So, I signed up for a 10K race at Lovell Canyon in the Spring Mountains out here, thinking I should run a shorter distance due to the warmer weather we had been experiencing...Then, lo and behold, the days leading up to the race saw unusually cooler temperatures for Las Vegas, with lows in the 40's (which of course, equated to freezing temperatures in the mountains!) And that's exactly what we got the morning of: air so brisk and biting, your hands and feet felt like pins were poking into them, but it was all for the experience, right? As I was struggling to get comfortable, I pulled out the handwritten notes my kids had made for me the night before that were stuffed in my pocket (since they would not be present at the race.) And I eventually found the means to work my way to the front of the group, as pictured below. When we hit the 4-mile marker, it was just me and the young guy, and I figured it would stay that way to the end. Finally, with only 50 yards to go, and the two of us sprinting to the finish, he pulled out ahead and beat me by a few seconds. Kudos to that young kid--he deserved it!!

After placing 1st Woman overall, I did receive a nice potted plant that now sits next to last year's award. (that Jake happens to refer to as the real award and the lame one.)




Here are two of the notes they wrote to me: