Rule #7

Rule #1: Don’t die.

Rule #2: No cops. Don’t get arrested.

Rule #3: Have fun.

Rule #4: Keep moving forward.

Rule #5: Smile. You love this sh*t.

These have been my top 5 adventure rules since I’ve started this crazy non sense we call ultra running. I’ve oftentimes passed these rules on to family and friends when they travel… with slight variation on some of the rules…

Of course these are just the first of many rules that will eventually be officially instated. Like for instance…  Rule #6: Drink locally when applicable. This was officially instated a few months ago with the blessings of Jason Green. After this weekend’s adventure… I want to officially announce Rule #7.

Rule #7: Always look before bounding over objects (ie: logs, trees, rocks)

A week ago my wife told me she had to fly up to South Carolina for work, so I immediately started formulating an adventure weekend. I called my buddy Stephen to see if he was free and up to help crew me on a trail adventure out in the Sipsey Wilderness area.

Over the course of last week I plotted a route that I wanted to take. The Sipsey isn’t a formal recreation area and is mostly back country trails with vague markings at the beginning and ends of each trail, so it’s easy to get turned around. And for the record… men do not get “lost”… they get “turned around.” So you can put together what my response was when the moment came when Kati said… “Just say you got lost.” Turned around. I got turned around dear.

The last time I stepped foot in the Sipsey Wilderness was when I was a kid. My Sunday school teacher was an avid hiker and always took us on hiking adventures. So to say the least… the area is pretty much unfamiliar to me, and I honestly wasn’t too terribly happy with the map I printed off the internet. I shot a quick direct message to Alabama Outdoors asking if they sold a map of the area. They did… but the only maps they had were in their Mobile location and that was just too far out of the way. So what do they do? They rush ship one over to the closest location to me! Boom. Huge thank you to Alabama Outdoors!

Finally Friday came around. I swung by Stephen’s house and loaded up the mountain bikes and headed up to my parents house for the night. 

I met Stephen up at the grocery store to pick up a few supplies and brews. We came back to the house and tried our best to plot out meeting spots for him to drop me aid.

Saturday morning came too soon. I crawled out of bed, ate a quick breakfast, and we loaded up the truck. BRRRRR. I wasn’t really expecting it to be so chilly… but not that it mattered. I would be warm a few minutes into the run. It was a little over 40 degrees when we made it to the parking lot. I grabbed my pack and Stephen and I started walking down the forest road to the trail head. Since my Garmin only had a limited battery life… he let me borrow his 310XT in which I quickly dubbed ”Regina George” after the first section of trail. It’s plastic, pretty… but a mean girl. It wouldn’t stop buzzing at me.

“See you in 4.5 miles.”

Within the first 100 yards I was thigh deep in a river crossing. If you’re ever sleepy or dragging in the morning… just hop in some freezing water. I promise you’ll be wide awake.

I crawled up the bank on the opposite side refreshed. I waved as I passed a group enjoying a warm fire and cup of coffee at their campsite near the river. I continued along the muddy single track for a few miles enjoying the rising sun peeking through the woods. My left ankle snagged a root about 3 miles in… but nothing serious… just one of those “I really wish that didn’t happen” moments.

After a couple more miles the trail dead ended at an intersection. I purposely over packed my vest since it was easy to get “turned around” out there, so I really didn’t need any aid… but I told Stephen I’d meet him at the trail head so I scurried up the ridge to the top. No one in sight. Humph. There’s no way I beat him here. I gave him a call but reception was so bad that he could only make out a few words. So like two high school sweethearts fighting… I hung up and immediately shot a short to-the-point text telling him to meet at the next aid.

I headed back down the ridge and continued onwards. Everything was going great… until Regina. She wouldn’t stop buzzing at me. I stop to take a picture… BUZZ. I stop to grab something from my pack… BUZZ. I stop to shoot a text… BUZZ. LEAVE ME ALONE REGINA!!!!!! At about the time I yelled this into the wilderness I hit a root and Supermaned it down the trail. I could hear her laughing… BUZZ. I picked myself up off the ground, pulled out the leaves that somehow managed to get inside my shirt, and carried on… Rule #4.  

I continued on the ridge until I came to the next junction. Rule #5.

Stephen had biked down to the junction so I wouldn’t have to do an out and back to the trail head to get supplies.

While I was scarfing down a banana and granola bar, Stephen was explaining how there was no possible way for him to meet me at the next aid. No worries… I’d pack heavy and meet him at the next one. It would have been roughly 6 miles to the next aid drop but now it was more like 13.

The next 6 miles were flat and fast. It was on this trail that I came in contact with the first human of the day… Billy. I saw Billy from a distance. Billy was a bigger man dressed in camouflage with a nice big rifle slung over his shoulder, staring intently at the ground…  

Z – “Are you tracking something? Want me to run along the side of the trail?”

Billy – “asdjkdf aldiwea cannalske *spits chew* asldkjfi navsdk.”

Z – “Ok then… good luck!”

No clue to what had just come out of this man's mouth. Gibberish. For a split second… my mind went black and nothing but crosshairs filled my eyes. I could feel the red dot resting on the back of my skull... Sniper Wolf…

Then like Eminem I snapped back to reality… this is Alabama. Billy most certainly did not have the figure of Sniper Wolf… and almost everyone in the woods around here wears camo and carries a gun.

I continued down the trail until it I reached the next junction. I took a right and blasted down the next portion of trail until I saw two men on horseback coming around a curve. I came to a walk so I wouldn’t startle the beasts...

“WHOOOOOAAAA horsie! We’ve got a walker up ahead.”

A walker. A walker. He called me a walker. Thanks Jack and Ennis…

I brushed that comment off with a quick dip into the sub 7min mile range just to prove a point to the enormous crowd of ZERO waiting at the next trail head.

The next section was only about 7 miles long. I was feeling fresh still, I was making good time and well ahead of my projected pace.

Rule #7: Always look before bounding over objects (ie: logs, trees, rocks)

I was moving pretty quickly through a downhill section of thin single track. The trail was well traversed so it had a lip on each side of roughly an inch high… just enough to do some damage to your ankles if you landed wrong. I came across a pretty large blown over tree. Slow down and be cautious? Nope. Speed up and bound.

It’s amazing how quickly the human brain can process scenarios…

As I cleared the log I looked down on the other side… snake. "&$*@!"

Immediately my brain raced.

Option A:  Land. Black snake… more than likely not venomous… land on it and run like hell.

Option B: Dodge. Dodge it… possibly breaking/spraining an ankle in the backcountry… and then having to worry about the snake still hanging around…

I went with option A.

I landed directly in the middle of the snake. I felt it wrap around my calf. I flipped out.

I slung my leg back and forth. I made moves Justin Timberlake would be jealous of... I cursed more than Samuel L Jackson in every movie he’s every played in combined. I ran aimlessly.

The trail ended at a cliff side drop off. After catching my breath and very carefully examining the area... I sat down.

BUZZ. I wanted to push Regina in front of a bus.

Where the hell am I? Did I stay on the right trail? I couldn’t process anything. I was thrown completely. I collected myself and took a look around. I saw a trail in the distance at the base of the cliffs… Is that it? I wasn’t sure if it was the end of another trail or still a part of the trail I was on. So I back tracked a mile or so back. Still… nothing looked familiar. I must have seriously blanked out. 

I climbed to a top of a ridge and shot Stephen a message. “Stepped on a %*$@)$& snake. Having to back track. Looking for the right trail.” 

I guess I probably should have said something about how I was fine and not bitten… but shortly after I sent it I lost service again.

I went back to the edge of the cliff where I had sat down. I decided to venture down to check out the trail below. I climbed down the rocks and hit the trail. It was well traversed so it must have been a main trail.

 I followed the trail for a few miles until I came across a controlled burn area… 

BUZZ. I wanted to throw Regina in the ashes… I wanted to put her in the burn book…

Mile 20ish. I still had no clue where I was... not the slightest. But then… the “Big Tree” came into sight.

I am saved!!!! “I know where I am!!!”  Rule #3.

The “Big Tree” was definitely nowhere near my intended route… but since I was there… I took the time to cool off in the falls and grab a picture.

Now that I knew where I was going, I picked up my pace. I headed back through the controlled burn and ran alongside the river. I saw a group of hikers with frustrated faces and a map out. I gave them directions to the “Big Tree,” double checked my route, and carried on.

I finally got to another river crossing. I wanted more than anything to just take off my socks and shoes and enjoy the cool water. Stephen was probably worried to death since he hadn’t heard from me since the “I stepped on a snake” message… so I opted for a quick half body submerge before hitting the trail back to the trail head.

I got to the top of the ridge and the 10 buzzes on my phone let me know I had cell service. I shot Stephen a message before reading any of them. I told him I was fine and would be here in about 3 miles. After he replied I read his messages. Like a good friend he called the park ranger. The park ranger said it was still too early to worry, so he never came out to the park… Rule #2 still intact. My phone died shortly after reading the last message.

My mother gave me some prayer beads that she picked up from her first trip to Israel. I take these beads with me on every major ultra I run… on every crazy, dangerous adventure. There's a sense of comfort, love and protection these beads give me.

With about a mile left to the trail head… I came across a graveyard. I was running a good pace as I approached the site. I slowly walked into the graveyard, dropped down on both knees in front of an 1800s tombstone, clutched my prayer beads, bowed my head, and prayed.

 

I thanked God for keeping me safe. I thanked Him for giving me good friends who are patient and would do anything for me, for a family that supports me and my craziness, for the ability to venture out and explore this beautiful world. I prayed for guidance for my sister as her family is making big decisions, for safe travels for my wife in the upcoming week…

A few minutes passed and I got up and started walking out of cemetery… I turned back and shot one last apologetic prayer up to the sky… “sorry about the language...” (I’m thinking given the circumstances He’ll probably give me a pass… I like to think He probably found it pretty amusing).

I ran up to the trailhead where Stephen was parked. He just smiled. “Kinlock and a beer?” Rule #1.

 

Till tomorrow…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homeless GU

Z – “Are you selling the GU?”

H – “Yes.”

Z – “Am I reading this right? 26pks for $3?”

H – “Yes.”

Z – “So if I give you 3 $1 bills… you’re going to give me 26pks of GU?”

H – “Yes. Meet me at the MacDonald’s by St. Vincent’s at 6:30p.”

Z – “I’ll be the one in the lime green Element.”

H – “I’ll be walking my dog.”

I started debating whether or not this was a scam. I’ve been pretty fortunate with my Craigslist ventures. I’ve bought and sold plenty of items, but this seemed too good to be true. If you know me by now… you know that I oftentimes find myself in sketchy situations… ie: not so pleasant hotel/motel rooms, sleeping in shopping center parking lots, roaming remote back country trails in the wee morning hours… so of course… my curious side got the better of me. I know, I know… “curiosity killed the cat” but… cats also have 9 lives! So with that theory going for me… I was going to be fiiiiiine.

As I made my way to University Blvd I turned up the radio… excuse me… I “turnt” up the jamz. No… like for realz tho. Any time I go downtown Birmingham or Atlanta… the rap MUST come out. So there I was… stopped at a red light, seat leaned back, gently bobbing my head to the smooth sounds of Young Jeezy. Ok, so maybe the lime green Element isn’t a “Caddie with diamonds in the back”… I do have a Black Diamond headlamp in the back seat… that counts as a diamond in the back right?

I pulled into the MacDonald’s parking lot and immediately saw the seller. The girl was in a dirty pair of blue jeans, a hoodie, a black backpack slung over her shoulder, and of course… she was walking her dog.

Z – “Do you have the GU?”

H – “Yes.”

She unzipped her backpack where I could inspect her stash. I only had a $20, so I had to go make change. I offered to buy her some coffee or some food… she declined. I like this chicka. Strictly business. 

As I walked into the golden arches for some coffee, I noticed two nurses across the street smoking cigarettes. They were staring intensely. Have I been set up? Is this a sting operation? Could these two blondes be narcs? I shrugged it off and purchased my coffee. I walked back out to meet my seller… I handed her a $5 bill… she handed me a box.

Z – “Keep the change."

I turned up Young Buck, took my first hit from my newly acquired stash, and drove into the sunset.

The transaction itself… looked sketchy as hell. I’m semi-surprised someone didn’t call the cops on us. I’m almost 100% positive this chicka picked up a half a box of GU’s left over from the Mercedes Marathon weekend... but who am I to judge? I'm a GU junkie and needed my fix... 

Craziness. Have I hit a new low? Maybe. I’m buying GUs from homeless folk off the streets of Birmingham for Pete’s sake!!!  I think it’s because I haven’t really pushed myself in a few months. I’ve been battling a nagging plantar fasciitis spout for a little while, but I’m thankful for the break.

Let me catch you up…

I bought a mountain bike. On ride #2... Althea fed me some humble pie. About halfway down “Blood Rock” my senses kicked in… “hey bro… what the hell are you doing?!”

I picked myself up, wiped the blood from my knee and continued down the mountain. A few miles later… I clipped a tree, flipped over the handle bars, drilled the back of my legs on something, and slid down a hill… only to be stopped by my head… against a log. Yep. I’m still paying for that one. I still have swelling/bruising on the back of my legs! So much for the healing aspect…

I’ve also had the opportunity to run with some really great people. 

I’ve started doing a lot of training with Sunny since we are running an event later this summer together. It’s been a blast bouncing around the trails with her!

I am also trying to be more social within the BUTS (Birmingham Ultra Trail Society) group. I unfortunately live a little further from Birmingham, so I rarely get to catch group runs and fun outings… but I did get a chance to share a few local brews at Cahaba Brewing with the group during the new shirt release party. It was fun catching up, meeting new people, and being talked into a certain epic overnight race this summer that the BUTS are putting on (thanks Kyle…). 

I’ve spent a lot of time taking in some really relaxed running...

 

Catching some sunsets…

Celebrating St. Patty’s Day on one of my favorite overlooks...

 

You know… the norm! ;) 

 

But thanks to some friendly discussions, a link being sent to me, and maybe a few too many brews… a seed has been planted… so now... it's time to plan an adventure... 

 

Till tomorrow…  

 

Althea

What happens when ultra runners have to lay off their feet for a while? She happens.

Going from running +10hrs a week to the big goose egg (0)… well it has not been easy... my wife can contest to that. I don’t train like most folks.  I don’t base my mileage or training around race season. I just love to run year round. I love to run the same trails throughout the changing of the seasons because they turn into completely different trails! It’s amazing how that happens!

In my opinion… I’ve been handling the whole not running thing pretty well… I’ve still been on the trails, but it has been mostly hiking. And since *insert douchy voice* SPRING BREAK!!! is coming up soon… I have gotten back into a gym routine. Ok…  maybe my gym routine is not because of Spring Break. For the record… I DON’T do Spring Break. I never have, never will…unless… it will involve some sort of weeklong epic endurance adventure! Mostly I got back into a gym routine because of the Nulivscience sponsorship. I’ve been taking their plant based supplements for a little over 2 months now and have been happy with the results. I had been lacking motivation to get into the gym for strength training, but after partnering with these guys… I’ve been incorporating some much needed strength training into my life.

It hasn’t all been easy… there’s been a lot of complaining and self pity going on in my world. Kati mostly gets the bulk of it, but to keep it fair… I’ve made sure I’ve branched out to my closest friends too! You’re welcome guys! I can say though… the amount of support and advice I’ve received has been amazing! It has helped me stay focused and most importantly…stay positive! And Kati’s shown me some tough love… on days that I’ve been down and wanting to just come in from work, grab a beer, and slum around on the couch… she’s literally forced me out the door to go play. 

After a long week of being cooped up inside and at the gym… we enjoyed a relaxing Friday night with Owen and Sunny. It was a night filled with pizza, chocolate milk, hot tea, talk of bikes, adventures and other craziness. This left me anxiously waiting the bike shop’s call on Saturday. I was dying to be back on some single track moving at a good pace. Well… I got a call from Chuck and he was stranded at the mechanics shop while his car had work done. After a lovely morning of Dunkin Donuts and fabric shopping with the wifey… we swung by and picked him up. He bought us lunch before heading back to the house. After relaxing for a bit, we decided to get out and about. We swung by and picked up Althea and headed out to Oak Mt to hike. Chuck has been recovering from a broken foot so running would be kept at a minimum. We headed up to the falls to start our 6 mile loop.  

After a few hours of playing in the woods, I dropped Chuck off and headed home to get cleaned up. Then it was off to Tin Roof for a few drinks with the Crump brothers. Good People Brewing IPA and fun live music had me creeping into bed waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay later than I’m used to.

I woke up Sunday to an absolute perfect weather day… blue skies… white clouds… breezy and 70degrees. Now of course that only meant that the days during the week would be dreary, cold, and freezing… but that’s Alabama winters for you. I had planned on taking full advantage of the day. I packed a cooler, my hydration vest, and headed to Oak Mt to meet up with the Crump Bros. After lounging lakeside and basking in sun's rays for an hour… it was time to ride. Stephen (Scrump) has a bike… his brother, Chris… well let’s just leave it at “I had a bad experience." We started off by doing a 5.5 mile loop around the lake. It felt wonderful flying down rolling single track again! Of course it’s not running… but I’m moving fast through the woods!! WIN!! We wrapped up the loop and headed back to our spot by the lake to let the girls hike and yes… I’m including Chris in with the females. When the ladies got back, we packed up and headed back to the car... but I wasn’t done.

I refilled my vest with the clean tasting, purified water from the OM beach bathroom sink before heading back onto the single track with Althea. It was late afternoon and most everyone was already off the trails and heading home to enjoy a relaxing Sunday night. Not me… no sir! I was just too excited to be back in the woods covering distance! I rode 6 miles before deciding to turn around and head back.  After throwing Althea into the back of the Element, I walked down to the beach area to say hey to a few friends.

Standing in the hot shower with a cold beer in my hand… I smiled. It felt good to have my thighs burning from climbing again… to feel the rush from swiftly moving through the forest... I felt alive again... I felt normal again. Being on the bike will never take the place of running. There is just something about running… it’s so primal… so original… it would be hard to replace that feeling of freedom… but Althea is close. I named my bike Althea which is a Greek name meaning  “healing.” I felt it was appropriate. I am extremely excited about the adventures I will share with her. I feel as though it will make me a better rounded athlete and make me appreciate running more. Maybe this “injury” was necessary… maybe it happened to open my eyes to a whole new world… a new fantastic point of view… whatever the meaning behind it is… I will continue showing you the world… shining, shimmering, splendid…

Oh and you're welcome. If you own the movie... Aladdin will probably be watched now... if not... enjoy "a whole new world" being stuck in your head for the next 3 days... 

Till tomorrow... 

 

Pain Vaults

Pain vaults. Every single person on this planet has one. Some can hold more pain than others… but nonetheless… these majestic vaults exist. Follow me on the journey into my pain vault...

My pain vault is in an undisclosed location so don’t bother trying to locate it on your own. The vault itself is a lot like Riche Rich’s vault… MASSIVE and located on the side of a mountain… only mine doesn’t have a huge sculpted portrait of my face on the outside. It’s a long haul up to the entrance, so I don’t visit that often… usually only once a month. I do make small daily deposits though. There is a specific currency accepted by my vault, and it usually comes in forms of runs and workouts. It does accept other forms of currency… music, happiness, memories, etc... because one cannot live on runs and workouts alone. These deposits are necessary to ensure I’m ready when it’s time to cash out for some good clean fun.

To this day, it’s sometimes hard to find the entrance to my own damn vault. For it’s nothing fancy… usually covered in mud, dirt and the occasional trace of blood… but you’ll definitely know it when you get there.

Upon entering the vault you will notice the lighting. It’s usually pretty dim and gloomy through the initial hallway, but don’t you worry your pretty little head… it gets brighter as you go. It’s relatively quiet through this long, winding hallway. Your heartbeat is usually the only company you will share but if you listen carefully… you can hear a few loose demons whispering in the shadows. Pay no mind to these devils… they’re more talk than anything. It is, however, extremely important to acknowledge these pesky little entities. If you don’t at least acknowledge their presence… they’ll bite down on your heel and won’t let go until it bleeds. It’s best just to give a little smirk, stay focused and move silently past. More times than not, you can pass through without causing much of a stir.

The hallway is looooooooooooooooooooong and painful so don’t lose faith. If you stay resilient, you will eventually make it into the main chamber. Ladies and gentlemen… the room you’ve all have been waiting for. The room where all the deposits are stored! It’s time to enjoy that hard earned work… 

WAZAM!!!!!

You bust through the door entering into a most glorious room! A room full of laughter, music, singing, and memories! By this time you’re probably hurting pretty bad. Enjoy it! Embrace the suck! 

This moment… right now… is the reason you’ve been saving up these deposits! You know you have the reserve to push forward… so go!! Enjoy your riches!!!!

Now some bad news...

There is one teeny weenie section that remains dark. A small shadow is cast in the far corner. I hate this part of my pain vault. In the shadows lies a chest bound by chains...

This chest holds a special type of pain… a bad and evil pain. INJURY. This pain is not a welcomed visitor in my vault. Most of the time, security is on top of their game and they keep this nasty trespasser out… but sometimes he sneaks in and camps out in the chest.

This evil chest has had its share of deposits. From the big stuff like dislocated shoulders, ITB issues, stress fractures… to smaller items such as lacerations, bumps, and bruises… and everything else in between. This chest has been filled from time to time… but for the most part remains empty and covered in cob webs.

By the grace of God, this chest has been basically empty for the past few years. However… a deposit has been made in the form of plantar fasciitis. It’s not a bad case… but backing off from laying down serious miles is needed. A few short years ago… back when I was young, dumb and full of stupidity… I would have tossed caution to the wind and worked through the pain. Luckily my wandering mentor, Kaepora Gaebora, was kind enough to share some of his worldly wisdom with me…

He’s told of great and wondrous adventures from his travels across the land and has given me insight to what it takes to do these epic escapades. One must be healthy to pursue great adventures…

So I rest. I wait to withdraw from that evil chest in the corner. I will still make deposits into the pain vault… for now it's less miles on my run/hikes, possibly venture into other areas of endurance… probably write more than usual...hell, may even pick up the old Gibson and write a new song.

Thank you for visiting my pain vault with me. I would love to visit yours sometime. But until then… keep making those deposits… I promise they’ll be worth it.

Cheers to the weekend!

Till tomorrow…

ps: I'm a huge Legand of Zelda nerd... My wife compares me to Link because of all my solo adventures... but if you got the Zelda references mixed into the above ramblings... consider yourself a life long friend. 

 

Hook, Line, Sinker

So I felt disappointment for the first time in my entire life about a week ago... I felt caught in an intense emotional fog...

I've thrown around the idea of completing a 100 miler for a while now. Last year was all about pushing the limits and finding myself as a runner. Coming into this year that was the goal... to complete a 100 mile race. So when Mr. John Gregg said... "throw your name in!" (referring to the Wasatch lottery)... I did.

I would like to personally blame this man for this feeling of disappointment... my first feeling of disappointment. Ok... maybe not the first time... and maybe blaming him is a little harsh (considering Wasatch wasn't even on the radar for me...)

Of course I'm just playing. John Gregg is a great runner, great husband (please... correct me if I'm wrong Katie)... and all around awesome guy.

After patiently waiting for the lottery drawing I was a little disappointed when I didn't see my name. Well I did see my last name... they just had the wrong first name in front of "Andrews." Even more disappointing was the fact I passed on the Thunder Rock 100 signup because of the off chance that I did get into Wasatch... I couldn't pay two pricey entry fees within a week of each other. Luckily I was about 4 miles from my car when I found out the terrible, terrible news. The next mile was a pity party, but as soon as I started scampering down the summit of Shackleford at sunset... it all went away. All was right with the world again.

Still, I was hooked. I took the bait. I swallowed the 100 mile lure and was slowly being reeled in... it's just sooooo shiny and sparkly and pretty...

So I made a training plan. After putting it together, I slumped back in my chair. Depressing. This looks miserable. Ugh. I haven't made a training plan in well over a year. Why? Because a piece of paper should not determine my efforts for the day. Last year I ran by how I felt on any particular day. Sure... I threw down long runs when I knew I needed them, but if Saturday wasn't the day for a 30 mile run... maybe Sunday was. Not having a plan works best for me. Earlier last week I was 100% ready to sign up for one in May... that is until this weekend.

After clocking out of work on Friday I headed straight to the state park to follow the plan...

 

For the first hour I ran hard. Killing every climb... destroying every downhill... but it just wasn't fun. It felt like work. I started the climb up Shackleford as the sun was setting. I hit the summit and started chasing the sunset. Boom. Fun again. My mind was so far from that 100 mile training plan it was ridiculous. The next thing I knew... my headlamp was on and it was dark. After being horribly defeated by the deer I was attempting to race... I was back at my car. Dang that felt good!

When my alarm went off Saturday morning... I wasn't all too anxious to get out of bed. That stupid training plan kept popping in my head. "SHUT UP!!! I know I have to go run!!" Any other Saturday I would have hopped right out of bed and been on the trails before sunrise. I started making every excuse I could think of... and then... "BEEP!" My phone went off. Sunny (my snowpacolpyse host mom) texted me asking if I wanted to run. "Yes!" After white iced, rainbow sprinkle donuts and coffee, an unsuccessful shoe shopping experience, Mexican and margaritas with Kati, Erik, and a "I asked for no salt" diva (yes... I went there Sarah Anna) .... Sunny and I hit the trails. A solid +2hr run... the kind of running I absolutely love.

After cleaning up... it was time for guitars, brews, and bros!! Loooooong night of great music, great beers, and great company!

When my alarm went off Sunday morning... I was NOT happy. Ugh. High Gravity... you got me. Not feeling up to par... I lounged around the house and watched the Canadian high school sitcom drama "Degrassi" and some stalker show (she puts up with my running... I put up with her shows... fair trade).

I finally got up and out to the trails. Perfect. Exactly what I needed. I couldn't have asked for a more enjoyable afternoon. The weather was amazing, people were out in the woods hiking with their dogs, every one looked so happy...

 

 

"Is it because it's the next big thing? Life is too short to waste half a year on something that you aren't 100% on... and who said anything about boundaries? There are no boundaries with or without a 100 under your feet."

Sometimes you just need to hear it from someone else before it sinks in. Thank you...

The only race that I'm 100% sure that I'm doing is late in the summer and I'm super stoked about it! It's going to be a blast! And I think that's exactly what racing should be... FUN! I'll of course sign up for races as the year progresses... and I've got a good amount of self supported fun runs planned (God willing the first in a few weeks)... but for now... I'm at peace and enjoying running too much to worry about the next big thing to cross off the list.

I'm still carrying around that sparkly fishing lure... but the line has been cut. I'm no longer being drug up to the surface. I've been set free... for now (dun dun dun). Maybe I'll check off that 100 miler this year... maybe not... but what's the rush? This is an endurance thing right?

Till tomorrow...