It’s been about 12 days since the big race and I’m finally feeling like I’m past the full disappointment of having to drop at mile 71. That distance is going to be stuck in my head until the next attempt. I have even had dreams about the Halfpipe aid station (another really long, lifelike dream last night), about the cot I was laying on when I was told I likely had a stress fracture, the clipping of my band.

It’s only a race. I’ve tried convincing myself of that. That’s like saying that running is just a way to pass time, just a hobby. It’s so much more than that. It’s life. MY life.

And even though Leadville has escaped me twice now, it is still the dragon that needs to be slayed. It’s waiting for me, taunting me. This just means I’ll be in even better shape next year than I was this year. Two 50 mile races and uncounted hours on the trails will be marked up as experience.

I had a blast this year training for this race with all my friends. I spent a lot more time with these guys than I ever had before. Even had a few close calls where we weren’t sure we’d even get back to the trail head. We’ve been through a lot, on and off the trails. It’s been great.

And now my life is going in another direction as well. Scratch that, it’s the same direction, I just have the perfect travel buddy as we walk the path of life. And by walk I mean run of course! We’ll both be out on those trails, doing what we love, sharing those experiences and living OUR life the way we want to!

As soon as I’m out of the boot, hopefully within a few days, I’ll be back to running. Slowly at first. Faster soon. And my fastest not long after that. I’ve got some big goals to chase and I can’t wait to get after it. This is my commitment to following those dreams!