Back to Normal: Eat, Sleep, Train, Work,

Everything is back to normal. I run, ski, work, walk dogs, eat, sleep, repeat. Skiing at Gunstock is amazing. All the trails are so fun and have great views of the lake. Lucky me I get to work there.

Last week temperatures were warm and then soon as I’m ready to run, it’s cold again. Yesterday and today I ran on the treadmill.

On the treadmill I always choose a trail run to watch. Lately it is a trail in Arizona with prickly pear, saguaros and mountains in the distance. I try to adjust the grade based on what is on the trail. It makes the miles go by.

Mileage is short as I get back at it. But you know…..

I actually miss the long Monday and Tuesday runs. I can’t wait to get back to it. The days when the long run just overtakes your day and you schedule nothing. It’s all about the long run. It’s hard and I am anxious about it, but I do enjoy it. Holy Cow: 3 weeks until Antelope Canyon and flying to the southwest.

Here’s Goldie, entertaining me with her antics.

Living the dream or just grateful

Sometimes I laugh when I ask someone how’s it going and they say “livin’ the dream”. And think, are you really? Is that cynical or sarcastic? Or do they genuinely mean it? 

What if they were to answer: “oh my gosh, I’m so lucky to have this life and I’m so grateful?”

Perhaps not as socially acceptable. 

That is my answer today, if asked, maybe, at the right time, in the right place.

Seriously. Today. My Life. I don’t want to sound too happy or too ….. I don’t know, because there are so many things not to my liking right now (not being at race weight, my dogs eating my comforter, gas prices, a pandemic, anything in the news, not running according to the plan).

But here are the things that have made me happy this week and I want to remember them: 

Despite carrying my shoes to the sofa, this dog is pretty awesome.
I get to ski as part of my job. I feel really good about this. Lucky.
Wear a helmet. This is all this means.
Seriously, this is where I work.
I biked outside this week. This truly makes me happy.
This doesn’t really make me happy but it’s reminder that Goldie needs more exercise. I’m going to run with her more.

How I fell back in love with skiing

Usually with most tasks (come on, let’s face it everything is a task) I want to get it done and move on to the next thing. Even with running and biking; I can’t wait to be done. 

I know people who tell me running is their release, their escape. Not me. I run to get in the zone, complete the training plan and get on with my day. 

Then there is skiing. 

When I ski, I can go and go and go – like the energizer bunny. 

There is that moment when you can call it a day or head back to the lift. I want to go back to the lift; every time. It’s easy to choose one more run. Not so with running one more mile, or biking one more mile. 

I forgot this when I moved from Colorado to Tucson. I moved to the desert southwest primarily to road bike year-round. I chose biking over skiing. Now, I’ve fallen back in love with skiing. 

There is so much joy in skiing. It is one of few sports that make you laugh out loud while living in the exact moment. As I fly down the  mountain I am thinking of nothing except what is in front of me. Mountain biking is like this, too. 

There is joy in exploring the mountains and playing in the snow, and the views – the views are pretty amazing.  

Right now I’m happy getting to know every trail at Gunstock. I will eventually go to other mountains and explore more but for now, I’m studying the terrain, watching the skiers in the terrain parks, naming the mountain peaks in the distance and using new muscles I don’t normally use. 

I’m going to try to ski a few runs every day. My goal is 60 ski days.