Ruckus in the Muckus

Summer has at last arrived in Fairbanks. The trees are fully leafed out. Nightly temps don't dip below 40 and during the day it has occasionally reached 70 degrees. What a luxury to leave the windows open at night! We are officially in Civil Twilight, which means there is 24 hours of light. There is an actual sunset and sunrise but it never gets dark enough in between that artificial light is required to see.

I ran a mud obstacle race yesterday, called Ruckus in the Muckus: a hilly 5k with sporadic mud obstacles thrown in. We had to crawl through mud, run through a 4 feet deep mud pit and climb a short hill while being sprayed with water. It wasn't as as drastic as it sounds. Aside from the mud pit I didn't get dirty at all.

I ran with a group from Crossfit. It was a fun time although a bit surreal. I only had five hours of sleep before the race (yes, a ruckus at Kodiak Jack's had taken place the previous evening!) And while waiting for the race to start I ran into a guy I'd been on a date with, only to have him tell me he's getting back together with his ex-girlfriend. I wanted to push him into the mud pit.

Crossfit crew

The *Real* Sign of Spring

Around town the drip, drip of snow melting is the best sound. The snow is gone from my back yard, and the cats are going outside once again. Last weekend there was even a bonfire party. It was 34 degrees but it was light until 10:30, so why wouldn't we be outside? It was glorious. 

Signs of Spring

The first geese have been spotted at Creamer's Field.

Parking lot lines are visible again.

My front door lock isn't frozen.

I packed my down parka away.

I haven't has to wear SmartWool socks in a week.

And today at the airport, instead of plugging in my car I put up the sunshade.

Reason #789 to love Crossfit

After today's WOD, while working on my double unders, one of the guys dashed out of the bathroom into the main gym, wearing only a towel. He grabbed something from behind the bench and ran back into the bathroom.

After that I lost all focus on my double unders.

Running of the Reindeer

I came *this* close to gaining a new name this weekend. But alas, my Native American moniker is not to be, "runs with antler in ass". 

*Picture by official Fur Rondy photographer, not yours truly.*

Turn Right at the Tree

It's often a joke that in rural areas directions are based on the terrain, not street signs. Things like, "it's the house just past the oak tree that burned in 1963." 

Out here in the bush that is exactly what happens. In Galena, I use this tree as my landmark to remember where to turn to get back to my dorm.

I'll Show You!

The Crossfit WOD (aka Workout of the Day) was to do intervals of sledgehammer strikes and kettlebell swings. I haven't swung a sledgehammer in awhile so before we started I was testing out the different weights of sledgehammers (ranging from 8-15lbs) to decide which one I'd use. I picked up the 15 pounder and wasn't sure I could manage that weight for the length of the workout. I set it down.

Then... some jackass said to me, "you might be more comfortable using a lighter weight".