Happy New Year everyone! What a year it has been already. After my tradition of running in the new year with my husband, we soon found ourselves in the desert once again, this time in Henderson, NV, to run the Run With An Angel 50 Miler.
Run With an Angel is a very hilly course that takes you alongside Lake Mead, and into some fabulous desert scenery. If you've ever lived in the desert, you know it can be windy too, but fortunately this course is out and back, so if luck is by your side, you will only have to run into the wind once.
I wasn't sure what to expect at this year's race, given I'd not logged in the miles during the previous weeks, spending them in the icy northwest with family, eating way too many Christmas cookies. I wasn't in the mood to compete, and was about 7 minutes slower than last year at the turnaround point, putting me at fourth place woman. Apparently the rest and good home cooked food paid off, and my competitive instinct kicked in; I was able to finish about 30 minutes faster than last year, setting a PR of 7:48:13, coming in first place overall woman, and seventh overall. A HUGE thank you to my husband Tim, who efficiently and patiently crewed for me the entire way, and drove us both safely back to New Mexico in one nasty snowstorm.
