Snake hunting with Tyler

We had a great dinner at my Mom's house last night. All the kids were home and it was so fun to get together. Matt and I, my sister, and my brother and his wife and two kids came. Tyler, my two and a half year old nephew wanted to go out salamander hunting. After exhausting all the secret hiding places of every creature imaginable, we found this tiny baby snake. He wasn't too sure about holding it though. As you can see by this photo, that snake had a mouth the size of a fly!! I just could not convince him to trust that snake not to bite him.

It brought back alot of memories of when I was little. I could spend hours catching lizards and snakes and taking care of all my animals. I guess you can tell by this that I was a major tomboy who prayed every night that I would turn into a boy. I just loved being out and getting dirty. I am sooo glad that I didn't get my wish, as I would have really been quite wimpy as a boy, and I do like being a girl (thanks God).

Strength and Survival

I cried on my way to work today. That's funny because I do not cry often. I almost never cry in front of people. I'm not really sure why. I'd like to think that I am just a strong person who cries when alone and doesn't like to show emotions in front of others. I feel sadness and pain, but I don't often show it.

This morning I cried as I thought of my Father. He has been dead for 17 years. He died at the young age of 60. He was an alcoholic. You have to be strong when you are a child of an alcoholic. You learn to be a survivor. You learn to hide your emotions. For many years prior to my Dad's passing, he struggled with a condition that destroyed his self respect and his dignity. He became a person he never wanted to be. He lost everything. That makes me cry. My heart breaks when I think of what he had and what he lost.

In December 1980, I made a New Years resolution to quit drinking. I was not a "drinker," but with my genetics, I thought that would be a good resolution. It has been 27 years since that day, and I have never had a sip since. I'd like to think that my Dad's drinking was his gift to me. As a result, I became who I am today. You need to be strong to be an ultra runner. Thanks, Dad, for making me strong and for the gift of life.

Up And Out Early

"Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must move faster than the lion or it will not survive. Every morning a lion wakes up and it knows it must move faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve. It doesn't matter if you are the lion or the gazelle, when the sun comes up, you better be moving."- Maurice Greene (attributed to Roger Bannister shortly after running the first sub-4 mile)

Volunteering at Pirates Cove 50k

Today I fulfilled my Western States volunteer requirement by working at the Pirates Cove 50k in Rodeo Beach. It is a Pacific Trail run that is directed by husband and wife team, Sarah and Wendell. It was a cold and windy day but me and a fellow Western States runner, Anthony, had fun talking with all the runners as they stopped by our aid station. We even had a coyote eating a meal right in front of us. It was really cool. It was nice to give back to the sport that has given me so much happiness. I hope you all had a nice day and that you filled it doing something that made you feel good inside.

Running At Last!

Today I went out and ran for 1.5 hours with Paul and Naomi. Naomi is my good friend who paced me at Wasatch last year. I was nervous about my ankle after going for my first official walk- run yesterday after getting my boot off. My ankle is sore and stiff. I took an Advil and iced my ankle pre and post run and it feels okay right now. It was so incredible to be out on the trails again. I just feel a little apprehensive about pushing it too much. Swimming with the Masters have really paid off. I felt like I hadn't missed a day of running!! We will see what happens on a LONG run or a FAST run. I'm sure that will be a different story. I think I will try and go up to the Western States trail on Friday with a few friends. My plan is to just go easy and get some time on my feet. I am excited to get back up there. The weather is so beautiful out that it is hard to stay down for long.

Discover Yourself

Your biggest challenge isn't someone else. It's the ache in your lungs and the burning in your legs, and the voice inside you that yells, "CAN'T, but you don't listen. You just push harder. And then you hear the voice whisper, "can." And you discover that the person you thought you were is no match for the one you really are. - author unknown

The pursuit of running

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."-John Muir

Today was a beautiful day and I am itching to run. Actually, I can't wait to run! I am tempted to get out for a short jog, but I know that I better wait to get the go ahead from my Doc. I didn't wear my boot today. The first time in four weeks. I am at the point where my ankle feels better without the boot on. Did I say I can't wait to run??? Wow, I feel hyper. I am feeling like everyone is getting in better shape and getting faster and I am just turning into a total soft jelly fish. It's that perpetual feeling that we as ultra runners get that tells us that we are not doing enough. That we are way behind everyone else in fitness and miles. I hate that feeling. I just have to keep telling myself that I will be OKAY. My running fitness and speed will return. I have less than a month until a group of us will run the double crossing of the Grand Canyon. It will be a blast. Hope everyone had a great day today. I sure did.

The Leave It To Beaver clan- doesn't it make you feel old?

My sister sent me this picture last night and I just cracked up! Can you believe that this is Eddie Haskell, the Beav, and Wally Cleaver? I remember watching this show when I was young and thinking it was so funny. Now when I watch the reruns, I can't help but think how DUMB it is. My how times change. It makes me think about my favorite show back then called Flipper. I used to think that the oldest teenage boy was sooo cute. One day I realized years later, that I know longer thought that the boy was cute, but that his Dad was Hot. Boy, I really felt old then! I hope everyone had a great day today. I hope that someone made you laugh and you felt alive inside. I go see my Doctor on Thursday and I hope he gives me the thumbs up on starting to get out on the trails again. I never feel as alive as I do when I am running in the hills. I feel whole and content when I am running and I am so thankful that God has given me that gift. Enjoy your evening..

Passing On

Last Sunday I lost my cousin in a head on car accident. He was only 43. He was my cousin and I didn't even know him. He worked at the Safeway that I shop at everyday, and I didn't even know it. I hadn't seen him since we were really young. His own Father died in a similar accident at 46 and we had lost touch. I have thought of him many times over the years, but that was about as far as it went. I feel sad that we never connected. It just shows how life is so short. Here one day and gone the next. My heart breaks for his Mother and younger brother. I can't imagine losing a child or my siblings. It just about killed me when my own Dad died at the too young age of 60. He was an alcoholic and died after a short illness related to his drinking. When you ache with sadness, it is like a giant fist is squeezing the inside of your chest and then later, when all the crying is done, it just feels empty in there. I think of my Father everyday, and I still miss him terribly. Let's treat everyday like it could be our last. You just never know.

missing running

Boy, am I missing running. It has been about 3 weeks since I started wearing a boot to start the process of healing this tendonosis of my ankle. The weather has been so beautiful, and I want so much to be running in the hills. The positive thing about taking this time off to heal my ankle is that I have really started enjoying swimming. My shoulders are sooo tired though. I hope it is keeping me in good enough shape so that when I can get out on the trails, it won't be like starting over. With Western States and Wasatch in the near horizon, I can't help but be a little nervous. Oh well, the rest of my body needed the time off and so I must believe that this layoff will only prove to be good for me!!

Live Life to the Fullest!!

Hi everyone,
this is my first time blogging. Imagine that!! I wanted to share a quote from Ed Abbey, Confessions of a Barbarian. "It is not death or dying that is tragic, but rather to have existed without fully participating in life-that is the deepest personal tragedy." I love that saying. I love my life and enjoy living it to the fullest! Well, I'm off for a hour of swimming to keep in shape while my ankle is healing.