Split Personality

Last week I got to indulge both sides of my personality. I spent the Monday-Thursday in Las Vegas for work. I was staying at a nice hotel, eating FANTASTIC meals, drinking fancy Starbucks lattes, and running strict interval workouts on the strip. I wore suits and makeup and sipped martinis.

Then Friday-Sunday I drove up to Utah to go skiing. I stayed in a tiny one room cabin, wore the same clothes for 3 days, ate nothing but peanut butter and jelly and Honey Bunches of Oats, and had no TV or internet. I was a ski hermit. I was the first one on lift every morning and the last one off. The skiing was glorious- fresh powder and bright sunshine. Something about the mountain in Utah even made me ski differently. Instead of bombing down the hill as fast as possible, I slowed down, I was playful. I skied in and out of the woods, dove into deep piles of powder.

It still seems strange to me that I could be so happy in two places so different.

New Year

I rang in the New Year in a low key, but very me, way. I went up to NH and spent the day Nordic skiing with my Dad, step-mom, and little sister. It's rare that all of us are together for an entire day. We got up early and we skiing by 10. It was a great day. About 25 degrees and snowing lightly. It was my first time out on my xc skis this season. I forget that I love that feeling of gliding. I did about 4.5 hours and at least 10 miles, and unlike after a long run I didn't feel pounded to death. We all went out to a nice dinner. Then, my sister and I spent the next 2 days downhill skiing. It snowed for 3 straight days. Eat, sleep, ski in the fresh snow. Life doesn't get any better.

Now I'm having a hard time adjusting to the real world. Early mornings, work, and long marathon training runs. Which makes me ask myself, why did I decide to do another marathon if I dread the training this much?