Refreshing December

Ahh! I woke up this morning to one of the most wonderfully fantastic dreams! The dream started out as a regular marathon practice/walk. I had suggested some areas that I normally train/walk for a new practice (one of them being the King County Regional Trails on the Redmond Ridge).

It was odd. The first part of the trail was a nice path of compressed bark which was free of water and mud. Then at one juncture I wanted to take the group on an alternate route or loop. I had forgotten about the melting snow and the trail ended up being water logged and marshy like the mud lake trails in my grandpa's cranberry bog and cedar laden property in Michigan.

Interestingly my shoes turned into water boots which I happily skidded and tromped over the melting ice, snow and water. When I crossed the bog trail the field ahead of me changed into a perfect crytalline white blanket of snow complete with ski tracks over the rolling hills.

Somehow poles appeared in my hands and I began to glide along the trail in my water boots at an intense pace. The further and faster I went, the feeling of nordic skiing returned to my memory or being. I glided down the hills in a perfect tuck in my water boots as I once did on my light carbon fiber skis.

It was an absolutely amazing feeling! I wanted to go faster and faster. My lungs burned from the cold air but every breath made me feel more alive than ever!

I am not sure but perhaps my boots actually turned into skis in the dream. I remember being amazed that I could ski again and could vividly recall every detail of the skill.

When I reached the bottom of a large hill that I glided down in a tuck with tremendous speed and percision, I came to a sign where the trail went two directions. It was at that moment that I realized I was no longer on the Redmond Ridge but transported back to my favorite cross country ski trail on the Days River.

You see, before rollerblading, before diving, before waterskiing, before hiking in the mountains, cross country skiing was my love and my passion! I remember my grandparents gave me my first pair of skis. From there my parents encouraged me to use them and to compete in the UP State Games. My parents used to have land in Upper Michigan and that is what I used to do....ski all around our property and our neighbors'. My favorite time is when the snow would get very hard and the fields would be lit up from the moonlight and stars.

On weekends our family would ski the Days River trail and later I would return often on my own for the pleasure of solitude in the woods and competing against myself.

There was a moment in the Seattle marathon while crossing the I90 bridge that the memory of skiing visited me. I am not sure why. I wanted to go really fast. I wanted to have on a pair of skis.

I still have my skis (the last pair I owned). They hang in my house with my downhill skis like trophies on the wall of our stairs. I have not wanted to let them go. Not yet anyways.

After the marathon it has crossed my mind a couple times if I could possibly ski again. Prior, I had marked it off the list due to my poor balance. However, after this dream and the feeling I had in the dream I wonder. Like hiking, with nordic skiing you use poles. I may not be able to tackle going down the insane hills at heart pounding speed that I once did, but perhaps I could enjoy skiing on a flat trail. It would take practice but I have the memory of the technique with me.

The feeling in my dream was so incredibly exhilirating that I crave to ski again! The weather today reminds me of a good day skiing. There is some blue ski mixed with clouds, the air is crisp, the temperature warm, but still snow on the ground.

This definitely is a good way to enter the month!

Happy December! Always keep hope and find a way to go after what you would like to achieve! :o)