A 'beary' interesting morning run

Zippy and I met a meandering bear this morning - while out on a run on the trails behind my cabin. I knew a grizz had been hanging around the area, so for most of the morning, I made a ruckus, shouting various combinations of "hey, hey, hey" and "hey-ho" into the frosty morning air. But as I closed in on the last five minutes of the run, my mind began to think about what I needed to do to get ready for work, and as a result lapsed in my noise-making efforts. Zipster and I were floating along quite peacefully, when we looked up to see the big bear, with blond highlights, strolling right down the path toward us. I did a 180 degree twirl with the focus of a prima ballerina, and Zippy and I made our retreat back the way we came, in search of another path. Zippy is really good around large wildlife, several close moose encounters this summer haven't so much as sparked a bark, and he hardly noticed the bear. The bear didn't really pay us much attention either. It sort of looked up when I called Zippy, but then quickly returned to its morning stroll.

Conquering Crow

Running Crow Pass was the closest I’ve ever been to dreaming while I was awake. My vision focused only on the trail, and everything in the peripheral became blurred and ephemeral – in the same way a fish-eye lens distorts a photo. Time stood still and spiraled away uncontrollably. Rather than a fluid, connected, continuous sense of my being, my conscious mind beat in and out like a strobe light. Thoughts became short and staccato: “Fireweed. Root. Mud. River crossing. Water. Gu shot. Keep moving. Ladder. Steep hill. Untied shoe. Branch. Bird. Raspberry. Rock. Bridge. Whoo hoo!”

The feeling is the most insane form of sanity. It’s the razor sharp line between total freedom and bodily captivity. It’s discovering that the secret to running is not training, eating or sleeping – although those help. No, the secret to running is knowing that at any given moment you have a choice. You can either allow the full feeling of the moment to wash over and energize you, or you can succumb to the thudding pain coursing through your feet, legs, torso, arms and head. If you choose the former, you find moments of oneness with the trail and yourself ­ – and ultimately the reason for taking on 24 miles of rocky, rugged, ridged terrain.

Coming across the finish line with a time of 4 hours and 11 minutes - good enough for a fourth place finish among females. Next year it would be super cool - and doable - to shave off 11 minutes and go sub-four.

Pure elation

A hug from my neighbor and fellow runner Hugh at the finish

Hosing the mud off my legs

(A BIG THANK YOU TO DANIEL SHEPARD FOR THE PHOTOS!!!!)

More photos from Saturday's run

Images courtesy of Ron Nicholl

Rockin' and Runnin'

A few months ago I got it into my mind that I wanted to run ... Yes, I've always been a runner, but I decided I wanted to do it everyday and train for some longer distances ... This decision coincided with Zippy's appearance in my life ... so I've not only had motivation, but also someone to hold me accountable.

This morning Zippy and I went out with some fellow runners for a 26-mile run. It was my first long run of the season, and it felt great ... really great. I enjoyed every step of it, even the long, grueling, last uphill mile. We left from the Eagle River Nature Center, which is a stone's throw from my cabin, and headed up toward Eagle Glacier ... breathtaking scenery and a beautiful sunny day.

Now I'm even more excited about the races I have planned for the summer ... mostly longer distance mountain races ... cheers to lots of great days on the trail still ahead!

(Photos courtesy of Jane)

Meet Zippy

Meet Zippy, a loveable wiggly 6-month-old husky mix. He came home with me on Wednesday and has already snuggled his way into being allowed on the bed … it’s impossible to say no to big floppy ears and brown eyes that just want to curl up on your lap. He’s an energetic dog with a great demeanor. He loves to be outside. Today we went on a long walk and I had him unleashed the whole time. He stays close, listens and is always up for a good game of chasing sticks. I can’t wait to teach him how to ski jour … but he needs to be a little older and we need to have snow before that can happen. (On a side note: three days of 50 degrees, rain and wind have complete decimated Alaska’s beautiful winter wonderland, leaving mud and slush in its wake. Eagle River, which only last week was complete frozen over, now is flowing ice free.) Zippy has some manners to work on and some commands to learn, but all-in-all he’s an awesome dog, and I’m happy to have him in my life.

The ultimate blunder

The Alaska Star made its worst blunder yet since it's been under my guidance ...

We killed the wrong person ... or more specifically we reported the wrong name of the victim in a fatal fire.

Needless to say, I fielded some pretty unhappy phone calls today. Major ooops! I'm still investigating how it happened.

A little stressed out from the day, I went to a yoga class this evening. The teacher was great, and the class has the feel and pace I'm looking for. That calmed my nerves a lot. I plan to continue.

Later, back at the cabin, I was drinking tea and recalling a tip a neighbor gave me last night: the Eagle River Nature Center planned to groom a portion of the trails this evening.

I grabbed my skate skis, boots and pools, which I recently picked up at a ski swap, and headed out the door.

To my delight I found fresh corduroy with not even one track sliced through it. The full moon peaked in and out of the clouds, illuminating the area.

I clicked into my skis and before long I was cruising around on the trails, figuring out what I was doing as I went. I had so much fun ... even with the few face plants I took!

I'm going to try to find someone to give me some pointers on how to actually skate ski ... and then I can get on the frozen-over Eagle River and just go.

I live in an incredible place!

With love, from Alaska,

Amy

Puppy luv

Xela and I were trying to pose for a picture (at a location five minutes from where we live), when Tomba (Xela's neighbor friend who goes on walks and runs with us) jumped up. Joshua caught it on camera.

Hills to keep you huffing

Yesterday I ran the 10K race at the Eagle River Nature Center...

The trail had plenty of hills to keep you huffing... and plenty of roots and rocks to trip you up...

But it was a perfectly blue sky... in a perfect mountain setting... making it a basically perfect morning.

About half-way through the course another girl and I started pacing off each other... I would pass her... she would pass me... I would pass her... she would pass me...

We continued this way... until it turned into a sort-of team effort...

As we sped toward the finish line... we encouraged each other... yelling "Come on" and "you got it" while gasping for air and sloshing through mud.

The race ended on a steep hill... I charged up and sprinted toward to the finish line... to a round of applause... Lynn followed right on my heels.

My final time was 1:01:26 and Lynn clocked in at 1:01:44.

It was the first running race I've entered since fifth grade... when I placed second in Evergreen's Freedom Run for the under 12 division... and it exceeded expectations.

Not only did I place third in the women's division... 12th overall... I had a hell of a lot of fun!

Now I'm looking at other races around the state and starting to mark my calendar.

Spring signs

Mom's visit