Trail Brain

In celebration of my recent two week reprieve in California from course work and general life responsibilities , I am posting a largely non-verbal entry for the New Year.

"lips" are sealed

It seems that I have a major case of "trail brain": a state often experienced after 20 + miles, where verbal communication can only occur in short spurts of light humor or blurts on the state of bodily functions.

(My current case is due to excessive chocolate and holiday cheer, rather than running related, but we'll let that slide.)

My guilty look

All that needs to be said is this:

Winter break was blissful.
I ran.

From my apartment building.


I ran some more.

How about some trails before I leave Oahu?


I went to San Francisco and I ran in a 6 hour race.

That's me all covered up like a ninja before the run.

50k, well sure!

I ran in Nevada

Where's the snow?

And then I came home to Hawaii. And I ran.

My favorite training route.

This week will be the start of my final semester in my masters program.  I do love university, and I feel endlessly grateful for the education I am receiving.  But I'll end with a favorite quote:

"The trail is a teacher like no other. It has no required reading, assignments, projects, or grades. It has no expectations. It has no prejudice or discrimination. It doesn't care about your socioeconomic class, age, gender, religious affiliation, race, ethnicity, education level, occupation, family name, the clothes you wear, or the car you drive. What a fantastic place for an individual to find out who she really is!" Preface, Becoming Odyssa