All posts by samstarbucks

I’m a daughter, sister, aunt, godmother, former and future cat mom and I'm a Swiss who used to live in Texas and is now trying to find her way back in the old homeland - these are things that I am, but not necessarily define me. I love to doodle, run, write, spend quality time with my friends and family - they define me!

I Believe I Can Fly

Sometimes running can feel like flying. It is – at least for some of us – a rather rare and thus highly precious feeling and one of the reasons that keep me going. Especially on the occasion when I feel like there’s not much left in the tank and then I end up soaring. Loving it!

Chicken Soup

I love all the animals I see when on runs or hikes. I cherish the young cows that are out on the pasture for the first time, curiously following hikers along the fence.

Same with horses, ponies and rabbits.

And then there are the chickens. We have lots of very lucky and undoubtedly happy chickens around here. They are allowed to roam large grassy areas, sometimes studded with bushes and trees. The chickens get moved around in a chicken-mobile so they can explore various surroundings.

For about a month now they have been in a field with low bushes in a tree nursery and when it last rained a puddle formed in one of the empty holes where a l bush had been dug out and the chickens used it as a bath. So precious, the sight was simply too sweet!

Zen Doodle April

Art by s@matarbucks

I have a zen doodle book at home that I copy designs out of. Sometimes I create my own designs but I have to admit that the process of creating art as a copyist comes much more easily to me and has a heightened effect of relaxation for me.

I guess I still carry that child’s reflex of learning by copying in me. That’s how I learned back then and still do nowadays. So my credo is: Don’t give up what’s working well and brings you fun!

Retirement and Promotion

On my 35k run last weekend I run one of my older running shoes into the ground (I felt like the ball of my foot and my big toe were running naked on the pavement) so it was time for some new ones. With the shops closed I had to fall back on my trusty brand that always works so I could order them online.

Now it’s one retired pair and two newly promoted pairs of running shoes in the app.

Thank you to my trusty retired shoes for their fantastic duty, you served me well and offered me many an inspiring hour outside under the blue, gray, wet, hot, cold… skies.

Achievements

In school I wasn’t a big fan of running unless there was a ball involved or some other higher goal than simply running around involved.

Then, almost 20 years ago, when traveling around the world my friend declared in Australia that we’s go and buy ourselves some proper running shoes as otherwise our beer consume might turn us into proper barrels. And that’s when my running career started. Thanks to my friend back then who made me puff and swear along Bondi beach.

Over that last three years one of my very dearest friends introduced me to another long loathed category, the races. I’ve completed between 20-30 races a year over the last 3 years. Never ever thought that would happen.

And the third big thing I always denied would ever happen came to pass this year when I thought I might have to step in for mentioned dear friend and actually started training for a marathon. It’s not that I ever doubted that I could do it if I properly trained, what hindered me was my other hobbies and interests. Since I’m a slow runner it takes me well over 2h to do a 20k training run. I don’t mind, my body doesn’t mind but after 2h I do start thinking “well, what else could I do now… this running around stiff is getting lame…”.

Well, enter 2020 and watch me while away a 4h run – my very first 35k ever!! And might very well be my last. That’s why I thought this was reason to celebrate – congrats to me for this huge achievement!!