​One day in late November 2017 I decided that I wanted to run the 70-mile Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail before the start of 2018. Why? Because I had never done it before, it seemed doable, and I wanted to plant my feet upon terrain I have never covered and see sights I have never seen... plus it seemed like fun! Most of it was fun. Some was not. 

Join me as I tell you about my experience of running this beautiful single track, point-to-point trail system from Ohiopyle, my hometown, to Johnstown, Pa. Before embarking, I had only ever run three miles there and back, making for a six-mile run.

First, let me thank my compassionate, uplifting, loving, understanding husband, Eric. He supported me in my efforts by dropping me off with our two young boys (Grey, ages seven to nine months during this adventure and Avie, age four) strapped in their car seats. I'd hug and kiss them all, quickly run off, and he would find fun things to do with our sons for one to three hours until pickup time. At the end of the runs, he had fresh, warm food, hot tea and lots of water. These runs typically took up half of a day and sometimes an entire day with driving, run time and recovery. Between both of our work schedules, breastfeeding, sometimes lack of sleep and unpredictable weather, we managed to make this little dream of mine come true. Often, I was exhausted, and often, I wanted to quit, but he cheered me on and continues to tell me time and time again that ultrarunning remains my destiny, that I can accomplish any running fantasy I have and that he's here for me.

THANK YOU, ERIC! <3 And thank you, Avie and Grey. I write these stories for you as much as I write them for my fellow runners. 

Now, enjoy the story!

​Milepost 1 to 11: Ohiopyle to Maple Summit
Saturday, Nov. 25
Garmin Stats: 10.75 miles/ 16:01 pace/ 2:53:57
​Conditions: 32 degrees, sunny, calm

In June 2018, I formed an all-female trail running group. On the first day, 13 women ran through the woods together. Ecstatic and humbled (because I did not think anyone would want to join me), I came home beaming and talking non-stop about how fun and awesome it was to bring these wonderful women together.

Soon we were calling each other the Trail Tribe, and in that same month, I made it our goal to run the first 11 miles of the LHHT. At two months postpartum, I set the date for November. Each week we built up our mileage on the trails around Ohiopyle. We became stronger and were SO ready for this run. We prepared food for an after-party. Five of us showed up: Amanda (front runner crossing the bridge on he photo on the left), then June, Rachel J. and Shane. 

The sun was shining through the tress, and we shed the layers we had put on at the start of the morning. The view of the Yough enlivened me as much as the bridge crossings and hill climbing (yea, even that major hill that makes up mile six!). 

Amanda, Rachel and I finished a minute or so in front of June and Shane. Cheering and yelling, I crouched down to take a photo of June and Shane as they made their final steps to the end of the trail. About 20 feet before the finish, June tripped, let out a horrific scream, and the celebration ended.

She had tumbled to the ground, hit her head on a rock and blood poured from a gash across the top of her forehead. A flap of skin revealed her skull. Shane wrapped her head in a sweatshirt. A van drove by, and I chased it down so that it could take June to Ohiopyle, where help could meet us more easily. We called 911. I said F%$! about 20 times. Eric picked me up, and we all met June and our new friends of the van. 

After assessing June, they transported her to the hospital, where four of us gathered to continue the celebration of our big run! As 24 stitches were sewn into June's head, we thanked God that the situation wasn't worse and that we had each other. And we ate! 

 ​The first run of the LHHT taught us all some lessons. One, that we need to carry first aid kits in our hydration packs (now we do). Two, that we need to have charged cell phones in our packs at all times (now we do). Three, that life's obstacles don't feel so bad when you experience them with friends. 

​Milepost 11 to 19: Maple Summit to Laurel Ridge State Park
Saturday, Dec. 2
Garmin Stats: 7.03 miles/ 12:25 pace/ 1:27:17
Conditions: 40 degrees and cloudy

Running a new trail was all I wanted to do on this day, my 35th birthday. It was also hunting season. In the first mile, I came across a man popping a squat over a log and doing his business. Hey, we've all done it, but it's still HILARIOUS to see! 

Milepost 19 to 28: Laurel Ridge State Park to County Line Road
Thursday, Dec. 7
Garmin Stats: 9.68 miles/ 12:28 pace/ 2:00:50
Conditions: 35 degrees and mild

I enjoyed this section except for crossing through Seven Springs Resort and the ski slopes. As I navigated my way through the top of the slopes, the snow-making machines blasted out fresh powder It was loud, and snow rapidly covered the ground. I ran as quickly as I could but had to slow down to watch for the signs directing me along the LHHT. I was glad to be back in the woods!

​Milepost 28 to 31: County Line Road to Route 31 (Jones Mill State Park)
Sunday, Dec. 17
Garmin Stats: 3.13 miles/ 13:44 pace/ 43:00.8
​Conditions: Zero degrees with deep snowpack (i.e., no dirt, grass or rocks exposed) plus above ankle powder on top, windy

My intention was to run farther, but with the deep snowpack and feeling more tired than usual, I called my husband and asked him to pick me up at a closer parking lot. We took our sons bowling and out for lunch.

My thought at the end of the day: "Hmm, maybe I should wait until summer to run the entire LHHT..."

​Milepost 31 to 45: Route 31 (Jones Mill State Park) to Route 30 (Jennerstown)
Friday, Dec. 22
​Garmin Stats: 15.05 miles (one wrong turn added on one extra mile)/ 13:26 pace/ 3:22:25
Conditions: 48 degrees, calm, sunny

This was my favorite section of trail, particularly around Beam Rocks. Plus I met an ultrarunner, who recommended the TrailRunProject app, which I use frequently now. That was after passing him, making a wrong turn, then passing him again! I wish I could remember his name... Keith, maybe? It's always a joy to meet another runner who shares such a great love the sport.

​Milepost 45 to 56/ Jennerstown to Route 271
Wednesday, Dec. 27
Garmin Stats: 12.13 miles/ 15:58 pace/ 3:13:40
​Conditions: Negative four degrees with wind chill with one foot of snow pack and seven inches of powder on top; extremely deep, thick snow

"Should I do this today?" was the question that I asked my husband, Eric, all morning as we stared out the window at the thick blanket of snow covering our yard. Finally, we decided to do it. We loaded up the vehicle and our sons, ages four and at that time, eight months, and we drove to the drop-off point. 

Within the first mile, my hydration bite valve froze, and it was clear that perhaps I should have waited for better conditions. But with the Frozen Sasquatch 25K approaching, I looked at this run as the ultimate test. To keep high kneeing and trudging through nearly knee-high drifts and mid-shin pack in merely running shoes challenged my mental fortitude. 

Near the end of the trail, the blazes changed color, and at this time I attempted to turn on my cell phone to call Eric. The sun dropped below the horizon, and the temperature dropped with it.

Mistake number one: removing my glove in now negative eight degrees. Mistake number two: stopping my physical body, thus lowering my core temperature. My hands were now not functioning, and my eyes were blurring from the cold. Retinal damage crossed my mind, but I had to focus on getting out of the woods! Mistake number three: questioning my intuition. Of course I was on the right path, but the snow made it difficult to navigate, and I couldn't understand why the blazes were no loner yellow when they had been for the first 55 miles of the LHHT.

Finally, I made the decision to keep running down the parking lot trail, which was also much longer than the other parking lot trails. Seeing Eric and my sons overwhelmed me. I cried. My body shook. My hands curled and cramped, non-responsive. Grey cried. Avie yelled. YIKES! This was not fun, but in the end, I was grateful for the day and the wisdom I gained from it. And I vowed to never put myself in such a situation again. 

Milepost 56 to 70: Route 271 to Route 56 (Johnstown)
Saturday, Jan. 28
Garmin Stats: 13.4 miles/ 12:41 pace/ 2:50:04
Conditions: 40 degrees, mild, no snow

After the previous run, we spent the rest of that weekend skiing. I had wanted to complete all 70 miles before 2018, but Mother Nature had other things in mind. So, I waited until the perfect day. One month later, it came.

​The day before finishing the final miles of the LHHT, the Trail Tribe and I had run 10.8 miles up Sugarloaf Trail, around Kim Trail and down Baughman Trail, a favorite loop of mine in Ohiopyle. This weekend became the first time I had ever completed two back-to-back double digit runs. One step closer toward my dream of completing a 50K (31 miles) ultra race!

​Feeling it in my energy level and knees, my pace slowed, and I walked on most of the final downhill. Yet, it felt great to push myself to this new edge, this new place I had never been before, both in my body and the actual land where I was treading. The post-run picnic that Eric, Avie and Grey had set up tasted as heavenly as the post-run shower from a gallon jug felt!

LHHT, I look forward to more adventures with you! Next time, maybe Eric can join me. Next time, maybe I can run, camp, run, camp... Next time... 

Childbirth.

The word elicits many intense emotions and thoughts. It is a different experience for each woman, but one thing remains true for nearly everyone who experiences it - afterward, complete exhaustion overtakes the body, soul and mind. Sleep is what we mothers crave once our new, sweet little baby enters the world.

Yoga alleviates the overwhelm of motherhood by reminding us to breathe and pause. The poses simply act as a conduit to the breath - to slow it down, to inhale deeply, to exhale extensively and to take each moment one breath at a time. Yoga postures offer a place of comfort and connection to ourselves, something that we struggle to remember upon becoming a mother.

After birthing my second son, Grey, on April 2, 2017, I returned to yoga one pose at a time. When Grey was one day old, I fell into Child's Pose (I probably cried there, too). I couldn't wait to place my belly upon my thighs, which did not happen as I grew rounder and rounder during pregnancy. On Grey's second day of life, my husband helped me hug my knees into my chest - the soreness from pushing prevented me from doing this alone. On the third day, once again, my husband helped me lift my legs to form Eye of the Needle. And so it went... for the first week of Grey's life, the still, quiet, Yin Yoga poses helped me surrender and work out the tightness and fatigue from labor, holding Grey and prolonged nursing sessions. 

The first nine poses I did after giving birth are listed in order, from day two of Grey's life to day six. They are all supine, prostrate hip openers. I performed them in my comfiest, biggest clothes with cozy, warm socks upon the softest surface I could find - my bed!

The Sanskrit name is listed first, then the Yin Yoga name and finally the common English name. I hope this list serves as a guide for new moms so that they can find rest to restore their bodies and souls.

About the photos: these were taken by my husband nine months after Grey was born. He was napping during the photo session, and our four-year-old was happily enjoying performing yoga poses for the camera :)