Winter Lessons

It's been a long time since I've lived in real winter. My friends in Southern California think that they have started winter, I think it rained:0 I may have forgotten a few things about living in snow, but mother nature is making sure to provide me learning experiences. Here are a few lessons that I have survived.

1) Leaving your wet bathing suit and towel in the car to dry doesn't work. You will have a frozen suit and towel. Think it's cold getting in the water, try doing it in a suit with ice on it!

2) Your favorite jeans become the ones that you can fit a bulky base layer underneath. One good thing, come spring I'll look like I lost inches without doing anything!

3) That 'winter' jacket you own, is now a base layer. It is also your pajama top.

4) You don't blow dry your hair for looks, it is functional. Wet hair become icicles and I have discovered wearing ice on your head does in fact drop your body temperature.

5) Wool is awesome. Wool base layer, wool socks, wool hats- those sheep are on to something. Even wet wool keeps you somewhat warm. An old wool sock over your water bottle helps keep the water from freezing while you are skiing. Wool isn't as itchy as it was when I was a kid either. Just another thing that my grandparents knew, they always had wool socks.

6) Snow dogs are made for the snow. Tana will sit out in the snow bank for hours watching squirrels. That one should have been obvious, being that she's called a snow dog.

7) If you are going to live in winter, embrace it. That means, getting outside and enjoying it. Which in turn means that the equation of how many bikes is enough,  N (being the number you own) +1, also applies to skis.

8) The weather is real, you need to know what is happening if you are going to plan or do anything. Mother nature may have other plans for you. AND, wind chill can make a difference.

9) When the sun shines on freshly fallen snow and the trails are in perfect condition for a ski, winter makes you forget that summer exists.

Let it Snow

For the first time in years I am looking out the window at a dusting of snow on the ground. I am very excited to be spending some winter time in the mountains. I can't wait to strap some boards to my feet and explore, but there isn't quite enough snow for that yet. I am not the only one loving this change in climate. My snow dog has finally discovered that she actually does in fact love snow. She wants to just sit out in it and watch the squirrels in the trees. While I have grown accustomed to perpetual summer, I am looking forward to winter. They say that the grass isn't always greener but the snow sure is whiter:)

Girls Best Friend

My little buddy is 12 years old now. I am grateful everyday that I get to wake up and see her little face looking at me, dog breath and all. We've had many great adventures together and I hope for many more.

'Whoever said diamonds are a girls best friend, never owned a dog'. 

"my goal in life is to be as good of a person as my dog already believes me to be"

Lessons from 100 miles

Training for and running my first 100 mile race I learned many life lessons. It is amazing how similar doing a race of 100 miles on foot is to the race of life. Along the way there are choices to be made, mistakes made and many learning opportunities. There is no right or wrong way to do 100 miles or life, we all must choose our own approach. It has been quite awhile since I have posted but I have been reflecting on all the things that I realized along the way.

During a 100 mile race all competitors are on the same set race course but none of us are having the same race. The same in life. We may look like we are on the same path but each of us experiences it differently. In this regard, attitude carries you way further than your feet ever will. Approaching an obstacle or a difficult situation as a learning experience and new adventure makes it a much more pleasant experience.

None of us can go it alone all of the time. There were many times during the race that I relied on my crew and pacers to help me through. Without them I'm sure I'd still be out there. It is not a sign of weakness to accept that at times you might need help. I trusted my guys 100% to get me to the finish line and they put so much energy into helping me reach my goal. I can only hope that in the future I will be able to do the same for them.

Along the way, I would run with some people for a while and then they wouldn't be there anymore and I'd be running with others around me. Often times the same people would come and go at various times throughout the event. The same happens in life, people drift into and out of our lives at various times. Enjoy them while they are there and know all of us are floating on different currents which will at times converge again.

I was lucky in my 100 mile race that I had assembled a fantastic group around me. I had great training mentors, my crew was top notch and I had the best pacers a girl could ask for. It made it so much easier to have so much positive energy and great people on my side. The people we choose to have in our daily lives have the same effect. Surround yourself with loving, positive, and energetic people that you care about and life is good. We all get to choose who is on this voyage with us, choose wisely.

It isn't always easy when you are running 100 miles. There are lots of times when it is downright hard and you feel horrible. Really low crappy parts. Those times can happen in life too, but you know what, they pass in the race and they will pass in life.

Having a plan is a good idea for nutrition and pacing and clothing. Being flexible on your plan is even better. Things come up that we can't anticipate and we need to adapt. Sure you can plan out your life, but what if a great opportunity presents itself that doesn't go with the plan? Are you willing to give it up to stick to the 'plan'? Not all plans work out, sometimes we need to be able to adjust our plan on the fly. If you can do this in a 100 miler you will have a race that you didn't even think was plausible, if you can do it in life you will have a full life.

We have no idea what another persons journey is about. There were people doing the 100 mile race that had to drop at various parts of the event. They were fighting with injury or the inability to train effectively due to time constraints. Whatever reasons that they didn't make it all the way, they all were courageous enough to toe the line. I know a few people who made it to the 50 mile mark and called it a day, they are heroes to me. They knew going in that they were going to have a difficult time of it, but they went out there and they did what most people couldn't do without injury. Everyone out on that course was fighting some demon of their own. We never know by looking at someone what monsters they are battling, show them kindness, life is not easy and getting out there an living it everyday takes bravery.

No matter how much support you have, how many people are around you and how busy the path you are on is, it all comes down to you. You have to make the choices to guide your life in the correct direction, you  are the one steering the ship and if you can enjoy the journey you will arrive at the destination in peace. We all end up at the proverbial finish line, some of us just earlier than others. Let us hope that when we get there we can all celebrate a life well run:)

Goodbye Leadville

At the beginning of the summer if you would have told me how difficult it would be to leave Leadville, I would have shaken my head. At the time I had no idea how the mountains would change me. Tana and I had an amazing summer there and we were both sad to leave. There are so many things I am going to miss from being there. The number one is the views that I was treated to each and everyday. No matter what direction I looked the scenery was soul filling. Morning walks with the dog won't quite be the same. There was no better way to start the day than gazing at the mountains. Until we meet again, thanks for the awesome summer! 

Morning walk

2013 Leadwomen

Mile of Tears

Running 100 miles gives you lots of time to think about your journey. I was overwhelmed with the support I received in reaching for the goal of Leadwoman. Throughout the day, the night and into the day again I couldn't believe how many people were pulling for me. I had 4 guys who came here to crew and pace me. I don't know what I did to deserve so many wonderful people in my life but I am grateful daily. I was able to hold it together emotionally until the last mile. All the thoughts of well wishes and the cheers from the sideline spectators brought me to tears and they didn't stop flowing. I've lost it emotionally at a finish line before (in 2010 I cried all the way down the hill to the finish in the bike race) but this was different. I felt such an huge wave of love and support from all my friends and family far and wide. I set out to do something that was well out of my comfort zone. Something completely unknown and scary and I made it to the finish. I savored all the cheers and was so happy to have earned the title of leadwoman. That last mile I shed some tears of joy, of exhaustion but none of pain. I I didn't leave my soul on the course, my soul expanded by each and every race and experience in this series. Of the all the miles I covered the mile of tears will always be with me. Thank you to everyone who made my dream a reality. 

Coming into the finish with one of my awesome pacer (mules). 

One Year Ago

Last year during the Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike ride my friend Chris was on Powerline inbound watching the riders. She kept sending me pictures of all the riders and spectators out on the course. It made me feel homesick, for a place I had never lived but had left my heart. We decided that day we were going to attempt to become Leadwomen. For a year now we have been on the journey together. This weekend we undertake the final event. No matter what happens at the end of this journey you can't take away the amazing experiences we have had along the way. 

After the 100 mile bike ride last weekend, we got to run a 10k. It seemed only fitting that we finish it up together and spend some time reflecting on the journey. We have now done 4 of the 5 events and it has been incredible each step and pedal stroke of the way. Thank you Chris for embarking on this insane voyage with me. I wouldn't have wanted any other travel partner:)

Yes, we always are having fun:)

One more buckle for us to nab!