Hi there! I'm in the midst of yet another marathon training cycle. Next stop, Chicago. Several years ago, I stopped listening to music on my runs. No music, you say?! Nope. What do you do? What do you think about?? Lately, this is what I think about: Decency. Look around. We're living in a polarized world. At our worst, adults are getting away with name calling, bullying and …
Recent Posts
A Tale of Two Marathons
Two marathons in one month – one I ran, the other, I tried. Here’s my story about running the Boston Marathon and then a week-long jury trial in Durham County. Part I: The Boston Marathon I open my suitcase in the Boston hotel room, just two blocks away from the finish line. Pull out a range of clothes – shorts, rain coat, gloves, ear warmer, tank top, hat, sunglasses, latex gloves. The race …
No Finish Lines
Chasing Helen celebrates 2 years this month! In early 2017, having recently qualified for the Boston Marathon, I decided to create a blog to share my journey and encourage others to set goals and chase them down. In my first post, I challenged you to answer the question: who are you chasing? "If you want something you've never had, then you've got to do something you've never done." - Thomas …
A Letter to Sophie: Find the Women
A fourth grader in Raleigh, NC named Sophie recently wrote me a letter about a project she is working on for her writing class. She chose to write about "Women Working in Male-Dominated Careers" and asked me if I would provide insight and thoughts as a woman lawyer. Since my top favorite things -- writing, lawyering and running -- are so intertwined in my life, I thought this "Chasing Helen" forum …
3 Things I’m Doing Differently for the Boston Marathon (Round II)
The 2018 Boston Marathon was nothing short of memorable thanks to the torrential rain, freezing temps and heavy head winds. Just like any trying experience that has pushed me to new limits, I must ask -- what did I learn? I learned the significance of being mentally, not just physically, strong. That adaptability effects my success on race day and in life. Looking back at 2018, I ran a half marathon …