Not what i expected



And you thought running gear was hard?!!

 The deal: 25 mile bike ride and a 10 mile run with 4 other cyclist, triathletes, runners.

Preperation: Up until 10:00pm packing, worrying, debating, thinking.. finally around 12:00 sleep arrived.

Dream: Kicking some serious butt on a 25 miler then timing my transition (hopefully under 2:00 min.) and then hauling on foot up a mountain.

What "really" happened: We all froze to death on the bikes at 30 degrees.. headed back after 7/8 miles, then everyone whining and complaining about dipping their toes in coffee and having a hot breakfast.

As a runner i exclaim, "You mean we aren't going to run??"

Might as well have told me there was no air on the planet. I said a courteous goodbye to the others and went to my special place where i am always welcomed.. MOTHER NATURE (if you live in Utah.. aka THE MOUNTAINS).

I enbark on a 4 mile run up Mount Timp huffing and puffing and realize something big. Very BIG.  In the aftermath of biking 8 miles, catching my breath through the rocky hills, catching a glimse of (probably) the last covered snow mountains, and reaching a silence that only birds get to hear.. i realized one thing.

I AM A RUNNER. I am not a biker, even though i enjoy it. I am not a swimmer even though it's challenging. I am a runner by heart and nature. Why?

I can catch a moment in every run that is absolute serenity. I can't explain it. It never happens in a swim or a bike, but in a run i feel like i'm "home". Like i was born to do this.

Born to run. Oh, yeah!.. i'm by no means fast, but i have peace with my mind, body and soul when i run and that makes me feel fast.

Are you born to run??

First Place in Timp Shadow 5k!!

 It was an icy cold trail race, but worth fighting the wind to win first place in my age group (30-39 years) and 4th overall in the womans.Timp Shadow is the first of three trail races through the Wasatch mountains. It was a beautiful run, but boy did my lungs sting from the elevation. I havn't been consistantly training in the mountains for about a month and when we hit 5,500 feet i couldn't catch my breath for anything. Luckily it was only a 5k.

This race was the "baby" of the 3. Next race is Gruesome Grizzly 10k and it sounds like a mean mother.

I'd love to give 100% to trail running but i've got 5 triathlons coming up and i need to put all my eggs in one basket for now. Trail racing will just have to be on my list as "fun runs".

I love going out for a "fun" race and winning. Has that ever happened to you?