The Expanse of Spirit

Over thirty days after Leadville and life has returned to normal, or at least as normal as it will be for the next 6-8 months.  In short, the week after Leadville we vacated our house for renovation, packed the car, harnessed the bikes to the roof and set out for California.  

I was feeling pretty healthy after Leadville and I had told myself in July and promised Catherine that if I felt good, I'd sign up for the NYC Marathon and raise money for a charity.



Life is a brief opportunity to do something prehumously. ~Robert Brault

And so I am embracing an opportunity, prehumously and since launching my fundraising efforts I have found no limit to the "expanse of spirit" that has been shown to donate and support me and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.  We reached the $2,500 mark in 11 days and in another short few days, surpassed the new goal of $4,000.  I am speechless, humbled and grateful for the wonderful people that surround me, give me energy and demonstrate extreme conditions of compassion.

At the end of my race report I wrote about an altered state, feeling more alive and sleeping less. Feeling as if no challenge or obstacle could get in my way.  This is the feeling of the "expanse of spirit".  Leadville stretched me and I continue to find boundaries to soar beyond whether physically, emotionally or mentally.  There is a clarity in thought and vision in emotion.

As I climbed my first real hill on the slopes of Mt. Rose, the crisp morning air chilled my nostrils and my skin soaked up the morning sun. I would continue down and around the loop and find this perch once more before calling it a successful return to the trails after Leadville, completing 18 miles and over 4,400 feet of elevation gain.  Just in time for the Big Sur Trail Marathon the following weekend.  I have found relief and peace, I've done it, it's over and I can get on with the rest of my life.  But I just want to relish it, build on it and not take for granted the gifts I've been given.  I am stepping away and realizing in my space what is and is not a waste of energy.  I don't want to waste energy on frivolous or meaningless emptiness, I want to try and focus my energy on finding the emptiness between the pillars of my soul and focus on this:


"Dream and give yourself permission to envision a You that you choose to be."


The weekend was upon me before I realized, I left HQ for the coastal waters of Big Sur after presenting to American Honda...where I was able to showcase our personal commitment to the Honda brand by showing them a couple of pictures of our 1995 Honda Accord (really Annie's, but I've proudly adopted it and owned two Acuras in my life).  

I've never camped alone before in my life.  Have you? Try it, once.  You'll find expanse.  I ventured from beneath the marine layer hanging over Monterey and Carmel to the beautiful Alex Molera State Park(SP) off Highway 1.  I was prepared for some basic, simple car camping.  It was a half mile hike to the campground from the parking lot, one mile from the campground to the beach...oh well.  So I pitched the tent (yes, I needed to refer to the instructions - laugh out loud).  I made something that felt like fourteen trips to the car for stuff I thought I needed.  I settled into the campground and took a walk to the beach.  While camping alone I recommend bringing the following: 1) journal for writing and drawing 2) books and magazines 3) some sort of sleep aid (name your poison).


Campgrounds are very different than hotels...guest friendly.  It's communal.  It seemed like everyone around me felt sorry for me and wanted to chat it up, which I greatly appreciated.  I met a nice couple from San Diego but more or less I was on my own, which was good...I wrote a lot, drew a lot, thought a lot, expanded  A LOT.


Saturday morning brought the end to an entirely miserable night of sleep.  I was so happy to find daylight, coffee and oatmeal.  I hit the starting line after Dave (Race Director) gave a great opening and we all sang America the Beautiful.  A very solemn moment in all honesty, standing there on the hills of the coast of California, defended in WWII, and shortly after the 9/11 anniversary.


I visited Alex Molera SP over 10 yrs ago...we ran the western trails that year, it was my first race back in the USA from Australia.  This year, as in the past few years, was run on the Old Coast Rd, which was the only road down the coast before Hwy 1 was built.  This year was different, coming off Leadville.  I had no expectation, but finished 10 minutes faster than my time 10 years ago, on arguably a tougher course with of over 6,300 ft of elevation gain (the old trail course was more like 3,000 ft).  I finished third, surprisingly, again.  I'm proud that in 10 years time, I'm still keeping up with myself from 10 years ago.

I closed out the weekend with a quick unloading and reorganization of the car.  Needless to say, everything smelled like a campfire, which in small doses is quite pleasant and comforting, but in overwhelming form, disgusting.  So I aired the car out as well.

It was kind a fun, I was near the Oracle HQ in a park I regularly use for running, I unloaded just about everything from the car, people kinda stared.  I looked homeless for sure, but here I was driving a not so homeless kind of car...very paradoxical for the ordinary bystander.  While this has been fun, I continue to miss Annie.


On Sunday, I popped over to Teague's house (Corrie's boyfriend - Corrie is traveling with Annie) and we commiserated together by taking his RC (remote control) vehicles for a spin.  He's got a pretty cool gig these days, developing an on-line lunar experience for kids using RC chassis carrying instruments to sample rocks, soil, etc.  As a part of this endeavor, he needs to practice his RC skills...which he is totally adept at...(click here).  We had a good time, great dinner with his roommates ad neighbors, all in all a pretty good weekend.


Next up...the Tahoe Marathon Weekend Update and further spirit expansion!