Day 122: Thurs Dec 12th - My Peace and Therapy

Day One Hundred Twenty-two: 

My peace and therapy.

 

This is my peace, my quiet and my therapy. This is where my thoughts and feelings are filtered, processed and either discarded or put into action while my feet make an automatic rhythmic sound running below me on the frozen ground. 

This place is where my heart cries or sings with joy, without worry about appearing foolish or pitiful. 

When I start out in search of this place each morning, there are times I feel unsure, unwilling and sometimes fragile or lost. Sometimes I am just merely tired or have feelings of doubt or frustration. And yet other times I am neutral enjoying the solitude of the moment and excited to experience what is before me. 

But no matter how I start off when I come to this place,  I always leave feeling confident, sure, strong and happy.

 

This place is magic.

It is mine and with me always. 

I just need to remember.

 

 

 

 



 





Day 106: Tues Nov 26th - Frosty with Inversion Sprinkles

Day One Hundred-six: 

Frosty with a sprinkle of inversion on top.

 

Got to love a crisp frosty morning, but I could do without the mucky air developing across the valley.

<<cough... cough...wheeze...wheeze>> 

Ran a good clip though. It was cold initially but warmed quickly.  Jax was full of energy as he bounded up this hill. It's a bugger. As much as I would like him to pull me up it, he just bounds up several feet, stops, looks at me, waits patiently for me to catch up, then bounds up more, waits, repeats until we get to the top. I like hills (even when at times I curse them). It feels good when you get to the top, out of breathe but more energized than ever.

 

 

"The battle of life is, in most cases, fought uphill; and to win it without a struggle were perhaps

to win it without honor. If there were no difficulties there would be no success; if there were

nothing to struggle for, there would be nothing to be achieved."

                                                                                       ~ Samuel Smiles 1812-1904

Day 82: Sat Nov 2nd - Bark Hill

Day Eighty-two: Thorns of life... and a bark hill.



I think this is a good look for him..... 

I've decided.... Life is not supposed to make sense.Things that I think I know, change. Things I thought I knew... I was wrong. So I have decided to stop struggling against the tide of life and just go with the flow. Life is good and we are blessed. We just have to look for the beautiful moments. They are everywhere.  
Finding faults in life is easy.  Doing something about them can be a challenge. But the true struggle I see in myself  is finding the beauty of life on a consistent basis. I have to remind myself that I can 'choose' happiness.  I can 'see' beauty and love the experience.
I think it was Wayne Dyer who quoted in one of his books.... 

"What we focus on expands."   
 
Which, when you think about it, makes complete sense.

Today on my run I started off grumbling about this and that. Complaining in my head about things in life that are unfair.  Seeing the lack.  After a mile of negative self talk, Jax and I came upon this hill of bark. Right in the middle of nothing really. I stared annoyed at first (not sure why), however Jax thought it was super exciting! He spotted the hill quickly from a distance (being that it was completely out of the ordinary on our ordinary running path) and bounded up the hill (pulling me along until I let go). He began pouncing in the bark, digging, jumping around and appeared completely content with where he was in that exact moment.
You could feel his joy.  He simply saw a hill, lived in the moment and was happy.

Okay, now after writing the above, I know what I really want. 

 

I want to be a dog.   

 

Woof.

Day 77: Mon Oct 28th - Tale of Two Brains

Day Seventy-seven: Tale of two brains.

Brain One: Let's go! 

Brain Two: Really?? Again?  What are you doing?

Brain One: Shut it. It is beautiful outside.  

 (pulls out phone, takes photo of sunrise and yellow clouds)

Brain Two: It's windy, your contacts will get dust in them. Your legs are tired.  You...

Brain One: Enough. 

Brain Two: Seriously, you don't have to prove anything. 

Brain One: Just because. I don't have a reason. I just love it.

Brain Two: Watch it!  (tripping on a rock) See... you're tired.

Brain One: Be quiet... geez! I'm trying to focus.

                (ladies walking dog off leash, Jax breaks concentration and pulls to take a butt sniff)

Brain Two:  Grrrrrr those ladies should have their dogs on leash! I wonder if they will pick up their poop.

Brain One:  Be nice. They are walking in the woods, kicking the leaves, it is beautiful... it's okay. 

Brain Two:  Look.... fresh poo... I wonder if it is from them. Grrrrr

Brain One: What is UP with you today??!  Gee... this is fun! The wind is nice, it's perfect temperature and with the storm and cold front coming, just enjoy it okay?!

Brain Two:  *grumble*

Brain One:  I love this song.             (steps up the pace)

Brain Two:  Oh look... the ladies again. Same dang dogs. Why don't people follow the rules.. this isn't off leash.

Brain One:  Look how beautiful this path is. I should take a picture. 

Brain Two:  How many photos do you need??

Brain One: I could snap a zillion photos.  Like this one (taking photo of a purple flower). 

 

Brain Two:  Okay... maybe it's nice. But take it easy.

Brain One:  Jax is such a good boy, he looks so happy.

Brain Two:  You're right. 

Brain One:  I feel great. Those inserts are really helping my feet. 

  (pushing repeat on awesome song)

I feel alive and happy.  This is why I do it.

Brain Two:  It doesn't make sense.

Brain One:  It makes sense to me. 

Day 67: Fri Oct 18th - Sunshine and Playmobil

Day Sixty-seven: Fall sunshine, afternoon runs and Playmobil

Another not so easy getting up kind of morning. lol   So an afternoon run was on the schedule. Well, at least something today. On my lunch hour, my daughter Iz and I went for a quick run, played at the park for a minute and ran back, just in time to shower and get back into work clothes! Whew!
Now I am at my desk eating a  yogurt and feel rejuvenated.  57 degrees and sunshine, it was lovely outside.  If I had my way it would be this temperature all year round... with occasional storms thrown in to mix things up. I'm definitely not a summer kind of girl.
Iz brought a Playmobil character on our run, she was not easy to keep up with, neither was Iz... she is so naturally fast!

 

Day 64: Tues Oct 15th - "Inspire" Uplifting Graffiti

Day Sixty-four: Uplifting graffiti and frozen hands

One word: Inspire.  Seen newly spray painted on the side of the building located along the horse trail. It got me thinking. My Mp3 died a few minutes before, so I ran in silence when I glanced at the word....'Inspire' and took the below photo.             A good time for self-reflection and a question:
What inspires you? What do you inspire?   Think about it today, I know I will.

(also, my hands were  FREEZING!)

Day 60: Fri Oct 11th - Funny Guy, not Funny Cold

Day Sixty: 

Happy feet :)  Fun quick run. 

 Cold-ish but nice out. 

I'm not sure who painted this funny guy on the storage door of this little building off the trail, but it makes me smile when I glance at it.  He points in the direction that I am going and I nod as if to say "yep... I'm heading that way".

It has been a fun sixty days. I think that I am going to add to my challenge.
Starting day sixty-one I am going to run the next 30 days on the guidance of this book I just purchased. http://www.nomeatathlete.com/book-info/ 
My family is just getting over a bad cold that wiped them out and I can feel myself fighting tooth and nail to keep it at bay. So I figured, why not do everything in my power to fuel my body with good nutrition, and day 61 is a perfect day to start.  It also keeps things interesting and fun for my brain :)

Time to make my list for Wholefoods, Sprouts market and Sunday's farmers market.  I think I will reverse that order and make Wholefoods last... as that place can be dangerous to my pocketbook.
A funny read:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kelly-maclean/surviving-whole-foods_b_3895583.html

Any tips on fighting these nasty cold viruses that jump up for attention this time of year?

Have you tried / or are you a vegetarian / vegan runner? I'm open to any great recipes as I love to cook. :)

 

Day 59: Thurs Oct 10th - I miss Seattle

Day Fifty-nine: 
If ever there was a morning that reminded me of Seattle, it was today. Misty rain, mild temperatures and a slight breeze accompanied me on my run. It was peaceful and quick paced.  Leaves are starting to cover the trail and the river had some flow to it today which created a nice rhythm as I ran past it.
I miss the Pacific Northwest.  
It is a 'wearing pajamas, fleece fuzzy socks, hot cup of coffee, reading the newspaper while listening to the rain outside my patio' kind of day...if only I didn't have to work :)
What is your favorite running / walking weather?

Day 57: Tues Oct 8th - Short and Sweet

Day Fifty-seven: A short and sweet run this morning. I was scheduled to work earlier than normal, so I had to hustle through this morning's run - which was sad considering how breathtakingly beautiful the skies were.  Photos captured the beauty pretty well considering they are taken via my cell phone camera and usually a quick 'stop and shoot' photo moment on the run. But of course, nothing compared to the true beauty of staring up at the sky with your own eyes. If only I could stare upwards while running and not fall on my face... if possible, today I would have done so :)

 A glorious morning... so beautiful.

Day 52: Thurs Oct 3rd - Favorite Running Quotes

Day Fifty-two:  My favorite running quotes:


"I always loved running...it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs."  ~ Jesse Owens

“Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.”   ~ Dean Karnazes

“All I do is keep on running in my own cozy, homemade void, my own nostalgic silence. And this is a pretty wonderful thing. No matter what anybody else says.”    ~ Haruki Murakami

Day 50: Tues Oct 1st - Do The Run... then SMILE

Day Fifty:  Great run despite (another) night of not great sleep, but that is okay, that is why coffee was invented... or so I imagine. I am amazed at how, even when I feel like a zombie upon waking, I can still muster enough 'umph' to have a good run -  at least most of the time. It is amazing what our bodies can do when we tell the brain to be quiet. My mantra to myself is just simply "Do It". I would say "Just Do It"... but Nike stole that line  ;)  Kidding aside, for me, I don't let myself over-anticipate or dread any run. If my brain even attempts to, I just tell it to be quiet and just do the run.  Just like my sister-in-law always says "you never regret a run, even a bad one".  This is so true!  Good sleep, no sleep, zombie body, healthy body, pain, bad mood or even a stomache... after the run you are always glad you went, regardless if it meant you had to push through every step along the way, and even on the days where crawling felt like the better option.
I'm sure there are a multitude of theories, numbers, facts and ideas about the ratio of brain to body exertion in running, but for me... running is 98% mental and 2% physical. Once you break through the hurtle of the brain and are out the door, moving forward, one footfall at a time.... you just 'do the run'.  Then after, you smile :)

Day 40: Sat Sept 21st - Happy Day

Day Forty: As per this balloon it's ...Happy Day! 
 I know I should stop counting down as it makes the goal that much more daunting... but 325 more days to go!    Jax didn't come with me this morning. He was a tired doggy.  So I didn't end up on the trails and just ran the neighborhoods.  Which was fine, with the exception that my mp3 died 10 minutes in. Though I enjoy running with silence and my thoughts from time to time, I sure as hell much prefer music in one ear to keep me moving on tempo.  Lately I have been listening a bunch to MUSE and Flogging Molly on repeat. I find that the music helps cancel out my thoughts, helping me to run in the moment. Without it, I tend to wrestle with my minds to-do lists, bills, making plans etc...
My favorite song of the moment is Invincible.  If you haven't heard it, you must.  The message is uplifting and full of strength. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JYV2LWsP3g  Warning... the video it pretty trippy but the lyrics are 

*this post was stuck in draft... I didn't know until today (Monday)

Day 36: Tues Sept 17th - Growing Despite Adversity

Day Thirty-six:  The little sunflower who could. I want to find something inspirational and uplifting so say about this little flower.  Growing in a large field of greenery and weeds. Growing despite adversity. It's a perfect opportunity to write something fun and uplifting... right?!  But despite having a decent run this morning... I am not feeling so happy-go-lucky. In all truth I am  naturally a serious type of person. Not mean, not overly happy and sometimes downright... pissy.  It is my goal to change that.  Doing this blog and taking these photos have seemed to help so far. With the exception of this morning. It's funny how emotions and outlook change from moment to moment.  I have no concrete reason why I am not as joyful this morning. I usually feel pretty good after my run. Perhaps it's stress.  Perhaps it is lack of sleep.  Perhaps it's because I caught a glimpse of another 90 + degree day forecast on the news this morning. (yuck). Regardless the reason(s), what it comes down to is remembering that I choose to be happy or pissy in each moment.  Like this flower, I can be brave, beautiful and confident. I can rise above the weeds and smile at the sun.. even on a 90 degree day.

Day 35: Mon Sept 16th - Autumn Slow Down

Day Thirty-five:  Whoa!  Slow down September.  I just typed Sept 16th and cannot believe we are mid-September already!   Please slow down Autumn.  I beg you.  It's my favorite time of year.  This morning before my run began I walked outside to a  breathtaking double rainbow.  I tried to take a bunch of photos but they simply don't do it justice.  The rainbow was a full arc, double with vibrant colors.  A quick little storm cloud behind it eventually drenched poor Jax and I when we started on the trail ... but it was exhilarating!  I felt so quick and fast sprinting along while sheets of rain stung my arms and legs.  It was a fast moving storm but chilled the air down to a wonderful temperature ... almost dare I say... cold. I loved it. :)

Day 34: Sun Sept15th - Oktoberfest

Day Thirty-four:  What a fun afternoon! Drove up to Oktoberfest @ Snowbird. The four of us went hiking / running up and down the trails on the outskirts and in between the forest trees on the deer trails before celebrating with large mugs of local ale (not the kids of course). The views were fantastic and the colors just starting to change.  I love to see the joy on my girls faces when they are in nature and marveling at their own experience with the sights and smells, taking photos and experiencing the majestic rocks, waterfalls and cute little chipmunks.

Day 33: Sat Sept 14th - River Buddha

Day Thirty-three: Meet River Buddha. He watches over me when I run. One day he was just there, sitting patiently and whispering "go for it... you can do it" while not making a sound.  I've heard him also say "chill out lady.....", "enjoy the moment" and lastly... "don't get so mad at the dog owners who decide it's an off leash trail and poop is acceptable to step on". !%^#%!#  Poo is okay... unless you step on it.  That is when I have to remind myself to be calm and patient like my Buddha friend. Breathe in... breathe out.  Enjoy the slowly changing colors, the smells  - rain, flowers... and well... I guess also poo.  Jax seems to like the smell of the poo.  Reminders are good wherever you can get them.  Thank you River Buddha.

Day 32: Fri the 13th - Superstitious? I don't think so.

Day Thirty-Two September 13th - Today is Friday the 13th.  I'm not superstitious in the slightest, however despite my glorious run in the mist this morning, the day is proving to be quite challenging. BUT this is a positive blog, so I won't do any bitching.
Doppler for the weather system was down, so I wasn't sure what to anticipate outside, but was pleasantly surprised. It was cool and misty. Almost like the Seattle rains I miss so much.  The mountains never fail to impress me from the top of the trail. The Rockies are so majestic. I love how they frame the valley. 
Jax and I found a peculiar hut wood limb structure deep in one area off the trail. I imagined a small ogre living in it. It was taller than me and quite impressive considering I hadn't see it the day before.  Jax kept sniffing around it as if he smelled something intensely interesting.
I didn't want to linger long though... in case we woke the ogre up.  It is Friday the 13th of 2013 ya know...and monsters are real. ;)

Day 31: Thurs Sept 12th - Dream

Day Thirty-One: Cool and sprinkling rain this morning. The clouds hung low again along the Wasatch front and the breeze help keep my feet light on the ground (or so I imagined it to).
Today I didn't bring my dog Jax with me to run. Poor guy was lagging behind yesterday, so I think he could use a little break.
There were so many beautiful things to take a photo of this morning. I had a hard time deciding until I came to this sign which I've seen before usually faded at the top of the trail on my way home.
I've glanced at this sign a hundred times and thought how cute and quaint. But today it stood out having been freshly chalked or touched up with colors. "Dream".....it says simply. It reminded me that we are never too old to dream. We dream and move towards our goals, experiencing the journey in-between the dream and the accomplishment. Then we dream our next dream.  This is so true with life, goals, races or just simply the act of lacing up our shoes and heading out the door... experiencing the footfalls, beauty, smells, and unique places our feet take us. Then we finish, unlace our shoes, revel in the accomplishment of that day's run... then dream of the next one.