Reunions

This spring had blasts from the past. And some great books.

10 years

I went back to Princeton, New Jersey for the first time in almost a decade for my 10th reunion. While I live far away from the city (NYC) and the other haunts where most of my former classmates and teammates live – "You really like it out in Colorado?" "Yes, I love where I live!" was a regular conversation – I still felt connected to the campus and the trails where I ran almost every day for four years. It was brilliantly green, as it is in May, and even though the university is building like crazy, I was still able to find some peace along the D&R towpath.

Some reflections: oh how life progresses! Three of the seven of my distance teammates are pregnant. And they were still ripping it on the d floor.

I received an alumni award named after my coach, Peter Farrell, who retired in 2016. It was a sweet nod to the fact that I still love to run and have stayed involved in running. It felt funny in a way to get this award because my time at Princeton wasn't filled with awards. On the contrary, I was a mediocre Division I runner. I failed to make regionals in track. I struggled to stay in the top seven for cross country. I was injured for my entire sophomore year. Instead of running, I focused on my social life, so not all was lost... But alas, I loved to run throughout all of it. I especially loved it because of the women I got to run, chat, laugh and cry with. So I suppose this felt like a testament to stoke. If we love to do something, why not continue to do it?

I reconnected with the incredible organization Princeton in Asia for a panel and with my dear friend Brady who I lived and taught with in rural Southern Thailand for a year. We're both still obsessed with protecting our planet.

5 years

It's been five years since I peaked in ultrarunning. 2019 Western States baby! While I was at my college reunion I thought, wait why wasn't I at my 5th reunion? And I smiled and remembered that I was ultrarunning. Hard.

Katie Asmuth of The Trail Network was so kind and generous to have Brittany Peterson and me relive our 2019 WS100 battle. What a fun reunion of strong women who love to run.

Happy States week!

Book Recommendations

This has nothing to do with reunions, but I cannot stop talking about how interesting this book is. Thanks Ginna for the rec.

My hot take: I think that I might be one of the portion of women who have significant mood implications while on the Mirena IUD. While I have zero regrets for having an IUD for almost fifteen years, and am so grateful to have had access to affordable birth control, I also feel a hell of a lot more like myself, mood-wise, since I got mine out in January. I got it out because I thought it was complicit with my never-ending back injury (it wasn't).

The book summarizes the research that's been done on synthetic hormone effects on women. To be clear, Dr. Hill is very pro-women's rights (access to birth control, access to abortion). But she also wants women to know what synthetic hormones are doing to us. As a biologist, I was struck with how little I've known about my own body and hormones. Can we get some male birth control stat?

Fiction

Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn - a story of a Hawaiian family grappling with death, poverty, and the power of spirit! One of my all-time favorites.

Death Valley by Melissa Broder - ever think that that hawk flying overhead is a relative or friend that you've lost? That they're just flying in to say hi? This is an empowering, gripping read.

Indelicacy by Amina Cain - a bite-sized novel where nothing happens, but it's still thought-provoking and memorable. Thanks t0 Peter Jones at Trident for the rec!

Happy Summer

And remember, if you're struggling with injury just know that something's got to change. You got this. Get outside, read a good book, talk to your friends. You will get better! It's been a full year since my fall at Worlds last year and wow was it a doozy of a year. But like my trail mentor Ryan Smith told me multiple times,

"What's a year? It'll get better."

He was right. <3