A Day in Shenandoah

 

I had to wait 8 hours to see that our starting point was marked by this wonderful little concrete trail marker thanks to the hour of darkness when we started our adventure.  But it had been there marking the place where we began the long climb up to introduce my body back to serious trail running.

 Happily I was not alone but again in the fun company of D, hubby and their wonderful dogs.  After a crazy start to the morning with some forgotten trail shoes, I was quickly thrown back into the arms of those wonderfully taxing trails I have missed so much over the summer.

Running a local trail for an hour or so is nothing like carrying your supplies for an 8 hour run.  The excitement of being out there again was quickly replaced with the reminder of how punishing those climbs - and descents - can be.  Unfortunately D even reminded me how quickly things can get serious by being the first to take a fall during our run.

 

 

The weather was prefect.  It was hard to imagine that it was August in Virginia.  Although my legs were rapidly questioning how I will be Ring read by the end of the month, I was too caught up in loving being on the trail to really give much voice to those words of doubt.

 

D happily snapped photos of me dealing with all the abuses of the trail as I was lost in getting to see some new sites.

 

The climbs up were completely worth it!

 

 

One of many reasons I love ultra running is getting to see these amazing places.

 

And having friends who tolerate my nature loving side while in the midst of a training run doesn't hurt either.  Thankfully, D waited to indulge my nature photo ops.

 

 

And she captured awesome views like this one.

 

While I was enjoying this one.  But all too quickly our time on the trail was over.  My first - and potentially only - training run for the Ring.   

 

 

How fitting the we found these butterflies at the end of our run.  Ones like these had fluttered by us all day.  A few butterflies had been hurt probably ran over while they gathering salt from some sports drink dumped on the ground but others kept gathering there taking no lesson from their injured brethren.  It made me think of the craziness of trail running.

 

 

I will blindly continue wanting to do these crazy things even though I see the carnage around me.  There is something more powerfully beautiful drawing me forward and making my eyes only see the wonder. 

 

 

 

 

 



I Finally Changed My Shirt

If you follow me on FaceBook, Twitter and instagram - and why wouldn't you - you have probably wondered why did the past week and a half I have only been seen in one pink stripped tank top.  I did try running in a cotton tank one day and I still have the chafe marks to prove it.

Well I'm here today much to those around me when I run to say I finally changed my shirt.

It was finally cool enough to wear my Virginia Happy Trail Runners Club blue shirt.  Thanks goodness because those were the only two running shirts I packed. 

 

 

Lesson learned:  Don't try to under pack when it comes to running clothes!

A Week In a Runner's Life...at the Beach

 

 

Every day started with an early morning beach run.

 

Beautiful flowers brightened the beach.

 

Dinner out was much needed after miles of beach running.

 

Every tidbit was a treasure.

 

Each morning our beach looked slightly different.

 

More evidence that there is something greater than ourselves.

 

Dinner out with the beach gang.

 

ARRRRGGGGGHHH!

 

Vibrant flowers.

 

 

 

Momarazzi did double duty all week attempting to get simultaneous smiles from less than cooperative kids.

 

Early morning runs provided glimpses of life from the sea.

 

Barefoot beach running is so glamorous when your blisters fill with sand.

Did I say, Glamorous?  I meant painful.

 

Finding mermaid purses was a great opportunity of a quick science lesson.

 

Momarazzi is not always welcome when the kids were playing.

 

Without even looking, we found love every day on the beach.

 

A dinner in after a day on the sand.

 

Cousin bonding time.

 

A hazy day collecting treasures.

 

A peaceful afternoon.

 

Movies on the beach.

 

A LBM classic smile with a wink.

 

 

Sibling love all week long.  It was amazing!

 

More life from the sea.

 

Having the beach alone to run was priceless.

 

Celebrated Independence Day.

 

Happy 4th of July!

 

Glow sticks make every night an adventure.

 

Posing in the surf with S'ghetti Girl.

 

This little guy loves the sand...all over his body.

 

In the bounce house a rare still moment.

 

Another day begun with a sandy run.

 

The sea was sharing lots of shells.

Another great OC trip.

 

S'ghetti girl growing up too fast.

 

A vacant beach makes running easy.

 

Watching for dolphins.

 

Waiting for everyone to wake.

 

A marooned skate that I put back in the ocean.

 

This crab was eager for a photo shoot.

 

Another day started in a positive way.

 

S'ghetti girl helping the littles build a sand castle.

 

 

LBM playing in the sand.

 

Even at the beach little critters find me.

 

A beach vacation fueled by chocolate milk.

 

Who eats when there are bounce houses?

 

Ready for the boardwalk.

 

Guess who got a new pet?!

 

Finally dolphins!

 

Wide awake early and ready to see what the sea would share.

 

Every run better than the last.

 

It was hard to leave the beach to do anything else.

 

But ice skating awaited.

 

 

The kids were pros!

 

I was better at lounge chairs.

 

A pirate ship was the prefect way to burn off some energy.

 

The beach waited for us to return.

 

No that is not Whole30 compliant.

 

A final morning's walk to the beach.

 

A horseshoe crab...

 

and this little aggressive guy greeted me on my last beach run.

It was a week of wonderful moments.

 



 

I may have brought home a few shells to remember this wonderful trip.

 

I'm still dreaming of having my feet in the sand.