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So happy to be part of the team for a fifth year. This team is absolutely epic!



Ambassador **O Ambassador

So happy to be part of the team for a fifth year. This team is absolutely epic!



Ambassador **O Ambassador  

Some days you need to be grateful for simplicity and yet the beautiful complexity of nature.

Some days or weeks are lessons in which we need to learn how to embrace what we may feel are our "failures".  For the individual who feels as though they’ve been unable to reach their goals for a while and keep coming up short. For the individual who is frustrated, anxious, the hurting, or any person who feels irritated with themselves. Like they might want to throw in the towel on their dreams. We all have our own experiences, but if there’s one lesson I’ve learned, it’s that nobody has to be alone in their struggle. Those "failures" are steps towards our foundational building blocks. Each and every one of us has to take it one moment at a time.

    Ambassador

Attitude of gratitude.
It is not always easy to feel gratitude when you lose the mobility you are accustomed to as fragile as it is. I have to keep my leg off as much to recover from the traumatic injury to my knee that I sustained two days ago. I hit the frozen ground so hard with my unprotected leg that the doctor feels that the infection started instantaneously. So meds 4x's a day for 7 days, then re-evaluation of the wound ect. The hardest part is resting. People that really know me know this is excruciating for me. Not moving as I am accustomed to.

How you value yourself and your self care matters. I see myself as whole. I did not need to overcome my appearance (after the amputation) to return to feeling physically and spiritually whole again.  Possibly, what being whole is all about learning to accept yourself and others, despite differences exactly as they are. So, I've got 99 problems but missing a leg, thus having imposed rest days interrupting my training is not one of them. Yes, I am very disappointed. Yes, I know I shall come back injury free allowing me to run safely, longer.

Have gratitude for your abilities. They are vast, and many whether you are on crutches, in a wheelchair, have aides like myself or on your own feet.



Ambassador **O Ambassador  

Some days are successful and a win. Some days you end up icing a very swollen knee. Dangers of being an amputee and changing your inner liners out due to sweat. Sitting on a log, you get pulled over when you and your dog are startled in the middle of nowhere on your run by a gentleman and his dog (they were equally startled). You get your unprotected leg dragged into frozen dirt and rocks. Since I believe in silverlinings, mine was that the snow stopped the bleeding quickly and I only had 2 miles to get back to my vehicle......win!

Absolutely could not wait to share!!! I am so proud to be a Nuun Legacy Team Member! Nuun has been through the ups and downs with me on my journey through these last couple of years. Always hydrating and keeping me going. The team is exceptional for its encouragement and kindness to others, thank you Nuun. 🥰

I closed out the year with my Bean. She is my partner in crime and an explorer extraordinaire. I hope to show her that there is absolutely nothing that you cannot do, that your mindset is everything. So, we played on the beach. Went to the mountains and played in the snow. Found abandoned buildings. Saw pictographs. Explored an old ghost town. Found caves to explore.
I believe we have not been placed on earth to be mundane. Many say I go to extremes with what I do in how far I push my body but I say how uncomfortable are you actually willing to get for what you dream of? How hard are you willing to work? Will you regularly step outside of your comfort zones? I am so focused and driven to succeed. Complacency is not a word I get along with. Do your sacrifices match your desires? My goals of ultras are never out of my sights and I will once again run long distance, on one leg and with a smile. This year I am running Walk In the Park Ultra, Born to Run Ultra, Emporers Mountain Challenge and the Goddess Run. The strength we have defines the choices we make, both good and bad. If we choose to keep our focus on the hurt, we aren’t focused on taking control of our lives, or on living our lives. If we blame negative circumstances for the place we are in our lives, we are giving up all responsibility and control. Awful things happen. Dreadful circumstances or tragedies will affect most of our lives at some point. It’s okay to cry and feel sorry for yourself and your circumstances, mope around or get really damn angry. Bad things do happen, how we respond to them defines our character and the quality of our lives. One could choose sadness and to remain within its known embrace or one could choose to rise from the pain no matter how wobbly, and hold your head high. These are all choices. I choose life, it is for living. Go strong into the new year. Be fearless!

There is so much beauty out there to be seen. Do not ever let anyone limit you in what you do, especially yourself. I'm definitely proud of what I have accomplished. On average, it takes me three times longer to go downhill than to run on a flat surface with my prosthetic leg so this is something I actively practice. However, incidents do happen...you know when you get stuck on the side of a mountain before your prosthetic leg appointment and are as high as the power lines with your prosthetic leg just out of reach due to a newly discovered suction issue..Imagine traveling along then all of a sudden you are sliding down, down, down. You are so grateful you have your dog on a long lead, have taught him "left" and "right"!! We fished my leg right back to me with his leash. Damn I love that guy! 😂🤣 What adventures we have together!



Ambassador **O Ambassador  

When you put yourself out there, you will be amazed at the beauty surrounding you.



Ambassador **O Ambassador  

Yesterday was exhausting. I left for my prosthetic appointment at 10 am. Then I was not back in the door until just after 8 pm. However, I am thankful and extremely grateful. Proud of my achievements and how far I've come. From being told I'd never walk again to running races. In life we all face challenges. What we do to overcome them is what matters. Challenges are what we need to be able to grow, develop and evolve personally. Working from your personal strengths, leaning on your resiliency gives the ability to deal with life’s challenges and misfortunes. Thus makes you stronger. Traumatic and stressful events can threaten your self-worth and your dreams if you allow negative thoughts to overpower the positive. So remember, it is always just one foot in front of the other. Ask for help if needed. Reach out. Challenges help you grow, evolve and become unstoppable. They push you to stretch your boundaries, step outside of your comfort zone to bring out your best. Go ahead, reach for your full potential! Strive forward. As difficult as it seems the more difficulties that we face, the stronger we grow. Knowing we have it in us to deal with all that life throws our way not only makes one more confident but prepares us for even bigger challenges. So, whatever your challenges at the moment face it, look at the big picture and then crush them!

 
 
      Ambassador **O Ambassador