The last few weeks I have been getting back out in the mountains, summitting some new peaks as well as some old ones. I have been hiking with friends and working on getting back in running shape so that I can finish Sawtooth 100 in September pain free and smiling! Hopefully I will get a peak at the Northern Lights while I am out there.
I am up to running six miles pain free and it is really exciting! Most of my running has been on a treadmill but it is the only way for me to control my speed and elevation. It may not be the most exciting thing to do but I just crank up my ipod and visualize myself running on the trails and doing what I used to do before this injury.
Although I have been working way too many hours I have chosen to sacrifice my sleep in order to work on getting back into shape and doing my physical therapy exercises. Hopefully work slows down soon! I love my job but I need down time to train as well! Ryans job has been a bit crazy too and we are just going through the motions and hoping things slow down with our work schedules soon!
As for happy things, I signed up for Rev 3 half Iron in June, Wapack 50 miler in May, Traprock 50k in April and am waiting to sign up for Sawtooth 100 in September! This is so exciting and committing as I am going to train this year instead of my usual show up and go attitude that got me injured. I am feeling the same passion I had for climbing Denali for Sawtooth! That should pull me through the race, smiling the whole time! I have asked someone to pace me and I hope she can do it as she is an old friend with an amazing attitude that would be wonderful company on the trail when I start getting a bit strange. Hopefully she can run with me and talk me out of my hallucinations, keep me from getting weird and keep me from eating cheese at 4 am.
Ryan, Adam and I did a Wildcats/Carters Traverse last weekend and the weather could not have been more perfect! The views were incredible and the weather very un-winter like. The snow was minimal and the ice plenty. We moved at a decent pace and I felt bad for being the slow poke on the hike but, I was appreciative for them going at my pace.
I managed to get out for my first trail run since October and did 4 miles! I felt great except for a twinge of pain on the uphills. I am feeling very optimistic about being able to run outdoors pain free again! I may even try to run 7 outside this weekend! I have spent a lot of time swimming, lifting weights and cycling and it feels really good to run again.
Even more exciting news, Ryan and I will be building a log home soon! I always wanted to build a home but am anti-development and always said that if I found a piece of property with a home on it that needs to be demolished I would build. Somehow exactly that showed up and we will be tearing down the old home and putting up a new log home! We are beyond thrilled! I never thought that I would have my dream home so soon and never thought I would be designing it and sharing it with someone so special to me!
I am hoping good things keep happening and am looking forward to such an exciting year! 
