The Tough Part of Training

Sometimes the most difficult part of training hard isn’t the training part at all.  It is that little voice inside my head that causes me to question whether I’m pushing too hard or not.  Have you ever had a running injury that you brought on by ignoring your body?  Does it make you crazy when you get a little twinge in the same area again after you've recovered?  Thankfully, I’ve been largely injury-free except for one bout in early 2011 when issues with both my IT Band and over-training syndrome simultaneously entered the picture.  I’ve learned to manage the IT Band stuff with strengthening and stretching routines as well as listening when I need another rest day (for me the first sign of too much is a drained feeling in my legs).  I feel like I’ve grown to be more careful in how I train because I never want that to hold me back again.  Sometimes I wonder if that is making me too careful.

Sunday's run in Prairie Creek Park. Can't imagine what I'm allergic to, right?

As I reach this same period during my training, the beefed up mileage weeks where I alternate 60 mi with 40 mi per week for six weeks before I taper, I always wonder what side of the line I’m on.  The problem is: I’m supposed to feel wrecked at this point.  This is what training does.  Improvements in speed only come when I increase the workload.  But at this point, it is also crucial that I don’t dig myself into a hole that I cannot get out of by race day and unfortunately, once full blown over-training is apparent, it is often too late.  That is exactly what happened in 2011.

Skunk Cabbage.  Pretty cool name.

When I question where I fall on that spectrum, I reach out to those around me.  I get responses that range from one end to the other.  “You’re just being a baby.  Quit whining.”  Or “Maybe you should cut back a little and see what happens.”  One response I received even pointed me to an article suggesting that my recent issues with EIA were (via severe adrenal fatigue) a product of my training habits.  Although all these people mean well, I found my head spinning even faster than before.   I found myself wishing that I could just begin my summer trail season since it is much less structured than my approach to road training.  I could just forget about it all and play with the pretty trees.

Redwoods are awesome, in case you didn't already know.

With recent adaptations in my lifestyle (like a dehumidifier, allergen-free dust mite covers for my mattress and pillow, sweeping and mopping incessantly, etc) and a few strategically used medications, I feel myself recovering from the (possibly fictional) hole I imagined myself entering.  I know my body better than anyone else and I just have to trust that.  The truth is, other than the EIA brought on by my allergies, I’ve been seeing my consistent hard work pay off.  
 

 This is today's MRP run.  I tried to hold myself back after halfway, but my legs didn't want me to.  Just 20 sec. slower than Foggy Bottom.

Paces I only dreamed about hitting a year ago are now easy enough that I hold a short conversation while running.  That is pretty fantastic.  Maybe the peak training weeks aren’t too bad after all.

Tsunamis and Running

Most of the time, living in earthquake/tsunami country is the last thing on my mind.  Matt and I have a kit of emergency supplies with food, water, and first aid in our garage next to the camping gear.  We have a designated meeting spot outside of our neighborhood.  Matt's office is linked to a continuously playing radio signal.  If it is broadcasting, he's still safe at work.  That's about the extent of our preparation, basically what to do if I'm at home and he is not. 

Matt and I took our run today to the new coastal trail.  The sun was shining, a light breeze blew in the air.  By all accounts, it was a perfectly wonderful day.  Then the tsunami siren sounded.  If you've ever heard one, you know they are LOUD and unmistakable for anything else.  They sound like air raid horns, example here.  It provokes an eerie feeling and always reminds me of those WWII movies with bombing scenes.  Airplanes flew close to the ground and broadcast an audio message up and down the entire coast. 

That's a lotta yellow.

Thankfully, today's events were just a test of the emergency equipment and for the cooperating agencies.  But it got me to thinking further about my personal plans in the event of a major earthquake and tsunami. 

I do some runs out here.  This map is about the only thing that tells you which sand dune is high enough to possibly save your butt.

I spend a lot of time running in these Tsunami Hazard Zone areas.  Do I know where the safe areas are?  Do I know how to get there?  Could I get there in time?  Unfortunately, the answer is sometimes no.  The only warning is often the earthquake itself.  Then less than ten minutes later, the waves can hit.  This afternoon, I checked out where the nearest high spot was on my route.  Thanks for the reminder, Tsunami Preparedness Week. :)

Map source

Do you live in a tsunami prone area?  Does your plan include what to do if you're out running when the big earthquake hits?

Last Week: March 17-23

Sunday: Run 4 mi. easy.

Monday: Rest!

Tuesday: Run 6 mi. MRP (in 47:30).  Bike 6.  The wind tried to kill me, but I won. :) 

Wednesday: Run 5 mi easy.

Thursday: Run 8.25 mi. @ 8:25/mi. pace. Strength: Core, legs, butt.  This run felt incredible!  I really enjoy this route too.

Friday: Run 4 mi. on beach in Brookings. 2.5 mi. hike.

Saturday: Redwood Wild River Run 15K race. 1:12:10.  11.5 mi. total.

TOTAL MILES:
Running 38.75
Bike 6
Hike 2.5

Notes:  I went to the allergist again this week for follow-up.  We found that I have a sinus infection and I left with a whole bunch of new meds.  Everything seems to be working and I feel better, save for the stomachache that the antibiotic gives me.  Most runs this week were easy, but I still got in MRP and a race for some faster things.  Now back to the higher miles this week.  I admit, I'm ready to taper now.  My trail season was a little abbreviated between CIM and the Avenue, so I am getting sick of speed and road stuff earlier than usual.  I hit the trails a bunch last weekend and this morning, so I'll just have to prioritize that more and everything will be fine. :)

What do you do when you get bored with training?

Redwood Wild River Run 15K Race Report

Saturday was my first race out of town this year and about 90 miles from home.  Even though I awoke without much interest in racing, I convinced myself to at least check out the course.  Depending on who I asked in the bathroom line, descriptions of the course ranged from "really hard and hilly" to "gradual uphill on the way out and the opposite on the return trip".  Matt had the forethought to compare results from a few friends that had run both last year's Foggy Bottom and this race.  It didn't appear to slow people down much.  Both Matt and I decided to run faster than our goal MRP and leave it at that. 

The race started precisely at 11am and I went out reasonably easy.  I ran the first couple of miles with Bob, one of the club regulars that also made the trip.  Surprisingly enough, our club contingent included over 20 runners and most of the people that regularly run the circuit.  I was impressed considering there were 15K and 5K distances, a long way to travel for such a short race.  We chatted a little bit about how our day went at Foggy Bottom and then I went up ahead. The course meandered through a quiet rural neighborhood and then entered Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park via Howland Hill Road.  For as difficult as the course was described, I was pleasantly surprised to notice its similarities to the Avenue course.  The road was woven between the Redwood giants, along gentle up and down hills, and has a similar amount of potholes to dodge.  The only difference was that it was dirt instead of asphalt. 

By mile 2, I caught up to the only other person I recognized from our club, Paul.  We chatted for awhile about our goals for the day.  It was his first race of the year and he was hoping for something similar.  We ran together the remainder of the race.  At points, it seemed we were tied together.  As I struggled, he dragged me along.  When I drifted ahead, he followed.  It worked really well, I loved having a buddy. 

We reached the halfway turnaround point in 36:41.  The remainder of the race was overall downhill.  I don't know if it was mostly mental, but I found myself able to push a little bit harder with each mile.  It was fun passing male runners.  They looked over their shoulder and see Paul pass, accepted it and continued on.  When I passed, they picked up the pace and didn't want to let me by. I don't know if it was because I'm a girl or because I don't look at all like I should be running that pace (I'm much bulkier looking than most people my pace), but each guy put up a fight.  I got all but one of them in the end. :)

Woo! Negative split!

The course eventually emerged from the Redwood canopy once again and we traveled into the sunshine overlooking the Smith River.  I was surprised that we were almost done. I turned to Paul, "Want to pick it up?"  He said no, but did anyway.  We finished together making my first 15K a team effort. 

1:12:10.
7:45/mi.
600 ft. gain.
Female 20-29: 2nd place.

Matt was 3rd overall and won his age group.
57:50.
6:12/mi.

Starting our own Redwood forest.

That afternoon, we had lunch with our club buddies before heading back to Brookings for the night.  These runners know how to have a good time, especially when we're all jazzed up on runner's highs, Thai beers, and flaming soup. 

The world is always a little blurry after a run, right?

With this race, Matt and I are 3/3 on good weather this year.  I hope that keeps up at least until Avenue on May 5.

Playing in the Sunshine

I'll be the first one to admit I'm not a fan of the maritime climate I live in.  From my allergy issues with mold and non-stop cycle of blooming plants to the drab gray color the world is about 90% of the time, I find the excitement of living near the ocean wearing off quickly.  I'll trade the ocean for the mountains any day.

That is why days like this surprise me.  Between all of those foggy and rainy days pop the rare sunny day when the wind isn't blowing my hair into a whirling tornado of tangles.  This weekend, Matt and I took our adventures north and across the border to Brookings in Oregon.  Matt's family friends own a summer home right along some of the most beautiful of this stretch of coastline.  They let us hang out in their mansion of a coast home when we're in the area.  A crudely drawn map left on the kitchen counter pointed us to a path to a local park and beach.  Somewhere hidden in the thickets of twisted vines and behind private property signs was our Friday morning adventure. 

Just two blocks from the front door and we were descending a steep path.  To call this a run would be using the most liberal meaning of the word.  We spent lots of time climbing over rocks, driftwood, streams pouring into the ocean, and trails too steep and washed out for us to really run.  It was awesome.

Harris State Beach.

We picked our way through pillars of coastal rocks and teetered over driftwood as we crossed a small creek.  The adventure was slow and taxing, but it held just enough childish playful energy that I couldn't erase the giddy smile from my face.

That afternoon, we took to the trails of Azalea Park and Loeb State Park.  It was a nice change of pace to walk for a few hours out of the wind.  We were a few weeks too early for the azaleas, but I enjoyed the umbrella tree the best.  Isn't it awesome?

Umbrella Tree, Azalea Park, Brookings.

Redwood Nature Trail, Siskiyou Nat'l Forest.

So now I've saved the best for last.  Brookings has a Dairy Queen.  Dairy Queen also has a "buy any blizzard get one for 99 cents" deal right now.  Usually, Matt and I share a mini Blizzard, but not when there's a sale!  I went to bed all three nights with an ice cream stomachache.  It was worth it, I promise. 

Don't worry Mom, I had some healthy things.  Here's our homemade veggie pizza.

By The Numbers.....

I've always found number patterns interesting.  Almost every day, I catch myself looking at the clock at 12:34, 1-2-3-4.  It makes me smile.  Today's run followed a similar pattern.  8.25 miles at an 8:25/mi. pace. 

Here are a few other things about my day, by the numbers:

Number of homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast today: 3.  This is my specialty.  If you're ever a guest in my house, I'll serve these with coffee at least one day.  They take a lot of time to make, but freeze well and whipping up the icing is easy.  Great for when visitors come.  (I also bring these along if I'm an overnight guest at your house too...just fyi.)

Number of hours I slept last night: 8.  Ever since my chemotherapy year, I've needed 8-10 hrs of sleep.  I don't know if it is another sign of permanent bashing my body has taken, but it frightens me to think about raising kids and subsisting on far fewer like all the superhero moms I know and admire.

Number of things I removed from my to-do list today: 15.  Seriously, I'm on fire.  Ever have days where you're hyper productive and then have a crash the next day?  That's kinda how I roll on a 2-3 day repeating cycle.

Number of coffees: zero.  Sad.  The regular version hurts my stomach so I'm a decaf girl these days, but I still miss its warm comforting feeling.  It is also delicious with those cinnamon rolls.

Number of cat toys fished out from under the couch: four.  You should have seen the excitement on Zoey's face when I gave them back to her.  I wonder how many nights she's spent digging under there for them while I was asleep.

What was a fun number for you today?

"Turns out I'm not just a big whiner after all....

I've got another sinus infection.  YAY."
Facebook status on Tuesday

I feel like I've had allergy issues for so long that it is hard to tell when things progressively get worse.  Just like watching yourself slowly gain weight, the problem expands gradually.  Tuesday morning, I went to the allergist.  After completing a survey about my inhaler use, I was informed that my asthma symptoms have not improved.  In fact, they have worsened.  The doc checked me out, talked to me about my goals.  I wanted the headaches to go away.  My nose and throat were swollen and red (indicative of a sinus infection, not allergies).  I told her about how my back and chest hurt and it was hard to breathe during regular activities after last week's long run. 

Since I've been asked about my treatment protocol before, here's what we're doing:
For the sinus infection: Amoxocilin (antibiotic), Prednisone ( the 'roids, like Lance).
For everyday: Patanase (squirty antihistamine), and Qvar (maintenance inhaler).

This collection of meds cost me $100 after insurance.  Thank goodness I have decent insurance, who knows what I'd have to do to earn cash for them otherwise.

As often happens with new medications, I feel great for the first few days.  I'm sure part of it is the placebo effect.  Only time will indicate if this is the right treatment for me.  The doctor will see me again the week before the Avenue of the Giants Marathon.  Hopefully I'll be feeling awe-some!

That afternoon, Matt and I went on my 6 mile MRP run.  I wasn't feeling very well.  Partly it was my fault.  Rich brownies before a run...not the best fuel.  It was also windy.  The first three miles went by well enough, I hit paces well within the goal range.  I felt slightly nauseous (antibiotic and those delicious brownies).  The return trip was into the 20mph wind.  I remembered back to a MRP run last fall that was similarly windy.  It sucked.  I was barely breaking an 8:00/mi. and effort levels skyrocketed.  It was not the least bit enjoyable.  Thankfully, the marathon will be under the protection of those lovely giant Redwoods.

Matt paced me for this run using his watch.  I could tell when he went too fast or too slow, I'm beginning to feel what the pace is relative to how it feels.

Here's how it went:  (goal 7:49-8:00)
47:30, 7:55/mi average.
7:58, 7:48, 7:55, 7:53, 7:55, 7:59.

I rode my bike with Matt on his run immediately after that.  He agreed it wasn't just me.  Tough weather builds character.

Have you ever taken the medications I'm on now?  How did they work for you?

Do you let yourself off the hook a little bit when the weather slows you down or do you grind through it? Admittedly, I usually grind through it.  Didn't work out so well at CIM, but it is fine on most training runs. :)

Three Things

We all have our favorite hiking or running gear, it can be anything from a favorite pair of sunglasses to a compass, but it is something that always comes along on our adventures.  Recently, I was asked by Mary to talk about my favorite, never-left-behind items.

1.  My camera.  I'm a very visual person, pictures sometimes tell stories better than words can.  What would this blog be without photographs, right?  When I first started trail running, Matt and I went on a trail run near the Portage-Whittier Road in Southcentral Alaska.  If you know anything about this area, you know the bears are everywhere (oh and it rains a LOT a lot).  On our twelve mile run, we packed the bear spray, snacks and some water.  We moved around a corner and there it was, a medium sized black bear, less than 50 feet away.  It crossed the trail, pausing in the middle of the trail to sniff in the air, and then move on.  After my heart settled back in my chest, I couldn't help but wish I had a camera.  It was back in the tent.  The next week, we bought the running camera that I use to share all of my trail photos with you.

I have two other cameras, a DSLR and a Canon Powershot SX150is.  I use them interchangeably depending on how much my pack already weighs.  I feel like I need a pack mule for the SLR camera.  It is kinda heavy.

2.  My adventure hat.  I don't think I've ever gone on a backpacking trip without it.  From that very first trip, to wet and snowy California ones, it comes along.  This hat is easy to take off and not pack away.  Just tie it on.  The wind kicks up and it goes back on quickly.  Tie it under my chin if I'm feeling extra chilly and it almost works as a scarf too.

This was the first trip with my adventure hat. Kayaking near Seward.

Snoozing with the rainbow on Rainbow Ridge.

Last month's White Mountains trip. I swear that is the same hat. :)

3.  My honey.  I know this sounds lame, but I feel really guilty sometimes on the adventures I go on without him.  Just as I feel when he goes on a solo run, the sad puppy at the window, he feels sad without me.  When I hike without him, I constantly question whether I left something behind. 

What are the three things you never forget when you go hiking or running?

Last Week: March 10-16

Sunday:
Foggy Bottom Milk Run 10 Mile race.
Run 11 mi. total.  It was a new 10 mile PR and showed some really good progress from this time last year.  The weather was PERFECT too.

Monday:
Rest!

Tuesday:
Run 5 mi. easy.
Strength routine: Core, legs, butt.

Wednesday:
Run 10 mi. using Matt's watch.
1:25:42, 8:34/mi.
 Strength: Core, legs, butt.
I felt like I could fly this day.  Awesome. :)

Thursday:
Run 7 mi: 4x1600m.
The best track workout I've ever had.

Friday:
Run 3 mi. easy.

Saturday:
Run 20 miles.2:56:32, 8:50/mi.
I really enjoyed most of this run.  It started out at an 8:45/mi pace (usually a 9:00/mi) and Matt asked me if that was too fast.  I told him that we'd find out if it was. 

I think the increase in pace is probably because we found a route that has enough water refill spots that we can run with a 20 oz. handheld instead of the backpack.  Either way, it was a nice day for a long run.

TOTAL MILES:  56 mi.

Notes:  This was my biggest week thus far.  I'm hoping to have two more 55-60 mile weeks before the taper.  A little momentum came after Foggy Bottom and I really enjoyed this week.  Everything seemed to go well.  My lungs felt very fatigued after the 20 mile run (and still do a little today, Monday), like an elephant was sitting on my chest.  I think the key to finishing training as planned won't be in the mile splits and pace times, it will be with the recovery.  Hopefully I can listen well enough to what my body says and rest on days that my lungs need it.

Why I Love Fairbanks

As the sun shone high in the sky on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon, I ran carefree along the snowy Angel Creek trail.  Matt, Oliver, Brittany, and Yoti (the dog) ran along ahead.  I was absorbed in my own thoughts.  

It was another one of those beautiful mountain trances I had earlier in the week.  I have many memories of this particular trail, both warm and happy as well as frozen, trudging through knee deep snow frustration.  During the long winters, I was often overwhelmed by cabin fever; that claustrophobic feeling that made it feel like the world was closing in on me.  On many of those short days, it felt the darkness would swallow me whole.  The Chena River Recreation Area was our escape.  We never fully committed to living here and didn’t ever get proper winter tires.  Driving was always terrifying, so we seldom left the Fairbanks area.  All the cabins in this DNR managed area are along a moderately flat roadway that eventually stopped, so we felt comfortable enough driving here but never anywhere else.  In our brief stint as Alaskans, we managed at least one visit to every cabin in this area.  For providing me that little bit of escape, it will always hold a special place in my heart that will evoke the occasional smile.

It was the first day of our trip that the mercury managed to rise above zero.  I pulled the facemask down from my nose and breathed the fresh, crisp air.  With all the problems my allergy-induced asthma has caused recently, it was wonderful to breathe easy again, literally.  It felt as if my lungs doubled in size.  My sinuses were clear.  For the first time in months, I could breathe through my nose.  I was also digging the sunshine.  Fairbanks is ridiculously sunny.  Can I get some of that in a to-go box, please?

Moose en route to the hot springs.

All week, I couldn’t stop myself from taking photos of the snow.  I truly miss having four seasons.  The entire world changes color four times a year.  Humboldt County has two seasons: green and brown.  I miss the in-between.  People say that you either love the place you came from or you hate it and want to leave.  Although I’m not particularly attached to the Midwest, I enjoyed the familiarity of the weather changes and seasons.  Many of my favorite traditions are linked to the seasons.  When it is taken away, I feel like a part of me is muted.  Alaska has those same four seasons, only she has mountains too.  (instant one-up on the U.P.—sorry, Michigan)

You don't have hot springs either do you, Michigan?  Told you I'd need that bikini!

Fairbanks was the first place that Matt and I lived for a while after we were married.  We lived in Oklahoma for less than six months before we moved North.  Through our adventures and living far away from our families, we created our own identity as a couple here.  We learned how to manage in life without a safety net.  A love for the outdoors that I had as a child was reawakened and became a part of my adult identity.  I found my true self here.

For our final adventure, we hit our favorite running path in town for a long run.

Lastly, the best part about Fairbanks is the people.  Matt was lucky enough to hired into an active office.  They encouraged us to try new things: trail running, backpacking, mountain biking (yeah, that never stuck), and kayaking.  We had friends that were crazier than we were; there never was a shortage of friends willing to try something slightly outside of their comfort zone.  Austin was willing to go hiking with us even though we got lost and it was dark and bear prints were everywhere.  Rena enjoyed a cabin trip with us even though we roasted her down to her undies at night.  Steve trudged through knee deep snow to the Angel Creek cabin with us and still had a smile on his face when he arrived.  Eric and Deanne (and doggie tagalongs) introduced us to snow margaritas.  Becki, Julie and I hunted for aurora in the middle of the night even when we had to work the next day.  Oceana showed us how to be stylish and stay warm at the same time.  The endurance monsters, Jim, Ed, and Mike pushed us to make marathoning a thing in our regular schedule.  We shared adventure tales, photographs, horror stories, laughs and frustrations. 

After we returned home an email was waiting in Matt’s inbox.  Ed asked the question everyone else skirted around:  “Have you considered moving back to Fairbanks?”  

 Oh, if he only knew……

My fastest miles ever.

Ever since our return from Alaska, I've felt a little less bogged down by my allergies.  Dare I say it, but I think the dehumidifier is working.  I still feel stuffy by the end of the day, but I don't start out the day that way either.  Hopefully it stays that way.

I've also regained some momentum in my training since the Foggy Bottom race.  This could not have come at a better time as I'm about to finish the first big training week of the season, capping at somewhere in the 45-50 mile range.

Thursday's track workout helped me realize that the momentum isn't only in my head.  The plan called for 8x800m, but Matt and I have enjoyed mile repeats so much lately that we decided to do 4x1600m instead.

Here's what happened: 
1 mi. warmup, {1600m under 7:10, 400m recovery}x4, 1 mi cooldown

Dear Danny, here's my proof for 4x1600m ;) Those petols will be miiiiine!

During the first repeat, I went out too fast and fizzled a little bit for the last 400m.  Then, to my surprise, they kept getting faster.  Prior to this the only times my Garmin has ever documented something under a 7:00/mi is when Matt used my watch.  I not only ran a personal mile record, but I ran THREE.  That completely made my day.

The second mile felt just as hard as the first but was paced a little better.
The third, I was so jazzed on my time that it carried me through.
The fourth and final one, a deer wandered into my lane and leisurely trotted along ahead of me, pacing part of one of my laps.  Do you think he'll come back to pace me in the marathon?

Matt had a similar day and shared his motivation for finishing strong.  Just before the workout, he saw an ad for Shamrock Shakes at McDonald's.  This is the only reason he ever wants to go there and was the first time we visited one in California.  "Shamrock shake, shamrock shake," he said he whispered to himself on the final miles.

He decided we needed to make a special trip to town to get one on our way home.  How could I say no to that face?

February in Fairbanks

Feb 23
I had every intention of spending the weekend inside, I really did.  I find that after getting a little frost nip on my fingers, every tiny bit of chill returns that painful feeling to them.  Sometimes it takes days to remove the chilly from my fingers.  After a couple hours of being parked next to the Monitor heater in Brittany and Oliver’s cabin, they were able to coax me outside.  They told me of Troth Yeddha' Snow Shoe for the Park, a short running club snowshoe race and treasure hunt.  For a mere five dollars, we were able to borrow snowshoes and dig in the snow for great prizes.  Okay, I’m sold.  Let’s go.

This time of year, everyone comes out of hibernation.  Gone are the short days, each week yields nearly one additional hour of daylight than the previous one.  The sun holds heat.  The temperature is on the upswing.  Even though we didn’t endure the cold winter as everyone else, the feeling is noticeable and we share in the excitement.  Today, the high was -15F and the sun shone brightly in the sky.  That is reason enough to be happy after the chilly week we had in the Whites.

The snowshoe race wasn’t much of a race at all, more like a half mile slog through knee deep snow.  Matt and Oliver dashed off ahead, taking turns breaking trail.  I quickly caught up to them and they demanded I take my turn too.  I quickly red lined my effort level and nearly fell over twice.  The snow was almost hip deep on me, even though I was wearing snowshoes.  A man with large traditional snowshoes was quickly gaining on us and our small MSR mountaineering snowshoes.  Matt and Oliver sprinted to the finish, arms and legs flailing about.  I came across the orange finish line painted in the snow, gasping for breath.  “Man, that was harder than I thought it would be,” I smiled behind my face mask.  Then it was time for the treasure hunt.   The four of us were able to grab two prizes apiece.  I came up with a sweatshirt and a pair of nice ski gloves.  I later traded the too small gloves to Brittany for a $20 Subway gift card.  Pretty good haul for my $5 entry fee. 

Matt and I went on a quick three mile run around the UAF campus on the way to the shower.  (Brittany and Oliver live in a dry cabin but get free showers as students)  This shower was amazing.  Even though I got a couple quick wipe down showers in the cabin, nothing is as good as the real thing. 

We grabbed lunch at Lulu’s and then headed back to the cabin to bake cookies and hang out for the afternoon.  We also went for a short walk near the cabin.  It was a little chilly for how I was dressed, but I didn’t complain at all after Brittany’s boot dropped through a soft spot of overflow and she was submerged into knee deep icy water.

That evening, we checked out the Festival of Native Arts at UAF.  People from villages and cities far away came to share music from their individual groups and to share collectively. 

I enjoyed how people of all ages participated and some of the traditional dress.  

Return from the White Mountains

Feb 22

Leaving Eleazar’s Cabin that afternoon, we weren’t sure what the day would bring. Earlier in the week, we arranged to have friends pick us up at the trailhead at 7:30pm. Since we are not very experienced skiers, we weren’t sure what time we would need to leave the cabin. It was about -20F, so we wanted to minimize the time we stood there waiting for Brittany and Oliver to show up. We leisurely enjoyed the morning with coffee, tea, oatmeal and finally a quick lunch. I may have also taken another stove-side shower. The previous one felt THAT GOOD.

When we finally left at about 2:30, we decided that if we arrived much before 7:30, we could drop our packs and ski some more to stay warm, but I know I really didn’t want to do that.

A steady snow began to overnight and continued through much of our ski back to the highway. The Interior is one of the few places I’ve seen it snow steadily the entire day and amount to just an inch or two of feather-light fluff. This is the kind of snow that just blows from your car when you drive away, the snow brush is rarely needed.

By 4pm, we were at the foot of what locals call the Wickersham Wall, the steep trail up the ridgeline that gains about 1,000 ft. in less than a mile.

source

For the first time on the entire trip, I consider rolling up my sleeves. It is still well below zero degrees, but the effort is constant and sends my internal temperature soaring. I climb slowly, pausing to take photos and let my body cool down further. There is no way I’m baring more skin.

It takes special skill to grow gravity-defying icicles from your facemask.

Matt and I stop for snacks and to admire the views. The snow showers are passing and we get a clearer view of the valley from which we just emerged. We spot Eleazar’s Cabin across the valley, a small ribbon of white trail weaving through the valley until it disappears from sight.

We stop for a snack at the top and notice the sun beginning to set. Small holes in the clouds appeared, “Sucker Holes” Matt explained. Sure enough, those blue patches of hope quickly closed up. Thin clouds diffused the sun’s light and a golden glow spread across the sky.

See the sun dogs?

 We ski to the west for two more hours, admiring the changing sky as we move along quietly. Sunsets in California are brief, but those here this time of year last forever due to the low sun angles. The sky turns a glowing orange, then pink, and then finally maroon as the light is slowly extinguished. I snap photos at each stage of the sunset.

At the most beautiful moment, I stop too long to take photos. Matt enjoys a snack and adds a layer. Until this point, I’ve been able to negate the cold of our stops by quickly dashing ahead afterward. This stop proved too long to alleviate the bite of the outside air. It also didn’t help that a light crosswind blew, freezing my windward side and overheating the other.

“Okay, I think Alaska has finally broken me,” I turned and said to Matt, “I’m all funned out.” When we planned this trip back in December, Matt was a little surprised I wanted to do a trip of this duration. Five days is longer than any backcountry trip I’ve ever done. Usually we make weekend getaways. This was a stretch of my patience and endurance.

Soon it was completely dark. The light of my headlamp illuminated the nearby trees and snowy trail. I’ve never done much skiing in the dark, but I found it surprisingly comforting. Even though this trip was a personal challenge, I really enjoyed it. Our vacations always seem to have an element of difficulty that pushes me from my comfort zone. I skied along the trail, ski poles dangling from my mittens. We passed a trail sign indicating we were still two miles from the highway, it was 6:30. Days earlier, Jim mentioned that the last two miles back were downhill. No wonder I couldn’t reignite my fingers, it wasn’t enough effort. By some stroke of luck, we arrived at the trail at 7:29pm, one minute before we were to meet our friends. We dumped our packs and soon found them on a nearby trail, walking their dog.

On the drive back into Fairbanks, I changed out of my frozen and damp layers and felt blood flow return to my extremities. I changed into my down booties and my feet breathed a sigh of relief. Nobody could pay me enough to wear the ski boots another second. It was awesome. We stopped for dinner at Silver Gulch Brewery. I devoured my beer and cheeseburger gracefully, now it was time for some serious sleep.  All I want now is to stay warm and thaw out.  Thankfully, that is exactly what we have planned for the weekend.