More than 2100 miles!

On the Timberline Trail

2024 was an excellent year for me on the trail despite having a lower mileage year than usual. Not sure how that happened—but I did manage to tally more than 2100 running and hiking miles for the year. But despite the lower overall mileage, I had many big mileage days as I continue to ramp up my ultra-running with my goal to run my first 100 Mile Trail Race this summer. I think the longer harder days required me to take more rest days leading to a lower overall yearly mileage. But hey, I’m no spring chicken and I want to continue running and hiking hard for as long as possible—so I’ll take some rest in between!

In February I went off of prednisone after taking it for three years. I am so encouraged that I have finally put my auto-immune condition Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) into remission. I continue to eat healthy shying processed foods and excess sugar, being determined to keep my PMR from flaring up again.

Every day I am grateful that I continue to live a healthy life and am able to push myself in the backcountry and on the race course. And every day here on planet earth is a blessing. Life is too short and for so many it ends abruptly or deteriorates rapidly. There is so much despair, sadness, and suffering in the world, and I never lose sight on how good I have it. As I write this I am heading down to San Diego to do a 50 mile run, but I am so disheartened over the destruction of so many homes from the fires in nearby LA.

Racing with my son in Derry NH’s 4th of July Run for Freedom 5K

I continue to run for Team Potato and am great appreciative of all the support that I receive from the Washington State Potato Commission. This past year I ran one road marathon, the challenging Mad Marathon in Vermont (it was hot, humid and hilly) and several ultra-races; the Tillamook Burn 50K in Oregon, the Baker Lake 50K in Washington, and the Kansas Rail Trail Extravaganza 50 mile race on the Prairie Spirit Trail in Eastern Kansas. I added three more states (8 total now) to my quest to run a marathon or ultra in all 50 states. I broke 10 hours in the 50 mile and was the first Grandmaster (over 60) at Baker Lake. I am stoked over these results. I ran a bunch of shorter trail and roads race too including several with my now 10 year old son. The highlight was the Cooper Bridge Run 10K in Charleston, SC with 26,000 other runners!  I really hope he takes up a love for running like I have.

I had several high mileage days on the trail too, and completed my second successful Timberline Trail around Mount Hood in one day. This 41-mile, 10,000 feet of elevation gain trail is a classic and I absolutely love it—love too that I was able to take along my friend Pam on it for her 40th birthday celebration! It was her longest and hardest run to date.

Golden Ears Provincial Park, BC on a Hike a thon hike!

I got to spend some great time on trails in BC, WA, CA, OR, AZ, GA, SC, MD, DE, KS, MO, NH, VT and Mass. And I got to do some kayaking in Delaware and SC. My trail highlights include Oregon’s Timberline Trail, Olympic National Park’s Snider-Jackson Trail, and Northeastern Washington’s Kettle River Range. Other highlights include hiking in SC’s Congaree National Park, the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Kansas, Strathcona Provincial Park’s Forbidden Plateau on BC’s Vancouver Island, Arizona’s Chiricahua National Monument, the Chino Hills in Southern California, and Delaware’s Brandywine Creek State Park and First State National Monument. It was a great year exploring new territory—and a lot with my family.

 

For 2025 I plan to continue running and hiking my culo off like there is no tomorrow—because life truly is too short and you have to seize as much as you possibly can! And of course I will have my family along on many of my hikes and runs, because spending time with them is as precious as the time I get to spend outdoors. In 2025 I am going for my first 100 Mile Race—one of my biggest trail challenges ever. The best is yet to come! I hope you too have a great year planned!

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