Barkley again

geoffreybakerphotography.com

The before and after pictures above were taken by Geoffrey Baker as an independent art project.  If you want to see more participant's pictures in the "Portraits From the Edge of Endurance", click here.  His spectacular race photo gallery called "Bad Things Happen" is here.  I am wearing a pink and orange runnergirl.com skirt (and Drymax socks!!) in the pictures.

Annika Iltis and Tim Kane are making a documentary about the Barkley.  Here is a 3 minute clip. I appear really briefly.  Look for pink.

This race was something else.  All at once I felt like a complete failure and a huge success.  I felt alone, like I knew no one but that changed to feeling like I knew people very well in a short time.  I'm so glad to be a part of such a kind, funny, fun quirky community.  I have returned home feeling like I belong to an accepting, enthusiastic family.  Thanks to you all for letting me belong.

Barkley made me see my strengths in running, that is that I'm a good hiker!  I like adventure.  I'm not afraid of getting lost or running into wild animals.  Adventure makes me smile.

I now have a renewed enthusiasm for training.  Coming to Florida has been great for getting exercise outside during the winter months but the flat is...hard for me.  I am working through it and I'm ready to move on to my next goal.

On July 12, 2012 I will travel the ferry across the Mississippi River at Dorena Landing and run/walk/crawl 500 kilometers to Castle Rock, GA all on pavement, except the last half mile.  The race is called The Last Annual Vol State Road Race.  Thanks to Bogie, I now have a training plan.  Thanks to Ashley for intensive handstand training.  Thanks to Meara for enthusiastically teaching me Turkish Get Ups at 6:30 am!  Thanks to Keith, who will never read this, for getting me up and out at 5:30 am, pissing me off and motivating me through pure adrenaline from trying not to hit his lazy ass.  Thanks to Paul for accepting my stupid ideas and making them possible.