video. Running connects the best people.
Speaking of people, Liz and I knew that schedules wouldn’t align to catch up but we decided to postpone our annual reunion run to run “together” in the same country. It’s the spirit of the reunion & anniversary vs. hard dates. I couldn’t find the shirt from our original run, but the 2022 race shirt matched Liz so it’s all good. My portion of “our” run was ~7 miles via two of the Royal Parks and Buckingham Palace. So good to get out before it was massively crowded, although it was warmer than I expected. Later that day I had lunch with a friend who I first met 23?!?! years ago when we worked together in Japan. If I had to pick between travel and running, I’m not sure I could.
Before I flew on Monday, I had one last run. Yes, I ran three days in a row and four of five. For good reason only. When I mapped the route to Jessie’s, the Beatles crosswalk showed on my map and while I’m not a big Beatles fan, I couldn’t not do it that close. It made for an accidental progression run to get in a shower and coffee before I headed to Heathrow.
A whirlwind trip but so worth it. London favorites? Impossible. Every last thing and catching up with friends, but it was so awesome to finally see Big Ben without scaffolding.
Home Sweet Home:
not every day you’re 3 rows from a Supreme Court Justice!
Travel is great,but HOME <3
obsessed!
there wasn’t supposed to be a sunset!
the jet lag was thankfully not at all bad which was good because it was a super busy week.
The Apollo announced that Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson would kick off her book tour and my friend and I jumped on it and ended up 3rd row dead center. I haven’t started the book yet but her stories were amazing and Gayle King was the perfect interviewer. This was my 17th work anniversary week and the line between what is work and fun is never blurrier. So grateful I came into this internship but still can’t believe it has been this long.
Wednesday was a hybrid run, I left the office too late to stash my bag and run the Park so I ran commuted to the gym where I finished my run. I was truly introduced to CVG when (a different) Jess and I did DC Rock and Roll but didn’t buy them because even the capri are too long.I saw the Halloween ones though and since it was 80 last year, I knew I had to get them. They fit perfectly and held up across four miles. Darlene, Judy you have to forgive me for my move back to running shorts <3
I was supposed to run Friday but the weather wasn’t conducive so I pushed it to Saturday and wow did Mother Nature reward me. I was literally all over the map this summer (Vancouver in July, Rochester and Stowe in August) so training has been iffy but Detroit is six weeks out so. It was supposed to be 10 miles but I finished at 9.52 when it was getting too dark (especially after an earlier trip) which rounds up right? It felt OK and I think I’ll be ready. Randalls Island is my favorite flat ish long run when I don’t want to do the streets. I ran it counter clockwise for the first time in a long time and wow, closing miles were stunning.
Am I back for good? I don’t know, but I’m going to try since I missed you all.
I hope you’re back for good! I love your adventures and of course, all the books! How exciting to see Ketanji Brown Jackson–I really want to read her book.
How fun to see Jessie and Co again! What a great trip you had!
If you’ve not read it by the time i finish, happy to share my copy. It’s supposed to be really good. I also read Bad Summer People, I think you had posted about that? It was a good reading summer.
You, quite literally, are your blog’s name sake 😉 What amazing adventures you’ve had, not to mention the runs AND the meet-up! BTW, those shorts are totally awesome 😉
Funniest thing is, that’s exactly how it got its name. I was living in Japan and ran out of space on my prior one and well, why not go with a personal brand long before they were a thing 😀 Such fun to run with everyone.
Give me another summer like this and I might need to swap out the subtitle.
You should totally get the shorts. They’re long enough that even with as tall as you are you’ll be OK. Or of course the capris.
I’m so happy that you post on FB and IG so I can follow Travelling Cari’s adventures.
Hope our paths cross between your travels.
and one of these years we’ll even run together again. I’ll take the wine 😀
we will run again.
You need to run Freihofers with me and I the Mini with you.
Is 2025 our year?
Loved following along on your adventures this summer! How fun to get to run with Jessie and Liz. 🙂 Can’t wait to hear all about it
I was so gutted not to get to see you because I had the one thing I had to be at over a long weekend in the whole year and it was the long weekend you were here. Glad to be able to chat on messenger in the same time zone and do our anniversary photo, and to see Oxford particularly through your eyes.
Two meetups with Jessie in two different countries in one summer has to be some kind of record. Travel and running make the very best combo! Loved seeing your adventures in Oxford. My hubby studied there and he brought me back for a tour 20+ years ago. All that said, I’ll bet it also feels so good to be home!
And we just notched a 3rd 😀
Blogger world tour.
I fell in love with Oxford. Such a fun city and we know I’m a total nerd.
Oh, hi there! I knew you were in London because I saw your picture on Jessie’s blog! Sounds like you’re having a fun time with lots of running, so life is good! Hope you’re going to join us from now on. : )
I hope I am too. I missed it and everyone. Been totally creeping your reading posts though.
Hope to catch up this winter
Welcome back! What fun adventures you have had recently!! Glad you’ve been able to get in lots of running. And how cool to be so close to Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson! I definitely want to add her book to my list.
And we have missed you! Did you have the best time (s)? I would say so! Although kisses from Matilda and Ruth seem like one of the best parts!
I am so glad you had all the fun in the world. Can’t wait to see where you’re off to next!
Best times. Critters and people always the best part of any trips. Special shout outs to the seals in Vancouver and otters at the Buffalo Zoo.
Nowhere as exciting, although I’m looking forward to Detroit.
You’ve had such a fun summer of travel! I love your meetups and I’m a little envious you got to meet Ruth and Matilda!
It’s so fun to see your picture pop up on other blogs! Sounds like an amazing summer of travel.
Aww, so sweet of your to share your pic of Matilda! She loves to give kisses, mostly to new people! And I’m so glad it worked out to do the park run. My sister really enjoyed chatting with you too! I’m glad the rest of your visit was fabulous!!