(L)  On Saturday I had to drive some kids up to Red Rocks Amphitheater for some “dryland” training for skiing.  It was anything, but dry.  When we left Colorado Springs it was blue skies and just a little cool.  About 25 minutes into our drive we hit the wall of snow and everything changed. There was snow, ice and it was cccccold!!!

I decided since I was going to be there for 2 hours anyway I might as well get some exercise.  At first I ran around the dirt parking lot because it seemed safe.  Since that went well I decided to tackle a trail.  This is what it looked like:

Since I was just about at my one-year anniversary of hurting my back, I didn’t want to do anything foolish, but the snowy trails and this rock were calling my name.

So, I went for it and it was beautiful.  It’s ridiculous really because I haven’t been logging huge miles running, but I have been walking a lot and just dabbling in the whole running thing. However, just writing this blog is getting me jazzed up because I love being on a trail while it’s snowing.  It’s so quiet and peaceful and sometimes you even feel like you can conquer the world when you are out there.  That is the feeling I am going for.

In fact, after running to the top of this trail I decided that I would check out the stairs at the amphitheater.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was enough snow covering the ice so I was able to run the stairs 10 times.  As I said to an older gentleman that I met doing the stairs, “I am not fast, but I know how to endure.”

I think I am ready to start enduring the training for our next -hour race!

(G) Let me start by saying, we all read that Lowi is ready to start training for our “next 24-Hour race!” When she tries to tell you later that I “talked” her into it we can all refer back to this moment. 🙂

Girls on the Run

So late last week my torture was just walking around after race day and getting through the soreness. But I did rally on Saturday to run a 5k with Girls on the Run as a way to celebrate the end of the season. The girls were so excited and so was I. It was a great time and it was awesome to see all of them so unabashedly proud and accepting of their accomplishment without qualification.

Then, post-5K, the cold that’s been dogging me for days got the upper hand.
I have been coughing quite a lot so I do hope that counts as ab work.

Detox

In my effort to find a way to engage in torture since you can’t run if you can’t breathe I have discovered the detox bath. It’s a whole new kind of torture. Essentially, you fill the tub with crazy hot water, throw in some Epsom salt, ginger and some other heat-inducing elements and steam yourself. Nothing like breaking a sweat while in water. So far 25 minutes has been my limit but I feel compelled to stay in longer as it’s the only time I can breathe through my nose.

No sugar
I am back to no sugar after my stint off the wagon during the race and the painfully long ride home. What’s a girl to do but eat vanilla Oreos while driving through North Carolina, Virginia and possibly still in West Virginia? So today is the start of day 5 and despite the cold, feeling better.

In My Weakened State

I don’t think I can totally be blamed for this since I was not up to par over the weekend. But when Johnny Armani handed me a race entry form for Land Between the Lakes March 14, 2015 and told me to fill it out, I did! And there’s no going back, he already mailed it out. Guess 2015 is starting earlier than we both expected.

Sunshine & Sarcasm,

Lowi & G