Getting back to “real life” after Italy.

Rhododendron near our driveway popping out while we were away!

Wonderful Ashe County friends and "helped- make -it- happen- folks" behind the scenes celebrating with good food and homemade beer and wine!

Tracey (one of the talented designers at Mtn Hardwear and I at Trail Days in Damascus. She would have joined me on my trail run, yet she is dealing with a stress fracture. We will take a raincheck with one another!)

It has been 17 days since the end of the World 24-Hour and 13 since George and I returned from Italy. What a grand adventure all that was and what a Grand Adventure the Rest of life is!

This blog entry mentions some neat life highlights since Italy and a few thoughts about upcoming responsibilities and adventures.

5/8: Returned home to Jefferson, NC. Happy kitty Mama Grey welcomed us in the driveway. The grass was 10” high it was raining for the 9th day in a row. Great to be home. Thank you to Fran for “camping out” and keeping crazy kitty company.

5/9: Ran for the 1st time since Worlds. Slow. 4.5 miles. Good to be home!

5/10: Ran again 7.6 . Spirit high, legs leaden. Good to be home! Formally pulled myself off the World 100km team. Just couldn’t figure out how to fund it!

5/11: Back to work. A huge Congratulations poster on my door with downloaded blog photos. Students and staff very curious and supportive. I committed to working summer school for the month of June. I can still train and this will help fund future cool running trips!

5/15: Finally finished a music/photo DVD of Italy. Showed up to meet friends for dinner and was surprised with a mini “Congrats” Party attended by close friends and some of the fine souls who helped lead the 5k back in March. Showed new slideshow.

5/16: My first trail run in over 2 weeks. Riot! 11ish miles out of Damascus on the Creeper Trail and Iron Mtn Trails. This was trail days so I finally got to meet some of the fine folks from Montrail and Mountain Hardwear.

5/17: Mountain run: Up and down Mt. Jefferson 13ish miles. Started a batch of dandelion wine.
Finally created a Facebook profile and clicked a wrong button, inviting my entire Gmail inbox to be my friends! (This has been fine and good so far –though I would have NEVER mass emailed so many people on purpose.

5/19: Finally spent sometime working out an “event” training plan until Vermont 100. This is what I am thinking for organized events/travel:
5/30: Black Mountain, NC: 12-Hour trail Run, “Rockmount Relays”
6/6: A Cool 5 (5 mile run up Beech Mountain)
6/20: Highlands Sky 40mile, Cannan Valley, WV
7/1: Register for JFK 50!
7/9: The Bear Uphill 5 miler. Leave to drive to NY
7/11: 25th class reunion on Long Island. Spend a few days with Mom
7/15ish: Drive to Vermont. Get used to humidity. Hike/jog/drive nighttime parts of VT 100 as permissible
7/18-19: Vermont 100!

After this? I am not sure!
Right now, I am kinda stressed with work and the end of the school year. Motivating myself to run well has been hit or miss-though today I had a great out and back 10 miler along the New River. Dennis, a favorite running companion and I have plans for a 23miler Sat am with some homebrew on ice for afterwards. Next week, I hope my marathon friend Carrie will be able to join me for some track stuff…

Mostly I love running alone-yet right now I am very appreciative of my running friends and their willingness to train alongside me!