Update!...a few months late

Two realisations occurred today (or at least in the last day):

1.       Last night it occurred to me that I had not showered in more than three days.  Now, this may not be anything significant, except for the fact that I have done a multitude of athletic activities in between the time since my last bathing experience.  It should also be mentioned that I was so busy during those unwashed days that it did not occur to me that I had forgotten to shower.  I guess it helps that I do not have a useable shower in my residence during non-sweltering summer months.  In all, it had been more than four days since my last shower before I did so again today.  In that time, I rock climbed, mountain biked 3x, ran and hiked a foothill peak (among other things).  I do not think I even smelled.  Score!

2.       As I was walking from the bathroom stall to the shower stall at work, being naked in doing so, I had a brief revelation.  There are mirrors across from the bathroom stalls, therefore I saw myself entirely naked exiting the stall.  Today, for the briefest of seconds, I did not recognize the person exiting the stall.  That naked woman.  That fit toned body.  That sun burned/tanned skin with hair completely askew.  The body sweaty sheened and covered in dirt from climbing Cervidae.  That was me!  I did not recognize my own nude body.  And that makes me ever so happy.  I have worked so hard to be so active and fit that sometimes I miss the changes to my body as a result of my lifestyle.  Yay!  I’m hot!

I make it a point to be as busy as possible on my days off.  I do not like idle time.  That is what sleep is for.  Most of my time is spent outside.  Usually doing some athletic type activity.  And I love it.  I also realized that I love my life.  I love the life I have created for myself and the way I lead it currently.  I am not so sure that I want to be in a relationship.  I have a very structured life.  Things are planned.  I go do things when and how I want.  My friends are my family and I love them dearly.  Do I have time for a significant other?  Sometimes I think not.  Unless he can keep up with my hectic lifestyle.  And I am not at the point in my life to give up those things or significantly alter them to fit someone in my life.  Huh.  I just want a physical buddy that can do fun athletic/adventuresome things with me.  But I have discovered that many men find that idea appealing but are not able to carry through with it.  I’m just too badass for the masses of single men out there.  And I am totally fine with that.  I can wait.

Since it has been so long since my last post…my apologies.  My internet completely died at home.  I have not turned on my computer in months.  I should update you on shit that I have done.

•         Zion Half Marathon (http://thezionhalf.com/): walked it since my leg was not totally run-able from my injury in Jan.

o   Went there with my adventure friend.  We arrived a day early.  Brought our mountain bikes and camped in Springdale, UT.  It was AWESOME!  We hiked Angel’s Landing (https://www.nps.gov/zion/learn/photosmultimedia/angels-landing-ehike.htm) the day after.  Biked around the park in the areas we were permitted to.  Hiked the Emerald Pools and other shorter hikes (https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/hiking-in-zion.htm). ; I nearly pooed myself on Angel’s Landing.  That is a total mind fuck of a hike.  We hiked at Castle Rock State Park in Idaho on the way out of town.  And we biked Gooseberry Mesa on our way leaving Zion area.  Fantastic trip!!

•         Mountain Biking:  I bought a Haro DoublePeak Trail 29” tire hardtail mountain bike (https://www.harobikes.com/mtb/bikes/doublepeak-29/double-peak-trail-2015) before leaving for Zion.  Since then, I try to get on the trails at least 2x a week.  I have improved greatly in the last month.  I still have a looooooong way to go.  I already biffed it on my first real outing, hahaha!  I really enjoy mountain biking and am oh so thankful for living in an area that is so outdoor oriented for those kinds of activities.  I am excited to begin to understand the Ridge to Rivers trails layout and trail names.  It makes me feel kinda like a veteran of the foothills *snort/rolls eyes*.  I am really working hard on hill climbs.  Downhill still scares the shit out of me and I am not comfortable enough to really go fast or let my hands off from pressing the brakes the whole time.

•         Rock climbing:  I do not this activity as often as I would like.  Many of my climbing friends are either not really interested in doing it anymore, have drifted off from being common friends or life has distracted them too much to continue doing it.  I wish I still went multiple times a week, but I do not have a regular climbing friend any more.  This makes me sad as I really enjoy doing the activity and REALLY want to improve my outdoor climbing game.  I now go once a week with the poly guy I went on a date with back in February.  I’ve been friend zoned with him.  Which is fine.  But he’s also not an experienced climber, so I am not truly challenged as much as I would like.

•         Mountaineering: this activity is my main goal for this summer.  I would like to learn how to climb mountains in a safe and healthy manner.  I have a friend that has introduced me to an Idaho climbing group.  I have my first event with them in two weeks.  I am beyond elated for it.  I will not summit the peak (~11,400’) since I do not have the proper equipment (crampons, ice axe) or the experience to do it.  But I plan to go to base camp (~8,200’) and hike in that area to acclimate myself to that elevation and see how I handle exercise.  My ultimate goal is to summit Mt Borah, Idaho’s highest peak at ~12,669’ this year (http://www.idahoaclimbingguide.com/borah-guide/).

•         Race to Robie (http://robiecreek.com/): ; Yes, Friends, I am now a true Boisean.  I have accomplished this event.  I participated in the 39th annual Race to Robie half marathon.  I decided to do it the week before the event.  Bought a fellow RWBer’s bib that could not participate.  Fuck.  Fuckfuckfuck.  That event is not easy.  At all.  I ran the first 3-ish miles.  Then I power walked the shit out of the rest of the 8.5mi of incline (gain ~1,500-1,700’).  At mile 7, the road decided that it wanted to vastly increase its elevation…for the next 1.5mi.  Fuck.  Seven to 8.5mi nearly broke me.  I refused to stop.  My badass fast walk turned more glacial at that point.  But then I made it to 8.5mi and it was all downhill after that.  I ran the rest of that shit.  I made it to the top at 8.5mi @2h07m.  I crossed the finish line (sprinted the last 0.25mi) @3h03m --> 1864 or 2178 participants.  I am quite pleased with my performance.  I passed more people than passed me (in the back of the pack original start assumption).  So I felt super good about that.  Yay!
My results:
Place

Name

City

Bib No

Age

Gender

Rnk

Time

Pace

Rnk

Time

Pace

Back

Time

Time

Diff

Pace

1864

Melanie Barkalow

Nampa ID

2531

32

F

1856

2:06:28.7

14:44/M

1852

57:20.5

12:28/M

1:30:06.6

3:02:32.1

3:03:49.2

1:17.1

13:56/M