This morning wasn't unlike many others I've had in Boulder the past few years. I woke up, laced up my shoes, and after a few half-hearted stretches I hit the trails for a chilly morning run. What has been different the past few mornings is my catalogue of thoughts as I put in the miles. I'm in the thick of seeking out a sponsorship for my future running career. It might seem easy, like an athlete just gets an offer here and there and then sits down to make up their mind over a cup of coffee. I'm finding though that there is a lot more involved than just that. It's not dissimilar from making a decision about college. Who you work with, what message they carry, what their product is like, where they're located- all of these things can have a subtle but eventually substantial influence on how you make up your mind. I remember back to college recruiting and how aspects of Colorado, that I never anticipated, were eventually the elements that drew me, as a person, to want to live here. Now, the process moves on from considerations of education to an entire career path. Just after the first of the year I traveled to a number of different headquarters in order to see for myself what those subtle differences might be. What I found was that absolutely no two companies are alike. I had a wonderful trip and met unbelievable teams which has now left me in a challenging place. I can only say yes to one of them.

The true journey now begins. I'm lacing up my shoes and going through all of my past experiences trying to draw out exactly what's important to me and how to use that to move forward. Check back with me on Friday, here at flotrack, where I'm going to announce exactly which brand of shoes I've chosen to fill.