Happy tears, 5 star calories and a safety blanket

Hi all,
I am just back from a weekend trip to Alaska. When we booked it, it seemed like a truly questionable idea. Escape the cold by flying straight into, YAY, more cold. Turns out, Bend was balmy so flying into Anchorage’s high of ten with our cross-country skis was lucky timing to get to some much anticipated winter.
A highlight was skiing a stretch of the Iditarod trail. I shed a happy tear more than once from the sheer beauty of the place. The kind of beauty that reminds me why I stay fit, have good gear and SAY YES to adventure. 
And the thing is, I live in a place that gives me that same feeling. Trails that still bring a tear when I crest the final hill and catch the first glimpse of the lake. I travel far for wonder, only to be reminded that I am surrounded by it at home. It was a good reminder to visit the places that fill my cup, whether they’re an airplane ride away or a little further than the normal trailhead. 

A YEAR IN REVIEW
Rachel Entrekin, winner of the Cocodona 250 last year and about everything else she enters, has written a 2025 year in review. Not a bad idea for all of us actually. And, she has crafted a masterpiece by modeling it after a favorite podcast/book by author John Green called The Anthropocene Reviewed. If you are unfamiliar, congratulations, you now have a treasure trove of podcasts to take you into the new year. The Anthropocene Reviewed and Rachel Entrekin rate happenings and objects on a 5-star scale. 

"Here are some of the things that happen if you actually eat properly during big efforts:
– you don’t bonk hideously...
– you feel alert nearly the entire time, controlling your energy levels with a steady flow of calories vs. last year’s borderline abuse of caffeine
– you never once get GI distress OR cramps
– you can run at a speedier pace for way longer than you think...

I give calories five stars."

BE PREPARED OUT THERE
This story is chilling to me because it is hard to know what everyone was really thinking, but in the end, someone died on a mountain. WHICH reminds me to give you my annual plea for adding a few pieces of safety gear to your running pack. Even if you are running 'only' in Forest Park, it pays to have a safety blanket, a dry pair of mittens, and a whistle at minimum in case your run takes longer or is slower than anticipated. For trips to into the Gorge, National Forests, etc consider the ten essentials (and knowing how to use them). AND for the love of candy and running and all your loved ones, don't forget to tell someone where you are headed and what time you expect to be back. 

MEDICAL MISINFORMATION
Here is a great article from Dr Jen Gunter regarding medical misinformation on social media. There are tips for helping decrease the spread of bad information including being skeptical of information coming from companies selling supplements, watching out for health halos and the touchdown feeling. This could help you save money, spare yourself time and not get tricked into poor health decisions. 

JOIN ME FOR STRENGTH
Please join me THIS Wednesday night for Strength Training for Runners. It is live, to your screen at 5pm Pacific time. Information here.