Greenland Trail 50k 2016 - On running in difficult conditions

Isn't it surprising the places you end up hurting after a race? Sometimes it's pride that hurts, sometimes it's legs. Neither for me, this time - just my face from frostbite and my shoulders from running with them crunched up due to being cold.

The Greenland Trail 50k had been one of my goal races for this year. Unfortunately, the weather gave no favors this year. It was brutal. The conditions deteriorated rapidly and continued to worsen throughout the race. Halfway through, the wind was whipping ice straight into our faces, the windchill carried frostbite with it, and the trail quickly become obscured by the huge snowdrifts. Visibility was poor. A few of the stragglers out on the trail mentioned how they didn't remember signing up for climbing Everest today.

The race director closed the finish line early, and I ended up completing only 3 of the 4 loops - 37.5k. However, unlike my last marathon, which felt like a huge disappointment when I did not make my goal time, my experience at the Greenland Trail races gave me *more* motivation to keep training and running hard rather than less.

I have the Pikes Peak Marathon to look forward to this year, and I intend to focus my training and do everything I can to succeed in the race. The Greenland Trail 50k did not work out like I anticipated, but I was one of fewer than 50 people who continued to endure the conditions for at least 3 loops. I feel tough as nails! And I know that mentality that carried me through the difficult conditions today is not something to be ashamed of. I feel prepared to tackle the next challenge - and I sure hope the weather is at least a little bit better.

Underneath Vast Western Skies

So we are vacationing in Phoenix.

It is a time of simultaneous memories and dreams. You can't really have one without the other, and they are each reflections of one another. Our memories shape our future dreams, just like our dreams will live on in our memories once they've been accomplished. Some dreams take longer than others to realize.

The skies seem so open and so blue. It does sometimes seem like I could run forever under such vast skies. It makes me think of an unusual song that I love: "Little Fluffy Clouds" by the Orb. "What were the skies like when you were young?"

The American West is a place that holds a special place in my heart. While living in Colorado Springs does mean I live in the West, something about the Southwest is charming and romantic. When I was in college, I took a museum class that was a week long in Santa Fe. It was a class that really showcased the fascinating history and art of the Southwest. Every once in a while I enjoy taking a trip south and west in order to reabsorb the beauty and renew my appreciation of the amazing locations that are nearer to me and dear, such as the Garden of the Gods. Can't go wrong with running in one of the most amazing places on earth!

The West is a place I'm honored to live in, and find peace in running in.