Vanessa Runs's Blog, page 8
May 5, 2015
The Journey is Better Than the Finish Line
As we fast approach the end of this Transcon it strikes me that this moment—right now—is probably the best part of it. The anticipation, the knowledge that you’re almost there, the realization that you’ve just done a crazy and awesome thing. That you’re still doing it now. That you’re going to finish. That you’re so close.
I expect the finish line to be bittersweet. We’ll be glad that we’re done, but sad that we’ll be leaving our friends who are also our family. For Shacky and I there will be the lure of a new adventure on the horizon, a new project, a new crazy and awesome thing to be done.
In case I get caught up in the flurry of the finish, I wanted to take a quiet moment this morning to thank each and every one of you who have followed, commented, donated, or liked our adventure. If you’ve been lurking but haven’t really commented, please take a moment to shoot us a message or a quick note. We so appreciate you and we couldn’t have done this without your interest. To everyone who hosted us, bought us a meal, donated a hotel room, or gave to our gofundme account—THANK YOU. You are the reason this was possible.
My takeaway from this entire journey has been #community. If I ever doubted in the goodness of humanity, I doubt no longer. Across the country, through every state, in each city, we found generosity and hospitality and understanding and open arms. This is a good, good country. We should be proud.
The fact of this hit me harder than any other person on this journey because I was the one making arrangements for food, lodging, and other needs. I was the connector between runner and host. Between athlete and donor. It was a difficult job but also an easy job because of good people like you.
There were so many more things I wanted to do, especially around media and coverage. But one person can only do so much and my #1 priority was and always is the safety and (relative) comfort of the runners. Sometimes finding a place to spend the night was an all-day job. I’m satisfied that I did as much as I could, and then some.
There were frustrations of course, and hard days. I knew those would come. But they didn’t come as often as I imagined. We were a great team. As I posted on our Facebook page yesterday, my takeaway motto for this entire trip is:
“Have faith in yourself, but also have faith in your brother.”
Yes, sometimes we’ll get bruised or bumped, but more often than not we’ll be pleasantly surprised.
The next town over is never as dangerous as you think.
Keep following us on Facebook!
*
You May Also Enjoy:
Dude, Did you just shoot at my runner?!
It’s a Twister! It’s a Twister!
4 Trail Beards You’ll Want to Fondle
****
Check out my books:
April 23, 2015
Washington! We are heeeeere!
WOW! We are only a marathon away from Washington D.C.! We will be running in there tomorrow and we’re still not sure whether we’ll get to meet any Presidents. Stay tuned.
It’s so hard to believe that we were supposed to finish our Transcon here four months ago. Now instead we are running on to finish in Boston by completing the Boston Marathon course. Join us! Our brother Jup is hauling ass to finish up with us too. GO JUP!! RSVP on our Facebook Event Page.
Our Mississippi and Tennessee videos are also up! Check them out:
My books is doing amazingly well. Thanks to everyone who has shared, read, or bought it. You can now get both the hard copy and e-versions on Amazon.
And don’t forget to follow the Daughters of Distance Facebook page!
Hope to see you in Boston, friends.
Onward!
Originally posted on Jup's Blog:
Sun was out and I was off heading for Natural Bridge. I was still in a bit of pain so needed some more pills and dropped into the Star Mart and Met Vijay. He was super stoked on mine and Pats run and hooked me up with a few bars for the trip. Thanks so much bro.
As I was going up the road and saw a couple of trekkers walk across the road, I knew the Appalachian Trail was close but it was right there. Gotta come back and do it one day.
There was a so sweet views on the road today and I found this pumpkin head. Haven’t found to much lately maybe Pat has found it all.
My feet were killing me by the early afternoon and I wasn’t getting far quick, then I saw this one car heading for me and Just as I…
View original 376 more words
April 10, 2015
Dude, did you just shoot at my runner?!
Guns, guns, and more guns. Guns have certainly been the theme for the last few days as we ran to and through Knoxville. I was expecting something a little closer to the tourism of Memphis, but it was a lot more sketchy and a few sections were scary.
We did run through some beautiful forest roads and waterfalls in Ozone, Tennessee, but Pat also heard one guy either shoot at him, or shoot in the air as he ran by on the public highway.
That incident really pissed me off and I can only hope there was some misunderstanding, like maybe he was shooting off his bicycle lock because he couldn’t remember the combination and he had to go to the market to get fresh kale. And Pat just happened to run by.
The second incident happened in Knoxville when Pat saw a couple of plain-clothes guys banging on a door with guns out and ready. It was a shady neighborhood and he didn’t stick around to see what happened.
As a result, Pat has been posting a lot of anti-gun ideas on his Facebook page and it has been raising quite a stir and debate, as this issue always does. I’m just trying to focus on crewing and keeping Pat safe as he navigates some shitty experiences.
Pat is definitely right about one thing though: sometimes people use guns to point and intimidate. The goal is to make us feel fear. Our greatest revenge is to never feel fearful. Not ever.
Knoxville was a nightmare to crew. We ran right by the college. The roads were narrow, a lot of one way streets, and no place to park. Pat had to make a few turns and we couldn’t be there to make sure he turned (he did). We met him later outside of town but it was a stressful stretch. It was also really hot and no good for the animals in the RV. Cities like that make us feel like caged beasts.
A couple days ago I took my bike out to ride with Pat and we both missed a turn. I blame myself since I’m the crew and I also plotted the route and should know where the hell I’m going. We ended up running for 7 miles before we figured maybe something was wrong and we called Shacky. In the end, we rerouted so the mileage loss was minimal. A new #crewfail for me.
The biggest highlight of Tennessee so far was staying with Leanne and then Mikki. They were both amazing hosts and Mikki had a dog-friendly everything. Ginger and Kitty loved it there.
Mikki is training for a body-building competition so we got a chance to chat with her about training and diet. I have a great admiration for what she’s doing. It takes a tremendous amount of commitment and dedication, but she has a goal in mind and she’s working full force towards it.
We’ll be crossing the border into Virginia in two days! I can’t wait! It’s supposed to rain most of the afternoon today (again) but we’d like to cover another 40 miles if possible. Pat is out there right now running in the rain. These weather patterns are so confusing. Yesterday was a scorcher and today it’s pouring and cloudy. Hello, spring.
With every step we are thinking of our buddy Jup, just a short ways behind us and primarily self-supported. Be sure to check out his adventures below.
Onward!
Originally posted on Jup's Blog:
A beautiful morning as I headed out of Nashville into the rush of traffic coming into the city, I past this lake first up and it set a nice mood in my head as I battled with little or no shoulder.
So I wanted to show you the shoulder on the road, It can go from this big wide one on a larger road and hone on the next 3 photos go right down to nothing and running with the buggy I stock out a hell of a lot , I do feel a bit bad as everyone thinks I have a baby inside and they stop quickly and hold up traffic more, sorry everyone.
It was a nice road today with rolling hills not to big and lots to look at.
More shots
I wasn’t feeling good in the stomach this morning for some reason and…
View original 148 more words
April 7, 2015
Run It Fast Love & Estimated Finish Date
Did some mapping yesterday and discovered we’re less than a week away from finishing the state. Our schedule at 40-mile days is:
Tue 7-Apr Clarkrange, TN
Wed 8-Apr Lenoir City, TN (Knoxville)
Thurs 9-Apr Strawberry Plains, TN (Knoxville)
Fri 10-Apr Rogersville, TN
Sat 11-Apr Kingsport, TN
Sun 12-Apr Bristol, TN
I’m excited to get into VA but can’t believe Tennessee is almost over. We are currently looking for a mail drop in Roanoke, VA. We need a home that can receive care packages for us. We have been averaging around 5 boxes per mail drop. We are a couple weeks away from reaching Roanoke.
Last night we had an awesome time with Run It Fast runner Leanne Goodwin Dibrell. Pat said, “This is the nicest place we have ever stayed!” She had a beautiful home in Cookeville, TN. We got in some showers and laundry and pizza! Thanks Leanne for your awesome hospitality.
Today we’ll be knocking out another 40 miles and spending the night with body builder Mikki. She has been graciously accepting our mail for the past couple of weeks. Thanks Mikki! And thanks to Jeff Genova for hooking us up with these awesome people.
Pat has been alternating between sandals and Altras. The Altras are a relief on his Achilles and they help him get the miles in pain-free. He is still in high spirits even though it has been raining daily.
We have now started counting down the miles instead of counting up—only a hair over 1,000 left to run to Boston! We are on track to finish on May 10th if we can continue at this pace. That would give Pat enough time to fly back to California for Born to Run. He is interested in the 100-miler.
Shacky and I wouldn’t have time to drive back in time for Born to Run so we’ll sadly miss it this year. Our plan so far is to hang around the East coast until our better half Jup Brown finishes and celebrate with him. I’m also hoping to meet up with my family in New York if they can fly down.
Back to crewing!
Originally posted on Jup's Blog:
Last night there was a pretty full moon so I got out the camera to take a couple of shots but it didnt come out that well, looks like a evening shot aye. oh well I was a bit sleepy and just wanted to go to bed.
Today the goal wasn’t really going to happen right from the kick off as I was in a slow mood , well maybe just a chill mood. I headed up taking ages and only got to 31 miles but still into double bonus miles which is over 30. I head up about 3 miles short of Scotts Hill which is I would say bigger than the 5 houses in this town.
The road was good again but not much shoulder to play with so had to keep a watch for traffic, The sun tried all day to come out but didnt really make…
View original 481 more words
April 5, 2015
It’s a Twister! It’s a Twister!
Pat knocked out another 40+ miles on Friday on the route I plotted which put him right in the middle of a tornado warming. Oops. #crewfail
We ended up Columbia just before the storm hit and hid out in the RV (which you’re not supposed to do in a tornado). But it’s not like I was going to leave my kitty behind…
Anyhoo! We survived to run again. Yesterday Pat ran to his friend Marisa’s town in Murfreesboro and we called it an early day at 50K to spend some time with her and her family. Many thanks to Marisa for hosting us!
After a leisurely morning it’s back on the road for another 20 or so miles to wrap up the day. Next week it’s off to the post office to mail off some goodies to everyone who has donated to The 100 Mile Club! Don’t forget:
For the month of April, for every $20 donation to The 100 Mile Club we will be mailing you a postcard from the Team with at least one grammatical or spelling error guarantead.
For every $50 donation we will mail you an autographed copy of The Summit Seeker plus a trinket that Pat Sweeney has found on the side of the road that is not fecal.
Donate online at: http://www.tinyurl.com/runwithusamerica.
Remember to message us your mailing address if you donate!
I’m also excited today because the hard copy proof of my book arrived in the mail. We are still 85 miles from our mail drop, but I may be able to figure something out with Mikki, our gracious host, to pick it up early. Once I approve this proof I can start selling paper copies of my book. Woohoo!
Thanks to everyone how has bought the Kindle version, shared it, and supported the project. Remember to leave an Amazon review!
Onward!
Originally posted on Jup's Blog:
It was a cool night last night and my hide away camp spot was great , didnt get told to leave so I was happy. I headed off at 7am and had the goal of Linden town. I was aiming for here as as I could see the hotel there was the only one for miles. I wanted a shower.
A great sunrise and not a lot of traffic on the roads for a start but got busy later, The road was pretty narrow and a lot of cars were stopping as my buggy was sticking out a lot. sorry. I pasted through a few small towns and some nice countryside on the 34 miles I did today. One thing i did notice was everyone was out cutting their lawns, I mean every house had some riding a mower.
There was a lot of water and rivers on route today…
View original 294 more words
April 3, 2015
Media Coverage, Severe Weather Warnings, and New Focus
Woke up this morning to some wonderful media links covering our exploits!
Jup Brown’s coverage on the local news in the Delta:
And Patrick Sweeney’s awesome podcast interview with Ten Junk Miles.
GO TEAM!
Pat had a 40+ mile day yesterday with only one storm passing through. He sat in the RV for about 20 minutes until the downpour passed and the sun came out again.
We’ve been skirting some severe weather warnings, so the plan today is to stay close to Pat and throw him in the RV if the weather turns. Today there’s a high winds advisory in our area.
We’ll be stopping near Columbia, TN and we’ll be just south of Nashville in two days!
In the next few days Pat will be changing focus and pace. We’ll focus on primarily running and covering as many miles as possible in a day, roughly estimating around 40-50 miles daily.
I always knew Pat was a talented athlete but it has been amazing to watch him transform into an even stronger and more reliable machine. Our bodies are mind-blowingly amazing, friends. Never doubt what your body can do.
Originally posted on Jup's Blog:
Got up at 6am, ate and packed up my stuff to get on the road by 7. The sun is raising a bit earlier now so good to get out there early and get a few miles done before the heat. I aren’t breaking any records in the speed area so good to have a extra hour. As you can see the skies were magic again.
A really nice road today with trees and heaps of water around , Started on route 64 then changed to the 100 which was less traffic but a little narrower. The cars and trucks are pretty good so as long as I keep a eye on them coming I just take what room I need for the buggy.
Just around Lunch time I decided to chill out for a bit and took he shoes and socks off. To good of a day not…
View original 268 more words
April 2, 2015
Who wants a Postcard? Arkansas Video and Another 50+ Miles
Our Arkansas video is up! Check it out:
*
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:
For the month of April, for every $20 donation to The 100 Mile Club we will be mailing you a postcard from the Team with at least one grammatical or spelling error guarantead.
For every $50 donation we will mail you an autographed copy of The Summit Seeker plus a trinket that Pat Sweeney has found on the side of the road that is not fecal.
Donate online at: http://www.tinyurl.com/runwithusamerica.
Remember to message us your mailing address if you donate!
*
It was another smashing day yesterday with 50+ miles covered. We finished near Decateurville, Tennessee. We are very much enjoying this hilly route. Pat loves the change of muscles and he’s feeling great. Thanks to Laz for routing us through here.
I had a good day of pushups and situps. Yes, I am still doing Jup’s original challenge of one pushup for each Transcon day. I often forget what day we’re on, so I round to the nearest five. Today I did 80 pushups and 80 situps. I am also trying to catch up on situps since I didn’t realize until day 50 that I was supposed to be doing them (I’m on Day 65). My abs will thank Jup someday… but not today.
Ginger and I got in a good 5K run today. That’s the most she has been able to run with us since we started crewing. I decided I’m going to start paying a lot more attention to her, even if I have to run with her on a leash on the side of the road. (We needed to lie down for a few minutes at the 4K mark, but that’s ok cause it was a hot day and some of us don’t have sweat glands.) No bike riding for me today since there was no shoulder and a lot of blind hills—I didn’t feel safe on the bike.
We ended our long day by pulling over at a bp gas station. They had a large back lot where we were out of the way. No thanks to bp for kicking us out and threatening to call the cops on us even when we had explained our situation. BOO bp, you suck. We ended up having to drive in the rain and in the dark to find another spot.
For the most part people have been friendly, but definitely cautious of our presence. At nearly every aid station we have someone approach us and ask what we’re doing there. We usually explain ourselves and it’s cool. This is the first spot where we’ve been forced to leave.
From now on we’re going to start finishing an hour before sunset to make sure we have a safe place to park for the night. This could mean earlier starts if we want to cover the same mileage.
Today we’ll take a shorter day since we have a mail drop on the 7th and our current mileage puts us way ahead of it. I’m getting my book proof delivered on the 7th—the final approval I need to give before selling hard copies of Daughters of Distance. We’ll use the time to catch up on some wifi chores for Pat (audio books, anyone?) and hit up a post office.
It’s looking like we’ll take a rest day in Nashville to meet up with some of Pat’s old school friends. Any recommendations for must-sees in Nashville?
Thanks as always for reading and following! Shout out to our better half, our buddy Jup! His updates below.
Originally posted on Jup's Blog:
I had a wicked time in Memphis and it was great to visit and learn so much in 2 days but it is time to move forward toward Nashville the next big point on this amazing journey. It was a long way out the east side of Memphis and the road changed so much , so really nice parts of town and some not so nice.
Got to meet some awesome people this morning which I loved. The first 2 guys just couldn’t believe what me and Pat are doing and kept asking where I had got rides from along the way , haha. The second photo is of Starsky, awesome guy . He had been going through a lot of shit and has just sorted himself out and was in a great happy place which was awesome to see. Keep that mind set bro and please keep in touch.
View original 375 more words
April 1, 2015
Day 75 , Memphis day off- Sun Studios & Graceland tours
On the road again! We said goodbye to Graceland Tuesday morning and Pat hit the road running. He was feeling great after his rest day and the sun was out. I wondered whether he would want to cover more mileage, and my suspicions were right. We closed the day off at 50+ miles. It was a lovely stretch but a long crewing experience and a little rough on the animals, especially since Ginger had the runs from eating rib bones.
Tim and his daughters joined us for a few miles and it was lovely to have some fresh faces. The girls were awesome and they got some touring in at the Pink Palace as well. Tim ran 3 miles and the girls got a taste too, running for about 2 miles. Many thanks to Tim for his awesome hospitality and putting us up for a couple of nights. He also bought us dinner and avocados and tortillas, which we can never have too much of.
In the evening we did a podcast interview with Scott Kummer. It’s a new podcast he’s starting up—stay tuned for the link!
We had some rain last night but the skies look clear this morning and we’ve got many miles go to. The route we’re taking today was recommended by Lazarus (RD for Barkley’s). It’s an old Stagecoach route and I’m looking forward to seeing it. Not a huge shoulder but pretty hilly (a good thing!) and way more scenic than what we’ve been on.
Jup is enjoying the day in Memphis. Check out his update below.
Onward!
Originally posted on Jup's Blog:
Great sleep after a couple of beers with Vincent. He had to drive all the way to San Antonio in Texas so we got a quick breakfast and he had to leave. Can’t say thank you enough to him and Trail Toes for everything you have and continue to do for me. Thankyou so much. Hope you got home ok.
Then I went down to Sun Studio, The place where it all begun. I had no real idea about lots of history to some of our most famous music and over this last week I have learnt so much and really enjoyed finding out who did what where. SO much was done here when none else would. The tour I went on was awesome.
I took so many photos today inside but here are a few.
Those were upstairs and then we headed down to the studio where even…
View original 233 more words
March 31, 2015
Day 74- Thankyou Mississippi and Hello Memphis Tennessee
We’ve got a new mailing address! If you’d like to send a care package, shoot me a Facebook message or an email at vanessaruns@gmail.com. It must arrive by April 7th for us to receive it.
Need ideas for what to send? In the past we have most used:
• Walmart or Visa gift cards for food and supplies (Pat’s staple is avocados)
• Vegan baked goods or snacks
• Notes of love and encouragement, especially from kids
As always, we are so thankful for your support!
Pat hit the 2,000 mile mark at the Tennessee border. We drove him to Roy Crossman’s home to spend the night. Thanks to Jeff Genova for hooking us up with Roy. The guys stayed up late enjoying Jeff’s Core Brewery donation and it was off again early in the morning.
Jeff, Roy and Gene all joined Pat on his run through Memphis. They took him through the best parts of the city: Sun Records, Beale Street, Shelby Farms, etc. We called it quits a little early (50K) to catch a show at BB King’s.
The music at BB King’s was awesome and Shacky said it was some of the best ribs he had ever tasted (dry rub). The food service was also the worst we had ever experienced.
We took a walk down Beale Street and took advantage of all the photo ops. We took our photo with the King and peeked though the windows of the Gibson guitar factory.
The next day (Monday) was a rest day. Pat slept in while I took a much-needed trip to Planned Parenthood. It was the most expensive PP visit I had ever made ($80 for a depo shot) and I was stuck there for a grueling 2.5 hours with the cheesiest ever safe-sex film blaring in my ear. It was so loud I couldn’t even read and it was on repeat so by the time I got out of there I had it memorized.
Maybe it’s just me, but if you’re going to keep people in there for more than two hours, maybe don’t put a ten-minute film on repeat. I finally got out of there pretty annoyed and feeling a little crazier. On a positive note, nobody tried to talk me into having kids like they did in Pennsylvania. California has THE best Planned Parenthoods and surprisingly, Utah was really good to me too. This was the worst.
We took the dog to the park immediately after that since she had been cooped up in the RV that entire time. After wearing her out, we went out to the breakfast we had planned, except it was now afternoon. Shacky and I enjoyed an awesome breakfast. Again, terrible service but great food.
Then it was off to the zoo which was the best way I could think of to spend the day. We skipped Graceland to go to the zoo instead because animals. Elvis was way before my time and I have a strong aversion to tourist traps.
The zoo was only $15 and surprisingly cool. We spent 2.5 hours there and could have easily spent an extra hour at least. We rushed a bit since we wanted to hit up the planetarium as well. Some of those monkeys I could sit and watch all day and the polar bears were amazing. The nocturnal monkeys in the night house kept coming up to me and following my finger on the glass. Extremely curious little buggers. Made my day. The aquarium was another highlight for me and I saw my first ever armadillo! Still hoping to catch one in the wild though (aka side of the road).
After the zoo we took Ginger to the park again. Poor thing is starting to struggle with crewing. We take her out as much as we can, but it’s nowhere near the life on the trail she is accustomed to with miles of open space to roam. I’ve noticed a shift in her willingness to put up with crew life—when we left her with a friend a couple nights ago she ran away and she has NEVER done that. When we do let her out, she doesn’t listen to us like she used to. She rushes off and refuses to come back into the RV. She also gets annoyed with people crowding her space on the bed. We have a lot more stuff in the RV that we usually do and she has limited space to move around. I feel so bad for her sometimes.
Shacky and I decided that after this trip is over, we are having The Summer of Ginger. We’re taking her to Colorado and getting her all the trail therapy she can handle. I’m trying to spend a lot more time with her instead of hanging out in hotels that don’t allow dogs. Extra hugs for her too. Only a couple more months, Ginger!
Kitty, as usual, don’t give a shit.
After the zoo Shacky and I took a trip to the planetarium but it was still under renovations. We watched an Imax movie there instead about whales. I love me some whales.
After that it was off to meet up with Juppy who managed to catch up to us! He has been on his feet around 10 hours each day pushing his buggy like a rockstar. We managed to transfer the files I needed off his GoPro and have a quick hello.
Then it was dinner with Pat and Tim and his girls. Tim is joining us for the next couple of days and will be keeping Pat company. They all did the Graceland thing, then hung out in the guitar-shaped pool at our hotel.
Today we’re back on the road. Pat is out there running as I type this. He plans to cover 40-45 miles today. The rest day did him good and he’s feeling amazing. The weather is great today too—back to the sunshine he loves.
I’m on a high because my book is doing so well. The Kindle version is out and the hard copy will be out next week. Thank you so much to everyone who has bought, shared or commented. I can’t keep up with everything posted but I’m feeling the love.
As always, keep track of our team member Jup on his blog below. He’s having some amazing experiences of his own.
Onward!
Originally posted on Jup's Blog:
Got up early and headed off at 7am as I had 38 miles to do and wanted to get to Memphis and be able to chill and enjoy it more as I have a day off tomorrow. Magic sunrise and warm so a great start.
Pretty straight road again but some nice views and things to look at. I ran ok for the first couple of hours once my ankle warmed up but then just couldn’t really be bothered running so walked fast. I have noticed that it also gives my legs a rest and I tend to start running again later in the day and feel a lot better.
In the middle of nowhere I found this museum so dropped in for a look. awesome old building.
Today was a special day as I would be finishing up Mississippi state which only lasted 5 days and arriving in to…
View original 355 more words
March 30, 2015
Daughters of Distance Kindle Book Release!
Hola friends! The book I have been working on for most of the year has just been released on Kindle. I am so proud of it! The hard copy will be follow in about a week and autographed copies will be available as well.
You can buy the Kindle version here.
Follow Daughters of Distance of Facebook!
About the book:
What does it mean to be a female in endurance sport? Hundreds of women open up about their realities as athletes, wives, girlfriends and mothers. From the intimacy of the bedroom to the community of competition, some of these stories will encourage and uplift. Others will surprise and infuriate. Welcome to the beautiful and complicated world of strong women.
Endorsements:
“Read Daughters of Distance if you’d like to learn about women’s running history, how women’s bodies and minds are made to excel in endurance sports, the still-present gender inequalities in distance running, how women juggle running and motherhood, the intertwinement of our passion for running and our relationships, and much more. With this book, Vanessa opens our eyes and hearts to women’s distance running, and starts a conversation that will evolve our sport.” – Meghan M. Hicks, Senior Editor, iRunFar.com
“Vanessa Runs threads stories of courage, determination, endurance and strength. Her writing empowers women to rise above life’s obstacles and encourages the realization that beauty remains within. May her words inspire our lives with a passionate purpose of joyful celebration.” – Maria Walton, President/Chair of Norawas de Raramuri, Co-Race Director of Ultra Marathon Caballo Blanco
“Daughters of Distance had me alternating between nodding my head and dropping my jaw. It’s a must-read for male and female athletes alike.” – Michael Kurup, Certified Personal Trainer
This book is about YOU. Thank you for sharing your stories.
If you like Daughters of Distance, check out my first book as well: The Summit Seeker.
Enjoy!
