Running with Wheeler - My Dog!

Owning a dog is a new endeavor for me. I used to be annoyed by dogs, especially the barking, slobbering, jumpy ones; dogs just were not my gig. Ever since living in Bishop, most of my running girlfriends have dogs and I have come to enjoy running with their animals. All of the annoying qualities of dogs fade when running with them. You and the animal get to share a similar passion of running, exploring, smelling, and having fun.

My husband Howie and I rescued a shelter dog, Wheeler, in early November, she's part Queensland and Husky. Wheeler has changed running for me. In two months, I have discovered new routes, linked up some trails, and have met other dogs and dog owners in Big Pine. She joins me on tempo runs, slow runs, and exploratory runs. Also, she is a huge motivator for me. On cold mornings when I want to stay inside, do a few sit ups, and skip the run - - I look at Wheeler and I know cold mornings don't stop her. Inevitably, I'll take Wheeler out and the cold leaves in a few minutes and my motivation returns. She's still a puppy, so I know I have many many years ahead with my new favorite running partner.

I am a Mountain Athlete

I just spent a rejuvenating week in Los Cabos with my husband’s family. When relaxing, I get to spend time thinking about myself, and often my wanders to personal and athletic goals. What I realized on this vacation is that I am a mountain athlete. Owning a specialty running store, I feel compelled to only be a runner, but I am a mountain athlete. In the winter my miles running go way down because every day off, I’m skiing. In the summer, when days are long, I have huge mountain days which can be a 20 mile run, a climb up Mt. Humphries or a long hike. For me, being an athlete is all about the mountains. Hardly do I recreate without them. With this realization of who I am as an athlete, I plan to bring my business Sage to Summit along with me. Sage to Summit is a store that reflects my passion of running, however it needs to reflect me – a store for mountain athletes.