Snowshoe Race

So what an insane week. Just about everything that could have gone wrong in the first half did. I was still really tired from the holidays, Canyon was sick, I'm trying to find a new home, etc. I feel as though I've let so many people down. Since I wasn't able to leave this weekend to help the Judge kids at their meet down south, I found that on Sat. AM I had the opportunity to race the Park City Rail Trail snowshoe race. It was only a 5k, but it was also the only qualifier in Utah for the USSSA Snowshoe Nationals in Snowbasin this March. So I went to my REI family (I know who has all the toys) and borrowed a set of running snowshoes from my good friend (Sis) Tamara Johns.

So at 10 AM I ran a snowshoe race. I hadn't used snowshoes for almost 6 years and wasn't certain how I would do for lots of reasons. 1 is I am out of running shape 2-3 days a week doesn't cut it. 2 I have been really tired and stressed. 3 is I feel like I need to hire a trainer or something as I have gained almost 7 pounds since Ironman 70.3 worlds in November (Oh well. It will just be that much sweeter when I am back in good race shape). 4 I could hardly remember how to put snowshoes on, let alone run in them--Good thing I am used to jumping into everything in life head first with a blind fold on!Well despite all of those things, the Gods must have been with me as I not only qualified for Nationals, but I smoked the whole women's field. So, I reason. Maybe everything that kept me from going to sunny St. George this weekend was meant to be as perhaps I am meant to race those nationals. Or maybe the universe knows I needed something to really lift my spirits. Racing does that, winning puts me on top of my world. Good thing I'm not in control. Otherwise who knows what sort of trouble I'd be in! Oh ya! I called Tamara right after to let her know her snowshoes won the race! She laughed, so I think she was psyched her snowshoes are so awesome!