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Showing posts from 2016

This race only gave me two options: finish or die. Dramatic, perhaps.

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In my wildest dreams, I often think that at some point writing these race reports can land me a sponsorship and maybe, I can finally afford to buy some running shoes that are Danielle -proof. Then, reality hits and I realize that no shoes will ever be Danielle-proof. Anyways, in response to all my free time (and secret desire of sponsorship), here is my race report: Adventure: “an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity.” That definition pretty much sums up my weekend of racing Cat's tail Marathon. In order to really explain the Cat's Tail Marathon, I should start this tail (har, har) a few weeks prior to the race. I had convinced my good friend, Stacy, to run the race after spotting it on facebook and hearing that: “the Cat’s Tail is a rugged mountain marathon” (which is just my style). My usual MO prior to a race is to show up on the day of the race without much knowledge. However, due to the strict requirements of the race and the special

A Case of the Should's

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                It is 2:45 AM and a million thoughts are spewing in my head. I try to fall back to sleep for hours and around daybreak, I head for the trails to clear me of my fears. Some people fear the dark in the woods, I find solace and hope. Plagued by uncertainty of the future, sleep is not an inviting place. I have decisions to make about my future and I am uncertain how to proceed. Do I take the safe comfortable way or put everything out on the table? As I am moving to make a choice, I catch a nasty case of the should's.       The should's generally show their ugly face when taking a new life path and when being confronted by other's questions about my life and my future. Lucky for me, this has been happening a lot lately! As my Facebook page illustrates, I have not been working since June when I volunteering choose to leave my job. My original plans did not pan out and I have been enjoying incredible adventures in the mountains or woods.  Since I am not hiding the

Heavy Heart, Hurt Hammie, Soaring Spirit

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At mile 37, I had what I considered the Absolute BEST idea for my race report and decided to repeat this over and over until I reached my pacer at the next aid station. After running 37 miles, every idea seems astonishing. As I look back on most of my discoveries during this race, they are not as impressive as I once believed. But nonetheless, I'll stick with my original title of: Heavy Heart, Hurt Hammie and Soaring Spirit. Since Cayuga, I have been debating running Twisted Branch. Unsure how my body would tolerate the heavy milage, I held off on signing up until the very last moment (possibly the last second). A few weeks prior to signing up, I messaged one of my adventure partners (Jason) and asked him if he was interested in being my pacer. A day before the race closed, Jason finally messaged me and basically was like, “ What is it going to be!” And I thought, what a beautiful way to say goodbye to the East Coast by running a 100k in the Finger Lakes and signed up. (Si