Training because I can! Addison's Disease, hypothyroidism and endurance exercise.

5k and other stuff

2012-01-30T07:04:00.003-07:00

Oh Honey, no This is not a flattering outfit for anyone, I'm not sure why this lady choose this particular outfit for the Dick Batchelor 5K Fun Run at Disney This is not me. Paul and I unexpectedly went to Orlando this weekend, visited his family and did a 5K in Disney. I think this was my first 5k ever! Paul, his aunt and I all stuck together. Paul's aunt actually requested that I

Shit Ultrarunners Say

2012-01-26T10:15:00.000-07:00

What a great video! I laughed out loud through the whole thing.

Everglades Ultras!

2012-01-23T14:54:00.001-07:00

I hate to do this to you all. This is going to be long. I'll try to keep my boring writing concise. Skip the reading if it's too long or boring. Look at the pictures!! Saturday, January 21st was the first inaugural Everglades Ultras put on by Ultra Sports, LLC with Bob Becker as the race director. I have to say, this was a special race. The terrain was breathtaking, fast and easy

A picture journal

2012-01-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

Fakahatchee State Park The last two months since leaving Idaho and moving our lives to Florida has been wonderful and hard. The weather here in Florida is AMAZING. The trails are a little far away so I'm on the treadmill at the gym a lot or under the lanai on our treadmill. The roads here are downright dangerous to run on. I'd rather be on the treadmill in the gym than be outside on the

Addison's Rant: Denial, stop talking and start doing

2011-12-31T04:58:00.002-07:00

The definition of denial according to the Free Medical Dictionary is n."An unconscious defense mechanism characterized by refusal to acknowledge painful realities, thoughts, or feelings." Do you have a constant, niggling problem or something large wrong with you? Think about it, have you been complaining about it for YEARS? If so, this post is for you because you are probably in denial

Adrenal insufficiency - protocols in the future?

2011-12-18T03:53:00.000-07:00

Adrenal insufficiency - protocols in the future? An awesome post about adrenal crisis written from the medical side of crisis.

Ancient Oaks 2011

2011-12-14T12:01:00.004-07:00

Start/Finish line Ancient Oaks was fantastic! The course through the Enchanted Forest was beautiful and challenging. Many of the participants were legends in the ultra world and were happy and willing to talk to me. The front runners were a pleasure to watch. Because this course is a loop, the front runners passed me over and over again and they didn't wear shirts. Thanks guys! My

A Fat Ass on the horizon

2011-11-28T08:47:00.001-07:00

Sounds nasty, huh? It's not! A Fat Ass is a race where you're responsible for you. You might get a race number (might not), you might get water (you might have to bring your own), no frills and no extras. "No Fees, No Awards, No Aid, No Wimps". It's always free too. I applied to get into Ancient Oaks 100 in August, when I didn't hear back from the RD, I naively assumed that I was not

Why I'm thankful

2011-11-27T05:46:00.001-07:00

Thanksgiving is over and I'm sitting here thinking about what I am thankful for. I thought I would share my thankfulness list with all of you. I'm thankful for: a son who loves me and misses me terribly a husband who supports me, loves me and doesn't get between me and my crazy ideas a new home. It's warm here! I love warmth and sunshine. new friends who included us in their family

Rocky Balboa Motivational Speech

2011-11-23T03:43:00.001-07:00

Bye-bye Idaho, Hello Florida!

2011-11-18T07:58:00.001-07:00

Oh Aspen Trail, I will miss you! It's happened, we've moved. It was a quiet and uneventful deal. Zane is living with his Dad and is oh so close to graduating from high school in Idaho. Paul did all of the driving for the 2,500 miles, I can't pay attention enough to drive a 26' truck that's towing a car. We drove from Friday afternoon to Wednesday evening. The dog is completely

Whirlwind

2011-10-23T08:31:00.001-06:00

I haven't posted anything since the depressing Wasatch post because life has been a whirlwind. I've traveled, met people, had a house guest, met lots of Addisonian's, lost some family and attended (unexpectedly!) the Caribbean Autoimmune Disease Summit in Trinidad (like Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad!). Pictures and some captions if you're interested in reading my blathering. My life of the

Yet another failure. Wasatch.

2011-09-18T12:48:00.001-06:00

Jeff, Dennis, me, Tony The start Yes, yet another DNF and ridiculously early in the race as well. Here's what happened...This is probably the best I've been prepared race wise as far as knowing what to expect, what I had packed, realistic pacing chart and medicine preparation. I got to SLC a day early so I was not rushed, confused and tired. My running preparation was nice, nothing

2011-09-08T20:56:00.000-06:00

Hi all, I'm down in Salt Lake City "camping" at the KOA. Tomorrow morning at 5 am, I start Wasatch! I signed up for this race in January, I was accepted via lottery in early February. It's so easy to think you can complete something like this in February when September is so far off. Elise got in too and since February she's had a broken foot and gotten squished by a horse and had some

Aspen Trail and me

2011-09-02T17:46:00.000-06:00

I've lived here in Teton Valley, Idaho for 16 years. In those 16 years, so much has changed in the Valley, in my life and in the world. One thing that has mostly remained the same is Aspen Trail. Because we are moving from here soon, every trail I've been on this summer, I think, "This could be the last time I'm here!" Usually this thought fills me with a little spark of happiness.

After two weeks of lots of running, the taper for Wasatch has begun.

2011-08-27T18:50:00.000-06:00

"He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed." Albert Einstein The last two weeks have been full of running and picture taking. Last week, I opted to spend 4 days in the Teton backcountry so I could appreciate the scenery. Wasatch is on September 9th. My training has not been as rigorous as it's been in the past but my body is

Just pictures

2011-08-14T07:59:00.003-06:00

Indian Paintbrush is spectacular this year. Aspen Trail. Bannock Lift at Grand Targhee. It's old and rickety. On the way up to Bannock Lift at Grand Targhee. Stunning view from the Bannock Lift at Grand Targhee. Hiking with my husband, we went up Mike Sell. Damn, the flowers ar e so amazing this year. The falls below Wind Cave, Darby Canyon. Wind Cave is so full of

RANT: Emergencies, be prepared. It's YOUR responsibility.

2011-08-09T10:17:00.000-06:00

"I've never had a crisis! I don't need to be prepared for a crisis." NOT! Just cause you haven't been hit by a bus yet doesn't mean you won't. Being hit by a bus is a crisis, so is vomiting. If you have Addison's, you DO need to be prepared for a crisis as does anyone around you. You CAN die from an untreated crisis. "But my doctor said I didn't need an injection kit!" Your doctor is

Wasatch 100 is coming up fast

2011-08-06T13:58:00.002-06:00

On September 9, 2011 I'll be attempting Wasatch 100 in Utah. This time is different than the other times that I have attempted a 100 mile foot race. This time, I am possibly under prepared physically but more prepared mentally. I have failed so many times at 100s that I thought I was well prepared for that this time, I'm having a hard time taking my training as seriously. It doesn't help

Kicking marmots (kidding) and running all over the Tetons!

2011-07-27T15:41:00.000-06:00

I've got two posts today because I thought I posted last week but did not. Look at the next post below...or don't. Whatever works. I am feeling so much better than I did in June. I think doing MdS and the international travel made me hypothyroid. Now that I've got my thyroid numbers up, I feel human and ready to run! I am doing Wasatch 100 on September 9, 2011 in Utah. My friend Elise is

Last week

2011-07-27T14:40:00.001-06:00

Well, I prepped all of these pictures and thought I posted them last week. Not. Two posts today. Franti was SO fun! At almost 10,000 feet on July 16th, so freaking much snow. Much more than usual. Moose Creek Columbines The view from the top of Garns Mountain, Tetons in the background. Cool snow bridge. On the way up to

Summer in Teton Valley = Nirvana

2011-07-12T16:17:00.003-06:00

I've been feeling well and getting out, seeing great things, smelling mud, trees and flowers. I'm on day 514 of my mile a day (walk or run) streak! Yay! Big Hole Crest Trail. Flowers and a great view. Pole Canyon. 2.8 miles up the trail. I skirted off to the left and over the hill... The view from the top of the hill. Then I went down the other side and had to cross.

So much to run, walk, hike and so little time!

2011-07-05T15:54:00.000-06:00

Snow is finally melting. Now it's flooding the trails and the highway! This picture is taken from MD Nursery's entrance looking south on Highway 33. This was Thursday or Friday and there's just as much water there as of this morning. The weather has been spectacular! Finally I've got an opportunity to get out on some trails. Due to lack of running partners, I'm getting the dog out more.

South Fork Bench Trail

2011-06-26T21:35:00.000-06:00

Today is Paul and my seventh wedding anniversary. Happy Anniversary Paul!! It was a cool, overcast day and I had planned to go to the South Fork Bench Trail. I have to say I was glad I did. I saw two tanagers, two owls (big ones!) and the others below. It turned out to be a gorgeous day. All I could think of was how lucky I was to be out there, have my health, be warm and in the sun, to see

Bears!

2011-06-25T14:43:00.000-06:00

Trying to get food! Sunning him or herself in the front yard of my client's house and posing for pictures Walking toward the driveway Walking past the garage and making a bee line for the dumpster Ahhhhh, found the dumpster!

Spring is really here

2011-06-24T19:00:00.038-06:00

Finally, the snow seems to have stopped down here in the Valley and the plants are growing as quickly as possible before winter arrives again. Very white people are swamping the trails trying to get rid of their winter pallor, including me. It's amazing how much my mood is improving because I'm outside, getting muddy, bloody, seeing animals and inadvertently eating bugs. View of Teton Valley

Addison's and exercise, getting started

2011-06-23T08:56:00.000-06:00

Disclaimer: This entire post is OPINION and not based on studies or anything other than personal experience and observation. Do not start an exercise program without the permission of your physician. I seem to be getting a lot of questions lately about getting started with exercising when one has Addison's. (Thanks R and MDJunction friends!! and B). My answer to how to get started is not

A late spring, Moose Creek trail

2011-06-19T16:07:00.000-06:00

This sign makes me happy. I never noticed that I wasn't allowed to use my hang glider in the NF Wilderness. Conditions are not exactly ideal for mid-June. Usually trails are open about 2,000 feet higher than they are now. We had 300% above average snow pack this winter. I had to turn around here. It was like a raging river on the trail. Some of the trail was beautiful and

2011 Cure Alzheimer's Run

2011-06-17T12:31:00.000-06:00

On Wednesday last week, I had an awesome opportunity to spend some time with transcontinental runner Glenn Caffery. We met up at the local soda shop, the Victor Emporium. Here he had the house specialty, a huckleberry shake, and was simultaneously interviewed by Annie Eby from the Teton Valley News. When the shake and interview were done, Glen and I started out running. Even after a 6,700

Pocatello 50 DNF at 17.0

2011-06-06T07:55:00.000-06:00

The mountains were beautiful and the weather that day couldn't have been better. Only a little snow on the first leg. My coat is on backwards, I'm not 8 months pregnant. Since getting back from Morocco, I haven't been right. Those of you who know me will argue that I've never been right but this is worse than usual. I just don't care about running or exercising. I feel weak and puny.

Spring in Teton Valley, Idaho

2011-05-21T07:27:00.000-06:00

Snowmobiler going up to Spring Creek while I was coming down. Multi use at its best. I don't have much to say. I'm under trained for next weekend's race in Pocatello. I don't really care. I'll go and enjoy being in a warmer place. Turns out I might have tendinitis from my ankle sprain. If I go to physical therapy when I'm supposed to and ignore it the rest of the time, it will eventually

Past, Present and near Future

2011-05-09T11:47:00.000-06:00

Since returning from Morocco, I've been feeling like CRAP physically and emotionally. I don't care about running or exercising, I don't care about much. To me, this is what hypothyroid feels like. Because I didn't care about anything, I failed to get the proper blood work done to assess thyroid function. I haven't run much in the last month either. One thing that has been good is my appetite

Calling all ultrarunners, potential ultrarunners and friends of ultrarunners!! Relentless Forward Progress is available!

2011-04-29T07:25:00.000-06:00

Hey All, I've already read half of RFP and will finish it this weekend. I'm going to use Bryon's training plan for Wasatch 100. Bryon's website, was where I got my training plan and gear list for MdS. This book is great for those who are seasoned ultrarunners but also has great information for those who are new to ultrarunning. Buy a copy today! :) Dusty Dear friends, We’re all part of the

Post MdS observations and roadside treasures

2011-04-21T16:18:00.000-06:00

Top of Pine Creek Pass. 5 feet of snow left at 6,700 feet. That's where all the trails are, under 5+ feet of snow. I've been highly unmotivated since I got home last Tuesday night. Highly unmotivated. I've kept my mile a day streak alive...barely. In the last week, it's been hard to even do that mile a day. So I was talking to Ashley the other day, listing all of my post-MdS complaints

Marathon des Sables 2011, would I do it again, YES!

2011-04-17T10:53:00.000-06:00

MdS 2011 finisher's medal Thanks to everyone who helped me, cheered me on, emailed me and sent positive thoughts. Thanks especially to Jay Batchen and Lisa Smith-Batchen for making this experience possible for me. Thanks Paul for posting to my blog, emailing, supporting me, picking me up on long runs when I get too tired to continue and for listening to all the stories and experiences from

MDS Day 7 - The final stage

2011-04-10T10:26:00.000-06:00

Dusty has send me the final email, so this will be the last post for me. I was able to capture another screen shot of her at the final stage finish, but there were so many people (as you can see in the picture) that there was no way to catch the cartwheel. Dusty did not see the web cam either, so she walked right past after this. This is the only shot I was able to get. It is a bit hard to see

Day 5 - holy crap,it's hot!

2011-04-09T12:52:00.002-06:00

Well...I guess I was wrong - Dusty did send another email for yesterday's stage. It may have been some technical issue on the long day because she does not even mention not sending one. Anyway, below is her update from Stage 5. I will post another update later for Stage 6. 42.2k, 26.2 miles. Temps were around 120 degrees this afternoon. I finished in 7:30. I haven't eaten much today so this will

MDS Update

2011-04-08T15:09:00.001-06:00

Hello all – I have not received any further updates from Dusty, but I have been keeping tabs on her and know that she is still doing well. She had a long day for the 82K, but she persevered. I suspect the long day was the reason for no email. The email service that MDS had for you to send the participants emails is closed now, so I assume that she can’t send any out to me anymore either. I had

MDS Day 3, 38k of trundling and bumbling

2011-04-05T19:11:00.000-06:00

Hello again - Our friend Dave (the husband of the Allison mentioned in Dusty's message) was diligent and lucky enough to catch Dusty coming over the finish line of today's stage. He graciously captured a few screen shots and sent them to me. Those of you that have seen Dusty finish a race before know that she always does a cartwheel over the finish line. Dave just missed getting a shot of the

MDS Day 2

2011-04-04T18:13:00.000-06:00

Hi All (Paul again) - If you have been tracking Dusty on the MDS web site you know that it took her about 18 minutes longer to finish today than yesterday and this stage was 5K longer. I have been trying to catch her on the finish line web cam, but with over 900 participants and not really knowing what time they start so that I can judge, it is pretty hard. As you will read below, she is in very

2011-04-03T17:54:00.000-06:00

Hello all (this is Paul). I have not spoken to Dusty since she left on Tuesday. She emailed me briefly on Thursday, basically to tell me that she arrived. I know that Dusty can more than take care of herself, but we have not been out of touch for more than a day since we met 9 hears ago. I am the worrier of this pair. I have been checking for her email obsessively. I finally received the below a

Many thanks!

2011-03-29T11:32:00.000-06:00

Thanks to all of you who have given me wonderful gifts, beads, notes, Facebook replies advice and emails. I'm getting a little choked up right now thinking about how wonderful all of you are. Thank you!!!! A special thanks to Paul, my husband, who made this all possible and provided me with support and love through the good and bad. I'm headed out to the airport in about an hour, house is

Marathon des Sables 2011 Itinerary

2011-03-26T10:45:00.000-06:00

2011 MARATHON DES SABLES ITINERARY TUESDAY, MARCH 29 (DOUBLE HYROCORTISONE FOR TRAVEL)Fly from Jackson, Wyoming to Salt Lake CityFly from Salt Lake City to Paris, France WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30 (DOUBLE HYROCORTISONE FOR TRAVEL)Arrive in Paris, FranceFly from Paris to Madrid, Spain to Casablanca, Morocco to Ouarazazte, Morocco THURSDAY, MARCH 31?

Africa here I come

2011-03-25T12:19:00.000-06:00

In the last two days, my ankle feels so much better. I feel hopeful that it will not hurt in eight days when the race begins. I have a hectic 24 hours ahead. Murphy's Law is in full force. The two weekends before my trip (last weekend and this weekend) are full of preparations for my clients. One client flew in and out of town last weekend and the other client this weekend. What this means

Addison's, hypothyroid and minor injury

2011-03-15T10:04:00.000-06:00

Just a quick post here with some observations about the last week. As you all know, I whined about spraining my ankle. It seems to be fine and healing quickly! It looks gross and green but the swelling is down and I'm not limping any more. It never got so bad that I had to stop doing my mile a day...the streak LIVES! 396 days of one mile a day!! This post is not an effort to get sympathy.

Inconvenient bump in the road, I mean pothole.

2011-03-12T11:09:00.000-07:00

See that little pothole above this caption? It was covered by a puddle. I jumped the puddle and put my right foot right into the pothole, rolling my ankle in very hard. In a split second, I managed to bruise both my knees and an elbow, twist my ankle, get wet from the waist down (puddle, not pee), and induce severe mental stress. Wednesday evening, I thought I was being so graceful, leaping

Thanks, snow, skijoring and more snow, some MdS

2011-03-09T14:14:00.005-07:00

Wolf tracks? Huge stride! Well, I'm going to lead off this post with thanks. Thanks to all of the wonderful people who are sharing bits of themselves with me to take to MdS! The charms and beads I have received are WONDERFUL!!! I will post a picture of the completed necklace before I leave. By the way, I fly out of Jackson, Wyoming on March 29th and arrive in Ouazazarte, Morocco on March

Beads, Bedouins and Blizzards

2011-02-28T16:41:00.000-07:00

On my long run last Sunday, I tried to pretend that I was running in the desert. This is what it looked like in my mind. My Photoshop skills stink. Reality was a vast expanse of snow and wind. With 28 days until I leave for Marathon des Sables, training is winding down and preparation is getting into gear (ha, pun intended!). I have a little bit more time now than I have in the last

RANT: HELP YOURSELF!

2011-02-19T15:58:00.000-07:00

A health related rant coming on. Don't read it if you're not interested in health and/or rants! I find it absolutely amazing how many people go to a doctor and just expect him/her to come up with all the answers in a ten minute meeting. I'm not sure how you can expect someone to figure out what's wrong with you in such a short period of time. No doctor can do this unless you've got a broken

ONE YEAR STREAKING ANNIVERSARY!

2011-02-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

The hardest day of my streak. It was around Christmas, it was late and I remembered that I had not done my mile yet. What a great outfit. I got a stress fracture of the neck of my right femur last year. The day I was allowed to start walking, I did. Today is the one year anniversary of walking or running a mile a day. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I encourage everyone to

MdS training and time

2011-02-09T15:10:00.000-07:00

A few people have asked me how I fit my MdS training into my life. First and foremost, I have an understanding husband. Secondly, my work is flexible and part time. Most importantly, I get up really early! Thinking I might go to MdS this year, I had to set better goals for my running. I am pitifully slow. As long as I'm outside, I don't even mind going slowly. This is a problem when you're

MdS training

2011-02-04T09:51:00.000-07:00

Several people have asked what I'm doing for Marathon des Sables training. Here ya go... November 2010 REST After Antelope Island 100K and State Your Intentions the following weekend, I took the rest of November off. It was a good chance to think about the past year and the upcoming year. My mind needed to rest as much as my body did. 2010 was tough, the year began with a stress fracture of

I am an idiot

2011-02-01T14:16:00.002-07:00

Teton Pass run

2011-01-31T09:49:00.000-07:00

Grand Teton on a cold morning As much as I'd like to post my MdS training plan, I'm more interested in posting pics from the weekend. The running is going great despite soreness from starting pack training. Friday morning, I didn't want to exercise but I did anyway because Joanne said she would skate ski with me. It was stunningly beautiful. Very cold. The picture above is from the same

Pine Creek Pass run and pretty scenery

2011-01-28T06:44:00.000-07:00

I seem to be obsessed with this barn. I take pictures of it year round. Lucky for you, I don't post all of them. The other day, I forced myself to run outside. I ran up Pine Creek Pass on the side of the highway and then on the snowmobile track. I was running into the clouds. A snow stake near the summit of PCP. Looks like nearly four and a half feet of snow to me. At the summit.

Big News!

2011-01-19T09:25:00.001-07:00

I am so very excited! I will be participating in the 26th Marathon des Sables in Morocco, Africa from April 1 through April 11, 2011. I feel incredibly fortunate to have this opportunity. It will be a huge challenge for me, not necessarily because of the mileage, about 150 miles over six days (not to be taken lightly!) but because of the heat and my Addison's Disease. I will be going from

2011-01-11T13:54:00.000-07:00

2011 has arrived Taylor Mountain from my office window. I haven't posted much lately. I have a ton to say but I'm not sure what people want to hear. Please let me know in the comments or by emailing me. I've got Addison's rants out the wazoo if you want to hear them. I've got goals if you want to know them. I am feeling well. I am running well. Working enough. Keeping too busy!

Vote to help National Organization for Rare Disorders - It's easy!

2011-01-03T12:01:00.000-07:00

Vote to Help NORD Empower Patients and FamiliesNORD is in this month's Pepsi Refresh Challenge Project and needs your help! In this project, organizations win grants by receiving the most votes in their category. NORD has proposed an idea that has been accepted by Pepsi for the $50,000 category. It is based on the belief that knowledge is power, and that rare disease patients and their

10 Rules to Being Human

2010-12-28T16:54:00.000-07:00

Only in Idaho and Wyoming

2010-12-27T15:19:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's just what you think it is. Why? I don't know. A townie bike with telemark ski boots slung over the handle bars. I don't know if I'm more impressed by the boots being hung on the bike or the tenacity of the guy riding a bike through Jackson, Wyoming in the winter. This sign is at my new gym. Do east coast gyms have to tell people not to chew in the gym? At the same time

Merry Christmas and Happy Solstice!

2010-12-25T06:06:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas everyone!!!! Donna O and Jennie in about 1978.

Carpe Diem

2010-12-12T07:33:00.000-07:00

My journey to the grave won't be with a well preserved body. I'll skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand & wine in the other, totally worn out & screaming, "WOOHOO! WHAT A RIDE!"This is the quote on my friend Alyssa's Facebook page. She died on Thursday in a car accident leaving three kids without their mom. She was a rock climber, Search and Rescue volunteer, ultrarunner, super mom and friend

Antelope Island & State Your Intentions

2010-11-20T07:15:00.002-07:00

Sunrise on the west shore of Antelope IslandScroll down if you just want to look at pictures.The first weekend of November I spent the last warm day of the fall on Antelope Island. It was an awesome, well run, low key race. 41 of us started out at 6 am, it was so warm that I only wore short sleeves and a skirt. No jacket! 33 of us did two laps around the island. I finished second to last,

State Your Intentions Twenty Four Hour, Nov. 13th 2010

2010-11-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

Hey friends, I'm participating in SYI 24 hour on Saturday, November 13th (see below or click on the link for complete information). I encourage you, no matter what your fitness level, to participate as well. Set a walking or running goal over the 24 hour period. It can be walking out to the mailbox 4 times in this 24 hour period, walking around your house a few times, a number of minutes or

Thinking about visiting Teton Valley, Idaho?

2010-10-23T09:58:00.001-06:00

Last call for visiting us here in Idaho! We are moving when my son graduates in May of 2012. Seems like a long way off but if you like to sightsee or spend time outside in relative warmth, your window is very small. July and August are the only reliably nice weather months. Additionally, July and August are PACKED with community activities and fun stuff going on in Teton Valley.

Mike of Project America Run has completed his TransAmerica run and tribute to fallen US soldiers!

2010-10-20T09:44:00.000-06:00

From his website: "On May 1st 2010, Mike Ehredt, a retired Postal Clerk and Army Veteran, touched the wheel of his jogger stroller in the Pacific Ocean in Astoria, OR and began an epic 4514 mile journey across the country to Honor and Remember Service Members lost in Iraq. He placed flags that hold a yellow ribbon bearing the Name, Rank, Service, Age and Hometown of those whose dreams and

It's been so long!

2010-10-18T12:54:00.000-06:00

A veiw of the Tetons from Fogg Hill It's been so long and it's amazing that I have so little to say! I felt the need to post an update before posting a bunch of rants. This has been an amazing and spectacular fall. Usually we've had a lot of snow by now. This year we're able to enjoy the fall colors without snow ruining the experience. Fall colors in the Tetons. Near Hunt's Corral

Need some inspiration? Here you go...

2010-10-04T12:34:00.000-06:00

For more info and inspriation, go to http://www.teamhoyt.com/

A brief break from the rants

2010-09-18T17:15:00.000-06:00

Because I'm back to running/waddling/hiking, it's time to share the beauty of Idaho and a couple of funny pictures. Aspen Trail Fall foliage on Aspen Trail Aspens on Aspen Trail Fall harvest Tetons in the background, harvest in the foreground Only in Idaho do you have a horse drawn carriage on the side of the highway! Dolly takes an unusual and tipsy seat when we go for a

"Lucky", yet another rant about Quality of Life and Addison's

2010-09-16T10:09:00.000-06:00

What I really wanted to do was post my goals and stuff. Self centered, I know. You're saved from that with yet another rant. I read other Addison's forums in addition to my own forum. This morning I saw a post on another forum accusing a high functioning, non-martyr Addison's person (Jim) of being "lucky" with his health. Jim is really active, takes his meds 6X a day and has a great quality

Additional thanks

2010-09-14T10:09:00.000-06:00

I don't know how I forgot the following awesome friends in my post where I thanked people...Heather, Ashley and Linda. My brain is short circuited. I probably forgot others too...THANKS TO YOU ALL that I did and didn't mention!

Really, how hard is it? (An Addison's rant)

2010-09-14T09:15:00.000-06:00

Really, how hard is it to split your doses of hydrocortisone in a physiologic manner? Not very is my answer. There are some people who want to be on longer lasting steroids because it's "too hard" to take hydrocortisone in split doses. Yes, there are exceptions to this. People with other diseases (Lyme, lupus, colitis) tend to do better with some or all long acting steroids. Most people with

Boring

2010-09-12T16:13:00.000-06:00

In the month or so since I last posted, I've been super boring. I rested from the bronchitis and stopped coughing last week. I've gone for one hike. I've caught up on house cleaning, paying bills and work. Getting caught up made me realize that the last three or four years of running have taken a toll on other parts of my life! I was really behind. Starting tomorrow, I will be back to

Slow times

2010-08-24T11:17:00.001-06:00

A skull in a tree on the way up to Targhee, I saw this last weekend while I was having another terrible run. A sign of things to come???Yes, slow times. The apathy and lethargy I was feeling two weeks ago morphed into bronchitis. Yuck. I haven't done much running or hiking in the last week because I've been feeling slower and slower. The coughing started a few days ago. Yesterday, I felt

Apathy and under replacement, your symptoms may vary

2010-08-12T17:35:00.001-06:00

This is a post for my Addison's readers.I've spent Saturday through Wednesday being completely apathetic. Saturday and Sunday I was uncharacteristically sore from a hike/run that I did so I passed my apathy off as an after effect of being sore and tired. Monday came and I could not motivate to run or work much or care about much of anything. Tuesday and Wednesday were much the same.At first

Teton Hikes

2010-08-11T07:07:00.000-06:00

Sun rise on the Grand Teton I felt so good after the 43 miles at Swan Crest that I was able to do some great hikes last week. Zane joined me on Aspen Trail on Monday. On Friday, I went over to Grand Teton National Park with the intention of doing both the South and Middle Teton. I summited the South but did not summit the Middle. A storm came in and I got stuck about 250 feet from the

SC100 DNF

2010-08-09T16:11:00.001-06:00

So much of the trail was like this. This is Warrior Mountain.Thanks so much to everyone who sent me encouraging emails, texts and positive thoughts. I appreciate it so much. Thanks also to my husband who supports my crazy running habit even though he thinks I should aim for shorter distances!Get ready for a slew of posts over the next week. Here's my Swan Crest 100 race report. Sorry this is

SC100

2010-07-28T07:13:00.000-06:00

OK, I'm getting myself together. Packed clothes and drop bags last night. Need to work, pack food and leave as quickly as possible this morning. Below is my pacing chart if you're interested. I erred on the very slow side because if I start puking or sleeping on the side of the trail, it's slows down the average pace A LOT. If you're interested in live updates from the race, click here. If

Mixed content

2010-07-25T16:22:00.005-06:00

A real license plate. Wish it were mine, it's pretty much my motto!OK, lots going on. I'll sort by content, headings will be in bold so you know what you can skip.Swan Crest 100 I'm off to do another 100 mile race. Are you interested in me Tweeting this race? If so, email me and let me know, no need to get wordy or anything, just let me know you're interested. I would like to have 10

Lots of pictures and an update

2010-07-18T07:10:00.005-06:00

July 3 Meara in Alaska BasinThe weather in Teton Valley, Idaho has finally turned warm and the snow in the high country is melting but still there!My recovery from Bighorn (June) was minimal and I was out on the trail the day after I got home. Warning, Addison's content here! In retrospect, I'm quite sure my nausea and vomiting in Bighorn were due to an overdose of mineralcorticoid and over

39 degrees in July!

2010-07-07T07:05:00.001-06:00

will summer ever come?!

You shouldn't, a rant

2010-07-05T06:13:00.003-06:00

No pictures, no update.Last week I was told I shouldn't do something because of my Addison's. This person was well meaning but does not know me or the disease very well. At first, I was really hurt by this comment. People don't generally tell me I shouldn't do things, even people who know me well like my husband and my physician. This comment got me to thinking about all the other people with

Beautiful Bighorn

2010-06-21T07:43:00.006-06:00

My favorite view on the whole course.It's a little over 48 hours post race. I'm not at all sore which makes me feel I have done my training right. My performance at Bighorn lets me know I have done something very wrong. I messed around with my florinef and too much florinef is what I'm thinking the culprit might be. Anyone have any experience with too much florinef? Anyhow, enjoy the

Foiled again at Bighorn

2010-06-20T06:26:00.005-06:00

Lots of writing, pictures and video when I get home and get a better internet connection.Thanks to my husband for putting up with me in my pursuit of seemingly unattainable goals like this one. Thanks to Meara and the other women of Teton Valley for running with me. Thanks to all of my wonderful friends who have sent me emails, texts and messages via my forum and FaceBook.I don't know where to

The time has come

2010-06-18T06:26:00.000-06:00

I've made it to Sheridan safely. When I left Driggs yesterday, it was 33 degrees and snowing. Temps dropped to 23, it was snowing, and road dangerously icy in spots. By the time I got to Sheridan, Wyoming, it was sunny with blue skies, temps in the 60s and a fierce wind. It's nice to see what spring looks like right before the first day of summer! The trees down (at 4,000 feet) all have

Project America Run

2010-06-10T16:26:00.007-06:00

Mike wearing the shirt that says it all7:30 am, just some of the people who joined Mike todayI had the privilege today to run with a friend, Mike Ehredt, who is running from Oregon to Maine and placing a flag of a fallen soldier every mile along the way. His journey will take 6 months and he will place over 4,300 flags. Every flag has the name, age, hometown and rank of the soldier. Each time

Here goes nothing!

2010-06-07T14:11:00.004-06:00

Cute sign during Bighorn, 2009There's potential for this post to be super boring. Skip it if you want! Lots of pondering, some ultra content, some Addison's content.Gorgeous scenery. My friend Carl is in the orange shirt on the left. He always kicks my ass.On June 18th, I will start do the Bighorn 100. It is a 100 mile foot race. It goes out 50 miles and back 50 miles on trail. There's a

Odds and Ends

2010-06-06T11:47:00.003-06:00

My 16 year old son and his 98 year old Great GrandmotherI'm not sure I have much to say in this post. The race is in eleven days. I have my doubts about my ability to complete the race and I have lots of anxiety. Luckily, I'm starting my taper and have time to get as prepared as I can. I'm on day 114 of my streak of walking at least one mile a day.The picture above is my son and my Grandma.

Spring?

2010-05-28T10:18:00.005-06:00

Sunrise and the Grand Teton from the WestThis is what spring looks like here in Idaho and WyomingAlthough it was cool, Joanne's dog was too hot and needed to cool down!Joanne loves Aspen TrailCouldn't make it too far up the South Fork of Horseshoe, shut down by snow...again!The view on the way to the airport. Tetons on the left, buffalo straight ahead, tourists on the rightUncooperative bluebird

It's all mental

2010-05-24T20:30:00.006-06:00

Fun run with Meara and JoOnly 24 days until Big Horn, although it's constantly on my mind, I haven't done much planning. I've gotten my meds ready for the week before and week after (increased probiotics, florinef and hydrocortisone). It's all mental from here on out. I've got one more long run weekend before the race. In reality, most of the work that needs to be done is mental. Creating a

Are you kidding me? Winter weather advisory in Idaho

2010-05-23T07:32:00.000-06:00

Winter Weather AdvisoryStatement as of 3:45 AM MDT on May 23, 2010... Winter Weather Advisory in effect from 6 PM this evening to6 PM MDT Monday above 6000 feet...The National Weather Service in Pocatello has issued a WinterWeather Advisory above 6000 feet for snow and localized blowing snow... whichis in effect from 6 PM this evening to 6 PM MDT Monday.* Snow accumulations: 3 to 7 inches*

29 days and counting to Big Horn

2010-05-19T15:00:00.003-06:00

Stormy day!That's right, 29 days and counting until Big Horn 100. How am I feeling? Nervous hell. I haven't prepped (med plan, food plan, medical info for staff, decided on clothing or found a place to stay) yet. As far as training goes, I'm pretty happy with it. I'm on the low end of mileage for doing a hundred but I'm OK with that. Before I did the Bear last fall, I had a LOT of miles

Streak, day 89. 37 days until my first 100 of 2010!

2010-05-11T10:34:00.008-06:00

Every pair of sneakers I have is wet and muddy, I like it!I haven't posted any training stuff in a long time so I thought I'd throw it in here. Pictures below if you want to skip the words. I've walked a minimum of one mile a day for 89 days now! Yahoo!The formerly broken hip feels great. The only part that's sore are the weakened muscles.My weekly mileage is right where I want it to be. I'm

Two people, two amazing missions!

2010-05-04T00:00:00.006-06:00

Mike Ehredt and Lisa Smith-Batchen, both from Teton Valley, Idaho, are on amazing running missions. Please consider running with them or cheering them on if they are passing through your town.Mike's mission is called "Project America Run" where he will run 4514 miles across the United States to honor and remember service members lost in Iraq. He is currently placing flags that hold a yellow

Crisis

2010-05-02T06:00:00.002-06:00

"Hydrocortisone is Life" -BabsIf you've got Addison's, the above statement is absolutely, positively no exaggeration.In my story about Fran dying from complications of Addison's, I mentioned crisis. Erin asked this question in the comments:So do you Addison's folks think these "stomach bugs" people get are actually bugs/viruses? Or are they triggered/originate from heading into an Addison's

Streaking again! Day 75 and counting

2010-04-30T11:45:00.005-06:00

Streaking again. A minimum of one mile a day walking and three pullups most days. That adds up to seven miles a week and 75 miles over the course of the last 75 days. It's really a great feeling to have done this and continue to do it. I urge you, plead with you, do it too. Make a commitment to getting a minimum of exercise every day. Set your distance. What? Did I hear you say you don't

Time to buckle down for some buckles

2010-04-25T18:48:00.007-06:00

Buckling down for more of these buckles.A broken hip has not dampened my enthusiasm for ultrarunning. If anything, it's made me even more enthusiastic and excited to run a few hundreds. When you complete a 100, you get a belt buckle.I've decided to do the Big Horn 100 in June. The Swan Crest 100 in late July and either the Grand Teton 100 or the Bear 100 in September.I've walked a mile a day

Dying from "Addison's Complications" rant

2010-04-08T10:49:00.003-06:00

I'm not actually sure what I'm going to say here. I've been pondering writing this post for about three months now. I'm really, really annoyed at certain organizations posting obituaries and saying "died from complications of Addison's" and giving no specific information. It terrifies me to think I could die from "Addison's complications" and not have any idea what these complications might be or

Attitude Toward Everyday Activity Important for Healthy Lifestyle

2010-04-03T06:11:00.001-06:00

Attitude Toward Everyday Activity Important for Healthy LifestyleScienceDaily (Apr. 3, 2010) — Unintentional physical activity may be influenced by non-conscious attitudes, noted David Conroy, associate professor of kinesiology and human development and family studies. The challenge of encouraging more activity can be met by understanding the motivation behind both deliberate exercise and

Signs of Spring

2010-03-28T15:27:00.003-06:00

Spring is coming, here are some signs...Snow is thinning...Grand Teton is the big, pointy one.Sign along Pine Creek Pass. Do people in other places have this sign?A drainage pipe that made a pretty ice sculpture with some spring run off.Still three feet of snow on the good trails.Beautiful view, I ran up and down this road today.Spring IS coming, Pine Creek is melting out!Snow plows knock over