I’ve spent two years trying to be a better . . . whatever. Person, friend, runner, climber, girlfriend, employee, Buddhist, contributor to the world at large. Two years later I’m no better than I ever was and I’m tired of trying. Yes, it’s good to work on yourself, but I’ve reached a breaking point. I… Read more »
Posts By: Dawn
Coming Home
It’s only been three weeks since I was last at the Gunks, but it feels like a whole other era. Then I was runner, squeezing in a few low-grade climbs between high-mileage runs. Today I’m a climber again: hobbled, tired, uncertain, but glad to be home. Eyesore, 5.6 (Brien)Trapped Like a Rat, 5.7 (Dawn)Dennis, 5.5… Read more »
Pineland Farms 50M 2009
After my training run last weekend I was feeling pretty chipper. I figured if I could do 40 miles in 8 hours under non-race conditions, then 50 miles in 10 hours on race day was in the bag. Despite Steve’s dire warnings that I’d trained too hard too close to race day, I plotted an… Read more »
Gear and gadgets
I’m not a gear hound. My love of trad climbing has something to do with gear–the placing of it, the puzzling it out–but I don’t go nuts for the newest toy. I have a very strict policy that nothing can be added to the rack without something of similar weight being subtracted, and my rack… Read more »
The Conquest of Bunnissima
It was a low-key but pleasant day at the Gunks. Steven is leaving for Devil’s Tower at the end of the week so his main focus was on not getting hurt and I was tired from a long training run the day before. I normally climb with my feet but my legs had no oomph,… Read more »
Taking the cat for a drag
I managed to sneak in a few climbs between runs and rain drops. Steve, Dagmar, Kevin and I went to Pinnacle and I led Zamboni, which was new to me and pleasant, and then Steve and I TR’d a few of the usual suspects. The Entertainer felt easier than I remembered it, which I can… Read more »
Lessons Learned
I run, I climb, I forge forward through life. You’d think we’d learn a lot by living, given that we do it for a long time (and frequently), but my thoughts seem to coalesce more clearly while I’m running or climbing. Living? Well. I haven’t got that down yet. I’m doing a lot of running… Read more »
A day at the beach
Yes, the crowds were out at the Gunks. I was feeling low key and willing to meander up easy stuff and Todd had a finger injury, so for once he wasn’t vehemently opposed to easier routes, but climbing easy was out of the question. They were stacked three parties deep on some of the classics…. Read more »
A good weekend
When we got together at Bacchus after, Steven said about the day Brien and I had had, “That’s not just a good day; that’s a good weekend.” But perhaps the best part of the day/weekend was a good dinner with good friends. Maria Direct, 5.9 (Dawn)Maria P2 (Brien)Son of Easy O straight up, 5.8 (Dawn)Modern… Read more »
For my birthday
There’s a point during a long run–somewhere around six miles–when my mind clears. The angry din of competing stresses silences, the red haze of self-righteous indignation dissipates, and my shoulders drop in surrender to the tranquility of the moment. My vision widens beyond the terrain immediately beneath my feet. Suddenly, I’m surrounded by peace and… Read more »