Dancing Lights Run

Those forecasters seemed to have gotten it right, guys! The weather was picture perfect for an amazing display of the Northern Lights, and you bet your ass I was running during the time.

Northern Lights aren't really that common this far south in Alaska. People in Fairbanks see them all the time, but it's pretty rare to catch a glimpse of them here in Wasilla. I only saw them once last winter and it was in March. Plus, the sky has to be clear and it has to be bitterly cold outside. Tonight was perfect. I postponed my run until about 11 p.m. Late, I know, but I was really, really, really hoping to run when they were on display, and they usually don't appear until late at night, or really early in the morning. It's 2:30 a.m. right now and they are still on full display!!

They. Are. Gorgeous.

They literally look like they're dancing. Swaying, ever so slightly, disappearing, then reappearing. Becoming brighter, then dull, then bright again. The movement is what's so amazing about them, not just the bright green color.

I turned off my headlamp tonight during my run, and just couldn't keep my eyes off the sky. Not only were the Lights breathtaking, but the stars were out in full force, too. There is nothing like seeing the sparkling Big Dipper shine behind the waving Northern Lights.

Hands down, this was the best 4 mile run I've ever done in Alaska. Was it cold? Hell yes, it was cold (-5). But you don't just sit around inside cuddled in a blanket when the Northern Lights are out. You layer up, and then get yourself out there. And run.

First thing I'm going to miss about Alaska when I leave: Northern Lights. How often does anybody get to see the lights, let alone go for a run during them?!

Today was a good day to live in Alaska. :)

A brief explanation as to what causes the aurora borealis: The scientific explanation for the lights may be less poetic, though still fascinating. Auroras are born of the sun, when large explosions and flares throw great quantities of particles into space, carried outward by the solar wind. The aurora is an electro-static phenomenon that occurs during when these charged protons and electrons in the magnetosphere collide with atoms and gases in the Earth’s upper atmosphere. When the particles meet the Earth’s magnetic shield, they are pulled into two great ovals around the Earth’s magnetic poles. As they interact with the upper layers of the atmosphere, approximately 60-150 miles above our heads, the energy that is then released appears as a luminous, moving glow, typically visible in the night sky in the polar zones at particular times of the year.

For a more accurate display of what I saw last night, click here: Anchorage Daily News pics

They are pictures submitted by people in anchorage and wasilla.

Aurora borealis run

Word on the street is that there is an "extreme" possibility of northern lights tonight in Wasilla. I'm really hoping this will happen during my run. I'll report back tomorrow!

Alaska has my heart, but it's time to go

So have you guessed yet?

I'm moving. Five thousand miles away from where I currently reside, to be exact. I'm nervous. I'm excited. I'm ready for the change.

Alaska, well, isn't for me. The winters are hard. They're beautiful, but hard. The single life is, well, for lack of a better term, meh. Here's the thing -- Alaska was just what I needed while I was recovering from my divorce and rediscovering the new me. I don't regret Alaska. I love Alaska, even though I know I've done a fair share of complaining about the awful winter weather. But I feel my life progressing in a different direction. Honestly, if I was still married I'd probably stay here forever. This is a perfect place to raise a family. Lots of outdoorsy things to do, low crime rate, very family and community centered. Alaska has some good, hard-working people here. People with the kind of values that I'd one day like to teach my children. But for where I'm currently at in life I know Alaska isn't the place I need to be. And let's be real here -- there just aren't enough races close by. ;) Only a runner would use that as an excuse to relocate somewhere else. I want access to races, and not red-eye all-day flights kind of access.

I feel like I currently have the freedom and luxury to do what I want in life, and I'm not going to be young forever. Soon enough I'll be settling down, starting a family, and really making a life for myself. So why not take the opportunity to experience the things I've always wanted to, but never had the chance to because I was tied down so early in life? So here I go. I'm moving to the Washington, D.C. area. Virginia, specifically, but still in the DC metro area.

Say hello to my new roommates:

Holly and Preston Mitchell

I seriously can't wait to live with these two kids. And I seriously can't wait to be close to other runners. Runners that I've met through Ragnar, and that have remained dear friends of mine -- Amy, Josh, Alisha, Eric, Ozzie, Helen, Brant, and even Holly herself. It's good to know that going into this move, I already feel like I have a lot of support.

I'm going to miss Alaska. Mainly because I've met a lot of great people here. People that mean a lot to me, and have been unknowing supporters during this transitional period of my life. It hasn't been easy, and I haven't always held myself together. But the Alaska friends made all the difference in the world.

On March 13, I make the big move. I'll be stopping in Salt Lake City to spend some time with family, and then off I go. It feels right.

Snow, Sew, Sick, and Schedule

Yes. It's snowing here. Non-stop. You've read all the stories and heard the latest news that Alaska is getting record-breaking snowfall this winter, right? All of you Midwesterners wondering where your snow's at? It's in my driveway. You're welcome.

Uggghhh. If it'll ever stop snowing, and maybe, just maybe, get above 10 degrees I might actually decide to go for a run. Until then, I've been occupying my free time with sewing.

I said it. Sewing. It's quite relaxing, actually. A bit therapeutic, too. It's nice to remember that I'm actually still good at some of this "wifely" stuff. hahaha. So far I've made six adorable braided jersey-knit scarves, and one even more adorable apron. I will post pics later. So cute!

Not that I would've been able to run, anyway. I've been captured by a week-long sickness. I blame it on the -23 degree weather we've been having. No joke, folks. NEGATIVE 23! These Alaskans -- they're tough stuff. Sarah Palin, one tough chick, but I can also see why she's one crazy woman, too. Alaskans may be tough, but keep 'em here long enough and they're just not right in the head. This place should not be inhabited by humans. (Joking aside, I will say that there is no better place in the summer than Alaska.)

Which leads me to my next "S".

My 2012 race schedule. I'm fairly excited about the lineup so far, and I'm anxiously waiting to add more races to the list. But I must be patient for certain things in my life to fall into place. Here's my pending list:

March 17, 2012 -- Rock 'n Roll USA Half Marathon -- Washington, D.C.
March 24, 2012 -- Run Rogue 5K -- Fairfax, VA
April 27-28, 2012 -- American Odyssey Relay -- Washington D.C. and surrounding states
July 24, 2012 -- Deseret News Marathon -- Salt Lake City, UT
December 4, 2012 -- Rock 'n Roll Las Vegas Marathon -- Las Vegas, NV
January 2013 -- Florida Keys Ragnar Relay -- Miami to Key West, FL

You may have noticed that none of the above are in Alaska. Very keen observation, my dear readers. It's true. And you may also have noticed that the first three are all located within the DC area. Hmmmm...something is up. But what can it be?

I think I'll keep you guessing for a week or so. It's more fun that way.

Cheers and happy snow shoveling!

My badass-ness only goes so far

Today has been a mentally difficult day. I've had a lot of things on my mind lately, and most of those things are centered around making some big decisions in my life. I'm a terrible decision-maker. And while I know I made the right decision to get divorced, some days I really miss having someone else in my life to help me work through those decisions. Someone to help weigh the pros and cons, and to discuss every aspect of that looming "thing." It's easy being a team. It's much more difficult to tackle it alone. Whatever "it" is. Usually I don't let days like this get me down for too long. There's no point in being a Sad Sally and dwelling on things out of my control. BUT. Today is tough. And I blame the weather. Let me just take a second or two to vent.

HOLY SH*#! IT'S MOTHER-F***ING COLD OUTSIDE!!!! EFF YOU, ALASKA! EFF. YOU.

*sigh* Now that that's done...

Seriously. It's hard to get rid of Sad Sally when every time I walk outside I'm accosted by 40 mph wind gusts that blow stinging snow directly into my eyes and face. It's so cold that it hurts. Literally hurts. See that temperature up there? 14 degrees? That's not so bad, really. I can handle the teens and single digits. It's the -14 degree windchill that sucks that life out of me. How on earth is it possible for WIND to change the temperature by almost 25 degrees?! And this, my friends, is when my badassery ends. I will not run outside in this. Won't. You could probably even threaten my life, and I'd still say I'm staying inside today.

All I can say is this: Thank the heavens above for P90X and Tony Horton. Because Sad Sally needs an ass-kicking and she sure as hell isn't going to get it from running. Not today.

And also, thank you all for letting me vent and have a bit of a bitch-fest today. I needed it. And I already feel better. And I know I'll feel even better when I'm done with Tony and the gang. I promise that my next post will be joyful and upbeat and optimistic. Why? Because of some 2012 racing plans in the works...and I can't wait to tell you all about them. :)

Super stormy in Alaska

If you haven't heard, an epic super storm has hit Alaska. Hurricane-force winds? Yup. Coastal floods? You betcha! Villages seeking higher ground and refuge? Yes and Yes.

Fortunately for me, Alaska is a gigantic landmass. I live hundreds of miles away from the brunt of the storm (thank god). All we're getting here in the Mat-Su Valley is a shitload of snow. Man, it hasn't stopped dumping! Never fear, my friends! I went running anyway! (woot)

Say hello to...NINJA CHRISTY!

I'm so badass, it almost hurts.

And I'll also happily admit that I've been enjoying these snowy runs. So pretty outside (even in the dark), and so awesome to hear the snow crunching beneath my shoes.

Mother Nature is cruel

So I'm now just realizing how much I'm not ready or prepared for the winter. In the past few days I've shoveled my driveway clear of 6 inches of snow, just to wake up in the morning to the realization that Mother Nature dumped an additional 6 inches of snow on my driveway. And everyone else's driveway. I'm not THAT special. So I get home from work; shoveling begins again. This is a lot of work. And it's only NOVEMBER 7TH.

So here I sit. It's 8 pm. I just finished shoveling. Did I mention my driveway is reaaaaallllly long? And I still need to lace up my sneaks and go for a run....yeah...did I also mention how amazing a bubble bath sounds right now?

Night running is now my only option. The sun doesn't rise until 8:45 am and just a few short hours later it starts setting at 4:30 pm. Morning runs, night runs, doesn't matter. It's going to be dark. And cold. I'm jealous of all of you who are experiencing temps in the 30s and 40s. My current temp is 20 degrees with a "feels like" 9 degrees.

Meh. It is what it is. I'll wrap in layers tonight, strap on my headlamp, and outfit the kicks in chains. A night-runnin' I go...for the next 7 months. Hmph.

Did I also mention that I think I moved to the wrong state? hahaha. I crack myself up sometimes. Alaskans are masochists.