I Found Winter

There is a bond between myself and my dogs.  They know that I will keep them safe, feed them, love them and in return they give themselves to me and will go anywhere for me.

Standing on the runners behind their incredible power in one of the most beautiful places in the world I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. 

The only sounds being the soft clink of the clips against the collars and the padding of 20 dog paws in the soft snow.  

Making our way across the lake the sun crept above the mountain tops stirring to life millions of ice crystals that lay around us on the vast expanse of snow that stretched out before me.

The trust between myself and dog was apparent as we approached a fork on the trail we had never been on causing Hubba Bubba to look back at me making sure he was going in the right direction before pulling the team where he had been told, which made my chest swell like a proud parent.

The dogs were in turn rewarded with trails in the forest which were full of twists and turns as we clambered over a series of drifts that at times seemed 8 feet high.  Thrilling and exhilarating are words to describe our adventure and I think the dogs would agree as even they need something different than flat perfectly groomed trails to run.  Keeps us all wanting to come back for more.

Beautiful trails, fresh air, hanging with my five fur covered kids who love me unconditionally, having the company of my hubby and a friend who shares the same passion made for a day that I can only hope heaven will be like.

It only took 2.5 hours to get there

and I wish that we had gone every weekend.

Next year it will be one of my training spots... one of many. 

My only wish.... that it wasn't spring with the end of the season quickly approaching.

Full Speed Ahead

My horoscope today reads;

 

Today's New Moon falls in your sign, marking a turning point in your year. You are already preparing to make important changes, but have probably experienced a few false starts or setbacks in recent months. Although it might require another month or so to see significant progress, the intentions you set now confirm that the ball is rolling in the right direction. Be ready to start the next part of your journey because there's no going back.

 

I do not read my 'scopes regularly, nor do I take any advice from them.  It is more of a glance over and most of the time chuckle at what is foretold of my upcoming day. 

 

However I had to share today's astrological forecast.

 

My life is full of roads and pathways. 

Some are straight and paved with clear direction.

Most are cracked pavement, gravel or dirt ruts that seem to twist and turn with many sharp bends and forks with no signs telling me which way I should go.

 

I've recently taken a road that was void of travel. A path that not many have crossed, one that I will have to walk along with few who understand what obstacles I will encounter.

 

Scared?

A little.

 

I've started running and it isn't as easy as I thought it would be without dogs tied to my waist.

My diet has changed for the better and although I still cheat, it isn't big cheats and I don't feel bad when I've eaten that little piece of chocolate.

I have lost 15 pounds now.  So it is all worth it.

 

'Be ready to start the next part of your journey because there's no going back.'

 

This sounds ominous... yet excites me too.

 

I'm turning that corner ahead, and will do so with my head held high.... look out here I come!

 

Write it Out

Advice given to me as I cannot sleep.

Write it out.

You know... I honestly have not done any serious writing in what feels like forever now.
Lack of sleep has a tremendous influence over my brain.

Words trapped in my mind.

Filling my head, wanting – no - needing to come out and onto paper.   Trouble is every time I try to write anything down nothing flows.
It comes out as gibberish, making no sense.
I just cannot get it out of m head, which is filling up by the second.

Soon, one day soon, it is going to explode into a jumble of nonsense making me look as though I have joined the ranks of the lunatics.

Iwannasaysomethingbutjustcannotfindthewaytodoitanythingreallyatallwilldorightaboutnow!!!

And what are words anyway?

Letters that are strewn out in a random order that at times make no sense at all.  Seriously how does one know why the knight known as the Colonel  of the Gnomes would want to reign this colony?   Especially when it rains at night in the city of Nome while the corn kernels get covered in fungi.

Where’d that come from???

See what I mean about needing to get words out on paper?

Or in print?
Or just out of my head.

There is some serious shit floating around in there.

Moonlight Run

As per usual I had fallen asleep on the couch while watching tv.
However once the show ended I was wide awake (why do I do that?) and decided to check the computer one last time before bed.

On facebook it was being reported that the northern lights were out dancing in the sky against the full moon.

It was 13 degrees here during the day and the snow we received only days earlier was melting into a big mushy mess.  Although it was still hovering around the 5 degree mark at 10:00pm it felt cooler with the breeze.
Without another thought we grabbed the dogs and headed to the race site which luckily for us is only a 5 minute drive down the road.

In the past when I've done moonlight runs the silence is what envelopes me in a feeling of warm happiness.
On this night it was different.
Spring is pushing it's way into our world and this was pretty evident with sight, sound and even smell.

Bare ground was exposed in more than one spot with tufts of dry brown grasses poking its way out of the hard snow.  The sound of the runners on the hardened and mushy snow was loud enough to cause my Hubba Bubba to look around questioning me.  Even Rocky turned his head a few times when the drag mat ran over ice or dirt. 
We were not the only creatures stirring by midnight when we finished our run.  For the new spring smell of skunk was very strong in the air.  More than a few times Penny's ears perked up as she caught sight of something ahead, and I'm sure she was aware of the smaller night creatures stretching their legs from a winters nap.

 We had a scare with Penny as it turned out to be a little too warm for her and she became a little unstable on her feet.  Hooking down and rubbing her tummy with snow and letting them all have a good long rest seemed to help along with a few more long rests on our way back to the truck.
Not only did this keep the dogs cool but it stretched out our last run of the season.
At about the 3/4 mark I thought I should let Hubby finish up on the runners... I suppose it was only fair....however this allowed me to take a few pictures.

I think the lights are headlights from the cars along the hiway that runs parallel to this part of the track.  This was one of our stops for poor Penny when I was still on the runners.

We did run through a cold pocket of air creating a mist with the dogs breathing.

Hubby's turn on the runners.

Winter, uh Spring.. no Winter! Whatever...fun!

It has been an unusual year,with a lack of winter and quite a few spring like days. (And I really hate spring!!) 

As the months passed us that should have been filled with cold brisk days and snow covered trails, but which were not, I began to feel a sense of acceptance.

It was as though I had given in, or given up.  I felt like a little kid pouting in my room with an it is not fair attitude.... it just was not!

Mother Nature just was not on my side so it seemed.  However I believe she felt a little sorry for me as she decided to grace me with just a teeny tiny bit of my favorite season.

Winter finally arrived... the week of March 4

LOTS of snow fell

The most we've had all year

Which meant...

Playing in the snow with my fur kids!!

So far we have had 3 late evening runs.

But sadly

it is leaving just about as quickly as it came

I will not complain though...... because it has been whispered to me that next year is going to be one with tons of snow and plenty of opportunities to play!!!

It will,,,, you will see.

Self Discovery

I had a bug put in my ear yesterday.

A bug that has wormed its way into my very soul.
It's all I can think about.

http://www.thepercy.com/race-info

100 mile Skijour race up in the Yukon.

100 miles... I've only ever run 4 miles at a time so far.... and here I am looking at 100.
Two other lady musher friends of mine are seriously looking at this making us a team of three crazies.
Being realistic and all (haha) we are thinking of doing the race in 2014 which gives us 2 years from now.

I will have to dig deep for this.

Plans include;

A complete dietary change for myself which I have been working on this last couple of months anyway, so it wont be a big deal.   It is also a way of eating/living that has been done in my life before so it should not be too hard to slip back.

A dietary over-haul for the dogs meaning tons of reading for me as I research what would be best for my fur babies.

Training regime to include weights. This totally excites me as I've seriously missed this in my life lately, and am looking forward to bringing it back.
Cardio big time. I would like to work toward running a 10 or 5K race in July, and who knows a 1/2 marathon next year?

Running dogs every chance I have.  The training will focus on the puppies as that is likely who will come with me on this adventure, but of course all the dogs will be included.
We will continue our daily morning walks.
Run on snow with the sled or skis for the rest of this winter (yeah, what winter?) as much as possible.
Dog park on the weekends for our socialization.
Scooter runs as soon as the ice leaves.
Carnicross the puppies every night, again, as soon as the ice leaves.
Then of course, fall training and WINTER!!

I've already started my research into either purchasing or building a Pulk, and working out a new boot system.  Something warmer than I have now.
New skis will most likely be in my future as will warm weather gear.. well that is obvious as I plan to lose a ton of weight over this next year so I have no choice but to be re-fitted.

Just re-read my above list and have to laugh. What else can I do but laugh? The only thing I am ready for at this point is that I have the sleeping gear.

So.

1. I must acquire money.   Lots of it.   Which means a super duper summer job better come my way.
2. Get my butt in gear and get moving.
3. Money, I need money.
4. Get the dogs butts in gear and get them moving.
5. Money.. oh, did I mention that already?  Yes, well I need lots of it.

Money for gear, food for dogs, gas money to get to the Yukon (and money for vehicle expenses).
Money for lost work time in order to get there, race, then get back home.
Money for incidentals... I said gear already... but, you know things like socks, booties, foot creams, treats for dogs.
Money for registration for that particular race, and all the other races we will and need to attend for experience.. including the road races I want to enter to get in shape.
Money for gym membership, running shoes etc. etc. etc. etc.

etc.
etc.
etc.

sigh.

I need to either win the lottery or have a very rich friend who will sponsor me.
Since I wont have either, I guess I better start looking for that perfect summer job.