Temporary smiles

And it's been a while once again. As I've mentioned before, photos are usually my catalyst to post and running in the dark isn't all that conducive for good photos! Anyway.....

I dropped my name in the Western States 100 hat again. Didn't get picked which is kind of what I was hoping for. I'd like to do it again and have the family there. Now we chase. The Thames Path 100 I'm signed up for in May is a qualifier so as long as I finish I can enter the lottery next year. Cool.

New Altra Torins and kick ass Stance socks! 

 I had been running consistently again until this past week. The wife was out of town for work three days, then she returned with an ear infection, daughter got an ear infection, and the little guy got croup. No one slept for three - four nights so this week has been horrible for running. I also had been focusing on my JKD black belt test which was suppose to be today, Sunday. But.........

dawn patrol, breaking trail

It's been snowing! The JKD grading has been rescheduled for next Saturday, this place shuts down with any snow. I got out running this morning in three inches of snow too! I wasn't going to but decided to despite everyone being sick. Screw 'em. Only a short run though, 3 miles, but it made me happy. Winter sucks here and I get really down. The realization that I won't get to show my kids the fun of winter that I got to grow up with hurts. It has always been such a huge part of my life until I moved to the UK. 

no one knows how much I miss this culture

I scraped the shitty storage wax off the rock skis the other day and am hoping to nordic ski today. I'm itching to get out but with everyone sick and sleep deprived no one is happy and me wanting to ski would probably be seen as selfish. I'm just sleep deprived, and of course ski deprived, but what does that matter to everyone else? I miss everything about the ski world, the smell of the wax, the people, the cold, it's just such a beautiful thing.  

Hoping to get back on track with running once everyone heals up. I'm still hanging on to a couple odd injuries. Knee plica, which doesn't bother me running, and also right hamstring/glute pain. An odd ache that comes and goes but is tolerable. I'm excited to run more but life has just been getting in the way. One observation, despite everyone being sick the one person everyone judges on his choice of diet is still healthy. A plant based, whole foods diet done correctly creates an insanely strong immune system.