All of life is a journey.........
All of life is a journey; which paths we take, what we look back on, and what we look forward to is up to us. We determine our destination, what kind of road we will take to get there, and how happy we are when we get there. From A Little Book of Happiness
Our Whitney, White mountain and Hetch Hetchy trip was a blast.
We didn't make it up Whitney because none of us ever used ice axes before and we got a late start. Going up would not be the issue it would be coming down. So we made it up to almost 13,000ft. On July 14 Jerry and I will go up again less snow so we should make it up.
I was really shocked at how much snow was out there. Going through Tuolumne really opened my eyes on the conditions out There.
This year I will not do the JMT instead I will do a few fastpacks of 60-100 miles.
I am still trying to plan out ,my plan of attack. It will start with a 60 mile over night from Hetch Hetchy to Yosemite and back.
Been super busy this week. Heading out on Saturday to run Safety patrol at Western states 100. I get to run 32 miles and help my fellow runners along the way.
Good luck to all of you who are running Western states 100 it's not going to be easy with all the snow so stay positive and I will see you all out there.

“It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”
We did it we finished another San Diego 100. It was by far the most difficult for me and Andy. We have run this race together 4 times. Andy has finished 8 times and me 7. It was our very first 100 we ran together as a couple so it's special.
This year since no one seemed to be trained it took a lot of amazing runners out. Including me, but I manged to keep moving forward towards the finish line . Andy and I both felt like crap most of the race.
The heat killed us early on, and the night brought cold temps and wind chill factors. It must of been low 30's but with wind chill it felt much colder.
We had the best crew ever George Valesco. He put up with us the whole 30:10 min. it took for us to finish. Without him it would of been a hell of a lot harder. Just seeing him at each aid station made me smile.
This race is all about the awesome RD Scotty Mills and the wonderful volunteers. Thanks to all of you.
I am already getting ready for my next adventure this weekend. Heading up Mt. Whitney & White mountain peak both 14,000ft+ peaks. There is a shit load of snow, I'm hoping we can make it all the way up but since I am not very experienced in climbing in that kind of snow not sure how far we will get. I will be heading out on July 9 for the JMT so by then a lot of snow will be gone. So if I don't make it up this time. I will be going back up Whitney in a few weeks ;-) wish me luck.
Ok I'm off to REI to buy an ice axe and watch more videos on how to use it.
Thanks for sending me positive vibes during San Diego 100 ;-)

SAN DIEGO 100 READY OR NOT HERE I COME!!!!
This weekend I will be running SD 100 I will be going for my 7 finish and Andy for number 8. It should be a blast and I hope we get some heat!!! I have been following some reports on PCT hikers in the Sierras and it's looking dicey for any sort of record so I am just going to Fastpack it without killing myself and to be honest with all that snow it won't happen. So the plan is to have fun and finish in 8-10 days instead of my usual 7 and under ;-)
I hope you all have an awesome weekend and stay out of trouble ;-)
Please send me positive vibes during the race.
"We know that not all addictions require treatment, because we run"-unknown

HETCH HETCHY
"Hetch Hetchy is a grand landscape garden, one of nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples. As in Yosemite, the sublime rocks of its walls seem to glow with life . . . while birds, bees, and butterflies help the river and waterfalls to stir all the air into music. . . . These temple destroyers, devotees of ravaging commercialism, seem to have a perfect contempt for Nature, and, instead of lifting their eyes to the God of the mountains, lift them to the Almighty Dollar. . . . Dam Hetch Hetchy! As well dam for water-tanks the people's cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man." John Muir, "The Yosemite," Century, 1912, pp. 249-62.
What and awesome day with great friends, it was perfect. We saw a mama bear and her two cubs. Life doesn't get any better than this. She was so mellow and just hung out eating why the cubs ran around they were so curious about everything and such a joy to watch. I have never had a mama bear just hangout and be so calm. It was the third encounter I have have with a mama and cubs. First time she was very protective and I had to go way out of my way to go around since she seemed like she might charge at me if I came any closer. The second time they all ran away. So I felt lucky today ;-)
We were lucky that the weather was nice pretty much just right overcast and 60 ;-) we just did a day trip since snow was on it's way and the weather was going to get ugly.
I was surprised to see so many hikers and backpackers in the area, most of the time it's not to busy. There was a trail crew working on a rock fall near Wapama bridge. There are tons of trees down heading to TillTill valley. Also the food bridge is closed on the south trail that heads towards Yosemite. We ended up doing a couple out and backs before we heading for our final back to where we started.
I love this area and if you are ever heading to Yosemite make a stop by Hetch Hetchy it really is the hidden gem of Yosemite.
It's taper time I will be running San Diego 100 next weekend it's gonna be fun. Andy will be going for finish #8 and I will be going for finish #7 wish us luck.

Poor Rocky got sprayed by a skunk a couple nights ago that was no fun ;-(

Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another. Walter Elliott

Breaking news: I am no longer going to run Badwater...it's a long complicated story so I will give the short version..Personal issues. I decided I will run it next year in July but not with the race. I will make as part of my 709 mile journey stay tuned for details. So this Summer I will attempt the woman's unsupported record on the John Muir trail and also the Tahoe rim trail. I know it's not the best year with all the snow but I have a month off to have some fun in between hundreds and pacing Andy at Angeles crest 100.
I had a great weekend working at the Mt. Wilson trail race in Sierra Madre and hanging out with Andy and Rocky and meeting a facebook friend Daniela from Germany.

Once again I am very sorry to everyone who helped out and donated to my cause. I will be running for a cause when I do my attempted speed records this Summer. I wish I could be running Badwater but it turned into such a negative thing with a couple people involved. I am truly sorry but will go big next year. Thanks to everyone who always supports what I do and is willing to help make my dreams come true.

OHLONE 131 MILER 49:10

Here's a quick note. I had a pretty good run, but I was slower than last year. I was really sleep during the second night. Even stopped for a 20 min. nap at home. Andy boyfriend was amazing he ran the last 64 miles with me. Chau Pham paced me 32 miles through the first night.
I will write a full report later. Thanks to everyone who sent me positive vibes during my run.

Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the lion or it will not survive. Every morning a lion wakes up and it knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve. It doesn't matter if you are the lion or the gazelle, when the sun comes up, you better be running.

- African Proverb

Fun times on The JMT/ Half Dome trail. There was way to much snow for us to make it up the face where the switchbacks use to be. If we had crampons we could of went up but without crampons going straight up would of been very dangerous if we slipped. The cables will not be going up until June since it is way to dangerous to get through the snow sections. They can't even send trail workers up yet.
We had a great time left at 5;15 am and were home by 9:30. It's great that it's only a 3.5 hour drive to Yosemite Valley we are very lucky.
El Cap had tons of activity and Camp 4 was full. It's the beginning of the climbing season. I really miss hanging out with all the climbers such a colorful bunch of people with amazing stories ;-)
The weather was great it got pretty warm on the trail. On the way down we decided to go down the Mist trail but got turned around because a guy fell and died there around noon. I still haven't read any reports about the mans death. Very sad.
We made the long climb back up to the JMT junction and headed down the valley there were a lot of people on the trail. I was surprised since school is still in. But I guess it was a Friday.
Saw my friends Bogie and hi wife Edith near the Nevada falls bridge. It was a wonderful surprise.

It's taper time for the Ohlone 131 miler which I will start at 11am on Friday woo hoo

"Respect the distance or the distance won't respect you! It will eat you up, spit you out and make you beg for mercy" - Unknown
I had a blast training in Sierra madre for 5 days. Ran the road up to Chantry and back. And ran out of Baily canyon and ran the Mt. Wilson trail. I love Sierra Madre such a beautiful place.
I got to visit with my boyfriend Andy, I always love spending time with him. Rocky came so the whole family was together.
I got to see George V a few times he is one of my crew guys for Badwater 135.
I am finally getting into this whole road running thing. My body is getting use to it. I still will allow myself a few days a week to touch dirt below my feet. I just have to or I will die.
Heading for some fun in Yosemite Friday hopefully we will run up to Half Dome and it will be snow free ;-) the cables are down so my roommate and I will head up since we don't need a permit until the cables are up.
Looking forward to going to my favorite place.
Ok I'm a busy girl gotta run............

"I always loved running...it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs." - Jesse Owens

Had an awesome week of running some how managed to run 125 miles for the week ;-) Since I didn't have to taper anymore once I found out I wasn't running McNaughton 200 ;-(. That's ok I am all set to run Ohlone 131 in a few weeks, I will keep up the high mileage until I have to taper ;-)
Had a great run Saturday running in Sunol 28 miles all around ;-)
The weather was awesome for Sundays epic 40 miler to Rose Peak and back my roommate Jerry came along for the fun, we both were a bit tired but toughed it out and finished in 13 hours ;-) we were happy to be out running and enjoying the views of the wilderness.
I will be heading to Sierra Madre on Wednesday morning with Rocky to visit Andy and do some running up Mt. Wilson ;-) I will also do some road running up to Chantry and back should be fun!!!
Rocky is doing great and is back to running again I am very happy he is fine ;-) yay!!!!

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do." - Eleanor Roosevelt

So I'm sad I won't be running McNaughton park 200 miler. Rocky being sick last week and his expensive vet bill really didn't help much. I thought how the heck can I afford to go? Both Andy and I decided that the unplanned expense was enough to make us realize it's best not to go, and that we could do it next year. As it turns out now there is no way Andy could go since something with a project he is working on came up, and he needs to be here.

Like I always say everything happens for a reason.
Rocky is doing great I take him Saturday for a vet check.

So since I am very well trained I will keep my miles up and get ready for my annual solo Ohlone 100, I think I am going to run 131 miles again since I'm not running McNaughton 200. I just need to work it out for a night pacer Friday night and I would need to have someone pick Andy up at the airport Friday night.

Hopefully I can get it all worked out. Andy is pacing me the last 64 miles it should be fun.
This weekend should be a good training weekend starting tomorrow with a 20 miler, Saturday 30 & Sunday 40. woo hoo!!!! the good news is I don't have to taper for a couple weeks ;-)

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. ~Roger Caras
My furry son had me freaked out this weekend. Wednesday night he knocked some things off a dresser but my roommate said he didn't think anything hit him. He seemed fin running on Thursday. Thursday night he knocked over my hamper. I took him running on Friday 4 miles he seemed ok. I went and got my hair done and came home and I noticed the white area of his left eye was bloody red like a vessel burst.
He was moving his head weird and I thought maybe something did hit him in the head. I rushed him to the vet. I just assumed he got hit in his head above his eye.
They needed to do x-rays and blood test and keep him over night. The head looked good no fractures. So they just kept him to watch him and gave him something for the swelling.
He seems to be doing well the eye still is red and he's taking antibiotics and pain meds. Good news he's on the mend bad news no running or vigorous walking for a week. He sees the doctor on Saturday and hopefully he will be able to get out for a short run soon.

"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."
- Steve Prefontaine

Yes I know this picture looks odd. After all these years we have found the wrecked truck out on Mission peak. Actually I have only been looking for it for maybe 3 years. A few weeks ago I was on my run when something caught my eye in the distance. I thought could this be the mystery truck I have been looking for? The story is two young boys where driving and lost control on a sharp turn and the truck flipped and they died. I think it was around 1968-1971 that it happened.
I told my roommate where I saw it in the distance, i didn't have time to go find it. He ended up climbing down to it.
I wanted to go to it on our 20 mile run Friday so we did. What an epic to get to it. Super steep and lots of poison oak. Jerry had carved his name in the truck last time so this time he carved mine. It looks like the last person who was down there and carved their name was in 91.
We still don't know the full story of who the boys were and what they were doing out there.
We ran on a cow trail to discover a new area in the Sunol its a secret so I cant tell you where it is, but in a couple weeks the most beautiful wildflowers will be popping.
Saturday Jerry and I ran the Western Pacific marathon in Fremont. It was at Quarry lakes and followed the Alameda creek trail. I had already run 60 miles for the week and had run 20 miles the day before. I was just wanting to run it as training and planned to run 10 miles home too.
I surprised myself after not running a marathon for 10 years I ran 4:20 5th woman 2nd in my age and 16 overall.
Jerry took first in his age and 15 overall. We had a blast.
Brazen racing puts on a first class event with food every couple miles and the finish line set up was amazing. And the medals were beautiful.
Ran a total of 115 miles for the week. This week will be my last big training week for McNaughton 200 mile run. I'm feeling pretty good about running 200 miles, lets see what this week brings.
I love this last photo of me sizing up the competition. LOL

"The woods are lovely dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." - Robert Frost


I did it! I finished my 4th Umstead 100. Wasn't my fastest time but I still managed to push hard at the end to go under 23 hours. My time was 22:58.

I will write my report later which includes a deranged lunatic who attacked a few runners, I saw him but he knew better then to mess with me ;-)

Oh BTW way Andy PR'd he ran 18:33.
Stay tuned for more.