Rip Rap/ wild cat 21 mi run

This weekend I was lucky enough to get invited back to Sophie's now annual run that starts at sugar hallow near Charlottesville and loops it's way through SNP via AT and a series of spurs that cross skyline drive to run past several extremely pristine swimming holes.

This was JUST the break I needed!:o) brock had been working out of town for the past 12 days, and as much as I love my two boys ( more then life itself) I was SOO grateful for the silence at the beginning of my windshield session driving up i=81 ( and then WSP by the time I reached the staunton exit several hours later)

Not being whiney or a baby, but May hasn't been an easy month. just being factual. I was sick pretty much for a month with the coughing.. not sure if I had pneumonia then allergies or a sinus infection. All I know is that I'm still coughing and snotting around here a month after promise land. ( and 2 rounds of antibiotics), Then my aunt passed away after a courageous battle with cancer for several years and her funeral was the day of MMT, so I obviously didn't get to pace my good friend kathleen. It was no question WHERE I would be, or what the right thing to do was-- however, it was very distressing to me that the day before the race, I had to bail on my friend when I knew she was counting on me to be there. Kathleen was VERY understanding and kind of course! It just killed me that I didn't get to follow through with my commitment to her. AND I lost a family member that was so special that I loved very much.

Then someone got in my car in my driveway one night and stole my ipod touch, which isn't a big deal in and of itself.. I know I won't see my ipod again, but it made me SO mad that someone was in my driveway around my house and in my car while the kids and I were sleeping--

Last but certainly not least, Thursday evening the kids and I ended up driving through a TERRIBLE storm of EPIC proportions-- I really can't even convey the severity of this storm other than it had high winds, thunder lightening, baseball and golfball size hail and this crazy fog that made it IMPOSSIBLE to see anything. ( a funnel cloud was spotted where we were, but I couldn't SEE anything just hail and flying tree limbs ( amazed the windshield didn't break on me) but the hail did TERRIBLE damage to my new car...:o/

SO that being said-- i'm thankful the kids and I are safe.. that storm was so scary, I was beginning to wonder at one point if we'd make it home. The car can be fixed, the I can go to best buy and get an ipod.. it was the emotions intertwined with these events that was getting to me more than the material possessions.

but needless to say, I was left feeling pretty wrung out and limp like an old dish rag and NEEDING to get out in the mtns TERRIBLY.

I spent the night in waynesboro and arose the next morning SO excited about being outside, seeing my friends, getting my feet wet, my legs muddy and sweating in the humidity of our mtns!!

I got to the parking lot at sugar hollow about 6:30 and pretty much immediately my buddy and personal hero, bill gentry pulled up and we excitedly got to talk about his 72 hr run from two weeks ago. Then one by one all my old friends and ( then I made new friends) too began to trickle in.. Gary Knipling, Sabrina Moran ( waves frantically- jenny loves ya! :), Quatro!! Marc Griffin ( my favorite canadian )and Sophie-- my ultra chick running mentor/ the hostess with the mostest! Sophie assembled a GREAT eclectic group of runners from all over VA.

We were treated with AMAZING views, UNREAL showing of the Mtn laurel this year, and of course: swimming holes!!

" the into the wild bus" of charlottesville

Bill Gentry!!!

one of the breathtaking overlooks:o)

mtn laurel on display for us to enjoy

My buddy Marlin Yoder met us at the parkway on top of the mtn and I was SO happy to get to run so much with him. Marlin rocks!! and he won the wet t-shirt contest between him, sabrina and myself:

I made several great new friends: Harry Landers and Neal, Christian and David ( who were so nice to share their lunch with me post run)

The run was just what I needed: a sweatfest in the mtns to help me for upcoming highlands sky, eye candy to reward ALL my hard work, and much needed socialization with some cool, like minded, fun, adventurous people!

I left to travel back home, tired, muddy, smiling ear to ear about the days events and all the fun I had. :o) Then I had a great remainder of Memorial day weekend with Brock and the kids! we swam and cooked out ( one trip to urgent care on monday due to a puking toddler-- but now all is well) Life isn't perfect, everyone has peaks and valleys. Things can ebb and flow, I really think the past month has really been a lesson in being flexible, not letting the negative get you down, and to focus on the positive, focus on what is GOOD and RIGHT in your life. I'm so incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful, supportive, loving family and an outstanding network of friends who are there for me. I appreciate you guys so much!! ((HUG))