Twenty Seconds!!!

It's been a few weeks since my last post, not for lack of adventures to write about, but honesty from lack of energy! My recent weekends have been filled with some big days in the mountains that I still have trouble believing I am able to do on a regular basis. A few weeks ago Chris, Kari and I went up to Fort Collins, and met up with a new friend Brian, to run a 25 mile loop of the Quad Rock course, the next weekend Chris and I ran to the top of Pikes Peak and back, my first 14er! This last weekend I worked the Quad Rock 50 and ran the last 18 miles of the course as a sweep with Chris and two new found friends. All three of which are multiple Hardrock 100 finishers and one has been to The Barkleys a few times. The wealth of knowledge I was surrounded by was unreal! Needless to say with some big weeks under my belt I have been pretty exhausted, and my body has been in need of a bit of a break. Thats why when my lower legs started screaming at me to turn around and go home a mile into tonights run I was unsurprised. Even though the past couple of days have caused me to need some time on the trails and the scenery was amazing I decided to listen to my body and come home.

So naturally since I couldn't run tonight I decided to read some blogs on nothing other than.... you guessed it, trail running! I stumbled upon one titled Seven Ways Trail & Ultrarunning Can Change Your Life and within the first couple of sentences a chord was struck.

"...but life is to short to hold on to your security blanket / comfort zone / whatever reason you give for why you're not out there and doing something"

This simple portion of a sentence immediately caused my mind to be flooded with thoughts of all the excuses people make for not getting out of their comfort zones and experiencing life. I've been guilty of it in the past and daily I make an effort to do something that makes me atleast a little uncomfortable.

It caused me to think of a dinner conversation that was had just last week between myself and another runner I've met. I'm blessed to live in a place where I am surrounded by beauty at all times and I couldn't be more greatful. I'm constantly emersing myself in the beauty of the mountains and the trails that are thankfully at my disposal. It's my way of getting away and unwinding. When I'm out on the trails everything in the world makes sense and the stresses of my daily life are stripped away for a short time. I can't imagine living in such a wonderful place and never getting out onto the trails to enjoy and experience the beauty God has given us. Yet there are so many people that live here that have never even hiked some of the trails I run. They make the excuse that they don't have the time, or they have to do this and that. Now I'm not saying that everyone has to get out and run the trails multiple times a week like I do, it's not for everyone and that's fine. My point is so many people don't because that's what they've always done and that's what they are comfortable continuing to do. People become so paralyzed by their daily routines that they forget to experience life for what it is, an amazing gift, a short amount of time to fill with experiences and memories with the people that matter to you, not something to work away or spend alone. In this same dinner conversation the comment was made that "It is a blessing to work to live, but I don't live to work." I've never heard it verbalized like that but it's so true.

 This post honestly has nothing to do with getting out into the mountains or working to much, it only has to do with doing things that make you uncomfortable and experiencing life. In my opinion life is not experienced until we have done things that are outside of what we know and make us a bit uncomfortable at times. You can do that however you chose. I understand being overwhelmed with stepping out of the comfort zone, it can be a frightening thing, but the rewards that can come from it are amazing! I am not perfect and this is something that I have to conciously work on as well, so please dont take these words as me pointing my finger because if I was, I would have to point it right back at myself as well. I know this post isn't quite the type of thing I normally write about and It's a bit scattered but it's something that has been on my mind the past week. If you are reading this, I challenge you to lay down the proverbial security blanket and step out of your comfort zone. No matter if it's quitting the job you hate, trying something new, or opening yourself to a new relationship. Take the step! Even if it doesn't work out according to plan or how you had hoped I promise something good will come of it!