Starting to sort out some of the things I learned at Leadville. One thing I learned...when you think you're done, you're not. I learned there really is, I believe, a well inside each of us that doesn't dry up. We, or I guess i should say I was afraid that I would dig deep and come up empty handed. What if there was nothing there to draw from. That fear has caused me at times to avoid pushing myself to the point where I might need to draw upon that well. What would happen if I came up empty… Continue

Ok, so I'm starting to come back to life after Leadville.  Struggled with some pretty significant fatigue and nausea this week, but starting to perk up again and wondering what's next?  Any suggestions for my goal for 2013?

Wow, what a day!  I am humbled and honored. I gave this race all of me, everything I had at every moment, and these Colorado mountains gave me so much more, including granting me the reward of finishing this race. Over 800 people picked…

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I've always been fighting.  Fighting for something, fighting against something, fighting through something.  That's where I thought I drew strength. It was empowering--when it was successful.  But either way it was/is fatiguing.  And when I couldn't fight through I felt a sense of failure and frustration/disappointment.  I applied thos to running as well of course! I'm finally starting to understand how to let things come to me.  How to accept, incorporate and use it.  having young kids I get… Continue

Ran the streets of Leadville today....and running never felt so good.

So my conversation with coach Eric began with me e-mailing him teasing about my "tapering" before Leadville.  Tapering is tough.  It's a week before my big race, we have cut my running waaaay down, and I am forced to delve more into the mental aspect of this race, not that my brain hasn't been going through it's own training over the past year, but my mind is getting honed right now. The rate at which I am processing the mental aspects of running Leadville is dizzying, frustrating,…

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Wow, what a day.  This day began with my heart filled with fear and anxiety. It ended with my heart full and overflowing. I am a very honored and humbled....and tired me.  Yesterday and today every fiber of my being wanted to flee.  I found out my colleagues were planning an elaborate send off for me involving health directors, medical directors, tribal chief, Cherokee Nation Marshal escorts, etc.  As many of you know I am headed to Leadville for the Leadville trail 100 race next Saturday. …

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So with my "breakthrough" the other day...sitting down and plotting times, I ended up with a 29 hour Leadville finish. 30 hours is the cut-off. I sent that to Eric and his response was, "What do you WANT?" ...."What is your impossible?". The answer came quickly from within. "I want under 25 hours". You are considered "special" if you finish under 25 hrs. Now that I've decided that is my goal, I have a new sense of determination. I have a sense that I CAN do this. I wanted my coach, or… Continue