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Not All for Naught!
Above is a photo from my walk to school from the subway station. Most days it is bouncy walk full of optimism of the day ahead. It usually starts with a couple hours of practice to myself, followed by classes, lessons, and rehearsals. Occasionally it is the walk of doom if I know I have […]
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When the Dreaded Fog Recedes
I took the above photo during an unplanned run break while at school this week. The fall colors in New England have not disappointed. Just when I thought we’d reached “peak foliage”, the shades of red, orange, and yellow have only become more brilliant. Last week I wrote a bit about the struggle to get […]
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Light in the Dark
When I think back to the times in my life I’ve been in the most blissful state of happiness, it’s been directly correlated with movement, whether it is on a dance floor, up on a stage, or out on one of those brilliant runs where you feel you could go on forever. In those moments […]
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The Show Must Go On!
The world will keep spinning with or without you so you might as well jump onboard. This little phrase popped up in my head this morning as I was getting ready for the day. My work load is growing and growing, and I’m finding my days packed to the brim with little compromises being made […]
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A Horrifying Opportunity for Growth
The neighbors’ footsteps up above. The rigorous flute scales from the practice room next door. My cat, Bo, singing (yowling) at 2am. The conversation next to me in the coffee shop. The squealing brakes of the train rushing into the station. The distant sound of cars racing down the interstate, heard from even the remotest […]
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I See Trees of Green
Last spring I began exploring the idea of a new creative project. I purchased a Go Pro camera and started experimenting with making little videos of my run adventures. It was mostly out of pure, silly fun and curiosity more than anything. Not long after, my world turned upside down. It was the end of […]
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Where I Call Home
“At the end of the day, it isn’t where I came from. Maybe home is somewhere I’m going and never have been before.” ― Warsan Shire It’s been two months since I left Portland, the place I called home for thirteen years. I spent the interim in the Green Mountains of Vermont in pursuit of […]
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Long Trail: A New Approach – Day 7
Day 7 – Sunday 7/17/2022 Bear Hollow Shelter (218.3) to Northern Terminus / Canadian Border (272.0) 53.5 miles / 16,909 ft gain / 14,918 ft loss 2.6 mph Start: 11:28pm (Saturday 7/16) Finish: 8:12pm (Sunday 7/17) Elapsed: 20h 43m I woke up to my vibrating phone alarm, bzz-bzz-bzz-bzzzzzz. Bzz-bzz-bzz-bzzzzzz. I had chosen the “Beethoven’s 5th” setting which […]
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Long Trail: A New Approach – Day 6
Day 6 – Saturday 7/16/22 Duxbury Road Trailhead (181.9) to Bear Hollow Shelter (218.3) 36.4 miles / 11,263 ft gain / 10,079 ft loss 2.3 mph Start: 3:04am Finish: 6:38pm Elapsed: 15h 34m When I left the trailhead this morning, my pack was as heavy as it had ever been. I knew water would be […]
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Long Trail: A New Approach – Day 5
Day 5 – Friday 7/15/2022 Emily Proctor Shelter (141.2) to Duxbury Road Trailhead (181.9) 40.7 miles / 11,276 ft gain / 12,869 ft loss 2.3 mph Start: 2:50am Finish: 8:29pm Elapsed: 17h 39m Since I had stopped so early yesterday evening, I got an extra early start today to allow enough time to get to […]
Who is Mercury?
Liz Derstine, trail name “Mercury”, is a distance runner, endurance hiker, writer, and musician residing in Boston, MA. She holds the fastest known times for a woman on the Appalachian Trail (supported, northbound), Long Trail (self-supported), and Pinhoti Trail (self-supported).
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Mercury on the Run 