What a weekend!

This weekend was so much fun I don't even know where to begin!!! I have been working like a dog for the past few weeks on Los Pinos 50k(http://lospinos50k.com) so I was definitely due for some great time on the trails this weekend! My original plan was to run my Leona Divide 50k course on Saturday(http://leonadivide5050.com), and then meet my new(and amazing!) friend Anne, and Sean up at Griffith Park to run my new half marathon course. Anne is great. I met her through Jimmy, and she is part of his So-Cal Coyotes, and I just love her to pieces. She is definitely a great puzzle piece that has recently stepped into my life. She is super close with my friend Garreth, and is dying to be a race director, and wants to help me in any way I need at my races. I am loving all the amazing and loyal people that are stepping up to help me with all of my new races. So awsome!

Sean also has been awsome!! He is very good friends with my dear friend Mike, and is just becoming one of my super close friends. The coolest part of all is he lives just a few miles from Griffth Park, and has completely helped me map & label my entire course! I am blessed to have his help(he is my Karl #2!! haha luv ya Karl!) and once again is just another puzzle piece that fits perfectly in place to my destiny! Love it! Sean was also going to run my Leona course with me Saturday, but with the pouring rain, and the 5 freeway shut down Saturday morning at the 14 freeway Shannon and I quickly called Sean and said we need another place to run the 5 is flooded and closed. He laughed and said, "I know how we can get some miles at Griffith". Since we were already up in LA on the 5 we got out of the icky traffic, and met Sean at Griffith Park. Here is where one of the best days I have ever had running began...

Let me start by saying Sean is an absolute adventurous nut, and I friggin love that!! He is just a blast to be with, and so much like me when it comes to running. The gnarlier the trail the better, the crazier the adventure the happier we are! Sean took Shannon and I on a back country tour of griffith park, and it was absolutely nuts!! At one point he was like, "wow I can't believe you girls like this most people hate these crazy trails!" We laughed and were like, "are you kidding we friggin LOVE this!!!" The trails were so steep at one point I actually had to get on all fours and crawl up...and yes I was in heaven! Since i am going to Hurt100 in January now Sean kept saying hey its great training for Hurt! Haha...ya thanks Sean! The weather was perfect, and the day just flew as we chatted, laughed, and just had the best day ever. Honestly I can't imagine living, and not Trail Running. So much fun! By mornings end Sean had helped me name and label all of the trails I will be using for my GPHalfMarathon, and then some! we were dirty, and climbed about 5,000 feet in 20 miles, and this was all within birds eye view of downtown LA~amazing! Sean was a running history lesson, and knows more facts on Griffth Park than the Mayor...trust me. I love history so I was a total sponge. Such awsome sauce Sean is! At some point we ran into Dominic and Jorge, and it was great to see them. We all had plans to run the following day together at Mt.San Gregornio so we chatted a bit then continued on. I just love how connected everyone is in UltraRunning. We are such an amazing extended family, and I just love everyone so much! Sean is amped to get the LA front runners involved in my new races, and I am just super stoked to support this amazing group in any way I can. Looking forward to the best friggin year ever!! Think I need 5 assistants! After the run Shannon and I went to Whole Foods, and ate waaaaay to many persimmons and coconut water. Honestly the combination wasn't the best idea...hahaha

I somehow managed to go out saturday night for a bit, then get up early to meet the boys for the San Gregornio run. Annie completely understood that instead of running in Griffith Park again I was going to run with the boys in the mountains. I promised her we would run next weekend a ton! No way this girl will EVER miss an opportunity to spend all day running in the mountains. It's my absolute favorite thing to do, and what I live for. I thrive above 5,000 feet on dirt trails in the wilderness. I just love it! Me and the boys had a blast, and they definitely hackled me all day....as you can see in the above video...

We all power hiked together up the mountain, and I was stoked to see I was keeping up with the boys. We talked and chatted all the way up the mountain. I was super excited to fill them in on another idea I am working on, and couldn't believe how supportive they all were. I have decided I want to documnet so-cal Ultrarunning...but I want to document everyone; not just a select few, or a certain race. I want to video training runs, local trail running groups(Bad Rats, Coyotes, Trail Headz, LA frontrunners, ect), and get in depth commentary from everyone coming out of the So-cal Ultrarunning and Trail Running scene(yes Jimmy we will give you your own 5 minute commentary). The only documentaries that are out there are on specific races or specific people, and I want to tap into everyone I know. We are all connected by some sort of 6 degrees of separation, and the whole thing just fascinates me. I Have to start documenting this sport, and how it's changing. I feel so connected to everyone in the Southern California scene, and I can't wait to take this project on. Charlie is on board to help to, and our goal is to get out to training runs, races, running groups and document everyone! So cool!

Ok so all in all today was absolutely amazing, and I just love to power hike in the mountains! When I was coming back from my injury, and had not ran for 6 months I went up to the mountains and power hiked at elevation to get my strength back. IT WORKED!! I not only came back stronger then ever, but I came back quickly, and learned how to kill it on the trails in the mountains. As much as I hated being injured I can look back now and say it was the best thing that ever happened to me! I still believe to this day if anyone is trying to come back from time off you should get up to San Gregornio, Baldy, or Baden Powell and power hike!! Push it on the up, and then slowly run back down...best way to come back!

Once towards the summit of the mountain we were so excited to see snow! So amazing, and just beautiful! It was extremely icy though so we all were super careful.

The views were spectacular, and I can't express what an awsome day it was. Honestly if every person on Earth were a trail runner we would all be with people we truly love, and the world would just be a better place!! DUH!? Once done I hopped in my car, and hurried home to catch the tail end of my Vikings game...ugh!! Cannot believe the Patriots beat my Vikings...of all teams! Man I wish i didn't get so upset but I do and it will take all week to let this one go...

Have a great week everyone! Get out on the trails and run, hike, and enjoy life! Awsome sauce!! The best is who I get to spend Halloween with...or as she would say..."halloleeeen"! Love my friend Shannon's 4 year old daughter! Love life!!

Happy Halloleeeen!!!!