Endurance Race Series Ambassadorship

My history with the Endurance Race Series has been a long one, quite possibly from almost the beginning.  During the first year of running, when Mike Numon challenged me to run a 5k, which I completed; he then challenged me to run a 10k by the end of the summer.  I spent quite a while trying to find the perfect 10k for me.  I really liked trail running (as opposed to street running), and I needed something with relatively little elevation gain.  I can't remember where I found the Denver ERS 10k, but I think possibly on the internet or running magazine.  It seemed to fit the description  that I was looking for.  I had been training for longer distances, but when I ran my first ERS 10k, it was the first time I had run 6.2 miles.  I ran the whole thing as well, no walking.  I had fun, loved the post-race party, the medal, and the people.  It was the only 10k I ran that first year, but I started looking into the race series for the following year.

The following year we ran four of their races (Denver, Glenwood Springs, Snow Mountain Ranch, and Louisville).  I am not sure why we didn't run more, or sign up for the whole series, but we were new runners, and didn't know enough about the running community.  Plus,  6.2 miles was a lot for us at the time. We really enjoyed the Race Directors Jeff and Craig, as well as the Volunteer Coordinator, Denise.  The following year we signed up for the whole series.  We have run the entire series three times!  It's not only the trails that bring us back, but the people that manage the series, as well as the people that participate in the series.  These people are mostly down to earth kind of people, friendly and are there to have fun.  We have also made several good friends because of running the series, and we get to enjoy each others company more than just during the race season.

Last year the Endurance Race Series started an Ambassador program.  The program required you, as an Ambassador to run all the races, wear ERS Ambassador Gear, pass out you Ambassador discount code cards, work the booth at another race for promotion, post on Social Media, and help out at the ERS races.  You also got to run all the races for no cost!  Both Tom and I applied, and Tom got one of the Ambassadorships!  I didn't get one, but I still enjoyed going, running, and helping out at the ERS races last year.  Tom did a great job being an Ambassador, and it was fun helping him reach out to people and post for him on Social Media.  At the end of the year, Jeff (Race Director) gave me an ERS hoodie for helping out!  I love it, and wear it all the time.

This year I got asked to be an Ambassador!  I was so excited!  So far, it has been so much fun, and the race season hasn't really even started.  We are required to work for our Season Pass this year, getting people to use our codes, which wasn't too difficult.  It made you reach out to runners that you know, to running groups, and just talk to other runners that you encounter.  It has been a really good experience so far.  We are also required to do a training race.  Tom and I did our training race a few weeks ago in Longmont at the course site for this years Longmont event.  We had a good time, and met several runners that came from Arvada to run with us, as well as Season Pass holder Glen Ort. Tom and I traveled 180 round trip miles this past weekend to be with Stacy Allen Boyd for her training run in Morrison at Deer Creek Canyon.  Beautiful trail and views, but the trail was so muddy I couldn't run on it because of my injury.  For being an Ambassador, we were given products from some of the Series Sponsors.  We received an Ultimate Direction hydration vest, Gnarly Protein and hydration samples, personal discount code cards, and really great ERS Ambassador gear to wear.  The season hasn't even started, and it has been fun meeting new runners by making contact and passing out my discount code card along the way.  I am really looking forward to the race season this year, and I am hoping that my MCL injury is well on it's way to healing when it begins. 

Being part of a team is something that is personally important to me.  Before I retired, and was working as a Supervisor.  I felt that just being a supervisor wasn't just about supervising, but it was about working as a team.  I think it is important to work with the people on your team, everyone brings something different to the table.   I play ice hockey, and everyone on the team is important; no matter how good you play, or whether you can score goals or not.  You work together with the levels that each player is able to play at, and use it to develop a play. That's how you score goals.  Learn about your team mates, find out what their skills are, and help to them to develop new skills and excel at their current skills.  The ERS Ambassador team brings 5 people together that have different goals, achievements, running paces, and different skills.  We have leaders that recognize the importance of what each person brings to the team.  That's what team work is all about.  The Race Director (Jeff), the Volunteer and Ambassador coordinator (Denise), and the Ambassadors (Rebecca, Erica, Stacey, Tom and I) are a team; and that's just another reason I am excited to be a new Ambassador for the Endurance Race Series.

Once again, I urge you to apply for Ambassadorships for products that you love and care about.  At this point, I had two Ambassadorships, #mysoxyfeet and the Endurance Race Series.  Both are dear to my heart.  Make sure that they don't conflict with each other if you have more than one.  I wear the ERS gear (shirts and hats), and wear MySoxyFeet on my feet.  No problem.  Next time I will talk about my newest Ambassadorship, #skirtSports, a company that designs running skirts in Boulder, CO.

See you out on the trails . . . . .

My Soxy Feet Ambassadorship

Since I can't run for a while, and since this is a "running" blog (?), I thought I should take some time to write about my Ambassadorships.  When I first started running, I had no idea that companies had "ambassadors", and what were they anyway?  The longer you stay in a sport, hobby or your career you continue to learn things about them.  Being an Ambassador is like being a walking advertisement board with all kind of information about the product.  You also represent the company and the product.  I suggest that if you are an Ambassador to something, make sure that you love it.  If you want to be an ambassador to more than one company/product, make sure they don't conflict with each other.  Also, fill your role as an Ambassador by doing what is required of you - basically, it's like a job.  I am an Ambassador for three different companies now, so instead of being retired, I like to say that I have three jobs :-)

My first Ambassadorship started just over a year ago, #MySoxyFeet.  I saw the invitation to be an Ambassador for My Soxy Feet on Facebook.  I had never heard of the company, never had seen their products, and never tried their socks before; but it just felt right.  I really wanted to be part of something. Since retiring, I needed to be part of something new and exciting. So, I decided to apply, why not?  A couple of months later I got an e-mail from Jason and Melissa telling me I had been chosen to be a My Soxy Feet Ambassador!  I was so excited, but also, I hadn't tried their socks, so I was a little worried to represent a company that I didn't know much about.  But, I took a chance, and so did they.   I ordered the shirt and the compression socks, and proceeded to fall in love with this company, and people who run it. 

I was so excited to get my Ambassador gear in the mail.  The compression socks were amazing!  So, of course, after that I ordered some of their other socks.  My Soxy Feet socks are now the only running sock that I wear.  After wearing their regular running socks for the first time, I never gone back to any other socks.  They never blister, they are comfortable, they support my foot, they keep my feet dry from any sweating, and they are super cute.  My Soxy Feet also offer you free socks for wearing and tagging the socks on social media.  Wow, how fun is that, no problem for me.  You get points for pictures on FB, Instagram, Twitter, etc.  I just do FB and joined Instagram to help advertised the socks.  So, a couple of times a year, I have the opportunity to cash in my points and get some free socks - this however doesn't keep me from buying socks as well.  They also offer their Ambassadors a discount for themselves, and a personal discount code for me to give to others.

There is also a couple of bonuses of being an Ambassador for My Soxy Feet other then just the fun of taking sock pictures and getting free socks. First, they have an Ambassador's FB page, and I have "met" other Ambassadors, and talk to them about running and other things and have become friends with them.  Second, the owners,  Melissa and Jason Corp.  I can't say enough about Melissa and Jason.  Melissa follows me on FB, she sends messages to me via Messenger, adds the cutest notes with every order I make.  She is kind and caring, and loves to run as well.  I have made wonderful friends because of My Soxy Feet.  I am so proud, happy and privileged to be part of this company.  I love their socks (and other products), and I love helping to help them get their product out there. I have been able to get some of my friends to order their socks as well, and they love them too.   The company is  based out of Florida, and I hope someday to meet them and the other Ambassadors that live there.  I am a better person for being an Ambassador for MySoxyFeet.

Be an Ambassador for companies you love.  I love MySoxyFeet .

Add Wearing MySoxy Ambassador gear on top of the Monster Hill

Riley sleeping on MySoxy socks

Me after an 11 mile run with MySoxy compression socks

From Good to Bad

Last Thursday was my last run for a while (of course at the time I didn't know that), and it was a good one!  We were supposed to run 5 miles for Horsetooth Half training; but I felt so good that I ran 6 miles.  I actually felt really good, and wanted to run more, but decided not too push that good feeling into a bad feeling.  My hips/back was a little painful, but overall, I felt great.  I had a couple of PR's on some of the sections up and down the Monster Hill, and felt really great about it.  The run was beautiful, the weather was perfect, and most importantly, no wind.  I also got some encouragement from someone at the top, a women said "great work up that ass-busting hill".  Wow, that made me feel even better. I can say that this was one of the most enjoyable runs I've made up the Monster Hill.

I wore the High Five Skirt Sport for the first time, and had no issues with it.  #skirtsports  I had to buy a medium in this skirt, as the skirt part in the small was a little tight.  I did notice that there wasn't as much compression in the shorts underneath that I normally would like, but other than that, it was great.

Top of the Monster Hill with my new High Five Skirt Sport Skirt and ERS shirt

The sign by the CSU stadium, no more football will be played here

The next evening I had a Hot Flash Hockey game in Denver, at the APEX area.  Of course I was looking forward to it, and was excited to play with my team.  This team is kind of rough, and we were prepared for them to have a grudge against us, since we beat them with a very short bench last time we played them.  The game went into overtime, and we won in sudden death.  We were winning at the beginning of the second period we were winning 1/0.  At one point I went for the puck and had it on my stick and somehow two girls from the other team came from behind and I got pushed down.  My knees came together in a "butterfly" position, and I felt a pop on my right knee.  I went to the bench, and a couple of the girls asked me if I was OK.  I said "no".  I got ice from a guy that was with us on the bench, and sat there with ice on my knee.  The game got tied up that period. 

During the period break, Karen, who is a Veterinarian looked at my knee, and said it was probably a Medial Carpal Ligament injury.  She told me to keep ice and compression on it.  I went into the locker room, and wrapped it with some Vetwrap for compression.  It did swell up, but not as bad as I thought it would.  It definitely hurt. 

I was able not to cry all the way home, but when I got home I started crying.  I cried off and on for  two days.  I couldn't believe that I am hurt and unable to run and play hockey. I have had so many injuries in the past 4 months, I couldn't believe I have another one.  This one I know would keep me from running.  I am mad at myself for playing hockey at all, because now I can't run.  But I love hockey as well.  I am devastated.   It hurts, I can't walk well, my knee is stiff.  I CAN'T RUN.  I CAN'T RUN. Running is my therapy, I don't know how I will get through this.   Somehow I have to be strong and make the healing start and get better so I can run.

I called an orthopedic physician, and have an appointment on Thursday morning.  Today I went to my gym class, knowing that I might not be able to workout much.  I couldn't do the running warm up but I did some of the mat warm up, and Joey changed my workout so that I could work out.  I did planks, and bridging, and the first half of a Turkish Get-up.  The second part of the workout, he also modified me so that I didn't do the squats.  I can't tell you how much I appreciate Joey.  I thought I was going to cry, but he was glad that I made the choice to come to the gym and do what I could.  It made the difference. I thought my knee might be more painful for workout, or swell up, so I went home and put ice on it.  It has not swell up, nor does it hurt more.  In fact, it hurts less.  I feel somewhat hopeful now.  Maybe it will just be a strain, which should take 1 -2 weeks for healing.  A tear will take four weeks, and a rupture will take six weeks - at least that what my research came up with.

I am going to try my best to stay positive, I can beat this (well, I hope). It there is no swelling tomorrow morning and it feels better, I will start doing some rehab exercises.  These exercises mostly keep the joint mobile and develop or keep strength in the quad.  It says you can do with some pain, but don't force.  So, here I am trying to fight another injury.  I know I am supposed to run, but maybe this might be the rest that I need.  Maybe the extra time I need to get other projects done.  I don't know.  What I do know, is that I have the Horsetooth Half to get ready for, and I hope I can get there.  I hope I don't fall into a pit of despair. I hope I quit crying.  That's all.

Monster Hill, I will be back . . . . . . .

Hot Flash Hockey Team

WIND!

I think today was the windiest day that I have ever gone for a run!  I was woken up this morning by horrible winds, and my first thought, was how am I going to be able to run in this today?  I knew I needed to at least get 4 miles in, but preferred to run at least 6 miles.  There is supposed to be snow later on this week, so want to get in my training miles for the Horsetooth Half. 

While cleaning horse stalls, I realized that this was definitely not going to be much fun, but I had two choices:  1) not go, and sit at home wishing I had gone anyway 2) go and deal with the wind sufferfest.  So, I got ready to go, and off we went.  The wind was horrible!  I really didn't even think that I was going to make it up the first hill, but I did.  The worst wind started when just going across that first Dam.  It was knock you over windy.  When trying to run, it would blow the up foot so hard, that it moved it over, and actually tried to trip yourself.  We moved onto the east side of the dam, because the wind wasn't as bad; but I had to stop and grab the guardrail as the dirt and wind pelleted me as we were just getting off the dam and starting the climb up the Monster Hill.  The hill climb was brutal, and finally I gave into a walk.  The wind was blowing us into the road.  When we got to the end of the guardrail at the top, we were able to run some until the last hill climb to the very top where we always take a picture.  We got the picture done, while I was bracing against the wind, and Tom was sitting down.  The wind was super strong at that point.

We were so glad to start heading back to the truck.  The wind was just as strong going back, as we were then running into it.  We got 4 miles in, and on a day like today, that was as good as it got.  I am so glad that we made the decision to run, even though it was tough.  Like I always say "you can't pick the weather on your race day", so you need to be prepared for anything. 

My skirt was flying in the wind at the top!

Horsetooth Half Training

This past weekend contained more Horsetooth Half training.  Saturday was there was a 4 mile run scheduled, and Sunday there was a 9 mile run group training run scheduled.  I really appreciate the training program that the Fort Collins Running Club, Running U provides for their members to train for this race.  It also makes a great kick-off race to get ready for the rest of the races this year.  Working up to the Half Marathon distance, and then doing the Half Marathon gets me ready for the rest of the race season. I can then maintain and increase my endurance for the other races we have scheduled.  I am not exactly sure of the race season schedule this year, but will plan on doing  four other Half Marathons this year (SkirtSports - June 4; Firsco; Black Squirrel; BackCountry), and two longer races (Dizzy Goat 12 hour, and Cunningham Lake).  The last couple of years we have done the Rocky Mountain National Park Vacation Races Half Marathon, but we will not be doing it this year, as it conflicts with our ERS race schedule.  Anyway, getting ready for the Horsetooth Half really prepares us for the rest of the year.

Saturday we decided to do a nice easy trail run in Lory State Park.  We usually don't go on the trails on the weekends, especially on good weather days - just too crowded.  Saturday was a beautiful day, and the trails were finally dry, so we couldn't resist.  We ran a slow 4 miles from Eltuck Bay to the south parking lot and back.  It felt so good to get on the trails.  The trails in the valley are so soft and rock free; just love to trail run.  I also ran into a friend of mine, Mary Lafferty from the VTH.  She was riding her horse, so good to see her. Riley enjoyed it as well, it was just what we needed.

South parking lot at Lory State Park

Sunday was a 9 mile training run from New Belgium to the bridge just before Overland trail (4.5 miles) and back.  Tom and I got started about 20 minutes early since I feel like I am so slow.  I didn't know how I would feel in the morning as far as my legs, hips and piriformis issues that have been going on.  I was a bit worried about this run, since we haven't run this distance since last November.  As it turned out, there was nothing to worry about.  I just went slow and steady (11:16/mile), stopping when Riley had to pee and poop, and it went well.  The worst part of this part of the Horsetooth Half course is between Overland Trail and Taft, it is 1.5 miles of just nothing; and we would have to run it twice.  This also went well, as the other runners caught up to us right after the turn around point, and there were plenty of people to say hello too (and of course pass us), so it kept my mind busy.  I didn't particularly feel fatigued or tired when we got done with the distance, so that was encouraging.  I also didn't feel too sore, again encouraging.  AND it was Riley's distance PR!  So proud of him, he loves running. I would really like to get him up to a Half Marathon distance this year.  I am sure he can do it.

After the run there was a presentation about Vertical and Horizontal running styles, how to run downhill, and some exercises for preventing injury.  A good program.  I also ate half of a donut as well. I usually don't eat donuts, but this year I have had the most I have eaten in about 10 years. Two and a half, so far.  I need to cut back, but it was really the only thing they had to eat, and I was hungry.  It was good to see Crissiann, and Stacey; who are also SkirtSport Ambassadors.  It's just so nice to meet such nice people, and I really appreciate the running community. 

It as a good weekend of running.  My body is sore in the hip area, but I continue to do the isometrics that Shara is having me do twice a day, and I think I am seeing some results.  I think this healing process is just going to be slow.  It is frustrating, but hoping I can get through it.  Only time will tell. In the meantime, I will continue to move forward with my life, and with my running adventures.

9 mile turn around point

Inside New Belgium with Riley

Monster Hill and Zombies

Yesterday was another scheduled run up the Monster Hill for more Horsetooth Half training. Usually Tom and I run this hill on Tuesday's, but because my body was tired from playing hockey we didn't run it, and replanned it for Thursday.  However, you might recall that we accidently ran up Towers Road instead.  I really wasn't looking forward to it, mostly because the day before we ran a short 3 miles in the evening, and it didn't go well.  We had our gym class the day before, and I also had MAT, which apparently left me really sore. I had walked quite a bit in our 3 mile run.  I was hopeful the next morning as I got up, stretched and did my isometrics and got ready to go.  I didn't really feel that bad, so things were looking up.

I was fairly surprised, as the run really didn't go too badly!  My body was a little sore, but generally I felt good.  About .5 miles into the run, once again, here comes another runner, and passes me like I was just standing there looking over Pine Ridge Reservoir.  Of course I say hello, and she smiles and easily passes me.  I have all kinds of excuses like:  "she's half my age" "she's so much taller than me", but regardless, it doesn't matter.  She passed me like I was  standing still.  Which brings me to the zombies.  I love the movie WARM BODIES, and at the beginning "R" says "why do I move so slow?"  That's really what I am thinking.  Like R, there is no one to answer.  I have no idea.  I push myself up the first hill as fast as I could possibly go, which is slow - but I am doing it.  Like a Zombie, like "R".  After getting up the next hill, I see Super Girl standing on the middle of the dam, taking pictures?  I have no idea, but then she just turned and ran, full stride up the Monster Hill like it wasn't even a hill.  Starting up the hill, I once again get passed by another Super Woman, and possibly her Father (he was clearly having issues with the hill), and eventually they walked.  I decided to use them as my target, and at the very top I finally passed them!  Nice. 

When we got to the top, we took the usual picture, and continued our run to the 4 mile point, at which we turned around and headed back the way we came.  The 4 mile point is just after the guardrail ends on the other side of the second dam that we run across.  Going back is the hard part, as from that point, it is pretty much a long up hill battle to the top of the Monster Hill, before you finally get to go down - which is so steep that it hurts.  I have to admit that I had to walk in a few places on the uphill, and I was really OK with it.  I wanted to do a body check and see how it was feeling.  Do my hips or my back hurt? How's the IT band, etc.  Everything seemed well, except I was still a Zombie, running along Centennial drive. 

Julie, "R's" girlfriend in the movie said to him "R, you can dream if you want too", so that's what I do while I am running.  Dream of some day running up the Monster Hill in full stride, just like Super Girl.  She also said "you can be whatever you want".  I may not be able to really be Super Girl, but what I want to be is a runner.  And I am. Maybe I am still slow, like a Zombie, but I am a runner.

My favorite part of this training course is the last .5 miles, where you can see the parking lot where my truck is, and you know from there, it's all down hill.  I am pretty happy at this point and feeling good about my 8 mile accomplishment, and right then, who should appear? Super Girl.  I say hello again, and point out to her that this was the exact same point she passed me going the other way.  She laughed and said I was correct, and "what a beautiful day for a run".  I had to agree, it's February, and its 61 degrees with a slight breeze.  You really can't beat that.  But Super Girl just continued to fly past me on her Super Legs - I don't even think she was sweating. . . . .Maybe she's the Zombie, I don't think they sweat.

After the run, we went to McDonald's for a coke, and headed back home.  I did take note that I really didn't feel bad at all, and realized that I could have even run somewhat further.  I did my stretching and isometrics after I showered and had lunch.  Later that afternoon I headed down to Boulder with a friend of mine, Crissiann, who is also a runner and a SkirtSport Ambassador.  We were going to the monthly presentation at the SkirtSport Store, Women Run The World.  Enjoyed most of it, and was thrilled to meet 3 other Ambassadors that I had met on FB.  What a great group of women.  I am so grateful for this Ambassadorship, as well as the other two that I have (I will talk about that later on another day).  I may be a Zombie, but I have friends.  And that's what WARM BODIES is all about, heart, soul, and love.  Those things along with determination get us where we are.  And if we have all those things, we can't be Zombie's.

Climbing to the lookout at Rotary Park

At the top

Looking south from the top

Towers Road

Took a little break from The Blog for a bit because I spent a three day weekend up in Red Feather Lakes, Colorado at the Beaver Meadows Resort playing pond hockey.  The Wiifi wasn't the best up there, and I was enjoying the time away from technology.  I will write about that a bit later.  I want to catch up starting with yesterday's run. . . . .

Towers Road.  Everyone in Fort Collins that runs, bikes, or hikes in the area, particularly Horsetooth Mountain park or Soderberg Open Space is familiar with Towers Road, and most likely has a love/hate relationship with it.  Towers Road is a four wheel drive road that that starts about a half a mile in from the Soderberg Open Space Trail head, and heads west.  The road just seems to go up and up until you reach the top of it, at which there are Radio and communication towers.  These towers send cell signals to the area (except for my house, because the actual Horsetooth rock stands in-between the towers and my house).  The elevation gain is approximately 2,000 feet from the bottom to the very end of the road, in about 3.75 miles.  The road is very steep in some places.  When you run or bike it enough, you know where every single hill is, and how much you don't like it.  You might even rate each hill section, like "this is the worst short hill", and this is the "worst long hill", and the hill right before the first tower section is "long and painful", and "wow, down hill section, but going to hurt going up it on the way back".  And if you think getting to the top is awful, going down is not much fun either.  It's just so steep either way that it's hard on the body.

However, when you do get to the top, especially if you can "run" (I have seen some super humans that can actually really run up it at a really good pace, but I will never be one of them) the whole way up - it is such a beautiful view, and the feeling is of such great accomplishment, you just want to do it again!  A couple of summers ago, Tom and I made it a point to run up this road at least once a week; but since then, we haven't run up it much.

Yesterday I decided that it was time to do some trail running.  The weather had been bad the last couple of weeks, but over the last 4 -5 days the snow had melted, and the social media on FB said the trails at Soderberg and Horsetooth were mostly open and dry.  We hadn't been on the trails for few week, and the weather was good, so why not take a much needed break from street running (The Monster Hill on Centennial Drive), and the paved "trails" in town.  We were going to run the nice valley trail from Soderberg to Nomad to Sawmill, then on the Valley Trail to the south parking lot in Lory State Park and back.  It's a little over 6 miles, and rolling hills.  Fun, challenging, but the trail is very nice and I love running it.  You have to take Towers Road up about .25 miles to get onto Nomad.  When we reached the Nomad trail, it was CLOSED!  So disappointing.  If you know me, after running up a hill, and just hate going down, just to run up another.  I call that being lazy.  So, why not just keep running up Towers Road, "for a little while".  Except, well, I guess time erased all the painful memories from "running up" Towers Road.  But, they all quickly came back as we ventured up the hill.

I was having a particularly frustrating time (hip and piriformis pain), and Tom was just getting over the stomach flu.  I know, not the best time to make a quick decision to tackle Towers, but that is just how it happened.  Then it became even more frustrating when I think about all the time I spend in the gym, my thighs are getting bigger and bigger, and I still just couldn't "run" up this hill.  I had to walk in about 3 - 4 places.  I didn't call it giving up, just needed a break.  It was more frustrating to get passed by a younger girl and her dog, but I cheerfully said "hello", and she commented on how hard it was; but she passed me.  Sometimes when I am running, I just want to start crying out of frustration, like this particular instance, but it's too hard to cry and get up this hill - so forget it.  When we finally made it about 2 miles up, guess who we saw?  The young girl and her dog, they had stopped, we "ran" passed her, and we never saw her again.  I was proud of myself for keeping going, when she obviously turned around and went back down (but still kudos to her for going up Towers Road).  We went up to where the Westridge Trail comes out onto Towers Road (about 3.25 miles up), and turned around. 

If you think going up this road is not so much fun, going down is just as bad.  It is so steep, that it's pretty hard on your body to go down as well.  After about a mile my back started hurting, I could tell my toes weren't happy (I hadn't taped them like I normally would to run this road, so I was hoping I wasn't going to lose my new nails on my toes - gross, I know), and I couldn't see the road well in the shade because I hadn't switched the dark lenses out of my sunglass to lighter lenses.  Along with that, I was sort of just having a bad day, feeling down because I feel like I am really not very good at a long of things that I do, including running.  I have gained some weight ( muscle? fat?), and I would like to get some of it off again; I wish I was a faster runner, I wish I wasn't in so much pain all the time, and lastly, it was Valentines Day.  For some reason I really don't like many holidays anymore, and because Tom was feeling sick, we wouldn't be doing anything special.  Sometimes a girl just wants to feel special.  So, I was feeling down. 

In the end, I was glad that we had run Towers Road, and decided that maybe, just maybe I would be better at it if I "ran" it more than I have the last couple of years.  Later that evening, while I was basically making leftovers for a Valentines dinner, my body got very sore.  I did a lot of stretching and isometrics given to me by Shara, the MAT therapist; and rolled my legs.  I was feeling sore this morning, but nothing the regular stretching and exercises didn't take care of.

I think about a lot of things while I am running, since I don't listen to music (for safety reasons, and the fact that I want to enjoy the natural sounds around me), so I do a lot of thinking while I am running.  What else is there to do?  I was thinking how running hills is like life.  When we are running up a slow miserable hill, it's like the times we are in low times in our life.  They are painful, and the time seems to go by so slowly.  When we are at the point where the trail is flat, or down hill on a nice decline; that's like when life is great, and we are loving it.  Why do the down times seem to last forever, and the good times just go by so quickly?  Maybe it's a reminder that when we are having those good times, it's still OK to stop and look around.  When we are having the bad times, you have time to stop and look around at the good things.  Just like running.  When you are having trouble and it's hard, its OK to walk, and stop and look at the view.  Just the same as the fun parts of the trail.  Just stop and enjoy it. Life is like that.  And in the end, a run, no matter how hard or easy; just makes everything so much better.

Towers Road - one of the hills

View of Horsetooth Reservoir from approximately mile 2

Riley and I at approximately mile 2, unfortunately I wasn't smiling here in the picture. But I was happy I made it to this point, but the hill was certainly not my favorite.  Wearing my new MySoxyFeet jacket for the first time, and my compression leggings (thankfully).