I owe you an explanation...

This post is probably a little overdue as I know some of you have been following my journey for quite some time now and have seen a huge shift in the direction of my blog + brand. Of course, this isn’t the first time I have made a shift in my vision or brand, but when I made shifts before, I didn’t have quite the audience as I have now.So, I feel as though I owe you an explanation…When I first started The Concrete Runner (almost 8 years ago now), I wanted to document my journey as a runner, training for the Chicago Marathon, as well as occupy my time as an unemployed teacher by sharing my love of frozen custard. You can go back into the archives of my blog and find a totally different tune to my writing when I first started. No kids, no job, an entire different outlook on life.When I had MacKenna in 2011, things really shifted. I wanted to share the ups + downs of life as a working mom in my running + healthy journey. I was more of a lifestyle + running blogger than anything else (although when I first started blogging, I truly wanted to be a food blogger - but I suck at taking pictures of food, and I’m a HORRIBLE cook).Since I started this little blog, I’ve always had this vision of sitting at a desk at home, working from my computer, while my little ones played around me. It was a vision I just haven’t been able to shake. I always thought my blog would “take off” and I’d be able to just blog full time.Well, five years came + went, and I had yet to really make a dime off of my blog. That’s really when the idea of starting a tried + true business became something I wanted to pursue.My love has ALWAYS been running. I’m OBSESSED with it. It’s my outlet, my me time, my therapy, the thing that shows me that hard work really does pay off. So, I decided to transition my little corner of the internet into strictly a running blog, where I shared my running journey, as well as add value to runners to help make them BETTER, FASTER runners. I’ve always LOVED connecting with runners, and what better way for me to connect with runners than to coach them and share my training secrets with them!Many of you started following me because of my running, and I promise you, running is so much a part of my identity, it’s not going anywhere. I still LOVE connecting with runners and helping runners. We truly are a special breed of people - some of the nicest + most dedicated people I have ever met!However, back in December, I was feeling pretty lost. I had built a run coaching business that I absolutely LOVED, but it wasn’t serving me or my vision. I was trading hours for dollars, and instead of it bringing me the freedom I was longing for, it was causing me to feel stressed + overwhelmed each month.After a epically failed launch, I prayed to God that He would lead me in the direction I needed to take in order to bring my vision of freedom + flexibility to light.And I couldn’t believe when a phone call I had dreamed about actually HAPPENED on January 1st. I dreamed of a mentor calling me, and sure enough, on January 1st, I received the phone call from that very person.It was a phone call that literally changed the direction of my life - and cause the shift in my brand to be what it is today.What started as a little “side hustle” has quite honestly changed my life. What took me 6 months to earn in my run coaching business, I was able to do in 3. In just 4 months, I made my way halfway up the ranks of the company and can actually visualize myself at the TOP of the company. My team has allowed me to step into a leadership role, something that I’ve ALWAYS envisioned myself in at a young age. I love being a leader, a role model, and sincerely HELPING people achieve their goals.Six months ago, I NEVER would have envisioned that my entire brand would be shifting the way it is, so I know many of you have been thrown off guard a bit by the changes. And that’s OK. I don’t expect everyone to transition with me as I grow + expand my brand. If this is not what you signed up for, I completely understand.But, I also know there are several of you who are reading this who share that same vision. That vision of being home with your kids. Of putting your daughter on the bus every morning. Of living a life free to do what you want, when you want. Of working SMARTER, not harder.Maybe you know that’s what you want but you don’t know how to make it happen. Or maybe you’re like me and have this vision but have been struggling to make it a reality.I’m here to tell you that it IS possible. You can live a life of freedom + flexibility. We can link arms together and lead a MOVEMENT that allows us to follow our dreams + passions, and bring others along with us who have the same vision.If this is your dream, your vision, I want you on this journey with me. I want to show you what is possible. I want YOU to have the freedom + flexibility you’ve been longing for.

Will you join me?!