Before my dad’s decline, I was planning to run the Keys 100 for my tenth time and training for my sixth go at Badwater 135 this July. Excitement, optimism, and commitment fueled my runs. Then, my dad fell and was taken away in an ambulance, and I rushed from the Keys 100 pre-race gathering with my crew, and drove four…
Long Haul 100 – “You Can Afford to Lose a Day or Two” – Billy Joel
Slow down you crazy childTake the phone off the hook and disappear for a whileIt’s alright, you can afford to lose a day or two…When will you realize… Vienna waits for you?- Billy Joel What I love about crazy-long races is that they enable me to fall apart again and again, in a contained period of time, and find ways…
When you lose your way -Ancient Oaks 100 Miler 2020
To say that 2020 has been difficult is putting it gently. This year has forced us to adapt and reinvent on a continuous basis, go deep within, find our reasons for being, strive for clarify as to what matters to us, push forward, and stay positive. Not too dissimilar from the sentiments ultrarunners confront when running 100 miles. So, in…
Keeping Going
“Quitting is not an option.” – Marshall Ulrich I flew to Florida to see my dad over Memorial Day weekend. It was a last minute decision, but with May 22nd marking the 9th anniversary of my mom’s passing, it was almost as if I could hear her say to me that Friday in her just do it spirit, “Go see…
Quarantine Treats
Depending on your situation, WFH and quarantining may or may not have given you some additional time in your schedule. I know that many of us feel busier than ever at work these days, and with some of us also having children at home to teach and entertain, free time is at a minimum. That said, whether you’re able to…
RESET: Long Haul 100
After getting injured during running Daytona 100 in December 2019, I was clear: I needed to heal up and recover well, as I had big plans for 2020, and at this point in my life, feeling good and enjoying running is critical to me. I immersed myself in cross training, cut way back on the running, and was studious with…
Roadmap for the Year Ahead
In my pursuit to foster a growth mindset, embrace the new and different, and live my best life – whether I’m at work, writing, or toeing the start line of a race – here’s some practices that I’ve implemented to fuel my journey. Beginner’s mindset: Every time I begin to write an article or story, show up at work, roll…
Most Memorable Books of 2019
2019 was the year of quirky, raw, haunting, and lyrical novels for me. Of the fiction list noted below, Family of Origin by CJ Hauser was the most notable novel of the year for me – the writing was fresh and gorgeous, and the main characters, with all of their flaws, were spirited and empathetic. A close second was Rushdie’s…
Javelina Jundred 100 – Time & Place
In writing fiction, characters bloom at the intersection of time and place. Situate a character at the end of his or her rope, and what happens next is the story. The same holds true in large part for our lives, and perhaps in ultra-marathons, it’s the expedited version. The Sonoran Desert. Late October. Halloween looming. Costumed runners and crew all…
Risk and Reward: Tahoe 200
Pre-Race 24-hours before the start of Tahoe 200, a 205.5-mile endurance run that circumnavigates the magnificent and dazzlingly blue Lake Tahoe, by way of the Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT), with occasional detours through aspen meadows, rock gardens, canopied forests, and ridge lines, I was petrified. It wasn’t the course and its substantial climbs and descents that frightened me by that…