a "14" Mile-stone

In the last 2 years that I've considered myself a runner, I've had many great mile-stones along the way. I began running mostly because I needed a way to exercise. The idea of going to the gym intimidated the hell out of me, and let's face it; for those of you who have known me since my middle school days, I have never been the most coordinated or athletic person. But in the privacy of the little gym in my apartment building in Denver, I learned that I could run for about 20 minutes on the treadmill. It took a while for me to catch on that those 20 minutes eventually would be the equivalent of 2 miles. This was a really huge accomplishment for me, as I was always being yelled at in PE class to finish that 1-mile run! (it was usually completed in about 11 or 12 minutes, always with walking somewhere in between!). Soon, 20 minutes on the treadmill turned into 30 minutes. And I'll never forget the day I completed 4 miles on the treadmill! I was with Leigha, and I kept exclaiming over and over, "I've never run that long or that far in my life!!!"

I don't know how she did it, but Leigha convinced me to sign up for the Colfax Half Marathon. I took on the challenge, and before I knew it, I was a running machine!!! Each week I was amazing myself as I would run 6.. 9..12 miles at a time, and I could KEEP going! When I completed my first Half Marathon (13.1 miles) on May 16, 2010; I was overcome with more emotion than I ever thought possible. It was the most proud moment of my life. Here I was, this small, uncoordinated girl, who was never good at anything physical, just completed the biggest challenge of my life! Months of hard training and conditioning, proved that your body really is capable of anything you set your mind to! It was official: I had caught the "runner's high".  Throughout that next year, I continued on to run several more races, (many of those with my amazing running friend, Alison Page :)  including 5K's, 10K's, 10milers, and 4 more half marathons. I already knew that I'd done it once, I can do it again.

So now, time to advance...  The next challenge: a Marathon. So, my friend Alexe convinced me to sign up for the Chicago Marathon, and without hesitation, I registered. I knew I was capable of at least half of that! The first several weeks of training were really no different than what I was used to.....but this week was the turning point. In the last 2 years of training for races, I was comfortable and used to running 13 mile distances. But today, I ran 14 miles, which is my furthest distance to date. I knew when I woke up this morning, that today was a big day. This marks the second half of my training, and from this point on, I will exceed distances I have never before touched.  So I laced up, and set out with a good attitude, and a happy heart. As I was getting closer to home, I realized that I was keeping a great pace.  I steadily looked down at my Garmin; and to my excitement, at 13.1 miles, I beat my own personal best time for any half marathon I'd ever run!!! I was exuberant when I reached home, and reflected upon my running accomplishments. I've come so far, but it's not over yet. Ten more weeks until the Marathon. 26.2, here I come!

4th of July Weekend in Crested Butte, CO

When I first visited Crested Butte, CO exactly 4 years ago, I never could have imagined that one small place would have entirely captured my heart. Even still, when I moved there less than one month after my inaugural visit, I still had no idea that this tucked away, mountain paradise would rule so much of my life from that point on.  Shortly after moving there, someone had told me to be certain that Crested Butte would capture my heart, and even should I move away, I would always return. Well, I have certainly returned more times to CB than I have returned to my own home town! The beauty, the culture, the splendor, and peace is unmatched. Basically, it would suffice to say, that this tiny town has captured my soul and I could never be able to put into words how much I love it. So: as my 3-4 month withdrawals since my last visit had begun to set in, I packed my bags and hit the 285 miles of road that separated me from my mountain. Getting off to a later start than planned, it proved to be a bit of a challenge getting to my destination. But 5 hours, 6 highways, 3 mountain passes, and one major speeding ticket later, I arrived safely in Gunnison, CO into the open arms of my sweet friend, Angela.  As dictated per my marathon training schedule, vacation or no vacation, I had to run 11 miles on Saturday.

So, Angela, Holly and I set out on Ohio Creek Road to put in the miles. Holly ran most of the distance with me, and Angela was ever-helpful riding along side us on her bike with water, jams on the iPod, and of course her cheerleading skills.

After our run, we headed out to Blue Mesa to relax on the beach. Good day in my book!   :)

Sunday morning, we all set out to do a hike along Rainbow Lake, but little did we know there was still a TON of snow up there! Since Holly was in Chocos, we didn't quite make it all the way through before the threat of frost-bite was apparent.

But Ryan, Angela, Holly, and I enjoyed a nice picnic in the meadow, and then for me it was off to Crested Butte for a night with my dear friend, Nancy Church.

The next day Nancy and I enjoyed a nice walk with her beautiful husky puppies, then headed to Elk Ave. for the famous 4th of July Parade; but of course, not before enjoying a much-anticipated Americano from Camp-4-Coffee.  What a fun day! But, it was also such a hot day, and I was starting to feel tired, so I decided that it was time to go home. I took advantage of the long afternoon I still had ahead of me, and enjoyed my time alone in the mountains. I stopped frequently to take pictures of the breath-taking views that could never be captured by my inadequate camera. 

I took the quiet road over Cottonwood Pass on the way home, and as always, stopped at the top to witness what God created. It never ceases to amaze me that my heavenly father created such a brilliant work of art, and I am always moved when I am alone in His presence on that summit. My God is truly good, and I was thankful for such a beautiful and fun weekend, and a safe drive home where I was welcomed back by my sweet little sister. It still makes me sad every time I'm back in CB, that I don't have my home to go to after all the festivities of the day are over, but I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to live there, and for all the fabulous life-long-friends I made. These individuals are truly like my family, and they can rest assured, that as long as I'm still alive, I will continue to return to visit, and crash on their couches and guest beds. Until next time, see you later, Crested Butte, and thanks again for everything. You've given me more than you know.