Team Drea 2017

So, I said I was done running. However, when I quit running a little over a year ago, I started feeling less great on a daily basis. I tried things to fix it, but that level of cardio seems to do something that nothing else can. My personal trainer caught me on a good day and talked me into doing running/walking intervals. It's a lot less horrible! Then came time for me to figure out a new challenge for Team Drea this year - to push myself and raise money for ALS research for Andrea. Last year was a year of reflection for me, so I hiked 179 miles over the course of the year and donated the money myself, which was awesome, but it's time to step it up. So here I am, that girl who said she quit running, committing to doing the Race13.1 Raleigh 10K this fall (10/7/2017). And I will be bugging people for donations again :) because each of us is lucky to be alive and have the health and abilities that we have, even if it's less than what others have.

I apologize for my bluntness here, but this is what Andrea is facing. She has a disease that sounds like a person's worst nightmare. Being totally mentally aware and watching your body slowly stop working, piece by piece, to the point where you can't walk, talk, use ANY of your muscles, and eventually swallow or breathe. I saw a video that rocked me to my core - a man with ALS who could communicate only with his eyes. So, when his lungs or breathing tube get clogged, and his muscles no longer allow him to even cough to clear his own lungs, he triggers an audible alarm that alerts someone to walk over to him and suck the fluid out. The thought of sitting there, choking, unable to do anything about it, waiting for someone to come help... that is purely horrifying to me. And this is only ONE specific scenario in this man's (and his caregivers') daily life. I challenge you to stop and think about this once in a while. Inhale and exhale, and appreciate how easy that is. When your coffee goes down the wrong pipe and you cough it up, appreciate that ability. Walk through the grass, or even across the room, and feel your leg muscles move with ease, and appreciate those neurons and muscles that allow you to do that. Reach down and scratch your leg... reach over and pick up a glass of water, drink it and swallow it... reach out and touch someone you care about, and appreciate that moment. Say hello or thank you to someone, and feel how easily your vocal cords respond and how easily your mouth and tongue move to enunciate. Every little movement is a gift.

This disease is horrible and often affects people who are far healthier and more active than most. We desperately need to find a cure for this. Even a treatment that slows or stops progression would be SOMETHING. Currently there is, for all intents and purposes, NOTHING.

I may set up a new fundraising page, but here is a link to my original one from the obstacle race I did in 2015. Any amount is awesome! And I'm sure these requests for donations get tiresome - I get that. I will try not to blow up Facebook too much with it. It just really means a lot to me.

http://www.active.com/donate/teamblazeman/carrieo

Company Mill Trail & Inspiration Trail

Hike distance: 7.13
Total distance hiked: 179.41 miles
Miles remaining: 0!!!

I finished! Just in the nick of time! It was a nice hike, even though it felt quite chilly. The trail looked different than normal... chilly, gloomy, and no leaves. I saw a downed tree from afar that I tried to get around during a recent hike and realized it was actually a huge tree that had split in the middle, and each piece had fallen in opposite directions. I also saw a couple of people riding horses on the multi-use trail - I don't think I've ever seen horses out there! They were pretty. Toward the end of the hike, I was walking down a stretch of trail with nobody around. It was perfectly quiet except for the sound of I-40 in the distance. I heard a strange sound in the woods - like a weird loud quack or caw. I never saw what it was, but after I reached the creek, I came across a great blue heron fishing in the water ... so maybe that's what it was. It was cool to watch him stretch his neck out and poke around in the water.

Christmas Day walk/jog

Hike distance: ~5 miles
Total distance hiked: 172.28 miles
Miles remaining: 6.72

On Christmas Day, I was feeling pretty worn down, lethargic, and anxious.  I needed to get out to exercise!  So I went on a walk/jog through the neighborhood around my parents' house. Kids were out playing with their toys, families were taking walks, and a couple of neighbors had some lovely chickens hanging out in their yards.  I went a little less than 3 miles.  I felt a million times better afterwards.  Then, I went on a little bit of a walk with my parents to tack on a couple more miles.  I then rounded up to 5 miles because the night before, my cat decided to jump out of my car window on Wade Avenue in Raleigh and run off into the woods (long story, ugh!!!)... and I spent half an hour tromping through the woods with my cell phone light, calling his name, and crying.  That totally counts as a hike, right???  :)  Luckily, my parents came to the rescue and helped me find and grab him.  WHEW.  Talk about a Christmas miracle!

Suburban "hike"

Hike distance: ~4 miles
Total distance hiked: 167.28 miles
Miles remaining: 11.72

This feels like cheating because it wasn't actually a hike, but I did take the opportunity to walk to the Lowe's down the street and back instead of driving in order to get some exercise and fresh air on a nice warm winter day.  I would've driven if it weren't for this challenge, so in a way, it totally counts!  Gaining some miles and getting Christmas presents and parts to fix a toilet - win win!  :)

North Cary Park & the Greenway

Hike distance: ~5 miles
Total distance hiked: 163.28 miles
Miles remaining: 15.72

I went on a chilly walk/jog through my neighborhood, through North Cary Park, and on the greenway behind it along a creek.  My asthma was being a bit of a killjoy, but it was good to get outside for some exercise. I've gotten sloppy about tracking my miles, so I am having to estimate.

Duck Walk

Hike distance: ~5 miles
Total distance hiked: 158.28 miles
Miles remaining: 20.72

I took a few walks around the Town of Duck, NC, over Thanksgiving - along the boardwalk, and through town.  The boardwalk is always a nice quasi-natural getaway - it goes along the edge of the sound with beautiful views and interesting trees and cool birds.  I also discovered a cool little outdoor bar near my uncle's house that had a cider on tap, which was a lovely treat for myself after a walk!

Company Mill with a twist

Hike distance: 4.54 miles

Total distance hiked: 153.28 miles

Miles remaining: 25.72

My recent hikes have taken an interesting turn. I have had the urge to go in directions that the trail doesn't go, so I end up veering off the trails and tromping through the woods. I'm sure there's some life metaphor in there somewhere...

Today, I started on Company Mill, went on the Inspiration Trail, got off the trail, went down a steep hill, and saw a nice little trickling waterfall. (I got the idea from someone's post on Instagram - he told me about the little waterfall.) I came across a guy nearby, and we chatted about the trail and where it went. He had found an extra trail map on the ground and gave it to me. I felt inspired (I guess this trail is appropriately named) to try to tromp through the woods and meet up with another part of Company Mill... Unfortunately, the big creek was in the way. I started following the creek to see if I could make it to the big bridge. I came across some rather large obstacles and decided to go back up the hill through the woods to catch an earlier section Company Mill trail. I went the opposite way on the loop than I usually go since it was the section across the creek from where I had just been. I watched the terrain on the other side to see if I could possibly hike along the creek on that side and make it to the bridge, or if there were any possible natural crossing places with rocks and logs. I definitely saw some big obstacles, but if I tried hard enough, I think I could do it.

Someone used to tell me that you should always stay on the trail. It's safer, and you won't disturb more protected natural areas. The same person also told me that the trail carries you. On a difficult backpacking hike, I remembered this visualization. I felt like I was riding the trail like a wave, and it was carrying me along the way, up and down the hills. It's easy to stay on the trail. The trail carries you. It's unnerving to veer off the trail. You have to stay more aware of direction, landmarks, and surroundings, and you may or may not be able to actually get to where you want to go. There are obstacles, dead ends, unknowns. It's possible to get lost. The terrain is more natural and potentially less stable. There may be more spider webs and other wildlife with fewer humans around. It's easier to misstep or fall into a hole. But there's a bigger sense of accomplishment when you make it out, and you see things you wouldn't normally see. I want to spend more time venturing through woods off the trail.

But then i see signs like this that crush my dreams.