I'm back!

*Shhh, don't tell anyone, I'm blogging at work...

To be honest, I have no good excuse for my absence from blogging. I'm making an early New Year's resolution to change my ways & blog regularly - although I hope to stick with the resolution, unlike many high hope resolutions that quickly fade away within the first month.

First on the agenda: I’ve already completed some of my Christmas gift shopping! Today, I received a few packages containing part of the Christmas presents for my parents, brother & sister-in-law, and Bob & Jean Lipetzky. The gifts are fantastic & I cannot wait to give them out. Of course I can’t divulge the identity of these fabulous gifts, as the few people who read this blog are the people receiving the gifts & I’m not about to spoil the surprise. I don’t want to toot my own horn, but wow, it is very unlike me to purchase Christmas gifts early enough I don’t have to pay for overnight shipping. I must be butta’, ‘cause I’m on a roll! (*snicker*) Now if I can keep this up & complete all shopping, I’ll be in great shape…

Time to wrap up my post; I need to finish up work & get out of here. I have many pictures to post, but that will have to wait until I’m home on my personal computer. It’s good to be back!

Recent shtuff

An amalgamation of recent activity pics:

Steve and I relaxing on the couch after the Prickly Pear Land Trust 30K trail run in Helena
A picture from Tongue River Canyon - went up to the canyon last weekend for a trail run and took this picture with my work phone during the run
Post trail run (~5 miles) - check out my awesome new shades!
We recently took the pups to a reservoir near Sheridan to fish and hang out. I managed to catch this great pictures of Brewer (far right) & Gidget (next to Brewer) running out of the water with two of their friends, Sarge (white dog) & Zeus (far left)

My favorite picture! Gidget (left), Brewer (middle), & Guinness (right) passed out in the back of Steve's vehicle after their busy day of running and swimming.

Peaks to Prairie

Congrats to Steve and Shawn for completing the Peaks to Prairie race this past Sunday in Red, Lodge, MT! www.peakstoprairie.org Steve stepped in at the last minute to participate in the running portion after Shawn's partner sprained her ankle. He ran the 8.8 miles in under an hour and Shawn biked the 43 miles in two hours. We had a great time and the race was fun to watch, especially with the beautiful weather. Sadly, we forgot a camera and were unable to document the weekend.
However... We made time to visit Sam's Tap Room, a fun and unique brewery in Red Lodge that is a must stop for any visit. Obviously popular with the locals, the hangout allows patrons to bring in their dogs. Steve and I decided to bring our pups along and they had a great time vacuuming the popcorn off the floor. The last time we visited the tap room, an enormous Great Dane was hanging out. A very gentle dog, we couldn't get over his size. Without fail, he showed up and I caught a picture of Brewer checking him out. Check out this pup, he's a horse! His looks may be deceiving, but he's incredibly gentle and verging on shy. Brewer is on the left and he's actually a very tall lab - as you can see, the Great Dane's head reaches the top of a tall table. I've never been a big fan of Great Danes, but this guy is super cute.

Really?

Did someone really think it was a good idea to name a cookie "Fudge Drops"?

Sheridan Running Club, Glenn Miller Orchestra, and hogs

What do the above three have to do with each other? Absolutely nothing. Let me explain...

I've never been part of a running club, but Steve has talked about his experiences with one and it sounded like great fun. We always see other runners around Sheridan and think it would be nice to meet the other runners around town. So I started a running club! http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/sheridanrunningclub/ We had our first run yesterday - while it was only one lady and I, it was fun to meet someone else that loves running. I'm very excited to keep this club going.

On to the second subject...the world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra came into town this past Wednesday! I managed to get tickets before it sold out and we had an absolute blast. The music was phenomenal! If they play in your area, I highly recommend you see them.

Last but not least... Steve and I now have a motorcyle to ride!! One of our friends had a 1980 400CC Honda and was selling it for an unbeatable price. Other than a few minimal things that need updating (seat needs to be re-upholstered and a few cables need replacing), the bike is in fantastic condition. It's a perfect bike to run around town and as the weather gets warmer, Steve and I have been taking it out for rides (individually...neither of us has become comfortable enough to drive someone on the back). I'll post pictures as soon as a take a few.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

What's your passion?

I've been sidelined from running with an injury. A minor injury - slightly torn/pulled right quad - but an injury, nonetheless. I took yesterday and today off from running, and it has been an absolute feat to convince myself this is what is best. I may take tomorrow off as well. The leg is already feeling better today, but not quite ready to endure the impact. Runners notoriously ignore their injuries and "run through the pain." I don't want to end up a casualty...collapsing in the middle of a race due to a broken hip (yes, I've read about this happening), needing surgery due to allowing the injury to go too far, suffering permanent damage...the list goes on. My goal is to go for a 2 hr run on Sunday, and if I take three days off, I believe I'll be ready. I've been injured before and had to take time off from running, but for whatever reason, this has been TOUGH. And now I'll explain why...

Running has become a love of mine. A passion. A slight obsession. I read about it, think about it, research it, and become excited when I meet someone else that shares my passion. Running makes me feel b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l. Running makes me feel strong. Running makes me feel AWESOME. Running makes me feel sexy. I love pushing myself and seeing just how amazing the human body is. I'm not ridiculously fast and I'm not going to make my career running, but I LOVE IT. Many people have a hard time understanding this serious attachment. For some women, lingerie does it. For others, it's a great pair of shoes. For me, it's running. Don't get me wrong...playing dress up can make me feel wonderful. But to me, there is no greater feeling than the end of a run. And when I cannot partake, whether it's 3 miles or 50K, my psyche is thrown off course. I think about it even more. Part of writing this post is therapy. Just ask Steve...he was able to enjoy a 10+ mile run today and I'm jealous. Jealous! Of my boyfriend! Love is not jealous...the Bible says so. I'm working on it, I promise. :)

Now I ask you, my readers, what is your passion? What is something if taken away from you, feels as though a part of your "soul" has been taken? This may help you see where I'm coming from. Whether it's something you do everyday or once a year... Quilting? Photography? Wine? Cooking? Traveling? Yoga? Homebrewing? Reading? Your job? Baking? Creating beautiful art through sewing, quilting, paper products, painting, photography...? Hiking? Animals? Napping? ANYTHING can be a passion.

Running is mine.

St. Patrick's Day fun

I have many more pictures from the nightly festivities of St. Patrick's Day weekend, but this picture is from the Sheridan Jaycees St. Patrick's Day fun run. I managed to round up an awesomely green outfit, as evidenced in this photo. (Yes, I ran the whole 10K with the boa around my neck) Georgia (second in from left) and I tied for the best green outfit.

Aaaaaand that's all

Pufferfish
Dork :)
Steve preparing for his scuba diving
Wild donkeys
Their taxis

....

Wild donkey - and check out those gas prices!
A residential sign: "Goats Keep Out, Donkeys Go Away"

The hermit crabs grew fairly large
Another hidden trail leading to a secluded beach. The beach was known for having an incredible amount of conch, which were harvested by visitors. Any visitors not wanting to take their conch shell left them at the beach and they started lining the trail with the shells. Other visitors would take the conch shells as souvenirs (we took a few).

...

Steve on our longest trailrun (a bit over 6 miles) to the most fascinating ruins and a few petroglyphs
Most of the trails were lined with these rock walls that were often a form of barrier for the sugar cane plantations
Petroglyphs - can you see them? They were symbols from an ancient tribe residing on the island
The Reef Bay Sugar Mill ruins. This mill ran the longest of all mills and was very interesting to walk around. Close to the mill was a beautifully secluded beach (most tourists didn't want to walk ~3 miles to get to a beach).
Wild goats

And more...

Island deer - much smaller than Wyoming deer
From our chartered fishing boat - we ran into bad weather in the morning, but Steve managed to catch this shot as the day progressed and the weather cleared
Our fishing captain throwing out a net to catch bait. The first part of the morning was getting rough, so he took us into this protected pond to fish for Tarpon; once we left the pond for open seas, the day was much nicer and the water was calmer.
The king fish I reeled in - he gave me hell! We didn't catch a large amount of fish (1 King, 2 tuna, and a few inedible fish), but we kept one tuna and still had tuna steaks leftover to give away.
Steve, the expert driver. He did a great job of navigating the windy and narrow roads, all while driving on the left side of the road.

More pics

View from our first trailrun (trailhead was right across the street from our campground)

We weren't used to the warmth of the island...
Someone else that sweats as much as I do! :)
Well, we did have quite an elevation gain

St. John

Our tent at Cinnamon Bay Campground
The jeep we rented that got us around the hilly island
View of St. John from the ferry trip of St. Thomas to St. John
Steve cooking our first dinner

I'm finally posting pictures from the trip to St. John, USVI that Steve and I took in February. The trip was incredibly relaxing and we had a great time snorkeling, going on trail runs, fishing, and exploring the island. St. John is a great island and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to venture to the USVI. The island is about 2/3 national park, which entails little development and great trails. Here are a few highlights:

Pups

Can you tell I'm an animal lover? As I write this post, my adorable pup is laying underneath me...and unfortunately, attempting to clear me from the room with some very undesirable smells...
Guinness and Gidget sharing the water dish - Brewer looking on longingly

Brewer and Gidget found the largest stick in the yard and decided it was their new favorite toy. Steve doesn't need to worry about mulching any sticks - just put the pups in the yard and they'll chew them until he has the finest mulch in town.
Look closely...Brewer has a very appropriate "Sponge Bob Square Pants" scarf
All three decided they needed to play with the same stick
Awww, ain't she the cutest??
Guinness cooling off

Idiot Driver

The other night after watching a movie at Steve's house, I came home to a very disturbing surprise - someone had DRIVEN THROUGH my yard! Getting close to my house, I could see weird swerves in the ice on the street (Sheridan is known for lack of proper snow removal when we get dumped on...don't ask me...it happens every winter). I thought my neighbor had made a wide turn into their driveway, until...I drove up to my curb and saw the destruction. The pictures aren't clear, but they give you an idea of just how far into my yard this idiot had driven; had I been home at the time, my card would have been nailed.
My car is the far left in the picture. I'm not parked right next to the curb, but you can see the arc of the idiot's tires. Diagonally across the street, I could see where they had overcorrected and swerved into the corner lot yard. Luckily there were no signs of an accident.

Picture of my car (left corner) and the front of my house - the genius that did this was practically halfway up my sidewalk. I had to re-shovel...that did NOT make me a happy camper. It's a very creepy feeling to know that had I been home, things could've taken a turn for the worse. I just hope the jerk made it home safely and didn't hurt anyone or themselves.

Running

Check out my new running shoes! Aren't they fantastic? Found a great deal at www.roadrunnersports.com and took the plunge ($49! That's unheard of for decent running shoes). I was incredibly past due for a new pair and was beginning to feel the effects of old, broken-down running shoes. According to all the research I've done on running, shoes should be replaced every 400-500 miles. The shoes I ran in before this pair were from June, when I rain the Big Horn Mountain Trail Run. Speaking of the Big Horn Trail Run...this year I've decided to challenge myself and have signed up for the 50K (~31 miles). Not only was I ready to attempt this run after having run the 30K last year, but I wanted to give someone else the opportunity to sign up for the 30K. When a race is in a National Forest, as is the Big Horn Trail Run, many times the races are given a limitation on the number of runners. The most popular race, the 30K fills within days of registration. Check out the webste: www.bighorntrailrun.com It hasn't been updated for the 2008 race, but it's a great website and has all sorts of information.

Gidget!

I took a trip to the Dog & Cat Shelter on Saturday afternoon to look around and went home with a new best friend. :) When I first started looking around, I liked a smaller black lab/retriever mix and took him out in the dog run to play. Unfortunately, he was extremely hyper and not quite a good fit. I took him back inside and decided to take out the other pup I had noticed - a 1 yr 4 mos lab/retriever mix named Gidget. It was love at first sight! She's housetrained and understands basic commands - unfortunately, whoever trained her probably did so with negative reinforcement, not positive reinforcement. She's docile and quiet, but can be timid if she thinks someone's yelling at her. She needs a little more TLC than a pup that's been taken care of, but she came to the right house. Good with kids, cats, and other dogs, including Guinness & Brewer. I probably would've changed her name, but she answers to Gidget and I don't want to cause confusion. I'm so excited to be part of a long, happy life with her!

Christmas in Sioux Falls

Here are pictures from Christmas in Sioux Falls...for some reason, some of the pictures are tiny...

Being bums on the couch after opening gifts
Santa and her two elves! Steve, Keith (Steve's youngest bro), and I were headed out for a run Christmas morning and we wore these festive hats. The picture isn't so clear b/c of the reflective jacket, but you get the idea...who knew Santa was female and a good 2 feet shorter than her elves? :)
Picture of Steve and I by the falls
Awww...aren't we just so darn cute...
Apparently I really like wearing those hats
Christmas dinner
Christmas dinner (other side of the table)
A few beautiful cardinals were hanging around on Christmas day amidst the snow that fell the whole day