Stevens Pass avalanche claims 3 lives

I hate to write such a sad post, but as snowboarding is one of my favorite activities, I think it's a necessary one.

When I lived in Washington state, Stevens Pass was my favorite mountain to go snowboarding. They've gotten 19" of snow in the last 24 hours, resulting in an avalanche on the backside of the mountain that claimed 3 lives. Granted these 3 were skiing out of bounds, but it's still terribly sad for those of us who love snow sports and a sobering reminder to stay safe and stay in bounds. It really hits home for me because I know this mountain so well, and my best friend was there today (safe, thankfully).

My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the 3 who died today. And to everyone else - stay safe, my friends!

And then I realized, adventure is the best way to learn.

But running is SO boooorrrrinnnngggg...

My non-runner friends always seem incredulous that I actually ENJOY strapping on my shoes and heading out for a few (or 10) miles. Don't you get bored? This is one of the most common questions that people who don't run ask those of us who do.

The truth is I am usually pretty happy to grab my dog, Tom, and maybe my ipod and just run for an hour or so. But if I'm completely honest, there are those days where my run feels monotonous and never-ending (the treadmill always feels like this)!

I like to mix things up and keep running interesting, so I registered for the Georgia Tough Mudder that was this past weekend. A Tough Mudder is a running challenge. It's supposed to be more about camaraderie and helping your fellow runners complete the challenge than who can get to the finish line first. And oh, what a challenge it was...

This course was 12 miles of trails and mud with 15 obstacles interspersed throughout the race. And when I say obstacle, I'm not talking about hopping over a log. I'm talking about jumping into a vat of ice water and swimming across it, climbing over sets of 12 ft walls, jumping into a freezing lake, slithering through dark, muddy tunnels, and running through fields of live electric wires. Sounds crazy, right?

It was.

But this was one of the most fun running events I have ever done! It really did promote a sense of camaraderie amongst the participants - I certainly couldn't have completed the course without the help of some total strangers who took pity on me for my T-rex arms that were useless in climbing over 12 ft walls! After 15 obstacles, temperatures in the low 40's, wind chill of 25 degrees, and the encouragement of 10,000 other participants.... well I didn't even realize that I'd just run 12 miles! After all, that was the easy part!

 

So for those of you getting bored with a traditional half marathon, Tough Mudder is there to spice things up!

Fitness Resolutions 2012

I know it's February, but at the beginning of the year I made several fitness resolutions. I must say I am very proud that I am well on my way to accomplishing most of them.

1. Run a Ragnar Relay
2. Run an obstacle race
3. Run a marathon
4. Run 1000 miles this year
5. Take a fitness class
6. Participate in one race or event each month

I've completed the first two goals, and am on track to complete the rest. As I kick off this blog and get it up and running, I'll go into more detail about these goals as I complete them!

Chase your goal.

Getting Started

I love fitness. I didn't always love it - in fact I didn't even start running until I got to college. It wasn't until after I graduated that I learned to truly love exercise. Since then I have run everything from a 5k to half-marathons, obstacle races and overnight relays. I've found peace in yoga, a renewed love for horseback riding and an interest in new fitness challenges.


I began my freshman year at Georgia Tech in 2005. I gained the dreaded "Freshman 15" in the first three months, and had no idea how it happened. I was clueless when it came to nutrition and fitness, but luckily my boyfriend was there to help me get started. He took me to the track at the student gym, and told me we were going to run for twenty minutes. Without stopping?! Twenty minutes later I was laying splayed across the floor and panting like I had just run a marathon, but I hadn't even run two miles. This is torture! Why would you ever do this for fun? For the next four years I ran with that mentality: put your earphones in, and let's get this over with.

It's very difficult to get better at running (or fitness in general) with that mentality. Fitting into size 2 jeans is not enough motivation to push yourself to the limit. You have to truly enjoy challenging yourself, experience the joy of accomplishing a goal you thought was impossible, and thrive on seeing your body change and strengthen. In the three years since I've graduated, I've changed my fitness mentality to without struggle, there is no strength. I've seen my body grow and change and develop in ways I never thought it would. I've accomplished things I had never DREAMED of accomplishing. I now work at a nutritional supplement store, and am beginning the process of becoming a personal trainer.

I want to share my fitness journey with others and encourage those of you who think it's impossible. You are capable of more than you can imagine!

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.