Mid-January come and gone

The older we get, the faster time passes? I'd say it's passing by, but that would not be true. I am actually enjoying my days, filling them up to the brinks. I am still on a running streak, continuing from last year, and so far I have put down 135 miles (by Saturday night). Along with running, streaking since last year is  a daily routine of 20 push ups and 20 bicycle crunches - that is not accounting for the official weight workouts. Speaking of hitting the weights, I am already at 12 workouts in 16 days, kind of nuts, but feeling really good and on a roll. Box jumps and plyometrics, squat cage and all kind of things! That photo below on the machine was actually my "recovery day" after Pikes Peak, I generally despise machines and prefer free weights for everything. Alas, I felt wiped that day.

I went to 2 power yoga classes (in person!), and threw down 3 Inclines - after one with Larry on January 1st, I returned to my Wednesday morning regular (which may eventually move into other day as my training progresses).

Wow, I used a word "training".  That's right. Because I plan to sign up for something I haven't done in 8 years (by the time summer rolls in), I actually counted weeks backwards and realized the "laying the base" period should be sort of over. Long runs are beginning now. I guess it's a good thing I got my ass up Pikes Peak the other day:) In reality, this Friday was my first official "long run" at 16 miles. From now on, every week has to have a run over 15 miles, and somewhere beginning March there should be 2 of those that long plus. At some point, there will be hill repeat, but technically, where we live, every outing to the trails means hills. I'll figure it out as I go. Since I am off Fridays, my longer one of the week will fall in here, second being either Saturday or Sunday, depending when we go skiing. 

As always, a sucker for sunrises...

I finished 3 books, and well into my 4th - binging on backpacking FKT's and mountain adventures. Took a bunch of notes, which truly express how I feel about certain things when I am moving, in the mountains, for long periods of time. At some point I may have a whole post on that, just to remember and share. I am certain many of us can relate.

On the weekend that Larry drove to Lubbock (and I did Pikes Peak) it snowed heavily (as I described my dash down from the top of our 14-er). Last Sunday morning I woke up to a healthy layer of snow right in town, which allowed me to do a few activities I love but don't normally get to do. I started the morning before sunrise with testing my new snowshoes I just got myself for New Year - Crescent Moon 9, and did 3 miles at local hike and bike trail. They worked well! I am not really good using them quite yet in general (I believe it was my 6th total time snowshoeing since New York/Portland days, plus once with Theresa in Idaho last Christmas), so I can't say what is good or not, but I was comfortable enough.

I rushed home and shoveled the snow from our driveway and sidewalk, hurrying up before too many cars get on the streets. As soon as I finished and swallowed my breakfast, I put my cross-country skies on and straight from the house went back to that hike and bike area to put another 4 miles, now skiing. Gosh, I love this stuff, so meditative, even more so than downhill skiing. I wish we had more access to flat and snowed in areas here, but we don't, and it's sort of a family thought: if we're driving 2+ hours to ski, might as well ski downhill (Larry definitely prefers that option, although my heart is split). We've got to get out cross-country a few times this year!

I continue my home-cooking and when have time, try to walk to supermarket instead of driving. Not for any reason but that I love to walk. I splurged quite a lot between Christmas and now on various athletic purchases - something I so rarely do, Larry is stunned - and so far love every piece of clothing. Not even sure why I jumped into shopping therapy, must have needed it. Knitting, though, is completely totally stuck, last yarn skein, half-way done sweater, and it's sitting in a bowl. 

On home front, since I haven't blogged last year, a lot more was done, some of what Larry described in his blog. One thing he somehow didn't mention was the fact that in October we re-paved our driveway. Well, we hired a company, that busted the old ribbons leading to the garage, the back side concrete, and the floor inside the garage. The newly put concrete is a thing of beauty and envy of the folks walking by (which is a lot in our neighborhood). Everyone looks to the side, some even stop. I bet you in your new homes don't understand what's the big deal, but in our 100-year-old homes here dropping cash on a driveway is a rarity. Yet it improved the quality of our house - and our driving in and out - big time.

So, to get back to this year, a couple of things so far. It's winter time, and the only improvements on the house that can be done are inside. One was that our fireplace has been inspected - and it passed with flying colors, so we now officially have a working fireplace, which we do use. Another is that Larry (finally!) painted the ceilings and the walls in our bedroom, plus bought and mounted an awesome mirror!

The old color of the whole room was a washed-out green (yes, the ceiling too), and we did some digging on what colors were used back in bungalow of 1928 (that we would like), and I insisted that the ceiling has to be only white. What a difference! And the mirror, jeez, I haven't seen myself full height since I left Portland! Kind of nice, even if not necessary (obviously I survived without, being my life rotating around exercising and work massaging people, no dress code there). I kind of don't look half-bad for a 51 year old, so I guess that was a positive discovery:)

It turned out to be a longer post than I planned, oh, well. As I said, I pack my life and live it fully. Yes, skiing is still big in the picture, we are all-rounded outdoor enthusiasts. Which is exactly what we did today, Saturday - we drove up to Leadville to Ski Cooper. It definitely has more snow than it did back before Christmas, but such was our bad luck, for once, the back lift, that served the better side of the mountain, one we always ski, was down for the weekend (and no announcement on the website!). What meant as we arrived, we faced one little super-slow beginners' lift for the front of Cooper, which is ALL GREEN! I mean, when we normally ski, I'd be like: man, give me one good green run to be mindless and just glide. Well, there was A LOT of THAT! Apparently, after a couple of those easy (though long and with nice views) runs we were mentally done. We made it 5 runs, had a longer than usual lunch break, then saw the lines to that poor one lift getting ridiculously long, and bailed by 11:30. 

Earliest day ever on the slopes. I was also mad I didn't take my cross-country ski as I sort of planned (just in case), because today was exactly that "case". Damn! We drove by their local Nordic center, the sun was out, beautiful around...and no skis. 

To add the insult to the injury, in the morning I splurged on a coffee mug for myself at the local coffee shop in Leadville...and first thing I did upon coming home is accidently dropping it. I haven't even had a pleasure to drink from it once. I know, I know...but damn, almost felt like my life shuttered in pieces, like I don't deserve any good in life...

Ah, yes, January 16th.  There's plenty to cry about today. It has been 16 years since my only nephew passed away, and the wound never heals. May the angels keep him lifted in Heaven. It is also a couple of other anniversaries, and somehow that broken cup solidified the mood for me. Which is not a good thing, since the sun is out, and, generally speaking, I usually preach how we make our lives, not the other way around. A sad ending to the post, for once. Oh, well.