What to do without the team?

When I moved to New York City almost a decade ago I found I needed a physical and social outlet to augment my professional, office-based life. I found a women's soccer team that first summer and, almost more than anything else, it's shaped my life ever since. Through the team, which eventually became co-ed, I found running partners, a significant other, teammates for an adventure racing team, travel companions (the team played tournaments in Washington D.C., Montreal, Miami, and Las Vegas), and drinking buddies.

Enjoyment of the game and the people made me exercise more than I would have of my own accord. I played when I was exhausted after work because the team counted on me. I made an extra sprint at the end of the game when I was dead tired because I just couldn't bear to be responsible for a goal scored against us. There were Sundays when I'd cram in four hours of playing time because I enjoyed spending time outside with my teammates and there was one memorable evening when I completed a twelve mile training run and followed it up with an hour of co-ed soccer because I knew it would leave me laughing and happy.

It's this athletic family and world that I've missed the most since I left NYC. I'm honestly struggling to maintain my focus and dedication now that I've lost the structure provided by the team's practices and games. The likely solution is to pick a significant spring event to focus on and get me out to train. If you were me, what would you pick? Here are a few options --

- NYC Half Marathon (3/21)

- Harriman State Park Sprint Adventure Race (4/25 - 15-20 miles as a two-person team)
- North Face Endurance Challenge Bear Mountain Half Marathon (May)

There's got to be a lot more great events out there in the NY, CT, Western MA area this spring. Send me your suggestions!