NEW YEAR, NEW CHALLENGE

This year, I turn 50.  To commemorate, I will be doing my 5th marathon....the hardest one yet.  What's the point in taking it easy? I still can, still enjoy the training process, still enjoy getting up at 3 am to run with hundreds or thousands of like-minded athletes.  

However, the training was getting a bit stale.  I know every inch of nearly every road within a 20-mile radius of my house.  Even with music and running buddies, it can get a bit boring.  What's a girl to do?


Why, obviously - take it off-road!!   Yes, that's right, I'm training for a trail race. It's in March so you'll be getting updates from time to time.  I'm up to 12 miles.  I've been running in a state park that has:  sand, hard-packed dirt, pine needles, lots of leaf litter, mud, a few hills, knobby tree roots that I have to dance over like a little bunny, deer, wild turkey, and I'm told a bear or two.  
Today, I did 12 very muddy miles.  
I do not have a Go-Pro so I hooked up my phone to my CamelBak.
The photo is a little fuzzy because the lens got foggy.  What I did was rubber band my phone to the horizontal clap.  Stayed in place perfectly!!

After my run I cooled my feet off in the 74-degree springs.  Ahh.  It was cold but felt really good.  
PS.  My #Runergy bars came in quite handy.  Gave me great energy.