A question a get from my readers and people I know outside of the cyber world is:
" Why do you love trail running so much? "
or
" What got you into trail running? "
Let me begin with how it first got my attention.
Up at the University of Utah, where I attend school, there are many trails to run, hike and bike.
While being up at the dorms I would constantly see people running up on the hills.
This seriously interested me.
I still remember telling my friend Dana numerous times...
" If I could be MADE into anything, it would be a trail runner."
This was about 7 years ago.
** MADE, was an MTV show that people would get made into different aspirations that they had **
For how much I thought about it, I never tried it.
Then I met my ex.
Bentley Bedker.
He was a very outdoorsy person.
Skier, climber, camper, hiker, and of course trail runner.
I remember the first time he asked me to trail with him.
I was terrified.
I turned him down. He kept asking me over and over again until one day I said " okay, lets do it."
Now, this was back in my hay day party days.
Over weight due to the consumption of 30 racks, shots and non stop late night scarfs of The Pie.
I obviously wasn't ready for the run ahead.
I hadn't worked out in years and yet I still brought myself to try.
Can I tell you something?
It was the worst thing I had ever done.
I ran a total of maybe 10 yards on this trail and was donzo.
Embarrassing?
ABSOLUTELY!
After being humiliated I gave up on the trail running dream I had.
Until...
Bentley passed away.
A lot of people don't know this, but he is the main reason I love trail running so much.
I still to this day feel he is with me when I am up in the hills and I guess to me it's my time that I get to still share with him.
It's time that I still feel him and I get to be together.
I started really slow.
I first started hiking up the hills and would run down them.
If you think running down hills is easy, you're wrong. It's almost just as hard.
From there I would incorporate more running into the hikes I did.
Up until this last year I couldn't make it up a hill to save my life.
This has been my greatest accomplishment and now running up hills is my favorite part of trail running.
I love it because it's hard.
I love it because there isn't one time that I run that I think I might possibly not make it and not finish the run.
There isn't one time that I don't have to push myself to make sure I accomplish my goal.
When I think long and hard about the feelings that I get trail running, it's emotional.
It's pushing yourself to try harder and not give up when you are at your lowest point.
It's that feeling like you are going to vomit, but having to look deep into yourself to take a deep breath and KNOW that you will make it to the top.
I don't think that everyone is cut out for trail running, but all I know is that if there is something you want to do, but are afraid of failure, don't let it stop you.
I had let my fear of failing stop me for long enough.
Now, there is nothing honestly in this world that I do that makes me happier than trail running does.
I think this is also why I share so much of my happiness with it to the people around me.
Everyone should find something in this world that touches them the way that trail running does for me.
In the long run,
I think trail running has made me a better person.
A person who feels like I can accomplish anything I put my mind too.
A person who knows that things in life are going to tough but if you believe in yourself you can do them.
That is what Bentley and trail running has done for me.
Bentley and I had our hard times.
I can't deny that we didn't.
But I hope he looks down upon me and knows that he did shape the person I am today.
I am thankful for him for that.
I hope he is as proud of me and I am in myself.
I hope he is as proud of me and I am in myself.
LOVE.
XOXO.
