Ways & Means

I couldn't tell you specifically why I delayed my departure from Flagstaff for almost two weeks. Perhaps it was a culmination of our van having an ongoing issue, my allergies keeping my off the trails for weeks, or remnants of my feet dragging as I held on to the pieces of the past. However, I am relieved to write: we have finally left on our trip for the summer. Sol and I now find ourselves exploring new trails in Boulder.

I found it extremely difficult to motivate myself to train the month after I found out I wouldn’t be able to run in Patagonia. Working so hard to peak a training plan and focusing all my energy on preparing for what Ultra Fiord was going to dish my way come race day, ultimately left me deflated and grasping for a withering stoke that began to rapidly deplete after the airlines would not correct my return flight. So, I decided to give myself a reset. I halted training completely for the month of May and decided that I would simply run when I felt like it, for the amount of time that felt right. No training plans, no tempos, no obligations – just going with the flow. Turns out my flow took me to basically not running at all and also not climbing much, as I was still nursing a finger injury from a month prior. I definitely lost fitness in both my climbing and running, but I believe the mental break was much needed after the disappointment.

Sol and I now find ourselves in Boulder, Colorado. We’ve already enjoyed some great runs in our first couple of days in town and I am slowly rekindling the fire to train harder (enjoying it at the same time). Racing ultras is a beautiful thing, but I never want to be consumed by it. For me, sometimes over emphasizing a training goal or a goal race takes my consciousness off the simple beauty and love of running in the mountains. After all, running is much more than medals and finish times.

The beauty of the post Aussie workout. Sun's out, tongues out on Mt. Sanitas.

Remembering that love is defined by what we put into it, the value, the care and the awareness. Once I reconnected my focus back to the love of being out in the mountains with one of my best friends every day, I was able to reconnect with my desire to push myself in that enjoyment. Not in a way that my desire to achieve outweighed my desire to love, but that my love for running propelled my desire to begin pushing my limits once again. Each and everyday that I am allowed to delve into the beauty of this earth with my two feet I find myself in humble appreciation. Knowing that it is a mere blessing to have the health and resources to do the things I love everyday.

What lies beneath is far different than what lies outside. 

Sol and I hope to make our way to Western States at the end of June then back down to Boulder after, before we head out to Hard Rock mid-July. We’re already digging this town and the beauty that surrounds it. Super excited to explore more in the coming weeks, see familiar faces, and meet many new ones as well. More to come soon…Por el Amor de la Vida.

The Sunshine Girl

Fuego Fuego Frutillar!

Its been awhile, I have been doing tons of writing and unfortunately very little blogging! Things have been moving rapidly as I have been settling into my Dalcahue niche and finding my stride with teaching at my new school. Last weekend I was able to travel to Puerto Montt and Frutillar, where I did my fair share of running.

My morning run on a country side road in Frutillar bajo. On a clear day you can see the volcán Osorno across the Llanquihue lake. 

The sunset that we witnessed on our last night in Frutillar was absolutely amazing. I'll let the photos speak for themselves!

Perhaps the craziest night I've experienced yet in Chile took place in Frutillar. After a celebratory asado went horribly wrong, the house next door to ours (literally 40-50 feet) caught fire! We awoke to shouts and sirens outside our window as local firefighters (all volunteers) rushed to the near by lake to connect their hoses. The entire town of Frutillar bajo was standing outside within 30 mins, as the spectacle of something exciting usually doesn't arrive until the city hosts its world renowned music festival in the summer. A routine nights sleep turned into an all night wide-eyed escaped as we watched the power of this massive fire slowly grow and consume one of the most historical houses in Frutillar. There was something strangely magical happening here, as the contrast of the full moon outlined the silhouette of the monstrous blaze.

In Dalcahue, Chiloé! A runners paradise.

After a long week of orientation in Santiago, Chile I am finally in my placement town of Dalcahue, Chiloé. A small and quaint fishing village located on the beautiful and lush landscaped island of Chiloé.  I will be teaching at a local high school in the capital city of Castro.

The people of Chiloé are humble, warm, and genuine. They welcome complete strangers in with open arms and friendly smiles. The town itself is a small niche in a sea of green hills and farms, surrounded by endless ocean. 

The rain and wind is relentless on Chiloé, but when the clouds slowly dissipate and the sun is allowed to shine his warmth upon the rolling hills....Chiloé looks a little something like this:

I took my first decent run today (being so busy in Santiago I barely had time for a quick jog), but in Chiloé....there is plenty of time to soak up the pleasant aroma of burning fire wood as you run through the country side. It is not common for people to run in Chiloé, so this explains the perturbed looks as I zipped past locals. The people, however, perplexed and surprised, greeted me with big smiles and warm 'holas'. Chiloé is a beautiful place indeed. A musicians dream land to compose, a writers dream land to write, and a runners dream land to run. For all the rain and clouds that constantly cover the sky, Chiloé has an abundance of warmth and happiness to keep anyone content.

I am here : Estoy aquí!

Just landed in Santiago this morning. I found it almost impossible to get decent sleep on the flight, so as soon as I stepped into the apartment I am staying at, the blinds where down and a 2 hour nap followed. After I woke up I took a stroll around downtown Santiago. Since my checked bags are still in Miami (for some reason they did not board the plane with me, I hear this is a common occurrence for arriving international flights) I needed to find myself a couple things to hold me over till tomorrow.

First impression of centro Santiago: Imagine a Manhattan on steroids, layered with a thick blanket of some tantalizing blend of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur. The city has just as much hustle as New York, with twice the congestion and twice the smell. With almost every turn of the corner I found my nostrils inviting either wonderful smelling street food (empanadas y sopaipillas) or knee buckling mixtures of awful stench (???).  As with any big city people move fast, heads down and destinations in mind. However, unlike any big American metropolis I have been too, Chileans seem to congregate in these awesomely big groups of friends (at least young Chileans). Cigarettes in hand, smiles, and jokes all around.

I passed by many carabineros (Chilean police) and have to say their entire persona is very intriguing. I've read and watched a good amount of their involvement with the ongoing student protests in Chile and just like the abuse that took place and is taking place during the Occupy Wall Street events, there is even more of that here in Chile. Carabineros literally look like standing military. Either on horseback, motorcycle, foot, or giant caravan, these elite Chilean law enforcers wear bullet proof vests and definitely look like they will not think twice about embracing the back of your head with the front of their night stick. There are tons of them throughout the streets, I have not seen a city with so many viewable police officers!

The sun is now gently setting over the smoggy horizon and there is a strange sense of comfort I have in this foreign city. Chileans are so welcoming and understanding (even as you butcher their native language and look perplexed when they give you directions at 100mph mouth speed), that it is easy for anyone to feel at ease in Santiago. I still could never imagine living in a huge city for an extended period of time (I need some green trees, blue skies, open trails and fresh air), but Santiago is definitely a place to get to know and I am looking forward to doing just that over this next week!

As soon as my luggage gets to me I will be off and running the city...planning to cover as much ground as I can before I head down to Los Lagos. Voy a explorar Santiago a noche ahora! (I'm off to explore Santiago by night)

Santiago de Chile