This little bird smacked our front window this morning. Nicole and I loved it back to health by putting it in a shoebox next to the fire, providing water and food then waiting patiently. An hour later the little bird was released and flew off happily.

The power of a little bit of love goes very far.

Today's Goal: Run my first 50KM ultra marathon; happy, healthy and free. 

I started my run at 7am this morning and quickly settled in to a comfortable pace that included a 3:1 minute run:walk rhythm. This strategy would prove to be a leg saver for the later miles of the race and provide a rather quick recovery.

Around mile 7 it started raining. 3 miles and a few hundred feet in elevation later that rain turned to sleet then to snow. It is at this moment that I screamed with such enthusiasm that the runners behind and in front must have thought I was mad. At this point I realized just how happy I was to have a pair of fleece gloves and a hat. Fo me, these two items were the difference between hypothermia or an enjoyable experience.

I saved the last few miles for some rather deep personal reflection on just how far I have traveled these past few months and how important my environmental support has become. Today, I am truly grateful to have a group of loving family, friends, mentors and colleagues that support my journey. We need always remind ourselves that a team is one of the strongest assets we hold and without it our goals will be much harder if not impossible to reach. 

Huge thanks to the volunteers at this years Flagline 50K. You guys were awesome and and helped aid me in achieving my goal today.

Thanks for reading!

Scott