I’m Familiar with Fartlek’s

That grabbed your attention, didn’t it?  I mean, the word “fartlek” sounds borderline inappropriate, doesn’t it? Don’t worry, it’s not.  In case you are unaware, the word fartlek is a running term that specifically means “speed play”.  The term is part of any semi-serious runners language and a word I have been familiar with for most all of my running career. 

I began running when I was 11 years old.  Running is so much a part of me that I can relate most any event, moment in time, or season of life with a specific run.  I can tell you my PR (another running term) in every event I’ve ever run.  I could spend hours talking to anyone about the ins and outs of running.  Want to talk about intervals?  Negative splits? Threshold runs?  I’m your girl.  Want to talk about your latest LSD run? (No, not the drug. . . runners abbreviate, too.)  I can educate a novice about lactic acid build up, the importance of rest days and why runners sometimes spit while running down the road.  Hey, I can even talk to you about shin splits, tendonitis, runner’s knee, and stress fractures.  And since I’ve experienced them all. . . I can also tell you how to treat them. 

For me, running is as natural as breathing.  Truly, when I opened up this space I intended it to be a place to share my running experiences and knowledge.  Obviously, Running Chatter has become something very, very different.  In truth, it has been a place of discovery. 

For about a year and a half I have walked deeper and deeper down an unknown path into the world of photography.  I’ve gone from a person who rarely picked up a camera to someone who rarely has a camera outside arms reach.  It’s true, I may not have my purse, my cell phone, or even both my shoes on, but you can bet my camera will be with me to capture life’s precious moments.

Unlike running, though, I am a novice.  I have a world of knowledge to gain and a lifetime of experience to obtain.  I am feeling my way through the haze of endless data, hoping my understanding grows as I go.  Today, I don’t know far more than I know, but I keep at it.

In the last year I’ve learned how to shoot on manual and have come to understand a bit about ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.  I kind of understand lighting, though my flash frightens me.  I fail more than I succed, but still I keep at it because, well, because I love it.

I love the way a picture documents a moment in time in a way that the memory just can’t.  A certain look, a slight smile, a glance of the eyes. . .   Over the last year and a half, while I haven’t gained all the knowledge and skills I would like,  I have fallen more and more in love with the process of capturing that thing that is so elusive. . . time.

You see, I may not be able to tell you all the important technical information about photography.  If you would ask me how I select my settings for a specific shot, I would surely fumble my answer in an attempt to sound like a professional.  (Perhaps, I shouldn’t admit this?)  If I were giving an honest answer about how I approach a picture I would say this. . .

I feel the picture.  Truly, I feel it. 

Sure, there are (often) times when I cower at my inexperience, when I fret about all that I don’t know, when I am overwhelmed by the long road of learning that lies ahead.  But when it really comes down to it, not even the best runner’s high (another running term) compares to the feeling of handing a photo to someone, seeing their face light up, and hearing. . .

. . . you captured him. . . that is his smile.

And when I really stop and think about it, I’m not sure that I’ll ever stop being amazed at this journey into photography.  It was like receiving a surprise gift that contained exactly what I wanted even though I didn’t know what I wanted.  It’s such a reminder to me that we really never know what might be around the bend.  The gifts that might be waiting for us as long as we continue to walk forward one small step at a time and trust the process of our lives. 

As I was finishing my run this morning and thinking about all of this, I was keenly aware of the abundance that life has to offer and I thought to myself

. . . life is pretty cool.

“Let the beauty we love be what we do.  There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.” -Rumi

A special thank you to the incredible family above for the privilege of capturing these moments.  I love each one of you.