My Happy Place & My Sad Place

I haven't written about this publicly yet. So here goes. Inspiration takes many forms. I love each and every one of my readers, that's you. Please keep me in your prayers and thoughts.

First time I went to the Methow Valley in Eastern Washington State I thought, "I must find a way to get out here more often. Maybe move here..." I was in love with the valley: it's green lushness in June 2010, and the sunshine, oh the lovely sunshine! The sun kisses me like I've never been kissed. There were trails everywhere. I rather quickly manifested that dream when I began dating a man who lived out there and directed races in the area, including the one that I went out East to run in the first place.

Top 3 women in the Triple Ripple 30k. Back in 2010

The rest of the story is Ultra running history, and propelled me into my own race directing pursuits including my directing the first ever single loop 200 mile trail race in the United States, the Tahoe 200 Endurance Run. Although the relationship did not survive our intense work ambitions or specifically his habit of working non stop from the moment he checked his phone in bed to being glued to a screen until 2am...over the long term, it planted a seed that grew into quite the realized dream. I have a lot of gratitude for the energy and inspiration of the Methow Valley! Lake Tahoe is one of may happy places, much like the Methow Valley. It has been my dream to put on a race there for several years now.

If I've learned one thing in life, it's that if you want something, you take it. You grab it and run for your fucking life. You make it your dream. You find a way to bring it to life. I did this and I am so excited to offer my dream to my runners, every single day. I love every one of you and want you to feel my passion-- to therefore feel your passion! To feel LIFE! It's all we have. It's short, temporary and lovely beyond words or expressions.
I spent the past 4 days in the picturesque mountain valley that consists of Mazama, Winthrop, and Twisp (the three towns are a total of 23 miles apart. I now share with you, my original trail running passion. Please use every day to its max. Don't take anyone for granted. Love like the beautiful raven who died, flying toward his mate when I hit him, at 80 mph just yesterday. I want to tell his beau that it wasn't me--- yet we conspired and that is life. I wanted to stop and feel his life in his raven body, even if it was just to feel it leaving the feathers... but I couldn't stop. I wanted to let my mind imagine that he was ok. That 80 mph was nothing. That he would join his love and they would live until they died a slow and simultaneous death. Yet, it was most certainly not so.  Love it. Messy life is my kind of life.