What's Your Dream?

I injured my ankle hiking the  Enchantments  a few weeks ago. This is the first real injury that I have had to deal with as a runner. It has been extremely difficult watching all of my friends go out and have so much fun during the fall running season. I went through several doctors appointments x-rays and a CT just to be told that it is a severe sprain. However, I would do that hike again in a heartbeat. It is indescribable! One of the most beautiful places that I have ever been. Just one of the many lakes along the Enchantments Hike. I am out doing small runs once again and I am starting my ramp up for the  Seattle Marathon  and the  Deception Pass 50k .  My team! Do Those Legs Go All the Way Up?! That being said, this last weekend I had a wonderful opportunity to go with my friends out to  Ragnar Trail Cascades  and volunteered for the weekend. I really enjoyed still being apart of somethi...

As you all know, living in a city these days costs an arm and a leg. I struggle to make ends meet each month, yet I am bound and determined to not have a roommate, so I decided to get creative. I signed up to be a host on AirBnB.  I didn't think that my apartment had anything to offer but as it turns out there are many many people listing and offering just a couch to crash on. I put a lot of thought into it and decided, just getting my couch rented out 6 nights a month, would drastically change my current living expense crunch.  Last night my very first guest checked in! He was drawn to my listing because of my race medal wall. He does triathlons and thought it'd be cool to crash with someone he could relate to. He is very friendly, thank goodness! It is always scary starting something new like this.  I'm really looking forward to meeting new people and trying something really new for me. Come stay with me! Dog Lovers Paradise in Greenwood, Seattle Seatt...

Sunday, February 12, 2017 Save 10% with code IRONHORSELOVE My Better Half Marathon   is a celebration of running, romance and deliciously bad bad rom-coms. You will run through the  new, bigger, and better  tunnel of love in one of four categories: Bromance (two guy friends), Besties (two girl friends), Lovers (romantically involved) and Lonely Hearts (self-explanatory). In addition to a romantically good-time, you will receive a custom, long sleeve zip running shirt (similar to last year's quality), a new twist on finisher medals (what could  THAT  mean???), free professional race photo downloads (because we know you heart da glamour shots), and a catered post-race hot meal (yum!) Who knows???   Maybe  we'll see a wedding proposal this year.  WHAT?  A Half Marathon, 10k and 5k running event!  Available in Individual, Couple, and Relay Flavors. WHEN?  February 12th, 2017 at 8:00am WHERE? Seward Park, ...

 You know those crazy stories you hear about people running even further than a marathon? (A marathon is 26.2 miles) The ones that just keep going and going? Those crazy people are called ultra marathoners. This year we, Ladies of Green Lake, decided to try something new for Ragnar Northwest Passage. We decided to try out some of this craziness for ourselves. However, we took it up at notch.  How does one take ultra marathoner running up a notch?! Easy, run the distance as a relay, without any sleep, questionable food decisions, (because who really know how to properly fuel for a 30 hour relay with no sleep??) non stop go go go, and having to focus on driving, coordinating, not getting lost, trying to sleep in a very loud moving van, running through the night, not getting lost... not getting lost... don't lose your runners! and spending 30 hours with 6 people in a van... that van gets really small very fast!  Here we are, sweet innocent Ragnarians about to start on ...

Ok all y'all! I finally did it! I ran my first official trail half marathon. It only took 30 half marathons to get out there and finally do it, but there yah go! The Pie High Trail Run  got me out there, well, who can say no to pie!? I have always loved running trails way more than roads. I have been running on them for quite a while now but this has just been my first official race. I had a blast!!! My friends and I decided to give ourselves trail names and we even registered under them. The race director found this to be hilarious and asked us to pose for a picture. Doing inappropriate things to the bear... From left to right: Sweatband Jesus,  Briny Bradypus,  Rabid Raccoon, Trash Panda,  Red Velvet Underground, Crack Attack! Conquering that hill with a smile! Didn't even know this photo was being taken. This the hill we started off with. Just a nice hello from the start. A 500 foot straight up hill! Wasn't that bad once you got going, jus...

I just had the most wonderful weekend. I was able to do all the things that I love with the people that I love! My weekend started off by my bouncing out of work a couple of hours early on Friday to head down to the Rock N Roll Seattle Marathon Expo! One of my favorite race expos but this year I got to volunteer at two booths. I started off at the Seattle Green Lake Running Group Pacer booth for an hour or so and I was very fascinated by how many runners didn't know what a pacer was. It was exciting to tell them what we did and how we did it. I absolutely love being a pacer, helping people reach their goals is so rewarding, it's indescribable! I highly recommend it!  I then spent the last 3 hours of the expo at the Hot Chocolate 15k/5k booth! I love love love Chocolate, so why not share my love with other runners! It was a blast telling people about the race and how... there really are chocolate aid stations and chocolate at the finish and chocolate chocolate chocolate, did...

I am sure that many of you have heard of the Ragnar Relays but have you heard of Ragnar Trail Relays? Same concept of a relay team but very different concept about traveling 200 miles. In a Ragnar Trail Relay there is a base camp where all of the teams camp out for a couple of days while each team member takes their turn running the three trail loops. Each runner still runs 3 separate times, just like a Road Ragnar but instead of all different legs, everyone on the team runs the same three legs.  We did it!  This race was a bit of a tough one, one of our teammates Lynne had an unfavorable run in with another very rude runner and ended up breaking a few bones in her right leg. We are all very grateful that she is up and about now, determined to be running again in the fall. She is an amazingly inspirational person who has shown us that there are no excuses! Here's to you Lynne! May you heal swiftly and kick all of our asses at our next meet up! I look blah but was doi...